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Sample records for factors efs based

  1. Mapping the human translation elongation factor eEF1H complex using the yeast two-hybrid system

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mansilla, Francisco; Friis, Irene; Jadidi, Mandana

    2002-01-01

    In eukaryotes, the eukaryotic translation elongation factor eEF1A responsible for transporting amino-acylated tRNA to the ribosome forms a higher-order complex, eEF1H, with its guanine-nucleotide-exchange factor eEF1B. In metazoans, eEF1B consists of three subunits: eEF1B alpha, eEF1B eta and eEF1B...... of in vitro experiments have been proposed for the macromolecular organization of the eEF1H complex. However, these models differ in various aspects. This might be due to the difficulties of handling, particularly the eEF1B beta and eEF1B gamma subunits in vitro. Here, the human eEF1H complex is for the first...... gamma:eEF1B beta, where the last was observed using a three-hybrid approach. Surprisingly, eEF1A2 showed no or only little affinity for the guanine-nucleotide-exchange factors. Truncated versions of the subunits of eEF1B were used to orientate these subunits within the resulting model. The model unit...

  2. Bacterial elongation factors EF-Tu, their mutants, chimeric forms, and domains: isolation and purification

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Jonák, Jiří

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 849, 1-2 (2007), s. 141-153 ISSN 1570-0232 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA5052206; GA AV ČR KJB500520503; GA MŠk 2B06065 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50520514 Keywords : bacterial elongation factors EF-Tu, , G-domain * recombinant EF-Tus * preparation Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 2.935, year: 2007

  3. Bacterial translation elongation factor EF-Tu interacts and colocalizes with actin-like MreB protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Defeu Soufo, Hervé Joël; Reimold, Christian; Linne, Uwe; Knust, Tobias; Gescher, Johannes; Graumann, Peter L

    2010-02-16

    We show that translation initiation factor EF-Tu plays a second important role in cell shape maintenance in the bacterium Bacillus subtilis. EF-Tu localizes in a helical pattern underneath the cell membrane and colocalizes with MreB, an actin-like cytoskeletal element setting up rod cell shape. The localization of MreB and of EF-Tu is interdependent, but in contrast to the dynamic MreB filaments, EF-Tu structures are more static and may serve as tracks for MreB filaments. In agreement with this idea, EF-Tu and MreB interact in vivo and in vitro. Lowering of the EF-Tu levels had a minor effect on translation but a strong effect on cell shape and on the localization of MreB, and blocking of the function of EF-Tu in translation did not interfere with the localization of MreB, showing that, directly or indirectly, EF-Tu affects the cytoskeletal MreB structure and thus serves two important functions in a bacterium.

  4. Cloning and Characterization of EF-Tu and EF-Ts from Pseudomonas aeruginosa

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    Stephanie O. Palmer

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We have cloned genes encoding elongation factors EF-Tu and EF-Ts from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and expressed and purified the proteins to greater than 95% homogeneity. Sequence analysis indicated that P. aeruginosa EF-Tu and EF-Ts are 84% and 55% identical to E. coli counterparts, respectively. P. aeruginosa EF-Tu was active when assayed in GDP exchange assays. Kinetic parameters for the interaction of EF-Tu with GDP in the absence of EF-Ts were observed to be = 33 μM, = 0.003 s−1, and the specificity constant was  s−1 μM−1. In the presence of EF-Ts, these values were shifted to = 2 μM, = 0.005 s−1, and the specificity constant was  s−1 μM−1. The equilibrium dissociation constants governing the binding of EF-Tu to GDP ( were 30–75 nM and to GTP ( were 125–200 nM. EF-Ts stimulated the exchange of GDP by EF-Tu 10-fold. P. aeruginosa EF-Tu was active in forming a ternary complex with GTP and aminoacylated tRNA and was functional in poly(U-dependent binding of Phe-tRNAPhe at the A-site of P. aeruginosa ribosomes. P. aeruginosa EF-Tu was active in poly(U-programmed polyphenylalanine protein synthesis system composed of all P. aeruginosa components.

  5. Sordarin derivatives induce a novel conformation of the yeast ribosome translocation factor eEF2

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Søe, Rikke; Mosley, R.T.; Justice, M.

    2007-01-01

    EF2 that form the ligand binding pocket are oriented in a different manner relative to the rest of eEF2 compared to our previous structure of eEF2 in complex with the parent natural product sordarin. Yeast eEF2 is also shown to bind adenylic nucleotides, which can be displaced by sordarin, suggesting...... that ADP or ATP also bind to the three C-terminal domains of eEF2. Fusidic acid is a universal inhibitor of translation that targets EF-G or eEF2, and is widely used as an antibiotic against gram positive bacteria. Based on mutations conferring resistance to fusidic acid, cryo-EM reconstructions, and X...

  6. HFpEF and HFrEF Display Different Phenotypes as Assessed by IGF-1 and IGFBP-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faxén, Ulrika Ljung; Hage, Camilla; Benson, Lina; Zabarovskaja, Stanislava; Andreasson, Anna; Donal, Erwan; Daubert, Jean-Claude; Linde, Cecilia; Brismar, Kerstin; Lund, Lars H

    2017-04-01

    Anabolic drive is impaired in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) but insufficiently studied in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) mediates growth hormone effects and IGF binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1) regulates IGF-1 activity. We tested the hypothesis that HFpEF and HFrEF are similar with regard to IGF-1 and IGFBP-1. In patients with HFpEF (n = 79), HFrEF (n = 85), and controls (n = 136), we analyzed serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-1 concentrations, correlations, and associations with outcome. Age-standardized scores of IGF-1 were higher in HFpEF, median arbitrary units (interquartile range); 1.21 (0.57-1.96) vs HFrEF, 0.09 (-1.40-1.62), and controls, 0.22 (-0.47-0.96), P overall IGF-1 was associated with outcomes in HFrEF, hazard ratio per natural logarithmic increase in IGF-1 SD score 0.51 (95% confidence interval 0.32-0.82, P = .005), but not significantly in HFpEF. IGFBP-1 was not associated with outcomes in either HFpEF nor HFrEF. HFpEF and HFrEF phenotypes were similar with regard to increased IGFBP-1 concentrations but differed regarding IGF-1 levels and prognostic role. HFrEF and HFpEF may display different impairment in anabolic drive. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Murine elongation factor 1 alpha (EF-1 alpha) is posttranslationally modified by novel amide-linked ethanolamine-phosphoglycerol moieties. Addition of ethanolamine-phosphoglycerol to specific glutamic acid residues on EF-1 alpha

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whiteheart, S.W.; Shenbagamurthi, P.; Chen, L.; Cotter, R.J.; Hart, G.W.

    1989-01-01

    Elongation Factor 1 alpha (EF-1 alpha), an important eukaryotic translation factor, transports charged aminoacyl-tRNA from the cytosol to the ribosomes during poly-peptide synthesis. Metabolic radiolabeling with [ 3 H] ethanolamine shows that, in all cells examined, EF-1 alpha is the major radiolabeled protein. Radiolabeled EF-1 alpha has an apparent Mr = 53,000 and a basic isoelectric point. It is cytosolic and does not contain N-linked oligosaccharides. Trypsin digestion of murine EF-1 alpha generated two major [ 3 H]ethanolamine-labeled peptides. Three peptides were sequenced and were identical to two distinct regions of the human EF-1 alpha protein. Blank sequencing cycles coinciding with glutamic acid in the human cDNA-derived sequence were also found to release [ 3 H]ethanolamine, and compositional analysis of these peptides confirmed the presence of glutamic acid. Dansylation analysis demonstrates that the amine group of the ethanolamine is blocked. These results indicate that EF-1 alpha is posttranslationally modified by the covalent attachment of ethanolamine via an amide bond to at least two specific glutamic acid residues (Glu-301 and Glu-374). The hydroxyl group of the attached ethanolamine was shown by mass spectrometry and compositional analysis, to be further modified by the addition of a phosphoglycerol unit. This novel posttranslational modification may represent an important alteration of EF-1 alpha, comparable to the regulatory effects of posttranslational methylation of EF-1 alpha lysine residues

  8. Regulation of eukaryotic elongation factor 1 alpha (eEF1A) by dynamic lysine methylation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jakobsson, Magnus E; Małecki, Jędrzej; Falnes, Pål Ø

    2018-01-01

    Lysine methylation is a frequent post-translational protein modification, which has been intensively studied in the case of histone proteins. Lysine methylations are also found on many non-histone proteins, and one prominent example is eukaryotic elongation factor 1 alpha (eEF1A). Besides its...... essential role in the protein synthesis machinery, a number of non-canonical functions have also been described for eEF1A, such as regulation of the actin cytoskeleton and the promotion of viral replication. The functional significance of the extensive lysine methylations on eEF1A, as well as the identity...

  9. Roles of Protein Synthesis Elongation Factor EF-Tu in Heat Tolerance in Plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianming Fu

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available EF-Tu proteins of plastids, mitochondria, and the cytosolic counterpart EF-1α in plants, as well as EF-Tu proteins of bacteria, are highly conserved and multifunctional. The functions of EF-Tu include transporting the aminoacyl-tRNA complex to the A site of the ribosome during protein biosynthesis; chaperone activity in protecting other proteins from aggregation caused by environmental stresses, facilitating renaturation of proteins when conditions return to normal; displaying a protein disulfide isomerase activity; participating in the degradation of N-terminally blocked proteins by the proteasome; eliciting innate immunity and triggering resistance to pathogenic bacteria in plants; participating in transcription when an E. coli host is infected with phages. EF-Tu genes are upregulated by abiotic stresses in plants, and EF-Tu plays important role in stress responses. Expression of a plant EF-Tu gene confers heat tolerance in E. coli, maize knock-out EF-Tu null mutants are heat susceptible, and over-expression of an EF-Tu gene improves heat tolerance in crop plants. This review paper summarizes the current knowledge of EF-Tu proteins in stress responses in plants and progress on application of EF-Tu for developing crop varieties tolerant to abiotic stresses, such as high temperatures.

  10. Polymorphisms in the mitochondrial ribosome recycling factor EF-G2mt/MEF2 compromise cell respiratory function and increase atorvastatin toxicity.

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    Sylvie Callegari

    Full Text Available Mitochondrial translation, essential for synthesis of the electron transport chain complexes in the mitochondria, is governed by nuclear encoded genes. Polymorphisms within these genes are increasingly being implicated in disease and may also trigger adverse drug reactions. Statins, a class of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors used to treat hypercholesterolemia, are among the most widely prescribed drugs in the world. However, a significant proportion of users suffer side effects of varying severity that commonly affect skeletal muscle. The mitochondria are one of the molecular targets of statins, and these drugs have been known to uncover otherwise silent mitochondrial mutations. Based on yeast genetic studies, we identify the mitochondrial translation factor MEF2 as a mediator of atorvastatin toxicity. The human ortholog of MEF2 is the Elongation Factor Gene (EF-G 2, which has previously been shown to play a specific role in mitochondrial ribosome recycling. Using small interfering RNA (siRNA silencing of expression in human cell lines, we demonstrate that the EF-G2mt gene is required for cell growth on galactose medium, signifying an essential role for this gene in aerobic respiration. Furthermore, EF-G2mt silenced cell lines have increased susceptibility to cell death in the presence of atorvastatin. Using yeast as a model, conserved amino acid variants, which arise from non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in the EF-G2mt gene, were generated in the yeast MEF2 gene. Although these mutations do not produce an obvious growth phenotype, three mutations reveal an atorvastatin-sensitive phenotype and further analysis uncovers a decreased respiratory capacity. These findings constitute the first reported phenotype associated with SNPs in the EF-G2mt gene and implicate the human EF-G2mt gene as a pharmacogenetic candidate gene for statin toxicity in humans.

  11. Myostatin inhibits eEF2K-eEF2 by regulating AMPK to suppress protein synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Zhao; Luo, Pei; Lai, Wen; Song, Tongxing; Peng, Jian; Wei, Hong-Kui

    2017-12-09

    Growth of skeletal muscle is dependent on the protein synthesis, and the rate of protein synthesis is mainly regulated in the stage of translation initiation and elongation. Myostatin, a member of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily, is a negative regulator of protein synthesis. C2C12 myotubes was incubated with 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 2, 3 μg/mL myostatin recombinant protein, and then we detected the rates of protein synthesis by the method of SUnSET. We found that high concentrations of myostatin (2 and 3 μg/mL) inhibited protein synthesis by blocking mTOR and eEF2K-eEF2 pathway, while low concentration of myostatin (0.01, 0.1 and 1 μg/mL) regulated eEF2K-eEF2 pathway activity to block protein synthesis without affected mTOR pathway, and myostatin inhibited eEF2K-eEF2 pathway through regulating AMPK pathway to suppress protein synthesis. It provided a new mechanism for myostatin regulating protein synthesis and treating muscle atrophy. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  12. Site of ADP-ribosylation and the RNA-binding site are situated in different domains of the elongation factor EF-2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Davydova, E.K.

    1987-01-01

    One of the proteins participating in the process of elongation of polypeptide chains - elongation factor 2 (EF-2) - can be ADP-ribosylated at a unique amino acid residue - diphthamide. Since the ADP-ribosylation of EF-2 at dipthamide leads to a loss of affinity of the factor for RNA while the presence of RNA inhibits the ADP-ribosylation reaction, it seemed probable to the authors that diphthamide participated directly in the binding of EF-2 to DNA. The experiments presented in this article showed that this was not the case: diphthamide and the RNA-binding site are situated on different domains of EF-2. Thus, ADP-ribosylation of factor EF-2 in one domain leads to a loss of the ability to bind to RNA in the other. The authors investigated the mutual arrangement of diphthamide and the RNA-binding site on the EF-2 molecule by preparing a factor from rabbit reticulocytes and subjecting it to proteolytic digestion with elastase. The factor was incubated with elastase for 15 min at 37 0 C at an enzyme:substrate ratio of 1:100 in buffer solution containing 20 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.6, 10 mM KCl, 1 mM MgCl 2 , and 2 mM dithiothreitol. The reaction was stopped by adding para-methylsulfonyl fluoride to 50 micro-M. The authors obtained a preparation as a result of proteolysis and applied it on a column with RNA-Sepharose and separated into two fractions: RNA-binding and without affinity for RNA. The initial preparation and its fractions were subjected to exhaustive ADP-ribosylation in the presence of diphtheria toxin and [U- 14 C] nicotinaide adenine dinucleotide ([ 14 C]NAD) (296 mCi/mmole). The samples were analyzed electrophoretically in a polyacrylamide gel gradient in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. For the detection of [ 14 C] ADP-ribosylated components, the gels were dried and exposed with RM-V x-ray film

  13. Decoding the biosynthesis and function of diphthamide, an enigmatic modification of translation elongation factor 2 (EF2

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    Raffael Schaffrath

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Diphthamide is a highly conserved modification of archaeal and eukaryal translation elongation factor 2 (EF2 and yet why cells need EF2 to contain diphthamide is unclear. In yeast, the first steps of diphthamide synthesis and the genes (DPH1-DPH5 required to form the intermediate diphthine are well-documented. However, the last step, amidadation of diphthine to diphthamide, had largely been ill-defined. Remarkably, through mining genome-wide synthetic gene array (SGA and chemical genomics databases, recent studies by Uthman et al. [PLoS Genetics (2013 9, e1003334] and Su et al. [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (2012 109, 19983-19987] have identified two more diphthamide players, DPH6 and DPH7. Consistent with roles in the amidation step, dph6 and dph7 deletion strains fail to complete diphthamide synthesis and accumulate diphthine-modified EF2. In contrast to Dph6, the catalytically relevant amidase, Dph7 appears to be regulatory. As shown by Uthman et al., it promotes dissociation of diphthine synthase (Dph5 from EF2, allowing diphthine amidation by Dph6 to occur and thereby coupling diphthine synthesis to the terminal step in the pathway. Remarkably, the study by Uthman et al. suggests that Dph5 has a novel role as an EF2 inhibitor that affects cell growth when diphthamide synthesis is blocked or incomplete and, importantly, shows that diphthamide promotes the accuracy of EF2 performance during translation.

  14. Translation elongation factor eEF1A2 is a potential oncoprotein that is overexpressed in two-thirds of breast tumours

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tomlinson, Victoria AL; Newbery, Helen J; Wray, Naomi R; Jackson, Juliette; Larionov, Alexey; Miller, William R; Dixon, J Michael; Abbott, Catherine M

    2005-01-01

    The tissue-specific translation elongation factor eEF1A2 was recently shown to be a potential oncogene that is overexpressed in ovarian cancer. Although there is no direct evidence for an involvement of eEF1A2 in breast cancer, the genomic region to which EEF1A2 maps, 20q13, is frequently amplified in breast tumours. We therefore sought to establish whether eEF1A2 expression might be upregulated in breast cancer. eEF1A2 is highly similar (98%) to the near-ubiquitously expressed eEF1A1 (formerly known as EF1-α) making analysis with commercial antibodies difficult. We have developed specific anti-eEF1A2 antibodies and used them in immunohistochemical analyses of tumour samples. We report the novel finding that although eEF1A2 is barely detectable in normal breast it is moderately to strongly expressed in two-thirds of breast tumours. This overexpression is strongly associated with estrogen receptor positivity. eEF1A2 should be considered as a putative oncogene in breast cancer that may be a useful diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for a high proportion of breast tumours. The oncogenicity of eEF1A2 may be related to its role in protein synthesis or to its potential non-canonical functions in cytoskeletal remodelling or apoptosis

  15. Neurite outgrowth mediated by translation elongation factor eEF1A1: a target for antiplatelet agent cilostazol.

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    Kenji Hashimoto

    Full Text Available Cilostazol, a type-3 phosphodiesterase (PDE3 inhibitor, has become widely used as an antiplatelet drug worldwide. A recent second Cilostazol Stroke Prevention Study demonstrated that cilostazol is superior to aspirin for prevention of stroke after an ischemic stroke. However, its precise mechanisms of action remain to be determined. Here, we report that cilostazol, but not the PDE3 inhibitors cilostamide and milrinone, significantly potentiated nerve growth factor (NGF-induced neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells. Furthermore, specific inhibitors for the endoplasmic reticulum protein inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP(3 receptors and several common signaling pathways (PLC-γ, PI3K, Akt, p38 MAPK, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK, and the Ras/Raf/ERK/MAPK significantly blocked the potentiation of NGF-induced neurite outgrowth by cilostazol. Using a proteomics analysis, we identified that levels of eukaryotic translation elongation factor eEF1A1 protein were significantly increased by treatment with cilostazol, but not cilostamide, in PC12 cells. Moreover, the potentiating effects of cilostazol on NGF-induced neurite outgrowth were significantly antagonized by treatment with eEF1A1 RNAi, but not the negative control of eEF1A1. These findings suggest that eEF1A1 and several common cellular signaling pathways might play a role in the mechanism of cilostazol-induced neurite outgrowth. Therefore, agents that can increase the eEF1A1 protein may have therapeutic relevance in diverse conditions with altered neurite outgrowth.

  16. Characterization of novel peptide-specific antibodies against the translation elongation factor eEF1A2 and their application for cancer research

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    Shalak V. F.

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Aim. We intend to characterize the new peptide-specific antibodies against the isoform 2 of translation elongation factor 1A (eEF1A2 and determine its presence in the postoperative samples of human breast, lung and stomach tumor tissues. Methods. The analysis of antibody specificity was performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. Immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry were used for the determination of the eEF1A2 in the human tumor samples, as well as in the samples of normal tissues surrounding tumors. Results. The antibodies obtained against the eEF1A2 specifically recognized this protein in the cell extracts and histological sections and did not cross-react with the elongation factor 1A isoform 1. eEF1A2 was revealed in the postoperative samples of breast, lung and stomach tumors as well as in the putative normal tissues surrounding tumors. Conclusions. The antibodies obtained against eEF1A2 are highly specific for the antigen and can be used for the immunological studies of tumors.

  17. Translation elongation factor eEF1A2 is a potential oncoprotein that is overexpressed in two-thirds of breast tumours

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    Miller William R

    2005-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The tissue-specific translation elongation factor eEF1A2 was recently shown to be a potential oncogene that is overexpressed in ovarian cancer. Although there is no direct evidence for an involvement of eEF1A2 in breast cancer, the genomic region to which EEF1A2 maps, 20q13, is frequently amplified in breast tumours. We therefore sought to establish whether eEF1A2 expression might be upregulated in breast cancer. Methods eEF1A2 is highly similar (98% to the near-ubiquitously expressed eEF1A1 (formerly known as EF1-α making analysis with commercial antibodies difficult. We have developed specific anti-eEF1A2 antibodies and used them in immunohistochemical analyses of tumour samples. We report the novel finding that although eEF1A2 is barely detectable in normal breast it is moderately to strongly expressed in two-thirds of breast tumours. This overexpression is strongly associated with estrogen receptor positivity. Conclusion eEF1A2 should be considered as a putative oncogene in breast cancer that may be a useful diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for a high proportion of breast tumours. The oncogenicity of eEF1A2 may be related to its role in protein synthesis or to its potential non-canonical functions in cytoskeletal remodelling or apoptosis.

  18. Mammalian translation elongation factor eEF1A2: X-ray structure and new features of GDP/GTP exchange mechanism in higher eukaryotes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crepin, Thibaut; Shalak, Vyacheslav F; Yaremchuk, Anna D; Vlasenko, Dmytro O; McCarthy, Andrew; Negrutskii, Boris S; Tukalo, Michail A; El'skaya, Anna V

    2014-11-10

    Eukaryotic elongation factor eEF1A transits between the GTP- and GDP-bound conformations during the ribosomal polypeptide chain elongation. eEF1A*GTP establishes a complex with the aminoacyl-tRNA in the A site of the 80S ribosome. Correct codon-anticodon recognition triggers GTP hydrolysis, with subsequent dissociation of eEF1A*GDP from the ribosome. The structures of both the 'GTP'- and 'GDP'-bound conformations of eEF1A are unknown. Thus, the eEF1A-related ribosomal mechanisms were anticipated only by analogy with the bacterial homolog EF-Tu. Here, we report the first crystal structure of the mammalian eEF1A2*GDP complex which indicates major differences in the organization of the nucleotide-binding domain and intramolecular movements of eEF1A compared to EF-Tu. Our results explain the nucleotide exchange mechanism in the mammalian eEF1A and suggest that the first step of eEF1A*GDP dissociation from the 80S ribosome is the rotation of the nucleotide-binding domain observed after GTP hydrolysis. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  19. Heat-Killed Enterococcus faecalis EF-2001 Ameliorates Atopic Dermatitis in a Murine Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Eun-Ju; Iwasa, Masahiro; Han, Kwon-Il; Kim, Wan-Jae; Tang, Yujiao; Hwang, Young Joung; Chae, Jeong Ryong; Han, Weon Cheol; Shin, Yu-Su; Kim, Eun-Kyung

    2016-01-01

    Recent reports have shown the immunomodulatory effect of heat-killed lactic acid bacteria. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an allergic skin disease, caused by immune dysregulation among other factors. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of heat-killed Enterococcus faecalis EF-2001 (EF-2001) on AD. We established an in vivo AD model by repeated local exposure of Dermatophagoides farinae extract (DFE; house dust mite extract) and 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) to the ears of mice. After oral administration of EF-2001 for four weeks, the epidermal and dermal ear thickness, mast cell infiltration, and serum immunoglobulin levels were measured. In addition, the gene expression levels of pathogenic cytokines in the ears, lymph nodes, and splenocytes were assayed. EF-2001 attenuated AD symptoms based on the ear thickness, histopathological analysis, and serum immunoglobulin levels. Moreover, EF-2001 decreased the DFE/DNCB-induced expression of various pathogenic cytokines in the ears, lymph nodes, and splenocytes. These results suggest that EF-2001 has therapeutic potential in the treatment of AD owing to its immunomodulatory effects. PMID:26959058

  20. Heat-Killed Enterococcus faecalis EF-2001 Ameliorates Atopic Dermatitis in a Murine Model

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    Eun-Ju Choi

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Recent reports have shown the immunomodulatory effect of heat-killed lactic acid bacteria. Atopic dermatitis (AD is an allergic skin disease, caused by immune dysregulation among other factors. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of heat-killed Enterococcus faecalis EF-2001 (EF-2001 on AD. We established an in vivo AD model by repeated local exposure of Dermatophagoides farinae extract (DFE; house dust mite extract and 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB to the ears of mice. After oral administration of EF-2001 for four weeks, the epidermal and dermal ear thickness, mast cell infiltration, and serum immunoglobulin levels were measured. In addition, the gene expression levels of pathogenic cytokines in the ears, lymph nodes, and splenocytes were assayed. EF-2001 attenuated AD symptoms based on the ear thickness, histopathological analysis, and serum immunoglobulin levels. Moreover, EF-2001 decreased the DFE/DNCB-induced expression of various pathogenic cytokines in the ears, lymph nodes, and splenocytes. These results suggest that EF-2001 has therapeutic potential in the treatment of AD owing to its immunomodulatory effects.

  1. Education for Sustainability (EfS): Practice and Practice Architectures

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    Kemmis, Stephen; Mutton, Rebecca

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports some findings from an investigation of educational practice in ten (formal and informal) education for sustainability (EfS) initiatives, to characterise exemplary practice in school and community education for sustainability, considered crucial to Australia's future. The study focused on rural/regional Australia, specifically…

  2. Heart Failure with Recovered EF and Heart Failure with Mid-Range EF: Current Recommendations and Controversies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Unkovic, Peter; Basuray, Anupam

    2018-04-03

    This review explores key features and potential management controversies in two emerging populations in heart failure: heart failure with recovered ejection fraction (HF-recovered EF) and heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF). While HF-recovered EF patients have better outcomes than heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), they continue to have symptoms, persistent biomarker elevations, and abnormal outcomes suggesting a continued disease process. HFmrEF patients appear to have features of HFrEF and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), but have a high prevalence of ischemic heart disease and may represent a transitory phase between the HFrEF and HFpEF. Management strategies have insufficient data to warrant standardization at this time. HF-recovered EF and HFmrEF represent new populations with unmet needs and expose the pitfalls of an EF basis for heart failure classification.

  3. Isoforms of elongation factor eEF1A may be differently regulated at post-transcriptional level in breast cancer progression

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    Vislovukh A. A.

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1A exists as two 98 % homologous isoforms: eEF1A1 (A1 and eEF1A2 (A2 which are tissue and development specific. Despite high homology in an open reading frame (ORF region, mRNAs coding for eEF1A1 and eEF1A2 are different in their untranslated regions (UTR, suggesting a possibility of their dissimilar post-transcriptional regulation. Aim. To analyze the existence of cis-acting motifs in the UTRs of EEF1A1/A2 mRNAs, to confirm the possibility of post-transcriptional control of eEF1A1 and eEF1A2 expression. Methods. An ensemble of bioinformatic methods was applied to predict regulatory motifs in the UTRs of EEF1A1/A2 mRNAs. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was employed to detect post-transcriptional regulation of eEF1A1/A2 expression. Results. Numerous regulatory motifs in the UTR of EEF1A1/A2 mRNAs were found bioinformatically. The experimental evidence was obtained for the existence of negative regulation of EEF1A1 and positive regulation of EEF1A2 mRNA in the model of breast cancer development. Conclusions. EEF1A1 and EEF1A2 mRNAs contain distinct motifs in the UTRs and are differently regulated in cancer suggesting the possibility of their control by different cellular signals.

  4. Predictive potential of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luedike, Peter; Alatzides, Georgios; Papathanasiou, Maria; Heisler, Martin; Pohl, Julia; Lehmann, Nils; Rassaf, Tienush

    2018-05-04

    Prognostication in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is challenging and novel biomarkers are urgently needed. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that plays a crucial role in cardiovascular and various inflammatory diseases. Whether MIF is involved in HFpEF is unknown. Sixty-two patients with HFpEF were enrolled and followed up for 180 days. MIF plasma levels as well as natriuretic peptide (NP) levels were assessed. High MIF levels significantly predicted the combined end-point of all-cause death or hospitalization at 180 days in the univariate analysis (HR 2.41, 95% CI 1.12-5.19, p = 0.025) and after adjustment for relevant covariates in a Cox proportional hazard regression model (HR 2.35, 95% CI 1.05-5.27, p = 0.0374). Furthermore, MIF levels above the median were associated with higher pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) as assessed by echocardiography (PASP 31 mmHg vs 48 mmHg in the low- and high-MIF group, respectively, p = 0.017). NPs significantly correlated with MIF in HFpEF patients (BNP p = 0.011; r = 0.32; NT-proBNP p = 0.027; r = 0.28). MIF was associated with clinical outcomes and might be involved in the pathophysiology of pulmonary hypertension in patients with HFpEF. These first data on MIF in HFpEF should stimulate further research to elucidate the role of this cytokine in heart failure. Trial registration NCT03232671.

  5. A comparison of HFrEF vs HFpEF's clinical workload and cost in the first year following hospitalization and enrollment in a disease management program.

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    Murphy, T M; Waterhouse, D F; James, S; Casey, C; Fitzgerald, E; O'Connell, E; Watson, C; Gallagher, J; Ledwidge, M; McDonald, K

    2017-04-01

    Admission with heart failure (HF) is a milestone in the progression of the disease, often resulting in higher intensity medical care and ensuing readmissions. Whilst there is evidence supporting enrolling patients in a heart failure disease management program (HF-DMP), not all reported HF-DMPs have systematically enrolled patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and there is a scarcity of literature differentiating costs based on HF-phenotype. 1292 consenting, consecutive patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of HF were enrolled in a hospital based HF-DMP and categorized as HFpEF (EF≥45%) or HFrEF (EFHospitalizations, primary care, medications, and DMP workload with associated costs were evaluated assessing DMP clinic-visits, telephonic contact, medication changes over 1year using a mixture of casemix and micro-costing techniques. The total average annual cost per patient was marginally higher in patients with HFrEF €13,011 (12,011, 14,078) than HFpEF, €12,206 (11,009, 13,518). However, emergency non-cardiovascular admission rates and average cost per patient were higher in the HFpEF vs HFrEF group (0.46 vs 0.31 per patient/12months) & €655 (318, 1073) vs €584 (396, 812). In the first 3months of the outpatient HF-DMP the HFrEF population cost more on average €791 (764, 819) vs €693 (660, 728). There are greater short-term (3-month) costs of HFrEF versus HFpEF as part of a HF-DMP following an admission. However, long-term (3-12month) costs of HFpEF are greater because of higher non-cardiovascular rehospitalisations. As HFpEF becomes the dominant form of HF, more work is required in HF-DMPs to address prevention of non-cardiovascular rehospitalisations and to integrate hospital based HF-DMPs into primary healthcare structures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. The eukaryotic translation elongation factor eEF1A2 induces neoplastic properties and mediates tumorigenic effects of ZNF217 in precursor cells of human ovarian carcinomas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sun, Yu; Wong, Nicholas; Guan, Yinghui; Salamanca, Clara M.; Cheng, Jung Chien; Lee, Jonathan M.; Gray, Joe W.; Auersperg, Nelly

    2008-04-25

    Ovarian epithelial carcinomas (OEC) frequently exhibit amplifications at the 20q13 locus which is the site of several oncogenes, including the eukaryotic elongation factor EEF1A2 and the transcription factor ZNF217. We reported previously that overexpressed ZNF217 induces neoplastic characteristics in precursor cells of OEC. Unexpectedly, ZNF217, which is a transcriptional repressor, enhanced expression of eEF1A2. In this study, array comparative genomic hybridization, single nucleotide polymorphism and Affymetrix analysis of ZNF217-overexpressing cell lines confirmed consistently increased expression of eEF1A2 but not of other oncogenes, and revealed early changes in EEF1A2 gene copy numbers and increased expression at crisis during immortalization. We defined the influence of eEF1A2 overexpression on immortalized ovarian surface epithelial cells, and investigated interrelationships between effects of ZNF217 and eEF1A2 on cellular phenotypes. Lentivirally induced eEF1A2 overexpression caused delayed crisis, apoptosis resistance and increases in serum-independence, saturation densities, and anchorage independence. siRNA to eEF1A2 reversed apoptosis resistance and reduced anchorage independence in eEF1A2-overexpressing lines. Remarkably, siRNA to eEF1A2 was equally efficient in inhibiting both anchorage independence and resistance to apoptosis conferred by ZNF217 overexpression. Our data define neoplastic properties that are caused by eEF1A2 in nontumorigenic ovarian cancer precursor cells, and suggest that eEF1A2 plays a role in mediating ZNF217-induced neoplastic progression.

  7. Structure of eEF3 and the mechanism of transfer RNA release from the E-site

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Christian Brix Folsted; Becker, T.; Blau, M.

    2006-01-01

    Elongation factor eEF3 is an ATPase, which, in addition to the two canonical factors eEF1A and eEF2, serves an essential function in the translation cycle of fungi. eEF3 is required for the binding of the aatRNA-eEF1A-GTP ternary complex to the ribosomal A-site and has been suggested to facilitate...... the clearance of deacyl-tRNA from the E-site. Here, we present the crystal structure of eEF3 showing that it consists of an N-terminal HEAT repeat domain, followed by a four-helix bundle and two ABC-type ATPase domains with a chromo-domain inserted in ABC2. Moreover, we present the cryo-EM structure of the ATP......-bound form of eEF3 in complex with the post-translocational state 80S ribosome from yeast. eEF3 uses an entirely new factor binding site near the ribosomal E-site, with the chromodomain stabilizing the ribosomal L1 stalk in an open conformation, thus, allowing tRNA release....

  8. Translation elongation factor EF-Tu modulates filament formation of actin-like MreB protein in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Defeu Soufo, Hervé Joël; Reimold, Christian; Breddermann, Hannes; Mannherz, Hans G; Graumann, Peter L

    2015-04-24

    EF-Tu has been shown to interact with actin-like protein MreB and to affect its localization in Escherichia coli and in Bacillus subtilis cells. We have purified YFP-MreB in an active form, which forms filaments on glass slides in vitro and was active in dynamic light-scattering assays, polymerizing in milliseconds after addition of magnesium. Purified EF-Tu enhanced the amount of MreB filaments, as seen by sedimentation assays, the speed of filament formation and the length of MreB filaments in vitro. EF-Tu had the strongest impact on MreB filaments in a 1:1 ratio, and EF-Tu co-sedimented with MreB filaments, revealing a stoichiometric interaction between both proteins. This was supported by cross-linking assays where 1:1 species were well detectable. When expressed in E. coli cells, B. subtilis MreB formed filaments and induced the formation of co-localizing B. subtilis EF-Tu structures, indicating that MreB can direct the positioning of EF-Tu structures in a heterologous cell system. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching analysis showed that MreB filaments have a higher turnover in B. subtilis cells than in E. coli cells, indicating different filament kinetics in homologous or heterologous cell systems. The data show that MreB can direct the localization of EF-Tu in vivo, which in turn positively affects the formation and dynamics of MreB filaments. Thus, EF-Tu is a modulator of the activity of a bacterial actin-like protein. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  9. The eEF1A proteins: at the crossroads of oncogenesis, apoptosis and viral infections.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Georges eHerbein

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Eukaryotic translation elongation factors 1 alpha, eEF1A1 and eEF1A2, are not only translation factors, but also pleiotropic proteins that are highly expressed in human tumors, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer and lung cancer. eEF1A1 modulates cytoskeleton, exhibits chaperone-like activity and also controls cell proliferation and cell death. By contrast eEF1A2 protein favors oncogenesis as shown by the fact that overexpression of eEF1A2 leads to cellular transformation and gives rise to tumors in nude mice. The eEF1A2 protein stimulates the phospholipid signaling and activates the Akt-dependent cell migration and actin remodeling that ultimately favors tumorigenesis. By contrast, inactivation of eEF1A proteins leads to immunodeficiency, neural and muscular defects, and favors apoptosis. Finally, eEF1A proteins interact with several viral proteins resulting in enhanced viral replication, decreased apoptosis and increased cellular transformation. This review summarizes the recent findings on eEF1A proteins indicating that eEF1A proteins play a critical role in numerous human diseases through enhancement of oncogenesis, blockade of apoptosis and increased viral pathogenesis.

  10. Inhibition of IkappaB kinase-nuclear factor-kappaB signaling pathway by 3,5-bis(2-flurobenzylidene)piperidin-4-one (EF24), a novel monoketone analog of curcumin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasinski, Andrea L; Du, Yuhong; Thomas, Shala L; Zhao, Jing; Sun, Shi-Yong; Khuri, Fadlo R; Wang, Cun-Yu; Shoji, Mamoru; Sun, Aiming; Snyder, James P; Liotta, Dennis; Fu, Haian

    2008-09-01

    The nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) signaling pathway has been targeted for therapeutic applications in a variety of human diseases, includuing cancer. Many naturally occurring substances, including curcumin, have been investigated for their actions on the NF-kappaB pathway because of their significant therapeutic potential and safety profile. A synthetic monoketone compound termed 3,5-bis(2-flurobenzylidene)piperidin-4-one (EF24) was developed from curcumin and exhibited potent anticancer activity. Here, we report a mechanism by which EF24 potently suppresses the NF-kappaB signaling pathway through direct action on IkappaB kinase (IKK). We demonstrate that 1) EF24 induces death of lung, breast, ovarian, and cervical cancer cells, with a potency about 10 times higher than that of curcumin; 2) EF24 rapidly blocks the nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB, with an IC(50) value of 1.3 microM compared with curcumin, with an IC(50) value of 13 microM; 3) EF24 effectively inhibits tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-induced IkappaB phosphorylation and degradation, suggesting a role of this compound in targeting IKK; and 4) EF24 indeed directly inhibits the catalytic activity of IKK in an in vitro-reconstituted system. Our study identifies IKK as an effective target for EF24 and provides a molecular explanation for a superior activity of EF24 over curcumin. The effective inhibition of TNF-alpha-induced NF-kappaB signaling by EF24 extends the therapeutic application of EF24 to other NF-kappaB-dependent diseases, including inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

  11. Thermostability of Multidomain Proteins: Elongation Factors EF-Tu from Escherichia coli and Bacillus stearothermophilus and Their Chimeric Forms

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Šanderová, Hana; Hůlková, Marta; Maloň, Petr; Kepková, M.; Jonák, Jiří

    2004-01-01

    Roč. 13, č. 1 (2004), s. 89-99 ISSN 0961-8368 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IPP1050128; GA ČR GA204/98/0863; GA ČR GA303/02/0689 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z4055905; CEZ:AV0Z5052915 Keywords : elongation factor EF-Tu, thermostability, chimeric protein Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 4.116, year: 2004

  12. The Drosophila melanogaster Eip74EF-PA transcription factor directly binds the sciarid BhC4-1 promoter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frank, Henrique Oliveira; Sanchez, Danilo Garcia; de Freitas Oliveira, Lucas; Kobarg, Jörg; Monesi, Nadia

    2017-11-01

    The DNA puff BhC4-1 gene of Bradysia hygida (Diptera, Sciaridae) is amplified and expressed in the salivary glands at the end of the last larval instar. Even though there are no BhC4-1 orthologs in Drosophila melanogaster, the mechanisms that regulate BhC4-1 gene expression in B. hygida are for the most part conserved in D. melanogaster. The BhC4-1 promoter contains a 129bp (-186/-58) cis-regulatory module (CRM) that drives developmentally regulated expression in transgenic salivary glands at the onset of metamorphosis. Both in the sciarid and in transgenic D. melanogaster, BhC4-1 gene expression is induced by the increase in ecdysone titers that triggers metamorphosis. Genetic interaction experiments revealed that in the absence of the Eip74EF-PA early gene isoform BhC4-1-lacZ levels of expression in the salivary gland are severely reduced. Here we show that the overexpression of the Eip74EF-PA transcription factor is sufficient to anticipate BhC4-1-lacZ expression in transgenic D. melanogaster. Through yeast one-hybrid assays we confirm that the Eip74EF-PA transcription factor directly binds to the 129 bp sciarid CRM. Together, these results contribute to the characterization of an insect CRM and indicate that the ecdysone gene regulatory network that promotes metamorphosis is conserved between D. melanogaster and the sciarid B. hygida. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Labeled EF-Tus for rapid kinetic studies of pretranslocation complex formation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, Wei; Kavaliauskas, Darius; Schrader, Jared

    2014-01-01

    The universally conserved translation elongation factor EF-Tu delivers aminoacyl(aa)-tRNA in the form of an aa-tRNA·EF-Tu·GTP ternary complex (TC) to the ribosome where it binds to the cognate mRNA codon within the ribosomal A-site, leading to formation of a pretranslocation (PRE) complex. Here we...... describe preparation of QSY9 and Cy5 derivatives of the variant E348C-EF-Tu that are functional in translation elongation. Together with fluorophore derivatives of aa-tRNA and of ribosomal protein L11, located within the GTPase associated center (GAC), these labeled EF-Tus allow development of two new FRET...... assays that permit the dynamics of distance changes between EF-Tu and both L11 (Tu-L11 assay) and aa-tRNA (Tu-tRNA assay) to be determined during the decoding process. We use these assays to examine: (i) the relative rates of EF-Tu movement away from the GAC and from aa-tRNA during decoding, (ii...

  14. Development of the finite element method in the thermal field. TRIO-EF software for thermal and radiation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Casalotti, N.; Magnaud, J.P.

    1989-01-01

    The possibilities of the TRIO-EF software in the thermal field are presented. The TRIO-EF is a computer program based on the finite element method and used for three-dimensional incompressible flow analysis. It enables the calculation of three-dimensional heat transfer and the fluid/structure analysis. The geometrically complex radiative reactor systems are taken into account in the form factor calculation. The implemented algorithms are described [fr

  15. Complex distribution of EFL and EF-1α proteins in the green algal lineage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keeling Patrick J

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background EFL (or elongation factor-like is a member of the translation superfamily of GTPase proteins. It is restricted to eukaryotes, where it is found in a punctate distribution that is almost mutually exclusive with elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1α. EF-1α is a core translation factor previously thought to be essential in eukaryotes, so its relationship to EFL has prompted the suggestion that EFL has spread by horizontal or lateral gene transfer (HGT or LGT and replaced EF-1α multiple times. Among green algae, trebouxiophyceans and chlorophyceans have EFL, but the ulvophycean Acetabularia and the sister group to green algae, land plants, have EF-1α. This distribution singles out green algae as a particularly promising group to understand the origin of EFL and the effects of its presence on EF-1α. Results We have sampled all major lineages of green algae for both EFL and EF-1α. EFL is unexpectedly broad in its distribution, being found in all green algal lineages (chlorophyceans, trebouxiophyceans, ulvophyceans, prasinophyceans, and mesostigmatophyceans, except charophyceans and the genus Acetabularia. The presence of EFL in the genus Mesostigma and EF-1α in Acetabularia are of particular interest, since the opposite is true of all their closest relatives. The phylogeny of EFL is poorly resolved, but the Acetabularia EF-1α is clearly related to homologues from land plants and charophyceans, demonstrating that EF-1α was present in the common ancestor of the green lineage. Conclusion The distribution of EFL and EF-1α in the green lineage is not consistent with the phylogeny of the organisms, indicating a complex history of both genes. Overall, we suggest that after the introduction of EFL (in the ancestor of green algae or earlier, both genes co-existed in green algal genomes for some time before one or the other was lost on multiple occasions.

  16. Effector region of the translation elongation factor EF-Tu.GTP complex stabilizes an orthoester acid intermediate structure of aminoacyl-tRNA in a ternary complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Förster, C; Limmer, S; Zeidler, W; Sprinzl, M

    1994-01-01

    tRNA(Val) from Escherichia coli was aminoacylated with [1-13C]valine and its complex with Thermus thermophilus elongation factor EF-Tu.GTP was analyzed by 13C NMR spectroscopy. The results suggest that the aminoacyl residue of the valyl-tRNA in ternary complex with bacterial EF-Tu and GTP is not attached to tRNA by a regular ester bond to either a 2'- or 3'-hydroxyl group; instead, an intermediate orthoester acid structure with covalent linkage to both vicinal hydroxyls of the terminal adenosine-76 is formed. Mutation of arginine-59 located in the effector region of EF-Tu, a conserved residue in protein elongation factors and the alpha subunits of heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins), abolishes the stabilization of the orthoester acid structure of aminoacyl-tRNA. PMID:8183898

  17. Electrostatics effects on Ca(2+) binding and conformational changes in EF-hand domains: Functional implications for EF-hand proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ababou, Abdessamad; Zaleska, Mariola

    2015-12-01

    Mutations of Gln41 and Lys75 with nonpolar residues in the N-terminal domain of calmodulin (N-Cam) revealed the importance of solvation energetics in conformational change of Ca(2+) sensor EF-hand domains. While in general these domains have polar residues at these corresponding positions yet the extent of their conformational response to Ca(2+) binding and their Ca(2+) binding affinity can be different from N-Cam. Consequently, here we address the charge state of the polar residues at these positions. The results show that the charge state of these polar residues can affect substantially the conformational change and the Ca(2+) binding affinity of our N-Cam variants. Since all the variants kept their conformational activity in the presence of Ca(2+) suggests that the differences observed among them mainly originate from the difference in their molecular dynamics. Hence we propose that the molecular dynamics of Ca(2+) sensor EF-hand domains is a key factor in the multifunctional aspect of EF-hand proteins. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Predictors and Prognostic Value of Worsening Renal Function During Admission in HFpEF Versus HFrEF: Data From the KorAHF (Korean Acute Heart Failure) Registry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Jeehoon; Park, Jin Joo; Cho, Young-Jin; Oh, Il-Young; Park, Hyun-Ah; Lee, Sang Eun; Kim, Min-Seok; Cho, Hyun-Jai; Lee, Hae-Young; Choi, Jin Oh; Hwang, Kyung-Kuk; Kim, Kye Hun; Yoo, Byung-Su; Kang, Seok-Min; Baek, Sang Hong; Jeon, Eun-Seok; Kim, Jae-Joong; Cho, Myeong-Chan; Chae, Shung Chull; Oh, Byung-Hee; Choi, Dong-Ju

    2018-03-13

    Worsening renal function (WRF) is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure. We investigated the predictors and prognostic value of WRF during admission, in patients with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) versus those with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). A total of 5625 patients were enrolled in the KorAHF (Korean Acute Heart Failure) registry. WRF was defined as an absolute increase in creatinine of ≥0.3 mg/dL. Transient WRF was defined as recovery of creatinine at discharge, whereas persistent WRF was indicated by a nonrecovered creatinine level. HFpEF and HFrEF were defined as a left ventricle ejection fraction ≥50% and ≤40%, respectively. Among the total population, WRF occurred in 3101 patients (55.1%). By heart failure subgroup, WRF occurred more frequently in HFrEF (57.0% versus 51.3%; P failure subgroups. Among various predictors of WRF, chronic renal failure was the strongest predictor. WRF was an independent predictor of adverse in-hospital outcomes (HFrEF: odds ratio; 2.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.50-5.02; P =0.001; HFpEF: odds ratio, 9.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-75.89; P =0.034) and 1-year mortality (HFrEF: hazard ratio, 1.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-1.78; P =0.004 versus HFpEF: hazard ratio, 1.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.23-2.42; P =0.002). Transient WRF was a risk factor for 1-year mortality, whereas persistent WRF had no additive risk compared to transient WRF. In patients with acute heart failure patients, WRF is an independent predictor of adverse in-hospital and follow-up outcomes in both HFrEF and HFpEF, though with a different effect size. URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01389843. © 2018 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

  19. Evolution of EF-hand calcium-modulated proteins. IV. Exon shuffling did not determine the domain compositions of EF-hand proteins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kretsinger, R. H.; Nakayama, S.

    1993-01-01

    In the previous three reports in this series we demonstrated that the EF-hand family of proteins evolved by a complex pattern of gene duplication, transposition, and splicing. The dendrograms based on exon sequences are nearly identical to those based on protein sequences for troponin C, the essential light chain myosin, the regulatory light chain, and calpain. This validates both the computational methods and the dendrograms for these subfamilies. The proposal of congruence for calmodulin, troponin C, essential light chain, and regulatory light chain was confirmed. There are, however, significant differences in the calmodulin dendrograms computed from DNA and from protein sequences. In this study we find that introns are distributed throughout the EF-hand domain and the interdomain regions. Further, dendrograms based on intron type and distribution bear little resemblance to those based on protein or on DNA sequences. We conclude that introns are inserted, and probably deleted, with relatively high frequency. Further, in the EF-hand family exons do not correspond to structural domains and exon shuffling played little if any role in the evolution of this widely distributed homolog family. Calmodulin has had a turbulent evolution. Its dendrograms based on protein sequence, exon sequence, 3'-tail sequence, intron sequences, and intron positions all show significant differences.

  20. Prevalence of Prediabetes and Undiagnosed Diabetes in Patients with HFpEF and HFrEF and Associated Clinical Outcomes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristensen, Søren L; Jhund, Pardeep S; Lee, Matthew M Y

    2017-01-01

    PURPOSE: The prevalence and consequences of prediabetic dysglycemia and undiagnosed diabetes is unknown in patients with heart failure (HF) and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and has not been compared to heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). METHODS: We examined the prevalence...... and outcomes associated with normoglycemia, prediabetic dysglycemia and diabetes (diagnosed and undiagnosed) among individuals with a baseline glycated hemoglobin (hemoglobin A1c, HbA1c) measurement stratified by HFrEF or HFpEF in the Candesartan in Heart failure Assessment of Reduction in Mortality...... and was available in 1072/3023 (35%) of patients with HFpEF and 1578/4576 (34%) patients with HFrEF. 18 and 16% had normoglycemia (HbA1c prediabetes (HbA1c 6.0-6.4), respectively. Finally among patients with HFpEF 22% had undiagnosed diabetes (HbA1c > 6.4), and 40% had known diabetes (any Hb...

  1. The Potential of Devices for HFpEF

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew J Stewart Coats

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The 2016 ESC/HFA HF guidelines list the very many drug and device therapies that are proven to be beneficial in terms of life prolongation and hospitalisation prevention for HFrEF. The list of recommended therapies or devices for HFpEF and HFmrEF is limited to diuretics and the management of comorbidities and so far there is no clinical evidence for an electrical or mechanical device for HFpEF. The Cardiac Contractility Modulation (CCM device that may have a role in selected HFrEF and HFmrEF patients has been reviewed in another paper in this issue but here we survey the results so far of a novel device for patients with HFpEF. Despite lagging many years behind HFrEF, HFpEF patients are now being targeted with novel devices with the potential to improve symptoms, improve quality of life, reduce hospitalization and delay progression of the syndrome. The front-runner is a novel inter-atrial left atrial pressure decompression device the Corvia IASD, which currently enrolling patients in a randomized trial. This device is a CE-marked investigational, non- surgical transcatheter implant designed to provide continuous and dynamic decompression of the left atrium, in an effort to reduce symptoms, HF hospitalizations, and improve quality of life as well as potentially slowing the progression of HFpEF.

  2. In vivo and in vitro suppression of hepatocellular carcinoma by EF24, a curcumin analog.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haitao Liu

    Full Text Available The synthetic compound 3,5-bis(2-flurobenzylidenepiperidin-4-one (EF24 is a potent analog of curcumin that exhibits enhanced biological activity and bioavailability without increasing toxicity. EF24 exerts antitumor activity by arresting the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis, suppressing many types of cancer cells in vitro. The antiproliferative and antiangiogenic properties of EF24 provide theoretical support for its development and application to liver cancers. We investigated the in vitro and in vivo activities of EF24 on liver cancer to better understand its therapeutic effects and mechanisms. EF24 induced significant apoptosis and G2/M-phase cell cycle arrest in mouse liver cancer cell lines, Hepa1-6 and H22. The expression levels of G2/M cell cycle regulating factors, cyclin B1 and Cdc2, were significantly decreased, pp53, p53, and p21 were significantly increased in EF24-treated cells. In addition, EF24 treatment significantly reduced Bcl-2 concomitant with an increase in Bax, enhanced the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol, resulting in an upregulation of cleaved-caspase-3, which promoted poly (ADP-ribose polymerase cleavage. EF24-treated cells also displayed decreases in phosphorylated Akt, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase and vascular endothelial growth factor. Our in vitro protein expression data were confirmed in vivo using a subcutaneous hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC tumor model. This mouse HCC model confirmed that total body weight was unchanged following EF24 treatment, although tumor weight was significantly decreased. Using an orthotopic HCC model, EF24 significantly reduced the liver/body weight ratio and relative tumor areas compared to the control group. In situ detection of apoptotic cells and quantification of Ki-67, a biomarker of cell proliferation, all indicated significant tumor suppression with EF24 treatment. These results suggest that EF24 exhibits anti-tumor activity

  3. Embedding EfS in Teacher Education through a Multi-Level Systems Approach: Lessons from Queensland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Neus; Ferreira, Jo-Anne; Davis, Julie; Stevenson, Robert B.

    2016-01-01

    This article reports on the fourth stage of an evolving study to develop a systems model for embedding education for sustainability (EfS) into preservice teacher education. The fourth stage trialled the extension of the model to a comprehensive state-wide systems approach involving representatives from all eight Queensland teacher education…

  4. Dual-Polarimetric Radar-Based Tornado Debris Paths Associated with EF-4 and EF-5 Tornadoes over Northern Alabama During the Historic Outbreak of 27 April 2011

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carey, Lawrence D.; Schultz, Chrstopher J.; Schultz, Elise V.; Petersen, Walter A.; Gatlin, Patrick N.; Knupp, Kevin R.; Molthan, Andrew L.; Jedlovec, Gary J.; Darden, Christopher B.

    2012-01-01

    An historic tornado and severe weather outbreak devastated much of the southeastern United States between 25 and 28 April 2011. On 27 April 2011, northern Alabama was particularly hard hit by a large number of tornadoes, including several that reached EF-4 and EF-5 on the Enhanced Fujita damage scale. In northern Alabama alone, there were approximately 100 fatalities and hundreds of more people who were injured or lost their homes during the havoc caused by these violent tornadic storms. Two long-track and violent (EF-4 and EF-5) tornadoes occurred within range of the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAHuntsville) Advanced Radar for Meteorological and Operational Research (ARMOR, C-band dual-polarimetric). A unique capability of dual-polarimetric radar is the near-real time identification of lofted debris associated with ongoing tornadoes on the ground. The focus of this paper is to analyze the dual-polarimetric radar-inferred tornado debris signatures and identify the associated debris paths of the long-track EF-4 and EF-5 tornadoes near ARMOR. The relative locations of the debris and damage paths for each tornado will be ascertained by careful comparison of the ARMOR analysis with NASA MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) and ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) satellite imagery of the tornado damage scenes and the National Weather Service tornado damage surveys. With the ongoing upgrade of the WSR-88D (Weather Surveillance Radar 1988 Doppler) operational network to dual-polarimetry and a similar process having already taken place or ongoing for many private sector radars, dual-polarimetric radar signatures of tornado debris promise the potential to assist in the situational awareness of government and private sector forecasters and emergency managers during tornadic events. As such, a companion abstract (Schultz et al.) also submitted to this conference explores The use of dual-polarimetric tornadic debris

  5. eEF-2 Phosphorylation Down-Regulates P-Glycoprotein Over-Expression in Rat Brain Microvessel Endothelial Cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xing Hua Tang

    Full Text Available We investigated whether glutamate, NMDA receptors, and eukaryote elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF-2K/eEF-2 regulate P-glycoprotein expression, and the effects of the eEF-2K inhibitor NH125 on the expression of P-glycoprotein in rat brain microvessel endothelial cells (RBMECs.Cortex was obtained from newborn Wistar rat brains. After surface vessels and meninges were removed, the pellet containing microvessels was resuspended and incubated at 37°C in culture medium. Cell viability was assessed by the MTT assay. RBMECs were identified by immunohistochemistry with anti-vWF. P-glycoprotein, phospho-eEF-2, and eEF-2 expression were determined by western blot analysis. Mdr1a gene expression was analyzed by RT-PCR.Mdr1a mRNA, P-glycoprotein and phospho-eEF-2 expression increased in L-glutamate stimulated RBMECs. P-glycoprotein and phospho-eEF-2 expression were down-regulated after NH125 treatment in L-glutamate stimulated RBMECs.eEF-2K/eEF-2 should have played an important role in the regulation of P-glycoprotein expression in RBMECs. eEF-2K inhibitor NH125 could serve as an efficacious anti-multidrug resistant agent.

  6. Contribution of effluent organic matter (EfOM) to ultrafiltration (UF) membrane fouling: Isolation, characterization, and fouling effect of EfOM fractions

    KAUST Repository

    Zheng, Xing; Khan, Muhammad; Croue, Jean-Philippe

    2014-01-01

    EfOM has been regarded as a major organic foulant resulting in UF membrane fouling in wastewater reclamation. To investigate fouling potential of different EfOM fractions, the present study isolated EfOM into hydrophobic neutrals (HPO-N), colloids

  7. Loss of translation elongation factor (eEF1A2) expression in vivo differentiates between Wallerian degeneration and dying-back neuronal pathology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murray, Lyndsay M; Thomson, Derek; Conklin, Annalijn; Wishart, Thomas M; Gillingwater, Thomas H

    2008-12-01

    Wallerian degeneration and dying-back pathology are two well-known cellular pathways capable of regulating the breakdown and loss of axonal and synaptic compartments of neurons in vivo. However, the underlying mechanisms and molecular triggers of these pathways remain elusive. Here, we show that loss of translation elongation factor eEF1A2 expression in lower motor neurons and skeletal muscle fibres in homozygous Wasted mice triggered a dying-back neuropathy. Synaptic loss at the neuromuscular junction occurred in advance of axonal pathology and by a mechanism morphologically distinct from Wallerian degeneration. Dying-back pathology in Wasted mice was accompanied by reduced expression levels of the zinc finger protein ZPR1, as found in other dying-back neuropathies such as spinal muscular atrophy. Surprisingly, experimental nerve lesion revealed that Wallerian degeneration was significantly delayed in homozygous Wasted mice; morphological assessment revealed that approximately 80% of neuromuscular junctions in deep lumbrical muscles at 24 h and approximately 50% at 48 h had retained motor nerve terminals following tibial nerve lesion. This was in contrast to wild-type and heterozygous Wasted mice where < 5% of neuromuscular junctions had retained motor nerve terminals at 24 h post-lesion. These data show that eEF1A2 expression is required to prevent the initiation of dying-back pathology at the neuromuscular junction in vivo. In contrast, loss of eEF1A2 expression significantly inhibited the initiation and progression of Wallerian degeneration in vivo. We conclude that loss of eEF1A2 expression distinguishes mechanisms underlying dying-back pathology from those responsible for Wallerian degeneration in vivo and suggest that eEF1A2-dependent cascades may provide novel molecular targets to manipulate neurodegenerative pathways in lower motor neurons.

  8. eEF1A Mediates the Nuclear Export of SNAG-Containing Proteins via the Exportin5-Aminoacyl-tRNA Complex

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Manuel Mingot

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Exportin5 mediates the nuclear export of double-stranded RNAs, including pre-microRNAs, adenoviral RNAs, and tRNAs. When tRNAs are aminoacylated, the Exportin5-aminoacyl (aa-tRNA complex recruits and coexports the translation elongation factor eEF1A. Here, we show that eEF1A binds to Snail transcription factors when bound to their main target, the E-cadherin promoter, facilitating their export to the cytoplasm in association with the aa-tRNA-Exportin5 complex. Snail binds to eEF1A through the SNAG domain, a protein nuclear export signal present in several transcription factor families, and this binding is regulated by phosphorylation. Thus, we describe a nuclear role for eEF1A and provide a mechanism for protein nuclear export that attenuates the activity of SNAG-containing transcription factors.

  9. Effects of Exergame Play on EF in Children and Adolescents at a Summer Camp for Low Income Youth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flynn, Rachel M; Richert, Rebekah A; Staiano, Amanda E; Wartella, Ellen; Calvert, Sandra L

    2014-01-01

    Past research has suggested exergame play improves adolescents' executive function (EF) skills. EF change in 70 African American and Hispanic/Latino 10- to 16-year-olds participating in an inner-city summer camp was assessed following five 30-minute exergame play sessions. Children's EF scores improved from pre- to posttest, and factors related to this change were examined. The number of exergame sessions the participants attended predicted posttest scores. In addition, level of achievement during game play was related to EF scores. Finally, the children's level of enjoyment was not related to EF; however, frustration and boredom during game play were negatively related to EF. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for the relationship between exergame play and cognitive benefits for adolescent players.

  10. Executive function (EF) in dyslexia: examining an EF profile associated with dyslexia and comorbid dyslexia-ADHD and exploring the near and far transfer effects of EF training in dyslexia alone.

    OpenAIRE

    Doyle, Caoilainn

    2017-01-01

    Although there are several competing theories to explain dyslexia, no clear causal pathway has been established. Current theories also fail to address associated socio-emotional difficulties and high co-occurrence of dyslexia with ADHD. Executive function (EF), an umbrella term for a triad of high-level cognitive processes associated with pre-frontal brain regions – response inhibition (RI), working memory updating and switching, is a candidate factor for explaining the overlap between dyslex...

  11. Fluctuations between multiple EF-G-induced chimeric tRNA states during translocation on the ribosome

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adio, Sarah; Senyushkina, Tamara; Peske, Frank; Fischer, Niels; Wintermeyer, Wolfgang; Rodnina, Marina V.

    2015-06-01

    The coupled translocation of transfer RNA and messenger RNA through the ribosome entails large-scale structural rearrangements, including step-wise movements of the tRNAs. Recent structural work has visualized intermediates of translocation induced by elongation factor G (EF-G) with tRNAs trapped in chimeric states with respect to 30S and 50S ribosomal subunits. The functional role of the chimeric states is not known. Here we follow the formation of translocation intermediates by single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer. Using EF-G mutants, a non-hydrolysable GTP analogue, and fusidic acid, we interfere with either translocation or EF-G release from the ribosome and identify several rapidly interconverting chimeric tRNA states on the reaction pathway. EF-G engagement prevents backward transitions early in translocation and increases the fraction of ribosomes that rapidly fluctuate between hybrid, chimeric and posttranslocation states. Thus, the engagement of EF-G alters the energetics of translocation towards a flat energy landscape, thereby promoting forward tRNA movement.

  12. Proteomic analysis of trichloroethylene-induced alterations in expression, distribution, and interactions of SET/TAF-Iα and two SET/TAF-Iα-binding proteins, eEF1A1 and eEF1A2, in hepatic L-02 cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hong, Wen-Xu; Yang, Liang; Chen, Moutong; Yang, Xifei; Ren, Xiaohu; Fang, Shisong; Ye, Jinbo; Huang, Haiyan; Peng, Chaoqiong; Zhou, Li; Huang, Xinfeng; Yang, Fan; Wu, Desheng; Zhuang, Zhixiong; Liu, Jianjun, E-mail: bio-research@hotmail.com

    2012-09-01

    Emerging evidence indicates that trichloroethylene (TCE) exposure causes severe hepatotoxicity. However, the mechanisms of TCE hepatotoxicity remain unclear. Recently, we reported that TCE exposure up-regulated the expression of the oncoprotein SET/TAF-Iα and SET knockdown attenuated TCE-induced cytotoxicity in hepatic L-02 cells. To decipher the function of SET/TAF-Iα and its contributions to TCE-induced hepatotoxicity, we employed a proteomic analysis of SET/TAF-Iα with tandem affinity purification to identify SET/TAF-Iα-binding proteins. We identified 42 novel Gene Ontology co-annotated SET/TAF-Iα-binding proteins. The identifications of two of these proteins (eEF1A1, elongation factor 1-alpha 1; eEF1A2, elongation factor 1-alpha 2) were confirmed by Western blot analysis and co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP). Furthermore, we analyzed the effects of TCE on the expression, distribution and interactions of eEF1A1, eEF1A2 and SET in L-02 cells. Western blot analysis reveals a significant up-regulation of eEF1A1, eEF1A2 and two isoforms of SET, and immunocytochemical analysis reveals that eEF1A1 and SET is redistributed by TCE. SET is redistributed from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, while eFE1A1 is translocated from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Moreover, we find by Co-IP that TCE exposure significantly increases the interaction of SET with eEF1A2. Our data not only provide insights into the physiological functions of SET/TAF-Iα and complement the SET interaction networks, but also demonstrate that TCE exposure induces alterations in the expression, distribution and interactions of SET and its binding partners. These alterations may constitute the mechanisms of TCE cytotoxicity. -- Highlights: ► Identify 62 SET/TAF-Iα-associated proteins in human L-02 cells ► Trichloroethylene (TCE) alters the interaction of SET with eEF1A1 and eEF1A2. ► TCE induces the translocation and up-regulation of SET. ► TCE induces the translocation and up-regulation of eEF1A.

  13. Proteomic analysis of trichloroethylene-induced alterations in expression, distribution, and interactions of SET/TAF-Iα and two SET/TAF-Iα-binding proteins, eEF1A1 and eEF1A2, in hepatic L-02 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hong, Wen-Xu; Yang, Liang; Chen, Moutong; Yang, Xifei; Ren, Xiaohu; Fang, Shisong; Ye, Jinbo; Huang, Haiyan; Peng, Chaoqiong; Zhou, Li; Huang, Xinfeng; Yang, Fan; Wu, Desheng; Zhuang, Zhixiong; Liu, Jianjun

    2012-01-01

    Emerging evidence indicates that trichloroethylene (TCE) exposure causes severe hepatotoxicity. However, the mechanisms of TCE hepatotoxicity remain unclear. Recently, we reported that TCE exposure up-regulated the expression of the oncoprotein SET/TAF-Iα and SET knockdown attenuated TCE-induced cytotoxicity in hepatic L-02 cells. To decipher the function of SET/TAF-Iα and its contributions to TCE-induced hepatotoxicity, we employed a proteomic analysis of SET/TAF-Iα with tandem affinity purification to identify SET/TAF-Iα-binding proteins. We identified 42 novel Gene Ontology co-annotated SET/TAF-Iα-binding proteins. The identifications of two of these proteins (eEF1A1, elongation factor 1-alpha 1; eEF1A2, elongation factor 1-alpha 2) were confirmed by Western blot analysis and co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP). Furthermore, we analyzed the effects of TCE on the expression, distribution and interactions of eEF1A1, eEF1A2 and SET in L-02 cells. Western blot analysis reveals a significant up-regulation of eEF1A1, eEF1A2 and two isoforms of SET, and immunocytochemical analysis reveals that eEF1A1 and SET is redistributed by TCE. SET is redistributed from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, while eFE1A1 is translocated from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Moreover, we find by Co-IP that TCE exposure significantly increases the interaction of SET with eEF1A2. Our data not only provide insights into the physiological functions of SET/TAF-Iα and complement the SET interaction networks, but also demonstrate that TCE exposure induces alterations in the expression, distribution and interactions of SET and its binding partners. These alterations may constitute the mechanisms of TCE cytotoxicity. -- Highlights: ► Identify 62 SET/TAF-Iα-associated proteins in human L-02 cells ► Trichloroethylene (TCE) alters the interaction of SET with eEF1A1 and eEF1A2. ► TCE induces the translocation and up-regulation of SET. ► TCE induces the translocation and up-regulation of eEF1A.

  14. Up-regulation of eEF1A2 promotes proliferation and inhibits apoptosis in prostate cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, Yue; Du, Chengli; Wang, Bo; Zhang, Yanling; Liu, Xiaoyan; Ren, Guoping

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • The expression of eEF1A2 is up-regulated in prostate cancer tissues. • Suppression of eEF1A2 inhibits the proliferation and promotes apoptosis. • Inhibition of eEF1A2 enhances the expression of apoptotic relevant proteins. • The expressions of eEF1A2 and cleavage-caspase3 are inversely correlated. - Abstract: Background: eEF1A2 is a protein translation factor involved in protein synthesis, which possesses important function roles in cancer development. This study aims at investigating the expression pattern of eEF1A2 in prostate cancer and its potential role in prostate cancer development. Methods: We examined the expression level of eEF1A2 in 30 pairs of prostate cancer tissues by using RT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining (IHC). Then we applied siRNA specifically targeting eEF1A2 to down-regulate its expression in DU-145 and PC-3 cells. Flow cytometer was used to explore apoptosis and Western-blot was used to detect the pathway proteins of apoptosis. Results: Our results showed that the expression level of eEF1A2 in prostate cancer tissues was significantly higher compared to their corresponding normal tissues. Reduction of eEF1A2 expression in DU-145 and PC-3 cells led to a dramatic inhibition of proliferation accompanied with enhanced apoptosis rate. Western blot revealed that apoptosis pathway proteins (caspase3, BAD, BAX, PUMA) were significantly up-regulated after suppression of eEF1A2. More importantly, the levels of eEF1A2 and caspase3 were inversely correlated in prostate cancer tissues. Conclusion: Our data suggests that eEF1A2 plays an important role in prostate cancer development, especially in inhibiting apoptosis. So eEF1A2 might serve as a potential therapeutic target in prostate cancer

  15. Clinical efficacy of gamma knife and surgery treatment of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and their effects on EF-Tumt and EF-Tsmt expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, X-Q; Zhang, X-D; Han, Y-M; Shi, X-F; Lan, Z-B; Men, X-X; Pan, Y-W

    2017-04-01

    To study the clinical efficacy of gamma knife and surgery treatment of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) and their effects on EF-Tumt and EF-Tsmt expression. The data of 78 cases of MTLE patients treated in our hospital from April 2011 to March 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups according to the treatment methods: the surgery group (including 41 cases) and the gamma knife group (including 37 cases). The clinical efficacy, the occurrence and recurrence of complications were evaluated, respectively; meanwhile, the expression of the EF-Tumt protein and EF-Tsmt protein in brain tissue were analyzed. The difference between the efficacy rate of the two groups showed no statistical significance (χ2=0.960, p>0.05). The complication rate of the gamma knife group was significantly lower than that of the control group (χ2=6.430, pknife group was significantly lower than that of the patients in the surgery group (p>0.05). Within the two groups, the positive expression granum of EF-Tsmt protein and EF-Tumt protein of the two groups after treatment were significantly lower than that before treatment (pknife group was obviously more than that of the patients in the surgery group (p0.05). Before and after treatment within the group, the positive cell of EF-Tsmt protein and EF-Tumt protein of the two groups of patients after treatment were significantly lower than that before treatment (p0.05). Both surgery and gamma knife could treat MTLE effectively, and the efficacy may be related to the ability to reduce the expression of EF-Tsmt protein and EF-Tumt protein in brain tissue.

  16. Proteomic analysis of trichloroethylene-induced alterations in expression, distribution, and interactions of SET/TAF-Iα and two SET/TAF-Iα-binding proteins, eEF1A1 and eEF1A2, in hepatic L-02 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Wen-Xu; Yang, Liang; Chen, Moutong; Yang, Xifei; Ren, Xiaohu; Fang, Shisong; Ye, Jinbo; Huang, Haiyan; Peng, Chaoqiong; Zhou, Li; Huang, Xinfeng; Yang, Fan; Wu, Desheng; Zhuang, Zhixiong; Liu, Jianjun

    2012-09-01

    Emerging evidence indicates that trichloroethylene (TCE) exposure causes severe hepatotoxicity. However, the mechanisms of TCE hepatotoxicity remain unclear. Recently, we reported that TCE exposure up-regulated the expression of the oncoprotein SET/TAF-Iα and SET knockdown attenuated TCE-induced cytotoxicity in hepatic L-02 cells. To decipher the function of SET/TAF-Iα and its contributions to TCE-induced hepatotoxicity, we employed a proteomic analysis of SET/TAF-Iα with tandem affinity purification to identify SET/TAF-Iα-binding proteins. We identified 42 novel Gene Ontology co-annotated SET/TAF-Iα-binding proteins. The identifications of two of these proteins (eEF1A1, elongation factor 1-alpha 1; eEF1A2, elongation factor 1-alpha 2) were confirmed by Western blot analysis and co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP). Furthermore, we analyzed the effects of TCE on the expression, distribution and interactions of eEF1A1, eEF1A2 and SET in L-02 cells. Western blot analysis reveals a significant up-regulation of eEF1A1, eEF1A2 and two isoforms of SET, and immunocytochemical analysis reveals that eEF1A1 and SET is redistributed by TCE. SET is redistributed from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, while eFE1A1 is translocated from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Moreover, we find by Co-IP that TCE exposure significantly increases the interaction of SET with eEF1A2. Our data not only provide insights into the physiological functions of SET/TAF-Iα and complement the SET interaction networks, but also demonstrate that TCE exposure induces alterations in the expression, distribution and interactions of SET and its binding partners. These alterations may constitute the mechanisms of TCE cytotoxicity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Safety aspects of the emergency filtration system (EFS) for NRU reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hickey, D.L.; Lounsbury, R.I.

    1990-01-01

    A description of the NRU emergency filter system (EFS) is presented, including operation, testing and hazards. Operation of the NRU EFS reduces the dose to the thyroid for members of the public and site personnel by a factor of 100. The calculated thyroid doses for off-site and on-site locations for the current system configuration are 91 and 160 mSv, respectively. An unavailability analysis was performed on the control system which recognized subtle problems in the current system. Modifications to the system result in a system unavailability of 2.0 E-3. The thyroid risk analysis revealed that these improvements in system availability result in risk reduction by approximately a factor of three. Improvements beyond the availability analysis recommendations do not result in substantial risk benefit for members of the public or on-site personnel

  18. A Ca2+-calmodulin-eEF2K-eEF2 signalling cascade, but not AMPK, contributes to the suppression of skeletal muscle protein synthesis during contractions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rose, Adam John; Alsted, Thomas Junker; Jensen, Thomas Elbenhardt

    2009-01-01

    Skeletal muscle protein synthesis rate decreases during contractions but the underlying regulatory mechanisms are poorly understood. It was hypothesised that there would be a coordinated regulation of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (4EBP1......) phosphorylation by signalling cascades downstream of rises in intracellular [Ca(2+)] and decreased energy charge via AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK) in contracting skeletal muscle. When fast-twitch skeletal muscles were contracted ex vivo using different protocols, the suppression of protein synthesis...... correlated more closely with changes in eEF2 rather than 4EBP1 phosphorylation. Using a combination of Ca(2+) release agents and ATPase inhibitors it was shown that the 60-70% suppression of fast-twitch skeletal muscle protein synthesis during contraction was equally distributed between Ca(2+) and energy...

  19. The Fic protein Doc uses an inverted substrate to phosphorylate and inactivate EF-Tu.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castro-Roa, Daniel; Garcia-Pino, Abel; De Gieter, Steven; van Nuland, Nico A J; Loris, Remy; Zenkin, Nikolay

    2013-12-01

    Fic proteins are ubiquitous in all of the domains of life and have critical roles in multiple cellular processes through AMPylation of (transfer of AMP to) target proteins. Doc from the doc-phd toxin-antitoxin module is a member of the Fic family and inhibits bacterial translation by an unknown mechanism. Here we show that, in contrast to having AMPylating activity, Doc is a new type of kinase that inhibits bacterial translation by phosphorylating the conserved threonine (Thr382) of the translation elongation factor EF-Tu, rendering EF-Tu unable to bind aminoacylated tRNAs. We provide evidence that EF-Tu phosphorylation diverged from AMPylation by antiparallel binding of the NTP relative to the catalytic residues of the conserved Fic catalytic core of Doc. The results bring insights into the mechanism and role of phosphorylation of EF-Tu in bacterial physiology as well as represent an example of the catalytic plasticity of enzymes and a mechanism for the evolution of new enzymatic activities.

  20. The Influence of the Toxin/Antitoxin mazEF on Growth and Survival of Listeria monocytogenes under Stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curtis, Thomas D; Takeuchi, Ippei; Gram, Lone; Knudsen, Gitte M

    2017-01-13

    A major factor in the resilience of Listeria monocytogenes is the alternative sigma factor B (σ B ). Type II Toxin/Antitoxin (TA) systems are also known to have a role in the bacterial stress response upon activation via the ClpP or Lon proteases. Directly upstream of the σ B operon in L. monocytogenes is the TA system mazEF , which can cleave mRNA at UACMU sites. In this study, we showed that the mazEF TA locus does not affect the level of persister formation during treatment with antibiotics in lethal doses, but exerts different effects according to the sub-inhibitory stress added. Growth of a Δ mazEF mutant was enhanced relative to the wildtype in the presence of sub-inhibitory norfloxacin and at 42 °C, but was decreased when challenged with ampicillin and gentamicin. In contrast to studies in Staphylococcus aureus , we found that the mazEF locus did not affect transcription of genes within the σ B operon, but MazEF effected the expression of the σ B -dependent genes opuCA and lmo0880 , with a 0.22 and 0.05 fold change, respectively, compared to the wildtype under sub-inhibitory norfloxacin conditions. How exactly this system operates remains an open question, however, our data indicates it is not analogous to the system of S. aureus , suggesting a novel mode of action for MazEF in L. monocytogenes.

  1. A neutron scattering study of the ternary complex EF-Tu.GTP-valyl-tRNAVal1A

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Österberg, R.; Elias, P.; Kjems, Jørgen

    1986-01-01

    The complex formation between elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu), GTP, and valyl-tRNAVal1A has been investigated in a hepes buffer of "pH" 7.4 and 0.2 M ionic strength using the small-angle neutron scattering method at concentrations of D2O where EF-Tu (42% D2O) and tRNA (71% D2O) are successively...

  2. Duplication of Drosophila melanogaster mitochondrial EF-Tu: pre-adaptation to T-arm truncation and exclusion of bulky aminoacyl residues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sato, Aya; Suematsu, Takuma; Aihara, Koh-Ki; Kita, Kiyoshi; Suzuki, Tsutomu; Watanabe, Kimitsuna; Ohtsuki, Takashi; Watanabe, Yoh-Ichi

    2017-03-07

    Translation elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) delivers aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) to ribosomes in protein synthesis. EF-Tu generally recognizes aminoacyl moieties and acceptor- and T-stems of aa-tRNAs. However, nematode mitochondrial (mt) tRNAs frequently lack all or part of the T-arm that is recognized by canonical EF-Tu. We previously reported that two distinct EF-Tu species, EF-Tu1 and EF-Tu2, respectively, recognize mt tRNAs lacking T-arms and D-arms in the mitochondria of the chromadorean nematode Caenorhabditis elegans C. elegans EF-Tu2 specifically recognizes the seryl moiety of serylated D-armless tRNAs. Mitochondria of the enoplean nematode Trichinella possess three structural types of tRNAs: T-armless tRNAs, D-armless tRNAs, and cloverleaf tRNAs with a short T-arm. Trichinella mt EF-Tu1 binds to all three types and EF-Tu2 binds only to D-armless Ser-tRNAs, showing an evolutionary intermediate state from canonical EF-Tu to chromadorean nematode (e.g. C. elegans ) EF-Tu species. We report here that two EF-Tu species also participate in Drosophila melanogaster mitochondria. Both D. melanogaster EF-Tu1 and EF-Tu2 bound to cloverleaf and D-armless tRNAs. D. melanogaster EF-Tu1 has the ability to recognize T-armless tRNAs that do not evidently exist in D. melanogaster mitochondria, but do exist in related arthropod species. In addition, D. melanogaster EF-Tu2 preferentially bound to aa-tRNAs carrying small amino acids, but not to aa-tRNAs carrying bulky amino acids. These results suggest that the Drosophila mt translation system could be another intermediate state between the canonical and nematode mitochondria-type translation systems. © 2017 The Author(s); published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

  3. Engineering recombinant EF-hand peptides for selective uranium uptake

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Berthomieu, C.; Pardoux, R.; Beccia, M.R.; Lemaire, D.; Sauge-Merle, S. [CEA, DSV, IBEB, UMR7265 CNRS CEA Aix-Marseille Univ. (France); Guilbaud, P. [CEA, DRCPC, SMCS, LILA (France); Delangle, P. [CEA, INAC, Service de Chimie Inorganique et Biologique (France)

    2014-07-01

    In spite of an increasing number of publications in recent years, information regarding the mechanism of uranium interaction with proteins at the molecular level is limited and few quantitative studies have investigated the binding properties of uranyl with proteins or peptides. It is thus of great interest to better characterize these interactions, and to analyze structural factors governing uranyl binding and thermodynamic stabilization in proteins. Research in this direction will benefit our understanding of the molecular factors governing uranyl toxicity and speciation in cells and will also aid in developing new molecules for selectively binding uranium that could be used for uranium bioremediation purposes. Uranyl coordination properties have similarities with those of calcium, i.e electrostatic interactions preferentially with hard donor oxygen ligands and pentagonal bipyramidal structures. The EF-hand structural motif is the most prevalent Ca2{sup +-}binding site in proteins and is very appealing to analyse uranyl binding properties and develop affine and specific uranyl binding sites for biotechnology approaches. We selected the recombinant N-terminal domain of calmodulin from A. thaliana as a structured template that contains two EF-hand motifs (site I and site II) to analyze its uranyl binding properties and to engineer peptide variants with increased uranyl affinity and specificity. We showed that both site I and site II bind uranyl, with a dissociation constant in the nano-molar range for site I (K{sub d} ≅ 25 nM at pH 6). Using in vitro phosphorylation of a threonine located in the uranyl binding loop, we measured how adding a phosphoryl group affects the calcium and uranium binding affinities. The phosphorylated peptide exhibited a very large affinity for uranyl at pH 7, with a dissociation constant in the sub-nano-molar range K{sub d} = 0.25 ±0.06 nM, and FTIR analysis demonstrated that the phosphoryl group plays a determining role in uranyl

  4. The Influence of the Toxin/Antitoxin mazEF on Growth and Survival of Listeria monocytogenes under Stress

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Curtis, Thomas; Takeuchi, Ippei; Gram, Lone

    2017-01-01

    A major factor in the resilience of Listeria monocytogenes is the alternative sigma factor B (σB). Type II Toxin/Antitoxin (TA) systems are also known to have a role in the bacterial stress response upon activation via the ClpP or Lon proteases. Directly upstream of the σB operon in L....... monocytogenes is the TA system mazEF, which can cleave mRNA at UACMU sites. In this study, we showed that the mazEF TA locus does not affect the level of persister formation during treatment with antibiotics in lethal doses, but exerts different effects according to the sub-inhibitory stress added. Growth...... it is not analogous to the system of S. aureus, suggesting a novel mode of action for MazEF in L. monocytogenes....

  5. Brownfields/IGD: EF_ACRES

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — EF_ACRES is a subset of facilities from FRS_INTEREST and FRS_FACILITY_SITE which are updated on a monthly basis as part of the Locational Reference Tables (LRT)...

  6. Superfund/IGD: EF_NPL

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — EF_NPL is a subset of facilities from FRS_INTEREST and FRS_FACILITY_SITE which are updated on a monthly basis as part of the Locational Reference Tables (LRT)...

  7. 75 FR 27986 - Electronic Filing System-Web (EFS-Web) Contingency Option

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-19

    ...] Electronic Filing System--Web (EFS-Web) Contingency Option AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office... contingency option when the primary portal to EFS-Web has an unscheduled outage. Previously, the entire EFS-Web system is not available to the users during such an outage. The contingency option in EFS-Web will...

  8. The utrophin A 5'-UTR drives cap-independent translation exclusively in skeletal muscles of transgenic mice and interacts with eEF1A2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miura, P; Coriati, A; Bélanger, G; De Repentigny, Y; Lee, J; Kothary, R; Holcik, M; Jasmin, B J

    2010-04-01

    The molecular mechanisms regulating expression of utrophin A are of therapeutic interest since upregulating its expression at the sarcolemma can compensate for the lack of dystrophin in animal models of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). The 5'-UTR of utrophin A has been previously shown to drive cap-independent internal ribosome entry site (IRES)-mediated translation in response to muscle regeneration and glucocorticoid treatment. To determine whether the utrophin A IRES displays tissue specific activity, we generated transgenic mice harboring control (CMV/betaGAL/CAT) or utrophin A 5'-UTR (CMV/betaGAL/UtrA/CAT) bicistronic reporter transgenes. Examination of multiple tissues from two CMV/betaGAL/UtrA/CAT lines revealed that the utrophin A 5'-UTR drives cap-independent translation of the reporter gene exclusively in skeletal muscles and no other examined tissues. This expression pattern suggested that skeletal muscle-specific factors are involved in IRES-mediated translation of utrophin A. We performed RNA-affinity chromatography experiments combined with mass spectrometry to identify trans-factors that bind the utrophin A 5'-UTR and identified eukaryotic elongation factor 1A2 (eEF1A2). UV-crosslinking experiments confirmed the specificity of this interaction. Regions of the utrophin A 5'-UTR that bound eEF1A2 also mediated cap-independent translation in C2C12 muscle cells. Cultured cells lacking eEF1A2 had reduced IRES activity compared with cells overexpressing eEF1A2. Together, these results suggest an important role for eEF1A2 in driving cap-independent translation of utrophin A in skeletal muscle. The trans-factors and signaling pathways driving skeletal-muscle specific IRES-mediated translation of utrophin A could provide unique targets for developing pharmacological-based DMD therapies.

  9. Estimating Daily Evapotranspiration Based on A Model of Evapotranspiration Fraction (EF) for Mixed Pixels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xin, X.; Li, F.; Peng, Z.; Qinhuo, L.

    2017-12-01

    Land surface heterogeneities significantly affect the reliability and accuracy of remotely sensed evapotranspiration (ET), and it gets worse for lower resolution data. At the same time, temporal scale extrapolation of the instantaneous latent heat flux (LE) at satellite overpass time to daily ET are crucial for applications of such remote sensing product. The purpose of this paper is to propose a simple but efficient model for estimating daytime evapotranspiration considering heterogeneity of mixed pixels. In order to do so, an equation to calculate evapotranspiration fraction (EF) of mixed pixels was derived based on two key assumptions. Assumption 1: the available energy (AE) of each sub-pixel equals approximately to that of any other sub-pixels in the same mixed pixel within acceptable margin of bias, and as same as the AE of the mixed pixel. It's only for a simpification of the equation, and its uncertainties and resulted errors in estimated ET are very small. Assumption 2: EF of each sub-pixel equals to the EF of the nearest pure pixel(s) of same land cover type. This equation is supposed to be capable of correcting the spatial scale error of the mixed pixels EF and can be used to calculated daily ET with daily AE data.The model was applied to an artificial oasis in the midstream of Heihe River. HJ-1B satellite data were used to estimate the lumped fluxes at the scale of 300 m after resampling the 30-m resolution datasets to 300 m resolution, which was used to carry on the key step of the model. The results before and after correction were compare to each other and validated using site data of eddy-correlation systems. Results indicated that the new model is capable of improving accuracy of daily ET estimation relative to the lumped method. Validations at 12 sites of eddy-correlation systems for 9 days of HJ-1B overpass showed that the R² increased to 0.82 from 0.62; the RMSE decreased to 1.60 MJ/m² from 2.47MJ/m²; the MBE decreased from 1.92 MJ/m² to 1

  10. Mitochondrial Respiration Inhibitors Suppress Protein Translation and Hypoxic Signaling via the Hyperphosphorylation and Inactivation of Translation Initiation Factor eIF2α and Elongation Factor eEF2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jun; Mahdi, Fakhri; Du, Lin; Datta, Sandipan; Nagle, Dale G.; Zhou, Yu-Dong

    2011-01-01

    Over 20000 lipid extracts of plants and marine organisms were evaluated in a human breast tumor T47D cell-based reporter assay for hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) inhibitory activity. Bioassay-guided isolation and dereplication-based structure elucidation of an active extract from the Bael tree (Aegle marmelos) afforded two protolimonoids, skimmiarepin A (1) and skimmiarepin C (2). In T47D cells, 1 and 2 inhibited hypoxia-induced HIF-1 activation with IC50 values of 0.063 µM and 0.068 µM, respectively. Compounds 1 and 2 also suppressed hypoxic induction of the HIF-1 target genes GLUT-1 and VEGF. Mechanistic studies revealed that 1 and 2 inhibited HIF-1 activation by blocking the hypoxia-induced accumulation of HIF-1α protein. At the range of concentrations that inhibited HIF-1 activation, 1 and 2 suppressed cellular respiration by selectively inhibiting the mitochondrial electron transport chain at complex I (NADH dehydrogenase). Further investigation indicated that mitochondrial respiration inhibitors such as 1 and rotenone induced the rapid hyperphosphorylation and inhibition of translation initiation factor eIF2α and elongation factor eEF2. The inhibition of protein translation may account for the short-term exposure effects exerted by mitochondrial inhibitors on cellular signaling, while the suppression of cellular ATP production may contribute to the inhibitory effects following extended treatment periods. PMID:21875114

  11. Expression of the mucus adhesion genes Mub and MapA, adhesion-like factor EF-Tu and bacteriocin gene plaA of Lactobacillus plantarum 423, monitored with real-time PCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramiah, K; van Reenen, C A; Dicks, L M T

    2007-05-30

    Expression of the mucus adhesion genes Mub and MapA, adhesion-like factor EF-Tu and bacteriocin gene plaA by Lactobacillus plantarum 423, grown in the presence of bile, pancreatin and at low pH, was studied by real-time PCR. Mub, MapA and EF-Tu were up-regulated in the presence of mucus, proportional to increasing concentrations. Expression of MapA was up-regulated in the presence of 3.0 g/l bile and 3.0 g/l pancreatin at pH 6.5. Similar results were recorded in the presence of 10.0 g/l bile and 10.0 g/l pancreatin at pH 6.5. Expression of Mub was down-regulated in the presence of bile and pancreatin, whilst the expression of EF-Tu and plaA remained unchanged. Expression of Mub and MapA remained unchanged at pH 4.0, whilst expression of EF-Tu and plaA were up-regulated. Expression of MapA was down-regulated in the presence of 1.0 g/l l-cysteine HCl, suggesting that the gene is regulated by transcription attenuation that involves cysteine.

  12. Energy-filtered Photoelectron Emission Microscopy (EF-PEEM) for imaging nanoelectronic materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Renault, Olivier; Chabli, Amal

    2007-01-01

    Photoelectron-Emission Microscopy (PEEM) is the most promising approach to photoemission-based (XPS, UPS) imaging techniques with high lateral resolution, typically below 100 nm. It has now reached its maturity with a new generation of instruments with energy-filtering capabilities. Therefore UPS and XPS imaging with energy-filtered PEEM (EF-PEEM) can be applied to technologically-relevant samples. UPS images with contrast in local work function, obtained with laboratory UV sources, are obtained in ultra-high vacuum environment with lateral resolutions better than 50 nm and sensitivies of 20 meV. XPS images with elemental and bonding state contrast can show up lateral resolution better than 200 nm with synchrotron excitation. In this paper, we present the principles and capabilities of EF-PEEM and nanospectroscopy. Then, we focus on an example of application to non-destructive work-function imaging of polycrystalline copper for advanced interconnects, where it is shown that EF-PEEM is an alternative to Kelvin probes

  13. Pathophysiological understanding of HFpEF: microRNAs as part of the puzzle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rech, Monika; Barandiarán Aizpurua, Arantxa; van Empel, Vanessa; van Bilsen, Marc; Schroen, Blanche

    2018-05-01

    Half of all heart failure patients have preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Comorbidities associated with and contributing to HFpEF include obesity, diabetes and hypertension. Still, the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of HFpEF are unknown. A preliminary consensus proposes that the multi-morbidity triggers a state of systemic, chronic low-grade inflammation, and microvascular dysfunction, causing reduced nitric oxide bioavailability to adjacent cardiomyocytes. As a result, the cardiomyocyte remodels its contractile elements and fails to relax properly, causing diastolic dysfunction, and eventually HFpEF. HFpEF is a complex syndrome for which currently no efficient therapies exist. This is notably due to the current one-size-fits-all therapy approach that ignores individual patient differences. MicroRNAs have been studied in relation to pathophysiological mechanisms and comorbidities underlying and contributing to HFpEF. As regulators of gene expression, microRNAs may contribute to the pathophysiology of HFpEF. In addition, secreted circulating microRNAs are potential biomarkers and as such, they could help stratify the HFpEF population and open new ways for individualized therapies. In this review, we provide an overview of the ever-expanding world of non-coding RNAs and their contribution to the molecular mechanisms underlying HFpEF. We propose prospects for microRNAs in stratifying the HFpEF population. MicroRNAs add a new level of complexity to the regulatory network controlling cardiac function and hence the understanding of gene regulation becomes a fundamental piece in solving the HFpEF puzzle.

  14. Contrast in atomically resolved EF-SCEM imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Peng [National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); D’Alfonso, Adrian J. [School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010 (Australia); Hashimoto, Ayako [Surface Physics and Structure Unit, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba 305-0047 (Japan); Global Research Center for Environment and Energy based on Nanomaterials Science, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, 305-0047 (Japan); Electron Microscopy Station, National Institute for Materials Science, 3-13 Sakura, Tsukuba 305-0003 (Japan); Morgan, Andrew J. [School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010 (Australia); Takeguchi, Masaki [Surface Physics and Structure Unit, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba 305-0047 (Japan); Electron Microscopy Station, National Institute for Materials Science, 3-13 Sakura, Tsukuba 305-0003 (Japan); Mitsuishi, Kazutaka [Surface Physics and Structure Unit, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba 305-0047 (Japan); Global Research Center for Environment and Energy based on Nanomaterials Science, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, 305-0047 (Japan); Electron Microscopy Station, National Institute for Materials Science, 3-13 Sakura, Tsukuba 305-0003 (Japan); Shimojo, Masayuki [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Shibaura Institute of Technology, 3-7-5, Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo, 135-8548 (Japan); Kirkland, Angus I. [Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH (United Kingdom); Allen, Leslie J. [School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010 (Australia); Nellist, Peter D., E-mail: peter.nellist@materials.ox.ac.uk [Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH (United Kingdom)

    2013-11-15

    Energy-filtered scanning confocal electron microscopy (EF-SCEM) is a technique that uses the reduced depth of field of an aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope to provide three-dimensional (3D) compositional information. Using a silicon sample in the <110> orientation, we show that EF-SCEM image data can be recorded that shows lattice resolution in the plane perpendicular to the incident beam direction. The confocal effect is demonstrated through the reduction of the mean intensity as the confocal plane is displaced from the sample mid-plane, unlike optical sectioning in high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Simulations of the EF-SCEM data show agreement with the experimental data, and allow the interpretability of the data to be explored. The effects of channelling, absorption and delocalisation complicate the quantitative and qualitative interpretation of the data, highlighting the need for matching to simulations. Finally the effects of the finite detector pin-hole aperture size are explored, and we show that the EF-SCEM contrast in the plane perpendicular to the beam direction starts to resemble that of a STEM spectrum imaging experiment as the aperture size increases. - Highlights: • Atomically resolved energy-filtered scanning confocal electron microscopy (EF-SCEM) is demonstrated. • The confocal effect is demonstrated through the reduction of the mean intensity as the confocal plane is displaced from the sample mid-plane. • Simulations show agreement with the experimental data. • The effects of channelling, absorption and delocalisation complicate the quantitative and qualitative interpretation of the data. • The effects of the finite detector pin-hole aperture size are explored.

  15. Contrast in atomically resolved EF-SCEM imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Peng; D’Alfonso, Adrian J.; Hashimoto, Ayako; Morgan, Andrew J.; Takeguchi, Masaki; Mitsuishi, Kazutaka; Shimojo, Masayuki; Kirkland, Angus I.; Allen, Leslie J.; Nellist, Peter D.

    2013-01-01

    Energy-filtered scanning confocal electron microscopy (EF-SCEM) is a technique that uses the reduced depth of field of an aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope to provide three-dimensional (3D) compositional information. Using a silicon sample in the orientation, we show that EF-SCEM image data can be recorded that shows lattice resolution in the plane perpendicular to the incident beam direction. The confocal effect is demonstrated through the reduction of the mean intensity as the confocal plane is displaced from the sample mid-plane, unlike optical sectioning in high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Simulations of the EF-SCEM data show agreement with the experimental data, and allow the interpretability of the data to be explored. The effects of channelling, absorption and delocalisation complicate the quantitative and qualitative interpretation of the data, highlighting the need for matching to simulations. Finally the effects of the finite detector pin-hole aperture size are explored, and we show that the EF-SCEM contrast in the plane perpendicular to the beam direction starts to resemble that of a STEM spectrum imaging experiment as the aperture size increases. - Highlights: • Atomically resolved energy-filtered scanning confocal electron microscopy (EF-SCEM) is demonstrated. • The confocal effect is demonstrated through the reduction of the mean intensity as the confocal plane is displaced from the sample mid-plane. • Simulations show agreement with the experimental data. • The effects of channelling, absorption and delocalisation complicate the quantitative and qualitative interpretation of the data. • The effects of the finite detector pin-hole aperture size are explored

  16. Structural rationale for the cross-resistance of tumor cells bearing the A399V variant of elongation factor eEF1A1 to the structurally unrelated didemnin B, ternatin, nannocystin A and ansatrienin B

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Murcia, Pedro A.; Cortés-Cabrera, Álvaro; Gago, Federico

    2017-10-01

    At least four classes of structurally distinct natural products with potent antiproliferative activities target the translation elongation factor eEF1A1, which is best known as the G-protein that delivers amino acyl transfer RNAs (aa-tRNAs) to ribosomes during mRNA translation. We present molecular models in atomic detail that provide a common structural basis for the high-affinity binding of didemnin B, ternatin, ansatrienin B and nannocystin A to eEF1A1, as well as a rationale based on molecular dynamics results that accounts for the deleterious effect of replacing alanine 399 with valine. The proposed binding site, at the interface between domains I and III, is eminently hydrophobic and exists only in the GTP-bound conformation. Drug binding at this site is expected to disrupt neither loading of aa-tRNAs nor GTP hydrolysis but would give rise to stabilization of this particular conformational state, in consonance with reported experimental findings. The experimental solution of the three-dimensional structure of mammalian eEF1A1 has proved elusive so far and the highly homologous eEF1A2 from rabbit muscle has been crystallized and solved only as a homodimer in a GDP-bound conformation. Interestingly, in this dimeric structure the large interdomain cavity where the drugs studied are proposed to bind is occupied by a mostly hydrophobic α-helix from domain I of the same monomer. Since binding of this α-helix and any of these drugs to domain III of eEF1A(1/2) is, therefore, mutually exclusive and involves two distinct protein conformations, one intriguing possibility that emerges from our study is that the potent antiproliferative effect of these natural products may arise not only from inhibition of protein synthesis, which is the current dogma, but also from interference with some other non-canonical functions. From this standpoint, this type of drugs could be considered antagonists of eEF1A1/2 oligomerization, a hypothesis that opens up novel areas of research.

  17. Simultaneous Binding of Multiple EF-Tu Copies to Translating Ribosomes in Live Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mustafi, Mainak; Weisshaar, James C

    2018-01-16

    arrives at the ribosome as a ternary complex comprising an aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA), an elongation factor called EF-Tu, and GTP. There are 43 different aa-tRNAs in use, only one of which typically matches the current mRNA codon. Thus, ternary complexes must be tested very rapidly. Here we use fluorescence-based single-molecule methods that locate and track single EF-Tu copies in E. coli Fast and slow diffusive behavior determines the fraction of EF-Tu copies that are ribosome bound. We infer simultaneous tethering of ~4 ternary complexes to the ribosome, which may facilitate rapid initial testing for codon matching on a time scale of less than 1 to 2 ms per aa-tRNA. Copyright © 2018 Mustafi and Weisshaar.

  18. Hazardous Waste/IGD: EF_RCRA

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — EF_RCRA is a subset of facilities from FRS_INTEREST and FRS_FACILITY_SITE which are updated on a monthly basis as part of the Locational Reference Tables (LRT)...

  19. Air Emissions/IGD: EF_AFS

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — EF_AFS is a subset of facilities from FRS_INTEREST and FRS_FACILITY_SITE which are updated on a monthly basis as part of the Locational Reference Tables (LRT)...

  20. Water Dischargers/IGD: EF_NPDES

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — EF_NPDES is a subset of facilities from FRS_INTEREST and FRS_FACILITY_SITE which are updated on a monthly basis as part of the Locational Reference Tables (LRT)...

  1. Toxic Releases/IGD: EF_TRI

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — EF_TRI is a subset of facilities from FRS_INTEREST and FRS_FACILITY_SITE which are updated on a monthly basis as part of the Locational Reference Tables (LRT)...

  2. Contribution of effluent organic matter (EfOM) to ultrafiltration (UF) membrane fouling: Isolation, characterization, and fouling effect of EfOM fractions

    KAUST Repository

    Zheng, Xing

    2014-11-01

    EfOM has been regarded as a major organic foulant resulting in UF membrane fouling in wastewater reclamation. To investigate fouling potential of different EfOM fractions, the present study isolated EfOM into hydrophobic neutrals (HPO-N), colloids, hydrophobic acids (HPO-A), transphilic neutrals and acids (TPI), and hydrophilics (HPI), and tested their fouling effect in both salt solution and pure water during ultrafiltration (UF). Major functional groups and chemical structure of the isolates were identified using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and solid-state carbon nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR) analysis. The influence of the isolation process on the properties of EfOM fractions was minor because the raw and reconstituted secondary effluents were found similar with respect to UV absorbance, molecular size distribution, and fluorescence character. In membrane filtration tests, unified membrane fouling index (UMFI) and hydraulic resistance were used to quantify irreversible fouling potential of different water samples. Results show that under similar DOC level in feed water, colloids present much more irreversible fouling than other fractions. The fouling effect of the isolates is related to their size, chemical properties, and solution chemistry. Further investigations have identified that the interaction between colloids and other fractions also influences the performance of colloids in fouling phenomena. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

  3. A Promising Recombinant Herpesvirus of Turkeys Vaccine Expressing PmpD-N of Chlamydia psittaci Based on Elongation Factor-1 Alpha Promoter

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shanshan Liu

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacterium Chlamydia psittaci often causes avian chlamydiosis and influenza-like symptoms in humans. However, the commercial subunit C. psittaci vaccine could only provide a partial protection against avian chlamydiosis due to poor cellular immune response. In our previous study, a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT-delivered vaccine against C. psittaci and Marek’s disease based on human cytomegalovirus (CMV promoter (rHVT-CMV-pmpD was developed and provided an effective protection against C. psittaci disease with less lesions and reduced chlamydial loads. In this study, we developed another recombinant HVT vaccine expressing the N-terminal fragment of PmpD (PmpD-N based on human elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1α promoter (rHVT-EF-pmpD by modifying the HVT genome within a bacterial artificial chromosome. The related characterization of rHVT-EF-pmpD was evaluated in vitro in comparison with that of rHVT-CMV-pmpD. The expression of PmpD-N was determined by western blot. Under immunofluorescence microscopy, PmpD-N protein of both two recombinant viruses was located in the cytoplasm and on the cell surface. Growth kinetics of rHVT-EF-pmpD was comparable to that of rHVT-CMV-pmpD, and the growth rate of rHVT-EF-pmpD was apparently higher than that of rHVT-CMV-pmpD on 48, 72, and 120 h postinfection. Macrophages activated by rHVT-EF-pmpD could produce more nitric oxide and IL-6 than that activated by rHVT-CMV-pmpD. In this study, a recombinant HVT vaccine expressing PmpD-N based on EF-1α promoter was constructed successfully, and a further research in vivo was needed to analyze the vaccine efficacy.

  4. Elongation factor Ts directly facilitates the formation and disassembly of the Escherichia coli elongation factor Tu·GTP·aminoacyl-tRNA ternary complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burnett, Benjamin J; Altman, Roger B; Ferrao, Ryan; Alejo, Jose L; Kaur, Navdep; Kanji, Joshua; Blanchard, Scott C

    2013-05-10

    Aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) enters the ribosome in a ternary complex with the G-protein elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) and GTP. EF-Tu·GTP·aa-tRNA ternary complex formation and decay rates are accelerated in the presence of the nucleotide exchange factor elongation factor Ts (EF-Ts). EF-Ts directly facilitates the formation and disassociation of ternary complex. This system demonstrates a novel function of EF-Ts. Aminoacyl-tRNA enters the translating ribosome in a ternary complex with elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) and GTP. Here, we describe bulk steady state and pre-steady state fluorescence methods that enabled us to quantitatively explore the kinetic features of Escherichia coli ternary complex formation and decay. The data obtained suggest that both processes are controlled by a nucleotide-dependent, rate-determining conformational change in EF-Tu. Unexpectedly, we found that this conformational change is accelerated by elongation factor Ts (EF-Ts), the guanosine nucleotide exchange factor for EF-Tu. Notably, EF-Ts attenuates the affinity of EF-Tu for GTP and destabilizes ternary complex in the presence of non-hydrolyzable GTP analogs. These results suggest that EF-Ts serves an unanticipated role in the cell of actively regulating the abundance and stability of ternary complex in a manner that contributes to rapid and faithful protein synthesis.

  5. Small molecule inhibitors of anthrax edema factor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiao, Guan-Sheng; Kim, Seongjin; Moayeri, Mahtab; Thai, April; Cregar-Hernandez, Lynne; McKasson, Linda; O'Malley, Sean; Leppla, Stephen H; Johnson, Alan T

    2018-01-15

    Anthrax is a highly lethal disease caused by the Gram-(+) bacteria Bacillus anthracis. Edema toxin (ET) is a major contributor to the pathogenesis of disease in humans exposed to B. anthracis. ET is a bipartite toxin composed of two proteins secreted by the vegetative bacteria, edema factor (EF) and protective antigen (PA). Our work towards identifying a small molecule inhibitor of anthrax edema factor is the subject of this letter. First we demonstrate that the small molecule probe 5'-Fluorosulfonylbenzoyl 5'-adenosine (FSBA) reacts irreversibly with EF and blocks enzymatic activity. We then show that the adenosine portion of FSBA can be replaced to provide more drug-like molecules which are up to 1000-fold more potent against EF relative to FSBA, display low cross reactivity when tested against a panel of kinases, and are nanomolar inhibitors of EF in a cell-based assay of cAMP production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. The mazEF toxin-antitoxin system as a novel antibacterial target in Acinetobacter baumannii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghafourian, Sobhan; Good, Liam; Sekawi, Zamberi; Hamat, Rukman Awang; Soheili, Sara; Sadeghifard, Nourkhoda; Neela, Vasanthakumari

    2014-07-01

    Although analysis of toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems can be instructive, to date, there is no information on the prevalence and identity of TA systems based on a large panel of Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates. The aim of the current study was to screen for functional TA systems among clinical isolates of A. baumannii and to identify the systems' locations. For this purpose, we screened 85 A. baumannii isolates collected from different clinical sources for the presence of the mazEF, relBE and higBA TA genes. The results revealed that the genes coding for the mazEF TA system were commonly present in all clinical isolates of A. baumannii. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that transcripts were produced in the clinical isolates. Our findings showed that TA genes are prevalent, harboured by chromosomes and transcribed within A. baumannii. Hence, activation of the toxin proteins in the mazEF TA system should be investigated further as an effective antibacterial strategy against this bacterium.

  7. A Simple Luminescent Adenylate-Cyclase Functional Assay for Evaluation of Bacillus anthracis Edema Factor Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ma’ayan Israeli

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Edema Factor (EF, the toxic sub-unit of the Bacillus anthracis Edema Toxin (ET is a calmodulin-dependent adenylate cyclase whose detrimental activity in the infected host results in severe edema. EF is therefore a major virulence factor of B. anthracis. We describe a simple, rapid and reliable functional adenylate-cyclase assay based on inhibition of a luciferase-mediated luminescence reaction. The assay exploits the efficient adenylate cyclase-mediated depletion of adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP, and the strict dependence on ATP of the light-emitting luciferase-catalyzed luciferin-conversion to oxyluciferin, which can be easily visualized. The assay exhibits a robust EF-dose response decrease in luminescence, which may be specifically reverted by anti-EF antibodies. The application of the assay is exemplified in: (a determining the presence of EF in B. anthracis cultures, or its absence in cultures of EF-defective strains; (b evaluating the anti-EF humoral response in experimental animals infected/vaccinated with B. anthracis; and (c rapid discrimination between EF producing and non-producing bacterial colonies. Furthermore, the assay may be amenable with high-throughput screening for EF inhibitory molecules.

  8. The mazEF toxin-antitoxin system as a novel antibacterial target in Acinetobacter baumannii

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sobhan Ghafourian

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Although analysis of toxin-antitoxin (TA systems can be instructive, to date, there is no information on the prevalence and identity of TA systems based on a large panel of Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates. The aim of the current study was to screen for functional TA systems among clinical isolates of A. baumannii and to identify the systems’ locations. For this purpose, we screened 85 A. baumannii isolates collected from different clinical sources for the presence of the mazEF, relBE and higBA TA genes. The results revealed that the genes coding for the mazEF TA system were commonly present in all clinical isolates of A. baumannii. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that transcripts were produced in the clinical isolates. Our findings showed that TA genes are prevalent, harboured by chromosomes and transcribed within A. baumannii. Hence, activation of the toxin proteins in the mazEF TA system should be investigated further as an effective antibacterial strategy against this bacterium.

  9. delta-EF1 is a negative regulator of Ihh in the developing growth plate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellon, Ellen; Luyten, Frank P; Tylzanowski, Przemko

    2009-11-30

    Indian hedgehog (Ihh) regulates proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes in the growth plate. Although the biology of Ihh is currently well documented, its transcriptional regulation is poorly understood. delta-EF1 is a two-handed zinc finger/homeodomain transcriptional repressor. Targeted inactivation of mouse delta-EF1 leads to skeletal abnormalities including disorganized growth plates, shortening of long bones, and joint fusions, which are reminiscent of defects associated with deregulation of Ihh signaling. Here, we show that the absence of delta-EF1 results in delayed hypertrophic differentiation of chondrocytes and increased cell proliferation in the growth plate. Further, we demonstrate that delta-EF1 binds to the putative regulatory elements in intron 1 of Ihh in vitro and in vivo, resulting in down-regulation of Ihh expression. Finally, we show that delta-EF1 haploinsufficiency leads to a postnatal increase in trabecular bone mass associated with enhanced Ihh expression. In summary, we have identified delta-EF1 as an in vivo negative regulator of Ihh expression in the growth plate.

  10. Differentiation of nitrous oxide emission factors for agricultural soils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lesschen, Jan Peter; Velthof, Gerard L.; Vries, Wim de; Kros, Johannes

    2011-01-01

    Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) direct soil emissions from agriculture are often estimated using the default IPCC emission factor (EF) of 1%. However, a large variation in EFs exists due to differences in environment, crops and management. We developed an approach to determine N 2 O EFs that depend on N-input sources and environmental factors. The starting point of the method was a monitoring study in which an EF of 1% was found. The conditions of this experiment were set as the reference from which the effects of 16 sources of N input, three soil types, two land-use types and annual precipitation on the N 2 O EF were estimated. The derived EF inference scheme performed on average better than the default IPCC EF. The use of differentiated EFs, including different regional conditions, allows accounting for the effects of more mitigation measures and offers European countries a possibility to use a Tier 2 approach. - Highlights: → We developed an N 2 O emission factor inference scheme for agricultural soils. → This scheme accounts for different N-input sources and environmental conditions. → The derived EF inference scheme performed better than the default IPCC EF. → The use of differentiated EFs allows for better accounting of mitigation measures. - Emission factors for nitrous oxide from agricultural soils are derived as a function of N-input sources and environmental conditions on the basis of empirical information.

  11. eEF1A Controls ascospore differentiation through elevated accuracy, but controls longevity and fruiting body formation through another mechanism in Podospora anserina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silar, P; Lalucque, H; Haedens, V; Zickler, D; Picard, M

    2001-01-01

    Antisuppressor mutations in the eEF1A gene of Podospora anserina were previously shown to impair ascospore formation, to drastically increase life span, and to permit the development of the Crippled Growth degenerative process. Here, we show that eEF1A controls ascospore formation through accuracy level maintenance. Examination of antisuppressor mutant perithecia reveals two main cytological defects, mislocalization of spindle and nuclei and nuclear death. Antisuppression levels are shown to be highly dependent upon both the mutation site and the suppressor used, precluding any correlation between antisuppression efficiency and severity of the sporulation impairment. Nevertheless, severity of ascospore differentiation defect is correlated with resistance to paromomycin. We also show that eEF1A controls fruiting body formation and longevity through a mechanism(s) different from accuracy control. In vivo, GFP tagging of the protein in a way that partly retains its function confirmed earlier cytological observation; i.e., this factor is mainly diffuse within the cytosol, but may transiently accumulate within nuclei or in defined regions of the cytoplasm. These data emphasize the fact that the translation apparatus exerts a global regulatory control over cell physiology and that eEF1A is one of the key factors involved in this monitoring. PMID:11514440

  12. Elongation Factor Ts Directly Facilitates the Formation and Disassembly of the Escherichia coli Elongation Factor Tu·GTP·Aminoacyl-tRNA Ternary Complex*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burnett, Benjamin J.; Altman, Roger B.; Ferrao, Ryan; Alejo, Jose L.; Kaur, Navdep; Kanji, Joshua; Blanchard, Scott C.

    2013-01-01

    Aminoacyl-tRNA enters the translating ribosome in a ternary complex with elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) and GTP. Here, we describe bulk steady state and pre-steady state fluorescence methods that enabled us to quantitatively explore the kinetic features of Escherichia coli ternary complex formation and decay. The data obtained suggest that both processes are controlled by a nucleotide-dependent, rate-determining conformational change in EF-Tu. Unexpectedly, we found that this conformational change is accelerated by elongation factor Ts (EF-Ts), the guanosine nucleotide exchange factor for EF-Tu. Notably, EF-Ts attenuates the affinity of EF-Tu for GTP and destabilizes ternary complex in the presence of non-hydrolyzable GTP analogs. These results suggest that EF-Ts serves an unanticipated role in the cell of actively regulating the abundance and stability of ternary complex in a manner that contributes to rapid and faithful protein synthesis. PMID:23539628

  13. Tensor Factorization for Precision Medicine in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Yuan; Ahmad, Faraz S; Shah, Sanjiv J

    2017-06-01

    Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a heterogeneous clinical syndrome that may benefit from improved subtyping in order to better characterize its pathophysiology and to develop novel targeted therapies. The United States Precision Medicine Initiative comes amid the rapid growth in quantity and modality of clinical data for HFpEF patients ranging from deep phenotypic to trans-omic data. Tensor factorization, a form of machine learning, allows for the integration of multiple data modalities to derive clinically relevant HFpEF subtypes that may have significant differences in underlying pathophysiology and differential response to therapies. Tensor factorization also allows for better interpretability by supporting dimensionality reduction and identifying latent groups of data for meaningful summarization of both features and disease outcomes. In this narrative review, we analyze the modest literature on the application of tensor factorization to related biomedical fields including genotyping and phenotyping. Based on the cited work including work of our own, we suggest multiple tensor factorization formulations capable of integrating the deep phenotypic and trans-omic modalities of data for HFpEF, or accounting for interactions between genetic variants at different omic hierarchies. We encourage extensive experimental studies to tackle challenges in applying tensor factorization for precision medicine in HFpEF, including effectively incorporating existing medical knowledge, properly accounting for uncertainty, and efficiently enforcing sparsity for better interpretability.

  14. Interleukin-11 binds specific EF-hand proteins via their conserved structural motifs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kazakov, Alexei S; Sokolov, Andrei S; Vologzhannikova, Alisa A; Permyakova, Maria E; Khorn, Polina A; Ismailov, Ramis G; Denessiouk, Konstantin A; Denesyuk, Alexander I; Rastrygina, Victoria A; Baksheeva, Viktoriia E; Zernii, Evgeni Yu; Zinchenko, Dmitry V; Glazatov, Vladimir V; Uversky, Vladimir N; Mirzabekov, Tajib A; Permyakov, Eugene A; Permyakov, Sergei E

    2017-01-01

    Interleukin-11 (IL-11) is a hematopoietic cytokine engaged in numerous biological processes and validated as a target for treatment of various cancers. IL-11 contains intrinsically disordered regions that might recognize multiple targets. Recently we found that aside from IL-11RA and gp130 receptors, IL-11 interacts with calcium sensor protein S100P. Strict calcium dependence of this interaction suggests a possibility of IL-11 interaction with other calcium sensor proteins. Here we probed specificity of IL-11 to calcium-binding proteins of various types: calcium sensors of the EF-hand family (calmodulin, S100B and neuronal calcium sensors: recoverin, NCS-1, GCAP-1, GCAP-2), calcium buffers of the EF-hand family (S100G, oncomodulin), and a non-EF-hand calcium buffer (α-lactalbumin). A specific subset of the calcium sensor proteins (calmodulin, S100B, NCS-1, GCAP-1/2) exhibits metal-dependent binding of IL-11 with dissociation constants of 1-19 μM. These proteins share several amino acid residues belonging to conservative structural motifs of the EF-hand proteins, 'black' and 'gray' clusters. Replacements of the respective S100P residues by alanine drastically decrease its affinity to IL-11, suggesting their involvement into the association process. Secondary structure and accessibility of the hinge region of the EF-hand proteins studied are predicted to control specificity and selectivity of their binding to IL-11. The IL-11 interaction with the EF-hand proteins is expected to occur under numerous pathological conditions, accompanied by disintegration of plasma membrane and efflux of cellular components into the extracellular milieu.

  15. POTENTIAL MARKETING PLAN FOR EF, REGARDING LANGUAGE COURSES IN CHINA

    OpenAIRE

    Saarni, Helena

    2017-01-01

    This bachelor’s thesis was conducted as a potential marketing plan for EF. The aim and purpose of the project was to create a marketing plan for a company called EF regarding their Chinese language courses in China, where they offer these courses to young adults already. These courses however are not marketed in Finland as much as the other language courses. The theoretical part was gathered by collecting information and theories from various sources including books and e-books about mark...

  16. Liposome-encapsulated EF24-HPβCD inclusion complex: a preformulation study and biodistribution in a rat model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agashe, H.; Lagisetty, P.; Sahoo, K.; Bourne, D.; Grady, B.; Awasthi, V.

    2011-01-01

    3,5-Bis(2-fluorobenzylidene)-4-piperidone (EF24) is an anti-proliferative diphenyldifluoroketone analog of curcumin with more potent activity. The authors describe a liposome preparation of EF24 using a “drug-in-CD-in liposome” approach. An aqueous solution of EF24 and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) inclusion complex (IC) was used to prepare EF24 liposomes. The liposome size was reduced by a combination of multiple freeze–thaw cycles. Co-encapsulation of glutathione inside the liposomes conferred them with the capability of labeling with imageable radionuclide Tc-99m. Phase solubility analysis of EF24-HPβCD mixture provided k 1:1 value of 9.9 M −1 . The enhanced aqueous solubility of EF24 (from 1.64 to 13.8 mg/mL) due to the presence of HPβCD helped in the liposome preparation. About 19% of the EF24 IC was encapsulated inside the liposomes (320.5 ± 2.6 nm) by dehydration–rehydration technique. With extrusion technique, the size of 177 ± 6.5 nm was obtained without any effect on encapsulation efficiency. The EF24-liposomes were evaluated for anti-proliferative activity in lung adenocarcinoma H441 and prostate cancer PC-3 cells. The EF24-liposomes demonstrated anti-proliferative activity superior to that of plain EF24 at 10 μM dose. When injected in rats, the Tc-99m-labeled EF24-liposomes cleared from blood with an α-t 1/2 of 21.4 min and β-t 1/2 of 397 min. Tissue radioactivity counting upon necropsy showed that the majority of clearance was due to the uptake in liver and spleen. The results suggest that using “drug-in-CD-in liposome” approach is a feasible strategy to formulate an effective parenteral preparation of EF24. In vitro studies show that the liposomal EF24 remains anti-proliferative, while presenting an opportunity to image its biodistribution.

  17. Liposome-encapsulated EF24-HPβCD inclusion complex: a preformulation study and biodistribution in a rat model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agashe, H.; Lagisetty, P.; Sahoo, K.; Bourne, D.; Grady, B.; Awasthi, V.

    2011-06-01

    3,5-Bis(2-fluorobenzylidene)-4-piperidone (EF24) is an anti-proliferative diphenyldifluoroketone analog of curcumin with more potent activity. The authors describe a liposome preparation of EF24 using a "drug-in-CD-in liposome" approach. An aqueous solution of EF24 and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) inclusion complex (IC) was used to prepare EF24 liposomes. The liposome size was reduced by a combination of multiple freeze-thaw cycles. Co-encapsulation of glutathione inside the liposomes conferred them with the capability of labeling with imageable radionuclide Tc-99m. Phase solubility analysis of EF24-HPβCD mixture provided k 1:1 value of 9.9 M-1. The enhanced aqueous solubility of EF24 (from 1.64 to 13.8 mg/mL) due to the presence of HPβCD helped in the liposome preparation. About 19% of the EF24 IC was encapsulated inside the liposomes (320.5 ± 2.6 nm) by dehydration-rehydration technique. With extrusion technique, the size of 177 ± 6.5 nm was obtained without any effect on encapsulation efficiency. The EF24-liposomes were evaluated for anti-proliferative activity in lung adenocarcinoma H441 and prostate cancer PC-3 cells. The EF24-liposomes demonstrated anti-proliferative activity superior to that of plain EF24 at 10 μM dose. When injected in rats, the Tc-99m-labeled EF24-liposomes cleared from blood with an α- t 1/2 of 21.4 min and β- t 1/2 of 397 min. Tissue radioactivity counting upon necropsy showed that the majority of clearance was due to the uptake in liver and spleen. The results suggest that using "drug-in-CD-in liposome" approach is a feasible strategy to formulate an effective parenteral preparation of EF24. In vitro studies show that the liposomal EF24 remains anti-proliferative, while presenting an opportunity to image its biodistribution.

  18. Reconstitution of Qbeta RNA replicase from a covalently bonded elongation factor Tu-Ts complex

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brown, S; Blumenthal, T

    1976-01-01

    of these polypeptides, protein synthesis elongation factors EF-Tu and EF-Ts, can be covalently crosslinked with dimethyl suberimidate to form a complex which lacks the ability to catalyze the known host functions catalyzed by the individual elongation factors. Using a previously developed reconstitution system we have...... examined the effects of crosslinking the EF-Tu-Ts complex on reconstituted replicase activity. Renaturation is significantly more efficient when exogenously added native EF-Tu-Ts is crosslinked than when it is not. Crosslinked EF-Tu-Ts can be purified from a crude crosslinked postribosomal supernatant...... by its ability to replace EF-Tu and EF-Ts in the renaturation of denatured Qbeta replicase. A sample of Qbeta replicase with crosslinked EF-Tu-Ts replacing the individual elongation factors was prepared. Although it lacked EF-Tu and EF-Ts activities, it could initiate transcription of both poly...

  19. The Effect of dcEFs on migration behavior of A549 cells and Integrin beta1 expression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yunjie WANG

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Background and objective The effect of direct-current electric fields (dcEFs on cells attracted extensive attention. Moreover the metastasis and its potential are considered to be related to dcEFs. The aim is to study the effect of dcEFs on migration behavior of A549 cells, Integrin ?1 and its signal pathways. Methods According to exposure to 5 V/cm dcEFs or not and the time of exposure, the A549 cells were divided into 4 groups. Images were taken per 5 min within 2 h to recode the migration of the cells. The data of results were analyzed statistically. Results Most of A549cells exposed to the dcEFs aligned and elongated perpendicularly to the electric field lines and migrated to the cathode continually during 2 h. On the contrary, cells unexposed to dcEFs showed slightly random movements. Immunofluorescence showed that Integrin ?1 on plasma membrane polarized to the cathode of the dcEFs. Western blot showed that Integrin beta1 downstream signal pathways p-FAK and p-ERK were overexpressed in the dcEFs. Conclusion A549 cells have a galvanotatic feature of cathodal directed migration while exposed to the dcEFs. The polarization of Integrin beta1 and the promotion of its downstream signal pathways may play an important roles in the galvanotaxis of A549 cells.

  20. Liposome-encapsulated EF24-HP{beta}CD inclusion complex: a preformulation study and biodistribution in a rat model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Agashe, H; Lagisetty, P; Sahoo, K; Bourne, D [University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (United States); Grady, B [School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering (United States); Awasthi, V [University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (United States)

    2011-06-15

    3,5-Bis(2-fluorobenzylidene)-4-piperidone (EF24) is an anti-proliferative diphenyldifluoroketone analog of curcumin with more potent activity. The authors describe a liposome preparation of EF24 using a 'drug-in-CD-in liposome' approach. An aqueous solution of EF24 and hydroxypropyl-{beta}-cyclodextrin (HP{beta}CD) inclusion complex (IC) was used to prepare EF24 liposomes. The liposome size was reduced by a combination of multiple freeze-thaw cycles. Co-encapsulation of glutathione inside the liposomes conferred them with the capability of labeling with imageable radionuclide Tc-99m. Phase solubility analysis of EF24-HP{beta}CD mixture provided k{sub 1:1} value of 9.9 M{sup -1}. The enhanced aqueous solubility of EF24 (from 1.64 to 13.8 mg/mL) due to the presence of HP{beta}CD helped in the liposome preparation. About 19% of the EF24 IC was encapsulated inside the liposomes (320.5 {+-} 2.6 nm) by dehydration-rehydration technique. With extrusion technique, the size of 177 {+-} 6.5 nm was obtained without any effect on encapsulation efficiency. The EF24-liposomes were evaluated for anti-proliferative activity in lung adenocarcinoma H441 and prostate cancer PC-3 cells. The EF24-liposomes demonstrated anti-proliferative activity superior to that of plain EF24 at 10 {mu}M dose. When injected in rats, the Tc-99m-labeled EF24-liposomes cleared from blood with an {alpha}-t{sub 1/2} of 21.4 min and {beta}-t{sub 1/2} of 397 min. Tissue radioactivity counting upon necropsy showed that the majority of clearance was due to the uptake in liver and spleen. The results suggest that using 'drug-in-CD-in liposome' approach is a feasible strategy to formulate an effective parenteral preparation of EF24. In vitro studies show that the liposomal EF24 remains anti-proliferative, while presenting an opportunity to image its biodistribution.

  1. Liposome-encapsulated EF24-HP{beta}CD inclusion complex: a preformulation study and biodistribution in a rat model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Agashe, H.; Lagisetty, P.; Sahoo, K.; Bourne, D. [University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (United States); Grady, B. [School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering (United States); Awasthi, V., E-mail: vawasthi@ouhsc.edu [University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (United States)

    2011-06-15

    3,5-Bis(2-fluorobenzylidene)-4-piperidone (EF24) is an anti-proliferative diphenyldifluoroketone analog of curcumin with more potent activity. The authors describe a liposome preparation of EF24 using a 'drug-in-CD-in liposome' approach. An aqueous solution of EF24 and hydroxypropyl-{beta}-cyclodextrin (HP{beta}CD) inclusion complex (IC) was used to prepare EF24 liposomes. The liposome size was reduced by a combination of multiple freeze-thaw cycles. Co-encapsulation of glutathione inside the liposomes conferred them with the capability of labeling with imageable radionuclide Tc-99m. Phase solubility analysis of EF24-HP{beta}CD mixture provided k{sub 1:1} value of 9.9 M{sup -1}. The enhanced aqueous solubility of EF24 (from 1.64 to 13.8 mg/mL) due to the presence of HP{beta}CD helped in the liposome preparation. About 19% of the EF24 IC was encapsulated inside the liposomes (320.5 {+-} 2.6 nm) by dehydration-rehydration technique. With extrusion technique, the size of 177 {+-} 6.5 nm was obtained without any effect on encapsulation efficiency. The EF24-liposomes were evaluated for anti-proliferative activity in lung adenocarcinoma H441 and prostate cancer PC-3 cells. The EF24-liposomes demonstrated anti-proliferative activity superior to that of plain EF24 at 10 {mu}M dose. When injected in rats, the Tc-99m-labeled EF24-liposomes cleared from blood with an {alpha}-t{sub 1/2} of 21.4 min and {beta}-t{sub 1/2} of 397 min. Tissue radioactivity counting upon necropsy showed that the majority of clearance was due to the uptake in liver and spleen. The results suggest that using 'drug-in-CD-in liposome' approach is a feasible strategy to formulate an effective parenteral preparation of EF24. In vitro studies show that the liposomal EF24 remains anti-proliferative, while presenting an opportunity to image its biodistribution.

  2. Influence of activated carbon preloading by EfOM fractions from treated wastewater on adsorption of pharmaceutically active compounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Jingyi; Shang, Ran; Heijman, Bas; Rietveld, Luuk

    2016-05-01

    In this study, the preloading effects of different fractions of wastewater effluent organic matter (EfOM) on the adsorption of trace-level pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) onto granular activated carbon (GAC) were investigated. A nanofiltration (NF) membrane was employed to separate the EfOM by size, and two GACs with distinct pore structures were chosen for comparison. The results showed that preloading with EfOM substantially decreased PhAC uptake of the GACs; however, comparable PhAC adsorption capacities were achieved on GACs preloaded by feed EfOM and the NF-permeating EfOM. This indicates that: (1) the NF-rejected, larger EfOM molecules with an expectation to block the PhAC adsorption pores exerted little impact on the adsorbability of PhACs; (2) the smaller EfOM molecules present in the NF permeate contributed mainly to the decrease in PhAC uptake, mostly due to site competition. Of the two examined GACs, the wide pore-size-distributed GAC was found to be more susceptible to EfOM preloading than the microporous GAC. Furthermore, among the fourteen investigated PhACs, the negatively charged hydrophilic PhACs were generally subjected to a greater EfOM preloading impact. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Time trend of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission factors from motor vehicles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tao, Shu; Shen, Huizhong; Wang, Rong; Sun, Kang

    2010-05-01

    Motor vehicle is an important emission source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and this is particularly true in urban areas. Motor vehicle emission factors (EFs) for individual PAH compound reported in the literature varied for 4 to 5 orders of magnitude, leading to high uncertainty in emission estimation. In this study, the major factors affecting EFs were investigated and characterized by regression models. Based on the model developed, a motor vehicle PAH emission inventory at country level was developed. It was found that country and model year are the most important factors affecting EFs for PAHs. The influence of the two factors can be quantified by a single parameter of per capita gross domestic production (purchasing power parity), which was used as the independent variables of the regression models. The models developed using randomly selected 80% of measurements and tested with the remained data accounted for 28 to 48% of the variations in EFs for PAHs measured in 16 countries over 50 years. The regression coefficients of the EF prediction models were molecular weight dependent. Motor vehicle emission of PAHs from individual countries in the world in 1985, 1995, 2005, 2015, and 2025 were calculated and the global emission of total PAHs were 470, 390, and 430 Gg in 1985, 1995, and 2005 and will be 290 and 130 Gg in 2015 and 2025, respectively. The emission is currently passing its peak and will decrease due to significant decrease in China and other developing countries.

  4. Kidney-Sparing Methods for Extended-Field Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy (EF-IMRT) in Cervical Carcinoma Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kunogi, Hiroaki; Yamaguchi, Nanae; Terao, Yasuhisa; Sasai, Keisuke

    2016-01-01

    Coplanar extended-field intensity-modulated radiation therapy (EF-IMRT) targeting the whole-pelvic and para-aortic lymph nodes in patients with advanced cervical cancer results in impaired creatinine clearance. An improvement in renal function cannot be expected unless low-dose (approximately 10 Gy) kidney exposure is reduced. The dosimetric method should be considered during EF-IMRT planning to further reduce low-dose exposure to the kidneys. To assess the usefulness of non-coplanar EF-IMRT with kidney-avoiding beams to spare the kidneys during cervical carcinoma treatment in dosimetric analysis between non-coplanar and coplanar EF-IMRT, we compared the doses of the target organ and organs at risk, including the kidney, in 10 consecutive patients. To estimate the influence of EFRT on renal dysfunction, creatinine clearance values after treatment were also examined in 18 consecutive patients. Of these 18 patients, 10 patients who were included in the dosimetric analysis underwent extended field radiation therapy (EFRT) with concurrent chemotherapy, and eight patients underwent whole-pelvis radiation therapy with concurrent chemotherapy to treat cervical carcinoma between April 2012 and March 2015 at our institution. In the dosimetric analysis, non-coplanar EF-IMRT was effective at reducing low-dose (approximately 10 Gy) exposure to the kidneys, thus maintaining target coverage and sparing other organs at risk, such as the small bowel, rectum, and bladder, compared with coplanar EF-IMRT. Renal function in all 10 patients who underwent EFRT, including coplanar EF-IMRT (with kidney irradiation), was low after treatment, and differed significantly from that of the eight patients who underwent WPRT (no kidney irradiation) 6 months after the first day of treatment (P = 0.005). In conclusion, non-coplanar EF-IMRT should be considered in patients with advanced cervical cancer, particularly in patients with a long life expectancy or with pre-existing renal dysfunction.

  5. Arabidopsis EF-Tu receptor enhances bacterial disease resistance in transgenic wheat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoonbeek, Henk-Jan; Wang, Hsi-Hua; Stefanato, Francesca L; Craze, Melanie; Bowden, Sarah; Wallington, Emma; Zipfel, Cyril; Ridout, Christopher J

    2015-04-01

    Perception of pathogen (or microbe)-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs/MAMPs) by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) is a key component of plant innate immunity. The Arabidopsis PRR EF-Tu receptor (EFR) recognizes the bacterial PAMP elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) and its derived peptide elf18. Previous work revealed that transgenic expression of AtEFR in Solanaceae confers elf18 responsiveness and broad-spectrum bacterial disease resistance. In this study, we developed a set of bioassays to study the activation of PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI) in wheat. We generated transgenic wheat (Triticum aestivum) plants expressing AtEFR driven by the constitutive rice actin promoter and tested their response to elf18. We show that transgenic expression of AtEFR in wheat confers recognition of elf18, as measured by the induction of immune marker genes and callose deposition. When challenged with the cereal bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. oryzae, transgenic EFR wheat lines had reduced lesion size and bacterial multiplication. These results demonstrate that AtEFR can be transferred successfully from dicot to monocot species, further revealing that immune signalling pathways are conserved across these distant phyla. As novel PRRs are identified, their transfer between plant families represents a useful strategy for enhancing resistance to pathogens in crops. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

  6. Emission factors of air pollutants from CNG-gasoline bi-fuel vehicles: Part II. CO, HC and NOx.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Xiaoyan; Wang, Yang; Xing, Zhenyu; Du, Ke

    2016-09-15

    The estimation of emission factors (EFs) is the basis of accurate emission inventory. However, the EFs of air pollutants for motor vehicles vary under different operating conditions, which will cause uncertainty in developing emission inventory. Natural gas (NG), considered as a "cleaner" fuel than gasoline, is increasingly being used to reduce combustion emissions. However, information is scarce about how much emission reduction can be achieved by motor vehicles burning NG (NGVs) under real road driving conditions, which is necessary for evaluating the environmental benefits for NGVs. Here, online, in situ measurements of the emissions from nine bi-fuel vehicles were conducted under different operating conditions on the real road. A comparative study was performed for the EFs of black carbon (BC), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) for each operating condition when the vehicles using gasoline and compressed NG (CNG) as fuel. BC EFs were reported in part I. The part II in this paper series reports the influence of operating conditions and fuel types on the EFs of CO, HC and NOx. Fuel-based EFs of CO showed good correlations with speed when burning CNG and gasoline. The correlation between fuel-based HC EFs and speed was relatively weak whether burning CNG or gasoline. The fuel-based NOx EFs moderately correlated with speed when burning CNG, but weakly correlated with gasoline. As for HC, the mileage-based EFs of gasoline vehicles are 2.39-12.59 times higher than those of CNG vehicles. The mileage-based NOx EFs of CNG vehicles are slightly higher than those of gasoline vehicles. These results would facilitate a detailed analysis of the environmental benefits for replacing gasoline with CNG in light duty vehicles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. DESARROLLO DE LAS FUNCIONES EJECUTIVAS EN NIÑOS PREESCOLARES: UNA REVISIÓN DE ALGUNOS DE SUS FACTORES MODULADORES/ DEVELOPMENT OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTION IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN: A REVIEW OF SOME MODULATORS FACTORS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florencia Stelzer*

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available RESUMENDurante el transcurso de las últimas dos décadas, se ha generado un creciente interés científico en el estudio deldesarrollo de las funciones ejecutivas (EF durante el periodo preescolar. Dicho interés, ha nacido en parte del notoriodesarrollo que tales procesos experimentan durante este periodo. Asimismo, numerosas investigaciones han hallado unvínculo entre el rendimiento en tales procesos, y la presencia de diferentes trastornos psicopatológicos. El presenteartículo, constituye una revisión del desarrollo de las EF durante el periodo preescolar. El objetivo que se persigue en elmismo, es describir los cambios observados a nivel cognitivo-comportamental en el FE durante este periodo; vinculándolosa sus posibles bases anatómico-funcionales. Asimismo, se procurará analizar el impacto de algunos factores consideradosmoduladores de este proceso sobre el mismo. Se concluirá destacando la necesidad de profundizar en el estudio de losfactores moduladores de tal desarrollo, dada la importancia que las EF presentarían para la adaptación del individuo alambiente.ABSTRACTDuring the course of the last two decades, there has been a growing scientific intresting in the study of exectivefunctions development during preschool years. This interesting arise in part in these processes experience considerabledevelopment during this period. Also, numerous studies have found a link between performance in these processes and thepresence of different psychopathological disorders. This article is a review of EF development during preschool years. Theobjective pursued in it, is to describe the observed changes in EF in cognitive-behavioral level during this period, linkingthem to those potential anatomical -functional bases. Although, we will analyze the impact of some factors consideredmodulators of this process. We concluded emphasizing the need for further study of the factors modulating such development,given the importance of EF for

  8. An emerging role for epigenetic factors in relation to executive function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahim, Omar; Sutherland, Heidi G; Haupt, Larisa M; Griffiths, Lyn R

    2017-11-20

    Executive function (EF) includes a range of decision-making and higher-order thinking processes. Although the genetic basis of EF has been studied and reviewed, epigenetic factors that influence EF are an emerging field of interest; here, we summarize the current research. Work relating to different word combinations of 'Executive Function' and 'Epigenetic' was identified through three academic search directories. Inclusion criteria were human populations, EF testing, epigenetic testing or genotyping related to epigenetic regulation. To date, 14 studies have been reported, which examined epigenetic variation, in particular DNA methylation, in relation to EF assessments conducted in human subjects, with some positive associations found. Study populations included healthy cohorts, as well as psychiatric and neurological patient cohorts. Epigenetics in relation to EF is an emerging area of investigation with relatively few studies to date. Most assay DNA methylation, with some studies suggesting that epigenetic factors can be associated with EF. EF constitutes complex phenotypic and genotypic correlates that differ because of cohort attributes as well as the targeted task examined. Larger studies are required to further elucidate the contribution of epigenetic factors to EF with the identification of epigenetic modifications influencing EF having potential to provide new biomarkers for neuropsychiatric disorders. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  9. [The EFS metrology: From the production to the reason].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reifenberg, J-M; Riout, E; Leroy, A; Begue, S

    2014-06-01

    In order to answer statutory requirements and to anticipate the future needs and standards, the EFS is committed, since a few years, in a process of harmonization of its metrology function. In particular, the institution has opted for the skills development by internalizing the metrological traceability of the main critical quantities (temperature, volumetric) measurements. The development of metrology so resulted in a significant increase in calibration and testing activities. Methods are homogenized and improved through accreditations. The investment strategies are based on more and more demanding specifications. The performance of the equipments is better known and mastered. Technical expertise and maturity of the national metrology function today are assets to review in more informed ways the appropriateness of the applied periodicities. Analysis of numerous information and data in the calibration and testing reports could be pooled and operated on behalf of the unique establishment. The objective of this article is to illustrate these reflections with a few examples from of a feedback of the EFS Pyrénées Méditerranée. The analysis of some methods of qualification, the exploitation of the historical metrology in order to quantify the risk of non-compliance, and to adapt the control strategy, analysis of the criticality of an instrument in a measurement process, risk analyses are tools that deserve to be more widely exploited for that discipline wins in efficiency at the national level. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  10. A non-catalytic N-terminal domain negatively influences the nucleotide exchange activity of translation elongation factor 1Bα.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trosiuk, Tetiana V; Shalak, Vyacheslav F; Szczepanowski, Roman H; Negrutskii, Boris S; El'skaya, Anna V

    2016-02-01

    Eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1Bα (eEF1Bα) is a functional homolog of the bacterial factor EF-Ts, and is a component of the macromolecular eEF1B complex. eEF1Bα functions as a catalyst of guanine nucleotide exchange on translation elongation factor 1A (eEF1A). The C-terminal domain of eEF1Bα is necessary and sufficient for its catalytic activity, whereas the N-terminal domain interacts with eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1Bγ (eEF1Bγ) to form a tight complex. However, eEF1Bγ has been shown to enhance the catalytic activity of eEF1Bα attributed to the C-terminal domain of eEF1Bα. This suggests that the N-terminal domain of eEF1Bα may in some way influence the guanine nucleotide exchange process. We have shown that full-length recombinant eEF1Bα and its truncated forms are non-globular proteins with elongated shapes. Truncation of the N-terminal domain of eEF1Bα, which is dispensable for catalytic activity, resulted in acceleration of the rate of guanine nucleotide exchange on eEF1A compared to full-length eEF1Bα. A similar effect on the catalytic activity of eEF1Bα was observed after its interaction with eEF1Bγ. We suggest that the non-catalytic N-terminal domain of eEF1Bα may interfere with eEF1A binding to the C-terminal catalytic domain, resulting in a decrease in the overall rate of the guanine nucleotide exchange reaction. Formation of a tight complex between the eEF1Bγ and eEF1Bα N-terminal domains abolishes this inhibitory effect. © 2015 FEBS.

  11. Emission factors for gaseous and particulate pollutants from offshore diesel engine vessels in China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Fan; Chen, Yingjun; Tian, Chongguo; Lou, Diming; Li, Jun; Zhang, Gan; Matthias, Volker

    2016-05-01

    Shipping emissions have significant influence on atmospheric environment as well as human health, especially in coastal areas and the harbour districts. However, the contribution of shipping emissions on the environment in China still need to be clarified especially based on measurement data, with the large number ownership of vessels and the rapid developments of ports, international trade and shipbuilding industry. Pollutants in the gaseous phase (carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, total volatile organic compounds) and particle phase (particulate matter, organic carbon, elemental carbon, sulfates, nitrate, ammonia, metals) in the exhaust from three different diesel-engine-powered offshore vessels in China (350, 600 and 1600 kW) were measured in this study. Concentrations, fuel-based and power-based emission factors for various operating modes as well as the impact of engine speed on emissions were determined. Observed concentrations and emission factors for carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, total volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter were higher for the low-engine-power vessel (HH) than for the two higher-engine-power vessels (XYH and DFH); for instance, HH had NOx EF (emission factor) of 25.8 g kWh-1 compared to 7.14 and 6.97 g kWh-1 of DFH, and XYH, and PM EF of 2.09 g kWh-1 compared to 0.14 and 0.04 g kWh-1 of DFH, and XYH. Average emission factors for all pollutants except sulfur dioxide in the low-engine-power engineering vessel (HH) were significantly higher than that of the previous studies (such as 30.2 g kg-1 fuel of CO EF compared to 2.17 to 19.5 g kg-1 fuel in previous studies, 115 g kg-1 fuel of NOx EF compared to 22.3 to 87 g kg-1 fuel in previous studies and 9.40 g kg-1 fuel of PM EF compared to 1.2 to 7.6 g kg-1 fuel in previous studies), while for the two higher-engine-power vessels (DFH and XYH), most of the average emission factors for pollutants were comparable to the results of the previous studies, engine type was

  12. Heterologous expression of a plastid EF-Tu reduces protein thermal aggregation and enhances CO2 fixation in wheat (Triticum aestivum) following heat stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Jianming; Momcilović, Ivana; Clemente, Thomas E; Nersesian, Natalya; Trick, Harold N; Ristic, Zoran

    2008-10-01

    Heat stress is a major constraint to wheat production and negatively impacts grain quality, causing tremendous economic losses, and may become a more troublesome factor due to global warming. At the cellular level, heat stress causes denaturation and aggregation of proteins and injury to membranes leading to alterations in metabolic fluxes. Protein aggregation is irreversible, and protection of proteins from thermal aggregation is a strategy a cell uses to tolerate heat stress. Here we report on the development of transgenic wheat (Triticum aestivum) events, expressing a maize gene coding for plastidal protein synthesis elongation factor (EF-Tu), which, compared to non-transgenic plants, display reduced thermal aggregation of leaf proteins, reduced heat injury to photosynthetic membranes (thylakoids), and enhanced rate of CO(2) fixation after exposure to heat stress. The results support the concept that EF-Tu ameliorates negative effects of heat stress by acting as a molecular chaperone. This is the first demonstration of the introduction of a plastidal EF-Tu in plants that leads to protection against heat injury and enhanced photosynthesis after heat stress. This is also the first demonstration that a gene other than HSP gene can be used for improvement of heat tolerance and that the improvement is possible in a species that has a complex genome, hexaploid wheat. The results strongly suggest that heat tolerance of wheat, and possibly other crop plants, can be improved by modulating expression of plastidal EF-Tu and/or by selection of genotypes with increased endogenous levels of this protein.

  13. Interaction between the cellular protein eEF1A and the 3'-terminal stem-loop of West Nile virus genomic RNA facilitates viral minus-strand RNA synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, William G; Blackwell, Jerry L; Shi, Pei-Yong; Brinton, Margo A

    2007-09-01

    RNase footprinting and nitrocellulose filter binding assays were previously used to map one major and two minor binding sites for the cell protein eEF1A on the 3'(+) stem-loop (SL) RNA of West Nile virus (WNV) (3). Base substitutions in the major eEF1A binding site or adjacent areas of the 3'(+) SL were engineered into a WNV infectious clone. Mutations that decreased, as well as ones that increased, eEF1A binding in in vitro assays had a negative effect on viral growth. None of these mutations affected the efficiency of translation of the viral polyprotein from the genomic RNA, but all of the mutations that decreased in vitro eEF1A binding to the 3' SL RNA also decreased viral minus-strand RNA synthesis in transfected cells. Also, a mutation that increased the efficiency of eEF1A binding to the 3' SL RNA increased minus-strand RNA synthesis in transfected cells, which resulted in decreased synthesis of genomic RNA. These results strongly suggest that the interaction between eEF1A and the WNV 3' SL facilitates viral minus-strand synthesis. eEF1A colocalized with viral replication complexes (RC) in infected cells and antibody to eEF1A coimmunoprecipitated viral RC proteins, suggesting that eEF1A facilitates an interaction between the 3' end of the genome and the RC. eEF1A bound with similar efficiencies to the 3'-terminal SL RNAs of four divergent flaviviruses, including a tick-borne flavivirus, and colocalized with dengue virus RC in infected cells. These results suggest that eEF1A plays a similar role in RNA replication for all flaviviruses.

  14. 75 FR 41894 - Wapakoneta Machine Company, Currently Known as EF Industrial Technologies, Inc., Wapakoneta, OH...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-19

    ... of early 2010, Wapakoneta Machine Company is currently known as EF Industrial Technologies, Inc. Some... Wapakoneta Machine Company, currently known as EF Industrial Technologies, Inc., Wapakoneta, Ohio became... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration [TA-W-73,211] Wapakoneta Machine...

  15. Ribosomal elongation factor 4 promotes cell death associated with lethal stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Liping; Hong, Yuzhi; Luan, Gan; Mosel, Michael; Malik, Muhammad; Drlica, Karl; Zhao, Xilin

    2014-12-09

    Ribosomal elongation factor 4 (EF4) is highly conserved among bacteria, mitochondria, and chloroplasts. However, the EF4-encoding gene, lepA, is nonessential and its deficiency shows no growth or fitness defect. In purified systems, EF4 back-translocates stalled, posttranslational ribosomes for efficient protein synthesis; consequently, EF4 has a protective role during moderate stress. We were surprised to find that EF4 also has a detrimental role during severe stress: deletion of lepA increased Escherichia coli survival following treatment with several antimicrobials. EF4 contributed to stress-mediated lethality through reactive oxygen species (ROS) because (i) the protective effect of a ΔlepA mutation against lethal antimicrobials was eliminated by anaerobic growth or by agents that block hydroxyl radical accumulation and (ii) the ΔlepA mutation decreased ROS levels stimulated by antimicrobial stress. Epistasis experiments showed that EF4 functions in the same genetic pathway as the MazF toxin, a stress response factor implicated in ROS-mediated cell death. The detrimental action of EF4 required transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA, which tags truncated proteins for degradation and is known to be inhibited by EF4) and the ClpP protease. Inhibition of a protective, tmRNA/ClpP-mediated degradative activity would allow truncated proteins to indirectly perturb the respiratory chain and thereby provide a potential link between EF4 and ROS. The connection among EF4, MazF, tmRNA, and ROS expands a pathway leading from harsh stress to bacterial self-destruction. The destructive aspect of EF4 plus the protective properties described previously make EF4 a bifunctional factor in a stress response that promotes survival or death, depending on the severity of stress. Translation elongation factor 4 (EF4) is one of the most conserved proteins in nature, but it is dispensable. Lack of strong phenotypes for its genetic knockout has made EF4 an enigma. Recent biochemical work has

  16. Comorbidities, risk factors and outcomes in patients with heart failure and an ejection fraction of more than or equal to 40% in primary care- and hospital care-based outpatient clinics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eriksson, B; Wändell, P; Dahlström, U; Näsman, P; Lund, L H; Edner, M

    2018-06-01

    The aim of this study is to describe patients with heart failure and an ejection fraction (EF) of more than or equal to 40%, managed in both Primary- and Hospital based outpatient clinics separately with their prognosis, comorbidities and risk factors. Further to compare the heart failure medication in the two groups. We used the prospective Swedish Heart Failure Registry to include 9654 out-patients who had HF and EF ≥40%, 1802 patients were registered in primary care and 7852 in hospital care. Descriptive statistical tests were used to analyze base line characteristics in the two groups and multivariate logistic regression analysis to assess mortality rate in the groups separately. The prospective Swedish Heart Failure Registry. Patients with heart failure and an ejection fraction (EF) of more than or equal to 40%. Comorbidities, risk factors and mortality. Mean-age was 77.5 (primary care) and 70.3 years (hospital care) p care group having more atrial fibrillation, hypertension, ischemic heart disease and COPD. According to the multivariate logistic regression analysis smoking, COPD and diabetes were the most important independent risk factors in the primary care group and valvular disease in the hospital care group. All-cause mortality during mean follow-up of almost 4 years was 31.5% in primary care and 27.8% in hospital care. One year-mortality rates were 7.8%, and 7.0% respectively. Any co-morbidity was noted in 97% of the HF-patients with an EF of more than or equal to 40% managed at primary care based out-patient clinics and these patients had partly other independent risk factors than those patients managed in hospital care based outpatients clinics. Our results indicate that more attention should be payed to manage COPD in the primary care group. KEY POINTS 97% of heart failure patients with an ejection fraction of more than or equal to 40% managed at primary care based out-patient clinics had any comorbidity. Patients in primary care had partly other

  17. Ribosome-induced changes in elongation factor Tu conformation control GTP hydrolysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Villa, Elizabeth; Sengupta, Jayati; Trabuco, Leonard G.

    2009-01-01

    In translation, elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) molecules deliver aminoacyl-tRNAs to the mRNA-programmed ribosome. The GTPase activity of EF-Tu is triggered by ribosome-induced conformational changes of the factor that play a pivotal role in the selection of the cognate aminoacyl-tRNAs. We present a 6.......7-A cryo-electron microscopy map of the aminoacyl-tRNA x EF-Tu x GDP x kirromycin-bound Escherichia coli ribosome, together with an atomic model of the complex obtained through molecular dynamics flexible fitting. The model reveals the conformational changes in the conserved GTPase switch regions...... of EF-Tu that trigger hydrolysis of GTP, along with key interactions, including those between the sarcin-ricin loop and the P loop of EF-Tu, and between the effector loop of EF-Tu and a conserved region of the 16S rRNA. Our data suggest that GTP hydrolysis on EF-Tu is controlled through a hydrophobic...

  18. Pharmacophore Selection and Redesign of Non-nucleotide Inhibitors of Anthrax Edema Factor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Estrella Jimenez

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Antibiotic treatment may fail to protect individuals, if not started early enough, after infection with Bacillus anthracis, due to the continuing activity of toxins that the bacterium produces. Stable and easily stored inhibitors of the edema factor toxin (EF, an adenylyl cyclase, could save lives in the event of an outbreak, due to natural causes or a bioweapon attack. The toxin’s basic activity is to convert ATP to cAMP, and it is thus in principle a simple phosphatase, which means that many mammalian enzymes, including intracellular adenylcyclases, may have a similar activity. While nucleotide based inhibitors, similar to its natural substrate, ATP, were identified early, these compounds had low activity and specificity for EF. We used a combined structural and computational approach to choose small organic molecules in large, web-based compound libraries that would, based on docking scores, bind to residues within the substrate binding pocket of EF. A family of fluorenone-based inhibitors was identified that inhibited the release of cAMP from cells treated with EF. The lead inhibitor was also shown to inhibit the diarrhea caused by enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC in a murine model, perhaps by serving as a quorum sensor. These inhibitors are now being tested for their ability to inhibit Anthrax infection in animal models and may have use against other pathogens that produce toxins similar to EF, such as Bordetella pertussis or Vibrio cholera.

  19. Pharmacophore selection and redesign of non-nucleotide inhibitors of anthrax edema factor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schein, Catherine H; Chen, Deliang; Ma, Lili; Kanalas, John J; Gao, Jian; Jimenez, Maria Estrella; Sower, Laurie E; Walter, Mary A; Gilbertson, Scott R; Peterson, Johnny W

    2012-11-08

    Antibiotic treatment may fail to protect individuals, if not started early enough, after infection with Bacillus anthracis, due to the continuing activity of toxins that the bacterium produces. Stable and easily stored inhibitors of the edema factor toxin (EF), an adenylyl cyclase, could save lives in the event of an outbreak, due to natural causes or a bioweapon attack. The toxin's basic activity is to convert ATP to cAMP, and it is thus in principle a simple phosphatase, which means that many mammalian enzymes, including intracellular adenylcyclases, may have a similar activity. While nucleotide based inhibitors, similar to its natural substrate, ATP, were identified early, these compounds had low activity and specificity for EF. We used a combined structural and computational approach to choose small organic molecules in large, web-based compound libraries that would, based on docking scores, bind to residues within the substrate binding pocket of EF. A family of fluorenone-based inhibitors was identified that inhibited the release of cAMP from cells treated with EF. The lead inhibitor was also shown to inhibit the diarrhea caused by enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) in a murine model, perhaps by serving as a quorum sensor. These inhibitors are now being tested for their ability to inhibit Anthrax infection in animal models and may have use against other pathogens that produce toxins similar to EF, such as Bordetella pertussis or Vibrio cholera.

  20. Function and structure in phage Qbeta RNA replicase. Association of EF-Tu-Ts with the other enzyme subunits

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Blumenthal, T; Young, R A; Brown, S

    1976-01-01

    alters its quaternary structure: the EF-Tu-Ts cannot be covalently attached to the other enzyme subunits with bifunctional cross-linking reagents in the presence of RNA. This conformational change is not influenced by ionic strength. The addition of Qbeta RNA to the enzyme, does not result in the release...... for one another increases with increasing ionic strength. The enzyme is capable of initiation of RNA synthesis with synthetic templates only when in the low ionic strength conformation. Elongation of initiated polynucleotide chains is not affectedby ionic strength. Addition of Qbeta RNA to the enzyme also...... of EF-Tu-Ts from the other enzyme subunits: whereas free EF-Tu-Ts binds GDP independently of salt concentration, this binding by Qbeta replicase is sensitive to high ionic strength and remains so in the presence of Qbeta RNA. Furthermore, RNA does not allow the release of EF-Ts from EF-Tu by GTP...

  1. Is the mazEF toxin-antitoxin system responsible for vancomycin resistance in clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecalis?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadeghifard, Nourkhoda; Soheili, Sara; Sekawi, Zamberi; Ghafourian, Sobhan

    2014-01-01

    The current study was conducted to investigate the relationship between vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE) and the presence of mazEF toxin-antitoxin (TA) system, which may be useful as target for novel antimicrobial therapy concepts. The susceptibility of E. faecalis was determined by MIC, and the presence of the mazEF TA system was evaluated by PCR. Among 200 E. faecalis isolates 39.5% showed resistance to vancomycin (VRE), while 60.5% were susceptible strains (VSE). The mazEF TA system was positive in all VRE isolates (100%), but less prevalent (38/121, 31.4%) among the 121 VSE strains. In conclusion, our study demonstrated a positive relationship between the presence of vancomycin resistance and mazEF TA system. This observation may introduce therapeutic options against a novel antimicrobial target in enterococci.

  2. Functional role of EF-hands 3 and 4 in membrane-binding of KChIP1

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    The aim of the present study is to explore whether membrane targeting of K+ channel-interacting protein 1 (KChIP1) is associated with its EF-hand motifs and varies with specific phospholipids. Truncated KChIP1, in which the EF-hands 3 and 4 were deleted, retained the -helix structure, indicating that the N-terminal half of ...

  3. The MazEF Toxin-Antitoxin System Alters the β-Lactam Susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher F Schuster

    Full Text Available Toxin-antitoxin (TA systems are genetic elements of prokaryotes which encode a stable toxin and an unstable antitoxin that can counteract toxicity. TA systems residing on plasmids are often involved in episomal maintenance whereas those on chromosomes can have multiple functions. The opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus possesses at least four different families of TA systems but their physiological roles are elusive. The chromosomal mazEF system encodes the RNase toxin MazF and the antitoxin MazE. In the light of ambiguity regarding the cleavage activity, we here verify that MazF specifically targets UACAU sequences in S. aureus in vivo. In a native strain background and under non-stress conditions, cleavage was observed in the absence or presence of mazE. Transcripts of spa (staphylococcal protein A and rsbW (anti-σB factor were cut, but translational reporter fusions indicated that protein levels of the encoded products were unaffected. Despite a comparable growth rate as the wild-type, an S. aureus mazEF deletion mutant was more susceptible to β-lactam antibiotics, which suggests that further genes, putatively involved in the antibiotic stress response or cell wall synthesis or turnover, are controlled by this TA system.

  4. A high-throughput screening assay for eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase inhibitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ting Xiao

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K inhibitors may aid in the development of new therapeutic agents to combat cancer. Purified human eEF2K was obtained from an Escherichia coli expression system and a luminescence-based high-throughput screening (HTS assay was developed using MH-1 peptide as the substrate. The luminescent readouts correlated with the amount of adenosine triphosphate remaining in the kinase reaction. This method was applied to a large-scale screening campaign against a diverse compound library and subsequent confirmation studies. Nine initial hits showing inhibitory activities on eEF2K were identified from 56,000 synthetic compounds during the HTS campaign, of which, five were chosen to test their effects in cancer cell lines.

  5. Improving and disaggregating N_2O emission factors for ruminant excreta on temperate pasture soils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krol, D.J.; Carolan, R.; Minet, E.; McGeough, K.L.; Watson, C.J.; Forrestal, P.J.; Lanigan, G.J.; Richards, K.G.

    2016-01-01

    Cattle excreta deposited on grazed grasslands are a major source of the greenhouse gas (GHG) nitrous oxide (N_2O). Currently, many countries use the IPCC default emission factor (EF) of 2% to estimate excreta-derived N_2O emissions. However, emissions can vary greatly depending on the type of excreta (dung or urine), soil type and timing of application. Therefore three experiments were conducted to quantify excreta-derived N_2O emissions and their associated EFs, and to assess the effect of soil type, season of application and type of excreta on the magnitude of losses. Cattle dung, urine and artificial urine treatments were applied in spring, summer and autumn to three temperate grassland sites with varying soil and weather conditions. Nitrous oxide emissions were measured from the three experiments over 12 months to generate annual N_2O emission factors. The EFs from urine treated soil was greater (0.30–4.81% for real urine and 0.13–3.82% for synthetic urine) when compared with dung (− 0.02–1.48%) treatments. Nitrous oxide emissions were driven by environmental conditions and could be predicted by rainfall and temperature before, and soil moisture deficit after application; highlighting the potential for a decision support tool to reduce N_2O emissions by modifying grazing management based on these parameters. Emission factors varied seasonally with the highest EFs in autumn and were also dependent on soil type, with the lowest EFs observed from well-drained and the highest from imperfectly drained soil. The EFs averaged 0.31 and 1.18% for cattle dung and urine, respectively, both of which were considerably lower than the IPCC default value of 2%. These results support both lowering and disaggregating EFs by excreta type. - Highlights: • N_2O emissions were measured from cattle excreta applied to pasture. • N_2O was universally higher from urine compared with dung. • N_2O was driven by rainfall, temperature and soil moisture deficit. • Emission

  6. CO2 Emission Factors for Coals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. Orlović-Leko

    2015-03-01

    (calcite and siderite directly contribute CO2 when they decompose during coal combustion. Variations in the maceral content can also influence CO2 emissions; high inertinite contents increase CO2 emissions. Sulphur in coal reduces EF(CO2. Fuel analysis is very important when estimating greenhouse gas emissions and emission factors. In this preliminary study, based on the results of the fuel analysis, CO2 emission factors for coals and peat from Livno, B&H have been calculated. EF(CO2 is defined as the amount of carbon dioxide emission per unit net calorific values of the fuel. Net calorific value (the lower heating value corresponds to the heat produced by combustion where total water in the combustion products exists as water vapour. The EF(CO2 obtained for sub-bituminous coal, lignite and peat were: 98.7, 109.5, and 147.9 t TJ−1, respectively, which correspond to the following net calorific values: 20.6, 11.5 and 3.6 MJ kg−1. The heating value is generally known to increase with the increase in carbon content (this parameter is connected with the degree of coalification, coal age. The other indispensable parameters are hydrogen, which has a positive effect on the net calorific value, and oxygen and water which impact the net calorific value negatively. The differences in net calorific values can be explained in part by the difference of total moisture content among the different fuel types. The CO2 emission factors calculated in this study were compared with those of IPCC. A significant difference was observed for peat (39.5 %, followed by lignite (8.2 % and sub-bituminous coal (4.3 %.

  7. The crystal structure of elongation factor G complexed with GDP, at 2.7 A resolution.

    OpenAIRE

    Czworkowski, J; Wang, J; Steitz, T A; Moore, P B

    1994-01-01

    Elongation factor G (EF-G) catalyzes the translocation step of protein synthesis in bacteria, and like the other bacterial elongation factor, EF-Tu--whose structure is already known--it is a member of the GTPase superfamily. We have determined the crystal structure of EF-G--GDP from Thermus thermophilus. It is an elongated molecule whose large, N-terminal domain resembles the G domain of EF-Tu, except for a 90 residue insert, which covers a surface that is involved in nucleotide exchange in E...

  8. The ability of AIF-1 to activate human vascular smooth muscle cells is lost by mutations in the EF-hand calcium-binding region

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Autieri, Michael V.; Chen Xing

    2005-01-01

    Allograft Inflammatory Factor-1 (AIF-1) is a cytoplasmic calcium-binding protein expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) in response to injury or cytokine stimulation. AIF-1 contains a partially conserved EF-hand calcium-binding domain, and participates in VSMC activation by activation of Rac1 and induction of Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) expression; however, the mechanism whereby AIF-1 mediates these effects is presently uncharacterized. To determine if calcium binding plays a functional role in AIF-1 activity, a single site-specific mutation was made in the EF-hand calcium-binding domain to abrogate binding of calcium (AIF-1ΔA), which was confirmed by calcium overlay. Functionally, similar to wild-type AIF-1, AIF-1ΔA was able to polymerize F-actin in vitro. However, in contrast to wild-type AIF-1, over-expression of AIF-1ΔA was unable to increase migration or proliferation of primary human VSMC. Further, it was unable to activate Rac1, or induce G-CSF expression to the degree as wild-type AIF-1. Taken together, modification of the wild-type EF-hand domain and native calcium-binding activity results in a loss of AIF-1 function. We conclude that appropriate calcium-binding potential is critical in AIF-1-mediated effects on VSMC pathophysiology, and that AIF-1 activity is mediated by Rac1 activation and G-CSF expression

  9. Improving and disaggregating N{sub 2}O emission factors for ruminant excreta on temperate pasture soils

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Krol, D.J., E-mail: kroldj@tcd.ie [Teagasc, Crops, Land Use and Environment Programme, Johnstown Castle, Co., Wexford (Ireland); Carolan, R. [Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), Belfast BT9 5PX (Ireland); Minet, E. [Teagasc, Crops, Land Use and Environment Programme, Johnstown Castle, Co., Wexford (Ireland); McGeough, K.L.; Watson, C.J. [Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), Belfast BT9 5PX (Ireland); Forrestal, P.J. [Teagasc, Crops, Land Use and Environment Programme, Johnstown Castle, Co., Wexford (Ireland); Lanigan, G.J., E-mail: gary.lanigan@teagasc.ie [Teagasc, Crops, Land Use and Environment Programme, Johnstown Castle, Co., Wexford (Ireland); Richards, K.G. [Teagasc, Crops, Land Use and Environment Programme, Johnstown Castle, Co., Wexford (Ireland)

    2016-10-15

    Cattle excreta deposited on grazed grasslands are a major source of the greenhouse gas (GHG) nitrous oxide (N{sub 2}O). Currently, many countries use the IPCC default emission factor (EF) of 2% to estimate excreta-derived N{sub 2}O emissions. However, emissions can vary greatly depending on the type of excreta (dung or urine), soil type and timing of application. Therefore three experiments were conducted to quantify excreta-derived N{sub 2}O emissions and their associated EFs, and to assess the effect of soil type, season of application and type of excreta on the magnitude of losses. Cattle dung, urine and artificial urine treatments were applied in spring, summer and autumn to three temperate grassland sites with varying soil and weather conditions. Nitrous oxide emissions were measured from the three experiments over 12 months to generate annual N{sub 2}O emission factors. The EFs from urine treated soil was greater (0.30–4.81% for real urine and 0.13–3.82% for synthetic urine) when compared with dung (− 0.02–1.48%) treatments. Nitrous oxide emissions were driven by environmental conditions and could be predicted by rainfall and temperature before, and soil moisture deficit after application; highlighting the potential for a decision support tool to reduce N{sub 2}O emissions by modifying grazing management based on these parameters. Emission factors varied seasonally with the highest EFs in autumn and were also dependent on soil type, with the lowest EFs observed from well-drained and the highest from imperfectly drained soil. The EFs averaged 0.31 and 1.18% for cattle dung and urine, respectively, both of which were considerably lower than the IPCC default value of 2%. These results support both lowering and disaggregating EFs by excreta type. - Highlights: • N{sub 2}O emissions were measured from cattle excreta applied to pasture. • N{sub 2}O was universally higher from urine compared with dung. • N{sub 2}O was driven by rainfall, temperature

  10. Statistical analysis of nitrous oxide emission factors from pastoral agriculture field trials conducted in New Zealand

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kelliher, F.M.; Cox, N.; Weerden, T.J. van der; Klein, C.A.M. de; Luo, J.; Cameron, K.C.; Di, H.J.; Giltrap, D.; Rys, G.

    2014-01-01

    Between 11 May 2000 and 31 January 2013, 185 field trials were conducted across New Zealand to measure the direct nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emission factors (EF) from nitrogen (N) sources applied to pastoral soils. The log(EF) data were analysed statistically using a restricted maximum likelihood (REML) method. To estimate mean EF values for each N source, best linear unbiased predictors (BLUPs) were calculated. For lowland soils, mean EFs for dairy cattle urine and dung, sheep urine and dung and urea fertiliser were 1.16 ± 0.19% and 0.23 ± 0.05%, 0.55 ± 0.19% and 0.08 ± 0.02% and 0.48 ± 0.13%, respectively, each significantly different from one another (p 12°, mean EFs were significantly lower. Thus, urine and dung EFs should be disaggregated for sheep and cattle as well as accounting for terrain. -- Highlights: • Nitrous oxide emission factors (EFs) for pastoral soils measured in 185 field trials. • For lowland, the mean (±standard error) urea nitrogen fertiliser EF was 0.5 ± 0.1%. • For lowland, mean dairy cattle urine and dung EFs were 1.2 and 0.2%, respectively. • For lowland, mean sheep urine and dung EFs were 0.6 and 0.1%, respectively. • For pastoral soils in terrain with slopes >12°, mean EFs were significantly lower. -- From 185 field trials, mean nitrous oxide emission factors for pastoral soils were 0.1% for sheep dung up to 1.2% for dairy cattle urine, while that for urea fertiliser was 0.5%

  11. The SOS response is permitted in Escherichia coli strains deficient in the expression of the mazEF pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalderon, Ziva; Kumar, Sathish; Engelberg-Kulka, Hanna

    2014-01-01

    The Escherichia coli (E. coli) SOS response is the largest, most complex, and best characterized bacterial network induced by DNA damage. It is controlled by a complex network involving the RecA and LexA proteins. We have previously shown that the SOS response to DNA damage is inhibited by various elements involved in the expression of the E. coli toxin-antitoxin mazEF pathway. Since the mazEF module is present on the chromosomes of most E. coli strains, here we asked: Why is the SOS response found in so many E. coli strains? Is the mazEF module present but inactive in those strains? We examined three E. coli strains used for studies of the SOS response, strains AB1932, BW25113, and MG1655. We found that each of these strains is either missing or inhibiting one of several elements involved in the expression of the mazEF-mediated death pathway. Thus, the SOS response only takes place in E. coli cells in which one or more elements of the E. coli toxin-antitoxin module mazEF or its downstream pathway is not functioning.

  12. Origin of the Y genome in Elymus and its relationship to other genomes in Triticeae based on evidence from elongation factor G (EF-G) gene sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Genlou; Komatsuda, Takao

    2010-08-01

    It is well known that Elymus arose through hybridization between representatives of different genera. Cytogenetic analyses show that all its members include the St genome in combination with one or more of four other genomes, the H, Y, P, and W genomes. The origins of the H, P, and W genomes are known, but not for the Y genome. We analyzed the single copy nuclear gene coding for elongation factor G (EF-G) from 28 accessions of polyploid Elymus species and 45 accessions of diploid Triticeae species in order to investigate origin of the Y genome and its relationship to other genomes in the tribe Triticeae. Sequence comparisons among the St, H, Y, P, W, and E genomes detected genome-specific polymorphisms at 66 nucleotide positions. The St and Y genomes are relatively dissimilar. The phylogeny of the Y genome sequences was investigated for the first time. They were most similar to the W genome sequences. The Y genome sequences were placed in two different groups. These two groups were included in an unresolved clade that included the W and E sequences as well as sequences from many annual species. The H genomes sequences were in a clade with the F, P, and Ns genome sequences as sister groups. These two clades were more closely related to each other and to the L and Xp genomes than they were to the St genome sequences. These data support the hypothesis that the Y genome evolved in a diploid species and has a different origin from the St genome. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. A general psychopathology factor (P factor) in children: Structural model analysis and external validation through familial risk and child global executive function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martel, Michelle M; Pan, Pedro M; Hoffmann, Maurício S; Gadelha, Ary; do Rosário, Maria C; Mari, Jair J; Manfro, Gisele G; Miguel, Eurípedes C; Paus, Tomás; Bressan, Rodrigo A; Rohde, Luis A; Salum, Giovanni A

    2017-01-01

    High rates of comorbidities and poor validity of disorder diagnostic criteria for mental disorders hamper advances in mental health research. Recent work has suggested the utility of continuous cross-cutting dimensions, including general psychopathology and specific factors of externalizing and internalizing (e.g., distress and fear) syndromes. The current study evaluated the reliability of competing structural models of psychopathology and examined external validity of the best fitting model on the basis of family risk and child global executive function (EF). A community sample of 8,012 families from Brazil with children ages 6-12 years completed structured interviews about the child and parental psychiatric syndromes, and a subsample of 2,395 children completed tasks assessing EF (i.e., working memory, inhibitory control, and time processing). Confirmatory factor analyses tested a series of structural models of psychopathology in both parents and children. The model with a general psychopathology factor ("P factor") with 3 specific factors (fear, distress, and externalizing) exhibited the best fit. The general P factor accounted for most of the variance in all models, with little residual variance explained by each of the 3 specific factors. In addition, associations between child and parental factors were mainly significant for the P factors and nonsignificant for the specific factors from the respective models. Likewise, the child P factor-but not the specific factors-was significantly associated with global child EF. Overall, our results provide support for a latent overarching P factor characterizing child psychopathology, supported by familial associations and child EF. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  14. Evaluation of {sup 18}F-BCPP-EF for mitochondrial complex 1 imaging in the brain of conscious monkeys using PET

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tsukada, Hideo; Ohba, Hiroyuki; Kanazawa, Masakatsu; Kakiuchi, Takeharu; Harada, Norihiro [Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka (Japan)

    2014-04-15

    We have reported on the development of a novel PET probe, {sup 18}F-2-tert-butyl-4-chloro-5-{6-[2-(2-fluoroethoxy)-ethoxy] -pyridin-3-ylmethoxy}-2H-pyridazin-3-one ({sup 18}F-BCPP-EF), for quantitative imaging of mitochondrial complex 1 (MC-1) activity in the brain of the living rat. For clinical application in humans, translational research in the monkey was conducted. PET measurements with {sup 18}F-BCPP-EF were performed in young and old monkeys (Macaca mulatta) in a conscious state with arterial blood sampling. The binding specificity of {sup 18}F-BCPP-EF was evaluated with rotenone, a specific MC-1 inhibitor, in young animals. The binding (total distribution volume, V{sub T}) of {sup 18}F-BCPP-EF was calculated using Logan graphical analysis, and one-tissue compartment model (1-TC) and two-tissue compartment model (2-TC) analyses using a metabolite-corrected plasma input function. F-BCPP-EF was rapidly taken up into the brain just after intravenous injection, peaked between 10 and 20 min after injection, and was then gradually eliminated. The 2-TC analysis provided a better fit than the 1-TC analysis, and the V{sub T} values from the 2-TC analysis correlated well with those from the Logan plot. With predosing with rotenone, {sup 18}F-BCPP-EF showed a higher uptake peak in the brain, followed by more rapid elimination thereafter than in the vehicle condition, resulting in significant reductions in 2-TC V{sub T} values in all regions. In old animals, the kinetics of {sup 18}F-BCPP-EF were slightly slower with lower peak levels than in young animals, resulting age-related reductions in {sup 18}F-BCPP-EF binding in all brain regions. The present study demonstrated that {sup 18}F-BCPP-EF may be a potential PET probe for quantitative imaging MC-1 activity in the living brain using PET. (orig.)

  15. Evidence of MexT-independent overexpression of MexEF-OprN multidrug efflux pump of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in presence of metabolic stress.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayush Kumar

    Full Text Available The Pseudomonas aeruginosa MexEF-OprN efflux pump confers resistance to clinically significant antibiotics. Regulation of mexEF-oprN operon expression is multifaceted with the MexT activator being one of the most prominent regulatory proteins.We have exploited the impaired metabolic fitness of a P. aeruginosa mutant strain lacking several efflux pump of the resistance nodulation cell division superfamily and the TolC homolog OpmH, and isolated derivatives (large colony variants that regained fitness by incubation on nutrient-rich medium in the absence of antibiotics. Although the mexEF-oprN operon is uninducible in this mutant due to a 8-bp mexT insertion present in some P. aeruginosa PAO1 strains, the large colony variants expressed high levels of MexEF-OprN. Unlike large colony variants obtained after plating on antibiotic containing medium which expressed mexEF-oprN in a MexT-dependent fashion as evidenced by clean excision of the 8-bp insertion from mexT, mexEF-oprN expression was MexT-independent in the large colony variants obtained by plating on LB alone since the mexT gene remained inactivated. A search for possible regulators of mexEF-oprN expression using transposon mutagenesis and genomic library expression approaches yielded several candidates but proved inconclusive.Our results show that antibiotic and metabolic stress lead to up-regulation of MexEF-OprN expression via different mechanisms and that MexEF-OprN does not only extrude antimicrobials but rather serves other important metabolic functions.

  16. Effectiveness of hCMV, mEF1a and mAct promoters on driving of foreign gene expression in transgenic zebrafish

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    . Alimuddin

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA, especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA have long been recognized for its beneficial effect for human health and development.   The D6 fatty acid desaturase is generally considered to be the rate-limiting factor in HUFA biosynthesis.  Here, as the first step of study, we conducted experiment to select an appropriate construct that allows higher expression levels of masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou D6-desaturase gene in zebrafish (Danio rerio in order to increase its activity for synthesizing EPA/DHA.  Salmon D6-desaturase cDNA (sD6 was separately ligated with human cytomegalovirus (hCMV, medaka elongation factor 1a (mEF1a and medaka b-actin (mAct promoters.  The resulted construct was designated as hCMV-sD6, mEF1a-sD6 and mAct-sD6, respectively.  Each of the constructs in circular DNA form was microinjected into 1-cell stage embryos at a concentration of 30mg/ml. Transgenic individuals were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR and their expression levels were analyzed by reverse transcription PCR.  The first (F1 and second (F2 generation was produced by crossing the transgenic founder F0 and F1, respectively, with wild-type fish.  The results showed that the highest transient gene expression level was obtained from the mAct-D6 construct, followed respectively by EF1a-D6 and hCMV-D6 construct. The transmission rate of transgene into F1 generation was 4.2%-44.1%, and into F2 was followed the Mendellian segregation pattern.   Expression of transgene in F2 generation was varied between strains regarding as the mosaics of F0 fish.  Now, a transgenic system to study the modification of fatty acid biosynthesis pathways in fish was established.  Further investigations are to produce fish containing higher levels of EPA and DHA. Keywords: desaturase, nutraceutical fatty acid, transgenic, zebrafish, masu salmon   Abstrak Promoter merupakan regulator yang menentukan

  17. The mazEF toxin-antitoxin system as an attractive target in clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soheili, Sara; Ghafourian, Sobhan; Sekawi, Zamberi; Neela, Vasantha Kumari; Sadeghifard, Nourkhoda; Taherikalani, Morovat; Khosravi, Afra; Ramli, Ramliza; Hamat, Rukman Awang

    2015-01-01

    The toxin-antitoxin (TA) system is a regulatory system where two sets of genes encode the toxin and its corresponding antitoxin. In this study, the prevalence of TA systems in independently isolated clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis was determined, the dominant TA system was identified, different virulence genes in E. faecium and E. faecalis were surveyed, the level of expression of the virulence and TA genes in normal and stress conditions was determined, and finally their associations with the TA genes were defined. Remarkably, the analysis demonstrated higBA and mazEF in all clinical isolates, and their locations were on chromosomes and plasmids, respectively. On the other hand, a quantitative analysis of TA and virulence genes revealed that the expression level in both genes is different under normal and stress conditions. The results obtained by anti-mazF peptide nucleic acids demonstrated that the expression level of virulence genes had decreased. These findings demonstrate an association between TA systems and virulence factors. The mazEF on the plasmids and the higBA TA genes on the chromosomes of all E. faecium and E. faecalis strains were dominant. Additionally, there was a decrease in the expression of virulence genes in the presence of anti-mazF peptide nucleic acids. Therefore, it is suggested that mazEF TA systems are potent and sensitive targets in all E. faecium and E. faecalis strains.

  18. The mazEF toxin–antitoxin system as an attractive target in clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soheili, Sara; Ghafourian, Sobhan; Sekawi, Zamberi; Neela, Vasantha Kumari; Sadeghifard, Nourkhoda; Taherikalani, Morovat; Khosravi, Afra; Ramli, Ramliza; Hamat, Rukman Awang

    2015-01-01

    The toxin–antitoxin (TA) system is a regulatory system where two sets of genes encode the toxin and its corresponding antitoxin. In this study, the prevalence of TA systems in independently isolated clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis was determined, the dominant TA system was identified, different virulence genes in E. faecium and E. faecalis were surveyed, the level of expression of the virulence and TA genes in normal and stress conditions was determined, and finally their associations with the TA genes were defined. Remarkably, the analysis demonstrated higBA and mazEF in all clinical isolates, and their locations were on chromosomes and plasmids, respectively. On the other hand, a quantitative analysis of TA and virulence genes revealed that the expression level in both genes is different under normal and stress conditions. The results obtained by anti-mazF peptide nucleic acids demonstrated that the expression level of virulence genes had decreased. These findings demonstrate an association between TA systems and virulence factors. The mazEF on the plasmids and the higBA TA genes on the chromosomes of all E. faecium and E. faecalis strains were dominant. Additionally, there was a decrease in the expression of virulence genes in the presence of anti-mazF peptide nucleic acids. Therefore, it is suggested that mazEF TA systems are potent and sensitive targets in all E. faecium and E. faecalis strains. PMID:26005332

  19. "It is our exercise family": experiences of ethnic older adults in a group-based exercise program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiang, Kuan-Chun; Seman, Leslie; Belza, Basia; Tsai, Jenny Hsin-Chun

    2008-01-01

    Enhance Fitness (EF) (formerly the Lifetime Fitness Program) is an evidence-based community exercise program for older adults. From 1998 to 2005, participation of ethnic older adults increased significantly. However, little research is available about what ethnic older adults want or need to continue participation in exercise programs. The purpose of this study was to examine how physical environment, social environment, and individual biology and behavior influence adherence to exercise for ethnic older adults participating in EF. Six focus groups were conducted with 52 older adults participating in EF. Facilitators asked questions about factors that helped participants continue exercising in EF. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. Transcripts were systematically reviewed using content analysis. Focus group participants were Chinese (n = 21, 40%), African American (n = 18, 35%), white (n = 10, 19%), and Japanese (n = 3, 6%). Mean (SD) age was 76 years (7.4). Participants had, on average, participated in EF for 44 months (SD = 37.8). Results revealed four themes related to adherence. First, environmental factors that promoted adherence were location of the classes, transportation, weather, and the facility. Second, design of the exercise program that encouraged adherence included exercise content and type of delivery. Third, social support factors that encouraged adherence were the socializing and support between class participants and support from family, health care providers, and the class instructors. Finally, individual factors that encouraged adherence were personality traits and feelings, past physical activity experience, health benefits, and mental stimulation. Findings from this study suggest strategies for developing community-based physical activity programs for older adults from ethnically diverse communities.

  20. A comparison of EF-18 agar and modified brilliant green agar with lutensit for isolation of Salmonella from poultry samples

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Line Hedegård

    1997-01-01

    -Vassiliadis broth, and 3) Plating onto EF-18 agar and BGA/L simultaneously. From a total of 1101 samples, Salmonella was isolated from 158, 157 of which were faecal samples. Thirtyone of these isolates were recovered on one medium only, 18 could not be found on BGA/L and 13 could not be found on EF-18 agar....... The relative specificity and sensitivity of each plating agar was determined by enumeration of false-positive and false-negative reactions. EF-18 agar compared favourably with BGA/L, displaying a sensitivity of 0.92 as opposed to 0.89 for BGA/L, calculated for the ''fecal samples'' group only. The calculated...... specificities for each group of samples were likewise considerably higher for EF-18 agar (0.75-0.91) than for BGA/L (0.35-0.55). Though EF-18 agar is slightly more expensive than BGA/L, the routine use of the former may result in a considerable reduction in overall laboratory costs due to its superior...

  1. Elucidating the Role of Injury-Induced Electric Fields (EFs) in Regulating the Astrocytic Response to Injury in the Mammalian Central Nervous System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baer, Matthew L; Henderson, Scott C; Colello, Raymond J

    2015-01-01

    Injury to the vertebrate central nervous system (CNS) induces astrocytes to change their morphology, to increase their rate of proliferation, and to display directional migration to the injury site, all to facilitate repair. These astrocytic responses to injury occur in a clear temporal sequence and, by their intensity and duration, can have both beneficial and detrimental effects on the repair of damaged CNS tissue. Studies on highly regenerative tissues in non-mammalian vertebrates have demonstrated that the intensity of direct-current extracellular electric fields (EFs) at the injury site, which are 50-100 fold greater than in uninjured tissue, represent a potent signal to drive tissue repair. In contrast, a 10-fold EF increase has been measured in many injured mammalian tissues where limited regeneration occurs. As the astrocytic response to CNS injury is crucial to the reparative outcome, we exposed purified rat cortical astrocytes to EF intensities associated with intact and injured mammalian tissues, as well as to those EF intensities measured in regenerating non-mammalian vertebrate tissues, to determine whether EFs may contribute to the astrocytic injury response. Astrocytes exposed to EF intensities associated with uninjured tissue showed little change in their cellular behavior. However, astrocytes exposed to EF intensities associated with injured tissue showed a dramatic increase in migration and proliferation. At EF intensities associated with regenerating non-mammalian vertebrate tissues, these cellular responses were even more robust and included morphological changes consistent with a regenerative phenotype. These findings suggest that endogenous EFs may be a crucial signal for regulating the astrocytic response to injury and that their manipulation may be a novel target for facilitating CNS repair.

  2. Elucidating the Role of Injury-Induced Electric Fields (EFs in Regulating the Astrocytic Response to Injury in the Mammalian Central Nervous System.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew L Baer

    Full Text Available Injury to the vertebrate central nervous system (CNS induces astrocytes to change their morphology, to increase their rate of proliferation, and to display directional migration to the injury site, all to facilitate repair. These astrocytic responses to injury occur in a clear temporal sequence and, by their intensity and duration, can have both beneficial and detrimental effects on the repair of damaged CNS tissue. Studies on highly regenerative tissues in non-mammalian vertebrates have demonstrated that the intensity of direct-current extracellular electric fields (EFs at the injury site, which are 50-100 fold greater than in uninjured tissue, represent a potent signal to drive tissue repair. In contrast, a 10-fold EF increase has been measured in many injured mammalian tissues where limited regeneration occurs. As the astrocytic response to CNS injury is crucial to the reparative outcome, we exposed purified rat cortical astrocytes to EF intensities associated with intact and injured mammalian tissues, as well as to those EF intensities measured in regenerating non-mammalian vertebrate tissues, to determine whether EFs may contribute to the astrocytic injury response. Astrocytes exposed to EF intensities associated with uninjured tissue showed little change in their cellular behavior. However, astrocytes exposed to EF intensities associated with injured tissue showed a dramatic increase in migration and proliferation. At EF intensities associated with regenerating non-mammalian vertebrate tissues, these cellular responses were even more robust and included morphological changes consistent with a regenerative phenotype. These findings suggest that endogenous EFs may be a crucial signal for regulating the astrocytic response to injury and that their manipulation may be a novel target for facilitating CNS repair.

  3. Publication Metrics of Dental Journals - What is the Role of Self Citations in Determining the Impact Factor of Journals?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elangovan, Satheesh; Allareddy, Veerasathpurush

    2015-09-01

    The objectives of the present study are to examine the publication metrics of dental journals and to delineate the role of self citations in determining the impact factor of journals. The Journal Citation Reports database was used. All dental journals that had an impact factor assigned for year 2013 were selected. The outcomes were Impact Factor (IF), Eigenfactor™ (EF), article influence score (AIS), and proportion of self-citations to total citations. Independent variables were geographic region of journal and ranking of journal (based on IF). Non-parametric tests were used to examine the associations between outcomes and independent variables. During the year 2013, 82 journals in dentistry had an IF. Mean IF was 1.489 and mean IF without including self-citations was 1.231. Mean EF scores and AIS were .00458 and .5141 respectively. Mean percentage of self cites to total citations for all dental journals was 12.24%. Higher ranking journals were associated with significantly higher EF and AIS. Journals published in USA/Canada or Europe were associated with higher IF and EF compared to those published in other regions. There were no differences in percentages of self citations to total citations either across journal rankings or geographic region. Top ranking journals tend to have higher IFs due to higher EF and AIS rather than by self-citations. Self-citations increase the impact factors of dental journals by 21%. There was no geographic influence in the percentage of self-citations to total citations thus indicating a healthy dental scientific publishing environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Cloning, sequencing, and transgenic expression of Podospora curvicolla and Sordaria macrospora eEF1A genes: relationship between cytosolic translation and longevity in filamentous fungi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gagny, B; Rossignol, M; Silar, P

    1997-12-01

    We have cloned and sequenced the gene encoding the translation elongation factor eEF1A from two filamentous fungi, Podospora curvicolla and Sordaria macrospora. These fungi are close relatives of Podospora anserina and also show senescence syndromes. Comparison of the sequences of the deduced proteins with that of P. anserina reveals that the three proteins differ in several positions. Replacement of the P. anserina gene by either of the two exogenous genes does not entail any modification in P. anserina physiology; the longevity of the fungus is not affected. No alteration of in vivo translational accuracy was detected; however, the exogenous proteins nonetheless promoted a modification of the resistance to the aminoglycoside antibiotic paromomycin. These data suggest that optimization of life span between these closely related fungi has likely not been performed during evolution through modifications of eEF1A activity, despite the fact that mutations in this factor can drastically affect longevity. Copyright 1997 Academic Press.

  5. Fabrication and tests of EF conductors for JT-60SA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kizu, Kaname, E-mail: kizu.kaname@jaea.go.jp [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naka, Ibaraki 311-0193 (Japan); Kashiwa, Yoshitoshi; Murakami, Haruyuki [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naka, Ibaraki 311-0193 (Japan); Obana, Tetsuhiro; Takahata, Kazuya [National Institute for Fusion Science, Toki, Gifu 509-5292 (Japan); Tsuchiya, Katsuhiko; Yoshida, Kiyoshi [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naka, Ibaraki 311-0193 (Japan); Hamaguchi, Shinji [National Institute for Fusion Science, Toki, Gifu 509-5292 (Japan); Matsui, Kunihiro [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naka, Ibaraki 311-0193 (Japan); Nakamura, Kazuya; Takao, Tomoaki [Sophia University, Tokyo 102-8554 (Japan); Yanagi, Nagato; Imagawa, Shinsaku; Mito, Toshiyuki [National Institute for Fusion Science, Toki, Gifu 509-5292 (Japan)

    2011-10-15

    The conductors for plasma equilibrium field (EF) coils of JT-60SA are NbTi cable-in-conduit (CIC) conductor with stainless steel 316L jacket. The production of superconductors for actual EF coils started from February 2010. Nine superconductors with 444 m in length were produced up to July 2010. More than 300 welding of jackets were performed. Six nonconformities were found by inspections as go gauge, visual inspection and X-ray test. In order to shorten the manufacturing time schedule, helium leak test was conducted at once after connecting the long length jacket not just after the welding. The maximum force to pull the cable into jacket was about 7.6 kN on average. The mass flow rates of 9 conductors showed almost same values indicating that there are no blockages in the conductors. The measured current sharing temperature agreed with the expectation values from strand performance indicating that no degradation was caused by production process. The coupling time constants of conductors ranged from 80 to 90 ms which are much smaller than the design value of 200 ms.

  6. Analysis of transgenic wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) harboring a maize (Zea mays L.) gene for plastid EF-Tu: segregation pattern, expression and effects of the transgene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Jianming; Ristic, Zoran

    2010-06-01

    We previously reported that transgenic wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) carrying a maize (Zea mays L.) gene (Zmeftu1) for chloroplast protein synthesis elongation factor, EF-Tu, displays reduced thermal aggregation of leaf proteins, reduced injury to photosynthetic membranes (thylakoids), and enhanced rate of CO(2) fixation following exposure to heat stress (18 h at 45 degrees C) [Fu et al. in Plant Mol Biol 68:277-288, 2008]. In the current study, we investigated the segregation pattern and expression of the transgene Zmeftu1 and determined the grain yield of transgenic plants after exposure to a brief heat stress (18 h at 45 degrees C). We also assessed thermal aggregation of soluble leaf proteins in transgenic plants, testing the hypothesis that increased levels of EF-Tu will lead to a non-specific protection of leaf proteins against thermal aggregation. The transgenic wheat displayed a single-gene pattern of segregation of Zmeftu1. Zmeftu1 was expressed, and the transgenic plants synthesized and accumulated three anti-EF-Tu cross-reacting polypeptides of similar molecular mass but different pI, suggesting the possibility of posttranslational modification of this protein. The transgenic plants also showed better grain yield after exposure to heat stress compared with their non-transgenic counterparts. Soluble leaf proteins of various molecular masses displayed lower thermal aggregation in transgenic than in non-transgenic wheat. The results suggest that overexpression of chloroplast EF-Tu can be beneficial to wheat tolerance to heat stress. Moreover, the results also support the hypothesis that EF-Tu contributes to heat tolerance by acting as a molecular chaperone and protecting heat-labile proteins from thermal aggregation in a non-specific manner.

  7. Repeatability of tumour hypoxia imaging using [{sup 18}F]EF5 PET/CT in head and neck cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silvoniemi, Antti [University of Turku, Turku PET Centre (Finland); Turku University Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (Finland); Suilamo, Sami [Turku University Hospital, Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy (Finland); Turku University Hospital, Department of Medical Physics (Finland); Laitinen, Timo; Forsback, Sarita; Solin, Olof [University of Turku, Turku PET Centre (Finland); Loeyttyniemi, Eliisa [University of Turku, Department of Biostatistics, Turku (Finland); Vaittinen, Samuli [Turku University Hospital, Department of Pathology (Finland); Saunavaara, Virva [University of Turku, Turku PET Centre (Finland); Turku University Hospital, Department of Medical Physics (Finland); Groenroos, Tove J.; Minn, Heikki [University of Turku, Turku PET Centre (Finland); Turku University Hospital, Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy (Finland)

    2018-02-15

    Hypoxia contributes to radiotherapy resistance and more aggressive behaviour of several types of cancer. This study was designed to evaluate the repeatability of intratumour uptake of the hypoxia tracer [{sup 18}F]EF5 in paired PET/CT scans. Ten patients with newly diagnosed head and neck cancer (HNC) received three static PET/CT scans before chemoradiotherapy: two with [{sup 18}F]EF5 a median of 7 days apart and one with [{sup 18}F]FDG. Metabolically active primary tumour volumes were defined in [{sup 18}F]FDG images and transferred to co-registered [{sup 18}F]EF5 images for repeatability analysis. A tumour-to-muscle uptake ratio (TMR) of 1.5 at 3 h from injection of [{sup 18}F]EF5 was used as a threshold representing hypoxic tissue. In 10 paired [{sup 18}F]EF5 PET/CT image sets, SUVmean, SUVmax, and TMR showed a good correlation with the intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.81, 0.85, and 0.87, respectively. The relative coefficients of repeatability for these parameters were 15%, 17%, and 10%, respectively. Fractional hypoxic volumes of the tumours in the repeated scans had a high correlation using the Spearman rank correlation test (r = 0.94). In a voxel-by-voxel TMR analysis between the repeated scans, the mean of Pearson correlation coefficients of individual patients was 0.65. The mean (± SD) difference of TMR in the pooled data set was 0.03 ± 0.20. Pretreatment [{sup 18}F]EF5 PET/CT within one week shows high repeatability and is feasible for the guiding of hypoxia-targeted treatment interventions in HNC. (orig.)

  8. Characterization of the 1st and 2nd EF-hands of NADPH oxidase 5 by fluorescence, isothermal titration calorimetry, and circular dichroism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Chin-Chuan

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Superoxide generated by non-phagocytic NADPH oxidases (NOXs is of growing importance for physiology and pathobiology. The calcium binding domain (CaBD of NOX5 contains four EF-hands, each binding one calcium ion. To better understand the metal binding properties of the 1st and 2nd EF-hands, we characterized the N-terminal half of CaBD (NCaBD and its calcium-binding knockout mutants. Results The isothermal titration calorimetry measurement for NCaBD reveals that the calcium binding of two EF-hands are loosely associated with each other and can be treated as independent binding events. However, the Ca2+ binding studies on NCaBD(E31Q and NCaBD(E63Q showed their binding constants to be 6.5 × 105 and 5.0 × 102 M-1 with ΔHs of -14 and -4 kJ/mol, respectively, suggesting that intrinsic calcium binding for the 1st non-canonical EF-hand is largely enhanced by the binding of Ca2+ to the 2nd canonical EF-hand. The fluorescence quenching and CD spectra support a conformational change upon Ca2+ binding, which changes Trp residues toward a more non-polar and exposed environment and also increases its α-helix secondary structure content. All measurements exclude Mg2+-binding in NCaBD. Conclusions We demonstrated that the 1st non-canonical EF-hand of NOX5 has very weak Ca2+ binding affinity compared with the 2nd canonical EF-hand. Both EF-hands interact with each other in a cooperative manner to enhance their Ca2+ binding affinity. Our characterization reveals that the two EF-hands in the N-terminal NOX5 are Ca2+ specific. Graphical abstract

  9. Precision spectroscopy of high rotational states in H2 investigated by Doppler-free two-photon laser spectroscopy in the EF 1Σg+-X 1Σg+ system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dickenson, G. D.; Salumbides, E. J.; Niu, M.; Jungen, Ch.; Ross, S. C.; Ubachs, W.

    2012-09-01

    Recently a high precision spectroscopic investigation of the EF1Σg+-X1Σg+ system of molecular hydrogen was reported yielding information on QED and relativistic effects in a sequence of rotational quantum states in the X1Σg+ ground state of the H2 molecule [Salumbides , Phys. Rev. Lett.PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.107.043005 107, 043005 (2011)]. The present paper presents a more detailed description of the methods and results. Furthermore, the paper serves as a stepping stone towards a continuation of the previous study by extending the known level structure of the EF1Σg+ state to highly excited rovibrational levels through Doppler-free two-photon spectroscopy. Based on combination differences between vibrational levels in the ground state, and between three rotational branches (O, Q, and S branches) assignments of excited EF1Σg+ levels, involving high vibrational and rotational quantum numbers, can be unambiguously made. For the higher EF1Σg+ levels, where no combination differences are available, calculations were performed using the multichannel quantum defect method, for a broad class of vibrational and rotational levels up to J=19. These predictions were used for assigning high-J EF levels and are found to be accurate within 5 cm-1.

  10. Phylogeny and origin of 82 zygomycetes from all 54 genera of the Mucorales and Mortierellales based on combined analysis of actin and translation elongation factor EF-1alpha genes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voigt, K; Wöstemeyer, J

    2001-05-30

    True fungi (Eumycota) are heterotrophic eukaryotic microorganisms encompassing ascomycetes, basidiomycetes, chytridiomycetes and zygomycetes. The natural systematics of the latter group, Zygomycota, are very poorly understood due to the lack of distinguishing morphological characters. We have determined sequences for the nuclear-encoded genes actin (act) from 82 zygomycetes representing all 54 currently recognized genera from the two zygomycetous orders Mucorales and Mortierellales. We also determined sequences for translation elongation factor EF-1alpha (tef) from 16 zygomycetes (total of 96,837 bp). Phylogenetic analysis in the context of available sequence data (total 2,062 nucleotide positions per species) revealed that current classification schemes for the mucoralean fungi are highly unnatural at the family and, to a large extent, at the genus level. The data clearly indicate a deep, ancient and distinct dichotomy of the orders Mucorales and Mortierellales, which are recognized only in some zygomycete systems. Yet at the same time the data show that two genera - Umbelopsis and Micromucor - previously placed within the Mortierellales on the basis of their weakly developed columella (a morphological structure of the sporangiophore well-developed within all Mucorales) are in fact members of the Mucorales. Phylogenetic analyses of the encoded amino acid sequences in the context of homologues from eukaryotes and archaebacterial outgroups indicate that the Eumycota studied here are a natural group but provide little or no support for the monophyly of either zygomycetes, ascomycetes or basidiomycetes. The data clearly indicate that a complete revision of zygomycete natural systematics is necessary.

  11. Rapid fold and structure determination of the archaeal translation elongation factor 1{beta} from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kozlov, Guennadi [McGill University, Department of Biochemistry (Canada); Ekiel, Irena [National Research Council of Canada, Biomolecular NMR Group, Sector of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Biotechnology Research Institute (Canada); Beglova, Natalia [McGill University, Department of Biochemistry (Canada); Yee, Adelinda; Dharamsi, Akil; Engel, Asaph [University of Toronto, Department of Medical Biophysics (Canada); Siddiqui, Nadeem; Nong, Andrew; Gehring, Kalle [McGill University, Department of Biochemistry (Canada)

    2000-07-15

    The tertiary fold of the elongation factor, aEF-1{beta}, from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum was determined in a high-throughput fashion using a minimal set of NMR experiments. NMR secondary structure prediction, deuterium exchange experiments and the analysis of chemical shift perturbations were combined to identify the protein fold as an alpha-beta sandwich typical of many RNA binding proteins including EF-G. Following resolution of the tertiary fold, a high resolution structure of aEF-1{beta} was determined using heteronuclear and homonuclear NMR experiments and a semi-automated NOESY assignment strategy. Analysis of the aEF-1{beta} structure revealed close similarity to its human analogue, eEF-1{beta}. In agreement with studies on EF-Ts and human EF-1{beta}, a functional mechanism for nucleotide exchange is proposed wherein Phe46 on an exposed loop acts as a lever to eject GDP from the associated elongation factor G-protein, aEF-1{alpha}. aEF-1{beta} was also found to bind calcium in the groove between helix {alpha}2 and strand {beta}4. This novel feature was not observed previously and may serve a structural function related to protein stability or may play a functional role in archaeal protein translation.

  12. Rapid fold and structure determination of the archaeal translation elongation factor 1β from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kozlov, Guennadi; Ekiel, Irena; Beglova, Natalia; Yee, Adelinda; Dharamsi, Akil; Engel, Asaph; Siddiqui, Nadeem; Nong, Andrew; Gehring, Kalle

    2000-01-01

    The tertiary fold of the elongation factor, aEF-1β, from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum was determined in a high-throughput fashion using a minimal set of NMR experiments. NMR secondary structure prediction, deuterium exchange experiments and the analysis of chemical shift perturbations were combined to identify the protein fold as an alpha-beta sandwich typical of many RNA binding proteins including EF-G. Following resolution of the tertiary fold, a high resolution structure of aEF-1β was determined using heteronuclear and homonuclear NMR experiments and a semi-automated NOESY assignment strategy. Analysis of the aEF-1β structure revealed close similarity to its human analogue, eEF-1β. In agreement with studies on EF-Ts and human EF-1β, a functional mechanism for nucleotide exchange is proposed wherein Phe46 on an exposed loop acts as a lever to eject GDP from the associated elongation factor G-protein, aEF-1α. aEF-1β was also found to bind calcium in the groove between helix α2 and strand β4. This novel feature was not observed previously and may serve a structural function related to protein stability or may play a functional role in archaeal protein translation

  13. Development of Hot Exhaust Emission Factors for Iranian-Made Euro-2 Certified Light-Duty Vehicles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banitalebi, Ehsan; Hosseini, Vahid

    2016-01-05

    Emission factors (EFs) are fundamental, necessary data for air pollution research and scenario implementation. With the vision of generating national EFs of the Iranian transportation system, a portable emission measurement system (PEMS) was used to develop the basic EFs for a statistically significant sample of Iranian gasoline-fueled privately owned light duty vehicles (LDVs) operated in Tehran. A smaller sample size of the same fleet was examined by chassis dynamometer (CD) bag emission measurement tests to quantify the systematic differences between the PEMS and CD methods. The selected fleet was tested over four different routes of uphill highways, flat highways, uphill urban streets, and flat urban streets. Real driving emissions (RDEs) and fuel consumption (FC) rates were calculated by weighted averaging of the results from each route. The activity of the fleet over each route type was assumed as a weighting factor. The activity data were obtained from a Tehran traffic model. The RDEs of the selected fleet were considerably higher than the certified emission levels of all vehicles. Differences between Tehran real driving cycles and the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) was attributed to the lower loading of NEDC. A table of EFs based on RDEs was developed for the sample fleet.

  14. Membrane Fouling Potential of Secondary Effluent Organic Matter (EfOM) from Conventional Activated Sludge Process

    KAUST Repository

    Wei, Chunhai; Amy, Gary L.

    2012-01-01

    Secondary effluent organic matter (EfOM) from a conventional activated sludge process was filtered through constant-pressure dead-end filtration tests with a sequential ultrafiltration (UF, molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) of 10k Dalton) and nanofiltration (NF, MWCO of 200 Dalton) array to investigate its membrane fouling potential. Advanced analytical methods including liquid chromatography with online carbon detection (LC-OCD) and fluorescent excitation-emission matrix (F-EEM) were employed for EfOM characterization. EfOM consisted of humic substances and building blocks, low molecular weight (LMW) neutrals, biopolymers (mainly proteins) and hydrophobic organics according to the sequence of their organic carbon fractions. The UF rejected only biopolymers and the NF rejected most humics and building blocks and a significant part of LMW neutrals. Simultaneous occurrence of cake layer and standard blocking during the filtration process of both UF and NF was identified according to constant-pressure filtration equations, which was possibly caused by the heterogeneous nature of EfOM with a wide MW distribution (several ten to several million Dalton). Thus the corresponding two fouling indices (kc for cake layer and ks for standard blocking) from UF and NF could characterize the fouling potential of macromolecular biopolymers and low to intermediate MW organics (including humics, building blocks, LMW neutrals), respectively. Compared with macromolecular biopolymers, low to intermediate MW organics exhibited a much higher fouling potential due to their lower molecular weight and higher concentration.

  15. Diminished but Not Abolished Effect of Two His351 Mutants of Anthrax Edema Factor in a Murine Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Taoran; Zhao, Xinghui; Liu, Ju; Meng, Yingying; Feng, Yingying; Fang, Ting; Zhang, Jinlong; Yang, Xiuxu; Li, Jianmin; Xu, Junjie; Chen, Wei

    2016-01-01

    Edema toxin (ET), which is composed of a potent adenylate cyclase (AC), edema factor (EF), and protective antigen (PA), is one of the major toxicity factors of Bacillus anthracis. In this study, we introduced mutations in full-length EF to generate alanine EF(H351A) and arginine EF(H351R) variants. In vitro activity analysis displayed that the adenylyl cyclase activity of both the mutants was significantly diminished compared with the wild-type EF. When the native and mutant toxins were administered subcutaneously in a mouse footpad edema model, severe acute swelling was evoked by wild-type ET, while the symptoms induced by mutant toxins were very minor. Systemic administration of these EF variants caused non-lethal hepatotoxicity. In addition, EF(H351R) exhibited slightly higher activity in causing more severe edema than EF(H351A). Our findings demonstrate that the toxicity of ET is not abolished by substitution of EF residue His351 by alanine or arginine. These results also indicate the potential of the mouse footpad edema model as a sensitive method for evaluating both ET toxicity and the efficacy of candidate therapeutic agents. PMID:26848687

  16. Designing sequence to control protein function in an EF-hand protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bunick, Christopher G; Nelson, Melanie R; Mangahas, Sheryll; Hunter, Michael J; Sheehan, Jonathan H; Mizoue, Laura S; Bunick, Gerard J; Chazin, Walter J

    2004-05-19

    The extent of conformational change that calcium binding induces in EF-hand proteins is a key biochemical property specifying Ca(2+) sensor versus signal modulator function. To understand how differences in amino acid sequence lead to differences in the response to Ca(2+) binding, comparative analyses of sequence and structures, combined with model building, were used to develop hypotheses about which amino acid residues control Ca(2+)-induced conformational changes. These results were used to generate a first design of calbindomodulin (CBM-1), a calbindin D(9k) re-engineered with 15 mutations to respond to Ca(2+) binding with a conformational change similar to that of calmodulin. The gene for CBM-1 was synthesized, and the protein was expressed and purified. Remarkably, this protein did not exhibit any non-native-like molten globule properties despite the large number of mutations and the nonconservative nature of some of them. Ca(2+)-induced changes in CD intensity and in the binding of the hydrophobic probe, ANS, implied that CBM-1 does undergo Ca(2+) sensorlike conformational changes. The X-ray crystal structure of Ca(2+)-CBM-1 determined at 1.44 A resolution reveals the anticipated increase in hydrophobic surface area relative to the wild-type protein. A nascent calmodulin-like hydrophobic docking surface was also found, though it is occluded by the inter-EF-hand loop. The results from this first calbindomodulin design are discussed in terms of progress toward understanding the relationships between amino acid sequence, protein structure, and protein function for EF-hand CaBPs, as well as the additional mutations for the next CBM design.

  17. Using docking and alchemical free energy approach to determine the binding mechanism of eEF2K inhibitors and prioritizing the compound synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Qiantao; Edupuganti, Ramakrishna; Tavares, Clint D J; Dalby, Kevin N; Ren, Pengyu

    2015-01-01

    A-484954 is a known eEF2K inhibitor with submicromolar IC50 potency. However, the binding mechanism and the crystal structure of the kinase remains unknown. Here, we employ a homology eEF2K model, docking and alchemical free energy simulations to probe the binding mechanism of eEF2K, and in turn, guide the optimization of potential lead compounds. The inhibitor was docked into the ATP-binding site of a homology model first. Three different binding poses, hypothesis 1, 2, and 3, were obtained and subsequently applied to molecular dynamics (MD) based alchemical free energy simulations. The calculated relative binding free energy of the analogs of A-484954 using the binding pose of hypothesis 1 show a good correlation with the experimental IC50 values, yielding an r (2) coefficient of 0.96 after removing an outlier (compound 5). Calculations using another two poses show little correlation with experimental data, (r (2) of less than 0.5 with or without removing any outliers). Based on hypothesis 1, the calculated relative free energy suggests that bigger cyclic groups, at R1 e.g., cyclobutyl and cyclopentyl promote more favorable binding than smaller groups, such as cyclopropyl and hydrogen. Moreover, this study also demonstrates the ability of the alchemical free energy approach in combination with docking and homology modeling to prioritize compound synthesis. This can be an effective means of facilitating structure-based drug design when crystal structures are not available.

  18. Cross-cultural adaptation and validity of the "Edmonton Frail Scale - EFS" in a Brazilian elderly sample Adaptación cultural y validez de la Edmonton Frail Scale - EFS en una muestra de ancianos brasileños Adaptação cultural e validade da Edmonton Frail Scale - EFS em uma amostra de idosos brasileiros

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suzele Cristina Coelho Fabrício-Wehbe

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to assess the cross-cultural adaptation of the Edmonton Frail Scale (EFS and its validity in a Brazilian elderly sample. Translation and back-translation were performed, as well as discussion with professionals and elderly for conceptual equivalence, semantic validation and pre-test of the scale. The scale was applied to 137 elderly aged 65 years or older who lived in the community. In the know-groups validation of the frailty diagnosis between gender, age and cognitive deficit, elder elderly, female and with a cognitive deficit scored higher on the frailty diagnosis. A negative convergent correlation was found between the EFS and the Functional Independence Measure (FIM (-0.53, pEl objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la adaptación cultural de la Edmonton Frail Scale (EFS y su validez en una muestra de ancianos brasileños. Fueron realizadas las etapas de traducción y retrotraducción, discusión con profesionales y ancianos para equivalencia conceptual, validación semántica y prueba piloto de la escala. El instrumento fue aplicado en 137 ancianos, con 65 años o más de edad, que vivían en la comunidad. En la validación de grupos conocidos, del diagnóstico de fragilidad entre sexo, edad y déficit cognitivo, los ancianos con edad más avanzada, sexo femenino y con déficit cognitivo tuvieron mayor puntuación en el diagnóstico de fragilidad. Hubo una correlación convergente negativa de la EFS con la Medida de Independencia Funcional (MIF (-0,53, pO objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a adaptação cultural da Edmonton Frail Scale (EFS e sua validade em uma amostra de idosos brasileiros. Foram realizadas as etapas de tradução e retrotradução, discussão com profissionais e idosos para equivalência conceitual, validação semântica e pré-teste da escala. O instrumento foi aplicado em 137 idosos, com 65 anos ou mais de idade, que viviam na comunidade. Na validação de grupos conhecidos, do diagnóstico de

  19. Synthesis of the EF-ring of ciguatoxin 3C based on the [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement and ring-closing olefin metathesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goto, Akiyoshi; Fujiwara, Kenshu; Kawai, Ayako; Kawai, Hidetoshi; Suzuki, Takanori

    2007-12-20

    The EF-ring segment of ciguatoxin 3C, a causative toxin of ciguatera fish poisoning, was synthesized in three major steps: 1,4-addition for the C20O-C27 bond connection, chirality transferring anti selective [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement for the construction of the anti-2-hydroxyalkyl ether part, and ring-closing olefin metathesis for the F-ring formation.

  20. (R)-β-lysine-modified elongation factor P functions in translation elongation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bullwinkle, Tammy J; Zou, S Betty; Rajkovic, Andrei

    2013-01-01

    Post-translational modification of bacterial elongation factor P (EF-P) with (R)-β-lysine at a conserved lysine residue activates the protein in vivo and increases puromycin reactivity of the ribosome in vitro. The additional hydroxylation of EF-P at the same lysine residue by the YfcM protein has......-(β)-lysyl-EF-P showed 30% increased puromycin reactivity but no differences in dipeptide synthesis rates when compared with the β-lysylated form. Unlike disruption of the other genes required for EF-P modification, deletion of yfcM had no phenotypic consequences in Salmonella. Taken together, our findings indicate...

  1. One-step purification of E. coli elongation factor Tu

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Knudsen, Charlotte Rohde; Clark, Brian F. C.; Degn, B

    1993-01-01

    The tuf A gene, encoding the E. coli elongation factor Tu, was cloned in the pGEX gene fusion system. Upon expression EF-Tu is fused to glutathione-S-transferase serving as a purification handle with affinity for glutathione immobilised on agarose. This allows purification of EF-Tu in a one...

  2. Evaluation of Heavy Metal Contamination Levels of Balok River Sediments in Pahang, Malaysia Based on Geo accumulation Index and Supported with Enrichment Factor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohd Zahari Abdullah; Nur Rashidah Abd Manap; Ahmad Saat; Zaini Hamzah; Mohd Tahir Abas

    2015-01-01

    This study was conducted in order to assess the level of metal pollution in river sediment samples, which indirectly representing the general quality of the Balok River. The samples of river sediment have been collected at nine sampling stations from the particular river. The total content of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn were measured using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) after an acid extraction. The mean concentrations (mg/kg) were found at 0.49, 16.16, 42.93, 24.31, 2734.69, 155.61, 16.04, 29.31, 50.71 and 159.40 for the respective metals. The assessment of the river quality was done based on the information showed by the enrichment factor (EF) and geo accumulation index (I geo ). Analysis of the I geo indexes clearly indicate that most of the sediment samples analyzed in this study contained the selected heavy metals in the levels of unpolluted to moderately pollute. Based on the low EF values recorded in this study, it can be concluded that the Balok River sediments is not significantly contaminated with the studied heavy metals. (author)

  3. TRIO-EF a general thermal hydraulics computer code applied to the Avlis process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Magnaud, J.P.; Claveau, M.; Coulon, N.; Yala, P.; Guilbaud, D.; Mejane, A.

    1993-01-01

    TRIO(EF is a general purpose Fluid Mechanics 3D Finite Element Code. The system capabilities cover areas such as steady state or transient, laminar or turbulent, isothermal or temperature dependent fluid flows; it is applicable to the study of coupled thermo-fluid problems involving heat conduction and possibly radiative heat transfer. It has been used to study the thermal behaviour of the AVLIS process separation module. In this process, a linear electron beam impinges the free surface of a uranium ingot, generating a two dimensional curtain emission of vapour from a water-cooled crucible. The energy transferred to the metal causes its partial melting, forming a pool where strong convective motion increases heat transfer towards the crucible. In the upper part of the Separation Module, the internal structures are devoted to two main functions: vapor containment and reflux, irradiation and physical separation. They are subjected to very high temperature levels and heat transfer occurs mainly by radiation. Moreover, special attention has to be paid to electron backscattering. These two major points have been simulated numerically with TRIO-EF and the paper presents and comments the results of such a computation, for each of them. After a brief overview of the computer code, two examples of the TRIO-EF capabilities are given: a crucible thermal hydraulics model, a thermal analysis of the internal structures

  4. Immunocytochemical localization of the elongation factor Tu in E. coli cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Slot, J.W.; Schilstra, M.J.; Meide, P.H. van der; Posthuma, G.; Cremers, A.F.M.; Bosch, L.

    1984-01-01

    The localization of the elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) in ultrathin cryosections of E. coli cells was determined with the electron microscope using a highly specific immunological labellin technique. EF-Tu is distributed almost homogeneously throughout the cytoplasm. Although it has often been

  5. Impaired left ventricular systolic function reserve limits cardiac output and exercise capacity in HFpEF patients due to systemic hypertension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henein, Michael; Mörner, Stellan; Lindmark, Krister; Lindqvist, Per

    2013-09-30

    Heart failure (HF) patients with preserved left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) (HFpEF) due to systemic hypertension (SHT) are known to have limited exercise tolerance. Despite having normal EF at rest, we hypothesize that these patients have abnormal systolic function reserve limiting their exercise capacity. Seventeen patients with SHT (mean age 68 ± 9 years) but no valve disease and 14 healthy individuals (mean age of 65 ± 10 years) underwent resting and peak exercise echocardiography using conventional, tissue Doppler and speckle tracking techniques. The differences between resting and peak exercise values were also analyzed (Δ). Exercise capacity was determined as the workload divided by body surface area. Resting values for left atrial (LA) volume/BSA (r=-0.66, pexercise capacity. LVEF increased during exercise in normals (mean Δ EF=10 ± 8%) but failed to do so in patients (mean Δ EF=0.6 ± 9%, pexercise in patients, to the same extent as it did in normals (0.2 ± 0.2 vs. 0.6 ± 0.3 1/s, pexercise (Δ) in LV lateral wall systolic velocity from tissue Doppler (s') (0.71, pexercise capacity independent of changes in heart rate. HFpEF patients with hypertensive LV disease have significantly limited exercise capacity which is related to left atrial enlargement as well as compromised LV systolic function at the time of the symptoms. The limited myocardial systolic function reserve seems to be underlying important explanation for their limited exercise capacity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Inhibition of the adenylyl cyclase toxin, edema factor, from Bacillus anthracis by a series of 18 mono- and bis-(M)ANT-substituted nucleoside 5'-triphosphates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taha, Hesham; Dove, Stefan; Geduhn, Jens; König, Burkhard; Shen, Yuequan; Tang, Wei-Jen; Seifert, Roland

    2012-01-01

    Bacillus anthracis causes anthrax disease and exerts its deleterious effects by the release of three exotoxins, i.e. lethal factor, protective antigen and edema factor (EF), a highly active calmodulin-dependent adenylyl cyclase (AC). Conventional antibiotic treatment is ineffective against either toxaemia or antibiotic-resistant strains. Thus, more effective drugs for anthrax treatment are needed. Our previous studies showed that EF is differentially inhibited by various purine and pyrimidine nucleotides modified with N-methylanthraniloyl (MANT)- or anthraniloyl (ANT) groups at the 2'(3')-O-ribosyl position, with the unique preference for the base cytosine (Taha et al., Mol Pharmacol 75:693 (2009)). MANT-CTP was the most potent EF inhibitor (K (i), 100 nM) among 16 compounds studied. Here, we examined the interaction of EF with a series of 18 2',3'-O-mono- and bis-(M)ANT-substituted nucleotides, recently shown to be very potent inhibitors of the AC toxin from Bordetella pertussis, CyaA (Geduhn et al., J Pharmacol Exp Ther 336:104 (2011)). We analysed purified EF and EF mutants in radiometric AC assays and in fluorescence spectroscopy studies and conducted molecular modelling studies. Bis-MANT nucleotides inhibited EF competitively. Propyl-ANT-ATP was the most potent EF inhibitor (K (i), 80 nM). In contrast to the observations made for CyaA, introduction of a second (M)ANT-group decreased rather than increased inhibitor potency at EF. Activation of EF by calmodulin resulted in effective fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from tryptophan and tyrosine residues located in the vicinity of the catalytic site to bis-MANT-ATP, but FRET to bis-MANT-CTP was only small. Mutations N583Q, K353A and K353R differentially altered the inhibitory potencies of bis-MANT-ATP and bis-MANT-CTP. The nucleotide binding site of EF accommodates bulky bis-(M)ANT-substituted purine and pyrimidine nucleotides, but the fit is suboptimal compared to CyaA. These data provide a basis

  7. After the storm: personal experiences following an EF4 tornado.

    Science.gov (United States)

    May, Olivia W; Bigham, Amy B

    2012-08-01

    In April of 2011, an EF4 tornado ripped through the city of Tuscaloosa, AL, leaving in its wake thousands of destroyed homes and businesses. In the hours and days that followed, the health care community of this city, as well as the entire state of Alabama and the southeastern United States, came together to provide care to hundreds of victims, recovery workers, and volunteers. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Emission Characteristics of Gas-Fired Boilers based on Category-Specific Emission Factor from Field Measurements in Beijing, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Itahashi, S.; Yan, X.; Song, G.; Yan, J.; Xue, Y.

    2017-12-01

    Gas-fired boilers will become the main stationary sources of NOx in Beijing. However, the knowledge of gas-fired boilers in Beijing is limited. In the present study, the emission characteristics of NOx, SO2, and CO from gas-fired boilers in Beijing were established using category-specific emission factors (EFs) from field measurements. In order to obtain category-specific EFs, boilers were classified through influence analysis. Factors such as combustion mode, boiler type, and installed capacity were considered critical for establishing EFs because they play significant roles in pollutant formation. The EFs for NOx, CO, and SO2 ranged from 1.42-6.86 g m-3, 0.05-0.67 g m-3 and 0.03-0.48 g m-3. The emissions of NOx, SO2, and CO for gas-fired boilers in Beijing were 11121 t, 468 t, and 222 t in 2014, respectively. The emissions were spatially allocated into grid cells with a resolution of 1 km × 1 km, and the results indicated that top emitters were in central Beijing. The uncertainties were quantified using a Monte Carlo simulation. The results indicated high uncertainties in CO (-157% to 154%) and SO2 (-127% to 182%) emissions, and relatively low uncertainties (-34% to 34%) in NOx emission. Furthermore, approximately 61.2% and 96.8% of the monitored chamber combustion boilers (CCBs) met the standard limits for NOx and SO2, respectively. Concerning NOx, low-NOx burners and NOx emission control measures are urgently needed for implementing of stricter standards. Adopting terminal control measures is unnecessary for SO2, although its concentration occasionally exceeds standard limits, because reduction of its concentration can be achieved thorough control of the sulfur content of natural gas at a stable low level. Furthermore, the atmospheric combustion boilers (ACBs) should be substituted with CCBs, because ACBs have a higher emission despite lower gross installed capacity. The results of this study will enable in understanding and controlling emissions from gas

  9. Heat shock-induced accumulation of translation elongation and termination factors precedes assembly of stress granules in S. cerevisiae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomas Grousl

    Full Text Available In response to severe environmental stresses eukaryotic cells shut down translation and accumulate components of the translational machinery in stress granules (SGs. Since they contain mainly mRNA, translation initiation factors and 40S ribosomal subunits, they have been referred to as dominant accumulations of stalled translation preinitiation complexes. Here we present evidence that the robust heat shock-induced SGs of S. cerevisiae also contain translation elongation factors eEF3 (Yef3p and eEF1Bγ2 (Tef4p as well as translation termination factors eRF1 (Sup45p and eRF3 (Sup35p. Despite the presence of the yeast prion protein Sup35 in heat shock-induced SGs, we found out that its prion-like domain is not involved in the SGs assembly. Factors eEF3, eEF1Bγ2 and eRF1 were accumulated and co-localized with Dcp2 foci even upon a milder heat shock at 42°C independently of P-bodies scaffolding proteins. We also show that eEF3 accumulations at 42°C determine sites of the genuine SGs assembly at 46°C. We suggest that identification of translation elongation and termination factors in SGs might help to understand the mechanism of the eIF2α factor phosphorylation-independent repression of translation and SGs assembly.

  10. A pea chloroplast translation elongation factor that is regulated by abiotic factors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, B.N.; Mishra, R.N.; Agarwal, Pradeep K.; Goswami, Mamta; Nair, Suresh; Sopory, S.K.; Reddy, M.K.

    2004-01-01

    We report the cloning and characterization of both the cDNA (tufA) and genomic clones encoding for a chloroplast translation elongation factor (EF-Tu) from pea. The analysis of the deduced amino acids of the cDNA clone reveals the presence of putative transit peptide sequence and four GTP binding domains and two EF-Tu signature motifs in the mature polypeptide region. Using in vivo immunostaining followed by confocal microscopy pea EF-Tu was localized to chloroplast. The steady state transcript level of pea tufA was high in leaves and not detectable in roots. The expression of this gene is stimulated by light. The differential expression of this gene in response to various abiotic stresses showed that it is down-regulated in response to salinity and ABA and up-regulated in response to low temperature and salicylic acid treatment. These results indicate that regulation of pea tufA may have an important role in plant adaptation to environmental stresses

  11. The fsr Quorum-Sensing System and Cognate Gelatinase Orchestrate the Expression and Processing of Proprotein EF_1097 into the Mature Antimicrobial Peptide Enterocin O16.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dundar, Halil; Brede, Dag A; La Rosa, Sabina Leanti; El-Gendy, Ahmed Osama; Diep, Dzung B; Nes, Ingolf F

    2015-07-01

    A novel antimicrobial peptide designated enterocin O16 was purified from Enterococcus faecalis. Mass spectrometry showed a monoisotopic mass of 7,231 Da, and N-terminal Edman degradation identified a 29-amino-acid sequence corresponding to residues 90 to 119 of the EF_1097 protein. Bioinformatic analysis showed that enterocin O16 is composed of the 68 most C-terminal residues of the EF_1097 protein. Introduction of an in-frame isogenic deletion in the ef1097 gene abolished the production of enterocin O16. Enterocin O16 has a narrow inhibitory spectrum, as it inhibits mostly lactobacilli. Apparently, E. faecalis is intrinsically resistant to the antimicrobial peptide, as no immunity connected to the production of enterocin O16 could be identified. ef1097 has previously been identified as one of three loci regulated by the fsr quorum-sensing system. The introduction of a nonsense mutation into fsrB consistently impaired enterocin O16 production, but externally added gelatinase biosynthesis-activating pheromone restored the antimicrobial activity. Functional genetic analysis showed that the EF_1097 proprotein is processed extracellularly into enterocin O16 by the metalloprotease GelE. Thus, it is evident that the fsr quorum-sensing system constitutes the regulatory unit that controls the expression of the EF_1097 precursor protein and the protease GelE and that the latter is required for the formation of enterocin O16. On the basis of these results, this study identified antibacterial antagonism as a novel aspect related to the function of fsr and provides a rationale for why ef1097 is part of the fsr regulon. The fsr quorum-sensing system modulates important physiological functions in E. faecalis via the activity of GelE. The present study presents a new facet of fsr signaling. The system controls the expression of three primary target operons (fsrABCD, gelE-sprE, and ef1097-ef1097b). We demonstrate that the concerted expression of these operons constitutes the

  12. Translation Control of Swarming Proficiency in Bacillus subtilis by 5-Amino-pentanolylated Elongation Factor P.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajkovic, Andrei; Hummels, Katherine R; Witzky, Anne; Erickson, Sarah; Gafken, Philip R; Whitelegge, Julian P; Faull, Kym F; Kearns, Daniel B; Ibba, Michael

    2016-05-20

    Elongation factor P (EF-P) accelerates diprolyl synthesis and requires a posttranslational modification to maintain proteostasis. Two phylogenetically distinct EF-P modification pathways have been described and are encoded in the majority of Gram-negative bacteria, but neither is present in Gram-positive bacteria. Prior work suggested that the EF-P-encoding gene (efp) primarily supports Bacillus subtilis swarming differentiation, whereas EF-P in Gram-negative bacteria has a more global housekeeping role, prompting our investigation to determine whether EF-P is modified and how it impacts gene expression in motile cells. We identified a 5-aminopentanol moiety attached to Lys(32) of B. subtilis EF-P that is required for swarming motility. A fluorescent in vivo B. subtilis reporter system identified peptide motifs whose efficient synthesis was most dependent on 5-aminopentanol EF-P. Examination of the B. subtilis genome sequence showed that these EF-P-dependent peptide motifs were represented in flagellar genes. Taken together, these data show that, in B. subtilis, a previously uncharacterized posttranslational modification of EF-P can modulate the synthesis of specific diprolyl motifs present in proteins required for swarming motility. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  13. Deconstructing racial differences: the effects of quality of education and cerebrovascular risk factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvalho, Janessa O; Tommet, Doug; Crane, Paul K; Thomas, Michael L; Claxton, Amy; Habeck, Christian; Manly, Jennifer J; Romero, Heather R

    2015-07-01

    To evaluate the effects of vascular conditions and education quality on cognition over time in White and African American (AA) older adults. We investigated cross-sectional and longitudinal racial differences in executive functioning (EF) and memory composites among Whites (n = 461) and AAs (n = 118) enrolled in a cohort study. We examined whether cerebrovascular risk factors and Shipley Vocabulary scores (a proxy for education quality) accounted for racial differences. On average, AAs had lower quality of education and more cerebrovascular risk factors including hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. AAs had lower mean EF and memory at baseline, but there were no group differences in rates of decline. Cross-sectional racial differences in EF and memory persisted after controlling for vascular disease, but disappeared when controlling for Shipley Vocabulary. Quality of education appears to be more important than cerebrovascular risk factors in explaining cross-sectional differences in memory and EF performance between White and AA older adults. Further investigation is needed regarding the relative contribution of education quality and cerebrovascular risk factors to cognitive decline among ethnically/racially diverse older adults. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  14. Preclinical validation of the hypoxia tracer 2-(2-nitroimidazol-1-yl)-N-(3,3,3-[18F]trifluoropropyl)acetamide, [18F]EF3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahy, P.; De Bast, M.; Gregoire, V.; Leveque, P.H.; Gillart, J.; Labar, D.; Marchand, J.

    2004-01-01

    The 2-nitroimidazole derivative 2-(2-nitroimidazol-1-yl)-N-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)acetamide (EF3) is a marker which forms adducts into hypoxic cells. Radiosynthesis of [ 18 F]EF3 was recently performed by our group. Our aim was to study the pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, metabolism and specificity for hypoxia of [ 18 F]EF3. MCa-4, SCC VII, NFSA, FSA, FSA II or Sa-NH tumour-bearing C3H mice were injected intravenously with [ 18 F]EF3 and allowed to breathe air, 10% O 2 or carbogen until sacrifice 5-770 min after injection. Radioactivity was measured ex vivo in various organs, including urine and faeces. Selected organs were additionally processed to measure tracer metabolites with high-performance liquid chromatography. The half-life in blood was 73.9 min. [ 18 F]EF3 was eliminated mainly via the kidneys, with 75% of the injected activity found in the urine by 12 h 50 min. The biodistribution was fast and homogeneous except in the brain and the bone, where it was significantly lower, and in the liver and the kidney, where it was significantly higher. In most organs, the exceptions being the gastrointestinal and urinary tract, tissue-to-blood ratios were below or close to unity. In tumours, a relative accumulation of the tracer was observed with time, which, at 220 min after injection, depended on tumour strain and oxygenation conditions, i.e. 10% O 2 significantly increased the tumour-to-muscle ratio whereas carbogen decreased it. [ 18 F]EF3 was rapidly metabolised in the kidney and the liver. [ 18 F]EF3 is a promising tracer for detection of tumour hypoxia. A phase I study in head and neck cancer patients is in progress at our institution. (orig.)

  15. High performance message passing for the ATLAS DAQ/EF-1 project

    CERN Document Server

    Mornacchi, Giuseppe

    1999-01-01

    Summary form only. A message passing library has been developed in the context of the ATLAS DAQ/EF-1 project. It is used for time critical applications within the front-end part of the DAQ system, mainly to exchange data control messages between I/O processors. Key objectives of the design were low message overheads, efficient use of the data transfer buses, provision of broadcast functionality and a hardware and operating system independent implementation of the application interface. The design and implementation of the message passing library are presented. As required by the project, the implementation is based on commercial components, namely VMEbus, PCI, the Lynx-OS real-time operating system and an additional inter- processor link, PVIC. The latter offers broadcast functionality identified as being important to the overall performance of the message passing. In addition, performance benchmarks for all implementing buses are presented for both simple test programs and the full DAQ applications. (0 refs)...

  16. Ecological Footprint Analysis Based on Changing Food Consumption in a Poorly Developed Area of China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin Zhen

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The per capita ecological footprint (EF is a useful tool to compare consumption with nature's ability to support this consumption. Guyuan is an economically impoverished region in China, where EF provides important insights into whether human consumption can be sustained by the local per capita biological capacity (BC, which represents the environment’s ability to support resource use. We estimated the EF of food consumption using local equivalence and yield factors, and compared EF in 1998 and 2013 with BC, which represented the existing biologically productive area (including cultivated land, grassland, forest, and water bodies that supports this consumption. Data were collected from household surveys, government statistics, and land use maps. We found that food consumption changed, with decreasing consumption of staple foods and increasing consumption of meat, eggs, milk, edible oils, fruit, and vegetables. Decreased staple food consumption decreased the EF for this food group, but the large increase in meat consumption greatly increased EF from meat production (to more than 41 times the 1998 value. Cultivated land contributed greatly to both EF and BC, and staple foods and vegetables were the main EF components for this land. Overall, EF from food consumption decreased from 1998 to 2013, but local BC remained 188,356 ha below EF (i.e., current consumption is not sustainable based on local resources. The Grain for Green program, which focuses on increasing the BC of forest and grassland by replacing degraded cultivated land with these land use types, decreased the BC of cultivated land, leading to wide spatial variation in both EF and BC. These results will inform policy development by revealing the condition of each region’s use of the locally available production resources.

  17. Understanding the fouling of UF/MF hollow fibres of biologically treated wastewaters using advanced EfOM characterization and statistical tools

    KAUST Repository

    Filloux, Emmanuelle

    2012-08-01

    Five secondary effluents and a river water source were characterized using size exclusion chromatography (LC-OCD-UVD-OND) and emission-excitation matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy in order to identify the major effluent organic matter (EfOM) fractions responsible for membrane fouling. This study showed the feasibility of coupling fluorescence EEM and LC-OCD-UVD-OND to investigate the fouling potential as well as a means to differentiate natural organic matter (NOM) from EfOM. The secondary effluents and river water showed a significant difference in organic matter characteristics and fouling potential, highlighting the importance of biological processes and the feed water source on EfOM characteristics and fouling potential. On the basis of statistical analysis, protein-like substances were found to be highly correlated to the fouling potential of secondary effluents. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

  18. Understanding the fouling of UF/MF hollow fibres of biologically treated wastewaters using advanced EfOM characterization and statistical tools

    KAUST Repository

    Filloux, Emmanuelle; Labanowski, Jé rô me; Croue, Jean-Philippe

    2012-01-01

    Five secondary effluents and a river water source were characterized using size exclusion chromatography (LC-OCD-UVD-OND) and emission-excitation matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy in order to identify the major effluent organic matter (EfOM) fractions responsible for membrane fouling. This study showed the feasibility of coupling fluorescence EEM and LC-OCD-UVD-OND to investigate the fouling potential as well as a means to differentiate natural organic matter (NOM) from EfOM. The secondary effluents and river water showed a significant difference in organic matter characteristics and fouling potential, highlighting the importance of biological processes and the feed water source on EfOM characteristics and fouling potential. On the basis of statistical analysis, protein-like substances were found to be highly correlated to the fouling potential of secondary effluents. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

  19. Direct nitrous oxide emissions in Mediterranean climate cropping systems : Emission factors based on a meta-analysis of available measurement data

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cayuela, Maria L.; Aguilera, Eduardo; Sanz-Cobena, Alberto; Adams, Dean C.; Abalos, Diego; Barton, Louise; Ryals, Rebecca; Silver, Whendee L.; Alfaro, Marta A.; Pappa, Valentini A.; Smith, Pete; Garnier, Josette; Billen, Gilles; Bouwman, Lex; Bondeau, Alberte; Lassaletta, Luis

    2017-01-01

    Many recent reviews and meta-analyses of N2O emissions do not include data from Mediterranean studies. In this paper we present a meta-analysis of the N2O emissions from Mediterranean cropping systems, and propose a more robust and reliable regional emission factor (EF) for N2O, distinguishing the

  20. Vurdering af effekten af en vindmøllepark ved Overgaard på forekomsten af fugle i EF-fuglebeskyttelsesområde nr. 15

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Clausen, P.; Larsen, J. K.

    forekomsten af en række arter der enten yngler eller raster inden for EF-fuglebeskyttelsesområdet, og er omfattet af EF-fuglebeskyttelsesdirektivets bilag I. Det drejer sig om arterne skarv Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis, blå kærhøg Circus cyaneus, hjejle Pluvialis apricaria, brushane Philomachus pugnax, klyde...

  1. Soil and water losses in eucalyptus plantation and natural forest and determination of the USLE factors at a pilot sub-basin in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bárbara Pereira Christofaro Silva

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Monitoring water erosion and the factors that control soil and water loss are essential for soil conservation planning. The objective of this study was to evaluate soil and water losses by water erosion under natural rainfall in eucalyptus plantations established in 2001 (EF2, and 2004 (EF1, native forest (NF and bare soil (BS, during the period of 2007 to 2012; and to determine the USLE factors: rain erosivity (R, erodibility (K of a Red Argisol and the cover-management factor (C for EF1, EF2 and NF at a pilot sub-basin, in Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil. The R factor was estimated by the EI30 index, using rainfall data from a gauging station located at the sub-basin. The soil and water losses were monitored in erosion plots, providing consistent data for the estimation of the K and C factors. The sub-basin presented an average erosivity of 4,228.52 MJ mm ha-1 h-1 yr-1. The average annual soil losses em EF1 and EF2 (0.81 e 0.12 Mg ha-1 year-1, respectively were below of the limit of tolerance, 12.9 Mg ha-1 year-1. The percentage values of water loss relating to the total rainfall decreased annually, approaching the values observed at the NF. From the 5th year on after the implantation of the eucalyptus systems, soil losses values were similar to the ones from NF. The erodibility of the Red Argisol was of 0.0026 Mg ha h ha-1 MJ-1mm-1 and the C factor presented values of 0.121, 0.016 and 0.015 for EF1, EF2 and NF, respectively.

  2. Velocity ratio predicts outcomes in patients with low gradient severe aortic stenosis and preserved EF

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jander, Nikolaus; Hochholzer, Willibald; Kaufmann, Beat A

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of velocity ratio (VR) in patients with low gradient severe aortic stenosis (LGSAS) and preserved EF. BACKGROUND: LGSAS despite preserved EF represents a clinically challenging entity. Reliance on mean pressure gradient (MPG) may underestimate stenosis severity...... for severe stenosis. We hypothesised that VR may have conceptual advantages over MPG and AVA, predict clinical outcomes and thereby be useful in the management of patients with LGSAS. METHODS: Patients from the prospective Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis (SEAS) study with an AVA...≤40 mm Hg and EF≥55% and asymptomatic at baseline were stratified according to VR with a cut-off value of 0.25. Outcomes were evaluated according to aortic valve-related events and cardiovascular death. RESULTS: Of 435 patients with LGSAS, 197 (45%) had VRVR≥0...

  3. Elongation factor P is dispensable in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balibar, Carl J; Iwanowicz, Dorothy; Dean, Charles R

    2013-09-01

    Elongation factor P (EF-P) is a highly conserved ribosomal initiation factor responsible for stimulating formation of the first peptide bond. Its essentiality has been debated and may differ depending on the organism. Here, we demonstrate that EF-P is dispensable in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa under laboratory growth conditions. Although knockouts are viable, growth rates are diminished compared with wild-type strains. Despite this cost in fitness, these mutants are not more susceptible to a wide range of antibiotics; including ribosome targeting antibiotics, such as lincomycin, chloramphenicol, and streptomycin, which have been shown previously to disrupt EF-P function in vitro. In Pseudomonas, knockout of efp leads to an upregulation of mexX, a phenotype previously observed with other genetic lesions affecting ribosome function and that can be induced by the treatment with antibiotics affecting protein synthesis.

  4. A Supervisory Control Algorithm of Hybrid Electric Vehicle Based on Adaptive Equivalent Consumption Minimization Strategy with Fuzzy PI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fengqi Zhang

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a new energy management system based on equivalent consumption minimization strategy (ECMS for hybrid electric vehicles. The aim is to enhance fuel economy and impose state of charge (SoC charge-sustainability. First, the relationship between the equivalent factor (EF of ECMS and the co-state of pontryagin’s minimum principle (PMP is derived. Second, a new method of implementing the adaptation law using fuzzy proportional plus integral (PI controller is developed to adjust EF for ECMS in real-time. This adaptation law is more robust than one with constant EF due to the variation of EF as well as driving cycle. Finally, simulations for two driving cycles using ECMS are conducted as opposed to the commonly used rule-based (RB control strategy, indicating that the proposed adaptation law can provide a promising blend in terms of fuel economy and charge-sustainability. The results confirm that ECMS with Fuzzy PI adaptation law is more robust than ECMS with constant EF as well as PI adaptation law and it achieves significant improvements compared with RB in terms of fuel economy, which is enhanced by 4.44% and 14.7% for china city bus cycle and economic commission of Europe (ECE cycle, respectively.

  5. The life and death of translation elongation factor 2

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Rene; Merrill, A.R.; Andersen, Gregers Rom

    2006-01-01

    The eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) occupies an essential role in protein synthesis where it catalyses the translocation of the two tRNAs and the mRNA after peptidyl transfer on the 80S ribosome. Recent crystal structures of eEF2 and the cryo-EM reconstruction of its 80S complex now provide...... diphthamide residue, which is ADP-ribosylated by diphtheria toxin from Corynebacterium diphtheriae and exotoxin A from Pseudomonas aeruginosa....

  6. Single-molecule folding mechanism of an EF-hand neuronal calcium sensor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Heiðarsson, Pétur Orri; Otazo, Mariela R.; Bellucci, Luca

    2013-01-01

    EF-hand calcium sensors respond structurally to changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentration, triggering diverse cellular responses and resulting in broad interactomes. Despite impressive advances in decoding their structure-function relationships, the folding mechanism of neuronal calcium sensors...... of the N domain, showing striking interdomain dependence. Molecular dynamics results reveal the atomistic details of the unfolding process and rationalize the different domain stabilities during mechanical unfolding. Through constant-force experiments and hidden Markov model analysis, the free energy...

  7. The mazEF toxin–antitoxin system as an attractive target in clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soheili S

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Sara Soheili,1 Sobhan Ghafourian,2 Zamberi Sekawi,1 Vasantha Kumari Neela,1 Nourkhoda Sadeghifard,2 Morovat Taherikalani,2 Afra Khosravi,2 Ramliza Ramli,3 Rukman Awang Hamat11Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia; 2Clinical Microbiology Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran; 3Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Jalan Yaakob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Abstract: The toxin–antitoxin (TA system is a regulatory system where two sets of genes encode the toxin and its corresponding antitoxin. In this study, the prevalence of TA systems in independently isolated clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis was determined, the dominant TA system was identified, different virulence genes in E. faecium and E. faecalis were surveyed, the level of expression of the virulence and TA genes in normal and stress conditions was determined, and finally their associations with the TA genes were defined. Remarkably, the analysis demonstrated higBA and mazEF in all clinical isolates, and their locations were on chromosomes and plasmids, respectively. On the other hand, a quantitative analysis of TA and virulence genes revealed that the expression level in both genes is different under normal and stress conditions. The results obtained by anti-mazF peptide nucleic acids demonstrated that the expression level of virulence genes had decreased. These findings demonstrate an association between TA systems and virulence factors. The mazEF on the plasmids and the higBA TA genes on the chromosomes of all E. faecium and E. faecalis strains were dominant. Additionally, there was a decrease in the expression of virulence genes in the presence of anti-mazF peptide nucleic acids. Therefore, it is suggested that mazEF TA systems

  8. The fsr Quorum-Sensing System and Cognate Gelatinase Orchestrate the Expression and Processing of Proprotein EF_1097 into the Mature Antimicrobial Peptide Enterocin O16

    OpenAIRE

    Dundar, Halil; Brede, Dag A.; La Rosa, Sabina Leanti; El-Gendy, Ahmed Osama; Diep, Dzung B.; Nes, Ingolf F.

    2015-01-01

    A novel antimicrobial peptide designated enterocin O16 was purified from Enterococcus faecalis. Mass spectrometry showed a monoisotopic mass of 7,231 Da, and N-terminal Edman degradation identified a 29-amino-acid sequence corresponding to residues 90 to 119 of the EF_1097 protein. Bioinformatic analysis showed that enterocin O16 is composed of the 68 most C-terminal residues of the EF_1097 protein. Introduction of an in-frame isogenic deletion in the ef1097 gene abolished the production of e...

  9. Psychological disorders and ecological factors affect the development of executive functions: Some perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafika ZEBDI

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The links between deficits in executive functions (EF (e.g., mental flexibility, inhibition capacities..., and some psychological disorders (e.g., anxiety and depressive disorders has been investigated in the past decades or so. Observations evidenced that some deficits in working memory, planning, and mental flexibility were highly correlated with anxiety and depressive disorders. The majority of studies focused on adults’ population, whereas it seems important to adopt a developmental perspective to fully understand the dynamic of these EF/psychological disorders relations. We suggest two axis on which to focus in future research: (i relations between EF and anxiety traits through development; and (ii the possible role of external factors such as parent-child relationships on the development of EF.

  10. Kinetics of the interactions between yeast elongation factors 1A and 1Balpha, guanine nucleotides, and aminoacyl-tRNA

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gromadski, Kirill B; Schümmer, Tobias; Strømgaard, Anne

    2007-01-01

    of guanine nucleotides. At the concentrations of nucleotides and factors prevailing in the cell, the overall exchange rate is expected to be in the range of 6 s(-1), which is compatible with the rate of protein synthesis in the cell. eEF1A.GTP binds Phe-tRNA(Phe) with a K(d) of 3 nm, whereas eEF1A.GDP shows...... no significant binding, indicating that eEF1A has similar tRNA binding properties as its prokaryotic homolog, EF-Tu. Udgivelsesdato: 2007-Dec-7...

  11. A randomized study on migration of the Spectron EF and the Charnley flanged 40 cemented femoral components using radiostereometric analysis at 2 years.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kadar, Thomas; Hallan, Geir; Aamodt, Arild; Indrekvam, Kari; Badawy, Mona; Havelin, Leif Ivar; Stokke, Terje; Haugan, Kristin; Espehaug, Birgitte; Furnes, Ove

    2011-10-01

    We performed a randomized study to determine the migration patterns of the Spectron EF femoral stem and to compare them with those of the Charnley stem, which is regarded by many as the gold standard for comparison of implants due to its extensive documentation. 150 patients with a mean age of 70 years were randomized, single-blinded, to receive either a cemented Charnley flanged 40 monoblock, stainless steel, vaquasheen surface femoral stem with a 22.2-mm head (n = 30) or a cemented Spectron EF modular, matte, straight, collared, cobalt-chrome femoral stem with a 28-mm femoral head and a roughened proximal third of the stem (n = 120). The patients were followed with repeated radiostereometric analysis for 2 years to assess migration. At 2 years, stem retroversion was 2.3° and 0.7° (p < 0.001) and posterior translation was 0.44 mm and 0.17 mm (p = 0.002) for the Charnley group (n = 26) and the Spectron EF group (n = 74), respectively. Subsidence was 0.26 mm for the Charnley and 0.20 mm for the Spectron EF (p = 0.5). The Spectron EF femoral stem was more stable than the Charnley flanged 40 stem in our study when evaluated at 2 years. In a report from the Norwegian arthroplasty register, the Spectron EF stem had a higher revision rate due to aseptic loosening beyond 5 years than the Charnley. Initial stability is not invariably related to good long-term results. Our results emphasize the importance of prospective long-term follow-up of prosthetic implants in clinical trials and national registries and a stepwise introduction of implants.

  12. Prenatal low-dose methylmercury exposure impairs neurite outgrowth and synaptic protein expression and suppresses TrkA pathway activity and eEF1A1 expression in the rat cerebellum

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fujimura, Masatake, E-mail: fujimura@nimd.go.jp [Department of Basic Medical Sciences, National Institute for Minamata Disease, Kumamoto (Japan); Usuki, Fusako [Department of Clinical Medicine, National Institute for Minamata Disease, Kumamoto (Japan); Cheng, Jinping; Zhao, Wenchang [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China)

    2016-05-01

    Methylmercury (MeHg) is a highly neurotoxic environmental chemical that can cause developmental impairments. Human fetuses and neonates are particularly susceptible to MeHg toxicity; however, the mechanisms governing its effects in the developing brain are unclear. In the present study, we investigated the effects of prenatal and lactational MeHg exposure on the developing cerebellum in rats. We demonstrated that exposure to 5 ppm MeHg decreased postnatal expression of pre- and postsynaptic proteins, suggesting an impairment in synaptic development. MeHg exposure also reduced neurite outgrowth, as shown by a decrease in the expression of the neurite marker neurofilament H. These changes were not observed in rats exposed to 1 ppm MeHg. In order to define the underlying mechanism, we investigated the effects of MeHg exposure on the tropomyosin receptor kinase (Trk) A pathway, which plays important roles in neuronal differentiation and synapse formation. We demonstrated suppression of the TrkA pathway on gestation day 20 in rats exposed to 5 ppm MeHg. In addition, down-regulation of eukaryotic elongation factor 1A1 (eEF1A1) was observed on postnatal day 1. eEF1A1 knockdown in differentiating PC12 cells impaired neurite outgrowth and synaptic protein expression, similar to the results of MeHg exposure in the cerebellum. These results suggest that suppression of the TrkA pathway and subsequent decreases in eEF1A1 expression induced by prenatal exposure to MeHg may lead to reduced neurite outgrowth and synaptic protein expression in the developing cerebellum. - Highlights: • Prenatal exposure to MeHg decreased postnatal expression of synaptic proteins. • MeHg exposure also reduced neurite outgrowth postnatally. • Suppression of the TrkA pathway and eEF1A1 expression was induced by MeHg exposure. • eEF1A1 knockdown impaired neurite outgrowth and synaptic protein expression.

  13. Prenatal low-dose methylmercury exposure impairs neurite outgrowth and synaptic protein expression and suppresses TrkA pathway activity and eEF1A1 expression in the rat cerebellum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujimura, Masatake; Usuki, Fusako; Cheng, Jinping; Zhao, Wenchang

    2016-01-01

    Methylmercury (MeHg) is a highly neurotoxic environmental chemical that can cause developmental impairments. Human fetuses and neonates are particularly susceptible to MeHg toxicity; however, the mechanisms governing its effects in the developing brain are unclear. In the present study, we investigated the effects of prenatal and lactational MeHg exposure on the developing cerebellum in rats. We demonstrated that exposure to 5 ppm MeHg decreased postnatal expression of pre- and postsynaptic proteins, suggesting an impairment in synaptic development. MeHg exposure also reduced neurite outgrowth, as shown by a decrease in the expression of the neurite marker neurofilament H. These changes were not observed in rats exposed to 1 ppm MeHg. In order to define the underlying mechanism, we investigated the effects of MeHg exposure on the tropomyosin receptor kinase (Trk) A pathway, which plays important roles in neuronal differentiation and synapse formation. We demonstrated suppression of the TrkA pathway on gestation day 20 in rats exposed to 5 ppm MeHg. In addition, down-regulation of eukaryotic elongation factor 1A1 (eEF1A1) was observed on postnatal day 1. eEF1A1 knockdown in differentiating PC12 cells impaired neurite outgrowth and synaptic protein expression, similar to the results of MeHg exposure in the cerebellum. These results suggest that suppression of the TrkA pathway and subsequent decreases in eEF1A1 expression induced by prenatal exposure to MeHg may lead to reduced neurite outgrowth and synaptic protein expression in the developing cerebellum. - Highlights: • Prenatal exposure to MeHg decreased postnatal expression of synaptic proteins. • MeHg exposure also reduced neurite outgrowth postnatally. • Suppression of the TrkA pathway and eEF1A1 expression was induced by MeHg exposure. • eEF1A1 knockdown impaired neurite outgrowth and synaptic protein expression.

  14. Joint resistance measurements of pancake and terminal joints for JT-60SA EF coils

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Obana, Tetsuhiro, E-mail: obana.tetsuhiro@LHD.nifs.ac.jp [National Institute for Fusion Science, 322-6 Oroshi, Toki, Gifu 509-5292 (Japan); Takahata, Kazuya; Hamaguchi, Shinji; Mito, Toshiyuki; Imagawa, Shinsaku [National Institute for Fusion Science, 322-6 Oroshi, Toki, Gifu 509-5292 (Japan); Kizu, Kaname; Murakami, Haruyuki; Yoshida, Kiyoshi [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 801-1 Mukoyama, Naka, Ibaraki 311-0193 (Japan)

    2013-11-15

    Highlights: • To evaluate the joint fabrication technology for the JT-60SA EF coils, joint resistance measurements were conducted with a joint sample. • The joint sample was composed of pancake and terminal joints. • The measurements demonstrated that both joints fulfilled the design requirement. • Considering the measurements, the characteristics of both joints were investigated using an analytical model that represents the joints. -- Abstract: To evaluate the joint fabrication technology for the JT-60SA EF coils, joint resistance measurements were conducted using a sample consisting of pancake and terminal joints. Both joints are shake-hands lap joints composed of cable-in-conduit conductors and a pure copper saddle-shaped spacer. The measurements demonstrated that both joints fulfilled the design requirement. Considering these measurements, the characteristics of both joints were investigated using analytical models that represent the joints. The analyses indicated that the characteristics of the conductors used in the joints affect the characteristics of the joints.

  15. Functional studies of elongation factor Tu from Escherichia coli : Site-directed mutagenesis and antibiotic action

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Krab, Ivo Maarten

    2001-01-01

    This PhD thesis describes several studies into the structure and function of Escherichia coli Elongation Factor Tu (EF-Tu). EF-Tu plays a central role in the bacterial protein synthesis machinery as the carrier of "coded building blocks" for protein synthesis, aminoacylated tRNA (aa-tRNA). Without

  16. Hb taradale [beta82(EF6)Lys-->Arg]: a novel mutation at a 2,3-diphosphoglycerate binding site.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brennan, Stephen O; Sheen, Campbell; Chan, Tim; George, Peter M

    2005-01-01

    Hb Taradale [beta82(EF6)Lys-->Arg] was initially detected as a split Hb A0 peak on Hb A1c, monitoring. Red cell parameters, hemoglobin (Hb) electrophoresis and stability tests were normal. Mass spectrometry (ms) clearly identified a variant beta chain with a mass increase of 28 Da and peptide mapping located the mutation site to peptide betaT-9. DNA sequencing confirmed the presence of a novel beta82(EF6)Lys-->Arg mutation. This conservative substitution at a 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) binding site did not, however, appear to affect the P50 for oxygen binding.

  17. Mapping the epitopes of a neutralizing antibody fragment directed against the lethal factor of Bacillus anthracis and cross-reacting with the homologous edema factor.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philippe Thullier

    Full Text Available The lethal toxin (LT of Bacillus anthracis, composed of the protective antigen (PA and the lethal factor (LF, plays an essential role in anthrax pathogenesis. PA also interacts with the edema factor (EF, 20% identity with LF to form the edema toxin (ET, which has a lesser role in anthrax pathogenesis. The first recombinant antibody fragment directed against LF was scFv 2LF; it neutralizes LT by blocking the interaction between PA and LF. Here, we report that scFv 2LF cross-reacts with EF and cross-neutralizes ET, and we present an in silico method taking advantage of this cross-reactivity to map the epitope of scFv 2LF on both LF and EF. This method identified five epitope candidates on LF, constituted of a total of 32 residues, which were tested experimentally by mutating the residues to alanine. This combined approach precisely identified the epitope of scFv 2LF on LF as five residues (H229, R230, Q234, L235 and Y236, of which three were missed by the consensus epitope candidate identified by pre-existing in silico methods. The homolog of this epitope on EF (H253, R254, E258, L259 and Y260 was experimentally confirmed to constitute the epitope of scFv 2LF on EF. Other inhibitors, including synthetic molecules, could be used to target these epitopes for therapeutic purposes. The in silico method presented here may be of more general interest.

  18. Efímero Festín, el video danza antártico

    OpenAIRE

    Pombo, Ernesto; Costa Chimene

    2013-01-01

    Efímero Festín es un video danza pensado específicamente para ser realizado en la Antártida argentina. Pretende a través del arte y de una forma poética, colaborar con la concientización del cuidado del medio ambiente.

  19. DNA-based identification and phylogeny of North American Armillaria species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amy L. Ross-Davis; John W. Hanna; Ned B. Klopfenstein

    2011-01-01

    Because Armillaria species display different ecological behaviors across diverse forest ecosystems, it is critical to identify Armillaria species accurately for any assessment of forest health. To further develop DNA-based identification methods, partial sequences of the translation elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1α) gene were used to examine the phylogenetic...

  20. Factor analysis of radionuclide ejection fraction response during exercise in patients with coronary artery disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamamuro, Masashi

    1986-01-01

    In 204 patients with ischemic heart disease and 25 normal subjects who underwent exercise radionuclide ventriculography (RNV), multivariate analyses and other statistical methods were employed to study factors affecting changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (ΔEF). Twenty one variables were obtained from clinical diagnosis, cardiac catheterization, and RNV. Multivariate analyses showed that coronary score for the severity of coronary artery lesions was the most significant factor, followed by exercise duration, resting heart rate, the number of diseased vessels, and exercise heart rate. Statistically significant decrease in ΔEF was associated with regional wall motion abnormality, ECG changes, and chest pain. Lesions in the left main trunk and the proximal area of left anterior descending artery were greatly involved in the decrease of ΔEF. (Namekawa, K.)

  1. Psychological Disorders and Ecological Factors Affect the Development of Executive Functions: Some Perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zebdi, Rafika; Goyet, Louise; Pinabiaux, Charlotte; Guellaï, Bahia

    2016-01-01

    The links between deficits in executive functions (EFs) (e.g., mental flexibility, inhibition capacities, etc.) and some psychological disorders (e.g., anxiety and depressive disorders) have been investigated in the past decades or so. Observations evidenced that some deficits in working memory, planning, and mental flexibility were highly correlated with anxiety and depressive disorders. The majority of studies focused on adults' population, whereas it seems important to adopt a developmental perspective to fully understand the dynamic relation of these EF/psychological disorders. We suggest to focus on the following two axes in future research: (i) relations between EF and anxiety traits through development and (ii) the possible role of external factors such as parent-child relationships on the development of EF.

  2. Embryonal Fyn-associated substrate (EFS) and CASS4: The lesser-known CAS protein family members.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deneka, Alexander; Korobeynikov, Vladislav; Golemis, Erica A

    2015-10-01

    The CAS (Crk-associated substrate) adaptor protein family consists of four members: CASS1/BCAR1/p130Cas, CASS2/NEDD9/HEF1/Cas-L, CASS3/EFS/Sin and CASS4/HEPL. While CAS proteins lack enzymatic activity, they contain specific recognition and binding sites for assembly of larger signaling complexes that are essential for cell proliferation, survival, migration, and other processes. All family members are intermediates in integrin-dependent signaling pathways mediated at focal adhesions, and associate with FAK and SRC family kinases to activate downstream effectors regulating the actin cytoskeleton. Most studies of CAS proteins to date have been focused on the first two members, BCAR1 and NEDD9, with altered expression of these proteins now appreciated as influencing disease development and prognosis for cancer and other serious pathological conditions. For these family members, additional mechanisms of action have been defined in receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling, estrogen receptor signaling or cell cycle progression, involving discrete partner proteins such as SHC, NSP proteins, or AURKA. By contrast, EFS and CASS4 have been less studied, although structure-function analyses indicate they conserve many elements with the better-known family members. Intriguingly, a number of recent studies have implicated these proteins in immune system function, and the pathogenesis of developmental disorders, autoimmune disorders including Crohn's disease, Alzheimer's disease, cancer and other diseases. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of EFS and CASS4 protein function in the context of the larger CAS family group. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. The tRNA synthetase paralog PoxA modifies elongation factor-P with (R)-ß-lysine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Roy, Hervé; Zou, S Betty; Bullwinkle, Tammy J

    2011-01-01

    The lysyl-tRNA synthetase paralog PoxA modifies elongation factor P (EF-P) with a-lysine at low efficiency. Cell-free extracts containing non-a-lysine substrates of PoxA modified EF-P with a change in mass consistent with addition of ß-lysine, a substrate also predicted by genomic analyses. EF......-P was efficiently functionally modified with (R)-ß-lysine but not (S)-ß-lysine or genetically encoded a-amino acids, indicating that PoxA has evolved an activity orthogonal to that of the canonical aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases....

  4. Viability, biofilm formation, and MazEF expression in drug-sensitive and drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains circulating in Xinjiang, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Ji-Li; Liu, Wei; Xie, Wan-Ying; Cao, Xu-Dong; Yuan, Li

    2018-01-01

    Tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is one of the most common chronic infectious amphixenotic diseases worldwide. Prevention and control of TB are greatly difficult, due to the increase in drug-resistant TB, particularly multidrug-resistant TB. We speculated that there were some differences between drug-sensitive and drug-resistant MTB strains and that mazEF 3,6,9 toxin-antitoxin systems (TASs) were involved in MTB viability. This study aimed to investigate differences in viability, biofilm formation, and MazEF expression between drug-sensitive and drug-resistant MTB strains circulating in Xinjiang, China, and whether mazEF 3,6,9 TASs contribute to MTB viability under stress conditions. Growth profiles and biofilm-formation abilities of drug-sensitive, drug-resistant MTB strains and the control strain H37Rv were monitored. Using molecular biology experiments, the mRNA expression of the mazF 3, 6, and 9 toxin genes, the mazE 3, 6, and 9 antitoxin genes, and expression of the MazF9 protein were detected in the different MTB strains, H37RvΔ mazEF 3,6,9 mutants from the H37Rv parent strain were generated, and mutant viability was tested. Ex vivo culture analyses demonstrated that drug-resistant MTB strains exhibit higher survival rates than drug-sensitive strains and the control strain H37Rv. However, there was no statistical difference in biofilm-formation ability in the drug-sensitive, drug-resistant, and H37Rv strains. mazE 3,6 mRNA-expression levels were relatively reduced in the drug-sensitive and drug-resistant strains compared to H37Rv. Conversely, mazE 3,9 expression was increased in drug-sensitive strains compared to drug-resistant strains. Furthermore, compared with the H37Rv strain, mazF 3,6 expression was increased in drug-resistant strains, mazF 9 expression was increased in drug-sensitive strains, and mazF 9 exhibited reduced expression in drug-resistant strains compared with drug-sensitive strains. Protein expression of mazF9

  5. On the indiscriminate use of imported emission factors in environmental impact assessment: A case study in Chile

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bernal, María Fernanda; Oyarzún, Jorge; Oyarzún, Ricardo

    2017-01-01

    Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) aims to determine if the environmental effect of an activity or project complies with standards and regulations. A primary component of the environment to evaluate is air and the effect that various activities can have on its quality. To this end, emission factors (EFs), which are empirical coefficients or mathematical relationships, are normally used. The present research critically analyzes the implications and consequences of using imported EFs in environmental impact studies (EISs), taking as case of study the situation in Chile. Among the main results, the widespread use of EFs in EISs in the country and the lack of assessments of their actual applicability stand out. In addition, the official guidelines related to emissions estimation that are used for EIA in the country mostly include EFs derived elsewhere, without considering the recommendations or restrictions that the original sources indicate for their use. Finally, the broad use of default values defined for the Metropolitan Region in Central Chile, is highly questionable for a country that extends north-south along more than 35° of latitude, with wide variability in climate, traffic conditions, population, soil types, etc. Finally, it is very likely that situations similar to those observed in the present work occurs in other countries with young environmental impact assessment systems, and therefore, that the results herein presented should be of general interest and relevance. - Highlights: • Emission factors are widely used in environmental impact assessment in Chile. • There is a lack of a proper understanding of the limitations of EFs for EIA. • Imported emission factors use requires caution and full understanding. • Misuse of foreign EFs may have serious environmental and economic consequences.

  6. On the indiscriminate use of imported emission factors in environmental impact assessment: A case study in Chile

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bernal, María Fernanda [Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universidad de La Serena (Chile); Oyarzún, Jorge [Department of Mining Engineering, Universidad de La Serena (Chile); Oyarzún, Ricardo, E-mail: royarzun@userena.cl [Department of Mining Engineering, Universidad de La Serena (Chile); Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Aridas, La Serena (Chile)

    2017-05-15

    Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) aims to determine if the environmental effect of an activity or project complies with standards and regulations. A primary component of the environment to evaluate is air and the effect that various activities can have on its quality. To this end, emission factors (EFs), which are empirical coefficients or mathematical relationships, are normally used. The present research critically analyzes the implications and consequences of using imported EFs in environmental impact studies (EISs), taking as case of study the situation in Chile. Among the main results, the widespread use of EFs in EISs in the country and the lack of assessments of their actual applicability stand out. In addition, the official guidelines related to emissions estimation that are used for EIA in the country mostly include EFs derived elsewhere, without considering the recommendations or restrictions that the original sources indicate for their use. Finally, the broad use of default values defined for the Metropolitan Region in Central Chile, is highly questionable for a country that extends north-south along more than 35° of latitude, with wide variability in climate, traffic conditions, population, soil types, etc. Finally, it is very likely that situations similar to those observed in the present work occurs in other countries with young environmental impact assessment systems, and therefore, that the results herein presented should be of general interest and relevance. - Highlights: • Emission factors are widely used in environmental impact assessment in Chile. • There is a lack of a proper understanding of the limitations of EFs for EIA. • Imported emission factors use requires caution and full understanding. • Misuse of foreign EFs may have serious environmental and economic consequences.

  7. The Drosophila mitochondrial translation elongation factor G1 contains a nuclear localization signal and inhibits growth and DPP signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trivigno, Catherine; Haerry, Theodor E

    2011-02-25

    Mutations in the human mitochondrial elongation factor G1 (EF-G1) are recessive lethal and cause death shortly after birth. We have isolated mutations in iconoclast (ico), which encodes the highly conserved Drosophila orthologue of EF-G1. We find that EF-G1 is essential during fly development, but its function is not required in every tissue. In contrast to null mutations, missense mutations exhibit stronger, possibly neomorphic phenotypes that lead to premature death during embryogenesis. Our experiments show that EF-G1 contains a secondary C-terminal nuclear localization signal. Expression of missense mutant forms of EF-G1 can accumulate in the nucleus and cause growth and patterning defects and animal lethality. We find that transgenes that encode mutant human EF-G1 proteins can rescue ico mutants, indicating that the underlying problem of the human disease is not just the loss of enzymatic activity. Our results are consistent with a model where EF-G1 acts as a retrograde signal from mitochondria to the nucleus to slow down cell proliferation if mitochondrial energy output is low.

  8. Identification of novel mazEF/pemIK family toxin-antitoxin loci and their distribution in the Staphylococcus genus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bukowski, Michal; Hyz, Karolina; Janczak, Monika; Hydzik, Marcin; Dubin, Grzegorz; Wladyka, Benedykt

    2017-10-18

    The versatile roles of toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems in bacterial physiology and pathogenesis have been investigated for more than three decades. Diverse TA loci in Bacteria and Archaea have been identified in genome-wide studies. The advent of massive parallel sequencing has substantially expanded the number of known bacterial genomic sequences over the last 5 years. In staphylococci, this has translated into an impressive increase from a few tens to a several thousands of available genomes, which has allowed us for the re-evalution of prior conclusions. In this study, we analysed the distribution of mazEF/pemIK family TA system operons in available staphylococcal genomes and their prevalence in mobile genetic elements. 10 novel m azEF/pemIK homologues were identified, each with a corresponding toxin that plays a potentially different and undetermined physiological role. A detailed characterisation of these TA systems would be exceptionally useful. Of particular interest are those associated with an SCCmec mobile genetic element (responsible for multidrug resistance transmission) or representing the joint horizontal transfer of TA systems and determinants of vancomycin resistance from enterococci. The involvement of TA systems in maintaining mobile genetic elements and the associations between novel mazEF/pemIK loci and those which carry drug resistance genes highlight their potential medical importance.

  9. Skeletal muscle eEF2 and 4EBP1 phosphorylation during endurance exercise is dependent on intensity and muscle fiber type

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rose, Adam John; Bisiani, Bruno; Vistisen, Bodil

    2009-01-01

    that the increase in skeletal muscle eEF2 Thr(56) phosphorylation was restricted to type I myofibers. Taken together, these data suggest that the depression of skeletal muscle protein synthesis with endurance-type exercise may be regulated at both initiation (i.e. 4EBP1) and elongation (i.e. eEF2) steps, with eEF2......Protein synthesis in skeletal muscle is known to decrease during exercise and it has been suggested that this may depend on the magnitude of the relative metabolic stress within the contracting muscle. To examine the mechanisms behind this, the effect of exercise intensity on skeletal muscle......) increased during exercise but was not influenced by exercise intensity, and was lower than rest 30min after exercise. On the other hand, 4EBP1 phosphorylation at Thr(37/46) decreased during exercise and this decrease was greater at higher exercise intensities, and was similar to rest 30min after exercise...

  10. CARRYING OF FRENCH VISAS FOR HOLDERS OF CATEGORY 'EF' FRENCH ATTESTATIONS DE FONCTIONS

    CERN Multimedia

    Service des Relations avec les Pays Hôtes

    1999-01-01

    The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed the Organisation that members of the personnel resident in Switzerland and holding Category 'EF' French Attestations de functions are not obliged to be in possession of French visas. When temporarily travelling through France on OFFICIAL CERN BUSINESS, provided they are carrying the valid Attestation and a valid national passport with them.Relations with the Host States Servicehttp://www.cern.ch/relations/Tel. 72848

  11. [Risk factors associated with work-related accidents in the construction industry in the Valley of Mexico].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarmiento-Salinas, Rodrigo; López-Rojas, Pablo; Marín-Cotoñieto, Irma Araceli; Godínez-Rocha, Arturo; Haro-García, Luis; Salinas-Tovar, Santiago

    2004-01-01

    Our aim was to describe construction-industry, work-related accident prevalence in, associated factors in, and potential impact on affiliated workers of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, IMSS) in the Valley of Mexico. Prevalent cases in a retrospective case-control design. These include 385 construction-industry workers who were found to have construction work-related accidents in 2001. Controls comprised 385 active construction-industry workers without work-related accident background paired by gender, workplace, and worksite. Work-related accident prevalence in construction workers was 5.5%; most important risk factors and etiology fraction (Ef) included the following: age 16-20 years odds ratio, OR = 1.58, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.40-10.7, p = 0.001, Ef 0.36; eventual insurance, OR = 3.7, 95% CI, 2.16-26.45, p = 0.001), Ef, 0.72, and no training for job, OR = 5.3, 95% CI, 4.9-69.2, p = 0.01), Ef: 0.81. Variables not showing significance were included salary, work shift, and workday. Work-related accident prevalence maintains its preponderance in the Valley of Mexico construction industry; identified risk factors are potentially modifiable, among which job training acquires unquestionable relevance.

  12. Loss of elongation factor P disrupts bacterial outer membrane integrity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zou, S Betty; Hersch, Steven J; Roy, Hervé

    2012-01-01

    background ameliorates the detergent, antibiotic, and osmosensitivity phenotypes and restores wild-type permeability to NPN. Our data support a role for EF-P in the translational regulation of a limited number of proteins that, when perturbed, renders the cell susceptible to stress by the adventitious......Elongation factor P (EF-P) is posttranslationally modified at a conserved lysyl residue by the coordinated action of two enzymes, PoxA and YjeK. We have previously established the importance of this modification in Salmonella stress resistance. Here we report that, like poxA and yjeK mutants......, Salmonella strains lacking EF-P display increased susceptibility to hypoosmotic conditions, antibiotics, and detergents and enhanced resistance to the compound S-nitrosoglutathione. The susceptibility phenotypes are largely explained by the enhanced membrane permeability of the efp mutant, which exhibits...

  13. Translation elongation factor 1A facilitates the assembly of the tombusvirus replicase and stimulates minus-strand synthesis.

    OpenAIRE

    Zhenghe Li; Judit Pogany; Steven Tupman; Anthony M Esposito; Terri Goss Kinzy; Peter D Nagy

    2010-01-01

    Replication of plus-strand RNA viruses depends on host factors that are recruited into viral replicase complexes. Previous studies showed that eukaryotic translation elongation factor (eEF1A) is one of the resident host proteins in the highly purified tombusvirus replicase complex. Using a random library of eEF1A mutants, we identified one mutant that decreased and three mutants that increased Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) replication in a yeast model host. Additional in vitro assays with w...

  14. Protection of pigs against challenge with virulent Streptococcus suis serotype 2 strains by a muramidase-released protein and extracellular factor vaccine

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wisselink, H.J.; Vecht, U.; Stockhofe Zurwieden, N.; Smith, H.E.

    2001-01-01

    The efficacy of a muramidase-released protein (MRP) and extracellular factor (EF) vaccine in preventing infection and disease in pigs challenged either with a homologous or a heterologous Streptococcus suis serotype 2 strain (MRP EF ) was compared with the efficacy of a vaccine containing

  15. Targeted silencing of elongation factor 2 kinase suppresses growth and sensitizes tumors to doxorubicin in an orthotopic model of breast cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ibrahim Tekedereli

    Full Text Available Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF-2K, through its phosphorylation of elongation factor 2 (eEF2, provides a mechanism by which cells can control the rate of the elongation phase of protein synthesis. The activity of eEF-2K is increased in rapidly proliferating malignant cells, is inhibited during mitosis, and may contribute to the promotion of autophagy in response to anti-cancer therapies. The purpose of this study was to examine the therapeutic potential of targeting eEF-2K in breast cancer tumors. Through the systemic administration of liposomal eEF-2K siRNA (twice a week, i.v. 150 µg/kg, the expression of eEF-2K was down-regulated in vivo in an orthotopic xenograft mouse model of a highly aggressive triple negative MDA-MB-231 tumor. This targeting resulted in a substantial decrease in eEF2 phosphorylation in the tumors, and led to the inhibition of tumor growth, the induction of apoptosis and the sensitization of tumors to the chemotherapy agent doxorubicin. eEF-2K down-modulation in vitro resulted in a decrease in the expression of c-Myc and cyclin D1 with a concomitant increase in the expression of p27(Kip1. A decrease in the basal activity of c-Src (phospho-Tyr-416, focal adhesion kinase (phospho-Tyr-397, and Akt (phospho-Ser-473 was also detected following eEF-2K down-regulation in MDA-MB-231 cells, as determined by Western blotting. Where tested, similar results were seen in ER-positive MCF-7 cells. These effects were also accompanied by a decrease in the observed invasive phenotype of the MDA-MB-231 cells. These data support the notion that the disruption of eEF-2K expression in breast cancer cells results in the down-regulation of signaling pathways affecting growth, survival and resistance and has potential as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of breast cancer.

  16. Combustion efficiency and emission factors for wildfire-season fires in mixed conifer forests of the northern Rocky Mountains, US

    Science.gov (United States)

    S. P. Urbanski

    2013-01-01

    In the US, wildfires and prescribed burning present significant challenges to air regulatory agencies attempting to achieve and maintain compliance with air quality regulations. Fire emission factors (EF) are essential input for the emission models used to develop wildland fire emission inventories. Most previous studies quantifying wildland fire EF of temperate...

  17. The Drosophila mitochondrial translation elongation factor G1 contains a nuclear localization signal and inhibits growth and DPP signaling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Catherine Trivigno

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Mutations in the human mitochondrial elongation factor G1 (EF-G1 are recessive lethal and cause death shortly after birth. We have isolated mutations in iconoclast (ico, which encodes the highly conserved Drosophila orthologue of EF-G1. We find that EF-G1 is essential during fly development, but its function is not required in every tissue. In contrast to null mutations, missense mutations exhibit stronger, possibly neomorphic phenotypes that lead to premature death during embryogenesis. Our experiments show that EF-G1 contains a secondary C-terminal nuclear localization signal. Expression of missense mutant forms of EF-G1 can accumulate in the nucleus and cause growth and patterning defects and animal lethality. We find that transgenes that encode mutant human EF-G1 proteins can rescue ico mutants, indicating that the underlying problem of the human disease is not just the loss of enzymatic activity. Our results are consistent with a model where EF-G1 acts as a retrograde signal from mitochondria to the nucleus to slow down cell proliferation if mitochondrial energy output is low.

  18. Risk factors for readmission to hospital in adult patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schjødt, Inge; Larsen, Palle; Johnsen, Søren Paaske

    2017-01-01

    REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE:: The objective of this systematic review is to identify and synthesize the best available evidence on risk factors associated with hospital readmission at different time points within the first year after heart failure (HF) hospitalization in patients suffering from HF...... with reduced ejection fraction (EF).More specifically, the question is: what are the risk factors for the prediction of hospital readmission within seven, 15, 30, 60, 90, 180 and 365 days of discharge in hospitalized patients with HF with reduced EF aged 18 years or older?...

  19. In vivo colocalization of 2-nitroimidazole EF5 fluorescence intensity and electron paramagnetic resonance oximetry in mouse tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahy, Pierre; Bast, Marc de; Gallez, Bernard; Gueulette, John; Koch, Cameron J.; Scalliet, Pierre; Gregoire, Vincent

    2003-01-01

    Background and purpose: The primary objective of this study was to establish in vivo the relationship between 2-2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1yl-N-(2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropyl)-acetamide (EF5) adduct formation and intratumoral oxygen concentrations measured by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) in a tumor model mimicking a clinical situation. The secondary objective was an attempt to calibrate in situ the immunofluorescence (IF) signal with EPR oximetry. Materials and methods: IM syngeneic fibrosarcoma (NFSA) bearing C3H mice were used. Three days after injection of a paramagnetic charcoal into the tumor, the mice were anesthetized, injected with the hypoxic marker EF5, and monitored every 20 min for 3 h with a low-frequency EPR spectrometer. Animals were allowed to breath either under 21 or 100% O 2 . Tumors were then harvested, frozen, cut into sections including the charcoal and processed for EF5 adducts detection using monoclonal antibodies. Slices were viewed with a fluorescence microscope and 190x140 μm areas surrounding the charcoal were digitized and analyzed with the NIH-Image and Adobe Photoshop TM software. The fluorescence intensity (FI) was measured in the whole pictures and in strips of 10 μm around the charcoal. Results: EF5 binding increased with decreasing pO 2 , most substantially at pO 2 below 5 mm Hg. Baseline (ambient air) pO 2 reached 3.2±2.1 mm Hg in NFSA tumors. It increased to 9.8±3.2 mm Hg under 100% O 2 . A statistically significant correlation was observed on an individual tumor basis between the FI in the first 10 μm strip around the charcoal and the pO 2 determined by EPR oximetry (Wilcoxon signed rank test: P 2 in an in vivo environment under biologically-relevant pO 2 values of less than 10 mm Hg

  20. Mutation of the conserved Gly94 and Gly126 in elongation factor Tu from Escherichia coli. Elucidation of their structural and functional roles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Knudsen, Charlotte Rohde; Kjaersgård, I V; Wiborg, O

    1995-01-01

    All guanine-nucleotide-binding proteins cycle between an inactive, GDP-bound and an active, GTP-bound conformation whereby they function as molecular switches. Elongation factor Tu from Escherichia coli is used as a model for defining residues important in the switch mechanism. Gly94 and Gly126...... were separately mutated to alanine residues to study their role in the switch mechanism. The mutant proteins are denoted [G94A]EF-Tu and [G126A]EF-Tu, respectively. Both mutations affect the affinities for guanine nucleotides considerably, resulting in a decrease in the characteristic preference...... for GDP over GTP. Furthermore the [G94A]EF-Tu mutant possesses an increased GTPase activity. The aminoacyl-tRNA affinity is much reduced for [G94A]EF-Tu, as reflected in an increase of the dissociation rate constant for the ternary complex by a factor of 40. Surprisingly, however, both mutants...

  1. Spitzer IRS Spectroscopy of the 10 Myr-Old EF Cha Debris Disk: Evidence for Phyllosilicate-Rich Dust in the Terrestrial Zone

    Science.gov (United States)

    Currie, Thayne; Lisse, Carey M.; Sicillia-Aguilar, Aurora; Rieke, George H.; Su, Kate Y. L.

    2011-01-01

    We describe Spitzer IRS spectroscopic observations of the approx. 10 Myr-old star, EF Chao Compositional modeling of the spectra from 5 micron to 35 micron confirms that it is surrounded by a luminous debris disk with L(sub D)/L(sub *) approx. 10(exp -3), containing dust with temperatures between 225 K and 430 K characteristic of the terrestrial zone. The EF Cha spectrum shows evidence for many solid-state features, unlike most cold, low-luminosity debris disks but like some other 10-20 Myr-old luminous, warm debris disks (e.g. HD 113766A). The EF Cha debris disk is unusually rich in a species or combination of species whose emissivities resemble that of finely-powdered, laboratory-measured phyllosilicate species (talc, saponite, and smectite), which are likely produced by aqueous alteration of primordial anhydrous rocky materials. The dust and, by inference, the parent bodies of the debris also contain abundant amorphous silicates and metal sulfides, and possibly water ice. The dust's total olivine to pyroxene ratio of approx. 2 also provides evidence of aqueous alteration. The large mass volume of grains with sizes comparable to or below the radiation blow-out limit implies that planetesimals may be colliding at a rate high enough to yield the emitting dust but not so high as to devolatize the planetesimals via impact processing. Because phyllosilicates are produced by the interactions between anhydrous rock and warm, reactive water, EF Cha's disk is a likely signpost for water delivery to the terrestrial zone of a young planetary system.

  2. Determination of tumour hypoxia with the PET tracer [18F]EF3: improvement of the tumour-to-background ratio in a mouse tumour model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Christian, Nicolas; Bol, Anne; Bast, Marc de; Labar, Daniel; Lee, John; Mahy, Pierre; Gregoire, Vincent

    2007-01-01

    The 2-(2-nitroimidazol-1-yl)-N-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)acetamide (EF3) is a 2-nitroimidazole derivative which undergoes bioreductive activation under hypoxic conditions. Using the PET tracer [ 18 F]EF3 in mice, tumour-to-muscle ratios ranging from 1.3 to 3.5 were observed. This study investigated the impact of various interventions aimed at increasing [ 18 F]EF3 elimination, thus potentially increasing the tumour-to-noise ratio in mice, by increasing the renal filtration rate (spironolactone, furosemide), decreasing tubular re-absorption (metronidazole, ornidazole, amino acid solution) or stimulating gastro-intestinal elimination (phenobarbital). C3H mice were injected i.v. with an average of 12.95 MBq of [ 18 F]EF3. Drugs were injected i.v. 15 min before the tracer or daily 4 days prior to the experiment (phenobarbital). Anaesthetised mice were imaged from 30 to 300 min with a dedicated animal PET (Mosaic, Philips). Regions of interest were delineated around the tumour, bladder, heart, liver and leg muscle. Radioactivity was expressed as a percentage of injected activity per gram of tissue. Ornidazole decreased the urinary excretion and increased the liver uptake of [ 18 F]EF3, but without causing any changes in the other organs. Phenobarbital significantly increased the liver concentration and decreased radioactivity in blood and muscle without affecting the tracer uptake in tumour. Consequently, a small but non-significant increase in tumour-to-noise ratio was observed. Although some effects were observed with other drugs, they did not modify the tumour-to-noise ratio. Only phenobarbital induced a trend toward an increased tumour-to-noise ratio that could possibly be tested in the clinical situation. (orig.)

  3. Vegetation succession over broad geographical scales: which factors determine the patterns?

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Prach, Karel; Řehounková, K.

    2006-01-01

    Roč. 78, - (2006), s. 469-480 ISSN 0032-7786 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA206/02/0617 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : environmental factors * landscape context, * vegetation succession Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 2.119, year: 2006

  4. Role of four conserved aspartic acid residues of EF-loops in the metal ion binding and in the self-assembly of ciliate Euplotes octocarinatus centrin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Wen; Duan, Lian; Sun, Tijian; Yang, Binsheng

    2016-12-01

    Ciliate Euplotes octocarinatus centrin (EoCen) is an EF-hand calcium-binding protein closely related to the prototypical calcium sensor protein calmodulin. Four mutants (D37K, D73K, D110K and D146K) were created firstly to elucidate the importance of the first aspartic acid residues (Asp37, Asp73, Asp110 and Asp146) in the beginning of the four EF-loops of EoCen. Aromatic-sensitized Tb 3+ fluorescence indicates that the aspartic acid residues are very important for the metal-binding of EoCen, except for Asp73 (in EF-loop II). Resonance light scattering (RLS) measurements for different metal ions (Ca 2+ and Tb 3+ ) binding proteins suggest that the order of four conserved aspartic acid residues for contributing to the self-assembly of EoCen is Asp37 > Asp146 > Asp110 > Asp73. Cross-linking experiment also exhibits that Asp37 and Asp146 play critical role in the self-assembly of EoCen. Asp37, in site I, which is located in the N-terminal domain, plays the most important role in the metal ion-dependent self-assembly of EoCen, and there is cooperativity between N-terminal and C-terminal domain (especially the site IV). In addition, the dependence of Tb 3+ induced self-assembly of EoCen and the mutants on various factors, including ionic strength and pH, were characterized using RLS. Finally, 2-p-toluidinylnaphthalene-6-sulfonate (TNS) binding, ionic strength and pH control experiments indicate that in the process of EoCen self-assembly, molecular interactions are mediated by both electrostatic and hydrophobic forces, and the hydrophobic interaction has the important status.

  5. The cytokinin response factors modulate root and shoot growth and promote leaf senescence in Arabidopsis

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Raines, T.; Shanks, C.; Cheng, C.Y.; McPherson, D.; Argueso, C.T.; Kim, H.J.; Franco-Zorrilla, J.M.; Lopez-Vidriero, I.; Solano, R.; Vaňková, Radomíra; Schaller, G.E.; Kieber, J.J.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 85, č. 1 (2016), s. 134-147 ISSN 0960-7412 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : cytokinin * two-component signaling * transcription factors Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 5.901, year: 2016

  6. Platelet-activating factor dilates efferent arterioles through glomerulus-derived nitric oxide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arima, S; Ren, Y; Juncos, L A; Ito, S

    1996-01-01

    Despite evidence that platelet-activating factor (PAF) is produced by the glomerulus, its direct action on the glomerular microcirculation is poorly understood. It was recently reported that at picomolar concentrations, PAF dilates isolated microperfused afferent arterioles (Af-Art) via nitric oxide (NO). The present study tested the hypothesis that PAF acts on the glomerulus to release NO, which in turn controls the resistance of the efferent arteriole (Ef-Art). Rabbit Ef-Art were perfused from the distal end (retrograde perfusion [RP]) to eliminate the influence of the glomerulus, or through the glomerulus from the end of the Af-Art (orthograde perfusion [OP]) to maintain the influence of the glomerulus. Ef-Art were preconstricted by approximately 40% with norepinephrine and increasing doses of PAF were added to both the arteriolar perfusate and bath. Only with OP did PAF at picomolar concentrations cause significant dilation: at 400 pmol, the diameter increased by 64 +/- 11% from the preconstricted level (N = 6, P Art. At nanomolar concentrations, PAF constricted Ef-Art similarly in both RP and OP: at 40 nM, the diameter decreased by 24 +/- 4% (N = 6, P OP (10 +/- 2%, N = 6; P Art; and (2) at nanomolar concentrations, PAF constricts the Ef-Art partly through release of cyclooxygenase metabolites. Thus, PAF may play a role in glomerular hemodynamics under various physiological and pathological conditions.

  7. Mitochondrial translation factors of Trypanosoma brucei: elongation factor-Tu has a unique subdomain that is essential for its function

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Cristodero, M.; Mani, J.; Oeljeklaus, S.; Aeberhard, L.; Hashimi, Hassan; Ramrath, D.J.F.; Lukeš, Julius; Warscheid, B.; Schneider, A.

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 90, č. 4 (2013), s. 744-755 ISSN 0950-382X R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP305/12/2261 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : mitochondrial translation * Trypanosoma brucei * EF-Tu Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 5.026, year: 2013

  8. Factors affecting accuracy of ventricular volume and ejection fraction measured by gated Tl-201 myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pai, Moon Sun; Yang, You Jung; Im, Ki Chun; Hong, Il Ki; Yun, Sung Cheol; Kang, Duk Hyun; Song, Jae Kwan; Moon, Dae Hyuk

    2005-01-01

    Systemic errors in the gated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) measurement of left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV) and ejection fraction (EF) may occur. We evaluated whether patient-related factors affected the accuracy of EDV, ESV, and EF measured by electrocardiogram-gated Tl-201 SPECT. A total of 518 patients without perfusion defects on Tl-201 SPECT or coronary artery disease were studied. EDV, ESV, and EF were measured from echocardiography and adenosine stress/redistribution gated Tl-201 SPECT using commercially available software packages (QGS and 4D-MSPECT). We identified factors affecting the accuracy of gated SPECT via multiple linear regression analysis of the differences between echocardiography and gated SPECT. Gated SPECT analyzed with QGS underestimated EDV and ESV, and overestimated EF, but 4D-MSPECT overestimated all those values (p<0.001). Independent variables that increased the difference in EDV between echocardiography and gated SPECT were decreasing LV end-diastolic wall thickness, decreasing body surface area, female sex and increasing EDV (p< 0.001). Those for ESV were decreasing LV end-systolic wall thickness, female sex, and decreasing ESV (p<0.001). Increasing end-systolic wall thickness, male sex and decreasing age were independent determinants associated with an increased difference in EF (p< 0.001). Adenosine stress SPECT showed significantly higher EDV and ESV values and a lower EF than did redistribution SPECT (p< 0.001). In determination of EF, QGS demonstrated a smaller bias than did 4D-MSPECT. However, in men with LV hypertrophy, 4D-MSPECT was superior to QGS. Systemic error by gated Tl-201 SPECT is determined by individual patient-characteristics

  9. A Medicago truncatula EF-hand family gene, MtCaMP1, is involved in drought and salt stress tolerance.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tian-Zuo Wang

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Calcium-binding proteins that contain EF-hand motifs have been reported to play important roles in transduction of signals associated with biotic and abiotic stresses. To functionally characterize genes of EF-hand family in response to abiotic stress, an MtCaMP1 gene belonging to EF-hand family from legume model plant Medicago truncatula was isolated and its function in response to drought and salt stress was investigated by expressing MtCaMP1 in Arabidopsis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings expressing MtCaMP1 exhibited higher survival rate than wild-type seedlings under drought and salt stress, suggesting that expression of MtCaMP1 confers tolerance of Arabidopsis to drought and salt stress. The transgenic plants accumulated greater amounts of Pro due to up-regulation of P5CS1 and down-regulation of ProDH than wild-type plants under drought stress. There was a less accumulation of Na(+ in the transgenic plants than in WT plants due to reduced up-regulation of AtHKT1 and enhanced regulation of AtNHX1 in the transgenic plants compared to WT plants under salt stress. There was a reduced accumulation of H2O2 and malondialdehyde in the transgenic plants than in WT plants under both drought and salt stress. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The expression of MtCaMP1 in Arabidopsis enhanced tolerance of the transgenic plants to drought and salt stress by effective osmo-regulation due to greater accumulation of Pro and by minimizing toxic Na(+ accumulation, respectively. The enhanced accumulation of Pro and reduced accumulation of Na(+ under drought and salt stress would protect plants from water default and Na(+ toxicity, and alleviate the associated oxidative stress. These findings demonstrate that MtCaMP1 encodes a stress-responsive EF-hand protein that plays a regulatory role in response of plants to drought and salt stress.

  10. Discovery of optical flickering from the symbiotic star EF Aquilae

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zamanov, R. K.; Boeva, S.; Nikolov, Y. M.; Petrov, B.; Bachev, R.; Latev, G. Y.; Popov, V. A.; Stoyanov, K. A.; Bode, M. F.; Martí, J.; Tomov, T.; Antonova, A.

    2017-07-01

    We report optical CCD photometry of the recently identified symbiotic star EF Aql. Our observations in Johnson V and B bands clearly show the presence of stochastic light variations with an amplitude of about 0.2 mag on a time scale of minutes. The observations point toward a white dwarf (WD) as the hot component in the system. It is the 11-th object among more than 200 symbiotic stars known with detected optical flickering. Estimates of the mass accretion rate onto the WD and the mass loss rate in the wind of the Mira secondary star lead to the conclusion that less than 1 per cent of the wind is captured by the WD. Eight further candidates for the detection of flickering in similar systems are suggested.

  11. Pneumonia cases following an EF-5 tornado.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forshee-Hakala, Beth A

    2015-07-01

    Infections following a natural disaster such as an EF-5 tornado can be atypical and difficult to treat. Studies have looked at illness following several natural disasters, but few have studied respiratory illness following a tornado. A review of patients with pneumonia admitted during the period from May 22, 2009, through May 21, 2012, was completed. The Tornado Zone Group included adult patients who lived or worked in the tornado zone during the year following the tornado. Data were isolated by number of pneumonia cases within and outside the tornado zone per month per year. An analysis of variance comparing the number of pneumonia cases from the tornado zone per month per year was significant at F2,38 = 12.93 and P Tornado Zone Group (P Tornado Zone patients to be younger than controls (t390 = 5.14; P Tornado Zone Group included uncommon pathogens not isolated during the 2 years prior. The number of pneumonia cases may increase following tornadoes. Although current guidelines recommend narrow-spectrum antibiotics for community-acquired pneumonia, results of this study suggest the possible need for broader antimicrobial coverage after tornadoes. Copyright © 2015 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. A Model for the Sounding Rocket Measurement on an Ionospheric E-F Valley at the Hainan Low Latitude Station

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Zheng; Shi Jiankui; Guan Yibing; Liu Chao; Zhu Guangwu; Torkar Klaus; Fredrich Martin

    2014-01-01

    To understand the physics of an ionospheric E-F valley, a new overlapping three-Chapman-layer model is developed to interpret the sounding rocket measurement in the morning (sunrise) on May 7, 2011 at the Hainan low latitude ionospheric observation station (19.5°N, 109.1°E). From our model, the valley width, depth and height are 43.0 km, 62.9% and 121.0 km, respectively. From the sounding rocket observation, the valley width, depth and height are 42.2 km, 47.0% and 123.5 km, respectively. The model results are well consistent with the sounding rocket observation. The observed E-F valley at Hainan station is very wide and deep, and rapid development of the photochemical process in the ionosphere should be the underlying reason. (astrophysics and space plasma)

  13. Endogenous ADP-ribosylation of elongation factor 2 in polyoma virus-transformed baby hamster kidney cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fendrick, J.L.; Iglewski, W.J.

    1989-01-01

    Polyoma virus-transformed baby hamster kidney (pyBHK) cells were cultured in medium containing [ 32 P]orthophosphate and 105 (vol/vol) fetal bovine serum. A 32 P-labeled protein with an apparent molecular mass of 97 kDa was immunoprecipitated from cell lysates with antiserum to ADP-ribosylated elongation factor 2 (EF-2). The 32 P labeling of the protein was enhanced by culturing cells in medium containing 2% serum instead of 10% serum. The 32 P label was completely removed from the protein by treatment with snake venom phosphodiesterase and the digestion product was identified as [ 32 P]AMP, indicating the protein was mono-ADP-ribosylated. HPLC analysis of tryptic peptides of the 32 P-labeled 97-kDa protein and purified EF-2, which was ADP-ribosylated in vitro with diphtheria toxin fragment A and [ 32 P]NAD, demonstrated an identical labeled peptide in the two proteins. The data strongly suggest that EF-2 was endogenously ADP-ribosylated in pyBHK cells. Maximum incorporation of radioactivity in EF-2 occurred by 12 hr and remained constant over the subsequent 12 hr. It was estimated that 30-35% of the EF-2 was ADP-ribosylated in cells cultured in medium containing 2% serum. When 32 P-labeled cultures were incubated in medium containing unlabeled phosphate, the 32 P label was lost from the EF-2 within 30 min

  14. Soy Protein-Based Infant Formulas with Supplemental Fructooligosaccharides: Gastrointestinal Tolerance and Hydration Status in Newborn Infants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John Lasekan

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Unlike milk-based infant formulas, soy-based infant formulas containing supplemental fructooligosaccharides (FOS have not been clinically evaluated. A randomized, double-blind, 28 day parallel feeding trial compared gastrointestinal (GI tolerance and hydration in healthy term newborn infants fed either a commercialized soy formula (with history of safe use containing sucrose as 20% of total carbohydrate, no supplemental short-chain FOS (scFOS and no mixed carotenoids (lutein, lycopene, beta-carotene as a control (CF, n = 62 infants or one of two experimental soy-based formulas, EF1 (n = 64 and EF2 (n = 62 containing scFOS (2.5 g/L and mixed carotenoids. EF1 differed from EF2 by containing sucrose. Results indicated no significant study group differences (p > 0.05 in study completion rates (CF = 81, EF1 = 86, & EF2 = 87%, growth, mean rank stool consistency, stool frequency, formula intake, spit-up/vomit, and safety measures (urine specific gravity, USG; hydration status and adverse events. Mean USGs for study groups were normal (<1.03. The EF1 > CF group in percent yellow stools (p < 0.01 at age 14 days. In conclusion, the study suggested that term infants fed soy-based formulas supplemented with scFOS and mixed carotenoids, with or without sucrose in the 1st 35 days of infancy demonstrated good tolerance and hydration comparable to the control soy-based formula with history of safe use.

  15. Effect of isothermal dilution on emission factors of organic carbon and n-alkanes in the particle and gas phases of diesel exhaust

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujitani, Yuji; Saitoh, Katsumi; Fushimi, Akihiro; Takahashi, Katsuyuki; Hasegawa, Shuich; Tanabe, Kiyoshi; Kobayashi, Shinji; Furuyama, Akiko; Hirano, Seishiro; Takami, Akinori

    2012-11-01

    To investigate the effect of isothermal dilution (30 °C) on emission factors (EFs) of semivolatile and nonvolatile compounds of heavy-duty diesel exhaust, we measured EFs for particulate matter (PM), organic carbon (OC), and elemental carbon (EC) in the particle phase, and EFs for n-alkanes in both the particle phase and the gas phase of exhaust produced under high-idle engine operating conditions at dilution ratios (DRs) ranging from 8 to 1027. The EC EFs did not vary with DR, whereas the OC EFs in the particle phase determined at DR = 1027 were 13% of the EFs determined at DR = 8, owing to evaporation of organic compounds. Using partitioning theory and n-alkane EFs measured at DR = 14 and 238, we calculated the distributions of compounds between the particle and gas phases at DR = 1760, which corresponds to the DR for tailpipe emissions as they move from the tailpipe to the roadside atmosphere. The gas-phase EF of a compound with a vapor pressure of 10-7 Pa was 0.01 μg kg-1-fuel at DR = 14, and this value is 1/330 the value derived at DR = 1760. Our results suggest that the EFs of high-volatility compounds in the particle phase will be overestimated and that the EFs of low-volatility compounds in the gas phase will be underestimated if the estimates are derived from data obtained at the low DRs and they are applied to the real world. Therefore, extrapolation from EFs derived at low DR values to EFs at atmospherically relevant DRs will be a source of error in predictions of the concentrations of particulate matter and gas-phase precursors to secondary organic aerosols in air quality models.

  16. Anaerobic expression of the gadE-mdtEF multidrug efflux operon is primarily regulated by the two-component system ArcBA through antagonizing the H-NS mediated repression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Ziqing; Shan, Yue; Pan, Qing; Gao, Xiang; Yan, Aixin

    2013-01-01

    The gadE-mdtEF operon encodes a central acid resistance regulator GadE and two multidrug efflux proteins MdtEF. Although transcriptional regulation of gadE in the context of acid resistance under the aerobic growth environment of Escherichia coli has been extensively studied, regulation of the operon under the physiologically relevant environment of anaerobic growth and its effect on the expression of the multidrug efflux proteins MdtEF in the operon has not been disclosed. Our previous study revealed that anaerobic induction of the operon was dependent on ArcA, the response regulator of the ArcBA two-component system, in the M9 glucose minimal medium. However, the detailed regulatory mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we showed that anaerobic activation of mdtEF was driven by the 798 bp unusually long gadE promoter. Deletion of evgA, ydeO, rpoS, and gadX which has been shown to activate the gadE expression during acid stresses under aerobic condition did not have a significant effect on the anaerobic activation of the operon. Rather, anaerobic activation of the operon was largely dependent on the global regulator ArcA and a GTPase MnmE. Under aerobic condition, transcription of gadE was repressed by the global DNA silencer H-NS in M9 minimal medium. Interestingly, under anaerobic condition, while ΔarcA almost completely abolished transcription of gadE-mdtEF, further deletion of hns in ΔarcA mutant restored the transcription of the full-length PgadE-lacZ, and P1- and P3-lacZ fusions, suggesting an antagonistic effect of ArcA on the H-NS mediated repression. Taken together, we conclude that the anaerobic activation of the gadE-mdtEF was primarily mediated by the two-component system ArcBA through antagonizing the H-NS mediated repression.

  17. Anaerobic expression of the gadE-mdtEF multidrug efflux operon is primarily regulated by the two-component system ArcBA through antagonizing the H-NS mediated repression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ziqing eDeng

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available The gadE-mdtEF operon encodes a central acid resistance regulator GadE and two multidrug efflux proteins MdtEF. Although transcriptional regulation of gadE in the context of acid resistance under the aerobic growth environment of E. coli has been extensively studied, regulation of the operon under the physiologically relevant environment of anaerobic growth and its effect on the expression of the multidrug efflux proteins MdtEF has not been disclosed. Our previous study revealed that anaerobic induction of the operon was dependent on ArcA, the response regulator of the ArcBA two-component system, in the M9 glucose minimal medium. However, the detailed regulatory mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we showed that anaerobic activation of mdtEF was driven by the 798bp unusually long gadE promoter. Deletion of evgA, ydeO, rpoS, and gadX which has been shown to activate the gadE expression during acid stresses under aerobic condition did not have a significant effect on the anaerobic activation of the operon. Rather, anaerobic activation of the operon was largely dependent on the global regulator ArcA and a GTPase MnmE. Under aerobic condition, transcription of gadE was repressed by the global DNA silencer H-NS in M9 minimal medium. Interestingly, under anaerobic condition, while ΔarcA almost completely abolished transcription of gadE-mdtEF, further deletion of hns in ΔarcA mutant restored the transcription of the full length PgadE-lacZ, and P1- and P3-lacZ fusions, suggesting an antagonistic effect of ArcA on the H-NS mediated repression. Taken together, we conclude that the anaerobic activation of the gadE-mdtEF was primarily mediated by the two-component system ArcBA through antagonizing the H-NS mediated repression.

  18. Radioprotective effect of hematopoietic growth factor gene therapy regulated by Egr-1 promoter on radiation injury of SCID mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Du Nan; Pei Xuetao; Luo Chengji; Su Yongping; Cheng Tianmin

    2002-01-01

    Objective: To explore the radioprotective effect of the expression of hematopoietic growth factors regulated by radio-inducible promoter on radiation injury. Methods: The human FL cDNA and EGFP cDNA were linked together with an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) and then inserted into the eukaryotic expression vector pCI-neo with the Egr-1 promoter (Egr-EF), and further transduced into bone marrow stromal cell lines HFCL (HFCL/EF). The HFCL/EF and CD34 + cells from human umbilical cord blood were transplanted i.v. one after the other into sublethally irradiated severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. The number of peripheral blood WBC and human cells engrafted in recipient mice were detected by flow cytometry and CFU-GM assay. Results: In contrast to two control groups (HFCL and HFCL/F), HFCL/EF (the Egr-1 regulatory element-driven expression of FL gene therapy) resulted in a proportionally obvious increase in the number of the WBC at early stage after irradiation. Significant differences were found for CD45 + , CD34 + , CFU-GM, and nucleated cells in the bone marrow. Conclusion: Hematopoietic growth factor gene therapy regulated by radio-inducible promoter has radioprotective effect on radiation hematopoietic injury

  19. Factors related to outcome in heart failure with a preserved (or normal) left ventricular ejection fraction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanderson, John E

    2016-07-01

    Heart failure with a preserved ejection faction (HFpEF) is a growing and expensive cause of heart failure (HF) affecting particularly the elderly. It differs in substantial ways in addition to the normal left ventricular ejection fraction, from the more easily recognized form of heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF or 'systolic heart failure') and unlike HFrEF there have been little advances in treatment. In part, this relates to the complexity of the pathophysiology and identifying the correct targets. In HFpEF, there appears to be widespread stiffening of the vasculature and the myocardium affecting ventricular function (both systolic and diastolic), impeding ventricular suction, and thus early diastolic filling leading to breathlessness on exertion and later atrial failure and fibrillation. Left ventricular ejection fraction tends to gradually decline and some evolve into HFrEF. Most patients also have a mixture of several co-morbidities including hypertension, diabetes, obesity, poor renal function, lack of fitness, and often poor social conditions. Therefore, many factors may influence outcome in an individual patient. In this review, the epidemiology, possible causation, pathophysiology, the influence of co-morbidities and some of the many potential predictors of outcome will be considered.

  20. A Conserved Proline Triplet in Val-tRNA Synthetase and the Origin of Elongation Factor P

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agata L. Starosta

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Bacterial ribosomes stall on polyproline stretches and require the elongation factor P (EF-P to relieve the arrest. Yet it remains unclear why evolution has favored the development of EF-P rather than selecting against the occurrence of polyproline stretches in proteins. We have discovered that only a single polyproline stretch is invariant across all domains of life, namely a proline triplet in ValS, the tRNA synthetase, that charges tRNAVal with valine. Here, we show that expression of ValS in vivo and in vitro requires EF-P and demonstrate that the proline triplet located in the active site of ValS is important for efficient charging of tRNAVal with valine and preventing formation of mischarged Thr-tRNAVal as well as efficient growth of E. coli in vivo. We suggest that the critical role of the proline triplet for ValS activity may explain why bacterial cells coevolved the EF-P rescue system.

  1. Determination of tumour hypoxia with the PET tracer [{sup 18}F]EF3: improvement of the tumour-to-background ratio in a mouse tumour model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Christian, Nicolas; Bol, Anne; Bast, Marc de; Labar, Daniel; Lee, John; Mahy, Pierre; Gregoire, Vincent [Universite Catholique de Louvain, Center for Molecular Imaging and Experimental Radiotherapy, Brussels (Belgium)

    2007-09-15

    The 2-(2-nitroimidazol-1-yl)-N-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)acetamide (EF3) is a 2-nitroimidazole derivative which undergoes bioreductive activation under hypoxic conditions. Using the PET tracer [{sup 18}F]EF3 in mice, tumour-to-muscle ratios ranging from 1.3 to 3.5 were observed. This study investigated the impact of various interventions aimed at increasing [{sup 18}F]EF3 elimination, thus potentially increasing the tumour-to-noise ratio in mice, by increasing the renal filtration rate (spironolactone, furosemide), decreasing tubular re-absorption (metronidazole, ornidazole, amino acid solution) or stimulating gastro-intestinal elimination (phenobarbital). C3H mice were injected i.v. with an average of 12.95 MBq of [{sup 18}F]EF3. Drugs were injected i.v. 15 min before the tracer or daily 4 days prior to the experiment (phenobarbital). Anaesthetised mice were imaged from 30 to 300 min with a dedicated animal PET (Mosaic, Philips). Regions of interest were delineated around the tumour, bladder, heart, liver and leg muscle. Radioactivity was expressed as a percentage of injected activity per gram of tissue. Ornidazole decreased the urinary excretion and increased the liver uptake of [{sup 18}F]EF3, but without causing any changes in the other organs. Phenobarbital significantly increased the liver concentration and decreased radioactivity in blood and muscle without affecting the tracer uptake in tumour. Consequently, a small but non-significant increase in tumour-to-noise ratio was observed. Although some effects were observed with other drugs, they did not modify the tumour-to-noise ratio. Only phenobarbital induced a trend toward an increased tumour-to-noise ratio that could possibly be tested in the clinical situation. (orig.)

  2. [Shereshevsky-Turner syndrome: Estrogen replacement therapy and cardiovascular risk factors].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yevstigneeva, O A; Andreeva, E N; Grigoryan, O R; Volevodz, N N; Melnichenko, G A; Dedov, I I

    To investigate the impact of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) on the expression of risk factors for cardiovascular events (CVEs) in patients with Shereshevsky-Turner syndrome (STS); to elaborate an algorithm for patient management using MHT. From 2010 to 2012, a total of 41 patients aged 14 to 35 years with STS were examined in the framework of a prospective observational study. 100 STS case histories in 2000 to 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. The indicators of the so-called cardiometabolic risk, such as body mass index (BMI), lipidogram readings, venous plasma glucose levels, and blood pressure, were estimated in relation to the type of MHT. In the prospective part of the investigation, an angioscan was used to estimate vessel characteristics (stiffness, wall tone, endothelial function (EF)), by using the examination data. 90% of the patients with STS were found to have risk factors for CVEs: atherogenic dyslipidemia (85%; 51% in the general female population of the same age), diastolic hypertension (36%; no more than 5% that is not typical for age-matched healthy general female population). In addition to increased arterial wall stiffness (AWS), obvious EF disorder is typical for STS patients. MHT was accompanied by a dose-dependent (estradiol, at least 2 mg) reduction in diastolic blood pressure by an average of 13% over 24 months, an increase in high density lipoprotein levels by more than 10% over 24 months and also contributedto a decrease in AWS and an improvement in EF. By favorably affecting the EF of vessels and reducing the severity of atherogenic dyslipidemia, MHT potentially enables a reduction in CV risk in patients with STS.

  3. Are there distinct cognitive and motivational sub-groups of children with ADHD?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lambek, Rikke; Sonuga-Barke, Edmund; Tannock, Rosemary

    2017-01-01

    of scores on EF and DA tests were contrasted using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). LPA was carried out based on factor scores from the CFA and sub-groups were compared in terms of odor identification and behavior. A model with one DA and two EF factors best fit the data. LPA resulted in four sub...

  4. Are emissions of black carbon from gasoline vehicles overestimated? Real-time, in situ measurement of black carbon emission factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yang; Xing, Zhenyu; Zhao, Shuhui; Zheng, Mei; Mu, Chao; Du, Ke

    2016-03-15

    Accurately quantifying black carbon (BC) emission factors (EFs) is a prerequisite for estimation of BC emission inventory. BC EFs determined by measuring BC at the roadside or chasing a vehicle on-road may introduce large uncertainty for low emission vehicles. In this study, BC concentrations were measured inside the tailpipe of gasoline vehicles with different engine sizes under different driving modes to determine the respective EFs. BC EFs ranged from 0.005-7.14 mg/kg-fuel under the speeds of 20-70 km/h, 0.05-28.95 mg/kg-fuel under the accelerations of 0.5-1.5m/s(2). Although the water vapor in the sampling stream could result in an average of 12% negative bias, the BC EFs are significantly lower than the published results obtained with roadside or chasing vehicle measurement. It is suggested to conduct measurement at the tailpipe of gasoline vehicles instead of in the atmosphere behind the vehicles to reduce the uncertainty from fluctuation in ambient BC concentration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Plant Translation Factors and Virus Resistance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hélène Sanfaçon

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Plant viruses recruit cellular translation factors not only to translate their viral RNAs but also to regulate their replication and potentiate their local and systemic movement. Because of the virus dependence on cellular translation factors, it is perhaps not surprising that many natural plant recessive resistance genes have been mapped to mutations of translation initiation factors eIF4E and eIF4G or their isoforms, eIFiso4E and eIFiso4G. The partial functional redundancy of these isoforms allows specific mutation or knock-down of one isoform to provide virus resistance without hindering the general health of the plant. New possible targets for antiviral strategies have also been identified following the characterization of other plant translation factors (eIF4A-like helicases, eIF3, eEF1A and eEF1B that specifically interact with viral RNAs and proteins and regulate various aspects of the infection cycle. Emerging evidence that translation repression operates as an alternative antiviral RNA silencing mechanism is also discussed. Understanding the mechanisms that control the development of natural viral resistance and the emergence of virulent isolates in response to these plant defense responses will provide the basis for the selection of new sources of resistance and for the intelligent design of engineered resistance that is broad-spectrum and durable.

  6. Soy protein-based infant formulas with supplemental fructooligosaccharides: gastrointestinal tolerance and hydration status in newborn infants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lasekan, John; Baggs, Geraldine; Acosta, Sonja; Mackey, Amy

    2015-04-22

    Unlike milk-based infant formulas, soy-based infant formulas containing supplemental fructooligosaccharides (FOS) have not been clinically evaluated. A randomized, double-blind, 28 day parallel feeding trial compared gastrointestinal (GI) tolerance and hydration in healthy term newborn infants fed either a commercialized soy formula (with history of safe use) containing sucrose as 20% of total carbohydrate, no supplemental short-chain FOS (scFOS) and no mixed carotenoids (lutein, lycopene, beta-carotene) as a control (CF, n = 62 infants) or one of two experimental soy-based formulas, EF1 (n = 64) and EF2 (n = 62) containing scFOS (2.5 g/L) and mixed carotenoids. EF1 differed from EF2 by containing sucrose. Results indicated no significant study group differences (p > 0.05) in study completion rates (CF = 81, EF1 = 86, & EF2 = 87%), growth, mean rank stool consistency, stool frequency, formula intake, spit-up/vomit, and safety measures (urine specific gravity, USG; hydration status and adverse events). Mean USGs for study groups were normal ( CF group in percent yellow stools (p < 0.01 at age 14 days). In conclusion, the study suggested that term infants fed soy-based formulas supplemented with scFOS and mixed carotenoids, with or without sucrose in the 1st 35 days of infancy demonstrated good tolerance and hydration comparable to the control soy-based formula with history of safe use.

  7. Endogenous ADP-ribosylation of elongation factor 2 in polyoma virus-transformed baby hamster kidney cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fendrick, J.L.; Iglewski, W.J. (Univ. of Rochester, NY (USA))

    1989-01-01

    Polyoma virus-transformed baby hamster kidney (pyBHK) cells were cultured in medium containing ({sup 32}P)orthophosphate and 105 (vol/vol) fetal bovine serum. A {sup 32}P-labeled protein with an apparent molecular mass of 97 kDa was immunoprecipitated from cell lysates with antiserum to ADP-ribosylated elongation factor 2 (EF-2). The {sup 32}P labeling of the protein was enhanced by culturing cells in medium containing 2% serum instead of 10% serum. The {sup 32}P label was completely removed from the protein by treatment with snake venom phosphodiesterase and the digestion product was identified as ({sup 32}P)AMP, indicating the protein was mono-ADP-ribosylated. HPLC analysis of tryptic peptides of the {sup 32}P-labeled 97-kDa protein and purified EF-2, which was ADP-ribosylated in vitro with diphtheria toxin fragment A and ({sup 32}P)NAD, demonstrated an identical labeled peptide in the two proteins. The data strongly suggest that EF-2 was endogenously ADP-ribosylated in pyBHK cells. Maximum incorporation of radioactivity in EF-2 occurred by 12 hr and remained constant over the subsequent 12 hr. It was estimated that 30-35% of the EF-2 was ADP-ribosylated in cells cultured in medium containing 2% serum. When {sup 32}P-labeled cultures were incubated in medium containing unlabeled phosphate, the {sup 32}P label was lost from the EF-2 within 30 min.

  8. Aerosol emissions factors from traditional biomass cookstoves in India: insights from field measurements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Pandey

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Residential solid biomass cookstoves are important sources of aerosol emissions in India. Cookstove emissions rates are largely based on laboratory experiments conducted using the standard water-boiling test, but real-world emissions are often higher owing to different stove designs, fuels, and cooking methods. Constraining mass emissions factors (EFs for prevalent cookstoves is important because they serve as inputs to bottom-up emissions inventories used to evaluate health and climate impacts. Real-world EFs were measured during winter 2015 for a traditional cookstove (chulha burning fuel wood, agricultural residue, and dung from different regions of India. Average (±95 % confidence interval EFs for fuel wood, agricultural residue, and dung were (1 PM2.5 mass: 10.5 (7.7–13.4 g kg−1, 11.1 (7.7–15.5 g kg−1, and 22.6 (14.9–32.9 g kg−1, respectively; (2 elemental carbon (EC: 0.9 (0.6–1.4 g kg−1, 1.6 (0.6–3.0 g kg−1, and 1.0 (0.4–2.0 g kg−1, respectively; and (3 organic carbon (OC: 4.9 (3.2–7.1 g kg−1, 7.0 (3.5–12.5 g kg−1, and 12.9 (4.2–15.01 g kg−1, respectively. The mean (±95 % confidence interval OC ∕ EC mass ratios were 6.5 (4.5–9.1, 7.6 (4.4–12.2, and 12.7 (6.5–23.3, respectively, with OC and EC quantified by the IMPROVE_A thermal-optical reflectance protocol. These real-world EFs are higher than those from previous laboratory-based measurements. Combustion conditions have larger effects on EFs than the fuel types. We also report the carbon mass fractions of our aerosol samples determined using the thermal-optical reflectance method. The mass fraction profiles are consistent between the three fuel categories but markedly different from those reported in past literature – including the source profiles for wood stove PM2.5 emissions developed as inputs to receptor modeling studies conducted by the Central Pollution Control Board of India. Thermally

  9. Risk factors for treatment failure after allogeneic transplantation of patients with CLL: a report from the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schetelig, J; de Wreede, L C; van Gelder, M; Andersen, N S; Moreno, C; Vitek, A; Karas, M; Michallet, M; Machaczka, M; Gramatzki, M; Beelen, D; Finke, J; Delgado, J; Volin, L; Passweg, J; Dreger, P; Henseler, A; van Biezen, A; Bornhäuser, M; Schönland, S O; Kröger, N

    2017-04-01

    For young patients with high-risk CLL, BTK-/PI3K-inhibitors or allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloHCT) are considered. Patients with a low risk of non-relapse mortality (NRM) but a high risk of failure of targeted therapy may benefit most from alloHCT. We performed Cox regression analyses to identify risk factors for 2-year NRM and 5-year event-free survival (using EFS as a surrogate for long-term disease control) in a large, updated EBMT registry cohort (n= 694). For the whole cohort, 2-year NRM was 28% and 5-year EFS 37%. Higher age, lower performance status, unrelated donor type and unfavorable sex-mismatch had a significant adverse impact on 2-year NRM. Two-year NRM was calculated for good- and poor-risk reference patients. Predicted 2-year-NRM was 11 and 12% for male and female good-risk patients compared with 42 and 33% for male and female poor-risk patients. For 5-year EFS, age, performance status, prior autologous HCT, remission status and sex-mismatch had a significant impact, whereas del(17p) did not. The model-based prediction of 5-year EFS was 55% and 64%, respectively, for male and female good-risk patients. Good-risk transplant candidates with high-risk CLL and limited prognosis either on or after failure of targeted therapy should still be considered for alloHCT.

  10. Shot noise and Fano factor in tunneling in three-band pseudospin-1 Dirac-Weyl systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Rui; Hui, Pak Ming

    2017-06-01

    Tunneling through a potential barrier of height V0 in a two-dimensional system with a band structure consisting of three bands with a flat band intersecting the touching apices of two Dirac cones is studied. Results of the transmission coefficient at various incident angles, conductivity, shot noise, and Fano factor in this pseudospin-1 Dirac-Weyl system are presented and contrasted with those in graphene which is typical of a pseudospin-1/2 system. The pseudospin-1 system is found to show a higher transmission and suppressed shot noise in general. Significant differences in the shot noise and Fano factor due to the super Klein tunneling effect that allows perfect transmission at all incident angles under certain conditions are illustrated. For Fermi energy EF =V0 / 2, super Klein tunneling leads to a noiseless conductivity that takes on the maximum value 2e2 DkF / (πh) for 0 ≤EF ≤V0. This gives rise to a minimum Fano factor, in sharp contrast with that of a local maximum in graphene. For EF =V0, the band structure of pseudospin-1 system no longer leads to a quantized value of the conductivity as in graphene. Both the conductivity and the shot noise show a minimum with the Fano factor approaching 1/4, which is different from the value of 1/3 in graphene.

  11. Identification of a Novel EF-Loop in the N-terminus of TRPM2 Channel Involved in Calcium Sensitivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuhuan Luo

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available As an oxidative stress sensor, transient receptor potential melastatin 2 (TRPM2 channel is involved in many physiological and pathological processes including warmth sensing, ischemia injury, inflammatory diseases and diabetes. Intracellular calcium is critical for TRPM2 channel activation and the IQ-like motif in the N-terminus has been shown to be important by mediating calmodulin binding. Sequence analysis predicted two potential EF-loops in the N-terminus of TRPM2. Site-directed mutagenesis combining with functional assay showed that substitution with alanine of several residues, most of which are conserved in the typical EF-loop, including D267, D278, D288, and E298 dramatically reduced TRPM2 channel currents. By further changing the charges or side chain length of these conserved residues, our results indicate that the negative charge of D267 and the side chain length of D278 are critical for calcium-induced TRPM2 channel activation. G272I mutation also dramatically reduced the channel currents, suggesting that this site is critical for calcium-induced TRPM2 channel activation. Furthermore, D267A mutant dramatically reduced the currents induced by calcium alone compared with that by ADPR, indicating that D267 residue in D267–D278 motif is the most important site for calcium sensitivity of TRPM2. In addition, inside-out recordings showed that mutations at D267, G272, D278, and E298 had no effect on single-channel conductance. Taken together, our data indicate that D267–D278 motif in the N-terminus as a novel EF-loop is critical for calcium-induced TRPM2 channel activation.

  12. Combustion efficiency and emission factors for wildfire-season fires in mixed conifer forests of the northern Rocky Mountains, US

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. P. Urbanski

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available In the US, wildfires and prescribed burning present significant challenges to air regulatory agencies attempting to achieve and maintain compliance with air quality regulations. Fire emission factors (EF are essential input for the emission models used to develop wildland fire emission inventories. Most previous studies quantifying wildland fire EF of temperate ecosystems have focused on emissions from prescribed burning conducted outside of the wildfire season. Little information is available on EF for wildfires in temperate forests of the conterminous US. The goal of this work is to provide information on emissions from wildfire-season forest fires in the northern Rocky Mountains, US. In August 2011, we deployed airborne chemistry instruments and sampled emissions over eight days from three wildfires and a prescribed fire that occurred in mixed conifer forests of the northern Rocky Mountains. We measured the combustion efficiency, quantified as the modified combustion efficiency (MCE, and EF for CO2, CO, and CH4. Our study average values for MCE, EFCO2, EFCO, and EFCH4 were 0.883, 1596 g kg−1, 135 g kg−1, 7.30 g kg−1, respectively. Compared with previous field studies of prescribed fires in temperate forests, the fires sampled in our study had significantly lower MCE and EFCO2 and significantly higher EFCO and EFCH4. The fires sampled in this study burned in areas reported to have moderate to heavy components of standing dead trees and down dead wood due to insect activity and previous fire, but fuel consumption data was not available. However, an analysis of MCE and fuel consumption data from 18 prescribed fires reported in the literature indicates that the availability of coarse fuels and conditions favorable for the combustion of these fuels favors low MCE fires. This analysis suggests that fuel composition was an important factor contributing to the low MCE of the fires measured in this study. This study only measured EF for CO2, CO

  13. Elongation factor P mediates a novel post-transcriptional regulatory pathway critical for bacterial virulence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zou, S Betty; Roy, Hervé; Ibba, Michael

    2012-01-01

    Bacterial pathogens detect and integrate multiple environmental signals to coordinate appropriate changes in gene expression including the selective expression of virulence factors, changes to metabolism and the activation of stress response systems. Mutations that abolish the ability of the path......Bacterial pathogens detect and integrate multiple environmental signals to coordinate appropriate changes in gene expression including the selective expression of virulence factors, changes to metabolism and the activation of stress response systems. Mutations that abolish the ability...... our laboratory and others now suggests that EF-P, previously thought to be essential, instead plays an ancillary role in translation by regulating the synthesis of a relatively limited subset of proteins. Other observations suggest that the eukaryotic homolog of EF-P, eIF5A, may illicit similar...

  14. Proof of U(VI) sorption on Acidovorax facilis by TRLFS and EF-TEM/EELS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Krawczyk-Baersch, Evelyn; Gerber, Ulrike [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). Div. Biogeochemistry; Steudtner, Robin [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). Div. Surface Processes

    2016-07-01

    In EF-TEM/EELS studies it was shown that U(VI) is sorbed mainly on the outer membrane of Acidovorax facilis. The results are supported by TRLFS measurements, which were performed on the pellet of the cells. In comparison to reference spectra of some cell membrane components, the measured emission spectra of the A. facilis pellet show the best agreement with those of the Uranyl-lipopolysaccharide-complex. Hence, it can be concluded that phosphoryl groups may be the main binding sites for uranyl, located in the lipopolysaccharide unit in the outer membrane.

  15. Conceptualization of an R&D Based Learning-to-Innovate Model for Science Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lai, Oiki Sylvia

    The purpose of this research was to conceptualize an R & D based learning-to-innovate (LTI) model. The problem to be addressed was the lack of a theoretical L TI model, which would inform science pedagogy. The absorptive capacity (ACAP) lens was adopted to untangle the R & D LTI phenomenon into four learning processes: problem-solving via knowledge acquisition, incremental improvement via knowledge participation, scientific discovery via knowledge creation, and product design via knowledge productivity. The four knowledge factors were the latent factors and each factor had seven manifest elements as measured variables. The key objectives of the non experimental quantitative survey were to measure the relative importance of the identified elements and to explore the underlining structure of the variables. A questionnaire had been prepared, and was administered to more than 155 R & D professionals from four sectors - business, academic, government, and nonprofit. The results showed that every identified element was important to the R & D professionals, in terms of improving the related type of innovation. The most important elements were highlighted to serve as building blocks for elaboration. In search for patterns of the data matrix, exploratory factor analysis (EF A) was performed. Principal component analysis was the first phase of EF A to extract factors; while maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) was used to estimate the model. EF A yielded the finding of two aspects in each kind of knowledge. Logical names were assigned to represent the nature of the subsets: problem and knowledge under knowledge acquisition, planning and participation under knowledge participation, exploration and discovery under knowledge creation, and construction and invention under knowledge productivity. These two constructs, within each kind of knowledge, added structure to the vague R & D based LTI model. The research questions and hypotheses testing were addressed using correlation

  16. Which factors affect the success or failure of eradication campaigns against alien species?

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Pluess, T.; Jarošík, Vojtěch; Pyšek, Petr; Cannon, R.; Pergl, Jan; Breukers, A.; Bacher, S.

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 7, č. 10 (2012), e48157 E-ISSN 1932-6203 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 7E09053 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : biological invasions * eradication campings * underlying factor Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor : 3.730, year: 2012

  17. Scoring system based on electrocardiogram features to predict the type of heart failure in patients with chronic heart failure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hendry Purnasidha Bagaswoto

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Heart failure is divided into heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF. Additional studies are required to distinguish between these two types of HF. A previous study showed that HFrEF is less likely when ECG findings are normal. This study aims to create a scoring system based on ECG findings that will predict the type of HF. We performed a cross-sectional study analyzing ECG and echocardiographic data from 110 subjects. HFrEF was defined as an ejection fraction ≤40%. Fifty people were diagnosed with HFpEF and 60 people suffered from HFrEF. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed certain ECG variables that were independent predictors of HFrEF i.e., LAH, QRS duration >100 ms, RBBB, ST-T segment changes and prolongation of the QT interval. Based on ROC curve analysis, we obtained a score for HFpEF of -1 to +3, while HFrEF had a score of +4 to +6 with 76% sensitivity, 96% specificity, 95% positive predictive value, an 80% negative predictive value and an accuracy of 86%. The scoring system derived from this study, including the presence or absence of LAH, QRS duration >100 ms, RBBB, ST-T segment changes and prolongation of the QT interval can be used to predict the type of HF with satisfactory sensitivity and specificity

  18. Treatment outcome and prognostic factor analysis in transplant-eligible Chinese myeloma patients receiving bortezomib-based induction regimens including the staged approach, PAD or VTD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chim Chor

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background We have reported promising outcomes using a staged approach, in which bortezomib/thalidomide/dexamethasone was used only in 14 patients with suboptimal response to VAD (vincristine/adriamycin/dexamethasone before autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT. Here we compared the outcomes of the staged approach with frontline PAD (bortezomib/doxorubicin/dexamethasone or VTD (bortezomib/thalidomide/dexamethasone induction, and analysed prognostic factors for outcome. Patients and methods Ninety-one transplant-eligible Chinese patients received three induction regimens prior to ASCT [staged approach (N = 25, PAD (N = 31, VTD (N = 35]. and received thalidomide maintenance for 2 years post-ASCT. Results 43 (47.3% patients had International Staging System (ISS III disease. By an intention-to-treat analysis, the overall CR/nCR rate were 37.4% post-induction, and 62.6% post-ASCT. Five-year overall (OS and event-free (EFS survivals were 66% and 45.1%. There was no difference of the post-induction CR/nCR rate, EFS or OS between patients induced by these three regimens. Moreover, ISS III disease did not affect CR/nCR rates. Multivariate analysis showed that ISS and post-ASCT CR/nCR impacted OS while ISS and post-induction CR/nCR impacted EFS. Conclusions These three induction regimens produced comparable and favorable outcomes in myeloma. The unfavorable outcome of ISS stage III persisted despite upfront/early use of bortezomib. CR/nCR predicted favorable survivals.

  19. Investigation into the Formation, Structure, and Evolution of an EF4 Tornado in East China Using a High-Resolution Numerical Simulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Dan; Xue, Haile; Yin, Jinfang; Sun, Jisong; Liang, Xudong; Guo, Jianping

    2018-04-01

    Devastating tornadoes in China have received growing attention in recent years, but little is known about their formation, structure, and evolution on the tornadic scale. Most of these tornadoes develop within the East Asian monsoon regime, in an environment quite different from tornadoes in the U.S. In this study, we used an idealized, highresolution (25-m grid spacing) numerical simulation to investigate the deadly EF4 (Enhanced Fujita scale category 4) tornado that occurred on 23 June 2016 and claimed 99 lives in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province. A tornadic supercell developed in the simulation that had striking similarities to radar observations. The violent tornado in Funing County was reproduced, exceeding EF4 (74 m s-1), consistent with the on-site damage survey. It was accompanied by a funnel cloud that extended to the surface, and exhibited a double-helix vorticity structure. The signal of tornado genesis was found first at the cloud base in the pressure perturbation field, and then developed both upward and downward in terms of maximum vertical velocity overlapping with the intense vertical vorticity centers. The tornado's demise was found to accompany strong downdrafts overlapping with the intense vorticity centers. One of the interesting findings of this work is that a violent surface vortex was able to be generated and maintained, even though the simulation employed a free-slip lower boundary condition. The success of this simulation, despite using an idealized numerical approach, provides a means to investigate more historical tornadoes in China.

  20. Gestão do processo de design de arquitetura efêmera em museus

    OpenAIRE

    Veiga, Ana Cecilia Nascimento Rocha; Andery, Paulo Roberto Pereira

    2014-01-01

    A gestão de empreendimentos de museus e espaços museográficos têm crescido em complexidade, particularmente na sua fase de concepção. Contribui para isso o reduzido ciclo de vida dos empreendimentos, a arquitetura efêmera, que supõe pouco tempo para projetação, execução e montagem. Soma-se a mudança de significado que os espaços museográficos tiveram em anos recentes, com a interação entre acervo, ambiente construído e público, gerando um briefing mais dinâmico e complexo. Nesse contexto, o p...

  1. Risk Factors of Endocarditis in Patients with Enterococcus faecalis Bacteremia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dahl, Anders; Lauridsen, Trine K; Arpi, Magnus

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND:  The NOVA score is a recently developed diagnostic tool to identify patients with increased risk of infective endocarditis (IE) among patients with Enterococcus faecalis (EF) bacteremia. We aim to validate an adapted version of the NOVA score and to identify risk factors for IE...

  2. 15N NMR relaxation studies of calcium-loaded parvalbumin show tight dynamics compared to those of other EF-hand proteins

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Baldellon, C; Alattia, J R; Strub, M P

    1998-01-01

    Dynamics of the rat alpha-parvalbumin calcium-loaded form have been determined by measurement of 15N nuclear relaxation using proton-detected heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy. The relaxation data were analyzed using spectral density functions and the Lipari-Szabo formalism. The major dynamic features...... for the rat alpha-parvalbumin calcium-loaded form are (1) the extreme rigidity of the helix-loop-helix EF-hand motifs and the linker segment connecting them, (2) the N and C termini of the protein being restricted in their mobility, (3) a conformational exchange occurring at the kink of helix D, and (4...... properties which are conserved in the EF-hand domains from different members of this superfamily: (1) a tendency toward higher mobility of NH vectors at relative position 2 in the Ca2+-binding loop, (2) a restricted mobility for the other residues in the binding loop, and (3) an overall rigidity...

  3. Ef: Software for Nonrelativistic Beam Simulation by Particle-in-Cell Algorithm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boytsov, A. Yu.; Bulychev, A. A.

    2018-04-01

    Understanding of particle dynamics is crucial in construction of electron guns, ion sources and other types of nonrelativistic beam devices. Apart from external guiding and focusing systems, a prominent role in evolution of such low-energy beams is played by particle-particle interaction. Numerical simulations taking into account these effects are typically accomplished by a well-known particle-in-cell method. In practice, for convenient work a simulation program should not only implement this method, but also support parallelization, provide integration with CAD systems and allow access to details of the simulation algorithm. To address the formulated requirements, development of a new open source code - Ef - has been started. It's current features and main functionality are presented. Comparison with several analytical models demonstrates good agreement between the numerical results and the theory. Further development plans are discussed.

  4. Ef: Software for Nonrelativistic Beam Simulation by Particle-in-Cell Algorithm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boytsov A. Yu.

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Understanding of particle dynamics is crucial in construction of electron guns, ion sources and other types of nonrelativistic beam devices. Apart from external guiding and focusing systems, a prominent role in evolution of such low-energy beams is played by particle-particle interaction. Numerical simulations taking into account these effects are typically accomplished by a well-known particle-in-cell method. In practice, for convenient work a simulation program should not only implement this method, but also support parallelization, provide integration with CAD systems and allow access to details of the simulation algorithm. To address the formulated requirements, development of a new open source code - Ef - has been started. It's current features and main functionality are presented. Comparison with several analytical models demonstrates good agreement between the numerical results and the theory. Further development plans are discussed.

  5. Treatment results and prognostic factors of pediatric neuroblastoma: a retrospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Sayed, Mohamed I; Ali, Amany M; Sayed, Heba A; Zaky, Eman M

    2010-12-24

    We conducted a retrospective analysis to investigate treatment results and prognostic factors of pediatric neuroblastoma patients. This retrospective study was carried out analyzing the medical records of patients with the pathological diagnosis of neuroblastoma seen at South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University during the period from January 2001 and January 2010. After induction chemotherapy, response according to international neuoblastoma response criteria was assessed. Radiotherapy to patients with residual primary tumor was applied. Overall and event free survival (OAS and EFS) rates were estimated using Graphed prism program. The Log-rank test was used to examine differences in OAS and EFS rates. Cox-regression multivariate analysis was done to determine the independent prognostic factors affecting survival rates. Fifty three cases were analyzed. The median follow-up duration was 32 months and ranged from 2 to 84 months. The 3-year OAS and EFS rates were 39.4% and 29.3% respectively. Poor prognostic factors included age >1 year of age, N-MYC amplification, and high risk group. The majority of patients (68%) presented in high risk group, where treatment outcome was poor, as only 21% of patients survived for 3 year. Multivariate analysis confirmed only the association between survival and risk group. However, in univariate analysis, local radiation therapy resulted in significant survival improvement. Therefore, radiotherapy should be given to patients with residual tumor evident after induction chemotherapy and surgery. Future attempts to improve OAS in high risk group patients with aggressive chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation should be considered.

  6. Treatment results and prognostic factors of pediatric neuroblastoma: a retrospective study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    El-Sayed Mohamed I

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background We conducted a retrospective analysis to investigate treatment results and prognostic factors of pediatric neuroblastoma patients. Methods This retrospective study was carried out analyzing the medical records of patients with the pathological diagnosis of neuroblastoma seen at South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University during the period from January 2001 and January 2010. After induction chemotherapy, response according to international neuoblastoma response criteria was assessed. Radiotherapy to patients with residual primary tumor was applied. Overall and event free survival (OAS and EFS rates were estimated using Graphed prism program. The Log-rank test was used to examine differences in OAS and EFS rates. Cox-regression multivariate analysis was done to determine the independent prognostic factors affecting survival rates. Results Fifty three cases were analyzed. The median follow-up duration was 32 months and ranged from 2 to 84 months. The 3-year OAS and EFS rates were 39.4% and 29.3% respectively. Poor prognostic factors included age >1 year of age, N-MYC amplification, and high risk group. The majority of patients (68% presented in high risk group, where treatment outcome was poor, as only 21% of patients survived for 3 year. Conclusion Multivariate analysis confirmed only the association between survival and risk group. However, in univariate analysis, local radiation therapy resulted in significant survival improvement. Therefore, radiotherapy should be given to patients with residual tumor evident after induction chemotherapy and surgery. Future attempts to improve OAS in high risk group patients with aggressive chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation should be considered.

  7. Vaccination with Eimeria tenella elongation factor-1α recombinant protein induces protective immunity against E. tenella and E. maxima infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Rui-Qing; Lillehoj, Hyun S; Lee, Seung Kyoo; Oh, Sungtaek; Panebra, Alfredo; Lillehoj, Erik P

    2017-08-30

    Avian coccidiosis is caused by multiple species of the apicomplexan protozoan, Eimeria, and is one of the most economically devastating enteric diseases for the poultry industry worldwide. Host immunity to Eimeria infection, however, is relatively species-specific. The ability to immunize chickens against different species of Eimeria using a single vaccine will have a major beneficial impact on commercial poultry production. In this paper, we describe the molecular cloning, purification, and vaccination efficacy of a novel Eimeria vaccine candidate, elongation factor-1α (EF-1α). One day-old broiler chickens were given two subcutaneous immunizations one week apart with E. coli-expressed E. tenella recombinant (r)EF-1α protein and evaluated for protection against challenge infection with E. tenella or E. maxima. rEF-1α-vaccinated chickens exhibited increased body weight gains, decreased fecal oocyst output, and greater serum anti-EF-1α antibody levels following challenge infection with either E. tenella or E. maxima compared with unimmunized controls. Vaccination with EF-1α may represent a new approach to inducing cross-protective immunity against avian coccidiosis in the field. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  8. Emission factors of fine particulate matter, organic and elemental carbon, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide for four solid fuels commonly used in residential heating by the U.S. Navajo Nation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Champion, Wyatt M; Connors, Lea; Montoya, Lupita D

    2017-09-01

    Most homes in the Navajo Nation use wood as their primary heating fuel, often in combination with locally mined coal. Previous studies observed health effects linked to this solid-fuel use in several Navajo communities. Emission factors (EFs) for common fuels used by the Navajo have not been reported using a relevant stove type. In this study, two softwoods (ponderosa pine and Utah juniper) and two high-volatile bituminous coals (Black Mesa and Fruitland) were tested with an in-use residential conventional wood stove (homestove) using a modified American Society for Testing and Materials/U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (ASTM/EPA) protocol. Filter sampling quantified PM 2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm) and organic (OC) and elemental (EC) carbon in the emissions. Real-time monitoring quantified carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), and total suspended particles (TSP). EFs for these air pollutants were developed and normalized to both fuel mass and energy consumed. In general, coal had significantly higher mass EFs than wood for all pollutants studied. In particular, coal emitted, on average, 10 times more PM 2.5 than wood on a mass basis, and 2.4 times more on an energy basis. The EFs developed here were based on fuel types, stove design, and operating protocols relevant to the Navajo Nation, but they could be useful to other Native Nations with similar practices, such as the nearby Hopi Nation. Indoor wood and coal combustion is an important contributor to public health burdens in the Navajo Nation. Currently, there exist no emission factors representative of Navajo homestoves, fuels, and practices. This study developed emission factors for PM 2.5 , OC, EC, CO, and CO 2 using a representative Navajo homestove. These emission factors may be utilized in regional-, national-, and global-scale health and environmental models. Additionally, the protocols developed and results presented here may inform on-going stove design of

  9. The role of Glu259 in Escherichia coli elongation factor Tu in ternary complex formation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nautrup Pedersen, Gitte; Rattenborg, Thomas; Knudsen, Charlotte Rohde

    1998-01-01

    Determination of the crystal structure of the ternary complex formed between elongation factor Tu:GTP and aminoacylated tRNA revealed three regions of interaction between elongation factor Tu and tRNA. The structure indicates that the conserved glutamic acid at position 271 in Thermus aquaticus EF-Tu...... could be involved in the binding of the 3' CCA-Phe end of the aminoacylated tRNA. Therefore, the corresponding residue, Glu259, of Escherichia coli EF-Tu was mutated into alanine, aspartic acid, glutamine and tyrosine, in order to substantiate the crystallographic structural evidence and to obtain...... of interaction with tRNA, while mutation to tyrosine abolished completely the interaction with tRNA. Finally, mutation to glutamine resulted in an elongation factor Tu variant behaving like the wild type. In conclusion, the environment around the site binding the CCA-Phe end of the tRNA is very restricted...

  10. LBA-ECO TG-10 Fire Emission Factors in Mato Grosso, Para, and Amazonas, Brazil: 2004

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — ABSTRACT: This data set provides derived emission factors (EFs), reported in grams of compound emitted per kilogram of dry fuel (g/kg), for PM10 (particulate matter...

  11. Prognostic value of tumour blood flow, [18F]EF5 and [18F]FDG PET/CT imaging in patients with head and neck cancer treated with radiochemotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Komar, Gaber; Eskola, Olli; Sipilae, Hannu; Solin, Olof; Lehtioe, Kaisa; Levola, Helena; Lindholm, Paula; Seppaelae, Jan; Seppaenen, Marko; Grenman, Reidar; Minn, Heikki

    2014-01-01

    In order to improve the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, precise information on the treated tumour's biology is required and the prognostic importance of different biological parameters needs to be determined. The aim of our study was to determine the predictive value of pretreatment PET/CT imaging using [ 18 F]FDG, a new hypoxia tracer [ 18 F]EF5 and the perfusion tracer [ 15 O]H 2 O in patients with squamous cell cancer of the head and neck treated with radiochemotherapy. The study group comprised 22 patients with confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck who underwent a PET/CT scan using the above tracers before any treatment. Patients were later treated with a combination of radiochemotherapy and surgery. Parametric blood flow was calculated from dynamic [ 15 O]H 2 O PET images using a one-tissue compartment model. [ 18 F]FDG images were analysed by calculating standardized uptake values (SUV) and metabolically active tumour volumes (MATV). [ 18 F]EF5 images were analysed by calculating tumour-to-muscle uptake ratios (T/M ratio). A T/M ratio of 1.5 was considered a significant threshold and used to determine tumour hypoxic subvolumes (HS) and hypoxic fraction area. The findings were finally correlated with the pretreatment clinical findings (overall stage and TNM stage) as well as the outcome following radiochemotherapy in terms of local control and overall patient survival. Tumour stage and T-classification did not show any significant differences in comparison to the patients' metabolic and functional characteristics measured on PET. Using the Cox proportional hazards model, a shorter overall survival was associated with MATV (p = 0.008, HR = 1.108), maximum [ 18 F]EF5 T/M ratio (p = 0.0145, HR = 4.084) and tumour HS (p = 0.0047, HR = 1.112). None of the PET parameters showed a significant effect on patient survival in the log-rank test, although [ 18 F]EF5 maximum T/M ratio was the closest (p = 0.109). By contrast

  12. Nutritional factors as predictors of response to radio-chemotherapy and survival in unresectable squamous head and neck carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salas, Sebastien; Deville, Jean-Laurent; Giorgi, Roch; Pignon, Thierry; Bagarry, Danielle; Barrau, Karine; Zanaret, Michel; Giovanni, Antoine; Bourgeois, Aude; Favre, Roger; Duffaud, Florence

    2008-01-01

    Background and purpose: This study sought to evaluate nutritional prognostic factors before treatment in patients with unresectable head and neck cancer treated by concomitant radio-chemotherapy. Methods and materials: Seventy-two consecutive patients were treated. We studied the potential effects of CRP, Alb, preAlb, orosomucoid, weight, weight history, BMI, PINI, OPR and NRI on response to treatment, Event-Free Survival (EFS) and Overall Survival (OS). Effects of potential risk factors on OS and on EFS were analyzed by computing Kaplan-Meier estimates, and curves were compared using the log-rank test. Results: All biological nutritional factors were statistically correlated with the response to radio-chemotherapy. In multivariate analysis, only CRP (p = 0.004) remained statistically significant. A statistical correlation was found between Alb and EFS in multivariate analysis (p = 0.04). The factors influencing OS in univariate analysis were Alb (p = 0.008), CRP (p = 0.004), orosomucoid (p = 0.01) and NRI (p = 0.01), response to radio-chemotherapy (p < 0.001) and staging (p = 0.04). In multivariate analysis, only the response to radio-chemotherapy (p < 0.001) remained significant. Conclusions: This study illustrates the prognostic value of nutritional status. CRP and Alb may be useful in the assessment of advanced head and neck cancer patients at diagnosis and for stratifying patients taking part in randomized trials

  13. Exploring the Strengths and Limits of Strong and Weak Sustainability Indicators: A Case Study of the Assessment of China’s Megacities with EF and GPI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lu Huang

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The perspective of strong/weak sustainability has a great impact on sustainability assessment. In this study, two most widely used indices, Ecological Footprint (EF and Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI for strong and weak sustainability assessment, were employed to evaluate the sustainability of China’s ten megacities between 1978 and 2015. The results showed that the ecological footprint had been enlarged in the past twenty years; while the genuine economic welfare started to increase since 2005. The cities of Xi’an, Chengdu, Chongqing, and Shanghai met the threshold of below 2.5 global hectares for EF/capita, and over 3000 dollars/capita (in 2010 US$ for GPI/capita. By analyzing and comparing the characteristics, the processes and results, and the complementary features of evaluation methods of EF and GPI, the research suggested that: (1 Strong and weak sustainability indicators, with their own pros/cons in sustainability assessment, should be used carefully; (2 Weak sustainability indicators could be analyzed from the perspective of strong sustainability; (3 Strong sustainability indicators need to be developed urgently. The results in this study could guide the selection of sustainability indicators, and help interpret the results of sustainability assessment.

  14. LBA-ECO TG-10 Fire Emission Factors in Mato Grosso, Para, and Amazonas, Brazil: 2004

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This data set provides derived emission factors (EFs), reported in grams of compound emitted per kilogram of dry fuel (g/kg), for PM10 (particulate matter up to 10...

  15. Antagonistic Activity of Lactobacillus plantarum C11: Two New Two-Peptide Bacteriocins, Plantaricins EF and JK, and the Induction Factor Plantaricin A

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderssen, Erlend L.; Diep, Dzung Bao; Nes, Ingolf F.; Eijsink, Vincent G. H.; Nissen-Meyer, Jon

    1998-01-01

    Six bacteriocinlike peptides (plantaricin A [PlnA], PlnE, PlnF, PlnJ, PlnK, and PlnN) produced by Lactobacillus plantarum C11 were detected by amino acid sequencing and mass spectrometry. Since purification to homogeneity was problematic, all six peptides were obtained by solid-phase peptide synthesis and were tested for bacteriocin activity. It was found that L. plantarum C11 produces two two-peptide bacteriocins (PlnEF and PlnJK); a strain-specific antagonistic activity was detected at nanomolar concentrations when PlnE and PlnF were combined and when PlnJ and PlnK were combined. Complementary peptides were at least 103 times more active when they were combined than when they were present individually, and optimal activity was obtained when the complementary peptides were present in approximately equal amounts. The interaction between complementary peptides was specific, since neither PlnE nor PlnF could complement PlnJ or PlnK, and none of these peptides could complement the peptides constituting the two-peptide bacteriocin lactococcin G. Interestingly, PlnA, which acts as an extracellular signal (pheromone) that triggers bacteriocin production, also possessed a strain-specific antagonistic activity. No bacteriocin activity could be detected for PlnN. PMID:9603847

  16. Efficient determination of vehicle emission factors by fuel use category using on-road measurements: downward trends on Los Angeles freight corridor I-710

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Hudda

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available To evaluate the success of vehicle emissions regulations, trends in both fleet-wide average emissions as well as high-emitter emissions are needed, but it is challenging to capture the full spread of vehicle emission factors (EFs with chassis dynamometer or tunnel studies, and remote sensing studies cannot evaluate particulate compounds. We developed an alternative method that links real-time on-road pollutant measurements from a mobile platform with real-time traffic data, and allows efficient calculation of both the average and the spread of EFs for light-duty gasoline-powered vehicles (LDG and heavy-duty diesel-powered vehicles (HDD. This is the first study in California to report EFs under a full range of real-world driving conditions on multiple freeways. Fleet average LDG EFs were in agreement with most recent studies and an order of magnitude lower than observed HDD EFs. HDD EFs reflected the relatively rapid decreases in diesel emissions that have recently occurred in Los Angeles/California, and on I-710, a primary route used for goods movement and a focus of additional truck fleet turnover incentives, HDD EFs were often lower than on other freeways. When freeway emission rates (ER were quantified as the product of EF and vehicle miles traveled (VMT per time per mile of freeway, despite a two- to three-fold difference in HDD fractions between freeways, ERs were found to be generally similar in magnitude. Higher LDG VMT on low HDD fraction freeways largely offset the difference. Therefore, the conventional assumption that freeways with the highest HDD fractions are significantly worse sources of total emissions in Los Angeles may no longer be~true.

  17. Efficient determination of vehicle emission factors by fuel use category using on-road measurements: downward trends on Los Angeles freight corridor I-710.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hudda, N; Fruin, S; Delfino, R J; Sioutas, C

    2013-01-11

    To evaluate the success of vehicle emissions regulations, trends in both fleet-wide average emissions as well as high-emitter emissions are needed, but it is challenging to capture the full spread of vehicle emission factors (EFs) with chassis dynamometer or tunnel studies, and remote sensing studies cannot evaluate particulate compounds. We developed an alternative method that links real-time on-road pollutant measurements from a mobile platform with real-time traffic data, and allows efficient calculation of both the average and the spread of EFs for light-duty gasoline-powered vehicles (LDG) and heavy-duty diesel-powered vehicles (HDD). This is the first study in California to report EFs under a full range of real-world driving conditions on multiple freeways. Fleet average LDG EFs were in agreement with most recent studies and an order of magnitude lower than observed HDD EFs. HDD EFs reflected the relatively rapid decreases in diesel emissions that have recently occurred in Los Angeles/California, and on I-710, a primary route used for goods movement and a focus of additional truck fleet turnover incentives, HDD EFs were often lower than on other freeways. When freeway emission rates (ER) were quantified as the product of EF and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per time per mile of freeway, despite a twoto three-fold difference in HDD fractions between freeways, ERs were found to be generally similar in magnitude. Higher LDG VMT on low HDD fraction freeways largely offset the difference. Therefore, the conventional assumption that free ways with the highest HDD fractions are significantly worse sources of total emissions in Los Angeles may no longer be true.

  18. The C-terminal helix of ribosomal P stalk recognizes a hydrophobic groove of elongation factor 2 in a novel fashion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanzawa, Takehito; Kato, Koji; Girodat, Dylan; Ose, Toyoyuki; Kumakura, Yuki; Wieden, Hans-Joachim; Uchiumi, Toshio; Tanaka, Isao; Yao, Min

    2018-04-06

    Archaea and eukaryotes have ribosomal P stalks composed of anchor protein P0 and aP1 homodimers (archaea) or P1•P2 heterodimers (eukaryotes). These P stalks recruit translational GTPases to the GTPase-associated center in ribosomes to provide energy during translation. The C-terminus of the P stalk is known to selectively recognize GTPases. Here we investigated the interaction between the P stalk and elongation factor 2 by determining the structures of Pyrococcus horikoshii EF-2 (PhoEF-2) in the Apo-form, GDP-form, GMPPCP-form (GTP-form), and GMPPCP-form bound with 11 C-terminal residues of P1 (P1C11). Helical structured P1C11 binds to a hydrophobic groove between domain G and subdomain G' of PhoEF-2, where is completely different from that of aEF-1α in terms of both position and sequence, implying that such interaction characteristic may be requested by how GTPases perform their functions on the ribosome. Combining PhoEF-2 P1-binding assays with a structural comparison of current PhoEF-2 structures and molecular dynamics model of a P1C11-bound GDP form, the conformational changes of the P1C11-binding groove in each form suggest that in response to the translation process, the groove has three states: closed, open, and release for recruiting and releasing GTPases.

  19. Class I and II Small Heat Shock Proteins Together with HSP101 Protect Protein Translation Factors during Heat Stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McLoughlin, Fionn; Basha, Eman; Fowler, Mary E; Kim, Minsoo; Bordowitz, Juliana; Katiyar-Agarwal, Surekha; Vierling, Elizabeth

    2016-10-01

    The ubiquitous small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are well documented to act in vitro as molecular chaperones to prevent the irreversible aggregation of heat-sensitive proteins. However, the in vivo activities of sHSPs remain unclear. To investigate the two most abundant classes of plant cytosolic sHSPs (class I [CI] and class II [CII]), RNA interference (RNAi) and overexpression lines were created in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and shown to have reduced and enhanced tolerance, respectively, to extreme heat stress. Affinity purification of CI and CII sHSPs from heat-stressed seedlings recovered eukaryotic translation elongation factor (eEF) 1B (α-, β-, and γ-subunits) and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4A (three isoforms), although the association with CI sHSPs was stronger and additional proteins involved in translation were recovered with CI sHSPs. eEF1B subunits became partially insoluble during heat stress and, in the CI and CII RNAi lines, showed reduced recovery to the soluble cell fraction after heat stress, which was also dependent on HSP101. Furthermore, after heat stress, CI sHSPs showed increased retention in the insoluble fraction in the CII RNAi line and vice versa. Immunolocalization revealed that both CI and CII sHSPs were present in cytosolic foci, some of which colocalized with HSP101 and with eEF1Bγ and eEF1Bβ. Thus, CI and CII sHSPs have both unique and overlapping functions and act either directly or indirectly to protect specific translation factors in cytosolic stress granules. © 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  20. Impact factor, eigenfactor, article influence, scopus SNIP, and SCImage journal rank of occupational therapy journals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Ted; Gutman, Sharon A

    2018-05-18

    Journals are currently assessed and ranked using a number of different quantitative performance metrics. To compare and correlate the publication metrics of English-language occupational therapy journals published in 2015. Bibliometric data was sourced for 14 English-language occupational therapy journals including the Journal Citations Report (JCR) 2-year impact factor (IF), Eigenfactor Score (EFS), Article Influence Score (AIS), Scopus Source Normalized Impact per Paper (SNIP), Scopus Citescore, and SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) score. The JCR, Scopus, and SJR 2015 bibliometric data were correlated. The top six English-language occupational therapy journals in relation to JCR IF, EFS, AIS, SNIP, Citescore, SJR score, and SJR IIF were AJOT, AOTJ, POPT, CJOT, SJOT, and BJOT. JCR IF, EFS, JCR AIS, SNIP, Citescore, SJR score and SJR IIF were all significantly correlated with coefficients ranging from 0.751 to 0.961 (p article rankings rather than the singular use of IF scores that currently and frequently occurs in many jurisdictions.

  1. Subclinical atherosclerosis and hyperandrogenemia are independent risk factors for increased epicardial fat thickness in patients with PCOS and idiopathic hirsutism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cakir, Evrim; Doğan, Mehmet; Topaloglu, Oya; Ozbek, Mustafa; Cakal, Erman; Vural, Mustafa Gokhan; Yeter, Ekrem; Delibasi, Tuncay

    2013-01-01

    Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders affecting reproductive-age women and is reported to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and early atherosclerosis. Epicardial fat thickness (EF) is clinically related to subclinical atherosclerosis and visceral fat changes. Therefore, the objective of this study is to compare the carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT), EF and cardiometabolic risk factors in patients with PCOS, patients with idiopathic hirsutism (IH) and healthy controls. This cross-sectional controlled study was conducted in a training and research hospital. The study population consisted of 50 reproductive-age PCOS women, 34 women with IH and 39 control subjects. We evaluated anthropometric, hormonal and metabolic parameters as well as CIMT and EF measurements in PCOS patients, IH patients and controls. The mean fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, hsCRP, GGT, CIMT, and EF levels were significantly higher in patients with PCOS and IH (p cardiometabolic response in patients with PCOS and IH, even at an early stage. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Towards real-time eruption forecasting in the Auckland Volcanic Field: application of BET_EF during the New Zealand National Disaster Exercise `Ruaumoko'

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindsay, Jan; Marzocchi, Warner; Jolly, Gill; Constantinescu, Robert; Selva, Jacopo; Sandri, Laura

    2010-03-01

    The Auckland Volcanic Field (AVF) is a young basaltic field that lies beneath the urban area of Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. Over the past 250,000 years the AVF has produced at least 49 basaltic centers; the last eruption was only 600 years ago. In recognition of the high risk associated with a possible future eruption in Auckland, the New Zealand government ran Exercise Ruaumoko in March 2008, a test of New Zealand’s nation-wide preparedness for responding to a major disaster resulting from a volcanic eruption in Auckland City. The exercise scenario was developed in secret, and covered the period of precursory activity up until the eruption. During Exercise Ruaumoko we adapted a recently developed statistical code for eruption forecasting, namely BET_EF (Bayesian Event Tree for Eruption Forecasting), to independently track the unrest evolution and to forecast the most likely onset time, location and style of the initial phase of the simulated eruption. The code was set up before the start of the exercise by entering reliable information on the past history of the AVF as well as the monitoring signals expected in the event of magmatic unrest and an impending eruption. The average probabilities calculated by BET_EF during Exercise Ruaumoko corresponded well to the probabilities subjectively (and independently) estimated by the advising scientists (differences of few percentage units), and provided a sound forecast of the timing (before the event, the eruption probability reached 90%) and location of the eruption. This application of BET_EF to a volcanic field that has experienced no historical activity and for which otherwise limited prior information is available shows its versatility and potential usefulness as a tool to aid decision-making for a wide range of volcano types. Our near real-time application of BET_EF during Exercise Ruaumoko highlighted its potential to clarify and possibly optimize decision-making procedures in a future AVF eruption

  3. Evaluating the Safety and Tolerability of Sacubitril/Valsartan for HFrEF Managed Within a Pharmacist Clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pogge, Elizabeth K; Davis, Lindsay E

    2018-04-01

    The objective of this research was to describe the use of pharmacist-managed sacubitril/valsartan therapy in a multi-center, outpatient cardiac group. Sacubitril/valsartan, an angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNi), is a novel agent for the treatment of heart failure. An ARNi is recommended by national guidelines to be used in place of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) therapy for patients who remain symptomatic. A retrospective chart review was performed to identify patients initiated and fully titrated on sacubitril/valsartan therapy from July 7, 2015 to March 7, 2017. Fifty-two of the 72 symptomatic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients prescribed sacubitril/valsartan during the 21-month period were included in this analysis. The average ejection fraction was 26%. The average age was 69 years. At baseline, 26.9% of patients were not on ACEi/ARB therapy and 13.5% were on target-dose therapy. After completing the uptitration process, the maximally tolerated dose of sacubitril/valsartan was 5.8% low-dose, 7.7% mid-dose, and 86.5% target-dose. Loop and thiazide diuretic use decreased significantly. There was a significant mean reduction in systolic blood pressure of 6 mmHg with no significant changes in serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, or potassium levels. With close monitoring and follow-up, ARNi therapy was a safe alternative to ACEi/ARB therapy for chronic symptomatic HFrEF when initiated within a pharmacist clinic.

  4. Social and cognitive factors associated with children’s secret-keeping for a parent

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gordon, Heidi M.; Lyon, Thomas D.; Lee, Kang

    2014-01-01

    This study examined children’s secret-keeping for a parent and its relationship to trust, theory of mind, secrecy endorsement, and executive functioning (EF). Children (N = 107) between 4 and 12 years of age participated in a procedure wherein parents broke a toy and asked children to promise secrecy. Responses to open-ended and direct questions were examined. Overall, secret-keeping increased with age and promising to keep the secret was related to fewer disclosures in open-ended questioning. Children who kept the secret in direct questioning exhibited greater trust and better parental ratings of EF than children who disclosed the secret. Findings highlight the importance of both social and cognitive factors in secret-keeping development. PMID:25291258

  5. The relationships within the Chaitophorinae and Drepanosiphinae (Hemiptera, Aphididae) inferred from molecular-based phylogeny and comprehensive morphological data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wieczorek, Karina; Lachowska-Cierlik, Dorota; Kajtoch, Łukasz; Kanturski, Mariusz

    2017-01-01

    The Chaitophorinae is a bionomically diverse Holarctic subfamily of Aphididae. The current classification includes two tribes: the Chaitophorini associated with deciduous trees and shrubs, and Siphini that feed on monocotyledonous plants. We present the first phylogenetic hypothesis for the subfamily, based on molecular and morphological datasets. Molecular analyses were based on the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and the nuclear gene elongation factor-1α (EF-1α). Phylogenetic inferences were obtained individually on each of genes and joined alignments using Bayesian inference (BI) and Maximum likelihood (ML). In phylogenetic trees reconstructed on the basis of nuclear and mitochondrial genes as well as a morphological dataset, the monophyly of Siphini and the genus Chaitophorus was supported. Periphyllus forms independent lineages from Chaitophorus and Siphini. Within this genus two clades comprising European and Asiatic species, respectively, were indicated. Concerning relationships within the subfamily, EF-1α and joined COI and EF-1α genes analysis strongly supports the hypothesis that Chaitophorini do not form a monophyletic clade. Periphyllus is a sister group to a clade containing Chaitophorus and Siphini. The Asiatic unit of Periphyllus also includes Trichaitophorus koyaensis. The analysis of morphological dataset under equally weighted parsimony also supports the view that Chaitophorini is an artificial taxon, as Lambersaphis pruinosae and Pseudopterocomma hughi, both traditionally included in the Chaitophorini, formed independent lineages. COI analyses support consistent groups within the subfamily, but relationships between groups are poorly resolved. These analyses were extended to include the species of closely related and phylogenetically unstudied subfamily Drepanosiphinae, which produced congruent results. Genera Drepanosiphum and Depanaphis are monophyletic and sister. The position of Yamatocallis tokyoensis differs in the

  6. Prognostic value of tumour blood flow, [{sup 18}F]EF5 and [{sup 18}F]FDG PET/CT imaging in patients with head and neck cancer treated with radiochemotherapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Komar, Gaber; Eskola, Olli; Sipilae, Hannu; Solin, Olof [Turku PET Centre, Turku (Finland); Lehtioe, Kaisa; Levola, Helena; Lindholm, Paula; Seppaelae, Jan [Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Turku (Finland); Seppaenen, Marko [Turku PET Centre, Turku (Finland); Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Turku (Finland); Grenman, Reidar [Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Turku (Finland); Minn, Heikki [Turku PET Centre, Turku (Finland); Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Turku (Finland)

    2014-11-15

    In order to improve the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, precise information on the treated tumour's biology is required and the prognostic importance of different biological parameters needs to be determined. The aim of our study was to determine the predictive value of pretreatment PET/CT imaging using [{sup 18}F]FDG, a new hypoxia tracer [{sup 18}F]EF5 and the perfusion tracer [{sup 15}O]H{sub 2}O in patients with squamous cell cancer of the head and neck treated with radiochemotherapy. The study group comprised 22 patients with confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck who underwent a PET/CT scan using the above tracers before any treatment. Patients were later treated with a combination of radiochemotherapy and surgery. Parametric blood flow was calculated from dynamic [{sup 15}O]H{sub 2}O PET images using a one-tissue compartment model. [{sup 18}F]FDG images were analysed by calculating standardized uptake values (SUV) and metabolically active tumour volumes (MATV). [{sup 18}F]EF5 images were analysed by calculating tumour-to-muscle uptake ratios (T/M ratio). A T/M ratio of 1.5 was considered a significant threshold and used to determine tumour hypoxic subvolumes (HS) and hypoxic fraction area. The findings were finally correlated with the pretreatment clinical findings (overall stage and TNM stage) as well as the outcome following radiochemotherapy in terms of local control and overall patient survival. Tumour stage and T-classification did not show any significant differences in comparison to the patients' metabolic and functional characteristics measured on PET. Using the Cox proportional hazards model, a shorter overall survival was associated with MATV (p = 0.008, HR = 1.108), maximum [{sup 18}F]EF5 T/M ratio (p = 0.0145, HR = 4.084) and tumour HS (p = 0.0047, HR = 1.112). None of the PET parameters showed a significant effect on patient survival in the log-rank test, although [{sup 18}F]EF5 maximum T

  7. The surface-associated elongation factor Tu is concealed for antibody binding on viable pneumococci and meningococci

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kolberg, J.; Hammerschmidt, S.; Frank, R.; Jonák, Jiří; Šanderová, Hana; Aase, A.

    2008-01-01

    Roč. 53, č. 2 (2008), s. 222-230 ISSN 0928-8244 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KJB500520503 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50520514; CEZ:AV0Z50200510 Keywords : Streptococcus pneumoniae * Neisseria meningitidis * elongation factor EF-Tu Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 1.972, year: 2008

  8. Effect of Enterococcus faecium EF 55 on morphometry and proliferative activity of intestinal mucosa in broilers infected with Salmonella Enteritidis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ševčíková Zuzana

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of Enterococcus faecium EF55 on chickens, as well as its influence on proliferative activity of epithelial intestinal cells after infection with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis phage type 4 (SE PT4. Moreover, the length and area of duodenal and jejunal villi of the birds were examined.

  9. Relationspips between environmental factors and vegetation in nutrient-enriched fens at fishpond margins

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Navrátilová, Jana; Navrátil, J.; Hájek, Michal

    2006-01-01

    Roč. 41, - (2006), s. 353-376 ISSN 1211-9520 R&D Projects: GA ČR GD524/05/H536 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : fluctuation * water level and chemistry * wetlands vegetation Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.196, year: 2006

  10. Vegetation gradients in fishpond mires in relation to seasonal fluctuations in environmental factors

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Navrátilová, Jana; Navrátil, J.

    2005-01-01

    Roč. 77, - (2005), s. 405-418 ISSN 0032-7786 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GD526/03/H036 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z6005908 Keywords : fluctuation * mire vegetation * water chemistry Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.545, year: 2005

  11. Estimation of the source strength of polybrominated diphenyl ethers based on their diel variability in air in Zurich, Switzerland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moeckel, Claudia; Gasic, Bojan; MacLeod, Matthew; Scheringer, Martin; Jones, Kevin C; Hungerbühler, Konrad

    2010-06-01

    Diel (24-h) concentration variations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in air were measured in the center of Zurich, Switzerland, and on Uetliberg, a hill about 5 km from the city center. Air samples were collected simultaneously at both sites over 4 h time periods for 3 consecutive days during a stable high pressure system in August 2007. Higher PBDE concentrations in the city compared to the Uetliberg site indicate that Zurich is a likely source of PBDEs to the atmosphere. A multimedia mass balance model was used to (i) explain the diel cycling pattern of PBDE concentrations observed at both sites in terms of dominant processes and (ii) estimate emission rates of PBDEs from the city to the atmosphere. We estimate that Zurich emits 0.4, 6.2, 1.6, and 0.4 kg year(-1) of the PBDE congeners 28, 47, 99, and 100, respectively. On a per-capita basis, these estimates are within the range or somewhat above those obtained in other studies using approaches based on emission factors (EF) and PBDE production, usage, and disposal data, or concentration measurements. The present approach complements emission estimates based on the EF approach and can also be applied to source areas where EFs and PBDE material flows are poorly characterized or unknown, such as electronic waste processing plants.

  12. Research Paper: Effect of Play-based Therapy on Metacognitive and Behavioral Aspects of Executive Function: A Randomized, Controlled, Clinical Trial on the Students With Learning Disabilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samaneh Karamali Esmaili

    2017-05-01

    Conclusion: Play-based therapy is effective on the metacognitive and behavioral  aspects of EF in students with specific learning disabilities. Professionals can use play-based therapy rather than educational approaches in clinical practice to enhance EF skills.

  13. From species sensitivity to hypoxia to effect factors modelling in life cycle impact assessment (LCIA)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cosme, Nuno Miguel Dias; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky

    ’s sensitivity in five climate zone (polar, subpolar, temperate, subtropical, tropical). Species Sensitivity Distribution (SSD) curves combining DO concentrations and Potentially Affected Fractions (PAF) of species were plotted to estimate hazard concentrations (HC50LOEL) per climate zone, and Effect Factors (EF...

  14. Auxin regulation of cytokinin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana: A factor of potential importance for auxin-cytokinin-regulated development

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Nordström, A.; Tarkowski, Petr; Tarkowská, Danuše; Norbaek, R.; Astot, C.; Doležal, Karel; Sandberg, G.

    2004-01-01

    Roč. 101, č. 21 (2004), s. 8039-8044 ISSN 0027-8424 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5038910 Keywords : Arabidopsis * auxin * cytokinin * biosynthesis Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 10.452, year: 2004

  15. GTPases and the origin of the ribosome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Smith Temple F

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This paper is an attempt to trace the evolution of the ribosome through the evolution of the universal P-loop GTPases that are involved with the ribosome in translation and with the attachment of the ribosome to the membrane. The GTPases involved in translation in Bacteria/Archaea are the elongation factors EFTu/EF1, the initiation factors IF2/aeIF5b + aeIF2, and the elongation factors EFG/EF2. All of these GTPases also contain the OB fold also found in the non GTPase IF1 involved in initiation. The GTPase involved in the signal recognition particle in most Bacteria and Archaea is SRP54. Results 1 The Elongation Factors of the Archaea based on structural considerations of the domains have the following evolutionary path: EF1→ aeIF2 → EF2. The evolution of the aeIF5b was a later event; 2 the Elongation Factors of the Bacteria based on the topological considerations of the GTPase domain have a similar evolutionary path: EFTu→ IF→2→EFG. These evolutionary sequences reflect the evolution of the LSU followed by the SSU to form the ribosome; 3 the OB-fold IF1 is a mimic of an ancient tRNA minihelix. Conclusion The evolution of translational GTPases of both the Archaea and Bacteria point to the evolution of the ribosome. The elongation factors, EFTu/EF1, began as a Ras-like GTPase bringing the activated minihelix tRNA to the Large Subunit Unit. The initiation factors and elongation factor would then have evolved from the EFTu/EF1 as the small subunit was added to the evolving ribosome. The SRP has an SRP54 GTPase and a specific RNA fold in its RNA component similar to the PTC. We consider the SRP to be a remnant of an ancient form of an LSU bound to a membrane. Reviewers This article was reviewed by George Fox, Leonid Mirny and Chris Sander.

  16. Driving factors behind the eutrophication signal in understorey plant communities of deciduous temperate forests

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Verheyen, E.; Baeten, L.; De Frenne, P.; Brnhardt-Römermann, M.; Brunet, J.; Cornelis, J.; Decocq, G.; Dierschke, H.; Eriksson, O.; Hédl, Radim; Heinken, T.; Hermy, M.; Hommel, P.; Kirby, K.; Naaf, T.; Peterken, G.; Petřík, Petr; Pfadenhauer, J.; Van Calster, H.; Walther, G.-R.; Wulf, M.; Verstraeten, G.

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 100, č. 2 (2012), s. 352-365 ISSN 0022-0477 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA600050812 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : Ellenberg indicator values * forest management * large herbivores Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 5.431, year: 2012

  17. Les experiències artístiques en l'espai públic. Art efímer com a catàlisi de la vida urbana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucila Urda Peña

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available L'art efímer urbà, com a corrent d'expressió de pensament col·lectiu és una font de generació de projectes comunitaris en què els ciutadans poden recuperar "l'experiència de ciutat". La profusió de diverses manifestacions d'art efímer en ciutats de tot el món des de començaments del segle XXI està tenint conseqüències en l'espai urbà tant a nivell local com a nivell global. Una d'elles és la transformació del paisatge urbà, cada vegada més considerat com a escenari visible en projectes de regeneració urbana. A més de la transformació física també es produeixen canvis en les dinàmiques urbanes ja que els efectes de les intervencions tenen conseqüències més enllà dels canvis d'imatge. Els efectes socioeconòmics locals o fins i tot globals de les transformacions lligades a l'art efímer són cada vegada més evidents. Aquest article relata l'origen i desenvolupament de diverses manifestacions artístiques urbanes i reflexiona sobre les seves conseqüències en la vida urbana com a eina de transformació física i social.

  18. Discerning environmental factors affecting current tree growth in Central Europe

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Cienciala, E.; Russ, R.; Šantrůčková, H.; Altman, Jan; Kopáček, Jiří; Hůnová, I.; Štěpánek, Petr; Oulehle, Filip; Tumajer, J.; Stähl, G.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 573, dec (2016), s. 541-554 ISSN 0048-9697 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-12262S Institutional support: RVO:67179843 ; RVO:67985939 ; RVO:60077344 Keywords : Norway spruce * Environmental change * Drought * N-deposition * Managed forest * Tree increment Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour; EF - Botanics (BU-J); GK - Forestry (BC-A) Impact factor: 4.900, year: 2016

  19. Nannocystin A: an Elongation Factor 1 Inhibitor from Myxobacteria with Differential Anti-Cancer Properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krastel, Philipp; Roggo, Silvio; Schirle, Markus; Ross, Nathan T; Perruccio, Francesca; Aspesi, Peter; Aust, Thomas; Buntin, Kathrin; Estoppey, David; Liechty, Brigitta; Mapa, Felipa; Memmert, Klaus; Miller, Howard; Pan, Xuewen; Riedl, Ralph; Thibaut, Christian; Thomas, Jason; Wagner, Trixie; Weber, Eric; Xie, Xiaobing; Schmitt, Esther K; Hoepfner, Dominic

    2015-08-24

    Cultivation of myxobacteria of the Nannocystis genus led to the isolation and structure elucidation of a class of novel cyclic lactone inhibitors of elongation factor 1. Whole genome sequence analysis and annotation enabled identification of the putative biosynthetic cluster and synthesis process. In biological assays the compounds displayed anti-fungal and cytotoxic activity. Combined genetic and proteomic approaches identified the eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1α (EF-1α) as the primary target for this compound class. Nannocystin A (1) displayed differential activity across various cancer cell lines and EEF1A1 expression levels appear to be the main differentiating factor. Biochemical and genetic evidence support an overlapping binding site of 1 with the anti-cancer compound didemnin B on EF-1α. This myxobacterial chemotype thus offers an interesting starting point for further investigations of the potential of therapeutics targeting elongation factor 1. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. [Survey of studies on time factor in acupoint sticking therapy for the bronchial asthma].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Dong-e; Guo, Jian-hong; Lin, Ying

    2010-02-01

    Based on the retrieval of literatures in recent fifteen years, the time factors in the acupoint sticking therapy for the bronchial asthma are analyzed and compared in terms of the stage classification of patients, timing selection of acupoint sticking therapy and medication application, and times of application. The acupoint sticking therapy is mostly practiced during remittent stage of bronchial asthma; the timing selection is mostly during the hottest period of summer, the timing selection in certain cases is the coldest period of winter or any day; the duration of medication application is not consistent; therefore, the effectiveness of these cases is different. It may be that the ef fectiveness is proportional to the times and courses of acupoint sticking therapy for the bronchial asthma. In the future, the scientific designs which involve time factor are needed to elucidate the importance of time factor in acupoint sticking therapy for the bronchial asthma.

  1. Do executive functions explain the covariance between internalizing and externalizing behaviors?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatoum, Alexander S; Rhee, Soo Hyun; Corley, Robin P; Hewitt, John K; Friedman, Naomi P

    2017-11-16

    This study examined whether executive functions (EFs) might be common features of internalizing and externalizing behavior problems across development. We examined relations between three EF latent variables (a common EF factor and factors specific to updating working memory and shifting sets), constructed from nine laboratory tasks administered at age 17, to latent growth intercept (capturing stability) and slope (capturing change) factors of teacher- and parent-reported internalizing and externalizing behaviors in 885 individual twins aged 7 to 16 years. We then estimated the proportion of intercept-intercept and slope-slope correlations predicted by EF as well as the association between EFs and a common psychopathology factor (P factor) estimated from all 9 years of internalizing and externalizing measures. Common EF was negatively associated with the intercepts of teacher-rated internalizing and externalizing behavior in males, and explained 32% of their covariance; in the P factor model, common EF was associated with the P factor in males. Shifting-specific was positively associated with the externalizing slope across sex. EFs did not explain covariation between parent-rated behaviors. These results suggest that EFs are associated with stable problem behavior variation, explain small proportions of covariance, and are a risk factor that that may depend on gender.

  2. VizieR Online Data Catalog: UY UMa and EF Boo compiled time of minima (Yu+, 2017)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Y.-X.; Zhang, X.-D.; Hu, K.; Xiang, F.-Y.

    2017-11-01

    In order to construct the (O-C) diagram to analyze the period change of UY UMa, we have performed a careful search for all available times of light minima. A total of 76 times of light minima were collected and listed in Table 2. >From the literatures and two well-known databases (i.e., the O-C gateway (http://var.astro.cz/ocgate) and the Lichtenknecker database of the BAV (http://www.bav-astro.de/LkDB/index.php)), we have collected a total of 75 available times of light minima for EF Boo, which are summarized in Table 3. (3 data files).

  3. 47 CFR 69.502 - Base factor allocation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Base factor allocation. 69.502 Section 69.502... Segregation of Common Line Element Revenue Requirement § 69.502 Base factor allocation. Projected revenues from the following shall be deducted from the base factor portion to determine the amount that is...

  4. Social and cognitive factors associated with children's secret-keeping for a parent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gordon, Heidi M; Lyon, Thomas D; Lee, Kang

    2014-01-01

    This study examined children's secret-keeping for a parent and its relation to trust, theory of mind, secrecy endorsement, and executive functioning (EF). Children (N = 107) between 4 and 12 years of age participated in a procedure wherein parents broke a toy and asked children to promise secrecy. Responses to open-ended and direct questions were examined. Overall, secret-keeping increased with age and promising to keep the secret was related to fewer disclosures in open-ended questioning. Children who kept the secret in direct questioning exhibited greater trust and better parental ratings of EF than children who disclosed the secret. Findings highlight the importance of both social and cognitive factors in secret-keeping development. © 2014 The Authors. Child Development © 2014 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

  5. Arabidopsis NAC transcription factor JUB1 regulates GA/BR metabolism and signalling

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Shahnejat-Bushehri, S.; Tarkowská, Danuše; Sakuraba, Y.; Balazadeh, S.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 2, č. 3 (2016), č. článku 16013. ISSN 2055-026X R&D Projects: GA MŠk LK21306; GA MŠk(CZ) LO1204; GA ČR GA14-34792S Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : gibberellins * brassinosteroids * signalling Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 10.300, year: 2016

  6. Development of a Performance-Based Measure of Executive Functions in Patients with Schizophrenia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    En-Chi Chiu

    Full Text Available A performance-based measure for assessing executive functions (EF is useful to understand patients' real life performance of EF. This study aimed to develop a performance-based measure of executive functions (PEF based on the Lezak model and to examine psychometric properties (i.e., unidimensionality and reliability of the PEF using Rasch analysis in patients with schizophrenia. We developed the PEF in three phases: (1 designing the preliminary version of PEF; (2 consultation with experts, cognitive interviews with patients, and pilot tests on patients to revise the preliminary PEF; (3 establishment of the final version of the PEF and examination of unidimensionality and Rasch reliability. Two hundred patients were assessed using the revised PEF. After deleting items which did not satisfy the Rasch model's expectations, the final version of the PEF contained 1 practice item and 13 test items for assessing the four domains of EF (i.e., volition, planning, purposive action, and effective performance. For unidimensional and multidimensional Rasch analyses, the 4 domains showed good reliability (i.e., 0.77-0.85 and 0.87-0.90, respectively. Our results showed that the PEF had satisfactory unidimensionality and Rasch reliability. Therefore, clinicians and researchers could use the PEF to assess the four domains of EF in patients with schizophrenia.

  7. La fiesta peronista: recorridos y apropiaciones entre fotografía, arquitectura efímera y poder político

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Franco Marchionni Sánchez

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar la relación entre algunos de los escenarios, fotografías y afiches utilizados como parte de las estrategias desarrolladas por el aparato de administración peronista y explicar su incidencia en la Fiesta de la Vendimia y su construcción imaginaria en torno de la “nueva Argentina” después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. En este momento histórico particular, los registros gráficos y fotográficos considerados son una puerta de entrada para el análisis de los fenómenos efímeros que no pueden ser recuperados de otro modo. La estrategia metodológica utilizada es cualitativa y de tipo exploratorio, con un diseño de carácter flexible. Si bien estos testimonios, reflejados en las fuentes descriptas, no nos devuelven la posibilidad de estar en contacto directo con esas experiencias, sino que nos permiten acceder al conjunto de deseos, tensiones, frustraciones, expectativas, debates, los éxitos y los fracasos mediante los cuales se formularon y desarrollaron los proyectos de arquitectura escénica y propaganda política.   Palabras clave: Archivos fotográficos; Arquitectura Efímera; Fiesta de la Vendimia; Relaciones de Poder; Peronismo.

  8. Centre characteristics and procedure-related factors have an impact on outcomes of allogeneic transplantation for patients with CLL

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schetelig, Johannes; de Wreede, Liesbeth C; Andersen, Niels S

    2017-01-01

    The best approach for allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantations (alloHCT) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is unknown. We therefore analysed the impact of procedure- and centre-related factors on 5-year event-free survival (EFS) in a large retrospective study. Data...... of 684 CLL patients who received a first alloHCT between 2000 and 2011 were analysed by multivariable Cox proportional hazards models with a frailty component to investigate unexplained centre heterogeneity. Five-year EFS of the whole cohort was 37% (95% confidence interval [CI], 34-42%). Larger numbers...... of CLL alloHCTs (hazard ratio [HR] 0·96, P = 0·002), certification of quality management (HR 0·7, P = 0·045) and a higher gross national income per capita (HR 0·4, P = 0·04) improved EFS. In vivo T-cell depletion (TCD) with alemtuzumab compared to no TCD (HR 1·5, P = 0·03), and a female donor compared...

  9. Equation-free analysis of agent-based models and systematic parameter determination

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Spencer A.; Lloyd, David J. B.; Skeldon, Anne C.

    2016-12-01

    Agent based models (ABM)s are increasingly used in social science, economics, mathematics, biology and computer science to describe time dependent systems in circumstances where a description in terms of equations is difficult. Yet few tools are currently available for the systematic analysis of ABM behaviour. Numerical continuation and bifurcation analysis is a well-established tool for the study of deterministic systems. Recently, equation-free (EF) methods have been developed to extend numerical continuation techniques to systems where the dynamics are described at a microscopic scale and continuation of a macroscopic property of the system is considered. To date, the practical use of EF methods has been limited by; (1) the over-head of application-specific implementation; (2) the laborious configuration of problem-specific parameters; and (3) large ensemble sizes (potentially) leading to computationally restrictive run-times. In this paper we address these issues with our tool for the EF continuation of stochastic systems, which includes algorithms to systematically configuration problem specific parameters and enhance robustness to noise. Our tool is generic and can be applied to any 'black-box' simulator and determines the essential EF parameters prior to EF analysis. Robustness is significantly improved using our convergence-constraint with a corrector-repeat (C3R) method. This algorithm automatically detects outliers based on the dynamics of the underlying system enabling both an order of magnitude reduction in ensemble size and continuation of systems at much higher levels of noise than classical approaches. We demonstrate our method with application to several ABM models, revealing parameter dependence, bifurcation and stability analysis of these complex systems giving a deep understanding of the dynamical behaviour of the models in a way that is not otherwise easily obtainable. In each case we demonstrate our systematic parameter determination stage for

  10. Effect of abiotic factors on species richness and cover in Central European weed communities

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Pyšek, Petr; Jarošík, Vojtěch; Kropáč, Z.; Chytrý, M.; Wild, Jan; Tichý, L.

    2005-01-01

    Roč. 109, - (2005), s. 1-8 ISSN 0167-8809 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA526/00/1443 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : weed s of arable land * diversity * agricultural management Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.495, year: 2005

  11. Can tissue element concentration patterns at the individual-species level indicate the factors underlying vegetation gradients in wetlands?

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Rozbrojová, Zuzana; Hájek, M.

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 21, č. 2 (2010), s. 355-363 ISSN 1100-9233 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : plant nutrient concentration * vegetation gradient * wetland vegetation Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 2.457, year: 2010

  12. Risk factors and incidence of contrast induced nephropathy following coronary intervention

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoga Yuniadi

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Contrast induced nephropathy (CIN is one of important complication of contrast media administration. Its incidence and risk factors among Indonesian patients undergoing coronary intervention has not been reported yet. CIN was defined as increasing of serum creatinine by 0.5 mg/dl or more in the third day following contrast media exposure. Of 312 patients undergoing coronary intervention, 25% developed CIN. Patient-related risk factors comprised of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, NYHA class, proteinuria, serum creatinine > 1.5 mg/dl and ejection fraction ≤ 35%. Contrast-related risk factors comprised of contrast media volume > 300 ml, contrast media type. However, our final model demonstrated that only hypertension [Hazard ratio (HR = 2.89, 95% confidence intrval (CI = 1.78 to 4.71, P = 0.000], diabetes mellitus (HR = 3.09, 95% CI = 1.89 to 5.06, P = 0.000, ejection fraction (EF ≤ 35% (HR = 2.92; 95% CI = 1.72 to 4.96; P = 0.000, total contrast volume > 300 ml (HR = 7.73; 95% CI = 3.09 to 19.37; P = 0.000 and proteinuria (HR = 14.96; 95% CI = 3.45 to 64.86; P = 0.000 were independent risk factors of CIN. In conclusion, CIN developed in 25% of patients undergoing coronary intervention. The independent risk factors of CIN included hypertension, diabetes mellitus, EF ≤ 35%, contrast volume > 300 ml and proteinuria. (Med J Indones 2008; 17: 131-7Keywords: contrast induced nephropathy, coronary intervention

  13. Factors influencing the production of stilbenes by the knotweed, Reynoutria × bohemica

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kovářová, Marcela; Bartůňková, Kristýna; Frantík, Tomáš; Koblihová, Helena; Prchalová, K.; Vosátka, Miroslav

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 10, č. 19 (2010), s. 1-16 ISSN 1471-2229 R&D Projects: GA MPO FT-TA3/008; GA MŠk 1M0571 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : japanese knotweed * Reynoutria * stilbenes Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 4.085, year: 2010 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2229/10/19

  14. Impacts and underlying factors of landscape-scale, historical disturbance of mountain forest identified using archival documents

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Brůna, Josef; Wild, Jan; Svoboda, M.; Heurich, M.; Müllerová, Jana

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 2013, č. 305 (2013), s. 294-306 ISSN 0378-1127 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP504/10/0843 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : mountain forests * disturbance * historical range of variability Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 2.667, year: 2013

  15. Are Ichthyosporea animals or fungi? Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of elongation factor 1alpha of Ichthyophonus irregularis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ragan, Mark A; Murphy, Colleen A; Rand, Thomas G

    2003-12-01

    Ichthyosporea is a recently recognized group of morphologically simple eukaryotes, many of which cause disease in aquatic organisms. Ribosomal RNA sequence analyses place Ichthyosporea near the divergence of the animal and fungal lineages, but do not allow resolution of its exact phylogenetic position. Some of the best evidence for a specific grouping of animals and fungi (Opisthokonta) has come from elongation factor 1alpha, not only phylogenetic analysis of sequences but also the presence or absence of short insertions and deletions. We sequenced the EF-1alpha gene from the ichthyosporean parasite Ichthyophonus irregularis and determined its phylogenetic position using neighbor-joining, parsimony and Bayesian methods. We also sequenced EF-1alpha genes from four chytrids to provide broader representation within fungi. Sequence analyses and the presence of a characteristic 12 amino acid insertion strongly indicate that I. irregularis is a member of Opisthokonta, but do not resolve whether I. irregularis is a specific relative of animals or of fungi. However, the EF-1alpha of I. irregularis exhibits a two amino acid deletion heretofore reported only among fungi.

  16. Web-based Factors Affecting Online Purchasing Behaviour

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ariff, Mohd Shoki Md; Sze Yan, Ng; Zakuan, Norhayati; Zaidi Bahari, Ahamad; Jusoh, Ahmad

    2013-06-01

    The growing use of internet and online purchasing among young consumers in Malaysia provides a huge prospect in e-commerce market, specifically for B2C segment. In this market, if E-marketers know the web-based factors affecting online buyers' behaviour, and the effect of these factors on behaviour of online consumers, then they can develop their marketing strategies to convert potential customers into active one, while retaining existing online customers. Review of previous studies related to the online purchasing behaviour in B2C market has point out that the conceptualization and empirical validation of the online purchasing behaviour of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) literate users, or ICT professional, in Malaysia has not been clearly addressed. This paper focuses on (i) web-based factors which online buyers (ICT professional) keep in mind while shopping online; and (ii) the effect of web-based factors on online purchasing behaviour. Based on the extensive literature review, a conceptual framework of 24 items of five factors was constructed to determine web-based factors affecting online purchasing behaviour of ICT professional. Analysis of data was performed based on the 310 questionnaires, which were collected using a stratified random sampling method, from ICT undergraduate students in a public university in Malaysia. The Exploratory factor analysis performed showed that five factors affecting online purchase behaviour are Information Quality, Fulfilment/Reliability/Customer Service, Website Design, Quick and Details, and Privacy/Security. The result of Multiple Regression Analysis indicated that Information Quality, Quick and Details, and Privacy/Security affect positively online purchase behaviour. The results provide a usable model for measuring web-based factors affecting buyers' online purchase behaviour in B2C market, as well as for online shopping companies to focus on the factors that will increase customers' online purchase.

  17. Web-based Factors Affecting Online Purchasing Behaviour

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ariff, Mohd Shoki Md; Yan, Ng Sze; Zakuan, Norhayati; Bahari, Ahamad Zaidi; Jusoh, Ahmad

    2013-01-01

    The growing use of internet and online purchasing among young consumers in Malaysia provides a huge prospect in e-commerce market, specifically for B2C segment. In this market, if E-marketers know the web-based factors affecting online buyers' behaviour, and the effect of these factors on behaviour of online consumers, then they can develop their marketing strategies to convert potential customers into active one, while retaining existing online customers. Review of previous studies related to the online purchasing behaviour in B2C market has point out that the conceptualization and empirical validation of the online purchasing behaviour of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) literate users, or ICT professional, in Malaysia has not been clearly addressed. This paper focuses on (i) web-based factors which online buyers (ICT professional) keep in mind while shopping online; and (ii) the effect of web-based factors on online purchasing behaviour. Based on the extensive literature review, a conceptual framework of 24 items of five factors was constructed to determine web-based factors affecting online purchasing behaviour of ICT professional. Analysis of data was performed based on the 310 questionnaires, which were collected using a stratified random sampling method, from ICT undergraduate students in a public university in Malaysia. The Exploratory factor analysis performed showed that five factors affecting online purchase behaviour are Information Quality, Fulfilment/Reliability/Customer Service, Website Design, Quick and Details, and Privacy/Security. The result of Multiple Regression Analysis indicated that Information Quality, Quick and Details, and Privacy/Security affect positively online purchase behaviour. The results provide a usable model for measuring web-based factors affecting buyers' online purchase behaviour in B2C market, as well as for online shopping companies to focus on the factors that will increase customers' online purchase.

  18. Mutational analysis of Escherichia coli elongation factor Tu in search of a role for the N-terminal region

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mansilla, Francisco; Knudsen, Charlotte Rohde; Laurberg, M

    1998-01-01

    We have mutated lysine 2 and arginine 7 in elongation factor Tu from Escherichia coli separately either to alanine or glutamic acid. The aim of the work was to reveal the possible interactions between the conserved N-terminal part of the molecule, which is rich in basic residues and aminoacyl...... this activity. Furthermore, arginine 7 seems to play a role in regulating the binding of GTP. The three-dimensional structure of the ternary complex, EF-Tu:GTP:Phe-tRNAPhe, involving Thermus aquaticus EF-Tu and yeast Phe-tRNA(Phe), shows that Arg7 is in a position which permits salt bridge formation with Asp284...

  19. Significance of epidermal growth factor receptor signaling for acquisition of meiotic and developmental competence in mammalian oocytes

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Procházka, Radek; Blaha, Milan; Němcová, Lucie

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 97, č. 4 (2017), s. 537-549 ISSN 0006-3363 R&D Projects: GA MZe(CZ) QJ1510138; GA MŠk EF15_003/0000460 Institutional support: RVO:67985904 Keywords : amphiregulin * cumulus cells * epidermal growth factor receptor Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology OBOR OECD: Reproductive biology (medical aspects to be 3) Impact factor: 3.432, year: 2016

  20. Development of an inducible caspase-9 safety switch for pluripotent stem cell–based therapies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chuanfeng Wu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC therapies offer a promising path for patient-specific regenerative medicine. However, tumor formation from residual undifferentiated iPSC or transformation of iPSC or their derivatives is a risk. Inclusion of a suicide gene is one approach to risk mitigation. We introduced a dimerizable-“inducible caspase-9” (iCasp9 suicide gene into mouse iPSC (miPSC and rhesus iPSC (RhiPSC via a lentivirus, driving expression from either a cytomegalovirus (CMV, elongation factor-1 α (EF1α or pluripotency-specific EOS-C(3+ promoter. Exposure of the iPSC to the synthetic chemical dimerizer, AP1903, in vitro induced effective apoptosis in EF1α-iCasp9-expressing (EF1α-iPSC, with less effective killing of EOS-C(3+-iPSC and CMV-iPSC, proportional to transgene expression in these cells. AP1903 treatment of EF1α-iCasp9 miPSC in vitro delayed or prevented teratomas. AP1903 administration following subcutaneous or intravenous delivery of EF1α-iPSC resulted in delayed teratoma progression but did not ablate tumors. EF1α-iCasp9 expression was downregulated during in vitro and in vivo differentiation due to DNA methylation at CpG islands within the promoter, and methylation, and thus decreased expression, could be reversed by 5-azacytidine treatment. The level and stability of suicide gene expression will be important for the development of suicide gene strategies in iPSC regenerative medicine.

  1. Factors influencing distribution and local coexistence of diploids and tetraploids of Vicia cracca: inferences from a common garden experiment

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Eliášová, A.; Münzbergová, Zuzana

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 130, č. 4 (2017), s. 677-687 ISSN 0918-9440 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : drought stress * seed production * vegetative growth Subject RIV: EF - Botanics OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 1.899, year: 2016

  2. Climatic factors affecting radial growth of Betula ermanii and Betula platypylla in Kamchatka

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Doležal, Jiří; Ishii, H.; Kyncl, Tomáš; Takahashi, K.; Vetrova, V. P.; Homma, K.; Sumida, A.; Hara, T.

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 40, č. 2 (2010), s. 273-285 ISSN 0045-5067 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA206/05/0119; GA AV ČR IAA600050802 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : tree-ring widths * boreal forest * Central Japan Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.574, year: 2010

  3. Selective GABA transporter inhibitors tiagabine and EF1502 exhibit mechanistic differences in their ability to modulate the ataxia and anticonvulsant action of the extrasynaptic GABA(A) receptor agonist gaboxadol

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Karsten Kirkegaard; Ebert, Bjarke; Clausen, Rasmus Prætorius

    2011-01-01

    seizures. Even though less is known about the therapeutic potential of other GABA transport inhibitors, previous investigations have demonstrated that N-[4,4-bis(3-methyl-2-thienyl)-3-butenyl]-3-hydroxy-4-(methylamino)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[d]isoxazol-3-ol (EF1502), which, like tiagabine, is inactive...... of gaboxadol (4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo[5,4-c]pyridin-3-ol), which, at the doses used in this study (i.e., 1-5 mg/kg) selectively activates extrasynaptic a4-containing GABA(A) receptors, was determined alone and in combination with either tiagabine or EF1502 using Frings audiogenic seizure-susceptible and CF...

  4. Can campo rupestre vegetation be floristically delimited based on vascular plant genera?

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Alves, R. J. V.; Kolbek, Jiří

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 207, č. 1 (2010), s. 67-79 ISSN 1385-0237 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : vegetation classification * endemism * Brazil Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.880, year: 2010

  5. Review and analysis of global agricultural N₂O emissions relevant to the UK.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buckingham, S; Anthony, S; Bellamy, P H; Cardenas, L M; Higgins, S; McGeough, K; Topp, C F E

    2014-07-15

    As part of a UK government funded research project to update the UK N2O inventory methodology, a systematic review of published nitrous oxide (N2O) emission factors was carried out of non-UK research, for future comparison and synthesis with the UK measurement based evidence base. The aim of the study is to assess how the UK IPCC default emission factor for N2O emissions derived from synthetic or organic fertiliser inputs (EF1) compares to international values reported in published literature. The availability of data for comparing and/or refining the UK IPCC default value and the possibility of analysing sufficient auxiliary data to propose a Tier 2 EF1 reporting strategy is evaluated. The review demonstrated a lack of consistency in reporting error bounds for fertiliser-derived EFs and N2O flux data with 8% and 44% of publications reporting EF and N2O flux error bounds respectively. There was also poor description of environmental (climate and soil) and experimental design auxiliary data. This is likely to be due to differences in study objectives, however potential improvements to soil parameter reporting are proposed. The review demonstrates that emission factors for agricultural-derived N2O emissions ranged -0.34% to 37% showing high variation compared to the UK Tier 1 IPCC EF1 default values of 1.25% (IPCC 1996) and 1% (IPPC 2006). However, the majority (83%) of EFs reported for UK-relevant soils fell within the UK IPCC EF1 uncertainty range of 0.03% to 3%. Residual maximum likelihood (REML) analysis of the data collated in the review showed that the type and rate of fertiliser N applied and soil type were significant factors influencing EFs reported. Country of emission, the length of the measurement period, the number of splits, the crop type, pH and SOC did not have a significant impact on N2O emissions. A subset of publications where sufficient data was reported for meta-analysis to be conducted was identified. Meta-analysis of effect sizes of 41

  6. Modeling state-level soil carbon emission factors under various scenarios for direct land use change associated with United States biofuel feedstock production

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kwon, Ho-Young; Mueller, Steffen; Dunn, Jennifer B.; Wander, Michelle M.

    2013-01-01

    Current estimates of life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of biofuels produced in the US can be improved by refining soil C emission factors (EF; C emissions per land area per year) for direct land use change associated with different biofuel feedstock scenarios. We developed a modeling framework to estimate these EFs at the state-level by utilizing remote sensing data, national statistics databases, and a surrogate model for CENTURY's soil organic C dynamics submodel (SCSOC). We estimated the forward change in soil C concentration within the 0–30 cm depth and computed the associated EFs for the 2011 to 2040 period for croplands, grasslands or pasture/hay, croplands/conservation reserve, and forests that were suited to produce any of four possible biofuel feedstock systems [corn (Zea Mays L)-corn, corn–corn with stover harvest, switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L), and miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus Greef et Deuter)]. Our results predict smaller losses or even modest gains in sequestration for corn based systems, particularly on existing croplands, than previous efforts and support assertions that production of perennial grasses will lead to negative emissions in most situations and that conversion of forest or established grasslands to biofuel production would likely produce net emissions. The proposed framework and use of the SCSOC provide transparency and relative simplicity that permit users to easily modify model inputs to inform biofuel feedstock production targets set forth by policy. -- Highlights: ► We model regionalized feedstock-specific United States soil C emission factors. ► We simulate soil C changes from direct land use change associated with biofuel feedstock production. ► Corn, corn-stover, and perennial grass biofuel feedstocks grown in croplands maintain soil C levels. ► Converting grasslands to bioenergy crops risks soil C loss. ► This modeling framework yields more refined soil C emissions than national-level emissions

  7. Mutational analysis of Glu272 in elongation factor 1A of E. coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mansilla, Francisco; Knudsen, Charlotte Rohde; Clark, Brian F. C.

    1998-01-01

    In our previous work (Mansilla et al. (1997) Protein Eng. 10, 927-934) we showed that Arg7 of Escherichia coli elongation factor Tu (EF1A) plays an essential role in aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) binding. Substitution of Arg7 by Ala or Glu lost this activity. We proposed that Arg7 forms a salt bridge...

  8. Mutational analysis of Glu272 in elongation factor 1A of E. coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mansilla, Francisco; Knudsen, Charlotte Rohde; Clark, Brian F. C.

    1998-01-01

    In our previous work (Mansilla et al. (1997) Protein Eng. 10, 927-934) we showed that Arg7 of Escherichia coli elongation factor Tu (EF1A) plays an essential role in aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) binding. Substitution of Arg7 by Ala or Glu lost this activity. We proposed that Arg7 forms a salt bridge ...

  9. Effect of Play-based Therapy on Meta-cognitive and Behavioral Aspects of Executive Function: A Randomized, Controlled, Clinical Trial on the Students With Learning Disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karamali Esmaili, Samaneh; Shafaroodi, Narges; Hassani Mehraban, Afsoon; Parand, Akram; Zarei, Masoume; Akbari-Zardkhaneh, Saeed

    2017-01-01

    Although the effect of educational methods on executive function (EF) is well known, training this function by a playful method is debatable. The current study aimed at investigating if a play-based intervention is effective on metacognitive and behavioral skills of EF in students with specific learning disabilities. In the current randomized, clinical trial, 49 subjects within the age range of 7 to 11 years with specific learning disabilities were randomly assigned into the intervention (25 subjects; mean age 8.5±1.33 years) and control (24 subjects; mean age 8.7±1.03 years) groups. Subjects in the intervention group received EF group training based on playing activities; subjects in the control group received no intervention. The behavior rating inventory of executive function (BRIEF) was administered to evaluate the behavioral and cognitive aspects of EF. The duration of the intervention was 6 hours per week for 9 weeks. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to compare mean changes (before and after) in the BRIEF scores between the groups. The assumptions of multivariate analysis of covariance were examined. After controlling pre-test conditions, the intervention and control groups scored significantly differently on both the metacognition (P=0.002; effect size=0.20) and behavior regulation indices (P=0.01; effect size=0.12) of BRIEF. Play-based therapy is effective on the metacognitive and behavioral aspects of EF in students with specific learning disabilities. Professionals can use play-based therapy rather than educational approaches in clinical practice to enhance EF skills.

  10. [Ecological Footprint Evolution Characteristics and Its Influencing Factors in China from 2000 to 2010].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Bao-rong; Cui, Shu-hong; Li, Ying-ming

    2016-02-15

    According to global average land productivities in 2000, this study calculated ecological footprint (EF) in China from 2000 to 2010, and analyzed its dynamic characteristics and socio-economic driving forces. The results showed that the total EF in China increased from 1.769 to 3.259 billion global hectares (gha) from 2000 to 2010, and its annual growth rate was 6.30%. Carbon Footprint was the fastest growth type of EF. It increased from 0.742 to 1.805 billion gha, and its annual growth rate was 9.29%. The net increase of cropland Footprint was also large in comparison to other types of Footprint. It increased from 0.678 to 0.891 billion gha. Per capita EF in China increased from 1.40 to 2.43 gha in this period. Although it was still below the world average level, it was far beyond per capita ecological carrying capacity in China, which led to serious ecological deficit and severe ecological crisis in China. The fast growth of per capita EF was the main driving force for the growth of total EF in China during the study period. Further, the growth of per capita EF was positively influenced by the growth of per capita consumption of products and severs, which was driven by economic growth and urbanization. Meanwhile, a large amount of exports of resource-intensive products in international trade was also an important driving force for EF growth. According to the evolution route of per capita EF in developed countries, along with China moving from middle-income to high-income country, per capita EF will maintain rapid growth, and ecological deficit in China will further exacerbate.

  11. Cumulative impacts of human activities on urban garden soils: Origin and accumulation of metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szolnoki, Zs.; Farsang, A.; Puskás, I.

    2013-01-01

    The concentration of heavy metals and soil properties in fifty urban garden soils of Szeged (SE Hungary) were determined to evaluate the cumulative impacts of urbanization and cultivation on these soils. Using two enrichment factors (EFs) (based on reference horizon; Ti as reference element) and multivariate statistical analysis (PCA), the origin of the studied elements was defined. According to statistical coincidence of EFs confirmed by t-test, anthropogenic enrichment of Cu (EF = 4), Zn (EF = 2.7) and Pb (EF = 2.5) was significant in topsoils. Moreover, PCA also revealed the geogenic origin of Ni, Co, Cr and As and differentiated two groups of the anthropogenic metals [Pb, Zn] [Cu]. Spatial distribution of the metals visualized by GIS reflected the traffic origin of Pb; while based on ANOVA, the anthropogenic source of Cu is relevant (mainly pesticides) and there is a statistically significant difference in its concentration depending on land use. -- Highlights: ► We determined heavy metal concentrations in urban garden soils of Szeged, Hungary. ► We used different statistical methods, enrichment factors to identify metal origin. ► Enrichment degree and sources of anthropogenic metals were successfully evaluated. ► Anthropogenic enrichment of Cu, Pb and Zn was significant in urban garden topsoils. ► Traffic emission and soil cultivation together are responsible for metal enrichment. -- Metal enrichment and sources in urban garden soils due to urban activities and cultivation were successfully identified by combining more methods (enrichment factors, statistical analysis, spatial distribution)

  12. Competition among native and invasive Impatiens species: the roles of environmental factors, population density and life stage

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Čuda, Jan; Skálová, Hana; Janovský, Zdeněk; Pyšek, Petr

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 7, plv033 (2015), s. 1-12 ISSN 2041-2851 Grant - others:AV ČR(CZ) AP1002 Program:Akademická prémie - Praemium Academiae Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : alien species * balsam * competition Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 2.079, year: 2015

  13. Elongation Factor Tu Prevents Misediting of Gly-tRNA(Gly Caused by the Design Behind the Chiral Proofreading Site of D-Aminoacyl-tRNA Deacylase.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Satya Brata Routh

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available D-aminoacyl-tRNA deacylase (DTD removes D-amino acids mischarged on tRNAs and is thus implicated in enforcing homochirality in proteins. Previously, we proposed that selective capture of D-aminoacyl-tRNA by DTD's invariant, cross-subunit Gly-cisPro motif forms the mechanistic basis for its enantioselectivity. We now show, using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR spectroscopy-based binding studies followed by biochemical assays with both bacterial and eukaryotic systems, that DTD effectively misedits Gly-tRNAGly. High-resolution crystal structure reveals that the architecture of DTD's chiral proofreading site is completely porous to achiral glycine. Hence, L-chiral rejection is the only design principle on which DTD functions, unlike other chiral-specific enzymes such as D-amino acid oxidases, which are specific for D-enantiomers. Competition assays with elongation factor thermo unstable (EF-Tu and DTD demonstrate that EF-Tu precludes Gly-tRNAGly misediting at normal cellular concentrations. However, even slightly higher DTD levels overcome this protection conferred by EF-Tu, thus resulting in significant depletion of Gly-tRNAGly. Our in vitro observations are substantiated by cell-based studies in Escherichia coli that show that overexpression of DTD causes cellular toxicity, which is largely rescued upon glycine supplementation. Furthermore, we provide direct evidence that DTD is an RNA-based catalyst, since it uses only the terminal 2'-OH of tRNA for catalysis without the involvement of protein side chains. The study therefore provides a unique paradigm of enzyme action for substrate selection/specificity by DTD, and thus explains the underlying cause of DTD's activity on Gly-tRNAGly. It also gives a molecular and functional basis for the necessity and the observed tight regulation of DTD levels, thereby preventing cellular toxicity due to misediting.

  14. Phylogenetic relationships of true butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) inferred from COI, 16S rRNA and EF-1α sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Man Il; Wan, Xinlong; Kim, Min Jee; Jeong, Heon Cheon; Ahn, Neung-Ho; Kim, Ki-Gyoung; Han, Yeon Soo; Kim, Iksoo

    2010-11-01

    The molecular phylogenetic relationships among true butterfly families (superfamily Papilionoidea) have been a matter of substantial controversy; this debate has led to several competing hypotheses. Two of the most compelling of those hypotheses involve the relationships of (Nymphalidae + Lycaenidae) + (Pieridae + Papilionidae) and (((Nymphalidae + Lycaenidae) + Pieridae) + Papilionidae). In this study, approximately 3,500 nucleotide sequences from cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI), 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA), and elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1α) were sequenced from 83 species belonging to four true butterfly families, along with those of three outgroup species belonging to three lepidopteran superfamilies. These sequences were subjected to phylogenetic reconstruction via Bayesian Inference (BI), Maximum Likelihood (ML), and Maximum Parsimony (MP) algorithms. The monophyletic Pieridae and monophyletic Papilionidae evidenced good recovery in all analyses, but in some analyses, the monophylies of the Lycaenidae and Nymphalidae were hampered by the inclusion of single species of the lycaenid subfamily Miletinae and the nymphalid subfamily Danainae. Excluding those singletons, all phylogenetic analyses among the four true butterfly families clearly identified the Nymphalidae as the sister to the Lycaenidae and identified this group as a sister to the Pieridae, with the Papilionidae identified as the most basal linage to the true butterfly, thus supporting the hypothesis: (Papilionidae + (Pieridae + (Nymphalidae + Lycaenidae))).

  15. Age-related changes in error processing in young children: A school-based investigation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennie K. Grammer

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Growth in executive functioning (EF skills play a role children's academic success, and the transition to elementary school is an important time for the development of these abilities. Despite this, evidence concerning the development of the ERP components linked to EF, including the error-related negativity (ERN and the error positivity (Pe, over this period is inconclusive. Data were recorded in a school setting from 3- to 7-year-old children (N = 96, mean age = 5 years 11 months as they performed a Go/No-Go task. Results revealed the presence of the ERN and Pe on error relative to correct trials at all age levels. Older children showed increased response inhibition as evidenced by faster, more accurate responses. Although developmental changes in the ERN were not identified, the Pe increased with age. In addition, girls made fewer mistakes and showed elevated Pe amplitudes relative to boys. Based on a representative school-based sample, findings indicate that the ERN is present in children as young as 3, and that development can be seen in the Pe between ages 3 and 7. Results varied as a function of gender, providing insight into the range of factors associated with developmental changes in the complex relations between behavioral and electrophysiological measures of error processing.

  16. Genome size variation in Orchidaceae subfamily Apostasioideae: filling the phylogenetic gap

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Jersáková, Jana; Trávníček, Pavel; Kubátová, B.; Krejčíková, Jana; Urfus, Tomáš; Liu, Z.-J.; Lamb, A.; Ponert, J.; Schulte, K.; Čurn, V.; Vrána, Jan; Leitch, I. J.; Suda, Jan

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 172, č. 1 (2013), s. 95-105 ISSN 0024-4074 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP506/12/1320 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 ; RVO:67985939 ; RVO:61389030 Keywords : DNA base content * flow cytometry * nuclear C-value * phylogeny * orchids Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour; EF - Botanics (BU-J); EF - Botanics (UEB-Q) Impact factor: 2.699, year: 2013

  17. Characterization of Elongation Factor Tu of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xuan Zhang, Yue-feng Chu, Ping Zhao, Peng-cheng Gao, Ying He, Nu Wang and Zhong-xin Lu*

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae is considered as an important pathogen of small ruminants, but its antigenic proteins are not well known so far. In this study, we cloned the EF-Tu gene of M. ovipneumoniae and analyzed the molecular features of the gene and its coding protein for the first time. The gene was then expressed in E.coli and the antigenicity of the coding protein was evaluated as well. The EF-Tu gene of M. ovipneumoniae is 1209 bp in length, encodes 402 amino acids, and shares the highest DNA sequence identity of 87.5% and deduced amino acid sequence identity of 97.8% with those of M. hyopneumoniae, respectively. The recombinant EF-Tu protein can react with the polyclonal antiserum of M. ovipneumoniae and can induce humoral immune responses in mice, which indicated that the EF-Tu may be used as a candidate protein in developing the technologies to control the disease.

  18. F/EF-111 Basing at Cannon Air Force Base, Curry County, New Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    1992-04-01

    thrust. As a consequence , the primary exhaust gases through the basic engine section of a turbofan are not the principal sources of objectionable...periphery of the base area. The Grulla and Muleshoe NWRs, within 30 miles of Cannon AFB, provide high-quality habitat for migratory and breeding waterfowl...of plants are found within a 50-mile radius of Cannon AFB: chatterbox orchid, dune unicorn plant, and the tall plains spurge. Two federally listed

  19. Self-assembly nanoparticle based tripetaloid structure arrays as surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Mingrui; Qian Chuang; Wu Wengang; Yu Wenxuan; Wang Yifei; Mao Haiyang

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports a novel highly ordered tripetaloid structure array (TPSA) which performs very well as an active surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate. The TPSA is easily fabricated by anisotropic etching of a self-assembly silica-nanoparticle bilayer and a subsequent metal deposition step, with notable uniformity and reproducibility. Electromagnetic simulation indicates that the narrow inter-gaps and edge protrusions in the TPSA act as hot spots. In addition, the peak electromagnetic field intensity in the inter-gaps changes slightly and periodically as the polarization of the incident light varies from 0° to 360°. SERS experiments show that the SERS enhancement factor (EF) of a Au-film-covered TPSA is 12 times higher than that of regular Au-film-over-nanoparticles, and not sensitive to the polarization of the incident light. The spatially averaged EF of the TPSA is as high as 5.7 × 10 6 , and the local EF of its hot spots is much higher. (paper)

  20. Influence of the soil sealing on the geoaccumulation index of heavy metals and various pollution factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charzyński, Przemysław; Plak, Andrzej; Hanaka, Agnieszka

    2017-02-01

    Soil sealing belongs to the most destructive and damaging processes to the soil environment. Soil sealing interrupts or greatly restricts the exchange of matter and energy between the biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere and the soil environment. The aim of this study was to compare the content of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn) of Ekranic Technosols by applying indicators such as geoaccumulation index (I geo ), enrichment factor (EF), and pollution load index (PLI), which allowed to determine quantitatively the impact of the soil sealing degree on the content of heavy metals and to distinguish natural from anthropogenic sources of origin of heavy metals. In general, 42 soils from different parts of the city of Toruń (NW Poland) were sampled and divided into three groups according to the degree of soil sealing: completely sealed with asphalt or concrete (A), semi-permeable (partially sealed with cobblestones and concrete paving slabs (B)), and reference (non-sealed) (C). The results indicate that the artificial sealing in urban areas slightly affects the content of heavy metals in soils. However, based on PLI, I geo , and EF, it was found that the sealing has influence on soil properties and unsealed soil is the most exposed to the accumulation of pollutants.

  1. Predictive Factor Analysis of Response-Adapted Radiation Therapy for Chemotherapy-Sensitive Pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma: Analysis of the Children's Oncology Group AHOD 0031 Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charpentier, Anne-Marie; Friedman, Debra L; Wolden, Suzanne; Schwartz, Cindy; Gill, Bethany; Sykes, Jenna; Albert-Green, Alisha; Kelly, Kara M; Constine, Louis S; Hodgson, David C

    2016-12-01

    To evaluate whether clinical risk factors could further distinguish children with intermediate-risk Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) with rapid early and complete anatomic response (RER/CR) who benefit significantly from involved-field RT (IFRT) from those who do not, and thereby aid refinement of treatment selection. Children with intermediate-risk HL treated on the Children's Oncology Group AHOD 0031 trial who achieved RER/CR with 4 cycles of chemotherapy, and who were randomized to 21-Gy IFRT or no additional therapy (n=716) were the subject of this study. Recursive partitioning analysis was used to identify factors associated with clinically and statistically significant improvement in event-free survival (EFS) after randomization to IFRT. Bootstrap sampling was used to evaluate the robustness of the findings. Although most RER/CR patients did not benefit significantly from IFRT, those with a combination of anemia and bulky limited-stage disease (n=190) had significantly better 4-year EFS with the addition of IFRT (89.3% vs 77.9% without IFRT; P=.019); this benefit was consistently reproduced in bootstrap analyses and after adjusting for other prognostic factors. Although most patients achieving RER/CR had favorable outcomes with 4 cycles of chemotherapy alone, those children with initial bulky stage I/II disease and anemia had significantly better EFS with the addition of IFRT as part of combined-modality therapy. Further work evaluating the interaction of clinical and biologic factors and imaging response is needed to further optimize and refine treatment selection. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  2. Predictive Factor Analysis of Response-Adapted Radiation Therapy for Chemotherapy-Sensitive Pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma: Analysis of the Children's Oncology Group AHOD 0031 Trial

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Charpentier, Anne-Marie; Friedman, Debra L.; Wolden, Suzanne; Schwartz, Cindy; Gill, Bethany; Sykes, Jenna; Albert-Green, Alisha; Kelly, Kara M.; Constine, Louis S.; Hodgson, David C.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate whether clinical risk factors could further distinguish children with intermediate-risk Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) with rapid early and complete anatomic response (RER/CR) who benefit significantly from involved-field RT (IFRT) from those who do not, and thereby aid refinement of treatment selection. Methods and Materials: Children with intermediate-risk HL treated on the Children's Oncology Group AHOD 0031 trial who achieved RER/CR with 4 cycles of chemotherapy, and who were randomized to 21-Gy IFRT or no additional therapy (n=716) were the subject of this study. Recursive partitioning analysis was used to identify factors associated with clinically and statistically significant improvement in event-free survival (EFS) after randomization to IFRT. Bootstrap sampling was used to evaluate the robustness of the findings. Result: Although most RER/CR patients did not benefit significantly from IFRT, those with a combination of anemia and bulky limited-stage disease (n=190) had significantly better 4-year EFS with the addition of IFRT (89.3% vs 77.9% without IFRT; P=.019); this benefit was consistently reproduced in bootstrap analyses and after adjusting for other prognostic factors. Conclusion: Although most patients achieving RER/CR had favorable outcomes with 4 cycles of chemotherapy alone, those children with initial bulky stage I/II disease and anemia had significantly better EFS with the addition of IFRT as part of combined-modality therapy. Further work evaluating the interaction of clinical and biologic factors and imaging response is needed to further optimize and refine treatment selection.

  3. Heat-induced accumulation of protein synthesis elongation factor 1A indicates an important role in heat tolerance in potato

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heat stress substantially reduces crop productivity worldwide, and will become more severe due to global warming. Identification of proteins involved in heat stress response may help develop varieties for heat tolerance. Eukaryotic elongation factor 1A (eEF1A) is a cytosolic, multifunctional protei...

  4. SIDREB2, a tomato dehydration-responsive element-binding 2 transcription factor, mediates salt stress tolerance in tomato and Arabidopsis

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hichri, I.; Muhovski, Y.; Clippe, A.; Žižková, Eva; Dobrev, Petre; Motyka, Václav; Lutts, S.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 39, č. 1 (2016), s. 62-79 ISSN 0140-7791 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP506/11/0774 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : Arabidopsis thaliana * Solanum lycopersicum * DREB2 Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 6.173, year: 2016

  5. Enhancement of innate immune system in monocot rice by transferring the dicotyledonous elongation factor Tu receptor EFR

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Fen Lu; Huiqin Wang; Shanzhi Wang; Wendi Jiang; Changlin Shan; Bin Li; Jun Yang; Shiyong Zhang; Wenxian Sun

    2015-01-01

    The elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) receptor (EFR) in cruciferous plants specifical y recognizes the N-terminal acetylated elf18 region of bacterial EF-Tu and thereby activates plant immunity. It has been demonstrated that Arabidopsis EFR confers broad-spectrum bacterial resistance in the EFR transgenic solanaceous plants. Here, the transgenic rice plants (Oryza sativa L. ssp. japonica cv. Zhonghua 17) and cel cultures with constitutive expression of AtEFR were developed to investigate whether AtEFR senses EF-Tu and thus enhances bacterial resistance in the monocot plants. We demonstrated that the Xanthomonas oryzae-derived elf18 peptide induced oxidative burst and mitogen-activated protein kinase activa-tion in the AtEFR transgenic rice cel s and plants, respectively. Pathogenesis-related genes, such as OsPBZ1, were upregulated dramatical y in transgenic rice plant and cel lines in response to elf18 stimulation. Importantly, pretreatment with elf18 trig-gered strong resistance to X. oryzae pv. oryzae in the transgenic plants, which was largely dependent on the AtEFR expression level. These plants also exhibited enhanced resistance to rice bacterial brown stripe, but not to rice fungal blast. Col ectively, the results indicate that the rice plants with heterologous expression of AtEFR recognize bacterial EF-Tu and exhibit enhanced broad-spectrum bacterial disease resistance and that pattern recognition receptor-mediated immunity may be manipulated across the two plant classes, dicots and monocots.

  6. Intensive woodland management in the Middle Ages: spatial modelling based on archival data

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Szabó, Péter; Müllerová, Jana; Suchánková, Silvie; Kotačka, Martin

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 48, April 2015 (2015), s. 1-10 ISSN 0305-7488 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 278065 - LONGWOOD Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : coppice * Moravia * Middle Ages Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 0.701, year: 2015

  7. Surgical versus non-surgical approach in primary desmoid-type fibromatosis patients: A nationwide prospective cohort from the French Sarcoma Group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Penel, Nicolas; Le Cesne, Axel; Bonvalot, Sylvie; Giraud, Antoine; Bompas, Emmanuelle; Rios, Maria; Salas, Sébastien; Isambert, Nicolas; Boudou-Rouquette, Pascaline; Honore, Charles; Italiano, Antoine; Ray-Coquard, Isabelle; Piperno-Neumann, Sophie; Gouin, François; Bertucci, François; Ryckewaert, Thomas; Kurtz, Jean-Emmanuel; Ducimetiere, Françoise; Coindre, Jean-Michel; Blay, Jean-Yves

    2017-09-01

    The outcome of desmoid-type fibromatosis (DTF) is unpredictable. Currently, a wait-and-see approach tends to replace large en bloc resection as the first therapeutic approach. Nevertheless, there are no validated factors to guide the treatment choice. We conducted a prospective study of 771 confirmed cases of DTF. We analysed event-free survival (EFS) based on the occurrence of relapse after surgery, progressive disease during the wait-and-see approach, or change in therapeutic strategy. Identification of prognostic factors was performed using classical methods (log-rank test and Cox model). Overall, the 2-year EFS was 56%; this value did not differ between patients undergoing an operation and those managed by the wait-and-see approach (53% versus 58%, p = 0.415). In univariate analysis, two prognostic factors significantly influenced the outcome: the nature of diagnostic sampling (p = 0.466) and primary location (p = 0.0001). The 2-year EFS was only 32% after open biopsy. The 2-year EFS was 66% for favourable locations (abdominal wall, intra-abdominal, breast, digestive viscera and lower limb) and 41% for unfavourable locations. Among patients with favourable locations, the 2-year EFS was similar in patients treated by both surgery (70%) and the wait-and-see approach (63%; p = 0.413). Among patients with unfavourable locations, the 2-year EFS was significantly enhanced in patients initially managed with the wait-and-see approach (52%) compared with those who underwent initial surgery (25%; p = 0.001). The location of DTF is a major prognostic factor for EFS. If these findings are confirmed by independent analysis, personalised management of DTF must consider this easily obtained parameter. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Orbital period variations of two W UMa-type binaries: UY UMa and EF Boo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Yun-Xia; Zhang, Xu-Dong; Hu, Ke; Xiang, Fu-Yuan

    2017-08-01

    The orbital period variations of two W UMa-type contact binaries, UY UMa and EF Boo, are analyzed by using all available times of light minimum. It is detected that the general trends of their (O - C) curves show an upward parabolic variation, which reveals their continuous period increases at the rates of dP / dt = 2.545 ×10-7 days yr-1 and dP / dt = 2.623 ×10-7 days yr-1 , respectively. Meanwhile, UY UMa also shows a cyclic period variation with a small amplitude of A = 0.0026 days superposed on the long-term increase. Due to their contact configurations, the secular period increases are interpreted as a result of mass transfer from the less massive component to the more massive one. The cyclic period variation of UY UMa may be interpreted in terms of either the magnetic activity or the light time effect.

  9. Comparison of different enrichment factors to assess the natural accumulation of trace elements in sediment cores from Nhecolandia Pantanal, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santos, Levi F.; Damatto, Sandra R.; Barbiero, Laurent; Furian, Sonia M.; Rezende Filho, Ary T.

    2015-01-01

    Four sediment cores were collected at different lakes of salty water, commonly known as 'Salinas', in the Nhecolandia Wetland. In the collected cores, Salina A, Salina 6, Salina M and Salina V, the elements As, Ba, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, Hf, K, Na, Rb, Sb, Se, U, Zn and rare earth elements Ce, Eu, La, Lu, Nd, Sc, Sm, Tb and Yb concentrations were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) technique. Aiming to verify the best criterion to evaluate the enrichment factor of minor and major elements in the sediment cores, three different calculations of the enrichment factor was employed. The first one, EF (Enrichment Factor), compares the normalized element concentrations with Upper Continental Crust normalized values, the second one, GNF (Geochemical Normalization Factor) compares the ratio between the element concentration and the normalizer with the depth in the sediment core; for these both factors the element Sc was used as a normalizer element. The third one factor, BEF (Base Enrichment Factor), compares the concentrations determined throughout the core with the results obtained in the base of it. With the results, it was possible to conclude that the best enrichment factor to evaluate the enhancement of elements in natural environments is the one that takes into account the core element concentration obtained in the base of it, BEF. (author)

  10. Comparison of different enrichment factors to assess the natural accumulation of trace elements in sediment cores from Nhecolandia Pantanal, Brazil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Santos, Levi F.; Damatto, Sandra R., E-mail: leyi@usp.br, E-mail: damatto@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Barbiero, Laurent, E-mail: barbiero@ltmg.obs.mip.fr [Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA/USP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Furian, Sonia M., E-mail: furian@usp.br [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Departamento de Geografia; Rezende Filho, Ary T., E-mail: ary.rezende@ufms.br [Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), MS (Brazil). Faculdade de Engenharias, Arquitetura e Urbanismo e Geografia

    2015-07-01

    Four sediment cores were collected at different lakes of salty water, commonly known as 'Salinas', in the Nhecolandia Wetland. In the collected cores, Salina A, Salina 6, Salina M and Salina V, the elements As, Ba, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, Hf, K, Na, Rb, Sb, Se, U, Zn and rare earth elements Ce, Eu, La, Lu, Nd, Sc, Sm, Tb and Yb concentrations were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) technique. Aiming to verify the best criterion to evaluate the enrichment factor of minor and major elements in the sediment cores, three different calculations of the enrichment factor was employed. The first one, EF (Enrichment Factor), compares the normalized element concentrations with Upper Continental Crust normalized values, the second one, GNF (Geochemical Normalization Factor) compares the ratio between the element concentration and the normalizer with the depth in the sediment core; for these both factors the element Sc was used as a normalizer element. The third one factor, BEF (Base Enrichment Factor), compares the concentrations determined throughout the core with the results obtained in the base of it. With the results, it was possible to conclude that the best enrichment factor to evaluate the enhancement of elements in natural environments is the one that takes into account the core element concentration obtained in the base of it, BEF. (author)

  11. Eisenia fetida Protease-III-1 Functions in Both Fibrinolysis and Fibrogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jing Zhao

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available The fibrinolytic function of earthworm protease-III-1 (EfP-III-1 has been studied in recent years. Here, we found that EfP-III-1 acted not only in fibrinogenolysis, but also in fibrogenesis. We have used EfP-III-1 to hydrolyze fibrinogen, and to activate plasminogen and prothrombin. Based on the N-terminal sequences of the hydrolytic fragments, EfP-III-1 was showed to specifically recognize the carboxylic sites of arginine and lysine. Analyses by fibrinogenolysis mapping and amino acid sequencing revealed that the isozyme could cleave the alpha, beta, and gamma chains of fibrinogen, showing a high α-fibrinogenase, moderate β-fibrinogenase, and low γ-fibrinogenase activities. Interestingly, EfP-III-1 activated plasminogen and released active plasmin, suggesting a tPA-like function. Furthermore, EfP-III-1 showed a factor Xa-like function on prothrombin, producing alpha-thrombin. The function in both activating prothrombin and catalyzing fibrinogenolysis suggests that EfP-III-1 may play a role in the balance between procoagulation and anticoagulation.

  12. Exploring the potential for climatic factors, herbivory, and co-occuring vegetation to shape performance in native and introduced populations of Verbascum thapsus

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Alba, Christina; Hufbauer, R.

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 14, č. 12 (2012), s. 2505-2518 ISSN 1387-3547 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : competition * enemy escape * herbivory Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 2.509, year: 2012

  13. LETM1, a novel gene encoding a putative EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding protein, flanks the Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) critical region and is deleted in most WHS patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Endele, S; Fuhry, M; Pak, S J; Zabel, B U; Winterpacht, A

    1999-09-01

    Deletions within human chromosome 4p16.3 cause Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS), which is characterized by severe mental and developmental defects. It is thought that haploinsufficiency of more than one gene contributes to the complex phenotype. We have cloned and characterized a novel gene (LETM1) that is deleted in nearly all WHS patients. LETM1 encodes a putative member of the EF-hand family of Ca(2+)-binding proteins. The protein contains two EF-hands, a transmembrane domain, a leucine zipper, and several coiled-coil domains. On the basis of its possible Ca(2+)-binding property and involvement in Ca(2+) signaling and/or homeostasis, we propose that haploinsufficiency of LETM1 may contribute to the neuromuscular features of WHS patients. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

  14. Development of emission factors for motorcycles and shared auto-rickshaws using real-world driving cycle for a typical Indian city.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adak, Prasenjit; Sahu, Ravi; Elumalai, Suresh Pandian

    2016-02-15

    Vehicular emission is one of the most important contributors of urban air pollution. To quantify the impact of traffic on urban air quality, it is necessary to quantify vehicular emission. In many cities of India, such as Dhanbad, shared auto-rickshaw is the pre-dominant mode of transportation. Indian Driving Cycle (IDC) and Modified Indian Driving Cycle (MIDC) are used for emission testing of motorcycles, shared auto-rickshaws and passenger cars in India for regulatory purposes. IDC used for motorcycles and shared auto-rickshaws does not recognize the difference in two vehicle classes in terms of driving pattern. In real world, shared auto-rickshaws, behave differently than motorcycles. To quantify the impact of shared auto-rickshaws on urban air quality accurately, emission factors (EFs) are required to derive from real-world driving cycles (DCs). In heterogeneous traffic, vehicles of one class affect the behavior of vehicles of other classes. To estimate the emissions from different vehicle classes accurately, EFs for motorcycles and passenger cars are also required to be revised. In this study, real-world DCs were developed for motorcycles, shared auto-rickshaws and passenger cars in Dhanbad. Developed DCs were used to calculate EFs for respective classes. Shared auto-rickshaws were found to have the highest deviation from EFs derived using IDC. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Diversity of native and alien plant species on rubbish dumps: effects of dump age, environmental factors and toxicity

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Pyšek, A.; Pyšek, Petr; Jarošík, V.; Hájek, M.

    2003-01-01

    Roč. 9, - (2003), s. 177-189 ISSN 1366-9516 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KSK6005114; GA ČR GA526/00/1443 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z6005908 Keywords : altitude * archaeophytes * biological invasions Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 2.109, year: 2002

  16. The influence of electric fields on hippocampal neural progenitor cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ariza, Carlos Atico; Fleury, Asha T; Tormos, Christian J; Petruk, Vadim; Chawla, Sagar; Oh, Jisun; Sakaguchi, Donald S; Mallapragada, Surya K

    2010-12-01

    The differentiation and proliferation of neural stem/progenitor cells (NPCs) depend on various in vivo environmental factors or cues, which may include an endogenous electrical field (EF), as observed during nervous system development and repair. In this study, we investigate the morphologic, phenotypic, and mitotic alterations of adult hippocampal NPCs that occur when exposed to two EFs of estimated endogenous strengths. NPCs treated with a 437 mV/mm direct current (DC) EF aligned perpendicularly to the EF vector and had a greater tendency to differentiate into neurons, but not into oligodendrocytes or astrocytes, compared to controls. Furthermore, NPC process growth was promoted perpendicularly and inhibited anodally in the 437 mV/mm DC EF. Yet fewer cells were observed in the DC EF, which in part was due to a decrease in cell viability. The other EF applied was a 46 mV/mm alternating current (AC) EF. However, the 46 mV/mm AC EF showed no major differences in alignment or differentiation, compared to control conditions. For both EF treatments, the percent of mitotic cells during the last 14 h of the experiment were statistically similar to controls. Reported here, to our knowledge, is the first evidence of adult NPC differentiation affected in an EF in vitro. Further investigation and application of EFs on stem cells is warranted to elucidate the utility of EFs to control phenotypic behavior. With progress, the use of EFs may be engineered to control differentiation and target the growth of transplanted cells in a stem cell-based therapy to treat nervous system disorders.

  17. High gellan gum concentration and secondary somatic embryogenesis: two key factors to improve somatic embryo development in Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Lelu-Walter, M.A.; Gautier, J.; Eliášová, Kateřina; Sanchez, L.; Teyssier, C.; Lomenech, A. M.; Le Metté, C.; Hargreaves, R.; Trontin, J.F.; Reeves, G.

    2018-01-01

    Roč. 132, č. 1 (2018), s. 137-155 ISSN 0167-6857 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : Cell density * Cleavage polyembryony * Douglas-fir * Embryogenic potential * Protein pattern * Vegetative propagation Subject RIV: EF - Botanics OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 2.002, year: 2016

  18. Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 is a prognostic marker and its kinase a potential therapeutic target in HCC.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pott, Leona L; Hagemann, Sascha; Reis, Henning; Lorenz, Kristina; Bracht, Thilo; Herold, Thomas; Skryabin, Boris V; Megger, Dominik A; Kälsch, Julia; Weber, Frank; Sitek, Barbara; Baba, Hideo A

    2017-02-14

    Hepatocellular carcinoma is a cancer with increasing incidence and largely refractory to current anticancer drugs. Since Sorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor has shown modest efficacy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma additional treatments are highly needed. Protein phosphorylation via kinases is an important post-translational modification to regulate cell homeostasis including proliferation and apoptosis. Therefore kinases are valuable targets in cancer therapy. To this end we performed 2D differential gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry analysis of phosphoprotein-enriched lysates of tumor and corresponding non-tumorous liver samples to detect differentially abundant phosphoproteins to screen for novel kinases as potential drug targets. We identified 34 differentially abundant proteins in phosphoprotein enriched lysates. Expression and distribution of the candidate protein eEF2 and its phosphorylated isoform was validated immunohistochemically on 78 hepatocellular carcinoma and non-tumorous tissue samples. Validation showed that total eEF2 and phosphorylated eEF2 at threonine 56 are prognostic markers for overall survival of HCC-patients. The activity of the regulating eEF2 kinase, compared between tumor and non-tumorous tissue lysates by in vitro kinase assays, is more than four times higher in tumor tissues. Functional analyzes regarding eEF2 kinase were performed in JHH5 cells with CRISPR/Cas9 mediated eEF2 kinase knock out. Proliferation and growth is decreased in eEF2 kinase knock out cells. eEF2 and phosphorylated eEF2 are prognostic markers for survival of hepatocellular carcinoma patients and the regulating eEF2 kinase is a potential drug target for tumor therapy.

  19. Modulating uranium binding affinity in engineered calmodulin EF-hand peptides: effect of phosphorylation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Romain Pardoux

    Full Text Available To improve our understanding of uranium toxicity, the determinants of uranyl affinity in proteins must be better characterized. In this work, we analyzed the contribution of a phosphoryl group on uranium binding affinity in a protein binding site, using the site 1 EF-hand motif of calmodulin. The recombinant domain 1 of calmodulin from A. thaliana was engineered to impair metal binding at site 2 and was used as a structured template. Threonine at position 9 of the loop was phosphorylated in vitro, using the recombinant catalytic subunit of protein kinase CK2. Hence, the T(9TKE(12 sequence was substituted by the CK2 recognition sequence TAAE. A tyrosine was introduced at position 7, so that uranyl and calcium binding affinities could be determined by following tyrosine fluorescence. Phosphorylation was characterized by ESI-MS spectrometry, and the phosphorylated peptide was purified to homogeneity using ion-exchange chromatography. The binding constants for uranyl were determined by competition experiments with iminodiacetate. At pH 6, phosphorylation increased the affinity for uranyl by a factor of ∼5, from K(d = 25±6 nM to K(d = 5±1 nM. The phosphorylated peptide exhibited a much larger affinity at pH 7, with a dissociation constant in the subnanomolar range (K(d = 0.25±0.06 nM. FTIR analyses showed that the phosphothreonine side chain is partly protonated at pH 6, while it is fully deprotonated at pH 7. Moreover, formation of the uranyl-peptide complex at pH 7 resulted in significant frequency shifts of the ν(as(P-O and ν(s(P-O IR modes of phosphothreonine, supporting its direct interaction with uranyl. Accordingly, a bathochromic shift in ν(as(UO(2(2+ vibration (from 923 cm(-1 to 908 cm(-1 was observed upon uranyl coordination to the phosphorylated peptide. Together, our data demonstrate that the phosphoryl group plays a determining role in uranyl binding affinity to proteins at physiological pH.

  20. Modulating uranium binding affinity in engineered Calmodulin EF-hand peptides: effect of phosphorylation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pardoux, Romain; Sauge-Merle, Sandrine; Lemaire, David; Guilloreau, Luc; Berthomieu, Catherine; Delangle, Pascale; Adriano, Jean-Marc

    2012-01-01

    To improve our understanding of uranium toxicity, the determinants of uranyl affinity in proteins must be better characterized. In this work, we analyzed the contribution of a phosphoryl group on uranium binding affinity in a protein binding site, using the site 1 EF-hand motif of calmodulin. The recombinant domain 1 of calmodulin from A. thaliana was engineered to impair metal binding at site 2 and was used as a structured template. Threonine at position 9 of the loop was phosphorylated in vitro, using the recombinant catalytic subunit of protein kinase CK2. Hence, the T 9 TKE 12 sequence was substituted by the CK2 recognition sequence TAAE. A tyrosine was introduced at position 7, so that uranyl and calcium binding affinities could be determined by following tyrosine fluorescence. Phosphorylation was characterized by ESI-MS spectrometry, and the phosphorylated peptide was purified to homogeneity using ion-exchange chromatography. The binding constants for uranyl were determined by competition experiments with iminodiacetate. At pH 6, phosphorylation increased the affinity for uranyl by a factor of ∼5, from K d =25±6 nM to K d =5±1 nM. The phosphorylated peptide exhibited a much larger affinity at pH 7, with a dissociation constant in the sub-nanomolar range (K d = 0.25±0.06 nM). FTIR analyses showed that the phospho-threonine side chain is partly protonated at pH 6, while it is fully deprotonated at pH 7. Moreover, formation of the uranyl-peptide complex at pH 7 resulted in significant frequency shifts of the ν as (P-O) and ν s (P-O) IR modes of phospho-threonine, supporting its direct interaction with uranyl. Accordingly, a bathochromic shift in ν as (UO 2 ) 2+ vibration (from 923 cm -1 to 908 cm -1 ) was observed upon uranyl coordination to the phosphorylated peptide. Together, our data demonstrate that the phosphoryl group plays a determining role in uranyl binding affinity to proteins at physiological pH. (authors)

  1. Hispidaedalea gen. nov and Griseoporia taiwanense sp nov (Gloeophyllales, Basidiomycota) based on morphological and molecular characters

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    He, S.H.; Vlasák, Josef; Dai, Y.C.

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 13, č. 3 (2014), s. 833-839 ISSN 1617-416X Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Brown rot * Hispidaedalea * Wood-decaying fungi Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.913, year: 2014

  2. Immune Reactions Against Elongation Factor 2 Kinase: Specific Pathogenesis of Gastric Ulcer from Helicobacter pylori Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kiyoshi Ayada

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori infection is a definite causative factor for gastric ulcers (GUs. In the present study we detected a specific antigen of gastric epithelial cells (HGC-27 using cell ELISA, which was recognized by the sera of GU patients (n=20 but not in patients with chronic gastritis (CG; n=20 or in healthy volunteers (HC; n=10. This antigen was over-expressed by a stressful (heat-stressed environment, and was identified as elongation factor 2 kinase (EF-2K by western blotting. The GU patients' lymphocytes stimulated by H. pylori specifically disrupted heat-stressed HGC-27 cells in a cytotoxic assay. In flow cytometry, the effector cells (lymphocytes from GU patients were significantly differentiated to T helper type 1 lymphocyte (Th1 and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL as opposed to those from CG patients. The target cells (HGC-27 expressed EF-2K and MHC-class I together with costimulatory molecules from heat stress. This antigen specific immune mechanism could have a prominent role in the pathogenesis of GU.

  3. An Improved Approach to Estimate Methane Emissions from Coal Mining in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Tao; Bian, Wenjing; Zhang, Shuqing; Di, Pingkuan; Nie, Baisheng

    2017-11-07

    China, the largest coal producer in the world, is responsible for over 50% of the total global methane (CH 4 ) emissions from coal mining. However, the current emission inventory of CH4 from coal mining has large uncertainties because of the lack of localized emission factors (EFs). In this study, province-level CH4 EFs from coal mining in China were developed based on the data analysis of coal production and corresponding discharged CH4 emissions from 787 coal mines distributed in 25 provinces with different geological and operation conditions. Results show that the spatial distribution of CH 4 EFs is highly variable with values as high as 36 m3/t and as low as 0.74 m3/t. Based on newly developed CH 4 EFs and activity data, an inventory of the province-level CH4 emissions was built for 2005-2010. Results reveal that the total CH 4 emissions in China increased from 11.5 Tg in 2005 to 16.0 Tg in 2010. By constructing a gray forecasting model for CH 4 EFs and a regression model for activity, the province-level CH 4 emissions from coal mining in China are forecasted for the years of 2011-2020. The estimates are compared with other published inventories. Our results have a reasonable agreement with USEPA's inventory and are lower by a factor of 1-2 than those estimated using the IPCC default EFs. This study could help guide CH 4 mitigation policies and practices in China.

  4. Growth of primary embryo cells in a microculture system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Villa, Max; Pope, Sara; Conover, Joanne; Fan, Tai-Hsi

    2010-04-01

    We present optimal perfusion conditions for the growth of primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts (mEFs) and mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) using a microfluidic perfusion culture system. In an effort to balance nutrient renewal while ensuring the presence of cell secreted factors, we found that the optimal perfusion rate for culturing primary embryonic fibroblasts (mEFs) in our experimental setting is 10 nL/min with an average flow velocity 0.55 microm/s in the microchannel. Primary mEFs may have a greater dependence on cell secreted factors when compared to their immortalized counterpart 3T3 fibroblasts cultured under similar conditions. Both the seeding density and the perfusion rate are critical for the proliferation of primary cells. A week long cultivation of mEFs and mESCs using the microculture system exhibited similar morphology and viability to those grown in a petri dish. Both mEFs and mESCs were analyzed using fluorescence immunoassays to determine their proliferative status and protein expression. Our results demonstrate that a perfusion-based microculture environment is capable of supporting the highly proliferative status of pluripotent embryonic stem cells.

  5. Predictive Factor Analysis of Response-Adapted Radiation Therapy for Chemotherapy-Sensitive Pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma: Analysis of the Children's Oncology Group AHOD 0031 Trial

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Charpentier, Anne-Marie [Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre hospitalier de l' Université de Montréal, Montreal, Québec (Canada); Friedman, Debra L. [Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee (United States); Wolden, Suzanne [Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York (United States); Schwartz, Cindy [Division of Pediatrics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Gill, Bethany; Sykes, Jenna; Albert-Green, Alisha [Biostatistics, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Kelly, Kara M. [Division of Hematology and Oncology, Women & Children' s Hospital of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York (United States); Department of Pediatrics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York (United States); Constine, Louis S. [Radiation Oncology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York (United States); Hodgson, David C., E-mail: David.hodgson@rmp.uhn.on.ca [Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada)

    2016-12-01

    Purpose: To evaluate whether clinical risk factors could further distinguish children with intermediate-risk Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) with rapid early and complete anatomic response (RER/CR) who benefit significantly from involved-field RT (IFRT) from those who do not, and thereby aid refinement of treatment selection. Methods and Materials: Children with intermediate-risk HL treated on the Children's Oncology Group AHOD 0031 trial who achieved RER/CR with 4 cycles of chemotherapy, and who were randomized to 21-Gy IFRT or no additional therapy (n=716) were the subject of this study. Recursive partitioning analysis was used to identify factors associated with clinically and statistically significant improvement in event-free survival (EFS) after randomization to IFRT. Bootstrap sampling was used to evaluate the robustness of the findings. Result: Although most RER/CR patients did not benefit significantly from IFRT, those with a combination of anemia and bulky limited-stage disease (n=190) had significantly better 4-year EFS with the addition of IFRT (89.3% vs 77.9% without IFRT; P=.019); this benefit was consistently reproduced in bootstrap analyses and after adjusting for other prognostic factors. Conclusion: Although most patients achieving RER/CR had favorable outcomes with 4 cycles of chemotherapy alone, those children with initial bulky stage I/II disease and anemia had significantly better EFS with the addition of IFRT as part of combined-modality therapy. Further work evaluating the interaction of clinical and biologic factors and imaging response is needed to further optimize and refine treatment selection.

  6. Elongation Factor Tu and Heat Shock Protein 70 Are Membrane-Associated Proteins from Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae Capable of Inducing Strong Immune Response in Mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fei Jiang

    Full Text Available Chronic non-progressive pneumonia, a disease that has become a worldwide epidemic has caused considerable loss to sheep industry. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovipneumoniae is the causative agent of interstitial pneumonia in sheep, goat and bighorn. We here have identified by immunogold and immunoblotting that elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu and heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70 are membrane-associated proteins on M. ovipneumonaiea. We have evaluated the humoral and cellular immune responses in vivo by immunizing BALB/c mice with both purified recombinant proteins rEF-Tu and rHSP70. The sera of both rEF-Tu and rHSP70 treated BALB/c mice demonstrated increased levels of IgG, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-12(p70, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-6. In addition, ELISPOT assay showed significant increase in IFN-γ+ secreting lymphocytes in the rHSP70 group when compared to other groups. Collectively our study reveals that rHSP70 induces a significantly better cellular immune response in mice, and may act as a Th1 cytokine-like adjuvant in immune response induction. Finally, growth inhibition test (GIT of M. ovipneumoniae strain Y98 showed that sera from rHSP70 or rEF-Tu-immunized mice inhibited in vitro growth of M. ovipneumoniae. Our data strongly suggest that EF-Tu and HSP70 of M. ovipneumoniae are membrane-associated proteins capable of inducing antibody production, and cytokine secretion. Therefore, these two proteins may be potential candidates for vaccine development against M. ovipneumoniae infection in sheep.

  7. Robust carbohydrate dynamics based on sucrose resynthesis in developing Norway spruce somatic embryos at variable sugar supply

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kubeš, Martin; Drážná, N.; Konrádová, H.; Lipavská, H.

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 50, č. 1 (2014), s. 45-57 ISSN 1054-5476 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : Sucrose * Raffinose family oligosaccharides * Picea abies Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 0.981, year: 2014

  8. Light as a factor affecting the concentration of simple organics in the traps of aquatic carnivorous Utricularia species

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Borovec, Jakub; Sirová, Dagmara; Adamec, Lubomír

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 181, č. 2 (2012), s. 159-166 ISSN 1863-9135 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP504/11/0783 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Utricularia * trap fluid * organic compounds Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.190, year: 2012

  9. Molecular bases for parallel evolution of translucent bracts in an alpine "glasshouse" plant Rheum alexandrae (Polygonaceae)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Liu, B. B.; Opgenoorth, L.; Miehe, G.; Zhang, D.-Y.; Wan, D.-S.; Zhao, C.-M.; Jia, Dong-Rui; Liu, J.-Q.

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 51, č. 2 (2013), s. 134-141 ISSN 1674-4918 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : cDNA-AFLPs * parallel evolution * adaptations, mutations, diversity Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.648, year: 2013

  10. Application of BET_EF at Mount Etna: a retrospective analysis (years 2001-2005

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacopo Selva

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Advances in volcano monitoring and forecasting need a multidisciplinary collaborative framework. In light of this, a Bayesian Event Tree (BET approach was performed by the application of the BET for Eruption Forecasting (BET_EF code to analyze the space-time distribution of the volcanic activity of Mount Etna from 2001-2005. First, a reliable monitoring dataset was set up after some sessions to elicit geophysical, volcanological and geochemical ‘precursor’ parameters. A constant unrest probability of 100%, with a magma involvement usually greater than 95%, was computed throughout the time period analyzed. Eruption probabilities higher than 90% were estimated a few days before the onsets of the 2001 and 2002-2003 flank eruptions. Values slightly higher than 75% were observed during the lava fountaining period in June-July 2001. However, the probabilities flattened to around 30% for the 2004-2005 flank eruption. With suitable data, a good depiction of the actual location of the eruptive scenario for the 2001 and 2002-2003 events was provided. Conversely, the size of the eruptions was not indicated.

  11. Assessing the dysexecutive syndrome in dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gansler, David A; Huey, Edward D; Pan, Jessica J; Wasserman, Eric; Grafman, Jordan H

    2017-03-01

    We compared performance on tests of dysexecutive behaviour (DB) and executive function (EF) in patients with behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), primary progressive aphasia (PPA) and corticobasal syndrome (CBS). Patients diagnosed with bvFTD (n=124), PPA (n=34) and CBS (n=85) were recruited. EF was measured with the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (DKEFS: performance based), and DB was measured with the Frontal Systems Behavior Scale (FrSBe: caregiver-report based). Confirmatory factor analysis characterised the relationship between EF and DB, binary logistic regression evaluated the incremental diagnostic utility of the measures and neuroimaging data from 110 patients identified neural correlates. EF was lowest and DB was highest in bvFTD participants. EF and DB were distinct but related (r=-0.48). Measures correctly classified 89% of bvFTD from CBS patients and 93% of bvFTD from PPA patients-30% and 13% above base rates (59%, 80%), respectively. All modalities were useful in identifying CBS and PPA, whereas DB alone was useful for identifying bvFTD. EF was uniquely associated with caudal left dorsolateral prefrontal and lateral temporo-parietal cortices. DB was uniquely associated with the cingulate (R>L), right subcallosal and right anterior frontal cortex. EF and DB were associated with the rostral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex bilaterally. EF and DB measures displayed criterion and construct validity, had incremental utility at low DB levels (CBS and PPA) and were associated with overlapping and distinct neural correlates. EF and DB procedures can conjointly provide useful diagnostic and descriptive information in identifying and ruling out the dysexecutive syndrome. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  12. Regulation of ciliary function by fibroblast growth factor signaling identifies FGFR3-related disorders achondroplasia and thanatophoric dysplasia as ciliopathies

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kunová Bosáková, M.; Vařecha, M.; Hampl, Marek; Duran, I.; Nita, A.; Buchtová, Marcela; Dosedělová, Hana; Machat, R.; Xie, Y.; Ni, Z.; Martin, J. H.; Chen, L.; Jansen, G.; Krakow, D.; Krejčí, P.

    2018-01-01

    Roč. 27, č. 6 (2018), s. 1093-1105 ISSN 0964-6906 R&D Projects: GA MŠk EF15_003/0000460 Institutional support: RVO:67985904 Keywords : achondroplasia * thanatophoric dysplasia Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology OBOR OECD: Developmental biology Impact factor: 5.340, year: 2016

  13. Influence of image-defined risk factors on the outcome of patients with localised neuroblastoma. A report from the LNESG1 study of the European International Society of Paediatric Oncology Neuroblastoma Group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monclair, Tom; Mosseri, Véronique; Cecchetto, Giovanni; De Bernardi, Bruno; Michon, Jean; Holmes, Keith

    2015-09-01

    The European multicenter study LNESG1 was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of surgical treatment alone in patients with localised neuroblastoma. In a retrospective, observational study we examined the impact of image-defined risk factors (IDRF) on operative complications and survival (EFS and OS). 534 patients with localised, non-MYCN amplified neuroblastoma were recruited between 1995 and 1999. Group 1 consisted of 291 patients without IDRF (Stage L1 in the International Neuroblastoma Risk Group (INRG) staging system), all treated with primary surgery. Group 2: 118 patients with IDRF (INRG Stage L2), also treated with primary surgery. Group 3: 125 patients in whom primary surgery was not attempted, 106 receiving neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. In L1 patients (Group 1) 5-year EFS was 92% and OS 98%. In L2 patients (Group 2 and 3) EFS was 79% and OS 89%. The differences in both EFS and OS were significant. EFS and OS in Group 2 (86% and 95%) were significantly better than 73% and 83% in Group 3. In INSS stage 1, 2 and 3, EFS were respectively 94%, 81% and 76%. Except between stage 2 and 3 the differences were significant. OS were respectively 99%, 93% and 83%, all significantly different. The 17% operative complication rate in L2 patients was significantly higher than 5% in L1 patients. In localised neuroblastoma, IDRF at diagnosis are associated with worse survival rates and higher rates of operative complications. The impact of IDRF should become an integrated part of therapy planning. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Mapping airborne lead contamination near a metals smelter in Derbyshire, UK: spatial variation of Pb concentration and 'enrichment factor' for tree bark.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellis, D; Cox, A J; Staton, I; McLeod, C W; Satake, K

    2001-10-01

    Samples of tree bark, collected over an area of 4 km2 near a small non-ferrous metals smelter in Derbyshire, UK, were analysed for Pb and Al by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Analyte concentrations varied from 100 to over 25,000 mg kg-1 and 5 to 1000 mg kg-1, respectively. While an inverse relationship between the Pb content of bark and distance from the smelter was observed, concentrations fluctuated, indicating a variability in sample collection efficiency and problems in standardization. To overcome these effects, the Pb/Al ratio was calculated and subsequently normalized to the average Pb/Al ratio in continental crust (0.00015). On the assumption that the time-averaged concentration of airborne Al in this area is relatively constant and derived principally from wind-blown soil, the measurement represents an anthropogenic 'enrichment factor' (PbEF). PbEF varied from 10,000 to over 1,000,000, and showed a consistent reduction with distance from the smelter. Isolines of equal PbEF were subsequently defined on a map of the sampled area. Pb contamination was greatest in the vicinity of the smelter, and preferential transport along the NW-SE axis of the valley (in which the smelter is situated) was observed. The use of enrichment factors thus proved valuable in defining the relative level of airborne-derived Pb pollution.

  15. Executive Function and Food Approach Behavior in Middle Childhood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karoline eGroppe

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Executive function (EF has long been considered to be a unitary, domain-general cognitive ability. However, recent research suggests differentiating ‘hot’ affective and ‘cool’ cognitive aspects of EF. Yet, findings regarding this two-factor construct are still inconsistent. In particular, the development of this factor structure remains unclear and data on school-aged children is lacking. Furthermore, studies linking EF and overweight or obesity suggest that EF contributes to the regulation of eating behavior. So far, however, the links between EF and eating behavior have rarely been investigated in children and non-clinical populations.First, we examined whether EF can be divided into hot and cool factors or whether they actually correspond to a unitary construct in middle childhood. Second, we examined how hot and cool EF are associated with different eating styles that put children at risk of becoming overweight during development. Hot and cool EF were assessed experimentally in a non-clinical population of 1,657 elementary-school children (aged 6-11 years. The ‘food approach’ behavior was rated mainly via parent questionnaires.Findings indicate that hot EF is distinguishable from cool EF. However, only cool EF seems to represent a coherent functional entity, whereas hot EF does not seem to be a homogenous construct. This was true for a younger and an older subgroup of children. Furthermore, different EF components were correlated with eating styles, such as responsiveness to food, desire to drink, and restrained eating in girls but not in boys. This shows that lower levels of EF are not only seen in clinical populations of obese patients but are already associated with food approach styles in a normal population of elementary school-aged girls. Although the direction of effect still has to be clarified, results point to the possibility that EF constitutes a risk factor for eating styles contributing to the development of

  16. Assessment of rosehips based on the content of their biologically active compounds

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Bhave, A.; Schulzová, V.; Chmelařová, H.; Mrnka, Libor; Hajslová, J.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 25, č. 2 (2017), s. 681-690 ISSN 1021-9498 R&D Projects: GA TA ČR TE01020080 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : rosehips * bioactive compounds * antioxidative activity Subject RIV: EF - Botanics OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 3.048, year: 2016

  17. Fluoxetine induces autophagic cell death via eEF2K-AMPK-mTOR-ULK complex axis in triple negative breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Dejuan; Zhu, Lingjuan; Zhao, Yuqian; Jiang, Yingnan; Chen, Lixia; Yu, Yang; Ouyang, Liang

    2018-04-01

    Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a complex and intrinsically aggressive tumour with poor prognosis, and the discovery of targeted small-molecule drugs for TNBC treatment still remains in its infancy. In this study, we aimed to discover a small-molecule agent for TNBC treatment and illuminate its potential mechanisms. Cell viability was detected by using methylthiazoltetrazolium (MTT) assay. Electron microscopy, GFP-LC3 transfection, monodansylcadaverine staining and apoptosis assay were performed to determine Fluoxetine-induced autophagy and apoptosis. Western blotting and siRNA transfection were carried out to investigate the mechanisms of Fluoxetine-induced autophagy. iTRAQ-based proteomics analysis was used to explore the underlying mechanisms. We have demonstrated that Fluoxetine had remarkable anti-proliferative activities and induced autophagic cell death in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-436 cells. The mechanism for Fluoxetine-induced autophagic cell death was associated with inhibition of eEF2K and activation of AMPK-mTOR-ULK complex axis. Further iTRAQ-based proteomics and network analyses revealed that Fluoxetine-induced mechanism was involved in BIRC6, BNIP1, SNAP29 and Bif-1. These results demonstrate that Fluoxetine induces apoptosis and autophagic cell death in TNBC, which will hold a promise for the future TNBC therapy. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Synthesis of 2-Phenylazonaphtho[1,8-ef][1,4]diazepines and 9-(3-Arylhydrazonopyrrolo[1,2-a]perimidines as Antitumor Agents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thoraya A. Farghaly

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Two series of naphtho[1,8-ef][1,4]diazepines and pyrrolo[1,2-a]perimidines were prepared starting from 1,8-diaminonaphthalene and hydrazonoyl chlorides. The structures of the products were determined on the basis of their spectral data and elemental analyses. The mechanism of formation of such products was also discussed. The prepared compounds were screened for their antitumor activity against three cell lines, namely, MCF-7, TK-10 and UACC-62, and some derivatives showed promising activity.

  19. Results from a model system of superconducting solenoids and phase shifting bridge for pulsed power studies for proposed tokamak EF coils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fuja, R.E.; Kustom, R.L.; Smith, R.P.

    1977-01-01

    A matched pair of superconducting solenoids and a phase-shifting bridge circuit has been constructed to study energy storage and transfer for application to tokamak EF coils. The intrinsically stable solenoids, each with 4 H self-inductance, incorporate sufficient cooling to allow charging at several hundred volts, corresponding to B = 1 T/sec. The three-phase inductor-convertor capacitive bridge network operating at up to 150 V rms transfers energy reversibly and at controllable rates from the storage coil to the load coil

  20. Variability in the Contribution of Different Life Stages to Population Growth as a Key Factor in the Invasion Success of Pinus strobus

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Münzbergová, Zuzana; Hadincová, Věroslava; Wild, Jan; Kindlmannová, J.

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 8, č. 2 (2013), no.-e56953 E-ISSN 1932-6203 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA526/05/0430 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : comparative demography * biological control * plant demography Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 3.534, year: 2013

  1. Developmental differences in the structure of executive function in middle childhood and adolescence.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fen Xu

    Full Text Available Although it has been argued that the structure of executive function (EF may change developmentally, there is little empirical research to examine this view in middle childhood and adolescence. The main objective of this study was to examine developmental changes in the component structure of EF in a large sample (N = 457 of 7-15 year olds. Participants completed batteries of tasks that measured three components of EF: updating working memory (UWM, inhibition, and shifting. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA was used to test five alternative models in 7-9 year olds, 10-12 year olds, and 13-15 year olds. The results of CFA showed that a single-factor EF model best explained EF performance in 7-9-year-old and 10-12-year-old groups, namely unitary EF, though this single factor explained different amounts of variance at these two ages. In contrast, a three-factor model that included UWM, inhibition, and shifting best accounted for the data from 13-15 year olds, namely diverse EF. In sum, during middle childhood, putative measures of UWM, inhibition, and shifting may rely on similar underlying cognitive processes. Importantly, our findings suggest that developmental dissociations in these three EF components do not emerge until children transition into adolescence. These findings provided empirical evidence for the development of EF structure which progressed from unity to diversity during middle childhood and adolescence.

  2. Long-term erectile function following permanent seed brachytherapy treatment for localized prostate cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ong, Wee Loon; Hindson, Benjamin R.; Beaufort, Catherine; Pharoah, Paul; Millar, Jeremy L.

    2014-01-01

    Background and purpose: Erectile function (EF) is commonly affected following prostate cancer treatment. We aim to evaluate the long-term EF following seed brachytherapy (BT) treatment. Materials and methods: The study consisted of 366 patients treated with BT at our institution, who completed the IIEF-5 questionnaire and reported no or mild erectile dysfunction (ED) pre-BT. The probability of EF preservation post-BT was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier methods. The difference in EF preservation by patient-, tumour- and treatment-related factors was assessed using the log-rank test. Multivariate Cox regression was used to estimate the effect of each factor on EF preservation. Results: Of the 366 patients, 277 (76%) reported normal EF, and 89 (24%) reported mild ED. The patients were followed-up for a median of 41 months (range: 3–124), and the 5-year actuarial rate of EF preservation was 59%. Age at BT seed implant, presence of medical comorbidities, Gleason score and the biologically effective dose (BED) are associated with EF preservation (P < 0.005). The association for these four factors remains statistically significant in multivariate analysis, with Gleason score having the strongest effect (HR = 3.7; 95% CI = 2.6–5.4). Conclusion: The 5-year actuarial rate of EF preservation post-BT in our cohort is 59%, and is influenced by multiple factors

  3. Elongation Factor-1α Accurately Reconstructs Relationships Amongst Psyllid Families (Hemiptera: Psylloidea), with Possible Diagnostic Implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martoni, Francesco; Bulman, Simon R; Pitman, Andrew; Armstrong, Karen F

    2017-12-05

    The superfamily Psylloidea (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha) lacks a robust multigene phylogeny. This impedes our understanding of the evolution of this group of insects and, consequently, an accurate identification of individuals, of their plant host associations, and their roles as vectors of economically important plant pathogens. The conserved nuclear gene elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1α) has been valuable as a higher-level phylogenetic marker in insects and it has also been widely used to investigate the evolution of intron/exon structure. To explore evolutionary relationships among Psylloidea, polymerase chain reaction amplification and nucleotide sequencing of a 250-bp EF-1α gene fragment was applied to psyllids belonging to five different families. Introns were detected in three individuals belonging to two families. The nine genera belonging to the family Aphalaridae all lacked introns, highlighting the possibility of using intron presence/absence as a diagnostic tool at a family level. When paired with cytochrome oxidase I gene sequences, the 250 bp EF-1α sequence appeared to be a very promising higher-level phylogenetic marker for psyllids. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  4. Disobedient epiphytes: colonization and extinction rates in a metapopulation of Lepanthes rupestris (Orchidaceae) contradict theoretical predictions based on patch connectivity

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kindlmann, Pavel; Meléndez-Ackerman, E. J.; Tremblay, R. L.

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 175, č. 4 (2014), s. 598-606 ISSN 0024-4074 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : connectivity * metapopulation theory * orchids Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 2.534, year: 2014

  5. High Efficiency Water Heating Technology Development Final Report, Part II: CO2 and Absorption-Based Residential Heat Pump Water Heater Development

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gluesenkamp, Kyle R. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Abdelaziz, Omar [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Patel, Viral K. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Mandel, Bracha T. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); de Almeida, Valmor F. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2017-05-01

    The two objectives of this project were to 1.demonstrate an affordable path to an ENERGY STAR qualified electric heat pump water heater (HPWH) based on low-global warming potential (GWP) CO2 refrigerant, and 2.demonstrate an affordable path to a gas-fired absorption-based heat pump water heater with a gas energy factor (EF) greater than 1.0. The first objective has been met, and the project has identified a promising low-cost option capable of meeting the second objective. This report documents the process followed and results obtained in addressing these objectives.

  6. Brassinosteroid biosynthesis is modulated via a transcription factor cascade of COG1, PIF4, and PIF5

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Wei, Z.; Yuan, T.; Tarkowská, Danuše; Kim, J.; Nam, H. G.; Novák, Ondřej; He, K.; Gou, X.; Li, J.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 174, č. 2 (2017), s. 1260-1273 ISSN 0032-0889 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LK21306; GA ČR GA14-34792S Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : GSK3-LIKE KINASE BIN2 * ARABIDOPSIS-THALIANA * CATHARANTHUS-ROSEUS Subject RIV: EF - Botanics OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 6.456, year: 2016

  7. Proline-Based Carbamates as Cholinesterase Inhibitors

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Pizova, H.; Havelková, M.; Štěpánková, Š.; Bak, A.; Kauerová, T.; Kozik, V.; Oravec, Michal; Imramovský, A.; Kollár, P.; Bobáľ, P.; Jampílek, J.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 22, č. 11 (2017), č. článku 1969. ISSN 1420-3049 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1415; GA MŠk(CZ) EF16_013/0001609 Institutional support: RVO:86652079 Keywords : proline * carbamates * in vitro cholinesterase inhibition * in vitro cytotoxicity assay * CoMSA * IVE-PLS * molecular docking study Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry OBOR OECD: Biochemistry and molecular biology Impact factor: 2.861, year: 2016

  8. Catching Fish and Avoiding Sharks: Investigating Factors That Influence Developmentally Appropriate Measurement of Preschoolers' Inhibitory Control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howard, Steven J.; Okely, Anthony D.

    2015-01-01

    Although researchers agree that the first 5 years of life are critical for children's developing executive functions (EFs), further advances are hindered by a lack of consensus on the design and selection of developmentally appropriate EF tasks for young children. Given this debate, well-established adult measures of EF routinely have been adapted…

  9. Factors influencing the variations of ejection fraction during exercise in chronic aortic regurgitation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bassand, J.P.; Faivre, R.; Berthout, P.; Maurat, J.P.; Cardot, J.C.; Verdenet, J.; Bidet, R.

    1987-01-01

    The influence of left ventricular volume variations and regurgitant fraction variations upon left ventricular ejection fraction during exercise was examined using equilibrium radionuclide angiography in patients suffering from aortic regurgitation. Ejection fraction (EF), regurgitant fraction (RF), end diastolic volume (EDV) and end systolic volume (ESV) variations from rest to peak exercise were determined in 44 patients suffering from chronic aortic regurgitation (AR) and in 8 healthy volunteers (C). In C, EF increased (+0.10±0.03, P<0.01) and ESV decreased significantly (-23%±12%, P<0.01), RF and EDV did not vary significantly. In AR patients, EF, EDV and ESV did not vary significantly because of important scattering of individual values. Changes in EF and ESV were inversely correlated (r=-0.79, P<0.01) and RF decreased significantly (-0.12±0.10, P<0.01). Volumes and EF changes during exercise occurred in three different ways. In a 1st subgroup of 7 patients, EF increased (+0.09±0.03, P<0.05) in conjunction with a reduction of ESV (-24%±12%, P<0.05) without a significant change in EDV. In a 2nd group of 22 patients, EF decreased (-0.04±0.07, P<0.01) in association with an increase in ESV (+17%±16%, P<0.01) and no changes in EDV. In a 3rd subgroup of 15 patients, EF decreased (-0.02±0.06, P<0.01) despite a reduction in ESV (-7%±6%, P<0.01) because of a dramatic EDV decrease (-10%±6%, P<0.05). In this subgroup, changes in EF were inversely correlated with changes in ESV (r=-0.55, P<0.01) and positively related to EDV variations (r=0.42, P=0.02). EDV changes were weakly, but significantly, correlated to RF decrease (r=0.39, P<0.05). We conclude that changes in left ventricular ejection fraction during exercise in patients with chronic aortic regurgitation are significantly related in some patients to changes in ventricular loading conditions as well as contractile state. (orig./MG)

  10. Results from a model system of superconducting solenoids and phase shifting bridge for pulsed power studies for proposed tokamak EF coils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fuja, R.E.; Kustom, R.L.; Smith, R.P.

    1977-01-01

    A matched pair of superconducting solenoids and a phase-shifting bridge circuit has been constructed to study energy storage and transfer for application to tokamak EF coils. The intrinsically stable solenoids, each with 4 H self-inductance, incorporate sufficient cooling to allow charging at several hundred volts, corresponding to B approximately equal 1 T/sec. The three-phase inductor-convertor capacitive bridge network operating at up to 150 V rms transfers energy reversibly and at controllable rates from the storage coil to the load coil

  11. Divergent protein motifs direct elongation factor P-mediated translational regulation in Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hersch, Steven J; Wang, Mengchi; Zou, S Betty

    2013-01-01

    number of proteins are affected by the loss of EF-P, and it has recently been determined that EF-P plays a critical role in rescuing ribosomes stalled at PPP and PPG peptide sequences. Here we present an unbiased in vivo investigation of the specific targets of EF-P by employing stable isotope labeling...

  12. The Solanum lycopersicum WRKY3 Transcription Factor SlWRKY3 Is Involved in Salt Stress Tolerance in Tomato

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hichri, I.; Muhovski, Y.; Žižková, Eva; Dobrev, Petre; Gharbi, E.; Franco-Zorrilla, J.M.; Lopez-Vidriero, I.; Solano, R.; Clippe, A.; Errachid, A.; Motyka, Václav; Lutts, S.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 8, JUL 31 (2017), č. článku 1343. ISSN 1664-462X R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA16-14649S Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : agrobacterium-mediated transformation * transgenic arabidopsis plants * dna-binding * salinity tolerance * defense responses * drought tolerance * abiotic stresses * water-stress * genes * tobacco * Solanum lycopersicum * SlWRKY3 * transcription factor * salinity tolerance * plant physiology Subject RIV: EF - Botanics OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 4.298, year: 2016

  13. What doesn’t kill them makes them stronger: an association between elongation factor 1-α overdominance in the sea star Pisaster ochraceus and “sea star wasting disease”

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John P. Wares

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, a massive mortality event has killed millions of sea stars, of many different species, along the Pacific coast of North America. This disease event, known as ‘sea star wasting disease’ (SSWD, is linked to viral infection. In one affected sea star (Pisaster ochraceus, previous work had identified that the elongation factor 1-α locus (EF1A harbored an intronic insertion allele that is lethal when homozygous yet appears to be maintained at moderate frequency in populations through increased fitness for heterozygotes. The environmental conditions supporting this increased fitness are unknown, but overdominance is often associated with disease. Here, we evaluate populations of P. ochraceus to identify the relationship between SSWD and EF1A genotype. Our data suggest that there may be significantly decreased occurrence of SSWD in individuals that are heterozygous at this locus. These results suggest further studies are warranted to understand the functional relationship between diversity at EF1A and survival in P. ochraceus.

  14. Intermittency and Inflexibility Blister Pump Impress Factors

    OpenAIRE

    Mlakar, Boštjan; Zupančič, Cvetko

    2011-01-01

    Divisional centralized heating and cooling system, cogeneratton system of heat and power and power-gas cogeneration system. In order to further fully and reasonably use the heat in doubleeffect absorption units, double-stage bubble pump must be involved in the adoption o u pump replacing the traditional mechanical solution pump. It was designed a secon generator based on a solar pump-free lithium bromide absorption chiller system. The expenmen adopts the lunate thermosiphon elevation tube, ef...

  15. Modification de feutres de carbone pour la préparation de matériaux d’électrodes hautement performants pour le procédé électro-Fenton (EF), appliqué aux traitements des eaux chargées en polluants bioréfractaires.

    OpenAIRE

    Le , Thi Xuan Huong

    2017-01-01

    This thesis manuscript presents the modification and application of carbon felt material for wastewater treatment accommodating biorefractory pollutants by electro-Fenton (EF) process. First of all, the optimal condition of EF treatment for dye/pharmaceuticals removal using commercial carbon felt (CF) was investigated. From that, the degradation pathways in the relationship with the toxicity of their by-products were built and proposed. Concerning the modification for commercial CF, a new cat...

  16. The DAG1 transcription factor negatively regulates the seed-to-seedling transition in Arabidopsis acting on ABA and GA levels

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Boccaccini, A.; Lorrai, R.; Ruta, V.; Frey, A.; Mercey-Boutet, S.; Marion-Poll, F.; Tarkowská, Danuše; Strnad, Miroslav; Costantino, P.; Vittorioso, P.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 16, SEP 9 (2016), s. 198 ISSN 1471-2229 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LK21306; GA MŠk(CZ) LO1204; GA ČR GA14-34792S Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : DAG1 * Seed development * Chromatin remodelling Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 3.964, year: 2016

  17. Remodeling of the AB site of rat parvalbumin and oncomodulin into a canonical EF-hand

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cox, J A; Durussel, I; Scott, D J

    1999-01-01

    -residue canonical loop. To create an optical conformational probe we also expressed the homologs with a F102W replacement. Unexpectedly, in none of the proteins did the mutation reactivate the AB site. The AB-remodeled parvalbumins bind two Ca2+ ions with strong positive cooperativity (nH = 2......Parvalbumin (PV) and the homologous protein oncomodulin (OM) contain three EF-hand motifs, but the first site (AB) cannot bind Ca2+. Here we aimed to recreate the putative ancestral proteins [D19-28E]PV and [D19-28E]OM by replacing the 10-residue-long nonfunctional loop in the AB site by a 12...... conformations. The AB-remodeled oncomodulins also bind two Ca2+ with [Ca2+]0.5 = 43 microM and nH = 1.45. Mg2+ does not affect Ca2+ binding. Again the Ca2+ forms display two-thirds of the alpha-helical content in the wild-type, while their core is still strongly hydrophobic as monitored by Trp and Tyr...

  18. Diphtheria toxin- and Pseudomonas A toxin-mediated apoptosis. ADP ribosylation of elongation factor-2 is required for DNA fragmentation and cell lysis and synergy with tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morimoto, H; Bonavida, B

    1992-09-15

    We have reported that diphtheria toxin (DTX) mediates target cell lysis and intranucleosomal DNA fragmentation (apoptosis) and also synergizes with TNF-alpha. In this paper, we examined which step in the pathway of DTX-mediated inhibition of protein synthesis was important for induction of cytolytic activity and for synergy. Using a DTX-sensitive tumor cell line, we first examined the activity of the mutant CRM 197, which does not catalyze the ADP ribosylation of elongation factor-2 (EF-2). CRM 197 was not cytolytic for target cells and did not mediate intranucleosomal DNA fragmentation of viable cells. The failure of CRM 197 to mediate target cell lysis suggested that the catalytic activity of DTX is prerequisite for target cell lysis. This was corroborated by demonstrating that MeSAdo, which blocks the biosynthesis of diphthamide, inhibited DTX-mediated protein synthesis inhibition and also blocked target cell lysis. Furthermore, the addition of nicotinamide, which competes with NAD+ on the DTX action site of EF-2, also blocked DTX-mediated lysis. These findings suggest that ADP-ribosylation of EF-2 may be a necessary step in the pathway leading to target cell lysis. In contrast to the sensitive line, the SKOV-3 tumor cell line is sensitive to protein synthesis inhibition by DTX but is not susceptible to cytolysis and apoptosis by DTX. Thus, protein synthesis inhibition by DTX is not sufficient to mediate target cell lysis. The synergy in cytotoxicity obtained with the combination of DTX and TNF-alpha was examined in order to determine the pathway mediated by DTX in synergy. Like the direct lysis by DTX, synergy was significantly reduced by MeSAdo and by nicotinamide. Furthermore, synergy was not observed with combination of CRM 197 and TNF-alpha. These results demonstrate that, in synergy, DTX may utilize the same pathway required for its cytolytic activity. Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin shared most the properties shown for DTX. Altogether, these findings

  19. Psychometric properties and convergent and predictive validity of an executive function test battery for two-year-olds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanna eMulder

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Executive function (EF is an important predictor of numerous developmental outcomes, such as academic achievement and behavioral adjustment. Although a plethora of measurement instruments exists to assess executive function in children, only few of these are suitable for toddlers, and even fewer have undergone psychometric evaluation. The present study evaluates the psychometric properties and validity of an assessment battery for measuring EF in two-year-olds. A sample of 2437 children were administered the assessment battery at a mean age of 2;4 years (SD = 0;3 years in a large-scale field study. Measures of both hot EF (snack and gift delay tasks and cool EF (six boxes, memory for location, and visual search task were included. Confirmatory Factor Analyses showed that a two-factor hot and cool EF model fitted the data better than a one-factor model. Measurement invariance was supported across groups differing in age, gender, socioeconomic status (SES, home language, and test setting. Criterion and convergent validity were evaluated by examining relationships between EF and age, gender, SES, home language, and parent and teacher reports of children’s attention and inhibitory control. Predictive validity of the test battery was investigated by regressing children’s pre-academic skills and behavioral problems at age three on the latent hot and cool EF factors at age two years. The test battery showed satisfactory psychometric quality and criterion, convergent, and predictive validity. Whereas cool EF predicted both pre-academic skills and behavior problems one year later, hot EF predicted behavior problems only. These results show that EF can be assessed with psychometrically sound instruments in children as young as two years, and that EF tasks can be reliably applied in large scale field research. The current instruments offer new opportunities for investigating EF in early childhood, and for evaluating interventions targeted at improving

  20. Impacts of environmental factors on the whole microbial communities in the rhizosphere of a metal-tolerant plant: Elsholtzia haichowensis Sun.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Songqiang; Ke, Tan; Li, Longtai; Cai, Shenwen; Zhou, Yuyue; Liu, Yue; Guo, Limin; Chen, Lanzhou; Zhang, Dayi

    2018-06-01

    Rhizospheric microbes play important roles in plant growth and heavy metals (HMs) transformation, possessing great potential for the successful phytoremediation of environmental pollutants. In the present study, the rhizosphere of Elsholtzia haichowensis Sun was comprehensively studied to uncover the influence of environmental factors (EFs) on the whole microbial communities including bacteria, fungi and archaea, via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and high-throughput sequencing. By analyzing molecular ecological network and multivariate regression trees (MRT), we evaluated the distinct impacts of 37 EFs on soil microbial community. Of them, soil pH, HMs, soil texture and nitrogen were identified as the most influencing factors, and their roles varied across different domains. Soil pH was the main environmental variable on archaeal and bacterial community but not fungi, explaining 25.7%, 46.5% and 40.7% variation of bacterial taxonomic composition, archaeal taxonomic composition and a-diversity, respectively. HMs showed important roles in driving the whole microbial community and explained the major variation in different domains. Nitrogen (NH 4 -N, NO 3 -N, NO 2 -N and TN) explained 47.3% variation of microbial population composition and 15.9% of archaeal taxonomic composition, demonstrating its influence in structuring the rhizospheric microbiome, particularly archaeal and bacterial community. Soil texture accounted for 10.2% variation of population composition, 28.9% of fungal taxonomic composition, 19.2% of fungal a-diversity and 7.8% of archaeal a-diversity. Rhizosphere only showed strong impacts on fungi and bacteria, accounting for 14.7% and 4.9% variation of fungal taxonomic composition and bacterial a-diversity. Spatial distance had stronger influence on bacteria and archaea than fungi, but not as significant as other EFs. For the first time, our study provides a complete insight into key influential EFs on rhizospheric microbes and how

  1. Reductions in emissions of carbonaceous particulate matter and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from combustion of biomass pellets in comparison with raw fuel burning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Guofeng; Tao, Shu; Wei, Siye; Zhang, Yanyan; Wang, Rong; Wang, Bin; Li, Wei; Shen, Huizhong; Huang, Ye; Chen, Yuanchen; Chen, Han; Yang, Yifeng; Wang, Wei; Wei, Wen; Wang, Xilong; Liu, Wenxing; Wang, Xuejun; Masse Simonich, Staci L y

    2012-06-05

    Biomass pellets are emerging as a cleaner alternative to traditional biomass fuels. The potential benefits of using biomass pellets include improving energy utilization efficiency and reducing emissions of air pollutants. To assess the environmental, climate, and health significance of replacing traditional fuels with biomass pellets, it is critical to measure the emission factors (EFs) of various pollutants from pellet burning. However, only a few field measurements have been conducted on the emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the combustion of pellets. In this study, pine wood and corn straw pellets were burned in a pellet burner (2.6 kW), and the EFs of CO, organic carbon, elemental carbon, PM, and PAHs (EF(CO), EF(OC), EF(EC), EF(PM), and EF(PAH)) were determined. The average EF(CO), EF(OC), EF(EC), and EF(PM) were 1520 ± 1170, 8.68 ± 11.4, 11.2 ± 8.7, and 188 ± 87 mg/MJ for corn straw pellets and 266 ± 137, 5.74 ± 7.17, 2.02 ± 1.57, and 71.0 ± 54.0 mg/MJ for pine wood pellets, respectively. Total carbonaceous carbon constituted 8 to 14% of the PM mass emitted. The measured values of EF(PAH) for the two pellets were 1.02 ± 0.64 and 0.506 ± 0.360 mg/MJ, respectively. The secondary side air supply in the pellet burner did not change the EFs of most pollutants significantly (p > 0.05). The only exceptions were EF(OC) and EF(PM) for pine wood pellets because of reduced combustion temperatures with the increased air supply. In comparison with EFs for the raw pine wood and corn straw, EF(CO), EF(OC), EF(EC), and EF(PM) for pellets were significantly lower than those for raw fuels (p 0.05). Based on the measured EFs and thermal efficiencies, it was estimated that 95, 98, 98, 88, and 71% reductions in the total emissions of CO, OC, EC, PM, and PAHs could be achieved by replacing the raw biomass fuels combusted in traditional cooking stoves with pellets burned in modern pellet burners.

  2. The development of hypothalamic obesity in craniopharyngioma patients: A risk factor analysis in a well-defined cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Iersel, Laura; Meijneke, Ruud W H; Schouten-van Meeteren, Antoinette Y N; Reneman, Liesbeth; de Win, Maartje M; van Trotsenburg, A S Paul; Bisschop, Peter H; Finken, Martijn J J; Vandertop, W Peter; van Furth, Wouter R; van Santen, Hanneke M

    2018-05-01

    Hypothalamic obesity (HO) is a major concern in patients treated for craniopharyngioma (CP). The influence of degree of resection on development of HO, event-free survival (EFS), and neuroendocrine sequelae is an issue of debate. A retrospective cohort consisting of all CP patients treated between 2002 and 2012 in two university hospitals was identified. Multivariable logistic regression was used to study the associations between preoperative BMI, age at diagnosis, tumor volume, performed surgical resection, and presence of HO at follow-up. Thirty-five patients (21 children and 14 adults) were included. Median follow-up time was 35.6 months (4.1-114.7). Four patients were obese at diagnosis. HO was present in 19 (54.3%) patients at last follow-up of whom eight were morbidly obese. Thirteen (37.1%) patients underwent partial resection (PR) and 22 (62.9%) gross total resection (GTR). GTR was related to HO (OR 9.19, 95% CI 1.43-59.01), but for morbid HO, obesity at diagnosis was the only risk factor (OR 12.92, 95% CI 1.05-158.73). EFS in patients after GTR was 86%, compared to 42% after PR (log-rank 9.2, P = 0.003). Adjuvant radiotherapy after PR improved EFS (log-rank 8.2, P = 0.004). Panhypopituitarism, present in 15 patients, was mainly seen after GTR. HO is less frequent after PR than after GTR, but PR cannot always prevent the development of morbid obesity in patients with obesity at diagnosis. PR reduces the occurrence of panhypopituitarism. When developing a treatment algorithm, all these factors should be considered. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 controls TNF-α translation in LPS-induced hepatitis

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-Terán, Bárbara; Cortés, José R.; Manieri, Elisa; Matesanz, Nuria; Verdugo, ρngeles; Rodríguez, María E.; González-Rodríguez, ρgueda; Valverde, ρngela; Martín, Pilar; Davis, Roger J.; Sabio, Guadalupe

    2012-01-01

    Bacterial LPS (endotoxin) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of acute liver disease through its induction of the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α. TNF-α is a key determinant of the outcome in a well-established mouse model of acute liver failure during septic shock. One possible mechanism for regulating TNF-α expression is through the control of protein elongation during translation, which would allow rapid cell adaptation to physiological changes. However, the regulation of translational elongation is poorly understood. We found that expression of p38γ/δ MAPK proteins is required for the elongation of nascent TNF-α protein in macrophages. The MKK3/6-p38γ/δ pathway mediated an inhibitory phosphorylation of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) kinase, which in turn promoted eEF2 activation (dephosphorylation) and subsequent TNF-α elongation. These results identify a new signaling pathway that regulates TNF-α production in LPS-induced liver damage and suggest potential cell-specific therapeutic targets for liver diseases in which TNF-α production is involved. PMID:23202732

  4. Doc toxin is a kinase that inactivates elongation factor Tu.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cruz, Jonathan W; Rothenbacher, Francesca P; Maehigashi, Tatsuya; Lane, William S; Dunham, Christine M; Woychik, Nancy A

    2014-03-14

    The Doc toxin from bacteriophage P1 (of the phd-doc toxin-antitoxin system) has served as a model for the family of Doc toxins, many of which are harbored in the genomes of pathogens. We have shown previously that the mode of action of this toxin is distinct from the majority derived from toxin-antitoxin systems: it does not cleave RNA; in fact P1 Doc expression leads to mRNA stabilization. However, the molecular triggers that lead to translation arrest are not understood. The presence of a Fic domain, albeit slightly altered in length and at the catalytic site, provided a clue to the mechanism of P1 Doc action, as most proteins with this conserved domain inactivate GTPases through addition of an adenylyl group (also referred to as AMPylation). We demonstrated that P1 Doc added a single phosphate group to the essential translation elongation factor and GTPase, elongation factor (EF)-Tu. The phosphorylation site was at a highly conserved threonine, Thr-382, which was blocked when EF-Tu was treated with the antibiotic kirromycin. Therefore, we have established that Fic domain proteins can function as kinases. This distinct enzymatic activity exhibited by P1 Doc also solves the mystery of the degenerate Fic motif unique to the Doc family of toxins. Moreover, we have established that all characterized Fic domain proteins, even those that phosphorylate, target pivotal GTPases for inactivation through a post-translational modification at a single functionally critical acceptor site.

  5. Emission factors of polycyclic and nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from residential combustion of coal and crop residue pellets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Xiaoyang; Liu, Shijie; Xu, Yisheng; Liu, Yu; Chen, Lijiang; Tang, Ning; Hayakawa, Kazuichi

    2017-12-01

    Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) are toxic pollutants mainly produced during fossil fuel combustion. Domestic coal stoves, which emit large amounts of PAHs and NPAHs, are widely used in the Chinese countryside. In this study, emission factors (Efs) for 13 PAH species and 21 NPAH species for four raw coal (three bituminous and one anthracite), one honeycomb briquette, and one crop residue pellet (peanut hulls) samples burned in a typical Chinese rural cooking stove were determined experimentally. The PAH and NPAH Efs for the six fuels were 3.15-49 mg/kg and 0.32-100 μg/kg, respectively. Peanut hulls had very high Efs for both PAHs and NPAHs, and honeycomb briquettes had the lowest Efs. 2-Nitropyrene and 2-nitrofluoranthene, which are NPAHs typically found in secondary organic aerosol, were detected in the emissions from some fuels, suggesting that chemical reactions may have occurred in the dilution tunnel between the flue gas leaving the stove and entering the sampler. The 1-nitropyrene to pyrene diagnostic ratios for coal and peanut hulls were 0.0001 ± 0.0001 and 0.0005, respectively. These were in the same order of magnitude as reference ratios for emissions during coal combustion. The 6-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene to benzo[a]pyrene ratios for the fuels were determined, and the ratios for coal and peanut hulls were 0.0010 ± 0.0001 and 0.0014, respectively. The calculated potential toxic risks indicated that peanut hull emissions were very toxic, especially in terms of NPAHs, compared with emissions from the other fuels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Strong genetic overlap between executive functions and intelligence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engelhardt, Laura E; Mann, Frank D; Briley, Daniel A; Church, Jessica A; Harden, K Paige; Tucker-Drob, Elliot M

    2016-09-01

    Executive functions (EFs) are cognitive processes that control, monitor, and coordinate more basic cognitive processes. EFs play instrumental roles in models of complex reasoning, learning, and decision making, and individual differences in EFs have been consistently linked with individual differences in intelligence. By middle childhood, genetic factors account for a moderate proportion of the variance in intelligence, and these effects increase in magnitude through adolescence. Genetic influences on EFs are very high, even in middle childhood, but the extent to which these genetic influences overlap with those on intelligence is unclear. We examined genetic and environmental overlap between EFs and intelligence in a racially and socioeconomically diverse sample of 811 twins ages 7 to 15 years (M = 10.91, SD = 1.74) from the Texas Twin Project. A general EF factor representing variance common to inhibition, switching, working memory, and updating domains accounted for substantial proportions of variance in intelligence, primarily via a genetic pathway. General EF continued to have a strong, genetically mediated association with intelligence even after controlling for processing speed. Residual variation in general intelligence was influenced only by shared and nonshared environmental factors, and there remained no genetic variance in general intelligence that was unique of EF. Genetic variance independent of EF did remain, however, in a more specific perceptual reasoning ability. These results provide evidence that genetic influences on general intelligence are highly overlapping with those on EF. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  7. Effect factors for terrestrial acidification in Brazil

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Crespo Mendes, Natalia; Laurent, Alexis; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky

    conditions, which is an essential approach considering countries like Brazil, with high biodiversity. Previous studies have assessed the impacts of terrestrial acidification from the estimations of the potential losses of vascular plants species richness as a result of exposure to acidifying substances...... for 13 biomes, with 2409 species addressed for whole world. In this context this work aims to provide spatially-differentiated effect factors (EF) for terrestrial acidification in Brazil and support the development of spatially-differentiated characterization factors for Brazil. In order to maintain...... in Brazil, represented by 33167 species, indicating that this is a comprehensive study. Maps of soil pH in Brazil were extracted at 1-km resolution and pH values were extracted for the depth range of 0-30cm. For each ecoregion, species richness was plotted against soil pH and the exposure-response curves...

  8. Factor investing based on Musharakah principle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simon, Shahril; Omar, Mohd; Lazam, Norazliani Md; Amin, Mohd Nazrul Mohd

    2015-10-01

    Shariah stock investing has become a widely discussed topic in financial industry as part of today's investment strategy. The strategy primarily applies market capitalization allocations. However, some researchers have argued that market capitalization weighting is inherently flawed and have advocated replacing market capitalization allocations with factor allocations. In this paper, we discuss the rationale for factor investing based on Musharakah principle. The essential elements or factors of Musharakah principle such as business sector, management capability, profitability growth and capital efficiency are embedded in the Shariah-compliant stock. We then transform these factors into indexation for better analysis and performance measurement. Investment universe for this research covers Malaysian stocks for the period of January 2009 to December 2013. We found out that these factor indexes have historically earned excess returns over market capitalization weighted indexes and experienced higher Sharpe Ratios.

  9. Molecular phylogeny of bladderworts: A wide approach of Utricularia (Lentibulariaceae) species relationships based on six plastidial and nuclear DNA sequences.

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Silva, S. R.; Gibson, R.; Adamec, Lubomír; Domínguez, Y.; Miranda, V.F.O.

    2018-01-01

    Roč. 118, Jan2018 (2018), s. 244-264 ISSN 1055-7903 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : bladderworts * DNA sequencing * carnivorous plants Subject RIV: EF - Botanics OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 4.419, year: 2016

  10. Specificity of executive function and theory of mind performance in relation to attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms in autism spectrum disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lukito, Steve; Jones, Catherine R G; Pickles, Andrew; Baird, Gillian; Happé, Francesca; Charman, Tony; Simonoff, Emily

    2017-01-01

    Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently demonstrate symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Previous findings in children with ASD have suggested that these symptoms are associated with an impairment in executive function (EF) abilities. However, studies rarely considered this association within a single framework that controls for other related factors such as Theory of Mind (ToM) abilities and ASD symptoms. We used structural equation modeling to explore the relations among EF, ToM, and symptoms of ASD and ADHD, using data from a population-based sample of 100 adolescents with ASD and full-scale IQ ≥ 50 (the Special Needs and Autism Project (SNAP) cohort). The study used a multi-measure and multi-informant approach, where performance of inhibition, planning, switching, and working memory tasks indexed EF and performance on tasks involving mentalizing indexed ToM. Measures of ASD and ADHD symptoms included parent and teacher reports and direct observation of the children. Shared source of symptom reporting was accounted for with a parental rating latent factor indexed by symptom measures reported by parents. Impairments in EF abilities were specifically associated with ADHD symptoms while impaired ToM was specifically associated with ASD symptoms, when accounting for the associations of each cognitive domain with the other factors. ASD and ADHD symptom latent factors were also correlated, but this association became nonsignificant once the shared source of reporting from parents was accounted for and within a model that also controlled for the correlated pathway between EF and ToM factors. The specific relations between the cognitive domains and behavioral symptoms remained even after controlling for IQ. In this ASD sample, symptoms of ADHD and ASD are underpinned by separate cognitive domains. The association between EF and ToM impairments is a likely partial explanation for the co-occurrence of ADHD symptoms in ASD

  11. Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction – Concept, Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Challenges for Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lidija Veterovska Miljkovik

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Heart failure (HF with preserved left ventricular (LV ejection fraction (HFpEF occurs in 40 to 60% of the patients with HF, with a prognosis which is similar to HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF. HFpEF pathophysiology is different from that of HFrEF, and has been characterized with diastolic dysfunction. Diastolic dysfunction has been defined with elevated left ventricular stiffness, prolonged iso-volumetric LV relaxation, slow LV filing and elevated LV end-diastolic pressure. Arterial hypertension occurs in majority cases with HFpEF worldwide. Patients are mostly older and obese. Diabetes mellitus and atrial fibrillation appear proportionally in a high frequency of patients with HFpEF. The HFpEF diagnosis is based on existence of symptoms and signs of heart failure, normal or approximately normal ejection and diagnosing of LV diastolic dysfunction by means of heart catheterization or Doppler echocardiography and/or elevated concentration of plasma natriuretic peptide. The present recommendations for HFpEF treatment include blood pressure control, heart chamber frequency control when atrial fibrillation exists, in some situations even coronary revascularization and an attempt for sinus rhythm reestablishment. Up to now, it is considered that no medication or a group of medications improve the survival of HFpEF patients. Due to these causes and the bad prognosis of the disorder, rigorous control is recommended of the previously mentioned precipitating factors for this disorder. This paper presents a universal review of the most important parameters which determine this disorder.

  12. Tumor bulk as a prognostic factor for the management of localized aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a survey of the Japan lymphoma radiation therapy group

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oguchi, Masahiko; Ikeda, Hiroshi; Isobe, Kouichi; Hirota, Saeko; Hasegawa, Masatoshi; Nakamura, Katsumasa; Sasai, Keisuke; Hayabuchi, Naofumi

    2000-01-01

    Purpose: To identify the prognostic factors that specifically predict survival rates of patients with localized aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Methods and Materials: The survey was carried out at 25 radiation oncology institutions in Japan in 1998. The 5-year event-free (EFS) and overall survival rates (OAS) were calculated, and univariate and multivariate analyses were done to identify which of the following factors, namely, gender, age, performance status (PS), serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, Stage (I vs. II), tumor bulk (maximum diameter), and treatment, were significant from the viewpoint of prognosis. Results: A total of 1141 patients with Stage I and II NHL were treated by the Japanese Lymphoma Radiation Therapy Group between 1988 and 1992. Of them, 787 patients, who were treated using definitive radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy for intermediate- and high-grade lymphomas in working formulation, constituted the core of this study. Primary tumors arose mainly from extranodal organs (71%) in the head and neck (Waldeyer's ring: 36% and sinonasal cavities: 9%). The factors associated with poorer prognosis were age over 60 years old (p < 0.0001), radiation therapy alone (p < 0.0001), PS = 2-4 (p = 0.0011), (sex male, p = 0.0078), a bulky tumor more than 6 cm in maximum diameter (p 0.0088), elevated LDH (p = 0.0117), and stage II (p = 0.0642). A median dose of 42 Gy was delivered mainly to the involved fields. Short-course chemotherapy was provided in 549 (70%) patients. The 5-year OAS and EFS rates for all patients were 71% and 67%, respectively. According to the stage-modified International Prognostic Index, the 5-year EFS of the patients with risk factors from 0 to 1 was 76%, 61% for patients with two risk factors, and 26% for patients with three or more risk factors. Conclusion: Extranodal presentation, especially Waldeyer's ring and sinonasal cavities, is encountered more frequently in Japan than in Western countries. Tumor bulk is

  13. Parents' Executive Functioning and Involvement in Their Child's Education: An Integrated Literature Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Damali M; Gross, Deborah

    2018-04-01

    Parents' involvement in their children's education is integral to academic success. Several education-based organizations have identified recommendations for how parents can best support their children's learning. However, executive functioning (EF), a high-ordered cognitive skill set, contributes to the extent to which parents can follow through with these recommendations. This integrative review of the literature describes how executive function can affect parents' ability to facilitate and actively participate in their child's education and provides strategies for all school staff to strengthen parent-school partnerships when parents have limitations in EF. EF skills are fluid and influenced by several factors, including parental age, sleep, stress, and mood/affect. Despite possible limitations in parental EF, there are strategies school personnel can employ to strengthen partnership with parents to support their children's academic success. As reforms in education call for increased customization and collaboration with families, parental EF is an important consideration for school personnel. Awareness and understanding of how parents' EF affects children's learning will help schools better support parents in supporting their children's academic success. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of School Health published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American School Health Association.

  14. Novel evolutionary lineages revealed in the Chaetothyriales (Fungi) based on multigene phylogenetic analyses and comparison of ITS secondary structure

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Réblová, Martina; Untereiner, W. A.; Réblová, K.

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 8, č. 5 (2013), e63547 E-ISSN 1932-6203 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP506/12/0038 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : Cyphelophora * Phialophora * secondary structure Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 3.534, year: 2013

  15. Systemic above- and belowground cross talk: hormone-based responses triggered by Heterodera schachtii and shoot herbivores in Arabidopsis thaliana

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kammerhofer, N.; Egger, B.; Dobrev, Petre; Vaňková, Radomíra; Hofmann, J.; Schausberger, P.; Wieczorek, K.

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 66, č. 22 (2015), s. 7005-7017 ISSN 0022-0957 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LD14120 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : Aboveground–belowground interactions * Frankliniella occidentalis * herbivores Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 5.677, year: 2015

  16. Probability based load factors for design of concrete containment structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hwang, H.; Kagami, S.; Reich, M.; Ellingwood, B.; Shinozuka, M.

    1985-01-01

    This paper describes a procedure for developing probability-based load combinations for the design of concrete containments. The proposed criteria are in a load and resistance factor design (LRFD) format. The load factors and resistance factors are derived for use in limit states design and are based on a target limit state probability. In this paper, the load factors for accident pressure and safe shutdown earthquake are derived for three target limit state probabilities. Other load factors are recommended on the basis of prior experience with probability-based design criteria for ordinary building construction. 6 refs

  17. A salivary EF-hand calcium-binding protein of the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens functions as an effector for defense responses in rice

    OpenAIRE

    Ye, Wenfeng; Yu, Haixin; Jian, Yukun; Zeng, Jiamei; Ji, Rui; Chen, Hongdan; Lou, Yonggen

    2017-01-01

    The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (St?l) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), a major pest of rice in Asia, is able to successfully puncture sieve tubes in rice with its piercing stylet and then to ingest phloem sap. How BPH manages to continuously feed on rice remains unclear. Here, we cloned the gene NlSEF1, which is highly expressed in the salivary glands of BPH. The NlSEF1 protein has EF-hand Ca2+-binding activity and can be secreted into rice plants when BPH feed. Infestation of rice ...

  18. Coinheritance of High Oxygen Affinity Hb Helsinki [HBB: c.248A>T; β82(EF6)Lys→Met] with Hb H Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Shir-Ying; Goh, Jia-Hui; Tan, Karen M L; Liu, Te-Chih

    2017-05-01

    Hb Helsinki [HBB: c.248A>T; β82(EF6)Lys→Met] is a high oxygen affinity hemoglobin (Hb) causing polycythemia, whereas Hb H (β4) disease causes mild to severe chronic hemolytic anemia. The clinical characteristics, gel electrophoresis, capillary electrophoresis (CE) and molecular genotyping of a case of Hb Helsinki coinherited with Hb H disease in an ethnic Malay is described, illustrating the interaction between the β-globin variant and coinheritance of three α gene deletions. The proband was asymptomatic, exhibited microcytosis and a normal with Hb value.

  19. The Solanum lycopersicum Zinc Finger2 Cysteine-2/Histidine-2 Repressor-Like Transcription Factor Regulates Development and Tolerance to Salinity in Tomato and Arabidopsis(1[W])

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hichri, I.; Muhovski, Y.; Žižková, Eva; Dobrev, Petre; Franco-Zorrilla, J.M.; Solano, R.; Lopez-Vidriero, I.; Motyka, Václav; Lutts, S.

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 164, č. 4 (2014), s. 1967-1990 ISSN 0032-0889 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP506/11/0774 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : RICE ORYZA-SATIVA * AGROBACTERIUM-MEDIATED TRANSFORMATION * TARGET-SEQUENCE RECOGNITION Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 6.841, year: 2014

  20. Global time trends in PAH emissions from motor vehicles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Huizhong; Tao, Shu; Wang, Rong; Wang, Bin; Shen, Guofeng; Li, Wei; Su, Shenshen; Huang, Ye; Wang, Xilong; Liu, Wenxin; Li, Bengang; Sun, Kang

    2011-04-01

    Emission from motor vehicles is the most important source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban areas. Emission factors of individual PAHs for motor vehicles reported in the literature varied 4 to 5 orders of magnitude, leading to high uncertainty in emission inventory. In this study, key factors affecting emission factors of PAHs (EF PAH) for motor vehicles were evaluated quantitatively based on thousands of EF PAH measured in 16 countries for over 50 years. The result was used to develop a global emission inventory of PAHs from motor vehicles. It was found that country and vehicle model year are the most important factors affecting EF PAH, which can be quantified using a monovariate regression model with per capita gross domestic production (purchasing power parity) as a sole independent variable. On average, 29% of variation in log-transformed EF PAH could be explained by the model, which was equivalent to 90% reduction in overall uncertainty on arithmetic scale. The model was used to predict EF PAH and subsequently PAH emissions from motor vehicles for various countries in the world during a period from 1971 to 2030. It was estimated that the global emission reached its peak value of approximate 101 Gg in 1978 and decreased afterwards due to emission control in developed countries. The annual emission picked up again since 1990 owing to accelerated energy consumption in China and other developing countries. With more and more rigid control measures taken in the developing world, global emission of PAHs is currently passing its second peak. It was predicted that the emission would decrease from 77 Gg in 2010 to 42 Gg in 2030.

  1. THE ROLE OF FACTORS AFFECTING THE FORMATION OF CHRONIC HEART FAILURE WITH PRESERVED EJECTION FRACTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. V. Kurkina

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim. To study the combination and contribution of risk factors (age, hypertension (HT, obesity, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease (CKD, length of illness leading to the formation of chronic heart failure (CHF with preserved ejection fraction (EF.Material and methods. The study included 100 hypertensive patients (aged 40 to 80 years with concomitant obesity or diabetes or CKD. Patients were divided into 4 groups depending on the presence of one major and/or several concomitant diseases. Echocardiography, assessment of large arterial vessels stiffness indices (SI m/s, CAVI m/s, and determination of small muscle arteries tonus (RI% were performed in all patients.Results. Remodeling of the left ventricle (LV and left atrial (LA was observed in all patients with comorbid status, as well as reduction in diastolic function. The LV myocardial mass index in the first group was 117.2±31.4 g/m2, in the second one – 125.9±27.4 g/m2, in the third group – 121.5±15.6 g/m2 and in the fourth one – 126.1±11.5 g/m2. A significant increase in the LA volume index was founded in the first group  – 33.4±3.9 ml/m2, in the second one – 39.6±9.1 ml/m2, in the third group – 38.1±5.2 ml/m2 and in the fourth one – 39.8±6.6 ml/m2 (р<0.05. The parameters reflecting the rigidity of large arterial vessels (SI m/s, CAVI m/s also exceeded the threshold values in each group; significant differences SI were between the first and fourth, second  and fourth groups  (р<0.05, CAVI between the first and third groups  (р<0.05. A significant correlation was found between CAVI and age (r=0.63, which indicated an increase in arterial stiffness with age.Conclusions. In the formation of CHF with preserved EF, additional factors enhance the changes associated with LV remodeling and LA overload. These changes occur with a progressive decrease in LV diastolic function and increase in myocardial stiffness. HT and obesity are the main contributors to the

  2. Evaluation of the Possible Sources and Controlling Factors of Toxic Metals/Metalloids in the Florida Everglades and Their Potential Risk of Exposure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yanbin; Duan, Zhiwei; Liu, Guangliang; Kalla, Peter; Scheidt, Daniel; Cai, Yong

    2015-08-18

    The Florida Everglades is an environmentally sensitive wetland ecosystem with a number of threatened and endangered fauna species susceptible to the deterioration of water quality. Several potential toxic metal sources exist in the Everglades, including farming, atmospheric deposition, and human activities in urban areas, causing concerns of potential metal exposure risks. However, little is known about the pollution status of toxic metals/metalloids of potential concern, except for Hg. In this study, eight toxic metals/metalloids (Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, and Hg) in Everglades soils were investigated in both dry and wet seasons. Pb, Cr, As, Cu, Cd, and Ni were identified to be above Florida SQGs (sediment quality guidelines) at a number of sampling sites, particularly Pb, which had a level of potential risk to organisms similar to that of Hg. In addition, a method was developed for quantitative source identification and controlling factor elucidation of toxic metals/metalloids by introducing an index, enrichment factor (EF), in the conventional multiple regression analysis. EFs represent the effects of anthropogenic sources on metals/metalloids in soils. Multiple regression analysis showed that Cr and Ni were mainly controlled by anthropogenic loading, whereas soil characteristics, in particular natural organic matter (NOM), played a more important role for Hg, As, Cd, and Zn. NOM may control the distribution of these toxic metals/metalloids by affecting their mobility in soils. For Cu and Pb, the effects of EFs and environmental factors are comparable, suggesting combined effects of loading and soil characteristics. This study is the first comprehensive research with a vast amount of sampling sites on the distribution and potential risks of toxic metals/metalloids in the Everglades. The finding suggests that in addition to Hg other metals/metalloids could also potentially be an environmental problem in this wetland ecosystem.

  3. Factors influencing the performance and efficiency of solar water pumping systems:  a review

    OpenAIRE

    Gouws, Rupert; Lukhwareni, Thendo

    2012-01-01

    The world is having an energy crisis and currently there is a strong drive towards renewable energy. A renewable energy option is solar energy, where by means of photovoltaic (PV) modules electrical energy can be produced. A residential as well as industrial application for these PV modules is solar water pumping systems. Disadvantages of solar water pumping systems are low performance and low energy efficiency. This paper provides a review on the factors that influence the performance and ef...

  4. A unified classification of alien species based on the magnitude of their environmental impacts

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Blackburn, T. M.; Essl, F.; Evans, T.; Hulme, P. E.; Jeschke, J.M.; Kühn, I.; Kumschick, S.; Marková, Zuzana; Mrugala, A.; Nentwig, W.; Pergl, Jan; Pyšek, Petr; Rabitsch, W.; Ricciardi, A.; Richardson, D. M.; Sendek, A.; Vila, M.; Wilson, J. R. U.; Winter, M.; Genovesi, P.; Bacher, S.

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 12, č. 5 (2014), s. 1-11, e1001850 E-ISSN 1545-7885 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP504/11/1028; GA ČR GB14-36079G Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : biological invasions * classification * environmental impact Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 9.343, year: 2014

  5. A safe potential juice clarifying pectinase from Trichoderma viride EF-8 utilizing Egyptian onion skins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdel-Mohsen S. Ismail

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The production of a notable, safe and highly active pectinase by the local fungal strain Trichoderma viride EF-8 utilizing the abundant pigmented Egyptian onion (Allium cepa L. skins (6.5%, w/v was achieved in 4 days submerged fermentation (SMF cultures, at temperature and pH of 30 °C and 4.0, respectively. The indigenously produced pectinase was partially purified by 50% batch ethanol precipitation and its general properties were studied following the standard procedures. The lyophilized enzyme preparation was free of any ochra or aflatoxins. The optimum conditions for the partially purified enzyme form were 2 mg/mL and 1% (w/v enzyme protein and substrate (citrus pectin concentrations, reaction pH and temperature of 7.0 and 40 °C, respectively. The results presented the low cost onion skins waste as the major substrate for the fungal pectinase production and its subsequent use in perfect fruit (apple, lemon and orange juices clarification with remarkable stability during and after this process, which certainly enhance fruit juices processing in the tropics.

  6. Niche-based modelling as a tool for predicting the risk of alien plant invasions at a global scale

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Thuiller, W.; Richardson, D. M.; Pyšek, Petr; Midgley, G. F.; Hughes, G. O.; Rouget, M.

    2005-01-01

    Roč. 11, - (2005), s. 2234-2250 ISSN 1354-1013 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA206/03/1216 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : bioclimatic modelling * biological invasions * risk assessment Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 4.075, year: 2005

  7. Holocene history and environmental reconstruction of a Hercynian mire and surrounding mountain landscape based on multiple proxies

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Dudová, Lydie; Hájková, Petra; Opravilová, V.; Hájek, Michal

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 82, č. 1 (2014), s. 107-120 ISSN 0033-5894 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA206/08/0389 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : fen-bog transition * transfer functions * macrofossil and pollen analysis Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 2.544, year: 2014

  8. Analysis and Control of Buck-Boost Converter with the Same Input Polarity Based on Novel Energy Factor Evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahmoud Shaker Nasr

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents firstly a buck-boost circuit with the advantage that its output voltage polarity is the same as the input polarity. The circuit operation is presented and analyzed in different modes of operation. The well known parameters used in evaluation of DC/DC converters like Total Harmonic Distortion THD, Power Factor PF, and Ripple Factor RF have no meaning in DC/DC converters, so it is to introduce efficient concepts to permit a fair evaluation of the converter. This paper present other parameters that can be used to study the characteristics of the converter and gives a real and logic means of its operation. These main parameters are: pumping energy PE, storage energy SE, energy factor EF, and energy losses EL. In addition, the converter efficiency is not considered as 100 % as taken in most analyzing studies. The positive DC/DC buck-boost converter is evaluated according to the new concepts and the system model is deduced for different cases of operation taking into account the resistance of the circuit inductor. The circuit is implemented practically and the presented obtained results show the correct operation under different modes of operation. In addition the control design of the converter is built such that a PI controller with windup is considered. In order to test the effectiveness of the designed control algorithm, the system were exposed to different voltage reference values and the obtained results demonstrate that the system responses for all cases are very acceptable according to the criteria of the control system theory.

  9. Isolation of Flavonoids from Deguelia duckeana and Their Effect on Cellular Viability, AMPK, eEF2, eIF2 and eIF4E

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lorena M. C. Cursino

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Preparations of Deguelia duckeana, known in Brazil as timbó, are used by indigenous people to kill fish. Reinvestigation of its extracts resulted in the isolation and identification of 11 known flavonoids identified as 3,5,4’-trimethoxy-4-prenylstilbene (1, 4-methoxyderricidine (2, lonchocarpine (3, 4-hydroxylonchocarpine (4, 4-methoxylonchocarpine (5, 5-hydroxy-4’,7-dimethoxy-6-prenylflavanone (6, 4’-hydroxyisolonchocarpine (7, 4’-methoxyisolonchocarpine (8, 3’,4’,7-trimethoxyflavone (9, 3’,4’-methylenedioxy-7-methoxyflavone (10, and 2,2-dimethyl-chromone-5,4’-hydroxy-5’-methoxyflavone (11. Except for 1, 3, and 4 all of these flavonoids have been described for the first time in D. duckeana and the flavanone 6 for the first time in nature. Compounds 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, and 10 were studied for their potential to induce cell death in neuronal SK-N-SH cells. Only the chalcone 4 and the flavanone 7 significantly induced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH release, which was accompanied by activation of caspase-3 and impairment of energy homeostasis in the MTT assay and may explain the killing effect on fish. Interestingly, the flavone 10 reduced cell metabolism in the MTT assay without inducing cytotoxicity in the LDH assay. Furthermore, the flavonoids 2, 3, 4, 7, and 10 induced phosphorylation of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK and the eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2. The initiation factor eIF4E was dephosphorylated in the presence of these compounds. The initiation factor eIF2alpha was not affected. Further studies are needed to elucidate the importance of the observed effects on protein synthesis and potential therapeutic perspectives.

  10. In vitro interaction of a novel neutrophil growth factor with human liver microsomal cytochromes P450 and the contribution of UDP-glucuronosyltransferases to its metabolism

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Siller, M.; Anzenbacher, P.; Anzenbacherová, E.; Doležal, Karel; Strnad, Miroslav

    2011-01-01

    Roč. 41, č. 11 (2011), s. 934-944 ISSN 0049-8254 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA301/08/1649 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511 Keywords : DRUG-DRUG INTERACTION S * SUBSTRATE-SPECIFICITY * R-ROSCOVITINE * GLUCURONIDATION * CELLS Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.791, year: 2011

  11. Doc Toxin Is a Kinase That Inactivates Elongation Factor Tu*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cruz, Jonathan W.; Rothenbacher, Francesca P.; Maehigashi, Tatsuya; Lane, William S.; Dunham, Christine M.; Woychik, Nancy A.

    2014-01-01

    The Doc toxin from bacteriophage P1 (of the phd-doc toxin-antitoxin system) has served as a model for the family of Doc toxins, many of which are harbored in the genomes of pathogens. We have shown previously that the mode of action of this toxin is distinct from the majority derived from toxin-antitoxin systems: it does not cleave RNA; in fact P1 Doc expression leads to mRNA stabilization. However, the molecular triggers that lead to translation arrest are not understood. The presence of a Fic domain, albeit slightly altered in length and at the catalytic site, provided a clue to the mechanism of P1 Doc action, as most proteins with this conserved domain inactivate GTPases through addition of an adenylyl group (also referred to as AMPylation). We demonstrated that P1 Doc added a single phosphate group to the essential translation elongation factor and GTPase, elongation factor (EF)-Tu. The phosphorylation site was at a highly conserved threonine, Thr-382, which was blocked when EF-Tu was treated with the antibiotic kirromycin. Therefore, we have established that Fic domain proteins can function as kinases. This distinct enzymatic activity exhibited by P1 Doc also solves the mystery of the degenerate Fic motif unique to the Doc family of toxins. Moreover, we have established that all characterized Fic domain proteins, even those that phosphorylate, target pivotal GTPases for inactivation through a post-translational modification at a single functionally critical acceptor site. PMID:24448800

  12. Is hybridization involved in the evolution of the Chenopodium album aggregate? An analysis based on chromosome counts and genome size estimation

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Mandák, Bohumil; Trávníček, Pavel; Paštová, Ladislava; Kořínková, Dana

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 270, č. 7 (2012), s. 530-540 ISSN 0367-2530 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA206/09/1126 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : Chenopodium * hybridization * polyploidization Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.716, year: 2012

  13. Community Based Distribution of Child Spacing Methods at ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    uses volunteer CBD agents. Mrs. E.F. Pelekamoyo. Service Delivery Officer. National Family Welfare Council of Malawi. Private Bag 308. Lilongwe 3. Malawi. Community Based Distribution of. Child Spacing Methods ... than us at the Hospital; male motivators by talking to their male counterparts help them to accept that their ...

  14. Comparison of nematic liquid-crystal and DMD based spatial light modulation in complex photonics

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Turtaev, S.; Leite, I.T.; Mitchel, K.J.; Padgett, M. J.; Phillips, D. B.; Čižmár, Tomáš

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 25, č. 24 (2017), s. 29874-29884 ISSN 1094-4087 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) EF15_003/0000476 Institutional support: RVO:68081731 Keywords : holography * fibre optics * digital micromirror device Subject RIV: BH - Optics , Masers, Lasers OBOR OECD: Optics (including laser optics and quantum optics ) Impact factor: 3.307, year: 2016

  15. Epicardial Fat: Definition, Measurements and Systematic Review of Main Outcomes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bertaso, Angela Gallina [Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Cardiologia e Ciências Cardiovasculares - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre (Brazil); Bertol, Daniela [Programa de Pós-Graduação em Epidemiologia - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre (Brazil); Duncan, Bruce Bartholow; Foppa, Murilo, E-mail: mfoppa@cardiol.br [Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Cardiologia e Ciências Cardiovasculares - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre (Brazil); Programa de Pós-Graduação em Epidemiologia - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre (Brazil)

    2013-07-15

    Epicardial fat (EF) is a visceral fat deposit, located between the heart and the pericardium, which shares many of the pathophysiological properties of other visceral fat deposits, It also potentially causes local inflammation and likely has direct effects on coronary atherosclerosis. Echocardiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging have been used to evaluate EF, but variations between methodologies limit the comparability between these modalities. We performed a systematic review of the literature finding associations of EF with metabolic syndrome and coronary artery disease. The summarization of these associations is limited by the heterogeneity of the methods used and the populations studied, where most of the subjects were at high cardiovascular disease risk. EF is also associated with other known factors, such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, age and hypertension, which makes the interpretation of its role as an independent risk marker intricate. Based on these data, we conclude that EF is a visceral fat deposit with potential implications in coronary artery disease. We describe the reference values of EF for the different imaging modalities, even though these have not yet been validated for clinical use. It is still necessary to better define normal reference values and the risk associated with EF to further evaluate its role in cardiovascular and metabolic risk assessment in relation to other criteria currently used.

  16. Epicardial Fat: Definition, Measurements and Systematic Review of Main Outcomes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bertaso, Angela Gallina; Bertol, Daniela; Duncan, Bruce Bartholow; Foppa, Murilo

    2013-01-01

    Epicardial fat (EF) is a visceral fat deposit, located between the heart and the pericardium, which shares many of the pathophysiological properties of other visceral fat deposits, It also potentially causes local inflammation and likely has direct effects on coronary atherosclerosis. Echocardiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging have been used to evaluate EF, but variations between methodologies limit the comparability between these modalities. We performed a systematic review of the literature finding associations of EF with metabolic syndrome and coronary artery disease. The summarization of these associations is limited by the heterogeneity of the methods used and the populations studied, where most of the subjects were at high cardiovascular disease risk. EF is also associated with other known factors, such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, age and hypertension, which makes the interpretation of its role as an independent risk marker intricate. Based on these data, we conclude that EF is a visceral fat deposit with potential implications in coronary artery disease. We describe the reference values of EF for the different imaging modalities, even though these have not yet been validated for clinical use. It is still necessary to better define normal reference values and the risk associated with EF to further evaluate its role in cardiovascular and metabolic risk assessment in relation to other criteria currently used

  17. An auto-SCT-based total therapy resulted in encouraging outcomes in adolescents and young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: report from a single center of China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, J; Zou, D-H; Li, Z-J; Fu, M-W; Xu, Y; Zhao, Y-Z; Qi, J-Y; Feng, S-Z; Liu, B-C; Lin, D; Mi, Y-C; Han, M-Z; Wang, J-X; Qiu, L-G

    2012-08-01

    Application of auto-SCT in the post-remission therapy for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with ALL is controversial. We analyzed the outcomes of 79 AYAs (15-24 years) with ALL who received our designed total therapy protocol with auto-SCT in first CR from 1990 to 2009. The estimated OS and EFS at 5 years for the cohort were 62.8±5.9 and 61.5±5.7%. The cumulative non-relapse mortality and relapse rate at 5 years for the cohort were 7.2±3.1 and 33.6±5.8%. Time to CR >4 weeks was the only independent unfavorable factor associated with OS, EFS and relapse in multivariate analysis. Patients in standard risk (SR) group and high risk (HR) group had better OS (78.3±7.4, 63.8±10.2 vs 38.1±11.6%) and EFS (78.0±7.4, 63.4±9.4 vs 32.4±11.3%), and lower relapse rate (15.9±6.5, 31.5±9.5 vs 65.7±11.8%) compared with patients in very high risk (VHR) group. Our data confirmed that auto-SCT-based total therapy might be an optional treatment strategy for AYAs with ALL in SR. Patients in HR also could get benefit from such schedule. But for those in VHR, allogenetic SCT is still the prior recommendation for the frequent recurrence after auto-SCT.

  18. Methyl jasmonate is a more effective senescence-promoting factor in Culcurbita pepo (zucchini) cotyledons when compared with darkness at the early stage of senescence

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Ananieva, K.; Ananiev, E. D.; Mishev, K.; Georgieva, K.; Malbeck, Jiří; Kamínek, Miroslav; van Staden, J.

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 164, č. 9 (2007), s. 1179-1187 ISSN 0176-1617 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA600380507 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511 Source of funding: V - iné verejné zdroje Keywords : cotyledons * cytokinins * dark treatment Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 2.239, year: 2007

  19. Updated survivals and prognostic factor analysis in myeloma treated by a staged approach use of bortezomib/thalidomide/dexamethasone in transplant eligible patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chim Chor

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Bortezomib, an NFkB inhibitor, is an active agent for the treatment of myeloma (MM. We have reported a promising complete remission (CR rate for newly diagnosed myeloma patients treated by a staged approach, in which chemosensitive patients underwent autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT while less chemosensitive patients received salvage therapy with bortezomib/thalidomide/dexamethasone prior to auto-HSCT. Methods Herein, with an additional 13 months of follow-up, we reported the updated survivals, and examined potential prognostic factors impacting event-free (EFS and overall survival (OS. Results With a median follow-up of 30 months, the projected OS was 73% and EFS was 50.2%. Age, gender, clinical stage and DAPK methylation could not account for the differential chemosensitivity. Advanced ISS stage and DAPK methylation adversely impacted OS whereas oligoclonal reconstitution predicted superior EFS. Conclusions Our staged approach illustrated an economical use of expensive targeted agents while preserving a good CR rate and OS. The comparable survivals of chemosensitive and less chemosensitive patients suggested the staged approach might have abolished the adverse prognostic impact of suboptimal chemosensitivity. Finally, the adverse impact of DAPK methylation and favorable impact of oligoclonal reconstitution in myeloma warrants further study.

  20. RpoH2 sigma factor controls the photooxidative stress response in a non-photosynthetic rhizobacterium, Azospirillum brasilense Sp7.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Santosh; Rai, Ashutosh Kumar; Mishra, Mukti Nath; Shukla, Mansi; Singh, Pradhyumna Kumar; Tripathi, Anil Kumar

    2012-12-01

    Bacteria belonging to the Alphaproteobacteria normally harbour multiple copies of the heat shock sigma factor (known as σ(32), σ(H) or RpoH). Azospirillum brasilense, a non-photosynthetic rhizobacterium, harbours five copies of rpoH genes, one of which is an rpoH2 homologue. The genes around the rpoH2 locus in A. brasilense show synteny with that found in rhizobia. The rpoH2 of A. brasilense was able to complement the temperature-sensitive phenotype of the Escherichia coli rpoH mutant. Inactivation of rpoH2 in A. brasilense results in increased sensitivity to methylene blue and to triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC). Exposure of A. brasilense to TTC and the singlet oxygen-generating agent methylene blue induced several-fold higher expression of rpoH2. Comparison of the proteome of A. brasilense with its rpoH2 deletion mutant and with an A. brasilense strain overexpressing rpoH2 revealed chaperone GroEL, elongation factors (Ef-Tu and EF-G), peptidyl prolyl isomerase, and peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase as the major proteins whose expression was controlled by RpoH2. Here, we show that the RpoH2 sigma factor-controlled photooxidative stress response in A. brasilense is similar to that in the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides, but that RpoH2 is not involved in the detoxification of methylglyoxal in A. brasilense.

  1. Genetic and phytochemical variability of six Teucrium arduini L. populations and their antioxidant/prooxidant behaviour examined by biochemical, macromolecule- and cell-based approaches

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Šamec, D.; Durgo, K.; Grúz, Jiří; Kremer, D.; Kosalec, I.; Piljac-Žegarac, J.; Salopek-Sondi, N.

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 186, SI (2015), s. 298-305 ISSN 0308-8146 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LK21306 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : Antioxidative/prooxidative activity * Cytotoxicity * Ethnopharmacology Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 4.052, year: 2015

  2. Neuroprotective Potential of Cell-Based Therapies in ALS:From BenchtoBedside

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Forostyak, Serhiy; Syková, Eva

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 11, oct. (2017), s. 591 ISSN 1662-453X R&D Projects: GA ČR GA17-21146S; GA ČR(CZ) GA15-06958S; GA MŠk(CZ) EF15_003/0000419 Institutional support: RVO:68378041 Keywords : stem cells * neurodegeneration * neuroprotection * clinical trials Subject RIV: FH - Neurology OBOR OECD: Neuroscience s (including psychophysiology Impact factor: 3.566, year: 2016

  3. Identification of galactose as the immunodominant sugar of leishmanial excreted factor and subsequent labeling with galactose oxidase and sodium boro[3H]hydride.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slutzky, G M; Greenblatt, C L

    1982-01-01

    Inhibition by low-molecular-weight sugars of precipitin line formation between a polysaccharide (EF) excreted by Leishmania tropica subsp. major, Leishmania enriettii, and rabbit antileishmanial antibodies on double gel diffusion plates revealed that galactose residues, possibly as components of lactosyl groups, were the critical immunodominant sugars mediating antibody recognition of EF. The galactose residues of the EF of L. tropica subsp. major were specifically labeled with tritium via galactose oxidase and sodium boro[3H]hydride. The radioactive EF had an apparent molecular weight of about 85,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels and was precipitated by antileishmanial antibodies as well as Ricinus communis lectins I and II (galactose specific). Lectins specific for glucose-mannose residues, fucose, N-acetylglucosamine, and N-acetylgalactosamine did not precipitate the labeled EF. Treatment of [3H]EF with proteolytic (trypsin, papain, protease) or glycosidic (alpha-amylase, beta-galactosidase) enzymes had no effect on either the electrophoretic pattern of the material or on its recognition by antileishmanial antibodies or R. communis lectin. This resistance to enzyme activity suggests that EF may be a useful marker for the presence of the parasite in vivo if it can be detected in minute quantities. PMID:6179874

  4. EF-hands at atomic resolution: The structure of human psoriasin (S100A7) solved by MAD phasing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brodersen, Ditlev Egeskov; Etzerodt, Michael; Madsen, Peder Søndergaard

    1998-01-01

    psoriasin reveals that this protein, in contrast to other S100 proteins with known structure, is not likely to strongly bind more than one calcium ion per monomer. The present study contradicts the idea that calcium binding induces large changes in conformation, as suggested by previously determined......The S100 family consists of small acidic proteins, belonging to the EF-hand class of calcium-binding proteins. They are primarily regulatory proteins, involved in cell growth, cell structure regulation and signal transduction. Psoriasin (S100A7) is an 11.7 kDa protein that is highly upregulated...... in the epidermis of patients suffering from the chronic skin disease psoriasis. Although its exact function is not known, psoriasin is believed to participate in the biochemical response which follows transient changes in the cellular Ca2+ concentration. RESULTS: The three-dimensional structure of holmium...

  5. Executive dysfunction among children with reading comprehension deficits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Locascio, Gianna; Mahone, E Mark; Eason, Sarah H; Cutting, Laurie E

    2010-01-01

    Emerging research supports the contribution of executive function (EF) to reading comprehension; however, a unique pattern has not been established for children who demonstrate comprehension difficulties despite average word recognition ability (specific reading comprehension deficit; S-RCD). To identify particular EF components on which children with S-RCD struggle, a range of EF skills was compared among 86 children, ages 10 to 14, grouped by word reading and comprehension abilities: 24 average readers, 44 with word recognition deficits (WRD), and 18 S-RCD. An exploratory principal components analysis of EF tests identified three latent factors, used in subsequent group comparisons: Planning/ Spatial Working Memory, Verbal Working Memory, and Response Inhibition. The WRD group exhibited deficits (relative to controls) on Verbal Working Memory and Inhibition factors; S-RCD children performed more poorly than controls on the Planning factor. Further analyses suggested the WRD group's poor performance on EF factors was a by-product of core deficits linked to WRD (after controlling for phonological processing, this group no longer showed EF deficits). In contrast, the S-RCD group's poor performance on the planning component remained significant after controlling for phonological processing. Findings suggest reading comprehension difficulties are linked to executive dysfunction; in particular, poor strategic planning/organizing may lead to reading comprehension problems.

  6. Shifts in the ecological behaviour of plant species between two distant regions: evidence from the base richness gradient in mires

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hájková, Petra; Hájek, Michal; Apostolova, I.; Zelený, D.; Dítě, D.

    2008-01-01

    Roč. 35, č. 2 (2008), s. 282-294 ISSN 0305-0270 Grant - others:GA AV ČR(CZ) KJB6163302 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : ecotype * mire * pH Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 4.566, year: 2008

  7. Centre characteristics and procedure-related factors have an impact on outcomes of allogeneic transplantation for patients with CLL: a retrospective analysis from the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schetelig, J.; Wreede, L.C. de; Andersen, N.S.; Moreno, C.; Gelder, M. van; Vitek, A.; Karas, M.; Michallet, M.; Machaczka, M.; Gramatzki, M.; Beelen, D.; Finke, J.; Delgado, J.; Volin, L.; Passweg, J.; Dreger, P.; Schaap, N.P.; Wagner, E.; Henseler, A.; Biezen, A. van; Bornhauser, M.; Iacobelli, S.; Putter, H.; Schonland, S.O.; Kroger, N.

    2017-01-01

    The best approach for allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantations (alloHCT) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is unknown. We therefore analysed the impact of procedure- and centre-related factors on 5-year event-free survival (EFS) in a large retrospective study. Data of

  8. Methods of sampling airborne fungi in working environments of waste treatment facilities

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Černá, K.; Wittlingerová, Z.; Zimová, M.; Janovský, Zdeněk

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 29, č. 3 (2016), s. 493-502 ISSN 1232-1087 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : airborne fungi * filter based bioaerosol sampling * waste sorting facility Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 0.930, year: 2016

  9. Validation of suitable reference genes for quantitative gene expression analysis in Panax ginseng

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meizhen eWang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Reverse transcription-qPCR (RT-qPCR has become a popular method for gene expression studies. Its results require data normalization by housekeeping genes. No single gene is proved to be stably expressed under all experimental conditions. Therefore, systematic evaluation of reference genes is necessary. With the aim to identify optimum reference genes for RT-qPCR analysis of gene expression in different tissues of Panax ginseng and the seedlings grown under heat stress, we investigated the expression stability of eight candidate reference genes, including elongation factor 1-beta (EF1-β, elongation factor 1-gamma (EF1-γ, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3G (IF3G, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3B (IF3B, actin (ACT, actin11 (ACT11, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH and cyclophilin ABH-like protein (CYC, using four widely used computational programs: geNorm, Normfinder, BestKeeper, and the comparative ΔCt method. The results were then integrated using the web-based tool RefFinder. As a result, EF1-γ, IF3G and EF1-β were the three most stable genes in different tissues of P. ginseng, while IF3G, ACT11 and GAPDH were the top three-ranked genes in seedlings treated with heat. Using three better reference genes alone or in combination as internal control, we examined the expression profiles of MAR, a multiple function-associated mRNA-like non-coding RNA (mlncRNA in P. ginseng. Taken together, we recommended EF1-γ/IF3G and IF3G/ACT11 as the suitable pair of reference genes for RT-qPCR analysis of gene expression in different tissues of P. ginseng and the seedlings grown under heat stress, respectively. The results serve as a foundation for future studies on P. ginseng functional genomics.

  10. Short-Lived Buildings in China: Impacts on Water, Energy, and Carbon Emissions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Wenjia; Wan, Liyang; Jiang, Yongkai; Wang, Can; Lin, Lishen

    2015-12-15

    This paper has changed the vague understanding that "the short-lived buildings have huge environmental footprints (EF)" into a concrete one. By estimating the annual floor space of buildings demolished and calibrating the average building lifetime in China, this paper compared the EF under various assumptive extended buildings' lifetime scenarios based on time-series environmental-extended input-output model. Results show that if the average buildings' lifetime in China can be extended from the current 23.2 years to their designed life expectancy, 50 years, in 2011, China can reduce 5.8 Gt of water withdrawal, 127.1 Mtce of energy consumption, and 426.0 Mt of carbon emissions, each of which is equivalent to the corresponding annual EF of Belgium, Mexico, and Italy. These findings will urge China to extend the lifetime of existing and new buildings, in order to reduce the EF from further urbanization. This paper also verifies that the lifetime of a product or the replacement rate of a sector is a very important factor that influences the cumulative EF. When making policies to reduce the EF, adjusting people's behaviors to extend the lifetime of products or reduce the replacement rate of sectors may be a very simple and cost-effective option.

  11. Evaluating the Potential of Commercial Forest Inventory Data to Report on Forest Carbon Stock and Forest Carbon Stock Changes for REDD+ under the UNFCCC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danae Maniatis

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available In the context of the adoption at the 16th Conference of the Parties in 2010 on the REDD+ mitigation mechanism, it is important to obtain reliable data on the spatiotemporal variation of forest carbon stocks and changes (called Emission Factor, EF. A re-occurring debate in estimating EF for REDD+ is the use of existing field measurement data. We provide an assessment of the use of commercial logging inventory data and ecological data to estimate a conservative EF (REDD+ phase 2 or to report on EF following IPCC Guidance and Guidelines (REDD+ phase 3. The data presented originate from five logging companies dispersed over Gabon, totalling 2,240 plots of 0.3 hectares.We distinguish three Forest Types (FTs in the dataset based on floristic conditions. Estimated mean aboveground biomass (AGB in the FTs ranges from 312 to 333 Mg ha−1. A 5% accuracy is reached with the number of plots put in place for the FTs and a low sampling uncertainty obtained (± 10 to 13 Mg ha−1. The data could be used to estimate a conservative EF in REDD+ phase 2 and only partially to report on EF following tier 2 requirements for a phase 3.

  12. Bryophyte and vascular plant responses to base-richness and water level gradients in Western Carpathian Sphagnum-rich mires

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hájková, Petra; Hájek, Michal

    2004-01-01

    Roč. 39, č. 4 (2004), s. 335-351 ISSN 1211-9520 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA206/02/0568 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z6005908 Keywords : fen * poor-rich gradient * water table Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 0.968, year: 2004

  13. Coupling field and laboratory measurements to estimate the emission factors of identified and unidentified trace gases for prescribed fires

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. J. Yokelson

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available An extensive program of experiments focused on biomass burning emissions began with a laboratory phase in which vegetative fuels commonly consumed in prescribed fires were collected in the southeastern and southwestern US and burned in a series of 71 fires at the US Forest Service Fire Sciences Laboratory in Missoula, Montana. The particulate matter (PM2.5 emissions were measured by gravimetric filter sampling with subsequent analysis for elemental carbon (EC, organic carbon (OC, and 38 elements. The trace gas emissions were measured by an open-path Fourier transform infrared (OP-FTIR spectrometer, proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS, proton-transfer ion-trap mass spectrometry (PIT-MS, negative-ion proton-transfer chemical-ionization mass spectrometry (NI-PT-CIMS, and gas chromatography with MS detection (GC-MS. 204 trace gas species (mostly non-methane organic compounds (NMOC were identified and quantified with the above instruments. Many of the 182 species quantified by the GC-MS have rarely, if ever, been measured in smoke before. An additional 153 significant peaks in the unit mass resolution mass spectra were quantified, but either could not be identified or most of the signal at that molecular mass was unaccounted for by identifiable species.

    In a second, "field" phase of this program, airborne and ground-based measurements were made of the emissions from prescribed fires that were mostly located in the same land management units where the fuels for the lab fires were collected. A broad variety, but smaller number of species (21 trace gas species and PM2.5 was measured on 14 fires in chaparral and oak savanna in the southwestern US, as well as pine forest understory in the southeastern US and Sierra Nevada mountains of California. The field measurements of emission factors (EF are useful both for modeling and to examine the representativeness of our lab fire EF. The lab EF/field EF ratio for

  14. LU factorization for accelerator-based systems

    KAUST Repository

    Agullo, Emmanuel

    2011-12-01

    Multicore architectures enhanced with multiple GPUs are likely to become mainstream High Performance Computing (HPC) platforms in a near future. In this paper, we present the design and implementation of an LU factorization using tile algorithm that can fully exploit the potential of such platforms in spite of their complexity. We use a methodology derived from previous work on Cholesky and QR factorizations. Our contributions essentially consist of providing new CPU/GPU hybrid LU kernels, studying the impact on performance of the looking variants as well as the storage layout in presence of pivoting, tuning the kernels for two different machines composed of multiple recent NVIDIA Tesla S1070 (four GPUs total) and Fermi-based S2050 GPUs (three GPUs total), respectively. The hybrid tile LU asymptotically achieves 1 Tflop/s in single precision on both hardwares. The performance in double precision arithmetic reaches 500 Gflop/s on the Fermi-based system, twice faster than the old GPU generation of Tesla S1070. We also discuss the impact of the number of tiles on the numerical stability. We show that the numerical results of the tile LU factorization will be accurate enough for most applications as long as the computations are performed in double precision arithmetic. © 2011 IEEE.

  15. Local PM10 and PM2.5 emission inventories from agricultural tillage and harvest in northeastern China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Weiwei; Tong, Daniel Q; Zhang, Shichun; Zhang, Xuelei; Zhao, Hongmei

    2017-07-01

    Mineral particles or particulate matters (PMs) emitted during agricultural activities are major recurring sources of atmospheric aerosol loading. However, precise PM inventory from agricultural tillage and harvest in agricultural regions is challenged by infrequent local emission factor (EF) measurements. To understand PM emissions from these practices in northeastern China, we measured EFs of PM 10 and PM 2.5 from three field operations (i.e., tilling, planting and harvesting) in major crop production (i.e., corn and soybean), using portable real-time PM analyzers and weather station data. County-level PM 10 and PM 2.5 emissions from agricultural tillage and harvest were estimated, based on local EFs, crop areas and crop calendars. The EFs averaged (107±27), (17±5) and 26mg/m 2 for field tilling, planting and harvesting under relatively dry conditions (i.e., soil moisture agricultural dust emissions to regional air quality in northeastern China. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  16. Local and landscape factors affecting communities of plants and diurnal Lepidoptera in black coal spoil heaps: Implications for restoration management

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Tropek, Robert; Hejda, Martin; Kadlec, T.; Spitzer, Lukáš

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 57, aug. 2013 (2013), s. 252-260 ISSN 0925-8574 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP505/11/1112; GA ČR GAP504/12/2525; GA ČR GAP505/10/2167 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 ; RVO:60077344 Keywords : diversity conservation * disturbance * habitat heterogenity Subject RIV: EF - Botanics; EH - Ecology, Behaviour (BC-A) Impact factor: 3.041, year: 2013

  17. Relationship between category size and journals' impact factor: implications for emergency medicine journals and researchers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miró, Òscar; Brown, Anthony F T; Graham, Colin A; Ducharme, James; Martin-Sanchez, Francisco J; Cone, David C

    2015-10-01

    We assessed the relationship between the size of the 39 Journal Citation Reports (JCR) medical categories and impact factor (IF) of journals in these categories, and the implications that it might have for emergency medicine (EM) journals. Using the 2010 JCR database, we calculated the mean IF, 5-year IF (5y-IF), Eigenfactor (EF), and Article Influence (AI) scores including all journals for each category. We also calculated a 'weighted IF' for all journals by dividing each journal IF by the mean IF of its category. We ranked EM journals according to IF and 'weighted IF' into all the journals included in the 39 categories. We assessed the relationship between category size and bibliometric scores by linear regression. Category size varied from 252 journals (Pharmacology and Pharmacy) to 14 (Primary Healthcare), EM category occupying the 36th position (23 journals). The mean IF of EM category ranked in 34th position, 5-yIF in 32nd, EF in 34th, and AI in 34th position. Category size had a direct and significant association with mean IF, 5y-IF, and AI but not with mean EF. When the EM journals were ranked among all the journals according to their IF, only two (9%) were placed into the first quartile and raised up to eight (35%) when 'weighted IF' was considered. There is a negative relationship between JCR size category and IF achieved by the journals. This places EM journals at a clear disadvantage because they represent one of the smallest clinical medical research disciplines.

  18. Comparison of models used for national agricultural ammonia emission inventories in Europe: Litter-based manure systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reidy, B.; Webb, J.; Misselbrook, T. H.; Menzi, H.; Luesink, H. H.; Hutchings, N. J.; Eurich-Menden, B.; Döhler, H.; Dämmgen, U.

    Six N-flow models, used to calculate national ammonia (NH 3) emissions from agriculture in different European countries, were compared using standard data sets. Scenarios for litter-based systems were run separately for beef cattle and for broilers, with three different levels of model standardisation: (a) standardized inputs to all models (FF scenario); (b) standard N excretion, but national values for emission factors (EFs) (FN scenario); (c) national values for N excretion and EFs (NN scenario). Results of the FF scenario for beef cattle produced very similar estimates of total losses of total ammoniacal-N (TAN) (±6% of the mean total), but large differences in NH 3 emissions (±24% of the mean). These differences arose from the different approaches to TAN immobilization in litter, other N losses and mineralization in the models. As a result of those differences estimates of TAN available at spreading differed by a factor of almost 3. Results of the FF scenario for broilers produced a range of estimates of total changes in TAN (±9% of the mean total), and larger differences in the estimate of NH 3 emissions (±17% of the mean). The different approaches among the models to TAN immobilization, other N losses and mineralization, produced estimates of TAN available at spreading which differed by a factor of almost 1.7. The differences in estimates of NH 3 emissions decreased as estimates of immobilization and other N losses increased. Since immobilization and denitrification depend also on the C:N ratio in manure, there would be advantages to include C flows in mass-flow models. This would also provide an integrated model for the estimation of emissions of methane, non-methane VOCs and carbon dioxide. Estimation of these would also enable an estimate of mass loss, calculation of the N and TAN concentrations in litter-based manures and further validation of model outputs.

  19. Multivariate analysis of structure and contribution per shares made by potential risk factors at malignant neoplasms in trachea, bronchial tubes and lung

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G.T. Aydinov

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The article gives the results of multivariate analysis of structure and contribution per shares made by potential risk factors at malignant neoplasms in trachea, bronchial tubes and lung. The authors used specialized databases comprising personified records on oncologic diseases in Taganrog, Rostov region, over 1986-2015 (30,684 registered cases of malignant neoplasms, including 3,480 cases of trachea cancer, bronchial tubes cancer, and lung cancer. When carrying out analytical research we applied both multivariate statistical techniques (factor analysis and hierarchical cluster correlation analysis and conventional techniques of epidemiologic analysis including etiologic fraction calculation (EF, as well as an original technique of assessing actual (epidemiologic risk. Average long-term morbidity with trachea, bronchial tubes and lung cancer over 2011-2015 amounts to 46.64 o / oooo . Over the last 15 years a stable decreasing trend has formed, annual average growth being – 1.22 %. This localization holds the 3rd rank place in oncologic morbidity structure, its specific weight being 10.02 %. We determined etiological fraction (EF for smoking as a priority risk factor causing trachea, bronchial tubes and lung cancer; this fraction amounts to 76.19 % for people aged 40 and older, and to 81.99 % for those aged 60 and older. Application of multivariate statistical techniques (factor analysis and cluster correlation analysis in this research enabled us to make factor structure more simple; namely, to highlight, interpret, give a quantitative estimate of self-descriptiveness and rank four group (latent potential risk factors causing lung cancer.

  20. Comparison of Multiple Bioactive Constituents in Different Parts of Eucommia ulmoides Based on UFLC-QTRAP-MS/MS Combined with PCA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ying Yan

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Eucommia ulmoides Oilv. (EU, also called Du-zhong, is a classical traditional Chinese medicine. Its bark, leaf, and male flower are all used for medicinal purposes, called Eucommiae Cortex (EC, Eucommiae Folium (EF, and Eucommiae Flos Male (EFM. In order to study the difference in synthesis and the accumulation of metabolites in different parts of EU, a reliable method based on ultra-fast liquid chromatography tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UFLC-QTRAP-MS/MS was developed for the simultaneous determination of a total of 21 constituents, including two lignans, 6 iridoids, 6 penylpropanoids, 6 flavonoids, and one phenol in the samples (EC, EF, and EFM. Furthermore, principal component analysis (PCA was performed to evaluate and classify the samples according to the contents of these 21 constituents. All of the results demonstrated that the chemical compositions in EC, EF, and EFM were significantly different and the differential constituents (i.e., aucubin, geniposidic acid, chlorogenic acid, pinoresinol-di-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, geniposide, cryptochlorogenic acid, rutin, and quercetin were remarkably associated with sample classifications. The research will provide the basic information for revealing the laws of metabolite accumulation in EC, EF, and EFM from the same origin.

  1. Comparison of Multiple Bioactive Constituents in Different Parts of Eucommia ulmoides Based on UFLC-QTRAP-MS/MS Combined with PCA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Ying; Zhao, Hui; Chen, Cuihua; Zou, Lisi; Liu, Xunhong; Chai, Chuan; Wang, Chengcheng; Shi, Jingjing; Chen, Shuyu

    2018-03-13

    Eucommia ulmoides Oilv. (EU), also called Du-zhong, is a classical traditional Chinese medicine. Its bark, leaf, and male flower are all used for medicinal purposes, called Eucommiae Cortex (EC), Eucommiae Folium (EF), and Eucommiae Flos Male (EFM). In order to study the difference in synthesis and the accumulation of metabolites in different parts of EU, a reliable method based on ultra-fast liquid chromatography tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UFLC-QTRAP-MS/MS) was developed for the simultaneous determination of a total of 21 constituents, including two lignans, 6 iridoids, 6 penylpropanoids, 6 flavonoids, and one phenol in the samples (EC, EF, and EFM). Furthermore, principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to evaluate and classify the samples according to the contents of these 21 constituents. All of the results demonstrated that the chemical compositions in EC, EF, and EFM were significantly different and the differential constituents (i.e., aucubin, geniposidic acid, chlorogenic acid, pinoresinol-di- O -β-d-glucopyranoside, geniposide, cryptochlorogenic acid, rutin, and quercetin) were remarkably associated with sample classifications. The research will provide the basic information for revealing the laws of metabolite accumulation in EC, EF, and EFM from the same origin.

  2. PCR and Omics Based Techniques to Study the Diversity, Ecology and Biology of Anaerobic Fungi: Insights, Challenges and Opportunities

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Edwards, J.E.; Forster, R.; Callaghan, T. M.; Dollhofer, V.; Dagar, S. S.; Cheng, Y.; Chang, J.; Kittelmann, S.; Fliegerová, Kateřina; Puniya, A. K.; Henske, J. K.; Gilmore, S.; O´Malley, M. A.; Griffith, G. W.; Smidt, H.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 8, č. 8 (2017), č. článku 1657. ISSN 1664-302X R&D Projects: GA MŠk EF15_003/0000460 Institutional support: RVO:67985904 Keywords : anaerobic fungi * Neocallimastigomycota * rumen Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology OBOR OECD: Microbiology Impact factor: 4.076, year: 2016

  3. Computer-Based Training in Math and Working Memory Improves Cognitive Skills and Academic Achievement in Primary School Children: Behavioral Results

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noelia Sánchez-Pérez

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Student academic achievement has been positively related to further development outcomes, such as the attainment of higher educational, employment, and socioeconomic aspirations. Among all the academic competences, mathematics has been identified as an essential skill in the field of international leadership as well as for those seeking positions in disciplines related to science, technology, and engineering. Given its positive consequences, studies have designed trainings to enhance children's mathematical skills. Additionally, the ability to regulate and control actions and cognitions, i.e., executive functions (EF, has been associated with school success, which has resulted in a strong effort to develop EF training programs to improve students' EF and academic achievement. The present study examined the efficacy of a school computer-based training composed of two components, namely, working memory and mathematics tasks. Among the advantages of using a computer-based training program is the ease with which it can be implemented in school settings and the ease by which the difficulty of the tasks can be adapted to fit the child's ability level. To test the effects of the training, children's cognitive skills (EF and IQ and their school achievement (math and language grades and abilities were evaluated. The results revealed a significant improvement in cognitive skills, such as non-verbal IQ and inhibition, and better school performance in math and reading among the children who participated in the training compared to those children who did not. Most of the improvements were related to training on WM tasks. These findings confirmed the efficacy of a computer-based training that combined WM and mathematics activities as part of the school routines based on the training's impact on children's academic competences and cognitive skills.

  4. Computer-Based Training in Math and Working Memory Improves Cognitive Skills and Academic Achievement in Primary School Children: Behavioral Results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Pérez, Noelia; Castillo, Alejandro; López-López, José A; Pina, Violeta; Puga, Jorge L; Campoy, Guillermo; González-Salinas, Carmen; Fuentes, Luis J

    2017-01-01

    Student academic achievement has been positively related to further development outcomes, such as the attainment of higher educational, employment, and socioeconomic aspirations. Among all the academic competences, mathematics has been identified as an essential skill in the field of international leadership as well as for those seeking positions in disciplines related to science, technology, and engineering. Given its positive consequences, studies have designed trainings to enhance children's mathematical skills. Additionally, the ability to regulate and control actions and cognitions, i.e., executive functions (EF), has been associated with school success, which has resulted in a strong effort to develop EF training programs to improve students' EF and academic achievement. The present study examined the efficacy of a school computer-based training composed of two components, namely, working memory and mathematics tasks. Among the advantages of using a computer-based training program is the ease with which it can be implemented in school settings and the ease by which the difficulty of the tasks can be adapted to fit the child's ability level. To test the effects of the training, children's cognitive skills (EF and IQ) and their school achievement (math and language grades and abilities) were evaluated. The results revealed a significant improvement in cognitive skills, such as non-verbal IQ and inhibition, and better school performance in math and reading among the children who participated in the training compared to those children who did not. Most of the improvements were related to training on WM tasks. These findings confirmed the efficacy of a computer-based training that combined WM and mathematics activities as part of the school routines based on the training's impact on children's academic competences and cognitive skills.

  5. Prognostic factors in children and adolescents with acute myeloid leukemia (excluding children with Down syndrome and acute promyelocytic leukemia): univariate and recursive partitioning analysis of patients treated on Pediatric Oncology Group (POG) Study 8821.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, M; Raimondi, S C; Ravindranath, Y; Carroll, A J; Camitta, B; Gresik, M V; Steuber, C P; Weinstein, H

    2000-07-01

    The purpose of the paper was to define clinical or biological features associated with the risk for treatment failure for children with acute myeloid leukemia. Data from 560 children and adolescents with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia who entered the Pediatric Oncology Group Study 8821 from June 1988 to March 1993 were analyzed by univariate and recursive partitioning methods. Children with Down syndrome or acute promyelocytic leukemia were excluded from the study. Factors examined included age, number of leukocytes, sex, FAB morphologic subtype, cytogenetic findings, and extramedullary disease at the time of diagnosis. The overall event-free survival (EFS) rate at 4 years was 32.7% (s.e. = 2.2%). Age > or =2 years, fewer than 50 x 10(9)/I leukocytes, and t(8;21) or inv(16), and normal chromosomes were associated with higher rates of EFS (P value = 0.003, 0.049, 0.0003, 0.031, respectively), whereas the M5 subtype of AML (P value = 0.0003) and chromosome abnormalities other than t(8;21) and inv(16) were associated with lower rates of EFS (P value = 0.0001). Recursive partitioning analysis defined three groups of patients with widely varied prognoses: female patients with t(8;21), inv(16), or a normal karyotype (n = 89) had the best prognosis (4-year EFS = 55.1%, s.e. = 5.7%); male patients with t(8;21), inv(16) or normal chromosomes (n = 106) had an intermediate prognosis (4-year EFS = 38.1%, s.e. = 5.3%); patients with chromosome abnormalities other than t(8;21) and inv(16) (n = 233) had the worst prognosis (4-year EFS = 27.0%, s.e. = 3.2%). One hundred and thirty-two patients (24%) could not be grouped because of missing cytogenetic data, mainly due to inadequate marrow samples. The results suggest that pediatric patients with acute myeloid leukemia can be categorized into three potential risk groups for prognosis and that differences in sex and chromosomal abnormalities are associated with differences in estimates of EFS. These results are tentative and

  6. The CREC family, a novel family of multiple EF-hand, low-affinity Ca(2+)-binding proteins localised to the secretory pathway of mammalian cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Honoré, B; Vorum, H

    2000-01-01

    The CREC family consists of a number of recently discovered multiple (up to seven) EF-hand proteins that localise to the secretory pathway of mammalian cells. At present, the family includes reticulocalbin, ERC-55/TCBP-49/E6BP, Cab45, calumenin and crocalbin/CBP-50. Similar proteins are found......(2+)-regulated activities. Recent evidence has been obtained that some CREC family members are involved in pathological activities such as malignant cell transformation, mediation of the toxic effects of snake venom toxins and putative participation in amyloid formation. Udgivelsesdato: 2000-Jan-21...

  7. Proteome analysis of the purine stimulon from Lactococcus lactis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beyer, N.H.; Roepstorff, P.; Hammer, Karin

    2003-01-01

    kinase) and translation elongation factors (GTPases: EF-TU, EF-G). Two Dcu proteins could not be identified. Out of 28 proteins subjected to mass spectrometry, 19 could be readily identified despite the fact that only the genome sequence of a strain of L. lactis subsp. lactis was available. The two...... subspecies share about 85% sequence identity, comparable to the genetic distance between Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. A success rate of 68% indicates that it may be feasible to perform proteomics based upon genomic sequences of relatives outside the genus....

  8. TH-EF-204-01: Introduction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cygler, J.

    2016-01-01

    Joanna E. Cygler, Jan Seuntjens, J. Daniel Bourland, M. Saiful Huq, Josep Puxeu Vaque, Daniel Zucca Aparicio, Tatiana Krylova, Yuri Kirpichev, Eric Ford, Caridad Borras Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) utilizes small static and dynamic (IMRT) fields, to successfully treat malignant and benign diseases using techniques such as Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). SRT is characterized by sharp dose gradients for individual fields and their resultant dose distributions. For appropriate targets, small field radiotherapy offers improved treatment quality by allowing better sparing of organs at risk while delivering the prescribed target dose. Specialized small field treatment delivery systems, such as robotic-controlled linear accelerators, gamma radiosurgery units, and dynamic arc linear accelerators may utilize rigid fixation, image guidance, and tumor tracking, to insure precise dose delivery to static or moving targets. However, in addition to great advantages, small field delivery techniques present special technical challenges for dose calibration due to unique geometries and small field sizes not covered by existing reference dosimetry protocols such as AAPM TG-51 or IAEA TRS 398. In recent years extensive research has been performed to understand small field dosimetry and measurement instrumentation. AAPM, IAEA and ICRU task groups are expected to provide soon recommendations on the dosimetry of small radiation fields. In this symposium we will: 1] discuss the physics, instrumentation, methodologies and challenges for small field radiation dose measurements; 2] review IAEA and ICRU recommendations on prescribing, recording and reporting of small field radiation therapy; 3] discuss selected clinical applications and technical aspects for specialized image-guided, small field, linear accelerator based treatment techniques such as IMRT and SBRT. Learning Objectives: To learn the physics of small fields in contrast to

  9. TH-EF-204-06: Closing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borras, C.

    2016-01-01

    Joanna E. Cygler, Jan Seuntjens, J. Daniel Bourland, M. Saiful Huq, Josep Puxeu Vaque, Daniel Zucca Aparicio, Tatiana Krylova, Yuri Kirpichev, Eric Ford, Caridad Borras Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) utilizes small static and dynamic (IMRT) fields, to successfully treat malignant and benign diseases using techniques such as Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). SRT is characterized by sharp dose gradients for individual fields and their resultant dose distributions. For appropriate targets, small field radiotherapy offers improved treatment quality by allowing better sparing of organs at risk while delivering the prescribed target dose. Specialized small field treatment delivery systems, such as robotic-controlled linear accelerators, gamma radiosurgery units, and dynamic arc linear accelerators may utilize rigid fixation, image guidance, and tumor tracking, to insure precise dose delivery to static or moving targets. However, in addition to great advantages, small field delivery techniques present special technical challenges for dose calibration due to unique geometries and small field sizes not covered by existing reference dosimetry protocols such as AAPM TG-51 or IAEA TRS 398. In recent years extensive research has been performed to understand small field dosimetry and measurement instrumentation. AAPM, IAEA and ICRU task groups are expected to provide soon recommendations on the dosimetry of small radiation fields. In this symposium we will: 1] discuss the physics, instrumentation, methodologies and challenges for small field radiation dose measurements; 2] review IAEA and ICRU recommendations on prescribing, recording and reporting of small field radiation therapy; 3] discuss selected clinical applications and technical aspects for specialized image-guided, small field, linear accelerator based treatment techniques such as IMRT and SBRT. Learning Objectives: To learn the physics of small fields in contrast to

  10. TH-EF-204-06: Closing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Borras, C.

    2016-06-15

    Joanna E. Cygler, Jan Seuntjens, J. Daniel Bourland, M. Saiful Huq, Josep Puxeu Vaque, Daniel Zucca Aparicio, Tatiana Krylova, Yuri Kirpichev, Eric Ford, Caridad Borras Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) utilizes small static and dynamic (IMRT) fields, to successfully treat malignant and benign diseases using techniques such as Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). SRT is characterized by sharp dose gradients for individual fields and their resultant dose distributions. For appropriate targets, small field radiotherapy offers improved treatment quality by allowing better sparing of organs at risk while delivering the prescribed target dose. Specialized small field treatment delivery systems, such as robotic-controlled linear accelerators, gamma radiosurgery units, and dynamic arc linear accelerators may utilize rigid fixation, image guidance, and tumor tracking, to insure precise dose delivery to static or moving targets. However, in addition to great advantages, small field delivery techniques present special technical challenges for dose calibration due to unique geometries and small field sizes not covered by existing reference dosimetry protocols such as AAPM TG-51 or IAEA TRS 398. In recent years extensive research has been performed to understand small field dosimetry and measurement instrumentation. AAPM, IAEA and ICRU task groups are expected to provide soon recommendations on the dosimetry of small radiation fields. In this symposium we will: 1] discuss the physics, instrumentation, methodologies and challenges for small field radiation dose measurements; 2] review IAEA and ICRU recommendations on prescribing, recording and reporting of small field radiation therapy; 3] discuss selected clinical applications and technical aspects for specialized image-guided, small field, linear accelerator based treatment techniques such as IMRT and SBRT. Learning Objectives: To learn the physics of small fields in contrast to

  11. TH-EF-204-01: Introduction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cygler, J. [The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre (Canada)

    2016-06-15

    Joanna E. Cygler, Jan Seuntjens, J. Daniel Bourland, M. Saiful Huq, Josep Puxeu Vaque, Daniel Zucca Aparicio, Tatiana Krylova, Yuri Kirpichev, Eric Ford, Caridad Borras Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) utilizes small static and dynamic (IMRT) fields, to successfully treat malignant and benign diseases using techniques such as Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). SRT is characterized by sharp dose gradients for individual fields and their resultant dose distributions. For appropriate targets, small field radiotherapy offers improved treatment quality by allowing better sparing of organs at risk while delivering the prescribed target dose. Specialized small field treatment delivery systems, such as robotic-controlled linear accelerators, gamma radiosurgery units, and dynamic arc linear accelerators may utilize rigid fixation, image guidance, and tumor tracking, to insure precise dose delivery to static or moving targets. However, in addition to great advantages, small field delivery techniques present special technical challenges for dose calibration due to unique geometries and small field sizes not covered by existing reference dosimetry protocols such as AAPM TG-51 or IAEA TRS 398. In recent years extensive research has been performed to understand small field dosimetry and measurement instrumentation. AAPM, IAEA and ICRU task groups are expected to provide soon recommendations on the dosimetry of small radiation fields. In this symposium we will: 1] discuss the physics, instrumentation, methodologies and challenges for small field radiation dose measurements; 2] review IAEA and ICRU recommendations on prescribing, recording and reporting of small field radiation therapy; 3] discuss selected clinical applications and technical aspects for specialized image-guided, small field, linear accelerator based treatment techniques such as IMRT and SBRT. Learning Objectives: To learn the physics of small fields in contrast to

  12. All for One: Contributions of Age, Socioeconomic Factors, Executive Functioning, and Social Cognition to Moral Reasoning in Childhood

    OpenAIRE

    Vera-Estay, Evelyn; Seni, Anne G.; Champagne, Caroline; Beauchamp, Miriam H.

    2016-01-01

    Moral reasoning (MR) is a socio-cognitive skill essential to appropriate social functioning in childhood, and evolves in quality and complexity during ontogenetic development. Past research suggests that MR is related to age, socioeconomic factors, as well as some social and cognitive skills, such as executive functioning (EF), theory of mind (ToM), empathy, and affect recognition. However, their contributions have been studied in silos rather than comprehensively, with little integration of ...

  13. Executive function behaviours in children with specific language impairment (SLI)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cuperus, J.M.; Vugs, B.A.M.; Scheper, A.R.; Hendriks, M.P.H.

    2014-01-01

    Background: There is growing evidence that linguistic and non-linguistic factors may contribute to the problems associated with specific language impairment (SLI). One factor that has been implicated is executive functioning (EF). Most studies investigating EF in children with SLI use performance

  14. Methane, nitrous oxide and ammonia emissions from pigs housed on litter and from stockpiling of spent litter

    KAUST Repository

    Phillips, F. A.; Wiedemann, S. G.; Naylor, T. A.; McGahan, E. J.; Warren, B. R.; Murphy, C. M.; Parkes, Stephen; Wilson, J.

    2016-01-01

    Mitigation of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions is a target area for the Australian Government and the pork industry. The present study measured methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia (NH3) from a deep-litter piggery and litter stockpile over two trials in southern New South Wales, to compare emissions from housing pigs on deep litter with those of pigs from conventional housing with uncovered anaerobic effluent-treatment ponds. Emissions were measured using open-path Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, in conjunction with a backward Lagrangian stochastic model. Manure excretion was determined by mass balance and emission factors (EFs) were developed to report emissions relative to volatile solids and nitrogen (N) input. Nitrous oxide emissions per animal unit (1 AU ≤ 500 kg liveweight) from deep-litter sheds were negligible in winter, and 8.4 g/AU.day in summer. Ammonia emissions were 39.1 in winter and 52.2 g/AU.day in summer, while CH4 emissions were 16.1 and 21.6 g/AU.day in winter and summer respectively. Emission factors averaged from summer and winter emissions showed a CH4 conversion factor of 3.6%, an NH3-N EF of 10% and a N2O-N EF of 0.01 kg N2O-N/kg N excreted. For the litter stockpile, the simple average of summer and winter showed an EF for NH3-N of 14%, and a N2O-N EF of 0.02 kg N2O-N/kg-N of spent litter added to the stockpile. We observed a 66% and 80% decrease in emissions from the manure excreted in litter-based housing with litter stockpiling or without litter stockpiling, compared with conventional housing with an uncovered anaerobic effluent-treatment pond. This provides a sound basis for mitigation strategies that utilise litter-based housing as an alternative to conventional housing with uncovered anaerobic effluent-treatment ponds. © CSIRO 2016.

  15. Methane, nitrous oxide and ammonia emissions from pigs housed on litter and from stockpiling of spent litter

    KAUST Repository

    Phillips, F. A.

    2016-05-05

    Mitigation of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions is a target area for the Australian Government and the pork industry. The present study measured methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia (NH3) from a deep-litter piggery and litter stockpile over two trials in southern New South Wales, to compare emissions from housing pigs on deep litter with those of pigs from conventional housing with uncovered anaerobic effluent-treatment ponds. Emissions were measured using open-path Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, in conjunction with a backward Lagrangian stochastic model. Manure excretion was determined by mass balance and emission factors (EFs) were developed to report emissions relative to volatile solids and nitrogen (N) input. Nitrous oxide emissions per animal unit (1 AU ≤ 500 kg liveweight) from deep-litter sheds were negligible in winter, and 8.4 g/AU.day in summer. Ammonia emissions were 39.1 in winter and 52.2 g/AU.day in summer, while CH4 emissions were 16.1 and 21.6 g/AU.day in winter and summer respectively. Emission factors averaged from summer and winter emissions showed a CH4 conversion factor of 3.6%, an NH3-N EF of 10% and a N2O-N EF of 0.01 kg N2O-N/kg N excreted. For the litter stockpile, the simple average of summer and winter showed an EF for NH3-N of 14%, and a N2O-N EF of 0.02 kg N2O-N/kg-N of spent litter added to the stockpile. We observed a 66% and 80% decrease in emissions from the manure excreted in litter-based housing with litter stockpiling or without litter stockpiling, compared with conventional housing with an uncovered anaerobic effluent-treatment pond. This provides a sound basis for mitigation strategies that utilise litter-based housing as an alternative to conventional housing with uncovered anaerobic effluent-treatment ponds. © CSIRO 2016.

  16. Identifying sources of atmospheric fine particles in Havana City using Positive Matrix Factorization technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pinnera, I.; Perez, G.; Ramos, M.; Guibert, R.; Aldape, F.; Flores M, J.; Martinez, M.; Molina, E.; Fernandez, A.

    2011-01-01

    In previous study a set of samples of fine and coarse airborne particulate matter collected in a urban area of Havana City were analyzed by Particle-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) technique. The concentrations of 14 elements (S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br and Pb) were consistently determined in both particle sizes. The analytical database provided by PIXE was statistically analyzed in order to determine the local pollution sources. The Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) technique was applied to fine particle data in order to identify possible pollution sources. These sources were further verified by enrichment factor (EF) calculation. A general discussion about these results is presented in this work. (Author)

  17. Single-stage unity power factor based electronic ballast

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    This paper deals with the design, modeling, analysis and implementation of unity power factor (UPF) based electronic ballast for a fluorescent lamp (FL). The proposed electronic ballast uses a boost AC–DC converter as a power factor corrector (PFC) to improve the power quality at the input ac mains. In this singlestage ...

  18. Avalanche proton-boron fusion based on elastic nuclear collisions

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Eliezer, S.; Hora, H.; Korn, Georg; Nissim, N.; Val, J.M.M.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 23, č. 5 (2016), s. 1-3, č. článku 050704. ISSN 1070-664X R&D Projects: GA MŠk EF15_008/0000162 Grant - others:ELI Beamlines(XE) CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/15_008/0000162 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : laser-produced plasma * ignition * forces Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics OBOR OECD: Fluids and plasma physics (including surface physics) Impact factor: 2.115, year: 2016

  19. Anticancer effects of monocarbonyl analogs of curcumin: oxidative stress, nuclear translocation and modulation of AP-1 and NF-κB

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brian Adams

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: In order to elucidate anticancer effects of monocarbonyl analogs of curcumin (MACs, we have undertaken the present study to obtain information regarding drug targets by using a microarray approach, and to study the cellular localization of EF24 and the activity of two key transcription factors, AP-1 and NF-κB, involved in complex cellular responses of cell survival and death. Methods: Cytotoxic activity of various drugs was evaluated using a Neutral Red Dye assay. Cellular localization of biotinylated EF24 (active and reduced EF24 (inactive was determined using light and confocal microscopy. Measurement of transcription factor binding was carried out using Transfactor ELISA kits (BD Clontech, Palo Alto, CA. Gene microarray processing was performed at Expression Analysis, Inc (Durham, NC using Affymetrix Human U133A Gene Chips.Results: In this study, we demonstrated that EF24 and UBS109 exhibit much more potent cytotoxic activity against pancreatic cancer than the current standard chemotherapeutic agent gemcitabine. EF24, rapidly localizes to the cell nucleus. The compound modulates the DNA binding activity of NF-κB and AP-1 in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells and DU-145 human prostate cancer cells. Immunohistochemical studies utilizing biotinylated-EF24 and chemically-reduced EF24 show that the unsaturated compound and biotinylated EF24, but not reduced EF24, translocates to the nucleus within 30 minutes after the addition of drug. Through a gene microarray study, EF24 is shown to affect genes directly involved in cytoprotection, tumor growth, angiogenesis, metastasis and apoptosis. Conclusion: EF24 and UBS109 warrant further investigation for development of pancreatic cancer therapy. The dualistic modulations of gene expression may be a manifestation of the cell responses for survival against oxidative stress by EF24. However, the cytotoxic action of EF24 ultimately prevails to kill the cells.

  20. Variation in annual pollen accumulation rates of Fagus along a N-S transect in Europe based on pollen traps

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Pidek, I. A.; Svitavská-Svobodová, Helena; van der Knaap, W. O.; Noryskiewicz, A. M.; Filbrandt-Czaja, A.; Noryskiewicz, B.; Latalova, M.; Zimny, M.; Swieta-Musznicka, J.; Bozilova, E.; Tonkov, S.; Filipova-Marinova, M.; Poska, A.; Giesecke, T.; Gikov, A.

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 19, č. 4 (2010), s. 259-270 ISSN 0939-6314 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAAX00130801; GA AV ČR IAAX00050801 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : Fagus * Europe * pollen monitoring Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.656, year: 2010

  1. A Wide Band Gap Polymer with a Deep Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital Level Enables 14.2% Efficiency in Polymer Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Sunsun; Ye, Long; Zhao, Wenchao; Yan, Hongping; Yang, Bei; Liu, Delong; Li, Wanning; Ade, Harald; Hou, Jianhui

    2018-05-21

    To simultaneously achieve low photon energy loss ( E loss ) and broad spectral response, the molecular design of the wide band gap (WBG) donor polymer with a deep HOMO level is of critical importance in fullerene-free polymer solar cells (PSCs). Herein, we developed a new benzodithiophene unit, i.e., DTBDT-EF, and conducted systematic investigations on a WBG DTBDT-EF-based donor polymer, namely, PDTB-EF-T. Due to the synergistic electron-withdrawing effect of the fluorine atom and ester group, PDTB-EF-T exhibits a higher oxidation potential, i.e., a deeper HOMO level (ca. -5.5 eV) than most well-known donor polymers. Hence, a high open-circuit voltage of 0.90 V was obtained when paired with a fluorinated small molecule acceptor (IT-4F), corresponding to a low E loss of 0.62 eV. Furthermore, side-chain engineering demonstrated that subtle side-chain modulation of the ester greatly influences the aggregation effects and molecular packing of polymer PDTB-EF-T. With the benefits of the stronger interchain π-π interaction, the improved ordering structure, and thus the highest hole mobility, the most symmetric charge transport and reduced recombination are achieved for the linear decyl-substituted PDTB-EF-T (P2)-based PSCs, leading to the highest short-circuit current density and fill factor (FF). Due to the high Flory-Huggins interaction parameter (χ), surface-directed phase separation occurs in the P2:IT-4F blend, which is supported by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy results and cross-sectional transmission electron microscope images. By taking advantage of the vertical phase distribution of the P2:IT-4F blend, a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 14.2% with an outstanding FF of 0.76 was recorded for inverted devices. These results demonstrate the great potential of the DTBDT-EF unit for future organic photovoltaic applications.

  2. Selective Sequential Zero-Base Budgeting Procedures Based on Total Factor Productivity Indicators

    OpenAIRE

    A. Ishikawa; E. F. Sudit

    1981-01-01

    The authors' purpose in this paper is to develop productivity-based sequential budgeting procedures designed to expedite identification of major problem areas in bugetary performance, as well as to reduce the costs associated with comprehensive zero-base analyses. The concept of total factor productivity is reviewed and its relations to ordinary and zero-based budgeting are discussed in detail. An outline for a selective sequential analysis based on monitoring of three key indicators of (a) i...

  3. Centre characteristics and procedure-related factors have an impact on outcomes of allogeneic transplantation for patients with CLL: a retrospective analysis from the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schetelig, Johannes; de Wreede, Liesbeth C; Andersen, Niels S; Moreno, Carol; van Gelder, Michel; Vitek, Antonin; Karas, Michal; Michallet, Mauricette; Machaczka, Maciej; Gramatzki, Martin; Beelen, Dietrich; Finke, Jürgen; Delgado, Julio; Volin, Liisa; Passweg, Jakob; Dreger, Peter; Schaap, Nicolaas; Wagner, Eva; Henseler, Anja; van Biezen, Anja; Bornhäuser, Martin; Iacobelli, Simona; Putter, Hein; Schönland, Stefan O; Kröger, Nicolaus

    2017-08-01

    The best approach for allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantations (alloHCT) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is unknown. We therefore analysed the impact of procedure- and centre-related factors on 5-year event-free survival (EFS) in a large retrospective study. Data of 684 CLL patients who received a first alloHCT between 2000 and 2011 were analysed by multivariable Cox proportional hazards models with a frailty component to investigate unexplained centre heterogeneity. Five-year EFS of the whole cohort was 37% (95% confidence interval [CI], 34-42%). Larger numbers of CLL alloHCTs (hazard ratio [HR] 0·96, P = 0·002), certification of quality management (HR 0·7, P = 0·045) and a higher gross national income per capita (HR 0·4, P = 0·04) improved EFS. In vivo T-cell depletion (TCD) with alemtuzumab compared to no TCD (HR 1·5, P = 0·03), and a female donor compared to a male donor for a male patient (HR 1·4, P = 0·02) had a negative impact on EFS, but not non-myeloablative versus more intensive conditioning. After correcting for patient-, procedure- and centre-characteristics, significant variation in centre outcomes persisted. In conclusion, further research on the impact of centre and procedural characteristics is warranted. Non-myeloablative conditioning appears to be the preferable approach for patients with CLL. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Real-world emissions of in-use off-road vehicles in Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zavala, Miguel; Huertas, Jose Ignacio; Prato, Daniel; Jazcilevich, Aron; Aguilar, Andrés; Balam, Marco; Misra, Chandan; Molina, Luisa T

    2017-09-01

    Off-road vehicles used in construction and agricultural activities can contribute substantially to emissions of gaseous pollutants and can be a major source of submicrometer carbonaceous particles in many parts of the world. However, there have been relatively few efforts in quantifying the emission factors (EFs) and for estimating the potential emission reduction benefits using emission control technologies for these vehicles. This study characterized the black carbon (BC) component of particulate matter and NOx, CO, and CO 2 EFs of selected diesel-powered off-road mobile sources in Mexico under real-world operating conditions using on-board portable emissions measurements systems (PEMS). The vehicles sampled included two backhoes, one tractor, a crane, an excavator, two front loaders, two bulldozers, an air compressor, and a power generator used in the construction and agricultural activities. For a selected number of these vehicles the emissions were further characterized with wall-flow diesel particle filters (DPFs) and partial-flow DPFs (p-DPFs) installed. Fuel-based EFs presented less variability than time-based emission rates, particularly for the BC. Average baseline EFs in working conditions for BC, NOx, and CO ranged from 0.04 to 5.7, from 12.6 to 81.8, and from 7.9 to 285.7 g/kg-fuel, respectively, and a high dependency by operation mode and by vehicle type was observed. Measurement-base frequency distributions of EFs by operation mode are proposed as an alternative method for characterizing the variability of off-road vehicles emissions under real-world conditions. Mass-based reductions for black carbon EFs were substantially large (above 99%) when DPFs were installed and the vehicles were idling, and the reductions were moderate (in the 20-60% range) for p-DPFs in working operating conditions. The observed high variability in measured EFs also indicates the need for detailed vehicle operation data for accurately estimating emissions from off

  5. Measuring the surface-enhanced Raman scattering enhancement factors of hot spots formed between an individual Ag nanowire and a single Ag nanocube

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Camargo, Pedro H C; Cobley, Claire M; Rycenga, Matthew; Xia Younan

    2009-01-01

    This paper describes a systematic study of the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity of hot spots formed between a Ag nanowire and a Ag nanocube with sharp corners. We investigated two distinct dimer structures: (i) a nanocube having one side face nearly touching the side face of a nanowire, and (ii) a nanocube having one edge nearly touching the side face of a nanowire. The field enhancements for the dimers displayed a strong dependence on laser polarization, and the strongest SERS intensities were observed for polarization along the hot-spot axis. Moreover, the detected SERS intensities were dependent on the hot-spot structure, i.e., the relative orientation of the Ag nanocube with respect to the nanowire's side face. When the dimer had a face-to-face configuration, the enhancement factor EF dimer was 1.4 x 10 7 . This corresponds to 22-fold and 24-fold increases compared to those for individual Ag nanowires and nanocubes, respectively. Conversely, when the dimer had an edge-to-face configuration, EF dimer was 4.3 x 10 6 . These results demonstrated that the number of probe molecules adsorbed at the hot spot played an important role in determining the detected SERS intensities. EF dimer was maximized when the dimer configuration allowed for a larger number of probe molecules to be trapped within the hot-spot region.

  6. Modeling soft factors in computer-based wargames

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexander, Steven M.; Ross, David O.; Vinarskai, Jonathan S.; Farr, Steven D.

    2002-07-01

    Computer-based wargames have seen much improvement in recent years due to rapid increases in computing power. Because these games have been developed for the entertainment industry, most of these advances have centered on the graphics, sound, and user interfaces integrated into these wargames with less attention paid to the game's fidelity. However, for a wargame to be useful to the military, it must closely approximate as many of the elements of war as possible. Among the elements that are typically not modeled or are poorly modeled in nearly all military computer-based wargames are systematic effects, command and control, intelligence, morale, training, and other human and political factors. These aspects of war, with the possible exception of systematic effects, are individually modeled quite well in many board-based commercial wargames. The work described in this paper focuses on incorporating these elements from the board-based games into a computer-based wargame. This paper will also address the modeling and simulation of the systemic paralysis of an adversary that is implied by the concept of Effects Based Operations (EBO). Combining the fidelity of current commercial board wargames with the speed, ease of use, and advanced visualization of the computer can significantly improve the effectiveness of military decision making and education. Once in place, the process of converting board wargames concepts to computer wargames will allow the infusion of soft factors into military training and planning.

  7. TH-EF-204-03: Determination of Small Field Output Factors, Advantages and Limitations of Monte Carlo Simulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vaque, J. Puxeu

    2016-01-01

    Joanna E. Cygler, Jan Seuntjens, J. Daniel Bourland, M. Saiful Huq, Josep Puxeu Vaque, Daniel Zucca Aparicio, Tatiana Krylova, Yuri Kirpichev, Eric Ford, Caridad Borras Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) utilizes small static and dynamic (IMRT) fields, to successfully treat malignant and benign diseases using techniques such as Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). SRT is characterized by sharp dose gradients for individual fields and their resultant dose distributions. For appropriate targets, small field radiotherapy offers improved treatment quality by allowing better sparing of organs at risk while delivering the prescribed target dose. Specialized small field treatment delivery systems, such as robotic-controlled linear accelerators, gamma radiosurgery units, and dynamic arc linear accelerators may utilize rigid fixation, image guidance, and tumor tracking, to insure precise dose delivery to static or moving targets. However, in addition to great advantages, small field delivery techniques present special technical challenges for dose calibration due to unique geometries and small field sizes not covered by existing reference dosimetry protocols such as AAPM TG-51 or IAEA TRS 398. In recent years extensive research has been performed to understand small field dosimetry and measurement instrumentation. AAPM, IAEA and ICRU task groups are expected to provide soon recommendations on the dosimetry of small radiation fields. In this symposium we will: 1] discuss the physics, instrumentation, methodologies and challenges for small field radiation dose measurements; 2] review IAEA and ICRU recommendations on prescribing, recording and reporting of small field radiation therapy; 3] discuss selected clinical applications and technical aspects for specialized image-guided, small field, linear accelerator based treatment techniques such as IMRT and SBRT. Learning Objectives: To learn the physics of small fields in contrast to

  8. TH-EF-204-03: Determination of Small Field Output Factors, Advantages and Limitations of Monte Carlo Simulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vaque, J. Puxeu [Institut Catala d’Oncologia (Spain)

    2016-06-15

    Joanna E. Cygler, Jan Seuntjens, J. Daniel Bourland, M. Saiful Huq, Josep Puxeu Vaque, Daniel Zucca Aparicio, Tatiana Krylova, Yuri Kirpichev, Eric Ford, Caridad Borras Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) utilizes small static and dynamic (IMRT) fields, to successfully treat malignant and benign diseases using techniques such as Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). SRT is characterized by sharp dose gradients for individual fields and their resultant dose distributions. For appropriate targets, small field radiotherapy offers improved treatment quality by allowing better sparing of organs at risk while delivering the prescribed target dose. Specialized small field treatment delivery systems, such as robotic-controlled linear accelerators, gamma radiosurgery units, and dynamic arc linear accelerators may utilize rigid fixation, image guidance, and tumor tracking, to insure precise dose delivery to static or moving targets. However, in addition to great advantages, small field delivery techniques present special technical challenges for dose calibration due to unique geometries and small field sizes not covered by existing reference dosimetry protocols such as AAPM TG-51 or IAEA TRS 398. In recent years extensive research has been performed to understand small field dosimetry and measurement instrumentation. AAPM, IAEA and ICRU task groups are expected to provide soon recommendations on the dosimetry of small radiation fields. In this symposium we will: 1] discuss the physics, instrumentation, methodologies and challenges for small field radiation dose measurements; 2] review IAEA and ICRU recommendations on prescribing, recording and reporting of small field radiation therapy; 3] discuss selected clinical applications and technical aspects for specialized image-guided, small field, linear accelerator based treatment techniques such as IMRT and SBRT. Learning Objectives: To learn the physics of small fields in contrast to

  9. Laser spot detection based on reaction diffusion

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Vázquez-Otero, Alejandro; Khikhlukha, Danila; Solano-Altamirano, J. M.; Dormido, R.; Duro, N.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 16, č. 3 (2016), s. 1-11, č. článku 315. ISSN 1424-8220 R&D Projects: GA MŠk EF15_008/0000162 Grant - others:ELI Beamlines(XE) CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/15_008/0000162 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : laser spot detection * laser beam detection * reaction diffusion models * Fitzhugh-Nagumo model * reaction diffusion computation * Turing patterns Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics OBOR OECD: Fluids and plasma physics (including surface physics) Impact factor: 2.677, year: 2016

  10. Coupling field and laboratory measurements to estimate the emission factors of identified and unidentified trace gases for prescribed fires

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yokelson, R. J.; Burling, I. R.; Gilman, J. B.; Warneke, C.; Stockwell, C. E.; de Gouw, J.; Akagi, S. K.; Urbanski, S. P.; Veres, P.; Roberts, J. M.; Kuster, W. C.; Reardon, J.; Griffith, D. W. T.; Johnson, T. J.; Hosseini, S.; Miller, J. W.; Cocker III, D. R.; Jung, H.; Weise, D. R.

    2013-01-01

    Vegetative fuels commonly consumed in prescribed fires were collected from five locations in the southeastern and southwestern U.S. and burned in a series of 77 fires at the U.S. Forest Service Fire Sciences Laboratory in Missoula, Montana. The particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions were measured by gravimetric filter sampling with subsequent analysis for elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), and 38 elements. The trace gas emissions were measured with a large suite of state-of-the-art instrumentation including an open-path Fourier transform infrared (OP FTIR) spectrometer, proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS), proton-transfer ion-trap mass spectrometry (PIT-MS), negative-ion proton-transfer chemical-ionization mass spectrometry (NI-PT-CIMS), and gas chromatography with MS detection (GC-MS). 204 trace gas species (mostly non-methane organic compounds (NMOC)) were identified and quantified with the above instruments. An additional 152 significant peaks in the unit mass resolution mass spectra were quantified, but either could not be identified or most of the signal at that molecular mass was unaccounted for by identifiable species. As phase II of this study, we conducted airborne and ground-based sampling of the emissions from real prescribed fires mostly in the same land management units where the fuels for the lab fires were collected. A broad variety, but smaller number of species (21 trace gas species and PM2.5) was measured on 14 fires in chaparral and oak savanna in the southwestern US, as well as pine forest understory in the southeastern US and Sierra Nevada mountains of California. These extensive field measurements of emission factors (EF) for temperate biomass burning are useful both for modeling and to examine the representativeness of our lab fire EF. The lab/field EF ratio for the pine understory fuels was not statistically different from one, on average. However, our lab EF for “smoldering compounds” emitted by burning the semi

  11. Likelihood-based Dynamic Factor Analysis for Measurement and Forecasting

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jungbacker, B.M.J.P.; Koopman, S.J.

    2015-01-01

    We present new results for the likelihood-based analysis of the dynamic factor model. The latent factors are modelled by linear dynamic stochastic processes. The idiosyncratic disturbance series are specified as autoregressive processes with mutually correlated innovations. The new results lead to

  12. Characterizing executive functioning in older special populations: from cognitively elite to cognitively impaired.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Frias, Cindy M; Dixon, Roger A; Strauss, Esther

    2009-11-01

    The authors examined the structure and invariance of executive functions (EF) across (a) a continuum of cognitive status in 3 groups of older adults (cognitively elite [CE], cognitively normal [CN], and cognitively impaired [CI]) and (b) a 3-year longitudinal interval. Using latent variable analyses (LISREL 8.80), the authors tested 3-factor models ("Inhibition": Hayling [Burgess & Shallice, 1997], Stroop [Regard, 1981]; "Shifting": Brixton [Burgess & Shallice, 1997], Color Trails [D'Elia et al., 1996]; and "Updating": Reading and Computational Span [Salthouse & Babcock, 1991]) and 1-factor models within each group. Participants (initial N = 570; 53-90 years) were from the Victoria Longitudinal Study (Sample 3, Waves 1 and 2). Cross-sectionally, the authors observed a 3-factor EF structure especially for the CE group and 1-factor solutions for all 3 groups. Longitudinally, temporal invariance was supported for the 3-factor model (CE and CN groups) and the 1-factor model (CI and CN groups). Subgroups with higher cognitive status and greater 3-year stability performed better on EF factors than corresponding groups with lower cognitive status and less stability. Studies of EF structure, performance, dedifferentiation, and dysfunction will benefit from considering initial cognitive status and longitudinal stability.

  13. Biomaterial-based drug delivery systems for the controlled release of neurotrophic factors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohtaram, Nima Khadem; Montgomery, Amy; Willerth, Stephanie M

    2013-01-01

    This review highlights recent work on the use of biomaterial-based drug delivery systems to control the release of neurotrophic factors as a potential strategy for the treatment of neurological disorders. Examples of neurotrophic factors include the nerve growth factor, the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor, the brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3. In particular, this review focuses on two methods of drug delivery: affinity-based and reservoir-based systems. We review the advantages and challenges associated with both types of drug delivery system and how these systems can be applied to neurological diseases and disorders. While a limited number of affinity-based delivery systems have been developed for the delivery of neurotrophic factors, we also examine the broad spectrum of reservoir-based delivery systems, including microspheres, electrospun nanofibers, hydrogels and combinations of these systems. Finally, conclusions are drawn about the current state of such drug delivery systems as applied to neural tissue engineering along with some thoughts on the future direction of the field. (topical review)

  14. Investment innovation trends: Factor-based investing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sanja Centineo

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available This article shows that it can take a long period of time until research knowledge finds its application in practice and get disseminated as innovation trend. Factor-based investing is such an example. Having its developing roots in the nineties, it took more than two decades until this approach was detected by the by investment community. The goal of this article is to recall the definition of factor investing, present its historical evolvement and motivate its recent break-through and current trend among investment practitioners (known also under the notion smart beta. It aims at familiarizing with this investment approach from a practical perspective and highlighting its diversifying benefits in a portfolio context with the potential to outperform the market on risk-adjusted basis.

  15. Empirically Defined Patterns of Executive Function Deficits in Schizophrenia and Their Relation to Everyday Functioning: A Person-Centered Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iampietro, Mary; Giovannetti, Tania; Drabick, Deborah A. G.; Kessler, Rachel K.

    2013-01-01

    Executive function (EF) deficits in schizophrenia (SZ) are well documented, although much less is known about patterns of EF deficits and their association to differential impairments in everyday functioning. The present study empirically defined SZ groups based on measures of various EF abilities and then compared these EF groups on everyday action errors. Participants (n=45) completed various subtests from the Delis–Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) and the Naturalistic Action Test (NAT), a performance-based measure of everyday action that yields scores reflecting total errors and a range of different error types (e.g., omission, perseveration). Results of a latent class analysis revealed three distinct EF groups, characterized by (a) multiple EF deficits, (b) relatively spared EF, and (c) perseverative responding. Follow-up analyses revealed that the classes differed significantly on NAT total errors, total commission errors, and total perseveration errors; the two classes with EF impairment performed comparably on the NAT but performed worse than the class with relatively spared EF. In sum, people with SZ demonstrate variable patterns of EF deficits, and distinct aspects of these EF deficit patterns (i.e., poor mental control abilities) may be associated with everyday functioning capabilities. PMID:23035705

  16. Heterogeneous electro-Fenton using modified iron-carbon as catalyst for 2,4-dichlorophenol degradation: influence factors, mechanism and degradation pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Chao; Zhou, Minghua; Ren, Gengbo; Yu, Xinmin; Ma, Liang; Yang, Jie; Yu, Fangke

    2015-03-01

    Modified iron-carbon with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was firstly investigated as heterogeneous electro-Fenton (EF) catalyst for 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) degradation in near neutral pH condition. The catalyst was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the effects of some important operating parameters such as current intensity and pH on the 2,4-DCP degradation were investigated. After the catalyst modification with 20% PTFE, the degradation performance maintained well with much lower iron leaching, and at current intensity 100 mA, initial pH 6.7, catalyst loading 6 g/L, the degradation efficiency of 2,4-DCP could exceed 95% within 120 min treatment. Two-stage pseudo first-order kinetics of 2,4-DCP degradation was observed, including a slow anodic oxidation stage (first-stage) and much faster heterogeneous EF oxidation (second-stage), in which the automatic drop of pH in the first-stage initiated the Fe(2+) release from micro-electrolysis and thus benefited to the subsequent EF reaction. Aromatic intermediates such as 3,5-dichlorocatechol, 4,6-dichlororesorcinol and 2-chlorohydroquinone were detected by GC-MS. Oxalic acid, acetic acid, formic acid and Cl(-) were quantified by ion chromatograph. Based on these analysis as well as the detection of H₂O₂ and OH, a possible mechanism and degradation pathway for 2,4-DCP were proposed. This work demonstrated that such a heterogeneous EF using cheap modified Fe-C catalyst was promising for organic wastewater treatment in initial neutral pH condition. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. A structural equation modeling of executive functions, IQ and mathematical skills in primary students: Differential effects on number production, mental calculus and arithmetical problems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arán Filippetti, Vanessa; Richaud, María Cristina

    2017-10-01

    Though the relationship between executive functions (EFs) and mathematical skills has been well documented, little is known about how both EFs and IQ differentially support diverse math domains in primary students. Inconsistency of results may be due to the statistical techniques employed, specifically, if the analysis is conducted with observed variables, i.e., regression analysis, or at the latent level, i.e., structural equation modeling (SEM). The current study explores the contribution of both EFs and IQ in mathematics through an SEM approach. A total of 118 8- to 12-year-olds were administered measures of EFs, crystallized (Gc) and fluid (Gf) intelligence, and math abilities (i.e., number production, mental calculus and arithmetical problem-solving). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) offered support for the three-factor solution of EFs: (1) working memory (WM), (2) shifting, and (3) inhibition. Regarding the relationship among EFs, IQ and math abilities, the results of the SEM analysis showed that (i) WM and age predict number production and mental calculus, and (ii) shifting and sex predict arithmetical problem-solving. In all of the SEM models, EFs partially or totally mediated the relationship between IQ, age and math achievement. These results suggest that EFs differentially supports math abilities in primary-school children and is a more significant predictor of math achievement than IQ level.

  18. High white blood cell count at diagnosis of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: biological background and prognostic impact. Results from the NOPHO ALL-92 and ALL-2000 studies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vaitkeviciene, G; Forestier, E; Hellebostad, M

    2011-01-01

    Prognostic impact of peripheral blood white blood cell count (WBC) at the diagnosis of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) was evaluated in a population-based consecutive series of 2666 children aged 1–15 treated for ALL between 1992 and 2008 in the five Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland.......58) and for T-ALL (pEFS5y 0.71 vs. 0.38). Whether the inferior EFS for the subset of patients with high WBC and slow initial response to treatment reflects rare or overlooked cytogenetic aberrations as well as the factors that determine WBC levels at diagnosis awaits exploration....

  19. Phylogenetic classification of Pleurothecium and Pleurotheciella gen. nov. and its dactylaria-like anamorph (Sordariomycetes) based on nuclear ribosomal and protein-coding genes

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Réblová, Martina; Seifert, K. A.; Fournier, J.; Štěpánek, Václav

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 104, č. 6 (2012), s. 1299-1314 ISSN 0027-5514 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP506/12/0038 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 ; RVO:61388971 Keywords : holoblastic denticulate conidiogenesis * life cycles * Steringmatobotrys Subject RIV: EF - Botanics; EE - Microbiology, Virology (MBU-M) Impact factor: 2.110, year: 2012

  20. Culture-specific links between maternal executive function, parenting, and preschool children's executive function in South Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Min Kyung; Baker, Sara; Whitebread, David

    2018-06-01

    Research on the relationships between parental factors and children's executive function (EF) has been conducted mainly in Western cultures. This study provides the first empirical test, in a non-Western context, of how maternal EF and parenting behaviours relate to child EF. South Korean mothers and their preschool children (N = 95 dyads) completed EF tasks. Two aspects of parental scaffolding were observed during a puzzle task: contingency (i.e., adjusting among levels of scaffolding according to the child's ongoing evidence of understanding) and intrusiveness (i.e., directive, mother-centred interactions). Maternal EF and maternal contingency each accounted for unique variance in child EF, above and beyond child age, child language and maternal education. Maternal intrusiveness, however, was not significantly related to child EF. Additionally, no mediating role of parenting was found in the maternal and child EF link. However, child language was found to partially mediate the link between maternal contingency and child EF. These results complement prior findings by revealing distinctive patterns in the link between maternal EF, parenting behaviours, and child EF in the Korean context. © 2018 The British Psychological Society.