A G-protein-coupled chemokine receptor: A putative insertion site for a multi-pathogen recombinant capripoxvirus vaccine strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Cêtre-Sossah, Catherine; Dickmu, Simon; Kwiatek, Olivier; Albina, Emmanuel

2017-09-01

Capripoxviruses (CaPVs) have been shown to be ideal viral vectors for the development of recombinant multivalent vaccines to enable delivery of immunogenic genes from ruminant pathogens. So far, the viral thymidine kinase (TK) gene is the only gene used to generate recombinants. A putative non-essential gene encoding a G-protein-coupled chemokine receptor subfamily homologue (GPCR) was targeted as an additional insertion site. Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) was chosen as a disease model. A new recombinant CaPV expressing the viral attachment hemagglutinin (H) of the PPR virus (PPRV) in the GPCR insertion site (rKS1-HPPR-GPCR) was generated in the backbone North African isolate KS1 strain of lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV). Comparison with the recombinant CaPV expressing the H of PPRV in the TK gene (rKS1-HPPR-TK) shown to induce protection against both PPR and LSD in both sheep and goats was assessed. The suitability of the GPCR gene to be a putative additional insertion site in the CaPV genome is evaluated and discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dental implants inserted in fresh extraction sockets versus healed sites: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chrcanovic, Bruno Ramos; Albrektsson, Tomas; Wennerberg, Ann

2015-01-01

To test the null hypothesis of no difference in the implant failure rates, postoperative infection and marginal bone loss for the insertion of dental implants in fresh extraction sockets compared to the insertion in healed sites, against the alternative hypothesis of a difference. Main search terms used in combination: dental implant, oral implant, resh extraction socket, immediate placement, immediate insertion, immediate implant. An electronic search was undertaken in July/2014, in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register plus hand-searching. Eligibility criteria included clinical human studies, either randomized or not. The search strategy resulted in 73 publications, with 8,241 implants inserted in sockets (330 failures, 4.00%), and 19,410 in healed sites (599 failures, 3.09%). It is suggested that the insertion of implants in fresh extraction sockets affects the failure rates (RR 1.58, 95% CI 1.27-1.95, P<0.0001). The difference was not statistically significant when studies evaluating implants inserted in maxillae or in mandibles were pooled, or when the studies using implants to rehabilitate patients with full-arch prostheses were pooled; however, it was significant for the studies that rehabilitated patients with implant-supported single crowns and for the controlled studies. There was no apparent significant effect on the occurrence of postoperative infection or on the magnitude of marginal bone loss. The results should be interpreted with caution due to the potential for biases and to the presence of uncontrolled confounding factors in the included studies, most of them not randomized. The question whether immediate implants are more at risk for failure than implants placed in mature bone has received increasing attention in the last years. As the philosophies of treatment alter over time, a periodic review of the different concepts is necessary to refine techniques and eliminate unnecessary procedures. This would form a basis

Single-copy insertion of transgenes in Caenorhabditis elegans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frøkjaer-Jensen, Christian; Davis, M Wayne; Hopkins, Christopher E

2008-01-01

developed a method that inserts a single copy of a transgene into a defined site. Mobilization of a Mos1 transposon generates a double-strand break in noncoding DNA. The break is repaired by copying DNA from an extrachromosomal template into the chromosomal site. Homozygous single-copy insertions can...... be obtained in less than 2 weeks by injecting approximately 20 worms. We have successfully inserted transgenes as long as 9 kb and verified that single copies are inserted at the targeted site. Single-copy transgenes are expressed at endogenous levels and can be expressed in the female and male germlines....

Genome-wide retroviral insertional tagging of genes involved in cancer in Cdkn2a-deficient mice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Anders H; Turner, Geoffrey; Trubetskoy, Alla

2002-01-01

We have used large-scale insertional mutagenesis to identify functional landmarks relevant to cancer in the recently completed mouse genome sequence. We infected Cdkn2a(-/-) mice with Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMuLV) to screen for loci that can participate in tumorigenesis in collaboration...... retroviral integration sites and mapped them against the mouse genome sequence databases from Celera and Ensembl. In addition to 17 insertions targeting gene loci known to be cancer-related, we identified a total of 37 new common insertion sites (CISs), of which 8 encode components of signaling pathways...... that are involved in cancer. The effectiveness of large-scale insertional mutagenesis in a sensitized genetic background is demonstrated by the preference for activation of MAP kinase signaling, collaborating with Cdkn2a loss in generating the lymphoid and myeloid tumors. Collectively, our results show that large...

MUS81 promotes common fragile site expression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ying, Songmin; Minocherhomji, Sheroy; Chan, Kok Lung

2013-01-01

Fragile sites are chromosomal loci with a propensity to form gaps or breaks during early mitosis, and their instability is implicated as being causative in certain neurological disorders and cancers. Recent work has demonstrated that the so-called common fragile sites (CFSs) often impair the fait......Fragile sites are chromosomal loci with a propensity to form gaps or breaks during early mitosis, and their instability is implicated as being causative in certain neurological disorders and cancers. Recent work has demonstrated that the so-called common fragile sites (CFSs) often impair...... the faithful disjunction of sister chromatids in mitosis. However, the mechanisms by which CFSs express their fragility, and the cellular factors required to suppress CFS instability, remain largely undefined. Here, we report that the DNA structure-specific nuclease MUS81-EME1 localizes to CFS loci in early...

Risks of Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes and Preterm Birth Post Fetoscopy Based on Location of Trocar Insertion Site.

Science.gov (United States)

Chmait, Ramen H; Chon, Andrew H; Korst, Lisa M; Llanes, Arlyn; Kontopoulos, Eftichia V; Quintero, Ruben A

2018-07-01

 The objective of this study was to assess whether the location of the trocar insertion site for laser treatment of twin-twin transfusion syndrome was associated with preterm-premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) and preterm birth (PTB).  In this study trocar location was documented in the operating room. Lower uterine segment (LUS) location was defined as any insertion location was defined as ≥5 cm horizontally from the midline. Patient characteristics were tested against three outcomes: PPROM ≤ 21 days postoperative, PTB location, controlling for potential risk factors.  A total of 743 patients were studied. Patients with LUS location were twice as likely as those with a more superior location to have PPROM ≤ 21 days (OR = 2.33, 1.12-4.83, p  = 0.0236). Patients with both a LUS and Lateral location were over six times more likely to have PPROM ≤ 21 days (OR = 6.66, 2.36-18.78, p  = 0.0003). Trocar insertion site was not associated with PTB.  We found that trocar insertion in the LUS, particularly the lateral LUS, was associated with an increased risk of PPROM. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

A bioinformatics approach for identifying transgene insertion sites using whole genome sequencing data.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Doori; Park, Su-Hyun; Ban, Yong Wook; Kim, Youn Shic; Park, Kyoung-Cheul; Kim, Nam-Soo; Kim, Ju-Kon; Choi, Ik-Young

2017-08-15

Genetically modified crops (GM crops) have been developed to improve the agricultural traits of modern crop cultivars. Safety assessments of GM crops are of paramount importance in research at developmental stages and before releasing transgenic plants into the marketplace. Sequencing technology is developing rapidly, with higher output and labor efficiencies, and will eventually replace existing methods for the molecular characterization of genetically modified organisms. To detect the transgenic insertion locations in the three GM rice gnomes, Illumina sequencing reads are mapped and classified to the rice genome and plasmid sequence. The both mapped reads are classified to characterize the junction site between plant and transgene sequence by sequence alignment. Herein, we present a next generation sequencing (NGS)-based molecular characterization method, using transgenic rice plants SNU-Bt9-5, SNU-Bt9-30, and SNU-Bt9-109. Specifically, using bioinformatics tools, we detected the precise insertion locations and copy numbers of transfer DNA, genetic rearrangements, and the absence of backbone sequences, which were equivalent to results obtained from Southern blot analyses. NGS methods have been suggested as an effective means of characterizing and detecting transgenic insertion locations in genomes. Our results demonstrate the use of a combination of NGS technology and bioinformatics approaches that offers cost- and time-effective methods for assessing the safety of transgenic plants.

Ty1-copia elements reveal diverse insertion sites linked to polymorphisms among flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) accessions.

Science.gov (United States)

Galindo-González, Leonardo; Mhiri, Corinne; Grandbastien, Marie-Angèle; Deyholos, Michael K

2016-12-07

Initial characterization of the flax genome showed that Ty1-copia retrotransposons are abundant, with several members being recently inserted, and in close association with genes. Recent insertions indicate a potential for ongoing transpositional activity that can create genomic diversity among accessions, cultivars or varieties. The polymorphisms generated constitute a good source of molecular markers that may be associated with phenotype if the insertions alter gene activity. Flax, where accessions are bred mainly for seed nutritional properties or for fibers, constitutes a good model for studying the relationship of transpositional activity with diversification and breeding. In this study, we estimated copy number and used a type of transposon display known as Sequence-Specific Amplification Polymorphisms (SSAPs), to characterize six families of Ty1-copia elements across 14 flax accessions. Polymorphic insertion sites were sequenced to find insertions that could potentially alter gene expression, and a preliminary test was performed with selected genes bearing transposable element (TE) insertions. Quantification of six families of Ty1-copia elements indicated different abundances among TE families and between flax accessions, which suggested diverse transpositional histories. SSAPs showed a high level of polymorphism in most of the evaluated retrotransposon families, with a trend towards higher levels of polymorphism in low-copy number families. Ty1-copia insertion polymorphisms among cultivars allowed a general distinction between oil and fiber types, and between spring and winter types, demonstrating their utility in diversity studies. Characterization of polymorphic insertions revealed an overwhelming association with genes, with insertions disrupting exons, introns or within 1 kb of coding regions. A preliminary test on the potential transcriptional disruption by TEs of four selected genes evaluated in three different tissues, showed one case of significant

Site-specific, insertional inactivation of incA in Chlamydia trachomatis using a group II intron.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Cayla M; Fisher, Derek J

2013-01-01

Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate, intracellular bacterial pathogen that has until more recently remained recalcitrant to genetic manipulation. However, the field still remains hindered by the absence of tools to create selectable, targeted chromosomal mutations. Previous work with mobile group II introns demonstrated that they can be retargeted by altering DNA sequences within the intron's substrate recognition region to create site-specific gene insertions. This platform (marketed as TargeTron™, Sigma) has been successfully employed in a variety of bacteria. We subsequently modified TargeTron™ for use in C. trachomatis and as proof of principle used our system to insertionally inactivate incA, a chromosomal gene encoding a protein required for homotypic fusion of chlamydial inclusions. C. trachomatis incA::GII(bla) mutants were selected with ampicillin and plaque purified clones were then isolated for genotypic and phenotypic analysis. PCR, Southern blotting, and DNA sequencing verified proper GII(bla) insertion, while continuous passaging in the absence of selection demonstrated that the insertion was stable. As seen with naturally occurring IncA(-) mutants, light and immunofluorescence microscopy confirmed the presence of non-fusogenic inclusions in cells infected with the incA::GII(bla) mutants at a multiplicity of infection greater than one. Lack of IncA production by mutant clones was further confirmed by Western blotting. Ultimately, the ease of retargeting the intron, ability to select for mutants, and intron stability in the absence of selection makes this method a powerful addition to the growing chlamydial molecular toolbox.

Lithium Insertion In Silicon Nanowires: An ab Initio Study

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Qianfan

2010-09-08

The ultrahigh specific lithium ion storage capacity of Si nanowires (SiNWs) has been demonstrated recently and has opened up exciting opportunities for energy storage. However, a systematic theoretical study on lithium insertion in SiNWs remains a challenge, and as a result, understanding of the fundamental interaction and microscopic dynamics during lithium insertion is still lacking. This paper focuses on the study of single Li atom insertion into SiNWs with different sizes and axis orientations by using full ab initio calculations. We show that the binding energy of interstitial Li increases as the SiNW diameter grows. The binding energies at different insertion sites, which can be classified as surface, intermediate, and core sites, are quite different. We find that surface sites are energetically the most favorable insertion positions and that intermediate sites are the most unfavorable insertion positions. Compared with the other growth directions, the [110] SiNWs with different diameters always present the highest binding energies on various insertion locations, which indicates that [110] SiNWs are more favorable by Li doping. Furthermore, we study Li diffusion inside SiNWs. The results show that the Li surface diffusion has a much higher chance to occur than the surface to core diffusion, which is consistent with the experimental observation that the Li insertion in SiNWs is layer by layer from surface to inner region. After overcoming a large barrier crossing surface-to-intermediate region, the diffusion toward center has a higher possibility to occur than the inverse process. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

Identifying transposon insertions and their effects from RNA-sequencing data.

Science.gov (United States)

de Ruiter, Julian R; Kas, Sjors M; Schut, Eva; Adams, David J; Koudijs, Marco J; Wessels, Lodewyk F A; Jonkers, Jos

2017-07-07

Insertional mutagenesis using engineered transposons is a potent forward genetic screening technique used to identify cancer genes in mouse model systems. In the analysis of these screens, transposon insertion sites are typically identified by targeted DNA-sequencing and subsequently assigned to predicted target genes using heuristics. As such, these approaches provide no direct evidence that insertions actually affect their predicted targets or how transcripts of these genes are affected. To address this, we developed IM-Fusion, an approach that identifies insertion sites from gene-transposon fusions in standard single- and paired-end RNA-sequencing data. We demonstrate IM-Fusion on two separate transposon screens of 123 mammary tumors and 20 B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias, respectively. We show that IM-Fusion accurately identifies transposon insertions and their true target genes. Furthermore, by combining the identified insertion sites with expression quantification, we show that we can determine the effect of a transposon insertion on its target gene(s) and prioritize insertions that have a significant effect on expression. We expect that IM-Fusion will significantly enhance the accuracy of cancer gene discovery in forward genetic screens and provide initial insight into the biological effects of insertions on candidate cancer genes. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Image-guided chemoport insertion by interventional radiologists: A single-center experience on periprocedural complications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaacob, Yazmin; Nguyen, Dang V; Mohamed, Zahiah; Ralib, A Razali A; Zakaria, Rozman; Muda, Sobri

2013-01-01

To report our early experience in image-guided chemoport insertions by interventional radiologists. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary center with 161 chemoport insertions done from June 2008 to June 2010. The chemoports were inserted either at the angiography suite or at the mobile operation theater unit. Ninety percent of the chemoports had right internal jugular vein (IJV) as the entry site. Other entry sites included the left IJV, subclavian veins and the inferior vena cava. Immediate and early complications were recorded. All insertions were performed under image guidance with the aid of ultrasound and fluoroscopy. The technical success rate was 99.4%. In terms of immediate complications, there were only two cases of arterial puncture that resolved with local compression. No pneumothorax or air embolism was documented. Twenty-six early complications were recorded. The most common early complication was catheter blockage (12/161; 7.4%), followed by catheter-related infection (9/161; 5.6%). Other complications were catheter malposition, venous thrombosis and catheter dislodgement or leak. A total of 11 (6.8%) chemoports had to be removed within 30 days; most of them were due to infections that failed to respond to systemic antibiotic therapy. In terms of place of procedure, there were no significant differences in complication rates between the angiography suite and the mobile operation theater unit. Image-guided chemoport insertion by interventional radiologist gives low periprocedural complication rates. Using right IJV as the entry site, the image guidance gives good success rate with least complication

Skin Blood Perfusion and Cellular Response to Insertion of Insulin Pen Needles With Different Diameters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Præstmark, Kezia Ann; Stallknecht, Bente Merete; Bo Jensen, Casper

2014-01-01

skin blood perfusion response around needle insertion sites. Three common sized pen needles of 28G, 30G, and 32G as well as hooked 32G needles, were inserted into the neck skin of pigs and then removed. Laser Speckle Contrast Analysis was used to measure skin blood perfusion for 20 minutes after...... blood perfusion recording and grouped according to needle type, skin blood perfusion response relates to needle diameter. The response was significantly higher after insertions with 28G and hooked 32G needles than with 30G (P ..., but there was a trend of an increased response with increasing needle diameter. Skin blood perfusion response to pen needle insertions rank according to needle diameter, and the tissue response caused by hooked 32G needles corresponds to that of 28G needles. The relation between needle diameter and trauma when...

Diversity of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O26:H11 Strains Examined via stx Subtypes and Insertion Sites of Stx and EspK Bacteriophages

Science.gov (United States)

Bonanno, Ludivine; Loukiadis, Estelle; Mariani-Kurkdjian, Patricia; Oswald, Eric; Garnier, Lucille; Michel, Valérie

2015-01-01

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a food-borne pathogen that may be responsible for severe human infections. Only a limited number of serotypes, including O26:H11, are involved in the majority of serious cases and outbreaks. The main virulence factors, Shiga toxins (Stx), are encoded by bacteriophages. Seventy-four STEC O26:H11 strains of various origins (including human, dairy, and cattle) were characterized for their stx subtypes and Stx phage chromosomal insertion sites. The majority of food and cattle strains possessed the stx1a subtype, while human strains carried mainly stx1a or stx2a. The wrbA and yehV genes were the main Stx phage insertion sites in STEC O26:H11, followed distantly by yecE and sbcB. Interestingly, the occurrence of Stx phages inserted in the yecE gene was low in dairy strains. In most of the 29 stx-negative E. coli O26:H11 strains also studied here, these bacterial insertion sites were vacant. Multilocus sequence typing of 20 stx-positive or stx-negative E. coli O26:H11 strains showed that they were distributed into two phylogenetic groups defined by sequence type 21 (ST21) and ST29. Finally, an EspK-carrying phage was found inserted in the ssrA gene in the majority of the STEC O26:H11 strains but in only a minority of the stx-negative E. coli O26:H11 strains. The differences in the stx subtypes and Stx phage insertion sites observed in STEC O26:H11 according to their origin might reflect that strains circulating in cattle and foods are clonally distinct from those isolated from human patients. PMID:25819955

Efficacy of two antiseptic regimens on skin colonization of insertion sites for two different catheter types: a randomized, clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Lutz, Juergen Thomas; Diener, Isabel Victoria; Freiberg, Kerstin; Zillmann, Robert; Shah-Hosseini, Kija; Seifert, Harald; Berger-Schreck, Bettina; Wisplinghoff, Hilmar

2016-12-01

Catheter-related bloodstream infections affect patients in surgical and intensive care settings worldwide, causing complications, aggravation of existing symptoms and increased length of stay. The trial aimed at comparing two registered skin antiseptics with respect to their residual and therefore infection-preventing effects. In a parallel, monocentric, prospective, triple-blind, randomized trial the difference in bacterial recolonization of catheter skin sites in central venous (CVC) and epidural catheters (EC) was investigated by comparing two alcoholic-based skin disinfectants. Patients receiving planned surgeries or intensive care were eligible for the trial. Those in the trial group received skin disinfection with the additive octenidine dihydrochloride (OCT) (n = 51), those in the control group were treated with benzalkonium chloride as additive (BAC) (n = 59) prior to catheter insertion. Randomization was carried out by assigning patients to groups week-wise. Endpoints of the investigation were skin colonization of the catheter site counted in colony forming units per swab at three time points: (1) prior to catheter insertion, on untreated skin; (2) directly after catheter insertion, prior to sterile coverage; (3) 48 h after catheter insertion. The hypothesis was tested by a Wilcoxon test with a two-sided alpha = 5 %. From second to third swab, recolonization of the catheter-surrounding skin was significantly lower in the trial group for both sorts of catheters: delta 2-3 OCT group: 0.72 (95 % CI: 0.42; 1.02); delta 2-3 BAC group: 1.97 (95 % CI: 1.45; 2.50); p < 0.001. None of the patients enrolled developed a catheter-related blood stream infection (CRBSI) during follow-up. Previous studies have shown that skin colonization is strongly associated with the occurrence of CRBSI. This randomized controlled trial supports the observations made in previous trials that octenidine dihydrochloride in disinfectants is more effective than agents

Acquisition of a novel eleven amino acid insertion directly N-terminal to a tetrabasic cleavage site confers intracellular cleavage of an H7N7 influenza virus hemagglutinin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamilton, Brian S.; Sun, Xiangjie; Chung, Changik; Whittaker, Gary R.

2012-01-01

A critical feature of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (H5N1 and H7N7) is the efficient intracellular cleavage of the hemagglutinin (HA) protein. H7N7 viruses also exist in equine species, and a unique feature of the equine H7N7 HA is the presence of an eleven amino acid insertion directly N-terminal to a tetrabasic cleavage site. Here, we show that three histidine residues within the unique insertion of the equine H7N7 HA are essential for intracellular cleavage. An asparagine residue within the insertion-derived glycosylation site was also found to be essential for intracellular cleavage. The presence of the histidine residues also appear to be involved in triggering fusion, since mutation of the histidine residues resulted in a destabilizing effect. Importantly, the addition of a tetrabasic site and the eleven amino acid insertion conferred efficient intracellular cleavage to the HA of an H7N3 low pathogenicity avian influenza virus. Our studies show that acquisition of the eleven amino acid insertion offers an alternative mechanism for intracellular cleavage of influenza HA.

Acquisition of a novel eleven amino acid insertion directly N-terminal to a tetrabasic cleavage site confers intracellular cleavage of an H7N7 influenza virus hemagglutinin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamilton, Brian S.; Sun, Xiangjie; Chung, Changik [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853 (United States); New York Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester NY 14627 (United States); Whittaker, Gary R., E-mail: grw7@cornell.edu [Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853 (United States); New York Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester NY 14627 (United States)

2012-12-05

A critical feature of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (H5N1 and H7N7) is the efficient intracellular cleavage of the hemagglutinin (HA) protein. H7N7 viruses also exist in equine species, and a unique feature of the equine H7N7 HA is the presence of an eleven amino acid insertion directly N-terminal to a tetrabasic cleavage site. Here, we show that three histidine residues within the unique insertion of the equine H7N7 HA are essential for intracellular cleavage. An asparagine residue within the insertion-derived glycosylation site was also found to be essential for intracellular cleavage. The presence of the histidine residues also appear to be involved in triggering fusion, since mutation of the histidine residues resulted in a destabilizing effect. Importantly, the addition of a tetrabasic site and the eleven amino acid insertion conferred efficient intracellular cleavage to the HA of an H7N3 low pathogenicity avian influenza virus. Our studies show that acquisition of the eleven amino acid insertion offers an alternative mechanism for intracellular cleavage of influenza HA.

Differentially expressed genes distributed over chromosomes and implicated in certain biological processes for site insertion genetically modified rice Kemingdao.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhi; Li, Yunhe; Zhao, Jie; Chen, Xiuping; Jian, Guiliang; Peng, Yufa; Qi, Fangjun

2012-01-01

Release of genetically modified (GM) plants has sparked off intensive debates worldwide partly because of concerns about potential adverse unintended effects of GM plants to the agro system and the safety of foods. In this study, with the aim of revealing the molecular basis for unintended effects of a single site insertion GM Kemingdao (KMD) rice transformed with a synthetic cry1Ab gene, and bridging unintended effects of KMD rice through clues of differentially expressed genes, comparative transcriptome analyses were performed for GM KMD rice and its parent rice of Xiushui11 (XS11). The results showed that 680 differentially expressed transcripts were identified from 30-day old seedlings of GM KMD rice. The absolute majority of these changed expression transcripts dispersed and located over all rice chromosomes, and existed physical distance on chromosome from the insertion site, while only two transcripts were found to be differentially expressed within the 21 genes located within 100 kb up and down-stream of the insertion site. Pathway and biology function analyses further revealed that differentially expressed transcripts of KMD rice were involved in certain biological processes, and mainly implicated in two types of pathways. One type was pathways implicated in plant stress/defense responses, which were considerably in coordination with the reported unintended effects of KMD rice, which were more susceptible to rice diseases compared to its parent rice XS11; the other type was pathways associated with amino acids metabolism. With this clue, new unintended effects for changes in amino acids synthesis of KMD rice leaves were successfully revealed. Such that an actual case was firstly provided for identification of unintended effects in GM plants by comparative transciptome analysis.

Active role of a human genomic insert in replication of a yeast artificial chromosome.

Science.gov (United States)

van Brabant, A J; Fangman, W L; Brewer, B J

1999-06-01

Yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs) are a common tool for cloning eukaryotic DNA. The manner by which large pieces of foreign DNA are assimilated by yeast cells into a functional chromosome is poorly understood, as is the reason why some of them are stably maintained and some are not. We examined the replication of a stable YAC containing a 240-kb insert of DNA from the human T-cell receptor beta locus. The human insert contains multiple sites that serve as origins of replication. The activity of these origins appears to require the yeast ARS consensus sequence and, as with yeast origins, additional flanking sequences. In addition, the origins in the human insert exhibit a spacing, a range of activation efficiencies, and a variation in times of activation during S phase similar to those found for normal yeast chromosomes. We propose that an appropriate combination of replication origin density, activation times, and initiation efficiencies is necessary for the successful maintenance of YAC inserts.

CAPRRESI: Chimera Assembly by Plasmid Recovery and Restriction Enzyme Site Insertion.

Science.gov (United States)

Santillán, Orlando; Ramírez-Romero, Miguel A; Dávila, Guillermo

2017-06-25

Here, we present chimera assembly by plasmid recovery and restriction enzyme site insertion (CAPRRESI). CAPRRESI benefits from many strengths of the original plasmid recovery method and introduces restriction enzyme digestion to ease DNA ligation reactions (required for chimera assembly). For this protocol, users clone wildtype genes into the same plasmid (pUC18 or pUC19). After the in silico selection of amino acid sequence regions where chimeras should be assembled, users obtain all the synonym DNA sequences that encode them. Ad hoc Perl scripts enable users to determine all synonym DNA sequences. After this step, another Perl script searches for restriction enzyme sites on all synonym DNA sequences. This in silico analysis is also performed using the ampicillin resistance gene (ampR) found on pUC18/19 plasmids. Users design oligonucleotides inside synonym regions to disrupt wildtype and ampR genes by PCR. After obtaining and purifying complementary DNA fragments, restriction enzyme digestion is accomplished. Chimera assembly is achieved by ligating appropriate complementary DNA fragments. pUC18/19 vectors are selected for CAPRRESI because they offer technical advantages, such as small size (2,686 base pairs), high copy number, advantageous sequencing reaction features, and commercial availability. The usage of restriction enzymes for chimera assembly eliminates the need for DNA polymerases yielding blunt-ended products. CAPRRESI is a fast and low-cost method for fusing protein-coding genes.

Heads or tails: L1 insertion-associated 5' homopolymeric sequences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meyer Thomas J

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background L1s are one of the most successful autonomous mobile elements in primate genomes. These elements comprise as much as 17% of primate genomes with the majority of insertions occurring via target primed reverse transcription (TPRT. Twin priming, a variant of TPRT, can result in unusual DNA sequence architecture. These insertions appear to be inverted, truncated L1s flanked by target site duplications. Results We report on loci with sequence architecture consistent with variants of the twin priming mechanism and introduce dual priming, a mechanism that could generate similar sequence characteristics. These insertions take the form of truncated L1s with hallmarks of classical TPRT insertions but having a poly(T simple repeat at the 5' end of the insertion. We identified loci using computational analyses of the human, chimpanzee, orangutan, rhesus macaque and marmoset genomes. Insertion site characteristics for all putative loci were experimentally verified. Conclusions The 39 loci that passed our computational and experimental screens probably represent inversion-deletion events which resulted in a 5' inverted poly(A tail. Based on our observations of these loci and their local sequence properties, we conclude that they most probably represent twin priming events with unusually short non-inverted portions. We postulate that dual priming could, theoretically, produce the same patterns. The resulting homopolymeric stretches associated with these insertion events may promote genomic instability and create potential target sites for future retrotransposition events.

Effects of insertion speed and trocar stiffness on the accuracy of needle position for brachytherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McGill, Carl S.; Schwartz, Jonathon A.; Moore, Jason Z.; McLaughlin, Patrick W.; Shih, Albert J. [Biomedical Engineering Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 (United States); Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania 16802 (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 (United States); Biomedical Engineering Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 and Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 (United States)

2012-04-15

Purpose: In prostate brachytherapy, accurate positioning of the needle tip to place radioactive seeds at its target site is critical for successful radiation treatment. During the procedure, needle deflection leads to seed misplacement and suboptimal radiation dose to cancerous cells. In practice, radiation oncologists commonly use high-speed hand needle insertion to minimize displacement of the prostate as well as the needle deflection. Effects of speed during needle insertion and stiffness of trocar (a solid rod inside the hollow cannula) on needle deflection are studied. Methods: Needle insertion experiments into phantom were performed using a 2{sup 2} factorial design (2 parameters at 2 levels), with each condition having replicates. Analysis of the deflection data included calculating the average, standard deviation, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to find significant single and two-way interaction factors. Results: The stiffer tungsten carbide trocar is effective in reducing the average and standard deviation of needle deflection. The fast insertion speed together with the stiffer trocar generated the smallest average and standard deviation for needle deflection for almost all cases. Conclusions: The combination of stiff tungsten carbide trocar and fast needle insertion speed are important to decreasing needle deflection. The knowledge gained from this study can be used to improve the accuracy of needle insertion during brachytherapy procedures.

Chronic insertional Achilles tendinopathy: surgical outcomes

OpenAIRE

Oshri, Yael; Palmanovich, Ezequiel; Brin, Yaron Shagra; Karpf, Ronen; Massarwe, Sabri; Kish, Benny; Nyska, Meir

2012-01-01

Background and objective: insertional Achilles tendinopathy is a common condition among athletes and joggers. One fifth of the injuries involves the insertion of the tendon. The etiology is either due to mechanical overuse related to sports activity, or a systemic inflammatory disease. The clinical appearance includes pain and movement restriction. The primary treatment is conservative. The surgery referred to in this study (Calcaneal Osteotomy) is performed by decompression of the posterior ...

Epitaxial growth of indium oxyfluoride thin films by reactive pulsed laser deposition: Structural change induced by fluorine insertion into vacancy sites in bixbyite structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okazaki, Sohei; Hirose, Yasushi; Nakao, Shoichiro; Yang, Chang; Harayama, Isao; Sekiba, Daiichiro; Hasegawa, Tetsuya

2014-01-01

InO x F y thin films were epitaxially grown on Y-stabilized ZrO 2 (111) substrates by reactive pulsed laser deposition. By changing the substrate temperature (T S ), we were able to control the fluorine content of the film. Phase-pure epitaxial thin films with bixbyite-like ordering in the anion-site occupancy were obtained at high T S (≥ 240 °C), where fluorine was inserted into the vacancy sites in the bixbyite lattice up to y / (x + y) ∼ 0.3. By decreasing T S , y / (x + y) increased and the bixbyite-like ordering disappeared; simultaneously, fluorine-rich and fluorine-poor subphases emerged. The films grown at T S ≤ 150 °C were amorphous and exhibited higher optical absorbance and electrical resistivity than the epitaxial films. - Highlights: • InO x F y epitaxial thin films with high fluorine concentration were grown on Y:ZrO 2 . • Anion composition and structural, optical and transport properties were studied. • Fluorine is topotactically inserted into the oxygen vacancy sites in bixbyite cell. • Bixbyite-like ordering of the anion site occupancy was conserved in y / (x + y) ≤ ∼ 0.3

Radiological Tenckhoff catheter insertion for peritoneal dialysis: A cost-effective approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, James; Mott, Nigel; Mahmood, Usman; Clouston, John; Summers, Kara; Nicholas, Pauline; Gois, Pedro Henrique França; Ranganathan, Dwarakanathan

2018-04-01

Radiological insertion of Tenckhoff catheters can be an alternative option for peritoneal dialysis access creation, as compared to surgical catheter insertion. This study will review the outcomes and complications of radiological Tenckhoff catheter insertion in a metropolitan renal service and compare costs between surgical and radiological insertion. Data were collected prospectively for all patients who had a Tenckhoff catheter insertion for peritoneal dialysis (PD) under radiological guidance at our hospital from May 2014 to November 2016. The type of catheter used and complications, including peri-catheter leak, exit site infection and peritonitis were reviewed. Follow-up data were also collected at points 3, 6 and 12 months from catheter insertion. Costing data were obtained from Queensland Health Electronic Reporting System (QHERS) data, average staff salaries and consumable contract price lists. In the 30-month evaluation period, 70 catheters were inserted. Two patients had an unsuccessful procedure due to the presence of abdominal adhesions. Seven patients had an episode of peri-catheter leak, and four patients had an exit site infection following catheter insertion. Peritonitis was observed in nine patients during the study period. The majority of patients (90%) remained on peritoneal dialysis at 3-month follow-up. The average costs of surgical and radiological insertion were noted to be AUD$7788.34 and AUD$1597.35, respectively. Radiological Tenckhoff catheter insertion for peritoneal dialysis appears to be an attractive and cost-effective option given less waiting periods for the procedure, the relatively low cost of insertion and comparable rates of complications. © 2017 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

Transdiaphragmatic Approach to Attenuate Porto-Azygos Shunts Inserting in the Thorax.

Science.gov (United States)

Or, Matan; Kitshoff, Adriaan; Devriendt, Nausikaa; De Ridder, Marianne; Quist-Rybachuk, Galena; de Rooster, Hilde

2016-11-01

To describe the surgical technique and document the application of a transdiaphragmatic approach to attenuate porto-azygos shunts inserting in the thoracic section of the azygos vein. Cadaveric study and prospective case series. Canine cadavers (n=6) and client-owned dogs with porto-azygos shunts inserting in the thoracic section of the azygos vein (n=9). In the cadavers, the azygos vein was filled with aqueous latex. Landmarks were established for creating a safe transdiaphragmatic approach to the caudal intrathoracic portion of the azygos vein. In the clinical cases, porto-azygos communication was diagnosed by trans-splenic portal scintigraphy. All shunts were attenuated close to their insertion site via ventral midline celiotomy and a transdiaphragmatic approach to the shunt. Perioperative complications were recorded. A 3-5 cm incision, 0.5-1 cm ventral and lateral to the level of the aortic hiatus, was made in the pars lumbalis part of the diaphragm. Stay sutures at both sides of the diaphragmatic incision were placed to open up the incision and a retractor was used to push the esophagus away from the aorta. Intrathoracic insertion of the shunt was confirmed intraoperative. Exposure of the shunt insertion site at the azygos vein was excellent in all clinical cases. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were encountered. If thoracic attenuation of a porto-azygos shunt is considered, a transdiaphragmatic approach exposes the insertion site for shunt attenuation. This approach is straightforward, without unnecessary abdominal organ manipulation, and since attenuates at the insertion, avoids missing additional contributing branches. © Copyright 2016 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Nicotinamide dependence of uropathogenic Escherichia coli UTI89 and application of nadB as a neutral insertion site.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhaoli; Bouckaert, Julie; Deboeck, Francine; De Greve, Henri; Hernalsteens, Jean-Pierre

2012-03-01

NAD and NADP are ubiquitous in the metabolism of Escherichia coli K-12. NAD auxotrophy can be rendered by mutation in any of the three genes nadB, nadA and nadC. The nadB and nadA genes were defined as antivirulence loci in Shigella spp., as a mutation (mainly in nadB) disrupting the synthesis of quinolinate is required for virulence. Uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) isolates from acute cystitis patients, exhibiting nicotinamide auxotrophy, were of serotype O18 : K1 : H7. E. coli UTI89, the model uropathogenic and O18 : K1 : H7 strain, requires nicotinamide or quinolinate for growth. A mutation in the nadB gene, encoding L-aspartate oxidase, was shown to be responsible for the nicotinamide requirement of UTI89. This was further confirmed by complementation of UTI89 with a recombinant plasmid harbouring the nadB gene of E. coli K-12. An Ala28Val point mutant of the recombinant plasmid failed to support the growth of UTI89 in minimal medium. This proves that the Ala28Val mutation in the NadB gene of UTI89 completely impedes de novo synthesis of nicotinamide. In spontaneous prototrophic revertants of UTI89, the nadB gene has a Val28Ala mutation. Both analyses implicate that the nicotinamide auxotrophy of UTI89 is caused by a single Ala28Val mutation in NadB. We showed that the same mutation is also present in other NAD auxotrophic E. coli O18 strains. No significant differences were observed between the virulence of isogenic NAD auxotrophic and prototrophic strains in the murine ascending urinary tract infection model. Considering these data, we applied the nadB locus as a neutral site for DNA insertions in the bacterial chromosome. We successfully restored the parental phenotype of a fimH mutant by inserting fimH, with a synthetic em7 promoter, into the nadB gene. This neutral insertion site is of significance for further research on the pathogenicity of UPEC.

Facile construction of a random protein domain insertion library using an engineered transposon.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Vandan; Pierre, Brennal; Kim, Jin Ryoun

2013-01-15

Insertional fusion between multiple protein domains represents a novel means of creating integrated functionalities. Currently, there is no robust guideline for selection of insertion sites ensuring the desired functional outcome of insertional fusion. Therefore, construction and testing of random domain insertion libraries, in which a host protein domain is randomly inserted into a guest protein domain, significantly benefit extensive exploration of sequence spaces for insertion sites. Short peptide residues are usually introduced between protein domains to alleviate structural conflicts, and the interdomain linker residues may affect the functional outcome of protein insertion complexes. Unfortunately, optimal control of interdomain linker residues is not always available in conventional methods used to construct random domain insertion libraries. Moreover, most conventional methods employ blunt-end rather than sticky-end ligation between host and guest DNA fragments, thus lowering library construction efficiency. Here, we report the facile construction of random domain insertion libraries using an engineered transposon. We show that random domain insertion with optimal control of interdomain linker residues was possible with our engineered transposon-based method. In addition, our method employs sticky-end rather than blunt-end ligation between host and guest DNA fragments, thus allowing for facile construction of relatively large sized libraries. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Epitaxial growth of indium oxyfluoride thin films by reactive pulsed laser deposition: Structural change induced by fluorine insertion into vacancy sites in bixbyite structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Okazaki, Sohei [Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology (KAST), 3-2-1 Sakado, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki 213-0012 (Japan); CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Hirose, Yasushi, E-mail: hirose@chem.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology (KAST), 3-2-1 Sakado, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki 213-0012 (Japan); CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Nakao, Shoichiro [Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology (KAST), 3-2-1 Sakado, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki 213-0012 (Japan); CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Yang, Chang [Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology (KAST), 3-2-1 Sakado, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki 213-0012 (Japan); CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Harayama, Isao; Sekiba, Daiichiro [Tandem Accelerator Complex, University of Tsukuba, Tennodai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577 (Japan); Hasegawa, Tetsuya [Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology (KAST), 3-2-1 Sakado, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki 213-0012 (Japan); CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan)

2014-05-30

InO{sub x}F{sub y} thin films were epitaxially grown on Y-stabilized ZrO{sub 2} (111) substrates by reactive pulsed laser deposition. By changing the substrate temperature (T{sub S}), we were able to control the fluorine content of the film. Phase-pure epitaxial thin films with bixbyite-like ordering in the anion-site occupancy were obtained at high T{sub S} (≥ 240 °C), where fluorine was inserted into the vacancy sites in the bixbyite lattice up to y / (x + y) ∼ 0.3. By decreasing T{sub S}, y / (x + y) increased and the bixbyite-like ordering disappeared; simultaneously, fluorine-rich and fluorine-poor subphases emerged. The films grown at T{sub S} ≤ 150 °C were amorphous and exhibited higher optical absorbance and electrical resistivity than the epitaxial films. - Highlights: • InO{sub x}F{sub y} epitaxial thin films with high fluorine concentration were grown on Y:ZrO{sub 2}. • Anion composition and structural, optical and transport properties were studied. • Fluorine is topotactically inserted into the oxygen vacancy sites in bixbyite cell. • Bixbyite-like ordering of the anion site occupancy was conserved in y / (x + y) ≤ ∼ 0.3.

Bedside prediction of right subclavian venous catheter insertion length

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoon Ji Choi

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Background and objective: The present study aimed to evaluate whether right subclavian vein (SCV catheter insertion depth can be predicted reliably by the distances from the SCV insertion site to the ipsilateral clavicular notch directly (denoted as I-IC, via the top of the SCV arch, or via the clavicle (denoted as I-T-IC and I-C-IC, respectively. Method: In total, 70 SCV catheterizations were studied. The I-IC, I-T-IC, and I-C-IC distances in each case were measured after ultrasound-guided SCV catheter insertion. The actual length of the catheter between the insertion site and the ipsilateral clavicular notch, denoted as L, was calculated by using chest X-ray. Results: L differed from the I-T-IC, I-C-IC, and I-IC distances by 0.14±0.53, 2.19±1.17, and -0.45 ±0.68 cm, respectively. The mean I-T-IC distance was the most similar to the mean L (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.89. The mean I-IC was significantly shorter than L, while the mean I-C-IC was significantly longer. Linear regression analysis provided the following formula: Predicted SCV catheter insertion length (cm = -0.037 + 0.036 × Height (cm + 0.903 × I-T-IC (cm (adjusted r2 =0.64. Conclusion: The I-T-IC distance may be a reliable bedside predictor of the optimal insertion length for a right SCV cannulation.

Templated sequence insertion polymorphisms in the human genome

Science.gov (United States)

Onozawa, Masahiro; Aplan, Peter

2016-11-01

Templated Sequence Insertion Polymorphism (TSIP) is a recently described form of polymorphism recognized in the human genome, in which a sequence that is templated from a distant genomic region is inserted into the genome, seemingly at random. TSIPs can be grouped into two classes based on nucleotide sequence features at the insertion junctions; Class 1 TSIPs show features of insertions that are mediated via the LINE-1 ORF2 protein, including 1) target-site duplication (TSD), 2) polyadenylation 10-30 nucleotides downstream of a “cryptic” polyadenylation signal, and 3) preference for insertion at a 5’-TTTT/A-3’ sequence. In contrast, class 2 TSIPs show features consistent with repair of a DNA double-strand break via insertion of a DNA “patch” that is derived from a distant genomic region. Survey of a large number of normal human volunteers demonstrates that most individuals have 25-30 TSIPs, and that these TSIPs track with specific geographic regions. Similar to other forms of human polymorphism, we suspect that these TSIPs may be important for the generation of human diversity and genetic diseases.

TAPDANCE: An automated tool to identify and annotate transposon insertion CISs and associations between CISs from next generation sequence data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarver Aaron L

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Next generation sequencing approaches applied to the analyses of transposon insertion junction fragments generated in high throughput forward genetic screens has created the need for clear informatics and statistical approaches to deal with the massive amount of data currently being generated. Previous approaches utilized to 1 map junction fragments within the genome and 2 identify Common Insertion Sites (CISs within the genome are not practical due to the volume of data generated by current sequencing technologies. Previous approaches applied to this problem also required significant manual annotation. Results We describe Transposon Annotation Poisson Distribution Association Network Connectivity Environment (TAPDANCE software, which automates the identification of CISs within transposon junction fragment insertion data. Starting with barcoded sequence data, the software identifies and trims sequences and maps putative genomic sequence to a reference genome using the bowtie short read mapper. Poisson distribution statistics are then applied to assess and rank genomic regions showing significant enrichment for transposon insertion. Novel methods of counting insertions are used to ensure that the results presented have the expected characteristics of informative CISs. A persistent mySQL database is generated and utilized to keep track of sequences, mappings and common insertion sites. Additionally, associations between phenotypes and CISs are also identified using Fisher’s exact test with multiple testing correction. In a case study using previously published data we show that the TAPDANCE software identifies CISs as previously described, prioritizes them based on p-value, allows holistic visualization of the data within genome browser software and identifies relationships present in the structure of the data. Conclusions The TAPDANCE process is fully automated, performs similarly to previous labor intensive approaches

Posterior epistaxis: Common bleeding sites and prophylactic electrocoagulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Juan; Sun, Xicai; Guo, Limin; Wang, Dehui

2016-01-01

Posterior epistaxis is a frequent emergency, and the key to efficient management is identification of the bleeding point. We performed a retrospective study of 318 patients with posterior epistaxis treated with endoscopic bipolar electrocautery during a 4-year period. Distribution of the bleeding sites was recorded. Patients with no definite bleeding sites in the first operation were assigned to Group A (n = 39) and Group B (n = 34). Patients in Group A were only observed in the ward. Patients in Group B were given prophylactic electrocoagulation at the common bleeding points. Of the 318 patients, bleeding sites were successfully identified and coagulated in 263 patients. All of them were located posteriorly, with 166 on the lateral nasal wall, 86 on the septum, and 11 on the anterior face of the sphenoid sinus. The rebleeding rate of Group B (8.8%) was lower than that of Group A (38.5%) (p < 0.01).

Comparison of conventional straight and swan-neck straight catheters inserted by percutaneous method for continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis: a single-center study.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Shivendra; Prakash, Jai; Singh, R G; Dole, P K; Pant, Pragya

2015-10-01

To evaluate the incidence of mechanical and infectious complications of conventional straight catheter (SC) versus swan-neck straight catheter (SNSC) implanted by percutaneous method. We retrospectively analyzed 45 catheter insertions being done by percutaneous method from January 1, 2011, to May 31, 2014. SC was inserted in 24 patients, and SNSC was inserted in 21 patients. Baseline characteristics for the two groups were similar with respect to age, sex and diabetic nephropathy as the cause for end-stage renal disease. Incidence of mechanical and infectious complications in SNSC group was found to be low as compared to the SC group and was statistically significant (1 in 11.6 patient months vs. 1 in 14.4 patient months, p = 0.02). Catheter migration was found to be the most common mechanical complication (20 %), and peritonitis was found to be the most common infectious complication in conventional SC group (27 episodes in 420 patient months vs. 11 episodes in 333 patient months, p = 0.03). The incidence of exit site and tunnel infection rates revealed no difference between the groups. SNSC insertion by percutaneous method is associated with low mechanical and infectious complications.

MiMIC: a highly versatile transposon insertion resource for engineering Drosophila melanogaster genes

Science.gov (United States)

Venken, Koen J. T.; Schulze, Karen L.; Haelterman, Nele A.; Pan, Hongling; He, Yuchun; Evans-Holm, Martha; Carlson, Joseph W.; Levis, Robert W.; Spradling, Allan C.; Hoskins, Roger A.; Bellen, Hugo J.

2011-01-01

We demonstrate the versatility of a collection of insertions of the transposon Minos mediated integration cassette (MiMIC), in Drosophila melanogaster. MiMIC contains a gene-trap cassette and the yellow+ marker flanked by two inverted bacteriophage ΦC31 attP sites. MiMIC integrates almost at random in the genome to create sites for DNA manipulation. The attP sites allow the replacement of the intervening sequence of the transposon with any other sequence through recombinase mediated cassette exchange (RMCE). We can revert insertions that function as gene traps and cause mutant phenotypes to wild type by RMCE and modify insertions to control GAL4 or QF overexpression systems or perform lineage analysis using the Flp system. Insertions within coding introns can be exchanged with protein-tag cassettes to create fusion proteins to follow protein expression and perform biochemical experiments. The applications of MiMIC vastly extend the Drosophila melanogaster toolkit. PMID:21985007

Insertion Loss of Personal Protective Clothing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shull, D.J.

1999-01-01

The use of personal protective clothing that covers the head is a common practice in many industries. Such personal protective clothing will impact the sound pressure level and the frequency content of sounds to which the wearer will be exposed. The use of such clothing, then, may impact speech and alarm audibility. A measure of the impact of such clothing is its insertion loss. Insertion loss measurements were performed on four types of personal protective clothing in use by Westinghouse Savannah River Company personnel which utilize cloth and plastic hood configurations to protect the head. All clothing configurations tested at least partially cover the ears. The measurements revealed that insertion loss of the items tested was notable at frequencies above 1000 Hz only and was a function of material stiffness and acoustic flanking paths to the ear. Further, an estimate of the clothing's noise reduction rating reveals poor performance in that regard, even though the insertion loss of the test articles was significant at frequencies at and above 1000 Hz.'

The Salmon Smai Family of Short Interspersed Repetitive Elements (Sines): Interspecific and Intraspecific Variation of the Insertion of Sines in the Genomes of Chum and Pink Salmon

OpenAIRE

Takasaki, N.; Yamaki, T.; Hamada, M.; Park, L.; Okada, N.

1997-01-01

The genomes of chum salmon and pink salmon contain a family of short interspersed repetitive elements (SINEs), designated the salmon SmaI family. It is restricted to these two species, a distribution that suggests that this SINE family might have been generated in their common ancestor. When insertions of the SmaI SINEs at 10 orthologous loci of these species were analyzed, however, it was found that there were no shared insertion sites between chum and pink salmon. Furthermore, at six loci w...

Targeted gene insertion for molecular medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Voigt, Katrin; Izsvák, Zsuzsanna; Ivics, Zoltán

2008-11-01

Genomic insertion of a functional gene together with suitable transcriptional regulatory elements is often required for long-term therapeutical benefit in gene therapy for several genetic diseases. A variety of integrating vectors for gene delivery exist. Some of them exhibit random genomic integration, whereas others have integration preferences based on attributes of the targeted site, such as primary DNA sequence and physical structure of the DNA, or through tethering to certain DNA sequences by host-encoded cellular factors. Uncontrolled genomic insertion bears the risk of the transgene being silenced due to chromosomal position effects, and can lead to genotoxic effects due to mutagenesis of cellular genes. None of the vector systems currently used in either preclinical experiments or clinical trials displays sufficient preferences for target DNA sequences that would ensure appropriate and reliable expression of the transgene and simultaneously prevent hazardous side effects. We review in this paper the advantages and disadvantages of both viral and non-viral gene delivery technologies, discuss mechanisms of target site selection of integrating genetic elements (viruses and transposons), and suggest distinct molecular strategies for targeted gene delivery.

Identification and insertion polymorphisms of short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs) in Brassica genomes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nouroz, F.; Naveed, M.

2018-01-01

The non-LTR retrotransposons (retroposons) are abundant in plant genomes including members of Brassicaceae. Of the retroposons, long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) are more copious followed by short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs) in sequenced eukaryotic genomes. The SINEs are short elements and ranged from 100-500 bps flanked by variable sized target site duplications, 5' tRNA region with polymerase III promoter, internal tRNA unrelated region, 3' LINEs derived region and a poly adenosine tail. Different computational approaches were used for the identification and characterization of SINEs, while PCR was used to detect the SINEs insertion polymorphisms in various Brassica genotypes. Ten previously unidentified families of SINEs were identified and characterized from Brassica genomes. The structural features of these SINEs were studied in detail, which showed typical SINE features displaying small sizes, target site duplications, head regions, internal regions (body) of variable sizes and a poly (A) tail at the 3' terminus. The elements from various families ranged from 206-558 bp, where BoSINE2 family displayed smallest SINE element (206 bp), while larger members belonged to BoSINE9 family (524-558 bp). The distribution and abundance of SINEs in various Brassica species and genotypes (40) at a particular site/locus were investigated by SINEs based PCR markers. Various SINE insertion polymorphisms were detected from different genotypes, where higher PCR bands amplified the SINE insertions, while lower bands amplified the pre-insertion sites (flanking regions). The analysis of Brassica SINEs copy numbers from 10 identified families revealed that around 860 and 1712 copies of SINEs were calculated from B. rapa and B. oleracea Whole-genome shotgun contigs (WGS) respectively. Analysis of insertion sites of Brassica SINEs revealed that the members from all 10 SINE families had shown an insertion preference in AT rich regions. The present

Insertion compounds of transition-metal and uranium oxides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chippindale, A.M.; Dickens, P.G.; Powell, A.V.

1991-01-01

Several transition-metal and actinide oxides, in which the metal occurs in a high oxidation state, have open covalent structures and are capable of incorporating alkali and other electropositive metals under mild conditions to form insertion compounds A x MO n . These are solids which have several features in common: Over a range of compositions, A x MO n exists as one or more stable or metastable phases in which the structure of the parent oxide MO n is largely retained and the insertion element A is accommodated interstitially. Insertion is accompanied by a redox process A=A i . + e - M in which M is reduced and the electronic properties of the parent oxide change to those typical of a mixed-valence compound. The insertion process xA + MO n = A x MO n can be reversed, at least to some extent, by chemical or electrochemical reaction, with retention of structure (topotactic reaction). This review concentrates on methods of synthesis, characterisation, crystal structure and thermochemistry of these insertion compounds. It updates and extends previous work. (author)

the clinical anatomy of the insertion of the rotator cuff tendons

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2016-09-07

Sep 7, 2016 ... The rotator cuff (RC) insertions according to most anatomical texts are described as being separate. However, clear fusion of the RC tendon fibres exist with prior studies showing an interdigitation forming a common, continuous insertion onto and around the lesser- and greater tubercles (LT & GT).

Insertion profiles of 4 headless compression screws.

Science.gov (United States)

Hart, Adam; Harvey, Edward J; Lefebvre, Louis-Philippe; Barthelat, Francois; Rabiei, Reza; Martineau, Paul A

2013-09-01

In practice, the surgeon must rely on screw position (insertion depth) and tactile feedback from the screwdriver (insertion torque) to gauge compression. In this study, we identified the relationship between interfragmentary compression and these 2 factors. The Acutrak Standard, Acutrak Mini, Synthes 3.0, and Herbert-Whipple implants were tested using a polyurethane foam scaphoid model. A specialized testing jig simultaneously measured compression force, insertion torque, and insertion depth at half-screw-turn intervals until failure occurred. The peak compression occurs at an insertion depth of -3.1 mm, -2.8 mm, 0.9 mm, and 1.5 mm for the Acutrak Mini, Acutrak Standard, Herbert-Whipple, and Synthes screws respectively (insertion depth is positive when the screw is proud above the bone and negative when buried). The compression and insertion torque at a depth of -2 mm were found to be 113 ± 18 N and 0.348 ± 0.052 Nm for the Acutrak Standard, 104 ± 15 N and 0.175 ± 0.008 Nm for the Acutrak Mini, 78 ± 9 N and 0.245 ± 0.006 Nm for the Herbert-Whipple, and 67 ± 2N, 0.233 ± 0.010 Nm for the Synthes headless compression screws. All 4 screws generated a sizable amount of compression (> 60 N) over a wide range of insertion depths. The compression at the commonly recommended insertion depth of -2 mm was not significantly different between screws; thus, implant selection should not be based on compression profile alone. Conically shaped screws (Acutrak) generated their peak compression when they were fully buried in the foam whereas the shanked screws (Synthes and Herbert-Whipple) reached peak compression before they were fully inserted. Because insertion torque correlated poorly with compression, surgeons should avoid using tactile judgment of torque as a proxy for compression. Knowledge of the insertion profile may improve our understanding of the implants, provide a better basis for comparing screws, and enable the surgeon to optimize compression. Copyright �

Wireless cardiac action potential transmission with ultrasonically inserted silicon microprobes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, C J; Ramkumar, A; Lal, A; Gilmour, R F Jr

2011-01-01

This paper reports on the integration of ultrasonically inserted horn-shaped cardiac probes with wireless transmission of 3D cardiac action potential measurement for applications in ex vivo preparations such as monitoring the onset of ventricular fibrillation. Ultrasonically inserted silicon horn probes permit reduced penetration force during insertion, allowing silicon, a brittle material, to penetrate cardiac tissue. The probes also allow recording from multiple sites that are lithographically defined. An application-specific integrated circuit has been designed with a 40 dB amplifying stage and a frequency modulating oscillator at 95 MHz to wirelessly transmit the recorded action potentials. This ultrasonically inserted microprobe wireless system demonstrates the initial results in wireless monitoring of 3D action potential propagation, and the extraction of parameters of interest including the action potential duration and diastolic interval

Z-2 Threaded Insert Design and Testing

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Amy; Rhodes, Richard; Jones, Robert J.; Graziosi, David; Ferl, Jinny; Sweeny, Mitch; Scarborough, Stephen

2016-01-01

NASA's Z-2 prototype space suit contains several components fabricated from an advanced hybrid composite laminate consisting of IM10 carbon fiber and fiber glass. One requirement was to have removable, replaceable helicoil inserts to which other suit components would be fastened. An approach utilizing bonded in inserts with helicoils inside of them was implemented. During initial assembly, cracking sounds were heard followed by the lifting of one of the blind inserts out of its hole when the screws were torqued. A failure investigation was initiated to understand the mechanism of the failure. Ultimately, it was determined that the pre-tension caused by torqueing the fasteners is a much larger force than induced from the pressure loads of the suit which was not considered in the insert design. Bolt tension is determined by dividing the torque on the screw by a k value multiplied by the thread diameter of the bolt. The k value is a factor that accounts for friction in the system. A common value used for k for a non-lubricated screw is 0.2. The k value can go down by as much as 0.1 if the screw is lubricated which means for the same torque, a much larger tension could be placed on the bolt and insert. This paper summarizes the failure investigation that was performed to identify the root cause of the suit failure and details how the insert design was modified to resist a higher pull out tension.

Peripherally inserted central catheters. Guidewire versus nonguidewire use: a comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Loughran, S C; Edwards, S; McClure, S

1992-01-01

To date, no research articles have been published that explore the practice of using guidewires for placement of peripherally inserted central catheters. The literature contains speculations regarding the pros and cons of guidewire use. However, no studies to date have compared patient outcomes when peripherally inserted central catheter lines are inserted with and without guidewires. To examine the use of guidewires for peripherally inserted central lines, a comparative study was conducted at two acute care facilities, one using guidewires for insertion and one inserting peripherally inserted central catheter lines without guidewires. 109 catheters were studied between January 1, 1990 and January 1, 1991. The primary focus of this study was to examine whether guidewire use places patients at higher risk for catheter-related complications, particularly phlebitis. No significant differences in phlebitis rates between the two study sites were found. Other catheter-related and noncatheter-related complications were similar between the two facilities. The results of this study do not support the belief that guidewire use increases complication rates.

Where is the most common site of DVT? Evaluation by CT venography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshimura, Norihiko; Hori, Yoshiro; Horii, Yosuke; Takano, Toru; Ishikawa, Hiroyuki; Aoyama, Hidefumi

2012-01-01

Our aim was to clarify the common site of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in patients suspected of having pulmonary embolism using computed tomography pulmonary angiography with computed tomography venography (CTV). We evaluated 215 patients. For all studies, 100 ml of 370 mg I/ml nonionic contrast material was administered. CTV were scanned with helical acquisition starting at 3 min in four-slice multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) or 5 min in 64-MDCT after the start of contrast material injection. The site of DVT was divided into iliac vein, femoral vein, popliteal vein, or calf vein. Calf vein was divided into muscular (soleal and gastrocnemius) and nonmuscular (anterior/posterior tibial and peroneal) veins. The 2 x 2 chi-square test was used. One hundred and thirty-seven patients showed DVT; the muscular calf vein was more prevalent than other veins (P<0.01). Our study showed that the most common site of DVT was the muscular calf vein. (author)

Outcomes of endoscopically inserted self-expandable metal stents in malignancy according to the type of stent and the site of obstruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Kyoungwon; Ahn, Ji Yong; Jung, Hwoon-Yong; Cho, Charles J; Na, Hee Kyong; Jung, Kee Wook; Lee, Jeong Hoon; Kim, Do Hoon; Choi, Kee Don; Song, Ho June; Lee, Gin Hyug; Kim, Jin-Ho

2016-09-01

Self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs) can be used for the palliation of malignant obstruction in the upper gastrointestinal tract. This study assessed the feasibility and efficacy of endoscopically inserted SEMSs for the palliation of malignant obstruction in the stomach and duodenum. Between January 2011 and April 2014, 220 patients with gastric or duodenal obstruction due to malignancy underwent endoscopic SEMS insertion at Asan Medical Center. The associations of technical/clinical outcomes and complications with the type of stent and site of obstruction were analyzed. The 220 patients included 125 men (56.8 %) and 95 women (43.2 %); median patient age was 63 years. Fully covered, partially covered, and uncovered SEMSs were inserted into 16, 77, and 120 patients, respectively. Obstructions were located in the gastric outlet, including the duodenal bulb, in 106 patients, and in the duodenal second and third portions in 114 patients. Technical success was achieved in 213 of 220 patients (96.8 %) and clinical success in 184 of 213 (86.4 %). Clinical success rates were similar to the type of stent, but were significantly greater for gastric outlet (95/104, 91.3 %) than for duodenal (89/109, 81.7 %) obstructions (p = 0.039). Stent migration was observed in 20 patients (9.1 %) and stent obstruction in 51 (23.2 %). Rates of stent migration were significantly higher for fully covered (6/16, 37.5 %) than for partially covered (7/77, 9.1 %) and uncovered (7/120, 5.8 %) SEMSs (p stent obstruction were similar for fully covered (2/16, 12.5 %), partially covered (17/77, 22.1 %), and uncovered (32/120, 26.7 %) SEMSs (p = 0.409) and in patients with gastric outlet (26/104, 25.0 %) and duodenal (25/109, 22.9 %) obstruction (p = 0.724). SEMS selection for malignant obstruction of the upper gastrointestinal tract depends on the site of obstruction.

Comparing insertion libraries in two Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains to assess gene essentiality.

Science.gov (United States)

Liberati, Nicole T; Urbach, Jonathan M; Thurber, Tara K; Wu, Gang; Ausubel, Frederick M

2008-01-01

Putative essential genes can be identified by comparing orthologs not disrupted in multiple near-saturated transposon insertion mutation libraries in related strains of the same bacterial species. Methods for identifying all orthologs between two bacterial strains and putative essential orthologs are described. In addition, protocols detailing near-saturation transposon insertion mutagenesis of bacteria are presented, including (1) conjugation-mediated mutagenesis, (2) automated colony picking and liquid handling of mutant cultures, and (3) arbitrary polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing of genomic DNA adjacent to transposon insertion sites.

Linear and exponential TAIL-PCR: a method for efficient and quick amplification of flanking sequences adjacent to Tn5 transposon insertion sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Xianbo; Lin, Xinjian; Chen, Jichen

2017-11-02

Current genome walking methods are very time consuming, and many produce non-specific amplification products. To amplify the flanking sequences that are adjacent to Tn5 transposon insertion sites in Serratia marcescens FZSF02, we developed a genome walking method based on TAIL-PCR. This PCR method added a 20-cycle linear amplification step before the exponential amplification step to increase the concentration of the target sequences. Products of the linear amplification and the exponential amplification were diluted 100-fold to decrease the concentration of the templates that cause non-specific amplification. Fast DNA polymerase with a high extension speed was used in this method, and an amplification program was used to rapidly amplify long specific sequences. With this linear and exponential TAIL-PCR (LETAIL-PCR), we successfully obtained products larger than 2 kb from Tn5 transposon insertion mutant strains within 3 h. This method can be widely used in genome walking studies to amplify unknown sequences that are adjacent to known sequences.

Alu Insertions and Genetic Diversity: A Preliminary Investigation by an Undergraduate Bioinformatics Class

Science.gov (United States)

Elwess, Nancy L.; Duprey, Stephen L.; Harney, Lindesay A.; Langman, Jessie E.; Marino, Tara C.; Martinez, Carolina; McKeon, Lauren L.; Moss, Chantel I. E.; Myrie, Sasha S.; Taylor, Luke Ryan

2008-01-01

"Alu"-insertion polymorphisms were used by an undergraduate Bioinformatics class to study how these insertion sites could be the basis for an investigation in human population genetics. Based on the students' investigation, both allele and genotype "Alu" frequencies were determined for African-American and Japanese populations as well as a…

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

FRET-based localization of fluorescent protein insertions within the ryanodine receptor type 1.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shweta A Raina

Full Text Available Fluorescent protein (FP insertions have often been used to localize primary structure elements in mid-resolution 3D cryo electron microscopic (EM maps of large protein complexes. However, little is known as to the precise spatial relationship between the location of the fused FP and its insertion site within a larger protein. To gain insights into these structural considerations, Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET measurements were used to localize green fluorescent protein (GFP insertions within the ryanodine receptor type 1 (RyR1, a large intracellular Ca(2+ release channel that plays a key role in skeletal muscle excitation contraction coupling. A series of full-length His-tagged GFP-RyR1 fusion constructs were created, expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK-293T cells and then complexed with Cy3NTA, a His-tag specific FRET acceptor. FRET efficiency values measured from each GFP donor to Cy3NTA bound to each His tag acceptor site were converted into intermolecular distances and the positions of each inserted GFP were then triangulated relative to a previously published X-ray crystal structure of a 559 amino acid RyR1 fragment. We observed that the chromophoric centers of fluorescent proteins inserted into RyR1 can be located as far as 45 Å from their insertion sites and that the fused proteins can also be located in internal cavities within RyR1. These findings should prove useful in interpreting structural results obtained in cryo EM maps using fusions of small fluorescent proteins. More accurate point-to-point distance information may be obtained using complementary orthogonal labeling systems that rely on fluorescent probes that bind directly to amino acid side chains.

Oligomycin frames a common drug-binding site in the ATP synthase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Symersky, Jindrich; Osowski, Daniel; Walters, D. Eric; Mueller, David M. (Rosalind)

2015-12-01

We report the high-resolution (1.9 {angstrom}) crystal structure of oligomycin bound to the subunit c10 ring of the yeast mitochondrial ATP synthase. Oligomycin binds to the surface of the c10 ring making contact with two neighboring molecules at a position that explains the inhibitory effect on ATP synthesis. The carboxyl side chain of Glu59, which is essential for proton translocation, forms an H-bond with oligomycin via a bridging water molecule but is otherwise shielded from the aqueous environment. The remaining contacts between oligomycin and subunit c are primarily hydrophobic. The amino acid residues that form the oligomycin-binding site are 100% conserved between human and yeast but are widely different from those in bacterial homologs, thus explaining the differential sensitivity to oligomycin. Prior genetics studies suggest that the oligomycin-binding site overlaps with the binding site of other antibiotics, including those effective against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and thereby frames a common 'drug-binding site.' We anticipate that this drug-binding site will serve as an effective target for new antibiotics developed by rational design.

Quantitative mapping of matrix content and distribution across the ligament-to-bone insertion.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeffrey P Spalazzi

Full Text Available The interface between bone and connective tissues such as the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL constitutes a complex transition traversing multiple tissue regions, including non-calcified and calcified fibrocartilage, which integrates and enables load transfer between otherwise structurally and functionally distinct tissue types. The objective of this study was to investigate region-dependent changes in collagen, proteoglycan and mineral distribution, as well as collagen orientation, across the ligament-to-bone insertion site using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic imaging (FTIR-I. Insertion site-related differences in matrix content were also evaluated by comparing tibial and femoral entheses. Both region- and site-related changes were observed. Collagen content was higher in the ligament and bone regions, while decreasing across the fibrocartilage interface. Moreover, interfacial collagen fibrils were aligned parallel to the ligament-bone interface near the ligament region, assuming a more random orientation through the bulk of the interface. Proteoglycan content was uniform on average across the insertion, while its distribution was relatively less variable at the tibial compared to the femoral insertion. Mineral was only detected in the calcified interface region, and its content increased exponentially across the mineralized fibrocartilage region toward bone. In addition to new insights into matrix composition and organization across the complex multi-tissue junction, findings from this study provide critical benchmarks for the regeneration of soft tissue-to-bone interfaces and integrative soft tissue repair.

Quantitative Mapping of Matrix Content and Distribution across the Ligament-to-Bone Insertion

Science.gov (United States)

Spalazzi, Jeffrey P.; Boskey, Adele L.; Pleshko, Nancy; Lu, Helen H.

2013-01-01

The interface between bone and connective tissues such as the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) constitutes a complex transition traversing multiple tissue regions, including non-calcified and calcified fibrocartilage, which integrates and enables load transfer between otherwise structurally and functionally distinct tissue types. The objective of this study was to investigate region-dependent changes in collagen, proteoglycan and mineral distribution, as well as collagen orientation, across the ligament-to-bone insertion site using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic imaging (FTIR-I). Insertion site-related differences in matrix content were also evaluated by comparing tibial and femoral entheses. Both region- and site-related changes were observed. Collagen content was higher in the ligament and bone regions, while decreasing across the fibrocartilage interface. Moreover, interfacial collagen fibrils were aligned parallel to the ligament-bone interface near the ligament region, assuming a more random orientation through the bulk of the interface. Proteoglycan content was uniform on average across the insertion, while its distribution was relatively less variable at the tibial compared to the femoral insertion. Mineral was only detected in the calcified interface region, and its content increased exponentially across the mineralized fibrocartilage region toward bone. In addition to new insights into matrix composition and organization across the complex multi-tissue junction, findings from this study provide critical benchmarks for the regeneration of soft tissue-to-bone interfaces and integrative soft tissue repair. PMID:24019964

TGIF1 Gene Silencing in Tendon-Derived Stem Cells Improves the Tendon-to-Bone Insertion Site Regeneration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liyang Chen

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: The slow healing process of tendon-to-bone junctions can be accelerated via implanted tendon-derived stem cells (TDSCs with silenced transforming growth interacting factor 1 (TGIF1 gene. Tendon-to-bone insertion site is the special form of connective tissues derivatives of common connective progenitors, where TGF-β plays bidirectional effects (chondrogenic or fibrogenic through different signaling pathways at different stages. A recent study revealed that TGF-β directly induces the chondrogenic gene Sox9. However, TGIF1 represses the expression of the cartilage master Sox9 gene and changes its expression rate against the fibrogenesis gene Scleraxis (Scx. Methods: TGIF1 siRNA was transduced or TGIF1 was over-expressed in tendon-derived stem cells. Following suprapinatus tendon repair, rats were either treated with transduced TDSCs or nontransduced TDSCs. Histologic examination and Western blot were performed in both groups. Results: In this study, the silencing of TGIF1 significantly upregulated the chondrogenic genes and markers. Similarly, TGIF1 inhibited TDSC differentiation into cartilage via interactions with TGF-β-activated Smad2 and suppressed the phosphorylation of Smad2. The area of fibrocartilage at the tendon-bone interface was significantly increased in the TGIF1 (- group compared with the control and TGIF1-overexpressing groups in the early stages of the animal model. The interface between the tendon and bone showed a increase of new bone and fibrocartilage in the TGIF1 (- group at 4 weeks. Fibrovascular scar tissue was observed in the TGIF1-overexpressing group and the fibrin glue only group. Low levels of fibrocartilage and fibrovascular scar tissue were found in the TDSCs group. Conclusion: Collectively, this study shows that the tendon-derived stem cell modified with TGIF1 gene silencing has promising effects on tendon-to-bone healing which can be further explored as a therapeutic tool in regenerative medicine.

Scala vestibuli insertion in cochlear implantation: a valuable alternative for cases with obstructed scala tympani.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiefer, J; Weber, A; Pfennigdorff, T; von Ilberg, C

2000-01-01

Insertion of a sufficient number of electrodes is important for a successful use of cochlear implants. We investigated the results of scala vestibuli insertion for cochlear implantation in cases of obstructed scala tympani. In a series of 200 cochlear implantations, scala vestibuli insertion was successfully performed in 4 cases with obstruction of the scala tympani. Etiologies included a temporal bone fracture, severe otosclerosis and malformations of the cochlea. The maximum insertion depth obtained via the scala vestibuli was 30 mm. Postoperative results were comparable to patients in whom conventional scala tympani insertion was performed. No adverse effects related to the site of insertion were observed. Scala vestibuli insertion offers a valuable alternative in cases of obstructed scala tympani that can be employed for a variety of etiologies. Copyright 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel

Method of inserting fuel rod

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamimoto, Shuji; Imoo, Makoto; Tsuchida, Kenji.

1991-01-01

The present invention concerns a method of inserting a fuel rod upon automatic assembling, automatic dismantling and reassembling of a fuel assembly in a light water moderated reactor, as well as a device and components used therefor. That is, a fuel rod is inserted reliably to an aimed point of insertion by surrounding the periphery of the fuel rod to be inserted with guide rods, and thereby suppressing the movement of the fuel rod during insertion. Alternatively, a fuel rod is inserted reliably to a point of insertion by inserting guide rods at the periphery of the point of insertion for the fuel rod to be inserted thereby surrounding the point of insertion with the guide rods or fuel rods. By utilizing fuel rods already present in the fuel assembly as the guide rods described above, the fuel rod can be inserted reliably to the point of insertion with no additional devices. Dummy fuel rods are previously inserted in a fuel assembly which are then utilized as the above-mentioned guide rods to accurately insert the fuel rod to the point of insertion. (I.S.)

Common structural features of cholesterol binding sites in crystallized soluble proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Bukiya, Anna N; Dopico, Alejandro M

2017-06-01

Cholesterol-protein interactions are essential for the architectural organization of cell membranes and for lipid metabolism. While cholesterol-sensing motifs in transmembrane proteins have been identified, little is known about cholesterol recognition by soluble proteins. We reviewed the structural characteristics of binding sites for cholesterol and cholesterol sulfate from crystallographic structures available in the Protein Data Bank. This analysis unveiled key features of cholesterol-binding sites that are present in either all or the majority of sites: i ) the cholesterol molecule is generally positioned between protein domains that have an organized secondary structure; ii ) the cholesterol hydroxyl/sulfo group is often partnered by Asn, Gln, and/or Tyr, while the hydrophobic part of cholesterol interacts with Leu, Ile, Val, and/or Phe; iii ) cholesterol hydrogen-bonding partners are often found on α-helices, while amino acids that interact with cholesterol's hydrophobic core have a slight preference for β-strands and secondary structure-lacking protein areas; iv ) the steroid's C21 and C26 constitute the "hot spots" most often seen for steroid-protein hydrophobic interactions; v ) common "cold spots" are C8-C10, C13, and C17, at which contacts with the proteins were not detected. Several common features we identified for soluble protein-steroid interaction appear evolutionarily conserved. Copyright © 2017 by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Intranasal leech (hirudiniasis) common mode of presentation and sites of lodgment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, K.A.; Rafique, A.; Rafique, A.; Babur, S.

2013-01-01

Objective: To assess the common mode of presentation and sites of lodgment in cases of nasal leech infestation. Design: Descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in the ENT Department of Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Hospital (CMH) Muzaffarabad from 10th Jan 2010 to 15th Feb 2012. Patients and Methods: After getting informed consent, total of 70 cases that fulfilled the inclusion criteria i.e patients irrespective of age and gender with a positive history of epistaxis and use of spring water for daily utilities and especially after exclusion of other known causes for epistaxis were included in this study. A thorough history followed by ENT examination including nasal endoscopy was carried out in each case and site of lodgment of leech documented. This was followed by removal of leech from nose. Results: The commonest mode of presentation of nasal leech was epistaxis (54.28%) and the commonest site of lodgment of leech was under the inferior turbinate (inferior meatus) (82.86%). Conclusion: This rare cause of epistaxis should be kept in mind once all other common causes are excluded especially if the patient belongs to low socioeconomic group and using fresh spring water for their consumption. A thorough search in the region of inferior meatus should be under taken aided by nasal endoscope if available. (author)

Common Elements for Success: What Makes the Deal Work at Contaminated Sites

Science.gov (United States)

This page contains the presentations from the Brown to Green: Make the Connection to Renewable Energy workshop held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, during December 10-11, 2008 regarding Common Elements for Success - What makes the Deal Work at Contaminated Sites.

Lattice insertions for POPAE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Y.; Crosbie, E.A.; Diebold, R.; Johnson, D.E.; Ohnuma, S.; Ruggiero, A.G.; Teng, L.C.

1977-01-01

Four types of insertions are described for the six 200-m straight sections of POPAE. All have dispersion matched to zero. (1) Injection-ejection insertion--This has proper high-β values and phase advances for horizontal injection and vertical ejection. (2) Phase-adjust insertion--The phase advance in this insertion is adjustable over a range of approximately 100 0 . (3) General-purpose insertion--The β* is adjustable from 2.5. to 200 m and the crossing angle is adjustable from 0 to 11 mrad. (4) High-luminosity insertion--This gives an even lower β + of meter

Morphological size evaluation of the mid-substance insertion areas and the fan-like extension fibers in the femoral ACL footprint.

Science.gov (United States)

Suruga, Makoto; Horaguchi, Takashi; Iriuchishima, Takanori; Yahagi, Yoshiyuki; Iwama, Genki; Tokuhashi, Yasuaki; Aizawa, Shin

2017-08-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the detailed anatomy of the femoral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) insertion site, with special attention given to the morphology of the mid-substance insertion areas and the fan-like extension fibers. Twenty-three non-paired human cadaver knees were used (7 Males, 16 Females, median age 83, range 69-96). All soft tissues around the knee were resected except the ligaments. The ACL was divided into antero-medial (AM) and postero-lateral (PL) bundles according to the difference in macroscopic tension patterns. The ACL was carefully dissected and two outlines were made of the periphery of each bundle insertion site: those which included and those which excluded the fan-like extension fibers. An accurate lateral view of the femoral condyle was photographed with a digital camera, and the images were downloaded to a personal computer. The area of each bundle, including and excluding the fan-like extension fibers, was measured with Image J software (National Institution of Health). The width and length of the mid-substance insertion sites were also evaluated using same image. The femoral ACL footprint was divided into four regions (mid-substance insertion sites of the AM and PL bundles, and fan-like extensions of the AM and PL bundles). The measured areas of the mid-substance insertion sites of the AM and PL bundles were 35.5 ± 12.5, and 32.4 ± 13.8 mm 2 , respectively. Whole width and length of the mid-substance insertion sites were 5.3 ± 1.4, and 15.5 ± 2.9 mm, respectively. The measured areas of the fan-like extensions of the AM and PL bundles were 27 ± 11.5, and 29.5 ± 12.4 mm 2 , respectively. The femoral ACL footprint was divided into quarters of approximately equal size (mid-substance insertion sites of the AM and PL bundles, and fan-like extensions of the AM and PL bundles). For clinical relevance, to perform highly reproducible anatomical ACL reconstruction, the presence of the fan-like extension

Validation of a Low Cost, Disposable, and Ultrasound-guided Suprapubic Catheter Insertion Trainer.

Science.gov (United States)

Nonde, James; Adam, Ahmed; Laher, Abdullah Ebrahim

2018-02-27

To validate the newly designed ultrasound-guided suprapubic catheter insertion trainer (US-SCIT) model against the real life experience by enrolling participants with prior confidence in the technique of US-guided suprapubic catheter (SPC) insertion. The US-SCIT was self-constructed from common disposables and equipment found in the emergency department. A validation questionnaire was completed by all participants after SPC insertion on the US-SCIT model. Fifty participants enrolled in the study. Each participant had reported confidence in the SPC insertion technique, prior to participation in this study. There were 13 "super-users" (>65 previous successful real life SPC insertions) in the study. The total material cost per US-SCIT unit was 1.71 USD. The US-SCIT's value in understanding the principals of US-guided SPC insertion had a mean score of 8.86 (standard deviation [SD] 1.03), whereas its value in simulating contextual anatomy had a mean score of 8.26 (SD 1.48). The mean score of the model's ability to provide realistic sensory feedback was 8.12 (SD 1.78), whereas that of realism of initial urine outflow was 9.06 (SD 1.20). Simulation with the model compared well with real life SPC insertion, with a mean score of 8.30 (SD1.48). The US-SCIT model performed well in various spheres developed to assess its ability to simulate real life SPC insertion. We are confident that this low-cost, validated, US compatible SPC trainer, constructed from common material present in the ED, will be a valuable learning asset to trainees across the globe. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Insertion Modeling and Its Applications

OpenAIRE

Alexander Letichevsky; Oleksandr Letychevskyi; Vladimir Peschanenko

2016-01-01

The paper relates to the theoretical and practical aspects of insertion modeling. Insertion modeling is a theory of agents and environments interaction where an environment is considered as agent with a special insertion function. The main notions of insertion modeling are presented. Insertion Modeling System is described as a tool for development of different kinds of insertion machines. The research and industrial applications of Insertion Modeling System are presented.

A description of LUSTRA's common field sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berggren, Dan; Bergkvist, Bo; Johansson, Maj-Britt; Melkerud, Per-Arne; Nilsson, Aake; Olsson, Mats; Langvall, Ola; Majdi, Hooshang; Weslien, Per

2004-01-01

arena, and thus LUSTRA has gradually put more focus on the Kyoto process. LUSTRA was evaluated during spring 2002 and the general overall statement was that 'The ambitious goals of the LUSTRA program are very good and seem to be well understood by the participating researchers. However, for a second phase a focus on synthesis and synergy is recommended'. In LUSTRA we are performing integrated research on C fluxes at three common field sites (CFS) situated in a south-north transect in Sweden: Asa, Knottaasen and Flakaliden. Measurements started summer 2000. The intention was to establish a climate gradient through Sweden but keep other environmental parameters rather similar. Also within each site the ambition was to get a hydrological gradient going from dry, over mesic to moist conditions, i.e. from deep lying ground water level to shallow groundwater. According to the advises by the reviewers of LUSTRA phase 1, more focus will be on syntheses during LUSTRA phase 2 (2003-2006). However, measurements at the CFS will be continued during 2003 and 2004. The objectives of this paper are (i) to give a general description of the sites, (ii) to describe the abiotic measurements made at the different sites, including the data base, (iii) to describe the methods used to obtain background information about soils and vegetation (C pools and fluxes) and (iv) to present the background information about soils and vegetation

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF EARLY POSTPARTUM IUCD INSERTION TO INTERVAL IUCD INSERTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shibani Devi

2016-07-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION According to National Family Health Survey-3, Indian women have 13% unmet need for contraception and according to District Level Household & Facility Survey-3, it is 21.3% in the postpartum period. Postpartum intrauterine contraceptive device insertion - both immediately post-placental delivery and somewhat later, but within 48 hours after delivery are options which merit consideration as the woman is likely to have a high motivation for accepting contraception and the healthcare centre provides a convenient setting for insertion of IUCD. AIM Comparison of efficacy and complications of IUCD insertions in post-placental with interval period: 6-month followup. METHOD This perspective study was conducted among 100 women: - 50 women had IUCD inserted within 10 minutes of placental delivery and 50 had insertion more than 6 weeks after delivery. They were followed till 6 months post insertion and were compared regarding early and late complications, continuation rates and expulsion rates. RESULT At the end of six months, we found higher occurrence of lower abdominal pain, heavy menstrual bleeding in case of interval insertion as compared to post-placental insertion which was statistically significant (p value-0.04 & 0.007 respectively. However, the expulsion rates of post-placental IUCD were somewhat elevated (14% compared to interval insertions (2%. Continuation rates at the end of 6 months in both the groups were 82% and 86% respectively which is comparable. CONCLUSION Post-placental IUCD is thus found to be an ideal method to meet the unmet need of postpartum women as it is easily accessible and convenient for both women and their health care providers, is associated with less discomfort and fewer side effects and allow women to obtain safe, long acting, highly effective contraception while still in the health care system.

Family of pH-Low-Insertion-Peptides (pHLIPs)

Science.gov (United States)

Weerakkody, Dhammika; Moshnikova, Anna; Moshnikova, Valentina; Thakur, Mak; Rossi, Bethany; Engelman, Donald; Andreev, Oleg; Reshetnyak, Yana

2012-02-01

pHLIP (pH (Low) Insertion Peptide) is a novel delivery system for targeting of acidic diseased tissue such as solid tumors, sites of inflammation, arthritis and other pathological states. The molecular mechanism of pHLIP action is based on pH-dependent insertion and folding of pHLIP in membrane. We performed sequence variation and investigated 16 pHLIP variants with main goals of understanding the main principles of peptide-lipid interactions and tune delivery capability of pHLIP. The biophysical studies including thermodynamics and kinetics of the peptides interaction with a lipid bilayer of liposomes and cellular membranes were carried out. We found that peptides association to membrane at neutral and low pH could be modulated by 3-4 times. The apparent pK of transition from surface bound to membrane-inserted state could be tuned from 6.5 to 4.5. The rate of peptide's insertion across a bilayer could be enhanced 100 times compared to parent pHLIP. As a result, blood clearance and tumor targeting were modulated in a significant degree. The work is supported by NIH grants CA133890 to OAA, DME, YRK.

Recurrence, submicroscopic complexity, and potential clinical relevance of copy gains detected by array CGH that are shown to be unbalanced insertions by FISH.

Science.gov (United States)

Neill, Nicholas J; Ballif, Blake C; Lamb, Allen N; Parikh, Sumit; Ravnan, J Britt; Schultz, Roger A; Torchia, Beth S; Rosenfeld, Jill A; Shaffer, Lisa G

2011-04-01

Insertions occur when a segment of one chromosome is translocated and inserted into a new region of the same chromosome or a non-homologous chromosome. We report 71 cases with unbalanced insertions identified using array CGH and FISH in 4909 cases referred to our laboratory for array CGH and found to have copy-number abnormalities. Although the majority of insertions were non-recurrent, several recurrent unbalanced insertions were detected, including three der(Y)ins(Y;18)(q?11.2;p11.32p11.32)pat inherited from parents carrying an unbalanced insertion. The clinical significance of these recurrent rearrangements is unclear, although the small size, limited gene content, and inheritance pattern of each suggests that the phenotypic consequences may be benign. Cryptic, submicroscopic duplications were observed at or near the insertion sites in two patients, further confounding the clinical interpretation of these insertions. Using FISH, linear amplification, and array CGH, we identified a 126-kb duplicated region from 19p13.3 inserted into MECP2 at Xq28 in a patient with symptoms of Rett syndrome. Our results demonstrate that although the interpretation of most non-recurrent insertions is unclear without high-resolution insertion site characterization, the potential for an otherwise benign duplication to result in a clinically relevant outcome through the disruption of a gene necessitates the use of FISH to determine whether copy-number gains detected by array CGH represent tandem duplications or unbalanced insertions. Further follow-up testing using techniques such as linear amplification or sequencing should be used to determine gene involvement at the insertion site after FISH has identified the presence of an insertion.

Targeted, homology-driven gene insertion in stem cells by ZFN-loaded 'all-in-one' lentiviral vectors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cai, Yujia; Laustsen, Anders; Zhou, Yan

2016-01-01

-driven mechanism into safe loci. This insertion mechanism is driven by time-restricted exposure of treated cells to ZFNs. We show targeted gene integration in human stem cells, including CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Notably, targeted insertions are identified in 89......% of transduced iPSCs. Our findings demonstrate the applicability of nuclease-loaded 'all-in-one' IDLVs for site-directed gene insertion in stem cell based gene therapies....

Placement of a peripherally inserted central catheter into the azygous vein

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Franklin, Iain, E-mail: iain.franklin@health.qld.gov.au; Gilmore, Christopher [The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland (Australia)

2015-06-15

Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) are used for a variety of infusion therapies. They are indicated in patients requiring long-term venous access. Incorrect positioning of the insertion of a PICC line is one of the known complications when inserting the device in clinical practice. Radiographers once performing imaging will commonly check if the tip of a PICC has entered the superior vena cava. This case study will report on a lesser known incorrect placement of a PICC line into the azygous vein and how this can be detected on radiographic imaging. This outcome for the patient can be detrimental as it has an increased risk of perforation, thrombus, and fistula formation.

The infinite sites model of genome evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Jian; Ratan, Aakrosh; Raney, Brian J; Suh, Bernard B; Miller, Webb; Haussler, David

2008-09-23

We formalize the problem of recovering the evolutionary history of a set of genomes that are related to an unseen common ancestor genome by operations of speciation, deletion, insertion, duplication, and rearrangement of segments of bases. The problem is examined in the limit as the number of bases in each genome goes to infinity. In this limit, the chromosomes are represented by continuous circles or line segments. For such an infinite-sites model, we present a polynomial-time algorithm to find the most parsimonious evolutionary history of any set of related present-day genomes.

Can femoral dialysis catheter insertion cause a life threatening complication?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nurkay Katrancıoğlu

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Venous catheter (VC insertion may be necessary for the patients with renal failure facing vascular access problem. Femoral VCs are commonly used for their lower complication rates especially in emergency clinics. The incidence of bleeding associated with VC is reported 0.5-1.6%, however, life threatening hemorrhage and complications requiring surgical intervention are very rare. In this manuscript, we aimed to present a case with hemolytic uremic syndrome complicated with retroperitoneal hematoma after femoral VC insertion. J Clin Exp Invest 2014; 5 (3: 472-474

Neutron absorber inserts for 55-gal drums

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, R.E.; Kim, Y.S.; Toffer, H.

2000-01-01

Transport and temporary storage of more than 200 g of fissile material in 55-gal drums at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS) have received significant attention during the cleanup mission. This paper discusses successful applications and results of extensive computer studies. Interim storage and movement of fissile material in excess of standard drum limits (200 g) in a safe configuration have been accomplished using special drum inserts. Such inserts have constrained the contents of a drum to two 4-ell bottles. The content of the bottles was limited to 600 g Pu or U in solution or a total of 1200 g for the entire drum. The inserts were a simple design constructed of stainless steel, forming a vertical cylindrical pipe into which two bottles, one on top of the other, could be centered in the drum. The remaining drum volume was configured to preclude any additional bottle placement external to the vertical cylinder. Such inserts in drums were successfully used in moving high-concentration solution from one building to another for chemical processing. Concern about the knowledge of fissile material concentration in bottles prompted another study for drum inserts. The past practice had been to load up to fourteen 4-ell bottles into 55-gal drums, provided the fissile material concentration was < 6 g fissile/ell, and the total drum contents of 200 g fissile was not exceeded. Only one determination of the solution concentration was needed. An extensive safety analysis concluded that a single measurement of bottle content could not ensure compliance with double-contingency-criterion requirements. A second determination of the bottle contents was required before bottles could be placed in a 55-gal drum. Al alternative to a dual-measurement protocol, which is for bolstering administrative control, was to develop an engineered safety feature that would eliminate expensive tests and administrative decisions. A drum insert design was evaluated that would

Pre-puncture ultrasound guided epidural insertion before vaginal delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Nassar, Mahmoud; Abdelazim, Ibrahim A

2015-10-01

Palpation method is widely used in clinical practice to identify the puncture site during combined spinal-epidural (CSE) blocks. Tuffier's line, is an anatomical landmark between two iliac crests (inter-cristal), which is widely used to identify the puncture site during CSE blocks is not always an indicator for specific vertebral level or inter-vertebral space. One hundred and Ten (110) women were scheduled for normal vaginal delivery and were randomized into two equal groups; palpation group and an ultrasound guided group to detect the efficacy of puncture ultrasound before CSE blocks to increase chances of successful CSE procedure on the first attempt and to reduce the number of attempts or punctures during insertion of CSE catheter. There were no significant differences between two studied groups regarding; maternal age, weight and height, while, there was a significant difference between two studied groups regarding; parity. Percentage of successful CSE procedure on the first attempt was significantly higher (67.27%) in ultrasound compared to palpation group (40%). Number of punctures (attempts) were significantly less in ultrasound (1.2 ± 0.6) compared to palpation group (2.3 ± 0.8) and the number of redirections was also significantly less in ultrasound (1.4 ± 0.5) compared to palpation group (2.8 ± 1.6). Although, time to identify puncture site was significantly longer in ultrasound compared to palpation group and total procedure time was longer in ultrasound (9.1 ± 1.5 min) compared to palpation group (6.2 ± 1.2 min), there was no significant difference between two studied groups regarding; time to identify puncture site and total procedure time. Two cases of dural puncture in palpation versus no cases in ultrasound group and two cases of intravascular catheter placement (one in each group), with no significant difference between two groups. Pre- puncture ultrasound guided epidural insertion before vaginal delivery, increases the chance of a

Risk Factors Related to Peripherally Inserted Central Venous Catheter Nonselective Removal in Neonates

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Xiaohe Yu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available We aimed to investigate the incidence and risk factors associated with nonselective removal of peripherally inserted central venous catheter (PICC in neonates. In this prospective cohort study, neonates who underwent PICC placement at neonatal intensive care units (NICUs in China from October 2012 to November 2015 were included. The patient demographics, catheter characteristics, catheter duration, PICC insertion site, indication for PICC insertion, infuscate composition, PICC tip location, and catheter complications were recorded in a computerized database. Risk factors for nonselective removal were analyzed. A total of 497 PICCs were placed in 496 neonates. Nonselective removal occurred in 9.3% of PICCs during 10,540 catheter-days (4.6 nonselective removals per 1,000 catheter-days. These included occlusion (3%, infection (1.4%, leakage (2.0%, phlebitis (0.6%, displacement (1%, pleural effusion(0.6%, and breaks (0.6%. Noncentral tip position was independently associated with an increased risk of nonselective removal (odds ratio 2.621; 95% confidence interval, 1.258-5.461 after adjusting for gestational age, sex, birth weight, and PICC dwell time. No significant differences in the rate of complications occurred between silastic and polyurethane PICC or different insertion sites. Noncentral PICC tip position was the only independent risk factor for nonselective removal of PICC.

Comparison of complications between pediatric peripherally inserted central catheter placement techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dasgupta, Niloy; Lungren, Matthew P.; Patel, Manish N.; Racadio, John M.; Johnson, Neil D.

2016-01-01

Peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) is among the most common procedures performed in children in the hospital setting. PICC insertion can be simplified with the use of a sheathed needle as an alternative to the modified Seldinger technique. To retrospectively evaluate PICC placement for the technique used and the incidence of complications at a large pediatric tertiary care center. We retrospectively reviewed all PICC placements at a single institution over a 4-year period. We reviewed patient records for demographic data, PICC placement technique, catheter size and number of lumens, and the incidence of complications (i.e. multiple attempted puncture sites, phlebitis and vessel thrombosis). We analyzed complication rates between two placement techniques using a chi-square test. We identified 8,816 successful PICC placements, 4,749 (53.9%) in males and 4,067 (46.1%) in females. The average age of the patients for which a line was placed was 5.6 years (range 1 day to 45 years). A direct sheathed needle puncture technique was used in 8,362 (94.9%) placements and a modified Seldinger technique was used in 454 (5.1%). Complications occurred in 312 (3.7%) of direct sheathed needle puncture placements versus 17 (3.7%) of modified Seldinger placements (P = 0.99). Multiple puncture sites were required in 175 (2.1%) attempted direct sheathed needle puncture placements compared with 8 (1.7%) attempted modified Seldinger placements (P = 0.63). Phlebitis occurred in 94 (1.1%) direct sheathed needle puncture lines versus 5 (1.1%) modified Seldinger placed lines (P = 0.96). Vessel thrombosis occurred in 43 (0.5%) direct sheathed needle puncture lines versus 4 (0.9%) modified Seldinger placed lines (P = 0.30). The direct peel-away sheathed needle vessel puncture technique and the modified Seldinger technique used to place PICC lines in children have similar complication rates. (orig.)

Comparison of complications between pediatric peripherally inserted central catheter placement techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dasgupta, Niloy; Lungren, Matthew P. [Lucile Packard Children' s Hospital Stanford, Department of Radiology, Palo Alto, CA (United States); Patel, Manish N.; Racadio, John M.; Johnson, Neil D. [Cincinnati Children' s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati, OH (United States)

2016-09-15

Peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) is among the most common procedures performed in children in the hospital setting. PICC insertion can be simplified with the use of a sheathed needle as an alternative to the modified Seldinger technique. To retrospectively evaluate PICC placement for the technique used and the incidence of complications at a large pediatric tertiary care center. We retrospectively reviewed all PICC placements at a single institution over a 4-year period. We reviewed patient records for demographic data, PICC placement technique, catheter size and number of lumens, and the incidence of complications (i.e. multiple attempted puncture sites, phlebitis and vessel thrombosis). We analyzed complication rates between two placement techniques using a chi-square test. We identified 8,816 successful PICC placements, 4,749 (53.9%) in males and 4,067 (46.1%) in females. The average age of the patients for which a line was placed was 5.6 years (range 1 day to 45 years). A direct sheathed needle puncture technique was used in 8,362 (94.9%) placements and a modified Seldinger technique was used in 454 (5.1%). Complications occurred in 312 (3.7%) of direct sheathed needle puncture placements versus 17 (3.7%) of modified Seldinger placements (P = 0.99). Multiple puncture sites were required in 175 (2.1%) attempted direct sheathed needle puncture placements compared with 8 (1.7%) attempted modified Seldinger placements (P = 0.63). Phlebitis occurred in 94 (1.1%) direct sheathed needle puncture lines versus 5 (1.1%) modified Seldinger placed lines (P = 0.96). Vessel thrombosis occurred in 43 (0.5%) direct sheathed needle puncture lines versus 4 (0.9%) modified Seldinger placed lines (P = 0.30). The direct peel-away sheathed needle vessel puncture technique and the modified Seldinger technique used to place PICC lines in children have similar complication rates. (orig.)

Chest tube insertion

Science.gov (United States)

Chest drainage tube insertion; Insertion of tube into chest; Tube thoracostomy; Pericardial drain ... Be careful there are no kinks in your tube. The drainage system should always sit upright and be placed ...

Clinical outcome of narrow diameter implants inserted into allografts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maurizio Franco

2009-08-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Narrow diameter implants (NDI (i.e. diameter <3.75 mm are a potential solution for specific clinical situations, such as reduced interradicular bone, thin alveolar crest and replacement of teeth with small cervical diameter. NDI have been available in clinical practice since the 1990s, but only few studies have analyzed their clinical outcome and no study have investigated NDI inserted in fresh-frozen bone (FFB grafts. Thus, a retrospective study on a series of NDI placed in homologue FFB was designed to evaluate their clinical outcome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the period between December 2003 and December 2006, 36 patients (22 females and 14 males, mean age 53 years with FFB grafts were selected and 94 different NDI were inserted. The mean follow-up was 25 months. To evaluate the effect of several host-, surgery-, and implant-related factors, marginal bone loss (MBL was considered an indicator of success rate (SCR. The Kaplan Meier algorithm and Cox regression were used. RESULTS: Only 5 out of 94 implants were lost (i.e. survival rate - SVR 95.7% and no differences were detected among the studied variables. On the contrary, the Cox regression showed that the graft site (i.e. maxilla reduced MBL. CONCLUSIONS: NDI inserted in FFB have a high SVR and SCR similar to those reported in previous studies on regular and NDI inserted in non-grafted jaws. Homologue FFB is a valuable material in the insertion of NDI.

Improving patient safety during insertion of peripheral venous catheters: an observational intervention study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kampf, Günter

2013-11-01

Full Text Available [english] Background: Peripheral venous catheters are frequently used in hospitalized patients but increase the risk of nosocomial bloodstream infection. Evidence-based guidelines describe specific steps that are known to reduce infection risk. However, the degree of guideline implementation in clinical practice is not known. The aim of this study was to determine the use of specific steps for insertion of peripheral venous catheters in clinical practice and to implement a multimodal intervention aimed at improving both compliance and the optimum order of the steps.Methods: The study was conducted at University Hospital Hamburg. An optimum procedure for inserting a peripheral venous catheter was defined based on three evidence-based guidelines (WHO, CDC, RKI including five steps with 1A or 1B level of evidence: hand disinfection before patient contact, skin antisepsis of the puncture site, no palpation of treated puncture site, hand disinfection before aseptic procedure, and sterile dressing on the puncture site. A research nurse observed and recorded procedures for peripheral venous catheter insertion for healthcare workers in four different departments (endoscopy, central emergency admissions, pediatrics, and dermatology. A multimodal intervention with 5 elements was established (teaching session, dummy training, e-learning tool, tablet and poster, and direct feedback, followed by a second observation period. During the last observation week, participants evaluated the intervention.Results: In the control period, 207 insertions were observed, and 202 in the intervention period. Compliance improved significantly for four of five steps (e.g., from 11.6% to 57.9% for hand disinfection before patient contact; p<0.001, chi-square test. Compliance with skin antisepsis of the puncture site was high before and after intervention (99.5% before and 99.0% after. Performance of specific steps in the correct order also improved (e.g., from 7.7% to 68

Clonal Dominance With Retroviral Vector Insertions Near the ANGPT1 and ANGPT2 Genes in a Human Xenotransplant Mouse Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reinhard Haemmerle

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Insertional leukemogenesis represents the major risk factor of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC based gene therapy utilizing integrating viral vectors. To develop a pre-clinical model for the evaluation of vector-related genotoxicity directly in the relevant human target cells, cord blood CD34+ HSCs were transplanted into immunodeficient NOD.SCID.IL2rg−/− (NSG mice after transduction with an LTR-driven gammaretroviral vector (GV. Furthermore, we specifically investigated the effect of prolonged in vitro culture in the presence of cytokines recently described to promote HSC expansion or maintenance. Clonality of human hematopoiesis in NSG mice was assessed by high throughput insertion site analyses and validated by insertion site-specific PCR depicting a GV typical integration profile with insertion sites resembling to 25% those of clinical studies. No overrepresentation of integrations in the vicinity of cancer-related genes was observed, however, several dominant clones were identified including two clones harboring integrations in the ANGPT1 and near the ANGPT2 genes associated with deregulated ANGPT1- and ANGPT2-mRNA levels. While these data underscore the potential value of the NSG model, our studies also identified short-comings such as overall low numbers of engrafted HSCs, limited in vivo observation time, and the challenges of in-depth insertion site analyses by low contribution of gene modified hematopoiesis.

Extra-anatomical complications of antegrade double-J insertion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A R Rao

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Insertion of a double-J (JJ stent is a common procedure often carried out in the retrograde route by the urologists and the antegrade route by the radiologists. Reported complications include stent migration, encrustation, and fracture. Extra-anatomic placement of an antegrade JJ stent is a rare but infrequently recognized complication. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective audit of 165 antegrade JJ stent insertions performed over three consecutive years by a single interventional radiologist. All renal units were hydronephrotic at the time of nephrostomy. All procedures were performed under local anaesthetic with antibiotic prophylaxis. Results: Antegrade stent insertion was carried out simultaneously at the time of nephrostomy in 55 of the 165 cases (33%. The remainder were inserted at a mean of 2 weeks following decompression. In five (3% patients, who had delayed antegrade stenting following nephrostomy, the procedure was complicated by silent ureteric perforation and an extra-anatomic placement of the stent. These complications had delayed manifestations, which included two retroperitoneal abscesses, a pelvic urinoma, a case each of ureterorectal fistula, and ureterovaginal fistula. Risk factors for ureteric perforation include previous pelvic malignancy, pelvic surgery, pelvic radiation, and a history of ureteric manipulation. Conclusion: Antegrade ureteric JJ stenting is a procedure not without complications. Extra-anatomic placement of the antegrade stent is a hitherto the infrequently reported complication but needs a high index of suspicion to be diagnosed. Risk factors for ureteric perforation at the time of stent insertion have to be considered to prevent this potential complication.

Experimental insertions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandweiss, J.; Kycia, T.F.

1975-01-01

A discussion is given of the eight identical experimental insertions for the planned ISABELLE storage rings. Four sets of quadrupole doublets are used to match the β functions in the insertions to the values in the cells, and the total free space available at the crossing point is 40 meters. An asymmetric beam energy operation is planned, which will be useful in a number of experiments

The usefulness of levin tube inserted drip infusion spiral CT: comparison with conventional method in subtotal gastrectomy patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Young Jin; Kim, Young Hwan; Yoon, Jung Hee; Cha, Soon Joo; Kim, Jeong Sook; Kim, Sung Rok; Hur, Gham; Rhim, Hyun Chul

1998-01-01

The purpose of this study is to access the usefulness of newly designed Levin tube inserted drip infusion spiral CT for the evaluation of remnant stomach and anastomosis site in patients who have undergone subtotal gastrectomy for stomach cancer. A new technique named Levin tube inserted drip infusion spiral CT was used to prospectively study 23 patients. A 16Fr Levin tube was inserted into the remnant stomach; 500 ml of tap water was drip infused just before CT scanning and an additional 500 ml of water was infused during IV contrast injection. Water was infused by gravity, using a water bottle suspended at a height of 90 cm (Group A). The 31 patients who underwent conventional spiral CT scanning immediately after the divided ingestion of 900 ml diluted gastrografin were selected as a control group (Group B). The anatomic delineation of the anastomosis site was graded by two radiologists as excellent (3), good(2), fair (1) or poor (0). To evaluate the degree of distension, the maximal diameters of remnant stomach and the anastomosis site, and the thickness of the stomach wall, were also measured. In patients who had undergone subtobal gastrectomy, Levin tube inserted drip infusion spiral CT showed excellent anatomic delineation of the site of anastomosis and remnant stomach. We found that because it increases the distension of remnant stomach and the anastomosis site, this technique is effective for the evaluation of postoperative stomach. (author). 10 refs., 2 tabs., 3 figs

Codon cassette mutagenesis: a general method to insert or replace individual codons by using universal mutagenic cassettes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kegler-Ebo, D M; Docktor, C M; DiMaio, D

1994-05-11

We describe codon cassette mutagenesis, a simple method of mutagenesis that uses universal mutagenic cassettes to deposit single codons at specific sites in double-stranded DNA. A target molecule is first constructed that contains a blunt, double-strand break at the site targeted for mutagenesis. A double-stranded mutagenic codon cassette is then inserted at the target site. Each mutagenic codon cassette contains a three base pair direct terminal repeat and two head-to-head recognition sequences for the restriction endonuclease Sapl, an enzyme that cleaves outside of its recognition sequence. The intermediate molecule containing the mutagenic cassette is then digested with Sapl, thereby removing most of the mutagenic cassette, leaving only a three base cohesive overhang that is ligated to generate the final insertion or substitution mutation. A general method for constructing blunt-end target molecules suitable for this approach is also described. Because the mutagenic cassette is excised during this procedure and alters the target only by introducing the desired mutation, the same cassette can be used to introduce a particular codon at all target sites. Each cassette can deposit two different codons, depending on the orientation in which it is inserted into the target molecule. Therefore, a series of eleven cassettes is sufficient to insert all possible amino acids at any constructed target site. Thus codon cassettes are 'off-the-shelf' reagents, and this methodology should be a particularly useful and inexpensive approach for subjecting multiple different positions in a protein sequence to saturation mutagenesis.

Tissue-engineering strategies for the tendon/ligament-to-bone insertion.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Lester; Xia, Younan; Galatz, Leesa M; Genin, Guy M; Thomopoulos, Stavros

2012-01-01

Injuries to connective tissues are painful and disabling and result in costly medical expenses. These injuries often require reattachment of an unmineralized connective tissue to bone. The uninjured tendon/ligament-to-bone insertion (enthesis) is a functionally graded material that exhibits a gradual transition from soft tissue (i.e., tendon or ligament) to hard tissue (i.e., mineralized bone) through a fibrocartilaginous transition region. This transition is believed to facilitate force transmission between the two dissimilar tissues by ameliorating potentially damaging interfacial stress concentrations. The transition region is impaired or lost upon tendon/ligament injury and is not regenerated following surgical repair or natural healing, exposing the tissue to risk of reinjury. The need to regenerate a robust tendon-to-bone insertion has led a number of tissue engineering repair strategies. This review treats the tendon-to-bone insertion site as a tissue structure whose primary role is mechanical and discusses current and emerging strategies for engineering the tendon/ligament-to-bone insertion in this context. The focus lies on strategies for producing mechanical structures that can guide and subsequently sustain a graded tissue structure and the associated cell populations.

Correlation between Initial BIC and the Insertion Torque/Depth Integral Recorded with an Instantaneous Torque-Measuring Implant Motor: An in vivo Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Capparé, Paolo; Vinci, Raffaele; Di Stefano, Danilo Alessio; Traini, Tonino; Pantaleo, Giuseppe; Gherlone, Enrico Felice; Gastaldi, Giorgio

2015-10-01

Quantitative intraoperative evaluation of bone quality at implant placement site and postinsertion implant primary stability assessment are two key parameters to perform implant-supported rehabilitation properly. A novel micromotor has been recently introduced allowing to measure bone density at implant placement site and to record implant insertion-related parameters, such as the instantaneous, average and peak insertion torque values, and the insertion torque/depth integral. The aim of this study was to investigate in vivo if any correlation existed between initial bone-to-implant contact (BIC) and bone density and integral values recorded with the instrument. Twenty-five patients seeking for implant-supported rehabilitation of edentulous areas were consecutively treated. Before implant placement, bone density at the insertion site was measured. For each patient, an undersized 3.3 × 8-mm implant was placed, recording the insertion torque/depth integral values. After 15 minutes, the undersized implant was retrieved with a 0.5 mm-thick layer of bone surrounding it. Standard implants were consequently placed. Retrieved implants were analyzed for initial BIC quantification after fixation, dehydration, acrylic resin embedment, sections cutting and grinding, and toluidine-blue and acid fuchsine staining. Correlation between initial BIC values, bone density at the insertion site, and the torque/depth integral values was investigated by linear regression analysis. A significant linear correlation was found to exist between initial BIC and (a) bone density at the insertion site (R = 0.96, explained variance R(2)  = 0.92) and (b) torque/depth integral at placement (R = 0.81, explained variance R(2)  = 0.66). The system provided quantitative, reliable data correlating significantly with immediate postinsertion initial BIC, and could therefore represent a valuable tool both for clinical research and for the oral implantologist in his/her daily clinical

Folding and insertion thermodynamics of the transmembrane WALP peptide

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bereau, T.; Bennett, W.F.D.; Pfaendtner, J.; Deserno, M.; Karttunen, M.E.J.

2015-01-01

The anchor of most integral membrane proteins consists of one or several helices spanning the lipid bilayer. The WALP peptide, GWW(LA)$_n$(L)WWA, is a common model helix to study the fundamentals of protein insertion and folding, as well as helix-helix association in the membrane. Its structural

Folding and insertion thermodynamics of the transmembrane WALP peptide

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bereau, T.; Bennett, W.F.D. Drew; Pfaendtner, J.; Deserno, M.; Karttunen, M.

2015-01-01

The anchor of most integral membrane proteins consists of one or several helices spanning the lipid bilayer. The WALP peptide, GWW(LA)n (L)WWA, is a common model helix to study the fundamentals of protein insertion and folding, as well as helix-helix association in the membrane. Its structural

Quantification of Tissue Trauma following Insulin Pen Needle Insertions in Skin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Casper Bo; Larsen, Rasmus; Vestergaard, Jacob Schack

Objective: Within the field of pen needle development, most research on needle design revolves around mechanical tensile testing and patient statements. Only little has been published on the actual biological skin response to needle insertions. The objective of this study was to develop a computa......Objective: Within the field of pen needle development, most research on needle design revolves around mechanical tensile testing and patient statements. Only little has been published on the actual biological skin response to needle insertions. The objective of this study was to develop...... a computational method to quantify tissue trauma based on skin bleeding and immune response. Method: Two common sized pen needles of 28G (0.36mm) and 32G (0.23mm) were inserted into skin of sedated LYD pigs prior to termination. Four pigs were included and a total of 32 randomized needle insertions were conducted...... diameter. Conclusion: A computational and quantitative method has been developed to assess tissue trauma following insulin pen needle insertions. Application of the method is tested by conduction of a needle diameter study. The obtained quantitative measures of tissue trauma correlate positively to needle...

A non-canonical transferred DNA insertion at the BRI1 locus in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Zhong; Zhu, Yan; Erhardt, Mathieu; Ruan, Ying; Shen, Wen-Hui

2009-04-01

Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is widely used in transgenic plant engineering and has been proven to be a powerful tool for insertional mutagenesis of the plant genome. The transferred DNA (T-DNA) from Agrobacterium is integrated into the plant genome through illegitimate recombination between the T-DNA and the plant DNA. Contrasting to the canonical insertion, here we report on a locus showing a complex mutation associated with T-DNA insertion at the BRI1 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana. We obtained a mutant line, named salade for its phenotype of dwarf stature and proliferating rosette. Molecular characterization of this mutant revealed that in addition to T-DNA a non-T-DNA-localized transposon from bacteria was inserted in the Arabidopsis genome and that a region of more than 11.5 kb of the Arabidopsis genome was deleted at the insertion site. The deleted region contains the brassinosteroid receptor gene BRI1 and the transcription factor gene WRKY13. Our finding reveals non-canonical T-DNA insertion, implicating horizontal gene transfer and cautioning the use of T-DNA as mutagen in transgenic research.

Enzymatic functionalization of a nanobody using protein insertion technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Crasson, O; Rhazi, N; Jacquin, O; Freichels, A; Jérôme, C; Ruth, N; Galleni, M; Filée, P; Vandevenne, M

2015-10-01

Antibody-based products constitute one of the most attractive biological molecules for diagnostic, medical imagery and therapeutic purposes with very few side effects. Their development has become a major priority of biotech and pharmaceutical industries. Recently, a growing number of modified antibody-based products have emerged including fragments, multi-specific and conjugate antibodies. In this study, using protein engineering, we have functionalized the anti-hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL) camelid VHH antibody fragment (cAb-Lys3), by insertion into a solvent-exposed loop of the Bacillus licheniformis β-lactamase BlaP. We showed that the generated hybrid protein conserved its enzymatic activity while the displayed nanobody retains its ability to inhibit HEWL with a nanomolar affinity range. Then, we successfully implemented the functionalized cAb-Lys3 in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, potentiometric biosensor and drug screening assays. The hybrid protein was also expressed on the surface of phage particles and, in this context, was able to interact specifically with HEWL while the β-lactamase activity was used to monitor phage interactions. Finally, using thrombin-cleavage sites surrounding the permissive insertion site in the β-lactamase, we reported an expression system in which the nanobody can be easily separated from its carrier protein. Altogether, our study shows that insertion into the BlaP β-lactamase constitutes a suitable technology to functionalize nanobodies and allows the creation of versatile tools that can be used in innovative biotechnological assays. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Does insertion of intramuscular electromyographic electrodes alter motor behavior during locomotion?

Science.gov (United States)

Armour Smith, Jo; Kulig, Kornelia

2015-06-01

Intramuscular electromyography (EMG) is commonly used to quantify activity in the trunk musculature. However, it is unclear if the discomfort or fear of pain associated with insertion of intramuscular EMG electrodes results in altered motor behavior. This study examined whether intramuscular EMG affects locomotor speed and trunk motion, and examined the anticipated and actual pain associated with electrode insertion in healthy individuals and individuals with a history of low back pain (LBP). Before and after insertion of intramuscular electrodes into the lumbar and thoracic paraspinals, participants performed multiple repetitions of a walking turn at self-selected and controlled average speed. Low levels of anticipated and actual pain were reported in both groups. Self-selected locomotor speed was significantly increased following insertion of the electrodes. At the controlled speed, the amplitude of sagittal plane lumbo-pelvic motion decreased significantly post-insertion, but the extent of this change was the same in both groups. Lumbo-pelvic motion in the frontal and axial planes and thoraco-lumbar motion in all planes were not affected by the insertions. This study demonstrates that intramuscular EMG is an appropriate methodology to selectively quantify the activation patterns of the individual muscles in the paraspinal group, both in healthy individuals and individuals with a history of LBP. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Insertion forces and intracochlear trauma in temporal bone specimens implanted with a straight atraumatic electrode array.

Science.gov (United States)

Mirsalehi, Marjan; Rau, Thomas S; Harbach, Lenka; Hügl, Silke; Mohebbi, Saleh; Lenarz, Thomas; Majdani, Omid

2017-05-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate insertion forces during manual insertion of a straight atraumatic electrode in human temporal bones, and post-implantation histologic evaluation of the samples to determine whether violation of intracochlear structures is related to insertion forces. In order to minimize intracochlear trauma and preserve residual hearing during cochlear implantation, knowledge of the insertion forces is necessary. Ten fresh frozen human temporal bones were prepared with canal wall down mastoidectomy. All samples were mounted on a one-axis force sensor. Insertion of a 16-mm straight atraumatic electrode was performed from different angles to induce "traumatic" insertion. Histologic evaluation was performed in order to evaluate intracochlear trauma. In 4 of 10 samples, dislocation of the electrode into scala vestibuli was observed. The mean insertion force for all 10 procedures was 0.003 ± 0.005 N. Insertion forces measured around the site of dislocation to scala vestibuli in 3 of 4 samples were significantly higher than insertion forces at the same location of the cochleae measured in samples without trauma (p straight atraumatic electrode is lower than reported by other studies using longer electrodes. Based on our study, insertion forces leading to basilar membrane trauma may be lower than the previously reported direct rupture forces.

Two stents insertion via single tract for treatment of hepatic hilar cholangiocarcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Zonggui; Jin Peng; Xie Zhiyong; Yi Yuhai; Zhang Xuping

2003-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and clinical application of two stents insertion via single tract for treatment of hepatic hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Methods: Eighteen patients with hepatic hilar cholangiocarcinoma who had left and right bile duct obstruction were treated with stents insertion via right bile duct puncturing routeway. These two stents were implanted between right and left bile duct, and between right bile duct and common bile duct. Results: Eighteen patients obtained successful two stents placement by right bile duct puncturing tract and succeeded with internal drainage for all biliary tree jaundice subsided distinctly. Conclusions: The technique of two stents insertion via single tract could predigest interventional drainage procedure of high bile duct obstruction, reduce operation trauma, shorten handling time and possess promising application value

Insertion and deletion polymorphisms of the ancient AluS family in the human genome.

Science.gov (United States)

Kryatova, Maria S; Steranka, Jared P; Burns, Kathleen H; Payer, Lindsay M

2017-01-01

Polymorphic Alu elements account for 17% of structural variants in the human genome. The majority of these belong to the youngest AluY subfamilies, and most structural variant discovery efforts have focused on identifying Alu polymorphisms from these currently retrotranspositionally active subfamilies. In this report we analyze polymorphisms from the evolutionarily older AluS subfamily, whose peak activity was tens of millions of years ago. We annotate the AluS polymorphisms, assess their likely mechanism of origin, and evaluate their contribution to structural variation in the human genome. Of 52 previously reported polymorphic AluS elements ascertained for this study, 48 were confirmed to belong to the AluS subfamily using high stringency subfamily classification criteria. Of these, the majority (77%, 37/48) appear to be deletion polymorphisms. Two polymorphic AluS elements (4%) have features of non-classical Alu insertions and one polymorphic AluS element (2%) likely inserted by a mechanism involving internal priming. Seven AluS polymorphisms (15%) appear to have arisen by the classical target-primed reverse transcription (TPRT) retrotransposition mechanism. These seven TPRT products are 3' intact with 3' poly-A tails, and are flanked by target site duplications; L1 ORF2p endonuclease cleavage sites were also observed, providing additional evidence that these are L1 ORF2p endonuclease-mediated TPRT insertions. Further sequence analysis showed strong conservation of both the RNA polymerase III promoter and SRP9/14 binding sites, important for mediating transcription and interaction with retrotransposition machinery, respectively. This conservation of functional features implies that some of these are fairly recent insertions since they have not diverged significantly from their respective retrotranspositionally competent source elements. Of the polymorphic AluS elements evaluated in this report, 15% (7/48) have features consistent with TPRT-mediated insertion

Insertion device and method for accurate and repeatable target insertion

Science.gov (United States)

Gubeli, III, Joseph F.; Shinn, Michelle D.; Bevins, Michael E.; Dillon-Townes, Lawrence; Neil, George R.

2017-07-04

The present invention discloses a device and a method for inserting and positioning a target within a free electron laser, particle accelerator, or other such device that generates or utilizes a beam of energy or particles. The system includes a three-point registration mechanism that insures angular and translational accuracy and repeatability of positioning upon multiple insertions within the same structure.

The Nucleoid Binding Protein H-NS Biases Genome-Wide Transposon Insertion Landscapes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Satoshi Kimura

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Transposon insertion sequencing (TIS; also known as TnSeq is a potent approach commonly used to comprehensively define the genetic loci that contribute to bacterial fitness in diverse environments. A key presumption underlying analyses of TIS datasets is that loci with a low frequency of transposon insertions contribute to fitness. However, it is not known whether factors such as nucleoid binding proteins can alter the frequency of transposon insertion and thus whether TIS output may systematically reflect factors that are independent of the role of the loci in fitness. Here, we investigated whether the histone-like nucleoid structuring (H-NS protein, which preferentially associates with AT-rich sequences, modulates the frequency of Mariner transposon insertion in the Vibrio cholerae genome, using comparative analysis of TIS results from wild-type (wt and Δhns V. cholerae strains. These analyses were overlaid on gene classification based on GC content as well as on extant genome-wide identification of H-NS binding loci. Our analyses revealed a significant dearth of insertions within AT-rich loci in wt V. cholerae that was not apparent in the Δhns insertion library. Additionally, we observed a striking correlation between genetic loci that are overrepresented in the Δhns insertion library relative to their insertion frequency in wt V. cholerae and loci previously found to physically interact with H-NS. Collectively, our findings reveal that factors other than genetic fitness can systematically modulate the frequency of transposon insertions in TIS studies and add a cautionary note to interpretation of TIS data, particularly for AT-rich sequences.

Band gap evaluations of metal-inserted titania nanomaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bashir, Sajid; Liu, Jingbo; Zhang Hui; Sun Xuhui; Guo Jinghua

2013-01-01

The electronic and crystalline properties of iron-inserted titania (Fe x Ti 1−x O 2 ) nanoparticles were measured using synchrotron-based soft X-ray spectroscopy and high-temperature X-ray powder diffraction (HT-XRD). The data from X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy were used to examine occupied and unoccupied densities of states for O 2p and Ti/Fe 3d hybrid orbital characteristics. It was found that Fe 3+ insertion resulted in an up-shift of the band gap from 3.20 to 3.46 eV. This observation reflected site occupancy in the TiO 2 lattice by Fe dopant ions. From HT-XRD Rietveld analysis, Ti occupancy was found to be 0.92 and oxygen 1.00. In addition, the crystal structure remained anatase within a temperature range of 25–800 °C, while the lattice distortion increased due to thermal expansion.

Structural effect of the Asp345a insertion in penicillin-binding protein 2 from penicillin-resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Science.gov (United States)

Fedarovich, Alena; Cook, Edward; Tomberg, Joshua; Nicholas, Robert A; Davies, Christopher

2014-12-09

A hallmark of penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP2) from penicillin-resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae is insertion of an aspartate after position 345. The insertion resides on a loop near the active site and is immediately adjacent to an existing aspartate (Asp346) that forms a functionally important hydrogen bond with Ser363 of the SxN conserved motif. Insertion of other amino acids, including Glu and Asn, can also lower the rate of acylation by penicillin, but these insertions abolish transpeptidase function. Although the kinetic consequences of the Asp insertion are well-established, how it impacts the structure of PBP2 is unknown. Here, we report the 2.2 Å resolution crystal structure of a truncated construct of PBP2 containing all five mutations present in PBP2 from the penicillin-resistant strain 6140, including the Asp insertion. Commensurate with the strict specificity for the Asp insertion over similar amino acids, the insertion does not cause disordering of the structure, but rather induces localized flexibility in the β2c-β2d loop. The crystal structure resolves the ambiguity of whether the insertion is Asp345a or Asp346a (due to the adjacent Asp) because the hydrogen bond between Asp346 and Ser362 is preserved and the insertion is therefore Asp346a. The side chain of Asp346a projects directly toward the β-lactam-binding site near Asn364 of the SxN motif. The Asp insertion may lower the rate of acylation by sterically impeding binding of the antibiotic or by hindering breakage of the β-lactam ring during acylation because of the negative charge of its side chain.

Use of a Nasal Speculum for Chest-Drain Insertion: A Simple Technique

OpenAIRE

Saxena, Pankaj; Konstantinov, Igor E.; Newman, Mark A.J.

2006-01-01

Tube thoracostomy is a very commonly performed procedure in cardiothoracic surgery. Insertion of a chest drain requires expertise to minimize complications. We describe a simple technique of using a nasal speculum to perform this procedure.

Mismatch analysis of humeral nailing. Antegrade versus retrograde insertion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahaisavariya, B.; Jiamwatthanachai, P.; Aroonjarattham, P.; Aroonjarattham, K.; Wongcumchang, M.; Sitthiseripratip, K.

2011-01-01

Closed humeral nailing is now considered an alternative treatment for humeral-shaft fracture. The nail can be inserted with either the antegrade or retrograde method. We investigated and compared the problem of geometric mismatch of the humeral nail to the humerus between the two methods of insertion. The study was performed using virtual simulation based on computed tomography (CT) data of 76 Thai cadaveric humeri and the commonly used Russell-Taylor humeral nail 8 mm in diameter and 220 mm long. Mismatch of the nail to the intact humerus was analyzed and compared between the antegrade and retrograde nailing approaches. The results showed: the diameter of the medullary canal averaged 7.9-13.8 mm; the minimal reaming diameter to accommodate virtual nail insertion averaged 8.8-14.8 mm for the antegrade and 8.8-29.3 mm for the retrograde approach; the minimal reaming thickness of the inner cortex averaged 0.1-1.5 mm for the antegrade and 0.1-9.9 mm for the retrograde approach; the percentages of cortical bone removed prior to nail insertion were 3.8-107.1% and 3.8-1,287.6% for the antegrade and retrograde approaches, respectively; the eccentricity of the nail-medullary canal center were 0.4-3.4 and 0.4-10.6 mm for the antegrade and retrograde approaches, respectively. Less mismatching occurred with antegrade nailing than with the retrograde approach. Retrograde nailing requires excessive reaming at the distal part of the humerus to accommodate nail insertion. This may create bone weakness and the risk of supracondylar fracture. (author)

Essential Genes for In Vitro Growth of the Endophyte Herbaspirillum seropedicae SmR1 as Revealed by Transposon Insertion Site Sequencing.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosconi, Federico; de Vries, Stefan P W; Baig, Abiyad; Fabiano, Elena; Grant, Andrew J

2016-11-15

The interior of plants contains microorganisms (referred to as endophytes) that are distinct from those present at the root surface or in the surrounding soil. Herbaspirillum seropedicae strain SmR1, belonging to the betaproteobacteria, is an endophyte that colonizes crops, including rice, maize, sugarcane, and sorghum. Different approaches have revealed genes and pathways regulated during the interactions of H. seropedicae with its plant hosts. However, functional genomic analysis of transposon (Tn) mutants has been hampered by the lack of genetic tools. Here we successfully employed a combination of in vivo high-density mariner Tn mutagenesis and targeted Tn insertion site sequencing (Tn-seq) in H. seropedicae SmR1. The analysis of multiple gene-saturating Tn libraries revealed that 395 genes are essential for the growth of H. seropedicae SmR1 in tryptone-yeast extract medium. A comparative analysis with the Database of Essential Genes (DEG) showed that 25 genes are uniquely essential in H. seropedicae SmR1. The Tn mutagenesis protocol developed and the gene-saturating Tn libraries generated will facilitate elucidation of the genetic mechanisms of the H. seropedicae endophytic lifestyle. A focal point in the study of endophytes is the development of effective biofertilizers that could help to reduce the input of agrochemicals in croplands. Besides the ability to promote plant growth, a good biofertilizer should be successful in colonizing its host and competing against the native microbiota. By using a systematic Tn-based gene-inactivation strategy and massively parallel sequencing of Tn insertion sites (Tn-seq), it is possible to study the fitness of thousands of Tn mutants in a single experiment. We have applied the combination of these techniques to the plant-growth-promoting endophyte Herbaspirillum seropedicae SmR1. The Tn mutant libraries generated will enable studies into the genetic mechanisms of H. seropedicae-plant interactions. The approach that we

Structural insight to mutation effects uncover a common allosteric site in class C GPCRs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harpsøe, Kasper; Boesgaard, Michael W; Munk, Christian

2017-01-01

MOTIVATION: Class C G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) regulate important physiological functions and allosteric modulators binding to the transmembrane domain constitute an attractive and, due to a lack of structural insight, a virtually unexplored potential for therapeutics and the food industry....... Combining pharmacological site-directed mutagenesis data with the recent class C GPCR experimental structures will provide a foundation for rational design of new therapeutics. RESULTS: We uncover one common site for both positive and negative modulators with different amino acid layouts that can...

Identification of genomic insertion and flanking sequence of G2-EPSPS and GAT transgenes in soybean using whole genome sequencing method

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Bingfu Guo

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Molecular characterization of sequences flanking exogenous fragment insertions is essential for safety assessment and labeling of genetically modified organisms (GMO. In this study, the T-DNA insertion sites and flanking sequences were identified in two newly developed transgenic glyphosate-tolerant soybeans GE-J16 and ZH10-6 based on whole genome sequencing (WGS method. About 21 Gb sequence data (~21× coverage for each line was generated on Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform. The junction reads mapped to boundary of T-DNA and flanking sequences in these two events were identified by comparing all sequencing reads with soybean reference genome and sequence of transgenic vector. The putative insertion loci and flanking sequences were further confirmed by PCR amplification, Sanger sequencing, and co-segregation analysis. All these analyses supported that exogenous T-DNA fragments were integrated in positions of Chr19: 50543767-50543792 and Chr17: 7980527-7980541 in these two transgenic lines. Identification of the genomic insertion site of the G2-EPSPS and GAT transgenes will facilitate the use of their glyphosate-tolerant traits in soybean breeding program. These results also demonstrated that WGS is a cost-effective and rapid method of identifying sites of T-DNA insertions and flanking sequences in soybean.

Facility target insert shielding assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mocko, Michal [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2015-10-06

Main objective of this report is to assess the basic shielding requirements for the vertical target insert and retrieval port. We used the baseline design for the vertical target insert in our calculations. The insert sits in the 12”-diameter cylindrical shaft extending from the service alley in the top floor of the facility all the way down to the target location. The target retrieval mechanism is a long rod with the target assembly attached and running the entire length of the vertical shaft. The insert also houses the helium cooling supply and return lines each with 2” diameter. In the present study we focused on calculating the neutron and photon dose rate fields on top of the target insert/retrieval mechanism in the service alley. Additionally, we studied a few prototypical configurations of the shielding layers in the vertical insert as well as on the top.

In situ vitrification of a mixed radioactive and hazardous waste site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, B.E.; Koegler, S.S.

1990-11-01

A large-scale test of the in situ vitrification (ISV) process was performed on a mixed radioactive and hazardous-chemical contaminated waste site on the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State. A mixed-waste site was selected for this large-scale test to demonstrate the applicability of ISV to mixed wastes common to many US Department of Energy (DOE) sites. In situ vitrification is a thermal process that converts contaminated soil into a durable, leach-resistant product. Electrodes are inserted into the ground. The goals of the test are to demonstrate at least 99% retention of fission products and hazardous metals in the ISV glass during the test; demonstrate the ability of the ISV off-gas treatment system to process a waste site containing significant quantities of combustible material and demonstrate the ability of ISV to vitrify the site to a depth of 20 ft or greater. The test was completed in April 1990. 5 figs

Human Retrotransposon Insertion Polymorphisms Are Associated with Health and Disease via Gene Regulatory Phenotypes

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Lu Wang

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The human genome hosts several active families of transposable elements (TEs, including the Alu, LINE-1, and SVA retrotransposons that are mobilized via reverse transcription of RNA intermediates. We evaluated how insertion polymorphisms generated by human retrotransposon activity may be related to common health and disease phenotypes that have been previously interrogated through genome-wide association studies (GWAS. To address this question, we performed a genome-wide screen for retrotransposon polymorphism disease associations that are linked to TE induced gene regulatory changes. Our screen first identified polymorphic retrotransposon insertions found in linkage disequilibrium (LD with single nucleotide polymorphisms that were previously associated with common complex diseases by GWAS. We further narrowed this set of candidate disease associated retrotransposon polymorphisms by identifying insertions that are located within tissue-specific enhancer elements. We then performed expression quantitative trait loci analysis on the remaining set of candidates in order to identify polymorphic retrotransposon insertions that are associated with gene expression changes in B-cells of the human immune system. This progressive and stringent screen yielded a list of six retrotransposon insertions as the strongest candidates for TE polymorphisms that lead to disease via enhancer-mediated changes in gene regulation. For example, we found an SVA insertion within a cell-type specific enhancer located in the second intron of the B4GALT1 gene. B4GALT1 encodes a glycosyltransferase that functions in the glycosylation of the Immunoglobulin G (IgG antibody in such a way as to convert its activity from pro- to anti-inflammatory. The disruption of the B4GALT1 enhancer by the SVA insertion is associated with down-regulation of the gene in B-cells, which would serve to keep the IgG molecule in a pro-inflammatory state. Consistent with this idea, the B4GALT1 enhancer

Folding and insertion thermodynamics of the transmembrane WALP peptide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bereau, Tristan; Bennett, W. F. Drew; Pfaendtner, Jim; Deserno, Markus; Karttunen, Mikko

2015-01-01

The anchor of most integral membrane proteins consists of one or several helices spanning the lipid bilayer. The WALP peptide, GWW(LA) n (L)WWA, is a common model helix to study the fundamentals of protein insertion and folding, as well as helix-helix association in the membrane. Its structural properties have been illuminated in a large number of experimental and simulation studies. In this combined coarse-grained and atomistic simulation study, we probe the thermodynamics of a single WALP peptide, focusing on both the insertion across the water-membrane interface, as well as folding in both water and a membrane. The potential of mean force characterizing the peptide’s insertion into the membrane shows qualitatively similar behavior across peptides and three force fields. However, the Martini force field exhibits a pronounced secondary minimum for an adsorbed interfacial state, which may even become the global minimum—in contrast to both atomistic simulations and the alternative PLUM force field. Even though the two coarse-grained models reproduce the free energy of insertion of individual amino acids side chains, they both underestimate its corresponding value for the full peptide (as compared with atomistic simulations), hinting at cooperative physics beyond the residue level. Folding of WALP in the two environments indicates the helix as the most stable structure, though with different relative stabilities and chain-length dependence

Folding and insertion thermodynamics of the transmembrane WALP peptide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bereau, Tristan, E-mail: bereau@mpip-mainz.mpg.de [Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz (Germany); Bennett, W. F. Drew [Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 (Canada); Pfaendtner, Jim [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195 (United States); Deserno, Markus [Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213 (United States); Karttunen, Mikko [Department of Mathematics and Computer Science & Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, MetaForum, 5600 MB Eindhoven (Netherlands)

2015-12-28

The anchor of most integral membrane proteins consists of one or several helices spanning the lipid bilayer. The WALP peptide, GWW(LA){sub n} (L)WWA, is a common model helix to study the fundamentals of protein insertion and folding, as well as helix-helix association in the membrane. Its structural properties have been illuminated in a large number of experimental and simulation studies. In this combined coarse-grained and atomistic simulation study, we probe the thermodynamics of a single WALP peptide, focusing on both the insertion across the water-membrane interface, as well as folding in both water and a membrane. The potential of mean force characterizing the peptide’s insertion into the membrane shows qualitatively similar behavior across peptides and three force fields. However, the Martini force field exhibits a pronounced secondary minimum for an adsorbed interfacial state, which may even become the global minimum—in contrast to both atomistic simulations and the alternative PLUM force field. Even though the two coarse-grained models reproduce the free energy of insertion of individual amino acids side chains, they both underestimate its corresponding value for the full peptide (as compared with atomistic simulations), hinting at cooperative physics beyond the residue level. Folding of WALP in the two environments indicates the helix as the most stable structure, though with different relative stabilities and chain-length dependence.

A randomized, double-blind comparison study of EMLA and ELA-Max for topical anesthesia in children undergoing intravenous insertion.

Science.gov (United States)

Koh, Jeffrey L; Harrison, Dale; Myers, Robert; Dembinski, Robert; Turner, Helen; McGraw, Terrence

2004-12-01

Topical anesthetics may help reduce discomfort associated with procedures involving needle-puncture, such as intravenous (i.v.) insertions, in children. EMLA cream has become a common, noninvasive therapy for topical anesthesia in children. ELA-Max is a recently introduced topical anesthetic cream marketed as being as effective in producing topical anesthesia after a 30-min application as EMLA is after a 60-min application. The purpose of this research was to compare ELA-Max at 30 min with EMLA at 60 min for providing topical anesthesia for i.v. insertions in children. Sixty children, ages 8-17 years, requiring an i.v. were randomized to receive either the 30 min application of ELA-Max (n = 30) or the 60 min application of EMLA (n = 30). Children rated any pain associated with the i.v. insertion using a 100-mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The anesthesiologist assessed the presence of blanching at the site and rated the difficulty of placing the i.v. There was no clinically or statistically significant difference in pain ratings (P = 0.87) between the ELA-Max (mean = 25.7) and the EMLA (mean = 26.8) groups. ELA-Max caused significantly (P = 0.04) less blanching than EMLA, however there was no difference in the anesthesiologists' rating of the difficulty of the i.v. placement between the groups (P = 0.73). Results from this study support the claim that a 30-min application of ELA-Max (with occlusion) is as effective as a 60-min application of EMLA (with occlusion) for producing topical anesthesia for i.v. insertion in children.

Generation and analysis of a barcode-tagged insertion mutant library in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Barcodes are unique DNA sequence tags that can be used to specifically label individual mutants. The barcode-tagged open reading frame (ORF) haploid deletion mutant collections in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe allow for high-throughput mutant phenotyping because the relative growth of mutants in a population can be determined by monitoring the proportions of their associated barcodes. While these mutant collections have greatly facilitated genome-wide studies, mutations in essential genes are not present, and the roles of these genes are not as easily studied. To further support genome-scale research in S. pombe, we generated a barcode-tagged fission yeast insertion mutant library that has the potential of generating viable mutations in both essential and non-essential genes and can be easily analyzed using standard molecular biological techniques. Results An insertion vector containing a selectable ura4+ marker and a random barcode was used to generate a collection of 10,000 fission yeast insertion mutants stored individually in 384-well plates and as six pools of mixed mutants. Individual barcodes are flanked by Sfi I recognition sites and can be oligomerized in a unique orientation to facilitate barcode sequencing. Independent genetic screens on a subset of mutants suggest that this library contains a diverse collection of single insertion mutations. We present several approaches to determine insertion sites. Conclusions This collection of S. pombe barcode-tagged insertion mutants is well-suited for genome-wide studies. Because insertion mutations may eliminate, reduce or alter the function of essential and non-essential genes, this library will contain strains with a wide range of phenotypes that can be assayed by their associated barcodes. The design of the barcodes in this library allows for barcode sequencing using next generation or standard benchtop cloning approaches. PMID:22554201

Generation and analysis of a barcode-tagged insertion mutant library in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen Bo-Ruei

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Barcodes are unique DNA sequence tags that can be used to specifically label individual mutants. The barcode-tagged open reading frame (ORF haploid deletion mutant collections in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe allow for high-throughput mutant phenotyping because the relative growth of mutants in a population can be determined by monitoring the proportions of their associated barcodes. While these mutant collections have greatly facilitated genome-wide studies, mutations in essential genes are not present, and the roles of these genes are not as easily studied. To further support genome-scale research in S. pombe, we generated a barcode-tagged fission yeast insertion mutant library that has the potential of generating viable mutations in both essential and non-essential genes and can be easily analyzed using standard molecular biological techniques. Results An insertion vector containing a selectable ura4+ marker and a random barcode was used to generate a collection of 10,000 fission yeast insertion mutants stored individually in 384-well plates and as six pools of mixed mutants. Individual barcodes are flanked by Sfi I recognition sites and can be oligomerized in a unique orientation to facilitate barcode sequencing. Independent genetic screens on a subset of mutants suggest that this library contains a diverse collection of single insertion mutations. We present several approaches to determine insertion sites. Conclusions This collection of S. pombe barcode-tagged insertion mutants is well-suited for genome-wide studies. Because insertion mutations may eliminate, reduce or alter the function of essential and non-essential genes, this library will contain strains with a wide range of phenotypes that can be assayed by their associated barcodes. The design of the barcodes in this library allows for barcode sequencing using next generation or standard benchtop cloning

Common integration sites of published datasets identified using a graph-based framework

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Alessandro Vasciaveo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available With next-generation sequencing, the genomic data available for the characterization of integration sites (IS has dramatically increased. At present, in a single experiment, several thousand viral integration genome targets can be investigated to define genomic hot spots. In a previous article, we renovated a formal CIS analysis based on a rigid fixed window demarcation into a more stretchy definition grounded on graphs. Here, we present a selection of supporting data related to the graph-based framework (GBF from our previous article, in which a collection of common integration sites (CIS was identified on six published datasets. In this work, we will focus on two datasets, ISRTCGD and ISHIV, which have been previously discussed. Moreover, we show in more detail the workflow design that originates the datasets.

Human glutaminyl cyclase and bacterial zinc aminopeptidase share a common fold and active site

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Misquitta Stephanie A

2004-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Glutaminyl cyclase (QC forms the pyroglutamyl residue at the amino terminus of numerous secretory peptides and proteins. We previously proposed the mammalian QC has some features in common with zinc aminopeptidases. We now have generated a structural model for human QC based on the aminopeptidase fold (pdb code 1AMP and mutated the apparent active site residues to assess their role in QC catalysis. Results The structural model proposed here for human QC, deposited in the protein databank as 1MOI, is supported by a variety of fold prediction programs, by the circular dichroism spectrum, and by the presence of the disulfide. Mutagenesis of the six active site residues present in both 1AMP and QC reveal essential roles for the two histidines (140 and 330, QC numbering and the two glutamates (201 and 202, while the two aspartates (159 and 248 appear to play no catalytic role. ICP-MS analysis shows less than stoichiometric zinc (0.3:1 in the purified enzyme. Conclusions We conclude that human pituitary glutaminyl cyclase and bacterial zinc aminopeptidase share a common fold and active site residues. In contrast to the aminopeptidase, however, QC does not appear to require zinc for enzymatic activity.

Feeding tube insertion - gastrostomy

Science.gov (United States)

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002937.htm Feeding tube insertion - gastrostomy To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. A gastrostomy feeding tube insertion is the placement of a feeding ...

Characterization of a depurinated-DNA purine-base-insertion activity from Drosophila.

Science.gov (United States)

Deutsch, W A; Spiering, A L

1985-01-01

An activity that binds preferentially to depurinated DNA and inserts purines into those sites was partially purified from Drosophila melanogaster embryos. The protein has a sedimentation coefficient of 4.9 S and is devoid of AP (apurinic/apyrimidinic) endonuclease activity. Upon incorporation of purines into apurinic DNA, the number of alkali-labile sites decreases, thus establishing the conversion of depurinated sites into normal nucleotides. The activity requires K+, and is totally inhibited by caffeine or EDTA. Guanine is specifically incorporated into partially depurinated poly(dG-dC) and adenine is specifically incorporated into poly(dA-dT), thus demonstrating the apparent template specificity of the enzyme. PMID:2417589

Placental cord insertion and birthweight discordance in twin pregnancies: results of the national prospective ESPRiT Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kent, Etaoin M; Breathnach, Fionnuala M; Gillan, John E; McAuliffe, Fionnuala M; Geary, Michael P; Daly, Sean; Higgins, John R; Dornan, James; Morrison, John J; Burke, Gerard; Higgins, Shane; Carroll, Stephen; Dicker, Patrick; Manning, Fiona; Malone, Fergal D

2011-10-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of noncentral placental cord insertion on birthweight discordance in twins. We performed a multicenter, prospective trial of twin pregnancies. Placental cord insertion was documented as central, marginal, or velamentous according to a defined protocol. Association of the placental cord insertion site with chorionicity, birthweight discordance, and growth restriction were assessed. Eight hundred sixteen twin pairs were evaluated; 165 pairs were monochorionic, and 651 pairs were dichorionic. Monochorionic twins had higher rates of marginal (P = .0068) and velamentous (P < .0001) placental cord insertion. Noncentral placental cord insertion was more frequent in smaller twins of discordant pairs than control pairs (29.8% vs 19.1%; P = .004). Velamentous placental cord insertion in monochorionic twins was associated significantly with birthweight discordance (odds ratio, 3.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-9.4) and growth restriction (odds ratio, 4; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-14.3). Noncentral placental cord insertion contributes to birthweight discordance in monochorionic twin pregnancies. Sonographic delineation of placental cord insertion may be of value in antenatal assessment of twin pregnancies. Copyright © 2011 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

A theoretical alternative intraosseous infusion site in severely hypovolemic children

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Nkhensani Mogale

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Studies have shown that the venous system tends to collapse during hypovolemic shock. The use of the bone marrow space for infusions is an effective alternative, with the tibial insertion site being the norm. Objectives: This study was conducted to determine a quick intraosseous infusion method that could be an alternative to the tibial route in neonates during emergency situations. Method: A sample of 30 neonatal cadavers was dissected to explore a possible alternative to the tibial insertion site. The needle was inserted in the superolateral aspect of the humerus. The needle infusion site was then dissected to determine possible muscular and neurovascular damage that might occur during the administration of this procedure, with the greatest concern being the posterior circumflex humeral artery and axillary nerve exiting the quadrangular space. The distance of the needle insertion site was measured in relation to the soft tissue aswell as to bony landmarks. Results: The calculated 95% confidence interval shows that the needle can be safely inserted into the intraosseous tissue at the greater tubercle of the humerus 9.5 mm – 11.1 mm from the acromion. This is about a little finger’s width from the acromioclavicular joint. Conclusion: Anatomically, the described site is suggested to offer a safe alternative access point for emergency infusion in severely hypovolemic newborns and infants, without the risk of damage to any anatomical structures.

Biomechanical properties of double- and single-row suture anchor repair for surgical treatment of insertional Achilles tendinopathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Beitzel, Knut; Mazzocca, Augustus D; Obopilwe, Elifho; Boyle, James W; McWilliam, James; Rincon, Lina; Dhar, Yasmin; Arciero, Robert A; Amendola, Annunziato

2013-07-01

Because of intratendinous ossifications, retrocalcaneal bursitis, or intratendinous necrosis commonly found in insertional tendinosis, it is often necessary to detach the tendon partially or entirely from its tendon-to-bone junction. Double-row repair for insertional Achilles tendinopathy will generate an increased contact area and demonstrate higher biomechanical stability. Controlled laboratory study. Eighteen cadaver Achilles tendons were split longitudinally and detached, exposing the calcaneus; an ostectomy was performed and the tendon was reattached to the calcaneus in 1 of 2 ways: 2 suture anchors (single row) or a 4-anchor (double row) construct. Footprint area measurements over time, displacement after cyclic loading (2000 cycles), and final load to failure were measured. The double-row refixation technique was statistically superior to the single-row technique in footprint area measurement initially and 5 minutes after repair (P = .009 and P = .01, respectively) but not after 24 hours (P = .713). The double-row construct demonstrated significantly improved measures for peak load (433.9 ± 84.3 N vs 212.0 ± 49.7 N; P = .042), load at yield (354.7 ± 106.2 N vs 198.7 ± 39.5 N; P = .01), and slope (51.8 ± 9.9 N/mm vs 66.7 ± 16.2 N/mm; P = .021). Cyclic loading did not demonstrate significant differences between the 2 constructs. Double-row construct for reinsertion of a completely detached Achilles tendon using proximal and distal rows resulted in significantly larger contact area initially and 5 minutes after repair and led to significantly higher peak load to failure on destructive testing. In treatment for insertional Achilles tendinosis, the tendon often has to be detached and anatomically reattached to its insertion at the calcaneus. To our knowledge there is a lack of biomechanical studies supporting either a number or a pattern of suture anchor fixation. Because the stresses going across the insertion site of the Achilles tendon are significant

Comparison of conventional Injection Mould Inserts to Additively Manufactured Inserts using Life Cycle Assessment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hofstätter, Thomas; Bey, Niki; Mischkot, Michael

2016-01-01

Polymer Additive Manufacturing can be used to produce soft tooling inserts for injection moulding. Compared to conventional tooling, the energy and time consumption during production are significantly lower. As the life time of such inserts is significantly shorter than the life time of traditional...... of their potential environmental impact and yield throughout the development and pilot phase. Insert geometry is particularly advantageous for pilot production and small production sizes. In this research, Life Cycle Assessment is used to compare the environmental impact of soft tooling by Additive Manufacturing...... (using Digital Light Processing) and three traditional methods for the manufacture of inserts (milling of brass, steel, and aluminium) for injection moulds during the pre-production phase....

HIV evolution in early infection: selection pressures, patterns of insertion and deletion, and the impact of apobec

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Korber, Bette [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Bhattacharya, Tanmoy [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Giorgi, Elena [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Gaschen, B [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Daniels, M [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2009-01-01

The pattern of viral diversification in newly infected individuals provides information about the host environment and immune responses typically experienced by the newly transmitted virus. For example, sites that tend to evolve rapidly across multiple early-infection patients could be involved in enabling escape from common early immune responses, represent adaptation for rapid growth in a newly infected host, or reversion from less fit forms of the virus that were selected for immune escape in previous hosts. Here we investigated the diversification of HIV -I env coding sequences in 81 very early B SUbtype infections previously shown to have resulted from transmission or expansion of single viruses (n=78) or two closely related viruses (n=3). In these cases the sequence of the infecting virus can be estimated accurately, enabling inference of both the direction of substitutions as well as distinction between insertion and deletion events. By integrating information across multiple acutely infected hosts, we find evidence of adaptive evolution of HIV-1 envand identified a subset of codon sites that diversified more rapidly than can be explained by a model of neutral evolution. Of 24 such rapidly diversifying sites, 14 were either (i) clustered and embedded in CTL epitopes that were verified experimentally or predicted based on the individual's HLA or (ii) in a nucleotide context indicative of APOBEC mediated G-to-A substitutions, despite having excluded heavily hypermutated sequences prior to the analysis. In several cases, a rapidly evolving site was both embedded in an APOBEC motif and in a CTL epitope, suggesting that APOBEC may facilitate early immune escape. Ten rapidly diversifying sites could not be explained by CTL escape or APOBEC hypermutation, including the most frequently mutated site, in the fusion peptide of gp4l. We also examined the distribution, extent, and sequence context of insertions and deletions and provide evidence that the length

Peripherally inserted central catheters and upper extremity deep vein thrombosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ong, B.; Gibbs, H.; Catchpole, I.; Hetherington, R.; Harper, J.

2006-01-01

The purpose of the study was to determine the incidence and risk factors for venous thrombosis in patients with a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC). A retrospective study of all upper extremity venous duplex scans was carried out in the Vascular Medicine department from year 2000 to 2002 inclusive. A chart review of positive scans was undertaken to identify possible thrombotic risk factors. Of 317 upper extremity venous duplex scans carried out, 115, or 32%, were positive for upper extremity deep vein thrombosis. Three main risk factors were identified - presence of a central line, malignancy and administration of chemotherapy. PICC were the most common central line present. Symptomatic thrombosis occurred in 7% of PICC inserted for chemotherapy compared with 1% of PICC inserted for other reasons. Ten per cent of the patients receiving chemotherapy through a PICC developed a thrombosis. The post-thrombotic syndrome was infrequent following upper extremity deep vein thrombosis. Patients receiving chemotherapy through a PICC are at increased risk of thrombosis. There may be a role for prophylactic low-dose anticoagulation in these high-risk patients

Data Insertion in Bitcoin's Blockchain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Sward

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This paper provides the first comprehensive survey of methods for inserting arbitrary data into Bitcoin’s blockchain. Historical methods of data insertion are described, along with lesser-known techniques that are optimized for efficiency. Insertion methods are compared on the basis of efficiency, cost, convenience of data reconstruction, permanence, and potentially negative impact on the Bitcoin ecosystem.

Multiple independent insertions of 5S rRNA genes in the spliced-leader gene family of trypanosome species.

Science.gov (United States)

Beauparlant, Marc A; Drouin, Guy

2014-02-01

Analyses of the 5S rRNA genes found in the spliced-leader (SL) gene repeat units of numerous trypanosome species suggest that such linkages were not inherited from a common ancestor, but were the result of independent 5S rRNA gene insertions. In trypanosomes, 5S rRNA genes are found either in the tandemly repeated units coding for SL genes or in independent tandemly repeated units. Given that trypanosome species where 5S rRNA genes are within the tandemly repeated units coding for SL genes are phylogenetically related, one might hypothesize that this arrangement is the result of an ancestral insertion of 5S rRNA genes into the tandemly repeated SL gene family of trypanosomes. Here, we use the types of 5S rRNA genes found associated with SL genes, the flanking regions of the inserted 5S rRNA genes and the position of these insertions to show that most of the 5S rRNA genes found within SL gene repeat units of trypanosome species were not acquired from a common ancestor but are the results of independent insertions. These multiple 5S rRNA genes insertion events in trypanosomes are likely the result of frequent founder events in different hosts and/or geographical locations in species having short generation times.

A Comparative study of early postpartum IUCD insertion to interval IUCD insertion at Tertiary Care Centre

OpenAIRE

Roopal, Dr.; Bisht, Vandana

2018-01-01

Background: A Comparative study of early postpartum IUCD insertion to interval IUCD insertion at Tertiary Care Centre.Methods: This prospective study was conducted among 100 women at tertiary care centre, Haldwani, Nainital. Patients were divided in to two groups. Group A (n=50)-post placental insertion within 10 minutes of delivery of placenta. Group B (n=50)-Interval insertion after 6 weeks of delivery. Both groups were compared in terms of pain abdomen, bleeding, missing thread, expulsion,...

A simple, flexible and efficient PCR-fusion/Gateway cloning procedure for gene fusion, site-directed mutagenesis, short sequence insertion and domain deletions and swaps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Etchells J Peter

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The progress and completion of various plant genome sequencing projects has paved the way for diverse functional genomic studies that involve cloning, modification and subsequent expression of target genes. This requires flexible and efficient procedures for generating binary vectors containing: gene fusions, variants from site-directed mutagenesis, addition of protein tags together with domain swaps and deletions. Furthermore, efficient cloning procedures, ideally high throughput, are essential for pyramiding of multiple gene constructs. Results Here, we present a simple, flexible and efficient PCR-fusion/Gateway cloning procedure for construction of binary vectors for a range of gene fusions or variants with single or multiple nucleotide substitutions, short sequence insertions, domain deletions and swaps. Results from selected applications of the procedure which include ORF fusion, introduction of Cys>Ser mutations, insertion of StrepII tag sequence and domain swaps for Arabidopsis secondary cell wall AtCesA genes are demonstrated. Conclusion The PCR-fusion/Gateway cloning procedure described provides an elegant, simple and efficient solution for a wide range of diverse and complicated cloning tasks. Through streamlined cloning of sets of gene fusions and modification variants into binary vectors for systematic functional studies of gene families, our method allows for efficient utilization of the growing sequence and expression data.

Photoinhibition in common atlantic macroalgae measured on site in Gran Canaria

Science.gov (United States)

Häder, D.-P.; Porst, M.; Lebert, M.

2001-03-01

The photosynthetic quantum yield was analysed in four common atlantic macroalgae, the Rhodophytes Gelidium arbuscula and Halopithys incurvus and the Phaeophytes Halopteris scoparia and Lobophora variegata in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands at their growth site. The fluorescence parameters were measured using a portable pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometer (PAM 2000) instrument and a diving PAM under water without removing the thalli from their growth sites. Solar radiation was monitored continuously above and under water during the whole experimental period using two three-channel dosimeters (European light dosimeter network; ELDONET) (Real Time Computer, Möhrendorf, Germany). These instruments measure solar radiation in three wavelength ranges, ultraviolet (UV)-A, UV-B and photosynthetic active radiation (PAR). In all four algae the effective photosynthetic quantum yield decreased significantly from the optimal values measured after dark adaptation due to exposure to 15 min solar radiation, but at least partially recovered subsequently in the shade within several hours. Increasing the exposure period to 30 min intensified the photoinhibition. In some algae no recovery was observed after this treatment and in others no significant recovery could be detected. Exposure to unfiltered solar radiation caused a significantly higher photoinhibition than PAR-only radiation or PAR plus UV-A. A substantial inhibition was found in all algae at their growth sites in the water column when the sun was at high angles, as measured with the diving PAM.

Percutaneous insertion of peritoneal dialysis catheters using ultrasound and fluoroscopic guidance: A single centre experience and review of literature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Boo, Diederick W.; Mott, Nigel; Tregaskis, Peter; Quach, Trung; Menahem, Solomon; Walker, Rowan G.; Koukounaras, Jim

2015-01-01

Various methods of peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter insertion are available. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a percutaneous insertion technique using ultrasound (US) and fluoroscopy performed under conscious sedation and as day case procedure. Data of 87 percutaneous inserted dialysis catheters were prospectively collected, including patients' age, gender, body mass index, history of previous abdominal surgery and cause of end stage renal failure. Length of hospital stay, early complications and time to first use were also recorded. Institutional review board approval was obtained. A 100% technical success rate was observed. Early complications included bleeding (n = 3), catheter dysfunction (n = 6), exit site infection (n = 1) and exit site leakage (n = 1). All cases of catheter dysfunction and one case of bleeding required surgical revision. Median time of follow-up was 18 months (range 3–35), and median time from insertion to first use was days 14 (1–47). Of the 82 patients who started dialysis, 20 (23%) ceased PD at some stage during follow-up. Most frequently encountered reasons include deteriorating patient cognitive or functional status (n = 5), successful transplant kidney (n = 4) and pleuro-peritoneal fistula (n = 4). Sixty-two (71%) PD catheter insertions were performed as day case. The remaining insertions were performed on patients already admitted to the hospital. Percutaneous insertion of dialysis catheter using US and fluoroscopy is not only safe but can be performed as day case procedure in most patients, even with a medical history of abdominal surgery and/or obesity.

Increased expression of aphidicolin-induced common fragile sites in Tourette syndrome: The key to understand the genetics of comorbid phenotypes?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gericke, G.S.; Simonic, I.; Cloete, E.; Becker, P.J. [Univ. of Pretoria (South Africa)

1996-02-16

In a comparison of 80 common aphidicolin-induced fragile sites (FS) between 26 DSM-IV Tourette syndrome (TS) and 24 control individuals, the mean of the summed break frequencies following mild aphidicolin pretreatment was significantly higher in TS individuals than in controls (P < 0.001). Other breakpoints encountered during this study, i.e., random breaks, breaks corresponding to rare FS, and breakpoints recorded by others but not listed as common FS according to the Chromosome Coordinating Meeting were listed as category II breakpoints. By using the most significantly different mean FS breakage figures between TS and control individuals, further stepwise discriminant analysis allowed identification of TS individuals from only a few sites in both the common FS and category II breakpoint groups. Future research needs to focus on confirmation of altered common fragile site expression in association with behavioral variation, whether expression of certain discriminatory sites concurs with specific comorbid disorder expression; the nature of the molecular alterations at these FS and the implications of a genomic instability phenotype for the mapping of a primary TS gene or genes. 45 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.

Nature of unstable insertional mutations and reversions at the cut locus of Drosophila melanogaster: Molecular mechanism for transpositional memory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mizrokhi, L.Yu.; Georgieva, S.G.; Obolenkova, L.A.; Priimyagi, A.F.; Gerasimova, T.I.; Il'in, Yu.V.

1988-01-01

A segment of the cut locus containing an mdg4 insertion as a result of ct MR and ct MRp10 mutations was cloned. Clones were obtained for the phenotypically different ct MR2 and ct MRpN10 mutants and for stable and unstable revertants. All mutations studied are associated with mdg4 insertion at an identical nucleotide sequence of the cut locus, the same site at which mdg4 is inserted at the ct 6 allele. The ct MRpN line differs from ct MR2 in that the mobile element jockey (3 kbp) is inserted in mdg4. Jockey is represented by about 1,000 copies per genome; it is homogeneous and lacks long terminal repeats (LTRs). In stable ct + reversions, mdg4 is completely excised. In unstable ct + reversions, in which there is a high degree of reverse directed transposition of mdg4 to the cut locus, an LTR of mdg4 is preserved at the site of the mutation. It is a sequence along which new copies of mdg4 or jockey-containing mdg4 are inserted into the genome. The authors discuss a molecular mechanism for transpositional memory involving homologous recombination of the remnant LTR and circular extrachromosomal copies of mdg4

Authentic display of a cholera toxin epitope by chimeric type 1 fimbriae: effects of insert position and host background

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stentebjerg-Olesen, B; Pallesen, L; Jensen, LB

1997-01-01

The potential of the major structural protein of type 1 fimbriae as a display system for heterologous sequences was tested. As a reporter-epitope, a heterologous sequence mimicking a neutralizing epitope of the cholera toxin B chain was inserted, in one or two copies, into four different positions...... in the fimA gene. This was carried out by introduction of new restriction sites by PCR-mediated site-directed mutagenesis of fimA in positions predicted to correspond to optimally surface-located regions of the subunit protein. Subsequently, the synthetic cholera-toxin-encoding DNA segment was inserted....... Several of the chosen positions seemed amenable even for large foreign inserts; the chimeric proteins were exposed on the bacterial surface and the cholera toxin epitope was authentically displayed, i.e. it was recognized on bacteria by specific antiserum. Display of chimeric fimbriae was tested...

Insertion torque recordings for the diagnosis of contact between orthodontic mini implants and dental roots: protocol for a systematic review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meursinge Reynders, R.; Ladu, L.; Ronchi, L.; Di Girolama, N.; de Lange, J.; Roberts, N.; Plüddemann, A.

2015-01-01

Background Hitting a dental root during the insertion of orthodontic mini-implants (OMIs) is a common adverse effect of this intervention. This condition can permanently damage these structures and can cause implant instability. Increased torque levels (index test) recorded during the insertion of

Readability assessment of package inserts of biological medicinal products from the European medicines agency website.

Science.gov (United States)

Piñero-López, Ma Ángeles; Modamio, Pilar; Lastra, Cecilia F; Mariño, Eduardo L

2014-07-01

Package inserts that accompany medicines are a common source of information aimed at patients and should match patient abilities in terms of readability. Our objective was to determine the degree of readability of the package inserts for biological medicinal products commercially available in 2007 and compare them with the readability of the same package inserts in 2010. A total of 33 package inserts were selected and classified into five groups according to the type of medicine: monoclonal antibody-based products, cytokines, therapeutic enzymes, recombinant blood factors and other blood-related products, and recombinant hormones. The package inserts were downloaded from the European Medicines Agency website in 2007 and 2010. Readability was evaluated for the entire text of five of the six sections of the package inserts and for the 'Annex' when there was one. Three readability formulas were used: SMOG (Simple Measure of Gobbledygook) grade, Flesh-Kincaid grade level, and Szigriszt's perspicuity index. No significant differences were found between the readability results for the 2007 package inserts and those from 2010 according to any of the three readability indices studied (p>0.05). However, there were significant differences (preadability scores of the sections of the package inserts in both 2007 and 2010. The readability of the package inserts was above the recommended sixth grade reading level (ages 11-12) and may lead to difficulties of understanding for people with limited literacy. All the sections should be easy to read and, therefore, the readability of the medicine package inserts studied should be improved.

Target-matched insertion gain derived from three different hearing aid selection procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Punch, J L; Shovels, A H; Dickinson, W W; Calder, J H; Snead, C

1995-11-01

Three hearing aid selection procedures were compared to determine if any one was superior in producing prescribed real-ear insertion gain. For each of three subject groups, 12 in-the-ear style hearing aids with Class D circuitry and similar dispenser controls were ordered from one of three manufacturers. Subject groups were classified based on the type of information included on the hearing aid order form: (1) the subject's audiogram, (2) a three-part matrix specifying the desired maximum output, full-on gain, and frequency response slope of the hearing aid, or (3) the desired 2-cc coupler full-in grain of the hearing aid, based on real-ear coupler difference (RECD) measurements. Following electroacoustic adjustments aimed at approximating a commonly used target insertion gain formula, results revealed no significant differences among any of the three selection procedures with respect to obtaining acceptable insertion gain values.

The kinetics of porous insertion electrodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Atlung, S; West, K [British Columbia Univ., Vancouver (Canada)

1989-05-01

The principles of porous electrodes are discussed as well as the discharge of the insertion compound, the working potential, transport in the electrolyte, the time dependence of the electrolyte concentration, and modeling of the porous electrode. The simulation of a TiS2 porous electrode and the composite insertion electrode are considered as well. The influence of electrode thickness and porosity in a typical porous TiS2 electrode is revealed. It is shown that the use of insertion compounds as battery electrodes is limited by the requirement that the inserted ion must be distributed in the interior of the insertion compound particle. 15 refs.

ALS insertion devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoyer, E.; Chin, J.; Halbach, K.; Hassenzahl, W.V.; Humphries, D.; Kincaid, B.; Lancaster, H.; Plate, D.

1990-11-01

The Advanced Light Source (ALS), the first US third generation synchrotron radiation source, is currently under construction at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. The low-emittance, 1.5 GeV electron storage ring and the insertion devices are specifically designed to produce high brightness beams in the UV to soft X-Ray range. The planned initial complement of insertion devices includes four 4.6 m long undulators, with period lengths of 3.9 cm, 5.0 cm (2) and 8.0 cm, and a 2.9 m long wiggler of 16 cm period length. Undulator design is well advanced and fabrication has begun on the 5.0 cm and 8.0 cm period length undulators. This paper discusses ALS insertion device requirements; general design philosophy; and design of the magnetic structure, support structure/drive systems, control system and vacuum system. 18 refs., 9 figs., 5 tabs

Percutaneous Ureteral stent insertion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoon, Yup; Sung, Dong Wook; Choi, Woo Suk; Lee, Dong Ho; Ko, Young Tae; Lee, Sun Wha; Lim, Jae Hoon [Kyung Hee University Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1990-10-15

Percutaneous ureteral stent insertion is a treatment of permanent or temporary urinary diversion to maintain continuity and function of the obstructed and injured ureter. We performed 31 cases of percutaneous double pig tall ureteral stent insertion in 21 patients, included 13 patients with malignant ureteral obstruction and eight patients with injured ureter as well as benign inflammatory stricture. Satisfactory resulted was obtained in all patients but one, who need percutaneous nephrostomy on week later for urinary diversion. No significant complication was encountered. The authors concluded that percutaneous ureteral stent insertion, an interventional procedure alternative to urologic retrograde method, is an effective method for urinary diversion.

Insertion torque recordings for the diagnosis of contact between orthodontic mini-implants and dental roots: protocol for a systematic review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meursinge Reynders, Reint; Ladu, Luisa; Ronchi, Laura; Di Girolamo, Nicola; de Lange, Jan; Roberts, Nia; Plüddemann, Annette

2015-01-01

Hitting a dental root during the insertion of orthodontic mini-implants (OMIs) is a common adverse effect of this intervention. This condition can permanently damage these structures and can cause implant instability. Increased torque levels (index test) recorded during the insertion of OMIs may

A study on the resistance at bone-implant interface during implant insertion in a cadaver goat jaw model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Goutam Das

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The aim of the study is to determine the resistance at bone-implant interface during insertion of dental implant. Materials and Methods: Freshly procured cadaver goat mandibles were collected from slaughterhouses. Four dental implants of two different diameters were inserted into osteotomized sites of the goat mandibles. The gradual changes in resonance frequency (RF were recorded in RF analyzer for the five consecutive turns of implant insertion. Results and Observations: RF was found to be positively correlated with diameter of dental implants. Conclusion: RF analysis can be used to determine the type of resistance the implant faces during insertion and the kind of bone density through which it passes. It gives a forecast of expected initial stability.

Current Microbiology of Surgical Site Infections in Patients with Cancer: A Retrospective Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Rolston, Kenneth V I; Nesher, Lior; Tarrand, Jeffrey T

2014-12-01

Patients with solid tumors frequently undergo surgical procedures and develop procedure-related infections. We sought to describe the current microbiologic spectrum of infections at various sites following common surgical procedures. This was a retrospective review of microbiologic data between January 2011 and February 2012. The sites studied were those associated with breast cancer surgery, thoracotomy, craniotomy, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube insertion, and abdominal/pelvic surgery. Only patients with solid tumors were included. A total of 368 surgical site infections (SSIs) were identified (68 breast cancer related; 91 thoracotomy related; 45 craniotomy related; 75 PEG-tube insertion related; and 89 abdominal/pelvic surgery related). Of these, 58% were monomicrobial and 42% were polymicrobial. Overall, 85% of the 215 monomicrobial infections were caused by Gram-positive organisms and 13% by Gram-negative bacilli (GNB). Staphylococcus aureus was the predominant pathogen in monomicrobial infections (150 of 215, 70%). Sixty (40%) of these staphylococcal isolates were methicillin resistant (MRSA), and 65% had a vancomycin minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) ≥1.0 µg/ml. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the predominant GNB pathogen (19 of 27, 70%). Staphylococci were also the predominant pathogens in polymicrobial infections, while P. aeruginosa and Escherichia coli were the predominant GNB. Overall, 35% of isolates from polymicrobial infections were GNB. Cephalosporins (e.g., cefazolin) or amoxicillin/clavulanate was used most often for surgical prophylaxis, and 47% of organisms from monomicrobial infections (MRSA, P. aeruginosa) were resistant to them. A similar resistance pattern was observed in polymicrobial infections. Staphylococcus species were isolated most often from the sites studied. Polymicrobial infections (42%) and GNB monomicrobial infections (13%) were relatively frequent causes of SSIs. Many of these infections were caused by

Metastatic spread from squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx to the totally implantable venous access port insertion site: Case report and review of literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Mangla, Ankit; Agarwal, Nikki; Mullane, Michael Russell

2017-12-01

The totally implantable venous access port plays a crucial role in delivering chemotherapy in the outpatient setting. Here, we report the first case of a patient with hypopharyngeal tumor who developed chest wall metastasis over the totally implantable venous access port inserted in the internal jugular vein. Our patient, a 58-year-old man with a hypopharyngeal tumor presented with a lump over the totally implantable venous access port site. The port was removed and the lump was biopsied. The CT studies showed that the tumor had spread along the catheter from the hypopharynx to the chest wall. The pathology from the biopsy showed squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The patient had poor performance status and opted for hospice care. We present a novel case of metastasis over the totally implantable venous access port implanted in a patient with a hypopharyngeal tumor. We also reviewed relevant literature comparing the data from percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube site metastasis with our patient and other similar case reports. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Retroviral insertional mutagenesis identifies Zeb2 activation as a novel leukemogenic collaborating event in CALM-AF10 transgenic mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Caudell, David; Harper, David P; Novak, Rachel L; Pierce, Rachel M; Slape, Christopher; Wolff, Linda; Aplan, Peter D

2010-02-11

The t(10;11) translocation results in a CALM-AF10 fusion gene in a subset of leukemia patients. Expression of a CALM-AF10 transgene results in leukemia, with prolonged latency and incomplete penetrance, suggesting that additional events are necessary for leukemic transformation. CALM-AF10 mice infected with the MOL4070LTR retrovirus developed acute leukemia, and ligation-mediated polymerase chain reaction was used to identify retroviral insertions at 19 common insertion sites, including Zeb2, Nf1, Mn1, Evi1, Ift57, Mpl, Plag1, Kras, Erg, Vav1, and Gata1. A total of 26% (11 of 42) of the mice had retroviral integrations near Zeb2, a transcriptional corepressor leading to overexpression of the Zeb2-transcript. A total of 91% (10 of 11) of mice with Zeb2 insertions developed B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia, suggesting that Zeb2 activation promotes the transformation of CALM-AF10 hematopoietic precursors toward B-lineage leukemias. More than half of the mice with Zeb2 integrations also had Nf1 integrations, suggesting cooperativity among CALM-AF10, Zeb2, and Ras pathway mutations. We searched for Nras, Kras, and Ptpn11 point mutations in the CALM-AF10 leukemic mice. Three mutations were identified, all of which occurred in mice with Zeb2 integrations, consistent with the hypothesis that Zeb2 and Ras pathway activation promotes B-lineage leukemic transformation in concert with CALM-AF10.

A novel eight amino acid insertion contributes to the hemagglutinin cleavability and the virulence of a highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H7N3) virus in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Xiangjie; Belser, Jessica A.; Tumpey, Terrence M.

2016-01-01

In 2012, an avian influenza A H7N3 (A/Mexico/InDRE7218/2012; Mx/7218) virus was responsible for two confirmed cases of human infection and led to the death or culling of more than 22 million chickens in Jalisco, Mexico. Interestingly, this virus acquired an 8-amino acid (aa)-insertion (..PENPK-DRKSRHRR-TR/GLF) near the hemagglutinin (HA) cleavage site by nonhomologous recombination with host rRNA. It remains unclear which specific residues at the cleavage site contribute to the virulence of H7N3 viruses in mammals. Using loss-of-function approaches, we generated a series of cleavage site mutant viruses by reverse genetics and characterized the viruses in vitro and in vivo. We found that the 8-aa insertion and the arginine at position P4 of the Mx/7218 HA cleavage site are essential for intracellular HA cleavage in 293T cells, but have no effect on the pH of membrane fusion. However, we identified a role for the histidine residue at P5 position in viral fusion pH. In mice, the 8-aa insertion is required for Mx/7218 virus virulence; however, the basic residues upstream of the P4 position are dispensable for virulence. Overall, our study provides the first line of evidence that the insertion in the Mx/7218 virus HA cleavage site confers its intracellular cleavability, and consequently contributes to enhanced virulence in mice. - Highlights: • An avian influenza H7N3 virus acquired a unique 8-amino acid (aa) insertion. • The role of specific basic residues in the HA insertion in viral pathogenesis was determined. • In mice, the 8-aa insertion is required for H7N3 virus virulence. • The R residue at position P4 is essential for HA intracellular cleavage and virus virulence.

A novel eight amino acid insertion contributes to the hemagglutinin cleavability and the virulence of a highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H7N3) virus in mice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Xiangjie; Belser, Jessica A.; Tumpey, Terrence M., E-mail: tft9@cdc.gov

2016-01-15

In 2012, an avian influenza A H7N3 (A/Mexico/InDRE7218/2012; Mx/7218) virus was responsible for two confirmed cases of human infection and led to the death or culling of more than 22 million chickens in Jalisco, Mexico. Interestingly, this virus acquired an 8-amino acid (aa)-insertion (..PENPK-DRKSRHRR-TR/GLF) near the hemagglutinin (HA) cleavage site by nonhomologous recombination with host rRNA. It remains unclear which specific residues at the cleavage site contribute to the virulence of H7N3 viruses in mammals. Using loss-of-function approaches, we generated a series of cleavage site mutant viruses by reverse genetics and characterized the viruses in vitro and in vivo. We found that the 8-aa insertion and the arginine at position P4 of the Mx/7218 HA cleavage site are essential for intracellular HA cleavage in 293T cells, but have no effect on the pH of membrane fusion. However, we identified a role for the histidine residue at P5 position in viral fusion pH. In mice, the 8-aa insertion is required for Mx/7218 virus virulence; however, the basic residues upstream of the P4 position are dispensable for virulence. Overall, our study provides the first line of evidence that the insertion in the Mx/7218 virus HA cleavage site confers its intracellular cleavability, and consequently contributes to enhanced virulence in mice. - Highlights: • An avian influenza H7N3 virus acquired a unique 8-amino acid (aa) insertion. • The role of specific basic residues in the HA insertion in viral pathogenesis was determined. • In mice, the 8-aa insertion is required for H7N3 virus virulence. • The R residue at position P4 is essential for HA intracellular cleavage and virus virulence.

Posology of insulins: A review of standard textbooks and product inserts.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhutani, Garima; Kalra, Sanjay

2015-01-01

The study is aimed to assess whether the information contained in standard pharmacology, endocrinology, and diabetology textbooks regarding timings of administration, frequency and dose of various insulins is adequate and also to see whether the information contained in these texts is concordant with product inserts. Four standard textbooks of pharmacology, two of diabetology and three of endocrinology were assessed for the published information regarding dose, timing, and frequency of insulin administration. The product inserts of commonly available insulins in India were also studied for the same. Various omissions and disparities could be seen in the coverage of insulins in standard textbooks. Posology information about premixed insulins and basal insulins have been omitted by the majority of the textbooks. Details about dose, frequency and timings of ultra-short acting insulins have also not been covered by all textbooks. Some discrepancies regarding prescribing information was also noted in product inserts, especially in case of newer insulins. Thus, this article stresses upon the need of a uniform source of information for providing adequate and standardized knowledge regarding timing, frequency, and dose of insulins.

Direction of catheter insertion and the incidence of paresthesia during continuous epidural anesthesia in the elderly patients

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jong-Hak; Lee, Jun Seop

2013-01-01

Background Continuous epidural anesthesia is useful for endoscopic urologic surgery, as mostly performed in the elderly patients. In such a case, it is necessary to obtain successful sacral anesthesia, and the insertion of epidural catheter in the caudad direction may be needed. However, continuous epidural catherization has been related to paresthesias. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the direction of the catheter insertion on the incidence of paresthesias in the elderly patients. Methods Two hundred elderly patients scheduled for endoscopic urologic surgery were enrolled. The epidural catheter was inserted at L2-3, L3-4, and L4-5 using the Tuohy needle. In Group I (n = 100), the Tuohy needle with the bevel directed the cephalad during the catheter insertion. In Group II (n = 100), it directed the caudad. During the catheter insertion, an anesthesiologist evaluated the presence of paresthesias and the ease or difficulty during the catheter insertion. Results In Group I (n = 97), 15.5% of the patients had paresthesias versus 18.4% in Group II (n = 98), and there was no significant difference between the two groups. In paresthesia depending on the insertion site and the ease or difficulty during the catheter insertion, there were no significant differences between the two groups. Conclusions Our results concluded that the direction of epidural catheter insertion did not significantly influence the incidence of paresthesias in the elderly patients. PMID:23741568

ISABELLE insertion quadrupoles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaugerts, J.; Polk, I.; Sampson, W.; Dahl, P.F.

1979-01-01

Beam focussing and control at the beam intersection regions of ISABELLE is accomplished by a number of superconducting insertion quadrupoles. These magnets differ from the standard ISABELLE quadrupoles in various ways. In particular, the requirements of limited space near the intersections and aperture for beam extraction impose constraints on their configuration. To achieve optimum beam focussing and provide tuning flexibility calls for stronger quadrupole trim windings than those in the standard quadrupoles. The magnetic and mechanical design of the insertion quadrupoles and their associated correction and steering windings to accomplish the above tasks is presented

Heat generation during implant placement in low-density bone: effect of surgical technique, insertion torque and implant macro design.

Science.gov (United States)

Marković, Aleksa; Mišić, Tijana; Miličić, Biljana; Calvo-Guirado, Jose Luis; Aleksić, Zoran; Ðinić, Ana

2013-07-01

The study aimed to investigate the effect of surgical technique, implant macrodesign and insertion torque on bone temperature changes during implant placement. In the in vitro study, 144 self-tapping (blueSKY(®) 4 × 10 mm; Bredent) and 144 non-self-tapping (Standard implant(®) 4.1 × 10 mm; Straumann) were placed in osteotomies prepared in pig ribs by lateral bone condensing or bone drilling techniques. The maximum insertion torque values of 30, 35 and 40 Ncm were used. Real-time bone temperature measurement during implant placement was performed by three thermocouples positioned vertically, in tripod configuration around every osteotomy, at a distance of 5 mm from it and at depths of 1, 5 and 10 mm. Data were analysed using Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U-tests and Regression analysis. Significant predictor of bone temperature at the osteotomy depth of 1 mm was insertion torque (P = 0.003) and at the depth of 10-mm implant macrodesign (P = 0.029), while no significant predictor at depth of 5 mm was identified (P > 0.05). Higher insertion torque values as well as non-self-tapping implant macrodesign were related to higher temperatures. Implant placement in sites prepared by bone drilling induced significantly higher temperature increase (P = 0.021) compared with bone condensing sites at the depth of 5 mm, while no significant difference was recorded at other depths. Compared with 30 Ncm, insertion torque values of 35 and 40 Ncm produced significantly higher temperature increase (P = 0.005; P = 0.003, respectively) at the depth of 1 mm. There was no significant difference in temperature change induced by 35 and 40 Ncm, neither by implant macrodesign at all investigated depths (P > 0.05). Placement of self-tapping implants with low insertion torque into sites prepared by lateral bone condensing technique might be advantageous in terms of thermal effect on bone. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Complications of Percutaneous Nephrostomy, Percutaneous Insertion of Ureteral Endoprosthesis, and Replacement Procedures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaskarelis, Ioannis S.; Papadaki, Marina G.; Malliaraki, Niki E.; Robotis, Epaminondas D.; Malagari, Katerina S.; Piperopoulos, Ploutarchos N.

2001-01-01

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to record and identify the frequency of complications following percutaneous nephrostomy, replacement of nephrostomy drains and percutaneous insertion of ureteral endoprostheses.Methods: During a 10-year period 341 patients were referred to our department with indications for percutaneous nephrostomy and/or percutaneous insertion of a ureteral endoprosthesis, and a total of 1036 interventional procedures were performed (nephrostomy, catheter change, stenting).Results: There were three major complications (0.29%): two patients died during the first 30 days after the procedure, due to aggravation of their condition caused by the procedure, and one patient had retroperitoneal bleeding requiring surgery. There were 76 complications of intermediate severity (7.33%): catheter or stent displacement (n = 37, 3.57%) catheter occlusion (n = 18, 1.73%), hematuria (n = 12, 1.16%), and urinary tract infection (n = 9, 0.87%). The 55 minor complications (5.3%) comprised inflammation of the skin at the site of insertion of the percutaneous catheter.Conclusion: The small number of complications observed during acts of interventional uroradiology prove transcutaneous manipulations to be safe medical procedures

Lysenin Toxin Membrane Insertion Is pH-Dependent but Independent of Neighboring Lysenins.

Science.gov (United States)

Munguira, Ignacio L B; Takahashi, Hirohide; Casuso, Ignacio; Scheuring, Simon

2017-11-07

Pore-forming toxins form a family of proteins that act as virulence factors of pathogenic bacteria, but similar proteins are found in all kingdoms of life, including the vertebrate immune system. They are secreted as soluble monomers that oligomerize on target membranes in the so-called prepore state; after activation, they insert into the membrane and adopt the pore state. Lysenin is a pore-forming toxin from the earthworm Eisenida foetida, of which both the soluble and membrane-inserted structures are solved. However, the activation and membrane-insertion mechanisms have remained elusive. Here, we used high-speed atomic force microscopy to directly visualize the membrane-insertion mechanism. Changing the environmental pH from pH 7.5 to below pH 6.0 favored membrane insertion. We detected a short α-helix in the soluble structure that comprised three glutamic acids (Glu92, Glu94, and Glu97) that we hypothesized may represent a pH-sensor (as in similar toxins, e.g., Listeriolysin). Mutant lysenin still can form pores, but mutating these glutamic acids to glutamines rendered the toxin pH-insensitive. On the other hand, toxins in the pore state did not favor insertion of neighboring prepores; indeed, pore insertion breaks the hexagonal ordered domains of prepores and separates from neighboring molecules in the membrane. pH-dependent activation of toxins may represent a common feature of pore-forming toxins. High-speed atomic force microscopy with single-molecule resolution at high temporal resolution and the possibility of exchanging buffers during the experiments presents itself as a unique tool for the study of toxin-state conversion. Copyright © 2017 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Non-mineralized fibrocartilage shows the lowest elastic modulus in the rabbit supraspinatus tendon insertion: measurement with scanning acoustic microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sano, Hirotaka; Saijo, Yoshifumi; Kokubun, Shoichi

2006-01-01

The acoustic properties of rabbit supraspinatus tendon insertions were measured by scanning acoustic microscopy. After cutting parallel to the supraspinatus tendon fibers, specimens were fixed with 10% neutralized formalin, embedded in paraffin, and sectioned. Both the sound speed and the attenuation constant were measured at the insertion site. The 2-dimensional distribution of the sound speed and that of the attenuation constant were displayed with color-coded scales. The acoustic properties reflected both the histologic architecture and the collagen type. In the tendon proper and the non-mineralized fibrocartilage, the sound speed and attenuation constant gradually decreased as the predominant collagen type changed from I to II. In the mineralized fibrocartilage, they increased markedly with the mineralization of the fibrocartilaginous tissue. These results indicate that the non-mineralized fibrocartilage shows the lowest elastic modulus among 4 zones at the insertion site, which could be interpreted as an adaptation to various types of biomechanical stress.

Sequential cooling insert for turbine stator vane

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Russel B

2017-04-04

A sequential flow cooling insert for a turbine stator vane of a small gas turbine engine, where the impingement cooling insert is formed as a single piece from a metal additive manufacturing process such as 3D metal printing, and where the insert includes a plurality of rows of radial extending impingement cooling air holes alternating with rows of radial extending return air holes on a pressure side wall, and where the insert includes a plurality of rows of chordwise extending second impingement cooling air holes on a suction side wall. The insert includes alternating rows of radial extending cooling air supply channels and return air channels that form a series of impingement cooling on the pressure side followed by the suction side of the insert.

Fuel insert shuffler

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naser, J.; Colley, R.; Gaiser, J.; Brookmire, T.; Engle, S.

1987-01-01

The potential for the use of expert systems in the nuclear power industry is widely recognized. The benefits of such systems include consistency of reasoning during off-normal situations when humans are under great stress, the reduction of time required to perform certain functions and the retention of human expertise in performing specialized functions. As the potential benefits are more and more demonstrated and realized, the development of expert systems becomes a necessary part of the nuclear power industry. The development of the fuel insert shuffle expert system is used as a case study. In fact, it shows that the potential benefits are realizable. Currently, the development of the insert shuffle plan requires three to four man-weeks of effort. Further modifications to this plan are sometimes required dur to either changes in the desired core load pattern or damaged fuel assemblies or inserts. These changes generally require two to four man-days of effort and could be stressful if they are critical path items on the outage schedule

A comparison of buffered lidocaine versus ELA-Max before peripheral intravenous catheter insertions in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Luhmann, Janet; Hurt, Sarah; Shootman, Mario; Kennedy, Robert

2004-03-01

Peripheral intravenous catheter (PIV) insertion is a common, painful experience for many children in the pediatric emergency department. Although local anesthetics such as injected buffered lidocaine have been shown to be effective at reducing pain and anxiety associated with PIV insertion, they are not routinely used. ELA-Max, a topical local anesthetic, has the advantage of needle-free administration but has not been compared with buffered lidocaine for PIV insertion. To compare the reduction of pain and anxiety during PIV insertion provided by subcutaneous buffered 1% lidocaine or topical ELA-Max in children. A randomized trial in children 4 to 17 years old undergoing PIV insertion with 22-gauge catheters was conducted. Children received either buffered lidocaine or ELA-Max. Buffered lidocaine was administered by using 30-gauge needles to inject 0.1 to 0.2 mL subcutaneously just before PIV insertion. ELA-Max was applied to the skin and occluded with Tegaderm 30 minutes before PIV insertion. Self-reported Visual Analog Scale (VAS) questionnaires (rating on a scale of 1-10; 1 = no pain, anxiety) were completed by patients and their parents before PIV insertion to assess baseline perceptions about pain and anxiety associated with PIV insertion and immediately after PIV insertion to assess pain and anxiety associated with the experience. After PIV insertion, the nurse who inserted the PIV also completed a VAS questionnaire assessing technical difficulty and satisfaction with the local anesthesia. A blinded observer also completed a VAS questionnaire to assess pain and anxiety associated with the PIV insertion. Data were analyzed by using chi2 and t tests. Sixty-nine subjects were enrolled, and questionnaires were competed by all (mean age: 12.1 +/- 4.5 years; 61% female). There were no differences for buffered lidocaine and ELA-Max groups in age, gender, race, prior IV experience, or baseline pain and anxiety. There were no significant differences between buffered

HangOut: generating clean PSI-BLAST profiles for domains with long insertions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Bong-Hyun; Cong, Qian; Grishin, Nick V

2010-06-15

Profile-based similarity search is an essential step in structure-function studies of proteins. However, inclusion of non-homologous sequence segments into a profile causes its corruption and results in false positives. Profile corruption is common in multidomain proteins, and single domains with long insertions are a significant source of errors. We developed a procedure (HangOut) that, for a single domain with specified insertion position, cleans erroneously extended PSI-BLAST alignments to generate better profiles. HangOut is implemented in Python 2.3 and runs on all Unix-compatible platforms. The source code is available under the GNU GPL license at http://prodata.swmed.edu/HangOut/. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Adaptation of Xanthobacter autotrophicus GJ10 to bromoacetate due to activation and mobilization of the haloacetate dehalogenase gene by insertion element IS1247

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van der Ploeg, J; Willemsen, M; Van Hall, Gerrit

1995-01-01

B gene. In mutant GJ10M50, a DNA fragment (designated IS1247) had copied itself from a position on the chromosome that was not linked to the dhlB region to a site immediately upstream of dhlB, resulting in a 1,672-bp insertion. IS1247 was found to encode an open reading frame corresponding to 464 amino...... acids which showed similarity to putative transposases from two other insertion elements. In most of the other MBA-resistant mutants of GJ10, IS1247 was also present in one more copy than in the wild type, which had two copies located within 20 kb. After insertion to a site proximal to dhlB, IS1247...... was able to transpose itself together with the dhlB gene to a plasmid, without the requirement of a second insertion element being present downstream of dhlB. The results show that IS1247 causes bromoacetate resistance by overexpression and mobilization of the haloacid dehalogenase gene, which mimics steps...

Silencing of end-joining repair for efficient site-specific gene insertion after TALEN/CRISPR mutagenesis in Aedes aegypti.

Science.gov (United States)

Basu, Sanjay; Aryan, Azadeh; Overcash, Justin M; Samuel, Glady Hazitha; Anderson, Michelle A E; Dahlem, Timothy J; Myles, Kevin M; Adelman, Zach N

2015-03-31

Conventional control strategies for mosquito-borne pathogens such as malaria and dengue are now being complemented by the development of transgenic mosquito strains reprogrammed to generate beneficial phenotypes such as conditional sterility or pathogen resistance. The widespread success of site-specific nucleases such as transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 in model organisms also suggests that reprogrammable gene drive systems based on these nucleases may be capable of spreading such beneficial phenotypes in wild mosquito populations. Using the mosquito Aedes aegypti, we determined that mutations in the FokI domain used in TALENs to generate obligate heterodimeric complexes substantially and significantly reduce gene editing rates. We found that CRISPR/Cas9-based editing in the mosquito Ae. aegypti is also highly variable, with the majority of guide RNAs unable to generate detectable editing. By first evaluating candidate guide RNAs using a transient embryo assay, we were able to rapidly identify highly effective guide RNAs; focusing germ line-based experiments only on this cohort resulted in consistently high editing rates of 24-90%. Microinjection of double-stranded RNAs targeting ku70 or lig4, both essential components of the end-joining response, increased recombination-based repair in early embryos as determined by plasmid-based reporters. RNAi-based suppression of Ku70 concurrent with embryonic microinjection of site-specific nucleases yielded consistent gene insertion frequencies of 2-3%, similar to traditional transposon- or ΦC31-based integration methods but without the requirement for an initial docking step. These studies should greatly accelerate investigations into mosquito biology, streamline development of transgenic strains for field releases, and simplify the evaluation of novel Cas9-based gene drive systems.

[Effects of slow twisting needle insertion and tubing needle insertion at Neiguan (PC 6) on cardiovascular function: a comparative study].

Science.gov (United States)

Ning, Shaoli; Zhao, Lihua; Xu, Lingjun; Huang, Yu; Pang, Yong; Huang, Dingjian

2016-01-01

To compare the effects between slow twisting needle insertion and tubing needle insertion. With cross-over design, 100 healthy young subjects (half male and half female) aged from 19 to 23 years were randomly divided into two groups by random digital table, 50 cases in each one. At the first stage, subjects in the group A were treated with slow twisting needle insertion while, subjects in,the group B were treated with tubing needle insertion. One week later, the procedure of second stage was performed alternately. The needle was inserted into Neiguan (PC 6) with two methods by one acupuncturist. The needle was retained for 5 min before removal. Five min before needle insertion as well as needle withdrawal and 30 min after needle withdrawal, ZXG-E automatic cardiovascular diagnostic apparatus was used to test cardiovascular function. At the tim of needle withdrawal, slow twisting needle insertion could improve effect work of kinetics (EWK), effective blood volume (BV) and reduce elastic expansion coefficient of blood vessel (FEK) and left ventricular spray blood impedance (VER), which was significantly different from tubing needle insertion (all P 0.05). The slow twisting needle insertion is significantly superior to tubing needle insertion on lowering vascular tension and VER, improving EWK and BV.

Bilateral inferior vena cava filter insertion in a patient with duplication of the infrarenal vena cava.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Leong, S

2010-06-19

BACKGROUND: Inferior vena cava (IVC) filter insertion is a commonly performed procedure for indications such as recurrent pulmonary emboli or contraindication to anticoagulation. Symptomatic duplication of the IVC is exceedingly rare with only a handful of cases being described in the literature. AIM: We report an unusual case of a patient with symptomatic duplication of the IVC. RESULT: A 53-year-old woman presented at our hospital for resection of a cerebral metastasis from a non-small cell lung cancer following a recent diagnosis of bilateral lower limb deep venous thrombosis. This required perioperative reversal of anticoagulation and IVC filter insertion. Conventional venography performed during filter insertion documented the existence of a duplicated IVC. CONCLUSION: We present a case of a symptomatic duplication of the IVC requiring filter insertion. We review the developmental anatomy of the IVC along with the diagnostic findings and management strategies available.

Impact of ultrasonography on central venous catheter insertion in intensive care

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palepu, Gopal B; Deven, Juneja; Subrahmanyam, M; Mohan, S

2009-01-01

The insertion of central venous catheters (CVCs) is an integral part of the management of critically ill patients. We aimed to study the impact of ultrasonography (USG) on CVC insertion in intensive care. A prospective study of 450 patients requiring CVC in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary care hospital. The patients were randomized into two groups: to have CVC insertion with USG-guidance or with the anatomic landmark technique (ALT). Data were collected on patient demographics; operator experience; and method, site and side of insertion. Outcome measures included successful insertion of CVC, number of attempts needed and complications. Internal jugular vein (IJV) cannulation was successful in 177/194 patients (91.2%) using ALT and in 200/205 patients (97.6%) using USG guidance, a significant difference of 6.4% (P = 0.006). Using ALT, 72.7% of cannulations could be accomplished in the first attempt as compared with 84.4% with USG guidance (P = 0.004). The overall complication rate was 28/399 (7%), with 19 (9.8%) complications in the ALT group and 9 (4.4%) in the USG group (age-, sex-, and operator-adjusted OR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.13–0.96; P = 0.03). For subclavian vein catheterization, the success rate was 26/28 (92.9%) in the ALT group and 17/17 (100%) in the USG group (P = 0.52). Using ALT, 71.4% cannulation could be accomplished in the first attempt as compared with 82.4% under USG guidance (P = 0.49). The overall complication rate was 6/45 (13.3%), with 4 (14.3%) complications in the ALT group and 2 (11.8%) in the USG group (P > 0.99). Real-time USG guidance improves success rates, reduces the number of attempts and decreases the complications associated with CVC insertion, especially for the IJV, and should become the standard of care in intensive care

Chest tube insertion - series (image)

Science.gov (United States)

Chest tubes are inserted to drain blood, fluid, or air and allow full expansion of the lungs. The tube is placed in the pleural space. The area where the tube will be inserted is numbed (local anesthesia). The patient may also be sedated. The chest ...

Genomic rearrangements by LINE-1 insertion-mediated deletion in the human and chimpanzee lineages.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Kyudong; Sen, Shurjo K; Wang, Jianxin; Callinan, Pauline A; Lee, Jungnam; Cordaux, Richard; Liang, Ping; Batzer, Mark A

2005-01-01

Long INterspersed Elements (LINE-1s or L1s) are abundant non-LTR retrotransposons in mammalian genomes that are capable of insertional mutagenesis. They have been associated with target site deletions upon insertion in cell culture studies of retrotransposition. Here, we report 50 deletion events in the human and chimpanzee genomes directly linked to the insertion of L1 elements, resulting in the loss of approximately 18 kb of sequence from the human genome and approximately 15 kb from the chimpanzee genome. Our data suggest that during the primate radiation, L1 insertions may have deleted up to 7.5 Mb of target genomic sequences. While the results of our in vivo analysis differ from those of previous cell culture assays of L1 insertion-mediated deletions in terms of the size and rate of sequence deletion, evolutionary factors can reconcile the differences. We report a pattern of genomic deletion sizes similar to those created during the retrotransposition of Alu elements. Our study provides support for the existence of different mechanisms for small and large L1-mediated deletions, and we present a model for the correlation of L1 element size and the corresponding deletion size. In addition, we show that internal rearrangements can modify L1 structure during retrotransposition events associated with large deletions.

Barriers and Facilitators to Central Venous Catheter Insertion: A Qualitative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cameron, Kenzie A; Cohen, Elaine R; Hertz, Joelle R; Wayne, Diane B; Mitra, Debi; Barsuk, Jeffrey H

2018-03-14

The aims of the study were to identify perceived barriers and facilitators to central venous catheter (CVC) insertion among healthcare providers and to understand the extent to which an existing Simulation-Based Mastery Learning (SBML) program may address barriers and leverage facilitators. Providers participating in a CVC insertion SBML train-the-trainer program, in addition to intensive care unit nurse managers, were purposively sampled from Veterans Administration Medical Centers located in geographically diverse areas. We conducted semistructured interviews to assess perceptions of barriers and facilitators to CVC insertion. Deidentified transcripts were analyzed using a grounded theory approach and the constant comparative method. We subsequently mapped identified barriers and facilitators to our SBML curriculum to determine whether or not the curriculum addresses these factors. We interviewed 28 providers at six Veterans Administration Medical Centers, identifying the following five overarching factors of perceived barriers to CVC insertion: (1) equipment, (2) personnel/staff, (3) setting or organizational context, (4) patient or provider, and (5) time-related barriers. Three overarching factors of facilitators emerged: (1) equipment, (2) personnel, and (3) setting or organizational context facilitators. The SBML curriculum seems to address most identified barriers, while leveraging many facilitators; building on the commonly identified facilitator of nursing staff contribution by expanding the curriculum to explicitly include nurse involvement could improve team efficiency and organizational culture of safety. Many identified facilitators (e.g., ability to use ultrasound, personnel confidence/competence) were also identified as barriers. Evidence-based SBML programs have the potential to amplify these facilitators while addressing the barriers by providing an opportunity to practice and master CVC insertion skills.

Prevalence, risk factors and outcomes of velamentous and marginal cord insertions: a population-based study of 634,741 pregnancies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cathrine Ebbing

common than velamentous. The conditions were associated with common risk factors and an increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes; these risks were greater for velamentous than for marginal insertion.

Ocular Insert: Dosage Form for Sustain Opthalmic Drug Delivery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sunil Kumar

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Except for skin, the eye is the most easily accessible site for topical administration of a medication. Traditional topical ophthalmic formulations (eye drops and ointments have poor bioavailability because of rapid pre-corneal elimination, conjunctival absorption, solution drainage by gravity, induced lacrimation and normal tear turnover. This leads to frequent installations of concentrated medication to achieve a therapeutic effect. The typical “pulse-entry” type drug release observed with ocular aqueous solutions (eye drops, suspensions and ointments can be replaced by more controlled, sustained, and continuous drug delivery, using a controlled-release ocular drug delivery system. Ocular inserts are solid or semisolid sterile preparations, of appropriate size and shape, designed to be inserted behind the eyelid or held on the eye and to deliver drugs for topical or systemic effect. These are polymeric systems into which the drug is incorporated as a solution or dispersion. They are better tolerated as to drainage and tear flow compared with other ophthalmic formulation and produce reliable drug release in the conjunctival cul-de-sac.

Lithium insertion in nanostructured titanates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Borghols, W.J.H.

2010-01-01

Upon nano-sizing of insertion compounds several significant changes in Li-insertion behavior have been observed for sizes below approximately 50 nm. Although the origins of the phenomena are interrelated, the changes can be divided in three main observations. (1) The formation of new phases, leading

Technical note: Computer-manufactured inserts for prosthetic sockets.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanders, Joan E; McLean, Jake B; Cagle, John C; Gardner, David W; Allyn, Katheryn J

2016-08-01

The objective of this research was to use computer-aided design software and a tabletop 3-D additive manufacturing system to design and fabricate custom plastic inserts for trans-tibial prosthesis users. Shape quality of inserts was tested right after they were inserted into participant's test sockets and again after four weeks of wear. Inserts remained properly positioned and intact throughout testing. Right after insertion the inserts caused the socket to be slightly under-sized, by a mean of 0.11mm, approximately 55% of the thickness of a nylon sheath. After four weeks of wear the under-sizing was less, averaging 0.03mm, approximately 15% of the thickness of a nylon sheath. Thus the inserts settled into the sockets over time. If existing prosthetic design software packages were enhanced to conduct insert design and to automatically generate fabrication files for manufacturing, then computer manufactured inserts may offer advantages over traditional methods in terms of speed of fabrication, ease of design, modification, and record keeping. Copyright © 2016 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Test manufacture of a canister insert

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raiko, H.

2004-11-01

This report describes the insert-manufacturing test of a disposal canister for spent nuclear fuel that was made by Metso Paper Oy, Jyvaeskylae Foundry, in 2003 on contract for Posiva Oy. The test manufacture was a part of the co-operation development programme of encapsulation technology between SKB AB and Posiva Oy. Insert casting was specified according to the current manufacturing specifications of SKB. The canister insert was of BWR-type with integral bottom. This was the first trial manufacture of this type of insert in Finland and, in total, the second test manufacture of insert by Metso Paper. The result fulfilled all the requirements but the material mechanical properties and metallurgical structure of the cast material. The measured tensile strength, ultimate strength and elongation at rupture were lower than specified. The reason for this was revealed in the metallurgical investigation of the cast material. The nodulizing of the graphite was not occurred during the casting process according to the requirements. (orig.)

Codon cassette mutagenesis: a general method to insert or replace individual codons by using universal mutagenic cassettes.

OpenAIRE

Kegler-Ebo, D M; Docktor, C M; DiMaio, D

1994-01-01

We describe codon cassette mutagenesis, a simple method of mutagenesis that uses universal mutagenic cassettes to deposit single codons at specific sites in double-stranded DNA. A target molecule is first constructed that contains a blunt, double-strand break at the site targeted for mutagenesis. A double-stranded mutagenic codon cassette is then inserted at the target site. Each mutagenic codon cassette contains a three base pair direct terminal repeat and two head-to-head recognition sequen...

Concepts for stereoselective acrylate insertion

KAUST Repository

Neuwald, Boris

2013-01-23

Various phosphinesulfonato ligands and the corresponding palladium complexes [{((PaO)PdMeCl)-μ-M}n] ([{( X1-Cl)-μ-M}n], (PaO) = κ2- P,O-Ar2PC6H4SO2O) with symmetric (Ar = 2-MeOC6H4, 2-CF3C6H4, 2,6-(MeO)2C6H3, 2,6-(iPrO)2C 6H3, 2-(2′,6′-(MeO)2C 6H3)C6H4) and asymmetric substituted phosphorus atoms (Ar1 = 2,6-(MeO)2C6H 3, Ar2 = 2′-(2,6-(MeO)2C 6H3)C6H4; Ar1 = 2,6-(MeO)2C6H3, Ar2 = 2-cHexOC 6H4) were synthesized. Analyses of molecular motions and dynamics by variable temperature NMR studies and line shape analysis were performed for the free ligands and the complexes. The highest barriers of ΔGa = 44-64 kJ/mol were assigned to an aryl rotation process, and the flexibility of the ligand framework was found to be a key obstacle to a more effective stereocontrol. An increase of steric bulk at the aryl substituents raises the motional barriers but diminishes insertion rates and regioselectivity. The stereoselectivity of the first and the second methyl acrylate (MA) insertion into the Pd-Me bond of in situ generated complexes X1 was investigated by NMR and DFT methods. The substitution pattern of the ligand clearly affects the first MA insertion, resulting in a stereoselectivity of up to 6:1 for complexes with an asymmetric substituted phosphorus. In the consecutive insertion, the stereoselectivity is diminished in all cases. DFT analysis of the corresponding insertion transition states revealed that a selectivity for the first insertion with asymmetric (P aO) complexes is diminished in the consecutive insertions due to uncooperatively working enantiomorphic and chain end stereocontrol. From these observations, further concepts are developed. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Method Of Wire Insertion For Electric Machine Stators

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, David L; Stabel, Gerald R; Lawrence, Robert Anthony

2005-02-08

A method of inserting coils in slots of a stator is provided. The method includes interleaving a first set of first phase windings and a first set of second phase windings on an insertion tool. The method also includes activating the insertion tool to radially insert the first set of first phase windings and the first set of second phase windings in the slots of the stator. In one embodiment, interleaving the first set of first phase windings and the first set of second phase windings on the insertion tool includes forming the first set of first phase windings in first phase openings defined in the insertion tool, and forming the first set of second phase windings in second phase openings defined in the insertion tool.

Efficient DNA Fingerprinting Based on the Targeted Sequencing of Active Retrotransposon Insertion Sites Using a Bench-Top High-Throughput Sequencing Platform

OpenAIRE

Monden, Yuki; Yamamoto, Ayaka; Shindo, Akiko; Tahara, Makoto

2014-01-01

In many crop species, DNA fingerprinting is required for the precise identification of cultivars to protect the rights of breeders. Many families of retrotransposons have multiple copies throughout the eukaryotic genome and their integrated copies are inherited genetically. Thus, their insertion polymorphisms among cultivars are useful for DNA fingerprinting. In this study, we conducted a DNA fingerprinting based on the insertion polymorphisms of active retrotransposon families (Rtsp-1 and LI...

A genomic library-based amplification approach (GL-PCR) for the mapping of multiple IS6110 insertion sites and strain differentiation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Namouchi, Amine; Mardassi, Helmi

2006-11-01

Evidence suggests that insertion of the IS6110 element is not without consequence to the biology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains. Thus, mapping of multiple IS6110 insertion sites in the genome of biomedically relevant clinical isolates would result in a better understanding of the role of this mobile element, particularly with regard to transmission, adaptability and virulence. In the present paper, we describe a versatile strategy, referred to as GL-PCR, that amplifies IS6110-flanking sequences based on the construction of a genomic library. M. tuberculosis chromosomal DNA is fully digested with HincII and then ligated into a plasmid vector between T7 and T3 promoter sequences. The ligation reaction product is transformed into Escherichia coli and selective PCR amplification targeting both 5' and 3' IS6110-flanking sequences are performed on the plasmid library DNA. For this purpose, four separate PCR reactions are performed, each combining an outward primer specific for one IS6110 end with either T7 or T3 primer. Determination of the nucleotide sequence of the PCR products generated from a single ligation reaction allowed mapping of 21 out of the 24 IS6110 copies of two 12 banded M. tuberculosis strains, yielding an overall sensitivity of 87,5%. Furthermore, by simply comparing the migration pattern of GL-PCR-generated products, the strategy proved to be as valuable as IS6110 RFLP for molecular typing of M. tuberculosis complex strains. Importantly, GL-PCR was able to discriminate between strains differing by a single IS6110 band.

Posology of insulins: A review of standard textbooks and product inserts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Garima Bhutani

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The study is aimed to assess whether the information contained in standard pharmacology, endocrinology, and diabetology textbooks regarding timings of administration, frequency and dose of various insulins is adequate and also to see whether the information contained in these texts is concordant with product inserts. Materials and Methods: Four standard textbooks of pharmacology, two of diabetology and three of endocrinology were assessed for the published information regarding dose, timing, and frequency of insulin administration. The product inserts of commonly available insulins in India were also studied for the same. Results: Various omissions and disparities could be seen in the coverage of insulins in standard textbooks. Posology information about premixed insulins and basal insulins have been omitted by the majority of the textbooks. Details about dose, frequency and timings of ultra-short acting insulins have also not been covered by all textbooks. Some discrepancies regarding prescribing information was also noted in product inserts, especially in case of newer insulins. Conclusions: Thus, this article stresses upon the need of a uniform source of information for providing adequate and standardized knowledge regarding timing, frequency, and dose of insulins.

Distal insertions of the semimembranosus tendon: MR imaging with anatomic correlation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maeseneer, Michel de [Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Department of Radiology, Jette, Brussels (Belgium); Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Experimental Anatomy, Brussels (Belgium); Shahabpour, Maryam; Milants, Annemieke; Ridder, Filip de; Mey, Johan de [Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Department of Radiology, Jette, Brussels (Belgium); Lenchik, Leon [Wake Forest University, Department of Radiology, Winston-Salem, NC (United States); Cattrysse, Erik [Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Experimental Anatomy, Brussels (Belgium)

2014-06-15

The purpose of this study is to investigate the distal insertions of the semimembranosus tendon with MR imaging, correlated with findings in cadavers. Four fresh cadaveric specimens were studied with 3-T MR imaging. Sequences included proton density (PD) sequences (TE, 13; TR, 4957; FOV, 170 x 170; matrix, 424 x 413; NA, 2; slice thickness, 2.5 mm) in the axial, coronal, and sagittal planes and 3D fast field echo (FFE) sequences (TR 9.4; TE 6.9; FOV, 159 x 105; matrix, 200 x 211; NA, 2; slice thickness, 0.57 mm). One specimen was dissected and three specimens were sectioned with a bandsaw in the axial, coronal, and sagittal plane. The sections were photographed and correlated with MR images. To standardize the analysis, the semimembranosus muscle and tendon were assessed at seven levels for the axial sections, and at three levels for the coronal and sagittal sections. Anatomic dissection revealed six insertions of the distal semimembranosus tendon: direct arm, anterior arm, posterior oblique ligament extension, oblique popliteal ligament extension, distal tibial expansion (popliteus aponeurosis), and meniscal arm. Axial MR images showed five of six insertions: direct arm, anterior arm, oblique popliteal ligament extension, posterior oblique ligament extension, and distal tibial expansion. Sagittal MR images showed four of six insertions: direct arm, anterior arm, oblique popliteal ligament arm, and distal tibial expansion. Sagittal MR images were ideal for showing the direct arm insertion, but were less optimal than the axial images for showing the other insertions. The anterior arm was seen but volume averaging was present with the gracilis tendon. Coronal MR images optimally revealed the anterior arm, although magic angle artifact was present at its posterior aspect. The common semimembranosus tendon and meniscal arm were also well depicted. The division in anterior arm, direct arm, and oblique popliteal ligament arm was poorly seen on coronal images due to

Differences in Endothelial Injury After Balloon Angioplasty, Insertion of Balloon-Expanded Stents or Release of Self-Expanding Stents: An Electron Microscopic Experimental Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harnek, Jan; Zoucas, Evita; Carlemalm, Erik; Cwikiel, Wojciech

1999-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate which of six different commonly available stents inserted into an artery without percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) causes the least endothelial damage. To compare the degree of endothelial injury after insertion of such a stent with injury caused by PTA. Methods: Twelve healthy pigs were used in the experiments. In the first part of the study six different types of stents were inserted into the common iliac arteries. In the second part of the study self-expanding stents with large spaces between the wires were used. PTA was performed in the contralateral iliac artery. The pigs were killed immediately after the procedure and resected specimens examined after fixation, using scanning electron microscopy. Results: All procedures but two were accomplished successfully. More endothelium was preserved after insertion of self-expanding stents with large spaces between the wires, compared with stents with small spaces and balloon-expanded stents. After insertion of self-expanding stents with large spaces, 50.1% ± 16.4% of the endothelium remained intact, compared with only 5.6% ± 7.7% after PTA. The difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Self-expanding stents with large spaces between the wires, inserted without PTA, cause less damage to the endothelium than other stents and significantly less damage than PTA

Field errors in hybrid insertion devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlueter, R.D.

1995-02-01

Hybrid magnet theory as applied to the error analyses used in the design of Advanced Light Source (ALS) insertion devices is reviewed. Sources of field errors in hybrid insertion devices are discussed

Field errors in hybrid insertion devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schlueter, R.D. [Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States)

1995-02-01

Hybrid magnet theory as applied to the error analyses used in the design of Advanced Light Source (ALS) insertion devices is reviewed. Sources of field errors in hybrid insertion devices are discussed.

Insertion mechanics of bioinspired needles into soft tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Sahlabadi, Mohammad; Khodaei, Seyedvahid; Jezler, Kyle; Hutapea, Parsaoran

2017-12-22

Most studies to date confirm that any increase in the needle insertion force increases the damage to the tissue. When it comes to brain tissue, even minor damage can cause a long-lasting traumatic brain injury. Thus there is a great demand for innovative minimally invasive needles among the medical community. In our previous studies a novel bioinspired needle design with specially designed barbs was used to perform insertion tests into Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tissue-mimicking gels, in which it decreased the insertion force by as much as 25%. In this work, bioinspired needles were designed using a CAD software, and were then manufactured using a 3 D printer. The insertion tests into bovine brain and liver were then performed to further investigate the performance of our bioinspired needles in real tissues. Our results show that there was a 10-25% decrease in the insertion force for insertions into bovine brain, and a 35-45% reduction in the insertion force for insertions into bovine liver using the proposed bioinspired needles. The reduction in the insertion force is due to the decrease in the friction force of the bioinspired needle with the bovine tissues, and its results are consistent with our previous results.

Low voltage aluminium anodes. Optimization of the insert-anode bond

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Le Guyader, Herve; Debout, Valerie; Grolleau, Anne-Marie [DCN Cherbourg, Departement 2EI, Place Bruat, BP 440, 50104 Cherbourg-Octeville (France); Pautasso, Jean-Pierre [DGA/CTA 16 bis, avenue Prieur de la Cote D' Or, 94 114 Arcueil Cedex (France)

2004-07-01

Zinc or Al/Zn/In sacrificial anodes are widely used to protect submerged marine structures from corrosion. Their Open Circuit Potential range from - 1 V vs. Ag/AgCl for Zn anodes to -1.1 V vs. Ag/AgCl for Al/Zn/In. These potentials are sufficiently electronegative as to reduce the threshold for stress corrosion cracking and/or hydrogen embrittlement, KISCC, especially in the presence of high strength alloys. In the 90's, an extensive research programme was initiated by DGA/DCN to implement a new low voltage material. Laboratory and full scale marine tests performed on industrial castings, as previously reported, led to the development of a new patented Al- 0.1%Ga alloy having a working potential of - 0.80 to - 0.83 V vs. Ag/AgCl. This alloy was also evaluated at full scale at the Naval Research Laboratory anode qualification site in Key West, Fl, and gave satisfactory results. Around 500 cylindrical AlGa anodes were then installed on a submerged marine structure replacing the classical zinc anode. A first inspection, carried out after a few months of service, showed that some of the anodes had not operated as expected, which led to further investigations. The examinations performed indicated that the problem was due to a bad metallurgical compatibility between the insert and the sacrificial materials inducing a poor bond between the anode and the plain rod insert. Progressive loss of contact between the anode and the structure to be protected was then induced by penetration of sea water and corrosion at the anode-insert interface. This phenomenon was aggravated by seawater pressure. Additional studies were therefore launched with two aims: (1) find temporary remedies for the anodes already installed on the structure; (2) correct the anode original design and/or manufacturing process to achieve the maximum performance on new anodes lots. This paper describes the various solutions investigated to improve the insert-anode bond: design of the anode, rugosity and

Design and evaluation of a computed tomography (CT)-compatible needle insertion device using an electromagnetic tracking system and CT images

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Shahriari, Navid; Hekman, Edsko; Oudkerk, Matthijs; Misra, Sarthak

2015-01-01

Percutaneous needle insertion procedures are commonly used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Although current technology allows accurate localization of lesions, they cannot yet be precisely targeted. Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death, and early detection reduces

Design and evaluation of a computed tomography (CT)-compatible needle insertion device using an electromagnetic tracking system and CT images

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Shahriari, Navid; Hekman, Edsko E.G.; Oudkerk, Matthijs; Misra, Sarthak

2015-01-01

Purpose Percutaneous needle insertion procedures are commonly used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Although current technology allows accurate localization of lesions, they cannot yet be precisely targeted. Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death, and early detection

Agitation within Mk-42 insert caused by air sparge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramsey, C.J.

1991-01-01

Dissolution of Rocky Flats Pu alloys and Pu metal using a ''nested insert'' configuration (One Well Insert (S-3352) inside the Mk-42 Insert) will require a Nuclear Safety Study, a major assumption of which will be that the annular dissolver is well-mixed. The ''well-mixed'' assumption was theoretically and experimentally supported for alloy dissolution using the Three Well Insert, but the present situation differs significantly. In the former case, the insert was directly exposed to the agitation induced by air sparging; in the case under consideration, the One Well Insert would be shielded by the Mk-42 Insert. In an effort to determine if the ''nested insert'' approach should be pursued, the past studies and technical literature have been surveyed and an attempt made to predict the extent of mixing and bulk circulation for a ''nested insert'' configuration in the presence of air sparging

Factor IX[sub Madrid 2]: A deletion/insertion in Facotr IX gene which abolishes the sequence of the donor junction at the exon IV-intron d splice site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Solera, J. (Unidades de Genetica Molecular, Madrid (Spain)); Magallon, M.; Martin-Villar, J. (Hemofilia Hospital, Madrid (Spain)); Coloma, A. (Departamento deBioquimica de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Autonoma, Madrid (Spain))

1992-02-01

DNA from a patient with severe hemophilia B was evaluated by RFLP analysis, producing results which suggested the existence of a partial deletion within the factor IX gene. The deletion was further localized and characterized by PCR amplification and sequencing. The altered allele has a 4,442-bp deletion which removes both the donor splice site located at the 5[prime] end of intron d and the two last coding nucleotides located at the 3[prime] end of exon IV in the normal factor IX gene; this fragment has been inserted in inverted orientation. Two homologous sequences have been discovered at the ends of the deleted DNA fragment.

Development of a virtual reality haptic Veress needle insertion simulator for surgical skills training.

Science.gov (United States)

Okrainec, A; Farcas, M; Henao, O; Choy, I; Green, J; Fotoohi, M; Leslie, R; Wight, D; Karam, P; Gonzalez, N; Apkarian, J

2009-01-01

The Veress needle is the most commonly used technique for creating the pneumoperitoneum at the start of a laparoscopic surgical procedure. Inserting the Veress needle correctly is crucial since errors can cause significant harm to patients. Unfortunately, this technique can be difficult to teach since surgeons rely heavily on tactile feedback while advancing the needle through the various layers of the abdominal wall. This critical step in laparoscopy, therefore, can be challenging for novice trainees to learn without adequate opportunities to practice in a safe environment with no risk of injury to patients. To address this issue, we have successfully developed a prototype of a virtual reality haptic needle insertion simulator using the tactile feedback of 22 surgeons to set realistic haptic parameters. A survey of these surgeons concluded that our device appeared and felt realistic, and could potentially be a useful tool for teaching the proper technique of Veress needle insertion.

Biliary and pancreatic stenting: Devices and insertion techniques in therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic ultrasonography

Science.gov (United States)

Mangiavillano, Benedetto; Pagano, Nico; Baron, Todd H; Arena, Monica; Iabichino, Giuseppe; Consolo, Pierluigi; Opocher, Enrico; Luigiano, Carmelo

2016-01-01

Stents are tubular devices made of plastic or metal. Endoscopic stenting is the most common treatment for obstruction of the common bile duct or of the main pancreatic duct, but also employed for the treatment of bilio-pancreatic leakages, for preventing post- endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis and to drain the gallbladder and pancreatic fluid collections. Recent progresses in techniques of stent insertion and metal stent design are represented by new, fully-covered lumen apposing metal stents. These stents are specifically designed for transmural drainage, with a saddle-shape design and bilateral flanges, to provide lumen-to-lumen anchoring, reducing the risk of migration and leakage. This review is an update of the technique of stent insertion and metal stent deployment, of the most recent data available on stent types and characteristics and the new applications for biliopancreatic stents. PMID:26862364

Clinical information in drug package inserts in India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shivkar Y

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Background: It is widely recognized that accurate and reliable product information is essential for the safe and effective use of medications. Pharmaceutical companies are the primary source of most drug information, including package inserts. Package inserts are printed leaflets accompanying marketed drug products and contain information approved by the regulatory agencies. Studies on package inserts in India, in 1996, had shown that crucial information was often missing and they lacked uniformity. Aim: To assess the presentation and completeness of clinically important information provided in the currently available package inserts in India. Materials and Methods: Package inserts accompanying allopathic drug products marketed by pharmaceutical companies in India were collected. These package inserts were analyzed for the content of clinically important information in various sections. Statistical Analysis: The results were expressed as absolute numbers and percentages. Results: Preliminary analyses revealed that most package inserts did contain information under headings, such as, therapeutic indications, contraindications, undesirable effects, etc., listed in the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules 1945. The findings indicated considerable improvement in package inserts since 1996. However, on critical evaluation it was revealed that clinically important information was not well presented and was often incomplete. Information with regard to pediatric and geriatric use was present in only 44% and 13% of the package inserts, respectively. Only five of the inserts had information on the most frequent adverse drug reactions associated with the drug. Also, information on interactions and overdosage was often missing. Conclusion: Although the package inserts appear to have improved over the past decade there is still a definite need to further refine the clinical information contained, to minimize the risks to patients. This could be brought about by self

Complex distal insertions of the tibialis posterior tendon: detailed anatomic and MR imaging investigation in cadavers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pastore, Daniel; Cerri, Giovanni G. [University of Sao Paulo, Department of Radiology, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo (Brazil); VA Medical Center, University of California, Department of Radiology, San Diego, CA (United States); Dirim, Berna; Wangwinyuvirat, Mani; Belentani, Clarissa L.; Trudell, Debra J.; Resnick, Donald L. [VA Medical Center, University of California, Department of Radiology, San Diego, CA (United States); Haghighi, Parviz [VA Medical Center, University of California, Department of Radiology, San Diego, CA (United States); VA Medical Center, University of California, Department of Histology, San Diego, CA (United States)

2008-09-15

The purpose of this report was to demonstrate the normal complex insertional anatomy of the tibialis posterior tendon (TPT) in cadavers using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with anatomic and histologic correlation. Ten cadaveric ankles were used according to institutional guidelines. MR T1-weighted spin echo imaging was performed to demonstrate aspects of the complex anatomic distal insertions of the TPT in cadaveric specimens. Findings on MR imaging were correlated with those derived from anatomic and histologic study. Generally, the TPT revealed a low signal in all MR images, except near the level of the medial malleolus, where the TPT suddenly changed direction and ''magic angle'' artifact could be observed. In five out of ten specimens (50%), a type I accessory navicular bone was found in the TPT. In all cases with a type I accessory navicular bone, the TPT had an altered signal in this area. Axial and coronal planes on MR imaging were the best in identifying the distal insertions of the TPT. A normal division of the TPT was observed just proximal to the insertion into the navicular bone in five specimens (100%) occurring at a maximum proximal distance from its attachment to the navicular bone of approximately 1.5 to 2 cm. In the other five specimens, in which a type I accessory navicular bone was present, the TPT directly inserted into the accessory bone and a slip less than 1.5 mm in thickness could be observed attaching to the medial aspect of the navicular bone (100%). Anatomic inspection confirmed the sites of the distal insertions of the components of the TPT. MR imaging enabled detailed analysis of the complex distal insertions of the TPT as well as a better understanding of those features of its insertion that can simulate a lesion. (orig.)

Reactivity insertion accident analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreira, J.M.L.; Nakata, H.; Yorihaz, H.

1990-04-01

The correct prediction of postulated accidents is the fundamental requirement for the reactor licensing procedures. Accident sequences and severity of their consequences depend upon the analysis which rely on analytical tools which must be validated against known experimental results. Present work presents a systematic approach to analyse and estimate the reactivity insertion accident sequences. The methodology is based on the CINETHICA code which solves the point-kinetics/thermohydraulic coupled equations with weighted temperature feedback. Comparison against SPERT experimental results shows good agreement for the step insertion accidents. (author) [pt

Pediatric Enteric Feeding Techniques: Insertion, Maintenance, and Management of Problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nijs, Els L. F.; Cahill, Anne Marie

2010-01-01

Enteral feeding is considered a widespread, well-accepted means of delivering nutrition to adults and children who are unable to consume food by mouth or who need support in maintaining adequate nutrition for a variety of reasons, including acute and chronic disease states. Delivery of enteral feeding to nutritionally deprived patients may be achieved by several means. In this article, the indications and insertion of enteral access in children will be reviewed. In addition, common complications and management of problems will be discussed.

Marine spawning sites of perch Perca fluviatilis revealed by oviduct-inserted acoustic transmitters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skovrind, Mikkel; Christensen, Emil A.F.; Carl, Henrik

2013-01-01

In the 1970s, a flood-protection system dramatically changed a large part of the coastal environment of Køge Bugt, a bay in the western Baltic Sea, from open coast to a brackish lagoon habitat. An anadromous stock of European perch Perca fluviatilis seems to have benefitted from this change...... a strong proof of concept of oviduct-inserted acoustic transmitters in brackish and marine fish spawning studies. The transmitter expulsions were validated using an egg map, which was based on visual observations of perch egg-strands, and 11 of the 12 expulsed transmitters (92%) were located in areas...... with eggs. Many fish spawned in the brackish water with salinities up to 9.6 PSU. These salinities are higher than those previously observed for European perch spawning in the wild, and call for further investigations of salinity tolerance in perch eggs...

Turbine airfoil having near-wall cooling insert

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Jr., Nicholas F.; Wiebe, David J.

2017-09-12

A turbine airfoil is provided with at least one insert positioned in a cavity in an airfoil interior. The insert extends along a span-wise extent of the turbine airfoil and includes first and second opposite faces. A first near-wall cooling channel is defined between the first face and a pressure sidewall of an airfoil outer wall. A second near-wall cooling channel is defined between the second face and a suction sidewall of the airfoil outer wall. The insert is configured to occupy an inactive volume in the airfoil interior so as to displace a coolant flow in the cavity toward the first and second near-wall cooling channels. A locating feature engages the insert with the outer wall for supporting the insert in position. The locating feature is configured to control flow of the coolant through the first or second near-wall cooling channel.

Effects of porous insert on flame dynamics in a lean premixed swirl-stabilized combustor

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Marcus; Agrawal, Ajay; Allen, James; Kornegay, John

2016-11-01

In this study, we investigated different methods of determining the effect a porous insert has on flame dynamics during lean premixed combustion. A metallic porous insert is used to mitigate instabilities in a swirl-stabilized combustor. Thermoacoustic instabilities are seen as negative consequences of lean premixed combustion and eliminating them is the motivation for our research. Three different diagnostics techniques with high-speed Photron SA5 cameras were used to monitor flame characteristics. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) was used to observe vortical structures and recirculation zones within the combustor. Using planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF), we were able to observe changes in the reaction zones during instabilities. Finally, utilizing a color high-speed camera, visual images depicting a flame's oscillations during the instability were captured. Using these monitoring techniques, we are able to support the claims made in previous studies stating that the porous insert in the combustor significantly reduces the thermoacoustic instability. Funding for this research was provided by the NSF REU site Grant EEC 1358991 and NASA Grant NNX13AN14A.

Insertion devices at the advanced photon source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moog, E.R.

1996-01-01

The insertion devices being installed at the Advanced Photon Source cause the stored particle beam to wiggle, emitting x-rays with each wiggle. These x-rays combine to make an intense beam of radiation. Both wiggler and undulator types of insertion devices are being installed; the characteristics of the radiation produced by these two types of insertion devices are discussed, along with the reasons for those characteristics

Experimental testing of exchangeable cutting inserts cutting ability

OpenAIRE

Čep, Robert; Janásek, Adam; Čepová, Lenka; Petrů, Jana; Hlavatý, Ivo; Car, Zlatan; Hatala, Michal

2013-01-01

The article deals with experimental testing of the cutting ability of exchangeable cutting inserts. Eleven types of exchangeable cutting inserts from five different manufacturers were tested. The tested cutting inserts were of the same shape and were different especially in material and coating types. The main aim was both to select a suitable test for determination of the cutting ability of exchangeable cutting inserts and to design such testing procedure that could make it possible...

Influence of Gradual Elongation to the Patella Tendon Insertion in Rabbits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hirotaka Mutsuzaki

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to examine the histological changes at the patella tendon (PT insertion site under gradual elongation in rabbits. Gradual elongation of the PT was performed using external fixation for 4 weeks, with a lengthening speed of 0.5 mm/day (elongation group; n = 24. Rabbits in the sham group underwent the same surgical procedure without gradual elongation (sham group; n = 24. Eight animals were sacrificed 1, 2 and 4 weeks after surgery in each group, respectively. Average thicknesses of stained glycosaminoglycan (GAGs areas by Safranin-O staining in the total cartilage layer and the uncalcified fibrocartilage layer in the elongation group were significantly higher than that in the sham group at 4 weeks (p < 0.05 and that in the intact PT group (n = 6, p < 0.05. In the elongation group, the peak in the average thicknesses of the stained GAGs areas in the total cartilage layer and the uncalcified fibrocartilage layer were observed at 4 weeks. Gradual elongation of PT insertion significantly affected the increase in the average thicknesses of the stained GAGs areas in the cartilage layer especially in the uncalcified fibrocartilage layer at 4 weeks in rabbits. Clinically, insertions of tendon and ligament can extend during gradual elongation using external fixation more than 4 weeks after the operation.

Dynamics of a Novel Highly Repetitive CACTA Family in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dongying Gao

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Transposons are ubiquitous genomic components that play pivotal roles in plant gene and genome evolution. We analyzed two genome sequences of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris and identified a new CACTA transposon family named pvCACTA1. The family is extremely abundant, as more than 12,000 pvCACTA1 elements were found. To our knowledge, this is the most abundant CACTA family reported thus far. The computational and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH analyses indicated that the pvCACTA1 elements were concentrated in terminal regions of chromosomes and frequently generated AT-rich 3 bp target site duplications (TSD, WWW, W is A or T. Comparative analysis of the common bean genomes from two domesticated genetic pools revealed that new insertions or excisions of pvCACTA1 elements occurred after the divergence of the two common beans, and some of the polymorphic elements likely resulted in variation in gene sequences. pvCACTA1 elements were detected in related species but not outside the Phaseolus genus. We calculated the molecular evolutionary rate of pvCACTA1 transposons using orthologous elements that indicated that most transposition events likely occurred before the divergence of the two gene pools. These results reveal unique features and evolution of this new transposon family in the common bean genome.

Incidence of upper limb venous thrombosis associated with peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC).

Science.gov (United States)

Abdullah, B J J; Mohammad, N; Sangkar, J V; Abd Aziz, Y F; Gan, G G; Goh, K Y; Benedict, I

2005-07-01

The objective of this study was to prospectively determine the incidence of venous thrombosis (VT) in the upper limbs in patients with peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC). We prospectively investigated the incidence of VT in the upper limbs of 26 patients who had PICC inserted. The inclusion criteria were all patients who had a PICC inserted, whilst the exclusion criterion was the inability to perform a venogram (allergies, previous contrast medium reaction and inability of gaining venous access). Both valved and non-valved catheters were evaluated. Prior to removal of the PICC, an upper limb venogram was performed. The number of segments involved with VT were determined. The duration of central venous catheterization was classified as; less than 6 days, between 6 days and 14 days and more than 14 days. VT was confirmed in 38.5% (10/26) of the patients. The majority 85.7% (12/14) were complete occlusive thrombi and the majority of VT only involved one segment. There was no statistical correlation between the site of insertion of the PICC and the location of VT. Neither was there any observed correlation between the occurrence of VT with the patient's history of hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, cardiac insufficiency, smoking or cancer. There was also no statistical correlation with the size of the catheter. In conclusion, PICCs are associated with a significant risk of upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (UEVT).

Cryostat insert with gas loading capabilities for use in neutron diffraction studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koehler, C. F. III; Larese, J. Z.

2000-01-01

We describe a versatile insert for use with the ''Standard Orange cryostat'' commonly found at neutron scattering facilities worldwide. Its design permits condensable gases to be introduced into a low-temperature sample cell through a vacuum-insulated, fill-line capillary. It also allows the top-flange-to-sample-cell distance to be easily adjusted and provides for auxillary heating of the fill-line capillary. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics

Ocular inserts - Advancement in therapy of eye diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anita Kumari

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The ocular insert represents a significant advancement in the therapy of eye disease. Ocular inserts are defined as sterile, thin, multilayered, drug-impregnated, solid or semisolid consistency devices placed into the cul-de-sac or conjuctival sac, whose size and shape are especially designed for ophthalmic application. They are composed of a polymeric support that may or may not contain a drug. The drug can later be incorporated as dispersion or a solution in the polymeric support. They offer several advantages as increased ocular residence and sustained release of medication into the eye. The insert includes a body portion sized to position within a lachrymal canaliculus of the eyelid. The inserts are classified according to their solubility as insoluble, soluble, or bioerodible inserts. The release of drug from the insert depends upon the diffusion, osmosis, and bioerosion of the drug, and this article is an attempt to present a brief about this newer drug delivery system.

Report on converging insert moulding with µ-IM

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Islam, Aminul

moulding with µ-IM  Task 5.2.1 and COTECH demonstrator: guide line for 5PRC production based on the concept of Task 5.2.1 Information and results provided by this deliverable will be directly used for one of the COTECH demonstrators production which will call for convergent insert moulding with µ......Task 5.2.1 deals with the technical feasibility of converging the state-of-the-art µ IM process with insert moulding to offer a wide range of multi-material µ components. The main objective of this deliverable is to summarize state-of-the-art information and to make the guideline needed...... for the convergence. In particular the following aspects are summed up in the deliverable:  Need for converging insert moulding with µ-IM  Objectives and expected outcome from task 5.2.1  State-of-the-art micro insert moulding and different scenario of micro insert moulding  Challenges ahead of converging insert...

Alu element insertion in PKLR gene as a novel cause of pyruvate kinase deficiency in Middle Eastern patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Lesmana, Harry; Dyer, Lisa; Li, Xia; Denton, James; Griffiths, Jenna; Chonat, Satheesh; Seu, Katie G; Heeney, Matthew M; Zhang, Kejian; Hopkin, Robert J; Kalfa, Theodosia A

2018-03-01

Pyruvate kinase deficiency (PKD) is the most frequent red blood cell enzyme abnormality of the glycolytic pathway and the most common cause of hereditary nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia. Over 250 PKLR-gene mutations have been described, including missense/nonsense, splicing and regulatory mutations, small insertions, small and gross deletions, causing PKD and hemolytic anemia of variable severity. Alu retrotransposons are the most abundant mobile DNA sequences in the human genome, contributing to almost 11% of its mass. Alu insertions have been associated with a number of human diseases either by disrupting a coding region or a splice signal. Here, we report on two unrelated Middle Eastern patients, both born from consanguineous parents, with transfusion-dependent hemolytic anemia, where sequence analysis revealed a homozygous insertion of AluYb9 within exon 6 of the PKLR gene, causing precipitous decrease of PKLR RNA levels. This Alu element insertion consists a previously unrecognized mechanism underlying pathogenesis of PKD. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Integration of a working site in its regional context

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Couture, J.

1986-01-01

This paper shows how a local representative has felt the decision of construction of the Paluel nuclear power plant and the problems involved, and how it has been tried to resolve them: insertion in the site, reception of the population of this big working site [fr

Machinability and scratch wear resistance of carbon-coated WC inserts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pazhanivel, B., E-mail: palcecri@yahoo.co.in; Kumar, T. Prem; Sozhan, G.

2015-03-15

Highlights: • Cemented WC inserts were coated with carbon by CVD. • The deposits were either loosely held MWCNTs or adherent carbides. • Co-efficient of friction (ramp load; 1–13 N); 0.2 and 0.1 μ, respectively, for the uncoated and carbide-coated inserts. • The carbide-coated insert exhibited better machinability and surface finish than a commercial TiCN-coated insert. - Abstract: In this work, cemented tungsten carbide (WC) inserts were coated with nanocarbons/carbides by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and their machinability and scratch wear resistance were investigated. The hardness and surface conditions of the WC substrate were studied before and after coating. The CVD-generated nanocarbons on the insert surfaces were examined by SEM, FE-SEM and TEM. The electron microscopic images revealed that the carbons generated were multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) or carbides depending on the experimental conditions. In both the cases, the cutting edges of the inserts had dense deposits. Scratch wear test with the coated inserts showed that the co-efficient of friction was 0.1 μ as against 0.2 μ for the uncoated inserts under a ramp load of 1–13 N. The machinability characteristics of commercially available TiCN-coated inserts and the carbon-coated WC inserts were compared by using a CNC machine and a Rapid I vision inspection system. It was found that the carbide-coated inserts exhibited machinability with better surface finish comparable to that of the TiCN-coated inserts while the MWCNT-coated inserts showed inferior adhesion properties.

Investigating the Effects of Three Needling Parameters (Manipulation, Retention Time, and Insertion Site) on Needling Sensation and Pain Profiles: A Study of Eight Deep Needling Interventions

Science.gov (United States)

Loyeung, Bertrand Y. K.; Cobbin, Deirdre M.

2013-01-01

Introduction. In traditional Chinese acupuncture, needle sensation (deqi) is purported to contribute to a therapeutic outcome. While researchers have attempted to define deqi qualitatively, few have examined the effects of needling parameters on its intensity. Methods. 24 healthy subjects completed eight interventions scheduled at least one week apart, which involved manual acupuncture to LI4 or a designated nonacupoint (NAP) on the hand, with real or simulated manipulation each three minutes and needle retentions of one or 21 minutes. Intensities of needling sensation and pain were reported every three minutes and sensation qualities were reported post-intervention. Results. Immediately after needle insertion, similar levels of mean needle sensation and of pain were reported independent of intervention. At subsequent measurement times, only two interventions (one at LI4 and one at NAP) maintained statistically significantly elevated needle sensation and pain scores and reported higher numbers of needle sensation descriptors. For both, the needle was retained for 21 minutes and manipulated every three minutes. Neither intervention differed significantly in terms of levels of pain, and needle sensation or numbers and qualities of needle sensation described. Conclusion. In this group of healthy subjects, the initial needling for all eight interventions elicited similar levels of needle sensation and pain. These levels were only maintained if there was ongoing of needle manipulation and retention of the needle. By contrast, the strength of needle sensation or pain experienced was independent of insertion site. PMID:24159337

An unusual insertion/deletion in the gene encoding the β-subunit of propionyl-CoA carboxylase is a frequent mutation in Caucasian propionic acidemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tahara, T.; Kraus, J.P.; Rosenberg, L.E.

1990-01-01

Propionic acidemia is an inherited disorder of organic acid metabolism that is caused by deficiency of propionly-CoA carboxylase. Affected patients fall into two complementation groups, pccA and pccBC (subgroups B, C, and BC), resulting from deficiency of the nonidentical α and β subunits of PCC, respectively. The authors have detected an unusual insertion/deletion in the DNA of patients from the pccBC and pccC subgroups that replaces 14 nucleotides in the coding sequence of the β subunit with 12 nucleotides unrelated to this region of the gene. Among 14 unrelated Caucasian patients in the pccBc complementation group, this unique mutation was found in 8 of 28 mutant alleles examined. Mutant allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization to amplified genomic DNAs revealed that the inserted 12 nucleotides do not originate in an ∼1000-bp region around the mutation. In the course of the investigation, they identified another mutation in the same exon: a 3-bp in-frame deletion that eliminates one of two isoleucine codons immediately preceding the Msp I site. Two unrelated patients were compound heterozygotes for this single-codon deletion and for the insertion/deletion described above. They conclude that either there is a propensity for the PCC β-subunit gene to undergo mutations of this sort at this position or, more likely, the mutations in all of the involved Caucasian patients have a common origin in preceding generations

Node insertion in Coalescence Fractal Interpolation Function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prasad, Srijanani Anurag

2013-01-01

The Iterated Function System (IFS) used in the construction of Coalescence Hidden-variable Fractal Interpolation Function (CHFIF) depends on the interpolation data. The insertion of a new point in a given set of interpolation data is called the problem of node insertion. In this paper, the effect of insertion of new point on the related IFS and the Coalescence Fractal Interpolation Function is studied. Smoothness and Fractal Dimension of a CHFIF obtained with a node are also discussed

An Incremental High-Utility Mining Algorithm with Transaction Insertion

Science.gov (United States)

Gan, Wensheng; Zhang, Binbin

2015-01-01

Association-rule mining is commonly used to discover useful and meaningful patterns from a very large database. It only considers the occurrence frequencies of items to reveal the relationships among itemsets. Traditional association-rule mining is, however, not suitable in real-world applications since the purchased items from a customer may have various factors, such as profit or quantity. High-utility mining was designed to solve the limitations of association-rule mining by considering both the quantity and profit measures. Most algorithms of high-utility mining are designed to handle the static database. Fewer researches handle the dynamic high-utility mining with transaction insertion, thus requiring the computations of database rescan and combination explosion of pattern-growth mechanism. In this paper, an efficient incremental algorithm with transaction insertion is designed to reduce computations without candidate generation based on the utility-list structures. The enumeration tree and the relationships between 2-itemsets are also adopted in the proposed algorithm to speed up the computations. Several experiments are conducted to show the performance of the proposed algorithm in terms of runtime, memory consumption, and number of generated patterns. PMID:25811038

An Incremental High-Utility Mining Algorithm with Transaction Insertion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jerry Chun-Wei Lin

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Association-rule mining is commonly used to discover useful and meaningful patterns from a very large database. It only considers the occurrence frequencies of items to reveal the relationships among itemsets. Traditional association-rule mining is, however, not suitable in real-world applications since the purchased items from a customer may have various factors, such as profit or quantity. High-utility mining was designed to solve the limitations of association-rule mining by considering both the quantity and profit measures. Most algorithms of high-utility mining are designed to handle the static database. Fewer researches handle the dynamic high-utility mining with transaction insertion, thus requiring the computations of database rescan and combination explosion of pattern-growth mechanism. In this paper, an efficient incremental algorithm with transaction insertion is designed to reduce computations without candidate generation based on the utility-list structures. The enumeration tree and the relationships between 2-itemsets are also adopted in the proposed algorithm to speed up the computations. Several experiments are conducted to show the performance of the proposed algorithm in terms of runtime, memory consumption, and number of generated patterns.

Test manufacture of the canister insert 135

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raiko, H.

2005-10-01

This report describes the insert-manufacturing test of a disposal canister for spent nuclear fuel that was made by Metso Foundries Jyvaeskylae Oy, in June 2004 on contract for Posiva Oy. The test manufacture was a part of the co-operation development programme of encapsulation technology between SKB AB and Posiva Oy. Insert casting was specified according to the current manufacturing specifications of SKB. The canister insert was of BWR-type with integral bottom. This was the second trial manufacture of this type of insert in Finland and, in total, the third test manufacture of insert by Metso Foundries Jyvaeskylae Oy. The result fulfilled all the requirements but the material mechanical properties of the cast material. The measured ultimate strength and elongation at rupture were lower than specified in the upper part of the cast. The reason for this was revealed in the metallurgical investigation of the cast material. The cast contained slag (dross). Avoiding the dross formation will be the most demanding challenge of the forthcoming development of the cast procedure. (orig.)

Insertable fluid flow passage bridgepiece and method

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Daniel O.

2000-01-01

A fluid flow passage bridgepiece for insertion into an open-face fluid flow channel of a fluid flow plate is provided. The bridgepiece provides a sealed passage from a columnar fluid flow manifold to the flow channel, thereby preventing undesirable leakage into and out of the columnar fluid flow manifold. When deployed in the various fluid flow plates that are used in a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell, bridgepieces of this invention prevent mixing of reactant gases, leakage of coolant or humidification water, and occlusion of the fluid flow channel by gasket material. The invention also provides a fluid flow plate assembly including an insertable bridgepiece, a fluid flow plate adapted for use with an insertable bridgepiece, and a method of manufacturing a fluid flow plate with an insertable fluid flow passage bridgepiece.

Development of collimator insert for linac based stereotactic irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, I.R.R.; Brindha, S.; Ravindran, B.P.; Rajshekhar, V.

1999-01-01

The aim of this study is to develop collimator inserts of various sizes which are either not commercially available or are expensive to import. The dosimetry parameters such as tissue maximum ratio (TMR), off-axis ratio (OAR) and output factor of the developed collimator insert are compared with that of the commercial collimator insert (Radionics). In order to check the suitability of the collimator insert developed locally for clinical use and to standardize the method of development, a collimator insert of 15 mm identical to the one supplied by Radionics is developed with low-melting alloy (Cerrobend). Moreover for the clinical use of the developed collimator insert, certain acceptance tests are performed which include a collimator concentricity test, beam size check and radiation leakage test. The dose verification is carried out with a thermoluminescent dosimeter ( 7 LiF rods) and an FBX chemical dosimeter in a human-head-shaped Perspex phantom filled with water. The variation between the calculated and measured dose is found to be within +2.4% for 7 LiF rods and -2.0% for the FBX chemical dosimeter thus ensuring the suitability of the developed collimator insert for clinical use. This has encouraged us to standardize the method adapted to develop the collimator insert and to develop collimator inserts of different field sizes. (author)

Cryostat insert with gas loading capabilities for use in neutron diffraction studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koehler, C. F. III [Chemistry Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973-5000 (United States); Larese, J. Z. [Chemistry Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973-5000 (United States)

2000-01-01

We describe a versatile insert for use with the ''Standard Orange cryostat'' commonly found at neutron scattering facilities worldwide. Its design permits condensable gases to be introduced into a low-temperature sample cell through a vacuum-insulated, fill-line capillary. It also allows the top-flange-to-sample-cell distance to be easily adjusted and provides for auxillary heating of the fill-line capillary. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics.

Laparoscopic insertion of the Moss feeding tube.

Science.gov (United States)

Albrink, M H; Hagan, K; Rosemurgy, A S

1993-12-01

Placement of enteral feeding tubes is an important part of a surgeon's skill base. Surgical insertion of feeding tubes has been performed safely for many years with very few modifications. With the recent surge in interest and applicability of other laparoscopic procedures, it is well within the skills of the average laparoscopic surgeon to insert feeding tubes. We describe herein a simple technique for the insertion of the Moss feeding tube. The procedure described has a minimum of invasion, along with simplicity, safety, and accuracy.

The Correlation between Insertion Depth of Prodisc-C Artificial Disc and Postoperative Kyphotic Deformity: Clinical Importance of Insertion Depth of Artificial Disc.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Do-Youl; Kim, Se-Hoon; Suh, Jung-Keun; Cho, Tai-Hyoung; Chung, Yong-Gu

2012-09-01

This study was designed to investigate the correlation between insertion depth of artificial disc and postoperative kyphotic deformity after Prodisc-C total disc replacement surgery, and the range of artificial disc insertion depth which is effective in preventing postoperative whole cervical or segmental kyphotic deformity. A retrospective radiological analysis was performed in 50 patients who had undergone single level total disc replacement surgery. Records were reviewed to obtain demographic data. Preoperative and postoperative radiographs were assessed to determine C2-7 Cobb's angle and segmental angle and to investigate postoperative kyphotic deformity. A formula was introduced to calculate insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc. Statistical analysis was performed to search the correlation between insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc and postoperative kyphotic deformity, and to estimate insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc to prevent postoperative kyphotic deformity. In this study no significant statistical correlation was observed between insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc and postoperative kyphotic deformity regarding C2-7 Cobb's angle. Statistical correlation between insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc and postoperative kyphotic deformity was observed regarding segmental angle (p<0.05). It failed to estimate proper insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc effective in preventing postoperative kyphotic deformity. Postoperative segmental kyphotic deformity is associated with insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc. Anterior located artificial disc leads to lordotic segmental angle and posterior located artificial disc leads to kyphotic segmental angle postoperatively. But C2-7 Cobb's angle is not affected by artificial disc location after the surgery.

AON-mediated Exon Skipping Restores Ciliation in Fibroblasts Harboring the Common Leber Congenital Amaurosis CEP290 Mutation

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Xavier Gerard

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA is a severe hereditary retinal dystrophy responsible for congenital or early-onset blindness. The most common disease-causing mutation (>10% is located deep in intron 26 of the CEP290 gene (c.2991+1655A>G. It creates a strong splice donor site that leads to insertion of a cryptic exon encoding a premature stop codon. In the present study, we show that the use of antisense oligonucleotides (AONs allow an efficient skipping of the mutant cryptic exon and the restoration of ciliation in fibroblasts of affected patients. These data support the feasibility of an AON-mediated exon skipping strategy to correct the aberrant splicing.

Surgical implications of perimodiolar cochlear implant electrode design: avoiding intracochlear damage and scala vestibuli insertion.

Science.gov (United States)

Briggs, R J; Tykocinski, M; Saunders, E; Hellier, W; Dahm, M; Pyman, B; Clark, G M

2001-09-01

To review the mechanisms and nature of intracochlear damage associated with cochlear implant electrode array insertion, in particular, the various perimodiolar electrode designs. Make recommendations regarding surgical techniques for the Nucleus Contour electrode to ensure correct position and minimal insertion trauma. The potential advantages of increased modiolar proximity of intracochlear multichannel electrode arrays are a reduction in stimulation thresholds, an increase in dynamic range and more localized neural excitation. This may improve speech perception and reduce power consumption. These advantages may be negated if increased intracochlear damage results from the method used to position the electrodes close to the modiolus. A review of the University of Melbourne Department of Otolaryngology experience with temporal bone safety studies using the Nucleus standard straight electrode array and a variety of perimodiolar electrode array designs; comparison with temporal bone insertion studies from other centres and postmortem histopathology studies reported in the literature. Review of our initial clinical experience using the Nucleus Contour electrode array. The nature of intracochlear damage resulting from electrode insertion trauma ranges from minor, localized, spiral ligament tear to diffuse organ of Corti disruption and osseous spiral lamina fracture. The type of damage depends on the mechanical characteristics of the electrode array, the stiffness, curvature and size of the electrode in relation to the scala, and the surgical technique. The narrow, flexible, straight arrays are the least traumatic. Pre-curved or stiffer arrays are associated with an incidence of basilar membrane perforation. The cochleostomy must be correctly sited in relation to the round window to ensure scala tympani insertion. A cochleostomy anterior to the round window rather than inferior may lead to scala media or scala vestibuli insertion. Proximity of electrodes to the modiolus

HTS Insert Magnet Design Study

CERN Document Server

Devaux, M; Fleiter, J; Fazilleau, P; Lécrevisse, T; Pes, C; Rey, J-M; Rifflet, J-M; Sorbi, M; Stenvall, A; Tixador, P; Volpini, G

2011-01-01

Future accelerator magnets will need to reach higher field in the range of 20 T. This field level is very difficult to reach using only Low Temperature Superconductor materials whereas High Temperature Superconductors (HTS) provide interesting opportunities. High current densities and stress levels are needed to design such magnets. YBCO superconductor indeed carries large current densities under high magnetic field and provides good mechanical properties especially when produced using the IBAD approach. The HFM EUCARD program studies the design and the realization of an HTS insert of 6 T inside a Nb$_{3}$Sn dipole of 13T at 4.2 K. In the2HTS insert, engineering current densities higher than 250 MA/m under 19 T are required to fulfill the specifications. The stress level is also very severe. YBCO IBAD tapes theoretically meet these challenges from presented measurements. The insert protection is also a critical because HTS materials show low quench propagation velocities and the coupling with the Nb$_{3}$Sn m...

An Assessment of Radiologically Inserted Transoral and Transgastric Gastroduodenal Stents to Treat Malignant Gastric Outlet Obstruction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miller, Bethany H. T., E-mail: bmiller@doctors.org.uk [Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Preston Hospital, Department of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery (United Kingdom); Griffiths, Ewen A., E-mail: Eagriffiths@doctors.org.uk [The New Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Department of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery (United Kingdom); Pursnani, Kishore G., E-mail: Kish.Pursnani@lthtr.nhs.uk; Ward, Jeremy B., E-mail: Jeremy.Ward@lthtr.nhs.uk [Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Preston Hospital, Department of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery (United Kingdom); Stockwell, Robert C., E-mail: Robert.Stockwell@lthtr.nhs.uk [Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Chorley and South Ribble Hospital, Department of Radiology (United Kingdom)

2013-12-15

IntroductionSelf-expanding metallic stents (SEMS) are used to palliate malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) and are useful in patients with limited life expectancy or severe medical comorbidity, which would preclude surgery. Stenting can be performed transorally or by a percutaneous transgastric technique. Our goal was to review the outcome of patients who underwent radiological SEMS insertion performed by a single consultant interventional radiologist. Methods: Patients were identified from a prospectively collected database held by one consultant radiologist. Data were retrieved from radiological reports, multidisciplinary team meetings, and the patients' case notes. Univariate survival analysis was performed. Results: Between December 2000 and January 2011, 100 patients (63 males, 37 females) had 110 gastroduodenal stenting procedures. Median age was 73 (range 39-89) years. SEMS were inserted transorally (n = 66) or transgastrically (n = 44). Site of obstruction was the stomach (n = 37), duodenum (n = 50), gastric pull-up (n = 10), or gastroenterostomy (n = 13). Seven patients required biliary stents. Technical success was 86.4 %: 83.3 % for transoral insertion, 90.9 % for transgastric insertion. Eleven patients developed complications. Median GOO severity score: 1 pre-stenting, 2 post-stenting (p = 0.0001). Median survival was 54 (range 1-624) days. Post-stenting GOO severity score was predictive of survival (p = 0.0001). Conclusions: The technical success rate for insertion of palliative SEMS is high. Insertional technique can be tailored to the individual depending on the location of the tumor and whether it is possible to access the stomach percutaneously. Patients who have successful stenting and return to eating a soft/normal diet have a statistically significant increase in survival.

An Assessment of Radiologically Inserted Transoral and Transgastric Gastroduodenal Stents to Treat Malignant Gastric Outlet Obstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, Bethany H. T.; Griffiths, Ewen A.; Pursnani, Kishore G.; Ward, Jeremy B.; Stockwell, Robert C.

2013-01-01

IntroductionSelf-expanding metallic stents (SEMS) are used to palliate malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) and are useful in patients with limited life expectancy or severe medical comorbidity, which would preclude surgery. Stenting can be performed transorally or by a percutaneous transgastric technique. Our goal was to review the outcome of patients who underwent radiological SEMS insertion performed by a single consultant interventional radiologist. Methods: Patients were identified from a prospectively collected database held by one consultant radiologist. Data were retrieved from radiological reports, multidisciplinary team meetings, and the patients’ case notes. Univariate survival analysis was performed. Results: Between December 2000 and January 2011, 100 patients (63 males, 37 females) had 110 gastroduodenal stenting procedures. Median age was 73 (range 39–89) years. SEMS were inserted transorally (n = 66) or transgastrically (n = 44). Site of obstruction was the stomach (n = 37), duodenum (n = 50), gastric pull-up (n = 10), or gastroenterostomy (n = 13). Seven patients required biliary stents. Technical success was 86.4 %: 83.3 % for transoral insertion, 90.9 % for transgastric insertion. Eleven patients developed complications. Median GOO severity score: 1 pre-stenting, 2 post-stenting (p = 0.0001). Median survival was 54 (range 1–624) days. Post-stenting GOO severity score was predictive of survival (p = 0.0001). Conclusions: The technical success rate for insertion of palliative SEMS is high. Insertional technique can be tailored to the individual depending on the location of the tumor and whether it is possible to access the stomach percutaneously. Patients who have successful stenting and return to eating a soft/normal diet have a statistically significant increase in survival

Bulkhead insert for an internal combustion engine

Science.gov (United States)

Maki, Clifford E.; Chottiner, Jeffrey Eliot; Williams, Rick L.; Thibault, Mark W.; Ervin, James Douglas; Boileau, James Maurice; McKeough, Bryan

2017-08-01

An engine includes a cylinder block defining at least one main bearing bulkhead adjacent to a cylinder, and a crankshaft rotatably housed within the block by a main bearing. A bulkhead insert has a cap portion, and an insert portion provided within the bulkhead. The insert portion has having first and second end regions connected by first and second straps. Each strap having a flanged beam cross section. The first and second ends of the insert portion are configured to connect a main bearing cap column to a cylinder head column. Each of the first and second end regions define at least one protrusion having a surface substantially normal to engine combustion and reactive loads. The cap portion is configured to mate with the first end region at the main bearing cap column and support the main bearing.

Lithium insertion mechanism in SnS2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lefebvre-Devos, I.; Olivier-Fourcade, J.; Jumas, J.C.; Lavela, P.

2000-01-01

We study lithium insertion in SnS 2 by means of 119 Sn Moessbauer spectroscopy, x-ray absorption spectroscopy at Sn L I,III , and S K edges, and theoretical electronic structures (calculated in the density-functional theory framework). An insertion mechanism is derived according to the Li amount. It shows the influence of the SnS 2 -layered structure on the Sn reduction, particularly the possibility of an intermediate oxidation state between Sn IV and Sn II , which is not observed during Li insertion in three-dimensional sulfides

An audit of the complications of intercostal chest drain insertion in a high volume trauma service in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, V Y; Oosthuizen, G V; Sartorius, B; Keene, C; Clarke, D L

2014-11-01

Intercostal chest drain (ICD) insertion is a commonly performed procedure in trauma and may be associated with significant morbidity. This was a retrospective review of ICD complications in a major trauma service in South Africa over a four-year period from January 2010 to December 2013. A total of 1,050 ICDs were inserted in 1,006 patients, of which 91% were male. The median patient age was 24 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 20-29 years). There were 962 patients with unilateral ICDs and 44 with bilateral ICDs. Seventy-five per cent (758/1,006) sustained penetrating trauma and the remaining 25% (248/1006) sustained blunt trauma. Indications for ICD insertion were: haemopneumothorax (n=338), haemothorax (n=314), simple pneumothorax (n=265), tension pneumothorax (n=79) and open pneumothorax (n=54). Overall, 203 ICDs (19%) were associated with complications: 18% (36/203) were kinked, 18% (36/203) were inserted subcutaneously, 13% (27/203) were too shallow and in 7% (14/203) there was inadequate fixation resulting in dislodgement. Four patients (2%) sustained visceral injuries and two sustained vascular injuries. Forty-one per cent (83/203) were inserted outside the 'triangle of safety' but without visceral or vascular injuries. One patient had the ICD inserted on the wrong side. Junior doctors inserted 798 ICDs (76%) while senior doctors inserted 252 (24%). Junior doctors had a significantly higher complication rate (24%) compared with senior doctors (5%) (p Conclusions ICD insertion is associated with a high rate of complications. These complications are significantly higher when junior doctors perform the procedure. A multifaceted quality improvement programme is needed to improve the situation.

Evaluating the patient experience after implantation of a 0.4 mg sustained release dexamethasone intracanalicular insert (Dextenza™): results of a qualitative survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Gira, Joseph P; Sampson, Reginald; Silverstein, Steven M; Walters, Thomas R; Metzinger, Jamie Lynne; Talamo, Jonathan H

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the patient experience of sustained release dexamethasone intracanalicular insert (Dextenza™) following cataract surgery as part of a Phase III clinical trial program. This cross-sectional, qualitative evaluation involved individual interviews lasting approximately 45 minutes. Patients from four US investigational study sites who had previously received an insert were enrolled. There were no predesignated end points; this was a qualitative survey seeking a deeper understanding of patient experience. Twenty-five patients were interviewed. Most patients (92%) reported the highest level of satisfaction grade with regard to overall product satisfaction. All patients described the insert as comfortable. Most patients (96%) described their overall experience with the insert as very convenient or extremely convenient. Twenty-two of 23 (96%) participants rated their experience with the insert as "very" or "extremely convenient", compared to previous topical therapy, and 88% of patients stated that if they were to undergo cataract surgery again, they would request the insert. When asked if they would recommend the insert to family members or friends, 92% stated they would. The survey found that 84% of participants would be willing to pay more for the insert than for eye drop therapy. The dexamethasone insert was found by patients to be highly favorable with regard to overall satisfaction, convenience, and comfort. The insert was well received and largely preferred over topical therapy alternatives following surgery. More extensive evaluation of the patient experience is warranted, and future studies should help inform design of the next generation of sustained release drug delivery systems.

Correlation between extension-block K-wire insertion angle and postoperative extension loss in mallet finger fracture.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, S K; Kim, Y H; Moon, K H; Choy, W S

2018-02-01

Extension-block pinning represents a simple and reliable surgical technique. Although this procedure is commonly performed successfully, some patients develop postoperative extension loss. To date, the relationship between extension-block Kirschner wire (K-wire) insertion angle and postoperative extension loss in mallet finger fracture remains unclear. We aimed to clarify this relationship and further evaluate how various operative and non-operative factors affect postoperative extension loss after extension-block pinning for mallet finger fracture. A retrospective study was conducted to investigate a relationship between extension block K-wire insertion angle and postoperative extension loss. The inclusion criteria were: (1) a dorsal intra-articular fracture fragment involving 30% of the base of the distal phalanx with or without volar subluxation of the distal phalanx; and (2) block K-wire insertion angle and fixation angle of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint were assessed using lateral radiograph at immediate postoperative time. Postoperative extension loss was assessed by using lateral radiograph at latest follow-up. Extension-block K-wire insertion angle was defined as the acute angle between extension block K-wire and longitudinal axis of middle phalangeal head. DIP joint fixation angle was defined as the acute angle between the distal phalanx and middle phalanx longitudinal axes. Seventy-five patients were included. The correlation analysis revealed that extension-block K-wire insertion angle had a negative correlation with postoperative extension loss, whereas fracture size and time to operation had a positive correlation (correlation coefficient for extension block K-wire angle: -0.66, facture size: +0.67, time to operation: +0.60). When stratifying patients in terms of negative and positive fixation angle of the DIP joint, the independent t-test showed that mean postoperative extension loss is -3.67° and +4.54° (DIP joint fixation angles of block

Fracture of Reduced-Diameter Zirconia Dental Implants Following Repeated Insertion.

Science.gov (United States)

Karl, Matthias; Scherg, Stefan; Grobecker-Karl, Tanja

Achievement of high insertion torque values indicating good primary stability is a goal during dental implant placement. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether or not two-piece implants made from zirconia ceramic may be damaged as a result of torque application. A total of 10 two-piece zirconia implants were repeatedly inserted into polyurethane foam material with increasing density and decreasing osteotomy size. The insertion torque applied was measured, and implants were checked for fractures by applying the fluorescent penetrant method. Weibull probability of failure was calculated based on the recorded insertion torque values. Catastrophic failures could be seen in five of the implants from two different batches at insertion torques ranging from 46.0 to 70.5 Ncm, while the remaining implants (all belonging to one batch) survived. Weibull probability of failure seems to be low at the manufacturer-recommended maximum insertion torque of 35 Ncm. Chipping fractures at the thread tips as well as tool marks were the only otherwise observed irregularities. While high insertion torques may be desirable for immediate loading protocols, zirconia implants may fracture when manufacturer-recommended insertion torques are exceeded. Evaluating bone quality prior to implant insertion may be useful.

Risk Factors of Catheter-related Bloodstream Infection With Percutaneously Inserted Central Venous Catheters in Very Low Birth Weight Infants: A Center's Experience in Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jen-Fu Hsu

2010-12-01

Conclusion: It is important to avoid inserting a PICC at the femoral site. Strict catheter care protocol should also be applied to reduce local site bacterial colonization and removal of PICCs as soon as they are no longer essential for patient care to reduce the incidence of infection.

COSMID: A Web-based Tool for Identifying and Validating CRISPR/Cas Off-target Sites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas J Cradick

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Precise genome editing using engineered nucleases can significantly facilitate biological studies and disease treatment. In particular, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR with CRISPR-associated (Cas proteins are a potentially powerful tool for modifying a genome by targeted cleavage of DNA sequences complementary to designed guide strand RNAs. Although CRISPR/Cas systems can have on-target cleavage rates close to the transfection rates, they may also have relatively high off-target cleavage at similar genomic sites that contain one or more base pair mismatches, and insertions or deletions relative to the guide strand. We have developed a bioinformatics-based tool, COSMID (CRISPR Off-target Sites with Mismatches, Insertions, and Deletions that searches genomes for potential off-target sites (http://crispr.bme.gatech.edu. Based on the user-supplied guide strand and input parameters, COSMID identifies potential off-target sites with the specified number of mismatched bases and insertions or deletions when compared with the guide strand. For each site, amplification primers optimal for the chosen application are also given as output. This ranked-list of potential off-target sites assists the choice and evaluation of intended target sites, thus helping the design of CRISPR/Cas systems with minimal off-target effects, as well as the identification and quantification of CRISPR/Cas induced off-target cleavage in cells.

Morphometric and histopathological parameters of gonadal development in adult common carp from contaminated and reference sites in Lake Mead, Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Patino, R.; Goodbred, S.L.; Draugelis-Dale, R.; Barry, C.E.; Scott, Foott J.; Wainscott, M.R.; Gross, T.S.; Covay, K.J.

2003-01-01

This study examined the hypothesis that exposure to sublethal concentrations of contaminants alters the gonadal condition of feral common carp Cyprinus carpio. Adult common carp in Lake Mead, Nevada, were collected from a contaminated site (Las Vegas Bay) that receives municipal and industrial effluent and from a reference site (Overton Arm) with a relatively low level of contamination. Fish were sampled seven times over a 1-year period extending over two separate spawning seasons. Morphometric and histopathological parameters of gonadal and germ cell development were determined. In males, the pattern of seasonal changes in the gonadosomatic index (GSI) was similar between the sites and showed no clear association with site-specific seasonal temperature profiles. However, Las Vegas Bay males had consistently lower GSI values and, on one of the sampling dates, a lower proportion of sperm relative to other germ cell stages (determined histologically). Further, Las Vegas Bay males had a higher incidence of gonadal macrophage aggregates, which are putative tissue biomarkers of contaminant exposure in fishes. In females, seasonal GSI profiles, the frequency of fish with postovulatory follicles (an index of spawning activity), and the timing of new follicle recruitment all showed differences between sites, but these differences generally matched differences in water temperature profile. Also, the peak size-frequency of full-grown follicles did not differ between sites, and estimates of fecundity for the second spawning season indicated that females from the reference site unexpectedly produced a lower number of gametes, Overall, site differences in gonadal condition were observed in carp of both sexes but they seemed to be associated with site differences in contaminant levels only in males. The apparent lack of association between contaminant level and gonadal condition in female carp from mildly mesotrophic Lake Mead may indicate a lack of contaminant effects in

Targeted transgene insertion into the CHO cell genome using Cre recombinase-incorporating integrase-defective retroviral vectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawabe, Yoshinori; Shimomura, Takuya; Huang, Shuohao; Imanishi, Suguru; Ito, Akira; Kamihira, Masamichi

2016-07-01

Retroviral vectors have served as efficient gene delivery tools in various biotechnology fields. However, viral DNA is randomly inserted into the genome, which can cause problems, such as insertional mutagenesis and gene silencing. Previously, we reported a site-specific gene integration system, in which a transgene is integrated into a predetermined chromosomal locus of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells using integrase-defective retroviral vectors (IDRVs) and Cre recombinase. In this system, a Cre expression plasmid is transfected into founder cells before retroviral transduction. In practical applications of site-specific gene modification such as for hard-to-transfect cells or for in vivo gene delivery, both the transgene and the Cre protein into retroviral virions should be encapsulate. Here, we generated novel hybrid IDRVs in which viral genome and enzymatically active Cre can be delivered (Cre-IDRVs). Cre-IDRVs encoding marker genes, neomycin resistance and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), flanked by wild-type and mutated loxP sites were produced using an expression plasmid for a chimeric protein of Cre and retroviral gag-pol. After analyzing the incorporation of the Cre protein into retroviral virions by Western blotting, the Cre-IDRV was infected into founder CHO cells, in which marker genes (hygromycin resistance and red fluorescent protein) flanked with corresponding loxP sites are introduced into the genome. G418-resistant colonies expressing GFP appeared and the site-specific integration of the transgene into the expected chromosomal site was confirmed by PCR and sequencing of amplicons. Moreover, when Cre-IDRV carried a gene expression unit for a recombinant antibody, the recombinant cells in which the antibody expression cassette was integrated in a site-specific manner were generated and the cells produced the recombinant antibody. This method may provide a promising tool to perform site-specific gene modification according to Cre

Random Insertion of mCherry Into VP3 Domain of Adeno-associated Virus Yields Fluorescent Capsids With no Loss of Infectivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Justin Judd

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Adeno-associated virus (AAV-derived vectors are promising gene delivery systems, and a number of design strategies have been pursued to improve their performance. For example, genetic insertion of proteins into the capsid may be used to achieve vector retargeting, reduced immunogenicity, or to track vector transport. Unfortunately, rational approaches to genetic insertion have experienced limited success due to the unpredictable context-dependent nature of protein folding and the complexity of the capsid's macroassembly. We report the construction and use of a frame-enriched DNase-based random insertion library based on AAV2 cap, called pAAV2_RaPID (Random Peptide Insertion by DNase. The fluorescent mCherry protein was inserted randomly throughout the AAV2 capsid and the library was selected for fluorescent and infectious variants. A capsid site was identified in VP3 that can tolerate the large protein insertion. In contrast to previous efforts to incorporate fluorescent proteins into the AAV2 capsid, the isolated mCherry mutant maintains native infectivity while displaying robust fluorescence. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the pAAV2_RaPID platform library can be used to create fully infectious AAV vectors carrying large functional protein domains on the capsid.

A Simulation-Based Blended Curriculum for Short Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Insertion: An Industry-Practice Collaboration.

Science.gov (United States)

Glover, Kevin R; Stahl, Brian R; Murray, Connie; LeClair, Matthew; Gallucci, Susan; King, Mary Anne; Labrozzi, Laura J; Schuster, Catherine; Keleekai, Nowai L

2017-09-01

Despite peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) insertion being a commonly performed skill, practicing nurses may receive little substantive education, training, or opportunities to practice this skill at a competent level. This article describes a collaboration between private industry and a hospital to modify, implement, and evaluate a simulation-based blended PIVC insertion continuing education program for staff nurses. Included is an overview of the practical and theoretical rationale for the initial development of the curriculum to address an identified PIVC insertion education gap, the collaborative modification and implementation of the program, and an evaluation of the program. The curriculum combined self-paced e-learning and classroom-based deliberate practice with simulation tools of varying fidelity in a peer-to-peer learning environment. Given the mutual challenges of resource allocation in industry training and clinical nursing education departments, interprofessional partnerships may be an effective option for sharing instructional knowledge and resources to promote innovation and improve patient care. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2017;48(9):397-406. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

pH-Triggered Conformational Switching along the Membrane Insertion Pathway of the Diphtheria Toxin T-Domain

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Alexey S. Ladokhin

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The translocation (T-domain plays a key role in the action of diphtheria toxin and is responsible for transferring the catalytic domain across the endosomal membrane into the cytosol in response to acidification. Deciphering the molecular mechanism of pH-dependent refolding and membrane insertion of the T-domain, which is considered to be a paradigm for cell entry of other bacterial toxins, reveals general physicochemical principles underlying membrane protein assembly and signaling on membrane interfaces. Structure-function studies along the T-domain insertion pathway have been affected by the presence of multiple conformations at the same time, which hinders the application of high-resolution structural techniques. Here, we review recent progress in structural, functional and thermodynamic studies of the T-domain archived using a combination of site-selective fluorescence labeling with an array of spectroscopic techniques and computer simulations. We also discuss the principles of conformational switching along the insertion pathway revealed by studies of a series of T-domain mutants with substitutions of histidine residues.

Chromosomal insertion of the entire Escherichia coli lactose operon, into two strains of Pseudomonas, using a modified mini-Tn5 delivery system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, L. H.; Sørensen, S. J.; Jensen, Lars Bogø

1997-01-01

A 12-kb PstI fragment including the entire E. coli lactose operon (lacIPOZYA) was inserted in one copy into the chromosome of Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas fluorescens and an E. coli strain with lac(-) phenotype. This was made possible by improvements of an already existing mini-Tn5 transposon...... flanked by NotI sites needed in the mini-Tn5 delivery system; (b) the generation of E. coli nonlysogenic strains expressing the pi protein thus being capable of maintaining and delivering R6K-based mini-Tn5 vectors to other E. coli strains; (c) the successful insertion of the E. coli lactose operon...... into the P. fluorescens chromosome giving P. fluorescens the ability to grow on lactose; (d) evidence from Southern blotting that contradicts the assumption that the mini-Tn5 delivery system always creates one-copy inserts. These improvements allow insertion of large DNA fragments encoding highly expressed...

Inferior vena cava filter insertion through the popliteal vein: enabling the percutaneous endovenous intervention of deep vein thrombosis with a single venous access approach in a single session

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hyoung Ook; Kim, Jae Kyu; Park, Jin Gyoon; Yim, Nam Yeol; Kang, Yang Jun; Jung, Hye Doo

2016-01-01

PURPOSE We aimed to evaluate the efficiency of placing an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter through the same popliteal vein access site used for percutaneous endovenous intervention in patients with extensive lower extremity deep vein thrombosis. METHODS This retrospective study included 21 patients who underwent IVC filter insertion through the popliteal vein over a three-year period. Patient medical records were reviewed for the location of the deep vein thrombosis, result of filter removal, and total number of endovascular procedures needed for filter insertion and recanalization of the lower extremity venous system. Follow-up lower extremity computed tomography (CT) venography was also reviewed in each patient to assess the degree of filter tilt in the IVC. RESULTS All patients had extensive lower extremity deep vein thrombosis involving the iliac vein and/or femoral vein. Seventeen patients showed deep vein thrombosis of the calf veins. In all patients, IVC filter insertion and the recanalization procedure were performed during a single procedure through the single popliteal vein access site. In the 17 patients undergoing follow-up CT, the mean tilt angle of the filter was 7.14°±4.48° in the coronal plane and 8.77°±5.49° in the sagittal plane. Filter retrieval was successful in 16 of 17 patients (94.1%) in whom filter retrieval was attempted. CONCLUSION Transpopliteal IVC filter insertion is an efficient technique that results in low rates of significant filter tilt and enables a single session procedure using a single venous access site for filter insertion and percutaneous endovenous intervention. PMID:27559713

RECQ5 Helicase Cooperates with MUS81 Endonuclease in Processing Stalled Replication Forks at Common Fragile Sites during Mitosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Di Marco, Stefano; Hasanova, Zdenka; Kanagaraj, Radhakrishnan

2017-01-01

The MUS81-EME1 endonuclease cleaves late replication intermediates at common fragile sites (CFSs) during early mitosis to trigger DNA-repair synthesis that ensures faithful chromosome segregation. Here, we show that these DNA transactions are promoted by RECQ5 DNA helicase in a manner dependent...... on its Ser727 phosphorylation by CDK1. Upon replication stress, RECQ5 associates with CFSs in early mitosis through its physical interaction with MUS81 and promotes MUS81-dependent mitotic DNA synthesis. RECQ5 depletion or mutational inactivation of its ATP-binding site, RAD51-interacting domain...

Management of post-gastrectomy anastomosis site obstruction with a self-expandable metallic stent.

Science.gov (United States)

Cha, Ra Ri; Lee, Sang Soo; Kim, Hyunjin; Kim, Hong Jun; Kim, Tae-Hyo; Jung, Woon Tae; Lee, Ok Jae; Bae, Kyung Soo; Jeong, Sang-Ho; Ha, Chang Yoon

2015-04-28

Post-gastrectomy anastomosis site obstruction is a relatively rare complication after a subtotal gastrectomy. We present a case of a 75-year-old man who underwent a truncal vagotomy, omental patch, gastrojejunostomy, and Braun anastomosis for duodenal ulcer perforation and a gastric outlet obstruction. Following the 10(th) postoperative day, the patient complained of abdominal discomfort and vomiting. We diagnosed post-gastrectomy anastomosis site obstruction by an upper gastrointestinal series and an upper endoscopic examination. We inserted a self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) at the anastomosis site. The stent was fully expanded after deployment. On the day following the stent insertion, the patient began to eat, and his abdominal discomfort was resolved. This paper describes the successful management of post-gastrectomy anastomosis site obstruction with temporary placement of a SEMS.

Comparison of the insertion of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus: discoid versus non-discoid.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Nam-Hong; Yang, Bong-Seok; Lee, Sang-Young; Lee, Chae-Chul; Lee, Chang-Yk; Victoroff, Brian N

2017-02-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the insertion sites of the posterior horn between discoid and non-discoid lateral meniscus using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Two hundred and twenty-seven patients who had MRI scans before surgery and underwent arthroscopy were enroled in this study. A coronal view showing the narrowest width of the midbody of the lateral meniscus was chosen to measure the widths of the entire tibial plateau and the midbody of the lateral meniscus. Considering the ratio of the meniscal width to the tibial plateau width, the patients were divided into non-discoid, incomplete discoid, and complete discoid groups. On a coronal view accurately showing the insertion of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus, a distance between the peak of the lateral tibial eminence and the centre of the insertion of the posterior horn, and a width of the lateral tibial plateau between the lateral edge of the tibial plateau and the peak of the lateral tibial eminence were measured. The insertion centre of the posterior horn was located more medially in the incomplete and complete discoid groups than in the non-discoid group (p = 0.003, 0.010, respectively). When individual differences in the knee size were corrected, the insertion centre of the posterior horn in the incomplete discoid and complete discoid groups was located more medially than in the non-discoid group (p = 0.009, 0.003, respectively). The insertion centre of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus is located more medially to the apex of the lateral tibial eminence in the discoid group than in the non-discoid group. This finding needs to be considered for an accurate position of the posterior horn of lateral meniscus during the lateral meniscal allograft transplantation. IV.

The supermodule insertion tool of the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter and the first trial insertion of a supermodule.

CERN Multimedia

Maximilien Brice

2006-01-01

The first trial insertion of a complete Electromagnetic Calorimeter (ECAL) "supermodule" (1700 lead-tungstate crystals, with support structures, light detectors (avalanche photodiodes), readout electronics and cooling system) was performed on 1st March. This delicate operation - sliding a 2-tonne 3m-long object onto support rails (in real life these are attached to the barrel hadron calorimeter (HCAL)) - made use of a custom designed "squirrel cage". The rotatable squirrel cage allows the insertion of any supermodule into any of the 18 positions, including very fine (sub-mm) adjustments. The first supermodule will be inserted into the real HCAL later this month in preparation for the "magnet test and cosmic-ray challenge" (MTCC). In the first image the supermodule is in the centre and the alignment disks are highlighted by the flash.

Combining M-FISH and Quantum Dot technology for fast chromosomal assignment of transgenic insertions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yusuf Mohammed

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Physical mapping of transgenic insertions by Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH is a reliable and cost-effective technique. Chromosomal assignment is commonly achieved either by concurrent G-banding or by a multi-color FISH approach consisting of iteratively co-hybridizing the transgenic sequence of interest with one or more chromosome-specific probes at a time, until the location of the transgenic insertion is identified. Results Here we report a technical development for fast chromosomal assignment of transgenic insertions at the single cell level in mouse and rat models. This comprises a simplified 'single denaturation mixed hybridization' procedure that combines multi-color karyotyping by Multiplex FISH (M-FISH, for simultaneous and unambiguous identification of all chromosomes at once, and the use of a Quantum Dot (QD conjugate for the transgene detection. Conclusions Although the exploitation of the unique optical properties of QD nanocrystals, such as photo-stability and brightness, to improve FISH performance generally has been previously investigated, to our knowledge this is the first report of a purpose-designed molecular cytogenetic protocol in which the combined use of QDs and standard organic fluorophores is specifically tailored to assist gene transfer technology.

In vivo site-specific mutagenesis and gene collage using the delitto perfetto system in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Stuckey, Samantha; Mukherjee, Kuntal; Storici, Francesca

2011-01-01

Delitto perfetto is a site-specific in vivo mutagenesis system that has been developed to generate changes at will in the genome of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using this technique, it is possible to rapidly and efficiently engineer yeast strains without requiring several intermediate steps as it functions in only two steps, both of which rely on homologous recombination to drive the changes to the target DNA region. The first step involves the insertion of a cassette containing two markers at or near the locus to be altered. The second step involves complete removal of this cassette with oligonucleotides and/or other genetic material and transfer of the expected genetic modification(s) to the chosen DNA locus. Here we provide a detailed protocol of the delitto perfetto approach and present examples of the most common and useful applications for in vivo mutagenesis to generate base substitutions, deletions, insertions, as well as for precise in vivo assembly and integration of multiple genetic elements, or gene collage.

The clinical anatomy of the insertion of the rotator cuff tendons.

Science.gov (United States)

Vosloo, M; Keough, N; De Beer, M A

2017-04-01

The rotator cuff (RC) insertions according to most anatomical texts are described as being separate from one another. However, clear fusion of the RC tendon fibres exists with prior studies showing this interdigitation forming a common, continuous insertion onto and around the lesser and greater tubercles (LT and GT) of the humerus. Current surgical repair methods (especially arthroscopic techniques) rarely mention or consider these connections during repair and suture anchor implantation. The general principles of RC surgery remain a controversial subject, due to various available techniques, surgeon experience and preference, and the contradicting success rates. This results from old-fashioned knowledge of the anatomy of the RC complex and its functional aspects. Therefore, the purpose of this project was to visualise and define the RC footprint and extension insertions with the aim of enhancing and improving knowledge of the basic anatomy in the hopes that this will be considered during orthopaedic repair. Twenty shoulders (16 cadaveric and 4 fresh) were used in the study. The fresh shoulders were received from the National Tissue Bank, and ethical clearance was obtained (239/2015). Reverse dissection was performed to better visualise the RC unit exposing the interdigitated rotator hood (extension insertions), as well as the complete RC unit (tendons + internal capsule) separated from the scapula and humerus. Once the insertions were exposed and documented, the RC muscle footprint (articular surface area) was measured and recorded, using AutoCAD 2016. No statistical significant difference between left and right (p = 0.424) was noted, but a significant difference between males and females (p = 0.000) was. Collectively, these findings indicate and strengthen evidence towards the notion that the RC muscles/tendons and the internal capsule are one complete and inseparable unit/complex. The fact that the RC unit is more complex in its structure and attachment

Iatrogenic Perforation of the Left Ventricle during Insertion of a Chest Drain

OpenAIRE

Kim, Dongmin; Lim, Seong-Hoon; Seo, Pil Won

2013-01-01

Chest draining is a common procedure for treating pleural effusion. Perforation of the heart is a rare often fatal complication of chest drain insertion. We report a case of a 76-year-old female patient suffering from congestive heart failure. At presentation, unilateral opacity of the left chest observed on a chest X-ray was interpreted as massive pleural effusion, so an attempt was made to drain the left pleural space. Malposition of the chest drain was suspected because blood was draining ...

LOFT voltage insertion calibaration program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tillitt, D.N.; Miyasaki, F.S.

1975-08-01

The Loss-of-Fluid Test (LOFT) Facility is an experimental facility built around a ''scaled'' version of a large pressurized water reactor (LPWR). Part of this facility is the Data Acquisition and Visual Display System (DAVDS) as defined by the LOFT System Design Document SDD 1.4.2C. The DAVDS has a 702 data channel recording capability of which 548 are recorded digitally. The DAVDS also contains a Voltage Insertion Calibration Subsystem used to inject precise and known voltage steps into the recording systems. The computer program that controls the Voltage Insertion Calibration Subsystem is presented. 7 references. (auth)

In situ vitrification of a mixed radioactive and hazardous waste site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koegler, S.S.

1990-01-01

This paper reports on a large-scale test of the in situ vitrification (ISV) process being performed on a mixed radioactive and hazardous-chemical contaminated waste site on the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington state. A mixed-waste site was selected for this large-scale test to demonstrate the applicability of ISV to mixed wastes common to many U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sites. In situ vitrification is a thermal process that converts contaminated soil into a durable, leach-resistant product. Electrodes are inserted into the ground to the desired treatment depth, and a layer of electrically conductive material (a starter path) is placed between the electrodes. Electrical power is applied to the electrodes causing the conductive material to melt, thus melting the surrounding soil. Electrical energy is transferred to the molten soil through Joule (resistance) heating and the soil continues to melt to the desired depth, at which time the power to the electrodes is discontinued. A hood placed over the area to be vitrified allows the off gases from the process to be treated before their release to the atmosphere. After completion of the melt, the molten-soil cools and solidifies, and soil is backfilled over the subsided area

Treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma with inserting biliary double stents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia Guangzhi; Zhang Zidong; Wang Xuejing; Yin Hua; Li Jianming

2004-01-01

Objective: To investigate the inserting technique of biliary double stents in treating hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Methods: 6 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma (Bismuth IV) were treated by percutaneous transhepatic insertion of biliary stents. Double stents were inserted in each patient. Different inserting methods were adopted according to the branch angles formed by left and right hepatic ducts. Results: The jaundice of all patients alleviated or disappeared obviously after stent implantation. The average difference between post-and pre-operation in the serum total bilirubin level was (104 ± 29) μmol/L (P<0.01). Stent obstruction was found in 2 cases after 4 and 6 months respectively. Conclusion: Double stents implantation is effective for the treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Beware of the angulation between main hepatic duct and adopting different inserting methods. (authors)

A novel and facile decay path of Criegee intermediates by intramolecular insertion reactions via roaming transition states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, Trong-Nghia; Putikam, Raghunath; Lin, M. C.

2015-01-01

We have discovered a new and highly competitive product channel in the unimolecular decay process for small Criegee intermediates, CH 2 OO and anti/syn-CH 3 C(H)OO, occurring by intramolecular insertion reactions via a roaming-like transition state (TS) based on quantum-chemical calculations. Our results show that in the decomposition of CH 2 OO and anti-CH 3 C(H)OO, the predominant paths directly produce cis-HC(O)OH and syn-CH 3 C(O)OH acids with >110 kcal/mol exothermicities via loose roaming-like insertion TSs involving the terminal O atom and the neighboring C–H bonds. For syn-CH 3 C(H)OO, the major decomposition channel occurs by abstraction of a H atom from the CH 3 group by the terminal O atom producing CH 2 C(H)O–OH. At 298 K, the intramolecular insertion process in CH 2 OO was found to be 600 times faster than the commonly assumed ring-closing reaction

A new specifically designed forceps for chest drain insertion.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Andrews, Emmet

2012-02-03

Insertion of a chest drain can be associated with serious complications. It is recommended that the drain is inserted with blunt dissection through the chest wall but there is no specific instrument to aid this task. We describe a new reusable forceps that has been designed specifically to facilitate the insertion of chest drains.A feasibility study of its use in patients who required a chest drain as part of elective cardiothoracic operations was undertaken. The primary end-point was successful and accurate placement of the drain. The operators also completed a questionnaire rating defined aspects of the procedure. The new instrument was used to insert the chest drain in 30 patients (19 male, 11 female; median age 61.5 years (range 16-81 years)). The drain was inserted successfully without the trocar in all cases and there were no complications. Use of the instrument rated as significantly easier relative to experience of previous techniques in all specified aspects. The new device can be used to insert intercostal chest drains safely and efficiently without using the trocar or any other instrument.

Laparoscopic versus open peritoneal dialysis catheter insertion, the LOCI-trial: a study protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hagen Sander M

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Peritoneal dialysis (PD is an effective treatment for end-stage renal disease. It allows patients more freedom to perform daily activities compared to haemodialysis. Key to successful PD is the presence of a well-functioning dialysis catheter. Several complications, such as in- and outflow obstruction, peritonitis, exit-site infections, leakage and migration, can lead to catheter removal and loss of peritoneal access. Currently, different surgical techniques are in practice for PD-catheter placement. The type of insertion technique used may greatly influence the occurrence of complications. In the literature, up to 35% catheter failure has been described when using the open technique and only 13% for the laparoscopic technique. However, a well-designed randomized controlled trial is lacking. Methods/Design The LOCI-trial is a multi-center randomized controlled, single-blind trial (pilot. The study compares the laparoscopic with the open technique for PD catheter insertion. The primary objective is to determine the optimum placement technique in order to minimize the incidence of catheter malfunction at 6 weeks postoperatively. Secondary objectives are to determine the best approach to optimize catheter function and to study the quality of life at 6 months postoperatively comparing the two operative techniques. Discussion This study will generate evidence on any benefits of laparoscopic versus open PD catheter insertion. Trial registration Dutch Trial Register NTR2878

Methanol Formation via Oxygen Insertion Chemistry in Ices

Science.gov (United States)

Bergner, Jennifer B.; Öberg, Karin I.; Rajappan, Mahesh

2017-08-01

We present experimental constraints on the insertion of oxygen atoms into methane to form methanol in astrophysical ice analogs. In gas-phase and theoretical studies this process has previously been demonstrated to have a very low or nonexistent energy barrier, but the energetics and mechanisms have not yet been characterized in the solid state. We use a deuterium UV lamp filtered by a sapphire window to selectively dissociate O2 within a mixture of O2:CH4 and observe efficient production of CH3OH via O(1D) insertion. CH3OH growth curves are fit with a kinetic model, and we observe no temperature dependence of the reaction rate constant at temperatures below the oxygen desorption temperature of 25 K. Through an analysis of side products we determine the branching ratio of ice-phase oxygen insertion into CH4: ˜65% of insertions lead to CH3OH, with the remainder leading instead to H2CO formation. There is no evidence for CH3 or OH radical formation, indicating that the fragmentation is not an important channel and that insertions typically lead to increased chemical complexity. CH3OH formation from O2 and CH4 diluted in a CO-dominated ice similarly shows no temperature dependence, consistent with expectations that insertion proceeds with a small or nonexistent barrier. Oxygen insertion chemistry in ices should therefore be efficient under low-temperature ISM-like conditions and could provide an important channel to complex organic molecule formation on grain surfaces in cold interstellar regions such as cloud cores and protoplanetary disk midplanes.

Methanol Formation via Oxygen Insertion Chemistry in Ices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bergner, Jennifer B. [Harvard University Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, 10 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Öberg, Karin I.; Rajappan, Mahesh [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2017-08-10

We present experimental constraints on the insertion of oxygen atoms into methane to form methanol in astrophysical ice analogs. In gas-phase and theoretical studies this process has previously been demonstrated to have a very low or nonexistent energy barrier, but the energetics and mechanisms have not yet been characterized in the solid state. We use a deuterium UV lamp filtered by a sapphire window to selectively dissociate O{sub 2} within a mixture of O{sub 2}:CH{sub 4} and observe efficient production of CH{sub 3}OH via O({sup 1}D) insertion. CH{sub 3}OH growth curves are fit with a kinetic model, and we observe no temperature dependence of the reaction rate constant at temperatures below the oxygen desorption temperature of 25 K. Through an analysis of side products we determine the branching ratio of ice-phase oxygen insertion into CH{sub 4}: ∼65% of insertions lead to CH{sub 3}OH, with the remainder leading instead to H{sub 2}CO formation. There is no evidence for CH{sub 3} or OH radical formation, indicating that the fragmentation is not an important channel and that insertions typically lead to increased chemical complexity. CH{sub 3}OH formation from O{sub 2} and CH{sub 4} diluted in a CO-dominated ice similarly shows no temperature dependence, consistent with expectations that insertion proceeds with a small or nonexistent barrier. Oxygen insertion chemistry in ices should therefore be efficient under low-temperature ISM-like conditions and could provide an important channel to complex organic molecule formation on grain surfaces in cold interstellar regions such as cloud cores and protoplanetary disk midplanes.

A New Formula to Estimate the Length of Right Upper Extremity Vein from Elbow Crease to Carina Calculated by Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter Insertion through Right Basilic Vein Puncture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Hyun Hwan; Jeon, Eui Yong; Lee, Hyun Jung; Lee, Hyun; Koh, Sung Hye; Choi, Sun Young; Lee, Kwan Seop; Yoon, Dae Young; Im, Hyoung June

2012-01-01

To measure the length of the upper extremity vein between the elbow crease and the carina (elbow crease to carina length, ECL), to facilitate the appropriate positioning of the tip of the peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC). A total of 124 patients (64 men and 60 women; mean age 65.2 ± 15.4 years; range, 21-90 years) inserted with PICC through the right basilic vein under fluoroscopy were included in this retrospective study. The ECL was determined as follows: ECL = (distance from elbow crease to puncture site) + (the catheter length of PICC) - (distance from carina to catheter tip on post-procedural chest radiograph). We analyzed the relationship between ECL and patient height. The mean ECL through right basilic vein was 42.07 ±4.03 cm (27.5 to 52.2 cm). ECL was found to be significantly correlated with patient height: ECL (cm) = 0.24 X patient height (cm) + 3.75. The formula developed in our study would be helpful for predicting the optimal catheter length during a blind bedside procedure of PICC via the right basilic vein.

Insertion of a solo LTR retrotransposon associates with spur mutations in 'Red Delicious' apple (Malus × domestica).

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Mengxue; Sun, Qibao; Zhou, Junyong; Qiu, Huarong; Guo, Jing; Lu, Lijuan; Mu, Wenlei; Sun, Jun

2017-09-01

Insertion of a solo LTR, which possesses strong bidirectional, stem-specific promoter activities, is associated with the evolution of a dwarfing apple spur mutation. Spur mutations in apple scions revolutionized global apple production. Since long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons are tightly related to natural mutations, inter-retrotransposon-amplified polymorphism technique and genome walking were used to find sequences in the apple genome based on these LTRs. In 'Red Delicious' spur mutants, a novel, 2190-bp insertion was identified as a spur-specific, solo LTR (sLTR) located at the 1038th nucleotide of another sLTR, which was 1536 bp in length. This insertion-within-an-insertion was localized within a preexisting Gypsy-50 retrotransposon at position 3,762,767 on chromosome 4. The analysis of transcriptional activity of the two sLTRs (the 2190- and 1536-bp inserts) indicated that the 2190-bp sLTR is a promoter, capable of bidirectional transcription. GUS expression in the 2190-bp-sense and 2190-bp-antisense transgenic lines was prominent in stems. In contrast, no promoter activity from either the sense or the antisense strand of the 1536-bp sLTR was detected. From ~150 kb of DNA on each side of the 2190 bp, sLTR insertion site, corresponding to 300 kb of the 'Golden Delicious' genome, 23 genes were predicted. Ten genes had predicted functions that could affect shoot development. This first report, of a sLTR insertion associated with the evolution of apple spur mutation, will facilitate apple breeding, cloning of spur-related genes, and discovery of mechanisms behind dwarf habit.

PAPI based federation as a test-bed for a common security infrastructure in EFDA sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castro, R.; Vega, J.; Portas, A.; Lopez, D.R.; Balme, S.; Theis, J.M.; Lebourg, P.; Fernandes, H.; Neto, A.; Duarte, A.; Oliveira, F.; Reis, F.; Purahoo, K.; Thomsen, K.; Schiller, W.; Kadlecsik, J.

2008-01-01

Federated authentication and authorization systems provide several advantages to collaborative environments, for example, easy authentication integration, simpler user management, easier security policy implementation and quicker implementation of access control elements for new type of resources. A federation integrates different aspects that have to be coordinated by all the organizations involved. The most relevant are: definition of common schemas and attributes, definition of common policies and procedures, management of keys and certificates, management of common repositories and implementation of a home location service. A federation enabling collaboration of European sites has been put into operation. Four laboratories have been integrated and two more organizations (EFDA and KFKI/HAS) are finishing their integration. The federation infrastructure is based on Point of Access to Providers of Information (PAPI), a distributed authentication and authorization system. PAPI technology gives some important features, such as, single sign on for accessing to different resources, mobility for users, and compatibility with open and standard technologies: Java, JNLP protocol, XML-RPC and web technologies among others. In this article, the test-bed of EFDA federation is presented. Some examples of resources, securely shared inside the federation, are shown. Specific issues and experience gained in deploying federated collaboration systems will be addressed as well

PAPI based federation as a test-bed for a common security infrastructure in EFDA sites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castro, R. [Asociacion EURATOM/CIEMAT para Fusion, Madrid (Spain)], E-mail: rodrigo.castro@ciemat.es; Vega, J.; Portas, A. [Asociacion EURATOM/CIEMAT para Fusion, Madrid (Spain); Lopez, D.R. [Departamento RedIRIS, Entidad publica empresarial Red.es, Madrid (Spain); Balme, S.; Theis, J.M.; Lebourg, P. [Association EURATOM-CEA, CEA/DSM/Departement de Recherches sur la Fusion Controlee DRFC, CEA-Cadarache (France); Fernandes, H.; Neto, A.; Duarte, A.; Oliveira, F.; Reis, F. [Centro de Fusao Nuclear, Associacao EURATOM/IST, Lisboa (Portugal); Purahoo, K. [EURATOM/UKAEA Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Thomsen, K.; Schiller, W. [EFDA Close Support Unit Garching, Max Planck Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, Boltzmannstr. 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Kadlecsik, J. [KFKI R.I. for Particle and Nuclear Physics of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and the Association EURATOM/HAS, Budapest (Hungary)

2008-04-15

Federated authentication and authorization systems provide several advantages to collaborative environments, for example, easy authentication integration, simpler user management, easier security policy implementation and quicker implementation of access control elements for new type of resources. A federation integrates different aspects that have to be coordinated by all the organizations involved. The most relevant are: definition of common schemas and attributes, definition of common policies and procedures, management of keys and certificates, management of common repositories and implementation of a home location service. A federation enabling collaboration of European sites has been put into operation. Four laboratories have been integrated and two more organizations (EFDA and KFKI/HAS) are finishing their integration. The federation infrastructure is based on Point of Access to Providers of Information (PAPI), a distributed authentication and authorization system. PAPI technology gives some important features, such as, single sign on for accessing to different resources, mobility for users, and compatibility with open and standard technologies: Java, JNLP protocol, XML-RPC and web technologies among others. In this article, the test-bed of EFDA federation is presented. Some examples of resources, securely shared inside the federation, are shown. Specific issues and experience gained in deploying federated collaboration systems will be addressed as well.

Non-imaging assisted insertion of un-cuffed, non-tunneled internal jugular venous catheters for hemodialysis: Safety and utility in modern day world

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manish Rathi

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Absolute necessity in acute kidney injury (AKI and ignorance in chronic kidney disease (CKD make the use of un-cuffed, non-tunneled catheters an indispensable vascular access for hemodialysis. Although these catheters should be inserted under radiological guidance, it may not be feasible in certain circumstances. The aim of the present study was to evaluate safety and outcome of non-imaging assisted insertion of these catheters in internal jugular vein (IJV for hemodialysis. Methods: We analyzed 233 attempts of non-imaging assisted un-cuffed, non-tunneled IJV catheterization at our center. The immediate insertion complications, duration of use, rate and type of infection and other complications were assessed. Results: Out of the 233 attempts, 223 (213-right, 10-left were successful. The most common indication was AKI (n = 127, 54.5%, followed by CKD (n = 99, 42.5%. Successful catheterization at first attempt was achieved in 78.9%. Insertion complications were noted in 12.8% and included arterial puncture (5.2%, hematoma (3.0% and malposition (2.1%. Amongst 219 catheters followed for 4825 days, the mean duration of use was 22 days. Catheter related infections occurred in 42 patients with an incidence of 8.7 per 1000 catheter days. Bacteraemia was present in 10/36 cases (27.7%, positive catheter tip cultures in 71.4% cases and staphylococcal species were the most common organism. Cumulative hazard analysis by Cox regression revealed a linear increase in the risk for infection with each week. Conclusion: Non-imaging assisted insertion of uncuffed, non-tunneled catheters is associated with slightly higher rate of insertion complication but comparable outcome in terms of infection rate or days of use. Keywords: Hemodialysis, Internal jugular vein catheterization, Catheter related infection

Insertion in Persian

Science.gov (United States)

Kambuziya, Aliyeh Kord-e Zafaranlu; Dehghan, Masoud

2011-01-01

This paper investigates epenthesis process in Persian to catch some results in relating to vowel and consonant insertion in Persian lexicon. This survey has a close relationship to the description of epenthetic consonants and the conditions in which these consonants are used. Since no word in Persian may begin with a vowel, so that hiatus can't be…

Selectivity and Efficiency of Late Transgene Expression by Transcriptionally Targeted Oncolytic Adenoviruses Are Dependent on the Transgene Insertion Strategy

Science.gov (United States)

Quirin, Christina; Rohmer, Stanimira; Fernández-Ulibarri, Inés; Behr, Michael; Hesse, Andrea; Engelhardt, Sarah; Erbs, Philippe; Enk, Alexander H.

2011-01-01

Abstract Key challenges facing cancer therapy are the development of tumor-specific drugs and potent multimodal regimens. Oncolytic adenoviruses possess the potential to realize both aims by restricting virus replication to tumors and inserting therapeutic genes into the virus genome, respectively. A major effort in this regard is to express transgenes in a tumor-specific manner without affecting virus replication. Using both luciferase as a sensitive reporter and genetic prodrug activation, we show that promoter control of E1A facilitates highly selective expression of transgenes inserted into the late transcription unit. This, however, required multistep optimization of late transgene expression. Transgene insertion via internal ribosome entry site (IRES), splice acceptor (SA), or viral 2A sequences resulted in replication-dependent expression. Unexpectedly, analyses in appropriate substrates and with matching control viruses revealed that IRES and SA, but not 2A, facilitated indirect transgene targeting via tyrosinase promoter control of E1A. Transgene expression via SA was more selective (up to 1,500-fold) but less effective than via IRES. Notably, we also revealed transgene-dependent interference with splicing. Hence, the prodrug convertase FCU1 (a cytosine deaminase–uracil phosphoribosyltransferase fusion protein) was expressed only after optimizing the sequence surrounding the SA site and mutating a cryptic splice site within the transgene. The resulting tyrosinase promoter-regulated and FCU1-encoding adenovirus combined effective oncolysis with targeted prodrug activation therapy of melanoma. Thus, prodrug activation showed potent bystander killing and increased cytotoxicity of the virus up to 10-fold. We conclude that armed oncolytic viruses can be improved substantially by comparing and optimizing strategies for targeted transgene expression, thereby implementing selective and multimodal cancer therapies. PMID:20939692

Intrahepatic ascariasis – Common parasite at an uncommon site

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Udit Chauhan

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Bacterial infections of the biliary tree are common infections of the biliary system which frequently lead to life-threatening sepsis. Parasitic infections of the biliary tree like ascariasis are not uncommon. Most adult worms reside into the extrahepatic biliary system. Intrahepatic existence is not commonly described. Urgent recognition of the intrahepatic existence of this common parasite is of paramount importance in order to start timely treatment of this lifethreatening infection. Authors described a case of intrahepatic ascariasis in a young male who was diagnosed radiologically and thereafter managed with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and antibiotics.

A rapid detection method for PAI-1 promoter insertion/deletion polymorphism (4G/5G

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annichino-Bizzacchi Joyce M.

1998-01-01

Full Text Available Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1 is an important inhibitor of fibrinolysis, and increased levels of PAI-1 are associated with atheroma and myocardial infarction. A common 4G/5G insertion/deletion polymorphism located in the promoter region of PAI-1 gene has been described associated with PAI-1 activity in plasma levels. Genotyping of this polymorphism is commonly conducted with an allele-specific oligonucleotide melting technique. In the present study, we describe a quick, easy method for genotyping 4G/5G polymorphism in the promoter region of the PAI-1 gene.

Insert Design and Manufacturing for Foam-Core Composite Sandwich Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Lares, Alan

Sandwich structures have been used in the aerospace industry for many years. The high strength to weight ratios that are possible with sandwich constructions makes them desirable for airframe applications. While sandwich structures are effective at handling distributed loads such as aerodynamic forces, they are prone to damage from concentrated loads at joints or due to impact. This is due to the relatively thin face-sheets and soft core materials typically found in sandwich structures. Carleton University's Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Project Team has designed and manufactured a UAV (GeoSury II Prototype) which features an all composite sandwich structure fuselage structure. The purpose of the aircraft is to conduct geomagnetic surveys. The GeoSury II Prototype serves as the test bed for many areas of research in advancing UAV technologies. Those areas of research include: low cost composite materials manufacturing, geomagnetic data acquisition, obstacle detection, autonomous operations and magnetic signature control. In this thesis work a methodology for designing and manufacturing inserts for foam-core sandwich structures was developed. The results of this research work enables a designer wishing to design a foam-core sandwich airframe structure, a means of quickly manufacturing optimized inserts for the safe introduction of discrete loads into the airframe. The previous GeoSury II Prototype insert designs (v.1 & v.2) were performance tested to establish a benchmark with which to compare future insert designs. Several designs and materials were considered for the new v.3 inserts. A plug and sleeve design was selected, due to its ability to effectively transfer the required loads to the sandwich structure. The insert material was chosen to be epoxy, reinforced with chopped carbon fibre. This material was chosen for its combination of strength, low mass and also compatibility with the face-sheet material. The v.3 insert assembly is 60% lighter than the

Minor displacements in the insertion site provoke major differences in the induction of antibody responses by chimeric parvovirus-like particles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rueda, P.; Hurtado, A.; del Barrio, M.

1999-01-01

inserted into these positions was well recognized by the specific monoclonal antibody C3 by immunoelectron microscopy. BALB/c mice immunized with these chimeric C3:B CPV:VLPs were able to elicit an strong neutralizing antibody response (>3 log(10) units) against poliovirus type 1 (Mahoney strain...

Patterns of transposable element expression and insertion in cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evan A Clayton

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Human transposable element (TE activity in somatic tissues causes mutations that can contribute to tumorigenesis. Indeed, TE insertion mutations have been implicated in the etiology of a number of different cancer types. Nevertheless, the full extent of somatic TE activity, along with its relationship to tumorigenesis, have yet to be fully explored. Recent developments in bioinformatics software make it possible to analyze TE expression levels and TE insertional activity directly from transcriptome (RNA-seq and whole genome (DNA-seq next-generation sequence data. We applied these new sequence analysis techniques to matched normal and primary tumor patient samples from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA in order to analyze the patterns of TE expression and insertion for three cancer types: breast invasive carcinoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and lung adenocarcinoma. Our analysis focused on the three most abundant families of active human TEs: Alu, SVA and L1. We found evidence for high levels of somatic TE activity for these three families in normal and cancer samples across diverse tissue types. Abundant transcripts for all three TE families were detected in both normal and cancer tissues along with an average of ~80 unique TE insertions per individual patient/tissue. We observed an increase in L1 transcript expression and L1 insertional activity in primary tumor samples for all three cancer types. Tumor-specific TE insertions are enriched for private mutations, consistent with a potentially causal role in tumorigenesis. We used genome feature analysis to investigate two specific cases of putative cancer-causing TE mutations in further detail. An Alu insertion in an upstream enhancer of the CBL tumor suppressor gene is associated with down-regulation of the gene in a single breast cancer patient, and an L1 insertion in the first exon of the BAALC gene also disrupts its expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Our results are

Electrochemical zinc insertion into W18O49: Synthesis and characterization of new bronzes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez-de la Cruz, A.; Amador, U.; Rodriguez-Carvajal, J.; Garcia-Alvarado, F.

2005-01-01

Divalent zinc ions have been electrochemically inserted into W 18 O 49 , producing zinc bronzes. Under our experimental conditions, W 18 O 49 accepts zinc reversibly as a guest up to 0.9 ions per formula. The reaction seems to proceed through the formation of a solid solution in which the W-O framework of the parent oxide is maintained. The location of the Zn 2+ ions in the framework of W 18 O 49 has been determined by neutron diffraction on a chemically prepared sample having the composition Zn 0.34 W 18 O 49 . As a main result, we found that Zn prefers to insert in one of the four types of quadrangular tunnels. More precisely, it is displaced from the center to occupy a low coordination site. This result indicates that a significant covalent character exists in the Zn-O bond. - Graphical Abstract: The structure of Zn 0.36 W 18 O 49 projected along the b-axis

Comparison between gastrostomy feeding and self-expandable metal stent insertion for patients with esophageal cancer and dysphagia.

Science.gov (United States)

Min, Yang Won; Jang, Eun Young; Jung, Ji Hey; Lee, Hyuk; Min, Byung-Hoon; Lee, Jun Haeng; Rhee, Poong-Lyul; Kim, Jae J

2017-01-01

Self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) insertion and percutaneous gastrostomy (PG) feeding are commonly used for patients with esophageal cancer and dysphagia. This study aimed to compare outcomes between SEMS insertion and PG feeding for them. We retrospectively analyzed 308 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent fully covered SEMS insertion (stent group) or PG (gastrostomy group) for dysphagia due to tumor. Patients with other causes of dysphagia, such as radiation-induced or postoperative stricture, were excluded from the study. Clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups, including overall survival and need for additional intervention and postprocedural nutritional status. At baseline, the stent group (n = 169) had more stage IV patients, less cervical cancers, and received radiotherapy and esophagectomy less often than the gastrostomy group (n = 64). The Kaplan-Meier curves showed higher overall survival in the gastrostomy group than in the stent group. Multivariate analysis revealed that PG was associated with better survival compared with SEMS insertion (hazard ratio 0.541, 95% confidence interval 0.346-0.848, p = 0.007). In addition, the gastrostomy group needed additional intervention less often (3.1% vs. 21.9%, p esophageal cancer and dysphagia. Stabilized nutritional status by PG may play a role in improving patient survival.

E2LEMI:Energy-Efficient Logic Encryption Using Multiplexer Insertion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qutaiba Alasad

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Due to the outsourcing of chip manufacturing, countermeasures against Integrated Circuit (IC piracy, reverse engineering, IC overbuilding and hardware Trojans (HTs become a hot research topic. To protect an IC from these attacks, logic encryption techniques have been considered as a low-cost defense mechanism. In this paper, our proposal is to insert the multiplexer (MUX with two cases: (i we randomly insert MUXs equal to half of the output bit number (half MUX insertions; and (ii we insert MUXs equal to the number of output bits (full MUX insertions. Hamming distance is adopted as a security evaluation. We also measure the delay, power and area overheads with the proposed technique.

Novel insertion mutation in a non-Jewish Caucasian type 1 Gaucher disease patient

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choy, F.Y.M.; Humphries, M.L. [Univ. of Victoria, British Columbia (Canada); Ferreira, P. [Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton (Canada)

1997-01-20

Gaucher disease is the most prevalent lysosomal storage disorder. It is autosomal recessive, resulting in lysosomal glucocerebrosidase deficiency. Three clinical forms of Gaucher disease have been described: type 1 (nonneuronopathic), type 2 (acute neuronopathic), and type 3 (subacute neuronopathic). We performed PCR-thermal cycle sequence analysis of glucocerebrosidase genomic DNA and identified a novel mutation in a non-Jewish type 1 Gaucher disease patient. It is a C insertion in exon 3 at cDNA nucleotide position 122 and genomic nucleotide position 1626. This mutation causes a frameshift and, subsequently, four of the five codons immediately downstream of the insertion were changed while the sixth was converted to a stop codon, resulting in premature termination of protein translation. The 122CC insertion abolishes a Cac81 restriction endonuclease cleavage site, allowing a convenient and reliable method for detection using RFLP analysis of PCR-amplified glucocerebrosidase genomic DNA. The mutation in the other Gaucher allele was found to be an A{r_arrow}G substitution at glucocerebrosidase cDNA nucleotide position 1226 that so far has only been reported among type 1 Gaucher disease patients. Since mutation 122CC causes a frameshift and early termination of protein translation, it most likely results in a meaningless transcript and subsequently no residual glucocerebrosidase enzyme activity. We speculate that mutation 122CC may result in a worse prognosis than mutations associated with partial activity. When present in the homozygous form, it could be a lethal allele similar to what has been postulated for the other known insertion mutation, 84GG. Our patient, who is a compound heterozygote 122CC/1226G, has moderately severe type 1 Gaucher disease. Her clinical response to Ceredase{reg_sign} therapy that began 31 months ago has been favorable, though incomplete. 30 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.

Degradation rate of acetylcholine receptors inserted into denervated vertebrate neuromuscular junctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shyng, S.L.; Salpeter, M.M.

1989-01-01

Many studies exist on the effect of denervation on the degradation of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) at the vertebrate neuromuscular junction (nmj). These studies have described the behavior of either the total population of junctional receptors at different times after denervation, or of the receptors present at the time of denervation. No experimental studies yet exist on the degradation rate of the receptors newly inserted into denervated junctions. In the previous studies, the original receptors of mouse sternomastoid muscles were found to retain the slow degradation (t 1/2) of approximately 8-10 d of innervated junctional receptors for up to 10 d after denervation before accelerating to a t 1/2 of approximately 3 d. The total junctional receptors, on the other hand, showed a progressive increase in degradation rate from a t 1/2 of 8-10 d to a t 1/2 of 1 d. To reconcile these earlier observations, the present study examines the degradation of new receptors inserted into the nmj after denervation. To avoid possible contamination of the data with postdenervation extrajunctional receptors, we used transmission electron microscope autoradiography to study only receptors located at the postjunctional fold of the nmj. We established that the new receptors inserted into denervated junctions have a t 1/2 of approximately 1 d, considerably faster than that of the original receptors and equivalent to that of postdenervation extrajunctional receptors. Both original and new receptors are interspersed at the top of the junctional folds. Thus, until all the original receptors are degraded, the postjunctional membrane contains two populations of AChRs that maintain a total steady-state site density but degrade at different rates

The Composite Insertion Electrode

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Atlung, Sven; Zachau-Christiansen, Birgit; West, Keld

1984-01-01

The specific energy obtainable by discharge of porous insertion electrodes is limited by electrolyte depletion in thepores. This can be overcome using a solid ion conductor as electrolyte. The term "composite" is used to distinguishthese electrodes from porous electrodes with liquid electrolyte...

Additive Manufacturing for Highly Efficient Window Inserts CRADA Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roschli, Alex C. [ORNL; Chesser, Phillip C. [ORNL; Love, Lonnie J. [ORNL

2018-04-01

ORNL partnered with the Mackinac Technology Company to demonstrate how additive manufacturing can be used to create highly energy efficient window inserts for retrofit in pre-existing buildings. Many early iterations of the window inserts were fabricated using carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastics and polycarbonate films as a stand in for the low-e coated films produced by the Mackinac Technology Company. After demonstration of the proof of concept, i.e. custom window inserts with tensioned film, the materials used for the manufacture of the frames was more closely examined. Hollow particle-filled syntactic foam and low-density polymer composites formed by expandable microspheres were explored as the materials used to additively manufacture the frames of the inserts. It was concluded that low-cost retrofit window inserts in custom sizes could be easily fabricated using large scale additive manufacturing. Furthermore, the syntactic and expanded foams developed and tested satisfy the mechanical performance requirements for the application.

Safety of achilles detachment and reattachment using a standard midline approach to insertional enthesophytes.

Science.gov (United States)

McAlister, Jeffrey E; Hyer, Christopher F

2015-01-01

Detachment with reattachment of the Achilles tendon is a common surgery for debridement of retrocalcaneal exostosis, bursitis, and other insertional pathologic entities. The technique involves a midline skin incision on the posterior Achilles to the tendon. The distal Achilles attachment is removed in a U-shaped manner, leaving the medial and lateral flares, but exposing the posterior spur. This midline approach provides excellent exposure and allows for rapid and efficient surgical debridement. The tendon is reapproximated and repaired with a suture anchor to facilitate fixation to the posterior calcaneus. Some surgeons have expressed concerned that the rupture risk could be increased in the postoperative period using this technique. The present study was a retrospective medical record review of 98 patients (100 feet) who had undergone a midline approach with Achilles reattachment after insertional Achilles debridement during a 3-year period. The demographic and comorbidity data were collected and analyzed. The outcome measures were postoperative rupture and the need for revision surgery. The mean age was 51.9 years, and the patients included 59 females (60.2%) and 39 males (39.8%). The complications included 4 rupture or avulsion revisions (4.0%) and 2 recurrent pain and tendinitis revisions (2.0%). The most common repeat repair procedure included hardware removal and a flexor hallucis longus transfer or augmentation. Nine patients (9.0%) had wound complications, 7 (77.8%) of which necessitated incision and drainage. The midline approach with Achilles detachment and reattachment is a safe and effective method of surgical treatment of insertional Achilles pathologic entities. The low reoperation rate of 4.0% will allow foot and ankle surgeons to safely rely on this approach. Copyright © 2015 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a high resolution silicon PET insert module

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grkovski, Milan, E-mail: milan.grkovski@ijs.si [Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana (Slovenia); Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (United States); Brzezinski, Karol [IFIC/CSIC, Valencia (Spain); Cindro, Vladimir [Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana (Slovenia); Clinthorne, Neal H. [University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Kagan, Harris [Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (United States); Lacasta, Carlos [IFIC/CSIC, Valencia (Spain); Mikuž, Marko [Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana (Slovenia); Solaz, Carles [IFIC/CSIC, Valencia (Spain); Studen, Andrej [Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana (Slovenia); Weilhammer, Peter [Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (United States); Žontar, Dejan [Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana (Slovenia)

2015-07-11

Conventional PET systems can be augmented with additional detectors placed in close proximity of the region of interest. We developed a high resolution PET insert module to evaluate the added benefit of such a combination. The insert module consists of two back-to-back 1 mm thick silicon sensors, each segmented into 1040 1 mm{sup 2} pads arranged in a 40 by 26 array. A set of 16 VATAGP7.1 ASICs and a custom assembled data acquisition board were used to read out the signal from the insert module. Data were acquired in slice (2D) geometry with a Jaszczak phantom (rod diameters of 1.2–4.8 mm) filled with {sup 18}F-FDG and the images were reconstructed with ML-EM method. Both data with full and limited angular coverage from the insert module were considered and three types of coincidence events were combined. The ratio of high-resolution data that substantially improves quality of the reconstructed image for the region near the surface of the insert module was estimated to be about 4%. Results from our previous studies suggest that such ratio could be achieved at a moderate technological expense by using an equivalent of two insert modules (an effective sensor thickness of 4 mm)

Safety and Effectiveness of Percutaneously Inserted Peritoneal Ports Compared to Surgically Inserted Ports in a Retrospective Study of 87 Patients with Ovarian Carcinoma over a 10-Year Period

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woodley-Cook, Joel; Tarulli, Emidio; Tan, Kong T.; Rajan, Dheeraj K.; Simons, Martin E.

2016-01-01

PurposePlacement of peritoneal ports has become a favorable technique for direct chemotherapy infusion in treating peritoneal metastases from ovarian cancer. We aim to outline an approach to the percutaneous insertion of peritoneal ports and to characterize success and complication rates compared to surgically inserted ports.Materials and MethodsRetrospective analysis was collected from 87 patients who had peritoneal port insertion (28 inserted surgically and 59 percutaneously) for treatment of peritoneal metastases from ovarian cancer from July 2004 to July 2014. Complications were classified according to the SIR Clinical Practice Guidelines as major or minor.ResultsTechnical success rates for surgically and percutaneously inserted ports were 100 and 96.7 %, respectively (p = 0.44), with the two percutaneous failures successful at a later date. There were no major complications in either group. Minor complication rates for surgically versus percutaneously inserted ports were 46.4 versus 22.0 %, respectively (p = 0.02). The infection rate for surgically inserted versus percutaneously inserted ports was 14.3 and 0 %, respectively (p = 0.002). The relative risk of developing a complication from percutaneous peritoneal port insertion without ascites was 3.4 (p = 0.04). For percutaneously inserted ports, the mean in-room procedure time was 81 ± 1.3 min and mean fluoroscopy time was 5.0 ± 4.5 min.ConclusionPercutaneously inserted peritoneal ports are a safe alternative to surgically inserted ports, demonstrating similar technical success and lower complication rates.

Safety and Effectiveness of Percutaneously Inserted Peritoneal Ports Compared to Surgically Inserted Ports in a Retrospective Study of 87 Patients with Ovarian Carcinoma over a 10-Year Period

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woodley-Cook, Joel, E-mail: jwoodleycook@gmail.com [The Scarborough Hospital, Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of Diagnostic Imaging (Canada); Tarulli, Emidio; Tan, Kong T.; Rajan, Dheeraj K.; Simons, Martin E. [University of Toronto, Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of Medical Imaging, University Health Network (Canada)

2016-11-15

PurposePlacement of peritoneal ports has become a favorable technique for direct chemotherapy infusion in treating peritoneal metastases from ovarian cancer. We aim to outline an approach to the percutaneous insertion of peritoneal ports and to characterize success and complication rates compared to surgically inserted ports.Materials and MethodsRetrospective analysis was collected from 87 patients who had peritoneal port insertion (28 inserted surgically and 59 percutaneously) for treatment of peritoneal metastases from ovarian cancer from July 2004 to July 2014. Complications were classified according to the SIR Clinical Practice Guidelines as major or minor.ResultsTechnical success rates for surgically and percutaneously inserted ports were 100 and 96.7 %, respectively (p = 0.44), with the two percutaneous failures successful at a later date. There were no major complications in either group. Minor complication rates for surgically versus percutaneously inserted ports were 46.4 versus 22.0 %, respectively (p = 0.02). The infection rate for surgically inserted versus percutaneously inserted ports was 14.3 and 0 %, respectively (p = 0.002). The relative risk of developing a complication from percutaneous peritoneal port insertion without ascites was 3.4 (p = 0.04). For percutaneously inserted ports, the mean in-room procedure time was 81 ± 1.3 min and mean fluoroscopy time was 5.0 ± 4.5 min.ConclusionPercutaneously inserted peritoneal ports are a safe alternative to surgically inserted ports, demonstrating similar technical success and lower complication rates.

Enhancement of heat transfer using varying width twisted tape inserts

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

enhancement of heat transfer with twisted tape inserts as compared to plain ... studies for heat transfer and pressure drop of laminar flow in horizontal tubes ... flow in rectangular and square plain ducts and ducts with twisted-tape inserts .... presence of the insert in the pipe causes resistance to flow and increases turbulence.

Are insertion torque and early osseointegration proportional? A histologic evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Campos, Felipe E B; Jimbo, Ryo; Bonfante, Estevam A; Barbosa, Darceny Z; Oliveira, Maiolino T F; Janal, Malvin N; Coelho, Paulo G

2015-11-01

The objective of this histologic study was to determine the effect of three drilling protocols (oversized, intermediate, and undersized) on biologic responses to a single implant type at early healing periods (2 weeks in vivo) in a beagle dog model. Ten beagle dogs were acquired and subjected to surgeries in the tibia 2 weeks before euthanasia. During surgery, each dog received three Unitite implants, 4 mm in diameter by 10 mm in length, in bone sites drilled to 3.5, 3.75, and 4.0 mm in final diameter. The insertion torque was recorded during surgery, and bone-to-implant contact (BIC), and bone area fraction occupied (BAFO) measured from the histology. Each outcome measure was compared between treatment conditions with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Bonferroni-corrected statistical significance was set to 95%. Insertion torque increased as an inverse function of drilling diameter, as indicated by significant differences in torque levels between each pair of conditions (P = 0.005). BIC and BAFO levels were highest and statistically similar in the recommended and undersized conditions and significantly reduced in the oversized condition (P torque (primary stability). While BIC and BAFO were maximized when drilling the recommended diameter hole, only the oversized hole resulted in evidence of statistically reduced integration. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A novel and facile decay path of Criegee intermediates by intramolecular insertion reactions via roaming transition states

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nguyen, Trong-Nghia [Department of Applied Chemistry and Institute of Molecular Science, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan (China); Department of Physical Chemistry, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Putikam, Raghunath; Lin, M. C., E-mail: chemmcl@emory.edu [Department of Applied Chemistry and Institute of Molecular Science, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan (China)

2015-03-28

We have discovered a new and highly competitive product channel in the unimolecular decay process for small Criegee intermediates, CH{sub 2}OO and anti/syn-CH{sub 3}C(H)OO, occurring by intramolecular insertion reactions via a roaming-like transition state (TS) based on quantum-chemical calculations. Our results show that in the decomposition of CH{sub 2}OO and anti-CH{sub 3}C(H)OO, the predominant paths directly produce cis-HC(O)OH and syn-CH{sub 3}C(O)OH acids with >110 kcal/mol exothermicities via loose roaming-like insertion TSs involving the terminal O atom and the neighboring C–H bonds. For syn-CH{sub 3}C(H)OO, the major decomposition channel occurs by abstraction of a H atom from the CH{sub 3} group by the terminal O atom producing CH{sub 2}C(H)O–OH. At 298 K, the intramolecular insertion process in CH{sub 2}OO was found to be 600 times faster than the commonly assumed ring-closing reaction.

Lithium Insertion in LixMn2O4, 0

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

West, Keld; Zachau-Christiansen, Birgit; Skaarup, Steen

1996-01-01

The electrochemical lithium insertion properties of highly crystalline LixMn2O4 are investigated in the approximate lithium insertion range 0 ... of the lithium insertion/extraction reactions is better at the higher voltages (versus Li/Li+), and particularly at the 4 V plateau. The lithium insertion/extraction reaction at the 1 V plateau although essentially reversible is associated with a significant voltage hysteresis....

The study on diamond-coated insert by DC plasma jet CVD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Kesong; Dai Mingjiang; Song Jinbing; Kuang Tongchun; Liu Zhengyi

2001-01-01

Diamond coating were deposited on cemented carbide inserts by DC plasma jet CVD. The cemented carbide inserts were pretreated by methods including chemical etching of Co, Ar/H 2 plasma etching. The characteristics of diamond film, interface structure, adhesion strength and film stress were analysized by different methods such as SEM, XRD, Raman spectrum etc. A comparing experiment of cutting Al - 22 % Si alloy was carried out with diamond-coated cemented carbide inserts and uncoated cemented carbide inserts. The results show that the diamond-coated cemented carbide insert has a great advantage for cutting abrasive high content Al - Si alloy. (author)

Quench Performance of the LHC Insertion Magnets

CERN Document Server

Lasheras, N C; Siemko, A; Ostojic, R; Kirby, G

2009-01-01

After final installation in the LHC tunnel, the MQM and MQY quadrupole magnets of the LHC insertions are now being commissioned to their nominal currents. These two types of magnets operate at 1.9 K and 4.5 K and with nominal currents ranging from 3600 A to 5390 A. From the very first acceptance tests of the bare magnets coming from the manufacturers, they have been powered using different cycles, in different configurations, at different temperatures and in different tests facilities. In this paper we present the global results of these powering tests. We aim at separating common from individual features of these groups of magnets. Temperature dependence of the training, temperature margin, and ultimate current can be extracted from these tests. As these magnets are used to match the optics and the dispersion in the machine, the projected ultimate current at which they can be operated is critical in view of operation of LHC.

Etonogestrel implant migration to the vasculature, chest wall, and distant body sites: cases from a pharmacovigilance database.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Sarah; Niak, Ali; Gada, Neha; Brinker, Allen; Jones, S Christopher

2017-12-01

To describe clinical outcomes of etonogestrel implant patients with migration to the vasculature, chest wall and other distant body sites spontaneously reported to the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database. We performed a standardized Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) query in the FAERS database (through November 15, 2015), with reports coded with one or more MedDRA preferred terms that indicate complications with device placement or migration of the device from the original site of insertion to the vasculature, chest wall and other distant body sites. We excluded any cases previously described in the medical literature. We identified 38 cases of pronounced etonogestrel implant migration. Migration locations included the lung/pulmonary artery (n=9), chest wall (n=1), vasculature at locations other than the lung/pulmonary artery (n=14) and extravascular migrations (n=14) to other body sites (e.g., the axilla and clavicle/neck line/shoulder). The majority of cases were asymptomatic and detected when the patient desired implant removal; however, seven cases reported symptoms such as pain, discomfort and dyspnea in association with implant migration. Three cases also describe pulmonary fibrosis and skin reactions as a result of implant migration to the vasculature, chest wall and other distant body sites. Sixteen cases reported surgical removal in an operating room setting. Our FAERS case series demonstrates etonogestrel implant migration to the vasculature, chest wall and other body sites distant from the site of original insertion. As noted by the sponsor in current prescribing information, a key determinant in the risk for etonogestrel contraceptive implant migration appears to be improper insertion technique. Although migration of etonogestrel implants to the vasculature is rare, awareness of migration and education on proper insertion technique may reduce the risk. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Analysis of generic insertions made of two symmetric triplets

CERN Document Server

D'Amico, T E

1998-01-01

This paper reports on the study undertaken to explore the capabilities of a symmetric triplet to achieve the optics constraints required by the inner triplet of an insertion and more generally of a co mplete insertion made of two symmetric triplets to match a double focus to a FODO lattice. It is based on analytical treatment formulating a number of constraints equal to the parameters available. Th is thorough and systematic analysis made it possible to establish for an inner triplet as well as for a complete insertion the existence of solutions and to explicitly find out all the solutions, with out resorting to unguided numerical searches. As a by-product, a lattice transformer, made of a single triplet, that matches two different FODO cells has been singled out and studied in details. The r esults should be profitable in a number of cases. Here, the method is applied to an insertion of the type of an experimental LHC insertion in order to investigate its domain of validity and tunability .

Comparison between gastrostomy feeding and self-expandable metal stent insertion for patients with esophageal cancer and dysphagia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Won Min

Full Text Available Self-expandable metal stent (SEMS insertion and percutaneous gastrostomy (PG feeding are commonly used for patients with esophageal cancer and dysphagia. This study aimed to compare outcomes between SEMS insertion and PG feeding for them.We retrospectively analyzed 308 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent fully covered SEMS insertion (stent group or PG (gastrostomy group for dysphagia due to tumor. Patients with other causes of dysphagia, such as radiation-induced or postoperative stricture, were excluded from the study. Clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups, including overall survival and need for additional intervention and postprocedural nutritional status.At baseline, the stent group (n = 169 had more stage IV patients, less cervical cancers, and received radiotherapy and esophagectomy less often than the gastrostomy group (n = 64. The Kaplan-Meier curves showed higher overall survival in the gastrostomy group than in the stent group. Multivariate analysis revealed that PG was associated with better survival compared with SEMS insertion (hazard ratio 0.541, 95% confidence interval 0.346-0.848, p = 0.007. In addition, the gastrostomy group needed additional intervention less often (3.1% vs. 21.9%, p < 0.001 and experienced less decrease in serum albumin levels (-0.15 ± 0.56 g/dL vs. -0.39 ± 0.58 g/dL, p = 0.011 than the stent group after procedure.Our data suggested that, compared with SEMS insertion, PG is associated with better overall survival in patients with esophageal cancer and dysphagia. Stabilized nutritional status by PG may play a role in improving patient survival.

Surgical site infection in orthopedic implants and its common bacteria with their sensitivities to antibiotics, in open reduction internal fixation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shah, M.Q.; Zardad, M.S.; Khan, A.; Ahmed, S.; Awan, A. S.; Mohammad, T.

2017-01-01

: Surgical Site Infection is common in orthopaedic implants, occurring in 5.30% cases. Staphylococcus aureus is the common bacteria, causing it. (author)

Cowpea mosaic virus-based chimaeras Effects of inserted peptides on the phenotype, host range, and transmissibility of the modified viruses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Porta, Claudine; Spall, Valerie E.; Findlay, Kim C.; Gergerich, Rose C.; Farrance, Christine E.; Lomonossoff, George P.

2003-01-01

Expression of foreign peptides on the surface of cowpea mosaic virus particles leads to the creation of chimaeras with a variety of phenotypes and yields. Two factors were shown to be particularly significant in determining the properties of a given chimaera: the length of the inserted sequence and its isoelectric point. The deleterious effect of high isoelectric point on the ability of chimeras to produce a systemic infection occurs irrespective of the site of insertion of the peptide. Ultrastructural analysis of tissue infected with chimaeras with different phenotypes showed that all produced particles with a tendency to aggregate, irrespective of the size or isoelectric point of the insert. Host range and transmission studies revealed that the expression of a foreign peptide did not (1) alter the virus host range, (2) increase the rate of transmission by beetles or through seed, or (3) change the insect vector specificity. These findings have implications for both the utility and the biosafety of Cowpea mosaic virus-based chimaeras

Complete replication-competent adenovirus 11p vectors with E1 or E3 insertions show improved heat stability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mei, Ya-Fang, E-mail: ya-fang.mei@umu.se [Department of Clinical Microbiology and Virology, Umeå University, SE-901 85 Umeå (Sweden); Wu, Haidong, E-mail: haidong.wu@umu.se [Department of Clinical Microbiology and Virology, Umeå University, SE-901 85 Umeå (Sweden); Hultenby, Kjell, E-mail: kjell.hultenby@ki.se [Division of Clinical Research Centre, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institute, SE-14186 Stockholm (Sweden); Silver, Jim, E-mail: jim.silver@umu.se [Department of Clinical Microbiology and Virology, Umeå University, SE-901 85 Umeå (Sweden)

2016-10-15

Conventional adenovirus vectors harboring E1 or E3 deletions followed by the insertion of an exogenous gene show considerably reduced virion stability. Here, we report strategies to generate complete replication-competent Ad11p(RCAd11p) vectors that overcome the above disadvantage. A GFP cassette was successfully introduced either upstream of E1A or in the E3A region. The resulting vectors showed high expression levels of the hexon and E1genes and also strongly induced the cytopathic effect in targeted cells. When harboring oversized genomes, the RCAd11pE1 and RCAd11pE3 vectors showed significantly improved heat stability in comparison to Ad11pwt;of the three, RCAd11pE3 was the most tolerant to heat treatment. Electron microscopy showed that RCAd11pE3, RCAd11pE1, Ad11pwt, and Ad11pE1 Delmanifested dominant, moderate, minimum, or no full virus particles after heat treatment at 47 °C for 5 h. Our results demonstrated that both genome size and the insertion site in the viral genome affect virion stability. -- Highlights: •Replicating adenovirus 11p GFP vectors at the E1 or E3 region were generated. •RCAd11pE3 and RCAd11pE1 vectors manifested significantly improved heat stability. •RCAd11pE3 and RCAd11pE1 showed more full viral particles than Ad11pwt after heating. •We demonstrated that both genome size and the insertion site affect virion stability.

Complete replication-competent adenovirus 11p vectors with E1 or E3 insertions show improved heat stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mei, Ya-Fang; Wu, Haidong; Hultenby, Kjell; Silver, Jim

2016-01-01

Conventional adenovirus vectors harboring E1 or E3 deletions followed by the insertion of an exogenous gene show considerably reduced virion stability. Here, we report strategies to generate complete replication-competent Ad11p(RCAd11p) vectors that overcome the above disadvantage. A GFP cassette was successfully introduced either upstream of E1A or in the E3A region. The resulting vectors showed high expression levels of the hexon and E1genes and also strongly induced the cytopathic effect in targeted cells. When harboring oversized genomes, the RCAd11pE1 and RCAd11pE3 vectors showed significantly improved heat stability in comparison to Ad11pwt;of the three, RCAd11pE3 was the most tolerant to heat treatment. Electron microscopy showed that RCAd11pE3, RCAd11pE1, Ad11pwt, and Ad11pE1 Delmanifested dominant, moderate, minimum, or no full virus particles after heat treatment at 47 °C for 5 h. Our results demonstrated that both genome size and the insertion site in the viral genome affect virion stability. -- Highlights: •Replicating adenovirus 11p GFP vectors at the E1 or E3 region were generated. •RCAd11pE3 and RCAd11pE1 vectors manifested significantly improved heat stability. •RCAd11pE3 and RCAd11pE1 showed more full viral particles than Ad11pwt after heating. •We demonstrated that both genome size and the insertion site affect virion stability.

Sorting genomes by reciprocal translocations, insertions, and deletions.

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Xingqin; Li, Guojun; Li, Shuguang; Xu, Ying

2010-01-01

The problem of sorting by reciprocal translocations (abbreviated as SBT) arises from the field of comparative genomics, which is to find a shortest sequence of reciprocal translocations that transforms one genome Pi into another genome Gamma, with the restriction that Pi and Gamma contain the same genes. SBT has been proved to be polynomial-time solvable, and several polynomial algorithms have been developed. In this paper, we show how to extend Bergeron's SBT algorithm to include insertions and deletions, allowing to compare genomes containing different genes. In particular, if the gene set of Pi is a subset (or superset, respectively) of the gene set of Gamma, we present an approximation algorithm for transforming Pi into Gamma by reciprocal translocations and deletions (insertions, respectively), providing a sorting sequence with length at most OPT + 2, where OPT is the minimum number of translocations and deletions (insertions, respectively) needed to transform Pi into Gamma; if Pi and Gamma have different genes but not containing each other, we give a heuristic to transform Pi into Gamma by a shortest sequence of reciprocal translocations, insertions, and deletions, with bounds for the length of the sorting sequence it outputs. At a conceptual level, there is some similarity between our algorithm and the algorithm developed by El Mabrouk which is used to sort two chromosomes with different gene contents by reversals, insertions, and deletions.

Image-guided Ommaya reservoir insertion for intraventricular chemotherapy: a retrospective series.

Science.gov (United States)

Lau, Jonathan C; Kosteniuk, Suzanne E; Macdonald, David R; Megyesi, Joseph F

2018-03-01

Ayub Ommaya proposed a surgical technique for subcutaneous reservoir and pump placement in 1963 to allow access to intraventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Currently, the most common indication for Ommaya reservoir insertion (ORI) in adults is for patients with hematologic or leptomeningeal disorders requiring repeated injection of chemotherapy into the CSF space. Historically, the intraventricular catheter has been inserted blindly based on anatomical landmarks. The purpose of this study was to examine short-term complication rates with ORI with image guidance (IG) and without image guidance (non-IG). We retrospectively evaluated all operative cases of ORI from 2000 to 2014 by the senior author. Patient demographic data, surgical outcomes, and peri-operative complications were collected. Accurate placement and early (30-day) morbidity or mortality were considered primary outcomes. Fifty-five consecutive patients underwent ORI by the senior author over the study period (43.5 ± 16.6 years; 40.0% female). Indications for placement included acute lymphoblastic leukemia, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and leptomeningeal carcinomatosis. There were seven (12.7%) total complications: three (37.5%) with no-IG versus four (8.5%) with IG. Catheter malpositions were significantly higher in the non-IG group at 37.5% compared to 2.1%. Catheters were also more likely to require multiple passes with non-IG at 25% compare to 0% with IG. There were no early infections in either group. We demonstrate improved accuracy and decreased complications using an image-guided approach compared with a traditional approach. Our results support routine use of intra-operative image guidance for proximal catheter insertion in elective ORI for intraventricular chemotherapy.

Installation of the LHC experimental insertions

CERN Document Server

Bartolome-Jimenez, S

2004-01-01

The installation of the LHC experimental insertions, and particularly the installation of the low-beta quadrupoles, raises many technical challenges due to the stringent alignment specifications and to the difficulty of access in very confined areas. The compact layout with many lattice elements, vacuum components, beam control instrumentation and the presence of shielding does not allow for any improvisation in the installation procedure. This paper reviews all the constraints that need to be taken into account when installing the experimental insertions. It describes the chronological sequence of installation and discusses the technical solutions that have been adopted.

INSTALLATION OF THE LHC EXPERIMENTAL INSERTIONS

CERN Document Server

Bartolome-Jimenez, S

2004-01-01

The installation of the LHC experimental insertions, and particularly the installation of the Low-Beta quadrupoles, raises many technical challenges due to the stringent alignment specifications and to the difficulty of access in very confined areas. The compact layout with many lattice elements, vacuum components, beam control instrumentation and the presence of shielding does not allow for any improvisation in the installation procedure. This paper reviews all the constraints that need to be taken into account when installing the experimental insertions. It describes the chronological sequence of installation and discusses the technical solutions that have been adopted.

Influence of pleural drain insertion in lung function of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozelami Vieira, Irinea Beatriz Carvalho; Vieira, Fabiano F; Abrão, João; Gastaldi, Ada Clarice

2012-01-01

Longitudinal, prospective, randomized, blinded Trial to assess the influence of pleural drain (non-toxic PVC) site of insertion on lung function and postoperative pain of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting in the first three days post-surgery and immediately after chest tube removal. Thirty six patients scheduled for elective myocardial revascularization with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were randomly allocated into two groups: SX group (subxiphoid) and IC group (intercostal drain). Spirometry, arterial blood gases, and pain tests were recorded. Thirty one patients were selected, 16 in SX group and 15 in IC group. Postoperative (PO) spirometric values were higher in SX than in IC group (ppleural drain location on breathing. PaO(2) on the second PO increased significantly in SX group compared with IC group (pDrain with insertion in the subxiphoid region causes less change in lung function and discomfort, allowing better recovery of respiratory parameters. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter-Related Infections in a Cohort of Hospitalized Adult Patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bouzad, Caroline, E-mail: caroline.bouzad@gmail.com [Percy Military Teaching Hospital, Radiology Department (France); Duron, Sandrine, E-mail: duronsandrine@yahoo.fr [GSBdD, Military Centre for Epidemiology and Public Health (CESPA) (France); Bousquet, Aurore, E-mail: aurorebousquet@yahoo.fr [Begin Military Teaching Hospital, Bacteriology Department (France); Arnaud, François-Xavier, E-mail: fxa0160@hotmail.com [Percy Military Teaching Hospital, Radiology Department (France); Valbousquet, Laura, E-mail: laura.valbousquet@gmail.com [Begin Military Teaching Hospital, Radiology Department (France); Weber-Donat, Gabrielle, E-mail: weberdonatgabrielle@yahoo.fr; Teriitehau, Christophe, E-mail: cteriitehau@me.com; Baccialone, Jacques, E-mail: jacques.baccialone@wanadoo.fr; Potet, Julien, E-mail: potet-julien@yahoo.fr [Percy Military Teaching Hospital, Radiology Department (France)

2016-03-15

PurposeTo determine the incidence and the risks factors of peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC)-related infectious complications.Materials and MethodsMedical charts of every in-patient that underwent a PICC insertion in our hospital between January 2010 and October 2013 were reviewed. All PICC-related infections were recorded and categorized as catheter-related bloodstream infections (CR-BSI), exit-site infections, and septic thrombophlebitis.ResultsNine hundred and twenty-three PICCs were placed in 644 unique patients, mostly male (68.3 %) with a median age of 58 years. 31 (3.4 %) PICC-related infections occurred during the study period corresponding to an infection rate of 1.64 per 1000 catheter-days. We observed 27 (87.1 %) CR-BSI, corresponding to a rate of 1.43 per 1000 catheter-days, 3 (9.7 %) septic thrombophlebitis, and 1 (3.2 %) exit-site infection. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a higher PICC-related infection rate with chemotherapy (odds ratio (OR) 7.2–confidence interval (CI) 95 % [1.77–29.5]), auto/allograft (OR 5.9–CI 95 % [1.2–29.2]), and anti-coagulant therapy (OR 2.2–95 % [1.4–12]).ConclusionChemotherapy, auto/allograft, and anti-coagulant therapy are associated with an increased risk of developing PICC-related infections.Clinical AdvanceChemotherapy, auto/allograft, and anti-coagulant therapy are important predictors of PICC-associated infections. A careful assessment of these risk factors may be important for future success in preventing PICC-related infections.

Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter-Related Infections in a Cohort of Hospitalized Adult Patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bouzad, Caroline; Duron, Sandrine; Bousquet, Aurore; Arnaud, François-Xavier; Valbousquet, Laura; Weber-Donat, Gabrielle; Teriitehau, Christophe; Baccialone, Jacques; Potet, Julien

2016-01-01

PurposeTo determine the incidence and the risks factors of peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC)-related infectious complications.Materials and MethodsMedical charts of every in-patient that underwent a PICC insertion in our hospital between January 2010 and October 2013 were reviewed. All PICC-related infections were recorded and categorized as catheter-related bloodstream infections (CR-BSI), exit-site infections, and septic thrombophlebitis.ResultsNine hundred and twenty-three PICCs were placed in 644 unique patients, mostly male (68.3 %) with a median age of 58 years. 31 (3.4 %) PICC-related infections occurred during the study period corresponding to an infection rate of 1.64 per 1000 catheter-days. We observed 27 (87.1 %) CR-BSI, corresponding to a rate of 1.43 per 1000 catheter-days, 3 (9.7 %) septic thrombophlebitis, and 1 (3.2 %) exit-site infection. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a higher PICC-related infection rate with chemotherapy (odds ratio (OR) 7.2–confidence interval (CI) 95 % [1.77–29.5]), auto/allograft (OR 5.9–CI 95 % [1.2–29.2]), and anti-coagulant therapy (OR 2.2–95 % [1.4–12]).ConclusionChemotherapy, auto/allograft, and anti-coagulant therapy are associated with an increased risk of developing PICC-related infections.Clinical AdvanceChemotherapy, auto/allograft, and anti-coagulant therapy are important predictors of PICC-associated infections. A careful assessment of these risk factors may be important for future success in preventing PICC-related infections

Evidence for Watson-Crick and not Hoogsteen or wobble base pairing in the selection of nucleotides for insertion opposite pyrimidines and a thymine dimer by yeast DNA pol eta.

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Hanshin; Taylor, John-Stephen

2005-03-29

We have recently reported that pyrene nucleotide is preferentially inserted opposite an abasic site, the 3'-T of a thymine dimer, and most undamaged bases by yeast DNA polymerase eta (pol eta). Because pyrene is a nonpolar molecule with no H-bonding ability, the unusually high efficiencies of dPMP insertion are ascribed to its superior base stacking ability, and underscore the importance of base stacking in the selection of nucleotides by pol eta. To investigate the role of H-bonding and base pair geometry in the selection of nucleotides by pol eta, we determined the insertion efficiencies of the base-modified nucleotides 2,6-diaminopurine, 2-aminopurine, 6-chloropurine, and inosine which would make a different number of H-bonds with the template base depending on base pair geometry. Watson-Crick base pairing appears to play an important role in the selection of nucleotide analogues for insertion opposite C and T as evidenced by the decrease in the relative insertion efficiencies with a decrease in the number of Watson-Crick H-bonds and an increase in the number of donor-donor and acceptor-acceptor interactions. The selectivity of nucleotide insertion is greater opposite the 5'-T than the 3'-T of the thymine dimer, in accord with previous work suggesting that the 5'-T is held more rigidly than the 3'-T. Furthermore, insertion of A opposite both Ts of the dimer appears to be mediated by Watson-Crick base pairing and not by Hoogsteen base pairing based on the almost identical insertion efficiencies of A and 7-deaza-A, the latter of which lacks H-bonding capability at N7. The relative efficiencies for insertion of nucleotides that can form Watson-Crick base pairs parallel those for the Klenow fragment, whereas the Klenow fragment more strongly discriminates against mismatches, in accord with its greater shape selectivity. These results underscore the importance of H-bonding and Watson-Crick base pair geometry in the selection of nucleotides by both pol eta and the

An Exonic Insertion Encodes an Alanine Stretch in Porcine Synapsin I

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hedegaard, Claus; Bendixen, Emøke; Jensen, Poul Henning

2009-01-01

regulatory roles in linking the vesicles to the cytoskeleton, supported by the identified abilities of the syns to bind both phospholipids (Schiebler et al. 1986 ) and tubulin/actin (Baines and Bennett 1986 ; Bähler and Greengard 1987 ). Originating from an alternatively spliced common transcript, syn Ia...... experiments, a nonsense mutation leading to a truncated form of syn I, without domain D and E/F, was identified in a family with frequent cases of X-linked epilepsy (Garcia et al. 2004 ). This study reports molecular cloning and characterization of the coding sequence of the porcine ortholog of syn I......, including identification and verification at the protein level of an alanine-encoding insert...

Insertion device calculations with mathematica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carr, R. [Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lab., CA (United States); Lidia, S. [Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States)

1995-02-01

The design of accelerator insertion devices such as wigglers and undulators has usually been aided by numerical modeling on digital computers, using code in high level languages like Fortran. In the present era, there are higher level programming environments like IDL{reg_sign}, MatLab{reg_sign}, and Mathematica{reg_sign} in which these calculations may be performed by writing much less code, and in which standard mathematical techniques are very easily used. The authors present a suite of standard insertion device modeling routines in Mathematica to illustrate the new techniques. These routines include a simple way to generate magnetic fields using blocks of CSEM materials, trajectory solutions from the Lorentz force equations for given magnetic fields, Bessel function calculations of radiation for wigglers and undulators and general radiation calculations for undulators.

Complete nucleotide sequence of CTX-M-15-plasmids from clinical Escherichia coli isolates: insertional events of transposons and insertion sequences.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annemieke Smet

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: CTX-M-producing Escherichia coli strains are regarded as major global pathogens. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The nucleotide sequence of three plasmids (pEC_B24: 73801-bp; pEC_L8: 118525-bp and pEC_L46: 144871-bp from Escherichia coli isolates obtained from patients with urinary tract infections and one plasmid (pEC_Bactec: 92970-bp from an Escherichia coli strain isolated from the joint of a horse with arthritis were determined. Plasmid pEC_Bactec belongs to the IncI1 group and carries two resistance genes: bla(TEM-1 and bla(CTX-M-15. It shares more than 90% homology with a previously published bla(CTX-M-plasmid from E. coli of human origin. Plasmid pEC_B24 belongs to the IncFII group whereas plasmids pEC_L8 and pEC_L46 represent a fusion of two replicons of type FII and FIA. On the pEC_B24 backbone, two resistance genes, bla(TEM-1 and bla(CTX-M-15, were found. Six resistance genes, bla(TEM-1, bla(CTX-M-15, bla(OXA-1, aac6'-lb-cr, tetA and catB4, were detected on the pEC_L8 backbone. The same antimicrobial drug resistance genes, with the exception of tetA, were also identified on the pEC_L46 backbone. Genome analysis of all 4 plasmids studied provides evidence of a seemingly frequent transposition event of the bla(CTX-M-15-ISEcp1 element. This element seems to have a preferred insertion site at the tnpA gene of a bla(TEM-carrying Tn3-like transposon, the latter itself being inserted by a transposition event. The IS26-composite transposon, which contains the bla(OXA-1, aac6'-lb-cr and catB4 genes, was inserted into plasmids pEC_L8 and pEC_L46 by homologous recombination rather than a transposition event. Results obtained for pEC_L46 indicated that IS26 also plays an important role in structural rearrangements of the plasmid backbone and seems to facilitate the mobilisation of fragments from other plasmids. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, these data suggests that IS26 together with ISEcp1 could play a critical role in the evolution of

A nurse led peripherally inserted central catheter line insertion service is effective with radiological support

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barber, Jonathan M.; Booth, Doris M.; King, Julia A.; Chakraverty, Sam

2002-01-01

AIM: Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) are increasingly used as a route of chemotherapy administration. Our aims were to assess a collaborative approach to PICC placement, with radiological support for a nurse led line insertion service in a minority of cases, and to determine whether PICC provided a safe and reliable method of chemotherapy administration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective data on 100 consecutive patients undergoing PICC placement for chemotherapy were collected. Lines were inserted by ward based nurses or under ultrasound guidance by radiologists. End points were successful completion of treatment or patient death. RESULTS: One hundred and forty-four lines were placed for 118 courses of chemotherapy. 107 (74%) were placed by nurses and 37 (26%) by radiologists. Ninety-five percent of patients completed therapy with either one or two lines. Seventy percent of lines were removed on achieving the primary end points. In two additional patients PICC could not be placed radiologically. Twelve patients were unable to complete treatment with PICC alone, nine of these required an alternative administration route. The catheter related sepsis rate was 4.9%. CONCLUSION: The majority of PICC can be successfully placed by trained nurses, reserving image guidance only for more difficult cases. PICC have an acceptable complication profile, and decrease the need for tunnelled central lines. Barber, J.M. et al. (2002)

Satisfactory Short-Term Results of Navigation-Assisted Gap-Balancing Total Knee Arthroplasty Using Ultracongruent Insert.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Jung-Ro; Yang, Jae-Hyuk

2018-03-01

The use of highly conforming ultracongruent (UC) polyethylene insert is bone-preserving and became a relatively common alternative to the conventional posterior stabilized total knee arthroplasty (TKA) design. The purpose of this study was to analyze the short-term clinical and radiologic results of UC insert TKA using the navigation-assisted gap-balancing technique. Two hundred thirty-three knees were operated with a mean follow-up period of 8.1 years (minimum of 5 years). Radiologic and clinical outcomes were assessed before operation and at latest follow-up using the Knee Society Score and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score. For statistical analysis, paired sample t-test and analysis of variance were used. Significance was considered as P satisfactory short-term outcome. Strict gap-balancing technique using the offset-type-force-controlled-spreader-system aided in the satisfactory results. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Common site of subchondral insufficiency fractures of the femoral head based on three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iwasaki, Kenyu; Yamamoto, Takuaki; Motomura, Goro; Karasuyama, Kazuyuki; Sonoda, Kazuhiko; Kubo, Yusuke; Iwamoto, Yukihide [Kyushu University, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka (Japan)

2016-01-15

The objective of this study was to investigate the common sites of subchondral insufficiency fractures of the femoral head (SIF) based on three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction of MR images. In 33 hips of 31 consecutive patients diagnosed with SIF, 3-D reconstruction of the bone, fracture, and acetabular edge was performed using MR images. These 3-D images were used to measure the fractured areas and clarify the positional relationship between the fracture and degree of acetabular coverage. The fractured area in the anterior portion was significantly larger than in the posterior area. In 11 cases, the fractures contacted the acetabular edge and were distributed on the lateral portion. The indices of acetabular coverage (center-edge angle and acetabular head index) in these cases were less than the normal range. In the remaining 22 cases, the fractures were apart from the acetabular edge and distributed on the mediolateral centerline of the femoral head. The majority of these cases had normal acetabular coverage. The common site of SIF is the anterior portion. In addition, two types of SIF are proposed: (1) Lateral type: the contact stress between the acetabular edge and lateral portion of the femoral head causes SIF based on the insufficient acetabular coverage, and (2) Central type: the contact stress between the acetabular surface and the mediolateral center of the femoral head causes SIF independent from the insufficiency of acetabular coverage. These findings may be useful for considering the treatment and prevention of SIF. (orig.)

Genome-Wide Analysis of Transposon and Retroviral Insertions Reveals Preferential Integrations in Regions of DNA Flexibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Vrljicak, Pavle; Tao, Shijie; Varshney, Gaurav K; Quach, Helen Ngoc Bao; Joshi, Adita; LaFave, Matthew C; Burgess, Shawn M; Sampath, Karuna

2016-04-07

DNA transposons and retroviruses are important transgenic tools for genome engineering. An important consideration affecting the choice of transgenic vector is their insertion site preferences. Previous large-scale analyses of Ds transposon integration sites in plants were done on the basis of reporter gene expression or germ-line transmission, making it difficult to discern vertebrate integration preferences. Here, we compare over 1300 Ds transposon integration sites in zebrafish with Tol2 transposon and retroviral integration sites. Genome-wide analysis shows that Ds integration sites in the presence or absence of marker selection are remarkably similar and distributed throughout the genome. No strict motif was found, but a preference for structural features in the target DNA associated with DNA flexibility (Twist, Tilt, Rise, Roll, Shift, and Slide) was observed. Remarkably, this feature is also found in transposon and retroviral integrations in maize and mouse cells. Our findings show that structural features influence the integration of heterologous DNA in genomes, and have implications for targeted genome engineering. Copyright © 2016 Vrljicak et al.

Central venous catheter insertion problem solving using intravenous catheter: technical communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alemohammad M

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Insertion of central venous catheter is an accepted method for hemodynamic monitor-ring, drug and fluid administration, intravenous access, hemodialysis and applying cardiac pace-maker in hospitalized patients. This procedure can be associated with severe complications. The aim of this article is to provide a practical approach to prevent catheter malposition in states that the guide wire will not pass freely.During central venous insertion in internal jugular vein using modified seldinger technique, when after venous insertion, the passage of the guide wire shows difficulties and don’t pass freely, insertion of an intravenous cannula over the wire and re-insertion of the wire can help to prevent malposition of the wire and the catheter. Use of an intravenous cannula over the guide, in situations that the guide wire cannot pass freely among the needle inserted in internal jugular vein, and re-insertion of the guide can probably prevent or reduce the tissue or vascular trauma and the associated complica-tions. This simple maneuver can be helpful in difficult cases especially in cardiac surgery patients who receive high dose heparin and it is necessary to avoid traumatize-tion of carotid artery.

App-assisted external ventricular drain insertion.

Science.gov (United States)

Eftekhar, Behzad

2016-09-01

The freehand technique for insertion of an external ventricular drain (EVD) is based on fixed anatomical landmarks and does not take individual variations into consideration. A patient-tailored approach based on augmented-reality techniques using devices such as smartphones can address this shortcoming. The Sina neurosurgical assist (Sina) is an Android mobile device application (app) that was designed and developed to be used as a simple intraoperative neurosurgical planning aid. It overlaps the patient's images from previously performed CT or MRI studies on the image seen through the device camera. The device is held by an assistant who aligns the images and provides information about the relative position of the target and EVD to the surgeon who is performing EVD insertion. This app can be used to provide guidance and continuous monitoring during EVD placement. The author describes the technique of Sina-assisted EVD insertion into the frontal horn of the lateral ventricle and reports on its clinical application in 5 cases as well as the results of ex vivo studies of ease of use and precision. The technique has potential for further development and use with other augmented-reality devices.

Disc-retained tubes for radiologically inserted gastrostomy (RIG): Not up to the job?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kibriya, N.; Wilbraham, L.; Mullan, D.; Puro, P.; Vasileuskaya, S.; Edwards, D.W.; Laasch, H.-U.

2013-01-01

Aim: To assess the insertion procedure and performance of disc-retained gastrostomy tubes, recording complications and accidental displacements by prospective audit, and to determine whether primary placement of the tube off-licence was feasible. Materials and methods: Disc-retained 12 F single-lumen Monarch gastrostomy tubes (Enteral UK, Selby, UK) were inserted by three gastrointestinal interventional radiologists in a supra-regional cancer centre. The 12 F tubes required a 20 F peel-away sheath with four-point gastropexy fixation and were placed under conscious sedation, using electrocardiogram (EEG) bispectral index monitoring. Follow-up was performed in an in-house gastrostomy drop-in clinic at 1 week and 1 month, supplemented with weekly telephone follow-up. Patients also had open access to the gastrostomy drop-in clinic for immediate advice and complication management. Results: Eighteen patients underwent primary insertion of a Monarch gastrostomy tube over 5 months. A total of 6/18 (33%) tubes displaced; 4/18 (22%) completely, 2/18 (11%) occult into the peritoneum. Four of 18 (22%) patients developed infection at the stoma site. Due to the unexpectedly poor performance of the tube, the study was terminated early. Conclusion: Initial experience with the Monarch disc-retained gastrostomy tube demonstrates it unsuitable for primary placement with current protocols. In view of the potentially serious complications, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has been informed. A request has been made to the distributer to reassess the tube design and/or review the procedure promoted for primary placement

A retrospective study of the indications and outcomes of capsular tension ring insertion during cataract surgery at a tertiary teaching hospital

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang BZ

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Bob Z Wang, Elsie Chan, Rasik B Vajpayee The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Background: The purpose was to determine preoperative indications, intraoperative procedures, and outcomes of capsular tension ring (CTR insertion during cataract surgery. Methods: A review of all patients undergoing cataract surgery with insertion of a CTR between July 2000 and June 2010 was conducted at The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, a large tertiary teaching hospital in Victoria, Australia. Information relating to each patient's demographic details, preoperative assessment, surgical procedure, and postoperative assessment were obtained. Results: Eighty-four eyes of 82 patients were included in this study. The main indications for CTR insertion were previous trauma, pseudoexfoliation syndrome, and mature cataracts. Twenty-one eyes (25.0% did not have any obvious preoperative indication. A posterior capsule tear was the most common intraoperative complication (3.6%. An intraocular lens was successfully implanted in the bag in 72 eyes (85.7%. Postoperatively, the most common complications were a decentered intraocular lens (8.3% and persistent corneal edema (6.0%. Overall, 61 eyes (72.6% had better postoperative visual acuity compared with preoperative acuity, with 67 patients (79.8% achieving vision of 20/40 or better. Conclusion: For the majority of cases, CTR use in complex cataract surgeries is associated with improved postoperative outcomes. CTR implantation is most commonly required in patients with known risk factors for zonular instability. Keywords: capsular tension ring, cataract extraction, indications, outcomes

Fuel assembly insertion system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barkhurst, D.J.

1987-01-01

This patent describes a nuclear reactor facility having fuel bundles: a system for the insertion of a fuel bundle into a position where vertically arranged fuel bundles surround and are adjacent the system comprising, in combination, separate and individual centering devices secured to and disposed on top of each fuel bundle adjacent the position. Each such centering device has a generally box-like cap configuration on the upper end of each fuel bundle and includes: a top wall; first and second side walls, each secured along and upper edge to the top wall; a rear plate attached along opposite vertical edges to the first and second side walls; a front inclined wall joined along an upper edge to the top to the wall and attached along opposite vertical edges first and second side walls; pad means secured to the lower edge of the first and second side walls, the front inclined wall and the rear plate for mounting each centering device on top of an associated fuel bundle; pin means carried by at least two of the pad means engageable with an associated aperature for locating and laterally fixing each centering device on top of its respective fuel bundle. Each front inclined wall of each of the centering devices is orientated on top of its respective fuel bundle to slope upwardly and away from the position where upon downward insertion of a fuel bundle any contact between the lower end of the fuel bundle inserted with a front inclined wall of a centering device will laterally deflect the fuel bundle. Each centering device further includes a central socket means secured to the top wall, and an elongated handling pole pivotally attached to the socket

An Adaptive Insertion and Promotion Policy for Partitioned Shared Caches

Science.gov (United States)

Mahrom, Norfadila; Liebelt, Michael; Raof, Rafikha Aliana A.; Daud, Shuhaizar; Hafizah Ghazali, Nur

2018-03-01

Cache replacement policies in chip multiprocessors (CMP) have been investigated extensively and proven able to enhance shared cache management. However, competition among multiple processors executing different threads that require simultaneous access to a shared memory may cause cache contention and memory coherence problems on the chip. These issues also exist due to some drawbacks of the commonly used Least Recently Used (LRU) policy employed in multiprocessor systems, which are because of the cache lines residing in the cache longer than required. In image processing analysis of for example extra pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), an accurate diagnosis for tissue specimen is required. Therefore, a fast and reliable shared memory management system to execute algorithms for processing vast amount of specimen image is needed. In this paper, the effects of the cache replacement policy in a partitioned shared cache are investigated. The goal is to quantify whether better performance can be achieved by using less complex replacement strategies. This paper proposes a Middle Insertion 2 Positions Promotion (MI2PP) policy to eliminate cache misses that could adversely affect the access patterns and the throughput of the processors in the system. The policy employs a static predefined insertion point, near distance promotion, and the concept of ownership in the eviction policy to effectively improve cache thrashing and to avoid resource stealing among the processors.

Quantifying particulate matter deposition in Niwot Ridge, Colorado: Collection of dry deposition using marble inserts and particle imaging using the FlowCAM

Science.gov (United States)

Goss, Natasha R.; Mladenov, Natalie; Seibold, Christine M.; Chowanski, Kurt; Seitz, Leslie; Wellemeyer, T. Barret; Williams, Mark W.

2013-12-01

Atmospheric wet and dry deposition are important sources of carbon for remote alpine lakes and soils. The carbon inputs from dry deposition in alpine National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) collectors, including aeolian dust and biological material, are not well constrained due to difficulties in retaining particulate matter in the collectors. Here, we developed and tested a marble insert for dry deposition collection at the Niwot Ridge Long Term Ecological Research Station (NWT LTER) Soddie site (3345 m) between 24 May and 8 November 2011. We conducted laboratory tests of the insert's effect on particulate matter (PM) mass and non-purgeable organic carbon (DOC) and found that the insert did not significantly change either measurement. Thus, the insert may enable dry deposition collection of PM and DOC at NADP sites. We then developed a method for enumerating the collected wet and dry deposition with the Flow Cytometer and Microscope (FlowCAM), a dynamic-image particle analysis tool. The FlowCAM has the potential to establish morphology, which affects particle settling and retention, through particle diameter and aspect ratio. Particle images were used to track the abundance of pollen grains over time. Qualitative image examination revealed that most particles were biological in nature, such as intact algal cells and pollen. Dry deposition loading to the Soddie site as determined by FlowCAM measurements was highly variable, ranging from 100 to >230 g ha-1 d-1 in June-August 2011 and peaking in late June. No significant difference in diameter or aspect ratio was found between wet and dry deposition, suggesting fundamental similarities between those deposition types. Although FlowCAM statistics and identification of particle types proved insightful, our total-particle enumeration method had a high variance and underestimated the total number of particles when compared to imaging of relatively large volumes (60-125 mL) from a single sample. We recommend use of

Final technical report for: Insertional Mutagenesis of Brachypodium distachyon DE-AI02-07ER64452

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

John, Vogel P. [DOE Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, CA (United States)

2015-10-29

Several bioenergy grasses are poised to become a major source of energy in the United States. Despite their increasing importance, we know little about the basic biology underlying the traits that control the utility of grasses as energy crops. Better knowledge of grass biology (e.g. identification of the genes that control cell wall composition, plant architecture, cell size, cell division, reproduction, nutrient uptake, carbon flux, etc.) could be used to design rational strategies for crop improvement and shorten the time required to domesticate these species. The use of an appropriate model system is an efficient way to gain this knowledge. Brachypodium distachyon is a small annual grass with all the attributes needed to be a modern model organism including simple growth requirements, fast generation time, small stature, small genome size and self-fertility. These attributes led to the recommendation in the DOE’s “Breaking the Biological Barriers to Cellulosic Ethanol: A Joint Research Agenda” report to propose developing and using B. distachyon as a model for energy crops to accelerate their domestication. Strategic investments (e.g. genome sequencing) in B. distachyon by the DOE are now bearing fruit and B. distachyon is being used as a model grass by hundreds of laboratories worldwide. Sequence indexed insertional mutants are an extremely powerful tool for both forward and reverse genetics. They allow researchers to order mutants in any gene tagged in the collection by simply emailing a request. The goal of this project was to create a collection of sequence indexed insertional mutants (T-DNA lines) for the model grass Brachypodium distachyon in order to facilitate research by the scientific community. During the course of this grant we created a collection of 23,649 B. distachyon T-DNA lines and identified 26,112 unique insertion sites. The collection can be queried through the project website (http

Enhanced citrate production through gene insertion in Aspergillus niger

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jongh, Wian de; Nielsen, Jens

2007-01-01

The effect of inserting genes involved in the reductive branch of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle on citrate production by Aspergillus niger was evaluated. Several different genes were inserted individually and in combination, i.e. malate dehydrogenase (mdh2) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, two...

Analysis of the 227 bp short interspersed nuclear element (SINE insertion of the promoter of the myostatin (MSTN gene in different horse breeds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefania Dall'Olio

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The myostatin (MSTN gene encodes a protein known to be a negative regulator of muscle mass in mammalian species. Different polymorphisms of the horse (Equus caballus MSTN gene have been identified, including single nucleotide polymorphisms and a short interspersed nuclear element (SINE insertion of 227 bp within the promoter of the gene. The SINE insertion has been associated with performance traits in Thoroughbred racehorses and it was proposed as a predictor of optimum racing distance. The aims of this study were to perform in silico analysis to identify putative gains or abrogation of transcription-factor binding sites (TFBSs generated by the SINE allele of the promoter and to analyse the frequency of the SINE insertion in horses used for racing (gallop and trot and other purposes. The SINE insertion was genotyped in 227 horses from 10 breeds belonging to different morphological types (brachimorphic, mesomorphic, meso-dolichomorphic and dolichomorphic. The presence of the insertion was confirmed in the Quarter Horse (SINE allele frequency of 0.81 and in the Thoroughbred (0.51, whereas the SINE allele did not segregate in any of the other analysed breeds. As the SINE MSTN gene polymorphism may be population or breed specific, it is not a useful marker for association studies in all breeds.

Analysis of the 227 bp short interspersed nuclear element (SINE) insertion of the promoter of the myostatin (MSTN) gene in different horse breeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Dall'Olio, Stefania; Scotti, Emilio; Fontanesi, Luca; Tassinari, Marco

2014-01-01

The myostatin (MSTN) gene encodes a protein known to be a negative regulator of muscle mass in mammalian species. Different polymorphisms of the horse (Equus caballus) MSTN gene have been identified, including single nucleotide polymorphisms and a short interspersed nuclear element (SINE) insertion of 227 bp within the promoter of the gene. The SINE insertion has been associated with performance traits in Thoroughbred racehorses and it was proposed as a predictor of optimum racing distance. The aims of this study were to perform in silico analysis to identify putative gains or abrogation of transcription-factor binding sites (TFBSs) generated by the SINE allele of the promoter and to analyse the frequency of the SINE insertion in horses used for racing (gallop and trot) and other purposes. The SINE insertion was genotyped in 227 horses from 10 breeds belonging to different morphological types (brachimorphic, mesomorphic, meso-dolichomorphic and dolichomorphic). The presence of the insertion was confirmed in the Quarter Horse (SINE allele frequency of 0.81) and in the Thoroughbred (0.51), whereas the SINE allele did not segregate in any of the other analysed breeds. As the SINE MSTN gene polymorphism may be population or breed specific, it is not a useful marker for association studies in all breeds.

Evaluating the patient experience after implantation of a 0.4 mg sustained release dexamethasone intracanalicular insert (DextenzaTM: results of a qualitative survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gira JP

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Joseph P Gira,1 Reginald Sampson,2 Steven M Silverstein,3 Thomas R Walters,4 Jamie Lynne Metzinger,5 Jonathan H Talamo5 1Ophthalmology Consultants, St Louis, MO, 2Montebello Medical Center, Inc., Montebello, CA, 3Silverstein Eye Centers, Kansas City, MO, 4Texan Eye, Austin, TX, 5Ocular Therapeutix, Inc., Bedford, MA, USA Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the patient experience of sustained release dexamethasone intracanalicular insert (Dextenza™ following cataract surgery as part of a Phase III clinical trial program. Methods: This cross-sectional, qualitative evaluation involved individual interviews lasting approximately 45 minutes. Patients from four US investigational study sites who had previously received an insert were enrolled. There were no predesignated end points; this was a qualitative survey seeking a deeper understanding of patient experience. Results: Twenty-five patients were interviewed. Most patients (92% reported the highest level of satisfaction grade with regard to overall product satisfaction. All patients described the insert as comfortable. Most patients (96% described their overall experience with the insert as very convenient or extremely convenient. Twenty-two of 23 (96% participants rated their experience with the insert as “very” or “extremely convenient”, compared to previous topical therapy, and 88% of patients stated that if they were to undergo cataract surgery again, they would request the insert. When asked if they would recommend the insert to family members or friends, 92% stated they would. The survey found that 84% of participants would be willing to pay more for the insert than for eye drop therapy. Conclusion: The dexamethasone insert was found by patients to be highly favorable with regard to overall satisfaction, convenience, and comfort. The insert was well received and largely preferred over topical therapy alternatives following surgery. More extensive evaluation of the

Acute changes associated with electrode insertion measured with optical coherence microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Hammer, Daniel X.; Lozzi, Andrea; Boretsky, Adam; Agrawal, Anant; Welle, Cristin G.

2016-03-01

Despite advances in functional neural imaging, penetrating microelectrodes provide the most direct interface for the extraction of neural signals from the nervous system and are a critical component of many high degree-of-freedom braincomputer interface devices. Electrode insertion is a traumatic event that elicits a complex neuroinflammatory response. In this investigation we applied optical coherence microscopy (OCM), particularly optical coherence angiography (OCA), to characterize the immediate tissue response during microelectrode insertion. Microelectrodes of varying dimension and footprint (one-, two-, and four-shank) were inserted into mouse motor cortex beneath a window after craniotomy surgery. The microelectrodes were inserted in 3-4 steps at 15-20°, with approximately 250 μm linear insertion distance for each step. Before insertion and between each step, OCM datasets were collected, including for quantitative capillary velocimetry. A cohort of control animals without microelectrode insertion was also imaged over a similar time period (2-3 hours). Mechanical tissue deformation was observed in all the experimental animals. The quantitative angiography results varied across animals, and were not correlated with device dimensions. In some cases, localized flow drop-out was observed in a small region surrounding the electrode, while in other instances a global disruption in flow occurred, perhaps as a result of large vessel compression caused by mechanical pressure. OCM is a tool that can be used in various neurophotonics applications, including quantification of the neuroinflammatory response to penetrating electrode insertion.

Alu polymorphic insertions reveal genetic structure of north Indian populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Tripathi, Manorama; Tripathi, Piyush; Chauhan, Ugam Kumari; Herrera, Rene J; Agrawal, Suraksha

2008-10-01

The Indian subcontinent is characterized by the ancestral and cultural diversity of its people. Genetic input from several unique source populations and from the unique social architecture provided by the caste system has shaped the current genetic landscape of India. In the present study 200 individuals each from three upper-caste and four middle-caste Hindu groups and from two Muslim populations in North India were examined for 10 polymorphic Alu insertions (PAIs). The investigated PAIs exhibit high levels of polymorphism and average heterozygosity. Limited interpopulation variance and genetic flow in the present study suggest admixture. The results of this study demonstrate that, contrary to common belief, the caste system has not provided an impermeable barrier to genetic exchange among Indian groups.

Controlled acrylate insertion regioselectivity in diazaphospholidine- sulfonato palladium(II) complexes

KAUST Repository

Wucher, Philipp

2012-12-24

Diazaphospholidine-sulfonato Pd(II) complexes [{κ2-P,O-(N- Ar2C2H4N2P)C6H 4SO3}PdMe(L)] 1-L (L = dmso, pyridine, lutidine, or μ-LiCl(solvent); 1a: Ar = Ph, 1b: Ar = 2-MeC6H4, 1c: Ar = 2-MeOC6H4, 1d: Ar = 2,4,6-Me3C 6H2, 1e: Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H 3, 1f: Ar = 2,6-(p-tolyl)2C6H3) were prepared and structurally characterized. The regioselectivity of methyl acrylate (MA) insertion into the Pd-Me bond is entirely inverted from >93% 1,2-insertion for bulky substituents (1d-f, yielding the insertion products [(P̂O)Pd{κ2-C,O-CH2CHMeC(O)OMe], 12) to the usual electronically controlled 2,1-insertion (>95%) for the less bulky Ar = Ph (1a, yielding the insertion product [(P̂O)Pd{κ2-C,O- CHEtC(O)OMe], 11, and β-H elimination product methyl crotonate). DFT studies underline that this is due to a more favorable insertion transition state (2,1- favored by 12 kJ mol-1 over 1,2- for 1a) vs destabilization of the 2,1-insertion transition state in 1d,e. By contrast, MA insertion into the novel isolated and structurally characterized hydride and deuteride complexes [{κ2-P,O-(N-Ar2C 2H4N2P)C6H4SO 3}PdR(lutidine)] (Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3; 9e: R = H, 10e: R = D) occurs 2,1-selectively. This is due to the insertion occurring from the isomer with the P-donor and the olefin in trans arrangement, rather than the insertion into the alkyl from the cis isomer in which the olefin is in proximity to the bulky diazaphospholidine. 1a-f are precursors to active catalysts for ethylene polymerization to highly linear polyethylene with M n up to 35 000 g mol-1. In copolymerization experiments, norbornene was incorporated in up to 6.1 mol % into the polyethylene backbone. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Effects on Subtalar Joint Stress Distribution After Cannulated Screw Insertion at Different Positions and Directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Cheng-song; Chen, Wan; Chen, Chen; Yang, Guang-hua; Hu, Chao; Tang, Kang-lai

2015-01-01

We investigated the effects on subtalar joint stress distribution after cannulated screw insertion at different positions and directions. After establishing a 3-dimensional geometric model of a normal subtalar joint, we analyzed the most ideal cannulated screw insertion position and approach for subtalar joint stress distribution and compared the differences in loading stress, antirotary strength, and anti-inversion/eversion strength among lateral-medial antiparallel screw insertion, traditional screw insertion, and ideal cannulated screw insertion. The screw insertion approach allowing the most uniform subtalar joint loading stress distribution was lateral screw insertion near the border of the talar neck plus medial screw insertion close to the ankle joint. For stress distribution uniformity, antirotary strength, and anti-inversion/eversion strength, lateral-medial antiparallel screw insertion was superior to traditional double-screw insertion. Compared with ideal cannulated screw insertion, slightly poorer stress distribution uniformity and better antirotary strength and anti-inversion/eversion strength were observed for lateral-medial antiparallel screw insertion. Traditional single-screw insertion was better than double-screw insertion for stress distribution uniformity but worse for anti-rotary strength and anti-inversion/eversion strength. Lateral-medial antiparallel screw insertion was slightly worse for stress distribution uniformity than was ideal cannulated screw insertion but superior to traditional screw insertion. It was better than both ideal cannulated screw insertion and traditional screw insertion for anti-rotary strength and anti-inversion/eversion strength. Lateral-medial antiparallel screw insertion is an approach with simple localization, convenient operation, and good safety. Copyright © 2015 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Rotational Motion in Robotic Needle Insertion

Science.gov (United States)

Ramezanpour, H.; Yousefi, H.; Rezaei, M.; Rostami, M.

2015-01-01

Background Robotic needle insertion in biological tissues has been known as one the most applicable procedures in sampling, robotic injection and different medical therapies and operations. Objective In this paper, we would like to investigate the effects of angular velocity in soft tissue insertion procedure by considering force-displacement diagram. Non-homogenous camel liver can be exploited as a tissue sample under standard compression test with Zwick/Roell device employing 1-D axial load-cell. Methods Effects of rotational motion were studied by running needle insertion experiments in 5, 50 and 200 mm/min in two types of with or without rotational velocity of 50, 150 and 300 rpm. On further steps with deeper penetrations, friction force of the insertion procedure in needle shaft was acquired by a definite thickness of the tissue. Results Designed mechanism of fixture for providing different frequencies of rotational motion is available in this work. Results for comparison of different force graphs were also provided. Conclusion Derived force-displacement graphs showed a significant difference between two procedures; however, tissue bleeding and disorganized micro-structure would be among unavoidable results. PMID:26688800

Automatic needle insertion diminishes pain during growth hormone injection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Main, K M; Jørgensen, J T; Hertel, N T

1995-01-01

prototype pens for GH administration, providing either manual or automatic sc needle insertion, using a combined visual analogue/facial scale and a five-item scale in 18 children. With the automatic pen there was a significantly lower maximum pain score compared with the manual pen (median 28.5 versus 52.......0 mm) as well as a lower mean pain score (mean 13.7 versus 23.5 mm). The five-item scale revealed that automatic needle insertion was significantly less painful than manual insertion and 13 patients chose to continue treatment with the automatic pen. In conclusion, pain during GH injection can...

Unilateral versus bilateral stent insertion for malignant hilar biliary obstruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Gang; Xia, Feng-Fei; Li, Hong-Fu; Niu, Su; Xu, Yuan-Shun

2017-11-01

To determine the clinical efficiency and long-term outcomes between unilateral and bilateral stent insertion in patients with malignant hilar biliary obstruction. From August 2012 to February 2016, 63 consecutive patients with malignant hilar biliary obstruction were treated with unilateral or bilateral stent insertion at our center. The bilateral stents were inserted using the side-by-side technique. The clinical efficiency and long-term outcomes were compared between the two groups. Unilateral and bilateral stent insertions were successfully performed in 31 of 33 and 27 of 30 patients, respectively (P = 0.912). No procedure-related complication occurred. Clinical success was achieved in 29 of 31 patients in the unilateral stent group and in 26 of 27 patients in the bilateral stent group (P = 0.637). During the follow-up, re-obstruction of stent occurred in five patients in the unilateral stent group and in three patients in the bilateral stent group (P = 0.58). The significant differences were not observed in the stent patency time (368 vs. 387 days, P = 0.685) and survival (200 vs. 198 days, P = 0.751) between two groups. Based on the univariate and multivariate analyses, the independent risk factors for decreasing the survival time included higher Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (P = 0.018), higher alanine aminotransferase level (P = 0.009), and absence of anticancer treatment after stent insertion (P = 0.002). Compared to bilateral stent insertion for malignant hilar biliary obstruction, unilateral stent insertion can provide comparable clinical efficiency and long-term outcomes.

Compact insert design for cryogenic pressure vessels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aceves, Salvador M.; Ledesma-Orozco, Elias Rigoberto; Espinosa-Loza, Francisco; Petitpas, Guillaume; Switzer, Vernon A.

2017-06-14

A pressure vessel apparatus for cryogenic capable storage of hydrogen or other cryogenic gases at high pressure includes an insert with a parallel inlet duct, a perpendicular inlet duct connected to the parallel inlet. The perpendicular inlet duct and the parallel inlet duct connect the interior cavity with the external components. The insert also includes a parallel outlet duct and a perpendicular outlet duct connected to the parallel outlet duct. The perpendicular outlet duct and the parallel outlet duct connect the interior cavity with the external components.

Design and testing of microfabricated surgical tools for large animal probe insertion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jorgensen, Shelly [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2016-08-05

Neural probes provide therapeutic stimulation for neuropsychiatric disorders or record neural activity to investigate the workings of the brain. Researchers utilize 6 mm long temporary silicon stiffeners attached with biodissolvable adhesive to insert flexible neural probes into rat brains, but increasing the probe length fivefold makes inserting large animal probes a significant challenge because of an increased potential for buckling. This study compared the insertion success rates of 6 mm and 30 mm long silicon stiffeners that were 80 μm wide and 30 μm thick, and ascertained the material thickness and modulus of elasticity that would provide successful insertion for a 30 mm probe. Using a microdrive, stiffeners were inserted into an agarose brain phantom at controlled insertion speeds while being video-recorded. Twenty-five percent of the 30 mm silicon stiffeners fully inserted at speeds approximately four times higher than the target rate of 0.13 mm/s, while 100 percent of the 6 mm silicon stiffeners inserted successfully at target speed. Critical buckling loads (P_cr) were calculated for the 6 mm and 30 mm silicon stiffeners, and for 30 mm diamond and tungsten stiffeners, with thicknesses varying from 30-80 μm. Increasing the thickness of the material by 10 μm, 20 μm and 30 μm improved the P_cr by 2.4, 4.7 and 8.2 times, respectively, independent of the material, and substituting diamond for silicon multiplied the buckling capacity by 5.0 times. Stiffeners made of silicon for large animal probe insertion are not strong enough to withstand buckling upon insertion without a significant increase in thickness. Replacing silicon with diamond and increasing the thickness of the stiffener to 50 μm would afford a stiffener with the same P_cr capacity as the 6 mm silicon stiffener that had a 100 percent insertion success rate. Experiments should continue with diamond to determine a minimum thickness that will ensure successful

Theoretical study of helium insertion and diffusion in 3C-SiC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Ginhoven, Renee M.; Chartier, Alain; Meis, Constantin; Weber, William J.; Rene Corrales, L.

2006-01-01

Insertion and diffusion of helium in cubic silicon carbide have been investigated by means of density functional theory. The method was assessed by calculating relevant properties for the perfect crystal along with point defect formation energies. Results are consistent with available theoretical and experimental data. Helium insertion energies were calculated to be lower for divacancy and silicon vacancy defects compared to the other mono-vacancies and interstitial sites considered. Migration barriers for helium were determined by using the nudged elastic band method. Calculated activation energies for migration in and around vacancies (silicon vacancy, carbon vacancy or divacancy) range from 0.6 to 1.0 eV. Activation energy for interstitial migration is calculated to be 2.5 eV. Those values are discussed and related to recent experimental activation energies for migration that range from 1.1 [P. Jung, J. Nucl. Mater. 191-194 (1992) 377] to 3.2 eV [E. Oliviero, A. van Veen, A.V. Fedorov, M.F. Beaufort, J.F. Bardot, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. B 186 (2002) 223; E. Oliviero, M.F. Beaufort, J.F. Bardot, A. van Veen, A.V. Fedorov, J. Appl. Phys. 93 (2003) 231], depending on the SiC samples used and on helium implantation conditions

Infectious Complications of Radiologically Inserted Hickman Catheters in Patients with Hematologic Disorders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakker, Jeannette; Overhagen, Hans van; Wielenga, Jenne; Marie, Siem de; Nouwen, Jan; Ridder, Marie A.J. de; Lameris, Johan S.

1998-01-01

Purpose: To assess the incidence of infections and its influence on the survival of radiologically inserted Hickman catheters (HCs) in patients with hematologic disorders and to determine factors associated with premature HC removal. Methods: Survival and complications of 175 HCs in 115 patients were studied retrospectively. To describe the data the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test were used, using the date of HC removal due to HC-related infection as endpoint. A stratified Cox regression model was used to determine explanatory factors. Results: Seventy (40%) HCs were removed prematurely because of proven or probable HC-related infections. The incidence of infection leading to HC removal was 4.78 per 1000 catheter-days for proven HC infections. Univariate analysis revealed that acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, or treatment for these diseases, gender, each subsequent catheter in the same patient and insertion site increased the risk of premature removal of the catheter due to infection. Conclusion: Infection is a major problem in patients with HCs. Unfortunately, the factors associated with increased infection rates that were found in this study cannot be influenced. Further studies are necessary to determine the role of environmental conditions in a radiology suite in relation to the risk of developing a catheter-related infection

An image guidance system for positioning robotic cochlear implant insertion tools

Science.gov (United States)

Bruns, Trevor L.; Webster, Robert J.

2017-03-01

Cochlear implants must be inserted carefully to avoid damaging the delicate anatomical structures of the inner ear. This has motivated several approaches to improve the safety and efficacy of electrode array insertion by automating the process with specialized robotic or manual insertion tools. When such tools are used, they must be positioned at the entry point to the cochlea and aligned with the desired entry vector. This paper presents an image guidance system capable of accurately positioning a cochlear implant insertion tool. An optical tracking system localizes the insertion tool in physical space while a graphical user interface incorporates this with patient- specific anatomical data to provide error information to the surgeon in real-time. Guided by this interface, novice users successfully aligned the tool with an mean accuracy of 0.31 mm.

Ultrasonic Guided Insertion of Central Venous Catheter in Infants ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background/Purpose: ultrasound is licensed for application of regional blocks and insertion of vascular access. We aimed to compare ultrasonic guided (USG) and anatomical landmark technique (ALT) for insertion of central venous catheter (CVC) as regard success rate and rate of complications in infants and children.

Randomised Controlled Trial to determine the appropriate time to initiate peritoneal dialysis after insertion of catheter to minimise complications (Timely PD study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fassett Robert G

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The most appropriate time to initiate dialysis after surgical insertion of Tenckhoff catheters is not clear in the literature. There is the possibility of peritoneal dialysis (PD complications such as leakage and infection if dialysis is started too soon after insertion. However, much morbidity and expense could be saved by reducing dependency on haemodialysis (HD by earlier initiation of PD post catheter insertion. Previous studies are observational and mostly compare immediate with delayed use. The primary objective is to determine the safest and shortest time interval between surgical placement of a Tenckhoff catheter and starting PD. Methods/Design This is a randomised controlled trial of patients who will start PD after insertion of Tenckhoff catheter at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH or Rockhampton Base Hospital (RBH who meet the inclusion criteria. Patients will be stratified by site and diabetic status. The patients will be randomised to one of three treatment groups. Group 1 will start PD one week after Tenckhoff catheter insertion, group 2 at two weeks and group 3 at four weeks. Nurses and physicians will be blinded to the randomised allocation. The primary end point is the complication rate (leaks and infection after initiation of PD. Discussion The study will determine the most appropriate time to initiate PD after placement of a Tenckhoff catheter. Trial Registration ACTRN12610000076077

Effect of an interface Mg insertion layer on the reliability of a magnetic tunnel junction based on a Co{sub 2}FeAl full-Heusler alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jungmin; Kil, Gyuhyun; Lee, Gaehun; Choi, Chulmin; Song, Yunheub [Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Sukegawa, Hiroaki; Mitani, Seiji [National Institute for Materials Science, Ibaraki (Japan)

2014-04-15

The reliability of a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) based on a Co{sub 2}FeAl (CFA) full-Heusler alloy with a MgO tunnel barrier was evaluated. In particular, the effect of a Mg insertion layer under the MgO was investigated in view of resistance drift by using various voltage stress tests. We compared the resistance change during constant voltage stress (CVS) and confirmed a trap/detrap phenomenon during the interval stress test for samples with and without a Mg insertion layer. The MTJ with a Mg insertion layer showed a relatively small resistance change for the CVS test and a reduced trap/detrap phenomenon for the interval stress test compared to the sample without a Mg insertion layer. This is understood to be caused by the improved crystallinity at the bottom of the CFA/MgO interface due to the Mg insertion layer, which provides a smaller number of trap site during the stress test. As a result, the interface condition of the MgO layer is very important for the reliability of a MTJ using a full-Heusler alloy, and the the insert of a Mg layer at the MgO interface is expected to be an effective method for enhancing the reliability of a MTJ.

Fireplace insert and its parameters depend on the used glazing

Science.gov (United States)

Papučík, Štefan; Čaja, Alexander

2016-06-01

The contribution deals with the analysis of the impact of using double glass to change the performance and emission parameters of the fireplace insert. Conventional fireplace inserts are equipped with heat-resistant glass, which is resistant to high temperatures. For this type of inserts are required to be radiant constituent maximized. Prevailing part of heat is into the interior gets just by radiation through the glazed part. The hot water fireplace inserts is the requirement that the radiant constituent to the environment to a minimum. Therefore, instead of a single glass using double glazing which is intended to reduce this part of heat transfer. The temperature in the furnace is increased, and transmitted most of the heat into the water.

Symplectic models for general insertion devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Y.; Forest, E.; Robin, D. S.; Nishimura, H.; Wolski, A.; Litvinenko, V. N.

2001-01-01

A variety of insertion devices (IDs), wigglers and undulators, linearly or elliptically polarized,are widely used as high brightness radiation sources at the modern light source rings. Long and high-field wigglers have also been proposed as the main source of radiation damping at next generation damping rings. As a result, it becomes increasingly important to understand the impact of IDs on the charged particle dynamics in the storage ring. In this paper, we report our recent development of a general explicit symplectic model for IDs with the paraxial ray approximation. High-order explicit symplectic integrators are developed to study real-world insertion devices with a number of wiggler harmonics and arbitrary polarizations

RERTR-12 Insertion 1 Irradiation Summary Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez, D.M.; Lillo, M.A.; Chang, G.S.; Woolstenhulme, N.E.; Roth, G.A.; Wachs, D.M.

2012-01-01

The Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactor (RERTR) experiment RERTR-12 was designed to provide comprehensive information on the performance of uranium-molybdenum (U-Mo) based monolithic fuels for research reactor applications. RERTR-12 insertion 1 includes the capsules irradiated during the first two irradiation cycles. These capsules include Z, X1, X2 and X3 capsules. The following report summarizes the life of the RERTR-12 insertion 1 experiment through end of irradiation, including as-run neutronic analysis results, thermal analysis results and hydraulic testing results.

RERTR-12 Insertion 2 Irradiation Summary Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez, D.M.; Chang, G.S.; Wachs, D.M.; Roth, G.A.; Woolstenhulme, N.E.

2012-01-01

The Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactor (RERTR) experiment RERTR-12 was designed to provide comprehensive information on the performance of uranium-molybdenum (U-Mo) based monolithic fuels for research reactor applications.1 RERTR-12 insertion 2 includes the capsules irradiated during the last three irradiation cycles. These capsules include Z, Y1, Y2 and Y3 type capsules. The following report summarizes the life of the RERTR-12 insertion 2 experiment through end of irradiation, including as-run neutronic analysis results, thermal analysis results and hydraulic testing results.

Summary of experimental insertions workshop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandweiss, J.; Month, M.

1976-01-01

An ISABELLE workshop of the summer 1976 series, which was held at Brookhaven August 16--20, focused on the design and utilization of the experimental insertions. The goals of the workshop are outlined, and a few general remarks about the results are presented

Somatically Acquired LINE-1 Insertions in Normal Esophagus Undergo Clonal Expansion in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Doucet-O'Hare, Tara T; Sharma, Reema; Rodić, Nemanja; Anders, Robert A; Burns, Kathleen H; Kazazian, Haig H

2016-09-01

Squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus (SCC) is the most common form of esophageal cancer in the world and is typically diagnosed at an advanced stage when successful treatment is challenging. Understanding the mutational profile of this cancer may identify new treatment strategies. Because somatic retrotransposition has been shown in tumors of the gastrointestinal system, we focused on LINE-1 (L1) mobilization as a source of genetic instability in this cancer. We hypothesized that retrotransposition is ongoing in SCC patients. The expression of L1 encoded proteins is necessary for retrotransposition to occur; therefore, we evaluated the expression of L1 open reading frame 1 protein (ORF1p). Using immunohistochemistry, we detected ORF1p expression in all four SCC cases evaluated. Using L1-seq, we identified and validated 74 somatic insertions in eight tumors of the nine evaluated. Of these, 12 insertions appeared to be somatic, not genetically inherited, and sub-clonal (i.e., present in less than one copy per genome equivalent) in the adjacent normal esophagus (NE), while clonal in the tumor. Our results indicate that L1 retrotransposition is active in SCC of the esophagus and that insertion events are present in histologically NE that expands clonally in the subsequent tumor. © 2016 WILEY PERIODICALS, INC.

Facts about the Common Cold

Science.gov (United States)

... different viruses. Rhinovirus is the most common cause, accounting for 10 to 40 percent of colds. Other common cold viruses include coronavirus and ... RSS | Terms Of Use | Privacy | Sitemap Our Family Of Sites ... Introduction Risk Factors Screening Symptoms Tumor Testing Summary '; var ...

Unicortical self-drilling external fixator pins reduce thermal effects during pin insertion.

Science.gov (United States)

Greinwald, Markus; Varady, Patrick A; Augat, Peter

2017-12-14

External fixation is associated with the risk of pin loosening and pin infection potentially associated to thermal bone necrosis during pin insertion. This study aims to investigate if the use of external fixator systems with unicortical pins reduces the heat production during pin insertion compared to fixators with bicortical pins. Porcine bone specimens were employed to determine bone temperatures during insertion of fixator pins. Two thermographic cameras were used for a simultaneous temperature measurement on the bone surface (top view) and a bone cross-section (front view). Self-drilling unicortical and bicortical pins were inserted at different rotational speeds: (30-600) rpm. Maximum and mean temperatures of the emerging bone debris, bone surface and bone cross-section were analyzed. Maximum temperatures of up to 77 ± 26 °C were measured during pin insertion in the emerging debris and up to 42 ± 2 °C on the bone surface. Temperatures of the emerging debris increased with increasing rotational speeds. Bicortical pin insertion generated significantly higher temperatures at low insertion speed (30 rpm) CONCLUSION: The insertion of external fixator pins can generate a considerable amount of heat around the pins, primarily emerging from bone debris and at higher insertion speeds. Our findings suggest that unicortical, self-drilling fixator pins have a decreased risk for thermal damage, both to the surrounding tissue and to the bone itself.

The first LHC insertion quadrupole

CERN Multimedia

2004-01-01

An important milestone was reached in December 2003 at the CERN Magnet Assembly Facility. The team from the Accelerator Technology - Magnet and Electrical Systems group, AT-MEL, completed the first special superconducting quadrupole for the LHC insertions which house the experiments and major collider systems. The magnet is 8 metres long and contains two matching quadrupole magnets and an orbit corrector, a dipole magnet, used to correct errors in quadrupole alignment. All were tested in liquid helium and reached the ultimate performance criteria required for the LHC. After insertion in the cryostat, the superconducting magnet will be installed as the Q9 quadrupole in sector 7-8, the first sector of the LHC to be put in place in 2004. Members of the quadrupole team, from the AT-MEL group, gathered around the Q9 quadrupole at its inauguration on 12 December 2003 in building 181.

Spontaneous insertion of GPI anchors into cholesterol-rich membrane domains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Li

2018-05-01

Full Text Available GPI-Anchored proteins (GPI-APs can be exogenously transferred onto bilayer membranes both in vivo and in vitro, while the mechanism by which this transfer process occurs is unknown. In this work, we used atomistic molecular dynamics simulations and free energy calculations to characterize the essential influence of cholesterol on insertion of the GPI anchors into plasma membranes. We demonstrate, both dynamically and energetically, that in the presence of cholesterol, the tails of GPI anchors are able to penetrate inside the core of the lipid membrane spontaneously with a three-step mechanism, while in the absence of cholesterol no spontaneous insertion was observed. We ascribe the failure of insertion to the strong thermal fluctuation of lipid molecules in cholesterol-free bilayer, which generates a repulsive force in entropic origin. In the presence of cholesterol, however, the fluctuation of lipids is strongly reduced, thus decreasing the barrier for the anchor insertion. Based on this observation, we propose a hypothesis that addition of cholesterol creates vertical creases in membranes for the insertion of acyl chains. Moreover, we find that the GPI anchor could also spontaneously inserted into the boundary between cholesterol-rich and cholesterol-depleted domains. Our results shed light on the mechanism of cholesterol-mediated interaction between membrane proteins with acyl chain and plasma membranes in living cells.

Spontaneous insertion of GPI anchors into cholesterol-rich membrane domains

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jing; Liu, Xiuhua; Tian, Falin; Yue, Tongtao; Zhang, Xianren; Cao, Dapeng

2018-05-01

GPI-Anchored proteins (GPI-APs) can be exogenously transferred onto bilayer membranes both in vivo and in vitro, while the mechanism by which this transfer process occurs is unknown. In this work, we used atomistic molecular dynamics simulations and free energy calculations to characterize the essential influence of cholesterol on insertion of the GPI anchors into plasma membranes. We demonstrate, both dynamically and energetically, that in the presence of cholesterol, the tails of GPI anchors are able to penetrate inside the core of the lipid membrane spontaneously with a three-step mechanism, while in the absence of cholesterol no spontaneous insertion was observed. We ascribe the failure of insertion to the strong thermal fluctuation of lipid molecules in cholesterol-free bilayer, which generates a repulsive force in entropic origin. In the presence of cholesterol, however, the fluctuation of lipids is strongly reduced, thus decreasing the barrier for the anchor insertion. Based on this observation, we propose a hypothesis that addition of cholesterol creates vertical creases in membranes for the insertion of acyl chains. Moreover, we find that the GPI anchor could also spontaneously inserted into the boundary between cholesterol-rich and cholesterol-depleted domains. Our results shed light on the mechanism of cholesterol-mediated interaction between membrane proteins with acyl chain and plasma membranes in living cells.

Ex vivo rabbit cornea diffusion studies with a soluble insert of moxifloxacin.

Science.gov (United States)

Sebastián-Morelló, María; Calatayud-Pascual, María Aracely; Rodilla, Vicent; Balaguer-Fernández, Cristina; López-Castellano, Alicia

2018-02-01

The objective of this research was to develop and evaluate an ocular insert for the controlled drug delivery of moxifloxacin which could perhaps be used in the treatment of corneal keratitis or even bacterial endophthalmitis. We have evaluated the ex vivo ocular diffusion of moxifloxacin through rabbit cornea, both fresh and preserved under different conditions. Histological studies were also carried out. Subsequently, drug matrix inserts were prepared using bioadhesive polymers. The inserts were evaluated for their physicochemical parameters. Ophthalmic ex vivo permeation of moxifloxacin was carried out with the most promising insert. The formulate insert was thin and provided higher ocular diffusion than commercial formulations. Ocular diffusion studies revealed significant differences between fresh and frozen corneas. Histological examinations also showed differences in the thickness of stroma between fresh and frozen corneas. The ophthalmic insert we have developed allows a larger quantity of moxifloxacin to permeate through the cornea than existing commercial formulations of the drug. Ocular delivery of moxifloxacin with this insert could be a new approach for the treatment of eye diseases.

Metallographic study of reconstitution welding in inserts of 1 cm3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romero C, J.; Garcia R, R.; Fernandez T, F.; Perez R, N.; Rocamontes A, M.

2007-01-01

In this article, the welding metallographic study carried out in Charpy test tubes reconstituted with notch in 'V', used in the surveillance programs of the vessel in nucleo electric plants is described. Inserts of 1 cm 3 are used, where the inserts are usually rectangular of minimum 18 millimeters of length. The importance of using inserts of 1 cm 3 is that the mechanical properties can be measured in another direction of the vessel steel, when changing the direction or sense of the notch in 'V' or the face where this notch is made in the insert. (Author)

Blind bedside insertion of small bowel feeding tubes.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Duggan, SN

2009-12-01

The use of Naso-Jejunal (NJ) feeding is limited by difficulty in feeding tube placement. Patients have traditionally required transfer to Endoscopy or Radiology for insertion of small bowel feeding tubes, with clear resource implications. We hypothesised that the adoption of a simple bedside procedure would be effective and reduce cost. Clinical nutrition and nurse specialist personnel were trained in the 10\\/10\\/10 method of blind bedside NJ insertion.

Second harmonic sound field after insertion of a biological tissue sample

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Dong; Gong, Xiu-Fen; Zhang, Bo

2002-01-01

Second harmonic sound field after inserting a biological tissue sample is investigated by theory and experiment. The sample is inserted perpendicular to the sound axis, whose acoustical properties are different from those of surrounding medium (distilled water). By using the superposition of Gaussian beams and the KZK equation in quasilinear and parabolic approximations, the second harmonic field after insertion of the sample can be derived analytically and expressed as a linear combination of self- and cross-interaction of the Gaussian beams. Egg white, egg yolk, porcine liver, and porcine fat are used as the samples and inserted in the sound field radiated from a 2 MHz uniformly excited focusing source. Axial normalized sound pressure curves of the second harmonic wave before and after inserting the sample are measured and compared with the theoretical results calculated with 10 items of Gaussian beam functions.

A survey of the practice of nurses' skills in Wenchuan earthquake disaster sites: implications for disaster training.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Huahua; He, Haiyan; Arbon, Paul; Zhu, Jingci

2011-10-01

To determine nursing skills most relevant for nurses participating in disaster response medical teams; make recommendations to enhance training of nurses who will be first responders to a disaster site; to improve the capacity of nurses to prepare and respond to severe natural disasters. Worldwide, nurses play a key role in disaster response teams at disaster sites. They are often not prepared for the challenges of dealing with mass casualties; little research exists into what basic nursing skills are required by nurses who are first responders to a disaster situation. This study assessed the most relevant disaster nursing skills of first responder nurses at the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake disaster site. Data were collected in China in 2008 using a self-designed questionnaire, with 24 participants who had been part of the medical teams that were dispatched to the disaster sites. The top three skills essential for nurses were: intravenous insertion; observation and monitoring; mass casualty triage. The three most frequently used skills were: debridement and dressing; observation and monitoring; intravenous insertion. The three skills performed most proficiently were: intravenous insertion; observation and monitoring; urethral catheterization. The top three ranking skills most important for training were: mass casualty transportation; emergency management; haemostasis, bandaging, fixation, manual handling. The core nursing skills for disaster response training are: mass casualty transportation; emergency management; haemostasis, bandaging, fixation, manual handling; observation and monitoring; mass casualty triage; controlling specific infection; psychological crisis intervention; cardiopulmonary resuscitation; debridement and dressing; central venous catheter insertion; patient care recording. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Predictive mutagenesis of ligation-independent cloning (LIC) vectors for protein expression and site-specific chemical conjugation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vernet, Erik; Sauer, Jørgen; Andersen, Peter Andreas

2011-01-01

Ligation-independent cloning (LIC) allows for cloning of DNA constructs independent of insert restriction sites and ligases. However, any required mutations are typically introduced by additional, time-consuming steps. We present a rapid, inexpensive method for mutagenesis in the 5' LIC site...

Transposable elements generate population-specific insertional patterns and allelic variation in genes of wild emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides).

Science.gov (United States)

Domb, Katherine; Keidar, Danielle; Yaakov, Beery; Khasdan, Vadim; Kashkush, Khalil

2017-10-27

Natural populations of the tetraploid wild emmer wheat (genome AABB) were previously shown to demonstrate eco-geographically structured genetic and epigenetic diversity. Transposable elements (TEs) might make up a significant part of the genetic and epigenetic variation between individuals and populations because they comprise over 80% of the wild emmer wheat genome. In this study, we performed detailed analyses to assess the dynamics of transposable elements in 50 accessions of wild emmer wheat collected from 5 geographically isolated sites. The analyses included: the copy number variation of TEs among accessions in the five populations, population-unique insertional patterns, and the impact of population-unique/specific TE insertions on structure and expression of genes. We assessed the copy numbers of 12 TE families using real-time quantitative PCR, and found significant copy number variation (CNV) in the 50 wild emmer wheat accessions, in a population-specific manner. In some cases, the CNV difference reached up to 6-fold. However, the CNV was TE-specific, namely some TE families showed higher copy numbers in one or more populations, and other TE families showed lower copy numbers in the same population(s). Furthermore, we assessed the insertional patterns of 6 TE families using transposon display (TD), and observed significant population-specific insertional patterns. The polymorphism levels of TE-insertional patterns reached 92% among all wild emmer wheat accessions, in some cases. In addition, we observed population-specific/unique TE insertions, some of which were located within or close to protein-coding genes, creating allelic variations in a population-specific manner. We also showed that those genes are differentially expressed in wild emmer wheat. For the first time, this study shows that TEs proliferate in wild emmer wheat in a population-specific manner, creating new alleles of genes, which contribute to the divergent evolution of homeologous genes

Muscle Insertion Line as a Simple Landmark To Identify the Transverse Sinus When Neuronavigation Is Unavailable.

Science.gov (United States)

Kivelev, Juri; Kivisaari, Riku; Niemelä, Mika; Hernesniemi, Juha

2016-10-01

Skull opening in occipital and suboccipital regions might be associated with risk of damage to the transverse venous sinus and the confluence of sinuses. We analyze the value of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in localizing the venous sinuses in relation to the superior muscle insertion line (MIL) on the occipital bone. We retrospectively analyzed head MR images of 100 consecutive patients imaged for any reason from 1 January 2013. All MR images were interpreted by a radiologist (R.K.). The superior MIL was identified at the midline and on both midpupillar lines, which represent the most frequent sites of skin incision and craniotomy (median and lateral suboccipital craniotomy, respectively). Patients comprised 56 women (56%) and 44 men (44%). Their mean age was 54 (range 18-84) years. The muscles of the posterior skull were readily visible and clearly identified in both T1 and T2 images of all patients. Identification of the insertion zone and its relation to the venous structures was most readily made in the sagittal plane. We found that the upper muscle insertion line on occipital bone corresponds to the underlying venous sinus and can be used as a reliable anatomic landmark. We identified it in 100% of preoperative MR images of heads with an intact occiput. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Live insertion method used for main renewal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solkowitz, M.

1992-01-01

Baltimore Gas and Electric's pilot project using the live insertion method to replace a cast iron main provided excellent results. Its use on Eastern Avenue, a major state highway, was cost effective, provided gas service to customers during the work, required relatively short construction time and resulted in only minor traffic disruptions. Gas service transfers to the new main were done at customer convenience and resulted in outages of only a few hours per customer. This paper reports that the project involved inserting a 6-in. plastic line inside an existing 10-in. cast iron main. Miller Pipeline Corp., Indianapolis, supplier of the Insertec left-angle R right-angle live insertion method was contracted for the job. Miller technicians assisted BG and E forces by providing a load analysis of the main, a pushing machine and related supplies, foaming equipment and pipe cutting tools. Company forces were responsible for all preparatory work, including opening all excavations, installing bypasses, and fusing and testing the plastic pipe. Service transfers and renewals were also completed by company employees

Characterization of the relationship between APOBEC3B deletion and ACE Alu insertion.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kang Wang

Full Text Available The insertion/deletion (I/D polymorphism of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE, commonly associated with many diseases, is believed to have affected human adaptation to environmental changes during the out-of-Africa expansion. APOBEC3B (A3B, a member of the cytidine deaminase family APOBEC3s, also exhibits a variable gene insertion/deletion polymorphism across world populations. Using data available from published reports, we examined the global geographic distribution of ACE and A3B genotypes. In tracking the modern human dispersal routes of these two genes, we found that the variation trends of the two I/D polymorphisms were directly correlated. We observed that the frequencies of ACE insertion and A3B deletion rose in parallel along the expansion route. To investigate the presence of a correlation between the two polymorphisms and the effect of their interaction on human health, we analyzed 1199 unrelated Chinese adults to determine their genotypes and other important clinical characteristics. We discovered a significant difference between the ACE genotype/allele distribution in the A3B DD and A3B II/ID groups (P = 0.045 and 0.015, respectively, indicating that the ACE Alu I allele frequency in the former group was higher than in the latter group. No specific clinical phenotype could be associated with the interaction between the ACE and A3B I/D polymorphisms. A3B has been identified as a powerful inhibitor of Alu retrotransposition, and primate A3 genes have undergone strong positive selection (and expansion for restricting the mobility of endogenous retrotransposons during evolution. Based on these findings, we suggest that the ACE Alu insertion was enabled (facilitated by the A3B deletion and that functional loss of A3B provided an opportunity for enhanced human adaptability and survival in response to the environmental and climate challenges arising during the migration from Africa.

[Amelioration of secondary bare alkali-saline patches in Songnen Plain through inserting cornstalk].

Science.gov (United States)

He, Nianpeng; Wu, Ling; Jiang, Shicheng; Zhou, Daowei

2004-06-01

Based on the field experiment on Songnen grassland, a new method was established to ameliorate the secondary bare alkali-saline patches (SAP) through inserting cornstalk. The experiment was rested on the assumption that through inserting cornstalk in the secondary bare alkali-saline patches (SAP) to retain seeds moving over its surface, the necessary seed source could be gained; and these seeds should be able to germinate and survive successfully on the cornstalk itself or in its neighborhood, where should be more fit to grow than other sites in SAP, due to the decomposition of cornstalk and its special role, so that, the aim to restore vegetation of SAP could be achieved at a pretty low cost and rapid speed. The results showed that the seed bank in soil was increased significantly, owing to the inserted cornstalk and its operating processes. The seed number in ameliorated soil was 4020.0 +/- 1773.6 seeds x m(-2), while that in the secondary bare alkali-saline patches (SAP) was only 10.0 +/- 31.6 seeds x m(-2). Although the soil chemical and physical characters in ameliorated zone were improved to some extent, the overall situation of soil was still bad for plant growth, as the pH, soluble saline ion and organic matter were concerned. Most of Chloris virgata grew around or on the cornstalk, the plants around each cornstalk being 3.9 +/- 2.2, and the total being 48.64 +/- 38.72 g x m(-2). Therefore, this method demanded a few resources, and needed simple technology and low cost, which is potentially deserved to popularize.

A search for RNA insertions and NS3 gene duplication in the genome of cytopathic isolates of bovine viral diarrhea virus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V.L. Quadros

2006-07-01

Full Text Available Calves born persistently infected with non-cytopathic bovine viral diarrhea virus (ncpBVDV frequently develop a fatal gastroenteric illness called mucosal disease. Both the original virus (ncpBVDV and an antigenically identical but cytopathic virus (cpBVDV can be isolated from animals affected by mucosal disease. Cytopathic BVDVs originate from their ncp counterparts by diverse genetic mechanisms, all leading to the expression of the non-structural polypeptide NS3 as a discrete protein. In contrast, ncpBVDVs express only the large precursor polypeptide, NS2-3, which contains the NS3 sequence within its carboxy-terminal half. We report here the investigation of the mechanism leading to NS3 expression in 41 cpBVDV isolates. An RT-PCR strategy was employed to detect RNA insertions within the NS2-3 gene and/or duplication of the NS3 gene, two common mechanisms of NS3 expression. RT-PCR amplification revealed insertions in the NS2-3 gene of three cp isolates, with the inserts being similar in size to that present in the cpBVDV NADL strain. Sequencing of one such insert revealed a 296-nucleotide sequence with a central core of 270 nucleotides coding for an amino acid sequence highly homologous (98% to the NADL insert, a sequence corresponding to part of the cellular J-Domain gene. One cpBVDV isolate contained a duplication of the NS3 gene downstream from the original locus. In contrast, no detectable NS2-3 insertions or NS3 gene duplications were observed in the genome of 37 cp isolates. These results demonstrate that processing of NS2-3 without bulk mRNA insertions or NS3 gene duplications seems to be a frequent mechanism leading to NS3 expression and BVDV cytopathology.

Insertion of linear 8.4 μm diameter 16 channel carbon fiber electrode arrays for single unit recordings

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Paras R.; Na, Kyounghwan; Zhang, Huanan; Kozai, Takashi D. Y.; Kotov, Nicholas A.; Yoon, Euisik; Chestek, Cynthia A.

2016-01-01

Objective Single carbon fiber electrodes (d=8.4 μm) insulated with parylene-c and functionalized with PEDOT:pTS have been shown to record single unit activity but manual implantation of these devices with forceps can be difficult. Without an improvement in the insertion method any increase in the channel count by fabricating carbon fiber arrays would be impractical. In this study, we utilize a water soluble coating and structural backbones that allow us to create, implant, and record from fully functionalized arrays of carbon fibers with ~150 μm pitch. Approach Two approaches were tested for the insertion of carbon fiber arrays. The first method used a PEG coating that temporarily stiffened the fibers while leaving a small portion at the tip exposed. The small exposed portion (500 μm – 1 mm) readily penetrated the brain allowing for an insertion that did not require the handling of each fiber by forceps. The second method involved the fabrication of silicon support structures with individual shanks spaced 150 μm apart. Each shank consisted of a small groove that held an individual carbon fiber. Main results Our results showed that the PEG coating allowed for the chronic implantation of carbon fiber arrays in 5 rats with unit activity detected at 31 days post-implant. The silicon support structures recorded single unit activity in 3 acute rat surgeries. In one of those surgeries a stacked device with 3 layers of silicon support structures and carbon fibers was built and shown to readily insert into the brain with unit activity on select sites. Significance From these studies we have found that carbon fibers spaced at ~150 μm readily insert into the brain. This greatly increases the recording density of chronic neural probes and paves the way for even higher density devices that have a minimal scarring response. PMID:26035638

Dynamic insertion analysis of control rods of BWR under seismic excitation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakagawa, Masaki; Koide, Yuichi; Fukushi, Naoki; Ishigaki, Hirokuni; Okumura, Kazue

2007-01-01

The dynamic insertion characteristics of the control rods for the boiling water reactors under the seismic excitation are investigated using non-linear analytical models. The control rod insertion capability is one of the most important items for the safety of nuclear power plants under the seismic events. Predicting the control rod insertion behavior during the earthquake is important in the course of the control rod seismic design. We developed the analytical models using the finite element method (FEM). The effect of the interaction force between the control rod and the fuel assemblies is considered in the non-linear analysis. This interaction force courses the resistance force to the control rod during its insertion behavior. The validity of analytical methods was confirmed by comparing the analytical results with the experimental ones. Using the analytical models, the effects of input seismic motion and structural parameters of the control rods and the fuel assemblies, such as the thickness of the channel box, on the insertion time are investigated. These analytical methods can predict insertion time of the control rod, and are useful for the seismic design of the control rod assemblies. (author)

Evolution-based Virtual Content Insertion with Visually Virtual Interactions in Videos

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Chia-Hu; Wu, Ja-Ling

With the development of content-based multimedia analysis, virtual content insertion has been widely used and studied for video enrichment and multimedia advertising. However, how to automatically insert a user-selected virtual content into personal videos in a less-intrusive manner, with an attractive representation, is a challenging problem. In this chapter, we present an evolution-based virtual content insertion system which can insert virtual contents into videos with evolved animations according to predefined behaviors emulating the characteristics of evolutionary biology. The videos are considered not only as carriers of message conveyed by the virtual content but also as the environment in which the lifelike virtual contents live. Thus, the inserted virtual content will be affected by the videos to trigger a series of artificial evolutions and evolve its appearances and behaviors while interacting with video contents. By inserting virtual contents into videos through the system, users can easily create entertaining storylines and turn their personal videos into visually appealing ones. In addition, it would bring a new opportunity to increase the advertising revenue for video assets of the media industry and online video-sharing websites.

Development and comparison of projection and image space 3D nodule insertion techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Robins, Marthony; Solomon, Justin; Sahbaee, Pooyan; Samei, Ehsan

2016-04-01

This study aimed to develop and compare two methods of inserting computerized virtual lesions into CT datasets. 24 physical (synthetic) nodules of three sizes and four morphologies were inserted into an anthropomorphic chest phantom (LUNGMAN, KYOTO KAGAKU). The phantom was scanned (Somatom Definition Flash, Siemens Healthcare) with and without nodules present, and images were reconstructed with filtered back projection and iterative reconstruction (SAFIRE) at 0.6 mm slice thickness using a standard thoracic CT protocol at multiple dose settings. Virtual 3D CAD models based on the physical nodules were virtually inserted (accounting for the system MTF) into the nodule-free CT data using two techniques. These techniques include projection-based and image-based insertion. Nodule volumes were estimated using a commercial segmentation tool (iNtuition, TeraRecon, Inc.). Differences were tested using paired t-tests and R2 goodness of fit between the virtually and physically inserted nodules. Both insertion techniques resulted in nodule volumes very similar to the real nodules (values were all <0.97 for both insertion techniques. These data imply that these techniques can confidently be used as a means of inserting virtual nodules in CT datasets. These techniques can be instrumental in building hybrid CT datasets composed of patient images with virtually inserted nodules.

Characterisation of protein stability in rod-insert vaginal rings.

Science.gov (United States)

Pattani, Aditya; Lowry, Deborah; Curran, Rhonda M; McGrath, Stephanie; Kett, Vicky L; Andrews, Gavin P; Malcolm, R Karl

2012-07-01

A major goal in vaccine development is elimination of the 'cold chain', the transport and storage system for maintenance and distribution of the vaccine product. This is particularly pertinent to liquid formulation of vaccines. We have previously described the rod-insert vaginal ring (RiR) device, comprising an elastomeric body into which are inserted lyophilised, rod-shaped, solid drug dosage forms, and having potential for sustained mucosal delivery of biomacromolecules, such as HIV envelope protein-based vaccine candidates. Given the solid, lyophilised nature of these insert dosage forms, we hypothesised that antigen stability may be significantly increased compared with more conventional solubilised vaginal gel format. In this study, we prepared and tested vaginal ring devices fitted with lyophilised rod inserts containing the model antigen bovine serum albumin (BSA). Both the RiRs and the gels that were freeze-dried to prepare the inserts were evaluated for BSA stability using PAGE, turbidimetry, microbial load, MALDI-TOF and qualitative precipitate solubility measurements. When stored at 4 °C, but not when stored at 40 °C/75% RH, the RiR formulation offered protection against structural and conformational changes to BSA. The insert also retained matrix integrity and release characteristics. The results demonstrate that lypophilised gels can provide relative protection against degradation at lower temperatures compared to semi-solid gels. The major mechanism of degradation at 40 °C/75% RH was shown to be protein aggregation. Finally, in a preliminary study, we found that addition of trehalose to the formulation significantly reduces the rate of BSA degradation compared to the original formulation when stored at 40 °C/75% RH. Establishing the mechanism of degradation, and finding that degradation is decelerated in the presence of trehalose, will help inform further development of RiRs specifically and polymer based freeze-dried systems in general. Copyright

Characterization of GM events by insert knowledge adapted re-sequencing approaches

OpenAIRE

Yang, Litao; Wang, Congmao; Holst-Jensen, Arne; Morisset, Dany; Lin, Yongjun; Zhang, Dabing

2013-01-01

Detection methods and data from molecular characterization of genetically modified (GM) events are needed by stakeholders of public risk assessors and regulators. Generally, the molecular characteristics of GM events are incomprehensively revealed by current approaches and biased towards detecting transformation vector derived sequences. GM events are classified based on available knowledge of the sequences of vectors and inserts (insert knowledge). Herein we present three insert knowledge-ad...

A novel, simple, high-throughput method for isolation of genome-wide transposon insertion mutants of Escherichia coli K-12.

Science.gov (United States)

Miki, Takeyoshi; Yamamoto, Yoshihiro; Matsuda, Hideo

2008-01-01

We developed a novel, simple, high-throughput method for isolation of genome-wide transposon insertion mutants of Escherichia coli K-12. The basic idea of the method is to randomly disrupt the genes on the DNA fragments cloned on the Kohara library by inserting a mini-transposon first, and then transfer the disrupted genes from the lambda vector to the E. coli chromosome by homologous recombination. Using this method, we constructed a set of 8402 Km(r) cis-diploid mutants harboring a mini-Tn10 insertion mutation and the corresponding wild-type gene on a chromosome, as well as a set of 6954 haploid mutants derived from the cis-diploid mutants. The major advantage of the strategy used is that the indispensable genes or sites for growth can be identified. Preliminary results suggest that 415 open reading frames are indispensable for growth in E. coli cells. A total of 6404 haploid mutants were deposited to Genetic Strains Research Center, National Institute of Genetics, Japan (Chapter 26) and are available for public distribution upon request (http://shigen.lab.nig.ac.jp/ecoli/strain/nbrp/resource.jsp).

Insertion and crossing region design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wienands, U.; Beloshitsky, P.

2001-01-01

This article is the summary of the 5-afternoon tutorial on insertions for circular machines. Roughly half the course (Part 1) was spent discussing interaction regions, We start by recapitulating basic beam optics including building blocks. This provides the tools to analyze the basic structure of interaction regions and explore the parameter space. This simple example is then successively refined and made more realistic. Examples of realized interaction regions for both hadron and electron machines are shown and their salient features and differences explained. A brief discussion of solenoid-decoupling brings Part 1 to a close. In Part 2 we discussed various utility sections. Dispersion suppressors are presented in detail discussing the principles as well as the practical implementation of flexible suppressors using LEP as an example. Injection schemes, both single-turn and multi-turn stacking, are presented in depth. The matching of wiggler and undulator insertions and a discussion of the impact of these devices on beam parameters closes out Part 2

ALS insertion device block measurement and inspection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marks, S.; Carrieri, J.; Cook, C.; Hassenzahl, W.V.; Hoyer, E.; Plate, D.

1991-05-01

The performance specifications for ALS insertion devices require detailed knowledge and strict control of the Nd-Fe-B permanent magnet blocks incorporated in these devices. This paper describes the measurement and inspection apparatus and the procedures designed to qualify and characterize these blocks. A detailed description of a new, automated Helmholtz coil facility for measurement of the three components of magnetic moment is included. Physical block inspection and magnetic moment measurement procedures are described. Together they provide a basis for qualifying blocks and for specifying placement of blocks within an insertion devices' magnetic structures. 1 ref., 4 figs

Master-slave robotic system for needle indentation and insertion.

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Jaehyun; Zhong, Yongmin; Gu, Chengfan

2017-12-01

Bilateral control of a master-slave robotic system is a challenging issue in robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery. It requires the knowledge on contact interaction between a surgical (slave) robot and soft tissues. This paper presents a master-slave robotic system for needle indentation and insertion. This master-slave robotic system is able to characterize the contact interaction between the robotic needle and soft tissues. A bilateral controller is implemented using a linear motor for robotic needle indentation and insertion. A new nonlinear state observer is developed to online monitor the contact interaction with soft tissues. Experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed master-slave robotic system for robotic needle indentation and needle insertion.

Acquired Smell? Mature Females of the Common Green Bottle Fly Shift Semiochemical Preferences from Feces Feeding Sites to Carrion Oviposition Sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Brodie, Bekka S; Babcock, Tamara; Gries, Regine; Benn, Arlan; Gries, Gerhard

2016-01-01

We investigated foraging decisions by adult females of the common green bottle fly, Lucilia sericata, in accordance with their physiological state. When we gave female flies a choice between visually occluded, fresh canine feces (feeding site) and a CO2-euthanized rat (carrion oviposition site), 3-d-old "protein-starved" females responded equally well to feces and carrion, whereas protein-fed gravid females with mature oocytes responded only to carrion, indicating resource preferences based on a fly's physiological state. Dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS) is known to attract gravid L. sericata females to carrion. Therefore, we analyzed headspace from canine feces by gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) and GC/mass spectrometry. In bioassays, of the 17 fecal odorants that elicited GC-EAD responses from fly antennae, a blend of indole and one or more of the alcohols phenol, m-/p-cresol and 1-octen-3-ol proved as attractive to flies as canine feces. Unlike young females, gravid females need to locate carrion for oviposition and distinguish between fresh and aging carrion, the latter possibly detrimental to offspring. Gravid female L. sericata accomplish this task, in part, by responding to trace amounts of DMTS emanating from fresh carrion and by discriminating against carrion as soon it begins to produce appreciable amounts of indole, which is also the second-most abundant semiochemical in fresh canine feces, and apparently serves as an indicator of food rather than oviposition resources. Our results emphasize the importance of studying foraging choices by flies in accordance with their physiological stage.

Improved efficiency of nanoneedle insertion by modification with a cell-puncturing protein

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, Seunghwan; Matsumoto, Yuta; Matsumoto, Takahiro; Ueno, Takafumi; Silberberg, Yaron R.; Nakamura, Chikashi

2018-03-01

An atomic force microscope (AFM) probe etched into an ultra-sharp cylindrical shape (a nanoneedle) can be inserted into a living cell and mechanical responses of the insertion process are represented as force-distance curves using AFM. A probe-molecule-functionalized nanoneedle can be used to detect intracellular molecules of interest in situ. The insertion efficiencies of nanoneedles vary among cell types due to the cortex structures of cells, and some cell types, such as mouse fibroblast Balb/3T3 cells, show extremely low efficacy of insertion. We addressed this issue by using a cell membrane puncturing protein from bacteriophage T4 (gp5), a needle-like protein that spontaneously penetrates through the cell membrane. Gp5 was immobilized onto a nanoneedle surface. The insertion efficiency of the functionalized nanoneedle increased by over 15% compared to the non-functionalized control. Gp5-modification is a versatile approach in cell manipulation techniques for the insertion of other types of nanostructures into cells.

Breaking the regioselectivity rule for acrylate insertion in the Mizoroki-Heck reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Wucher, Philipp; Caporaso, Lucia; Roesle, Philipp; Ragone, Francesco; Cavallo, Luigi; Mecking, Stefan; Göttker-Schnetmann, Inigo

2011-05-31

In modern methods for the preparation of small molecules and polymers, the insertion of substrate carbon-carbon double bonds into metal-carbon bonds is a fundamental step of paramount importance. This issue is illustrated by Mizoroki-Heck coupling as the most prominent example in organic synthesis and also by catalytic insertion polymerization. For unsymmetric substrates H(2)C = CHX the regioselectivity of insertion is decisive for the nature of the product formed. Electron-deficient olefins insert selectively in a 2,1-fashion for electronic reasons. A means for controlling this regioselectivity is lacking to date. In a combined experimental and theoretical study, we now report that, by destabilizing the transition state of 2,1-insertion via steric interactions, the regioselectivity of methyl acrylate insertion into palladium-methyl and phenyl bonds can be inverted entirely to yield the opposite "regioirregular" products in stoichiometric reactions. Insights from these experiments will aid the rational design of complexes which enable a catalytic and regioirregular Mizoroki-Heck reaction of electron-deficient olefins.

Periodical cicadas use light for oviposition site selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Louie H

2006-12-07

Organisms use incomplete information from local experience to assess the suitability of potential habitat sites over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Although ecologists have long recognized the importance of spatial scales in habitat selection, few studies have investigated the temporal scales of habitat selection. In particular, cues in the immediate environment may commonly provide indirect information about future habitat quality. In periodical cicadas (Magicicada spp.), oviposition site selection represents a very long-term habitat choice. Adult female cicadas insert eggs into tree branches during a few weeks in the summer of emergence, but their oviposition choices determine the underground habitats of root-feeding nymphs over the following 13 or 17 years. Here, field experiments are used to show that female cicadas use the local light environment of host trees during the summer of emergence to select long-term host trees. Light environments may also influence oviposition microsite selection within hosts, suggesting a potential behavioural mechanism for associating solar cues with host trees. In contrast, experimental nutrient enrichment of host trees did not influence cicada oviposition densities. These findings suggest that the light environments around host trees may provide a robust predictor of host tree quality in the near future. This habitat selection may influence the spatial distribution of several cicada-mediated ecological processes in eastern North American forests.

Cadaveric Study of Insertional Anatomy of Distal Biceps Tendon and its Relationship to the Dynamic Proximal Radioulnar Space.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhatia, Deepak N; Kandhari, Vikram; DasGupta, Bibhas

2017-01-01

To quantify and assess the relationship between the insertional dimensions of the distal biceps tendon (DBT) and radioulnar space (RUS) in 3 rotational positions. We hypothesized that in all positions RUS would be adequate for the DBT and would remain adequate even after an incremental increase (1 to 3 mm) in tendon thickness. Eleven fresh-frozen cadaveric elbows were dissected; DBT dimensions and bicipital tuberosity measurements were performed and insertional footprints were quantified using a distal biceps footprint index. The RUS was measured at 3 levels of the bicipital tuberosity and in 3 positions of forearm rotation. We performed statistical analysis to analyze differences in RUS (positional and inter-level). In addition, significant differences between DBT thickness (native and incremental) and RUS were analyzed to identify potential sites of radioulnar impingement. The DBT had a mean length of 92 mm; thickness ranged from 2.9 to 6.1 mm. Three variations in DBT insertional footprint were observed and quantified. The RUS linear distance reduced significantly from a supinated to a pronated position at each of 3 bicipital tuberosity levels; the reduction was statistically significant at the lower tuberosity level (45%). Pronation RUS distance was adequate for native DBT thickness and was significantly less when DBT thickness increased by 2 and 3 mm. Radioulnar space reduces significantly from the supinated to the pronated position and is most evident in the lower aspect of the tuberosity. In addition, the RUS in pronation is inadequate for incremental increases in DBT thickness. Postoperative DBT impingement in the RUS may be prevented by avoiding techniques that increase the thickness of the tendon and by using a reattachment site at the proximal aspect of the tuberosity. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pain from copper intrauterine device insertion: randomized trial of prophylactic ibuprofen.

Science.gov (United States)

Hubacher, David; Reyes, Veronica; Lillo, Sonia; Zepeda, Ana; Chen, Pai-Lien; Croxatto, Horacio

2006-11-01

This study was undertaken to determine whether 400 mg of prophylactic ibuprofen can alleviate pain from insertion of an intrauterine device (IUD) and to measure level of pain with improved techniques. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 2019 first-time IUD users: 1008 women received placebo and 1011 women received 400 mg of ibuprofen. Participants took the single tablet at least 45 minutes before IUD insertion. Immediately after insertion, participants recorded level of pain by using a 10-cm visual analog scale, with the value of 10 meaning "worst imaginable pain." Median level of pain was 1.0 for both ibuprofen and placebo participants; rank test statistics confirmed no difference. Some subgroups of women experienced higher pain (eg, nulliparous women), but ibuprofen still had no important impact on level of pain. Even among first-time users, pain from IUD insertion is generally low. Prophylactic ibuprofen as used in this protocol does not reduce IUD insertion pain.

Characterization of GM events by insert knowledge adapted re-sequencing approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Litao; Wang, Congmao; Holst-Jensen, Arne; Morisset, Dany; Lin, Yongjun; Zhang, Dabing

2013-10-03

Detection methods and data from molecular characterization of genetically modified (GM) events are needed by stakeholders of public risk assessors and regulators. Generally, the molecular characteristics of GM events are incomprehensively revealed by current approaches and biased towards detecting transformation vector derived sequences. GM events are classified based on available knowledge of the sequences of vectors and inserts (insert knowledge). Herein we present three insert knowledge-adapted approaches for characterization GM events (TT51-1 and T1c-19 rice as examples) based on paired-end re-sequencing with the advantages of comprehensiveness, accuracy, and automation. The comprehensive molecular characteristics of two rice events were revealed with additional unintended insertions comparing with the results from PCR and Southern blotting. Comprehensive transgene characterization of TT51-1 and T1c-19 is shown to be independent of a priori knowledge of the insert and vector sequences employing the developed approaches. This provides an opportunity to identify and characterize also unknown GM events.

Internal Fiber Structure of a High-Performing, Additively Manufactured Injection Molding Insert

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hofstätter, Thomas; Baier, Sina; Trinderup, Camilla H.

A standard mold is equipped with additively manufactured inserts in a rectangular shape produced with vat photo polymerization. While the lifetime compared to conventional materials such as brass, steel, and aluminum is reduced, the prototyping and design phase can be shortened significantly...... by using flexible and cost-effective additive manufacturing technologies. Higher production volumes still exceed the capability of additively manufactured inserts, which are overruled by the stronger performance of less-flexible but mechanically advanced materials. In this contribution, the internal...... structure of a high-performing, fiber-reinforced injection molding insert has been analyzed. The insert reached a statistically proven and reproducible lifetime of 4,500 shots, which significantly outperforms any other previously published additively manufactured inserts. Computer tomography, tensile tests...

Verification of Triple Modular Redundancy Insertion for Reliable and Trusted Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Berg, Melanie; LaBel, Kenneth

2016-01-01

If a system is required to be protected using triple modular redundancy (TMR), improper insertion can jeopardize the reliability and security of the system. Due to the complexity of the verification process and the complexity of digital designs, there are currently no available techniques that can provide complete and reliable confirmation of TMR insertion. We propose a method for TMR insertion verification that satisfies the process for reliable and trusted systems.

ATLAS insertable B-layer

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Marčišovský, Michal

2011-01-01

Roč. 633, č. 1 (2011), "S224"-"S225" ISSN 0168-9002. [International workshop on radiation imaging detectors /11./. Praha, 26.06.2009-02.07.2009] R&D Projects: GA MŠk LA08015; GA MŠk LA08032 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100502 Keywords : ATLAS * pixel detector * insertable B-layer Subject RIV: BF - Elementary Particles and High Energy Physics Impact factor: 1.207, year: 2011

Alternative method for predicting optimal insertion depth of the laryngeal tube in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, J T; Jeon, S Y; Kim, C S; Kim, S D; Kim, H S

2007-11-01

Little information is available about the accuracy of the teeth mark on the laryngeal tube (LT) as a guide to correct placement in children. The aim of this crossover study was to evaluate three methods for optimal insertion depth of the size (#) 2 tube in children weighing 12-25 kg. In 24 children, the LT #2 was consecutively inserted by three different methods: (A) until the thick teeth mark on the tube was aligned with the upper incisors, (B) until resistance was felt, and (C) by inserting to a depth, previously measured, of the curved distance between the cricoid cartilage and the upper incisor. In each case, the depth of insertion, the degree of effective ventilation, the presence of leakage, and the fibreoptic view were assessed. Insertion based on the teeth mark led to a shorter insertion depth and a greater incidence of inadequate ventilation compared with the other two methods. There was no difference in the adequacy of ventilation between methods B and C. The vocal cords were more easily identified with methods B (62.5%) and C (75%) than with method A (12.5%). Insertion of the LT #2 aligned with the teeth mark can result in a shallow insertion depth and inadequate ventilation. The measured distance from the cricoid cartilage to the upper incisor offers alternative guidance for correct LT insertion.

Preprocedural ultrasound examination versus manual palpation for thoracic epidural catheter insertion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed M Hasanin

2017-01-01

Conclusion: Preprocedural ultrasound imaging increased the incidence of first pass success in thoracic epidural catheter insertion and reduced the catheter insertion time compared to manual palpation method.

Inserts thermal coupling analysis in hexagonal honeycomb plates used for satellite structural design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boudjemai, A.; Mankour, A.; Salem, H.; Amri, R.; Hocine, R.; Chouchaoui, B.

2014-01-01

Mechanical joints and fasteners are essential elements in joining structural components in mechanical systems. The thermal coupling effect between the adjacent inserts depends to a great extent on the thermal properties of the inserts and the clearance. In this paper the Finite-Element Method (FEM) has been employed to study the insert thermal coupling behaviour of the hexagonal honeycomb panel. Fully coupled thermal analysis was conducted in order to predict thermal coupling phenomena caused by the adjacent inserts under extreme thermal loading conditions. Detailed finite elements models for a honeycomb panel are developed in this study including the insert joints. New approach of the adhesive joint is modelled. Thermal simulations showed that the adjacent inserts cause thermal interference and the adjacent inserts are highly sensitive to the effect of high temperatures. The clearance and thermal interference between the adjacent inserts have an important influence on the satellite equipments (such as the electronics box), which can cause the satellite equipments failures. The results of the model presented in this analysis are significant in the preliminary satellites structural dimensioning which present an effective approach of development by reducing the cost and the time of analysis. - Highlights: •In this work we perform thermal analysis of honeycomb plates using finite element method. •Detailed finite elements models for honeycomb panel are developed in this study including the insert joints. •New approach of the adhesive joint is modelled. •The adjacent inserts cause the thermal interference. •We conclude that this work will help in the analysis and the design of complex satellite structures

Load beam unit replaceable inserts for dry coal extrusion pumps

Science.gov (United States)

Saunders, Timothy; Brady, John D.

2012-11-13

A track assembly for a particulate material extrusion pump according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes a link assembly with a roller bearing. An insert mounted to a load beam located such that the roller bearing contacts the insert.

Radiological assessment of placement of the hysteroscopically inserted Essure permanent birth control device.

Science.gov (United States)

Lorente Ramos, R M; Azpeitia Armán, J; Aparicio Rodríguez-Miñón, P; Salazar Arquero, F J; Albillos Merino, J C

2015-01-01

Essure is a permanent birth control device that is inserted through the cervix by hysteroscopy. The device is placed in the fallopian tubes, where it causes occlusion by stimulating fibrosis. Patients can be followed up with plain-film X-rays, hysterosalpingography, and ultrasonography, although the devices can also be identified incidentally on CT and MRI. The follow-up of Essure is based on checking the criteria for appropriate positioning and correct functioning (tubal occlusion) and on diagnosing complications. The most common complications are perforation, migration (toward the uterine or peritoneal cavity), and occlusion failure. In hysterosalpingography, vascular intravasation is the most common cause of diagnostic error. Radiologists need to know how to recognize the device on different imaging techniques, how to check that it is correctly placed and functioning, and how to diagnose complications. Copyright © 2014 SERAM. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

H electro-insertion into Pd/Pt(1 1 1) nanofilms: an original method for isotherm measurement coupled to in situ surface X-ray diffraction structural study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soldo-Olivier, Y.; Sibert, E.; Previdello, B.; Lafouresse, M.C.; Maillard, F.; De Santis, M.

2013-01-01

In order to get a thorough comprehension of the mechanisms governing hydrogen insertion into nanometric metallic films, we have studied ultra-thin Pd/Pt(1 1 1) layers. In this paper we propose an original method allowing the measurement of hydrogen insertion electrochemical isotherms. The use of a hanging meniscus rotating disc electrode and a new calculation approach permit to remove the contributions to the insertion charge of both hydrogen evolution and hydrogen oxidation reactions. Indeed, compared to hydrogen insertion such terms become non-negligible in the case of nanometric deposits, due to their large surface/bulk atom ratio. We have measured hydrogen insertion isotherms for Pd/Pt(1 1 1) films from 14 ML down to 4 ML. Independently from the film thickness, the maximum hydrogen insertion rate (H/Pd) max is smaller than that of bulk Pd. The so-called two-phase region is still present, but contrarily to bulk Pd it is characterized by a slope. Both hydrogen solubility and the two-phase domain width diminish with the decrease of the film thickness. In the present work the behaviour of hydrogen electrochemical insertion isotherms is interpreted in the light of the Pd nanofilms structure obtained with in situ surface X-ray diffraction. The lattice constraints induced by the substrate result in a lower insertion rate in the Pd deposit close to the Pt–Pd interface. Only the outermost region of the film is relaxed and behaves like bulk Pd. This description quantitatively accounts for the experimental behaviour of (H/Pd) max as a function of the film thickness. The obtained Pd/Pt(1 1 1) films structure also corresponds to the presence of non-equivalent hydrogen insertion sites, surely contributing to the slope observed in the two-phase domain

Swirl flow analysis in a helical wire inserted tube using CFD code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Yusun; Chang, Soon Heung

2010-01-01

An analysis on the two-phase flow in a helical wire inserted tube using commercial CFD code, CFX11.0, was performed in bubbly flow and annular flow regions. The analysis method was validated with the experimental results of Takeshima. Bubbly and annular flows in a 10 mm inner diameter tube with varying pitch lengths and inserted wire diameters were simulated using the same analysis methods after validation. The geometry range of p/D was 1-4 and e/D was 0.08-0.12. The results show that the inserted wire with a larger diameter increased swirl flow generation. An increasing swirl flow was seen as the pitch length increased. Regarding pressure loss, smaller pitch lengths and inserted wires with larger diameters resulted in larger pressure loss. The average liquid film thickness increased as the pitch length and the diameter of the inserted wire increased in the annular flow region. Both in the bubbly flow and annular flow regions, the effect of pitch length on swirl flow generation and pressure loss was more significant than that of the inserted wire diameters. Pitch length is a more dominant factor than inserted wire diameter for the design of the swirl flow generator in small diameter tubes.

Utility Bill Insert for Wastewater Services

Science.gov (United States)

Intended for use by wastewater and water supply utilities, one side of the utility bill insert has information for customers that discharge to sanitary sewer systems; the other side is for customers with septic systems.

Rock coasts and seabird breeding sites : a common optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Marie, Eveillard-Buchoux

2014-05-01

The North-West coasts of Europe support a lot of part of Northern hemisphere breeding seabirds. In that context, Scotland has a preponderant place and Brittany has southernmost limit of these species areas, for most of them. Outside the breeding season these species live mainly on the open sea and when they do visit the land to breed, they nest on a specific sites : almost all the time they breed on the rock coasts, often on seacliffs. This specific habitat are defines by geomorphological characteristics which offer special forms of the coast. The forms of rock coasts are originally and different because of several proprieties of geology, of lithology, of structures. Breeding seabird, occupying these sites, reveals, in a new light, the richness of these forms and the originals geographic location of the coastline : seabirds prefer nest in exposed coastline like rock caps, rocky points or islands. Seabirds and rock coasts are research topics in environmental geography since several years. However, these combination studies is a new approach in this field and enlargement in the heritage field allows supplement scientific approach. For example, it show that in most important touristic sites, environmental protection measures focused on landscape, habitat or bird, but much more rarely on rock coasts for these intrinsic values. Indeed, in Brittany or in Scotland, seabirds are often stars species in lot of coastal nature reserves, where they're considered like greater ecological heritage. We could see it in touristic promotion field : bird is everywhere, cliff is mostly kept in the dark, as well in leaflets as in speech visitor's guides - without, for example, as a part of this landscape. In all cases, combination of these two heritages is extremely rare. Yet, this current research illustrates the interest and the issue of development of this comparative approach seabirds / rock coasts for optimization of nature tourism and geotourism.

[The ISP (Safe Insertion of PICCs) protocol: a bundle of 8 recommendations to minimize the complications related to the peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICC)].

Science.gov (United States)

Emoli, Alessandro; Cappuccio, Serena; Marche, Bruno; Musarò, Andrea; Scoppettuolo, Giancarlo; Pittiruti, Mauro

2014-01-01

The ISP (Safe Insertion of PICCs) protocol: a bundle of 8 recommendations to minimize the complications related to the peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICC). The insertion of a peripherally inserted central venous catheter (PICC) is not without risks. The Italian Group for the Study of Long-Term Central Venous Access Devices (GAVeCeLT) has developed a protocol (SIP: Safe Implantation of PICCs) with the aim of minimizing the risks which may be associated with the placement of PICCs. The protocol is based on recommendations available in the literature and on the main clinical practice guidelines. The SIP protocol, a bundle of evidence-based recommendations, it is is easy to use, inexpensive, and cost-effective. If routinely used and carefully inplemented, it greatly reduces complications such as failure of venipuncture, accidental arterial puncture, damage of median nerve, infection and catheter related venous thrombosis.

Seamless lesion insertion in digital mammography: methodology and reader study

Science.gov (United States)

Pezeshk, Aria; Petrick, Nicholas; Sahiner, Berkman

2016-03-01

Collection of large repositories of clinical images containing verified cancer locations is costly and time consuming due to difficulties associated with both the accumulation of data and establishment of the ground truth. This problem poses a significant challenge to the development of machine learning algorithms that require large amounts of data to properly train and avoid overfitting. In this paper we expand the methods in our previous publications by making several modifications that significantly increase the speed of our insertion algorithms, thereby allowing them to be used for inserting lesions that are much larger in size. These algorithms have been incorporated into an image composition tool that we have made publicly available. This tool allows users to modify or supplement existing datasets by seamlessly inserting a real breast mass or micro-calcification cluster extracted from a source digital mammogram into a different location on another mammogram. We demonstrate examples of the performance of this tool on clinical cases taken from the University of South Florida Digital Database for Screening Mammography (DDSM). Finally, we report the results of a reader study evaluating the realism of inserted lesions compared to clinical lesions. Analysis of the radiologist scores in the study using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) methodology indicates that inserted lesions cannot be reliably distinguished from clinical lesions.

Guide tube insert assembly for use in a nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hopkins, R.J.; Land, J.T.

1992-01-01

This patent describes an internals assembly for a nuclear reactor of the type including an upper support plate and an upper core plate, each having apertures for conducting control rod assemblies into an out of fuel assemblies with the apertures of the upper support plate being aligned with the apertures of the upper core plate, a guide tube insert assembly comprising: an elongated tubular body extending between at least one of the aligned apertures formed in the upper support plate and the upper core plate; guide plates within the elongated tubular body, each of the guide plates having a planar surface extending substantially perpendicular to an axial direction of the tubular body; at least one interconnecting means for interconnecting the guide plates into a guide tube insert assembly such that the guide plates are simultaneously mountable within and removable from the elongated body, and the periphery of each of the guide plates is spaced apart from the inner walls of the elongated tubular body at every point when the insert assembly is mounted within the tubular body, and a stabilizing means for securing the lowermost guide plate of the guide tube insert assembly within the elongated tubular body to prevent rotational and lateral movement between the guide tube insert assembly and the tubular body

Insertion of liquid crystal molecules into hydrocarbon monolayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Popov, Piotr, E-mail: ppopov@kent.edu; Mann, Elizabeth K. [Department of Physics, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242 (United States); Lacks, Daniel J. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106 (United States); Jákli, Antal [Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242-0001 (United States)

2014-08-07

Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations were carried out to investigate the molecular mechanisms of vertical surface alignment of liquid crystals. We study the insertion of nCB (4-Cyano-4{sup ′}-n-biphenyl) molecules with n = 0,…,6 into a bent-core liquid crystal monolayer that was recently found to provide good vertical alignment for liquid crystals. The results suggest a complex-free energy landscape for the liquid crystal within the layer. The preferred insertion direction of the nCB molecules (core or tail first) varies with n, which can be explained by entropic considerations. The role of the dipole moments was found to be negligible. As vertical alignment is the leading form of present day liquid crystal displays (LCD), these results will help guide improvement of the LCD technology, as well as lend insight into the more general problem of insertion of biological and other molecules into lipid and surfactant layers.

HB+ inserted into the CMS Solenoid

CERN Multimedia

Tejinder S. Virdee, CERN

2006-01-01

The first half of the barrel hadron calorimeter (HB+) has been inserted into the superconducting solenoid of CMS, in preparation for the magnet test and cosmic challenge. The operation went smoothly, lasting a couple of days.

High aspect ratio catalytic reactor and catalyst inserts therefor

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Jiefeng; Kelly, Sean M.

2018-04-10

The present invention relates to high efficient tubular catalytic steam reforming reactor configured from about 0.2 inch to about 2 inch inside diameter high temperature metal alloy tube or pipe and loaded with a plurality of rolled catalyst inserts comprising metallic monoliths. The catalyst insert substrate is formed from a single metal foil without a central supporting structure in the form of a spiral monolith. The single metal foil is treated to have 3-dimensional surface features that provide mechanical support and establish open gas channels between each of the rolled layers. This unique geometry accelerates gas mixing and heat transfer and provides a high catalytic active surface area. The small diameter, high aspect ratio tubular catalytic steam reforming reactors loaded with rolled catalyst inserts can be arranged in a multi-pass non-vertical parallel configuration thermally coupled with a heat source to carry out steam reforming of hydrocarbon-containing feeds. The rolled catalyst inserts are self-supported on the reactor wall and enable efficient heat transfer from the reactor wall to the reactor interior, and lower pressure drop than known particulate catalysts. The heat source can be oxygen transport membrane reactors.

Observations on rotating needle insertions using a brachytherapy robot

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meltsner, M A; Ferrier, N J; Thomadsen, B R

2007-01-01

A robot designed for prostate brachytherapy implantations has the potential to greatly improve treatment success. Much of the research in robotic surgery focuses on measuring accuracy. However, there exist many factors that must be optimized before an analysis of needle placement accuracy can be determined. Some of these parameters include choice of the needle type, insertion velocity, usefulness of the rotating needle and rotation speed. These parameters may affect the force at which the needle interacts with the tissue. A reduction in force has been shown to decrease the compression of the prostate and potentially increase the accuracy of seed position. Rotating the needle as it is inserted may reduce frictional forces while increasing accuracy. However, needle rotations are considered to increase tissue damage due to the drilling nature of the insertion. We explore many of the factors involved in optimizing a brachytherapy robot, and the potential effects each parameter may have on the procedure. We also investigate the interaction of rotating needles in gel and suggest the rotate-cannula-only method of conical needle insertion to minimize any tissue damage while still maintaining the benefits of reduced force and increased accuracy

Forward and reverse genetics: The LORE1 retrotransposon insertion mutants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fukai, Eigo; Malolepszy, Anna; Sandal, Niels Nørgaard

2014-01-01

The endogenous Lotus retrotransposon 1 (LORE1) transposes in the germ line of Lotus japonicus plants that carry an active element. This feature of LORE1 has been exploited for generation of a large non-transgenic insertion mutant population, where insertions have been annotated using next-generat...

Perforation of the Urinary Bladder Caused by Transurethral Insertion of a Pencil for the Purpose of Masturbation in a 29-Year-Old Female

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Athanasios Bantis

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The urethra is a usual site of introduction of foreign bodies for autoerotic stimulation. We present an unusual case of bladder perforation caused by foreign body that was self-inserted in the urethra and consequently slipped inside the bladder in a 29-year-old female patient with psychiatric disease. The patient was referred to our department for macroscopic hematuria and abdominal pain. Imaging studies revealed the presence of a foreign body in the pelvic area which had perforated the left lateral wall of the bladder. The foreign body was removed via open cystotomy. In psychiatric patients hematuria and pelvic pain may result from insertion of a foreign body in the bladder usually during masturbation.

Research on the Influence of Orthopaedic Inserts on Pressure Distribution in the Foot

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ignas Rutulys

2011-02-01

Full Text Available The article examines the influence of individual orthopaedic inserts on pressure distribution in the foot. Feet deformations, types of orthopaedic inserts, materials and pressure in the foot testing methods are discussed. Experimental computer measurements of pressure in the foot before and after the use of inserts have been done. During research, the inserts made of different kinds of materials selected according to human weight, pathology, skin sensitivity and many other reasons has been used. It has been determinated that orthopaedic inserts have a more noticeable impact on children whose feet is adjusted easier if compared with those of adults.Article in Lithuanian

Customizable engineered blood vessels using 3D printed inserts.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinnock, Cameron B; Meier, Elizabeth M; Joshi, Neeraj N; Wu, Bin; Lam, Mai T

2016-04-15

Current techniques for tissue engineering blood vessels are not customizable for vascular size variation and vessel wall thickness. These critical parameters vary widely between the different arteries in the human body, and the ability to engineer vessels of varying sizes could increase capabilities for disease modeling and treatment options. We present an innovative method for producing customizable, tissue engineered, self-organizing vascular constructs by replicating a major structural component of blood vessels - the smooth muscle layer, or tunica media. We utilize a unique system combining 3D printed plate inserts to control construct size and shape, and cell sheets supported by a temporary fibrin hydrogel to encourage cellular self-organization into a tubular form resembling a natural artery. To form the vascular construct, 3D printed inserts are adhered to tissue culture plates, fibrin hydrogel is deposited around the inserts, and human aortic smooth muscle cells are then seeded atop the fibrin hydrogel. The gel, aided by the innate contractile properties of the smooth muscle cells, aggregates towards the center post insert, creating a tissue ring of smooth muscle cells. These rings are then stacked into the final tubular construct. Our methodology is robust, easily repeatable and allows for customization of cellular composition, vessel wall thickness, and length of the vessel construct merely by varying the size of the 3D printed inserts. This platform has potential for facilitating more accurate modeling of vascular pathology, serving as a drug discovery tool, or for vessel repair in disease treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stent insertion in patients with malignant biliary obstruction: problems of the Hanaro stent

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kwon, Jae Hyun; Seong, Chang Kyu; Shin, Tae Beom; Kim, Yong Joo [School of Medicine, Kyungpook National Univ., Daegu (Korea, Republic of); Jung, Gyoo Sik [School of Medicine, Kosin National Univ., Pusan (Korea, Republic of); Park, Byeung Ho [School of Medicine, Donga National Univ., Pusan (Korea, Republic of)

2002-07-01

To investigate the problems of the Hanaro stent (Solco Intermed, Seoul, Korea) when used in the palliative treatment of patients with inoperable malignant biliary obstruction. Between January 2000 and May 2001, the treatment of 46 patients with malignant biliary obstruction involved percutaneous placement of the Hanaro stent. Five patients encountered problems during removal of the stent's introduction system. The causes of obstruction were pancreatic carcinoma (n=2), cholangiocarcinoma (n=2), and gastric carcinoma with biliary invasion (n=1). In one patient, percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and stent insertion were performed as a one-step procedure, while the others underwent conventional percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage for at least two days prior to stent insertion. A self-expandable Hanaro stent, 8-10 mm in deameter and 50-100 mm in lengh, and made from a strand of nitinol wire, was used in all cases. Among the five patients who encountered problems, breakage of the olive tip occourred in three, upward displacement of the stent in two, and improper expansion of the distal portion of the stent, unrelated with the obstruction site, in one. The broken olive tip was pushed to the duodenum in two cases and to the peripheral intrahepatic duct in one. Where the stent migrated during withdrawal of its introduction system, an additional stent was inserted. In one case, the migrated stent was positioned near the liver capsule and the drainage catheter could not be removed. Although the number of patients in this study was limited, some difficulties were encountered in withdrawing the stent's introduction system. To prevent the occurrence of this unusual complication, the stent should be appropriately expansile, and shape in the olive tip should be considered.

Manganese oxide octahedral molecular sieves as insertion electrodes for rechargeable Mg batteries

KAUST Repository

Rasul, Shahid

2013-11-01

Magnesium has been inserted electrochemically into manganese oxide octahedral molecular sieves (OMS-5 MnO2) at room temperature. Discharge/charge profiles show that a large amount of Mg, i.e., 0.37 Mg/Mn can be inserted electrochemically using 1 M Mg(ClO4)2/AN electrolyte when OMS-5 is prepared in presence of acetylene black. X-ray diffraction analysis and discharge/charge profiles verify that a solid state solution reaction takes place upon Mg insertion into the host lattice with concurrent reduction of Mn4+ to Mn2+. However, upon each reduction of Mn by Mg insertion and resultant dissolution into electrolyte, decrease in the active compound occurs consequently. A low intrinsic electronic conductivity of OMS-5 was suggested to play a vital role in Mg insertion into the host. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Manganese oxide octahedral molecular sieves as insertion electrodes for rechargeable Mg batteries

KAUST Repository

Rasul, Shahid; Suzuki, Shinya; Yamaguchi, Shu; Miyayama, Masaru

2013-01-01

Magnesium has been inserted electrochemically into manganese oxide octahedral molecular sieves (OMS-5 MnO2) at room temperature. Discharge/charge profiles show that a large amount of Mg, i.e., 0.37 Mg/Mn can be inserted electrochemically using 1 M Mg(ClO4)2/AN electrolyte when OMS-5 is prepared in presence of acetylene black. X-ray diffraction analysis and discharge/charge profiles verify that a solid state solution reaction takes place upon Mg insertion into the host lattice with concurrent reduction of Mn4+ to Mn2+. However, upon each reduction of Mn by Mg insertion and resultant dissolution into electrolyte, decrease in the active compound occurs consequently. A low intrinsic electronic conductivity of OMS-5 was suggested to play a vital role in Mg insertion into the host. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Multi-species sequence comparison reveals dynamic evolution of the elastin gene that has involved purifying selection and lineage-specific insertions/deletions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Green Eric D

2004-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The elastin gene (ELN is implicated as a factor in both supravalvular aortic stenosis (SVAS and Williams Beuren Syndrome (WBS, two diseases involving pronounced complications in mental or physical development. Although the complete spectrum of functional roles of the processed gene product remains to be established, these roles are inferred to be analogous in human and mouse. This view is supported by genomic sequence comparison, in which there are no large-scale differences in the ~1.8 Mb sequence block encompassing the common region deleted in WBS, with the exception of an overall reversed physical orientation between human and mouse. Results Conserved synteny around ELN does not translate to a high level of conservation in the gene itself. In fact, ELN orthologs in mammals show more sequence divergence than expected for a gene with a critical role in development. The pattern of divergence is non-conventional due to an unusually high ratio of gaps to substitutions. Specifically, multi-sequence alignments of eight mammalian sequences reveal numerous non-aligning regions caused by species-specific insertions and deletions, in spite of the fact that the vast majority of aligning sites appear to be conserved and undergoing purifying selection. Conclusions The pattern of lineage-specific, in-frame insertions/deletions in the coding exons of ELN orthologous genes is unusual and has led to unique features of the gene in each lineage. These differences may indicate that the gene has a slightly different functional mechanism in mammalian lineages, or that the corresponding regions are functionally inert. Identified regions that undergo purifying selection reflect a functional importance associated with evolutionary pressure to retain those features.

Composition and structure of porcine digital flexor tendon-bone insertion tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandrasekaran, Sandhya; Pankow, Mark; Peters, Kara; Huang, Hsiao-Ying Shadow

2017-11-01

Tendon-bone insertion is a functionally graded tissue, transitioning from 200 MPa tensile modulus at the tendon end to 20 GPa tensile modulus at the bone, across just a few hundred micrometers. In this study, we examine the porcine digital flexor tendon insertion tissue to provide a quantitative description of its collagen orientation and mineral concentration by using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) based image analysis and mass spectrometry, respectively. Histological results revealed uniformity in global collagen orientation at all depths, indicative of mechanical anisotropy, although at mid-depth, the highest fiber density, least amount of dispersion, and least cellular circularity were evident. Collagen orientation distribution obtained through 2D FFT of histological imaging data from fluorescent microscopy agreed with past measurements based on polarized light microscopy. Results revealed global fiber orientation across the tendon-bone insertion to be preserved along direction of physiologic tension. Gradation in the fiber distribution orientation index across the insertion was reflective of a decrease in anisotropy from the tendon to the bone. We provided elemental maps across the fibrocartilage for its organic and inorganic constituents through time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). The apatite intensity distribution from the tendon to bone was shown to follow a linear trend, supporting past results based on Raman microprobe analysis. The merit of this study lies in the image-based simplified approach to fiber distribution quantification and in the high spatial resolution of the compositional analysis. In conjunction with the mechanical properties of the insertion tissue, fiber, and mineral distribution results for the insertion from this may potentially be incorporated into the development of a structural constitutive approach toward computational modeling. Characterizing the properties of the native insertion tissue would provide the

Life Cycle Assessment of Fiber-Reinforced Additive Manufacturing for Injection Molding Insert Production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hofstätter, Thomas; Stotz, Philippe Maurice; Bey, Niki

2017-01-01

Additively manufactured (AM) injection molding (IM) inserts have proved to be capable to substitute conventionally manufactured metal inserts with polymer-based insert enforced with short, virgin, unseized carbon fibers (CFs). It has been shown that the implementation of AM technology resulted......, this contribution provides a comparison of environmental performance of conventionally vs. additively manufactured inserts in a full life cycle perspective indicated in Figure 1, including materials, production, use and end-of-life (EoL) stages....

Common Childhood Orthopedic Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

... Parents Parents site Sitio para padres General Health Growth & Development Infections Diseases & Conditions Pregnancy & Baby Nutrition & Fitness Emotions & ... pain. Toe Walking Toe walking is common among toddlers as they learn to walk, especially during the ...

Poststroke upper-limb rehabilitation using 5 to 7 inserted microstimulators: implant procedure, safety, and efficacy for restoration of function.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Ross; Sparrow, Owen; Cosendai, Gregoire; Burridge, Jane H; Wulff, Christian; Turk, Ruth; Schulman, Joseph

2008-10-01

To investigate the feasibility of implanting microstimulators to deliver programmed nerve stimulation for sequenced muscle activation to recover arm-hand functions. By using a minimally invasive procedure and local anesthesia, 5 to 7 microstimulators can be safely and comfortably implanted adjacent to targeted radial nerve branches in the arm and forearm of 7 subjects with poststroke paresis. The microstimulators' position should remain stable with no tissue infection and can be programmed to produce effective personalized functional muscle activity with no discomfort for a preliminary 12-week study. Clinical testing, before and after the study, is reported in the accompanying study. Microstimulator implantations in a sterile operating room. Seven adults, with poststroke hemiparesis of 12 months or more. Under local anesthesia, a stimulating probe was inserted to identify radial nerve branches. Microstimulators were inserted by using an introducer and were retrievable for 6 days by attached suture. Each device was powered via a radiofrequency link from 2 external cuff coils connected to a control unit. To achieve low threshold values at the target sites with minimal implant discomfort. Microstimulators and external equipment were monitored over 12 weeks of exercise. Seven subjects were implanted with 41 microstimulators, 5 to 7 per subject, taking 3.5 to 6 hours. Implantation pain levels were 20% more than anticipated. No infections or microstimulator failures occurred. Mean nerve thresholds ranged between 4.0 to 7.7 microcoulomb/cm(2)/phase over 90 days, indicating that cathodes were within 2 to 4 mm of target sites. In 1 subject, 2 additional microstimulators were inserted. Microstimulators were safely implanted with no infection or failure. The system was reliable and programmed effectively to perform exercises at home for functional restoration.

The influence of solid particles density on parameters of multijet insert

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. Niedźwiedzki

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Some dependences between solid particles density, chosen geometry and exploitation parameters of multijet inserts and developmentof laminar motion in continuous multijet sedimentation process, are presented in this paper. Results are obtained from the analysis of the multijet sedimentation model considering development of laminar motion of the suspension in the multijet insert conduit of the settling tank. The range of the researches covered, in particular, quantities necessary for designing inserts of multijet settling tanks finding application in purifying suspended solids in casting processes. Discussed problem has practical and cognitive meanings and is a base for more efficient designing multijet settling tanks inserts applied in iron and steel industry. Application of most efficient construction and exploitation parameters allows designing devices of lower dimensions what is especially advantageous in casting works.

Qualidade das bulas de fitoterápicos no Brasil | Quality of the package inserts of phytomedicines in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcia Maria Barros dos Passos

2016-05-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar se as bulas de medicamentos fitoterápicos industrializados estão de acordo com a legislação nacional vigente. Foram analisadas 41 bulas dos medicamentos fitoterápicos compostos por alcachofra, castanha da Índia, ginkgo e sene, adquiridas nos sites das empresas titulares dos registros. A análise foi feita quanto à presença de itens segundo a RDC nº 47 de 2009 e ao conteúdo de indicação de uso, posologia e reações adversas comparada às bulas padrão e à literatura científica. A análise quantitativa provou que as bulas têm cumprido o que é exigido pela legislação vigente. No entanto, quanto à análise qualitativa, todos os fitoterápicos analisados neste trabalho possuíam pelo menos uma bula com erro relacionado à posologia, indicações de uso e reações adversas. Houve uma melhora gradativa das bulas dos medicamentos fitoterápicos, porém mesmo com as bulas padrão ainda existem erros, que podem induzir o paciente ao uso incorreto do medicamento. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The objective of this study was to assess whether the package inserts of industrialized phytomedicines are in line with current Brazilian legislation or not. Forty-one package inserts of phytomedicines containing artichoke, horse chestnut, ginkgo and senna were accessed in the respective proprietary websites and then analyzed. The analysis aimed to verify the presence of items required by the normative RDC 47/2009 and the usage indication, dosage and side effects compared to standard package inserts and to the scientific literature. Quantitative analysis proved that the package inserts are in accordance with the current legislation. However, in qualitative analysis, all phytomedicines analyzed in this study had at least one error related to dosage, posology or adverse reactions. A gradual improvement of the package inserts of phytomedicines has

Successful outcome of sphincterotomy and 7 French pigtail stent insertion in the management of post-cholecystectomy bile leaks.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Donnellan, Fergal

2009-06-01

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is widely used to manage post-cholecystectomy bile leaks. However, the best endoscopic intervention remains controversial. We investigated the success of a 7 French double pigtail stent following sphincterotomy in the management of such bile leaks. METHODS: Between July 1998 and June 2008, 48 patients were referred for ERCP for presumed post-cholecystectomy bile leaks. Leaks were confirmed at ERCP and managed by a combination of sphincterotomy and stent insertion unless contraindicated. RESULTS: Bile duct cannulation was successful in 44 (91.7%) patients. A leak of the cystic duct was demonstrated in 19 (43.2%) patients, the duct of Luschka in 11 (25.0%), and the common hepatic duct in 5 (11.4%). Complete transection of the common bile duct occurred in 4 patients. The remaining patients had no cholangiographic evidence of a leak. Sphincterotomy was performed in 34 patients. A 7 French double pigtail plastic stent was placed in all 35 patients with cholangiographic evidence of a bile leak. No bile leaks were demonstrated at a follow-up of 8-16 weeks and all stents were removed successfully. CONCLUSION: The combination of sphincterotomy and insertion of a 7 French double pigtail stent results in excellent outcomes in the management of post-cholecystectomy bile leaks.

Nursing care as a predictor of phlebitis related to insertion of a peripheral venous cannula in emergency departments: findings from a prospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Palese, A; Ambrosi, E; Fabris, F; Guarnier, A; Barelli, P; Zambiasi, P; Allegrini, E; Bazoli, L; Casson, P; Marin, M; Padovan, M; Picogna, M; Taddia, P; Salmaso, D; Chiari, P; Marognolli, O; Canzan, F; Saiani, L

2016-03-01

To date, few studies have investigated the occurrence of phlebitis related to insertion of a peripheral venous cannula (PVC) in an emergency department (ED). To describe the natural history of ED-inserted PVC site use; the occurrence and severity of PVC-related phlebitis; and associations with patient, PVC and nursing care factors. A prospective study was undertaken of 1262 patients treated as urgent cases in EDs who remained in a medical unit for at least 24h. The first PVC inserted was observed daily until its removal; phlebitis was measured using the Visual Infusion Phlebitis Scale. Data on patient, PVC, nursing care and organizational variables were collected, and a time-to-event analysis was performed. The prevalence of PVC-related phlebitis was 31%. The cumulative incidence (78/391) was almost 20% three days after insertion, and reached >50% (231/391) five days after insertion. Being in a specialized hospital [hazard ratio (HR) 0.583, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.366-0.928] and receiving more nursing care (HR 0.988, 95% CI 0.983-0.993) were protective against PVC-related phlebitis at all time points. Missed nursing care increased the incidence of PVC-related phlebitis by approximately 4% (HR 1.038, 95% CI 1.001-1.077). Missed nursing care and expertise of the nurses caring for the patient after PVC insertion affected the incidence of phlebitis; receiving more nursing care and being in a specialized hospital were associated with lower risk of PVC-related phlebitis. These are modifiable risk factors of phlebitis, suggesting areas for intervention at both hospital and unit level. Copyright © 2015 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multicenter surgical experience evaluation on the Mid-Scala electrode and insertion tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Gazibegovic, Dzemal; Bero, Eva M

2017-02-01

The HiFocus Mid-Scala electrode is intended to improve hearing for individuals with severe-to-profound hearing loss by providing extended electrical coverage of the cochlea while minimizing trauma related to insertion. The electrode is appropriate for use with a wide range of surgical techniques, including either a cochleostomy or round window insertion, and the use of either a free-hand or tool-assisted approach. The objective of this survey was to evaluate how the HiFocus Mid-Scala electrode and insertion tools was used across a population of cochlear implant recipients of differing ages, audiologic profiles, and anatomical characteristics. The intent was to understand the type and frequency of surgical techniques applicable with the electrode, and to provide guidelines for clinical practice. Two questionnaires were completed by surgeons at implant centres located in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Before any surgeries were conducted, surgeons completed a questionnaire that assessed their overall cochlear implant surgical practice and preferences. Following each HiFocus Mid-Scala electrode insertion, surgeons completed a questionnaire that summarized their experience during that surgical procedure. Questionnaires were completed by 32 surgeons from 16 centres for a total of 143 surgeries (112 adults, 31 children). Most surgeons (62 %) preferred to insert the electrode via the round window or an extended round window compared with a cochleostomy (16 %), whereas the remaining 22 % indicated that they made an insertion choice based on presenting anatomy. Sixty-nine percent preferred a free-hand approach over using insertion tools. In 32 procedures, surgeons elected to deviate from an intended round window insertion to either an extended round window or cochleostomy approach.

Archive-cup insert for liquid-metal sampling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, P.A.; Kolba, V.M.; Filewicz, E.C.; Holmes, J.T.

1975-01-01

An insert for collecting liquid-metal samples within a vertical casing including an elongated housing with an upper and a lower overflow seal of annular shape is described. The lower seal includes a centrally located pedestal on which a sample cup is disposed. Liquid metal enters the annulus of the upper seal and overflows into the cup which fills and overflows into the lower seal. Liquid-metal overflow from the lower seal is discharged from the insert. On cooling, the liquid metal trapped within the seals solidifies to hermetically isolate the metal sample within the cup. The device is particularly applicable for use with sampling systems on liquid metal-cooled reactors. (U.S.)

Detector control system of the ATLAS insertable B-Layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kersten, S.; Kind, P.; Lantzsch, K.; Maettig, P.; Zeitnitz, C.; Gensolen, F.; Citterio, M.; Meroni, C.; Verlaat, B.; Kovalenko, S.

2012-01-01

To improve tracking robustness and precision of the ATLAS inner tracker, an additional, fourth pixel layer is foreseen, called Insertable B-Layer (IBL). It will be installed between the innermost present Pixel layer and a new, smaller beam pipe and is presently under construction. As, once installed into the experiment, no access is possible, a highly reliable control system is required. It has to supply the detector with all entities required for operation and protect it at all times. Design constraints are the high power density inside the detector volume, the sensitivity of the sensors against heat-ups, and the protection of the front end electronics against transients. We present the architecture of the control system with an emphasis on the CO 2 cooling system, the power supply system, and protection strategies. As we aim for a common operation of Pixel and IBL detector, the integration of the IBL control system into the Pixel control system will also be discussed. (authors)

How Y-Family DNA polymerase IV is more accurate than Dpo4 at dCTP insertion opposite an N2-dG adduct of benzo[a]pyrene.

Science.gov (United States)

Sholder, Gabriel; Creech, Amanda; Loechler, Edward L

2015-11-01

To bypass DNA damage, cells have Y-Family DNA polymerases (DNAPs). One Y-Family-class includes DNAP κ and DNAP IV, which accurately insert dCTP opposite N(2)-dG adducts, including from the carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene (BP). Another class includes DNAP η and DNAP V, which insert accurately opposite UV-damage, but inaccurately opposite BP-N(2)-dG. To investigate structural differences between Y-Family-classes, regions are swapped between DNAP IV (a κ/IV-class-member) and Dpo4 (a η/V-class-member); the kinetic consequences are evaluated via primer-extension studies with a BP-N(2)-dG-containing template. Four key structural elements are revealed. (1) Y-Family DNAPs have discreet non-covalent contacts between their little finger-domain (LF-Domain) and their catalytic core-domain (CC-Domain), which we call "non-covalent bridges" (NCBs). Arg37 and Arg38 in DNAP IV's CC-Domain near the active site form a non-covalent bridge (AS-NCB) by interacting with Glu251 and Asp252, respectively, in DNAP IV's LF-Domain. Without these interactions dATP/dGTP/dTTP misinsertions increase. DNAP IV's AS-NCB suppresses misinsertions better than Dpo4's equivalent AS-NCB. (2) DNAP IV also suppresses dATP/dGTP/dTTP misinsertions via a second non-covalent bridge, which is ∼8Å from the active site (Distal-NCB). Dpo4 has no Distal-NCB, rendering it inferior at dATP/dGTP/dTTP suppression. (3) dCTP insertion is facilitated by the larger minor groove opening near the active site in DNAP IV versus Dpo4, which is sensible given that Watson/Crick-like [dCTP:BP-N(2)-dG] pairing requires the BP-moiety to be in the minor groove. (4) Compared to Dpo4, DNAP IV has a smaller major groove opening, which suppresses dGTP misinsertion, implying BP-N(2)-dG bulk in the major groove during Hoogsteen syn-adduct-dG:dGTP pairing. In summary, DNAP IV has a large minor groove opening to enhance dCTP insertion, a plugged major groove opening to suppress dGTP misinsertion, and two non-covalent bridges (near and distal

Lesion insertion in the projection domain: Methods and initial results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Baiyu; Leng, Shuai; Yu, Lifeng; Yu, Zhicong; Ma, Chi; McCollough, Cynthia

2015-01-01

Purpose: To perform task-based image quality assessment in CT, it is desirable to have a large number of realistic patient images with known diagnostic truth. One effective way of achieving this objective is to create hybrid images that combine patient images with inserted lesions. Because conventional hybrid images generated in the image domain fails to reflect the impact of scan and reconstruction parameters on lesion appearance, this study explored a projection-domain approach. Methods: Lesions were segmented from patient images and forward projected to acquire lesion projections. The forward-projection geometry was designed according to a commercial CT scanner and accommodated both axial and helical modes with various focal spot movement patterns. The energy employed by the commercial CT scanner for beam hardening correction was measured and used for the forward projection. The lesion projections were inserted into patient projections decoded from commercial CT projection data. The combined projections were formatted to match those of commercial CT raw data, loaded onto a commercial CT scanner, and reconstructed to create the hybrid images. Two validations were performed. First, to validate the accuracy of the forward-projection geometry, images were reconstructed from the forward projections of a virtual ACR phantom and compared to physically acquired ACR phantom images in terms of CT number accuracy and high-contrast resolution. Second, to validate the realism of the lesion in hybrid images, liver lesions were segmented from patient images and inserted back into the same patients, each at a new location specified by a radiologist. The inserted lesions were compared to the original lesions and visually assessed for realism by two experienced radiologists in a blinded fashion. Results: For the validation of the forward-projection geometry, the images reconstructed from the forward projections of the virtual ACR phantom were consistent with the images physically

Lesion insertion in the projection domain: Methods and initial results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Baiyu; Leng, Shuai; Yu, Lifeng; Yu, Zhicong; Ma, Chi; McCollough, Cynthia, E-mail: mccollough.cynthia@mayo.edu [Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905 (United States)

2015-12-15

Purpose: To perform task-based image quality assessment in CT, it is desirable to have a large number of realistic patient images with known diagnostic truth. One effective way of achieving this objective is to create hybrid images that combine patient images with inserted lesions. Because conventional hybrid images generated in the image domain fails to reflect the impact of scan and reconstruction parameters on lesion appearance, this study explored a projection-domain approach. Methods: Lesions were segmented from patient images and forward projected to acquire lesion projections. The forward-projection geometry was designed according to a commercial CT scanner and accommodated both axial and helical modes with various focal spot movement patterns. The energy employed by the commercial CT scanner for beam hardening correction was measured and used for the forward projection. The lesion projections were inserted into patient projections decoded from commercial CT projection data. The combined projections were formatted to match those of commercial CT raw data, loaded onto a commercial CT scanner, and reconstructed to create the hybrid images. Two validations were performed. First, to validate the accuracy of the forward-projection geometry, images were reconstructed from the forward projections of a virtual ACR phantom and compared to physically acquired ACR phantom images in terms of CT number accuracy and high-contrast resolution. Second, to validate the realism of the lesion in hybrid images, liver lesions were segmented from patient images and inserted back into the same patients, each at a new location specified by a radiologist. The inserted lesions were compared to the original lesions and visually assessed for realism by two experienced radiologists in a blinded fashion. Results: For the validation of the forward-projection geometry, the images reconstructed from the forward projections of the virtual ACR phantom were consistent with the images physically

Lesion insertion in the projection domain: Methods and initial results.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Baiyu; Leng, Shuai; Yu, Lifeng; Yu, Zhicong; Ma, Chi; McCollough, Cynthia

2015-12-01

To perform task-based image quality assessment in CT, it is desirable to have a large number of realistic patient images with known diagnostic truth. One effective way of achieving this objective is to create hybrid images that combine patient images with inserted lesions. Because conventional hybrid images generated in the image domain fails to reflect the impact of scan and reconstruction parameters on lesion appearance, this study explored a projection-domain approach. Lesions were segmented from patient images and forward projected to acquire lesion projections. The forward-projection geometry was designed according to a commercial CT scanner and accommodated both axial and helical modes with various focal spot movement patterns. The energy employed by the commercial CT scanner for beam hardening correction was measured and used for the forward projection. The lesion projections were inserted into patient projections decoded from commercial CT projection data. The combined projections were formatted to match those of commercial CT raw data, loaded onto a commercial CT scanner, and reconstructed to create the hybrid images. Two validations were performed. First, to validate the accuracy of the forward-projection geometry, images were reconstructed from the forward projections of a virtual ACR phantom and compared to physically acquired ACR phantom images in terms of CT number accuracy and high-contrast resolution. Second, to validate the realism of the lesion in hybrid images, liver lesions were segmented from patient images and inserted back into the same patients, each at a new location specified by a radiologist. The inserted lesions were compared to the original lesions and visually assessed for realism by two experienced radiologists in a blinded fashion. For the validation of the forward-projection geometry, the images reconstructed from the forward projections of the virtual ACR phantom were consistent with the images physically acquired for the ACR

Expanded polyglutamine embedded in the endoplasmic reticulum causes membrane distortion and coincides with Bax insertion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ueda, Masashi; Li, Shimo; Itoh, Masanori; Wang, Miao-xing; Hayakawa, Miki; Islam, Saiful; Tana; Nakagawa, Kiyomi [Department of Neurobiology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1194 (Japan); Chen, Huayue [Department of Anatomy, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1194 (Japan); Nakagawa, Toshiyuki, E-mail: tnakagaw@gifu-u.ac.jp [Department of Neurobiology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1194 (Japan)

2016-05-27

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is important in various cellular functions, such as secretary and membrane protein biosynthesis, lipid synthesis, and calcium storage. ER stress, including membrane distortion, is associated with many diseases such as Huntington's disease. In particular, nuclear envelope distortion is related to neuronal cell death associated with polyglutamine. However, the mechanism by which polyglutamine causes ER membrane distortion remains unclear. We used electron microscopy, fluorescence protease protection assay, and alkaline treatment to analyze the localization of polyglutamine in cells. We characterized polyglutamine embedded in the ER membrane and noted an effect on morphology, including the dilation of ER luminal space and elongation of ER-mitochondria contact sites, in addition to the distortion of the nuclear envelope. The polyglutamine embedded in the ER membrane was observed at the same time as Bax insertion. These results demonstrated that the ER membrane may be a target of polyglutamine, which triggers cell death through Bax. -- Highlights: •We characterized polyglutamine embedded in the ER membrane. •The polyglutamine embedded in the ER membrane was observed at the same time as Bax insertion. •The ER membrane may be a target of polyglutamine, which triggers cell death.

Oxidation promotes insertion of the CLIC1 chloride intracellular channel into the membrane.

Science.gov (United States)

Goodchild, Sophia C; Howell, Michael W; Cordina, Nicole M; Littler, Dene R; Breit, Samuel N; Curmi, Paul M G; Brown, Louise Jennifer

2009-12-01

Members of the chloride intracellular channel (CLIC) family exist primarily as soluble proteins but can also auto-insert into cellular membranes to form ion channels. While little is known about the process of CLIC membrane insertion, a unique feature of mammalian CLIC1 is its ability to undergo a dramatic structural metamorphosis between a monomeric glutathione-S-transferase homolog and an all-helical dimer upon oxidation in solution. Whether this oxidation-induced metamorphosis facilitates CLIC1 membrane insertion is unclear. In this work, we have sought to characterise the role of oxidation in the process of CLIC1 membrane insertion. We examined how redox conditions modify the ability of CLIC1 to associate with and insert into the membrane using fluorescence quenching studies and a sucrose-loaded vesicle sedimentation assay to measure membrane binding. Our results suggest that oxidation of monomeric CLIC1, in the presence of membranes, promotes insertion into the bilayer more effectively than the oxidised CLIC1 dimer.

Does a paresthesia during spinal needle insertion indicate intrathecal needle placement?

Science.gov (United States)

Pong, Ryan P; Gmelch, Benjamin S; Bernards, Christopher M

2009-01-01

Paresthesias are relatively common during spinal needle insertion, however, the clinical significance of the paresthesia is unknown. A paresthesia may result from needle-to-nerve contact with a spinal nerve in the epidural space, or, with far lateral needle placement, may result from contact with a spinal nerve within the intervertebral foramen. However, it is also possible and perhaps more likely, that paresthesias occur when the spinal needle contacts a spinal nerve root within the subarachnoid space. This study was designed to test this latter hypothesis. Patients (n = 104) scheduled for surgery under spinal anesthesia were observed during spinal needle insertion. If a paresthesia occurred, the needle was fixed in place and the stylet removed to observe whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flowed from the hub. The presence of CSF was considered proof that the needle had entered the subarachnoid space. Paresthesias occurred in 14/103 (13.6%) of patients; 1 patient experienced a paresthesia twice. All paresthesias were transient. Following a paresthesia, CSF was observed in the needle hub 86.7% (13/15) of the time. Our data suggest that the majority of transient paresthesias occur when the spinal needle enters the subarachnoid space and contacts a spinal nerve root. Therefore, when transient paresthesias occur during spinal needle placement it is appropriate to stop and assess for the presence of CSF in the needle hub, rather than withdraw and redirect the spinal needle away from the side of the paresthesia as some authors have suggested.

Variation in the insertion of the palmaris longus tendon

Science.gov (United States)

Sunil, Vinutha; Rajanna, Shubha; Gitanjali; Kadaba, Jayanthi

2015-01-01

The palmaris longus is harvested as a tendon graft in various surgical procedures. We herein report the variations in the insertion of the palmaris longus tendon. During a routine dissection, a rare variation in the insertion of the palmaris longus tendon was observed. In the left forearm, the palmaris longus tendon bifurcated, while in the right forearm, the palmaris longus tendon trifurcated, giving rise to an accessory muscle, which passed superficial to the ulnar artery and ulnar nerve. The accessory muscle was supplied by a deep branch of the ulnar nerve, and the ulnar artery was observed to be tortuous. During reconstructive surgeries, surgeons should bear in mind the accessory muscle. Also, since the palmaris longus muscle provides a very useful graft in tendon surgery, every surgeon should be aware of the variations in the insertion of the palmaris longus tendon. PMID:25640108

Precision grid and hand motion for accurate needle insertion in brachytherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGill, Carl S.; Schwartz, Jonathon A.; Moore, Jason Z.; McLaughlin, Patrick W.; Shih, Albert J.

2011-01-01

Purpose: In prostate brachytherapy, a grid is used to guide a needle tip toward a preplanned location within the tissue. During insertion, the needle deflects en route resulting in target misplacement. In this paper, 18-gauge needle insertion experiments into phantom were performed to test effects of three parameters, which include the clearance between the grid hole and needle, the thickness of the grid, and the needle insertion speed. Measurement apparatus that consisted of two datum surfaces and digital depth gauge was developed to quantify needle deflections. Methods: The gauge repeatability and reproducibility (GR and R) test was performed on the measurement apparatus, and it proved to be capable of measuring a 2 mm tolerance from the target. Replicated experiments were performed on a 2 3 factorial design (three parameters at two levels) and analysis included averages and standard deviation along with an analysis of variance (ANOVA) to find significant single and two-way interaction factors. Results: Results showed that grid with tight clearance hole and slow needle speed increased precision and accuracy of needle insertion. The tight grid was vital to enhance precision and accuracy of needle insertion for both slow and fast insertion speed; additionally, at slow speed the tight, thick grid improved needle precision and accuracy. Conclusions: In summary, the tight grid is important, regardless of speed. The grid design, which shows the capability to reduce the needle deflection in brachytherapy procedures, can potentially be implemented in the brachytherapy procedure.

Automatic insertion of simulated microcalcification clusters in a software breast phantom

Science.gov (United States)

Shankla, Varsha; Pokrajac, David D.; Weinstein, Susan P.; DeLeo, Michael; Tuite, Catherine; Roth, Robyn; Conant, Emily F.; Maidment, Andrew D.; Bakic, Predrag R.

2014-03-01

An automated method has been developed to insert realistic clusters of simulated microcalcifications (MCs) into computer models of breast anatomy. This algorithm has been developed as part of a virtual clinical trial (VCT) software pipeline, which includes the simulation of breast anatomy, mechanical compression, image acquisition, image processing, display and interpretation. An automated insertion method has value in VCTs involving large numbers of images. The insertion method was designed to support various insertion placement strategies, governed by probability distribution functions (pdf). The pdf can be predicated on histological or biological models of tumor growth, or estimated from the locations of actual calcification clusters. To validate the automated insertion method, a 2-AFC observer study was designed to compare two placement strategies, undirected and directed. The undirected strategy could place a MC cluster anywhere within the phantom volume. The directed strategy placed MC clusters within fibroglandular tissue on the assumption that calcifications originate from epithelial breast tissue. Three radiologists were asked to select between two simulated phantom images, one from each placement strategy. Furthermore, questions were posed to probe the rationale behind the observer's selection. The radiologists found the resulting cluster placement to be realistic in 92% of cases, validating the automated insertion method. There was a significant preference for the cluster to be positioned on a background of adipose or mixed adipose/fibroglandular tissues. Based upon these results, this automated lesion placement method will be included in our VCT simulation pipeline.

Human MLH1 suppresses the insertion of telomeric sequences at intra-chromosomal sites in telomerase-expressing cells

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Pingping; Chastain, Megan; Zou, Ying; Her, Chengtao

2017-01-01

Abstract Aberrant formation of interstitial telomeric sequences (ITSs) promotes genome instabilities. However, it is unclear how aberrant ITS formation is suppressed in human cells. Here, we report that MLH1, a key protein involved in mismatch repair (MMR), suppresses telomeric sequence insertion (TSI) at intra-chromosomal regions. The frequency of TSI can be elevated by double-strand break (DSB) inducer and abolished by ATM/ATR inhibition. Suppression of TSI requires MLH1 recruitment to DSBs, indicating that MLH1's role in DSB response/repair is important for suppressing TSI. Moreover, TSI requires telomerase activity but is independent of the functional status of p53 and Rb. Lastly, we show that TSI is associated with chromosome instabilities including chromosome loss, micronuclei formation and chromosome breakage that are further elevated by replication stress. Our studies uncover a novel link between MLH1, telomerase, telomere and genome stability. PMID:28180301

Gamma reactivation using the spongy effect of KLF1-binding site sequence: an approach in gene therapy for beta-thalassemia

Science.gov (United States)

Heydari, Nasrin; Shariati, Laleh; Khanahmad, Hossein; Hejazi, Zahra; Shahbazi, Mansoureh; Salehi, Mansoor

2016-01-01

Objective(s): β-thalassemia is one of the most common genetic disorders in the world. As one of the promising treatment strategies, fetal hemoglobin (Hb F) can be induced. The present study was an attempt to reactivate the γ-globin gene by introducing a gene construct containing KLF1 binding sites to the K562 cell line. Materials and Methods: A plasmid containing a 192 bp sequence with two repeats of KLF1 binding sites on β-globin and BCL11A promoters was constructed and used to transfect the K562 cell line. Positive selection was performed under treatment with 150 μg/ml hygromycin B. The remaining cells were expanded and harvested on day 28, and genomic DNA was extracted. The PCR was carried out to verify insertion of DNA fragment to the genome of K562 cells. The cells were differentiated with 15 μg/ml cisplatin. Flowcytometry was performed to identify erythroid differentiation by detection of CD235a+ cells. Real-time RT-PCR was performed to evaluate γ-globin expression in the transfected cells. Results: A 1700 bp fragment was observed on agarose gel as expected and insertion of DNA fragment to the genome of K562 cells was verified. Totally, 84% of cells were differentiated. The transfected cells significantly increased γ-globin expression after differentiation compared to untransfected ones. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that the spongy effect of KLF1-binding site on BCL11A and β-globin promoters can induce γ-globin expression in K562 cells. This novel strategy can be promising for the treatment of β-thalassemia and sickle cell disease. PMID:27872702

Angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion gene ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion gene polymorphism in cystic fibrosis patients. Sabrine Oueslati Sondess Hadj Fredj Hajer Siala Amina Bibi Hajer Aloulou Lamia Boughamoura Khadija Boussetta Sihem Barsaoui Taieb Messaoud. Research Note Volume 95 Issue 1 March 2016 pp 193-196 ...

Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Insertion/Deletion Gene ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Insertion/Deletion Gene Polymorphism: An Observational Study among Diabetic Hypertensive Subjects in Malaysia. ... Methods: The pharmacological effect of ACE inhibition on mean arterial pressure (MAP) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were observed among a total of 62 subjects for ...

Hardening device, by inserts, of electronic component against radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Val, C.

1987-01-01

The hardening device includes at least two materials, one with high atomic number with respect to the other. One of these materials is set as inserts in a layer of the other material. The hardening device is then made by stacking of such layers, the insert density varying from one layer to the other, making thus vary the atomic number resulting from the hardening device along its thickness, following a predefined law [fr

Otological Findings Ten Years after Myringotomy with Tympanostomy Tube Insertion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Goljanian Tabrizi

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: To study the long-term complications of tympanostomy tube insertion in young children 10 years after surgery.   Materials and Methods: In September 2011, the medical records of all patients who had undergone myringotomy with tympanostomy tube insertion between February 2000 and March 2001 at the two general hospitals of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences were studied. Of the 98 patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, 82 patients agreed to participate and were enrolled in the study. The complications of the operation were evaluated in these patients.   Results: Of the 164 ears that were operated on, myringosclerosis was found in 17.1%, atrophy of the tympanic membrane in 1.2%, permanent perforation of the tympanic membrane in 0.6% and tympanic membrane atelectasis in 0.6%. None of the patients developed cholesteatoma as a complication of tympanostomy tube insertion.   Conclusion:  Considering the low risk of serious complications after 10 years, tympanostomy tube insertion is a safe and effective treatment option in the treatment of otitis media with effusion.

Low insertion loss SOI microring resonator integrated with nano-taper couplers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pu, Minhao; Frandsen, Lars Hagedorn; Ou, Haiyan

2009-01-01

We demonstrate a microring resonator working at TM mode integrated with nano-taper couplers with 3.6dB total insertion loss. The measured insertion loss of the nano-taper coupler was only 1.3dB for TM mode....

Verification of Triple Modular Redundancy (TMR) Insertion for Reliable and Trusted Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Berg, Melanie; LaBel, Kenneth A.

2016-01-01

We propose a method for TMR insertion verification that satisfies the process for reliable and trusted systems. If a system is expected to be protected using TMR, improper insertion can jeopardize the reliability and security of the system. Due to the complexity of the verification process, there are currently no available techniques that can provide complete and reliable confirmation of TMR insertion. This manuscript addresses the challenge of confirming that TMR has been inserted without corruption of functionality and with correct application of the expected TMR topology. The proposed verification method combines the usage of existing formal analysis tools with a novel search-detect-and-verify tool. Field programmable gate array (FPGA),Triple Modular Redundancy (TMR),Verification, Trust, Reliability,

Parametric mechanical design of new insertion devices at the APS.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grimmer, J.; Kmak, R.

2005-01-01

Three permanent-magnet, planar, hybrid insertion device (ID) designs have recently been completed at the APS. The periods of these undulators are 2.7 cm, 3.0 cm and 3.5 cm with nominal lengths of 2.4 m. Several design studies were performed for the initial 2.7-cm-period device. Then a parametric solid model for the initial device was developed and value engineered to minimize manufacturing, assembly and tuning costs. The model allowed the very rapid design of subsequent devices of similar periods and allowed commonality of several components of the IDs. This design family incorporates a low-cost method of pole retention and registration. Poles are secured by screws in two holes tapped into each pole. Pole location is registered by means of two small dowel pins in mating holes reamed into each pole and a 'divider' plate common to the poles and magnets. This divider plate is flexible along its length so shimming behind it can be used to accurately change the height of a pair of poles for tuning. Another feature of the design is modular construction to allow each device to be used full length or shortened to a nominal 2.1 m length for use in APS 'canted undulator' sectors.

Restriction site extension PCR: a novel method for high-throughput characterization of tagged DNA fragments and genome walking.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiabing Ji

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Insertion mutant isolation and characterization are extremely valuable for linking genes to physiological function. Once an insertion mutant phenotype is identified, the challenge is to isolate the responsible gene. Multiple strategies have been employed to isolate unknown genomic DNA that flanks mutagenic insertions, however, all these methods suffer from limitations due to inefficient ligation steps, inclusion of restriction sites within the target DNA, and non-specific product generation. These limitations become close to insurmountable when the goal is to identify insertion sites in a high throughput manner. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We designed a novel strategy called Restriction Site Extension PCR (RSE-PCR to efficiently conduct large-scale isolation of unknown genomic DNA fragments linked to DNA insertions. The strategy is a modified adaptor-mediated PCR without ligation. An adapter, with complementarity to the 3' overhang of the endonuclease (KpnI, NsiI, PstI, or SacI restricted DNA fragments, extends the 3' end of the DNA fragments in the first cycle of the primary RSE-PCR. During subsequent PCR cycles and a second semi-nested PCR (secondary RSE-PCR, touchdown and two-step PCR are combined to increase the amplification specificity of target fragments. The efficiency and specificity was demonstrated in our characterization of 37 tex mutants of Arabidopsis. All the steps of RSE-PCR can be executed in a 96 well PCR plate. Finally, RSE-PCR serves as a successful alternative to Genome Walker as demonstrated by gene isolation from maize, a plant with a more complex genome than Arabidopsis. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: RSE-PCR has high potential application in identifying tagged (T-DNA or transposon sequence or walking from known DNA toward unknown regions in large-genome plants, with likely application in other organisms as well.

Splice, insertion-deletion and nonsense mutations that perturb the phenylalanine hydroxylase transcript cause phenylketonuria in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Bashyam, Murali D; Chaudhary, Ajay K; Kiran, Manjari; Nagarajaram, Hampapathalu A; Devi, Radha Rama; Ranganath, Prajnya; Dalal, Ashwin; Bashyam, Leena; Gupta, Neerja; Kabra, Madhulika; Muranjan, Mamta; Puri, Ratna D; Verma, Ishwar C; Nampoothiri, Sheela; Kadandale, Jayarama S

2014-03-01

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder caused by mutational inactivation of the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene. Missense mutations are the most common PAH mutation type detected in PKU patients worldwide. We performed PAH mutation analysis in 27 suspected Indian PKU families (including 7 from our previous study) followed by structure and function analysis of specific missense and splice/insertion-deletion/nonsense mutations, respectively. Of the 27 families, disease-causing mutations were detected in 25. A total of 20 different mutations were identified of which 7 "unique" mutations accounted for 13 of 25 mutation positive families. The unique mutations detected exclusively in Indian PKU patients included three recurrent mutations detected in three families each. The 20 mutations included only 5 missense mutations in addition to 5 splice, 4 each nonsense and insertion-deletion mutations, a silent variant in coding region and a 3'UTR mutation. One deletion and two nonsense mutations were characterized to confirm significant reduction in mutant transcript levels possibly through activation of nonsense mediated decay. All missense mutations affected conserved amino acid residues and sequence and structure analysis suggested significant perturbations in the enzyme activity of respective mutant proteins. This is probably the first report of identification of a significantly low proportion of missense PAH mutations from PKU families and together with the presence of a high proportion of splice, insertion-deletion, and nonsense mutations, points to a unique PAH mutation profile in Indian PKU patients. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Have we found an optimal insertion site in a Newcastle disease virus vector to express a foreign gene for vaccine and gene therapy purposes?

Science.gov (United States)

Using reverse genetics technology, many strains of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) have been developed as vectors to express foreign genes for vaccine and gene therapy purposes. The foreign gene is usually inserted into a non-coding region of the NDV genome as an independent transcription unit. Eval...

Indentation and needle insertion properties of the human eye.

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, A; Hutnik, C; Hill, K; Newson, T; Chan, T; Campbell, G

2014-07-01

Characterization of the biomechanical properties of the human eye has a number of potential utilities. One novel purpose is to provide the basis for development of suitable tissue-mimicking material. The purpose of this study was to determine the indentation and needle insertion characteristics on human eye globes and tissue strips. An indenter assessed the elastic response of human eye globes and tissue strips under increasing compressive loads. Needle insertion determined the force (N) needed to penetrate various areas of the eye wall. The results demonstrated that globes underwent slightly greater indentation at the midline than at the central cornea, and corneal strips indented twofold more than scleral strips, although neither difference was significant (P=0.400 and P=0.100, respectively). Significant differences were observed among various areas of needle insertion (Phuman eye construct with potential utility as a model for use in ophthalmology research and surgical teaching.

Effect of Needle Aspiration of Pneumothorax on Subsequent Chest Drain Insertion in Newborns

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Murphy, Madeleine C; Heiring, Christian; Doglioni, Nicoletta

2018-01-01

Importance: Treatment options for a symptomatic pneumothorax in newborns include needle aspiration (NA) and chest drain (CD) insertion. There is little consensus as to the preferred treatment, reflecting a lack of evidence from clinical trials. Objective: To investigate whether treating pneumotho......Importance: Treatment options for a symptomatic pneumothorax in newborns include needle aspiration (NA) and chest drain (CD) insertion. There is little consensus as to the preferred treatment, reflecting a lack of evidence from clinical trials. Objective: To investigate whether treating...... was 5 tertiary European neonatal intensive care units. Infants receiving respiratory support (endotracheal ventilation, continuous positive airway pressure, or supplemental oxygen >40%) who had a pneumothorax on CR that clinicians deemed needed treatment were eligible for inclusion. Interventions...... was inserted if clinicians deemed that the response was inadequate. For CD insertion, a drain was inserted between the ribs and was left in situ. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was whether a CD was inserted on the side of the pneumothorax within 6 hours of diagnosis. Results: A total of 76...

Effect of insertion depth on helical antenna performance in a muscle-equivalent phantom

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reeves, J W; Meeson, S; Birch, M J [Department of Clinical Physics, Royal London Hospital, 56-76 Ashfield Street, London, E1 1BB (United Kingdom)

2005-06-21

Barrett's oesophagus is considered to increase the risk of cancer 30 fold. A set of helical microwave antennas was designed to investigate their potential use in the thermal therapy of Barrett's oesophagus. For treatment, a balloon filled with muscle-equivalent material encapsulates the antenna. The effects of insertion depth and coil-spacing on the thermal distribution produced by the antennas (20-35 mm) were characterized. The 35 mm helical antenna, with a coil-spacing of 3.6 mm resulted in uniform heating for an insertion depth of 40 mm. It was observed that the resultant temperature distribution produced, by the antennas, was dependent on the insertion depth within the phantom. For all antennas studied, deeper insertion resulted in two high intensity regions, approximately 1/4 and 3/4 along the antenna length. In contrast, shallow insertion resulted in predominant tip heating with undesirable heating at the phantom entry point. However, by manipulating the coil-spacing of the helix, uniform temperature profiles were achieved for a range of insertion depths.