WorldWideScience

Sample records for excessive signaling leads

  1. Excessive nitrite affects zebrafish valvulogenesis through yielding too much NO signaling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junbo Li

    Full Text Available Sodium nitrite, a common food additive, exists widely not only in the environment but also in our body. Excessive nitrite causes toxicological effects on human health; however, whether it affects vertebrate heart valve development remains unknown. In vertebrates, developmental defects of cardiac valves usually lead to congenital heart disease. To understand the toxic effects of nitrite on valvulogenesis, we exposed zebrafish embryos with different concentrations of sodium nitrite. Our results showed that sodium nitrite caused developmental defects of zebrafish heart dose dependently. It affected zebrafish heart development starting from 36 hpf (hour post fertilization when heart initiates looping process. Comprehensive analysis on the embryos at 24 hpf and 48 hpf showed that excessive nitrite did not affect blood circulation, vascular network, myocardium and endocardium development. But development of endocardial cells in atrioventricular canal (AVC of the embryos at 48 hpf was disrupted by too much nitrite, leading to defective formation of primitive valve leaflets at 76 hpf. Consistently, excessive nitrite diminished expressions of valve progenitor markers including bmp4, has2, vcana and notch1b at 48 hpf. Furthermore, 3', 5'-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP, downstream of nitric oxide (NO signaling, was increased its level significantly in the embryos exposed with excessive nitrite and microinjection of soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor ODQ (1H-[1], [2], [4]Oxadiazolo[4,3-a] quinoxalin-1-one, an antagonist of NO signaling, into nitrite-exposed embryos could partly rescue the cardiac valve malformation. Taken together, our results show that excessive nitrite affects early valve leaflet formation by producing too much NO signaling.

  2. Excess HB-EGF, which promotes VEGF signaling, leads to hydrocephalus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shim, Joon W.; Sandlund, Johanna; Hameed, Mustafa Q.; Blazer-Yost, Bonnie; Zhou, Feng C.; Klagsbrun, Michael; Madsen, Joseph R.

    2016-01-01

    Heparin binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is an angiogenic factor mediating radial migration of the developing forebrain, while vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is known to influence rostral migratory stream in rodents. Cell migratory defects have been identified in animal models of hydrocephalus; however, the relationship between HB-EGF and hydrocephalus is unclear. We show that mice overexpressing human HB-EGF with β-galactosidase reporter exhibit an elevated VEGF, localization of β-galactosidase outside the subventricular zone (SVZ), subarachnoid hemorrhage, and ventriculomegaly. In Wistar polycystic kidney rats with hydrocephalus, alteration of migratory trajectory is detected. Furthermore, VEGF infusions into the rats result in ventriculomegaly with an increase of SVZ neuroblast in rostral migratory stream, whereas VEGF ligand inhibition prevents it. Our results support the idea that excess HB-EGF leads to a significant elevation of VEGF and ventricular dilatation. These data suggest a potential pathophysiological mechanism that elevated HB-EGF can elicit VEGF induction and hydrocephalus. PMID:27243144

  3. Parkin protects dopaminergic neurons from excessive Wnt/β-catenin signaling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rawal, Nina; Corti, Olga; Sacchetti, Paola; Ardilla-Osorio, Hector; Sehat, Bita; Brice, Alexis; Arenas, Ernest

    2009-01-01

    Parkinson's disease (PD) is caused by degeneration of the dopaminergic (DA) neurons of the substantia nigra but the molecular mechanisms underlying the degenerative process remain elusive. Several reports suggest that cell cycle deregulation in post-mitotic neurons could lead to neuronal cell death. We now show that Parkin, an E3 ubiquitin ligase linked to familial PD, regulates β-catenin protein levels in vivo. Stabilization of β-catenin in differentiated primary ventral midbrain neurons results in increased levels of cyclin E and proliferation, followed by increased levels of cleaved PARP and loss of DA neurons. Wnt3a signaling also causes death of post-mitotic DA neurons in parkin null animals, suggesting that both increased stabilization and decreased degradation of β-catenin results in DA cell death. These findings demonstrate a novel regulation of Wnt signaling by Parkin and suggest that Parkin protects DA neurons against excessive Wnt signaling and β-catenin-induced cell death.

  4. Parkin protects dopaminergic neurons from excessive Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rawal, Nina [Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, MBB, DBRM, Karolinska Institute, S-17177 Stockholm (Sweden); Corti, Olga [Universite Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, CRICM UMR-S975, Inserm, U975 (France); CNRS, UMR 7225, Paris (France); Sacchetti, Paola [Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, MBB, DBRM, Karolinska Institute, S-17177 Stockholm (Sweden); Ardilla-Osorio, Hector [Universite Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, CRICM UMR-S975, Inserm, U975 (France); CNRS, UMR 7225, Paris (France); Sehat, Bita [Cancer Center Karolinska, Karolinska Institute, S-17177 Stockholm (Sweden); Brice, Alexis [Universite Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, CRICM UMR-S975, Inserm, U975 (France); CNRS, UMR 7225, Paris (France); Department of Genetics and Cytogenetics, AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Pitie-Salpetriere, Paris (France); Arenas, Ernest, E-mail: Ernest.Arenas@ki.se [Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, MBB, DBRM, Karolinska Institute, S-17177 Stockholm (Sweden)

    2009-10-23

    Parkinson's disease (PD) is caused by degeneration of the dopaminergic (DA) neurons of the substantia nigra but the molecular mechanisms underlying the degenerative process remain elusive. Several reports suggest that cell cycle deregulation in post-mitotic neurons could lead to neuronal cell death. We now show that Parkin, an E3 ubiquitin ligase linked to familial PD, regulates {beta}-catenin protein levels in vivo. Stabilization of {beta}-catenin in differentiated primary ventral midbrain neurons results in increased levels of cyclin E and proliferation, followed by increased levels of cleaved PARP and loss of DA neurons. Wnt3a signaling also causes death of post-mitotic DA neurons in parkin null animals, suggesting that both increased stabilization and decreased degradation of {beta}-catenin results in DA cell death. These findings demonstrate a novel regulation of Wnt signaling by Parkin and suggest that Parkin protects DA neurons against excessive Wnt signaling and {beta}-catenin-induced cell death.

  5. NCHS - Potentially Excess Deaths from the Five Leading Causes of Death

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Potentially Excess Deaths from the Five Leading Causes of Death in Nonmetropolitan and Metropolitan Areas, United States, 2005-2015. Mortality data for U.S....

  6. Atmospheric influence on the deuterium excess signal in polar firn - implications for ice core interpretation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schlosser, Elisabeth; Oerter, H.; Masson-Delmotte, V.; Reijmer, C.H.

    2008-01-01

    The seasonal deuterium excess signal of fresh snow samples from Neumayer station, coastal Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica, was studied to investigate the relationship between deuterium excess and precipitation origin. An isotope model was combined with a trajectory model to determine the relative

  7. Enhanced Global Signal of Neutral Hydrogen Due to Excess Radiation at Cosmic Dawn

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Chang; Holder, Gilbert

    2018-05-01

    We revisit the global 21 cm signal calculation incorporating a possible radio background at early times, and find that the global 21 cm signal shows a much stronger absorption feature, which could enhance detection prospects for future 21 cm experiments. In light of recent reports of a possible low-frequency excess radio background, we propose that detailed 21 cm calculations should include a possible early radio background.

  8. Electric field dependence of excess electrical conductivity below transition temperature in thin superconducting lead films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ashwini Kumar, P K; Duggal, V P [Delhi Univ. (India). Dept. of Physics and Astrophysics

    1976-01-26

    Results of measurements of the electric field dependence of the excess electrical conductivity are reported in thin superconducting lead films below the transition temperature. It is observed that the normal state sheet resistance has some effect on the nonlinearity but the theory of Yamaji still fits well to the experimental data.

  9. Probability of background to produce a signal-like excess, for all Higgs masses tested.

    CERN Document Server

    ATLAS, collaboration

    2012-01-01

    The probability of background to produce a signal-like excess, for all the Higgs boson masses tested. At almost all masses, the probability (solid curve) is at least a few percent; however, at 126.5 GeV it dips to 3x10-7, or one chance in three million, the '5-sigma' gold-standard normally used for the discovery of a new particle. A Standard Model Higgs boson with that mass would produce a dip to 4.6 sigma.

  10. Transient gestational exposure to drinking water containing excess hexavalent chromium modifies insulin signaling in liver and skeletal muscle of rat progeny.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shobana, Navaneethabalakrishnan; Aruldhas, Mariajoseph Michael; Tochhawng, Lalmuankimi; Loganathan, Ayyalu; Balaji, Sadhasivam; Kumar, Mani Kathiresh; Banu, Liaquat Alikhan Sheerin; Navin, Ajit Kumar; Mayilvanan, Chinnaiyan; Ilangovan, Ramachandran; Balasubramanian, Karundevi

    2017-11-01

    Chromium (Cr), an essential micronutrient potentiates insulin action, whereas excess hexavalent Cr (CrVI) acts as an endocrine disruptor. Pregnant mothers living in areas abutting industries using the metal and chromite ore dumps are exposed to ground water contaminated with Cr. Nevertheless, the impact of prenatal exposure to excess CrVI on insulin signaling in the progeny remains obscure. We tested the hypothesis "transient gestational exposure to drinking water containing excess CrVI may modify insulin signaling during postnatal life". Pregnant Wistar rats were given drinking water containing 50, 100 and 200 ppm CrVI (K 2 Cr 2 O 7 ) from gestational day 9-14 encompassing the period of organogenesis; the male progenies were tested at postnatal day 60. Neither fasting blood glucose nor oral glucose tolerance was altered in CrVI treated progeny. Nevertheless, western blot detection pointed out attenuated expression level of insulin receptor (IR), its downstream signaling molecules (IRS-1, pIRS-1 Tyr632 , Akt and pAkt Ser473 ) and organ specific glucose transporters (GLUT2 in liver and GLUT4 in gastrocnemius muscle), along with a significant increase in serum insulin level in male progenies exposed to CrVI. While 14 C-2-deoxy glucose uptake increased in the liver, the same decreased in the skeletal muscle whereas, 14 C-glucose oxidation recorded a consistent decrease in both tissues of CrVI exposed rats. These findings support our hypothesis and suggest that transient gestational exposure to excess CrVI may affect insulin signaling and glucose oxidation in the progeny, predictably rendering them vulnerable to insulin resistance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Characterising the 750 GeV diphoton excess

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bernon, Jérémy; Goudelis, Andreas; Kraml, Sabine; Mawatari, Kentarou; Sengupta, Dipan

    2016-01-01

    We study kinematic distributions that may help characterise the recently observed excess in diphoton events at 750 GeV at the LHC Run 2. Several scenarios are considered, including spin-0 and spin-2 750 GeV resonances that decay directly into photon pairs as well as heavier parent resonances that undergo three-body or cascade decays. We find that combinations of the distributions of the diphoton system and the leading photon can distinguish the topology and mass spectra of the different scenarios, while patterns of QCD radiation can help differentiate the production mechanisms. Moreover, missing energy is a powerful discriminator for the heavy parent scenarios if they involve (effectively) invisible particles. While our study concentrates on the current excess at 750 GeV, the analysis is general and can also be useful for characterising other potential diphoton signals in the future.

  12. An optimized lead system for long-term esophageal electrocardiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niederhauser, T; Haeberlin, A; Vogel, R; Marisa, T; Goette, J; Jacomet, M; Mattle, D; Abächerli, R

    2014-01-01

    Long-term electrocardiography (ECG) featuring adequate atrial and ventricular signal quality is highly desirable. Routinely used surface leads are limited in atrial signal sensitivity and recording capability impeding complete ECG delineation, i.e. in the presence of supraventricular arrhythmias. Long-term esophageal ECG might overcome these limitations but requires a dedicated lead system and recorder design. To this end, we analysed multiple-lead esophageal ECGs with respect to signal quality by describing the ECG waves as a function of the insertion level, interelectrode distance, electrode shape and amplifier's input range. The results derived from clinical data show that two bipolar esophageal leads, an atrial lead with short (15 mm) interelectrode distance and a ventricular lead with long (80 mm) interelectrode distance provide non-inferior ventricular signal strength and superior atrial signal strength compared to standard surface lead II. High atrial signal slope in particular is observed with the atrial esophageal lead. The proposed esophageal lead system in combination with an increased recorder input range of ±20 mV minimizes signal loss due to excessive electrode motion typically observed in esophageal ECGs. The design proposal might help to standardize long-term esophageal ECG registrations and facilitate novel ECG classification systems based on the independent detection of ventricular and atrial electrical activity. (paper)

  13. Developmental programming: effect of prenatal steroid excess on intraovarian components of insulin signaling pathway and related proteins in sheep.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortega, Hugo H; Rey, Florencia; Velazquez, Melisa M L; Padmanabhan, Vasantha

    2010-06-01

    Prenatal testosterone (T) excess increases ovarian follicular recruitment, follicular persistence, insulin resistance, and compensatory hyperinsulinemia. Considering the importance of insulin in ovarian physiology, in this study, using prenatal T- and dihydrotestosterone (DHT, a nonaromatizable androgen)-treated female sheep, we tested the hypothesis that prenatal androgen excess alters the intraovarian insulin signaling cascade and metabolic mediators that have an impact on insulin signaling. Changes in ovarian insulin receptor (INSRB), insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1), mammalian target of rapamycin (MTOR), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PIK3), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARG), and adiponectin proteins were determined at fetal (Days 90 and 140), postpubertal (10 mo), and adult (21 mo) ages by immunohistochemistry. Results indicated that these proteins were expressed in granulosa, theca, and stromal compartments, with INSRB, IRS1, PPARG, and adiponectin increasing in parallel with advanced follicular differentiation. Importantly, prenatal T excess induced age-specific changes in PPARG and adiponectin expression, with increased PPARG expression evident during fetal life and decreased antral follicular adiponectin expression during adult life. Comparison of developmental changes in prenatal T and DHT-treated females found that the effects on PPARG were programmed by androgenic actions of T, whereas the effects on adiponectin were likely by its estrogenic action. These results suggest a role for PPARG in the programming of ovarian disruptions by prenatal T excess, including a decrease in antral follicular adiponectin expression and a contributory role for adiponectin in follicular persistence and ovulatory failure.

  14. Excess lead in the neural retina in age-related macular degeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erie, Jay C; Good, Jonathan A; Butz, John A

    2009-12-01

    To measure lead and cadmium in retinal tissues of human donor eyes with and without age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Laboratory investigation. Lead and cadmium concentrations in retinal tissues (neural retina and retinal pigment epithelium [RPE]-choroid complex) in 25 subjects with AMD (50 donor eyes) and 36 normal subjects (72 donor eyes) were determined by using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Severity of AMD was graded by using color fundus photographs and the Minnesota Grading System. Differences in metal concentrations were compared by using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. The neural retinas of subjects with AMD had increased lead concentrations (median, 12.0 ng/g; 25% to 75% interquartile range, 8 to 18 ng/g; n = 25) compared with normal subjects (median, 8.0 ng/g; 25% to 75% interquartile range, 0 to 11 ng/g; P = .04; n = 36). There was no difference in lead concentration in the RPE-choroid complex between subjects with AMD (median, 198 ng/g; 25% to 75% interquartile range, 87 to 381 ng/g) and normal subjects (median, 172 ng/g; 25% to 75% interquartile range, 100 to 288 ng/g; P = .25). Cadmium concentration in the neural retina (median, 0.9 microg/g; 25% to 75% interquartile range, 0.7 to 1.8 microg/g) and RPE-choroid complex (median, 2.2 microg/g; 25% to 75% interquartile range, 1.8 to 3.7 microg/g) in subjects with AMD was not different from concentrations in the neural retina (median, 0.9 microg/g; 25% to 75% interquartile range, 0.7 to 1.4 microg/g; P = .32) and RPE-choroid complex (median, 1.5 microg/g; 25% to 75% interquartile range, 0.9 to 2.5 microg/g; P = .12) of normal subjects. AMD is associated with excess lead in the neural retina, and this relationship suggests that metal homeostasis in AMD eyes is different from normal.

  15. Tau excess impairs mitosis and kinesin-5 function, leading to aneuploidy and cell death.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bougé, Anne-Laure; Parmentier, Marie-Laure

    2016-03-01

    In neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), cell cycle defects and associated aneuploidy have been described. However, the importance of these defects in the physiopathology of AD and the underlying mechanistic processes are largely unknown, in particular with respect to the microtubule (MT)-binding protein Tau, which is found in excess in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid of affected individuals. Although it has long been known that Tau is phosphorylated during mitosis to generate a lower affinity for MTs, there is, to our knowledge, no indication that an excess of this protein could affect mitosis. Here, we studied the effect of an excess of human Tau (hTau) protein on cell mitosis in vivo. Using the Drosophila developing wing disc epithelium as a model, we show that an excess of hTau induces a mitotic arrest, with the presence of monopolar spindles. This mitotic defect leads to aneuploidy and apoptotic cell death. We studied the mechanism of action of hTau and found that the MT-binding domain of hTau is responsible for these defects. We also demonstrate that the effects of hTau occur via the inhibition of the function of the kinesin Klp61F, the Drosophila homologue of kinesin-5 (also called Eg5 or KIF11). We finally show that this deleterious effect of hTau is also found in other Drosophila cell types (neuroblasts) and tissues (the developing eye disc), as well as in human HeLa cells. By demonstrating that MT-bound Tau inhibits the Eg5 kinesin and cell mitosis, our work provides a new framework to consider the role of Tau in neurodegenerative diseases. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  16. MET signalling in primary colon epithelial cells leads to increased transformation irrespective of aberrant Wnt signalling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boon, E M J; Kovarikova, M; Derksen, P W B; van der Neut, R

    2005-01-01

    It has been shown that in hereditary and most sporadic colon tumours, components of the Wnt pathway are mutated. The Wnt target MET has been implicated in the development of colon cancer. Here, we show that overexpression of wild-type or a constitutively activated form of MET in colon epithelial cells leads to increased transformation irrespective of Wnt signalling. Fetal human colon epithelial cells without aberrant Wnt signalling were transfected with wild-type or mutated MET constructs. Expression of these constructs leads to increased phosphorylation of MET and its downstream targets PKB and MAPK. Upon stimulation with HGF, the expression of E-cadherin is downregulated in wild-type MET-transfected cells, whereas cells expressing mutated MET show low E-cadherin levels independent of stimulation with ligand. This implies a higher migratory propensity of these cells. Furthermore, fetal human colon epithelial cells expressing the mutated form of MET have colony-forming capacity in soft agar, while cells expressing wild-type MET show an intermediate phenotype. Subcutaneous injection of mutated MET-transfected cells in nude mice leads to the formation of tumours within 12 days in all mice injected. At this time point, mock-transfected cells do not form tumours, while wild-type MET-transfected cells form subcutaneous tumours in one out of five mice. We thus show that MET signalling can lead to increased transformation of colon epithelial cells independent of Wnt signalling and in this way could play an essential role in the onset and progression of colorectal cancer. PMID:15785735

  17. Analytical models of probability distribution and excess noise factor of solid state photomultiplier signals with crosstalk

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vinogradov, S.

    2012-01-01

    Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPM), also called Solid State Photomultipliers (SSPM), are based on Geiger mode avalanche breakdown that is limited by a strong negative feedback. An SSPM can detect and resolve single photons due to the high gain and ultra-low excess noise of avalanche multiplication in this mode. Crosstalk and afterpulsing processes associated with the high gain introduce specific excess noise and deteriorate the photon number resolution of the SSPM. The probabilistic features of these processes are widely studied because of its significance for the SSPM design, characterization, optimization and application, but the process modeling is mostly based on Monte Carlo simulations and numerical methods. In this study, crosstalk is considered to be a branching Poisson process, and analytical models of probability distribution and excess noise factor (ENF) of SSPM signals based on the Borel distribution as an advance on the geometric distribution models are presented and discussed. The models are found to be in a good agreement with the experimental probability distributions for dark counts and a few photon spectrums in a wide range of fired pixels number as well as with observed super-linear behavior of crosstalk ENF.

  18. Excess thyroid hormone inhibits embryonic neural stem/progenitor cells proliferation and maintenance through STAT3 signalling pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Chunhai; Zhou, Zhou; Zhong, Min; Li, Maoquan; Yang, Xuesen; Zhang, Yanwen; Wang, Yuan; Wei, Aimin; Qu, Mingyue; Zhang, Lei; Xu, Shangcheng; Chen, Shude; Yu, Zhengping

    2011-07-01

    Hyperthyroidism is prevalent during pregnancy, but little is known about the effects of excess thyroid hormone on the development of embryonic neural stem/progenitor cells (NSCs), and the mechanisms underlying these effects. Previous studies indicate that STAT3 plays a crucial role in determining NSC fate during neurodevelopment. In this study, we investigated the effects of a supraphysiological dose of 3,5,3'-L-triiodothyronine (T3) on the proliferation and maintenance of NSCs derived from embryonic day 13.5 mouse neocortex, and the involvement of STAT3 in this process. Our results suggest that excess T3 treatment inhibits NSC proliferation and maintenance. T3 decreased tyrosine phosphorylation of JAK1, JAK2 and STAT3, and subsequently inhibited STAT3-DNA binding activity. Furthermore, proliferation and maintenance of NSCs were decreased by inhibitors of JAKs and STAT3, indicating that the STAT3 signalling pathway is involved in the process of NSC proliferation and maintenance. Taken together, these results suggest that the STAT3 signalling pathway is involved in the process of T3-induced inhibition of embryonic NSC proliferation and maintenance. These findings provide data for understanding the effects of hyperthyroidism during pregnancy on fetal brain development, and the mechanisms underlying these effects.

  19. Low-frequency excess flux noise in superconducting devices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kempf, Sebastian; Ferring, Anna; Fleischmann, Andreas; Enss, Christian [Kirchhoff-Institute for Physics, Heidelberg University (Germany)

    2016-07-01

    Low-frequency noise is a rather universal phenomenon and appears in physical, chemical, biological or even economical systems. However, there is often very little known about the underlying processes leading to its occurrence. In particular, the origin of low-frequency excess flux noise in superconducting devices has been an unresolved puzzle for many decades. Its existence limits, for example, the coherence time of superconducting quantum bits or makes high-precision measurements of low-frequency signals using SQUIDs rather challenging. Recent experiments suggest that low-frequency excess flux noise in Josephson junction based devices might be caused by the random reversal of interacting spins in surface layer oxides and in the superconductor-substrate interface. Even if it turns out to be generally correct, the underlying physical processes, i.e. the origin of these spins, their physical nature as well as the interaction mechanisms, have not been resolved so far. In this contribution we discuss recent measurements of low-frequency SQUID noise which we performed to investigate the origin of low-frequency excess flux noise in superconducting devices. Within this context we give an overview of our measurement techniques and link our data with present theoretical models and literature data.

  20. DMPD: Multiple signaling pathways leading to the activation of interferon regulatoryfactor 3. [Dynamic Macrophage Pathway CSML Database

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available 12213596 Multiple signaling pathways leading to the activation of interferon regula...(.html) (.csml) Show Multiple signaling pathways leading to the activation of interferon regulatoryfactor 3.... PubmedID 12213596 Title Multiple signaling pathways leading to the activation of

  1. Interplay between phosphoinositide lipids and calcium signals at the leading edge of chemotaxing ameboid cells☆

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falke, Joseph J.; Ziemba, Brian P.

    2014-01-01

    The chemotactic migration of eukaryotic ameboid cells up concentration gradients is among the most advanced forms of cellular behavior. Chemotaxis is controlled by a complex network of signaling proteins bound to specific lipids on the cytoplasmic surface of the plasma membrane at the front of the cell, or the leading edge. The central lipid players in this leading edge signaling pathway include the phosphoinositides PI(4,5)P2 (PIP2) and PI(3,4,5)P3 (PIP3), both of which play multiple roles. The products of PI(4,5)P2 hydrolysis, diacylglycerol (DAG) and Ins(1,4,5)P3 (IP3), are also implicated as important players. Together, these leading edge phosphoinositides and their degradation products, in concert with a local Ca2+ signal, control the recruitment and activities of many peripheral membrane proteins that are crucial to the leading edge signaling network. The present critical review summarizes the current molecular understanding of chemotactic signaling at the leading edge, including newly discovered roles of phosphoinositide lipids and Ca2+, while highlighting key questions for future research. PMID:24451847

  2. Self-organized neural network for the quality control of 12-lead ECG signals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Yun; Yang, Hui

    2012-01-01

    Telemedicine is very important for the timely delivery of health care to cardiovascular patients, especially those who live in the rural areas of developing countries. However, there are a number of uncertainty factors inherent to the mobile-phone-based recording of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals such as personnel with minimal training and other extraneous noises. PhysioNet organized a challenge in 2011 to develop efficient algorithms that can assess the ECG signal quality in telemedicine settings. This paper presents our efforts in this challenge to integrate multiscale recurrence analysis with a self-organizing map for controlling the ECG signal quality. As opposed to directly evaluating the 12-lead ECG, we utilize an information-preserving transform, i.e. Dower transform, to derive the 3-lead vectorcardiogram (VCG) from the 12-lead ECG in the first place. Secondly, we delineate the nonlinear and nonstationary characteristics underlying the 3-lead VCG signals into multiple time-frequency scales. Furthermore, a self-organizing map is trained, in both supervised and unsupervised ways, to identify the correlations between signal quality and multiscale recurrence features. The efficacy and robustness of this approach are validated using real-world ECG recordings available from PhysioNet. The average performance was demonstrated to be 95.25% for the training dataset and 90.0% for the independent test dataset with unknown labels. (paper)

  3. Interplay between phosphoinositide lipids and calcium signals at the leading edge of chemotaxing ameboid cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falke, Joseph J; Ziemba, Brian P

    2014-09-01

    The chemotactic migration of eukaryotic ameboid cells up concentration gradients is among the most advanced forms of cellular behavior. Chemotaxis is controlled by a complex network of signaling proteins bound to specific lipids on the cytoplasmic surface of the plasma membrane at the front of the cell, or the leading edge. The central lipid players in this leading edge signaling pathway include the phosphoinositides PI(4,5)P2 (PIP2) and PI(3,4,5)P3 (PIP3), both of which play multiple roles. The products of PI(4,5)P2 hydrolysis, diacylglycerol (DAG) and Ins(1,4,5)P3 (IP3), are also implicated as important players. Together, these leading edge phosphoinositides and their degradation products, in concert with a local Ca(2+) signal, control the recruitment and activities of many peripheral membrane proteins that are crucial to the leading edge signaling network. The present critical review summarizes the current molecular understanding of chemotactic signaling at the leading edge, including newly discovered roles of phosphoinositide lipids and Ca(2+), while highlighting key questions for future research. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Altered lipid homeostasis in Drosophila InsP3 receptor mutants leads to obesity and hyperphagia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manivannan Subramanian

    2013-05-01

    Obesity is a complex metabolic disorder that often manifests with a strong genetic component in humans. However, the genetic basis for obesity and the accompanying metabolic syndrome is poorly defined. At a metabolic level, obesity arises from an imbalance between the nutritional intake and energy utilization of an organism. Mechanisms that sense the metabolic state of the individual and convey this information to satiety centers help achieve this balance. Mutations in genes that alter or modify such signaling mechanisms are likely to lead to either obese individuals, who in mammals are at high risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, or excessively thin individuals with accompanying health problems. Here we show that Drosophila mutants for an intracellular calcium signaling channel, the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (InsP3R store excess triglycerides in their fat bodies and become unnaturally obese on a normal diet. Although excess insulin signaling can rescue obesity in InsP3R mutants to some extent, we show that it is not the only cause of the defect. Through mass spectrometric analysis of lipids we find that homeostasis of storage and membrane lipids are altered in InsP3R mutants. Possibly as a compensatory mechanism, InsP3R mutant adults also feed excessively. Thus, reduced InsP3R function alters lipid metabolism and causes hyperphagia in adults. Together, the metabolic and behavioral changes lead to obesity. Our results implicate altered InsP3 signaling as a previously unknown causative factor for metabolic syndrome in humans. Importantly, our studies also suggest preventive dietary interventions.

  5. Superconductors with excess quasiparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elesin, V.F.; Kopaev, Y.V.

    1981-01-01

    This review presents a systematic kinetic theory of nonequilibrium phenomena in superconductors with excess quasiparticles created by electromagnetic or tunnel injection. The energy distributions of excess quasiparticles and of nonequilibrium phonons, dependence of the order parameter on the power and frequency (or intensity) of the electromagnetic field, magnetic properties of nonequilibrium superconductors, I-V curves of superconductor-insulator-superconductor junctions, and other properties are described in detail. The stability of superconducting states far from thermodynamic equilibrium is investigated and it is shown that characteristic instabilities leading to the formation of nonuniform states of a new type or phase transitions of the first kind are inherent to superconductors with excess quasiparticles. The results are compared with experimental data

  6. Excessive Testing and Pupils in the Public Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ediger, Marlow

    2017-01-01

    This article explores the question of excessive testing in public schools, its value in the educational process, and the impact that excessive testing may have on the student and the family unit. While assessments are valuable when used properly, excessive testing may lead to problems with unforeseen consequences.

  7. An update on the LHC monojet excess

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asadi, Pouya; Buckley, Matthew R.; DiFranzo, Anthony; Monteux, Angelo; Shih, David

    2018-03-01

    In previous work, we identified an anomalous number of events in the LHC jets+MET searches characterized by low jet multiplicity and low-to-moderate transverse energy variables. Here, we update this analysis with results from a new ATLAS search in the monojet channel which also shows a consistent excess. As before, we find that this "monojet excess" is well-described by the resonant production of a heavy colored state decaying to a quark and a massive invisible particle. In the combined ATLAS and CMS data, we now find a local (global) preference of 3.3 σ (2.5 σ) for the new physics model over the Standard Model-only hypothesis. As the signal regions containing the excess are systematics-limited, we consider additional cuts to enhance the signal-to-background ratio. We show that binning finer in H T and requiring the jets to be more central can increase S/B by a factor of ˜1 .5.

  8. Calcium signalling in the acinar environment of the exocrine pancreas: physiology and pathophysiology

    OpenAIRE

    Gryshchenko, Oleksiy; Gerasimenko, Julia V.; Peng, Shuang; Gerasimenko, Oleg V.; Petersen, Ole Holger

    2018-01-01

    Physiological Ca2+ signals in pancreatic acinar cells control fluid and\\ud enzyme secretion, whereas excessive Ca2+ signals induced by pathological agents\\ud induce destructive processes leading to acute pancreatitis. Ca2+ signals in the periacinar\\ud stellate cells may also play a role in the development of acute pancreatitis. In\\ud this study, we have explored Ca2+ signalling in the different cell types to be found in\\ud the acinar environment of the pancreatic tissue. We have, for the firs...

  9. Acquisition of electrical signals using commercial electronic components for detection system of Lead ion in distilled water

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pujiyanto; Yasin, M.; Rusydi, F.

    2018-03-01

    Development of lead ion detection systems is expected to have an advantage in terms of simplicity of the device and easy for concentration analysis of a lead ion with very high performance. One important part of lead ion detection systems are electrical signal acquisition parts. The electrical signal acquisition part uses the main electronic components: non inverting op-amplifier, instrumentation amplifier, multiplier circuit and logarithmic amplifier. Here will be shown the performance of lead ion detection systems when the existing electrical signal processors use commercial electronic components. The results that can be drawn from this experimental were the lead ion sensor that has been developed can be used to detect lead ions with a sensitivity of 10.48 mV/ppm with the linearity 97.11% and had a measurement range of 0.1 ppm to 80 ppm.

  10. Response of hippocampal mossy fiber zinc to excessive glutamate release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takeda, Atsushi; Minami, Akira; Sakurada, Naomi; Nakajima, Satoko; Oku, Naoto

    2007-01-01

    The response of hippocampal mossy fiber zinc to excessive glutamate release was examined to understand the role of the zinc in excessive excitation in the hippocampus. Extracellular zinc and glutamate concentrations during excessive stimulation with high K(+) were compared between the hippocampal CA3 and CA1 by the in vivo microdialysis. Zinc concentration in the CA3 was more increased than that in the CA1, while glutamate concentration in the CA3 was less increased than that in the CA1. It is likely that more increase in extracellular zinc is linked with less increase in extracellular glutamate in the CA3. To see zinc action in mossy fiber synapses during excessive excitation, furthermore, 1mM glutamate was regionally delivered to the stratum lucidum in the presence of zinc or CaEDTA, a membrane-impermeable zinc chelator, and intracellular calcium signal was measured in the CA3 pyramidal cell layer. The persistent increase in calcium signal during stimulation with glutamate was significantly attenuated in the presence of 100 microM zinc, while significantly enhanced in the presence of 1mM CaEDTA. These results suggest that zinc released from mossy fibers attenuates the increase in intracellular calcium signal in mossy fiber synapses and postsynaptic CA3 neurons after excessive inputs to dentate granular cells.

  11. Developmental Programming: Prenatal Testosterone Excess and Insulin Signaling Disruptions in Female Sheep.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Chunxia; Cardoso, Rodolfo C; Puttabyatappa, Muraly; Padmanabhan, Vasantha

    2016-05-01

    Women with polycystic ovary syndrome often manifest insulin resistance. Using a sheep model of polycystic ovary syndrome-like phenotype, we explored the contribution of androgen and insulin in programming and maintaining disruptions in insulin signaling in metabolic tissues. Phosphorylation of AKT, ERK, GSK3beta, mTOR, and p70S6K was examined in the liver, muscle, and adipose tissue of control and prenatal testosterone (T)-, prenatal T plus androgen antagonist (flutamide)-, and prenatal T plus insulin sensitizer (rosiglitazone)-treated fetuses as well as 2-yr-old females. Insulin-stimulated phospho (p)-AKT was evaluated in control and prenatal T-, prenatal T plus postnatal flutamide-, and prenatal T plus postnatal rosiglitazone-treated females at 3 yr of age. GLUT4 expression was evaluated in the muscle at all time points. Prenatal T treatment increased mTOR, p-p70S6K, and p-GSK3beta levels in the fetal liver with both androgen antagonist and insulin sensitizer preventing the mTOR increase. Both interventions had partial effect in preventing the increase in p-GSK3beta. In the fetal muscle, prenatal T excess decreased p-GSK3beta and GLUT4. The decrease in muscle p-GSK3beta was partially prevented by insulin sensitizer cotreatment. Both interventions partially prevented the decrease in GLUT4. Prenatal T treatment had no effect on basal expression of any of the markers in 2-yr-old females. At 3 yr of age, prenatal T treatment prevented the insulin-stimulated increase in p-AKT in liver and muscle, but not in adipose tissue, and neither postnatal intervention restored p-AKT response to insulin stimulation. Our findings provide evidence that prenatal T excess changes insulin sensitivity in a tissue- and development-specific manner and that both androgens and insulin may be involved in the programming of these metabolic disruptions. © 2016 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.

  12. Photocatalyzed removal of lead ion from lead-chelator solution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cho, Young Hyun; Na, Jung Won; Sung, Ki Woung [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

    1994-07-01

    The present study was undertaken to examine the influence of such chelating agents on the ease and speed of photocatalyzed metal removal and deposition. With excess EDTA, the free EDTA competes with Pb for oxidation, and at a ten fold excess, no lead oxidation (hence removal) occurs. With insufficient EDTA, the corresponding initial concentration of Pb-EDTA is decreased; after its destruction, the remaining Pb{sup 2+} is removed more slowly, at rates found with lead nitrate solution. The net result is that the maximum rate of lead deposition occurs at the stoichiometric ratio of 1:1 EDTA : Pb{sup 2+}.

  13. Di-photon excess illuminates dark matter

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Backović, Mihailo [Center for Cosmology, Particle Physics and Phenomenology - CP3,Universite Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-neuve (Belgium); Mariotti, Alberto [Theoretische Natuurkunde and IIHE/ELEM, Vrije Universiteit Brussel,Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels (Belgium); International Solvay Institutes,Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels (Belgium); Redigolo, Diego [Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Hautes Energies, CNRS UMR 7589,Universiteé Pierre et Marie Curie, 4 place Jussieu, F-75005, Paris (France)

    2016-03-22

    We propose a simplified model of dark matter with a scalar mediator to accommodate the di-photon excess recently observed by the ATLAS and CMS collaborations. Decays of the resonance into dark matter can easily account for a relatively large width of the scalar resonance, while the magnitude of the total width combined with the constraint on dark matter relic density leads to sharp predictions on the parameters of the Dark Sector. Under the assumption of a rather large width, the model predicts a signal consistent with ∼300 GeV dark matter particle and ∼750 GeV scalar mediator in channels with large missing energy. This prediction is not yet severely bounded by LHC Run I searches and will be accessible at the LHC Run II in the jet plus missing energy channel with more luminosity. Our analysis also considers astro-physical constraints, pointing out that future direct detection experiments will be sensitive to this scenario.

  14. Di-photon excess illuminates dark matter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Backović, Mihailo; Mariotti, Alberto; Redigolo, Diego

    2016-01-01

    We propose a simplified model of dark matter with a scalar mediator to accommodate the di-photon excess recently observed by the ATLAS and CMS collaborations. Decays of the resonance into dark matter can easily account for a relatively large width of the scalar resonance, while the magnitude of the total width combined with the constraint on dark matter relic density leads to sharp predictions on the parameters of the Dark Sector. Under the assumption of a rather large width, the model predicts a signal consistent with ∼300 GeV dark matter particle and ∼750 GeV scalar mediator in channels with large missing energy. This prediction is not yet severely bounded by LHC Run I searches and will be accessible at the LHC Run II in the jet plus missing energy channel with more luminosity. Our analysis also considers astro-physical constraints, pointing out that future direct detection experiments will be sensitive to this scenario.

  15. Di-photon excess at LHC and the gamma ray excess at the Galactic Centre

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hektor, Andi [National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics,Rävala pst. 10, 10143 Tallinn (Estonia); Marzola, Luca [National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics,Rävala pst. 10, 10143 Tallinn (Estonia); Institute of Physics, University of Tartu,Ravila 14c, 50411 Tartu (Estonia)

    2016-07-25

    Motivated by the recent indications for a 750 GeV resonance in the di-photon final state at the LHC, in this work we analyse the compatibility of the excess with the broad photon excess detected at the Galactic Centre. Intriguingly, by analysing the parameter space of an effective models where a 750 GeV pseudoscalar particles mediates the interaction between the Standard Model and a scalar dark sector, we prove the compatibility of the two signals. We show, however, that the LHC mono-jet searches and the Fermi LAT measurements strongly limit the viable parameter space. We comment on the possible impact of cosmic antiproton flux measurement by the AMS-02 experiment.

  16. Are Your Custodians Exposed to Excessive Lead Levels?

    Science.gov (United States)

    School Business Affairs, 1997

    1997-01-01

    Data from a 1994 University of Maryland study suggest that typical janitorial tasks (sweeping, vacuuming, emptying trash receptacles, cleaning fixtures, and other related housekeeping activities) would not result in an airborne lead exposure that exceeded Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. Lead abatement work should…

  17. Iodine Excess is a Risk Factor for Goiter Formation

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Key Words: Iodine excess, Goiter, Sub Saharan Africa. Iodine Excess is a ... synthesis leading to increased thyroid stimulating hormone ..... study done in Uganda revealed a similar picture ... significant association, probably due to recall bias.

  18. Elevated placental adenosine signaling contributes to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iriyama, Takayuki; Sun, Kaiqi; Parchim, Nicholas F; Li, Jessica; Zhao, Cheng; Song, Anren; Hart, Laura A; Blackwell, Sean C; Sibai, Baha M; Chan, Lee-Nien L; Chan, Teh-Sheng; Hicks, M John; Blackburn, Michael R; Kellems, Rodney E; Xia, Yang

    2015-02-24

    Preeclampsia is a prevalent hypertensive disorder of pregnancy and a leading cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. This pathogenic condition is speculated to be caused by placental abnormalities that contribute to the maternal syndrome. However, the specific factors and signaling pathways that lead to impaired placentas and maternal disease development remain elusive. Using 2 independent animal models of preeclampsia (genetically engineered pregnant mice with elevated adenosine exclusively in placentas and a pathogenic autoantibody-induced preeclampsia mouse model), we demonstrated that chronically elevated placental adenosine was sufficient to induce hallmark features of preeclampsia, including hypertension, proteinuria, small fetuses, and impaired placental vasculature. Genetic and pharmacological approaches revealed that elevated placental adenosine coupled with excessive A₂B adenosine receptor (ADORA2B) signaling contributed to the development of these features of preeclampsia. Mechanistically, we provided both human and mouse evidence that elevated placental CD73 is a key enzyme causing increased placental adenosine, thereby contributing to preeclampsia. We determined that elevated placental adenosine signaling is a previously unrecognized pathogenic factor for preeclampsia. Moreover, our findings revealed the molecular basis underlying the elevation of placental adenosine and the detrimental role of excess placental adenosine in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia, and thereby, we highlight novel therapeutic targets. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

  19. Control rod excess withdrawal prevention device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takayama, Yoshihito.

    1992-01-01

    Excess withdrawal of a control rod of a BWR type reactor is prevented. That is, the device comprises (1) a speed detector for detecting the driving speed of a control rod, (2) a judging circuit for outputting an abnormal signal if the driving speed is greater than a predetermined level and (3) a direction control valve compulsory closing circuit for controlling the driving direction of inserting and withdrawing a control rod based on an abnormal signal. With such a constitution, when the with drawing speed of a control rod is greater than a predetermined level, it is detected by the speed detector and the judging circuit. Then, all of the direction control valve are closed by way of the direction control valve compulsory closing circuit. As a result, the operation of the control rod is stopped compulsorily and the withdrawing speed of the control rod can be lowered to a speed corresponding to that upon gravitational withdrawal. Accordingly, excess withdrawal can be prevented. (I.S)

  20. Resolution of lead-210 chronologies in lake sediments: problems of mid-core fluctuations in lead-210/radium-226 ratios

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Haworth, R. [New England Univ., Armidale, NSW (Australia). Dept. of Geography; Heijnis, H. [Australian Inst. of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Lucas Heights, NSW (Australia)

    1997-12-31

    With a range in excess of 150 years under optimum conditions, lead-210 dating represents a valuable tool for studying recent human impacts on the environment, particularly the effects of European settlement in Australia. It is therefore also useful for establishing the start of the pre-European record in a sediment profile. Despite these advantages, there are some unresolved problems that prevent the full potential of an atmospherically-derived lead-210 profile being extended as far into the past as the activity signal allows. lead 210 has a half-life of 22.26 years, and a capacity to precipitate and be adsorbed by terrestrial material, particularly lake and marine sediments. This out-of-phase (or unsupported) lead-210 thus returns to a specific terrigenous location where it is added to the lead- 210 formed continuously in situ from the local radium-226 (equivalent to supported lead-210). Dating is based on the measurement of the decline of this unsupported lead-210 against the equilibrium ratio of in situ lead-210/radium-226. Paper no. 13; Extended abstract. 2 refs., 1 fig.

  1. Resolution of lead-210 chronologies in lake sediments: problems of mid-core fluctuations in lead-210/radium-226 ratios

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haworth, R.

    1997-01-01

    With a range in excess of 150 years under optimum conditions, lead-210 dating represents a valuable tool for studying recent human impacts on the environment, particularly the effects of European settlement in Australia. It is therefore also useful for establishing the start of the pre-European record in a sediment profile. Despite these advantages, there are some unresolved problems that prevent the full potential of an atmospherically-derived lead-210 profile being extended as far into the past as the activity signal allows. lead 210 has a half-life of 22.26 years, and a capacity to precipitate and be adsorbed by terrestrial material, particularly lake and marine sediments. This out-of-phase (or unsupported) lead-210 thus returns to a specific terrigenous location where it is added to the lead- 210 formed continuously in situ from the local radium-226 (equivalent to supported lead-210). Dating is based on the measurement of the decline of this unsupported lead-210 against the equilibrium ratio of in situ lead-210/radium-226

  2. Habitat-induced degradation of sound signals: Quantifying the effects of communication sounds and bird location on blur ratio, excess attenuation, and signal-to-noise ratio in blackbird song

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dabelsteen, T.; Larsen, O N; Pedersen, Simon Boel

    1993-01-01

    measures were calculated from changes of the amplitude functions (i.e., envelopes) of the degraded songs using a new technique which allowed a compensation for the contribution of the background noise to the amplitude values. Representative songs were broadcast in a deciduous forest without leaves......The habitat-induced degradation of the full song of the blackbird (Turdus merula) was quantified by measuring excess attenuation, reduction of the signal-to-noise ratio, and blur ratio, the latter measure representing the degree of blurring of amplitude and frequency patterns over time. All three...

  3. Dark matter with pseudoscalar-mediated interactions explains the DAMA signal and the galactic center excess.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arina, Chiara; Del Nobile, Eugenio; Panci, Paolo

    2015-01-09

    We study a Dirac dark matter particle interacting with ordinary matter via the exchange of a light pseudoscalar, and analyze its impact on both direct and indirect detection experiments. We show that this candidate can accommodate the long-standing DAMA modulated signal and yet be compatible with all exclusion limits at 99(S)% C.L. This result holds for natural choices of the pseudoscalar-quark couplings (e.g., flavor universal), which give rise to a significant enhancement of the dark matter-proton coupling with respect to the coupling to neutrons. We also find that this candidate can accommodate the observed 1-3 GeV gamma-ray excess at the Galactic center and at the same time have the correct relic density today. The model could be tested with measurements of rare meson decays, flavor changing processes, and searches for axionlike particles with mass in the MeV range.

  4. Exercise and Glycemic Control: Focus on Redox Homeostasis and Redox-Sensitive Protein Signaling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, Lewan; Shaw, Christopher S.; Stepto, Nigel K.; Levinger, Itamar

    2017-01-01

    Physical inactivity, excess energy consumption, and obesity are associated with elevated systemic oxidative stress and the sustained activation of redox-sensitive stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK) and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. Sustained SAPK activation leads to aberrant insulin signaling, impaired glycemic control, and the development and progression of cardiometabolic disease. Paradoxically, acute exercise transiently increases oxidative stress and SAPK signaling, yet postexercise glycemic control and skeletal muscle function are enhanced. Furthermore, regular exercise leads to the upregulation of antioxidant defense, which likely assists in the mitigation of chronic oxidative stress-associated disease. In this review, we explore the complex spatiotemporal interplay between exercise, oxidative stress, and glycemic control, and highlight exercise-induced reactive oxygen species and redox-sensitive protein signaling as important regulators of glucose homeostasis. PMID:28529499

  5. Off-line correction for excessive constant-fraction-discriminator walk in neutron time-of-flight experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heilbronn, Lawrence; Iwata, Yoshiyuki; Iwase, H.

    2003-01-01

    A method for reducing excessive constant-fraction-discriminator walk that utilizes experimental data in the off-line analysis stage is introduced. Excessive walk is defined here as any walk that leads to an overall timing resolution that is much greater than the intrinsic timing resolution of the detection system. The method is able to reduce the contribution to the overall timing resolution from the walk that is equal to or less than the intrinsic timing resolution of the detectors. Although the method is explained in the context of a neutron time-of-flight experiment, it is applicable to any data set that satisfies two conditions. (1) A measure of the signal amplitude for each event must be recorded on an event-by-event basis; and (2) There must be a distinguishable class of events present where the timing information is known a priori

  6. Hydrogen sulfide in plants: from dissipation of excess sulfur to signaling molecule.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calderwood, Alexander; Kopriva, Stanislav

    2014-09-15

    Sulfur is essential in all organisms for the synthesis of amino acids cysteine and methionine and as an active component of numerous co-factors and prosthetic groups. However, only plants, algae, fungi, and some prokaryotes are capable of using the abundant inorganic source of sulfur, sulfate. Plants take sulfate up, reduce it, and assimilate into organic compounds with cysteine being the first product of the pathway and a donor of reduced sulfur for synthesis of other S-containing compounds. Cysteine is formed in a reaction between sulfide, derived from reduction of sulfite and an activated amino acid acceptor, O-acetylserine. Sulfide is thus an important intermediate in sulfur metabolism, but numerous other functions in plants has been revealed. Hydrogen sulfide can serve as an alternative source of sulfur for plants, which may be significant in anaerobic conditions of waterlogged soils. On the other hand, emissions of hydrogen sulfide have been detected from many plant species. Since the amount of H2S discharged correlated with sulfate supply to the plants, the emissions were considered a mechanism for dissipation of excess sulfur. Significant hydrogen sulfide emissions were also observed in plants infected with pathogens, particularly with fungi. H2S thus seems to be part of the widely discussed sulfur-induced-resistance/sulfur-enhanced-defense. Recently, however, more evidence has emerged for a role for H2S in regulation and signaling. Sulfide stabilizes the cysteine synthase complex, increasing so the synthesis of its acceptor O-acetylserine. H2S has been implicating in regulation of plant stress response, particularly draught stress. There are more and more examples of processes regulated by H2S in plants being discovered, and hydrogen sulfide is emerging as an important signaling molecule, similar to its role in the animal and human world. How similar the functions, and homeostasis of H2S are in these diverse organisms, however, remains to be elucidated

  7. Unexpected role of excess noise in spontaneous emission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lamprecht, C.; Ritsch, H.

    2002-01-01

    A single inverted two-level atom is used as a theoretical model for a quantum noise detector to investigate fundamental properties of excess noise in an unstable optical resonator. For a symmetric unstable spherical mirror cavity, we develop an analytic quantum description of the field in terms of a complete set of normalizable biorthogonal quasimodes and adjoint modes. Including the interaction with a single two-level atom leads to a description analogous to the Jaynes-Cummings model with modified coupling constants. One finds a strong position and geometry-dependent atomic decay probability proportional to the square root √(K) of the excess noise factor K at the cavity center. Introducing an additional homogeneous gain one recovers the K-fold emission enhancement that has been predicted before for the linewidth of an unstable cavity laser. We find that excess noise may be viewed as a spatial redistribution of the field quantum noise inside the resonator. Taking a position average of the atomic decay rate over the cavity volume leads to a cancellation of the excess noise enhancement

  8. What Can Rational Investors Do About Excessive Volatility and Sentiment Fluctuations?

    OpenAIRE

    Bernard Dumas; Alexander Kurshev; Raman Uppal

    2005-01-01

    Our objective is to understand the trading strategy that would allow an investor to take advantage of 'excessive' stock price volatility and 'sentiment' fluctuations. We construct a general equilibrium model of sentiment. In it, there are two classes of agents and stock prices are excessively volatile because one class is overconfident about a public signal. As a result, this class of irrational agents changes its expectations too often, sometimes being excessively optimistic, sometimes being...

  9. Diagnosis of excessive vibration signals of two-pole generator rotors in balancing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Jong Po

    2000-01-01

    Cause of excessive vibration with twice the rotational speed of a two-pole generator rotor for the fossil power plants was investigated. The two-pole generator rotor, treated as a typically asymmetric rotor in vibration analysis, produces asynchronous vibration with twice the rotational speed, sub-harmonic critical speeds, and potentially unstable operating zones due to its own inertia and/or stiffness asymmetry. This paper introduces a practical balancing procedure, and presents the results of the investigation on sources of the excessive vibration based on the experimental vibration data of the asymmetric two-pole rotor in balancing

  10. Mortality study of lead workers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cooper, W C; Gaffey, W R

    1975-01-01

    The mortality of 7,032 men employed for one or more years in lead production facilities or battery plants was followed over a 23-year period, 1947-70. Lead absorption in many of these men was greatly in excess of currently accepted standards based upon urinary and blood lead concentrations available for a portion of the group. There were 1,356 deaths reported. The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for all causes was 107 for smelter workers and 99 for battery plant workers. Death from neoplasms were in slight excess in smelters, but not significantly increased in battery plants. There were no excess deaths from kidney tumors. The SMR for cardiovascular-renal disease was 96 for smelter workers and 101 for battery plant workers. There was definitely no excess in deaths from either stroke or hypertensive heart disease; however, deaths classified as other hypertensive disease and unspecified nephritis or renal sclerosis were higher than expected. The life expectancy of lead workers was calculated to be approximately the same as that of all U.S. males.

  11. MSSM fits to the ATLAS 1 lepton excess

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kowalska, Kamila [TU Dortmund, Fakultaet fuer Physik, Dortmund (Germany); Sessolo, Enrico Maria [National Centre for Nuclear Research, Warsaw (Poland)

    2017-02-15

    We use the framework of the p19MSSM to perform a fit to the mild excesses over the Standard Model background recently observed in three bins of the ATLAS 1-lepton + (b-)jets + E{sub T}{sup miss} search. We find a few types of spectra that can fit the emerging signal and at the same time are not excluded by other LHC searches. They can be grouped roughly in two categories. The first class is characterized by the presence of one stop or stop and sbottoms with mass in the ballpark of 700-800 GeV and a neutralino LSP of mass around 400 GeV, with or without the additional presence of an intermediate chargino. In the second type of scenarios the stop, lightest chargino, sbottom if present, and the neutralino are about or heavier than ∝ 650 GeV and the signal originates from cascade decays of squarks of the 1st and 2nd generation, which should have a mass of 1.1-1.2 TeV. For the best-fit scenarios, we compare the global chi-squared with several ATLAS and CMS searches with the corresponding chi-squared of the Standard Model expectation, showing that the putative signal is also favored globally with respect to the background-only hypothesis. We point out that if the observed excess persists in the next round of data, it should be accompanied by associated significant excesses in all-hadronic final-state searches. (orig.)

  12. Erythrocyte fluorescence and lead intoxication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, K G

    1976-01-01

    Blood samples from people exposed to inorganic lead were examined by fluorescence microscopy for excess erythrocyte porphyrin. With continued lead absorption, fluorescent erythrocytes appeared in the circulation of workers handling this metal or its compounds, and they progressively increased in number and brilliance. These changes ensued if the blood lead concentration was maintained above 2-42 mumol/l (50 mug/100 ml), and preceded any material fall in the haemoglobin value. At one factory, 62-5% of 81 symptomless workers showed erythrocyte fluorescence attributable to the toxic effects of lead. Excess fluorocytes were found in blood samples from a child with pica and three of her eight siblings. These four were subsequently shown to have slightly increased blood lead concentrations (2-03 to 2-32 mumol/l). Fluorescence microscopy for excess erythrocyte porphyrin is a sensitive method for the detection of chronic lead intoxication. A relatively slight increase in the blood lead is associated with demonstrabel changes in erythrocyte porphyrin content. The procedure requires little blood, and may be performed upon stored samples collected for lead estimation. The results are not readily influenced by contamination, and provide good confirmatory evidence for the absorption of biochemically active lead. PMID:963005

  13. Off-line correction for excessive constant-fraction-discriminator walk in neutron time-of-flight experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heilbronn, L.; Iwata, Y.; Iwase, H.

    2004-01-01

    A method for reducing excessive constant-fraction-discriminator walk that utilizes experimental data in the off-line analysis stage is introduced. Excessive walk is defined here as any walk that leads to an overall timing resolution that is much greater than the intrinsic timing resolution of the detection system. The method is able to reduce the contribution to the overall timing resolution from the walk to a value that is equal to or less than the intrinsic timing resolution of the detectors. Although the method is explained in the context of a neutron time-of-flight experiment, it is applicable to any data set that satisfies two conditions: (1) a measure of the signal amplitude for each event must be recorded on an event-by-event basis; and (2) there must be a distinguishable class of events present where the timing information is known a priori

  14. Role of Nutrient-Sensing Signals in the Pathogenesis of Diabetic Nephropathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shinji Kume

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide. The multipronged drug approach still fails to fully prevent the onset and progression of diabetic nephropathy. Therefore, a new therapeutic target to improve the prognosis of diabetic nephropathy is urgently required. Nutrient-sensing signals and their related intracellular machinery have evolved to combat prolonged periods of starvation in mammals; and these systems are conserved in the kidney. Recent studies have suggested that the activity of three nutrient-sensing signals, mTORC1, AMPK, and Sirt1, is altered in the diabetic kidney. Furthermore, autophagy activity, which is regulated by the above-mentioned nutrient-sensing signals, is also altered in both podocytes and proximal tubular cells under diabetic conditions. Under diabetic conditions, an altered nutritional state owing to nutrient excess may disturb cellular homeostasis regulated by nutrient-responsible systems, leading to exacerbation of organelle dysfunction and diabetic nephropathy. In this review, we discuss new findings showing relationships between nutrient-sensing signals, autophagy, and diabetic nephropathy and suggest the therapeutic potential of nutrient-sensing signals in diabetic nephropathy.

  15. Spectroscopic properties of the S1 state of linear carotenoids after excess energy excitation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuznetsova, Valentyna; Southall, June; Cogdell, Richard J.; Fuciman, Marcel; Polívka, Tomáš

    2017-09-01

    Properties of the S1 state of neurosporene, spheroidene and lycopene were studied after excess energy excitation in the S2 state. Excitation of carotenoids into higher vibronic levels of the S2 state generates excess vibrational energy in the S1 state. The vibrationally hot S1 state relaxes faster when carotenoid is excited into the S2 state with excess energy, but the S1 lifetime remains constant regardless of which vibronic level of the S2 state is excited. The S∗ signal depends on excitation energy only for spheroidene, which is likely due to asymmetry of the molecule, facilitating conformations responsible for the S∗ signal.

  16. Study of influence of various factors on electrochemical signal of lead in water solutions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhikharev, Yu N.; Andrianova, L. I.; Ogudova, E. V.

    2018-05-01

    The conditions for obtaining a reproducible signal of lead in water solutions of indifferent electrolytes on various substrates (working electrodes) for analytical purposes were studied. Attention was also paid to studying the regularities of the initial stage of formation of lead sediments by the method of inversion voltammetry. The possibility of using different working electrodes to obtain stable current-potential curves is shown depending on the conditions of electrolysis, pH of the medium, the electrolysis potential and impurities.

  17. Xanomeline suppresses excessive pro-inflammatory cytokine responses through neural signal-mediated pathways and improves survival in lethal inflammation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosas-Ballina, Mauricio; Ferrer, Sergio Valdés; Dancho, Meghan; Ochani, Mahendar; Katz, David; Cheng, Kai Fan; Olofsson, Peder S.; Chavan, Sangeeta S.; Al-Abed, Yousef; Tracey, Kevin J.; Pavlov, Valentin A.

    2014-01-01

    Inflammatory conditions characterized by excessive immune cell activation and cytokine release, are associated with bidirectional immune system-brain communication, underlying sickness behavior and other physiological responses. The vagus nerve has an important role in this communication by conveying sensory information to the brain, and brain-derived immunoregulatory signals that suppress peripheral cytokine levels and inflammation. Brain muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR)-mediated cholinergic signaling has been implicated in this regulation. However, the possibility of controlling inflammation by peripheral administration of centrally-acting mAChR agonists is unexplored. To provide insight we used the centrally-acting M1 mAChR agonist xanomeline, previously developed in the context of Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. Intraperitoneal administration of xanomeline significantly suppressed serum and splenic TNF levels, alleviated sickness behavior, and increased survival during lethal murine endotoxemia. The anti-inflammatory effects of xanomeline were brain mAChR-mediated and required intact vagus nerve and splenic nerve signaling. The anti-inflammatory efficacy of xanomeline was retained for at least 20h, associated with alterations in splenic lymphocyte, and dendritic cell proportions, and decreased splenocyte responsiveness to endotoxin. These results highlight an important role of the M1 mAChR in a neural circuitry to spleen in which brain cholinergic activation lowers peripheral pro-inflammatory cytokines to levels favoring survival. The therapeutic efficacy of xanomeline was also manifested by significantly improved survival in preclinical settings of severe sepsis. These findings are of interest for strategizing novel therapeutic approaches in inflammatory diseases. PMID:25063706

  18. Is nitric oxide signalling involved in the antidepressant action of ketamine?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liebenberg, Nico; Müller, Heidi Kaastrup; Elfving, Betina

    2012-01-01

    Background and Aim: Stress-induced excessive glutamate transmission at N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors may underlie a major mechanism in the pathophysiology that leads to depression, while ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, has been shown to induce a rapid antidepressant effect in depre......Background and Aim: Stress-induced excessive glutamate transmission at N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors may underlie a major mechanism in the pathophysiology that leads to depression, while ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, has been shown to induce a rapid antidepressant effect...... in depressed patients following a single intravenous administration that is sustained for ± 7 days. A number of downstream cellular mechanisms appear to mediate the antidepressant action of ketamine, and the majority of evidence point to a rapid activation of protein translation leading to increased synaptic...... receptors, while the uncoupling of the nNOS-NMDA receptor complex prevents NMDA-induced excitotoxicity. Thus, it is possible that the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) signalling underlies a key upstream mechanism in the antidepressant action of ketamine. Methods: We used a genetic rat model of depression...

  19. The Fermi Galactic Center GeV Excess and Implications for Dark Matter

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ackermann, M.; Buehler, R. [Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, D-15738 Zeuthen (Germany); Ajello, M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Kinard Lab of Physics, Clemson, SC 29634-0978 (United States); Albert, A. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Atwood, W. B. [Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics, Department of Physics and Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Baldini, L. [Università di Pisa and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa I-56127 Pisa (Italy); Ballet, J. [Laboratoire AIM, CEA-IRFU/CNRS/Université Paris Diderot, Service d’Astrophysique, CEA Saclay, F-91191 Gif sur Yvette (France); Barbiellini, G. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Trieste, I-34127 Trieste (Italy); Bastieri, D. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Padova, I-35131 Padova (Italy); Bellazzini, R. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa, I-56127 Pisa (Italy); Bissaldi, E. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari (Italy); Blandford, R. D.; Bloom, E. D.; Bottacini, E. [W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Bonino, R. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Torino, I-10125 Torino (Italy); Brandt, T. J. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Bregeon, J. [Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier, Université Montpellier, CNRS/IN2P3, F-34095 Montpellier (France); Bruel, P. [Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet, École polytechnique, CNRS/IN2P3, F-91128 Palaiseau (France); Collaboration: (The Fermi LAT Collaboration); and others

    2017-05-01

    The region around the Galactic Center (GC) is now well established to be brighter at energies of a few GeV than what is expected from conventional models of diffuse gamma-ray emission and catalogs of known gamma-ray sources. We study the GeV excess using 6.5 yr of data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope. We characterize the uncertainty of the GC excess spectrum and morphology due to uncertainties in cosmic-ray source distributions and propagation, uncertainties in the distribution of interstellar gas in the Milky Way, and uncertainties due to a potential contribution from the Fermi bubbles. We also evaluate uncertainties in the excess properties due to resolved point sources of gamma rays. The GC is of particular interest, as it would be expected to have the brightest signal from annihilation of weakly interacting massive dark matter (DM) particles. However, control regions along the Galactic plane, where a DM signal is not expected, show excesses of similar amplitude relative to the local background. Based on the magnitude of the systematic uncertainties, we conservatively report upper limits for the annihilation cross-section as a function of particle mass and annihilation channel.

  20. The Virtual Diphoton Excess

    CERN Document Server

    Stolarski, Daniel

    2016-01-01

    Interpreting the excesses around 750 GeV in the diphoton spectra to be the signal of a new heavy scalar decaying to photons, we point out the possibility of looking for correlated signals with virtual photons. In particular, we emphasize that the effective operator that generates the diphoton decay will also generate decays to two leptons and a photon, as well as to four leptons, independently of the new resonance couplings to $Z\\gamma$ and $ZZ$. Depending on the relative sizes of these effective couplings, we show that the virtual diphoton component can make up a sizable, and sometimes dominant, contribution to the total $2\\ell \\gamma$ and $4\\ell$ partial widths. We also discuss modifications to current experimental cuts in order to maximize the sensitivity to these virtual photon effects. Finally, we briefly comment on prospects for channels involving other Standard Model fermions as well as more exotic decay possibilities of the putative resonance.

  1. Adverse lifestyle leads to an annual excess of 2 million deaths in China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G Neil Thomas

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Adverse lifestyle factors have been associated with increased mortality, but data are lacking on their combined effect in developing populations, which we address in the present study. METHODS: In a death registry-based, case-control study among Hong Kong Chinese aged 30+y, proxy-reported lifestyle factors 10 y ago were collected for 21,363 cases (81% of all deaths and 12,048 living controls. Risks associated with poor diet, inactivity, heavy alcohol intake, and smoking for all-cause and cause-specific mortality, adjusting for potential confounders, were determined, and excess deaths for the Chinese population were calculated. RESULTS: Adjusted odds ratios for all-cause mortality were 1.15 (95% CI 1.09, 1.23, 1.34 (1.27, 1.43, 1.36 (1.21, 1.52, and 1.58 (1.46, 1.70 for poor diet, inactivity, heavy alcohol intake and smoking, respectively. Increasing numbers of adverse lifestyle factors were associated with a dose-dependent increase in adjusted odds ratios of 1.30 (1.20, 1.40, 1.67 (1.54, 1.81, 2.32 (2.08, 2.60, and 3.85 (3.12, 4.75 for 1, 2, 3, and 4 risk factors relative to those with none. The population attributable fraction for all-cause, all-CVD and all-cancer mortality were 26.6%, 15.0%, and 32.1%, resulting in an excess of 2,017,541; 489,884; and 607,517 deaths annually, respectively. Although smoking was associated with the greatest excess loss of life (867,530, heavy drinking (680,466, and physical inactivity (678,317 were similarly important. CONCLUSION: Adverse lifestyle factors contribute to one quarter of all deaths in China. Improving lifestyle practices, particularly focussing on moderating alcohol intake and increasing activity, and smoking cessation are critical to reducing the lifestyle-associated health burden.

  2. Experimental considerations motivated by the diphoton excess at the LHC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agrawal, Prateek; Fan, JiJi; Heidenreich, Ben; Reece, Matthew; Strassler, Matthew

    2016-01-01

    We consider the immediate or near-term experimental opportunities offered by some scenarios that could explain the new diphoton excess at the LHC. If the excess is due to a new particle X s at 750 GeV, additional new particles are required, providing further signals. If connected with naturalness, the X s may be produced in top partner decays. Then a t ′ t̄ ′ signal, with t ′ →tX s and X s →gg dominantly, might be discovered by reinterpreting 13 TeV SUSY searches in multijet events with low MET and/or a lepton. If X s is a bound state of quirks, the signal events may be accompanied by an unusual number of soft tracks or soft jets. Other resonances including dilepton and photon+jet as well as dijet may lie at or above this mass, and signatures of hidden glueballs might also be observable. If the “photons" in the excess are actually long-lived particles decaying to photon pairs or to electron pairs, there are opportunities for detecting overlapping photons and/or unusual patterns of apparent photon-conversions in either X s or 125 GeV Higgs decays. There is also the possibility of events with a hard “photon” recoiling against a narrow isolated HCAL-only “jet”, which, after the jet’s energy is corrected for its electromagnetic origin, would show a peak at 750 GeV.

  3. Synchronization of femtosecond laser pulses and RF signal by using a Sagnac loop Mach-Zehnder interferometer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dai Hui; Hajima, Ryoichi

    2008-11-01

    For future advanced energy recovery linac to generate femtosecond X-ray pulses, precise synchronization between sub-systems is highly desired. Typical synchronization methods based on direct photo detection are limited by detector nonlinearities, which lead to amplitude-to-phase conversion and introduce excess timing jitter. In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate an optical-electronic mixed phase lock loop to synchronize the RF signal and laser pulses. In this synchronism setup, a Sagnac-loop Mach-Zehnder interferometer has been used to suppress the excess noise of direct photo detection. This scheme transfers the timing information into a intensity imbalance between the two output beams of the interferometer. As experimental demonstration, the single side-band phase noise of RF signal from the VCO is locked to the mode-locked Ti:Sapphire laser in the spectrum covering the range of 10 kHz to 1 MHz. This synchronization scheme greatly reduces the phase noise and timing jitter of the RF signal. (author)

  4. Metabolic signals and innate immune activation in obesity and exercise.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ringseis, Robert; Eder, Klaus; Mooren, Frank C; Krüger, Karsten

    2015-01-01

    The combination of a sedentary lifestyle and excess energy intake has led to an increased prevalence of obesity which constitutes a major risk factor for several co-morbidities including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Intensive research during the last two decades has revealed that a characteristic feature of obesity linking it to insulin resistance is the presence of chronic low-grade inflammation being indicative of activation of the innate immune system. Recent evidence suggests that activation of the innate immune system in the course of obesity is mediated by metabolic signals, such as free fatty acids (FFAs), being elevated in many obese subjects, through activation of pattern recognition receptors thereby leading to stimulation of critical inflammatory signaling cascades, like IκBα kinase/nuclear factor-κB (IKK/NF- κB), endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced unfolded protein response (UPR) and NOD-like receptor P3 (NLRP3) inflammasome pathway, that interfere with insulin signaling. Exercise is one of the main prescribed interventions in obesity management improving insulin sensitivity and reducing obesity- induced chronic inflammation. This review summarizes current knowledge of the cellular recognition mechanisms for FFAs, the inflammatory signaling pathways triggered by excess FFAs in obesity and the counteractive effects of both acute and chronic exercise on obesity-induced activation of inflammatory signaling pathways. A deeper understanding of the effects of exercise on inflammatory signaling pathways in obesity is useful to optimize preventive and therapeutic strategies to combat the increasing incidence of obesity and its comorbidities. Copyright © 2015 International Society of Exercise and Immunology. All rights reserved.

  5. A signal-on electrogenerated chemiluminescent biosensor for lead ion based on DNAzyme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma Fen; Sun Bo; Qi Honglan; Zhang Hongge; Gao Qiang; Zhang Chengxiao

    2011-01-01

    A highly reproducible and sensitive signal-on electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor based on the DNAzyme for the determination of lead ion was developed. The ECL biosensor was fabricated by covalently coupling 5'-amino-DNAzyme-tagged with ruthenium bis (2,2'-bipyridine) (2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid)-ethylenediamine (Ru1-17E') onto the surface of graphite electrode modified with 4-aminobenzoic acid, and then a DNA substrate with a ribonucleotide adenosine hybridized with Ru1-17E' on the electrode. Upon binding of Pb 2+ to the Ru1-17E' to form a complex which catalyzed the cleavage of the DNA substrate, the double-stranded DNA was dissociated and thus led to a high ECL signal. The signal linearly increases with the concentration of Pb 2+ in the range from 5.0 to 80 pM with a detection limit of 1.4 pM and a relative standard derivation of 2.3%. This work demonstrates that using DNAzyme tagged with ruthenium complex as an ECL probe and covalently coupling method for the fabrication of the ECL biosensor with high sensitivity, good stability and significant regeneration ability is promising approach.

  6. VEGF Signaling in Neurological Disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joon W. Shim

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF is a potent growth factor playing diverse roles in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. In the brain, VEGF mediates angiogenesis, neural migration and neuroprotection. As a permeability factor, excessive VEGF disrupts intracellular barriers, increases leakage of the choroid plexus endothelia, evokes edema, and activates the inflammatory pathway. Recently, we discovered that a heparin binding epidermal growth factor like growth factor (HB-EGF—a class of EGF receptor (EGFR family ligands—contributes to the development of hydrocephalus with subarachnoid hemorrhage through activation of VEGF signaling. The objective of this review is to entail a recent update on causes of death due to neurological disorders involving cerebrovascular and age-related neurological conditions and to understand the mechanism by which angiogenesis-dependent pathological events can be treated with VEGF antagonisms. The Global Burden of Disease study indicates that cancer and cardiovascular disease including ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke are two leading causes of death worldwide. The literature suggests that VEGF signaling in ischemic brains highlights the importance of concentration, timing, and alternate route of modulating VEGF signaling pathway. Molecular targets distinguishing two distinct pathways of VEGF signaling may provide novel therapies for the treatment of neurological disorders and for maintaining lower mortality due to these conditions.

  7. Neuro-developmental outcome at 18 months in premature infants with diffuse excessive high signal intensity on MR imaging of the brain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hart, Anthony; Whitby, Elspeth; Paley, Martyn; Wilkinson, Stuart; Smith, Michael; Alladi, Sathya

    2011-01-01

    Diffuse excessive high signal intensity (DEHSI) may represent damage to the white matter in preterm infants, but may be best studied alongside quantitative markers. Limited published data exists on its neuro-developmental implications. The purpose of this study was to assess whether preterm children with DEHSI at term-corrected age have abnormal neuro-developmental outcome. This was a prospective observational study of 67 preterm infants with MRI of the brain around term-equivalent age, including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). Images were reported as being normal, overtly abnormal or to show DEHSI. A single observer placed six regions of interest in the periventricular white matter and calculated the apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC). DEHSI was defined as (1) high signal on T2-weighted images alone, (2) high signal with raised ADC values or (3) raised ADC values independent of visual appearances. The neuro-development was assessed around 18 months' corrected age using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (3rd Edition). Standard t tests compared outcome scores between imaging groups. No statistically significant difference in neuro-developmental outcome scores was seen between participants with normal MRI and DEHSI, regardless of which definition was used. Preterm children with DEHSI have similar neuro-developmental outcome to those with normal brain MRI, even if the definition includes objective markers alongside visual appearances. (orig.)

  8. [Theoretical and clinical application of insomnia caused by "stomach disorder could lead to excess of yang-qiao meridian"].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Jian-Ning

    2013-02-01

    To explore the mechanism of insomnia caused by "stomach disorder could lead to excess of yang-qiao meridian" and clinical application of treating insomnia with acupoints in qiao meridian as the main points. From meridian theory, intersection between stomach meridian of Foot-Yangming and yang-qiao meridian is through Chengqi (ST 1). Qiao meridian for sleep is mainly because it is connected with eyes through the Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang. For Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming is intersected with the Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang in Jingming (BL 1), and intersected with yin and yang qiao meridian beside the mouth and under the eye, once functional disorder of the stomach, it can affect qi movements of the whole body and give rise to various pathological changes that cause insomnia. Meanwhile examples are given to explain the clinical application of treating subborn insomnia with corresponding acupoint of stomach and yang-qiao meridian.

  9. Appearances of diffuse excessive high signal intensity (DEHSI) on MR imaging following preterm birth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hart, Anthony R.; Smith, Michael F.; Rigby, Alan S.; Wallis, Lauren I.; Whitby, Elspeth H.

    2010-01-01

    Diffuse damage to the periventricular white matter has recently been suggested to be a cause of the cognitive deficits seen following preterm birth. It is unclear whether this form of injury can be visualised on MR imaging, but one group has described diffuse excessive high signal intensity (DEHSI) as a possible form of diffuse white matter injury. This finding is dependant on window imaging and the subjective assessment of the reviewer, but little data have been published on the degree of subjectivity on its appearance among raters. To assess the subjectivity of DEHSI on conventional and ultrafast T2-weighted MR imaging following preterm birth. An observational study of 40 preterm infants who had MR imaging of the brain around term-equivalent age, including conventional fast spin-echo (FSE) and ultrafast single-shot fast spin-echo (SSFSE) T2-weighted sequences in the axial plane. Images were anonymised and scored twice by four observers for the presence of DEHSI. Inter- and intra-observer agreement were calculated. Sixty-five percent of conventional and 100% of the ultrafast images were of diagnostic quality. DEHSI was noted in between 0% and 69.2% of conventional images and 27.5-90% of the ultrafast images. Inter- and intra-observer agreement ranged from none to moderate. The visual appearances of DEHSI on conventional FSE and ultrafast SSFSE T2-W images are highly subjective, limiting its clinical application. (orig.)

  10. Appearances of diffuse excessive high signal intensity (DEHSI) on MR imaging following preterm birth

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hart, Anthony R. [Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Neonatology, Jessop Wing, Sheffield (United Kingdom); University of Sheffield, Academic Unit of Radiology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield (United Kingdom); University of Sheffield, Department of Academic Radiology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield (United Kingdom); Smith, Michael F. [Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Neonatology, Jessop Wing, Sheffield (United Kingdom); Rigby, Alan S. [University of Hull, Postgraduate Medical Centre, Castle Hill Hospital, East Yorkshire (United Kingdom); Wallis, Lauren I.; Whitby, Elspeth H. [University of Sheffield, Academic Unit of Radiology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield (United Kingdom)

    2010-08-15

    Diffuse damage to the periventricular white matter has recently been suggested to be a cause of the cognitive deficits seen following preterm birth. It is unclear whether this form of injury can be visualised on MR imaging, but one group has described diffuse excessive high signal intensity (DEHSI) as a possible form of diffuse white matter injury. This finding is dependant on window imaging and the subjective assessment of the reviewer, but little data have been published on the degree of subjectivity on its appearance among raters. To assess the subjectivity of DEHSI on conventional and ultrafast T2-weighted MR imaging following preterm birth. An observational study of 40 preterm infants who had MR imaging of the brain around term-equivalent age, including conventional fast spin-echo (FSE) and ultrafast single-shot fast spin-echo (SSFSE) T2-weighted sequences in the axial plane. Images were anonymised and scored twice by four observers for the presence of DEHSI. Inter- and intra-observer agreement were calculated. Sixty-five percent of conventional and 100% of the ultrafast images were of diagnostic quality. DEHSI was noted in between 0% and 69.2% of conventional images and 27.5-90% of the ultrafast images. Inter- and intra-observer agreement ranged from none to moderate. The visual appearances of DEHSI on conventional FSE and ultrafast SSFSE T2-W images are highly subjective, limiting its clinical application. (orig.)

  11. Can we determine what controls the spatio-temporal distribution of d-excess and 17O-excess in precipitation using the LMDZ general circulation model?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Risi

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Combined measurements of the H218O and HDO isotopic ratios in precipitation, leading to second-order parameter D-excess, have provided additional constraints on past climates compared to the H218O isotopic ratio alone. More recently, measurements of H217O have led to another second-order parameter: 17O-excess. Recent studies suggest that 17O-excess in polar ice may provide information on evaporative conditions at the moisture source. However, the processes controlling the spatio-temporal distribution of 17O-excess are still far from being fully understood. We use the isotopic general circulation model (GCM LMDZ to better understand what controls d-excess and 17O-excess in precipitation at present-day (PD and during the last glacial maximum (LGM. The simulation of D-excess and 17O-excess is evaluated against measurements in meteoric water, water vapor and polar ice cores. A set of sensitivity tests and diagnostics are used to quantify the relative effects of evaporative conditions (sea surface temperature and relative humidity, Rayleigh distillation, mixing between vapors from different origins, precipitation re-evaporation and supersaturation during condensation at low temperature. In LMDZ, simulations suggest that in the tropics convective processes and rain re-evaporation are important controls on precipitation D-excess and 17O-excess. In higher latitudes, the effect of distillation, mixing between vapors from different origins and supersaturation are the most important controls. For example, the lower d-excess and 17O-excess at LGM simulated at LGM are mainly due to the supersaturation effect. The effect of supersaturation is however very sensitive to a parameter whose tuning would require more measurements and laboratory experiments. Evaporative conditions had previously been suggested to be key controlling factors of d-excess and 17O-excess, but LMDZ underestimates their role. More generally, some shortcomings in the simulation of 17O-excess

  12. Happiness: When Does It Lead to Self-Indulgence and When Does It Lead to Self-Denial?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perry, Louise C.; And Others

    1985-01-01

    Confirmed the hypothesis that happiness leads to self-indulgence when children have no reason to believe that excessive self-gratification is morally wrong but that happiness promotes self-denial when children fear that excessive self-gratification violates a moral rule. Results with 112 White, middle-class, Australian children ages four to five…

  13. A PKC-MARCKS-PI3K regulatory module links Ca2+ and PIP3 signals at the leading edge of polarized macrophages.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brian P Ziemba

    Full Text Available The leukocyte chemosensory pathway detects attractant gradients and directs cell migration to sites of inflammation, infection, tissue damage, and carcinogenesis. Previous studies have revealed that local Ca2+ and PIP3 signals at the leading edge of polarized leukocytes play central roles in positive feedback loop essential to cell polarization and chemotaxis. These prior studies showed that stimulation of the leading edge Ca2+ signal can strongly activate PI3K, thereby triggering a larger PIP3 signal, but did not elucidate the mechanistic link between Ca2+ and PIP3 signaling. A hypothesis explaining this link emerged, postulating that Ca2+-activated PKC displaces the MARCKS protein from plasma membrane PIP2, thereby releasing sequestered PIP2 to serve as the target and substrate lipid of PI3K in PIP3 production. In vitro single molecule studies of the reconstituted pathway on lipid bilayers demonstrated the feasibility of this PKC-MARCKS-PI3K regulatory module linking Ca2+ and PIP3 signals in the reconstituted system. The present study tests the model predictions in live macrophages by quantifying the effects of: (a two pathway activators-PDGF and ATP that stimulate chemoreceptors and Ca2+ influx, respectively; and (b three pathway inhibitors-wortmannin, EGTA, and Go6976 that inhibit PI3K, Ca2+ influx, and PKC, respectively; on (c four leading edge activity sensors-AKT-PH-mRFP, CKAR, MARCKSp-mRFP, and leading edge area that report on PIP3 density, PKC activity, MARCKS membrane binding, and leading edge expansion/contraction, respectively. The results provide additional evidence that PKC and PI3K are both essential elements of the leading edge positive feedback loop, and strongly support the existence of a PKC-MARCKS-PI3K regulatory module linking the leading edge Ca2+ and PIP3 signals. As predicted, activators stimulate leading edge PKC activity, displacement of MARCKS from the leading edge membrane and increased leading edge PIP3 levels, while

  14. A PKC-MARCKS-PI3K regulatory module links Ca2+ and PIP3 signals at the leading edge of polarized macrophages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ziemba, Brian P; Falke, Joseph J

    2018-01-01

    The leukocyte chemosensory pathway detects attractant gradients and directs cell migration to sites of inflammation, infection, tissue damage, and carcinogenesis. Previous studies have revealed that local Ca2+ and PIP3 signals at the leading edge of polarized leukocytes play central roles in positive feedback loop essential to cell polarization and chemotaxis. These prior studies showed that stimulation of the leading edge Ca2+ signal can strongly activate PI3K, thereby triggering a larger PIP3 signal, but did not elucidate the mechanistic link between Ca2+ and PIP3 signaling. A hypothesis explaining this link emerged, postulating that Ca2+-activated PKC displaces the MARCKS protein from plasma membrane PIP2, thereby releasing sequestered PIP2 to serve as the target and substrate lipid of PI3K in PIP3 production. In vitro single molecule studies of the reconstituted pathway on lipid bilayers demonstrated the feasibility of this PKC-MARCKS-PI3K regulatory module linking Ca2+ and PIP3 signals in the reconstituted system. The present study tests the model predictions in live macrophages by quantifying the effects of: (a) two pathway activators-PDGF and ATP that stimulate chemoreceptors and Ca2+ influx, respectively; and (b) three pathway inhibitors-wortmannin, EGTA, and Go6976 that inhibit PI3K, Ca2+ influx, and PKC, respectively; on (c) four leading edge activity sensors-AKT-PH-mRFP, CKAR, MARCKSp-mRFP, and leading edge area that report on PIP3 density, PKC activity, MARCKS membrane binding, and leading edge expansion/contraction, respectively. The results provide additional evidence that PKC and PI3K are both essential elements of the leading edge positive feedback loop, and strongly support the existence of a PKC-MARCKS-PI3K regulatory module linking the leading edge Ca2+ and PIP3 signals. As predicted, activators stimulate leading edge PKC activity, displacement of MARCKS from the leading edge membrane and increased leading edge PIP3 levels, while inhibitors

  15. Intracellular calcium signal at the leading edge regulates mesodermal sheet migration during Xenopus gastrulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayashi, Kentaro; Yamamoto, Takamasa S; Ueno, Naoto

    2018-02-05

    During the gastrulation stage in animal embryogenesis, the cells leading the axial mesoderm migrate toward the anterior side of the embryo, vigorously extending cell protrusions such as lamellipodia. It is thought that the leading cells sense gradients of chemoattractants emanating from the ectodermal cells and translate them to initiate and maintain the cell movements necessary for gastrulation. However, it is unclear how the extracellular information is converted to the intracellular chemical reactions that lead to motion. Here we demonstrated that intracellular Ca 2+ levels in the protrusion-forming leading cells are markedly higher than those of the following cells and the axial mesoderm cells. We also showed that inhibiting the intracellular Ca 2+ significantly retarded the gastrulation cell movements, while increasing the intracellular Ca 2+ with an ionophore enhanced the migration. We further found that the ionophore treatment increased the active form of the small GTPase Rac1 in these cells. Our results suggest that transient intracellular Ca 2+ signals play an essential role in the active cell migration during gastrulation.

  16. Energy costs of feeding excess protein from corn-based byproducts to finishing cattle

    Science.gov (United States)

    The increased use of byproducts in finishing diets leads to diets that contain greater concentrations of CP and MP than required by cattle. The hypothesis was that excess dietary CP and MP would increase maintenance energy requirments due to the energy costs of removing excess N as urea in urine. ...

  17. Excessive L-cysteine induces vacuole-like cell death by activating endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling in intestinal porcine epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ji, Yun; Wu, Zhenlong; Dai, Zhaolai; Sun, Kaiji; Zhang, Qing; Wu, Guoyao

    2016-01-01

    High intake of dietary cysteine is extremely toxic to animals and the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that excessive L-cysteine induces cell death by activating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling in intestinal porcine epithelial cells. Jejunal enterocytes were cultured in the presence of 0-10 mmol/L L-cysteine. Cell viability, morphologic alterations, mRNA levels for genes involved in ER stress, protein abundances for glucose-regulated protein 78, C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor-2 (eIF2α), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), p38 MAPK, and c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK1/2) were determined. The results showed that L-cysteine (5-10 mmol/L) reduced cell viability (P L-cysteine were not affected by the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine. The protein abundances for CHOP, phosphorylated (p)-eIF2α, p-JNK1/2, p-p38 MAPK, and the spliced form of XBP-1 mRNA were enhanced (P L-cysteine induces vacuole-like cell death via the activation of ER stress and MAPK signaling in small intestinal epithelial cells. These signaling pathways may be potential targets for developing effective strategies to prevent the toxicity of dietary cysteine.

  18. Advances in cell proliferation and apoptosis signal pathway and therapies of polycystic kidney disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiao-ying LIAN

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Polycystic kidney disease (PKD is one of the monogenic inherited diseases. In PKD, excessive cell proliferation and fluid secretion, and disruption of the mechanisms controlling tubular diameter may all lead to cyst formation. Current evidence has demonstrated that intracellular calcium ion and cAMP imbalance drive both abnormal cell proliferation and apoptosis signal pathway. The present paper summarized the evidence implicating calcium ion and cAMP as central players in the signaling pathway of cell proliferation and apoptosis in PKD, and considered the potential therapeutic approaches targeted to slow cyst growth in PKD. DOI: 10.11855/j.issn.0577-7402.2016.11.13

  19. Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) Mediates Amino Acid Inhibition of Insulin Signaling through Serine 727 Phosphorylation*

    OpenAIRE

    Kim, Jeong-Ho; Yoon, Mee-Sup; Chen, Jie

    2009-01-01

    Nutrient overload is associated with the development of obesity, insulin resistance, and type II diabetes. High plasma concentrations of amino acids have been found to correlate with insulin resistance. At the cellular level, excess amino acids impair insulin signaling, the mechanisms of which are not fully understood. Here, we report that STAT3 plays a key role in amino acid dampening of insulin signaling in hepatic cells. Excess amino acids inhibited insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation a...

  20. Gene Linked to Excess Male Hormones in Female Infertility Disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... April 15, 2014 Gene linked to excess male hormones in female infertility disorder Discovery by NIH-supported ... may lead to the overproduction of androgens — male hormones similar to testosterone — occurring in women with polycystic ...

  1. Aluminium-induced excessive ROS causes cellular damage and metabolic shifts in black gram Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chowra, Umakanta; Yanase, Emiko; Koyama, Hiroyuki; Panda, Sanjib Kumar

    2017-01-01

    Aluminium-induced oxidative damage caused by excessive ROS production was evaluated in black gram pulse crop. Black gram plants were treated with different aluminium (Al 3+ ) concentrations (10, 50 and 100 μM with pH 4.7) and further the effects of Al 3+ were characterised by means of root growth inhibition, histochemical assay, ROS content analysis, protein carbonylation quantification and 1 H-NMR analysis. The results showed that aluminium induces excessive ROS production which leads to cellular damage, root injury, stunt root growth and other metabolic shifts. In black gram, Al 3+ induces cellular damage at the earliest stage of stress which was characterised from histochemical analysis. From this study, it was observed that prolonged stress can activate certain aluminium detoxification defence mechanism. Probably excessive ROS triggers such defence mechanism in black gram. Al 3+ can induce excessive ROS initially in the root region then transported to other parts of the plant. As much as the Al 3+ concentration increases, the rate of cellular injury and ROS production also increases. But after 72 h of stress, plants showed a lowered ROS level and cellular damage which indicates the upregulation of defensive mechanisms. Metabolic shift analysis also showed that the black gram plant under stress has less metabolic content after 24 h of treatment, but gradually, it was increased after 72 h of treatment. It was assumed that ROS played the most important role as a signalling molecule for aluminium stress in black gram.

  2. Investigating altered nitric oxide signalling as an up-stream mediator of the antidepressant action of ketamine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liebenberg, N.; Muller, H. K.; Elfving, B.

    2012-01-01

    Background and Aim: Stress-induced excessive glutamate transmission at N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors may underlie a major mechanism in the pathophysiology that leads to depression, while ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, has been shown to induce a rapid antidepressant effect in depre......Background and Aim: Stress-induced excessive glutamate transmission at N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors may underlie a major mechanism in the pathophysiology that leads to depression, while ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, has been shown to induce a rapid antidepressant effect...... in depressed patients following a single intravenous administration that is sustained for (plus or minus) 7 days. A number of downstream cellular mechanisms appear to mediate the antidepressant action of ketamine, and the majority of evidence point to a rapid activation of protein translation leading...... to and activated by NMDA receptors, while the uncoupling of the nNOS-NMDA receptor complex prevents NMDA-induced excitotoxicity. Thus, it is possible that the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) signalling underlies a key upstream mechanism in the antidepressant action of ketamine. Methods: We used a genetic rat model...

  3. Excessive crying: behavioral and emotional regulation disorder in infancy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joon Sik Kim

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available In the pediatric literature, excessive crying has been reported solely in association with 3-month colic and is described, if at all, as unexplained crying and fussing during the first 3 months of life. The bouts of crying are generally thought to be triggered by abdominal colic (over-inflation of the still immature gastrointestinal tract, and treatment is prescribed accordingly. According to this line of reasoning, excessive crying is harmless and resolves by the end of the third month without long-term consequences. However, there is evidence that it may cause tremendous distress in the mother–infant relationship, and can lead to disorders of behavioral and emotional regulation at the toddler stage (such as sleep and feeding disorders, chronic fussiness, excessive clinginess, and temper tantrums. Early treatment of excessive crying focuses on parent–infant communication, and parent-infant interaction in the context of soothing and settling the infant to sleep is a promising approach that may prevent later behavioral and emotional disorders in infancy.

  4. Excessive Daytime Sleepiness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yavuz Selvi

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Excessive daytime sleepiness is one of the most common sleep-related patient symptoms, with preva-lence in the community estimated to be as high as 18%. Patients with excessive daytime sleepiness may exhibit life threatening road and work accidents, social maladjustment, decreased academic and occupational performance and have poorer health than comparable adults. Thus, excessive daytime sleepiness is a serious condition that requires investigation, diagnosis and treatment primarily. As with most medical condition, evaluation of excessive daytime sleepiness begins a precise history and various objective and subjective tools have been also developed to assess excessive daytime sleepiness. The most common causes of excessive daytime sleepiness are insufficient sleep hygiene, chronic sleep deprivation, medical and psychiatric conditions and sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, medications, and narcolepsy. Treatment option should address underlying contributors and promote sleep quantity by ensuring good sleep hygiene. [Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry 2016; 8(2: 114-132

  5. The Diboson Excess: Experimental Situation and Classification of Explanations; A Les Houches Pre-Proceeding

    CERN Document Server

    Brehmer, Johann; Cacciapaglia, Giacomo; Carmona, Adrian; Chivukula, R.Sekhar; Delgado, Antonio; Goertz, Florian; Hewett, JoAnne L.; Katz, Andrey; Kopp, Joachim; Lane, Kenneth; Martin, Adam; Mohan, Kirtimaan; Morse, David M.; Nardecchia, Marco; No, Jose Miguel; Oliveira, Alexandra; Pollard, Chris; Quiros, Mariano; Rizzo, Thomas G.; Santiago, Jose; Sanz, Veronica; Simmons, Elizabeth H.; Tattersall, Jamie

    2015-01-01

    We examine the `diboson' excess at $\\sim 2$ TeV seen by the LHC experiments in various channels. We provide a comparison of the excess significances as a function of the mass of the tentative resonance and give the signal cross sections needed to explain the excesses. We also present a survey of available theoretical explanations of the resonance, classified in three main approaches. Beyond that, we discuss methods to verify the anomaly, determining the major properties of the various surpluses and exploring how different models can be discriminated. Finally, we give a tabular summary of the numerous explanations, presenting their main phenomenological features.

  6. Lead elimination by ICRF 158 in rats after chronic lead exposure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Witting, U; Hultsch, E

    1981-02-01

    Lead elimination by ICRF 158, a lipophilic derivative of ethylene-diaminetetra-acetate (EDTA), was investigated in rats after chronic lead exposure. The animals had received a lead concentration of 550 ppm in their drinking water for 140 days. Subsequent treatment with ICRF 158 for 30 days led to increased mobilization and elimination of incorporated lead, and the lead-induced inhibition of hemosynthesis was removed. ICR 158 produced no renal damage in excess to lead-induced tubular nephrosis. Separate toxicity tests in mice demonstrated that is less toxic than CaNa/sub 2/EDTA. ICRF 158 does not form stable complexes with lead ions in vitro. The mechanism of action of this lipophilic EDTA derivative is compared to that of its hydrophilic correspondent, the chelating agent CaNa/sub 2/EDTA.

  7. Loss of FTO antagonises Wnt signaling and leads to developmental defects associated with ciliopathies.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel P S Osborn

    Full Text Available Common intronic variants in the Human fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO are found to be associated with an increased risk of obesity. Overexpression of FTO correlates with increased food intake and obesity, whilst loss-of-function results in lethality and severe developmental defects. Despite intense scientific discussions around the role of FTO in energy metabolism, the function of FTO during development remains undefined. Here, we show that loss of Fto leads to developmental defects such as growth retardation, craniofacial dysmorphism and aberrant neural crest cells migration in Zebrafish. We find that the important developmental pathway, Wnt, is compromised in the absence of FTO, both in vivo (zebrafish and in vitro (Fto(-/- MEFs and HEK293T. Canonical Wnt signalling is down regulated by abrogated β-Catenin translocation to the nucleus whilst non-canonical Wnt/Ca(2+ pathway is activated via its key signal mediators CaMKII and PKCδ. Moreover, we demonstrate that loss of Fto results in short, absent or disorganised cilia leading to situs inversus, renal cystogenesis, neural crest cell defects and microcephaly in Zebrafish. Congruently, Fto knockout mice display aberrant tissue specific cilia. These data identify FTO as a protein-regulator of the balanced activation between canonical and non-canonical branches of the Wnt pathway. Furthermore, we present the first evidence that FTO plays a role in development and cilia formation/function.

  8. mTOR signaling and its roles in normal and abnormal brain development.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nobuyuki eTakei

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Target of rapamycin (TOR was first identified in yeast as a target molecule of rapamycin, an anti-fugal and immunosuppressant macrolide compound. In mammals, its orthologue is called mTOR (mammalian TOR. mTOR is a serine/threonine kinase that converges different extracellular stimuli, such as nutrients and growth factors, and diverges into several biochemical reactions, including translation, autophagy, transcription, and lipid synthesis among others. These biochemical reactions govern cell growth and cause cells to attain an anabolic state. Thus, the disruption of mTOR signaling is implicated in a wide array of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and obesity. In the central nervous system (CNS, the mTOR signaling cascade is activated by nutrients, neurotrophic factors, and neurotransmitters that enhances protein (and possibly lipid synthesis and suppresses autophagy. These processes contribute to normal neuronal growth by promoting their differentiation, neurite elongation and branching, and synaptic formation during development. Therefore, disruption of mTOR signaling may cause neuronal degeneration and abnormal neural development. While reduced mTOR signaling is associated with neurodegeneration, excess activation of mTOR signaling causes abnormal development of neurons and glia, leading to brain malformation. In this review, we first introduce the current state of molecular knowledge of mTOR complexes and signaling in general. We then describe mTOR activation in neurons, which leads to translational enhancement, and finally discuss the link between mTOR and normal/abnormal neuronal growth during development.

  9. Excess quantum noise in optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification

    OpenAIRE

    Manzoni, C.; Moses, J.; Kärtner, F. X.; Cerullo, G.

    2011-01-01

    Noise evolution in an optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier (OPCPA) differs essentially from that of an optical parametric or a conventional laser amplifier, in that an incoherent pedestal is produced by superfluorescence that can overwhelm the signal under strong saturation. Using a model for the nonlinear dynamics consistent with quantum mechanics, we numerically study the evolution of excess noise in an OPCPA. The observed dynamics explain the macroscopic characteristics seen previous...

  10. MAPKs are essential upstream signaling pathways in proteolytic cartilage degradation--divergence in pathways leading to aggrecanase and MMP-mediated articular cartilage degradation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sondergaard, B-C; Schultz, N; Madsen, S H

    2010-01-01

    Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and aggrecanases are essential players in cartilage degradation. However, the signaling pathways that results in MMP and/or aggrecanase synthesis and activation are not well understood. We investigated the molecular events leading to MMP- and aggrecanase-mediated ......Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and aggrecanases are essential players in cartilage degradation. However, the signaling pathways that results in MMP and/or aggrecanase synthesis and activation are not well understood. We investigated the molecular events leading to MMP- and aggrecanase......-mediated cartilage degradation....

  11. The role of lead and excess oxygen in uranite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berman, Robert Morris

    1957-01-01

    Analysed samples of uraninite were x-rayed, annealed by heating to 550° and 900° for various times in a nitrogen atmosphere, and x-rayed again. A decrease in unit cell size was generally observed. Calculations on the basis of Vegard's Law showed that the ordering of the interstitial oxygen ions could account for the decrease in cell size on annealing. The interstitial oxygens are not necessarily completely disordered before annealing. The degree of original disorder is dependent on the Rare Earth/ThO2 ratio; for high ThO2 and low rare earths, the interstitial oxygens are completely random. The degree of disorder apparently depends solely on the composition, and not on the past history of the sample; this implies that the oxygens are being continuously disordered, perhaps by alpha particles, to the equilibrium point determined by the R.E./ThO2 ratio. The degree of ordering of the interstitial oxygens also accounts for the difference in cell size between vein pitchblendes and those from the sediments of the Colorado Plateau. A study was also made of the degree of oxidation of uraninites. Although the uranium in many pegmatitic uraninites is more oxidized than can be obtained with the cubic UO2 phase in the laboratory, if the atoms proxying for uranium are calculated into the structural formula, and the lead is assumed to be radiogenic and calculated as original uranium, almost all pegmatitic uraninites fall into the range of interstitial oxygen content obtainable in the laboratory. This fact supports the auto-oxidation hypothesis. Many of the vein and sedimentary pitchblendes have compositions close to U3O8, although they are cubic. They may gave crystallized as U3O8, the decomposed to the cubic phase and a amorphous phase. This suggests that the stability range of U3O8 includes only very exceptional natural conditions. Vegard's Law calculations, studies of zoning in crystals, differential leaching, polished section textures, and other lines of evidence indicate

  12. Platelets Promote Metastasis via Binding Tumor CD97 Leading to Bidirectional Signaling that Coordinates Transendothelial Migration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yvona Ward

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Tumor cells initiate platelet activation leading to the secretion of bioactive molecules, which promote metastasis. Platelet receptors on tumors have not been well-characterized, resulting in a critical gap in knowledge concerning platelet-promoted metastasis. We identify a direct interaction between platelets and tumor CD97 that stimulates rapid bidirectional signaling. CD97, an adhesion G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR, is an overexpressed tumor antigen in several cancer types. Purified CD97 extracellular domain or tumor cell-associated CD97 stimulated platelet activation. CD97-initiated platelet activation led to granule secretion, including the release of ATP, a mediator of endothelial junction disruption. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA derived from platelets induced tumor invasiveness via proximal CD97-LPAR heterodimer signaling, coupling coincident tumor cell migration and vascular permeability to promote transendothelial migration. Consistent with this, CD97 was necessary for tumor cell-induced vascular permeability in vivo and metastasis formation in preclinical models. These findings support targeted blockade of tumor CD97 as an approach to ameliorate metastatic spread. : Tumor-initiated platelet activation promotes tissue invasion of cancer cells and metastasis. Ward et al. demonstrate that a common tumor-associated antigen, CD97, accounts for platelet activation and participates directly in LPA-mediated signal transduction leading to tumor cell invasion. CD97 promotes vascular extravasation and metastasis in pre-clinical models. Keywords: platelets, metastasis, transendothelial migration, circulating tumor cells, CD97, adhesion GPCR, LPA

  13. The Influence of Lead on Generation of Signalling Molecules and Accumulation of Flavonoids in Pea Seedlings in Response to Pea Aphid Infestation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agnieszka Woźniak

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an abiotic factor, i.e., lead at various concentrations (low causing a hormesis effect and causing high toxicity effects, on the generation of signalling molecules in pea (Pisum sativum L. cv. Cysterski seedlings and then during infestation by the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris. The second objective was to verify whether the presence of lead in pea seedling organs and induction of signalling pathways dependent on the concentration of this metal trigger defense responses to A. pisum. Therefore, the profile of flavonoids and expression levels of genes encoding enzymes of the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway (phenylalanine ammonialyase and chalcone synthase were determined. A significant accumulation of total salicylic acid (TSA and abscisic acid (ABA was recorded in the roots and leaves of pea seedlings growing on lead-supplemented medium and next during infestation by aphids. Increased generation of these phytohormones strongly enhanced the biosynthesis of flavonoids, including a phytoalexin, pisatin. This research provides insights into the cross-talk between the abiotic (lead and biotic factor (aphid infestation on the level of the generation of signalling molecules and their role in the induction of flavonoid biosynthesis.

  14. Reactive Oxygen Species-Mediated Loss of Synaptic Akt1 Signaling Leads to Deficient Activity-Dependent Protein Translation Early in Alzheimer's Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmad, Faraz; Singh, Kunal; Das, Debajyoti; Gowaikar, Ruturaj; Shaw, Eisha; Ramachandran, Arathy; Rupanagudi, Khader Valli; Kommaddi, Reddy Peera; Bennett, David A; Ravindranath, Vijayalakshmi

    2017-12-01

    Synaptic deficits are known to underlie the cognitive dysfunction seen in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by β-amyloid has also been implicated in AD pathogenesis. However, it is unclear whether ROS contributes to synaptic dysfunction seen in AD pathogenesis and, therefore, we examined whether altered redox signaling could contribute to synaptic deficits in AD. Activity dependent but not basal translation was impaired in synaptoneurosomes from 1-month old presymptomatic APP Swe /PS1ΔE9 (APP/PS1) mice, and this deficit was sustained till middle age (MA, 9-10 months). ROS generation leads to oxidative modification of Akt1 in the synapse and consequent reduction in Akt1-mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, leading to deficiency in activity-dependent protein translation. Moreover, we found a similar loss of activity-dependent protein translation in synaptoneurosomes from postmortem AD brains. Loss of activity-dependent protein translation occurs presymptomatically early in the pathogenesis of AD. This is caused by ROS-mediated loss of pAkt1, leading to reduced synaptic Akt1-mTOR signaling and is rescued by overexpression of Akt1. ROS-mediated damage is restricted to the synaptosomes, indicating selectivity. We demonstrate that ROS-mediated oxidative modification of Akt1 contributes to synaptic dysfunction in AD, seen as loss of activity-dependent protein translation that is essential for synaptic plasticity and maintenance. Therapeutic strategies promoting Akt1-mTOR signaling at synapses may provide novel target(s) for disease-modifying therapy in AD. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 27, 1269-1280.

  15. Insulin regulates multiple signaling pathways leading to monocyte/macrophage chemotaxis into the wound tissue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Liu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Wound healing is a complex process that involves sequential phases that overlap in time and space and affect each other dynamically at the gene and protein levels. We previously showed that insulin accelerates wound healing by stimulating faster and regenerative healing. One of the processes that insulin stimulates is an increase in monocyte/macrophage chemotaxis. In this study, we performed experiments in vivo and in vitro to elucidate the signaling transduction pathways that are involved in insulin-induced monocyte/macrophage chemotaxis. We found that insulin stimulates THP-1 cell chemotaxis in a dose-dependent and insulin receptor-dependent manner. We also show that the kinases PI3K-Akt, SPAK/JNK, and p38 MAPK are key molecules in the insulin-induced signaling pathways that lead to chemoattraction of the THP-1 cell. Furthermore, both PI3K-Akt and SPAK/JNK signaling involve Rac1 activation, an important molecule in regulating cell motility. Indeed, topical application of Rac1 inhibitor at an early stage during the healing process caused delayed and impaired healing even in the presence of insulin. These results delineate cell and molecular mechanisms involved in insulin-induced chemotaxis of monocyte/macrophage, cells that are critical for proper healing.

  16. Research on output signal of piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate detector using Monte Carlo method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takechi, Seiji, E-mail: takechi@elec.eng.osaka-cu.ac.jp [Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka City University, Osaka 558-8585 (Japan); Mitsuhashi, Tomoaki; Miura, Yoshinori [Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka City University, Osaka 558-8585 (Japan); Miyachi, Takashi; Kobayashi, Masanori; Okudaira, Osamu [Planetary Exploration Research Center, Chiba Institute of Technology, Narashino, Chiba 275-0016 (Japan); Shibata, Hiromi [The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047 (Japan); Fujii, Masayuki [Famscience Co., Ltd., Tsukubamirai, Ibaraki 300-2435 (Japan); Okada, Nagaya [Honda Electronics Co., Ltd., Toyohashi, Aichi 441-3193 (Japan); Murakami, Takeshi; Uchihori, Yukio [National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba 263-8555 (Japan)

    2017-06-21

    The response of a radiation detector fabricated from piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) was studied. The response signal due to a single 400 MeV/n xenon (Xe) ion was assumed to have a simple form that was composed of two variables, the amplitude and time constant. These variables were estimated by comparing two output waveforms obtained from a computer simulation and an experiment on Xe beam irradiation. Their values appeared to be dependent on the beam intensity. - Highlights: • The performance of PZT detector was studied by irradiation of a 400 MeV/n Xe beam. • Monte Carlo simulation was used to examine the formation process of the output. • The response signal due to a single Xe ion was assumed to have a simple form. • The form was composed of two variables, the amplitude and time constant. • These variables appeared to be dependent on the beam intensity.

  17. Steroidogenic alterations and adrenal androgen excess in PCOS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doi, Suhail A R; Al-Zaid, Mona; Towers, Philip A; Scott, Christopher J; Al-Shoumer, Kamal A S

    2006-09-01

    This cross-sectional study was undertaken to improve our understanding of the steroidogenic alterations leading to adrenal hyperandrogenism in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Two-hundred and thirty-four women with clinical and biochemical features suggestive of PCOS underwent metabolic and hormonal evaluation. We used the androstenedione/DHEAS ratio as a surrogate for the level of ovarian 3betaHSD activity. We then selected the 90th percentile for the ratio in those with elevated DHEAS (>9 micromol/l) as the cut-off level beyond which excess DHEAS production will be minimized by excess ovarian 3betaHSD activity. This cut-off level was at a ratio of 1.5 and all PCOS women were then divided into two groups, the higher (>1.5) being the group with excess ovarian 3betaHSD activity. We hypothesized that women with a high ratio would be unlikely to have DHEAS excess due to the rapid conversion of DHEA to androstenedione. Those with a low ratio (concordant ovarian and adrenal steroidogenesis) could then either have high DHEAS or normal DHEAS, depending on whether CYP17 activity was higher or lower respectively. Insulin resistance was found to be associated with decreased CYP17 activity while irregular cycles and neuroendocrine dysfunction were determined to be associated with higher ovarian 3betaHSD activity. Adrenal androgen excess in PCOS seems to be related to insulin sensitivity as well as decreased activity of 3betaHSD, the latter being preferentially present in those women with regular cycles or without neuroendocrine dysfunction.

  18. Money demand elasticity, effective money supply and money market disequilibrium: ¡°China¡¯s Puzzle¡± and long-term excessive liquidity

    OpenAIRE

    LI Zhiguo

    2008-01-01

    Chinese excessive liquidity problems are more serious than other main countries. The upgrading industrial structure and the increasing opening degree lead to the excessive money demand and higher money demand elasticity. Bad credits weaken money supply effectiveness and lead to illusive increasing money. We set up the money market disequilibrium model under the condition of the excessive liquidity. The imbalance between money demand and money supply is the key of Chinese excessive liquidity p...

  19. Endothelial ERK signaling controls lymphatic fate specification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Yong; Atri, Deepak; Eichmann, Anne; Simons, Michael

    2013-01-01

    Lymphatic vessels are thought to arise from PROX1-positive endothelial cells (ECs) in the cardinal vein in response to induction of SOX18 expression; however, the molecular event responsible for increased SOX18 expression has not been established. We generated mice with endothelial-specific, inducible expression of an RAF1 gene with a gain-of-function mutation (RAF1S259A) that is associated with Noonan syndrome. Expression of mutant RAF1S259A in ECs activated ERK and induced SOX18 and PROX1 expression, leading to increased commitment of venous ECs to the lymphatic fate. Excessive production of lymphatic ECs resulted in lymphangiectasia that was highly reminiscent of abnormal lymphatics seen in Noonan syndrome and similar “RASopathies.” Inhibition of ERK signaling during development abrogated the lymphatic differentiation program and rescued the lymphatic phenotypes induced by expression of RAF1S259A. These data suggest that ERK activation plays a key role in lymphatic EC fate specification and that excessive ERK activation is the basis of lymphatic abnormalities seen in Noonan syndrome and related diseases. PMID:23391722

  20. An excess noise measurement system for weak responsivity avalanche photodiodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiao, Liang; Dimler, Simon J.; Baharuddin, Aina N. A. P.; Green, James E.; David, John P. R.

    2018-06-01

    A system for measuring, with reduced photocurrent, the excess noise associated with the gain in avalanche photodiodes (APDs), using a transimpedance amplifier front-end and based on phase-sensitive detection is described. The system can reliably measure the excess noise power of devices, even when the un-multiplied photocurrent is low (~10 nA). This is more than one order of magnitude better than previously reported systems and represents a significantly better noise signal to noise ratio. This improvement in performance has been achieved by increasing the value of the feedback resistor and reducing the op-amp bandwidth. The ability to characterise APD performance with such low photocurrents enables the use of low power light sources such as light emitting diode rather than lasers to investigate the APD noise performance.

  1. Diphoton excess from hidden U(1 gauge symmetry with large kinetic mixing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fuminobu Takahashi

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available We show that the 750 GeV diphoton excess can be explained by introducing vector-like quarks and hidden fermions charged under a hidden U(1 gauge symmetry, which has a relatively large coupling constant as well as a significant kinetic mixing with U(1Y. With the large kinetic mixing, the standard model gauge couplings unify around 1017 GeV, suggesting the grand unified theory without too rapid proton decay. Our scenario predicts events with a photon and missing transverse momentum, and its cross section is related to that for the diphoton excess through the kinetic mixing. We also discuss other possible collider signatures and cosmology, including various ways to evade constraints on exotic stable charged particles. In some cases where the 750 GeV diphoton excess is due to diaxion decays, our scenario also predicts triphoton and tetraphoton signals.

  2. Testing ATLAS diboson excess with dark matter searches at LHC

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liew, Seng Pei [Department of Physics, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Shirai, Satoshi [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), 22607 Hamburg (Germany)

    2015-11-27

    The ATLAS collaboration has recently reported a 2.6σ excess in the search for a heavy resonance decaying into a pair of weak gauge bosons. Only fully hadronic final states are being looked for in the analysis. If the observed excess really originates from the gauge bosons’ decays, other decay modes of the gauge bosons would inevitably leave a trace on other exotic searches. In this paper, we propose the use of the Z boson decay into a pair of neutrinos to test the excess. This decay leads to a very large missing energy and can be probed with conventional dark matter searches at the LHC. We discuss the current constraints from the dark matter searches and the prospects. We find that optimizing these searches may give a very robust probe of the resonance, even with the currently available data of the 8 TeV LHC.

  3. Testing ATLAS diboson excess with dark matter searches at LHC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liew, Seng Pei; Shirai, Satoshi

    2015-01-01

    The ATLAS collaboration has recently reported a 2.6σ excess in the search for a heavy resonance decaying into a pair of weak gauge bosons. Only fully hadronic final states are being looked for in the analysis. If the observed excess really originates from the gauge bosons’ decays, other decay modes of the gauge bosons would inevitably leave a trace on other exotic searches. In this paper, we propose the use of the Z boson decay into a pair of neutrinos to test the excess. This decay leads to a very large missing energy and can be probed with conventional dark matter searches at the LHC. We discuss the current constraints from the dark matter searches and the prospects. We find that optimizing these searches may give a very robust probe of the resonance, even with the currently available data of the 8 TeV LHC.

  4. Testing ATLAS diboson excess with dark matter searches at LHC

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liew, Seng Pei [Tokyo Univ. (Japan). Dept. of Physics; Shirai, Satoshi [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany)

    2015-08-15

    The ATLAS collaboration has recently reported a 2.6σ excess in the search for a heavy resonance decaying into a pair of weak gauge bosons. Only fully hadronic final states are being looked for in the analysis. If the observed excess really originates from the gauge bosons' decays, other decay modes of the gauge bosons would inevitably leave a trace on other exotic searches. In this paper, we propose the use of the Z boson into a pair of neutrinos to test the excess. This decay leads to a very large missing energy and can be probed with conventional dark matter searches at the LHC. We discuss the current constraints from the dark matter searches and the prospects. We find that optimizing these searches may give a very robust probe of the resonance, even with the currently available data of the 8 TeV LHC.

  5. Excess air in groundwater as a potential indicator of past environmental changes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aeschenbach-Hertig, W.; Beyerle, U.; Holocher, J.; Peeters, F.; Kipfer, R.

    2002-01-01

    Dissolved noble gases in groundwater are used to reconstruct paleotemperature, but also yield information about 'excess air', a component of dissolved gases in excess of solubility equilibrium, derived from dissolution of trapped air in the ground. A good characterization of the excess air component is necessary not only to obtain reliable noble gas temperatures, but also to investigate the potential of excess air as a proxy for past environmental conditions. Two excess air related quantities can be derived from groundwater noble gas data sets: The initial air/water ratio and the pressure exerted on the entrapped air. Under recharge conditions typical for many aquifers, the excess of dissolved gases, expressed by the relative Ne excess ΔNe, is mainly determined by the hydrostatic pressure on the entrapped air. Thus, we suggest that ΔNe is essentially a measure of the amplitude of water table fluctuations in the recharge area. Comparing data sets from three aquifers in temperate, humid latitudes and three aquifers in tropical, semi-arid regions, we find that ΔNe is generally higher in the tropical aquifers, possibly related to larger water table fluctuations in these aquifers characterized by deep unsaturated zones. Whereas ΔNe shows little temporal variation in the mid-latitude aquifers, there is a strong signal of higher ΔNe in the paleowaters of the tropical aquifers as compared to water recharged under modern climate conditions. This finding may indicate a higher variability of recharge in the past at the studied tropical sites. (author)

  6. Predictors of excessive use of social media and excessive online gaming in Czech teenagers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spilková, Jana; Chomynová, Pavla; Csémy, Ladislav

    2017-12-01

    Background and aims Young people's involvement in online gaming and the use of social media are increasing rapidly, resulting in a high number of excessive Internet users in recent years. The objective of this paper is to analyze the situation of excessive Internet use among adolescents in the Czech Republic and to reveal determinants of excessive use of social media and excessive online gaming. Methods Data from secondary school students (N = 4,887) were collected within the 2015 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs. Logistic regression models were constructed to describe the individual and familial discriminative factors and the impact of the health risk behavior of (a) excessive users of social media and (b) excessive players of online games. Results The models confirmed important gender-specific distinctions - while girls are more prone to online communication and social media use, online gaming is far more prevalent among boys. The analysis did not indicate an influence of family composition on both the excessive use of social media and on excessive online gaming, and only marginal effects for the type of school attended. We found a connection between the excessive use of social media and binge drinking and an inverse relation between excessive online gaming and daily smoking. Discussion and conclusion The non-existence of significant associations between family environment and excessive Internet use confirmed the general, widespread of this phenomenon across the social and economic strata of the teenage population, indicating a need for further studies on the topic.

  7. Internet addiction or excessive internet use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weinstein, Aviv; Lejoyeux, Michel

    2010-09-01

    Problematic Internet addiction or excessive Internet use is characterized by excessive or poorly controlled preoccupations, urges, or behaviors regarding computer use and Internet access that lead to impairment or distress. Currently, there is no recognition of internet addiction within the spectrum of addictive disorders and, therefore, no corresponding diagnosis. It has, however, been proposed for inclusion in the next version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM). To review the literature on Internet addiction over the topics of diagnosis, phenomenology, epidemiology, and treatment. Review of published literature between 2000-2009 in Medline and PubMed using the term "internet addiction. Surveys in the United States and Europe have indicated prevalence rate between 1.5% and 8.2%, although the diagnostic criteria and assessment questionnaires used for diagnosis vary between countries. Cross-sectional studies on samples of patients report high comorbidity of Internet addiction with psychiatric disorders, especially affective disorders (including depression), anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Several factors are predictive of problematic Internet use, including personality traits, parenting and familial factors, alcohol use, and social anxiety. Although Internet-addicted individuals have difficulty suppressing their excessive online behaviors in real life, little is known about the patho-physiological and cognitive mechanisms responsible for Internet addiction. Due to the lack of methodologically adequate research, it is currently impossible to recommend any evidence-based treatment of Internet addiction.

  8. Hedgehog signaling activation induces stem cell proliferation and hormone release in the adult pituitary gland

    OpenAIRE

    Joanna Pyczek; Rolf Buslei; David Schult; Annett Hölsken; Michael Buchfelder; Ina Heß; Heidi Hahn; Anja Uhmann

    2016-01-01

    Hedgehog (HH) signaling is known to be essential during the embryonal development of the pituitary gland but the knowledge about its role in the adult pituitary and in associated tumors is sparse. In this report we investigated the effect of excess Hh signaling activation in murine pituitary explants and analyzed the HH signaling status of human adenopituitary lobes and a large cohort of pituitary adenomas. Our data show that excess Hh signaling led to increased proliferation of Sox2(+) and S...

  9. The Synergistic Impact of Excessive Drinking and Smoking upon Prospective Memory.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna-Marie eMarshall

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The independent use of excessive amounts of alcohol or persistent cigarette smoking have been found to have a deleterious impact upon Prospective Memory (PM: remembering future intentions and activities, although to date, the effect of their concurrent use upon PM is yet to be explored. The present study investigated the impact of concurrent use (excessive use of alcohol and cigarette smoking in comparison to the combined effect of the single use of these substances using a single factorial independent groups design. The Cambridge Prospective Memory Test was administered to 125 adults; an excessive alcohol user group (n = 40, a group of smokers who drink very little alcohol (n = 20, a combined user group (the Polydrug group who drink excessively and smoke cigarettes (n = 40 and a non-drinker/low alcohol consumption control group (n = 25. The main findings revealed that the Polydrug users recalled significantly fewer time-based PM tasks than excessive alcohol users p<.001 and smokers p=.013. Polydrug users (mean = 11.47 also remembered significantly fewer event-based PM tasks than excessive alcohol users p<.001 and smokers p = .013. Most interestingly, Polydrug users exhibited significantly greater impaired time-based PM than the combined effect of single excessive alcohol users and smokers p=.033. However, no difference was observed between Polydrug users and the combined effect of single excessive alcohol users and smokers in event-based PM p=.757. These results provide evidence that concurrent use of these two substances has a synergistic effect in terms of deficits upon time-based PM. The observation that excessive drinking and smoking leads to greater impairments in time-based PM may be of paramount importance, given the key role PM plays in everyday independent living.

  10. Role of Airborne Lead in Increased Body Burden of Lead in Hartford Children*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lepow, Martha L.; Bruckman, Leonard; Rubino, Robert A.; Markowitz, Steven; Gillette, Marybeth; Kapish, Janet

    1974-01-01

    The ingestion of airborne lead fallout is the mechanism responsible for increased lead body burdens found in 10 urban Connecticut children. The mean indoor lead levels found in housedust was 11,000 μg/g; highest concentrations occurred on windowsills and in floor dust. The mean lead content of Hartford street dirt was 1,200 μg/g; levels were highest near the street and next to the buildings. The mean lead concentration of hand samples taken from the subject children was 2,400 μg/g; the mean weight of hand samples was 11 mg. The concentration of lead in dirt and househould dust was high enough to theoretically result in excessive lead accumulation in young children who are putting their dusty, dirty hands in their mouths during play. While we believe that lead emitted from automobiles contributes significantly to air, dirt and dust lead levels the environmental impact of reducing or eliminating lead from gasoline is not yet completely understood. PMID:4133903

  11. ACTIVATION PARAMETERS AND EXCESS THERMODYANAMIC ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Applying these data, viscosity-B-coefficients, activation parameters (Δμ10≠) and (Δμ20≠) and excess thermodynamic functions, viz., excess molar volume (VE), excess viscosity, ηE and excess molar free energy of activation of flow, (GE) were calculated. The value of interaction parameter, d, of Grunberg and Nissan ...

  12. Density of interface states, excess capacitance and series resistance in the metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Altindal, Semsettin; Tataroglu, Adem; Dokme, Ilbilge [Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Physics Department, Gazi University, 06500, Ankara (Turkey)

    2005-01-31

    Dark and illuminated current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of Al/SiO{sub x}/p-Si metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) solar cells were measured at room temperature. In addition to capacitance-voltage (C-V) and conductance-voltage (G-V), characteristics are studied at a wide frequency range of 1kHz-10MHz. The dark I-V characteristics showed non-ideal behavior with an ideal factor of 3.2. The density of interface states distribution profiles as a function of (E{sub ss}-E{sub v}) deduced from the I-V measurements at room temperature for the MIS solar cells on the order of 10{sup 13}cm{sup -2}eV{sup -1}. These interface states were responsible for the non-ideal behavior of I-V, C-V and G-V characteristics. Frequency dispersion in capacitance for MIS solar cells can be interpreted only in terms of interface states. The interface states can follow the a.c. signal and yield an excess capacitance, which depends on the relaxation time of interface states and the frequency of the a.c. signal. It was observed that the excess capacitance C{sub o} caused by an interface state decreases with an increase of frequency. The capacitances characteristics of MIS solar cells are affected not only in interface states but also series resistance. Analysis of this data indicated that the high interface states and series resistance leads to lower values of open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current density, and fill factor. Experimental results show that the location of interface states and series resistance have a significant effect on I-V, C-V and G-V characteristics.

  13. Calcium signaling and amyloid toxicity in Alzheimer disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demuro, Angelo; Parker, Ian; Stutzmann, Grace E

    2010-04-23

    Intracellular Ca(2+) signaling is fundamental to neuronal physiology and viability. Because of its ubiquitous roles, disruptions in Ca(2+) homeostasis are implicated in diverse disease processes and have become a major focus of study in multifactorial neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease (AD). A hallmark of AD is the excessive production of beta-amyloid (Abeta) and its massive accumulation in amyloid plaques. In this minireview, we highlight the pathogenic interactions between altered cellular Ca(2+) signaling and Abeta in its different aggregation states and how these elements coalesce to alter the course of the neurodegenerative disease. Ca(2+) and Abeta intersect at several functional levels and temporal stages of AD, thereby altering neurotransmitter receptor properties, disrupting membrane integrity, and initiating apoptotic signaling cascades. Notably, there are reciprocal interactions between Ca(2+) pathways and amyloid pathology; altered Ca(2+) signaling accelerates Abeta formation, whereas Abeta peptides, particularly in soluble oligomeric forms, induce Ca(2+) disruptions. A degenerative feed-forward cycle of toxic Abeta generation and Ca(2+) perturbations results, which in turn can spin off to accelerate more global neuropathological cascades, ultimately leading to synaptic breakdown, cell death, and devastating memory loss. Although no cause or cure is currently known, targeting Ca(2+) dyshomeostasis as an underlying and integral component of AD pathology may result in novel and effective treatments for AD.

  14. Do dividend shocks affect excess returns? An experimental study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Draganac Dragana

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The dividend announcement of a company is an informational event that can cause underreaction, momentum, overreaction, post-dividend announcement drift, and mean reversion. It is the uncertainty surrounding dividend announcements that leads to such behavioural phenomena. Most authors consider that underreaction occurs after dividend shocks because new information about the dividend is being slowly and gradually built into the stock price. The effect of dividend shocks is often reflected in excess returns, which can last up to one year after the shock. The experiment described in this paper tests whether statistically significant excess returns are realized after a shock dividend announcement. Participants trade with the stocks of two companies, which only differ by dividend-generating stochastic process. The dividend process of Company 2 is a Merton-style jump-diffusion process (consisting of two parts: Brownian motion and Poisson jump, while the dividend process of Company 1 contains only the Brownian motion component. Statistically significant excess returns are expected when trading with Company 2 stocks. An autoregressive model is applied in order to test this hypothesis. The conclusion is that a dividend shock is followed by statistically significant excess returns in 20 of the 22 experiments, which implies that markets are inefficient after sudden and large changes in dividends. Underreaction and discount rate effects are identified.

  15. Excessive crying in infants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Halpern

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Review the literature on excessive crying in young infants, also known as infantile colic, and its effects on family dynamics, its pathophysiology, and new treatment interventions. Data source: The literature review was carried out in the Medline, PsycINFO, LILACS, SciELO, and Cochrane Library databases, using the terms “excessive crying,” and “infantile colic,” as well technical books and technical reports on child development, selecting the most relevant articles on the subject, with emphasis on recent literature published in the last five years. Summary of the findings: Excessive crying is a common symptom in the first 3 months of life and leads to approximately 20% of pediatric consultations. Different prevalence rates of excessive crying have been reported, ranging from 14% to approximately 30% in infants up to 3 months of age. There is evidence linking excessive crying early in life with adaptive problems in the preschool period, as well as with early weaning, maternal anxiety and depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and other behavioral problems. Several pathophysiological mechanisms can explain these symptoms, such as circadian rhythm alterations, central nervous system immaturity, and alterations in the intestinal microbiota. Several treatment alternatives have been described, including behavioral measures, manipulation techniques, use of medication, and acupuncture, with controversial results and effectiveness. Conclusion: Excessive crying in the early months is a prevalent symptom; the pediatrician's attention is necessary to understand and adequately manage the problem and offer support to exhausted parents. The prescription of drugs of questionable action and with potential side effects is not a recommended treatment, except in extreme situations. The effectiveness of dietary treatments and use of probiotics still require confirmation. There is incomplete evidence regarding alternative treatments

  16. Excess Entropy and Diffusivity

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    First page Back Continue Last page Graphics. Excess Entropy and Diffusivity. Excess entropy scaling of diffusivity (Rosenfeld,1977). Analogous relationships also exist for viscosity and thermal conductivity.

  17. Fetal Programming of Obesity: Maternal Obesity and Excessive Weight Gain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seray Kabaran

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The prevalence of obesity is an increasing health problem throughout the world. Maternal pre-pregnancy weight, maternal nutrition and maternal weight gain are among the factors that can cause childhood obesity. Both maternal obesity and excessive weight gain increase the risks of excessive fetal weight gain and high birth weight. Rapid weight gain during fetal period leads to changes in the newborn body composition. Specifically, the increase in body fat ratio in the early periods is associated with an increased risk of obesity in the later periods. It was reported that over-nutrition during fetal period could cause excessive food intake during postpartum period as a result of metabolic programming. By influencing the fetal metabolism and tissue development, maternal obesity and excessive weight gain change the amounts of nutrients and metabolites that pass to the fetus, thus causing excessive fetal weight gain which in turn increases the risk of obesity. Fetal over-nutrition and excessive weight gain cause permanent metabolic and physiologic changes in developing organs. While mechanisms that affect these organs are not fully understood, it is thought that the changes may occur as a result of the changes in fetal energy metabolism, appetite control, neuroendocrine functions, adipose tissue mass, epigenetic mechanisms and gene expression. In this review article, the effects of maternal body weight and weight gain on fetal development, newborn birth weight and risk of obesity were evaluated, and additionally potential mechanisms that can explain the effects of fetal over-nutrition on the risk of obesity were investigated [TAF Prev Med Bull 2014; 13(5.000: 427-434

  18. 24 CFR 236.60 - Excess Income.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Excess Income. 236.60 Section 236... § 236.60 Excess Income. (a) Definition. Excess Income consists of cash collected as rent from the... Rent. The unit-by-unit requirement necessitates that, if a unit has Excess Income, the Excess Income...

  19. Fetal programming: prenatal testosterone excess leads to fetal growth retardation and postnatal catch-up growth in sheep.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manikkam, Mohan; Crespi, Erica J; Doop, Douglas D; Herkimer, Carol; Lee, James S; Yu, Sunkyung; Brown, Morton B; Foster, Douglas L; Padmanabhan, Vasantha

    2004-02-01

    Alterations in the maternal endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic environment disrupt the developmental trajectory of the fetus, leading to adult diseases. Female offspring of rats, subhuman primates, and sheep treated prenatally with testosterone (T) develop reproductive/metabolic defects during adult life similar to those that occur after intrauterine growth retardation. In the present study we determined whether prenatal T treatment produces growth-retarded offspring. Cottonseed oil or T propionate (100 mg, im) was administered twice weekly to pregnant sheep between 30-90 d gestation (term = 147 d; cottonseed oil, n = 16; prenatal T, n = 32). Newborn weight and body dimensions were measured the day after birth, and postnatal weight gain was monitored for 4 months in all females and in a subset of males. Consistent with its action, prenatal T treatment produced females and males with greater anogenital distances relative to controls. Prenatal T treatment reduced body weights and heights of newborns from both sexes and chest circumference of females. Prenatally T-treated females, but not males, exhibited catch-up growth during 2-4 months of postnatal life. Plasma IGF-binding protein-1 and IGF-binding protein-2, but not IGF-I, levels of prenatally T-treated females were elevated in the first month of life, a period when the prenatally T-treated females were not exhibiting catch-up growth. This is suggestive of reduced IGF availability and potential contribution to growth retardation. These findings support the concept that fetal growth retardation and postnatal catch-up growth, early markers of future adult diseases, can also be programmed by prenatal exposure to excess sex steroids.

  20. Defective Connective Tissue Remodeling in Smad3 Mice Leads to Accelerated Aneurysmal Growth Through Disturbed Downstream TGF-β Signaling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. van der Pluijm, PhD

    2016-10-01

    Smad3 deficiency leads to imbalanced activation of downstream genes, no activation of MMPs in VSMCs, and immune responses resulting in rapid aortic wall dilatation and rupture. Our findings uncover new possibilities for treatment of SMAD3 patients; instead of targeting TGF-β signaling, immune suppression may be more beneficial.

  1. Strong Support for the Millisecond Pulsar Origin of the Galactic Center GeV Excess.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartels, Richard; Krishnamurthy, Suraj; Weniger, Christoph

    2016-02-05

    Using γ-ray data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope, various groups have identified a clear excess emission in the Inner Galaxy, at energies around a few GeV. This excess resembles remarkably well a signal from dark-matter annihilation. One of the most compelling astrophysical interpretations is that the excess is caused by the combined effect of a previously undetected population of dim γ-ray sources. Because of their spectral similarity, the best candidates are millisecond pulsars. Here, we search for this hypothetical source population, using a novel approach based on wavelet decomposition of the γ-ray sky and the statistics of Gaussian random fields. Using almost seven years of Fermi-LAT data, we detect a clustering of photons as predicted for the hypothetical population of millisecond pulsar, with a statistical significance of 10.0σ. For plausible values of the luminosity function, this population explains 100% of the observed excess emission. We argue that other extragalactic or Galactic sources, a mismodeling of Galactic diffuse emission, or the thick-disk population of pulsars are unlikely to account for this observation.

  2. Excessive signal transduction of gain-of-function variants of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR are associated with increased ER to cytosol calcium gradient.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marianna Ranieri

    Full Text Available In humans, gain-of-function mutations of the calcium-sensing receptor (CASR gene are the cause of autosomal dominant hypocalcemia or type 5 Bartter syndrome characterized by an abnormality of calcium metabolism with low parathyroid hormone levels and excessive renal calcium excretion. Functional characterization of CaSR activating variants has been so far limited at demonstrating an increased sensitivity to external calcium leading to lower Ca-EC50. Here we combine high resolution fluorescence based techniques and provide evidence that for the efficiency of calcium signaling system, cells expressing gain-of-function variants of CaSR monitor cytosolic and ER calcium levels increasing the expression of the Sarco-Endoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-ATPase (SERCA and reducing expression of Plasma Membrane Calcium-ATPase (PMCA. Wild-type CaSR (hCaSR-wt and its gain-of-function (hCaSR-R990G; hCaSR-N124K variants were transiently transfected in HEK-293 cells. Basal intracellular calcium concentration was significantly lower in cells expressing hCaSR-wt and its gain of function variants compared to mock. In line, FRET studies using the D1ER probe, which detects [Ca2+]ER directly, demonstrated significantly higher calcium accumulation in cells expressing the gain of function CaSR variants compared to hCaSR-wt. Consistently, cells expressing activating CaSR variants showed a significant increase in SERCA activity and expression and a reduced PMCA expression. This combined parallel regulation in protein expression increases the ER to cytosol calcium gradient explaining the higher sensitivity of CaSR gain-of-function variants to external calcium. This control principle provides a general explanation of how cells reliably connect (and exacerbate receptor inputs to cell function.

  3. Reduced Notch signalling leads to postnatal skeletal muscle hypertrophy in Pofut1cax/cax mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Jaam, Bilal; Heu, Katy; Pennarubia, Florian; Segelle, Alexandre; Magnol, Laetitia; Germot, Agnès; Legardinier, Sébastien; Blanquet, Véronique; Maftah, Abderrahman

    2016-09-01

    Postnatal skeletal muscle growth results from the activation of satellite cells and/or an increase in protein synthesis. The Notch signalling pathway maintains satellite cells in a quiescent state, and once activated, sustains their proliferation and commitment towards differentiation. In mammals, POFUT1-mediated O-fucosylation regulates the interactions between NOTCH receptors and ligands of the DELTA/JAGGED family, thus initiating the activation of canonical Notch signalling. Here, we analysed the consequences of downregulated expression of the Pofut1 gene on postnatal muscle growth in mutant Pofut1(cax/cax) (cax, compact axial skeleton) mice and differentiation of their satellite cell-derived myoblasts (SCDMs). Pofut1(cax/cax) mice exhibited muscle hypertrophy, no hyperplasia and a decrease in satellite cell numbers compared with wild-type C3H mice. In agreement with these observations, Pofut1(cax/cax) SCDMs differentiated earlier concomitant with reduced Pax7 expression and decrease in PAX7(+)/MYOD(-) progenitor cells. In vitro binding assays showed a reduced interaction of DELTA-LIKE 1 ligand (DLL1) with NOTCH receptors expressed at the cell surface of SCDMs, leading to a decreased Notch signalling as seen by the quantification of cleaved NICD and Notch target genes. These results demonstrated that POFUT1-mediated O-fucosylation of NOTCH receptors regulates myogenic cell differentiation and affects postnatal muscle growth in mice. © 2016 The Authors.

  4. Evidence for an excess of soft photons in hadronic decays of $Z^{0}$

    CERN Document Server

    Abdallah, J; Adam, W; Adzic, P; Albrecht, T; Alderweireld, T; Alemany-Fernandez, R; Allmendinger, T; Allport, P P; Amaldi, Ugo; Amapane, N; Amato, S; Anashkin, E; Andreazza, A; Andringa, S; Anjos, N; Antilogus, P; Apel, W D; Arnoud, Y; Ask, S; Åsman, B; Augustin, J E; Augustinus, A; Baillon, Paul; Ballestrero, A; Bambade, P; Barbier, R; Bardin, D; Barker, G J; Baroncelli, A; Battaglia, M; Baubillier, M; Becks, K H; Begalli, M; Behrmann, A; Ben-Haim, E; Benekos, N; Benvenuti, A C; Bérat, C; Berggren, M; Berntzon, L; Bertrand, D; Besançon, M; Besson, N; Bloch, D; Blom, M; Bluj, M; Bonesini, M; Boonekamp, M; Booth, P S L; Borisov, G; Botner, O; Bouquet, B; Bowcock, T J V; Boyko, I; Bracko, M; Brenner, R; Brodet, E; Brückman, P; Brunet, J M; Buschbeck, Brigitte; Buschmann, P; Calvi, M; Camporesi, T; Canale, V; Carena, F; Castro, N; Cavallo, F; Chapkin, M; Charpentier, P; Checchia, P; Chierici, R; Shlyapnikov, P; Chudoba, J; Chung, S U; Cieslik, K; Collins, P; Contri, R; Cosme, G; Cossutti, F; Costa, M J; Crennell, D J; Cuevas-Maestro, J; D'Hondt, J; Dalmau, J; Da Silva, T; Da Silva, W; Della Ricca, G; De Angelis, A; de Boer, Wim; De Clercq, C; De Lotto, B; De Maria, N; De Min, A; De Paula, L; Di Ciaccio, L; Di Simone, A; Doroba, K; Drees, J; Eigen, G; Ekelöf, T J C; Ellert, M; Elsing, M; Espirito-Santo, M C; Fanourakis, G K; Fassouliotis, D; Feindt, M; Fernández, J; Ferrer, A; Ferro, F; Flagmeyer, U; Föth, H; Fokitis, E; Fulda-Quenzer, F; Fuster, J; Gandelman, M; García, C; Gavillet, P; Gazis, E; Gokieli, R; Golob, B; Gómez-Ceballos, G; Gonçalves, P; Graziani, E; Grosdidier, G; Grzelak, K; Guy, J; Haag, C; Hallgren, A; Hamacher, K; Hamilton, K; Haug, S; Hauler, F; Hedberg, V; Hennecke, M; Herr, H; Hoffman, J; Holmgren, S O; Holt, P J; Houlden, M A; Hultqvist, K; Jackson, J N; Jarlskog, G; Jarry, P; Jeans, D; Johansson, E K; Johansson, P D; Jonsson, P; Joram, C; Jungermann, L; Kapusta, F; Katsanevas, S; Katsoufis, E; Kernel, G; Kersevan, B P; Kerzel, U; King, B T; Kjaer, N J; Kluit, P; Kokkinias, P; Kourkoumelis, C; Kuznetsov, O; Krumshtein, Z; Kucharczyk, M; Lamsa, J; Leder, G; Ledroit, F; Leinonen, L; Leitner, R; Lemonne, J; Lepeltier, V; Lesiak, T; Liebig, W; Liko, D; Lipniacka, A; Lopes, J H; López, J M; Loukas, D; Lutz, P; Lyons, L; MacNaughton, J; Malek, A; Maltezos, S; Mandl, F; Marco, J; Marco, R; Maréchal, B; Margoni, M; Marin, J C; Mariotti, C; Markou, A; Martínez-Rivero, C; Masik, J; Mastroyiannopoulos, N; Matorras, F; Matteuzzi, C; Mazzucato, F; Mazzucato, M; McNulty, R; Meroni, C; Migliore, E; Mitaroff, W A; Mjörnmark, U; Moa, T; Moch, M; Mönig, K; Monge, R; Montenegro, J; Moraes, D; Moreno, S; Morettini, P; Müller, U; Münich, K; Mulders, M; Mundim, L; Murray, W; Muryn, B; Myatt, G; Myklebust, T; Nassiakou, M; Navarria, Francesco Luigi; Nawrocki, K; Nicolaidou, R; Nikolenko, M; Oblakowska-Mucha, A; Obraztsov, V F; Olshevskii, A G; Onofre, A; Orava, R; Österberg, K; Ouraou, A; Oyanguren, A; Paganoni, M; Paiano, S; Palacios, J P; Palka, H; Papadopoulou, T D; Pape, L; Parkes, C; Parodi, F; Parzefall, U; Passeri, A; Passon, O; Peralta, L; Perepelitsa, V F; Perrotta, A; Petrolini, A; Piedra, J; Pieri, L; Pierre, F; Pimenta, M; Piotto, E; Podobnik, T; Poireau, V; Pol, M E; Polok, G; Pozdnyakov, V; Pukhaeva, N; Pullia, A; Rames, J; Read, A; Rebecchi, P; Rehn, J; Reid, D; Reinhardt, R; Renton, P B; Richard, F; Rídky, J; Rivero, M; Rodríguez, D; Romero, A; Ronchese, P; Roudeau, P; Rovelli, T; Ruhlmann-Kleider, V; Ryabtchikov, D; Sadovskii, A; Salmi, L; Salt, J; Sander, C; Savoy-Navarro, A; Schwickerath, U; Segar, A; Sekulin, R L; Siebel, M; Sisakian, A; Smadja, G; Smirnova, O; Sokolov, A; Sopczak, A; Sosnowski, R; Spassoff, Tz; Stanitzki, M; Stocchi, A; Strauss, J; Stugu, B; Szczekowski, M; Szeptycka, M; Szumlak, T; Tabarelli de Fatis, T; Taffard, A C; Tegenfeldt, F; Timmermans, J; Tkatchev, L G; Tobin, M; Todorovova, S; Tomé, B; Tonazzo, A; Tortosa, P; Travnicek, P; Treille, D; Tristram, G; Trochimczuk, M; Troncon, C; Turluer, M L; Tyapkin, I A; Tyapkin, P; Tzamarias, S; Uvarov, V; Valenti, G; van Dam, P; Van Eldik, J; Van Remortel, N; Van Vulpen, I; Vegni, G; Veloso, F; Venus, W; Verdier, P; Verzi, V; Vilanova, D; Vitale, L; Vrba, V; Wahlen, H; Washbrook, A J; Weiser, C; Wicke, D; Wickens, J; Wilkinson, G; Winter, M; Witek, M; Yushchenko, O P; Zalewska-Bak, A; Zalewski, P; Zavrtanik, D; Zhuravlov, V; Zimin, N I; Zintchenko, A; Zupan, M

    2006-01-01

    Soft photons inside hadronic jets converted in front of the DELPHI main tracker (TPC) in events of qqbar disintegrations of the Z^0 were studied in the kinematic range 0.2 < E_gamma < 1 GeV and transverse momentum with respect to the closest jet direction p_T < 80 MeV/c. A clear excess of photons in the experimental data as compared to the Monte Carlo predictions is observed. This excess (uncorrected for the photon detection efficiency) is (1.17 +/- 0.06 +/- 0.27) x 10^{-3} gamma/jet in the specified kinematic region, while the expected level of the inner hadronic bremsstrahlung (which is not included in the Monte Carlo) is (0.340 +/- 0.001 +/- 0.038) x 10^{-3} gamma/jet. The ratio of the excess to the predicted bremsstrahlung rate is then (3.4 +/- 0.2 +/- 0.8), which is similar in strength to the anomalous soft photon signal observed in fixed target experiments with hadronic beams.

  5. Nutrient Excess in AMPK Downregulation and Insulin Resistance

    OpenAIRE

    Coughlan, Kimberly A.; Valentine, Rudy J.; Ruderman, Neil B.; Saha, Asish K.

    2013-01-01

    It is well established that chronic exposure to excess nutrients leads to insulin resistance (IR) in skeletal muscle. Since skeletal muscle is responsible for 70-80% of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, skeletal muscle IR is a key pathological component of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Recent evidence suggests that inhibition of the nutrient-sensing enzyme AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an early event in the development of IR in response to high glucose, branched chain amino acids (BCAA), o...

  6. The winner takes it all: Event-related brain potentials reveal enhanced motivated attention toward athletes' nonverbal signals of leading.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furley, Philip; Schnuerch, Robert; Gibbons, Henning

    2017-08-01

    Observers of sports can reliably estimate who is leading or trailing based on nonverbal cues. Most likely, this is due to an adaptive mechanism of detecting motivationally relevant signals such as high status, superiority, and dominance. We reasoned that the relevance of leading athletes should lead to a sustained attentional prioritization. To test this idea, we recorded electroencephalography while 45 participants saw brief stills of athletes and estimated whether they were leading or trailing. Based on these recordings, we assessed event-related potentials and focused on the late positive complex (LPC), a well-established signature of controlled attention to motivationally relevant visual stimuli. Confirming our expectation, we found that LPC amplitude was significantly enhanced for leading as compared to trailing athletes. Moreover, this modulation was significantly related to behavioral performance on the score-estimation task. The present data suggest that subtle cues related to athletic supremacy are reliably differentiated in the human brain, involving a strong attentional orienting toward leading athletes. This mechanism might be part of an adaptive cognitive strategy that guides human social behavior.

  7. Excessive users of violent video games do not show emotional desensitization: an fMRI study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szycik, Gregor R; Mohammadi, Bahram; Hake, Maria; Kneer, Jonas; Samii, Amir; Münte, Thomas F; Te Wildt, Bert T

    2017-06-01

    Playing violent video games have been linked to long-term emotional desensitization. We hypothesized that desensitization effects in excessive users of violent video games should lead to decreased brain activations to highly salient emotional pictures in emotional sensitivity brain regions. Twenty-eight male adult subjects showing excessive long-term use of violent video games and age and education matched control participants were examined in two experiments using standardized emotional pictures of positive, negative and neutral valence. No group differences were revealed even at reduced statistical thresholds which speaks against desensitization of emotion sensitive brain regions as a result of excessive use of violent video games.

  8. Redox signaling in cardiovascular pathophysiology: A focus on hydrogen peroxide and vascular smooth muscle cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chang Hyun Byon

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Oxidative stress represents excessive intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS, which plays a major role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Besides having a critical impact on the development and progression of vascular pathologies including atherosclerosis and diabetic vasculopathy, oxidative stress also regulates physiological signaling processes. As a cell permeable ROS generated by cellular metabolism involved in intracellular signaling, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 exerts tremendous impact on cardiovascular pathophysiology. Under pathological conditions, increased oxidase activities and/or impaired antioxidant systems results in uncontrolled production of ROS. In a pro-oxidant environment, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC undergo phenotypic changes which can lead to the development of vascular dysfunction such as vascular inflammation and calcification. Investigations are ongoing to elucidate the mechanisms for cardiovascular disorders induced by oxidative stress. This review mainly focuses on the role of H2O2 in regulating physiological and pathological signals in VSMC.

  9. Background model systematics for the Fermi GeV excess

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Calore, Francesca; Cholis, Ilias; Weniger, Christoph

    2015-03-01

    The possible gamma-ray excess in the inner Galaxy and the Galactic center (GC) suggested by Fermi-LAT observations has triggered a large number of studies. It has been interpreted as a variety of different phenomena such as a signal from WIMP dark matter annihilation, gamma-ray emission from a population of millisecond pulsars, or emission from cosmic rays injected in a sequence of burst-like events or continuously at the GC. We present the first comprehensive study of model systematics coming from the Galactic diffuse emission in the inner part of our Galaxy and their impact on the inferred properties of the excess emission at Galactic latitudes 2° < |b| < 20° and 300 MeV to 500 GeV. We study both theoretical and empirical model systematics, which we deduce from a large range of Galactic diffuse emission models and a principal component analysis of residuals in numerous test regions along the Galactic plane. We show that the hypothesis of an extended spherical excess emission with a uniform energy spectrum is compatible with the Fermi-LAT data in our region of interest at 95% CL. Assuming that this excess is the extended counterpart of the one seen in the inner few degrees of the Galaxy, we derive a lower limit of 10.0° (95% CL) on its extension away from the GC. We show that, in light of the large correlated uncertainties that affect the subtraction of the Galactic diffuse emission in the relevant regions, the energy spectrum of the excess is equally compatible with both a simple broken power-law of break energy E(break) = 2.1 ± 0.2 GeV, and with spectra predicted by the self-annihilation of dark matter, implying in the case of bar bb final states a dark matter mass of m(χ)=49(+6.4)(-)(5.4)  GeV.

  10. Galactic center gamma-ray excess from dark matter annihilation: is there a black hole spike?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fields, Brian D; Shapiro, Stuart L; Shelton, Jessie

    2014-10-10

    If the supermassive black hole Sgr A* at the center of the Milky Way grew adiabatically from an initial seed embedded in a Navarro-Frenk-White dark matter (DM) halo, then the DM profile near the hole has steepened into a spike. We calculate the dramatic enhancement to the gamma-ray flux from the Galactic center (GC) from such a spike if the 1-3 GeV excess observed in Fermi data is due to DM annihilations. We find that for the parameter values favored in recent fits, the point-source-like flux from the spike is 35 times greater than the flux from the inner 1° of the halo, far exceeding all Fermi point source detections near the GC. We consider the dependence of the spike signal on astrophysical and particle parameters and conclude that if the GC excess is due to DM, then a canonical adiabatic spike is disfavored by the data. We discuss alternative Galactic histories that predict different spike signals, including (i) the nonadiabatic growth of the black hole, possibly associated with halo and/or black hole mergers, (ii) gravitational interaction of DM with baryons in the dense core, such as heating by stars, or (iii) DM self-interactions. We emphasize that the spike signal is sensitive to a different combination of particle parameters than the halo signal and that the inclusion of a spike component to any DM signal in future analyses would provide novel information about both the history of the GC and the particle physics of DM annihilations.

  11. Arrays of surface-normal electroabsorption modulators for the generation and signal processing of microwave photonics signals

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Noharet, Bertrand; Wang, Qin; Platt, Duncan; Junique, Stéphane; Marpaung, D.A.I.; Roeloffzen, C.G.H.

    2011-01-01

    The development of an array of 16 surface-normal electroabsorption modulators operating at 1550nm is presented. The modulator array is dedicated to the generation and processing of microwave photonics signals, targeting a modulation bandwidth in excess of 5GHz. The hybrid integration of the

  12. Interpreting the 750 GeV diphoton excess by the singlet extension of the Manohar-Wise model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Junjie; Han, Chengcheng; Shang, Liangliang; Su, Wei; Yang, Jin Min; Zhang, Yang

    2016-04-01

    The evidence of a new scalar particle X from the 750 GeV diphoton excess, and the absence of any other signal of new physics at the LHC so far suggest the existence of new colored scalars, which may be moderately light and thus can induce sizable Xgg and Xγγ couplings without resorting to very strong interactions. Motivated by this speculation, we extend the Manohar-Wise model by adding one gauge singlet scalar field. The resulting theory then predicts one singlet dominated scalar ϕ as well as three kinds of color-octet scalars, which can mediate through loops the ϕgg and ϕγγ interactions. After fitting the model to the diphoton data at the LHC, we find that in reasonable parameter regions the excess can be explained at 1σ level by the process gg → ϕ → γγ, and the best points predict the central value of the excess rate with χmin2 = 2.32, which corresponds to a p-value of 0.68. We also consider the constraints from various LHC Run I signals, and we conclude that, although these constraints are powerful in excluding the parameter space of the model, the best points are still experimentally allowed.

  13. Characteristics of Acceleration and Acoustic Emission Signals from Mechanical Seals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Do Hwan; Ha, Che Woong

    2015-01-01

    Based on these results, the applicability of acceleration signals for condition monitoring of mechanical seals is examined in the present study. Mechanical seals are used for pumps to prevent excessive leakage that might be occurred between rotational and stationary parts. The mechanical seals account for the major pump component failures. In spite of its importance, there have been few studies on condition monitoring of the components. Recently, some researchers have paid attention to the application of acoustic emission (AE) sensors for the fault detection of seals. The characteristics of acceleration and AE signals obtained from various defects are investigated. In order to prevent excessive leakage from mechanical seals, a condition monitoring technique is necessary. Based on the previous studies on AE techniques for seal monitoring, the signal characteristics from accelerometer

  14. Characteristics of Acceleration and Acoustic Emission Signals from Mechanical Seals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Do Hwan; Ha, Che Woong [KHNP Central Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-10-15

    Based on these results, the applicability of acceleration signals for condition monitoring of mechanical seals is examined in the present study. Mechanical seals are used for pumps to prevent excessive leakage that might be occurred between rotational and stationary parts. The mechanical seals account for the major pump component failures. In spite of its importance, there have been few studies on condition monitoring of the components. Recently, some researchers have paid attention to the application of acoustic emission (AE) sensors for the fault detection of seals. The characteristics of acceleration and AE signals obtained from various defects are investigated. In order to prevent excessive leakage from mechanical seals, a condition monitoring technique is necessary. Based on the previous studies on AE techniques for seal monitoring, the signal characteristics from accelerometer.

  15. 34 CFR 300.16 - Excess costs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Excess costs. 300.16 Section 300.16 Education... DISABILITIES General Definitions Used in This Part § 300.16 Excess costs. Excess costs means those costs that... for an example of how excess costs must be calculated.) (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1401(8)) ...

  16. Zinc Signals and Immunity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maywald, Martina; Wessels, Inga; Rink, Lothar

    2017-10-24

    Zinc homeostasis is crucial for an adequate function of the immune system. Zinc deficiency as well as zinc excess result in severe disturbances in immune cell numbers and activities, which can result in increased susceptibility to infections and development of especially inflammatory diseases. This review focuses on the role of zinc in regulating intracellular signaling pathways in innate as well as adaptive immune cells. Main underlying molecular mechanisms and targets affected by altered zinc homeostasis, including kinases, caspases, phosphatases, and phosphodiesterases, will be highlighted in this article. In addition, the interplay of zinc homeostasis and the redox metabolism in affecting intracellular signaling will be emphasized. Key signaling pathways will be described in detail for the different cell types of the immune system. In this, effects of fast zinc flux, taking place within a few seconds to minutes will be distinguish from slower types of zinc signals, also designated as "zinc waves", and late homeostatic zinc signals regarding prolonged changes in intracellular zinc.

  17. Acidic environment leads to ROS-induced MAPK signaling in cancer cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anne Riemann

    Full Text Available Tumor micromilieu often shows pronounced acidosis forcing cells to adapt their phenotype towards enhanced tumorigenesis induced by altered cellular signalling and transcriptional regulation. In the presents study mechanisms and potential consequences of the crosstalk between extra- and intracellular pH (pH(e, pH(i and mitogen-activated-protein-kinases (ERK1/2, p38 was analyzed. Data were obtained mainly in AT1 R-3327 prostate carcinoma cells, but the principle importance was confirmed in 5 other cell types. Extracellular acidosis leads to a rapid and sustained decrease of pH(i in parallel to p38 phosphorylation in all cell types and to ERK1/2 phosphorylation in 3 of 6 cell types. Furthermore, p38 phosphorylation was elicited by sole intracellular lactacidosis at normal pH(e. Inhibition of ERK1/2 phosphorylation during acidosis led to necrotic cell death. No evidence for the involvement of the kinases c-SRC, PKC, PKA, PI3K or EGFR nor changes in cell volume in acidosis-induced MAPK activation was obtained. However, our data reveal that acidosis enhances the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS, probably originating from mitochondria, which subsequently trigger MAPK phosphorylation. Scavenging of ROS prevented acidosis-induced MAPK phosphorylation whereas addition of H(2O(2 enhanced it. Finally, acidosis increased phosphorylation of the transcription factor CREB via p38, leading to increased transcriptional activity of a CRE-reporter even 24 h after switching the cells back to a normal environmental milieu. Thus, an acidic tumor microenvironment can induce a longer lasting p38-CREB-medited change in the transcriptional program, which may maintain the altered phenotype even when the cells leave the tumor environment.

  18. Wavelet analysis to decompose a vibration simulation signal to improve pre-distribution testing of packaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffiths, K. R.; Hicks, B. J.; Keogh, P. S.; Shires, D.

    2016-08-01

    In general, vehicle vibration is non-stationary and has a non-Gaussian probability distribution; yet existing testing methods for packaging design employ Gaussian distributions to represent vibration induced by road profiles. This frequently results in over-testing and/or over-design of the packaging to meet a specification and correspondingly leads to wasteful packaging and product waste, which represent 15bn per year in the USA and €3bn per year in the EU. The purpose of the paper is to enable a measured non-stationary acceleration signal to be replaced by a constructed signal that includes as far as possible any non-stationary characteristics from the original signal. The constructed signal consists of a concatenation of decomposed shorter duration signals, each having its own kurtosis level. Wavelet analysis is used for the decomposition process into inner and outlier signal components. The constructed signal has a similar PSD to the original signal, without incurring excessive acceleration levels. This allows an improved and more representative simulated input signal to be generated that can be used on the current generation of shaker tables. The wavelet decomposition method is also demonstrated experimentally through two correlation studies. It is shown that significant improvements over current international standards for packaging testing are achievable; hence the potential for more efficient packaging system design is possible.

  19. Hedgehog signaling activation induces stem cell proliferation and hormone release in the adult pituitary gland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pyczek, Joanna; Buslei, Rolf; Schult, David; Hölsken, Annett; Buchfelder, Michael; Heß, Ina; Hahn, Heidi; Uhmann, Anja

    2016-04-25

    Hedgehog (HH) signaling is known to be essential during the embryonal development of the pituitary gland but the knowledge about its role in the adult pituitary and in associated tumors is sparse. In this report we investigated the effect of excess Hh signaling activation in murine pituitary explants and analyzed the HH signaling status of human adenopituitary lobes and a large cohort of pituitary adenomas. Our data show that excess Hh signaling led to increased proliferation of Sox2(+) and Sox9(+) adult pituitary stem cells and to elevated expression levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (Acth), growth hormone (Gh) and prolactin (Prl) in the adult gland. Inhibition of the pathway by cyclopamine reversed these effects indicating that active Hh signaling positively regulates proliferative processes of adult pituitary stem cells and hormone production in the anterior pituitary. Since hormone producing cells of the adenohypophysis as well as ACTH-, GH- and PRL-immunopositive adenomas express SHH and its target GLI1, we furthermore propose that excess HH signaling is involved in the development/maintenance of hormone-producing pituitary adenomas. These findings advance the understanding of physiological hormone regulation and may open new treatment options for pituitary tumors.

  20. Excessive or unwanted hair in women

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hypertrichosis; Hirsutism; Hair - excessive (women); Excessive hair in women; Hair - women - excessive or unwanted ... Women normally produce low levels of male hormones (androgens). If your body makes too much of this ...

  1. Planning with Open Eyes and Open Hearts: An Alternative to Excessive Positivism

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Brien, John

    2007-01-01

    In this article, the author offers his critique on Holburn and Cea's notion on "excessive positivism" that person-centered planners are overconcerned with scientific verification and logical proof. The author believes that Holburn and Cea's notion blurs the important messages they have for person-centered planners by leading toward a debate about…

  2. Lead induces chondrogenesis and alters transforming growth factor-beta and bone morphogenetic protein signaling in mesenchymal cell populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuscik, Michael J; Ma, Lin; Buckley, Taylor; Puzas, J Edward; Drissi, Hicham; Schwarz, Edward M; O'Keefe, Regis J

    2007-09-01

    It has been established that skeletal growth is stunted in lead-exposed children. Because chondrogenesis is a seminal step during skeletal development, elucidating the impact of Pb on this process is the first step toward understanding the mechanism of Pb toxicity in the skeleton. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that Pb alters chondrogenic commitment of mesenchymal cells and to assess the effects of Pb on various signaling pathways. We assessed the influence of Pb on chondrogenesis in murine limb bud mesenchymal cells (MSCs) using nodule formation assays and gene analyses. The effects of Pb on transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling was studied using luciferase-based reporters and Western analyses, and luciferase-based assays were used to study cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein (CREB), beta-catenin, AP-1, and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) signaling. We also used an ectopic bone formation assay to determine how Pb affects chondrogenesis in vivo. Pb-exposed MSCs showed enhanced basal and TGF-beta/BMP induction of chondrogenesis, evidenced by enhanced nodule formation and up-regulation of Sox-9, type 2 collagen, and aggrecan, all key markers of chondrogenesis. We observed enhanced chondrogenesis during ectopic bone formation in mice preexposed to Pb via drinking water. In MSCs, Pb enhanced TGF-beta but inhibited BMP-2 signaling, as measured by luciferase reporter assays and Western analyses of Smad phosphorylation. Although Pb had no effect on basal CREB or Wnt/beta-catenin pathway activity, it induced NFkappaB signaling and inhibited AP-1 signaling. The in vitro and in vivo induction of chondrogenesis by Pb likely involves modulation and integration of multiple signaling pathways including TGF-beta, BMP, AP-1, and NFkappaB.

  3. Magnetic Particle-Based Immunoassay of Phosphorylated p53 Using Protein-Cage Templated Lead Phosphate and Carbon Nanospheres for Signal Amplification

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Aiqiong; Bao, Yuanwu; Ge, Xiaoxiao; Shin, Yongsoon; Du, Dan; Lin, Yuehe

    2012-11-20

    Phosphorylated p53 at serin 15 (phospho-p53-15) is a potential biomarker of Gamma-radiation exposure. In this paper, we described a new magnetic particles (MPs)-based electrochemical immunoassay of human phospho-p53-15 using carbon nanospheres (CNS) and protein-cage templated lead phosphate nanoparticles for signal amplification. Greatly enhanced sensitivity was achieved by three aspects: 1) The protein-cage nanoparticle (PCN) and p53-15 signal antibody (p53-15 Ab2) are linked to CNS (PCNof each apoferritin; 3) MPs capture a large amount of primary antibodies. Using apoferritin templated metallic phosphate instead of enzyme as label has the advantage of eliminating the addition of mediator or immunoreagents and thus makes the immunoassay system simpler. The subsequent stripping voltammetric analysis of the released lead ions were detected on a disposable screen printed electrode. The response current was proportional to the phospho-p53-15 concentration in the range of 0.02 to 20 ng mL-1 with detection limit of 0.01 ng mL-1. This method shows a good stability, reproducibility and recovery.

  4. The Hippo signaling functions through the Notch signaling to regulate intrahepatic bile duct development in mammals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Nan; Nguyen, Quy; Wan, Ying; Zhou, Tiaohao; Venter, Julie; Frampton, Gabriel A; DeMorrow, Sharon; Pan, Duojia; Meng, Fanyin; Glaser, Shannon; Alpini, Gianfranco; Bai, Haibo

    2018-01-01

    The Hippo signaling pathway and the Notch signaling pathway are evolutionary conserved signaling cascades that have important roles in embryonic development of many organs. In murine liver, disruption of either pathway impairs intrahepatic bile duct development. Recent studies suggested that the Notch signaling receptor Notch2 is a direct transcriptional target of the Hippo signaling pathway effector YAP, and the Notch signaling is a major mediator of the Hippo signaling in maintaining biliary cell characteristics in adult mice. However, it remains to be determined whether the Hippo signaling pathway functions through the Notch signaling in intrahepatic bile duct development. We found that loss of the Hippo signaling pathway tumor suppressor Nf2 resulted in increased expression levels of the Notch signaling pathway receptor Notch2 in cholangiocytes but not in hepatocytes. When knocking down Notch2 on the background of Nf2 deficiency in mouse livers, the excessive bile duct development induced by Nf2 deficiency was suppressed by heterozygous and homozygous deletion of Notch2 in a dose-dependent manner. These results implicated that Notch signaling is one of the downstream effectors of the Hippo signaling pathway in regulating intrahepatic bile duct development. PMID:28581486

  5. Excessive growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narayanaswamy, Vasudha; Rettig, Kenneth R; Bhowmick, Samar K

    2008-09-01

    Tall stature and excessive growth syndrome are a relatively rare concern in pediatric practice. Nevertheless, it is important to identify abnormal accelerated growth patterns in children, which may be the clue in the diagnosis of an underlying disorder. We present a case of pituitary gigantism in a 2 1/2-year-old child and discuss the signs, symptoms, laboratory findings, and the treatment. Brief discussions on the differential diagnosis of excessive growth/tall stature have been outlined. Pituitary gigantism is very rare in the pediatrics age group; however, it is extremely rare in a child that is less than 3 years of age. The nature of pituitary adenoma and treatment options in children with this condition have also been discussed.

  6. Thermodynamic properties of binary mixtures of tetrahydropyran with pyridine and isomeric picolines: Excess molar volumes, excess molar enthalpies and excess isentropic compressibilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saini, Neeti; Jangra, Sunil K.; Yadav, J.S.; Sharma, Dimple; Sharma, V.K.

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: → Densities, ρ and speeds of sound, u of tetrahydropyran (i) + pyridine or α-, β- or γ-picoline (j) binary mixtures at 298.15, 303.15 and 308.15 K and excess molar enthalpies, H E of the same set of mixtures at 308.15 K have been measured as a function of composition. → The observed densities and speeds of sound values have been employed to determine excess molar volumes, V E and excess isentropic compressibilities, κ S E . → Topology of the constituents of mixtures has been utilized (Graph theory) successfully to predict V E , H E and κ S E data of the investigated mixtures. → Thermodynamic data of the various mixtures have also been analyzed in terms of Prigogine-Flory-Patterson (PFP) theory. - Abstract: Densities, ρ and speeds of sound, u of tetrahydropyran (i) + pyridine or α-, β- or γ- picoline (j) binary mixtures at 298.15, 303.15 and 308.15 K and excess molar enthalpies, H E of the same set of mixtures at 308.15 K have been measured as a function of composition using an anton Parr vibrating-tube digital density and sound analyzer (model DSA 5000) and 2-drop micro-calorimeter, respectively. The resulting density and speed of sound data of the investigated mixtures have been utilized to predict excess molar volumes, V E and excess isentropic compressibilities, κ S E . The observed data have been analyzed in terms of (i) Graph theory; (ii) Prigogine-Flory-Patterson theory. It has been observed that V E , H E and κ S E data predicted by Graph theory compare well with their experimental values.

  7. Excess wind power

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Østergaard, Poul Alberg

    2005-01-01

    Expansion of wind power is an important element in Danish climate change abatement policy. Starting from a high penetration of approx 20% however, momentary excess production will become an important issue in the future. Through energy systems analyses using the EnergyPLAN model and economic...... analyses it is analysed how excess productions are better utilised; through conversion into hydrogen of through expansion of export connections thereby enabling sales. The results demonstrate that particularly hydrogen production is unviable under current costs but transmission expansion could...

  8. 75 FR 27572 - Monthly Report of Excess Income and Annual Report of Uses of Excess Income

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-17

    ... Income and Annual Report of Uses of Excess Income AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD... permitted to retain Excess Income for projects under terms and conditions established by HUD. Owners must request to retain some or all of their Excess Income. The request must be submitted through http://www.pay...

  9. Electrical response of Pt/Ru/PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3/Pt capacitor as function of lead precursor excess

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gueye, Ibrahima; Le Rhun, Gwenael; Renault, Olivier; Defay, Emmanuel; Barrett, Nicholas

    2017-11-01

    We investigated the influence of the surface microstructure and chemistry of sol-gel grown PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 (PZT) on the electrical performance of PZT-based metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors as a function of Pb precursor excess. Using surface-sensitive, quantitative X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, we confirm the presence of ZrOx surface phase. Low Pb excess gives rise to a discontinuous layer of ZrOx on a (100) textured PZT film with a wide band gap reducing the capacitance of PZT-based MIMs whereas the breakdown field is enhanced. At high Pb excess, the nanostructures disappear while the PZT grain size increases and the film texture becomes (111). Concomitantly, the capacitance density is enhanced by 8.7%, and both the loss tangent and breakdown field are reduced by 20 and 25%, respectively. The role of the low permittivity, dielectric interface layer on capacitance and breakdown is discussed.

  10. Effect of Zinc Deficiency and Excess on the Growth and Photosynthesis of Winter Wheat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N.M. Kaznina

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Zinc is one of the necessary micronutrients for plants, which performs a number of various functions in their cells. Therefore, the deficiency of this element negatively affects on plants and leads to a significant decrease of their productivity. On the other hand, zinc in high concentrations is toxic to plants, and its accumulation in aerial organs, especially in cereals, represent a real danger to human and animal health. In this investigation the effect of the deficiency (Zn 0 μM and the excess of zinc (Zn 1000 μM on the growth and photosynthesis of the winter wheat (cv. Mironovskaya 39 was studied. As a result, similarities and differences in the response of plants to these two types of stress were revealed. In particular, both with a lack and with an excess of metal in the nutrient solution, shoot growth and photosynthesis rate are inhibited which leads to a decrease in the accumulation of dry biomass. Excess of metal, in contrast to its deficiency, leads to inhibition of root growth, and also a negative impact on pigment content, including light-harvesting complexes, and on maximum quantum yield of PS II. It is assumed that these changes in the photosynthetic apparatus are the main causes of a decrease of photosynthesis rate in plants under these conditions, whereas in the case of zinc deficiency, an inhibition of the process intensity is most likely due to a change in the activity of zinc-containing enzymes involved in the dark reactions of photosynthesis.

  11. Molecular simulation of excess isotherm and excess enthalpy change in gas-phase adsorption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Do, D D; Do, H D; Nicholson, D

    2009-01-29

    We present a new approach to calculating excess isotherm and differential enthalpy of adsorption on surfaces or in confined spaces by the Monte Carlo molecular simulation method. The approach is very general and, most importantly, is unambiguous in its application to any configuration of solid structure (crystalline, graphite layer or disordered porous glass), to any type of fluid (simple or complex molecule), and to any operating conditions (subcritical or supercritical). The behavior of the adsorbed phase is studied using the partial molar energy of the simulation box. However, to characterize adsorption for comparison with experimental data, the isotherm is best described by the excess amount, and the enthalpy of adsorption is defined as the change in the total enthalpy of the simulation box with the change in the excess amount, keeping the total number (gas + adsorbed phases) constant. The excess quantities (capacity and energy) require a choice of a reference gaseous phase, which is defined as the adsorptive gas phase occupying the accessible volume and having a density equal to the bulk gas density. The accessible volume is defined as the mean volume space accessible to the center of mass of the adsorbate under consideration. With this choice, the excess isotherm passes through a maximum but always remains positive. This is in stark contrast to the literature where helium void volume is used (which is always greater than the accessible volume) and the resulting excess can be negative. Our definition of enthalpy change is equivalent to the difference between the partial molar enthalpy of the gas phase and the partial molar enthalpy of the adsorbed phase. There is no need to assume ideal gas or negligible molar volume of the adsorbed phase as is traditionally done in the literature. We illustrate this new approach with adsorption of argon, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide under subcritical and supercritical conditions.

  12. Clinical Implications of Diffuse Excessive High Signal Intensity (DEHSI on Neonatal MRI in School Age Children Born Extremely Preterm.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lina Broström

    Full Text Available Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI of the brain carried out during the neonatal period shows that 55-80% of extremely preterm infants display white matter diffuse excessive high signal intensity (DEHSI. Our aim was to study differences in developmental outcome at the age of 6.5 years in children born extremely preterm with and without DEHSI.This was a prospective cohort study of 83 children who were born in Stockholm, Sweden, between 2004 and 2007, born at gestational age of < 27 weeks + 0 days and who underwent an MRI scan of their brain at term equivalent age. The outcome measures at 6.5 years included testing 66 children with the modified Touwen neurology examination, the Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition, Beery Visual-motor Integration test-Sixth Edition, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Group-wise comparisons were done between children with and without DEHSI using Student t-test, Mann Whitney U test, Chi square test and regression analysis.DEHSI was detected in 39 (59% of the 66 children who were assessed at 6.5 years. The presence of DEHSI was not associated with mild neurological dysfunction, scores on M-ABC assessment, cognition, visual-motor integration, or behavior at 6.5 years.The presence of qualitatively defined DEHSI on neonatal MRI did not prove to be a useful predictor of long-term impairment in children born extremely preterm.

  13. Long-Term Causes of Death and Excess Mortality After Carotid Artery Ligation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahim, Tarik F; Jahromi, Behnam Rezai; Miettinen, Joonas; Raj, Rahul; Andrade-Barazarte, Hugo; Goehre, Felix; Kivisaari, Riku; Lehto, Hanna; Hernesniemi, Juha

    2016-06-01

    Carotid artery ligation (CAL) is used to treat large and complex intracranial aneurysms. However, little is known about long-term survival and causes of death in patients who undergo the procedure. This study was intended to evaluate if patients who have undergone CAL have long-term excess mortality and what the causes of death are. All patients were treated at Helsinki University Hospital between 1937 and 2009. Patients who had undergone CAL and survived ≥1 year after the procedure were included in the cohort. Follow-up was until death or 2015 (2711 patient-years). Causes of death were reviewed and relative survival ratios calculated using the Ederer II method and a matched population. There was 12% excess mortality in all patients 20 years after CAL and 22% after 30 years. A higher proportion of the patients who had subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) died during follow-up compared with unruptured patients undergoing CAL. Cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular accident were the leading causes of death. Patients with unruptured aneurysms did not experience as much excess mortality as those who had an SAH. The higher proportion of deaths observed in ruptured patients may be partly because of long-term excess mortality conferred by the SAH itself or SAH risk factors. Although the entire population did display excess mortality compared with the general population, this may be because of shared risk factors for aneurysm development and rupture and the cause of death. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Speech pattern improvement following gingivectomy of excess palatal tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holtzclaw, Dan; Toscano, Nicholas

    2008-10-01

    Speech disruption secondary to excessive gingival tissue has received scant attention in periodontal literature. Although a few articles have addressed the causes of this condition, documentation and scientific explanation of treatment outcomes are virtually non-existent. This case report describes speech pattern improvements secondary to periodontal surgery and provides a concise review of linguistic and phonetic literature pertinent to the case. A 21-year-old white female with a history of gingival abscesses secondary to excessive palatal tissue presented for treatment. Bilateral gingivectomies of palatal tissues were performed with inverse bevel incisions extending distally from teeth #5 and #12 to the maxillary tuberosities, and large wedges of epithelium/connective tissue were excised. Within the first month of the surgery, the patient noted "changes in the manner in which her tongue contacted the roof of her mouth" and "changes in her speech." Further anecdotal investigation revealed the patient's enunciation of sounds such as "s," "sh," and "k" was greatly improved following the gingivectomy procedure. Palatometric research clearly demonstrates that the tongue has intimate contact with the lateral aspects of the posterior palate during speech. Gingival excess in this and other palatal locations has the potential to alter linguopalatal contact patterns and disrupt normal speech patterns. Surgical correction of this condition via excisional procedures may improve linguopalatal contact patterns which, in turn, may lead to improved patient speech.

  15. Nonstoichiometry and conductivity anisotropy of lead germanate single crystals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jermakov, O.S.; Duda, V.M.

    2010-01-01

    The conductivity of lead germanate single crystals with the stoichiometric composition, PbO deficiency, and PbO excess has been measured. A reduction of the PbO fraction in the initial blend leads to a considerable increase of the conductivity, because the fraction of lead ions which change their valency from Pb 2+ to Pb 3+ grows. The relative arrangement of lead ions, which are able to change their valency and trap holes, can be responsible for a significant anisotropy of conductivity.

  16. A SUSY inspired simplified model for the 750 GeV diphoton excess

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gabrielli, E. [Dipart. di Fisica Teorica, Università di Trieste, Strada Costiera 11, I-34151 Trieste (Italy); INFN, Sezione di Trieste, Via Valerio 2, I-34127 Trieste (Italy); NICPB, Rävala 10, Tallinn 10143 (Estonia); Kannike, K., E-mail: kannike@cern.ch [NICPB, Rävala 10, Tallinn 10143 (Estonia); Mele, B. [INFN, Sezione di Roma, c/o Dipart. di Fisica, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, I-00185 Rome (Italy); Raidal, M. [NICPB, Rävala 10, Tallinn 10143 (Estonia); Institute of Physics, University of Tartu (Estonia); Spethmann, C.; Veermäe, H. [NICPB, Rävala 10, Tallinn 10143 (Estonia)

    2016-05-10

    The evidence for a new neutral scalar particle from the 750 GeV diphoton excess, and the absence of any other signal of new physics at the LHC so far, suggests the existence of new coloured scalars. To study this possibility, we propose a supersymmetry inspired simplified model, extending the Standard Model with a singlet scalar and with heavy scalar fields carrying both colour and electric charges – new scalar quarks. To allow the latter to decay, and to generate the dark matter of the Universe, we also add a neutral fermion to the particle content. We show that this model provides a two-parameter fit to the observed diphoton excess consistently with cosmology, while the allowed parameter space is bounded by the consistency of the model. In the context of our simplified model this implies the existence of other supersymmetric particles accessible at the LHC, rendering this scenario falsifiable.

  17. Limitations in determining enantiomeric excess of alcohols by 31 P-NMR of the phosphonate derivatives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laverde Junior, Antonio; Conceicao, Jelson J.A. da; Pilli, Ronaldo A.; Marsaioli, Anita J.; Miranda, Domingos S. de; Schirmer, Heiko; Meijere, Armin de

    1999-01-01

    The use of diastereomeric alcohol dialkyl-phosphonate derivatives to determine the enantiomeric excesses via 31 P-NMR signal ratios of anisochronous meso and threo isomers was successfully applied to secondary alcohols (Feringa's method). Expansion of the methodology to primary alcohols processing the hydroxyl groups tethered to the stereogenic centers by two or more methylene groups proved the method to be inefficient. The comparison between the coupled and decoupled spectra is important in order to identify the signals corresponding to the dialkyl-phosphonates. Nevertheless the methodology should be applied whenever the amount of the alcohol and its structure are not the limiting factors. (author)

  18. 34 CFR 668.166 - Excess cash.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... the Secretary for the costs the Secretary incurred in providing that excess cash to the institution... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Excess cash. 668.166 Section 668.166 Education..., DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION STUDENT ASSISTANCE GENERAL PROVISIONS Cash Management § 668.166 Excess cash. (a...

  19. Excess water dynamics in hydrotalcite: QENS study

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    dynamics of excess water in hydrotalcite sample with varied content of excess water are reported. Translational motion of excess water can be best described by random transla- tional jump diffusion model. The observed increase in translational diffusivity with increase in the amount of excess water is attributed to the ...

  20. A unique signal of excited bosons in dijet data from pp collisions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chizhov, M. V.; Bednyakov, V. A.; Budagov, J. A.

    2012-01-01

    With this note we would like to draw attention to a possible novel signal of new physics in dijet data at the hadron colliders. Usually it is accepted that almost all exotic models predict that these two jets populate the central (pseudo)rapidity region where y 1,2 ≅ 0. Contrary, the excited bosons do not contribute into this region, but produce an excess of dijet events over the almost flat QCD background in χ = exp vertical bar y 1 -y 2 vertical bar away from this region. For the special choice of parameters this could lead to a dip in the centrality ratio distribution over the dijet invariant mass instead of a bump, expected for the most exotic models.

  1. 75 FR 30846 - Monthly Report of Excess Income and Annual Report of Uses of Excess Income (Correction)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-02

    ... Income and Annual Report of Uses of Excess Income (Correction) AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information.... Project owners are permitted to retain Excess Income for projects under terms and conditions established by HUD. Owners must request to retain some or all of their Excess Income. The request must be...

  2. 7 CFR 985.56 - Excess oil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Excess oil. 985.56 Section 985.56 Agriculture... HANDLING OF SPEARMINT OIL PRODUCED IN THE FAR WEST Order Regulating Handling Volume Limitations § 985.56 Excess oil. Oil of any class in excess of a producer's applicable annual allotment shall be identified as...

  3. Long term mortality study of chromate pigment workers who suffered lead poisoning

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Davies, J.M.

    1984-05-01

    Long term mortality was studied in a group of 57 chromate pigment workers who suffered clinical lead poisoning, mostly between 1930 and 1945. One death was attributed to lead poisoning and there were significant excesses of deaths from nephritis (observed/expected 3/0.24) and cerebrovascular disease (9/2.20), as well as non-significant excesses for respiratory diseases (7/3.59) and accidents and violence (3/1.13). The deaths from nephritis followed long spells of service exceeding 10 years. Poisoning appeared to have more adverse long term effects on older workers: 15 men aged 40 or over at the time of acute poisoning experienced generally high mortality, and 30 years later or by the end of 1981 only two survived instead of the seven expected. The risk of cerebrovascular disease appeared to be unrelated to duration of exposure and affected even men employed for under one year. Excluding the 57 lead poisoned men, other contemporary workers at the factories showed no excess mortality from cerebrovascular disease.

  4. Sunyaev–Zel’Dovich Signal from Quasar Hosts: Implications for Detection of Quasar Feedback

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chowdhury, Dhruba Dutta; Chatterjee, Suchetana, E-mail: dhruba.duttachowdhury@yale.edu [Department of Physics, Presidency University, Kolkata, 700073 (India)

    2017-04-10

    Several analytic and numerical studies have indicated that the interstellar medium of a quasar host galaxy heated by feedback can contribute to a substantial secondary signal in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) through the thermal Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (SZ) effect. Recently, many groups have tried to detect this signal by cross-correlating CMB maps with quasar catalogs. Using a self-similar model for the gas in the intra-cluster medium and a realistic halo occupation distribution (HOD) prescription for quasars, we estimate the level of SZ signal from gravitational heating of quasar hosts. The bias in the host halo signal estimation due to an unconstrained high mass HOD tail and yet unknown redshift dependence of the quasar HOD restricts us from drawing any robust conclusions at low redshift ( z < 1.5) from our analysis. However, at higher redshifts ( z > 2.5), we find an excess signal in recent observations than what is predicted from our model. The excess signal could be potentially generated from additional heating due to quasar feedback.

  5. Sunyaev–Zel’Dovich Signal from Quasar Hosts: Implications for Detection of Quasar Feedback

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chowdhury, Dhruba Dutta; Chatterjee, Suchetana

    2017-01-01

    Several analytic and numerical studies have indicated that the interstellar medium of a quasar host galaxy heated by feedback can contribute to a substantial secondary signal in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) through the thermal Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (SZ) effect. Recently, many groups have tried to detect this signal by cross-correlating CMB maps with quasar catalogs. Using a self-similar model for the gas in the intra-cluster medium and a realistic halo occupation distribution (HOD) prescription for quasars, we estimate the level of SZ signal from gravitational heating of quasar hosts. The bias in the host halo signal estimation due to an unconstrained high mass HOD tail and yet unknown redshift dependence of the quasar HOD restricts us from drawing any robust conclusions at low redshift ( z < 1.5) from our analysis. However, at higher redshifts ( z > 2.5), we find an excess signal in recent observations than what is predicted from our model. The excess signal could be potentially generated from additional heating due to quasar feedback.

  6. 10 CFR 904.10 - Excess energy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Excess energy. 904.10 Section 904.10 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GENERAL REGULATIONS FOR THE CHARGES FOR THE SALE OF POWER FROM THE BOULDER CANYON PROJECT Power Marketing § 904.10 Excess energy. (a) If excess Energy is determined by the United States to be available...

  7. The moderating role of need for cognition on excessive searching bias: a case of finding romantic partners online.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiou, Wen-Bin; Yang, Mu-Li

    2010-01-01

    Using online-dating websites to expand social networks and form close relationships is popular for people in information technology era. Wu and Chiou (2009) demonstrated that more options triggered excessive searching, leading to poorer decision-making and reduced selectivity. They proposed that the more-means-worse effect refers to more searching leads to worse choices by reducing users' cognitive resources, distracting them with irrelevant information and reducing their ability to screen out inferior options. A 2 by 2 experimental study was conducted to investigate the moderating effect of individual differences in need for cognition (NFC) and number of available options on excessive searching and decision quality. A total of 120 undergraduates with experiences of online romantic relationships participated in the experiment. After participants were administrated their need for cognition, they were assigned to review either a small or a large number of options to search for their most desirable romantic partners via a popular online-dating website in Taiwan. Results indicated that high-NFC participants showed more excessive searching than did low-NFC participants. Moreover, the more-means-worse effect was more salient for high-NFC participants than high-NFC participants. The findings suggest that users with high NFC may be more vulnerable to the negative effect of excessive searching.

  8. Hostility among adolescents in Switzerland? multivariate relations between excessive media use and forms of violence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuntsche, Emmanuel N

    2004-03-01

    To determine what kind of violence-related behavior or opinion is directly related to excessive media use among adolescents in Switzerland. A national representative sample of 4222 schoolchildren (7th- and 8th-graders; mean age 13.9 years) answered questions on the frequency of television-viewing, electronic game-playing, feeling unsafe at school, bullying others, hitting others, and fighting with others, as part of the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) international collaborative study protocol. The Chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression analyses were applied to high-risk groups of adolescents. For the total sample, all bivariate relationships between television-viewing/electronic game-playing and each violence-related variable are significant. In the multivariate comparison, physical violence among boys ceases to be significant. For girls, only television-viewing is linked to indirect violence. Against the hypothesis, females' electronic game-playing only had a bearing on hitting others. Experimental designs are needed that take into account gender, different forms of media, and violence to answer the question of whether excessive media use leads to violent behavior. With the exception of excessive electronic game-playing among girls, this study found that electronic media are not thought to lead directly to real-life violence but to hostility and indirect violence.

  9. The protective effect of lidocaine on lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in rats through NF-κB and p38 MAPK signaling pathway and excessive inflammatory responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, L-J; Ding, Y-B; Ma, P-L; Jiang, S-H; Li, K-Z; Li, A-Z; Li, M-C; Shi, C-X; Du, J; Zhou, H-D

    2018-04-01

    Acute lung injury is a severe disease with a high rate of mortality, leading to more important illness. We aimed at exploring the protective role and potential mechanisms of lidocaine on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI). Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned to control group receiving 0.9% saline solution, LPS group treated with 4 mg/kg LPS i.p., LPS + lidocaine(treated with 4 mg/kg LPS i.p. followed by giving 1 mg/kg, 3 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg of lidocaine i.v.). Lung specimens and the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were collected for histopathological examination and biochemical analyze 12 h after LPS induction. The cytokines expression of TNF-α, IL-6 and MCP-1 was measured by ELISA. In addition, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, the activities of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in lung tissues were also detected using ELISA. The protein expressions of p38, p-p38, p65, p-p65 and IκB were analyzed by Western blot. The results indicated that after lidocaine treatment was able to decrease significantly wet-to-dry (W/D) ratio and ameliorate the histopathologic damage. Additionally, total protein content and the number of leukocytes in BALF significantly decreased. ELISA result indicated that the levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and MCP-1 in BALF were markedly suppressed. Meanwhile, the activities of T-AOC and SOD in lung tissues significantly increased, while the content of MDA significantly decreased after treatment with lidocaine. Moreover, Western blot suggested that lidocaine inhibited phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 and p38 MAPK. Therefore, lidocaine could ameliorate the LPS-induced lung injury via NF-κB/p38 MAPK signaling and excessive inflammatory responses, providing a potential for becoming the anti-inflammatory agent against lung injury.

  10. Excess entropy scaling for the segmental and global dynamics of polyethylene melts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voyiatzis, Evangelos; Müller-Plathe, Florian; Böhm, Michael C

    2014-11-28

    The range of validity of the Rosenfeld and Dzugutov excess entropy scaling laws is analyzed for unentangled linear polyethylene chains. We consider two segmental dynamical quantities, i.e. the bond and the torsional relaxation times, and two global ones, i.e. the chain diffusion coefficient and the viscosity. The excess entropy is approximated by either a series expansion of the entropy in terms of the pair correlation function or by an equation of state for polymers developed in the context of the self associating fluid theory. For the whole range of temperatures and chain lengths considered, the two estimates of the excess entropy are linearly correlated. The scaled bond and torsional relaxation times fall into a master curve irrespective of the chain length and the employed scaling scheme. Both quantities depend non-linearly on the excess entropy. For a fixed chain length, the reduced diffusion coefficient and viscosity scale linearly with the excess entropy. An empirical reduction to a chain length-independent master curve is accessible for both dynamic quantities. The Dzugutov scheme predicts an increased value of the scaled diffusion coefficient with increasing chain length which contrasts physical expectations. The origin of this trend can be traced back to the density dependence of the scaling factors. This finding has not been observed previously for Lennard-Jones chain systems (Macromolecules, 2013, 46, 8710-8723). Thus, it limits the applicability of the Dzugutov approach to polymers. In connection with diffusion coefficients and viscosities, the Rosenfeld scaling law appears to be of higher quality than the Dzugutov approach. An empirical excess entropy scaling is also proposed which leads to a chain length-independent correlation. It is expected to be valid for polymers in the Rouse regime.

  11. Adenylate Kinase and AMP Signaling Networks: Metabolic Monitoring, Signal Communication and Body Energy Sensing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andre Terzic

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Adenylate kinase and downstream AMP signaling is an integrated metabolic monitoring system which reads the cellular energy state in order to tune and report signals to metabolic sensors. A network of adenylate kinase isoforms (AK1-AK7 are distributed throughout intracellular compartments, interstitial space and body fluids to regulate energetic and metabolic signaling circuits, securing efficient cell energy economy, signal communication and stress response. The dynamics of adenylate kinase-catalyzed phosphotransfer regulates multiple intracellular and extracellular energy-dependent and nucleotide signaling processes, including excitation-contraction coupling, hormone secretion, cell and ciliary motility, nuclear transport, energetics of cell cycle, DNA synthesis and repair, and developmental programming. Metabolomic analyses indicate that cellular, interstitial and blood AMP levels are potential metabolic signals associated with vital functions including body energy sensing, sleep, hibernation and food intake. Either low or excess AMP signaling has been linked to human disease such as diabetes, obesity and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Recent studies indicate that derangements in adenylate kinase-mediated energetic signaling due to mutations in AK1, AK2 or AK7 isoforms are associated with hemolytic anemia, reticular dysgenesis and ciliary dyskinesia. Moreover, hormonal, food and antidiabetic drug actions are frequently coupled to alterations of cellular AMP levels and associated signaling. Thus, by monitoring energy state and generating and distributing AMP metabolic signals adenylate kinase represents a unique hub within the cellular homeostatic network.

  12. Does Excessive Pronation Cause Pain?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mølgaard, Carsten Møller; Olesen Gammelgaard, Christian; Nielsen, R. G.

    Excessive pronation could be an inborn abnormality or an acquired foot disorder caused by overuse, inadequate supported shoes or inadequate foot training. When the muscles and ligaments of the foot are insufficient it can cause an excessive pronation of the foot. The current treatment consist...... of antipronation shoes or insoles, which latest was studied by Kulce DG., et al (2007). So far there have been no randomized controlled studies showing methods that the effect of this treatment has not been documented. Therefore the authors can measure the effect of treatments with insoles. Some of the excessive...

  13. A COMPREHENSIVE CENSUS OF NEARBY INFRARED EXCESS STARS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cotten, Tara H.; Song, Inseok, E-mail: tara@physast.uga.edu, E-mail: song@physast.uga.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 (United States)

    2016-07-01

    The conclusion of the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer ( WISE ) mission presents an opportune time to summarize the history of using excess emission in the infrared as a tracer of circumstellar material and exploit all available data for future missions such as the James Webb Space Telescope . We have compiled a catalog of infrared excess stars from peer-reviewed articles and perform an extensive search for new infrared excess stars by cross-correlating the Tycho-2 and all-sky WISE (AllWISE) catalogs. We define a significance of excess in four spectral type divisions and select stars showing greater than either 3 σ or 5 σ significance of excess in the mid- and far-infrared. Through procedures including spectral energy distribution fitting and various image analyses, each potential excess source was rigorously vetted to eliminate false positives. The infrared excess stars from the literature and the new stars found through the Tycho-2 and AllWISE cross-correlation produced nearly 500 “Prime” infrared excess stars, of which 74 are new sources of excess, and >1200 are “Reserved” stars, of which 950 are new sources of excess. The main catalog of infrared excess stars are nearby, bright, and either demonstrate excess in more than one passband or have infrared spectroscopy confirming the infrared excess. This study identifies stars that display a spectral energy distribution suggestive of a secondary or post-protoplanetary generation of dust, and they are ideal targets for future optical and infrared imaging observations. The final catalogs of stars summarize the past work using infrared excess to detect dust disks, and with the most extensive compilation of infrared excess stars (∼1750) to date, we investigate various relationships among stellar and disk parameters.

  14. The role of adipose tissue and excess of fatty acids in the induction of insulin resistance in skeletal muscle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agnieszka Błachnio-Zabielska

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Skeletal muscle is the main tissue responsible for insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. Consumption of a high-fat diet rich in saturated fats (HFD and obesity are associated with accumulation of intramuscular lipids that leads to several disorders, e.g. insulin resistance (IRes and type 2 diabetes (T2D. The mechanism underlying the induction of IRes is still unknown. It was speculated that accumulation of intramuscular triacylglycerols (TAG is linked to induction of IRes. Now, research focuses on bioactive lipids: long-chain acyl-CoA (LCACoA, diacylglycerols (DAG and ceramides (Cer. It has been demonstrated that accumulation of each of the above-mentioned lipid classes negatively affects the insulin signaling pathway. It is not clear which of those lipids play the most important role in HFD-induced skeletal muscle IRes. The aim of the present work is to present the current knowledge of the role of adipose tissue and excess of fatty acids in the induction of insulin resistance.

  15. Lead poisoning of industrial origin in the horse

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ghergariu, S.; Kadar, L.; Boehm, B.; Grindeanu, I.; Teucean, M.

    1978-01-01

    In an industrial area polluted by fumes from a lead processing plant, the following symptoms were observed in horses: anemia, leanness, wind sucking at inspiration due to laryngeal paralysis, running at the nostrils due to pharyngeal paralysis (2 horses), intense dyspnea, latent asphyxia and incoordinate locomotion. A high rate of contamination of the hay, by lead (hay 837 +/- 714 ppm/dry; pasture grass 919 +/- 455 ppm/dry) was demonstrated. In the tissues of a slaughtered filly impregnation was found to be mild for lead, excessively high for cadmium.

  16. Does excessive pronation cause pain?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olesen, C G; Nielsen, Rasmus Gottschalk N; Rathleff, Michael Skovdal

    2008-01-01

    Excessive pronation could be an inborn abnormality or an acquired foot disorder caused by overuse, inadequate supported shoes or inadequate foot training. When the muscles and ligaments of the foot are insufficient it can cause an excessive pronation of the foot. The current treatment consist of ...

  17. Tests of Lorentz and CPT violation with MiniBooNE neutrino oscillation excesses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katori, Teppei

    2014-01-01

    Lorentz and CPT symmetry violaton is a predicted phenomenon of Planck–scale physics. Various types of data are analyzed to search for Lorentz violation under the Standard–Model Extension (SME) framework, including neutrino oscillation data. MiniBooNE is a short–baseline neutrino oscillation experiment at Fermilab. The measured excesses from MiniBooNE cannot be reconciled within the neutrino Standard Model (vSM); thus it might be a signal of new physics, such as Lorentz violation. We have analyzed the sidereal time dependence of MiniBooNE data for signals of the possible sidereal time dependence of the ocillation signals. we find that the v e appearance data prefer a sidereal time–independent solution, and the v-bar e appearance data slightly prefer a sidereal time–dependent solution, however, the statistical significance is not high to claim the discovery. Limits of order 10 −20 GeV are placed on combinations of SME coefficients

  18. Suppression of excess noise in Transition-Edge Sensors using magnetic field and geometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ullom, J.N.; Doriese, W.B.; Hilton, G.C.; Beall, J.A.; Deiker, S.; Irwin, K.D.; Reintsema, C.D.; Vale, L.R.; Xu, Y.

    2004-01-01

    We report recent progress at NIST on Mo/Cu Transition-Edge Sensors (TESs). While the signal-band noise of our sensors agrees with theory, we observe excess high-frequency noise. We describe this noise and demonstrate that it can be strongly suppressed by a magnetic field perpendicular to the plane of the sensor. Both the excess noise and α=(T/R)(dR/dT) depend strongly on field so our results show that accurate comparisons between devices are only possible when the field is well known or constant. We also present results showing the noise performance of TES designs incorporating parallel and perpendicular normal metal bars, an array of normal metal islands, and in wedge-shaped devices. We demonstrate significant reduction of high-frequency noise with the perpendicular bar devices at the cost of reduced α. Both the bars and the magnetic field are useful noise reduction techniques for bolometers

  19. Signal-background interference effects for gg→H→W+W- beyond leading order

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonvini, Marco; Caola, Fabrizio; Melnikov, Kirill; Ridolfi, Giovanni

    2013-04-01

    We study the effect of QCD corrections to the gg → H → W + W - signal-background interference at the LHC for a heavy Higgs boson. We construct a soft-collinear approximation to the NLO and NNLO corrections for the background process, which is exactly known only at LO. We estimate its accuracy by constructing and comparing the same approximation to the exact result for the signal process, which is known up to NNLO, and we conclude that we can describe the signal-background interference to better than O(10%) accuracy. We show that our result implies that, in practice, a fairly good approximation to higher-order QCD corrections to the interference may also be obtained by rescaling the known LO result by a K-factor computed using the signal process.

  20. PI3K/AKT signaling inhibits NOTCH1 lysosome-mediated degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Platonova, Natalia; Manzo, Teresa; Mirandola, Leonardo; Colombo, Michela; Calzavara, Elisabetta; Vigolo, Emilia; Cermisoni, Greta Chiara; De Simone, Daria; Garavelli, Silvia; Cecchinato, Valentina; Lazzari, Elisa; Neri, Antonino; Chiaramonte, Raffaella

    2015-06-06

    The pathways of NOTCH and PI3K/AKT are dysregulated in about 60% and 48% of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) patients, respectively. In this context, they interact and cooperate in controlling tumor cell biology. Here, we propose a novel mechanism by which the PI3K/AKT pathway regulates NOTCH1 in T-ALL, starting from the evidence that the inhibition of PI3K/AKT signaling induced by treatment with LY294002 or transient transfection with a dominant negative AKT mutant downregulates NOTCH1 protein levels and activity, without affecting NOTCH1 transcription. We showed that the withdrawal of PI3K/AKT signaling was associated to NOTCH1 phosphorylation in tyrosine residues and monoubiquitination of NOTCH1 detected by Ubiquitin capture assay. Co-immunoprecipitation assay and colocalization analysis further showed that the E3 ubiquitin ligase c-Cbl interacts and monoubiquitinates NOTCH1, activating its lysosomal degradation. These results suggest that the degradation of NOTCH1 could represent a mechanism of control by which NOTCH1 receptors are actively removed from the cell surface. This mechanism is finely regulated by the PI3K/AKT pathway in physiological conditions. In pathological conditions characterized by PI3K/AKT hyperactivation, such as T-ALL, the excessive AKT signaling could lead to NOTCH1 signaling dysregulation. Therefore, a therapeutic strategy directed to PI3K/AKT in T-ALL could contemporaneously inhibit the dysregulated NOTCH1 signaling. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Orphan nuclear receptor TR3 acts in autophagic cell death via mitochondrial signaling pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wei-jia; Wang, Yuan; Chen, Hang-zi; Xing, Yong-zhen; Li, Feng-wei; Zhang, Qian; Zhou, Bo; Zhang, Hong-kui; Zhang, Jie; Bian, Xue-li; Li, Li; Liu, Yuan; Zhao, Bi-xing; Chen, Yan; Wu, Rong; Li, An-zhong; Yao, Lu-ming; Chen, Ping; Zhang, Yi; Tian, Xu-yang; Beermann, Friedrich; Wu, Mian; Han, Jiahuai; Huang, Pei-qiang; Lin, Tianwei; Wu, Qiao

    2014-02-01

    Autophagy is linked to cell death, yet the associated mechanisms are largely undercharacterized. We discovered that melanoma, which is generally resistant to drug-induced apoptosis, can undergo autophagic cell death with the participation of orphan nuclear receptor TR3. A sequence of molecular events leading to cellular demise is launched by a specific chemical compound, 1-(3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)nonan-1-one, newly acquired from screening a library of TR3-targeting compounds. The autophagic cascade comprises TR3 translocation to mitochondria through interaction with the mitochondrial outer membrane protein Nix, crossing into the mitochondrial inner membrane through Tom40 and Tom70 channel proteins, dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential by the permeability transition pore complex ANT1-VDAC1 and induction of autophagy. This process leads to excessive mitochondria clearance and irreversible cell death. It implicates a new approach to melanoma therapy through activation of a mitochondrial signaling pathway that integrates a nuclear receptor with autophagy for cell death.

  2. Lifetime excess cancer risk due to carcinogens in food and beverages: Urban versus rural differences in Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheasley, Roslyn; Keller, C Peter; Setton, Eleanor

    2017-09-14

    To explore differences in urban versus rural lifetime excess risk of cancer from five specific contaminants found in food and beverages. Probable contaminant intake is estimated using Monte Carlo simulations of contaminant concentrations in combination with dietary patterns. Contaminant concentrations for arsenic, benzene, lead, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and tetrachloroethylene (PERC) were derived from government dietary studies. The dietary patterns of 34 944 Canadians from 10 provinces were available from Health Canada's Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 2.2, Nutrition (2004). Associated lifetime excess cancer risk (LECR) was subsequently calculated from the results of the simulations. In the calculation of LECR from food and beverages for the five selected substances, two (lead and PERC) were shown to have excess risk below 10 per million; whereas for the remaining three (arsenic, benzene and PCBs), it was shown that at least 50% of the population were above 10 per million excess cancers. Arsenic residues, ingested via rice and rice cereal, registered the greatest disparity between urban and rural intake, with LECR per million levels well above 1000 per million at the upper bound. The majority of PCBs ingestion comes from meat, with values slightly higher for urban populations and LECR per million estimates between 50 and 400. Drinking water is the primary contributor of benzene intake in both urban and rural populations, with LECR per million estimates of 35 extra cancers in the top 1% of sampled population. Overall, there are few disparities between urban and rural lifetime excess cancer risk from contaminants found in food and beverages. Estimates could be improved with more complete Canadian dietary intake and concentration data in support of detailed exposure assessments in estimating LECR.

  3. Hedgehog signaling acts with the temporal cascade to promote neuroblast cell cycle exit.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Phing Chian Chai

    Full Text Available In Drosophila postembryonic neuroblasts, transition in gene expression programs of a cascade of transcription factors (also known as the temporal series acts together with the asymmetric division machinery to generate diverse neurons with distinct identities and regulate the end of neuroblast proliferation. However, the underlying mechanism of how this "temporal series" acts during development remains unclear. Here, we show that Hh signaling in the postembryonic brain is temporally regulated; excess (earlier onset of Hh signaling causes premature neuroblast cell cycle exit and under-proliferation, whereas loss of Hh signaling causes delayed cell cycle exit and excess proliferation. Moreover, the Hh pathway functions downstream of Castor but upstream of Grainyhead, two components of the temporal series, to schedule neuroblast cell cycle exit. Interestingly, hh is likely a target of Castor. Hence, Hh signaling provides a link between the temporal series and the asymmetric division machinery in scheduling the end of neurogenesis.

  4. Early Reading Proficiency. Leading Indicator Spotlight

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musen, Lindsey

    2010-01-01

    In "Beyond Test Scores: Leading Indicators for Education," Foley and colleagues (2008) define leading indicators as those that "provide early signals of progress toward academic achievement" (p. 1) and stress that educators "need leading indicators to help them see the direction their efforts are going in and to take…

  5. Excessive physical exercise in tourism and recreation and its metabolic effects

    OpenAIRE

    Szczepanowska, Ewa; Umiastowska, Danuta; Czapla, Zbigniew

    2008-01-01

    An excessive physical exercise destructively influences on humans. This question has now a not overpriced meaning because there are more and more popular extreme kinds of tourism, recreation and sport, and far shifting limits of results attained in elite sport, and there are wider range of time and loads of professional work, which can lead even to work holism. If compare human body organization to not oversized device or building construction, one has to say that human body is...

  6. Evaluation of Excess Heat Utilization in District Heating Systems by Implementing Levelized Cost of Excess Heat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Borna Doračić

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available District heating plays a key role in achieving high primary energy savings and the reduction of the overall environmental impact of the energy sector. This was recently recognized by the European Commission, which emphasizes the importance of these systems, especially when integrated with renewable energy sources, like solar, biomass, geothermal, etc. On the other hand, high amounts of heat are currently being wasted in the industry sector, which causes low energy efficiency of these processes. This excess heat can be utilized and transported to the final customer by a distribution network. The main goal of this research was to calculate the potential for excess heat utilization in district heating systems by implementing the levelized cost of excess heat method. Additionally, this paper proves the economic and environmental benefits of switching from individual heating solutions to a district heating system. This was done by using the QGIS software. The variation of different relevant parameters was taken into account in the sensitivity analysis. Therefore, the final result was the determination of the maximum potential distance of the excess heat source from the demand, for different available heat supplies, costs of pipes, and excess heat prices.

  7. Bone morphogenetic protein 2 signaling negatively modulates lymphatic development in vertebrate embryos

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dunworth, William P; Cardona-Costa, Jose; Bozkulak, Esra Cagavi

    2014-01-01

    : Our aim was to delineate the role of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 2 signaling in lymphatic development. METHODS AND RESULTS: BMP2 signaling negatively regulates the formation of LECs. Developing LECs lack any detectable BMP signaling activity in both zebrafish and mouse embryos, and excess BMP2...... signaling in zebrafish embryos and mouse embryonic stem cell-derived embryoid bodies substantially decrease the emergence of LECs. Mechanistically, BMP2 signaling induces expression of miR-31 and miR-181a in a SMAD-dependent mechanism, which in turn results in attenuated expression of prospero homeobox...

  8. Information Acquisition and Excessive Risk: Impact of Policy Rate and Market Volatility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Volha Audzei

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Excessive risk-taking of financial agents drew a lot of attention in the aftermath of the financial crisis. Low interest rates and subdued market volatility during the Great Moderation are sometimes blamed for stimulating risk-taking and leading to the recent financial crisis. In recent years, with many central banks around the world conducting the policy of low interest rates and mitigating market risks, it has been debatable whether this policy contributes to the building up of another credit boom. This paper addresses this issue by focusing on information acquisition by the financial agents. We build a theoretical model which captures excessive risk taking in response to changes in policy rate and market volatility. This excessive risk takes the form of an increased risk appetite of the agents, but also of decreased incentives to acquire information about risky assets. As a result, with market risk being reduced, agents tend to acquire more risk in their portfolios then they would with the higher market risk. The same forces increase portfolio risk when the safe interest rate is falling. The robustness of the results is considered with different learning rules.

  9. Excessive masturbation after epilepsy surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozmen, Mine; Erdogan, Ayten; Duvenci, Sirin; Ozyurt, Emin; Ozkara, Cigdem

    2004-02-01

    Sexual behavior changes as well as depression, anxiety, and organic mood/personality disorders have been reported in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients before and after epilepsy surgery. The authors describe a 14-year-old girl with symptoms of excessive masturbation in inappropriate places, social withdrawal, irritability, aggressive behavior, and crying spells after selective amygdalohippocampectomy for medically intractable TLE with hippocampal sclerosis. Since the family members felt extremely embarrassed, they were upset and angry with the patient which, in turn, increased her depressive symptoms. Both her excessive masturbation behavior and depressive symptoms remitted within 2 months of psychoeducative intervention and treatment with citalopram 20mg/day. Excessive masturbation is proposed to be related to the psychosocial changes due to seizure-free status after surgery as well as other possible mechanisms such as Kluver-Bucy syndrome features and neurophysiologic changes associated with the cessation of epileptic discharges. This case demonstrates that psychiatric problems and sexual changes encountered after epilepsy surgery are possibly multifactorial and in adolescence hypersexuality may be manifested as excessive masturbation behavior.

  10. Excess cash holdings and shareholder value

    OpenAIRE

    Lee, Edward; Powell, Ronan

    2011-01-01

    We examine the determinants of corporate cash holdings in Australia and the impact on shareholder wealth of holding excess cash. Our results show that a trade-off model best explains the level of a firm’s cash holdings in Australia. We find that 'transitory' excess cash firms earn significantly higher risk-adjusted returns compared to 'persistent' excess cash firms, suggesting that the market penalises firms that hoard cash. The marginal value of cash also declines with larger cash balances, ...

  11. Antidepressant induced excessive yawning and indifference

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruno Palazzo Nazar

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Antidepressant induced excessive yawning has been described as a possible side effect of pharmacotherapy. A syndrome of indifference has also been described as another possible side effect. The frequency of those phenomena and their physiopathology are unknown. They are both considered benign and reversible after antidepressant discontinuation but severe cases with complications as temporomandibular lesions, have been described. Methods We report two unprecedented cases in which excessive yawning and indifference occurred simultaneously as side effects of antidepressant therapy, discussing possible physiopathological mechanisms for this co-occurrence. Case 1: A male patient presented excessive yawning (approximately 80/day and apathy after venlafaxine XR treatment. Symptoms reduced after a switch to escitalopram, with a reduction to 50 yawns/day. Case 2: A female patient presented excessive yawning (approximately 25/day and inability to react to environmental stressors with desvenlafaxine. Conclusion Induction of indifference and excessive yawning may be modulated by serotonergic and noradrenergic mechanisms. One proposal to unify these side effects would be enhancement of serotonin in midbrain, especially paraventricular and raphe nucleus.

  12. Dual role of BMP signaling in the regulation of Drosophila intestinal stem cell self-renewal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Aiguo; Jiang, Jin

    2017-10-02

    Many adult organs including Drosophila adult midguts rely on resident stem cells to replenish damaged cells during tissue homeostasis and regeneration. Previous studies have shown that, upon injury, intestinal stem cells (ISCs) in the midguts can increase proliferation and lineage differentiation to meet the demand for tissue repair. Our recent study has demonstrated that, in response to certain injury, midguts can expand ISC population size as an additional regenerative mechanism. We found that injury elicited by bleomycin feeding or bacterial infection increased the production of two BMP ligands (Dpp and Gbb) in enterocytes (ECs), leading to elevated BMP signaling in progenitor cells that drove an expansion of ISCs by promoting their symmetric self-renewing division. Interestingly, we also found that BMP signaling in ECs inhibits the production of Dpp and Gbb, and that this negative feedback mechanism is required to reset ISC pool size to the homeostatic state. Our findings suggest that BMP signaling exerts two opposing influences on stem cell activity depending on where it acts: BMP signaling in progenitor cells promotes ISC self-renewal while BMP signaling in ECs restricts ISC self-renewal by preventing excessive production of BMP ligands. Our results further suggest that transient expansion of ISC population in conjunction with increasing ISC proliferation provides a more effective strategy for tissue regeneration.

  13. Concurrent use of tramadol and oral vitamin K antagonists and the risk of excessive anticoagulation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pottegård, Anton; Meegaard, P. M.; Holck, L. H.

    2013-01-01

    .9-5.2). This corresponds to, on average, one excess case per 250 treatment years (CI 125-584). The result is potentially confounded by concomitant paracetamol use and the presence of acute illness. CONCLUSION: Caution is advised when using tramadol in patients using VKA, and if possible, an alternative pain......OBJECTIVES: The objective was to assess whether the concurrent use of tramadol and vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) leads to an increased risk of excessive anticoagulation. DESIGN: The study was designed as a case-control study, nested within users of VKA and with tramadol use as our main exposure. We...... anticoagulation attributable to the use of tramadol. RESULTS: A total of 178 patients were included, 30 of which were exposed to tramadol, along with 2643 controls, 114 of which were exposed to tramadol. The adjusted odds-ratio for experiencing excessive anticoagulation during use of tramadol was 3.1 (1...

  14. Purkinje Cell Signaling Deficits in Animal Models of Ataxia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eriola Hoxha

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Purkinje cell (PC dysfunction or degeneration is the most frequent finding in animal models with ataxic symptoms. Mutations affecting intrinsic membrane properties can lead to ataxia by altering the firing rate of PCs or their firing pattern. However, the relationship between specific firing alterations and motor symptoms is not yet clear, and in some cases PC dysfunction precedes the onset of ataxic signs. Moreover, a great variety of ionic and synaptic mechanisms can affect PC signaling, resulting in different features of motor dysfunction. Mutations affecting Na+ channels (NaV1.1, NaV1.6, NaVβ4, Fgf14 or Rer1 reduce the firing rate of PCs, mainly via an impairment of the Na+ resurgent current. Mutations that reduce Kv3 currents limit the firing rate frequency range. Mutations of Kv1 channels act mainly on inhibitory interneurons, generating excessive GABAergic signaling onto PCs, resulting in episodic ataxia. Kv4.3 mutations are responsible for a complex syndrome with several neurologic dysfunctions including ataxia. Mutations of either Cav or BK channels have similar consequences, consisting in a disruption of the firing pattern of PCs, with loss of precision, leading to ataxia. Another category of pathogenic mechanisms of ataxia regards alterations of synaptic signals arriving at the PC. At the parallel fiber (PF-PC synapse, mutations of glutamate delta-2 (GluD2 or its ligand Crbl1 are responsible for the loss of synaptic contacts, abolishment of long-term depression (LTD and motor deficits. At the same synapse, a correct function of metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGlu1 receptors is necessary to avoid ataxia. Failure of climbing fiber (CF maturation and establishment of PC mono-innervation occurs in a great number of mutant mice, including mGlu1 and its transduction pathway, GluD2, semaphorins and their receptors. All these models have in common the alteration of PC output signals, due to a variety of mechanisms affecting incoming

  15. The Use of a Quadripolar Left Ventricular Lead Increases Successful Implantation Rates in Patients with Phrenic Nerve Stimulation and/or High Pacing Thresholds Undergoing Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy with Conventional Bipolar Leads

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marc-Alexander Ohlow, MD

    2013-03-01

    Conclusions: Excessively HPT and/or PNS are frequently encountered when conventional bipolar leads are used for CRT. A new quadripolar LV lead increases the rate of successful biventricular stimulation. Lower pacing threshold and freedom from PNS are maintained at follow-up.

  16. Investigating nitric oxide signalling involvement in the antidepressant action of ketamine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liebenberg, Nico; Müller, Heidi Kaastrup; Elfving, Betina

    2012-01-01

    Stress-induced excessive glutamate transmission at N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDA-R’s) may underlie a primary mechanism in the physiology that leads to depression, and ketamine, an NMDA-R antagonist, has been shown to rapidly relieve depression in humans. A number of downstream mechanisms...... have been suggested to mediate the antidepressant action of ketamine, including the activation of extracellular-signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2), protein kinase B (or Akt) and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). However, the mechanism(s) that are affected immediately downstream of NMDA......-R’s remain unclear. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is directly coupled to and activated by NMDA-R’s, and the uncoupling of the nNOS-NMDA-R complex prevents NMDA-R-mediated excitotoxicity. Therefore, we investigated whether the antidepressant mechanism of ketamine involves the inhibition of nitric...

  17. Disposition of excess fissile materials in deep boreholes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Halsey, W.G.; Danker, W.; Morley, R.

    1995-09-01

    As a result of recent changes throughout the world, a substantial inventory of excess separated plutonium is expected to result from dismantlement of US nuclear weapons. The safe and secure management and eventual disposition of this plutonium, and of a similar inventory in Russia, is a high priority. A variety of options (both interim and permanent) are under consideration to manage this material. The permanent solutions can be categorized into two broad groups: direct disposal and utilization. Plutonium utilization options have in common the generation of high-level radioactive waste which will be disposed of in a mined geologic disposal system to be developed for spent reactor fuel and defense high level waste. Other final disposition forms, such as plutonium metal, plutonium oxide and plutonium immobilized without high-level radiation sources may be better suited to placement in a custom facility. This paper discusses a leading candidate for such a facility; deep (several kilometer) borehole disposition. The deep borehole disposition concept involves placing excess plutonium deep into old stable rock formations with little free water present. The safety argument centers around ancient groundwater indicating lack of migration, and thus no expected communication with the accessible environment until the plutonium has decayed

  18. Xbp1-Independent Ire1 Signaling Is Required for Photoreceptor Differentiation and Rhabdomere Morphogenesis in Drosophila

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dina S. Coelho

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available The unfolded protein response (UPR is composed by homeostatic signaling pathways that are activated by excessive protein misfolding in the endoplasmic reticulum. Ire1 signaling is an important mediator of the UPR, leading to the activation of the transcription factor Xbp1. Here, we show that Drosophila Ire1 mutant photoreceptors have defects in the delivery of rhodopsin-1 to the rhabdomere and in the secretion of Spacemaker/Eyes Shut into the interrhabdomeral space. However, these defects are not observed in Xbp1 mutant photoreceptors. Ire1 mutant retinas have higher mRNA levels for targets of regulated Ire1-dependent decay (RIDD, including for the fatty acid transport protein (fatp. Importantly, the downregulation of fatp by RNAi rescues the rhodopsin-1 delivery defects observed in Ire1 mutant photoreceptors. Our results show that the role of Ire1 during photoreceptor differentiation is independent of Xbp1 function and demonstrate the physiological relevance of the RIDD mechanism in this specific paradigm.

  19. Single amino acid change in STING leads to constitutive active signaling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eric D Tang

    Full Text Available The production of cytokines by the immune system in response to cytosolic DNA plays an important role in host defense, autoimmune disease, and cancer immunogenicity. Recently a cytosolic DNA signaling pathway that is dependent on the endoplasmic reticulum adaptor and cyclic dinucleotide sensor protein STING has been identified. Association of cytosolic DNA with cyclic-GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS activates its enzymatic activity to synthesize the cyclic dinucleotide second messenger cGAMP from GTP and ATP. Direct detection of cGAMP by STING triggers the activation of IRF3 and NF-kB, and the production of type I interferons and proinflammatory cytokines. The mechanism of how STING is able to mediate downstream signaling remains incompletely understood although it has been shown that dimerization is a prerequisite. Here, we identify a single amino acid change in STING that confers constitutive active signaling. This mutation appears to both enhance ability of STING to both dimerize and associate with its downstream target TBK1.

  20. Single amino acid change in STING leads to constitutive active signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Eric D; Wang, Cun-Yu

    2015-01-01

    The production of cytokines by the immune system in response to cytosolic DNA plays an important role in host defense, autoimmune disease, and cancer immunogenicity. Recently a cytosolic DNA signaling pathway that is dependent on the endoplasmic reticulum adaptor and cyclic dinucleotide sensor protein STING has been identified. Association of cytosolic DNA with cyclic-GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) activates its enzymatic activity to synthesize the cyclic dinucleotide second messenger cGAMP from GTP and ATP. Direct detection of cGAMP by STING triggers the activation of IRF3 and NF-kB, and the production of type I interferons and proinflammatory cytokines. The mechanism of how STING is able to mediate downstream signaling remains incompletely understood although it has been shown that dimerization is a prerequisite. Here, we identify a single amino acid change in STING that confers constitutive active signaling. This mutation appears to both enhance ability of STING to both dimerize and associate with its downstream target TBK1.

  1. Excess iodine promotes apoptosis of thyroid follicular epithelial cells by inducing autophagy suppression and is associated with Hashimoto thyroiditis disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Chengcheng; Wu, Fei; Mao, Chaoming; Wang, Xuefeng; Zheng, Tingting; Bu, Ling; Mou, Xiao; Zhou, Yuepeng; Yuan, Guoyue; Wang, Shengjun; Xiao, Yichuan

    2016-12-01

    The incidence of the autoimmune thyroid disease Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) has increased in recent years, and increasing evidence supports the contribution of excess iodine intake to thyroid disease. In this study, we examined the status of autophagy and apoptosis in thyroid tissues obtained from patients with HT, and we determined the effects of excessive iodine on the autophagy and apoptosis of thyroid follicular cells (TFCs) in an attempt to elucidate the effects of excess iodine on HT development. Our results showed decreases in the autophagy-related protein LC3B-II, and increases in caspase-3 were observed in thyroid tissues from HT patients. Interestingly, the suppression of autophagy activity in TFCs was induced by excess iodine in vitro, and this process is mediated through transforming growth factor-β1 downregulation and activation of the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. In addition, excess iodine induced autophagy suppression and enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and apoptosis of TFCs, which could be rescued by the activation of autophagy. Taken together, our results demonstrated that excess iodine contributed to autophagy suppression and apoptosis of TFCs, which could be important factors predisposing to increased risk of HT development. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. 26 CFR 54.4981A-1T - Tax on excess distributions and excess accumulations (temporary).

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... Revenue Code of 1986, as added by section 1133 of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 (Pub. L. 99-514) (TRA '86...) Determine the value of the individual's adjusted account balance on the next valuation date by adding (or... 26 Internal Revenue 17 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Tax on excess distributions and excess...

  3. Blockade of Notch Signaling in Tumor-Bearing Mice May Lead to Tumor Regression, Progression, or Metastasis, Depending on Tumor Cell Types

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xing-Bin Hu

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available It has been reported that blocking Notch signaling in tumor-bearing mice results in abortive angiogenesis and tumor regression. However, given that Notch signaling influences numerous cellular processes in vivo, a comprehensive evaluation of the effect of Notch inactivation on tumor growth would be favorable. In this study, we inoculated four cancer cell lines in mice with the conditional inactivation of recombination signal-binding protein-Jκ (RBP-J, which mediates signaling from all four mammalian Notch receptors. We found that whereas three tumors including hepatocarcinoma, lung cancer, and osteogenic sarcoma grew slower in the RBP-J-deficient mice, at least a melanoma, B16, grew significantly faster in the RBP-J-deficient mice than in the controls, suggesting that the RBP-J-deficient hosts could provide permissive cues for tumor growth. All these tumors showed increased microvessels and up-regulated hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, suggesting that whereas defective angiogenesis resulted in hypoxia, different tumors might grow differentially in the RBP-J-deleted mice. Similarly, increased infiltration of Gr1+/Mac1+ cells were noticed in tumors grown in the RBP-J-inactivated mice. Moreover, we found that when inoculated in the RBP-J knockout hosts, the H22 hepatoma cells had a high frequency of metastasis and lethality, suggesting that at least for H22, deficiency of environmental Notch signaling favored tumor metastasis. Our findings suggested that the general blockade of Notch signaling in tumor-bearing mice could lead to defective angiogenesis in tumors, but depending on tumor cell types, general inhibition of Notch signaling might result in tumor regression, progression, or metastasis.

  4. Chemistry of surface nanostructures in lead precursor-rich PbZr{sub 0.52}Ti{sub 0.48}O{sub 3} sol–gel films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gueye, I.; Le Rhun, G.; Gergaud, P.; Renault, O. [Univ. Grenoble Alpes, F-38000 Grenoble (France); CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, F-38054 Grenoble (France); Defay, E. [Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, Materials Research and Technology Department, 41 Rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux (Luxembourg); Barrett, N., E-mail: nick.barrett@cea.fr [SPEC, CEA, CNRS, Université Paris Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette (France)

    2016-02-15

    Highlights: • We have studied the effect of lead excess on the surface of PZT sol–gel films. • For low lead excess (10%) nanostructured surface phase is observed. • X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that the surface phase is Zr oxide. - Abstract: We present a study of the chemistry of the nanostructured phase at the surface of lead zirconium titanate PbZr{sub 0.52}Ti{sub 0.48}O{sub 3} (PZT) films synthesized by sol–gel method. In sol–gel synthesis, excess lead precursor is used to maintain the target stoichiometry. Surface nanostructures appear at 10% excess whereas 30% excess inhibits their formation. Using the surface-sensitive, quantitative X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and glancing angle X-ray diffraction we have shown that the chemical composition of the nanostructures is ZrO{sub 1.82−1.89} rather than pyrochlore often described in the literature. The presence of a possibly discontinuous layer of wide band gap ZrO{sub 1.82−1.89} could be of importance in determining the electrical properties of PZT-based metal-insulator-metal heterostructures.

  5. The Essence of Nonclassicality: Non-Vanishing Signal Deficit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aravinda, S.; Srikanth, R.

    2015-12-01

    Nonclassical properties of correlations- like unpredictability, no-cloning and uncertainty- are known to follow from two assumptions: nonlocality and no-signaling. For two-input-two-output correlations, we derive these properties from a single, unified assumption: namely, the excess of the communication cost over the signaling in the correlation. This is relevant to quantum temporal correlations, resources to simulate quantum correlations and extensions of quantum mechanics. We generalize in the context of such correlations the nonclassicality result for nonlocal-nonsignaling correlations (Masanes et al., Phys. Rev. A 73, 012112 (2006)) and the uncertainty bound on nonlocality (Oppenheim and Wehner, Science 330(6007), 1072 (2010)), when the no-signaling condition is relaxed.

  6. Processing of seismic signals from a seismometer network

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Key, F.A.; Warburton, P.J.

    1983-08-01

    A description is given of the Seismometer Network Analysis Computer (SNAC) which processes short period data from a network of seismometers (UKNET). The nine stations of the network are distributed throughout the UK and their outputs are transmitted to a control laboratory (Blacknest) where SNAC monitors the data for seismic signals. The computer gives an estimate of the source location of the detected signals and stores the waveforms. The detection logic is designed to maintain high sensitivity without excessive ''false alarms''. It is demonstrated that the system is able to detect seismic signals at an amplitude level consistent with a network of single stations and, within the limitations of signal onset time measurements made by machine, can locate the source of the seismic disturbance. (author)

  7. Physical activity and exercise dependence during inpatient treatment of longstanding eating disorders: an exploratory study of excessive and non-excessive exercisers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bratland-Sanda, Solfrid; Sundgot-Borgen, Jorunn; Rø, Øyvind; Rosenvinge, Jan H; Hoffart, Asle; Martinsen, Egil W

    2010-04-01

    To describe changes in physical activity (PA) and exercise dependence score during treatment of eating disorders (ED), and to explore correlations among changes in PA, exercise motivation, exercise dependence score and ED psychopathology in excessive and non-excessive exercisers. Thirty-eight adult females receiving inpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or ED not otherwise specified participated in this prospective study. Assessments included accelerometer assessed PA, Exercise Dependence Scale, Reasons for Exercise Inventory, ED Examination, and ED Inventory. Amount of PA was significantly reduced in non-excessive exercisers during treatment, in excessive exercisers there was a trend towards reduced amount of PA from admission to discharge. In excessive exercisers, reduced ED psychopathology was correlated with reduction in exercise dependence score and perceived importance of exercise to regulate negative affects, but not with importance of exercise for weight/appearance. These associations were not found in non-excessive exercisers. Excessive exercise is an important issue in longstanding ED, and the excessive exercising patients need help to develop alternative strategies to regulate negative affects.

  8. Systems biology of adipose tissue metabolism: regulation of growth, signaling and inflammation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manteiga, Sara; Choi, Kyungoh; Jayaraman, Arul; Lee, Kyongbum

    2013-01-01

    Adipose tissue (AT) depots actively regulate whole body energy homeostasis by orchestrating complex communications with other physiological systems as well as within the tissue. Adipocytes readily respond to hormonal and nutritional inputs to store excess nutrients as intracellular lipids or mobilize the stored fat for utilization. Co-ordinated regulation of metabolic pathways balancing uptake, esterification, and hydrolysis of lipids is accomplished through positive and negative feedback interactions of regulatory hubs comprising several pleiotropic protein kinases and nuclear receptors. Metabolic regulation in adipocytes encompasses biogenesis and remodeling of uniquely large lipid droplets (LDs). The regulatory hubs also function as energy and nutrient sensors, and integrate metabolic regulation with intercellular signaling. Over-nutrition causes hypertrophic expansion of adipocytes, which, through incompletely understood mechanisms, initiates a cascade of metabolic and signaling events leading to tissue remodeling and immune cell recruitment. Macrophage activation and polarization toward a pro-inflammatory phenotype drives a self-reinforcing cycle of pro-inflammatory signals in the AT, establishing an inflammatory state. Sustained inflammation accelerates lipolysis and elevates free fatty acids in circulation, which robustly correlates with development of obesity-related diseases. The adipose regulatory network coupling metabolism, growth, and signaling of multiple cell types is exceedingly complex. While components of the regulatory network have been individually studied in exquisite detail, systems approaches have rarely been utilized to comprehensively assess the relative engagements of the components. Thus, need and opportunity exist to develop quantitative models of metabolic and signaling networks to achieve a more complete understanding of AT biology in both health and disease. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Explaining CMS lepton excesses with supersymmetry

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva; Prof. Allanach, Benjamin

    2014-01-01

    1) Kostas Theofilatos will give an introduction to CMS result 2) Ben Allanach: Several CMS analyses involving di-leptons have recently reported small 2.4-2.8 sigma local excesses: nothing to get too excited about, but worth keeping an eye on nonetheless. In particular, a search in the $lljj p_T$(miss) channel, a search for $W_R$ in the $lljj$ channel and a di-leptoquark search in the $lljj$ channel and $ljj p_T$(miss) channel have all yielded small excesses. We interpret the first excess in the MSSM, showing that the interpretation is viable in terms of other constraints, despite only having squark masses of around 1 TeV. We can explain the last three excesses with a single R-parity violating coupling that predicts a non-zero contribution to the neutrinoless double beta decay rate.

  10. Syndromes associated with nutritional deficiency and excess.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jen, Melinda; Yan, Albert C

    2010-01-01

    Normal functioning of the human body requires a balance between nutritional intake and metabolism, and imbalances manifest as nutritional deficiencies or excess. Nutritional deficiency states are associated with social factors (war, poverty, famine, and food fads), medical illnesses with malabsorption (such as Crohn disease, cystic fibrosis, and after bariatric surgery), psychiatric illnesses (eating disorders, autism, alcoholism), and medications. Nutritional excess states result from inadvertent or intentional excessive intake. Cutaneous manifestations of nutritional imbalance can herald other systemic manifestations. This contribution discusses nutritional deficiency and excess syndromes with cutaneous manifestations of particular interest to clinical dermatologists. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  11. Interaction between sulfur and lead in toxicity, iron plaque formation and lead accumulation in rice plant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Junxing; Liu, Zhiyan; Wan, Xiaoming; Zheng, Guodi; Yang, Jun; Zhang, Hanzhi; Guo, Lin; Wang, Xuedong; Zhou, Xiaoyong; Guo, Qingjun; Xu, Ruixiang; Zhou, Guangdong; Peters, Marc; Zhu, Guangxu; Wei, Rongfei; Tian, Liyan; Han, Xiaokun

    2016-06-01

    Human activities have resulted in lead and sulfur accumulation in paddy soils in parts of southern China. A combined soil-sand pot experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of S supply on iron plaque formation and Pb accumulation in rice (Oryza sativa L.) under two Pb levels (0 and 600 mg kg(-1)), combined with four S concentrations (0, 30, 60, and 120 mg kg(-1)). Results showed that S supply significantly decreased Pb accumulation in straw and grains of rice. This result may be attributed to the enhancement of Fe plaque formation, decrease of Pb availability in soil, and increase of reduced glutathione (GSH) in rice leaves. Moderate S supply (30 mg kg(-1)) significantly increased Fe plaque formation on the root surface and in the rhizosphere, whereas excessive S supply (60 and 120 mg kg(-1)) significantly decreased the amounts of iron plaque on the root surface. Sulfur supply significantly enhanced the GSH contents in leaves of rice plants under Pb treatment. With excessive S application, the rice root acted as a more effective barrier to Pb accumulation compared with iron plaque. Excessive S supply may result in a higher monosulfide toxicity and decreased iron plaque formation on the root surface during flooded conditions. However, excessive S supply could effectively decrease Pb availability in soils and reduce Pb accumulation in rice plants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. ATLAS Z Excess in Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu, Xiaochuan; Terada, Takahiro

    2015-06-01

    Recently the ATLAS collaboration reported a 3 sigma excess in the search for the events containing a dilepton pair from a Z boson and large missing transverse energy. Although the excess is not sufficiently significant yet, it is quite tempting to explain this excess by a well-motivated model beyond the standard model. In this paper we study a possibility of the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) for this excess. Especially, we focus on the MSSM spectrum where the sfermions are heavier than the gauginos and Higgsinos. We show that the excess can be explained by the reasonable MSSM mass spectrum.

  13. Bladder calculus presenting as excessive masturbation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Alwis, A C D; Senaratne, A M R D; De Silva, S M P D; Rodrigo, V S D

    2006-09-01

    Masturbation in childhood is a normal behaviour which most commonly begins at 2 months of age, and peaks at 4 years and in adolescence. However excessive masturbation causes anxiety in parents. We describe a boy with a bladder calculus presenting as excessive masturbation.

  14. When good news leads to bad choices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDevitt, Margaret A; Dunn, Roger M; Spetch, Marcia L; Ludvig, Elliot A

    2016-01-01

    Pigeons and other animals sometimes deviate from optimal choice behavior when given informative signals for delayed outcomes. For example, when pigeons are given a choice between an alternative that always leads to food after a delay and an alternative that leads to food only half of the time after a delay, preference changes dramatically depending on whether the stimuli during the delays are correlated with (signal) the outcomes or not. With signaled outcomes, pigeons show a much greater preference for the suboptimal alternative than with unsignaled outcomes. Key variables and research findings related to this phenomenon are reviewed, including the effects of durations of the choice and delay periods, probability of reinforcement, and gaps in the signal. We interpret the available evidence as reflecting a preference induced by signals for good news in a context of uncertainty. Other explanations are briefly summarized and compared. © 2016 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

  15. Comparative Hepatotoxicity Test of Cadmium and Lead in Rats ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Adverse environmental impacts include contamination of water, soil, and phytotoxicity from excessive heavy metals dispersed from mines and smelter sites leading to potential risk to human health. This study investigated the comparative hepatotoxicity test of mining pond waters used for domestic purposes in ...

  16. Hyperhidrosis (Excessive Sweating)

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... who have this type are otherwise healthy. In medical terminology, the word “primary” means that the cause is not another medical condition. Secondary hyperhidrosis In medical terminology, “secondary” means that the excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) has ...

  17. The root hair assay facilitates the use of genetic and pharmacological tools in order to dissect multiple signalling pathways that lead to programmed cell death.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joanna Kacprzyk

    Full Text Available The activation of programmed cell death (PCD is often a result of complex signalling pathways whose relationship and intersection are not well understood. We recently described a PCD root hair assay and proposed that it could be used to rapidly screen genetic or pharmacological modulators of PCD. To further assess the applicability of the root hair assay for studying multiple signalling pathways leading to PCD activation we have investigated the crosstalk between salicylic acid, autophagy and apoptosis-like PCD (AL-PCD in Arabidopsis thaliana. The root hair assay was used to determine rates of AL-PCD induced by a panel of cell death inducing treatments in wild type plants treated with chemical modulators of salicylic acid synthesis or autophagy, and in genetic lines defective in autophagy or salicylic acid signalling. The assay demonstrated that PCD induced by exogenous salicylic acid or fumonisin B1 displayed a requirement for salicylic acid signalling and was partially dependent on the salicylic acid signal transducer NPR1. Autophagy deficiency resulted in an increase in the rates of AL-PCD induced by salicylic acid and fumonisin B1, but not by gibberellic acid or abiotic stress. The phenylalanine ammonia lyase-dependent salicylic acid synthesis pathway contributed only to death induced by salicylic acid and fumonisin B1. 3-Methyladenine, which is commonly used as an inhibitor of autophagy, appeared to influence PCD induction in all treatments suggesting a possible secondary, non-autophagic, effect on a core component of the plant PCD pathway. The results suggest that salicylic acid signalling is negatively regulated by autophagy during salicylic acid and mycotoxin-induced AL-PCD. However, this crosstalk does not appear to be directly involved in PCD induced by gibberellic acid or abiotic stress. This study demonstrates that the root hair assay is an effective tool for relatively rapid investigation of complex signalling pathways leading to

  18. Study on classical and excess eddy currents losses of Terfenol-D

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Talebian, Soheil; Hojjat, Yousef [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ghodsi, Mojtaba [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat (Oman); Karafi, Mohammad Reza [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2015-08-15

    In the present paper, classical and excess eddy currents losses of Terfenol-D are studied and effects of magnetic field frequency, peak of magnetic flux density and diameter of Terfenol-D on the eddy currents losses are investigated. To provide reliable data for the purpose of the paper, an experimental laboratory is fabricated and used to obtain major and minor hysteresis loops of Terfenol-D at different frequencies. In theoretical study, initially an analytical model based on uniform distribution of magnetic flux is developed which yields to calculation of classical eddy currents losses. Then, another eddy currents model based on non-uniform distribution of magnetic flux and nonlinear diffusion of electromagnetic fields is presented. The difference between output values of the two models is identified as excess eddy currents losses. Obtained results show that the values of excess losses are generally larger than classical losses and applying just classical model leads to wrong calculation of actual value of eddy currents losses. For the results obtained from two above models, empirical models with respect to the magnetic field frequency and the peak value of magnetic flux density are achieved which can predict the eddy currents losses precisely. To validate the empirical relations, experiments are repeated at a new frequency and values of power losses calculated from analytical equations are compared with the predicted values of the empirical models. The results point towards possibility to use the obtained empirical relations in order to calculate the classical and excess eddy currents losses of Terfenol-D at the frequencies below 200 Hz and different values of magnetic flux density. - Highlights: • Classical eddy currents loss of Terfenol-D is studied using Maxwell's laws. • Excess eddy currents loss of Terfenol-D is studied using Mayergoyz nonlinear model. • Effects of Terfenol-D geometry on the eddy currents losses are investigated. • Power

  19. Amino alcohol- (NPS-2143 and quinazolinone-derived calcilytics (ATF936 and AXT914 differentially mitigate excessive signalling of calcium-sensing receptor mutants causing Bartter syndrome Type 5 and autosomal dominant hypocalcemia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saskia Letz

    Full Text Available Activating calcium sensing receptor (CaSR mutations cause autosomal dominant hypocalcemia (ADH characterized by low serum calcium, inappropriately low PTH and relative hypercalciuria. Four activating CaSR mutations cause additional renal wasting of sodium, chloride and other salts, a condition called Bartter syndrome (BS type 5. Until today there is no specific medical treatment for BS type 5 and ADH. We investigated the effects of different allosteric CaSR antagonists (calcilytics on activating CaSR mutants.All 4 known mutations causing BS type 5 and five ADH mutations were expressed in HEK 293T cells and receptor signalling was studied by measurement of intracellular free calcium in response to extracellular calcium ([Ca2+]o. To investigate the effect of calcilytics, cells were stimulated with 3 mM [Ca2+]o in the presence or absence of NPS-2143, ATF936 or AXT914.All BS type 5 and ADH mutants showed enhanced signalling activity to [Ca2+]o with left shifted dose response curves. In contrast to the amino alcohol NPS-2143, which was only partially effective, the quinazolinone calcilytics ATF936 and AXT914 significantly mitigated excessive cytosolic calcium signalling of all BS type 5 and ADH mutants studied. When these mutants were co-expressed with wild-type CaSR to approximate heterozygosity in patients, ATF936 and AXT914 were also effective on all mutants.The calcilytics ATF936 and AXT914 are capable of attenuating enhanced cytosolic calcium signalling activity of CaSR mutations causing BS type 5 and ADH. Quinazolinone calcilytics might therefore offer a novel treatment option for patients with activating CaSR mutations.

  20. Lead pollution sources and Impacts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Haggar, S.M.; Saad, S.G.; Saleh, S.K.; El-Kady, M.A.

    1996-01-01

    Despite the medical awareness of lead toxicity, and despite legislation designed to reduce environmental contamination, lead is one of the most widely used heavy metals. Significant human exposure occurs from automobile exhaust fumes, cigarette smoking, lead-based paints and plumbing systems lead spread in the environment can take place in several ways, the most important of which is through the lead compounds released in automobile exhaust as a direct result of the addition of tetraethyl or tetraethyl lead to gasoline as octane boosting agents. Of special is the effect of lead pollution on children, which affects their behavioral and educational attributes considerably. The major channel through through which lead is absorbed is through inhalation of lead compounds in the atmosphere. Lead is a heavy metal characterized its malleability, ductility and poor conduction of electricity. So, it has a wide range of applications ranging from battery manufacturing to glazing ceramics. It is rarely found free in nature but is present in several minerals and compounds. The aim of this paper is to discuss natural and anthropogenic sources of lead together with its distribution and trends with emphasis on egypt. The effects of lead pollution on human health, vegetation and welfare are also presented. It could be concluded that, the excessive release of lead into the environment, especially through the atmosphere, can produce many detrimental and sometimes fatal effects on human, agriculture and zoological life. Besides, it is very plain that there is a serious problem of pollution lead in egypt and specially in cairo. 7 figs

  1. Case of acute lead poisoning in a dog

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Robertson, C M

    1970-02-14

    A six month old male Pug dog died after displaying symptoms which included excessive salivation, chomping of the jaws and arching of the neck. At post-mortem examination, abnormally high levels of lead were found in the liver and kidneys. The dog was observed to have been chewing old wood with flakes of paint in the days immediately preceding the onset of symptoms. Post mortem examination for lead levels in vital organs is recommended in cases where young dogs die with symptoms of nervous disorder. 6 references.

  2. Lead acetate induces EGFR activation upstream of SFK and PKCα linkage to the Ras/Raf-1/ERK signaling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, C.-Y.; Wang, Y.-T.; Tzeng, D.-W.; Yang, J.-L.

    2009-01-01

    Lead acetate (Pb), a probable human carcinogen, can activate protein kinase C (PKC) upstream of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2). Yet, it remains unclear whether Pb activation of PKC → ERK1/2 involves receptor/non-receptor tyrosine kinases and the Ras signaling transducer. Here we demonstrate a novel mechanism elicited by Pb for transmitting ERK1/2 signaling in CL3 human non-small-cell lung adenocarcinoma cells. Pb induction of higher steady-state levels of Ras-GTP was essential for increasing phospho-Raf-1 S338 and phospho-ERK1/2. Pre-treatment of the cells with a conventional PKC inhibitor Goe6976 or depleting PKCα using specific small interfering RNA blocked Pb induction of Ras-GTP. Pb also activated cellular tyrosine kinases. Specific pharmacological inhibitors, PD153035 for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and SU6656 for Src family tyrosine kinases (SFK), but not AG1296 for platelet-derived growth factor receptor, could suppress the Pb-induced tyrosine kinases, PKCα, Ras-GTP, phospho-Raf-1 S338 and phospho-ERK1/2. Furthermore, phosphorylation of tyrosines on the EGFR multiple autophosphorylation sites and the conserved SFK autophosphorylation site occurred during exposure of cells to Pb for 1-5 min and 5-30 min, respectively. Intriguingly, Pb activation of EGFR required the intrinsic kinase activity but not dimerization of the receptor. Inhibition of SFK or PKCα activities did not affect EGFR phosphorylation, while knockdown of EGFR blocked SFK phosphorylation and PKCα activation following Pb. Together, these results indicate that immediate activation of EGFR in response to Pb is obligatory for activation of SFK and PKCα and subsequent the Ras-Raf-1-MKK1/2-ERK1/2 signaling cascade

  3. In Vivo Characterization of Intracellular Signaling Pathways Activated by the Nerve Agent Sarin

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Shih, Tsung-Ming A; Snyder, Gretchen L; Hendrick, Joseph P; Fienberg, Allen A; McDonough, John H

    2004-01-01

    ..., an excessive stimulation of nicotinic and muscarinic receptors. Preliminary evidence using diverse OPs indicates that the DARPP-32/PP-1 signaling pathway is activated by nicotinic receptor stimulation...

  4. Implication of inflammatory signaling pathways in obesity-induced insulin resistance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean-François eTANTI

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Obesity is characterized by the development of a low-grade chronic inflammatory state in different metabolic tissues including adipose tissue and liver. This inflammation develops in response to an excess of nutrient flux and is now recognized as an important link between obesity and insulin resistance. Several dietary factors like saturated fatty acids and glucose as well as changes in gut microbiota have been proposed as triggers of this metabolic inflammation through the activation of pattern-recognition receptors, including Toll-like receptors, inflammasome and NOD. The consequences are the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the recruitment of immune cells such as macrophages and T lymphocytes in metabolic tissues. Inflammatory cytokines activate several kinases like IKKbeta, mTOR/S6 kinase and MAP kinases as well as SOCS proteins that interfere with insulin signaling and action in adipocytes and hepatocytes. In this review, we summarize recent studies demonstrating that pattern recognition receptors and stress kinases are important integrators of metabolic and inflammatory stress signals in metabolic tissues leading to peripheral and central insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction. We discuss recent data obtained with genetically modified mice and pharmacological approaches suggesting that these inflammatory pathways are potential novel pharmacological targets for the management of obesity-associated insulin resistance.

  5. Land-mobile satellite excess path loss measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hess, G. C.

    1980-05-01

    An experiment conducted with the ATS-6 satellite to determine the additional path loss over free-space loss experienced by land-mobile communication links is described. This excess path loss is measured as a function of 1) local environment, 2) vehicle heading, 3) link frequency, 4) satellite elevation angle, and 5) street side. A statistical description of excess loss developed from the data shows that the first two parameters dominate. Excess path loss on the order of 25 dB is typical in urban situations, but decreases to under 10 dB in suburban/rural areas. Spaced antenna selection diversity is found to provide only a slight decrease (4 dB, typically) in the urban excess path loss observed. Level crossing rates are depressed in satellite links relative to those of Rayleigh-faded terrestrial links, but increases in average fade durations tend to offset that advantage. The measurements show that the excess path loss difference between 860-MHz links and 1550-MHz links is generally negligible.

  6. Radiometric trace analysis quantitative paper chromatography of lead with phosphate-32P

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Erkelens, P.C. van

    1961-01-01

    A method is described for the selective determination of lead in paper chromatograms, down to 1 μg (standard deviation 11%). After development and drying, the lead spot is sprayed with a Na2H32PO4 solution and dried. Excess reagent and alkaline earth phosphates are eluted with a borax—oxalate buffer

  7. Blockade of Wnt-1 signaling leads to anti-tumor effects in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grepper Susan

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC is an aggressive cancer, and is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Standard therapy is ineffective partly because HCC is intrinsically resistant to conventional chemotherapy. Its poor prognosis and limited treatment options make it critical to develop novel and selective chemotherapeutic agents. Since the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is essential in HCC carcinogenesis, we studied the inhibition of Wnt-1-mediated signaling as a potential molecular target in HCC. Results We demonstrated that Wnt-1 is highly expressed in human hepatoma cell lines and a subgroup of human HCC tissues compared to paired adjacent non-tumor tissues. An anti-Wnt-1 antibody dose-dependently decreased viability and proliferation of Huh7 and Hep40 cells over-expressing Wnt-1 and harboring wild type β-catenin, but did not affect normal hepatocytes with undetectable Wnt-1 expression. Apoptosis was also observed in Huh7 and Hep40 cells after treatment with anti-Wnt-1 antibody. In these two cell lines, the anti-Wnt-1 antibody decreased β-catenin/Tcf4 transcriptional activities, which were associated with down-regulation of the endogenous β-catenin/Tcf4 target genes c-Myc, cyclin D1, and survivin. Intratumoral injection of anti-Wnt-1 antibody suppressed in vivo tumor growth in a Huh7 xenograft model, which was also associated with apoptosis and reduced c-Myc, cyclin D1, and survivin expressions. Conclusion Our results suggest that Wnt-1 is a survival factor for HCC cells, and that the blockade of Wnt-1-mediated signaling may offer a potential pathway-specific therapeutic strategy for the treatment of a subgroup of HCC that over-expresses Wnt-1.

  8. Industrial excess heat for district heating in Denmark

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bühler, Fabian; Petrović, Stefan; Karlsson, Kenneth; Elmegaard, Brian

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: •Method for utilisation potential of industrial excess heat for district heating. •Industrial excess heat from thermal processes is quantified at single production units. •Linking of industrial excess heat sources and district heating demands done in GIS. •Excess heat recovery using direct heat transfer and heat pumps. •5.1% of the Danish district heating demand could be supplied by industrial excess heat. -- Abstract: Excess heat is available from various sources and its utilisation could reduce the primary energy use. The accessibility of this heat is however dependent amongst others on the source and sink temperature, amount and potential users in its vicinity. In this work a new method is developed which analyses excess heat sources from the industrial sector and how they could be used for district heating. This method first allocates excess heat to single production units by introducing and validating a new approach. Spatial analysis of the heat sources and consumers are then performed to evaluate the potential for using them for district heating. In this way the theoretical potential of using the excess heat for covering the heating demand of buildings is determined. Through the use of industry specific temperature profiles the heat usable directly or via heat pumps is further found. A sensitivity analysis investigates the impact of future energy efficiency measures in the industry, buildings and the district heating grid on the national potential. The results show that for the case study of Denmark, 1.36 TWh of district heat could be provided annually with industrial excess heat from thermal processes which equals 5.1% of the current demand. More than half of this heat was found to be usable directly, without the need for a heat pump.

  9. Dysregulated estrogen receptor signaling in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis leads to ovarian epithelial tumorigenesis in mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mary J Laws

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The etiology of ovarian epithelial cancer is poorly understood, mainly due to the lack of an appropriate experimental model for studying the onset and progression of this disease. We have created a mutant mouse model in which aberrant estrogen receptor alpha (ERα signaling in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis leads to ovarian epithelial tumorigenesis. In these mice, termed ERαd/d, the ERα gene was conditionally deleted in the anterior pituitary, but remained intact in the hypothalamus and the ovary. The loss of negative-feedback regulation by estrogen (E at the level of the pituitary led to increased production of luteinizing hormone (LH by this tissue. Hyperstimulation of the ovarian cells by LH resulted in elevated steroidogenesis, producing high circulating levels of steroid hormones, including E. The ERαd/d mice exhibited formation of palpable ovarian epithelial tumors starting at 5 months of age with 100% penetrance. By 15 months of age, 80% of ERαd/d mice die. Besides proliferating epithelial cells, these tumors also contained an expanded population of luteinized stromal cells, which acquire the ability to express P450 aromatase and synthesize E locally. In response to the elevated levels of E, the ERα signaling was accentuated in the ovarian epithelial cells of ERαd/d mice, triggering increased ERα-dependent gene expression, abnormal cell proliferation, and tumorigenesis. Consistent with these findings, treatment of ERαd/d mice with letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor, markedly reduced circulating E and ovarian tumor volume. We have, therefore, developed a unique animal model, which serves as a useful tool for exploring the involvement of E-dependent signaling pathways in ovarian epithelial tumorigenesis.

  10. Developmental programming: impact of prenatal testosterone excess on pre- and postnatal gonadotropin regulation in sheep.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manikkam, Mohan; Thompson, Robert C; Herkimer, Carol; Welch, Kathleen B; Flak, Jonathan; Karsch, Fred J; Padmanabhan, Vasantha

    2008-04-01

    The goal of this study was to explore mechanisms that mediate hypersecretion of LH and progressive loss of cyclicity in female sheep exposed during fetal life to excess testosterone. Our working hypothesis was that prenatal testosterone excess, by its androgenic action, amplifies GnRH-induced LH (but not FSH) secretion and, thus, hypersecretion of LH in adulthood, and that this results from altered developmental gene expression of GnRH and estradiol (E2) receptors, gonadotropin subunits, and paracrine factors that differentially regulate LH and FSH synthesis. We observed that, relative to controls, females exposed during fetal life to excess testosterone, as well as the nor-aromatizable androgen dihydrotestosterone, exhibited enhanced LH but not FSH responses to intermittent delivery of GnRH boluses under conditions in which endogenous LH (GnRH) pulses were suppressed. Luteinizing hormone hypersecretion was more evident in adults than in prepubertal females, and it was associated with development of acyclicity. Measurement of pituitary mRNA concentrations revealed that prenatal testosterone excess induced developmental changes in gene expression of pituitary GnRH and E2 receptors and paracrine modulators of LH and FSH synthesis in a manner consistent with subsequent amplification of LH release. Together, this series of studies suggests that prenatal testosterone excess, by its androgenic action, amplifies GnRH-induced LH response, leading to LH hypersecretion and acyclicity in adulthood, and that this programming involves developmental changes in expression of pituitary genes involved in LH and FSH release.

  11. Cellular and molecular events leading to the development of skin cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Melnikova, Vladislava O.; Ananthaswamy, Honnavara N.

    2005-01-01

    The transition from a normal cell to a neoplastic cell is a complex process and involves both genetic and epigenetic changes. The process of carcinogenesis begins when the DNA is damaged, which then leads to a cascade of events leading to the development of a tumor. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes DNA damage, inflammation, erythema, sunburn, immunosuppression, photoaging, gene mutations, and skin cancer. Upon DNA damage, the p53 tumor suppressor protein undergoes phosphorylation and translocation to the nucleus and aids in DNA repair or causes apoptosis. Excessive UV exposure overwhelms DNA repair mechanisms leading to induction of p53 mutations and loss of Fas-FasL interaction. Keratinocytes carrying p53 mutations acquire a growth advantage by virtue of their increased resistance to apoptosis. Thus, resistance to cell death is a key event in photocarcinogenesis and conversely, elimination of cells containing excessive UV-induced DNA damage is a key step in protecting against skin cancer development. Apoptosis-resistant keratinocytes undergo clonal expansion that eventually leads to formation of actinic keratoses and squamous cell carcinomas. In this article, we will review some of the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in initiation and progression of UV-induced skin cancer

  12. Cellular and molecular events leading to the development of skin cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Melnikova, Vladislava O. [Department of Immunology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 301402, Unit 902, Houston, TX 77030 (United States); Ananthaswamy, Honnavara N. [Department of Immunology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 301402, Unit 902, Houston, TX 77030 (United States)]. E-mail: hanantha@mdanderson.org

    2005-04-01

    The transition from a normal cell to a neoplastic cell is a complex process and involves both genetic and epigenetic changes. The process of carcinogenesis begins when the DNA is damaged, which then leads to a cascade of events leading to the development of a tumor. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes DNA damage, inflammation, erythema, sunburn, immunosuppression, photoaging, gene mutations, and skin cancer. Upon DNA damage, the p53 tumor suppressor protein undergoes phosphorylation and translocation to the nucleus and aids in DNA repair or causes apoptosis. Excessive UV exposure overwhelms DNA repair mechanisms leading to induction of p53 mutations and loss of Fas-FasL interaction. Keratinocytes carrying p53 mutations acquire a growth advantage by virtue of their increased resistance to apoptosis. Thus, resistance to cell death is a key event in photocarcinogenesis and conversely, elimination of cells containing excessive UV-induced DNA damage is a key step in protecting against skin cancer development. Apoptosis-resistant keratinocytes undergo clonal expansion that eventually leads to formation of actinic keratoses and squamous cell carcinomas. In this article, we will review some of the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in initiation and progression of UV-induced skin cancer.

  13. Critical loads and excess loads of cadmium, copper and lead for European forest soils

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reinds, G.J.; Bril, J.; Vries, de W.; Groenenberg, J.E.; Breeuwsma, A.

    1995-01-01

    Recently, concern has arisen about the impact of the dispersion of heavy metals in Europe. Therefore, a study (ESQUAD) was initiated to assess critical loads and steady-state concentrations of cadmium, copper and lead for European forest soils. The calculation methods used strongly resemble those

  14. Understanding Excess Emissions from Industrial Facilities: Evidence from Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zirogiannis, Nikolaos; Hollingsworth, Alex J; Konisky, David M

    2018-03-06

    We analyze excess emissions from industrial facilities in Texas using data from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Emissions are characterized as excess if they are beyond a facility's permitted levels and if they occur during startups, shutdowns, or malfunctions. We provide summary data on both the pollutants most often emitted as excess emissions and the industrial sectors and facilities responsible for those emissions. Excess emissions often represent a substantial share of a facility's routine (or permitted) emissions. We find that while excess emissions events are frequent, the majority of excess emissions are emitted by the largest events. That is, the sum of emissions in the 96-100th percentile is often several orders of magnitude larger than the remaining excess emissions (i.e., the sum of emissions below the 95th percentile). Thus, the majority of events emit a small amount of pollution relative to the total amount emitted. In addition, a small group of high emitting facilities in the most polluting industrial sectors are responsible for the vast majority of excess emissions. Using an integrated assessment model, we estimate that the health damages in Texas from excess emissions are approximately $150 million annually.

  15. Neurofibromin Loss of Function Drives Excessive Grooming in Drosophila

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lanikea B. King

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Neurofibromatosis I is a common genetic disorder that results in tumor formation, and predisposes individuals to a range of cognitive/behavioral symptoms, including deficits in attention, visuospatial skills, learning, language development, and sleep, and autism spectrum disorder-like traits. The nf1-encoded neurofibromin protein (Nf1 exhibits high conservation, from the common fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, to humans. Drosophila provides a powerful platform to investigate the signaling cascades upstream and downstream of Nf1, and the fly model exhibits similar behavioral phenotypes to mammalian models. In order to understand how loss of Nf1 affects motor behavior in flies, we combined traditional activity monitoring with video analysis of grooming behavior. In nf1 mutants, spontaneous grooming was increased up to 7x. This increase in activity was distinct from previously described dopamine-dependent hyperactivity, as dopamine transporter mutants exhibited slightly decreased grooming. Finally, we found that relative grooming frequencies can be compared in standard activity monitors that measure infrared beam breaks, enabling the use of activity monitors as an automated method to screen for grooming phenotypes. Overall, these data suggest that loss of nf1 produces excessive activity that is manifested as increased grooming, providing a platform to dissect the molecular genetics of neurofibromin signaling across neuronal circuits.

  16. Neurofibromin Loss of Function Drives Excessive Grooming in Drosophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Lanikea B; Koch, Marta; Murphy, Keith R; Velazquez, Yoheilly; Ja, William W; Tomchik, Seth M

    2016-04-07

    Neurofibromatosis I is a common genetic disorder that results in tumor formation, and predisposes individuals to a range of cognitive/behavioral symptoms, including deficits in attention, visuospatial skills, learning, language development, and sleep, and autism spectrum disorder-like traits. The nf1-encoded neurofibromin protein (Nf1) exhibits high conservation, from the common fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, to humans. Drosophila provides a powerful platform to investigate the signaling cascades upstream and downstream of Nf1, and the fly model exhibits similar behavioral phenotypes to mammalian models. In order to understand how loss of Nf1 affects motor behavior in flies, we combined traditional activity monitoring with video analysis of grooming behavior. In nf1 mutants, spontaneous grooming was increased up to 7x. This increase in activity was distinct from previously described dopamine-dependent hyperactivity, as dopamine transporter mutants exhibited slightly decreased grooming. Finally, we found that relative grooming frequencies can be compared in standard activity monitors that measure infrared beam breaks, enabling the use of activity monitors as an automated method to screen for grooming phenotypes. Overall, these data suggest that loss of nf1 produces excessive activity that is manifested as increased grooming, providing a platform to dissect the molecular genetics of neurofibromin signaling across neuronal circuits. Copyright © 2016 King et al.

  17. Response of water vapour D-excess to land-atmosphere interactions in a semi-arid environment

    KAUST Repository

    Parkes, Stephen

    2016-06-30

    The stable isotopic composition of water vapour provides information about moisture sources and processes difficult to obtain with traditional measurement techniques. Recently, it has been proposed that the D-excess of water vapour can provide a diagnostic tracer of continental moisture recycling. However, D-excess exhibits a diurnal cycle that has been observed across a variety of ecosystems and may be influenced by a range of processes beyond regional-scale moisture recycling, including local evaporation (ET) fluxes. There is a lack of measurements of D-excess in evaporation (ET) fluxes, which has made it difficult to assess how ET fluxes modify the Dexcess in water vapour (dv). With this in mind, we employed a chamber-based approach to directly measure D-excess in ET (dET) fluxes. We show that ET fluxes imposed a negative forcing on the ambient vapour and could not explain the higher daytime dv values. The low dET observed here was sourced from a soil water pool that had undergone an extended drying period, leading to low D-excess in the soil moisture pool. A strong correlation between daytime dv and locally measured relative humidity was consistent with an oceanic moisture source, suggesting that remote hydrological processes were the major contributor to daytime dv variability. During the early evening, ET fluxes into a shallow nocturnal inversion layer caused a lowering of dv values near the surface. In addition, transient mixing of vapour with a higher D-excess from above the nocturnal inversion modified these values, causing large variability during the night. These results indicate dET can generally be expected to show

  18. BNL Building 650 lead decontamination and treatment feasibility study. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kalb, P.D.; Cowgill, M.G.; Milian, L.W.

    1995-10-01

    Lead has been used extensively at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) for radiation shielding in numerous reactor, accelerator and other research programs. A large inventory of excess lead (estimated at 410,000 kg) in many shapes and sizes is currently being stored. Due to it's toxicity, lead and soluble lead compounds are considered hazardous waste by the Environmental Protection Agency. Through use at BNL, some of the lead has become radioactive, either by contamination of the surface or through activation by neutrons or deuterons. This study was conducted at BNL's Environmental and Waste Technology Center for the BNL Safety and Environmental Protection Division to evaluate feasibility of various treatment options for excess lead currently being stored. The objectives of this effort included investigating potential treatment methods by conducting a review of the literature, developing a means of screening lead waste to determine the radioactive characteristics, examining the feasibility of chemical and physical decontamination technologies, and demonstrating BNL polyethylene macro-encapsulation as a means of treating hazardous or mixed waste lead for disposal. A review and evaluation of the literature indicated that a number of physical and chemical methods are available for decontamination of lead. Many of these techniques have been applied for this purpose with varying degrees of success. Methods that apply mechanical techniques are more appropriate for lead bricks and sheet which contain large smooth surfaces amenable to physical abrasion. Lead wool, turnings, and small irregularly shaped pieces would be treated more effectively by chemical decontamination techniques. Either dry abrasion or wet chemical methods result in production of a secondary mixed waste stream that requires treatment prior to disposal

  19. Excessive sodium ions delivered into cells by nanodiamonds: implications for tumor therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Ying; Li, Wenxin; Zhang, Yu; Li, Jing; Liang, Le; Zhang, Xiangzhi; Chen, Nan; Sun, Yanhong; Chen, Wen; Tai, Renzhong; Fan, Chunhai; Huang, Qing

    2012-06-11

    Nanodiamonds (NDs) possess many excellent physical and chemical properties that make them attractive materials for applications in biomedicine. In this paper, the adsorption and delivery of a large amount of sodium ions into the cell interior by NDs in serum-free medium is demonstrated. The excess sodium ions inside the cells induce osmotic stresses followed by cell swelling and an increase in the intracellular levels of calcium and reactive oxygen species (ROS), which leads to severe cellular damage. In complete culture medium, however, serum proteins wrapped around the NDs effectively prevent the sodium ions from adsorbing onto the NDs, and thus the NDs show no cytotoxicity. This work is the first to elaborate on the correlation between the sodium ions adsorbed on the nanomaterials and their bio-effects. Excessive ions delivered into cells by NDs might have potential applications in tumor therapy. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Boxes, Boosts, and Energy Duality: Understanding the Galactic-Center Gamma-Ray Excess through Dynamical Dark Matter

    CERN Document Server

    Boddy, Kimberly K.

    2017-03-28

    Many models currently exist which attempt to interpret the excess of gamma rays emanating from the Galactic Center in terms of annihilating or decaying dark matter. These models typically exhibit a variety of complicated cascade mechanisms for photon production, leading to a non-trivial kinematics which obscures the physics of the underlying dark sector. In this paper, by contrast, we observe that the spectrum of the gamma-ray excess may actually exhibit an intriguing "energy-duality" invariance under $E_\\gamma \\rightarrow E_\\ast^2/E_\\gamma$ for some $E_\\ast$. As we shall discuss, such an energy duality points back to a remarkably simple alternative kinematics which in turn is realized naturally within the Dynamical Dark Matter framework. Observation of this energy duality could therefore provide considerable information about the properties of the dark sector from which the Galactic-Center gamma-ray excess might arise, and highlights the importance of acquiring more complete data for the Galactic-Center exce...

  1. Overfat Adults and Children in Developed Countries: The Public Health Importance of Identifying Excess Body Fat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philip B. Maffetone

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The global overfat pandemic is a serious public health crisis that places a substantial burden on economic resources in developed countries. The term overfat refers to the presence of excess body fat that can impair health, even for normal weight non-obese individuals. Excess body fat is associated with cardiometabolic dysfunction, a clinical situation that can progressively worsen, potentially leading to various common disease risk factors, chronic diseases, increased morbidity and mortality, and reduced quality of life. The prevalence of overfat populations in 30 of the world’s most developed countries is substantially higher than recent global estimations, with the largest growth due to a relatively recent increased number of people with excess abdominal fat. Abdominal overfat is the most unhealthful form of this condition, so it is concerning that average waist circumference measures, generally indicative of abdominal overfat, have increased. Despite a leveling off appearance of being overweight and/or obese in some developed countries, the overfat pandemic continues to grow.

  2. New vector bosons and the diphoton excess

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jorge de Blas

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available We consider the possibility that the recently observed diphoton excess at ∼750 GeV can be explained by the decay of a scalar particle (φ to photons. If the scalar is the remnant of a symmetry-breaking sector of some new gauge symmetry, its coupling to photons can be generated by loops of the charged massive vectors of the broken symmetry. If these new W′ vector bosons carry color, they can also generate an effective coupling to gluons. In this case the diphoton excess could be entirely explained in a simplified model containing just φ and W′. On the other hand, if W′ does not carry color, we show that, provided additional colored particles exist to generate the required φ to gluon coupling, the diphoton excess could be explained by the same W′ commonly invoked to explain the diboson excess at ∼2 TeV. We also explore possible connections between the diphoton and diboson excesses with the anomalous tt¯ forward–backward asymmetry.

  3. ON INFRARED EXCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH Li-RICH K GIANTS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rebull, Luisa M. [Spitzer Science Center (SSC) and Infrared Science Archive (IRSA), Infrared Processing and Analysis Center - IPAC, 1200 E. California Blvd., California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Carlberg, Joleen K. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 667, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Gibbs, John C.; Cashen, Sarah; Datta, Ashwin; Hodgson, Emily; Lince, Megan [Glencoe High School, 2700 NW Glencoe Rd., Hillsboro, OR 97124 (United States); Deeb, J. Elin [Bear Creek High School, 9800 W. Dartmouth Pl., Lakewood, CO 80227 (United States); Larsen, Estefania; Altepeter, Shailyn; Bucksbee, Ethan; Clarke, Matthew [Millard South High School, 14905 Q St., Omaha, NE 68137 (United States); Black, David V., E-mail: rebull@ipac.caltech.edu [Walden School of Liberal Arts, 4230 N. University Ave., Provo, UT 84604 (United States)

    2015-10-15

    Infrared (IR) excesses around K-type red giants (RGs) have previously been discovered using Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) data, and past studies have suggested a link between RGs with overabundant Li and IR excesses, implying the ejection of circumstellar shells or disks. We revisit the question of IR excesses around RGs using higher spatial resolution IR data, primarily from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. Our goal was to elucidate the link between three unusual RG properties: fast rotation, enriched Li, and IR excess. Our sample of RGs includes those with previous IR detections, a sample with well-defined rotation and Li abundance measurements with no previous IR measurements, and a large sample of RGs asserted to be Li-rich in the literature; we have 316 targets thought to be K giants, about 40% of which we take to be Li-rich. In 24 cases with previous detections of IR excess at low spatial resolution, we believe that source confusion is playing a role, in that either (a) the source that is bright in the optical is not responsible for the IR flux, or (b) there is more than one source responsible for the IR flux as measured in IRAS. We looked for IR excesses in the remaining sources, identifying 28 that have significant IR excesses by ∼20 μm (with possible excesses for 2 additional sources). There appears to be an intriguing correlation in that the largest IR excesses are all in Li-rich K giants, though very few Li-rich K giants have IR excesses (large or small). These largest IR excesses also tend to be found in the fastest rotators. There is no correlation of IR excess with the carbon isotopic ratio, {sup 12}C/{sup 13}C. IR excesses by 20 μm, though relatively rare, are at least twice as common among our sample of Li-rich K giants. If dust shell production is a common by-product of Li enrichment mechanisms, these observations suggest that the IR excess stage is very short-lived, which is supported by theoretical calculations. Conversely, the

  4. A physically-based analytical model to describe effective excess charge for streaming potential generation in saturated porous media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jougnot, D.; Guarracino, L.

    2016-12-01

    The self-potential (SP) method is considered by most researchers the only geophysical method that is directly sensitive to groundwater flow. One source of SP signals, the so-called streaming potential, results from the presence of an electrical double layer at the mineral-pore water interface. When water flows through the pore space, it gives rise to a streaming current and a resulting measurable electrical voltage. Different approaches have been proposed to predict streaming potentials in porous media. One approach is based on the excess charge which is effectively dragged in the medium by the water flow. Following a recent theoretical framework, we developed a physically-based analytical model to predict the effective excess charge in saturated porous media. In this study, the porous media is described by a bundle of capillary tubes with a fractal pore-size distribution. First, an analytical relationship is derived to determine the effective excess charge for a single capillary tube as a function of the pore water salinity. Then, this relationship is used to obtain both exact and approximated expressions for the effective excess charge at the Representative Elementary Volume (REV) scale. The resulting analytical relationship allows the determination of the effective excess charge as a function of pore water salinity, fractal dimension and hydraulic parameters like porosity and permeability, which are also obtained at the REV scale. This new model has been successfully tested against data from the literature of different sources. One of the main finding of this study is that it provides a mechanistic explanation to the empirical dependence between the effective excess charge and the permeability that has been found by various researchers. The proposed petrophysical relationship also contributes to understand the role of porosity and water salinity on effective excess charge and will help to push further the use of streaming potential to monitor groundwater flow.

  5. Disrupted globular clusters and the gamma-ray excess in the Galactic Centre

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fragione, Giacomo; Antonini, Fabio; Gnedin, Oleg Y.

    2018-04-01

    The Fermi Large Area Telescope has provided the most detailed view towards the Galactic Centre (GC) in high-energy gamma-rays. Besides the interstellar emission and point source contributions, the data suggest a residual diffuse gamma-ray excess. The similarity of its spatial distribution with the expected profile of dark matter has led to claims that this may be evidence for dark matter particle annihilation. Here, we investigate an alternative explanation that the signal originates from millisecond pulsars (MSPs) formed in dense globular clusters and deposited at the GC as a consequence of cluster inspiral and tidal disruption. We use a semi-analytical model to calculate the formation, migration, and disruption of globular clusters in the Galaxy. Our model reproduces the mass of the nuclear star cluster and the present-day radial and mass distribution of globular clusters. For the first time, we calculate the evolution of MSPs from disrupted globular clusters throughout the age of the Galaxy and consistently include the effect of the MSP spin-down due to magnetic-dipole braking. The final gamma-ray amplitude and spatial distribution are in good agreement with the Fermi observations and provide a natural astrophysical explanation for the GC excess.

  6. Design of pulse oximetry signal based on personal computer for detection oxygen saturation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Umi Salamah; Margi Sasono

    2015-01-01

    The lack or excess of oxygen in the blood will cause healthy and body system disorder. At certain level, the disease can lead to death. For that reason, the information about oxygen saturation in blood becomes important to be identified. One of the devices used to monitor the blood oxygen saturation is pulse oximetry. This research attempt to designed Pulse Oximetry based on personal computer using red LED and infrared as its light source, while the light sensor using photodiode. The designed Pulse Oximetry is a non-invasive instrumentation which LED drivers is placed on the fingertips. The LED light goes through the finger will be a signal that is fed to the photodiode and will be converted into digital signals by ADC (Analog to Digital Converter) and will be processed further by a personal computer to display the pulse oximetry graphics. This study uses Delphi 7, Microsoft Excel, and Mt Lab as its software.This designed pulse oximetry has been tested in two peoples: sample A, male 38 years; and sample B, a woman 23 years old. Oxygen saturation of sample A is 80.75, while the sample B is 90.75. (author)

  7. Early Infant Exposure to Excess Multivitamin: A Risk Factor for Autism?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shi-Sheng Zhou

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Autism, a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects boys more than girls, is often associated with altered levels of monoamines (serotonin and catecholamines, especially elevated serotonin levels. The monoamines act as both neurotransmitters and signaling molecules in the gastrointestinal and immune systems. The evidence related to monoamine metabolism may be summarized as follows: (i monoamine neurotransmitters are enzymatically degraded/inactivated by three mechanisms: oxidative deamination, methylation, and sulfation. The latter two are limited by the supply of methyl groups and sulfate, respectively. (ii A decrease in methylation- and sulfation-mediated monoamine inactivation can be compensated by an increase in the oxidative deamination catalyzed by monoamine oxidase, an X-linked enzyme exhibiting higher activity in females than in males. (iii Vitamins can, on one hand, facilitate the synthesis of monoamine neurotransmitters and, on the other hand, inhibit their inactivation by competing for methylation and sulfation. Therefore, we postulate that excess multivitamin feeding in early infancy, which has become very popular over the past few decades, may be a potential risk factor for disturbed monoamine metabolism. In this paper, we will focus on the relationship between excess multivitamin exposure and the inactivation/degradation of monoamine neurotransmitters and its possible role in the development of autism.

  8. Early infant exposure to excess multivitamin: a risk factor for autism?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Shi-Sheng; Zhou, Yi-Ming; Li, Da; Ma, Qiang

    2013-01-01

    Autism, a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects boys more than girls, is often associated with altered levels of monoamines (serotonin and catecholamines), especially elevated serotonin levels. The monoamines act as both neurotransmitters and signaling molecules in the gastrointestinal and immune systems. The evidence related to monoamine metabolism may be summarized as follows: (i) monoamine neurotransmitters are enzymatically degraded/inactivated by three mechanisms: oxidative deamination, methylation, and sulfation. The latter two are limited by the supply of methyl groups and sulfate, respectively. (ii) A decrease in methylation- and sulfation-mediated monoamine inactivation can be compensated by an increase in the oxidative deamination catalyzed by monoamine oxidase, an X-linked enzyme exhibiting higher activity in females than in males. (iii) Vitamins can, on one hand, facilitate the synthesis of monoamine neurotransmitters and, on the other hand, inhibit their inactivation by competing for methylation and sulfation. Therefore, we postulate that excess multivitamin feeding in early infancy, which has become very popular over the past few decades, may be a potential risk factor for disturbed monoamine metabolism. In this paper, we will focus on the relationship between excess multivitamin exposure and the inactivation/degradation of monoamine neurotransmitters and its possible role in the development of autism.

  9. 31 CFR 353.12 - Disposition of excess.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... necessary to adjust the excess. Instructions for adjustment of the excess can be obtained by email at [email protected] or by writing to Bureau of the Public Debt, Parkersburg, WV 26106-1328. [68 FR 24805...

  10. Management of bimaxillary transverse discrepancy with vertical excess

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dinesh C Chaudhary

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available A 14-year-old boy reported with a complaint of severe irregularity of lower teeth and forwardly placed upper teeth. History revealed snoring as an occasional complaint. The case was diagnosed as mild class II skeletally with increased lower anterior face height, bimaxillary transverse discrepancy leading to severe crowding in the lower arch, V-shaped upper arch with increased overjet and deep bite. Three phase treatment was planned. In the first phase, bimaxillary expansion with mid-symphyseal distraction osteogenesis and rapid maxillary expansion was carried out. After this phase of treatment, the episodes of snoring vanished. The second phase was 1 year of orthodontics to produce symmetric well-aligned arches in good function and aesthetics. Third, the treatment concluded with reduction-advancement genioplasty for correction of vertical excess and surgical camouflage.

  11. The Role of Androgen Excess in Metabolic Dysfunction in Women : Androgen Excess and Female Metabolic Dysfunction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escobar-Morreale, Héctor F

    2017-01-01

    Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by the association of androgen excess with chronic oligoovulation and/or polycystic ovarian morphology, yet metabolic disorders and classic and nonclassic cardiovascular risk factors cluster in these women from very early in life. This chapter focuses on the mechanisms underlying the association of PCOS with metabolic dysfunction, focusing on the role of androgen excess on the development of visceral adiposity and adipose tissue dysfunction.

  12. Selective masking and demasking for the stepwise complexometric determination of aluminium, lead and zinc from the same solution

    OpenAIRE

    Kayal, Nijhuma; Singh, Nahar

    2008-01-01

    Abstract Background A complexometric method based on selective masking and de-masking has been developed for the rapid determination of aluminium, lead and zinc from the same solution in glass and glass frit samples. The determination is carried out using potassium cyanide to mask zinc, and excess disodium salt of EDTA to mask lead and aluminium. The excess EDTA was titrated with standard Mn(II)SO4 solution using Erichrome Black-T as the indicator. Subsequently selective de-masking agents – t...

  13. Initiation of Swarming Motility by Proteus mirabilis Occurs in Response to Specific Cues Present in Urine and Requires Excess l-Glutamine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armbruster, Chelsie E.; Hodges, Steven A.

    2013-01-01

    Proteus mirabilis, a leading cause of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CaUTI), differentiates into swarm cells that migrate across catheter surfaces and medium solidified with 1.5% agar. While many genes and nutrient requirements involved in the swarming process have been identified, few studies have addressed the signals that promote initiation of swarming following initial contact with a surface. In this study, we show that P. mirabilis CaUTI isolates initiate swarming in response to specific nutrients and environmental cues. Thirty-three compounds, including amino acids, polyamines, fatty acids, and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates, were tested for the ability to promote swarming when added to normally nonpermissive media. l-Arginine, l-glutamine, dl-histidine, malate, and dl-ornithine promoted swarming on several types of media without enhancing swimming motility or growth rate. Testing of isogenic mutants revealed that swarming in response to the cues required putrescine biosynthesis and pathways involved in amino acid metabolism. Furthermore, excess glutamine was found to be a strict requirement for swarming on normal swarm agar in addition to being a swarming cue under normally nonpermissive conditions. We thus conclude that initiation of swarming occurs in response to specific cues and that manipulating concentrations of key nutrient cues can signal whether or not a particular environment is permissive for swarming. PMID:23316040

  14. Mutual information measures applied to EEG signals for sleepiness characterization

    OpenAIRE

    Melia, Umberto Sergio Pio; Guaita, Marc; Vallverdú Ferrer, Montserrat; Embid, Cristina; Vilaseca, I; Salamero, Manuel; Santamaria, Joan

    2015-01-01

    Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is one of the main symptoms of several sleep related disorders with a great impact on the patient lives. While many studies have been carried out in order to assess daytime sleepiness, the automatic EDS detection still remains an open problem. In this work, a novel approach to this issue based on non-linear dynamical analysis of EEG signal was proposed. Multichannel EEG signals were recorded during five maintenance of wakefulness (MWT) and multiple sleep lat...

  15. Excess Lead-210 and Plutonium-239+240: Two suitable radiogenic soil erosion tracers for mountain grassland sites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meusburger, K; Porto, P; Mabit, L; La Spada, C; Arata, L; Alewell, C

    2018-01-01

    The expected growing population and challenges associated with globalisation will increase local food and feed demands and enhance the pressure on local and regional upland soil resources. In light of these potential future developments it is necessary to define sustainable land use and tolerable soil loss rates with methods applicable and adapted to mountainous areas. Fallout-radionuclides (FRNs) are proven techniques to increase our knowledge about the status and resilience of agro-ecosystems. However, the use of the Caesium-137 ( 137 Cs) method is complicated in the European Alps due to its heterogeneous input and the timing of the Chernobyl fallout, which occurred during a few single rain events on partly snow covered ground. Other radioisotopic techniques have been proposed to overcome these limitations. The objective of this study is to evaluate the suitability of excess Lead-210 ( 210 Pb ex ) and Plutonium-239+240 ( 239+240 Pu) as soil erosion tracers for three different grassland management types at the steep slopes (slope angles between 35 and 38°) located in the Central Swiss Alps. All three FRNs identified pastures as having the highest mean (± standard deviation) net soil loss of -6.7 ± 1.1, -9.8 ± 6.8 and -7.0 ± 5.2 Mg ha -1 yr -1 for 137 Cs, 210 Pb ex and 239+240 Pu, respectively. A mean soil loss of -5.7 ± 1.5, -5.2 ± 1.5 and-5.6 ± 2.1 was assessed for hayfields and the lowest rates were established for pastures with dwarf-shrubs (-5.2 ± 2.5, -4.5 ± 2.5 and -3.3 ± 2.4 Mg ha -1 yr -1 for 137 Cs, 210 Pb ex and 239+240 Pu, respectively). These rates, evaluated at sites with an elevated soil erosion risk exceed the respective soil production rates. Among the three FRN methods used, 239+240 Pu appears as the most promising tracer in terms of measurement uncertainty and reduced small scale variability (CV of 13%). Despite a higher level of uncertainty, 210 Pb ex produced comparable results, with a wide range of erosion rates sensitive to changes

  16. Effect of a magnetic field on the excess resistance of SNS sandwiches

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Logvenov, G.Y.; Ryazanov, V.V.

    1983-01-01

    The contribution of superconducting plates to the resistance of Ta--Cu--Ta sandwiches in the presence of a magnetic field of up to 170 Ge is investigated. Near the superconducting transition temperature T/sub c/H, the Ta used was in a mixed (vortical) state. It is shown that the presence of gradients of the order parameter near the Abrikosov vortices appreciably changes the penetration depth of a longitudinal electric field into the superconductor and leads to a corresponding change in the excess resistance of SNS sandwiches

  17. Habitual Sleep Duration, Unmet Sleep Need, and Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in Korean Adults

    OpenAIRE

    Hwangbo, Young; Kim, Won-Joo; Chu, Min Kyung; Yun, Chang-Ho; Yang, Kwang Ik

    2016-01-01

    Background and Purpose Sleep need differs between individuals, and so the same duration of sleep will lead to sleep insufficiency in some individuals but not others. The aim of this study was to determine the separate and combined associations of both sleep duration and unmet sleep need with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in Korean adults. Methods The participants comprised 2,769 Korean adults aged 19 years or older. They completed questionnaires about their sleep habits over the previous...

  18. Excess Li-Ion Storage on Reconstructed Surfaces of Nanocrystals To Boost Battery Performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Duan, Yandong; Zhang, Bingkai; Zheng, Jiaxin; Hu, Jiangtao; Wen, Jianguo; Miller, Dean; Yan, Pengfei; Liu, Tongchao; Guo, Hua; Li, Wen; Song, Xiaohe; Zhou, Zengquing; Liu, Chaokun; Tang, Hanting; Tan, Rui; Chen, Zonghai; Ren, Yang; Lin, Yuan; Yang, Wanli; Wang, Chongmin; Wang, Lin-Wang; Lu, Jun; Amine, Khalil; Pan, Feng

    2017-08-03

    Abstract. Due to the enhanced kinetic properties, nanocrystallites have received much attention as potential electrode materials for energy storage. However, because of the large specific surface areas of nanocrystallites, they usually suffer from decreased energy density, reduced cycling stability and total electrode capacity. In this work, we report a size-dependent excess capacity beyond the theoretical value of 170 mAhg-1 in a special carbon coated LiFePO4 composite cathode material, which delivers capacities of 191.2 and 213.5 mAhg-1 with the mean particle sizes of 83 nm and 42 nm, respectively. Moreover, this LiFePO4 composite also shows excellent cycling stability and high rate performance. Our further experimental tests and ab initio calculations reveal that the excess capacity comes from the charge passivation for which the C-O-Fe bonds would lead to charge redistribution on the surface of LiFePO4 and hence to enhance the bonding interaction between surface O atoms and Li-ions. The surface reconstruction for excess Li-ion storage makes full use of the large specific surface area for the nanocrystallites, which can maintain the fast Li-ion transport and enhance the capacity greatly that the nanocrystallites usually suffers.

  19. The Impact of Nonequilibrium and Equilibrium Fractionation on Two Different Deuterium Excess Definitions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dütsch, Marina; Pfahl, Stephan; Sodemann, Harald

    2017-12-01

    The deuterium excess (d) is a useful measure for nonequilibrium effects of isotopic fractionation and can therefore provide information about the meteorological conditions in evaporation regions or during ice cloud formation. In addition to nonequilibrium fractionation, two other effects can change d during phase transitions. The first is the dependence of the equilibrium fractionation factors on temperature, and the second is the nonlinearity of the δ scale on which d is defined. The second effect can be avoided by using an alternative definition that is based on the logarithmic scale. However, in this case d is not conserved when air parcels mix, which can lead to changes without phase transitions. Here we provide a systematic analysis of the benefits and limitations of both deuterium excess definitions by separately quantifying the impact of the nonequilibrium effect, the temperature effect, the δ-scale effect, and the mixing effect in a simple Rayleigh model simulating the isotopic composition of air parcels during moist adiabatic ascent. The δ-scale effect is important in depleted air parcels, for which it can change the sign of the traditional deuterium excess in the remaining vapor from negative to positive. The alternative definition mainly reflects the nonequilibrium and temperature effect, while the mixing effect is about 2 orders of magnitude smaller. Thus, the alternative deuterium excess definition appears to be a more accurate measure for nonequilibrium effects in situations where moisture is depleted and the δ-scale effect is large, for instance, at high latitudes or altitudes.

  20. Optimal Signal Quality Index for Photoplethysmogram Signals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed Elgendi

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available A photoplethysmogram (PPG is a noninvasive circulatory signal related to the pulsatile volume of blood in tissue and is typically collected by pulse oximeters. PPG signals collected via mobile devices are prone to artifacts that negatively impact measurement accuracy, which can lead to a significant number of misleading diagnoses. Given the rapidly increased use of mobile devices to collect PPG signals, developing an optimal signal quality index (SQI is essential to classify the signal quality from these devices. Eight SQIs were developed and tested based on: perfusion, kurtosis, skewness, relative power, non-stationarity, zero crossing, entropy, and the matching of systolic wave detectors. Two independent annotators annotated all PPG data (106 recordings, 60 s each and a third expert conducted the adjudication of differences. The independent annotators labeled each PPG signal with one of the following labels: excellent, acceptable or unfit for diagnosis. All indices were compared using Mahalanobis distance, linear discriminant analysis, quadratic discriminant analysis, and support vector machine with leave-one-out cross-validation. The skewness index outperformed the other seven indices in differentiating between excellent PPG and acceptable, acceptable combined with unfit, and unfit recordings, with overall F 1 scores of 86.0%, 87.2%, and 79.1%, respectively.

  1. Optimal Signal Quality Index for Photoplethysmogram Signals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elgendi, Mohamed

    2016-09-22

    A photoplethysmogram (PPG) is a noninvasive circulatory signal related to the pulsatile volume of blood in tissue and is typically collected by pulse oximeters. PPG signals collected via mobile devices are prone to artifacts that negatively impact measurement accuracy, which can lead to a significant number of misleading diagnoses. Given the rapidly increased use of mobile devices to collect PPG signals, developing an optimal signal quality index (SQI) is essential to classify the signal quality from these devices. Eight SQIs were developed and tested based on: perfusion, kurtosis, skewness, relative power, non-stationarity, zero crossing, entropy, and the matching of systolic wave detectors. Two independent annotators annotated all PPG data (106 recordings, 60 s each) and a third expert conducted the adjudication of differences. The independent annotators labeled each PPG signal with one of the following labels: excellent, acceptable or unfit for diagnosis. All indices were compared using Mahalanobis distance, linear discriminant analysis, quadratic discriminant analysis, and support vector machine with leave-one-out cross-validation. The skewness index outperformed the other seven indices in differentiating between excellent PPG and acceptable, acceptable combined with unfit, and unfit recordings, with overall F 1 scores of 86.0%, 87.2%, and 79.1%, respectively.

  2. Excess costs of social anxiety disorder in Germany.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dams, Judith; König, Hans-Helmut; Bleibler, Florian; Hoyer, Jürgen; Wiltink, Jörg; Beutel, Manfred E; Salzer, Simone; Herpertz, Stephan; Willutzki, Ulrike; Strauß, Bernhard; Leibing, Eric; Leichsenring, Falk; Konnopka, Alexander

    2017-04-15

    Social anxiety disorder is one of the most frequent mental disorders. It is often associated with mental comorbidities and causes a high economic burden. The aim of our analysis was to estimate the excess costs of patients with social anxiety disorder compared to persons without anxiety disorder in Germany. Excess costs of social anxiety disorder were determined by comparing two data sets. Patient data came from the SOPHO-NET study A1 (n=495), whereas data of persons without anxiety disorder originated from a representative phone survey (n=3213) of the general German population. Missing data were handled by "Multiple Imputation by Chained Equations". Both data sets were matched using "Entropy Balancing". Excess costs were calculated from a societal perspective for the year 2014 using general linear regression with a gamma distribution and log-link function. Analyses considered direct costs (in- and outpatient treatment, rehabilitation, and professional and informal care) and indirect costs due to absenteeism from work. Total six-month excess costs amounted to 451€ (95% CI: 199€-703€). Excess costs were mainly caused by indirect excess costs due to absenteeism from work of 317€ (95% CI: 172€-461€), whereas direct excess costs amounted to 134€ (95% CI: 110€-159€). Costs for medication, unemployment and disability pension was not evaluated. Social anxiety disorder was associated with statistically significant excess costs, in particular due to indirect costs. As patients in general are often unaware of their disorder or its severity, awareness should be strengthened. Prevention and early treatment might reduce long-term indirect costs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Excess Volumes and Excess Isentropic Compressibilities of Binary Liquid Mixtures of Trichloroethylene with Esters at 303.15 K

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramanaiah, S.; Rao, C. Narasimha; Nagaraja, P.; Venkateswarlu, P.

    2015-11-01

    Exces volumes, VE, and excess isentropic compressibilities, κSE, have been reported as a function of composition for binary liquid mixtures of trichloroethylene with ethyl acetate, n-propyl acetate, and n-butyl acetate at 303.15 K. Isentropic compressibilities are calculated using measured sound speeds and density data for pure components and for binary mixtures. Excess volumes and excess isentropic compressibilities are found to be negative for the three systems studied over the entire composition range at 303.15 K, whereas these values become more negative with an increase of carbon chain length. The results are discussed in terms of intermolecular interactions between unlike molecules.

  4. Smoke Signal or Smoke Screen?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vergne, Jean-Philippe; Wernicke, Georg; Brenner, Steffen

    This paper explains the amount of disapproval faced by firms that overpay their CEO by integrating signaling and categorization theories. We argue that, in contexts characterized by intense scrutiny, ambivalent signals sent by firms suspend categorization by stakeholders, leading to further disap...

  5. Energetics and dynamics of excess electrons in simple fluids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Space, B.

    1992-01-01

    Excess electronic dynamical and equilibrium properties are modeled in both polarizable and nonpolarizable noble gas fluids. Explicit dynamical calculations are carried out for excess electrons in fluid helium, where excess electronic eigenstates are localized. Energetics and dynamics are considered for fluids which span the entire range of polarizability present in the rare gases. Excess electronic eigenstates and eigenvalues are calculated for fluids of helium, argon and xenon. Both equilibrium and dynamical information is obtained from the calculation of these wavefunctions. A surface hopping trajectory method for studying nonadiabatic excess electronic relaxation in condensed systems is used to explore the nonadiabatic relaxation after photoexciting an equilibrated excess electron in dense fluid helium. The different types on nonadiabatic phenomena which are important in excess electronic relaxation are surveyed. The same surface hopping trajectory method is also used to study the rapid nonadiabatic relaxation after an excess electron is injected into unperturbed fluid helium. Several distinctively different relaxation processes, characterized by their relative importance at different times during the relaxation to a localized equilibrium state, are detailed. Though the dynamical properties of excess electrons under the conditions considered here have never been studied before, the behavior is remarkably similar to that observed in both experimental and theoretical studies of electron hydration dynamics, indicating that the processes described may be very general relaxation mechanisms for localization and trapping in fluids. Additionally, ground state energies of an excess electron, e 0 , are computed as a function of solvent density using model electron-atom pseudopotentials in fluid helium, argon, and xenon. The nonuniqueness of the pseudopotential description of electron-molecule interactions is demonstrated

  6. Measuring excess capital capacity in agricultural production

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zhengfei, G.; Kumbhakar, S.C.; Myers, R.J.; Oude Lansink, A.G.J.M.

    2009-01-01

    We introduce the concept "excess capital capacity" and employ a stochastic input requirement frontier to measure excess capital capacity in agricultural production. We also propose a two-step estimation method that allows endogenous regressors in stochastic frontier models. The first step uses

  7. Effects of alcohol retail privatization on excessive alcohol consumption and related harms: a community guide systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hahn, Robert A; Middleton, Jennifer Cook; Elder, Randy; Brewer, Robert; Fielding, Jonathan; Naimi, Timothy S; Toomey, Traci L; Chattopadhyay, Sajal; Lawrence, Briana; Campbell, Carla Alexia

    2012-04-01

    Excessive alcohol consumption is the third-leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. This systematic review is one in a series exploring effectiveness of interventions to reduce alcohol-related harms. The focus of this review was on studies evaluating the effects of the privatization of alcohol retail sales on excessive alcohol consumption and related harms. Using Community Guide methods for conducting systematic reviews, a systematic search was conducted in multiple databases up to December 2010. Reference lists of acquired articles and review papers were also scanned for additional studies. A total of 17 studies assessed the impact of privatizing retail alcohol sales on the per capita alcohol consumption, a well-established proxy for excessive alcohol consumption; 9 of these studies also examined the effects of privatization on the per capita consumption of alcoholic beverages that were not privatized. One cohort study in Finland assessed the impact of privatizing the sales of medium-strength beer (MSB) on self-reported alcohol consumption. One study in Sweden assessed the impact of re-monopolizing the sale of MSB on alcohol-related harms. Across the 17 studies, there was a 44.4% median increase in the per capita sales of privatized beverages in locations that privatized retail alcohol sales (interquartile interval: 4.5% to 122.5%). During the same time period, sales of nonprivatized alcoholic beverages decreased by a median of 2.2% (interquartile interval: -6.6% to -0.1%). Privatizing the sale of MSB in Finland was associated with a mean increase in alcohol consumption of 1.7 liters of pure alcohol per person per year. Re-monopolization of the sale of MSB in Sweden was associated with a general reduction in alcohol-related harms. According to Community Guide rules of evidence, there is strong evidence that privatization of retail alcohol sales leads to increases in excessive alcohol consumption. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  8. Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis due to excessive L-thyroxine replacement in a Caucasian man.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Hannon, M J

    2009-09-01

    Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis is a potentially fatal complication of hyperthyroidism, more common in Asian races, which is defined by a massive intracellular flux of potassium. This leads to profound hypokalaemia and muscle paralysis. Although the paralysis is temporary, it may be lethal if not diagnosed and treated rapidly, as profound hypokalaemia may induce respiratory muscle paralysis or cardiac arrest. The condition is often misdiagnosed in the west due to its comparative rarity in Caucasians; however it is now increasingly described in Caucasians and is also being seen with increasing frequency in western hospitals due to increasing immigration and population mobility. Here we describe the case of a patient with panhypopituitarism due to a craniopharyngioma, who developed thyrotoxic periodic paralysis due to excessive L-thyroxine replacement. This disorder has been described in Asian subjects but, to our knowledge, thyrotoxic periodic paralysis secondary to excessive L-thyroxine replacement has never been described in Caucasians.

  9. B-cell-intrinsic hepatitis C virus expression leads to B-cell-lymphomagenesis and induction of NF-κB signalling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuri Kasama

    Full Text Available Hepatitis C virus (HCV infection leads to the development of hepatic diseases, as well as extrahepatic disorders such as B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-NHL. To reveal the molecular signalling pathways responsible for HCV-associated B-NHL development, we utilised transgenic (Tg mice that express the full-length HCV genome specifically in B cells and develop non-Hodgkin type B-cell lymphomas (BCLs. The gene expression profiles in B cells from BCL-developing HCV-Tg mice, from BCL-non-developing HCV-Tg mice, and from BCL-non-developing HCV-negative mice were analysed by genome-wide microarray. In BCLs from HCV-Tg mice, the expression of various genes was modified, and for some genes, expression was influenced by the gender of the animals. Markedly modified genes such as Fos, C3, LTβR, A20, NF-κB and miR-26b in BCLs were further characterised using specific assays. We propose that activation of both canonical and alternative NF-κB signalling pathways and down-regulation of miR-26b contribute to the development of HCV-associated B-NHL.

  10. Do not let death do us part: ‘find-me' signals in communication between dying cells and the phagocytes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medina, C B; Ravichandran, K S

    2016-01-01

    The turnover and clearance of cells is an essential process that is part of many physiological and pathological processes. Improper or deficient clearance of apoptotic cells can lead to excessive inflammation and autoimmune disease. The steps involved in cell clearance include: migration of the phagocyte toward the proximity of the dying cells, specific recognition and internalization of the dying cell, and degradation of the corpse. The ability of phagocytes to recognize and react to dying cells to perform efficient and immunologically silent engulfment has been well-characterized in vitro and in vivo. However, how apoptotic cells themselves initiate the corpse removal and also influence the cells within the neighboring environment during clearance was less understood. Recent exciting observations suggest that apoptotic cells can attract phagocytes through the regulated release of ‘find-me' signals. More recent studies also suggest that these find-me signals can have additional roles outside of phagocyte attraction to help orchestrate engulfment. This review will discuss our current understanding of the different find-me signals released by apoptotic cells, how they may be relevant in vivo, and their additional roles in facilitating engulfment. PMID:26891690

  11. The excessively crying infant : etiology and treatment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Akhnikh, S.; Engelberts, A.C.; Sleuwen, B.E. van; Hoir, M.P. L’; Benninga, M.A.

    2014-01-01

    Excessive crying, often described as infantile colic, is the cause of 10% to 20% of all early pediatrician visits of infants aged 2 weeks to 3 months. Although usually benign and selflimiting, excessive crying is associated with parental exhaustion and stress. However, and underlying organic cause

  12. Excessive Additive Effect On Engine Oil Viscosity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vojtěch Kumbár

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The main goal of this paper is excessive additive (for oil filling effect on engine oil dynamic viscosity. Research is focused to commercially distribute automotive engine oil with viscosity class 15W–40 designed for vans. There were prepared blends of new and used engine oil without and with oil additive in specific ratio according manufacturer’s recommendations. Dynamic viscosity of blends with additive was compared with pure new and pure used engine oil. The temperature dependence dynamic viscosity of samples was evaluated by using rotary viscometer with standard spindle. Concern was that the oil additive can moves engine oil of several viscosity grades up. It is able to lead to failure in the engine. Mathematical models were used for fitting experimental values of dynamic viscosity. Exponential fit function was selected, which was very accurate because the coefficient of determination R2 achieved high values (0.98–0.99. These models are able to predict viscosity behaviour blends of engine oil and additive.

  13. Excessive Gambling and Online Gambling Communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sirola, Anu; Kaakinen, Markus; Oksanen, Atte

    2018-04-05

    The Internet provides an accessible context for online gambling and gambling-related online communities, such as discussion forums for gamblers. These communities may be particularly attractive to young gamblers who are active Internet users. The aim of this study was to examine the use of gambling-related online communities and their relevance to excessive gambling among 15-25-year-old Finnish Internet users (N = 1200). Excessive gambling was assessed by using the South Oaks Gambling Screen. Respondents were asked in a survey about their use of various kinds of gambling-related online communities, and sociodemographic and behavioral factors were adjusted. The results of the study revealed that over half (54.33%) of respondents who had visited gambling-related online communities were either at-risk gamblers or probable pathological gamblers. Discussion in these communities was mainly based on sharing gambling tips and experiences, and very few respondents said that they related to gambling problems and recovery. In three different regression models, visiting gambling-related online communities was a significant predictor for excessive gambling (with 95% confidence level) even after adjusting confounding factors. The association of visiting such sites was even stronger among probable pathological gamblers than among at-risk gamblers. Health professionals working with young people should be aware of the role of online communities in terms of development and persistence of excessive gambling. Monitoring the use of online gambling communities as well as utilizing recovery-oriented support both offline and online would be important in preventing further problems. Gambling platforms should also include warnings about excessive gambling and provide links to helpful sources.

  14. Salicylic acid signaling inhibits apoplastic reactive oxygen species signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Enjun; Brosché, Mikael

    2014-06-04

    Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are used by plants as signaling molecules during stress and development. Given the amount of possible challenges a plant face from their environment, plants need to activate and prioritize between potentially conflicting defense signaling pathways. Until recently, most studies on signal interactions have focused on phytohormone interaction, such as the antagonistic relationship between salicylic acid (SA)-jasmonic acid and cytokinin-auxin. In this study, we report an antagonistic interaction between SA signaling and apoplastic ROS signaling. Treatment with ozone (O3) leads to a ROS burst in the apoplast and induces extensive changes in gene expression and elevation of defense hormones. However, Arabidopsis thaliana dnd1 (defense no death1) exhibited an attenuated response to O3. In addition, the dnd1 mutant displayed constitutive expression of defense genes and spontaneous cell death. To determine the exact process which blocks the apoplastic ROS signaling, double and triple mutants involved in various signaling pathway were generated in dnd1 background. Simultaneous elimination of SA-dependent and SA-independent signaling components from dnd1 restored its responsiveness to O3. Conversely, pre-treatment of plants with SA or using mutants that constitutively activate SA signaling led to an attenuation of changes in gene expression elicited by O3. Based upon these findings, we conclude that plants are able to prioritize the response between ROS and SA via an antagonistic action of SA and SA signaling on apoplastic ROS signaling.

  15. Hardware-efficient robust biometric identification from 0.58 second template and 12 features of limb (Lead I) ECG signal using logistic regression classifier.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahadat, Md Nazmus; Jacobs, Eddie L; Morshed, Bashir I

    2014-01-01

    The electrocardiogram (ECG), widely known as a cardiac diagnostic signal, has recently been proposed for biometric identification of individuals; however reliability and reproducibility are of research interest. In this paper, we propose a template matching technique with 12 features using logistic regression classifier that achieved high reliability and identification accuracy. Non-invasive ECG signals were captured using our custom-built ambulatory EEG/ECG embedded device (NeuroMonitor). ECG data were collected from healthy subjects (10), between 25-35 years, for 10 seconds per trial. The number of trials from each subject was 10. From each trial, only 0.58 seconds of Lead I ECG data were used as template. Hardware-efficient fiducial point detection technique was implemented for feature extraction. To obtain repeated random sub-sampling validation, data were randomly separated into training and testing sets at a ratio of 80:20. Test data were used to find the classification accuracy. ECG template data with 12 extracted features provided the best performance in terms of accuracy (up to 100%) and processing complexity (computation time of 1.2ms). This work shows that a single limb (Lead I) ECG can robustly identify an individual quickly and reliably with minimal contact and data processing using the proposed algorithm.

  16. New approach for T-wave peak detection and T-wave end location in 12-lead paced ECG signals based on a mathematical model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madeiro, João P V; Nicolson, William B; Cortez, Paulo C; Marques, João A L; Vázquez-Seisdedos, Carlos R; Elangovan, Narmadha; Ng, G Andre; Schlindwein, Fernando S

    2013-08-01

    This paper presents an innovative approach for T-wave peak detection and subsequent T-wave end location in 12-lead paced ECG signals based on a mathematical model of a skewed Gaussian function. Following the stage of QRS segmentation, we establish search windows using a number of the earliest intervals between each QRS offset and subsequent QRS onset. Then, we compute a template based on a Gaussian-function, modified by a mathematical procedure to insert asymmetry, which models the T-wave. Cross-correlation and an approach based on the computation of Trapezium's area are used to locate, respectively, the peak and end point of each T-wave throughout the whole raw ECG signal. For evaluating purposes, we used a database of high resolution 12-lead paced ECG signals, recorded from patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) in the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, UK, and the well-known QT database. The average T-wave detection rates, sensitivity and positive predictivity, were both equal to 99.12%, for the first database, and, respectively, equal to 99.32% and 99.47%, for QT database. The average time errors computed for T-wave peak and T-wave end locations were, respectively, -0.38±7.12 ms and -3.70±15.46 ms, for the first database, and 1.40±8.99 ms and 2.83±15.27 ms, for QT database. The results demonstrate the accuracy, consistency and robustness of the proposed method for a wide variety of T-wave morphologies studied. Copyright © 2012 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Disrupted Balance of Angiogenic and Antiangiogenic Signalings in Preeclampsia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mitsuko Furuya

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The placenta plays a central role in governing local circulatory system that mediates maternal condition and fetal growth. In early gestational phases, the placenta exerts properties of invasion and neovascularization for successful placentation. Extravillous invasive trophoblasts replace uterine endometrial vasculature and establish local blood pathway to obtain oxygen and nutrients from the mother. In later phases, the placenta promotes villous angiogenesis and vascular maturation that are finely controlled by angiogenic and antiangiogenic molecules. Among various molecules involved in placental neovascularization, vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs and angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1 mediate important signaling pathways for maternal circulatory system and fetal growth. VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 are functional receptors for placental growth factor (PlGF and VEGF, respectively, and PlGF-VEGFR1 and VEGF-VEGFR2 interactions are disturbed in many preeclamptic patients by excess amount of soluble form of VEGFR1 (also named sFlt1, a natural PlGF/VEGF antagonist. Recent studies have disclosed that excessive sFlt1 production in the placenta and aberrant AT1 signaling in the mother are closely associated with the pathology of preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR. In this paper, neovascularization of the placenta and pathological events associated with disrupted balance between angiogenic and antiangiogenic signaling in preeclampsia are discussed.

  18. Association of excessive mobile phone use during pregnancy with birth weight: an adjunct study in Kumamoto of Japan Environment and Children's Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Xi; Oda, Masako; Ohba, Takashi; Mitsubuchi, Hiroshi; Masuda, Shota; Katoh, Takahiko

    2017-06-08

    Low birth weight has been shown to be closely associated with neonatal mortality and morbidity, inhibited growth, poor cognitive development, and chronic diseases later in life. Some studies have also shown that excessive mobile phone use in the postnatal period may lead to behavioral complications in the children during their growing years; however, the relationship between mobile phone use during pregnancy and neonatal birth weight is not clear. The aim of the present study was to determine the associations of excessive mobile phone use with neonatal birth weight and infant health status. A sample of 461 mother and child pairs participated in a survey on maternal characteristics, infant characteristics, and maternal mobile phone usage information during pregnancy. Our results showed that pregnant women tend to excessively use mobile phones in Japan. The mean infant birth weight was lower in the excessive use group than in the ordinary use group, and the frequency of infant emergency transport was significantly higher in the excessive use group than in the ordinary use group. Excessive mobile phone use during pregnancy may be a risk factor for lower birth weight and a high rate of infant emergency transport.

  19. Data acquisition electronics for gamma ray emission tomography using width-modulated leading-edge discriminators

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lage, E; Tapias, G; Villena, J; Desco, M; Vaquero, J J, E-mail: desco@mce.hggm.e [Unidad de Medicina y CirugIa Experimental, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Madrid (Spain)

    2010-08-07

    We present a new high-performance and low-cost approach for implementing radiation detection acquisition systems. The basic elements used are charge-integrating ADCs and a set of components encapsulated in an HDL (hardware definition language) library which makes it possible to implement several acquisition tasks such as time pickoff and coincidence detection using a new and simple trigger technique that we name WMLET (width-modulated leading-edge timing). As proof of concept, a 32-channel hybrid PET/SPECT acquisition system based on these elements was developed and tested. This demonstrator consists of a master module responsible for the generation and distribution of trigger signals, 2 x 16-channel ADC cards (12-bit resolution) for data digitization and a 32-bit digital I/O PCI card for handling data transmission to a personal computer. System characteristics such as linearity, maximum transmission rates or timing resolution in coincidence mode were evaluated with test and real detector signals. Imaging capabilities of the prototype were also evaluated using different detector configurations. The performance tests showed that this implementation is able to handle data rates in excess of 600k events s{sup -1} when acquiring simultaneously 32 channels (96-byte events). ADC channel linearity is >98.5% in energy quantification. Time resolution in PET mode for the tested configurations ranges from 3.64 ns FWHM to 7.88 ns FWHM when signals from LYSO-based detectors are used. The measured energy resolution matched the expected values for the detectors evaluated and single elements of crystal matrices can be neatly separated in the acquired flood histograms.

  20. Data acquisition electronics for gamma ray emission tomography using width-modulated leading-edge discriminators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lage, E.; Tapias, G.; Villena, J.; Desco, M.; Vaquero, J. J.

    2010-08-01

    We present a new high-performance and low-cost approach for implementing radiation detection acquisition systems. The basic elements used are charge-integrating ADCs and a set of components encapsulated in an HDL (hardware definition language) library which makes it possible to implement several acquisition tasks such as time pickoff and coincidence detection using a new and simple trigger technique that we name WMLET (width-modulated leading-edge timing). As proof of concept, a 32-channel hybrid PET/SPECT acquisition system based on these elements was developed and tested. This demonstrator consists of a master module responsible for the generation and distribution of trigger signals, 2 × 16-channel ADC cards (12-bit resolution) for data digitization and a 32-bit digital I/O PCI card for handling data transmission to a personal computer. System characteristics such as linearity, maximum transmission rates or timing resolution in coincidence mode were evaluated with test and real detector signals. Imaging capabilities of the prototype were also evaluated using different detector configurations. The performance tests showed that this implementation is able to handle data rates in excess of 600k events s-1 when acquiring simultaneously 32 channels (96-byte events). ADC channel linearity is >98.5% in energy quantification. Time resolution in PET mode for the tested configurations ranges from 3.64 ns FWHM to 7.88 ns FWHM when signals from LYSO-based detectors are used. The measured energy resolution matched the expected values for the detectors evaluated and single elements of crystal matrices can be neatly separated in the acquired flood histograms.

  1. Violin mode amplitude glitch monitor for the presence of excess noise on the monolithic silica suspensions of GEO 600

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sorazu, B; Strain, K A; Heng, I S; Kumar, R, E-mail: b.sorazu@physics.gla.ac.u [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8QQ (United Kingdom)

    2010-08-07

    Non-Gaussian features of data from gravitational wave detectors are of interest as unpredictable 'glitches' limit the sensitivity of searches for many kinds of signal. We consider events due to non-random excitations of the test masses and their suspension fibres. These events could, for example, be related to acoustic emissions in the fibres due to the presence and propagation of cracks or another type of structural perturbation, and they would generate excess noise above the Gaussian background, which matches the level expected due to thermal noise. We look for excess noise in the fundamental violin modes of the monolithic silica suspension fibres of GEO 600. We describe the algorithm used to monitor the violin mode amplitude for glitches, present our results and consider how these may be applied to advanced detectors. The conclusion of our analysis is that no excess noise above what was considered to be thermal noise was observed for several days of h(t) data analysed at the frequency of the selected violin modes.

  2. Violin mode amplitude glitch monitor for the presence of excess noise on the monolithic silica suspensions of GEO 600

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sorazu, B; Strain, K A; Heng, I S; Kumar, R

    2010-01-01

    Non-Gaussian features of data from gravitational wave detectors are of interest as unpredictable 'glitches' limit the sensitivity of searches for many kinds of signal. We consider events due to non-random excitations of the test masses and their suspension fibres. These events could, for example, be related to acoustic emissions in the fibres due to the presence and propagation of cracks or another type of structural perturbation, and they would generate excess noise above the Gaussian background, which matches the level expected due to thermal noise. We look for excess noise in the fundamental violin modes of the monolithic silica suspension fibres of GEO 600. We describe the algorithm used to monitor the violin mode amplitude for glitches, present our results and consider how these may be applied to advanced detectors. The conclusion of our analysis is that no excess noise above what was considered to be thermal noise was observed for several days of h(t) data analysed at the frequency of the selected violin modes.

  3. Violin mode amplitude glitch monitor for the presence of excess noise on the monolithic silica suspensions of GEO 600

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sorazu, B.; Strain, K. A.; Heng, I. S.; Kumar, R.

    2010-08-01

    Non-Gaussian features of data from gravitational wave detectors are of interest as unpredictable 'glitches' limit the sensitivity of searches for many kinds of signal. We consider events due to non-random excitations of the test masses and their suspension fibres. These events could, for example, be related to acoustic emissions in the fibres due to the presence and propagation of cracks or another type of structural perturbation, and they would generate excess noise above the Gaussian background, which matches the level expected due to thermal noise. We look for excess noise in the fundamental violin modes of the monolithic silica suspension fibres of GEO 600. We describe the algorithm used to monitor the violin mode amplitude for glitches, present our results and consider how these may be applied to advanced detectors. The conclusion of our analysis is that no excess noise above what was considered to be thermal noise was observed for several days of h(t) data analysed at the frequency of the selected violin modes.

  4. Excessive crying in infants with regulatory disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maldonado-Duran, M; Sauceda-Garcia, J M

    1996-01-01

    The authors point out a correlation between regulatory disorders in infants and the problem of excessive crying. The literature describes other behavioral problems involving excessive crying in very young children, but with little emphasis on this association. The recognition and diagnosis of regulatory disorders in infants who cry excessively can help practitioners design appropriate treatment interventions. Understanding these conditions can also help parents tailor their caretaking style, so that they provide appropriate soothing and stimulation to their child. In so doing, they will be better able to develop and preserve a satisfactory parent-child relationship, as well as to maintain their own sense of competence and self-esteem as parents.

  5. Integrins as Modulators of Transforming Growth Factor Beta Signaling in Dermal Fibroblasts During Skin Regeneration After Injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boo, Stellar; Dagnino, Lina

    2013-06-01

    Abnormal wound repair results from disorders in granulation tissue remodeling, and can lead to hypertrophic scarring and fibrosis. Excessive scarring can compromise tissue function and decrease tissue resistance to additional injuries. The development of potential therapies to minimize scarring is, thus, necessary to address an important clinical problem. It has been clearly established that multiple cytokines and growth factors participate in the regulation of cutaneous wound healing. More recently, it has become apparent that these factors do not necessarily activate isolated signaling pathways. Rather, in some cases, there is cross-modulation of several cellular pathways involved in this process. Two of the key pathways that modulate each other during wound healing are activated by transforming growth factor-β and by extracellular matrix proteins acting through integrins. The pathogenesis of excessive scarring upon wound healing is not fully understood, as a result of the complexity of this process. However, the fact that many pathways combine to produce fibrosis provides multiple potential therapeutic targets. Some of them have been identified, such as focal adhesion kinase and integrin-linked kinase. Currently, a major challenge is to develop pharmacological inhibitors of these proteins with therapeutic value to promote efficient wound repair. The ability to better understand how different pathways crosstalk during wound repair and to identify and pharmacologically modulate key factors that contribute to the regulation of multiple wound-healing pathways could potentially provide effective therapeutic targets to decrease or prevent excessive scar formation and/or development of fibrosis.

  6. Part B Excess Cost Quick Reference Document

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ball, Wayne; Beridon, Virginia; Hamre, Kent; Morse, Amanda

    2011-01-01

    This Quick Reference Document has been prepared by the Regional Resource Center Program ARRA/Fiscal Priority Team to aid RRCP State Liaisons and other (Technical Assistance) TA providers in understanding the general context of state questions surrounding excess cost. As a "first-stop" for TA providers in investigating excess cost…

  7. Sensitivity of CTA to dark matter signals from the Galactic Center

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pierre, Mathias [Département Physique, École Normale Supérieure de Cachan, 61 Avenue du Président Wilson, Cachan, 94230 France (France); Siegal-Gaskins, Jennifer M. [California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91125 (United States); Scott, Pat, E-mail: mathias.pierre@ens-cachan.fr, E-mail: jsg@tapir.caltech.edu, E-mail: patscott@physics.mcgill.ca [Department of Physics, McGill University, 3600 Rue University, Montréal, Québec, H3A 2T8 Canada (Canada)

    2014-06-01

    The Galactic Center is one of the most promising targets for indirect detection of dark matter with gamma rays. We investigate the sensitivity of the upcoming Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) to dark matter annihilation and decay in the Galactic Center. As the inner density profile of the Milky Way's dark matter halo is uncertain, we study the impact of the slope of the Galactic density profile, inwards of the Sun, on the prospects for detecting a dark matter signal with CTA. Adopting the Ring Method to define the signal and background regions in an ON-OFF analysis approach, we find that the sensitivity achieved by CTA to annihilation signals is strongly dependent on the inner profile slope, whereas the dependence is more mild in the case of dark matter decay. Surprisingly, we find that the optimal choice of signal and background regions is virtually independent of the assumed density profile. For the fiducial case of a Navarro-Frenk-White profile, we find that CTA will be able to probe annihilation cross-sections well below the canonical thermal relic value for dark matter masses from a few tens of GeV up to ∼ 5 TeV for annihilation to τ{sup +}τ{sup −}, and will achieve only a slightly weaker sensitivity for annihilation to b b-bar or μ{sup +}μ{sup −}. CTA will improve significantly on current sensitivity to annihilation signals for dark matter masses above ∼ 100 GeV, covering parameter space that is complementary to that probed by searches with the Fermi Large Area Telescope. The interpretation of apparent excesses in the measured cosmic-ray electron and positron spectra as signals of dark matter decay will also be testable with CTA observations of the Galactic Center. We demonstrate that both for annihilation and for decay, including spectral information for hard channels (such as μ{sup +}μ{sup −} and τ{sup +}τ{sup −}) leads to enhanced sensitivity for dark matter masses above m{sub DM} ∼ 200 GeV.

  8. Sensitivity of CTA to dark matter signals from the Galactic Center

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pierre, Mathias; Siegal-Gaskins, Jennifer M.; Scott, Pat

    2014-01-01

    The Galactic Center is one of the most promising targets for indirect detection of dark matter with gamma rays. We investigate the sensitivity of the upcoming Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) to dark matter annihilation and decay in the Galactic Center. As the inner density profile of the Milky Way's dark matter halo is uncertain, we study the impact of the slope of the Galactic density profile, inwards of the Sun, on the prospects for detecting a dark matter signal with CTA. Adopting the Ring Method to define the signal and background regions in an ON-OFF analysis approach, we find that the sensitivity achieved by CTA to annihilation signals is strongly dependent on the inner profile slope, whereas the dependence is more mild in the case of dark matter decay. Surprisingly, we find that the optimal choice of signal and background regions is virtually independent of the assumed density profile. For the fiducial case of a Navarro-Frenk-White profile, we find that CTA will be able to probe annihilation cross-sections well below the canonical thermal relic value for dark matter masses from a few tens of GeV up to ∼ 5 TeV for annihilation to τ + τ − , and will achieve only a slightly weaker sensitivity for annihilation to b b-bar or μ + μ − . CTA will improve significantly on current sensitivity to annihilation signals for dark matter masses above ∼ 100 GeV, covering parameter space that is complementary to that probed by searches with the Fermi Large Area Telescope. The interpretation of apparent excesses in the measured cosmic-ray electron and positron spectra as signals of dark matter decay will also be testable with CTA observations of the Galactic Center. We demonstrate that both for annihilation and for decay, including spectral information for hard channels (such as μ + μ − and τ + τ − ) leads to enhanced sensitivity for dark matter masses above m DM ∼ 200 GeV

  9. Thermal resonance in signal transmission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reigada, Ramon; Sarmiento, Antonio; Lindenberg, Katja

    2001-01-01

    We use temperature tuning to control signal propagation in simple one-dimensional arrays of masses connected by hard anharmonic springs and with no local potentials. In our numerical model a sustained signal is applied at one site of a chain immersed in a thermal environment and the signal-to-noise ratio is measured at each oscillator. We show that raising the temperature can lead to enhanced signal propagation along the chain, resulting in thermal resonance effects akin to the resonance observed in arrays of bistable systems

  10. Thermal resonance in signal transmission

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reigada, Ramon; Sarmiento, Antonio; Lindenberg, Katja

    2001-06-01

    We use temperature tuning to control signal propagation in simple one-dimensional arrays of masses connected by hard anharmonic springs and with no local potentials. In our numerical model a sustained signal is applied at one site of a chain immersed in a thermal environment and the signal-to-noise ratio is measured at each oscillator. We show that raising the temperature can lead to enhanced signal propagation along the chain, resulting in thermal resonance effects akin to the resonance observed in arrays of bistable systems.

  11. Heat-Related Mortality in India: Excess All-Cause Mortality Associated with the 2010 Ahmedabad Heat Wave

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azhar, Gulrez Shah; Mavalankar, Dileep; Nori-Sarma, Amruta; Rajiva, Ajit; Dutta, Priya; Jaiswal, Anjali; Sheffield, Perry; Knowlton, Kim; Hess, Jeremy J.; Azhar, Gulrez Shah; Deol, Bhaskar; Bhaskar, Priya Shekhar; Hess, Jeremy; Jaiswal, Anjali; Khosla, Radhika; Knowlton, Kim; Mavalankar, Mavalankar; Rajiva, Ajit; Sarma, Amruta; Sheffield, Perry

    2014-01-01

    Introduction In the recent past, spells of extreme heat associated with appreciable mortality have been documented in developed countries, including North America and Europe. However, far fewer research reports are available from developing countries or specific cities in South Asia. In May 2010, Ahmedabad, India, faced a heat wave where the temperatures reached a high of 46.8°C with an apparent increase in mortality. The purpose of this study is to characterize the heat wave impact and assess the associated excess mortality. Methods We conducted an analysis of all-cause mortality associated with a May 2010 heat wave in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, to determine whether extreme heat leads to excess mortality. Counts of all-cause deaths from May 1–31, 2010 were compared with the mean of counts from temporally matched periods in May 2009 and 2011 to calculate excess mortality. Other analyses included a 7-day moving average, mortality rate ratio analysis, and relationship between daily maximum temperature and daily all-cause death counts over the entire year of 2010, using month-wise correlations. Results The May 2010 heat wave was associated with significant excess all-cause mortality. 4,462 all-cause deaths occurred, comprising an excess of 1,344 all-cause deaths, an estimated 43.1% increase when compared to the reference period (3,118 deaths). In monthly pair-wise comparisons for 2010, we found high correlations between mortality and daily maximum temperature during the locally hottest “summer” months of April (r = 0.69, pheat (May 19–25, 2010), mortality rate ratios were 1.76 [95% CI 1.67–1.83, pheat wave in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India had a substantial effect on all-cause excess mortality, even in this city where hot temperatures prevail through much of April-June. PMID:24633076

  12. The gamma-ray pulsar population of globular clusters: implications for the GeV excess

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hooper, Dan [Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Center for Particle Astrophysics, Batavia, IL 60510 (United States); Linden, Tim, E-mail: dhooper@fnal.gov, E-mail: linden.70@osu.edu [Ohio State University, Center for Cosmology and AstroParticle Physcis (CCAPP), Columbus, OH 43210 (United States)

    2016-08-01

    It has been suggested that the GeV excess, observed from the region surrounding the Galactic Center, might originate from a population of millisecond pulsars that formed in globular clusters. With this in mind, we employ the publicly available Fermi data to study the gamma-ray emission from 157 globular clusters, identifying a statistically significant signal from 25 of these sources (ten of which are not found in existing gamma-ray catalogs). We combine these observations with the predicted pulsar formation rate based on the stellar encounter rate of each globular cluster to constrain the gamma-ray luminosity function of millisecond pulsars in the Milky Way's globular cluster system. We find that this pulsar population exhibits a luminosity function that is quite similar to those millisecond pulsars observed in the field of the Milky Way (i.e. the thick disk). After pulsars are expelled from a globular cluster, however, they continue to lose rotational kinetic energy and become less luminous, causing their luminosity function to depart from the steady-state distribution. Using this luminosity function and a model for the globular cluster disruption rate, we show that millisecond pulsars born in globular clusters can account for only a few percent or less of the observed GeV excess. Among other challenges, scenarios in which the entire GeV excess is generated from such pulsars are in conflict with the observed mass of the Milky Way's Central Stellar Cluster.

  13. Mechanisms linking excess adiposity and carcinogenesis promotion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana I. Pérez-Hernández

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Obesity constitutes one of the most important metabolic diseases being associated to insulin resistance development and increased cardiovascular risk. Association between obesity and cancer has also been well-established for several tumor types, such as breast cancer in postmenopausal women, colorectal and prostate cancer. Cancer is the first death cause in developed countries and the second one in developing countries, with high incidence rates around the world. Furthermore, it has been estimated that 15-20% of all cancer deaths may be attributable to obesity. Tumor growth is regulated by interactions between tumor cells and their tissue microenvironment. In this sense, obesity may lead to cancer development through dysfunctional adipose tissue and altered signaling pathways. In this review, three main pathways relating obesity and cancer development are examined: i inflammatory changes leading to macrophage polarization and altered adipokine profile; ii insulin resistance development; and iii adipose tissue hypoxia. Since obesity and cancer present a high prevalence, the association between these conditions is of great public health significance and studies showing mechanisms by which obesity lead to cancer development and progression are needed to improve prevention and management of these diseases.

  14. Twentieth century surge of excess adult male mortality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beltrán-Sánchez, Hiram; Finch, Caleb E.; Crimmins, Eileen M.

    2015-01-01

    Using historical data from 1,763 birth cohorts from 1800 to 1935 in 13 developed countries, we show that what is now seen as normal—a large excess of female life expectancy in adulthood—is a demographic phenomenon that emerged among people born in the late 1800s. We show that excess adult male mortality is clearly rooted in specific age groups, 50–70, and that the sex asymmetry emerged in cohorts born after 1880 when male:female mortality ratios increased by as much as 50% from a baseline of about 1.1. Heart disease is the main condition associated with increased excess male mortality for those born after 1900. We further show that smoking-attributable deaths account for about 30% of excess male mortality at ages 50–70 for cohorts born in 1900–1935. However, after accounting for smoking, substantial excess male mortality at ages 50–70 remained, particularly from cardiovascular disease. The greater male vulnerability to cardiovascular conditions emerged with the reduction in infectious mortality and changes in health-related behaviors. PMID:26150507

  15. Optimal ROS Signaling Is Critical for Nuclear Reprogramming

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gang Zhou

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Efficient nuclear reprogramming of somatic cells to pluripotency requires activation of innate immunity. Because innate immune activation triggers reactive oxygen species (ROS signaling, we sought to determine whether there was a role of ROS signaling in nuclear reprogramming. We examined ROS production during the reprogramming of doxycycline (dox-inducible mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs carrying the Yamanaka factors (Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc [OSKM] into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs. ROS generation was substantially increased with the onset of reprogramming. Depletion of ROS via antioxidants or Nox inhibitors substantially decreased reprogramming efficiency. Similarly, both knockdown and knockout of p22phox—a critical subunit of the Nox (1–4 complex—decreased reprogramming efficiency. However, excessive ROS generation using genetic and pharmacological approaches also impaired reprogramming. Overall, our data indicate that ROS signaling is activated early with nuclear reprogramming, and optimal levels of ROS signaling are essential to induce pluripotency.

  16. Excessive exposures of diagnostic X-ray workers in India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ambiger, T.Y.; Shenoy, K.S.; Patel, P.H.

    1980-01-01

    The excessive exposures (i.e. exceeding 400 mrems per fortnight) of diagnostic X-ray workers revealed under the countrywide personnel monitoring programme in India have been analysed. The analysis covers the data collected over a period of ten years during 1965-1974. The radiation workers in medical X-ray diagnostic group receiving an excess dose are found to be less than 1%. Each case of the excess dose is throughly investigated and nongenuine cases are separated and causes for genuine excessive exposures are traced. The causes and the corrective measures are enumerated. (M.G.B.)

  17. A conceptual model of psychosocial risk and protective factors for excessive gestational weight gain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hill, Briony; Skouteris, Helen; McCabe, Marita; Milgrom, Jeannette; Kent, Bridie; Herring, Sharon J; Hartley-Clark, Linda; Gale, Janette

    2013-02-01

    nearly half of all women exceed the guideline recommended pregnancy weight gain for their Body Mass Index (BMI) category. Excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) is correlated positively with postpartum weight retention and is a predictor of long-term, higher BMI in mothers and their children. Psychosocial factors are generally not targeted in GWG behaviour change interventions, however, multifactorial, conceptual models that include these factors, may be useful in determining the pathways that contribute to excessive GWG. We propose a conceptual model, underpinned by health behaviour change theory, which outlines the psychosocial determinants of GWG, including the role of motivation and self-efficacy towards healthy behaviours. This model is based on a review of the existing literature in this area. there is increasing evidence to show that psychosocial factors, such as increased depressive symptoms, anxiety, lower self-esteem and body image dissatisfaction, are associated with excessive GWG. What is less known is how these factors might lead to excessive GWG. Our conceptual model proposes a pathway of factors that affect GWG, and may be useful for understanding the mechanisms by which interventions impact on weight management during pregnancy. This involves tracking the relationships among maternal psychosocial factors, including body image concerns, motivation to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviours, confidence in adopting healthy lifestyle behaviours for the purposes of weight management, and actual behaviour changes. health-care providers may improve weight gain outcomes in pregnancy if they assess and address psychosocial factors in pregnancy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Effect of excess iron on oxidative stress and gluconeogenesis through hepcidin during mitochondrial dysfunction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hyo Jung; Choi, Joo Sun; Lee, Hye Ja; Kim, Won-Ho; Park, Sang Ick; Song, Jihyun

    2015-12-01

    Excessive tissue iron levels are a risk factor for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, which are associated with alterations in iron metabolism. However, the mechanisms underlying this association are not well understood. This study used human liver SK-HEP-1 cells to examine how excess iron induces mitochondrial dysfunction and how hepcidin controls gluconeogenesis. Excess levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and accumulated iron due to iron overload induced mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to a decrease in cellular adenosine triphosphate content and cytochrome c oxidase III expression, with an associated increase in gluconeogenesis. Disturbances in mitochondrial function caused excess iron deposition and unbalanced expression of iron metabolism-related proteins such as hepcidin, ferritin H and ferroportin during the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPα), which are responsible for increased phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase expression. Desferoxamine and n-acetylcysteine ameliorated these deteriorations by inhibiting p38 MAPK and C/EBPα activity through iron chelation and ROS scavenging activity. Based on experiments using hepcidin shRNA and hepcidin overexpression, the activation of hepcidin affects ROS generation and iron deposition, which disturbs mitochondrial function and causes an imbalance in iron metabolism and increased gluconeogenesis. Repression of hepcidin activity can reverse these changes. Our results demonstrate that iron overload is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and that together they can cause abnormal hepatic gluconeogenesis. Hepcidin expression may modulate this disorder by regulating ROS generation and iron deposition. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Excessive internet use in European adolescents: what determines differences in severity?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blinka, Lukas; Škařupová, Kateřina; Ševčíková, Anna; Wölfling, Klaus; Müller, Kai W; Dreier, Michael

    2015-02-01

    This study investigated the differences between non-excessive, moderately excessive, and highly excessive internet use among adolescents. These differences were explored in terms of personal characteristics, psychological difficulties, environmental factors, and manner of internet use. A representative sample was investigated, consisting of 18,709 adolescents aged 11-16 and their parents, from 25 European countries. Excessive internet use was measured using a five item scale covering following factors: salience, conflict, tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, and relapse and reinstatement. The main data analysis utilised multinomial and binary logistic regression models. The vast majority of respondents reported no signs of excessive internet use. Moderately excessive users (4.4%) reported higher emotional and behavioural difficulties, but also more sophisticated digital skills and a broader range of online activities. The highly excessive users (1.4%) differed from the non-excessive and moderately excessive users in their preference for online games and in having more difficulties with self-control. Adolescents who struggle with attention and self-control and who are inclined toward online gaming may be especially vulnerable to the otherwise uncommon phenomenon of excessive internet use.

  20. Calculating excess lifetime risk in relative risk models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vaeth, M.; Pierce, D.A.

    1990-01-01

    When assessing the impact of radiation exposure it is common practice to present the final conclusions in terms of excess lifetime cancer risk in a population exposed to a given dose. The present investigation is mainly a methodological study focusing on some of the major issues and uncertainties involved in calculating such excess lifetime risks and related risk projection methods. The age-constant relative risk model used in the recent analyses of the cancer mortality that was observed in the follow-up of the cohort of A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki is used to describe the effect of the exposure on the cancer mortality. In this type of model the excess relative risk is constant in age-at-risk, but depends on the age-at-exposure. Calculation of excess lifetime risks usually requires rather complicated life-table computations. In this paper we propose a simple approximation to the excess lifetime risk; the validity of the approximation for low levels of exposure is justified empirically as well as theoretically. This approximation provides important guidance in understanding the influence of the various factors involved in risk projections. Among the further topics considered are the influence of a latent period, the additional problems involved in calculations of site-specific excess lifetime cancer risks, the consequences of a leveling off or a plateau in the excess relative risk, and the uncertainties involved in transferring results from one population to another. The main part of this study relates to the situation with a single, instantaneous exposure, but a brief discussion is also given of the problem with a continuous exposure at a low-dose rate

  1. Design and safety aspect of lead and lead-bismuth cooled long-life small safe fast reactors for various core configurations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zaki, S.; Sekimoto, Hiroshi

    1995-01-01

    Design and safety aspects of long-life small safe fast reactors using liquid lead or lead-bismuth coolant with metallic or nitride fuel are discussed. Neutronic analyses are performed to investigate the effect of core height to diameter ratio (H/D) on design performance of the proposed reactors. All reactors are subjected to the constraint of 12 years operation without refueling and shuffling with constant 150 MWt reactor power and also to the requirement of maximum excess reactivity during burnup to be less than 0.1%Δk. The results show that the pancake design with H/D of ∼2/3 gives the most negative coolant void coefficient under the requirements for excess reactivity. Modified designs with the central region axially fulfilled with fertile material are proposed to improve the coolant void coefficient. Thermal-hydraulic analysis results show the possibility to operate the reactors up to the end of life without changing their orifice pattern, necessary pumping power for the proposed design smaller than the conventional large sodium cooled FBR, and the natural circulation contribution of 25-40% at the normal operating condition. The reactivity feedback coefficients are also estimated and appeared to be negative for all the components including the coolant density coefficient. (author)

  2. Loss of guanylyl cyclase C (GCC signaling leads to dysfunctional intestinal barrier.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaonan Han

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Guanylyl Cyclase C (GCC signaling via uroguanylin (UGN and guanylin activation is a critical mediator of intestinal fluid homeostasis, intestinal cell proliferation/apoptosis, and tumorigenesis. As a mechanism for some of these effects, we hypothesized that GCC signaling mediates regulation of intestinal barrier function.Paracellular permeability of intestinal segments was assessed in wild type (WT and GCC deficient (GCC-/- mice with and without lipopolysaccharide (LPS challenge, as well as in UGN deficient (UGN-/- mice. IFNγ and myosin light chain kinase (MLCK levels were determined by real time PCR. Expression of tight junction proteins (TJPs, phosphorylation of myosin II regulatory light chain (MLC, and STAT1 activation were examined in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs and intestinal mucosa. The permeability of Caco-2 and HT-29 IEC monolayers, grown on Transwell filters was determined in the absence and presence of GCC RNA interference (RNAi. We found that intestinal permeability was increased in GCC-/- and UGN-/- mice compared to WT, accompanied by increased IFNγ levels, MLCK and STAT1 activation in IECs. LPS challenge promotes greater IFNγ and STAT1 activation in IECs of GCC-/- mice compared to WT mice. Claudin-2 and JAM-A expression were reduced in GCC deficient intestine; the level of phosphorylated MLC in IECs was significantly increased in GCC-/- and UGN-/- mice compared to WT. GCC knockdown induced MLC phosphorylation, increased permeability in IEC monolayers under basal conditions, and enhanced TNFα and IFNγ-induced monolayer hyperpermeability.GCC signaling plays a protective role in the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier by regulating MLCK activation and TJ disassembly. GCC signaling activation may therefore represent a novel mechanism in maintaining the small bowel barrier in response to injury.

  3. Reactive oxygen species and transcript analysis upon excess light treatment in wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana vs a photosensitive mutant lacking zeaxanthin and lutein

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roncaglia Enrica

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Reactive oxygen species (ROS are unavoidable by-products of oxygenic photosynthesis, causing progressive oxidative damage and ultimately cell death. Despite their destructive activity they are also signalling molecules, priming the acclimatory response to stress stimuli. Results To investigate this role further, we exposed wild type Arabidopsis thaliana plants and the double mutant npq1lut2 to excess light. The mutant does not produce the xanthophylls lutein and zeaxanthin, whose key roles include ROS scavenging and prevention of ROS synthesis. Biochemical analysis revealed that singlet oxygen (1O2 accumulated to higher levels in the mutant while other ROS were unaffected, allowing to define the transcriptomic signature of the acclimatory response mediated by 1O2 which is enhanced by the lack of these xanthophylls species. The group of genes differentially regulated in npq1lut2 is enriched in sequences encoding chloroplast proteins involved in cell protection against the damaging effect of ROS. Among the early fine-tuned components, are proteins involved in tetrapyrrole biosynthesis, chlorophyll catabolism, protein import, folding and turnover, synthesis and membrane insertion of photosynthetic subunits. Up to now, the flu mutant was the only biological system adopted to define the regulation of gene expression by 1O2. In this work, we propose the use of mutants accumulating 1O2 by mechanisms different from those activated in flu to better identify ROS signalling. Conclusions We propose that the lack of zeaxanthin and lutein leads to 1O2 accumulation and this represents a signalling pathway in the early stages of stress acclimation, beside the response to ADP/ATP ratio and to the redox state of both plastoquinone pool. Chloroplasts respond to 1O2 accumulation by undergoing a significant change in composition and function towards a fast acclimatory response. The physiological implications of this signalling specificity are

  4. Reactive oxygen species and transcript analysis upon excess light treatment in wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana vs a photosensitive mutant lacking zeaxanthin and lutein

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are unavoidable by-products of oxygenic photosynthesis, causing progressive oxidative damage and ultimately cell death. Despite their destructive activity they are also signalling molecules, priming the acclimatory response to stress stimuli. Results To investigate this role further, we exposed wild type Arabidopsis thaliana plants and the double mutant npq1lut2 to excess light. The mutant does not produce the xanthophylls lutein and zeaxanthin, whose key roles include ROS scavenging and prevention of ROS synthesis. Biochemical analysis revealed that singlet oxygen (1O2) accumulated to higher levels in the mutant while other ROS were unaffected, allowing to define the transcriptomic signature of the acclimatory response mediated by 1O2 which is enhanced by the lack of these xanthophylls species. The group of genes differentially regulated in npq1lut2 is enriched in sequences encoding chloroplast proteins involved in cell protection against the damaging effect of ROS. Among the early fine-tuned components, are proteins involved in tetrapyrrole biosynthesis, chlorophyll catabolism, protein import, folding and turnover, synthesis and membrane insertion of photosynthetic subunits. Up to now, the flu mutant was the only biological system adopted to define the regulation of gene expression by 1O2. In this work, we propose the use of mutants accumulating 1O2 by mechanisms different from those activated in flu to better identify ROS signalling. Conclusions We propose that the lack of zeaxanthin and lutein leads to 1O2 accumulation and this represents a signalling pathway in the early stages of stress acclimation, beside the response to ADP/ATP ratio and to the redox state of both plastoquinone pool. Chloroplasts respond to 1O2 accumulation by undergoing a significant change in composition and function towards a fast acclimatory response. The physiological implications of this signalling specificity are discussed. PMID:21481232

  5. JOYO MK-III performance test. Criticality test, excess reactivity measurement and burn-up coefficient measurement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maeda, Shigetaka; Sekine, Takashi; Kitano, Akihiro; Nagasaki, Hideaki

    2005-03-01

    The MK-III performance test began in June 2003 to fully characterize the upgraded core and heat transfer system of the experimental fast reactor JOYO. This paper describes the results of the approach to criticality, the excess reactivity evaluation and the burn-up coefficient measurement. In the approach to criticality test, the MK-III core achieved initial criticality at the control rod bank position of 412.8 mm on 14:03 July 2nd, 2003. Because the replacement of the outer two rows of reflector subassemblies with shielding subassemblies reduced the source range monitor signals by a factor of 3 at the same reactor power compared with those in the MK-II core, we measured the change of the monitor's response and determined the count rate 2x10 4 cps.' as an appropriate value judging the zero power criticality. In the excess reactivity evaluation, the zero power excess reactivity at 250degC was 2.99±0.10%Δk/kk' based on the measured critical rod bank position and the measured control rod worths. The predicted value by the JOYO core management code system HESTIA was 3.13±0.16%Δk/kk', showing good agreement with the measured value. The measured excess reactivity was within the safety requirement limit. In the burn-up coefficient measurement, the excess reactivity change versus the reactor burn-up was evaluated. The measurement method adopted was to measure the control rod positions during the rated power operation. A value of -2.12x10 -4 Δk/kk'/MWd was obtained as a measured burn-up coefficient. The value calculated by HESTIA was -2.12x10 -4 Δk/kk'/MWd, and it agreed well with the measured value. All technical safety requirements for MK-III core were satisfied and the calculation accuracy of the core management code system HESTIA was confirmed. (author)

  6. An Adaptive Traffic Signal Control in a Connected Vehicle Environment: A Systematic Review

    OpenAIRE

    Peng Jing; Hao Huang; Long Chen

    2017-01-01

    In the last few years, traffic congestion has become a growing concern due to increasing vehicle ownerships in urban areas. Intersections are one of the major bottlenecks that contribute to urban traffic congestion. Traditional traffic signal control systems cannot adjust the timing pattern depending on road traffic demand. This results in excessive delays for road users. Adaptive traffic signal control in a connected vehicle environment has shown a powerful ability to effectively alleviate u...

  7. Response of water vapour D-excess to land–atmosphere interactions in a semi-arid environment

    KAUST Repository

    Parkes, Stephen; McCabe, Matthew; Griffiths, Alan D.; Wang, Lixin; Chambers, Scott; Ershadi, Ali; Williams, Alastair G.; Strauss, Josiah; Element, Adrian

    2017-01-01

    The stable isotopic composition of water vapour provides information about moisture sources and processes difficult to obtain with traditional measurement techniques. Recently, it has been proposed that the D-excess of water vapour (d =δH-8× δO) can provide a diagnostic tracer of continental moisture recycling. However, D-excess exhibits a diurnal cycle that has been observed across a variety of ecosystems and may be influenced by a range of processes beyond regional-scale moisture recycling, including local evaporation (ET) fluxes. There is a lack of measurements of D-excess in evaporation (ET) fluxes, which has made it difficult to assess how ET fluxes modify the Dexcess in water vapour (d). With this in mind, we employed a chamber-based approach to directly measure D-excess in ET (d) fluxes. We show that ET fluxes imposed a negative forcing on the ambient vapour and could not explain the higher daytime d values. The low d observed here was sourced from a soil water pool that had undergone an extended drying period, leading to low D-excess in the soil moisture pool. A strong correlation between daytime d and locally measured relative humidity was consistent with an oceanic moisture source, suggesting that remote hydrological processes were the major contributor to daytime d variability. During the early evening, ET fluxes into a shallow nocturnal inversion layer caused a lowering of d values near the surface. In addition, transient mixing of vapour with a higher D-excess from above the nocturnal inversion modified these values, causing large variability during the night. These results indicate d can generally be expected to show large spatial and temporal variability and to depend on the soil moisture state. For long periods between rain events, common in semi-arid environments, ET would be expected to impose negative forcing on the surface d. Spatial and temporal variability of D-excess in ET fluxes therefore needs to be considered when using d to study

  8. Response of water vapour D-excess to land–atmosphere interactions in a semi-arid environment

    KAUST Repository

    Parkes, Stephen

    2017-01-27

    The stable isotopic composition of water vapour provides information about moisture sources and processes difficult to obtain with traditional measurement techniques. Recently, it has been proposed that the D-excess of water vapour (d =δH-8× δO) can provide a diagnostic tracer of continental moisture recycling. However, D-excess exhibits a diurnal cycle that has been observed across a variety of ecosystems and may be influenced by a range of processes beyond regional-scale moisture recycling, including local evaporation (ET) fluxes. There is a lack of measurements of D-excess in evaporation (ET) fluxes, which has made it difficult to assess how ET fluxes modify the Dexcess in water vapour (d). With this in mind, we employed a chamber-based approach to directly measure D-excess in ET (d) fluxes. We show that ET fluxes imposed a negative forcing on the ambient vapour and could not explain the higher daytime d values. The low d observed here was sourced from a soil water pool that had undergone an extended drying period, leading to low D-excess in the soil moisture pool. A strong correlation between daytime d and locally measured relative humidity was consistent with an oceanic moisture source, suggesting that remote hydrological processes were the major contributor to daytime d variability. During the early evening, ET fluxes into a shallow nocturnal inversion layer caused a lowering of d values near the surface. In addition, transient mixing of vapour with a higher D-excess from above the nocturnal inversion modified these values, causing large variability during the night. These results indicate d can generally be expected to show large spatial and temporal variability and to depend on the soil moisture state. For long periods between rain events, common in semi-arid environments, ET would be expected to impose negative forcing on the surface d. Spatial and temporal variability of D-excess in ET fluxes therefore needs to be considered when using d to study

  9. Partial pulp necrosis caused by excessive orthodontic force

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Min-Young Kim

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available As the dental pulp is encased with a rigid, noncompliant shell, changes in pulpal blood flow or vascular tissue pressure can have serious implication for the health of pulp. Numerous studies have demonstrated that orthodontic force application may influence both blood flow and cellular metabolism, leading degenerative and/or inflammatory responses in the dental pulp. The aim of this case report is to present a case about tooth with chronic periapical abscess which showed normal vital responses. Excessive orthodontic force is thought to be the prime cause of partial pulp necrosis. Owing to remaining vital tissue, wrong dianosis can be made, and tooth falsely diagnosed as vital may be left untreated, causing the necrotic tissue to destroy the supporting tissuses. Clinician should be able to utilize various diagnostic tools for the precise diagnosis, and be aware of the endodontic-orthodontic inter-relationship.

  10. Understanding the effect of an excessive cold tongue bias on projecting the tropical Pacific SST warming pattern in CMIP5 models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ying, Jun; Huang, Ping; Lian, Tao; Tan, Hongjian

    2018-05-01

    An excessive cold tongue is a common bias among current climate models, and considered an important source of bias in projections of tropical Pacific climate change under global warming. Specifically, the excessive cold tongue bias is closely related to the tropical Pacific SST warming (TPSW) pattern. In this study, we reveal that two processes are the critical mechanisms by which the excessive cold tongue bias influences the projection of the TPSW pattern, based on 32 models from phase 5 of Coupled Model Intercomparison Projection (CMIP5). On the one hand, by assuming that the shortwave (SW) radiation to SST feedback is linearly correlated to the cold tongue SST, the excessive cold tongue bias can induce an overly weak negative SW-SST feedback in the central Pacific, which can lead to a positive SST warming bias in the central to western Pacific (around 150°E-140°W). Moreover, the overly weak local atmospheric dynamics response to SST is a key process of the overly weak SW-SST feedback, compared with the cloud response to atmospheric dynamics and the SW radiation response to cloud. On the other hand, the overly strong ocean zonal overturning circulation associated with the excessive cold tongue bias results in an overestimation of the ocean dynamical thermostat effect, with enhanced ocean stratification under global warming, leading to a negative SST warming bias in the central and eastern Pacific (around 170°W-120°W). These two processes jointly form a positive SST warming bias in the western Pacific, contributing to a La Niña-like warming bias. Therefore, we suggest a more realistic climatological cold tongue SST is needed for a more reliable projection of the TPSW pattern.

  11. HIV Excess Cancers JNCI

    Science.gov (United States)

    In 2010, an estimated 7,760 new cancers were diagnosed among the nearly 900,000 Americans known to be living with HIV infection. According to the first comprehensive study in the United States, approximately half of these cancers were in excess of what wo

  12. Resolving Early Signaling Events in T-Cell Activation Leading to IL-2 and FOXP3 Transcription

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeffrey P. Perley

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Signal intensity and feedback regulation are known to be major factors in the signaling events stemming from the T-cell receptor (TCR and its various coreceptors, but the exact nature of these relationships remains in question. We present a mathematical model of the complex signaling network involved in T-cell activation with cross-talk between the Erk, calcium, PKC and mTOR signaling pathways. The model parameters are adjusted to fit new and published data on TCR trafficking, Zap70, calcium, Erk and Isignaling. The regulation of the early signaling events by phosphatases, CD45 and SHP1, and the TCR dynamics are critical to determining the behavior of the model. Additional model corroboration is provided through quantitative and qualitative agreement with experimental data collected under different stimulating and knockout conditions. The resulting model is analyzed to investigate how signal intensity and feedback regulation affect TCR- and coreceptor-mediated signal transduction and their downstream transcriptional profiles to predict the outcome for a variety of stimulatory and knockdown experiments. Analysis of the model shows that: (1 SHP1 negative feedback is necessary for preventing hyperactivity in TCR signaling; (2 CD45 is required for TCR signaling, but also partially suppresses it at high expression levels; and (3 elevated FOXP3 and reduced IL-2 signaling, an expression profile often associated with T regulatory cells (Tregs, is observed when the system is subjected to weak TCR and CD28 costimulation or a severe reduction in CD45 activity.

  13. Therapeutic Targeting of Redox Signaling in Myofibroblast Differentiation and Age-Related Fibrotic Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natalie Sampson

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Myofibroblast activation plays a central role during normal wound healing. Whereas insufficient myofibroblast activation impairs wound healing, excessive myofibroblast activation promotes fibrosis in diverse tissues (including benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH leading to organ dysfunction and also promotes a stromal response that supports tumor progression. The incidence of impaired wound healing, tissue fibrosis, BPH, and certain cancers strongly increases with age. This paper summarizes findings from in vitro fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation systems that serve as cellular models to study fibrogenesis of diverse tissues. Supported by substantial in vivo data, a large body of evidence indicates that myofibroblast differentiation induced by the profibrotic cytokine transforming growth factor beta is driven by a prooxidant shift in redox homeostasis due to elevated production of NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4-derived hydrogen peroxide and supported by concomitant decreases in nitric oxide/cGMP signaling and reactive oxygen species (ROS scavenging enzymes. Fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation can be inhibited and reversed by restoring redox homeostasis using antioxidants or NOX4 inactivation as well as enhancing nitric oxide/cGMP signaling via activation of soluble guanylyl cyclases or inhibition of phosphodiesterases. Current evidence indicates the therapeutic potential of targeting the prooxidant shift in redox homeostasis for the treatment of age-related diseases associated with myofibroblast dysregulation.

  14. The Hurt of Judgment in Excessive Weight Women: A Hermeneutic Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehrdad, Neda; Hossein Abbasi, Nahid; Nikbakht Nasrabadi, Alireza

    2015-04-23

    Excess weight is one of the increasing problems of the present society and one of the threatening health conditions around the world. Despite many efforts for prevention and treatment or even surgery, the process of excess weight is not decreased in the world. While most of the studies conducted on excess weight concentrated on the issues why people get excess weight or how the prevention and treatment of excess weight must be performed, there is lake of knowledge about what excessive weight people really experience in their daily life. Understanding the lived experience of excess weight in women is linked with their health and society's health while it indirectly develops the nursing knowledge to improve the quality and access to holistic health care in excessive weight women. The aim of study was to describe with a deeper understanding, the lived experience of excess weight in women. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach and a van-manen analysis methods, in depth semi- structured interviews were conducted with twelve women who had lived experience of excess weight. The hurt of Judgment was the main theme that emerged in the process of data analysis. This theme was derived from three sub-themes including social judgment, being different and being seen. These findings can prove helpful in promoting the nursing knowledge concerning a holistic approach in communicating to excessive weight people.

  15. How do the many etiologies of West syndrome lead to excitability and seizures? The corticotropin releasing hormone excess hypothesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brunson, K L; Eghbal-Ahmadi, M; Baram, T Z

    2001-11-01

    West syndrome (WS) is associated with diverse etiological factors. This fact has suggested that there must be a 'final common pathway' for these etiologies, which operates on the immature brain to result in WS only at the maturational state present during infancy. Any theory for the pathogenesis of WS has to account for the unique features of this disorder. For example, how can a single entity have so many etiologies? Why does WS arise only in infancy, even when a known insult had occurred prenatally, and why does it disappear? Why is WS associated with lasting cognitive dysfunction? And, importantly, why do these seizures--unlike most others--respond to treatment by a hormone, ACTH? The established hormonal role of ACTH in human physiology is to function in the neuroendocrine cascade of the responses to all stressful stimuli, including insults to the brain. As part of this function, ACTH is known to suppress the production of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), a peptide that is produced in response to diverse insults and stressors.The many etiologies of WS all lead to activation of the stress response, including increased production and secretion of the stress-neurohormone CRH. CRH has been shown, in infant animal models, to cause severe seizures and death of neurons in areas involved with learning and memory. These effects of CRH are restricted to the infancy period because the receptors for CRH, which mediate its action on neurons, are most abundant during this developmental period. ACTH administration is known to inhibit production and release of CRH via a negative feedback mechanism. Therefore, the efficacy of ACTH for WS may depend on its ability to decrease the levels of the seizure-promoting stress-neurohormone CRH.This CRH-excess theory for the pathophysiology of WS is consistent not only with the profile of ACTH effects, but also with the many different 'causes' of WS, with the abnormal ACTH levels in the cerebrospinal fluid of affected infants and

  16. Limiting law excess sum rule for polyelectrolytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landy, Jonathan; Lee, YongJin; Jho, YongSeok

    2013-11-01

    We revisit the mean-field limiting law screening excess sum rule that holds for rodlike polyelectrolytes. We present an efficient derivation of this law that clarifies its region of applicability: The law holds in the limit of small polymer radius, measured relative to the Debye screening length. From the limiting law, we determine the individual ion excess values for single-salt electrolytes. We also consider the mean-field excess sum away from the limiting region, and we relate this quantity to the osmotic pressure of a dilute polyelectrolyte solution. Finally, we consider numerical simulations of many-body polymer-electrolyte solutions. We conclude that the limiting law often accurately describes the screening of physical charged polymers of interest, such as extended DNA.

  17. Determination of lead at nanogram level in water samples by ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A novel method of chemistry applicable to the determination of trace lead in water samples based on the resonance light scattering (RLS) technique has been developed. In dilute phosphoric acid medium, in the presence of a large excess of I-, Pb(II) can form [PbI4]2-, which further reacts with tetrabutyl ammonium bromide ...

  18. 77 FR 478 - Petition Requesting Exception From the Lead Content Limits; Reopening of the Comment Period

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-05

    ... the Lead Content Limits; Reopening of the Comment Period AGENCY: U.S. Consumer Product Safety... content limit under section 101(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (``CPSIA''), as... contain lead content in excess of 100 ppm manufactured after August 12, 2011, are considered to be banned...

  19. 41 CFR 302-7.201 - Is temporary storage in excess of authorized limits and excess valuation of goods and services...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Is temporary storage in excess of authorized limits and excess valuation of goods and services payable at Government expense? 302-7.201 Section 302-7.201 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Travel Regulation System...

  20. Delayed globin synthesis leads to excess heme and the macrocytic anemia of Diamond Blackfan anemia and del(5q) myelodysplastic syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Zhantao; Keel, Siobán B; Shimamura, Akiko; Liu, Li; Gerds, Aaron T; Li, Henry Y; Wood, Brent L; Scott, Bart L; Abkowitz, Janis L

    2016-05-11

    Diamond Blackfan anemia (DBA) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with isolated del(5q) are severe macrocytic anemias; although both are associated with impaired ribosome assembly, why the anemia occurs is not known. We cultured marrow cells from DBA (n = 3) and del(5q) MDS (n = 6) patients and determined how heme (a toxic chemical) and globin (a protein) are coordinated. We show that globin translation initiates slowly, whereas heme synthesis proceeds normally. This results in insufficient globin protein, excess heme and excess reactive oxygen species in early erythroid precursors, and CFU-E (colony-forming unit-erythroid)/proerythroblast cell death. The cells that can more rapidly and effectively export heme or can slow heme synthesis preferentially survive and appropriately mature. Consistent with these observations, treatment with 10 μM succinylacetone, a specific inhibitor of heme synthesis, improved the erythroid cell output of DBA and del(5q) MDS marrow cultures by 68 to 95% (P = 0.03 to 0.05), whereas the erythroid cell output of concurrent control marrow cultures decreased by 4 to 13%. Our studies demonstrate that erythropoiesis fails when heme exceeds globin. Our data further suggest that therapies that decrease heme synthesis (or facilitate heme export) could improve the red blood cell production of persons with DBA, del(5q) MDS, and perhaps other macrocytic anemias. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  1. Glucocorticoid Signaling and Bone Biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Komori, T

    2016-11-01

    Since glucocorticoids remain an effective therapeutic option for the treatment of many inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis is the most common form of secondary osteoporosis. Fractures may occur in as many as 30-50% of patients receiving chronic glucocorticoid therapy. Under physiological conditions, glucocorticoids are required for normal bone development due to their regulation of osteoblast differentiation, possibly via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and TSC22D3. However, serum levels of endogenous corticosterone are elevated in aged mice and glucocorticoids exert negative effects on the survival of osteoblasts and osteocytes as well as angiogenesis. Glucocorticoid treatments impair bone formation and enhance bone resorption. Excess glucocorticoids induce osteoblast and osteocyte apoptosis by increasing pro-apoptotic molecules, reactive oxygen species, and endoplasmic reticulum stress and suppressing the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Autophagy protects osteocytes from glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis, but passed some threshold, the process of autophagy leads the cells to apoptosis. Excess glucocorticoids impair osteoblastogenesis by inducing Wnt antagonists, including Dkk1, Sost, and sFRP-1. However, the findings are controversial and the involvement of Wnt antagonists requires further study. Excess glucocorticoids reduce the phosphorylation of Akt and GSK3β, which enhances the degradation of β-catenin. Excess glucocorticoids have been shown to modulate the expression of miRNAs, including miR-29a, miR-34a-5p, and miR-199a-5p, which regulate the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblast lineage cells. Excess glucocorticoids also enhance bone resorption by reducing OPG expression, increasing Rankl expression and reactive oxygen species, and prolonging the life span of osteoclasts; however, they also suppress the bone-degrading capacity of osteoclasts by disturbing the organization of the cytoskeleton. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG

  2. Mutual information measures applied to EEG signals for sleepiness characterization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melia, Umberto; Guaita, Marc; Vallverdú, Montserrat; Embid, Cristina; Vilaseca, Isabel; Salamero, Manel; Santamaria, Joan

    2015-03-01

    Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is one of the main symptoms of several sleep related disorders with a great impact on the patient lives. While many studies have been carried out in order to assess daytime sleepiness, the automatic EDS detection still remains an open problem. In this work, a novel approach to this issue based on non-linear dynamical analysis of EEG signal was proposed. Multichannel EEG signals were recorded during five maintenance of wakefulness (MWT) and multiple sleep latency (MSLT) tests alternated throughout the day from patients suffering from sleep disordered breathing. A group of 20 patients with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) was compared with a group of 20 patients without daytime sleepiness (WDS), by analyzing 60-s EEG windows in waking state. Measures obtained from cross-mutual information function (CMIF) and auto-mutual-information function (AMIF) were calculated in the EEG. These functions permitted a quantification of the complexity properties of the EEG signal and the non-linear couplings between different zones of the scalp. Statistical differences between EDS and WDS groups were found in β band during MSLT events (p-value CMIF measures yielded sensitivity and specificity above 80% and AUC of ROC above 0.85 in classifying EDS and WDS patients. Copyright © 2015 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. A compartmentalized mathematical model of the β1-adrenergic signaling system in mouse ventricular myocytes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vladimir E Bondarenko

    Full Text Available The β1-adrenergic signaling system plays an important role in the functioning of cardiac cells. Experimental data shows that the activation of this system produces inotropy, lusitropy, and chronotropy in the heart, such as increased magnitude and relaxation rates of [Ca(2+]i transients and contraction force, and increased heart rhythm. However, excessive stimulation of β1-adrenergic receptors leads to heart dysfunction and heart failure. In this paper, a comprehensive, experimentally based mathematical model of the β1-adrenergic signaling system for mouse ventricular myocytes is developed, which includes major subcellular functional compartments (caveolae, extracaveolae, and cytosol. The model describes biochemical reactions that occur during stimulation of β1-adrenoceptors, changes in ionic currents, and modifications of Ca(2+ handling system. Simulations describe the dynamics of major signaling molecules, such as cyclic AMP and protein kinase A, in different subcellular compartments; the effects of inhibition of phosphodiesterases on cAMP production; kinetics and magnitudes of phosphorylation of ion channels, transporters, and Ca(2+ handling proteins; modifications of action potential shape and duration; magnitudes and relaxation rates of [Ca(2+]i transients; changes in intracellular and transmembrane Ca(2+ fluxes; and [Na(+]i fluxes and dynamics. The model elucidates complex interactions of ionic currents upon activation of β1-adrenoceptors at different stimulation frequencies, which ultimately lead to a relatively modest increase in action potential duration and significant increase in [Ca(2+]i transients. In particular, the model includes two subpopulations of the L-type Ca(2+ channels, in caveolae and extracaveolae compartments, and their effects on the action potential and [Ca(2+]i transients are investigated. The presented model can be used by researchers for the interpretation of experimental data and for the developments of

  4. Estimate of overdiagnosis of breast cancer due to mammography after adjustment for lead time. A service screening study in Italy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paci, Eugenio; Miccinesi, Guido; Puliti, Donella; Baldazzi, Paola; De Lisi, Vincenzo; Falcini, Fabio; Cirilli, Claudia; Ferretti, Stefano; Mangone, Lucia; Finarelli, Alba Carola; Rosso, Stefano; Segnan, Nereo; Stracci, Fabrizio; Traina, Adele; Tumino, Rosario; Zorzi, Manuel

    2006-01-01

    Introduction Excess of incidence rates is the expected consequence of service screening. The aim of this paper is to estimate the quota attributable to overdiagnosis in the breast cancer screening programmes in Northern and Central Italy. Methods All patients with breast cancer diagnosed between 50 and 74 years who were resident in screening areas in the six years before and five years after the start of the screening programme were included. We calculated a corrected-for-lead-time number of observed cases for each calendar year. The number of observed incident cases was reduced by the number of screen-detected cases in that year and incremented by the estimated number of screen-detected cases that would have arisen clinically in that year. Results In total we included 13,519 and 13,999 breast cancer cases diagnosed in the pre-screening and screening years, respectively. In total, the excess ratio of observed to predicted in situ and invasive cases was 36.2%. After correction for lead time the excess ratio was 4.6% (95% confidence interval 2 to 7%) and for invasive cases only it was 3.2% (95% confidence interval 1 to 6%). Conclusion The remaining excess of cancers after individual correction for lead time was lower than 5%. PMID:17147789

  5. Criminal Liability of Managers for Excessive Risk-Taking?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tosza, S.T.

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the thesis was to analyse and evaluate the criminalisation of excessively risky decisions taken by managers of limited liability companies. The potentially disastrous consequences of excessive risk-taking were powerfully highlighted by the most recent financial crunch, although its

  6. Timing of Excessive Weight Gain During Pregnancy Modulates Newborn Anthropometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruchat, Stephanie-May; Allard, Catherine; Doyon, Myriam; Lacroix, Marilyn; Guillemette, Laetitia; Patenaude, Julie; Battista, Marie-Claude; Ardilouze, Jean-Luc; Perron, Patrice; Bouchard, Luigi; Hivert, Marie-France

    2016-02-01

    Excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) is associated with increased birth weight and neonatal adiposity. However, timing of excessive GWG may have a differential impact on birth outcomes. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of early and mid/late excessive GWG on newborn anthropometry in the context of the Canadian clinical recommendations that are specific for first trimester and for second/third trimesters based on maternal pre-pregnancy BMI. We included 607 glucose-tolerant women in our main analyses, after excluding women who had less than the recommended total GWG. Maternal body weight was measured in early pregnancy, mid-pregnancy, and late pregnancy. Maternal and fetal clinical outcomes were collected, including newborn anthropometry. Women were divided into four groups according to the Canadian guidelines for GWG in the first and in the second/third trimesters: (1) "overall non-excessive" (reference group); (2) "early excessive GWG"; (3) "mid/late excessive GWG"; and (4) "overall excessive GWG." Differences in newborn anthropometry were tested across GWG categories. Women had a mean (±SD) pre-pregnancy BMI of 24.7 ± 5.2 kg/m(2) and total GWG of 15.3 ± 4.4 kg. Women with mid/late excessive GWG gave birth to heavier babies (gestational age-adjusted birth weight z-score 0.33 ± 0.91) compared with women in the reference group (0.00 ± 0.77, P = 0.007), whereas women with early excessive GWG gave birth to babies of similar weight (gestational age-adjusted z-score 0.01 ± 0.86) to the reference group (0.00 ± 0.77, P = 0.84). When we stratified our analyses and investigated women who gained within the recommendations for total GWG, mid/late excessive GWG specifically was associated with greater newborn size, similar to our main analyses. Excessive GWG in mid/late pregnancy in women who did not gain weight excessively in early pregnancy is associated with increased birth size, even in those who gained within the Canadian recommendations

  7. Industrial excess heat for district heating in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bühler, Fabian; Petrovic, Stefan; Karlsson, Kenneth Bernard

    2017-01-01

    analyses excess heat sources from the industrial sector and how they could be used for district heating. This method first allocates excess heat to single production units by introducing and validating a new approach. Spatial analysis of the heat sources and consumers are then performed to evaluate...... the potential for using them for district heating. In this way the theoretical potential of using the excess heat for covering the heating demand of buildings is determined. Through the use of industry specific temperature profiles the heat usable directly or via heat pumps is further found. A sensitivity...... analysis investigates the impact of future energy efficiency measures in the industry, buildings and the district heating grid on the national potential. The results show that for the case study of Denmark, 1.36 TWh of district heat could be provided annually with industrial excess heat from thermal...

  8. Excessive anticoagulation with warfarin or phenprocoumon may have multiple causes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Meegaard, Peter Martin; Holck, Line H V; Pottegård, Anton

    2012-01-01

    Excessive anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists is a serious condition with a substantial risk of an adverse outcome. We thus found it of interest to review a large case series to characterize the underlying causes of excessive anticoagulation.......Excessive anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists is a serious condition with a substantial risk of an adverse outcome. We thus found it of interest to review a large case series to characterize the underlying causes of excessive anticoagulation....

  9. Vitamin D signaling in intestinal innate immunity and homeostasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dimitrov, Vassil; White, John H

    2017-09-15

    The lumen of the gut hosts a plethora of microorganisms that participate in food assimilation, inactivation of harmful particles and in vitamin synthesis. On the other hand, enteric flora, a number of food antigens, and toxins are capable of triggering immune responses causing inflammation, which, when unresolved, may lead to chronic conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It is important, therefore, to contain the gut bacteria within the lumen, control microbial load and composition, as well as ensure adequate innate and adaptive immune responses to pathogenic threats. There is growing evidence that vitamin D signaling has impacts on all these aspects of intestinal physiology, contributing to healthy enteric homeostasis. VD was first discovered as the curative agent for nutritional rickets, and its classical actions are associated with calcium absorption and bone health. However, vitamin D exhibits a number of extra-skeletal effects, particularly in innate immunity. Notably, it stimulates production of pattern recognition receptors, anti-microbial peptides, and cytokines, which are at the forefront of innate immune responses. They play a role in sensing the microbiota, in preventing excessive bacterial overgrowth, and complement the actions of vitamin D signaling in enhancing intestinal barrier function. Vitamin D also favours tolerogenic rather than inflammogenic T cell differentiation and function. Compromised innate immune function and overactive adaptive immunity, as well as defective intestinal barrier function, have been associated with IBD. Importantly, observational and intervention studies support a beneficial role of vitamin D supplementation in patients with Crohn's disease, a form of IBD. This review summarizes the effects of vitamin D signaling on barrier integrity and innate and adaptive immunity in the gut, as well as on microbial load and composition. Collectively, studies to date reveal that vitamin D signaling has widespread effects

  10. 40 CFR 76.13 - Compliance and excess emissions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 16 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Compliance and excess emissions. 76.13 Section 76.13 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) ACID RAIN NITROGEN OXIDES EMISSION REDUCTION PROGRAM § 76.13 Compliance and excess emissions...

  11. Sparse Matrix for ECG Identification with Two-Lead Features

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kuo-Kun Tseng

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Electrocardiograph (ECG human identification has the potential to improve biometric security. However, improvements in ECG identification and feature extraction are required. Previous work has focused on single lead ECG signals. Our work proposes a new algorithm for human identification by mapping two-lead ECG signals onto a two-dimensional matrix then employing a sparse matrix method to process the matrix. And that is the first application of sparse matrix techniques for ECG identification. Moreover, the results of our experiments demonstrate the benefits of our approach over existing methods.

  12. Experimental and predicted data of excess molar enthalpies and excess molar volumes for the ternary system (1,3-dichlorobenzene + benzene + 1-chlorohexane) at T = 298.15 K

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mato, Marta M.; Verdes, Pedro V.; Paz Andrade, M.I.; Legido, José Luis

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Experimental enthalpy and densitiy for the mixture 1,3-dichlorobenzene + benzene + 1-chlorohexane were measured. • The excess molar volumes were calculated from the densities of the pure liquids and their mixtures. • The Cibulka equation was used to correlate the ternary contribution of the excess molar properties. • The experimental data were used to test several empirical equations. - Abstract: Experimental excess molar enthalpies, densities and excess molar volumes for the ternary system {x 1 1,3-dichlorobenzene + x 2 benzene + (1 − x 1 − x 2 ) 1-chlorohexane} have been determined at the temperature of 298.15 K and atmospheric pressure. Values of excess molar enthalpies were measured using a Calvet microcalorimeter, and excess molar volumes were determined from the densities of the pure liquids and mixtures, using a vibrating-tube densimeter. The results were fitted by means of different variable degree polynomials. Smooth representations of the results are presented and used to construct constant contours of excess molar enthalpy and excess molar volume on Roozeboom diagrams. Several empirical expressions that have been suggested for use with parameters and predicting excess properties of ternary mixtures from the experimental binary data were tested

  13. Earnings Quality Measures and Excess Returns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perotti, Pietro; Wagenhofer, Alfred

    2014-06-01

    This paper examines how commonly used earnings quality measures fulfill a key objective of financial reporting, i.e., improving decision usefulness for investors. We propose a stock-price-based measure for assessing the quality of earnings quality measures. We predict that firms with higher earnings quality will be less mispriced than other firms. Mispricing is measured by the difference of the mean absolute excess returns of portfolios formed on high and low values of a measure. We examine persistence, predictability, two measures of smoothness, abnormal accruals, accruals quality, earnings response coefficient and value relevance. For a large sample of US non-financial firms over the period 1988-2007, we show that all measures except for smoothness are negatively associated with absolute excess returns, suggesting that smoothness is generally a favorable attribute of earnings. Accruals measures generate the largest spread in absolute excess returns, followed by smoothness and market-based measures. These results lend support to the widespread use of accruals measures as overall measures of earnings quality in the literature.

  14. Immunophilin ligands demonstrate common features of signal transduction leading to exocytosis or transcription.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hultsch, T; Albers, M W; Schreiber, S L; Hohman, R J

    1991-01-01

    Investigations of the actions and interactions of the immunophilin ligands FK506, cyclosporin A (CsA), rapamycin, and 506BD suggest that complexes of FK506 with an FK506-binding protein or of CsA with a cyclophilin (CsA-binding protein) inhibit the T-cell receptor-mediated signal transduction that results in the transcription of interleukin 2. Now we report an identical spectrum of activities of FK506, CsA, rapamycin, and 506BD on IgE receptor-mediated signal transduction that results in exocytosis of secretory granules from the rat basophilic leukemia cell line RBL-2H3, a mast cell model. Both FK506 and CsA inhibit receptor-mediated exocytosis (CsA IC50 = 200 nM; FK506 IC50 = 2 nM) without affecting early receptor-associated events (hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol, synthesis and release of eicosanoids, uptake of Ca2+). In contrast, rapamycin and 506BD, which share common structural elements with FK506, by themselves have no effect on IgE receptor-mediated exocytosis. Both compounds, however, prevent inhibition by FK506 but not by CsA. Affinity chromatography with FK506, CsA, and rapamycin matrices indicates that the same set of immunophilins present in RBL-2H3 cells have been found in Jurkat T cells and calf thymus; however, the relative amounts of these proteins differ in the two cell types. These results suggest the existence of a common step in cytoplasmic signaling in T cells and mast cells that may be part of a general signaling mechanism. Images PMID:1712484

  15. The High Price of Excessive Alcohol Consumption

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    This podcast is based on the October 2011 release of a report estimating the economic cost of excessive drinking. Excessive alcohol consumption cost the U. S. $223.5 billion in 2006, or about $1.90 per drink. Over three-quarters (76%) of these costs were due to binge drinking, defined as consuming 4 or more alcoholic beverages per occasion for women or 5 or more drinks per occasion for men.

  16. Brazilian air traffic controllers exhibit excessive sleepiness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ribas, Valdenilson Ribeiro; de Almeida, Cláudia Ângela Vilela; Martins, Hugo André de Lima; Alves, Carlos Frederico de Oliveira; Alves, Marcos José Pinheiro Cândido; Carneiro, Severino Marcos de Oliveira; Ribas, Valéria Ribeiro; de Vasconcelos, Carlos Augusto Carvalho; Sougey, Everton Botelho; de Castro, Raul Manhães

    2011-01-01

    Excessive sleepiness (ES) is an increased tendency to initiate involuntary sleep for naps at inappropriate times. The objective of this study was to assess ES in air traffic controllers (ATCo). 45 flight protection professionals were evaluated, comprising 30 ATCo, subdivided into ATCo with ten or more years in the profession (ATCo≥10, n=15) and ATCo with less than ten years in the profession (ATCoair traffic controllers exhibit excessive sleepiness.

  17. The importance of hydration thermodynamics in fragment-to-lead optimization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ichihara, Osamu; Shimada, Yuzo; Yoshidome, Daisuke

    2014-12-01

    Using a computational approach to assess changes in solvation thermodynamics upon ligand binding, we investigated the effects of water molecules on the binding energetics of over 20 fragment hits and their corresponding optimized lead compounds. Binding activity and X-ray crystallographic data of published fragment-to-lead optimization studies from various therapeutically relevant targets were studied. The analysis reveals a distinct difference between the thermodynamic profile of water molecules displaced by fragment hits and those displaced by the corresponding optimized lead compounds. Specifically, fragment hits tend to displace water molecules with notably unfavorable excess entropies-configurationally constrained water molecules-relative to those displaced by the newly added moieties of the lead compound during the course of fragment-to-lead optimization. Herein we describe the details of this analysis with the goal of providing practical guidelines for exploiting thermodynamic signatures of binding site water molecules in the context of fragment-to-lead optimization. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. The effect of the hemochromatosis (HFE) genotype on lead load and iron metabolism among lead smelter workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Guangqin; Du, Guihua; Li, Huijun; Lin, Fen; Sun, Ziyong; Yang, Wei; Feng, Chang; Zhu, Gaochun; Li, Yanshu; Chen, Ying; Jiao, Huan; Zhou, Fankun

    2014-01-01

    Both an excess of toxic lead (Pb) and an essential iron disorder have been implicated in many diseases and public health problems. Iron metabolism genes, such as the hemochromatosis (HFE) gene, have been reported to be modifiers for lead absorption and storage. However, the HFE gene studies among the Asian population with occupationally high lead exposure are lacking. To explore the modifying effects of the HFE genotype (wild-type, H63D variant and C282Y variant) on the Pb load and iron metabolism among Asian Pb-workers with high occupational exposure. Seven hundred and seventy-one employees from a lead smelter manufacturing company were tested to determine their Pb intoxication parameters, iron metabolic indexes and identify the HFE genotype. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were conducted. Forty-five H63D variant carriers and no C282Y variant carrier were found among the 771 subjects. Compared with subjects with the wild-type genotype, H63D variant carriers had higher blood lead levels, even after controlling for factors such as age, sex, marriage, education, smoking and lead exposure levels. Multivariate analyses also showed that the H63D genotype modifies the associations between the blood lead levels and the body iron burden/transferrin. No C282Y variant was found in this Asian population. The H63D genotype modified the association between the lead and iron metabolism such that increased blood lead is associated with a higher body iron content or a lower transferrin in the H63D variant. It is indicated that H63D variant carriers may be a potentially highly vulnerable sub-population if they are exposed to high lead levels occupationally.

  19. Calcium signalling silencing in atrial fibrillation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greiser, Maura

    2017-06-15

    Subcellular calcium signalling silencing is a novel and distinct cellular and molecular adaptive response to rapid cardiac activation. Calcium signalling silencing develops during short-term sustained rapid atrial activation as seen clinically during paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). It is the first 'anti-arrhythmic' adaptive response in the setting of AF and appears to counteract the maladaptive changes that lead to intracellular Ca 2+ signalling instability and Ca 2+ -based arrhythmogenicity. Calcium signalling silencing results in a failed propagation of the [Ca 2+ ] i signal to the myocyte centre both in patients with AF and in a rabbit model. This adaptive mechanism leads to a substantial reduction in the expression levels of calcium release channels (ryanodine receptors, RyR2) in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and the frequency of Ca 2+ sparks and arrhythmogenic Ca 2+ waves remains low. Less Ca 2+ release per [Ca 2+ ] i transient, increased fast Ca 2+ buffering strength, shortened action potentials and reduced L-type Ca 2+ current contribute to a substantial reduction of intracellular [Na + ]. These features of Ca 2+ signalling silencing are distinct and in contrast to the changes attributed to Ca 2+ -based arrhythmogenicity. Some features of Ca 2+ signalling silencing prevail in human AF suggesting that the Ca 2+ signalling 'phenotype' in AF is a sum of Ca 2+ stabilizing (Ca 2+ signalling silencing) and Ca 2+ destabilizing (arrhythmogenic unstable Ca 2+ signalling) factors. Calcium signalling silencing is a part of the mechanisms that contribute to the natural progression of AF and may limit the role of Ca 2+ -based arrhythmogenicity after the onset of AF. © 2017 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2017 The Physiological Society.

  20. Acoustic Localization with Infrasonic Signals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Threatt, Arnesha; Elbing, Brian

    2015-11-01

    Numerous geophysical and anthropogenic events emit infrasonic frequencies (<20 Hz), including volcanoes, hurricanes, wind turbines and tornadoes. These sounds, which cannot be heard by the human ear, can be detected from large distances (in excess of 100 miles) due to low frequency acoustic signals having a very low decay rate in the atmosphere. Thus infrasound could be used for long-range, passive monitoring and detection of these events. An array of microphones separated by known distances can be used to locate a given source, which is known as acoustic localization. However, acoustic localization with infrasound is particularly challenging due to contamination from other signals, sensitivity to wind noise and producing a trusted source for system development. The objective of the current work is to create an infrasonic source using a propane torch wand or a subwoofer and locate the source using multiple infrasonic microphones. This presentation will present preliminary results from various microphone configurations used to locate the source.

  1. Excess molar volumes and isentropic compressibilities of binary

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Excess molar volumes (E) and deviation in isentropic compressibilities (s) have been investigated from the density and speed of sound measurements of six binary liquid mixtures containing -alkanes over the entire range of composition at 298.15 K. Excess molar volume exhibits inversion in sign in one binary ...

  2. Office blood pressure, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, and echocardiographic abnormalities in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: role of obesity and androgen excess.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luque-Ramírez, Manuel; Martí, David; Fernández-Durán, Elena; Alpañés, Macarena; Álvarez-Blasco, Francisco; Escobar-Morreale, Héctor F

    2014-03-01

    Whether or not blood pressure (BP) and heart function of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are altered remains unclear, albeit subtle abnormalities in the regulation of BP observed in these women might suggest a mild masculinization of their cardiovascular system. To study the influence of obesity and androgen excess on BP and echocardiographic profiles of women with the syndrome, we conducted a cross-sectional case-control study comparing office and ambulatory BP monitoring, as well as echocardiographic assessments, in 63 premenopausal women with the classic phenotype, 33 nonhyperandrogenic women with regular menses, and 25 young men. Forty-nine subjects were lean and 72 had weight excess (body mass index ≥25 kg/m(2)). Participants had no previous history of hypertension and were nonsmokers. Men showed the highest BP readings, and the lowest readings were observed in control women, whereas women with PCOS had intermediate values. Undiagnosed hypertension was more common in subjects with weight excess irrespective of sex and hyperandrogenism. Women with PCOS and weight excess showed frequencies of previously undiagnosed hypertension that were similar to those of men with weight excess and higher than those observed in nonhyperandrogenic women. Lastly, male sex, weight excess and hypertension, the latter in men as well as in women with PCOS, increased left ventricular wall thickness. In summary, our results show that patients with classic PCOS and weight excess frequently have undiagnosed BP abnormalities, leading to target organ damage.

  3. Disposition of excess material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hall, J.C.

    1978-01-01

    This paper reviews briefly the means available to an enrichment customer to dispose of excess material scheduled for delivery under a fixed-commitment contract, other than through termination of the related separative work. The methods are as follows: (1) sales; (2) use in facilities covered by other DOE contracts; and (3) assignment

  4. Evaluation of structure, dielectric and electrical properties of (Li/Ta/Sb modified (Na, K NbO3 lead-free ceramics with excess Na concentration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Md. Kashif Shamim

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Polycrystalline perovskite structured (Li0.04 (Na0.54+x K0.460.96 (Nb0.81Ta0.15 Sb0.04 O3 ceramics with x=0.00, 0.005 and 0.01 mole excess Na concentration were prepared by solid state sintering method. The present study relates the role of excess Na addition with the stoichiometry, density, structure, dielectric and ferroelectric properties of the samples. X-ray diffraction (XRD pattern exhibits single phase orthorhombic structure. The characteristic Raman modes were observed due to translational modes of cations and vibrational modes of NbO6 octahedra and no structural phase transition were observed. This confirms the formation of single phase perovskite structure and is consistent with XRD results. The dielectric permittivity increases about two times, while dielectric loss decreases by four times for x=0.01 composition. The electrical measurements carried by Complex Impedance spectroscopic analysis suggest negative temperature coefficient of resistance (NTCR behavior.

  5. Magnesium Diboride Current Leads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panek, John

    2010-01-01

    A recently discovered superconductor, magnesium diboride (MgB2), can be used to fabricate conducting leads used in cryogenic applications. Dis covered to be superconducting in 2001, MgB2 has the advantage of remaining superconducting at higher temperatures than the previously used material, NbTi. The purpose of these leads is to provide 2 A of electricity to motors located in a 1.3 K environment. The providing environment is a relatively warm 17 K. Requirements for these leads are to survive temperature fluctuations in the 5 K and 11 K heat sinks, and not conduct excessive heat into the 1.3 K environment. Test data showed that each lead in the assembly could conduct 5 A at 4 K, which, when scaled to 17 K, still provided more than the required 2 A. The lead assembly consists of 12 steelclad MgB2 wires, a tensioned Kevlar support, a thermal heat sink interface at 4 K, and base plates. The wires are soldered to heavy copper leads at the 17 K end, and to thin copper-clad NbTi leads at the 1.3 K end. The leads were designed, fabricated, and tested at the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe - Institut foer Technische Physik before inclusion in Goddard's XRS (X-Ray Spectrometer) instrument onboard the Astro-E2 spacecraft. A key factor is that MgB2 remains superconducting up to 30 K, which means that it does not introduce joule heating as a resistive wire would. Because the required temperature ranges are 1.3-17 K, this provides a large margin of safety. Previous designs lost superconductivity at around 8 K. The disadvantage to MgB2 is that it is a brittle ceramic, and making thin wires from it is challenging. The solution was to encase the leads in thin steel tubes for strength. Previous designs were so brittle as to risk instrument survival. MgB2 leads can be used in any cryogenic application where small currents need to be conducted at below 30 K. Because previous designs would superconduct only at up to 8 K, this new design would be ideal for the 8-30 K range.

  6. Microtwins and their effect on accumulation of excess dislocation density in grains with different types of crystal lattice bending in deformed austenitic steel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gibert, Ivan, E-mail: gibert1993@mail.ru [National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, 30, Lenin Ave., 634050, Tomsk (Russian Federation); Kiseleva, Svetlana, E-mail: kisielieva1946@mail.ru; Popova, Natalya, E-mail: natalya-popova-44@mail.ru; Koneva, Nina, E-mail: koneva@tsuab.ru; Kozlov, Eduard, E-mail: kozlov@tsuab.ru [Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building, 2, Solyanaya Sq., 634003, Tomsk (Russian Federation)

    2016-01-15

    The investigation of excess dislocation density accumulation in the deformed polycrystalline austenitic steel was carried out using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The distributions of the excess dislocation density in the grains of the deformed austenitic steel with different bending types were obtained and plotted. It was established that in the austenitic polycrystalline steel at the deformation degrees ε = 14 and 25 % the distributions of the excess dislocation density are multimodal. In both cases the grain with compound bending is more stressed. The values of the average excess dislocation density in the grains with the compound and simple bending are less at ε = 25 % than that at ε = 14 %. This is explained by a significant relaxation of the internal stresses in steel with the increase of the deformation degree from 14 % to 25 %. The increase of the number of twinning systems and the material volume fraction covered by twinning leads to the internal stress relaxation and consequently to the increase of the excess dislocation density. The presence of microtwins in the deformed material has an influence on the distribution of the excess dislocation density. In the deformed polycrystalline austenitic steel the number of grains with compound bending is increased with the increase of the plastic deformation degree.

  7. Explaining excess morbidity amongst homeless shelter users

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Benjaminsen, Lars; Birkelund, Jesper Fels

    2018-01-01

    AIMS: This article analyses excess morbidity amongst homeless shelter users compared to the general Danish population. The study provides an extensive control for confounding and investigates to what extent excess morbidity is explained by homelessness or other risk factors. METHODS: Data set...... includes administrative micro-data for 4,068,926 Danes who were 23 years or older on 1 January 2007. Nationwide data on shelter use identified 14,730 individuals as shelter users from 2002 to 2006. Somatic diseases were measured from 2007 to 2011 through diagnosis data from hospital discharges. The risk...... of somatic diseases amongst shelter users was analysed through a multivariate model that decomposed the total effect into a direct effect and indirect effects mediated by other risk factors. RESULTS: The excess morbidity associated with shelter use is substantially lower than in studies that did not include...

  8. Heat-related mortality in India: excess all-cause mortality associated with the 2010 Ahmedabad heat wave.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gulrez Shah Azhar

    Full Text Available In the recent past, spells of extreme heat associated with appreciable mortality have been documented in developed countries, including North America and Europe. However, far fewer research reports are available from developing countries or specific cities in South Asia. In May 2010, Ahmedabad, India, faced a heat wave where the temperatures reached a high of 46.8 °C with an apparent increase in mortality. The purpose of this study is to characterize the heat wave impact and assess the associated excess mortality.We conducted an analysis of all-cause mortality associated with a May 2010 heat wave in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, to determine whether extreme heat leads to excess mortality. Counts of all-cause deaths from May 1-31, 2010 were compared with the mean of counts from temporally matched periods in May 2009 and 2011 to calculate excess mortality. Other analyses included a 7-day moving average, mortality rate ratio analysis, and relationship between daily maximum temperature and daily all-cause death counts over the entire year of 2010, using month-wise correlations.The May 2010 heat wave was associated with significant excess all-cause mortality. 4,462 all-cause deaths occurred, comprising an excess of 1,344 all-cause deaths, an estimated 43.1% increase when compared to the reference period (3,118 deaths. In monthly pair-wise comparisons for 2010, we found high correlations between mortality and daily maximum temperature during the locally hottest "summer" months of April (r = 0.69, p<0.001, May (r = 0.77, p<0.001, and June (r = 0.39, p<0.05. During a period of more intense heat (May 19-25, 2010, mortality rate ratios were 1.76 [95% CI 1.67-1.83, p<0.001] and 2.12 [95% CI 2.03-2.21] applying reference periods (May 12-18, 2010 from various years.The May 2010 heat wave in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India had a substantial effect on all-cause excess mortality, even in this city where hot temperatures prevail through much of April-June.

  9. A wearable 12-lead ECG acquisition system with fabric electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haoshi Zhang; Lan Tian; Huiyang Lu; Ming Zhou; Haiqing Zou; Peng Fang; Fuan Yao; Guanglin Li

    2017-07-01

    Continuous electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring is significant for prevention of heart disease and is becoming an important part of personal and family health care. In most of the existing wearable solutions, conventional metal sensors and corresponding chips are simply integrated into clothes and usually could only collect few leads of ECG signals that could not provide enough information for diagnosis of cardiac diseases such as arrhythmia and myocardial ischemia. In this study, a wearable 12-lead ECG acquisition system with fabric electrodes was developed and could simultaneously process 12 leads of ECG signals. By integrating the fabric electrodes into a T-shirt, the wearable system would provide a comfortable and convenient user interface for ECG recording. For comparison, the proposed fabric electrode and the gelled traditional metal electrodes were used to collect ECG signals on a subject, respectively. The approximate entropy (ApEn) of ECG signals from both types of electrodes were calculated. The experimental results show that the fabric electrodes could achieve similar performance as the gelled metal electrodes. This preliminary work has demonstrated that the developed ECG system with fabric electrodes could be utilized for wearable health management and telemedicine applications.

  10. Prevalence of excessive screen time and associated factors in adolescents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joana Marcela Sales de Lucena

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To determine the prevalence of excessive screen time and to analyze associated factors among adolescents. Methods: This was a cross-sectional school-based epidemiological study with 2874 high school adolescents with age 14-19 years (57.8% female from public and private schools in the city of João Pessoa, PB, Northeast Brazil. Excessive screen time was defined as watching television and playing video games or using the computer for more than 2 h/day. The associated factors analyzed were: sociodemographic (gender, age, economic class, and skin color, physical activity and nutritional status of adolescents. Results: The prevalence of excessive screen time was 79.5% (95%CI 78.1-81.1 and it was higher in males (84.3% compared to females (76.1%; p<0.001. In multivariate analysis, adolescent males, those aged 14-15 year old and the highest economic class had higher chances of exposure to excessive screen time. The level of physical activity and nutritional status of adolescents were not associated with excessive screen time. Conclusions: The prevalence of excessive screen time was high and varied according to sociodemographic characteristics of adolescents. It is necessary to develop interventions to reduce the excessive screen time among adolescents, particularly in subgroups with higher exposure.

  11. Annealing behaviour of excess carriers in neutron-transmutation-doped silicon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maekawa, T.; Nogami, S.; Inoue, S.

    1993-01-01

    In neutron-transmutation-doped silicon wafers excess carriers are clearly generated over the transmuted phosphorus atoms. The generation occurs for annealing temperatures above 900 o C. The maximum percentage of excess carriers obtained is about 24.5% of the final carrier concentration. Due to the difference in energy of generation and removal, the excess carriers can be removed by annealing above 800 o C. The radiation damage responsible for generation of excess carriers is fairly thermostable in the range of annealing temperatures below 800 o C. From deep-level transient spectroscopy measurements, it is found that the radiation damage remains insensitive to changes in carrier concentration. The activation energies of excess carrier generation and removal are estimated from the analysis of the thermal and temporal behaviours of radiation damage in the annealing process. (Author)

  12. Investigation and Evaluation of Children’s Blood Lead Levels around a Lead Battery Factory and Influencing Factors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Feng Zhang

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Lead pollution incidents have occurred frequently in mainland China, which has caused many lead poisoning incidents. This paper took a battery recycling factory as the subject, and focused on measuring the blood lead levels of environmental samples and all the children living around the factory, and analyzed the relationship between them. We collected blood samples from the surrounding residential area, as well as soil, water, vegetables. The atomic absorption method was applied to measure the lead content in these samples. The basic information of the generation procedure, operation type, habit and personal protect equipment was collected by an occupational hygiene investigation. Blood lead levels in 43.12% of the subjects exceeded 100 μg/L. The 50th and the 95th percentiles were 89 μg/L and 232 μg/L for blood lead levels in children, respectively, and the geometric mean was 94 μg/L. Children were stratified into groups by age, gender, parents’ occupation, distance and direction from the recycling plant. The difference of blood lead levels between groups was significant (p < 0.05. Four risk factors for elevated blood lead levels were found by logistic regression analysis, including younger age, male, shorter distance from the recycling plant, and parents with at least one working in the recycling plant. The rate of excess lead concentration in water was 6.25%, 6.06% in soil and 44.44% in leaf vegetables, which were all higher than the Chinese environment standards. The shorter the distance to the factory, the higher the value of BLL and lead levels in vegetable and environment samples. The lead level in the environmental samples was higher downwind of the recycling plant.

  13. Drinking water: a major source of lead exposure in Karachi, Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ul-Haq, N; Arain, M A; Badar, N; Rasheed, M; Haque, Z

    2011-11-01

    Excess lead in drinking water is a neglected source of lead toxicity in Pakistan. A cross-sectional survey in 2007/08 was made of water samples from drinking water sources in Karachi, a large industrial city. This study aimed to compare lead levels between untreated ground water and treated surface (tap) water in 18 different districts. Of 216 ground and surface water samples collected, 86% had lead levels higher than the World Health Organization maximum acceptable concentration of l0 ppb. Mean lead concentration in ground water [146 (SD 119) ppb] was significantly higher than in surface water [77.1 (SD 54) ppb]. None of the 18 districts had a mean lead level of ground or surface water below the WHO cut-off and ground water sources in 9 districts had a severe level of contamination (>150 ppb). Urgent action is needed to eliminate sources of contamination.

  14. 12 CFR 740.3 - Advertising of excess insurance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Advertising of excess insurance. 740.3 Section... ACCURACY OF ADVERTISING AND NOTICE OF INSURED STATUS § 740.3 Advertising of excess insurance. Any advertising that mentions share or savings account insurance provided by a party other than the NCUA must...

  15. EXCESSIVE INTERNET USE AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY: THE ROLE OF COPING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daria J. Kuss

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective: In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association included Internet Gaming Disorder in the diagnostic manual as a condition which requires further research, indicating the scientific and clinical community are aware of potential health concerns as a consequence of excessive Internet use. From a clinical point of view, it appears that excessive/addictive Internet use is often comorbid with further psychopathologies and assessing comorbidity is relevant in clinical practice, treatment outcome and prevention as the probability to become addicted to using the Internet accelerates with additional (subclinical symptoms. Moreover, research indicates individuals play computer games excessively to cope with everyday stressors and to regulate their emotions by applying media-focused coping strategies, suggesting pathological computer game players play in order to relieve stress and to avoid daily hassles. The aims of this research were to replicate and extend previous findings and explanations of the complexities of the relationships between excessive Internet use and Internet addiction, psychopathology and dysfunctional coping strategies. Method: Participants included 681 Polish university students sampled using an online battery of validated psychometric instruments. Results: Results of structural equation models revealed dysfunctional coping strategies (i.e., distraction, denial, self-blame, substance use, venting, media use, and behavioural disengagement significantly predict excessive Internet use, and the data fit the theoretical model well. A second SEM showed media-focused coping and substance use coping significantly mediate the relationship between psychopathology (operationalised via the Global Severity Index and excessive Internet use. Conclusions: The findings lend support to the self-medication hypothesis of addictive disorders, and suggest psychopathology and dysfunctional coping have additive effects on excessive Internet use.

  16. Effectiveness of policies maintaining or restricting days of alcohol sales on excessive alcohol consumption and related harms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Middleton, Jennifer Cook; Hahn, Robert A; Kuzara, Jennifer L; Elder, Randy; Brewer, Robert; Chattopadhyay, Sajal; Fielding, Jonathan; Naimi, Timothy S; Toomey, Traci; Lawrence, Briana

    2010-12-01

    Local, state, and national laws and policies that limit the days of the week on which alcoholic beverages may be sold may be a means of reducing excessive alcohol consumption and related harms. The methods of the Guide to Community Preventive Services were used to synthesize scientific evidence on the effectiveness for preventing excessive alcohol consumption and related harms of laws and policies maintaining or reducing the days when alcoholic beverages may be sold. Outcomes assessed in 14 studies that met qualifying criteria were excessive alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harms, including motor vehicle injuries and deaths, violence-related and other injuries, and health conditions. Qualifying studies assessed the effects of changes in days of sale in both on-premises settings (at which alcoholic beverages are consumed where purchased) and off-premises settings (at which alcoholic beverages may not be consumed where purchased). Eleven studies assessed the effects of adding days of sale, and three studies assessed the effects of imposing a ban on sales on a given weekend day. The evidence from these studies indicated that increasing days of sale leads to increases in excessive alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harms and that reducing the number of days that alcoholic beverages are sold generally decreases alcohol-related harms. Based on these findings, when the expansion of days of sale is being considered, laws and policies maintaining the number of days of the week that alcoholic beverages are sold at on- and off-premises outlets in local, state, and national jurisdictions are effective public health strategies for preventing excessive alcohol consumption and related harms. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  17. Effectiveness of Policies Maintaining or Restricting Days of Alcohol Sales on Excessive Alcohol Consumption and Related Harms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Middleton, Jennifer Cook; Hahn, Robert A.; Kuzara, Jennifer L.; Elder, Randy; Brewer, Robert; Chattopadhyay, Sajal; Fielding, Jonathan; Naimi, Timothy S.; Toomey, Traci; Lawrence, Briana

    2013-01-01

    Local, state, and national laws and policies that limit the days of the week on which alcoholic beverages may be sold may be a means of reducing excessive alcohol consumption and related harms. The methods of the Guide to Community Preventive Services were used to synthesize scientific evidence on the effectiveness for preventing excessive alcohol consumption and related harms of laws and policies maintaining or reducing the days when alcoholic beverages may be sold. Outcomes assessed in 14 studies that met qualifying criteria were excessive alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harms, including motor vehicle injuries and deaths, violence-related and other injuries, and health conditions. Qualifying studies assessed the effects of changes in days of sale in both on-premises settings (at which alcoholic beverages are consumed where purchased) and off-premises settings (at which alcoholic beverages may not be consumed where purchased). Eleven studies assessed the effects of adding days of sale, and three studies assessed the effects of imposing a ban on sales on a given weekend day. The evidence from these studies indicated that increasing days of sale leads to increases in excessive alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harms and that reducing the number of days that alcoholic beverages are sold generally decreases alcohol-related harms. Based on these findings, when the expansion of days of sale is being considered, laws and policies maintaining the number of days of the week that alcoholic beverages are sold at on- and off-premises outlets in local, state, and national jurisdictions are effective public health strategies for preventing excessive alcohol consumption and related harms. PMID:21084079

  18. Developmental Programming: Impact of Excess Prenatal Testosterone on Intrauterine Fetal Endocrine Milieu and Growth in Sheep1

    OpenAIRE

    Veiga-Lopez, Almudena; Steckler, Teresa L.; Abbott, David H.; Welch, Kathleen B.; MohanKumar, Puliyur S.; Phillips, David J.; Refsal, Kent; Padmanabhan, Vasantha

    2010-01-01

    Prenatal testosterone excess in sheep leads to reproductive and metabolic disruptions that mimic those seen in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Comparison of prenatal testosterone-treated sheep with prenatal dihydrotestosterone-treated sheep suggests facilitation of defects by androgenic as well as androgen-independent effects of testosterone. We hypothesized that the disruptive impact of prenatal testosterone on adult pathology may partially depend on its conversion to estrogen and cons...

  19. Developmental Programming: Impact of Prenatal Testosterone Excess on Ovarian Cell Proliferation and Apoptotic Factors in Sheep1

    OpenAIRE

    Salvetti, Natalia R.; Ortega, Hugo H.; Veiga-Lopez, Almudena; Padmanabhan, Vasantha

    2012-01-01

    Prenatal testosterone (T) excess leads to reproductive dysfunctions in sheep, which include increased ovarian follicular recruitment and persistence. To test the hypothesis that follicular disruptions in T sheep stem from changes in the developmental ontogeny of ovarian proliferation and apoptotic factors, pregnant Suffolk sheep were injected twice weekly with T propionate or dihydrotestosterone propionate (DHT; a nonaromatizable androgen) from Days 30 to 90 of gestation. Changes in developme...

  20. State dependent pseudo-resonances and excess noise

    OpenAIRE

    Papoff, F.; D'Alessandro, G.; Oppo, G.Luca

    2008-01-01

    We show that strong response to nonresonant modulations and excess noise are state dependent in generic nonlinear systems; i.e., they affect some output states but are absent from others. This is demonstrated in complex Swift-Hohenberg models relevant to optics, where it is caused by the non-normality of the linearized stability operators around selected output states, even though the cavity modes are orthogonal. In particular, we find the effective parameters that control excess noise and th...

  1. Romanian welfare state between excess and failure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Ciuraru-Andrica

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Timely or not, our issue can bring back to life some prolific discussions, sometimes diametrical. We strike the social assistance, where, at this moment, is still uncertain if, once unleashed the excess, the failure will come inevitably or there is a “Salvation Ark”. However, the difference between the excess and the failure of the welfare state is almost intangible, the reason of his potential failure being actually the abuses made until the start of depression.

  2. ETOH inhibits embryonic neural stem/precursor cell proliferation via PLD signaling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujita, Yuko; Hiroyama, Masami; Sanbe, Atsushi; Yamauchi, Junji; Murase, Shoko; Tanoue, Akito

    2008-01-01

    While a mother's excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy is known to have adverse effects on fetal neural development, little is known about the underlying mechanism of these effects. In order to investigate these mechanisms, we investigated the toxic effect of ethanol (ETOH) on neural stem/precursor cell (NSC) proliferation. In cultures of NSCs, phospholipase D (PLD) is activated following stimulation with epidermal growth factor (EGF) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2). Exposure of NSCs to ETOH suppresses cell proliferation, while it has no effect on cell death. Phosphatidic acid (PA), which is a signaling messenger produced by PLD, reverses ETOH inhibition of NSC proliferation. Blocking the PLD signal by 1-butanol suppresses the proliferation. ETOH-induced suppression of NSC proliferation and the protective effect of PA for ETOH-induced suppression are mediated through extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling. These results indicate that exposure to ETOH impairs NSC proliferation by altering the PLD signaling pathway

  3. Abnormal excessive per vagina (PV) bleeding on Esmya-selective progesterone receptor modulator (SPRM) in a symptomatic patient with uterine fibroid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matytsina-Quinlan, Lyubov; Matytsina, Laura

    2015-05-14

    A woman in her late 40s presented with excessive per vagina (PV) bleeding and uterine fibroid. She reported excessive PV bleeding after starting Esmya; she was brought in by ambulance to the emergency department with profuse bleeding. Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) developed after selective progesterone receptor modulator (SPRM) administration in this symptomatic patient with uterine fibroid. The drug was withheld and surgical treatment considered. Progressive deterioration of PV bleeding after receiving SPRM led to an urgent laparoscopic total hysterectomy, which had to be postponed due to severe anaemia. Surgery took place regardless because the excessive bleeding continued. Histology revealed a 6 cm submucosal uterine fibroid (SMUF) and adenomyosis. Physicians prescribing SPRMs to stop PV bleeding should be aware of potential AUB, which could lead to urgent hysterectomy. The mechanism of action of SPRMs is not clearly understood. Awareness of the side effects of Esmya, such as AUB, must be kept in mind when administering SPRMs. 2015 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

  4. 30 CFR 75.323 - Actions for excessive methane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Actions for excessive methane. 75.323 Section... excessive methane. (a) Location of tests. Tests for methane concentrations under this section shall be made.... (1) When 1.0 percent or more methane is present in a working place or an intake air course, including...

  5. Exposure to excess insulin (glargine) induces type 2 diabetes mellitus in mice fed on a chow diet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Xuefeng; Mei, Shuang; Gu, Haihua; Guo, Huailan; Zha, Longying; Cai, Junwei; Li, Xuefeng; Liu, Zhenqi; Cao, Wenhong

    2014-06-01

    We have previously shown that insulin plays an important role in the nutrient-induced insulin resistance. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that chronic exposure to excess long-acting insulin (glargine) can cause typical type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in normal mice fed on a chow diet. C57BL/6 mice were treated with glargine once a day for 8 weeks, followed by evaluations of food intake, body weight, blood levels of glucose, insulin, lipids, and cytokines, insulin signaling, histology of pancreas, ectopic fat accumulation, oxidative stress level, and cholesterol content in mitochondria in tissues. Cholesterol content in mitochondria and its association with oxidative stress in cultured hepatocytes and β-cells were also examined. Results show that chronic exposure to glargine caused insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and relative insulin deficiency (T2DM). Treatment with excess glargine led to loss of pancreatic islets, ectopic fat accumulation in liver, oxidative stress in liver and pancreas, and increased cholesterol content in mitochondria of liver and pancreas. Prolonged exposure of cultured primary hepatocytes and HIT-TI5 β-cells to insulin induced oxidative stress in a cholesterol synthesis-dependent manner. Together, our results show that chronic exposure to excess insulin can induce typical T2DM in normal mice fed on a chow diet. © 2014 The authors.

  6. Penetration of the signal sequence of Escherichia coli PhoE protein into phospholipid model membranes leads to lipid-specific changes in signal peptide structure and alterations of lipid organization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Batenburg, A.M.; Demel, R.A.; Verkleij, A.J.; de Kruijff, B.

    1988-01-01

    In order to obtain more insight in the initial steps of the process of protein translocation across membranes, biophysical investigations were undertaken on the lipid specificity and structural consequences of penetration of the PhoE signal peptide into lipid model membranes and on the conformation of the signal peptide adopted upon interaction with the lipids. When the monolayer technique and differential scanning calorimetry are used, a stronger penetration is observed for negatively charged lipids, significantly influenced by the physical state of the lipid but not by temperature or acyl chain unsaturation as such. Although the interaction is principally electrostatic, as indicated also by the strong penetration of N-terminal fragments into negatively charged lipid monolayers, the effect of ionic strength suggests an additional hydrophobic component. Most interestingly with regard to the mechanism of protein translocation, the molecular area of the peptide in the monolayer also shows lipid specificity: the area in the presence of PC is consistent with a looped helical orientation, whereas in the presence of cardiolipin a time-dependent conformational change is observed, most likely leading from a looped to a stretched orientation with the N-terminus directed toward the water. This is in line also with the determined peptide-lipid stoichiometry. Preliminary 31 P NMR and electron microscopy data on the interaction with lipid bilayer systems indicate loss of bilayer structure

  7. Verification of excess defense material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fearey, B.L.; Pilat, J.F.; Eccleston, G.W.; Nicholas, N.J.; Tape, J.W.

    1997-01-01

    The international community in the post-Cold War period has expressed an interest in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) using its expertise in support of the arms control and disarmament process in unprecedented ways. The pledges of the US and Russian presidents to place excess defense materials under some type of international inspections raises the prospect of using IAEA safeguards approaches for monitoring excess materials, which include both classified and unclassified materials. Although the IAEA has suggested the need to address inspections of both types of materials, the most troublesome and potentially difficult problems involve approaches to the inspection of classified materials. The key issue for placing classified nuclear components and materials under IAEA safeguards is the conflict between these traditional IAEA materials accounting procedures and the US classification laws and nonproliferation policy designed to prevent the disclosure of critical weapon-design information. Possible verification approaches to classified excess defense materials could be based on item accountancy, attributes measurements, and containment and surveillance. Such approaches are not wholly new; in fact, they are quite well established for certain unclassified materials. Such concepts may be applicable to classified items, but the precise approaches have yet to be identified, fully tested, or evaluated for technical and political feasibility, or for their possible acceptability in an international inspection regime. Substantial work remains in these areas. This paper examines many of the challenges presented by international inspections of classified materials

  8. Conversion of excess wind energy into hydrogen for fuel cell applications. A system analysis within the context of the Dutch energy system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kraaij, G.J.; Weeda, M.

    2008-09-01

    For reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, an increased use of renewable energy sources in the electricity sector is planned. The amount of excess wind power from an increase of offshore wind power capacity is calculated for an isolated Dutch society. The excess wind power is converted into hydrogen by electrolysis and the subsequent use of the hydrogen in residential applications as well as transport applications is investigated for economic, environmental and storage aspects. At an equivalent of 8 GW offshore wind power in 2020 the wind power contributes around 20% to the electricity demand, with an excess wind power amounting to approx. 4% of the Dutch electricity consumption. Excess wind occurs during 20% of the time. Conversion of this electricity to hydrogen requires 6 GW of electrolyser capacity with an average load factor of 10%, leading to high depreciation costs of the electrolysers and subsequent high hydrogen costs. For economic as well as environmental reasons the use of hydrogen in transport applications is more beneficial than in residential applications

  9. Marginalized multilevel hurdle and zero-inflated models for overdispersed and correlated count data with excess zeros.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kassahun, Wondwosen; Neyens, Thomas; Molenberghs, Geert; Faes, Christel; Verbeke, Geert

    2014-11-10

    Count data are collected repeatedly over time in many applications, such as biology, epidemiology, and public health. Such data are often characterized by the following three features. First, correlation due to the repeated measures is usually accounted for using subject-specific random effects, which are assumed to be normally distributed. Second, the sample variance may exceed the mean, and hence, the theoretical mean-variance relationship is violated, leading to overdispersion. This is usually allowed for based on a hierarchical approach, combining a Poisson model with gamma distributed random effects. Third, an excess of zeros beyond what standard count distributions can predict is often handled by either the hurdle or the zero-inflated model. A zero-inflated model assumes two processes as sources of zeros and combines a count distribution with a discrete point mass as a mixture, while the hurdle model separately handles zero observations and positive counts, where then a truncated-at-zero count distribution is used for the non-zero state. In practice, however, all these three features can appear simultaneously. Hence, a modeling framework that incorporates all three is necessary, and this presents challenges for the data analysis. Such models, when conditionally specified, will naturally have a subject-specific interpretation. However, adopting their purposefully modified marginalized versions leads to a direct marginal or population-averaged interpretation for parameter estimates of covariate effects, which is the primary interest in many applications. In this paper, we present a marginalized hurdle model and a marginalized zero-inflated model for correlated and overdispersed count data with excess zero observations and then illustrate these further with two case studies. The first dataset focuses on the Anopheles mosquito density around a hydroelectric dam, while adolescents' involvement in work, to earn money and support their families or themselves, is

  10. Excess Early Mortality in Schizophrenia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Laursen, Thomas Munk; Nordentoft, Merete; Mortensen, Preben Bo

    2014-01-01

    Schizophrenia is often referred to as one of the most severe mental disorders, primarily because of the very high mortality rates of those with the disorder. This article reviews the literature on excess early mortality in persons with schizophrenia and suggests reasons for the high mortality...... as well as possible ways to reduce it. Persons with schizophrenia have an exceptionally short life expectancy. High mortality is found in all age groups, resulting in a life expectancy of approximately 20 years below that of the general population. Evidence suggests that persons with schizophrenia may...... not have seen the same improvement in life expectancy as the general population during the past decades. Thus, the mortality gap not only persists but may actually have increased. The most urgent research agenda concerns primary candidates for modifiable risk factors contributing to this excess mortality...

  11. Severe rhabdomyolysis after excessive bodybuilding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Finsterer, J; Zuntner, G; Fuchs, M; Weinberger, A

    2007-12-01

    A 46-year-old male subject performed excessive physical exertion during 4-6 h in a studio for body builders during 5 days. He was not practicing sport prior to this training and denied the use of any aiding substances. Despite muscle aching already after 1 day, he continued the exercises. After the last day, he recognized tiredness and cessation of urine production. Two days after discontinuation of the training, a Herpes simplex infection occurred. Because of acute renal failure, he required hemodialysis. There were absent tendon reflexes and creatine kinase (CK) values up to 208 274 U/L (normal: <170 U/L). After 2 weeks, CK had almost normalized and, after 4 weeks, hemodialysis was discontinued. Excessive muscle training may result in severe, hemodialysis-dependent rhabdomyolysis. Triggering factors may be prior low fitness level, viral infection, or subclinical metabolic myopathy.

  12. Calcium signalling in the acinar environment of the exocrine pancreas: physiology and pathophysiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gryshchenko, Oleksiy; Gerasimenko, Julia V; Peng, Shuang; Gerasimenko, Oleg V; Petersen, Ole H

    2018-02-09

    Ca 2+ signalling in different cell types in exocrine pancreatic lobules was monitored simultaneously and signalling responses to various stimuli were directly compared. Ca 2+ signals evoked by K + -induced depolarization were recorded from pancreatic nerve cells. Nerve cell stimulation evoked Ca 2+ signals in acinar but not in stellate cells. Stellate cells are not electrically excitable as they, like acinar cells, did not generate Ca 2+ signals in response to membrane depolarization. The responsiveness of the stellate cells to bradykinin was markedly reduced in experimental alcohol-related acute pancreatitis, but they became sensitive to stimulation with trypsin. Our results provide fresh evidence for an important role of stellate cells in acute pancreatitis. They seem to be a critical element in a vicious circle promoting necrotic acinar cell death. Initial trypsin release from a few dying acinar cells generates Ca 2+ signals in the stellate cells, which then in turn damage more acinar cells causing further trypsin liberation. Physiological Ca 2+ signals in pancreatic acinar cells control fluid and enzyme secretion, whereas excessive Ca 2+ signals induced by pathological agents induce destructive processes leading to acute pancreatitis. Ca 2+ signals in the peri-acinar stellate cells may also play a role in the development of acute pancreatitis. In this study, we explored Ca 2+ signalling in the different cell types in the acinar environment of the pancreatic tissue. We have, for the first time, recorded depolarization-evoked Ca 2+ signals in pancreatic nerves and shown that whereas acinar cells receive a functional cholinergic innervation, there is no evidence for functional innervation of the stellate cells. The stellate, like the acinar, cells are not electrically excitable as they do not generate Ca 2+ signals in response to membrane depolarization. The principal agent evoking Ca 2+ signals in the stellate cells is bradykinin, but in experimental alcohol

  13. Excess Sodium Tetraphenylborate and Intermediates Decomposition Studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barnes, M.J. [Westinghouse Savannah River Company, AIKEN, SC (United States); Peterson , R.A.

    1998-04-01

    The stability of excess amounts of sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) in the In-Tank Precipitation (ITP) facility depends on a number of variables. Concentration of palladium, initial benzene, and sodium ion as well as temperature provide the best opportunities for controlling the decomposition rate. This study examined the influence of these four variables on the reactivity of palladium-catalyzed sodium tetraphenylborate decomposition. Also, single effects tests investigated the reactivity of simulants with continuous stirring and nitrogen ventilation, with very high benzene concentrations, under washed sodium concentrations, with very high palladium concentrations, and with minimal quantities of excess NaTPB. These tests showed the following.The testing demonstrates that current facility configuration does not provide assured safety of operations relative to the hazards of benzene (in particular to maintain the tank headspace below 60 percent of the lower flammability limit (lfl) for benzene generation rates of greater than 7 mg/(L.h)) from possible accelerated reaction of excess NaTPB. Current maximal operating temperatures of 40 degrees C and the lack of protection against palladium entering Tank 48H provide insufficient protection against the onset of the reaction. Similarly, control of the amount of excess NaTPB, purification of the organic, or limiting the benzene content of the slurry (via stirring) and ionic strength of the waste mixture prove inadequate to assure safe operation.

  14. Excess Sodium Tetraphenylborate and Intermediates Decomposition Studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barnes, M.J.; Peterson, R.A.

    1998-04-01

    The stability of excess amounts of sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) in the In-Tank Precipitation (ITP) facility depends on a number of variables. Concentration of palladium, initial benzene, and sodium ion as well as temperature provide the best opportunities for controlling the decomposition rate. This study examined the influence of these four variables on the reactivity of palladium-catalyzed sodium tetraphenylborate decomposition. Also, single effects tests investigated the reactivity of simulants with continuous stirring and nitrogen ventilation, with very high benzene concentrations, under washed sodium concentrations, with very high palladium concentrations, and with minimal quantities of excess NaTPB. These tests showed the following.The testing demonstrates that current facility configuration does not provide assured safety of operations relative to the hazards of benzene (in particular to maintain the tank headspace below 60 percent of the lower flammability limit (lfl) for benzene generation rates of greater than 7 mg/(L.h)) from possible accelerated reaction of excess NaTPB. Current maximal operating temperatures of 40 degrees C and the lack of protection against palladium entering Tank 48H provide insufficient protection against the onset of the reaction. Similarly, control of the amount of excess NaTPB, purification of the organic, or limiting the benzene content of the slurry (via stirring) and ionic strength of the waste mixture prove inadequate to assure safe operation

  15. Sanitization and Disposal of Excess Information Technology Equipment

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-09-21

    Report No. D-2009-104 September 21, 2009 Sanitization and Disposal of Excess Information Technology Equipment...2009 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00-2009 to 00-00-2009 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Sanitization and Disposal of Excess Information Technology ...Defense (Networks and Information Integration)/DOD Chief Information Officer DRMS Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service IT Information

  16. Lead deposit on vegetation growing along highways traveled by automobiles. Milk cow feeding experiments with hay contaminated with lead

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bovay, E

    1971-03-01

    Measurements conducted in Switzerland from 1967 through 1970 revealed that vegetation growing along highways contained lead in concentrations in excess of 100 ppm. Although the amounts of lead in vegetation rapidly decrease with distance from the highway, lead can be detected up to a distance of about 100 M. The rate and extent of dispersion of lead particles depended on seasonal orographic and/or meteorological conditions. Lead retention by different plant organs is governed by their nature and composition. Plants with large hairy leaves or leaves with a rough surface accumulate much more lead than plants with smooth leaves. From 35-65% of the plant tissue lead content can be removed by thorough washing, an indication that the contamination consists for the most part in a surface deposit. But plant roots growing in lead-contaminated soil absorb the element, even if present in a relatively insoluble form. In spite of these observations, no symptoms of plant disease or a decrease in crop yield has been noted. High tightly growing hedges of perennials (pine or fir) markedly reduce the dispersion of exhaust gases. Feeding trials with mild cows involving hay harvested along highways demonstrated that a high percentage of the lead ingested with the fodder was eliminated. Some organs like bones, kidneys, and the liver accumulated large quantities of lead (up to 21-fold quantities). After four weeks on the contaminated hay, the lead content in milk quadrupled. The cows ingested 1300 mg lead daily with contaminated fodder containing 99 ppm Pb. Toxic symptoms in cattle and horses do not appear until an ingestion level of about 2200 mg Pb/day is reached. 36 references.

  17. Excessive behaviors in clinical practice--A state of the art article.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Punzi, Elisabeth H

    2016-01-01

    This paper concerns difficulties with excessive food intake, sexual activities, romantic relationships, gambling, Internet use, shopping, and exercise-behaviors that might cause considerable suffering. Excessive behaviors are seen as expressions of underlying difficulties that often co-occur with other psychological difficulties, and behaviors may accompany or replace each other. Moreover, they might pass unnoticed in clinical practice. Given the complexity of excessive behaviors, integrated and individualized treatment has been recommended. This paper presents an overview of the terminology concerning excessive behaviors, and the impact of naming is acknowledged. Thereafter, methods for identification and assessment, as well as treatment needs are discussed. Because identification, assessment, and treatment occur in an interaction between client and practitioner, this paper presents a discussion of the need to empower practitioners to identify and assess excessive behaviors and provide an integrated treatment. Moreover, the need to support practitioners' capacity to handle and tolerate the overwhelming suffering and the negative consequences connected to excessive behaviors is discussed. Qualitative studies are suggested in order to understand the meaning of excessive behaviors, treatment needs, and the interaction between client and practitioner.

  18. The effect of the hemochromatosis (HFE genotype on lead load and iron metabolism among lead smelter workers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guangqin Fan

    Full Text Available Both an excess of toxic lead (Pb and an essential iron disorder have been implicated in many diseases and public health problems. Iron metabolism genes, such as the hemochromatosis (HFE gene, have been reported to be modifiers for lead absorption and storage. However, the HFE gene studies among the Asian population with occupationally high lead exposure are lacking.To explore the modifying effects of the HFE genotype (wild-type, H63D variant and C282Y variant on the Pb load and iron metabolism among Asian Pb-workers with high occupational exposure.Seven hundred and seventy-one employees from a lead smelter manufacturing company were tested to determine their Pb intoxication parameters, iron metabolic indexes and identify the HFE genotype. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were conducted.Forty-five H63D variant carriers and no C282Y variant carrier were found among the 771 subjects. Compared with subjects with the wild-type genotype, H63D variant carriers had higher blood lead levels, even after controlling for factors such as age, sex, marriage, education, smoking and lead exposure levels. Multivariate analyses also showed that the H63D genotype modifies the associations between the blood lead levels and the body iron burden/transferrin.No C282Y variant was found in this Asian population. The H63D genotype modified the association between the lead and iron metabolism such that increased blood lead is associated with a higher body iron content or a lower transferrin in the H63D variant. It is indicated that H63D variant carriers may be a potentially highly vulnerable sub-population if they are exposed to high lead levels occupationally.

  19. Elevated blood lead levels from exposure via a radiator workshop.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Treble, R G; Thompson, T S; Morton, D N

    1998-04-01

    Elevated lead levels were discovered in blood samples collected from family members where both the father and the mother worked in a radiator repair workshop. The father and mother were found to have blood lead levels of 2.0 and 0.5 mumol/L (41.7 and 10.4 micrograms/dL), respectively. The father's blood lead level was just below the Canadian occupational health and safety intervention level (2.5 mumol/L or 52.1 micrograms/dL). The two children had blood lead levels of 1.0 and 0.8 mumol/L (20.8 and 16.7 micrograms/dL), both of which are in excess of the recommended guideline for intervention in the case of children (0.5 mumol/L or 10.4 micrograms/dL). The exposure of the two children was possibly due to a combination of pathways including exposure at the workshop itself during visits and also the transportation of lead-containing dust to the home environment.

  20. Androgen excess and metabolic disorders in women with PCOS: beyond the body mass index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Condorelli, R A; Calogero, A E; Di Mauro, M; Mongioi', L M; Cannarella, R; Rosta, G; La Vignera, S

    2018-04-01

    Insulin resistance is a common feature among women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), especially in those patients with hyperandrogenism and chronic anovulation. PCOS women are at risk for developing metabolic syndrome, impaired glucose tolerance and type II diabetes mellitus (DM II). The aim of this review is to explore the existing knowledge of the interplay between androgen excess, pancreatic β-cell function, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), intra-abdominal and subcutaneous (SC) abdominal adipocytes in PCOS, providing a better comprehension of the molecular mechanisms of diabetologic interest. A comprehensive MEDLINE ® search was performed using relevant key terms for PCOS and DM II. Insulin-induced hyperandrogenism could impair pancreatic β-cell function, the SC abdominal adipocytes' lipid storage capacity, leading to intra-abdominal adipocyte hypertrophy and lipotoxicity, which in turn promotes insulin resistance, and could enhance NAFLD. Fetal hyperandrogenism exposure prompts to metabolic disorders. Treatment with flutamide showed to partially reverse insulin resistance. Metabolic impairment seems not to be dependent only on the total fat mass content and body weight in women with PCOS and might be ascribed to the androgen excess.

  1. Effect of surfactant excess on the stability of low-polarity ferrofluids probed by small-angle neutron scattering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Petrenko, V. I., E-mail: vip@nf.jinr.ru; Avdeev, M. V. [Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (Russian Federation); Bulavin, L. A. [Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (Ukraine); Almasy, L. [Hungarian Academy of Science, Wigner Research Centre for Physics (Hungary); Grigoryeva, N. A. [St. Petersburg State University (Russian Federation); Aksenov, V. L. [National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, Konstantinov Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (Russian Federation)

    2016-01-15

    The structures of ferrofluids (FFs) based on nonpolar solvent decahydronaphthalene, stabilized by saturated monocarboxylic acids with hydrocarbon chains of different lengths, C16 (palmitic acid) and ?12 (lauric acid), with an excess of acid molecules, have been studied by small-angle neutron scattering. It is found that the addition of acid to an initially stable system with optimal composition leads to more significant structural changes (related to aggregation) than those observed previously for this class of FFs. A comparison of the influence of monocarboxylic acids on the stability of nonpolar FFs suggests that the enhancement of aggregation is much more pronounced in the case of palmitic acid excess. This fact confirms the conclusion of previous studies, according to which an increase in the hydrocarbon chain length in a saturated acid reduces the efficiency of the corresponding FF stabilization.

  2. In Vitro Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evaluation of Fragmented, Open-Coil, Percutaneous Peripheral Nerve Stimulation Leads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shellock, Frank G; Zare, Armaan; Ilfeld, Brian M; Chae, John; Strother, Robert B

    2018-04-01

    Percutaneous peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is an FDA-cleared pain treatment. Occasionally, fragments of the lead (MicroLead, SPR Therapeutics, LLC, Cleveland, OH, USA) may be retained following lead removal. Since the lead is metallic, there are associated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) risks. Therefore, the objective of this investigation was to evaluate MRI-related issues (i.e., magnetic field interactions, heating, and artifacts) for various lead fragments. Testing was conducted using standardized techniques on lead fragments of different lengths (i.e., 50, 75, and 100% of maximum possible fragment length of 12.7 cm) to determine MRI-related problems. Magnetic field interactions (i.e., translational attraction and torque) and artifacts were tested for the longest lead fragment at 3 Tesla. MRI-related heating was evaluated at 1.5 Tesla/64 MHz and 3 Tesla/128 MHz with each lead fragment placed in a gelled-saline filled phantom. Temperatures were recorded on the lead fragments while using relatively high RF power levels. Artifacts were evaluated using T1-weighted, spin echo, and gradient echo (GRE) pulse sequences. The longest lead fragment produced only minor magnetic field interactions. For the lead fragments evaluated, physiologically inconsequential MRI-related heating occurred at 1.5 Tesla/64 MHz while under certain 3 Tesla/128 MHz conditions, excessive temperature elevations may occur. Artifacts extended approximately 7 mm from the lead fragment on the GRE pulse sequence, suggesting that anatomy located at a position greater than this distance may be visualized on MRI. MRI may be performed safely in patients with retained lead fragments at 1.5 Tesla using the specific conditions of this study (i.e., MR Conditional). Due to possible excessive temperature rises at 3 Tesla, performing MRI at that field strength is currently inadvisable. © 2017 International Neuromodulation Society.

  3. Pre-Algebra and Algebra Enrollment and Achievement. Leading Indicator Spotlight

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musen, Lindsey

    2010-01-01

    In "Beyond Test Scores: Leading Indicators for Education," Foley and colleagues (2008) define "leading indicators" as those that "provide early signals of progress toward academic achievement" (p. 1) and stress that educators "need leading indicators to help them see the direction their efforts are going in and to take corrective action as soon as…

  4. Diffuse excessive high signal intensity in low-risk preterm infants at term-equivalent age does not predict outcome at 1 year: a prospective study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leitner, Yael [Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Centre, Child Development Centre, Dana-Dwek Children' s Hospital, Tel Aviv (Israel); Tel Aviv University, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv (Israel); Weinstein, Maya [Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Centre, Functional Brain Centre, The Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel Aviv (Israel); Bar Ilan University, Department of Psychology, Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Centre, Ramat-Gan (Israel); Myers, Vicki [Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Centre, Functional Brain Centre, The Wohl Institute for Advanced Imaging, Tel Aviv (Israel); Uliel, Shimrit; Geva, Karen [Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Centre, Child Development Centre, Dana-Dwek Children' s Hospital, Tel Aviv (Israel); Berger, Irit; Marom, Ronella [Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Centre, Department of Neonatology, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv (Israel); Tel Aviv University, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv (Israel); Bashat, Dafna Ben [Tel Aviv University, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv (Israel); Tel Aviv University, Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv (Israel); Ben-Sira, Liat [Tel Aviv University, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv (Israel); Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Centre, Department of Radiology, Tel Aviv (Israel); Geva, Ronny [Bar Ilan University, Department of Psychology, Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Centre, Ramat-Gan (Israel); Gross-Tsur, Varda [Shaare-Zedek Medical Centre, Neuropediatric Unit, Jerusalem (Israel)

    2014-08-15

    The outcome of premature infants with only diffuse excessive high signal intensity (DEHSI) is not clear. We explored the relationship between DEHSI, white matter (WM) diffusion characteristics, perinatal characteristics, and neurobehavioral outcome at 1 year in a homogenous group of preterm infants without major brain abnormalities. Fifty-eight preterm infants, gestational age 29 ± 2.6 weeks, underwent an MRI at term-equivalent age (TEA). Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales, neurological assessment, and Parental Stress Index (PSI) were performed at 1 year corrected age. These measures were compared between preterm infants according to DEHSI classification (none, mild, moderate). Diffusion tensor imaging was used in major WM volumes of interest to objectively measure the degree of WM maturation. No significant differences were detected in the perinatal risk characteristics, neurobehavioral outcome, and PSI at 1 year between infants with different DEHSI classifications. In infants with DEHSI, increased axial and radial diffusivities were detected in the optic radiations, centrum semiovale, and posterior limb of the internal capsule, indicating less advanced maturation of the WM. Significant correlations were detected between the time interval from birth to MRI and the WM microstructure in infants without DEHSI. DEHSI in premature infants is neither a predictive measure for short-term adverse neurobehavioral outcome nor related to perinatal risk characteristics. Extrauterine exposure time had a differential effect on WM maturational trajectories in infants with DEHSI compared to those without. We suggest DEHSI may represent an alteration in WM maturational characteristics. Further follow-up studies may verify later consequences of DEHSI in premature infants. (orig.)

  5. Diffuse excessive high signal intensity in low-risk preterm infants at term-equivalent age does not predict outcome at 1 year: a prospective study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leitner, Yael; Weinstein, Maya; Myers, Vicki; Uliel, Shimrit; Geva, Karen; Berger, Irit; Marom, Ronella; Bashat, Dafna Ben; Ben-Sira, Liat; Geva, Ronny; Gross-Tsur, Varda

    2014-01-01

    The outcome of premature infants with only diffuse excessive high signal intensity (DEHSI) is not clear. We explored the relationship between DEHSI, white matter (WM) diffusion characteristics, perinatal characteristics, and neurobehavioral outcome at 1 year in a homogenous group of preterm infants without major brain abnormalities. Fifty-eight preterm infants, gestational age 29 ± 2.6 weeks, underwent an MRI at term-equivalent age (TEA). Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales, neurological assessment, and Parental Stress Index (PSI) were performed at 1 year corrected age. These measures were compared between preterm infants according to DEHSI classification (none, mild, moderate). Diffusion tensor imaging was used in major WM volumes of interest to objectively measure the degree of WM maturation. No significant differences were detected in the perinatal risk characteristics, neurobehavioral outcome, and PSI at 1 year between infants with different DEHSI classifications. In infants with DEHSI, increased axial and radial diffusivities were detected in the optic radiations, centrum semiovale, and posterior limb of the internal capsule, indicating less advanced maturation of the WM. Significant correlations were detected between the time interval from birth to MRI and the WM microstructure in infants without DEHSI. DEHSI in premature infants is neither a predictive measure for short-term adverse neurobehavioral outcome nor related to perinatal risk characteristics. Extrauterine exposure time had a differential effect on WM maturational trajectories in infants with DEHSI compared to those without. We suggest DEHSI may represent an alteration in WM maturational characteristics. Further follow-up studies may verify later consequences of DEHSI in premature infants. (orig.)

  6. Toward multimodal signal detection of adverse drug reactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harpaz, Rave; DuMouchel, William; Schuemie, Martijn; Bodenreider, Olivier; Friedman, Carol; Horvitz, Eric; Ripple, Anna; Sorbello, Alfred; White, Ryen W; Winnenburg, Rainer; Shah, Nigam H

    2017-12-01

    Improving mechanisms to detect adverse drug reactions (ADRs) is key to strengthening post-marketing drug safety surveillance. Signal detection is presently unimodal, relying on a single information source. Multimodal signal detection is based on jointly analyzing multiple information sources. Building on, and expanding the work done in prior studies, the aim of the article is to further research on multimodal signal detection, explore its potential benefits, and propose methods for its construction and evaluation. Four data sources are investigated; FDA's adverse event reporting system, insurance claims, the MEDLINE citation database, and the logs of major Web search engines. Published methods are used to generate and combine signals from each data source. Two distinct reference benchmarks corresponding to well-established and recently labeled ADRs respectively are used to evaluate the performance of multimodal signal detection in terms of area under the ROC curve (AUC) and lead-time-to-detection, with the latter relative to labeling revision dates. Limited to our reference benchmarks, multimodal signal detection provides AUC improvements ranging from 0.04 to 0.09 based on a widely used evaluation benchmark, and a comparative added lead-time of 7-22 months relative to labeling revision dates from a time-indexed benchmark. The results support the notion that utilizing and jointly analyzing multiple data sources may lead to improved signal detection. Given certain data and benchmark limitations, the early stage of development, and the complexity of ADRs, it is currently not possible to make definitive statements about the ultimate utility of the concept. Continued development of multimodal signal detection requires a deeper understanding the data sources used, additional benchmarks, and further research on methods to generate and synthesize signals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Excess 129Xe in terrestrial samples: A non-primordial hypothesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caffee, M.W.; Hudson, G.B.

    1987-03-01

    Excesses of 129 Xe relative to the isotopic composition in air are observed in some terrestrial samples. Traditionally these 129 Xe excesses have been thought to be related to 129 I that was present in abundance in the early solar system. We propose an alternative hypothesis to explain terrestrial 129 Xe excesses based on the production of 129 I from the spontaneous fission of 238 U

  8. Staphylococcal Superantigens Spark Host-Mediated Danger Signals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Terry eKrakauer

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB of Staphylococcus aureus, and related superantigenic toxins produced by myriad microbes, are potent stimulators of the immune system causing a variety of human diseases from transient food poisoning to lethal toxic shock. These protein toxins bind directly to specific V regions of T-cell receptors (TCR and major histocompatibility complex (MHC class II on antigen-presenting cells, resulting in hyperactivation of T lymphocytes and monocytes / macrophages. Activated host cells produce excessive amounts of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, especially tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 1 (IL-1, IL-2, interferon γ (IFNγ, and macrophage chemoattractant protein 1 causing clinical symptoms of fever, hypotension, and shock. Because of superantigen-induced T cells skewed towards TH1 helper cells, and the induction of proinflammatory cytokines, superantigens can exacerbate autoimmune diseases. Upon TCR / MHC ligation, pathways induced by superantigens include the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades and cytokine receptor signaling, resulting in activation of NFκB and the phosphoinositide 3-kinase / mammalian target of rapamycin pathways. Various mouse models exist to study SEB-induced shock including those with potentiating agents, transgenic mice and an SEB-only model. However, therapeutics to treat toxic shock remain elusive as host response genes central to pathogenesis of superantigens have only been identified recently. Gene profiling of a murine model for SEB-induced shock reveals novel molecules upregulated in multiple organs not previously associated with SEB-induced responses. The pivotal genes include intracellular DNA / RNA sensors, apoptosis / DNA damage-related molecules, immunoproteasome components, as well as anti-viral and IFN-stimulated genes. The host-wide induction of these, and other, anti-microbial defense genes provide evidence that SEB elicits danger signals resulting in multi

  9. Excess molar enthalpies for binary mixtures of different amines with water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Ruilei; Chen, Jian; Mi, Jianguo

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Isothermal excess molar enthalpies for binary mixtures of different amines with water. • The Redlich–Kister equation and the NRTL model was used to fit the experimental data. • The excess molar enthalpies were discussed with different structures of amines. - Abstract: The isothermal excess molar enthalpies for binary mixtures of different amines with water were measured with a C-80 Setaram calorimeter. The experimental results indicate that the excess molar enthalpy is related to the molecular structure. The experimental excess molar enthalpies were satisfactorily fitted with the Redlich–Kister equation. They were also used to test the suitability of the NRTL model, and the deviations are a little larger than the R–K equation

  10. Thermophysical and excess properties of hydroxamic acids in DMSO

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thakur, Piyush Kumar; Patre, Sandhya; Pande, Rama

    2013-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Excess molar volumes (V E ) vs mole fraction (x 2 ) of (A) N-o-tolyl-2-nitrobenzo- and (B) N-o-tolyl-4-nitrobenzo-hydroxamic acids in DMSO at different temperatures: ■, 298.15 K; ▪, 303.15 K; ▪, 308.15 K; ▪, 313.15 K; and ▪, 318.15 K. Highlights: ► ρ, n of the system hydroxamic acids in DMSO are reported. ► Apparent molar volume indicates superior solute–solvent interactions. ► Limiting apparent molar expansibility and coefficient of thermal expansion. ► Behaviour of this parameter suggest to hydroxamic acids act as structure maker. ► The excess properties have interpreted in terms of molecular interactions. -- Abstract: In this work, densities (ρ) and refractive indices (n) of N-o-tolyl-2-nitrobenzo- and N-o-tolyl-4-nitrobenzo-, hydroxamic acids have been determined for dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a function of their concentrations at T = (298.15, 303.15, 308.15, 313.15, and 318.15) K. These measurements were carried out to evaluate some important parameters, viz, molar volume (V), apparent molar volume (V ϕ ), limiting apparent molar volume (V ϕ 0 ), slope (S V ∗ ), molar refraction (R M ) and polarizability (α). The related parameters determined are limiting apparent molar expansivity (ϕ E 0 ), thermal expansion coefficient (α 2 ) and the Hepler constant (∂ 2 V ϕ 0 /∂T 2 ). Excess properties such as excess molar volume (V E ), deviations from the additivity rule of refractive index (n E ), excess molar refraction (R M E ) have also been evaluated. The excess properties were fitted to the Redlich–Kister equations to estimate their coefficients and standard deviations were determined. The variations of these excess parameters with composition were discussed from the viewpoint of intermolecular interactions in these solutions. The excess properties are found to be either positive or negative depending on the molecular interactions and the nature of solutions. Further, these parameters have been interpreted

  11. L-line x-ray fluorescence of cortical bone lead compared with the CaNa2EDTA test in lead-toxic children: public health implications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosen, J.F.; Markowitz, M.E.; Bijur, P.E.; Jenks, S.T.; Wielopolski, L.; Kalef-Ezra, J.A.; Slatkin, D.N.

    1989-01-01

    Mild to moderate lead toxicity (blood lead, 25-55 micrograms/dl) is a preventable pediatric illness affecting several million preschool children (lead-toxic children) in the United States. In-hospital lead-chelation treatment is predicated upon a positive CaNa 2 EDTA test, which is difficult to perform and impractical in large populations. After the development of an L-line x-ray fluorescence technique (LXRF) that measures cortical bone lead content safely, rapidly, and noninvasively, this study was initiated in lead-toxic children to compare LXRF with the CaNa 2 EDTA test. Moreover, LXRF provided the opportunity to quantify bone lead content. From blood lead and LXRF alone, 90% of lead-toxic children were correctly classified as being CaNa 2 EDTA-positive or -negative. In 76% of 59 lead-toxic children, bone lead values measured by LXRF were equal to or greater than those measured in normal and industrially exposed adults. These results indicate that LXRF may be capable of replacing the CaNa 2 EDTA test. When considered with the known neurotoxic effects on children of low levels of exposure to lead, these results also suggest that either an excessively narrow margin of safety or insufficient safety is provided by present U.S. guidelines, which classify an elevated blood lead concentration as 25 micrograms/dl or greater

  12. Signaling in large-scale neural networks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Berg, Rune W; Hounsgaard, Jørn

    2009-01-01

    We examine the recent finding that neurons in spinal motor circuits enter a high conductance state during functional network activity. The underlying concomitant increase in random inhibitory and excitatory synaptic activity leads to stochastic signal processing. The possible advantages of this m......We examine the recent finding that neurons in spinal motor circuits enter a high conductance state during functional network activity. The underlying concomitant increase in random inhibitory and excitatory synaptic activity leads to stochastic signal processing. The possible advantages...... of this metabolically costly organization are analyzed by comparing with synaptically less intense networks driven by the intrinsic response properties of the network neurons....

  13. Protein Translation and Signaling in Human Eosinophils

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephane Esnault

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available We have recently reported that, unlike IL-5 and GM-CSF, IL-3 induces increased translation of a subset of mRNAs. In addition, we have demonstrated that Pin1 controls the activity of mRNA binding proteins, leading to enhanced mRNA stability, GM-CSF protein production and prolonged eosinophil (EOS survival. In this review, discussion will include an overview of cap-dependent protein translation and its regulation by intracellular signaling pathways. We will address the more general process of mRNA post-transcriptional regulation, especially regarding mRNA binding proteins, which are critical effectors of protein translation. Furthermore, we will focus on (1 the roles of IL-3-driven sustained signaling on enhanced protein translation in EOS, (2 the mechanisms regulating mRNA binding proteins activity in EOS, and (3 the potential targeting of IL-3 signaling and the signaling leading to mRNA binding activity changes to identify therapeutic targets to treat EOS-associated diseases.

  14. Blind I/Q Signal Separation-Based Solutions for Receiver Signal Processing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Visa Koivunen

    2005-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper introduces some novel digital signal processing (DSP-based approaches to some of the most fundamental tasks of radio receivers, namely, channel equalization, carrier synchronization, and I/Q mismatch compensation. The leading principle is to show that all these problems can be solved blindly (i.e., without training signals by forcing the I and Q components of the observed data as independent as possible. Blind signal separation (BSS is then introduced as an efficient tool to carry out these tasks, and simulation examples are used to illustrate the performance of the proposed approaches. The main application area of the presented carrier synchronization and I/Q mismatch compensation techniques is in direct-conversion type receivers, while the proposed channel equalization principles basically apply to any radio architecture.

  15. A Practical Approach For Excess Bandwidth Distribution for EPONs

    KAUST Repository

    Elrasad, Amr

    2014-03-09

    This paper introduces a novel approach called Delayed Excess Scheduling (DES), which practically reuse the excess bandwidth in EPONs system. DES is suitable for the industrial deployment as it requires no timing constraint and achieves better performance compared to the previously reported schemes.

  16. Subdwarf ultraviolet excesses and metal abundances

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carney, B.W.

    1979-01-01

    The relation between stellar ultraviolet excesses and abundances is reexamined with the aid of new data, and an investigation is made of the accuracy of previous abundance analyses. A high-resolution echellogram of the subdwarf HD 201891 is analyzed to illustrate some of the problems. Generally, the earliest and latest analytical techniques yield consistent results for dwarfs. New UBV data yield normalized ultraviolet excesses, delta (U-B)/sub 0.6/, which are compared to abundances to produce a graphical relation that may be used to estimate [Fe/H] to +- 0.2 dex, given UBV colors accurate to +- 0.01 mag. The relation suggests a possible discontinuity between the halo and old-disk stars

  17. Excessive behaviors in clinical practice—A state of the art article

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisabeth H. Punzi

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper concerns difficulties with excessive food intake, sexual activities, romantic relationships, gambling, Internet use, shopping, and exerciseߞbehaviors that might cause considerable suffering. Excessive behaviors are seen as expressions of underlying difficulties that often co-occur with other psychological difficulties, and behaviors may accompany or replace each other. Moreover, they might pass unnoticed in clinical practice. Given the complexity of excessive behaviors, integrated and individualized treatment has been recommended. This paper presents an overview of the terminology concerning excessive behaviors, and the impact of naming is acknowledged. Thereafter, methods for identification and assessment, as well as treatment needs are discussed. Because identification, assessment, and treatment occur in an interaction between client and practitioner, this paper presents a discussion of the need to empower practitioners to identify and assess excessive behaviors and provide an integrated treatment. Moreover, the need to support practitionersߞ capacity to handle and tolerate the overwhelming suffering and the negative consequences connected to excessive behaviors is discussed. Qualitative studies are suggested in order to understand the meaning of excessive behaviors, treatment needs, and the interaction between client and practitioner.

  18. Excess electrons in reduced rutile and anatase TiO2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Wen-Jin; Wen, Bo; Zhou, Chuanyao; Selloni, Annabella; Liu, Li-Min

    2018-05-01

    As a prototypical photocatalyst, TiO2 is a material of scientific and technological interest. In photocatalysis and other applications, TiO2 is often reduced, behaving as an n-type semiconductor with unique physico-chemical properties. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the understanding of the fundamental properties and applications of excess electrons in reduced, undoped TiO2. We discuss the characteristics of excess electrons in the bulk and at the surface of rutile and anatase TiO2 focusing on their localization, spatial distribution, energy levels, and dynamical properties. We examine specific features of the electronic states for photoexcited TiO2, for intrinsic oxygen vacancy and Ti interstitial defects, and for surface hydroxyls. We discuss similarities and differences in the behaviors of excess electrons in the rutile and anatase phases. Finally, we consider the effect of excess electrons on the reactivity, focusing on the interaction between excess electrons and adsorbates.

  19. Targets to treat androgen excess in polycystic ovary syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luque-Ramírez, Manuel; Escobar-Morreale, Héctor Francisco

    2015-01-01

    The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common androgen disorder in reproductive-aged women. Excessive biosynthesis and secretion of androgens by steroidogenic tissues is its central pathogenetic mechanism. The authors review the potential targets and new drugs to treat androgen excess in PCOS. Besides our lab's experience, a systematic search (MEDLINE, Cochrane library, ClinicalTriasl.gov, EU Clinical Trials Register and hand-searching) regarding observational studies, randomized clinical trials, systematic reviews, meta-analyses and patents about this topic was performed. PCOS has a heterogeneous clinical presentation. It is unlikely that a single drug would cover all its possible manifestations. Available treatments for androgen excess are not free of side effects that are of particular concern in these women who suffer from cardiometabolic risk even without treatment. A precise characterization of the source of androgen excess must tailor antiandrogenic management in each woman, avoiding undesirable side effects.

  20. Method of signal analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berthomier, Charles

    1975-01-01

    A method capable of handling the amplitude and the frequency time laws of a certain kind of geophysical signals is described here. This method is based upon the analytical signal idea of Gabor and Ville, which is constructed either in the time domain by adding an imaginary part to the real signal (in-quadrature signal), or in the frequency domain by suppressing negative frequency components. The instantaneous frequency of the initial signal is then defined as the time derivative of the phase of the analytical signal, and his amplitude, or envelope, as the modulus of this complex signal. The method is applied to three types of magnetospheric signals: chorus, whistlers and pearls. The results obtained by analog and numerical calculations are compared to results obtained by classical systems using filters, i.e. based upon a different definition of the concept of frequency. The precision with which the frequency-time laws are determined leads then to the examination of the principle of the method and to a definition of instantaneous power density spectrum attached to the signal, and to the first consequences of this definition. In this way, a two-dimensional representation of the signal is introduced which is less deformed by the analysis system properties than the usual representation, and which moreover has the advantage of being obtainable practically in real time [fr

  1. Disposition of excess weapons plutonium from dismantled weapons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jardine, L.J.

    1997-01-01

    With the end of the Cold War and the implementation of various nuclear arms reduction agreements, US and Russia have been actively dismantling tens of thousands of nuclear weapons. As a result,large quantities of fissile materials, including more than 100 (tonnes?) of weapons-grade Pu, have become excess to both countries' military needs. To meet nonproliferation goals and to ensure the irreversibility of nuclear arms reductions, this excess weapons Pu must be placed in secure storage and then, in timely manner, either used in nuclear reactors as fuel or discarded in geologic repositories as solid waste. This disposition in US and Russia must be accomplished in a safe, secure manner and as quickly as practical. Storage of this Pu is a prerequisite to any disposition process, but the length of storage time is unknown. Whether by use as fuel or discard as solid waste, disposition of that amount of Pu will require decades--and perhaps longer, if disposition operations encounter delays. Neither US nor Russia believes that long-term secure storage is a substitute for timely disposition of excess Pu, but long-term, safe, secure storage is a critical element of all excess Pu disposition activities

  2. Clinical lead-poisoning in the dog

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dodd, D C; Staples, E L.J.

    1956-03-01

    Several cases of lead-poisoning in the dog are described. The clinical signs which are most common are: 1) abdominal pain, sometimes associated with vomiting and diarrhoea or constipation; and 2) nervous signs, such as hysteria, convulsive seizures, blindness, leg weakness, and altered disposition. There are no constant morbid anatomical findings, and frequently nothing abnormal can be found at autopsy. The diagnosis can be confirmed in the live animal by analysis of the whole blood, urine, and faeces, and, in the dead animal, of liver and stomach contents. Examination of the blood for changes to the erythrocytes such as excess numbers of normoblasts and basophilic stippling may help to confirm the clinical diagnosis. Th authors consider that lead-poisoning in dogs is more common than has hitherto been indicated and that the nervous signs have caused it to be confused with canine hysteria and the common viral diseases, which often terminate with convulsive seizures. 7 references.

  3. Maternal Chromium Restriction Leads to Glucose Metabolism Imbalance in Mice Offspring through Insulin Signaling and Wnt Signaling Pathways

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Qian; Sun, Xiaofang; Xiao, Xinhua; Zheng, Jia; Li, Ming; Yu, Miao; Ping, Fan; Wang, Zhixin; Qi, Cuijuan; Wang, Tong; Wang, Xiaojing

    2016-01-01

    An adverse intrauterine environment, induced by a chromium-restricted diet, is a potential cause of metabolic disease in adult life. Up to now, the relative mechanism has not been clear. C57BL female mice were time-mated and fed either a control diet (CD), or a chromium-restricted diet (CR) throughout pregnancy and the lactation period. After weaning, some offspring continued the diet diagram (CD-CD or CR-CR), while other offspring were transferred to another diet diagram (CD-CR or CR-CD). At 32 weeks of age, glucose metabolism parameters were measured, and the liver from CR-CD group and CD-CD group was analyzed using a gene array. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Western blot were used to verify the result of the gene array. A maternal chromium-restricted diet resulted in obesity, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, increased area under the curve (AUC) of glucose in oral glucose tolerance testing and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). There were 463 genes that differed significantly (>1.5-fold change, p chromium deficiency influences glucose metabolism in pups through the regulation of insulin signaling and Wnt signaling pathways. PMID:27782077

  4. Identification and Evaluation of Cases for Excess Heat Utilisation Using GIS

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bühler, Fabian; Petrovic, Stefan; Ommen, Torben Schmidt

    2018-01-01

    Excess heat is present in many sectors, and its utilization could reduce the primary energy use and emission of greenhouse gases. This work presents a geographical mapping of excess heat, in which excess heat from the industry and utility sector was distributed to specific geographical locations...

  5. Steric parameters and excess properties of hydroxamic acids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patre, Sandhya; Thakur, Piyush; Pande, Rama

    2012-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Plot of excess molar volume, V E , vs X 2 of (A) PBHA in DMF, (B) PMNHA in DMF, and (C) PNHA in DMF, at (■), 298.15 K; (▪), 303.15 K; (▪), 308.15 K; and (▪), 313.15 K. Highlights: ► Apparent molar volume indicates greater solute–solvent interactions. ► Excess properties show higher dispersion force in solution than pure solvent. ► Excess parameters suggest strong solute–solvent and solute–solute interactions. ► Limiting apparent molar expansibilities instigate highly hydrophobic characters. ► Hepler’s constant suggest the structure promoter nature of hydroxamic acids. - Abstract: Steric parameters of N-phenylbenzo-, N-phenyl-4-methyl-3-nitrobenzo-, and N-phenyl-4-nitrobenzo-, hydroxamic acids were measured in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) as a function of their concentrations at T = (298.15, 303.15, 308.15, and 313.15) K. The apparent molar volume (V φ ), limiting apparent molar volume (V φ 0 ) at infinite dilution and the slope (S V ∗ ) are calculated from the experimental values of density (ρ) by applying the Masson’s equation. The apparent molar expansibility at infinite dilution (φ E 0 ), molar volume (V) and the excess molar volume (V E ) are also computed. The refractive indices (n) have been used to calculate the steric parameters, viz. molar refraction (R M ), polarizability (α) and excess molar refraction (R) of these molecules. The results show the strong solute–solvent interactions present in the system and thus, help to explore the molecular structure.

  6. Lead-Time Models Should Not Be Used to Estimate Overdiagnosis in Cancer Screening

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zahl, Per-Henrik; Jørgensen, Karsten Juhl; Gøtzsche, Peter C

    2014-01-01

    screening--the excess-incidence approach and the lead-time approach--that rely on two different lead-time definitions. Overdiagnosis when screening with mammography has varied from 0 to 75 %. We have explained that these differences are mainly caused by using different definitions and methods......Lead-time can mean two different things: Clinical lead-time is the lead-time for clinically relevant tumors; that is, those that are not overdiagnosed. Model-based lead-time is a theoretical construct where the time when the tumor would have caused symptoms is not limited by the person's death....... It is the average time at which the diagnosis is brought forward for both clinically relevant and overdiagnosed cancers. When screening for breast cancer, clinical lead-time is about 1 year, while model-based lead-time varies from 2 to 7 years. There are two different methods to calculate overdiagnosis in cancer...

  7. Development of ARDS after Excessive Kath Consumption: A Case Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marlene Wewalka

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Khat is a drug widely used in the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Khat leaves contain, among other substances, the psychoactive alkaloid cathinone, which induce central nervous system stimulation leading to euphoria, hyperactivity, restlessness, and insomnia. However, it also could cause psychological adverse effects such as lethargy, sleepiness, psychoses, and depression necessitating pharmacologic treatment. Here we report the case of a 35-year-old man from Somalia who became unconscious and developed aspiration pneumonia and subsequent ARDS after excessive consumption of khat leaves. His unconsciousness was possibly caused by the sleepiness developed after khat consumption and a benzodiazepine intake by the patient himself. Thus, khat-induced adverse effects should not primarily be treated pharmacologically, but patients should be urged to quit khat consumption in order to eliminate or, at least, reduce the severity of present psychological adverse effects.

  8. [Excessive computer usage in adolescents--results of a psychometric evaluation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grüsser, Sabine M; Thalemann, Ralf; Albrecht, Ulrike; Thalemann, Carolin N

    2005-03-01

    Excessive computer and video game playing among children is being critically discussed from a pedagogic and public health point of view. To date, no reliable data for this phenomenon in Germany exists. In the present study, the excessive usage of computer and video games is seen as a rewarding behavior which can, due to learning mechanisms, become a prominent and inadequate strategy for children to cope with negative emotions like frustration, uneasiness and fears. In the survey, 323 children ranging in age from 11 to 14 years were asked about their video game playing behavior. Criteria for excessive computer and video game playing were developed in accordance with the criteria for dependency and pathological gambling (DSM-IV, ICD-10). Data show that 9.3% (N = 30) of the children fulfill all criteria for excessive computer and video game playing. Furthermore, these children differ from their class mates with respect to watching television, communication patterns, the ability to concentrate in school lectures and the preferred strategies coping with negative emotions. In accordance with findings in studies about substance-related addiction, data suggest that excessive computer and video game players use their excessive rewarding behavior specifically as an inadequate stress coping strategy.

  9. The High Price of Excessive Alcohol Consumption

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2011-10-17

    This podcast is based on the October 2011 release of a report estimating the economic cost of excessive drinking. Excessive alcohol consumption cost the U. S. $223.5 billion in 2006, or about $1.90 per drink. Over three-quarters (76%) of these costs were due to binge drinking, defined as consuming 4 or more alcoholic beverages per occasion for women or 5 or more drinks per occasion for men.  Created: 10/17/2011 by National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.   Date Released: 10/17/2011.

  10. On the excess energy of nonequilibrium plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Timofeev, A. V.

    2012-01-01

    The energy that can be released in plasma due to the onset of instability (the excess plasma energy) is estimated. Three potentially unstable plasma states are considered, namely, plasma with an anisotropic Maxwellian velocity distribution of plasma particles, plasma with a two-beam velocity distribution, and an inhomogeneous plasma in a magnetic field with a local Maxwellian velocity distribution. The excess energy can serve as a measure of the degree to which plasma is nonequilibrium. In particular, this quantity can be used to compare plasmas in different nonequilibrium states.

  11. Biogeochemical studies of lead isotopes near a smelter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Landrigan, P.J.; Baker, E.L. Jr.; Earl, J.L.; Chow, T.J.

    1975-01-01

    Ninety-nine percent of 1 to 9 year-old children living within 1 mile of a primary lead smelter in Idaho were found to have whole blood lead levels equal to or greater than 40μg/100 ml, a level indicative of excess lead absorption. To define the sources of this lead, isotope ratios were determined in lead from human and environmental samples obtained near the smelter; determinations were performed using a 30-cm radius, solid-source mass spectrometer with an electron multiplier. The Idaho ore is a pre-Cambrian lead deposit with 206 Pb/ 204 Pb = 16.43, 206 Pb = 1.0543 and 206 Pb/ 208 Pb = 0.4518. An ingot smelted in 1974 showed isotope ratios of 206 Pb/ 204 Pb = 17.66, 206 Pb/ 207 Pb = 1.1312 and 206 Pb/ 208 Pb = 0.4694, indicating a mixture of ore sources. Three surface soil samples from within 2 miles of the smelter had lead ratios similar to those in the ingot. A fourth soil sample from beside an interstate highway 32 miles east of the smelter showed different ratios: 206 Pb/ 204 Pb = 18.47, 206 Pb/ 207 Pb = 1.1826 and 206 Pb/ 208 Pb = 0.4823. Aerosol samples collected from October 4, 1974, to February 1, 1975, near the smelter showed considerable variation in ratios; these variations resulted from smelting of ores from differing sources

  12. Signal processing for the profoundly deaf.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boothyroyd, A

    1990-01-01

    Profound deafness, defined here as a hearing loss in excess of 90 dB, is characterized by high thresholds, reduced hearing range in the intensity and frequency domains, and poor resolution in the frequency and time domains. The high thresholds call for hearing aids with unusually high gains or remote microphones that can be placed close to the signal source. The former option creates acoustic feedback problems for which digital signal processing may yet offer solutions. The latter option calls for carrier wave technology that is already available. The reduced frequency and intensity ranges would appear to call for frequency and/or amplitude compression. It might also be argued, however, that any attempts to compress the acoustic signal into the limited hearing range of the profoundly deaf will be counterproductive because of poor frequency and time resolution, especially when the signal is present in noise. In experiments with a 2-channel compression system, only 1 of 9 subjects showed an improvement of perception with the introduction of fast-release (20 ms) compression. The other 8 experienced no benefit or a slight deterioration of performance. These results support the concept of providing the profoundly deaf with simpler, rather than more complex, patterns, perhaps through the use of feature extraction hearing aids. Data from users of cochlear implants already employing feature extraction techniques also support this concept.

  13. Stocks and flows of lead-based wheel weights in the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bleiwas, Donald I.

    2006-01-01

    Lead is used in many widely known applications, such as automobile batteries and radiation shielding. Another lesser known, but long-term, use of lead is in automotive vehicle wheel weights. Lead weights have been used to balance wheels since the 1930s because of its high specific gravity, low relative cost, and its malleability. Out-of-balance tires tend to 'cup' and vibrate and as a result cause excessive wear on tires and vehicle suspension components and result in compromised handling, especially at high speeds. The mass, number, and style of weights needed to balance a wheel depend on the tire's size and weight and on the type and condition of the wheels (rims) on the vehicle. This study addresses an accounting of the stocks and flows of lead contained in lead wheel weights from their manufacture, through use, dissipation, and recycling, and environmental issues associated with the use of lead.

  14. Signal-background interference effects for gg{yields}H{yields}W{sup +}W{sup -} beyond leading order

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bonvini, Marco [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany); Caola, Fabrizio; Melnikov, Kirill [Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy; Forte, Stefano [Univ. di Milano, Sezione di Milano (Italy). Dipt. di Fisica; INFN, Sezione di Milano (Italy); Ridolfi, Giovanni [Univ. di Genova, Sezione di Genova (Italy). Dipt. di Fisica; INFN, Sezione di Genova (Italy)

    2013-04-15

    We study the effect of QCD corrections to the gg {yields} H {yields} W{sup +}W{sup -} signal-background interference at the LHC for a heavy Higgs boson. We construct a soft-collinear approximation to the NLO and NNLO corrections for the background process, which is exactly known only at LO. We estimate its accuracy by constructing and comparing the same approximation to the exact result for the signal process, which is known up to NNLO, and we conclude that we can describe the signal-background interference to better than O(10%) accuracy. We show that our result implies that, in practice, a fairly good approximation to higher-order QCD corrections to the interference may also be obtained by rescaling the known LO result by a K-factor computed using the signal process.

  15. Excess lithium storage in LiFePO4-Carbon interface by ball-milling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Hua; Song, Xiaohe; Zheng, Jiaxin; Pan, Feng

    2016-07-01

    As one of the most popular cathode materials for high power lithium ion batteries (LIBs) of the electrical-vehicle (EV), lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4 (LFP)) is limited to its relatively lower theoretical specific capacity of 170mAh g-1. To break the limits and further improve the capacity of LFP is promising but challenging. In this study, the ball-milling method is applied to the mixture of LFP and carbon, and the effective capacity larger than the theoretical one by 30mAh g-1 is achieved. It is demonstrated that ball-milling leads to the LFP-Carbon interface to store the excess Li-ions.

  16. 30 CFR 816.73 - Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills...-SURFACE MINING ACTIVITIES § 816.73 Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills. The regulatory authority may approve the alternative method of disposal of excess durable rock spoil by gravity placement in...

  17. 30 CFR 817.73 - Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills...-UNDERGROUND MINING ACTIVITIES § 817.73 Disposal of excess spoil: Durable rock fills. The regulatory authority may approve the alternative method of disposal of excess durable rock spoil by gravity placement in...

  18. Eryptosis in lead-exposed workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aguilar-Dorado, Itzel-Citlalli; Hernández, Gerardo; Quintanar-Escorza, Martha-Angelica; Maldonado-Vega, María; Rosas-Flores, Margarita; Calderón-Salinas, José-Víctor

    2014-12-01

    Eryptosis is a physiological phenomenon in which old and damaged erythrocytes are removed from circulation. Erythrocytes incubated with lead have exhibited major eryptosis. In the present work we found evidence of high levels of eryptosis in lead exposed workers possibly via oxidation. Blood samples were taken from 40 male workers exposed to lead (mean blood lead concentration 64.8μg/dl) and non-exposed workers (4.2μg/dl). The exposure to lead produced an intoxication characterized by 88.3% less δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (δALAD) activity in lead exposed workers with respect to non-lead exposed workers. An increment of oxidation in lead exposed workers was characterized by 2.4 times higher thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) concentration and 32.8% lower reduced/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratio. Oxidative stress in erythrocytes of lead exposed workers is expressed in 192% higher free calcium concentration [Ca(2+)]i and 1.6 times higher μ-calpain activity with respect to non-lead exposed workers. The adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration was not significantly different between the two worker groups. No externalization of phosphatidylserine (PS) was found in non-lead exposed workers (lead exposed workers showed 2.82% externalization. Lead intoxication induces eryptosis possibly through a molecular pathway that includes oxidation, depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH), increment of [Ca(2+)], μ-calpain activation and externalization of PS in erythrocytes. Identifying molecular signals that induce eryptosis in lead intoxication is necessary to understand its physiopathology and chronic complications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. High antipredatory efficiency of insular lizards: a warning signal of excessive specimen collection?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel Delibes

    Full Text Available We live-captured lizards on islands in the Gulf of California and the Baja California peninsula mainland, and compared their ability to escape predation. Contrary to expectations, endemic lizard species from uninhabited islands fled from humans earlier and more efficiently than those from peninsular mainland areas. In fact, 58.2% (n=146 of the lizards we tried to capture on the various islands escaped successfully, while this percentage was only 14.4% (n=160 on the peninsular mainland. Separate evidence (e.g., proportion of regenerated tails, low human population at the collection areas, etc. challenges several potential explanations for the higher antipredatory efficiency of insular lizards (e.g., more predation pressure on islands, habituation to humans on the peninsula, etc.. Instead, we suggest that the ability of insular lizards to avoid predators may be related to harvesting by humans, perhaps due to the value of endemic species as rare taxonomic entities. If this hypothesis is correct, predation-related behavioral changes in rare species could provide early warning signals of their over-exploitation, thus encouraging the adoption of conservation measures.

  20. Excess electron transport in cryoobjects

    CERN Document Server

    Eshchenko, D G; Brewer, J H; Cottrell, S P; Cox, S F J

    2003-01-01

    Experimental results on excess electron transport in solid and liquid phases of Ne, Ar, and solid N sub 2 -Ar mixture are presented and compared with those for He. Muon spin relaxation technique in frequently switching electric fields was used to study the phenomenon of delayed muonium formation: excess electrons liberated in the mu sup + ionization track converge upon the positive muons and form Mu (mu sup + e sup -) atoms. This process is shown to be crucially dependent upon the electron's interaction with its environment (i.e., whether it occupies the conduction band or becomes localized in a bubble of tens of angstroms in radius) and upon its mobility in these states. The characteristic lengths involved are 10 sup - sup 6 -10 sup - sup 4 cm, the characteristic times range from nanoseconds to tens microseconds. Such a microscopic length scale sometimes enables the electron spend its entire free lifetime in a state which may not be detected by conventional macroscopic techniques. The electron transport proc...

  1. [Excess mortality associated with influenza in Spain in winter 2012].

    Science.gov (United States)

    León-Gómez, Inmaculada; Delgado-Sanz, Concepción; Jiménez-Jorge, Silvia; Flores, Víctor; Simón, Fernando; Gómez-Barroso, Diana; Larrauri, Amparo; de Mateo Ontañón, Salvador

    2015-01-01

    An excess of mortality was detected in Spain in February and March 2012 by the Spanish daily mortality surveillance system and the «European monitoring of excess mortality for public health action» program. The objective of this article was to determine whether this excess could be attributed to influenza in this period. Excess mortality from all causes from 2006 to 2012 were studied using time series in the Spanish daily mortality surveillance system, and Poisson regression in the European mortality surveillance system, as well as the FluMOMO model, which estimates the mortality attributable to influenza. Excess mortality due to influenza and pneumonia attributable to influenza were studied by a modification of the Serfling model. To detect the periods of excess, we compared observed and expected mortality. In February and March 2012, both the Spanish daily mortality surveillance system and the European mortality surveillance system detected a mortality excess of 8,110 and 10,872 deaths (mortality ratio (MR): 1.22 (95% CI:1.21-1.23) and 1.32 (95% CI: 1.29-1.31), respectively). In the 2011-12 season, the FluMOMO model identified the maximum percentage (97%) of deaths attributable to influenza in people older than 64 years with respect to the mortality total associated with influenza (13,822 deaths). The rate of excess mortality due to influenza and pneumonia and respiratory causes in people older than 64 years, obtained by the Serfling model, also reached a peak in the 2011-2012 season: 18.07 and 77.20, deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, respectively. A significant increase in mortality in elderly people in Spain was detected by the Spanish daily mortality surveillance system and by the European mortality surveillance system in the winter of 2012, coinciding with a late influenza season, with a predominance of the A(H3N2) virus, and a cold wave in Spain. This study suggests that influenza could have been one of the main factors contributing to the mortality excess

  2. 40 CFR 57.304 - Bypass, excess emissions and malfunctions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... (performance level of interim constant controls) or § 57.303 (plantwide emission limitation) of this subpart... limitation, as well as the operating data, documents, and calculations used in determining the magnitude of the excess emissions; (3) Time and duration of the excess emissions; (4) Identity of the equipment...

  3. Evaluating the effectiveness of a smartphone app to reduce excessive alcohol consumption: protocol for a factorial randomised control trial

    OpenAIRE

    Garnett, Claire; Crane, David; Michie, Susan; West, Robert; Brown, Jamie

    2016-01-01

    Background Excessive alcohol consumption is a leading cause of death and morbidity worldwide and interventions to help people reduce their consumption are needed. Interventions delivered by smartphone apps have the potential to help harmful and hazardous drinkers reduce their consumption of alcohol. However, there has been little evaluation of the effectiveness of existing smartphone interventions. A systematic review, amongst other methodologies, identified promising modular content that cou...

  4. Lead exposure in radiator repair workers: a survey of Washington State radiator repair shops and review of occupational lead exposure registry data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whittaker, Stephen G

    2003-07-01

    Radiator repair workers in Washington State have the greatest number of very elevated (> or =60 microg/dL) blood lead levels of any other worker population. The goals of this study were to determine the number of radiator repair workers potentially exposed to lead; estimate the extent of blood lead data underreporting to the Occupational Lead Exposure Registry; describe current safety and health practices in radiator repair shops; and determine appropriate intervention strategies to reduce exposure and increase employer and worker awareness. Lead exposure in Washington State's radiator repair workers was assessed by reviewing Registry data and conducting a statewide survey of radiator repair businesses. This study revealed that a total of 226 workers in Washington State (including owner-operators and all employees) conduct repair activities that could potentially result in excessive exposures to lead. Approximately 26% of radiator repair workers with elevated blood lead levels (> or =25 microg/dL) were determined to report to Washington State's Registry. This study also revealed a lack of awareness of lead's health effects, appropriate industrial hygiene controls, and the requirements of the Lead Standard. Survey respondents requested information on a variety of workplace health and safety issues and waste management; 80% requested a confidential, free-of-charge consultation. Combining data derived from an occupational health surveillance system and a statewide mail survey proved effective at characterizing lead exposures and directing public health intervention in Washington State.

  5. High-Performance CH3NH3PbI3-Inverted Planar Perovskite Solar Cells with Fill Factor Over 83% via Excess Organic/Inorganic Halide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jahandar, Muhammad; Khan, Nasir; Lee, Hang Ken; Lee, Sang Kyu; Shin, Won Suk; Lee, Jong-Cheol; Song, Chang Eun; Moon, Sang-Jin

    2017-10-18

    The reduction of charge carrier recombination and intrinsic defect density in organic-inorganic halide perovskite absorber materials is a prerequisite to achieving high-performance perovskite solar cells with good efficiency and stability. Here, we fabricated inverted planar perovskite solar cells by incorporation of a small amount of excess organic/inorganic halide (methylammonium iodide (CH 3 NH 3 I; MAI), formamidinium iodide (CH(NH 2 ) 2 I; FAI), and cesium iodide (CsI)) in CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 perovskite film. Larger crystalline grains and enhanced crystallinity in CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 perovskite films with excess organic/inorganic halide reduce the charge carrier recombination and defect density, leading to enhanced device efficiency (MAI+: 14.49 ± 0.30%, FAI+: 16.22 ± 0.38% and CsI+: 17.52 ± 0.56%) compared to the efficiency of a control MAPbI 3 device (MAI: 12.63 ± 0.64%) and device stability. Especially, the incorporation of a small amount of excess CsI in MAPbI 3 perovskite film leads to a highly reproducible fill factor of over 83%, increased open-circuit voltage (from 0.946 to 1.042 V), and short-circuit current density (from 18.43 to 20.89 mA/cm 2 ).

  6. Radar signal processing and its applications

    CERN Document Server

    Hummel, Robert; Stoica, Petre; Zelnio, Edmund

    2003-01-01

    Radar Signal Processing and Its Applications brings together in one place important contributions and up-to-date research results in this fast-moving area. In twelve selected chapters, it describes the latest advances in architectures, design methods, and applications of radar signal processing. The contributors to this work were selected from the leading researchers and practitioners in the field. This work, originally published as Volume 14, Numbers 1-3 of the journal, Multidimensional Systems and Signal Processing, will be valuable to anyone working or researching in the field of radar signal processing. It serves as an excellent reference, providing insight into some of the most challenging issues being examined today.

  7. Special features of self-compensation of halogen donor action in lead telluride

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kajdanov, V.I.; Nemov, S.A.; Ravich, Yu.I.; Dereza, A.Yu.

    1985-01-01

    Specific features of self-compensation of halogen donor action in lead telluride are investigasted. Lead telluride samples with chlorine additions (with tellurium excess) and, besides, with bromine- and iodine additions were studied in order to reveal general regularities in alloyind with all halogen donor impurities. Experimental dependences of the difference between the electron and hole concentrations (n-p) in PbTe as a function of an amount of introduced halogen impurities (Ni) are presented for samples with a maximum compensation at 295 K. General features of the n-p=f(Ni) dependence are presented for all halogens. The hypothesis on the kinetic mechanism of increasing the efficiency of self-compensation of halogen donor action in lead telluride is suggested

  8. Excess relative risk of solid cancer mortality after prolonged exposure to naturally occurring high background radiation in Yangjiang, China

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sun Quanfu; Tao Zufan [Ministry of Health, Beijing (China). Lab. of Industrial Hygiene; Akiba, Suminori (and others)

    2000-10-01

    A study was made on cancer mortality in the high-background radiation areas of Yangjiang, China. Based on hamlet-specific environmental doses and sex- and age-specific occupancy factors, cumulative doses were calculated for each subject. In this article, we describe how the indirect estimation was made on individual dose and the methodology used to estimate radiation risk. Then, assuming a linear dose response relationship and using cancer mortality data for the period 1979-1995, we estimate the excess relative risk per Sievert for solid cancer to be -0.11 (95% CI, -0.67, 0.69). Also, we estimate the excess relative risks of four leading cancers in the study areas, i.e., cancers of the liver, nasopharynx, lung and stomach. In addition, we evaluate the effects of possible bias on our risk estimation. (author)

  9. Excessive Internet gaming and decision making: do excessive World of Warcraft players have problems in decision making under risky conditions?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pawlikowski, Mirko; Brand, Matthias

    2011-08-15

    The dysfunctional behavior of excessive Internet gamers, such as preferring the immediate reward (to play World of Warcraft) despite the negative long-term consequences may be comparable with the dysfunctional behavior in substance abusers or individuals with behavioral addictions, e.g. pathological gambling. In these disorders, general decision-making deficits have been demonstrated. Hence, the aim of the present work was to examine decision-making competences of excessive World of Warcraft players. Nineteen excessive Internet gamers (EIG) and a control group (CG) consisting of 19 non-gamers were compared with respect to decision-making abilities. The Game of Dice Task (GDT) was applied to measure decision-making under risky conditions. Furthermore psychological-psychiatric symptoms were assessed in both groups. The EIG showed a reduced decision-making ability in the GDT. Furthermore the EIG group showed a higher psychological-psychiatric symptomatology in contrast to the CG. The results indicate that the reduced decision-making ability of EIG is comparable with patients with other forms of behavioral addiction (e.g. pathological gambling), impulse control disorders or substance abusers. Thus, these results suggest that excessive Internet gaming may be based on a myopia for the future, meaning that EIG prefer to play World of Warcraft despite the negative long-term consequences in social or work domains of life. 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. 19 CFR 10.625 - Refunds of excess customs duties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 19 Customs Duties 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Refunds of excess customs duties. 10.625 Section 10.625 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY; DEPARTMENT... and Apparel Goods § 10.625 Refunds of excess customs duties. (a) Applicability. Section 205 of the...

  11. Minimization of Excess Sludge in Activated Sludge Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sayed Ali Reza Momeni

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The disposal of excess sludge from wastewater treatment plant represents a rising challenge in activated sludge processes. Hence, the minimization of excess sludge production was investigated by increasing the dissolved oxygen in aeration basin. Units of the pilot include: Primary sedimentation tank, aeration basin, secondary sedimentation tank, and return sludge tank. Volume of aeration basin is 360 l and influent flow rate is 90 L/h. Influent of pilot is taken from effluent of grit chamber of Isfahan's North Wastewater treatment plant. The experiments were done on different parts of pilot during the 5 month of study. Results show that increase of dissolved oxygen in aeration tank affect on decrease of excess sludge. Increase of dissolved oxygen from 0.5 to 4.5 mg/L resulted in 25% decrease of excess sludge. Variation of dissolved oxygen affect on settleability of sludge too. By increase of dissolved oxygen, SVI decreased and then increased. Value of 1-3 mg/L was the adequate range of dissolved oxygen by settleability of sludge and optimum range was 2-2.5 mg/L. It could be concluded by increasing of dissolved oxygen up to of 3 mg/L, sludge settleability significant decreased.

  12. Signaling filopodia in avian embryogenesis: formation and function

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Margarethe Draga

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available In vertebrates and invertebrates specialized cellular protrusions, called signaling filopodia or cytonemes, play an important role in cell-cell communication by carrying receptors and ligands to distant cells to activate various signaling pathways. In the chicken embryo, signaling filopodia were described in limb bud mesenchyme and in somite epithelia. The formation of signaling filopodia depends on the activity of Rho GTPases and reorganization of the cytoskeleton. Here, we give a short overview on the present knowledge on avian signaling filopodia and discuss the molecular basis of cytoskeletal rearrangements leading to filopodia formation.

  13. The Role of the MAPK Signaling, Topoisomerase and Dietary Bioactives in Controlling Cancer Incidence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khaled A. Selim

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Reactive oxygen species (ROS are common products of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, xenobiotics metabolism and are generated in response to several environmental stress conditions. Some of them play important biochemical roles in cellular signal transduction and gene transcription. On the other hand, ROS are known to be involved in a wide range of human diseases, including cancer. The excessive production of such ROS together with disruption of homeostasis detoxifying mechanisms can mediate a series of cellular oxidative stresses. The oxidative stress of redundant free radicals production can lead to oxidative denaturation of cellular macromolecules including proteins, lipids and DNA. Moreover, oxidative damage is one of the major causes of DNA mutations, replication errors and genomic abnormalities which result in either inhibition or induction of transcription, and end with the disturbance of signal transduction pathways. Among affected signaling pathways are redox-sensitive kinases. The stimulation of these kinases induces several transcription factors through the phosphorylation of their module proteins. The activation of such pathways induces proliferation and cellular transformation. A diet rich in antioxidant compounds has potential health benefits, and there is a growing interest in the role of natural antioxidants in nutrition for prevention and cure of cancer diseases. A controversy has risen regarding the relation between antioxidants and the significant decrease in the risk of cancer incidence. In this review, we will focus on redox-sensitive kinases signaling pathways, highlighting the effects of dietary antioxidant on the prevention, incidence, prognosis or even treatment of human cancers. In addition, we will place emphasis on the chemical classes of pterocarpans as natural anti-oxidants/cancers as well as their underlying mechanisms of action, including their effects on MAPKs and topoisomerase activities.

  14. Plutonium determination in solution with excess hydrofluoric acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krtil, J.; Kuvik, V.; Spevackova, V.

    1975-01-01

    The determination is described of plutonium in solutions in the presence of fluoride ions resulting from the hydrolysis of PuF 6 . The method is based on reduction of Pu(VI) by excess of Fe(II) and on re-titration of Fe(II) with ceric salt. The effect of fluoride ions on plutonium determination was studied. It was found that a 3 mole excess of HF with respect to Pu decreased the results of Pu determination. The interference of fluoride ions was eliminated by a two-fold evaporation of the solution to be titrated with HNO 3 to dryness or by complex formation with boric arid. The amount of 20.50 mg Pu in the presence of a 10 mole excess of fluoride ions (17 mg HF) was determined with an error of +- 0.09 mg ). (author)

  15. Obesity-Induced Metabolic Stress Leads to Biased Effector Memory CD4+ T Cell Differentiation via PI3K p110δ-Akt-Mediated Signals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mauro, Claudio; Smith, Joanne; Cucchi, Danilo; Coe, David; Fu, Hongmei; Bonacina, Fabrizia; Baragetti, Andrea; Cermenati, Gaia; Caruso, Donatella; Mitro, Nico; Catapano, Alberico L; Ammirati, Enrico; Longhi, Maria P; Okkenhaug, Klaus; Norata, Giuseppe D; Marelli-Berg, Federica M

    2017-03-07

    Low-grade systemic inflammation associated to obesity leads to cardiovascular complications, caused partly by infiltration of adipose and vascular tissue by effector T cells. The signals leading to T cell differentiation and tissue infiltration during obesity are poorly understood. We tested whether saturated fatty acid-induced metabolic stress affects differentiation and trafficking patterns of CD4 + T cells. Memory CD4 + T cells primed in high-fat diet-fed donors preferentially migrated to non-lymphoid, inflammatory sites, independent of the metabolic status of the hosts. This was due to biased CD4 + T cell differentiation into CD44 hi -CCR7 lo -CD62L lo -CXCR3 + -LFA1 + effector memory-like T cells upon priming in high-fat diet-fed animals. Similar phenotype was observed in obese subjects in a cohort of free-living people. This developmental bias was independent of any crosstalk between CD4 + T cells and dendritic cells and was mediated via direct exposure of CD4 + T cells to palmitate, leading to increased activation of a PI3K p110δ-Akt-dependent pathway upon priming. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Activation by insulin and amino acids of signaling components leading to translation initiation in skeletal muscle of neonatal pigs is developmentally regulated.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suryawan, Agus; Orellana, Renan A; Nguyen, Hanh V; Jeyapalan, Asumthia S; Fleming, Jillian R; Davis, Teresa A

    2007-12-01

    Insulin and amino acids act independently to stimulate protein synthesis in skeletal muscle of neonatal pigs, and the responses decrease with development. The purpose of this study was to compare the separate effects of fed levels of INS and AA on the activation of signaling components leading to translation initiation and how these responses change with development. Overnight-fasted 6- (n = 4/group) and 26-day-old (n = 6/ group) pigs were studied during 1) euinsulinemic-euglycemiceuaminoacidemic conditions (controls), 2) euinsulinemic-euglycemichyperaminoacidemic clamps (AA), and 3) hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic-euaminoacidemic clamps (INS). INS, but not AA, increased the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (PKB) and tuberous sclerosis 2 (TSC2). Both INS and AA increased protein synthesis and the phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), ribosomal protein S6 kinase-1, and eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF)4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1), and these responses were higher in 6-day-old compared with 26-day-old pigs. Both INS and AA decreased the binding of 4E-BP1 to eIF4E and increased eIF4E binding to eIF4G; these effects were greater in 6-day-old than in 26-day-old pigs. Neither INS nor AA altered the composition of mTORC1 (raptor, mTOR, and GbetaL) or mTORC2 (rictor, mTOR, and GbetaL) complexes. Furthermore, neither INS, AA, nor age had any effect on the abundance of Rheb and the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase and eukaryotic elongation factor 2. Our results suggest that the activation by insulin and amino acids of signaling components leading to translation initiation is developmentally regulated and parallels the developmental decline in protein synthesis in skeletal muscle of neonatal pigs.

  17. Excess Sodium Tetraphenylborate and Intermediates Decomposition Studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barnes, M.J.

    1998-12-07

    The stability of excess amounts of sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) in the In-Tank Precipitation (ITP) facility depends on a number of variables. Concentration of palladium, initial benzene, and sodium ion as well as temperature provide the best opportunities for controlling the decomposition rate. This study examined the influence of these four variable on the reactivity of palladium-catalyzed sodium tetraphenylborate decomposition. Also, single effects tests investigated the reactivity of simulants with continuous stirring and nitrogen ventilation, with very high benzene concentrations, under washed sodium concentrations, with very high palladium concentrations, and with minimal quantities of excess NaTPB.

  18. Impacts and mitigation of excess diesel-related NOx emissions in 11 major vehicle markets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anenberg, Susan C.; Miller, Joshua; Minjares, Ray; Du, Li; Henze, Daven K.; Lacey, Forrest; Malley, Christopher S.; Emberson, Lisa; Franco, Vicente; Klimont, Zbigniew; Heyes, Chris

    2017-05-01

    Vehicle emissions contribute to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and tropospheric ozone air pollution, affecting human health, crop yields and climate worldwide. On-road diesel vehicles produce approximately 20 per cent of global anthropogenic emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), which are key PM2.5 and ozone precursors. Regulated NOx emission limits in leading markets have been progressively tightened, but current diesel vehicles emit far more NOx under real-world operating conditions than during laboratory certification testing. Here we show that across 11 markets, representing approximately 80 per cent of global diesel vehicle sales, nearly one-third of on-road heavy-duty diesel vehicle emissions and over half of on-road light-duty diesel vehicle emissions are in excess of certification limits. These excess emissions (totalling 4.6 million tons) are associated with about 38,000 PM2.5- and ozone-related premature deaths globally in 2015, including about 10 per cent of all ozone-related premature deaths in the 28 European Union member states. Heavy-duty vehicles are the dominant contributor to excess diesel NOx emissions and associated health impacts in almost all regions. Adopting and enforcing next-generation standards (more stringent than Euro 6/VI) could nearly eliminate real-world diesel-related NOx emissions in these markets, avoiding approximately 174,000 global PM2.5- and ozone-related premature deaths in 2040. Most of these benefits can be achieved by implementing Euro VI standards where they have not yet been adopted for heavy-duty vehicles.

  19. Impacts and mitigation of excess diesel-related NOx emissions in 11 major vehicle markets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anenberg, Susan C; Miller, Joshua; Minjares, Ray; Du, Li; Henze, Daven K; Lacey, Forrest; Malley, Christopher S; Emberson, Lisa; Franco, Vicente; Klimont, Zbigniew; Heyes, Chris

    2017-05-25

    Vehicle emissions contribute to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) and tropospheric ozone air pollution, affecting human health, crop yields and climate worldwide. On-road diesel vehicles produce approximately 20 per cent of global anthropogenic emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO x ), which are key PM 2.5 and ozone precursors. Regulated NO x emission limits in leading markets have been progressively tightened, but current diesel vehicles emit far more NO x under real-world operating conditions than during laboratory certification testing. Here we show that across 11 markets, representing approximately 80 per cent of global diesel vehicle sales, nearly one-third of on-road heavy-duty diesel vehicle emissions and over half of on-road light-duty diesel vehicle emissions are in excess of certification limits. These excess emissions (totalling 4.6 million tons) are associated with about 38,000 PM 2.5 - and ozone-related premature deaths globally in 2015, including about 10 per cent of all ozone-related premature deaths in the 28 European Union member states. Heavy-duty vehicles are the dominant contributor to excess diesel NO x emissions and associated health impacts in almost all regions. Adopting and enforcing next-generation standards (more stringent than Euro 6/VI) could nearly eliminate real-world diesel-related NO x emissions in these markets, avoiding approximately 174,000 global PM 2.5 - and ozone-related premature deaths in 2040. Most of these benefits can be achieved by implementing Euro VI standards where they have not yet been adopted for heavy-duty vehicles.

  20. Seismic signals hard clipping overcoming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olszowa, Paula; Sokolowski, Jakub

    2018-01-01

    In signal processing the clipping is understand as the phenomenon of limiting the signal beyond certain threshold. It is often related to overloading of a sensor. Two particular types of clipping are being recognized: soft and hard. Beyond the limiting value soft clipping reduces the signal real gain while the hard clipping stiffly sets the signal values at the limit. In both cases certain amount of signal information is lost. Obviously if one possess the model which describes the considered signal and the threshold value (which might be slightly more difficult to obtain in the soft clipping case), the attempt of restoring the signal can be made. Commonly it is assumed that the seismic signals take form of an impulse response of some specific system. This may lead to belief that the sine wave may be the most appropriate to fit in the clipping period. However, this should be tested. In this paper the possibility of overcoming the hard clipping in seismic signals originating from a geoseismic station belonging to an underground mine is considered. A set of raw signals will be hard-clipped manually and then couple different functions will be fitted and compared in terms of least squares. The results will be then analysed.

  1. Colour excesses of glabular clusters in the bands U, B, V, I

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kukarkin, B.V.; Kireeva, N.N.; Moskovskij Gosudarstvennyj Univ.

    1976-01-01

    It is shown that practically all the known methods for the determination of colour excesses of globular clusters on the basis of their integrated colour equivalents are not correct. The observed colour equivalents correlate with colour excesses, so it is difficult to carry out the separation of the observed colour equivalents into the intrinsic colour and the colour excess. Burstein and McDonald's method (7) is the most correct one, but it is also not free from systematic errors caused by the presence of a correlation between the terms of the equations they used. The blameless method for the determination of interstellar reddening on the basis of the measures of colour excesses of field stars (1) can be used only for extremely limited number of clusters today. The author suggests a method for separating the observed colour equivalents into intrinsic colours and colour excesses which is based on the selection of clusters with the smallest excesses, too small to cause any noticeable errors. The values of intrinsic colour equivalents thus obtained strongly correlate with integrated spectral types and are characterized by the mean error as small as +-0.018. The colour excesses calculated on these grounds made it possible to determine reliable ratios of colour excesses in the bands U, B, V, I. These ratio were used in order to calculate the colour excesses for all the clusters with measured colour equivalents and known integrated spectra. On the basis of the analysis of all the available material the finally adopted values of colour excesses, intrinisic colour equivalents, and integrated spectral types for 68 globular clusters were obtained

  2. Acquired tricuspid valve stenosis associated with two ventricular endocardial pacing leads in a dog.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tompkins, Emily; Dulake, Michelle I; Ghaffari, Shadie; Nakamura, Reid K

    2015-01-01

    Acquired tricuspid valve stenosis (TVS) is a rare complication of endocardial pacing lead implantation in humans that has only been described once previously in the veterinary literature in a dog with excessive lead redundancy. A 12 yr old terrier presented with right-sided congestive heart failure 6 mo after implantation of a second ventricular endocardial pacing lead. The second lead was placed due to malfunction of the first lead, which demonstrated abnormally low impedance. Transthoracic echocardiography identified hyperechoic tissue associated with the pacing leads as they crossed the tricuspid valve annulus as well as a stenotic tricuspid inflow pattern via spectral Doppler interrogation. Medical management was ultimately unsuccessful and the dog was euthanized 6 wk after TVS was diagnosed. The authors report the first canine case of acquired TVS associated with two ventricular endocardial pacing leads.

  3. Prenatal androgen excess programs metabolic derangements in pubertal female rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Xiaonan; Dai, Xiaonan; Wang, Jing; Zhao, Nannan; Cui, Yugui; Liu, Jiayin

    2013-04-01

    Owing to the heterogeneity in the clinical symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the early pathophysiological mechanisms of PCOS remain unclear. Clinical, experimental, and genetic evidence supports an interaction between genetic susceptibility and the influence of maternal environment in the pathogenesis of PCOS. To determine whether prenatal androgen exposure induced PCOS-related metabolic derangements during pubertal development, we administrated 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in pregnant rats and observed their female offspring from postnatal 4 to 8 weeks. The prenatally androgenized (PNA) rats exhibited more numerous total follicles, cystic follicles, and atretic follicles than the controls. Fasting glucose, insulin, leptin levels, and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance were elevated in the PNA rats at the age of 5-8 weeks. Following intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests, glucose and insulin levels did not differ between two groups; however, the PNA rats showed significantly higher 30- and 60-min glucose levels than the controls after insulin stimulation during 5-8 weeks. In addition, prenatal DHT treatment significantly decreased insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of AKT in the skeletal muscles of 6-week-old PNA rats. The abundance of IR substrate 1 (IRS1) and IRS2 was decreased in the skeletal muscles and liver after stimulation with insulin in the PNA group, whereas phosphorylation of insulin-signaling proteins was unaltered in the adipose tissue. These findings validate the contribution of prenatal androgen excess to metabolic derangements in pubertal female rats, and the impaired insulin signaling through IRS and AKT may result in the peripheral insulin resistance during pubertal development.

  4. Insomnia, excessive sleepiness, excessive fatigue, anxiety, depression and shift work disorder in nurses having less than 11 hours in-between shifts.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Fagerbakke Eldevik

    Full Text Available STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess if less than 11 hours off work between work shifts (quick returns was related to insomnia, sleepiness, fatigue, anxiety, depression and shift work disorder among nurses. METHODS: A questionnaire including established instruments measuring insomnia (Bergen Insomnia Scale, sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale, fatigue (Fatigue Questionnaire, anxiety/depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and shift work disorder was administered. Among the 1990 Norwegian nurses who participated in the study; 264 nurses had no quick returns, 724 had 1-30 quick returns and 892 had more than 30 quick returns during the past year. 110 nurses did not report the number of quick returns during the past year. The prevalence of insomnia, excessive sleepiness, excessive fatigue, anxiety, depression and shift work disorder was calculated within the three groups of nurses. Crude and adjusted logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the relation between quick returns and such complaints. RESULTS: We found a significant positive association between quick returns and insomnia, excessive sleepiness, excessive fatigue and shift work disorder. Anxiety and depression were not related to working quick returns. CONCLUSIONS: There is a health hazard associated with quick returns. Further research should aim to investigate if workplace strategies aimed at reducing the number of quick returns may reduce complaints among workers.

  5. Insomnia, excessive sleepiness, excessive fatigue, anxiety, depression and shift work disorder in nurses having less than 11 hours in-between shifts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eldevik, Maria Fagerbakke; Flo, Elisabeth; Moen, Bente Elisabeth; Pallesen, Ståle; Bjorvatn, Bjørn

    2013-01-01

    To assess if less than 11 hours off work between work shifts (quick returns) was related to insomnia, sleepiness, fatigue, anxiety, depression and shift work disorder among nurses. A questionnaire including established instruments measuring insomnia (Bergen Insomnia Scale), sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale), fatigue (Fatigue Questionnaire), anxiety/depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and shift work disorder was administered. Among the 1990 Norwegian nurses who participated in the study; 264 nurses had no quick returns, 724 had 1-30 quick returns and 892 had more than 30 quick returns during the past year. 110 nurses did not report the number of quick returns during the past year. The prevalence of insomnia, excessive sleepiness, excessive fatigue, anxiety, depression and shift work disorder was calculated within the three groups of nurses. Crude and adjusted logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the relation between quick returns and such complaints. We found a significant positive association between quick returns and insomnia, excessive sleepiness, excessive fatigue and shift work disorder. Anxiety and depression were not related to working quick returns. There is a health hazard associated with quick returns. Further research should aim to investigate if workplace strategies aimed at reducing the number of quick returns may reduce complaints among workers.

  6. Identification and Evaluation of Cases for Excess Heat Utilisation Using GIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabian Bühler

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Excess heat is present in many sectors, and its utilization could reduce the primary energy use and emission of greenhouse gases. This work presents a geographical mapping of excess heat, in which excess heat from the industry and utility sector was distributed to specific geographical locations in Denmark. Based on this mapping, a systematic approach for identifying cases for the utilization of excess heat is proposed, considering the production of district heat and process heat, as well as power generation. The technical and economic feasibility of this approach was evaluated for six cases. Special focus was placed on the challenges for the connection of excess heat sources to heat users. To account for uncertainties in the model input, different methods were applied to determine the uncertainty of the results and the most important model parameters. The results show how the spatial mapping of excess heat sources can be used to identify their utilization potentials. The identified case studies show that it can be economically feasible to connect the heat sources to the public energy network or to use the heat to generate electricity. The uncertainty analysis suggests that the results are indicative and are particularly useful for a fast evaluation, comparison and prioritization of possible matches. The excess heat temperature and obtainable energy price were identified as the most important input parameters.

  7. Tracking atmospheric boundary layer dynamics with water vapor D-excess observations

    KAUST Repository

    Parkes, Stephen

    2015-04-01

    Stable isotope water vapor observations present a history of hydrological processes that have impacted on an air mass. Consequently, there is scope to improve our knowledge of how different processes impact on humidity budgets by determining the isotopic end members of these processes and combining them with in-situ water vapor measurements. These in-situ datasets are still rare and cover a limited geographical expanse, so expanding the available data can improve our ability to define isotopic end members and knowledge about atmospheric humidity dynamics. Using data collected from an intensive field campaign across a semi-arid grassland site in eastern Australia, we combine multiple methods including in-situ stable isotope observations to study humidity dynamics associated with the growth and decay of the atmospheric boundary layer and the stable nocturnal boundary layer. The deuterium-excess (D-excess) in water vapor is traditionally thought to reflect the sea surface temperature and relative humidity at the point of evaporation over the oceans. However, a number of recent studies suggest that land-atmosphere interactions are also important in setting the D-excess of water vapor. These studies have shown a highly robust diurnal cycle for the D-excess over a range of sites that could be exploited to better understand variations in atmospheric humidity associated with boundary layer dynamics. In this study we use surface radon concentrations as a tracer of surface layer dynamics and combine these with the D-excess observations. The radon concentrations showed an overall trend that was inversely proportional to the D-excess, with early morning entrainment of air from the residual layer of the previous day both diluting the radon concentration and increasing the D-excess, followed by accumulation of radon at the surface and a decrease in the D-excess as the stable nocturnal layer developed in the late afternoon and early evening. The stable nocturnal boundary layer

  8. Investigation on life cycle assessment of lead and zinc production

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabere Nazari

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Lead and zinc production is one of the main predisposing factors of excessive greenhouse gases emissions, air pollution and water consumption. In this paper, the environmental problems of lead and zinc production in Calcimin plant are expressed and life cycle assessment of this plant is assessed. The data regarding the amount of induced global warming and pollution, acidification, and depletion of water resources were collected and discussed. It was concluded that depletion of water resources affected the environment and this was the main issue of the lead and zinc production of this plant. According to the results, in the global warming’s impact category, the proportion of carbon dioxide is more than that of methane. The results also showed that in the acidification’s impact category, the nitrogen oxide proportion is greater compared to that of the sulfur dioxide.

  9. 46 CFR 35.25-15 - Carrying of excess steam-TB/ALL.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Carrying of excess steam-TB/ALL. 35.25-15 Section 35.25... § 35.25-15 Carrying of excess steam—TB/ALL. It shall be the duty of the chief engineer of any tank vessel to see that a steam pressure is not carried in excess of that allowed by the certificate of...

  10. MHC class I cross-talk with CD2 and CD28 induces specific intracellular signalling and leads to growth retardation and apoptosis via a p56(lck)-dependent mechanism

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ruhwald, M; Pedersen, Anders Elm; Claesson, M H

    1999-01-01

    Ligation of the major histocompatibility complex class I molecules (MHC-I) on human T lymphoma cells (Jurkat) initiates p56(lck)-dependent intracellular signalling events (phosphotyrosine kinase activity; [Ca(2+)](i)) and leads to augmented growth inhibition and apoptosis. MHC-I ligation in concert...... of apoptosis. In parallel experiments with the p56(lck)-negative Jurkat mutant cell, JCaM1.6, cross-linking neither influenced cell signalling nor cellular growth functions, indicating a cardinal role of the src kinases in signal transduction via MHC-I, CD2 and CD28 molecules. The results presented here...... with ligation of CD2 or CD28 augments, changes or modifies the pattern of activation. Ligation of MHC-I and CD2 alone resulted in growth inhibition, whereas CD28 ligation alone had no effect on cell proliferation. Ligation of MHC-I together with CD2 augmented growth inhibition and enhanced the level...

  11. 78 FR 25256 - Petition Requesting Exception From Lead Content Limits: BIC USA Inc.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-04-30

    ... Pen) to address the needs of young children who are in the early stages of learning to write. BIC... intended primarily for children 12 years old and younger that contain lead content in excess of 100 ppm are... limits established for children's products under the CPSIA if, after notice and a hearing, the Commission...

  12. Radiation effects on lead silicate glass surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, P.W.; Zhang, L.P.; Borgen, N.; Pannell, K.

    1996-01-01

    Radiation-induced changes in the microstructure of lead silicate glass were investigated in situ under Mg K α irradiation in an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) environment by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Lead-oxygen bond breaking resulting in the formation of pure lead was observed. The segregation, growth kinetics and the structural relaxation of the lead, with corresponding changes in the oxygen and silicon on the glass surfaces were studied by measuring the time-dependent changes in concentration, binding energy shifts, and the full width at half maximum. A bimodal distribution of the oxygen XPS signal, caused by bridging and non-bridging oxygens, was found during the relaxation process. All experimental data indicate a reduction of the oxygen concentration, a phase separation of the lead from the glass matrix, and the metallization of the lead occurred during and after the X-ray irradiation. (author)

  13. Metallicity and ultraviolet excesses of late main sequence stars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suchkov, A.A.; Marsakov, V.A.; Shevelev, Yu.G.

    1987-01-01

    The comparison of the characteristics of ultraviolet (UV) excesses δ(U-B) and metallicity [Fe/H] distributions of F, G, and K dwarfs reveals a number of discrepancies. It is shown that they can be eliminated if we assume that UV excesses of K and late G dwarfs, and [Fe/H] values from detailed analysis for F dwarfs are underestimated. Such an assumption enables to account for low values of for F, K and late G dwarfs, and for the difference of the free terms in the metallicity - UV-excess relation for these stars as compared to early G dwarfs. In this case the F5-F9 dwarfs turn out to be more metal-rich (by 0.1 in [Fe/H]) than G and K dwarfs, and the metallicity of the Hyades cluster turns out to be larger than the solar one, [Fe/H] Hyades =+0.1. The ''conditional'' metallicity - UV-excess calibrations are obtained for four groups of main-sequence stars: F5-F9, G0-G4, G5-G9, K0-K5

  14. Country Fundamentals and Currency Excess Returns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daehwan Kim

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available We examine whether country fundamentals help explain the cross-section of currency excess returns. For this purpose, we consider fundamental variables such as default risk, foreign exchange rate regime, capital control as well as interest rate in the multi-factor model framework. Our empirical results show that fundamental factors explain a large part of the cross-section of currency excess returns. The zero-intercept restriction of the factor model is not rejected for most currencies. They also reveal that our factor model with country fundamentals performs better than a factor model with usual investment-style factors. Our main empirical results are based on 2001-2010 balanced panel data of 19 major currencies. This paper may fill the gap between country fundamentals and practitioners' strategies on currency investment.

  15. Immune deficiency vs. immune excess in inflammatory bowel diseases-STAT3 as a rheo-STAT of intestinal homeostasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leppkes, Moritz; Neurath, Markus F; Herrmann, Martin; Becker, Christoph

    2016-01-01

    Genome-wide association studies have provided many genetic alterations, conferring susceptibility to multifactorial polygenic diseases, such as inflammatory bowel diseases. Yet, how specific genetic alterations functionally affect intestinal inflammation often remains elusive. It is noteworthy that a large overlap of genes involved in immune deficiencies with those conferring inflammatory bowel disease risk has been noted. This has provided new arguments for the debate on whether inflammatory bowel disease arises from either an excess or a deficiency in the immune system. In this review, we highlight the functional effect of an inflammatory bowel disease-risk allele, which cannot be deduced from genome-wide association studies data alone. As exemplified by the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), we show that a single gene can have a plethora of effects in various cell types of the gut. These effects may individually contribute to the restoration of intestinal homeostasis on the one hand or pave the way for excessive immunopathology on the other, as an inflammatory "rheo-STAT". © Society for Leukocyte Biology.

  16. A new algorithm for epilepsy seizure onset detection and spread estimation from EEG signals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quintero-Rincón, Antonio; Pereyra, Marcelo; D'Giano, Carlos; Batatia, Hadj; Risk, Marcelo

    2016-04-01

    Appropriate diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy is a main public health issue. Patients suffering from this disease often exhibit different physical characterizations, which result from the synchronous and excessive discharge of a group of neurons in the cerebral cortex. Extracting this information using EEG signals is an important problem in biomedical signal processing. In this work we propose a new algorithm for seizure onset detection and spread estimation in epilepsy patients. The algorithm is based on a multilevel 1-D wavelet decomposition that captures the physiological brain frequency signals coupled with a generalized gaussian model. Preliminary experiments with signals from 30 epilepsy crisis and 11 subjects, suggest that the proposed methodology is a powerful tool for detecting the onset of epilepsy seizures with his spread across the brain.

  17. Signal Incongruence and its Consequences

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vergne, Jean-Philippe; Wernicke, Maria Stokholm; Brenner, Steffen

    2018-01-01

    theory on signal incongruence, we find that firms engaged in philanthropy receive more media disapproval when they overcompensate their CEO, but they are also more likely to decrease CEO overcompensation as a response. Our study contributes to the signaling literature by theorizing about signal......We draw on the signaling and infomediary literatures to examine how media evaluations of CEO overcompensation (a negative cue associated with selfishness and greed) are affected by the presence of corporate philanthropy (a positive cue associated with altruism and generosity). In line with our...... incongruence, and to infomediary and corporate governance research by showing that media disapproval can lead to lower executive compensation. We also reconcile two conflicting views on firm prosocial behavior by showing that, in the presence of incongruent cues, philanthropy can simultaneously enhance...

  18. Mother-child interactions in young children with excessive physical aggression and in typically developing young children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urbain-Gauthier, Nadine; Wendland, Jaqueline

    2017-07-01

    Among the multiple risk factors, the emergence of conduct problems in young children may be linked to harsh parenting and child's temperamental difficulties, leading to a reciprocal early discordant relationship. Little is known about the characteristics of early parent-child interactions in young children with physical aggression. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the characteristics of mother-child interactions in dyads referred for excessive physical aggression in young children under 5 years of age compared to mother-child interactions in typically developing young children. Mother-child interactions were assessed during a free-play session in both a clinical sample ( N = 70, child mean age  = 3.5 years) and a nonclinical sample ( N = 80, child mean age  = 3.5 years) by using the Rating Scale of Interaction Style (Clark and Seifer, adapted by Molitor and Mayes). Significant differences were found between several interactive features in clinical and nonclinical dyads. In clinical dyads, mothers' behaviors were often characterized by intrusiveness and criticism toward children, and poor facilitative positioning. Children with excessive aggressive behavior often displayed poor communication, initiation of bids, and poor responsiveness toward the mother. They displayed fewer sustained bouts of play than typically developing children did. In clinical dyads, strong positive correlations were found between child responsiveness and maternal interest in engagement ( r = .41, p children with excessive aggressive behavior develop disrupted mother-infant interactions from a very young age. Several negative interactive features and correlations between child behavior and maternal behavior were found in clinical samples. The effects of these features add up and probably strengthen each other, thus leading to interactive difficulties from a very young age. More attention should be paid to early parent-child interactions in case of

  19. Management of excessive movable tissue: a modified impression technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shum, Michael H C; Pow, Edmond H N

    2014-08-01

    Excessive movable tissue is a challenge in complete denture prosthetics. A modified impression technique is presented with polyvinyl siloxane impression material and a custom tray with relief areas and perforations in the area of the excessive movable tissue. Copyright © 2014 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Investigation of excess thyroid cancer incidence in Los Alamos County

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Athas, W.F.

    1996-04-01

    Los Alamos County (LAC) is home to the Los Alamos National Laboratory, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear research and design facility. In 1991, the DOE funded the New Mexico Department of Health to conduct a review of cancer incidence rates in LAC in response to citizen concerns over what was perceived as a large excess of brain tumors and a possible relationship to radiological contaminants from the Laboratory. The study found no unusual or alarming pattern in the incidence of brain cancer, however, a fourfold excess of thyroid cancer was observed during the late-1980`s. A rapid review of the medical records for cases diagnosed between 1986 and 1990 failed to demonstrate that the thyroid cancer excess had resulted from enhanced detection. Surveillance activities subsequently undertaken to monitor the trend revealed that the excess persisted into 1993. A feasibility assessment of further studies was made, and ultimately, an investigation was conducted to document the epidemiologic characteristics of the excess in detail and to explore possible causes through a case-series records review. Findings from the investigation are the subject of this report.

  1. Investigation of excess thyroid cancer incidence in Los Alamos County

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Athas, W.F.

    1996-04-01

    Los Alamos County (LAC) is home to the Los Alamos National Laboratory, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear research and design facility. In 1991, the DOE funded the New Mexico Department of Health to conduct a review of cancer incidence rates in LAC in response to citizen concerns over what was perceived as a large excess of brain tumors and a possible relationship to radiological contaminants from the Laboratory. The study found no unusual or alarming pattern in the incidence of brain cancer, however, a fourfold excess of thyroid cancer was observed during the late-1980's. A rapid review of the medical records for cases diagnosed between 1986 and 1990 failed to demonstrate that the thyroid cancer excess had resulted from enhanced detection. Surveillance activities subsequently undertaken to monitor the trend revealed that the excess persisted into 1993. A feasibility assessment of further studies was made, and ultimately, an investigation was conducted to document the epidemiologic characteristics of the excess in detail and to explore possible causes through a case-series records review. Findings from the investigation are the subject of this report

  2. Determination of lateral diffusivity in single pixel X-ray absorbers with implications for position dependent excess broadening

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saab, T.; Figueroa-Feliciano, E.; Iyomoto, N.; Herbert, B.D.; Bandler, S.R.; Chervenak, J.; Finkbeiner, F.; Kelley, R.L.; Kilbourne, C.A.; Porter, F.S.; Sadleir, J.

    2006-01-01

    An ideal microcalorimeter is characterized by a constant energy resolution across the sensor's dynamic range. Any dependence of pulse shape on the position within the absorber where an event occurs leads to a degradation in resolution that is linear with event's energy (excess broadening). In this paper we present a numerical simulation that was developed to model the variation in pulse shape with position based on the thermal conductivity within the absorber and between the absorber, sensor, and heat bath, for arbitrarily shaped absorbers and sensors. All the parameters required for the simulation can be measured from actual devices. We describe how the thermal conductivity of the absorber material is determined by comparing the results of this model with data taken from a position sensitive detector in which any position dependent effect is purposely emphasized by constructing a long, narrow absorber that is readout by sensors on both ends. Finally, we present the implications for excess broadening given the measured parameters of our X-ray microcalorimeters

  3. Search for bright stars with infrared excess

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Raharto, Moedji, E-mail: moedji@as.itb.ac.id [Astronomy Research Division, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha 10, Bandung 40132 (Indonesia)

    2014-03-24

    Bright stars, stars with visual magnitude smaller than 6.5, can be studied using small telescope. In general, if stars are assumed as black body radiator, then the color in infrared (IR) region is usually equal to zero. Infrared data from IRAS observations at 12 and 25μm (micron) with good flux quality are used to search for bright stars (from Bright Stars Catalogues) with infrared excess. In magnitude scale, stars with IR excess is defined as stars with IR color m{sub 12}−m{sub 25}>0; where m{sub 12}−m{sub 25} = −2.5log(F{sub 12}/F{sub 25})+1.56, where F{sub 12} and F{sub 25} are flux density in Jansky at 12 and 25μm, respectively. Stars with similar spectral type are expected to have similar color. The existence of infrared excess in the same spectral type indicates the existence of circum-stellar dust, the origin of which is probably due to the remnant of pre main-sequence evolution during star formation or post AGB evolution or due to physical process such as the rotation of those stars.

  4. Excess electron transport in cryoobjects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eshchenko, D.G.; Storchak, V.G.; Brewer, J.H.; Cottrell, S.P.; Cox, S.F.J.

    2003-01-01

    Experimental results on excess electron transport in solid and liquid phases of Ne, Ar, and solid N 2 -Ar mixture are presented and compared with those for He. Muon spin relaxation technique in frequently switching electric fields was used to study the phenomenon of delayed muonium formation: excess electrons liberated in the μ + ionization track converge upon the positive muons and form Mu (μ + e - ) atoms. This process is shown to be crucially dependent upon the electron's interaction with its environment (i.e., whether it occupies the conduction band or becomes localized in a bubble of tens of angstroms in radius) and upon its mobility in these states. The characteristic lengths involved are 10 -6 -10 -4 cm, the characteristic times range from nanoseconds to tens microseconds. Such a microscopic length scale sometimes enables the electron spend its entire free lifetime in a state which may not be detected by conventional macroscopic techniques. The electron transport processes are compared in: liquid and solid helium (where electron is localized in buble); liquid and solid neon (where electrons are delocalized in solid and the coexistence of localized and delocalized electrons states was found in liquid recently); liquid and solid argon (where electrons are delocalized in both phases); orientational glass systems (solid N 2 -Ar mixtures), where our results suggest that electrons are localized in orientational glass. This scaling from light to heavy rare gases enables us to reveal new features of excess electron localization on microscopic scale. Analysis of the experimental data makes it possible to formulate the following tendency of the muon end-of-track structure in condensed rare gases. The muon-self track interaction changes from the isolated pair (muon plus the nearest track electron) in helium to multi-pair (muon in the vicinity of tens track electrons and positive ions) in argon

  5. TPL-2-ERK1/2 signaling promotes host resistance against intracellular bacterial infection by negative regulation of type I IFN production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNab, Finlay W; Ewbank, John; Rajsbaum, Ricardo; Stavropoulos, Evangelos; Martirosyan, Anna; Redford, Paul S; Wu, Xuemei; Graham, Christine M; Saraiva, Margarida; Tsichlis, Philip; Chaussabel, Damien; Ley, Steven C; O'Garra, Anne

    2013-08-15

    Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, remains a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, causing ≈ 1.4 million deaths per year. Key immune components for host protection during tuberculosis include the cytokines IL-12, IL-1, and TNF-α, as well as IFN-γ and CD4(+) Th1 cells. However, immune factors determining whether individuals control infection or progress to active tuberculosis are incompletely understood. Excess amounts of type I IFN have been linked to exacerbated disease during tuberculosis in mouse models and to active disease in patients, suggesting tight regulation of this family of cytokines is critical to host resistance. In addition, the immunosuppressive cytokine IL-10 is known to inhibit the immune response to M. tuberculosis in murine models through the negative regulation of key proinflammatory cytokines and the subsequent Th1 response. We show in this study, using a combination of transcriptomic analysis, genetics, and pharmacological inhibitors, that the TPL-2-ERK1/2 signaling pathway is important in mediating host resistance to tuberculosis through negative regulation of type I IFN production. The TPL-2-ERK1/2 signaling pathway regulated production by macrophages of several cytokines important in the immune response to M. tuberculosis as well as regulating induction of a large number of additional genes, many in a type I IFN-dependent manner. In the absence of TPL-2 in vivo, excess type I IFN promoted IL-10 production and exacerbated disease. These findings describe an important regulatory mechanism for controlling tuberculosis and reveal mechanisms by which type I IFN may promote susceptibility to this important disease.

  6. Step-flow growth mode instability of N-polar GaN under N-excess

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chèze, C.; Sawicka, M.; Siekacz, M.; Łucznik, B.; Boćkowski, M.; Skierbiszewski, C.; Turski, H.; Cywiński, G.; Smalc-Koziorowska, J.; Weyher, J. L.; Kryśko, M.

    2013-01-01

    GaN layers were grown on N-polar GaN substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy under different III/V ratios. Ga-rich conditions assure step-flow growth with atomically flat surface covered by doubly-bunched steps, as for Ga-polar GaN. Growth under N-excess however leads to an unstable step-flow morphology. Particularly, for substrates slightly miscut towards , interlacing fingers are covered by atomic steps pinned on both sides by small hexagonal pits. In contrast, a three-dimensional island morphology is observed on the Ga-polar equivalent sample. We attribute this result to lower diffusion barriers on N-polar compared to Ga-polar GaN under N-rich conditions

  7. VALIDITY OF EXCESS ENTROPY PRODUCTION CRITERION OF THERMODYNAMIC STABILITY FOR NONEQUILIBRIUM STEADY STATES

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    吴金平

    1991-01-01

    The relation between the excess entropy production criterion of thermodynamic stabilityfor nonequilibrium states and kinetic linear stability principle is discussed. It is shown thatthe condition required by the excess entropy production criterion generally is sufficient, butnot necessary to judge the system stability. The condition required by the excess entropyproduction criterion is stronger than that of the linear stability principle. Only when theproduct matrix between the linearized matrix of kinetic equations and matrix of quadraticform of second-order excess entropy is symmetric, is the condition required by the excessentropy production criterion that the steady steate is asymptotically stable (δ_xP>0) necessaryand sufficient. The counterexample given by Fox to prove that the excess entropy, (δ~2S)ss,is not a Liapunov function is incorrect. Contradictory to his conclusion, the counterexampleis just a positive one that proves that the excess entropy is a Liapunov function. Moreover,the excess entropy production criterion is not limited by symmetric conditions of the linear-ized matrix of kinetic equations. The excess entropy around nonequilibrium steady states,(δ~2S)ss, is a Liapunov function of thermodynamic system.

  8. Swift recovery of Sphagnum nutrient concentrations after excess supply.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Limpens, Juul; Heijmans, Monique M P D

    2008-08-01

    Although numerous studies have addressed the effects of increased N deposition on nutrient-poor environments such as raised bogs, few studies have dealt with to what extent, and on what time-scale, reductions in atmospheric N supply would lead to recovery of the ecosystems in question. Since a considerable part of the negative effects of elevated N deposition on raised bogs can be related to an imbalance in tissue nutrient concentrations of the dominant peat-former Sphagnum, changes in Sphagnum nutrient concentration after excess N supply may be used as an early indicator of ecosystem response. This study focuses on the N and P concentrations of Sphagnum magellanicum and Sphagnum fallax before, during and after a factorial fertilization experiment with N and P in two small peatlands subject to a background bulk deposition of 2 g N m(-2) year(-1). Three years of adding N (4.0 g N m(-2) year(-1)) increased the N concentration, and adding P (0.3 g P m(-2) year(-1)) increased the P concentration in Sphagnum relative to the control treatment at both sites. Fifteen months after the nutrient additions had ceased, N concentrations were similar to the control whereas P concentrations, although strongly reduced, were still slightly elevated. The changes in the N and P concentrations were accompanied by changes in the distribution of nutrients over the capitulum and the stem and were congruent with changes in translocation. Adding N reduced the stem P concentration, whereas adding P reduced the stem N concentration in favor of the capitulum. Sphagnum nutrient concentrations quickly respond to reductions in excess nutrient supply, indicating that a management policy aimed at reducing atmospheric nutrient input to bogs can yield results within a few years.

  9. Wnt signaling balances specification of the cardiac and pharyngeal muscle fields

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandal, Amrita; Holowiecki, Andrew; Song, Yuntao Charlie; Waxman, Joshua S.

    2017-01-01

    Canonical Wnt/β-catenin (Wnt) signaling plays multiple conserved roles during fate specification of cardiac progenitors in developing vertebrate embryos. Although lineage analysis in ascidians and mice has indicated there is a close relationship between the cardiac second heart field (SHF) and pharyngeal muscle (PM) progenitors, the signals underlying directional fate decisions of the cells within the cardio-pharyngeal muscle field in vertebrates are not yet understood. Here, we examined the temporal requirements of Wnt signaling in cardiac and PM development. In contrast to a previous report in chicken embryos that suggested Wnt inhibits PM development during somitogenesis, we find that in zebrafish embryos Wnt signaling is sufficient to repress PM development during anterior-posterior patterning. Importantly, the temporal sensitivity of dorso-anterior PMs to increased Wnt signaling largely overlaps with when Wnt signaling promotes specification of the adjacent cardiac progenitors. Furthermore, we find that excess early Wnt signaling can cell autonomously promote expansion of the first heart field (FHF) progenitors at the expense of PM and SHF within the anterior lateral plate mesoderm (ALPM). Our study provides insight into an antagonistic developmental mechanism that balances the sizes of the adjacent cardiac and PM progenitor fields in early vertebrate embryos. PMID:28087459

  10. Excess Molar Volumes and Excess Molar Enthalpies in Binary Systems N-alkyl-triethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide + Methanol

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Machanová, Karolina; Troncoso, J.; Jacquemin, J.; Bendová, Magdalena

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 363, FEB 15 (2014), s. 156-166 ISSN 0378-3812 Institutional support: RVO:67985858 Keywords : ionic liquids * excess properties * binary mixtures Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 2.200, year: 2014

  11. Effects of nitrate on the treatment of lead contaminated groundwater by nanoscale zerovalent iron.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Yiming; Adeleye, Adeyemi S; Zhou, Xuefei; Dai, Chaomeng; Zhang, Weixian; Keller, Arturo A; Zhang, Yalei

    2014-09-15

    Nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) is efficient for removing Pb(2+) and nitrate from water. However, the influence of nitrate, a common groundwater anion, on Pb(2+) removal by nZVI is not well understood. In this study, we showed that under excess Fe(0) conditions (molar ratio of Fe(0)/nitrate>4), Pb(2+) ions were immobilized more quickly (nitrate-free systems (∼ 15 min) due to increasing pH. With nitrate in excess (molar ratio of Fe(0)/nitratenitrate stimulated the formation of crystal PbxFe3-xO4 (ferrite), which provided additional Pb(2+) removal. However, ∼ 7% of immobilized Pb(2+) ions were released into aqueous phase within 2h due to ferrite deformation. Oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) values below -600 mV correlated with excess Fe(0) conditions (complete Pb(2+) immobilization), while ORP values ≥-475 mV characterized excess nitrate conditions (ferrite process and Pb(2+) release occurrence). This study indicates that ORP monitoring is important for proper management of nZVI-based remediation in the subsurface to avoid lead remobilization in the presence of nitrate. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Infrasonic Signals from the 29 June 2012 Derecho

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winslow, N.; Howard, W. B.; Pulli, J. J.; Kofford, A. S.

    2012-12-01

    Common weather events such as pressure fronts, tornados, and hurricanes generate infrasonic signals (sub-audible acoustic signals with an oscillatory frequency below 20 Hz). These signals can provide a distal (>10km) analysis of weather events because: (1) the attenuation of an infrasonic signal with distance is less than that of a similar audible signal, and (2) the propagation velocities of typical weather events are much slower than the speed of sound. The 29 June, 2012 Derecho (a widespread, long-lived, rapidly moving linear band of storms extending more than 240 miles and including wind gusts in excess of 58 mph) that stretched from Chicago, IL to Washington, DC generated infrasonic signals in addition to causing over $100 million in damage to the power systems of Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland alone. The infrasonic (and seismic) signals from this event were recorded on the NCPA micro barometers along the northeastern edge of the current configuration of the USArray. These instruments, which sample at 40 Hz, exhibit a flat frequency response from around 0.1 Hz to above 20 Hz and show a sensitivity of 1.57 x 104 Volts/Pascal at 0.8 Hz. An analysis of the recordings observed at multiple stations identified several infrasonic signatures from the Derecho. The signal's duration was approximately 40 minutes and exhibited a large peak pressure fluctuation. A characteristic ramp up occurred before the peak pressure fluctuation, and the majority of the infrasonic energy occurred below 1 Hz. These signatures are analyzed within the context of the Derecho as an infrasonic source, and the propagation of infrasound in the atmosphere.

  13. Menadione-Induced DNA Damage Leads to Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Fragmentation During Rosette Formation in Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halilovic, Adna; Schmedt, Thore; Benischke, Anne-Sophie; Hamill, Cecily; Chen, Yuming; Santos, Janine Hertzog; Jurkunas, Ula V

    2016-06-20

    Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD), a leading cause of age-related corneal edema requiring transplantation, is characterized by rosette formation of corneal endothelium with ensuing apoptosis. We sought to determine whether excess of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species leads to chronic accumulation of oxidative DNA damage and mitochondrial dysfunction, instigating cell death. We modeled the pathognomonic rosette formation of postmitotic corneal cells by increasing endogenous cellular oxidative stress with menadione (MN) and performed a temporal analysis of its effect in normal (HCEnC, HCECi) and FECD (FECDi) cells and ex vivo specimens. FECDi and FECD ex vivo specimens exhibited extensive mtDNA and nDNA damage as detected by quantitative PCR. Exposure to MN triggered an increase in mitochondrial superoxide levels and led to mtDNA and nDNA damage, while DNA amplification was restored with NAC pretreatment. Furthermore, MN exposure led to a decrease in ΔΨm and adenosine triphosphate levels in normal cells, while FECDi exhibited mitochondrial dysfunction at baseline. Mitochondrial fragmentation and cytochrome c release were detected in FECD tissue and after MN treatment of HCEnCs. Furthermore, cleavage of caspase-9 and caspase-3 followed MN-induced cytochrome c release in HCEnCs. This study provides the first line of evidence that accumulation of oxidative DNA damage leads to rosette formation, loss of functionally intact mitochondria via fragmentation, and subsequent cell death during postmitotic cell degeneration of ocular tissue. MN induced rosette formation, along with mtDNA and nDNA damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, and fragmentation, leading to activation of the intrinsic apoptosis via caspase cleavage and cytochrome c release. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 24, 1072-1083.

  14. Oxidative and inflammatory signals in obesity-associated vascular abnormalities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reho, John J; Rahmouni, Kamal

    2017-07-15

    Obesity is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in part due to vascular abnormalities such as endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffening. The hypertension and other health complications that arise from these vascular defects increase the risk of heart diseases and stroke. Prooxidant and proinflammatory signaling pathways as well as adipocyte-derived factors have emerged as critical mediators of obesity-associated vascular abnormalities. Designing treatments aimed specifically at improving the vascular dysfunction caused by obesity may provide an effective therapeutic approach to prevent the cardiovascular sequelae associated with excessive adiposity. In this review, we discuss the recent evidence supporting the role of oxidative stress and cytokines and inflammatory signals within the vasculature as well as the impact of the surrounding perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) on the regulation of vascular function and arterial stiffening in obesity. In particular, we focus on the highly plastic nature of the vasculature in response to altered oxidant and inflammatory signaling and highlight how weight management can be an effective therapeutic approach to reduce the oxidative stress and inflammatory signaling and improve vascular function. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

  15. Geometric compatibility of IceCube TeV-PeV neutrino excess and its galactic dark matter origin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bai, Yang [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin,University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Lu, Ran [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin,University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics, University of Michigan,Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Salvado, Jordi [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin,University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center,West Washington Avenue, Madison, WI 53706 (United States)

    2016-01-27

    We perform a geometric analysis for the sky map of the IceCube TeV-PeV neutrino excess and test its compatibility with the sky map of decaying dark matter signals in our galaxy. We have found that a galactic decaying dark matter component in general improve the goodness of the fit of our model, although the pure isotropic hypothesis has a better fit than the pure dark matter one. We also consider several representative decaying dark matter, which can provide a good fit to the observed spectrum at IceCube with a dark matter lifetime of around 12 orders of magnitude longer than the age of the universe.

  16. Eryptosis in lead-exposed workers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aguilar-Dorado, Itzel-Citlalli; Hernández, Gerardo; Quintanar-Escorza, Martha-Angelica; Maldonado-Vega, María; Rosas-Flores, Margarita; Calderón-Salinas, José-Víctor

    2014-01-01

    Eryptosis is a physiological phenomenon in which old and damaged erythrocytes are removed from circulation. Erythrocytes incubated with lead have exhibited major eryptosis. In the present work we found evidence of high levels of eryptosis in lead exposed workers possibly via oxidation. Blood samples were taken from 40 male workers exposed to lead (mean blood lead concentration 64.8 μg/dl) and non-exposed workers (4.2 μg/dl). The exposure to lead produced an intoxication characterized by 88.3% less δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (δALAD) activity in lead exposed workers with respect to non-lead exposed workers. An increment of oxidation in lead exposed workers was characterized by 2.4 times higher thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) concentration and 32.8% lower reduced/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratio. Oxidative stress in erythrocytes of lead exposed workers is expressed in 192% higher free calcium concentration [Ca 2+ ] i and 1.6 times higher μ-calpain activity with respect to non-lead exposed workers. The adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration was not significantly different between the two worker groups. No externalization of phosphatidylserine (PS) was found in non-lead exposed workers (< 0.1%), but lead exposed workers showed 2.82% externalization. Lead intoxication induces eryptosis possibly through a molecular pathway that includes oxidation, depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH), increment of [Ca 2+ ], μ-calpain activation and externalization of PS in erythrocytes. Identifying molecular signals that induce eryptosis in lead intoxication is necessary to understand its physiopathology and chronic complications. - Graphical abstract: Fig. 1. (A) Blood lead concentration (PbB) and (B) phosphatidylserine externalization on erythrocyte membranes of non-lead exposed (□) and lead exposed workers (■). Values are mean ± SD. *Significantly different (P < 0.001). - Highlights: • Erythrocytes of lead exposed workers showed higher PS

  17. Eryptosis in lead-exposed workers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aguilar-Dorado, Itzel-Citlalli [Biochemistry Department, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados IPN, México, DF (Mexico); Hernández, Gerardo [Section of Methodology of Science, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados IPN, México, DF (Mexico); Quintanar-Escorza, Martha-Angelica [Faculty of Medicine, UJED, Durango, DGO (Mexico); Maldonado-Vega, María [CIATEC, León, GTO (Mexico); Rosas-Flores, Margarita [Biochemistry Department, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados IPN, México, DF (Mexico); Calderón-Salinas, José-Víctor, E-mail: jcalder@cinvestav.mx [Biochemistry Department, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados IPN, México, DF (Mexico)

    2014-12-01

    Eryptosis is a physiological phenomenon in which old and damaged erythrocytes are removed from circulation. Erythrocytes incubated with lead have exhibited major eryptosis. In the present work we found evidence of high levels of eryptosis in lead exposed workers possibly via oxidation. Blood samples were taken from 40 male workers exposed to lead (mean blood lead concentration 64.8 μg/dl) and non-exposed workers (4.2 μg/dl). The exposure to lead produced an intoxication characterized by 88.3% less δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (δALAD) activity in lead exposed workers with respect to non-lead exposed workers. An increment of oxidation in lead exposed workers was characterized by 2.4 times higher thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) concentration and 32.8% lower reduced/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratio. Oxidative stress in erythrocytes of lead exposed workers is expressed in 192% higher free calcium concentration [Ca{sup 2+}]{sub i} and 1.6 times higher μ-calpain activity with respect to non-lead exposed workers. The adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration was not significantly different between the two worker groups. No externalization of phosphatidylserine (PS) was found in non-lead exposed workers (< 0.1%), but lead exposed workers showed 2.82% externalization. Lead intoxication induces eryptosis possibly through a molecular pathway that includes oxidation, depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH), increment of [Ca{sup 2+}], μ-calpain activation and externalization of PS in erythrocytes. Identifying molecular signals that induce eryptosis in lead intoxication is necessary to understand its physiopathology and chronic complications. - Graphical abstract: Fig. 1. (A) Blood lead concentration (PbB) and (B) phosphatidylserine externalization on erythrocyte membranes of non-lead exposed (□) and lead exposed workers (■). Values are mean ± SD. *Significantly different (P < 0.001). - Highlights: • Erythrocytes of lead exposed workers

  18. Deuterium Excess of Waters in Slovenia. Preliminary Results

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brencic, M.; Torkar, A. [Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana (Slovenia); Vreca, P. [Jozef Stefan Institut, Department of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana (Slovenia)

    2013-07-15

    In climatic and hydrological studies, deuterium excess has proven to be a useful parameter; therefore this parameter has been investigated in the waters of slovenia - positioned in central europe. All the data were acquired from publicly available data sources (e.g. journals, databases). Data were collected for four different parts of the water cycle: precipitation, surface water, groundwater and water in the unsaturated zone. For precipitation the value for deuterium excess ranges between -19.9 per mille and 28.8 per mille with the median at 10.1 per mille. Surface water has the minimum at 2.9 per mille, the maximum at 22.4 per mille and the median at 13.2 per mille. Values for groundwater vary between -17.7 per mille and 34.9 per mille with the median at 11.8 per mille. Median for deuterium excess for the unsaturated zone is 15.1 per mille and the values are between -2.8 per mille and 17.6 per mille. (author)

  19. Same-sign dilepton excesses and vector-like quarks

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Chuan-Ren [Department of Physics, National Taiwan Normal University,Ting-Chou Road, Taipei 116, Taiwan (China); Cheng, Hsin-Chia [Department of Physics, University of California,One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 (United States); Low, Ian [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University,Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208 (United States); High Energy Physics Division, Argonne National Laboratory,S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439 (United States)

    2016-03-15

    Multiple analyses from ATLAS and CMS collaborations, including searches for ttH production, supersymmetric particles and vector-like quarks, observed excesses in the same-sign dilepton channel containing b-jets and missing transverse energy in the LHC Run 1 data. In the context of little Higgs theories with T parity, we explain these excesses using vector-like T-odd quarks decaying into a top quark, a W boson and the lightest T-odd particle (LTP). For heavy vector-like quarks, decay topologies containing the LTP have not been searched for at the LHC. The bounds on the masses of the T-odd quarks can be estimated in a simplified model approach by adapting the search limits for top/bottom squarks in supersymmetry. Assuming a realistic decay branching fraction, a benchmark with a 750 GeV T-odd b{sup ′} quark is proposed. We also comment on the possibility to fit excesses in different analyses in a common framework.

  20. Insulin Signaling and Heart Failure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riehle, Christian; Abel, E. Dale

    2016-01-01

    Heart failure is associated with generalized insulin resistance. Moreover, insulin resistant states such as type 2 diabetes and obesity increases the risk of heart failure even after adjusting for traditional risk factors. Insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes alters the systemic and neurohumoral milieu leading to changes in metabolism and signaling pathways in the heart that may contribute to myocardial dysfunction. In addition, changes in insulin signaling within cardiomyocytes develop in the failing heart. The changes range from activation of proximal insulin signaling pathways that may contribute to adverse left ventricular remodeling and mitochondrial dysfunction to repression of distal elements of insulin signaling pathways such as forkhead (FOXO) transcriptional signaling or glucose transport which may also impair cardiac metabolism, structure and function. This article will review the complexities of insulin signaling within the myocardium and ways in which these pathways are altered in heart failure or in conditions associated with generalized insulin resistance. The implications of these changes for therapeutic approaches to treating or preventing heart failure will be discussed. PMID:27034277

  1. Ca2+ signaling in pancreatic acinar cells: physiology and pathophysiology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O.H. Petersen

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The pancreatic acinar cell is a classical model for studies of secretion and signal transduction mechanisms. Because of the extensive endoplasmic reticulum and the large granular compartment, it has been possible - by direct measurements - to obtain considerable insights into intracellular Ca2+ handling under both normal and pathological conditions. Recent studies have also revealed important characteristics of stimulus-secretion coupling mechanisms in isolated human pancreatic acinar cells. The acinar cells are potentially dangerous because of the high intra-granular concentration of proteases, which become inappropriately activated in the human disease acute pancreatitis. This disease is due to toxic Ca2+ signals generated by excessive liberation of Ca2+ from both the endoplasmic reticulum and the secretory granules.

  2. Excessive Leucine-mTORC1-Signalling of Cow Milk-Based Infant Formula: The Missing Link to Understand Early Childhood Obesity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melnik, Bodo C

    2012-01-01

    Increased protein supply by feeding cow-milk-based infant formula in comparison to lower protein content of human milk is a well-recognized major risk factor of childhood obesity. However, there is yet no conclusive biochemical concept explaining the mechanisms of formula-induced childhood obesity. It is the intention of this article to provide the biochemical link between leucine-mediated signalling of mammalian milk proteins and adipogenesis as well as early adipogenic programming. Leucine has been identified as the predominant signal transducer of mammalian milk, which stimulates the nutrient-sensitive kinase mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). Leucine thus functions as a maternal-neonatal relay for mTORC1-dependent neonatal β-cell proliferation and insulin secretion. The mTORC1 target S6K1 plays a pivotal role in stimulation of mesenchymal stem cells to differentiate into adipocytes and to induce insulin resistance. It is of most critical concern that infant formulas provide higher amounts of leucine in comparison to human milk. Exaggerated leucine-mediated mTORC1-S6K1 signalling induced by infant formulas may thus explain increased adipogenesis and generation of lifelong elevated adipocyte numbers. Attenuation of mTORC1 signalling of infant formula by leucine restriction to physiologic lower levels of human milk offers a great chance for the prevention of childhood obesity and obesity-related metabolic diseases.

  3. X-band EPR studies of ferroelectric lead titanate (PT), piezoelectric lead magnesium niobate (PMN), and PMN/PT powders at 10 and 85 K

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, J.; Fitzgerald, J.J.; Chasteen, N.D.

    1998-01-01

    X-band EPR spectra of lead titanate (PT) and lead magnesium niobate (PMN) powders prepared by different synthetic methods and a PMN/PT powder of the composition 0.9 PMN/01 PT were obtained at 85 and 10 K. Several EPR signals due to adventitious Fe 3+ ion impurities, a signal due to the Ti 3+ ion, and a signal due to the Pb 3+ ion are observed for PT, PMN, and PMN/PT powders. The EPR signals observed at g = 2.0 and 6.0 are assigned to Fe 3+ ions in the B-sites of the perovskite lattice structure of lad titanate with axial symmetry. The EPR signals observed at g = 1.99 and 4.25 are assigned to Fe 3+ ions in the B-sites of the perovskite lattice structure of PMN and 0.9 PMN/0.1 PT materials with cubic and rhombic symmetries, respectively. The sharp EPR signal observed at g = 1.94 is assigned to Ti 3= ion for PT and 0.9 PMN/0.1 PT powders. In addition, a broader EPR signal at g = 2.28--2.30 for PMN obtained by the molten salt method is assigned to axial Pb 3+ ion sites in this PMN material. EPR results obtained here for the e 3+ ions in the B-sites of the PMN materials, in particular, suggest that both cubic and rhombic symmetry sites corresponding to a range of Nb(OMg) x (ONb) 6-x site configurations exist in the PMN. These EPR results indicate that PMN likely exists with partial B-site cation (Mg/Nb) ordering in the perovskite lattice structure

  4. Intracellular calcium overloading and oxidative stress in cardiomyocyte necrosis via a mitochondriocentric signal-transducer-effector pathway

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaheen, Mazen; Cheema, Yaser; Shahbaz, Atta U; Bhattacharya, Syamal K; Weber, Karl T

    2011-01-01

    Congestive heart failure (CHF), a common clinical syndrome, has reached epidemic proportions. Its disabling symptoms account for frequent hospitalizations and readmissions. Pathophysiological mechanisms that lead to CHF and account for its progressive nature are of considerable interest. Important scientific observations obtained from Dr Pawan K Singal’s laboratory in Winnipeg, Manitoba, have provided crucial insights to our understanding of the pathophysiological factors that contribute to cardiomyocyte necrosis (the heart is a postmitotic organ incapable of tolerating an ongoing loss of these cells without adverse functional consequences). This increment in knowledge and the mechanistic insights afforded by Dr Singal and his colleagues have highlighted the role of excessive intracellular calcium accumulation and the appearance of oxidative stress in CHF, in which the rate of reactive oxygen species generation overwhelms their rate of detoxification by antioxidant defenses. They have shown that this common pathophysiological scenario applies to diverse entities such as ischemia/reperfusion and hypoxia/reoxygenation forms of injury, myocardial infarction and the cardiomyopathies that accompany diabetes and excess levels of catecholamines and adriamycin. The authors are honoured to be invited to contribute to the present focus issue of Experimental & Clinical Cardiology in recognizing Dr Singal’s numerous scholarly accomplishments. The present article reviews the authors’ recent work on a mitochondriocentric signal-transducer-effector pathway to cardiomyocyte necrosis found in rats with either an acute stressor state that accompanies isoproterenol administration or a chronic stressor state manifested after four weeks of aldosterone/salt treatment. PMID:22131852

  5. Women's Perceived Reasons for Their Excessive Postpartum Weight Retention: A Qualitative Interview Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anne Christenson

    Full Text Available Obesity in Sweden has doubled to 14% over the last 20 years. New strategies for treatment and prevention are needed. Excessive gestational weight gain has been found to contribute substantially to obesity, and there is a consistent association between postpartum weight retention and obesity later in life. We aimed to explore what factors women perceive as reasons for having substantial postpartum weight retention, to identify areas for new and improved interventions.Qualitative interview study (semi-structured using an emergent design. Fifteen women, with a postpartum weight retention ≥ 10 kg, were interviewed by a trained cognitive therapist. Eight women had pre-pregnancy BMI below 30 kg/m2. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and data analysed using inductive manifest content analysis. Salient text passages were extracted, shortened, coded and clustered into categories.Participants reported no knowledge of current gestational weight gain recommendations or of risks for adverse pregnancy outcomes with excessive weight gain or postpartum weight retention. Excessive eating emerged as a common strategy to provide relief of psychological, emotional and physical discomfort, such as depression and morning sickness. Women perceived medical staff as being unconcerned about weight, and postpartum weight loss support was scarce or absent. Some women reported eating more due to a belief that breastfeeding would automatically lead to weight loss.There is a need to raise awareness about risks with unhealthy gestational weight development and postpartum weight retention in women of childbearing age. The common strategy to cope with psychological, emotional or physical discomfort by eating is an important factor to target with intervention. The postpartum year is a neglected period where additional follow-up on weight and weight loss support is strongly indicated.

  6. Review: fetal programming of polycystic ovary syndrome by androgen excess: evidence from experimental, clinical, and genetic association studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xita, Nectaria; Tsatsoulis, Agathocles

    2006-05-01

    Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder of premenopausal women, characterized by hyperandrogenism, polycystic ovaries, and chronic anovulation along with insulin resistance and abdominal obesity as frequent metabolic traits. Although PCOS manifests clinically during adolescence, emerging data suggest that the natural history of PCOS may originate in intrauterine life. Evidence from experimental, clinical, and genetic research supporting the hypothesis for the fetal origins of PCOS has been analyzed. Female primates, exposed in utero to androgen excess, exhibit the phenotypic features of PCOS during adult life. Clinical observations also support a potential fetal origin of PCOS. Women with fetal androgen excess disorders, including congenital 21-hydroxylase deficiency and congenital adrenal virilizing tumors, develop features characteristic of PCOS during adulthood despite the normalization of androgen excess after birth. The potential mechanisms of fetal androgen excess leading to a PCOS phenotype in humans are not clearly understood. However, maternal and/or fetal hyperandrogenism can provide a plausible mechanism for fetal programing of PCOS, and this, in part, may be genetically determined. Thus, genetic association studies have indicated that common polymorphic variants of genes determining androgen activity or genes that influence the availability of androgens to target tissues are associated with PCOS and increased androgen levels. These genomic variants may provide the genetic link to prenatal androgenization in human PCOS. Prenatal androgenization of the female fetus induced by genetic and environmental factors, or the interaction of both, may program differentiating target tissues toward the development of PCOS phenotype in adult life.

  7. Tetraploidy Enhances Boron-Excess Tolerance in Carrizo Citrange (Citrus sinensis L. Osb. × Poncirus trifoliata L. Raf.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruiz, Marta; Quiñones, Ana; Martínez-Alcántara, Belén; Aleza, Pablo; Morillon, Raphaël; Navarro, Luis; Primo-Millo, Eduardo; Martínez-Cuenca, Mary-Rus

    2016-01-01

    Tetraploidy modifies root anatomy which may lead to differentiated capacity to uptake and transport mineral elements. This work provides insights into physiological and molecular characters involved in boron (B) toxicity responses in diploid (2x) and tetraploid (4x) plants of Carrizo citrange (Citrus sinensis L. Osb. × Poncirus trifoliata L. Raf.), a widely used citrus rootstock. With B excess, 2x plants accumulated more B in leaves than 4x plants, which accounted for their higher B uptake and root-to-shoot transport rates. Ploidy did not modify the expression of membrane transporters NIP5 and BOR1 in roots. The cellular allocation of B excess differed between ploidy levels in the soluble fraction, which was lower in 4x leaves, while cell wall-linked B was similar in 2x and 4x genotypes. This correlates with the increased damage and stunted growth recorded in the 2x plants. The 4x roots were found to have fewer root tips, shorter specific root length, longer diameter, thicker exodermis and earlier tissue maturation in root tips, where the Casparian strip was detected at a shorter distance from the root apex than in the 2x roots. The results presented herein suggest that the root anatomical characters of the 4x plants play a key role in their lower B uptake capacity and root-to-shoot transport. Tetraploidy enhances B excess tolerance in citrange CarrizoExpression of NIP5 and BOR1 transporters and cell wall-bounded B are similar between ploidiesB tolerance is attributed to root anatomical modifications induced by genome duplicationThe rootstock 4x citrange carrizo may prevent citrus trees from B excess.

  8. Atomic absorption photometry of excess Zn in ZnO

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lott, K.; Shinkarenko, S.; Tuern, L. [Department of Materials Science, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn (Estonia); Kirsanova, T.; Grebennik, A.; Vishnjakov, A. [Department of Physical Chemistry, D. Mendelejev University of Chemical Technology of Russia, Miusskaya Sq. 9, 125047 Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2005-02-01

    Zn excess in ZnO is built up automatically at high temperatures. Excess Zn in hydrothermally grown ZnO single crystals were investigated by the atomic absorption photometry (AAP) method. To determine the excess zinc in ZnO samples, the AAP of zinc vapour was used in the conditions of solid-vapour equilibrium. Zn AAP allowed to eliminate excess Zn connected differentially in ZnO samples. To fix Zn non-stoichiometry, all the ZnO samples tested were previously heat treated at temperature interval from 850 to 900 C and at fixed Zn vapour pressures from 0.1 to 0.9 of saturated zinc vapour pressure at given treatment temperature. The analysis of temperature dependence of zinc vapour pressure indicated that the impurity metals take active role in the determination of non-stoichiometric zinc. The impurities Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Cu form oxides which will reduce during annealing in Zn vapor up to metals form. During AAP measurement in optical cuvette, these metals react with ZnO and give additional Zn vapor pressure. (copyright 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  9. Excess mortality in mothers of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Louwers, Y. V.; Roest-Schalken, M. E.; Kleefstra, N.; van Lennep, J. Roeters; van den Berg, M.; Fauser, B. C. J. M.; Bilo, H. J. G.; Sijbrands, E. J. G.; Laven, J. S. E.

    STUDY QUESTION: Do diabetic parents of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) encounter excess mortality compared with the mortality of men and women with type 2 diabetes, recruited without selection for PCOS? SUMMARY ANSWER: Type 2 diabetes among mothers of PCOS patients results in excess

  10. Signal Detection Framework Using Semantic Text Mining Techniques

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sudarsan, Sithu D.

    2009-01-01

    Signal detection is a challenging task for regulatory and intelligence agencies. Subject matter experts in those agencies analyze documents, generally containing narrative text in a time bound manner for signals by identification, evaluation and confirmation, leading to follow-up action e.g., recalling a defective product or public advisory for…

  11. The Characterization of the Gamma-Ray Signal from the Central Milky Way: A Compelling Case for Annihilating Dark Matter

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Daylan, Tansu [Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (United States); Finkbeiner, Douglas P. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center, Cambridge, MA (United States); Hooper, Dan [Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States); Linden, Tim [Univ. of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL (United States); Portillo, Stephen K. N. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center, Cambridge, MA (United States); Rodd, Nicholas L. [Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA (United States); Slatyer, Tracy R. [Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ (United States)

    2014-02-26

    Past studies have identified a spatially extended excess of ~1-3 GeV gamma rays from the region surrounding the Galactic Center, consistent with the emission expected from annihilating dark matter. We revisit and scrutinize this signal with the intention of further constraining its characteristics and origin. By applying cuts to the Fermi event parameter CTBCORE, we suppress the tails of the point spread function and generate high resolution gamma-ray maps, enabling us to more easily separate the various gamma-ray components. Within these maps, we find the GeV excess to be robust and highly statistically significant, with a spectrum, angular distribution, and overall normalization that is in good agreement with that predicted by simple annihilating dark matter models. For example, the signal is very well fit by a 31-40 GeV dark matter particle annihilating to b quarks with an annihilation cross section of sigma v = (1.4-2.0) x 10^-26 cm^3/s (normalized to a local dark matter density of 0.3 GeV/cm^3). Furthermore, we confirm that the angular distribution of the excess is approximately spherically symmetric and centered around the dynamical center of the Milky Way (within ~0.05 degrees of Sgr A*), showing no sign of elongation along or perpendicular to the Galactic Plane. The signal is observed to extend to at least 10 degrees from the Galactic Center, disfavoring the possibility that this emission originates from millisecond pulsars.

  12. Excessive crying in infants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Halpern

    2016-05-01

    Conclusion: Excessive crying in the early months is a prevalent symptom; the pediatrician's attention is necessary to understand and adequately manage the problem and offer support to exhausted parents. The prescription of drugs of questionable action and with potential side effects is not a recommended treatment, except in extreme situations. The effectiveness of dietary treatments and use of probiotics still require confirmation. There is incomplete evidence regarding alternative treatments such as manipulation techniques, acupuncture, and use of the herbal supplements and behavioral interventions.

  13. GFAP promoter driven transgenic expression of PDGFB in the mouse brain leads to glioblastoma in a Trp53 null background

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hede, Sanna-Maria; Hansson, Inga; Afink, Gijs B.; Eriksson, Anna; Nazarenko, Inga; Andrae, Johanna; Genove, Guillem; Westermark, Bengt; Nistér, Monica

    2009-01-01

    Glioblastomas are the most common and malignant astrocytic brain tumors in human adults. The tumor suppressor gene TP53 is commonly mutated and/or lost in astrocytic brain tumors and the TP53 alterations are often found in combination with excessive growth factor signaling via PDGF/PDGFRalpha. Here,

  14. The effect of excessive iodine diet on thyroid function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Yuhua; Li Yaming

    2009-01-01

    The modify of the thyroid cell structure can be induced by excessive iodine diet. Then the disordered thyroid function can result in a number of thyroid disease. The radionucline thyroid imaging play an important role in diagnoses of thyroid. Amplify on the effect of excessive diet on thyroid function will be worthy instructing what preparation should do before doing the thyroid nuclide imaging. (authors)

  15. Investigations of a zirconia solid electrolyte oxygen sensor in liquid lead

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rivai, Abu Khalid, E-mail: rivai.abukhalid@jaea.go.j [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, N1-18, 2-12-1, O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550 (Japan); Takahashi, Minoru, E-mail: mtakahas@nr.titech.ac.j [Research Laboratory for Nuclear Reactors, Tokyo Institute of Technology, N1-18, 2-12-1, O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550 (Japan)

    2010-03-15

    Investigations of a magnesia-stabilized zirconia solid electrolyte oxygen sensor for oxygen control measurement in liquid lead were carried out. The fluid of Bi/Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} as a reference electrode and a molybdenum wire as a working electrode to detect the output signal of the sensor were used. The Nernst equation was used to estimate the electromotive force (EMF) values theoretically. The temperatures of liquid lead were 500, 550 and 600 deg. C. The results showed that the injection gas temperatures did not affect the detected EMF, the sensor responded well to quick changes of oxygen activity in liquid lead, and the discrepancy between the measured and theoretical EMF of the oxygen sensor output signal was higher at 500 deg. C than at 550 and 600 deg. C.

  16. Is the excessive use of microblogs an Internet addiction? Developing a scale for assessing the excessive use of microblogs in Chinese college students.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Hou

    Full Text Available More and more college students are using microblogs, with some excessive users demonstrating addiction-like symptoms. However, there is currently no published scale available for use in assessing excessive use of these microblogs, a significant impediment to advancing this area of research. We collected data from 3,047 college students in China and developed a Microblog Excessive Use Scale (MEUS for Chinese college students, comparing it with criteria used for assessing Internet addiction. Our diagnostic scale featured three factors, two of which--"withdrawal and health problem" and "time management and performance"--are already included in Internet addiction assessment scales. The third factor, "social comfort," does not appear in Internet addiction assessment scales. Our study found that females have significantly higher MEUS scores than males, and that total MEUS scores positively correlated with scores from "self-disclosure" and "real social interaction" scales. These findings differ from results obtained in previous investigations into Internet addiction. Our results indicate that some characteristics of the excessive use of microblogs are different to those of Internet addiction, suggesting that microblog overuse may not correspond exactly to the state of Internet addiction.

  17. Membrane tension controls adhesion positioning at the leading edge of cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pontes, Bruno; Monzo, Pascale; Gole, Laurent; Le Roux, Anabel-Lise; Kosmalska, Anita Joanna; Tam, Zhi Yang; Luo, Weiwei; Kan, Sophie; Viasnoff, Virgile; Roca-Cusachs, Pere; Tucker-Kellogg, Lisa; Gauthier, Nils C

    2017-09-04

    Cell migration is dependent on adhesion dynamics and actin cytoskeleton remodeling at the leading edge. These events may be physically constrained by the plasma membrane. Here, we show that the mechanical signal produced by an increase in plasma membrane tension triggers the positioning of new rows of adhesions at the leading edge. During protrusion, as membrane tension increases, velocity slows, and the lamellipodium buckles upward in a myosin II-independent manner. The buckling occurs between the front of the lamellipodium, where nascent adhesions are positioned in rows, and the base of the lamellipodium, where a vinculin-dependent clutch couples actin to previously positioned adhesions. As membrane tension decreases, protrusion resumes and buckling disappears, until the next cycle. We propose that the mechanical signal of membrane tension exerts upstream control in mechanotransduction by periodically compressing and relaxing the lamellipodium, leading to the positioning of adhesions at the leading edge of cells. © 2017 Pontes et al.

  18. Nonresonant excess photon detachment of negative hydrogen ions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gulley, M. S.; Zhao, Xin Miao; Bryant, H. C.; Strauss, Charlie E. M.; Funk, David J.; Stintz, A.; Rislove, D. C.; Kyrala, G. A.; Ingalls, W. B.; Miller, W. A.

    1999-01-01

    One-photon detachment and two-photon nonresonant excess photon detachment of electrons from the H - ion (outer-electron binding energy = 0.7542 eV) are observed with 1.165 eV laser pulses from a Nd:YAG laser (where YAG denotes yttrium aluminum garnet). A Penning ion source produces a pulsed 8 μA, 35 keV H - beam that intersects a laser beam cylindrically focused down to a 17 μm full width at half maximum waist in the ion beam direction, creating a high-intensity interaction region with peak intensities of up to 10 11 W/cm 2 . The interaction time is 7 ps. The detached electrons are detected by a time-of-flight apparatus enabling us to detect a very small two-photon signal in the presence of a very large signal from single photon detachments. By rotating the linear polarization angle, we study the angular distribution of the electrons for both one- and two-photon detachments. The spectra are modeled to determine the asymmetry parameters and one- and two-photon cross sections. We find β 2 to be 2.54+0.44/-0.60 and β 4 to be 2.29+0.07/-0.31, corresponding to a D state of 89+3/-12% of the S wave and D wave detachments for the two-photon results. The relative phase angle between the S and D amplitudes is measured to be less than 59 degree sign . The measured cross sections are found to be consistent with theoretical predictions. The one-photon photodetachment cross section is measured to be (3.6±1.7)x10 -17 cm 2 . The two-photon photodetachment generalized cross section is (1.3±0.5)x10 -48 cm 4 sec, consistent with theoretical calculations of the cross section. The three-photon generalized cross section is less than 4.4x10 -79 cm 6 sec 2 . (c) 1999 The American Physical Society

  19. MAPK phosphatase AP2C3 induces ectopic proliferation of epidermal cells leading to stomata development in Arabidopsis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julija Umbrasaite

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available In plant post-embryonic epidermis mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK signaling promotes differentiation of pavement cells and inhibits initiation of stomata. Stomata are cells specialized to modulate gas exchange and water loss. Arabidopsis MAPKs MPK3 and MPK6 are at the core of the signaling cascade; however, it is not well understood how the activity of these pleiotropic MAPKs is constrained spatially so that pavement cell differentiation is promoted only outside the stomata lineage. Here we identified a PP2C-type phosphatase termed AP2C3 (Arabidopsis protein phosphatase 2C that is expressed distinctively during stomata development as well as interacts and inactivates MPK3, MPK4 and MPK6. AP2C3 co-localizes with MAPKs within the nucleus and this localization depends on its N-terminal extension. We show that other closely related phosphatases AP2C2 and AP2C4 are also MAPK phosphatases acting on MPK6, but have a distinct expression pattern from AP2C3. In accordance with this, only AP2C3 ectopic expression is able to stimulate cell proliferation leading to excess stomata development. This function of AP2C3 relies on the domains required for MAPK docking and intracellular localization. Concomitantly, the constitutive and inducible AP2C3 expression deregulates E2F-RB pathway, promotes the abundance and activity of CDKA, as well as changes of CDKB1;1 forms. We suggest that AP2C3 downregulates the MAPK signaling activity to help maintain the balance between differentiation of stomata and pavement cells.

  20. Utilising excess minibus-taxi capacity for South African townships tours

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rietjens, S.J.H.; Makoriwa, Collins; de Boer, S.J.

    2006-01-01

    This paper proposes an option for the utilisation of excess off-peak capacity of minibus-taxis in South Africa for township tours. The minibus-taxi system typically faces steep peak loads during rush hours with excess vehicle and person capacity available during off-hours. The advantages of the