Induction and inhibition of oocyte maturation by EDCs in zebrafish

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Tokumoto Mika

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Oocyte maturation in lower vertebrates is triggered by maturation-inducing hormone (MIH, which acts on unidentified receptors on the oocyte surface and induces the activation of maturation-promoting factor (MPF in the oocyte cytoplasm. We previously described the induction of oocyte maturation in fish by an endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC, diethylstilbestrol (DES, a nonsteroidal estrogen. Methods In this study, stimulatory and inhibitory effects of EDCs and natural steroids on oocyte maturation were examined in zebrafish. For effective agents, some details about the mechanism in induction or inhibition of maturation were examined. Possible groups of DES interacting with the MIH receptor are discussed based on relative potency of steroids to induce maturation. Results Among agents tested, tamoxifen (TAM and its metabolite 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT showed stimulatory activity similar to DES. The time courses of the change in germinal vesicle breakdown and an intracellular molecular event (the synthesis of cyclin B induced by TAM were indistinguishable from those induced by MIH. In contrast, pentachlorophenol (PCP had a potent inhibitory effect on MIH-induced oocyte maturation. PCP inhibited not only MIH-induced maturation but also DES- and TAM-induced maturation. Methoxychlor also inhibited maturation when oocytes were pre-treated with this agent. Conclusion These results suggest that EDCs act as agonists or antagonists in the induction of oocyte maturation in fish.

Early maturing mutations as germplasm stocks for barley breeding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ukai, Yasuo

1985-01-01

A total of 102 early maturing mutations have been isolated after various treatments of seeds or plants with ionizing radiations or chemicals from a barley cultivar 'Chikurin Ibaraki 1' or its mutants. Fifty of them were evaluated as regards responses to internal physiological factors. The mutants were found to have a mutational alteration in vernalization and/or photoperiodic response. Earliness in a narrow sense was not noticeably changed. The original genotype is a winter and long-day type. By mutation four different degrees of change in vernalization requirement i.e. complete (V 1 ) and incomplete (V 2 ) spring habit and winter habit with reduced requirement to varying degrees (V 3 , V 4 ) have been produced. Photoperiodic response was also changed into at least three types i.e. complete (P 1 ) and incomplete (P 2 ) loss of sensitivity to short photoperiod and a slight reduction in critical daylength for heading. P 1 and P 2 type mutants were all characterized by marked earliness in heading time in field. Thirty seven mutants were located in seven separate loci. Allelism test of the mutated genes to spontaneous ones revealed that the genes carried by P 1 type mutants were all allelic to an earliness gene ea sub(k) on chromosome 5 and the gene involved in P 2 type mutants to ea 7 on chromosome 6. On the contrary, the gene commonly involved in all V 1 type mutants and one V 2 type mutant was not allelic to spring habit gene Sh 2 or Sh 3 . It seemed likely that the gene was not allelic to, either, but closely linked with sh on chromosome 4. The diversity in terms of genetic and physiological properties of the early maturing mutants arising from common ancestry emphasizes the importance of induced mutation in broadening of germplasm of barley breeding. (author)

Xanthogranulomatous Pyelonephritis with Incomplete Double Ureter

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Yutaro Hayashi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP is a type of chronic renal inflammation that usually occurs in immunocompromised middle-aged women with chronic urinary tract infection or ureteral obstruction induced by the formation of ureteral stones. XGP with an incomplete double ureter is extremely rare. Case Presentation. A 76-year-old woman was referred to our department to undergo further examination for a left renal tumor that was detected by ultrasonography. Dynamic contrast computed tomography (CT revealed an enhanced tumor in the upper renal parenchyma. Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy was performed based on a preoperative diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma. Histological sections showed the aggregation of foam cells; thus, XGP was diagnosed. Conclusion. We herein report a rare case of XGP in the upper pole of the kidney, which might have been associated with an incomplete double ureter.

Polysaccharide purified from Ganoderma atrum induced activation and maturation of murine myeloid-derived dendritic cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hui; Yu, Qiang; Nie, Shao-Ping; Xiang, Quan-Dan; Zhao, Ming-Ming; Liu, Shi-Yu; Xie, Ming-Yong; Wang, Shun-Qi

2017-10-01

Ganoderma atrum (G. atrum), a member of the genus Ganoderma, is an edible and medicinal fungus. In this study, we investigated the direct and indirect effects of G. atrum polysaccharide (PSG-1) on dendritic cells (DCs). Firstly, flow cytometric and ELISA analysis showed that PSG-1 increased cell surface molecule expression of MHC-II, CD80 and CD86, and enhanced the production of IL-12 p70, IL-6, IL-10, RANTES, MIP-1α and MCP-1 in DCs. PSG-1-treated DCs promoted the proliferation of splenic T lymphocyte of mouse in mixed lymphocyte reaction. The above results demonstrated that PSG-1 induced the maturation of DCs. Secondly, PSG-1 increased the phosphorylation of p38, ERK and JNK determined by western blot. Inhibitors of p38, ERK and JNK decreased PSG-1-induced expression of MHC-II, CD80 and CD86 and production of IL-6 and IL-10 by DCs. These results suggested that PSG-1 induced mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation was involved in the regulation of maturation markers and cytokines expression in DCs. Finally, PSG-1 increased expression of MHC-II of DCs in a DCs-Caco-2 co-culture model, suggesting that PSG-1 could indirectly influence DCs. In summary, our data suggested that PSG-1 directly induced DCs maturation via activating MAPK pathways, and indirectly stimulated DCs separated by intestinal epithelial cells. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Induction of complete and incomplete chromosome aberrations by bleomycin in human lymphocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benkhaled, L.; Xuncla, M.; Caballin, M.R.; Barrios, L.; Barquinero, J.F.

2008-01-01

Bleomycin (BLM) is a clastogenic compound, which due to the overdispersion in the cell distribution of induced dicentrics has been compared to the effect of high-LET radiation. Recently, it has been described that in fibroblast derived cell lines BLM induces incomplete chromosome elements more efficiently than any type of ionizing radiation. The objective of the present study was to evaluate in human lymphocytes the induction of dicentrics and incomplete chromosome elements by BLM. Peripheral blood samples have been treated with different concentrations of BLM. Two cytogenetic techniques were applied, fluorescence plus Giemsa (FPG) and FISH using pan-centromeric and pan-telomeric probes. The observed frequency of dicentric equivalents increases linearly with the BLM concentration, and for all BLM concentrations the distribution of dicentric equivalents was overdispersed. In the FISH study the ratio between total incomplete elements and multicentrics was 0.27. The overdispersion in the dicentric cell distribution, and the linear BLM-concentration dependence of dicentrics can be compared to the effect of high-LET radiation, on the contrary the ratio of incomplete elements and multicentrics is similar to the one induced by low-LET radiation (∼0.40). The elevated proportion of interstitial deletions in relation to total acentric fragments, higher than any type of ionizing radiation could be a characteristic signature of the clastogenic effect of BLM

NKT Cell-TCR Expression Activates Conventional T Cells in Vivo, but Is Largely Dispensable for Mature NKT Cell Biology

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Vahl, J. Christoph; Heger, Klaus; Knies, Nathalie; Hein, Marco Y.; Boon, Louis; Yagita, Hideo; Polic, Bojan; Schmidt-Supprian, Marc

2013-01-01

Natural killer T (NKT) cell development depends on recognition of self-glycolipids via their semi-invariant Vα14i-TCR. However, to what extent TCR-mediated signals determine identity and function of mature NKT cells remains incompletely understood. To address this issue, we developed a mouse strain allowing conditional Vα14i-TCR expression from within the endogenous Tcrα locus. We demonstrate that naïve T cells are activated upon replacement of their endogenous TCR repertoire with Vα14i-restricted TCRs, but they do not differentiate into NKT cells. On the other hand, induced TCR ablation on mature NKT cells did not affect their lineage identity, homeostasis, or innate rapid cytokine secretion abilities. We therefore propose that peripheral NKT cells become unresponsive to and thus are independent of their autoreactive TCR. PMID:23853545

NKT cell-TCR expression activates conventional T cells in vivo, but is largely dispensable for mature NKT cell biology.

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J Christoph Vahl

Full Text Available Natural killer T (NKT cell development depends on recognition of self-glycolipids via their semi-invariant Vα14i-TCR. However, to what extent TCR-mediated signals determine identity and function of mature NKT cells remains incompletely understood. To address this issue, we developed a mouse strain allowing conditional Vα14i-TCR expression from within the endogenous Tcrα locus. We demonstrate that naïve T cells are activated upon replacement of their endogenous TCR repertoire with Vα14i-restricted TCRs, but they do not differentiate into NKT cells. On the other hand, induced TCR ablation on mature NKT cells did not affect their lineage identity, homeostasis, or innate rapid cytokine secretion abilities. We therefore propose that peripheral NKT cells become unresponsive to and thus are independent of their autoreactive TCR.

Introducing Misoprostol for the Treatment of Incomplete Abortion in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Despite legal restriction, induced abortions and resulting complications are common in Nigeria. Misoprostol administration for incomplete abortion was introduced in 3 Nigerian hospitals. The feasibility of the hospitals, patient and provider acceptability were assessed using questionnaire and interview guides administered ...

Effects of maturation-inducing hormone on heterologous gap junctional coupling in ovarian follicles of Atlantic croaker

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshizaki, G.; Patino, R.; Thomas, P.; Bolamba, D.; Chang, Xiaotian

2001-01-01

A previous ultrastructural study of heterologous (granulosa cell-oocyte) gap junction (GJ) contacts in ovarian follicles of Atlantic croaker suggested that these contacts disappear late during the process of resumption of oocyte meiosis. This observation suggested that, unlike scenarios proposed for a number of other species, uncoupling of GJ is not necessary for the onset of meiotic resumption in croaker follicles. However, the functionality of heterologous GJ contacts and the temporal association between maturation-inducing hormone (MIH)-induced changes in heterologous coupling and resumption of oocyte meiosis have not been examined in Atlantic croaker. These questions were addressed with a cell-cell coupling assay that is based on the transfer of a GJ marker, Lucifer Yellow, from oocytes to granulosa cells. Follicle-enclosed oocytes injected with Lucifer Yellow allowed transfer of the dye into the follicle cell layer, thus confirming that there is functional heterologous coupling between the oocyte and the granulosa cells. Dye transfer was observed in vitellogenic, full-grown/maturation-incompetent, and full-grown /maturation-competent follicles. Treatment of maturation-competent follicles with MIH caused a time-dependent decline in the number of follicles transferring dye. However, although GJ uncoupling in some of the follicles was observed before germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD, index of meiotic resumption), about 50% of the follicles maintained the ability to transfer dye even after GVBD had occurred. Further, a known GJ inhibitor (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate) blocked heterologous GJ within a time frame similar to that seen with MIH but without inducing any of the morphological changes (including GVBD) associated with follicular maturation. In conclusion, uncoupling of heterologous GJ seems insufficient and unnecessary for the onset of meiotic resumption in ovarian follicles of Atlantic croaker. ?? 2001 Elsevier Science.

2-Azidoalkoxy-7-hydro-8-oxoadenine derivatives as TLR7 agonists inducing dendritic cell maturation.

Science.gov (United States)

Weterings, Jimmy J; Khan, Selina; van der Heden van Noort, Gerbrand J; Melief, Cornelis J M; Overkleeft, Herman S; van der Burg, Sjoerd H; Ossendorp, Ferry; van der Marel, Gijsbert A; Filippov, Dmitri V

2009-04-15

The synthesis of an array of 2-azidoalkoxy substituted 7-hydro-8-oxoadenines is described. The relation of the structure of these compounds and their ability to induce maturation of dendritic cells is evaluated.

Hypospermatogenesis and spermatozoa maturation arrest in rats induced by mobile phone radiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Meo, Sultan Ayoub; Arif, Muhammad; Rashied, Shahzad; Khan, Muhammad Mujahid; Vohra, Muhammad Saeed; Usmani, Adnan Mahmood; Imran, Muhammad Babar; Al-Drees, Abdul Majeed

2011-05-01

To determine the morphological changes induced by mobile phone radiation in the testis of Wistar albino rats. Cohort study. Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from April 2007 to June 2008. Forty male Wistar albino rats were divided in three groups. First group of eight served as the control. The second group [group B, n=16] was exposed to mobile phone radiation for 30 minutes/day and the third group [group C, n=16] was exposed to mobile phone radiation for 60 minutes/day for a total period of 3 months. Morphological changes in the testes induced by mobile phone radiations were observed under a light microscope. Exposure to mobile phone radiation for 60 minutes/day caused 18.75% hypospermatogenesis and 18.75% maturation arrest in the testis of albino rats compared to matched controls. However, no abnormal findings were observed in albino rats that were exposed to mobile phone radiation for 30 minutes/day for a total period of 3 months. Long-term exposure to mobile phone radiation can cause hypospermatogenesis and maturation arrest in the spermatozoa in the testis of Wistar albino rats.

Incomplete fusion analysis of the 7Li-induced reaction on 93Nb within 3-6.5 MeV/nucleon

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Deepak; Maiti, Moumita

2017-10-01

Background: It is understood from the recent experimental studies that prompt/resonant breakup, and transfer followed by breakup in the weakly bound Li,76-induced reactions play a significant role in the complete-incomplete fusion (CF-ICF), suppression/enhancement in the fusion cross section around the Coulomb barrier. Purpose: Investigation of ICF over CF by measuring cross sections of the populated residues, produced via different channels in the 7Li-induced reaction on a natNb target within the 3-6.5 MeV/nucleon energy region. Method: The 7Li beam was allowed to hit the self-supporting 93Nb targets, backed by the aluminium (Al) foil alternately, within 3-6.5 MeV/nucleon energy. Populated residues were identified by offline γ -ray spectrometry. Measured excitation functions of different channels were compared with different equilibrium and pre-equilibrium models. Result: The enhancement in cross sections in the proton (˜20 -30 MeV) and α -emitting channels, which may be ascribed to ICF, was observed in the measured energy range when compared to the Hauser-Feshbach and exciton model calculations using empire, which satisfactorily reproduces the neutron channels, compared to the Weisskopf-Ewing model and hybrid Monte Carlo calculations. The increment of the incomplete fusion fraction was observed with rising projectile energy. Conclusion: Contrary to the alice14, experimental results are well reproduced by the empire throughout the measured energy range. The signature of ICF over CF indicates that the breakup/transfer processes are involved in the weakly bound 7Li-induced reaction on 93Nb slightly above the Coulomb barrier.

Probing of complete and incomplete fusion dynamics in heavy-ion ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2014-04-04

Apr 4, 2014 ... Heavy-ion induced reactions; complete and incomplete fusion; ... CF reaction the projectile completely fuses with the target nucleus and the highly excited .... input parameters have been used as default except the charge and ...

ATP-Driven Contraction of Phage T3 Capsids with DNA Incompletely Packaged In Vivo

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Philip Serwer

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Adenosine triphosphate (ATP cleavage powers packaging of a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA molecule in a pre-assembled capsid of phages that include T3. Several observations constitute a challenge to the conventional view that the shell of the capsid is energetically inert during packaging. Here, we test this challenge by analyzing the in vitro effects of ATP on the shells of capsids generated by DNA packaging in vivo. These capsids retain incompletely packaged DNA (ipDNA and are called ipDNA-capsids; the ipDNA-capsids are assumed to be products of premature genome maturation-cleavage. They were isolated via preparative Nycodenz buoyant density centrifugation. For some ipDNA-capsids, Nycodenz impermeability increases hydration and generates density so low that shell hyper-expansion must exist to accommodate associated water. Electron microscopy (EM confirmed hyper-expansion and low permeability and revealed that 3.0 mM magnesium ATP (physiological concentration causes contraction of hyper-expanded, lowpermeability ipDNA-capsids to less than mature size; 5.0 mM magnesium ATP (border of supraphysiological concentration or more disrupts them. Additionally, excess sodium ADP reverses 3.0 mM magnesium ATP-induced contraction and re-generates hyper-expansion. The Nycodenz impermeability implies assembly perfection that suggests selection for function in DNA packaging. These findings support the above challenge and can be explained via the assumption that T3 DNA packaging includes a back-up cycle of ATP-driven capsid contraction and hyper-expansion.

Radiation induced early maturing mutants in barley

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, R.; Chauhan, S.V.S.; Sharma, R.P.

1978-01-01

In M 2 generation, two early maturing plants were screened from a single spike progeny of a plant obtained from 20 kR of gamma-ray irradiation of a six-rowed barley (Hordeum vulgare L. var. Jyoti). Their true breeding nature was confirmed in M 3 generation. These mutants flower and mature 38 and 22 days earlier than those of control. (auth.)

Decomposition of incomplete fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sobotka, L.B.; Sarantities, D.G.; Stracener, D.W.; Majka, Z.; Abenante, V.; Semkow, T.M.; Hensley, D.C.; Beene, J.R.; Halbert, M.L.

1989-01-01

The velocity distribution of fusion-like products formed in the reaction 701 MeV 28 Si+ 100 Mo is decomposed into 26 incomplete fusion channels. The momentum deficit of the residue per nonevaporative mass unit is approximately equal to the beam momentum per nucleon. The yields of the incomplete fusion channels correlate with the Q-value for projectile fragmentation rather than that for incomplete fusion. The backward angle multiplicities of light particles and heavy ions increase with momentum transfer, however, the heavy ion multiplicities also depend on the extent of the fragmentation of the incomplete fusion channel. These data indicate that at fixed linear momentum transfer, increased fragmentation of the unfused component is related to a reduced transferred angular momentum. 22 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

Generation of Induced Progenitor-like Cells from Mature Epithelial Cells Using Interrupted Reprogramming

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Li Guo

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Summary: A suitable source of progenitor cells is required to attenuate disease or affect cure. We present an “interrupted reprogramming” strategy to generate “induced progenitor-like (iPL cells” using carefully timed expression of induced pluripotent stem cell reprogramming factors (Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc; OSKM from non-proliferative Club cells. Interrupted reprogramming allowed controlled expansion yet preservation of lineage commitment. Under clonogenic conditions, iPL cells expanded and functioned as a bronchiolar progenitor-like population to generate mature Club cells, mucin-producing goblet cells, and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR-expressing ciliated epithelium. In vivo, iPL cells can repopulate CFTR-deficient epithelium. This interrupted reprogramming process could be metronomically applied to achieve controlled progenitor-like proliferation. By carefully controlling the duration of expression of OSKM, iPL cells do not become pluripotent, and they maintain their memory of origin and retain their ability to efficiently return to their original phenotype. A generic technique to produce highly specified populations may have significant implications for regenerative medicine. : In this article Waddell, Nagy, and colleagues present an “interrupted reprogramming” strategy to produce highly specified functional “induced progenitor-like cells” from mature quiescent cells. They propose that careful control of the duration of transient expression of iPSC reprogramming factors (OSKM allows controlled expansion yet preservation of parental lineage without traversing the pluripotent state. Keywords: generation of induced progenitor-like cells

Investigation of the influence of incomplete fusion on complete fusion of {sup 12}C-induced reactions at {approx} 4-7.2 MeV/nucleon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amanuel, F.K. [INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Legnaro (Padova) (Italy); Zelalem, B.; Chaubey, A.K. [Addis Ababa University, Department of Physics, P.O.Box 1176, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia); Agarwal, Avinash [Bareilly College, Department of Physics, Bareilly (India); Rizvi, I.A.; Maheshwari, Anjana; Ahmed, Tauseef [Aligarh Muslim University, Department of Physics, Aligarh (India)

2011-12-15

In this paper, we present the results of our investigation of reaction dynamics leading to incomplete fusion of heavy ions at moderate excitation energies, especially the influence of incomplete fusion on complete fusion of {sup 12}C -induced reactions at specific energies {approx} 4-7.2M eV/nucleon. Excitation functions of various reaction products populated via complete and/or incomplete fusions of a {sup 12}C projectile with {sup 93}Nb, {sup 59}Co and {sup 52}Cr targets were measured at several specific energies {approx} 4-7.2 MeV/nucleon, using a recoil catcher technique, followed by off-line {gamma}-ray spectrometry. The measured excitation functions were compared with theoretical values obtained using the PACE4 statistical model code. For representative non-{alpha}-emitting channels in the {sup 12}C + {sup 93}Nb system, the experimentally measured excitation functions were, in general, found to be in good agreement with the theoretical predictions. However, for {alpha}-emitting channels in the {sup 12}C + {sup 93}Nb, {sup 12}C + {sup 59}Co, and {sup 12}C + {sup 52}Cr systems, the measured excitation functions were higher than the predictions of the theoretical model code, which may be credited to incomplete fusion reactions at these energies. An attempt was made to estimate the incomplete fusion fraction for the present systems, which revealed that the fraction was sensitive to the projectile energy and mass asymmetry of the entrance channel. (orig.)

Sensitivity of low-energy incomplete fusion to various entrance-channel parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Harish; Tali, Suhail A.; Afzal Ansari, M.; Singh, D.; Ali, Rahbar; Kumar, Kamal; Sathik, N. P. M.; Ali, Asif; Parashari, Siddharth; Dubey, R.; Bala, Indu; Kumar, R.; Singh, R. P.; Muralithar, S.

2018-03-01

The disentangling of incomplete fusion dependence on various entrance channel parameters has been made from the forward recoil range distribution measurement for the 12C+175Lu system at ≈ 88 MeV energy. It gives the direct measure of full and/or partial linear momentum transfer from the projectile to the target nucleus. The comparison of observed recoil ranges with theoretical ranges calculated using the code SRIM infers the production of evaporation residues via complete and/or incomplete fusion process. Present results show that incomplete fusion process contributes significantly in the production of α xn and 2α xn emission channels. The deduced incomplete fusion probability (F_{ICF}) is compared with that obtained for systems available in the literature. An interesting behavior of F_{ICF} with ZP ZT is observed in the reinvestigation of incomplete fusion dependency with the Coulomb factor (ZPZT), contrary to the recent observations. The present results based on (ZPZT) are found in good agreement with recent observations of our group. A larger F_{ICF} value for 12C induced reactions is found than that for 13C, although both have the same ZPZT. A nonsystematic behavior of the incomplete fusion process with the target deformation parameter (β2) is observed, which is further correlated with a new parameter (ZP ZT . β2). The projectile α -Q-value is found to explain more clearly the discrepancy observed in incomplete fusion dependency with parameters ( ZPZT) and (ZP ZT . β2). It may be pointed out that any single entrance channel parameter (mass-asymmetry or (ZPZT) or β2 or projectile α-Q-value) may not be able to explain completely the incomplete fusion process.

Fibroblast and T cells conditioned media induce maturation dendritic cell and promote T helper immune response

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Masoumeh Asadi

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Dendritic cells (DCs induce pathogen-specific T cell responses. We comprehensively studied the effects of addition of maturation stimulus, fibroblasts (fibroblast conditioned medium, PHA activated T cells (T cell conditioned medium, and mixture of fibroblast & PHA activated T cells (FCM-TCCM conditioned media on maturation of DCs. Monocytes were cultured with GM-CSF and IL-4 for five days. Maturation factors included MCM and TNF-α as control group. FCM and TCCM, or FCM-TCCM supernatant were considered as the treatment group. Tumor antigens were added at day five. Matured DCs were harvested at day seven. Phenotypic and functional analyses were carried out using anti (CD14, CD80, CD86, CD83 and HLA-DR monoclonal antibodies. Phagocytic activity, mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR and cytokine production were also evaluated. At the end of culturing period, significantly fully matured DCs with large amount cytoplasm and copious dendritic projections were found in the presence of MCM, TNF-α with or without FCM, TCCM, FCM as well as TCCM. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that expression of CD14 decreased in particular in treated DCs, at the 5th day and expression of CD80, CD86 and HLA-DR was higher when FCM, TCCM, FCM plus TCCM were added to maturation factor. This study demonstrated that DCs matured with these methods had optimum function in comparison with either factor alone.

Differential requirement for satellite cells during overload-induced muscle hypertrophy in growing versus mature mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Murach, Kevin A; White, Sarah H; Wen, Yuan; Ho, Angel; Dupont-Versteegden, Esther E; McCarthy, John J; Peterson, Charlotte A

2017-07-10

Pax7+ satellite cells are required for skeletal muscle fiber growth during post-natal development in mice. Satellite cell-mediated myonuclear accretion also appears to persist into early adulthood. Given the important role of satellite cells during muscle development, we hypothesized that the necessity of satellite cells for adaptation to an imposed hypertrophic stimulus depends on maturational age. Pax7 CreER -R26R DTA mice were treated for 5 days with vehicle (satellite cell-replete, SC+) or tamoxifen (satellite cell-depleted, SC-) at 2 months (young) and 4 months (mature) of age. Following a 2-week washout, mice were subjected to sham surgery or 10 day synergist ablation overload of the plantaris (n = 6-9 per group). The surgical approach minimized regeneration, de novo fiber formation, and fiber splitting while promoting muscle fiber growth. Satellite cell density (Pax7+ cells/fiber), embryonic myosin heavy chain expression (eMyHC), and muscle fiber cross sectional area (CSA) were evaluated via immunohistochemistry. Myonuclei (myonuclei/100 mm) were counted on isolated single muscle fibers. Tamoxifen treatment depleted satellite cells by ≥90% and prevented myonuclear accretion with overload in young and mature mice (p overload. Average muscle fiber CSA increased ~20% in young SC+ (p = 0.07), mature SC+ (p overload (p overload-induced hypertrophy is dependent on maturational age, and global responses to overload differ in young versus mature mice.

Repair capacity of fertilized mouse eggs for X-ray damage induced in sperm and mature oocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuda, Yoichi; Tobari, Izuo

1989-01-01

To study the repair capacity of fertilized mouse eggs for X-ray damage induced in sperm and mature oocytes, the potentiating effects of 3 well-known repair inhibitors, arabinofuranosyl cytosine (ara-C), 3-aminobenzamide (3AB) and caffeine, on the frequency of induced chromosome aberrations were examined in eggs fertilized with X-irradiated sperm or in eggs irradiated with X-rays at the mature oocyte stage immediately before fertilization. Gametic treatment, fertilization and embryo culture wer carried out in vitro. Ara-C treatment was done only in the pre-DNA replication period, while treatment with 3AB and caffeine was continuous from fertilization to the first-cleavage metaphase. The induction of chromosome aberrations by exposing sperm or oocytes to X-rays was remarkably potentiated by post-treatment incubation in the presence of each of the 3 inhibitors. This result indicates the possibility that X-ray damage induced in sperm or oocytes is reparable in the fertilized eggs and that various types of repair processes are involved. (author). 39 refs.; 3 figs.; 5 tabs

Defined MicroRNAs Induce Aspects of Maturation in Mouse and Human Embryonic-Stem-Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes

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Desy S. Lee

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Pluripotent-cell-derived cardiomyocytes have great potential for use in research and medicine, but limitations in their maturity currently constrain their usefulness. Here, we report a method for improving features of maturation in murine and human embryonic-stem-cell-derived cardiomyocytes (m/hESC-CMs. We found that coculturing m/hESC-CMs with endothelial cells improves their maturity and upregulates several microRNAs. Delivering four of these microRNAs, miR-125b-5p, miR-199a-5p, miR-221, and miR-222 (miR-combo, to m/hESC-CMs resulted in improved sarcomere alignment and calcium handling, a more negative resting membrane potential, and increased expression of cardiomyocyte maturation markers. Although this could not fully phenocopy all adult cardiomyocyte characteristics, these effects persisted for two months following delivery of miR-combo. A luciferase assay demonstrated that all four miRNAs target ErbB4, and siRNA knockdown of ErbB4 partially recapitulated the effects of miR-combo. In summary, a combination of miRNAs induced via endothelial coculture improved ESC-CM maturity, in part through suppression of ErbB4 signaling.

Involvement of PLA2, COX and LOX in Rhinella arenarum oocyte maturation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz, Maria Eugenia; Bühler, Marta Inés; Zelarayán, Liliana Isabel

2014-11-01

In Rhinella arenarum, progesterone is the physiological nuclear maturation inducer that interacts with the oocyte surface and starts a cascade of events that leads to germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). Polyunsaturated fatty acids and their metabolites produced through cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX) pathways play an important role in reproductive processes. In amphibians, to date, the role of arachidonic acid (AA) metabolites in progesterone (P4)-induced oocyte maturation has not been clarified. In this work we studied the participation of three enzymes involved in AA metabolism - phospholipase A2 (PLA2), COX and LOX in Rhinella arenarum oocyte maturation. PLA2 activation induced maturation in Rhinella arenarum oocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Oocytes when treated with 0.08 μM melittin showed the highest response (78 ± 6% GVBD). In follicles, PLA2 activation did not significantly induce maturation at the assayed doses (12 ± 3% GVBD). PLA2 inhibition with quinacrine prevented melittin-induced GVBD in a dose-dependent manner, however PLA2 inactivation did not affect P4-induced maturation. This finding suggests that PLA2 is not the only phospholipase involved in P4-induced maturation in this species. P4-induced oocyte maturation was inhibited by the COX inhibitors indomethacin and rofecoxib (65 ± 3% and 63 ± 3% GVBD, respectively), although COX activity was never blocked by their addition. Follicles showed a similar response following the addition of these inhibitors. Participation of LOX metabolites in maturation seems to be correlated with seasonal variation in ovarian response to P4. During the February to June period (low P4 response), LOX inhibition by nordihydroguaiaretic acid or lysine clonixinate increased maturation by up to 70%. In contrast, during the July to January period (high P4 response), LOX inhibition had no effect on hormone-induced maturation.

The Forgotten Promise of E-government Maturity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Kim Normann; Medaglia, Rony; Vatrapu, Ravi

2011-01-01

Assessing e-government responsiveness is one of the major gaps in the currently dominant e-government maturity models. While we have a relatively large pool of models focusing on technological and organizational integration from a supply side perspective, measures of responsiveness of e-government...... that one third of central government agencies did not respond at all, and close to 80% of the ministries provided none or incomplete answers. Local government responds faster and provides answers that are more complete and accurate than those provided by central government. Implications for e-government...

Gamma rays induced variability in mature embryos of avocado (Persea americana Mill)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuentes, J.L.; Ramirez, I. M; Santiago, L.; Valdes, Y.; Guerra, M; Prieto, E.; Rodriguez, N.; Velazquez, B.

2001-01-01

Induced mutation and biotechnology techniques are current approaches used in plant breeding. At present work, the induced mutation and embryo zygotic culture techniques were used in order to characterize the radiosensitivity of avocado commercial varieties, Hass and California. The induced diversity in plant material was also evaluated in morphological seedling descriptors as: height seedling, diameter seedling neck, leaves number, length of principal root and secondary root number. The obtained results showed high susceptibility of both varieties to gamma rays. California was the higher sensitivity variety. Percentage of entire shoot induction showed clear dependence of radiation dose in both varieties. Thus dose range for mutagenesis was determined. In general, variation of morphological seedling descriptors not was clearly agreed to increase of radiation dose. In addition, the results suggested that variation in morphological seedling descriptors also could be depending of genotypes. The useful of mature embryo culture of avocado for improvement of breeding approaches in this crop, was discussed

A marked animal-vegetal polarity in the localization of Na(+),K(+) -ATPase activity and its down-regulation following progesterone-induced maturation.

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Mohanty, Basant Kumar; Gupta, Brij L

2012-02-01

The stage-VI Xenopus oocyte has a very distinct animal-vegetal polarity with structural and functional asymmetry. In this study, we show the expression and distribution pattern of Na(+),K(+) -ATPase in stage-VI oocytes, and its changes following progesterone-induced maturation. Using enzyme-specific electron microscopy phosphatase histochemistry, [(3) H]-ouabain autoradiography, and immunofluorescence cytochemistry at light microscopic level, we find that Na(+),K(+) -ATPase activity is mainly confined to the animal hemisphere. Electron microscopy histochemical results also suggest that polarized distribution of Na(+),K(+) -ATPase activity persists following progesterone-induced maturation, and it becomes gradually more polarized towards the animal pole. The time course following progesterone-induced maturation suggests that there is an initial up-regulation and then gradual down-regulation of Na(+),K(+) -ATPase activity leading to germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). By GVBD, the Na(+),K(+) -ATPase activity is completely down-regulated due to endocytotic removal of pump molecules from the plasma membrane into the sub-cortical region of the oocyte. This study provides the first direct evidence for a marked asymmetric localization of Na(+),K(+) -ATPase activity in any vertebrate oocyte. Here, we propose that such asymmetry in Na(+),K(+) -ATPase activity in stage-VI oocytes, and their down-regulation following progesterone-induced maturation, is likely to have a role in the active state of the germinal vesicle in stage-VI oocytes and chromosomal condensation after GVBD. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Item calibration in incomplete testing designs

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Norman D. Verhelst

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This study discusses the justifiability of item parameter estimation in incomplete testing designs in item response theory. Marginal maximum likelihood (MML as well as conditional maximum likelihood (CML procedures are considered in three commonly used incomplete designs: random incomplete, multistage testing and targeted testing designs. Mislevy and Sheenan (1989 have shown that in incomplete designs the justifiability of MML can be deduced from Rubin's (1976 general theory on inference in the presence of missing data. Their results are recapitulated and extended for more situations. In this study it is shown that for CML estimation the justification must be established in an alternative way, by considering the neglected part of the complete likelihood. The problems with incomplete designs are not generally recognized in practical situations. This is due to the stochastic nature of the incomplete designs which is not taken into account in standard computer algorithms. For that reason, incorrect uses of standard MML- and CML-algorithms are discussed.

Matriculation Research Report: Incomplete Grades; Data & Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerda, Joe

The policy on incomplete grades at California's College of the Canyons states that incompletes may only be given under circumstances beyond students' control and that students must make arrangements with faculty prior to the end of the semester to clear the incomplete. Failure to complete an incomplete may result in an "F" grade. While…

Microcracks induce osteoblast alignment and maturation on hydroxyapatite scaffolds

Science.gov (United States)

Shu, Yutian

Physiological bone tissue is a mineral/collagen composite with a hierarchical structure. The features in bone, such as mineral crystals, fibers, and pores can range from the nanometer to the centimeter in size. Currently available bone tissue scaffolds primarily address the chemical composition, pore size, and pore size distribution. While these design parameters are extensively investigated for mimicking bone function and inducing bone regeneration, little is known about microcracks, which is a prevalent feature found in fractured bone in vivo and associated with fracture healing and repair. Since the purpose of bone tissue engineering scaffold is to enhance bone regeneration, the coincidence of microcracks and bone densification should not be neglected but rather be considered as a potential parameter in bone tissue engineering scaffold design. The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that microcracks enhance bone healing. In vitro studies were designed to investigate the osteoblast (bone forming cells) response to microcracks in dense (94%) hydroxyapatite substrates. Microcracks were introduced using a well-established Vickers indentation technique. The results of our study showed that microcracks induced osteoblast alignment, enhanced osteoblast attachment and more rapid maturation. These findings may provide insight into fracture healing mechanism(s) as well as improve the design of bone tissue engineering orthopedic scaffolds for more rapid bone regeneration.

Efficient and Cost-Effective Generation of Mature Neurons From Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

OpenAIRE

Badja , Cherif; Maleeva , Galyna; El-Yazidi , Claire; Barruet , Emilie; Lasserre , Manon; Tropel , Philippe; Binetruy , Bernard; Bregestovski , Piotr; Magdinier , Frédérique

2014-01-01

The authors describe a feeder-free method of generating induced pluripotent stem cells by relying on the use of a chemically defined medium that overcomes the need for embryoid body formation and neuronal rosette isolation for neuronal precursors and terminally differentiated neuron production. This specific and efficient single-step strategy allows the production of mature neurons in 20–40 days with multiple applications, especially for modeling human pathologies.

The Icsbp locus is a common proviral insertion site in mature B-cell lymphomas/plasmacytomas induced by exogenous murine leukemia virus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Shiliang; Sorensen, Annette Balle; Kunder, Sandra; Sorensen, Karina Dalsgaard; Quintanilla-Martinez, Leticia; Morris, David W.; Schmidt, Joerg; Pedersen, Finn Skou

2006-01-01

ICSBP (interferon consensus sequence binding protein)/IRF8 (interferon regulatory factor 8) is an interferon gamma-inducible transcription factor expressed predominantly in hematopoietic cells, and down-regulation of this factor has been observed in chronic myelogenous leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia in man. By screening about 1200 murine leukemia virus (MLV)-induced lymphomas, we found proviral insertions at the Icsbp locus in 14 tumors, 13 of which were mature B-cell lymphomas or plasmacytomas. Only one was a T-cell lymphoma, although such tumors constituted about half of the samples screened. This indicates that the Icsbp locus can play a specific role in the development of mature B-lineage malignancies. Two proviral insertions in the last Icsbp exon were found to act by a poly(A)-insertion mechanism. The remaining insertions were found within or outside Icsbp. Since our results showed expression of Icsbp RNA and protein in all end-stage tumor samples, a simple tumor suppressor function of ICSBP is not likely. Interestingly, proviral insertions at Icsbp have not been reported from previous extensive screenings of mature B-cell lymphomas induced by endogenous MLVs. We propose that ICSBP might be involved in an early modulation of an immune response to exogenous MLVs that might also play a role in proliferation of the mature B-cell lymphomas

Characterization of early events involved in human dendritic cell maturation induced by sensitizers: Cross talk between MAPK signalling pathways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trompezinski, Sandra; Migdal, Camille; Tailhardat, Magalie; Le Varlet, Beatrice; Courtellemont, Pascal; Haftek, Marek; Serres, Mireille

2008-01-01

Dendritic cells (DCs), efficient-antigen presenting cells play an important role in initiating and regulating immune responses. DC maturation following exposure to nickel or DNCB induced an up-regulation of phenotypic markers and inflammatory cytokine secretion. Early intracellular mechanisms involved in DC maturation required to be precise. To address this purpose, DCs derived from human monocytes were treated with sensitizers (nickel, DNCB or thimerosal) in comparison with an irritant (SDS). Our data confirming the up-regulation of CD86, CD54 and cytokine secretion (IL-8 and TNFα) induced by sensitizers but not by SDS, signalling transduction involved in DC maturation was investigated using these chemicals. Kinase activity measurement was assessed using two new sensitive procedures (Face TM and CBA) requiring few cells. SDS did not induce changes in signalling pathways whereas NiSO 4 , DNCB and thimerosal markedly activated p38 MAPK and JNK, in contrast Erk1/2 phosphorylation was completely inhibited by DNCB or thimerosal and only activated by nickel. A pre-treatment with p38 MAPK inhibitor (SB203580) suppressed Erk1/2 inhibition induced by DNCB or thimerosal demonstrating a direct interaction between p38 MAPK and Erk1/2. A pre-treatment with an antioxidant, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) markedly reduced Erk1/2 inhibition and p38 MAPK phosphorylation induced by DNCB and thimerosal, suggesting a direct activation of p38 MAPK via an oxidative stress and a regulation of MAPK signalling pathways depending on chemicals. Because of a high sensitivity of kinase activity measurements, these procedures will be suitable for weak or moderate sensitizer screening

Targeting Toll-like receptor 7/8 enhances uptake of apoptotic leukemic cells by monocyte-derived dendritic cells but interferes with subsequent cytokine-induced maturation.

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van den Ancker, Willemijn; van Luijn, Marvin M; Ruben, Jurjen M; Westers, Theresia M; Bontkes, Hetty J; Ossenkoppele, Gert J; de Gruijl, Tanja D; van de Loosdrecht, Arjan A

2011-01-01

Therapeutic vaccination with dendritic cells (DC) is an emerging investigational therapy for eradication of minimal residual disease in acute myeloid leukemia. Various strategies are being explored in manufacturing DC vaccines ex vivo, e.g., monocyte-derived DC (MoDC) loaded with leukemia-associated antigens (LAA). However, the optimal source of LAA and the choice of DC-activating stimuli are still not well defined. Here, loading with leukemic cell preparations (harboring both unknown and known LAA) was explored in combination with a DC maturation-inducing cytokine cocktail (CC; IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and PGE(2)) and Toll-like receptor ligands (TLR-L) to optimize uptake. Since heat shock induced apoptotic blasts were more efficiently taken up than lysates, we focused on uptake of apoptotic leukemic cells. Uptake of apoptotic blast was further enhanced by the TLR7/8-L R848 (20-30%); in contrast, CC-induced maturation inhibited uptake. CC, and to a lesser extent R848, enhanced the ability of MoDC to migrate and stimulate T cells. Furthermore, class II-associated invariant chain peptide expression was down-modulated after R848- or CC-induced maturation, indicating enhanced processing and presentation of antigenic peptides. To improve both uptake and maturation, leukemic cells and MoDC were co-incubated with R848 for 24 h followed by addition of CC. However, this approach interfered with CC-mediated MoDC maturation as indicated by diminished migratory and T cell stimulatory capacity, and the absence of IL-12 production. Taken together, our data demonstrate that even though R848 improved uptake of apoptotic leukemic cells, the sequential use of R848 and CC is counter-indicated due to its adverse effects on MoDC maturation.

BCR-crosslinking induces a transcription of protein phosphatase component G5PR that is required for mature B-cell survival

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huq Ronny, Faisal Mahmudul; Igarashi, Hideya; Sakaguchi, Nobuo

2006-01-01

BCR-crosslinking triggers activation-induced cell death (AICD) selectively in the restricted stage of B-cell differentiation. We examined the transcription of a protein phosphatase subunit G5PR in immature and mature B-cells, because absence of this factor augmented cell sensitivity to AICD, associated with increased activation of JNK and Bim. BCR-crosslinking-induced G5pr transcription in AICD-resistant mature splenic IgM lo IgD hi B-cells but not in AICD susceptible immature IgM hi IgD lo B-cells. Thus, G5pr induction correlated with the prevention of AICD; High in mature splenic CD23 hi B-cells but low in immature B-cells of neonatal mice, sub-lethally irradiated mice, or xid mice. Lack of G5pr upregulation was associated with the prolonged activation of JNK. The G5pr cDNA transfection protected an immature B-cell line WEHI-231 from BCR-mediated AICD. The differential expression of G5PR might be responsible for the antigen-dependent selection of B-cells

Effects of mesenchymal stem cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells on differentiation, maturation, and function of dendritic cells.

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Gao, Wen-Xiang; Sun, Yue-Qi; Shi, Jianbo; Li, Cheng-Lin; Fang, Shu-Bin; Wang, Dan; Deng, Xue-Quan; Wen, Weiping; Fu, Qing-Ling

2017-03-02

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have potent immunomodulatory effects on multiple immune cells and have great potential in treating immune disorders. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) serve as an unlimited and noninvasive source of MSCs, and iPSC-MSCs have been reported to have more advantages and exhibit immunomodulation on T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. However, the effects of iPSC-MSCs on dendritic cells (DCs) are unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of iPSC-MSCs on the differentiation, maturation, and function of DCs. Human monocyte-derived DCs were induced and cultured in the presence or absence of iPSC-MSCs. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the phenotype and functions of DCs, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to study cytokine production. In this study, we successfully induced MSCs from different clones of human iPSCs. iPSC-MSCs exhibited a higher proliferation rate with less cell senescence than BM-MSCs. iPSC-MSCs inhibited the differentiation of human monocyte-derived DCs by both producing interleukin (IL)-10 and direct cell contact. Furthermore, iPSC-MSCs did not affect immature DCs to become mature DCs, but modulated their functional properties by increasing their phagocytic ability and inhibiting their ability to stimulate proliferation of lymphocytes. More importantly, iPSC-MSCs induced the generation of IL-10-producing regulatory DCs in the process of maturation, which was mostly mediated by a cell-cell contact mechanism. Our results indicate an important role for iPSC-MSCs in the modulation of DC differentiation and function, supporting the clinical application of iPSC-MSCs in DC-mediated immune diseases.

Maturation of osteoblast-like SaoS2 induced by carbon nanotubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xiaoming; Uo, Motohiro; Akasaka, Tsukasa; Abe, Shigeaki; Watari, Fumio; Gao Hong; Sato, Yoshinori; Feng Qingling; Cui Fuzhai

2009-01-01

Osteogenic maturation of the osteoblast is crucial for bone formation. In this study, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and graphite (GP) were pressed as compacts. The greater ability of carbon nanotubes to adsorb proteins, compared with graphite, was shown. Human osteoblast-like SaoS2 cells were cultured and the cell response to the two kinds of compacts was compared in vitro. Meanwhile, we used cell culture on the culture plate as a control. Assays for osteonectin, osteopontin and osteocalcin gene expression, total protein (TP) amount, alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) and DNA of cells cultured on the samples were done. During the conventional culture, significantly higher osteonectin, osteopontin and osteocalcin gene expression level, ALP/DNA and TP/DNA on carbon nanotubes were found. To confirm the hypothesis that the larger amount of specific proteins adsorbed on the carbon nanotubes was crucial for this, the compacts were pre-soaked in culture medium having additional recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) before cell culture. Compared with GP, osteonectin, osteopontin and osteocalcin gene expression level, ALP/DNA and TP/DNA of the cells tested increased more on the MWCNTs after the compacts were pre-soaked in the culture medium with rhBMP-2. The results indicated that the carbon nanotubes might induce osteogenic maturation of the osteoblast by adsorbing more specific proteins.

Incomplete information and fractal phase space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Qiuping A.

2004-01-01

The incomplete statistics for complex systems is characterized by a so called incompleteness parameter ω which equals unity when information is completely accessible to our treatment. This paper is devoted to the discussion of the incompleteness of accessible information and of the physical signification of ω on the basis of fractal phase space. ω is shown to be proportional to the fractal dimension of the phase space and can be linked to the phase volume expansion and information growth during the scale refining process

Mycobacterium tuberculosislpdC, Rv0462, induces dendritic cell maturation and Th1 polarization

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Heo, Deok Rim [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Beom-eo Ri, Mulgum Eop, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do 626-770 (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Sung Jae; Kim, Woo Sik [Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Munwha-Dong, Jung-Ku, Daejeon 301-747 (Korea, Republic of); Noh, Kyung Tae; Park, Jin Wook; Son, Kwang Hee [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Beom-eo Ri, Mulgum Eop, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do 626-770 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Won Sun [Department of Physiology, Kangwon National University, School of Medicine, Chuncheon 200-701 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Min-Goo [Department of Physiology, Korea University, College of Medicine, Anam-dong, Sungbuk-Gu, Seoul 136-705 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Daejin [Department of Anatomy, Chung-Ang University, College of Medicine, 221 Heuksuk-Dong, Dongjak-Ku, Seoul 156-756 (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Yong Kyoo [Department of Pharmacology, Chung-Ang University, College of Medicine, 221 Heuksuk-Dong, Dongjak-Ku, Seoul 156-756 (Korea, Republic of); Jung, In Duk, E-mail: jungid@pusan.ac.kr [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Beom-eo Ri, Mulgum Eop, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do 626-770 (Korea, Republic of); Research Institute of Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Beom-eo Ri, Mulgum Eop, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do 626-770 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Yeong-Min, E-mail: immunpym@pusan.ac.kr [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Beom-eo Ri, Mulgum Eop, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do 626-770 (Korea, Republic of); Research Institute of Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Beom-eo Ri, Mulgum Eop, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do 626-770 (Korea, Republic of)

2011-08-05

Highlights: {yields} Treatment with Rv0462 induces the expression of surface molecules and the production of cytokines in DCs. {yields} Rv0462 induces the activation of MAPKs. {yields} Rv0462-treated DCs enhances the proliferation of CD4{sup +} T cells. -- Abstract: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the etiological factor of pulmonary tuberculosis, causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Activation of host immune responses for containment of mycobacterial infections involves participation of innate immune cells, such as dendritic cells (DCs). In this study, we demonstrated that the gene encoding lipoamide dehydrogenase C (lpdC) from M. tuberculosis, Rv0462, induce maturation and activation of DCs involved in the MAPKs signaling pathway. Moreover, Rv0462-treated DCs activated naive T cells, polarized CD4{sup +} and CD8{sup +} T cells to secrete IFN-{gamma} in syngeneic mixed lymphocyte reactions, which would be expected to contribute to Th1 polarization of the immune response. Our results suggest that Rv0462 can contribute to the innate and adaptive immune responses during tuberculosis infection, and thus modulate the clinical course of tuberculosis.

Mycobacterium tuberculosislpdC, Rv0462, induces dendritic cell maturation and Th1 polarization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heo, Deok Rim; Shin, Sung Jae; Kim, Woo Sik; Noh, Kyung Tae; Park, Jin Wook; Son, Kwang Hee; Park, Won Sun; Lee, Min-Goo; Kim, Daejin; Shin, Yong Kyoo; Jung, In Duk; Park, Yeong-Min

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Treatment with Rv0462 induces the expression of surface molecules and the production of cytokines in DCs. → Rv0462 induces the activation of MAPKs. → Rv0462-treated DCs enhances the proliferation of CD4 + T cells. -- Abstract: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the etiological factor of pulmonary tuberculosis, causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Activation of host immune responses for containment of mycobacterial infections involves participation of innate immune cells, such as dendritic cells (DCs). In this study, we demonstrated that the gene encoding lipoamide dehydrogenase C (lpdC) from M. tuberculosis, Rv0462, induce maturation and activation of DCs involved in the MAPKs signaling pathway. Moreover, Rv0462-treated DCs activated naive T cells, polarized CD4 + and CD8 + T cells to secrete IFN-γ in syngeneic mixed lymphocyte reactions, which would be expected to contribute to Th1 polarization of the immune response. Our results suggest that Rv0462 can contribute to the innate and adaptive immune responses during tuberculosis infection, and thus modulate the clinical course of tuberculosis.

Effects of repeated anesthesia by thiopental in neonatal period on PTZ-induced convulsions and pain responses during maturation in rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatemeh Faghih Majidi

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: General anesthetics during critical periods of brain development may cause some seriousmalformations or side effects. Anesthetic drugs can involve in the brain development and synaptogenesis atthe critical period of development. There are some controversy with regards the effects of(neurodegenerative or neuroprotective barbiturates on brain. The aim of the present study was toinvestigate the possible relation between repeated induced thiopental (a GABAA agonist anesthesia at thepostnatal period and pentylentetrazol-induced convulsions and pain responses in adult in the Wistar rats.Materials and methods: 40 male neonate rats were divided into experimental and sham groups. Theexperimental group (n=20 was deeply anesthetized with thiopental (30 mg/kg daily during 10 to 20-daysof post- natal period and physiologic serum was used for sham animals. After maturation of male rats, thePTZ-induced seizures were induced by daily interapritoneally injection of PTZ (45 mg/kg, and thelatency of the appearance of generalized epileptiform behaviors was recorded. Pain responses were alsoevaluated using tail-flick and formalin tests.Results: No significant differences were found in the lantency of the appearance of behaviouralconvulsions and pain sensitivity between experimental and sham groups.Conclusion: Our findings indicate that prior exposure to thiopental during nenonatal stage has no effectson PTZ-induced seizures and also pain responses after maturation. Developmental compensatorymechanisms may protect the brian against the possible damage that induced by repeated thipopental duringneonatal period.

Changes in homologous and heterologous gap junction contacts during maturation-inducing hormone-dependent meiotic resumption in ovarian follicles of Atlantic croaker

Science.gov (United States)

Bolamba, D.; Patino, R.; Yoshizaki, G.; Thomas, P.

2003-01-01

Homologous (granulosa cell-granulosa cell) gap junction (GJ) contacts increase in ovarian follicles of Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) during the early (first) stage of maturation, but their profile during the second stage [i.e., during maturation-inducing hormone (MIH)-mediated meiotic resumption] is unknown. The profile of homologous GJ contacts during the second stage of maturation in croaker follicles was examined in this study and compared to that of heterologous (granulosa cell-oocyte) GJ, for which changes have been previously documented. Follicles were incubated with human chorionic gonadotropin to induce maturational competence (first stage), and then with MIH to induce meiotic resumption. The follicles were collected for examination immediately before and after different durations of MIH exposure until the oocyte had reached the stage of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD; index of meiotic resumption). Ultrathin sections were observed by transmission electron microscopy, and homologous and heterologous GJ contacts were quantified along a 100-??m segment of granulosa cell-zona radiata complex per follicle (three follicles/time/fish, n=3 fish). Relatively high numbers of both types of GJ were observed before and after the first few hours of MIH exposure (up to the stage of oil droplet coalescence). GJ numbers declined during partial yolk globule coalescence (at or near GVBD) and were just under 50% of starting values after the completion of GVBD (P<0.05). These results confirm earlier observations that GVBD temporally correlates with declining heterologous GJ contacts, and for the first time in teleosts show that there is a parallel decline in homologous GJ. The significance of the changes in homologous and heterologous GJ is uncertain and deserves further study. ?? 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

The Role of Incompleteness in Commodity Futures Markets

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Takashi eKanamura

2015-10-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a convenience yield-based pricing for commodity futures, which embeds incompleteness of commodity futures markets in convenience yields. By using the pricing method, we conduct empirical analyses of the prices of WTI crude oil, heating oil, and natural gas futures traded on the NYMEX in order to assess the incompleteness of energy futures markets. We show that the fluctuation from the incompleteness is partly driven by the fluctuation from convenience yields. In addition, it is shown that the incompleteness of natural gas futures market is more highlighted than the incompleteness of WTI crude oil and heating oil futures markets. We apply the implied market price of risk from the NYMEX data to pricing an Asian call option written on WTI crude oil futures. Finally, we try to apply the market incompleteness analysis to the post-crisis periods after 2009.

The pivotal role of abscisic acid signaling during transition from seed maturation to germination.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, An; Chen, Zhong

2017-05-01

Seed maturation and germination are two continuous developmental processes that link two distinct generations in spermatophytes; the precise genetic control of these two processes is, therefore, crucially important for the survival of the next generation. Pieces of experimental evidence accumulated so far indicate that a concerted action of endogenous signals and environmental cues is required to govern these processes. Plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) has been suggested to play a predominant role in directing seed maturation and maintaining seed dormancy under unfavorable environmental conditions until antagonized by gibberellins (GA) and certain environmental cues to allow the commencement of seed germination when environmental conditions are favorable; therefore, the balance of ABA and GA is a major determinant of the timing of seed germination. Due to the advent of new technologies and system biology approaches, molecular studies are beginning to draw a picture of the sophisticated genetic network that drives seed maturation during the past decade, though the picture is still incomplete and many details are missing. In this review, we summarize recent advances in ABA signaling pathway in the regulation of seed maturation as well as the transition from seed maturation to germination, and highlight the importance of system biology approaches in the study of seed maturation.

Efficient Maturation and Cytokine Production of Neonatal DCs Requires Combined Proinflammatory Signals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doreen Krumbiegel

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Specific functional properties of dendritic cells (DCs have been suspected as being responsible for the impaired specific immune responses observed in human neonates. To analyze stimulatory requirements for the critical transition from immature, antigen-processing DCs to mature, antigen-presenting DCs, we investigated the effect of different proinflammatory mediators and antigens on phenotype and cytokine secretion of human neonatal DCs derived from hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs. Whereas single proinflammatory mediators were unable to induce the maturation of neonatal DCs, various combinations of IFNγ, CD40L, TNFα, LPS and antigens, induced the maturation of neonatal DCs documented by up-regulation of HLA-DR, CD83 and CD86. Combinations of proinflammatory mediators also increased cytokine secretion by neonatal DCs. Especially combined stimulation with LPS and IFNγ proved to be very efficient in inducing maturation and cytokine synthesis of neonatal DCs. In conclusion, neonatal DCs can be stimulated to express maturation as well as costimulatory surface molecules. However, induction of maturation requires combined stimulation with multiple proinflammatory signals.

Role of dystroglycan in limiting contraction-induced injury to the sarcomeric cytoskeleton of mature skeletal muscle.

Science.gov (United States)

Rader, Erik P; Turk, Rolf; Willer, Tobias; Beltrán, Daniel; Inamori, Kei-Ichiro; Peterson, Taylor A; Engle, Jeffrey; Prouty, Sally; Matsumura, Kiichiro; Saito, Fumiaki; Anderson, Mary E; Campbell, Kevin P

2016-09-27

Dystroglycan (DG) is a highly expressed extracellular matrix receptor that is linked to the cytoskeleton in skeletal muscle. DG is critical for the function of skeletal muscle, and muscle with primary defects in the expression and/or function of DG throughout development has many pathological features and a severe muscular dystrophy phenotype. In addition, reduction in DG at the sarcolemma is a common feature in muscle biopsies from patients with various types of muscular dystrophy. However, the consequence of disrupting DG in mature muscle is not known. Here, we investigated muscles of transgenic mice several months after genetic knockdown of DG at maturity. In our study, an increase in susceptibility to contraction-induced injury was the first pathological feature observed after the levels of DG at the sarcolemma were reduced. The contraction-induced injury was not accompanied by increased necrosis, excitation-contraction uncoupling, or fragility of the sarcolemma. Rather, disruption of the sarcomeric cytoskeleton was evident as reduced passive tension and decreased titin immunostaining. These results reveal a role for DG in maintaining the stability of the sarcomeric cytoskeleton during contraction and provide mechanistic insight into the cause of the reduction in strength that occurs in muscular dystrophy after lengthening contractions.

Enhanced elastin synthesis and maturation in human vascular smooth muscle tissue derived from induced-pluripotent stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Eoh, Joon H; Shen, Nian; Burke, Jacqueline A; Hinderer, Svenja; Xia, Zhiyong; Schenke-Layland, Katja; Gerecht, Sharon

2017-04-01

Obtaining vascular smooth muscle tissue with mature, functional elastic fibers is a key obstacle in tissue-engineered blood vessels. Poor elastin secretion and organization leads to a loss of specialization in contractile smooth muscle cells, resulting in over proliferation and graft failure. In this study, human induced-pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) were differentiated into early smooth muscle cells, seeded onto a hybrid poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate/poly (l-lactide) (PEGdma-PLA) scaffold and cultured in a bioreactor while exposed to pulsatile flow, towards maturation into contractile smooth muscle tissue. We evaluated the effects of pulsatile flow on cellular organization as well as elastin expression and assembly in the engineered tissue compared to a static control through immunohistochemistry, gene expression and functionality assays. We show that culturing under pulsatile flow resulted in organized and functional hiPSC derived smooth muscle tissue. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed hiPSC-smooth muscle tissue with robust, well-organized cells and elastic fibers and the supporting microfibril proteins necessary for elastic fiber assembly. Through qRT-PCR analysis, we found significantly increased expression of elastin, fibronectin, and collagen I, indicating the synthesis of necessary extracellular matrix components. Functionality assays revealed that hiPSC-smooth muscle tissue cultured in the bioreactor had an increased calcium signaling and contraction in response to a cholinergic agonist, significantly higher mature elastin content and improved mechanical properties in comparison to the static control. The findings presented here detail an effective approach to engineering elastic human vascular smooth muscle tissue with the functionality necessary for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications. Obtaining robust, mature elastic fibers is a key obstacle in tissue-engineered blood vessels. Human induced-pluripotent stem cells have

Deoxynivalenol exposure induces autophagy/apoptosis and epigenetic modification changes during porcine oocyte maturation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Jun; Wang, Qiao-Chu; Zhu, Cheng-Cheng; Liu, Jun; Zhang, Yu; Cui, Xiang-Shun; Kim, Nam-Hyung; Sun, Shao-Chen

2016-01-01

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a widespread trichothecene mycotoxin which contaminates agricultural staples and elicits a complex spectrum of toxic effects on humans and animals. It has been shown that DON impairs oocyte maturation, reproductive function and causes abnormal fetal development in mammals; however, the mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we investigate the possible reasons of the toxic effects of DON on porcine oocytes. Our results showed that DON significantly inhibited porcine oocyte maturation and disrupted meiotic spindle by reducing p-MAPK protein level, which caused retardation of cell cycle progression. In addition, up-regulated LC3 protein expression and aberrant Lamp2, LC3 and mTOR mRNA levels were observed with DON exposure, together with Annexin V-FITC staining assay analysis, these results indicated that DON treatment induced autophagy/apoptosis in porcine oocytes. We also showed that DON exposure increased DNA methylation level in porcine oocytes through altering DNMT3A mRNA levels. Histone methylation levels were also changed showing with increased H3K27me3 and H3K4me2 protein levels, and mRNA levels of their relative methyltransferase genes, indicating that epigenetic modifications were affected. Taken together, our results suggested that DON exposure reduced porcine oocytes maturation capability through affecting cytoskeletal dynamics, cell cycle, autophagy/apoptosis and epigenetic modifications. - Highlights: • DON exposure disrupted meiotic spindle by reducing p-MAPK expression. • DON exposure caused retardation of cell cycle progression in porcine oocytes. • DON triggered autophagy and early-apoptosis in porcine oocytes. • DON exposure led to aberrant epigenetic modifications in porcine oocytes.

Deoxynivalenol exposure induces autophagy/apoptosis and epigenetic modification changes during porcine oocyte maturation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Jun; Wang, Qiao-Chu; Zhu, Cheng-Cheng; Liu, Jun; Zhang, Yu [College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095 (China); Cui, Xiang-Shun; Kim, Nam-Hyung [Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763 (Korea, Republic of); Sun, Shao-Chen, E-mail: sunsc@njau.edu.cn [College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095 (China)

2016-06-01

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a widespread trichothecene mycotoxin which contaminates agricultural staples and elicits a complex spectrum of toxic effects on humans and animals. It has been shown that DON impairs oocyte maturation, reproductive function and causes abnormal fetal development in mammals; however, the mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we investigate the possible reasons of the toxic effects of DON on porcine oocytes. Our results showed that DON significantly inhibited porcine oocyte maturation and disrupted meiotic spindle by reducing p-MAPK protein level, which caused retardation of cell cycle progression. In addition, up-regulated LC3 protein expression and aberrant Lamp2, LC3 and mTOR mRNA levels were observed with DON exposure, together with Annexin V-FITC staining assay analysis, these results indicated that DON treatment induced autophagy/apoptosis in porcine oocytes. We also showed that DON exposure increased DNA methylation level in porcine oocytes through altering DNMT3A mRNA levels. Histone methylation levels were also changed showing with increased H3K27me3 and H3K4me2 protein levels, and mRNA levels of their relative methyltransferase genes, indicating that epigenetic modifications were affected. Taken together, our results suggested that DON exposure reduced porcine oocytes maturation capability through affecting cytoskeletal dynamics, cell cycle, autophagy/apoptosis and epigenetic modifications. - Highlights: • DON exposure disrupted meiotic spindle by reducing p-MAPK expression. • DON exposure caused retardation of cell cycle progression in porcine oocytes. • DON triggered autophagy and early-apoptosis in porcine oocytes. • DON exposure led to aberrant epigenetic modifications in porcine oocytes.

Maturation of human dendritic cells by monocyte-conditioned medium is dependent upon trace amounts of lipopolysaccharide inducing tumour necrosis factor alpha

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nersting, Jacob; Svenson, Morten; Andersen, Vagn

2003-01-01

We investigated the ability of monocyte-conditioned medium (MCM), generated by monocytes cultured on plastic-immobilised immunoglobulin, to stimulate maturation of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DC). Earlier reports suggest that MCM is a strong inducer of irreversible DC maturation......, whereas we find, that adding a small amount of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to the MCM-generating cultures is required for the production of a DC-stimulatory MCM. Moreover, compared with addition of LPS directly to the DC cultures, stimulation via MCM cultures increases by several fold the DC...

Cold Exposure Induces Proliferation of Mature Brown Adipocyte in a ß3-Adrenergic Receptor-Mediated Pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Fukano, Keigo; Okamatsu-Ogura, Yuko; Tsubota, Ayumi; Nio-Kobayashi, Junko; Kimura, Kazuhiro

2016-01-01

Hyperplasia of brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a fundamental mechanism for adaptation to survive in the cold environment in rodents. To determine which cell types comprising BAT contribute to tissue hyperplasia, immunohistochemical analysis using a proliferative marker Ki67 was performed on the BAT from 6-week-old C57BL/6J mice housed at 23°C (control) or 10°C (cold) for 5 days. Interestingly, in the control group, the cell proliferative marker Ki67 was detected in the nuclei of uncoupling protein 1-positive mature brown adipocytes (7.2% ± 0.4% of brown adipocyte), as well as in the non-adipocyte stromal-vascular (SV) cells (19.6% ± 2.3% of SV cells), which include preadiopocytes. The percentage of Ki67-positive brown adipocytes increased to 25.6% ± 1.8% at Day 1 after cold exposure and was significantly higher than the non-cold acclimated control until Day 5 (21.8% ± 1.7%). On the other hand, the percentage of Ki67-positive SV cells gradually increased by a cold exposure and peaked to 42.1% ± 8.3% at Day 5. Injection of a ß3-adrenergic receptor (ß3-AR) agonist for continuous 5 days increased the number of Ki67-positive brown adipocytes even at Day 1 but not that of SV cells. In addition, the ß3-AR antagonist, but not ß1-AR antagonist, attenuated the cold exposure-induced increase in the number of Ki67-positive brown adipocytes. These results suggest that mature brown adipocytes proliferate immediately after cold exposure in a ß3-AR-mediated pathway. Thus, proliferation of mature brown adipocytes as well as preadipocytes in SV cells may contribute to cold exposure-induced BAT hyperplasia.

Evidence against the existence of specific Schistosoma mansoni subpopulations which are resistant to irradiated vaccine-induced immunity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewis, F.A.; Hieny, S.; Sher, A.

1985-01-01

When mice are immunized with irradiated Schistosoma mansoni cercariae a proportion of the subsequent cercarial challenge always escapes killing and matures to egg-laying adults. This report investigates the possibility that incomplete immunity in this system is governed by a genetically-determined insusceptibility of a particular schistosome subpopulation. To do this the authors tested whether more immunoresistant schistosomes would develop following successive passages of progeny of the resistant worms through immunized mice. Mice were immunized with 500 50 Krad-irradiated cercariae, and challenged with normal cercariae when immunity was at its peak. After five successive passages through snails and immune mice, progeny of those parasites which escaped immune killing were no more refractory to vaccine-induced resistance than the original stock maintained in nonimmune mice. Additionally, the passaged isolates did not differ from the original stock in their ability to induce protection following irradiation. The results indicate that with this model of acquired resistance incomplete immunity is unlikely to be due to a subpopulation of the parasites possessing a genetically-determined insusceptibility to killing

Study of incomplete fusion reaction dynamics in 13C +165 Ho system and its dependence on various entrance channel parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Tali, Suhail A.; Kumar, Harish; Ansari, M. Afzal; Ali, Asif; Singh, D.; Ali, Rahbar; Giri, Pankaj K.; Linda, Sneha B.; Parashari, Siddharth; Kumar, R.; Singh, R. P.; Muralithar, S.

2018-02-01

The excitation functions for the evaporation residues populated in the interaction of 13C +165 Ho system have been measured at projectile energies ≈ 4-7 MeV/nucleon. Stacked foil activation technique followed by off-line γ-ray spectroscopy have been employed in the present work. The experimentally measured cross-sections are analyzed in the frame work of statistical model code PACE4, which takes into account only the complete fusion reaction cross-sections. The evaporation residues populated via xn and pxn channels were found to be in good agreement with the PACE4 predictions, while a significant enhancement in the measured cross-sections over PACE4 predictions is observed in case of α-emitting channels, which may be attributed to the incomplete fusion process. For the better understanding of incomplete fusion dynamics, the incomplete fusion fraction has also been deduced and its sensitivity with various entrance channel parameters like: projectile energy, mass-asymmetry, projectile structure in terms of Qα-value and Coulomb effect has been studied in the present work. The incomplete fusion fraction is found to increase with increasing the projectile energy and a strong projectile structure dependent mass-asymmetry systematic is also observed. The incomplete fusion fraction is also found to be small for more negative Qα-value projectile (13C) induced reactions as compared to less negative Qα-value projectiles (12C, 16O and 20Ne) induced reactions with the same target nucleus 165Ho. An interesting trend is obtained on further investigation of incomplete fusion dependence on Coulomb effect (ZPZT).

Plasmodium falciparum-Derived Uric Acid Precipitates Induce Maturation of Dendritic Cells

Science.gov (United States)

van de Hoef, Diana L.; Coppens, Isabelle; Holowka, Thomas; Ben Mamoun, Choukri; Branch, OraLee; Rodriguez, Ana

2013-01-01

Malaria is characterized by cyclical fevers and high levels of inflammation, and while an early inflammatory response contributes to parasite clearance, excessive and persistent inflammation can lead to severe forms of the disease. Here, we show that Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes contain uric acid precipitates in the cytoplasm of the parasitophorous vacuole, which are released when erythrocytes rupture. Uric acid precipitates are highly inflammatory molecules that are considered a danger signal for innate immunity and are the causative agent in gout. We determined that P. falciparum-derived uric acid precipitates induce maturation of human dendritic cells, increasing the expression of cell surface co-stimulatory molecules such as CD80 and CD86, while decreasing human leukocyte antigen-DR expression. In accordance with this, uric acid accounts for a significant proportion of the total stimulatory activity induced by parasite-infected erythrocytes. Moreover, the identification of uric acid precipitates in P. falciparum- and P. vivax-infected erythrocytes obtained directly from malaria patients underscores the in vivo and clinical relevance of our findings. Altogether, our data implicate uric acid precipitates as a potentially important contributor to the innate immune response to Plasmodium infection and may provide a novel target for adjunct therapies. PMID:23405174

Cooperative transcription activation by Nurr1 and Pitx3 induces embryonic stem cell maturation to the midbrain dopamine neuron phenotype

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martinat, Cecile; Bacci, Jean-Jacques; Leete, Thomas

2006-01-01

's disease. We sought to identify genes that can potentiate maturation of ES cell cultures to the midbrain DA neuron phenotype. A number of transcription factors have been implicated in the development of midbrain DA neurons by expression analyses and loss-of-function knockout mouse studies, including Nurr1......Midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons play a central role in the regulation of voluntary movement, and their degeneration is associated with Parkinson's disease. Cell replacement therapies, and in particular embryonic stem (ES) cell-derived DA neurons, offer a potential therapeutic venue for Parkinson......, Pitx3, Lmx1b, Engrailed-1, and Engrailed-2. However, none of these factors appear sufficient alone to induce the mature midbrain DA neuron phenotype in ES cell cultures in vitro, suggesting a more complex regulatory network. Here we show that Nurr1 and Pitx3 cooperatively promote terminal maturation...

Evaluation of zona pellucida birefringence intensity during in vitro maturation of oocytes from stimulated cycles.

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, Claudia G; Vagnini, Laura D; Mauri, Ana L; Massaro, Fabiana C; Silva, Liliane F I; Cavagna, Mario; Baruffi, Ricardo L R; Oliveira, Joao B A; Franco, José G

2011-04-23

This study evaluated whether there is a relationship between the zona pellucida birefringence (ZP-BF) intensity and the nuclear (NM) and cytoplasmic (CM) in vitro maturation of human oocytes from stimulated cycles. The ZP-BF was evaluated under an inverted microscope with a polarizing optical system and was scored as high/positive (when the ZP image presented a uniform and intense birefringence) or low/negative (when the image presented moderate and heterogeneous birefringence). CM was analyzed by evaluating the distribution of cortical granules (CGs) throughout the ooplasm by immunofluorescence staining. CM was classified as: complete, when CG was localized in the periphery; incomplete, when oocytes presented a cluster of CGs in the center; or in transition, when oocytes had both in clusters throughout cytoplasm and distributed in a layer in the cytoplasm periphery Nuclear maturation: From a total of 83 germinal vesicle (GV) stage oocytes, 58 of oocytes (69.9%) reached NM at the metaphase II stage. From these 58 oocytes matured in vitro, the high/positively scoring ZP-BF was presented in 82.7% of oocytes at the GV stage, in 75.8% of oocytes when at the metaphase I, and in 82.7% when oocytes reached MII. No relationship was observed between NM and ZP-BF positive/negative scores (P = 0.55). These variables had a low Pearson's correlation coefficient (r = 0.081). Cytoplasmic maturation: A total of 85 in vitro-matured MII oocytes were fixed for CM evaluation. Forty-nine oocytes of them (57.6%) showed the complete CM, 30 (61.2%) presented a high/positively scoring ZP-BF and 19 (38.8%) had a low/negatively scoring ZP-BF. From 36 oocytes (42.3%) with incomplete CM, 18 (50%) presented a high/positively scoring ZPBF and 18 (50%) had a low/negatively scoring ZP-BF. No relationship was observed between CM and ZP-BF positive/negative scores (P = 0.42). These variables had a low Pearson's correlation coefficient (r = 0.11). The current study demonstrated an absence of

Evaluation of zona pellucida birefringence intensity during in vitro maturation of oocytes from stimulated cycles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silva Liliane FI

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This study evaluated whether there is a relationship between the zona pellucida birefringence (ZP-BF intensity and the nuclear (NM and cytoplasmic (CM in vitro maturation of human oocytes from stimulated cycles. Results The ZP-BF was evaluated under an inverted microscope with a polarizing optical system and was scored as high/positive (when the ZP image presented a uniform and intense birefringence or low/negative (when the image presented moderate and heterogeneous birefringence. CM was analyzed by evaluating the distribution of cortical granules (CGs throughout the ooplasm by immunofluorescence staining. CM was classified as: complete, when CG was localized in the periphery; incomplete, when oocytes presented a cluster of CGs in the center; or in transition, when oocytes had both in clusters throughout cytoplasm and distributed in a layer in the cytoplasm periphery Nuclear maturation: From a total of 83 germinal vesicle (GV stage oocytes, 58 of oocytes (69.9% reached NM at the metaphase II stage. From these 58 oocytes matured in vitro, the high/positively scoring ZP-BF was presented in 82.7% of oocytes at the GV stage, in 75.8% of oocytes when at the metaphase I, and in 82.7% when oocytes reached MII. No relationship was observed between NM and ZP-BF positive/negative scores (P = 0.55. These variables had a low Pearson's correlation coefficient (r = 0.081. Cytoplasmic maturation: A total of 85 in vitro-matured MII oocytes were fixed for CM evaluation. Forty-nine oocytes of them (57.6% showed the complete CM, 30 (61.2% presented a high/positively scoring ZP-BF and 19 (38.8% had a low/negatively scoring ZP-BF. From 36 oocytes (42.3% with incomplete CM, 18 (50% presented a high/positively scoring ZPBF and 18 (50% had a low/negatively scoring ZP-BF. No relationship was observed between CM and ZP-BF positive/negative scores (P = 0.42. These variables had a low Pearson's correlation coefficient (r = 0.11. Conclusions The current

Stochastic incompleteness of quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suppes, P.; Zanotti, M.

1976-01-01

This article brings out in as conceptually clear terms as possible what seems to be a major incompleteness in the probability theory of particles offered by classical quantum mechanics. The exact nature of this incompleteness is illustrated by consideration of some simple quantum-mechanical examples. In addition, these examples are contrasted with the fundamental assumptions of Brownian motion in classical physics on the one hand, and with a controversey of a deecade ago in mathematical physchology. The central claim is that clasical quantum mechanics is radically incomplete in its probabilistic account of the motion of particles. In the last part of the article the time-dependent joint distribution of position and momentum of the linear harmonic oscillator is derived, and it is shown how the apparently physically paradoxical statistical independence of position and momentum has a natural explanation. The explanation is given within the framework of the non-quantum-mechanical stochastic theory constructed for such oscillators. (Auth.)

A simplified protocol for differentiation of electrophysiologically mature neuronal networks from human induced pluripotent stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Gunhanlar, N; Shpak, G; van der Kroeg, M; Gouty-Colomer, L A; Munshi, S T; Lendemeijer, B; Ghazvini, M; Dupont, C; Hoogendijk, W J G; Gribnau, J; de Vrij, F M S; Kushner, S A

2017-04-18

Progress in elucidating the molecular and cellular pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders has been hindered by the limited availability of living human brain tissue. The emergence of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has offered a unique alternative strategy using patient-derived functional neuronal networks. However, methods for reliably generating iPSC-derived neurons with mature electrophysiological characteristics have been difficult to develop. Here, we report a simplified differentiation protocol that yields electrophysiologically mature iPSC-derived cortical lineage neuronal networks without the need for astrocyte co-culture or specialized media. This protocol generates a consistent 60:40 ratio of neurons and astrocytes that arise from a common forebrain neural progenitor. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings of 114 neurons derived from three independent iPSC lines confirmed their electrophysiological maturity, including resting membrane potential (-58.2±1.0 mV), capacitance (49.1±2.9 pF), action potential (AP) threshold (-50.9±0.5 mV) and AP amplitude (66.5±1.3 mV). Nearly 100% of neurons were capable of firing APs, of which 79% had sustained trains of mature APs with minimal accommodation (peak AP frequency: 11.9±0.5 Hz) and 74% exhibited spontaneous synaptic activity (amplitude, 16.03±0.82 pA; frequency, 1.09±0.17 Hz). We expect this protocol to be of broad applicability for implementing iPSC-based neuronal network models of neuropsychiatric disorders.Molecular Psychiatry advance online publication, 18 April 2017; doi:10.1038/mp.2017.56.

α-fetoprotein involvement during glucocorticoid-induced precocious maturation in rat colon.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Min; Sun, Peng; Liu, Xiao-Yan; Dong, Dan; Du, Jun; Gu, Luo; Ge, Ying-Bin

2011-06-28

To investigate the role of α-fetoprotein (AFP), a cancer-associated fetal glycoprotein, in glucocorticoid-induced precocious maturation in rat colon. Colons from suckling Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. Corticosterone acetate at a dose of 100 μg/g body weight was given to normal pups on days 7, 9 and 11 after birth to induce hypercorticoidism. Control animals were injected with identical volumes of normal saline. Some rats receiving corticosterone 7 d after birth were also treated with mifepristone (RU38486), a glucocorticoid cytoplasm receptor antagonist to investigate the effects of glucocorticoids (GCs). The morphological changes of the crypt depth and villous height of the villous zone in colon were observed as indices of colon maturation. Expression levels of AFP in colons were detected by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. To identify the cellular localization of AFP in developing rat colons, double-immunofluorescent staining was performed using antibodies to specific mesenchymal cell marker and AFP. Corticosterone increased the crypt depth and villous height in the colon of 8- and 10-d-old rats with hypercorticoidism compared with that in the control animals (120% in 8-d-old rats and 118% in 10-d-old rats in villous height, P = 0.021; 145% in 8-d-old rats and 124% in 10-d-old rats in crypt depth, P = 0.017). These increases were accompanied by an increase of AFP expression in both mRNA and protein (2.5-folds in 8-d-old and 2.5-folds in 10-d-old rats higher than in control animals, P = 0.035; 1.8-folds in 8-d-old and 1.3-folds in 10-d-old rats higher than in control animals, P = 0.023). Increased crypt depth and villous height and increased expression of AFP in the colon of rats with hypercorticoidism were blocked by mifepristone. Both had positive staining for AFP or vimentin, and overlapped in mesenchymal cells at each tested colon. GCs promote the development of rat colon. AFP appears to be involved, in

Short-term environmental enrichment exposure induces proliferation and maturation of doublecortin-positive cells in the prefrontal cortex

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Chunling; Zhang, Mengqi; Shang, Lei; Cynthia, Ngobe Akume; Li, Zhi; Yang, Zhenyu; Chen, Dan; Huang, Jufang; Xiong, Kun

2014-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that doublecortin-positive immature neurons exist predominantly in the superficial layer of the cerebral cortex of adult mammals such as guinea pigs, and these neurons exhibit very weak properties of self-proliferation during adulthood under physiological conditions. To verify whether environmental enrichment has an impact on the proliferation and maturation of these immature neurons in the prefrontal cortex of adult guinea pigs, healthy adult guinea pigs were subjected to short-term environmental enrichment. Animals were allowed to play with various cognitive and physical stimulating objects over a period of 2 weeks, twice per day, for 60 minutes each. Immunofluorescence staining results indicated that the number of doublecortin-positive cells in layer II of the prefrontal cortex was significantly increased after short-term environmental enrichment exposure. In addition, these doublecortin-positive cells co-expressed 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (a marker of cell proliferation), c-Fos (a marker of cell viability) and NeuN (a marker of mature neurons). Experimental findings showed that short-term environmental enrichment can induce proliferation, activation and maturation of doublecortin-positive cells in layer II of the prefrontal cortex of adult guinea pigs. PMID:25206818

TOPSIS-based consensus model for group decision-making with incomplete interval fuzzy preference relations.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Fang; Zhang, Wei-Guo

2014-08-01

Due to the vagueness of real-world environments and the subjective nature of human judgments, it is natural for experts to estimate their judgements by using incomplete interval fuzzy preference relations. In this paper, based on the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution method, we present a consensus model for group decision-making (GDM) with incomplete interval fuzzy preference relations. To do this, we first define a new consistency measure for incomplete interval fuzzy preference relations. Second, a goal programming model is proposed to estimate the missing interval preference values and it is guided by the consistency property. Third, an ideal interval fuzzy preference relation is constructed by using the induced ordered weighted averaging operator, where the associated weights of characterizing the operator are based on the defined consistency measure. Fourth, a similarity degree between complete interval fuzzy preference relations and the ideal one is defined. The similarity degree is related to the associated weights, and used to aggregate the experts' preference relations in such a way that more importance is given to ones with the higher similarity degree. Finally, a new algorithm is given to solve the GDM problem with incomplete interval fuzzy preference relations, which is further applied to partnership selection in formation of virtual enterprises.

Recombinant Lactobacillus plantarum induces immune responses to cancer testis antigen NY-ESO-1 and maturation of dendritic cells

Science.gov (United States)

Mobergslien, Anne; Vasovic, Vlada; Mathiesen, Geir; Fredriksen, Lasse; Westby, Phuong; Eijsink, Vincent GH; Peng, Qian; Sioud, Mouldy

2015-01-01

Given their safe use in humans and inherent adjuvanticity, Lactic Acid Bacteria may offer several advantages over other mucosal delivery strategies for cancer vaccines. The objective of this study is to evaluate the immune responses in mice after oral immunization with Lactobacillus (L) plantarum WCFS1 expressing a cell-wall anchored tumor antigen NY-ESO-1. And to investigate the immunostimulatory potency of this new candidate vaccine on human dendritic cells (DCs). L. plantarum displaying NY-ESO-1 induced NY-ESO-1 specific antibodies and T-cell responses in mice. By contrast, L. plantarum displaying conserved proteins such as heat shock protein-27 and galectin-1, did not induce immunity, suggesting that immune tolerance to self-proteins cannot be broken by oral administration of L. plantarum. With respect to immunomodulation, immature DCs incubated with wild type or L. plantarum-NY-ESO-1 upregulated the expression of co-stimulatory molecules and secreted a large amount of interleukin (IL)-12, TNF-α, but not IL-4. Moreover, they upregulated the expression of immunosuppressive factors such as IL-10 and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase. Although L. plantarum-matured DCs expressed inhibitory molecules, they stimulated allogeneic T cells in-vitro. Collectively, the data indicate that L. plantarum-NY-ESO-1 can evoke antigen-specific immunity upon oral administration and induce DC maturation, raising the potential of its use in cancer immunotherapies. PMID:26185907

Incomplete convolutions in production and inventory models

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Houtum, van G.J.J.A.N.; Zijm, W.H.M.

1997-01-01

In this paper, we study incomplete convolutions of continuous distribution functions, as they appear in the analysis of (multi-stage) production and inventory systems. Three example systems are discussed where these incomplete convolutions naturally arise. We derive explicit, nonrecursive formulae

Cortical bone growth and maturational changes in dwarf rats induced by recombinant human growth hormone

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez, D. A.; Orth, M. W.; Carr, K. E.; Vanderby, R. Jr; Vailas, A. C.

1996-01-01

The growth hormone (GH)-deficient dwarf rat was used to investigate recombinant human (rh) GH-induced bone formation and to determine whether rhGH facilitates simultaneous increases in bone formation and bone maturation during rapid growth. Twenty dwarf rats, 37 days of age, were randomly assigned to dwarf plus rhGH (GH; n = 10) and dwarf plus vehicle (n = 10) groups. The GH group received 1.25 mg rhGH/kg body wt two times daily for 14 days. Biochemical, morphological, and X-ray diffraction measurements were performed on the femur middiaphysis. rhGH stimulated new bone growth in the GH group, as demonstrated by significant increases (P bone length (6%), middiaphyseal cross-sectional area (20%), and the amount of newly accreted bone collagen (28%) in the total pool of middiaphyseal bone collagen. Cortical bone density, mean hydroxyapatite crystal size, and the calcium and collagen contents (microgram/mm3) were significantly smaller in the GH group (P bone collagen maturation, and mean hydroxyapatite crystal size may be independently regulated during rapid growth.

Incomplete linear tibial fractures in two horses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, P.J.; Allhands, R.V.; Baker, G.J.; Boero, M.J.; Foreman, J.H.; Hyyppa, T.; Huhn, J.C.

1988-01-01

Incomplete linear tibial fractures were identified in two horses with the aid of scintigraphy. Both horses were treated successfully by strict stall confinement, and both returned to normal athletic activity. Scintigraphy can be used to facilitate the generally difficult diagnosis of incomplete tibial fractures

Evaluation of portable near infrared spectrophotometer to stage maturity in channel catfish

Science.gov (United States)

Gonadal maturity of channel catfish varies within the same cohort of fish. Female channel catfish with superior maturity need to be identified and staged for higher success to induce spawn wit ovulating hormones to produce channel x blue hybrid catfish fry in hatcheries. Maturation is not synchron...

Mechanosensitivity of dental pulp stem cells is related to their osteogenic maturity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kraft, David C E; Bindslev, Dorthe A; Melsen, Birte

2010-01-01

-mature exhibited higher osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase gene expression and activity than PDSC-immature. Pulsating fluid flow (PFF) stimulated nitric oxide production within 5 min by PDSC-mature but not by PDSC-immature. In PDSC-mature, PFF induced prostaglandin E(2) production, and cyclooxygenase 2 gene...

Epidermal cell-shape regulation and subpopulation kinetics during butyrate-induced terminal maturation of normal and SV40-transformed human keratinocytes: epithelial models of differentiation therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Staiano-Coico, L; Steinberg, M; Higgins, P J

1990-10-15

Recent data indicate that malignant human epidermal cells may be appropriate targets for sodium butyrate (NaB)-mediated differentiation therapy. The response of pre- and post-crisis populations of SV40-transformed human keratinocytes (SVKs) to this differentiation-inducing agent was assessed, therefore, within the framework of NaB-directed normal human keratinocyte (NHK) maturation. NaB augmented cornified envelope (CE) production in NHK and pre-crisis SVK cultures; the time-course and efficiency of induced maturation were similar in the 2 cell systems. In NHKs, the percentage of amplifying ("B" substate) cells decreased with time in NaB correlating with increases in both "C" stage keratinocytes and CEs. The latter formed over one or 2 layers of nucleated basal-like cells. Inductions were accompanied by immediate cell cycle blocks (in both the G1 and G2/M phases), reorganization within the actin cytoskeleton, and transient early increases in cellular actin content. Increased NHK and pre-crisis SVK cytoskeletal-associated actin reached a maximum approximately 48 hr after NaB addition and preceded development of CEs. The CE precursors, thus, probably reside in the "B" substate. Post-crisis SVKs, in contrast, were refractive to NaB-induced terminal maturation or cell-cycle perturbation, failed to initiate actin filament rearrangements, and retained a basal cell-like phenotype. Stable transformation of human SVKs in post-crisis phase, therefore, appears to be associated with loss of maturation "competence" within the "B" keratinocyte subpopulation.

Regulated Assembly of Vacuolar ATPase Is Increased during Cluster Disruption-induced Maturation of Dendritic Cells through a Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/mTOR-dependent Pathway*

Science.gov (United States)

Liberman, Rachel; Bond, Sarah; Shainheit, Mara G.; Stadecker, Miguel J.; Forgac, Michael

2014-01-01

The vacuolar (H+)-ATPases (V-ATPases) are ATP-driven proton pumps composed of a peripheral V1 domain and a membrane-embedded V0 domain. Regulated assembly of V1 and V0 represents an important regulatory mechanism for controlling V-ATPase activity in vivo. Previous work has shown that V-ATPase assembly increases during maturation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells induced by activation of Toll-like receptors. This increased assembly is essential for antigen processing, which is dependent upon an acidic lysosomal pH. Cluster disruption of dendritic cells induces a semi-mature phenotype associated with immune tolerance. Thus, semi-mature dendritic cells are able to process and present self-peptides to suppress autoimmune responses. We have investigated V-ATPase assembly in bone marrow-derived, murine dendritic cells and observed an increase in assembly following cluster disruption. This increased assembly is not dependent upon new protein synthesis and is associated with an increase in concanamycin A-sensitive proton transport in FITC-loaded lysosomes. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase with wortmannin or mTORC1 with rapamycin effectively inhibits the increased assembly observed upon cluster disruption. These results suggest that the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/mTOR pathway is involved in controlling V-ATPase assembly during dendritic cell maturation. PMID:24273170

Detection of radiation-induced hydrocarbons in Camembert irradiated before and after the maturing process-comparison of florisil column chromatography and on-line coupled liquid chromatography-gas chromatography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schulzki, G.; Spiegelberg, A.; Bögl, K.W.; Schreiber, G.A.

1995-01-01

The influence of the maturing process on the detection of radiation-induced volatile hydrocarbons in the fat of Camembert has been investigated. Two analytical methods for separation of the hydrocarbon fraction from the lipid were applied: Florisil column chromatography with subsequent gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) determination as well as on-line coupled liquid chromatography-GC-MS. The maturing process had no influence on the detection of radiation-induced volatiles. Comparable results were achieved with both analytical methods. However, preference is given to the more effective on-line coupled LC-GC method

Suction v. conventional curettage in incomplete abortion

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Suction v. conventional curettage in incomplete abortion. A randomised controlled trial. D. A. A. VERKUYL, C. A. CROWTHER .Abstract This randomised controlled trial of 357 patients who had had an incomplete abortion compared suction curettage with conventional curettage for evacuation ofthe uterus. The 179 patients ...

Immature and maturation-resistant human dendritic cells generated from bone marrow require two stimulations to induce T cell anergy in vitro.

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Thomas G Berger

Full Text Available Immature dendritic cells (DC represent potential clinical tools for tolerogenic cellular immunotherapy in both transplantation and autoimmunity. A major drawback in vivo is their potential to mature during infections or inflammation, which would convert their tolerogenicity into immunogenicity. The generation of immature DC from human bone marrow (BM by low doses of GM-CSF (lowGM in the absence of IL-4 under GMP conditions create DC resistant to maturation, detected by surface marker expression and primary stimulation by allogeneic T cells. This resistence could not be observed for BM-derived DC generated with high doses of GM-CSF plus IL-4 (highGM/4, although both DC types induced primary allogeneic T cell anergy in vitro. The estabishment of the anergic state requires two subsequent stimulations by immature DC. Anergy induction was more profound with lowGM-DC due to their maturation resistance. Together, we show the generation of immature, maturation-resistant lowGM-DC for potential clinical use in transplant rejection and propose a two-step-model of T cell anergy induction by immature DC.

Behavioral experience induces zif268 expression in mature granule cells but suppresses its expression in immature granule cells

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Kylie A. Huckleberry

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Thousands of neurons are born each day in the dentate gyrus (DG, but many of these cells die before reaching maturity. Both death and survival of adult-born neurons are regulated by neuronal activity in DG. The immediate-early gene (IEG zif268 is an important mediator of these effects, as its expression is induced by neural activity and knockout of zif268 impairs survival of adult-born neurons (Veyrac et al., 2013. Despite the apparent importance of zif268 for adult neurogenesis, its behavior-induced expression has not been fully characterized in adult-born neurons. Here we characterize behavior-evoked expression of zif268 in mature and newborn dentate granule cells (DGCs. In the general granule cell population, zif268 expression peaked 1 hour after novel environment exposure and returned to baseline by 8 hours post-exposure. However, in the doublecortin-positive (DCX+ immature neurons, zif268 expression was suppressed relative to home cage for at least 8 hours post-exposure. We next determined that exposure to water maze training, an enriched environment, or a novel environment caused approximately equal suppression of zif268 expression in DCX+ cells and approximately equal activation of zif268 in the general DGC population and in 6-week-old adult-born neurons. Finally, we asked whether zif268 suppression varied as a function of age within the DCX+ population, which ranges in age from 0 to approximately 4 weeks. Novel environment exposure had no significant effect on zif268 expression in 2- or 4-week-old BrdU-labeled neurons, but it significantly suppressed zif268 expression in 3-week-old neurons. In summary, behavioral experience transiently activated expression of zif268 in mature DGCs but caused a more long-lasting suppression of zif268 expression in immature, adult-born DGCs. We hypothesize that zif268 suppression inhibits memory-related synaptic plasticity in immature DGCs or mediates learning-induced apoptosis of immature adult

A Clinical Study on Management of Incomplete Abortion by Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA

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Arifa Akter Jahan

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Abortion is an important social and public health issue. In Bangladesh complication from unsafe abortion is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality. It is a serious health problem. World Health Organisation estimates that 14% of maternal deaths which occur every year in the countries of South Asia including Bangladesh are due to abortion. Study shows manual vacuum aspiration procedure is safe and effective in incomplete abortion. Very few clinical trials were carried out in Bangladesh to assess the safety and effectivity of manual vacuum aspiration in managing incomplete abortion. Objective: To find out the outcome of manual vacuum aspiration in the management of patients of incomplete abortion. Materials and Methods: This observational descriptive study was conducted in the department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Dhaka Medical College & Hospital from June to December, 2004. One hundred cases of diagnosed incomplete abortion up to 12 weeks of gestation were managed by manual vacuum aspiration during this period. A data recording sheet was designed for this purpose. Haemodynamically stable patients with no history of induced abortion and fever were enrolled. Results: Procedure time of manual vacuum aspiration was short, average duration was 7 minutes. Bleeding was minimum (20-30 mL in 67% cases and weighted mean was 29.80 mL. Eighty three percent patients were stable during the procedure and only 3% needed blood transfusion. Nonnarcotic analgesics were used in 59% cases and 33% needed only proper counselling. Average duration of hospital stay was 2 hours. Effectiveness of the procedure was about 98% with very low post procedure complication rate (2%. Conclusion: MVA procedure is a safe and effective technique of uterine evacuation in incomplete abortion. It is quick, less expensive, effective and less painful. Hospital stay and chance of perforation of uterus is less. So this procedure should be considered by health care

Quantum Bertrand duopoly of incomplete information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qin Gan; Chen Xi; Sun Min; Du Jiangfeng

2005-01-01

We study Bertrand's duopoly of incomplete information. It is found that the effect of quantum entanglement on the outcome of the game is dramatically changed by the uncertainty of information. In contrast with the case of complete information where the outcome increases with entanglement, when information is incomplete the outcome is maximized at some finite entanglement. As a consequence, information and entanglement are both crucial factors that determine the properties of a quantum oligopoly

Some Families of the Incomplete H-Functions and the Incomplete \\overline H -Functions and Associated Integral Transforms and Operators of Fractional Calculus with Applications

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Srivastava, H. M.; Saxena, R. K.; Parmar, R. K.

2018-01-01

Our present investigation is inspired by the recent interesting extensions (by Srivastava et al. [35]) of a pair of the Mellin-Barnes type contour integral representations of their incomplete generalized hypergeometric functions p γ q and p Γ q by means of the incomplete gamma functions γ( s, x) and Γ( s, x). Here, in this sequel, we introduce a family of the relatively more general incomplete H-functions γ p,q m,n ( z) and Γ p,q m,n ( z) as well as their such special cases as the incomplete Fox-Wright generalized hypergeometric functions p Ψ q (γ) [ z] and p Ψ q (Γ) [ z]. The main object of this paper is to study and investigate several interesting properties of these incomplete H-functions, including (for example) decomposition and reduction formulas, derivative formulas, various integral transforms, computational representations, and so on. We apply some substantially general Riemann-Liouville and Weyl type fractional integral operators to each of these incomplete H-functions. We indicate the easilyderivable extensions of the results presented here that hold for the corresponding incomplete \\overline H -functions as well. Potential applications of many of these incomplete special functions involving (for example) probability theory are also indicated.

A new version of an old modal incompleteness theorem

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vosmaer, J.

2010-01-01

Thomason [5] showed that a certain modal logic L⊂ S4 is incomplete with respect to Kripke semantics. Later Gerson [3] showed that L is also incomplete with respect to neighborhood semantics. In this paper we show that L is in fact incomplete with respect to any class of complete Boolean algebras

early maturing mutants in Indica rice and their traits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Xiulan; He Zhentian; Han Yuepeng; Liu Xueyu; Yang Hefeng; Xu Chenwu; Gu Shiliang

1998-01-01

The correlation and genetic parameters of eleven agronomic characters of 50 early mature lines induced from late mature cultivar, IR 1529-68-3-2 were studied by morphological classification and correlation and regression analysis. The results showed that: 1. The early mutants could be divided into two ecotype: early mature type and medium mature type of mid-maturity rice. 2. The 1000-grain weight of early mutants negatively correlated with the length of growing period. 3. According to direct path coefficients, the relation with heading period of early mutants was in order of 1000-grain-weight>plant height>seed sterility. 4.The higher heritability in broad sense were found in plant height, 1000 grain weight and heading period of the early mutants

Transcriptional Programs Controlling Perinatal Lung Maturation

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Yan; Wang, Yanhua; Besnard, Valérie; Ikegami, Machiko; Wert, Susan E.; Heffner, Caleb; Murray, Stephen A.; Donahue, Leah Rae; Whitsett, Jeffrey A.

2012-01-01

The timing of lung maturation is controlled precisely by complex genetic and cellular programs. Lung immaturity following preterm birth frequently results in Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) and Broncho-Pulmonary Dysplasia (BPD), which are leading causes of mortality and morbidity in preterm infants. Mechanisms synchronizing gestational length and lung maturation remain to be elucidated. In this study, we designed a genome-wide mRNA expression time-course study from E15.5 to Postnatal Day 0 (PN0) using lung RNAs from C57BL/6J (B6) and A/J mice that differ in gestational length by ∼30 hr (B6controlling lung maturation. We identified both temporal and strain dependent gene expression patterns during lung maturation. For time dependent changes, cell adhesion, vasculature development, and lipid metabolism/transport were major bioprocesses induced during the saccular stage of lung development at E16.5–E17.5. CEBPA, PPARG, VEGFA, CAV1 and CDH1 were found to be key signaling and transcriptional regulators of these processes. Innate defense/immune responses were induced at later gestational ages (E18.5–20.5), STAT1, AP1, and EGFR being important regulators of these responses. Expression of RNAs associated with the cell cycle and chromatin assembly was repressed during prenatal lung maturation and was regulated by FOXM1, PLK1, chromobox, and high mobility group families of transcription factors. Strain dependent lung mRNA expression differences peaked at E18.5. At this time, mRNAs regulating surfactant and innate immunity were more abundantly expressed in lungs of B6 (short gestation) than in A/J (long gestation) mice, while expression of genes involved in chromatin assembly and histone modification were expressed at lower levels in B6 than in A/J mice. The present study systemically mapped key regulators, bioprocesses, and transcriptional networks controlling lung maturation, providing the basis for new therapeutic strategies to enhance lung function in preterm

Gibbs' theorem for open systems with incomplete statistics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bagci, G.B.

2009-01-01

Gibbs' theorem, which is originally intended for canonical ensembles with complete statistics has been generalized to open systems with incomplete statistics. As a result of this generalization, it is shown that the stationary equilibrium distribution of inverse power law form associated with the incomplete statistics has maximum entropy even for open systems with energy or matter influx. The renormalized entropy definition given in this paper can also serve as a measure of self-organization in open systems described by incomplete statistics.

Antibody Affinity Maturation in Fishes—Our Current Understanding

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Brad G. Magor

2015-07-01

Full Text Available It has long been believed that fish lack antibody affinity maturation, in part because they were thought to lack germinal centers. Recent research done on sharks and bony fishes indicates that these early vertebrates are able to affinity mature their antibodies. This article reviews the functionality of the fish homologue of the immunoglobulin (Ig mutator enzyme activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID. We also consider the protein and molecular evidence for Ig somatic hypermutation and antibody affinity maturation. In the context of recent evidence for a putative proto-germinal center in fishes we propose some possible reasons that observed affinity maturation in fishes often seems lacking and propose future work that might shed further light on this process in fishes.

Zero-sum games with incomplete definition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sprzeuzkouski, Alain

1976-01-01

In this research thesis, the author proposes three methods of resolution of incompletely defined games. According to the first one, combined strategies are introduced in an incompletely defined matrix game. According to the second and new one, a new strategy type (C-strategies) is defined for which the payoff function is always defined but not necessarily unequivocal. This leads to assume the existence of a referee who will decide the payoff assigned to players when they use these C-strategies which generate several possibilities. According to the last one, players are informed of the referee's choice. The three methods are compared, and the author shows that they are equivalent to the conventional method of resolution of matrix games in the case of a completely defined game. In another part, the author applied results obtained for incompletely defined matrix games to the case of multi-stage games with target

In vitro maturation (IVM as a new technique to treat polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS and induce pregnancy in Indonesia

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Soegiharto Soebijanto

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Aim: To assesse the success of inducing pregnancies in the treatment of PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome cases with in vitro maturation as a newly application technique in Indonesia.Methods This paper is a report of 7 cases in Indonesia that used the newly developed technique. There were 7 cases confi rmed PCOS, in which 1 patient with a history of OHSS (Ovary Hyper Stimulation Syndrome in a previous IVF procedure and 1 patient with PCOS characteristics, suspected hyper responder, in the Family Hospital from January to May of 2009. Follicular induction was performed with a minimum dose, primming with HCG 10.000 IU, on the 10th day and 40 hours later ovum pick up was  performed, followed by in vitro maturation. Subsequently, insemination was performed and the inseminated follicle was assessed. Well qualifi ed embryos then transferred them into the uterus. We then performed assessment of pregnancy biochemically, by the presence of embryonic sac and embryonic heart beat.Results: We have performed the IVM (In Vitro Maturation technique in the Family Hospital, West Jakarta, along with the TRB team of the Family Hospital in seven PCOS cases. From these patients, we have found 156 antral follicles (average of 22 follicles per patient, 82 oocytes, and after maturation, 61  nature oocytes (75 %. In three cases, in vitro fertilization was performed, while in 4 cases ICSI (In Cystoplasmic Sperm Infection was performed. In these serial cases we obtained 41 embryos, and 22 fertilized embryos were transferred. Of 7 cases, we achieved two successful pregnancies (29%.Conclusion: In vitro maturation is an alternative procedures in solving infertility problems for PCOS patients with lower risk of OHSS and more cost effective than conventional IVF. (Med J Indones 2009; 18: 269-75Keywords: pregnancy, PCOS, in vitro maturation

Acoustic and Petrophysical Evolution of Organic-Rich Chalk Following Maturation Induced by Unconfined Pyrolysis

Science.gov (United States)

Shitrit, Omri; Hatzor, Yossef H.; Feinstein, Shimon; Vinegar, Harold J.

2017-12-01

Thermal maturation is known to influence the rock physics of organic-rich rocks. While most studies were performed on low-porosity organic-rich shales, here we examine the effect of thermal maturation on a high-porosity organic-rich chalk. We compare the physical properties of native state immature rock with the properties at two pyrolysis-simulated maturity levels: early-mature and over-mature. We further evaluate the applicability of results from unconfined pyrolysis experiments to naturally matured rock properties. Special attention is dedicated to the elastic properties of the organic phase and the influence of bitumen and kerogen contents. Rock physics is studied based on confined petrophysical measurements of porosity, density and permeability, and measurements of bedding-normal acoustic velocities at estimated field stresses. Geochemical parameters like total organic carbon (TOC), bitumen content and thermal maturation indicators are used to monitor variations in density and volume fraction of each phase. We find that porosity increases significantly upon pyrolysis and that P wave velocity decreases in accordance. Solids density versus TOC relationships indicate that the kerogen increases its density from 1.43 to 1.49 g/cc at the immature and early-mature stages to 2.98 g/cc at the over-mature stage. This density value is unusually high, although increase in S wave velocity and backscatter SEM images of the over-mature samples verify that the over-mature kerogen is significantly denser and stiffer. Using the petrophysical and acoustic properties, the elastic moduli of the rock are estimated by two Hashin-Shtrikman (HS)-based models: "HS + BAM" and "HS kerogen." The "HS + BAM" model is calibrated to the post-pyrolysis measurements to describe the mechanical effect of the unconfined pyrolysis on the rock. The absence of compaction in the pyrolysis process causes the post-pyrolysis samples to be extremely porous. The "HS kerogen" model, which simulates a

Pharmaceutical Options for Triggering of Final Oocyte Maturation in ART

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Castillo, Juan Carlos; Humaidan, Peter; Bernabéu, Rafael

2014-01-01

Since the pioneering days of in vitro fertilization, hCG has been the gold standard to induce final follicular maturation. We herein reviewed different pharmaceutical options for triggering of final oocyte maturation in ART. The new upcoming agent seems to be GnRHa with its potential advantages o...

Cortical bone growth and maturational changes in dwarf rats induced by recombinant human growth hormone

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez, D. A.; Orth, M. W.; Carr, K. E.; Vanderby, R. Jr; Vailas, A. C.

1996-01-01

The growth hormone (GH)-deficient dwarf rat was used to investigate recombinant human (rh) GH-induced bone formation and to determine whether rhGH facilitates simultaneous increases in bone formation and bone maturation during rapid growth. Twenty dwarf rats, 37 days of age, were randomly assigned to dwarf plus rhGH (GH; n = 10) and dwarf plus vehicle (n = 10) groups. The GH group received 1.25 mg rhGH/kg body wt two times daily for 14 days. Biochemical, morphological, and X-ray diffraction measurements were performed on the femur middiaphysis. rhGH stimulated new bone growth in the GH group, as demonstrated by significant increases (P < 0.05) in longitudinal bone length (6%), middiaphyseal cross-sectional area (20%), and the amount of newly accreted bone collagen (28%) in the total pool of middiaphyseal bone collagen. Cortical bone density, mean hydroxyapatite crystal size, and the calcium and collagen contents (microgram/mm3) were significantly smaller in the GH group (P < 0.05). Our findings suggest that the processes regulating new collagen accretion, bone collagen maturation, and mean hydroxyapatite crystal size may be independently regulated during rapid growth.

Pharmaceutical Options for Triggering of Final Oocyte Maturation in ART

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Juan Carlos Castillo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Since the pioneering days of in vitro fertilization, hCG has been the gold standard to induce final follicular maturation. We herein reviewed different pharmaceutical options for triggering of final oocyte maturation in ART. The new upcoming agent seems to be GnRHa with its potential advantages over hCG trigger. GnRHa triggering elicits a surge of gonadotropins resembling the natural midcycle surge of gonadotropins, without the prolonged action of hCG, resulting in the retrieval of more mature oocytes and a significant reduction in or elimination of OHSS as compared to hCG triggering. The induction of final follicular maturation using GnRHa represents a paradigm shift in the ovulation triggering concept in ART and, thus, a way to develop a safer IVF procedure. Kisspeptins are key central regulators of the neuroendocrine mechanisms of human reproduction, who have been shown to effectively elicit an LH surge and to induce final oocyte maturation in IVF cycles. This new trigger concept may, therefore, offer a completely new, “natural” pharmacological option for ovulation induction. Whether kisspeptins will be the future agent to trigger ovulation remains to be further explored.

Mechanosensitivity of dental pulp stem cells is related to their osteogenic maturity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraft, David C E; Bindslev, Dorthe A; Melsen, Birte; Abdallah, Basem M; Kassem, Moustapha; Klein-Nulend, Jenneke

2010-02-01

For engineering bone tissue, mechanosensitive cells are needed for bone (re)modelling. Local bone mass and architecture are affected by mechanical loading, which provokes a cellular response via loading-induced interstitial fluid flow. We studied whether human dental pulp-derived mesenchymal stem cells (PDSCs) portraying mature (PDSC-mature) or immature (PDSC-immature) bone cell characteristics are responsive to pulsating fluid flow (PFF) in vitro. We also assessed bone formation by PDSCs on hydroxyapatite-tricalcium phosphate granules after subcutaneous implantation in mice. Cultured PDSC-mature exhibited higher osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase gene expression and activity than PDSC-immature. Pulsating fluid flow (PFF) stimulated nitric oxide production within 5 min by PDSC-mature but not by PDSC-immature. In PDSC-mature, PFF induced prostaglandin E(2) production, and cyclooxygenase 2 gene expression was higher than in PDSC-immature. Implantation of PDSC-mature resulted in more osteoid deposition and lamellar bone formation than PDSC-immature. We conclude that PDSCs with a mature osteogenic phenotype are more responsive to pulsating fluid shear stress than osteogenically immature PDSCs and produce more bone in vivo. These data suggest that PDSCs with a mature osteogenic phenotype might be preferable for bone tissue engineering to restore, for example, maxillofacial defects, because they might be able to perform mature bone cell-specific functions during bone adaptation to mechanical loading in vivo.

Progesterone improves the maturation of male-induced preovulatory follicles in anoestrous ewes.

Science.gov (United States)

Adib, Achraf; Freret, Sandrine; Touze, Jean-Luc; Lomet, Didier; Lardic, Lionel; Chesneau, Didier; Estienne, Anthony; Papillier, Pascal; Monniaux, Danielle; Pellicer-Rubio, Maria-Teresa

2014-10-01

The first ovulation induced by male effect in sheep during seasonal anoestrus usually results in the development of a short cycle that can be avoided by progesterone priming before ram introduction. In elucidating the involvement of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in the occurrence of short cycles, the effects of progesterone and the time of anoestrus on the development of male-induced preovulatory follicles were investigated in anoestrous ewes using morphological, endocrine and molecular approaches. Ewes were primed with progesterone for 2 (CIDR2) or 12 days (CIDR12) and untreated ewes used as controls during early (April) and late (June) anoestrus. The duration of follicular growth and the lifespan of the male-induced preovulatory follicles were prolonged by ∼1.6 days in CIDR12 ewes compared with the controls. These changes were accompanied by a delay in the preovulatory LH and FSH surges and ovulation. Intra-follicular oestradiol concentration and mRNA levels of LHCGR and STAR in the granulosa and theca cells of the preovulatory follicles were higher in CIDR12 ewes than the control ewes. The expression of mRNA levels of CYP11A1 and CYP17A1 also increased in theca cells of CIDR12 ewes. CIDR2 ewes gave intermediate results. Moreover, ewes ovulated earlier in June than in April, without changes in the duration of follicular growth, but these effects were unrelated to the lifespan of corpus luteum. Our results give the first evidence supporting the positive effect of progesterone priming on the completion of growth and maturation of preovulatory follicles induced by male effect in seasonal anoestrous ewes, thereby preventing short cycles. © 2014 Society for Reproduction and Fertility.

Exploring incomplete fusion fraction in 6,7Li induced nuclear reactions

Science.gov (United States)

Parkar, V. V.; Jha, V.; Kailas, S.

2017-11-01

We have included breakup effects explicitly to simultaneously calculate the measured cross-sections of the complete fusion, incomplete fusion, and total fusion for 6,7Li projectiles on various targets using the Continuum Discretized Coupled Channels method. The breakup absorption cross-sections obtained with different choices of short range imaginary potentials are utilized to evaluate the individual α-capture and d/t-capture cross-sections and compare with the measured data. It is interesting to note, while in case of 7Li projectile the cross-sections for triton-ICF/triton-capture is far more dominant than α-ICF/α-capture at all energies, similar behavior is not observed in case of 6Li projectile for the deuteron-ICF/deuteron-capture and α-ICF/α-capture. Both these observations are also corroborated by the experimental data for all the systems studied.

Exploring incomplete fusion fraction in 6,7Li induced nuclear reactions

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Parkar V. V.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We have included breakup effects explicitly to simultaneously calculate the measured cross-sections of the complete fusion, incomplete fusion, and total fusion for 6,7Li projectiles on various targets using the Continuum Discretized Coupled Channels method. The breakup absorption cross-sections obtained with different choices of short range imaginary potentials are utilized to evaluate the individual α-capture and d/t-capture cross-sections and compare with the measured data. It is interesting to note, while in case of 7Li projectile the cross-sections for triton-ICF/triton-capture is far more dominant than α-ICF/α-capture at all energies, similar behavior is not observed in case of 6Li projectile for the deuteron-ICF/deuteron-capture and α-ICF/α-capture. Both these observations are also corroborated by the experimental data for all the systems studied.

The topology of integrable systems with incomplete fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aleshkin, K R

2014-01-01

Liouville's theorem holds for Hamiltonian systems with complete Hamiltonian fields which possess a complete involutive system of first integrals; such systems are called Liouville-integrable. In this paper integrable systems with incomplete Hamiltonian fields are investigated. It is shown that Liouville's theorem remains valid in the case of a single incomplete field, while if the number of incomplete fields is greater, a certain analogue of the theorem holds. An integrable system on the algebra sl(3) is taken as an example. Bibliography: 11 titles

Experimental investigation of changes in methane adsorption of bitumen-free Woodford Shale with thermal maturation induced by hydrous pyrolysis

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Haiyan; Zhang, Tongwei; Wiggins-Camacho, Jaclyn D.; Ellis, Geoffrey S.; Lewan, Michael D.; Zhang, Xiayong

2014-01-01

This study quantifies the effects of organic-matter (OM) thermal maturity on methane (CH4) sorption, on the basis of five samples that were artificially matured through hydrous pyrolysis achieved by heating samples of immature Woodford Shale under five different time–temperature conditions. CH4-sorption isotherms at 35 °C, 50 °C, and 65 °C, and pressures up to 14 MPa on dry, solvent-extracted samples of the artificially matured Woodford Shale were measured. The results showed that CH4-sorption capacity, normalized to TOC, varied with thermal maturity, following the trend: maximum oil (367 °C) > oil cracking (400 °C) > maximum bitumen/early oil (333 °C) > early bitumen (300 °C) > immature stage (130 °C). The Langmuir constants for the samples at maximum-oil and oil-cracking stages are larger than the values for the bitumen-forming stages. The total pore volume, determined by N2 physisorption at 77 K, increases with increased maturation: mesopores, 2–50 nm in width, were created during the thermal conversion of organic-matter and a dramatic increase in porosity appeared when maximum-bitumen and maximum-oil generation stages were reached. A linear relationship between thermal maturity and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area suggests that the observed increase in CH4-sorption capacity may be the result of mesopores produced during OM conversion. No obvious difference is observed in pore-size distribution and pore volume for samples with pores 2 physisorption at 273 K. The isosteric heat of adsorption and the standard entropy for artificially matured samples ranged from 17.9 kJ mol−1 to 21.9 kJ mol−1 and from −85.4 J mol−1 K−1 to −101.8 J mol−1 K−1, respectively. These values are similar to the values of immature Woodford kerogen concentrate previously observed, but are larger than naturally matured organic-rich shales. High-temperature hydrous pyrolysis might have induced Lewis acid sites on both organic and mineral surfaces

Incomplete resistance to coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eskes, A.B.

1983-01-01

Incomplete resistance to coffee leaf rust ( Hemileia vastatrix ) may be of value in obtaining durable resistance, which is of great importance for the perennial coffee crop. Methods were developed to assess incomplete resistance to coffee leaf rust by using illustrated scales

Sublingual misoprostol versus standard surgical care for treatment of incomplete abortion in five sub-Saharan African countries

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Shochet Tara

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In low-resource settings, where abortion is highly restricted and self-induced abortions are common, access to post-abortion care (PAC services, especially treatment of incomplete terminations, is a priority. Standard post-abortion care has involved surgical intervention but can be hard to access in these areas. Misoprostol provides an alternative to surgical intervention that could increase access to abortion care. We sought to gather additional evidence regarding the efficacy of 400 mcg of sublingual misoprostol vs. standard surgical care for treatment of incomplete abortion in the environments where need for economical non-surgical treatments may be most useful. Methods A total of 860 women received either sublingual misoprostol or standard surgical care for treatment of incomplete abortion in a multi-site randomized trial. Women with confirmed incomplete abortion, defined as past or present history of vaginal bleeding during pregnancy and an open cervical os, were eligible to participate. Participants returned for follow-up one week later to confirm clinical status. If abortion was incomplete at that time, women were offered an additional follow-up visit or immediate surgical evacuation. Results Both misoprostol and surgical evacuation are highly effective treatments for incomplete abortion (misoprostol: 94.4%, surgical: 100.0%. Misoprostol treatment resulted in a somewhat lower chance of success than standard surgical practice (RR = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.89-0.92. Both tolerability of side effects and women’s satisfaction were similar in the two study arms. Conclusion Misoprostol, much easier to provide than surgery in low-resource environments, can be used safely, successfully, and satisfactorily for treatment of incomplete abortion. Focus should shift to program implementation, including task-shifting the provision of post-abortion care to mid- and low- level providers, training and assurance of drug availability. Trial

Trade-Offs of Flowering and Maturity Synchronisation for Pineapple Quality.

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V Nicodème Fassinou Hotegni

Full Text Available In the pineapple sector of Benin, poor fruit quality prevents pineapple producers to enter the European market. We investigated effects of common cultural practices, flowering and maturity synchronisation, (1 to quantify the trade-offs of flowering and maturity synchronisation for pineapple quality and the proportion of fruits exportable to European markets, and (2 to determine the effect of harvesting practice on quality attributes. Four on-farm experiments were conducted during three years using cultivars Sugarloaf and Smooth Cayenne. A split-split plot design was used in each experiment, with flowering induction practice as main factor (artificial or natural flowering induction, maturity induction practice as split factor (artificial or natural maturity induction and harvesting practice as the split-split factor (farmers' harvest practice or individual fruit harvesting at optimum maturity. Artificial flowering induction gave fruits with lower infructescence weight, higher ratio crown: infructescence length, and a lower proportion of fruits exportable to European markets than natural flowering induction. The costs of the improvements by natural flowering induction were huge: the longer durations from planting to flowering induction and harvesting, the higher number of harvestings of the fruits increasing the labour cost and the lower proportion of plants producing fruits compared with crops from artificially flowering-induced plants. Artificial maturity induction decreased the total soluble solids concentration in the fruits compared with natural maturity induction thus decreasing the proportion of fruits exportable to European markets, at a benefit of only a slightly shorter time from flowering induction to harvesting. Harvesting individual fruits at optimum maturity gave fruits with higher total soluble solids in naturally maturity induced fruits compared with the farmers' harvest practice. Given the huge costs of natural flowering induction

Cognition and Incomplete Contracts

OpenAIRE

Tirole, Jean

2008-01-01

Thinking about contingencies, designing covenants, and seeing through their implications is costly. Parties to a contract accordingly use heuristics and leave it incomplete. The paper develops a model of limited cognition and examines its consequences for contractual design. (JEL D23, D82, D86, L22)

The presence of acylated ghrelin during in vitro maturation of bovine oocytes induces cumulus cell DNA damage and apoptosis, and impairs early embryo development.

Science.gov (United States)

Sirini, Matias A; Anchordoquy, Juan Mateo; Anchordoquy, Juan Patricio; Pascua, Ana M; Nikoloff, Noelia; Carranza, Ana; Relling, Alejandro E; Furnus, Cecilia C

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of acylated ghrelin supplementation during in vitro maturation (IVM) of bovine oocytes. IVM medium was supplemented with 20, 40 or 60 pM acylated ghrelin concentrations. Cumulus expansion area and oocyte nuclear maturation were studied as maturation parameters. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COC) were assessed with the comet, apoptosis and viability assays. The in vitro effects of acylated ghrelin on embryo developmental capacity and embryo quality were also evaluated. Results demonstrated that acylated ghrelin did not affect oocyte nuclear maturation and cumulus expansion area. However, it induced cumulus cell (CC) death, apoptosis and DNA damage. The damage increased as a function of the concentration employed. Additionally, the percentages of blastocyst yield, hatching and embryo quality decreased with all acylated ghrelin concentrations tested. Our study highlights the importance of acylated ghrelin in bovine reproduction, suggesting that this metabolic hormone could function as a signal that prevents the progress to reproductive processes.

Correlation between dental maturity and cervical vertebral maturity.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jianwei; Hu, Haikun; Guo, Jing; Liu, Zeping; Liu, Renkai; Li, Fan; Zou, Shujuan

2010-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between dental and skeletal maturity. Digital panoramic radiographs and lateral skull cephalograms of 302 patients (134 boys and 168 girls, ranging from 8 to 16 years of age) were examined. Dental maturity was assessed by calcification stages of the mandibular canines, first and second premolars, and second molars, whereas skeletal maturity was estimated by the cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) stages. The Spearman rank-order correlation coefficient was used to measure the association between CVM stage and dental calcification stage of individual teeth. The mean chronologic age of girls was significantly lower than that of boys in each CVM stage. The Spearman rank-order correlation coefficients between dental maturity and cervical vertebral maturity ranged from 0.391 to 0.582 for girls and from 0.464 to 0.496 for boys (P cervical vertebral maturation stage. The development of the mandibular second molar in females and that of the mandibular canine in males had the strongest correlations with cervical vertebral maturity. Therefore, it is practical to consider the relationship between dental and skeletal maturity when planning orthodontic treatment. Copyright © 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Surprise Examination Paradox and the Second Incompleteness Theorem

OpenAIRE

Kritchman, Shira; Raz, Ran

2010-01-01

We give a new proof for Godel's second incompleteness theorem, based on Kolmogorov complexity, Chaitin's incompleteness theorem, and an argument that resembles the surprise examination paradox. We then go the other way around and suggest that the second incompleteness theorem gives a possible resolution of the surprise examination paradox. Roughly speaking, we argue that the flaw in the derivation of the paradox is that it contains a hidden assumption that one can prove the consistency of the...

How does incomplete fusion show up at slightly above barrier energies?

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Prasad R.

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Experimental results on the onset of incomplete fusion at slightly above barrier energies are discussed in this paper. Spin-distributions of evaporation residues populated via complete and/or incomplete fusion of 12C,16O (Elab ≈ 4–7 MeV with 169Tm have been measured to probe associated ℓ–values. Particle (Z=1,2 – γ – coincidence technique has been used for channel selection. Entirely different entry state spin populations have been observed during the de-excitation of complete and incomplete composites. The complete fusion residues are found to be strongly fed over a broad spin range. While, a narrow range feeding for only high spin states has been observed in case of incomplete fusion residues. In the present work, incomplete fusion is shown to be a promising tool to populate high spin states in final reaction products. For better insight into the onset and strength of incomplete fusion, the relative contributions of complete and incomplete fusion have been deduced from the analysis of excitation functions and forward recoil ranges. A significant fraction of ICF has been observed even at energy as low as ≈ 7% above the barrier. The relative strengths of complete and incomplete fusion deduced from the analysis of forward-recoil-ranges and excitation functions complement each other. All the available results are discussed in light of the Morgenstern’s mass-asymmetry systematics. Incomplete fusion fraction is found to be large for more mass-asymmetric systems for individual projectiles, which points towards the projectile structure effect on incomplete fusion fraction. Experimentally measured forward ranges of recoils complement the existence of incomplete fusion at slightly above barrier energies, where more than one linear-momentum-transfer components associated with full- and/or partial-fusion of projectile(s have been observed. Present results conclusively demonstrate the possibility to selectively populate high spin states

Pericoronal radiolucency associated with incomplete crown

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nah, Kyung Soo [Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Pusan National University, Yangsan (Korea, Republic of)

2013-12-15

The author experienced 8 cases of pericoronal radiolucency involving an incomplete tooth crown that had not developed to form the cemento-enamel junction, and the underdeveloped crown sometimes appeared to be floating within the radiolucency radiographically. The first impression was that these cystic lesions had odontogenic keratocysts, but half of them turned out to be dentigerous cysts histopathologically. There has been no report concerning odontogenic cysts involving an incompletely developed crown. The purpose of this paper is to report that dentigerous cysts may develop before the completion of the cemento-enamel junction of a developing crown.

Pericoronal radiolucency associated with incomplete crown

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nah, Kyung Soo

2013-01-01

The author experienced 8 cases of pericoronal radiolucency involving an incomplete tooth crown that had not developed to form the cemento-enamel junction, and the underdeveloped crown sometimes appeared to be floating within the radiolucency radiographically. The first impression was that these cystic lesions had odontogenic keratocysts, but half of them turned out to be dentigerous cysts histopathologically. There has been no report concerning odontogenic cysts involving an incompletely developed crown. The purpose of this paper is to report that dentigerous cysts may develop before the completion of the cemento-enamel junction of a developing crown.

Classification and data acquisition with incomplete data

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, David P.

In remote-sensing applications, incomplete data can result when only a subset of sensors (e.g., radar, infrared, acoustic) are deployed at certain regions. The limitations of single sensor systems have spurred interest in employing multiple sensor modalities simultaneously. For example, in land mine detection tasks, different sensor modalities are better-suited to capture different aspects of the underlying physics of the mines. Synthetic aperture radar sensors may be better at detecting surface mines, while infrared sensors may be better at detecting buried mines. By employing multiple sensor modalities to address the detection task, the strengths of the disparate sensors can be exploited in a synergistic manner to improve performance beyond that which would be achievable with either single sensor alone. When multi-sensor approaches are employed, however, incomplete data can be manifested. If each sensor is located on a separate platform ( e.g., aircraft), each sensor may interrogate---and hence collect data over---only partially overlapping areas of land. As a result, some data points may be characterized by data (i.e., features) from only a subset of the possible sensors employed in the task. Equivalently, this scenario implies that some data points will be missing features. Increasing focus in the future on using---and fusing data from---multiple sensors will make such incomplete-data problems commonplace. In many applications involving incomplete data, it is possible to acquire the missing data at a cost. In multi-sensor remote-sensing applications, data is acquired by deploying sensors to data points. Acquiring data is usually an expensive, time-consuming task, a fact that necessitates an intelligent data acquisition process. Incomplete data is not limited to remote-sensing applications, but rather, can arise in virtually any data set. In this dissertation, we address the general problem of classification when faced with incomplete data. We also address the

Incomplete momentum transfer components in /sup 16/O + /sup 12/C Fusion at 20 MeV/A

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menchaca-Rocha, A.; Brandan, M.E. (Grenoble-1 Univ., 38 (France). Inst. des Sciences Nucleaires); Dacal, A.; Galindo, A.; Mahoney, J.; Murphy, M.; Rae, W.D.M. (California Univ., Berkeley (USA). Lawrence Berkeley Lab.)

1983-01-27

The energy spectra of Z = 3-9 particles from reactions induced by 20 MeV/A /sup 16/O on /sup 12/C have been measured. The systematics found from the fusion-like residues clearly deviate from those expected for complete fusion, giving evidence for important incomplete momentum transfer components.

Incomplete factorization technique for positive definite linear systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manteuffel, T.A.

1980-01-01

This paper describes a technique for solving the large sparse symmetric linear systems that arise from the application of finite element methods. The technique combines an incomplete factorization method called the shifted incomplete Cholesky factorization with the method of generalized conjugate gradients. The shifted incomplete Cholesky factorization produces a splitting of the matrix A that is dependent upon a parameter α. It is shown that if A is positive definite, then there is some α for which this splitting is possible and that this splitting is at least as good as the Jacobi splitting. The method is shown to be more efficient on a set of test problems than either direct methods or explicit iteration schemes

Differentiation of Spermatogonia Stem Cells into Functional Mature Neurons Characterized with Differential Gene Expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Bojnordi, Maryam Nazm; Azizi, Hossein; Skutella, Thomas; Movahedin, Mansoureh; Pourabdolhossein, Fereshteh; Shojaei, Amir; Hamidabadi, Hatef Ghasemi

2017-09-01

Transplantation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) is a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. However, ESCs are not usable clinically due to immunological and ethical limitations. The identification of an alternative safe cell source opens novel options via autologous transplantation in neuro-regeneration circumventing these problems. Here, we examined the neurogenic capacity of embryonic stem-like cells (ES-like cells) derived from the testis using neural growth factor inducers and utilized them to generate functional mature neurons. The neuronal differentiation of ES-like cells is induced in three stages. Stage 1 is related to embryoid body (EB) formation. To induce neuroprogenitor cells, EBs were cultured in the presence of retinoic acid, N 2 supplement and fibroblast growth factor followed by culturing in a neurobasal medium containing B 27 , N 2 supplements for additional 10 days, to allow the maturation and development of neuronal progenitor cells. The neurogenic differentiation was confirmed by immunostaining for markers of mature neurons. The differentiated neurons were positive for Tuj1 and Tau1. Real-time PCR dates indicated the expression of Nestin and Neuro D (neuroprogenitor markers) in induced cells at the second stage of the differentiation protocol. The differentiated mature neurons exhibited the specific neuron markers Map2 and β-tubulin. The functional maturity of neurons was confirmed by an electrophysiological analysis of passive and active neural membrane properties. These findings indicated a differentiation capacity of ES-like cells derived from the testis to functionally mature neurons, which proposes them as a novel cell source for neuroregenerative medicine.

Maturity and maturity models in lean construction

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Claus Nesensohn

2014-03-01

Full Text Available In recent years there has been an increasing interest in maturity models in management-related disciplines; which reflects a growing recognition that becoming more mature and having a model to guide the route to maturity can help organisations in managing major transformational change. Lean Construction (LC is an increasingly important improvement approach that organisations seek to embed. This study explores how to apply the maturity models to LC. Hence the attitudes, opinions and experiences of key industry informants with high levels of knowledge of LC were investigated. To achieve this, a review of maturity models was conducted, and data for the analysis was collected through a sequential process involving three methods. First a group interview with seven key informants. Second a follow up discussion with the same individuals to investigate some of the issues raised in more depth. Third an online discussion held via LinkedIn in which members shared their views on some of the results. Overall, we found that there is a lack of common understanding as to what maturity means in LC, though there is general agreement that the concept of maturity is a suitable one to reflect the path of evolution for LC within organisations.

Raman-microscopy investigation of vitrification-induced structural damages in mature bovine oocytes.

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Giulia Rusciano

Full Text Available Although oocyte cryopreservation has great potentials in the field of reproductive technologies, it still is an open challenge in the majority of domestic animals and little is known on the biochemical transformation induced by this process in the different cellular compartments. Raman micro-spectroscopy allows the non-invasive evaluation of the molecular composition of cells, based on the inelastic scattering of laser photons by vibrating molecules. The aim of this work was to assess the biochemical modifications of both the zona pellucida and cytoplasm of vitrified/warmed in vitro matured bovine oocytes at different post-warming times. By taking advantage of Principal Component Analysis, we were able to shed light on the biochemical transformation induced by the cryogenic treatment, also pointing out the specific role of cryoprotective agents (CPs. Our results suggest that vitrification induces a transformation of the protein secondary structure from the α-helices to the β-sheet form, while lipids tend to assume a more packed configuration in the zona pellucida. Both modifications result in a mechanical hardening of this cellular compartment, which could account for the reduced fertility rates of vitrified oocytes. Furthermore, biochemical modifications were observed at the cytoplasmic level in the protein secondary structure, with α-helices loss, suggesting cold protein denaturation. In addition, a decrease of lipid unsaturation was found in vitrified oocytes, suggesting oxidative damages. Interestingly, most modifications were not observed in oocytes exposed to CPs, suggesting that they do not severely affect the biochemical architecture of the oocyte. Nevertheless, in oocytes exposed to CPs decreased developmental competence and increased reactive oxygen species production were observed compared to the control. A more severe reduction of cleavage and blastocyst rates after in vitro fertilization was obtained from vitrified oocytes. Our

Neighborhood Hypergraph Based Classification Algorithm for Incomplete Information System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feng Hu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The problem of classification in incomplete information system is a hot issue in intelligent information processing. Hypergraph is a new intelligent method for machine learning. However, it is hard to process the incomplete information system by the traditional hypergraph, which is due to two reasons: (1 the hyperedges are generated randomly in traditional hypergraph model; (2 the existing methods are unsuitable to deal with incomplete information system, for the sake of missing values in incomplete information system. In this paper, we propose a novel classification algorithm for incomplete information system based on hypergraph model and rough set theory. Firstly, we initialize the hypergraph. Second, we classify the training set by neighborhood hypergraph. Third, under the guidance of rough set, we replace the poor hyperedges. After that, we can obtain a good classifier. The proposed approach is tested on 15 data sets from UCI machine learning repository. Furthermore, it is compared with some existing methods, such as C4.5, SVM, NavieBayes, and KNN. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has better performance via Precision, Recall, AUC, and F-measure.

Goedel incompleteness theorems and the limits of their applicability. I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beklemishev, Lev D

2011-01-01

This is a survey of results related to the Goedel incompleteness theorems and the limits of their applicability. The first part of the paper discusses Goedel's own formulations along with modern strengthenings of the first incompleteness theorem. Various forms and proofs of this theorem are compared. Incompleteness results related to algorithmic problems and mathematically natural examples of unprovable statements are discussed. Bibliography: 68 titles.

Goedel incompleteness theorems and the limits of their applicability. I

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beklemishev, Lev D [Steklov Mathematical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation)

2011-01-25

This is a survey of results related to the Goedel incompleteness theorems and the limits of their applicability. The first part of the paper discusses Goedel's own formulations along with modern strengthenings of the first incompleteness theorem. Various forms and proofs of this theorem are compared. Incompleteness results related to algorithmic problems and mathematically natural examples of unprovable statements are discussed. Bibliography: 68 titles.

Regulation of oocyte maturation in fish.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagahama, Yoshitaka; Yamashita, Masakane

2008-06-01

A period of oocyte growth is followed by a process called oocyte maturation (the resumption of meiosis) which occurs prior to ovulation and is a prerequisite for successful fertilization. Our studies using fish models have revealed that oocyte maturation is a three-step induction process involving gonadotropin (LH), maturation-inducing hormone (MIH), and maturation-promoting factor (MPF). LH acts on the ovarian follicle layer to produce MIH (17alpha, 20beta-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one, 17alpha, 20beta-DP, in most fishes). The interaction of ovarian thecal and granulosa cell layers (two-cell type model), is required for the synthesis of 17alpha,20beta-DP. The dramatic increase in the capacity of postvitellogenic follicles to produce 17alpha,20beta-DP in response to LH is correlated with decreases in P450c17 (P450c17-I) and P450 aromatase (oP450arom) mRNA and increases in the novel form of P450c17 (P450c17-II) and 20beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (20beta-HSD) mRNA. Transcription factors such as Ad4BP/SF-1, Foxl2, and CREB may be involved in the regulation of expression of these steroidogenic enzymes. A distinct family of G-protein-coupled membrane-bound MIH receptors has been shown to mediate non-genomic actions of 17alpha, 20beta-DP. The MIH signal induces the de novo synthesis of cyclin B from the stored mRNA, which activates a preexisting 35 kDa cdc2 kinase via phosphorylation of its threonine 161 by cyclin-dependent kinase activating kinase, thus producing the 34 kDa active cdc2 (active MPF). Upon egg activation, MPF is inactivated by degradation of cyclin B. This process is initiated by the 26S proteasome through the first cut in its NH(2) terminus at lysine 57.

Unpartitioned versus incompletely partitioned cochleae: radiologic differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sennaroglu, Levent; Saatci, Isil

2004-07-01

In the process of evaluating our patients, we realized that the term "Mondini deformity" was being used to describe two different types of incomplete partition of the cochlea. THE First one consisted of an unpartitioned, completely empty cochlea where the interscalar septum and entire modiolus were absent, giving the cochlea a cystic appearance; a grossly dilated vestibule accompanied this lesion. The second pathology fitted the classic description of Mondini deformity, consisting of a normal basal turn and cystic apex (where the middle and apical turns form a cystic cavity), dilated vestibule, and enlarged vestibular aqueduct. This study was planned to investigate the differences between the two types of incomplete partition for inner ear malformations based on radiologic features. We conducted a retrospective review of temporal bone computed tomography (CT) findings. The subjects were 18 patients with profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss who had high-resolution CT with contiguous 1-mm thick images obtained through the petrous bone in axial sections. The CT results were reviewed as incomplete partition type I (IP-I) and type II (IP-II). Incomplete partition type I (unpartitioned cochlea, cystic cochleovestibular malformation) is defined as a malformation in which the cochlea lacks the entire modiolus and interscalar septa, resulting in a cystic appearance and there is an accompanying grossly dilated vestibule. In incomplete partition type II (incompletely partitioned cochlea, the Mondini deformity), there is a cochlea comprised of a normal basal turn and cystic apex accompanied by a minimally dilated vestibule and enlarged vestibular aqueduct (VA). Measurements involving the cochlea, vestibule, vestibular aqueduct, and internal auditory canal (IAC) were done to determine the characteristic features of these pathologies. : Thirteen ears had IP-I and 18 ears had IP-II anomaly. The size of the cochleae in both anomalies showed no significant difference from

IL-15 regulates homeostasis and terminal maturation of NKT cells1

Science.gov (United States)

Gordy, Laura E.; Bezbradica, Jelena S.; Flyak, Andrew I.; Spencer, Charles T.; Dunkle, Alexis; Sun, Jingchun; Stanic, Aleksandar K.; Boothby, Mark R.; He, You-Wen; Zhao, Zhongming; Van Kaer, Luc; Joyce, Sebastian

2011-01-01

Semi-invariant natural killer T (NKT) cells are thymus-derived innate lymphocytes that modulate microbial and tumour immunity as well as autoimmune diseases. These immunoregulatory properties of NKT cells are acquired during their development. Much has been learnt regarding the molecular and cellular cues that promote NKT cell development, yet how these cells are maintained in the thymus and the periphery and how they acquire functional competence are incompletely understood. We found that IL-15 induced several Bcl-2 family survival factors in thymic and splenic NKT cells in vitro. Yet, IL15-mediated thymic and peripheral NKT cell survival critically depended on Bcl-xL expression. Additionally, IL-15 regulated thymic developmental stage 2 (ST2) to ST3 lineage progression and terminal NKT cell differentiation. Global gene expression analyses and validation revealed that IL-15 regulated Tbx21 (T-bet) expression in thymic NKT cells. The loss of IL15 also resulted in poor expression of key effector molecules such as IFN-γ, granzyme A and C as well as several NK cell receptors in NKT cells. Taken together, our findings reveal a critical role for IL-15 in NKT cell survival, which is mediated by Bcl-xL, and effector differentiation, which is consistent with a role of T-bet in regulating terminal maturation. PMID:22084435

Behavioral experience induces zif268 expression in mature granule cells but suppresses its expression in immature granule cells

Science.gov (United States)

Huckleberry, Kylie A.; Kane, Gary A.; Mathis, Rita J.; Cook, Sarah G.; Clutton, Jonathan E.; Drew, Michael R.

2015-01-01

Thousands of neurons are born each day in the dentate gyrus (DG), but many of these cells die before reaching maturity. Both death and survival of adult-born neurons are regulated by neuronal activity in the DG. The immediate-early gene (IEG) zif268 appears to be an important mediator of these effects, as its expression can be induced by neural activity and knockout of zif268 impairs survival of adult-born neurons (Richardson et al., 1992; Veyrac et al., 2013). Despite the apparent importance of zif268 for adult neurogenesis, its behavior-induced expression has not been fully characterized in adult-born neurons. Here we characterize behavior-evoked expression of zif268 in mature and newborn dentate granule cells (DGCs). We first quantified zif268 expression in doublecortin-positive (DCX+) immature neurons and in the general granule cell population after brief exposure to a novel environment (NE). In the general granule cell population, zif268 expression peaked 1 h after NE exposure and returned to baseline by 8 h post-exposure. However, in the DCX+ cells, zif268 expression was suppressed relative to home cage for at least 8 h post-exposure. We next asked whether suppression of zif268 in DCX+ immature cells occurs in other behavioral paradigms that recruit the hippocampus. Exposure to Morris water maze (MWM) training, an enriched environment, or a NE caused approximately equal suppression of zif268 expression in DCX+ cells and approximately equal activation of zif268 expression among the general granule cell population. The same behavioral procedures activated zif268 expression in 6-week-old BrdU-labeled adult-born neurons, indicating that zif268 suppression is specific to immature neurons. Finally, we asked whether zif268 suppression varied as a function of age within the DCX+ population, which ranges in age from 0 to approximately 4 weeks. NE exposure had no significant effect on zif268 expression in 2- or 4-week-old BrdU-labeled neurons, but it significantly

Anencephaly with incomplete twinning (diprosopus).

Science.gov (United States)

Riccardi, V M; Bergmann, C A

1977-10-01

A case of diprosopus with anencephaly is presented. It is suggested that such concurrence of neural tube defects and incomplete twinning corroborates the notion that a single pathogenetic mechanism may be common to both neural tube defects and monozygotic twinning.

Contractual Incompleteness, Unemployment, and Labour Market Segmentation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Altmann, Steffen; Falk, Armin; Grunewald, Andreas

2014-01-01

This article provides evidence that involuntary unemployment, and the segmentation of labour markets into firms offering "good" and "bad" jobs, may both arise as a consequence of contractual incompleteness.We provide a simple model that illustrates how unemployment and market segmentation may...... jointly emerge as part of a market equilibrium in environments where work effort is not third-party verifiable. Using experimental labour markets that differ only in the verifiability of effort, we demonstrate empirically that contractual incompleteness can cause unemployment and segmentation. Our data...

Incomplete Financial Markets and Jumps in Asset Prices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Crès, Hervé; Markeprand, Tobias Ejnar; Tvede, Mich

A dynamic pure-exchange general equilibrium model with uncertainty is studied. Fundamentals are supposed to depend continuously on states of nature. It is shown that: 1. if financial markets are complete, then asset prices vary continuously with states of nature, and; 2. if financial markets...... are incomplete, jumps in asset prices may be unavoidable. Consequently incomplete financial markets may increase volatility in asset prices significantly....

Mature neurons dynamically restrict apoptosis via redundant premitochondrial brakes.

Science.gov (United States)

Annis, Ryan P; Swahari, Vijay; Nakamura, Ayumi; Xie, Alison X; Hammond, Scott M; Deshmukh, Mohanish

2016-12-01

Apoptotic cell death is critical for the early development of the nervous system, but once the nervous system is established, the apoptotic pathway becomes highly restricted in mature neurons. However, the mechanisms underlying this increased resistance to apoptosis in these mature neurons are not completely understood. We have previously found that members of the miR-29 family of microRNAs (miRNAs) are induced with neuronal maturation and that overexpression of miR-29 was sufficient to restrict apoptosis in neurons. To determine whether endogenous miR-29 alone was responsible for the inhibition of cytochrome c release in mature neurons, we examined the status of the apoptotic pathway in sympathetic neurons deficient for all three miR-29 family members. Unexpectedly, we found that the apoptotic pathway remained largely restricted in miR-29-deficient mature neurons. We therefore probed for additional mechanisms by which mature neurons resist apoptosis. We identify miR-24 as another miRNA that is upregulated in the maturing cerebellum and sympathetic neurons that can act redundantly with miR-29 by targeting a similar repertoire of prodeath BH3-only genes. Overall, our results reveal that mature neurons engage multiple redundant brakes to restrict the apoptotic pathway and ensure their long-term survival. © 2016 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Matured Hop Bittering Components Induce Thermogenesis in Brown Adipose Tissue via Sympathetic Nerve Activity.

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Yumie Morimoto-Kobayashi

Full Text Available Obesity is the principal symptom of metabolic syndrome, which refers to a group of risk factors that increase the likelihood of atherosclerosis. In recent decades there has been a sharp rise in the incidence of obesity throughout the developed world. Iso-α-acids, the bitter compounds derived from hops in beer, have been shown to prevent diet-induced obesity by increasing lipid oxidation in the liver and inhibition of lipid absorption from the intestine. Whereas the sharp bitterness induced by effective dose of iso-α-acids precludes their acceptance as a nutrient, matured hop bittering components (MHB appear to be more agreeable. Therefore, we tested MHB for an effect on ameliorating diet-induced body fat accumulation in rodents. MHB ingestion had a beneficial effect but, compared to iso-α-acids and despite containing structurally similar compounds, acted via different mechanisms to reduce body fat accumulation. MHB supplementation significantly reduced body weight gain, epididymal white adipose tissue weight, and plasma non-esterified free fatty acid levels in diet-induced obese mice. We also found that uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1 expression in brown adipose tissue (BAT was significantly increased in MHB-fed mice at both the mRNA and protein levels. In addition, MHB administration in rats induced the β-adrenergic signaling cascade, which is related to cAMP accumulation in BAT, suggesting that MHB could modulate sympathetic nerve activity innervating BAT (BAT-SNA. Indeed, single oral administration of MHB elevated BAT-SNA in rats, and this elevation was dissipated by subdiaphragmatic vagotomy. Single oral administration of MHB maintained BAT temperature at a significantly higher level than in control rats. Taken together, these findings indicate that MHB ameliorates diet-induced body fat accumulation, at least partly, by enhancing thermogenesis in BAT via BAT-SNA activation. Our data suggests that MHB is a useful tool for developing functional

MSX2 stimulates chondrocyte maturation by controlling Ihh expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Amano, Katsuhiko; Ichida, Fumitaka; Sugita, Atsushi; Hata, Kenji; Wada, Masahiro; Takigawa, Yoko; Nakanishi, Masako; Kogo, Mikihiko; Nishimura, Riko; Yoneda, Toshiyuki

2008-10-24

Several studies indicated that a homeobox gene, Msx2, is implicated in regulation of skeletal development by controlling enchondral ossification as well as membranous ossification. However, the molecular basis by which Msx2 conducts chondrogenesis is currently unclear. In this study, we examined the role of Msx2 in chondrocyte differentiation using mouse primary chondrocytes and embryonic metatarsal explants. Treatment with BMP2 up-regulated the expression of Msx2 mRNA along with chondrocyte differentiation in murine primary chondrocytes. Overexpression of wild-type Msx2 stimulated calcification of primary chondrocytes in the presence of BMP2. We also found that constitutively active Msx2 (caMsx2) enhanced BMP2-dependent calcification more efficiently than wild-type Msx2. Consistently, caMsx2 overexpression up-regulated the expression of alkaline phosphatase and collagen type X induced by BMP2. Furthermore, organ culture experiments using mouse embryonic metatarsals indicated that caMsx2 clearly stimulated the maturation of chondrocytes into the prehypertrophic and hypertrophic stages in the presence of BMP2. In contrast, knockdown of Msx2 inhibited maturation of primary chondrocytes. The stimulatory effect of Msx2 on chondrocyte maturation was enhanced by overexpression of Smad1 and Smad4 but inhibited by Smad6, an inhibitory Smad for BMP2 signaling. These data suggest that Msx2 requires BMP2/Smad signaling for its chondrogenic action. In addition, caMsx2 overexpression induced Ihh (Indian hedgehog) expression in mouse primary chondrocytes. Importantly, treatment with cyclopamine, a specific inhibitor for hedgehogs, blocked Msx2-induced chondrogenesis. Collectively, our results indicated that Msx2 promotes the maturation of chondrocytes, at least in part, through up-regulating Ihh expression.

Selenizing Hericium erinaceus polysaccharides induces dendritic cells maturation through MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Tao; Ren, Zhe; Huang, Yifan; Song, Yulong; Lin, Dandan; Li, Jian; Ma, Yufang; Wu, Xiuqin; Qiu, Fuan; Xiao, Qi

2017-04-01

In this study, polysaccharides extracted from Hericium erinaceus were modified to obtain its nine selenium derivatives, sHEP 1 -sHEP 9 . Their structures were identified, yields and selenium contents were determined, the phenotypic and functional maturation of murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCs) and relevant mechanisms were compared taking unmodified HEP as control. The results revealed that the selenylation were successful. sHEP 1 , sHEP 2 and sHEP 8 treatment of DCs increased their surface expression of MHC-II and CD86 and indicated that sHEP 1 , sHEP 2 and sHEP 8 induced DC maturation. Furthermore, sHEP 2 and sHEP 8 also significantly decreased DCs endocytosis and significantly enhanced cytokine (IL-12 and IFN-γ) production. In line with TLR4 activation, sHEP 2 increased the phosphorylation of ERK, p38, and JNK, and the nuclear translocation of p-c-Jun, p-CREB, and c-Fos. sHEP 2 also activated NF-κB signaling, as evidenced by degradation of IκBα/β and nuclear translocation of p65 and p50. Together, these results suggest that sHEP is a strong immunostimulant. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Role for a Novel Usher Protein Complex in Hair Cell Synaptic Maturation

Science.gov (United States)

Zallocchi, Marisa; Meehan, Daniel T.; Delimont, Duane; Rutledge, Joseph; Gratton, Michael Anne; Flannery, John; Cosgrove, Dominic

2012-01-01

The molecular mechanisms underlying hair cell synaptic maturation are not well understood. Cadherin-23 (CDH23), protocadherin-15 (PCDH15) and the very large G-protein coupled receptor 1 (VLGR1) have been implicated in the development of cochlear hair cell stereocilia, while clarin-1 has been suggested to also play a role in synaptogenesis. Mutations in CDH23, PCDH15, VLGR1 and clarin-1 cause Usher syndrome, characterized by congenital deafness, vestibular dysfunction and retinitis pigmentosa. Here we show developmental expression of these Usher proteins in afferent spiral ganglion neurons and hair cell synapses. We identify a novel synaptic Usher complex comprised of clarin-1 and specific isoforms of CDH23, PCDH15 and VLGR1. To establish the in vivo relevance of this complex, we performed morphological and quantitative analysis of the neuronal fibers and their synapses in the Clrn1−/− mouse, which was generated by incomplete deletion of the gene. These mice showed a delay in neuronal/synaptic maturation by both immunostaining and electron microscopy. Analysis of the ribbon synapses in Ames waltzerav3J mice also suggests a delay in hair cell synaptogenesis. Collectively, these results show that, in addition to the well documented role for Usher proteins in stereocilia development, Usher protein complexes comprised of specific protein isoforms likely function in synaptic maturation as well. PMID:22363448

Role for a novel Usher protein complex in hair cell synaptic maturation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marisa Zallocchi

Full Text Available The molecular mechanisms underlying hair cell synaptic maturation are not well understood. Cadherin-23 (CDH23, protocadherin-15 (PCDH15 and the very large G-protein coupled receptor 1 (VLGR1 have been implicated in the development of cochlear hair cell stereocilia, while clarin-1 has been suggested to also play a role in synaptogenesis. Mutations in CDH23, PCDH15, VLGR1 and clarin-1 cause Usher syndrome, characterized by congenital deafness, vestibular dysfunction and retinitis pigmentosa. Here we show developmental expression of these Usher proteins in afferent spiral ganglion neurons and hair cell synapses. We identify a novel synaptic Usher complex comprised of clarin-1 and specific isoforms of CDH23, PCDH15 and VLGR1. To establish the in vivo relevance of this complex, we performed morphological and quantitative analysis of the neuronal fibers and their synapses in the Clrn1-/- mouse, which was generated by incomplete deletion of the gene. These mice showed a delay in neuronal/synaptic maturation by both immunostaining and electron microscopy. Analysis of the ribbon synapses in Ames waltzer(av3J mice also suggests a delay in hair cell synaptogenesis. Collectively, these results show that, in addition to the well documented role for Usher proteins in stereocilia development, Usher protein complexes comprised of specific protein isoforms likely function in synaptic maturation as well.

Intracapsular implant rupture: MR findings of incomplete shell collapse.

Science.gov (United States)

Soo, M S; Kornguth, P J; Walsh, R; Elenberger, C; Georgiade, G S; DeLong, D; Spritzer, C E

1997-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the frequency and significance of the MR findings of incomplete shell collapse for detecting implant rupture in a series of surgically removed breast prostheses. MR images of 86 breast implants in 44 patients were studied retrospectively and correlated with surgical findings at explantation. MR findings included (a) complete shell collapse (linguine sign), 21 implants; (b) incomplete shell collapse (subcapsular line sign, teardrop sign, and keyhole sign), 33 implants; (c) radial folds, 31 implants; and (d) normal, 1 implant. The subcapsular line sign was seen in 26 implants, the teardrop sign was seen in 27 implants, and the keyhole sign was seen in 23 implants. At surgery, 48 implants were found to be ruptured and 38 were intact. The MR findings of ruptured implants showed signs of incomplete collapse in 52% (n = 25), linguine sign in 44% (n = 21), and radial folds in 4% (n = 2). The linguine sign perfectly predicted implant rupture, but sensitivity was low. Findings of incomplete shell collapse improved sensitivity and negative predictive values, and the subcapsular line sign produced a significant incremental increase in predictive ability. MRI signs of incomplete shell collapse were more common than the linguine sign in ruptured implants and are significant contributors to the high sensitivity and negative predictive values of MRI for evaluating implant integrity.

Increased collagen maturity with sildenafil citrate: experimental high risk colonic anastomosis model.

Science.gov (United States)

Cakir, Tebessum; Ozer, Ilter; Bostanci, Erdal Birol; Keklik, Tulay Timucin; Ercin, Ugur; Bilgihan, Ayse; Akoglu, Musa

2015-01-01

Inadequate healing and high anastomosis leak rates at rectal anastomosis may be due to lack of supportive serosal layer and technical difficulty of low anterior resections. Positive effects of sildenafil on wound healing were observed. The aim of this study was to simulate rectal anastomosis as a technical insufficient anastomosis and investigate the effects of sildenafil on anastomosis healing. Colonic anastomoses were carried out in 64 rats and randomized into four groups, CA-S, complete anastomoses without sildenafil (10 mg/kg for 5 days); CA+S, complete anastomoses with sildenafil; IA-S, incomplete anastomoses without sildenafil; IA+S, incomplete anastomoses with sildenafil. Half of the rats in every group were sacrificed on post-operative day (POD) 3, half of them sacrificed on POD 7. Tissues from the anastomoses were used for functional, histochemical, biochemical investigations. Sildenafil treatment resulted in increased bursting pressures in IA+S on POD 7 (p=0.010). Collagen maturity was higher in IA+S on POD 3 and POD 7, CA+S on POD 7 (p=0.010; p=0.010; p<0.007). Collagen content was higher in IA+S on POD 7 (p<0.001). Glutathione, hydroxyproline levels were similar. Malondialdehyde levels were lower in IA+S on POD 3 (p<0.001). Epithelization score was higher in IA+S on POD 7 (p=0.007). Inflammation score was higher in CA-S group on POD 3 and POD 7 (p<0.001; p<0.001). Neutrophil score was lower in CA+S on POD 3 (p=0.005). An increase in collagen content, maturity, and epithelization, a decrease in neutrophil infiltration, oxidative stress and better mechanical strength were observed with the administration of sildenafil. Copyright © 2014 Surgical Associates Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Incomplete immune recovery in HIV infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gaardbo, Julie C; Hartling, Hans J; Gerstoft, Jan

2012-01-01

-infected patients do not achieve optimal immune reconstitution despite suppression of viral replication. These patients are referred to as immunological nonresponders (INRs). INRs present with severely altered immunological functions, including malfunction and diminished production of cells within lymphopoetic...... tissue, perturbed frequencies of immune regulators such as regulatory T cells and Th17 cells, and increased immune activation, immunosenescence, and apoptosis. Importantly, INRs have an increased risk of morbidity and mortality compared to HIV-infected patients with an optimal immune reconstitution....... Additional treatment to HAART that may improve immune reconstitution has been investigated, but results thus far have proved disappointing. The reason for immunological nonresponse is incompletely understood. This paper summarizes the known and unknown factors regarding the incomplete immune reconstitution...

Parathyroid Hormone Induces Bone Cell Motility and Loss of Mature Osteocyte Phenotype through L-Calcium Channel Dependent and Independent Mechanisms.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew Prideaux

Full Text Available Parathyroid Hormone (PTH can exert both anabolic and catabolic effects on the skeleton, potentially through expression of the PTH type1 receptor (PTH1R, which is highly expressed in osteocytes. To determine the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible, we examined the effects of PTH on osteoblast to osteocyte differentiation using primary osteocytes and the IDG-SW3 murine cell line, which differentiate from osteoblast to osteocyte-like cells in vitro and express GFP under control of the dentin matrix 1 (Dmp1 promoter. PTH treatment resulted in an increase in some osteoblast and early osteocyte markers and a decrease in mature osteocyte marker expression. The gene expression profile of PTH-treated Day 28 IDG-SW3 cells was similar to PTH treated primary osteocytes. PTH treatment induced striking changes in the morphology of the Dmp1-GFP positive cells in IDG-SW3 cultures and primary cells from Dmp1-GFP transgenic mice. The cells changed from a more dendritic to an elongated morphology and showed increased cell motility. E11/gp38 has been shown to be important for cell migration, however, deletion of the E11/gp38/podoplanin gene had no effect on PTH-induced motility. The effects of PTH on motility were reproduced using cAMP, but not with protein kinase A (PKA, exchange proteins activated by cAMP (Epac, protein kinase C (PKC or phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphonate 3-kinase (Pi3K agonists nor were they blocked by their antagonists. However, the effects of PTH were mediated through calcium signaling, specifically through L-type channels normally expressed in osteoblasts but decreased in osteocytes. PTH was shown to increase expression of this channel, but decrease the T-type channel that is normally more highly expressed in osteocytes. Inhibition of L-type calcium channel activity attenuated the effects of PTH on cell morphology and motility but did not prevent the downregulation of mature osteocyte marker expression. Taken together, these

Voluntary intake, digestibility and nitrogen utilization by sheep fed ensiled grass clover mixture harvested at three stages of maturity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Vranić

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this experiment was to study the effects of grass maturity at harvest on silage ad libitum intake, in vivo digestibility and N retention in wether sheep. The sward was harvested at the stem elongation, tasseling and flowering growth stages of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata. Three silages were offered to four Charolais wether sheep in an incomplete change over design with four periods. As the crop matured, there was an increase (P<0.001 in dry matter (DM, organic matter (OM and acid detergent fiber (ADF concentration and a decrease in crude protein (CP concentration (P<0.001. Increasing maturity of grass ensiled showed a linear decrease (P<0.01 in voluntary silage intake of DM, OM, neutral detergent fiber (NDF, a linear decrease (P<0.01 in digestibility of silage DM, OM, NDF, ADF, CP, and a linear decrease in nitrogen balance (P<0.01. No quadratic response was recorded in silage intake, digestibility or N balance. The results suggest that grass maturity at harvest influences the nutritive value of grass silage, in terms of ad libitum intake, in vivo digestibility and N retention in sheep, as a result of changes in chemical composition.

Incomplete contract and divisional structures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bao, T.; Wang, Y.

2009-01-01

In this paper we want to analyze the internal divisional structure within an organi- zation in the framework of incomplete contract theory. We use the framework of Aghion and Tirole (1997) and define the managerial control structure as \\sequence of search". A key feature of this paper which

Generation of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mice by reprogramming of a mature NKT cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Yue; Dashtsoodol, Nyambayar; Watarai, Hiroshi; Koseki, Haruhiko; Quan, Chengshi; Taniguchi, Masaru

2014-10-01

NKT cells are characterized by their expression of an NKT-cell-specific invariant antigen-receptor α chain encoded by Vα14Jα18 gene segments. These NKT cells bridge the innate and acquired immune systems to mediate effective and augmented responses; however, the limited number of NKT cells in vivo hampers their analysis. Here, two lines of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mice (NKT-iPSC-derived mice) were generated by reprogramming of mature NKT cells, where one harbors both rearranged Vα14Jα18 and Vβ7 genes and the other carries rearranged Vα14Jα18 on both alleles but germline Vβ loci. The analysis of NKT-iPSC-derived mice showed a significant increase in NKT cell numbers with relatively normal frequencies of functional subsets, but significantly enhanced in some cases, and acquired functional NKT cell maturation in peripheral lymphoid organs. NKT-iPSC-derived mice also showed normal development of other immune cells except for the absence of γδT cells and disturbed development of conventional CD4 αβT cells. These results suggest that the NKT-iPSC-derived mice are a better model for NKT cell development and function study rather than transgenic mouse models reported previously and also that the presence of a pre-rearranged Vα14Jα18 in the natural chromosomal context favors the developmental fate of NKT cells. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society for Immunology.

Incomplete fusion reactions in Ho

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

model [9], promptly emitted particles (PEPs) model [10], exciton model [11], etc. During the past decade a large number of reports have appeared [12–14] showing the occurrence of incomplete fusion at beam energy just above the Coulomb barrier. Recoil range distribution (RRD) measurements are particularly attractive for ...

Past incompleteness of a bouncing multiverse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vilenkin, Alexander; Zhang, Jun

2014-01-01

According to classical GR, Anti-de Sitter (AdS) bubbles in the multiverse terminate in big crunch singularities. It has been conjectured, however, that the fundamental theory may resolve these singularities and replace them by nonsingular bounces. This may have important implications for the beginning of the multiverse. Geodesics in cosmological spacetimes are known to be past-incomplete, as long as the average expansion rate along the geodesic is positive, but it is not clear that the latter condition is satisfied if the geodesic repeatedly passes through crunching AdS bubbles. We investigate this issue in a simple multiverse model, where the spacetime consists of a patchwork of FRW regions. The conclusion is that the spacetime is still past-incomplete, even in the presence of AdS bounces

Past incompleteness of a bouncing multiverse

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vilenkin, Alexander; Zhang, Jun, E-mail: vilenkin@cosmos.phy.tufts.edu, E-mail: jun.zhang@tufts.edu [Institute of Cosmology, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155 (United States)

2014-06-01

According to classical GR, Anti-de Sitter (AdS) bubbles in the multiverse terminate in big crunch singularities. It has been conjectured, however, that the fundamental theory may resolve these singularities and replace them by nonsingular bounces. This may have important implications for the beginning of the multiverse. Geodesics in cosmological spacetimes are known to be past-incomplete, as long as the average expansion rate along the geodesic is positive, but it is not clear that the latter condition is satisfied if the geodesic repeatedly passes through crunching AdS bubbles. We investigate this issue in a simple multiverse model, where the spacetime consists of a patchwork of FRW regions. The conclusion is that the spacetime is still past-incomplete, even in the presence of AdS bounces.

Protein-induced changes during the maturation process of human dendritic cells: A 2-D DIGE approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ferreira, Gb; Overbergh, L; Hansen, Kasper Lage

2008-01-01

Dendritic cells (DCs) are unique antigen presenting cells, which upon maturation change from a specialized antigen-capturing cell towards a professional antigen presenting cells. In this study, a 2-D DIGE analysis of immature and mature DCs was performed, to identify proteins changing in expression...... upon maturation. The protein expression profile of immature and mature DCs, derived from CD14+ peripheral blood monocytes was investigated using two pH ranges (pH 4-7 and 6-9) (n = 4). Ninety one differentially expressed spots (p...

Maturity group classification and maturity locus genotyping of early-maturing soybean varieties from high-latitude cold regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Hongchang; Jiang, Bingjun; Wu, Cunxiang; Lu, Wencheng; Hou, Wensheng; Sun, Shi; Yan, Hongrui; Han, Tianfu

2014-01-01

With the migration of human beings, advances of agricultural sciences, evolution of planting patterns and global warming, soybeans have expanded to both tropical and high-latitude cold regions (HCRs). Unlike other regions, HCRs have much more significant and diverse photoperiods and temperature conditions over seasons or across latitudes, and HCR soybeans released there show rich diversity in maturity traits. However, HCR soybeans have not been as well classified into maturity groups (MGs) as other places. Therefore, it is necessary to identify MGs in HCRs and to genotype the maturity loci. Local varieties were collected from the northern part of Northeast China and the far-eastern region of Russia. Maturity group reference (MGR) soybeans of MGs MG000, MG00, and MG0 were used as references during field experiments. Both local varieties and MGR soybeans were planted for two years (2010-2011) in Heihe (N 50°15', E 127°27', H 168.5 m), China. The days to VE (emergence), R1 (beginning bloom) and R7 (beginning maturity) were recorded and statistically analyzed. Furthermore, some varieties were further genotyped at four molecularly-identified maturity loci E1, E2, E3 and E4. The HCR varieties were classified into MG0 or even more early-maturing. In Heihe, some varieties matured much earlier than MG000, which is the most early-maturing known MG, and clustered into a separate group. We designated the group as MG0000, following the convention of MGs. HCR soybeans had relatively stable days to beginning bloom from emergence. The HCR varieties diversified into genotypes of E1, E2, E3 and E4. These loci had different effects on maturity. HCRs diversify early-maturing MGs of soybean. MG0000, a new MG that matures much earlier than known MGs, was developed. HCR soybean breeding should focus more on shortening post-flowering reproductive growth. E1, E2, E3, and E4 function differentially.

Estimation from incomplete multinomial data. Ph.D. Thesis - Harvard Univ.

Science.gov (United States)

Credeur, K. R.

1978-01-01

The vector of multinomial cell probabilities was estimated from incomplete data, incomplete in that it contains partially classified observations. Each such partially classified observation was observed to fall in one of two or more selected categories but was not classified further into a single category. The data were assumed to be incomplete at random. The estimation criterion was minimization of risk for quadratic loss. The estimators were the classical maximum likelihood estimate, the Bayesian posterior mode, and the posterior mean. An approximation was developed for the posterior mean. The Dirichlet, the conjugate prior for the multinomial distribution, was assumed for the prior distribution.

Incomplete inversion of the hippocampus - a common developmental anomaly

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bajic, Dragan; Wang, Chen; Raininko, Raili [Uppsala University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Uppsala (Sweden); Kumlien, Eva; Mattsson, Peter [Uppsala University Hospital, Department of Neurology, Uppsala (Sweden); Lundberg, Staffan; Eeg-Olofsson, Orvar [Uppsala University Hospital, Department of Child Neurology, Uppsala (Sweden)

2008-01-15

Incomplete inversion of the hippocampus, an imperfect fetal development, has been described in patients with epilepsy or severe midline malformations. We studied this condition in a nonepileptic population without obvious developmental anomalies. We analyzed the coronal MR images of 50 women and 50 men who did not have epilepsy. Twenty of them were healthy volunteers and 80 were patients without obvious intracranial developmental anomalies, intracranial masses, hydrocephalus or any condition affecting the temporal lobes. If the entire hippocampus (the head could not be evaluated) were affected, the incomplete inversion was classified as total, otherwise as partial. Incomplete inversion of the hippocampus was found in 19/100 subjects (9 women, 10 men). It was unilateral, always on the left side, in 13 subjects (4 women, 9 men): 9 were of the total type, 4 were partial. It was bilateral in six subjects (five women, one man): four subjects had total types bilaterally, two had a combination of total and partial types. The collateral sulcus was vertically oriented in all subjects with a deviating hippocampal shape. We conclude that incomplete inversion of the hippocampus is not an unusual morphologic variety in a nonepileptic population without other obvious intracranial developmental anomalies. (orig.)

[Estrogens and feminine brain maturation during adolescence: emergency contraceptive pill].

Science.gov (United States)

López Moratalla, Natalia; Errasti Alcalá, Tania; Santiago, Esteban

2011-01-01

In the period between puberty and maturity takes place the process of brain maturation. Hormone levels induce changes in neurons and direct the architecture and structural functionality thus affecting patterns of development of different brain areas. The onset of puberty brings with it the invasion of the female brain by high levels of hormones, cyclic surges of estrogen and progesterone in addition to steroids produced in situ. Control centers of emotions (amygdala), memory and learning (hippocampus) and sexual activity (hypothalamus) are modified according to the cyclical concentrations of both hormones. Sex hormones stimulate multimodal actions, both short and longer terms, because neurons in various brain areas have different types of receptors, membrane, cytoplasmic and nuclear. The composition of emergency contraceptive pill (postcoital pill) with high hormonal content raises the urgency of a thorough knowledge about the possible effect that the lack of control of the menstrual cycle in a time of consolidation of brain maturation, can bring in structuring and development of brain circuitry. Changes in the availability of sex steroids during puberty and adolescence underlie psychiatric disorders whose prevalence is typically feminine, such as depression, anxiety disorders. It is a fundamental ethical duty to present scientific data about the influence of estrogen in young female brain maturation, both for full information to potential users, and also to induce the appropriate public health measures.

Kurt Gödel, completeness, incompleteness

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hájek, Petr

2007-01-01

Roč. 82, č. 1 (2007), 012005_1-012005_4 E-ISSN 1742-6596. [Brno Kurt Gödel Days. Brno, 25.04.2007-28.04.2007] R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA100300503 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10300504 Keywords : Kurt Gödel * completeness * incompleteness Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics

Induced not just right and incompleteness experiences in OCD patients and non-clinical individuals: An in vivo study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fornés-Romero, Gertrudis; Belloch, Amparo

2017-12-01

Research on incompleteness and not-just right experiences, (INC/NJREs) indicate that some OCD symptom dimensions are motivated by these experiences rather than by anxiety. Most published data are correlational, using non-clinical individuals. This study sought to examine INC/NJREs in vivo in non-clinical and OCD individuals. Study 1: Ninety-three undergraduates were randomly assigned to a INC/NJREs induction (n=44) or non-induction task (n=47). Scores on self-reports assessing INC, NJREs, OCD, Anxiety, and Depression were also recorded. Study 2: Twenty adults with OCD performed the induction task and completed the same questionnaire-packet as the non-clinical participants. Study 1: The induction-group scored higher on several DVs of the experimental task, as INC/NJREs and uncomfortable physical sensations predicted impulses/urges to do something. All the DVs correlated with INC, NJREs, and OCD symptoms. Anxiety was only related to suppressing difficulties of the most intense sensation. Study 2: Results were comparable to those found in non-clinical people. Induced INC/NJREs correlated with compulsions severity and were associated with ordering, washing, and hoarding symptoms. OCDs did not differ from non-clinical subjects in the number of induced INC/NJREs, but they were more disturbing, difficult to suppress, and instigated more urges to do in OCDs. The small group of OCDs and the lack of a non-OCD clinical group kept us from drawing conclusions about the specificity of INC/NJREs to some OCD symptoms. Findings support the role of INC/NJREs as stimuli triggering urges and/impulses to do and their impact on OCD severity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Theorems of Tarski's Undefinability and Godel's Second Incompleteness - Computationally

OpenAIRE

Salehi, Saeed

2015-01-01

We present a version of Godel's Second Incompleteness Theorem for recursively enumerable consistent extensions of a fixed axiomatizable theory, by incorporating some bi-theoretic version of the derivability conditions (first discussed by M. Detlefsen 2001). We also argue that Tarski's theorem on the Undefinability of Truth is Godel's First Incompleteness Theorem relativized to definable oracles; here a unification of these two theorems is given.

Development and maturation of Escherichia coli K-12 biofilms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reisner, A.; Haagensen, J.A.J.; Schembri, Mark

2003-01-01

The development and maturation of E. coli biofilms in flow-chambers was investigated. We found that the presence of transfer constitutive IncF plasmids induced biofilm development forming structures resembling those reported for Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The development occurred in a step...... occurred in conjugation pilus proficient plasmid-carrying strains. The final shapes of the expanding structures in the mature biofilm seem to be determined by the pilus configuration, as various mutants affected in the processing and activity of the transfer pili displayed differently structured biofilms....... We further provide evidence that flagella, type 1 fimbriae, curli and Ag43 are all dispensable for the observed biofilm maturation. In addition, our results indicate that cell-to-cell signalling mediated by autoinducer 2 (AI-2) is not required for differentiation of E. coli within a biofilm community...

Improved Balanced Incomplete Factorization

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bru, R.; Marín, J.; Mas, J.; Tůma, Miroslav

2010-01-01

Roč. 31, č. 5 (2010), s. 2431-2452 ISSN 0895-4798 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA100300802 Grant - others:GA AV ČR(CZ) M100300902 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10300504 Source of funding: I - inštitucionálna podpora na rozvoj VO Keywords : preconditioned iterative methods * sparse matrices * incomplete decompositions * approximate inverses * Sherman-Morrison formula * nonsymmetric matrices Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 1.725, year: 2010

Production in Incomplete Markets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Crès, Hervé; Tvede, Mich

Abstract In the present paper we study voting-based corporate control in a general equilibrium model with incomplete financial markets. Since voting takes place in a multi-dimensional setting, super-majority rules are needed to ensure existence of equilibrium. In a linear-quadratic setup we show ...... that the endogenization of voting weights (given by portfolio holdings) can give rise to - through selffulfilling expectations - dramatical political instability, i.e. Condorcet cycles of length two even for very high majority rules....

Physically sound parameterization of incomplete ionization in aluminum-doped silicon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heiko Steinkemper

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Incomplete ionization is an important issue when modeling silicon devices featuring aluminum-doped p+ (Al-p+ regions. Aluminum has a rather deep state in the band gap compared to boron or phosphorus, causing strong incomplete ionization. In this paper, we considerably improve our recent parameterization [Steinkemper et al., J. Appl. Phys. 117, 074504 (2015]. On the one hand, we found a fundamental criterion to further reduce the number of free parameters in our fitting procedure. And on the other hand, we address a mistake in the original publication of the incomplete ionization formalism in Altermatt et al., J. Appl. Phys. 100, 113715 (2006.

Scintigraphic detection of 'yo-yo' phenomenon in incomplete ureteric duplication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, Winnie C.W.; Chan, Kam-wing; Metreweli, Constantine

2003-01-01

'Yo-yo' reflux in an incompletely duplicated renal system was demonstrated on 99m Tc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3) renal scintigraphy in a 7-year-old girl presenting with low-grade fever and pyelonephritis. Incomplete duplication and a bifid renal pelvis, which may be seen in up to 4% of the North American population, occasionally causes symptoms because of recurrent urinary tract infection or loin pain. 99m Tc-MAG3 renal scintigraphy can demonstrate 'yo-yo' reflux in patients with incomplete renal duplication and should be considered in cases with unexplained loin pain, even if 99m Tc-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) renal scintigraphy is normal. (orig.)

Advanced incomplete factorization algorithms for Stiltijes matrices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Il`in, V.P. [Siberian Division RAS, Novosibirsk (Russian Federation)

1996-12-31

The modern numerical methods for solving the linear algebraic systems Au = f with high order sparse matrices A, which arise in grid approximations of multidimensional boundary value problems, are based mainly on accelerated iterative processes with easily invertible preconditioning matrices presented in the form of approximate (incomplete) factorization of the original matrix A. We consider some recent algorithmic approaches, theoretical foundations, experimental data and open questions for incomplete factorization of Stiltijes matrices which are {open_quotes}the best{close_quotes} ones in the sense that they have the most advanced results. Special attention is given to solving the elliptic differential equations with strongly variable coefficients, singular perturbated diffusion-convection and parabolic equations.

The MDM-2 Antagonist Nutlin-3 Promotes the Maturation of Acute Myeloid Leukemic Blasts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paola Secchiero

2007-10-01

Full Text Available The small-molecule inhibitor of murine double minute (MDM-2, Nutlin-3, induced variable apoptosis in primary acute myeloid leukemia (AML blasts, promoted myeloid maturation of surviving cells, as demonstrated by analysis of CD11 b, CD14 surface antigens, by morphologic examination. Although the best-characterized activity of Nutlin-3 is activation of the p53 pathway, Nutlin-3 induced maturation also in one AML sample characterized by p53 deletion, as well as in the p53-/- human myeloblastic HL-60 cell line. At the molecular level, the maturational activity of Nutlin-3 in HL-60 cells was accompanied by the induction of E2F1 transcription factor, it was significantly counteracted by specific gene knockdown with small interfering RNA for E2F1. Moreover, Nutlin-3, as well as tumor necrosis factor (TNF α, potentiated the maturational activity of recombinant TNF-related apoptosis-inducing lig, (TRAIL in HL-60 cells. However, although TNF-α significantly counteracted the proapoptotic activity of TRAIL, Nutlin-3 did not interfere with the proapoptotic activity of TRAIL. Taken together, these data disclose a novel, potentially relevant therapeutic role for Nutlin-3 in the treatment of both p53 wild-type, p53-/- AML, possibly in association with recombinant TRAIL.

Spectral analysis of parallel incomplete factorizations with implicit pseudo­-overlap

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Magolu monga Made, Mardochée; Vorst, H.A. van der

2000-01-01

Two general parallel incomplete factorization strategies are investigated. The techniques may be interpreted as generalized domain decomposition methods. In contrast to classical domain decomposition methods, adjacent subdomains exchange data during the construction of the incomplete

Factors involved in the maturation of murine dendritic cells transduced with adenoviral vector variants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanagawa, Naoko; Koretomo, Ryosuke; Murakami, Sayaka; Sakurai, Fuminori; Mizuguchi, Hiroyuki; Nakagawa, Shinsaku; Fujita, Takuya; Yamamoto, Akira; Okada, Naoki

2008-01-01

Adenoviral vector (Ad)-mediated gene transfer is an attractive method for manipulating the immunostimulatory properties of dendritic cells (DCs) for cancer immunotherapy. DCs treated with Ad have phenotype alterations (maturation) that facilitate T cell sensitization. We investigated the mechanisms of DC maturation with Ad transduction. Expression levels of a maturation marker (CD40) on DCs treated with conventional Ad, fiber-modified Ads (AdRGD, AdF35, AdF35ΔRGD), or a different serotype Ad (Ad35) were correlated with their transduction efficacy. The α v -integrin directional Ad, AdRGD, exhibited the most potent ability to enhance both foreign gene expression and CD40 expression, and induced secretion of interleukin-12, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interferon-α in DCs. The presence of a foreign gene expression cassette in AdRGD was not necessary for DC maturation. Maturation of DCs treated with AdRGD was suppressed by destruction of the Ad genome, inhibition of endocytosis, or endosome acidification, whereas proteasome inhibition increased CD40 expression levels on DCs. Moreover, inhibition of α v -integrin signal transduction and blockade of cytokine secretion affected the maturation of DCs treated with AdRGD only slightly or not at all, respectively. Thus, our data provide evidence that Ad-induced DC maturation is due to Ad invasion of the DCs, followed by nuclear transport of the Ad genome, and not to the expression of foreign genes

Downregulation of surface sodium pumps by endocytosis during meiotic maturation of Xenopus laevis oocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmalzing, G.; Eckard, P.; Kroener, S.P.; Passow, H.

1990-01-01

During meiotic maturation, plasma membranes of Xenopus laevis oocytes completely lose the capacity to transport Na and K and to bind ouabain. To explore whether the downregulation might be due to an internalization of the sodium pump molecules, the intracellular binding of ouabain was determined. Selective permeabilization of the plasma membrane of mature oocytes (eggs) by digitonin almost failed to disclose ouabain binding sites. However, when the eggs were additionally treated with 0.02% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to permeabilize inner membranes, all sodium pumps present before maturation were recovered. Phosphorylation by [gamma-32P]ATP combined with SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and autoradiography showed that sodium pumps were greatly reduced in isolated plasma membranes of eggs. According to sucrose gradient fractionation, maturation induced a shift of sodium pumps from the plasma membrane fraction to membranes of lower buoyant density with a protein composition different from that of the plasma membrane. Endocytosed sodium pumps identified on the sucrose gradient from [3H]ouabain bound to the cell surface before maturation could be phosphorylated with inorganic [32P]phosphate. The findings suggest that downregulation of sodium pumps during maturation is brought about by translocation of surface sodium pumps to an intracellular compartment, presumably endosomes. This contrasts the mechanism of downregulation of Na-dependent cotransport systems, the activities of which are reduced as a consequence of a maturation-induced depolarization of the membrane without a removal of the corresponding transporter from the plasma membrane

Characterization of calcium signals in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived dentate gyrus neuronal progenitors and mature neurons, stably expressing an advanced calcium indicator protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Vőfély, Gergő; Berecz, Tünde; Szabó, Eszter; Szebényi, Kornélia; Hathy, Edit; Orbán, Tamás I; Sarkadi, Balázs; Homolya, László; Marchetto, Maria C; Réthelyi, János M; Apáti, Ágota

2018-04-01

Pluripotent stem cell derived human neuronal progenitor cells (hPSC-NPCs) and their mature neuronal cell culture derivatives may efficiently be used for central nervous system (CNS) drug screening, including the investigation of ligand-induced calcium signalization. We have established hippocampal NPC cultures derived from human induced PSCs, which were previously generated by non-integrating Sendai virus reprogramming. Using established protocols these NPCs were differentiated into hippocampal dentate gyrus neurons. In order to study calcium signaling without the need of dye loading, we have stably expressed an advanced calcium indicator protein (GCaMP6fast) in the NPCs using the Sleeping Beauty transposon system. We observed no significant effects of the long-term GCaMP6 expression on NPC morphology, gene expression pattern or neural differentiation capacity. In order to compare the functional properties of GCaMP6-expressing neural cells and the corresponding parental cells loaded with calcium indicator dye Fluo-4, a detailed characterization of calcium signals was performed. We found that the calcium signals induced by ATP, glutamate, LPA, or proteases - were similar in these two systems. Moreover, the presence of the calcium indicator protein allowed for a sensitive, repeatable detection of changes in calcium signaling during the process of neurogenesis and neuronal maturation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Melatonin-induced increase of lipid droplets accumulation and in vitro maturation in porcine oocytes is mediated by mitochondrial quiescence.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Bin; Yin, Chao; Gong, Yabin; Liu, Jie; Guo, Huiduo; Zhao, Ruqian

2018-01-01

Melatonin, the major pineal secretory product, has a significant impact on the female reproductive system. Recently, the beneficial effects of melatonin on mammalian oocyte maturation and embryonic development have drawn increased attention. However, the exact underlying mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. This study demonstrates that supplementing melatonin to in vitro maturation (IVM) medium enhances IVM rate, lipid droplets (LDs) accumulation as well as triglyceride content in porcine oocytes. Decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial respiratory chain complex IV activity as well as mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mROS) content indicated that melatonin induced a decrease of mitochondrial activity. The copy number of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) which encodes essential subunits of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), was not affected by melatonin. However, the expression of mtDNA-encoded genes was significantly down-regulated after melatonin treatment. The DNA methyltransferase DNMT1, which regulates methylation and expression of mtDNA, was increased and translocated into the mitochondria in melatonin-treated oocytes. The inhibitory effect of melatonin on the expression of mtDNA was significantly prevented by simultaneous addition of DNMT1 inhibitor, which suggests that melatonin regulates the transcription of mtDNA through up-regulation of DNMT1 and mtDNA methylation. Increase of triglyceride contents after inhibition of OXPHOS indicated that mitochondrial quiescence is crucial for LDs accumulation in oocytes. Taken together, our results suggest that melatonin-induced reduction in mROS production and increase in IVM, and LDs accumulation in porcine oocytes is mediated by mitochondrial quiescence. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Self-Reports of Induced Abortion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasch, V; Muhammad, H; Urassa, E

2000-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This study estimated the proportion of incomplete abortions that are induced in hospital-based settings in Tanzania. METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted in 2 phases at 3 hospitals in Tanzania. Phase 1 included 302 patients with a diagnosis of incomplete abortion......, and phase 2 included 823 such patients. RESULTS: In phase 1, in which cases were classified by clinical criteria and information from the patient, 3.9% to 16.1% of the cases were classified as induced abortion. In phase 2, in which the structured interview was changed to an empathetic dialogue...... and previously used clinical criteria were omitted, 30.9% to 60.0% of the cases were classified as induced abortion. CONCLUSIONS: An empathetic dialogue improves the quality of data collected among women with induced abortion....

Production in incomplete markets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Crès, Hervé; Tvede, Mich

2009-01-01

In the present paper we study voting-based corporate control in a general equilibrium model with incomplete financial markets. Since voting takes place in a multi-dimensional setting, super-majority rules are needed to ensure existence of equilibrium. In a linear-quadratic setup we show that the ...... that the endogenization of voting weights (given by portfolio holdings) can give rise to - through self-fulfilling expectations - dramatical political instability, i.e. Condorcet cycles of length two even for very high majority rules....

RELIABILITY MODELING BASED ON INCOMPLETE DATA: OIL PUMP APPLICATION

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Ahmed HAFAIFA

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The reliability analysis for industrial maintenance is now increasingly demanded by the industrialists in the world. Indeed, the modern manufacturing facilities are equipped by data acquisition and monitoring system, these systems generates a large volume of data. These data can be used to infer future decisions affecting the health facilities. These data can be used to infer future decisions affecting the state of the exploited equipment. However, in most practical cases the data used in reliability modelling are incomplete or not reliable. In this context, to analyze the reliability of an oil pump, this work proposes to examine and treat the incomplete, incorrect or aberrant data to the reliability modeling of an oil pump. The objective of this paper is to propose a suitable methodology for replacing the incomplete data using a regression method.

Structures of Adenovirus Incomplete Particles Clarify Capsid Architecture and Show Maturation Changes of Packaging Protein L1 52/55k.

Science.gov (United States)

Condezo, Gabriela N; Marabini, Roberto; Ayora, Silvia; Carazo, José M; Alba, Raúl; Chillón, Miguel; San Martín, Carmen

2015-09-01

Adenovirus is one of the most complex icosahedral, nonenveloped viruses. Even after its structure was solved at near-atomic resolution by both cryo-electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography, the location of minor coat proteins is still a subject of debate. The elaborated capsid architecture is the product of a correspondingly complex assembly process, about which many aspects remain unknown. Genome encapsidation involves the concerted action of five virus proteins, and proteolytic processing by the virus protease is needed to prime the virion for sequential uncoating. Protein L1 52/55k is required for packaging, and multiple cleavages by the maturation protease facilitate its release from the nascent virion. Light-density particles are routinely produced in adenovirus infections and are thought to represent assembly intermediates. Here, we present the molecular and structural characterization of two different types of human adenovirus light particles produced by a mutant with delayed packaging. We show that these particles lack core polypeptide V but do not lack the density corresponding to this protein in the X-ray structure, thereby adding support to the adenovirus cryo-electron microscopy model. The two types of light particles present different degrees of proteolytic processing. Their structures provide the first glimpse of the organization of L1 52/55k protein inside the capsid shell and of how this organization changes upon partial maturation. Immature, full-length L1 52/55k is poised beneath the vertices to engage the virus genome. Upon proteolytic processing, L1 52/55k disengages from the capsid shell, facilitating genome release during uncoating. Adenoviruses have been extensively characterized as experimental systems in molecular biology, as human pathogens, and as therapeutic vectors. However, a clear picture of many aspects of their basic biology is still lacking. Two of these aspects are the location of minor coat proteins in the capsid and the

Maturation of Shark Single-Domain (IgNAR) Antibodies: Evidence for Induced-Fit Binding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stanfield, R.L.; Dooley, H.; Verdino, P.; Flajnik, M.F.; Wilson, I.A.; /Scripps Res. Inst. /Maryland U.

2007-07-13

Sharks express an unusual heavy-chain isotype called IgNAR, whose variable regions bind antigen as independent soluble domains. To further probe affinity maturation of the IgNAR response, we structurally characterized the germline and somatically matured versions of a type II variable (V) region, both in the presence and absence of its antigen, hen egg-white lysozyme. Despite a disulfide bond linking complementarity determining regions (CDRs) 1 and 3, both germline and somatically matured V regions displayed significant structural changes in these CDRs upon complex formation with antigen. Somatic mutations in the IgNAR V region serve to increase the number of contacts with antigen, as reflected by a tenfold increase in affinity, and one of these mutations appears to stabilize the CDR3 region. In addition, a residue in the HV4 loop plays an important role in antibody-antigen interaction, consistent with the high rate of somatic mutations in this non-CDR loop.

About 'On certain incomplete statistics' by Lima et al

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pezeril, M.; Le Mehaute, A.; Wang, Q.A.

2004-01-01

Lima et al. recently claim that (Chaos, Solitons and Fractals 19 (2004) 1005) the entropy for the incomplete statistics based on the normalization Σ i p i q =1 should be S=-Σ i p i 2q-1 ln q p i instead of S=-Σ i p i q ln q p i initially proposed by Wang. We indicate here that this conclusion is a result of erroneous use of temperature definition for the incomplete statistics

Antigen-specific IL-23/17 pathway activation by murine semi-mature DC-like cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagasaka, Shinya; Iwasaki, Takumi; Okano, Tomoko [Department of Biological Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda-shi, Chiba 278-8510 (Japan); Chiba, Joe, E-mail: chibaj@rs.noda.tus.ac.jp [Department of Biological Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda-shi, Chiba 278-8510 (Japan)

2009-09-11

We analyzed the phenotype and function of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCs) induced in vitro without using any serum during the late stage of cultivation. These 'serum-free' DCs (SF-DCs) possessed the ability to induce T cell proliferation as well as antibody responses, indicating that they were functional DCs. Surprisingly, the SF-DCs akin to semi-mature DCs in terms of both phenotypic and functional characteristics. The SF-DCs did not produce IL-12 but produced large amounts of IL-23 following lipopolysaccharide stimulation. The antigen-specific production of IL-17 by CD4{sup +} T cells co-cultured with OVA-loaded SF-DCs was significantly higher than that with OVA-loaded conventional DCs. These results suggest that SF-DCs tend to produce IL-23 and can consequently induce the IL-17 producing CD4{sup +} T cells. The semi-mature DC-like cells reported here will be useful vehicles for DC immunization and might contribute to studies on the possible involvement of semi-mature DCs in Th17 cell differentiation.

Growth dynamics and cytoskeleton organization during stem maturation and gravity-induced stem bending in Zea mays L

Science.gov (United States)

Collings, D. A.; Winter, H.; Wyatt, S. E.; Allen, N. S.; Davies, E. (Principal Investigator)

1998-01-01

Characterization of gravitropic bending in the maize stem pulvinus, a tissue that functions specifically in gravity responses, demonstrates that the pulvinus is an ideal system for studying gravitropism. Gravistimulation during the second of three developmental phases of the pulvinus induces a gradient of cell elongation across the non-growing cells of the pulvinus, with the most elongation occurring on the lower side. This cell elongation is spatially and temporally separated from normal internodal cell elongation. The three characterized growth phases in the pulvinus correspond closely to a specialized developmental sequence in which structural features typical of cells not fully matured are retained while cell maturation occurs in surrounding internodal and nodal tissue. For example, the lignification of supporting tissue and rearrangement of transverse microtubules to oblique that occur in the internode when cell elongation ceases are delayed for up to 10 d in the adjacent cells of the pulvinus, and only occurs as a pulvinus loses its capacity to respond to gravistimulation. Gravistimulation does not modify this developmental sequence. Neither wall lignification nor rearrangement of transverse microtubules occurs in the rapidly elongating lower side or non-responsive upper side of the pulvinus until the pulvinus loses the capacity to bend further. Gravistimulation does, however, lead to the formation of putative pit fields within the expanding cells of the pulvinus.

Intraovarian markers of follicular and oocyte maturation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pellicer, A; Diamond, M P; DeCherney, A H; Naftolin, F

1987-08-01

The use of ovulation induction for multiple follicular growth in in vitro fertilization (IVF) has introduced the problem of follicular asynchrony. As a consequence of the asynchrony, the parameters most commonly used by IVF groups to assess follicular and oocyte quality within those follicles are not sufficiently sensitive or specific. Thus, each follicle must be considered separately, and specific markers of follicular and/or oocyte maturation must be sought from within the follicle. In this review we analyze previous reports of potential markers of follicular and oocyte maturation. In regards to the follicular fluid constituents, the level of estradiol in follicular fluid correlates with fertilization and pregnancy in stimulated cycles. Other steroids are only helpful when specific stimulation protocols are used. The level of some follicular proteins such as alpha-1-antitrypsin and fibrinogen also correlates with fertilization and pregnancy outcome. Cyclic AMP levels in follicular fluid are significantly reduced in follicles leading to conception. Regulators of oocyte maturation, such as the Oocyte Maturation Inhibitor (OMI) or the Meiosis Inducing Substance (MIS) have also been correlated with IVF outcome, but their exact structure remains still unknown. In addition, other sophisticated parameters, such as chemotactic activity of human leukocytes, or simple methods, such as the presence of intrafollicular echoes, have also been used as successful markers in predicting IVF outcome.

Comparison of manual vacuum aspiration and misoprostol in the management of incomplete abortion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabkika Bray Madoue

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Incomplete abortions can be managed expectantly, surgically and medically (using misoprostol. Expectant management is safe in places where women have access to information, appropriate care and follow-up; however, in isolated and poor areas women who come for help need an intervention. Objective: To compare the efficiency of manual vacuum aspiration (MVA and misoprostol in the treatment of incomplete abortion. Patients and method: This was a prospective study over five months from March to August 2015. All patients admitted with a diagnosis of incomplete abortion were recruited into the study. Results: 308 patients with incomplete abortion were randomized into two treatment groups - MVA (done under local anaesthesia and misoprostol (400 micrograms by the vaginal route. MVA was successfully performed for all patients. Two patients presented with anaemia. In the misoprostol group, 23 patients had vaginal bleeding, and 10 persistence of incomplete abortion. Conclusion: MVA is more effective than misoprostol with less complications in the treatment of incomplete abortion when it is done by a trained person.

Migraine without aura is not associated with incomplete circle of Willis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ezzatian-Ahar, Shabnam; Amin, Faisal Mohammad; Obaid, Hayder Ghani

2014-01-01

the prevalence of incomplete circle of Willis in migraineurs and controls. In the present study we compared the prevalence of incomplete circle of Willis in female migraine patients without aura to female healthy non-migraine controls.Using 3-Tesla magnetic resonance angiography we recorded three...

32 CFR 651.44 - Incomplete information.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF ARMY ACTIONS (AR 200-2) Environmental Impact Statement § 651.44 Incomplete information. When the proposed action will have significant adverse effects on the human environment, and there is... essential to a reasoned choice among alternatives and the overall costs of obtaining it are not exorbitant...

Dose-response curves from incomplete data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groer, P.G.

1978-01-01

Frequently many different responses occur in populations (animal or human) exposed to ionizing radiation. To obtain a dose-response curve, the exposed population is first divided into sub-groups whose members received the same radiation dose. To estimate the response, the fraction of subjects in each sub-group that showed the particular response of interest is determined. These fractions are plotted against dose to give the dose-response curve. This procedure of plotting the fractions versus the radiation dose is not the correct way to estimate the time distribution for a particular response at the different dose levels. Other observed responses competed for the individuals in the exposed population and therefore prevented manifestation of the complete information on the response-time distribution for one specific response. Such data are called incomplete in the statistical literature. A procedure is described which uses the by now classical Kaplan-Meier estimator, to establish dose-response curves from incomplete data under the assumption that the different observed responses are statistically independent. It is demonstrated that there is insufficient information in the observed survival functions to estimate the time distribution for one particular response if the assumption of independence is dropped. In addition, it is not possible to determine from the data (i.e. type of response and when it occurred) whether or not the different response-time distributions are independent. However, it is possible to give sharp bounds between which the response has to lie. This implies that for incomplete data, only a 'dose-response band' can be established if independence of the competing responses cannot be assumed. Examples are given using actual data to illustrate the estimation procedures

Alcohol-induced decrease in muscle protein synthesis associated with increased binding of mTOR and raptor: Comparable effects in young and mature rats

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Vary Thomas C

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Acute alcohol (EtOH intoxication decreases muscle protein synthesis via inhibition of mTOR-dependent translation initiation. However, these studies have been performed in relatively young rapidly growing rats in which muscle protein accretion is more sensitive to growth factor and nutrient stimulation. Furthermore, some in vivo-produced effects of EtOH vary in an age-dependent manner. The hypothesis tested in the present study was that young rats will show a more pronounced decrement in muscle protein synthesis than older mature rats in response to acute EtOH intoxication. Methods Male F344 rats were studied at approximately 3 (young or 12 (mature months of age. Young rats were injected intraperitoneally with 75 mmol/kg of EtOH, and mature rats injected with either 75 or 90 mmol/kg EtOH. Time-matched saline-injected control rats were included for both age groups. Gastrocnemius protein synthesis and the activity of the mTOR pathway were assessed 2.5 h after EtOH using [3H]-labeled phenylalanine and the phosphorylation of various protein factors known to regulate peptide-chain initiation. Results Blood alcohol levels (BALs were lower in mature rats compared to young rats after administration of 75 mmol/kg EtOH (154 ± 23 vs 265 ± 24 mg/dL. However, injection of 90 mmol/kg EtOH in mature rats produced BALs comparable to that of young rats (281 ± 33 mg/dL. EtOH decreased muscle protein synthesis similarly in both young and high-dose EtOH-treated mature rats. The EtOH-induced changes in both groups were associated with a concomitant reduction in 4E-BP1 phosphorylation, and redistribution of eIF4E between the active eIF4E·eIF4G and inactive eIF4E·4EBP1 complex. Moreover, EtOH increased the binding of mTOR with raptor in a manner which appeared to be AMPK- and TSC-independent. In contrast, although muscle protein synthesis was unchanged in mature rats given low-dose EtOH, compared to control values, the phosphorylation of rpS6

Incomplete-data image reconstructions in industrial x-ray computerized tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tam, K.C.; Eberhard, J.W.; Mitchell, K.W.

1989-01-01

In earlier works it was concluded that image reconstruction from incomplete data can be achieved through an iterative transform algorithm which utilizes the a priori information on the object to compensate for the missing data. The image is transformed back and forth between the object space and the projection space, being corrected by the a priori information on the object in the object space, and by the known projections in the projection space. The a priori information in the object space includes a boundary enclosing the object, and an upper bound and a lower bound of the object density. In this paper we report the results of testing the iterative transform algorithm on experimental data. X-ray sinogram data of the cross section of a F404 high-pressure turbine blade made of Ni-based superalloy were supplied to us by the Aircraft Engine Business Group of General Electric Company at Cincinnati, Ohio. From the data set we simulated two kinds of incomplete data situations, incomplete projection and limited-angle scanning, and applied the iterative transform algorithm to reconstruct the images. The results validated the practical value of the iterative transform algorithm in reconstructing images from incomplete x-ray data, both incomplete projections and limited-angle data. In all the cases tested there were significant improvements in the appearance of the images after iterations. The visual improvements are substantiated in a quantitative manner by the plots of errors in wall thickness measurements which in general decrease in magnitude with iterations

Transition Complexity of Incomplete DFAs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuan Gao

2010-08-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we consider the transition complexity of regular languages based on the incomplete deterministic finite automata. A number of results on Boolean operations have been obtained. It is shown that the transition complexity results for union and complementation are very different from the state complexity results for the same operations. However, for intersection, the transition complexity result is similar to that of state complexity.

Feeding intensity pattern in complete and incomplete fusion dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linda, Sneha B.; Giri, Pankaj K.; Singh, D.; Kumar, Harish; Afzal Ansari, M.; Kumar, R.; Muralithar, S.; Singh, R.P.

2017-01-01

The heavy ion (HI) induced reactions has been a topic of special interest at energies above the Coulomb barrier. In these HI reactions, the most dominant modes are complete fusion (CF) and incomplete fusion (ICF) process. In ICF process, only a part of projectile fuses with the target nucleus, while remaining part of projectile moves in the forward cone. In the complete fusion (CF) process, the projectile is completely fused with the target nucleus, forming a highly excited composite system, which decays by evaporating low energy nuclear particles. To investigate the CF and ICF dynamics by measurement of spin distribution of ERs using 16 O projectile with 154 Sm target, an attempt has been made. The present particle-γ coincidence experiment have been performed using 15UD Pelletron Accelerator facility at Inter University Accelerator (IUAC), New Delhi, India. Gamma Detector Array (GDA) coupled with Charged Particle Detector Array (CPDA) experiment setup was used

The Influence of Ouabain on Human Dendritic Cells Maturation

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C. R. Nascimento

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Although known as a Na,K-ATPase inhibitor, several other cellular and systemic actions have been ascribed to the steroid Ouabain (Oua. Particularly in the immune system, our group showed that Ouabain acts on decreasing lymphocyte proliferation, synergizing with glucocorticoids in spontaneous thymocyte apoptosis, and also lessening CD14 expression and blocking CD16 upregulation on human monocytes. However, Ouabain effects on dendritic cells (DCs were not explored so far. Considering the peculiar plasticity and the importance of DCs in immune responses, the aim of our study was to investigate DC maturation under Ouabain influence. To generate immature DCs, human monocytes were cultured with IL-4 and GM-CSF (5 days. To investigate Ouabain role on DC activation, DCs were stimulated with TNF-α for 48 h in the presence or absence of Ouabain. TNF-induced CD83 expression and IL-12 production were abolished in DCs incubated with 100 nM Ouabain, though DC functional capacity concerning lymphocyte activation remained unaltered. Nevertheless, TNF-α-induced antigen capture downregulation, another maturation marker, occurred even in the presence of Ouabain. Besides, Ouabain increased HLA-DR and CD86 expression, whereas CD80 expression was maintained. Collectively, our results suggest that DCs respond to Ouabain maturating into a distinct category, possibly contributing to the balance between immunity and tolerance.

Research on defect detection from incomplete scanning of X-ray

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Shunli; Zhang Dinghua; Cheng Yunyong; Li Xiaolin

2011-01-01

Computed tomography (CT) is an advanced means of non-destructive testing, which has been widely used in medical and industrial fields. Aiming at the non-destructive testing problem of large industrial components, It presents a defect detection method from incomplete scanning of X-ray. Firstly, a set of incomplete scanning projection data before using the component has been obtained, then reconstruct them by algebraic re- construction technique (ART), and take the reconstructed images as the norm images. Then, the incomplete projection data of different times during the use of the component has been obtained, and reconstruct them by ART algorithm. Finally, It makes digital subtraction operation by the reconstructed images and the norm images, the defection can be detected clearly and intuitively from the subtraction image. Experimental result shows the proposed method is effective. (authors)

Incomplete albinism in Discoglossus pictus (Otth, 1837

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Filippo Spadola

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The authors present an incomplete albinism case in a Discoglossus pictus subject found in Sicily. This is the first note for Italian territory, the second for the species and the third for Discoglossus genus.

Tri-iodo-l-thyronine promotes the maturation of human cardiomyocytes-derived from induced pluripotent stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xiulan; Rodriguez, Marita; Pabon, Lil; Fischer, Karin A; Reinecke, Hans; Regnier, Michael; Sniadecki, Nathan J; Ruohola-Baker, Hannele; Murry, Charles E

2014-07-01

Cardiomyocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC-CMs) have great potential as a cell source for therapeutic applications such as regenerative medicine, disease modeling, drug screening, and toxicity testing. This potential is limited, however, by the immature state of the cardiomyocytes acquired using current protocols. Tri-iodo-l-thyronine (T3) is a growth hormone that is essential for optimal heart growth. In this study, we investigated the effect of T3 on hiPSC-CM maturation. A one-week treatment with T3 increased cardiomyocyte size, anisotropy, and sarcomere length. T3 treatment was associated with reduced cell cycle activity, manifest as reduced DNA synthesis and increased expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21. Contractile force analyses were performed on individual cardiomyocytes using arrays of microposts, revealing an almost two-fold higher force per-beat after T3 treatment and also an enhancement in contractile kinetics. This improvement in force generation was accompanied by an increase in rates of calcium release and reuptake, along with a significant increase in sarcoendoplasmic reticulum ATPase expression. Finally, although mitochondrial genomes were not numerically increased, extracellular flux analysis showed a significant increase in maximal mitochondrial respiratory capacity and respiratory reserve capability after T3 treatment. Using a broad spectrum of morphological, molecular, and functional parameters, we conclude that T3 is a driver for hiPSC-CM maturation. T3 treatment may enhance the utility of hiPSC-CMs for therapy, disease modeling, or drug/toxicity screens. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Incomplete augmented Lagrangian preconditioner for steady incompressible Navier-Stokes equations.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Ning-Bo; Huang, Ting-Zhu; Hu, Ze-Jun

2013-01-01

An incomplete augmented Lagrangian preconditioner, for the steady incompressible Navier-Stokes equations discretized by stable finite elements, is proposed. The eigenvalues of the preconditioned matrix are analyzed. Numerical experiments show that the incomplete augmented Lagrangian-based preconditioner proposed is very robust and performs quite well by the Picard linearization or the Newton linearization over a wide range of values of the viscosity on both uniform and stretched grids.

Incompleteness in the finite domain

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Pudlák, Pavel

2017-01-01

Roč. 23, č. 4 (2017), s. 405-441 ISSN 1079-8986 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 339691 - FEALORA Institutional support: RVO:67985840 Keywords : finite domain Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics OBOR OECD: Pure mathematics Impact factor: 0.742, year: 2016 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bulletin-of-symbolic-logic/article/incompleteness-in-the-finite-domain/D239B1761A73DCA534A4805A76D81C76

Assessment of cortical maturation with prenatal MRI. Part I: normal cortical maturation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fogliarini, Celine [Faculte Timone, Centre de Resonance Magnetique Biologique et Medicale, Marseille (France); Chaumoitre, Katia [Hopital Nord, Department of Radiology, Marseille (France); Chapon, Frederique; Levrier, Olivier; Girard, Nadine [Hopital Timone, Department of Neuroradiology, Marseille Cedex 5 (France); Fernandez, Carla; Figarella-Branger, Dominique [Hopital Timone, Department of Pathology, Marseille (France)

2005-08-01

Cortical maturation, especially gyral formation, follows a temporospatial schedule and is a good marker of fetal maturation. Although ultrasonography is still the imaging method of choice to evaluate fetal anatomy, MRI has an increasingly important role in the detection of brain abnormalities, especially of cortical development. Knowledge of MRI techniques in utero with the advantages and disadvantages of some sequences is necessary, in order to try to optimize the different magnetic resonance sequences to be able to make an early diagnosis. The different steps of cortical maturation known from histology represent the background necessary for the understanding of maturation in order to be then able to evaluate brain maturation through neuroimaging. Illustrations of the normal cortical maturation are given for each step accessible to MRI for both the cerebral hemispheres and the posterior fossa. (orig.)

Assessment of cortical maturation with prenatal MRI. Part I: normal cortical maturation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fogliarini, Celine; Chaumoitre, Katia; Chapon, Frederique; Levrier, Olivier; Girard, Nadine; Fernandez, Carla; Figarella-Branger, Dominique

2005-01-01

Cortical maturation, especially gyral formation, follows a temporospatial schedule and is a good marker of fetal maturation. Although ultrasonography is still the imaging method of choice to evaluate fetal anatomy, MRI has an increasingly important role in the detection of brain abnormalities, especially of cortical development. Knowledge of MRI techniques in utero with the advantages and disadvantages of some sequences is necessary, in order to try to optimize the different magnetic resonance sequences to be able to make an early diagnosis. The different steps of cortical maturation known from histology represent the background necessary for the understanding of maturation in order to be then able to evaluate brain maturation through neuroimaging. Illustrations of the normal cortical maturation are given for each step accessible to MRI for both the cerebral hemispheres and the posterior fossa. (orig.)

Statistical evaluations of current sampling procedures and incomplete core recovery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heasler, P.G.; Jensen, L.

1994-03-01

This document develops two formulas that describe the effects of incomplete recovery on core sampling results for the Hanford waste tanks. The formulas evaluate incomplete core recovery from a worst-case (i.e.,biased) and best-case (i.e., unbiased) perspective. A core sampler is unbiased if the sample material recovered is a random sample of the material in the tank, while any sampler that preferentially recovers a particular type of waste over others is a biased sampler. There is strong evidence to indicate that the push-mode sampler presently used at the Hanford site is a biased one. The formulas presented here show the effects of incomplete core recovery on the accuracy of composition measurements, as functions of the vertical variability in the waste. These equations are evaluated using vertical variability estimates from previously sampled tanks (B110, U110, C109). Assuming that the values of vertical variability used in this study adequately describes the Hanford tank farm, one can use the formulas to compute the effect of incomplete recovery on the accuracy of an average constituent estimate. To determine acceptable recovery limits, we have assumed that the relative error of such an estimate should be no more than 20%

In vitro differentiation and maturation of mouse embryonic stem cells into hepatocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishii, Takamichi; Yasuchika, Kentaro; Fujii, Hideaki; Hoppo, Toshitaka; Baba, Shinji; Naito, Masato; Machimoto, Takafumi; Kamo, Naoko; Suemori, Hirofumi; Nakatsuji, Norio; Ikai, Iwao

2005-01-01

It is difficult to induce the maturation of embryonic stem (ES) cells into hepatocytes in vitro. We previously reported that Thy1-positive mesenchymal cells derived from the mouse fetal liver promote the maturation of hepatic progenitor cells. Here, we isolated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing cells from mouse ES cells for subsequent differentiation into hepatocytes in vitro by coculture with Thy1-positive cells. ES cells expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of an AFP promoter were cultured under serum- and feeder layer-free culture conditions. The proportion of GFP-positive cells plateaued at 41.6 ± 12.2% (means ± SD) by day 7. GFP-positive cells, isolated by flow cytometry, were cultured in the presence or absence of Thy1-positive cells as a feeder layer. Isolated GFP-positive cells were stained for AFP, Foxa2, and albumin. The expression of mRNAs encoding tyrosine amino transferase, tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase, and glucose-6-phosphatase were only detected following coculture with Thy1-positive cells. Following coculture with Thy1-positive cells, the isolated cells produced and stored glycogen. Ammonia clearance activity was also enhanced following coculture. Electron microscopic analysis indicated that the cocultured cells exhibited the morphologic features of mature hepatocytes. In conclusion, coculture with Thy1-positive cells in vitro induced the maturation of AFP-producing cells isolated from ES cell cultures into hepatocytes

Passive Stretch Induces Structural and Functional Maturation of Engineered Heart Muscle as Predicted by Computational Modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Abilez, Oscar J; Tzatzalos, Evangeline; Yang, Huaxiao; Zhao, Ming-Tao; Jung, Gwanghyun; Zöllner, Alexander M; Tiburcy, Malte; Riegler, Johannes; Matsa, Elena; Shukla, Praveen; Zhuge, Yan; Chour, Tony; Chen, Vincent C; Burridge, Paul W; Karakikes, Ioannis; Kuhl, Ellen; Bernstein, Daniel; Couture, Larry A; Gold, Joseph D; Zimmermann, Wolfram H; Wu, Joseph C

2018-02-01

The ability to differentiate human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) into cardiomyocytes (CMs) makes them an attractive source for repairing injured myocardium, disease modeling, and drug testing. Although current differentiation protocols yield hPSC-CMs to >90% efficiency, hPSC-CMs exhibit immature characteristics. With the goal of overcoming this limitation, we tested the effects of varying passive stretch on engineered heart muscle (EHM) structural and functional maturation, guided by computational modeling. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs, H7 line) or human induced pluripotent stem cells (IMR-90 line) were differentiated to hPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) in vitro using a small molecule based protocol. hPSC-CMs were characterized by troponin + flow cytometry as well as electrophysiological measurements. Afterwards, 1.2 × 10 6 hPSC-CMs were mixed with 0.4 × 10 6 human fibroblasts (IMR-90 line) (3:1 ratio) and type-I collagen. The blend was cast into custom-made 12-mm long polydimethylsiloxane reservoirs to vary nominal passive stretch of EHMs to 5, 7, or 9 mm. EHM characteristics were monitored for up to 50 days, with EHMs having a passive stretch of 7 mm giving the most consistent formation. Based on our initial macroscopic observations of EHM formation, we created a computational model that predicts the stress distribution throughout EHMs, which is a function of cellular composition, cellular ratio, and geometry. Based on this predictive modeling, we show cell alignment by immunohistochemistry and coordinated calcium waves by calcium imaging. Furthermore, coordinated calcium waves and mechanical contractions were apparent throughout entire EHMs. The stiffness and active forces of hPSC-derived EHMs are comparable with rat neonatal cardiomyocyte-derived EHMs. Three-dimensional EHMs display increased expression of mature cardiomyocyte genes including sarcomeric protein troponin-T, calcium and potassium ion channels, β-adrenergic receptors, and t

Fault Diagnosis in Condition of Sample Type Incompleteness Using Support Vector Data Description

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hui Yi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Faulty samples are much harder to acquire than normal samples, especially in complicated systems. This leads to incompleteness for training sample types and furthermore a decrease of diagnostic accuracy. In this paper, the relationship between sample-type incompleteness and the classifier-based diagnostic accuracy is discussed first. Then, a support vector data description-based approach, which has taken the effects of sample-type incompleteness into consideration, is proposed to refine the construction of fault regions and increase the diagnostic accuracy for the condition of incomplete sample types. The effectiveness of the proposed method was validated on both a Gaussian distributed dataset and a practical dataset. Satisfactory results have been obtained.

ORGANIZATIONAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT MATURITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yana Derenskaya

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The present article is aimed at developing a set of recommendations for achieving a higher level of organizational project maturity at a given enterprise. Methodology. For the purposes of the current research, the available information sources on the components of project management system are analysed; the essence of “organizational maturity” and the existing models of organizational maturity are studied. The method of systemic and structural analysis, as well as the method of logical generalization, are employed in order to study the existing models of organizational maturity, to describe levels of organizational maturity, and finally to develop a set of methodological recommendations for achieving a higher level of organizational project maturity at a given enterprise. The results of the research showed that the core elements of project management system are methodological, organizational, programtechnical, and motivational components. Project management encompasses a wide range of issues connected with organizational structure, project team, communication management, project participants, etc. However, the fundamental basis for developing project management concept within a given enterprise starts with defining its level of organizational maturity. The present paper describes various models of organizational maturity (staged, continuous, petal-shaped and their common types (H. Кеrzner Organizational Maturity Model, Berkeley PM Maturity Model, Organizational Project Management Maturity Model, Portfolio, Program & Project Management Maturity Model. The analysis of available theoretic works showed that the notion “organizational project maturity” refers to the capability of an enterprise to select projects and manage them with the intention of achieving its strategic goals in the most effective way. Importantly, the level of maturity can be improved by means of formalizing the acquired knowledge, regulating project-related activities

Proinsulin atypical maturation and disposal induces extensive defects in mouse Ins2+/Akita β-cells.

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Qingxin Yuan

Full Text Available Because of its low relative folding rate and plentiful manufacture in β-cells, proinsulin maintains a homeostatic balance of natively and plentiful non-natively folded states (i.e., proinsulin homeostasis, PIHO through the integration of maturation and disposal processes. PIHO is susceptible to genetic and environmental influences, and its disorder has been critically linked to defects in β-cells in diabetes. To explore this hypothesis, we performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR, metabolic-labeling, immunoblotting, and histological studies to clarify what defects result from primary disorder of PIHO in model Ins2(+/Akita β-cells. We used T antigen-transformed Ins2(+/Akita and control Ins2(+/+ β-cells established from Akita and wild-type littermate mice. In Ins2(+/Akita β-cells, we found no apparent defect at the transcriptional and translational levels to contribute to reduced cellular content of insulin and its precursor and secreted insulin. Glucose response remained normal in proinsulin biosynthesis but was impaired for insulin secretion. The size and number of mature insulin granules were reduced, but the size/number of endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, mitochondrion, and lysosome organelles and vacuoles were expanded/increased. Moreover, cell death increased, and severe oxidative stress, which manifested as increased reactive oxygen species, thioredoxin-interacting protein, and protein tyrosine nitration, occurred in Ins2(+/Akita β-cells and/or islets. These data show the first clear evidence that primary PIHO imbalance induces severe oxidative stress and impairs glucose-stimulated insulin release and β-cell survival as well as producing other toxic consequences. The defects disclosed/clarified in model Ins2(+/Akita β-cells further support a role of the genetic and stress-susceptible PIHO disorder in β-cell failure and diabetes.

Filtering, control and fault detection with randomly occurring incomplete information

CERN Document Server

Dong, Hongli; Gao, Huijun

2013-01-01

This book investigates the filtering, control and fault detection problems for several classes of nonlinear systems with randomly occurring incomplete information. It proposes new concepts, including RVNs, ROMDs, ROMTCDs, and ROQEs. The incomplete information under consideration primarily includes missing measurements, time-delays, sensor and actuator saturations, quantization effects and time-varying nonlinearities. The first part of this book focuses on the filtering, control and fault detection problems for several classes of nonlinear stochastic discrete-time systems and

L2-Harmonic Forms on Incomplete Riemannian Manifolds with Positive Ricci Curvature

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Junya Takahashi

2018-05-01

Full Text Available We construct an incomplete Riemannian manifold with positive Ricci curvature that has non-trivial L 2 -harmonic forms and on which the L 2 -Stokes theorem does not hold. Therefore, a Bochner-type vanishing theorem does not hold for incomplete Riemannian manifolds.

Effect of projectile on incomplete fusion reactions at low energies

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Sharma Vijay R.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Present work deals with the experimental studies of incomplete fusion reaction dynamics at energies as low as ≈ 4 - 7 MeV/A. Excitation functions populated via complete fusion and/or incomplete fusion processes in 12C+175Lu, and 13C+169Tm systems have been measured within the framework of PACE4 code. Data of excitation function measurements on comparison with different projectile-target combinations suggest the existence of ICF even at slightly above barrier energies where complete fusion (CF is supposed to be the sole contributor, and further demonstrates strong projectile structure dependence of ICF. The incomplete fusion strength functions for 12C+175Lu, and 13C+169Tm systems are analyzed as a function of various physical parameters at a constant vrel ≈ 0.053c. It has been found that one neutron (1n excess projectile 13C (as compared to 12C results in less incomplete fusion contribution due to its relatively large negative α-Q-value, hence, α Q-value seems to be a reliable parameter to understand the ICF dynamics at low energies. In order to explore the reaction modes on the basis of their entry state spin population, the spin distribution of residues populated via CF and/or ICF in 16O+159Tb system has been done using particle-γ coincidence technique. CF-α and ICF-α channels have been identified from backward (B and forward (F α-gated γspectra, respectively. Reaction dependent decay patterns have been observed in different α emitting channels. The CF channels are found to be fed over a broad spin range, however, ICF-α channels was observed only for high-spin states. Further, the existence of incomplete fusion at low bombarding energies indicates the possibility to populate high spin states

Effect of projectile on incomplete fusion reactions at low energies

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Vijay R.; Shuaib, Mohd.; Yadav, Abhishek; Singh, Pushpendra P.; Sharma, Manoj K.; Kumar, R.; Singh, Devendra P.; Singh, B. P.; Muralithar, S.; Singh, R. P.; Bhowmik, R. K.; Prasad, R.

2017-11-01

Present work deals with the experimental studies of incomplete fusion reaction dynamics at energies as low as ≈ 4 - 7 MeV/A. Excitation functions populated via complete fusion and/or incomplete fusion processes in 12C+175Lu, and 13C+169Tm systems have been measured within the framework of PACE4 code. Data of excitation function measurements on comparison with different projectile-target combinations suggest the existence of ICF even at slightly above barrier energies where complete fusion (CF) is supposed to be the sole contributor, and further demonstrates strong projectile structure dependence of ICF. The incomplete fusion strength functions for 12C+175Lu, and 13C+169Tm systems are analyzed as a function of various physical parameters at a constant vrel ≈ 0.053c. It has been found that one neutron (1n) excess projectile 13C (as compared to 12C) results in less incomplete fusion contribution due to its relatively large negative α-Q-value, hence, α Q-value seems to be a reliable parameter to understand the ICF dynamics at low energies. In order to explore the reaction modes on the basis of their entry state spin population, the spin distribution of residues populated via CF and/or ICF in 16O+159Tb system has been done using particle-γ coincidence technique. CF-α and ICF-α channels have been identified from backward (B) and forward (F) α-gated γspectra, respectively. Reaction dependent decay patterns have been observed in different α emitting channels. The CF channels are found to be fed over a broad spin range, however, ICF-α channels was observed only for high-spin states. Further, the existence of incomplete fusion at low bombarding energies indicates the possibility to populate high spin states

Assessing healthcare process maturity: challenges of using a business process maturity model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tarhan, A.; Turetken, O.; van den Biggelaar, F.J.H.M.

2015-01-01

Doi: 10.4108/icst.pervasivehealth.2015.259105 The quality of healthcare services is influenced by the maturity of healthcare processes used to develop it. A maturity model is an instrument to assess and continually improve organizational processes. In the last decade, a number of maturity models

Diagnostic assessment of skeletal maturity through dental maturation in Hispanic growing individuals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alejandra Cisternas

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The aim of this study was to explore dental maturation as a diagnostic test for skeletal maturation. Materials and Methods: Six hundred and fifty-seven growing individuals were classified according to their cervical vertebral maturity and dental maturity, both determined in lateral cephalograms and panoramic radiographs, respectively. The correlation between cervical and dental stages was established for each gender. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was made, and sensitivity and specificity values were established. Results: Correlation was found between cervical and dental maturation for females (r = 0.73; P<0.001 and males (r = 0.60; P<0.001. Sensitivity for dental Stage F, as an indicator of a postmaturation peak stage, was 87.21% for females and 97.1% for males, whereas specificity for the same stage was 82.92% and 72.3% for females and males, respectively. Conclusions: Dental maturation evaluation could contribute determining whether a patient is in a pre- or post-growth spurt stage.

Stability and Bifurcation of a Computer Virus Propagation Model with Delay and Incomplete Antivirus Ability

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Jianguo Ren

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A new computer virus propagation model with delay and incomplete antivirus ability is formulated and its global dynamics is analyzed. The existence and stability of the equilibria are investigated by resorting to the threshold value R0. By analysis, it is found that the model may undergo a Hopf bifurcation induced by the delay. Correspondingly, the critical value of the Hopf bifurcation is obtained. Using Lyapunov functional approach, it is proved that, under suitable conditions, the unique virus-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable if R01. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate possible behavioral scenarios of the mode.

Root cause of incomplete control rod insertions at Westinghouse reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ray, S.

1997-01-01

Within the past year, incomplete RCCA insertions have been observed on high burnup fuel assemblies at two Westinghouse PWRs. Initial tests at the Wolf Creek site indicated that the direct cause of the incomplete insertions observed at Wolf Creek was excessive fuel assembly thimble tube distortion. Westinghouse committed to the NRC to perform a root cause analysis by the end of August, 1996. The root cause analysis process used by Westinghouse included testing at ten sites to obtain drag, growth and other characteristics of high burnup fuel assemblies. It also included testing at the Westinghouse hot cell of two of the Wolf Creek incomplete insertion assemblies. A mechanical model was developed to calculate the response of fuel assemblies when subjected to compressive loads. Detailed manufacturing reviews were conducted to determine if this was a manufacturing related issue. In addition, a review of available worldwide experience was performed. Based on the above, it was concluded that the thimble tube distortion observed on the Wolf Creek incomplete insertion assemblies was caused by unusual fuel assembly growth over and above what would typically be expected as a result of irradiation exposure. It was determined that the unusual growth component is a combination of growth due to oxide accumulation and accelerated growth, and would only be expected in high temperature plants on fuel assemblies that see long residence times and high power duties

The effects of incomplete protein interaction data on structural and evolutionary inferences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

de Silva, E; Thorne, T; Ingram, P

2006-01-01

of the inherent noise in protein interaction data. The effects of the incomplete nature of network data become very noticeable, especially for so-called network motifs. We also consider the effect of incomplete network data on functional and evolutionary inferences. Conclusion Crucially, when only small, partial...

Effect of projectile structure on evaporation residue yields in incomplete fusion reactions

CERN Document Server

Babu, K S; Sudarshan, K; Shrivastava, B D; Goswami, A; Tomar, B S

2003-01-01

The excitation functions of heavy residues, representing complete and incomplete fusion products, produced in the reaction of sup 1 sup 2 C and sup 1 sup 3 C on sup 1 sup 8 sup 1 Ta have been measured over the projectile energy range of 5 to 6.5 MeV/nucleon by the recoil catcher method and off-line gamma-ray spectrometry. Comparison of the measured excitation functions with those calculated using the PACE2 code based on the statistical model revealed the occurrence of incomplete fusion reactions in the formation of alpha emission products. The fraction of incomplete fusion cross sections in the sup 1 sup 2 C + sup 1 sup 8 sup 1 Ta reaction was found to be higher, by a factor of approx 2, than that in the sup 1 sup 3 C + sup 1 sup 8 sup 1 Ta reaction. The results have been discussed in terms of the effect of alpha cluster structure of the projectile on incomplete fusion reactions.

Correlation between Dental Maturity by Demirjian Method and Skeletal Maturity by Cervical Vertebral Maturity Method using Panoramic Radiograph and Lateral Cephalogram

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Madhusudhanan Mallika Mini

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Radiographs are effective tools in assessing the stages of bone maturation in dentistry. The cervical vertebral maturation method is a proven effective tool in assessing the adolescent growth spurt than hand-wrist radiographs in an individual. Assessment of dental calcification stages are a reliable method for determining dental maturity. Panoramic imaging can be used as the primary imaging modality for assessing maturity if a correlation can be found out between tooth calcification stages and cervical vertebral maturation stages. This study was conducted to determine the correlation between dental maturity stage and cervical vertebral maturity stage and to estimate predictor variables for cervical vertebral maturation stages (CVMS stratified by gender in a tertiary hospital setting. Materials and Methods: A descriptive study was conducted among patients accessing orthodontic care in radiology outpatient clinic, Oral Medicine and Radiology department, Government Dental College Thiruvananthapuram for a period of 15 months. Participants were selected between the ages of 8 and 16 years. Panoramic radiographs and lateral cephalograms were used to determine dental maturity stages using Demirjian method and CVMS using Bacetti and Franchi method, respectively. Results: One hundred patients (males = 46, females = 54 were included in the study; the spearman rank order correlation revealed significant relationship. The correlation ranged from 0.61 to 0.74 for females and 0.48 to 0.51 for males. Second premolar showed highest correlation and canine the lowest for both females and males. Stage G of mandibular second premolar signifies the pubertal growth period in this study population. By ordinal regression model, G stage of second premolar was found to be a significant predictor in males and stage H followed by G and F in females for the age group of 12–14 years. Conclusion: Dental maturation stages were significantly correlated with CVMS

Primary Human Blood Dendritic Cells for Cancer Immunotherapy—Tailoring the Immune Response by Dendritic Cell Maturation

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Simone P. Sittig

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Dendritic cell (DC-based cancer vaccines hold the great promise of tipping the balance from tolerance of the tumor to rejection. In the last two decades, we have gained tremendous knowledge about DC-based cancer vaccines. The maturation of DCs has proven indispensable to induce immunogenic T cell responses. We review the insights gained from the development of maturation cocktails in monocyte derived DC-based trials. More recently, we have also gained insights into the functional specialization of primary human blood DC subsets. In peripheral human blood, we can distinguish at least three primary DC subsets, namely CD1c+ and CD141+ myeloid DCs and plasmacytoid DCs. We reflect the current knowledge on maturation and T helper polarization by these blood DC subsets in the context of DC-based cancer vaccines. The maturation stimulus in combination with the DC subset will determine the type of T cell response that is induced. First trials with these natural DCs underline their excellent in vivo functioning and mark them as promising tools for future vaccination strategies.

Radiological findings and healing patterns of incomplete stress fractures of the pars interarticularis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunn, Andrew J.; Campbell, Robert S.D.; Mayor, Peter E.; Rees, Dai

2008-01-01

The objective was to retrospectively record the CT and MRI features and healing patterns of acute, incomplete stress fractures of the pars interarticularis. The CT scans of 156 adolescents referred with suspected pars interarticularis stress fractures were reviewed. Patients with incomplete (grade 2) pars fractures were included in the study. Fractures were assessed on CT according to vertebral level, location of cortical involvement and direction of fracture propagation. MRI was also performed in 72 of the 156 cases. MRI images of incomplete fractures were assessed for the presence of marrow oedema and cortical integrity. Fracture healing patterns were characterised on follow-up CT imaging. Twenty-five incomplete fractures were identified in 23 patients on CT. All fractures involved the inferior or infero-medial cortex of the pars and propagated superiorly or superolaterally. Ninety-two percent of incomplete fractures demonstrated either complete or partial healing on follow-up imaging. Two (8%) cases progressed to complete fractures. Thirteen incomplete fractures in 11 patients confirmed on CT also had MRI, and 92% demonstrated oedema in the pars. Ten out of thirteen fractures (77%) showed a break in the infero-medial cortex with intact supero-lateral cortex, which correlated with the CT findings. MRI incorrectly graded one case as a complete (grade 3) fracture, and 2 cases as (grade 1) stress reaction. Six fractures had follow-up MRI, 67% showed partial or complete cortical healing, and the same number showed persistent marrow oedema. Incomplete fracture of the pars interarticularis represents a stage of the evolution of a complete stress fracture. The direction of fracture propagation is consistent, and complete healing can be achieved in most cases with appropriate clinical management. CT best demonstrates fracture size and extent, and is the most appropriate modality for follow-up. MRI is limited in its ability to fully depict the cortical integrity of

Radiological findings and healing patterns of incomplete stress fractures of the pars interarticularis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dunn, Andrew J.; Campbell, Robert S.D. [Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Teaching Hospitals, Department of Medical Imaging, Liverpool (United Kingdom); Mayor, Peter E. [Leighton Hospital, Department of Medical Imaging, Crewe, Cheshire (United Kingdom); Rees, Dai [Robert Jones and Agnes-Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Oswestry, Shropshire (United Kingdom)

2008-05-15

The objective was to retrospectively record the CT and MRI features and healing patterns of acute, incomplete stress fractures of the pars interarticularis. The CT scans of 156 adolescents referred with suspected pars interarticularis stress fractures were reviewed. Patients with incomplete (grade 2) pars fractures were included in the study. Fractures were assessed on CT according to vertebral level, location of cortical involvement and direction of fracture propagation. MRI was also performed in 72 of the 156 cases. MRI images of incomplete fractures were assessed for the presence of marrow oedema and cortical integrity. Fracture healing patterns were characterised on follow-up CT imaging. Twenty-five incomplete fractures were identified in 23 patients on CT. All fractures involved the inferior or infero-medial cortex of the pars and propagated superiorly or superolaterally. Ninety-two percent of incomplete fractures demonstrated either complete or partial healing on follow-up imaging. Two (8%) cases progressed to complete fractures. Thirteen incomplete fractures in 11 patients confirmed on CT also had MRI, and 92% demonstrated oedema in the pars. Ten out of thirteen fractures (77%) showed a break in the infero-medial cortex with intact supero-lateral cortex, which correlated with the CT findings. MRI incorrectly graded one case as a complete (grade 3) fracture, and 2 cases as (grade 1) stress reaction. Six fractures had follow-up MRI, 67% showed partial or complete cortical healing, and the same number showed persistent marrow oedema. Incomplete fracture of the pars interarticularis represents a stage of the evolution of a complete stress fracture. The direction of fracture propagation is consistent, and complete healing can be achieved in most cases with appropriate clinical management. CT best demonstrates fracture size and extent, and is the most appropriate modality for follow-up. MRI is limited in its ability to fully depict the cortical integrity of

10 CFR 782.7 - Incomplete notice of infringement.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... presented; and (2) Of the elements considered necessary to establish a claim. (b) A communication, such as a... § 782.7 Incomplete notice of infringement. (a) If a communication alleging patent or copyright...

Wnt-β-Catenin Signaling Promotes the Maturation of Mast Cells

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Tomoko Yamaguchi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Mast cells play an important role in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. Immature mast cells migrate into peripheral tissues from the bone marrow and undergo complete maturation. Interestingly, mast cells have characteristics similar to hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs, such as self-renewal and c-kit expression. In HSCs, Wnt signaling is involved in their maintenance and differentiation. On the other hand, the relation between Wnt signaling and mast cell differentiation is poorly understood. To study whether Wnt signals play a role in the maturation of mast cells, we studied the effect of Wnt proteins on mast cell maturation of bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs. The expression levels of CD81 protein and histidine decarboxylase mRNA and activity of mast cell-specific protease were all elevated in BMMCs treated with Wnt5a. In addition, Wnt5a induced the expression of Axin2 and TCF mRNA in BMMCs. These results showed that Wnt5a could promote the maturation of mast cells via the canonical Wnt signaling pathway and provide important insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the differentiation of mast cells.

Farnesyl transferase inhibitors induce extended remissions in transgenic mice with mature B cell lymphomas

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Refaeli Yosef

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We have used a mouse model based on overexpression of c-Myc in B cells genetically engineered to be self-reactive to test the hypothesis that farnesyl transferase inhibitors (FTIs can effectively treat mature B cell lymphomas. FTIs are undergoing clinical trials to treat both lymphoid and non-lymphoid malignancies and we wished to obtain evidence to support the inclusion of B cell lymphomas in future trials. Results We report that two FTIs, L-744,832 and SCH66336, blocked the growth of mature B cell lymphoma cells in vitro and in vivo. The FTI treatment affected the proliferation and survival of the transformed B cells to a greater extent than naïve B cells stimulated with antigen. In syngeneic mice transplanted with the transgenic lymphoma cells, L-744,832 treatment prevented the growth of the tumor cells and the morbidity associated with the resulting lymphoma progression. Tumors that arose from transplantation of the lymphoma cells regressed with as little as three days of treatment with L-744,832 or SCH66336. Treatment of these established lymphomas with L-744,832 for seven days led to long-term remission of the disease in approximately 25% of animals. Conclusion FTI treatment can block the proliferation and survival of self-reactive transformed B cells that overexpress Myc. In mice transplanted with mature B cell lymphomas, we found that FTI treatment led to regression of disease. FTIs warrant further consideration as therapeutic agents for mature B cell lymphomas and other lymphoid tumors.

Starvation Promotes Autophagy-Associated Maturation of the Ovary in the Giant Freshwater Prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii

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Wilairat Kankuan

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Limitation of food availability (starvation is known to influence the reproductive ability of animals. Autophagy is a lysosomal driven degradation process that protects the cell under metabolic stress conditions, such as during nutrient shortage. Whether, and how starvation-induced autophagy impacts on the maturation and function of reproductive organs in animals are still open questions. In this study, we have investigated the effects of starvation on histological and cellular changes that may be associated with autophagy in the ovary of the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobachium rosenbergii. To this end, the female prawns were daily fed (controls or unfed (starvation condition for up to 12 days, and the ovary tissue was analyzed at different time-points. Starvation triggered ovarian maturation, and concomitantly increased the expression of autophagy markers in vitellogenic oocytes. The immunoreactivities for autophagy markers, including Beclin1, LC3-II, and Lamp1, were enhanced in the late oocytes within the mature ovaries, especially at the vitellogenic stages. These markers co-localized with vitellin in the yolk granules within the oocytes, suggesting that autophagy induced by starvation could drive vitellin utilization, thus promoting ovarian maturation.

Echocardiographic evaluation of changes in left ventricular size and valvular regurgitation associated with physical training during and after maturity in standardbred trotters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Buhl, Rikke; Ersbøll, Annette Kjær

2012-01-01

To assess whether physical training induces cardiac hypertrophy and valvular regurgitation in maturing Standardbred trotters and to establish a prediction model for the size of the left ventricle.......To assess whether physical training induces cardiac hypertrophy and valvular regurgitation in maturing Standardbred trotters and to establish a prediction model for the size of the left ventricle....

Incomplete Contract and Divisional Structures

OpenAIRE

Bao, T.; Wang, Y.

2009-01-01

In this paper we want to analyze the internal divisional structure within an organi- zation in the framework of incomplete contract theory. We use the framework of Aghion and Tirole (1997) and define the managerial control structure as \\sequence of search". A key feature of this paper which differentiate it from other works in the literature is that we add add an ex post bargaining phase in which the managers can agree on the project which maximize their joint private benefit. Our model shows...

Another look at the second incompleteness theorem

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Visser, A.

2017-01-01

In this paper we study proofs of some general forms of the Second Incompleteness Theorem. These forms conform to the Feferman format, where the proof predicate is xed and the representation of the axiom set varies. We extend the Feferman framework in one important point: we allow the interpretation

Another look at the second incompleteness theorem

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Visser, Albert

2017-01-01

In this paper we study proofs of some general forms of the Second Incompleteness Theorem. These forms conform to the Feferman format, where the proof predicate is fixed and the representation of the axiom set varies. We extend the Feferman framework in one important point: we allow the

Fisheries-induced evolution in growth, maturation and reproductive investment of the sexually dimorphic North Sea plaice (Pleuronectes platessa L.)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Walraven, L.; Mollet, F. M.; van Damme, C. J. G.; Rijnsdorp, A. D.

2010-01-01

Changes in the onset of sexual maturation, reproductive investment and growth of North Sea plaice are studied between three periods: 1900s, 1980s and 2000s. Probabilistic maturation reaction norms of both males and females, describing the probability of becoming mature conditional on age and size,

Incompletely characterized incidental renal masses: emerging data support conservative management.

Science.gov (United States)

Silverman, Stuart G; Israel, Gary M; Trinh, Quoc-Dien

2015-04-01

With imaging, most incidental renal masses can be diagnosed promptly and with confidence as being either benign or malignant. For those that cannot, management recommendations can be devised on the basis of a thorough evaluation of imaging features. However, most renal masses are either too small to characterize completely or are detected initially in imaging examinations that are not designed for full evaluation of them. These masses constitute a group of masses that are considered incompletely characterized. On the basis of current published guidelines, many masses warrant additional imaging. However, while the diagnosis of renal cancer at a curable stage remains the first priority, there is the additional need to reduce unnecessary healthcare costs and radiation exposure. As such, emerging data now support foregoing additional imaging for many incompletely characterized renal masses. These data include the low risk of progression to metastases or death for small renal masses that have undergone active surveillance (including biopsy-proven cancers) and a better understanding of how specific imaging features can be used to diagnose their origins. These developments support (a) avoidance of imaging entirely for those incompletely characterized renal masses that are highly likely to be benign cysts and (b) delay of further imaging of small solid masses in selected patients. Although more evidence-based data are needed and comprehensive management algorithms have yet to be defined, these recommendations are medically appropriate and practical, while limiting the imaging of many incompletely characterized incidental renal masses.

Results from a study using misoprostol for management of incomplete abortion in Vietnamese hospitals: implications for task shifting.

Science.gov (United States)

Ngoc, Nguyen Thi Nhu; Shochet, Tara; Blum, Jennifer; Hai, Pham Thanh; Dung, Duong Lan; Nhan, Tran Thanh; Winikoff, Beverly

2013-05-22

Complications following spontaneous or induced abortion are a major cause of maternal morbidity. To manage these complications, post-abortion care (PAC) services should be readily available and easy to access. Standard PAC treatment includes surgical interventions that are highly effective but require surgical providers and medical centers that have the necessary space and equipment. Misoprostol has been shown to be an effective alternative to surgical evacuation and can be offered by lower level clinicians. This study sought to assess whether 400 mcg sublingual misoprostol could effectively evacuate the uterus after incomplete abortion and to confirm its applicability for use at lower level settings. All women presenting with incomplete abortion at one of three hospitals in Vietnam were enrolled. Providers were not asked to record if the abortion was spontaneous or induced. It is likely that all were spontaneous given the legal status and easy access to abortion services in Vietnam. Participants were given 400 mcg sublingual misoprostol and instructed to hold the pills under their tongue for 30 minutes and then swallow any remaining fragments. They were then asked to return one week later to confirm their clinical status. Study clinicians were instructed to confirm a complete expulsion clinically. All women were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding satisfaction with the treatment. Three hundred and two women were enrolled between September 2009 and May 2010. Almost all participants (96.3%) had successful completions using a single dose of 400 mcg misoprostol. The majority of women (87.2%) found the side effects to be tolerable or easily tolerable. Most women (84.3%) were satisfied or very satisfied with the treatment they received; only one was dissatisfied (0.3%). Nine out of ten women would select this method again and recommend it to a friend (91.0% and 90.0%, respectively). This study confirms that 400 mcg sublingual misoprostol effectively evacuates

Low Complexity Models to improve Incomplete Sensitivities for Shape Optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Stanciu, Mugurel; Mohammadi, Bijan; Moreau, Stéphane

2003-01-01

The present global platform for simulation and design of multi-model configurations treat shape optimization problems in aerodynamics. Flow solvers are coupled with optimization algorithms based on CAD-free and CAD-connected frameworks. Newton methods together with incomplete expressions of gradients are used. Such incomplete sensitivities are improved using reduced models based on physical assumptions. The validity and the application of this approach in real-life problems are presented. The numerical examples concern shape optimization for an airfoil, a business jet and a car engine cooling axial fan.

Management strategy for symptomatic bisphosphonate-associated incomplete atypical femoral fractures.

Science.gov (United States)

Saleh, Anas; Hegde, Vishal V; Potty, Anish G; Schneider, Robert; Cornell, Charles N; Lane, Joseph M

2012-07-01

Long-term bisphosphonate use has often been associated with atypical femoral fractures. These fractures evolve from incomplete femoral fractures. A previous study demonstrated that the presence of a radiolucent line in an incomplete fracture can indicate a high risk of progression to complete fracture. The aim of this study is to present a management strategy for symptomatic bisphosphonate-associated incomplete atypical femoral fractures. Specific study questions include the following: (1) Is there a difference in the prognosis of these fractures based on the presence or absence of a radiolucent fracture line? (2) Can treatment with teriparatide assist in clinical/radiographic healing of these incomplete fractures? (3) Is there a characteristic biochemical profile in these patients? We retrospectively examined all femur radiographs ordered by the metabolic bone disease service at our hospital between July 1, 2006 and July 1, 2011 and identified 10 patients with a total of 14 incomplete fractures. Nine patients received bisphosphonates for a mean duration of 10 ± 5 years (range, 4-17). The mean follow-up since the time of diagnosis was 20 ± 11 months (range, 6-36 months). Five fractures did not have a radiolucent fracture line and were treated conservatively with partial weight-bearing restrictions and pharmacologic therapy. All five of these fractures healed with conservative management. Nine fractures had a radiolucent fracture line, and only two of these were treated successfully with conservative management including teriparatide. Six of the eight patients with a radiolucent line elected for surgical prophylaxis after 3 months of conservative management, whereas one patient underwent surgical prophylaxis without a trial of conservative management. Regarding the biochemical profiles, bone turnover markers for our patient cohort were in the lower quartile. Fractures without a radiolucent line appear to respond to conservative management and not

In vitro atrazine exposure affects the phenotypic and functional maturation of dendritic cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinchuk, Lesya M.; Lee, Sang-Ryul; Filipov, Nikolay M.

2007-01-01

Recent data suggest that some of the immunotoxic effects of the herbicide atrazine, a very widely used pesticide, may be due to perturbations in dendritic cell (DC) function. As consequences of atrazine exposure on the phenotypic and functional maturation of DC have not been studied, our objective was, using the murine DC line, JAWSII, to determine whether atrazine will interfere with DC maturation. First, we characterized the maturation of JAWSII cells in vitro by inducing them to mature in the presence of growth factors and selected maturational stimuli in vitro. Next, we exposed the DC cell line to a concentration range of atrazine and examined its effects on phenotypic and functional maturation of DC. Atrazine exposure interfered with the phenotypic and functional maturation of DC at non-cytotoxic concentrations. Among the phenotypic changes caused by atrazine exposure was a dose-dependent removal of surface MHC-I with a significant decrease being observed at 1 μM concentration. In addition, atrazine exposure decreased the expression of the costimulatory molecule CD86 and it downregulated the expression of the CD11b and CD11c accessory molecules and the myeloid developmental marker CD14. When, for comparative purposes, we exposed primary thymic DC to atrazine, MHC-I and CD11c expression was also decreased. Phenotypic changes in JAWSII DC maturation were associated with functional inhibition of maturation as, albeit at higher concentrations, receptor-mediated antigen uptake was increased by atrazine. Thus, our data suggest that atrazine directly targets DC maturation and that toxicants such as atrazine that efficiently remove MHC-I molecules from the DC surface are likely to contribute to immune evasion

Novel maturity parameters for mature to over-mature source rocks and oils based on the distribution of phenanthrene series compounds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zixiang Wang

2016-03-01

Two additional novel and an optimized maturation parameters based on the distribution of phenanthrene series compounds are proposed and their relationships to EasyRo% (x are established: log(MPs/P = 0.19x + 0.08 (0.9% < EasyRo% < 2.1%; log(MPs/P = 0.64x − 0.86 (2.1% < EasyRo% < 3.4%; log(DMPs/TMPs = 0.71x − 0.55 (0.9% < EasyRo% < 3.4%; log(MTR = 0.84x − 0.75 (0.9% < EasyRo% < 3.4%. These significant positive correlations are strong argument for using log(MPs/P, log(DMPs/TMPs and log(MTR as maturity parameters, especially for mature to over-mature source rocks.

Initial incomplete surgery modifies prognosis in advanced ovarian cancer regardless of subsequent management.

Science.gov (United States)

Bacalbasa, Nicolae; Balescu, Irina; Dima, Simona; Herlea, Vlad; David, Leonard; Brasoveanu, Vladislav; Popescu, Irinel

2015-04-01

Prognosis in ovarian cancer is determined by completeness of cytoreduction and proper management by specialized oncological gynecologists. Incomplete initial debulking surgery in non-specialized Centers is, however, a reality and there is ongoing discussion about the best subsequent management of such patients. Patients with advanced ovarian cancer (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics--FIGO FIGO stages IIIC-IV) who had biopsy by laparotomy or incomplete cytoreduction followed or not by chemotherapy further referred to our Institution between January 2002 and May 2014 were included. The two groups of incomplete cytoreduction [followed by upfront surgery or followed by chemotherapy and interval debulking surgery (IDS)] were compared and also compared against a cohort of 197 patients with similar characteristics who underwent upfront maximal surgery according to the standard at our Iinstitution during the same period. A total of 99 eligible patients were identified. Sixty-seven of them underwent biopsies by laparotomy and 32 underwent incomplete cytoreduction in other institutions. Twenty-eight patients underwent direct re-operation while 71 patients underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by IDS. The mean overall survival duration for patients with upfront reoperation was 31 months and 54 months for patients with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and IDS, considerably lower than the 72 months obtained for the group of 197 patients with maximal up-front complete cytoreduction at our Institution. Primary biopsy or incomplete cytoreduction reduces survival regardless of the subsequent approach. However, if incomplete cytoreduction has occurred, neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by IDS is preferable to up-front reoperation. Copyright© 2015 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

Locomotor Training Restores Walking in a Nonambulatory Child With Chronic, Severe, Incomplete Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

Science.gov (United States)

Behrman, Andrea L; Nair, Preeti M; Bowden, Mark G; Dauser, Robert C; Herget, Benjamin R; Martin, Jennifer B; Phadke, Chetan P; Reier, Paul J; Senesac, Claudia R; Thompson, Floyd J; Howland, Dena R

2008-01-01

Background and Purpose: Locomotor training (LT) enhances walking in adult experimental animals and humans with mild-to-moderate spinal cord injuries (SCIs). The animal literature suggests that the effects of LT may be greater on an immature nervous system than on a mature nervous system. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of LT in a child with chronic, incomplete SCI. Subject: The subject was a nonambulatory 4½-year-old boy with an American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) C Lower Extremity Motor Score (LEMS) of 4/50 who was deemed permanently wheelchair-dependent and was enrolled in an LT program 16 months after a severe cervical SCI. Methods: A pretest-posttest design was used in the study. Over 16 weeks, the child received 76 LT sessions using both treadmill and over-ground settings in which graded sensory cues were provided. The outcome measures were ASIA Impairment Scale score, gait speed, walking independence, and number of steps. Result: One month into LT, voluntary stepping began, and the child progressed from having no ability to use his legs to community ambulation with a rolling walker. By the end of LT, his walking independence score had increased from 0 to 13/20, despite no change in LEMS. The child's final self-selected gait speed was 0.29 m/s, with an average of 2,488 community-based steps per day and a maximum speed of 0.48 m/s. He then attended kindergarten using a walker full-time. Discussion and Conclusion: A simple, context-dependent stepping pattern sufficient for community ambulation was recovered in the absence of substantial voluntary isolated lower-extremity movement in a child with chronic, severe SCI. These novel data suggest that some children with severe, incomplete SCI may recover community ambulation after undergoing LT and that the LEMS cannot identify this subpopulation. PMID:18326054

Prune belly syndrome associated with incomplete VACTERL

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Ghritlaharey R

2007-01-01

Full Text Available A Prune Belly syndrome with VATER/VACTERL association is an extremely rare. They are either stillborn or die within few days of life, only few such cases have been reported in literature. We are presenting here a male neonate of Prune Belly syndrome associated with incomplete VACTERL with brief review of literature.

Bioinspired onion epithelium-like structure promotes the maturation of cardiomyocytes derived from human pluripotent stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Cong; Wang, Li; Yu, Yue; Yin, Fangchao; Zhang, Xiaoqing; Jiang, Lei; Qin, Jianhua

2017-08-22

Organized cardiomyocyte alignment is critical to maintain the mechanical properties of the heart. In this study, we present a new and simple strategy to fabricate a biomimetic microchip designed with an onion epithelium-like structure and investigate the guided behavior of human induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) on the substrate. The hiPSC-CMs were observed to be confined by the three dimensional surficial features morphologically, analogous to the in vivo microenvironment, and exhibited an organized anisotropic alignment on the onion epithelium-like structure with good beating function. The calcium imaging of hiPSC-CMs demonstrated a more mature Ca 2+ spark pattern as well. Furthermore, the expression of sarcomere genes (TNNI3, MYH6 and MYH7), potassium channel genes (KCNE1 and KCNH2), and calcium channel genes (RYR2) was significantly up-regulated on the substrate with an onion epithelium-like structure instead of the surface without the structure, indicating a more matured status of cardiomyocytes induced by this structure. It appears that the biomimetic micropatterned structure, analogous to in vivo cellular organization, is an important factor that might promote the maturation of hiPSC-CMs, providing new biological insights to guide hiPSC-CM maturation by biophysical factors. The established approach may offer an effective in vitro model for investigating cardiomyocyte differentiation, maturation and tissue engineering applications.

Plural Form in Franchising: An Incomplete Contracting Approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

G.W.J. Hendrikse (George); T. Jiang (Tao)

2005-01-01

textabstractPlural form franchising is modeled from an incomplete contracting perspective. Complete franchising is the unique, efficient governance structure only when the plural form externality is limited and the costs of investment are low for both franchisees. Governance structure choice is

Microbeam Radiation-Induced Tissue Damage Depends on the Stage of Vascular Maturation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabatasso, Sara; Laissue, Jean Albert; Hlushchuk, Ruslan; Graber, Werner; Bravin, Alberto; Braeuer-Krisch, Elke; Corde, Stephanie; Blattmann, Hans; Gruber, Guenther; Djonov, Valentin

2011-01-01

Purpose: To explore the effects of microbeam radiation (MR) on vascular biology, we used the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model of an almost pure vascular system with immature vessels (lacking periendothelial coverage) at Day 8 and mature vessels (with coverage) at Day 12 of development. Methods and Materials: CAMs were irradiated with microplanar beams (width, ∼25 μm; interbeam spacing, ∼200 μm) at entrance doses of 200 or 300 Gy and, for comparison, with a broad beam (seamless radiation [SLR]), with entrance doses of 5 to 40 Gy. Results: In vivo monitoring of Day-8 CAM vasculature 6 h after 200 Gy MR revealed a near total destruction of the immature capillary plexus. Conversely, 200 Gy MR barely affected Day-12 CAM mature microvasculature. Morphological evaluation of Day-12 CAMs after the dose was increased to 300 Gy revealed opened interendothelial junctions, which could explain the transient mesenchymal edema immediately after irradiation. Electron micrographs revealed cytoplasmic vacuolization of endothelial cells in the beam path, with disrupted luminal surfaces; often the lumen was engorged with erythrocytes and leukocytes. After 30 min, the capillary plexus adopted a striated metronomic pattern, with alternating destroyed and intact zones, corresponding to the beam and the interbeam paths within the array. SLR at a dose of 10 Gy caused growth retardation, resulting in a remarkable reduction in the vascular endpoint density 24 h postirradiation. A dose of 40 Gy damaged the entire CAM vasculature. Conclusions: The effects of MR are mediated by capillary damage, with tissue injury caused by insufficient blood supply. Vascular toxicity and physiological effects of MR depend on the stage of capillary maturation and appear in the first 15 to 60 min after irradiation. Conversely, the effects of SLR, due to the arrest of cell proliferation, persist for a longer time.

The types and genetic analysis of radiation induced early maturity mutants of rice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Hefeng; Chen Xiulan; He Zhengtian; Gu Shiliang; Xu Chenwu

1989-01-01

Observation and correlation analysis were made for 50 early mutant lines,The early mutant lines fall into late type of early-maturity rice, and early type of mid- maturity rice, some of which are valuable as materials of rice breeding.With shorter growing period, the mutants have less inter-nodes and leaf numbers on main culm, shorter leaf and panicle length, and less filled grains and yield per plant, but have higher Protein content.Among 20 traits observed, 7 were significantly correlated with the length of growing period.The genetic parameter analysis for the mutant lines indicates that the length of growing period, plant height, grain number per panicle, 1000-grain weight have high heritability, Non-filled grain rate, secondary branch, number of panicle, grain number per panicle have larger genetic coefficient of variation and larger gain of selection

Low energy incomplete fusion and its relevance to the synthesis of super heavy elements

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Yadav Abhishek

2015-01-01

Full Text Available To study the presence of incomplete fusion at energies around the Coulomb-barrier and to understand its dependence on various entrance-channel parameters, the incomplete fusion fractions have been deduced (i from excitation function measurements for 18O,13,12C+159Tb, and (ii from forward recoil range measurements for 12C+159Tb systems, at low energies (<7MeV/A. The data have been analyzed within the framework of compound nucleus decay, which suggests the production of xn/pxn-channels via complete fusion, as these are found to be well reproduced by PACE4 predictions, while, a significant enhancement in the excitation functions of α-emitting channels has been observed over the theoretical ones, which has been attributed due to the incomplete fusion processes. Further, the incomplete fusion events observed in case of forward recoil ranges have been explained on the basis of the breakup fusion model, where these events may be attributed to the fusion of 8Be and/or 4He from 12C projectile to the target nucleus. For better insight into the underlying dynamics, the deduced fractions of incomplete fusion have been compared with other nearby systems as a function of various entrance channel parameters. The incomplete fusion has been found to be sensitive to the projectile’s energy and alpha-Q-value of the projectile.

K-Nearest Neighbor Intervals Based AP Clustering Algorithm for Large Incomplete Data

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Cheng Lu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The Affinity Propagation (AP algorithm is an effective algorithm for clustering analysis, but it can not be directly applicable to the case of incomplete data. In view of the prevalence of missing data and the uncertainty of missing attributes, we put forward a modified AP clustering algorithm based on K-nearest neighbor intervals (KNNI for incomplete data. Based on an Improved Partial Data Strategy, the proposed algorithm estimates the KNNI representation of missing attributes by using the attribute distribution information of the available data. The similarity function can be changed by dealing with the interval data. Then the improved AP algorithm can be applicable to the case of incomplete data. Experiments on several UCI datasets show that the proposed algorithm achieves impressive clustering results.

Gamma rays role in the improvement of yield and early maturity in soybean

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moualla, M Y; Ali, N M [Atomic Energy Commission, P.O.Box 6091, Damascus (Syrian Arab Republic)

1995-10-01

Seeds from soybean variety glycine max (L) Merr., were irradiated with three doses of gamma rays: 100, 150 and 200 Gray in order to obtain high yielding and early maturity mutants to grown after wheat in a two crop rotation. All the three doses induced morphological and physiological variation and malformation that increased with increasing the dose. Coefficient of variation values were higher in M2 than in their respective values of M3. The results showed no selection efficiency under the non optimal environmental growing conditions with this lack of efficiency being more evident for yield than for early maturity. Using FTAB statistical programme 20 M2 and M3 plant were selected for each character and when evaluated in the following generation, it was clear that selection efficiency was higher for early maturity than for yield; the latter being high yielding and 4 early maturing m 4 mutants were obtained. 3 tabs.

Gamma rays role in the improvement of yield and early maturity in soybean

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moualla, M.Y.; Ali, N.M.

1995-01-01

Seeds from soybean variety glycine max (L) Merr., were irradiated with three doses of gamma rays: 100, 150 and 200 Gray in order to obtain high yielding and early maturity mutants to grown after wheat in a two crop rotation. All the three doses induced morphological and physiological variation and malformation that increased with increasing the dose. Coefficient of variation values were higher in M2 than in their respective values of M3. The results showed no selection efficiency under the non optimal environmental growing conditions with this lack of efficiency being more evident for yield than for early maturity. Using FTAB statistical programme 20 M2 and M3 plant were selected for each character and when evaluated in the following generation, it was clear that selection efficiency was higher for early maturity than for yield; the latter being high yielding and 4 early maturing m 4 mutants were obtained. 3 tabs

Engineering adolescence: maturation of human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xiulan; Pabon, Lil; Murry, Charles E

2014-01-31

The discovery of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including both human embryonic stem cells and human-induced pluripotent stem cells, has opened up novel paths for a wide range of scientific studies. The capability to direct the differentiation of hPSCs into functional cardiomyocytes has provided a platform for regenerative medicine, development, tissue engineering, disease modeling, and drug toxicity testing. Despite exciting progress, achieving the optimal benefits has been hampered by the immature nature of these cardiomyocytes. Cardiac maturation has long been studied in vivo using animal models; however, finding ways to mature hPSC cardiomyocytes is only in its initial stages. In this review, we discuss progress in promoting the maturation of the hPSC cardiomyocytes, in the context of our current knowledge of developmental cardiac maturation and in relation to in vitro model systems such as rodent ventricular myocytes. Promising approaches that have begun to be examined in hPSC cardiomyocytes include long-term culturing, 3-dimensional tissue engineering, mechanical loading, electric stimulation, modulation of substrate stiffness, and treatment with neurohormonal factors. Future studies will benefit from the combinatorial use of different approaches that more closely mimic nature's diverse cues, which may result in broader changes in structure, function, and therapeutic applicability.

The Devil Is in the Details: Incomplete Reporting in Preclinical Animal Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Avey, Marc T; Moher, David; Sullivan, Katrina J; Fergusson, Dean; Griffin, Gilly; Grimshaw, Jeremy M; Hutton, Brian; Lalu, Manoj M; Macleod, Malcolm; Marshall, John; Mei, Shirley H J; Rudnicki, Michael; Stewart, Duncan J; Turgeon, Alexis F; McIntyre, Lauralyn

2016-01-01

Incomplete reporting of study methods and results has become a focal point for failures in the reproducibility and translation of findings from preclinical research. Here we demonstrate that incomplete reporting of preclinical research is not limited to a few elements of research design, but rather is a broader problem that extends to the reporting of the methods and results. We evaluated 47 preclinical research studies from a systematic review of acute lung injury that use mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as a treatment. We operationalized the ARRIVE (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) reporting guidelines for pre-clinical studies into 109 discrete reporting sub-items and extracted 5,123 data elements. Overall, studies reported less than half (47%) of all sub-items (median 51 items; range 37-64). Across all studies, the Methods Section reported less than half (45%) and the Results Section reported less than a third (29%). There was no association between journal impact factor and completeness of reporting, which suggests that incomplete reporting of preclinical research occurs across all journals regardless of their perceived prestige. Incomplete reporting of methods and results will impede attempts to replicate research findings and maximize the value of preclinical studies.

A fragment of alpha-actinin promotes monocyte/macrophage maturation in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Luikart, S; Wahl, D; Hinkel, T; Masri, M; Oegema, T

1999-02-01

Conditioned media (CM) from cultures of HL-60 myeloid leukemia cells grown on extracellular bone marrow matrix contains a factor that induces macrophage-like maturation of HL-60 cells. This factor was purified from the CM of HL-60 cells grown on bone marrow stroma by ammonium sulfate precipitation, then sequential chromatography on DEAE, affi-gel blue affinity, gel exclusion, and wheat germ affinity columns, followed by C-4 reverse phase HPLC, and SDS-PAGE. The maturation promoting activity of the CM was identified in a single 31 kD protein. Amino acid sequence analysis of four internal tryptic peptides of this protein confirmed significant homology with amino acid residues 48-60, 138-147, 215-220, and 221-236 of human cytoskeletal alpha-actinin. An immunoaffinity purified rabbit polyclonal anti-chicken alpha-actinin inhibited the activity of HL-60 conditioned media. A 27 kD amino-terminal fragment of alpha-actinin produced by thermolysin digestion of chicken gizzard alpha-actinin, but not intact alpha-actinin, had maturation promoting activity on several cell types, including blood monocytes, as measured by lysozyme secretion and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining. We conclude that an extracellular alpha-actinin fragment can promote monocyte/macrophage maturation. This represents the first example of a fragment of a cytoskeletal component, which may be released during tissue remodeling and repair, playing a role in phagocyte maturation.

Using incomplete citation data for MEDLINE results ranking.

Science.gov (United States)

Herskovic, Jorge R; Bernstam, Elmer V

2005-01-01

Information overload is a significant problem for modern medicine. Searching MEDLINE for common topics often retrieves more relevant documents than users can review. Therefore, we must identify documents that are not only relevant, but also important. Our system ranks articles using citation counts and the PageRank algorithm, incorporating data from the Science Citation Index. However, citation data is usually incomplete. Therefore, we explore the relationship between the quantity of citation information available to the system and the quality of the result ranking. Specifically, we test the ability of citation count and PageRank to identify "important articles" as defined by experts from large result sets with decreasing citation information. We found that PageRank performs better than simple citation counts, but both algorithms are surprisingly robust to information loss. We conclude that even an incomplete citation database is likely to be effective for importance ranking.

Pricing the Option to Surrender in Incomplete Markets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Consiglio, Andrea; De Giovanni, Domenico

New international accounting standards require insurers to reflect the value of embedded options and guarantees in their products. Pricing techniques based on the Black & Scholes paradigm are often used, however, the hypotheses underneath this model are rarely met. We propose a framework that enc......New international accounting standards require insurers to reflect the value of embedded options and guarantees in their products. Pricing techniques based on the Black & Scholes paradigm are often used, however, the hypotheses underneath this model are rarely met. We propose a framework...... that encompasses the most known sources of incompleteness. We show that the surrender option, joined with a wide range of claims embedded in insurance contracts, can be priced through our tool, and deliver hedging portfolios to mitigate the risk arising from their positions. We provide extensive empirical analysis...... to highlight the effect of incompleteness on the fair value of the option....

Correlation of Improved Version of Cervical Vertebral Maturation Indicator with Other Growth Maturity Indicators

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Tripti Tikku

2013-01-01

Conclusion: The correlation between middle phalanx of 3rd finger (MP3 and cervical vertebral maturation method (CVMI and CVMS was higher as compared to the correlation of either of the cervical vertebral maturation method or MP3 with dental maturation indicator.

Learning an operant conditioning task differentially induces gliogenesis in the medial prefrontal cortex and neurogenesis in the hippocampus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maximiliano Rapanelli

Full Text Available Circuit modification associated with learning and memory involves multiple events, including the addition and remotion of newborn cells trough adulthood. Adult neurogenesis and gliogenesis were mainly described in models of voluntary exercise, enriched environments, spatial learning and memory task; nevertheless, it is unknown whether it is a common mechanism among different learning paradigms, like reward dependent tasks. Therefore, we evaluated cell proliferation, neurogenesis, astrogliogenesis, survival and neuronal maturation in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC and the hippocampus (HIPP during learning an operant conditioning task. This was performed by using endogenous markers of cell proliferation, and a bromodeoxiuridine (BrdU injection schedule in two different phases of learning. Learning an operant conditioning is divided in two phases: a first phase when animals were considered incompletely trained (IT, animals that were learning the task when they performed between 50% and 65% of the responses, and a second phase when animals were considered trained (Tr, animals that completely learned the task when they reached 100% of the responses with a latency time lower than 5 seconds. We found that learning an operant conditioning task promoted cell proliferation in both phases of learning in the mPFC and HIPP. Additionally, the results presented showed that astrogliogenesis was induced in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC in both phases, however, the first phase promoted survival of these new born astrocytes. On the other hand, an increased number of new born immature neurons was observed in the HIPP only in the first phase of learning, whereas, decreased values were observed in the second phase. Finally, we found that neuronal maturation was induced only during the first phase. This study shows for the first time that learning a reward-dependent task, like the operant conditioning, promotes neurogenesis, astrogliogenesis, survival and

Developing maturity grids for assessing organisational capabilities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maier, Anja; Moultrie, James; Clarkson, P John

2009-01-01

Keyword: Maturity Model,Maturity Grid,Maturity Matrix,Organisational Capabilities,Benchmarking,New Product Development,Perfirmance Assessment......Keyword: Maturity Model,Maturity Grid,Maturity Matrix,Organisational Capabilities,Benchmarking,New Product Development,Perfirmance Assessment...

Derivatives of the Incomplete Beta Function

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert J. Boik

1998-03-01

Full Text Available The incomplete beta function is defined as where Beta(p, q is the beta function. Dutka (1981 gave a history of the development and numerical evaluation of this function. In this article, an algorithm for computing first and second derivatives of Ix,p,q with respect to p and q is described. The algorithm is useful, for example, when fitting parameters to a censored beta, truncated beta, or a truncated beta-binomial model.

TWEAK induces liver progenitor cell proliferation

Science.gov (United States)

Jakubowski, Aniela; Ambrose, Christine; Parr, Michael; Lincecum, John M.; Wang, Monica Z.; Zheng, Timothy S.; Browning, Beth; Michaelson, Jennifer S.; Baestcher, Manfred; Wang, Bruce; Bissell, D. Montgomery; Burkly, Linda C.

2005-01-01

Progenitor (“oval”) cell expansion accompanies many forms of liver injury, including alcohol toxicity and submassive parenchymal necrosis as well as experimental injury models featuring blocked hepatocyte replication. Oval cells can potentially become either hepatocytes or biliary epithelial cells and may be critical to liver regeneration, particularly when hepatocyte replication is impaired. The regulation of oval cell proliferation is incompletely understood. Herein we present evidence that a TNF family member called TWEAK (TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis) stimulates oval cell proliferation in mouse liver through its receptor Fn14. TWEAK has no effect on mature hepatocytes and thus appears to be selective for oval cells. Transgenic mice overexpressing TWEAK in hepatocytes exhibit periportal oval cell hyperplasia. A similar phenotype was obtained in adult wild-type mice, but not Fn14-null mice, by administering TWEAK-expressing adenovirus. Oval cell expansion induced by 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC) was significantly reduced in Fn14-null mice as well as in adult wild-type mice with a blocking anti-TWEAK mAb. Importantly, TWEAK stimulated the proliferation of an oval cell culture model. Finally, we show increased Fn14 expression in chronic hepatitis C and other human liver diseases relative to its expression in normal liver, which suggests a role for the TWEAK/Fn14 pathway in human liver injury. We conclude that TWEAK has a selective mitogenic effect for liver oval cells that distinguishes it from other previously described growth factors. PMID:16110324

Problem of unstable pivots in the incomplete LU-conjugate gradient method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kershaw, D.S.

1978-01-01

Incomplete LU and incomplete-Cholesky conjugate gradient methods are becoming widely used in both laser and magnetic fusion research. In my original presentation of these methods, the problem of what to do if a pivot [L/sub ii/U/sub ii/) becomes very small or zero was raised and only partially answered by the suggestion that it be arbitrarily set to some non-zero value. In what follows it will be shown precisely how small the pivot can become before it must be fixed and precisely what value it should be set to in order to minimize the error in LU. Numerical examples will be given to show that not only does this prescription improve incomplete LU-conjugate gradient methods , but exact LU decomposition carried out with this prescription for handling small pivots and followed by a few linear or conjugate gradient iterations can be much faster than the permutations of rows and columns usually employed to circumvent small pivot problems

On the Pricing of Options in Incomplete Markets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Melenberg, B.; Werker, B.J.M.

1996-01-01

In this paper we reconsider the pricing of options in incomplete continuous time markets.We first discuss option pricing with idiosyncratic stochastic volatility.This leads, of course, to an averaged Black-Scholes price formula.Our proof of this result uses a new formalization of idiosyncraticy

Endogenous laminin is required for human airway smooth muscle cell maturation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tran Thai

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Airway smooth muscle (ASM contraction underlies acute bronchospasm in asthma. ASM cells can switch between a synthetic-proliferative phenotype and a contractile phenotype. While the effects of extracellular matrix (ECM components on modulation of ASM cells to a synthetic phenotype have been reported, the role of ECM components on maturation of ASM cells to a contractile phenotype in adult lung is unclear. As both changes in ECM components and accumulation of contractile ASM are features of airway wall remodelling in asthma, we examined the role of the ECM protein, laminin, in the maturation of contractile phenotype in human ASM cells. Methods Human ASM cells were made senescence-resistant by stable expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase. Maturation to a contractile phenotype was induced by 7-day serum deprivation, as assessed by immunoblotting for desmin and calponin. The role of laminin on ASM maturation was investigated by comparing the effects of exogenous laminin coated on culture plates, and of soluble laminin peptide competitors. Endogenous expression of laminin chains during ASM maturation was also measured. Results Myocyte binding to endogenously expressed laminin was required for ASM phenotype maturation, as laminin competing peptides (YIGSR or GRGDSP significantly reduced desmin and calponin protein accumulation that otherwise occurs with prolonged serum deprivation. Coating of plastic cell culture dishes with different purified laminin preparations was not sufficient to further promote accumulation of desmin or calponin during 7-day serum deprivation. Expression of α2, β1 and γ1 laminin chains by ASM cells was specifically up-regulated during myocyte maturation, suggesting a key role for laminin-2 in the development of the contractile phenotype. Conclusion While earlier reports suggest exogenously applied laminin slows the spontaneous modulation of ASM to a synthetic phenotype, we show for the

People Capability Maturity Model. SM.

Science.gov (United States)

1995-09-01

tailored so it consumes less time and resources than a traditional software process assessment or CMU/SEI-95-MM-02 People Capability Maturity Model...improved reputation or customer loyalty. CMU/SEI-95-MM-02 People Capability Maturity Model ■ L5-17 Coaching Level 5: Optimizing Activity 1...Maturity Model CMU/SEI-95-MM-62 Carnegie-Mellon University Software Engineering Institute DTIC ELECTE OCT 2 7 1995 People Capability Maturity

Experimental validation of incomplete data CT image reconstruction techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eberhard, J.W.; Hsiao, M.L.; Tam, K.C.

1989-01-01

X-ray CT inspection of large metal parts is often limited by x-ray penetration problems along many of the ray paths required for a complete CT data set. In addition, because of the complex geometry of many industrial parts, manipulation difficulties often prevent scanning over some range of angles. CT images reconstructed from these incomplete data sets contain a variety of artifacts which limit their usefulness in part quality determination. Over the past several years, the authors' company has developed 2 new methods of incorporating a priori information about the parts under inspection to significantly improve incomplete data CT image quality. This work reviews the methods which were developed and presents experimental results which confirm the effectiveness of the techniques. The new methods for dealing with incomplete CT data sets rely on a priori information from part blueprints (in electronic form), outer boundary information from touch sensors, estimates of part outer boundaries from available x-ray data, and linear x-ray attenuation coefficients of the part. The two methods make use of this information in different fashions. The relative performance of the two methods in detecting various flaw types is compared. Methods for accurately registering a priori information with x-ray data are also described. These results are critical to a new industrial x-ray inspection cell built for inspection of large aircraft engine parts

Group prioritisation with unknown expert weights in incomplete linguistic context

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Dong; Cheng, Faxin; Zhou, Zhili; Wang, Juan

2017-09-01

In this paper, we study a group prioritisation problem in situations when the expert weights are completely unknown and their judgement preferences are linguistic and incomplete. Starting from the theory of relative entropy (RE) and multiplicative consistency, an optimisation model is provided for deriving an individual priority vector without estimating the missing value(s) of an incomplete linguistic preference relation. In order to address the unknown expert weights in the group aggregating process, we define two new kinds of expert weight indicators based on RE: proximity entropy weight and similarity entropy weight. Furthermore, a dynamic-adjusting algorithm (DAA) is proposed to obtain an objective expert weight vector and capture the dynamic properties involved in it. Unlike the extant literature of group prioritisation, the proposed RE approach does not require pre-allocation of expert weights and can solve incomplete preference relations. An interesting finding is that once all the experts express their preference relations, the final expert weight vector derived from the DAA is fixed irrespective of the initial settings of expert weights. Finally, an application example is conducted to validate the effectiveness and robustness of the RE approach.

Contractual Efficiency of PPP Infrastructure Projects: An Incomplete Contract Model

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Lei Shi

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This study analyses the contractual efficiency of public-private partnership (PPP infrastructure projects, with a focus on two financial aspects: the nonrecourse principal and incompleteness of debt contracts. The nonrecourse principal releases the sponsoring companies from the debt contract when the special purpose vehicle (SPV established by the sponsoring companies falls into default. Consequently, all obligations under the debt contract are limited to the liability of the SPV following its default. Because the debt contract is incomplete, a renegotiation of an additional loan between the bank and the SPV might occur to enable project continuation or liquidation, which in turn influences the SPV’s ex ante strategies (moral hazard. Considering these two financial features of PPP infrastructure projects, this study develops an incomplete contract model to investigate how the renegotiation triggers ex ante moral hazard and ex post inefficient liquidation. We derive equilibrium strategies under service fees endogenously determined via bidding and examine the effect of equilibrium strategies on contractual efficiency. Finally, we propose an optimal combination of a performance guarantee, the government’s termination right, and a service fee to improve the contractual efficiency of PPP infrastructure projects.

Hydatidiform moles among patients with incomplete abortion in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SHS

ated risk factors of HM among patients with incomplete abortion evacuated at Bugando Medical ... Konje E, Massinde A, Rambau P. Hydatidiform moles among patients with ... countries (North America, Australia, New Zealand and ... missed as the cause of abortion. .... and duration of cigarette smoking could not be elicited.

Suction v. conventional curettage in incomplete abortion A ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This randomised controlled trial of 357 patients who had had an incomplete abortion compared suction curettage with conventional curettage for evacuation ofthe uterus. The 179 patients undergoing suction curettage had a significantly lower intra-operative blood loss (P < 0,0001) and a significantly higher mean ...

Management of incomplete abortion in South African public hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, H C; Jewkes, R; Levin, J; Dickson-Tetteh, K; Rees, H

2003-04-01

To describe the current management of incomplete abortion in South African public hospitals and to discuss the extent to which management is clinically appropriate. A multicentre, prospective descriptive study. South African public hospitals that manage gynaecological emergencies. Hospitals were selected using a stratified random sampling method. All women who presented to the above sampled hospitals with incomplete abortion during the three week data collection period in 2000 were included. A data collection sheet was completed at the time of discharge for each woman admitted with a diagnosis of incomplete, complete, missed or inevitable abortion during the study period. Information gathered included demographic data, clinical signs and symptoms at admission, medical management, surgical management, anaestetic management, use of blood products and antibiotics and complications. Three clinical severity categories were used for the purpose of data analysis and interpretation. Detail of medical management, detail of surgical management, use of blood products and antibiotics, methods of analgesia and anaesthesia used, and use of abortifacients. There is a trend towards low cost technology such as the use of manual vacuum aspiration and sedation anaesthesia; however, this is mainly limited to the better resourced tertiary hospitals linked to academic units. The use of antibiotics and blood products has decreased but much of the use is inappropriate. The use of abortifacients does include some use of misoprostol but merely as an adjunct to surgical evacuation. The management of incomplete abortion remains a problem in South Africa, a low income country that is still managing a common clinical problem with costly interventions. The evidence of a trend towards low cost technology is promising, albeit limited to tertiary centres. This study has given us information as how to best address this problem. More training in low cost methods is needed, targeting in particular the

Intracytoplasmic maturation of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcription complexes determines their capacity to integrate into chromatin

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Kashanchi Fatah

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The early events of the HIV-1 life cycle include entry of the viral core into target cell, assembly of the reverse transcription complex (RTCs performing reverse transcription, its transformation into integration-competent complexes called pre-integration complexes (PICs, trafficking of complexes into the nucleus, and finally integration of the viral DNA into chromatin. Molecular details and temporal organization of these processes remain among the least investigated and most controversial problems in the biology of HIV. Results To quantitatively evaluate maturation and nuclear translocation of the HIV-1 RTCs, nucleoprotein complexes isolated from the nucleus (nRTC and cytoplasm (cRTC of HeLa cells infected with MLV Env-pseudotyped HIV-1 were analyzed by real-time PCR. While most complexes completed reverse transcription in the cytoplasm, some got into the nucleus before completing DNA synthesis. The HIV-specific RNA complexes could get into the nucleus when reverse transcription was blocked by reverse transcriptase inhibitor, although nuclear import of RNA complexes was less efficient than of DNA-containing RTCs. Analysis of the RTC nuclear import in synchronized cells infected in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle showed enrichment in the nuclei of RTCs containing incomplete HIV-1 DNA compared to non-synchronized cells, where RTCs with complete reverse transcripts prevailed. Immunoprecipitation assays identified viral proteins IN, Vpr, MA, and cellular Ini1 and PML associated with both cRTCs and nRTCs, whereas CA was detected only in cRTCs and RT was diminished in nRTCs. Cytoplasmic maturation of the complexes was associated with increased immunoreactivity with anti-Vpr and anti-IN antibodies, and decreased reactivity with antibodies to RT. Both cRTCs and nRTCs carried out endogenous reverse transcription reaction in vitro. In contrast to cRTCs, in vitro completion of reverse transcription in nRTCs did not increase their

IT Governance Maturity: Developing a Maturity Model Using the Delphi Method

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smits, Daniël; van Hillegersberg, Jos

2015-01-01

To advance in maturity, organizations should pay attention to both the hard and soft sides of IT governance (ITG). The hard side is related to processes and structure, the soft side to social aspects like behavior and organizational culture. This paper describes a study to develop an ITG maturity

Low-energy nuclear reaction of the 14N+169Tm system: Incomplete fusion

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, R.; Sharma, Vijay R.; Yadav, Abhishek; Singh, Pushpendra P.; Agarwal, Avinash; Appannababu, S.; Mukherjee, S.; Singh, B. P.; Ali, R.; Bhowmik, R. K.

2017-11-01

Excitation functions of reaction residues produced in the 14N+169Tm system have been measured to high precision at energies above the fusion barrier, ranging from 1.04 VB to 1.30 VB , and analyzed in the framework of the statistical model code pace4. Analysis of α -emitting channels points toward the onset of incomplete fusion even at slightly above-barrier energies where complete fusion is supposed to be one of the dominant processes. The onset and strength of incomplete fusion have been deduced and studied in terms of various entrance channel parameters. Present results together with the reanalysis of existing data for various projectile-target combinations conclusively suggest strong influence of projectile structure on the onset of incomplete fusion. Also, a strong dependence on the Coulomb effect (ZPZT) has been observed for the present system along with different projectile-target combinations available in the literature. It is concluded that the fraction of incomplete fusion linearly increases with ZPZT and is found to be more for larger ZPZT values, indicating significantly important linear systematics.

Hypothalamic ER–associated degradation regulates POMC maturation, feeding, and age-associated obesity

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Geun Hyang; Somlo, Diane R.M.; Haataja, Leena; Song, Soobin; Nillni, Eduardo A.

2018-01-01

Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons function as key regulators of metabolism and physiology by releasing prohormone-derived neuropeptides with distinct biological activities. However, our understanding of early events in prohormone maturation in the ER remains incomplete. Highlighting the significance of this gap in knowledge, a single POMC cysteine-to-phenylalanine mutation at position 28 (POMC-C28F) is defective for ER processing and causes early onset obesity in a dominant-negative manner in humans through an unclear mechanism. Here, we report a pathologically important role of Sel1L-Hrd1, the protein complex of ER-associated degradation (ERAD), within POMC neurons. Mice with POMC neuron–specific Sel1L deficiency developed age-associated obesity due, at least in part, to the ER retention of POMC that led to hyperphagia. The Sel1L-Hrd1 complex targets a fraction of nascent POMC molecules for ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation, preventing accumulation of misfolded and aggregated POMC, thereby ensuring that another fraction of POMC can undergo normal posttranslational processing and trafficking for secretion. Moreover, we found that the disease-associated POMC-C28F mutant evades ERAD and becomes aggregated due to the presence of a highly reactive unpaired cysteine thiol at position 50. Thus, this study not only identifies ERAD as an important mechanism regulating POMC maturation within the ER, but also provides insights into the pathogenesis of monogenic obesity associated with defective prohormone folding. PMID:29457782

MiR-338-3p regulates neuronal maturation and suppresses glioblastoma proliferation.

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James R Howe

Full Text Available Neurogenesis is a highly-regulated process occurring in the dentate gyrus that has been linked to learning, memory, and antidepressant efficacy. MicroRNAs (miRNAs have been previously shown to play an important role in the regulation of neuronal development and neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus via modulation of gene expression. However, this mode of regulation is both incompletely described in the literature thus far and highly multifactorial. In this study, we designed sensors and detected relative levels of expression of 10 different miRNAs and found miR-338-3p was most highly expressed in the dentate gyrus. Comparison of miR-338-3p expression with neuronal markers of maturity indicates miR-338-3p is expressed most highly in the mature neuron. We also designed a viral "sponge" to knock down in vivo expression of miR-338-3p. When miR-338-3p is knocked down, neurons sprout multiple primary dendrites that branch off of the soma in a disorganized manner, cellular proliferation is upregulated, and neoplasms form spontaneously in vivo. Additionally, miR-338-3p overexpression in glioblastoma cell lines slows their proliferation in vitro. Further, low miR-338-3p expression is associated with increased mortality and disease progression in patients with glioblastoma. These data identify miR-338-3p as a clinically relevant tumor suppressor in glioblastoma.

Achieving a complete colonic evaluation in patients with incomplete colonoscopy is worth the effort.

Science.gov (United States)

Ridolfi, Timothy J; Valente, Michael A; Church, James M

2014-03-01

Patients with an incomplete colonoscopy are potentially at risk for missed lesions. The purpose of this work was to identify the percentage of patients completing colonic evaluation after incomplete colonoscopy, the manner in which the evaluation was completed, and the incidence of significant pathology. This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. The study was conducted in an outpatient colonoscopy clinic in the colorectal surgery department of a tertiary referral center. Patients included those undergoing incomplete colonoscopy from a database of 25,645 colonoscopies performed from 1982 to 2009. Procedures aimed at completing colorectal evaluation were included in the study. Reason for incompletion, secondary study, its success, and findings were measured. A total of 242 patients with incomplete colonoscopies were identified; 166 (69%) were women. The average age of patients was 59 years. Most frequent causes for incomplete colonoscopy were inadequate preparation (34%), pain (30%), and tortuosity (20%). The scope could not pass the splenic flexure in 165 patients (71%). A total of 218 patients (90%) were offered completion studies, and 179 patients (82%) complied. Seventy-three of 82 patients who had a surveillance colonoscopy had a follow-up (89%), compared with 72 (87%) of 83 with symptoms and 40 (74%) of 54 who had a screening. Barium enema (BE) was performed in 74 (41%), repeat colonoscopy in 71 (40%), CT colonography in 17 (9%), and colonoscopy under general anesthesia in 9 patients (5%). Resection with intraoperative/perioperative colonoscopy was required in 8 patients (4%). Repeat colonoscopy found 32 lesions (24 tubular adenomas, 4 tubulovillous adenomas, and 4 sessile serrated polyps) in 17 patients (24%). Radiology demonstrated new abnormalities in 11 (12%) of 91 patients, prompting 7 colonoscopies. In 3 patients, colonoscopy showed an inverted appendix, a tubulovillous adenoma, and a sigmoid stricture. Overall, clinically

Incomplete dicephalous conjoined twins: prenatal US and MRI findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salvador, Diego; Ruata, Maria I.; Ruiz Lascano, Diogenes; Travella, Claudio; Tinti, Maria E.

2002-01-01

The authors report a case of incomplete dicephali conjoined twins, with prenatal diagnostic by ultrasound scan and confirmed with nuclear magnetic resonance. In this case the fetus presented two complete heads and necks, two parallel columns up to the coccyx, one single body, two complete arms and two complete legs. Thorax and abdominal organs were not double, however the heart had more than four cavities. This abnormality appears when the zygote division happens after the day 14 from fertilization and it is unable to cause the fission, resulting in an incomplete division. This kind of conjoined twins have practically no chance of surviving, due to the large number of shared organs. The prenatal diagnosis is important to separate these cases from those with a chance of living with surgical intervention. (author)

Incomplete nonextensive statistics and the zeroth law of thermodynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Zhi-Fu; Ou Cong-Jie; Chen Jin-Can

2013-01-01

On the basis of the entropy of incomplete statistics (IS) and the joint probability factorization condition, two controversial problems existing in IS are investigated: one is what expression of the internal energy is reasonable for a composite system and the other is whether the traditional zeroth law of thermodynamics is suitable for IS. Some new equivalent expressions of the internal energy of a composite system are derived through accurate mathematical calculation. Moreover, a self-consistent calculation is used to expound that the zeroth law of thermodynamics is also suitable for IS, but it cannot be proven theoretically. Finally, it is pointed out that the generalized zeroth law of thermodynamics for incomplete nonextensive statistics is unnecessary and the nonextensive assumptions for the composite internal energy will lead to mathematical contradiction. (general)

MatureBayes: a probabilistic algorithm for identifying the mature miRNA within novel precursors.

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Katerina Gkirtzou

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs are small, single stranded RNAs with a key role in post-transcriptional regulation of thousands of genes across numerous species. While several computational methods are currently available for identifying miRNA genes, accurate prediction of the mature miRNA remains a challenge. Existing approaches fall short in predicting the location of mature miRNAs but also in finding the functional strand(s of miRNA precursors. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we present a computational tool that incorporates a Naive Bayes classifier to identify mature miRNA candidates based on sequence and secondary structure information of their miRNA precursors. We take into account both positive (true mature miRNAs and negative (same-size non-mature miRNA sequences examples to optimize sensitivity as well as specificity. Our method can accurately predict the start position of experimentally verified mature miRNAs for both human and mouse, achieving a significantly larger (often double performance accuracy compared with two existing methods. Moreover, the method exhibits a very high generalization performance on miRNAs from two other organisms. More importantly, our method provides direct evidence about the features of miRNA precursors which may determine the location of the mature miRNA. We find that the triplet of positions 7, 8 and 9 from the mature miRNA end towards the closest hairpin have the largest discriminatory power, are relatively conserved in terms of sequence composition (mostly contain a Uracil and are located within or in very close proximity to the hairpin loop, suggesting the existence of a possible recognition site for Dicer and associated proteins. CONCLUSIONS: This work describes a novel algorithm for identifying the start position of mature miRNA(s produced by miRNA precursors. Our tool has significantly better (often double performance than two existing approaches and provides new insights about the potential use

The Devil Is in the Details: Incomplete Reporting in Preclinical Animal Research.

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Marc T Avey

Full Text Available Incomplete reporting of study methods and results has become a focal point for failures in the reproducibility and translation of findings from preclinical research. Here we demonstrate that incomplete reporting of preclinical research is not limited to a few elements of research design, but rather is a broader problem that extends to the reporting of the methods and results. We evaluated 47 preclinical research studies from a systematic review of acute lung injury that use mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs as a treatment. We operationalized the ARRIVE (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments reporting guidelines for pre-clinical studies into 109 discrete reporting sub-items and extracted 5,123 data elements. Overall, studies reported less than half (47% of all sub-items (median 51 items; range 37-64. Across all studies, the Methods Section reported less than half (45% and the Results Section reported less than a third (29%. There was no association between journal impact factor and completeness of reporting, which suggests that incomplete reporting of preclinical research occurs across all journals regardless of their perceived prestige. Incomplete reporting of methods and results will impede attempts to replicate research findings and maximize the value of preclinical studies.

Clinical and Immunologic Profiles in Incomplete Lupus Erythematosus and Improvement with Hydroxychloroquine Treatment

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Nancy J. Olsen

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. The study goals were to evaluate performance of SLE classification criteria, to define patients with incomplete lupus erythematosus (ILE, and to probe for features in these patients that might be useful as indicators of disease status and hydroxychloroquine response. Methods. Patients with ILE (N=70 and SLE (N=32 defined by the 1997 American College of Rheumatology criteria were reclassified using the 2012 Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics criteria. Disease activity, patient reported outcomes, and levels of Type I interferon- (IFN- inducible genes, autoantibodies, and cytokines were measured. Subgroups treated with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ were compared to patients not on this drug. Results. The classification sets were correlated (R2=0.87. ILE patients were older (P=0.0043 with lower disease activity scores (P<0.001 and greater dissatisfaction with health status (P=0.034 than SLE patients. ILE was associated with lower levels of macrophage-derived cytokines and levels of expressed Type I IFN-inducible genes. Treatment of ILE with HCQ was associated with better self-reported health status scores and lower expression levels of Type I IFN-inducible genes than ILE patients not on HCQ. Conclusion. The 2012 SLICC SLE classification criteria will be useful to define ILE in trials. Patients with ILE have better health status and immune profiles when treated with HCQ.

Sufficient convergency conditions for an implicit class of incomplete factorization circuits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Artem'ev, V.K.

1984-01-01

The convergence for an implicit class of incomplete factorization circuits with peripheral compensation is theoretically investigated. The convergence theorem is indicated. Sufficiert conditions for the circuit parameters providing the convergence are obtained. The parameters selection may be program-realized, one parameter remaining free. For account of selection of this parameter the method convergence rate may be optimized. Numerical experiments and comparisons with other methods with model problems have shown the efficiency of incomplete factorization circuits. The method is applied for calculating reactors for the solution of hydrodynamic and thermal problems

Academic Achievement of High School Students in Relation to Their Anxiety, Emotional Maturity and Social Maturity

Science.gov (United States)

Puar, Surjit Singh

2013-01-01

The present study has been designed to investigate the non-cognitive variables like anxiety, emotional maturity and social maturity and their relationship with academic achievement and also to see the locale-wise differences on the basis of their anxiety, emotional maturity and social maturity. The study was conducted over a sample of 400 (200…

Leveraging People-Related Maturity Issues for Achieving Higher Maturity and Capability Levels

Science.gov (United States)

Buglione, Luigi

During the past 20 years Maturity Models (MM) become a buzzword in the ICT world. Since the initial Crosby's idea in 1979, plenty of models have been created in the Software & Systems Engineering domains, addressing various perspectives. By analyzing the content of the Process Reference Models (PRM) in many of them, it can be noticed that people-related issues have little weight in the appraisals of the capabilities of organizations while in practice they are considered as significant contributors in traditional process and organizational performance appraisals, as stressed instead in well-known Performance Management models such as MBQA, EFQM and BSC. This paper proposes some ways for leveraging people-related maturity issues merging HR practices from several types of maturity models into the organizational Business Process Model (BPM) in order to achieve higher organizational maturity and capability levels.

Hearing loss in enlarged vestibular aqueduct and incomplete partition type II.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahadizadeh, Emily; Ascha, Mustafa; Manzoor, Nauman; Gupta, Amit; Semaan, Maroun; Megerian, Cliff; Otteson, Todd

The purpose of this work is to identify the role of incomplete partition type II on hearing loss among patients with enlarged vestibular aqueduct (EVA). EVA is a common congenital inner ear malformation among children with hearing loss, where vestibular aqueduct morphology in this population has been shown to correlate to hearing loss. However, the impact of incomplete partition between cochlear turns on hearing loss has not been, despite meaningful implications for EVA pathophysiology. A retrospective review of radiology reports for patients who had computed tomography (CT) scans with diagnoses of hearing loss at a tertiary medical center between January 2000 and June 2016 were screened for EVA. CT scans of the internal auditory canal (IAC) for those patients with EVA were examined for evidence of incomplete partition type II (IP-II), measurements of midpoint width and operculum width a second time, and patients meeting Cincinnati criteria for EVA selected for analysis. Statistical analysis including chi-square, Wilcoxon rank-sum, and t-tests were used to identify differences in outcomes and clinical predictors, as appropriate for the distribution of the data. Linear mixed models of hearing test results for all available tests were constructed, both univariable and adjusting for vestibular aqueduct morphometric features, with ear-specific intercepts and slopes over time. There were no statistically significant differences in any hearing test results or vestibular aqueduct midpoint and operculum widths. Linear mixed models, both univariable and those adjusting for midpoint and operculum widths, did not indicate a statistically significant effect of incomplete partition type II on hearing test results. Hearing loss due to enlarged vestibular aqueduct does not appear to be affected by the presence of incomplete partition type II. Our results suggest that the pathophysiological processes underlying hearing loss in enlarged vestibular aqueduct may not be a result of

Building Chaotic Model From Incomplete Time Series

Science.gov (United States)

Siek, Michael; Solomatine, Dimitri

2010-05-01

This paper presents a number of novel techniques for building a predictive chaotic model from incomplete time series. A predictive chaotic model is built by reconstructing the time-delayed phase space from observed time series and the prediction is made by a global model or adaptive local models based on the dynamical neighbors found in the reconstructed phase space. In general, the building of any data-driven models depends on the completeness and quality of the data itself. However, the completeness of the data availability can not always be guaranteed since the measurement or data transmission is intermittently not working properly due to some reasons. We propose two main solutions dealing with incomplete time series: using imputing and non-imputing methods. For imputing methods, we utilized the interpolation methods (weighted sum of linear interpolations, Bayesian principle component analysis and cubic spline interpolation) and predictive models (neural network, kernel machine, chaotic model) for estimating the missing values. After imputing the missing values, the phase space reconstruction and chaotic model prediction are executed as a standard procedure. For non-imputing methods, we reconstructed the time-delayed phase space from observed time series with missing values. This reconstruction results in non-continuous trajectories. However, the local model prediction can still be made from the other dynamical neighbors reconstructed from non-missing values. We implemented and tested these methods to construct a chaotic model for predicting storm surges at Hoek van Holland as the entrance of Rotterdam Port. The hourly surge time series is available for duration of 1990-1996. For measuring the performance of the proposed methods, a synthetic time series with missing values generated by a particular random variable to the original (complete) time series is utilized. There exist two main performance measures used in this work: (1) error measures between the actual

Essays on incomplete contracts in regulatory activities

Science.gov (United States)

Saavedra, Eduardo Humberto

This dissertation consists of three essays. The first essay, The Hold-Up Problem in Public Infrastructure Franchising, characterizes the equilibria of the investment decisions in public infrastructure franchising under incomplete contracting and ex-post renegotiation. The parties (government and a firm) are unable to credibly commit to the contracted investment plan, so that a second step investment is renegotiated by the parties at the revision stage. As expected, the possibility of renegotiation affects initial non-verifiable investments. The main conclusion of this essay is that not only underinvestment but also overinvestment in infrastructure may arise in equilibrium, compared to the complete contracting case. The second essay, Alternative Institutional Arrangements in Network Utilities: An Incomplete Contracting Approach, presents a theoretical assessment of the efficiency implications of privatizing natural monopolies which are vertically related to potential competitive firms. Based on the incomplete contracts and asymmetric information paradigm. I develop a model that analyzes the relative advantages of different institutional arrangements---alternative ownership and market structures in the industry--- in terms of their allocative and productive efficiencies. The main policy conclusion of this essay is that both ownership and the existence of conglomerates in network industries matter. Among other conclusions, this essay provides an economic rationale for a mixed economy in which the network is public and vertical separation of the industry when the natural monopoly is under private ownership. The last essay, Opportunistic Behavior and Legal Disputes in the Chilean Electricity Sector, analyzes post-contractual disputes in this newly privatized industry. It discusses the presumption that opportunistic behavior and disputes arise due to inadequate market design, ambiguous regulation, and institutional weaknesses. This chapter also assesses the presumption

Intestinal colonization of IL-2 deficient mice with non-colitogenic B. vulgatus prevents DC maturation and T-cell polarization.

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Martina Müller

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: IL-2 deficient (IL-2(-/- mice mono-colonized with E. coli mpk develop colitis whereas IL-2(-/--mice mono-colonized with B. vulgatus mpk do not and are even protected from E. coli mpk induced colitis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We investigated if mono-colonization with E. coli mpk or B. vulgatus mpk differentially modulates distribution, activation and maturation of intestinal lamina propria (LP dendritic cells (DC. LP DC in mice mono-colonized with protective B. vulgatus mpk or co-colonized with E. coli mpk/B. vulgatus mpk featured a semi-mature LP DC phenotype (CD40(loCD80(loMHC-II(hi whereas mono-colonization with colitogenic E. coli mpk induced LP DC activation and maturation prior to onset of colitis. Accordingly, chemokine receptor (CCR 7 surface expression was more strikingly enhanced in mesenteric lymph node DC from E. coli mpk than B. vulgatus mpk mono- or co-colonized mice. Mature but not semi-mature LP DC promoted Th1 polarization. As B. vulgatus mpk promotes differentiation of semi-mature DC presumably by IL-6, mRNA and protein expression of IL-6 was investigated in LP DC. The data demonstrated that IL-6 mRNA and protein was increased in LP DC of B. vulgatus mpk as compared to E. coli mpk mono-colonized IL-2(-/--mice. The B. vulgatus mpk mediated suppression of CCR7 expression and DC migration was abolished in IL-6(-/--DC in vitro. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: From this data we conclude that the B. vulgatus triggered IL-6 secretion by LP DC in absence of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-12 or TNF-alpha induces a semi-mature LP DC phenotype, which might prevent T-cell activation and thereby the induction of colitis in IL-2(-/--mice. The data provide new evidence that IL-6 might act as an immune regulatory cytokine in the mucosa by targeting intestinal DC.

Sudan and South Sudan's bitter and incomplete divorce

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Sudan and South Sudan's bitter and incomplete divorce. Copnall, James 2017. London, Hurst Publishers, 317 pp. ISBN 978-184804-830-9. Reviewed by Nicodemus Minde*. Having served as the BBC Sudan correspondent from 2009 to 2012, James. Copnall has compiled an insightful account of the bitter-sweet split of the.

The capacitated team orienteering problem with incomplete service

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Archetti, Claudia; Bianchessi, Nicola; Speranza, M. Grazia

2013-01-01

In this paper we study the capacitated version of the Team Orienteering Problem (TOP), that is the Capacitated TOP (CTOP) and the impact of relaxing the assumption that a customer, if served, must be completely served. We prove that the profit collected by the CTOP with Incomplete Service (CTOP-IS)

The Importance of Structure in Incomplete Factorization Preconditioners

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Scott, J.; Tůma, Miroslav

2011-01-01

Roč. 51, č. 2 (2011), s. 385-404 ISSN 0006-3835 Grant - others:GA AV ČR(CZ) M100300902 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10300504 Keywords : sparse symmetric linear systems * incomplete factorizations * preconditioners * level-based approach Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 0.724, year: 2011

Maturity Models Development in IS Research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lasrado, Lester Allan; Vatrapu, Ravi; Andersen, Kim Normann

2015-01-01

Maturity models are widespread in IS research and in particular, IT practitioner communities. However, theoretically sound, methodologically rigorous and empirically validated maturity models are quite rare. This literature review paper focuses on the challenges faced during the development...... literature reveals that researchers have primarily focused on developing new maturity models pertaining to domain-specific problems and/or new enterprise technologies. We find rampant re-use of the design structure of widely adopted models such as Nolan’s Stage of Growth Model, Crosby’s Grid, and Capability...... Maturity Model (CMM). Only recently have there been some research efforts to standardize maturity model development. We also identify three dominant views of maturity models and provide guidelines for various approaches of constructing maturity models with a standard vocabulary. We finally propose using...

Modeling non-maturing liabilities

OpenAIRE

von Feilitzen, Helena

2011-01-01

Non‐maturing liabilities, such as savings accounts, lack both predetermined maturity and reset dates due to the fact that the depositor is free to withdraw funds at any time and that the depository institution is free to change the rate. These attributes complicate the risk management of such products and no standardized solution exists. The problem is important however since non‐maturing liabilities typically make up a considerable part of the funding of a bank. In this report different mode...

Incomplete (bending) fractures of the mandibular condyle in children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahrendt, D.; Swischuk, L.E.; Hayden, C.K. Jr.; Texas Univ., Galveston

1984-01-01

Incomplete, bending or bowing fractures of the mandibular condyle in children frequently go undetected. The reason is that the bending deformity often is subtle and passes for normal. This is especially true if the fractures are bilateral. (orig.)

Management of incomplete abortions at South African public hospitals

African Journals Online (AJOL)

incomplete abortion can be more effectively and safely managed using ..... rational prescribing of antibiotics, use of blood transfusion and shortening ... emotional volcano. ... Sal FT, NaSS1m J. The need lOT a replOOuctrve health approach.

Assessment of colonic disease by multi-slice CT pneumocolon after incomplete colonoscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Zehua; Liu Wenjin; Xu Songsen; Wang Kang; Wang Weizhong

2004-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the use of preoperative MSCT in patients with clinically suspected colorectal disease after incomplete colonoscopy. Methods: After incomplete colonoscopy, 31 patients underwent MSCT before and after intravenous injection of iodinated contrast agent. CT virtual colonography (CTVC), multiplanar reformation (MPR), shaded surface display (SSD), and Raysum images were obtained by using 4 different software in workstation. The results of MSCT were compared with the findings of colonoscopy, intraoperative colon palpation, and postoperative pathology. Results: After incomplete colonoscopy, MSCT was successfully performed in all 31 cases. Postoperative pathology revealed 22 colorectal cancers (one synchronous cancers, two with polyps) and 9 benign disease. 22 colonic carcinomas were all correctly diagnosed by MSCT (including synchronous disease), 2 benign diseases were misdiagnosed as malignancy, and one polyp was missed. Conclusion: MSCT is a feasible and useful method for evaluating the entire colon before surgery in patients with occlusive disease. (author)

Activation-Dependent Rapid Postsynaptic Clustering of Glycine Receptors in Mature Spinal Cord Neurons

Science.gov (United States)

Eto, Kei; Murakoshi, Hideji; Watanabe, Miho; Hirata, Hiromi; Moorhouse, Andrew J.; Ishibashi, Hitoshi

2017-01-01

Abstract Inhibitory synapses are established during development but continue to be generated and modulated in strength in the mature nervous system. In the spinal cord and brainstem, presynaptically released inhibitory neurotransmitter dominantly switches from GABA to glycine during normal development in vivo. While presynaptic mechanisms of the shift of inhibitory neurotransmission are well investigated, the contribution of postsynaptic neurotransmitter receptors to this shift is not fully elucidated. Synaptic clustering of glycine receptors (GlyRs) is regulated by activation-dependent depolarization in early development. However, GlyR activation induces hyperpolarization after the first postnatal week, and little is known whether and how presynaptically released glycine regulates postsynaptic receptors in a depolarization-independent manner in mature developmental stage. Here we developed spinal cord neuronal culture of rodents using chronic strychnine application to investigate whether initial activation of GlyRs in mature stage could change postsynaptic localization of GlyRs. Immunocytochemical analyses demonstrate that chronic blockade of GlyR activation until mature developmental stage resulted in smaller clusters of postsynaptic GlyRs that could be enlarged upon receptor activation for 1 h in the mature stage. Furthermore, live cell-imaging techniques show that GlyR activation decreases its lateral diffusion at synapses, and this phenomenon is dependent on PKC, but neither Ca2+ nor CaMKII activity. These results suggest that the GlyR activation can regulate receptor diffusion and cluster size at inhibitory synapses in mature stage, providing not only new insights into the postsynaptic mechanism of shifting inhibitory neurotransmission but also the inhibitory synaptic plasticity in mature nervous system. PMID:28197549

Amorphous silica maturation in chemically weathered clastic sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Liesegang, Moritz; Milke, Ralf; Berthold, Christoph

2018-03-01

A detailed understanding of silica postdepositional transformation mechanisms is fundamental for its use as a palaeobiologic and palaeoenvironmental archive. Amorphous silica (opal-A) is an important biomineral, an alteration product of silicate rocks on the surface of Earth and Mars, and a precursor material for stable silica phases. During diagenesis, amorphous silica gradually and gradationally transforms to opal-CT, opal-C, and eventually quartz. Here we demonstrate the early-stage maturation of several million year old opal-A from deeply weathered Early Cretaceous and Ordovician sedimentary rocks of the Great Artesian Basin (central Australia). X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and electron probe microanalyses show that the mineralogical maturation of the nanosphere material is decoupled from its chemical properties and begins significantly earlier than micromorphology suggests. Non-destructive and locally highly resolved X-ray microdiffraction (μ-XRD2) reveals an almost linear positive correlation between the main peak position (3.97 to 4.06 Å) and a new asymmetry parameter, AP. Heating experiments and calculated diffractograms indicate that nucleation and growth of tridymite-rich nanodomains induce systematic peak shifts and symmetry variations in diffraction patterns of morphologically juvenile opal-A. Our results show that the asymmetry parameter traces the early-stage maturation of amorphous silica, and that the mineralogical opal-A/CT stage extends to smaller d-spacings and larger FWHM values than previously suggested.

Slab replacement maturity guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-04-01

This study investigated the use of maturity method to determine early age strength of concrete in slab : replacement application. Specific objectives were (1) to evaluate effects of various factors on the compressive : maturity-strength relationship ...

Spectroscopic study of 126I via incomplete fusion reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanagalekar, B.A.; Das, Pragya; Kumar, Vinod; Kumar, R.; Singh, R.P.; Muralithar, S.; Bhowmik, R.K.

2006-01-01

The experiment at Inter University Accelerator Centre consisted of identifying the yrast high-spin states of 126 I using the incomplete fusion reaction 124 Sn ( 10 B, α4n) 126 I at beam energy of 70 MeV

Corruption in PPPs, Incentives and Contract Incompleteness

OpenAIRE

Elisabetta Iossa; David Martimort

2014-01-01

In a public procurement setting, we discuss the desirability of completing contracts with state-contingent clauses providing for monetary compensations to the contractor when revenue shocks occur. Realized shocks are private information of the contractor and this creates agency costs of delegated service provision. Verifying the contractor’s messages on the shocks entails contracting costs that make incomplete contracts attractive, despite their higher agency costs. A public official (supervi...

Maturity effects in energy futures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Serletis, Apostolos (Calgary Univ., AB (CA). Dept. of Economics)

1992-04-01

This paper examines the effects of maturity on future price volatility and trading volume for 129 energy futures contracts recently traded in the NYMEX. The results provide support for the maturity effect hypothesis, that is, energy futures prices to become more volatile and trading volume increases as futures contracts approach maturity. (author).

Correlation between Cervical Vertebral Maturation Stages and Dental Maturation in a Saudi Sample

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nayef H Felemban

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The aim of the present study was to compare the cervical vertebra maturation stages method and dental maturity using tooth calcification stages. Methods: The current study comprised of 405 subjects selected from orthodontic patients of Saudi origin coming to clinics of the specialized dental centers in western region of Saudi Arabia. Dental age was assessed according to the developmental stages of upper and lower third molars and skeletal maturation according to the cervical vertebrae maturation stage method. Statistical analysis was done using Kruskal-Wallis H, Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-Square test; t-test and Spearman correlation coefficient for inter group comparison. Results: The females were younger than males in all cervical stages. The CS1-CS2 show the period before the peak of growth, during CS3-CS5 it’s the pubertal growth spurt and CS6 is the period after the peak of the growth. The mean age and standard deviation for cervical stages of CS2, CS3 and CS4 were 12.09 ±1.72 years, 13.19 ±1.62 and 14.88 ±1.52 respectively. The Spearman correlation coefficients between cervical vertebrae and dental maturation were between 0.166 and 0.612, 0.243 and 0.832 for both sexes for upper and lower third molars. The significance levels for all coefficients were equal at 0.01 and 0.05. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the skeletal maturity increased with the increase in dental ages for both genders. An early rate of skeletal maturation stage was observed in females. This study needs further analysis using a larger sample covering the entire dentition.

Consumption-Portfolio Optimization with Recursive Utility in Incomplete Markets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kraft, Holger; Seifried, Frank Thomas; Steffensen, Mogens

2013-01-01

In an incomplete market, we study the optimal consumption-portfolio decision of an investor with recursive preferences of Epstein–Zin type. Applying a classical dynamic programming approach, we formulate the associated Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation and provide a suitable verification theorem...

Agrobacterium-medicated transformation of mature Prunus serotina (black cherry) and regeneration of trangenic shoots

Science.gov (United States)

Xiaomei Liu; Paula Pijut

2010-01-01

A protocol for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation was developed for in vitro leaf explants of an elite, mature Prunus serotina tree. Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105 harboring an RNAi plasmid with the black cherry AGAMOUS (AG) gene was used. Bacteria were induced...

Maturity models in supply chain sustainability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Correia, Elisabete; Carvalho, Helena; Azevedo, Susana G.

2017-01-01

A systematic literature review of supply chain maturity models with sustainability concerns is presented. The objective is to give insights into methodological issues related to maturity models, namely the research objectives; the research methods used to develop, validate and test them; the scope...... of maturity levels. The comprehensive review, analysis, and synthesis of the maturity model literature represent an important contribution to the organization of this research area, making possible to clarify some confusion that exists about concepts, approaches and components of maturity models...

Role of protein haptenation in triggering maturation events in the dendritic cell surrogate cell line THP-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Megherbi, Rym; Kiorpelidou, Evanthia; Foster, Brian; Rowe, Cliff; Naisbitt, Dean J.; Goldring, Christopher E.; Park, B. Kevin

2009-01-01

Dendritic cell (DC) maturation in response to contact sensitizers is a crucial step in the induction of sensitization reactions; however the underlying mechanism of activation remains unknown. To test whether the extent of protein haptenation is a determinant in DC maturation, we tested the effect of five dinitrophenyl (DNP) analogues of different reactivity, on maturation markers in the cell line, THP-1. The potencies of the test compounds in upregulating CD54 levels, inducing IL-8 release and triggering p38 MAPK phosphorylation did not correlate with their ability to deplete intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels or cause cell toxicity. However, the compounds' potency at inducing p38 phosphorylation was significantly associated with the amount of intracellular protein adducts formed (p < 0.05). Inhibition experiments show that, at least for DNFB, p38 MAP kinase signalling controls compound-specific changes in CD54 expression and IL-8 release. 2D-PAGE analysis revealed that all the DNP analogues appeared to bind similar proteins. The analogues failed to activate NFkB, however, they activated Nrf2, which was used as a marker of oxidative stress. Neither GSH depletion, by use of buthionine sulfoximine, nor treatment with the strongly lysine-reactive hapten penicillin elicited maturation. We conclude that protein haptenation, probably through reactive cysteine residues may be a trigger for maturation events in this in vitro model and that p38 activation may be a discriminatory marker for the classification of potency of chemical sensitizers.

Role of protein haptenation in triggering maturation events in the dendritic cell surrogate cell line THP-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Megherbi, Rym; Kiorpelidou, Evanthia; Foster, Brian; Rowe, Cliff; Naisbitt, Dean J; Goldring, Christopher E; Park, B Kevin

2009-07-15

Dendritic cell (DC) maturation in response to contact sensitizers is a crucial step in the induction of sensitization reactions; however the underlying mechanism of activation remains unknown. To test whether the extent of protein haptenation is a determinant in DC maturation, we tested the effect of five dinitrophenyl (DNP) analogues of different reactivity, on maturation markers in the cell line, THP-1. The potencies of the test compounds in upregulating CD54 levels, inducing IL-8 release and triggering p38 MAPK phosphorylation did not correlate with their ability to deplete intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels or cause cell toxicity. However, the compounds' potency at inducing p38 phosphorylation was significantly associated with the amount of intracellular protein adducts formed (p<0.05). Inhibition experiments show that, at least for DNFB, p38 MAP kinase signalling controls compound-specific changes in CD54 expression and IL-8 release. 2D-PAGE analysis revealed that all the DNP analogues appeared to bind similar proteins. The analogues failed to activate NFkB, however, they activated Nrf2, which was used as a marker of oxidative stress. Neither GSH depletion, by use of buthionine sulfoximine, nor treatment with the strongly lysine-reactive hapten penicillin elicited maturation. We conclude that protein haptenation, probably through reactive cysteine residues may be a trigger for maturation events in this in vitro model and that p38 activation may be a discriminatory marker for the classification of potency of chemical sensitizers.

Silencing of the glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper improves the immunogenicity of clinical-grade dendritic cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cathelin, Dominique; Met, Özcan; Svane, Inge Marie

2013-01-01

The maturation cocktail composed of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α and prostaglandin E2 is considered the "gold standard" for inducing the maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) for use in cancer immunotherapy. Nevertheless, although this maturation cocktail induces increased...

Blink rate, incomplete blinks and computer vision syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Portello, Joan K; Rosenfield, Mark; Chu, Christina A

2013-05-01

Computer vision syndrome (CVS), a highly prevalent condition, is frequently associated with dry eye disorders. Furthermore, a reduced blink rate has been observed during computer use. The present study examined whether post task ocular and visual symptoms are associated with either a decreased blink rate or a higher prevalence of incomplete blinks. An additional trial tested whether increasing the blink rate would reduce CVS symptoms. Subjects (N = 21) were required to perform a continuous 15-minute reading task on a desktop computer at a viewing distance of 50 cm. Subjects were videotaped during the task to determine their blink rate and amplitude. Immediately after the task, subjects completed a questionnaire regarding ocular symptoms experienced during the trial. In a second session, the blink rate was increased by means of an audible tone that sounded every 4 seconds, with subjects being instructed to blink on hearing the tone. The mean blink rate during the task without the audible tone was 11.6 blinks per minute (SD, 7.84). The percentage of blinks deemed incomplete for each subject ranged from 0.9 to 56.5%, with a mean of 16.1% (SD, 15.7). A significant positive correlation was observed between the total symptom score and the percentage of incomplete blinks during the task (p = 0.002). Furthermore, a significant negative correlation was noted between the blink score and symptoms (p = 0.035). Increasing the mean blink rate to 23.5 blinks per minute by means of the audible tone did not produce a significant change in the symptom score. Whereas CVS symptoms are associated with a reduced blink rate, the completeness of the blink may be equally significant. Because instructing a patient to increase his or her blink rate may be ineffective or impractical, actions to achieve complete corneal coverage during blinking may be more helpful in alleviating symptoms during computer operation.

Disentangling complete and incomplete fusion for 9Be+187Re system at near barrier energies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kharab, Rajesh; Chahal, Rajiv; Rajiv Kumar

2015-01-01

The breakup of projectile before fusion leads to some unusual fusion mechanisms like incomplete fusion (ICF) and sequential complete fusion (SCF). Experimentally, it is not possible to separate SCF events from direct complete fusion (DCF). However, the complete fusion and incomplete fusion can be measured separately. Theoretically it is very difficult to calculate the complete and incomplete fusion cross section separately using different models. Very recently A. Diaz-Torres has developed a computer code platypus based on classical dynamical model wherein the complete and incomplete fusion cross sections are calculated separately. But this model is found to work very well at energies above the barrier energy. Here we have attempted to extrapolate the results of the code platypus by using simple Wong's formula in conjunction with the energy dependent Woods-Saxon potential (EDWSP) in the below barrier energy region

Differential expression of gonadotropin and estrogen receptors and oocyte cytology during follicular maturation associated with egg viability in European eel (Anguilla anguilla)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

da Silva, Filipa F. G.; Tveiten, Helge; Maugars, Gersende

2018-01-01

In captivity, oogenesis and ovarian follicle maturation in European eel can be induced experimentally using hormonal therapy. The follicle's ability to respond effectively to the induction of maturation and ovulation, resulting in viable eggs, depends on the oocyte stage at the time of induction....

Experimental Determination of Multipartite Entanglement with Incomplete Information

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. H. Aguilar

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Multipartite entanglement is very poorly understood despite all the theoretical and experimental advances of the last decades. Preparation, manipulation, and identification of this resource is crucial for both practical and fundamental reasons. However, the difficulty in the practical manipulation and the complexity of the data generated by measurements on these systems increase rapidly with the number of parties. Therefore, we would like to experimentally address the problem of how much information about multipartite entanglement we can access with incomplete measurements. In particular, it was shown that some types of pure multipartite entangled states can be witnessed without measuring the correlations [M. Walter et al., Science 340, 1205 (2013] between parties, which is strongly demanding experimentally. We explore this method using an optical setup that permits the preparation and the complete tomographic reconstruction of many inequivalent classes of three- and four-partite entangled states, and compare complete versus incomplete information. We show that the method is useful in practice, even for nonpure states or nonideal measurement conditions.

Dendritic Cells Activate and Mature after Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mamo Gezahagne

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Dendritic cells (DCs can take up an array of different antigens, including microorganisms which they can process and present more effectively than any other antigen presenting cell. However, whether the interaction between the human DC and Mycobacterium tuberculosis represents a defense mechanism by the invaded host, or helping the invader to evade the defense mechanism of the host is still not clearly understood. Findings To analyze the interactions between M. tuberculosis and immune cells, human peripheral blood monocyte-derived immature DCs were infected with M. tuberculosis H37Rv wild type strain and flow cytometry was used to analyse cell surface expression markers. The ability of the M. tuberculosis infected DC to induce T cell proliferation using 5 and 6-carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE dilution technique was also investigated. DCs were found to internalize the mycobacteria and show dose dependent infection and necrosis with different multiplicity of infection. Flow cytometry analysis of cell surface expression markers CD40, CD54, CD80, CD83, CD86 and HLA DR in infected DC revealed significant (p M. tuberculosis in comparison to immature DC with no stimulation. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS from Salmonella abortus equi, a known DC maturation agent, was used as a positive control and showed a comparable up regulation of cell surface markers as observed with M. tuberculosis infected DC. It was revealed that the M. tuberculosis infected DC induced T cell proliferation. Conclusion These data clearly demonstrate that M. tuberculosis induces activation and maturation of human monocyte-derived immature DC as well as induces T cell proliferation in vitro.

Identification of a potent small molecule capable of regulating polyploidization, megakaryocyte maturation, and platelet production.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Nick; Lou, Mabel; Liu, Hua; Avila, Cecilia; Ma, Yupo

2016-12-08

Megakaryocytic cell maturation involves polyploidization, and megakaryocyte (MK) ploidy correlates with their maturation and platelet production. Retardation of MK maturation is closely associated with poor MK engraftment after cord blood transplantation and neonatal thrombocytopenia. Despite the high prevalence of thrombocytopenia in a range of setting that affect infants to adults, there are still very limited modalities of treatment. Human CD34 + cells were isolated from cord blood or bone marrow samples acquired from consenting patients. Cells were cultured and induced using 616452 and compared to current drugs on the market such as rominplostim or TPO. Ploidy analysis was completed using propidium iodide staining and flow cytometry analysis. Animal studies consisted of transplanting human CD34 + cells into NOD.Cg-Prkdc scid Il2rg tm1Wjl /SzJ mice followed by daily injections of 15 mg/kg of 616452. Within one week of culture, the chemical was able to induce polyploidization, the process required for megakaryocyte maturation with the accumulation of DNA content, to 64 N or greater to achieve a relative adult size. We observed fold increases as high as 200-fold in cells of 16 N or greater compared to un-induced cells with a dose-dependent manner. In addition, MK differentiated in the presence of 616452 demonstrated a more robust capacity of MK differentiation than that of MKs cultured with rominplostim used for adult idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) patients. In mice transplanted with human cord blood, 616452 strikingly enhanced MK reconstitution in the marrow and human peripheral platelet production. The molecular therapeutic actions for this chemical may be through TPO-independent pathways. Our studies may have an important impact on our fundamental understanding of fetal MK biology, the clinical management of thrombocytopenic neonates and leukemic differentiation therapy.

Gamma-ray-induced bold seeded early maturing groundnut selections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manoharan, V.; Thangavelu, S.

1990-01-01

Full text: ''Chico'' is an early maturing (85-90 days) erect groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) genotype utilised in groundnut improvement to incorporate earliness in high yielding varieties. Though it has high shelling out-turn, its yield potential is low since it has small seeds. Mutation breeding was started with the objective of improving the seed size. In a preliminary experiment, dry seeds were treated with 20, 30, 40 or 50 kR of gamma rays. The M 1 generation was grown during the post rainy season of 1988-1989. The M 2 generation was planted as individual plant progeny rows during the rainy season of 1989. 105 progeny rows were studied, the total number of M 2 plants being 1,730. All the M 2 plants were harvested 90 days after sowing. Seven mutants with bold seed size were obtained. The mutants had 100 kernel weight ranging from 22.2 to 40.4 g compared to 21.1 g of control. The study is in progress. (author)

Incomplete Continuous-time Securities Markets with Stochastic Income Volatility

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Peter Ove; Larsen, Kasper

2014-01-01

We derive closed-form solutions for the equilibrium interest rate and market price of risk processes in an incomplete continuous-time market with uncertainty generated by Brownian motions. The economy has a finite number of heterogeneous exponential utility investors, who receive partially...

Incomplete Continuous-Time Securities Markets with Stochastic Income Volatility

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Peter Ove; Larsen, Kasper

In an incomplete continuous-time securities market governed by Brownian motions, we derive closed-form solutions for the equilibrium risk-free rate and equity premium processes. The economy has a finite number of heterogeneous exponential utility investors, who receive partially unspanned income ...

Incomplete contour representations and shape descriptors : ICR test studies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ghosh, Anarta; Petkov, Nicolai; Gregorio, MD; DiMaio,; Frucci, M; Musio, C

2005-01-01

Inspired by psychophysical studies of the human cognitive abilities we propose a novel aspect and a method for performance evaluation of contour based shape recognition algorithms regarding their robustness to incompleteness of contours. We use complete contour representations of objects as a

Optimizing incomplete sample designs for item response model parameters

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Linden, Willem J.

Several models for optimizing incomplete sample designs with respect to information on the item parameters are presented. The following cases are considered: (1) known ability parameters; (2) unknown ability parameters; (3) item sets with multiple ability scales; and (4) response models with

Can we make the second incompleteness theorem coordinate free?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Visser, A.

2008-01-01

Is it possible to give a coordinate free formulation of the Second Incompleteness Theorem? We pursue one possible approach to this question. We show that (i) cutfree consistency for finitely axiomatized theories can be uniquely characterized modulo EA-provable equivalence, (ii) consistency

Gas6 downregulation impaired cytoplasmic maturation and pronuclear formation independent to the MPF activity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyeoung-Hwa Kim

Full Text Available Previously, we found that the growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6 is more highly expressed in germinal vesicle (GV oocytes than in metaphase II (MII oocytes using annealing control primer (ACP-PCR technology. The current study was undertaken to investigate the role of Gas6 in oocyte maturation and fertilization using RNA interference (RNAi. Interestingly, despite the specific and marked decrease in Gas6 mRNA and protein expression in GVs after Gas6 RNAi, nuclear maturation including spindle structures and chromosome segregation was not affected. The only discernible effect induced by Gas6 RNAi was a change in maturation promoting factor (MPF activity. After parthenogenetic activation, Gas6 RNAi-treated oocytes at the MII stage had not developed further and arrested at MII (90.0%. After stimulation with Sr(2+, Gas6-silenced MII oocytes had markedly reduced Ca(2+ oscillation and exhibited no exocytosis of cortical granules. In these oocytes, sperm penetration occurred during fertilization but not pronucleus (PN formation. By roscovitine and colcemid treatment, we found that the Gas6 knockdown affected cytoplasmic maturation directly, independent to the changed MPF activity. These results strongly suggest that 1 the Gas6 signaling itself is important to the cytoplasmic maturation, but not nuclear maturation, and 2 the decreased Gas6 expression and decreased MPF activity separately or mutually influence sperm head decondensation and PN formation.

Sparse reconstruction for quantitative bioluminescence tomography based on the incomplete variables truncated conjugate gradient method.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Xiaowei; Liang, Jimin; Wang, Xiaorui; Yu, Jingjing; Qu, Xiaochao; Wang, Xiaodong; Hou, Yanbin; Chen, Duofang; Liu, Fang; Tian, Jie

2010-11-22

In this paper, we present an incomplete variables truncated conjugate gradient (IVTCG) method for bioluminescence tomography (BLT). Considering the sparse characteristic of the light source and insufficient surface measurement in the BLT scenarios, we combine a sparseness-inducing (ℓ1 norm) regularization term with a quadratic error term in the IVTCG-based framework for solving the inverse problem. By limiting the number of variables updated at each iterative and combining a variable splitting strategy to find the search direction more efficiently, it obtains fast and stable source reconstruction, even without a priori information of the permissible source region and multispectral measurements. Numerical experiments on a mouse atlas validate the effectiveness of the method. In vivo mouse experimental results further indicate its potential for a practical BLT system.

Asset pricing puzzles explained by incomplete Brownian equilibria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Peter Ove; Larsen, Kasper

We examine a class of Brownian based models which produce tractable incomplete equilibria. The models are based on finitely many investors with heterogeneous exponential utilities over intermediate consumption who receive partially unspanned income. The investors can trade continuously on a finit...... markets. Consequently, our model can simultaneously help explaining the risk-free rate and equity premium puzzles....

Non-ablative fractional laser provides long-term improvement of mature burn scars

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Taudorf, Elisabeth H; Danielsen, Patricia L; Paulsen, Ida F

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Non-ablative fractional laser-treatment is evolving for burn scars. The objective of this study was to evaluate clinical and histological long-term outcome of 1,540 nm fractional Erbium: Glass laser, targeting superficial, and deep components of mature burn scars....... MATERIALS & METHODS: Side-by-side scar-areas were randomized to untreated control or three monthly non-ablative fractional laser-treatments using superficial and extra-deep handpieces. Patient follow-up were at 1, 3, and 6 months. Primary outcome was improvement in overall scar-appearance on a modified...... of scar-appearance. CONCLUSIONS: Combined superficial and deep non-ablative fractional laser-treatments induce long-term clinical and histological improvement of mature burn scars....

Electroporated Antigen-Encoding mRNA Is Not a Danger Signal to Human Mature Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefanie Hoyer

2015-01-01

Full Text Available For therapeutic cancer vaccination, the adoptive transfer of mRNA-electroporated dendritic cells (DCs is frequently performed, usually with monocyte-derived, cytokine-matured DCs (moDCs. However, DCs are rich in danger-sensing receptors which could recognize the exogenously delivered mRNA and induce DC activation, hence influencing the DCs’ immunogenicity. Therefore, we examined whether electroporation of mRNA with a proper cap and a poly-A tail of at least 64 adenosines had any influence on cocktail-matured moDCs. We used 16 different RNAs, encoding tumor antigens (MelanA, NRAS, BRAF, GNAQ, GNA11, and WT1, and variants thereof. None of those RNAs induced changes in the expression of CD25, CD40, CD83, CD86, and CD70 or the secretion of the cytokines IL-8, IL-6, and TNFα of more than 1.5-fold compared to the control condition, while an mRNA encoding an NF-κB-activation protein as positive control induced massive secretion of the cytokines. To determine whether mRNA electroporation had any effect on the whole transcriptome of the DCs, we performed microarray analyses of DCs of 6 different donors. None of 60,000 probes was significantly different between mock-electroporated DCs and MelanA-transfected DCs. Hence, we conclude that no transcriptional programs were induced within cocktail-matured DCs by electroporation of single tumor-antigen-encoding mRNAs.

Neuroblastoma: treatment outcome after incomplete resection of primary tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, Suk-Bae; Park, Kwi-Won; Jung, Sung-Eun; Youn, Woong-Jae

2009-09-01

For International Neuroblastoma Staging System (INSS) stages III or IV neuroblastoma (intermediate or high risk), complete excision of the primary tumor is not always feasible. Most current studies on the treatment outcome of these patients have reported on the complete excision status. The aim of this study is to review the treatment outcome after the incomplete resection. The medical records of 37 patients that underwent incomplete resection between January 1986 and December 2005 were reviewed retrospectively. Incomplete resection was assessed by review of the operative notes and postoperative computerized tomography. Age, gender, tumor location, INSS stage, N-myc gene copy number, pre- and postoperative therapy, and treatment outcome were reviewed. The treatment outcome was evaluated according to the postoperative treatment protocol in the high-risk group. Intermediate-risk patients were treated with conventional chemotherapy, isotretinoin (ITT) and interleukin-2 (IL-2). High-risk patients were treated with peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT), ITT, and IL-2 (N = 11). Before the introduction of PBSCT, the high-risk patients were also treated with the conventional chemotherapy (N = 19). Intermediate-risk patients (N = 5) currently have no evidence of disease (NED). For the high-risk patients (N = 32), 19 patients were treated with chemotherapy alone; 15 patients died of their disease while four patients currently have an NED status. Eight of 11 patients that underwent PBSCT are currently alive. For intermediate risk, conventional chemotherapy appears to be acceptable treatment. However, for high-risk patients, every effort should be made to control residual disease including the use of myeloablative chemotherapy, differentiating agents and immune-modulating agents.

Defined Engineered Human Myocardium with Advanced Maturation for Applications in Heart Failure Modelling and Repair

Science.gov (United States)

Tiburcy, Malte; Hudson, James E.; Balfanz, Paul; Schlick, Susanne; Meyer, Tim; Liao, Mei-Ling Chang; Levent, Elif; Raad, Farah; Zeidler, Sebastian; Wingender, Edgar; Riegler, Johannes; Wang, Mouer; Gold, Joseph D.; Kehat, Izhak; Wettwer, Erich; Ravens, Ursula; Dierickx, Pieterjan; van Laake, Linda W.; Goumans, Marie Jose; Khadjeh, Sara; Toischer, Karl; Hasenfuss, Gerd; Couture, Larry A.; Unger, Andreas; Linke, Wolfgang A.; Araki, Toshiyuki; Neel, Benjamin; Keller, Gordon; Gepstein, Lior; Wu, Joseph C.; Zimmermann, Wolfram-Hubertus

2017-01-01

Background Advancing structural and functional maturation of stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes remains a key challenge for applications in disease modelling, drug screening, and heart repair. Here, we sought to advance cardiomyocyte maturation in engineered human myocardium (EHM) towards an adult phenotype under defined conditions. Methods We systematically investigated cell composition, matrix and media conditions to generate EHM from embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts with organotypic functionality under serum-free conditions. We employed morphological, functional, and transcriptome analyses to benchmark maturation of EHM. Results EHM demonstrated important structural and functional properties of postnatal myocardium, including: (1) rod-shaped cardiomyocytes with M-bands assembled as a functional syncytium; (2) systolic twitch forces at a similar level as observed in bona fide postnatal myocardium; (3) a positive force-frequency-response; (4) inotropic responses to β-adrenergic stimulation mediated via canonical β1- and β2-adrenoceptor signaling pathways; and (5) evidence for advanced molecular maturation by transcriptome profiling. EHM responded to chronic catecholamine toxicity with contractile dysfunction, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, cardiomyocyte death, and NT-proBNP release; all are classical hallmarks of heart failure. Additionally, we demonstrate scalability of EHM according to anticipated clinical demands for cardiac repair. Conclusions We provide proof-of-concept for a universally applicable technology for the engineering of macro-scale human myocardium for disease modelling and heart repair from embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes under defined, serum-free conditions. PMID:28167635

Defined Engineered Human Myocardium With Advanced Maturation for Applications in Heart Failure Modeling and Repair.

Science.gov (United States)

Tiburcy, Malte; Hudson, James E; Balfanz, Paul; Schlick, Susanne; Meyer, Tim; Chang Liao, Mei-Ling; Levent, Elif; Raad, Farah; Zeidler, Sebastian; Wingender, Edgar; Riegler, Johannes; Wang, Mouer; Gold, Joseph D; Kehat, Izhak; Wettwer, Erich; Ravens, Ursula; Dierickx, Pieterjan; van Laake, Linda W; Goumans, Marie Jose; Khadjeh, Sara; Toischer, Karl; Hasenfuss, Gerd; Couture, Larry A; Unger, Andreas; Linke, Wolfgang A; Araki, Toshiyuki; Neel, Benjamin; Keller, Gordon; Gepstein, Lior; Wu, Joseph C; Zimmermann, Wolfram-Hubertus

2017-05-09

Advancing structural and functional maturation of stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes remains a key challenge for applications in disease modeling, drug screening, and heart repair. Here, we sought to advance cardiomyocyte maturation in engineered human myocardium (EHM) toward an adult phenotype under defined conditions. We systematically investigated cell composition, matrix, and media conditions to generate EHM from embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts with organotypic functionality under serum-free conditions. We used morphological, functional, and transcriptome analyses to benchmark maturation of EHM. EHM demonstrated important structural and functional properties of postnatal myocardium, including: (1) rod-shaped cardiomyocytes with M bands assembled as a functional syncytium; (2) systolic twitch forces at a similar level as observed in bona fide postnatal myocardium; (3) a positive force-frequency response; (4) inotropic responses to β-adrenergic stimulation mediated via canonical β 1 - and β 2 -adrenoceptor signaling pathways; and (5) evidence for advanced molecular maturation by transcriptome profiling. EHM responded to chronic catecholamine toxicity with contractile dysfunction, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, cardiomyocyte death, and N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide release; all are classical hallmarks of heart failure. In addition, we demonstrate the scalability of EHM according to anticipated clinical demands for cardiac repair. We provide proof-of-concept for a universally applicable technology for the engineering of macroscale human myocardium for disease modeling and heart repair from embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes under defined, serum-free conditions. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Growth hormone increases and maturation decreases glutamine synthetase turnover rate in rat liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, C.K.

1985-01-01

An investigation was made of the effect of hypophysectomy and growth hormone (GH) replacement regimen (1 mg/100 g twice daily for 30 days); and maturation (from 25 up to 90 days) on the liver and brain glutamine synthetase (GS) mass and turnover rates in rats. The first order decay rate of enzyme 14 C radioactivity was determined between 1 and 4 days to obtain the half-life (T/sub 1/2/) of GS. The hepatic GS mass was determined by immunoassay. GS turnover (GS/sub s/) was calculated from T/sub 1/2/ and the GS mass (i.e., K = 0.693/T/sub 1/2/; GS/sub s/ = K x GS mass). It was concluded that: (1) GS specific activity is not decreased by hypophysectomy or increased by GH. These results suggested that observed endocrine induced changes in GS are due to changes in GS mass. (2) The liver GS turnover rate is significantly reduced by hypophysectomy and increased by GH replacement. It was proposed that GH specifically enhances synthesis of GS in the liver. (3) Maturation (25, 40, 60, and 90 days) decreases GS turnover rate in both liver and brain of normal rats. This similar effect of maturation suggests that the observed age induced decline in GS turnover rate is not related to GH in all tissues

$\\gamma$ -spectroscopy of n-rich $^{95,96}$Rb nuclei by the incomplete fusion reaction of $^{94}$Kr on $^{7}$Li

CERN Multimedia

We propose an experiment with MINIBALL coupled to T-REX to investigate n-rich $^{95,96}$Rb nuclei by the incomplete fusion reaction of $^{94}$Kr on $^{7}$Li. The nuclei of interest will be populated by transfer of a triton into $^{94}$Kr, forming the excited $^{97}$Rb nucleus, followed by the emission of an alpha particle, which will be detected in the Si telescopes of T-REX. The $^{97}$Rb product will evaporate 1 or 2 (with the highest probability) neutrons leading to $^{96}$Rb or $^{95}$Rb, respectively. The aim of the experiment is twofold: \\\\ i) to perform a $\\gamma$- spectroscopy study of $^{95,96}$Rb nuclei with N=58,59, the structure of which is of particular interest in investigating the transition towards stable deformation at N=60, \\\\ ii) to acquire experience in using incomplete fusion reactions with the weakly bound $^{7}$Li target, in order to perform, at a later stage with HIE-ISOLDE, similar measurements induced by n-rich radioactive beams of Sn and Hg, for which at least 5 MeV/nucleon are need...

High Efficacy of Repeating Colonoscopy by an Advanced Endoscopist after an Incomplete Colonoscopy

OpenAIRE

Ana Ponte; Rolando Pinho; Adélia Rodrigues; Luísa Proença; Joana Silva; Jaime P. Rodrigues; Mafalda Sousa; João Carlos Silva; João Carvalho

2018-01-01

Background and Aims: This study aims to evaluate the role of an advanced endoscopist to study the entire colon after an incomplete colonoscopy. Methods: All patients with an elective incomplete colonoscopy performed under deep sedation in our department between January 2010 and October 2016 were included. Patients with a colonic stenosis, an inadequate bowel preparation, or a colonoscopy performed without deep sedation were excluded. Included patients were followed up to evaluate if and what ...

conting : an R package for Bayesian analysis of complete and incomplete contingency tables

OpenAIRE

Overstall, Antony; King, Ruth

2014-01-01

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the R package conting for the Bayesian analysis of complete and incomplete contingency tables using hierarchical log-linear models. This package allows a user to identify interactions between categorical factors (via complete contingency tables) and to estimate closed population sizes using capture-recapture studies (via incomplete contingency tables). The models are fitted using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods. In particular, implementations of the Me...

Incomplete fusion reactions in 16O+159Tb system: Spin distribution measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sharma Vijay R.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In order to explore the reaction modes on the basis of their entry state spin population, an experiment has been done by employing particle-γ coincidence technique carried out at the Inter University Accelerator Centre, New Delhi. The preliminary analysis conclusively demonstrates, spin distribution for some reaction products populated via complete and/or incomplete fusion of 16O with 159Tb system found to be distinctly different. Further, the existence of incomplete fusion at low bombarding energies indicates the possibility to populate high spin states.

Maturity Models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lasrado, Lester Allan; Vatrapu, Ravi

2016-01-01

Recent advancements in set theory and readily available software have enabled social science researchers to bridge the variable-centered quantitative and case-based qualitative methodological paradigms in order to analyze multi-dimensional associations beyond the linearity assumptions, aggregate...... effects, unicausal reduction, and case specificity. Based on the developments in set theoretical thinking in social sciences and employing methods like Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA), and set visualization techniques, in this position paper, we propose...... and demonstrate a new approach to maturity models in the domain of Information Systems. This position paper describes the set-theoretical approach to maturity models, presents current results and outlines future research work....

Corporate Finance, Incomplete Contracts, and Corporate Control

OpenAIRE

Patrick Bolton

2014-01-01

This essay in celebration of Grossman and Hart (GH) (Grossman, S., and H. Oliver. 1986. "The Costs and Benefits of Ownership: A Theory of Vertical and Lateral Integration," 94 Journal of Political Economy 691–719.) discusses how the introduction of incomplete contracts has fundamentally changed economists’ perspectives on corporate finance and control. Before GH, the dominant theory in corporate finance was the tradeoff theory pitting the tax advantages of debt (relative to equity) against ba...

Breast regression protein-39 (BRP-39) promotes dendritic cell maturation in vitro and enhances Th2 inflammation in murine model of asthma.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Qian; Chai, Shou-jie; Qian, Ying-ying; Zhang, Min; Wang, Kai

2012-12-01

To determine the roles of breast regression protein-39 (BRP-39) in regulating dendritic cell maturation and in pathology of acute asthma. Mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) were prepared, and infected with adenovirus over-expressing BRP-39. Ovalbumin (OVA)-induced murine model of acute asthma was made in female BALB/c mice by sensitizing and challenging with chicken OVA and Imject Alum. The transfected BMDCs were adoptively transferred into OVA-treated mice via intravenous injection. Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), inflammation and pulmonary histopathology were characterized. The expression of BRP-39 mRNA and protein was significantly increased in lung tissues of OVA-treated mice. The BMDCs infected with adenovirus BRP-39 exhibited greater maturation and higher activity in vitro. Adoptive transfer of the cells into OVA-treated mice significantly augmented OVA-induced AHR and eosinophilic inflammation. Meanwhile, BRP-39 further enhanced the production of OVA-induced Th2 cytokines IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13, but significantly attenuated OVA-induced IFN-γ production in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. In OVA-induced murine model of acute asthma, BRP-39 is over-expressed in lung tissue and augments Th2 inflammatory response and AHR. BRP-39 promotes dendritic cell maturation in vitro. Therefore, BRP-39 may be a potential therapeutic target of asthma.

Incomplete Kawasaki disease with recurrent skin peeling: a case report with the review of literature.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parmar R

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Kawasaki disease (KD is an acute systemic vasculitis of unknown aetiology that has largely replaced rheumatic heart disease as a cause of acquired heart disease in children of many developed countries. We report a case of incomplete KD in a five-year-old girl. The diagnosis of incomplete KD was made after exclusion of conditions with similar presentation. She was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin following which she made an uneventful recovery but demonstrated thrombocytosis in the second week of convalescence. During the six-month follow up period, she had two episodes of recurrent skin peeling a phenomenon, which is recently reported with KD but not with atypical or incomplete KD. It is important for the treating physicians to become aware of the incomplete KD as prompt diagnosis and early treatment of these patients with intravenous immunoglobulin is vital for the prevention of lethal coronary complications. Physicians need to have a "high index of suspicion" for KD and even, higher for IKD.

Naturally Engineered Maturation of Cardiomyocytes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gaetano J. Scuderi

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Ischemic heart disease remains one of the most prominent causes of mortalities worldwide with heart transplantation being the gold-standard treatment option. However, due to the major limitations associated with heart transplants, such as an inadequate supply and heart rejection, there remains a significant clinical need for a viable cardiac regenerative therapy to restore native myocardial function. Over the course of the previous several decades, researchers have made prominent advances in the field of cardiac regeneration with the creation of in vitro human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte tissue engineered constructs. However, these engineered constructs exhibit a functionally immature, disorganized, fetal-like phenotype that is not equivalent physiologically to native adult cardiac tissue. Due to this major limitation, many recent studies have investigated approaches to improve pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte maturation to close this large functionality gap between engineered and native cardiac tissue. This review integrates the natural developmental mechanisms of cardiomyocyte structural and functional maturation. The variety of ways researchers have attempted to improve cardiomyocyte maturation in vitro by mimicking natural development, known as natural engineering, is readily discussed. The main focus of this review involves the synergistic role of electrical and mechanical stimulation, extracellular matrix interactions, and non-cardiomyocyte interactions in facilitating cardiomyocyte maturation. Overall, even with these current natural engineering approaches, pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes within three-dimensional engineered heart tissue still remain mostly within the early to late fetal stages of cardiomyocyte maturity. Therefore, although the end goal is to achieve adult phenotypic maturity, more emphasis must be placed on elucidating how the in vivo fetal microenvironment drives cardiomyocyte

Preparation of future teachers to psychological and pedagogical parental culture improvement in incomplete families

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tetiana Strutynska

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The article reveals the need for special training of future teachers for improvement ofpsychological and pedagogical parents’ culture who live separately from incomplete families. Efficiency conditions of such training in semantic and technological aspects are highlighted.Key words: incomplete family, psychological and pedagogical culture of a father,efficiency conditions of future teachers preparation for working with a parent from singleparentfamilies.

Dynamic feedback circuits function as a switch for shaping a maturation-inducing steroid pulse in Drosophila

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Morten Erik; Danielsen, Erik Thomas; Herder, Rachel

2013-01-01

. Remarkably, our study shows that the same well-defined genetic program that stimulates a systemic downstream response to ecdysone is also utilized upstream to set the duration and amplitude of the ecdysone pulse. Activation of this switch-like mechanism ensures a rapid, self-limiting PG response......Steroid hormones trigger the onset of sexual maturation in animals by initiating genetic response programs that are determined by steroid pulse frequency, amplitude and duration. Although steroid pulses coordinate growth and timing of maturation during development, the mechanisms generating...... of hormone synthesis, the two key parameters determining pulse shape (amplitude and duration). We show that ecdysone has a positive-feedback effect on the PG, rapidly amplifying its own synthesis to trigger pupariation as the onset of maturation. During the prepupal stage, a negative-feedback signal ensures...

Furosemide/Fludrocortisone Test and Clinical Parameters to Diagnose Incomplete Distal Renal Tubular Acidosis in Kidney Stone Formers.

Science.gov (United States)

Dhayat, Nasser A; Gradwell, Michael W; Pathare, Ganesh; Anderegg, Manuel; Schneider, Lisa; Luethi, David; Mattmann, Cedric; Moe, Orson W; Vogt, Bruno; Fuster, Daniel G

2017-09-07

Incomplete distal renal tubular acidosis is a well known cause of calcareous nephrolithiasis but the prevalence is unknown, mostly due to lack of accepted diagnostic tests and criteria. The ammonium chloride test is considered as gold standard for the diagnosis of incomplete distal renal tubular acidosis, but the furosemide/fludrocortisone test was recently proposed as an alternative. Because of the lack of rigorous comparative studies, the validity of the furosemide/fludrocortisone test in stone formers remains unknown. In addition, the performance of conventional, nonprovocative parameters in predicting incomplete distal renal tubular acidosis has not been studied. We conducted a prospective study in an unselected cohort of 170 stone formers that underwent sequential ammonium chloride and furosemide/fludrocortisone testing. Using the ammonium chloride test as gold standard, the prevalence of incomplete distal renal tubular acidosis was 8%. Sensitivity and specificity of the furosemide/fludrocortisone test were 77% and 85%, respectively, yielding a positive predictive value of 30% and a negative predictive value of 98%. Testing of several nonprovocative clinical parameters in the prediction of incomplete distal renal tubular acidosis revealed fasting morning urinary pH and plasma potassium as the most discriminative parameters. The combination of a fasting morning urinary threshold pH 3.8 mEq/L yielded a negative predictive value of 98% with a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 77% for the diagnosis of incomplete distal renal tubular acidosis. The furosemide/fludrocortisone test can be used for incomplete distal renal tubular acidosis screening in stone formers, but an abnormal furosemide/fludrocortisone test result needs confirmation by ammonium chloride testing. Our data furthermore indicate that incomplete distal renal tubular acidosis can reliably be excluded in stone formers by use of nonprovocative clinical parameters. Copyright © 2017 by the American

On the dynamical incompleteness of the Protein Data Bank.

Science.gov (United States)

Marino-Buslje, Cristina; Monzon, Alexander Miguel; Zea, Diego Javier; Fornasari, María Silvina; Parisi, Gustavo

2017-08-02

Major scientific challenges that are beyond the capability of individuals need to be addressed by multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional consortia. Examples of these endeavours include the Human Genome Project, and more recently, the Structural Genomics (SG) initiative. The SG initiative pursues the expansion of structural coverage to include at least one structural representative for each protein family to derive the remaining structures using homology modelling. However, biological function is inherently connected with protein dynamics that can be studied by knowing different structures of the same protein. This ensemble of structures provides snapshots of protein conformational diversity under native conditions. Thus, sequence redundancy in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) (i.e. crystallization of the same protein under different conditions) is therefore an essential input contributing to experimentally based studies of protein dynamics and providing insights into protein function. In this work, we show that sequence redundancy, a key concept for exploring protein dynamics, is highly biased and fundamentally incomplete in the PDB. Additionally, our results show that dynamical behaviour of proteins cannot be inferred using homologous proteins. Minor to moderate changes in sequence can produce great differences in dynamical behaviour. Nonetheless, the structural and dynamical incompleteness of the PDB is apparently unrelated concepts in SG. While the first could be reversed by promoting the extension of the structural coverage, we would like to emphasize that further focused efforts will be needed to amend the incompleteness of the PDB in terms of dynamical information content, essential to fully understand protein function. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Benefits of Barium Enema in Patients with Incomplete Colonoscopy. Prospective Study of 45 Cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gispert, S.; Mayolas, N.; Hidalgo, A.

2003-01-01

To evaluate the usefulness of barium enema in patients with incomplete colonoscopy. There was carried out a prospective 10-month study of 45 patients with incomplete colonoscopy (27 men and 18 women), who were later examined by means of barium enema (33 conventional, 12 double-contrast) in order to check for additional pathology in portions of the colon not visualized by colonoscopy. Barium enema diagnosed six possible additional lesions (13.3%) in portions of the colon not visualized by incomplete colonoscopy (four neoplasia and two non-neoplasia). Regarding the neoplasia two were true positives and two false positives. Both true positives were adenocarcinomas (one synchronous caecum, and another in splenic angle). The two false positives corresponded to fecal matter stuck to the intestinal wall. Regarding the non-neoplasia, multiple stenosis was detected in a patient with Crohn's disease and an enterocolic fistula was found in a patient with sigmoid colon neoplasia. The diagnostic yield of barium enema in the detection of additional pathology in colon portions not visualized by colonoscopy was of 9%. Barium enema following incomplete colonoscopy permits a complete colon evaluation in most cases, and it offers additional diagnostic information. (Author) 21 refs

Direct Induction and Functional Maturation of Forebrain GABAergic Neurons from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alfred Xuyang Sun

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA-releasing interneurons play an important modulatory role in the cortex and have been implicated in multiple neurological disorders. Patient-derived interneurons could provide a foundation for studying the pathogenesis of these diseases as well as for identifying potential therapeutic targets. Here, we identified a set of genetic factors that could robustly induce human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs into GABAergic neurons (iGNs with high efficiency. We demonstrated that the human iGNs express neurochemical markers and exhibit mature electrophysiological properties within 6–8 weeks. Furthermore, in vitro, iGNs could form functional synapses with other iGNs or with human-induced glutamatergic neurons (iENs. Upon transplantation into immunodeficient mice, human iGNs underwent synaptic maturation and integration into host neural circuits. Taken together, our rapid and highly efficient single-step protocol to generate iGNs may be useful to both mechanistic and translational studies of human interneurons.

Incomplete Dirac reduction of constrained Hamiltonian systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chandre, C., E-mail: chandre@cpt.univ-mrs.fr

2015-10-15

First-class constraints constitute a potential obstacle to the computation of a Poisson bracket in Dirac’s theory of constrained Hamiltonian systems. Using the pseudoinverse instead of the inverse of the matrix defined by the Poisson brackets between the constraints, we show that a Dirac–Poisson bracket can be constructed, even if it corresponds to an incomplete reduction of the original Hamiltonian system. The uniqueness of Dirac brackets is discussed. The relevance of this procedure for infinite dimensional Hamiltonian systems is exemplified.

Gamma-ray-induced bold seeded early maturing groundnut selections

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manoharan, V; Thangavelu, S [Regional Research Station, Vriddhachalam, Tamil Nadu (India)

1990-07-01

Full text: ''Chico'' is an early maturing (85-90 days) erect groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) genotype utilised in groundnut improvement to incorporate earliness in high yielding varieties. Though it has high shelling out-turn, its yield potential is low since it has small seeds. Mutation breeding was started with the objective of improving the seed size. In a preliminary experiment, dry seeds were treated with 20, 30, 40 or 50 kR of gamma rays. The M{sub 1} generation was grown during the post rainy season of 1988-1989. The M{sub 2} generation was planted as individual plant progeny rows during the rainy season of 1989. 105 progeny rows were studied, the total number of M{sub 2} plants being 1,730. All the M{sub 2} plants were harvested 90 days after sowing. Seven mutants with bold seed size were obtained. The mutants had 100 kernel weight ranging from 22.2 to 40.4 g compared to 21.1 g of control. The study is in progress. (author)

7 CFR 51.1904 - Maturity classification.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Maturity classification. 51.1904 Section 51.1904... STANDARDS) United States Consumer Standards for Fresh Tomatoes Size and Maturity Classification § 51.1904 Maturity classification. Tomatoes which are characteristically red when ripe, but are not overripe or soft...

Age and size at maturity: a quantitative review of diet-induced reaction norms in insects.

Science.gov (United States)

Teder, Tiit; Vellau, Helen; Tammaru, Toomas

2014-11-01

Optimality models predict that diet-induced bivariate reaction norms for age and size at maturity can have diverse shapes, with the slope varying from negative to positive. To evaluate these predictions, we perform a quantitative review of relevant data, using a literature-derived database of body sizes and development times for over 200 insect species. We show that bivariate reaction norms with a negative slope prevail in nearly all taxonomic and ecological categories of insects as well as in some other ectotherm taxa with comparable life histories (arachnids and amphibians). In insects, positive slopes are largely limited to species, which feed on discrete resource items, parasitoids in particular. By contrast, with virtually no meaningful exceptions, herbivorous and predatory insects display reaction norms with a negative slope. This is consistent with the idea that predictable resource depletion, a scenario selecting for positively sloped reaction norms, is not frequent for these insects. Another source of such selection-a positive correlation between resource levels and juvenile mortality rates-should similarly be rare among insects. Positive slopes can also be predicted by models which integrate life-history evolution and population dynamics. As bottom-up regulation is not common in most insect groups, such models may not be most appropriate for insects. © 2014 The Author(s). Evolution © 2014 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Nicotine-induced Disturbances of Meiotic Maturation in Cultured Mouse Oocytes: Alterations of Spindle Integrity and Chromosome Alignment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zenzes Maria

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract We investigated whether nicotine exposure in vitro of mouse oocytes affects spindle and chromosome function during meiotic maturation (M-I and M-II. Oocytes in germinal vesicle (GV stage were cultured in nicotine for 8 h or for 16 h, to assess effects in M-I and in metaphase II (M-II. The latter culture setting used the three protocols: 8 h nicotine then 8 h medium (8N + 8M; 16 h nicotine (16N; 8 h medium then 8 h nicotine (8M + 8N. Non-toxic concentrations of nicotine at 1.0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 mmol/L were used. Spindle-chromosome configurations were analyzed with wide-field optical sectioning microscopy. In 8 h cultures, nicotine exposure resulted in dose-related increased proportions of M-I oocytes with defective spindle-chromosome configurations. A dose-related delayed entry into anaphase I was also detected. In 16 h cultures, nicotine exposure for the first 8 h (8N + 8M, or for 16 h (16N, resulted in dose- and time-related increased proportions of oocytes arrested in M-I (10 mmol/L; 8 h: 53.2%, controls 9.6%; 16 h: 87.6%, controls 8.5%. Defects in M-I spindles and chromosomes caused M-I arrest leading to dose-related decreased proportions of oocytes that reached metaphase-II (10 mmol/L 8 h: 46.8%, controls 90.4%;16 h: 12.4%, controls 91.5%. A delayed anaphase-I affected the normal timing of M-II, leading to abnormal oocytes with dispersed chromosomes, or with double spindles and no polar body. Nicotine exposure during the second 8 h (8M + 8N resulted in dose-related, increased proportions of M-II oocytes with defective spindles and chromosomes (10 mmol/L: 42.9%, controls 2.0%. Nicotine has no adverse effects on GV break down, but induces spindle and chromosome defects compromising oocyte meiotic maturation and development.

Influence of the mass asymmetry on the incomplete fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, D.; Ali, R.; Pachouri, Dipti; Afzal Ansari, M.; Rashid, M.H.

2007-01-01

In the present work, a ratio of the incomplete fusion cross-section to the total cross-section (CF + ICF) has been measured, fraction for the 16 O + 45 Sc, 16 O + 74 Ge, 20 Ne + 59 Co and 20 Ne + 165 Ho systems at ≅ 3-8 MeV/ nucleon

A risk reserve model for hedging in incomplete markets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Minina, V.; Vellekoop, M.

2010-01-01

This paper presents a new approach to the pricing and hedging problem for contingent claims in incomplete markets. We assume that traders wish to maximize the expected final payoff of the hedging portfolio and the claims, and we avoid the use of utility functions. Instead, we model how traders are

Physical exercise prevents stress-induced activation of granule neurons and enhances local inhibitory mechanisms in the dentate gyrus.

Science.gov (United States)

Schoenfeld, Timothy J; Rada, Pedro; Pieruzzini, Pedro R; Hsueh, Brian; Gould, Elizabeth

2013-05-01

Physical exercise is known to reduce anxiety. The ventral hippocampus has been linked to anxiety regulation but the effects of running on this subregion of the hippocampus have been incompletely explored. Here, we investigated the effects of cold water stress on the hippocampus of sedentary and runner mice and found that while stress increases expression of the protein products of the immediate early genes c-fos and arc in new and mature granule neurons in sedentary mice, it has no such effect in runners. We further showed that running enhances local inhibitory mechanisms in the hippocampus, including increases in stress-induced activation of hippocampal interneurons, expression of vesicular GABA transporter (vGAT), and extracellular GABA release during cold water swim stress. Finally, blocking GABAA receptors in the ventral hippocampus, but not the dorsal hippocampus, with the antagonist bicuculline, reverses the anxiolytic effect of running. Together, these results suggest that running improves anxiety regulation by engaging local inhibitory mechanisms in the ventral hippocampus.

Cervical vertebral maturation as a biologic indicator of skeletal maturity.

Science.gov (United States)

Santiago, Rodrigo César; de Miranda Costa, Luiz Felipe; Vitral, Robert Willer Farinazzo; Fraga, Marcelo Reis; Bolognese, Ana Maria; Maia, Lucianne Cople

2012-11-01

To identify and review the literature regarding the reliability of cervical vertebrae maturation (CVM) staging to predict the pubertal spurt. The selection criteria included cross-sectional and longitudinal descriptive studies in humans that evaluated qualitatively or quantitatively the accuracy and reproducibility of the CVM method on lateral cephalometric radiographs, as well as the correlation with a standard method established by hand-wrist radiographs. The searches retrieved 343 unique citations. Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria. Six articles had moderate to high scores, while 17 of 23 had low scores. Analysis also showed a moderate to high statistically significant correlation between CVM and hand-wrist maturation methods. There was a moderate to high reproducibility of the CVM method, and only one specific study investigated the accuracy of the CVM index in detecting peak pubertal growth. This systematic review has shown that the studies on CVM method for radiographic assessment of skeletal maturation stages suffer from serious methodological failures. Better-designed studies with adequate accuracy, reproducibility, and correlation analysis, including studies with appropriate sensitivity-specificity analysis, should be performed.

Exogenous t-PA administration increases hippocampal mature BDNF levels. plasmin- or NMDA-dependent mechanism?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marion Rodier

Full Text Available Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF through TrkB activation is central for brain functioning. Since the demonstration that plasmin is able to process pro-BDNF to mature BDNF and that these two forms have opposite effects on neuronal survival and plasticity, a particular attention has been paid to the link between tissue plasminogen activator (tPA/plasmin system and BDNF metabolism. However, t-PA via its action on different N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA receptor subunits is also considered as a neuromodulator of glutamatergic transmission. In this context, the aim of our study was to investigate the effect of recombinant (rt-PA administration on brain BDNF metabolism in rats. In the hippocampus, we found that rt-PA (10 mg/kg administration induced a progressive increase in mature BDNF levels associated with TrkB activation. In order to delineate the mechanistic involved, plasmin activity was assessed and its inhibition was attempted using tranexamic acid (30 or 300 mg/kg, i.v. while NMDA receptors were antagonized with MK801 (0.3 or 3 mg/kg, i.p. in combination with rt-PA treatment. Our results showed that despite a rise in rt-PA activity, rt-PA administration failed to increase hippocampal plasmin activity suggesting that the plasminogen/plasmin system is not involved whereas MK801 abrogated the augmentation in mature BDNF levels observed after rt-PA administration. All together, our results show that rt-PA administration induces increase in hippocampal mature BDNF expression and suggests that rt-PA contributes to the control of brain BDNF synthesis through a plasmin-independent potentiation of NMDA receptors signaling.

Correlation between chronological age, cervical vertebral maturation and Fishman's skeletal maturity indicators in southern Chinese.

Science.gov (United States)

Alkhal, Hessa Abdulla; Wong, Ricky W K; Rabie, A Bakr M

2008-07-01

To investigate the correlation between chronological age, cervical vertebral maturation (CVM), and Fishman's hand-wrist skeletal maturity indicators in southern Chinese. Four hundred contemporary hand-wrist and lateral cephalometric radiographs of southern Chinese subjects were randomly selected and analyzed. The female subjects were between 10 and 15 years of age, and the male subjects were between 12 and 17 years of age; all subjects were within the circumpubertal period. The CVM was assessed using the method developed by Baccetti and coworkers, but the hand-wrist maturation was assessed using the method developed by Fishman. These two methods and the chronological age were correlated using the Spearman rank correlation analysis. The CVM was significantly correlated with the hand-wrist skeletal age (Spearman r male = 0.9206, female = 0.9363). All patients in the cervical maturation stage (CS3) of CVM were discovered to be in the skeletal maturational indicator (SMI2 or SMI3) stages of hand-wrist maturation (HWM), which was around the peak of the growth spurt. Low correlations were found between the CVM and chronological age (male r = 0.7577; female r = 0.7877) and between the HWM and chronological age (male r = 0.7492; female r = 0.7758). CVM is a valid indicator of skeletal growth during the circumpubertal and has a high correlation with the HWM for the southern Chinese population. However, the low correlations found between the chronological age and both CVM and HWM showed that the chronological age was not suitable to measure skeletal maturity.

Experimentally induced, synergistic late effects of a single dose of radiation and aging: significance in LKS fraction as compared with mature blood cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirabayashi, Yoko; Tsuboi, Isao; Nakachi, Kei; Kusunoki, Yoichiro; Inoue, Tohru

2015-03-01

The number of murine mature blood cells recovered within 6 weeks after 2-Gy whole-body irradiation at 6 weeks of age, whereas in the case of the undifferentiated hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell (HSC/HPC) compartment [cells in the lineage-negative, c-kit-positive and stem-cell-antigen-1-positive (LKS) fraction], the numerical differences between mice with and without irradiation remained more than a year, but conclusively the cells showed numerical recovery. When mice were exposed to radiation at 6 months of age, acute damages of mature blood cells were rather milder probably because of their maturation with age; but again, cells in the LKS fraction were specifically damaged, and their numerical recovery was significantly delayed probably as a result of LKS-specific cellular damages. Interestingly, in contrast to the recovery of the number of cells in the LKS fraction, their quality was not recovered, which was quantitatively assessed on the basis of oxidative-stress-related fluorescence intensity. To investigate why the recovery in the number of cells in the LKS fraction was delayed, expression levels of genes related to cellular proliferation and apoptosis of cells in the bone marrow and LKS fraction were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In the case of 21-month-old mice after radiation exposure, Ccnd1, PiK3r1 and Fyn were overexpressed solely in cells in the LKS fraction. Because Ccnd1and PiK3r1 upregulated by aging were further upregulated by radiation, single-dose radiation seemed to induce the acceleration of aging, which is related to the essential biological responses during aging based on a lifetime-dependent relationship between a living creature and xenobiotic materials. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Vulnerability of complex networks under intentional attack with incomplete information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, J; Deng, H Z; Tan, Y J; Zhu, D Z

2007-01-01

We study the vulnerability of complex networks under intentional attack with incomplete information, which means that one can only preferentially attack the most important nodes among a local region of a network. The known random failure and the intentional attack are two extreme cases of our study. Using the generating function method, we derive the exact value of the critical removal fraction f c of nodes for the disintegration of networks and the size of the giant component. To validate our model and method, we perform simulations of intentional attack with incomplete information in scale-free networks. We show that the attack information has an important effect on the vulnerability of scale-free networks. We also demonstrate that hiding a fraction of the nodes information is a cost-efficient strategy for enhancing the robustness of complex networks

Social Interactions under Incomplete Information: Games, Equilibria, and Expectations

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Chao

My dissertation research investigates interactions of agents' behaviors through social networks when some information is not shared publicly, focusing on solutions to a series of challenging problems in empirical research, including heterogeneous expectations and multiple equilibria. The first chapter, "Social Interactions under Incomplete Information with Heterogeneous Expectations", extends the current literature in social interactions by devising econometric models and estimation tools with private information in not only the idiosyncratic shocks but also some exogenous covariates. For example, when analyzing peer effects in class performances, it was previously assumed that all control variables, including individual IQ and SAT scores, are known to the whole class, which is unrealistic. This chapter allows such exogenous variables to be private information and models agents' behaviors as outcomes of a Bayesian Nash Equilibrium in an incomplete information game. The distribution of equilibrium outcomes can be described by the equilibrium conditional expectations, which is unique when the parameters are within a reasonable range according to the contraction mapping theorem in function spaces. The equilibrium conditional expectations are heterogeneous in both exogenous characteristics and the private information, which makes estimation in this model more demanding than in previous ones. This problem is solved in a computationally efficient way by combining the quadrature method and the nested fixed point maximum likelihood estimation. In Monte Carlo experiments, if some exogenous characteristics are private information and the model is estimated under the mis-specified hypothesis that they are known to the public, estimates will be biased. Applying this model to municipal public spending in North Carolina, significant negative correlations between contiguous municipalities are found, showing free-riding effects. The Second chapter "A Tobit Model with Social

Set-Theoretic Approach to Maturity Models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lasrado, Lester Allan

Despite being widely accepted and applied, maturity models in Information Systems (IS) have been criticized for the lack of theoretical grounding, methodological rigor, empirical validations, and ignorance of multiple and non-linear paths to maturity. This PhD thesis focuses on addressing...... these criticisms by incorporating recent developments in configuration theory, in particular application of set-theoretic approaches. The aim is to show the potential of employing a set-theoretic approach for maturity model research and empirically demonstrating equifinal paths to maturity. Specifically...... methodological guidelines consisting of detailed procedures to systematically apply set theoretic approaches for maturity model research and provides demonstrations of it application on three datasets. The thesis is a collection of six research papers that are written in a sequential manner. The first paper...

Late effects of radiation on mature and growing bone; Effets tardifs des radiations sur l`os mature et en croissance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramuz, O.; Mornex, F. [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Lyon-Sud, 69 - Pierre-Benite (France); Bourhis, J. [Institut Gustave Roussy, 94 - Villejuif (France)

1997-12-01

The physiopathology of radiation-induced bone damage is no completely elucidated. Ionizing radiation may induce an inhibition or an impairment of growing bone. This fact is of particular importance in children, and represents one of the most important dose-limiting factors in the radiotherapeutic management of children with malignant diseases. Scoliosis, epiphyseal slippage, avascular necrosis, abnormalities of craniofacial growth may be observed after radiation. Child`s age at the time of treatment, location of irradiated bone and irradiation characteristics may influence the radiation related observed effects. In adults, pathological analysis of mature bone after ionizing radiation exposure are rare, suggesting that it is difficult to draw a clear feature of the action of radiation on the bone. Osteoporosis, medullary fibrosis and cytotoxicity on bone cells lead to fracture or necrosis. Various factors can influence bone tolerance to radiation such as bone involvement by tumor cells or infection, which is frequent is mandibulary osteoradionecrosis. Technical improvements in radiation techniques have also decreased radio-induced bone complications : the volume, fractionation and total dose are essential to consider. The absence of a consistent radiation-induced late effects evaluation scale has hampered efforts to analyze the influence of various therapeutic maneuvers and the comparison of results from different reported series. The currently proposed evaluation scale may help harmonizing the classification of radiation-induced bone late effects. (author)

On the information-theoretic approach to G\\"odel's incompleteness theorem

OpenAIRE

D'Abramo, Germano

2002-01-01

In this paper we briefly review and analyze three published proofs of Chaitin's theorem, the celebrated information-theoretic version of G\\"odel's incompleteness theorem. Then, we discuss our main perplexity concerning a key step common to all these demonstrations.

Bilevel formulation of a policy design problem considering multiple objectives and incomplete preferences

Science.gov (United States)

Hawthorne, Bryant; Panchal, Jitesh H.

2014-07-01

A bilevel optimization formulation of policy design problems considering multiple objectives and incomplete preferences of the stakeholders is presented. The formulation is presented for Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) policy design for decentralized energy infrastructure. The upper-level problem is the policy designer's problem and the lower-level problem is a Nash equilibrium problem resulting from market interactions. The policy designer has two objectives: maximizing the quantity of energy generated and minimizing policy cost. The stakeholders decide on quantities while maximizing net present value and minimizing capital investment. The Nash equilibrium problem in the presence of incomplete preferences is formulated as a stochastic linear complementarity problem and solved using expected value formulation, expected residual minimization formulation, and the Monte Carlo technique. The primary contributions in this article are the mathematical formulation of the FIT policy, the extension of computational policy design problems to multiple objectives, and the consideration of incomplete preferences of stakeholders for policy design problems.

Injurious Effects of Curcumin on Maturation of Mouse Oocytes, Fertilization and Fetal Development via Apoptosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wen-Hsiung Chan

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Curcumin, a common dietary pigment and spice, is a hydrophobic polyphenol derived from the rhizome of the herb Curcuma longa. Previously, we reported a cytotoxic effect of curcumin on mouse embryonic stem cells and blastocysts and its association with defects in subsequent development. In the present study, we further investigated the effects of curcumin on oocyte maturation and subsequent pre- and post-implantation development, both in vitro and in vivo. Notably, curcumin induced a significant reduction in the rate of oocyte maturation, fertilization, and in vitro embryonic development. Treatment of oocytes with curcumin during in vitro maturation (IVM led to increased resorption of postimplantation embryos and decreased fetal weight. Experiments with an in vivo mouse model disclosed that consumption of drinking water containing 40 μM curcumin led to decreased oocyte maturation and in vitro fertilization as well as early embryonic developmental injury. Finally, pretreatment with a caspase-3-specific inhibitor effectively prevented curcumin-triggered injury effects, suggesting that embryo impairment by curcumin occurs mainly via a caspase-dependent apoptotic process.

Glia maturation factor gamma regulates the migration and adherence of human T lymphocytes

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Lippert Dustin ND

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Lymphocyte migration and chemotaxis are essential for effective immune surveillance. A critical aspect of migration is cell polarization and the extension of pseudopodia in the direction of movement. However, our knowledge of the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for these events is incomplete. Proteomic analysis of the isolated leading edges of CXCL12 stimulated human T cell lines was used to identify glia maturation factor gamma (GMFG as a component of the pseudopodia. This protein is predominantly expressed in hematopoietic cells and it has been shown to regulate cytoskeletal branching. The present studies were undertaken to examine the role of GMFG in lymphocyte migration. Results Microscopic analysis of migrating T-cells demonstrated that GMFG was distributed along the axis of movement with enrichment in the leading edge and behind the nucleus of these cells. Inhibition of GMFG expression in T cell lines and IL-2 dependent human peripheral blood T cells with shRNAmir reduced cellular basal and chemokine induced migration responses. The failure of the cells with reduced GMFG to migrate was associated with an apparent inability to detach from the substrates that they were moving on. It was also noted that these cells had an increased adherence to extracellular matrix proteins such as fibronectin. These changes in adherence were associated with altered patterns of β1 integrin expression and increased levels of activated integrins as detected with the activation specific antibody HUTS4. GMFG loss was also shown to increase the expression of the β2 integrin LFA-1 and to increase the adhesion of these cells to ICAM-1. Conclusions The present studies demonstrate that GMFG is a component of human T cell pseudopodia required for migration. The reduction in migration and increased adherence properties associated with inhibition of GMFG expression suggest that GMFG activity influences the regulation of integrin mediated

Incomplete excision of non-melanoma skin cancer of the head and neck: can we predict failure?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjerkegaard, Ulrik Knap; Stolle, Lars Bjørn

2014-01-01

included into the study. Patients were identified by the diagnostic (diagnosis-related group (DRG)) codes from DC44.0 to DC44.4. A total of 437 patients were treated for 516 skin lesions. Results Mean age was 71.4 years and the male–female ratio was 1.29. Incomplete tumor removal was found in 11 % of all...... for complete tumor excision is mandatory prior to reconstruction. Our findings showed that causes of incomplete excision could be identified. With this knowledge, we are able to optimize our quality of treatment, patient satisfaction, and finally, the cost/effectiveness of our department. Level of Evidence......Background Reported incomplete excision rates vary widely. This study described a single center's treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the head and neck and investigated possible causes of incomplete excision. Methods All excised BCCs and SCCs in 2011 were...

Systematic of fusion incompleteness in 20Ne induced reactions at energy 4-7 MeV/nucleon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, Sabir; Ahmad, Tauseef; Kumar, Kamal

2016-01-01

In the present work, a study of fusion incompleteness using the 20 Ne projectile over 51 V, 55 Mn and 59 Co and targets has been carried out. The experiment involving 20 N e+ 51 V system was performed at VECC, Kolkata, India. The targets of thickness range 1.19-1.50 rug/cm 2 of spectroscopically pure 51 V (purity 99.99%) were prepared by depositing on aluminum backing of thickness range 1.47-1.64 mg/cm 2 by the vacuum evaporation technique at the target lab of VECC. A stack of six 51 V targets was irradiated for ≈ 11 hrs by 20 Ne 6+ beam at ≈145 MeV. The irradiation of the stack covered the desired energy range of 82-145 MeV. The beam current was ≈ 40 nA during the irradiation hours. The energy of the 20 Ne ion beam incident on each target foil was calculated using stopping power software SRIM. The overall error in the present work is estimated to be ≤20%

On Positive Semidefinite Modification Schemes for Incomplete Cholesky Factorization

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Scott, J.; Tůma, Miroslav

2014-01-01

Roč. 36, č. 2 (2014), A609-A633 ISSN 1064-8275 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-06684S Institutional support: RVO:67985807 Keywords : sparse matrices * sparse linear systems * positive-definite symmetric systems * iterative solvers * preconditioning * incomplete Cholesky factorization Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 1.854, year: 2014

Incomplete projection reconstruction of computed tomography based on the modified discrete algebraic reconstruction technique

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Fuqiang; Zhang, Dinghua; Huang, Kuidong; Gao, Zongzhao; Yang, YaFei

2018-02-01

Based on the discrete algebraic reconstruction technique (DART), this study aims to address and test a new improved algorithm applied to incomplete projection data to generate a high quality reconstruction image by reducing the artifacts and noise in computed tomography. For the incomplete projections, an augmented Lagrangian based on compressed sensing is first used in the initial reconstruction for segmentation of the DART to get higher contrast graphics for boundary and non-boundary pixels. Then, the block matching 3D filtering operator was used to suppress the noise and to improve the gray distribution of the reconstructed image. Finally, simulation studies on the polychromatic spectrum were performed to test the performance of the new algorithm. Study results show a significant improvement in the signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and average gradients (AGs) of the images reconstructed from incomplete data. The SNRs and AGs of the new images reconstructed by DART-ALBM were on average 30%-40% and 10% higher than the images reconstructed by DART algorithms. Since the improved DART-ALBM algorithm has a better robustness to limited-view reconstruction, which not only makes the edge of the image clear but also makes the gray distribution of non-boundary pixels better, it has the potential to improve image quality from incomplete projections or sparse projections.

The AI&M procedure for learning from incomplete data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jaeger, Manfred

2006-01-01

We investigate methods for parameter learning from incomplete data that is not missing at random. Likelihood-based methods then require the optimization of a profile likelihood that takes all possible missingness mechanisms into account. Optimizing this profile likelihood poses two main difficult......We investigate methods for parameter learning from incomplete data that is not missing at random. Likelihood-based methods then require the optimization of a profile likelihood that takes all possible missingness mechanisms into account. Optimizing this profile likelihood poses two main...... by operations in the space of data completions, rather than directly in the parameter space of the profile likelihood. We apply the AI\\&M method to learning parameters for Bayesian networks. The method is compared against conservative inference, which takes into account each possible data completion......, and against EM. The results indicate that likelihood-based inference is still feasible in the case of unknown missingness mechanisms, and that conservative inference is unnecessarily weak. On the other hand, our results also provide evidence that the EM algorithm is still quite effective when the data...

The clot thickens: an incompletely ligated left  atrial appendage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Merrill Thomas

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Our patient presented with known mechanical mitral valve endocarditis documented by 2D transesophageal echocardiogram (TOE from a recent hospitalization at an outside facility. On admission to our center, there was no prior knowledge of an incompletely ligated left atrial appendage (LAA according to patient- or family-reported history, review of outside records or the outside facility’s 2D TOE report. A 3D TOE performed at our center to assess her pathology, since a month had passed from her prior hospitalization, revealed a LAA ligation with evidence of communication to the left atrium and with clot present in the appendage. This case report highlights the common finding of incomplete closure of the LAA following surgical ligation, thus making it inadequate for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation, and that 3D TOE plays a valuable role in assessing the durability of LAA ligation.

Sustaining Exploration in Mature Basins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bayo, A.

2002-01-01

Exploration is a business like any other business driven by opportunity, resources and expectation of profit. Therefore, exploration will thrive anywhere the opportunities are significant, the resources are available and the outlook for profit (or value creation) is good. To sustain exploration activities anywhere, irrespective of the environment, there must be good understanding of the drivers of these key investment criteria. This paper will examine these investment criteria as they relate to exploration business and address the peculiarity of exploration in mature basin. Mature basins are unique environment that lends themselves a mix of fears, paradigms and realities, particularly with respect to the perception of value. To sustain exploration activities in a mature basin, we need to understand these perceptions relative to the true drivers of profitability. Exploration in the mature basins can be as profitable as exploration in emerging basins if the dynamics of value definition-strategic and fiscal values are understood by operators, regulators and co ventures alike. Some suggestions are made in this presentation on what needs to be done in addressing these dynamic investment parameters and sustaining exploration activities in mature basins

Premenarchal, recurrent vaginal discharge associated with an incomplete obstructing longitudinal vaginal septum.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Keith A; DeWitt, Jason

2005-12-01

To describe an unusual, premenarchal presentation of an obstructive vaginal anomaly. Case Report. University Medical Center. Premenarchal subject Vaginogram, vaginal septum resection. Vaginal septum resection with resolution of vaginal discharge. This case demonstrates some of the typical features of uterus didelphys bicollis with incomplete obstructing hemivagina, but had a unique presentation with premenarchal, recurrent vaginal discharge. Typically, patients with an obstructing mullerian anomaly present after menarche with pelvic pain and a mass. The vaginogram assists in the preoperative definition of abnormal anatomy which allows the surgeon to develop the most appropriate surgical approach. Resection of this incompletely obstructing vaginal septum resulted in resolution of the recurrent vaginal discharge.

Maturation processes and structures of small secreted peptides in plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryo eTabata

2014-07-01

Full Text Available In the past decade, small secreted peptides have proven to be essential for various aspects of plant growth and development, including the maintenance of certain stem cell populations. Most small secreted peptides identified in plants to date are recognised by membrane-localized receptor kinases, the largest family of receptor proteins in the plant genome. This peptide-receptor interaction is essential for initiating intracellular signalling cascades. Small secreted peptides often undergo post-translational modifications and proteolytic processing to generate the mature peptides. Recent studies suggest that, in contrast to the situation in mammals, the proteolytic processing of plant peptides involves a number of complex steps. Furthermore, NMR-based structural analysis demonstrated that post-translational modifications induce the conformational changes needed for full activity. In this mini review, we summarise recent advances in our understanding of how small secreted peptides are modified and processed into biologically active peptides and describe the mature structures of small secreted peptides in plants.

A Robust Incomplete Factorization Preconditioner for Positive Definite Matrices

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Benzi, M.; Tůma, Miroslav

2003-01-01

Roč. 10, - (2003), s. 385-400 ISSN 1070-5325 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA2030801; GA AV ČR IAA1030103 Institutional research plan: AV0Z1030915 Keywords : sparse linear systems * positive definite matrices * preconditioned conjugate gradient s * incomplete factorization * A-orthogonalization * SAINV Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 1.042, year: 2003

[Application of immunomodulators in the treatment of mandibular fractures in elderly patients with incomplete secondary adentia].

Science.gov (United States)

Abramov, A V; Parfenov, S A; Belov, V G; Parfenov, Iu A

2014-01-01

The aim of the work was to study the experience of using complex pharmacotherapy in the treatment of mandibular fractures in elderly patients with incomplete secondary periodontitis, which were divided into two groups. In the first group, patients (n = 46; average age 69.0 ± 3.6) were treated using the authors' original device combined with application of antimicrobial MetrogilDenta gel onto gums two times a day during ten days. Patients in the second group (n = 52; average age 61.0 ± 3.1) were treated with the same device combined with (i) application of MetrogilDenta antimicrobial gel onto gums two times a day during ten days, (ii) application of 1.5 ml of Cycloferon 5% liniment by cotton pellet for 20 min during the same 10 days (30 minutes after the antimicrobial gel), and (iii) intramuscular injections of 6 mg of synthetic immunomodulator Polyoxidonium once a day for 3 days, then once every two days (for a total of 17 days). It is established that the use of the combination of interferon inducers of immunomodulator group--Cycloferon in the form of liniment and synthetic immunomodulator Polyoksidonium together with MetrogilDenta antimicrobial gel--led to the most pronounced regression of inflammatory and destructive processes in periodontal tissues (in 7.1%, đ = 0.05), optimized the state of local immunity of the oral cavity, and normalized microflora in periodontal pockets in elderly patients with incomplete secondary adentia.

Hydrostatic pressure affects in vitro maturation of oocytes and follicles and increases granulosa cell death.

Science.gov (United States)

Rashidi, Zahra; Azadbakht, Mehri; Amini, Ali; Karimi, Isac

2014-01-01

This study examines the effects of hydrostatic pressure on in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes derived from in vitro grown follicles. In this experimental study, preantral follicles were isolated from 12-day-old female NMRI mice. Each follicle was cultured individually in Alpha Minimal Essential Medium (α-MEM) under mineral oil for 12 days. Then, follicles were induced for IVM and divided into two groups, control and experiment. In the experiment group follicles were subjected to 20 mmHg pressure for 30 minutes and cultured for 24-48 hours. We assessed for viability and IVM of the oocytes. The percentage of apoptosis in cumulus cells was determined by the TUNEL assay. A comparison between groups was made using the student's t test. The percentage of metaphase II oocytes (MII) increased in hydrostatic pressuretreated follicles compared to controls (phydrostatic pressure-treated follicles compared to controls (pHydrostatic pressure, by inducing apoptosis in cumulus cells, participates in the cumulus oocyte coupled relationship with oocyte maturation.

TBC-8, a putative RAB-2 GAP, regulates dense core vesicle maturation in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Science.gov (United States)

Hannemann, Mandy; Sasidharan, Nikhil; Hegermann, Jan; Kutscher, Lena M; Koenig, Sabine; Eimer, Stefan

2012-01-01

Dense core vesicles (DCVs) are thought to be generated at the late Golgi apparatus as immature DCVs, which subsequently undergo a maturation process through clathrin-mediated membrane remodeling events. This maturation process is required for efficient processing of neuropeptides within DCVs and for removal of factors that would otherwise interfere with DCV release. Previously, we have shown that the GTPase, RAB-2, and its effector, RIC-19, are involved in DCV maturation in Caenorhabditis elegans motoneurons. In rab-2 mutants, specific cargo is lost from maturing DCVs and missorted into the endosomal/lysosomal degradation route. Cargo loss could be prevented by blocking endosomal delivery. This suggests that RAB-2 is involved in retention of DCV components during the sorting process at the Golgi-endosomal interface. To understand how RAB-2 activity is regulated at the Golgi, we screened for RAB-2-specific GTPase activating proteins (GAPs). We identified a potential RAB-2 GAP, TBC-8, which is exclusively expressed in neurons and which, when depleted, shows similar DCV maturation defects as rab-2 mutants. We could demonstrate that RAB-2 binds to its putative GAP, TBC-8. Interestingly, TBC-8 also binds to the RAB-2 effector, RIC-19. This interaction appears to be conserved as TBC-8 also interacted with the human ortholog of RIC-19, ICA69. Therefore, we propose that a dynamic ON/OFF cycling of RAB-2 at the Golgi induced by the GAP/effector complex is required for proper DCV maturation.

Pareto Improving Price Regulation when the Asset Market is Incomplete

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Herings, P.J.J.; Polemarchakis, H.M.

1999-01-01

When the asset market is incomplete, competitive equilibria are constrained suboptimal, which provides a scope for pareto improving interventions. Price regulation can be such a pareto improving policy, even when the welfare effects of rationing are taken into account. An appealing aspect of price

The histone demethylase Kdm6b regulates a mature gene expression program in differentiating cerebellar granule neurons.

Science.gov (United States)

Wijayatunge, Ranjula; Liu, Fang; Shpargel, Karl B; Wayne, Nicole J; Chan, Urann; Boua, Jane-Valeriane; Magnuson, Terry; West, Anne E

2018-03-01

The histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27) demethylase Kdm6b (Jmjd3) can promote cellular differentiation, however its physiological functions in neurons remain to be fully determined. We studied the expression and function of Kdm6b in differentiating granule neurons of the developing postnatal mouse cerebellum. At postnatal day 7, Kdm6b is expressed throughout the layers of the developing cerebellar cortex, but its expression is upregulated in newborn cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs). Atoh1-Cre mediated conditional knockout of Kdm6b in CGN precursors either alone or in combination with Kdm6a did not disturb the gross morphological development of the cerebellum. Furthermore, RNAi-mediated knockdown of Kdm6b in cultured CGN precursors did not alter the induced expression of early neuronal marker genes upon cell cycle exit. By contrast, knockdown of Kdm6b significantly impaired the induction of a mature neuronal gene expression program, which includes gene products required for functional synapse maturation. Loss of Kdm6b also impaired the ability of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) to induce expression of Grin2c and Tiam1 in maturing CGNs. Taken together, these data reveal a previously unknown role for Kdm6b in the postmitotic stages of CGN maturation and suggest that Kdm6b may work, at least in part, by a transcriptional mechanism that promotes gene sensitivity to regulation by BDNF. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spin distribution of evaporation residues formed in complete and incomplete fusion in 16O+154Sm system

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, D.; Linda, Sneha B.; Giri, Pankaj K.; Mahato, Amritraj; Tripathi, R.; Kumar, Harish; Afzal Ansari, M.; Sathik, N. P. M.; Ali, Rahbar; Kumar, Rakesh; Muralithar, S.; Singh, R. P.

2017-11-01

Spin distributions for several evaporation residues populated in the 16O+154Sm system have been measured at projectile energy ≈ 6.2 MeV/A by using the charged particle-γ-coincidence technique. The measured spin distributions of the evaporation residues populated through incomplete fusion associated with 'fast' α and 2α-emission channels are found to be entirely different from fusion-evaporation channels. It is observed that the mean input angular momentum for the evaporation residues formed in incomplete fusion channel is relatively higher than that observed for evaporation residues in complete fusion channels. The feeding intensity profile of evaporation residues populated through complete fusion and incomplete fusion have also been studied. The incomplete fusion channels are found to have narrow range feeding only for high spin states, while complete fusion channels are strongly fed over a broad spin range and widely populated. Comparison of present results with earlier data suggests that the mean input angular momentum values are relatively smaller for spherical target than that of deformed target using the same projectile and incident energy highlighting the role of target deformation in incomplete fusion dynamics.

Spin distribution of evaporation residues formed in complete and incomplete fusion in 16O+154Sm system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Singh

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Spin distributions for several evaporation residues populated in the 16O+154Sm system have been measured at projectile energy ≈ 6.2 MeV/A by using the charged particle–γ-coincidence technique. The measured spin distributions of the evaporation residues populated through incomplete fusion associated with ‘fast’ α and 2α-emission channels are found to be entirely different from fusion–evaporation channels. It is observed that the mean input angular momentum for the evaporation residues formed in incomplete fusion channel is relatively higher than that observed for evaporation residues in complete fusion channels. The feeding intensity profile of evaporation residues populated through complete fusion and incomplete fusion have also been studied. The incomplete fusion channels are found to have narrow range feeding only for high spin states, while complete fusion channels are strongly fed over a broad spin range and widely populated. Comparison of present results with earlier data suggests that the mean input angular momentum values are relatively smaller for spherical target than that of deformed target using the same projectile and incident energy highlighting the role of target deformation in incomplete fusion dynamics.

Incomplete Antibodies May Reduce ABO Cross-Match Incompatibility: A Pilot Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Özen

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Objective: Any erythrocyte transfusion among humans having type A or B blood groups is impossible due to antibodies causing fatal transfusion complications. A cross-match test is performed to prevent immune transfusion complications before transfusion. Our hypothesis is that the fragment antibody (Fab part of the antibody (incomplete antibody may be used to prevent an immune stimulus related to the complete antibody. Therefore, we designed a pilot study to evaluate the effectiveness of these incomplete antibodies using cross-match tests. Materials and Methods: Pepsin enzyme and staphylococcal protein A columns were used to cut anti-A and anti-B monoclonal antibodies and purify their Fab (2 fragments, respectively. An Rh-positive erythrocyte suspension with purified anti-A Fab (2 solution and B Rh-positive erythrocyte suspension with purified anti-B Fab (2 solution were combined correspondingly. Cross-match tests were performed by tube and gel centrifugation methods. The agglutination levels due to the anti-A and anti-B Fab (2 antibodies and their effects on the agglutination normally observed with complete antibodies were then measured. Results: No agglutination for the purified incomplete anti-A Fab (2 with A Rh+ erythrocyte and anti-B Fab (2 with B Rh+ erythrocyte combinations was observed in the tube cross-match tests. These agglutination levels were 1+ in two wells in the gel centrifugation cross-match tests. Fab (2-treated erythrocytes were also resistant to the agglutination that normally occurs with complete antibodies. Conclusion: We determined that the Fab (2 fragments of antibodies may not only be used to obtain a mild or negative reaction when compared to complete antibodies, but they might also be used for decreasing ABO incompatibility. Incomplete antibodies might be a therapeutic option in autoimmune hemolytic anemia and they may also be used in solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Therefore, we have planned an

Do farmers rapidly adapt to past growing conditions by sowing different proportions of early and late maturing cereals and cultivars?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pirjo Peltonen-Sainio

2013-10-01

Full Text Available In the short growing season of the northernmost European growing conditions, farmers are increasingly interested in expanding cultivation of later maturing crops at the expense of early maturing ones with lower yields. In this study we aimed to assess how the switching between spring cereals that differ in earliness was associated with different external factors. This was tested using unique datasets for regional cropping areas and cultivar use for the last 15 years. Early maturing barley was favored at the expense of later maturing wheat when a high number of days to crop maturity was required in the preceding year. In contrast, farmers reduced the barley area when a high number of cumulated degree days was required for a crop to mature in the previous year. A shift was recorded from early to late maturing cultivars. This study indicated that despite limited opportunities for farmers to alter land use, they readily responded to past conditions and used the knowledge gained for decision-making to reduce risk. This is a valuable operative model for studying adaptation to opportunities and constraints induced by climate change.

Persistent Low-Level Replication of SIVΔnef Drives Maturation of Antibody and CD8 T Cell Responses to Induce Protective Immunity against Vaginal SIV Infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Adnan, Sama; Reeves, R Keith; Gillis, Jacqueline; Wong, Fay E; Yu, Yi; Camp, Jeremy V; Li, Qingsheng; Connole, Michelle; Li, Yuan; Piatak, Michael; Lifson, Jeffrey D; Li, Wenjun; Keele, Brandon F; Kozlowski, Pamela A; Desrosiers, Ronald C; Haase, Ashley T; Johnson, R Paul

2016-12-01

Defining the correlates of immune protection conferred by SIVΔnef, the most effective vaccine against SIV challenge, could enable the design of a protective vaccine against HIV infection. Here we provide a comprehensive assessment of immune responses that protect against SIV infection through detailed analyses of cellular and humoral immune responses in the blood and tissues of rhesus macaques vaccinated with SIVΔnef and then vaginally challenged with wild-type SIV. Despite the presence of robust cellular immune responses, animals at 5 weeks after vaccination displayed only transient viral suppression of challenge virus, whereas all macaques challenged at weeks 20 and 40 post-SIVΔnef vaccination were protected, as defined by either apparent sterile protection or significant suppression of viremia in infected animals. Multiple parameters of CD8 T cell function temporally correlated with maturation of protection, including polyfunctionality, phenotypic differentiation, and redistribution to gut and lymphoid tissues. Importantly, we also demonstrate the induction of a tissue-resident memory population of SIV-specific CD8 T cells in the vaginal mucosa, which was dependent on ongoing low-level antigenic stimulation. Moreover, we show that vaginal and serum antibody titers inversely correlated with post-challenge peak viral load, and we correlate the accumulation and affinity maturation of the antibody response to the duration of the vaccination period as well as to the SIVΔnef antigenic load. In conclusion, maturation of SIVΔnef-induced CD8 T cell and antibody responses, both propelled by viral persistence in the gut mucosa and secondary lymphoid tissues, results in protective immune responses that are able to interrupt viral transmission at mucosal portals of entry as well as potential sites of viral dissemination.

Effect of adiponectin on bovine granulosa cell steroidogenesis, oocyte maturation and embryo development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Coyral-Castel Stéphanie

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Adiponectin is an adipokine, mainly produced by adipose tissue. It regulates several reproductive processes. The protein expression of the adiponectin system (adiponectin, its receptors, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 and the APPL1 adaptor in bovine ovary and its role on ovarian cells and embryo, remain however to be determined. Methods Here, we identified the adiponectin system in bovine ovarian cells and embryo using RT-PCR, immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, we investigated in vitro the effects of recombinant human adiponectin (10 micro g/mL on proliferation of granulosa cells (GC measured by [3H] thymidine incorporation, progesterone and estradiol secretions measured by radioimmunoassay in the culture medium of GC, nuclear oocyte maturation and early embryo development. Results We show that the mRNAs and proteins for the adiponectin system are present in bovine ovary (small and large follicles and corpus luteum and embryo. Adiponectin, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 were more precisely localized in oocyte, GC and theca cells. Adiponectin increased IGF-1 10(-8 M-induced GC proliferation (P Conclusions In bovine species, adiponectin decreased insulin-induced steroidogenesis and increased IGF-1-induced proliferation of cultured GC through a potential involvement of ERK1/2 MAPK pathway, whereas it did not modify oocyte maturation and embryo development in vitro.

Bicarbonate Transport During Enamel Maturation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Kaifeng; Paine, Michael L

2017-11-01

Amelogenesis (tooth enamel formation) is a biomineralization process consisting primarily of two stages (secretory stage and maturation stage) with unique features. During the secretory stage, the inner epithelium of the enamel organ (i.e., the ameloblast cells) synthesizes and secretes enamel matrix proteins (EMPs) into the enamel space. The protein-rich enamel matrix forms a highly organized architecture in a pH-neutral microenvironment. As amelogenesis transitions to maturation stage, EMPs are degraded and internalized by ameloblasts through endosomal-lysosomal pathways. Enamel crystallite formation is initiated early in the secretory stage, however, during maturation stage the more rapid deposition of calcium and phosphate into the enamel space results in a rapid expansion of crystallite length and mineral volume. During maturation-stage amelogenesis, the pH value of enamel varies considerably from slightly above neutral to acidic. Extracellular acid-base balance during enamel maturation is tightly controlled by ameloblast-mediated regulatory networks, which include significant synthesis and movement of bicarbonate ions from both the enamel papillary layer cells and ameloblasts. In this review we summarize the carbonic anhydrases and the carbonate transporters/exchangers involved in pH regulation in maturation-stage amelogenesis. Proteins that have been shown to be instrumental in this process include CA2, CA6, CFTR, AE2, NBCe1, SLC26A1/SAT1, SLC26A3/DRA, SLC26A4/PDS, SLC26A6/PAT1, and SLC26A7/SUT2. In addition, we discuss the association of miRNA regulation with bicarbonate transport in tooth enamel formation.

Gliadin peptide P31-43 localises to endocytic vesicles and interferes with their maturation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Vittoria Barone

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Celiac Disease (CD is both a frequent disease (1:100 and an interesting model of a disease induced by food. It consists in an immunogenic reaction to wheat gluten and glutenins that has been found to arise in a specific genetic background; however, this reaction is still only partially understood. Activation of innate immunity by gliadin peptides is an important component of the early events of the disease. In particular the so-called "toxic" A-gliadin peptide P31-43 induces several pleiotropic effects including Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR-dependent actin remodelling and proliferation in cultured cell lines and in enterocytes from CD patients. These effects are mediated by delayed EGFR degradation and prolonged EGFR activation in endocytic vesicles. In the present study we investigated the effects of gliadin peptides on the trafficking and maturation of endocytic vesicles. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Both P31-43 and the control P57-68 peptide labelled with fluorochromes were found to enter CaCo-2 cells and interact with the endocytic compartment in pulse and chase, time-lapse, experiments. P31-43 was localised to vesicles carrying early endocytic markers at time points when P57-68-carrying vesicles mature into late endosomes. In time-lapse experiments the trafficking of P31-43-labelled vesicles was delayed, regardless of the cargo they were carrying. Furthermore in celiac enterocytes, from cultured duodenal biopsies, P31-43 trafficking is delayed in early endocytic vesicles. A sequence similarity search revealed that P31-43 is strikingly similar to Hrs, a key molecule regulating endocytic maturation. A-gliadin peptide P31-43 interfered with Hrs correct localisation to early endosomes as revealed by western blot and immunofluorescence microscopy. CONCLUSIONS: P31-43 and P57-68 enter cells by endocytosis. Only P31-43 localises at the endocytic membranes and delays vesicle trafficking by interfering with Hrs

Reticulate evolution and incomplete lineage sorting among the ponderosa pines.

Science.gov (United States)

Willyard, Ann; Cronn, Richard; Liston, Aaron

2009-08-01

Interspecific gene flow via hybridization may play a major role in evolution by creating reticulate rather than hierarchical lineages in plant species. Occasional diploid pine hybrids indicate the potential for introgression, but reticulation is hard to detect because ancestral polymorphism is still shared across many groups of pine species. Nucleotide sequences for 53 accessions from 17 species in subsection Ponderosae (Pinus) provide evidence for reticulate evolution. Two discordant patterns among independent low-copy nuclear gene trees and a chloroplast haplotype are better explained by introgression than incomplete lineage sorting or other causes of incongruence. Conflicting resolution of three monophyletic Pinus coulteri accessions is best explained by ancient introgression followed by a genetic bottleneck. More recent hybridization transferred a chloroplast from P. jeffreyi to a sympatric P. washoensis individual. We conclude that incomplete lineage sorting could account for other examples of non-monophyly, and caution against any analysis based on single-accession or single-locus sampling in Pinus.

An information propagation model considering incomplete reading behavior in microblog

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Qiang; Huang, Jiajia; Zhao, Xiande

2015-02-01

Microblog is one of the most popular communication channels on the Internet, and has already become the third largest source of news and public opinions in China. Although researchers have studied the information propagation in microblog using the epidemic models, previous studies have not considered the incomplete reading behavior among microblog users. Therefore, the model cannot fit the real situations well. In this paper, we proposed an improved model entitled Microblog-Susceptible-Infected-Removed (Mb-SIR) for information propagation by explicitly considering the user's incomplete reading behavior. We also tested the effectiveness of the model using real data from Sina Microblog. We demonstrate that the new proposed model is more accurate in describing the information propagation in microblog. In addition, we also investigate the effects of the critical model parameters, e.g., reading rate, spreading rate, and removed rate through numerical simulations. The simulation results show that, compared with other parameters, reading rate plays the most influential role in the information propagation performance in microblog.

Whose Maturity is it Anyway?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lasrado, Lester Allan; Vatrapu, Ravi; Mukkamala, Raghava Rao

2017-01-01

This paper presents results from an ongoing empirical study that seeks to understand the influence of different quantitative methods on the design and assessment of maturity models. Although there have been many academic publications on maturity models, there exists a significant lack of understa...

Maturity of the PWR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bacher, P.; Rapin, M.; Aboudarham, L.; Bitsch, D.

1983-03-01

Figures illustrating the predominant position of the PWR system are presented. The question is whether on the basis of these figures the PWR can be considered to have reached maturity. The following analysis, based on the French program experience, is an attempt to pinpoint those areas in which industrial maturity of the PWR has been attained, and in which areas a certain evolution can still be expected to take place

Incomplete fracture of the proximo-palmar aspect of the third metacarpal bone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riggs, C.M.

1994-01-01

Previous descriptions of incomplete longitudinal fractures and fatigue injury of the proximopalmar aspect of the third metacarpal bone (McIII) have focused on diagnostic imaging findings, especially in racehorses. Objectives: To document the case details, clinical features, response to diagnostic analgesia, diagnostic imaging findings and follow-up data in a large group of horses with an incomplete longitudinal fracture or fatigue injury of the proximopalmar medial aspect of the McIII. Materials And Methods: Horses were included in the study if pain was localised to the proximopalmar aspect of the metacarpal region, with radiological evidence of an incomplete longitudinal fracture or generalised increased radiopacity in the proximopalmar medial aspect of the McIII, or focal increased radiopharmaceutical uptake (IRU) in the proximopalmar aspect of the McIII. Age, breed, gender, height, bodyweight, work discipline, work history, duration of lameness, clinical signs and responses to diagnostic analgesia were recorded. Radiographic and scintigraphic images were assessed subjectively and objectively. Results: There were 55 horses representing a broad spectrum of ages and work disciplines, 73% of which had radiological abnormalities. The majority had no localising clinical signs, although 73% of horses with radiological abnormalities showed a characteristic pattern of lameness. Lameness was generally worse in straight lines than in circles. Increased radiopharmaceutical uptake ranged from mild to intense in the lame limb; 14% of nonlame limbs had mild IRU. Of horses for which long-term follow-up was available, 98% returned to full athletic function. Conclusions And Potential Relevance: Incomplete longitudinal fractures and fatigue injury of the proximopalmar medial aspect of the McIII may occur in horses of many types and sports disciplines, and are not confined to immature performance horses. They should be considered an important differential diagnosis for proximal

Maturation of Sensori-Motor Functional Responses in the Preterm Brain.

Science.gov (United States)

Allievi, Alessandro G; Arichi, Tomoki; Tusor, Nora; Kimpton, Jessica; Arulkumaran, Sophie; Counsell, Serena J; Edwards, A David; Burdet, Etienne

2016-01-01

Preterm birth engenders an increased risk of conditions like cerebral palsy and therefore this time may be crucial for the brain's developing sensori-motor system. However, little is known about how cortical sensori-motor function matures at this time, whether development is influenced by experience, and about its role in spontaneous motor behavior. We aimed to systematically characterize spatial and temporal maturation of sensori-motor functional brain activity across this period using functional MRI and a custom-made robotic stimulation device. We studied 57 infants aged from 30 + 2 to 43 + 2 weeks postmenstrual age. Following both induced and spontaneous right wrist movements, we saw consistent positive blood oxygen level-dependent functional responses in the contralateral (left) primary somatosensory and motor cortices. In addition, we saw a maturational trend toward faster, higher amplitude, and more spatially dispersed functional responses; and increasing integration of the ipsilateral hemisphere and sensori-motor associative areas. We also found that interhemispheric functional connectivity was significantly related to ex-utero exposure, suggesting the influence of experience-dependent mechanisms. At term equivalent age, we saw a decrease in both response amplitude and interhemispheric functional connectivity, and an increase in spatial specificity, culminating in the establishment of a sensori-motor functional response similar to that seen in adults. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

Interaction of gold nanoparticles and nickel(II) sulfate affects dendritic cell maturation.

Science.gov (United States)

Deville, Sarah; Baré, Birgit; Piella, Jordi; Tirez, Kristof; Hoet, Peter; Monopoli, Marco P; Dawson, Kenneth A; Puntes, Victor F; Nelissen, Inge

2016-12-01

Despite many investigations have focused on the pristine toxicity of gold nanoparticles (GNPs), little is known about the outcome of co-exposure and interaction of GNPs with heavy metals which can possibly detoxify or potentiate them. Here, the combined exposure of nickel (II) sulfate (NiSO 4 ) and GNPs on the maturation response of dendritic cells (DCs) was explored. Exposure to GNPs or NiSO 4 separately induced cell activation. When cells were exposed to a mixture of both, however, the observed cell activation pattern indicated a competitive rather than an additive effect of both inducers with levels similar to those induced by NiSO 4 alone. Quantification of the GNP uptake by DCs demonstrated a significant decrease in intracellular gold content during co-incubation with NiSO 4 . An extensive physiochemical characterization was performed to determine the interaction between GNPs and NiSO 4 in the complex physiological media using nanoparticle tracking analyses, disc centrifugation, UV-visible spectroscopy, ICP-MS analyses, zeta potential measurements, electron microscopy, and proteomics. Although GNPs and NiSO 4 did not directly interact with each other, the presence of NiSO 4 in the physiological media resulted in changes in GNPs' charge and their associated protein corona (content and composition), which may contribute to a decreased cellular uptake of GNPs and sustaining the nickel-induced DC maturation. The presented results provide new insights in the interaction of heavy metals and NPs in complex physiological media. Moreover, this study highlights the necessity of mixture toxicology, since these combined exposures are highly relevant for human subjection to NPs and risk assessment of nanomaterials.

Intra-follicular interactions affecting mammalian oocyte maturation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Tol, H.T.A.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/313871817

2009-01-01

Nuclear oocyte maturation is defined as reinitiation and progression of the first meiotic division and subsequently formation of the methaphase II (MII) plate. Concomitantly with nuclear maturation, cytoplasmic maturation which is essential for proper fertilization and early embryo development is

Clay minerals and metal oxides strongly influence the structure of alkane-degrading microbial communities during soil maturation.

Science.gov (United States)

Steinbach, Annelie; Schulz, Stefanie; Giebler, Julia; Schulz, Stephan; Pronk, Geertje J; Kögel-Knabner, Ingrid; Harms, Hauke; Wick, Lukas Y; Schloter, Michael

2015-07-01

Clay minerals, charcoal and metal oxides are essential parts of the soil matrix and strongly influence the formation of biogeochemical interfaces in soil. We investigated the role of these parental materials for the development of functional microbial guilds using the example of alkane-degrading bacteria harbouring the alkane monooxygenase gene (alkB) in artificial mixtures composed of different minerals and charcoal, sterile manure and a microbial inoculum extracted from an agricultural soil. We followed changes in abundance and community structure of alkane-degrading microbial communities after 3 and 12 months of soil maturation and in response to a subsequent 2-week plant litter addition. During maturation we observed an overall increasing divergence in community composition. The impact of metal oxides on alkane-degrading community structure increased during soil maturation, whereas the charcoal impact decreased from 3 to 12 months. Among the clay minerals illite influenced the community structure of alkB-harbouring bacteria significantly, but not montmorillonite. The litter application induced strong community shifts in soils, maturated for 12 months, towards functional guilds typical for younger maturation stages pointing to a resilience of the alkane-degradation function potentially fostered by an extant 'seed bank'.

Growth indicators in orthodontic patients. Part 1: comparison of cervical vertebral maturation and hand-wrist skeletal maturation.

Science.gov (United States)

Litsas, G; Ari-Demirkaya, A

2010-12-01

The purpose of this study was to predict the skeletal maturation status based on the assessment of cervical vertebrae from lateral cephalometric radiographs and to compare these findings with the skeletal maturity of the same individuals judged from the hand-wrist radiographs. Lateral cephalometric and left hand-wrist radiographs of 393 Caucasian children from 8 to 18 years old were evaluated. On the hand-wrist radiographs the classification of Bjork [1972] and Grave and Brown [1976] was used to assess skeletal maturity (HWSS). Cervical vertebral maturation was also evaluated on lateral cephalometric radiographs using the improved CVMS method described by Baccetti, Franchi, and McNamara [2002]. These methods were correlated using the chi-square test. The chi-square test showed that skeletal maturational values obtained by the CVMS method were significantly correlated with the skeletal values obtained from the hand-wrist analysis for both genders (pmaturity.

India Edible Oil Consumption: A Censored Incomplete Demand Approach

OpenAIRE

Pan, Suwen; Mohanty, Samarendu; Welch, Mark

2008-01-01

A Censored Incomplete Demand System is applied to household expenditures for edible oil in India. The results show that edible peanut oil is still a luxury good in India, whereas expenditure elasticities for other edible oils are relatively low. The food habit, location, education of household heads, and other demographic variables have significant effects on the choice of edible oils.

Paracrine Maturation and Migration of SH-SY5Y Cells by Dental Pulp Stem Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Gervois, P; Wolfs, E; Dillen, Y; Hilkens, P; Ratajczak, J; Driesen, R B; Vangansewinkel, T; Bronckaers, A; Brône, B; Struys, T; Lambrichts, I

2017-06-01

Neurological disorders are characterized by neurodegeneration and/or loss of neuronal function, which cannot be adequately repaired by the host. Therefore, there is need for novel treatment options such as cell-based therapies that aim to salvage or reconstitute the lost tissue or that stimulate host repair. The present study aimed to evaluate the paracrine effects of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) on the migration and neural maturation of human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. The hDPSC secretome had a significant chemoattractive effect on SH-SY5Y cells as shown by a transwell assay. To evaluate neural maturation, SH-SY5Y cells were first induced toward neuronal cells, after which they were exposed to the hDPSC secretome. In addition, SH-SY5Y cells subjected to the hDPSC secretome showed increased neuritogenesis compared with nonexposed cells. Maturated cells were shown to increase immune reactivity for neuronal markers compared with controls. Ultrastructurally, retinoic acid (RA) signaling and subsequent exposure to the hDPSC secretome induced a gradual rise in metabolic activity and neuronal features such as multivesicular bodies and cytoskeletal elements associated with cellular communication. In addition, electrophysiological recordings of differentiating cells demonstrated a transition toward a neuronal electrophysiological profile based on the maximum tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sensitive, Na + current. Moreover, conditioned medium (CM)-hDPSC-maturated SH-SY5Y cells developed distinct features including, Cd 2+ -sensitive currents, which suggests that CM-hDPSC-maturated SH-SY5Y acquired voltage-gated Ca 2+ channels. The results reported in this study demonstrate the potential of hDPSCs to support differentiation and recruitment of cells with neuronal precursor characteristics in a paracrine manner. Moreover, this in vitro experimental design showed that the widely used SH-SY5Y cell line can improve and simplify the preclinical in vitro research on the molecular

Hypertrophy of mature xenopus muscle fibres in culture induced by synergy of albumin and insulin

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jaspers, R.T.; van Beek-Harmsen, B.J.; Blankenstein, M.A.; Goldspink, G.; Huijing, P.A.J.B.M.; van der Laarse, W.J.

2008-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate effects of albumin and insulin separately as well as in combination on mature muscle fibres during long-term culture. Single muscle fibres were dissected from m. iliofibularis of Xenopus laevis and attached to a force transducer in a culture chamber. Fibres

Spontaneous loss and alteration of antigen receptor expression in mature CD4+ T cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kyoizumi, Seishi; Akiyama, Mitoshi; Hirai, Yuko; Kusunoki; Yoichiro; Tanabe, Kazumi; Umeki, Shigeko; Nakamura, Nori; Yamakido, Michio; Hamamoto, Kazuko.

1990-04-01

The T-cell receptor CD3 (TCR/CD3) complex plays a central role in antigen recognition and activation of mature T cells, and therefore abnormalities in the expression of the complex should induce unresponsiveness of T cells to antigen stimulus. Using flow cytometry, we detected and enumerated variant cells with loss or alteration of surface TCR/CD3 expression among human mature CD4 + T cells. The presence of variant CD4 + T cells was demonstrated by isolating and cloning them from peripheral blood, and their abnormalities can be accounted for by alterations in TCR expression such as defects of protein expression and partial protein deletion. The variant frequency in peripheral blood increased with aging in normal donors and was highly elevated in patients with ataxia telangiectasia, an autosomal recessive inherited disease with defective DNA repair and variable T-cell immunodeficiency. These findings suggest that such alterations in TCR expression are induced by somatic mutagenesis of TCR genes and can be important factors related to age-dependent and genetic disease-associated T-cell dysfunction. (author)

A quantitative assay measuring the function of lipase maturation factor 1

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Fen; Doolittle, Mark H.; Péterfy, Miklós

2009-01-01

Newly synthesized lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and related members of the lipase gene family require an endoplasmic reticulum maturation factor for attainment of enzyme activity. This factor has been identified as lipase maturation factor 1 (Lmf1), and mutations affecting its function and/or expression result in combined lipase deficiency (cld) and hypertriglyceridemia. To assess the functional impact of Lmf1 sequence variations, both naturally occurring and induced, we report the development of a cell-based assay using LPL activity as a quantitative reporter of Lmf1 function. The assay uses a cell line homozygous for the cld mutation, which renders endogenous Lmf1 nonfunctional. LPL transfected into the mutant cld cell line fails to attain activity; however, cotransfection of LPL with wild-type Lmf1 restores its ability to support normal lipase maturation. In this report, we describe optimized conditions that ensure the detection of a complete range of Lmf1 function (full, partial, or complete loss of function) using LPL activity as the quantitative reporter. To illustrate the dynamic range of the assay, we tested several novel mutations in mouse Lmf1. Our results demonstrate the ability of the assay to detect and analyze Lmf1 mutations having a wide range of effects on Lmf1 function and protein expression. PMID:19471043

Efficient approximation of the incomplete gamma function for use in cloud model applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

U. Blahak

2010-07-01

Full Text Available This paper describes an approximation to the lower incomplete gamma function γ_l(a,x which has been obtained by nonlinear curve fitting. It comprises a fixed number of terms and yields moderate accuracy (the absolute approximation error of the corresponding normalized incomplete gamma function P is smaller than 0.02 in the range 0.9 ≤ a ≤ 45 and x≥0. Monotonicity and asymptotic behaviour of the original incomplete gamma function is preserved.

While providing a slight to moderate performance gain on scalar machines (depending on whether a stays the same for subsequent function evaluations or not compared to established and more accurate methods based on series- or continued fraction expansions with a variable number of terms, a big advantage over these more accurate methods is the applicability on vector CPUs. Here the fixed number of terms enables proper and efficient vectorization. The fixed number of terms might be also beneficial on massively parallel machines to avoid load imbalances, caused by a possibly vastly different number of terms in series expansions to reach convergence at different grid points. For many cloud microphysical applications, the provided moderate accuracy should be enough. However, on scalar machines and if a is the same for subsequent function evaluations, the most efficient method to evaluate incomplete gamma functions is perhaps interpolation of pre-computed regular lookup tables (most simple example: equidistant tables.

Giant posterior fossa mature teratoma with adjacent subacute haematoma, compressive on the brainstem, with acute hydrocephalus. Case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Balasa D.

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Mature teratoma of the vermis is a rare entity in neurosurgical adulthood pathology. We present the case of a 65 years old patient, admited as an emergency for intense headache (VAS 8/10, nausea, vomiting, gait ataxia, orizontal nistagmus, dismetria, disdiadocokinezia, predominant on the left side, long tracts signs, predominant on the left side. Native and contrast CT and MRI scan of the head revealed a tumoral lesion, in the vermian, paravermian and in the fourth ventricle, with the aspect of a teratoma with intratumoral subacute haemorrhage including a giant lesion 5,5/5/4,5 cm, compressive on mesencephalon, and with suprajacent acute internal hidrocephalus. Emergency neurosurgery was performed (occipital infratentorial craniectomy, microneurosurgical total tumoral resection and haematoma evacuation. Postoperative, the patient recovered progressivelly , subtotal neo and arhicerebellar symptoms. The motor long tract signs recovered slower and persisted incomplete.

Tumour tissue microenvironment can inhibit dendritic cell maturation in colorectal cancer.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Michielsen, Adriana J

2011-01-01

Inflammatory mediators in the tumour microenvironment promote tumour growth, vascular development and enable evasion of anti-tumour immune responses, by disabling infiltrating dendritic cells. However, the constituents of the tumour microenvironment that directly influence dendritic cell maturation and function are not well characterised. Our aim was to identify tumour-associated inflammatory mediators which influence the function of dendritic cells. Tumour conditioned media obtained from cultured colorectal tumour explant tissue contained high levels of the chemokines CCL2, CXCL1, CXCL5 in addition to VEGF. Pre-treatment of monocyte derived dendritic cells with this tumour conditioned media inhibited the up-regulation of CD86, CD83, CD54 and HLA-DR in response to LPS, enhancing IL-10 while reducing IL-12p70 secretion. We examined if specific individual components of the tumour conditioned media (CCL2, CXCL1, CXCL5) could modulate dendritic cell maturation or cytokine secretion in response to LPS. VEGF was also assessed as it has a suppressive effect on dendritic cell maturation. Pre-treatment of immature dendritic cells with VEGF inhibited LPS induced upregulation of CD80 and CD54, while CXCL1 inhibited HLA-DR. Interestingly, treatment of dendritic cells with CCL2, CXCL1, CXCL5 or VEGF significantly suppressed their ability to secrete IL-12p70 in response to LPS. In addition, dendritic cells treated with a combination of CXCL1 and VEGF secreted less IL-12p70 in response to LPS compared to pre-treatment with either cytokine alone. In conclusion, tumour conditioned media strongly influences dendritic cell maturation and function.

Neural induction from ES cells portrays default commitment but instructive maturation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nibedita Lenka

Full Text Available The neural induction has remained a debatable issue pertaining to whether it is a mere default process or it involves precise instructive cues. We have chosen the embryonic stem (ES cell model to address this issue. In a devised monoculture strategy, the cell-cell interaction availed through optimum cell plating density could define the niche for the attainment of efficient in vitro neurogenesis from the ES cells. The medium plating density was found ideal in generating optimum number of progenitors and also yielded about 80% mature neurons in a serum free culture set up barring any exogenous inducers. We could also demarcate and quantify the neural stem cells/progenitors among the heterogeneous cell population of differentiating ES cells using nestin intron II driven EGFP expression as a tool. The one week post-plating was determined to be the critical time window for optimum neural progenitor generation from ES cells that helped us further in purifying these cells and in demonstrating their proliferation and multipotent differentiation potential. Seeding cells at varying densities, we could decipher an interesting paradoxical scenario that interlinked both commitment and maturation with the initial plating density having a vital influence on neuronal maturation but not specification and the secretory factors were apparently playing a key role during this process. Thus it was comprehended that, the neural specification was a default process independent of exogenous factors and cellular interaction. Conversely, a defined number of cells at the specification stage itself seemed critical to provide an auto-/paracrine means of signaling threshold for the maturation process to materialize.

Blood N-terminal Pro-brain Natriuretic Peptide and Interleukin-17 for Distinguishing Incomplete Kawasaki Disease from Infectious Diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Ling; Chen, Yuanling; Zhong, Shiling; Li, Yunyan; Dai, Xiahua; Di, Yazhen

2015-06-01

To explore the diagnostic value of blood N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and interleukin-17(IL-17) for incomplete Kawasaki disease. Patients with Kawasaki disease, Incomplete Kawasaki disease and unclear infectious fever were included in this retrospective study. Their clinical features, and laboratory test results of blood NT-proBNP and IL-17 were collected and compared. 766 patients with complete clinical information were recruited, consisting of 291 cases of Kawasaki disease, 74 cases of incomplete Kawasaki disease, and 401 cases of unclear infectious diseases. When the consistency with indicator 2 and 3 in Kawasaki disease diagnosis criteria was assessed with blood IL-17 ?11.55 pg/mL and blood NT-proBNP ? 225.5 pg/dL as the criteria, the sensitivity and specificity for distinguishing incomplete Kawasaki disease and infectious diseases reached 86.5% and 94.8%, respectively. When we chose the consistency with indicator 1 and 2 in Kawasaki disease diagnosis criteria, the appearance of decrustation and/or the BCG erythema, blood IL-17 ?11.55 pg/mL and blood NT-Pro BNP ?225.5 pg/dL as the criteria, the sensitivity and specificity for distinguishing incomplete Kawasaki disease and infectious diseases was 43.2% and 100%, respectively. Blood NT-proBNP and IL-17 are useful laboratory indicators for distinguishing incomplete Kawasaki disease and infectious diseases at the early stage.

Maturity acceleration of Italian dried sausage by Staphylococcus carnosus - Relationship between maturity and flavor compounds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stahnke, Louise Heller; Holck, A.; Jensen, Anni

2002-01-01

. Sausages with S. carnosus 833 matured more than 2 wk faster than control sausages. Maturity correlated significantly with higher amounts of branched-chain aldehydes and alcohols and both branched- and straight-chain methyl ketones-compounds arising from the breakdown of the amino acids leucine, isoleucine...

Empirical comparison of techniques for handling incomplete data using decision trees

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Twala, B

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Increasing the awareness of how incomplete data affects learning and classification accuracy has led to increasing numbers of missing data techniques. This paper investigates the robustness and accuracy of seven popular techniques for tolerating...

A PACS maturity model: a systematic meta-analytic review on maturation and evolvability of PACS in the hospital enterprise.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wetering, R. van de; Batenburg, R.

2009-01-01

INTRODUCTION: With PACS and medical imaging technology maturing, the importance of organizational maturity and effective deployment of PACS in the hospital enterprise are becoming significant. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is twofold. Firstly, PACS literature on maturity and evolvability in

Balloon dacryocystoplasty: Incomplete versus complete obstruction of the nasolacrimal system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jeong Min; Lee, Sang Hoon; Han, Young Min; Chung, Gyung Ho; Kim, Chong Soo; Choi, Ki Chul; Song, Ho Young

1993-01-01

Balloon dilatation of nasolacrimal drainage apparatus was attempted for the treatment of stenoses or obstructures of the nasolacrimal system in 49 eyes of 41 consecutive patients with complete obstructions and 16 eyes of 14 patients with incomplete obstructions. These two groups were compared with regards to the effectiveness of balloon dacryocystoplasty. All patients suffered from severe epiphora had already undergone multiple probings. A 0.018 inch hair or ball guide wire was introduced through the superior punctum into the inferior meatus of the nasal cavity and pulled out through the nasal aperture using a hemostat under nasal endoscopy. A deflated angiography balloon catheter was then introduced in a retrograde direction and dilated under fluoroscopic control. No major complications occurred in any of the patients. At 7 days after balloon dilatation, 25 of 49 eyes with complete obstruction demonstrated improvement in epiphora (initial success rate: 51.0%) and among them 17 eyes showed complete resolution of symptoms. Reocclusion occurred in 12 of the 25 eyes with initial improvement at the 2 months follow up. For the 16 eyes with incomplete obstruction, and improvement of epiphora was attained in 11 eyes (initial success rate 68.8%): 5 of these eyes showed complete resolution of epiphora, and 3 was failed to maintain initial improvement at the 2 month follow up. Although this study demonstrate that results of balloon dacryocystoplasty are not encouraging because of the high failure and recurrence rate, balloon dacryocystoplasty is a simple and safe nonsurgical technique that can be used to treat for obstructions of the nasolacrimal system. In addition, balloon dacryocystoplasty shows better results in incomplete obstruction than in complete obstruction than complete obstruction of the nasolacrimal system

PROJECT MANAGEMENT MATURITY: AN ASSESSMENT OF MATURITY FOR DEVELOPING PILOT PLANTS

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H.K. Mittermaier

2012-01-01

Full Text Available

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Despite the current economic climate, the South African mining and engineering industry is experiencing a very promising future, with a large number of capital projects in the offing. It is inevitable that pilot plant development will form part of this future as a risk mitigation technique. This study found that, even though the terms ‘pilot plant’ and ‘project management maturity’ are familiar within the industry, no link between these two could be found in the literature. A number of maturity models exist; and one developed by PMSolutions was selected to perform an assessment of the current level of project management maturity within the South African mining and engineering industry pertaining to the development of pilot plants. The Delphi technique was used to determine the views of experts in the South African mining, mineral processing, petrochemical, nuclear, and mechanical sectors regarding this maturity. A significant difference was observed between the current level of maturity and the required level of maturity in all but one of the nine knowledge areas defined by the Project Management Institute. The two knowledge areas of project time and risk management showed significant differences between current and required maturity levels, and were identified as key areas for improvement.

AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ten spyte van die huidige ekonomiese klimaat ondervind die Suid-Afrikaanse mynbou- en ingenieursbedryf ’n baie bemoedigende toekoms, met ’n groot aantal kapitaalprojekte in die vooruitsig. Ten einde risiko’s te verlaag, sal die ontwikkeling van loodsaanlegte noodwendig deel van hierdie toekoms uitmaak. Daar is gevind dat, alhoewel die terme ‘loodsaanleg’ en ‘projekbestuur volwassenheid’ in die nywerheid bekend is, geen skakeling van hierdie twee terme in die literatuur opgespoor kon word nie. ’n Aantal volwassenheid modelle bestaan; en een wat deur PMSolutions ontwikkel is, is gekies om

Maturation of the human fetal startle response: evidence for sex-specific maturation of the human fetus.

Science.gov (United States)

Buss, Claudia; Davis, Elysia Poggi; Class, Quetzal A; Gierczak, Matt; Pattillo, Carol; Glynn, Laura M; Sandman, Curt A

2009-10-01

Despite the evidence for early fetal experience exerting programming influences on later neurological development and health risk, very few prospective studies of human fetal behavior have been reported. In a prospective longitudinal study, fetal nervous system maturation was serially assessed by monitoring fetal heart rate (FHR) responses to vibroacoustic stimulation (VAS) in 191 maternal/fetal dyads. Responses were not detected at 26 weeks gestational age (GA). Sex-specific, age-characteristic changes in the FHR response to VAS were observed by 31 weeks' GA. Males showed larger responses and continued to exhibit maturational changes until 37 weeks' GA, females however, presented with a mature FHR startle response by 31 weeks' GA. The results indicate that there are different rates of maturation in the male and female fetuses that may have implications for sex-specific programming influences.

Newly divided eosinophils limit ozone-induced airway hyperreactivity in nonsensitized guinea pigs.

Science.gov (United States)

Wicher, Sarah A; Jacoby, David B; Fryer, Allison D

2017-06-01

Ozone causes vagally mediated airway hyperreactivity and recruits inflammatory cells, including eosinophils, to lungs, where they mediate ozone-induced hyperreactivity 1 day after exposure but are paradoxically protective 3 days later. We aimed to test the role of newly divided eosinophils in ozone-induced airway hyperreactivity in sensitized and nonsensitized guinea pigs. Nonsensitized and sensitized guinea pigs were treated with 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) to label newly divided cells and were exposed to air or ozone for 4 h. Later (1 or 3 days later), vagally induced bronchoconstriction was measured, and inflammatory cells were harvested from bone marrow, blood, and bronchoalveolar lavage. Ozone induced eosinophil hematopoiesis. One day after ozone, mature eosinophils dominate the inflammatory response and potentiate vagally induced bronchoconstriction. However, by 3 days, newly divided eosinophils have reached the lungs, where they inhibit ozone-induced airway hyperreactivity because depleting them with antibody to IL-5 or a TNF-α antagonist worsened vagally induced bronchoconstriction. In sensitized guinea pigs, both ozone-induced eosinophil hematopoiesis and subsequent recruitment of newly divided eosinophils to lungs 3 days later failed to occur. Thus mature eosinophils dominated the ozone-induced inflammatory response in sensitized guinea pigs. Depleting these mature eosinophils prevented ozone-induced airway hyperreactivity in sensitized animals. Ozone induces eosinophil hematopoiesis and recruitment to lungs, where 3 days later, newly divided eosinophils attenuate vagally mediated hyperreactivity. Ozone-induced hematopoiesis of beneficial eosinophils is blocked by a TNF-α antagonist or by prior sensitization. In these animals, mature eosinophils are associated with hyperreactivity. Thus interventions targeting eosinophils, although beneficial in atopic individuals, may delay resolution of airway hyperreactivity in nonatopic individuals. Copyright �

Assessment of skeletal maturation using mandibular second molar maturation stages.

Science.gov (United States)

Goyal, S; Goyal, S; Gugnani, N

2014-01-01

To investigate the relationship between cervical vertebrae maturation and mandibular second molar calcification stages. The study was designed as a retrospective, descriptive and crosssectional research project. Pre-treatment lateral cephalograms and panoramic radiographs of 99 males and 110 females in the age range of 7 to 18 years 7 months were evaluated with Demirjian Index (DI) and cervical vertebrae maturation indicators (CVMI) of Hassel and Farman. A null hypothesis was proposed that there is no relation between CVMI and DI. A highly significant association (Pearson's contingency coefficient 0.713 for males and 0.863 for females) was found between DI and CVMI. In males, the DI stage E corresponded to stage 2 of CVMI (pre-peak of pubertal growth spurt) and DI stages F and G corresponded to stages 3 and 4 of CVMI (peak of pubertal growth spurt). DI stage H was associated with stages 5 and 6 of CVMI (end of pubertal growth spurt). In females, the DI stages C, D corresponded to CVMI stages 1, 2; DI stages E, F with CVMI stages 3, 4; DI stages G, H with CVMI stages 5, 6. Mandibular second molar calcification stages can be used as indicators for assessment of skeletal maturity.

Language model: Extension to solve inconsistency, incompleteness, and short query in cultural heritage collection

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Kian Lam; Lim, Chen Kim

2017-10-01

With the explosive growth of online information such as email messages, news articles, and scientific literature, many institutions and museums are converting their cultural collections from physical data to digital format. However, this conversion resulted in the issues of inconsistency and incompleteness. Besides, the usage of inaccurate keywords also resulted in short query problem. Most of the time, the inconsistency and incompleteness are caused by the aggregation fault in annotating a document itself while the short query problem is caused by naive user who has prior knowledge and experience in cultural heritage domain. In this paper, we presented an approach to solve the problem of inconsistency, incompleteness and short query by incorporating the Term Similarity Matrix into the Language Model. Our approach is tested on the Cultural Heritage in CLEF (CHiC) collection which consists of short queries and documents. The results show that the proposed approach is effective and has improved the accuracy in retrieval time.

A Set Theoretical Approach to Maturity Models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lasrado, Lester; Vatrapu, Ravi; Andersen, Kim Normann

2016-01-01

characterized by equifinality, multiple conjunctural causation, and case diversity. We prescribe methodological guidelines consisting of a six-step procedure to systematically apply set theoretic methods to conceptualize, develop, and empirically derive maturity models and provide a demonstration......Maturity Model research in IS has been criticized for the lack of theoretical grounding, methodological rigor, empirical validations, and ignorance of multiple and non-linear paths to maturity. To address these criticisms, this paper proposes a novel set-theoretical approach to maturity models...

Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Mature and Immature Oocytes of the Swamp Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis

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Qiang Fu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Maternal protein components change markedly during mammalian oogenesis. Many of these proteins have yet to be characterized and verified. In this study, a proteomics approach was used to evaluate changes in proteins during oogenesis in the Swamp Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis. Proteins from 500 immature oocytes and 500 in vitro matured oocytes were subjected to two-dimensional electrophoresis, and more than 400 spots were detected. Image analysis indicated that 17 proteins were differentially expressed between the two groups. Eight proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. In mature oocytes, three proteins were down-regulated: major vault protein (MVP, N-acetyllactosaminide β-1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyl-transferase (GCNT-2, and gem-associated protein (GEMIN8, whereas five other proteins, heat shock protein (HSP60, Ras-responsive element-binding protein 1 (RREB-1, heat shock cognate 71 kDa protein (HSC71, hemoglobin subunit α (HBA, and BMP-2-inducible protein kinase (BMP-2K, were up-regulated. The expression profiles of HSP60 and GEMIN8 were further verified by Western blotting. The changes in HSP60 protein expression demonstrate the increasing need for mitochondrial protein importation to facilitate macromolecular assembly during oocyte maturation. The down-regulation of GEMIN8 production implies that RNA splicing is impaired in mature oocytes.

Prenatal undernutrition disrupted the sexual maturation, but not the sexual behavior, in male rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuzaki, Toshiya; Munkhzaya, Munkhsaikhan; Tungalagsuvd, Altankhuu; Mayila, Yiliyasi; Iwasa, Takeshi; Yano, Kiyohito; Yanagihara, Rie; Tokui, Takako; Kato, Takeshi; Kuwahara, Akira; Matsui, Sumika; Irahara, Minoru

2017-10-01

Exposure to various stressors, including psychological, metabolic, and immune, in the perinatal period induces long-lasting effects in physiological function and increase the risk of metabolic disorders in later life. In the present study, sexual maturation and sexual behavior were assessed in prenatally undernourished mature male rats. All the pregnant rats were divided into the maternal normal nutrition (mNN) group and the maternal undernutrition (mUN) group. The mUN mothers received 50% of the amount of the daily food intake of the mNN mothers. Preputial separation and sexual behavior were observed in randomly selected pups of the mNN and mUN groups. The body weight of the mothers was significantly lighter in the mUN group than in the mNN group. Similarly, the pups in the mUN group showed a significantly lower body weight than those in the mNN group from postnatal day (PND) 1 to PND 15. The preputial separation day was significantly delayed in the mUN group, compared to the mNN group. Sexual behavior did not show any significant difference between the two groups. These findings indicated that prenatal undernutrition delayed sexual maturation, but did not suppress sexual behavior, in mature male rats.

A maturity model for blockchain adoption

OpenAIRE

Wang, Huaiqing; Chen, Kun; Xu, Dongming

2016-01-01

Background: The rapid development of the blockchain technology and its various applications has rendered it important to understand the guidelines for adopting it. Methods: The comparative analysis method is used to analyze different dimensions of the maturity model, which is mainly based on the commonly used capability maturity model. Results: The blockchain maturity model and its adoption process have been discussed and presented. Conclusions: This study serves as a guide to institutions to...

Phosphate regulates chondrogenesis in a biphasic and maturation-dependent manner.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Biming; Durisin, Emily K; Decker, Joseph T; Ural, Evran E; Shea, Lonnie D; Coleman, Rhima M

Inorganic phosphate (Pi) has been recognized as an important signaling molecule that modulates chondrocyte maturation and cartilage mineralization. However, conclusive experimental evidence for its involvement in early chondrogenesis is still lacking. Here, using high-density monolayer (2D) and pellet (3D) culture models of chondrogenic ATDC5 cells, we demonstrate that the cell response to Pi does not correlate with the Pi concentration in the culture medium but is better predicted by the availability of Pi on a per cell basis (Pi abundance). Both culture models were treated with ITS+, 10mM β-glycerophosphate (βGP), or ITS+/10mM βGP, which resulted in three levels of Pi abundance in cultures: basal (Pi/DNA 60ng/µg). In chondrogenic medium alone, the abundance levels were at the basal level in 2D culture and moderate in 3D cultures. The addition of 10mM βGP resulted in moderate abundance in 2D and high abundance in 3D cultures. Moderate Pi abundance enhanced early chondrogenesis and production of aggrecan and type II collagen whereas high Pi abundance inhibited chondrogenic differentiation and induced rapid mineralization. Inhibition of sodium phosphate transporters reduced phosphate-induced expression of chondrogenic markers. When 3D ITS+/βGP cultures were treated with levamisole to reduce ALP activity, Pi abundance was decreased to moderate levels, which resulted in significant upregulation of chondrogenic markers, similar to the response in 2D cultures. Delay of phosphate delivery until after early chondrogenesis occurs (7 days) no longer enhanced chondrogenesis, but instead accelerated hypertrophy and mineralization. Together, our data highlights the dependence of chondroprogenitor cell response to Pi on its availability to individual cells and the chondrogenic maturation stage of these cells and suggest that appropriate temporal delivery of phosphate to ATDC5 cells in 3D cultures represents a rapid model for mechanistic studies into the effects of

TBC-8, a Putative RAB-2 GAP, Regulates Dense Core Vesicle Maturation in Caenorhabditis elegans

Science.gov (United States)

Hannemann, Mandy; Sasidharan, Nikhil; Hegermann, Jan; Kutscher, Lena M.; Koenig, Sabine; Eimer, Stefan

2012-01-01

Dense core vesicles (DCVs) are thought to be generated at the late Golgi apparatus as immature DCVs, which subsequently undergo a maturation process through clathrin-mediated membrane remodeling events. This maturation process is required for efficient processing of neuropeptides within DCVs and for removal of factors that would otherwise interfere with DCV release. Previously, we have shown that the GTPase, RAB-2, and its effector, RIC-19, are involved in DCV maturation in Caenorhabditis elegans motoneurons. In rab-2 mutants, specific cargo is lost from maturing DCVs and missorted into the endosomal/lysosomal degradation route. Cargo loss could be prevented by blocking endosomal delivery. This suggests that RAB-2 is involved in retention of DCV components during the sorting process at the Golgi-endosomal interface. To understand how RAB-2 activity is regulated at the Golgi, we screened for RAB-2–specific GTPase activating proteins (GAPs). We identified a potential RAB-2 GAP, TBC-8, which is exclusively expressed in neurons and which, when depleted, shows similar DCV maturation defects as rab-2 mutants. We could demonstrate that RAB-2 binds to its putative GAP, TBC-8. Interestingly, TBC-8 also binds to the RAB-2 effector, RIC-19. This interaction appears to be conserved as TBC-8 also interacted with the human ortholog of RIC-19, ICA69. Therefore, we propose that a dynamic ON/OFF cycling of RAB-2 at the Golgi induced by the GAP/effector complex is required for proper DCV maturation. PMID:22654674

TBC-8, a putative RAB-2 GAP, regulates dense core vesicle maturation in Caenorhabditis elegans.

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Mandy Hannemann

Full Text Available Dense core vesicles (DCVs are thought to be generated at the late Golgi apparatus as immature DCVs, which subsequently undergo a maturation process through clathrin-mediated membrane remodeling events. This maturation process is required for efficient processing of neuropeptides within DCVs and for removal of factors that would otherwise interfere with DCV release. Previously, we have shown that the GTPase, RAB-2, and its effector, RIC-19, are involved in DCV maturation in Caenorhabditis elegans motoneurons. In rab-2 mutants, specific cargo is lost from maturing DCVs and missorted into the endosomal/lysosomal degradation route. Cargo loss could be prevented by blocking endosomal delivery. This suggests that RAB-2 is involved in retention of DCV components during the sorting process at the Golgi-endosomal interface. To understand how RAB-2 activity is regulated at the Golgi, we screened for RAB-2-specific GTPase activating proteins (GAPs. We identified a potential RAB-2 GAP, TBC-8, which is exclusively expressed in neurons and which, when depleted, shows similar DCV maturation defects as rab-2 mutants. We could demonstrate that RAB-2 binds to its putative GAP, TBC-8. Interestingly, TBC-8 also binds to the RAB-2 effector, RIC-19. This interaction appears to be conserved as TBC-8 also interacted with the human ortholog of RIC-19, ICA69. Therefore, we propose that a dynamic ON/OFF cycling of RAB-2 at the Golgi induced by the GAP/effector complex is required for proper DCV maturation.

Determination of burial dose in incompletely bleached fluvial samples using single grains of quartz

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Kristina Jørkov; Murray, A.S.; Bøtter-Jensen, Lars

2007-01-01

We determine the burial dose in three known-age incompletely bleached fluvial samples using single grains of quartz. Estimation of burial dose in incompletely bleached samples requires that the characteristics of the well-bleached part of the distribution are known in order to distinguish between...... well-bleached and poorly bleached grains. It is especially important to investigate if the uncertainties assigned to individual estimates of dose adequately describe the observed variability in well-bleached dose distributions. We investigate this by quantifying the overdispersion in laboratory-bleached...

Role of gap junctions and protein kinase A during the development of oocyte maturational competence in Ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis)

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Y.; Yoshizaki, G.; Takeuchi, T.; Soyano, K.; Patino, R.

2008-01-01

Meiotic resumption in teleost oocytes is induced by a maturation-inducing hormone (MIH). The sensitivity of oocytes to MIH, also known as oocyte maturational competence (OMC), is induced by LH via mechanisms that are not fully understood. A previous study of Ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis) showed the presence of functional heterologous gap junctions (GJs) between oocytes and their surrounding granulosa cells. The objectives of this study were to determine the role of ovarian GJs and of protein kinase A (PKA) during the acquisition of OMC. We examined the effects of the specific GJ inhibitor carbenoxolone (CBX) and 18??-glycyrrhetinic acid (??-GA) on the LH-(hCG)-dependent acquisition of OMC and on MIH-(17,20??-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one)-dependent meiotic resumption; measured the cAMP content of ovarian follicles during the hCG-dependent acquisition of OMC; and determined the effects of PK activators and inhibitors on hCG-dependent OMC. Production of follicular cAMP increased during the hCG-dependent acquisition of OMC. Both GJ inhibitors and the PKA inhibitor H8-dihydrochloride, but not the PKC inhibitor GF109203X, suppressed the hCG-dependent acquisition of OMC in a dose-dependent manner. The PKA activator forskolin induced OMC with a similar potency to hCG. Unlike previous observations with teleosts where disruption of heterologous GJ either blocks or stimulates meiotic resumption, treatment with GJ inhibitors did not affect MIH-dependent meiotic resumption in maturationally competent follicles of Ayu. These observations suggest that ovarian GJs are essential for LH-dependent acquisition of OMC but not for MIH-dependent meiotic resumption, and that the stimulation of OMC by LH is mediated by cAMP-dependent PKA. They are also consistent with the view that a precise balance between GJ-mediated signals (positive or negative) and oocyte maturational readiness is required for hormonally regulated meiotic resumption. ?? 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

AFM-based force spectroscopy measurements of mature amyloid fibrils of the peptide glucagon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dong, M. D.; Hovgaard, M. B.; Mamdouh, W.

2008-01-01

We report on the mechanical characterization of individual mature amyloid fibrils by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and AFM-based single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS). These self-assembling materials, formed from the 29-residue amphiphatic peptide hormone glucagon, were found to display...... a reversible elastic behaviour. Based on AFM morphology and SMFS studies, we suggest that the observed elasticity is due to a force-induced conformational transition which is reversible due to the beta-helical conformation of protofibrils, allowing a high degree of extension. The elastic properties...... of such mature fibrils contribute to their high stability, suggesting that the internal hydrophobic interactions of amyloid fibrils are likely to be of fundamental importance in the assembly of amyloid fibrils and therefore for the understanding of the progression of their associated pathogenic disorders...

Masseteric-facial nerve transposition for reanimation of the smile in incomplete facial paralysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hontanilla, Bernardo; Marre, Diego

2015-12-01

Incomplete facial paralysis occurs in about a third of patients with Bell's palsy. Although their faces are symmetrical at rest, when they smile they have varying degrees of disfigurement. Currently, cross-face nerve grafting is one of the most useful techniques for reanimation. Transfer of the masseteric nerve, although widely used for complete paralysis, has not to our knowledge been reported for incomplete palsy. Between December 2008 and November 2013, we reanimated the faces of 9 patients (2 men and 7 women) with incomplete unilateral facial paralysis with transposition of the masseteric nerve. Sex, age at operation, cause of paralysis, duration of denervation, recipient nerves used, and duration of follow-up were recorded. Commissural excursion, velocity, and patients' satisfaction were evaluated with the FACIAL CLIMA and a questionnaire, respectively. The mean (SD) age at operation was 39 (±6) years and the duration of denervation was 29 (±19) months. There were no complications that required further intervention. Duration of follow-up ranged from 6-26 months. FACIAL CLIMA showed improvement in both commissural excursion and velocity of more than two thirds in 6 patients, more than one half in 2 patients and less than one half in one. Qualitative evaluation showed a slight or pronounced improvement in 7/9 patients. The masseteric nerve is a reliable alternative for reanimation of the smile in patients with incomplete facial paralysis. Its main advantages include its consistent anatomy, a one-stage operation, and low morbidity at the donor site. Copyright © 2015 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mature students' perspectives of studying radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, M.; Decker, S.

2009-01-01

The study set out to explore the experiences of all final year mature students on a diagnostic radiography course, in one United Kingdom University. The aims were to identify any difficulties they may have had and to make recommendations to improve mature students' learning experiences with the hope of lowering attrition rates in this group. A qualitative study involving one-to-one audio recorded interviews was utilised. Analysis of the transcripts of interviews suggested that the group believed that their maturity and previous experiences helped them in the clinical environment and put them in a good position, when asked, to counsel younger students. However for some of the mature students these experiential skills did not extend fully into seeking appropriate support for themselves. The mature students were found to be highly motivated but there was a conflict between balancing clinical and academic aspects of studying as well as balancing studying with home life. The group was found to be unprepared for the volume of academic work and its detrimental effect on family life as they sacrificed other aspects of their lives in order to complete the course. It is recommended that forewarning and forearming prospective mature students be considered by radiography education providers. Setting up and utilising an on-line forum providing a 24/7 peer support environment would aid in coping with academic, clinical or personal problems

The consequences of incomplete disclosure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macfarlane, J.H.

1998-01-01

The disclosure requirements imposed on Canadian public companies are discussed. The basis of the capital market system in Canada is the integrity of full and true disclosure of all material facts in a prospectus and continuous disclosure of material changes and information, including financial results. Securities regulators have the right to report to the appropriate law enforcement agencies any company director who intentionally files misleading financial statements or press releases. The fundamental policy of Canadian stock exchanges is that all persons investing in securities listed on an exchange have equal access to information that may affect their investment decisions. Canadian stock exchanges have developed by-laws, rules and regulations relating to listed companies disclosure obligations, breach of which may lead to suspension of trading, delisting of the securities of the offending issuer, and substantial fines. Details of civil and criminal liability, current and proposed, for incomplete or inaccurate disclosure under Canadian securities legislation are explained. 59 refs

Persistent Low-Level Replication of SIVΔnef Drives Maturation of Antibody and CD8 T Cell Responses to Induce Protective Immunity against Vaginal SIV Infection.

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Sama Adnan

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Defining the correlates of immune protection conferred by SIVΔnef, the most effective vaccine against SIV challenge, could enable the design of a protective vaccine against HIV infection. Here we provide a comprehensive assessment of immune responses that protect against SIV infection through detailed analyses of cellular and humoral immune responses in the blood and tissues of rhesus macaques vaccinated with SIVΔnef and then vaginally challenged with wild-type SIV. Despite the presence of robust cellular immune responses, animals at 5 weeks after vaccination displayed only transient viral suppression of challenge virus, whereas all macaques challenged at weeks 20 and 40 post-SIVΔnef vaccination were protected, as defined by either apparent sterile protection or significant suppression of viremia in infected animals. Multiple parameters of CD8 T cell function temporally correlated with maturation of protection, including polyfunctionality, phenotypic differentiation, and redistribution to gut and lymphoid tissues. Importantly, we also demonstrate the induction of a tissue-resident memory population of SIV-specific CD8 T cells in the vaginal mucosa, which was dependent on ongoing low-level antigenic stimulation. Moreover, we show that vaginal and serum antibody titers inversely correlated with post-challenge peak viral load, and we correlate the accumulation and affinity maturation of the antibody response to the duration of the vaccination period as well as to the SIVΔnef antigenic load. In conclusion, maturation of SIVΔnef-induced CD8 T cell and antibody responses, both propelled by viral persistence in the gut mucosa and secondary lymphoid tissues, results in protective immune responses that are able to interrupt viral transmission at mucosal portals of entry as well as potential sites of viral dissemination.

Addition of interferon-alpha to a standard maturation cocktail induces CD38 up-regulation and increases dendritic cell function

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trepiakas, Redas; Pedersen, Anders Elm; Met, Ozcan

2009-01-01

Monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) are used as adjuvant cells in cancer immunotherapy and have shown promising results. In order to obtain full functional capacity, these DCs need to be maturated, and the current "gold standard" for this process is maturation with TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6...... a functional relationship between CD38, IFN-alpha and TLR3. Thus, CD38 appear to be a relevant marker for activation by TLR3 or IFN-alpha. Addition of IFN-alpha to the sDC cocktail results in up-regulation of both CD38 and CD83 and improved capacity for induction of autologous T-cell responses despite few...... other changes in DC phenotype and cytokine secretion. Our observations suggest that IFN-alpha could be included in maturation protocols for clinical grade DCs used for immunotherapy against cancer and should be included if DCs are used for CD8+ T-cell stimulation in vitro....

Seizure induces activation of multiple subtypes of neural progenitors and growth factors in hippocampus with neuronal maturation confined to dentate gyrus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Indulekha, Chandrasekharan L.; Sanalkumar, Rajendran [Neuro Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, Department of Neurobiology, Rajiv Gandhi Center for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695 014 (India); Thekkuveettil, Anoopkumar [Molecular Medicine, Biomedical Technology Wing, Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala (India); James, Jackson, E-mail: jjames@rgcb.res.in [Neuro Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, Department of Neurobiology, Rajiv Gandhi Center for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695 014 (India)

2010-03-19

Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is altered in response to different physiological and pathological stimuli. GFAP{sup +ve}/nestin{sup +ve} radial glial like Type-1 progenitors are considered to be the resident stem cell population in adult hippocampus. During neurogenesis these Type-1 progenitors matures to GFAP{sup -ve}/nestin{sup +ve} Type-2 progenitors and then to Type-3 neuroblasts and finally differentiates into granule cell neurons. In our study, using pilocarpine-induced seizure model, we showed that seizure initiated activation of multiple progenitors in the entire hippocampal area such as DG, CA1 and CA3. Seizure induction resulted in activation of two subtypes of Type-1 progenitors, Type-1a (GFAP{sup +ve}/nestin{sup +ve}/BrdU{sup +ve}) and Type-1b (GFAP{sup +ve}/nestin{sup +ve}/BrdU{sup -ve}). We showed that majority of Type-1b progenitors were undergoing only a transition from a state of dormancy to activated form immediately after seizures rather than proliferating, whereas Type-1a showed maximum proliferation by 3 days post-seizure induction. Type-2 (GFAP{sup -ve}/nestin{sup +ve}/BrdU{sup +ve}) progenitors were few compared to Type-1. Type-3 (DCX{sup +ve}) progenitors showed increased expression of immature neurons only in DG region by 3 days after seizure induction indicating maturation of progenitors happens only in microenvironment of DG even though progenitors are activated in CA1 and CA3 regions of hippocampus. Also parallel increase in growth factors expression after seizure induction suggests that microenvironmental niche has a profound effect on stimulation of adult neural progenitors.

Late effects of radiation on mature and growing bone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramuz, O.; Mornex, F.; Bourhis, J.

1997-01-01

The physiopathology of radiation-induced bone damage is no completely elucidated. Ionizing radiation may induce an inhibition or an impairment of growing bone. This fact is of particular importance in children, and represents one of the most important dose-limiting factors in the radiotherapeutic management of children with malignant diseases. Scoliosis, epiphyseal slippage, avascular necrosis, abnormalities of craniofacial growth may be observed after radiation. Child's age at the time of treatment, location of irradiated bone and irradiation characteristics may influence the radiation related observed effects. In adults, pathological analysis of mature bone after ionizing radiation exposure are rare, suggesting that it is difficult to draw a clear feature of the action of radiation on the bone. Osteoporosis, medullary fibrosis and cytotoxicity on bone cells lead to fracture or necrosis. Various factors can influence bone tolerance to radiation such as bone involvement by tumor cells or infection, which is frequent is mandibulary osteoradionecrosis. Technical improvements in radiation techniques have also decreased radio-induced bone complications : the volume, fractionation and total dose are essential to consider. The absence of a consistent radiation-induced late effects evaluation scale has hampered efforts to analyze the influence of various therapeutic maneuvers and the comparison of results from different reported series. The currently proposed evaluation scale may help harmonizing the classification of radiation-induced bone late effects. (author)

Bayesian CP Factorization of Incomplete Tensors with Automatic Rank Determination.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Qibin; Zhang, Liqing; Cichocki, Andrzej

2015-09-01

CANDECOMP/PARAFAC (CP) tensor factorization of incomplete data is a powerful technique for tensor completion through explicitly capturing the multilinear latent factors. The existing CP algorithms require the tensor rank to be manually specified, however, the determination of tensor rank remains a challenging problem especially for CP rank . In addition, existing approaches do not take into account uncertainty information of latent factors, as well as missing entries. To address these issues, we formulate CP factorization using a hierarchical probabilistic model and employ a fully Bayesian treatment by incorporating a sparsity-inducing prior over multiple latent factors and the appropriate hyperpriors over all hyperparameters, resulting in automatic rank determination. To learn the model, we develop an efficient deterministic Bayesian inference algorithm, which scales linearly with data size. Our method is characterized as a tuning parameter-free approach, which can effectively infer underlying multilinear factors with a low-rank constraint, while also providing predictive distributions over missing entries. Extensive simulations on synthetic data illustrate the intrinsic capability of our method to recover the ground-truth of CP rank and prevent the overfitting problem, even when a large amount of entries are missing. Moreover, the results from real-world applications, including image inpainting and facial image synthesis, demonstrate that our method outperforms state-of-the-art approaches for both tensor factorization and tensor completion in terms of predictive performance.

Detection of Variation in Long-Term Micropropagated Mature Pistachio via DNA-Based Molecular Markers.

Science.gov (United States)

Akdemir, Hülya; Suzerer, Veysel; Tilkat, Engin; Onay, Ahmet; Çiftçi, Yelda Ozden

2016-12-01

Determination of genetic stability of in vitro-grown plantlets is needed for safe and large-scale production of mature trees. In this study, genetic variation of long-term micropropagated mature pistachio developed through direct shoot bud regeneration using apical buds (protocol A) and in vitro-derived leaves (protocol B) was assessed via DNA-based molecular markers. Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR), and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) were employed, and the obtained PIC values from RAPD (0.226), ISSR (0.220), and AFLP (0.241) showed that micropropagation of pistachio for different periods of time resulted in "reasonable polymorphism" among donor plant and its 18 clones. Mantel's test showed a consistence polymorphism level between marker systems based on similarity matrices. In conclusion, this is the first study on occurrence of genetic variability in long-term micropropagated mature pistachio plantlets. The obtained results clearly indicated that different marker approaches used in this study are reliable for assessing tissue culture-induced variations in long-term cultured pistachio plantlets.

Functional electrical stimulation-assisted walking for persons with incomplete spinal injuries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ladouceur, M.; Barbeau, H.

2000-01-01

This study investigated the changes in maximal overground walking speed (MOWS) that occurred during; walking training with a functional electrical stimulation (FES) orthosis by chronic spinal cord injured persons with incomplete motor function loss. The average walking: speed over a distance of 10...

Excitation functions for some Ne induced reactions with Holmium: incomplete fusion vs complete fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agarwal, Avinash; Kumar, Munish; Sharma, Anjali; Rizvi, I.A.; Ahamad, Tauseef; Ghugre, S.S.; Sinha, A.K.; Chaubey, A.K.

2010-01-01

Reactions induced by 20 Ne are expected to be considerably more complex than those of 12 C, and 16 O. As a part of the ongoing program to understand CF and ICF reaction mechanisms, it is of great interest to see whether the same experimental technique yield similarly valuable information for 20 Ne induced reactions. In this present work an attempt has been made to measure the excitation functions for fifteen evaporation residues (ERs) identified in the interaction of 20 Ne + 165 Ho system in the energy range 4 -7 MeV/A

Incomplete information and the closed-end fund discount

OpenAIRE

Barone-Adesi, Giovanni; Kim, Youngsoo

2008-01-01

We model the closed-end fund discount/premium in a version of Merton’s (1978) asset pricing model with incomplete information. In this economy, investors trade only assets which they “ know about” . The model generates a closed-end fund discount or premium, depending on risk-aversion parameters. The fund share price reverts to the net asset value on open-ending of the fund. The discount/premium is a result of two economic forces: (1) the fund manager’s objective is to maximize expected utilit...

In praise of the incomplete leader.

Science.gov (United States)

Ancona, Deborah; Malone, Thomas W; Orlikowski, Wanda J; Senge, Peter M

2007-02-01

Today's top executives are expected to do everything right, from coming up with solutions to unfathomably complex problems to having the charisma and prescience to rally stakeholders around a perfect vision of the future. But no one leader can be all things to all people. It's time to end the myth of the complete leader, say the authors. Those at the top must come to understand their weaknesses as well as their strengths. Only by embracing the ways in which they are incomplete can leaders fill in the gaps in their knowledge with others' skills. The incomplete leader has the confidence and humility to recognize unique talents and perspectives throughout the organization--and to let those qualities shine. The authors' work studying leadership over the past six years has led them to develop a framework of distributed leadership. Within that model, leadership consists of four capabilities: sensemaking, relating, "visioning," and inventing. Sensemaking involves understanding and mapping the context in which a company and its people operate. A leader skilled in this area can quickly identify the complexities of a given situation and explain them to others. The second capability, relating, means being able to build trusting relationships with others through inquiring (listening with intention), advocating (explaining one's own point of view), and connecting (establishing a network of allies who can help a leader accomplish his or her goals). Visioning, the third capability, means coming up with a compelling image of the future. It is a collaborative process that articulates what the members of an organization want to create. Finally, inventing involves developing new ways to bring that vision to life. Rarely will a single person be skilled in all four areas. That's why it's critical that leaders find others who can offset their limitations and complement their strengths. Those who don't will not only bear the burden of leadership alone but will find themselves at the helm

Incomplete functional recovery after delirium in elderly people: a prospective cohort study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Freter Susan H

2005-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Delirium often has a poor outcome, but why some people have incomplete recovery is not well understood. Our objective was to identify factors associated with short-term (by discharge and long-term (by 6 month incomplete recovery of function following delirium. Methods In a prospective cohort study of elderly patients with delirium seen by geriatric medicine services, function was assessed at baseline, at hospital discharge and at six months. Results Of 77 patients, vital and functional status at 6 months was known for 71, of whom 21 (30% had died. Incomplete functional recovery, defined as ≥10 point decline in the Barthel Index, compared to pre-morbid status, was present in 27 (54% of the 50 survivors. Factors associated with death or loss of function at hospital discharge were frailty, absence of agitation (hypoactive delirium, a cardiac cause and poor recognition of delirium by the treating service. Frailty, causes other than medications, and poor recognition of delirium by the treating service were associated with death or poor functional recovery at 6 months. Conclusion Pre-existing frailty, cardiac cause of delirium, and poor early recognition by treating physicians are associated with worse outcomes. Many physicians view the adverse outcomes of delirium as intractable. While in some measure this might be true, more skilled care is a potential remedy within their grasp.

Computer-aided meiotic maturation assay (CAMMA) of zebrafish (danio rerio) oocytes in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Lessman, Charles A; Nathani, Ravikanth; Uddin, Rafique; Walker, Jamie; Liu, Jianxiong

2007-01-01

We have developed a new technique called Computer-Aided Meiotic Maturation Assay (CAMMA) for imaging large arrays of zebrafish oocytes and automatically collecting image files at regular intervals during meiotic maturation. This novel method uses a transparency scanner interfaced to a computer with macro programming that automatically scans and archives the image files. Images are stacked and analyzed with ImageJ to quantify changes in optical density characteristic of zebrafish oocyte maturation. Major advantages of CAMMA include (1) ability to image very large arrays of oocytes and follow individual cells over time, (2) simultaneously image many treatment groups, (3) digitized images may be stacked, animated, and analyzed in programs such as ImageJ, NIH-Image, or ScionImage, and (4) CAMMA system is inexpensive, costing less than most microscopes used in traditional assays. We have used CAMMA to determine the dose response and time course of oocyte maturation induced by 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (HP). Maximal decrease in optical density occurs around 5 hr after 0.1 micro g/ml HP (28.5 degrees C), approximately 3 hr after germinal vesicle migration (GVM) and dissolution (GVD). In addition to changes in optical density, GVD is accompanied by streaming of ooplasm to the animal pole to form a blastodisc. These dynamic changes are readily visualized by animating image stacks from CAMMA; thus, CAMMA provides a valuable source of time-lapse movies for those studying zebrafish oocyte maturation. The oocyte clearing documented by CAMMA is correlated to changes in size distribution of major yolk proteins upon SDS-PAGE, and, this in turn, is related to increased cyclin B(1) protein.

Relationship between cervical vertebral maturation and mandibular growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Ball, Gina; Woodside, Donald; Tompson, Bryan; Hunter, W Stuart; Posluns, James

2011-05-01

The cervical vertebrae have been proposed as a method of determining biologic maturity. The purposes of this study were to establish a pattern of mandibular growth and to relate this pattern to the stages of cervical vertebral maturation. Cephalometric radiographs, taken annually from ages 9 to 18 years, were evaluated for 90 boys from the Burlington Growth Center, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Mandibular lengths were measured from articulare to gnathion, and incremental growth was determined. Cervical vertebral maturation stages were assessed by using a 6-stage method. Advanced, average, and delayed maturation groups were established. The prepubertal mandibular growth minimum velocity occurred during cervical stages 1 through 4 (P = 0.7327). Peak mandibular growth velocity occurred most frequently during stage 4 in all 3 maturation groups, with a statistical difference in the average and delayed groups (P cervical stages 1 through 6 does not occur annually; time spent in each stage varies depending on the stage and the maturation group. Cervical vertebral maturation stages cannot accurately identify the mandibular prepubertal growth minimum and therefore cannot predict the onset of the peak in mandibular growth. The cervical vertebral maturation stages should be used with other methods of biologic maturity assessment when considering both dentofacial orthopedic treatment and orthognathic surgery. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Crocin Supplementation during In Vitro Maturation of Mouse Oocytes on Glutathione Synthesis and Cytoplasmic Maturation

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Elham Mokhber Maleki

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Crocin is an active ingredient of saffron (Crocus sativus L. and its antioxidant properties have been previously investigated. This carotenoid scavenges free radicals and stimulates glutathione (GSH synthesis; consequently, it may protect cells against oxidative stress. The aim of this research is to protect oocytes from oxidative stress by the addition of a natural source antioxidant. Materials and Methods: In the present in vitro experimental study, we collected cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs from mouse ovaries of euthanized, 6-8 week-old female Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI mice. Oocytes were subjected to in vitro maturation (IVM in the presence of either crocin (5 or 10 μg/ml, 5 mM buthionine-[S-R]- sulfoximine (BSO, or the combination of crocin plus BSO. Oocytes that matured in vitro in a medium without crocin or BSO supplements were considered as controls. Following 16-18 hours of IVM, matured oocytes (n=631 were fertilized by capacitated sperm from NMRI male mice, and cultured in vitro for up to 96 hours to assess preimplantation embryonic development. The levels of GSH in metaphase II (MII oocytes after IVM (n=240 were also assessed by the 5, 5-dithio-bis (2-nitrobenzoic acid (DTNB-GSH reductase recycling assay. Results: Supplementation of IVM media with 10 μg/ml crocin significantly (P<0.05 increased nuclear maturation, preimplantation development and GSH concentrations compared with the control group. Maturation of oocytes in IVM medium supplemented with BSO alone or the combination of 5 μg/ml crocin and BSO drastically decreased GSH concentrations and subsequently resulted in low rates of maturation, fertilization and blastocyst development. However, the combination of 10 μg/ml crocin with 5 mM BSO increased the level of nuclear maturation which was comparable to the control group. Conclusion: Supplementation of IVM media with crocin can improve nuclear maturation rates and subsequent developmental potential

The role of postoperative external irradiation for the incompletely resected meningiomas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Tae Hyun; Yang, Dae Sik; Kim, Chul Young; Choi, Myung Sun

2000-01-01

The aim of this study is to look for the possible efficacy of postoperative external irradiation for incompletely resected meningiomas. From August 1981 to January 1997, forty-four patients with intracranial meningioma were treated by postoperative external irradiation. Of the 44 meningiomas, 18 transitional, 13 meningotheliomatous, 6 hemangiopericytic, 4 atypical, 2 fibroblastic and 1 malignant meningioma were identified. We classified all patients into two groups by the histology. The benign group was consisted of the meningotheliomatous, transitional and fibroblastic types. The malignant group was consisted of the atypical, hemangiopericytic and malignant types.In the means of surgery, 37 patients were resected incompletely and 7 patients were managed by biopsy only. After surgery, all patients were received postoperative external irradiation. Radiotherapy was delivered using Co-60 or 4 MV photon beam to a total dose of 50 to 66 Gy (mean dose:57.4 Gy) with a 1.8 to 2 Gy per fraction. The median follow-up was 48 months (range:21-101 months). Multivariate analysis of the influence by age, sex, location, histology and radiation dose on local control has been done using Cox's proportional hazard model. 5-year local control rate was 93.8% for the benign histology and 51.8% for the malignant histology (p=0.0110) and overall local control rate at 5 years was 87.4%. The analysis of the prognostic factors, such as age, sex, location, and radiation dose were not significant except for the histology. Adjuvant postoperative external irradiation appears to be significantly improved local control in the patients with incompletely resected meningiomas

Factors contributing to nursing task incompletion as perceived by nurses working in Kuwait general hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Kandari, Fatimah; Thomas, Deepa

2009-12-01

Unfinished care has a strong relationship with quality of nursing care. Most issues related to tasks incompletion arise from staffing and workload. This study was conducted to assess the workload of nurses, the nursing activities (tasks) nurses commonly performed on medical and surgical wards, elements of nursing care activities left incomplete by nurses during a shift, factors contributing to task incompletion and the relationship between staffing, demographic variables and task incompletion. Exploratory survey using a self-administered questionnaire developed from IHOC survey, USA. All full time registered nurses working on the general medical and surgical wards of five government general hospitals in Kuwait. Research assistants distributed and collected back the questionnaires. Four working days were given to participants to complete and return the questionnaires. A total of 820 questionnaires were distributed and 95% were returned. Descriptive and inferential analysis using SPSS-11. The five most frequently performed nursing activities were: administration of medications, assessing patient condition, preparing/updating nursing care plans, close patient monitoring and client health teaching. The most common nursing activities nurses were unable to complete were: comfort talk with patient and family, adequate documentation of nursing care, oral hygiene, routine catheter care and starting or changing IV fluid on time. Tasks were more complete when the nurse-patient load was less than 5. Nurses' age and educational background influenced task completion while nurses' gender had no influence on it. Increased patient loads, resulting in increased frequency of nursing tasks and non-nursing tasks, were positively correlated to incompletion of nursing activities during the shift. Emphasis should be given to maintaining the optimum nurse-patient load and decreasing the non-nursing workload of nurses to enhance the quality of nursing care.

Influence of low dose irradiation on differentiation, maturation and T-cell activation of human dendritic cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jahns, Jutta [Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University of Leipzig, Stephanstrasse 21, 04103 Leipzig (Germany); Anderegg, Ulf; Saalbach, Anja [Department for Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 30, 04103 Leipzig (Germany); Rosin, Britt; Patties, Ina; Glasow, Annegret [Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University of Leipzig, Stephanstrasse 21, 04103 Leipzig (Germany); Kamprad, Manja [Institute for Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 30, 04103 Leipzig (Germany); Scholz, Markus [Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, University of Leipzig, Haertelstr. 16-18, 04103 Leipzig (Germany); Hildebrandt, Guido, E-mail: Guido.Hildebrandt@uni-rostock.de [Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University of Rostock, Suedring 75, 18059 Rostock (Germany); Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University of Leipzig, Stephanstrasse 21, 04103 Leipzig (Germany)

2011-05-10

Ionizing irradiation could act directly on immune cells and may induce bystander effects mediated by soluble factors that are released by the irradiated cells. This is the first study analyzing both the direct effect of low dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) on the maturation and cytokine release of human dendritic cells (DCs) and the functional consequences for co-cultured T-cells. We showed that irradiation of DC-precursors in vitro does not influence surface marker expression or cytokine profile of immature DCs nor of mature DCs after LPS treatment. There was no difference of single dose irradiation versus fractionated irradiation protocols on the behavior of the mature DCs. Further, the low dose irradiation did not change the capacity of the DCs to stimulate T-cell proliferation. But the irradiation of the co-culture of DCs and T-cells revealed significantly lower proliferation of T-cells with higher doses. Summarizing the data from approx. 50 DC preparations there is no significant effect of low dose ionizing irradiation on the cytokine profile, surface marker expression and maturation of DCs in vitro although functional consequences cannot be excluded.

Parametric study of the Incompletely Stirred Reactor modeling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mobini, K. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shahid Rajaee University, Lavizan, Tehran (Iran); Bilger, R.W. [School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Sydney, Sydney (Australia)

2009-09-15

The Incompletely Stirred Reactor (ISR) is a generalization of the widely-used Perfectly Stirred Reactor (PSR) model and allows for incomplete mixing within the reactor. Its formulation is based on the Conditional Moment Closure (CMC) method. This model is applicable to nonpremixed combustion with strong recirculation such as in a gas turbine combustor primary zone. The model uses the simplifying assumptions that the conditionally-averaged reactive-scalar concentrations are independent of position in the reactor: this results in ordinary differential equations in mixture fraction space. The simplicity of the model permits the use of very complex chemical mechanisms. The effects of the detailed chemistry can be found while still including the effects of micromixing. A parametric study is performed here on an ISR for combustion of methane at overall stoichiometric conditions to investigate the sensitivity of the model to different parameters. The focus here is on emissions of nitric oxide and carbon monoxide. It is shown that the most important parameters in the ISR model are reactor residence time, the chemical mechanism and the core-averaged Probability Density Function (PDF). Using several different shapes for the core-averaged PDF, it is shown that use of a bimodal PDF with a low minimum at stoichiometric mixture fraction and a large variance leads to lower nitric oxide formation. The 'rich-plus-lean' mixing or staged combustion strategy for combustion is thus supported. (author)

Response of Nitrogen Leaching to Nitrogen Deposition in Disturbed and Mature Forests of Southern China

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

FANG Yun-Ting; M. YOH; MO Jiang-Ming; P. GUNDERSEN; ZHOU Guo-Yi

2009-01-01

Current nitrogen (N) leaching losses and their responses to monthly N additions were investigated under a disturbed pine (Pinus massoniana) forest and a mature monsoon broadleaf forest in southern China. N leaching losses from both disturbed and mature forests were quite high (14.6 and 29.2 kg N ha-1 year-1, respectively), accounting for 57% and 80% of their corresponding atmospheric N inputs. N leaching losses were substantially increased following the first 1.5 years of N applications in both forests. The average increases induced by the addition of 50 and 100 kg N ha-1 year-1 were 36.5 and 24.9 kg N ha-1 year-1, respectively, in the mature forest, accounting for 73.0% and 24.9% of the annual amount of N added, and 14.2 and 16.8 kg N ha-1 year-1 in the disturbed forest, accounting for 28.4% and 16.8% of the added N. Great N leaching and a fast N leaching response to N additions in the mature forest might result from long-term N accumulation and high ambient N deposition load (greater than 30 kg N ha-1 year-1 over the past 15 years), whereas in the disturbed forest, it might result from the human disturbance and high ambient N deposition load. These results suggest that both disturbed and mature forests in the study region may be sensitive to increasing N deposition.

Prevalence and Associations of Incomplete Posterior Vitreous Detachment in Adult Chinese: The Beijing Eye Study

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Lei; Xu, Liang; You, Qi Sheng; Wang, Ya Xing; Chen, Chang Xi; Yang, Hua; Zhou, Jin Qiong; Jonas, Jost B.; Wei, Wen Bin

2013-01-01

Purpose To determine prevalence and associations of incomplete posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). Methods The population-based cross-sectional Beijing Eye Study 2011 included 3468 individuals with a mean age of 64.6±9.8 years (range: 50–93 years). A detailed ophthalmic examination was performed including spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Incomplete PVD was differentiated into type 1 (shallow PVD with circular perifoveal vitreous attachment), type 2 (PVD reaching fovea but not foveola), type 3 (shallow PVD with pinpoint vitreous attachment at the foveola), and type 4 (PVD completely detached from the macula, attached to the optic disc). Results An incomplete PVD was detected in 3948 eyes (prevalence: 60.5±0.6%; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 59.3%,61.7%) of 2198 subjects (67.1±0.8%;95%CI: 65.6%,68.7%). Type 1 PVD was seen in 3090 (78.3%) eyes, type 2 PVD in 504 (12.8%) eyes, type 3 PVD in 70 (1.8%) eyes, and type 4 PVD in 284 (7.2%) eyes. Prevalence of incomplete PVD was associated with younger age (PPVD was associated with higher age (PPVD (detected in 67.1% subjects) was associated with younger age, male gender, rural region of habitation, larger corneal diameter, better best corrected visual acuity and hyperopic refractive error. PMID:23544043

Iκb Kinase α Is Essential for Mature B Cell Development and Function

Science.gov (United States)

Kaisho, Tsuneyasu; Takeda, Kiyoshi; Tsujimura, Tohru; Kawai, Taro; Nomura, Fumiko; Terada, Nobuyuki; Akira, Shizuo

2001-01-01

IκB kinase (IKK) α and β phosphorylate IκB proteins and activate the transcription factor, nuclear factor (NF)-κB. Although both are highly homologous kinases, gene targeting experiments revealed their differential roles in vivo. IKKα is involved in skin and limb morphogenesis, whereas IKKβ is essential for cytokine signaling. To elucidate in vivo roles of IKKα in hematopoietic cells, we have generated bone marrow chimeras by transferring control and IKKα-deficient fetal liver cells. The mature B cell population was decreased in IKKα−/− chimeras. IKKα−/− chimeras also exhibited a decrease of serum immunoglobulin basal level and impaired antigen-specific immune responses. Histologically, they also manifested marked disruption of germinal center formation and splenic microarchitectures that depend on mature B cells. IKKα−/− B cells not only showed impairment of survival and mitogenic responses in vitro, accompanied by decreased, although inducible, NF-κB activity, but also increased turnover rate in vivo. In addition, transgene expression of bcl-2 could only partially rescue impaired B cell development in IKKα−/− chimeras. Taken together, these results demonstrate that IKKα is critically involved in the prevention of cell death and functional development of mature B cells. PMID:11181694

RESEARCH ON REDUCING THE LENGTH OF MATURATION IN USING ELECTROSTIMULATION OF BEEF

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

FELICIA DIMA

2014-01-01

Full Text Available From technological point of view in the food industry has been obtained meat maturation using different methods: storage under controlled conditions, the use of enzymes or mechanical equipment tenderization musculature. Was also reported that electrical stimulation of carcasses immediately after slaughter procedure can increase the degree of maturation of the meat. Meat and meat products are subjected to reduce during chilling and freezing temperatures principal for reasons of conservation or meat packing. Particular attention must be paid to temperature control, especially before rigor mortis, knowing that too rapid cooling could lead to a cold shortening or thaw rigor during the thaw. During application of the electrostimulation process, occur physical and biochemical changes, meaning that this one has some effect on the technological properties of meat. It has obtained a reduction of maturation of beef with the electrostimulation of half-carcasses of cattle, verified by the increase of non-protein nitrogen in meat. The same time it has been considerably improved the texture and firmness of the muscles, which allows the use of beef in fast food products (ready to cook. Researches have revealed the conclusion that the use of the portable device for electrostimulation, in the described conditions, has induced positive transformations improving meat quality of adult beef.

Maturation Modulates Pharyngeal-Stimulus Provoked Pharyngeal and Respiratory Rhythms in Human Infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasenstab, Kathryn A; Sitaram, Swetha; Lang, Ivan M; Shaker, Reza; Jadcherla, Sudarshan R

2018-02-01

Pharyngeal-provocation induced aerodigestive symptoms in infants remain an enigma. Sources of pharyngeal provocation can be anterograde as with feeding, and retrograde as in gastroesophageal reflux. We determined maturational and dose-response effects of targeted pharyngeal-stimulus on frequency, stability, and magnitude of pharyngeal and respiratory waveforms during multiple pharyngeal swallowing responses in preterm-born infants when they were of full-term postmenstrual age (PMA). Eighteen infants (11 male) were studied longitudinally at 39.8 ± 4.8 weeks PMA (time-1) and 44.1 ± 5.8 weeks PMA (time-2). Infants underwent concurrent pharyngo-esophageal manometry, respiratory inductance plethysmography, and nasal airflow thermistor methods to test sensory-motor interactions between the pharynx, esophagus, and airway. Linear mixed models were used and data presented as mean ± SEM or %. Overall, responses to 250 stimuli were analyzed. Of the multiple pharyngeal swallowing responses (n = 160), with maturation (a) deglutition apnea duration decreases (p  0.05), and (c) respiratory changes were unaffected (p > 0.05). Initial and subsequent pharyngeal responses and respiratory rhythm interactions become more distinct with maturation. Interval oromotor experiences and volume-dependent increase in adaptive responses may be contributory. These mechanisms may be important in modulating and restoring respiratory rhythm normalcy.

Caspase-2-dependent dendritic cell death, maturation, and priming of T cells in response to Brucella abortus infection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xinna Li

Full Text Available Smooth virulent Brucella abortus strain 2308 (S2308 causes zoonotic brucellosis in cattle and humans. Rough B. abortus strain RB51, derived from S2308, is a live attenuated cattle vaccine strain licensed in the USA and many other countries. Our previous report indicated that RB51, but not S2308, induces a caspase-2-dependent apoptotic and necrotic macrophage cell death. Dendritic cells (DCs are professional antigen presenting cells critical for bridging innate and adaptive immune responses. In contrast to Brucella-infected macrophages, here we report that S2308 induced higher levels of apoptotic and necrotic cell death in wild type bone marrow-derived DCs (WT BMDCs than RB51. The RB51 and S2308-induced BMDC cell death was regulated by caspase-2, indicated by the minimal cell death in RB51 and S2308-infected BMDCs isolated from caspase-2 knockout mice (Casp2KO BMDCs. More S2308 bacteria were taken up by Casp2KO BMDCs than wild type BMDCs. Higher levels of S2308 and RB51 cells were found in infected Casp2KO BMDCs compared to infected WT BMDCs at different time points. RB51-infected wild type BMDCs were mature and activated as shown by significantly up-regulated expression of CD40, CD80, CD86, MHC-I, and MHC-II. RB51 induced the production of cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-γ and IL12/IL23p40 in infected BMDCs. RB51-infected WT BMDCs also stimulated the proliferation of CD4(+ and CD8(+ T cells compared to uninfected WT BMDCs. However, the maturation, activation, and cytokine secretion are significantly impaired in Casp2KO BMDCs infected with RB51 or Salmonella (control. S2308-infected WT and Casp2KO BMDCs were not activated and could not induce cytokine production. These results demonstrated that virulent smooth strain S2308 induced more apoptotic and necrotic dendritic cell death than live attenuated rough vaccine strain RB51; however, RB51, but not its parent strain S2308, induced caspase-2-mediated DC maturation, cytokine production, antigen

Whey protein processing influences formula-induced gut maturation in preterm pigs.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yanqi; Østergaard, Mette V; Jiang, Pingping; Chatterton, Dereck E W; Thymann, Thomas; Kvistgaard, Anne S; Sangild, Per T

2013-12-01

Immaturity of the gut predisposes preterm infants to nutritional challenges potentially leading to clinical complications such as necrotizing enterocolitis. Feeding milk formulas is associated with greater risk than fresh colostrum or milk, probably due to loss of bioactive proteins (e.g., immunoglobulins, lactoferrin, insulin-like growth factor, transforming growth factor-β) during industrial processing (e.g., pasteurization, filtration, spray-drying). We hypothesized that the processing method for whey protein concentrate (WPC) would affect gut maturation in formula-fed preterm pigs used as a model for preterm infants. Fifty-five caesarean-delivered preterm pigs were distributed into 4 groups given 1 of 4 isoenergetic diets: formula containing conventional WPC (filtration, multi-pasteurization, standard spray-drying) (CF); formula containing gently treated WPC (reduced filtration and pasteurization, gentle spray-drying) (GF); formula containing minimally treated WPC (rennet precipitation, reduced filtration, heat treatment preserve the bioactivity and nutritional value of formulas for sensitive newborns.

X-ray induced dominant lethal mutations in mature and immature oocytes of guinea-pigs and golden hamsters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cox, B.D.; Lyon, M.F.

1975-01-01

The induction of dominant lethal mutations by doses of 100-400 rad X-rays in oocytes of the guinea-pig and golden hamster was studied using criteria of embryonic mortality. For both species higher yields were obtained from mature than from immature oocytes. Data on fertility indicated that in the golden hamster immature oocytes were more sensitive to killing by X-rays than mature oocytes but that the converse was true in the guinea-pig. The dose-response relationship for mutation to dominant lethals in pre-ovulatory oocytes of guinea-pigs and golden hamsters was linear, both when based on pre- and post-implantation loss only. The rate per unit dose was higher for the golden hamster, and the old golden hamsters were possibly slightly more sensitive than young ones

7 CFR 1421.101 - Maturity dates.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... filed and disbursed except, for transferred marketing assistance loan collateral. The maturity date for transferred marketing assistance loan collateral will be the maturity date applicable to the original loan... AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS GRAINS AND SIMILARLY HANDLED COMMODITIES-MARKETING...

Parameter learning in MTE networks using incomplete data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fernández, Antonio; Langseth, Helge; Nielsen, Thomas Dyhre

a considerable computational burden as well as the inability to handle missing values in the training data. In this paper we describe an EM-based algorithm for learning the maximum likelihood parameters of an MTE network when confronted with incomplete data. In order to overcome the computational difficulties we......Bayesian networks with mixtures of truncated exponentials (MTEs) are gaining popularity as a flexible modelling framework for hybrid domains. MTEs support efficient and exact inference algorithms, but estimating an MTE from data has turned out to be a difficult task. Current methods suffer from...

Incomplete McCune-Albright Syndrome: A Case Report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nagehan Aslan

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Fibrous dysplasia of bone is a genetic, non-inheritable disease that can cause bone pain, bone deformities and fracture. It has a large clinic spectrum from benign monostotic fibrous dysplasia to McCune-Albright syndrome. Rare McCune-Albright syndrome is characterized by precocious puberty, cafe au lait spots and fibrous dysplasia. Herein we presented a case who was preferred to hospital with pathological fractures and diagnosed with Incomplet McCune Albright syndrome because of the lack of endocrine hyperfunction and developed early puberty at clinical course.

Actuarial values calculated using the incomplete Gamma function

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Giovanni Mingari Scarpello

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The complete expectation-of-life for a person and the actuarial present value of continuous life annuities are defined by integrals. In all of them at least one of the factors is a survival function value ratio. If de Moivre’s law of mortality is chosen, such integrals can easily be evaluated; but if the Makeham survival function is adopted, they are used to be calculated numerically. For the above actuarial figures, closed form integrations are hereafter provided by means of the incomplete Gamma function.

Incomplete block factorization preconditioning for indefinite elliptic problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Chun-Hua [Univ. of Calgary, Alberta (Canada)

1996-12-31

The application of the finite difference method to approximate the solution of an indefinite elliptic problem produces a linear system whose coefficient matrix is block tridiagonal and symmetric indefinite. Such a linear system can be solved efficiently by a conjugate residual method, particularly when combined with a good preconditioner. We show that specific incomplete block factorization exists for the indefinite matrix if the mesh size is reasonably small. And this factorization can serve as an efficient preconditioner. Some efforts are made to estimate the eigenvalues of the preconditioned matrix. Numerical results are also given.

Relation between extent of myostatin depletion and muscle growth in mature mice

OpenAIRE

Welle, Stephen; Burgess, Kerri; Thornton, Charles A.; Tawil, Rabi

2009-01-01

Myostatin is a negative regulator of muscle growth and fiber size. Changes in myostatin expression might contribute to changes in muscle mass associated with various conditions, and reducing the amount of active myostatin is a potential strategy for preventing or reversing muscle atrophy. The present study was done to determine the extent to which myostatin levels must decline to induce growth of mature muscles. Myostatin expression was reduced by activating Cre recombinase in adult mice with...

A Systematic Literature Review of Agile Maturity Model Research

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Vaughan Henriques

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim/Purpose: A commonly implemented software process improvement framework is the capability maturity model integrated (CMMI. Existing literature indicates higher levels of CMMI maturity could result in a loss of agility due to its organizational focus. To maintain agility, research has focussed attention on agile maturity models. The objective of this paper is to find the common research themes and conclusions in agile maturity model research. Methodology: This research adopts a systematic approach to agile maturity model research, using Google Scholar, Science Direct, and IEEE Xplore as sources. In total 531 articles were initially found matching the search criteria, which was filtered to 39 articles by applying specific exclusion criteria. Contribution:: The article highlights the trends in agile maturity model research, specifically bringing to light the lack of research providing validation of such models. Findings: Two major themes emerge, being the coexistence of agile and CMMI and the development of agile principle based maturity models. The research trend indicates an increase in agile maturity model articles, particularly in the latter half of the last decade, with concentrations of research coinciding with version updates of CMMI. While there is general consensus around higher CMMI maturity levels being incompatible with true agility, there is evidence of the two coexisting when agile is introduced into already highly matured environments. Future Research:\tFuture research direction for this topic should include how to attain higher levels of CMMI maturity using only agile methods, how governance is addressed in agile environments, and whether existing agile maturity models relate to improved project success.

Customer-Provider Strategic Alignment: A Maturity Model

Science.gov (United States)

Luftman, Jerry; Brown, Carol V.; Balaji, S.

This chapter presents a new model for assessing the maturity of a ­customer-provider relationship from a collaborative service delivery perspective: the Customer-Provider Strategic Alignment Maturity (CPSAM) Model. This model builds on recent research for effectively managing the customer-provider relationship in IT service outsourcing contexts and a validated model for assessing alignment across internal IT service units and their business customers within the same organization. After reviewing relevant literature by service science and information systems researchers, the six overarching components of the maturity model are presented: value measurements, governance, partnership, communications, human resources and skills, and scope and architecture. A key assumption of the model is that all of the components need be addressed to assess and improve customer-provider alignment. Examples of specific metrics for measuring the maturity level of each component over the five levels of maturity are also presented.

Generation of mature T cells from human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in artificial thymic organoids.

Science.gov (United States)

Seet, Christopher S; He, Chongbin; Bethune, Michael T; Li, Suwen; Chick, Brent; Gschweng, Eric H; Zhu, Yuhua; Kim, Kenneth; Kohn, Donald B; Baltimore, David; Crooks, Gay M; Montel-Hagen, Amélie

2017-05-01

Studies of human T cell development require robust model systems that recapitulate the full span of thymopoiesis, from hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) through to mature T cells. Existing in vitro models induce T cell commitment from human HSPCs; however, differentiation into mature CD3 + TCR-αβ + single-positive CD8 + or CD4 + cells is limited. We describe here a serum-free, artificial thymic organoid (ATO) system that supports efficient and reproducible in vitro differentiation and positive selection of conventional human T cells from all sources of HSPCs. ATO-derived T cells exhibited mature naive phenotypes, a diverse T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire and TCR-dependent function. ATOs initiated with TCR-engineered HSPCs produced T cells with antigen-specific cytotoxicity and near-complete lack of endogenous TCR Vβ expression, consistent with allelic exclusion of Vβ-encoding loci. ATOs provide a robust tool for studying human T cell differentiation and for the future development of stem-cell-based engineered T cell therapies.

Maturation Pathways of Cross-Reactive HIV-1 Neutralizing Antibodies

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Dimiter S. Dimitrov

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Several human monoclonal antibodies (hmAbs and antibody fragments, including the best characterized in terms of structure-function b12 and Fab X5, exhibit relatively potent and broad HIV-1 neutralizing activity. However, the elicitation of b12 or b12-like antibodies in vivo by vaccine immunogens based on the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env has not been successful. B12 is highly divergent from the closest corresponding germline antibody while X5 is less divergent. We have hypothesized that the relatively high degree of specific somatic hypermutations may preclude binding of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env to closest germline antibodies, and that identifying antibodies that are intermediates in the pathways to maturation could help design novel vaccine immunogens to guide the immune system for their enhanced elicitation. In support of this hypothesis we have previously found that a germline-like b12 (monovalent and bivalent scFv as an Fc fusion protein or IgG lacks measurable binding to an Env as measured by ELISA with a sensitivity in the μM range [1]; here we present evidence confirming and expanding these findings for a panel of Envs. In contrast, a germline-like scFv X5 bound Env with high (nM affinity. To begin to explore the maturation pathways of these antibodies we identified several possible b12 intermediate antibodies and tested their neutralizing activity. These intermediate antibodies neutralized only some HIV-1 isolates and with relatively weak potency. In contrast, germline-like scFv X5 neutralized a subset of the tested HIV-1 isolates with comparable efficiencies to that of the mature X5. These results could help explain the relatively high immunogenicity of the coreceptor binding site on gp120 and the abundance of CD4-induced (CD4i antibodies in HIV-1-infected patients (X5 is a CD4i antibody as well as the maturation pathway of X5. They also can help identify antigens that can bind specifically to b12 germline and

Maturation of the human fetal startle response: Evidence for sex-specific maturation of the human fetus1

Science.gov (United States)

Buss, Claudia; Davis, Elysia Poggi; Class, Quetzal A.; Gierczak, Matt; Pattillo, Carol; Glynn, Laura M.; Sandman, Curt A.

2009-01-01

Despite the evidence for early fetal experience exerting programming influences on later neurological development and health risk, very few prospective studies of human fetal behavior have been reported. In a prospective longitudinal study, fetal nervous system maturation was serially assessed by monitoring fetal heart rate (FHR) responses to vibroacoustic stimulation (VAS) in 191 maternal/fetal dyads. Responses were not detected at 26 weeks gestational age (GA). Sex-specific, age-characteristic changes in the FHR response to VAS were observed by 31 weeks’ GA. Males showed larger responses and continued to exhibit maturational changes until 37 weeks’ GA, females however, presented with a mature FHR startle response by 31 weeks’ GA. The results indicate that there are different rates of maturation in the male and female fetus that may have implications for sex-specific programming influences. PMID:19726143

Robust K-Median and K-Means Clustering Algorithms for Incomplete Data

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Jinhua Li

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Incomplete data with missing feature values are prevalent in clustering problems. Traditional clustering methods first estimate the missing values by imputation and then apply the classical clustering algorithms for complete data, such as K-median and K-means. However, in practice, it is often hard to obtain accurate estimation of the missing values, which deteriorates the performance of clustering. To enhance the robustness of clustering algorithms, this paper represents the missing values by interval data and introduces the concept of robust cluster objective function. A minimax robust optimization (RO formulation is presented to provide clustering results, which are insensitive to estimation errors. To solve the proposed RO problem, we propose robust K-median and K-means clustering algorithms with low time and space complexity. Comparisons and analysis of experimental results on both artificially generated and real-world incomplete data sets validate the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.

A correlative study of dental age and skeletal maturation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sachan, Kiran; Sharma, Vijay Prakash; Tandon, Pradeep

2011-01-01

Skeletal age had been assessed by comparison between maturation of hand-wrist with stages of cervical vertebrae or canine calcification stages in past and this had been closely related to craniofacial growth. The importance of pubertal growth spurt in various types of orthodontic therapies is already established. Hence, this study was aimed to evaluate the relationship of skeletal maturity by hand-wrist with cervical vertebral maturation indicators and canine calcification stages. The study consisted of randomly selected 90 children from Lucknow population with 45 males (age range 10-13 years) and 45 females (age range 9-12 years). Lateral Cephalogram, hand-wrist x-ray, and periapical x-rays of maxillary and mandibular right canines were taken. Mean, standard deviation was calculated of different groups. Correlation was made among cervical vertebral maturation, hand wrist maturation, and canine calcification stages at various age groups. There was strong correlation between skeletal maturation indicator and cervical vertebral maturation indicator for both male (0.849) and female (0.932), whereas correlation between skeletal maturation indicator and canine calcification was good for both male and female (0.635, 0.891). It was concluded that cervical vertebral maturation indicator and canine calcification stages can also be used for assessing skeletal maturity.

An HDAC2-TET1 switch at distinct chromatin regions significantly promotes the maturation of pre-iPS to iPS cells

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Tingyi; Chen, Wen; Wang, Xiukun; Zhang, Man; Chen, Jiayu; Zhu, Songcheng; Chen, Long; Yang, Dandan; Wang, Guiying; Jia, Wenwen; Yu, Yangyang; Duan, Tao; Wu, Minjuan; Liu, Houqi; Gao, Shaorong; Kang, Jiuhong

2015-01-01

The maturation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) is one of the limiting steps of somatic cell reprogramming, but the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. Here, we reported that knockdown of histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) specifically promoted the maturation of iPS cells. Further studies showed that HDAC2 knockdown significantly increased histone acetylation, facilitated TET1 binding and DNA demethylation at the promoters of iPS cell maturation-related genes during the transition of pre-iPS cells to a fully reprogrammed state. We also found that HDAC2 competed with TET1 in the binding of the RbAp46 protein at the promoters of maturation genes and knockdown of TET1 markedly prevented the activation of these genes. Collectively, our data not only demonstrated a novel intrinsic mechanism that the HDAC2-TET1 switch critically regulates iPS cell maturation, but also revealed an underlying mechanism of the interplay between histone acetylation and DNA demethylation in gene regulation. PMID:25934799

Maturation of sugar maple seed

Science.gov (United States)

Clayton M., Jr. Carl; Albert G., Jr. Snow; Albert G. Snow

1971-01-01

The seeds of a sugar maple tree (Acer saccharum Marsh.) do not mature at the same time every year. And different trees mature their seeds at different times. So time of year is not a reliable measure of when seeds are ripe. Better criteria are needed. In recent studies we have found that moisture content and color are the best criteria for judging when sugar maple...

Assessing organisational governance maturity: A retail industry case study

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Hendrik Marius Wessels

2016-05-01

Full Text Available For any business to operate effectively, a governance framework that operates at the relevant maturity level is required. An organisational governance maturity framework is a tool that leadership can use to determine governance maturity. This study aims to determine whether the organisational governance maturity framework (developed by Wilkinson can be applied to the selected retail industry organisation to assess the maturity of the organisation’s governance, limited to the ‘leadership’ attribute. Firstly, a high-level literature review on ethical leadership, ethical decision-making, ethical foundation and culture (‘tone at the top’, and organisational governance and maturity was conducted. Secondly, a Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE listed South African-based company was selected for the empirical part of the study using a single case study research design. The empirical results confirmed that the organisational governance maturity framework can be used to determine the maturity level of organisational governance for the selected attribute of ‘leadership’

Metabolomic changes in follicular fluid induced by soy isoflavones administered to rats from weaning until sexual maturity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Wenxiang; Zhang, Wenchang; Liu, Jin; Sun, Yan; Li, Yuchen; Li, Hong; Xiao, Shihua; Shen, Xiaohua

2013-01-01

Female Wistar rats at 21 days of age were treated with one of three concentrations of soy isoflavones (SIF) (50, 100 or 200 mg/kg body weight, orally, once per day) from weaning until sexual maturity (3 months) in order to evaluate the influence of SIF on ovarian follicle development. After treatment, the serum sex hormone levels and enumeration of ovarian follicles of the ovary were measured. The metabolic profile of follicular fluid was determined using HPLC-MS. Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least-squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was used to identify differences in metabolites and reveal useful toxic biomarkers. The results indicated that modest doses of SIF affect ovarian follicle development, as demonstrated by decreased serum estradiol levels and increases in both ovarian follicle atresia and corpora lutea number in the ovary. SIF treatment-related metabolic alterations in follicular fluid were also found in the PCA and PLS-DA models. The 24 most significantly altered metabolites were identified, including primary sex hormones, amino acids, fatty acids and metabolites involved in energy metabolism. These findings may indicate that soy isoflavones affect ovarian follicle development by inducing metabolomic variations in the follicular fluid. - Highlights: ► Modest doses of soy isoflavones (SIF) do affect ovarian follicle development. ► SIF treatment-related metabolic alterations in follicular fluid were found. ► The 24 most significantly altered metabolites were identified

Metabolomic changes in follicular fluid induced by soy isoflavones administered to rats from weaning until sexual maturity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Wenxiang [Department of Nutrition and Health Care, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian (China); Zhang, Wenchang, E-mail: wenchang2002@sina.com [Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian (China); Liu, Jin [Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian (China); Sun, Yan [Center for Reproductive Medicine, Teaching Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian (China); Li, Yuchen; Li, Hong; Xiao, Shihua; Shen, Xiaohua [Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian (China)

2013-06-15

Female Wistar rats at 21 days of age were treated with one of three concentrations of soy isoflavones (SIF) (50, 100 or 200 mg/kg body weight, orally, once per day) from weaning until sexual maturity (3 months) in order to evaluate the influence of SIF on ovarian follicle development. After treatment, the serum sex hormone levels and enumeration of ovarian follicles of the ovary were measured. The metabolic profile of follicular fluid was determined using HPLC-MS. Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least-squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was used to identify differences in metabolites and reveal useful toxic biomarkers. The results indicated that modest doses of SIF affect ovarian follicle development, as demonstrated by decreased serum estradiol levels and increases in both ovarian follicle atresia and corpora lutea number in the ovary. SIF treatment-related metabolic alterations in follicular fluid were also found in the PCA and PLS-DA models. The 24 most significantly altered metabolites were identified, including primary sex hormones, amino acids, fatty acids and metabolites involved in energy metabolism. These findings may indicate that soy isoflavones affect ovarian follicle development by inducing metabolomic variations in the follicular fluid. - Highlights: ► Modest doses of soy isoflavones (SIF) do affect ovarian follicle development. ► SIF treatment-related metabolic alterations in follicular fluid were found. ► The 24 most significantly altered metabolites were identified.

Towards a Sustainable Design for Maturity Measurement Marketplace

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lasrado, Lester; Vatrapu, Ravi; Kærsgaard, Henrik Bjerre

2016-01-01

In this research-in-progress paper, we propose a solution in form of an IT artefact to address both theoretical and practical challenges faced by maturity model designers. We identify and list out the existing challenges & criticisms of maturity models research through an extensive literature...... review, followed by semi-structured interviews with four maturity model designers. We also explore different motivations of building a maturity model, and using them further scope the boundaries of our solution....

The optimal period of Ca-EDTA treatment for parthenogenetic activation of porcine oocytes during maturation culture

OpenAIRE

MORITA, Yasuhiro; TANIGUCHI, Masayasu; TANIHARA, Fuminori; ITO, Aya; NAMULA, Zhao; DO, Lanh Thi Kim; TAKAGI, Mitsuhiro; TAKEMOTO, Tatsuya; OTOI, Takeshige

2016-01-01

The changes triggered by sperm-induced activation of oocytes, which are required for normal oocyte development, can be mediated by other agents, thereby inducing the parthenogenesis. In this study, we exposed porcine oocytes to 1 mM Ca-EDTA, a metal-ion chelator, at various intervals during 48 hr of in vitro maturation to determine the optimum period of Ca-EDTA treatment for parthenogenetic activation. When the oocytes were cultured with or without Ca-EDTA from 36 hr (post-12), 24 hr (post-24...

Game Maturity Model for Health Care.

Science.gov (United States)

de Boer, Jan C; Adriani, Paul; van Houwelingen, Jan Willem; Geerts, A

2016-04-01

This article introduces the Game Maturity Model for the healthcare industry as an extension to the general Game Maturity Model and describes the usage by two case studies of applied health games. The Game Maturity Model for healthcare provides a practical and value-adding method to assess existing games and to determine strategic considerations for application of applied health games. Our forecast is that within 5 years the use and development of applied games will have a role in our daily lives and the way we organize health care that will be similar to the role social media has today.

Investment with incomplete markets for risk: The need for long-term contracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maere d’Aertrycke, Gauthier de; Ehrenmann, Andreas; Smeers, Yves

2017-01-01

Barring subsidies, investment in the power generation sector has come to an almost complete halt in the restructured European power sector. Market and regulatory failures such as the well known missing money (see )) but also normal market features such as risk, possibly also affected by market failures like market incompleteness are mentioned as common causes for the situation. This paper discusses incomplete risk trading and its impact on investment. The analysis applies computable stochastic equilibrium models on a simple market model of the Energy Only type. The paper first compares the cases of complete and fully incomplete markets (full risk trading and no risk trading). It continues by testing the impact of different risk trading contracts on both welfare and investment. We successively consider Contracts for Difference, Reliability Options with and without physical back up that we add to our Energy Only market model. We test the impact of market liquidity on the results. Finally, we compare these methods to a Forward Capacity Market that we also add to the energy only model. We complete the paper by interpretation of these results in terms of hurdle rate implied by these risk-trading situations. - Highlights: • Electricity market designs are discussed based on simulations reflecting risk aversion. • If financial markets are liquid then forward contracts can improve welfare substantially. • If markets cannot provide liquidity, then the welfare improvement is strongly diminished. • Capacity markets can serve as an alternative to contracts.

Induction of ovarian maturation in Penaeus monodon by molecular signal interventional approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Devaraj, Halagowder; Saravanakumar, Marimuthu; Thiyagu, Mani

2012-11-01

Vitellogenin (VTG) synthesis in the hepatopancreas and ovary is negatively regulated by vitellogenesis-inhibiting hormone (VIH) produced in the neurosecretory cell of X-organ/sinus gland complex of the eyestalks of penaeid shrimp. Eyestalk ablation is used commercially to induce ovarian maturation in shrimps which leads to an eventual loss of the spawner. The aim of the present study was to understand the molecular mechanism of VIH regulation in ovarian development and its inhibition of VTG gene expression by using a MEK-specific inhibitor (U0126). The real-time quantitative PCR results showed VTG mRNA level was progressively increased in the ovary and hepatopancreas of unilateral eyestalk-ablated and inhibitor-treated shrimps. Western blot analysis also showed that phosphoMEK was detected only in the unilateral eyestalk-ablated and control shrimp, whereas phospho-MEK was not detected in inhibitor-treated shrimp. DAX-1, SF-1, and StAR expression correlated with changes in VIH mRNA and altered phospho-ERK levels. This is consistent with the hypothesis that suppression of DAX-1 results in SF-1-mediated StAR protein upregulation of estradiol that is implicated in vitellogenesis. This is the first report that demonstrates the molecular mechanism of VIH suppression via MEK pathway to induce ovarian maturation in female Penaeus monodon by molecular signal intervention, a less-invasive method than traditional eyestalk ablation. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Neonatal androgenization of hypogonadal (hpg male mice does not abolish estradiol-induced FSH production and spermatogenesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kerr Jeffrey B

2005-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Testicular development is arrested in the hypogonadal (hpg mouse due to a congenital deficiency in hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH synthesis. Chronic treatment of male hpg mice with estradiol induces FSH synthesis and secretion, and causes testicular maturation and qualitatively normal spermatogenesis. As estradiol negative feedback normally inhibits FSH production in the male, this study tested whether this paradoxical response to estradiol in the male hpg mouse might be due to inadequate masculinisation or incomplete defeminization in the neonatal period. Previous studies have demonstrated that treatment of hpg mice with testosterone propionate in the immediate neonatal period is necessary to allow full reproductive behaviors to be expressed following suitable endocrine stimulation at adult ages. Methods Hpg mice were treated with 100 μg testosterone propionate or vehicle on postnatal day 2. At 35 days of age, subgroups of these mice were treated with silastic implants containing estradiol or cholesterol. Reproductive behavior was scored in tests with steroid-primed female mice, then testicular development was assessed histologically, and measures of pituitary FSH content made at 85 days of age. Results The neonatal testosterone propionate treatment successfully defeminized female litter mates, as revealed by impaired vaginal opening and deficiencies in lordosis behavior, and it allowed appropriate male reproductive behavior to be expressed in a proportion of the hpg males when tested at an adult age. However, neonatal androgen supplementation did not block or even reduce the subsequent actions of estradiol in increasing pituitary FSH content, nor did it affect the ability of estradiol to induce qualitatively normal spermatogenesis. Conclusion The ability of the hpg male to show a "female" neuroendocrine response to estradiol is not a result of inadequate androgenization during neonatal development, and

SjCRT, a recombinant Schistosoma japonicum calreticulin, induces maturation of dendritic cells and a Th1-polarized immune response in mice

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Lizhen Ma

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It is well known that immunization of radiation-attenuated (RA schistosoma cercariae or schistosomula can induce high levels of protective immunity against schistosoma cercariae reinfection in many animals. Many studies have shown that the Th1 cellular immune response is crucial for the protective effect elicited by RA schistosomula. However, the molecular mechanism of this strong protective immunity remains unclear. Methods The expression profiles of Schistosoma japonicum calreticulin (SjCRT in RA and normal schistosoma-derived cells were investigated by flow cytometry. The effect of recombinant SjCRT (rSjCRT on mouse dendritic cells (DCs was determined by FACS, ELISA and RT-PCR analysis. We also analyzed the effects of SjCRT on the activation of spleen cells from mice immunized with rSjCRT by detecting lymphocyte proliferation and the cytokine profiles of splenocytes. Results We found that the expression level of SjCRT in the cells from RA larvae was significantly higher than that in cells from normal schistosomula at early stages of development (day 4. The results of effect of rSjCRT on mouse DCs showed that rSjCRT could induce phenotypic and functional maturation of DCs, and SjCRT bound to the surface of DCs through the CD91 receptor and could be engulfed by DCs. The results of activation of splenocytes from mice immunized with rSjCRT also demonstrate that rSjCRT can effectively stimulate the proliferative response of splenic lymphocytes, elicit splenocytes from immunized mice to secrete high levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-4, and activate CD4+ T cells to produce high levels of IFN-γ. Conclusion SjCRT is one of the immunostimulatory molecules released from RA schistosomula cells, might play a crucial role in conferring a Th1-polarized immune response induced by RA cercariae/schistosomula in mice, and is a candidate molecule responsible for the high levels of protective immunity induced by RA schistosomula.

Vegetative propagation of mature and juvenile northern red oak

Science.gov (United States)

James J. Zaczek; K. C. Steiner; C. W., Jr. Heuser

1993-01-01

Rooting trials were established to evaluate rooting success of cuttings from mature and juvenile, grafted and ungrafted northern red oak (NRO). Buds from 4 mature NRO ortets and juvenile seedlings were grafted onto juvenile and mature rootstock. Cuttings were collected from the grafts and from juvenile and mature shoots developed in situ and...

Decision-Making Style and Vocational Maturity.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Susan D.; Strohmer, Douglas C.

1982-01-01

Examined the relationship between decision-making style, scholastic achievement, and vocational maturity for college students (N=64). Results did not support the hypothesized relationship between rationality and attitudinal and cognitive maturity. Scholastic achievement and lack of dependent decision style were found to be moderately predictive of…

Color back projection for fruit maturity evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Dong; Lee, Dah-Jye; Desai, Alok

2013-12-01

In general, fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes and dates are harvested before they fully ripen. After harvesting, they continue to ripen and their color changes. Color is a good indicator of fruit maturity. For example, tomatoes change color from dark green to light green and then pink, light red, and dark red. Assessing tomato maturity helps maximize its shelf life. Color is used to determine the length of time the tomatoes can be transported. Medjool dates change color from green to yellow, and the orange, light red and dark red. Assessing date maturity helps determine the length of drying process to help ripen the dates. Color evaluation is an important step in the processing and inventory control of fruits and vegetables that directly affects profitability. This paper presents an efficient color back projection and image processing technique that is designed specifically for real-time maturity evaluation of fruits. This color processing method requires very simple training procedure to obtain the frequencies of colors that appear in each maturity stage. This color statistics is used to back project colors to predefined color indexes. Fruit maturity is then evaluated by analyzing the reprojected color indexes. This method has been implemented and used for commercial production.

Long Maturity Forward Rates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Charlotte

2001-01-01

The paper aims to improve the knowledge of the empirical properties of the long maturity region of the forward rate curve. Firstly, the theoretical negative correlation between the slope at the long end of the forward rate curve and the term structure variance is recovered empirically and found...... to be statistically significant. Secondly, the expectations hypothesis is analyzed for the long maturity region of the forward rate curve using "forward rate" regressions. The expectations hypothesis is numerically close to being accepted but is statistically rejected. The findings provide mixed support...... for the affine term structure model....

Interaction of gold nanoparticles and nickel(II) sulfate affects dendritic cell maturation

OpenAIRE

Deville, Sarah; Bare, Birgit; Piella, Jordi; Tirez, Kristof; Hoet, Peter; Monopoli, Marco P.; Dawson, Kenneth A.; Puntes, Victor F.; Nelissen, Inge

2016-01-01

Despite many investigations have focused on the pristine toxicity of gold nanoparticles (GNPs), little is known about the outcome of co-exposure and interaction of GNPs with heavy metals which can possibly detoxify or potentiate them. Here, the combined exposure of nickel (II) sulfate (NiSO4) and GNPs on the maturation response of dendritic cells (DCs) was explored. Exposure to GNPs or NiSO4 separately induced cell activation. When cells were exposed to a mixture of both, however, the observe...

Public Sector IS Maturity Models