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Sample records for higher specific activity

  1. Recurrent activity in higher order, modality non-specific brain regions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lou, Hans Olav Christensen; Joensson, Morten; Biermann-Ruben, Katja

    2011-01-01

    It has been proposed that the workings of the brain are mainly intrinsically generated recurrent neuronal activity, with sensory inputs as modifiers of such activity in both sensory and higher order modality non-specific regions. This is supported by the demonstration of recurrent neuronal activity...... in the visual system as a response to visual stimulation. In contrast recurrent activity has never been demonstrated before in higher order modality non-specific regions. Using magneto-encephalography and Granger causality analysis, we tested in a paralimbic network the hypothesis that stimulation may enhance...... causal recurrent interaction between higher-order, modality non-specific regions. The network includes anterior cingulate/medial prefrontal and posterior cingulate/medial parietal cortices together with pulvinar thalami, a network known to be effective in autobiographic memory retrieval and self...

  2. Teaching Sustainability Using an Active Learning Constructivist Approach: Discipline-Specific Case Studies in Higher Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Kalamas Hedden

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we present our rationale for using an active learning constructivist approach to teach sustainability-related topics in a higher education. To push the boundaries of ecological literacy, we also develop a theoretical model for sustainability knowledge co-creation. Drawing on the experiences of faculty at a major Southeastern University in the United States, we present case studies in architecture, engineering, geography, and marketing. Four Sustainability Faculty Fellows describe their discipline-specific case studies, all of which are project-based learning experiences, and include details regarding teaching and assessment. Easily replicated in other educational contexts, these case studies contribute to the advancement of sustainability education.

  3. Marketing activities of higher education institutions

    OpenAIRE

    Varađanin Vladimir

    2017-01-01

    Public sector marketing is a modern-day scientific discipline which is getting more and more attention. Institutions of higher education provide a specific kind of services to their users, which makes these institutions a part of the public sector. Due to dynamic changes in the environment, the demands and needs of higher education institution's users change, which makes it necessary to monitor these changes through certain marketing activities and adjust to them in order to satisfy the users...

  4. Regulation of higher-activity NARM wastes by EPA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bandrowski, M.S.

    1988-01-01

    The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently developing standards for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste (LLW). As part of this Standard, EPA is including regulations for the disposal of naturally occurring and accelerator-produced radioactive material (NARM) wastes not covered under the Atomic Energy Act (AEA). The regulations will cover only higher-activity NARM wastes, defined as NARM waste with specific activity exceeding two nanocuries per gram. The proposed regulations will specify that NARM wastes exceeding the above limits, except for specific exempted items, must be disposed of in regulated radioactive waste disposal facilities. The proposed EPA regulations for NARM wastes will be discussed, as well as the costs and benefits of the regulation, how it will be implemented by EPA, and the rationale for covering only higher-activity NARM wastes exceeding two nanocuries per gram

  5. Enzyme specific activity in functionalized nanoporous supports

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lei Chenghong; Soares, Thereza A; Shin, Yongsoon; Liu Jun; Ackerman, Eric J

    2008-01-01

    Here we reveal that enzyme specific activity can be increased substantially by changing the protein loading density (P LD ) in functionalized nanoporous supports so that the enzyme immobilization efficiency (I e , defined as the ratio of the specific activity of the immobilized enzyme to the specific activity of the free enzyme in solution) can be much higher than 100%. A net negatively charged glucose oxidase (GOX) and a net positively charged organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH) were entrapped spontaneously in NH 2 - and HOOC-functionalized mesoporous silica (300 A, FMS) respectively. The specific activity of GOX entrapped in FMS increased with decreasing P LD . With decreasing P LD , I e of GOX in FMS increased from 150%. Unlike GOX, OPH in HOOC-FMS showed increased specific activity with increasing P LD . With increasing P LD , the corresponding I e of OPH in FMS increased from 100% to>200%. A protein structure-based analysis of the protein surface charges directing the electrostatic interaction-based orientation of the protein molecules in FMS demonstrates that substrate access to GOX molecules in FMS is limited at high P LD , consequently lowering the GOX specific activity. In contrast, substrate access to OPH molecules in FMS remains open at high P LD and may promote a more favorable confinement environment that enhances the OPH activity

  6. An approach for activity-based DEVS model specification

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alshareef, Abdurrahman; Sarjoughian, Hessam S.; Zarrin, Bahram

    2016-01-01

    Creation of DEVS models has been advanced through Model Driven Architecture and its frameworks. The overarching role of the frameworks has been to help develop model specifications in a disciplined fashion. Frameworks can provide intermediary layers between the higher level mathematical models...... and their corresponding software specifications from both structural and behavioral aspects. Unlike structural modeling, developing models to specify behavior of systems is known to be harder and more complex, particularly when operations with non-trivial control schemes are required. In this paper, we propose specifying...... activity-based behavior modeling of parallel DEVS atomic models. We consider UML activities and actions as fundamental units of behavior modeling, especially in the presence of recent advances in the UML 2.5 specifications. We describe in detail how to approach activity modeling with a set of elemental...

  7. Marketing activities of higher education institutions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Varađanin Vladimir

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Public sector marketing is a modern-day scientific discipline which is getting more and more attention. Institutions of higher education provide a specific kind of services to their users, which makes these institutions a part of the public sector. Due to dynamic changes in the environment, the demands and needs of higher education institution's users change, which makes it necessary to monitor these changes through certain marketing activities and adjust to them in order to satisfy the users' needs. Each higher education institution sets its own goals which, broadly speaking, are to meet their own needs, the needs of students and the society as a whole. Therefore, when formulating a strategy for achieving the objectives of higher education institutions, it is necessary to have timely information from the environment. The modern approach to business puts forward the service users' needs. When it comes to institutions of higher education, the users are primarily students, who thus get the most attention. Keeping this in mind, we have conducted a research among students in order to identify the choice factors influencing their higher education institution selection process. The results obtained should provide guidelines for creating an adequate marketing mix in order to gain competitive advantage on the market for higher education. In the research descriptive and comparative methods were used. In the practical part of the research, survey technique was applied by means of a non-standardized questionnaire. The research results imply that the analysis of the factors influencing the process of selecting the higher education institution enables the creation of an adequate combination of instruments in a marketing mix which can then be used as an instrument for gaining competitive advantage.

  8. Arylesterase Phenotype-Specific Positive Association Between Arylesterase Activity and Cholinesterase Specific Activity in Human Serum

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    Yutaka Aoki

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Context: Cholinesterase (ChE specific activity is the ratio of ChE activity to ChE mass and, as a biomarker of exposure to cholinesterase inhibitors, has a potential advantage over simple ChE activity. Objective: To examine the association of several potential correlates (serum arylesterase/paraoxonase activity, serum albumin, sex, age, month of blood collection, and smoking with plasma ChE specific activity. Methods: We analyzed data from 195 cancer-free controls from a nested case-control study, accounting for potential confounding. Results: Arylesterase activity had an independent, statistically significant positive association with ChE specific activity, and its magnitude was the greatest for the arylesterase phenotype corresponding to the QQ PON1192 genotype followed by phenotypes corresponding to QR and RR genotypes. Serum albumin was positively associated with ChE specific activity. Conclusions: Plasma arylesterase activity was positively associated with plasma ChE specific activity. This observation is consistent with protection conferred by a metabolic phenotype resulting in reduced internal dose.

  9. Order-sorted Algebraic Specifications with Higher-order Functions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Haxthausen, Anne Elisabeth

    1995-01-01

    This paper gives a proposal for how order-sorted algebraic specification languages can be extended with higher-order functions. The approach taken is a generalisation to the order-sorted case of an approach given by Mller, Tarlecki and Wirsing for the many-sorted case. The main idea in the proposal...

  10. GENERIC QUALITY STANDARDS VS. SPECIFIC QUALITY STANDARDS: THE CASE OF HIGHER EDUCATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laila El Abbadi

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Quality as a new requirement for the field of higher education leads institutions to seek to satisfy generic or specific quality standards imposed directly or indirectly by its customers. The aim of this study is to compare between ISO9001, as a generic quality standard, and the Code of Practice of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA, as a specific quality standard. A correlation matrix is drawn and correlation rates are calculated to show similarities and differences between them. This paper shows, first, that ISO9001 and QAA Code of Practice are compatible. Second, implementing a quality management system in accordance with ISO9001 requirements can constitute an adequate framework for the application of the QAA Code of Practice requirements. Third, to make the ISO9001 requirements closer to a specific quality standard in the field of higher education, it is recommended to complete these standards by specific requirements to the field of higher education.

  11. Selective radiolabeling of cell surface proteins to a high specific activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thompson, J.A.; Lau, A.L.; Cunningham, D.D.

    1987-01-01

    A procedure was developed for selective radiolabeling of membrane proteins on cells to higher specific activities than possible with available techniques. Cell surface amino groups were derivatized with 125 I-(hydroxyphenyl)propionyl groups via 125 I-sulfosuccinimidyl (hydroxyphenyl)propionate ( 125 II-sulfo-SHPP). This reagent preferentially labeled membrane proteins exposed at the cell surface of erythrocytes as assessed by the degree of radiolabel incorporation into erythrocyte ghost proteins and hemoglobin. Comparison with the lactoperoxidase-[ 125 I]iodide labeling technique revealed that 125 I-sulfo-SHPP labeled cell surface proteins to a much higher specific activity and hemoglobin to a much lower specific activity. Additionally, this reagent was used for selective radiolabeling of membrane proteins on the cytoplasmic face of the plasma membrane by blocking exofacial amino groups with uniodinated sulfo-SHPP, lysing the cells, and then incubating them with 125 I-sulfo-SHPP. Exclusive labeling of either side of the plasma membrane was demonstrated by the labeling of some marker proteins with well-defined spacial orientations on erythroctyes. Transmembrane proteins such as the epidermal growth factor receptor on cultured cells could also be labeled differentially from either side of the plasma membrane

  12. Efficiency assessment models of higher education institution staff activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. A. Dyusekeyev

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper substantiates the necessity of improvement of university staff incentive system under the conditions of competition in the field of higher education, the necessity to develop a separate model for the evaluation of the effectiveness of the department heads. The authors analysed the methods for assessing production function of units. The advantage of the application of the methods to assess the effectiveness of border economic structures in the field of higher education is shown. The choice of the data envelopment analysis method to solve the problem has proved. The model for evaluating of university departments activity on the basis of the DEAmethodology has developed. On the basis of operating in Russia, Kazakhstan and other countries universities staff pay systems the structure of the criteria system for university staff activity evaluation has been designed. For clarification and specification of the departments activity efficiency criteria a strategic map has been developed that allowed us to determine the input and output parameters of the model. DEA-methodology using takes into account a large number of input and output parameters, increases the assessment objectivity by excluding experts, receives interim data to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the evaluated object.

  13. Experimental study of an active specific immunotherapy modified with irradiation, 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Imanaka, Kazufumi; Ogawa, Yasuhiro; Takashima, Hitoshi

    1982-01-01

    We had demonstrated in the former investigation that the strongest local infiltration of T-lymphocytes was observed in C3H/He mice transplanted MM46 at seven days after irradiation with the dose of 2,000 rads. This result indicated that the enhancement of the antigenicity of tumor cells was attained after low-dose-irradiation. We had also reported that specific active immunotherapy using low-dose-irradiated tumor cells and activated mononuclear cells after radiotherapy was effective on the elongation of survival period. In this paper, we studied whether the tumor cell inoculated after active specific immunotherapy was inhibited or not. Active specific immunotherapy using tumor cells and mononuclear cells was performed on female C3H/He mice aged 12 weeks in the left hind paws. Tumor cells and mononuclear cells were separated from the tumor tissue on the 12th day since inoculation of 5 x 10 6 of MM46 tumor cells which were irradiated with the dose of 2,000 rads of 3,000 rads by high energy electron beam on the fifth day. Seven days after active specific immunotherapy 1 x 10 5 or 1 x 10 6 of tumor cell were i noculated in the right hind paws of mice which received active specific immunotherapy. Anti-tumor effect was evaluated by the changes of tumor volume and survival rate. The tumor volume of the group which received active specific immunotherapy was smaller than that without active specific immunotherapy for about nine days since inoculation. Fifty-day survival rate was significantly higher in the group which received active specific immunotherapy compared with the group without immunotherapy (p < 0.01). (author)

  14. Proteins labelling with 125I and experimental determination of their specific activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caro, R.A.; Ciscato, V.A.; Giacomini, S.M.V. de; Quiroga, S.; Radicella, R.

    1975-11-01

    A standardization of the labelling technique of proteins with 125 I and the control of the obtained products, principally their specific activities was performed, in order to utilize them correctly in radioimmunoassays. The quantities of chloramine-T and sodium metabisulphite were lowered, with regard to the original method, to 3.6 and 9.6 μg respectively. Under these conditions, optimal yields and radioiodinated proteins with good immunological activities were obtained. It was found that the specific activity calculated, as usual, from the yield obtained by electrophoresis, is higher than the real value. For these reasons the yields and the corresponding specific activities were determined from ascending chromatographies performed with 70 per cent methanol as solvent, during two hours in darkness. The radioimmunoassay displacement curves obtained with proteins labelled which the proposed method and the specific activities of which were calculated from their radiochromatographic patterns, were reproducible and gave a percentage of bound radioiodinated protein in the absence of cold protein of 50 +- 4. (author) [es

  15. Algebraic Specifications, Higher-order Types and Set-theoretic Models

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kirchner, Hélène; Mosses, Peter David

    2001-01-01

    , and power-sets. This paper presents a simple framework for algebraic specifications with higher-order types and set-theoretic models. It may be regarded as the basis for a Horn-clause approximation to the Z framework, and has the advantage of being amenable to prototyping and automated reasoning. Standard......In most algebraic  specification frameworks, the type system is restricted to sorts, subsorts, and first-order function types. This is in marked contrast to the so-called model-oriented frameworks, which provide higer-order types, interpreted set-theoretically as Cartesian products, function spaces...... set-theoretic models are considered, and conditions are given for the existence of initial reduct's of such models. Algebraic specifications for various set-theoretic concepts are considered....

  16. Experimental study on an active specific immunotherapy modified with irradiation, 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogawa, Yasuhiro; Takashima, Hitoshi; Imanaka, Kazufumi

    1982-01-01

    Active specific immunotherapy using low-dose-irradiated tumor cells and activated mononuclear cells was studied on the transplanted MM 46 tumor of female C3H/He mice aged 12 weeks, after radiotherapy was performed. Local irradiation with the dose of 3,000 rads by high energy electron beam was performed on the fifth day after 5 x 10 6 tumor cells were inoculated in the right hind paws. Tumor cells and mononuclear cells were separated from the tumor tissue which was irradiated with the dose of 2,000 rads on the fifth day and were injected subcutaneously into the left hind paws of the tumor burden mice on the eleventh day. Anti-tumor effect was evaluated by the changes of the tumor volume and survival curves. Tumor growth was significantly inhibited in the group which received irradiation combined with active specific immunotherapy compared with the control group (p < 0.01). Survival rate was significantly higher in the group which received irradiation combined with active specific immunotherapy than the control group (p < 0.025). (author)

  17. Virus-specific cytotoxic T cells in chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shibayama, Haruna; Imadome, Ken-Ichi; Onozawa, Erika; Tsuzura, Akiho; Miura, Osamu; Koyama, Takatoshi; Arai, Ayako

    2017-01-01

    Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (CAEBV) is a disease characterized by clonally proliferating and activated EBV-infected T or NK cells accompanied by chronic inflammation and T- or NK-cell neoplasms. However, the mechanism for developing CAEBV has not been clarified to date. Because the decreased number or inactivation of EBV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) resulted in the development of EBV-positive B-cell neoplasms, we investigated the number of CTLs in CAEBV patients using the tetrameric complexes of HLA-restricted EBV-specific peptides. Among the seven patients examined, EBV-specific CTLs were detected in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of four cases but were not detected in three cases. The ratio of EBV-specific CTLs in PBMCs tended to be higher in the patients with active disease than in those with inactive disease. In two patients in whom EBV-specific CTLs had not been detected, CTLs appeared after the eradication of EBV-infected T cells by allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. These results suggested that the failure of CTLs had a role in developing CAEBV, although the induction number and function of EBV-specific CTLs might vary in each patient.

  18. The Attributable Proportion of Specific Leisure-Time Physical Activities to Total Leisure Activity Volume Among US Adults, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2006.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watson, Kathleen Bachtel; Dai, Shifan; Paul, Prabasaj; Carlson, Susan A; Carroll, Dianna D; Fulton, Janet

    2016-11-01

    Previous studies have examined participation in specific leisure-time physical activities (PA) among US adults. The purpose of this study was to identify specific activities that contribute substantially to total volume of leisure-time PA in US adults. Proportion of total volume of leisure-time PA moderate-equivalent minutes attributable to 9 specific types of activities was estimated using self-reported data from 21,685 adult participants (≥ 18 years) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2006. Overall, walking (28%), sports (22%), and dancing (9%) contributed most to PA volume. Attributable proportion was higher among men than women for sports (30% vs. 11%) and higher among women than men for walking (36% vs. 23%), dancing (16% vs. 4%), and conditioning exercises (10% vs. 5%). The proportion was lower for walking, but higher for sports, among active adults than those insufficiently active and increased with age for walking. Compared with other racial/ethnic groups, the proportion was lower for sports among non-Hispanic white men and for dancing among non-Hispanic white women. Walking, sports, and dance account for the most activity time among US adults overall, yet some demographic variations exist. Strategies for PA promotion should be tailored to differences across population subgroups.

  19. Comparison of cell-specific activity between free-living and attached bacteria using isolates and natural assemblages

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grossart, H.P.; Tang, K.W.; Kiørboe, Thomas

    2007-01-01

    Marine snow aggregates are microbial hotspots that support high bacterial abundance and activities. We conducted laboratory experiments to compare cell-specific bacterial protein production (BPP) and protease activity between free-living and attached bacteria. Natural bacterial assemblages attached...... bacteria increasing their metabolism upon attachment to surfaces. In subsequent experiments, we used four strains of marine snow bacteria isolates to test the hypothesis that bacteria could up- and down-regulate their metabolism while on and off an aggregate. The protease activity of attached bacteria...... to model aggregates (agar spheres) had threefold higher BPP and two orders of magnitude higher protease activity than their free-living counterpart. These observations could be explained by preferential colonization of the agar spheres by bacteria with inherently higher metabolic activity and/or individual...

  20. Specificity of a prodrug-activating enzyme hVACVase: the leaving group effect.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Jing; Dahan, Arik; Walls, Zachary F; Lai, Longsheng; Lee, Kyung-Dall; Amidon, Gordon L

    2010-12-06

    Human valacyclovirase (hVACVase) is a prodrug-activating enzyme for amino acid prodrugs including the antiviral drugs valacyclovir and valganciclovir. In hVACVase-catalyzed reactions, the leaving group of the substrate corresponds to the drug moiety of the prodrug, making the leaving group effect essential for the rational design of new prodrugs targeting hVACVase activation. In this study, a series of valine esters, phenylalanine esters, and a valine amide were characterized for the effect of the leaving group on the efficiency of hVACVase-mediated prodrug activation. Except for phenylalanine methyl and ethyl esters, all of the ester substrates exhibited a relatively high specificity constant (k(cat)/K(m)), ranging from 850 to 9490 mM(-1)·s(-1). The valine amide Val-3-APG exhibited significantly higher K(m) and lower k(cat) values compared to the corresponding ester Val-3-HPG, indicating poor specificity for hVACVase. In conclusion, the substrate leaving group has been shown to affect both binding and specific activity of hVACVase-catalyzed activation. It is proposed that hVACVase is an ideal target for α-amino acid ester prodrugs with relatively labile leaving groups while it is relatively inactivate toward amide prodrugs.

  1. Table of specific activities of selected isotopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shipley, G.

    The bulk of this publication consists of a table of the half-lives, decay modes, and specific activities of isotopes selected for their particular interest to the Environmental Health and Safety Department, LBL. The specific activities were calculated with a PDP 9/15 computer. Also included in the report is a table of stable isotopes, the Th and U decay chains, a chart of the nuclides for elements 101 through 106, the heavy element region of the periodic table, and a specific activity monograph. 5 figures, 2 tables

  2. Sex-specific genetic effects in physical activity: results from a quantitative genetic analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diego, Vincent P; de Chaves, Raquel Nichele; Blangero, John; de Souza, Michele Caroline; Santos, Daniel; Gomes, Thayse Natacha; dos Santos, Fernanda Karina; Garganta, Rui; Katzmarzyk, Peter T; Maia, José A R

    2015-08-01

    The objective of this study is to present a model to estimate sex-specific genetic effects on physical activity (PA) levels and sedentary behaviour (SB) using three generation families. The sample consisted of 100 families covering three generations from Portugal. PA and SB were assessed via the International Physical Activity Questionnaire short form (IPAQ-SF). Sex-specific effects were assessed by genotype-by-sex interaction (GSI) models and sex-specific heritabilities. GSI effects and heterogeneity were tested in the residual environmental variance. SPSS 17 and SOLAR v. 4.1 were used in all computations. The genetic component for PA and SB domains varied from low to moderate (11% to 46%), when analyzing both genders combined. We found GSI effects for vigorous PA (p = 0.02) and time spent watching television (WT) (p < 0.001) that showed significantly higher additive genetic variance estimates in males. The heterogeneity in the residual environmental variance was significant for moderate PA (p = 0.02), vigorous PA (p = 0.006) and total PA (p = 0.001). Sex-specific heritability estimates were significantly higher in males only for WT, with a male-to-female difference in heritability of 42.5 (95% confidence interval: 6.4, 70.4). Low to moderate genetic effects on PA and SB traits were found. Results from the GSI model show that there are sex-specific effects in two phenotypes, VPA and WT with a stronger genetic influence in males.

  3. Discipline-Specific Compared to Generic Training of Teachers in Higher Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva-Fletcher, Ayona; May, Stephen A

    A recurrent theme arising in the higher education sector is the suitability and effectiveness of generic versus discipline-specific training of university teachers, who are often recruited based on their disciplinary specialties to become teachers in higher education. We compared two groups of participants who had undergone training using a generic post-graduate certificate in higher education (PGCertGeneric) versus a discipline-specific course in veterinary education (PGCertVetEd). The study was conducted using a survey that allowed comparison of participants who completed PGCertGeneric (n=21) with PGCertVetEd (n=22). Results indicated that participants from both PGCertGeneric and PGCertVetEd considered teaching to be satisfying and important to their careers, valued the teaching observation component of the course, and identified similar training needs. However, the participants of the PGCertVetEd felt that the course made them better teachers, valued the relevance of the components taught, understood course design better, were encouraged to do further courses/reading in teaching and learning, changed their teaching as a result of the course, and were less stressed about teaching as compared to the PGCertGeneric participants (p<.05). It is likely that the PGCertVetEd, which was designed and developed by veterinarians with a wider understanding of the veterinary sector, helped the participants perceive the training course as suited to their needs.

  4. Activity-Based Costing Systems for Higher Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Day, Dennis H.

    1993-01-01

    Examines traditional costing models utilized in higher education and pinpoints shortcomings related to proper identification of costs. Describes activity-based costing systems as a superior alternative for cost identification, measurement, and allocation. (MLF)

  5. Endurance exercise training induces fat depot-specific differences in basal autophagic activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tanaka, Goki; Kato, Hisashi; Izawa, Tetsuya, E-mail: tizawa@mail.doshisha.ac.jp

    2015-10-23

    The purpose of this study was to uncover the effect of exercise training on the expression of autophagy marker proteins in epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT), inguinal WAT (iWAT), and the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) collected from eWAT. Male Wistar rats aged 4–5 weeks were randomly divided into two groups, sedentary control (n = 7) and exercise-trained (n = 7). Rats in the exercise-trained group were exercised on a treadmill set at a 5° incline 5 days/week for 9 weeks. We determined that the expression levels of an autophagosome-associating form of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)-II and of p62 were significantly higher in eWAT from exercise-trained than from control rats, while those of adipose-specific deletion of autophagy-related protein (ATG7) and lysosomal-associated membrane protein type 2A (LAMP2a) showed no difference between groups. However, in iWAT, the expression levels of LC3-II and ATG7 were significantly higher in exercise-trained than in control rats. The expression of p62 was highly correlated with that of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), a master regulator of adipogenesis and lipid metabolism, in both WAT types (eWAT, r = 0.856, P < 0.05; iWAT, r = 0.762, P < 0.05), whereas LC3-II and PPARγ levels were highly correlated in eWAT (r = 0.765, P < 0.05) but not in iWAT (r = −0.306, ns). In SVF, the expression levels of LC3II, ATG7, and LAMP2a were significantly higher in exercise-trained than in control rats. These results suggest that exercise training suppresses basal autophagy activity in eWAT, but that this activity is enhanced in iWAT and SVF collected from eWAT. Thus, the adaptation of basal autophagic activity following exercise training exhibits fat depot-specific differences. - Highlights: • Autophagy has been associated with obesity and associated diseases. • We examined exercise-associated rat white adipose tissue (WAT) autophagy markers. • Exercise increased

  6. Endurance exercise training induces fat depot-specific differences in basal autophagic activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanaka, Goki; Kato, Hisashi; Izawa, Tetsuya

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to uncover the effect of exercise training on the expression of autophagy marker proteins in epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT), inguinal WAT (iWAT), and the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) collected from eWAT. Male Wistar rats aged 4–5 weeks were randomly divided into two groups, sedentary control (n = 7) and exercise-trained (n = 7). Rats in the exercise-trained group were exercised on a treadmill set at a 5° incline 5 days/week for 9 weeks. We determined that the expression levels of an autophagosome-associating form of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)-II and of p62 were significantly higher in eWAT from exercise-trained than from control rats, while those of adipose-specific deletion of autophagy-related protein (ATG7) and lysosomal-associated membrane protein type 2A (LAMP2a) showed no difference between groups. However, in iWAT, the expression levels of LC3-II and ATG7 were significantly higher in exercise-trained than in control rats. The expression of p62 was highly correlated with that of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), a master regulator of adipogenesis and lipid metabolism, in both WAT types (eWAT, r = 0.856, P < 0.05; iWAT, r = 0.762, P < 0.05), whereas LC3-II and PPARγ levels were highly correlated in eWAT (r = 0.765, P < 0.05) but not in iWAT (r = −0.306, ns). In SVF, the expression levels of LC3II, ATG7, and LAMP2a were significantly higher in exercise-trained than in control rats. These results suggest that exercise training suppresses basal autophagy activity in eWAT, but that this activity is enhanced in iWAT and SVF collected from eWAT. Thus, the adaptation of basal autophagic activity following exercise training exhibits fat depot-specific differences. - Highlights: • Autophagy has been associated with obesity and associated diseases. • We examined exercise-associated rat white adipose tissue (WAT) autophagy markers. • Exercise increased

  7. IMPROVEMENT OF QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM ACTIVITIES OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Z. M. Sultalieva

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract. The aim of the article is the improvement of quality assessment system of higher education institutions in the aspect of management. The problems of quality improvement are revealed and classified. The analysis of criteria assessment sets used to define the efficiency of higher education institutions activity is carried out. The components of quality of higher education institutions activity are specified. The structural model of quality assessment system of higher education institutions activity is offered. The analysis of macro environment of a university based on the method of strategic management is carried out, i.e. PEST analysis. As a result of the research a new model of macro criteria model of quality assessment system of higher education institutions, characterizing quality management as an approach to university efficiency is offered, moreover, this system can define the level of its competitiveness in the aspect of quality management. 

  8. A constitutive damage specific DNA-binding protein is synthesized at higher levels in UV-irradiated primate cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hirschfeld, S.; Levine, A.S.; Ozato, K.; Protic, M.

    1990-01-01

    Using a DNA band shift assay, we have identified a DNA-binding protein complex in primate cells which is present constitutively and has a high affinity for UV-irradiated, double-stranded DNA. Cells pretreated with UV light, mitomycin C, or aphidicolin have higher levels of this damage-specific DNA-binding protein complex, suggesting that the signal for induction can either be damage to the DNA or interference with cellular DNA replication. Physiochemical modifications of the DNA and competition analysis with defined substrates suggest that the most probable target site for the damage-specific DNA-binding protein complex is a 6-4'-(pyrimidine-2'-one)-pyrimidine dimer: specific binding could not be detected with probes which contain -TT- cyclobutane dimers, and damage-specific DNA binding did not decrease after photoreactivation of UV-irradiated DNA. This damage-specific DNA-binding protein complex is the first such inducible protein complex identified in primate cells. Cells from patients with the sun-sensitive cancer-prone disease, xeroderma pigmentosum (group E), are lacking both the constitutive and the induced damage-specific DNA-binding activities. These findings suggest a possible role for this DNA-binding protein complex in lesion recognition and DNA repair of UV-light-induced photoproducts

  9. Higher-order force moments of active particles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nasouri, Babak; Elfring, Gwynn J.

    2018-04-01

    Active particles moving through fluids generate disturbance flows due to their activity. For simplicity, the induced flow field is often modeled by the leading terms in a far-field approximation of the Stokes equations, whose coefficients are the force, torque, and stresslet (zeroth- and first-order force moments) of the active particle. This level of approximation is quite useful, but may also fail to predict more complex behaviors that are observed experimentally. In this study, to provide a better approximation, we evaluate the contribution of the second-order force moments to the flow field and, by reciprocal theorem, present explicit formulas for the stresslet dipole, rotlet dipole, and potential dipole for an arbitrarily shaped active particle. As examples of this method, we derive modified Faxén laws for active spherical particles and resolve higher-order moments for active rod-like particles.

  10. Specific-activity and concentration model applied to cesium movement in an oligotrophic lake

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vanderploeg, H.A.; Booth, R.S.; Clark, F.H.

    1975-01-01

    A linear systems-analysis model was derived to simulate the time-dependent dynamics of specific activity and concentration of radionuclides in aquatic systems. Transfer coefficients were determined for movement of 137 Cs in the components of an oligotrophic lake. These coefficients were defined in terms of basic environmental and ecological data so that the model can be applied to a wide variety of sites. Simulations with a model that ignored sediment--water interactions predicted much higher 137 Cs specific activities in the lake water and biota than did those with the complete model. Comparing 137 Cs concentrations predicted by the model with concentrations reported for the biota of an experimentally contaminated oligotrophic lake indicated that the transfer coefficients derived for the biota are adequate

  11. Implementation of ICT in Higher Education as Interacting Activity Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nyvang, Tom

    2006-01-01

    Implementation of ICT in higher education is not a trivial process. It is however a process leading to a number of challenges and problems. The paper develops a theoretical model of the implementation of ICT in higher education based on activity theory and on a case study in a Danish university...... activity and an educational activity. Based on the model and case study the paper suggest a framework of challenges that must be met for an implementation to succeed....

  12. Experimental study on active specific immunotherapy modified with irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Imanaka, Kazufumi; Ogawa, Yasuhiro; Gose, Kyuhei; Imajo, Yoshinari; Kumura, Shuji

    1982-01-01

    We have already reported that the effectiveness of active specific immunotherapy using irradiated tumor cells and infiltrating mononuclear cells which were separated from the topical tumor tissue 7 days after irradiation of 2,000 rad in experimental study. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of non-specific immunopotentiator PS-K combined with active specific immunotherapy. Female C3H/He mice aged 12 weeks were inoculated 4 x 10 6 MM 46 tumor cells in the right hind paws and received local electron irradiation with the dose of 3,000 rad on the 5th day after irradiation. Active specific immunotherapy was performed on the 12th day, and daily dose of 200 mg/kg of PS-K was injected intraperitoneally from the 6th day to the 10th day. The inhibition of the tumor growth and the elongation of survival period were noted in the group which received active specific immunotherapy combined with non-specific immunopotentiator, PS-K compared with the active specific immunotherapy alone. (author)

  13. Relation Between Higher Physical Activity and Public Transit Use

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vernez Moudon, Anne; Kang, Bumjoon; Hurvitz, Philip M.; Zhou, Chuan

    2014-01-01

    Objectives. We isolated physical activity attributable to transit use to examine issues of substitution between types of physical activity and potential confounding of transit-related walking with other walking. Methods. Physical activity and transit use data were collected in 2008 to 2009 from 693 Travel Assessment and Community study participants from King County, Washington, equipped with an accelerometer, a portable Global Positioning System, and a 7-day travel log. Physical activity was classified into transit- and non–transit-related walking and nonwalking time. Analyses compared physical activity by type between transit users and nonusers, between less and more frequent transit users, and between transit and nontransit days for transit users. Results. Transit users had more daily overall physical activity and more total walking than did nontransit users but did not differ on either non–transit-related walking or nonwalking physical activity. Most frequent transit users had more walking time than least frequent transit users. Higher physical activity levels for transit users were observed only on transit days, with 14.6 minutes (12.4 minutes when adjusted for demographics) of daily physical activity directly linked with transit use. Conclusions. Because transit use was directly related to higher physical activity, future research should examine whether substantive increases in transit access and use lead to more physical activity and related health improvements. PMID:24625142

  14. Extracurricular activities and the development of social skills in children with intellectual and specific learning disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, B A; Floyd, F; Robins, D L; Chan, W Y

    2015-07-01

    Children with intellectual disability and specific learning disabilities often lack age-appropriate social skills, which disrupts their social functioning. Because of the limited effectiveness of classroom mainstreaming and social skills training for these children, it is important to explore alternative opportunities for social skill acquisition. Participation in social activities is positively related to children's social adjustment, but little is known about the benefits of activity participation for children with intellectual and specific learning disabilities. This study investigated the association between frequency and type of social activity participation and the social competence of 8-11-year-old children with intellectual disability (n = 40) and specific learning disabilities (n = 53), in comparison with typically developing peers (n = 24). More time involved in unstructured activities, but not structured activities, was associated with higher levels of social competence for all children. This association was strongest for children with intellectual disability, suggesting that participation in unstructured social activities was most beneficial for these children. Future research on the quality of involvement is necessary to further understand specific aspects of unstructured activities that might facilitate social development. © 2014 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Spatial and temporal activity of the foxtail millet (Setaria italica) seed-specific promoter pF128.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Yanlin; Ma, Xin; Liang, Hanwen; Zhao, Qian; Zhu, Dengyun; Yu, Jingjuan

    2015-01-01

    pF128 drives GUS specifically expressed in transgenic seeds of foxtail millet and Zea mays with higher activity than the constitutive CaMV35S promoter and the maize seed-specific 19Z promoter. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica), a member of the Poaceae family, is an important food and fodder crop in arid regions. Foxtail millet is an excellent C4 crop model owing to its small genome (~490 Mb), self-pollination and availability of a complete genome sequence. F128 was isolated from a cDNA library of foxtail millet immature seeds. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that F128 mRNA was specifically expressed in immature and mature seeds. The highest F128 mRNA level was observed 5 days after pollination and gradually decreased as the seed matured. Sequence analysis suggested that the protein encoded by F128 is likely a protease inhibitor/seed storage protein/lipid-transfer protein. The 1,053 bp 5' flanking sequence of F128 (pF128) was isolated and fused to the GUS reporter gene. The corresponding vector was then transformed into Arabidopsis thaliana, foxtail millet and Zea mays. GUS analysis revealed that pF128 drove GUS expression efficiently and specifically in the seeds of transgenic Arabidopsis, foxtail millet and Zea mays. GUS activity was also detected in Arabidopsis cotyledons. Activity of pF128 was higher than that observed for the constitutive CaMV35S promoter and the maize seed-specific 19 Zein (19Z) promoter. These results indicate that pF128 is a seed-specific promoter. Its application is expected to be of considerable value in plant genetic engineering.

  16. Synthesis of high specific activity tritium labelled compounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parent, P.

    1986-01-01

    Tritiated methyl iodide of high specific activity is synthetized by Fischer-Tropsch reaction of tritium with carbon monoxide, tritiated methanol obtained is reacted with hydriodic acid. It is used for the synthesis of S-adenosyl L-methionine 3 H-methyl and of diazepam 3 H-methyl derivatives. Synthesis of 3-PPP 3 H: (hydroxy-3 phenyl)-3N-n propyl [ 3 H-2.3] piperidine [ 3 H-2.3] with a specific activity of 4.25 T Bq/mM (115 Ci/mM) and of baclofene 3 H with a specific activity of 0.925 TBq (25 Ci/mM) are also described [fr

  17. Estimation of the specific activity of radioiodinated gonadotrophins: comparison of three methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Englebienne, P [Centre for Research and Diagnosis in Endocrinology, Kain (Belgium); Slegers, G [Akademisch Ziekenhuis, Ghent (Belgium). Lab. voor Analytische Chemie

    1983-01-14

    The authors compared 3 methods for estimating the specific activity of radioiodinated gonadotrophins. Two of the methods (column recovery and isotopic dilution) gave similar results, while the third (autodisplacement) gave significantly higher estimations. In the autodisplacement method, B/T ratios, obtained when either labelled hormone alone, or labelled and unlabelled hormone, are added to the antibody, were compared as estimates of the mass of hormone iodinated. It is likely that immunologically unreactive impurities present in the labelled hormone solution invalidate such comparison.

  18. The higher the farther: distance-specific referential gestures in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonseth, Chloe; Kawakami, Fumito; Ichino, Etsuko; Tomonaga, Masaki

    2017-11-01

    Referential signals, such as manual pointing or deictic words, allow individuals to efficiently locate a specific entity in the environment, using distance-specific linguistic and/or gestural units. To explore the evolutionary prerequisites of such deictic ability, the present study investigates the ability of chimpanzees to adjust their communicative signals to the distance of a referent. A food-request paradigm in which the chimpanzees had to request a close or distant piece of food on a table in the presence/absence of an experimenter was employed. Our main finding concerns the chimpanzees adjusting their requesting behaviours to the distance of the food such that higher manual gestures and larger mouth openings were used to request the distant piece of food. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that chimpanzees are able to use distance-specific gestures. © 2017 The Authors.

  19. Dexamethasone up-regulates skeletal muscle maximal Na+,K+ pump activity by muscle group specific mechanisms in humans

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nordsborg, Nikolai; Goodmann, Craig; McKenna, Michael J.

    2005-01-01

    Dexamethasone, a widely clinically used glucocorticoid, increases human skeletal muscle Na+,K+ pump content, but the effects on maximal Na+,K+ pump activity and subunit specific mRNA are unknown. Ten healthy male subjects ingested dexamethasone for 5 days and the effects on Na+,K+ pump content......, maximal activity and subunit specific mRNA level (a1, a2, ß1, ß2, ß3) in deltoid and vastus lateralis muscle were investigated. Before treatment, maximal Na+,K+ pump activity, as well as a1, a2, ß1 and ß2 mRNA levels were higher (P ... increased Na+,K+ pump maximal activity in vastus lateralis and deltoid by 14 ± 7% (P Na+,K+ pump content by 18 ± 9% (P

  20. Dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase-Lpd (Rv0462)-specific T cell recall responses are higher in healthy household contacts of TB: a novel immunodominant antigen from M. tuberculosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devasundaram, Santhi; Raja, Alamelu

    2017-07-01

    The partial effectiveness against pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), displayed by the existing tuberculosis (TB) vaccine, bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), highlights the need for novel vaccines to replace or improve BCG. In TB immunology, antigen-specific cellular immune response is frequently considered indispensable. Latency-associated antigens are intriguing as targets for TB vaccine development. The mycobacterial protein, dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (Lpd; Rv0462), the third enzyme of the pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex, facilitates Mycobacterium tuberculosis to resist host reactive nitrogen intermediates. Multicolor flow cytometry analysis of whole-blood cultures showed higher Lpd-specific Th1 recall response (IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-2; P = 0.0006) and memory CD4 + and CD8 + T cells (CCR7 + CD45RA - and CCR7 - CD45RA - ) in healthy household contacts (HHC) of TB ( P < 0.0001), which is comparable with or higher than the standard antigens, ESAT-6 and CFP-10. The frequency of Lpd-specific multifunctional T cells was higher in HHC compared with PTB patients. However, there is no significant statistical correlation. Regulatory T cell (T reg ) analysis of HHCs and active TB patients demonstrated very low Lpd-specific CD4 + T regs relative to ESAT-6 and CFP-10. Our study demonstrates that the Lpd antigen induces a strong cellular immune response in healthy mycobacteria-infected individuals. In consideration of this population having demonstrated immunologic protection against active TB disease development, our data are encouraging about the possible use of Lpd as a target for further TB subunit vaccine development. © Society for Leukocyte Biology.

  1. Calcium carbonate mediates higher lignin peroxidase activity in the culture supernatant of Streptomyces Viridosporus T7A

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. M. B. MACEDO

    1999-06-01

    Full Text Available Lignin peroxidase (LiP production has been extensively studied due to the potential use of this enzyme in environmental pollution control. Important aspects of the production of the enzyme by S. viridosporus T7A which have been studied include the improvement of yield and enzyme stabilization. In experiments performed in agitated flasks containing culture media composed of yeast extract as the source of nitrogen, mineral salts and different carbon sources, the use of glucose resulted in the highest values for LiP activity (350 U/L, specific LiP activity (450 U/g and productivity (7 U/L/h. As the profile obtained with glucose-containing medium suggested enzyme instability, the effect of calcium carbonate was evaluated. The addition of CaCO3 in two different concentrations, 0.5% and 5.0%, resulted in higher values of maximum LiP activity, 600 and 900 U/L, respectively. The presence of this salt also anticipated enzyme activity peaks and allowed the detection of higher enzyme activities in the extracellular medium for longer periods of time. These results indicate a positive effect of calcium carbonate on LiP production, which is extremely relevant for industrial processes.

  2. Higher-order chaotic oscillator using active bessel filter

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindberg, Erik; Mykolaitis, Gytis; Bumelien, Skaidra

    2010-01-01

    A higher-order oscillator, including a nonlinear unit and an 8th-order low-pass active Bessel filter is described. The Bessel unit plays the role of "three-in-one": a delay line, an amplifier and a filter. Results of hardware experiments and numerical simulation are presented. Depending...

  3. Clinical research in dermatology: resources and activities associated with a higher scientific productivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molina-Leyva, Alejandro; Descalzo, Miguel A; García-Doval, Ignacio

    2018-03-06

    Clinical research papers and their derived metrics can be useful to assess the scientific production of medical and research centers. Diverse factors are probably associated to differences in scientific production. But there are scarce studies analyzing them. Resources are limited and have to be distributed efficiently. The objective of this study is to explore what resources and activities are potentially associated with a higher scientific productivity. A bibliometric study was performed to obtain information about scientific productivity. Papers included had to meet criteria to be considered clinical research in dermatology, additionally had to be published between the years 2005-2014, had to be included in Pubmed or Embase and had to include a Spanish center of dermatology as the correspondence address. Information about research resources and activities of the year 2015 was gathered by means of an online survey sent to the authors identified in the bibliometric study. The search strategy returned 8617 papers and only 1104 of them (12.81%) met the inclusion criteria. 63 out of 113 centers responded to the survey (55.75%). Factors associated with a higher scientific productivity were: the size of the resident program, the amount of time specifically dedicated to research, a lower clinical workload, and the number of clinical trials performed in the last year. We have demonstrated that some factors are associated with a higher scientific productivity. Residency program, more research staff, clinical workload redistribution and research motivation/initiatives are key strategies that could improve scientific productivity of a center.

  4. Stop Misusing Higher Education-Specific Price Indices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gillen, Andrew; Robe, Jonathan

    2011-01-01

    In order to compare the price of things over time, it is necessary to use a price index to adjust for inflation. The Higher Education Price Index (HEPI) and the Higher Education Cost Adjustment (HECA) were designed to more accurately account for the spending patterns of colleges and universities. However, there are some methodological problems…

  5. Distribution measurement of 60Co target radioactive specific activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Xingyan; Chen Zigen; Ren Min

    1994-01-01

    Radioactive specific activity distribution of cobalt 60 target by irradiation in HFETR is a key parameter. With the collimate principle, the under water measurement device and conversion coefficient which is get by experiments, and the radioactive specific activity distribution is obtained. The uncertainty of measurement is less than 10%

  6. Preparation of high specific activity labelled triiodothyronine (T3) for radioimmunoassay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pillai, M.R.A.; Nagvekar, U.H.; Desai, C.N.; Mani, R.S.

    1981-01-01

    A method standardized for the preparation of high specific activity labelled triiodothyronine (T 3 ) is discussed. Iodine-125 labelled T 3 with a specific activity of 3 mCi μg was prepared by iodinating 3,5-diiodothyronine (T 2 ) and purifying it over Sephadex G-25 gel. Radochemical purity and stability evaluations were done by paper chromatography. Specific activity of the labelled T 3 prepared was estimated by the self-displacement method. The use of this high specific activity labelled T 3 in radioimmunoassay increased the sensitivity considerably. The advantage of this procedure is that the specific activity of labelled T 3 formed is independent of reaction yield and labelled T 3 yield. (author)

  7. Effect of ultrasonic specific energy on waste activated sludge ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The effect of ultrasonic specific energy on waste activated sludge (WAS) solubilization and enzyme activity was investigated in this study. Experimental results showed that the increase of ultrasonic specific energy in the range of 0 - 90000 kJ/kg dried sludge (DS) benefited WAS particle size reduction and the solubilization ...

  8. Activity-Based Management System Implementation in Higher Education Institution: Benefits and Challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ismail, Noor Azizi

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss how activity-based costing (ABC) technique can be applied in the context of higher education institutions. It also discusses the obstacles and challenges to the successful implementation of activity-based management (ABM) in the higher education environment. Design/methodology/approach: This paper…

  9. Sandwich masking eliminates both visual awareness of faces and face-specific brain activity through a feedforward mechanism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Joseph A; Wu, Chien-Te; Woldorff, Marty G

    2011-06-07

    It is generally agreed that considerable amounts of low-level sensory processing of visual stimuli can occur without conscious awareness. On the other hand, the degree of higher level visual processing that occurs in the absence of awareness is as yet unclear. Here, event-related potential (ERP) measures of brain activity were recorded during a sandwich-masking paradigm, a commonly used approach for attenuating conscious awareness of visual stimulus content. In particular, the present study used a combination of ERP activation contrasts to track both early sensory-processing ERP components and face-specific N170 ERP activations, in trials with versus without awareness. The electrophysiological measures revealed that the sandwich masking abolished the early face-specific N170 neural response (peaking at ~170 ms post-stimulus), an effect that paralleled the abolition of awareness of face versus non-face image content. Furthermore, however, the masking appeared to render a strong attenuation of earlier feedforward visual sensory-processing signals. This early attenuation presumably resulted in insufficient information being fed into the higher level visual system pathways specific to object category processing, thus leading to unawareness of the visual object content. These results support a coupling of visual awareness and neural indices of face processing, while also demonstrating an early low-level mechanism of interference in sandwich masking.

  10. Responses of absolute and specific enzyme activity to consecutive application of composted sewage sludge in a Fluventic Ustochrept.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiao Liu

    Full Text Available Composted sewage sludge (CS is considered a rich source of soil nutrients and significantly affects the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of soil, but its effect on specific enzyme activity in soil is disregarded. The present experiment examined the absolute and specific enzyme activity of the enzymes involved in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles, the diversity of soil microbial functions, and soil community composition in a Fluventic Ustochrept under a maize-wheat rotation system in North China during 2012-2015. Application of CS led to increase in MBC and in its ratio to both total organic carbon (TOC and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN. Absolute enzyme activity, except that of phosphatase, increased in CS-treated soils, whereas specific activity of all the enzymes declined, especially at the highest dose of CS (45 t ha-1. The diversity of soil microbial community also increased in CS-treated soils, whereas its functional diversity declined at higher doses of CS owing to the lowered specific enzyme activity. These changes indicate that CS application induced the domination of microorganisms that are not metabolically active and those that use resources more efficiently, namely fungi. Redundancy analysis showed that fundamental alterations in soil enzyme activity depend on soil pH. Soil specific enzyme activity is affected more than absolute enzyme activity by changes in soil properties, especially soil microbial activity and composition of soil microflora (as judged by the following ratios: MBC/TOC, MBC/MBN, and TOC/LOC, that is labile organic carbon through the Pearson Correlation Coefficient. Specific enzyme activity is thus a more accurate parameter than absolute enzyme activity for monitoring the effect of adding CS on the activities and structure of soil microbial community.

  11. 90Sr specific activity of teeth of abandoned cattle after the Fukushima accident - teeth as an indicator of environmental pollution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koarai, Kazuma; Kino, Yasushi; Takahashi, Atsushi; Suzuki, Toshihiko; Shimizu, Yoshinaka; Chiba, Mirei; Osaka, Ken; Sasaki, Keiichi; Urushihara, Yusuke; Fukuda, Tomokazu; Isogai, Emiko; Yamashiro, Hideaki; Oka, Toshitaka; Sekine, Tsutomu; Fukumoto, Manabu; Shinoda, Hisashi

    2018-03-01

    90 Sr specific activity in the teeth of young cattle that were abandoned in Kawauchi village and Okuma town located in the former evacuation areas of the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) accident were measured. Additionally, specific activity in contaminated surface soils sampled from the same area was measured. (1) All cattle teeth examined were contaminated with 90 Sr. The specific activity, however, varied depending on the developmental stage of the teeth during the FNPP accident; teeth that had started development before the accident exhibited comparatively lower values, while teeth developed mainly after the accident showed higher values. (2) Values of 90 Sr-specific activity in teeth formed after the FNPP accident were higher than those of the bulk soil but similar to those in the exchangeable fraction (water and CH 3 COONH 4 soluble fractions) of the soil. The findings suggest that 90 Sr was incorporated into the teeth during the process of development, and that 90 Sr in the soluble and/or leachable fractions of the soil might migrate into teeth and contribute to the amount of 90 Sr in the teeth. Thus, the concentration of 90 Sr in teeth formed after the FNPP accident might reflect the extent of 90 Sr pollution in the environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Chemical synthesis of high specific-activity [35S]adenosylhomocysteine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stern, P.H.; Hoffman, R.M.

    1986-01-01

    The study of the family of transmethylases, critical to normal cellular function and often altered in cancer, can be facilitated by the availability of a high specific-activity S-adenosylhomocysteine. The authors report the two-step preparation of [ 35 S]adenosylhomocysteine from [ 35 S]methionine at a specific activity of 1420 Ci/mmol in an overall yield of 24% by a procedure involving demethylation of the [ 35 S]methionine to [ 35 S]homocysteine followed by condensation with 5'-chloro-5'-deoxyadenosine. The ease of the reactions, ready availability and low cost of the reagents and high specific-activity and stability of the product make the procedure an attractive one with many uses, and superior to current methodology

  13. Preparation of [35S]sulfobromophthalein of high specific activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurisu, H.; Nilprabhassorn, P.; Wolkoff, A.W.

    1989-01-01

    Study of the hepatocyte transport mechanism of organic anions such as bilirubin and sulfobromophthalein has been limited by the relatively low specific activities of these ligands. [ 3 H]Bilirubin and [ 35 S]sulfobromophthalein have been available with specific activities of only approximately 100 mCi/mmol. We now report a relatively simple procedure to prepare [ 35 S]sulfobromophthalein at a specific activity of approximately 3000 mCi/mmol. This compound is radiochemically pure and serves as a tracer for authentic sulfobromophthalein as judged by chromatography, hepatocyte uptake, metabolism, and biliary excretion. Use of this material as a photoaffinity probe and as a transported ligand may permit dissection and understanding of its transport mechanism

  14. USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES IN EDUCATIONAL EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN HIGHER TOURIST INSTITUTIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuliia O. Matviyiv-Lozynska

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available The article deals with extracurricular educational activities in higher educational establishment of tourism profile with information technologies usage. It is known that extracurricular activities of higher educational establishment has an impact on the professional activities of future specialists in the tourism industry, as is in the process of extracurricular activities students can put into practice the obtained knowledge and skills. The task of teachers is to build a learning process, in particular activities outside classrooms as its component, so that the students were interested in it. In the modern world of tourism prosperity it is very difficult to do without the usage of multimedia technologies (internet, media, etc.

  15. Enzymes extracted from apple peels have activity in reducing higher alcohols in Chinese liquors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Qi'an; Shi, Junling; Zhu, Jing; Lv, Hongliang; Du, Shuangkui

    2014-10-01

    As the unavoidable byproducts of alcoholic fermentation, higher alcohols are unhealthy compounds widespread in alcoholic drinks. To investigate the activity of apple crude enzymes toward higher alcohols in liquors, five kinds of apple peels, namely, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Red Star, and Jonagold, were chosen to prepare enzymes, and three kinds of Chinese liquors, namely, Xifeng (containing 45% ethanol), Taibai (containing 50% ethanol), and Erguotou (containing 56% ethanol), were tested. Enzymes were prepared in the forms of liquid solution, powder, and immobilized enzymes using sodium alginate (SA) and chitosan. The treatment was carried out at 37 °C for 1 h. The relative amounts of different alcohols (including ethanol, 1-propanol, isobutanol, 1-butanol, isoamylol, and 1-hexanol) were measured using gas chromatography (GC). Conditions for preparing SA-immobilized Fuji enzymes (SA-IEP) were optimized, and the obtained SA-IEP (containing 0.3 g of enzyme) was continuously used to treat Xifeng liquor eight times, 20 mL per time. Significant degradation rates (DRs) of higher alcohols were observed at different degrees, and it also showed enzyme specificity according to the apple varieties and enzyme preparations. After five repeated treatments, the DRs of the optimized Fuji SA-IEP remained 70% for 1-hexanol and >15% for other higher alcohols.

  16. Preparation of tritiated thymidine of high specific activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ivan'kova, E.K.; Sidorov, G.V.; Myasoedov, N.F.

    1981-01-01

    Optimum conditions for the reaction are determined; and conditions for reaction component separation on resins of Dowex-1x8 and APA-8p (HCOO - , elution with ammonium formate) are optimized. It is established that the transition from thymine preparations with the specific activity of 0.15 and 1.5 TBq/mmol to the preparation with the specific activity of 3.25 TBq/mmol brings about the reduction in the desoxyribosylation reaction rate and the decrease in the thymidine yield from 85-90 to 65% [ru

  17. Digestive enzyme activities are higher in the shortfin mako shark, Isurus oxyrinchus, than in ectothermic sharks as a result of visceral endothermy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newton, Kyle C; Wraith, James; Dickson, Kathryn A

    2015-08-01

    Lamnid sharks are regionally endothermic fishes that maintain visceral temperatures elevated above the ambient water temperature. Visceral endothermy is thought to increase rates of digestion and food processing and allow thermal niche expansion. We tested the hypothesis that, at in vivo temperatures, the endothermic shortfin mako shark, Isurus oxyrinchus, has higher specific activities of three digestive enzymes-gastric pepsin and pancreatic trypsin and lipase-than the thresher shark, Alopias vulpinus, and the blue shark, Prionace glauca, neither of which can maintain elevated visceral temperatures. Homogenized stomach or pancreas tissue obtained from sharks collected by pelagic longline was incubated at both 15 and 25 °C, at saturating substrate concentrations, to quantify tissue enzymatic activity. The mako had significantly higher enzyme activities at 25 °C than did the thresher and blue sharks at 15 °C. This difference was not a simple temperature effect, because at 25 °C the mako had higher trypsin activity than the blue shark and higher activities for all enzymes than the thresher shark. We also hypothesized that the thermal coefficient, or Q 10 value, would be higher for the mako shark than for the thresher and blue sharks because of its more stable visceral temperature. However, the mako and thresher sharks had similar Q 10 values for all enzymes, perhaps because of their closer phylogenetic relationship. The higher in vivo digestive enzyme activities in the mako shark should result in higher rates of food processing and may represent a selective advantage of regional visceral endothermy.

  18. Stage-specific activity of potential antimalarial compounds measured in vitro by flow cytometry in comparison to optical microscopy and hypoxanthine uptake

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmen E Contreras

    2004-03-01

    Full Text Available The evaluation of new antimalarial agents using older methods of monitoring sensitivity to antimalarial drugs are laborious and poorly suited to discriminate stage-specific activity. We used flow cytometry to study the effect of established antimalarial compounds, cysteine protease inhibitors, and a quinolone against asexual stages of Plasmodium falciparum. Cultured P. falciparum parasites were treated for 48 h with different drug concentrations and the parasitemia was determined by flow cytometry methods after DNA staining with propidium iodide. P. falciparum erythrocytic life cycle stages were readily distinguished by flow cytometry. Activities of established and new antimalarial compounds measured by flow cytometry were equivalent to results obtained with microscopy and metabolite uptake assays. The antimalarial activity of all compounds was higher against P. falciparum trophozoite stages. Advantages of flow cytometry analysis over traditional assays included higher throughput for data collection, insight into the stage-specificity of antimalarial activity avoiding use of radioactive isotopes.

  19. Preclinical evaluation of somatostatin analogs bearing two macrocyclic chelators for high specific activity labeling with radiometals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Storch, D.; Schmitt, J.S.; Waldherr, C.; Maecke, H.R.; Waser, B.; Reubi, J.C.

    2007-01-01

    Radiometallated analogues of the regulatory peptide somatostatin are of interest in the in vivo localization and targeted radiotherapy of somatostatin receptor-overexpressing tumors. An important aspect of their use in vivo is a fast and efficient labeling (complexation) protocol for radiometals along with a high specific activity. We describe in this manuscript synthetic methods for the coupling of two chelators (1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid = DOTA) to the bioactive peptide [Tyr 3 ,Thr 8 ]-octreotide (TATE) in order to increase the specific activity (radioactivity in Bq per mole peptide). The full chelator-linker-peptide conjugate was assembled on solid support using standard Fmoc chemistry. Two DOTA-chelators were linked to the peptide using lysine or N,N'-bis(3-aminopropyl)-glycine (Apg); in addition, pentasarcosine (Sar 5 ) was used as a spacer between the chelators and the peptide to probe its influence on biology and pharmacology. Complexation rates with In 3+ and Y 3+ salts and the corresponding radiometals were high, the bis-DOTA-derivatives showed higher complexation rates and gave higher specific activity than DOTA-TATE. Pharmacological and biological data of the complexed molecules did not show significant differences if compared to the parent peptide [ 111/nat In-DOTA]-TATE except for [( 111/nat In-DOTA) 2 -Apg]-TATE which showed a lower binding affinity and rate of internalization into tumor cells. The biodistribution of [( 111/nat In-DOTA)-Lys( 111/nat In-DOTA)]-TATE in the rat tumor model (AR4-2J) showed a high and specific (as shown by a blocking experiment) tracer uptake in somatostatin receptor-positive tissue but a lower tumor uptake compared to [ 111/nat In-DOTA]-TATE. (orig.)

  20. Mitochondrial Complex 1 Activity Measured by Spectrophotometry Is Reduced across All Brain Regions in Ageing and More Specifically in Neurodegeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pollard, Amelia Kate; Craig, Emma Louise; Chakrabarti, Lisa

    2016-01-01

    Mitochondrial function, in particular complex 1 of the electron transport chain (ETC), has been shown to decrease during normal ageing and in neurodegenerative disease. However, there is some debate concerning which area of the brain has the greatest complex 1 activity. It is important to identify the pattern of activity in order to be able to gauge the effect of age or disease related changes. We determined complex 1 activity spectrophotometrically in the cortex, brainstem and cerebellum of middle aged mice (70-71 weeks), a cerebellar ataxic neurodegeneration model (pcd5J) and young wild type controls. We share our updated protocol on the measurements of complex1 activity and find that mitochondrial fractions isolated from frozen tissues can be measured for robust activity. We show that complex 1 activity is clearly highest in the cortex when compared with brainstem and cerebellum (p<0.003). Cerebellum and brainstem mitochondria exhibit similar levels of complex 1 activity in wild type brains. In the aged brain we see similar levels of complex 1 activity in all three-brain regions. The specific activity of complex 1 measured in the aged cortex is significantly decreased when compared with controls (p<0.0001). Both the cerebellum and brainstem mitochondria also show significantly reduced activity with ageing (p<0.05). The mouse model of ataxia predictably has a lower complex 1 activity in the cerebellum, and although reductions are measured in the cortex and brain stem, the remaining activity is higher than in the aged brains. We present clear evidence that complex 1 activity decreases across the brain with age and much more specifically in the cerebellum of the pcd5j mouse. Mitochondrial impairment can be a region specific phenomenon in disease, but in ageing appears to affect the entire brain, abolishing the pattern of higher activity in cortical regions.

  1. Specifics of marketing in the higher education system

    OpenAIRE

    Motekaitienė, Aistė; Juščius, Vytautas

    2008-01-01

    The paper presents evaluation the possibilities and effectiveness of applying marketing principles in a higher education context. By comparing business and higher education marketing we can draw one clear conclusion: in both sectors the marketing processes can only be evaluated according to how successfully consumer needs are perceived and fullfilled with the help ofthe marketing mix. Higher educational institutions must develop a different marketing mix so they could satisfy the different ne...

  2. Employability and work-related learning activities in higher education

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Magnell, Marie; Kolmos, Anette

    2017-01-01

    The focus of this paper is on how academic staff perceive their roles and responsibilities regarding work-related learning, and how they approach and implement work-related learning activities in curricula across academic environments in higher education. The study is based on case studies...

  3. Building Better Buildings: Sustainable Building Activities in California Higher Education Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sowell, Arnold; Eichel, Amanda; Alevantis, Leon; Lovegreen, Maureen

    2003-01-01

    This article outlines the activities and recommendations of California's sustainable building task force, discusses sustainable building activities in California's higher education systems, and highlights key issues that California is grappling with in its implementation of sustainable building practices. (EV)

  4. Gender-specific cerebral activation during cognitive tasks using functional MRI: comparison of women in mid-luteal phase and men

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gizewski, Elke R.; Wanke, Isabel; Forsting, Michael; Krause, Eva; Senf, Wolfgang

    2006-01-01

    Previous studies of gender-specific differences in functional imaging during spatial and language tasks have been inconclusive. Furthermore, among women, such differences may occur during mid-luteal phase compared to the rest of the menstrual cycle. In order to examine further gender differences, functional MRI was performed in 12 male volunteers and 12 female volunteers (in the mid-luteal phase) during mental rotation and verb-generation tests. Two-sample t-tests with uncorrected P values of <0.001 for the specific regions of interest (ROIs) revealed cerebral activation differences in both stimuli. During mental rotation tests, higher levels of activation were noted in the right medial frontal, precentral, and bilateral inferior parietal cortex, while in women this occurred in the right inferior and medial temporal, right superior frontal cortex, and left fusiform gyrus. During verb-generation tests, higher levels of activation in men was found in the left medial temporal and precentral cortex. Our results indicate that differences in cerebral activity during cognitive tasks can be shown between men and women in the mid-luteal phase. Gender differences while performing a mental rotation task were more prominent than during a verb-generation task. (orig.)

  5. Managing Complexity in Activity Specifications by Separation of Concerns and Reusability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter Forbrig

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The specification of activities of the different stakeholders is an important activity for software development. Currently, a lot of specification languages like task models, activity diagrams, state charts, and business specifications are used to document the results of the analysis of the domain in most projects. The paper discusses the aspect of reusability by considering generic submodels. This approach increases the quality of models. Additionally, the separation of concerns of cooperation and individual work by subject-oriented specifications is discussed. It will be demonstrated how task models can be used to support subject-oriented specification by so called team models and role models in a more precise way than S-BPM specifications. More precise restrictions on instances of roles can be specified.

  6. Active carbon supported molybdenum carbides for higher alcohols synthesis from syngas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wu, Qiongxiao; Chiarello, Gian Luca; Christensen, Jakob Munkholt

    This work provides an investigation of the high pressure CO hydrogenation to higher alcohols on K2CO3 promoted active carbon supported molybdenum carbide. Both activity and selectivity to alcohols over supported molybdenum carbides increased significantly compared to bulk carbides in literatures...

  7. Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha regulates a male-specific cytochrome P450 in mouse liver.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeffery, Brett; Choudhury, Agharul I; Horley, Neill; Bruce, Mary; Tomlinson, Simon R; Roberts, Ruth A; Gray, Tim J B; Barrett, David A; Shaw, P Nicholas; Kendall, David; Bell, David R

    2004-09-15

    We set out to find if the strain-specific, male-specific hepatic expression of Cyp4a protein in mouse was due to expression of Cyp4a12 and to understand the genetic basis for reported differences in expression. 12-Lauric acid hydroxylase (LAH) activity was found to show higher levels in male ddY, but not C57Bl/6, mouse liver microsomes. The expression of Cyp4a12 mRNA was studied using RNAase protection assays in male and female liver and kidney of nine mouse strains. Cyp4a12 was found to be highly expressed in male liver and kidney, but at much lower levels in female liver and kidney, in all strains studied. Western blotting with an antibody specific for Cyp4a12 confirmed that Cyp4a12 was expressed in a male specific fashion in C57Bl/6 mouse liver. RNAase protection analysis for Cyp4a10 and 14 in ddY mice revealed that neither of these genes showed male-specific expression. To further investigate genetic factors that control male-specific Cyp4a12 expression, PPARalpha+/+ and -/- mice were studied, showing that total P450 and 12-LAH activity was male-specific in +/+, but not -/- mice. RNAase protection assays were used to confirm that Cyp4a12 was lower in -/- mice. However, the male-specific Slp and MUP-1 genes retained hepatic male-specific levels of expression in +/+ and -/- mice, showing that the decrease in Cyp4a12 was not a general effect on male-specific expression. Thus, PPARalpha has a specific effect on constitutive expression of Cyp4a12.

  8. Activation of prefrontal cortex and anterior thalamus in alcoholic subjects on exposure to alcohol-specific cues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    George, M S; Anton, R F; Bloomer, C; Teneback, C; Drobes, D J; Lorberbaum, J P; Nahas, Z; Vincent, D J

    2001-04-01

    Functional imaging studies have recently demonstrated that specific brain regions become active in cocaine addicts when they are exposed to cocaine stimuli. To test whether there are regional brain activity differences during alcohol cue exposure between alcoholic subjects and social drinkers, we designed a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) protocol involving alcohol-specific cues. Ten non-treatment-seeking adult alcoholic subjects (2 women) (mean [SD] age, 29.9 [9.9] years) as well as 10 healthy social drinking controls of similar age (2 women) (mean [SD] age, 29.4 [8.9] years) were recruited, screened, and scanned. In the 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging scanner, subjects were serially rated for alcohol craving before and after a sip of alcohol, and after a 9-minute randomized presentation of pictures of alcoholic beverages, control nonalcoholic beverages, and 2 different visual control tasks. During picture presentation, changes in regional brain activity were measured with the blood oxygen level-dependent technique. Alcoholic subjects, compared with the social drinking subjects, reported higher overall craving ratings for alcohol. After a sip of alcohol, while viewing alcohol cues compared with viewing other beverage cues, only the alcoholic subjects had increased activity in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the anterior thalamus. The social drinkers exhibited specific activation only while viewing the control beverage pictures. When exposed to alcohol cues, alcoholic subjects have increased brain activity in the prefrontal cortex and anterior thalamus-brain regions associated with emotion regulation, attention, and appetitive behavior.

  9. Platelet monoamine oxidase: specific activity and turnover number in headache

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Summers, K.M.; Brown, G.K.; Craig, I.W.; Peatfield, R.; Rose, F.C.

    1982-01-01

    Monoamine oxidase turnover numbers (molecules of substrate converted to product per minute per active site) have been calculated for the human platelet enzyme using [ 3 H]pargyline. Headache patients with high and low monoamine oxidase specific activities relative to controls were found to have turnover numbers very close to those for controls. This finding suggests that their specific activities vary because of differences in the concentration of active monoamine oxidase molecules, rather than differences in the ability of those enzyme molecules to catalyse the deamination reaction. (Auth.)

  10. Regulation of platelet activating factor receptor coupled phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morrison, W.J.

    1988-01-01

    The major objectives of this study were two-fold. The first was to establish whether binding of platelet activating factor (PAF) to its receptor was integral to the stimulation of polyphosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PLC) in rabbit platelets. The second was to determine regulatory features of this receptor-coupled mechanism. [ 3 H]PAF binding demonstrated two binding sites, a high affinity site with a inhibitory constant (Ki) of 2.65 nM and a low affinity site with a Ki of 0.80 μM. PAF receptor coupled activation of phosphoinositide-specific PLC was studied in platelets which were made refractory, by short term pretreatments, to either PAF or thrombin. Saponin-permeabilized rabbit platelets continue to regulate the mechanism(s) coupling PAF receptors to PLC stimulation. However, TRPγS and GDPβS, which affect guanine nucleotide regulatory protein functions, were unable to modulate the PLC activity to any appreciable extent as compared to PAF. The possible involvement of protein kinase C (PKC) activation in regulating PAF-stimulated PLC activity was studied in rabbit platelets pretreated with staurosporine followed by pretreatments with PAF or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)

  11. Localization of higher grade tumor foci in potential candidates for active surveillance who opt for radical prostatectomy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Sung Kyu; Eastham, James A.; Fine, Samson W.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: To investigate actual intraprostatic location of higher graded tumor foci undetected via standard transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy amongst patients who would be clinically considered appropriate candidates for active surveillance (AS) but underwent radical prostatectomy (RP). Methods: We reviewed entirely-submitted and whole-mounted RP specimens from 169 men who were deemed appropriate for AS clinically, but opted for RP and were found to have higher grade tumors. For each case, tumor nodules were circled and color-coded in a grade-specific manner and digitally scanned to created tumor maps. The locations of tumor foci with Gleason grade ≥4 were stratified by specific sites: anterior, anterolateral, lateral only (not clearly anterior or posterior), posterior, and posterolateral area. Results: Of 169 patients, 86% had clinical stage T1c and 14% T2a. RP Gleason score 7 in all but two men. Higher-grade tumor foci were localized to: anterior (n=66, 39%), anterolateral (n=4, 2%), lateral only (not clearly anterior or posterior) (n=5, 3%), posterior (n=52, 31%), and posterolateral (n=42, 25%) prostate, respectively. Conclusions: Among patients deemed clinically appropriate for AS, higher-grade tumor foci missed by standard prostate biopsies were localized to both the anterior and posterior prostate, without predominance of a particular area. These findings lend additional support to performing repeat standard prostate biopsy in potential candidates for AS and should be considered in efforts to optimize current biopsy strategies for the selection of AS patients. PMID:24392439

  12. Specific classification of financial analysis of enterprise activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Synkevych Nadiia I.

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Despite the fact that one can find a big variety of classifications of types of financial analysis of enterprise activity, which differ with their approach to classification and a number of classification features and their content, in modern scientific literature, their complex comparison and analysis of existing classification have not been done. This explains urgency of this study. The article studies classification of types of financial analysis of scientists and presents own approach to this problem. By the results of analysis the article improves and builds up a specific classification of financial analysis of enterprise activity and offers classification by the following features: objects, subjects, goals of study, automation level, time period of the analytical base, scope of study, organisation system, classification features of the subject, spatial belonging, sufficiency, information sources, periodicity, criterial base, method of data selection for analysis and time direction. All types of financial analysis significantly differ with their inherent properties and parameters depending on the goals of financial analysis. The developed specific classification provides subjects of financial analysis of enterprise activity with a possibility to identify a specific type of financial analysis, which would correctly meet the set goals.

  13. Quantitation of fibroblast activation protein (FAP-specific protease activity in mouse, baboon and human fluids and organs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fiona M. Keane

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The protease fibroblast activation protein (FAP is a specific marker of activated mesenchymal cells in tumour stroma and fibrotic liver. A specific, reliable FAP enzyme assay has been lacking. FAP's unique and restricted cleavage of the post proline bond was exploited to generate a new specific substrate to quantify FAP enzyme activity. This sensitive assay detected no FAP activity in any tissue or fluid of FAP gene knockout mice, thus confirming assay specificity. Circulating FAP activity was ∼20- and 1.3-fold less in baboon than in mouse and human plasma, respectively. Serum and plasma contained comparable FAP activity. In mice, the highest levels of FAP activity were in uterus, pancreas, submaxillary gland and skin, whereas the lowest levels were in brain, prostate, leukocytes and testis. Baboon organs high in FAP activity included skin, epididymis, bladder, colon, adipose tissue, nerve and tongue. FAP activity was greatly elevated in tumours and associated lymph nodes and in fungal-infected skin of unhealthy baboons. FAP activity was 14- to 18-fold greater in cirrhotic than in non-diseased human liver, and circulating FAP activity was almost doubled in alcoholic cirrhosis. Parallel DPP4 measurements concorded with the literature, except for the novel finding of high DPP4 activity in bile. The new FAP enzyme assay is the first to be thoroughly characterised and shows that FAP activity is measurable in most organs and at high levels in some. This new assay is a robust tool for specific quantitation of FAP enzyme activity in both preclinical and clinical samples, particularly liver fibrosis.

  14. [Validity of a standard questionnaire to assess physical activity for specific medical checkups and health guidance].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawakami, Ryoko; Miyachi, Motohiko

    2010-10-01

    This study aimed to determine the validity of a standard questionnaire to assess amount of physical activity (PA) and cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak). A total of 483 men and women, aged 20 to 69 years, participated. The standard questionnaire included 3 items about exercise, PA, and walking speed. All questions were designed to require an answer of Yes or No. Subjects were classified into one of four groups regarding the number of Yes answers to the three questions, giving activity levels of 0 to 3. The amount of PA was measured objectively with a tn-axial accelerometer which could also calculate daily step counts, and the amounts of PA under 3 metabolic equivalents (METs) and at 3 METs or more. VO2peak. was measured by incremental cycle exercise tests with indirect calorimetry. The daily step counts, the amount of PA at 3 METs or more, and the VO2peak. were significantly higher in subjects who answered Yes to each question than in those who answered No. Sensitivity and specificity of each question were 62-73% and 45-71% for the amount of PA established with the "Exercise and Physical Activity Reference for Health Promotion 2006 (EPAR2006)". The sum of sensitivity and specificity was the highest when the cutoff value was activity level 2 (sensitivity 73%, specificity 68%). Sensitivity and specificity for VO2max established by EPAR2006 were lower than those for the amount of PA. These results suggest that only answering simple questions with a standard questionnaire is sufficient for estimation of PA levels for specific medical checkups and health guidance, even though the accuracy is somewhat limited.

  15. 50 CFR 635.32 - Specifically authorized activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... specific criteria for selection, and the application deadline. Complete applications, including all... information provided on the applications and their ability to meet the selection criteria as published in the... approved food bank networks; or chartering arrangements. Such activities must be authorized in writing and...

  16. Significance of specific activity and a possible universal unit for its definition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Svoboda, K.

    1985-01-01

    The growing importance of specific activity is reviewed. It concerns especially surface phenomena, toxicity, labelling of radiopharmaceuticals, isotope exchange, enzymatic and pharmacological ligand-receptor reactions. The present state of evaluating the specific activity is analyzed. Introduction of the coefficient Dsub(CF) (deviation from true carrier free state) is proposed as a possibility for universal declaration of the specific activity. (author)

  17. Specific activity measurement of 64Cu: A comparison of methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mastren, Tara; Guthrie, James; Eisenbeis, Paul; Voller, Tom; Mebrahtu, Efrem; Robertson, J. David; Lapi, Suzanne E.

    2014-01-01

    Effective specific activity of 64 Cu (amount of radioactivity per µmol metal) is important in order to determine purity of a particular 64 Cu lot and to assist in optimization of the purification process. Metal impurities can affect effective specific activity and therefore it is important to have a simple method that can measure trace amounts of metals. This work shows that ion chromatography (IC) yields similar results to ICP mass spectrometry for copper, nickel and iron contaminants in 64 Cu production solutions. - Highlights: • Comparison of TETA titration, ICP mass spectrometry, and ion chromatography to measure specific activity. • Validates ion chromatography by using ICP mass spectrometry as the “gold standard”. • Shows different types and amounts of metal impurities present in 64 Cu

  18. Reasoning About Higher-Order Relational Specifications

    OpenAIRE

    Wang , Yuting; Chaudhuri , Kaustuv; Gacek , Andrew; Nadathur , Gopalan

    2013-01-01

    International audience; The logic of hereditary Harrop formulas (HH) has proven useful for specifying a wide range of formal systems. This logic includes a form of hypothetical judgment that leads to dynamically changing sets of assumptions and that is key to encoding side conditions and contexts that occur frequently in structural operational semantics (SOS) style presentations. Specifications are often useful in reasoning about the systems they describe. The Abella theorem prover supports s...

  19. Two negative cis-regulatory regions involved in fruit-specific promoter activity from watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris S.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Tao; Wu, Hanying; Zhang, Shanglong; Lu, Hongyu; Zhang, Lingxiao; Xu, Yong; Chen, Daming; Liu, Jingmei

    2009-01-01

    A 1.8 kb 5'-flanking region of the large subunit of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, isolated from watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris S.), has fruit-specific promoter activity in transgenic tomato plants. Two negative regulatory regions, from -986 to -959 and from -472 to -424, were identified in this promoter region by fine deletion analyses. Removal of both regions led to constitutive expression in epidermal cells. Gain-of-function experiments showed that these two regions were sufficient to inhibit RFP (red fluorescent protein) expression in transformed epidermal cells when fused to the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S minimal promoter. Gel mobility shift experiments demonstrated the presence of leaf nuclear factors that interact with these two elements. A TCCAAAA motif was identified in these two regions, as well as one in the reverse orientation, which was confirmed to be a novel specific cis-element. A quantitative beta-glucuronidase (GUS) activity assay of stable transgenic tomato plants showed that the activities of chimeric promoters harbouring only one of the two cis-elements, or both, were approximately 10-fold higher in fruits than in leaves. These data confirm that the TCCAAAA motif functions as a fruit-specific element by inhibiting gene expression in leaves.

  20. Production of high specific activity silicon-32

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Phillips, D.R.; Brzezinski, M.A.

    1998-01-01

    This is the final report of a three-year, Laboratory Directed Research and Development Project (LDRD) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). There were two primary objectives for the work performed under this project. The first was to take advantage of capabilities and facilities at Los Alamos to produce the radionuclide 32 Si in unusually high specific activity. The second was to combine the radioanalytical expertise at Los Alamos with the expertise at the University of California to develop methods for the application of 32 Si in biological oceanographic research related to global climate modeling. The first objective was met by developing targetry for proton spallation production of 32 Si in KCl targets and chemistry for its recovery in very high specific activity. The second objective was met by developing a validated field-useable, radioanalytical technique, based upon gas-flow proportional counting, to measure the dynamics of silicon uptake by naturally occurring diatoms

  1. Intraperitoneal alpha-radioimmunotherapy in mice using different specific activities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Elgqvist, Jörgen; Andersson, Håkan; Haglund, Elin

    2009-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of the alpha-radioimmunotherapy of ovarian cancer in mice, using different specific activities. This study was performed by using the monoclonal antibody, MX35 F(ab')(2), labeled with the alpha-particle-emitter, 211At.......The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of the alpha-radioimmunotherapy of ovarian cancer in mice, using different specific activities. This study was performed by using the monoclonal antibody, MX35 F(ab')(2), labeled with the alpha-particle-emitter, 211At....

  2. Is active participation in specific sport activities linked with back pain?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mogensen, A.M.; Gausel, AM; Wedderkopp, Niels

    2007-01-01

    A cross-sectional survey of 439 children/adolescents aged 12-13, living in Odense, Denmark, in the year 2001. To investigate (1) if there is any difference in back pain reporting among those practising specific sports as compared with non-performers and (2) if there is an association between...... specific kinds of sports and self-reported back problems. Back pain is a common complaint in young people and physical inactivity is generally thought to contribute to this. However, some specific sport activities may be detrimental or beneficial to the spine. Information was collected through a semi......-structured interview, a physical examination, and a questionnaire. Associations for back pain, low back pain, mid back pain and neck pain in the preceding month were investigated in relation to specific sports. Associations were controlled for body mass index, puberty stage and sex. There was no association between...

  3. Evaluation of specific activity in the primary circuit of SMART-P

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Ah Young; Choi, Byung Seon; Kim, Seong Hoon; Yoon, Ju Hyeon; Zee, Sung Qunn

    2005-01-01

    SMART-P is a soluble boron free reactor, and the ammonia is used as a pH reagent. The titanium alloy, which has a high corrosion resistance, is chosen as a steam generator tube material. Despite these design features to achieve the corrosion reduction, it is expected that SMART-P exhibits a relatively high specific activity in the coolant due to the lack of purification during the power operation. The main reason for the high specific activity is the activation and transportation of the corrosion products that released from the primary circuit surfaces. The objective of this work is to analyze the corrosion product activity in the primary circuit of SMART-P using a multi-region model, KORA. This model, which is incorporated with the mass and activity transport between the dissolved corrosion products in the coolant and the surface, describes the specific activity of corrosion products in coolant and on the surfaces according to the operation modes

  4. Age Specifics of Cognitive Activity Development in Preschool Age

    OpenAIRE

    Klopotova E.E.; Samkova I.A.

    2017-01-01

    This paper present results of the research on the specifics of cognitive activity development in preschool children. The hypothesis tested was that content and dynamic components of cognitive activity reveal themselves in a different way depending on the stage of preschool childhood. The authors reviewed the diagnostic tools suitable for studying cognitive activity in preschoolers and selected the techniques. The research proved that content and dynamic components of cognitive activity have t...

  5. Synthesis of [diene-"1"4C] curcumin at high specific activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Filer, Crist N.; Lacy, James M.; Wright, Christopher

    2016-01-01

    An efficient method is described to label curcumin with "1"4C at high specific activity. - Highlights: • This paper describes the synthesis of ["1"4C] Curcumin at the highest specific activity and total activity amount yet reported. • The "1"4C label was installed in the diene framework of Curcumin. • This paper also describes the characterization of ["1"4C] Curcumin by HPLC and mass spectrometry.

  6. Carbon-14 Specific Activity Model Validation for Biota in Wetland Environments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yankovich, T.L.; Sharp, K.J.; Benz, M.L.; Carr, J.; Killey, R.W.D.

    2008-01-01

    biota were compared to levels measured in environmental media (including moss, soil and air) to determine whether concentrations in such media reflect animal exposure, for application in routine environmental monitoring programs on the CRL site. In general, for most types of receptor animals, 14 C specific activities were found to be similar to or less than those measured in air, soil and surface vegetation at all locations sampled, suggesting that in most cases, estimates of 14 C levels in animals could either be realistically or conservatively predicted based on the values measured in environmental media. In the case of fungi, receptor-to-media 14 C specific activity ratios fell between 0.04 and 0.23 relative to air, between 0.03 and 0.70 relative to soil, and between 0.078 and 0.31 relative to moss. Small mammal specific activities also generally fell well below those that would be predicted based on specific activities measured in environmental media, with ratios ranging from 0.11 to 0.36 relative to air, from 0.17 to 0.85 relative to soil and from 0.21 to 0.58 relative to moss. Similar ratios were also established for snakes; however, a notable exception occurred for amphibians, a type of animal that tends to spend relatively more time in aquatic environments than the other species tested. In the case of Duke Swamp amphibians, animal-to-air 14 C specific activity ratios ranged from 0.40 to 2.3, animal-to-soil ratios ranged from 0.81 to 3.4 and animal-to-moss ratios ranged from 1.5 to 2.4. These higher 14 C levels in amphibians relative to the environmental media may be due to increased 14 C exposure of aquatic or amphibious animals that occupy systems receiving inputs via groundwater. In such systems, 14 C is incorporated in aquatic plants and animals, and later transferred to higher predatory species, such as amphibians, that consume them. Therefore, with the exception of amphibians and other aquatic receptor species, it is reasonable to estimate concentrations of

  7. N-tritioacetoxyphthalimide: A new high specific activity tritioacetylating reagent

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saljoughian, M.; Morimoto, Hiromi; Than, Chit

    1996-01-01

    The authors' aim was to develop a nonvolatile, stable, and facile tritioacetylating reagent and to demonstrate its use on simple peptides. Accordingly, the authors made the synthesis of high specific activity N-(tritioacetoxy) derivatives of succinimide, phthalimide, and naphthalimide a major focus. As the preferred approach, N-(tritioacetoxy)phthalimide was prepared by radical dehalogenation of N-(iodoacetoxy)phthalimide using high specific activity tributyltin tritide. This tritiated acetylation reagent was characterized by 3 H and 1 H NMR spectroscopy and by radio-HPLC. Efficacy of the reagent was investigated by tritioacetylation of several peptides at their N-terminal amino group. 26 refs., 1 fig

  8. Specific cesium activity in freshwater fish and the size effect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kulikov, A.O.; Ryabov, I.N.; USSR Academy of Sciences, Moscow

    1992-01-01

    The specific Cs-137 activity of muscle tissues of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) from the cooling pond of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant caught in 1987 and 1988 increased almost linearly with fish weight ('size effect') in contrast to liver tissue, whose specific activity remained independent of weight. A kinetic model for uptake and excretion was developed to describe the size effect in muscle tissue by introducing a weight-dependent Cs biological half-time to fish. Similar size effects of specific Cs-137 activity were also found for other species of fish from cooling pond, but were primarily attributed to changes in feeding habits with increasing weight of fish rather than to metabolic changes in feeding habits with both of muscle and liver tissue increased with fish weight for those species in contrast to silver carp. (author). 12 refs.; 12 figs.; 1 tab

  9. Relative Expression Levels Rather Than Specific Activity Plays the Major Role in Determining In Vivo AKT Isoform Substrate Specificity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rachel S. Lee

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The AKT protooncogene mediates many cellular processes involved in normal development and disease states such as cancer. The three structurally similar isoforms: AKT1, AKT2, and AKT3 exhibit both functional redundancy and isoform-specific functions; however the basis for their differential signalling remains unclear. Here we show that in vitro, purified AKT3 is ∼47-fold more active than AKT1 at phosphorylating peptide and protein substrates. Despite these marked variations in specific activity between the individual isoforms, a comprehensive analysis of phosphorylation of validated AKT substrates indicated only subtle differences in signalling via individual isoforms in vivo. Therefore, we hypothesise, at least in this model system, that relative tissue/cellular abundance, rather than specific activity, plays the dominant role in determining AKT substrate specificity in situ.

  10. High Specific and Mass Activity for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction for Thin Film Catalysts of Sputtered Pt3Y

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindahl, Niklas; Zamburlini, Eleonora; Feng, Ligang

    2017-01-01

    Fuel cells have the potential to play an important role in sustainable energy systems, provided that catalysts with higher activity and stability are developed. In this work, it is found that thin alloy films of single-target cosputtered platinum-yttrium exhibit up to seven times higher specific...... additional chemical or thermal treatment. The films show an improvement in stability over the same materials in nanoparticulate form. Physical characterization shows that the thin films form a platinum overlayer supported on an underlying alloy. The high activity is likely related to compressive strain...... in that overlayer. As sputtering can be used to mass-produce fuel cell electrodes, the results open new possibilities for the preparation of platinum-rare earth metal alloy catalysts in commercial devices....

  11. Self-reported domain-specific and accelerometer-based physical activity and sedentary behaviour in relation to psychological distress among an urban Asian population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chu, A H Y; van Dam, R M; Biddle, S J H; Tan, C S; Koh, D; Müller-Riemenschneider, F

    2018-04-05

    The interpretation of previous studies on the association of physical activity and sedentary behaviour with psychological health is limited by the use of mostly self-reported physical activity and sedentary behaviour, and a focus on Western populations. We aimed to explore the association of self-reported and devise-based measures of physical activity and sedentary behaviour domains on psychological distress in an urban multi-ethnic Asian population. From a population-based cross-sectional study of adults aged 18-79 years, data were used from an overall sample (n = 2653) with complete self-reported total physical activity/sedentary behaviour and domain-specific physical activity data, and a subsample (n = 703) with self-reported domain-specific sedentary behaviour and accelerometry data. Physical activity and sedentary behaviour data were collected using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ), a domain-specific sedentary behaviour questionnaire and accelerometers. The Kessler Screening Scale (K6) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) were used to assess psychological distress. Logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals, adjusted for socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics. The sample comprised 45.0% men (median age = 45.0 years). The prevalence of psychological distress based on the K6 and GHQ-12 was 8.4% and 21.7%, respectively. In the adjusted model, higher levels of self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were associated with significantly higher odds for K6 (OR = 1.47 [1.03-2.10]; p-trend = 0.03) but not GHQ-12 (OR = 0.97 [0.77-1.23]; p-trend = 0.79), when comparing the highest with the lowest tertile. Accelerometry-assessed MVPA was not significantly associated with K6 (p-trend = 0.50) nor GHQ-12 (p-trend = 0.74). The highest tertile of leisure-time physical activity, but not work- or transport-domain activity, was associated

  12. ENZIME ACTIVITY OF HIGHER BASIDIOMYCETES MUSHROOM GRIFOLA FRONDOSA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    А. Бухало

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this work was a revelation and evaluation of spectrum and activity of hydrolytic enzymes of higher basidiomycetes  Grifola frondosa in a surface and submerged culture. 8 strains of  Gf. frondosa,  mushrooms from culture collection of mushrooms at the M.G. Kholodny Institute of  Вotany National  Academy of Sciences of the Ukraine were object of investigation. Researches were conducted by standard microbiological, biochemical and biotechnological methods. All strains  on agar mediums were shown the  following enzymes: amylase, caseinase, polygalacturonase, pectattranselyminase, glucosidase, urease,  xylanase, lipase  and endoglucanase. The demonstration of oxidizing enzymes of laccase and tyrosinase  depended on a culture and did not depend on composition of medium. The estimation of presence and level of activity of hydrolytic enzymes at submerged cultivation indicate primary influence of components of complex nourishing medium on enzyme activity of Gr. frondosa. Strains biochemical features show up in the case of  oxidizing enzymes on agar mediums and for endo-1,4-β-glucanase on liquid mediums with glucose and molasses.

  13. Impact of Physical Activity on Cancer-Specific and Overall Survival of Patients with Colorectal Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gaetan Des Guetz

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Physical activity (PA reduces incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC. Its influence on cancer-specific (CSS and overall survival (OS is controversial. Methods. We performed a literature-based meta-analysis (MA of observational studies, using keywords “colorectal cancer, physical activity, and survival” in PubMed and EMBASE. No dedicated MA was found in the Cochrane Library. References were cross-checked. Pre- and postdiagnosis PA levels were assessed by MET. Usually, “high” PA was higher than 17 MET hour/week. Hazard ratios (HRs for OS and CSS were calculated, with their 95% confidence interval. We used more conservative adjusted HRs, since variables of adjustment were similar between studies. When higher PA was associated with improved survival, HRs for detrimental events were set to <1. We used EasyMA software and fixed effect model whenever possible. Results. Seven studies (8056 participants were included, representing 3762 men and 4256 women, 5210 colon and 1745 rectum cancers. Mean age was 67 years. HR CSS for postdiagnosis PA (higher PA versus lower was 0.61 (0.44–0.86. The corresponding HR OS was 0.62 (0.54–0.71. HR CSS for prediagnosis PA was 0.75 (0.62–0.91. The corresponding HR OS was 0.74 (0.62–0.89. Conclusion. Higher PA predicted a better CSS. Sustained PA should be advised for CRC. OS also improved (reduced cardiovascular risk.

  14. Novel strategies for ultrahigh specific activity targeted nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Dong

    2012-12-13

    We have developed novel strategies optimized for preparing high specific activity radiolabeled nanoparticles, targeting nuclear imaging of low abundance biomarkers. Several compounds have been labeled with F-18 and Cu-64 for radiolabeling of SCK-nanoparticles via Copper(I) catalyzed or copper-free alkyne-azide cyclolization. Novel strategies have been developed to achieve ultrahigh specific activity with administrable amount of dose for human study using copper-free chemistry. Ligands for carbonic anhydrase 12 (CA12), a low abundance extracellular biomarker for the responsiveness of breast cancer to endocrine therapie, have been labeled with F-18 and Cu-64, and one of them has been evaluated in animal models. The results of this project will lead to major improvements in the use of nanoparticles in nuclear imaging and will significantly advance their potential for detecting low abundance biomarkers of medical importance.

  15. Predictive capabilities of the specific activity hypothesis for Cs and Zn in freshwater systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seelye, J.G.

    1975-01-01

    Predictions of radioisotope concentrations in components of aquatic systems have been attempted using the specific activity concept, an approach that seems theoretically sound. A comprehensive examination of the specific activities of 134 Cs and 65 Zn in the components of a freshwater system, over a 10 month period, was conducted to evaluate the specific activity hypothesis under applied conditions. This study was designed to provide comparisons of predicted and observed specific activities and to test the equivalence of specific activities between all components of the system. One dose of radioisotopes was added to the system in this study and even after 10 months these radioisotopes were not distributed similarly to the stable isotopes. This suggests that the time necessary to reach a specific activity equilibrium might be a matter of years rather than months. More importantly, in natural systems, where the radioisotope addition is continuous a specific activity equilibrium may never be achieved. These things plus the non-conservative nature of the 134 Cs and 65 Zn predicted concentrations indicates that the use of the specific activity concept for predicting radioisotope concentrations of Cs and Zn in freshwater systems is questionable. A more rigorous approach must be used, considering isotope transfer rates between components and the complexity of the system. Problems with statistical comparisons of derived variables, such as specific activities, are discussed and were considered in interpreting the results of this study

  16. Development of isoform-specific sensors of polypeptide GalNAc-transferase activity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Song, Lina; Bachert, Collin; Schjoldager, Katrine T

    2014-01-01

    sequence influenced their activity and required modification, which we carried out based on previous in vitro work. Significantly, the modified T2 and T3 sensors were activated only in cells lacking their corresponding isozymes. Thus, we have developed T2- and T3-specific sensors that will be valuable......Humans express up to 20 isoforms of GalNAc-transferase (herein T1-T20) that localize to the Golgi apparatus and initiate O-glycosylation. Regulation of this enzyme family affects a vast array of proteins transiting the secretory pathway and diseases arise upon misregulation of specific isoforms....... Surprisingly, molecular probes to monitor GalNAc-transferase activity are lacking and there exist no effective global or isoform-specific inhibitors. Here we describe the development of T2- and T3-isoform specific fluorescence sensors that traffic in the secretory pathway. Each sensor yielded little signal...

  17. Normal weight children have higher cognitive performance – Independent of physical activity, sleep, and diet

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hjorth, Mads F.; Sørensen, Louise B.; Andersen, Rikke

    2016-01-01

    % of expected learning within one school year (P breakfast consumption, fewer sleep problems, higher CRF, less total physical activity, more sedentary time, and less light physical activity were associated with higher cognitive performance independently of each other in at least one of the three...

  18. Football as a Status System in U.S. Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lifschitz, Arik; Sauder, Michael; Stevens, Mitchell L.

    2014-01-01

    Sociologists have focused almost exclusively on academic aspects of status in higher education, despite the prominence of nonacademic activities, specifically athletics, in U.S. colleges and universities. We use the case of football to investigate whether intercollegiate sports influence the distribution of status in U.S. higher education.…

  19. The Hyperpolarization-Activated Current Determines Synaptic Excitability, Calcium Activity and Specific Viability of Substantia Nigra Dopaminergic Neurons

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmen Carbone

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Differential vulnerability between Substantia Nigra pars compacta (SNpc and Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA dopaminergic (DAergic neurons is a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD. Understanding the molecular bases of this key histopathological aspect would foster the development of much-needed disease-modifying therapies. Non-heterogeneous DAergic degeneration is present in both toxin-based and genetic animal models, suggesting that cellular specificity, rather than causing factors, constitutes the background for differential vulnerability. In this regard, we previously demonstrated that MPP+, a neurotoxin able to cause selective nigrostriatal degeneration in animal rodents and primates, inhibits the Hyperpolarization-activated current (Ih in SNpc DAergic neurons and that pharmacological Ih antagonism causes potentiation of evoked Excitatory post-synaptic potentials (EPSPs. Of note, the magnitude of such potentiation is greater in the SNpc subfield, consistent with higher Ih density. In the present work, we show that Ih block-induced synaptic potentiation leads to the amplification of somatic calcium responses (SCRs in vitro. This effect is specific for the SNpc subfield and largely mediated by L-Type calcium channels, as indicated by sensitivity to the CaV 1 blocker isradipine. Furthermore, Ih is downregulated by low intracellular ATP and determines the efficacy of GABAergic inhibition in SNpc DAergic neurons. Finally, we show that stereotaxic administration of Ih blockers causes SNpc-specific neurodegeneration and hemiparkinsonian motor phenotype in rats. During PD progression, Ih downregulation may result from mitochondrial dysfunction and, in concert with PD-related disinhibition of excitatory inputs, determine a SNpc-specific disease pathway.

  20. Readiness of educational activity subjects for results-oriented cooperation in the inclusive educational practice of higher school

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vladimir Ts. Tsyrenov

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The relevance of the research is due to the necessity of integration of persons with health limitations and disabilities into the educational space of higher education institutions. With regard to this, the paper is aimed at finding out the extent of readiness of the educational activity subjects for results-oriented cooperation in inclusive educational practice of the higher school. The leading approach to studying this problem is the retrospective interdisciplinary analysis that allows an integrated consideration of the universities' readiness for full-fledged integration of people with health limitations and disabilities into the educational process. In the paper, the results of research into students' attitude toward the disabled and HL people and their readiness for results-oriented cooperation are presented, and the specific problems of psychological and social support rendering are described. The value references system of students with health limitations and disabilities has been found out, and grounds have been provided for having to include the subjects that form a tolerant attitude to special needs people into the student-training content. It has also been proven that qualified professional training has to be ensured for the academic teaching staff, infrastructure has to be provided, and an integrated program has to be developed that would allow personifying the academic process adjusted for the development particularities of students with health limitations. The materials of the paper are of practical importance for educational activity subjects involved into the higher-school inclusive educational practice.

  1. Life review based on remembering specific positive events in active aging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latorre, José M; Serrano, Juan P; Ricarte, Jorge; Bonete, Beatriz; Ros, Laura; Sitges, Esther

    2015-02-01

    The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of life review (LR) based on specific positive events in non-depressed older adults taking part in an active aging program. Fifty-five older adults were randomly assigned to an experimental group or an active control (AC) group. A six-session individual training of LR based on specific positive events was carried out with the experimental group. The AC group undertook a "media workshop" of six sessions focused on learning journalistic techniques. Pre-test and post-test measures included life satisfaction, depressive symptoms, experiencing the environment as rewarding, and autobiographical memory (AM) scales. LR intervention decreased depressive symptomatology, improved life satisfaction, and increased specific memories. The findings suggest that practice in AM for specific events is an effective component of LR that could be a useful tool in enhancing emotional well-being in active aging programs, thus reducing depressive symptoms. © The Author(s) 2014.

  2. Proteomic identification of an embryo-specific 1Cys-Prx promoter and analysis of its activity in transgenic rice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Je Hein; Jung, In Jung; Kim, Dool Yi; Fanata, Wahyu Indra; Son, Bo Hwa; Yoo, Jae Yong; Harmoko, Rikno; Ko, Ki Seong; Moon, Jeong Chan; Jang, Ho Hee; Kim, Woe Yeon; Kim, Jae-Yean; Lim, Chae Oh; Lee, Sang Yeol; Lee, Kyun Oh

    2011-04-29

    Proteomic analysis of a rice callus led to the identification of 10 abscisic acid (ABA)-induced proteins as putative products of the embryo-specific promoter candidates. 5'-flanking sequence of 1 Cys-Prx, a highly-induced protein gene, was cloned and analyzed. The transcription initiation site of 1 Cys-Prx maps 96 nucleotides upstream of the translation initiation codon and a TATA-box and putative seed-specific cis-acting elements, RYE and ABRE, are located 26, 115 and 124 bp upstream of the transcription site, respectively. β-glucuronidase (GUS) expression driven by the 1 Cys-Prx promoters was strong in the embryo and aleurone layer and the activity reached up to 24.9 ± 3.3 and 40.5 ± 2.1 pmol (4 MU/min/μg protein) in transgenic rice seeds and calluses, respectively. The activity of the 1 Cys-Prx promoters is much higher than that of the previously-identified embryo-specific promoters, and comparable to that of strong endosperm-specific promoters in rice. GUS expression driven by the 1 Cys-Prx promoters has been increased by ABA treatment and rapidly induced by wounding in callus and at the leaf of the transgenic plants, respectively. Furthermore, ectopic expression of the GUS construct in Arabidopsis suggested that the 1 Cys-Prx promoter also has strong activity in seeds of dicot plants. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Continuous High Frequency Activity: A peculiar SEEG pattern related to specific brain regions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melani, Federico; Zelmann, Rina; Mari, Francesco; Gotman, Jean

    2015-01-01

    Objective While visually marking the high frequency oscillations in the stereo-EEG of epileptic patients, we observed a continuous/semicontinuous activity in the ripple band (80–250 Hz), which we defined continuous High Frequency Activity (HFA). We aim to analyze in all brain regions the occurrence and significance of this particular pattern. Methods Twenty patients implanted in mesial temporal and neocortical areas were studied. One minute of slow-wave sleep was reviewed. The background was classified as continuous/semicontinuous, irregular, or sporadic based on the duration of the fast oscillations. Each channel was classified as inside/outside the seizure onset zone (SOZ) or a lesion. Results The continuous/semicontinuous HFA occurred in 54 of the 790 channels analyzed, with a clearly higher prevalence in hippocampus and occipital lobe. No correlation was found with the SOZ or lesions. In the occipital lobe the continuous/semicontinuous HFA was present independently of whether eyes were open or closed. Conclusions We describe what appears to be a new physiological High Frequency Activity, independent of epileptogenicity, present almost exclusively in the hippocampus and occipital cortex but independent of the alpha rhythm. Significance The continuous HFA may be an intrinsic characteristic of specific brain regions, reflecting a particular type of physiological neuronal activity. PMID:23768436

  4. A comparison between activities for non-specific esterases and esterproteases

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kirkeby, S; Moe, D

    1988-01-01

    Electrophoretic separation of non-specific esterases and esterproteases from kidney, lung, and liver have been carried out in polyacrylamide gels. By use of zone electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, and 2-dimensional electrophoresis it was found that most of the esterprotease bands had the same...... localization in the gels as non-specific esterase bands. A number of esterase bands showed no activity towards the esterprotease substrates and a single kidney band possessed esterprotease activity only. Isozymes of the ES-6 and ES-9 zones showed sex dependent esterprotease reactions. In sections esterase...

  5. Evaluation of the Higher Education Active Community Fund Project in Bournemouth

    OpenAIRE

    Apostolakis, Christos

    2005-01-01

    This report evaluates the Higher Education Active Community Fund (HEACF) Project from its first year in September 2002 to May 2005.The principle objective of the study was to evaluate the implementation of the HEACF project, its impact and its capacity to achieve the aims during this time. Based on research evidence the HEACF project introduced a holistic and systematic way of organising and developing volunteer activity at Bournemouth University. In addition to this, the project provided an ...

  6. Liver-Specific Activation of AMPK Prevents Steatosis on a High-Fructose Diet

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angela Woods

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK plays a key role in integrating metabolic pathways in response to energy demand. We identified a mutation in the γ1 subunit (γ1D316A that leads to activation of AMPK. We generated mice with this mutation to study the effect of chronic liver-specific activation of AMPK in vivo. Primary hepatocytes isolated from these mice have reduced gluconeogenesis and fatty acid synthesis, but there is no effect on fatty acid oxidation compared to cells from wild-type mice. Liver-specific activation of AMPK decreases lipogenesis in vivo and completely protects against hepatic steatosis when mice are fed a high-fructose diet. Our findings demonstrate that liver-specific activation of AMPK is sufficient to protect against hepatic triglyceride accumulation, a hallmark of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD. These results emphasize the clinical relevance of activating AMPK in the liver to combat NAFLD and potentially other associated complications (e.g., cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

  7. A situation-specific theory of Midlife Women's Attitudes Toward Physical Activity (MAPA).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Im, Eun-Ok; Stuifbergen, Alexa K; Walker, Lorraine

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents a situation specific theory-the Midlife Women's Attitudes Toward Physical Activity (MAPA) theory-that explains how women's attitudes toward physical activity influence their participation in physical activity. Using the integrative approach of Im, the theory was developed based on the Attitude, Social Influence, and Self Efficacy Model; a review of the related literature; and a study of women's attitudes toward physical activity. As a situation-specific theory, the MAPA theory can be linked easily to nursing practice and research projects related to physical activity in midlife women, especially interventions aimed at increasing midlife women's participation in physical activity. Copyright 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Higher Antioxidant Activity, Total Flavonols, and Specific Quercetin Glucosides in Two Different Onion (Allium cepa L.) Varieties Grown under Organic Production: Results from a 6-Year Field Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Feiyue; Reilly, Kim; Kerry, Joseph P; Gaffney, Michael; Hossain, Mohammad; Rai, Dilip K

    2017-06-28

    We carried out a 6-year study to assess the effect of conventional, organic, and mixed cultivation practices on bioactive compounds (flavonoids, anthocyanins) and antioxidant capacity in onion. Total flavonoids, total anthocyanins, individual flavonols, individual anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity were measured in two varieties ('Hyskin' and 'Red Baron') grown in a long-term split-plot factorial systems comparison trial. This is the first report of repeated measurements of bioactive content over an extensive time period in a single crop type within the same trial. Antioxidant activity (DPPH and FRAP), total flavonol content, and levels of Q 3,4' D and Q 3 G were higher in both varieties under fully organic compared to fully conventional management. Total flavonoids were higher in 'Red Baron' and when onions were grown under organic soil treatment. Differences were primarily due to different soil management practices used in organic agriculture rather than pesticide/ herbicide application.

  9. Are total, intensity- and domain-specific physical activity levels associated with life satisfaction among university students?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Željko Pedišić

    Full Text Available Thorough information about the relationship between physical activity (PA and life satisfaction is still lacking. Therefore, this study examined the cross-sectional relationships between life satisfaction and meeting the World Health Organization (WHO moderate to vigorous-intensity PA recommendations, total volume and duration of PA, intensity-specific PA (walking, moderate- and vigorous-intensity, domain-specific PA (work, transport-related, domestic, and leisure-time, and 11 domain and intensity-specific PA types among university students. Additionally, we examined the associations between life satisfaction and gender, age, disposable income, community size, smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index (BMI, and self-rated health.The study included a random sample of 1750 university students in Zagreb, Croatia (response rate = 71.7%; 62.4% females; mean age 21.5 ± 1.8 years, using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-long form and the Satisfaction with Life Scale.Higher life satisfaction was associated with female gender (β = 0.13; p = <0.001, younger age (β = -0.07; p = 0.024, higher disposable income (β = 0.10; p = 0.001, and better self-rated health (β = 0.30; p = <0.001. No significant association was found between life satisfaction and size of community (p = 0.567, smoking status (p = 0.056, alcohol consumption (p = 0.058, or BMI (p = 0.508. Among all PA variables, only leisure-time vigorous-intensity PA was significantly associated with life satisfaction after adjustments for socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle and self-rated general health (β = 0.06; p = 0.045.This study indicated a weak positive relationship between leisure-time vigorous-intensity PA and life satisfaction, whilst no such association was found for other PA variables. These findings underscore the importance of analyzing domain and intensity-specific PA levels in future studies among university students, as drawing conclusions about the

  10. Immunomodulatory activity of andrographolide on macrophage activation and specific antibody response

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wei; Wang, Jing; Dong, Sheng-fu; Liu, Chun-hong; Italiani, Paola; Sun, Shu-hui; Xu, Jing; Boraschi, Diana; Ma, Shi-ping; Qu, Di

    2010-01-01

    Aim: To investigate the immunomodulatory effects of andrographolide on both innate and adaptive immune responses. Methods: Andrographolide (10 μg/mL in vitro or 1 mg/kg in vivo) was used to modulate LPS-induced classical activated (M1) or IL-4-induced alternative activated (M2) macrophages in vitro and humor immune response to HBsAg in vivo. Cytokine gene expression profile (M1 vs M2) was measured by real-time PCR, IL-12/IL-10 level was detected by ELISA, and surface antigen expression was evaluated by flow cytometry, whereas phosphorylation level of ERK 1/2 and AKT was determined by Western blot. The level of anti-HBs antibodies in HBsAg immunized mice was detected by ELISA, and the number of HBsAg specific IL-4-producing splenocyte was enumerated by ELISPOT. Results: Andrographolide treatment in vitro attenuated either LPS or IL-4 induced macrophage activation, inhibited both M1 and M2 cytokines expression and decreased IL-12/IL-10 ratio (the ratio of M1/M2 polarization). Andrographolide down-regulated the expression of mannose receptor (CD206) in IL-4 induced macrophages and major histocompability complex/costimulatory molecules (MHC I, CD40, CD80, CD86) in LPS-induced macrophages. Correspondingly, anti-HBs antibody production and the number of IL-4-producing splenocytes were reduced by in vivo administration of andrographolide. Reduced phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2 and AKT were observed in macrophages treated with andrographolide. Conclusion: Andrographolide can modulate the innate and adaptive immune responses by regulating macrophage phenotypic polarization and Ag-specific antibody production. MAPK and PI3K signaling pathways may participate in the mechanisms of andrographolide regulating macrophage activation and polarization. PMID:20139902

  11. Alternative method to determine Specific Activity of (177)Lu by HPLC.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breeman, Wouter A P; de Zanger, Rory M S; Chan, Ho Sze; de Blois, Erik

    2015-01-01

    Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT) with (177)Lu-DOTA-peptides requires (177)Lu with high specific activity (SA) and values >740 GBq (177)Lu per mg Lu to maximise the atom% of (177)Lu over total Lu. Vendors provide SA values which are based on activity and mass of the target, whereas due to "burn-up" of target, these SA values are not accurate. For a radiochemist the SA of (177)Lu is of interest prior to radiolabeling. An alternative method to determine SA was developed by HPLC, which includes a metal titration of a known amount of DOTA-peptide with a known amount of activity ((177)Lu), and a unknown amount of metal ((177+nat)Lu). Based on an HPLC separation of radiometal-DOTA-peptide and DOTA-peptide, and the concordant ratio of these components the metal content ((177+nat)Lu) can be calculated, and eventually the SA of (177)Lu can be accurately determined. These experimentally determined SA values exceeded the estimated values provided by vendors by 27 ± 16%, (range 6-73 %). The deviation of SA values for samples from the same Lu batch was <2% (n ≥ 10). the SA of (177)Lu is apparently often higher as stated by vendors in comparison to the experimentally determined actual values. For this reason, the SA of (177)Lu-DOTA-TATE and other Lu-DOTA-peptides could be increased accordingly.

  12. First-order and higher order sequence learning in specific language impairment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Gillian M; Lum, Jarrad A G

    2017-02-01

    A core claim of the procedural deficit hypothesis of specific language impairment (SLI) is that the disorder is associated with poor implicit sequence learning. This study investigated whether implicit sequence learning problems in SLI are present for first-order conditional (FOC) and higher order conditional (HOC) sequences. Twenty-five children with SLI and 27 age-matched, nonlanguage-impaired children completed 2 serial reaction time tasks. On 1 version, the sequence to be implicitly learnt comprised a FOC sequence and on the other a HOC sequence. Results showed that the SLI group learned the HOC sequence (η p ² = .285, p = .005) but not the FOC sequence (η p ² = .099, p = .118). The control group learned both sequences (FOC η p ² = .497, HOC η p 2= .465, ps < .001). The SLI group's difficulty learning the FOC sequence is consistent with the procedural deficit hypothesis. However, the study provides new evidence that multiple mechanisms may underpin the learning of FOC and HOC sequences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  13. Strain-specific patterns of autonomic nervous system activity and heart failure susceptibility in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shusterman, Vladimir; Usiene, Irmute; Harrigal, Chivonne; Lee, Joon Sup; Kubota, Toru; Feldman, Arthur M; London, Barry

    2002-06-01

    Transgenic mice are widely used to study cardiac function, but strain-dependent differences in autonomic nervous system activity (ANSA) have not been explored. We compared 1) short-term pharmacological responses of cardiac rhythm in FVB vs. C57Black6/SV129 wild-type mice and 2) long-term physiological dynamics of cardiac rhythm and survival in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha transgenic mice with heart failure (TNF-alpha mice) on defined backgrounds. Ambulatory telemetry electrocardiographic recordings and response to saline, adrenergic, and cholinergic agents were examined in FVB and C57Black6/SV129 mice. In FVB mice, baseline heart rate (HR) was higher and did not change after injection of isoproterenol or atropine but decreased with propranolol. In C57Black6/SV129 mice, HR did not change with propranolol but increased with isoproterenol or atropine. Mean HR, but not indexes of HR variability, was an excellent predictor of response to autonomic agents. The proportion of surviving animals was higher in TNF-alpha mice on an FVB background than on a mixed FVB/C57Black6 background. The homeostatic states of ANSA are strain specific, which can explain the interstrain differences in mean HR, pharmacological responses, and survival of animals with congestive heart failure. Strain-specific differences should be considered in selecting the strains of mice used for transgenic and gene targeting experiments.

  14. Settings for Physical Activity – Developing a Site-specific Physical Activity Behavior Model based on Multi-level Intervention Studies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Troelsen, Jens; Klinker, Charlotte Demant; Breum, Lars

    Settings for Physical Activity – Developing a Site-specific Physical Activity Behavior Model based on Multi-level Intervention Studies Introduction: Ecological models of health behavior have potential as theoretical framework to comprehend the multiple levels of factors influencing physical...... to be taken into consideration. A theoretical implication of this finding is to develop a site-specific physical activity behavior model adding a layered structure to the ecological model representing the determinants related to the specific site. Support: This study was supported by TrygFonden, Realdania...... activity (PA). The potential is shown by the fact that there has been a dramatic increase in application of ecological models in research and practice. One proposed core principle is that an ecological model is most powerful if the model is behavior-specific. However, based on multi-level interventions...

  15. Effects of l-tryptophan on the growth, intestinal enzyme activities and non-specific immune response of sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus Selenka) exposed to crowding stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Endong; Dong, Shuanglin; Wang, Fang; Tian, Xiangli; Gao, Qinfeng

    2018-04-01

    In order to reveal the effects of l-tryptophan (Trp) on the physiology and immune response of sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus Selenka) exposed to crowding stress, four density groups of sea cucumbers (i.e. 4, 8, 16 and 32 individuals per 40 L water, represented as L, ML, MH and H) were fed with diets containing 0, 1, 3 and 5% l-tryptophan respectively for 75 days. The results showed that the specific growth rates (SGR) of the sea cucumber fed with diet with 3% Trp (L, 2.1; ML, 1.76; MH, 1.2; H, 0.7) were significantly higher than those fed with basal diet without Trp supplementation (P sea cucumber fed diets with Trp (3%) had significantly higher phagocytic activities (0.28 OD540/10 6  cells, H) in coelomic fluid and respiratory burst activities (0.105 OD630/10 6  cells, MH) (P < .05). The results suggested that Trp cannot improve superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity at L, ML and MH densities. The alkaline phosphatase activity (AKP) significantly decreased at H stress density. Under the experimental conditions, the present results confirmed that a diet supplemented with 3% Trp was able to enhance intestinal enzyme activities, non-specific immune response and higher growth performance of A. japonicus. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. NDA generic research programme for higher activity waste management issues - 16390

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McKinney, James; Brownridge, Melanie

    2009-01-01

    NDA has a responsibility to ensure decommissioning activities are sufficiently technically underpinned and appropriate Research and Development (Rand D) is carried out. The NDA funds research and development (R and D) indirectly via the Site Licence Companies (SLCs) or directly. The main component of directly funded R and D is the NDA Direct Research Portfolio (DRP). The DRP is split into four framework areas: - University Interactions; - Waste Processing; - Material Characterisation; - Actinide and Strategic Nuclear Materials. These four framework areas were competed through an Official Journal of European Union (OJEU) process in 2008. Although all four areas involve waste management, Waste Processing and Material Characterisation specifically deal with Higher Activity Waste (HAW) waste management issues. The Waste Processing area was awarded to three groups: (i) National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), (ii) Consortium led by Hyder Consulting Ltd, and (iii) Consortium led by UKAEA Ltd. The Material Characterisation area was awarded to three groups: (i) NNL, (ii) Serco, and (iii) Consortium led by UKAEA Ltd. The initial work in Waste Processing and Material Characterisation was centered on establishing a forward research programme to address the generic needs of the UK civil nuclear industry and the NDA strategic drivers for waste management and land quality. This has been achieved by the four main framework contractors from the Waste Processing and Materials Characterisation areas working together with the NDA to identify the key research themes and begin the development of the NDA's HAW Management Research Programme. The process also involves active engagement with both industry and regulators via the Nuclear Waste Research Forum (NWRF). The NDA's HAW Management Research Programme includes a number of themes: - Optimisation of Interim Store Operation and Design; - Alternative Waste Encapsulants; - Waste Package Integrity; - Alternative Waste treatment methods

  17. On the radiochemical purity of elementary 35S with high specific activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Todorovsky, D.S.; Kostadinov, K.N.; Efremova, Yu.N.

    1979-01-01

    Radiochemical composition and chemical changes with increasing storage time of benzene solutions and of solid species of elementary 35 S with high specific activity are studied. The dependence of the stability on the specific activity and the radioactive concentration is shown and some tentative limits are given for permissible storage periods. (author)

  18. Modular specification and verification for higher-order languages with state

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svendsen, Kasper

    The overall topic of this thesis is modular reasoning for higher-order languages with state. The thesis consists of four mostly independent chapters that each deal with a different aspect of reasoning about higher-order languages with state. The unifying theme throughout all four chapters is higher....... The third chapter of the thesis is a case study of the C# joins library. What makes this library interesting as a case study is that it combines a lot of advanced features (higher-order code with effects, concurrency, recursion through the store, shared mutable state, and fine-grained synchronization...

  19. Reported frequency of physical activity in a large epidemiological study: relationship to specific activities and repeatability over time

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reeves Gillian K

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background How overall physical activity relates to specific activities and how reported activity changes over time may influence interpretation of observed associations between physical activity and health. We examine the relationships between various physical activities self-reported at different times in a large cohort study of middle-aged UK women. Methods At recruitment, Million Women Study participants completed a baseline questionnaire including questions on frequency of strenuous and of any physical activity. About 3 years later 589,896 women also completed a follow-up questionnaire reporting the hours they spent on a range of specific activities. Time spent on each activity was used to estimate the associated excess metabolic equivalent hours (MET-hours and this value was compared across categories of physical activity reported at recruitment. Additionally, 18,655 women completed the baseline questionnaire twice, at intervals of up to 4 years; repeatability over time was assessed using the weighted kappa coefficient (κweighted and absolute percentage agreement. Results The average number of hours per week women reported doing specific activities was 14.0 for housework, 4.5 for walking, 3.0 for gardening, 0.2 for cycling, and 1.4 for all strenuous activity. Time spent and the estimated excess MET-hours associated with each activity increased with increasing frequency of any or strenuous physical activity reported at baseline (tests for trend, P weighted = 0.71 for questionnaires administered less than 6 months apart, and 52% (κweighted = 0.51 for questionnaires more than 2 years apart. Corresponding values for any physical activity were 57% (κweighted = 0.67 and 47% (κweighted = 0.58. Conclusions In this cohort, responses to simple questions on the frequency of any physical activity and of strenuous activity asked at baseline were associated with hours spent on specific activities and the associated estimated excess MET

  20. Common themes and cell type specific variations of higher order chromatin arrangements in the mouse

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cremer Thomas

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Similarities as well as differences in higher order chromatin arrangements of human cell types were previously reported. For an evolutionary comparison, we now studied the arrangements of chromosome territories and centromere regions in six mouse cell types (lymphocytes, embryonic stem cells, macrophages, fibroblasts, myoblasts and myotubes with fluorescence in situ hybridization and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Both species evolved pronounced differences in karyotypes after their last common ancestors lived about 87 million years ago and thus seem particularly suited to elucidate common and cell type specific themes of higher order chromatin arrangements in mammals. Results All mouse cell types showed non-random correlations of radial chromosome territory positions with gene density as well as with chromosome size. The distribution of chromosome territories and pericentromeric heterochromatin changed during differentiation, leading to distinct cell type specific distribution patterns. We exclude a strict dependence of these differences on nuclear shape. Positional differences in mouse cell nuclei were less pronounced compared to human cell nuclei in agreement with smaller differences in chromosome size and gene density. Notably, the position of chromosome territories relative to each other was very variable. Conclusion Chromosome territory arrangements according to chromosome size and gene density provide common, evolutionary conserved themes in both, human and mouse cell types. Our findings are incompatible with a previously reported model of parental genome separation.

  1. Frequency specific activity in subthalamic nucleus correlates with hand bradykinesia in Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Huiling; Pogosyan, Alek; Anzak, Anam; Foltynie, Thomas; Limousin, Patricia; Zrinzo, Ludvic; Ashkan, Keyoumars; Bogdanovic, Marko; Green, Alexander L; Aziz, Tipu; Brown, Peter

    2013-02-01

    Local field potential recordings made from the basal ganglia of patients undergoing deep brain stimulation have suggested that frequency specific activity is involved in determining the rate of force development and the peak force at the outset of a movement. However, the extent to which the basal ganglia might be involved in motor performance later on in a sustained contraction is less clear. We therefore recorded from the subthalamic nucleus region (STNr) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) as they made maximal voluntary grips. Relative to age-matched controls they had more rapid force decrement when contraction was meant to be sustained and prolonged release reaction time and slower rate of force offset when they were supposed to release the grip. These impairments were independent from medication status. Increased STNr power over 5-12 Hz (in the theta/alpha band) independently predicted better performance-reduced force decrement, shortened release reaction time and faster rate of force offset. In contrast, lower mean levels and progressive reduction of STNr power over 55-375 Hz (high gamma/high frequency) over the period when contraction was meant to be sustained were both strongly associated with greater force decrement over time. Higher power over 13-23 Hz (low beta) was associated with more rapid force decrement during the period when grip should have been sustained, and with a paradoxical shortening of the release reaction time. These observations suggest that STNr activities at 5-12 Hz and 55-375 Hz are necessary for optimal grip performance and that deficiencies of such activities lead to motor impairments. In contrast, increased levels of 13-25 Hz activity both promote force decrement and shorten the release reaction time, consistent with a role in antagonising (and terminating) voluntary movement. Frequency specific oscillatory activities in the STNr impact on motor performance from the beginning to the end of a voluntary grip. Copyright © 2012

  2. Physical activity in schizophrenia is higher in the first episode than in subsequent ones

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sebastian eWalther

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Schizophrenia is frequently associated with abnormal motor behavior, particularly hypokinesia. The course of the illness tends to deteriorate in the first years. We aimed to assess gross motor activity in patients with a first episode (n = 33 and multiple episodes (n = 115 of schizophrenia spectrum disorders using wrist actigraphy. First episode patients were younger, had higher motor activity and reduced negative symptom severity. Covarying for age, chlorpromazine equivalents and negative symptoms, first episode patients still had higher motor activity. This was also true after excluding patients with schizophreniform disorder from the analyses. In first episode patients but not in patients with multiple episodes, motor activity was correlated with antipsychotic dosage. In conclusion, after controlling for variables related to disorder chronicity, patients with first episodes were still more active than patients with multiple episodes. Thus, reduced motor activity is a marker of deterioration in the course of schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

  3. Thrombin-specific inactivation of endothelial cell derived plasminogen activator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Highsmith, R.F.; Gallaher, M.J.

    1986-01-01

    Although thrombin (T) has diverse functions in the overall hemostatic mechanism, relatively little is known about its direct effect on components of the fibrinolytic enzyme system. The authors have investigated the interaction of T with plasminogen activators (PA) derived from bovine aortic endothelial cells (EC) in culture (2-5th passage, preconfluent monolayers). Varying concentrations of purified bovine or human thrombin were added to EC-conditioned media (CM). CM + T mixtures were assayed at various times for PA activity using purified plasminogen and a sensitive 125 I-fibrinogenolytic or caseinolytic assay. T (5 nM), but not plasmin or trypsin at equivalent concentrations, resulted in a time-dependent inhibition of the PA activity in CM. T had no effect on the PA activity of urokinase, streptokinase or preformed plasmin. The ability of T to inactivate the EC-derived PA was abolished by prior treatment of T with active site-directed reagents. SDS-PAGE and zymography with copolymerized fibrinogen and plasminogen revealed further specificity in that only one of the multiple-molecular weight forms of PA present in EC-CM was inactivated by T. The authors conclude that in a highly specific fashion, T inactivates the predominant PA present in EC-CM by limited proteolysis. Thus, another potentially important function of T is suggested which may have particular significance in the temporal regulation of coagulation and fibrinolysis at the blood-endothelium interface

  4. Baicalin and scutellarin are proteasome inhibitors that specifically target chymotrypsin-like catalytic activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yi-Xin; Sato, Eiji; Kimura, Wataru; Miura, Naoyuki

    2013-09-01

    Baicalin and scutellarin are the major active principal flavonoids extracted from the Chinese herbal medicines Scutellaria baicalensis and Erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand-Mazz. It has recently been reported that baicalin and scutellarin have antitumor activity. However, the mechanisms of action are unknown. We previously reported that some flavonoids have a specific role in the inhibition of the activity of proteasome subunits and induced apoptosis in tumor cells. To further investigate these pharmacological effects, we examined the inhibitory activity of baicalin and scutellarin on the extracted proteasomes from mice and cancer cells. Using fluorogenic substrates for proteasome catalytic subunits, we found that baicalin and scutellarin specifically inhibited chymotrypsin-like activity but did not inhibit trypsin-like and peptidyl-glutamyl peptide hydrolyzing activities. These data suggested that baicalin and scutellarin specifically inhibit chymotrypsin-like catalytic activity in the proteasome. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. Literature Review on the Use of Action Research in Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibbs, Paul; Cartney, Patricia; Wilkinson, Kate; Parkinson, John; Cunningham, Sheila; James-Reynolds, Carl; Zoubir, Tarek; Brown, Venetia; Barter, Phil; Sumner, Pauline; MacDonald, Angus; Dayananda, Asanka; Pitt, Alexandra

    2017-01-01

    This literature review considers the use of action research in higher education. The review specifically looks at two areas of higher education activity. The first concerns academic teaching practice and includes a discussion of research and pedagogy practice, and staff development. The second considers student engagement. In both of these core…

  6. Azoreductase and Nitroreductase in Human Feces: Comparison of Methods to Measure Specific Activities in the Absence of Oxygen

    OpenAIRE

    Carman, Robert J.; Woodburn, Mary Alice

    2011-01-01

    We measured the specific activity of azoreductase and nitroreductase in eight fresh samples of human feces, using three ways to produce anaerobic assay conditions. A fourth, bench top aerobic assay was also run. Using Oxyrase to produce anaerobic conditions on the open bench gave a significantly higher level of azoreductase than did running the assay entirely in an anaerobic the glove box. Nitroreductase levels were similar in the two assays. Oxyrase and the glove box both gave significantly ...

  7. Higher Plasma Concentration of Food-Specific Antibodies in Persons with Autistic Disorder in Comparison to Their Siblings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trajkovski, Vladimir; Petlichkovski, Aleksandar; Efinska-Mladenovska, Olivija; Trajkov, Dejan; Arsov, Todor; Strezova, Ana; Ajdinski, Ljubomir; Spiroski, Mirko

    2008-01-01

    Specific IgA, IgG, and IgE antibodies to food antigens in 35 participants with autistic disorder and 21 of their siblings in the Republic of Macedonia were examined. Statistically significant higher plasma concentration of IgA antibodies against alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, casein, and gliadin were found in the children with autistic…

  8. Determination of specific activity of phosphorus-32 labelled o-phosphoric acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sane, S.U.

    2015-01-01

    Phosphorus-32 is one of the important radioisotopes used in therapeutic nuclear medicine. This work was aimed at developing a fast and sensitive procedure to determine trace amounts of 32 P which is present in various acidic chemical form thereby enabling to determine its specific activity. The method utilizes ammonium molybdate and metol for complexing with phosphorus in presence of sulphuric acid which was measured using UV-VIS spectrophotometer. The phosphate and molybdate ions form a stable complex which turns blue (molybdenum blue) by reduction with sulphuric acid. The absorbance of the complex thus formed was measured at 700 nm. Five batches of 32 P produced were analyzed using the procedure and specific activity was determined. It was found that radioactivity of 32 P did not interfere in absorbance measurements and the method could be successfully adopted for the determination of specific activity of 32 P. A scope of the method is to find the chemical purity of radioactive phosphorus ( 32 P) in quality control analysis. (author)

  9. Specific phosphopeptide binding regulates a conformational change in the PI 3-kinase SH2 domain associated with enzyme activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shoelson, S E; Sivaraja, M; Williams, K P; Hu, P; Schlessinger, J; Weiss, M A

    1993-01-01

    SH2 (src-homology 2) domains define a newly recognized binding motif that mediates the physical association of target phosphotyrosyl proteins with downstream effector enzymes. An example of such phosphoprotein-effector coupling is provided by the association of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) with specific phosphorylation sites within the PDGF receptor, the c-Src/polyoma virus middle T antigen complex and the insulin receptor substrate IRS-1. Notably, phosphoprotein association with the SH2 domains of p85 also stimulates an increase in catalytic activity of the PI 3-kinase p110 subunit, which can be mimicked by phosphopeptides corresponding to targeted phosphoprotein phosphorylation sites. To investigate how phosphoprotein binding to the p85 SH2 domain stimulates p110 catalytic activation, we have examined the differential effects of phosphotyrosine and PDGF receptor-, IRS-1- and c-Src-derived phosphopeptides on the conformation of an isolated SH2 domain of PI 3-kinase. Although phosphotyrosine and both activating and non-activating phosphopeptides bind to the SH2 domain, activating phosphopeptides bind with higher affinity and induce a qualitatively distinct conformational change as monitored by CD and NMR spectroscopy. Amide proton exchange and protease protection assays further show that high affinity, specific phosphopeptide binding induces non-local dynamic SH2 domain stabilization. Based on these findings we propose that specific phosphoprotein binding to the p85 subunit induces a change in SH2 domain structure which is transmitted to the p110 subunit and regulates enzymatic activity by an allosteric mechanism. Images PMID:8382612

  10. Thrombin-specific inactivation of endothelial cell derived plasminogen activator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Highsmith, R.F.; Gallaher, M.J.

    1986-03-05

    Although thrombin (T) has diverse functions in the overall hemostatic mechanism, relatively little is known about its direct effect on components of the fibrinolytic enzyme system. The authors have investigated the interaction of T with plasminogen activators (PA) derived from bovine aortic endothelial cells (EC) in culture (2-5th passage, preconfluent monolayers). Varying concentrations of purified bovine or human thrombin were added to EC-conditioned media (CM). CM + T mixtures were assayed at various times for PA activity using purified plasminogen and a sensitive /sup 125/I-fibrinogenolytic or caseinolytic assay. T (5 nM), but not plasmin or trypsin at equivalent concentrations, resulted in a time-dependent inhibition of the PA activity in CM. T had no effect on the PA activity of urokinase, streptokinase or preformed plasmin. The ability of T to inactivate the EC-derived PA was abolished by prior treatment of T with active site-directed reagents. SDS-PAGE and zymography with copolymerized fibrinogen and plasminogen revealed further specificity in that only one of the multiple-molecular weight forms of PA present in EC-CM was inactivated by T. The authors conclude that in a highly specific fashion, T inactivates the predominant PA present in EC-CM by limited proteolysis. Thus, another potentially important function of T is suggested which may have particular significance in the temporal regulation of coagulation and fibrinolysis at the blood-endothelium interface.

  11. Multiplex zymography captures stage-specific activity profiles of cathepsins K, L, and S in human breast, lung, and cervical cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Binbin; Platt, Manu O

    2011-07-14

    Cathepsins K, L, and S are cysteine proteases upregulated in cancer and proteolyze extracellular matrix to facilitate metastasis, but difficulty distinguishing specific cathepsin activity in complex tissue extracts confounds scientific studies and employing them for use in clinical diagnoses. Here, we have developed multiplex cathepsin zymography to profile cathepsins K, L, and S activity in 10 μg human breast, lung, and cervical tumors by exploiting unique electrophoretic mobility and renaturation properties. Frozen breast, lung, and cervix cancer tissue lysates and normal organ tissue lysates from the same human patients were obtained (28 breast tissues, 23 lung tissues, and 23 cervix tissues), minced and homogenized prior to loading for cathepsin gelatin zymography to determine enzymatic activity. Cleared bands of cathepsin activity were identified and validated in tumor extracts and detected organ- and stage-specific differences in activity. Cathepsin K was unique compared to cathepsins L and S. It was significantly higher for all cancers even at the earliest stage tested (stage I for lung and cervix (n = 6, p zymography, yielded 100% sensitivity and specificity for 20 breast tissue samples tested (10 normal; 10 tumor) in part due to the consistent absence of cathepsin K in normal breast tissue across all patients. To summarize, this sensitive assay provides quantitative outputs of cathepsins K, L, and S activities from mere micrograms of tissue and has potential use as a supplement to histological methods of clinical diagnoses of biopsied human tissue.

  12. Sensory modality specificity of neural activity related to memory in visual cortex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibson, J R; Maunsell, J H

    1997-09-01

    Previous studies have shown that when monkeys perform a delayed match-to-sample (DMS) task, some neurons in inferotemporal visual cortex are activated selectively during the delay period when the animal must remember particular visual stimuli. This selective delay activity may be involved in short-term memory. It does not depend on visual stimulation: both auditory and tactile stimuli can trigger selective delay activity in inferotemporal cortex when animals expect to respond to visual stimuli in a DMS task. We have examined the overall modality specificity of delay period activity using a variety of auditory/visual cross-modal and unimodal DMS tasks. The cross-modal DMS tasks involved making specific long-term memory associations between visual and auditory stimuli, whereas the unimodal DMS tasks were standard identity matching tasks. Delay activity existed in auditory/visual cross-modal DMS tasks whether the animal anticipated responding to visual or auditory stimuli. No evidence of selective delay period activation was seen in a purely auditory DMS task. Delay-selective cells were relatively common in one animal where they constituted up to 53% neurons tested with a given task. This was only the case for up to 9% of cells in a second animal. In the first animal, a specific long-term memory representation for learned cross-modal associations was observed in delay activity, indicating that this type of representation need not be purely visual. Furthermore, in this same animal, delay activity in one cross-modal task, an auditory-to-visual task, predicted correct and incorrect responses. These results suggest that neurons in inferotemporal cortex contribute to abstract memory representations that can be activated by input from other sensory modalities, but these representations are specific to visual behaviors.

  13. Developments in Transnational Research Collaborations: Evidence from U.S. Higher-education Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter H Koehn

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available In our knowledge-driven era, multiple and mutual benefits accrue from transnational research linkages. The article identifies important directions in transnational research collaborations involving U.S. universities revealed by key dimensions of 369 projects profiled on a U.S. higher-education association’s database. Project initiators, principal research fields, regional and country distributions, and the sources and amounts of funding for different types of transnational research activity are selected for analysis. The balanced total portfolio of reported current research projects by region suggests that U.S. university principal investigators increasingly recognize the value of collaborative knowledge generation in the Global South as well as in other OECD countries. The data also show concentrations in the distribution of transnational research projects by principal field of activity that could exacerbate intra-regional asymmetries. The multi-institutional data draw attention to the often unnoticed, but vital, role that higher-education institutions play in supporting transnational research endeavors that address issues of current and future global concern. The conclusion considers wider implications for higher-education involvement in transnational knowledge generation and calls for increased symmetry in collaborative research ventures.

  14. Site-Specific Modification Using the 2′-Methoxyethyl Group Improves the Specificity and Activity of siRNAs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xinyun Song

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Rapid progress has been made toward small interfering RNA (siRNA-based therapy for human disorders, but rationally optimizing siRNAs for high specificity and potent silencing remains a challenge. In this study, we explored the effect of chemical modification at the cleavage site of siRNAs. We found that modifications at positions 9 and 10 markedly reduced the silencing potency of the unmodified strand of siRNAs but were well tolerated by the modified strand. Intriguingly, addition of the 2′-methoxyethyl (MOE group at the cleavage site improved both the specificity and silencing activity of siRNAs by facilitating the oriented RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC loading of the modified strand. Furthermore, we combined MOE modifications at positions 9 and 10 of one strand together with 2′-O-methylation (OMe at position 14 of the other strand and found a synergistic effect that improved the specificity of siRNAs. The surprisingly beneficial effect of the combined modification was validated using siRNA-targeting endogenous gene intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1. We found that the combined modifications eliminated its off-target effects. In conclusion, we established effective strategies to optimize siRNAs using site-specific MOE modifications. The findings may allow the creation of superior siRNAs for therapy in terms of activity and specificity.

  15. Dyslexia in secondary and higher education: intervention and rehabilitation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marisa Silva

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available We present an investigation that seeks to understand a specific case of a young female, attending secondary and then higher education school, who was diagnosed with dyslexia in the primary school and then ceased to have expert support after the start of the 5th grade. This study has as its main goal to identify the changes resulting from the implementation of specific activities, established in the intervention and rehabilitation program in the specific difficulty of learning- Dyslexia.  Moreover, we want to see if these changes result in success in basic areas of development and in the academic area of reading. The intervention and rehabilitation was performed for three months in areas where the student had difficulties.Keywords: Dyslexia; secondary and higher education; intervention and rehabilitation

  16. Hierarchical mesosilicalite nanoformulation integrated with cisplatin exhibits target-specific efficient anticancer activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jermy, B. Rabindran; Acharya, Sadananda; Ravinayagam, Vijaya; Alghamdi, Hajer Saleh; Akhtar, Sultan; Basuwaidan, Rehab S.

    2018-04-01

    Hierarchically structured zeolitic ZSM-5 and meso MCM-41 interlinked domain had an impeccable use as catalysis in many applications. The aim of the study was to develop a new drug delivery nanoformulation, specifically, cisplatin/mesosilicalite using top-down approach for cancer therapy. Hierarchical mesosilicalite with variable porosity was synthesized using alkaline molar solution (0.2 and 0.7 M NaOH) and was loaded with cisplatin through equilibrium adsorption technique. Physico-chemical properties of the nanoformulation (IAUM-56—Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University Mesosilicalite-56) were characterized using X-ray diffraction, surface area analysis (BET), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), diffuse reflectance UV-Vis spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Drug release study and anticancer activity were assayed on HeLa and MCF7 cancer cells using MTT assay. X-ray diffraction pattern showed interrelated meso- and microphases, while BET analysis revealed considerable mesoporosity formation with a remodulation of isotherm hysteresis indicating the presence of hierarchical pores. FT-IR showed the presence of nanozeolitic subunits into mesostructure with a band at about 550 cm-1. IAUM-56 demonstrated high cytotoxic activity against HeLa cancer cells with an LC50 of 0.02 mg/ml, MCF7 cancer cells with an LC50 of 0.05 mg/ml, and less toxic to normal fibroblast cells with an LC50 of approximately ten times higher at 0.5 mg/ml. Overall, IAUM-56 showed a high rate of sustained release of cisplatin imparting target specific cytotoxic effect against tumor cells with at least tenfold lower toxicity on normal fibroblast cells. Our nanoformulation has the potential use in cancer therapy as a targeted drug delivery system.

  17. When a Step Is Not a Step! Specificity Analysis of Five Physical Activity Monitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connell, Sandra; ÓLaighin, Gearóid; Quinlan, Leo R

    2017-01-01

    Physical activity is an essential aspect of a healthy lifestyle for both physical and mental health states. As step count is one of the most utilized measures for quantifying physical activity it is important that activity-monitoring devices be both sensitive and specific in recording actual steps taken and disregard non-stepping body movements. The objective of this study was to assess the specificity of five activity monitors during a variety of prescribed non-stepping activities. Participants wore five activity monitors simultaneously for a variety of prescribed activities including deskwork, taking an elevator, taking a bus journey, automobile driving, washing and drying dishes; functional reaching task; indoor cycling; outdoor cycling; and indoor rowing. Each task was carried out for either a specific duration of time or over a specific distance. Activity monitors tested were the ActivPAL micro™, NL-2000™ pedometer, Withings Smart Activity Monitor Tracker (Pulse O2)™, Fitbit One™ and Jawbone UP™. Participants were video-recorded while carrying out the prescribed activities and the false positive step count registered on each activity monitor was obtained and compared to the video. All activity monitors registered a significant number of false positive steps per minute during one or more of the prescribed activities. The Withings™ activity performed best, registering a significant number of false positive steps per minute during the outdoor cycling activity only (P = 0.025). The Jawbone™ registered a significant number of false positive steps during the functional reaching task and while washing and drying dishes, which involved arm and hand movement (P positive steps during the cycling exercises (P positive steps were registered on the activity monitors during the non-stepping activities, the authors conclude that non-stepping physical activities can result in the false detection of steps. This can negatively affect the quantification of physical

  18. miR-30c is specifically repressed in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spinelli, Silvana V; Fernández, Rocío Del V; Zoff, Luciana; Bongiovanni, Bettina; Díaz, Ariana; D'Attilio, Luciano; Santucci, Natalia; Alvarez, Tomás; Marchesini, Marcela M; Bogue, Cristina; Bay, Maria L; Bottasso, Oscar A

    2017-07-01

    Tuberculous pleurisy (PLTB) is a common form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. It often resolves without chemotherapy being hence considered a rather benign manifestation of the disease. Patients with PLTB mount an effective anti-mycobacterial response, unlike those with active pulmonary TB (pTB) that were shown to present an imbalance in plasma immune and endocrine mediators. In this work, we explored whether expression of the active isoform of the glucocorticoid receptor (hGRα) in the context of the inflammatory-anti-inflammatory responses of TB patients may be associated to microRNA levels. As expected, the inflammatory response triggered in patients coexists with increased circulating cortisol and altered hGRα levels in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells. However, while hGRα expression is significantly downregulated in PLTB, its levels in pTB patients are higher within the control values. These results point out to the existence of an additional mechanism tending to preserve hGRα levels probably to deal with the chronic inflammation observed in pTB. In this regard, we found that miR-30c is strongly downregulated in mononuclear cells of pTB patients compared to PLTB cases, showing an expression profile opposite to that seen with hGRα. Interestingly, low levels of miR-30c are specific for this active form of TB, as its expression is not altered in mononuclear cells from either healthy controls or patients with tuberculous or non-tuberculous pleurisy. Moreover, miR-30c and hGRα also showed an inverse expression pattern in M. tuberculosis-stimulated THP-1 macrophage cultures. In sum, our studies identify miR-30c as a specific correlate of pulmonary manifestations of TB, potentially involved in the altered glucocorticoid sensitivity observed in these patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Are total, intensity- and domain-specific physical activity levels associated with life satisfaction among university students?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pedišić, Željko; Greblo, Zrinka; Phongsavan, Philayrath; Milton, Karen; Bauman, Adrian E

    2015-01-01

    Thorough information about the relationship between physical activity (PA) and life satisfaction is still lacking. Therefore, this study examined the cross-sectional relationships between life satisfaction and meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) moderate to vigorous-intensity PA recommendations, total volume and duration of PA, intensity-specific PA (walking, moderate- and vigorous-intensity), domain-specific PA (work, transport-related, domestic, and leisure-time), and 11 domain and intensity-specific PA types among university students. Additionally, we examined the associations between life satisfaction and gender, age, disposable income, community size, smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index (BMI), and self-rated health. The study included a random sample of 1750 university students in Zagreb, Croatia (response rate = 71.7%; 62.4% females; mean age 21.5 ± 1.8 years), using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-long form and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Higher life satisfaction was associated with female gender (β = 0.13; p = leisure-time vigorous-intensity PA was significantly associated with life satisfaction after adjustments for socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle and self-rated general health (β = 0.06; p = 0.045). This study indicated a weak positive relationship between leisure-time vigorous-intensity PA and life satisfaction, whilst no such association was found for other PA variables. These findings underscore the importance of analyzing domain and intensity-specific PA levels in future studies among university students, as drawing conclusions about the relationship between PA and life satisfaction based on total PA levels only may be misleading.

  20. "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life!" - Higher Hypomania Scores Are Associated with Higher Mental Toughness, Increased Physical Activity, and Lower Symptoms of Depression and Lower Sleep Complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jahangard, Leila; Rahmani, Anahita; Haghighi, Mohammad; Ahmadpanah, Mohammad; Sadeghi Bahmani, Dena; Soltanian, Ali R; Shirzadi, Shahriar; Bajoghli, Hafez; Gerber, Markus; Holsboer-Trachsler, Edith; Brand, Serge

    2017-01-01

    Background: In the present study, we explored the associations between hypomania, symptoms of depression, sleep complaints, physical activity and mental toughness. The latter construct has gained interest for its association with a broad variety of favorable behavior in both clinical and non-clinical samples. Subjects and Methods: The non-clinical sample consisted of 206 young adults ( M = 21.3 years; age range: 18-24 years; 57.3% males). They completed questionnaires covering hypomania, mental toughness, symptoms of depression, physical activity, and sleep quality. Results: Higher hypomania scores were associated with higher mental toughness, increased physical activity, lower symptoms of depression and lower sleep complaints. No gender differences were observed. Higher hypomania scores were predicted by higher scores of mental toughness subscales of control and challenge, and physical activity. Conclusion: The pattern of results suggests that among a non-clinical sample of young adults, self-rated hypomania scores were associated with higher scores on mental toughness and physical activity, along with lower depression and sleep complaints. The pattern of results further suggests that hypomania traits are associated with a broad range of favorable psychological, behavioral and sleep-related traits, at least among a non-clinical sample of young adults.

  1. Optimisation of the Management of Higher Activity Waste in the UK - 13537

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Walsh, Ciara; Buckley, Matthew [Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Building 587, Curie Avenue, Harwell Oxford, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RH (United Kingdom)

    2013-07-01

    The Upstream Optioneering project was created in the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (UK) to support the development and implementation of significant opportunities to optimise activities across all the phases of the Higher Activity Waste management life cycle (i.e. retrieval, characterisation, conditioning, packaging, storage, transport and disposal). The objective of the Upstream Optioneering project is to work in conjunction with other functions within NDA and the waste producers to identify and deliver solutions to optimise the management of higher activity waste. Historically, optimisation may have occurred on aspects of the waste life cycle (considered here to include retrieval, conditioning, treatment, packaging, interim storage, transport to final end state, which may be geological disposal). By considering the waste life cycle as a whole, critical analysis of assumed constraints may lead to cost savings for the UK Tax Payer. For example, it may be possible to challenge the requirements for packaging wastes for disposal to deliver an optimised waste life cycle. It is likely that the challenges faced in the UK are shared in other countries. It is therefore likely that the opportunities identified may also apply elsewhere, with the potential for sharing information to enable value to be shared. (authors)

  2. Promiscuous activity of ER glucosidase II discovered through donor specificity analysis of UGGT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miyagawa, Atsushi, E-mail: miyagawa.atsushi@nitech.ac.jp [RIKEN Advanced Science Institute, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Showa-Ku, Nagoya 466-8555 (Japan); Totani, Kiichiro [Department of Materials and Life Science, Seikei University, Musashino, Tokyo 180-8633 (Japan); Matsuo, Ichiro [Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Gunma University, Kiryu, Gunma 376-8515 (Japan); Ito, Yukishige, E-mail: yukito@riken.jp [RIKEN Advanced Science Institute, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); ERATO Japan Science and Technology Agency, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan)

    2010-12-17

    Research highlights: {yields} UGGT has a narrow donor specificity. {yields} UGGT gave several non-natural high-mannose-type glycans. {yields} G-II has a promiscuous activity as broad specificity hexosidase. -- Abstract: In glycoprotein quality control system in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), UGGT (UDP-glucose:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase) and glucosidase II (G-II) play key roles. UGGT serves as a glycoprotein folding sensor by virtue of its unique specificity to glucosylate glycoproteins at incompletely folded stage. By using various UDP-Glc analogues, we first analyzed donor specificity of UGGT, which was proven to be rather narrow. However, marginal activity was observed with UDP-galactose and UDP-glucuronic acid as well as with 3-, 4- and 6-deoxy glucose analogues to give corresponding transfer products. Intriguingly, G-II smoothly converted all of them back to Man{sub 9}GlcNAc{sub 2}, providing an indication that G-II has a promiscuous activity as a broad specificity hexosidase.

  3. Controlling nuclear JAKs and STATs for specific gene activation by IFNγ

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noon-Song, Ezra N.; Ahmed, Chulbul M.; Dabelic, Rea; Canton, Johnathan; Johnson, Howard M.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Gamma interferon (IFNγ) and its receptor subunit, IFNGR1, interact with the promoter region of IFNγ-associated genes along with transcription factor STAT1α. → We show that activated Janus kinases pJAK2 and pJAK1 also associate with IFNGR1 in the nucleus. → The activated Janus kinases are responsible for phosphorylation of tyrosine 41 on histone H3, an important epigenetic event for specific gene activation. -- Abstract: We previously showed that gamma interferon (IFNγ) and its receptor subunit, IFNGR1, interacted with the promoter region of IFNγ-activated genes along with transcription factor STAT1α. Recent studies have suggested that activated Janus kinases pJAK2 and pJAK1 also played a role in gene activation by phosphorylation of histone H3 on tyrosine 41. This study addresses the question of the role of activated JAKs in specific gene activation by IFNγ. We carried out chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) followed by PCR in IFNγ treated WISH cells and showed association of pJAK1, pJAK2, IFNGR1, and STAT1 on the same DNA sequence of the IRF-1 gene promoter. The β-actin gene, which is not activated by IFNγ, did not show this association. The movement of activated JAK to the nucleus and the IRF-1 promoter was confirmed by the combination of nuclear fractionation, confocal microscopy and DNA precipitation analysis using the biotinylated GAS promoter. Activated JAKs in the nucleus was associated with phosphorylated tyrosine 41 on histone H3 in the region of the GAS promoter. Unphosphorylated JAK2 was found to be constitutively present in the nucleus and was capable of undergoing activation in IFNγ treated cells, most likely via nuclear IFNGR1. Association of pJAK2 and IFNGR1 with histone H3 in IFNγ treated cells was demonstrated by histone H3 immunoprecipitation. Unphosphorylated STAT1 protein was associated with histone H3 of untreated cells. IFNγ treatment resulted in its disassociation and then re-association as pSTAT1. The

  4. Targeting the autolysis loop of urokinase-type plasminogen activator with conformation-specific monoclonal antibodies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bøtkjær, Kenneth Alrø; Fogh, Sarah; Bekes, Erin C

    2011-01-01

    Tight regulation of serine proteases is essential for their physiological function, and unbalanced states of protease activity have been implicated in a variety of human diseases. One key example is the presence of uPA (urokinase-type plasminogen activator) in different human cancer types......, demonstrating a direct link between conformational changes of the autolysis loop and the creation of a catalytically mature active site. All three antibodies are potent inhibitors of uPA activity, the two pro-uPA-specific ones by inhibiting conversion of pro-uPA to active uPA and the active u......PA-specific antibody by shielding the access of plasminogen to the active site. Furthermore, using immunofluorescence, the conformation-specific antibodies mAb-112 and mAb-12E6B10 enabled us to selectively stain pro-uPA or active uPA on the surface of cultured cells. Moreover, in various independent model systems...

  5. Monovalent engagement of the BCR activates ovalbumin-specific transnuclear B cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Avalos, Ana M.; Bilate, Angelina M.; Witte, Martin D.; Tai, Albert K.; He, Jiang; Frushicheva, Maria P.; Thill, Peter D.; Meyer-Wentrup, Friederike; Theile, Christopher S.; Chakraborty, Arup K.; Zhuang, Xiaowei; Ploegh, Hidde L.

    2014-01-01

    Valency requirements for B cell activation upon antigen encounter are poorly understood. OB1 transnuclear B cells express an IgG1 B cell receptor (BCR) specific for ovalbumin (OVA), the epitope of which can be mimicked using short synthetic peptides to allow antigen-specific engagement of the BCR.

  6. Determination of specific activity of americium and plutonium in selected environmental samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trebunova, T.

    1999-01-01

    The aim of this work was development of method for determination of americium and plutonium in environmental samples. Developed method was evaluated on soil samples and after they was applied on selected samples of fishes (smoked mackerel, herring and fillet from Alaska hake). The method for separation of americium is based on liquid separation with Aliquate-336, precipitation with oxalic acid and using of chromatographic material TRU-Spec TM .The intervals of radiochemical yields were from 13.0% to 80.9% for plutonium-236 and from 10.5% to 100% for americium-241. Determined specific activities of plutonium-239,240 were from (2.3 ± 1.4) mBq/kg to (82 ± 29) mBq/kg, the specific activities of plutonium-238 were from (14.2 ± 3.7) mBq/kg to (708 ± 86) mBq/kg. The specific activities of americium-241 were from (1.4 ± 0.9) mBq/kg to (3360 ± 210) mBq/kg. The fishes from Baltic Sea as well as from North Sea show highest specific activities then fresh-water fishes from Slovakia. Therefore the monitoring of alpha radionuclides in foods imported from territories with nuclear testing is recommended

  7. When a Step Is Not a Step! Specificity Analysis of Five Physical Activity Monitors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandra O'Connell

    Full Text Available Physical activity is an essential aspect of a healthy lifestyle for both physical and mental health states. As step count is one of the most utilized measures for quantifying physical activity it is important that activity-monitoring devices be both sensitive and specific in recording actual steps taken and disregard non-stepping body movements. The objective of this study was to assess the specificity of five activity monitors during a variety of prescribed non-stepping activities.Participants wore five activity monitors simultaneously for a variety of prescribed activities including deskwork, taking an elevator, taking a bus journey, automobile driving, washing and drying dishes; functional reaching task; indoor cycling; outdoor cycling; and indoor rowing. Each task was carried out for either a specific duration of time or over a specific distance. Activity monitors tested were the ActivPAL micro™, NL-2000™ pedometer, Withings Smart Activity Monitor Tracker (Pulse O2™, Fitbit One™ and Jawbone UP™. Participants were video-recorded while carrying out the prescribed activities and the false positive step count registered on each activity monitor was obtained and compared to the video.All activity monitors registered a significant number of false positive steps per minute during one or more of the prescribed activities. The Withings™ activity performed best, registering a significant number of false positive steps per minute during the outdoor cycling activity only (P = 0.025. The Jawbone™ registered a significant number of false positive steps during the functional reaching task and while washing and drying dishes, which involved arm and hand movement (P < 0.01 for both. The ActivPAL™ registered a significant number of false positive steps during the cycling exercises (P < 0.001 for both.As a number of false positive steps were registered on the activity monitors during the non-stepping activities, the authors conclude that non

  8. Good practices in virtual higher education based on specifications for e-Learning standards

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edgar Javier Carmona Suarez

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Free courses, full academic programs, and partially and totally virtual universities are now offered, which shows an increase in the offer and coverage in higher education. With growth, new needs emerge from questions about the quality of education, which depends on many factors; for example, the standardization of online or virtual academic spaces. This research proposed the creation of a set of technical, administrative, communicative and pedagogical specifications to improve virtual training at the University of Quindío, which serves as a reference for good practices for university teachers. In this process, significant experiences were collected and, as a final result, a proposal was built in the light of categories created by international organizations specialized in standards. This led to standardization processes, which contribute to the strengthening of the quality of education.

  9. Beyond AICA Riboside: In Search of New Specific AMP-activated Protein Kinase Activators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guigas, Bruno; Sakamoto, Kei; Taleux, Nellie; Reyna, Sara M.; Musi, Nicolas; Viollet, Benoit; Hue, Louis

    2010-01-01

    Summary 5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-d-ribofuranoside (AICA riboside) has been extensively used in vitro and in vivo to activate the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a metabolic sensor involved in both cellular and whole body energy homeostasis. However, it has been recently highlighted that AICA riboside also exerts AMPK-independent effects, mainly on AMP-regulated enzymes and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), leading to the conclusion that new compounds with reduced off target effects are needed to specifically activate AMPK. Here, we review recent findings on newly discovered AMPK activators, notably on A-769662, a nonnucleoside compound from the thienopyridone family. We also report that A-769662 is able to activate AMPK and stimulate glucose uptake in both L6 cells and primary myotubes derived from human satellite cells. In addition, A-769662 increases AMPK activity and phosphorylation of its main downstream targets in primary cultured rat hepatocytes but, by contrast with AICA riboside, does neither affect mitochondrial OXPHOS nor change cellular AMP:ATP ratio. We conclude that A-769662 could be one of the new promising chemical agents to activate AMPK with limited AMPK-independent side effects. PMID:18798311

  10. Evaluation of Specific Activity in the Primary Coolant of PWRs by using SAEP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Ha Yong; Song, Jae Seung; Kim, Keung Ku; Kim, Kyo Youn

    2008-07-01

    SAEP(Specific Activity Evaluation Program) to evaluate specific activities in the primary coolant of reactors due to fission products has been developed, which can be applied to the new concept nuclear reactor such as SMART as well as commercial PWRs in existence. Specific activities in the primary coolant were evaluated by using SAEP against reactor plants which are being operated currently in South Korea, respectively. We study the possibility of being applied to the developing commercial PWRs and the new concept reactors through the comparison the results by using SAEP with the results mentioned in the FSARs. We also verify SAEP itself through this evaluation. From the evaluation results, we know that the general trend is agreed with each other from the viewpoint of order of magnitude and that SAEP correctly executes the evaluation of specific activities in the primary coolant of reactor due to fission products for several reactor types, regardless of a reactor type. Therefore, SAEP can widely be applied to the new concept nuclear reactor development phase as well as already developed PWRs

  11. Specific Remedy for Specific Problem: Measuring Service Quality in South African Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Jager, Johan; Gbadamosi, Gbolahan

    2010-01-01

    This study commences a process of developing a scale for the measurement of service quality in higher education in South Africa and also examines the relationship between the measures of service quality on the one hand and some other related variables such as intention to leave the university, trust in management of the university and the overall…

  12. DREAM Controls the On/Off Switch of Specific Activity-Dependent Transcription Pathways

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mellström, Britt; Sahún, Ignasi; Ruiz-Nuño, Ana; Murtra, Patricia; Gomez-Villafuertes, Rosa; Savignac, Magali; Oliveros, Juan C.; Gonzalez, Paz; Kastanauskaite, Asta; Knafo, Shira; Zhuo, Min; Higuera-Matas, Alejandro; Errington, Michael L.; Maldonado, Rafael; DeFelipe, Javier; Jefferys, John G. R.; Bliss, Tim V. P.; Dierssen, Mara

    2014-01-01

    Changes in nuclear Ca2+ homeostasis activate specific gene expression programs and are central to the acquisition and storage of information in the brain. DREAM (downstream regulatory element antagonist modulator), also known as calsenilin/KChIP-3 (K+ channel interacting protein 3), is a Ca2+-binding protein that binds DNA and represses transcription in a Ca2+-dependent manner. To study the function of DREAM in the brain, we used transgenic mice expressing a Ca2+-insensitive/CREB-independent dominant active mutant DREAM (daDREAM). Using genome-wide analysis, we show that DREAM regulates the expression of specific activity-dependent transcription factors in the hippocampus, including Npas4, Nr4a1, Mef2c, JunB, and c-Fos. Furthermore, DREAM regulates its own expression, establishing an autoinhibitory feedback loop to terminate activity-dependent transcription. Ablation of DREAM does not modify activity-dependent transcription because of gene compensation by the other KChIP family members. The expression of daDREAM in the forebrain resulted in a complex phenotype characterized by loss of recurrent inhibition and enhanced long-term potentiation (LTP) in the dentate gyrus and impaired learning and memory. Our results indicate that DREAM is a major master switch transcription factor that regulates the on/off status of specific activity-dependent gene expression programs that control synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory. PMID:24366545

  13. Gender-specific activity demands experienced during semiprofessional basketball game play.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scanlan, Aaron T; Dascombe, Ben J; Kidcaff, Andrew P; Peucker, Jessica L; Dalbo, Vincent J

    2015-07-01

    To compare game activity demands between female and male semiprofessional basketball players. Female (n=12) and male (n=12) semiprofessional basketball players were monitored across 3 competitive games. Time-motion-analysis procedures quantified player activity into predefined movement categories across backcourt (BC) and frontcourt (FC) positions. Activity frequencies, durations, and distances were calculated relative to live playing time (min). Work:rest ratios were also calculated using the video data. Game activity was compared between genders for each playing position and all players. Female players performed at greater running work-rates than male players (45.7±1.4 vs. 42.1±1.7 m/min, P=.05), while male players performed more dribbling than female players (2.5±0.3 vs. 3.0±0.2 s/min; 8.4±0.3 vs. 9.7±0.7 m/min, P=.05). Positional analyses revealed that female BC players performed more low-intensity shuffling (P=.04) and jumping (P=.05), as well as longer (P=.04) jogging durations, than male BC players. Female FC players executed more upper-body activity (P=.03) and larger work:rest ratios (Pbasketball. Furthermore, position-specific variations between female and male basketball players should be considered. These data may prove useful in the development of gender-specific conditioning plans relative to playing position in basketball.

  14. Evidence of activity-specific, radial organization of mitotic chromosomes in Drosophila.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuri G Strukov

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The organization and the mechanisms of condensation of mitotic chromosomes remain unsolved despite many decades of efforts. The lack of resolution, tight compaction, and the absence of function-specific chromatin labels have been the key technical obstacles. The correlation between DNA sequence composition and its contribution to the chromosome-scale structure has been suggested before; it is unclear though if all DNA sequences equally participate in intra- or inter-chromatin or DNA-protein interactions that lead to formation of mitotic chromosomes and if their mitotic positions are reproduced radially. Using high-resolution fluorescence microscopy of live or minimally perturbed, fixed chromosomes in Drosophila embryonic cultures or tissues expressing MSL3-GFP fusion protein, we studied positioning of specific MSL3-binding sites. Actively transcribed, dosage compensated Drosophila genes are distributed along the euchromatic arm of the male X chromosome. Several novel features of mitotic chromosomes have been observed. MSL3-GFP is always found at the periphery of mitotic chromosomes, suggesting that active, dosage compensated genes are also found at the periphery of mitotic chromosomes. Furthermore, radial distribution of chromatin loci on mitotic chromosomes was found to be correlated with their functional activity as judged by core histone modifications. Histone modifications specific to active chromatin were found peripheral with respect to silent chromatin. MSL3-GFP-labeled chromatin loci become peripheral starting in late prophase. In early prophase, dosage compensated chromatin regions traverse the entire width of chromosomes. These findings suggest large-scale internal rearrangements within chromosomes during the prophase condensation step, arguing against consecutive coiling models. Our results suggest that the organization of mitotic chromosomes is reproducible not only longitudinally, as demonstrated by chromosome-specific banding

  15. Self-Evaluation of the Scientific Activity of a Higher Educational Institution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rayevnyeva Olena V.

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The article is dedicated to the problem of self-evaluation of the scientific activity of a higher educational institution (HEI as a component of its overall ranking evaluation. On the basis of a potentially effective approach to studying this problem, there proposed a system of indicators for evaluating the scientific activity of a HEI, which makes it possible to determine the potential of its scientific activity in terms of staff and resource provision, and the efficiency — in terms of quality of the training of scientific staff (students, graduate students, young scientists, etc., financial results of scientific activity and publication activity. To obtain an integral ranking score of the scientific activity of a HEI, the use of the taxonomic method is justified, the necessity of applying weight coefficients of the significance of primary indicators is determined. The approbation of the approach was carried out on the basis of the data of S. Kuznets KhNEU for the period of 2013-2016, which made it possible to obtain not only point estimates of the integral indicator of the scientific activity of an HEI but also determine the trends in its changes and identify their reasons. The proposed approach to the self-evaluation of the scientific activity of a HEI allows its administration to develop effective management solutions to increase the level of scientific activity of its scientific and pedagogical, and scientific staff, which will provide additional competitive advantages in the national and world educational space.

  16. Perceived correlates of domain-specific physical activity in rural adults in the Midwest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chrisman, Matthew; Nothwehr, Faryle; Yang, Jingzen; Oleson, Jacob

    2014-01-01

    In response to calls for more specificity when measuring physical activity, this study examined perceived correlates of this behavior in rural adults separately by the domain in which this behavior occurs (ie, home care, work, active living, and sport). A cross-sectional survey was completed by 407 adults from 2 rural towns in the Midwest. The questionnaire assessed the perceived social and physical environment, including neighborhood characteristics, as well as barriers to being active. The Kaiser Physical Activity Survey captured domain-specific activity levels. The response rate was 25%. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between social and physical environment factors and domain-specific physical activity. Having a favorable attitude toward using government funds for exercise and activity-friendly neighborhood characteristic were positively associated with active living. Friends encouraging exercise was positively associated with participation in sport. Barriers were inversely associated with active living and sport. Total physical activity was positively associated with workplace incentives for exercise, favorable policy attitudes toward supporting physical education in schools and supporting the use of government funds for biking trails, and it was inversely associated with barriers. There were no factors associated with physical activity in the domains of work or home care. Correlates of physical activity are unique to the domain in which this behavior occurs. Programs to increase physical activity in rural adults should target policy attitudes, neighborhood characteristics, and social support from friends while also working to decrease personal barriers to exercise. © 2014 National Rural Health Association.

  17. Neural network versus activity-specific prediction equations for energy expenditure estimation in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruch, Nicole; Joss, Franziska; Jimmy, Gerda; Melzer, Katarina; Hänggi, Johanna; Mäder, Urs

    2013-11-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the energy expenditure (EE) estimations of activity-specific prediction equations (ASPE) and of an artificial neural network (ANNEE) based on accelerometry with measured EE. Forty-three children (age: 9.8 ± 2.4 yr) performed eight different activities. They were equipped with one tri-axial accelerometer that collected data in 1-s epochs and a portable gas analyzer. The ASPE and the ANNEE were trained to estimate the EE by including accelerometry, age, gender, and weight of the participants. To provide the activity-specific information, a decision tree was trained to recognize the type of activity through accelerometer data. The ASPE were applied to the activity-type-specific data recognized by the tree (Tree-ASPE). The Tree-ASPE precisely estimated the EE of all activities except cycling [bias: -1.13 ± 1.33 metabolic equivalent (MET)] and walking (bias: 0.29 ± 0.64 MET; P MET) and walking (bias: 0.61 ± 0.72 MET) and underestimated the EE of cycling (bias: -0.90 ± 1.18 MET; P MET, Tree-ASPE: 0.08 ± 0.21 MET) and walking (ANNEE 0.61 ± 0.72 MET, Tree-ASPE: 0.29 ± 0.64 MET) were significantly smaller in the Tree-ASPE than in the ANNEE (P < 0.05). The Tree-ASPE was more precise in estimating the EE than the ANNEE. The use of activity-type-specific information for subsequent EE prediction equations might be a promising approach for future studies.

  18. Activity and specificity of TRV-mediated gene editing in plants

    KAUST Repository

    Ali, Zahir; Abulfaraj, Aala A.; Piatek, Marek J.; Mahfouz, Magdy M.

    2015-01-01

    editing in Nicotiana benthamiana. TRV infects the growing points and possesses small genome size; which facilitate cloning, multiplexing, and agroinfections. Here, we report on the persistent activity and specificity of the TRV-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 system

  19. A Studi on High Plant Systems Course with Active Learning in Higher Education Through Outdoor Learning to Increase Student Learning Activities

    OpenAIRE

    Nur Rokhimah Hanik, Anwari Adi Nugroho

    2015-01-01

    Biology learning especially high plant system courses needs to be applied to active learning centered on the student (Active Learning In Higher Education) to enhance the students' learning activities so that the quality of learning for the better. Outdoor Learning is one of the active learning invites students to learn outside of the classroom by exploring the surrounding environment. This research aims to improve the students' learning activities in the course of high plant systems through t...

  20. Higher exercise intensity delays postexercise recovery of impedance-derived cardiac sympathetic activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michael, Scott; Jay, Ollie; Graham, Kenneth S; Davis, Glen M

    2017-08-01

    Systolic time intervals (STIs) provide noninvasive insights into cardiac sympathetic neural activity (cSNA). As the effect of exercise intensity on postexercise STI recovery is unclear, this study investigated the STI recovery profile after different exercise intensities. Eleven healthy males cycled for 8 min at 3 separate intensities: LOW (40%-45%), MOD (75%-80%), and HIGH (90%-95%) of heart-rate (HR) reserve. Bio-impedance cardiography was used to assess STIs - primarily pre-ejection period (PEP; inversely correlated with cSNA), as well as left ventricular ejection time (LVET) and PEP:LVET - during 10 min seated recovery immediately postexercise. Heart-rate variability (HRV), i.e., natural-logarithm of root mean square of successive differences (Ln-RMSSD), was calculated as an index of cardiac parasympathetic neural activity (cPNA). Higher preceding exercise intensity elicited a slower recovery of HR and Ln-RMSSD (p return to baseline by 10 min following any intensity (p ≤ 0.009). Recovery of STIs was also slower following higher intensity exercise (p ≤ 0.002). By 30 s postexercise, higher preceding intensity resulted in a lower PEP (98 ± 14 ms, 75 ± 6 ms, 66 ± 5 ms for LOW, MOD, and HIGH, respectively, p fashion. While exercise intensity must be considered, acute recovery may be a valuable period during which to concurrently monitor these noninvasive indices, to identify potentially abnormal cardiac autonomic responses.

  1. Development of acceptance specifications for low-activity waste from the Hanford tanks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cunnane, J.C.; Kier, P.H.; Brown, N.R.

    1997-01-01

    Low-activity products will be in the form of soldified waste and optional matrix and filler materials enclosed in sealed metal boxes. Acceptance specifications limit the physical characteristics of the containers, the chemical and physical characteristics of the waste form and other materials that may be in the container, the waste loading, and the radionuclide leaching characteristics of the waste form. The specifications are designed to ensure that low-activity waste products will be compatible with the driving regulatory and operational requirements and with existing production technologies

  2. Active site mutations change the cleavage specificity of neprilysin.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Travis Sexton

    Full Text Available Neprilysin (NEP, a member of the M13 subgroup of the zinc-dependent endopeptidase family is a membrane bound peptidase capable of cleaving a variety of physiological peptides. We have generated a series of neprilysin variants containing mutations at either one of two active site residues, Phe(563 and Ser(546. Among the mutants studied in detail we observed changes in their activity towards leucine(5-enkephalin, insulin B chain, and amyloid β(1-40. For example, NEP(F563I displayed an increase in preference towards cleaving leucine(5-enkephalin relative to insulin B chain, while mutant NEP(S546E was less discriminating than neprilysin. Mutants NEP(F563L and NEP(S546E exhibit different cleavage site preferences than neprilysin with insulin B chain and amyloid ß(1-40 as substrates. These data indicate that it is possible to alter the cleavage site specificity of neprilysin opening the way for the development of substrate specific or substrate exclusive forms of the enzyme with enhanced therapeutic potential.

  3. Context Specificity of Stress-activated Mitogen-activated Protein (MAP) Kinase Signaling: The Story as Told by Caenorhabditis elegans*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrusiak, Matthew G.; Jin, Yishi

    2016-01-01

    Stress-associated p38 and JNK mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling cascades trigger specific cellular responses and are involved in multiple disease states. At the root of MAP kinase signaling complexity is the differential use of common components on a context-specific basis. The roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans was developed as a system to study genes required for development and nervous system function. The powerful genetics of C. elegans in combination with molecular and cellular dissections has led to a greater understanding of how p38 and JNK signaling affects many biological processes under normal and stress conditions. This review focuses on the studies revealing context specificity of different stress-activated MAPK components in C. elegans. PMID:26907690

  4. Governance of the research activities in higher educational institutions: factors and outcomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Musawenkosi Ngibe

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available South African higher education institutions, specifically, universities of technology have been faced with an arduous battle of increasing postgraduate students enrolment (masters and doctoral and improve their completion rate. However, the situation is exacerbated by inadequate number and inexperience of supervisors to supervise these postgraduate students. The Durban University of Technology has formulated research structures to administer and co-ordinate research activities in order to improve the number of staff members with doctoral qualifications in order to aid the current challenges. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the circumstances and factors hindering the academic staff throughput rates and the impact it has on the university. The use of qualitative and quantitative approach was used for this study, with closed and open-ended questionnaires used to collect data from 278 academic staff members using a probability sampling. The respondents 9 (4.9% indicated that lack of external funding and project management skills proved to be major contributory factors hindering academics staff to complete their postgraduate degrees within the required time. The study recommends that funding should be made easily available to academics pursuing doctoral studies, while project management workshops should be organised regularly to help academics appropriately management their studies. This can have a positive impact which will benefit the university and aid to the current crisis of lack of supervisor for masters and doctoral studies

  5. PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF HIGHER SCHOOL STUDENTS’ COMMUNICATIVE TRAINING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. N. Nechayev

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. The present-day higher education in Russia based on a two-level system is oriented as to high standards of education as to the labour market requirements. Among the competences meant for these requirements satisfaction there is a communicative competence providing a person’s social interaction in the given professional area by way of bilingual language means (Russian and a second language. However, the well-known facts of the students’ language proficiency falling down as related to both languages are to witness the insufficient care for communicative competence formation at higher school.The aim of the research is to highlight the psychological aspects of higher school students’ communicative training that is viewed as the process of their mastering a specialized language of a profession (using both Russian and the second language as the means of professionally-oriented bilingual verbal communication.Methodology and research methods. Considering the activity approach as the basis for higher education process study, the author outlines the stages of professional consciousness development (objective, theoretical and practical, treating them as the stages of the future professionals’ specific characters and psychological abilities development in the course of their mastering the professional activity objective content. The relationship of verbal communication and object-oriented activity as the central methodological problem of the paper is studied by way of analyzing a number of theoretical communication models.Results and scientific novelty. The author defines communicative preparation at the higher school as a process of development among students of the specialized language of profession (both native and foreign acting as means of the professional focused bilingual speech communication. It is emphasized that this preparation has to become a core of professional development of students and have complex and intersubject

  6. NAC selectively inhibit cancer telomerase activity: A higher redox homeostasis threshold exists in cancer cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pengying Li

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Telomerase activity controls telomere length, and this plays an important role in stem cells, aging and tumors. Antioxidant was shown to protect telomerase activity in normal cells but inhibit that in cancer cells, but the underlying mechanism is elusive. Here we found that 7721 hepatoma cells held a higher redox homeostasis threshold than L02 normal liver cells which caused 7721 cells to have a higher demand for ROS; MnSOD over-expression in 7721 decreased endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS and inhibited telomerase activity; Akt phosphorylation inhibitor and NAC both inhibited 7721 telomerase activity. The over-elimination of ROS by NAC resulted in the inhibition of Akt pathway. Our results suggest that ROS is involved in the regulation of cancer telomerase activity through Akt pathway. The different intracellular redox homeostasis and antioxidant system in normal cells and tumor cells may be the cause of the opposite effect on telomerase activity in response to NAC treatment. Our results provide a theoretical base of using antioxidants selectively inhibit cancer telomerase activity. Findings of the present study may provide insights into novel approaches for cancer treatment.

  7. Gene program-specific regulation of PGC-1{alpha} activity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schmidt, Søren F; Mandrup, Susanne

    2011-01-01

    Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) coactivator 1 α (PGC-1α) activation coordinates induction of the hepatic fasting response through coactivation of numerous transcription factors and gene programs. In the June 15, 2011, issue of Genes & Development, Lustig and colleagues (pp....... 1232-1244) demonstrated that phosphorylation of PGC-1α by the p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) specifically interfered with the interaction between PGC-1α and HNF4α in liver and blocked the coactivation of the gluconeogenic target genes. This demonstrates how independent fine-tuning of gene...

  8. White blood cell counts mediate the effects of physical activity on prostate-specific antigen levels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loprinzi, Paul D; Richart, Sarah M

    2014-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine whether white blood cell (WBC) level mediated the relationship between physical activity and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. Data from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used; 1,726 U.S. adult men (aged 40 years or older) provided complete data on the study variables. Participants wore an ActiGraph 7164 accelerometer for a 7-day period to measure their physical activity behavior, and PSA and WBC levels were obtained from a blood sample. After adjustments, results showed that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was inversely associated with WBC count (b = - .03; 95% CI [ - 0.04, - 0.006; p = .01), and WBC count (b = .10; 95% CI [0.009, 0.18; p = .04) was positively associated with PSA. Both the Sobel (coef. = - .004, SE = .002; z = - 2.0; p = .03) and the Aroian (coef. = - .004, SE = .002; z = - 1.9; p = .03) tests demonstrated that WBC mediated the relationship between physical activity and PSA. Additionally, among 107 participants with prostate cancer, survivors engaging in more MVPA had lower levels of WBC (b = - .04; 95% CI [ - 0.09, - 0.0009; p = .04). Conclusion Physical activity may influence PSA levels through WBC modulation; however, future research is needed to determine the direction of causality. Additionally, prostate cancer survivors engaging in higher levels of MVPA had lower levels of WBC, underscoring the importance of promoting physical activity among prostate cancer survivors.

  9. Multi-instantons and exact results II: specific cases, higher-order effects, and numerical calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zinn-Justin, Jean; Jentschura, Ulrich D.

    2004-01-01

    In this second part of the treatment of instantons in quantum mechanics, the focus is on specific calculations related to a number of quantum mechanical potentials with degenerate minima. We calculate the leading multi-instanton contributions to the partition function, using the formalism introduced in the first part of the treatise [Ann. Phys. (N. Y.) (previous issue) (2004)]. The following potentials are considered: (i) asymmetric potentials with degenerate minima, (ii) the periodic cosine potential, (iii) anharmonic oscillators with radial symmetry, and (iv) a specific potential which bears an analogy with the Fokker-Planck equation. The latter potential has the peculiar property that the perturbation series for the ground-state energy vanishes to all orders and is thus formally convergent (the ground-state energy, however, is non-zero and positive). For the potentials (ii), (iii), and (iv), we calculate the perturbative B-function as well as the instanton A-function to fourth order in g. We also consider the double-well potential in detail, and present some higher-order analytic as well as numerical calculations to verify explicitly the related conjectures up to the order of three instantons. Strategies analogous to those outlined here could result in new conjectures for problems where our present understanding is more limited

  10. Active specific immunotherapy using the immune reaction of a low-dose irradiated tumor tissue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogawa, Y.; Imanaka, K.; Ashida, C.; Takashima, H.; Imajo, Y.; Kimura, S.

    1983-01-01

    Active specific immunotherapy using the immune reaction of a low-dose irradiated tumor tissue was studied on the transplanted MM46 tumor of female C3H/He mice after radiotherapy. MM46 tumor cells were inoculated into the right hind paws of mice. On the 5th day, irradiation with the dose irradiated tumor tissue (2000 rad on the fifth day), were injected into the left hind paws of the tumor-bearing mice. Effectiveness of this active specific immunotherapy against tumor was evaluated by the regression of tumor and survival rate of mice. Tumor was markedly regressed and survival rate was significantly increased by the active specific immunitherapy

  11. A suggested revision to the specific activity limit for tritiated water transported as LSA-II

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nandakumar, A.N.

    2003-01-01

    Tritiated water of specific activity not greater than 0.8 TBq L -1 is classified as LSA-II. This paper demonstrates by some simple calculations that the dose that may result from an accident involving tritiated water of this specific activity is very low and suggests that even if the specific activity limit of tritiated water which may be transported as LSA-II is raised above 0.8 TBq kg -1 , the resulting dose in accident conditions would not be unacceptable. (author)

  12. Gender-specific changes in physical activity pattern in Iran: national surveillance of risk factors of non-communicable diseases (2007-2011).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koohpayehzadeh, Jalil; Etemad, Koorosh; Abbasi, Mehrshad; Meysamie, Alipasha; Sheikhbahaei, Sara; Asgari, Fereshteh; Noshad, Sina; Hafezi-Nejad, Nima; Rafei, Ali; Mousavizadeh, Mostafa; Khajeh, Elias; Ebadi, Maryam; Nakhjavani, Manouchehr; Esteghamati, Alireza

    2014-04-01

    This study describes the gender-specific pattern of physical activity (PA) in Iran 2011. The 4-year changes in PA levels (domains) are also determined according to the Iran's national surveys conducted on 2007 and 2011. Physical activity assessed based on the global physical activity questionnaire. In all, 4,121 (2007), and 7,436 (2011) adults were analyzed. Based on 2011 survey, 56.4 %, 39.2 %, and 74.4 % of participants were physically inactive at work, commuting and recreation, respectively. In all domains of PA, males showed a higher degree of activity (min/day) than females (P value physical inactivity was increased from 15 % (2007) to 21.5 % (2011) (P value physical activity (MET × min/week) and the duration of commuting activity were noted in both genders. Work-related activity was dramatically decreased in females. However, the time spent in recreational activity remained relatively constant. This report indicating that the Iranian population, particularly females, have become less active during the survey period. Physical inactivity should receive more attention as a public health issue.

  13. Proton irradiation parameters and chemical separation procedure for the bulk production of high-specific-activity {sup 186g}Re using WO{sub 3} targets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fassbender, M.E.; Ballard, B.; Birnbaum, E.R. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM (United States). Chemistry Div.] [and others

    2013-08-01

    Rhenium-186g (T{sub 1/2} = 89.2 h) is a {beta}{sup -} emitter suitable for therapeutic applications. Current production methods rely on reactor production via {sup 185}Re(n,{gamma}) which results in low specific activities, thereby limiting its use. Production by p,d activation of enriched {sup 186}W results in a {sup 186g}Re product with a higher specific activity, allowing it to be used for targeted therapy with limited receptors. A test target consisting of pressed, sintered {sup nat}WO{sub 3} was proton irradiated at Los Alamos (LANL-IPF) to evaluate product yield and impurities, irradiation parameters and wet chemical Re recovery for proof-of-concept for bulk production of {sup 186g}Re. We demonstrated isolation of {sup 186g}Re in 97% yield from irradiated {sup nat}WO{sub 3} targets within 12 h of end of bombardment (EOB) via an alkaline dissolution followed by anion exchange. The recovery process has potential for automation, and WO{sub 3} can be easily recycled for recurrent irradiations. A {sup 186g}Re batch yield of 42.7 {+-} 2.2 {mu}Ci/{mu}Ah or 439 {+-} 23 MBq/C was obtained after 24 h in an 18.5 {mu}A proton beam. The target entrance energy was determined to be 15.6 MeV. The specific activity of {sup 186g}Re at EOB was measured to be 1.9 kCi (70.3 TBq) mmol{sup -1}, which agrees well with the result of a previous {sup 185,186m}Re co-production EMPIRE and TALYS modeling study assuming similar conditions. Utilizing enriched {sup 186}WO{sub 3}, we anticipate that a proton beam of 250 {mu}A for 24 h will provide batch yields of 256 mCi (9.5 GBq) of {sup 186g}Re at EOB with specific activities even higher than 1.9 kCi (70.3 TBq) mmol{sup -1}, suitable for therapy applications. (orig.)

  14. Targeting the autolysis loop of urokinase-type plasminogen activator with conformation-specific monoclonal antibodies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Botkjaer, Kenneth A; Fogh, Sarah; Bekes, Erin C; Chen, Zhuo; Blouse, Grant E; Jensen, Janni M; Mortensen, Kim K; Huang, Mingdong; Deryugina, Elena; Quigley, James P; Declerck, Paul J; Andreasen, Peter A

    2011-08-15

    Tight regulation of serine proteases is essential for their physiological function, and unbalanced states of protease activity have been implicated in a variety of human diseases. One key example is the presence of uPA (urokinase-type plasminogen activator) in different human cancer types, with high levels correlating with a poor prognosis. This observation has stimulated efforts into finding new principles for intervening with uPA's activity. In the present study we characterize the so-called autolysis loop in the catalytic domain of uPA as a potential inhibitory target. This loop was found to harbour the epitopes for three conformation-specific monoclonal antibodies, two with a preference for the zymogen form pro-uPA, and one with a preference for active uPA. All three antibodies were shown to have overlapping epitopes, with three common residues being crucial for all three antibodies, demonstrating a direct link between conformational changes of the autolysis loop and the creation of a catalytically mature active site. All three antibodies are potent inhibitors of uPA activity, the two pro-uPA-specific ones by inhibiting conversion of pro-uPA to active uPA and the active uPA-specific antibody by shielding the access of plasminogen to the active site. Furthermore, using immunofluorescence, the conformation-specific antibodies mAb-112 and mAb-12E6B10 enabled us to selectively stain pro-uPA or active uPA on the surface of cultured cells. Moreover, in various independent model systems, the antibodies inhibited tumour cell invasion and dissemination, providing evidence for the feasibility of pharmaceutical intervention with serine protease activity by targeting surface loops that undergo conformational changes during zymogen activation. © The Authors Journal compilation © 2011 Biochemical Society

  15. Context Specificity of Stress-activated Mitogen-activated Protein (MAP) Kinase Signaling: The Story as Told by Caenorhabditis elegans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrusiak, Matthew G; Jin, Yishi

    2016-04-08

    Stress-associated p38 and JNK mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling cascades trigger specific cellular responses and are involved in multiple disease states. At the root of MAP kinase signaling complexity is the differential use of common components on a context-specific basis. The roundwormCaenorhabditis eleganswas developed as a system to study genes required for development and nervous system function. The powerful genetics ofC. elegansin combination with molecular and cellular dissections has led to a greater understanding of how p38 and JNK signaling affects many biological processes under normal and stress conditions. This review focuses on the studies revealing context specificity of different stress-activated MAPK components inC. elegans. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  16. Physical Activity Predicts Higher Physical Function in Older Adults: The Osteoarthritis Initiative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batsis, John A; Germain, Cassandra M; Vásquez, Elizabeth; Zbehlik, Alicia J; Bartels, Stephen J

    2016-01-01

    Physical activity reduces mobility impairments in elders. We examined the association of physical activity on risk of subjective and objective physical function in adults with and at risk for osteoarthritis (OA). Adults aged ≥ 60 years from the longitudinal Osteoarthritis Initiative, a prospective observational study of knee OA, were classified by sex-specific quartiles of Physical Activity Score for the Elderly scores. Using linear mixed models, we assessed 6-year data on self-reported health, gait speed, Late-Life Function and Disability Index (LLFDI) and chair stand. Of 2252 subjects, mean age ranged from 66 to 70 years. Within each quartile, physical component (PCS) of the Short Form-12 and gait speed decreased from baseline to follow-up in both sexes (all P physical activity is associated with maintained physical function and is mediated by muscle strength, highlighting the importance of encouraging physical activity in older adults with and at risk for OA.

  17. Structure and anticoagulant activity of a sulfated galactan from the red alga, Gelidium crinale. Is there a specific structural requirement for the anticoagulant action?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, Maria G; Benevides, Norma M B; Melo, Marcia R S; Valente, Ana Paula; Melo, Fábio R; Mourão, Paulo A S

    2005-09-05

    Marine red algae are an abundant source of sulfated galactans with potent anticoagulant activity. However, the specific structural motifs that confer biological activity remain to be elucidated. We have now isolated and purified a sulfated galactan from the marine red alga, Gellidium crinale. The structure of this polysaccharide was determined using NMR spectroscopy. It is composed of the repeating structure -4-alpha-Galp-(1-->3)-beta-Galp1--> but with a variable sulfation pattern. Clearly 15% of the total alpha-units are 2,3-di-sulfated and another 55% are 2-sulfated. No evidence for the occurrence of 3,6-anhydro alpha-galactose units was observed in the NMR spectra. We also compared the anticoagulant activity of this sulfated galactan with a polysaccharide from the species, Botryocladia occidentalis, with a similar saccharide chain but with higher amounts of 2,3-di-sulfated alpha-units. The sulfated galactan from G. crinale has a lower anticoagulant activity on a clotting assay when compared with the polysaccharide from B. occidentalis. When tested in assays using specific proteases and coagulation inhibitors, these two galactans showed significant differences in their activity. They do not differ in thrombin inhibition mediated by antithrombin, but in assays where heparin cofactor II replaces antithrombin, the sulfated galactan from G. crinale requires a significantly higher concentration to achieve the same inhibitory effect as the polysaccharide from B. occidentalis. In contrast, when factor Xa instead of thrombin is used as the target protease, the sulfated galactan from G. crinale is a more potent anticoagulant. These observations suggest that the proportion and/or the distribution of 2,3-di-sulfated alpha-units along the galactan chain may be a critical structural motif to promote the interaction of the protease with specific protease and coagulation inhibitors.

  18. Higher-Order Sensory Cortex Drives Basolateral Amygdala Activity during the Recall of Remote, but Not Recently Learned Fearful Memories.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cambiaghi, Marco; Grosso, Anna; Likhtik, Ekaterina; Mazziotti, Raffaele; Concina, Giulia; Renna, Annamaria; Sacco, Tiziana; Gordon, Joshua A; Sacchetti, Benedetto

    2016-02-03

    Negative experiences are quickly learned and long remembered. Key unresolved issues in the field of emotional memory include identifying the loci and dynamics of memory storage and retrieval. The present study examined neural activity in the higher-order auditory cortex Te2 and basolateral amygdala (BLA) and their crosstalk during the recall of recent and remote fear memories. To this end, we obtained local field potentials and multiunit activity recordings in Te2 and BLA of rats that underwent recall at 24 h and 30 d after the association of an acoustic conditioned (CS, tone) and an aversive unconditioned stimulus (US, electric shock). Here we show that, during the recall of remote auditory threat memories in rats, the activity of the Te2 and BLA is highly synchronized in the theta frequency range. This functional connectivity stems from memory consolidation processes because it is present during remote, but not recent, memory retrieval. Moreover, the observed increase in synchrony is cue and region specific. A preponderant Te2-to-BLA directionality characterizes this dialogue, and the percentage of time Te2 theta leads the BLA during remote memory recall correlates with a faster latency to freeze to the auditory conditioned stimulus. The blockade of this information transfer via Te2 inhibition with muscimol prevents any retrieval-evoked neuronal activity in the BLA and animals are unable to retrieve remote memories. We conclude that memories stored in higher-order sensory cortices drive BLA activity when distinguishing between learned threatening and neutral stimuli. How and where in the brain do we store the affective/motivational significance of sensory stimuli acquired through life experiences? Scientists have long investigated how "limbic" structures, such as the amygdala, process affective stimuli. Here we show that retrieval of well-established threat memories requires the functional interplay between higher-order components of the auditory cortex and the

  19. Are Total, Intensity- and Domain-Specific Physical Activity Levels Associated with Life Satisfaction among University Students?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pedišić, Željko; Greblo, Zrinka; Phongsavan, Philayrath; Milton, Karen; Bauman, Adrian E.

    2015-01-01

    Background Thorough information about the relationship between physical activity (PA) and life satisfaction is still lacking. Therefore, this study examined the cross-sectional relationships between life satisfaction and meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) moderate to vigorous-intensity PA recommendations, total volume and duration of PA, intensity-specific PA (walking, moderate- and vigorous-intensity), domain-specific PA (work, transport-related, domestic, and leisure-time), and 11 domain and intensity-specific PA types among university students. Additionally, we examined the associations between life satisfaction and gender, age, disposable income, community size, smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index (BMI), and self-rated health. Methods The study included a random sample of 1750 university students in Zagreb, Croatia (response rate = 71.7%; 62.4% females; mean age 21.5 ± 1.8 years), using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire — long form and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Results Higher life satisfaction was associated with female gender (β = 0.13; p = life satisfaction and size of community (p = 0.567), smoking status (p = 0.056), alcohol consumption (p = 0.058), or BMI (p = 0.508). Among all PA variables, only leisure-time vigorous-intensity PA was significantly associated with life satisfaction after adjustments for socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle and self-rated general health (β = 0.06; p = 0.045). Conclusions This study indicated a weak positive relationship between leisure-time vigorous-intensity PA and life satisfaction, whilst no such association was found for other PA variables. These findings underscore the importance of analyzing domain and intensity-specific PA levels in future studies among university students, as drawing conclusions about the relationship between PA and life satisfaction based on total PA levels only may be misleading. PMID:25695492

  20. Experimental study on active specific immunotherapy utilizing the immune reaction of low-dose irradiated tumor tissue, 4

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Imanaka, Kazufumi; Ogawa, Yasuhiro; Gose, Kyuhei; Imajo, Yoshinari; Kimura, Shuji

    1982-01-01

    We have already reported that the effectiveness of active specific immunotherapy using low-dose irradiated tumor cells and infiltrating mononuclear cells. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of non-specific immunopotentiator combined with the active specific immunotherapy. Twelve-week-aged female C3H/He mice transplanted with MM46 tumor were received local radiotherapy with the dose of 3,000 rads by high energy electron beam on the sixth day after inoculation. Active specific immunotherapy was performed on the 13th day, and daily dose of 1.0 KE of OK-432 was injected intraperitoneally from the 13th day to the 17th day. The inhibition of the tumor growth and the elongation of survival period were noted in the group which received active specific immunotherapy combined with non-specific immunopotentiator, OK-432 compared with that active specific immunotherapy alone. (author)

  1. Cancer cell specific cytotoxic gene expression mediated by ARF tumor suppressor promoter constructs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurayoshi, Kenta; Ozono, Eiko; Iwanaga, Ritsuko; Bradford, Andrew P.; Komori, Hideyuki; Ohtani, Kiyoshi

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • ARF promoter showed higher responsiveness to deregulated E2F activity than the E2F1 promoter. • ARF promoter showed higher cancer cell-specificity than E2F1 promoter to drive gene expression. • HSV-TK driven by ARF promoter showed higher cancer cell-specific cytotoxicity than that driven by E2F1 promoter. - Abstract: In current cancer treatment protocols, such as radiation and chemotherapy, side effects on normal cells are major obstacles to radical therapy. To avoid these side effects, a cancer cell-specific approach is needed. One way to specifically target cancer cells is to utilize a cancer specific promoter to express a cytotoxic gene (suicide gene therapy) or a viral gene required for viral replication (oncolytic virotherapy). For this purpose, the selected promoter should have minimal activity in normal cells to avoid side effects, and high activity in a wide variety of cancers to obtain optimal therapeutic efficacy. In contrast to the AFP, CEA and PSA promoters, which have high activity only in a limited spectrum of tumors, the E2F1 promoter exhibits high activity in wide variety of cancers. This is based on the mechanism of carcinogenesis. Defects in the RB pathway and activation of the transcription factor E2F, the main target of the RB pathway, are observed in almost all cancers. Consequently, the E2F1 promoter, which is mainly regulated by E2F, has high activity in wide variety of cancers. However, E2F is also activated by growth stimulation in normal growing cells, suggesting that the E2F1 promoter may also be highly active in normal growing cells. In contrast, we found that the tumor suppressor ARF promoter is activated by deregulated E2F activity, induced by forced inactivation of pRB, but does not respond to physiological E2F activity induced by growth stimulation. We also found that the deregulated E2F activity, which activates the ARF promoter, is detected only in cancer cell lines. These observations suggest that ARF promoter

  2. Cancer cell specific cytotoxic gene expression mediated by ARF tumor suppressor promoter constructs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kurayoshi, Kenta [Department of Bioscience, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1337 (Japan); Ozono, Eiko [Centre for Molecular Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary, University of London, John Vane Science Centre, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ (United Kingdom); Iwanaga, Ritsuko; Bradford, Andrew P. [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Komori, Hideyuki [Center for Stem Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Ohtani, Kiyoshi, E-mail: btm88939@kwansei.ac.jp [Department of Bioscience, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1337 (Japan)

    2014-07-18

    Highlights: • ARF promoter showed higher responsiveness to deregulated E2F activity than the E2F1 promoter. • ARF promoter showed higher cancer cell-specificity than E2F1 promoter to drive gene expression. • HSV-TK driven by ARF promoter showed higher cancer cell-specific cytotoxicity than that driven by E2F1 promoter. - Abstract: In current cancer treatment protocols, such as radiation and chemotherapy, side effects on normal cells are major obstacles to radical therapy. To avoid these side effects, a cancer cell-specific approach is needed. One way to specifically target cancer cells is to utilize a cancer specific promoter to express a cytotoxic gene (suicide gene therapy) or a viral gene required for viral replication (oncolytic virotherapy). For this purpose, the selected promoter should have minimal activity in normal cells to avoid side effects, and high activity in a wide variety of cancers to obtain optimal therapeutic efficacy. In contrast to the AFP, CEA and PSA promoters, which have high activity only in a limited spectrum of tumors, the E2F1 promoter exhibits high activity in wide variety of cancers. This is based on the mechanism of carcinogenesis. Defects in the RB pathway and activation of the transcription factor E2F, the main target of the RB pathway, are observed in almost all cancers. Consequently, the E2F1 promoter, which is mainly regulated by E2F, has high activity in wide variety of cancers. However, E2F is also activated by growth stimulation in normal growing cells, suggesting that the E2F1 promoter may also be highly active in normal growing cells. In contrast, we found that the tumor suppressor ARF promoter is activated by deregulated E2F activity, induced by forced inactivation of pRB, but does not respond to physiological E2F activity induced by growth stimulation. We also found that the deregulated E2F activity, which activates the ARF promoter, is detected only in cancer cell lines. These observations suggest that ARF promoter

  3. Soluble glycoprotein VI, a specific marker of platelet activation is increased in the plasma of subjects with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John R Stack

    Full Text Available Anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA have been shown to cause platelet activation in vitro, through the low-affinity immunoglobulin G (IgG receptor (FcγRIIa on platelets. Platelet activation via engagement of FcγRIIa results in proteolytic cleavage and shedding of platelet specific glycoprotein VI (GPVI which can be detected in the plasma as soluble GPVI (sGPVI. We hypothesized that plasma levels of sGPVI would be increased among patients with seropositive RA as a consequence of antibody-induced platelet activation and GPVI shedding.Samples from 84 patients with RA (65 seropositive and 19 seronegative and 67 healthy controls were collected prospectively and analysed for sGPVI using a standardised ELISA.Patients with seropositive RA had significantly higher levels of sGPVI compared to seronegative RA and controls. Median (IQR sGPVI levels were 4.2 ng/ml (3.2, 8.0 in seropositve RA, 2.2 ng/ml (1.5, 3.5 in seronegative RA and 2.2 ng/ml (1.6, 3.4 in controls (p<0.0001. sGPVI levels correlated with ACPA titres (r = 0.32, p = 0.0026 and with RF titres (r = 0.48, p<0.0001.Plasma sGPVI, a specific marker of platelet activation is increased among patients with seropositive RA.

  4. The length of a lantibiotic hinge region has profound influence on antimicrobial activity and host specificity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liang eZhou

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Lantibiotics are ribosomally synthesized (methyllanthionine containing peptides which can efficiently inhibit the growth of Gram-positive bacteria. As lantibiotics kill bacteria efficiently and resistance to them is difficult to be obtained, they have the potential to be used in many applications, e.g. in pharmaceutical industry or food industry. Nisin can inhibit the growth of Gram-positive bacteria by binding to lipid II and by making pores in their membrane. The C-terminal part of nisin is known to play an important role during translocation over the membrane and forming pore complexes. However, as the thickness of bacterial membranes varies between different species and environmental conditions, this property could have an influence on the pore forming activity of nisin. To investigate this, the so-called hinge region of nisin (residues NMK was engineered to vary from one to six amino acid residues and specific activity against different indicators was compared. Antimicrobial activity in liquid culture assays showed that wild type nisin is most active, while truncation of the hinge region dramatically reduced the activity of the peptide. However, one or two amino acids extensions showed only slightly reduced activity against most indicator strains. Notably, some variants (+2, +1, -1, -2 exhibited higher antimicrobial activity than nisin in agar well diffusion assays against Lactococcus lactis MG1363, Listeria monocytogenes, Enterococcus faecalis VE14089, Bacillus sporothermodurans IC4 and Bacillus cereus 4153 at certain temperatures.

  5. Autocatalytic activity and substrate specificity of the pestivirus N-terminal protease Npro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gottipati, Keerthi; Acholi, Sudheer; Ruggli, Nicolas; Choi, Kyung H.

    2014-01-01

    Pestivirus N pro is the first protein translated in the viral polypeptide, and cleaves itself off co-translationally generating the N-terminus of the core protein. Once released, N pro blocks the host's interferon response by inducing degradation of interferon regulatory factor-3. N pro' s intracellular autocatalytic activity and lack of trans-activity have hampered in vitro cleavage studies to establish its substrate specificity and the roles of individual residues. We constructed N pro -GFP fusion proteins that carry the authentic cleavage site and determined the autoproteolytic activities of N pro proteins containing substitutions at the predicted catalytic sites Glu22 and Cys69, at Arg100 that forms a salt bridge with Glu22, and at the cleavage site Cys168. Contrary to previous reports, we show that N pro' s catalytic activity does not involve Glu22, which may instead be involved in protein stability. Furthermore, N pro does not have specificity for Cys168 at the cleavage site even though this residue is conserved throughout the pestivirus genus. - Highlights: • N pro' s autoproteolysis is studied using N pro -GFP fusion proteins. • N-terminal 17 amino acids are dispensable without loss of protease activity. • The putative catalytic residue Glu22 is not involved in protease catalysis. • No specificity for Cys168 at the cleavage site despite evolutionary conservation. • N pro prefers small amino acids with non-branched beta carbons at the P1 position

  6. A Matching Activity When Entering Higher Education: Ongoing Guidance for the Students or Efficiency Instrument for the School?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mittendorff, Kariene; Faber, Marike; Staman, Laura

    2017-01-01

    In order to lower dropout rates and stimulate student success in higher education, the Dutch government implemented a new law demanding that every higher education institute offer a matching activity to applying students. This article evaluates how students and teachers experience this matching activity. Data were collected in a Dutch university…

  7. Collaborative learning in higher education : design, implementation and evaluation of group learning activities

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hei, de M.S.A.

    2016-01-01

    In higher education, group learning activities (GLAs) are frequently implemented in online, blended or face-to-face educational contexts. A major problem for the design and implementation of good quality GLAs that lead to the desired learning outcomes is that many approaches to GLAs have been

  8. Human active X-specific DNA methylation events showing stability across time and tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joo, Jihoon Eric; Novakovic, Boris; Cruickshank, Mark; Doyle, Lex W; Craig, Jeffrey M; Saffery, Richard

    2014-01-01

    The phenomenon of X chromosome inactivation in female mammals is well characterised and remains the archetypal example of dosage compensation via monoallelic expression. The temporal series of events that culminates in inactive X-specific gene silencing by DNA methylation has revealed a ‘patchwork' of gene inactivation along the chromosome, with approximately 15% of genes escaping. Such genes are therefore potentially subject to sex-specific imbalance between males and females. Aside from XIST, the non-coding RNA on the X chromosome destined to be inactivated, very little is known about the extent of loci that may be selectively silenced on the active X chromosome (Xa). Using longitudinal array-based DNA methylation profiling of two human tissues, we have identified specific and widespread active X-specific DNA methylation showing stability over time and across tissues of disparate origin. Our panel of X-chromosome loci subject to methylation on Xa reflects a potentially novel mechanism for controlling female-specific X inactivation and sex-specific dimorphisms in humans. Further work is needed to investigate these phenomena. PMID:24713664

  9. Mammary gland-specific nuclear factor activity is positively regulated by lactogenic hormones and negatively by milk stasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmitt-Ney, M; Happ, B; Hofer, P; Hynes, N E; Groner, B

    1992-12-01

    The mammary gland-specific nuclear factor (MGF) is a crucial contributor to the regulation of transcription from the beta-casein gene promoter. The beta-casein gene encodes a major milk protein, which is expressed in mammary epithelial cells during lactation and can be induced by lactogenic hormones in the clonal mammary epithelial cell line HC11. We have investigated the specific DNA-binding activity of MGF in mammary epithelial cells in vivo and in vitro. Comparison of MGF in HC11 cells and mammary gland cells from lactating mice revealed molecules with identical DNA-binding properties. Bandshift and UV cross-linking experiments indicated that MGF in HC11 cells has a higher mol wt than MGF found in mice. Little MGF activity was detected in nuclear extracts from HC11 cells cultured in the absence of lactogenic hormones. Lactogenic hormone treatment of HC11 cells led to a strong induction of MGF activity. The induction of MGF activity as well as utilization of the beta-casein promoter were suppressed when epidermal growth factor was present in the tissue culture medium simultaneously with the lactogenic hormones. In lactating animals, MGF activity is regulated by suckling, milk stasis, and systemic hormone signals. The mammary glands from maximally lactating animals, 16 days postpartum, contain drastically reduced MGF activity after removal of the pups for only 8 h. The down-regulation of MGF by pup withdrawal was slower in early lactation, 6 days postpartum. We also investigated the relative contributions of local signals, generated by milk stasis, and systemic hormone signals to the regulation of MGF activity. The access to one row of mammary glands of lactating mothers was denied to the pups for 24 h. High levels of MGF were found in the accessible mammary glands, and intermediate levels of MGF were found in the inaccessible glands of the same mouse. Very low MGF levels were detected when the pups were removed from the dams for 24 h. We conclude that systemic as

  10. Facile determination of the specific activity of carbonyl compounds reduced by tritiated borohydride

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Avigad, G [Rutgers--the State Univ., Piscataway, NJ (USA)

    1979-12-01

    Three procedures are described for microliter samples of glucose 6-phosphate or lactose as model compounds. After the reduction with (/sup 3/H)-NaBH/sub 4/ and suitable treatment, specific activity is calculated from the ratios /sup 3/H activity/total phosphorus, /sup 3/H//sup 14/C activity, or /sup 3/H activity/galactoside concentration.

  11. Benchmark studies of induced radioactivity produced in LHC materials, Part I: Specific activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brugger, M; Khater, H; Mayer, S; Prinz, A; Roesler, S; Ulrici, L; Vincke, H

    2005-01-01

    Samples of materials which will be used in the LHC machine for shielding and construction components were irradiated in the stray radiation field of the CERN-EU high-energy reference field facility. After irradiation, the specific activities induced in the various samples were analysed with a high-precision gamma spectrometer at various cooling times, allowing identification of isotopes with a wide range of half-lives. Furthermore, the irradiation experiment was simulated in detail with the FLUKA Monte Carlo code. A comparison of measured and calculated specific activities shows good agreement, supporting the use of FLUKA for estimating the level of induced activity in the LHC.

  12. Benchmark studies of induced radioactivity produced in LHC materials, part I: Specific activities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brugger, M.; Khater, H.; Mayer, S.; Prinz, A.; Roesler, S.; Ulrici, L.; Vincke, H.

    2005-01-01

    Samples of materials which will be used in the LHC machine for shielding and construction components were irradiated in the stray radiation field of the CERN-EU high-energy reference field facility. After irradiation, the specific activities induced in the various samples were analysed with a high-precision gamma spectrometer at various cooling times, allowing identification of isotopes with a wide range of half-lives. Furthermore, the irradiation experiment was simulated in detail with the FLUKA Monte Carlo code. A comparison of measured and calculated specific activities shows good agreement, supporting the use of FLUKA for estimating the level of induced activity in the LHC. (authors)

  13. 14C specific activity of farm products and marine products collected from the Rokkasho area in Aomori prefecture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muranaka, Takeshi; Honda, Kazuya

    1996-01-01

    We investigated 14 C specific activity of farm products and marine products which were collected from the Rokkasho area in Aomori prefecture from 1988 to 1990. The measured 14 C specific activity of farm products was almost equal to one another with the averaged 14 C specific activity of 0.261 [Bq/g·C]. On the other hand, 14 C specific activity of marine products was slightly lower than those of farm products. Especially that of squid was the lowest among studied marine products. This may be due to the low 14 C specific activity of the sea water surrounding squid. (author)

  14. Comprehensive analysis of the specificity of transcription activator-like effector nucleases

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Juillerat, Alexandre; Dubois, Gwendoline; Valton, Julien

    2014-01-01

    A key issue when designing and using DNA-targeting nucleases is specificity. Ideally, an optimal DNA-targeting tool has only one recognition site within a genomic sequence. In practice, however, almost all designer nucleases available today can accommodate one to several mutations within...... their target site. The ability to predict the specificity of targeting is thus highly desirable. Here, we describe the first comprehensive experimental study focused on the specificity of the four commonly used repeat variable diresidues (RVDs; NI:A, HD:C, NN:G and NG:T) incorporated in transcription activator......-like effector nucleases (TALEN). The analysis of >15 500 unique TALEN/DNA cleavage profiles allowed us to monitor the specificity gradient of the RVDs along a TALEN/DNA binding array and to present a specificity scoring matrix for RVD/nucleotide association. Furthermore, we report that TALEN can only...

  15. The influence of external environment factors on the activity of higher educational establishments in the Russian Federation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olga Leonidovna Guzakova

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The instability of market economy development causes continuous changes in the activity of higher educational establishments. The article deals with the processes, taking place in the system of higher professional education in the Russian Federation in recent decades. On the basis of the analysis of statistical data and normative acts of the Government and Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, the key global and national trends in higher education are identified: increasing demand for higher education, resulted in its considerable offer (the growth of quantitative indicators is not always accompanied by improvement of higher education quality; reduction in the total number of students due to the demographic situation worsening; transition to a multi-level system of higher education under the Bologna process; change in specialties patterns and directions of training specialists with higher professional education due to the economy structural reforms and labor market needs; aggravation of competition. The tendencies lead to the emergence of demographic, political and economic risks. To reduce negative impact of the external risks to the universities’ activity it is necessary to develop corresponding state educational policy in the sphere of higher education and risk management in universities

  16. ASPECTS OF SEASONALITY TOURISTIC ACTIVITY SPECIFIC TO MAMAIA STATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariana C. JUGANARU

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The study of phenomena and social-economic processes under the aspect of their evolution in time, mainly on a short term or intra-annual represents a preoccupation at a micro and macroeconomic level. For the tourism operators, this process includes knowing the touristic market and the anticipations of its evolution, as an important condition for taking decisions in their activity. The aim of this work is to analyze the touristic activity according to seasonality in Mamaia station, using qualitative and quantitative research methods. The study is important through the aspects that emphasize the specific evolution of the touristic activity from this station. For this aim, a database was formed by the monthly values of three indicators of the touristic activity (number of arrivals, number of overnights and the average duration of the stay from the period 2010-2016, using a series of statistic and econometric instruments. The results of the research can be proved by the units that maintain or are connected to the touristic activity, but also to the local administration, in making up the attenuation strategy of the touristic activity concerning the seasonality of Mamaia. Also, the work is a case study for the work with the students (especially, for tourism economy, applied statistics in tourism and marketing.

  17. Experimental study on active specific immunotherapy utilizing the immune reaction of low-dose irradiated tumor tissue, 8

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Imanaka, Kazufumi; Gose, Kyuhei; Ichiyanagi, Akihiro

    1983-01-01

    The effectiveness of active specific immunotherapy prepared from a low-dose irradiated tumor tissue has already reported. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of Mitomycin C-treated active specific immunotherapy. Twelve-week-aged female C3H/He mice transplanted with MM 46 tumors were exposed to local electron radiotherapy with a dose of 3,000 rad on the 5th day after tumor inoculation. Tumor cells prepared for active specific immunotherapy were pretreated with Mitomycin C at concentration of 20 μg/10 7 cells in Eagle MEM Earle containing 100 IU/ml penicillin. The cell suspension was incubated at 37 0 C for 15 minutes. Mitomycin C-treated active specific immunotherapy was performed on the 12th day. Antitumor effect was evaluated by the regression of the tumor and survival curve. The remarkable regression of the tumor and significant elongation of the survival period were observed in the group which received Mitomycin C-treated active specific immunotherapy and the group which received active specific immunotherapy without the treatment of Mitomycin C. (author)

  18. Echicetin coated polystyrene beads: a novel tool to investigate GPIb-specific platelet activation and aggregation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexey Navdaev

    Full Text Available von Willebrand factor/ristocetin (vWF/R induces GPIb-dependent platelet agglutination and activation of αIIbβ3 integrin, which also binds vWF. These conditions make it difficult to investigate GPIb-specific signaling pathways in washed platelets. Here, we investigated the specific mechanisms of GPIb signaling using echicetin-coated polystyrene beads, which specifically activate GPIb. We compared platelet activation induced by echicetin beads to vWF/R. Human platelets were stimulated with polystyrene beads coated with increasing amounts of echicetin and platelet activation by echicetin beads was then investigated to reveal GPIb specific signaling. Echicetin beads induced αIIbβ3-dependent aggregation of washed platelets, while under the same conditions vWF/R treatment led only to αIIbβ3-independent platelet agglutination. The average distance between the echicetin molecules on the polystyrene beads must be less than 7 nm for full platelet activation, while the total amount of echicetin used for activation is not critical. Echicetin beads induced strong phosphorylation of several proteins including p38, ERK and PKB. Synergistic signaling via P2Y12 and thromboxane receptor through secreted ADP and TxA2, respectively, were important for echicetin bead triggered platelet activation. Activation of PKG by the NO/sGC/cGMP pathway inhibited echicetin bead-induced platelet aggregation. Echicetin-coated beads are powerful and reliable tools to study signaling in human platelets activated solely via GPIb and GPIb-triggered pathways.

  19. Echicetin Coated Polystyrene Beads: A Novel Tool to Investigate GPIb-Specific Platelet Activation and Aggregation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petunin, Alexey; Clemetson, Kenneth J.; Gambaryan, Stepan; Walter, Ulrich

    2014-01-01

    von Willebrand factor/ristocetin (vWF/R) induces GPIb-dependent platelet agglutination and activation of αIIbβ3 integrin, which also binds vWF. These conditions make it difficult to investigate GPIb-specific signaling pathways in washed platelets. Here, we investigated the specific mechanisms of GPIb signaling using echicetin-coated polystyrene beads, which specifically activate GPIb. We compared platelet activation induced by echicetin beads to vWF/R. Human platelets were stimulated with polystyrene beads coated with increasing amounts of echicetin and platelet activation by echicetin beads was then investigated to reveal GPIb specific signaling. Echicetin beads induced αIIbβ3-dependent aggregation of washed platelets, while under the same conditions vWF/R treatment led only to αIIbβ3-independent platelet agglutination. The average distance between the echicetin molecules on the polystyrene beads must be less than 7 nm for full platelet activation, while the total amount of echicetin used for activation is not critical. Echicetin beads induced strong phosphorylation of several proteins including p38, ERK and PKB. Synergistic signaling via P2Y12 and thromboxane receptor through secreted ADP and TxA2, respectively, were important for echicetin bead triggered platelet activation. Activation of PKG by the NO/sGC/cGMP pathway inhibited echicetin bead-induced platelet aggregation. Echicetin-coated beads are powerful and reliable tools to study signaling in human platelets activated solely via GPIb and GPIb-triggered pathways. PMID:24705415

  20. Improvement of methodical approaches to higher schools' marketing activity assessment on the basis of Internet technologies application

    OpenAIRE

    Elizaveta E. Tarasova; Evgeny A. Shein

    2014-01-01

    The paper substantiates the necessity of higher schools marketing activity developing on the basis of Internet technologies; suggests the technique of comprehensive assessment of functioning and quality of the site as the main tool of marketing activity on the Internet, substantiates the stages of its implementation and provides the approbation results; suggests strategic directions for the improvement of functioning and quality improvement of a higher school site, which makes it possible to ...

  1. SCIENTIFIC AND INNOVATION ACTIVITIES OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION: THE ESSENCE AND INTERACTION OF THE COMPONENTS

    OpenAIRE

    Meniailo, Viktorija

    2017-01-01

    One of the main directions of state policy in education is the development of scientific and innovation activities at institutions of higher education. It imposes on them additional features related to the inclusion of scientific activities in universities united innovative process for the creating and practical application of new knowledge. The purpose of the article is to establish the relationship between scientific and innovation activities and clarify the essence of scientific and innova...

  2. Using ion-selective electrode for determining iodine-131 preparation specific activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Melnik, M.I.; Nazirova, T.E.

    2002-01-01

    A pilot facility was developed in 2000 for the production of iodine-131. The parameters of the preparation are as follows: chemical form: sodium iodide solution (NaI-131) in a carbonate-bicarbonate buffer (or in 0.001M NaOH); specific activity: carrier free (> 5 Ci/mg); solution pH: 7-10; radionuclide purity: > 99.9%; radiochemical purity: > 97%; bulk activity: 0.15 Ci/ml. The experimental results of investigation aimed at the determination of the specific activity of the I-131 preparation using a iodine-selective electrode are described. The method enables the analytical concentration of iodide ions in the carbonate-bicarbonate buffer (pH = 8-11) and NaOH solution (0.01 mol/l, pH = 8-11) to be determined. A micro-cell has been developed for the analysis of the I-131 solution allowing the sample volume to be reduced to below 0.3 ml. The relative error of determination of the analytical concentration of iodide (10 -6 to 10 -1 mol/l) does not exceed 1%

  3. Production of high-specific activity radionuclides using SM high-flux reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karelin, Ye.A.; Toporov, Yu.G.; Filimonov, V.T.; Vakhetov, F.Z.; Tarasov, V.A.; Kuznetsov, R.A.; Lebedev, V.M.; Andreev, O.I.; Melnik, M.I.; Gavrilov, V.D.

    1997-01-01

    The development of High Specific Activity (HSA) radionuclides production technologies is one of the directions of RIAR activity, and the high flux research reactor SM, having neutron flux density up to 2.10 15 cm -2 s 1 in a wide range of neutron spectra hardness, plays the principal role in this development. The use of a high-flux reactor for radionuclide production provides the following advantages: production of radionuclides with extremely high specific activity, decreasing of impurities content in irradiated targets (both radioactive and non-radioactive), cost-effective use of expensive isotopically enriched target materials. The production technologies of P-33, Gd-153, W-188, Ni-63, Fe-55,59, Sn-113,117m,119m, Sr- 89, applied in industry, nuclear medicine, research, etc, were developed by RIAR during the last 5-10 years. The research work included the development of calculation procedures for radionuclide reactor accumulation forecast, experimental determination of neutron cross-sections, the development of irradiated materials reprocessing procedures, isolation and purification of radionuclides. The principal results are reviewed in the paper. (authors)

  4. Rational design and validation of an anti-protein kinase C active-state specific antibody based on conformational changes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pena, Darlene Aparecida; Andrade, Victor Piana de; Silva, Gabriela Ávila Fernandes; Neves, José Ivanildo; Oliveira, Paulo Sergio Lopes de; Alves, Maria Julia Manso; Devi, Lakshmi A; Schechtman, Deborah

    2016-02-25

    Protein kinase C (PKC) plays a regulatory role in key pathways in cancer. However, since phosphorylation is a step for classical PKC (cPKC) maturation and does not correlate with activation, there is a lack of tools to detect active PKC in tissue samples. Here, a structure-based rational approach was used to select a peptide to generate an antibody that distinguishes active from inactive cPKC. A peptide conserved in all cPKCs, C2Cat, was chosen since modeling studies based on a crystal structure of PKCβ showed that it is localized at the interface between the C2 and catalytic domains of cPKCs in an inactive kinase. Anti-C2Cat recognizes active cPKCs at least two-fold better than inactive kinase in ELISA and immunoprecipitation assays, and detects the temporal dynamics of cPKC activation upon receptor or phorbol stimulation. Furthermore, the antibody is able to detect active PKC in human tissue. Higher levels of active cPKC were observed in the more aggressive triple negative breast cancer tumors as compared to the less aggressive estrogen receptor positive tumors. Thus, this antibody represents a reliable, hitherto unavailable and a valuable tool to study PKC activation in cells and tissues. Similar structure-based rational design strategies can be broadly applied to obtain active-state specific antibodies for other signal transduction molecules.

  5. Tracer technique for measuring specific activity of 63 Ni, using 4πβ-γ

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iwahara, A.

    1979-01-01

    The specific activity of a 6 3 Ni solution has been measured by an efficiency tracer technique using a 4 π β - γ coincidence system. 6 3 Ni was chosen. Because it's a very low energy pure beta emitter. Due to chemical compatibility and beta spectral shapes, 6 0 Co has been chosen as tracer. In the determination of 6 3 Ni, the specific activity. As the efficiency tracer techniques requires a previous knowledge of tracer activity, this has been measured by a conventional 4 π β -γ coincidence method. (author)

  6. Proximity-activated nanoparticles: in vitro performance of specific structural modification by enzymatic cleavage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adam Smith, R; Sewell, Sarah L; Giorgio, Todd D

    2008-01-01

    The development and in vitro performance of a modular nanoscale system capable of specific structural modification by enzymatic activity is described in this work. Due to its small physical size and adaptable characteristics, this system has the potential for utilization in targeted delivery systems and biosensing. Nanoparticle probes were synthesized containing two distinct fluorescent species including a quantum dot base particle and fluorescently labeled cleavable peptide substrate. Activity of these probes was monitored by gel electrophoresis with quantitative cleavage measurements made by fluorometric analysis. The model proximity-activated nanoparticles studied here exhibit significant susceptibility to cleavage by matrix metalloprotease-7 (MMP-7) at physiologically relevant concentrations, with nearly complete cleavage of available substrate molecules after 24 hours. This response is specific to MMP-7 enzyme activity, as cleavage is completely inhibited with the addition of EDTA. Utilization of enzyme-specific modification is a sensitive approach with broad applications for targeted therapeutics and biosensing. The versatility of this nanoparticle system is highlighted in its modular design, as it has the capability to integrate characteristics for detection, biosensing, targeting, and payload delivery into a single, multifunctional nanoparticle structure. PMID:18488420

  7. Comparison of four specific dynamic office chairs with a conventional office chair: impact upon muscle activation, physical activity and posture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellegast, Rolf P; Kraft, Kathrin; Groenesteijn, Liesbeth; Krause, Frank; Berger, Helmut; Vink, Peter

    2012-03-01

    Prolonged and static sitting postures provoke physical inactivity at VDU workplaces and are therefore discussed as risk factors for the musculoskeletal system. Manufacturers have designed specific dynamic office chairs featuring structural elements which promote dynamic sitting and therefore physical activity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of four specific dynamic chairs on erector spinae and trapezius EMG, postures/joint angles and physical activity intensity (PAI) compared to those of a conventional standard office chair. All chairs were fitted with sensors for measurement of the chair parameters (backrest inclination, forward and sideward seat pan inclination), and tested in the laboratory by 10 subjects performing 7 standardized office tasks and by another 12 subjects in the field during their normal office work. Muscle activation revealed no significant differences between the specific dynamic chairs and the reference chair. Analysis of postures/joint angles and PAI revealed only a few differences between the chairs, whereas the tasks performed strongly affected the measured muscle activation, postures and kinematics. The characteristic dynamic elements of each specific chair yielded significant differences in the measured chair parameters, but these characteristics did not appear to affect the sitting dynamics of the subjects performing their office tasks. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  8. Prediagnostic prostate-specific antigen kinetics and the risk of biopsy progression in active surveillance patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iremashvili, Viacheslav; Barney, Shane L; Manoharan, Murugesan; Kava, Bruce R; Parekh, Dipen J; Punnen, Sanoj

    2016-04-01

    To analyze the association between prediagnostic prostate-specific antigen kinetics and the risk of biopsy progression in prostate cancer patients on active surveillance, and to study the effect of prediagnostic prostate-specific antigen values on the predictive performance of prostate-specific antigen velocity and prostate-specific antigen doubling time. The study included 137 active surveillance patients with two or more prediagnostic prostate-specific antigen levels measured over a period of at least 3 months. Two sets of analyses were carried out. First, the association between prostate-specific antigen kinetics calculated using only the prediagnostic prostate-specific antigen values and the risk of biopsy progression was studied. Second, using the same cohort of patients, the predictive value of prostate-specific antigen kinetics calculated using only post-diagnostic prostate-specific antigens and compared with that of prostate-specific antigen kinetics based on both pre- and post-diagnostic prostate-specific antigen levels was analyzed. Of 137 patients included in the analysis, 37 (27%) had biopsy progression over a median follow-up period of 3.2 years. Prediagnostic prostate-specific antigen velocity of more than 2 ng/mL/year and 3 ng/mL/year was statistically significantly associated with the risk of future biopsy progression. However, after adjustment for baseline prostate-specific antigen density, these associations were no longer significant. None of the tested prostate-specific antigen kinetics based on combined pre- and post-diagnostic prostate-specific antigen values were statistically significantly associated with the risk of biopsy progression. Historical prediagnostic prostate-specific antigens seems to be not clinically useful in patients diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer on active surveillance. © 2016 The Japanese Urological Association.

  9. Mechanisms of Attracting Investments within the Activity of Higher Educational Institutions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kuzmin Oleh Ye.

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Mechanisms of attracting innovations within the activity of higher educational institutions are considered. Features of educational innovations arising from the immanent nature of the sector are characterized. The attention is focused on the applied aspect of educational innovations. The emphasis is placed on the need for rapid adaptation of higher education of the present time to new social realities, civilizational challenges, giving consideration to trends and prospects for human development. The state of introduction of educational innovations in leading European countries and the USA, their orientation to the introduction and promotion of e-learning that has formed a powerful market with characteristics inherent in it is considered. It is pointed up that the growth of the popularity of e-schools has led to global changes in educational systems of many countries of the world. The situation of the popularization of e-learning in China and Africa is studied. There identified trends in the development of e-learning that in the long term should ensure continuous education throughout life. The state of introduction of educational innovations in the system of the higher school of Ukraine is described. The prospects of innovative processes in the sphere of education are outlined, and promising directions of attracting educational innovations are indicated.

  10. Temperature dependent investigation on optically active process of higher-order bands in irradiated silicon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shi Yi; Nanjing Univ., JS; Wu Fengmei; Nanjing Univ., JS; Zheng Youdou; Nanjing Univ., JS; Suezawa, M.; Imai, M.; Sumino, K.

    1996-01-01

    Optically active processes of the higher-order bands (HOB) are investigated at different temperatures in fast neutron irradiated silicon using Fourier transform infrared absorption measurement. It is shown that the optically active process is nearly temperature independent below 80 K, the slow decay process remains up to a heating temperature of 180 K. The observations are analyzed in terms of the relaxation behavior of photoexcited carriers governed by fast neutron radiation induced defect clusters. (orig.)

  11. “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life!” – Higher Hypomania Scores Are Associated with Higher Mental Toughness, Increased Physical Activity, and Lower Symptoms of Depression and Lower Sleep Complaints

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leila Jahangard

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: In the present study, we explored the associations between hypomania, symptoms of depression, sleep complaints, physical activity and mental toughness. The latter construct has gained interest for its association with a broad variety of favorable behavior in both clinical and non-clinical samples.Subjects and Methods: The non-clinical sample consisted of 206 young adults (M = 21.3 years; age range: 18–24 years; 57.3% males. They completed questionnaires covering hypomania, mental toughness, symptoms of depression, physical activity, and sleep quality.Results: Higher hypomania scores were associated with higher mental toughness, increased physical activity, lower symptoms of depression and lower sleep complaints. No gender differences were observed. Higher hypomania scores were predicted by higher scores of mental toughness subscales of control and challenge, and physical activity.Conclusion: The pattern of results suggests that among a non-clinical sample of young adults, self-rated hypomania scores were associated with higher scores on mental toughness and physical activity, along with lower depression and sleep complaints. The pattern of results further suggests that hypomania traits are associated with a broad range of favorable psychological, behavioral and sleep-related traits, at least among a non-clinical sample of young adults.

  12. Synthesis of glycolic acid-1-14C of high specific activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramamurthy, T.V.; Viswanathan, K.V.

    1987-01-01

    A simple procedure is described which efficiently converts traces of 14 C labelled cyanide present as a dilute solution into glycolic acid-1- 14 C with more than 85% radiochemical recovery and of high specific activity. (author)

  13. Zymomonas mobilis for fuel ethanol and higher value products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, P L; Jeon, Y J; Lee, K J; Lawford, H G

    2007-01-01

    High oil prices, increasing focus on renewable carbohydrate-based feedstocks for fuels and chemicals, and the recent publication of its genome sequence, have provided continuing stimulus for studies on Zymomonas mobilis. However, despite its apparent advantages of higher yields and faster specific rates when compared to yeasts, no commercial scale fermentations currently exist which use Z. mobilis for the manufacture of fuel ethanol. This may change with the recent announcement of a Dupont/Broin partnership to develop a process for conversion of lignocellulosic residues, such as corn stover, to fuel ethanol using recombinant strains of Z. mobilis. The research leading to the construction of these strains, and their fermentation characteristics, are described in the present review. The review also addresses opportunities offered by Z. mobilis for higher value products through its metabolic engineering and use of specific high activity enzymes.

  14. Higher Physical Activity is Associated with Increased Attentional Network Connectivity in the Healthy Elderly

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Geon Ha Kim

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the potential alterations in structural network properties related to physical activity (PA in healthy elderly. We recruited 76 elderly individuals with normal cognition from Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, Korea. All participants underwent the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery and 3.0T brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI. Participants were subdivided into quartiles according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire scores, which represents the amount of PA. Through graph theory based analyses, we compared global and local network topologies according to PA quartile. The higher PA group demonstrated better performance in speed processing compared to the lower PA group. Regional nodal strength also significantly increased in the higher PA group, which involved the bilateral middle frontal, bilateral inferior parietal, right medial orbitofrontal, right superior and middle temporal gyri. These results were further replicated when the highest and the lowest quartile groups were compared in terms of regional nodal strengths and local efficiency. Our findings that the regional nodal strengths associated with the attentional network were increased in the higher PA group suggest the preventive effects of PA on age-related cognitive decline, especially in attention.

  15. Integrin specificity and enhanced cellular activities associated with surfaces presenting a recombinant fibronectin fragment compared to RGD supports.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petrie, Timothy A; Capadona, Jeffrey R; Reyes, Catherine D; García, Andrés J

    2006-11-01

    Biomimetic strategies focusing on presenting short bioadhesive oligopeptides, including the arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) motif present in numerous adhesive proteins, on a non-fouling support have emerged as promising approaches to improve cellular activities and healing responses. Nevertheless, these bio-inspired strategies are limited by low activity of the oligopeptides compared to the native ligand due to the absence of complementary or modulatory domains. In the present analysis, we generated well-defined biointerfaces presenting RGD-based ligands of increasing complexity to directly compare their biological activities in terms of cell adhesion strength, integrin binding and signaling. Mixed self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiols on gold were optimized to engineer robust supports that present anchoring groups for ligand tethering within a non-fouling, protein adsorption-resistant background. Controlled bioadhesive interfaces were generated by tethering adhesive ligands via standard peptide chemistry. On a molar basis, biointerfaces functionalized with the FNIII7-10 recombinant fragment presenting the RGD and PHSRN adhesive motifs in the correct structural context exhibited significantly higher adhesion strength, FAK activation, and cell proliferation rate than supports presenting RGD ligand or RGD-PHSRN, an oligopeptide presenting these two sites separated by a polyglycine linker. Moreover, FNIII7-10-functionalized surfaces displayed specificity for alpha5beta1 integrin, while cell adhesion to supports presenting RGD or RGD-PHSRN was primarily mediated by alphavbeta3 integrin. These results are significant to the rational engineering of bioactive materials that convey integrin binding specificity for directed cellular and tissue responses in biomedical and biotechnological applications.

  16. Policymaking as a Multi-Layered Activity. A Case Study from the Higher Education Sector in Norway

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ljosland, Ragnhild

    2015-01-01

    This paper deals with policymaking in the higher education sector as an activity which happens on many levels, with many and varying interests involved. As the present thematic issue highlights, language is present in higher education policymaking, whether explicitly or implicitly. This special issue's initial claim is that "Policy is what…

  17. Transplant experiments uncover Baltic Sea basin-specific responses in bacterioplankton community composition and metabolic activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindh, Markus V; Figueroa, Daniela; Sjöstedt, Johanna; Baltar, Federico; Lundin, Daniel; Andersson, Agneta; Legrand, Catherine; Pinhassi, Jarone

    2015-01-01

    Anthropogenically induced changes in precipitation are projected to generate increased river runoff to semi-enclosed seas, increasing loads of terrestrial dissolved organic matter and decreasing salinity. To determine how bacterial community structure and functioning adjust to such changes, we designed microcosm transplant experiments with Baltic Proper (salinity 7.2) and Bothnian Sea (salinity 3.6) water. Baltic Proper bacteria generally reached higher abundances than Bothnian Sea bacteria in both Baltic Proper and Bothnian Sea water, indicating higher adaptability. Moreover, Baltic Proper bacteria growing in Bothnian Sea water consistently showed highest bacterial production and beta-glucosidase activity. These metabolic responses were accompanied by basin-specific changes in bacterial community structure. For example, Baltic Proper Pseudomonas and Limnobacter populations increased markedly in relative abundance in Bothnian Sea water, indicating a replacement effect. In contrast, Roseobacter and Rheinheimera populations were stable or increased in abundance when challenged by either of the waters, indicating an adjustment effect. Transplants to Bothnian Sea water triggered the initial emergence of particular Burkholderiaceae populations, and transplants to Baltic Proper water triggered Alteromonadaceae populations. Notably, in the subsequent re-transplant experiment, a priming effect resulted in further increases to dominance of these populations. Correlated changes in community composition and metabolic activity were observed only in the transplant experiment and only at relatively high phylogenetic resolution. This suggested an importance of successional progression for interpreting relationships between bacterial community composition and functioning. We infer that priming effects on bacterial community structure by natural episodic events or climate change induced forcing could translate into long-term changes in bacterial ecosystem process rates.

  18. Higher frequency network activity flow predicts lower frequency node activity in intrinsic low-frequency BOLD fluctuations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bajaj, Sahil; Adhikari, Bhim Mani; Dhamala, Mukesh

    2013-01-01

    The brain remains electrically and metabolically active during resting conditions. The low-frequency oscillations (LFO) of the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) coherent across distributed brain regions are known to exhibit features of this activity. However, these intrinsic oscillations may undergo dynamic changes in time scales of seconds to minutes during resting conditions. Here, using wavelet-transform based time-frequency analysis techniques, we investigated the dynamic nature of default-mode networks from intrinsic BOLD signals recorded from participants maintaining visual fixation during resting conditions. We focused on the default-mode network consisting of the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), left middle temporal cortex (LMTC) and left angular gyrus (LAG). The analysis of the spectral power and causal flow patterns revealed that the intrinsic LFO undergo significant dynamic changes over time. Dividing the frequency interval 0 to 0.25 Hz of LFO into four intervals slow-5 (0.01-0.027 Hz), slow-4 (0.027-0.073 Hz), slow-3 (0.073-0.198 Hz) and slow-2 (0.198-0.25 Hz), we further observed significant positive linear relationships of slow-4 in-out flow of network activity with slow-5 node activity, and slow-3 in-out flow of network activity with slow-4 node activity. The network activity associated with respiratory related frequency (slow-2) was found to have no relationship with the node activity in any of the frequency intervals. We found that the net causal flow towards a node in slow-3 band was correlated with the number of fibers, obtained from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data, from the other nodes connecting to that node. These findings imply that so-called resting state is not 'entirely' at rest, the higher frequency network activity flow can predict the lower frequency node activity, and the network activity flow can reflect underlying structural

  19. Autocatalytic activity and substrate specificity of the pestivirus N-terminal protease Npro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gottipati, Keerthi; Acholi, Sudheer; Ruggli, Nicolas; Choi, Kyung H

    2014-03-01

    Pestivirus N(pro) is the first protein translated in the viral polypeptide, and cleaves itself off co-translationally generating the N-terminus of the core protein. Once released, N(pro) blocks the host׳s interferon response by inducing degradation of interferon regulatory factor-3. N(pro׳)s intracellular autocatalytic activity and lack of trans-activity have hampered in vitro cleavage studies to establish its substrate specificity and the roles of individual residues. We constructed N(pro)-GFP fusion proteins that carry the authentic cleavage site and determined the autoproteolytic activities of N(pro) proteins containing substitutions at the predicted catalytic sites Glu22 and Cys69, at Arg100 that forms a salt bridge with Glu22, and at the cleavage site Cys168. Contrary to previous reports, we show that N(pro׳)s catalytic activity does not involve Glu22, which may instead be involved in protein stability. Furthermore, N(pro) does not have specificity for Cys168 at the cleavage site even though this residue is conserved throughout the pestivirus genus. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. SEVERAL ASPECTS REGARDING THE SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES FROM MUREŞ DEFILE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    George-Bogdan TOFAN

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The geographical location, as well as the natural conditions (the relief’s morphometry, less than favourable climatic conditions, as well as the presence of shallow soils played a deciding role in developing some activities characteristic to mountain areas, mainly represented by forestry and animal husbandry, with peaks and lows caused by social and historical factors that also affected the population of the area. Agriculture became one of the most important components of the defile’s economy, and still remains the main source of nourishment and income for a rather significant part of the population. When it comes to industry, it developed based on the extraction and exploitation of the area’s natural riches (construction rocks, mineral waters, timber, which are then incorporated into the economic circuit. The tertiary activities, in a strong correlation with the territory’s specificity, are less representative, trade being the one activity that stands out (timber, mineral water, construction rocks.

  1. A specific metabolic pattern related to the hallucinatory activity in schizophrenia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huret, J.D.; Martinot, J.L.; Lesur, A.; Mazoyer, B.; Pappata, S.; Syrota, A.; Baron, J.C.; Lemperiere, T.

    1988-01-01

    A clinical and PEI study using 18 F - fluorodesoxyglucose for measuring local cerebral glucose metabolism with the aim of showing a specific pattern related to the hallucinatory activity, is presented in schizophrenic patients all experiencing hallucinations or pseudo-halluccinations

  2. A non-specific biomarker of disease activity in HIV/AIDS patients ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: A general non-specific marker of disease activity that could alert the clinician and prompt further investiga- tion would be of ... laration of Helsinki, the National Health Act and the ..... CD8+ lymphocytes and neopterin are related to.

  3. Priming anticancer active specific immunotherapy with dendritic cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mocellin, Simone

    2005-06-01

    Dendritic cells (DCs) probably represent the most powerful naturally occurring immunological adjuvant for anticancer vaccines. However, the initial enthusiasm for DC-based vaccines is being tempered by clinical results not meeting expectations. The partial failure of current vaccine formulations is explained by the extraordinary complexity of the immune system, which makes the task of exploiting the potential of such a biotherapeutic approach highly challenging. Clinical findings obtained in humans so far indicate that the immune system can be actively polarized against malignant cells by means of DC-based active specific immunotherapy, and that in some cases this is associated with tumor regression. This implies that under some unique circumstances, the naturally 'dormant' immune effectors can actually be employed as endogenous weapons against malignant cells. Only the thorough understanding of DC biology and tumor-host immune system interactions will allow researchers to reproduce, in a larger set of patients, the cellular/molecular conditions leading to an effective immune-mediated eradication of cancer.

  4. Knowledge about Sounds – Context-Specific Meaning Differently Activates Cortical Hemispheres, Auditory Cortical Fields and Layers in House Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diana B. Geissler

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Activation of the auditory cortex (AC by a given sound pattern is plastic, depending, in largely unknown ways, on the physiological state and the behavioral context of the receiving animal and on the receiver's experience with the sounds. Such plasticity can be inferred when house mouse mothers respond maternally to pup ultrasounds right after parturition and naïve females have to learn to respond. Here we use c-FOS immunocytochemistry to quantify highly activated neurons in the AC fields and layers of seven groups of mothers and naïve females who have different knowledge about and are differently motivated to respond to acoustic models of pup ultrasounds of different behavioral significance. Profiles of FOS-positive cells in the AC primary fields (AI, AAF, the ultrasonic field (UF, the secondary field (AII, and the dorsoposterior field (DP suggest that activation reflects in AI, AAF, and UF the integration of sound properties with animal state-dependent factors, in the higher-order field AII the news value of a given sound in the behavioral context, and in the higher-order field DP the level of maternal motivation and, by left-hemisphere activation advantage, the recognition of the meaning of sounds in the given context. Anesthesia reduced activation in all fields, especially in cortical layers 2/3. Thus, plasticity in the AC is field-specific preparing different output of AC fields in the process of perception, recognition and responding to communication sounds. Further, the activation profiles of the auditory cortical fields suggest the differentiation between brains hormonally primed to know (mothers and brains which acquired knowledge via implicit learning (naïve females. In this way, auditory cortical activation discriminates between instinctive (mothers and learned (naïve females cognition.

  5. Enzymatic Activity of Free-Prostate-Specific Antigen (f-PSA) Is Not Required for Some of its Physiological Activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chadha, Kailash C.; Nair, Bindukumar B.; Chakravarthi, Srikant; Zhou, Rita; Godoy, Alejandro; Mohler, James L.; Aalinkeel, Ravikumar; Schwartz, Stanley A.; Smith, Gary J.

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND Prostate specific antigen (PSA) is a well known biomarker for early diagnosis and management of prostate cancer. Furthermore, PSA has been documented to have anti-angiogenic and anti-tumorigenic activities in both in vitro and in vivo studies. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism(s) involved in regulation of these processes, in particular the role of the serine-protease enzymatic activity of PSA. METHODS Enzymatic activity of PSA isolated directly from seminal plasma was inhibited specifically (>95%) by incubation with zinc2+. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were utilized to compare/contrast the physiological effects of enzymatically active versus inactive PSA. RESULTS Equimolar concentrations of enzymatically active PSA and PSA enzymatically inactivated by incubation with Zn2+ had similar physiological effects on HUVEC, including inhibiting the gene expression of pro-angiogenic growth factors, like VEGF and bFGF, and up-regulation of expression of the anti-angiogenic growth factor IFN-γ; suppression of mRNA expression for markers of blood vessel development, like FAK, FLT, KDR, TWIST-1; P-38; inhibition of endothelial tube formation in the in vitro Matrigel Tube Formation Assay; and inhibition of endothelial cell invasion and migration properties. DISCUSSION Our data provides compelling evidence that the transcriptional regulatory and the anti-angiogenic activities of human PSA are independent of the innate enzymatic activity PMID:21446007

  6. Low Specific Activity materials concepts are being reevaluated

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rawl, R.R.

    1993-01-01

    Many types of radioactive low-level waste are classified, packaged, and transported as Low-Specific Activity (LSA) material. The transportation regulations allow LSA materials to be shipped in economical packagings and, under certain conditions, waives compliance with other detailed requirements such as labeling. The fundamental concepts which support the LSA category are being thoroughly reevaluated to determine the defensibility of the provisions. A series of national and international events are leading to the development of new dose models which are likely to fundamentally change the ways these materials are defined. Similar basis changes are likely for the packaging requirements applicable to these materials

  7. Development of a GAL4-VP16/UAS trans-activation system for tissue specific expression in Medicago truncatula.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amélie Sevin-Pujol

    Full Text Available Promoters with tissue-specific activity are very useful to address cell-autonomous and non cell autonomous functions of candidate genes. Although this strategy is widely used in Arabidopsis thaliana, its use to study tissue-specific regulation of root symbiotic interactions in legumes has only started recently. Moreover, using tissue specific promoter activity to drive a GAL4-VP16 chimeric transcription factor that can bind short upstream activation sequences (UAS is an efficient way to target and enhance the expression of any gene of interest. Here, we developed a collection of promoters with different root cell layers specific activities in Medicago truncatula and tested their abilities to drive the expression of a chimeric GAL4-VP16 transcription factor in a trans-activation UAS: β-Glucuronidase (GUS reporter gene system. By developing a binary vector devoted to modular Golden Gate cloning together with a collection of adapted tissue specific promoters and coding sequences we could test the activity of four of these promoters in trans-activation GAL4/UAS systems and compare them to "classical" promoter GUS fusions. Roots showing high levels of tissue specific expression of the GUS activity could be obtained with this trans-activation system. We therefore provide the legume community with new tools for efficient modular Golden Gate cloning, tissue specific expression and a trans-activation system. This study provides the ground work for future development of stable transgenic lines in Medicago truncatula.

  8. [Gender-specific manifestations of daily physical activity and sedentary behaviour in elderly people of Surgut].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loginov, S I; Malkov, M N; Nikolayev, A Yu

    2017-01-01

    Objective of the study was to establish gender-specific characteristics of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior in elderly people living in Yugra North. 295 residents of Surgut (102 men aged 62,9±5,3 years, 35%; 193 women aged 61,9±3,8 years, 65%) were subject to a IPAQ-RU questionnaire. The study revealed the gender-specific differences in body length and mass, body mass and body fat indices. It was detected that more energy is spent on the housework and physical activity in the country (moderate-intensity physical activity for women and high-intensity one for men). The study data showed no statistically significant gender-specific differences in general physical activity. Sedentary behavior is more popular among men rather than women (2543 vs 2441 min/week). 47% of low-active men and 56% of women reported the sitting times of 6-9 hours per day, 42% - 9-12 hours per day. Actions need to be taken to increase physical activity which is low at the moment and decrease sedentary behavior which is currently on the high level.

  9. Experimental study on active specific immunotherapy utilizing the immune reaction of low-dose irradiated tumor tissue, 7

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogawa, Yasuhiro; Maeda, Tomoho; Yoshida, Shoji; Yamamoto, Yoichi; Morita, Masaru

    1983-01-01

    We have already reported the remarkable effect of the active specific immunotherapy utilizing cryopreserved tumor cells and infiltrating mononuclear cells prepared from a lowdose irradiated tumor tissue after cytoreductive radiotherapy. In the present study, the effect of a biological response modifier, PSK combined with this active specific immunotherapy was investigated. Twelve-week-aged female C3H/He mice transplanted with MM46 tumor cells were received local radiotherapy with the dose of 3,000 rads by high energy electron beam on the fifth day after tumor inoculation. This active specific immunotherapy was performed on the twelveth day, and daily dose of 200 mg/kg of PSK was injected intraperitoneally from the sixth day to the tenth day. The more inhibition of the tumor growth was observed in the group which received this active specific immunotherapy combined with a biological response modifier, PSK compared with that received this active specific immunotherapy alone. (author)

  10. Experimental study on active specific immunotherapy utilizing the immune reaction of low-dose irradiated tumor tissue, 5

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogawa, Yasuhiro; Imanaka, Kazufumi; Gose, Kyuhei; Imajo, Yoshinari; Kimura, Shuji

    1982-01-01

    We have already reported the remarkable effect of the active specific immunotherapy utilizing cryopreserved tumor cells and infiltrating mononuclear cells prepared from a low-dose irradiated tumor tissue after cytoreductive radiotherapy. In the present study, the effect of a biological response modifier, OK-432 combined with this active specific immunotherapy was investigated. Twelve-week-aged female C3H/He mice transplanted with MM46 tumor cells were received local radiotherapy with the dose of 3,000 rads by high energy electron beam on the sixth day after inoculation. This active specific immunotherapy was performed on the thirteenth day, and daily dose of 1.0 KE of OK-432 was injected intraperitoneally from the thirteenth day to the seventeenth day. The inhibition of the tumor growth was observed in the group which received this active specific immunotherapy combined with a biological response modifier, OK-432 compared with that received this active specific immunotherapy alone. (author)

  11. Preparation of 80-82BrNa of high specific activity in the Chatillon pile

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fisher, C.; Herczeg, C.; Laurent, H.

    1951-10-01

    The Szilard-Chalmers reaction was used to concentrate the 80,82 Br produced by pile irradiation of an organic bromide, solvent partition being carried out between benzene and H 2 S-saturated H-2O. Specific activities produced by various lengths of irradiation of bromoform, ethyl bromide, and ethylene bromide are tabulated. Bromoform is recommended for production since it gives the highest specific activity. The enrichment factor decreases with extended irradiation time

  12. Subcellular Targeting of Methylmercury Lyase Enhances Its Specific Activity for Organic Mercury Detoxification in Plants1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bizily, Scott P.; Kim, Tehryung; Kandasamy, Muthugapatti K.; Meagher, Richard B.

    2003-01-01

    Methylmercury is an environmental pollutant that biomagnifies in the aquatic food chain with severe consequences for humans and other animals. In an effort to remove this toxin in situ, we have been engineering plants that express the bacterial mercury resistance enzymes organomercurial lyase MerB and mercuric ion reductase MerA. In vivo kinetics experiments suggest that the diffusion of hydrophobic organic mercury to MerB limits the rate of the coupled reaction with MerA (Bizily et al., 2000). To optimize reaction kinetics for organic mercury compounds, the merB gene was engineered to target MerB for accumulation in the endoplasmic reticulum and for secretion to the cell wall. Plants expressing the targeted MerB proteins and cytoplasmic MerA are highly resistant to organic mercury and degrade organic mercury at 10 to 70 times higher specific activity than plants with the cytoplasmically distributed wild-type MerB enzyme. MerB protein in endoplasmic reticulum-targeted plants appears to accumulate in large vesicular structures that can be visualized in immunolabeled plant cells. These results suggest that the toxic effects of organic mercury are focused in microenvironments of the secretory pathway, that these hydrophobic compartments provide more favorable reaction conditions for MerB activity, and that moderate increases in targeted MerB expression will lead to significant gains in detoxification. In summary, to maximize phytoremediation efficiency of hydrophobic pollutants in plants, it may be beneficial to target enzymes to specific subcellular environments. PMID:12586871

  13. Mycobacteria-specific cytokine responses as correlates of treatment response in active and latent tuberculosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clifford, Vanessa; Tebruegge, Marc; Zufferey, Christel; Germano, Susie; Forbes, Ben; Cosentino, Lucy; McBryde, Emma; Eisen, Damon; Robins-Browne, Roy; Street, Alan; Denholm, Justin; Curtis, Nigel

    2017-08-01

    A biomarker indicating successful tuberculosis (TB) therapy would assist in determining appropriate length of treatment. This study aimed to determine changes in mycobacteria-specific antigen-induced cytokine biomarkers in patients receiving therapy for latent or active TB, to identify biomarkers potentially correlating with treatment success. A total of 33 adults with active TB and 36 with latent TB were followed longitudinally over therapy. Whole blood stimulation assays using mycobacteria-specific antigens (CFP-10, ESAT-6, PPD) were done on samples obtained at 0, 1, 3, 6 and 9 months. Cytokine responses (IFN-γ, IL-1ra, IL-2, IL-10, IL-13, IP-10, MIP-1β, and TNF-α) in supernatants were measured by Luminex xMAP immunoassay. In active TB cases, median IL-1ra (with CFP-10 and with PPD stimulation), IP-10 (CFP-10, ESAT-6), MIP-1β (ESAT-6, PPD), and TNF-α (ESAT-6) responses declined significantly over the course of therapy. In latent TB cases, median IL-1ra (CFP-10, ESAT-6, PPD), IL-2 (CFP-10, ESAT-6), and IP-10 (CFP-10, ESAT-6) responses declined significantly. Mycobacteria-specific cytokine responses change significantly over the course of therapy, and their kinetics in active TB differ from those observed in latent TB. In particular, mycobacteria-specific IL-1ra responses are potential correlates of successful therapy in both active and latent TB. Copyright © 2017 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Objectively-determined intensity- and domain-specific physical activity and sedentary behavior in relation to percent body fat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheers, Tineke; Philippaerts, Renaat; Lefevre, Johan

    2013-12-01

    This study examined the independent and joint associations of overall, intensity-specific and domain-specific physical activity and sedentary behavior with bioelectrical impedance-determined percent body fat. Physical activity was measured in 442 Flemish adults (41.4 ± 9.8 years) using the SenseWear Armband and an electronic diary. Two-way analyses of covariance investigated the interaction of physical activity and sedentary behavior with percent body fat. Multiple linear regression analyses, adjusted for potential confounders, examined the associations of intensity-specific and domain-specific physical activity and sedentary behavior with percent body fat. Results showed a significant main effect for physical activity in both genders and for sedentary behavior in women, but no interaction effects. Light activity was positively (β = 0.41 for men and 0.43 for women) and moderate (β = -0.64 and -0.41), vigorous (β = -0.21 and -0.24) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) inversely associated with percent body fat, independent of sedentary time. Regarding domain-specific physical activity, significant associations were present for occupation, leisure time and household chores, irrespective of sedentary time. The positive associations between body fat and total and domain-specific sedentary behavior diminished after MVPA was controlled for. MVPA during leisure time, occupation and household chores may be essential to prevent fat gain. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

  15. Considerations for higher efficiency and productivity in research activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forero, Diego A; Moore, Jason H

    2016-01-01

    There are several factors that are known to affect research productivity; some of them imply the need for large financial investments and others are related to work styles. There are some articles that provide suggestions for early career scientists (PhD students and postdocs) but few publications are oriented to professors about scientific leadership. As academic mentoring might be useful at all levels of experience, in this note we suggest several key considerations for higher efficiency and productivity in academic and research activities. More research is needed into the main work style features that differentiate highly productive scientists and research groups, as some of them could be innate and others could be transferable. As funding agencies, universities and research centers invest large amounts of money in order to have a better scientific productivity, a deeper understanding of these factors will be of high academic and societal impact.

  16. Thyroid hormone and retinoic acid nuclear receptors: specific ligand-activated transcription factors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brtko, J.

    1998-01-01

    Transcriptional regulation by both the thyroid hormone and the vitamin A-derived 'retinoid hormones' is a critical component in controlling many aspects of higher vertebrate development and metabolism. Their functions are mediated by nuclear receptors, which comprise a large super-family of ligand-inducible transcription factors. Both the thyroid hormone and the retinoids are involved in a complex arrangement of physiological and development responses in many tissues of higher vertebrates. The functions of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T 3 ), the thyromimetically active metabolite of thyroxine as well as all-trans retinoic acid, the biologically active vitamin A metabolite are mediated by nuclear receptor proteins that are members of the steroid/thyroid/retinoid hormone receptor family. The functions of all members of the receptor super family are discussed. (authors)

  17. Pedagogical Conditions of Multilevel Foreign Languages Teaching in Pedagogical Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kadakin, Vasily V.; Shukshina, Tatiana I.; Piskunova, Svetlana I.; Babushkina, Larisa E.; Falileev, Alexander E.

    2016-01-01

    This article is devoted to pedagogical conditions of multilevel foreign languages teaching in pedagogical higher education. The purpose of the study is to form the students' skills in foreign language mastering, to form the ability to operate independently and autonomously in this activity, both in the specific learning situation, and in the…

  18. Kinetics of antigen specific and non-specific polyclonal B-cell responses during lethal Plasmodium yoelii malaria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laurence Rolland

    1992-06-01

    Full Text Available In order to study the kinetics and composition of the polyclonal B-cell activation associated to malaria infection, antigen-specific and non-specific B-cell responses were evaluated in the spleens of mice infected with Plasmodium yoelii 17 XL or injected with lysed erythrocytes or plasma from P. yoelii infected mice or with P. falciparum culture supernatants. Spleen/body weigth ratio, numbers of nucleated spleen cells and Immunoglobulin-containing and Immunoglobulin-secreting cells increased progressively during the course of infection,in parallel to the parasitemia. A different pattern of kinetics was observed when anti-sheep red blood cell and anti-trinitrophenylated-sheep red blood cell plaque forming cells response were studied: maximum values were observed at early stages of infection, whereas the number of total Immunoglobulin-containing and Immunoglobulin-secreting cells were not yet altered. Conversely, at the end of infection, when these latter values reached their maximum, the anti-sheep red blood cell and anti-trinitrophenylated-sheep red blood cell specific responses were normal or even infranormal. In mice injected with Plasmodium-derived material, a higher increase in antigen-specific PFC was observed, as compared to the increase of Immunoglobulin-containing and Immunoglobulin-secreting cell numbers. This suggested a "preferential" (antigen-plus mitogen-induced stimulation of antigen-specific cells rather than a generalized non-specific (mitogen-induced triggering of B-lymphocytes. On the basis of these and previous results, it is suggested that polyclonal B-cell activation that takes place during the course of infection appears as a result of successive waves of antigen-specific B-cell activation.

  19. Specific Sirt1 Activator-mediated Improvement in Glucose Homeostasis Requires Sirt1-Independent Activation of AMPK

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sung-Jun Park

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The specific Sirt1 activator SRT1720 increases mitochondrial function in skeletal muscle, presumably by activating Sirt1. However, Sirt1 gain of function does not increase mitochondrial function, which raises a question about the central role of Sirt1 in SRT1720 action. Moreover, it is believed that the metabolic effects of SRT1720 occur independently of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK, an important metabolic regulator that increases mitochondrial function. Here, we show that SRT1720 activates AMPK in a Sirt1-independent manner and SRT1720 activates AMPK by inhibiting a cAMP degrading phosphodiesterase (PDE in a competitive manner. Inhibiting the cAMP effector protein Epac prevents SRT1720 from activating AMPK or Sirt1 in myotubes. Moreover, SRT1720 does not increase mitochondrial function or improve glucose tolerance in AMPKα2 knockout mice. Interestingly, weight loss induced by SRT1720 is not sufficient to improve glucose tolerance. Therefore, contrary to current belief, the metabolic effects produced by SRT1720 require AMPK, which can be activated independently of Sirt1.

  20. Rapid analysis method for the determination of 14C specific activity in irradiated graphite.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Remeikis, Vidmantas; Lagzdina, Elena; Garbaras, Andrius; Gudelis, Arūnas; Garankin, Jevgenij; Plukienė, Rita; Juodis, Laurynas; Duškesas, Grigorijus; Lingis, Danielius; Abdulajev, Vladimir; Plukis, Artūras

    2018-01-01

    14C is one of the limiting radionuclides used in the categorization of radioactive graphite waste; this categorization is crucial in selecting the appropriate graphite treatment/disposal method. We propose a rapid analysis method for 14C specific activity determination in small graphite samples in the 1-100 μg range. The method applies an oxidation procedure to the sample, which extracts 14C from the different carbonaceous matrices in a controlled manner. Because this method enables fast online measurement and 14C specific activity evaluation, it can be especially useful for characterizing 14C in irradiated graphite when dismantling graphite moderator and reflector parts, or when sorting radioactive graphite waste from decommissioned nuclear power plants. The proposed rapid method is based on graphite combustion and the subsequent measurement of both CO2 and 14C, using a commercial elemental analyser and the semiconductor detector, respectively. The method was verified using the liquid scintillation counting (LSC) technique. The uncertainty of this rapid method is within the acceptable range for radioactive waste characterization purposes. The 14C specific activity determination procedure proposed in this study takes approximately ten minutes, comparing favorably to the more complicated and time consuming LSC method. This method can be potentially used to radiologically characterize radioactive waste or used in biomedical applications when dealing with the specific activity determination of 14C in the sample.

  1. Rapid analysis method for the determination of 14C specific activity in irradiated graphite.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vidmantas Remeikis

    Full Text Available 14C is one of the limiting radionuclides used in the categorization of radioactive graphite waste; this categorization is crucial in selecting the appropriate graphite treatment/disposal method. We propose a rapid analysis method for 14C specific activity determination in small graphite samples in the 1-100 μg range. The method applies an oxidation procedure to the sample, which extracts 14C from the different carbonaceous matrices in a controlled manner. Because this method enables fast online measurement and 14C specific activity evaluation, it can be especially useful for characterizing 14C in irradiated graphite when dismantling graphite moderator and reflector parts, or when sorting radioactive graphite waste from decommissioned nuclear power plants. The proposed rapid method is based on graphite combustion and the subsequent measurement of both CO2 and 14C, using a commercial elemental analyser and the semiconductor detector, respectively. The method was verified using the liquid scintillation counting (LSC technique. The uncertainty of this rapid method is within the acceptable range for radioactive waste characterization purposes. The 14C specific activity determination procedure proposed in this study takes approximately ten minutes, comparing favorably to the more complicated and time consuming LSC method. This method can be potentially used to radiologically characterize radioactive waste or used in biomedical applications when dealing with the specific activity determination of 14C in the sample.

  2. Conformational adaptation of Asian macaque TRIMCyp directs lineage specific antiviral activity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura M J Ylinen

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available TRIMCyps are anti-retroviral proteins that have arisen independently in New World and Old World primates. All TRIMCyps comprise a CypA domain fused to the tripartite domains of TRIM5alpha but they have distinct lentiviral specificities, conferring HIV-1 restriction in New World owl monkeys and HIV-2 restriction in Old World rhesus macaques. Here we provide evidence that Asian macaque TRIMCyps have acquired changes that switch restriction specificity between different lentiviral lineages, resulting in species-specific alleles that target different viruses. Structural, thermodynamic and viral restriction analysis suggests that a single mutation in the Cyp domain, R69H, occurred early in macaque TRIMCyp evolution, expanding restriction specificity to the lentiviral lineages found in African green monkeys, sooty mangabeys and chimpanzees. Subsequent mutations have enhanced restriction to particular viruses but at the cost of broad specificity. We reveal how specificity is altered by a scaffold mutation, E143K, that modifies surface electrostatics and propagates conformational changes into the active site. Our results suggest that lentiviruses may have been important pathogens in Asian macaques despite the fact that there are no reported lentiviral infections in current macaque populations.

  3. Levels for the specific activity at disposing low-level contaminated municipal wastes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poschner, J.; Schaller, G.

    1993-12-01

    Using radioecological models, nuclide-specific ''basic values'' were established for the specific activity of radioactive contaminated waste. These basic values were determined in order to avoid dose equivalents of more than 10 μSv/a (de minimis concept) when disposing the waste in conventional waste deposits or burning it in incineration plants. The basic values vary within 16 orders of magnitude, ranging between 4.3E-02 Bq/g for Cm-250 and 2.2E+14 Bq/g for Po-212. About 82% of the basic values are between 1 Bq/g und 1000 Bq/g. The critical exposure for most of the radionuclides is that from direct radiation or inhalation at the slag-deposit. For 54% of the radionuclides the basic value for the specific activity of waste is lower at least by a factor of 10 than the 10 -4 -fold value per gram of the release limit (German Radiation Protection Ordinance). Appropriate nuclide-specific and dose-related limits were derived from these basic values. The respective limits are ranging between 1E-01 Bq/g and 1E+07 Bq/g. About 95% of the limits are between 1 Bq/g and 1000 Bq/g. (orig./HP) [de

  4. Transplant experiments uncover Baltic Sea basin-specific responses in bacterioplankton community composition and metabolic activities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Markus V Lindh

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Anthropogenically induced changes in precipitation are projected to generate increased river runoff to semi-enclosed seas, intensifying loads of terrestrial dissolved organic matter and decreasing salinity. To determine how bacterial community structure and functioning adjust to such changes, we designed microcosm transplant experiments with Baltic Proper (salinity 7.2 and Bothnian Sea (salinity 3.6 water. Baltic Proper bacteria generally reached higher abundance than Bothnian Sea bacteria in both Baltic Proper and Bothnian Sea water, indicating a higher adaptability. Moreover, Baltic Proper bacteria growing in Bothnian Sea water consistently showed highest bacterial production and beta-glucosidase activity. These metabolic responses were accompanied by basin-specific changes in bacterial community structure. For example, Baltic Proper Pseudomonas and Limnobacter populations increased markedly in relative abundance in Bothnian Sea water, indicating replacement. In contrast, Roseobacter and Rheinheimera populations were stable or increased in abundance when challenged by either of the waters, indicating adjustment. Transplants to Bothnian Sea water triggered the initial emergence of particular Burkholderiaceae populations, and transplants to Baltic Proper water triggered Alteromonadaceae populations. Notably, in the subsequent re-transplant experiment, the original triggering, or priming effect, resulted in further increases to dominance of these populations. Correlated changes in community composition and metabolic activity were observed only in the transplant experiment, and only at relatively high phylogenetic resolution. This suggested an importance of successional progression for interpreting relationships between bacterial community composition and functioning. We infer that priming effects on bacterial community structure by natural episodic events or climate change induced forcing could translate into long-term changes in bacterial

  5. StrigoQuant: A genetically encoded biosensor for quantifying strigolactone activity and specificity

    KAUST Repository

    Samodelov, S. L.; Beyer, H. M.; Guo, X.; Augustin, M.; Jia, K.-P.; Baz, Lina Abdulkareem Ali; Ebenho  h, O.; Beyer, P.; Weber, W.; Al-Babili, Salim; Zurbriggen, M. D.

    2016-01-01

    into the stereoselectivity of strigolactone perception. Given the high specificity, sensitivity, dynamic range of activity, modular construction, ease of implementation, and wide applicability, the biosensor StrigoQuant will be useful in unraveling multiple levels

  6. Seroprevalence of toxoplasma-specific antibodies in patients suspected to have active toxoplasmosis: A cross-sectional survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abbas Ali Eskandarian

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and distribution of anti-toxoplasma-specific IgM and IgG tantibodies in patients suspected to have toxoplasmosis and investigate for any association between IgM and IgG antibodies and some toxoplasmosis risk factors as well. Materials and Methods: In a comparative cross-sectional study, 70 patients suspected to had active toxoplasmosis and 30 control volunteers, who gave informed consent, entered the study. In each group, patient age, sex, signs of appearance, education level, residency status (urban / rural, occupation, frequency of toxoplasma-specific IgG and IgM antibodies, abortion history, and some risk factors (Direct cat exposure, Occupational exposure to raw meat, and Raw vegetable consumption were recorded. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA kits (EUROIMMUN®, United Kingdom were used for the evaluation of anti-toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies according to the manufacturer›s instructions. All analyses were done using SPSS-20. Results: The frequency of toxoplasma-specific IgG and IgM antibodies like: Direct cat exposures, Occupational exposure to raw meat, and Raw vegetable consumption were not statistically significant between the two groups (P > 0.05. The history of previous abortions in women in the toxoplasmosis-suspected group was significantly higher than that in the controls (31.4% versus 6.7%; P = 0.009. Conclusion: The frequency of specific IgM and IgG antibodies in toxoplasmosis suspected in the toxoplasmosis and control groups was not statistically significant.

  7. PEGylated DX-1000: Pharmacokinetics and Antineoplastic Activity of a Specific Plasmin Inhibitor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laetitia Devy

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Novel inhibitors of the urokinase-mediated plasminogen (plg activation system are potentially of great clinical benefit as anticancer treatments. Using phage display, we identified DX-1000 a tissue factor pathway inhibitor-derived Kunitz domain protein which is a specific high-affinity inhibitor of plasmin (pin (Ki = 99 pM. When tested in vitro, DX-1000 blocks plasminmediated pro-matrix metal loproteinase-9 (proMMP-9 activation on cells and dose-dependently inhibits tube formation, while not significantly affecting hemostasis and coagulation. However, this low-molecular weight protein inhibitor (~ 7 kDa exhibits rapid plasma clearance in mice and rabbits, limiting its potential clinical use in chronic diseases. After site-specific PEGylation, DX-1000 retains its activity and exhibits a decreased plasma clearance. This PEGylated derivative is effective in vitro, as well as potent in inhibiting tumor growth of green fluorescent protein (GFP-labeled MDA-MB-231 cells. 4PEG-DX-1000 treatment causes a significant reduction of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA and plasminogen expressions, a reduction of tumor proliferation, and vascularization. 4PEG-DX-1000 treatment significantly decreases the level of active mitogenactivated protein kinase (MAPK in the primary tumors and reduces metastasis incidence. Together, our results demonstrate the potential value of plasmin inhibitors as therapeutic agents for blocking breast cancer growth and metastasis.

  8. Determination of uranium and thorium activity concentrations using activation analysis in beach sands from extreme south Bahia, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vasconcelos, Danilo C.; Oliveira, Arno H.; Silva, Mario R.S.; Penna, Rodrigo; Santos, Talita O.; Pereira, Claubia; Rocha, Zildete; Menezes, Maria Angela B.C.

    2009-01-01

    Levels of natural radioactivity are the major cause of external exposure to gamma radiation. Thus, the determination of activity concentration of primordial radionuclides, such as 238 U and 232 Th, in soils, sand and rock is of basic importance to estimate the radiation levels to which man is directly or indirectly exposed. In order to study the process of specific activity of 238 U and 232 Th, beaches sands samples were collected from eight different locations in extreme south of Bahia state from Brazil. The samples have been analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analyses and for determination of thorium concentrations and delayed neutrons analysis for determination of uranium. The mean specific activity for 238 U and 232 Th was higher in Cumuruxatiba than in others locations studied. Alcobaca and Caraiva also presented high values. The concentrations of these radionuclides were compared with typical world values and Cumuruxatiba have specific activity higher than the others locations, 2,984 Bq/kg maximum value for 238 U and 1,8450 Bq/kg maximum value for 232 Th and activity concentrations in Cumuruxatiba are higher in black sand than in no black sand, suggesting presence of monazite.(author)

  9. Effect of plant species on the specific activity of 65Zn and 54Mn

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muraoka, T.; Neptune, A.M.L.

    1983-01-01

    The effect of five plant species on the specific activity of 65 Zn and 54 Mn is studied. Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merril), bean (Phaseolus vulgaris, L.), rice (Oryza sativa, L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum, L.) and tomato (Lycopersium esculentum Mill) were grown in PV and TE soils labelled with 65 Zn and 54 Mn. The plants were harvested 30 days after seeding and specific activities of zinco and manganese were determined in the above ground part and in the roots. (M.A.C.) [pt

  10. Roles of s3 site residues of nattokinase on its activity and substrate specificity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Shuming; Feng, Chi; Zhong, Jin; Huan, Liandong

    2007-09-01

    Nattokinase (Subtilisin NAT, NK) is a bacterial serine protease with high fibrinolytic activity. To probe their roles on protease activity and substrate specificity, three residues of S3 site (Gly(100), Ser(101) and Leu(126)) were mutated by site-directed mutagenesis. Kinetics parameters of 20 mutants were measured using tetrapeptides as substrates, and their fibrinolytic activities were determined by fibrin plate method. Results of mutation analysis showed that Gly(100) and Ser(101) had reverse steric and electrostatic effects. Residues with bulky or positively charged side chains at position 100 decreased the substrate binding and catalytic activity drastically, while residues with the same characters at position 101 could obviously enhance protease and fibrinolytic activity of NK. Mutation of Leu(126) might impair the structure of the active cleft and drastically decreased the activity of NK. Kinetics studies of the mutants showed that S3 residues were crucial to keep protease activity while they moderately affected substrate specificity of NK. The present study provided some original insight into the P3-S3 interaction in NK and other subtilisins, as well as showed successful protein engineering cases to improve NK as a potential therapeutic agent.

  11. Examining differences in physical activity levels by employment status and/or job activity level: Gender-specific comparisons between the United States and Sweden.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwak, Lydia; Berrigan, David; Van Domelen, Dane; Sjöström, Michael; Hagströmer, Maria

    2016-06-01

    The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between employment status and job activity level with physical activity (PA) and sedentary time, stratified by gender and country. Cross-sectional study design. Data from working age adults (18-65 years) from two cross-sectional studies, the Swedish 2001-2002 and 2007-2008 Attitude Behavior and Change Study (ABC; n=1165) and the 2003-2006 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES; n=4201), were stratified by employment status (employed and not employed) and job activity level (active, sedentary and mixed). PA in counts×min(-1) and time spent in sedentary, low and moderate or higher intensity were measured with accelerometers. Analyses were conducted in 2012-2013. In NHANES, the employed had significantly higher counts×min(-1) and spent more time in moderate or higher intensity PA than those not employed. In ABC, no significant differences were observed between employed and unemployed. Adults with active versus sedentary occupations had higher counts×min(-1) and less sedentary time in both the USA and Sweden and in both men and women. For example, counts×min(-1) were 20-40% greater in active versus sedentary jobs. Employment status is related to PA and sedentary time among men and women in the USA but not in Sweden. Among the employed, occupational PA is associated with total PA and sedentary time for both genders and in both countries. Comparisons of PA levels based on objective measurements can refine understanding of country differences in activity. Copyright © 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. All rights reserved.

  12. Preparation of clinical-scale 99Mo/99mTc column generator using neutron activated low specific activity 99Mo and nanocrystalline γ-Al2O3 as column matrix.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakravarty, Rubel; Ram, Ramu; Dash, Ashutosh; Pillai, M R A

    2012-10-01

    Preparation of clinical-scale (99)Mo/(99m)Tc generator using (n,γ) activated low specific activity (99)Mo and nanocrystalline γ-Al(2)O(3) as a high capacity sorbent matrix is attempted. Nanocrystalline γ-Al(2)O(3) was synthesized by 'solid state mechanochemical' reaction of aluminum nitrate with ammonium bicarbonate. Experimental parameters were optimized to effectively separate (99m)Tc from (99)Mo using this sorbent as the column matrix. The performance features of a 13 GBq (350 mCi) (99)Mo/(99m)Tc generator using this sorbent and (99)Mo produced by (n,γ) route having specific activity 12.9-18.5 GBq/g were evaluated for 10 days. The sorbent possessed the requisite selectivity for (99)Mo and demonstrated a maximum sorption capacity of 200 ± 5mg Mo/g, which is ~10 times higher than that of ordinary acidic alumina. The overall yield of (99m)Tc was >80%, with radionuclidic purity >99.99% and radiochemical purity >99%. The yield of (99m)Tc varied from 7.8 to 2.1 GBq in the eluate for the six days of operation of the generator. The radioactive concentration of (99m)Tc eluted was adequate for the formulation of radiopharmaceuticals. The performance of the generator remained consistent over an extended period of 10 days. The eluted (99m)Tc was suitable for the formulation of (99m)Tc-DMSA and (99m)Tc-EC resulting in high radiolabeling yields (>98%). The effectiveness of γ-Al(2)O(3) as a new generation sorbent in the development of clinically useful (99)Mo/(99m)Tc generator using low specific activity (99)Mo and yielding (99m)Tc with adequate radioactive concentration and high purity suitable for formulation of radiopharmaceuticals is demonstrated. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. CNTs-Modified Nb3O7F Hybrid Nanocrystal towards Faster Carrier Migration, Lower Bandgap and Higher Photocatalytic Activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Fei; Li, Zhen; Yan, Aihua; Zhao, Hui; Liang, Huagen; Gao, Qingyu; Qiang, Yinghuai

    2017-01-06

    Novel semiconductor photocatalysts have been the research focus and received much attention in recent years. The key issues for novel semiconductor photocatalysts are to effectively harvest solar energy and enhance the separation efficiency of the electron-hole pairs. In this work, novel Nb 3 O 7 F/CNTs hybrid nanocomposites with enhanced photocatalytic activity have been successfully synthesized by a facile hydrothermal plus etching technique. The important finding is that appropriate pH values lead to the formation of Nb 3 O 7 F nanocrystal directly. A general strategy to introdue interaction between Nb 3 O 7 F and CNTs markedly enhances the photocatalytic activity of Nb 3 O 7 F. Comparatively, Nb 3 O 7 F/CNTs nanocomposites exhibit higher photodegradation efficiency and faster photodegradation rate in the solution of methylene blue (MB) under visible-light irradiation. The higher photocatalytic activity may be attributed to more exposed active sites, higher carrier migration and narrower bandgap because of good synergistic effect. The results here may inspire more engineering, new design and facile fabrication of novel photocatalysts with highly photocatalytic activity.

  14. Activation of specific neuronal networks leads to different seizure onset types.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shiri, Zahra; Manseau, Frédéric; Lévesque, Maxime; Williams, Sylvain; Avoli, Massimo

    2016-03-01

    Ictal events occurring in temporal lobe epilepsy patients and in experimental models mimicking this neurological disorder can be classified, based on their onset pattern, into low-voltage, fast versus hypersynchronous onset seizures. It has been suggested that the low-voltage, fast onset pattern is mainly contributed by interneuronal (γ-aminobutyric acidergic) signaling, whereas the hypersynchronous onset involves the activation of principal (glutamatergic) cells. Here, we tested this hypothesis using the optogenetic control of parvalbumin-positive or somatostatin-positive interneurons and of calmodulin-dependent, protein kinase-positive, principal cells in the mouse entorhinal cortex in the in vitro 4-aminopyridine model of epileptiform synchronization. We found that during 4-aminopyridine application, both spontaneous seizure-like events and those induced by optogenetic activation of interneurons displayed low-voltage, fast onset patterns that were associated with a higher occurrence of ripples than of fast ripples. In contrast, seizures induced by the optogenetic activation of principal cells had a hypersynchronous onset pattern with fast ripple rates that were higher than those of ripples. Our results firmly establish that under a similar experimental condition (ie, bath application of 4-aminopyridine), the initiation of low-voltage, fast and of hypersynchronous onset seizures in the entorhinal cortex depends on the preponderant involvement of interneuronal and principal cell networks, respectively. © 2016 American Neurological Association.

  15. A benefit-cost framework of motivation for a specific activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Studer, B; Knecht, S

    2016-01-01

    How can an individual be motivated to perform a target exercise or activity? This question arises in training, therapeutic, and education settings alike, yet despite-or even because of-the large range of extant motivation theories, finding a clear answer to this question can be challenging. Here we propose an application-friendly framework of motivation for a specific activity or exercise that incorporates core concepts from several well-regarded psychological and economic theories of motivation. The key assumption of this framework is that motivation for performing a given activity is determined by the expected benefits and the expected costs of (performance of) the activity. Benefits comprise positive feelings, gains, and rewards experienced during performance of the activity (intrinsic benefits) or achieved through the activity (extrinsic benefits). Costs entail effort requirements, time demands, and other expenditure (intrinsic costs) as well as unwanted associated outcomes and missing out on alternative activities (extrinsic costs). The expected benefits and costs of a given exercise are subjective and state dependent. We discuss convergence of the proposed framework with a selection of extant motivation theories and briefly outline neurobiological correlates of its main components and assumptions. One particular strength of our framework is that it allows to specify five pathways to increasing motivation for a target exercise, which we illustrate and discuss with reference to previous empirical data. © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. The teacher of English for specific purposes and the European Space for Higher Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana BOCANEGRA VALLE

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper focuses on the role of the teacher of English for Specific Purposes (ESP from the beginning of ESP research in the 80’s to date when educators are faced with the challenges of the European Space for Higher Education (ESHE and its implementation in educational systems across Europe. Firstly, the most outstanding aspects published in the relevant literature and dealing with the ESP teacher are explored and summarized. Secondly, the new roles to be played under the framework of ESHE are presented and discussed – it has been found that these new roles are not distinctively prescribed by ESHE but references to them are spread through the existing literature. Next, particular attention will be paid to «interdisciplinary collaboration». This notion is highlighted across ESHE instruments of implementation as a brand new practice in tertiary education but in the context of ESP it is a long-established goal with practical approaches adopted worldwide. As a way of conclusion, ESP teacher’s duties are listed bearing in mind the existing bibliography and the ESHE requirements.

  17. Accelerator Production and Separations for High Specific Activity Rhenium-186

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jurisson, Silvia S. [Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States); Wilbur, D. Scott [Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)

    2016-04-01

    Tungsten and osmium targets were evaluated for the production of high specific activity rhenium-186. Rhenium-186 has potential applications in radiotherapy for the treatment of a variety of diseases, including targeting with monoclonal antibodies and peptides. Methods were evaluated using tungsten metal, tungsten dioxide, tungsten disulfide and osmium disulfide. Separation of the rhenium-186 produced and recycling of the enriched tungsten-186 and osmium-189 enriched targets were developed.

  18. Differential regulation of the transcriptional activity of the glucocorticoid receptor through site-specific phosphorylation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raj Kumar

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available Raj Kumar1, William J Calhoun21Division of Gastroenterology; 2Division of Allergy, Pulmonary, Immunology, Critical Care, and Sleep (APICS, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USAAbstract: Post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation are known to play an important role in the gene regulation by the transcription factors including the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily of which the glucocorticoid receptor (GR is a member. Protein phosphorylation often switches cellular activity from one state to another. Like many other transcription factors, the GR is a phosphoprotein, and phosphorylation plays an important role in the regulation of GR activity. Cell signaling pathways that regulate phosphorylation of the GR and its associated proteins are important determinants of GR function under various physiological conditions. While the role of many phosphorylation sites in the GR is still not fully understood, the role of others is clearer. Several aspects of transcription factor function, including DNA binding affinity, interaction of transactivation domains with the transcription initiation complex, and shuttling between the cytoplasmic compartments, have all been linked to site-specific phosphorylation. All major phosphorylation sites in the human GR are located in the N-terminal domain including the major transactivation domain, AF1. Available literature clearly indicates that many of these potential phosphorylation sites are substrates for multiple kinases, suggesting the potential for a very complex regulatory network. Phosphorylated GR interacts favorably with critical coregulatory proteins and subsequently enhances transcriptional activity. In addition, the activities and specificities of coregulators may be subject to similar regulation by phosphorylation. Regulation of the GR activity due to phosphorylation appears to be site-specific and dependent upon specific cell signaling cascade

  19. Normal weight children have higher cognitive performance - Independent of physical activity, sleep, and diet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hjorth, Mads F; Sørensen, Louise B; Andersen, Rikke; Dyssegaard, Camilla B; Ritz, Christian; Tetens, Inge; Michaelsen, Kim F; Astrup, Arne; Egelund, Niels; Sjödin, Anders

    2016-10-15

    Aside from the health consequences, observational studies indicate that being overweight may also negatively affect cognitive function. However, existing evidence has to a large extent not controlled for the possible confounding effect of having different lifestyles. Therefore, the objective was to examine the independent associations between weight status and lifestyle indicators with cognitive performance in 8-11year old Danish children. The analyses included 828 children (measured in 2011-2012) each having one to three measurement occasions separated by approximately 100days. Dietary intake, physical activity, sedentary time, and sleep duration were measured using dietary records and accelerometers. The Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire was used to access sleep problems and the Andersen test was carried out to estimate cardio-respiratory fitness (CRF). Weight status (underweight, normal weight, and overweight/obese) was defined according to body mass index and cognitive performance was assessed using the d2-test of attention, a reading test, and a math test. A linear mixed model including a number of fixed and random effects was used to test associations between lifestyle indicators as well as BMI category and cognitive performance. After adjustment for demographics, socioeconomics, and multiple lifestyle indicators, normal weight children had higher cognitive test scores than overweight/obese and underweight children of up to 89% and 48% of expected learning within one school year (Pbreakfast consumption, fewer sleep problems, higher CRF, less total physical activity, more sedentary time, and less light physical activity were associated with higher cognitive performance independently of each other in at least one of the three cognitive tests (Pperformance compared to overweight/obese as well as underweight children, independent of multiple lifestyle indicators. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Patterns of muscle activity underlying object-specific grasp by the macaque monkey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brochier, T; Spinks, R L; Umilta, M A; Lemon, R N

    2004-09-01

    During object grasp, a coordinated activation of distal muscles is required to shape the hand in relation to the physical properties of the object. Despite the fundamental importance of the grasping action, little is known of the muscular activation patterns that allow objects of different sizes and shapes to be grasped. In a study of two adult macaque monkeys, we investigated whether we could distinguish between EMG activation patterns associated with grasp of 12 differently shaped objects, chosen to evoke a wide range of grasping postures. Each object was mounted on a horizontal shuttle held by a weak spring (load force 1-2 N). Objects were located in separate sectors of a "carousel," and inter-trial rotation of the carousel allowed sequential presentation of the objects in pseudorandom order. EMG activity from 10 to 12 digit, hand, and arm muscles was recorded using chronically implanted electrodes. We show that the grasp of different objects was characterized by complex but distinctive patterns of EMG activation. Cluster analysis shows that these object-related EMG patterns were specific and consistent enough to identify the object unequivocally from the EMG recordings alone. EMG-based object identification required a minimum of six EMGs from simultaneously recorded muscles. EMG patterns were consistent across recording sessions in a given monkey but showed some differences between animals. These results identify the specific patterns of activity required to achieve distinct hand postures for grasping, and they open the way to our understanding of how these patterns are generated by the central motor network.

  1. Nucleoside analogues are activated by bacterial deoxyribonucleoside kinases in a species-specific manner

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sandrini, Michael; Clausen, Anders; On, Stephen L. W.

    2007-01-01

    To investigate the bactericidal activity of antiviral and anticancer nucleoside analogues against a variety of pathogenic bacteria and characterize the activating enzymes, deoxyribonucleoside kinases (dNKs). Several FDA-approved nucleoside analogue drugs were screened for their potential bacteric......-specific manner. Therefore, nucleoside analogues have a potential to be employed as antibiotics in the fight against emerging multiresistant bacteria....

  2. TBAL: Technology-Based Active Learning in Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghilay, Yaron; Ghilay, Ruth

    2015-01-01

    In many institutions of higher education worldwide, faculty members manage lessons based on information transfer whereas their students become passive listeners. According to international research, passive learning has disadvantages mainly because students do not engage in the lesson. The study introduces a new model for higher education called…

  3. Level of physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness and nutritional status of higher education institution servers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leonardo Vidal Andreato

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Objective: to evaluate the level of physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness and nutritional status of Brazilian higher education institution servers. Method: 134 public servants (80 men and 54 women were evaluated to estimate body mass index (BMI, waist circumference (WC, waist/hip ratio (WHR, aerobic fitness and blood pressure at rest. Results: most of the servers were classified as insufficiently active (62%. BMI results show a high prevalence of obesity (39% mild and 33% moderate. WC showed a prevalence of high (30% and very high risk (27%, and WHR showed a prevalence of high (28% or very high risk (12%. The ergometric test showed that 41% of the servers presented very poor (17% or poor (24% aerobic fitness and 23%, regular aerobic fitness. Considering blood pressure, 15% of the servers presented blood pressure considered as borderline and 30% considered as hypertension. No associations were found between physical condition (active or inactive with WC (χ2 = 3.4, p = 0.179, WHR (χ2 = 7.0, p = 0.073, aerobic fitness (χ2 = 4.3, p = 0.368 and blood pressure (χ2 = 2.9, p = 0.734. Although no association was observed between physical activity and BMI (χ2 = 7.6, p = 0.062, significance values (p < 0.07 suggested an association trend, with worse ratings for the sedentary group. Closing remarks: among higher education institution servers, there is high prevalence of physical inactivity, obesity and risk factors, and the majority of the sample had aerobic fitness below recommended levels.

  4. Activities and specificities of homodimeric TALENs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    KAUST Repository

    Aouida, Mustapha; Piatek, Marek J.; Bangarusamy, Dhinoth Kumar; Mahfouz, Magdy M.

    2013-01-01

    The development of highly efficient genome engineering reagents is of paramount importance to launch the next wave of biotechnology. TAL effectors have been developed as an adaptable DNA binding scaffold that can be engineered to bind to any user-defined sequence. Thus, TAL-based DNA binding modules have been used to generate chimeric proteins for a variety of targeted genome modifications across eukaryotic species. For example, TAL effectors fused to the catalytic domain of FokI endonuclease (TALENs) were used to generate site-specific double strand breaks (DSBs), the repair of which can be harnessed to dictate user-desired, genome-editing outcomes. To cleave DNA, FokI endonuclease must dimerize which can be achieved using a pair of TALENs that bind to the DNA targeted in a tail-to-tail orientation with proper spacing allowing the dimer formation. Because TALENs binding to DNA are dependent on their repeat sequences and nucleotides binding specificities, homodimers and heterodimers binding can be formed. In the present study, we used several TALEN monomers with increased repeats binding degeneracy to allow homodimer formation at increased number of genomic loci. We assessed their binding specificities and genome modification activities. Our results indicate that homodimeric TALENs could be used to modify the yeast genome in a site-specific manner and their binding to the promoter regions might modulate the expression of target genes. Taken together, our data indicate that homodimeric TALENs could be used to achieve different engineering possibilities of biotechnological applications and that their transcriptional modulations need to be considered when analyzing their phenotypic effects. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.

  5. Activities and specificities of homodimeric TALENs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    KAUST Repository

    Aouida, Mustapha

    2013-10-01

    The development of highly efficient genome engineering reagents is of paramount importance to launch the next wave of biotechnology. TAL effectors have been developed as an adaptable DNA binding scaffold that can be engineered to bind to any user-defined sequence. Thus, TAL-based DNA binding modules have been used to generate chimeric proteins for a variety of targeted genome modifications across eukaryotic species. For example, TAL effectors fused to the catalytic domain of FokI endonuclease (TALENs) were used to generate site-specific double strand breaks (DSBs), the repair of which can be harnessed to dictate user-desired, genome-editing outcomes. To cleave DNA, FokI endonuclease must dimerize which can be achieved using a pair of TALENs that bind to the DNA targeted in a tail-to-tail orientation with proper spacing allowing the dimer formation. Because TALENs binding to DNA are dependent on their repeat sequences and nucleotides binding specificities, homodimers and heterodimers binding can be formed. In the present study, we used several TALEN monomers with increased repeats binding degeneracy to allow homodimer formation at increased number of genomic loci. We assessed their binding specificities and genome modification activities. Our results indicate that homodimeric TALENs could be used to modify the yeast genome in a site-specific manner and their binding to the promoter regions might modulate the expression of target genes. Taken together, our data indicate that homodimeric TALENs could be used to achieve different engineering possibilities of biotechnological applications and that their transcriptional modulations need to be considered when analyzing their phenotypic effects. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.

  6. Kinetic characterization of recombinant Bacillus coagulans FDP-activated l-lactate dehydrogenase expressed in Escherichia coli and its substrate specificity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Ting; Xu, Yanbing; Sun, Xiucheng; Zheng, Zhaojuan; Ouyang, Jia

    2014-03-01

    Bacillus coagulans is a homofermentative, acid-tolerant and thermophilic sporogenic lactic acid bacterium, which is capable of producing high yields of optically pure lactic acid. The l-(+)-lactate dehydrogenase (l-LDH) from B. coagulans is considered as an ideal biocatalyst for industrial production. In this study, the gene ldhL encoding a thermostable l-LDH was amplified from B. coagulans NL01 genomic DNA and successfully expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The recombinant enzyme was partially purified and its enzymatic properties were characterized. Sequence analysis demonstrated that the l-LDH was a fructose 1,6-diphosphate-activated NAD-dependent lactate dehydrogenase (l-nLDH). Its molecular weight was approximately 34-36kDa. The Km and Vmax values of the purified l-nLDH for pyruvate were 1.91±0.28mM and 2613.57±6.43μmol(minmg)(-1), respectively. The biochemical properties of l-nLDH showed that the specific activity were up to 2323.29U/mg with optimum temperature of 55°C and pH of 6.5 in the pyruvate reduction and 351.01U/mg with temperature of 55°C and pH of 11.5 in the lactate oxidation. The enzyme also showed some activity in the absence of FDP, with a pH optimum of 4.0. Compared to other lactic acid bacterial l-nLDHs, the enzyme was found to be relatively stable at 50°C. Ca(2+), Ba(2+), Mg(2+) and Mn(2+) ions had activated effects on the enzyme activity, and the enzyme was greatly inhibited by Ni(2+) ion. Besides these, l-nLDH showed the higher specificity towards pyruvate esters, such as methyl pyruvate and ethyl pyruvate. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Allopurinol reduces antigen-specific and polyclonal activation of human T cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Damián ePérez-Mazliah

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Allopurinol is the most popular commercially available xanthine oxidase inhibitor and it is widely used for treatment of symptomatic hyperuricaemia, or gout. Although, several anti-inflammatory actions of allopurinol have been demonstrated in vivo and in vitro, there have been few studies on the action of allopurinol on T cells. In the current study, we have assessed the effect of allopurinol on antigen-specific and mitogen-driven activation and cytokine production in human T cells. Allopurinol markedly decreased the frequency of IFN-γ and IL-2-producing T cells, either after polyclonal or antigen-specific stimulation with Herpes Simplex virus 1, Influenza virus, tetanus toxoid and Trypanosoma cruzi-derived antigens. Allopurinol attenuated CD69 upregulation after CD3 and CD28 engagement and significantly reduced the levels of spontaneous and mitogen-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species in T cells. The diminished T cell activation and cytokine production in the presence of allopurinol support a direct action of allopurinol on human T cells, offering a potential pharmacological tool for the management of cell-mediated inflammatory diseases.

  8. Biological role of site-specific O-glycosylation in cell adhesion activity and phosphorylation of osteopontin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oyama, Midori; Kariya, Yoshinobu; Kariya, Yukiko; Matsumoto, Kana; Kanno, Mayumi; Yamaguchi, Yoshiki; Hashimoto, Yasuhiro

    2018-05-09

    Osteopontin (OPN) is an extracellular glycosylated phosphoprotein that promotes cell adhesion by interacting with several integrin receptors. We previously reported that an OPN mutant lacking five O-glycosylation sites (Thr 134 /Thr 138 /Thr 143 /Thr 147 /Thr 152 ) in the threonine/proline-rich region increased cell adhesion activity and phosphorylation compared with the wild type. However, the role of O-glycosylation in cell adhesion activity and phosphorylation of OPN remains to be clarified. Here, we show that site-specific O-glycosylation in the threonine/proline-rich region of OPN affects its cell adhesion activity and phosphorylation independently and/or synergistically. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we found that OPN mutants with substitution sets of Thr 134 /Thr 138 or Thr 143 /Thr 147 /Thr 152 had decreased and increased cell adhesion activity, respectively. In contrast, the introduction of a single mutation into the O-glycosylation sites had no effect on OPN cell adhesion activity. An adhesion assay using function-blocking antibodies against αvβ3 and β1 integrins, as well as αvβ3 integrin-overexpressing A549 cells, revealed that site-specific O-glycosylation affected the association of OPN with the two integrins. Phosphorylation analyses using phos-tag and LC-MS/MS indicated that phosphorylation levels and sites were influenced by the O-glycosylation status, although the number of O-glycosylation sites was not correlated with the phosphorylation level in OPN. Furthermore, a correlation analysis between phosphorylation level and cell adhesion activity in OPN mutants with the site-specific O-glycosylation showed that they were not always correlated. These results provide conclusive evidence of a novel regulatory mechanism of cell adhesion activity and phosphorylation of OPN by site-specific O-glycosylation. © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

  9. Subnanomole detection and quantitation of high specific activity 32P-nucleotides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coniglio, C.; Pappas, G.; Gill, W.J.; Kashdan, M.; Maniscalco, M.

    1991-01-01

    Microbore liquid chromatography utilizes conventional HPLC and ultraviolet detection principles to determine subnanomole mass quantities of biologically significant molecules. This system takes advantage of specifically designed microflow equipment to analyze ultraviolet absorbing species at the picomole range. 32P-labeled nucleotides are examples of compounds routinely used at picomole quantities that are extremely difficult to accurately quantify using standard mass measurement techniques. The procedure described in this paper has the capability of measuring nucleotides down to 10 pmol using commercially available microbore ultraviolet detection equipment. The technique can be used to accurately measure the specific activity of as little as 10 microCi of an aqueous 32P-nucleotide solution

  10. 125I-Clq-binding and specific antibodies as indicators of pulmonary disease activity in cystic fibrosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moss, R.B.; Hsu, Y.P.; Lewiston, N.J.

    1981-01-01

    We studied the incidence and levels of circulating immune complexes by the 125 I-Clq-binding assay in patients with cystic fibrosis in relation to clinical respiratory status and specific IgG and IgE antibodies to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Candida albicans. Overall prevalence of CIC was 43%, but 86% of serially studied patients had evidence of CIC at some time. Patients with acute respiratory exacerbations and deteriorating pulmonary function had a higher incidence of CIC (76%) as compared to stable patients (36%, P less than 0.01), as well as significantly higher levels of CIC. Acute exacerbations were also associated with significant increases in IgG antibody to Pseudomonas (P less than 0.005) but not in other antibodies. CIC did not correlate with Pseudomonas-specific IgG nor with any other specific antibody studied. A variety of age-related differences in specific antibody levels were seen. The episodic appearance of CIC is common in CF and is usually associated with exacerbation of lung disease

  11. EFFECTS OF DYNAMIC AND STATIC STRETCHING WITHIN GENERAL AND ACTIVITY SPECIFIC WARM-UP PROTOCOLS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Samson

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of static and dynamic stretching protocols within general and activity specific warm-ups. Nine male and ten female subjects were tested under four warm-up conditions including a 1 general aerobic warm-up with static stretching, 2 general aerobic warm-up with dynamic stretching, 3 general and specific warm-up with static stretching and 4 general and specific warm-up with dynamic stretching. Following all conditions, subjects were tested for movement time (kicking movement of leg over 0.5 m distance, countermovement jump height, sit and reach flexibility and 6 repetitions of 20 metre sprints. Results indicated that when a sport specific warm-up was included, there was an 0.94% improvement (p = 0.0013 in 20 meter sprint time with both the dynamic and static stretch groups. No such difference in sprint performance between dynamic and static stretch groups existed in the absence of the sport specific warm-up. The static stretch condition increased sit and reach range of motion (ROM by 2.8% more (p = 0.0083 than the dynamic condition. These results would support the use of static stretching within an activity specific warm-up to ensure maximal ROM along with an enhancement in sprint performance

  12. Effect of activated carbon and electrolyte on properties of supercapacitor

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2007-01-01

    Effect of activated carbon and electrolyte on electrochemical properties of organic supercapacitor was investigated. The results show that specific surface area and mesoporosity of activated carbon influence specific capacitance. If specific surface area is larger and mesoporosity is higher, the specific capacitance will become bigger. Specific surface area influences resistance of carbon electrode and consequently influences power property and pore size distribution. If specific surface area is smaller and mesoporosity is higher, the power property will become better. Ash influences leakage current and electrochemical cycling stability. If ash content is lower, the performance will become better. The properties of supercapacitor highly depend on the electrolyte. The compatibility of electrolyte and activated carbon is a determining factor of supercapacitor's working voltage. LiPF6/(EC+EMC+DMC) is inappropriate for double layer capacitor. MeEt3NPF4/PC has higher specific capacitance than EtnNPFn/PC because methyl's electronegativity value is lower than ethyl and MeEt3N+ has more positive charges and stronger polarizability than Et4N+ when an ethyl is substituted by methyl.

  13. Comparing Domain-Specific Physical Activity Efficacy Level between Turkish Adolescent Girls and Boys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Çatikkas, Fatih

    2017-01-01

    The adolescence period is a very critical developmental period for personality, socializing and promotion of physical activity. In this regard, the aim of this study was to compare domain-specific physical activity efficacy level between adolescent boys and girls. A total of 219 girls (body weight: 57.50 ± 10.44 kg, height: 160.30 ± 7.40 cm, age…

  14. Automatic synthesis of [11C]NKY-722 with high specific activity, using anhydrous [11C] methanol as a precursor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Kazutoshi; Inoue, Osamu; Itoh, Takashi; Nemoto, Kazuyoshi; Oosumi, Seimei; Miwa, Soichi.

    1992-01-01

    3-(4-allyl-1-piperazinyl)-2,2-dimethylpropyl methyl 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl- 4-(3-nitrophenyl)-3,5-pyridine dicarboxylate (NKY-722) was labeled with carbon-11 using anhydrous [ 11 C] methanol. Using a computer controlled equipment, a few GBq of [ 11 C] NKY-722 with the specific activity of 120 - 180 GBq/μmol could by synthesized at the radiochemical purity of > 99% in 10 ml of physiological saline containing Polysolvate-80 (1.5 vol%) and ethyl alcohol (0.75 vol%). Preliminary PET experiments using rats and a rhesus monkey have bee done, and very low accumulation of the compound into the brain, however comparatively higher accumulation in the heart were observed. (author)

  15. Activity-Based Probes for Isoenzyme- and Site-Specific Functional Characterization of Glutathione S -Transferases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stoddard, Ethan G. [Chemical Biology and Exposure; Killinger, Bryan J. [Chemical Biology and Exposure; Nair, Reji N. [Chemical Biology and Exposure; Sadler, Natalie C. [Chemical Biology and Exposure; Volk, Regan F. [Chemical Biology and Exposure; Purvine, Samuel O. [Chemical Biology and Exposure; Shukla, Anil K. [Chemical Biology and Exposure; Smith, Jordan N. [Chemical Biology and Exposure; Wright, Aaron T. [Chemical Biology and Exposure

    2017-11-01

    Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) comprise a highly diverse family of phase II drug metabolizing enzymes whose shared function is the conjugation of reduced glutathione to various endo- and xenobiotics. Although the conglomerate activity of these enzymes can be measured by colorimetric assays, measurement of the individual contribution from specific isoforms and their contribution to the detoxification of xenobiotics in complex biological samples has not been possible. For this reason, we have developed two activity-based probes that characterize active glutathione transferases in mammalian tissues. The GST active site is comprised of a glutathione binding “G site” and a distinct substrate binding “H site”. Therefore, we developed (1) a glutathione-based photoaffinity probe (GSH-ABP) to target the “G site”, and (2) a probe designed to mimic a substrate molecule and show “H site” activity (GST-ABP). The GSH-ABP features a photoreactive moiety for UV-induced covalent binding to GSTs and glutathione-binding enzymes. The GST-ABP is a derivative of a known mechanism-based GST inhibitor that binds within the active site and inhibits GST activity. Validation of probe targets and “G” and “H” site specificity was carried out using a series of competitors in liver homogenates. Herein, we present robust tools for the novel characterization of enzyme- and active site-specific GST activity in mammalian model systems.

  16. Calibration of context-specific survey items to assess youth physical activity behaviour.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saint-Maurice, Pedro F; Welk, Gregory J; Bartee, R Todd; Heelan, Kate

    2017-05-01

    This study tests calibration models to re-scale context-specific physical activity (PA) items to accelerometer-derived PA. A total of 195 4th-12th grades children wore an Actigraph monitor and completed the Physical Activity Questionnaire (PAQ) one week later. The relative time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA % ) obtained from the Actigraph at recess, PE, lunch, after-school, evening and weekend was matched with a respective item score obtained from the PAQ's. Item scores from 145 participants were calibrated against objective MVPA % using multiple linear regression with age, and sex as additional predictors. Predicted minutes of MVPA for school, out-of-school and total week were tested in the remaining sample (n = 50) using equivalence testing. The results showed that PAQ β-weights ranged from 0.06 (lunch) to 4.94 (PE) MVPA % (P PAQ and accelerometer MVPA at school and out-of-school ranged from -15.6 to +3.8 min and the PAQ was within 10-15% of accelerometer measured activity. This study demonstrated that context-specific items can be calibrated to predict minutes of MVPA in groups of youth during in- and out-of-school periods.

  17. Protein Stabilization and Enzyme Activation in Ionic Liquids: Specific Ion Effects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Hua

    2015-01-01

    There are still debates on whether the hydration of ions perturbs the water structure, and what is the degree of such disturbance; therefore, the origin of Hofmeister effect on protein stabilization continues being questioned. For this reason, it is suggested to use the ‘specific ion effect’ instead of other misleading terms such as Hofmeister effect, Hofmeister series, lyotropic effect, and lyotropic series. In this review, we firstly discuss the controversial aspect of inorganic ion effects on water structures, and several possible contributors to the specific ion effect of protein stability. Due to recent overwhelming attraction of ionic liquids (ILs) as benign solvents in many enzymatic reactions, we further evaluate the structural properties and molecular-level interactions in neat ILs and their aqueous solutions. Next, we systematically compare the specific ion effects of ILs on enzyme stability and activity, and conclude that (a) the specificity of many enzymatic systems in diluted aqueous IL solutions is roughly in line with the traditional Hofmeister series albeit some exceptions; (b) however, the specificity follows a different track in concentrated or neat ILs because other factors (such as hydrogen-bond basicity, nucelophilicity, and hydrophobicity, etc) are playing leading roles. In addition, we demonstrate some examples of biocatalytic reactions in IL systems that are guided by the empirical specificity rule. PMID:26949281

  18. Higher Spins & Strings

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva

    2014-01-01

    The conjectured relation between higher spin theories on anti de-Sitter (AdS) spaces and weakly coupled conformal field theories is reviewed. I shall then outline the evidence in favour of a concrete duality of this kind, relating a specific higher spin theory on AdS3 to a family of 2d minimal model CFTs. Finally, I shall explain how this relation fits into the framework of the familiar stringy AdS/CFT correspondence.

  19. Acridinium esters as high-specific-activity labels in immunoassay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weeks, I.; Beheshti, I.; McCapra, F.; Campbell, A.K.; Woodhead, J.S.

    1983-01-01

    A chemiluminescent acridinium ester has been synthesized that reacts spontaneously with proteins to yield stable, immunoreactive derivatives of high specific activity. The compound has been used to prepare chemiluminescent monoclonal antibodies to human alpha 1-fetoprotein having average incorporation ratios as great as 2.8 mol of label per mole of antibody, which corresponds to a detection limit of approximately 8 X 10(-19) mol. These antibodies have been used in the preliminary development of a two-site immunochemiluminometric assay for human alpha 1-fetoprotein, which requires only a 30-min incubation and a quantification time of 5 s per sample

  20. Clostridial Strain-Specific Characteristics Associated with Necrotizing Enterocolitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schönherr-Hellec, Sophia; Klein, Geraldine L; Delannoy, Johanne; Ferraris, Laurent; Rozé, Jean Christophe; Butel, Marie José; Aires, Julio

    2018-04-01

    We aimed at identifying potential bacterial factors linking clostridia with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). We compared the phenotypic traits, stress responses, cellular cytotoxicity, and inflammatory capabilities of the largest collection of Clostridium butyricum and Clostridium neonatale strains isolated from fecal samples of NEC preterm neonates (PN) and control PNs. When strain characteristics were used as explanatory variables, a statistical discriminant analysis allowed the separation of NEC and control strains into separate groups. Strains isolated from NEC PN were characterized by a higher viability at 30°C ( P = 0.03) and higher aerotolerance ( P = 0.01), suggesting that NEC strains may have a competitive and/or survival advantage in the environmental gastrointestinal tract conditions of NEC PN. Heat-treated NEC bacteria induced higher production of interleukin-8 in Caco-2 cells ( P = 0.03), suggesting proinflammatory activity. In vitro , bacteria, bacterial components, and fecal filtrates showed variable cytotoxic effects affecting the cellular network and/or cell viability, without specific association with NEC or control samples. Altogether, our data support the existence of a specific clostridial strain signature associated with NEC. IMPORTANCE Clostridia are part of the commensal microbiota in preterm neonates (PN). However, microbiota analyses by culture and metagenomics have linked necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and intestinal colonization with clostridial species. Nevertheless, little is known about the specific characteristics that may be shared by clostridia associated with NEC compared to commensal clostridia. Therefore, our goal was to identify specific bacterial factors linking clostridial strains with NEC. We report the existence of a specific bacterial signature associated with NEC and propose that activation of the innate immune response may be a unifying causative mechanism for the development of NEC independent of a specific pathogenic

  1. Synthesis of high specific activity [ethyl-1,2-3H]-labeled chlorpyrifos oxon and diazoxon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Nanjing; Morimoto, Hiromi; Williams, Philip G.; Casida, John E

    2000-01-01

    [Ethyl-1,2-3H] Chlorpyrifos oxon and [ethyl-1,2-3H] diazoxon were synthesized at a specific activity of 79 and 58 Ci/mmol, respectively, by catalytic tritiation of the corresponding monovinyl analogs over Pd/C. Direct evidence is provided that the high specific activity results from isotope exchange of the terminal vinylic protons prior to saturation of the double bond. This radiosynthesis procedure is applicable to the toxicologically-important oxon metabolites of many commercial O-O-diethyl phosphorothioate pesticides

  2. A specific colorimetric assay for measuring transglutaminase 1 and factor XIII activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hitomi, Kiyotaka; Kitamura, Miyako; Alea, Mileidys Perez; Ceylan, Ismail; Thomas, Vincent; El Alaoui, Saïd

    2009-11-15

    Transglutaminase (TGase) is an enzyme that catalyzes both isopeptide cross-linking and incorporation of primary amines into proteins. Eight TGases have been identified in humans, and each of these TGases has a unique tissue distribution and physiological significance. Although several assays for TGase enzymatic activity have been reported, it has been difficult to establish an assay for discriminating each of these different TGase activities. Using a random peptide library, we recently identified the preferred substrate sequences for three major TGases: TGase 1, TGase 2, and factor XIII. In this study, we use these substrates in specific tests for measuring the activities of TGase 1 and factor XIII.

  3. Control of the Water Transport Activity of Barley HvTIP3;1 Specifically Expressed in Seeds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Utsugi, Shigeko; Shibasaka, Mineo; Maekawa, Masahiko; Katsuhara, Maki

    2015-09-01

    Tonoplast intrinsic proteins (TIPs) are involved in the transport and storage of water, and control intracellular osmotic pressure by transporting material related to the water potential of cells. In the present study, we focused on HvTIP3;1 during the periods of seed development and desiccation in barley. HvTIP3;1 was specifically expressed in seeds. An immunochemical analysis showed that HvTIP3;1 strongly accumulated in the aleurone layers and outer layers of barley seeds. The water transport activities of HvTIP3;1 and HvTIP1;2, which also accumulated in seeds, were measured in the heterologous expression system of Xenopus oocytes. When they were expressed individually, HvTIP1;2 transported water, whereas HvTIP3;1 did not. However, HvTIP3;1 exhibited water transport activity when co-expressed with HvTIP1;2 in oocytes, and this activity was higher than when HvTIP1;2 was expressed alone. This is the first report to demonstrate that the water permeability of a TIP aquaporin was activated when co-expressed with another TIP. The split-yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) system in onion cells revealed that HvTIP3;1 interacted with HvTIP1;2 to form a heterotetramer in plants. These results suggest that HvTIP3;1 functions as an active water channel to regulate water movement through tissues during the periods of seed development and desiccation. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  4. Detection of activated platelets using activation-specific monoclonal antibody (SZ-51) in clinical disorders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Guoxin; Li Fugang; Li Jianyong; Ruan Changgeng

    1991-10-01

    A direct test for activated platelets in whole blood was developed by radioimmunoassay with 125 I labeled SZ-51, an antibody specific for an α-granule membrane protein (GMP-140) that associates with the platelet surface during secretion. The assay had sufficient sensitivity to detect as few as 2% activated platelets. In 50 normal subjects, minimal GMP-140 molecules per platelet were expressed on the surface of circulating platelets. Ten patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass had transiently increased expression of GMP-140 molecules during the bypass procedure, especially at the end of bypass. Evaluation of 18 patients with epidemic hemorrhagic fever (EHF) has shown that the number of GMP-140 molecules on the platelet surface was closely related to the four different phases of EHF. In six patients suffered from acute myocardial infarction (AMI), the number of GMP-140 molecules changed with the procession of AMI and the highest occurred 48 h after AMI. The GMP-140 molecules were also increased in patients with asthma attack (n = 14), but not in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (n = 11) and diabetic mellitus (n = 48). Taken together, these studies suggest that activated platelet can be reliably measured in whole blood using radiolabeled SZ-51 antibody and the detection of activated platelets is potentially useful in identifying patients with certain thrombotic disorders and others

  5. Hyperthyroidism in Patients with Graves' Ophthalmopathy, and Thyroidal, Skeletal and Eye Muscle Specific Type 2 Deiodinase Enzyme Activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molnár, Ildikó; Szentmiklósi, József A; Somogyiné-Vári, Éva

    2017-09-01

    Graves' ophthalmopathy is characterized by hyperthyroidism, which is associated with higher serum T 3 levels than T 4 due to deiodinase enzymes.The effect of Graves' patient's sera (n=52) with elevated thyroid hormone and TSH receptor or thyroid peroxidase antibody (anti-TPO) levels was investigated on thyroidal, skeletal and eye muscle type 2 deiodinase enzyme (DII) activities. DII activities were measured with 125 I-T 4 substrate, while thyroid hormone and antibody levels with immunoassays.In Graves' ophthalmopathy, sera with elevated FT 4 or FT 3 levels reduced DII activites remarkably in all tissue fractions. Thyroidal DII activities were lower than those using eye muscle fraction (0.6±0.22 vs 1.14±0.43 pmol/mg/min, PEffect of sera with increased FT 3 levels demonstrated also reduced DII activities in patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy after methimazole therapy compared to those who had no ophthalmopathy (2.88±2 vs 20.42±11.82 pmol/mg/min, PHyperthyroid sera with TSH receptor antibodies resulted in increased DII activities, while sera with anti-TPO antibodies were connected to lower DII activities in Graves' ophthalmopathy.In summary, the actions of hyperthyroid sera derived from patients with Graves' disease were tested on tissue-specific DII activities. Elevated FT 4 level-induced DII inactivation is present in Graves' ophthalmopathy, which seems to be also present at the beginning of methimazole therapy. Stimulating TSH receptor antibiodies increased DII activities via their nongenomic effects using sera of hyperthyroid Graves' ophthalmopathy, but anti-TPO antibodies could influence DII activities via altering FT 4 levels. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  6. Oxytocin Reduces Cocaine Cued Fos Activation in a Regionally Specific Manner

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leong, Kah-Chung; Freeman, Linnea R; Berini, Carole R; Ghee, Shannon M; See, Ronald E

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Background Oxytocin may be a possible treatment for multiple neuropsychiatric disorders, including cocaine addiction. Little is known about the site-specific effects of oxytocin on various drug addiction-related brain regions. Furthermore, sexually dimorphic effects of oxytocin on neural function in the addiction circuit have not been established. Here, we studied Fos expression following cocaine-cued reinstatement in both male and female rats. Methods Male and female rats underwent self-administration, extinction, and reinstatement tests. On test days, rats were given oxytocin or vehicle, and lever pressing was measured in response to conditioned cocaine cues. Rats were perfused and Fos staining measured in the central amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens core, and subthalamic nucleus. Fos/oxytocin double labeling occurred in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. Results Rats reinstated to cocaine cues relative to extinction responding and oxytocin reduced cocaine seeking. Oxytocin combined with contingent cue presentations increased Fos+ oxytocin cell bodies within the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus relative to vehicle. Fos expression robustly increased in the central amygdala following oxytocin administration. Oxytocin reversed cue-induced Fos expression in the medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens core, and subthalamic nucleus. Central oxytocin infusion also attenuated reinstated cocaine seeking. Conclusions Oxytocin decreased reinstated cocaine seeking, increased Fos activation in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and central amygdala, but normalized cue-induced Fos activation in the medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens core, and subthalamic nucleus, thereby demonstrating regionally specific activation patterns. No sex differences were seen for the effects of oxytocin on cocaine seeking and Fos activation, indicating that oxytocin acts on similar central neural circuits critical to

  7. Levels for the specific activity at disposing low-level contaminated municipal wastes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poschner, J.; Schaller, G.

    1995-01-01

    Using radioecological models, nuclide specific values were calculated for the specific activity of low contaminated radioactive waste, which is disposed in conventional waste deposits or burned in incineration plants. The calculation of these values is based on a limit of 10 μSv effective dose in one year, i.e. effective dose possibly resulting from waste disposal or burning should not exceed a 'de-minimis'-value of some 10 μSv per year. The applied radioecological models describe exposure of the public by direct radiation, inhalation and ingestion for the operational period of a deposit or an incineration plant, but also cover post-operational scenarios, collecting and sorting of waste and road accidents of the waste-truck. Referring to the dose limit of 10 μSv/a, a value for the specific activity of waste was calculated for each scenario and each radionuclide considered. The smallest of these values for a radionuclide, the 'basic value' was rounded to a 'reference value'. For about 600 radionuclides reference values were derived. About 90% of the reference values are ranging between 1 and 1 000 Bq/g. For about 90% of the radionuclides direct radiation or inhalation at the deposit proved to be the critical path of exposure. (orig.) [de

  8. IMPROVING MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS AT A HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nataliya N. Fedyakova

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: this paper deals with the foreign and domestic experience of creation and use of educational institution management automation systems. The problems of higher educational institutions management are essential in conditions of growing competition between educational institutions. Their complexity and timeliness defines multifunctional activity of higher educational institutions, diversity of funding sources, the variety of forms and types of educational, scientific, industrial and economic activities, the need for monitoring of the market of educational services and the labor market (including the need for employment of graduates, the necessity for adaptation to continuously changing economic conditions. Materials and Methods: system approach and method of comparison were used in analysing the current state of development and organisation of the automated information systems of higher education. These methods were also used to compare the qualitative characteristics of different technologies and methods of creation of the automated information systems. Results: the foreign and domestic educational institution management automation systems SIMS. net, Capita Education, SPRUT, Galaxy of Higher Educational Institution Management”, and “GSVedomosty” were analysed. Disadvantages of the functional module AIS – AWP pertaining to the University Rector of the higher educational institution were found. The improvement of higher educational institution AIS by implementing decision support systems for the management, made on the basis of the model of SaaS (software as a service is discussed. The author developed a model of automated score-rating system to assess the individual performance of students. Discussion and Conclusions: the author tackles the problems of higher educational institution AIS taking into account the specifics of the use of higher educational institution management information systems. They have a practical

  9. Active knee joint flexibility and sports activity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hahn, Thomas; Foldspang, Anders; Vestergaard, E

    1999-01-01

    was significantly higher in women than in men and significantly positively associated with weekly hours of swimming and weekly hours of competitive gymnastics. Active knee flexion was significantly positively associated with participation in basketball, and significantly negatively associated with age and weekly......The aim of the study was to estimate active knee flexion and active knee extension in athletes and to investigate the potential association of each to different types of sports activity. Active knee extension and active knee flexion was measured in 339 athletes. Active knee extension...... hours of soccer, European team handball and swimming. The results point to sport-specific adaptation of active knee flexion and active knee extension. Udgivelsesdato: 1999-Apr...

  10. Context-Specific Associations of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior With Cognition in Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aggio, Daniel; Smith, Lee; Fisher, Abigail; Hamer, Mark

    2016-06-15

    In the present study, we investigated how overall and specific domains of physical activity and sedentary behavior at the age of 7 years were associated with cognition at the age of 11 years in 8,462 children from the Millennium Cohort Study. Data were collected from 2001 to 2013. Participation in domains of physical activity and sedentary behavior at 7 years of age were reported. Activity levels were also measured objectively. Cognition was assessed using the British Ability Scales. General linear models were used to assess longitudinal associations of physical activity and sedentary behavior, measured both objectively and via self-report, with cognition. Analyses were adjusted for prespecified covariates. Sports/physical activity club attendance (B = 0.6, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.2, 1.1), doing homework (B = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.0, 0.9), and objectively measured sedentary time (B = 0.8, 95% CI: 0.1, 1.4) at age 7 years were positively associated with cognition at age 11 years in final the models. Television viewing was negatively associated with cognition (B = -1.7, 95% CI: -2.4, -1.0), although the association was attenuated to the null after adjustments for baseline cognition. Objectively measured light physical activity was inversely associated with cognition (B = -0.7, 95% CI: -1.3, -0.1). Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was also inversely associated with cognition in girls only (B = -1.1, 95% CI: -2.0, -0.3). Associations of physical activity and sedentary behavior with cognition appear to be context-specific in young people. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

  11. Autocatalytic activity and substrate specificity of the pestivirus N-terminal protease N{sup pro}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gottipati, Keerthi; Acholi, Sudheer [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0647 (United States); Ruggli, Nicolas [Institute of Virology and Immunology, CH-3147 Mittelhäusern (Switzerland); Choi, Kyung H., E-mail: kychoi@utmb.edu [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0647 (United States)

    2014-03-15

    Pestivirus N{sup pro} is the first protein translated in the viral polypeptide, and cleaves itself off co-translationally generating the N-terminus of the core protein. Once released, N{sup pro} blocks the host's interferon response by inducing degradation of interferon regulatory factor-3. N{sup pro'}s intracellular autocatalytic activity and lack of trans-activity have hampered in vitro cleavage studies to establish its substrate specificity and the roles of individual residues. We constructed N{sup pro}-GFP fusion proteins that carry the authentic cleavage site and determined the autoproteolytic activities of N{sup pro} proteins containing substitutions at the predicted catalytic sites Glu22 and Cys69, at Arg100 that forms a salt bridge with Glu22, and at the cleavage site Cys168. Contrary to previous reports, we show that N{sup pro'}s catalytic activity does not involve Glu22, which may instead be involved in protein stability. Furthermore, N{sup pro} does not have specificity for Cys168 at the cleavage site even though this residue is conserved throughout the pestivirus genus. - Highlights: • N{sup pro'}s autoproteolysis is studied using N{sup pro}-GFP fusion proteins. • N-terminal 17 amino acids are dispensable without loss of protease activity. • The putative catalytic residue Glu22 is not involved in protease catalysis. • No specificity for Cys168 at the cleavage site despite evolutionary conservation. • N{sup pro} prefers small amino acids with non-branched beta carbons at the P1 position.

  12. Fundamental Activity Constraints Lead to Specific Interpretations of the Connectome.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jannis Schuecker

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available The continuous integration of experimental data into coherent models of the brain is an increasing challenge of modern neuroscience. Such models provide a bridge between structure and activity, and identify the mechanisms giving rise to experimental observations. Nevertheless, structurally realistic network models of spiking neurons are necessarily underconstrained even if experimental data on brain connectivity are incorporated to the best of our knowledge. Guided by physiological observations, any model must therefore explore the parameter ranges within the uncertainty of the data. Based on simulation results alone, however, the mechanisms underlying stable and physiologically realistic activity often remain obscure. We here employ a mean-field reduction of the dynamics, which allows us to include activity constraints into the process of model construction. We shape the phase space of a multi-scale network model of the vision-related areas of macaque cortex by systematically refining its connectivity. Fundamental constraints on the activity, i.e., prohibiting quiescence and requiring global stability, prove sufficient to obtain realistic layer- and area-specific activity. Only small adaptations of the structure are required, showing that the network operates close to an instability. The procedure identifies components of the network critical to its collective dynamics and creates hypotheses for structural data and future experiments. The method can be applied to networks involving any neuron model with a known gain function.

  13. Radiochromatographic assay of N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamine-specific phospholipase D activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fezza, Filomena; Gasperi, Valeria; Mazzei, Cinzia; Maccarrone, Mauro

    2005-04-01

    A radiochromatographic method has been set up to assay the activity of N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamine-specific phospholipase D (NAPE-PLD), based on reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and online scintillation counting. The anandamide (N-arachidonoylethanolamine, AEA), product released by NAPE-PLD from the N-arachidonoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (NArPE) substrate, was separated using a C18 column eluted with methanol-water-acetic acid and was quantified with an external standard method. Baseline separation of AEA and NArPE was completed in less than 15 min, with a detection limit of 0.5 fmol AEA at a signal-to-noise ratio of 4:1. The sensitivity and accuracy of the radiochromatographic procedure allowed detection and characterization of NAPE-PLD activity in very tiny tissue samples or in samples where the enzymatic activity is very low. With this method, we could determine the kinetic constants (i.e., apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) of 40.0+/-5.6 microM and maximum velocity (Vmax) of 22.2+/-3.5 pmol/min per milligram protein toward NArPE) and the distribution of NAPE-PLD activity in brain areas and peripheral tissues of mouse. In addition, we could collect unprecedented evidence that compounds widely used in studies of the endocannabinoid system (e.g., AEA and congeners, receptor a(nta)gonists and inhibitors of AEA degradation) can also affect NAPE-PLD activity.

  14. Determination of low specific activity iodine-129 off-gas concentrations by GC separation and negative ionization mass spectrometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fernandez, S.J.; Rankin, R.A.; McManus, G.J.; Nielsen, R.A.; Delmore, J.E.; Hohorst, F.A.; Murphy, L.P.

    1983-09-01

    This document is the final report of the laboratory development of a method for determining the specific activity of the 129 I emitted from a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant. The technique includes cryogenic sample collection, chemical form separation, quantitation by gas chromatography, and specific activity measurement of each chemical species by negative ionization mass spectrometry. The major conclusions were that both organic and elemental iodine can be quantitatively collected without fractionation and that specific activity measurements as low as one atom of 129 I per 10 5 atoms of 127 I are possible

  15. Production of high specific activity 27Mg by fast neutron irradiation and recoil-aided leaching

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wierczinski, B.; Goeij, J.J.M. de; Volkers, K.J.

    2000-01-01

    High specific activity 27 Mg was produced via recoil-aided leaching from alumina in aqueous medium during irradiation with fast neutrons from a nuclear reactor. After irradiation the aqueous medium was passed through an IC-chelate column, the 24 Na formed during irradiation was removed by elution with 0.25 ml . l -1 sodium acetate and subsequently the 27 Mg was eluted with 2 mol . l -1 hydrochloric acid. Irradiation of alumina with a particle size of 3 μm and a specific surface area of 100 m 2 . g -1 in Milli-Q Plus Water yielded 90% of the total 27 Mg activity produced. Under standard conditions activities of about 8 . 10 5 Bq and specific activities of ca. 10 13 Bq . mol -1 were obtained at the end of irradiation. The standard working conditions involved irradiation of 200 mg alumina dispersed in 0.5 ml liquid in a fast neutron flux of 3 . 10 15 m -2 . s -1 for 15 min, a waiting time of 10 min, and a processing time of 15 minutes. Various alumina samples with different particle sizes and specific surfaces were tested, and the 27 Mg yields were fitted to a mathematical function. Since the high leaching yields cannot only be explained by recoil only, other phenomena such as diffusion and leaching aided by the high hydration energy of the Mg 2+ ion are probably involved. (orig.)

  16. An Estrogen-Responsive Module in the Ventromedial Hypothalamus Selectively Drives Sex-Specific Activity in Females

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephanie M. Correa

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Estrogen-receptor alpha (ERα neurons in the ventrolateral region of the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMHVL control an array of sex-specific responses to maximize reproductive success. In females, these VMHVL neurons are believed to coordinate metabolism and reproduction. However, it remains unknown whether specific neuronal populations control distinct components of this physiological repertoire. Here, we identify a subset of ERα VMHVL neurons that promotes hormone-dependent female locomotion. Activating Nkx2-1-expressing VMHVL neurons via pharmacogenetics elicits a female-specific burst of spontaneous movement, which requires ERα and Tac1 signaling. Disrupting the development of Nkx2-1+ VMHVL neurons results in female-specific obesity, inactivity, and loss of VMHVL neurons coexpressing ERα and Tac1. Unexpectedly, two responses controlled by ERα+ neurons, fertility and brown adipose tissue thermogenesis, are unaffected. We conclude that a dedicated subset of VMHVL neurons marked by ERα, NKX2-1, and Tac1 regulates estrogen-dependent fluctuations in physical activity and constitutes one of several neuroendocrine modules that drive sex-specific responses.

  17. ChIP-seq Accurately Predicts Tissue-Specific Activity of Enhancers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Visel, Axel; Blow, Matthew J.; Li, Zirong; Zhang, Tao; Akiyama, Jennifer A.; Holt, Amy; Plajzer-Frick, Ingrid; Shoukry, Malak; Wright, Crystal; Chen, Feng; Afzal, Veena; Ren, Bing; Rubin, Edward M.; Pennacchio, Len A.

    2009-02-01

    A major yet unresolved quest in decoding the human genome is the identification of the regulatory sequences that control the spatial and temporal expression of genes. Distant-acting transcriptional enhancers are particularly challenging to uncover since they are scattered amongst the vast non-coding portion of the genome. Evolutionary sequence constraint can facilitate the discovery of enhancers, but fails to predict when and where they are active in vivo. Here, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation with the enhancer-associated protein p300, followed by massively-parallel sequencing, to map several thousand in vivo binding sites of p300 in mouse embryonic forebrain, midbrain, and limb tissue. We tested 86 of these sequences in a transgenic mouse assay, which in nearly all cases revealed reproducible enhancer activity in those tissues predicted by p300 binding. Our results indicate that in vivo mapping of p300 binding is a highly accurate means for identifying enhancers and their associated activities and suggest that such datasets will be useful to study the role of tissue-specific enhancers in human biology and disease on a genome-wide scale.

  18. Activity and specificity of TRV-mediated gene editing in plants

    KAUST Repository

    Ali, Zahir

    2015-06-03

    © 2015 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC. Plant trait engineering requires efficient targeted genome-editing technologies. Clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPRs)/ CRISPR associated (Cas) type II system is used for targeted genome-editing applications across eukaryotic species including plants. Delivery of genome engineering reagents and recovery of mutants remain challenging tasks for in planta applications. Recently, we reported the development of Tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-mediated genome editing in Nicotiana benthamiana. TRV infects the growing points and possesses small genome size; which facilitate cloning, multiplexing, and agroinfections. Here, we report on the persistent activity and specificity of the TRV-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 system for targeted modification of the Nicotiana benthamiana genome. Our data reveal the persistence of the TRVmediated Cas9 activity for up to 30 d post-agroinefection. Further, our data indicate that TRV-mediated genome editing exhibited no off-target activities at potential off-targets indicating the precision of the system for plant genome engineering. Taken together, our data establish the feasibility and exciting possibilities of using virus-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 for targeted engineering of plant genomes.

  19. A simple method for the determination of the specific activity of 125I-tracer used in radioimmunoassay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhupal, V.; Mani, R.S.

    1986-01-01

    The specific activity of the 125 I-thyroxin used in thyroxin radioimmunoassay (RIA) was determined by a simple method involving combination of RIA and displacement analysis. It was compared with the value obtained by the conventional method based on radioiodination data. It is indicated that even for a non-protein hormone like thyroxin the specific activity of 125 I-thyroxin derived from iodination data is not reliable. The specific activites obtained by displacement analysis were consistent with the experimental findings. (author)

  20. Site-specific RNase A activity was dramatically reduced in serum from multiple types of cancer patients.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weiyan Huang

    Full Text Available Potent RNase activities were found in the serum of mammals but the physiological function of the RNases was never well illustrated, largely due to the caveats in methods of RNase activity measurement. None of the existing methods can distinguish between RNases with different target specificities. A systematic study was recently carried out in our lab to investigate the site-specificity of serum RNases on double-stranded RNA substrates, and found that serum RNases cleave double-stranded RNAs predominantly at 5'-U/A-3' and 5'-C/A-3' dinucleotide sites, in a manner closely resembling RNase A. Based on this finding, a FRET assay was developed in the current study to measure this site-specific serum RNase activity in human samples using a double stranded RNA substrate. We demonstrated that the method has a dynamic range of 10(-5 mg/ml- 10(-1 mg/ml using serial dilution of RNase A. The sera of 303 cancer patients were subjected to comparison with 128 healthy controls, and it was found that serum RNase activities visualized with this site-specific double stranded probe were found to be significantly reduced in patients with gastric cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, ovary cancer, cervical cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer and lung cancer, while only minor changes were found in breast and colon cancer patients. This is the first report using double stranded RNA as probe to quantify site-specific activities of RNase A in a serum. The results illustrated that RNase A might be further evaluated to determine if it can serve as a new class of biomarkers for certain cancer types.

  1. Site-Specific RNase A Activity Was Dramatically Reduced in Serum from Multiple Types of Cancer Patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Weiyan; Zhao, Mei; Wei, Na; Wang, Xiaoxia; Cao, Huqing; Du, Quan; Liang, Zicai

    2014-01-01

    Potent RNase activities were found in the serum of mammals but the physiological function of the RNases was never well illustrated, largely due to the caveats in methods of RNase activity measurement. None of the existing methods can distinguish between RNases with different target specificities. A systematic study was recently carried out in our lab to investigate the site-specificity of serum RNases on double-stranded RNA substrates, and found that serum RNases cleave double-stranded RNAs predominantly at 5′-U/A-3′ and 5′-C/A-3′ dinucleotide sites, in a manner closely resembling RNase A. Based on this finding, a FRET assay was developed in the current study to measure this site-specific serum RNase activity in human samples using a double stranded RNA substrate. We demonstrated that the method has a dynamic range of 10−5 mg/ml- 10−1 mg/ml using serial dilution of RNase A. The sera of 303 cancer patients were subjected to comparison with 128 healthy controls, and it was found that serum RNase activities visualized with this site-specific double stranded probe were found to be significantly reduced in patients with gastric cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, ovary cancer, cervical cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer and lung cancer, while only minor changes were found in breast and colon cancer patients. This is the first report using double stranded RNA as probe to quantify site-specific activities of RNase A in a serum. The results illustrated that RNase A might be further evaluated to determine if it can serve as a new class of biomarkers for certain cancer types. PMID:24805924

  2. Higher Trait Psychopathy Is Associated with Increased Risky Decision-Making and Less Coincident Insula and Striatal Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew T. Sutherland

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Higher trait levels of psychopathy have been associated with both a tendency to maintain disadvantageous decision-making strategies and aberrant cortico-limbic neural activity. To explore the neural mechanisms associated with the psychopathy-related propensity to continue selecting risky choices, a non-forensic sample of participants completed a self-report psychopathy questionnaire and two runs of a risky decision-making task during H215O positron emission tomography (PET scanning. In this secondary data analysis study, we leveraged data previously collected to examine the impact of previous drug use on risky decision-making to explore the relations between self-reported psychopathy and behavioral and brain metrics during performance of the Cambridge Decision-Making Task (CDMT, in which volunteers chose between small/likely or large/unlikely potential reward outcomes. Behaviorally, we observed that psychopathy scores were differentially correlated with the percent of risky decisions made in run 1 vs. run 2 of the task. Specifically, higher levels of psychopathy, above and beyond that attributable to drug use or sex, were associated with greater tendencies to make risky selections only in the second half (run 2 of the task. In parallel, psychopathy scores negatively correlated with regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF in the right insula and right ventral striatum during run 2 of the CDMT. These exploratory outcomes suggest that greater levels of psychopathy may be associated with an inability to translate experience with negative outcomes into behavioral adaptations possibly due to decreased neural efficiency in regions related to somatic and/or reward feedback processes.

  3. Consideration of statistical uncertainties for the determination of representative values of the specific activity of wastes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barthel, R.

    2008-01-01

    The German Radiation Protection Commission has recommended 'Principles and Methods for the Consideration of Statistical Uncertainties for the Determination of Representative Values of the Specific Activity of NORM wastes' concerning the proof of compliance with supervision limits or dose standards according to paragraph 97 and paragraph 98 of the Radiation Protection Ordinance, respectively. The recommendation comprises a method ensuring the representativeness of estimates for the specific activity of NORM wastes, which also assures the required evidence for conformity with respect to supervision limits or dose standards, respectively. On the basis of a sampling survey, confidence limits for expectation values of specific activities are determined, which will be used to show that the supervision limit or the dose standard is met or exceeded with certainty, or that the performed sampling is not sufficient for the intended assessment. The sampling effort depends on the type and the width of the distribution of specific activities and is determined by the position of the confidence interval with respect to the supervision limit or of the resulting doses with respect to the dose standard. The statistical uncertainties that are described by confidence limits may be reduced by an optimised extension of the sample number, as far as necessary. (orig.)

  4. Pavlov's Position on Old Age within the Framework of the Theory of Higher Nervous Activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Windholz, George

    1995-01-01

    In later life, I. P. Pavlov incorporated his findings on aging into his theory of higher nervous activity. Some of the major findings showed that salivary conditioning and stimulus differentiation were difficult to establish in old dogs, but that conditioned reflexes established earlier in life persisted into old age. Pavlov hypothesized that…

  5. StrigoQuant: A genetically encoded biosensor for quantifying strigolactone activity and specificity

    KAUST Repository

    Samodelov, S. L.

    2016-11-05

    Strigolactones are key regulators of plant development and interaction with symbiotic fungi; however, quantitative tools for strigolactone signaling analysis are lacking. We introduce a genetically encoded hormone biosensor used to analyze strigolactone-mediated processes, including the study of the components involved in the hormone perception/signaling complex and the structural specificity and sensitivity of natural and synthetic strigolactones in Arabidopsis, providing quantitative insights into the stereoselectivity of strigolactone perception. Given the high specificity, sensitivity, dynamic range of activity, modular construction, ease of implementation, and wide applicability, the biosensor StrigoQuant will be useful in unraveling multiple levels of strigolactone metabolic and signaling networks.

  6. Significant others and contingencies of self-worth: activation and consequences of relationship-specific contingencies of self-worth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horberg, E J; Chen, Serena

    2010-01-01

    Three studies tested the activation and consequences of contingencies of self-worth associated with specific significant others, that is, relationship-specific contingencies of self-worth. The results showed that activating the mental representation of a significant other with whom one strongly desires closeness led participants to stake their self-esteem in domains in which the significant other wanted them to excel. This was shown in terms of self-reported contingencies of self-worth (Study 1), in terms of self-worth after receiving feedback on a successful or unsatisfactory performance in a relationship-specific contingency domain (Study 2), and in terms of feelings of reduced self-worth after thinking about a failure in a relationship-specific contingency domain (Study 3). Across studies, a variety of contingency domains were examined. Furthermore, Study 3 showed that failing in an activated relationship-specific contingency domain had negative implications for current feelings of closeness and acceptance in the significant-other relationship. Overall, the findings suggest that people's contingencies of self-worth depend on the social situation and that performance in relationship-specific contingency domains can influence people's perceptions of their relationships.

  7. A system of radiation monitoring, and methods and equipment for measuring water of low specific activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sivintsev, Yu.V.

    1975-01-01

    The author considers criteria for the radiation protection of the population and the environment. He describes the role of procedures for monitoring waters of low specific activity in the framework of a system for ensuring the radiation safety of the population living near a nuclear power station. The main technical characteristics (background, efficiency, sensitivity) of the laboratory equipment for gamma spectrometric analysis of water samples of low specific activity are discussed. (author)

  8. Designing Class Activities to Meet Specific Core Training Competencies: A Developmental Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guth, Lorraine J.; McDonnell, Kelly A.

    2004-01-01

    This article presents a developmental model for designing and utilizing class activities to meet specific Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW) core training competencies for group workers. A review of the relevant literature about teaching group work and meeting core training standards is provided. The authors suggest a process by…

  9. Transportation impact analysis for the shipment of Low Specific Activity Nitric Acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Green, J.R.

    1994-01-01

    This document was written in support of the Plutonium-Uranium Extraction (PUREX) Facility Low Specific Activity (LSA) Nitric Acid Shipment Environmental Assessment. It analyzes the potential toxicological and radiological risks associated with the transportation of PUREX Facility LSA Nitric Acid from the Hanford Site in Washington State to three Eastern ports

  10. Purification and substrate specificity of Staphylococcus hyicus lipase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Oort, M G; Deveer, A M; Dijkman, R; Tjeenk, M L; Verheij, H M; de Haas, G H; Wenzig, E; Götz, F

    1989-11-28

    The Staphylococcus hyicus lipase gene has been cloned and expressed in Staphylococcus carnosus. From the latter organism the enzyme was secreted into the medium as a protein with an apparent molecular mass of 86 kDa. This protein was purified, and the amino-terminal sequence showed that the primary gene product was indeed cleaved at the proposed signal peptide cleavage site. The protein was purified from large-scale preparations after tryptic digestion. This limited proteolysis reduced the molecular mass to 46 kDa and increased the specific activity about 3-fold. Although the enzyme had a low specific activity in the absence of divalent cations, the activity increased about 40-fold in the presence of Sr2+ or Ca2+ ions. The purified lipase has a broad substrate specificity. The acyl chains were removed from the primary and secondary positions of natural neutral glycerides and from a variety of synthetic glyceride analogues. Thus triglycerides were fully hydrolyzed to free fatty acid and glycerol. The enzyme hydrolyzed naturally occurring phosphatidylcholines, their synthetic short-chain analogues, and lysophospholipids to free fatty acids and water-soluble products. The enzyme had a 2-fold higher activity on micelles of short-chain D-lecithins than on micelles composed of the L-isomers. Thus the enzyme from S. hyicus has lipase activity and also high phospholipase A and lysophospholipase activity.

  11. Threats to the Human Capacity of Regional Higher Education Institutions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Evgeny Valentinovich Romanov

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, the sphere of science and education in Russia undergoes significant reforms. However, the existing framework guiding the development of the higher education contradict the Strategy of Scientific and Technological Development of Russia. These contradictions concern the conditions for building an integral system of personnel reserve and recruitment, which is necessary for the scientific and technological development of the country. The change of the funding model and the transition to two-tier higher education contribute to the outflow of talented youth to the cities where branded universities are concentrated. It creates threats to the human capacity of regional higher education institutions (both regarding staffing number, and regarding personnel reserve. Decreasing trend in number of students because of the federal budget appropriation and the existing system of per capita funding for regional higher education institutions are the threats for regional higher education. These threats can result in permanent reduction of the number of academic teaching staff and in potential decline in quality of education due to increasing teachers’ workloads. The transition to the two-tier model of university education has changed the approach to evaluating the efficiency of scientific research. The number of publications in the journals, which are indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus, has increased, but the patent activity of the leading higher education institutions has decreased many times. The ratio of number of articles to the number of the granted patents in the leading Russian universities significantly exceeds a similar indicator of the leading foreign universities. It can be regarded as «brain drain». Furthermore, this fact explains why the specific weight of income from the results of intellectual activity in total income in the majority of the Russian universities is close to zero. Regional higher education institutions need

  12. Graded territories: Towards the design, specification and simulation of materially graded bending active structures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nicholas, Paul; Tamke, Martin; Ramsgaard Thomsen, Mette

    2012-01-01

    these structures, the property of bending is activated and varied through bespoke material means so as to match a desired form. Within the architectural design process, formal control depends upon design approaches for material specification and simulation that consider behavior at the level of the material...... element as well as the structure. We describe an evolving approach to material specification and simulation, and highlight the digital and material considerations that frame the process.......The ability to make materials with bespoke behavior affords new perspectives on incorporating material properties within the design process not available through natural materials. This paper reports the design and assembly of two bending-active, fibre-reinforced composite structures. Within...

  13. Specific and differential activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades by unfamiliar taste in the insular cortex of the behaving rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berman, D E; Hazvi, S; Rosenblum, K; Seger, R; Dudai, Y

    1998-12-01

    Rats were given to drink an unfamiliar taste solution under conditions that result in long-term memory of that taste. The insular cortex, which contains the taste cortex, was then removed and assayed for activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades by using antibodies to the activated forms of various MAPKs. Extracellular responsive kinase 1-2 (ERK1-2) in the cortical homogenate was significantly activated within taste solution, without alteration in the total level of the ERK1-2 proteins. The activity subsided to basal levels within ERK1-2 was not activated when the taste was made familiar. The effect of the unfamiliar taste was specific to the insular cortex. Jun N-terminal kinase 1-2 (JNK1-2) was activated by drinking the taste but with a delayed time course, whereas the activity of Akt kinase and p38MAPK remained unchanged. Elk-1, a member of the ternary complex factor and an ERK/JNK downstream substrate, was activated with a time course similar to that of ERK1-2. Microinjection of a reversible inhibitor of MAPK/ERK kinase into the insular cortex shortly before exposure to the novel taste in a conditioned taste aversion training paradigm attenuated long-term taste aversion memory without significantly affecting short-term memory or the sensory, motor, and motivational faculties required to express long-term taste aversion memory. It was concluded that ERK and JNK are specifically and differentially activated in the insular cortex after exposure to a novel taste, and that this activation is required for consolidation of long-term taste memory.

  14. Production of high specific activity 123I for protein iodination for medical use

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Legoux, Y.; Cieur, M.; Crouzel, C.; Syrota, A.

    1985-01-01

    Iodine-123 is produced via xenon-133 by irradiation of a sodium iodide target with 108 MeV deuterons from the synchrocyclotron of IPN. The on-line production method is described. The specific activity of the iodine is determined by neutron activation analysis and by a radioimmunological method. The conditions labelling different proteins (insulin, angiotensin) are given and also the purification method to obtain a product ready for injection to patients. (author)

  15. Determination of low specific activity iodine-129 off-gas concentrations by GC separation and negative ionization mass spectrometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fernandez, S.J.; Rankin, R.A.; McManus, G.J.; Nielsen, R.A.; Delmore, J.E.; Hohorst, F.A.; Murphy, L.P.

    1983-09-01

    This document is the final report of the laboratory development of a method for determining the specific activity of the /sup 129/I emitted from a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant. The technique includes cryogenic sample collection, chemical form separation, quantitation by gas chromatography, and specific activity measurement of each chemical species by negative ionization mass spectrometry. The major conclusions were that both organic and elemental iodine can be quantitatively collected without fractionation and that specific activity measurements as low as one atom of /sup 129/I per 10/sup 5/ atoms of /sup 127/I are possible.

  16. Preparation and quantification of 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phospho[35S]sulfate with high specific activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vargas, F.

    1988-01-01

    The synthesis and quantitation of the sulfate donor 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phospho[35S]sulfate (PAP35S), prepared from inorganic [35S]sulfate and ATP, were studied. An enzymatic transfer method based upon the quantitative transfer of [35S]sulfate from PAP35S to 2-naphthol and 4-methylumbelliferone by the action of phenolsulfotransferase activity from rat brain cytosol was also developed. The 2-naphthyl[35S]sulfate or 35S-methylumbelliferone sulfate formed was isolated by polystyrene bead chromatography. This method allows the detection of between 0.1 pmol and 1 nmol/ml of PAP35S. PAP35S of high specific activity (75 Ci/mmol) was prepared by incubating ATP and carrier-free Na2 35SO4 with a 100,000g supernatant fraction from rat spleen. The product was purified by ion-exchange chromatography. The specific activity and purity of PAP35S were estimated by examining the ratios of Km values for PAP35S of the tyrosyl protein sulfotransferase present in microsomes from rat cerebral cortex. The advantage and applications of these methods for the detection of femtomole amounts, and the synthesis of large scale quantities of PAP35S with high specific activity are discussed

  17. Cell-type-specific activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases in PAN-induced progressive renal disease in rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Sang-Joon; Jeong, Kyu-Shik

    2004-01-01

    We examined the time-course activation and the cell-type specific role of MAP kinases in puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN)-induced renal disease. The maximal activation of c-Jun-NH 2 -terminal kinase (JNK), extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK), and p38 MAP kinase was detected on Days 52, 38, and 38 after PAN-treatment, respectively. p-JNK was localized in mesangial and proximal tubular cells at the early renal injury. It was expressed, therefore, in the inflammatory cells of tubulointerstitial lesions. While, p-ERK was markedly increased in the glomerular regions and macrophages p-p38 was observed in glomerular endothelial cells, tubular cells, and some inflammatory cells. The results show that the activation of MAP kinases in the early renal injury by PAN-treatment involves cellular changes such as cell proliferation or apoptosis in renal native cells. The activation of MAP kinases in infiltrated inflammatory cells and fibrotic cells plays an important role in destructive events such as glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis

  18. Predictive value of different prostate-specific antigen-based markers in men with baseline total prostate-specific antigen <2.0 ng/mL.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujizuka, Yuji; Ito, Kazuto; Oki, Ryo; Suzuki, Rie; Sekine, Yoshitaka; Koike, Hidekazu; Matsui, Hiroshi; Shibata, Yasuhiro; Suzuki, Kazuhiro

    2017-08-01

    To investigate the predictive value of various molecular forms of prostate-specific antigen in men with baseline prostate-specific antigen baseline prostate-specific antigen level baseline prostate-specific antigen- and age-adjusted men who did not develop prostate cancer. Serum prostate-specific antigen, free prostate-specific antigen, and [-2] proenzyme prostate-specific antigen were measured at baseline and last screening visit. The predictive impact of baseline prostate-specific antigen- and [-2] proenzyme prostate-specific antigen-related indices on developing prostate cancer was investigated. The predictive impact of those indices at last screening visit and velocities from baseline to final screening on tumor aggressiveness were also investigated. The baseline free to total prostate-specific antigen ratio was a significant predictor of prostate cancer development. The odds ratio was 6.08 in the lowest quintile baseline free to total prostate-specific antigen ratio subgroup. No serum indices at diagnosis were associated with tumor aggressiveness. The Prostate Health Index velocity and [-2] proenzyme prostate-specific antigen/free prostate-specific antigen velocity significantly increased in patients with higher risk D'Amico risk groups and higher Gleason scores. Free to total prostate-specific antigen ratio in men with low baseline prostate-specific antigen levels seems to predict the risk of developing prostate cancer, and it could be useful for a more effective individualized screening system. Longitudinal changes in [-2] proenzyme prostate-specific antigen-related indices seem to correlate with tumor aggressiveness, and they could be used as prognostic tool before treatment and during active surveillance. © 2017 The Japanese Urological Association.

  19. Multi-Product Total Cost of Function for Higher Education: A Case of Bible Colleges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koshal, Rajindar K.; Koshal, Manjulika; Gupta, Ashok

    2001-01-01

    This study empirically estimates a multiproduct total cost function and output relationship for comprehensive U.S. universities. Statistical results for 184 Bible colleges suggest that there are both economies of scale and of scope in higher education. Additionally, product-specific economies of scope exist for all output levels and activities.…

  20. Intake of Lutein-Rich Vegetables Is Associated with Higher Levels of Physical Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Georgina Crichton

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Levels of physical inactivity, a major contributor to burden of disease, are high in many countries. Some preliminary research suggests that circulating lutein concentrations are associated with high levels of physical activity (PA. We aimed to assess whether the intake of lutein-containing foods, including vegetables and eggs, is associated with levels of PA in two studies conducted in different countries. Dietary data and PA data collected from participants in two cross-sectional studies: the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study (MSLS, conducted in Central New York, USA (n = 972, and the Observation of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Luxembourg Study (ORISCAV-LUX (n = 1331 were analyzed. Higher intakes of lutein containing foods, including green leafy vegetables, were associated with higher levels of PA in both study sites. Increasing the consumption of lutein-rich foods may have the potential to impact positively on levels of PA. This needs to be further explored in randomized controlled trials.

  1. Production of N-13 labeled compounds with high specific activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suzuki, Kazutoshi; Sasaki, Motoji; Yoshida, Yuichiro; Haradahira, Terushi; Inoue, Osamu [National Inst. of Radiological Sciences, Chiba (Japan)

    1997-03-01

    Nitrogen-13 was produced by irradiating ultra pure water saturated with a pure gas (N2, O2, He, H2) with 18 MeV protons. Ion species generated by irradiation were analyzed with radio ion chromatography systems. An automated equipment was developed to synthesize anhydrous (13N)NH3 as a synthetic precursor and (13N)p-nitrophenyl carbamate ((13N)NPC) as a model compound, using the (13N)NH3. The radiochemical yield and specific activity of (13N)NPC was high enough to carry out the receptor study with PET. (author)

  2. Personality traits and gender-specific income expectations in Dutch higher education

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Need, Ariana; Jong, Uulkje de

    2008-01-01

    In this article we examine gender differences in income expectations of students in higher education. We found quite large gender differences. Men and women differ significantly in the income they expect to earn at the top of their career. We examined how much personality traits contribute to

  3. Higher Physical Activity Is Associated With Lower Aortic Stiffness but Not With Central Blood Pressure

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Laursen, Anne Sofie Dam; Hansen, Anne-Louise Smidt; Wiinberg, Niels

    2015-01-01

    .47; -0.03). Associations with central systolic blood pressure and central pulse pressure were not statistically significant. We observed no difference in central hemodynamics when substituting 1 hour sedentary behavior with 1 hour light or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. In this relatively...... was assessed by applanation tonometry, as aortic pulse wave velocity, and central blood pressure was estimated from radial waveforms. Associations between physical activity energy expenditure and central hemodynamics were examined by linear regression. Furthermore, the consequence of substituting 1 hour...... sedentary behavior with 1 hour light or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on central hemodynamics was examined. Median physical activity energy expenditure was 28.0 kJ/kg/d (IQR: 19.8; 38.7). A 10 kJ/kg/d higher energy expenditure was associated with 0.75% lower aortic pulse wave velocity (CI: -1...

  4. Development of the radiosynthesis of high-specific-activity 123I-NKJ64

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tavares, Adriana Alexandre S.; Jobson, Nicola K.; Dewar, Deborah; Sutherland, Andrew; Pimlott, Sally L.

    2011-01-01

    Introduction: 123 I-NKJ64, a reboxetine analogue, is currently under development as a potential novel single photon emission computed tomography radiotracer for imaging the noradrenaline transporter in brain. This study describes the development of the radiosynthesis of 123 I-NKJ64, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages, pitfalls and solutions encountered while developing the final radiolabelling methodology. Methods: The synthesis of 123 I-NKJ64 was evaluated using an electrophilic iododestannylation method, where a Boc-protected trimethylstannyl precursor was radioiodinated using peracetic acid as an oxidant and deprotection was investigated using either trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) or 2 M hydrochloric acid (HCl). Results: Radioiodination of the Boc-protected trimethylstannyl precursor was achieved with an incorporation yield of 92±6%. Deprotection with 2 M HCl produced 123 I-NKJ64 with the highest radiochemical yield of 98.05±1.63% compared with 83.95±13.24% with TFA. However, the specific activity of the obtained 123 I-NKJ64 was lower when measured after using 2 M HCl (0.15±0.23 Ci/μmol) as the deprotecting agent in comparison to TFA (1.76±0.60 Ci/μmol). Further investigation of the 2 M HCl methodology found a by-product, identified as the deprotected proto-destannylated precursor, which co-eluted with 123 I-NKJ64 during the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) purification. Conclusions: The radiosynthesis of 123 I-NKJ64 was achieved with good isolated radiochemical yield of 68% and a high specific activity of 1.8 Ci/μmol. TFA was found to be the most suitable deprotecting agent, since 2 M HCl generated a by-product that could not be fully separated from 123 I-NKJ64 using the HPLC methodology investigated. This study highlights the importance of HPLC purification and accurate measurement of specific activity while developing new radiosynthesis methodologies.

  5. Higher Language Ability is Related to Angular Gyrus Activation Increase During Semantic Processing, Independent of Sentence Incongruency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Ettinger-Veenstra, Helene; McAllister, Anita; Lundberg, Peter; Karlsson, Thomas; Engström, Maria

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates the relation between individual language ability and neural semantic processing abilities. Our aim was to explore whether high-level language ability would correlate to decreased activation in language-specific regions or rather increased activation in supporting language regions during processing of sentences. Moreover, we were interested if observed neural activation patterns are modulated by semantic incongruency similarly to previously observed changes upon syntactic congruency modulation. We investigated 27 healthy adults with a sentence reading task—which tapped language comprehension and inference, and modulated sentence congruency—employing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We assessed the relation between neural activation, congruency modulation, and test performance on a high-level language ability assessment with multiple regression analysis. Our results showed increased activation in the left-hemispheric angular gyrus extending to the temporal lobe related to high language ability. This effect was independent of semantic congruency, and no significant relation between language ability and incongruency modulation was observed. Furthermore, there was a significant increase of activation in the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) bilaterally when the sentences were incongruent, indicating that processing incongruent sentences was more demanding than processing congruent sentences and required increased activation in language regions. The correlation of high-level language ability with increased rather than decreased activation in the left angular gyrus, a region specific for language processing, is opposed to what the neural efficiency hypothesis would predict. We can conclude that no evidence is found for an interaction between semantic congruency related brain activation and high-level language performance, even though the semantic incongruent condition shows to be more demanding and evoking more neural activation. PMID

  6. Higher language ability is related to angular gyrus activation increase during semantic processing, independent of sentence incongruency

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helene eVan Ettinger-Veenstra

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available This study investigates the relation between individual language ability and neural semantic processing abilities. Our aim was to explore whether high-level language ability would correlate to decreased activation in language-specific regions or rather increased activation in supporting language regions during processing of sentences. Moreover, we were interested if observed neural activation patterns are modulated by semantic incongruency similarly to previously observed changes upon syntactic congruency modulation. We investigated 27 healthy adults with a sentence reading task - which tapped language comprehension and inference, and modulated sentence congruency - employing functional magnetic resonance imaging. We assessed the relation between neural activation, congruency modulation, and test performance on a high-level language ability assessment with multiple regression analysis. Our results showed increased activation in the left-hemispheric angular gyrus extending to the temporal lobe related to high language ability. This effect was independent of semantic congruency, and no significant relation between language ability and incongruency modulation was observed. Furthermore, a significant increase of activation in the inferior frontal gyrus bilaterally when the sentences were incongruent, indicating that processing incongruent sentences was more demanding than processing congruent sentences and required increased activation in language regions. The correlation of high-level language ability with increased rather than decreased activation in the left angular gyrus, a region specific for language processing is opposed to what the neural efficiency hypothesis would predict. We can conclude that there is no evidence found for an interaction between semantic congruency related brain activation and high-level language performance, even though the semantic incongruent condition shows to be more demanding and evoking more neural activation.

  7. Rating of Perceived Exertion for Quantification of Training and Combat Loads During Combat Sport-Specific Activities: A Short Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slimani, Maamer; Davis, Philip; Franchini, Emerson; Moalla, Wassim

    2017-10-01

    The aim of this short review was to summarize data pertaining to the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) methods (RPE value and session-RPE) during combat sport-specific activities (i.e., competition and training) based on many factors, including contest type (i.e., official vs. simulated vs. training), combat rounds, age of participants and muscle groups, and their correlation with physiological variables (i.e., blood lactate concentration [La] and heart rate [HR]). The current review shows higher RPE in a match of mixed martial arts (MMAs) than Brazilian jiu-jitsu and kickboxing matches and during the competitive period compared with the precompetitive period. This could be explained by the longer duration of bouts, the higher percentage contribution of aerobic metabolism in MMA than other combat sports and contest type differences (simulated vs. official matches). Thus, this review found significant correlations between RPE or session-RPE, [La] and HR. Particularly, there was a stronger correlation between RPE and [La] during official striking (r = 0.81) than grappling combat sports matches (r = 0.53). In addition, a variation of correlation (moderate to large) between session-RPE and HR-based methods has been reported (i.e., Edwards' training load [r ranged between 0.58 and 0.95] and Banister training impulse [r ranged between 0.52 and 0.86]). Specifically, stronger correlation was apparent in combat sport competition that required a much higher percentage contribution of aerobic metabolism (e.g., karate) and in adult athletes than anaerobic-based combat sports (e.g., taekwondo) and young athletes, respectively. Indeed, the current review highlights that the correlations between session-RPE and HR-based methods were higher during official competition than training sessions. Session-RPE was affected by participants' competitive level, the intensity of session (high vs. low), the training modalities (tactical-technical vs. technical-development vs. simulated

  8. Experimental study on active specific immunotherapy utilizing the immune reaction of low-dose irradiated tumor tissue, 9

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogawa, Yasuhiro; Maeda, Tomoho; Yoshida, Shoji

    1983-01-01

    We have already reported the remarkable effect of an active specific immunotherapy using cryopreserved tumor cells and infiltrating mononuclear cells prepared from a low-dose irradiated tumor tissue after cytoreductive radiotherapy. In the present study, the effect of a biological response modifier, OK-432 combined with the active specific immunotherapy was investigated. Twelve-week-aged female C3H/He mice transplanted with MM 46 tumor cells were received local radiotherapy with a dose of 3,000 rads by high energy electron beams on the fifth day after inoculation. The tumor cells and infiltrating mononuclear cells cryopreserved for two months were thawed and treated with mitomycin-C at concentration of 20 μg/10 7 cells at 37 0 C for 30 min. Then, these cells were injected subcutaneously into the left hind paws as a mitomycin C-treated, cryopreserved active specific immunotherapy on the thirteenth day, and daily dose of 1 KE of OK-432 was injected intraperitoneally from the sixth to the tenth days. The inhibition of the tumor growth was similarly observed in the group which received this active specific immunotherapy combined with a biological response modifier, OK-432. (author)

  9. Higher insulin sensitivity in vegans is not associated with higher mitochondrial density.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gojda, J; Patková, J; Jaček, M; Potočková, J; Trnka, J; Kraml, P; Anděl, M

    2013-12-01

    Vegans have a lower incidence of insulin resistance (IR)-associated diseases and a higher insulin sensitivity (IS) compared with omnivores. The aim of this study was to examine whether the higher IS in vegans relates to markers of mitochondrial biogenesis and to intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) content. Eleven vegans and 10 matched (race, age, sex, body mass index, physical activity and energy intake) omnivorous controls were enrolled in a case-control study. Anthropometry, bioimpedance (BIA), ultrasound measurement of visceral and subcutaneous fat layer, parameters of glucose and lipid homeostasis, hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp and muscle biopsies were performed. Citrate synthase (CS) activity, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and IMCL content were assessed in skeletal muscle samples. Both groups were comparable in anthropometric and BIA parameters, physical activity and protein-energy intake. Vegans had significantly higher glucose disposal (M-value, vegans 8.11±1.51 vs controls 6.31±1.57 mg/kg/min, 95% confidence interval: 0.402 to 3.212, P=0.014), slightly lower IMCL content (vegans 13.91 (7.8 to 44.0) vs controls 17.36 (12.4 to 78.5) mg/g of muscle, 95% confidence interval: -7.594 to 24.550, P=0.193) and slightly higher relative muscle mtDNA amount (vegans 1.36±0.31 vs controls 1.13±0.36, 95% confidence interval:-0.078 to 0.537, P=0.135). No significant differences were found in CS activity (vegans 18.43±5.05 vs controls 18.16±5.41 μmol/g/min, 95% confidence interval: -4.503 to 5.050, P=0.906). Vegans have a higher IS, but comparable mitochondrial density and IMCL content with omnivores. This suggests that a decrease in whole-body glucose disposal may precede muscle lipid accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction in IR development.

  10. Synthesis of high specific activity carbon-11 labeled tracers for neuroreceptor studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dannals, R.F.; Ravert, H.T.; Wilson, A.A.; Wagner, H.N. Jr; Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD

    1989-01-01

    The use of short-lived positron-emitting radiotracers together with positron emission tomography (PET) has allowed scientists to acquire previously inaccessible information regarding problems in physiology, biochemistry, and pharmacology in the living human body. In the past five years, successes in the application of PET to the non-invasive determination of the spatial distribution and regional concentration of a variety of neurotransmitter binding sites within the living brain often followed the successful selections and syntheses of appropriately radiolabeled ligands. This presentation concentrates on the synthesis of these high specific activity radiotracers for neuroreceptor PET studies labeled specifically with carbon-11. (author). 15 refs.; 1 fig

  11. Selective ligand activity at Nur/retinoid X receptor complexes revealed by dimer-specific bioluminescence resonance energy transfer-based sensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giner, Xavier C; Cotnoir-White, David; Mader, Sylvie; Lévesque, Daniel

    2017-01-01

    Retinoid X receptors (RXR) play a role as master regulators due to their capacity to form heterodimers with other nuclear receptors. Accordingly, retinoid signaling is involved in multiple biological processes, including development, cell differentiation, metabolism and cell death. However, the role and functions of RXR in different heterodimer complexes remain unsolved, mainly because most RXR drugs (called rexinoids) are not selective to specific heterodimer complexes. This also strongly limits the use of rexinoids for specific therapeutic approaches. In order to better characterize rexinoids at specific nuclear receptor complexes, we have developed and optimized luciferase protein complementation-based Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET) assays, which can directly measure recruitment of a co-activator motif fused to yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) by specific nuclear receptor dimers. To validate the assays, we compared rexinoid modulation of co-activator recruitment by RXR homodimer, and heterodimers Nur77/RXR and Nurr1/RXR. Results reveal that some rexinoids display selective co-activator recruitment activities with homo- or hetero-dimer complexes. In particular, SR11237 (BMS649) has increased potency for recruitment of co-activator motif and transcriptional activity with the Nur77/RXR heterodimer compared to other complexes. This technology should prove useful to identify new compounds with specificity for individual dimeric species formed by nuclear receptors. PMID:26148973

  12. Leading Change in Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    McRoy, Ian; Gibbs, Paul

    2009-01-01

    This article considers the situation in the UK higher education system and investigates specifically the leadership practice in a cluster of UK institutions as they changed their status. The research goes further to advocate a form of contextualized leadership that is relevant to higher institutions under change. (Contains 1 figure.)

  13. 3D Printing as Learning Activity in Higher Education A case study in a robotics’ prototyping course

    OpenAIRE

    Drakoulaki, Aikaterini

    2017-01-01

    This thesis is inspired by the new opportunities new technologies provide in education and more precisely in higher education. There is a general focus in higher education on supporting student learning beyond learning the existing knowledge, so that students are prepared for taking part in knowledge- generating activities in their future working environment. Technologies can offer new opportunities for exploring and constructing knowledge. The focus of this study is on 3D printing as a learn...

  14. Polyfunctional Specific Response to Echinococcus Granulosus Associates to the Biological Activity of the Cysts.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linda Petrone

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Cystic echinococcosis (CE is a complex disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus (E.granulosus, and its immunophatogenesis is still not clearly defined. A peculiar feature of chronic CE is the coexistence of Th1 and Th2 responses. It has been suggested that Th1 cytokines are related to disease resistance, whereas Th2 cytokines are related to disease susceptibility and chronicity. The aim of this study was to evaluate, by multi-parametric flow cytometry (FACS, the presence of CE specific immune signatures.We enrolled 54 subjects with suspected CE; 42 of them had a confirmed diagnosis, whereas 12 were classified as NO-CE. Based on the ultrasonography images, CE patients were further categorized as being in "active stages" (25 and "inactive stages" (17. The ability of CD4+ T-cells to produce IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF-α, Th2 cytokines or IL-10 was assessed by FACS on antigen-specific T-cells after overnight stimulation with Antigen B (AgB of E.granulosus. Cytokine profiles were evaluated in all the enrolled subjects. The results show that none of the NO-CE subjects had a detectable AgB-specific response. Among the CE patients, the frequency and proportions of AgB-specific CD4+ T-cells producing IL-2+TNF-α+Th2+ or TNF-α+Th2+ were significantly increased in the "active stages" group compared to the "inactive stages" group. Moreover, an increased proportion of the total polyfunctional subsets, as triple-and double-functional CD4 T-cells, was found in CE patients with active disease. The response to the mitogen, used as a control stimulus to evaluate the immune competence status, was characterized by the same cytokine subsets in all the subjects enrolled, independent of CE.We demonstrate, for the first time to our knowledge, that polyfunctional T-cell subsets as IL-2+TNF-α+Th2+ triple-positive and TNF-α+Th2+ double-positive specific T-cells associate with cyst biological activity. These results contribute to increase knowledge of CE immunophatogenesis and

  15. Synthesis of Isomeric Phosphoubiquitin Chains Reveals that Phosphorylation Controls Deubiquitinase Activity and Specificity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicolas Huguenin-Dezot

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Ubiquitin is post-translationally modified by phosphorylation at several sites, but the consequences of these modifications are largely unknown. Here, we synthesize multi-milligram quantities of ubiquitin phosphorylated at serine 20, serine 57, and serine 65 via genetic code expansion. We use these phosphoubiquitins for the enzymatic assembly of 20 isomeric phosphoubiquitin dimers, with different sites of isopeptide linkage and/or phosphorylation. We discover that phosphorylation of serine 20 on ubiquitin converts UBE3C from a dual-specificity E3 ligase into a ligase that primarily synthesizes K48 chains. We profile the activity of 31 deubiquitinases on the isomeric phosphoubiquitin dimers in 837 reactions, and we discover that phosphorylation at distinct sites in ubiquitin can activate or repress cleavage of a particular linkage by deubiquitinases and that phosphorylation at a single site in ubiquitin can control the specificity of deubiquitinases for distinct ubiquitin linkages.

  16. Predicting perceptual learning from higher-order cortical processing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Fang; Huang, Jing; Lv, Yaping; Ma, Xiaoli; Yang, Bin; Wang, Encong; Du, Boqi; Li, Wu; Song, Yan

    2016-01-01

    Visual perceptual learning has been shown to be highly specific to the retinotopic location and attributes of the trained stimulus. Recent psychophysical studies suggest that these specificities, which have been associated with early retinotopic visual cortex, may in fact not be inherent in perceptual learning and could be related to higher-order brain functions. Here we provide direct electrophysiological evidence in support of this proposition. In a series of event-related potential (ERP) experiments, we recorded high-density electroencephalography (EEG) from human adults over the course of learning in a texture discrimination task (TDT). The results consistently showed that the earliest C1 component (68-84ms), known to reflect V1 activity driven by feedforward inputs, was not modulated by learning regardless of whether the behavioral improvement is location specific or not. In contrast, two later posterior ERP components (posterior P1 and P160-350) over the occipital cortex and one anterior ERP component (anterior P160-350) over the prefrontal cortex were progressively modified day by day. Moreover, the change of the anterior component was closely correlated with improved behavioral performance on a daily basis. Consistent with recent psychophysical and imaging observations, our results indicate that perceptual learning can mainly involve changes in higher-level visual cortex as well as in the neural networks responsible for cognitive functions such as attention and decision making. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Planning for Higher Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindstrom, Caj-Gunnar

    1984-01-01

    Decision processes for strategic planning for higher education institutions are outlined using these parameters: institutional goals and power structure, organizational climate, leadership attitudes, specific problem type, and problem-solving conditions and alternatives. (MSE)

  18. Active transport, substrate specificity, and methylation of Hg(II) in anaerobic bacteria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaefer, Jeffra K.; Rocks, Sara S.; Zheng, Wang; Liang, Liyuan; Gu, Baohua; Morel, François M. M.

    2011-01-01

    The formation of methylmercury (MeHg), which is biomagnified in aquatic food chains and poses a risk to human health, is effected by some iron- and sulfate-reducing bacteria (FeRB and SRB) in anaerobic environments. However, very little is known regarding the mechanism of uptake of inorganic Hg by these organisms, in part because of the inherent difficulty in measuring the intracellular Hg concentration. By using the FeRB Geobacter sulfurreducens and the SRB Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ND132 as model organisms, we demonstrate that Hg(II) uptake occurs by active transport. We also establish that Hg(II) uptake by G. sulfurreducens is highly dependent on the characteristics of the thiols that bind Hg(II) in the external medium, with some thiols promoting uptake and methylation and others inhibiting both. The Hg(II) uptake system of D. desulfuricans has a higher affinity than that of G. sulfurreducens and promotes Hg methylation in the presence of stronger complexing thiols. We observed a tight coupling between Hg methylation and MeHg export from the cell, suggesting that these two processes may serve to avoid the build up and toxicity of cellular Hg. Our results bring up the question of whether cellular Hg uptake is specific for Hg(II) or accidental, occurring via some essential metal importer. Our data also point at Hg(II) complexation by thiols as an important factor controlling Hg methylation in anaerobic environments. PMID:21555571

  19. Allele-specific MMP-3 transcription under in vivo conditions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chaoyong, Zhu [Atherosclerosis Research Unit, King Gustav V Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (Sweden); Odeberg, Jacob [Atherosclerosis Research Unit, King Gustav V Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (Sweden); Department of Biotechnology, AlbaNova University Center, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm (Sweden); Hamsten, Anders [Atherosclerosis Research Unit, King Gustav V Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (Sweden); Eriksson, Per [Atherosclerosis Research Unit, King Gustav V Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (Sweden)

    2006-09-29

    A common matrix metalloproteinases-3 (MMP-3) -1612 5A/6A promoter polymorphism is associated with risk for cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other diseases. Here we used the haplotype chromatin immunoprecipitation method to study allele-specific MMP-3 expression under in vivo conditions in heterozygous THP-1 cells. Pyrosequencing was used to analyse the ratio of 5A-allele to 6A-allele after chromatin immunoprecipitation using an antibody against phosphorylated active RNA polymerase II. There was no allele-specific difference in transcriptional activity during basal conditions, i.e., in unstimulated monocytic THP-1 cells. However, after stimulation of MMP-3 expression by monocyte differentiation or incubation with IL-1{beta}, the haplotype containing the 5A-allele was associated with higher transcriptional activity compared with the 6A-containing haplotype. Electromobility shift assay demonstrated increased binding of nuclear proteins to the 5A-allele after monocyte differentiation. In conclusion, the common MMP-3 5A/6A promoter polymorphism appears to be functional only during specific environmental conditions involving inflammation.

  20. Does Structured Quizzing with Process Specific Feedback Lead to Learning Gains in an Active Learning Geoscience Classroom?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palsole, S.; Serpa, L. F.

    2013-12-01

    There is a great realization that efficient teaching in the geosciences has the potential to have far reaching effects in outreach to decision and policy makers (Herbert, 2006; Manduca & Mogk, 2006). This research in turn informs educators that the geosciences by the virtue of their highly integrative nature play an important role in serving as an entry point into STEM disciplines and helping developing a new cadre of geoscientists, scientists and a general population with an understanding of science. Keeping these goals in mind we set to design introductory geoscience courses for non-majors and majors that move away from the traditional lecture models which don't necessarily contribute well to knowledge building and retention ((Handelsman et al., 2007; Hake, 1997) to a blended active learning classroom where basic concepts and didactic information is acquired online via webquests, lecturettes and virtual field trips and the face to face portions of the class are focused on problem solving exercises. The traditional way to ensure that students are prepared for the in-class activity is to have the students take a quiz online to demonstrate basic competency. In the process of redesign, we decided to leverage the technology to build quizzes that are highly structured and map to a process (formation of divergent boundaries for example) or sets of earth processes that we needed the students to know before in-class activities. The quizzes can be taken multiple times and provide process specific feedback, thus serving as a heuristic to the students to ensure they have acquired the necessary competency. The heuristic quizzes were developed and deployed over a year with the student data driving the redesign process to ensure synchronicity. Preliminary data analysis indicates a positive correlation between higher student scores on in-class application exercises and time spent on the process quizzes. An assessment of learning gains also indicate a higher degree of self

  1. Rapid limb-specific modulation of vestibular contributions to ankle muscle activity during locomotion

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Forbes, P.A.; Vlutters, M; Dakin, CJ; van der Kooij, H.; Blouin, JS; Schouten, A.C.

    2017-01-01

    During walking, the vestibular influence on locomotor activity is phase-dependent and modulated in both limbs with changes in velocity. It is unclear, however, whether this bilateral modulation is due to a coordinated mechanism between both limbs or instead through limb-specific processes that

  2. Phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C activity in Lactobacillus rhamnosus with capacity to translocate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodriguez, A V; Baigorí, M D; Alvarez, S; Castro, G R; Oliver, G

    2001-10-16

    Phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) activity was investigated in 25 different lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains belonging to the genera Lactobacillus, Weisella, and Enterococcus. PI-PLC activity was detected in 44% of the strains studied in culture medium without carbon source. From the PI-PLC positive strains, Lactobacillus rhamnosus ATCC 7469 was selected for translocation studies. Healthy mice were orally administered with a daily dose of 2.0 x 10(9) of viable L. rhamnosus suspension. Viable bacteria were detected in liver and spleen of mice fed with LAB for 7 days. Bacterial colonies isolated from liver were biochemically characterized, and further subjected to randomly amplified polymorphic DNA. Amplification patterns of five strains displayed identical profiles to L. rhamnosus. PI-PLC activity was determined in the strains recovered from liver.

  3. Organization of Individual Work of Students under Competence-Oriented Approach to Education in Higher School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ualiyeva, Nazym T.; Murzalinova, Alma Z.

    2016-01-01

    The main objective of this research is to identify the essence, content and specifics of organization of individual work of higher school students under competence-oriented approach. The research methodology is related to the choice of competence-oriented approach to ensure transformation of individual work into individual activity in…

  4. READINESS OF TEACHERS FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES OF STUDENTS AT HIGHER EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT OF ECONOMICS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. V. Vishnevetskaja

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The urgency of the article, its theoretical and practical importance are caused by the existing contradiction between the state order for the formation of socially active person and lack of scientifically-practical workings out in the field of pedagogical support of the organization of extracurricular socially useful activity of the students. The settlement of the contradiction is possible in the presence of teachers specially prepared for the given process.Purpose. The purpose of the article is the theoretical substantiation and experimental estimation of teachers’ readiness for the organization of extracurricular activities of students in higher education establishments of economics.Methodology, Results. Complex application of theoretical (element and the structural analysis, comparison, generalization and empirical (questioning, testing, the expert estimation, included pedagogical supervision methods has allowed to define the essence of investigated concept as integrative personal formation, to develop criteria and its indicators of its formation and experimentally estimate the level of readiness of teaching staff for the organization of students’ extracurricular activities in higher education establishments of economics.Practical implications. The results of the research can be widely used in the work of curators of academic groups, tutors, teachers-organizers, in the system of training and advanced training of teaching staff.

  5. Hapten-specific naïve B cells are biomarkers of vaccine efficacy against drugs of abuse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, J J; Laudenbach, M; Tucker, A M; Jenkins, M K; Pravetoni, M

    2014-03-01

    Vaccination against drugs of abuse shows efficacy in animal models, yet few subjects achieve effective serum antibody titers in clinical studies. A barrier to translation is the lack of pre-vaccination screening assays that predict the most effective conjugate vaccines or subjects amenable to vaccination. To address this obstacle, we developed a fluorescent antigen-based enrichment method paired with flow cytometry to characterize hapten-specific B cells. Using this approach, we studied naïve and activated B cells specific for structurally-related model haptens based on derivatization of the morphinan structure at the C6 position on oxycodone or at the C8 position on hydrocodone, and showing different pre-clinical efficacy against the prescription opioid oxycodone. Prior to vaccination, naïve B cells exhibited relatively higher affinity for the more effective C6-derivatized oxycodone-based hapten (6OXY) and the 6OXY-specific naïve B cell population contained a higher number of B cells with greater affinity for free oxycodone. Higher affinity of naïve B cells for hapten or oxycodone reflected greater efficacy of vaccination in blocking oxycodone distribution to brain in mice. Shortly after immunization, activated hapten-specific B cells were detected prior to oxycodone-specific serum antibodies and provided earlier evidence of vaccine failure or success. Analysis of hapten-specific naïve and activated B cells may aid rational vaccine design and provide screening tools to predict vaccine clinical efficacy against drugs of abuse or other small molecules. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Higher-Order Program Generation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rhiger, Morten

    for OCaml, a dialect of ML, that provides run-time code generation for OCaml programs. We apply these byte-code combinators in semantics-directed compilation for an imperative language and in run-time specialization using type-directed partial evaluation. Finally, we present an approach to compiling goal......This dissertation addresses the challenges of embedding programming languages, specializing generic programs to specific parameters, and generating specialized instances of programs directly as executable code. Our main tools are higher-order programming techniques and automatic program generation....... It is our thesis that they synergize well in the development of customizable software. Recent research on domain-specific languages propose to embed them into existing general-purpose languages. Typed higher-order languages have proven especially useful as meta languages because they provide a rich...

  7. fMRI neurofeedback of higher visual areas and perceptual biases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habes, I; Rushton, S; Johnston, S J; Sokunbi, M O; Barawi, K; Brosnan, M; Daly, T; Ihssen, N; Linden, D E J

    2016-05-01

    The self-regulation of brain activation via neurofeedback training offers a method to study the relationship between brain areas and perception in a more direct manner than the conventional mapping of brain responses to different types of stimuli. The current proof-of-concept study aimed to demonstrate that healthy volunteers can self-regulate activity in the parahippocampal place area (PPA) over the fusiform face area (FFA). Both areas are involved in higher order visual processing and are activated during the imagery of scenes and faces respectively. Participants (N=9) were required to upregulate PPA relative to FFA activity, and all succeeded at the task, with imagery of scenes being the most commonly reported mental strategy. A control group (N=8) underwent the same imagery and testing procedure, albeit without neurofeedback, in a mock MR scanner to account for any non-specific training effects. The upregulation of PPA activity occurred concurrently with activation of prefrontal and parietal areas, which have been associated with ideation and mental image generation. We tested whether successful upregulation of the PPA relative to FFA had consequences on perception by assessing bistable perception of faces and houses in a binocular rivalry task (before and after the scanning sessions) and categorisation of faces and scenes presented in transparent composite images (during scanning, interleaved with the self-regulation blocks). Contrary to our expectations, upregulation of the PPA did not alter the duration of face or house perception in the rivalry task and response speed and accuracy in the categorisation task. This conclusion was supported by the results of another control experiment (N=10 healthy participants) that involved intensive exposure to category-specific stimuli and did not show any behavioural or perceptual changes. We conclude that differential self-regulation of higher visual areas can be achieved, but that perceptual biases under conditions of

  8. Prostaglandin endoperoxide H synthases: peroxidase hydroperoxide specificity and cyclooxygenase activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jiayan; Seibold, Steve A; Rieke, Caroline J; Song, Inseok; Cukier, Robert I; Smith, William L

    2007-06-22

    The cyclooxygenase (COX) activity of prostaglandin endoperoxide H synthases (PGHSs) converts arachidonic acid and O2 to prostaglandin G2 (PGG2). PGHS peroxidase (POX) activity reduces PGG2 to PGH2. The first step in POX catalysis is formation of an oxyferryl heme radical cation (Compound I), which undergoes intramolecular electron transfer forming Intermediate II having an oxyferryl heme and a Tyr-385 radical required for COX catalysis. PGHS POX catalyzes heterolytic cleavage of primary and secondary hydroperoxides much more readily than H2O2, but the basis for this specificity has been unresolved. Several large amino acids form a hydrophobic "dome" over part of the heme, but when these residues were mutated to alanines there was little effect on Compound I formation from H2O2 or 15-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid, a surrogate substrate for PGG2. Ab initio calculations of heterolytic bond dissociation energies of the peroxyl groups of small peroxides indicated that they are almost the same. Molecular Dynamics simulations suggest that PGG2 binds the POX site through a peroxyl-iron bond, a hydrogen bond with His-207 and van der Waals interactions involving methylene groups adjoining the carbon bearing the peroxyl group and the protoporphyrin IX. We speculate that these latter interactions, which are not possible with H2O2, are major contributors to PGHS POX specificity. The distal Gln-203 four residues removed from His-207 have been thought to be essential for Compound I formation. However, Q203V PGHS-1 and PGHS-2 mutants catalyzed heterolytic cleavage of peroxides and exhibited native COX activity. PGHSs are homodimers with each monomer having a POX site and COX site. Cross-talk occurs between the COX sites of adjoining monomers. However, no cross-talk between the POX and COX sites of monomers was detected in a PGHS-2 heterodimer comprised of a Q203R monomer having an inactive POX site and a G533A monomer with an inactive COX site.

  9. Allele specific hybridization using oligonucleotide probes of very high specific activity: Discrimination of the human β/sup A/ and β/sup S/-globin genes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Studencki, A.B.; Wallace, R.B.

    1984-01-01

    The repair activity of E. coli DNA polymerase I (Klenow fragment) was used to prepare nonadecanucleotide hybridization probes which were complementary either to the normal human β-globin (β/sup A/) or to the sickle cell human β-globin (β/sup S/) gene. Template directed polymerization of highly radiolabeled α-/sup 32/P-deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (3200, 5000 and/or 7800 Ci/mmol) onto nonamer and decamer primers produced probes with specific activities ranging from 1.0 - 2.0 x 10/sup 10/ dpm/μg. The extremely high specific activities of these probes made it possible to detect the β/sup A/ and β/sup S/ single copy gene sequences in as little as 1 μg of total human genomic DNA as well as to discriminate between the homozygous and heterozygous states. This means that it was possible to detect 0.5 - 1.0 x 10/sup -18/ moles of a given single copy sequence

  10. Higher Order Loess Terracettes and Related Ungulate Activities in Western Pottawattamie County, Iowa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weihs, B. J.

    2009-12-01

    Terracettes are small, quasi-parallel, staircase-like, stepped landforms. They are generally less than a meter in tread width and riser height and as long as 300 meters, located transversely along slopes. Many theories purport to explain the mechanisms that cause them, including animal disturbance, soil creep, solifluction (gelifluction), slumping and rotational slippage, regolith control, vegetation control, subsidence, and anthropogenic or tectonic activities. This thesis was aimed at morphologically characterizing terracettes in the western Iowa Loess Hills, with an emphasis on further classifying the forms morphogenetically. Onsite observations suggest that terracettes in this area are highly associated with anthropogenically induced grazing of domestic ungulates such as cattle, horses, and sheep, as well as deer. A new class of terracette (higher order or mega-terracette) is proposed that characterizes (and differentiates) the study area forms based on size, in that the study area contains terracettes that are an order above those discussed by other authors (sub-meter). This new addition to the current standard (tear terracettes-risers bare of vegetation, and normal terracettes-normal to the slope), as suggested by Anderson (1972), will add to the local understanding of the forms, and especially to the theory of polygenesis in which terracettes can result from a host of processes. This new class of terracette (mega) is higher magnitude, and directly related to ungulate activities such as geophagy, soil transport (from hooves), compaction, smearing, pawing, and wallowing (dust bathing) as well as the effects of variable soil moisture on erosion of the forms used by the animals. High magnitude terracettes in western Pottawattamie County, Iowa

  11. Technology performance evaluation of scientific and educational activities of scientific-pedagogical staff in higher education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bechvaya Maria, R.

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper proposes a performance assessment tool research and teaching staff on the basis of a rating system that allows for the analysis of the results of key personnel of the higher school for criteria and determine the size of incentive payments. The rating model wage researchers and teachers bases on strengthening the incentive function of wages, aimed at personalization of scientific and educational activities of employees, which in modern conditions is the most relevant for use. The functions of stimulation, such as economic, moral and social are considered. The analysis methodologies for assessing university in the world and national rankings on the basis of which formed a system of indicators for assessing the activities of academic staff of higher education is represented. The necessity of development of an information system through which it is possible to carry out comprehensive analysis, that is to monitor the number of registered employees, to determine the share indices in the total ranking, to conduct the ranking points received by employees by industry and science in the context of structural units. The proposed information system is one element of technology assessment of effectiveness of the academic staff designed to evaluate the effectiveness of their activities and incentives, allows the analysis of criteria, based on which can be applied informed management decisions regarding the development of social and labor relations in the highest school.

  12. Effects of oxytetracycline, tylosin, and amoxicillin antibiotics on specific methanogenic activity of anaerobic biomass

    OpenAIRE

    Mohammad Mehdi Amin; Hassan Hashemi; Afshin Ebrahimi; Asghar Ebrahimi

    2012-01-01

    Aims: The purpose of this study was to survey the antibiotics effects of oxytetracycline, tylosin, and amoxicillin on anerobic wastewater treatment process. Materials and Methods: To evaluate the inhibitory antibiotics amoxicillin, tetracycline, and tylosin on biomass activity, specific methanogenic activity (SMA) using anerobic biomass batch; into 120 ml vials: 30 ml biomass and 70 ml substrate including volatile fatty acids, mainly acetic acid and various concentrations of antibiotics we...

  13. Production of high specific activity /sup 123/I for protein iodination for medical use

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Legoux, Y; Cieur, M [Paris-11 Univ., 91 - Orsay (France). Inst. de Physique Nucleaire; Goutheraud, R; Drouet, J [Centre National de Transfusion Sanguine, 75 - Paris (France); Crouzel, C; Syrota, A [CEA, 91 - Orsay (France). Service Hospitalier Frederic Joliot

    1985-01-01

    Iodine-123 is produced via xenon-133 by irradiation of a sodium iodide target with 108 MeV deuterons from the synchrocyclotron of IPN. The on-line production method is described. The specific activity of the iodine is determined by neutron activation analysis and by a radioimmunological method. The conditions labelling different proteins (insulin, angiotensin) are given and also the purification method to obtain a product ready for injection to patients.

  14. Experienced Mindfulness Meditators Exhibit Higher Parietal-Occipital EEG Gamma Activity during NREM Sleep

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrarelli, Fabio; Smith, Richard; Dentico, Daniela; Riedner, Brady A.; Zennig, Corinna; Benca, Ruth M.; Lutz, Antoine; Davidson, Richard J.; Tononi, Giulio

    2013-01-01

    Over the past several years meditation practice has gained increasing attention as a non-pharmacological intervention to provide health related benefits, from promoting general wellness to alleviating the symptoms of a variety of medical conditions. However, the effects of meditation training on brain activity still need to be fully characterized. Sleep provides a unique approach to explore the meditation-related plastic changes in brain function. In this study we performed sleep high-density electroencephalographic (hdEEG) recordings in long-term meditators (LTM) of Buddhist meditation practices (approximately 8700 mean hours of life practice) and meditation naive individuals. We found that LTM had increased parietal-occipital EEG gamma power during NREM sleep. This increase was specific for the gamma range (25–40 Hz), was not related to the level of spontaneous arousal during NREM and was positively correlated with the length of lifetime daily meditation practice. Altogether, these findings indicate that meditation practice produces measurable changes in spontaneous brain activity, and suggest that EEG gamma activity during sleep represents a sensitive measure of the long-lasting, plastic effects of meditative training on brain function. PMID:24015304

  15. Religious Activities and Suicide Prevention: A Gender Specific Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steven Stack

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The present analysis contributes to the existing literature on religion and suicide in three interrelated ways: (1 providing an analysis of suicide completions whereas most research is based on non-lethal levels of suicidality; (2 assessing the relationship with concrete individual level data on completed suicides instead of aggregated data marked by the ecological fallacy issue; and (3 providing gender specific analyses to determine if the relationship is gendered. METHODS. Data come from the U.S. Public Health Service, National Mortality Followback Survey. They refer to 16,795 deaths including 1385 suicides. Significant others of the deceased were interviewed to measure all variables. The dependent variable is a binary variable where 1 = death by suicide and 0 = all other causes. The central independent variable is an index of religious activities. Controls are included for five categories of confounders (1 psychiatric morbidity; (2 help-seeking behavior; (3 Opportunity factors such as firearms; (4 social integration; and (5 demographics. RESULTS. Multivariate logistic regression analysis determined that controlling for 16 predictors of suicide, a one unit increase in religious activities reduced the odds of a suicide death by 17% for males and by 15% for females. The difference in coefficients is not significant (Z = 0.51. Other significant predictors of suicide deaths included suicide ideation (OR = 8.87, males, OR = 11.48, females and firearm availability (OR = 4.21, males, OR = 2.83, females. DISCUSSION. Religious activities were found to lower suicide risk equally for both men and women. Further work is needed to assess pathways, including suicide ideation, between religious activities and lowered suicide risk. This is the first U.S. based study to test for a gendered association between religion and suicide at the individual level of analysis.

  16. 49 CFR 173.427 - Transport requirements for low specific activity (LSA) Class 7 (radioactive) materials and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Transport requirements for low specific activity... SHIPMENTS AND PACKAGINGS Class 7 (Radioactive) Materials § 173.427 Transport requirements for low specific... must be transported in accordance with the following conditions: (1) The external dose rate may not...

  17. Teaching environmental sustainability in higher education

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Itard, L.C.M.; Van den Bogaard, M.E.D.; Hasselaar, E.

    2010-01-01

    The challenges of sustainable engineering and design are complex and so are the challenges of teaching sustainability to higher education students. This paper deals with teaching environmental sustainability, with a specific focus on the sustainability of buildings. The paper addresses specifically

  18. Rush hour commuting in the Netherlands : Gender-specific household activities and personal attitudes towards responsibility sharing.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oakil, A.T.; Nijland, E.W.L.

    2016-01-01

    Apart from work-hour commitments, rush hour commuting is dependent on household activities and responsibilities. It can also be gender specific when gender differences in performing household activities prevail. To that end, this study investigates gender differences in rush hour commuting in

  19. Rush hour commuting in the Netherlands: Gender-specific household activities and personal attitudes towards responsibility sharing

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oakil, A.T.M.; Nijland, E.W.L.; Dijst, M.

    2016-01-01

    Apart from work-hour commitments, rush hour commuting is dependent on household activities and responsibilities. It can also be gender specific when gender differences in performing household activities prevail. To that end, this study investigates gender differences in rush hour commuting in

  20. The higher level of complexity of K-Ras4B activation at the membrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Hyunbum; Banerjee, Avik; Chavan, Tanmay S; Lu, Shaoyong; Zhang, Jian; Gaponenko, Vadim; Nussinov, Ruth

    2016-04-01

    Is nucleotide exchange sufficient to activate K-Ras4B? To signal, oncogenic rat sarcoma (Ras) anchors in the membrane and recruits effectors by exposing its effector lobe. With the use of NMR and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we observed that in solution, farnesylated guanosine 5'-diphosphate (GDP)-bound K-Ras4B is predominantly autoinhibited by its hypervariable region (HVR), whereas the GTP-bound state favors an activated, HVR-released state. On the anionic membrane, the catalytic domain adopts multiple orientations, including parallel (∼180°) and perpendicular (∼90°) alignments of the allosteric helices, with respect to the membrane surface direction. In the autoinhibited state, the HVR is sandwiched between the effector lobe and the membrane; in the active state, with membrane-anchored farnesyl and unrestrained HVR, the catalytic domain fluctuates reinlessly, exposing its effector-binding site. Dimerization and clustering can reduce the fluctuations. This achieves preorganized, productive conformations. Notably, we also observe HVR-autoinhibited K-Ras4B-GTP states, with GDP-bound-like orientations of the helices. Thus, we propose that the GDP/GTP exchange may not be sufficient for activation; instead, our results suggest that the GDP/GTP exchange, HVR sequestration, farnesyl insertion, and orientation/localization of the catalytic domain at the membrane conjointly determine the active or inactive state of K-Ras4B. Importantly, K-Ras4B-GTP can exist in active and inactive states; on its own, GTP binding may not compel K-Ras4B activation.-Jang, H., Banerjee, A., Chavan, T. S, Lu, S., Zhang, J., Gaponenko, V., Nussinov, R. The higher level of complexity of K-Ras4B activation at the membrane. © FASEB.

  1. Changes in γ-secretase activity and specificity caused by the introduction of consensus aspartyl protease active motif in Presenilin 1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhou Xiangdong

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Presenilin (PS1 or PS2 is an essential component of the active γ-secretase complex that liberates the Aβ peptides from amyloid precursor protein (APP. PS1 is regarded as an atypical aspartyl protease harboring two essential aspartic acids in the context of the sequence D257LV and D385FI, respectively, rather than the typical DTG...DTG catalytic motif of classical aspartyl proteases. In the present studies, we introduced the sequence DTG in PS1 at and around the catalytic D257 and D385 residues to generate three PS1 mutants: D257TG, D385TG, and the double-mutant D257TG/D385TG. The effects of these changes on the γ-secretase activity in the presence or absence of γ-secretase inhibitors and modulators were investigated. The results showed that PS1 mutants having D385TG robustly enhanced Aβ42 production compared to the wild type (wt, and were more sensitive than wt to inhibition by a classical aspartyl protease transition state mimic, and fenchylamine, a sulfonamide derivative. Unlike wt PS1 and some of its clinical mutants, all three PS1 artificial mutants decreased cleavage of Notch S3-site, suggesting that these artificial mutations may trigger conformational changes at the substrate docking and catalytic site that cause alteration of substrate specificity and inhibition pattern. Consistent with this notion, we have found that NSAID enzymatic inhibitors of COX, known modulators of the γ-secretase activity, cause PS1 mutants containing D385TG to produce higher levels of both Aβ38 and Aβ42, but to reduce levels of Aβ39, showing a pattern of Aβ formation different from that observed with wild type PS1 and its clinical mutants. This study provides an important structural clue for the rational design of drugs to inhibit processing of APP at the γ-site without interfering with Notch processing.

  2. Modulation of Bacillus thuringiensis Phosphatidylinositol-Specific Phospholipase C Activity by Mutations in the Putative Dimerization Interface

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shi, X.; Shao, C; Zhang, X; Zambonelli, C; Redfield, A; Head, J; Seaton, B; Roberts, M

    2009-01-01

    Cleavage of phosphatidylinositol (PI) to inositol 1,2-(cyclic)-phosphate (cIP) and cIP hydrolysis to inositol 1-phosphate by Bacillus thuringiensis phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C are activated by the enzyme binding to phosphatidylcholine (PC) surfaces. Part of this reflects improved binding of the protein to interfaces. However, crystallographic analysis of an interfacially impaired phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase (W47A/W242A) suggested protein dimerization might occur on the membrane. In the W47A/W242A dimer, four tyrosine residues from one monomer interact with the same tyrosine cluster of the other, forming a tight dimer interface close to the membrane binding regions. We have constructed mutant proteins in which two or more of these tyrosine residues have been replaced with serine. Phospholipid binding and enzymatic activity of these mutants have been examined to assess the importance of these residues to enzyme function. Replacing two tyrosines had small effects on enzyme activity. However, removal of three or four tyrosine residues weakened PC binding and reduced PI cleavage by the enzyme as well as PC activation of cIP hydrolysis. Crystal structures of Y247S/Y251S in the absence and presence of myo-inositol as well as Y246S/Y247S/Y248S/Y251S indicate that both mutant proteins crystallized as monomers, were very similar to one another, and had no change in the active site region. Kinetic assays, lipid binding, and structural results indicate that either (i) a specific PC binding site, critical for vesicle activities and cIP activation, has been impaired, or (ii) the reduced dimerization potential for Y246S/Y247S/Y248S and Y246S/Y247S/Y248S/Y251S is responsible for their reduced catalytic activity in all assay systems.

  3. Leishmania-specific T cells expressing interferon-¿(IFN-¿) and IL-10 upon activation are expanded in individuals cured of visceral leishmaniasis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kemp, K; Kemp, M; Kharazmi, A

    1999-01-01

    Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients who have recovered from visceral leishmaniasis often respond to Leishmania antigens in vitro by production of both IL-4, IFN-gamma and IL-10. In order to establish the cellular sources of these cytokines, we activated cells from individuals...... with a history of visceral leishmaniasis with Leishmania antigen for 6 days in culture, and identified cytokine production at the single-cell level by flow cytometry. The cytokines were only found in CD3+ cells and among these mainly within the CD4+ subset. The percentage of cytokine-producing cells was compared...... in Leishmania-activated PBMC cultures from the previous patients and from individuals living in a village where leishmaniasis does not occur. The percentage of IL-10- and IFN-gamma-containing cells was significantly higher in the previous patients than in the controls, indicating that Leishmania-specific T...

  4. Marketing communications of higher education institutions in the Republic of Serbia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Popović Ana

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In order to face increasing competition on the market and address other new challenges, higher education institutions (HEIs started to apply new business approaches which led to the development of higher education management and marketing. As efficient marketing communications are necessary for survival and development on higher education market, topics related to this field have had a distinct place in higher education marketing since the establishment of this discipline. Various strategies and activities, types and means of marketing communications have been defined in theory. The modern tendency is their integration for achievement of communication and strategic goals. After the review of marketing communications specifics in the mentioned context, the author presents the realized empirical research related to HEIs in the Republic of Serbia. Starting from the facts that domestic higher education market has widened relatively recently and competition has been significantly increasing since 2000, the author hypothesizes that numerous marketing communications activities are being used. The main research question is: Which types and means of marketing communications are used and how well are they integrated? The research relies on web sites of HEIs as main sources of information, as they are legally obligatory means of communication in Serbia. The author searches for other types and means which are embedded or at least mentioned on the websites, and treats that as indication of integration. The main research findings support the assumption on use of various types and means of marketing communications, but reveal problems in integration and show that HEIs use similar activities while innovative and original means and types of marketing communications are scarce.

  5. Scholarly activities in hospitality and tourism higher education among private higher institutions in Australia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edmund Goh

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to explore the notion of scholarship and develop research and scholarship strategies among Private Higher Institutions delivering Tourism and Hospitality degree programs in Australia. In doing so, this paper confronts the traditional view of research publications as the only form of scholarship by traditional universities. This paper argues that the purpose of scholarship should be focused towards improving a teacher’s teaching and learning process. These new knowledge need not be limited through peer reviewed journals only, but can be achieved through less formal means of communication such as fieldtrips to industry and attending conferences. This paper utilizes the six Scholarship key points as defined on P. 19 of the National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes in Australia by MCEETYA  to investigate methods to capture scholarship beyond traditional research publications. DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v3i2.108

  6. Recruitment of Mediator Complex by Cell Type and Stage-Specific Factors Required for Tissue-Specific TAF Dependent Gene Activation in an Adult Stem Cell Lineage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Chenggang; Fuller, Margaret T

    2015-12-01

    Onset of terminal differentiation in adult stem cell lineages is commonly marked by robust activation of new transcriptional programs required to make the appropriate differentiated cell type(s). In the Drosophila male germ line stem cell lineage, the switch from proliferating spermatogonia to spermatocyte is accompanied by one of the most dramatic transcriptional changes in the fly, as over 1000 new transcripts turn on in preparation for meiosis and spermatid differentiation. Here we show that function of the coactivator complex Mediator is required for activation of hundreds of new transcripts in the spermatocyte program. Mediator appears to act in a sequential hierarchy, with the testis activating Complex (tMAC), a cell type specific form of the Mip/dREAM general repressor, required to recruit Mediator subunits to the chromatin, and Mediator function required to recruit the testis TAFs (tTAFs), spermatocyte specific homologs of subunits of TFIID. Mediator, tMAC and the tTAFs co-regulate expression of a major set of spermatid differentiation genes. The Mediator subunit Med22 binds the tMAC component Topi when the two are coexpressed in S2 cells, suggesting direct recruitment. Loss of Med22 function in spermatocytes causes meiosis I maturation arrest male infertility, similar to loss of function of the tMAC subunits or the tTAFs. Our results illuminate how cell type specific versions of the Mip/dREAM complex and the general transcription machinery cooperate to drive selective gene activation during differentiation in stem cell lineages.

  7. A Time of Quiet Activism: Research, Practice, and Policy in American Women's Higher Education, 1945-1965

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eisenmann, Linda

    2005-01-01

    This article reflects on three narratives that affected American women's participation in higher education during the first twenty years after World War II. In hindsight, the educators of the 1950s and early 1960s may seem gratuitously meek and self-effacing. In comparison to later efforts, their activism can appear unnecessarily limited and too…

  8. Species-specific calls evoke asymmetric activity in the monkey's temporal poles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poremba, Amy; Malloy, Megan; Saunders, Richard C; Carson, Richard E; Herscovitch, Peter; Mishkin, Mortimer

    2004-01-29

    It has often been proposed that the vocal calls of monkeys are precursors of human speech, in part because they provide critical information to other members of the species who rely on them for survival and social interactions. Both behavioural and lesion studies suggest that monkeys, like humans, use the auditory system of the left hemisphere preferentially to process vocalizations. To investigate the pattern of neural activity that might underlie this particular form of functional asymmetry in monkeys, we measured local cerebral metabolic activity while the animals listened passively to species-specific calls compared with a variety of other classes of sound. Within the superior temporal gyrus, significantly greater metabolic activity occurred on the left side than on the right, only in the region of the temporal pole and only in response to monkey calls. This functional asymmetry was absent when these regions were separated by forebrain commissurotomy, suggesting that the perception of vocalizations elicits concurrent interhemispheric interactions that focus the auditory processing within a specialized area of one hemisphere.

  9. Proteolytic Activity of Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) towards Protein Substrates and Effect of Peptides Stimulating PSA Activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mattsson, Johanna M.; Ravela, Suvi; Hekim, Can; Jonsson, Magnus; Malm, Johan; Närvänen, Ale; Stenman, Ulf-Håkan; Koistinen, Hannu

    2014-01-01

    Prostate-specific antigen (PSA or kallikrein-related peptidase-3, KLK3) exerts chymotrypsin-like proteolytic activity. The main biological function of PSA is the liquefaction of the clot formed after ejaculation by cleavage of semenogelins I and II in seminal fluid. PSA also cleaves several other substrates, which may explain its putative functions in prostate cancer and its antiangiogenic activity. We compared the proteolytic efficiency of PSA towards several protein and peptide substrates and studied the effect of peptides stimulating the activity of PSA with these substrates. An endothelial cell tube formation model was used to analyze the effect of PSA-degraded protein fragments on angiogenesis. We showed that PSA degrades semenogelins I and II much more efficiently than other previously identified protein substrates, e.g., fibronectin, galectin-3 and IGFBP-3. We identified nidogen-1 as a new substrate for PSA. Peptides B2 and C4 that stimulate the activity of PSA towards small peptide substrates also enhanced the proteolytic activity of PSA towards protein substrates. Nidogen-1, galectin-3 or their fragments produced by PSA did not have any effect on endothelial cell tube formation. Although PSA cleaves several other protein substrates, in addition to semenogelins, the physiological importance of this activity remains speculative. The PSA levels in prostate are very high, but several other highly active proteases, such as hK2 and trypsin, are also expressed in the prostate and may cleave protein substrates that are weakly cleaved by PSA. PMID:25237904

  10. Tissue- and Cell-Specific Cytokinin Activity in Populus × canescens Monitored by ARR5::GUS Reporter Lines in Summer and Winter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paul, Shanty; Wildhagen, Henning; Janz, Dennis; Teichmann, Thomas; Hänsch, Robert; Polle, Andrea

    2016-01-01

    Cytokinins play an important role in vascular development. But knowledge on the cellular localization of this growth hormone in the stem and other organs of woody plants is lacking. The main focus of this study was to investigate the occurrence and cellular localization of active cytokinins in leaves, roots, and along the stem of Populus × canescens and to find out how the pattern is changed between summer and winter. An ARR5::GUS reporter construct was used to monitor distribution of active cytokinins in different tissues of transgenic poplar lines. Three transgenic lines tested under outdoor conditions showed no influence of ARR5::GUS reporter construct on the growth performance compared with the wild-type, but one line lost the reporter activity. ARR5::GUS activity indicated changes in the tissue- and cell type-specific pattern of cytokinin activity during dormancy compared with the growth phase. ARR5::GUS activity, which was present in the root tips in the growing season, disappeared in winter. In the stem apex ground tissue, ARR5::GUS activity was higher in winter than in summer. Immature leaves from tissue-culture grown plants showed inducible ARR5::GUS activity. Leaf primordia in summer showed ARR5::GUS activity, but not the expanded leaves of outdoor plants or leaf primordia in winter. In stem cross sections, the most prominent ARR5::GUS activity was detected in the cortex region and in the rays of bark in summer and in winter. In the cambial zone the ARR5::GUS activity was more pronounced in the dormant than in growth phase. The pith and the ray cells adjacent to the vessels also displayed ARR5::GUS activity. In silico analyses of the tissue-specific expression patterns of the whole PtRR type-A family of poplar showed that PtRR10, the closest ortholog to the Arabidopsis ARR5 gene, was usually the most highly expressed gene in all tissues. In conclusion, gene expression and tissue-localization indicate high activity of cytokinins not only in summer, but

  11. Activation of Kupffer Cells Is Associated with a Specific Dysbiosis Induced by Fructose or High Fat Diet in Mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gladys Ferrere

    Full Text Available The increase consumption of fructose in diet is associated with liver inflammation. As a specific fructan substrate, fructose may modify the gut microbiota which is involved in obesity-induced liver disease. Here, we aimed to assess whether fructose-induced liver damage was associated with a specific dysbiosis, especially in mice fed a high fat diet (HFD. To this end, four groups of mice were fed with normal and HFD added or not with fructose. Body weight and glucose sensitivity, liver inflammation, dysbiosis and the phenotype of Kupffer cells were determined after 16 weeks of diet. Food intake was increased in the two groups of mice fed with the HFD. Mice fed with HFD and fructose showed a higher infiltration of lymphocytes into the liver and a lower inflammatory profile of Kupffer cells than mice fed with the HFD without fructose. The dysbiosis associated with diets showed that fructose specifically prevented the decrease of Mouse intestinal bacteria in HFD fed mice and increased Erysipelotrichi in mice fed with fructose, independently of the amount of fat. In conclusion, fructose, used as a sweetener, induced a dysbiosis which is different in presence of fat in the diet. Consequently, the activation of Kupffer cells involved in mice model of HFD-induced liver inflammation was not observed in an HFD/fructose combined diet. These data highlight that the complexity of diet composition could highly impact the development of liver lesions during obesity. Specific dysbiosis associated with the diet could explain that the progressions of liver damage are different.

  12. Targeted radiotherapy of multicell neuroblastoma spheroids with high specific activity [125I]meta-iodobenzylguanidine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roa, Wilson H.Y.; Miller, Gerald G.; McEwan, Alexander J.B.; McQuarrie, Steve A.; Tse, Jeanie; Wu, Jonn; Wiebe, Leonard I.

    1998-01-01

    Purpose: Iodine-125 induces cell death by a mechanism similar to that of high linear energy transfer (high-LET) radiation. This study investigates the cytotoxicity of high-specific-activity [ 125 I]meta-iodobenzylguanidine ( 125 I-mIBG) in human SK-N-MC neuroblastoma cells grown as three-dimensional multicellular spheroids. Materials and Methods: Spheroids were incubated with high-specific-activity 125 I-mIBG (6 mCi/μg, 1000 times that of the conventional specific activity used for autoradiography). Cytotoxicity was assessed by fluorescence viability markers and confocal microscopy for intact spheroids, fluorescence-activated cell sorting and clonogenic assay, and clonogenic assays for dispersed whole spheroids. Distribution of radioactive mIBG was determined by quantitative light-microscope autoradiography of spheroid cryostat sections. Dose estimation was based on temporal knowledge of the retained radioactivity inside spheroids, and of the radiolabel's emission characteristics. Findings were compared with those of spheroids treated under the same conditions with 131 I-mIBG, cold mIBG, and free iodine-125. Results: 125 I-mIBG exerted significant cell killing. Complete spheroids were eradicated when they were treated with 500 μCi of 125 I-mIBG, while those treated with 500 μCi or 1000 μCi of 131 I-mIBG were not. The observed difference in cytotoxicity between treatments with 125 I- and 131 I-mIBG could not be accounted for by the absorbed dose of spheroid alone. The peripheral, proliferating cell layer of the spheroids remained viable at the moderate radioactivity of 100 μCi for both isotopes. Cytotoxicity induced by 125 I-mIBG was quantitatively comparable by the peripheral rim thickness to that of 131 I-mIBG at the dose of 100 μCi. The peripheral rim thickness decreased most significantly in the first 17 hours after initial treatment. There was no statistical decrease in the rim thickness identified afterwards for the second, third, and fourth days of

  13. Sustained activation of STAT5 is essential for chromatin remodeling and maintenance of mammary-specific function

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, Ren; Nelson, Celeste M.; Muschler, John L.; Veiseh, Mandana; Vonderhaar, Barbara K.; Bissell, Mina J.

    2009-06-03

    Epithelial cells, once dissociated and placed in two-dimensional (2D) cultures, rapidly lose tissue-specific functions. We showed previously that in addition to prolactin, signaling by laminin-111 was necessary to restore functional differentiation of mammary epithelia. Here, we elucidate two additional aspects of laminin-111 action. We show that in 2D cultures, the prolactin receptor is basolaterally localized and physically segregated from its apically placed ligand. Detachment of the cells exposes the receptor to ligation by prolactin leading to signal transducers and activators of transcription protein 5 (STAT5) activation, but only transiently and not sufficiently for induction of milk protein expression. We show that laminin-111 reorganizes mammary cells into polarized acini, allowing both the exposure of the prolactin receptor and sustained activation of STAT5. The use of constitutively active STAT5 constructs showed that the latter is necessary and sufficient for chromatin reorganization and {beta}-casein transcription. These results underscore the crucial role of continuous laminin signaling and polarized tissue architecture in maintenance of transcription factor activation, chromatin organization, and tissue-specific gene expression.

  14. The influence of biotic and abiotic factors on "1"3"7Cs accumulation in higher fungi after the accident at Chernobyl NPP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zarubina, N.

    2016-01-01

    Levels of soil contamination with "1"3"7Cs, the belonging of fungi to a certain ecological group, the localization depth of the main part of mycelium in soil are the primary factors influencing the value of "1"3"7Cs specific activity in higher fungi after the accident at Chernobyl NPP. It has been found that the value of "1"3"7Cs specific activity in fungi of one species could vary by more than 10 times during a vegetation period. A correlation between the changes of "1"3"7Cs content in fungi during the vegetation period and the amount of precipitates during various periods preceding the collection of samples has not been determined. An assumption has been proposed stating dependence between peculiarities of mycelium growth during the vegetation period and the changes of "1"3"7Cs specific activity in fungi. - Highlights: • Factors influencing on the "1"3"7Cs accumulation by higher fungi have been studied. • "1"3"7Cs specific activity levels in one species fungi could change to up to 10 times during a vegetation season. • A reliable linear dependence of "1"3"7Cs content in fungi on precipitate quantity has not been determined.

  15. Physical Activity Producing Low, but Not Medium or Higher, Vertical Impacts Is Inversely Related to BMI in Older Adults: Findings From a Multicohort Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elhakeem, Ahmed; Hannam, Kimberly; Deere, Kevin C; Hartley, April; Clark, Emma M; Moss, Charlotte; Edwards, Mark H; Dennison, Elaine; Gaysin, Tim; Kuh, Diana; Wong, Andrew; Cooper, Cyrus; Cooper, Rachel; Tobias, Jon H

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Background High impact physical activity (PA) is thought to improve skeletal health, but its relation to other health outcomes are unclear. We investigated associations between PA impact magnitude and body mass index (BMI) in older adults. Methods Data were taken from the Cohort for Skeletal Health in Bristol and Avon (COSHIBA), Hertfordshire Cohort Study, and MRC National Survey of Health and Development. Vertical acceleration peaks from 7-day hip-worn accelerometer recordings were used to classify PA as low (0.5 impact. Cohort-specific associations of low, medium, and higher impact PA with BMI were examined using linear regressions and estimates combined using random-effects meta-analysis. Results A total of 1182 participants (mean age = 72.7 years, 68% female) were included. Low, medium, and higher impact PA were inversely related to BMI in initial models. After adjustment for confounders and other impacts, low, but not medium or higher, impacts were inversely related to BMI (−0.31, p impacts). In adjusted analyses of body composition measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in COSHIBA, low, but not medium or higher, impacts were inversely related to total body fat mass (−0.19, p impact PA was weakly and positively associated with lean mass (0.05, p = .06). Conclusions Greater exposure to PA producing low magnitude vertical impacts was associated with lower BMI and fat mass at older age. Low impact PA may help reduce obesity risk in older adults. PMID:29028919

  16. Determining the specific activity of thymidine phosphorylase in leukocytes of patients with MNGIE and the plasma thymidine level by RP-HPLC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rezaei Sh

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available "nBackground: Thymidine phosphorylase (TP catalyses the conversion of thymidine into thymine. Mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy (MNGIE is an autosomal recessive disease which is caused by mutations in the nuclear gene encoding TP, bringing about severe impairment of TP-enzyme specific activity and accumulation of thymidine in plasma. The clinical manifestations of MNGIE are recognizable and homogenous, but not in the early stages of the disease. In patients who are suspected of having MNGIE, determination of TP-specific activity in leukocytes and thymidine levels in plasma are diagnostic. The methods that are usually used for the measurement of TP activity and plasma thymidine are not rapid or accurate enough and lack sensitivity."n "nMethods: The specific activity of TP was measured by RP-HPLC in leukocytes of both the controls and the patients exhibiting clinical features suggestive of MNGIE. Moreover, plasma thymidine was assessed by the same method."n "nResults: The patients had detectable plasma thymidine (>3 µmol/L but it was undetectable in the healthy controls. The patients' TP-specific activity decreased to less than 5% relative to the controls (14±4 nmol/h/mg vs. 525±165 nmol/h/mg, P<0.05. A diagnostic algorithm for the definitive diagnosis of MNGIE is suggestible based on the results of this study which relies on the measurement of plasma thymidine, TP-specific activity in leukocytes, or both."n "nConclusion: In this study, we set up a sensitive and rapid assay for the evaluation of TP-specific activity by using RP-HPLC in Iran. In addition, we established reference values for TP-specific activity and plasma thymidine in the Iranian patients.

  17. Platelet activating factor-acylhydrolase (PAF-ase) activity is higher in serum of men than women and is related to levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Farr, R.S.; Howell, S.E.; Wardlow, M.L.

    1986-01-01

    PAF-ase is a specific serum enzyme that inactivates PAF by hydrolyzing acetate from the sn-2 position of the glycerol backbone. A reproducible PAF-ase activity assay was developed. A unit is based on the amount of serum required to release 3.61 +/- 0.042 pm 3 H-acetate from 10 pm 3 H-labeled PAF after incubation for 1 hr at 37 0 C. Assays on two single reference serums repeated 7 days were 0.63 +/- 0.013 U and 1.33 +/- 0.031 U. Serum from 20 normal men and 20 normal premenopausal women had significantly different (p = <0.001) levels of 1.32 +/- 0.072 U and 0.97 +/- 0.051 U respectively. They previously reported that PAF-ase is associated with B-lipoprotein. Therefore, total cholesterol (TC), LDL and high density lipoproteins (HDL) were determined on these 40 serums. Regression analysis revealed PAF-ase units were correlated with LDL (r = 0.740; p = < 0.001) and, parenthetically, with the TC (r = 0.620; p = < 0.001) but not with HDL. These correlations were similar for men and women. Thus, serum PAF-ase was partially controlled by serum LDL levels and the higher PAF-ase levels in serum from men were due in part to higher (p = < 0.01) LDL levels in men (147.6 +/- 6.9 mg/dl) as contrasted to women (119.0 +/- 7.6 mg/dl). PAF is a potent inflammatory, bronchoconstrictive and hypotensive agent. These data indicate that sex and serum LDL levels of subjects must be considered during future studies of the role of PAF vs PAF-ase in different disease states

  18. Greater Independence in Activities of Daily Living is Associated with Higher Health-Related Quality of Life Scores in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charice S. Chan

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Health-related quality of life (HRQL for nursing home residents is important, however, the concept of quality of life is broad, encompasses many domains and is difficult to assess in people with dementia. Basic activities of daily living (ADL are measured routinely in nursing homes using the Resident Assessment Instrument-Minimum Data Set Version 2.0 (RAI-MDS and Functional Independence Measure (FIM instrument. We examined the relationship between HRQL and ADL to assess the future possibility of ADL dependency level serving as a surrogate measure of HRQL in residents with dementia. To assess ADL, measures derived from the RAI-MDS and FIM data were gathered for 111 residents at the beginning of our study and at 6-month follow-up. Higher scores for independence in ADL were correlated with higher scores for a disease-specific HRQL measure, the Quality of Life—Alzheimer’s Disease Scale. Preliminary evidence suggests that FIM-assessed ADL is associated with HRQL for these residents. The associations of the dressing and toileting items with HRQL were particularly strong. This finding suggests the importance of ADL function in HRQL. The RAI-MDS ADL scales should be used with caution to evaluate HRQL.

  19. Application-specific architectures of CMOS monolithic active pixel sensors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Szelezniak, Michal [Institute de Recherches Subatomiques, 23 rue du Loess, Strasbourg 67037 Cedex 02 (France)]. E-mail: michal.szelezniak@ires.in2p3.fr; Besson, Auguste [Institute de Recherches Subatomiques, 23 rue du Loess, Strasbourg 67037 Cedex 02 (France); Claus, Gilles; Colledani, Claude; [Institute de Recherches Subatomiques, 23 rue du Loess, Strasbourg 67037 Cedex 02 (France); Degerli, Yavuz [CEA Saclay, DAPNIA, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France); Deptuch, Grzegorz [Institute de Recherches Subatomiques, 23 rue du Loess, Strasbourg 67037 Cedex 02 (France); Deveaux, Michael [Institute de Recherches Subatomiques, 23 rue du Loess, Strasbourg 67037 Cedex 02 (France); GSI, Planckstrasse 1, Darmstadt 64291 (Germany); Dorokhov, Andrei [Institute de Recherches Subatomiques, 23 rue du Loess, Strasbourg 67037 Cedex 02 (France); Dulinski, Wojciech [Institute de Recherches Subatomiques, 23 rue du Loess, Strasbourg 67037 Cedex 02 (France); Fourches, Nicolas [CEA Saclay, DAPNIA, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France); Goffe, Mathieu [Institute de Recherches Subatomiques, 23 rue du Loess, Strasbourg 67037 Cedex 02 (France); Grandjean, Damien; Guilloux, Fabrice [Institute de Recherches Subatomiques, 23 rue du Loess, Strasbourg 67037 Cedex 02 (France); Heini, Sebastien [Institute de Recherches Subatomiques, 23 rue du Loess, Strasbourg 67037 Cedex 02 (France)]|[GSI, Planckstrasse 1, Darmstadt 64291 (Germany); Himmi, Abdelkader [Institute de Recherches Subatomiques, 23 rue du Loess, Strasbourg 67037 Cedex 02 (France); Hu, Christine [Institute de Recherches Subatomiques, 23 rue du Loess, Strasbourg 67037 Cedex 02 (France); Jaaskelainen, Kimmo; Li, Yan; Lutz, Pierre; Orsini, Fabienne [CEA Saclay, DAPNIA, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France); Pellicioli, Michel; Shabetai, Alexandre; Valin, Isabelle; Winter, Marc [Institute de Recherches Subatomiques, 23 rue du Loess, Strasbourg 67037 Cedex 02 (France)

    2006-11-30

    Several development directions intended to adapt and optimize monolithic active pixel sensors for specific applications are presented in this work. The first example, compatible with the STAR microvertex upgrade, is based on a simple two-transistor pixel circuitry. It is suited for a long integration time, room-temperature operation and minimum power dissipation. In another approach for this application, a specific readout method is proposed, allowing optimization of the integration time independently of the full frame-readout time. The circuit consists of an in-pixel front-end voltage amplifier, with a gain on the order of five, followed by two analog memory cells. The extended version of this scheme, based on the implementation of more memory cells per pixel, is the solution considered for the outer layers of a microvertex detector at the international linear collider. For the two innermost layers, a circuit allowing fast frame scans together with on-line, on-chip data sparsification is proposed. The first results of this prototype demonstrate that the fixed pattern dispersion is reduced below a noise level of 15 e{sup -}, allowing the use of a single comparator or a low-resolution ADC per pixel column. A common element for most of the mentioned readout schemes is a low-noise, low power consumption, layout efficient in-pixel amplifier. A review of possible solutions for this element together with some experimental results is presented.

  20. PEGylation, increasing specific activity and multiple dosing as strategies to improve the risk-benefit profile of targeted radionuclide therapy with 177Lu-DOTA-bombesin analogues

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background Radiolabelled bombesin (BN) conjugates are promising radiotracers for imaging and therapy of breast and prostate tumours, in which BN2/gastrin-releasing peptide receptors are overexpressed. We describe the influence of the specific activity of a 177Lu-DOTA-PEG5k-Lys-B analogue on its therapeutic efficacy and compare it with its non-PEGylated counterpart. Methods Derivatisation of a stabilised DOTA-BN(7–14)[Cha13,Nle14] analogue with a linear PEG molecule of 5 kDa (PEG5k) was performed by PEGylation of the ϵ-amino group of a β3hLys-βAla-βAla spacer between the BN sequence and the DOTA chelator. The non-PEGylated and the PEGylated analogues were radiolabelled with 177Lu. In vitro evaluation was performed in human prostate carcinoma PC-3 cells, and in vivo studies were carried out in nude mice bearing PC-3 tumour xenografts. Different specific activities of the PEGylated BN analogue and various dose regimens were evaluated concerning their therapeutic efficacy. Results The specificity and the binding affinity of the BN analogue for BN2/GRP receptors were only slightly reduced by PEGylation. In vitro binding kinetics of the PEGylated analogue was slower since steady-state condition was reached after 4 h. PEGylation improved the stability of BN conjugate in vitro in human plasma by a factor of 5.6. The non-PEGylated BN analogue showed favourable pharmacokinetics already, i.e. fast blood clearance and renal excretion, but PEGylation improved the in vivo behaviour further. One hour after injection, the tumour uptake of the PEG5k-BN derivative was higher compared with that of the non-PEGylated analogue (3.43 ± 0.63% vs. 1.88 ± 0.4% ID/g). Moreover, the increased tumour retention resulted in a twofold higher tumour accumulation at 24 h p.i., and increased tumour-to-non-target ratios (tumour-to-kidney, 0.6 vs. 0.4; tumour-to-liver, 8.8 vs. 5.9, 24 h p.i.). In the therapy study, both 177Lu-labelled BN analogues significantly inhibited tumour

  1. Haemocyanins from Rapana venosa and Helix vulgaris display an antitumour activity via specific activation of spleen lymphocytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iliev, I.; Toshkova, R.; Yossifova, L.; Zacharieva, S.; Dolashka-Angelova, P.; Hristova, R.; Yaneva, J.

    2008-01-01

    We have determined and analysed some immuno-adjuvant properties of haemocyanins isolated from the haemolymph of the snails Rapana venosa (RvH) and Helix vulgaris (HvH) acting via activation of cell-mediated immunity. As a result of nonspecific activation of the immune system in tumour-bearing animals treated with RvH and HvH, an increased resistance against Guerin ascites tumour progression was observed in comparison with controls (non-immunized animals). The investigations were focused on elucidation of the different mechanisms of immune response of spleen lymphocytes from experimental animals preliminary immunized with vaccines supplemented with either RvH or HvH. Experimental data showed significant immune activation, much higher than that in the control group immunized with Keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH). Supporting these data are the results on the survival rate determination of tumour-bearing animals immunized with each of the haemocyanins or conjugates haemocyanin/tumour antigen showing highest survival in animals treated with HvH, RvH and KLH in comparison with non immunized animals. (authors)

  2. [Age-specific dynamics of mental working capacity in different regimens of locomotor activity].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miakotnykh, V V; Khodasevich, L S

    2012-01-01

    The present study included a total of 392 practically healthy men aged between 40 and 79 years differing in the character of routine locomotor activity and the training status (from masters of sport of international grade to the subjects who had never been engaged in sporting activities). They were divided into 4 groups each comprised of subjects ranged by age with a ten-year interval. Their mental working capacity was estimated from the results of the correction test. The study demonstrated that the subjects characterized by a high level of day-to-day locomotor activity have higher indices of attention intensity and information processing speed compared with the age-matched ones leading a relatively sedentary lifestyle. Moreover, they have better chances to retain the mental working capacity up to the age of 70 years.

  3. Aspartic protease activities of schistosomes cleave mammalian hemoglobins in a host-specific manner

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeffrey W Koehler

    2007-02-01

    Full Text Available We examined the efficiency of digestion of hemoglobin from four mammalian species, human, cow, sheep, and horse by acidic extracts of mixed sex adults of Schistosoma japonicum and S. mansoni. Activity ascribable to aspartic protease(s from S. japonicum and S. mansoni cleaved human hemoglobin. In addition, aspartic protease activities from S. japonicum cleaved hemoglobin from bovine, sheep, and horse blood more efficiently than did the activity from extracts of S. mansoni. These findings support the hypothesis that substrate specificity of hemoglobin-degrading proteases employed by blood feeding helminth parasites influences parasite host species range; differences in amino acid sequences in key sites of the parasite proteases interact less or more efficiently with the hemoglobins of permissive or non-permissive hosts.

  4. Endogenous collagen peptide activation of CD1d-restricted NKT cells ameliorates tissue-specific inflammation in mice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, Yawei; Teige, Anna; Mondoc, Emma

    2011-01-01

    NKT cells in the mouse recognize antigen in the context of the MHC class I-like molecule CD1d and play an important role in peripheral tolerance and protection against autoimmune and other diseases. NKT cells are usually activated by CD1d-presented lipid antigens. However, peptide recognition...... in the context of CD1 has also been documented, although no self-peptide ligands have been reported to date. Here, we have identified an endogenous peptide that is presented by CD1d to activate mouse NKT cells. This peptide, the immunodominant epitope from mouse collagen type II (mCII707-721), was not associated...... with either MHC class I or II. Activation of CD1d-restricted mCII707-721-specific NKT cells was induced via TCR signaling and classical costimulation. In addition, mCII707-721-specific NKT cells induced T cell death through Fas/FasL, in an IL-17A-independent fashion. Moreover, mCII707-721-specific NKT cells...

  5. The higher level of complexity of K-Ras4B activation at the membrane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Hyunbum; Banerjee, Avik; Chavan, Tanmay S.; Lu, Shaoyong; Zhang, Jian; Gaponenko, Vadim; Nussinov, Ruth

    2016-01-01

    Is nucleotide exchange sufficient to activate K-Ras4B? To signal, oncogenic rat sarcoma (Ras) anchors in the membrane and recruits effectors by exposing its effector lobe. With the use of NMR and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we observed that in solution, farnesylated guanosine 5′-diphosphate (GDP)-bound K-Ras4B is predominantly autoinhibited by its hypervariable region (HVR), whereas the GTP-bound state favors an activated, HVR-released state. On the anionic membrane, the catalytic domain adopts multiple orientations, including parallel (∼180°) and perpendicular (∼90°) alignments of the allosteric helices, with respect to the membrane surface direction. In the autoinhibited state, the HVR is sandwiched between the effector lobe and the membrane; in the active state, with membrane-anchored farnesyl and unrestrained HVR, the catalytic domain fluctuates reinlessly, exposing its effector-binding site. Dimerization and clustering can reduce the fluctuations. This achieves preorganized, productive conformations. Notably, we also observe HVR-autoinhibited K-Ras4B-GTP states, with GDP-bound-like orientations of the helices. Thus, we propose that the GDP/GTP exchange may not be sufficient for activation; instead, our results suggest that the GDP/GTP exchange, HVR sequestration, farnesyl insertion, and orientation/localization of the catalytic domain at the membrane conjointly determine the active or inactive state of K-Ras4B. Importantly, K-Ras4B-GTP can exist in active and inactive states; on its own, GTP binding may not compel K-Ras4B activation.—Jang, H., Banerjee, A., Chavan, T. S, Lu, S., Zhang, J., Gaponenko, V., Nussinov, R. The higher level of complexity of K-Ras4B activation at the membrane. PMID:26718888

  6. Context Fear Learning Specifically Activates Distinct Populations of Neurons in Amygdala and Hypothalamus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trogrlic, Lidia; Wilson, Yvette M.; Newman, Andrew G.; Murphy, Mark

    2011-01-01

    The identity and distribution of neurons that are involved in any learning or memory event is not known. In previous studies, we identified a discrete population of neurons in the lateral amygdala that show learning-specific activation of a c-"fos"-regulated transgene following context fear conditioning. Here, we have extended these studies to…

  7. Scholarly Activities in Hospitality and Tourism Higher Education among Private Higher Institutions in Australia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goh, Edmund

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to explore the notion of scholarship and develop research and scholarship strategies among Private Higher Institutions delivering Tourism and Hospitality degree programs in Australia. In doing so, this paper confronts the traditional view of research publications as the only form of scholarship by traditional…

  8. Performance Effects of Repetition Specific Gluteal Activation Protocols on Acceleration in Male Rugby Union Players

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barry Lorna

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Warm-up protocols have the potential to cause an acute enhancement of dynamic sprinting performance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of three repetition specific gluteal activation warm-up protocols on acceleration performance in male rugby union players. Forty male academy rugby union players were randomly assigned to one of 4 groups (control, 5, 10 or 15 repetition gluteal activation group and performed 10 m sprints at baseline and 30 s, 2, 4, 6 and 8 min after their specific intervention protocol. Five and ten meter sprint times were the dependent variable and dual-beam timing gates were used to record all sprint times. Repeated measures analysis of variance found no significant improvement in 5 and 10 m sprint times between baseline and post warm-up scores (p ≥ 0.05 for all groups. There were no reported significant differences between groups at any of the rest interval time points (p ≥ 0.05. However, when individual responses to the warm-up protocols were analyzed, the 15 repetition gluteal activation group had faster 10 m times post-intervention and this improvement was significant (p = 0.021. These results would indicate that there is no specific rest interval for any of the gluteal interventions that results in a potentiation effect on acceleration performance. However, the individual response analysis would seem to indicate that a 15 repetition gluteal activation warm-up protocol has a potentiating effect on acceleration performance provided that the rest interval is adequately and individually determined.

  9. The effect of operational conditions on the sludge specific methanogenic activity and sludge biodegradability

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leitao, R.; Santaellla, S.T.; Haandel, van A.C.; Zeeman, G.; Lettinga, G.

    2009-01-01

    The effects of hydraulic retention time (HRT) and influent COD concentration (CODInf) on Specific Methanogenic Activity (SMA) and the biodegradability of an anaerobic sludge need to be elucidated because of the discordant results available in literature. This information is important for the

  10. Proteolytic activity of prostate-specific antigen (PSA towards protein substrates and effect of peptides stimulating PSA activity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johanna M Mattsson

    Full Text Available Prostate-specific antigen (PSA or kallikrein-related peptidase-3, KLK3 exerts chymotrypsin-like proteolytic activity. The main biological function of PSA is the liquefaction of the clot formed after ejaculation by cleavage of semenogelins I and II in seminal fluid. PSA also cleaves several other substrates, which may explain its putative functions in prostate cancer and its antiangiogenic activity. We compared the proteolytic efficiency of PSA towards several protein and peptide substrates and studied the effect of peptides stimulating the activity of PSA with these substrates. An endothelial cell tube formation model was used to analyze the effect of PSA-degraded protein fragments on angiogenesis. We showed that PSA degrades semenogelins I and II much more efficiently than other previously identified protein substrates, e.g., fibronectin, galectin-3 and IGFBP-3. We identified nidogen-1 as a new substrate for PSA. Peptides B2 and C4 that stimulate the activity of PSA towards small peptide substrates also enhanced the proteolytic activity of PSA towards protein substrates. Nidogen-1, galectin-3 or their fragments produced by PSA did not have any effect on endothelial cell tube formation. Although PSA cleaves several other protein substrates, in addition to semenogelins, the physiological importance of this activity remains speculative. The PSA levels in prostate are very high, but several other highly active proteases, such as hK2 and trypsin, are also expressed in the prostate and may cleave protein substrates that are weakly cleaved by PSA.

  11. Recruitment of Mediator Complex by Cell Type and Stage-Specific Factors Required for Tissue-Specific TAF Dependent Gene Activation in an Adult Stem Cell Lineage.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chenggang Lu

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Onset of terminal differentiation in adult stem cell lineages is commonly marked by robust activation of new transcriptional programs required to make the appropriate differentiated cell type(s. In the Drosophila male germ line stem cell lineage, the switch from proliferating spermatogonia to spermatocyte is accompanied by one of the most dramatic transcriptional changes in the fly, as over 1000 new transcripts turn on in preparation for meiosis and spermatid differentiation. Here we show that function of the coactivator complex Mediator is required for activation of hundreds of new transcripts in the spermatocyte program. Mediator appears to act in a sequential hierarchy, with the testis activating Complex (tMAC, a cell type specific form of the Mip/dREAM general repressor, required to recruit Mediator subunits to the chromatin, and Mediator function required to recruit the testis TAFs (tTAFs, spermatocyte specific homologs of subunits of TFIID. Mediator, tMAC and the tTAFs co-regulate expression of a major set of spermatid differentiation genes. The Mediator subunit Med22 binds the tMAC component Topi when the two are coexpressed in S2 cells, suggesting direct recruitment. Loss of Med22 function in spermatocytes causes meiosis I maturation arrest male infertility, similar to loss of function of the tMAC subunits or the tTAFs. Our results illuminate how cell type specific versions of the Mip/dREAM complex and the general transcription machinery cooperate to drive selective gene activation during differentiation in stem cell lineages.

  12. A systematic review of job-specific workers' health surveillance activities for fire-fighting, ambulance, police and military personnel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plat, M J; Frings-Dresen, M H W; Sluiter, J K

    2011-12-01

    Some occupations have tasks and activities that require monitoring safety and health aspects of the job; examples of such occupations are emergency services personnel and military personnel. The two objectives of this systematic review were to describe (1) the existing job-specific workers' health surveillance (WHS) activities and (2) the effectiveness of job-specific WHS interventions with respect to work functioning, for selected jobs. The search strategy systematically searched the PubMed, PsycINFO and OSH-update databases. The search strategy consisted of several synonyms of the job titles of interest, combined with synonyms for workers' health surveillance. The methodological quality was checked. At least one study was found for each of the following occupations fire fighters, ambulance personnel, police personnel and military personnel. For the first objective, 24 studies described several job-specific WHS activities aimed at aspects of psychological, 'physical' (energetic, biomechanical and balance), sense-related, environmental exposure or cardiovascular requirements. The seven studies found for the second objective measured different outcomes related to work functioning. The methodological quality of the interventions varied, but with the exception of one study, all scored over 55% of the maximum score. Six studies showed effectiveness on at least some of the defined outcomes. The studies described several job-specific interventions: a trauma resilience training, healthy lifestyle promotion, physical readiness training, respiratory muscle training, endurance and resistance training, a physical exercise programme and comparing vaccines. Several examples of job-specific WHS activities were found for the four occupations. Compared to studies focusing on physical tasks, a few studies were found that focus on psychological tasks. Effectiveness studies for job-specific WHS interventions were scarce, although their results were promising. We recommend studying

  13. Activity, specificity, and titer of naturally occurring canine anti-DEA 7 antibodies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spada, Eva; Proverbio, Daniela; Baggiani, Luciana; Canzi, Ilaria; Perego, Roberta

    2016-11-01

    The reported prevalence of naturally occurring anti-dog erythrocyte antigen (DEA) 7 antibodies in DEA 7-negative dogs is as high as 50%. Characterization of these antibodies may better define their importance in canine transfusion medicine. We determined in vitro activity, specificity, and titer of anti-DEA 7 antibodies in DEA 7-negative dogs. Plasma samples from 317 DEA 7-negative dogs were cross-matched with DEA 7-positive red blood cells (RBCs) using gel column technology. Agglutination occurred with DEA 7-positive RBCs but not with DEA 7-negative RBCs in 73 samples (23%), which were hence classified as containing anti-DEA 7 antibodies. These samples were evaluated for hemolytic and agglutinating activity, strength of agglutination, and antibody specificity and titers. All samples showed agglutination but none showed hemolysis. Gel agglutination was graded as 1+ for 20 samples (27%), 2+ for 49 samples (67%), 3+ for 4 samples (6%); no samples were graded 4+. The agglutination titer was DEA 7 antibodies were found in 23% of DEA 7-negative dogs. The presence of naturally occurring anti-DEA 7 antibodies suggests that cross-matching of canine blood recipients is advisable, even at first transfusion, to minimize delayed transfusion reactions. © 2016 The Author(s).

  14. Comparison of the measured specific activities of cesium in mushrooms, pine tree twigs, blueberries, honey and game in Aachen after 1986

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonka, H.; Schmelz, G.

    1998-01-01

    After the nuclear reactor accident at Chernobyl the specific activity in mushrooms originating from the region of Aachen was continuously measured until today. At the same time the specific activity was determined in pine tree twigs, blueberries, honey and game. There is a strong connection of the living organisms and the inanimate environment within the forest ecosystem. The decrease of the specific caesium activity in living organisms is slower than in the other environment. (orig.) [de

  15. Synthesis of high specific activity [1-3H]-D-glucose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saljoughian, M.; Morimoto, Hiromi; Williams, P.G.; Lee, Hakno

    1991-01-01

    Specifically labeled [1- 3 H]-D-glucose has been used for metabolic and mechanistic studies in erythrocytes. In vitro metabolism of the a and b anomers of the tritiated glucose was readily traced by 3 H NMR spectroscopy. Initial studies used labeled glucose obtained by catalytic exchange labeling (at 4.5-9 Ci/mmole, or 15-30% tritiated at the C-1 position), and this necessitated sample glucose concentrations of 2-4 times physiological. The availability of glucose at maximum specific activity (28.7 Ci/mmole, 100% at the C-1 position) would allow the authors to observe metabolic behavior using 1 mM levels of glucose. Accordingly, they have devised a new route for the synthesis of C-1 tritiated glucose, involving the synthesis of 4,6-O-benzylidene-D-gluconolactone followed by reduction with supertritide. Preliminary work with commercial superdeuteride is complete, and chromatographic and NMR analyses are promising. The analogous tritium reactions are currently underway, and experimental results are presented for all stages of investigation. This strategy should be generally applicable to the labeling of many reducing sugars, with the substrates 2-deoxyglucose and maltotriose being of particular interest to their research

  16. Management and Accounting in English Higher Education Influenced by Environmental and Academia-Specific Factors

    Science.gov (United States)

    von Alberti-Alhtaybat, Larissa; Al-Htaybat, Khaldoon; Hutaibat, Khaled

    2012-01-01

    This article originates from a longitudinal study of management and accounting practices in the English higher education sector. The processes of strategic management and strategic management accounting in several English higher education institutions were investigated, from planning to assessment, and their meaning to members of staff. The study…

  17. Evaluation of {sup 211}At-labelled monodisperse polymer particles in vivo: comparison of different specific activities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Larsen, R.H.; Hoff, Per; Alstad, Jorolf [Oslo Univ., Chemistry Dept., Oslo (Norway); Varaas, Tone; De Vos, L.N.; Nustad, Kjell [Norwegian Radium Hospital, Central Lab., Oslo (Norway); Vergote, I.B. [Norwegian Radium Hospital, Gynecologic Oncology Dept., Oslo (Norway)

    1996-09-01

    The {alpha}-particle emitter {sup 211}At was covalently coupled to 1.8 {mu}m aminated monodisperse polymer particles (MDPP) and used to irradiate the intraperitoneal cavity in mice with disseminated tumour cells. Specific activity has previously been shown to influence the therapeutic efficacy of {alpha}-particle emitting compounds and the therapeutic efficacy of {sup 211}At-MDPP with various specific activity was therefore investigated. Groups of mice (10 animals per group) were treated with intraperitoneal injections of 100 kBq of {sup 211}At-MDPP with specific activities of 0.19, 0.55, 1.7, 5.0, 15, and 45 MBq/mg. A significantly prolonged survival was observed in the treated groups compared to the control group (from 19 to 26 days vs. 12 days, median). The difference in survival between the {sup 211}At-MDPP treated groups was not significant, but some animals with short survival were observed in the groups that had received the 0.19, 15 and 45 MBq/mg preparations. K13 monoclonal antibody values, which are an indicator of tumour growth, were high in some animals in the 15 and 45 MBq/mg groups (day 7 values). (author).

  18. Incorporating active learning in psychiatry education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Sonia; McLean, Loyola; Nash, Louise; Trigwell, Keith

    2017-06-01

    We aim to summarise the active learning literature in higher education and consider its relevance for postgraduate psychiatry trainees, to inform the development of a new Formal Education Course (FEC): the Master of Medicine (Psychiatry) at the University of Sydney. We undertook a literature search on 'active learning', 'flipped classroom', 'problem-based learning' and 'psychiatry education'. The effectiveness of active learning pedagogy in higher education is well supported by evidence; however, there have been few psychiatry-specific studies. A new 'flipped classroom' format was developed for the Master of Medicine (Psychiatry). Postgraduate psychiatry training is an active learning environment; the pedagogical approach to FECs requires further evaluation.

  19. Guidance and methods for satisfying low specific activity material and surface contaminated object regulatory requirements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pope, R.B.; Shappert, L.B.; Michelhaugh, R.D.; Boyle, R.W.; Easton, E.P.; Coodk, J.R.

    1998-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) have prepared a comprehensive set of draft guidance for shippers and inspectors to use when applying the newly imposed regulatory requirements for low specific activity (LSA) material and surface contaminated objects (SCOs). These requirements represent significant departures in some areas from the manner in which these materials and objects were regulated by the earlier versions of the regulations. The proper interpretation and application of the regulatory criteria can require a fairly complex set of decisions be made. To assist those trying these regulatory requirements, a detailed set of logic-flow diagrams representing decisions related to multiple factors were prepared and included in the draft report for comment on Categorizing and Transporting Low Specific Activity Materials and Surface Contaminated Objects, (DOT/NRC, 1997). These logic-flow diagrams, as developed, are specific to the U.S. regulations, but were readily adaptable to the IAEA regulations. The diagrams have been modified accordingly and tied directly to specific paragraphs in IAEA Safety Series No. 6. This paper provides the logic-flow diagrams adapted in the IAEA regulations, and demonstrated how these diagrams can be used to assist consignors and inspectors in assessing compliance of shipments with the LSA material and SCO regulatory requirements. (authors)

  20. Left TPJ activity in verbal working memory: implications for storage- and sensory-specific models of short term memory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ravizza, Susan M; Hazeltine, Eliot; Ruiz, Sandra; Zhu, David C

    2011-04-15

    Patients with damage to the left temporoparietal junction (TPJ) have a low verbal span without concomitant deficits in speech perception. This pattern of cognitive impairment is taken as evidence for a dedicated phonological buffer that plays little role in perception (storage-specific account). In contrast, other research suggests that items are maintained and perceived in the same regions (sensory-specific account). In an fMRI study, we demonstrate that the left TPJ does not respond in a way predicted of a phonological buffer; that is, activity in this region is not sustained during encoding or maintenance. Instead, a region in the superior temporal gyrus that has been associated with both speech perception and production demonstrated the expected profile of a store: it was more active in the verbal condition than the object condition and was active during both encoding and maintenance. These results support the sensory-specific account of short term memory rather than the storage-specific account. Based on the pattern of activity in the left TPJ, we suggest that the impairment of verbal working memory observed in patients with TPJ damage may be due to diminished attentional processes rather than reduced storage capacity. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. N-terminus determines activity and specificity of styrene monooxygenase reductases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heine, Thomas; Scholtissek, Anika; Westphal, Adrie H; van Berkel, Willem J H; Tischler, Dirk

    2017-12-01

    Styrene monooxygenases (SMOs) are two-enzyme systems that catalyze the enantioselective epoxidation of styrene to (S)-styrene oxide. The FADH 2 co-substrate of the epoxidase component (StyA) is supplied by an NADH-dependent flavin reductase (StyB). The genome of Rhodococcus opacus 1CP encodes two SMO systems. One system, which we define as E1-type, displays homology to the SMO from Pseudomonas taiwanensis VLB120. The other system, originally reported as a fused system (RoStyA2B), is defined as E2-type. Here we found that E1-type RoStyB is inhibited by FMN, while RoStyA2B is known to be active with FMN. To rationalize the observed specificity of RoStyB for FAD, we generated an artificial reductase, designated as RoStyBart, in which the first 22 amino acid residues of RoStyB were joined to the reductase part of RoStyA2B, while the oxygenase part (A2) was removed. RoStyBart mainly purified as apo-protein and mimicked RoStyB in being inhibited by FMN. Pre-incubation with FAD yielded a turnover number at 30°C of 133.9±3.5s -1 , one of the highest rates observed for StyB reductases. RoStyBart holo-enzyme switches to a ping-pong mechanism and fluorescence analysis indicated for unproductive binding of FMN to the second (co-substrate) binding site. In summary, it is shown for the first time that optimization of the N-termini of StyB reductases allows the evolution of their activity and specificity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Endogenous collagen peptide activation of CD1d-restricted NKT cells ameliorates tissue-specific inflammation in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yawei; Teige, Anna; Mondoc, Emma; Ibrahim, Saleh; Holmdahl, Rikard; Issazadeh-Navikas, Shohreh

    2011-01-01

    NKT cells in the mouse recognize antigen in the context of the MHC class I-like molecule CD1d and play an important role in peripheral tolerance and protection against autoimmune and other diseases. NKT cells are usually activated by CD1d-presented lipid antigens. However, peptide recognition in the context of CD1 has also been documented, although no self-peptide ligands have been reported to date. Here, we have identified an endogenous peptide that is presented by CD1d to activate mouse NKT cells. This peptide, the immunodominant epitope from mouse collagen type II (mCII707-721), was not associated with either MHC class I or II. Activation of CD1d-restricted mCII707-721-specific NKT cells was induced via TCR signaling and classical costimulation. In addition, mCII707-721-specific NKT cells induced T cell death through Fas/FasL, in an IL-17A-independent fashion. Moreover, mCII707-721-specific NKT cells suppressed a range of in vivo inflammatory conditions, including delayed-type hypersensitivity, antigen-induced airway inflammation, collagen-induced arthritis, and EAE, which were all ameliorated by mCII707-721 vaccination. The findings presented here offer new insight into the intrinsic roles of NKT cells in health and disease. Given the results, endogenous collagen peptide activators of NKT cells may offer promise as novel therapeutics in tissue-specific autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

  3. Biocatalytically Oligomerized Epicatechin with Potent and Specific Anti-proliferative Activity for Human Breast Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramaswamy Nagarajan

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available Catechins, naturally occurring flavonoids derived from wine and green tea, are known to exhibit multiple health benefits. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG is one of the most widely investigated catechins, but its efficacy in cancer therapy is still inconsistent and limited. The poor stability of EGCG has contributed to the disparity in the reported anti-cancer activity and other beneficial properties. Here we report an innovative enzymatic strategy for the oligomerization of catechins (specifically epicatechin that yields stable, water-soluble oligomerized epicatechins with enhanced and highly specific anti-proliferative activity for human breast cancer cells. This one-pot oxidative oligomerization is carried out in ambient conditions using Horseradish Peroxidase (HRP as a catalyst yielding water-soluble oligo(epicatechins. The oligomerized epicatechins obtained exhibit excellent growth inhibitory effects against human breast cancer cells with greater specificity towards growth-inhibiting cancer cells as opposed to normal cells, achieving a high therapeutic differential. Our studies indicate that water-soluble oligomeric epicatechins surpass EGCG in stability, selectivity and efficacy at lower doses.

  4. Active sources in the cutoff of centrifugal fans to reduce the blade tones at higher-order duct mode frequencies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neise, W.; Koopmann, G. H.

    1991-01-01

    A previously developed (e.g., Neise and Koopmann, 1984; Koopmann et al., 1988) active noise control technique in which the unwanted acoustic signals from centrifugal fans are suppressed by placing two externally driven sources near the cutoff of the casing was applied to the frequency region where not only plane sound waves are propagational in the fan ducts but also higher-order acoustic modes. Using a specially designed fan noise testing facility, the performance of two fans (280-mm impeller diam and 508 mm diam) was monitored with static pressure taps mounted peripherally around the inlet nozzle. Experimental results show that the aerodynamically generated source pressure field around the cutoff is too complex to be successfully counterimaged by only two active sources introduced in this region. It is suggested that, for an efficient application of this noise control technique in the higher-order mode frequency regime, it is neccessary to use an active source involving larger number of individually driven loudspeakers.

  5. [Comparative study on specific chromatograms and main active components of wild and cultivated rhizomes of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zan, Ke; Gao, Yu-Ming; Cui, Gan; Liu, Jie; Guo, Li-Nong; Zheng, Jian; Ma, Shuang-Cheng

    2017-08-01

    The present study is to compare specific chromatograms and main acitive components between wild and cultivated rhizomes of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis by HPLC. HPLC analysis was performed on a Waters XSelect HSS T3 C₁₈ clumn (4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm), with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile (A)-water (B) at a flow rate of 1 mL•min⁻¹ (0-50 min,30%-50%A;50-80 min,50% A,80-85 min,50%-30%A;85-100 min,30% A). The detection wavelength was 203 nm and the column temperature was controlled at 30 ℃, and the injection volume was 10 μL. HPLC specific chromatograms of wild and cultivated rhizomes of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis were established and nine steroidal saponins were simultaneously determined by the above method. The mean contents of paris saponin Ⅶ, paris saponin H and total average contents of four pennogenyl saponins in Rhizomes of wild samples were significantly higher than those of cultivated ones. However, this result is opposite from the average content of paris saponin Ⅰ and total average contents of five dioscins in the wild and cultivated samples. Because the significant differences occurred for the specific chromatograms and main active components between the wild and cultivated P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis, much more pharmacological and clinical researches are therefore necessary. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  6. The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion/ deletion dimorphism tracks with higher serum ace activities in both younger and older subjects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frossard, Philippe M.; Hill, Susan H.; Obineche, Enyioma N.; Lestringant, Gilles G.

    1998-01-01

    The absence of a 287 base pair alu sequence in the ACE gene (D allele) is associated with higher ACE levels than its presence (I allele) in adults. We carried out a case control study of thr ACE*I/D dimorphism in relation to circulating ACE activities to evaluate associations between the two variables in adults, compared to younger (18 years or less) individuals. Genotypes of the ACE*I/D dimorphism were determined on DNA samples from a population of 164 random (unrelated) Emirtaes nationals, composed of groups: 112 subjects above 18 years of age (range=20-77), and 52 subjects of 18 years or less (range=1-18) and analyzed for putative associations with serum ACE activities. ACE*I/D genotypes of the 164 individualds were determined by assays based on polymerase chain reaction. ACE activities were determined on serum samples of these subjects bu colorimetric assays. The D allele was associared with increasd ACE values in both adult and younger individuals. Mean ACE activity levels associated with II, ID and DD genotypes, however, were 42%-61% higher in the 18 years and under group of subjects. The ACE*I/D marker accounted for 28% of the variance of the phenomenon determining ACE levels in adults, and for 30% among youngsters. The ACE*I/D dimorphism is correlated strongly with circulating ACE activities in both and young Emirati, subjects and the corresponding mean ACE activities were significantly higher among the youngsters. (author)

  7. Semiallogenic fusions of MSI+ tumor cells and activated B cells induce MSI-specific T cell responses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garbe, Yvette; Klier, Ulrike; Linnebacher, Michael

    2011-01-01

    Various strategies have been developed to transfer tumor-specific antigens into antigen presenting cells in order to induce cytotoxic T cell responses against tumor cells. One approach uses cellular vaccines based on fusions of autologous antigen presenting cells and allogeneic tumor cells. The fusion cells combine antigenicity of the tumor cell with optimal immunostimulatory capacity of the antigen presenting cells. Microsatellite instability caused by mutational inactivation of DNA mismatch repair genes results in translational frameshifts when affecting coding regions. It has been shown by us and others that these mutant proteins lead to the presentation of immunogenic frameshift peptides that are - in principle - recognized by a multiplicity of effector T cells. We chose microsatellite instability-induced frameshift antigens as ideal to test for induction of tumor specific T cell responses by semiallogenic fusions of microsatellite instable carcinoma cells with CD40-activated B cells. Two fusion clones of HCT116 with activated B cells were selected for stimulation of T cells autologous to the B cell fusion partner. Outgrowing T cells were phenotyped and tested in functional assays. The fusion clones expressed frameshift antigens as well as high amounts of MHC and costimulatory molecules. Autologous T cells stimulated with these fusions were predominantly CD4 + , activated, and reacted specifically against the fusion clones and also against the tumor cell fusion partner. Interestingly, a response toward 6 frameshift-derived peptides (of 14 tested) could be observed. Cellular fusions of MSI + carcinoma cells and activated B cells combine the antigen-presenting capacity of the B cell with the antigenic repertoire of the carcinoma cell. They present frameshift-derived peptides and can induce specific and fully functional T cells recognizing not only fusion cells but also the carcinoma cells. These hybrid cells may have great potential for cellular immunotherapy and

  8. The Enzyme Activity and Substrate Specificity of Two Major Cinnamyl Alcohol Dehydrogenases in Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), SbCAD2 and SbCAD4.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jun, Se-Young; Walker, Alexander M; Kim, Hoon; Ralph, John; Vermerris, Wilfred; Sattler, Scott E; Kang, ChulHee

    2017-08-01

    Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) catalyzes the final step in monolignol biosynthesis, reducing sinapaldehyde, coniferaldehyde, and p -coumaraldehyde to their corresponding alcohols in an NADPH-dependent manner. Because of its terminal location in monolignol biosynthesis, the variation in substrate specificity and activity of CAD can result in significant changes in overall composition and amount of lignin. Our in-depth characterization of two major CAD isoforms, SbCAD2 (Brown midrib 6 [bmr6]) and SbCAD4, in lignifying tissues of sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor ), a strategic plant for generating renewable chemicals and fuels, indicates their similarity in both structure and activity to Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana ) CAD5 and Populus tremuloides sinapyl alcohol dehydrogenase, respectively. This first crystal structure of a monocot CAD combined with enzyme kinetic data and a catalytic model supported by site-directed mutagenesis allows full comparison with dicot CADs and elucidates the potential signature sequence for their substrate specificity and activity. The L119W/G301F-SbCAD4 double mutant displayed its substrate preference in the order coniferaldehyde > p -coumaraldehyde > sinapaldehyde, with higher catalytic efficiency than that of both wild-type SbCAD4 and SbCAD2. As SbCAD4 is the only major CAD isoform in bmr6 mutants, replacing SbCAD4 with L119W/G301F-SbCAD4 in bmr6 plants could produce a phenotype that is more amenable to biomass processing. © 2017 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  9. Active training and driving-specific feedback improve older drivers' visual search prior to lane changes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lavallière, Martin; Simoneau, Martin; Tremblay, Mathieu; Laurendeau, Denis; Teasdale, Normand

    2012-03-02

    Driving retraining classes may offer an opportunity to attenuate some effects of aging that may alter driving skills. Unfortunately, there is evidence that classroom programs (driving refresher courses) do not improve the driving performance of older drivers. The aim of the current study was to evaluate if simulator training sessions with video-based feedback can modify visual search behaviors of older drivers while changing lanes in urban driving. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the video-based feedback training, 10 older drivers who received a driving refresher course and feedback about their driving performance were tested with an on-road standardized evaluation before and after participating to a simulator training program (Feedback group). Their results were compared to a Control group (12 older drivers) who received the same refresher course and in-simulator active practice as the Feedback group without receiving driving-specific feedback. After attending the training program, the Control group showed no increase in the frequency of the visual inspection of three regions of interests (rear view and left side mirrors, and blind spot). In contrast, for the Feedback group, combining active training and driving-specific feedbacks increased the frequency of blind spot inspection by 100% (32.3 to 64.9% of verification before changing lanes). These results suggest that simulator training combined with driving-specific feedbacks helped older drivers to improve their visual inspection strategies, and that in-simulator training transferred positively to on-road driving. In order to be effective, it is claimed that driving programs should include active practice sessions with driving-specific feedbacks. Simulators offer a unique environment for developing such programs adapted to older drivers' needs.

  10. Foreign language teaching for specific purposes: basic aspects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Svitlana Grynyuk

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The present article is an attempt to understand, analyse and provide an overall picture on basic aspects of English for Specific Purposes: its definition, scope, historical background, characteristics, types and aims. It also discusses the ESP teaching objectives, the role of ESP teacher and the training process to become an ESP teacher, the purpose of an ESP course and an ESP program.We see a clear rationale, amongst the variety of contradicting views on ESP policy, in coming to an agreement finally that ESP is the teaching of English to the learners who have specific goals and purposes: professional, academic or scientific.The article analyses the main roles and functions of teachers of foreign languages for specific purposes. It outlines the general tasks and responsibilities of higher education teachers whose professional activity is multispectral and multifunctiona; it also analyses the ESP courses and their specific features

  11. Hungary Higher Education Quality Assurance System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Che Ru-shan

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Higher education quality assurance system has drawn much attention since 1980s. Most countries are committed to build the higher education quality assurance system to meet international standards. Under such an international trend, Hungary also actively promotes higher education reform, and established Hungarian Accreditation Committee and in order to ensure the quality of higher education.

  12. The Growth of Higher Educators for Social Justice: Collaborative Professional Development in Higher Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Molly K. Ness, PhD

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available In this article, we investigate what happened when, contrary to the typical isolation of faculty in higher education, a group of higher educators from various disciplines in a graduate school of education met regularly to discuss issues related to our teaching and social justice. More specifically, we explored the following research question: How does collaboration among higher educators from various disciplines shape their beliefs and practices of teaching for social justice? Over three years of collaboration and conversation, not only did we expand our own knowledge and understandings of notions of social justice, but we began to take important steps towards increasing our social justice actions in our teaching. This article explores our efforts to create a self-directed professional development group of higher educators and provides suggestions for similarly interested higher educators.

  13. Higher concentrations of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) in soil induced rice chlorosis due to inhibited active iron transportation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Jie; Fang, Zhanqiang; Cheng, Wen; Yan, Xiaomin; Tsang, Pokeung Eric; Zhao, Dongye

    2016-01-01

    In this study, the effects of concentrations 0, 100, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 mg kg"−"1 of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) on germination, seedlings growth, physiology and toxicity mechanisms were investigated. The results showed that nZVI had no effect on germination, but inhibited the rice seedlings growth in higher concentrations (>500 mg kg"−"1 nZVI). The highest suppression rate of the length of roots and shoots reached 46.9% and 57.5%, respectively. The 1000mg kg"−"1 nZVI caused the highest suppression rates for chlorophyll and carotenoids, at 91.6% and 85.2%, respectively. In addition, the activity of antioxidant enzymes was altered by the translocation of nanoparticles and changes in active iron content. Visible symptoms of iron deficiency were observed at higher concentrations, at which the active iron content decreased 61.02% in the shoots, but the active iron content not decreased in roots. Interestingly, the total and available amounts of iron in the soil were not less than those in the control. Therefore, the plants iron deficiency was not caused by (i) deficiency of available iron in the soil and (ii) restraint of the absorption that plant takes in the available iron, while induced by (ⅲ) the transport of active iron from the root to the shoot was blocked. The cortex tissues were seriously damaged by nZVI which was transported from soil to the root, these were proved by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). This current study shows that the mechanism of iron deficiency in rice seedling was due to transport of active iron from the root to the shoot blocked, which was caused by the uptake of nZVI. - Highlights: • Higher concentrations of nZVI induced iron deficiency in rice seedlings visibly. • nZVI was taken in rice seedlings and transported form root to shoot. • The pathway of active iron transport from root to shoot was inhibited. • The cortex tissues

  14. Higher physics for CFE with answers

    CERN Document Server

    Chambers, Paul; Moore, Ian

    2013-01-01

    The only new textbook appropriate for all new Higher Physics syllabus requirements from 2012 onwards Higher Physics for CfE provides complete coverage of the latest SQA syllabus for the Revised Higher (for examination 2012 onwards), and is also tailored specifically to the extended requirements, teaching approaches and syllabus outlines detailed in the Higher revisions for Curriculum for Excellence. Each section of the book matches a unit of the CfE syllabus; each chapter corresponds to a content area. The text is composed of three units: Our Dynamic Universe, Particles and Waves, and Electric

  15. Sex specific association of physical activity on proximal femur BMD in 9 to 10 year-old children.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Graça Cardadeiro

    Full Text Available The results of physical activity (PA intervention studies suggest that adaptation to mechanical loading at the femoral neck (FN is weaker in girls than in boys. Less is known about gender differences associated with non-targeted PA levels at the FN or other clinically relevant regions of the proximal femur. Understanding sex-specific relationships between proximal femur sensitivity and mechanical loading during non-targeted PA is critical to planning appropriate public health interventions. We examined sex-specific associations between non-target PA and bone mineral density (BMD of three sub-regions of the proximal femur in pre- and early-pubertal boys and girls. BMD at the FN, trochanter (TR and intertrochanter (IT regions, and lean mass of the whole body were assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry in 161 girls (age: 9.7±0.3 yrs and 164 boys (age: 9.7±0.3 yrs. PA was measured using accelerometry. Multiple linear regression analyses (adjusted for body height, total lean mass and pubertal status revealed that vigorous PA explained 3-5% of the variability in BMD at all three sub-regions in boys. In girls, vigorous PA explained 4% of the variability in IT BMD and 6% in TR BMD. PA did not contribute to the variance in FN BMD in girls. An additional 10 minutes per day of vigorous PA would be expected to result in a ∼1% higher FN, TR, and IT BMD in boys (p<0.05 and a ∼2% higher IT and TR BMD in girls. In conclusion, vigorous PA can be expected to contribute positively to bone health outcomes for boys and girls. However, the association of vigorous PA to sub-regions of the proximal femur varies by sex, such that girlś associations are heterogeneous and the lowest at the FN, but stronger at the TR and the IT, when compared to boys.

  16. USP7 Is a Tumor-Specific WNT Activator for APC-Mutated Colorectal Cancer by Mediating β-Catenin Deubiquitination

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Novellasdemunt

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The tumor suppressor gene adenomatous polyposis coli (APC is mutated in most colorectal cancers (CRCs, resulting in constitutive Wnt activation. To understand the Wnt-activating mechanism of the APC mutation, we applied CRISPR/Cas9 technology to engineer various APC-truncated isogenic lines. We find that the β-catenin inhibitory domain (CID in APC represents the threshold for pathological levels of Wnt activation and tumor transformation. Mechanistically, CID-deleted APC truncation promotes β-catenin deubiquitination through reverse binding of β-TrCP and USP7 to the destruction complex. USP7 depletion in APC-mutated CRC inhibits Wnt activation by restoring β-catenin ubiquitination, drives differentiation, and suppresses xenograft tumor growth. Finally, the Wnt-activating role of USP7 is specific to APC mutations; thus, it can be used as a tumor-specific therapeutic target for most CRCs.

  17. Carrageenan activates monocytes via type-specific binding with interleukin-8: an implication for design of immuno-active biomaterials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Weng-I; Zhang, Guangpan; Li, Xin; Leung, Chung-Hang; Ma, Dik-Lung; Dong, Lei; Wang, Chunming

    2017-02-28

    Polymers that can activate the immune system may become useful biomaterials tools, given that the mechanisms underlying their actions are well understood. Herein, we report a novel type of interaction between polymers and immune cells - in studying the influence of the three major types of carrageenan (CGN) polysaccharides on monocyte behaviour in vitro, we found only the λ-type induced monocyte adhesion and this action requires the presence of an adequate amount of serum. Further analyses indicated λ-CGN bound interleukin-8 (IL-8) in the serum and activated the cultured monocytes through an IL-8-dependent pathway. This is the first demonstration that a polymer, with a renowned immunostimulatory effect, activates the immune system via binding and harnessing the function of a specific cytokine in the microenvironment. This is a new mechanism underlying polymer-immunity interactions that may shed light on future design and application of biomaterials tools targeting the immune system for a wide variety of therapeutic applications.

  18. Improved Activation toward Primary Colorectal Cancer Cells by Antigen-Specific Targeting Autologous Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia Schlimper

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Adoptive therapy of malignant diseases with cytokine-induced killer (CIK cells showed promise in a number of trials; the activation of CIK cells from cancer patients towards their autologous cancer cells still needs to be improved. Here, we generated CIK cells ex vivo from blood lymphocytes of colorectal cancer patients and engineered those cells with a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR with an antibody-defined specificity for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA. CIK cells thereby gained a new specificity as defined by the CAR and showed increase in activation towards CEA+ colon carcinoma cells, but less in presence of CEA− cells, indicated by increased secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. Redirected CIK activation was superior by CAR-mediated CD28-CD3ζ than CD3ζ signaling only. CAR-engineered CIK cells from colon carcinoma patients showed improved activation against their autologous, primary carcinoma cells from biopsies resulting in more efficient tumour cell lysis. We assume that adoptive therapy with CAR-modified CIK cells shows improved selectivity in targeting autologous tumour lesions.

  19. Contribution of small conductance K+ channels to sinoatrial node pacemaker activity: insights from atrial-specific Na+ /Ca2+ exchange knockout mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torrente, Angelo G; Zhang, Rui; Wang, Heidi; Zaini, Audrey; Kim, Brian; Yue, Xin; Philipson, Kenneth D; Goldhaber, Joshua I

    2017-06-15

    Repolarizing currents through K + channels are essential for proper sinoatrial node (SAN) pacemaking, but the influence of intracellular Ca 2+ on repolarization in the SAN is uncertain. We identified all three isoforms of Ca 2+ -activated small conductance K + (SK) channels in the murine SAN. SK channel blockade slows repolarization and subsequent depolarization of SAN cells. In the atrial-specific Na + /Ca 2+ exchanger (NCX) knockout mouse, cellular Ca 2+ accumulation during spontaneous SAN pacemaker activity produces intermittent hyperactivation of SK channels, leading to arrhythmic pauses alternating with bursts of pacing. These findings suggest that Ca 2+ -sensitive SK channels can translate changes in cellular Ca 2+ into a repolarizing current capable of modulating pacemaking. SK channels are a potential pharmacological target for modulating SAN rate or treating SAN dysfunction, particularly under conditions characterized by abnormal increases in diastolic Ca 2+ . Small conductance K + (SK) channels have been implicated as modulators of spontaneous depolarization and electrical conduction that may be involved in cardiac arrhythmia. However, neither their presence nor their contribution to sinoatrial node (SAN) pacemaker activity has been investigated. Using quantitative PCR (q-PCR), immunostaining and patch clamp recordings of membrane current and voltage, we identified all three SK isoforms (SK1, SK2 and SK3) in mouse SAN. Inhibition of SK channels with the specific blocker apamin prolonged action potentials (APs) in isolated SAN cells. Apamin also slowed diastolic depolarization and reduced pacemaker rate in isolated SAN cells and intact tissue. We investigated whether the Ca 2+ -sensitive nature of SK channels could explain arrhythmic SAN pacemaker activity in the atrial-specific Na + /Ca 2+ exchange (NCX) knockout (KO) mouse, a model of cellular Ca 2+ overload. SAN cells isolated from the NCX KO exhibited higher SK current than wildtype (WT) and apamin

  20. The Evolution of Lineage-Specific Regulatory Activities in the Human Embryonic Limb

    OpenAIRE

    Cotney, Justin; Leng, Jing; Yin, Jun; Reilly, Steven K.; DeMare, Laura E.; Emera, Deena; Ayoub, Albert E.; Rakic, Pasko; Noonan, James P.

    2013-01-01

    The evolution of human anatomical features likely involved changes in gene regulation during development. However, the nature and extent of human-specific developmental regulatory functions remain unknown. We obtained a genome-wide view of cis-regulatory evolution in human embryonic tissues by comparing the histone modification H3K27ac, which provides a quantitative readout of promoter and enhancer activity, during human, rhesus, and mouse limb development. Based on increased H3K27ac, we find...

  1. Method of preparing tritium-labelled thymidine-5'-monophosphates of high specific activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Filip, J.; Vesely, J.; Cihak, A.

    1976-01-01

    A method is described of preparing thymidine-5'-monophosphates labelled with tritium of high specific activity based on enzyme synthesis in vitro. Phosphorylation was carried out using the catalytic effect of an enzyme contained in the supernatant fraction prepared from Yoshida ascites carcinoma in rats. The course of the enzyme reaction can be controlled by the concentration of the individual reaction mixture components. The method described allows obtaining thymidine-5'-monophosphate of radiochemical purity better than 95%. (J.B.)

  2. Application of the quantitative autoradiography for determination of specific activity of labelled non-metallic inclusions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kowalczyk, J.T.; Wilczynski, A.W.

    1983-01-01

    The knowledge of specific activity of labelled non-metallic inclusions, i.e. the knowledge of the content of the radiotracer in a single inclusion, allows to obtain new information about the mechanism and the kinetics of steel deoxidation. In order to determine this specific activity quantitative autoradiography was used. Fo; this purpose, various standards of aluminium oxides with different amounts of cerium oxide Ce 2 O 3 and an aluminium-cerium alloy were prepared. The standards and the alloy were activated with thermal neutrons. Then several autoradiographs were made for these standards (ORWO AF-3 films were used). The autoradiographs served as the basis for evaluation of the standardization curves: optical density versus dimension of particles for a constant cerium concentration; optical density versus concentration of cerium for a constant dimension of particle. The samples of liquid steel were deoxidated with Al-Ce alloy. After labelled non-metallic inclusions had been isolated, the autoradiographs were made under the same conditions as for the standards. The standardization curves were used to determine the cerium content in the single inclusions. (author)

  3. Calcium and Magnesium Ions Are Membrane-Active against Stationary-Phase Staphylococcus aureus with High Specificity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Yuntao; Yang, Lihua

    2016-02-01

    Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is notorious for its ability to acquire antibiotic-resistance, and antibiotic-resistant S. aureus has become a wide-spread cause of high mortality rate. Novel antimicrobials capable of eradicating S. aureus cells including antibiotic-resistant ones are thus highly desired. Membrane-active bactericides and species-specific antimicrobials are two promising sources of novel anti-infective agents for fighting against bacterial antibiotic-resistance. We herein show that Ca2+ and Mg2+, two alkaline-earth-metal ions physiologically essential for diverse living organisms, both disrupt model S. aureus membranes and kill stationary-phase S. aureus cells, indicative of membrane-activity. In contrast to S. aureus, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis exhibit unaffected survival after similar treatment with these two cations, indicative of species-specific activity against S. aureus. Moreover, neither Ca2+ nor Mg2+ lyses mouse red blood cells, indicative of hemo-compatibility. This works suggests that Ca2+ and Mg2+ may have implications in targeted eradication of S. aureus pathogen including the antibiotic-resistant ones.

  4. Standardized methods for the production of high specific-activity zirconium-89

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holland, Jason P.; Sheh, Yiauchung; Lewis, Jason S.

    2009-01-01

    Zirconium-89 is an attractive metallo-radionuclide for use in immunoPET due to the favorable decay characteristics. Standardized methods for the routine production and isolation of high purity and high specific-activity 89Zr using a small cyclotron are reported. Optimized cyclotron conditions reveal high average yields of 1.52 ± 0.11 mCi/μA·h at a proton beam energy of 15 MeV and current of 15 μA using a solid, commercially available 89Y-foil target (0.1 mm, 100% natural abundance). 89Zr was isolated in high radionuclidic and radiochemical purity (>99.99%) as [89Zr]Zr-oxalate by using a solid-phase hydroxamate resin with >99.5% recovery of the radioactivity. The effective specific-activity of 89Zr was found to be in the range 5.28 – 13.43 mCi/μg (470 – 1195 Ci/mmol) of zirconium. New methods for the facile production of [89Zr]Zr-chloride are reported. Radiolabeling studies using the trihydroxamate ligand desferrioxamine B (DFO) gave 100% radiochemical yields in 7 days. Small-animal PET imaging studies have demonstrated that free 89Zr(IV) ions administered as [89Zr]Zr-chloride accumulate in the liver whilst [89Zr]Zr-DFO is excreted rapidly via the kidneys within <20 min. These results have important implication for the analysis of immunoPET imaging of 89Zr-labeled monoclonal antibodies. The detailed methods described can be easily translated to other radiochemistry facilities and will facilitate the use of 89Zr in both basic science and clinical investigations. PMID:19720285

  5. Transportation impact analysis for the shipment of low specific activity nitric acid. Revisison 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Green, J.R.

    1995-01-01

    This is in support of the Plutonium-Uranium Extraction (PUREX) Facility Low Specific Activity (LSA) Nitric Acid Shipment Environmental Assessment. It analyzes potential toxicological and radiological risks associated with transportation of PUREX Facility LSA Nitric Acid from the Hanford Site to Portsmouth VA, Baltimore MD, and Port Elizabeth NJ

  6. Transportation impact analysis for the shipment of low specific activity nitric acid. Revisison 1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Green, J.R.

    1995-05-16

    This is in support of the Plutonium-Uranium Extraction (PUREX) Facility Low Specific Activity (LSA) Nitric Acid Shipment Environmental Assessment. It analyzes potential toxicological and radiological risks associated with transportation of PUREX Facility LSA Nitric Acid from the Hanford Site to Portsmouth VA, Baltimore MD, and Port Elizabeth NJ.

  7. Differential activation behavior of dermal dendritic cells underlies the strain-specific Th1 responses to single epicutaneous immunization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Chih-Hung; Chen, Jau-Shiuh; Chiu, Hsien-Ching; Hong, Chien-Hui; Liu, Ching-Yi; Ta, Yng-Cun; Wang, Li-Fang

    2016-12-01

    Epicutaneous immunization with allergens is an important sensitization route for atopic dermatitis. We recently showed in addition to the Th2 response following single epicutaneous immunization, a remarkable Th1 response is induced in B6 mice, but not in BALB/c mice, mimicking the immune response to allergens in human non-atopics and atopics. We investigated the underlying mechanisms driving this differential Th1 response between BALB/c and B6 mice. We characterized dermal dendritic cells by flow cytometric analysis. We measured the induced Th1/Th2 responses by measuring the IFN-γ/IL-13 contents of supernatants of antigen reactivation cultures of lymph node cells. We demonstrate that more dermal dendritic cells with higher activation status migrate into draining lymph nodes of B6 mice compared to BALB/c mice. Dermal dendritic cells of B6 mice have a greater ability to capture protein antigen than those of BALB/c mice. Moreover, increasing the activation status or amount of captured antigen in dermal dendritic cells induced a Th1 response in BALB/c mice. Further, differential activation behavior, but not antigen-capturing ability of dermal dendritic cells between BALB/c and B6 mice is dendritic cell-intrinsic. These results show that the differential activation behavior of dermal dendritic cells underlies the strain-specific Th1 responses following single epicutaneous immunization. Furthermore, our findings highlight the potential differences between human atopics and non-atopics and provide useful information for the prediction and prevention of atopic diseases. Copyright © 2016 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Age-specific activation of cerebral areas in motor imagery - a fMRI study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Li [Chongqing University, Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, Bioengineering College, Chongqing (China); Third Military Medical University, Department of Medical Image, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing (China); Qiu, Mingguo; Zhang, Jingna; Zhang, Ye; Sang, Linqiong [Third Military Medical University, Department of Medical Image, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing (China); Liu, Chen; Yang, Jun [Third Military Medical University, Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Chongqing (China); Yan, Rubing [Third Military Medical University, Department of Rehabilitation, Southwest Hospital, Chongqing (China); Zheng, Xiaolin [Chongqing University, Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, Bioengineering College, Chongqing (China)

    2014-04-15

    The objectives of this study were to study the age-specific activation patterns of cerebral areas during motor execution (ME) and motor imaging (MI) of the upper extremities and to discuss the age-related neural mechanisms associated with ME or MI. The functional magnetic resonance imaging technique was used to monitor the pattern and intensity of brain activation during the ME and MI of the upper extremities in 20 elderly (>50 years) and 19 young healthy subjects (<25 years). No major differences were identified regarding the activated brain areas during ME or MI between the two groups; however, a minor difference was noted. The intensity of the activated brain area during ME was stronger in the older group than in the younger group, while the results with MI were the opposite. The posterior central gyrus and supplementary motor area during MI were more active in the younger group than in the older group. The putamen, lingual, and so on demonstrated stronger activation during dominant hand MI in the older group. The results of this study revealed that the brain structure was altered and that neuronal activity was attenuated with age, and the cerebral cortex and subcortical tissues were found to be over-activated to achieve the same level of ME and MI, indicating that the activating effects of the left hemisphere enhanced with age, whereas the inhibitory effects declined during ME, and activation of the right hemisphere became more difficult during MI. (orig.)

  9. Age-specific activation of cerebral areas in motor imagery - a fMRI study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Li; Qiu, Mingguo; Zhang, Jingna; Zhang, Ye; Sang, Linqiong; Liu, Chen; Yang, Jun; Yan, Rubing; Zheng, Xiaolin

    2014-01-01

    The objectives of this study were to study the age-specific activation patterns of cerebral areas during motor execution (ME) and motor imaging (MI) of the upper extremities and to discuss the age-related neural mechanisms associated with ME or MI. The functional magnetic resonance imaging technique was used to monitor the pattern and intensity of brain activation during the ME and MI of the upper extremities in 20 elderly (>50 years) and 19 young healthy subjects (<25 years). No major differences were identified regarding the activated brain areas during ME or MI between the two groups; however, a minor difference was noted. The intensity of the activated brain area during ME was stronger in the older group than in the younger group, while the results with MI were the opposite. The posterior central gyrus and supplementary motor area during MI were more active in the younger group than in the older group. The putamen, lingual, and so on demonstrated stronger activation during dominant hand MI in the older group. The results of this study revealed that the brain structure was altered and that neuronal activity was attenuated with age, and the cerebral cortex and subcortical tissues were found to be over-activated to achieve the same level of ME and MI, indicating that the activating effects of the left hemisphere enhanced with age, whereas the inhibitory effects declined during ME, and activation of the right hemisphere became more difficult during MI. (orig.)

  10. Prolonged activation of virus-specific CD8+T cells after acute B19 infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adiba Isa

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available Human parvovirus B19 (B19 is a ubiquitous and clinically significant pathogen, causing erythema infectiosum, arthropathy, transient aplastic crisis, and intrauterine fetal death. The phenotype of CD8+ T cells in acute B19 infection has not been studied previously.The number and phenotype of B19-specific CD8+ T cell responses during and after acute adult infection was studied using HLA-peptide multimeric complexes. Surprisingly, these responses increased in magnitude over the first year post-infection despite resolution of clinical symptoms and control of viraemia, with T cell populations specific for individual epitopes comprising up to 4% of CD8+ T cells. B19-specific T cells developed and maintained an activated CD38+ phenotype, with strong expression of perforin and CD57 and downregulation of CD28 and CD27. These cells possessed strong effector function and intact proliferative capacity. Individuals tested many years after infection exhibited lower frequencies of B19-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes, typically 0.05%-0.5% of CD8+ T cells, which were perforin, CD38, and CCR7 low.This is the first example to our knowledge of an "acute" human viral infection inducing a persistent activated CD8+ T cell response. The likely explanation--analogous to that for cytomegalovirus infection--is that this persistent response is due to low-level antigen exposure. CD8+ T cells may contribute to the long-term control of this significant pathogen and should be considered during vaccine development.

  11. Prolonged activation of virus-specific CD8+T cells after acute B19 infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Human parvovirus B19 (B19 is a ubiquitous and clinically significant pathogen, causing erythema infectiosum, arthropathy, transient aplastic crisis, and intrauterine fetal death. The phenotype of CD8+ T cells in acute B19 infection has not been studied previously. METHODS AND FINDINGS: The number and phenotype of B19-specific CD8+ T cell responses during and after acute adult infection was studied using HLA-peptide multimeric complexes. Surprisingly, these responses increased in magnitude over the first year post-infection despite resolution of clinical symptoms and control of viraemia, with T cell populations specific for individual epitopes comprising up to 4% of CD8+ T cells. B19-specific T cells developed and maintained an activated CD38+ phenotype, with strong expression of perforin and CD57 and downregulation of CD28 and CD27. These cells possessed strong effector function and intact proliferative capacity. Individuals tested many years after infection exhibited lower frequencies of B19-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes, typically 0.05%-0.5% of CD8+ T cells, which were perforin, CD38, and CCR7 low. CONCLUSION: This is the first example to our knowledge of an "acute" human viral infection inducing a persistent activated CD8+ T cell response. The likely explanation--analogous to that for cytomegalovirus infection--is that this persistent response is due to low-level antigen exposure. CD8+ T cells may contribute to the long-term control of this significant pathogen and should be considered during vaccine development.

  12. Impact of a product-specific reference standard for the measurement of a PEGylated rFVIII activity: the Swiss Multicentre Field Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bulla, O; Poncet, A; Alberio, L; Asmis, L M; Gähler, A; Graf, L; Nagler, M; Studt, J-D; Tsakiris, D A; Fontana, P

    2017-07-01

    Measuring factor VIII (FVIII) activity can be challenging when it has been modified, such as when FVIII is pegylated to increase its circulating half-life. Use of a product-specific reference standard may help avoid this issue. Evaluate the impact of using a product-specific reference standard for measuring the FVIII activity of BAX 855 - a pegylated FVIII - in eight of Switzerland's main laboratories. Factor VIII-deficient plasma, spiked with five different concentrations of BAX 855, plus a control FVIII sample, was sent to the participating laboratories. They measured FVIII activity by using either with a one-stage (OSA) or the chromogenic assay (CA) against their local or a product-specific reference standard. When using a local reference standard, there was an overestimation of BAX 855 activity compared to the target concentrations, both with the OSA and CA. The use of a product-specific reference standard reduced this effect: mean recovery ranged from 127.7% to 213.5% using the OSA with local reference standards, compared to 110% to 183.8% with a product-specific reference standard, and from 146.3% to 182.4% using the CA with local reference standards compared to 72.7% to 103.7% with a product-specific reference standard. In this in vitro study, the type of reference standard had a major impact on the measurement of BAX 855 activity. Evaluation was more accurate and precise when using a product-specific reference standard. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Elementary physical education: A focus on fitness activities and smaller class sizes are associated with higher levels of physical activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mandy Kirkham-King

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Optimizing physical activity during physical education is necessary for children to achieve daily physical activity recommendations. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among various contextual factors with accelerometer measured physical activity during elementary physical education. Data were collected during 2015–2016 from 281 students (1st–5th grade, 137 males, 144 females from a private school located in a metropolitan area of Utah in the U.S. Students wore accelerometers for 12 consecutive weeks at an accelerometer wear frequency of 3days per week during physical education. A multi-level general linear mixed effects model was employed to examine the relationship among various physical education contextual factors and percent of wear time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (%MVPA, accounting for clustering of observations within students and the clustering of students within classrooms. Explored contextual factors included grade level, lesson context, sex, and class size. Main effects and interactions among the factors were explored in the multi-level models. A two-way interaction of lesson context and class size on %MVPA was shown to be statistically significant. The greatest differences were found to be between fitness lessons using small class sizes compared to motor skill lessons using larger class sizes (β=14.8%, 95% C.I. 5.7%–23.9% p<0.001. Lessons that included a focus on fitness activities with class sizes that were <25 students associated with significantly higher %MVPA during elementary physical education. Keywords: Exercise, Physical education and training, Adolescents

  14. High throughput protease profiling comprehensively defines active site specificity for thrombin and ADAMTS13.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kretz, Colin A; Tomberg, Kärt; Van Esbroeck, Alexander; Yee, Andrew; Ginsburg, David

    2018-02-12

    We have combined random 6 amino acid substrate phage display with high throughput sequencing to comprehensively define the active site specificity of the serine protease thrombin and the metalloprotease ADAMTS13. The substrate motif for thrombin was determined by >6,700 cleaved peptides, and was highly concordant with previous studies. In contrast, ADAMTS13 cleaved only 96 peptides (out of >10 7 sequences), with no apparent consensus motif. However, when the hexapeptide library was substituted into the P3-P3' interval of VWF73, an exosite-engaging substrate of ADAMTS13, 1670 unique peptides were cleaved. ADAMTS13 exhibited a general preference for aliphatic amino acids throughout the P3-P3' interval, except at P2 where Arg was tolerated. The cleaved peptides assembled into a motif dominated by P3 Leu, and bulky aliphatic residues at P1 and P1'. Overall, the P3-P2' amino acid sequence of von Willebrand Factor appears optimally evolved for ADAMTS13 recognition. These data confirm the critical role of exosite engagement for substrates to gain access to the active site of ADAMTS13, and define the substrate recognition motif for ADAMTS13. Combining substrate phage display with high throughput sequencing is a powerful approach for comprehensively defining the active site specificity of proteases.

  15. Specific features of the recent accumulation of 137Cs in tree roots of forest ecosystems within the zone of radioactive contamination

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shcheglov, Alexey; Tsvetnova, Ol'ga; Klyashtorin, Alexey; Popova, Evgenia

    2015-04-01

    Despite numerous studies of the accumulation of technogenic radionuclides in the root systems, no clear regularities of this process have been established. The tendencies found in the works of Russian and foreign researchers are rather discrepant. Some authors argue that the accumulation of radionuclides in the roots is more pronounced than that in the aboveground parts of the plants (Skovorodnikova, 2005; Romantseva, 2012; Sennerby et al., 1994; Mamikhin, 2002; Fircks et al., 2002}. Other works attest to a higher accumulation of radionuclides in the aboveground pars (Juznic et al., 1990; Chibowski, 2000; Zhianski et al., 2005), which is also typical of the stable isotopes of these elements, including 133Cs (Dong Jin Kang, YongJin Seo, Tsukasa Saito et al,2012). It is also stated that the accumulation of radionuclides in the aboveground and underground parts of plants may differ in dependence on the soil-ecological conditions and other factors (Kozhakhanov et al., 2011; Grabovskyi et al., 2013). The aim of our study was to evaluate the accumulation of 137Cs in the root systems of arboreal plants in forest ecosystems within the near zone of the Chernobyl fallout on the plots with similar soil and phytocenotic features. Pine and birch stands were studied within the 30-km-wide exclusion zone of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station in Ukraine in 1992-1993, when the density of the radioactive contamination of the upper (0-20 cm) layer with 137Cs reached 2153.8 kBq/m2), and in Bryansk oblast of Russia in 2013-2014, when the density of contamination varied from 1458.4 kBq/m2 (pine stand) to 2578.3 kBq/m2 (birch stand). The tree layer in these ecosystems was dominated by Pinus sylvestris (L.) and Betula pendula (Roth.), respectively. Quercus robur (L.), Picea abies (L.), and Sorbus aucuparia (L.) were also present. The specific activity of 137Cs was measured in the samples from the aboveground parts of model trees and their roots differentiated by size (0-3, 3-10, 10

  16. Carbon-14 labeling of phytoplankton carbon and chlorophyll a carbon: determination of specific growth rates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Welschmeyer, N.A.; Lorenzen, C.J.

    1984-01-01

    The pattern of photosynthetic 14 C labeling over time is described for phytoplankton. The carbon-specific growth rate (d -1 ) is defined explicitly by changes in the specific activity (dpm μg -1 C) of the algae. For Skeletonema costatum, growing in axenic batch culture, the specific activities of both total cellular carbon and chlorophyll carbon increase at equal rates and the change in specific activity with time follows the predicted pattern. The specific activity of 14 C-labeled chlorophyll a was used to estimate phytoplankton growth rates and C:Chl ratios of field samples in Dabob Bay (Puget Sound), Washington. Growth rates decreased with depth and C:Chl ratios were higher for samples incubated under high light intensity. In several instances the C:Chl ratio increased from the beginning to the end of the incubation; this trend was most conspicuous near surface light intensities and for days of high total incident radiation. On these occasions, Chl a was actively 14 C labeled, yet little (or even negative) change was noted in the concentration of Chl a. These results suggest that some process (or processes) of chlorophyll degradation must be active at the same time that chlorophyll is being synthesized

  17. Domain-Specific Self-Reported and Objectively Measured Physical Activity in Children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ole Sprengeler

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Little is known about the extent that different domains contribute to total sedentary (SED, light (LPA and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA. We aimed to identify domain-specific physical activity (PA patterns in school-aged children who were assessed by questionnaire and accelerometry. For the study, 298 German school children and adolescents aged 6–17 years wore an accelerometer for one week and completed a PA recall-questionnaire for the same period. Spearman coefficients (r were used to evaluate the agreement between self-reported and objectively measured PA in five domains (transport, school hours, physical education, leisure-time, organized sports activities. School hours mainly contributed to the total objectively measured SED, LPA and MVPA (55%, 53% and 46%, respectively, whilst sports activities contributed only 24% to total MVPA. Compared to accelerometry, the proportion of self-reported LPA and MVPA during school hours was substantially underestimated but overestimated during leisure-time. The agreement of self-reported and objectively measured PA was low for total LPA (r = 0.09, 95% CI (confidence interval: −0.03–0.20 and total MVPA (r = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.10–0.32, while moderate agreement was only found for total SED (r = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.34–0.53, LPA during transport (r = 0.59; 95% CI: 0.49–0.67 and MVPA during organized sports activities (r = 0.54; 95% CI: 0.38–0.67. Since school hours mainly contribute to total SED, LPA and MVPA and self-reported LPA and MVPA during school were importantly underestimated compared to objectively measured LPA and MVPA, the application of objective measurements is compulsory to characterize the entire activity pattern of school-aged children.

  18. Activation-induced cytidine deaminase deficiency causes organ-specific autoimmune disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Koji Hase

    Full Text Available Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID expressed by germinal center B cells is a central regulator of somatic hypermutation (SHM and class switch recombination (CSR. Humans with AID mutations develop not only the autosomal recessive form of hyper-IgM syndrome (HIGM2 associated with B cell hyperplasia, but also autoimmune disorders by unknown mechanisms. We report here that AID-/- mice spontaneously develop tertiary lymphoid organs (TLOs in non-lymphoid tissues including the stomach at around 6 months of age. At a later stage, AID-/- mice develop a severe gastritis characterized by loss of gastric glands and epithelial hyperplasia. The disease development was not attenuated even under germ-free (GF conditions. Gastric autoantigen -specific serum IgM was elevated in AID-/- mice, and the serum levels correlated with the gastritis pathological score. Adoptive transfer experiments suggest that autoimmune CD4+ T cells mediate gastritis development as terminal effector cells. These results suggest that abnormal B-cell expansion due to AID deficiency can drive B-cell autoimmunity, and in turn promote TLO formation, which ultimately leads to the propagation of organ-specific autoimmune effector CD4+ T cells. Thus, AID plays an important role in the containment of autoimmune diseases by negative regulation of autoreactive B cells.

  19. Active training and driving-specific feedback improve older drivers' visual search prior to lane changes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lavallière Martin

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Driving retraining classes may offer an opportunity to attenuate some effects of aging that may alter driving skills. Unfortunately, there is evidence that classroom programs (driving refresher courses do not improve the driving performance of older drivers. The aim of the current study was to evaluate if simulator training sessions with video-based feedback can modify visual search behaviors of older drivers while changing lanes in urban driving. Methods In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the video-based feedback training, 10 older drivers who received a driving refresher course and feedback about their driving performance were tested with an on-road standardized evaluation before and after participating to a simulator training program (Feedback group. Their results were compared to a Control group (12 older drivers who received the same refresher course and in-simulator active practice as the Feedback group without receiving driving-specific feedback. Results After attending the training program, the Control group showed no increase in the frequency of the visual inspection of three regions of interests (rear view and left side mirrors, and blind spot. In contrast, for the Feedback group, combining active training and driving-specific feedbacks increased the frequency of blind spot inspection by 100% (32.3 to 64.9% of verification before changing lanes. Conclusions These results suggest that simulator training combined with driving-specific feedbacks helped older drivers to improve their visual inspection strategies, and that in-simulator training transferred positively to on-road driving. In order to be effective, it is claimed that driving programs should include active practice sessions with driving-specific feedbacks. Simulators offer a unique environment for developing such programs adapted to older drivers' needs.

  20. Mammalian transcriptional hotspots are enriched for tissue specific enhancers near cell type specific highly expressed genes and are predicted to act as transcriptional activator hubs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joshi, Anagha

    2014-12-30

    Transcriptional hotspots are defined as genomic regions bound by multiple factors. They have been identified recently as cell type specific enhancers regulating developmentally essential genes in many species such as worm, fly and humans. The in-depth analysis of hotspots across multiple cell types in same species still remains to be explored and can bring new biological insights. We therefore collected 108 transcription-related factor (TF) ChIP sequencing data sets in ten murine cell types and classified the peaks in each cell type in three groups according to binding occupancy as singletons (low-occupancy), combinatorials (mid-occupancy) and hotspots (high-occupancy). The peaks in the three groups clustered largely according to the occupancy, suggesting priming of genomic loci for mid occupancy irrespective of cell type. We then characterized hotspots for diverse structural functional properties. The genes neighbouring hotspots had a small overlap with hotspot genes in other cell types and were highly enriched for cell type specific function. Hotspots were enriched for sequence motifs of key TFs in that cell type and more than 90% of hotspots were occupied by pioneering factors. Though we did not find any sequence signature in the three groups, the H3K4me1 binding profile had bimodal peaks at hotspots, distinguishing hotspots from mono-modal H3K4me1 singletons. In ES cells, differentially expressed genes after perturbation of activators were enriched for hotspot genes suggesting hotspots primarily act as transcriptional activator hubs. Finally, we proposed that ES hotspots might be under control of SetDB1 and not DNMT for silencing. Transcriptional hotspots are enriched for tissue specific enhancers near cell type specific highly expressed genes. In ES cells, they are predicted to act as transcriptional activator hubs and might be under SetDB1 control for silencing.

  1. The role of customers in higher education: Are students active stakeholders?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zoran Mihanović

    2007-07-01

    Full Text Available As the primary subject of research, this paper puts forward the issue of students’ role in Croatian institutions of higher education, taking into consideration the multiplicity of constituents and the complexity of relationships established by an institution of higher education with target groups as potential donors. In order to determine the position of students in higher education in relation to a dependency on the sources of financing, the research includes students as the main target group as well as potential students and the competent Ministry. They are the ones the institution of higher education establishes relations with, while representing a source of financing at the same time. For the purpose of research a model was created and the research carried out in May and June 2006 on a sample that included all public colleges in Croatia (87 of them, with their executives participating as respondents. According to research results, institutions of higher education, whether being largely financed by students or the Ministry, have not focused sufficiently on students or potential students. There are significant differences in the orientation of institutions of higher education to the Ministry. The institutions that are mainly financed by students show a higher degree of orientation toward the Ministry than those financed by the Ministry itself. Both the orientation and development of the relationships with students and potential students depend on the financing sources of institutions of higher education in Croatia. Therefore, students are not recognized as primary/original partners of the Croatian higher education and, in accordance with the mission and objectives of education, they are not adequately taken care of.

  2. Reconfiguring the Higher Education Value Chain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pathak, Virendra; Pathak, Kavita

    2010-01-01

    Forces of demand and supply are changing the dynamics of the higher education market. Transformation of institutions of higher learning into competitive enterprise is underway. Higher education institutions are seemingly under intense pressure to create value and focus their efforts and scarce funds on activities that drive up value for their…

  3. Sustained availability of trimethoprim in drinking water to achieve higher plasma sulphonamide-trimethoprim antibacterial activity in broilers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sumano, H; Hernandez, L; Gutierrez, L; Bernad-Bernad, M J

    2005-02-01

    (1) In order to make trimethoprim (TMP) available to broilers throughout the day, a sustained release formulation (SRF) of the drug in the form of granules was added to the water tank that supplies drinking water. (2) Broilers were initially dosed with sulphachloropiridazine-TMP (SCP-TMP 5:1) and then further medicated throughout the day, achieving in the end a dose of 30 mg/kg each of SCP and TMP (group A). Group B received a preparation with the same dose of SCP and TMP (1:1) as group A, but administered as a single dose without the SRF of TMP. Group C received the customary SCP-TMP 5:1 preparation (30 and 6 mg/kg, respectively). Water tanks were completely consumed in 3 to 4 h. (3) Broilers were bled at different times and concentration of antibacterial activity in serum determined by correlating the composite antibacterial activity of SCP and TMP with actual concentrations of these drugs by means of a microbiological agar diffusion assay. (4) Time vs serum concentrations of activity were higher in group B; the increments in the maximum serum concentration for group B over groups A and C being 39 and 67%, respectively. (5) However, the sustained concentration of activity over time, measured as the area under the cu)rve, was highest in group A. Group B had higher values for area under the curve than group C. (6) An additional dose of TMP to achieve 30 mg/kg of both SCP and TMP improves the serum concentration of this combination over the customary 5:1 proportion. The best values for sustaining antibacterial activity were obtained using a 1:1 ratio as in group A. The use of a SRF as in group A may translate into better clinical results.

  4. Development of the radiosynthesis of high-specific-activity {sup 123}I-NKJ64

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tavares, Adriana Alexandre S., E-mail: a.tavares.1@research.gla.ac.u [Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ Glasgow (United Kingdom); Jobson, Nicola K. [WestCHEM, School of Chemistry, The Joseph Black Building, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ Glasgow (United Kingdom); Dewar, Deborah [Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ Glasgow (United Kingdom); Sutherland, Andrew [WestCHEM, School of Chemistry, The Joseph Black Building, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ Glasgow (United Kingdom); Pimlott, Sally L. [West of Scotland Radionuclide Dispensary, University of Glasgow and North Glasgow University Hospital NHS Trust, G11 6NT Glasgow (United Kingdom)

    2011-05-15

    Introduction: {sup 123}I-NKJ64, a reboxetine analogue, is currently under development as a potential novel single photon emission computed tomography radiotracer for imaging the noradrenaline transporter in brain. This study describes the development of the radiosynthesis of {sup 123}I-NKJ64, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages, pitfalls and solutions encountered while developing the final radiolabelling methodology. Methods: The synthesis of {sup 123}I-NKJ64 was evaluated using an electrophilic iododestannylation method, where a Boc-protected trimethylstannyl precursor was radioiodinated using peracetic acid as an oxidant and deprotection was investigated using either trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) or 2 M hydrochloric acid (HCl). Results: Radioiodination of the Boc-protected trimethylstannyl precursor was achieved with an incorporation yield of 92{+-}6%. Deprotection with 2 M HCl produced {sup 123}I-NKJ64 with the highest radiochemical yield of 98.05{+-}1.63% compared with 83.95{+-}13.24% with TFA. However, the specific activity of the obtained {sup 123}I-NKJ64 was lower when measured after using 2 M HCl (0.15{+-}0.23 Ci/{mu}mol) as the deprotecting agent in comparison to TFA (1.76{+-}0.60 Ci/{mu}mol). Further investigation of the 2 M HCl methodology found a by-product, identified as the deprotected proto-destannylated precursor, which co-eluted with {sup 123}I-NKJ64 during the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) purification. Conclusions: The radiosynthesis of {sup 123}I-NKJ64 was achieved with good isolated radiochemical yield of 68% and a high specific activity of 1.8 Ci/{mu}mol. TFA was found to be the most suitable deprotecting agent, since 2 M HCl generated a by-product that could not be fully separated from {sup 123}I-NKJ64 using the HPLC methodology investigated. This study highlights the importance of HPLC purification and accurate measurement of specific activity while developing new radiosynthesis methodologies.

  5. How specific is specific self-efficacy?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Tine; Makransky, Guido; Vang, Maria Louison

    2017-01-01

    academic learning self-efficacy (SAL-SE) and specific academic exam self-efficacy (SAE-SE), each scale being measurement invariant relative to age, Gender, admission method and specific course targeted. Furthermore, significant and relevant differences between the SAL-SE and SAE-SE scores dependent......Self-efficacy is an important and much used construct in psychology and social science studies. The validity of the measurements used is not always sufficiently evaluated. The aim was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Danish translation of the self-efficacy subscale of The Motivated...... Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ-SE) within a higher education context. Rasch measurement models were employed focusing on measurement invariance and dimensionality. Results with one students sample showed the MSLQ-SE to be not one, but two separate unidimensional subscales, measuring specific...

  6. Service-learning in higher education relevant to the promotion of physical activity, healthful eating, and prevention of obesity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard R Rosenkranz

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Service-learning is a type of experiential teaching and learning strategy combining classroom instruction and meaningful community service and guided activities for reflection. This educational approach has been used frequently in higher education settings, including an array of disciplines such as medicine, theology, public health, physical education, nutrition, psychology, anthropology, and sociology. The purpose of the present review paper was to provide guidance on the use of service-learning within higher education, relevant to the preventive medicine and public health topics of healthful eating, physical activity, and obesity prevention. In service-learning, coursework is structured to address community needs, and to benefit students through the real-world application of knowledge. The benefits for students include positive impacts on social skills, empathy, awareness, understanding, and concern regarding community issues, plus greater confidence and skills to work with diverse populations, increased awareness of community resources, improved motivation, and enhanced knowledge. Educational institutions may also benefit through improved "town and gown" relations, as strong ties, partnerships, and mutually beneficial activities take place. The present literature review describes several service-learning applications such as nutrition education for kids, dietary improvement for seniors, foodservice recipe modification on a college campus, an intergenerational physical activity program for nursing home residents, motor skill development in kindergarteners, organized elementary school recess physical activities, health education, and obesity prevention in children. From this review, service-learning appears to have great potential as a flexible component of academic coursework in the areas of preventive medicine and public health.

  7. Service-learning in Higher Education Relevant to the Promotion of Physical Activity, Healthful Eating, and Prevention of Obesity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenkranz, Richard R

    2012-10-01

    Service-learning is a type of experiential teaching and learning strategy combining classroom instruction and meaningful community service and guided activities for reflection. This educational approach has been used frequently in higher education settings, including an array of disciplines such as medicine, theology, public health, physical education, nutrition, psychology, anthropology, and sociology. The purpose of the present review paper was to provide guidance on the use of service-learning within higher education, relevant to the preventive medicine and public health topics of healthful eating, physical activity, and obesity prevention. In service-learning, coursework is structured to address community needs, and to benefit students through the real-world application of knowledge. The benefits for students include positive impacts on social skills, empathy, awareness, understanding, and concern regarding community issues, plus greater confidence and skills to work with diverse populations, increased awareness of community resources, improved motivation, and enhanced knowledge. Educational institutions may also benefit through improved "town and gown" relations, as strong ties, partnerships, and mutually beneficial activities take place. The present literature review describes several service-learning applications such as nutrition education for kids, dietary improvement for seniors, foodservice recipe modification on a college campus, an intergenerational physical activity program for nursing home residents, motor skill development in kindergarteners, organized elementary school recess physical activities, health education, and obesity prevention in children. From this review, service-learning appears to have great potential as a flexible component of academic coursework in the areas of preventive medicine and public health.

  8. A sensitive and specific radiochromatographic assay of fatty acid amide hydrolase activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maccarrone, M; Bari, M; Agrò, A F

    1999-02-15

    A radiochromatographic method has been set up in order to determine fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) activity, based on reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and on-line scintillation counting. The reaction products were separated using a C18 column eluted with methanol-water-acetic acid and quantitated with an external standard. Baseline separation of the acid product from the substrate was completed in less than 4 min, with a detection limit of 2.5 fmol arachidonic acid at a signal to noise ratio of 4:1. The method enabled to determine the kinetic constants (i.e., apparent Km of 2.0 +/- 0.2 microM and Vmax of 800 +/- 75 pmol. min-1. mg protein-1 toward anandamide) and the substrate specificity of human brain FAAH, as well as the extent of enzyme inhibition by some anandamide congeners. The femtomole sensitivity and the accuracy of the method allow detection and characterization of the activity of FAAH in very minute tissue samples or in samples where the enzymatic activity is very low. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

  9. Plant-based foods containing cell wall polysaccharides rich in specific active monosaccharides protect against myocardial injury in rat myocardial infarction models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Sun Ha; Kim, Yaesil; Yun, Ki Na; Kim, Jin Young; Jang, Jung-Hee; Han, Mee-Jung; Lee, Jongwon

    2016-12-08

    Many cohort studies have shown that consumption of diets containing a higher composition of foods derived from plants reduces mortality from coronary heart disease (CHD). Here, we examined the active components of a plant-based diet and the underlying mechanisms that reduce the risk of CHD using three rat models and a quantitative proteomics approach. In a short-term myocardial infarction (MI) model, intake of wheat extract (WE), the representative cardioprotectant identified by screening approximately 4,000 samples, reduced myocardial injury by inhibiting apoptosis, enhancing ATP production, and maintaining protein homeostasis. In long-term post-MI models, this myocardial protection resulted in ameliorating adverse left-ventricular remodelling, which is a predictor of heart failure. Among the wheat components, arabinose and xylose were identified as active components responsible for the observed efficacy of WE, which was administered via ingestion and tail-vein injections. Finally, the food components of plant-based diets that contained cell wall polysaccharides rich in arabinose, xylose, and possibly fucose were found to confer protection against myocardial injury. These results show for the first time that specific monosaccharides found in the cell wall polysaccharides in plant-based diets can act as active ingredients that reduce CHD by inhibiting postocclusion steps, including MI and heart failure.

  10. Innovative Activity in the Formation of Cross-Cultural Communication and Self-Study Skills in the Pedagogical Higher Educational Establishment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Galustov Ambarcum Robertovich

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The field of education in Russia is a priority. It is necessary for modern education to meet the challenges of advancing development of society. A specialist who received Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or a post-graduate should possess professional skills in foreign languages and cross-cultural communication. The development of production and non-production spheres depends on it as well as the general education of our younger generation in particular. Development of cross-cultural communication to a great extent enables the formation of morality, professional development of students at the university. The article analyzes the possibilities of innovative activity in the conditions of the educational environment of pedagogical higher educational establishment for the formation of cross-cultural communication, taking into account the technological and creative approach. The components of the educational environment of pedagogical higher educational establishment are considered as stages: class work, self-cognitive activity in line with the self-education, student’s scientific and research work, practice, extracurricular vocational leisure activity, – in terms of the inclusion of students into cross-cultural communication.

  11. Preclinical assessment of hypoxic marker specificity and sensitivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iyer, Renuka V.; Engelhardt, Edward L.; Stobbe, Corinne C.; Schneider, Richard F.; Chapman, J. Donald

    1998-01-01

    Purpose: In the search for a sensitive, accurate, and noninvasive technique for quantifying human tumor hypoxia, our laboratory has synthesized several potential radiodiagnostic agents. The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the hypoxic marking properties of both radioiodinated and Tc-99m labeled markers in appropriate test systems which can predict for in vivo activity. Materials and Methods: Preclinical assessment of hypoxic marker specificity and sensitivity employed three laboratory assays with tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Radiolabeled marker uptake and/or binding to whole EMT-6 tumor cells under extremely hypoxic and aerobic conditions was measured and their ratio defined hypoxia-specific factor (HSF). Marker specificity to hypoxic tumor tissue was estimated from its selective avidity to two rodent tumors in vivo, whose radiobiologic hypoxic fractions (HF) had been measured. The ratios of % injected dose/gram (%ID/g) of marker at various times in EMT-6 tumor tissue relative to that in the blood and muscle of scid mice were used to quantify hypoxia-specific activity. This tumor in this host exhibited an average radiobiologic HF of ∼35%. As well, nuclear medicine images were acquired from R3327-AT (HF ≅15%) and R3327-H (no measurable HF) prostate carcinomas growing in rats to distinguish between marker avidity due to hypoxia versus perfusion. Results: The HSF for FC-103 and other iodinated markers were higher (5-40) than those for FC-306 and other Tc-99m labeled markers. The latter did not show hypoxia-specific uptake into cells in vitro. Qualitative differences were observed in the biodistribution and clearance kinetics of the iodinated azomycin nucleosides relative to the technetium chelates. The largest tumor/blood (T/B) and tumor/muscle (T/M) ratios were observed for compounds of the azomycin nucleoside class in EMT-6 tumor-bearing scid mice. These markers also showed a 3-4 x higher uptake into R3327-AT tumors relative to the well

  12. Structure- and cell-specific effects of imidoselenocarbamates on selenoprotein expression and activity in liver cells in culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibáñez, Elena; Stoedter, Mette; Hofmann, Peter Josef; Plano, Daniel; Calvo, Alfonso; Nguewa, Paul A; Palop, Juan Antonio; Sanmartín, Carmen; Schomburg, Lutz

    2012-12-01

    The essential micronutrient selenium (Se) exerts its biological effects mainly through selenoproteins thereby affecting a number of physiological pathways including intracellular redox control, stress response and cancer cell proliferation. Besides affecting selenoprotein expression, some selenocompounds have been synthesized and analyzed in order to serve as chemotherapeutic substances preferentially targeting cancer cells. This promising chemotherapeutic potential has recently been verified for a particular imidoselenocarbamate in a mouse tumor model. In the present study we tested the effects of this and a number of related Se-methyl- and Se-benzyl-imidoselenocarbamates on selenoprotein expression in nontransformed and hepatic carcinoma cells in culture. Most of the Se-benzyl-imidoselenocarbamates strongly stimulated selenoprotein P (SePP) secretion while the Se-methyl-imidoselenocarbamates elicited less pronounced effects in hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells. However, most of the Se-methyl-imidoselenocarbamates increased glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity and decreased thioredoxin reductase (TXNRD) activity in parallel, while the majority of the Se-benzyl-imidoselenocarbamates were without a respective effect in HepG2 cells. Performing inhibitor assays in vitro, GPx activity was unaffected by the imidoselenocarbamates. In contrast, most of the Se-methyl-imidoselenocarbamates inhibited TXNRD activity in vitro in line with the results in HepG2 cells. Both classes of imidoselenocarbamates strongly induced selenoprotein S (SELS) expression without a respective increase in ER stress or unfolded protein response which are known inducers of SELS biosynthesis. Notably, many of these effects were cancer cell-specific, and not observed in nontransformed AML12 hepatocytes. Our results indicate that these novel selenocompounds affect expression and activity of crucial selenoenzymes in a compound- and cell-specific way in hepatocytes. Especially the Se

  13. Specific and Nonspecific Neural Activity during Selective Processing of Visual Representations in Working Memory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Hwamee; Leung, Hoi-Chung

    2010-01-01

    In this fMRI study, we investigated prefrontal cortex (PFC) and visual association regions during selective information processing. We recorded behavioral responses and neural activity during a delayed recognition task with a cue presented during the delay period. A specific cue ("Face" or "Scene") was used to indicate which one of the two…

  14. Cancer-specific self-efficacy and psychosocial and functional adaptation to early stage breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manne, Sharon L; Ostroff, Jamie S; Norton, Tina R; Fox, Kevin; Grana, Generosa; Goldstein, Lori

    2006-04-01

    Although self-efficacy is considered a key psychological resource in adapting to chronic physical illness, this construct has received less attention among individuals coping with cancer. To examine changes in cancer self-efficacy over time among women with early stage breast cancer and associations between task-specific domains of self-efficacy and specific psychological, relationship, and functional outcomes. Ninety-five women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer completed surveys postsurgery and 1 year later. Cancer-related self-efficacy was relatively stable over 1 year, with only 2 domains of efficacy-(a) Activity Management and (b) Self-Satisfaction-evidencing significant increases over the 1-year time period. Cross-sectional findings were relatively consistent with predictions and suggested that specific domains of self-efficacy were more strongly related to relevant domains of adaptation. Longitudinal findings were not as consistent with the domain-specificity hypothesis but did suggest several predictive associations between self-efficacy and outcomes. Personal Management self-efficacy was associated with higher relationship satisfaction, higher Communication Self-Efficacy was associated with less functional impairment, and higher Affective Management self-efficacy was associated with higher self-esteem 1 year later. Specific domains of cancer-related self-efficacy are most closely related to relevant areas of adaptation when considered cross-sectionally, but further study is needed to clarify the nature of these relationships over time.

  15. Physical activity and gastric residuals as biomarkers for region-specific NEC lesions in preterm neonates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cao, Muqing; Andersen, Anders Daniel; Li, Yanqi

    2016-01-01

    onset of NEC can be predicted by decreased physical activity during the first few days after birth. Methods: Cesarean-delivered preterm pigs were fed parenteral nutrition and increasing amounts of formula for 5 days after birth (n = 120). Their physical activity was quantified by a continuous camera....... Results: Half of the pigs (48%) showed clear NEC-like lesions on day 5, and these individuals had more adverse clinical symptoms from day 3 but decreased physical activity already from day 2 relative to the unaffected pigs (both p ... physical activity on days 2 and 3, and the increased volume of gastric residuals was specifically related to colon lesions (both p physical activity precedes the clinical symptoms of NEC in the small intestine of preterm pigs, and increased gastric residuals predict NEC...

  16. Chemical Compositions and Macrophage Activation of Polysaccharides from Leon's Mane Culinary-Medicinal Mushroom Hericium erinaceus (Higher Basidiomycetes) in Different Maturation Stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qiao-Zhen; Wu, Di; Chen, Xia; Zhou, Shuai; Liu, Yanfang; Yang, Yan; Cui, Fengjie

    2015-01-01

    We studied the effect of the maturation stage on the chemical compositions and macrophage activation activity of polysaccharides from the culinary-medicinal mushroom Hericium erinaceus. Results showed that total polysaccharides increased, whereas protein content decreased with the maturation stage development of fruiting body. Nine polysaccharide fractions, 3 from each of the maturity stages IV (small fungal spine stage), V (mid-fungal spine stage) and VI (mature), were prepared using the gradient ethanol precipitation method. The polysaccharide fraction HP4A isolated from the maturating-stage (stage IV) fruiting body had a significant difference from the fractions HP5A (stage V) and HP6A (stage VI) in the molecular weight distribution and monosaccharide compositions. Immunostimulating tests revealed that the polysaccharide fraction HP6 isolated from the mature stage (stage VI) fruiting body presented higher macrophage activation activity. Our findings provided important information for the harvest and use of H. erinaceus with higher qualities and functional benefits.

  17. The Internationalisation of Portuguese Higher Education: How Are Higher Education Institutions Facing this New Challenge?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veiga, Amelia; Rosa, Maria Joao; Amara, Alberto

    2006-01-01

    Portuguese internationalisation policies essentially intend to promote an attitude favouring participation in internationalisation activities. However, as higher education institutions are autonomous, those policies aim at creating opportunities for development and management of these activities instead of imposing them. In this article we attempt…

  18. Thermodynamics of higher dimensional black holes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Accetta, F.S.; Gleiser, M.

    1986-05-01

    We discuss the thermodynamics of higher dimensional black holes with particular emphasis on a new class of spinning black holes which, due to the increased number of Casimir invariants, have additional spin degrees of freedom. In suitable limits, analytic solutions in arbitrary dimensions are presented for their temperature, entropy, and specific heat. In 5 + 1 and 9 + 1 dimensions, more general forms for these quantities are given. It is shown that the specific heat for a higher dimensional black hole is negative definite if it has only one non-zero spin parameter, regardless of the value of this parameter. We also consider equilibrium configurations with both massless particles and massive string modes. 16 refs., 3 figs

  19. Thermodynamics of higher dimensional black holes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Accetta, F.S.; Gleiser, M.

    1986-05-01

    We discuss the thermodynamics of higher dimensional black holes with particular emphasis on a new class of spinning black holes which, due to the increased number of Casimir invariants, have additional spin degrees of freedom. In suitable limits, analytic solutions in arbitrary dimensions are presented for their temperature, entropy, and specific heat. In 5 + 1 and 9 + 1 dimensions, more general forms for these quantities are given. It is shown that the specific heat for a higher dimensional black hole is negative definite if it has only one non-zero spin parameter, regardless of the value of this parameter. We also consider equilibrium configurations with both massless particles and massive string modes. 16 refs., 3 figs.

  20. Regulation of chloroplast number and DNA synthesis in higher plants. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mullet, J.E.

    1995-11-10

    The long term objective of this research is to understand the process of chloroplast development and its coordination with leaf development in higher plants. This is important because the photosynthetic capacity of plants is directly related to leaf and chloroplast development. This research focuses on obtaining a detailed description of leaf development and the early steps in chloroplast development including activation of plastid DNA synthesis, changes in plastid DNA copy number, activation of chloroplast transcription and increases in plastid number per cell. The grant will also begin analysis of specific biochemical mechanisms by isolation of the plastid DNA polymerase, and identification of genetic mutants which are altered in their accumulation of plastid DNA and plastid number per cell.

  1. ELANE mutant-specific activation of different UPR pathways in congenital neutropenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nustede, Rainer; Klimiankou, Maksim; Klimenkova, Olga; Kuznetsova, Inna; Zeidler, Cornelia; Welte, Karl; Skokowa, Julia

    2016-01-01

    A number of studies have demonstrated induction of the unfolded protein response (UPR) in patients with severe congenital neutropenia (CN) harbouring mutations of ELANE, encoding neutrophil elastase. Why UPR is not activated in patients with cyclic neutropenia (CyN) carrying the same ELANE mutations is unclear. We evaluated the effects of ELANE mutants on UPR induction in myeloid cells from CN and CyN patients, and analysed whether additional CN-specific defects contribute to the differences in UPR induction between CN and CyN patients harbouring identical ELANE mutations. We investigated CN-specific p.C71R and p.V174_C181del (NP_001963.1) and CN/CyN-shared p.S126L (NP_001963.1) ELANE mutants. We found that transduction of haematopoietic cells with p.C71R, but not with p.V174_C181del or p.S126L ELANE mutants induced expression of ATF6, and the ATF6 target genes PPP1R15A, DDIT3 and HSPA5. Recently, we found that levels of secretory leucocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI), a natural ELANE inhibitor, are diminished in myeloid cells from CN patients, but not CyN patients. Combined knockdown of SLPI by shRNA and transduction of ELANE p.S126L in myeloid cells led to elevated levels of ATF6, PPP1R15A and HSPA5 RNA, suggesting that normal levels of SLPI in CyN patients might protect them from the UPR induced by mutant ELANE. In summary, different ELANE mutants have different effects on UPR activation, and SLPI regulates the extent of ELANE-triggered UPR. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Motor Skill Development in Italian Pre-School Children Induced by Structured Activities in a Specific Playground.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tortella, Patrizia; Haga, Monika; Loras, Håvard; Sigmundsson, Hermundur; Fumagalli, Guido

    2016-01-01

    This study examined the effects and specificity of structured and unstructured activities played at the playground Primo Sport 0246 in Northern Italy on motor skill competence in five years old children. The playground was specifically designed to promote gross motor skills in preschool children; in this study 71 children from local kindergartens came to the park once a week for ten consecutive weeks and were exposed to 30 minutes of free play and 30 minutes of structured activities. Before and after the ten visits, each child completed nine tests to assess levels of motor skills, three for fine-motor skills and six for gross-motor skills. As control, motor skills were also assessed on 39 children from different kindergartens who did not come to the park. The results show that the experimental group who practiced gross-motor activities in the playground for 1 hour a week for 10 weeks improved significantly in 4 out of the 6 gross motor tasks and in none of the fine motor tasks. The data indicate that limited transfer occurred between tasks referring to different domains of motor competences while suggesting cross feeding for improvement of gross-motor skills between different exercises when domains related to physical fitness and strength of specific muscle groups are involved. These results are relevant to the issue of condition(s) appropriate for maintaining and developing motor skills in this age group as well as for the planning, organization and implementation of play and physical activities in kindergartens.

  3. Motor Skill Development in Italian Pre-School Children Induced by Structured Activities in a Specific Playground.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrizia Tortella

    Full Text Available This study examined the effects and specificity of structured and unstructured activities played at the playground Primo Sport 0246 in Northern Italy on motor skill competence in five years old children. The playground was specifically designed to promote gross motor skills in preschool children; in this study 71 children from local kindergartens came to the park once a week for ten consecutive weeks and were exposed to 30 minutes of free play and 30 minutes of structured activities. Before and after the ten visits, each child completed nine tests to assess levels of motor skills, three for fine-motor skills and six for gross-motor skills. As control, motor skills were also assessed on 39 children from different kindergartens who did not come to the park. The results show that the experimental group who practiced gross-motor activities in the playground for 1 hour a week for 10 weeks improved significantly in 4 out of the 6 gross motor tasks and in none of the fine motor tasks. The data indicate that limited transfer occurred between tasks referring to different domains of motor competences while suggesting cross feeding for improvement of gross-motor skills between different exercises when domains related to physical fitness and strength of specific muscle groups are involved. These results are relevant to the issue of condition(s appropriate for maintaining and developing motor skills in this age group as well as for the planning, organization and implementation of play and physical activities in kindergartens.

  4. Motor Skill Development in Italian Pre-School Children Induced by Structured Activities in a Specific Playground

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tortella, Patrizia; Haga, Monika; Loras, Håvard

    2016-01-01

    This study examined the effects and specificity of structured and unstructured activities played at the playground Primo Sport 0246 in Northern Italy on motor skill competence in five years old children. The playground was specifically designed to promote gross motor skills in preschool children; in this study 71 children from local kindergartens came to the park once a week for ten consecutive weeks and were exposed to 30 minutes of free play and 30 minutes of structured activities. Before and after the ten visits, each child completed nine tests to assess levels of motor skills, three for fine-motor skills and six for gross-motor skills. As control, motor skills were also assessed on 39 children from different kindergartens who did not come to the park. The results show that the experimental group who practiced gross-motor activities in the playground for 1 hour a week for 10 weeks improved significantly in 4 out of the 6 gross motor tasks and in none of the fine motor tasks. The data indicate that limited transfer occurred between tasks referring to different domains of motor competences while suggesting cross feeding for improvement of gross-motor skills between different exercises when domains related to physical fitness and strength of specific muscle groups are involved. These results are relevant to the issue of condition(s) appropriate for maintaining and developing motor skills in this age group as well as for the planning, organization and implementation of play and physical activities in kindergartens. PMID:27462985

  5. Active evolution of memory B-cells specific to viral gH/gL/pUL128/130/131 pentameric complex in healthy subjects with silent human cytomegalovirus infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Lin; Tang, Aimin; Meng, Weixu; Freed, Daniel C; He, Linling; Wang, Dai; Li, Fengsheng; Li, Leike; Xiong, Wei; Gui, Xun; Schultz, Robbie D; Chen, Haotai; He, Xi; Swoyer, Ryan; Ha, Sha; Liu, Yaping; Morris, Charles D; Zhou, Yu; Wang, I-Ming; Zhao, Qinjian; Luo, Wenxin; Xia, Ningshao; Espeseth, Amy S; Hazuda, Daria J; Rupp, Richard E; Barrett, Alan D; Zhang, Ningyan; Zhu, Jiang; Fu, Tong-Ming; An, Zhiqiang

    2017-09-26

    Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) can cause life-threatening infection in immunosuppressed patients, and in utero infection that may lead to birth defects. No vaccine is currently available. HCMV infection in healthy subjects is generally asymptomatic, and virus persists as latent infection for life. Host immunity is effective against reactivation and super-infection with another strain. Thus, vaccine candidates able to elicit immune responses similar to those of natural infection may confer protection. Since neutralization is essential for prophylactic vaccines, it is important to understand how antiviral antibodies are developed in natural infection. We hypothesized that the developmental path of antibodies in seropositive subjects could be unveiled by interrogating host B-cell repertoires using unique genetic signature sequences of mAbs. Towards this goal, we isolated 56 mAbs from three healthy donors with different neutralizing titers. Antibodies specific to the gH/gL/pUL128/130/131 pentameric complex were more potent in neutralization than those to gB. Using these mAbs as probes, patterns of extended lineage development for B-cells and evidence of active antibody maturation were revealed in two donors with higher neutralizing titers. Importantly, such patterns were limited to mAbs specific to the pentamer, but none to gB. Thus, memory B-cells with antiviral function such as neutralization were active during latent infection in the two donors, and this activity was responsible for their higher neutralizing titers. Our results indicated that memory B-cells of neutralizing capacity could be frequently mobilized in host, probably responding to silent viral episodes, further suggesting that neutralizing antibodies could play a role in control of recurrent infection.

  6. Mapping Global Research on International Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuzhabekova, Aliya; Hendel, Darwin D.; Chapman, David W.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the study is to map global research in international higher education. Specifically, the study uses bibliometric and social network analysis methods to identify key individuals, institutions, countries, and disciplines contributing to research in international higher education and to investigate patterns of connectivity among…

  7. USP7 Is a Tumor-Specific WNT Activator for APC-Mutated Colorectal Cancer by Mediating β-Catenin Deubiquitination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novellasdemunt, Laura; Foglizzo, Valentina; Cuadrado, Laura; Antas, Pedro; Kucharska, Anna; Encheva, Vesela; Snijders, Ambrosius P; Li, Vivian S W

    2017-10-17

    The tumor suppressor gene adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) is mutated in most colorectal cancers (CRCs), resulting in constitutive Wnt activation. To understand the Wnt-activating mechanism of the APC mutation, we applied CRISPR/Cas9 technology to engineer various APC-truncated isogenic lines. We find that the β-catenin inhibitory domain (CID) in APC represents the threshold for pathological levels of Wnt activation and tumor transformation. Mechanistically, CID-deleted APC truncation promotes β-catenin deubiquitination through reverse binding of β-TrCP and USP7 to the destruction complex. USP7 depletion in APC-mutated CRC inhibits Wnt activation by restoring β-catenin ubiquitination, drives differentiation, and suppresses xenograft tumor growth. Finally, the Wnt-activating role of USP7 is specific to APC mutations; thus, it can be used as a tumor-specific therapeutic target for most CRCs. Copyright © 2017 The Francis Crick Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. New Perspectives on Specific Immune-Depletion Technique Using Monoclonal Antibodies against Small Active Molecules in Herbs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xue-Qian Wang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available One of the main focuses in Chinese Medicine research is the identification of efficacious components in Chinese herbal medicine (CHM. Studies in such area are difficult due to the complexity and the synergistic characteristics of CHM. Current methods to track and separate active components are not adequate to meet the needs of revealing effects and identify substances and pharmacological mechanisms, which directly restrict the modernization and globalization of CHM. In this paper, a new methodology to deplete a single active component via immunoassay was introduced. The specific active component in a CHM mixture can then be identified and studied through comparative analyses of the pharmacological effects before and after immune depletion. With this new methodology, degree of contribution of a particular component to the whole complex herbal mixture can be elucidated, and its synergistic property with other components can be determined. The new method can reflect not only the overall combined pharmacological effects of CHM but also the effect of individual component. It is an effective way to explain the degree of contribution of one specific component to the overall activity of a CHM prescription.

  9. Relationship beliefs and illness appraisals are differentially associated with specific ways of coping in spouses of patients with type 2 diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Matthew D; Anderson, Jared R; Wilcox, Allison; Walker, Ann; Robbins, David C; Lewis, Virginia L

    2013-01-01

    Using data from 117 spouses of patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and multiple-group path analysis, the current study explored the association of four relationship beliefs (satisfaction, sacrifice, confidence and instability) and four diabetes appraisals (consequences, distress, control and efficacy) with illness-specific coping behaviour: active engagement, protective buffering and overprotection. The potential moderating effect of gender was also tested. Results indicated gender did moderate the associations among the variables in the model, with the association of relationship satisfaction and active engagement being significantly stronger for men, while diabetes control was more strongly related to protective buffering for women. The only variables associated with active engagement were three relationship-specific cognitions: higher levels of relationship satisfaction (for men only), satisfaction with sacrifice and relationship confidence were all related to higher active engagement. The diabetes appraisals were the only variables associated with protective buffering and overprotection. Higher diabetes distress and diabetes control (for women only) and lower diabetes efficacy were predictive of greater protective buffering. Lower diabetes efficacy and higher diabetes control were associated with greater overprotection. Implications for theory, research and practice are discussed.

  10. Older Adults' Motivation to Learn in Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Yi-Yin

    2011-01-01

    A limited amount of literature has discussed older adults in formal education, especially their motivations to learn in higher education. This study aims to understand older adults' learning in the context of higher education. Specifically, this study argues that higher education can function as a stimulating learning environment that helps older…

  11. Ecological restoration success is higher for natural regeneration than for active restoration in tropical forests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crouzeilles, Renato; Ferreira, Mariana S; Chazdon, Robin L; Lindenmayer, David B; Sansevero, Jerônimo B B; Monteiro, Lara; Iribarrem, Alvaro; Latawiec, Agnieszka E; Strassburg, Bernardo B N

    2017-11-01

    Is active restoration the best approach to achieve ecological restoration success (the return to a reference condition, that is, old-growth forest) when compared to natural regeneration in tropical forests? Our meta-analysis of 133 studies demonstrated that natural regeneration surpasses active restoration in achieving tropical forest restoration success for all three biodiversity groups (plants, birds, and invertebrates) and five measures of vegetation structure (cover, density, litter, biomass, and height) tested. Restoration success for biodiversity and vegetation structure was 34 to 56% and 19 to 56% higher in natural regeneration than in active restoration systems, respectively, after controlling for key biotic and abiotic factors (forest cover, precipitation, time elapsed since restoration started, and past disturbance). Biodiversity responses were based primarily on ecological metrics of abundance and species richness (74%), both of which take far less time to achieve restoration success than similarity and composition. This finding challenges the widely held notion that natural forest regeneration has limited conservation value and that active restoration should be the default ecological restoration strategy. The proposition that active restoration achieves greater restoration success than natural regeneration may have arisen because previous comparisons lacked controls for biotic and abiotic factors; we also did not find any difference between active restoration and natural regeneration outcomes for vegetation structure when we did not control for these factors. Future policy priorities should align the identified patterns of biophysical and ecological conditions where each or both restoration approaches are more successful, cost-effective, and compatible with socioeconomic incentives for tropical forest restoration.

  12. Psycho-social and environmental correlates of location-specific physical activity among 9- and 15- year-old Norwegian boys and girls: the European Youth Heart Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anderssen Sigmund A

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Objective Little is known about the existence of independent location- or context specific forms of physical activity. This study sought to identify location-specific forms of physical activity in a sample of 9 and 15 years-olds Norwegian boys and girls, and examined their associations to psycho-social and environmental factors. Methods A cross-sectional study of 9 and 15-year-olds (N = 760; 379 boys and 381 girls was conducted in which participants responded to a computer-based questionnaire (PEACH tapping potentially location specific forms of physical activity as well as psycho-social and environmental correlates. Results Exploratory factor analysis indicated that the nine and fifteen year-olds self-reported their physical activity as located in three separate and specific contexts: a school commuting, b informal games play at school and c organized sport, structured exercise and games play in leisure time. Dependent of location, psycho-social and environmental correlates explained between 15 and 55 percent of the variance in physical activity. The impact of peer support, enjoyment and perceived competence in physical activity generalized across the three locations. Enjoyment of physical education classes, parental support and teacher support, in contrast, confined to particular location-specific forms of physical activity. Generally, behavioural beliefs and environmental factors represented marginal correlates of all location-specific forms of activity. Conclusion Young peoples' physical activity was identified as taking place in multiply genuine locations, and the psychosocial correlates of their physical activity seem to some extent to be location specific. Results may inform intervention efforts suggesting that targeting specific sets of psycho-social factors may prove efficient across physical activity locations, gender and age groups. Others, in contrast may prove effective in facilitating location specific physical activity

  13. Phospho switch triggers Brd4 chromatin binding and activator recruitment for gene-specific targeting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Shwu-Yuan; Lee, A-Young; Lai, Hsien-Tsung; Zhang, Hong; Chiang, Cheng-Ming

    2013-03-07

    Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (Brd4) is an epigenetic reader and transcriptional regulator recently identified as a cancer therapeutic target for acute myeloid leukemia, multiple myeloma, and Burkitt's lymphoma. Although chromatin targeting is a crucial function of Brd4, there is little understanding of how bromodomains that bind acetylated histones are regulated, nor how the gene-specific activity of Brd4 is determined. Via interaction screen and domain mapping, we identified p53 as a functional partner of Brd4. Interestingly, Brd4 association with p53 is modulated by casein kinase II (CK2)-mediated phosphorylation of a conserved acidic region in Brd4 that selectively contacts either a juxtaposed bromodomain or an adjacent basic region to dictate the ability of Brd4 binding to chromatin and also the recruitment of p53 to regulated promoters. The unmasking of bromodomains and activator recruitment, concurrently triggered by the CK2 phospho switch, provide an intriguing mechanism for gene-specific targeting by a universal epigenetic reader. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Generation of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate from acetate in higher plants: Detection of acetoacetyl CoA reductase- and PHB synthase- activities in rice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsuda, Hirohisa; Shiraki, Mari; Inoue, Eri; Saito, Terumi

    2016-08-20

    It has been reported that Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) is generated from acetate in the rice root. However, no information is available about the biosynthetic pathway of PHB from acetate in plant cells. In the bacterium Ralstonia eutropha H16 (R. eutropha), PHB is synthesized from acetyl CoA by the consecutive reaction of three enzymes: β-ketothiolase (EC: 2.3.1.9), acetoacetyl CoA reductase (EC: 1.1.1.36) and PHB synthase (EC: 2.3.1.-). Thus, in this study, we examined whether the above three enzymatic activities were also detected in rice seedlings. The results clearly showed that the activities of the above three enzymes were all detected in rice. In particular, the PHB synthase activity was detected specifically in the sonicated particulate fractions (2000g 10min precipitate (ppt) and the 8000g 30min ppt) of rice roots and leaves. In addition to these enzyme activities, several new experimental results were obtained on PHB synthesis in higher plants: (a) (14)C-PHB generated from 2-(14)C-acetate was mainly localized in the 2000g 10min ppt and the 8000g 30min ppt of rice root. (b) Addition of acetate (0.1-10mM) to culture medium of rice seedlings did not increase the content of PHB in the rice root or leaf. (c) In addition to C3 plants, PHB was generated from acetate in a C4 plant (corn) and in a CAM plant (Bryophyllum pinnatum). d) Washing with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) strongly suggested that the PHB synthesized from acetate was of plant origin and was not bacterial contamination. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  15. The influence of biotic and abiotic factors on (137)Cs accumulation in higher fungi after the accident at Chernobyl NPP.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarubina, N

    2016-09-01

    Levels of soil contamination with (137)Cs, the belonging of fungi to a certain ecological group, the localization depth of the main part of mycelium in soil are the primary factors influencing the value of (137)Cs specific activity in higher fungi after the accident at Chernobyl NPP. It has been found that the value of (137)Cs specific activity in fungi of one species could vary by more than 10 times during a vegetation period. A correlation between the changes of (137)Cs content in fungi during the vegetation period and the amount of precipitates during various periods preceding the collection of samples has not been determined. An assumption has been proposed stating dependence between peculiarities of mycelium growth during the vegetation period and the changes of (137)Cs specific activity in fungi. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Cyclic AMP-specific phosphodiesterase, PDE8A1, is activated by protein kinase A-mediated phosphorylation

    OpenAIRE

    Brown, Kim M.; Lee, Louisa C.Y; Findlay, Jane E.; Day, Jonathan P.; Baillie, George S.

    2012-01-01

    The cyclic AMP-specific phosphodiesterase PDE8 has been shown to play a pivotal role in important processes such as steroidogenesis, T cell adhesion, regulation of heart beat and chemotaxis. However, no information exists on how the activity of this enzyme is regulated. We show that under elevated cAMP conditions, PKA acts to phosphorylate PDE8A on serine 359 and this action serves to enhance the activity of the enzyme. This is the first indication that PDE8 activity can be modulated by a kin...

  17. On the Drive Specificity of Freudian Drives for the Generation of SEEKING Activities: The Importance of the Underestimated Imperative Motor Factor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Kirsch

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Doubters of Freud’s theory of drives frequently mentioned that his approach is outdated and therefore cannot be useful for solving current problems in patients with mental disorders. At present, many scientists believe that affects rather than drives are of utmost importance for the emotional life and the theoretical framework of affective neuroscience, developed by Panksepp, strongly underpinned this view. Panksepp evaluated seven so-called command systems and the SEEKING system is therein of central importance. Panksepp used Pankseppian drives as inputs for the SEEKING system but noted the missing explanation of drive-specific generation of SEEKING activities in his description. Drive specificity requires dual action of the drive: the activation of a drive-specific brain area and the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Noticeably, as Freud claimed drive specificity too, it was here analyzed whether a Freudian drive can evoke the generation of drive-specific SEEKING activities. Special importance was addressed to the imperative motor factor in Freud’s drive theory because Panksepp’s formulations focused on neural pathways without specifying underlying neurotransmitter/endocrine factors impelling motor activity. As Panksepp claimed sleep as a Pankseppian drive, we firstly had to classified sleep as a Freudian drive by using three evaluated criteria for a Freudian drive. After that it was possible to identify the imperative motor factors of hunger, thirst, sex, and sleep. Most importantly, all of these imperative motor factors can both activate a drive-specific brain area and release dopamine from dopaminergic neurons, i.e., they can achieve the so-called drive specificity. Surprisingly, an impaired Freudian drive can alter via endocrinological pathways the concentration of the imperative motor factor of a second Freudian drive, obviously in some independence to the level of the metabolic deficit, thereby offering the possibility to

  18. Calculation of radiation production of high specific activity isotopes 192Ir and 60Co

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou Quan; Zhong Wenfa; Xu Xiaolin

    1997-01-01

    The high specific activity isotopes: 192 Ir and 60 Co in the high neutron flux reactor are calculated with the method of reactor physics. The results of calculation are analyzed in two aspects: the production of isotopes and the influence to parameters of the reactor, and hence a better case is proposed as a reference to the production

  19. Reversible Inactivation of the Higher Order Auditory Cortex during Fear Memory Consolidation Prevents Memory-Related Activity in the Basolateral Amygdala during Remote Memory Retrieval.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cambiaghi, Marco; Renna, Annamaria; Milano, Luisella; Sacchetti, Benedetto

    2017-01-01

    Recent findings have shown that the auditory cortex, and specifically the higher order Te2 area, is necessary for the consolidation of long-term fearful memories and that it interacts with the amygdala during the retrieval of long-term fearful memories. Here, we tested whether the reversible blockade of Te2 during memory consolidation may affect the activity changes occurring in the amygdala during the retrieval of fearful memories. To address this issue, we blocked Te2 in a reversible manner during memory consolidation processes. After 4 weeks, we assessed the activity of Te2 and individual nuclei of the amygdala during the retrieval of long-term memories. Rats in which Te2 was inactivated upon memory encoding showed a decreased freezing and failed to show Te2-to-basolateral amygdala (BLA) synchrony during memory retrieval. In addition, the expression of the immediate early gene zif268 in the lateral, basal and central amygdala nuclei did not show memory-related enhancement. As all sites were intact upon memory retrieval, we propose that the auditory cortex represents a key node in the consolidation of fear memories and it is essential for amygdala nuclei to support memory retrieval process.

  20. Axiological, goal and substantial aspects of lifelong learning of teacher of higher school in context of informatization of his professional activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdurazakov Magomed M.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Issues, related to insufficient competence of higher school teachers in the sphere of usingmodern informational resources and technologies in their professional activities are discussed in this paper. The suggestion offered in the paper is optimization of higher school teachers’lifelong learning. This optimization is possible due to the axiological approach to formation of substantial and procedural aspect of leaning. The support on axiological approach allows to consider the multidimensional nature of vocational and life experience, character of his base of values. The analysis of necessary content of lifelonglearning of a teacher for development of his information competence as expert, subject of activity, member of professional community and carrier of professional consciousness is presented in the paper. These aspects of professionalizing of a teacher are analyzed in the context of his learning, training and research activity.

  1. Academic Game Changers: A Study of the Social Networking Strategies of Leaders Guiding Disruptive Innovations in Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langteau, Paula T.

    2017-01-01

    This study examines the internal and external networking strategies of leaders furthering potentially disruptive innovations in higher education. The goal of the research was to understand specifically what types of networks they develop, activate, and leverage; the functions of those networks; and the ways they engage them to further their…

  2. Teaching global climate change as a controversial issue - Active learning in higher education

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Manolas, E.I.

    2007-07-01

    Global climate change is one of the most important controversial issues of our time. If the role of Universities is to create the leaders of tomorrow, then, the duty of teachers in institutions of higher education is to find ways to help students become aware of the problem and understand the complexity of the issue. Following presentation of the definition of controversial issues, the reasons for teaching controversial topics as well as the characteristics of controversial topics, this paper puts forward certain active learning approaches which are in conformity with such considerations without, at the same time, loosing sight of the interdisciplinary nature of the subject. The paper concludes with a discussion of the obstacles which should be overcome so that the methods put forward in this paper can be applied successfully. (orig.)

  3. Gender specific changes in cortical activation patterns during exposure to artificial gravity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneider, Stefan; Robinson, Ryan; Smith, Craig; von der Wiesche, Melanie; Goswami, Nandu

    2014-11-01

    Keeping astronauts healthy during long duration spaceflight remains a challenge. Artificial gravity (AG) generated by a short arm human centrifuges (SAHC) is proposed as the next generation of integrated countermeasure devices that will allow human beings to safely spend extended durations in space, although comparatively little is known about any psychological side effects of AG on brain function. 16 participants (8 male and 8 female, GENDER) were exposed to 10 min at a baseline gravitational load (G-Load) of +.03 Gz, then 10 min at +.6 Gz for females and +.8 Gz for males, before being exposed to increasing levels of AG in a stepped manner by increasing the acceleration by +.1 Gz every 3 min until showing signs of pre-syncope. EEG recordings were taken of brain activity during 2 min time periods at each AG level. Analysing the results of the mixed total population of participants by two way ANOVA, a significant effect of centrifugation on alpha and beta activity was found (p<.01). Furthermore results revealed a significant interaction between G-LOAD and GENDER alpha-activity (p<.01), but not for beta-activity. Although the increase in alpha and beta activity with G-LOAD does not reflect a general model of cortical arousal and therefore cannot support previous findings reporting that AG may be a cognitively arousing environment, the gender specific responses identified in this study may have wider implications for EEG and AG research.

  4. Semi-allogeneic dendritic cells can induce antigen-specific T-cell activation, which is not enhanced by concurrent alloreactivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wells, James W; Cowled, Chris J; Darling, David; Guinn, Barbara-Ann; Farzaneh, Farzin; Noble, Alistair; Galea-Lauri, Joanna

    2007-12-01

    Alloreactive T-cell responses are known to result in the production of large amounts of proinflammatory cytokines capable of activating and maturing dendritic cells (DC). However, it is unclear whether these allogeneic responses could also act as an adjuvant for concurrent antigen-specific responses. To examine effects of simultaneous alloreactive and antigen-specific T-cell responses induced by semi-allogeneic DC. Semi-allogeneic DC were generated from the F(1) progeny of inbred strains of mice (C57BL/6 and C3H, or C57BL/6 and DBA). We directly primed antigen-specific CD8(+) and CD4(+) T-cells from OT-I and OT-II mice, respectively, in the absence of allogeneic responses, in vitro, and in the presence or absence of alloreactivity in vivo. In vitro, semi-allogeneic DC cross-presented ovalbumin (OVA) to naïve CD8(+) OT-I transgenic T-cells, primed naïve CD4(+) OT-II transgenic T-cells and could stimulate strong alloreactive T-cell proliferation in a primary mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). In vivo, semi-allogeneic DC migrated efficiently to regional lymph nodes but did not survive there as long as autologous DC. In addition, they were not able to induce cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) activity to a target peptide, and only weakly stimulated adoptively transferred OT-II cells. The CD4(+) response was unchanged in allo-tolerized mice, indicating that alloreactive T-cell responses could not provide help for concurrently activated antigen-specific responses. In an EL4 tumour-treatment model, vaccination with semi-allogeneic DC/EL4 fusion hybrids, but not allogeneic DC/EL4 hybrids, significantly increased mouse survival. Expression of self-Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) by semi-allogeneic DC can cause the induction of antigen-specific immunity, however, concurrently activated allogeneic bystander responses do not provide helper or adjuvant effects.

  5. Prolonged activation of virus-specific CD8+T cells after acute B19 infection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Isa, Adiba; Kasprowicz, Victoria; Norbeck, Oscar

    2005-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Human parvovirus B19 (B19) is a ubiquitous and clinically significant pathogen, causing erythema infectiosum, arthropathy, transient aplastic crisis, and intrauterine fetal death. The phenotype of CD8+ T cells in acute B19 infection has not been studied previously. METHODS AND FINDINGS......: The number and phenotype of B19-specific CD8+ T cell responses during and after acute adult infection was studied using HLA-peptide multimeric complexes. Surprisingly, these responses increased in magnitude over the first year post-infection despite resolution of clinical symptoms and control of viraemia......, with T cell populations specific for individual epitopes comprising up to 4% of CD8+ T cells. B19-specific T cells developed and maintained an activated CD38+ phenotype, with strong expression of perforin and CD57 and downregulation of CD28 and CD27. These cells possessed strong effector function...

  6. Synthesis of high specific activity tritium labelled [2-3H]-adenosine-5'-triphosphate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jaiswal, D.K.; Morimoto, H.; Trump, E.L.; Williams, P.G.; Wemmer, D.E.

    1996-01-01

    A procedure for high level tritium labelling at the C2-H position of adenosine 5'-triphosphate ([2- 3 H]-ATP, 1), based on the tritiodehalogenation reaction of 2-bromoadenosine 5'-triphosphate (2) has been elaborated. This precursor was prepared in a six-step synthesis from guanosine. The tritiodehalogenation of (2) for three hours over palladium oxide in phosphate buffer yielded tritium labelled ATP with high specific activity, in good chemical yield. (author)

  7. The maximum specific hydrogen-producing activity of anaerobic mixed cultures: definition and determination

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mu, Yang; Yang, Hou-Yun; Wang, Ya-Zhou; He, Chuan-Shu; Zhao, Quan-Bao; Wang, Yi; Yu, Han-Qing

    2014-06-01

    Fermentative hydrogen production from wastes has many advantages compared to various chemical methods. Methodology for characterizing the hydrogen-producing activity of anaerobic mixed cultures is essential for monitoring reactor operation in fermentative hydrogen production, however there is lack of such kind of standardized methodologies. In the present study, a new index, i.e., the maximum specific hydrogen-producing activity (SHAm) of anaerobic mixed cultures, was proposed, and consequently a reliable and simple method, named SHAm test, was developed to determine it. Furthermore, the influences of various parameters on the SHAm value determination of anaerobic mixed cultures were evaluated. Additionally, this SHAm assay was tested for different types of substrates and bacterial inocula. Our results demonstrate that this novel SHAm assay was a rapid, accurate and simple methodology for determining the hydrogen-producing activity of anaerobic mixed cultures. Thus, application of this approach is beneficial to establishing a stable anaerobic hydrogen-producing system.

  8. The maximum specific hydrogen-producing activity of anaerobic mixed cultures: definition and determination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mu, Yang; Yang, Hou-Yun; Wang, Ya-Zhou; He, Chuan-Shu; Zhao, Quan-Bao; Wang, Yi; Yu, Han-Qing

    2014-06-10

    Fermentative hydrogen production from wastes has many advantages compared to various chemical methods. Methodology for characterizing the hydrogen-producing activity of anaerobic mixed cultures is essential for monitoring reactor operation in fermentative hydrogen production, however there is lack of such kind of standardized methodologies. In the present study, a new index, i.e., the maximum specific hydrogen-producing activity (SHAm) of anaerobic mixed cultures, was proposed, and consequently a reliable and simple method, named SHAm test, was developed to determine it. Furthermore, the influences of various parameters on the SHAm value determination of anaerobic mixed cultures were evaluated. Additionally, this SHAm assay was tested for different types of substrates and bacterial inocula. Our results demonstrate that this novel SHAm assay was a rapid, accurate and simple methodology for determining the hydrogen-producing activity of anaerobic mixed cultures. Thus, application of this approach is beneficial to establishing a stable anaerobic hydrogen-producing system.

  9. Antitumor activity of sequence-specific alkylating agents: pyrolle-imidazole CBI conjugates with indole linker.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shinohara, Ken-ichi; Bando, Toshikazu; Sasaki, Shunta; Sakakibara, Yogo; Minoshima, Masafumi; Sugiyama, Hiroshi

    2006-03-01

    DNA-targeting agents, including cisplatin, bleomycin and mitomycin C, are used routinely in cancer treatments. However, these drugs are extremely toxic, attacking normal cells and causing severe side effects. One important question to consider in designing anticancer agents is whether the introduction of sequence selectivity to DNA-targeting agents can improve their efficacy as anticancer agents. In the present study, the growth inhibition activities of an indole-seco 1,2,9,9a-tetrahydrocyclopropa[1,2-c]benz[1,2-e]indol-4-one (CBI) (1) and five conjugates with hairpin pyrrole-imidazole polyamides (2-6), which have different sequence specificities for DNA alkylation, were compared using 10 different cell lines. The average values of -log GI50 (50% growth inhibition concentration) for compounds 1-6 against the 10 cell lines were 8.33, 8.56, 8.29, 8.04, 8.23 and 8.83, showing that all of these compounds strongly inhibit cell growth. Interestingly, each alkylating agent caused significantly different growth inhibition patterns with each cell line. In particular, the correlation coefficients between the -log GI50 of compound 1 and its conjugates 2-6 showed extremely low values (Ralkylation lead to marked differences in biological activity. Comparison of the correlation coefficients between compounds 6 and 7, with the same sequence specificity as 6, and MS-247, with sequence specificity different from 6, when used against a panel of 37 human cancer cell lines further confirmed the above hypothesis.

  10. Structural Insight into the Critical Role of the N-Terminal Region in the Catalytic Activity of Dual-Specificity Phosphatase 26.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eun-Young Won

    Full Text Available Human dual-specificity phosphatase 26 (DUSP26 is a novel target for anticancer therapy because its dephosphorylation of the p53 tumor suppressor regulates the apoptosis of cancer cells. DUSP26 inhibition results in neuroblastoma cell cytotoxicity through p53-mediated apoptosis. Despite the previous structural studies of DUSP26 catalytic domain (residues 61-211, DUSP26-C, the high-resolution structure of its catalytically active form has not been resolved. In this study, we determined the crystal structure of a catalytically active form of DUSP26 (residues 39-211, DUSP26-N with an additional N-terminal region at 2.0 Å resolution. Unlike the C-terminal domain-swapped dimeric structure of DUSP26-C, the DUSP26-N (C152S monomer adopts a fold-back conformation of the C-terminal α8-helix and has an additional α1-helix in the N-terminal region. Consistent with the canonically active conformation of its protein tyrosine phosphate-binding loop (PTP loop observed in the structure, the phosphatase assay results demonstrated that DUSP26-N has significantly higher catalytic activity than DUSP26-C. Furthermore, size exclusion chromatography-multiangle laser scattering (SEC-MALS measurements showed that DUSP26-N (C152S exists as a monomer in solution. Notably, the crystal structure of DUSP26-N (C152S revealed that the N-terminal region of DUSP26-N (C152S serves a scaffolding role by positioning the surrounding α7-α8 loop for interaction with the PTP-loop through formation of an extensive hydrogen bond network, which seems to be critical in making the PTP-loop conformation competent for phosphatase activity. Our study provides the first high-resolution structure of a catalytically active form of DUSP26, which will contribute to the structure-based rational design of novel DUSP26-targeting anticancer therapeutics.

  11. Preparation and high-performance liquid chromatography of 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phospho[35S]sulfate with a predetermined specific activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Delfert, D.M.; Conrad, H.E.

    1985-01-01

    3'-Phosphoadenosine-5'-phospho[35S]sulfate (PAP 35 S) was prepared by incubating ATP and carrier-free H 2 ( 35 )SO 4 with a 100,000g supernatant fraction prepared from chick embryo chondrocytes. The product was partially purified by paper electrophoresis and mixed with unlabeled PAPS to give a solution of PAP 35 S with a specific activity and a concentration approximating those required for the desired metabolic studies. The product was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography on an anion-exchange column to determine the proportion of the 35 SO 4 cpm and A260 material found in the PAPS and other contaminating nucleotides. The PAP 35 S was purified further by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. The exact specific activity of the PAP 35 S was then determined by using this PAP 35 S preparation as the SO 4 donor in a sulfotransferase reaction using a microsomal preparation from the chick embryo chondrocytes as the enzyme and an 3 H-labeled oligosaccharide as the SO 4 acceptor. The sulfated oligosaccharide was then isolated and the number of 3 H and 35 SO 4 counts per minute in this product were used to calculate the specific activity of the donor. The features of this generally useful approach for preparing PAP 35 S of any desired specific activity and concentration are discussed

  12. ERP for Romanian Higher Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Also most of the big ERP providers provide solutions for higher education, including SAP AG, Oracle, JD Eduards, Peoplesoft, universities preferr other specialized applications which better fit their specific needs. This paper presents the advantages of an integrated solution for higher education and analyzes the solutions offered for this sector by the Romanian ERP market. The conlusion is more like an invitation to discussion about possible solutions to the present Romanian university situation: low budgets, changing regulations, isolated, self-developed applications.

  13. Verifying object-oriented programs with higher-order separation logic in Coq

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bengtson, Jesper; Jensen, Jonas Braband; Sieczkowski, Filip

    2011-01-01

    We present a shallow Coq embedding of a higher-order separation logic with nested triples for an object-oriented programming language. Moreover, we develop novel specification and proof patterns for reasoning in higher-order separation logic with nested triples about programs that use interfaces...... and interface inheritance. In particular, we show how to use the higher-order features of the Coq formalisation to specify and reason modularly about programs that (1) depend on some unknown code satisfying a specification or that (2) return objects conforming to a certain specification. All of our results have...

  14. Radioimmunoassay for platelet activation specific protein GMP-140 on the platelet surface and in plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Guoxin; Li Jianyong; Ruan Changgeng

    1991-08-01

    Using monoclonal antibody (McAb) SZ-51 which is specific for an alpha-granule membrane protein (GMP-140) on the surface of human activated platelets, the platelet GMP-140 expression in fixed whole blood was measured by direct radioimmunoassay and GMP-140 microparticles in plasma was measured by sandwich method. The GMP-140 molecules per platelet or milliliter (mL) were calculated for the following subjects; acute myocardial infarction; cerebro thrombosis; diabetic mellitus; asthma attack; epidemic hemorrhagic fever etc.. By comparing with the concentration of thromboxane B 2 (TXB 2 ) and von Willebrand factor (vWF) in plasma, it is confirmed that the measurement of GMP-140 molecules is better than that of TXB 2 and vWF. It is a sensitive and specific method for evaluating the platelet activation degree in vivo. The establishment of this method will be useful to diagnosing the thrombotic disorders and studying the pathogenesis of some other diseases

  15. Analysis of movements of both specific activity of tritium and concentration of each ion in short-term precipitation at typhoons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamada, Ryuta; Watanabe, Minami; Ying, Wang; Kataoka, Noriaki; Morita, Syogo; Imaizumi, Hiroshi; Kano, Naoki

    2015-01-01

    Both the specific activity of tritium and the concentration of several ions(Na + , K + , Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Cl - , NO 3 - , SO 4 2- ) in precipitation at typhoons in Niigata city, Japan were measured, and the following matters were found as to precipitation at typhoon. (1) Specific activities of tritium at typhoons were under the average of the activities in precipitation in the same month. (2) The specific activity of tritium depends on that whether the precipitation was sampled after the several days from the last rain, or not so long. (3) Movements of these ion concentrations in precipitation are similar to each other except nitrate ion. (4) Each ion concentration ratio in precipitation at a typhoon became to be similar to that in sea with time. (5) Using relative compositional ratio of sampled water to sea water defined in this research, the effect of sea water on precipitation can be revealed. (author)

  16. Tissue-specific metabolic activation and mutagenicity of 3-nitrobenzanthrone in MutaMouse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Guosheng; Gingerich, John; Soper, Lynda; Douglas, George R; White, Paul A

    2008-10-01

    3-Nitrobenzanthrone (3-NBA) is a mutagen and suspected human carcinogen detected in diesel exhaust, airborne particulate matter, and urban soil. We investigated the tissue specific mutagenicity of 3-NBA at the lacZ locus of transgenic MutaMouse following acute single dose or 28-day repeated-dose oral administration. In the acute high dose (50 mg/kg) exposure, increased lacZ mutant frequency was observed in bone marrow and colonic epithelium, but not in liver and bladder. In the repeated-dose study, a dose-dependent increase in lacZ mutant frequency was observed in bone marrow and liver (2- and 4-fold increase above control), but not in lung or intestinal epithelium. In addition, a concentration-dependent increase in mutant frequency (8.5-fold above control) was observed for MutaMouse FE1 lung epithelial cells exposed in vitro. 1-Nitropyrene reductase, 3-NBA reductase, and acetyltransferase activities were measured in a variety of MutaMouse specimens in an effort to link metabolic activation and mutagenicity. High 3-NBA nitroreductase activities were observed in lung, liver, colon and bladder, and detectable N-acetyltransferase activities were found in all tissues except bone marrow. The relatively high 3-NBA nitroreductase activity in MutaMouse tissues, as compared with those in Salmonella TA98 and TA100, suggests that 3-NBA is readily reduced and activated in vivo. High 3-NBA nitroreductase levels in liver and colon are consistent with the elevated lacZ mutant frequency values, and previously noted inductions of hepatic DNA adducts. Despite an absence of induced lacZ mutations, the highest 3-NBA reductase activity was detected in lung. Further studies are warranted, especially following inhalation or intratracheal exposures. Published 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  17. Activating whole brain® innovation: A means of nourishing multiple intelligence in higher education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ann-Louise De Boer

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available The interconnectedness of the constructs ‘whole brain® thinking’ and ‘multiple intelligence’ forms the epicentre of this article. We depart from the premise that when whole brain® thinking is activated multiple intelligence can be nourished. When this becomes evident in a higher education practice it can be claimed that such a practice is innovative. Whole brain® thinking that informs intelligence and vice versa is inevitable when it comes to facilitating learning with a view to promoting quality learning in the context of higher education. If higher education is concerned about the expectations of industry and the world of work there is no other option as to prepare students in such a way that they develo as holistic – whole brained and intelligent – employers, employees and entrepreneurs who take responsibility for maximising their full potential. Becoming a self-regulated professional and being reflexive are some of the attributes of the 21st century which should be cultivated in all students. Research on whole brain® thinking and multiple intelligence shows that these human attributes form an integral part of one’s interaction with life – one’s environment and especially people as integral part of the environment. This focus on people highlights the need for developing soft skills within every curriculum. The epistemological underpinning of our reporting of experience in practice and research of the application of the principals of the constructs is meta- reflective in nature. Instead of a typical traditional stance to research we do not report on the numerous sets of data obtained over a period of more than 15 years. Our approach is that of a meta-reflective narrative as most of the studies we were involved in and still are, are reflective as it is most often than not action research-driven. And action research is a reflective process. We report on evidence-based practice that includes fields of specialisation such as

  18. Enzyme immunoassay for measurement of murine plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, employing a specific antibody produced by the DNA vaccine method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamada, Takayuki; Takagi, Akira; Takeshita, Kyosuke; Yamamoto, Koji; Ito, Masafumi; Matsushita, Tadashi; Murate, Takashi; Saito, Hidehiko; Kojima, Tetsuhito

    2003-01-01

    We developed a sensitive immunoassay to determine the concentration of mouse plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. The assay was a non-competitive sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on the production of a specific polyclonal antibody against mouse plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) used both as a trapping and detecting antibody. This antibody was raised in a rabbit by direct introduction of the expression vector plasmid DNA encoding mouse PAI-1, instead of conventional immunization with the purified protein. The standard curve was constructed with a recombinant glutathione S-transferase (GST)-mouse PAI-1 fusion protein (GST-mPAI-1) and dose-response of the assay was linear for GST-mPAI-1 between 6.25 and 100 pM. In order to assess the consistency of the assay, we measured PAI-1 antigen in normal mouse pooled plasma several times. We found that the intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation (CV) were 4.8% and 9.2%, respectively, indicating that the ELISA would be sufficiently repeatable and reproducible. In this assay, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-injected mice showed substantially higher levels (22-fold) of plasma PAI-1 antigen than did control mice (12.5+/-2.4 vs. 0.58+/-0.16 nM), similar to results reported elsewhere. Taken together, the DNA vaccine method is extremely useful for preparing specific antibodies against mouse PAI-1, which can be utilized to establish the ELISA and analyze the profile of PAI-1 distributions in mice under various conditions. This approach might also be useful for immunological investigation of other coagulation factors and related proteins.

  19. AATR an ionospheric activity indicator specifically based on GNSS measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juan, José Miguel; Sanz, Jaume; Rovira-Garcia, Adrià; González-Casado, Guillermo; Ibáñez, D.; Perez, R. Orus

    2018-03-01

    This work reviews an ionospheric activity indicator useful for identifying disturbed periods affecting the performance of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). This index is based in the Along Arc TEC Rate (AATR) and can be easily computed from dual-frequency GNSS measurements. The AATR indicator has been assessed over more than one Solar Cycle (2002-2017) involving about 140 receivers distributed world-wide. Results show that it is well correlated with the ionospheric activity and, unlike other global indicators linked to the geomagnetic activity (i.e. DST or Ap), it is sensitive to the regional behaviour of the ionosphere and identifies specific effects on GNSS users. Moreover, from a devoted analysis of different Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) performances in different ionospheric conditions, it follows that the AATR indicator is a very suitable mean to reveal whether SBAS service availability anomalies are linked to the ionosphere. On this account, the AATR indicator has been selected as the metric to characterise the ionosphere operational conditions in the frame of the European Space Agency activities on the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS). The AATR index has been adopted as a standard tool by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for joint ionospheric studies in SBAS. In this work we explain how the AATR is computed, paying special attention to the cycle-slip detection, which is one of the key issues in the AATR computation, not fully addressed in other indicators such as the Rate Of change of the TEC Index (ROTI). After this explanation we present some of the main conclusions about the ionospheric activity that can extracted from the AATR values during the above mentioned long-term study. These conclusions are: (a) the different spatial correlation related with the MOdified DIP (MODIP) which allows to clearly separate high, mid and low latitude regions, (b) the large spatial correlation in mid

  20. Determinants of Innovation Culture amongst Higher Education Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roffeei, Siti Hajar Mohd; Yusop, Farrah Dina; Kamarulzaman, Yusniza

    2018-01-01

    Globalisation has made many higher educational institutions reassess their educational contents and research activities in order to enhance innovation culture amongst students of higher education. Many universities now focus on research activities and research funding in raising their reputation and ranking which in turn will improve student…