Development of an unbiased statistical method for the analysis of unigenic evolution

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Shilton Brian H

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Unigenic evolution is a powerful genetic strategy involving random mutagenesis of a single gene product to delineate functionally important domains of a protein. This method involves selection of variants of the protein which retain function, followed by statistical analysis comparing expected and observed mutation frequencies of each residue. Resultant mutability indices for each residue are averaged across a specified window of codons to identify hypomutable regions of the protein. As originally described, the effect of changes to the length of this averaging window was not fully eludicated. In addition, it was unclear when sufficient functional variants had been examined to conclude that residues conserved in all variants have important functional roles. Results We demonstrate that the length of averaging window dramatically affects identification of individual hypomutable regions and delineation of region boundaries. Accordingly, we devised a region-independent chi-square analysis that eliminates loss of information incurred during window averaging and removes the arbitrary assignment of window length. We also present a method to estimate the probability that conserved residues have not been mutated simply by chance. In addition, we describe an improved estimation of the expected mutation frequency. Conclusion Overall, these methods significantly extend the analysis of unigenic evolution data over existing methods to allow comprehensive, unbiased identification of domains and possibly even individual residues that are essential for protein function.

High Quality Unigenes and Microsatellite Markers from Tissue Specific Transcriptome and Development of a Database in Clusterbean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba, L. Taub

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Hukam C. Rawal

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Clusterbean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L. Taub, is an important industrial, vegetable and forage crop. This crop owes its commercial importance to the presence of guar gum (galactomannans in its endosperm which is used as a lubricant in a range of industries. Despite its relevance to agriculture and industry, genomic resources available in this crop are limited. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to generate RNA-Seq based transcriptome from leaf, shoot, and flower tissues. A total of 145 million high quality Illumina reads were assembled using Trinity into 127,706 transcripts and 48,007 non-redundant high quality (HQ unigenes. We annotated 79% unigenes against Plant Genes from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI, Swiss-Prot, Pfam, gene ontology (GO and KEGG databases. Among the annotated unigenes, 30,020 were assigned with 116,964 GO terms, 9984 with EC and 6111 with 137 KEGG pathways. At different fragments per kilobase of transcript per millions fragments sequenced (FPKM levels, genes were found expressed higher in flower tissue followed by shoot and leaf. Additionally, we identified 8687 potential simple sequence repeats (SSRs with an average frequency of one SSR per 8.75 kb. A total of 28 amplified SSRs in 21 clusterbean genotypes resulted in polymorphism in 13 markers with average polymorphic information content (PIC of 0.21. We also constructed a database named ‘ClustergeneDB’ for easy retrieval of unigenes and the microsatellite markers. The tissue specific genes identified and the molecular marker resources developed in this study is expected to aid in genetic improvement of clusterbean for its end use.

Collinearity analysis of Brassica A and C genomes based on an updated inferred unigene order

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Ian Bancroft

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This data article includes SNP scoring across lines of the Brassica napus TNDH population based on Illumina sequencing of mRNA, expanded to 75 lines. The 21, 323 mapped markers defined 887 recombination bins, representing an updated genetic linkage map for the species. Based on this new map, 5 genome sequence scaffolds were split and the order and orientation of scaffolds updated to establish a new pseudomolecule specification. The order of unigenes and SNP array probes within these pseudomolecules was determined. Unigenes were assessed for sequence similarity to the A and C genomes. The 57, 246 that mapped to both enabled the collinearity of the A and C genomes to be illustrated graphically. Although the great majority was in collinear positions, some were not. Analyses of 60 such instances are presented, suggesting that the breakdown in collinearity was largely due to either the absence of the homoeologue on one genome (resulting in sequence match to a paralogue or multiple similar sequences being present. The mRNAseq datasets for the TNDH lines are available from the SRA repository (ERA283648; the remaining datasets are supplied with this article.

A random set scoring model for prioritization of disease candidate genes using protein complexes and data-mining of GeneRIF, OMIM and PubMed records

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jiang, Li; Edwards, Stefan M.; Thomsen, Bo

2014-01-01

from PubMed abstracts, OMIM, and GeneRIF records. We also investigated the validity of several vocabulary filters and different likelihood thresholds for predicted protein-protein interactions in terms of their effect on the network-based gene-prioritization approach, which relies on text-mining......Background: Prioritizing genetic variants is a challenge because disease susceptibility loci are often located in genes of unknown function or the relationship with the corresponding phenotype is unclear. A global data-mining exercise on the biomedical literature can establish the phenotypic...

[Triplet expansion cytosine-guanine-guanine: Three cases of OMIM syndrome in the same family].

Science.gov (United States)

González-Pérez, Jesús; Izquierdo-Álvarez, Silvia; Fuertes-Rodrigo, Cristina; Monge-Galindo, Lorena; Peña-Segura, José Luis; López-Pisón, Francisco Javier

2016-04-01

The dynamic increase in the number of triplet repeats of cytosine-guanine-guanine (CGG) in the FMR1 gene mutation is responsible for three OMIM syndromes with a distinct clinical phenotype: Fragile X syndrome (FXS) and two pathologies in adult carriers of the premutation (55-200 CGG repeats): Primary ovarian insufficiency (FXPOI) and tremor-ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) associated with FXS. CGG mutation dynamics of the FMR1 gene were studied in DNA samples from peripheral blood from the index case and other relatives of first, second and third degree by TP-PCR, and the percentage methylation. Diagnosis of FXS was confirmed in three patients (21.4%), eight patients (57.1%) were confirmed in the premutation range transmitters, one male patient with full mutation/permutation mosaicism (7.1%) and two patients (14.3%) with normal study. Of the eight permutated patients, three had FXPOI and one male patient had FXTAS. Our study suggests the importance of making an early diagnosis of SXF in order to carry out a family study and genetic counselling, which allow the identification of new cases or premutated patients with FMR1 gene- associated syndromes (FXTAS, FXPOI). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Intact PTH and Bio-Intact PTH Assays Among Non-Dialysis Dependent Chronic Kidney Disease Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Einbinder, Yael; Benchetrit, Sydney; Golan, Eliezer; Zitman-Gal, Tali

2017-09-01

The third-generation bio-intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) (1-84) assay was designed to overcome problems associated with the detection of C-terminal fragments by the second-generation intact PTH assay. The two assays have been compared primarily among dialysis populations. The present study evaluated the correlations and differences between these two PTH assays among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3 to 5 not yet on dialysis. Blood samples were collected from 98 patients with CKD stages 3 to 5. PTH concentrations were measured simultaneously by using the second-generation - PTH intact-STAT and third-generation bio-intact 1-84 PTH assays. Other serum biomarkers of bone mineral disorders were also assessed. CKD stage was calculated by using the CKD-Epidemiology Collaboration (EPI) formula. Serum bio-intact PTH concentrations were strongly correlated but significantly lower than the intact PTH concentrations (r=0.963, Pbio-intact PTH) positively correlated with urea (r=0.523, r=0.504; P=0.002, respectively), phosphorus (r=0.532, r=0.521; Pbio-intact PTH assay detected significantly lower PTH concentrations compared with intact PTH assay. Additional studies that correlate the diagnosis and management of CKD mineral and bone disorders with bone histomorphometric findings are needed to determine whether bio-intact PTH assay results are better surrogate markers in these early stages of CKD. © The Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine

Positive Youth Development, Life Satisfaction and Problem Behaviors of Adolescents in Intact and Non-Intact Families in Hong Kong

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Daniel Tan Lei Shek

2013-08-01

Full Text Available This study investigated whether Chinese adolescents living in intact and non-intact families differed in their positive development, life satisfaction, and risk behavior. A total of 3,328 Secondary 1 students responded to measures of positive youth development (such as resilience and psychosocial competencies, life satisfaction, and risk behavior (substance abuse, delinquency, Internet addiction, consumption of pornographic materials, self-harm, and behavioral intention to engage in problem behavior. Findings revealed that adolescents growing up in intact families reported higher levels of positive developmental outcomes and life satisfaction as compared with adolescents from non-intact families. Adolescents in non-intact families also reported higher levels of risk behaviors than those growing up in intact families.

Next-Generation Sequencing of the Chrysanthemum nankingense (Asteraceae) Transcriptome Permits Large-Scale Unigene Assembly and SSR Marker Discovery

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Haibin; Jiang, Jiafu; Chen, Sumei; Qi, Xiangyu; Peng, Hui; Li, Pirui; Song, Aiping; Guan, Zhiyong; Fang, Weimin; Liao, Yuan; Chen, Fadi

2013-01-01

Background Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) are ubiquitous in eukaryotic genomes. Chrysanthemum is one of the largest genera in the Asteraceae family. Only few Chrysanthemum expressed sequence tag (EST) sequences have been acquired to date, so the number of available EST-SSR markers is very low. Methodology/Principal Findings Illumina paired-end sequencing technology produced over 53 million sequencing reads from C. nankingense mRNA. The subsequent de novo assembly yielded 70,895 unigenes, of which 45,789 (64.59%) unigenes showed similarity to the sequences in NCBI database. Out of 45,789 sequences, 107 have hits to the Chrysanthemum Nr protein database; 679 and 277 sequences have hits to the database of Helianthus and Lactuca species, respectively. MISA software identified a large number of putative EST-SSRs, allowing 1,788 primer pairs to be designed from the de novo transcriptome sequence and a further 363 from archival EST sequence. Among 100 primer pairs randomly chosen, 81 markers have amplicons and 20 are polymorphic for genotypes analysis in Chrysanthemum. The results showed that most (but not all) of the assays were transferable across species and that they exposed a significant amount of allelic diversity. Conclusions/Significance SSR markers acquired by transcriptome sequencing are potentially useful for marker-assisted breeding and genetic analysis in the genus Chrysanthemum and its related genera. PMID:23626799

Characterization of Capsicum annuum genetic diversity and population structure based on parallel polymorphism discovery with a 30K unigene Pepper GeneChip.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Theresa A; Ashrafi, Hamid; Reyes-Chin-Wo, Sebastian; Yao, JiQiang; Stoffel, Kevin; Truco, Maria-Jose; Kozik, Alexander; Michelmore, Richard W; Van Deynze, Allen

2013-01-01

The widely cultivated pepper, Capsicum spp., important as a vegetable and spice crop world-wide, is one of the most diverse crops. To enhance breeding programs, a detailed characterization of Capsicum diversity including morphological, geographical and molecular data is required. Currently, molecular data characterizing Capsicum genetic diversity is limited. The development and application of high-throughput genome-wide markers in Capsicum will facilitate more detailed molecular characterization of germplasm collections, genetic relationships, and the generation of ultra-high density maps. We have developed the Pepper GeneChip® array from Affymetrix for polymorphism detection and expression analysis in Capsicum. Probes on the array were designed from 30,815 unigenes assembled from expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Our array design provides a maximum redundancy of 13 probes per base pair position allowing integration of multiple hybridization values per position to detect single position polymorphism (SPP). Hybridization of genomic DNA from 40 diverse C. annuum lines, used in breeding and research programs, and a representative from three additional cultivated species (C. frutescens, C. chinense and C. pubescens) detected 33,401 SPP markers within 13,323 unigenes. Among the C. annuum lines, 6,426 SPPs covering 3,818 unigenes were identified. An estimated three-fold reduction in diversity was detected in non-pungent compared with pungent lines, however, we were able to detect 251 highly informative markers across these C. annuum lines. In addition, an 8.7 cM region without polymorphism was detected around Pun1 in non-pungent C. annuum. An analysis of genetic relatedness and diversity using the software Structure revealed clustering of the germplasm which was confirmed with statistical support by principle components analysis (PCA) and phylogenetic analysis. This research demonstrates the effectiveness of parallel high-throughput discovery and application of genome

Characterization of Capsicum annuum genetic diversity and population structure based on parallel polymorphism discovery with a 30K unigene Pepper GeneChip.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Theresa A Hill

Full Text Available The widely cultivated pepper, Capsicum spp., important as a vegetable and spice crop world-wide, is one of the most diverse crops. To enhance breeding programs, a detailed characterization of Capsicum diversity including morphological, geographical and molecular data is required. Currently, molecular data characterizing Capsicum genetic diversity is limited. The development and application of high-throughput genome-wide markers in Capsicum will facilitate more detailed molecular characterization of germplasm collections, genetic relationships, and the generation of ultra-high density maps. We have developed the Pepper GeneChip® array from Affymetrix for polymorphism detection and expression analysis in Capsicum. Probes on the array were designed from 30,815 unigenes assembled from expressed sequence tags (ESTs. Our array design provides a maximum redundancy of 13 probes per base pair position allowing integration of multiple hybridization values per position to detect single position polymorphism (SPP. Hybridization of genomic DNA from 40 diverse C. annuum lines, used in breeding and research programs, and a representative from three additional cultivated species (C. frutescens, C. chinense and C. pubescens detected 33,401 SPP markers within 13,323 unigenes. Among the C. annuum lines, 6,426 SPPs covering 3,818 unigenes were identified. An estimated three-fold reduction in diversity was detected in non-pungent compared with pungent lines, however, we were able to detect 251 highly informative markers across these C. annuum lines. In addition, an 8.7 cM region without polymorphism was detected around Pun1 in non-pungent C. annuum. An analysis of genetic relatedness and diversity using the software Structure revealed clustering of the germplasm which was confirmed with statistical support by principle components analysis (PCA and phylogenetic analysis. This research demonstrates the effectiveness of parallel high-throughput discovery and

Exploratory investigations of hypervelocity intact capture spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Tsou, P.; Griffiths, D. J.

1993-01-01

The ability to capture hypervelocity projectiles intact opens a new technique available for hypervelocity research. A determination of the reactions taking place between the projectile and the capture medium during the process of intact capture is extremely important to an understanding of the intact capture phenomenon, to improving the capture technique, and to developing a theory describing the phenomenon. The intact capture of hypervelocity projectiles by underdense media generates spectra, characteristic of the material species of projectile and capture medium involved. Initial exploratory results into real-time characterization of hypervelocity intact capture techniques by spectroscopy include ultra-violet and visible spectra obtained by use of reflecting gratings, transmitting gratings, and prisms, and recorded by photographic and electronic means. Spectrometry proved to be a valuable real-time diagnostic tool for hypervelocity intact capture events, offering understanding of the interactions of the projectile and the capture medium during the initial period and providing information not obtainable by other characterizations. Preliminary results and analyses of spectra produced by the intact capture of hypervelocity aluminum spheres in polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and polyurethane (PU) foams are presented. Included are tentative emission species identifications, as well as gray body temperatures produced in the intact capture process.

Intact glycopeptide characterization using mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Li; Qu, Yi; Zhang, Zhaorui; Wang, Zhe; Prytkova, Iya; Wu, Si

2016-05-01

Glycosylation is one of the most prominent and extensively studied protein post-translational modifications. However, traditional proteomic studies at the peptide level (bottom-up) rarely characterize intact glycopeptides (glycosylated peptides without removing glycans), so no glycoprotein heterogeneity information is retained. Intact glycopeptide characterization, on the other hand, provides opportunities to simultaneously elucidate the glycan structure and the glycosylation site needed to reveal the actual biological function of protein glycosylation. Recently, significant improvements have been made in the characterization of intact glycopeptides, ranging from enrichment and separation, mass spectroscopy (MS) detection, to bioinformatics analysis. In this review, we recapitulated currently available intact glycopeptide characterization methods with respect to their advantages and limitations as well as their potential applications.

Serum steroid levels in intact and endocrine ablated BALB/c nude mice and their intact littermates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brünner, N; Svenstrup, B; Spang-Thomsen, M

1986-01-01

An investigation was made of the serum steroid levels found in intact and endocrine ablated nude mice of both sexes and in their intact homozygous littermates. The results showed that nude mice have a normal steroidogenesis, but with decreased levels of circulating steroids compared to those...

Intact glycopeptide characterization using mass spectrometry

OpenAIRE

Cao, Li; Qu, Yi; Zhang, Zhaorui; Wang, Zhe; Prykova, Iya; Wu, Si

2016-01-01

Glycosylation is one of the most prominent and extensively studied protein post-translational modifications. However, traditional proteomic studies at the peptide level (bottom-up) rarely characterize intact glycopeptides (glycosylated peptides without removing glycans), so no glycoprotein heterogeneity information is retained. Intact glycopeptide characterization, on the other hand, provides opportunities to simultaneously elucidate the glycan structure and the glycosylation site needed to r...

Strategies for Analyzing Data from Intact Groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Cross, Lawrence H.; Lane, Carolyn E.

Action research often necessitates the use of intact groups for the comparison of educational treatments or programs. This paper considers several analytical methods that might be used for such situations when pretest scores indicate that these intact groups differ significantly initially. The methods considered include gain score analysis of…

Small Particles Intact Capture Experiment (SPICE)

Science.gov (United States)

Nishioka, Ken-Ji; Carle, G. C.; Bunch, T. E.; Mendez, David J.; Ryder, J. T.

1994-01-01

The Small Particles Intact Capture Experiment (SPICE) will develop technologies and engineering techniques necessary to capture nearly intact, uncontaminated cosmic and interplanetary dust particles (IDP's). Successful capture of such particles will benefit the exobiology and planetary science communities by providing particulate samples that may have survived unaltered since the formation of the solar system. Characterization of these particles may contribute fundamental data to our knowledge of how these particles could have formed into our planet Earth and, perhaps, contributed to the beginnings of life. The term 'uncontaminated' means that captured cosmic and IDP particles are free of organic contamination from the capture process and the term 'nearly intact capture' means that their chemical and elemental components are not materially altered during capture. The key to capturing cosmic and IDP particles that are organic-contamination free and nearly intact is the capture medium. Initial screening of capture media included organic foams, multiple thin foil layers, and aerogel (a silica gel); but, with the exception of aerogel, the requirements of no contamination or nearly intact capture were not met. To ensure no contamination of particles in the capture process, high-purity aerogel was chosen. High-purity aerogel results in high clarity (visual clearness), a useful quality in detection and recovery of embedded captured particles from the aerogel. P. Tsou at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) originally described the use of aerogel for this purpose and reported laboratory test results. He has flown aerogel as a 'GAS-can Lid' payload on STS-47 and is evaluating the results. The Timeband Capture Cell Experiment (TICCE), a Eureca 1 experiment, is also flying aerogel and is scheduled for recovery in late April.

50 CFR 622.38 - Landing fish intact.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... that is operating under the respective trip limits. Such cut-off fish also may be sold. A maximum of... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Landing fish intact. 622.38 Section 622.38... Landing fish intact. The operator of a vessel that fishes in the EEZ is responsible for ensuring that fish...

Effects of hydrolysed casein, intact casein and intact whey protein on energy expenditure and appetite regulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bendtsen, Line Quist; Lorenzen, Janne Kunchel; Gomes, Sisse

2014-01-01

Casein and whey differ in amino acid composition and in the rate of absorption; however, the absorption rate of casein can be increased to mimic that of whey by exogenous hydrolysis. The objective of the present study was to compare the effects of hydrolysed casein (HC), intact casein (IC......) and intact whey (IW) on energy expenditure (EE) and appetite regulation, and thereby to investigate the influence of amino acid composition and the rate of absorption. In the present randomised cross-over study, twenty-four overweight and moderately obese young men and women consumed three isoenergetic...

Pharmacokinetics of erythropoietin in intact and anephric dogs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, J.S.; Lertora, J.J.; Brookins, J.; Rice, J.C.; Fisher, J.W.

1988-01-01

The present studies were performed to determine the pharmacokinetic parameters of erythropoietin in intact and anephric dogs by use of unlabeled crude native erythropoietin (nEp) and iodine 125-labeled purified recombinant erythropoietin (rEp) given by intravenous infusion for 15 minutes. Sephadex G-75 gel filtration was used to confirm that the 125I-rEp molecule remained iodinated in dog plasma during the 24-hour period of these studies. The plasma disappearance of erythropoietin conformed to a biexponential equation for both nEp and 125I-rEp, with the central compartment being larger than the peripheral compartment. The mean distribution half-life of 75.3 +/- 21.2 minutes for nEp was significantly (p less than 0.05) longer than that of 125I-rEp (23.7 +/- 5.0 minutes) in intact dogs. The intercompartmental clearance (CIic) for nEp (0.018 +/- 0.006 L/kg/hr) was significantly smaller than that of 125I-rEp (0.068 +/- 0.018 L/kg/hr) in intact dogs (p less than 0.05). There were no significant differences in apparent volume of distribution, elimination half-life, and elimination clearance (CIe) for nEp and rEp in intact dogs. The mean elimination half-life for 125I-rEp in intact dogs (9.0 +/- 0.6 hours) and anephric dogs (13.8 +/- 1.4 hours) was significantly different (p less than 0.05). The CIe for 125I-rEp in anephric dogs (0.008 +/- 0.001 L/kg/hr) was significantly (p less than 0.05) smaller than that of 125I-rEp in intact dogs (0.011 +/- 0.001 L/kg/hr). There were no significant differences in apparent volume of distribution, distribution half-life, and CIic for 125I-rEp in intact and anephric dogs

Isolation of intact elastin fibers devoid of microfibrils.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Daamen, W.F.; Hafmans, T.G.M.; Veerkamp, J.H.; Kuppevelt, A.H.M.S.M. van

2005-01-01

Purification protocols for elastin generally result in greatly damaged elastin fibers and this likely influences the biological response. We here describe a novel protocol for the isolation of elastin whereby the fibers stay intact, and introduce the term "elastin fiber" for intact elastic fibers

Autism Spectrum Disorder and intact executive functioning.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrara, R; Ansermet, F; Massoni, F; Petrone, L; Onofri, E; Ricci, P; Archer, T; Ricci, S

2016-01-01

Earliest notions concerning autism (Autism Spectrum Disorders, ASD) describe the disturbance in executive functioning. Despite altered definition, executive functioning, expressed as higher cognitive skills required complex behaviors linked to the prefrontal cortex, are defective in autism. Specific difficulties in children presenting autism or verbal disabilities at executive functioning levels have been identified. Nevertheless, the developmental deficit of executive functioning in autism is highly diversified with huge individual variation and may even be absent. The aim of the present study to examine the current standing of intact executive functioning intact in ASD. Analysis of ASD populations, whether high-functioning, Asperger's or autism Broad Phenotype, studied over a range of executive functions including response inhibition, planning, cognitive flexibility, cognitive inhibition, and alerting networks indicates an absence of damage/impairment compared to the typically-developed normal control subjects. These findings of intact executive functioning in ASD subjects provide a strong foundation on which to construct applications for growth environments and the rehabilitation of autistic subjects.

Intact collagen and atelocollagen sponges: Characterization and ESEM observation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruozi, Barbara; Tosi, Giovanni; Leo, Eliana; Parma, Bruna; Vismara, Susanna; Forni, Flavio; Vandelli, Maria Angela

2007-01-01

In this study we have investigated the chemical-physical and morphological properties of intact and atelocollagen sponges used for tissue engineering. The porous sponges were prepared by lyophilization and their physico-chemical characteristics (water binding capacity, denaturing temperature, amino group content) were investigated. Considering the importance of the 'in vivo' interactions between these sponges and the tissue, our attention was addressed (a) to clarify the relationships between the morphology and the amount of water absorbed and (b) to evaluate the influence of pepsin-alkaline treatment on the reorganization of the atelocollagen fibres. Conventional scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) were employed to study the morphology and wetting behaviour of the intact and atelocollagen sponges. The observations by SEM indicated remarkable differences both in the structure and dimension of the pores between intact and atelocollagen sponges. At the data are related to a different water binding capacity. However, the ESEM observations, achieved by changing the relative humidity in the operative chamber, demonstrated that the water adsorbed can be removed with major difficulty from atelocollagen sponges than from intact ones

Measurement of diffusive properties of intact rock

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harvey, K B

1996-12-01

In the Postclosure Assessment of a Reference System for the Disposal of Canada`s Nuclear Fuel Waste (Goodwin et al. 1994) the disposal vault is assumed to be surrounded by a zone of intact rock, referred to as the `exclusion zone.` A sensitivity analysis of the relative effectiveness of the several engineered and natural barriers that contribute to the safety of the reference disposal system has shown that this zone of intact rock is the most effective of these barriers to the movement of radionuclides through the reference system. Peer review of the geosphere model used in the case study for the EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) of the Canadian Nuclear Fuel Waste Management Program has identified the need to quantify the properties of the intact rock surrounding the disposal vault that would control the transport of radionuclides by diffusion. The Postclosure Assessment also identified the need for appropriate values of the free water diffusion coefficient (D{sub o}) for {sup 129}1 and {sup 14}C. The measurement of rock resistivity allows the calculation of the Formation Factor for a rock This review describes the Formation Factor, diffusivity, permeability, and porosity, and how these properties might be measured or inferred for insitu rock under the conditions that apply to the intact rock surrounding a potential disposal vault. The importance of measuring the intrinsic diffusion coefficient (D{sup i}) of diffusing species under solution salinities simulating those of groundwaters is emphasised, and a method of measurement is described that is independent of the diffusing medium, and which would be appropriate for measurements made in chemically complex media such as groundwaters. (author). 95 refs., 4 tabs., 39 figs.

Measurement of diffusive properties of intact rock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harvey, K.B.

1996-12-01

In the Postclosure Assessment of a Reference System for the Disposal of Canada's Nuclear Fuel Waste (Goodwin et al. 1994) the disposal vault is assumed to be surrounded by a zone of intact rock, referred to as the 'exclusion zone.' A sensitivity analysis of the relative effectiveness of the several engineered and natural barriers that contribute to the safety of the reference disposal system has shown that this zone of intact rock is the most effective of these barriers to the movement of radionuclides through the reference system. Peer review of the geosphere model used in the case study for the EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) of the Canadian Nuclear Fuel Waste Management Program has identified the need to quantify the properties of the intact rock surrounding the disposal vault that would control the transport of radionuclides by diffusion. The Postclosure Assessment also identified the need for appropriate values of the free water diffusion coefficient (D o ) for 129 1 and 14 C. The measurement of rock resistivity allows the calculation of the Formation Factor for a rock This review describes the Formation Factor, diffusivity, permeability, and porosity, and how these properties might be measured or inferred for insitu rock under the conditions that apply to the intact rock surrounding a potential disposal vault. The importance of measuring the intrinsic diffusion coefficient (D i ) of diffusing species under solution salinities simulating those of groundwaters is emphasised, and a method of measurement is described that is independent of the diffusing medium, and which would be appropriate for measurements made in chemically complex media such as groundwaters. (author). 95 refs., 4 tabs., 39 figs

Liver polyribosome distribution in intact and adrenalectomized rats exposed to. gamma. radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yatvin, M B; Abdel-Halim, M N [Wisconsin Univ., Madison (USA). Dept. of Radiology; Wisconsin Univ., Madison (USA). Dept. of Human Oncology)

1978-06-01

The mechanism(s) by which gamma radiation influences liver polyribosome distribution was studied in groups of intact and adrenalectomized male rats. A shift from light to heavy aggregates occurred in the polyribosomes of both intact and adrenalectomized rats after they were exposed to gamma rays. In irradiated adrenalectomized rats, however, the shift to heavier aggregates was not as great as that which occurred in irradiated adrenal-intact animals. Subcutaneous injection of cortisone acetate (10 mg/100 g body weight) also altered the liver polyribosome patterns of both intact and adrenalectomized rats within 8 hours of its administration. The shift which occurred following cortisone administration, however, was less striking than that seen after irradiation only. Thus, although adrenal glucocorticoids contribute to the radiation-indu ied shift in liver polyribosomes in adrenal-intact rats, other factors appear to be involved, since the shift is also obtained in adrenalectomized animals.

Integrative characterization of germ cell-specific genes from mouse spermatocyte UniGene library

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eddy Edward M

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The primary regulator of spermatogenesis, a highly ordered and tightly regulated developmental process, is an intrinsic genetic program involving male germ cell-specific genes. Results We analyzed the mouse spermatocyte UniGene library containing 2155 gene-oriented transcript clusters. We predict that 11% of these genes are testis-specific and systematically identified 24 authentic genes specifically and abundantly expressed in the testis via in silico and in vitro approaches. Northern blot analysis disclosed various transcript characteristics, such as expression level, size and the presence of isoform. Expression analysis revealed developmentally regulated and stage-specific expression patterns in all of the genes. We further analyzed the genes at the protein and cellular levels. Transfection assays performed using GC-2 cells provided information on the cellular characteristics of the gene products. In addition, antibodies were generated against proteins encoded by some of the genes to facilitate their identification and characterization in spermatogenic cells and sperm. Our data suggest that a number of the gene products are implicated in transcriptional regulation, nuclear integrity, sperm structure and motility, and fertilization. In particular, we found for the first time that Mm.333010, predicted to contain a trypsin-like serine protease domain, is a sperm acrosomal protein. Conclusion We identify 24 authentic genes with spermatogenic cell-specific expression, and provide comprehensive information about the genes. Our findings establish a new basis for future investigation into molecular mechanisms underlying male reproduction.

Sorption of cesium in intact rock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puukko, E.

2014-04-01

The mass distribution coefficient K d is used in performance assessment (PA) to describe sorption of a radionuclide on rock. The R d is determined using crushed rock which causes uncertainty in converting the R d values to K d values for intact rock. This work describes a method to determine the equilibrium of sorption on intact rock. The rock types of the planned Olkiluoto waste disposal site were T-series mica gneiss (T-MGN), T-series tonalite granodiorite granite gneiss (T-TGG), P-series tonalite granodiorite granite gneiss (P-TGG) and pegmatitic granite (PGR). These rocks contain different amount of biotite which is the main sorbing mineral. The sorption of cesium on intact rock slices was studied by applying an electrical field to speed up migration of cesium into the rock. Cesium is in the solution as a noncomplex cation Cs + and it is sorbed by ion exchange. The tracer used in the experiments was 134 Cs. The experimental sorption on the intact rock is compared with values calculated using the in house cation exchange sorption model (HYRL model) in PHREEQC program. The observed sorption on T-MGN and T-TGG rocks was close to the calculated values. Two PGR samples were from a depth of 70 m and three samples were from a depth of 150 m. Cesium sorbed more than predicted on the two 70 m PGR samples. The sorption of Cs on the three 150 m PGR samples was small which was consistent with the calculations. The pegmatitic granite PGR has the smallest content of biotite of the four rock types. In the case of P-TGG rock the observed values of sorption were only half of the calculated values. Two kind of slices were cut from P-TGG drill core. The slices were against and to the direction of the foliation of the biotite rims. The sorption of cesium on P-TGG rock was same in both cases. The results indicated that there was no effect of the directions of the electric field and the foliation of biotite in the P-TGG rock. (orig.)

Development and Characterization of 1,906 EST-SSR Markers from Unigenes in Jute (Corchorus spp..

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liwu Zhang

Full Text Available Jute, comprising white and dark jute, is the second important natural fiber crop after cotton worldwide. However, the lack of expressed sequence tag-derived simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR markers has resulted in a large gap in the improvement of jute. Previously, de novo 48,914 unigenes from white jute were assembled. In this study, 1,906 EST-SSRs were identified from these assembled uingenes. Among these markers, di-, tri- and tetra-nucleotide repeat types were the abundant types (12.0%, 56.9% and 21.6% respectively. The AG-rich or GA-rich nucleotide repeats were the predominant. Subsequently, a sample of 116 SSRs, located in genes encoding transcription factors and cellulose synthases, were selected to survey polymorphisms among12 diverse jute accessions. Of these, 83.6% successfully amplified at least one fragment and detected polymorphism among the 12diverse genotypes, indicating that the newly developed SSRs are of good quality. Furthermore, the genetic similarity coefficients of all the 12 accessions were evaluated using 97 polymorphic SSRs. The cluster analysis divided the jute accessions into two main groups with genetic similarity coefficient of 0.61. These EST-SSR markers not only enrich molecular markers of jute genome, but also facilitate genetic and genomic researches in jute.

Xenopus egg cytoplasm with intact actin.

Science.gov (United States)

Field, Christine M; Nguyen, Phuong A; Ishihara, Keisuke; Groen, Aaron C; Mitchison, Timothy J

2014-01-01

We report optimized methods for preparing Xenopus egg extracts without cytochalasin D, that we term "actin-intact egg extract." These are undiluted egg cytoplasm that contains abundant organelles, and glycogen which supplies energy, and represents the least perturbed cell-free cytoplasm preparation we know of. We used this system to probe cell cycle regulation of actin and myosin-II dynamics (Field et al., 2011), and to reconstitute the large, interphase asters that organize early Xenopus embryos (Mitchison et al., 2012; Wühr, Tan, Parker, Detrich, & Mitchison, 2010). Actin-intact Xenopus egg extracts are useful for analysis of actin dynamics, and interaction of actin with other cytoplasmic systems, in a cell-free system that closely mimics egg physiology, and more generally for probing the biochemistry and biophysics of the egg, zygote, and early embryo. Detailed protocols are provided along with assays used to check cell cycle state and tips for handling and storing undiluted egg extracts. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of geomechanical properties of intact Opalinus Clay - Expert report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amann, F.; Vogelhuber, M.

2015-11-01

This comprehensive report published by the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate ENSI presents an expert report published on the assessment of the geomechanical properties of intact Opalinus Clay. This review report addresses the conceptual constitutive framework for repositories in Opalinus Clay. The author addresses the geomechanical fundamentals that are necessary in order to adequately judge experiments on intact Opalinus Clay and the interpretation of the results. The report assesses in detail the various test series on intact Opalinus Clay carried out along with the interpretations made by experts and NAGRA. Further assessments are quoted including those on sample geometries tested, effective strength properties, undrained shear strength properties and elastic properties. The results of work done by other experts are also presented and discussed. The report is completed with a list of relevant literature

Assessment of geomechanical properties of intact Opalinus Clay - Expert report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amann, F. [Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule ETHZ, Zürich (Switzerland); Vogelhuber, M. [Dr. von Moos AG, Geotechnisches Büro, Zürich (Switzerland)

2015-11-15

This comprehensive report published by the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate ENSI presents an expert report published on the assessment of the geomechanical properties of intact Opalinus Clay. This review report addresses the conceptual constitutive framework for repositories in Opalinus Clay. The author addresses the geomechanical fundamentals that are necessary in order to adequately judge experiments on intact Opalinus Clay and the interpretation of the results. The report assesses in detail the various test series on intact Opalinus Clay carried out along with the interpretations made by experts and NAGRA. Further assessments are quoted including those on sample geometries tested, effective strength properties, undrained shear strength properties and elastic properties. The results of work done by other experts are also presented and discussed. The report is completed with a list of relevant literature.

Self-etching adhesive on intact enamel, with and without pre-etching.

Science.gov (United States)

Devarasa, G M; Subba Reddy, V V; Chaitra, N L; Swarna, Y M

2012-05-01

Bond strengths of composite resin to enamel using self-etch adhesive (SEA) Clearfil SE bond system on intact enamel and enamel pre-etched with phosphoric acid were compared. The objective was to determine if the pre-etching would increase the bond strengths of the SEA systems to intact enamel and to evaluate the effect of pre-etching on bond formation of self-etch adhesives on intact enamel. Labial surfaces of 40 caries free permanent upper central and lateral incisors were cleaned, sectioned of their roots. All specimens were mounted on acrylic block and divided randomly into four groups. In two groups the application of self-etch adhesive, Clearfil SE bond was carried as per manufacturer's instructions, composite cylinders were built, whereas in the other two groups, 37% phosphoric acid etching was done before the application of self-etching adhesives. Then the resin tags were analyzed using scanning electron microscope and shear bond strength was measured using Instron universal testing machine. When phosphoric acid was used, there was significant increase in the depth of penetration of resin tags and in the Shear Bond Strength of composite to enamel. The results indicate that out of both treatment groups, pre-etching the intact enamel with 37% phosphoric acid resulted in formation of longer resin tags and higher depth of penetration of resin tags of the Clearfil SE bond, and attaining higher bond strength of the Clearfil SE bond to intact enamel. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Neural activation differences in amputees during imitation of intact versus amputee movements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William F Cusack

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The mirror neuron system has been attributed with increased activation in motor-related cortical areas upon viewing of another’s actions. Recent work suggests that limb movements that are similar and dissimilar in appearance to that of the viewer equivalently activate the mirror neuron system. It is unclear if this result can be observed in the action encoding areas in amputees who use prosthetic devices. Intact subjects and upper extremity amputee prosthesis users were recruited to view video demonstrations of tools being used by an intact actor and a prosthetic device user. All subjects were asked to pantomime the movements seen in the video while recording electroencephalography. Intact subjects showed equivalent left parietofrontal activity during imitation after watching the intact or prosthetic arm. Likewise, when prosthesis users imitated prosthesis demonstrations, typical left parietofrontal activation was observed during planning. When prosthesis users imitated intact actors, a new pattern was revealed which showed greater bilateral parietal and occipital activity during movement planning (p<0.001. This change may be required for prosthesis users to imitate movements in which the limb states between the observed and the observer do not match. The finding that prosthesis users imitating other prosthesis users showed typical left parietofrontal activation suggests that these subjects engage normal planning related activity when they are able to imitate a limb matching their own. This result has significant implications on rehabilitation, as standard therapy involves training with an intact occupational therapist, which could necessitate atypical planning mechanisms in amputees when learning to use their prosthesis.

The Multilevel Mixed Intact Group Analysis: A Mixed Method to Seek, Detect, Describe and Explain Differences Between Intact Groups

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schoonenboom, J.I.

2014-01-01

Educational innovations often involve intact subgroups, such as school classes or university departments. In small-scale educational evaluation research, typically involving 1 to 20 subgroups, differences among these subgroups are often neglected. This article presents a mixed method from a

Threats to intact tropical peatlands and opportunities for their conservation.

Science.gov (United States)

Roucoux, K H; Lawson, I T; Baker, T R; Del Castillo Torres, D; Draper, F C; Lähteenoja, O; Gilmore, M P; Honorio Coronado, E N; Kelly, T J; Mitchard, E T A; Vriesendorp, C F

2017-12-01

Large, intact areas of tropical peatland are highly threatened at a global scale by the expansion of commercial agriculture and other forms of economic development. Conserving peatlands on a landscape scale, with their hydrology intact, is of international conservation importance to preserve their distinctive biodiversity and ecosystem services and maintain their resilience to future environmental change. We explored threats to and opportunities for conserving remaining intact tropical peatlands; thus, we excluded peatlands of Indonesia and Malaysia, where extensive deforestation, drainage, and conversion to plantations means conservation in this region can protect only small fragments of the original ecosystem. We focused on a case study, the Pastaza-Marañón Foreland Basin (PMFB) in Peru, which is among the largest known intact tropical peatland landscapes in the world and is representative of peatland vulnerability. Maintenance of the hydrological conditions critical for carbon storage and ecosystem function of peatlands is, in the PMFB, primarily threatened by expansion of commercial agriculture linked to new transport infrastructure that is facilitating access to remote areas. There remain opportunities in the PMFB and elsewhere to develop alternative, more sustainable land-use practices. Although some of the peatlands in the PMFB fall within existing legally protected areas, this protection does not include the most carbon-dense (domed pole forest) areas. New carbon-based conservation instruments (e.g., REDD+, Green Climate Fund), developing markets for sustainable peatland products, transferring land title to local communities, and expanding protected areas offer pathways to increased protection for intact tropical peatlands in Amazonia and elsewhere, such as those in New Guinea and Central Africa which remain, for the moment, broadly beyond the frontier of commercial development. © 2017 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Epispadias in boys with an intact prepuce

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bos, E. M. E.; Kuijper, C. F.; Chrzan, R. J.; Dik, P.; Klijn, A. J.; de Jong, T. P. V. M.

2014-01-01

To present an overview of the clinical presentation and pathological anatomy, and the results of surgical correction of 7 cases of epispadias with intact prepuce; a rare condition that has only occasionally been reported in literature. A retrospective search was performed in the surgical and

HYDROCARBON VAPOR DIFFUSION IN INTACT CORE SLEEVES

Science.gov (United States)

The diffusion of 2,2,4-trimethylpentane (TMP) and 2,2,5-trimethylhexane (TMH) vapors put of residually contaminated sandy soil from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) field research site at Traverse City, Michigan, was measured and modeled. The headspace of an intact ...

Digested BLG can induce tolerance when co-administered with intact BLG in Brown Norway rats

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bøgh, Katrine Lindholm; Barkholt, Vibeke; Madsen, Charlotte Bernhard

the human gastro-duodenal digestion process. Four different fractions of BLG-digest was made, based on sizes of peptides or aggregates hereof. Intact BLG and the four fractions of BLG-digesta were characterized by protein chemical analyses. Brown Norway (BN) rats were immunised i.p. three times without......Background: Milk is a major constituent of small children’s diet. Milk allergy is also one of the most common allergies in small children. Prevention, treatment and general understanding of this allergy are therefore important. Methods: Intact BLG was digested in an in vitro model simulating...... the use of adjuvant with either PBS (control), 200 µg of intact BLG, 30 µg of intact BLG, 200 µg of digested BLG (with 30 µg of intact BLG), 200 µg of digested BLG, 200 µg of a fraction of large complexes or 200 µg of a fraction of small complexes (all three without intact BLG). Sera from BN rats were...

Intacting Integrity in coping with health issues

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jepsen, Stine Leegaard; Bastrup Jørgensen, Lene; Fridlund, Bengt

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop a formal substantive theory (FST) on the multidimensional behavioral process of coping with health issues. Intacting integrity while coping with health issues emerged as the core category of this FST. People facing health issues strive to safeguard and keep...

Visual speech alters the discrimination and identification of non-intact auditory speech in children with hearing loss.

Science.gov (United States)

Jerger, Susan; Damian, Markus F; McAlpine, Rachel P; Abdi, Hervé

2017-03-01

Understanding spoken language is an audiovisual event that depends critically on the ability to discriminate and identify phonemes yet we have little evidence about the role of early auditory experience and visual speech on the development of these fundamental perceptual skills. Objectives of this research were to determine 1) how visual speech influences phoneme discrimination and identification; 2) whether visual speech influences these two processes in a like manner, such that discrimination predicts identification; and 3) how the degree of hearing loss affects this relationship. Such evidence is crucial for developing effective intervention strategies to mitigate the effects of hearing loss on language development. Participants were 58 children with early-onset sensorineural hearing loss (CHL, 53% girls, M = 9;4 yrs) and 58 children with normal hearing (CNH, 53% girls, M = 9;4 yrs). Test items were consonant-vowel (CV) syllables and nonwords with intact visual speech coupled to non-intact auditory speech (excised onsets) as, for example, an intact consonant/rhyme in the visual track (Baa or Baz) coupled to non-intact onset/rhyme in the auditory track (/-B/aa or/-B/az). The items started with an easy-to-speechread/B/or difficult-to-speechread/G/onset and were presented in the auditory (static face) vs. audiovisual (dynamic face) modes. We assessed discrimination for intact vs. non-intact different pairs (e.g., Baa:/-B/aa). We predicted that visual speech would cause the non-intact onset to be perceived as intact and would therefore generate more same-as opposed to different-responses in the audiovisual than auditory mode. We assessed identification by repetition of nonwords with non-intact onsets (e.g.,/-B/az). We predicted that visual speech would cause the non-intact onset to be perceived as intact and would therefore generate more Baz-as opposed to az- responses in the audiovisual than auditory mode. Performance in the audiovisual mode showed more same

Visual Speech Alters the Discrimination and Identification of Non-Intact Auditory Speech in Children with Hearing Loss

Science.gov (United States)

Jerger, Susan; Damian, Markus F.; McAlpine, Rachel P.; Abdi, Hervé

2017-01-01

Objectives Understanding spoken language is an audiovisual event that depends critically on the ability to discriminate and identify phonemes yet we have little evidence about the role of early auditory experience and visual speech on the development of these fundamental perceptual skills. Objectives of this research were to determine 1) how visual speech influences phoneme discrimination and identification; 2) whether visual speech influences these two processes in a like manner, such that discrimination predicts identification; and 3) how the degree of hearing loss affects this relationship. Such evidence is crucial for developing effective intervention strategies to mitigate the effects of hearing loss on language development. Methods Participants were 58 children with early-onset sensorineural hearing loss (CHL, 53% girls, M = 9;4 yrs) and 58 children with normal hearing (CNH, 53% girls, M = 9;4 yrs). Test items were consonant-vowel (CV) syllables and nonwords with intact visual speech coupled to non-intact auditory speech (excised onsets) as, for example, an intact consonant/rhyme in the visual track (Baa or Baz) coupled to non-intact onset/rhyme in the auditory track (/–B/aa or /–B/az). The items started with an easy-to-speechread /B/ or difficult-to-speechread /G/ onset and were presented in the auditory (static face) vs. audiovisual (dynamic face) modes. We assessed discrimination for intact vs. non-intact different pairs (e.g., Baa:/–B/aa). We predicted that visual speech would cause the non-intact onset to be perceived as intact and would therefore generate more same—as opposed to different—responses in the audiovisual than auditory mode. We assessed identification by repetition of nonwords with non-intact onsets (e.g., /–B/az). We predicted that visual speech would cause the non-intact onset to be perceived as intact and would therefore generate more Baz—as opposed to az— responses in the audiovisual than auditory mode. Results

Performance of intact and castrated beef cattle in an intensive croppasture rotation system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tercilio Turini

2015-07-01

Full Text Available This research had as objective to evaluate the performance of intact or castrated beef cattle in a croppasture rotation system. The experiment was conducted during 2004 and 2005, and carried out at the Cooperativa Agropecuária Mourãoense (COAMO Experimental Farm, in Campo Mourão city, Paraná state. It was used a completely randomized design, with two treatments, intact or castrated. Forty ½Angus+½Nelore crossbred animals, with average age of nine months, were used. Half of the animals were castrated at weaning, and the other half was kept intact. Pasture was composed of two areas. The winter field, established after soybean crop, was composed by a mixture of black oat (Avena strigosa and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiforum. The summer field was composed by stargrass (Cynodon nlemfuensis and Mombaça grass (Panicum maximum. During the winter time it was used a continues grazing system, with regulator animals (put and take, and during the summer an intensive rotational system, with regulator animals and fixed grazing period. Intact animals presented higher average daily weight gain (0.907 vs 0.698 kg, slaughter weight (490.9 vs 442.2 kg, and hot carcass weight (250.2 vs 232.6 kg. Slaughter age was influenced by sexual condition, being lesser in the intact animals. Carcass dressing percentage was similar for the groups. Castrated animals showed better finishing fat cover and backfat thickness (3.45 vs 2.70 mm compared to intact ones. Therefore, it can be concluded that intact animals presents better performance than castrated ones when finished in an intensive crop-pasture rotation system, however, they may not present the minimum required fat cover, when slaughter at young ages.

Cholesteatoma behind an intact tympanic membrane: histopathologic evidence for a tympanic membrane origin.

Science.gov (United States)

Sudhoff, H; Linthicum, F H

2001-07-01

Several theories have been proposed with respect to the origin and pathogenesis of cholesteatoma behind an intact tympanic membrane. The authors describe a case of cholesteatoma behind an intact tympanic membrane in a 71-year-old man with a history of tympanic membrane retraction fixed to the incus without evidence of a perforation. The membrane eventually became detached, and remnants of keratinizing squamous epithelium were found on the incus. Mechanisms such as metaplasia, ectopic epidermis rests, or ingrowth of meatal epidermis have been proposed to explain the pathogenesis of cholesteatoma behind an intact tympanic membrane. These findings, based on temporal bone histopathology, support the role of an acquired epidermal rest. This case report provides evidence that cholesteatoma behind an intact tympanic membrane can be established from a resolved retraction of the pars tensa of the tympanic membrane.

The Multilevel Mixed Intact Group Analysis: A Mixed Method to Seek, Detect, Describe, and Explain Differences Among Intact Groups

Science.gov (United States)

Schoonenboom, Judith

2016-01-01

Educational innovations often involve intact subgroups, such as school classes or university departments. In small-scale educational evaluation research, typically involving 1 to 20 subgroups, differences among these subgroups are often neglected. This article presents a mixed method from a qualitative perspective, in which differences among…

Structural determination of intact proteins using mass spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

Kruppa, Gary [San Francisco, CA; Schoeniger, Joseph S [Oakland, CA; Young, Malin M [Livermore, CA

2008-05-06

The present invention relates to novel methods of determining the sequence and structure of proteins. Specifically, the present invention allows for the analysis of intact proteins within a mass spectrometer. Therefore, preparatory separations need not be performed prior to introducing a protein sample into the mass spectrometer. Also disclosed herein are new instrumental developments for enhancing the signal from the desired modified proteins, methods for producing controlled protein fragments in the mass spectrometer, eliminating complex microseparations, and protein preparatory chemical steps necessary for cross-linking based protein structure determination.Additionally, the preferred method of the present invention involves the determination of protein structures utilizing a top-down analysis of protein structures to search for covalent modifications. In the preferred method, intact proteins are ionized and fragmented within the mass spectrometer.

How can we conserve intact tropical peatlands?

Science.gov (United States)

Lawson, Ian; Roucoux, Katherine

2017-04-01

The scientific community has, for more than three decades, been expressing increasing alarm about the fate of peatlands in parts of Indonesia and Malaysia, where extensive land-use conversion and drainage for rice and oil palm have greatly compromised peatland hydrology, ecology, biological richness, and carbon storage. The discourse in the literature on these peatlands is now moving on from attempts to preserve the last remaining fragments of peat-swamp forest, towards discussion of how best to restore damaged ecosystems, and whether it is possible to manage plantations more 'sustainably'. It is becoming increasingly clear, however, that peatlands occur quite widely in other parts of the lowland tropics, including parts of Amazonia and the Congo Basin, and many of these peatlands can reasonably be described as 'intact': although few if any parts of the tropics are totally unaffected by human actions, the hydrology and functional ecology of these systems appear to be close to a 'natural' state. The question then arises as to what should be done with the knowledge of their existence. Here we analyse the arguments in favour of protecting intact peatlands, and the potential conflicts with other priorities such as economic development and social justice. We evaluate alternative mechanisms for protecting intact peatlands, focusing on the particular issues raised by peatlands as opposed to other kinds of tropical ecosystem. We identify ways in which natural science agendas can help to inform these arguments, using our own contributions in palaeoecology and carbon mapping as examples. Finally, we argue for a radical reconsideration of research agendas in tropical peatlands, highlighting the potential contribution of methodologies borrowed from the social sciences and humanities.

(Photosynthesis in intact plants)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1990-01-01

Progress in the two years since the last renewal application has been excellent. We have made substantial contributions on both main fronts of the projects, and are particularly happy with the progress of our research on intact plants. The approach of basing our field work on a sound foundation of laboratory studies has enabled is to use methods which provide unambiguous assays of well characterized reactions. We have also made excellent progress in several laboratory studies which will have direct applications in future field work, and have introduced to the laboratory a range of molecular genetics techniques which will allow us to explore new options in the attempt to understand function at the level of molecular structure.

Does human leukocyte elastase degrade intact skin elastin?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmelzer, Christian E H; Jung, Michael C; Wohlrab, Johannes

2012-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the susceptibility of intact fibrillar human elastin to human leukocyte elastase and cathepsin G. Elastin is a vital protein of the extracellular matrix of vertebrates, and provides exceptional properties including elasticity and tensile strength to many tissues...... and organs, including the aorta, lung, cartilage, elastic ligaments and skin, and is thus critical for their long-term function. Mature elastin is an insoluble and extremely durable protein that undergoes very little turnover, but sustained exposure to proteases may lead to irreversible and severe damage......, and thus to functional loss of the elastic fiber network. Hence, it is a key issue to understand which enzymes actually initiate elastolysis under certain pathological conditions or during intrinsic aging. In this paper, we provide a complete workflow for isolation of pure and intact elastin from very...

DNA synthesis in periportal and perivenous hepatocytes of intact and hepatectomized young mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-Blanco, A; Inda, A M; Errecalde, A L

2015-01-01

DNA synthesis of hepatocytes in two areas of Intact and Hepatectomized young mice liver along a circadian period was studied. DNA synthesis was significantly different at all analyzed time points in Intact and Hepatectomized animals. Differences between periportal and perivenous hepatocytes were found in hepatectomized animals at 04/42 and 08/46 hr of day/hour post-hepatectomy. DNAs peak in periportal hepatocytes regenerating liver occurs 4 hr earlier than in perivenous hepatocytes, probably reflecting their shorter G1 phase. Besides, daily mean values of regenerating livers were higher than those observed in Intact animals, as a consequence of surgical removal.

Multi-Axis Prosthetic Knee Resembles Alpine Skiing Movements of an Intact Leg

Science.gov (United States)

Demšar, Ivan; Duhovnik, Jože; Lešnik, Blaž; Supej, Matej

2015-01-01

The purpose of the study was to analyse the flexion angles of the ski boot, ankle and knee joints of an above-knee prosthesis and to compare them with an intact leg and a control group of skiers. One subject with an above-knee amputation of the right leg and eight healthy subjects simulated the movement of a skiing turn by performing two-leg squats in laboratory conditions. By adding additional loads in proportion to body weight (BW; +1/3 BW, +2/3 BW, +3/3 BW), various skiing regimes were simulated. Change of Flexion Angle (CoFA) and Range of Motion (RoM) in the ski boot, ankle and knee joints were calculated and compared. An average RoM in the skiing boot on the side of prosthesis (4.4 ± 1.1°) was significantly lower compared to an intact leg (5.9 ± 1.8°) and the control group (6.5 ± 2.3°). In the ankle joint, the average RoM was determined to be 13.2±2.9° in the prosthesis, 12.7 ± 2.8° in an intact leg and 14.8±3.6 in the control group. However, the RoM of the knee joint in the prosthesis (42.2 ± 4.2°) was significantly larger than that of the intact leg (34.7 ± 4.4°). The average RoM of the knee joint in the control group was 47.8 ± 5.4°. The influences of additional loads on the kinematics of the lower extremities were different on the side of the prosthesis and on the intact leg. In contrast, additional loads did not produce any significant differences in the control group. Although different CoFAs in the ski boot, ankle and knee joints were used, an above-knee prosthesis with a built-in multi-axis prosthetic knee enables comparable leg kinematics in simulated alpine skiing. Key points The RoM in the ski boot on the side of the prosthetic leg was smaller than the RoM of the intact leg and the control group of healthy subjects. The RoM in the ankle joint of prosthetic leg was comparable to that of the intact leg and the control group of healthy subjects. The RoM in the prosthetic knee joint was greater than the RoM in the knee joint of the

Antimicrobial activity of a new intact skin antisepsis formulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Russo, Antonello; Viotti, Pier Luigi; Vitali, Matteo; Clementi, Massimo

2003-04-01

Different antiseptic formulations have shown limitations when applied to disinfecting intact skin, notably short-term tolerability and/or efficacy. The purpose of this study was optimizing a new antiseptic formulation specifically targeted at intact skin disinfection and evaluating its in vitro microbicidal activity and in vivo efficacy. The biocidal properties of the antiseptic solution containing 0.5% chloramine-T diluted in 50% isopropyl alcohol (Cloral; Eurospital SpA Trieste, Italy) were measured in vitro versus gram-positive-, gram-negative-, and acid-alcohol-resistant germs and fungi with standard suspension tests in the presence of fetal bovine serum. Virus-inhibiting activity was evaluated in vitro against human cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, poliovirus, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus. Tests used different methods for the different biologic and in vitro replication capacity of these human viruses. Lastly, Cloral tolerability and skin colonization retardation efficacy after disinfection were studied in vivo. The antiseptic under review showed fast and sustained antimicrobial activity. The efficacy of Cloral against clinically important bacterial and viral pathogens and fungi was highlighted under the experimental conditions described in this article. Finally, microbial regrowth lag and no side effects were documented in vivo after disinfection of 11 volunteers. A stable chloramine-T solution in isopropyl alcohol may be suggested for intact skin antisepsis.

Investigation of Mitochondrial Dysfunction by Sequential Microplate-Based Respiration Measurements from Intact and Permeabilized Neurons

Science.gov (United States)

Clerc, Pascaline; Polster, Brian M.

2012-01-01

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a component of many neurodegenerative conditions. Measurement of oxygen consumption from intact neurons enables evaluation of mitochondrial bioenergetics under conditions that are more physiologically realistic compared to isolated mitochondria. However, mechanistic analysis of mitochondrial function in cells is complicated by changing energy demands and lack of substrate control. Here we describe a technique for sequentially measuring respiration from intact and saponin-permeabilized cortical neurons on single microplates. This technique allows control of substrates to individual electron transport chain complexes following permeabilization, as well as side-by-side comparisons to intact cells. To illustrate the utility of the technique, we demonstrate that inhibition of respiration by the drug KB-R7943 in intact neurons is relieved by delivery of the complex II substrate succinate, but not by complex I substrates, via acute saponin permeabilization. In contrast, methyl succinate, a putative cell permeable complex II substrate, failed to rescue respiration in intact neurons and was a poor complex II substrate in permeabilized cells. Sequential measurements of intact and permeabilized cell respiration should be particularly useful for evaluating indirect mitochondrial toxicity due to drugs or cellular signaling events which cannot be readily studied using isolated mitochondria. PMID:22496810

Impulse radar scanning of intact salt at the Avery Island Mine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cook, C.W.

1980-05-01

A series of experiments was run in the Avery Island Mine to evaluate the capability of an impulse radar to locate anomalies and simulated waste targets in intact dome salt. Voids in salt were difficult to detect. On the positive side, metal targets and simulated waste (glass) were easily located in intact salt. Radar scanning at ranges of greater than 25 meters and short-range resolution of target positions to within a few centimeters were achieved

Performance of intact and partially degraded concrete barriers in limiting fluid flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walton, J.C.; Seitz, R.R.

1991-07-01

Concrete barriers will play a critical role in the long-term isolation of low-level radioactive wastes. Over time the barriers will degrade, and in many cases, the fundamental processes controlling performance of the barriers will be different for intact and degraded conditions. This document examines factors controlling fluid flow through intact and degraded concrete disposal facilities. Simplified models are presented fro predicting build up of fluid above a vault; fluid flow through and around intact vaults, through flaws in coatings/liners applied to a vault, and through cracks in a concrete vault; and the influence of different backfill materials around the outside of the vault. Example calculations are presented to illustrate the parameters and processes that influence fluid flow. 46 refs., 49 figs., 2 tabs

Bioavailability and in vivo metabolism of intact glucosinolates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Jens Christian; Frandsen, Heidi Blok; Jensen, Søren Krogh

2016-01-01

Health benefits associated with consumption of cruciferous vegetables have received considerable attention with a hitherto focus on the role and bioactivity of glucosinolate degradation products. We investigated the in vivo metabolism of intact glucosinolates by following their fate in digesta an...

Occurence of translocations between irradiated and intact chromosomes of Drosophila melanogaster

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myasnyankina, E.N.; Abeleva, Eh.A.; Generalova, M.V.

1980-01-01

Two translocations between irradiated father and intact mother autosomes are obtained in Drosophila melanogaster. Five out of 283 regular translocations (between the second and the third chromosomes of an irradiated male) are accompanied by a recombination over the second or the third chromosomes. Nine flies out of twenty considered to be recombinants, could originate due to mutations. The data obtained prove that intact female autosomes can take part in the exchange with homologic (recombinations) and heterologic (translocations) irradiated male autosomes

Direct detection of radicals in intact soybean nodules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mathieu, C; Moreau, S; Frendo, P

1998-01-01

Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy has been employed to examine the nature of the metal ions and radicals present in intact root nodules of soybean plants grown in the absence of nitrate. The spectra obtained from nodules of different ages using this non-invasive technique show dramatic...... differences, suggesting that there are both qualitative and quantitative changes in the metal ion and radical species present. A major component of the spectra obtained from young nodules is assigned to a complex (Lb-NO) of nitric oxide (NO.) with the heme protein leghemoglobin (Lb). This Lb-NO species, which...... has not been previously detected in intact root nodules of plants grown in the absence of nitrate, is thought to be formed by reaction of nitric oxide with iron(II) leghemoglobin. The nitric oxide may be generated from arginine via a nitric oxide synthase-like activity present in the nodules...

Capillary zone electrophoresis-mass spectromet of intact proteins

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Domínguez-Vega, Elena; Haselberg, Rob; Somsen, Govert W.

2016-01-01

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) has proven to be a powerful analytical tool for the characterization of intact proteins. It combines the high separation efficiency, short analysis time, and versatility of CE with the mass selectivity and sensitivity offered by MS

Losing a jewel—Rapid declines in Myanmar’s intact forests from 2002-2014

Science.gov (United States)

Horning, Ned; Khaing, Thiri; Thein, Zaw Min; Aung, Kyaw Moe; Aung, Kyaw Htet; Phyo, Paing; Tun, Ye Lin; Oo, Aung Htat; Neil, Anthony; Thu, Win Myo; Songer, Melissa; Huang, Qiongyu; Connette, Grant; Leimgruber, Peter

2017-01-01

New and rapid political and economic changes in Myanmar are increasing the pressures on the country’s forests. Yet, little is known about the past and current condition of these forests and how fast they are declining. We mapped forest cover in Myanmar through a consortium of international organizations and environmental non-governmental groups, using freely-available public domain data and open source software tools. We used Landsat satellite imagery to assess the condition and spatial distribution of Myanmar’s intact and degraded forests with special focus on changes in intact forest between 2002 and 2014. We found that forests cover 42,365,729 ha or 63% of Myanmar, making it one of the most forested countries in the region. However, severe logging, expanding plantations, and degradation pose increasing threats. Only 38% of the country’s forests can be considered intact with canopy cover >80%. Between 2002 and 2014, intact forests declined at a rate of 0.94% annually, totaling more than 2 million ha forest loss. Losses can be extremely high locally and we identified 9 townships as forest conversion hotspots. We also delineated 13 large (>100,000 ha) and contiguous intact forest landscapes, which are dispersed across Myanmar. The Northern Forest Complex supports four of these landscapes, totaling over 6.1 million ha of intact forest, followed by the Southern Forest Complex with three landscapes, comprising 1.5 million ha. These remaining contiguous forest landscape should have high priority for protection. Our project demonstrates how open source data and software can be used to develop and share critical information on forests when such data are not readily available elsewhere. We provide all data, code, and outputs freely via the internet at (for scripts: https://bitbucket.org/rsbiodiv/; for the data: http://geonode.themimu.info/layers/geonode%3Amyan_lvl2_smoothed_dec2015_resamp) PMID:28520726

Non-intact zona improves development of murine preimplantation ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ajl5

2012-09-25

Sep 25, 2012 ... 2College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, ... Key words: Mouse, non-intact zona embryos, adenovirus vector with green fluorescent protein (pAd-GFP), .... Based on microscopic examination, the ZP of some ..... permeable structure of ZP that allowed penetration of.

Quantitative Analysis of Human Salivary Gland-Derived Intact Proteome Using Top-Down Mass Spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Si; Brown, Joseph N.; Tolic, Nikola; Meng, Da; Liu, Xiaowen; Zhang, Haizhen; Zhao, Rui; Moore, Ronald J.; Pevzner, Pavel A.; Smith, Richard D.; Pasa-Tolic, Ljiljana

2014-05-31

There are several notable challenges inherent to fully characterizing the entirety of the human saliva proteome using bottom-up approaches, including polymorphic isoforms, post-translational modifications, unique splice variants, deletions, and truncations. To address these challenges, we have developed a top-down based liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) approach, which cataloged 20 major human salivary proteins with a total of 83 proteoforms, containing a broad range of post-translational modifications. Among these proteins, several previously reported disease biomarker proteins were identified at the intact protein level, such as beta-2 microglobulin (B2M). In addition, intact glycosylated proteoforms of several saliva proteins were also characterized, including intact N-glycosylated protein prolactin inducible protein (PIP) and O-glycosylated acidic protein rich protein (aPRP). These characterized proteoforms constitute an intact saliva proteoform database, which was used for quantitative comparison of intact salivary proteoforms among six healthy individuals. Human parotid (PS) and submandibular/sublingual gland (SMSL) secretion samples (2 μg of protein each) from six healthy individuals were compared using RPLC coupled with the 12T FTICR mass spectrometer. Significantly different protein and PTM patterns were resolved with high reproducibility between PS and SMSL glands. The results from this study provide further insight into the potential mechanisms of PTM pathways in oral glandular secretion, expanding our knowledge of this complex yet easily accessible fluid. Intact protein LC-MS approach presented herein can potentially be applied for rapid and accurate identification of biomarkers from only a few microliters of human glandular saliva.

Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy for predicting amino acids content in intact processed animal proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

De la Haba, Maria José; Garrido-Varo, Ana; Guerrero-Ginel, José Emilio; Pérez-Marín, Dolores C

2006-10-04

Near-infrared calibrations were developed for the instantaneous prediction of amino acids composition of processed animal proteins (PAPs). Two sample presentation modes were compared (ground vs intact) for demonstrating the viability of the analysis in the intact form, avoiding the need for milling. Modified partial least-squares (MPLS) equations for the prediction of amino acids in PAPs were developed using the same set of samples (N = 92 PAPs) analyzed in ground and intact form and in three cups differing in the optical window size. The standard error for cross validation (SECV) and the coefficient of determination (1-VR) values yielded with the calibrations developed using the samples analyzed in the intact form showed similar or even better accuracy than those obtained with finely ground samples. The excellent predictive ability (1-VR > 0.90; CV marketing of these important protein feed ingredients, alleviating the costs and time associated with the routine quality controls.

Aboveground Biomass Variability Across Intact and Degraded Forests in the Brazilian Amazon

Science.gov (United States)

Longo, Marcos; Keller, Michael; Dos-Santos, Maiza N.; Leitold, Veronika; Pinage, Ekena R.; Baccini, Alessandro; Saatchi, Sassan; Nogueira, Euler M.; Batistella, Mateus; Morton, Douglas C.

2016-01-01

Deforestation rates have declined in the Brazilian Amazon since 2005, yet degradation from logging, re, and fragmentation has continued in frontier forests. In this study we quantified the aboveground carbon density (ACD) in intact and degraded forests using the largest data set of integrated forest inventory plots (n 359) and airborne lidar data (18,000 ha) assembled to date for the Brazilian Amazon. We developed statistical models relating inventory ACD estimates to lidar metrics that explained70 of the variance across forest types. Airborne lidar-ACD estimates for intact forests ranged between 5.0 +/- 2.5 and 31.9 +/- 10.8 kg C m(exp -2). Degradation carbon losses were large and persistent. Sites that burned multiple times within a decade lost up to 15.0 +/- 0.7 kg C m(-2)(94%) of ACD. Forests that burned nearly15 years ago had between 4.1 +/- 0.5 and 6.8 +/- 0.3 kg C m(exp -2) (22-40%) less ACD than intact forests. Even for low-impact logging disturbances, ACD was between 0.7 +/- 0.3 and 4.4 +/- 0.4 kg C m(exp -2)(4-21%) lower than unlogged forests. Comparing biomass estimates from airborne lidar to existing biomass maps, we found that regional and pan-tropical products consistently overestimated ACD in degraded forests, under-estimated ACD in intact forests, and showed little sensitivity to res and logging. Fine-scale heterogeneity in ACD across intact and degraded forests highlights the benefits of airborne lidar for carbon mapping. Differences between airborne lidar and regional biomass maps underscore the need to improve and update biomass estimates for dynamic land use frontiers, to better characterize deforestation and degradation carbon emissions for regional carbon budgets and Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation(REDD+).

Phosphorylation of intact erythrocytes in human muscular dystrophy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, R.M.; Nigro, M.

1986-01-01

The uptake of exogenous 32 Pi into the membrane proteins of intact erythrocytes was measured in 8 patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. No abnormalities were noted after autoradiographic analysis. This contrasts with earlier results obtained when isolated membranes were phosphorylated with gamma-[ 32 P]ATP, and suggests a possible reinterpretation of those experiments

Sympathetic Nervous Regulation of Calcium and Action Potential Alternans in the Intact Heart.

Science.gov (United States)

Winter, James; Bishop, Martin J; Wilder, Catherine D E; O'Shea, Christopher; Pavlovic, Davor; Shattock, Michael J

2018-01-01

Rationale: Arrhythmogenic cardiac alternans are thought to be an important determinant for the initiation of ventricular fibrillation. There is limited information on the effects of sympathetic nerve stimulation (SNS) on alternans in the intact heart and the conclusions of existing studies, focused on investigating electrical alternans, are conflicted. Meanwhile, several lines of evidence implicate instabilities in Ca handling, not electrical restitution, as the primary mechanism underpinning alternans. Despite this, there have been no studies on Ca alternans and SNS in the intact heart. The present study sought to address this, by application of voltage and Ca optical mapping for the simultaneous study of APD and Ca alternans in the intact guinea pig heart during direct SNS. Objective : To determine the effects of SNS on APD and Ca alternans in the intact guinea pig heart and to examine the mechanism(s) by which the effects of SNS are mediated. Methods and Results : Studies utilized simultaneous voltage and Ca optical mapping in isolated guinea pig hearts with intact innervation. Alternans were induced using a rapid dynamic pacing protocol. SNS was associated with rate-independent shortening of action potential duration (APD) and the suppression of APD and Ca alternans, as indicated by a shift in the alternans threshold to faster pacing rates. Qualitatively similar results were observed with exogenous noradrenaline perfusion. In contrast with previous reports, both SNS and noradrenaline acted to flatten the slope of the electrical restitution curve. Pharmacological block of the slow delayed rectifying potassium current (I Ks ), sufficient to abolish I Ks -mediated APD-adaptation, partially reversed the effects of SNS on pacing-induced alternans. Treatment with cyclopiazonic acid, an inhibitor of the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum ATPase, had opposite effects to that of SNS, acting to increase susceptibility to alternans, and suggesting that accelerated Ca reuptake

Spontaneous and light-induced photon emission from intact brains of chick embryos

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

张锦珠; 于文斗; 孙彤

1997-01-01

Photon emission (PE) and light-induced photon emission(LPE) of intact brains isolated from chick embryos have been measured by using the single photon counting device. Experimental results showed that the intensi-ty level of photon emission was detected to be higher from intact brain than from the medium in which the brain was immerged during measuring, and the emission intensity was related to the developmental stages, the healthy situation of the measured embryos, and the freshness of isolated brains as well. After white light illumination, a short-life de-layed emission from intact brains was observed, and its relaxation behavior followed a hyperbolic rather than an expo-nential law. According to the hypothesis of biophoton emission originating from a delocalized coherent electromagnetic field and Frohlich’s idea of coherent long-range interactions in biological systems, discussions were made on the signifi-cance of photon emission in studying cell communication, biological regulation, living system’

Predictors of attachment security in preschool children from intact and divorced families.

Science.gov (United States)

Nair, Hira; Murray, Ann D

2005-09-01

The authors selected 58 mother-child dyads from divorced and intact families to participate in a study on the impact of divorce on preschoolers' attachment security. The authors explored pathways that lead to security of attachment. They found that mothers from divorced families were younger, had lower income levels, and had lower levels of education compared with their intact counterparts. Divorced mothers also reported significantly higher levels of stress, depression, need for social support, and conflict with their spouses. Mothers from intact families were more likely to use positive (authoritative) parenting styles compared with divorced mothers. Children in the divorced group had lower security scores on the Attachment Q-Set instrument (E. Waters, 1995). Regression analyses indicated that parenting style made a direct (independent) contribution to attachment security. In addition, temperament was related to attachment security, but temperament did not diminish the association of parenting style with attachment security. Furthermore, regression analyses indicated that the relationship of divorce to attachment security was mediated by parenting style.

Toward best practices in data processing and analysis for intact biotherapeutics by MS in quantitative bioanalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kellie, John F; Kehler, Jonathan R; Karlinsey, Molly Z; Summerfield, Scott G

2017-12-01

Typically, quantitation of biotherapeutics from biological matrices by LC-MS is based on a surrogate peptide approach to determine molecule concentration. Recent efforts have focused on quantitation of the intact protein molecules or larger mass subunits of monoclonal antibodies. To date, there has been limited guidance for large or intact protein mass quantitation for quantitative bioanalysis. Intact- and subunit-level analyses of biotherapeutics from biological matrices are performed at 12-25 kDa mass range with quantitation data presented. Linearity, bias and other metrics are presented along with recommendations made on the viability of existing quantitation approaches. This communication is intended to start a discussion around intact protein data analysis and processing, recognizing that other published contributions will be required.

SOLITARY CHEMORECEPTOR CELL SURVIVAL IS INDEPENDENT OF INTACT TRIGEMINAL INNERVATION

Science.gov (United States)

Gulbransen, Brian; Silver, Wayne; Finger, Tom

2008-01-01

Nasal solitary chemoreceptor cells (SCCs) are a population of specialized chemosensory epithelial cells presumed to broaden trigeminal chemoreceptivity in mammals (Finger et al., 2003). SCCs are innervated by peptidergic trigeminal nerve fibers (Finger et al., 2003) but it is currently unknown if intact innervation is necessary for SCC development or survival. We tested the dependence of SCCs on innervation by eliminating trigeminal nerve fibers during development with neurogenin-1 knockout mice, during early postnatal development with capsaicin desensitization, and during adulthood with trigeminal lesioning. Our results demonstrate that elimination of innervation at any of these times does not result in decreased SCC numbers. In conclusion, neither SCC development nor mature cell maintenance is dependent on intact trigeminal innervation. PMID:18300260

Comparative transcriptional survey between self-incompatibility and self-compatibility in Citrus reticulata Blanco.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Yuewen; Li, Qiulei; Hu, Guibing; Qin, Yonghua

2017-04-20

Seedlessness is an excellent economical trait, and self-incompatibility (SI) is one of important factors resulting in seedless fruit in Citrus. However, SI molecular mechanism in Citrus is still unclear. In this study, RNA-Seq technology was used to identify differentially expressed genes related to SI reaction of 'Wuzishatangju' (Citrus reticulata Blanco). A total of 35.67GB raw RNA-Seq data was generated and was de novo assembled into 50,364 unigenes with an average length of 897bp and N50 value of 1549. Twenty-three candidate unigenes related to SI were analyzed using qPCR at different tissues and stages after self- and cross-pollination. Seven pollen S genes (Unigene0050323, Unigene0001060, Unigene0004230, Unigene0004222, Unigene0012037, Unigene0048889 and Unigene0004272), three pistil S genes (Unigene0019191, Unigene0040115, Unigene0036542) and three genes (Unigene0038751, Unigene0031435 and Unigene0029897) associated with the pathway of ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis were identified. Unigene0031435, Unigene0038751 and Unigene0029897 are probably involved in SI reaction of 'Wuzishatangju' based on expression analyses. The present study provides a new insight into the molecular mechanism of SI in Citrus at the transcriptional level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The impact of family intactness on family functioning, parental control and parent-child relational qualities in a Chinese context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Tan Lei Shek

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The current study investigated the differences between intact and non-intact families in family processes, including systematic family functioning, parental behavioral control, parental psychological control, and parent-child relational qualities. The participants were 3,328 Secondary One students, with a mean age of 12.59 years, recruited from 28 secondary schools in Hong Kong. Four validated scales were used to assess family processes. Results showed that adolescents in non-intact families perceived relatively poorer family functioning, lower level of paternal and maternal behavioral control, lower level of paternal psychological control and poorer parent-child relational qualities than did adolescents in intact families. This generally indicated that family processes were poorer in non-intact families, compared with those in intact families. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings were discussed.

Global forest loss disproportionately erodes biodiversity in intact landscapes.

Science.gov (United States)

Betts, Matthew G; Wolf, Christopher; Ripple, William J; Phalan, Ben; Millers, Kimberley A; Duarte, Adam; Butchart, Stuart H M; Levi, Taal

2017-07-27

Global biodiversity loss is a critical environmental crisis, yet the lack of spatial data on biodiversity threats has hindered conservation strategies. Theory predicts that abrupt biodiversity declines are most likely to occur when habitat availability is reduced to very low levels in the landscape (10-30%). Alternatively, recent evidence indicates that biodiversity is best conserved by minimizing human intrusion into intact and relatively unfragmented landscapes. Here we use recently available forest loss data to test deforestation effects on International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List categories of extinction risk for 19,432 vertebrate species worldwide. As expected, deforestation substantially increased the odds of a species being listed as threatened, undergoing recent upgrading to a higher threat category and exhibiting declining populations. More importantly, we show that these risks were disproportionately high in relatively intact landscapes; even minimal deforestation has had severe consequences for vertebrate biodiversity. We found little support for the alternative hypothesis that forest loss is most detrimental in already fragmented landscapes. Spatial analysis revealed high-risk hot spots in Borneo, the central Amazon and the Congo Basin. In these regions, our model predicts that 121-219 species will become threatened under current rates of forest loss over the next 30 years. Given that only 17.9% of these high-risk areas are formally protected and only 8.9% have strict protection, new large-scale conservation efforts to protect intact forests are necessary to slow deforestation rates and to avert a new wave of global extinctions.

Superolateral Dislocation of Intact Mandibular Condyle: A Case Report and Review of Literature

OpenAIRE

Saikrishna, Degala; Shyam Sundar, S.; Mamata, K. S.

2015-01-01

Anteromedial fracture dislocation of the mandibular condyle is common but a superolateral dislocation of an intact condyle is quite rare. This type of dislocation is often misdiagnosed or completely overlooked and hence inadequately addressed. We report a case of a 41-year-old male patient who experienced superolateral dislocation of the intact condyle with symphysis fracture and panfacial fracture following a road-traffic accident, and review of literature of superolateral dislocations from ...

Prediction of valid acidity in intact apples with Fourier transform near infrared spectroscopy*

OpenAIRE

Liu, Yan-de; Ying, Yi-bin; Fu, Xia-ping

2005-01-01

To develop nondestructive acidity prediction for intact Fuji apples, the potential of Fourier transform near infrared (FT-NIR) method with fiber optics in interactance mode was investigated. Interactance in the 800 nm to 2619 nm region was measured for intact apples, harvested from early to late maturity stages. Spectral data were analyzed by two multivariate calibration techniques including partial least squares (PLS) and principal component regression (PCR) methods. A total of 120 Fuji appl...

Multi-Axis Prosthetic Knee Resembles Alpine Skiing Movements of an Intact Leg

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan Demšar, Jože Duhovnik, Blaž Lešnik, Matej Supej

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to analyse the flexion angles of the ski boot, ankle and knee joints of an above-knee prosthesis and to compare them with an intact leg and a control group of skiers. One subject with an above-knee amputation of the right leg and eight healthy subjects simulated the movement of a skiing turn by performing two-leg squats in laboratory conditions. By adding additional loads in proportion to body weight (BW; +1/3 BW, +2/3 BW, +3/3 BW, various skiing regimes were simulated. Change of Flexion Angle (CoFA and Range of Motion (RoM in the ski boot, ankle and knee joints were calculated and compared. An average RoM in the skiing boot on the side of prosthesis (4.4 ± 1.1° was significantly lower compared to an intact leg (5.9 ± 1.8° and the control group (6.5 ± 2.3°. In the ankle joint, the average RoM was determined to be 13.2±2.9° in the prosthesis, 12.7 ± 2.8° in an intact leg and 14.8±3.6 in the control group. However, the RoM of the knee joint in the prosthesis (42.2 ± 4.2° was significantly larger than that of the intact leg (34.7 ± 4.4°. The average RoM of the knee joint in the control group was 47.8 ± 5.4°. The influences of additional loads on the kinematics of the lower extremities were different on the side of the prosthesis and on the intact leg. In contrast, additional loads did not produce any significant differences in the control group. Although different CoFAs in the ski boot, ankle and knee joints were used, an above-knee prosthesis with a built-in multi-axis prosthetic knee enables comparable leg kinematics in simulated alpine skiing.

Visual Speech Fills in Both Discrimination and Identification of Non-Intact Auditory Speech in Children

Science.gov (United States)

Jerger, Susan; Damian, Markus F.; McAlpine, Rachel P.; Abdi, Herve

2018-01-01

To communicate, children must discriminate and identify speech sounds. Because visual speech plays an important role in this process, we explored how visual speech influences phoneme discrimination and identification by children. Critical items had intact visual speech (e.g. baez) coupled to non-intact (excised onsets) auditory speech (signified…

Intactness of cell wall structure controls the in vitro digestion of starch in legumes.

Science.gov (United States)

Dhital, Sushil; Bhattarai, Rewati R; Gorham, John; Gidley, Michael J

2016-03-01

Increasing the level of starch that is not digested by the end of the small intestine and therefore enters the colon ('resistant starch') is a major opportunity for improving the nutritional profile of foods. One mechanism that has been shown to be successful is entrapment of starch within an intact plant tissue structure. However, the level of tissue intactness required for resistance to amylase digestion has not been defined. In this study, intact cells were isolated from a range of legumes after thermal treatment at 60 °C (starch not gelatinised) or 95 °C (starch gelatinised) followed by hydrolysis using pancreatic alpha amylase. It was found that intact cells, isolated at either temperature, were impervious to amylase. However, application of mechanical force damaged the cell wall and made starch accessible to digestive enzymes. This shows that the access of enzymes to the entrapped swollen starch is the rate limiting step controlling hydrolysis of starch in cooked legumes. The results suggest that a single cell wall could be sufficient to provide an effective delivery of starch to the large intestine with consequent nutritional benefits, provided that mechanical damage during digestion is avoided.

Differences in School Behavior and Achievement between Children from Intact, Reconstituted, and Single-Parent Families.

Science.gov (United States)

Featherstone, Darin R.; And Others

1992-01-01

Analyzed differences in school behavior and achievement among students (n=530) in grades six through nine from intact, reconstituted, and single-parent families. Students from intact, two-parent families had fewer absences and tardies, higher grade point averages, and fewer negative and more positive teacher behavioral ratings than did those from…

Binding of radiolabelled luteinizing hormone to intact and ovariectomised rat uterus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sen, S.; Bhattacharya, S.

1992-01-01

Binding of ovine LH to uterine tissue preparation from intact and ovariectomised rat clearly indicates that uterus possesses specific binding sites for LH. Binding characteristics of LH to uterine tissue preparation from intact rat showed saturability with high affinity and low capacity. Scatchard plot analysis showed dissociation constant of the specific binding site to be 0.12 x 10 -9 mol/l and the number of binding sites was 2.31±0.05 fmol/mg protein. Ovariectomy did not change the binding affinity but effected a decrease in the number of binding sites (1.7 ± 0.08 f mol/mg protein). LH treatment of ovariectomized (ovx) rat had no effect on binding affinity but significantly increased the number of binding sites (3.23 ± 0.1 f mol/mg protein). Reduction of uterine weight due to ovariectomy and marked increase of ovx rat uterine weight by LH administration indicate a source of estrogen in ovx rat. An in vitro uterine tissue slice (from intact and ovx rat) incubation showed depletion of 17 β-estradiol (E 2 ) content in ovx rat which significantly elevated on LH addition. Data suggest the LH binding to rat uterine tissue has biological relevance. (author). 16 refs., 4 figs. 1 tab

Risks for Conduct Disorder Symptoms Associated with Parental Alcoholism in Stepfather Families versus Intact Families from a Community Sample

Science.gov (United States)

Foley, Debra L.; Pickles, Andrew; Rutter, Michael; Gardner, Charles O.; Maes, Hermine H.; Silberg, Judy L.; Eaves, Lindon J.

2004-01-01

Background: It is not known if the prevalence of parental psychiatric disorders is higher in stepfather than intact families, or if parental alcoholism is differentially associated with risk for conduct disorder (CD) symptoms in stepfather families versus intact families. Method: The sample comprised 839 girls and 741 boys from 792 intact families…

Behavior Management Style of Single Parents and Intact Families.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Douglas K.; And Others

Studies examining the behavior management styles of parents as a function of family intactness and parent employment status are lacking. To assess parental style of behavior management, the Parental Management Questionnaire (PMQ) was completed by 1,957 parents of elementary school children (50% response rate). The PMQ is based on Aronfreed's…

Quantitative proteomic analysis of intact plastids.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiraya, Takeshi; Kaneko, Kentaro; Mitsui, Toshiaki

2014-01-01

Plastids are specialized cell organelles in plant cells that are differentiated into various forms including chloroplasts, chromoplasts, and amyloplasts, and fulfill important functions in maintaining the overall cell metabolism and sensing environmental factors such as sunlight. It is therefore important to grasp the mechanisms of differentiation and functional changes of plastids in order to enhance the understanding of vegetality. In this chapter, details of a method for the extraction of intact plastids that makes analysis possible while maintaining the plastid functions are provided; in addition, a quantitative shotgun method for analyzing the composition and changes in the content of proteins in plastids as a result of environmental impacts is described.

Comparison of allergenicity and immunogenicity of an intact allergen vaccine and commercially available allergoid products for birch pollen immunotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lund, L; Henmar, H; Würtzen, P A; Lund, G; Hjortskov, N; Larsen, J N

2007-04-01

Specific immunotherapy with intact allergen vaccine is a well-documented treatment for allergic diseases. Different vaccine formulations are currently commercially available, the active ingredient either being intact allergens or chemically modified allergoids. The rationale behind allergoids is to decrease allergenicity while maintaining immunogenicity. However, data from the German health authorities based on reporting of adverse events over a 10-year period did not indicate increased safety of allergoids over intact allergens. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of chemical modification on allergenicity and immunogenicity comparing four commercial allergoid products for birch pollen immunotherapy with an intact allergen vaccine. Solid-phase IgE inhibition and histamine release assays were selected as model systems for allergenicity, and a combination of human T cell proliferation and IgG titres following mouse immunizations were used to address the immunogenicity of the intact allergen vaccine and the four allergoids. In all assays, the products were normalized with respect to the manufacturer's recommended maintenance dose. IgE inhibition experiments showed a change in epitope composition comparing intact allergen vaccine with allergoid. One allergoid product induced enhanced histamine release compared to the intact allergens, while the other three allergoids showed reduced release. Standard T cell stimulation assays using lines from allergic patients showed a reduced response for all allergoids compared with the intact allergen vaccine regardless of the cell type used for antigen presentation. All allergoids showed reduced capacity to induce allergen-specific IgG responses in mice. While some allergoids were associated with reduced allergenicity, a clear reduction in immunogenicity was observed for all allergoid products compared with the intact allergen vaccine, and the commercial allergoids tested therefore do not fulfil the allergoid

Raman spectroscopy of normal oral buccal mucosa tissues: study on intact and incised biopsies

Science.gov (United States)

Deshmukh, Atul; Singh, S. P.; Chaturvedi, Pankaj; Krishna, C. Murali

2011-12-01

Oral squamous cell carcinoma is one of among the top 10 malignancies. Optical spectroscopy, including Raman, is being actively pursued as alternative/adjunct for cancer diagnosis. Earlier studies have demonstrated the feasibility of classifying normal, premalignant, and malignant oral ex vivo tissues. Spectral features showed predominance of lipids and proteins in normal and cancer conditions, respectively, which were attributed to membrane lipids and surface proteins. In view of recent developments in deep tissue Raman spectroscopy, we have recorded Raman spectra from superior and inferior surfaces of 10 normal oral tissues on intact, as well as incised, biopsies after separation of epithelium from connective tissue. Spectral variations and similarities among different groups were explored by unsupervised (principal component analysis) and supervised (linear discriminant analysis, factorial discriminant analysis) methodologies. Clusters of spectra from superior and inferior surfaces of intact tissues show a high overlap; whereas spectra from separated epithelium and connective tissue sections yielded clear clusters, though they also overlap on clusters of intact tissues. Spectra of all four groups of normal tissues gave exclusive clusters when tested against malignant spectra. Thus, this study demonstrates that spectra recorded from the superior surface of an intact tissue may have contributions from deeper layers but has no bearing from the classification of a malignant tissues point of view.

Secretion of intact proteins and peptide fragments by lysosomal pathways of protein degradation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isenman, L.D.; Dice, J.F.

1989-01-01

We report that degradation of proteins microinjected into human fibroblasts is accompanied by release into the culture medium of peptide fragments and intact proteins as well as single amino acids. For the nine proteins and polypeptides microinjected, acid-precipitable radioactivity, i.e. peptide fragments and/or intact proteins, ranged from 10 to 67% of the total released radioactivity. Peptide fragments and/or intact protein accounted for 60% of the radioactivity released into the medium by cells microinjected with ribonuclease A. Two major radiolabeled peptide fragments were found, and one was of an appropriate size to function as an antigen in antigen-presenting cells. The peptides released from microinjected ribonuclease A were derived from lysosomal pathways of proteolysis based on several lines of evidence. Previous studies have shown that microinjected ribonuclease A is degraded to single amino acids entirely within lysosomes. We show that release of free amino acids and peptide fragments and/or intact protein was equivalently stimulated by serum deprivation and equivalently inhibited by NH4Cl. We also show that lysosomal degradation of endocytosed [3H]ribonuclease A was accompanied by the release of two peptide fragments similar in size and charge to those from microinjected [ 3 H]ribonuclease A. These findings demonstrate that degradation within lysosomes occurs in a manner that spares specific peptides; they also suggest a previously unsuspected pathway by which cells can secrete cytosol-derived polypeptides

40 CFR 261.40 - Conditional Exclusion for Used, Intact Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) Exported for Recycling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Conditional Exclusion for Used, Intact Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) Exported for Recycling. 261.40 Section 261.40 Protection of Environment...) Exported for Recycling. Used, intact CRTs exported for recycling are not solid wastes if they meet the...

Radioimmunolocalization and selective delivery of radiation in a rat model system: comparison of intact and fragmented antibody

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walker, K.Z.; Seymour-Munn, K.; Axiak, S.M.; Raison, R.L.; Basten, A.; Towson, J.E.; Bautovitch, G.J.; Morris, J.

1988-01-01

Monoclonal antibody (MoAb) fragments are known to have advantages over intact immunoglobulins for radioimmunoscintigraphy. It is less clear whether they are as effective in the delivery of radioimmunotherapy. The imaging and dosimetric properties of an intact MoAb, K-1-21, reactive against human kappa light chains (LC) were compared with that of its F(ab') 2 and Fab fragments using a normal rat model system. Two days after injection of 131 I-K-1-21 into rats bearing antigen-sepharose implants, gamma camera images showed specific localization of the MoAb to the target (kappa LC) but not to the control (lambda LC) implant. Better images were obtained with K-1-21 F(ab') 2 than with Fab or intact antibody. Mean kappa implant: blood ratios were 8.6 ± 3.9 for Fab, 7.9 ± 1.8 for F(ab') 2 and 2.0 ± 0.3 for intact K-1-21. The improvement associated with the use of 131 I-K-1-21 fragments was, however, achieved at the expense of lower absolute values of activity at the target site. Thus the absorbed dose delivered to the implant by the intact K-1-21 was double that delivered with F(ab') 2 and six times that delivered with Fab. As intact K-1-21 also delivered a greater radiation dose to normal tissues, F(ab') 2 fragments may have the greatest overall advantages for therapy with radionuclide MoAb conjugates. (author)

Oxidation of molecular tritium by intact soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sweet, C.W.; Murphy, C.E. Jr.

1980-01-01

The effects of environmental factors on the rate of oxidation of molecular tritium (T 2 ) to tritiated water (HTO) were determined for intact soils during field exposures. Maximum deposition velocities of approximately 0.03 cm/sec were measured for T 2 at low wind speeds for a variety of soils over a wide range of conditions. Deposition velocities were slightly inhibited in wet soils and at 0 0 C. In dry soils, oxidation of T 2 to HTO occurred deeper in the soil profile, but deposition velocities were unaffected

Decomposition of intact chicken feathers by a thermophile in combination with an acidulocomposting garbage-treatment process.

Science.gov (United States)

Shigeri, Yasushi; Matsui, Tatsunobu; Watanabe, Kunihiko

2009-11-01

In order to develop a practical method for the decomposition of intact chicken feathers, a moderate thermophile strain, Meiothermus ruber H328, having strong keratinolytic activity, was used in a bio-type garbage-treatment machine working with an acidulocomposting process. The addition of strain H328 cells (15 g) combined with acidulocomposting in the garbage machine resulted in 70% degradation of intact chicken feathers (30 g) within 14 d. This degradation efficiency is comparable to a previous result employing the strain as a single bacterium in flask culture, and it indicates that strain H328 can promote intact feather degradation activity in a garbage machine currently on the market.

Prevalence of depressive symptoms in older nursing home residents with intact cognitive function in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Sophia H; Chuang, Yeu-Hui; Ting, Yeh-Feng; Lin, Kuan-Yu; Hsieh, Chia-Jung

2018-03-25

The investigators aimed to explore the prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated factors among older residents with intact cognitive function in nursing homes in Taiwan. A cross-sectional descriptive and correlational research design was used. A convenience sample of 178 older residents without cognitive impairment was recruited from 36 nursing homes in Southern Taiwan. The questionnaires included demographic data; the Barthel Index, which assesses the ability to perform activities of daily living; and the Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form. Among older residents in nursing homes with intact cognitive function, 39.3% had depressive symptoms. Age, religion, previous living status, previous working status, being totally dependent in physical function, and being severely dependent in physical function were significant predictors of depressive symptoms among cognitively intact older residents. The findings highlight the critical mental healthcare issues among older residents with intact cognitive function in nursing homes. Practical strategies for preventing the occurrence of depressive symptoms and caring for those who have depressive symptoms should be developed, especially for younger or dependent older residents or residents who have never been employed, have no religious beliefs, or have lived alone before they moved into an institution. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Genistein Stimulates Jejunum Chloride Secretion via an Akt-Mediated Pathway in Intact Female Mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lana Leung

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: We have previously shown that daily subcutaneous injections with the naturally occurring phytoestrogen genistein (600 mg genistein/kg body weight/day, 600G results in a significantly increased basal intestinal chloride, Cl-, secretion (Isc, a measure of transepithelial secretion in intact C57BL/6J female mice after 1-week of treatment, compared to controls (DMSO vehicle injected. Removal of endogenous estrogen via ovariectomy (OVX had no effect on the 600G-mediated increase in basal Isc. Methods: Given the estrogen-like characteristics of genistein, we compared the effects of daily estradiol (E2 injections (10 mg E2/kg body weight/day, 10E2 on basal Isc in intact and OVX mice. In intact mice, 10E2 was without effect on basal Isc, however, in OVX mice, 10E2 significantly increased basal Isc (mimicked 600G. The goal of the current study was to characterize the intracellular signaling pathways responsible for mediating 600G- or 10E2-stimulated increases in basal Isc in intact female or OVX mice. Results: We measured total protein expression in isolated segments of jejunum using western blot from the following six groups of mice; intact or OVX with; 600G, 10E2 or control. The proteins of interest were: Akt, p-Akt, p-PDK1, p-PTEN, p-c-Raf, p-GSK-3β, rap-1 and ERK1/2. All blots were normalized to GAPDH levels (n = 6-18/group. Conclusion: These data suggest that the presence of the endogenous sex steroid, estrogen, modifies the intracellular signaling pathway required to mediate Cl- secretion when the intestine is exposed to exogenous 600G or E2. These studies may have relevance for designing pharmacological tools for women with intestinal chloride secretory dysfunctions.

46 CFR 173.025 - Additional intact stability standards: Counterballasted vessels.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

...) SUBDIVISION AND STABILITY SPECIAL RULES PERTAINING TO VESSEL USE Lifting § 173.025 Additional intact stability standards: Counterballasted vessels. (a) Each vessel equipped to counterballast while lifting must be shown... loading and operation and at each combination of hook load and crane radius. (b) When doing the...

In vitro permeation of palladium powders through intact and damaged human skin.

Science.gov (United States)

Crosera, Matteo; Mauro, Marcella; Bovenzi, Massimo; Adami, Gianpiero; Baracchini, Elena; Maina, Giovanni; Larese Filon, Francesca

2018-05-01

The use of palladium (Pd) has grown in the last decades, commonly used in automotive catalytic converters, jewellery and dental restorations sectors. Both general and working population can be exposed to this metal, which may act as skin sensitizer. This study investigated in vitro palladium powders permeation through excised intact and damaged human skin using the Franz diffusion cell method and the effect of rapid skin decontamination using sodium laureth-sulphate. 1 mL of a 10 min sonicated suspension made of 2.5 g of Pd powder in 50 mL synthetic sweat at pH 4.5 and room temperature was applied to the outer surface of the skin membranes for 24 h. Pd permeation, assessed by ICP-MS, was higher when damaged skin was used (p = 0.03). Final flux permeation values and lag times were 0.02 ± 0.01 μg cm -2  h -1 and 6.00 ± 3.95 h for intact, and 0.10 ± 0.02 μg cm -2  h -1 and 2.05 ± 1.49 h for damaged skin samples, respectively. Damaged skin protocol enhances Pd skin penetration inside dermal layer (p = 0.04), thus making the metal available for systemic uptake. Pd penetration (p = 0.02) and permeation (p = 0.012) through intact skin decreased significantly when a cleaning procedure was applied. This study demonstrates that after skin exposure to Pd powders a small permeation of the metal happen both through intact and damaged skin and that an early decontamination with a common cleanser can significantly decrease the final amount of metal available forsystemic uptake. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

IgE epitopes of intact and digested Ara h 1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bøgh, Katrine Lindholm; Nielsen, H.; Madsen, Charlotte Bernhard

2012-01-01

epitopes have been suggested to be of great importance. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify IgE specific epitopes of intact and digested Ara h 1, and to compare epitope patterns between humans and rats. MethodsSera from five peanut allergic patients and five Brown Norway rats were used...... to identify intact and digested Ara h 1-specific IgE epitopes by competitive immunoscreening of a phage-displayed random hepta-mer peptide library using polyclonal IgE from the individual sera. The resulting peptide sequences were mapped on the surface of a three-dimensional structure of the Ara h 1 molecule...... to mimic epitopes using a computer-based algorithm. ResultsPatients as well as rats were shown to have individual IgE epitope patterns. All epitope mimics were conformational and found to cluster into three different areas of the Ara h 1 molecule. Five epitope motifs were identified by patient IgE, which...

Discrimination between intact and decayed pulp regions in carious teeth by ADC mapping.

Science.gov (United States)

Cankar, Ksenija; Nemeth, Lidija; Bajd, Franci; Vidmar, Jernej; Serša, Igor

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate an advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) mapping, in the functional assessment of carious teeth. 38 extracted human teeth with scores of 0, 3 and 6 according to International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) criteria were screened and subsequently analyzed by MRI at 2.35 T. Histology sectioning of teeth was used for the gold standard by analyzing two extreme cases (intact and severely decayed). ADC maps of the same teeth were calculated from corresponding diffusion-weighted images and used to obtain ADC distributions along dental pulp as functions of the relative pulp length measured from the occlusal pulp side. The measured distributions were analyzed for the best fit by a four-parameter three-segment linear regression model for ADC distribution along the pulp. MRI results were in good agreement with findings in histological sections of identical teeth. The best fit model parameters, relative decayed region depth, relative transition region width and ADC values of intact and decayed pulp tissue, showed statistically significant differences between the ADC values of intact and decayed pulp tissue (1.0 × 10(-9) m(2)/s vs. 0.74-0.89 × 10(-9) m(2)/s) and the relative decayed region depth progressing with ICDAS score (3 vs. 46% with ICDAS 3 vs. ICDAS 6). The results of this feasibility study confirmed relevance of ADC mapping for the discrimination and localization of intact and decayed regions in dental pulps of carious teeth. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Blood epididymal barrier to [3H]-inulin in intact and vasectomized hamsters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, T.T.; D'Addario, D.A.; Howards, S.S.

1981-01-01

The net transport of [ 3 H]-inulin into the fluids of the hamster seminiferous and caput, corpus, and cauda epididymal tubules was examined in both intact animals and those vasectomized 10 months previously. Mean isotope concentrations in reproductive tract tubule fluids did not exceeded 10 per cent of blood plasma isotope concentrations during the experiment. There were no significant differences in net transport of [ 3 H]-inulin into any of the tubule fluids sampled. Ten months after vasectomy, the seminiferous tubule, and all regions of the epididymal tubule retain the capacity to exclude [ 3 H]-insulin. Thus in the hamster 10 months after vasectomy, the blood testis and blood epididymal barriers to inulin are intact

Effects of ignoring baseline on modeling transitions from intact cognition to dementia.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Lei; Tyas, Suzanne L; Snowdon, David A; Kryscio, Richard J

2009-07-01

This paper evaluates the effect of ignoring baseline when modeling transitions from intact cognition to dementia with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and global impairment (GI) as intervening cognitive states. Transitions among states are modeled by a discrete-time Markov chain having three transient (intact cognition, MCI, and GI) and two competing absorbing states (death and dementia). Transition probabilities depend on two covariates, age and the presence/absence of an apolipoprotein E-epsilon4 allele, through a multinomial logistic model with shared random effects. Results are illustrated with an application to the Nun Study, a cohort of 678 participants 75+ years of age at baseline and followed longitudinally with up to ten cognitive assessments per nun.

Intact and Degraded Component Criticality Calculations of N Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

L. Angers

2001-01-01

The objective of this calculation is to perform intact and degraded mode criticality evaluations of the Department of Energy's (DOE) N Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel codisposed in a 2-Defense High-Level Waste (2-DHLW)/2-Multi-Canister Overpack (MCO) Waste Package (WP) and emplaced in a monitored geologic repository (MGR) (see Attachment I). The scope of this calculation is limited to the determination of the effective neutron multiplication factor (k eff ) for both intact and degraded mode internal configurations of the codisposal waste package. This calculation will support the analysis that will be performed to demonstrate the technical viability for disposing of U-metal (N Reactor) spent nuclear fuel in the potential MGR

Comparison of umbilical cord interleukin-6 in preterm infants with premature rupture of membranes and intact membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gharebaghi, Manizheh M.; Peirovifar, A.; Gharebaghi, Parvin M.

2008-01-01

Objective was to compare inflammatory mediators in the cord blood of premature newborn infants with premature rupture of membranes (PROM) and intact membranes. Eighty-nine premature neonates with gestational age of 27-34 weeks that delivered in Ghaem Hospital in Mashhad, Iran from June 2005 to March 2006 were enrolled in a prospective observational study and their umbilical cord plasma was collected at birth. They were allocated into 2 groups (45 patients with PROM and 44 neonates with intact membranes). Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured in cord plasma by the enzyme linked immunoassay (ELISA) method. Mean cord plasma IL-6 levels in preterm neonates with PROM was 205.71 pg/ml and in neonates with intact membranes was 33.3 pg/ml for IL-6 (p=0.000). The mean cord blood CRP level in newborns was 10.2 ug/ml, and in those with intact membranes was 1.6 ug/ml and in those with intact membranes was 1.6 ug/ml (p=0.41). Early onset sepsis was more frequent in infants with PROM than premature infants with intact membrane (38% versus 10%, p=0.001). In neonates with PROM, the mean cord blood IL-6 level was significantly higher in septic newborns (414.28 versus 40.44 pg/ml, p=0.000). The premature newborn infants with PROM had increased IL-6 levels in cord blood, which was significantly higher in neonates that developed early onset sepsis. (author)

Radiation-induced adaptive response in the intact mouse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yonezawa, Morio

2009-01-01

The author and coworkers have revealed that radiation adaptive response (AR) is seen also in the bone marrow of the intact mouse, of which details are described here. First, SPF ICR mice were pre-irradiated (PI) with 0-0.1 Gy of X-ray and after 2 months, subsequently irradiated (SI) with 7.75 Gy. Survival rates at 30 days after SI were about 14% in mice with PI 0-0.025 Gy whereas 40% or more in animals with PI 0.05-0.1 Gy: bone marrow death was found significantly suppressed in this effective PI dose range. The death 2 weeks after SI was found also inhibited at PI 0.3-0.5 Gy. Second, PI doses and interval between PI and SI for acquiring the radio-resistance (RR) were studied and third, the PI 0.3-0.5 Gy with SI 8.0 Gy at 9-17 days later revealed that regional PI of the head (central nervous system) was found unnecessary for RR and of abdomen (systems of hemopoiesis, immunity and digestion), essential. Fourth, strain difference of RR was shown by the fact that RR was observed only in C57BL mouse as well, but neither in BALB/c nor C3H strain. Next, at 12 days after SI 4.25-6.75 Gy (PI 0.5 Gy at 14 days before), mouse spleen cells were subjected to colony formation analysis by counting the endogenous hemopoietic stem cells, which revealed that those cells were increased to about 5 times by PI. Suppression of SI-induced hemorrhage was found in mice with PI by the decreased fecal hemoglobin content. Finally, AR was similarly studied in p53 +/+ and its knockout C57BL mice and was not found in the latter animal, indicating the participation of p53 in AR of the intact mouse. Elucidation of AR mechanisms in the intact animal seems to require somewhat different aspect from that in cells. The results were controvertible to the general concept that radiation risk is proportional to cumulative dose, suggesting that low dose radiation differs from high dose one in biological effect. (K.T.)

Transfer Comparison Study Nitrogen on the Intact and Decapitated Legumes by Using the 15N Labeling Technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Widjayanto, Didik W.

1998-01-01

The experiment was done in order to evaluate the N transfer from the intact and decapitated legumes by using the 15 N labeling technique. Seven days after final labeling the above ground biomass from labeled legume species was removed and the remaining stalks capped to prevent regrowth. Twenty days after final labeling (fourteen days after capping) the all treatments were sample and analyzed. The decapitated legumes appeared to transfer more percentage N than the intact legumes. Although both decapitated and intact legumes transferred, the transfer of N did not incur a dry matter and N yield benefit

In vitro evaluation of percutaneous diffusion of uranyl nitrate through intact or excoriated skin of rat and pig

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petitot, F.; Moreels, A.M.; Paquet, F.

2004-01-01

At the present time, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has not published any model concerning internal radioactive contamination by uptake from wounds. The aims of our work were to determine the time available to treat contamination of intact or wounded skin before a significant uptake of uranium occurred and to evaluate the consequences of incomplete decontamination on uranium uptake. The kinetics of percutaneous diffusion of uranium through intact or excoriated skin and its distribution in skin layers were evaluated using an in vitro technique. Our data demonstrated a dramatic increase of uranium percutaneous diffusion through excoriated skin compared with intact skin. Significant uptake of uranium through excoriated skin occurred in only 30 min, indicating that there is only a short interval available to treat a contaminated wound effectively. Moreover, in the case of an incompletely decontaminated superficial wound, viable epidermis behaved as a reservoir for uranium that remained bioavailable. At the present time, potential uptake of uranium and perhaps other radionuclides through intact or wounded skin is not adequately taken into account by radiological protection agencies. Our results emphasize the need for further study and modeling of uptake of radionuclides through intact or wounded skin. (author)

Influence of fluoride varnish on shear bond strength of a universal adhesive on intact and demineralized enamel.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz-Ruiz, Antonio José; Muñoz-Gómez, Iban Jesús; Pérez-Pardo, Ana; Germán-Cecilia, Concepción; Martínez-Beneyto, Yolanda; Vicente, Ascensión

2018-04-27

The aim was to evaluate the effect of fluoride varnish on the shear bond strength (SBS) on polished and non-polished intact and demineralized enamel. Bovine incisors (half demineralized) were used. Bifluorid 12™ was applied. Bonding was made with Futurabond ® M + and GrandioSO, 24 h and 7 days after varnishing. In some groups, varnish was removed by polishing before bonding. SBS was measured. Fracture type was determined by stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations of the enamel surface were made. Between-group differences were determined by one-way ANOVA and the Tukey test. Associations between study factors and fracture modes were analysed using contingency tables and Pearson's chi-squared test. For intact enamel, SBS on varnished enamel at 24 h was significantly less than in the other groups. SBS recovered 7 days after varnishing. Varnish elimination after 24 h significantly increased the SBS. However, removal at 7 days did not modify SBS. SBS on demineralized enamel groups was significantly less than in intact enamel, except for demineralized enamel varnished and removed at 7 days. Demineralized enamel was associated with cohesive enamel fractures and intact enamel with cohesive fractures of the composite and adhesive fractures. SEM of varnish surfaces showed a homogenous layer scattered with amorphous precipitate. In conclusion, on intact enamel fluoride varnish had a negative effect on SBS at 24 h, which disappeared after 7 days. On demineralized enamel, varnish did not reduce SBS at either time. Polishing the varnished enamel surface showed a similar SBS to intact enamel after 7 days.

Using Spores for Fusarium spp. Classification by MALDI-Based Intact Cell/Spore Mass Spectrometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wolfgang Winkler

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Fusarium is a widespread genus of filamentous fungi and a member of the soil microbial community. Certain subspecies are health threatening because of their mycotoxin production that affects the human and animal food chain. Thus, for early and effective pest control, species identification is of particular interest; however, differentiation on the subspecies level is challenging and time-consuming for this fungus. In the present study, we show the possibilities of intact cell mass spectrometry for spore analysis of 22 different Fusarium strains belonging to six Fusarium subspecies. We found that species differentiation is possible if mass spectrometric analyses are performed under well-defined conditions with fixed parameters. A critical point for analysis is a proper sample preparation of spores, which increases the quality of mass spectra with respect to signal intensity and m/z value variations. It was concluded that data acquistion has to be performed automatically; otherwise, user-specific variations are introduced generating data which cannot fit the existing datasets. Data that show clearly that matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-based intact cell/intact spore mass spectrometry (IC/ISMS can be applied to differentiate closely related Fusarium spp. are presented. Results show a potential to build a database on Fusarium species for accurate species identification, for fast response in the case of infections in the cornfield. We furthermore demonstrate the high precision of our approach in classification of intact Fusarium species according to the location of their collection.

The effect of self-transcendence on depression in cognitively intact nursing home patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Haugan, Gørill; Innstrand, Siw Tone

2012-01-01

Aims. This study's aim was to test the effects of self-transcendence on depression among cognitively intact nursing home patients. Background. Depression is considered the most frequent mental disorder among the elderly population. Specifically, the depression rate among nursing home patients is three to four times higher than that among community-dwelling elderly. Therefore, finding new and alternative ways to prevent and decrease depression is of great importance for nursing home patients' well-being. Self-transcendence is related to spiritual as well as nonspiritual factors, and it is described as a correlate and resource for well-being among vulnerable populations and at the end of life. Methods. A two-factor construct of the self-transcendence scale (interpersonal and intrapersonal) and the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) was applied. A sample of 202 cognitively intact nursing home patients in central Norway was selected to respond to the questionnaires in 2008/2009. Results. A hypothesized SEM model demonstrated significant direct relationships and total effects of self-transcendence on depression. Conclusion and Implication for Practice. Facilitating patients' self-transcendence, both interpersonally and intrapersonally, might decrease depression among cognitively intact nursing home patients.

Construction of disturbed and intact soil blocks to develop percolating soil based treatment systems for dirty water from dairy farms.

Science.gov (United States)

Brookman, S K E; Chadwick, D R; Headon, D M

2002-03-01

Intact soil blocks with a surface area of 1.8 x 1.6 m, 1.0 m deep, were excavated in a coarse sandy loam. The sides of the soil blocks were supported with plywood before using hydraulic rams to force a steel cutting plate beneath them. Disturbed soil blocks of the same depth as the intact blocks were also established. Experiments were conducted to determine purification efficiencies for biological oxygen demand (BOD), molybdate reactive phosphorus (MRP), nitrate and ammonium-N after the application of dirty water. A preliminary experiment is described where a low application of dirty water was applied to the soil blocks, 2 mm day(-1). In addition, a chloride tracer was conducted for the duration of the experiment. Disturbed soil had a purification efficiency for BOD of 99% compared to 96% from intact soil (Pammonium-N were 100 and 99%, respectively, for the intact and disturbed soils. Nitrate-N concentration increased in leachate from both treatments reaching maximum concentrations of 15 and 8 mg l(-1) from disturbed and intact soils, respectively. Chloride traces for each soil block followed similar patterns with 47 and 51% loss from disturbed and intact soils, respectively.

De Novo Characterization of the Mung Bean Transcriptome and Transcriptomic Analysis of Adventitious Rooting in Seedlings Using RNA-Seq.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shi-Weng; Shi, Rui-Fang; Leng, Yan

2015-01-01

Adventitious rooting is the most important mechanism underlying vegetative propagation and an important strategy for plant propagation under environmental stress. The present study was conducted to obtain transcriptomic data and examine gene expression using RNA-Seq and bioinformatics analysis, thereby providing a foundation for understanding the molecular mechanisms controlling adventitious rooting. Three cDNA libraries constructed from mRNA samples from mung bean hypocotyls during adventitious rooting were sequenced. These three samples generated a total of 73 million, 60 million, and 59 million 100-bp reads, respectively. These reads were assembled into 78,697 unigenes with an average length of 832 bp, totaling 65 Mb. The unigenes were aligned against six public protein databases, and 29,029 unigenes (36.77%) were annotated using BLASTx. Among them, 28,225 (35.75%) and 28,119 (35.62%) unigenes had homologs in the TrEMBL and NCBI non-redundant (Nr) databases, respectively. Of these unigenes, 21,140 were assigned to gene ontology classes, and a total of 11,990 unigenes were classified into 25 KOG functional categories. A total of 7,357 unigenes were annotated to 4,524 KOs, and 4,651 unigenes were mapped onto 342 KEGG pathways using BLAST comparison against the KEGG database. A total of 11,717 unigenes were differentially expressed (fold change>2) during the root induction stage, with 8,772 unigenes down-regulated and 2,945 unigenes up-regulated. A total of 12,737 unigenes were differentially expressed during the root initiation stage, with 9,303 unigenes down-regulated and 3,434 unigenes up-regulated. A total of 5,334 unigenes were differentially expressed between the root induction and initiation stage, with 2,167 unigenes down-regulated and 3,167 unigenes up-regulated. qRT-PCR validation of the 39 genes with known functions indicated a strong correlation (92.3%) with the RNA-Seq data. The GO enrichment, pathway mapping, and gene expression profiles reveal

De Novo Characterization of the Mung Bean Transcriptome and Transcriptomic Analysis of Adventitious Rooting in Seedlings Using RNA-Seq.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shi-Weng Li

Full Text Available Adventitious rooting is the most important mechanism underlying vegetative propagation and an important strategy for plant propagation under environmental stress. The present study was conducted to obtain transcriptomic data and examine gene expression using RNA-Seq and bioinformatics analysis, thereby providing a foundation for understanding the molecular mechanisms controlling adventitious rooting. Three cDNA libraries constructed from mRNA samples from mung bean hypocotyls during adventitious rooting were sequenced. These three samples generated a total of 73 million, 60 million, and 59 million 100-bp reads, respectively. These reads were assembled into 78,697 unigenes with an average length of 832 bp, totaling 65 Mb. The unigenes were aligned against six public protein databases, and 29,029 unigenes (36.77% were annotated using BLASTx. Among them, 28,225 (35.75% and 28,119 (35.62% unigenes had homologs in the TrEMBL and NCBI non-redundant (Nr databases, respectively. Of these unigenes, 21,140 were assigned to gene ontology classes, and a total of 11,990 unigenes were classified into 25 KOG functional categories. A total of 7,357 unigenes were annotated to 4,524 KOs, and 4,651 unigenes were mapped onto 342 KEGG pathways using BLAST comparison against the KEGG database. A total of 11,717 unigenes were differentially expressed (fold change>2 during the root induction stage, with 8,772 unigenes down-regulated and 2,945 unigenes up-regulated. A total of 12,737 unigenes were differentially expressed during the root initiation stage, with 9,303 unigenes down-regulated and 3,434 unigenes up-regulated. A total of 5,334 unigenes were differentially expressed between the root induction and initiation stage, with 2,167 unigenes down-regulated and 3,167 unigenes up-regulated. qRT-PCR validation of the 39 genes with known functions indicated a strong correlation (92.3% with the RNA-Seq data. The GO enrichment, pathway mapping, and gene expression profiles

Feasible pickup from intact ossicular chain with floating piezoelectric microphone.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Hou-Yong; Na, Gao; Chi, Fang-Lu; Jin, Kai; Pan, Tie-Zheng; Gao, Zhen

2012-02-22

Many microphones have been developed to meet with the implantable requirement of totally implantable cochlear implant (TICI). However, a biocompatible one without destroying the intactness of the ossicular chain still remains under investigation. Such an implantable floating piezoelectric microphone (FPM) has been manufactured and shows an efficient electroacoustic performance in vitro test at our lab. We examined whether it pick up sensitively from the intact ossicular chain and postulated whether it be an optimal implantable one. Animal controlled experiment: five adult cats (eight ears) were sacrificed as the model to test the electroacoustic performance of the FPM. Three groups were studied: (1) the experiment group (on malleus): the FPM glued onto the handle of the malleus of the intact ossicular chains; (2) negative control group (in vivo): the FPM only hung into the tympanic cavity; (3) positive control group (Hy-M30): a HiFi commercial microphone placed close to the site of the experiment ear. The testing speaker played pure tones orderly ranged from 0.25 to 8.0 kHz. The FPM inside the ear and the HiFi microphone simultaneously picked up acoustic vibration which recorded as .wav files to analyze. The FPM transformed acoustic vibration sensitively and flatly as did the in vitro test across the frequencies above 2.0 kHz, whereas inefficiently below 1.0 kHz for its overloading mass. Although the HiFi microphone presented more efficiently than the FPM did, there was no significant difference at 3.0 kHz and 8.0 kHz. It is feasible to develop such an implantable FPM for future TICIs and TIHAs system on condition that the improvement of Micro Electromechanical System and piezoelectric ceramic material technology would be applied to reduce its weight and minimize its size.

Feasible pickup from intact ossicular chain with floating piezoelectric microphone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kang Hou-Yong

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objectives Many microphones have been developed to meet with the implantable requirement of totally implantable cochlear implant (TICI. However, a biocompatible one without destroying the intactness of the ossicular chain still remains under investigation. Such an implantable floating piezoelectric microphone (FPM has been manufactured and shows an efficient electroacoustic performance in vitro test at our lab. We examined whether it pick up sensitively from the intact ossicular chain and postulated whether it be an optimal implantable one. Methods Animal controlled experiment: five adult cats (eight ears were sacrificed as the model to test the electroacoustic performance of the FPM. Three groups were studied: (1 the experiment group (on malleus: the FPM glued onto the handle of the malleus of the intact ossicular chains; (2 negative control group (in vivo: the FPM only hung into the tympanic cavity; (3 positive control group (Hy-M30: a HiFi commercial microphone placed close to the site of the experiment ear. The testing speaker played pure tones orderly ranged from 0.25 to 8.0 kHz. The FPM inside the ear and the HiFi microphone simultaneously picked up acoustic vibration which recorded as .wav files to analyze. Results The FPM transformed acoustic vibration sensitively and flatly as did the in vitro test across the frequencies above 2.0 kHz, whereas inefficiently below 1.0 kHz for its overloading mass. Although the HiFi microphone presented more efficiently than the FPM did, there was no significant difference at 3.0 kHz and 8.0 kHz. Conclusions It is feasible to develop such an implantable FPM for future TICIs and TIHAs system on condition that the improvement of Micro Electromechanical System and piezoelectric ceramic material technology would be applied to reduce its weight and minimize its size.

The uptake of radioactive iodine in rat intact Graafian follicles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lieberman, L.M.; Lieberman, G.L.; Lieberman, M.E.

1984-01-01

The concentration of iodine-131 in the ovaries of mammals has important implications in the use of I-131 for the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disease in women. The authors studied the I-131 uptake in whole ovaries and in isolated Graafian follicles of sexually mature rats. Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats, in groups of 5-6 animals, were injected IP with 10-50 μCi of I-131, at 3, 12, and 24 hrs prior to the day of proestrus and killed on the day of proestrus. The thyroid gland and ovaries were removed intact and these organs, as well as eight other tissue specimens, were weighed. The large preovulatory follicles (6-9/ovary) were then isolated under a dissecting microscope and the remaining ovary weighed. All samples were counted in a gamma well counter and the % dose/g estimated. The thyroid gland showed 23.7% dose/organ at 24 hrs. Blood decreased from 1.6% dose/g at 3 hrs to 0.5% dose/g at 24 hrs with the uterus showing 1.1% dose/g and 0.4% dose/g at the same times. Ovarian tissue was 0.5, 0.1, and 0.1% dose/g at 3,12, and 24 hrs respectively, while the intact Graafian follicles had from one-tenth to one-third the concentration of the ovary at the same times. (0.05, 0.03, and 0.03% dose/g). The authors found that the intact Graafian follicle concentrates approximately one-thirtieth to one-sixteenth of the I-131 in the blood and one-tenth to one-third of the I-131 in the ovary. This suggests that there is no active uptake of I-131 in the follicle or follicular fluid

Calculation of ion currents across the inner membrane of functionally intact mitochondria

Science.gov (United States)

Kane, Daniel A; Pavlov, Evgeny V

2013-01-01

Mitochondrial ion transport systems play a central role in cell physiology. Rates of Ca2+ and K+ transport across the inner mitochondrial membrane have been derived from the measurement of ion accumulation over time within functional isolated mitochondria or mitochondria of cultured cells. Alternatively, the electrical currents generated by ionic flux have been directly measured in purified and swollen mitochondrial samples (mitoplasts) or reconstituted channels, and typically range from 1 pA to several 100s pA. However, the direct electrophysiological approach necessarily requires extensive processing of the mitochondria prior to measurement, which can only be performed on isolated mitoplasts. To compare rates of mitochondrial ion transport measured in electrophysiological experiments to those measured in intact mitochondria and cells, we converted published rates of mitochondrial ion uptake into units of ionic current. We estimate that for monovalent ions, uptake by intact mitochondria at the rate of 1 nmol ∙ mg−1 protein ∙ min−1 is equivalent to 0.2 fA of current per whole single mitochondrion (0.4 fA for divalent ions). In intact mitochondria, estimated rates of electrogenic cation uptake are limited to 1–100 fA of integral current per single mitochondrion. These estimates are orders of magnitude lower than the currents through mitochondrial channels directly measured via patch-clamp or artificial lipid bilayer approaches. PMID:24037064

Transport of beta-aminopropionitrile through intact skin or scar tissue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibeault, J.D.; Cravens, R.B. Jr.; Chvapil, M.

1989-01-01

A lathyrogen, [ 14 C]aminopropionitrile (beta APN), was administered to 34 rats either in K-Y jelly or saline vehicles onto intact shaven skin or onto a healed splinted deep excision wound. The dynamics of beta APN transport and content in the skin or repair tissue was observed after 2, 5, 8, and 24 hr of topical administration. The repair tissue quickly absorbed the lathyrogen and reached maximum at the 2-hr sampling. The content of beta APN in the repair tissue was twice as high as that in K-Y jelly vehicle and remained high and stable for at least 24 hr only when beta APN was administered through a saline vehicle. The transport of beta APN through intact skin, irrespective of the vehicle tested, was slow and continuously increased. The study showed that almost 20% of the beta APN administered onto the wounded skin area was transported into the repair tissue within 2 hr. We suggest that, due to the absence of epidermal stratum corneum from the repair tissue, drugs, such as beta APN, penetrate quickly into the wound

Enzymatic methylation of band 3 anion transporter in intact human erythrocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lou, L.L.; Clarke, S.

1987-01-01

Band 3, the anion transport protein of erythrocyte membranes, is a major methyl-accepting substrate of the intracellular erythrocyte protein carboxyl methyltransferase (S-adenosyl-L-methionine: protein-D-aspartate O-methyltransferase; EC 2.1.1.77). The localization of methylation sites in intact cells by analysis of proteolytic fragments indicated that sites were present in the cytoplasmic N-terminal domain as well as the membranous C-terminal portion of the polypeptide. The amino acid residues that serve as carboxyl methylation sites of the erythrocyte anion transporter were also investigated. 3 H-Methylated band 3 was purified from intact erythrocytes incubated with L-[methyl- 3 H]methionine and from trypsinized and lysed erythrocytes incubated with S-adenosyl-L-[methyl- 3 H]methionine. After proteolytic digestion with carboxypeptidase Y, D-aspartic acid beta-[ 3 H]methyl ester was isolated in low yields (9% and 1%, respectively) from each preparation. The bulk of the radioactivity was recovered as [ 3 H]methanol, and the amino acid residue(s) originally associated with these methyl groups could not be determined. No L-aspartic acid beta-[ 3 H]methyl ester or glutamyl gamma-[ 3 H]methyl ester was detected. The formation of D-aspartic acid beta-[ 3 H]methyl esters in this protein in intact cells resulted from protein carboxyl methyltransferase activity since it was inhibited by adenosine and homocysteine thiolactone, which increases the intracellular concentration of the potent product inhibitor S-adenosylhomocysteine, and cycloleucine, which prevents the formation of the substrate S-adenosyl-L-[methyl- 3 H]methionine

Proceedings of the international workshop on mechanistic understanding of radionuclide migration in compacted/intact systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tachi, Yukio; Yui, Mikazu

2010-03-01

The international workshop on mechanistic understanding of radionuclide migration in compacted / intact systems was held at ENTRY, JAEA, Tokai on 21st - 23rd January, 2009. This workshop was hosted by Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) as part of the project on the mechanistic model/database development for radionuclide sorption and diffusion behavior in compacted / intact systems. The overall goal of the project is to develop the mechanistic model / database for a consistent understanding and prediction of migration parameters and its uncertainties for performance assessment of geological disposal of radioactive waste. The objective of the workshop is to integrate the state-of-the-art of mechanistic sorption and diffusion model in compacted / intact systems, especially in bentonite / clay systems, and discuss the JAEA's mechanistic approaches and future challenges, especially the following discussions points; 1) What's the status and difficulties for mechanistic model/database development? 2) What's the status and difficulties for applicability of mechanistic model to the compacted/intact system? 3) What's the status and difficulties for obtaining evidences for mechanistic model? 4) What's the status and difficulties for standardization of experimental methodology for batch sorption and diffusion? 5) What's the uncertainties of transport parameters in radionuclides migration analysis due to a lack of understanding/experimental methodologies, and how do we derive them? This report includes workshop program, overview and materials of each presentation, summary of discussions. (author)

Forest Loss in Protected Areas and Intact Forest Landscapes: A Global Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Heino, Matias; Kummu, Matti; Makkonen, Marika; Mulligan, Mark; Verburg, Peter H; Jalava, Mika; Räsänen, Timo A

2015-01-01

In spite of the high importance of forests, global forest loss has remained alarmingly high during the last decades. Forest loss at a global scale has been unveiled with increasingly finer spatial resolution, but the forest extent and loss in protected areas (PAs) and in large intact forest landscapes (IFLs) have not so far been systematically assessed. Moreover, the impact of protection on preserving the IFLs is not well understood. In this study we conducted a consistent assessment of the global forest loss in PAs and IFLs over the period 2000-2012. We used recently published global remote sensing based spatial forest cover change data, being a uniform and consistent dataset over space and time, together with global datasets on PAs' and IFLs' locations. Our analyses revealed that on a global scale 3% of the protected forest, 2.5% of the intact forest, and 1.5% of the protected intact forest were lost during the study period. These forest loss rates are relatively high compared to global total forest loss of 5% for the same time period. The variation in forest losses and in protection effect was large among geographical regions and countries. In some regions the loss in protected forests exceeded 5% (e.g. in Australia and Oceania, and North America) and the relative forest loss was higher inside protected areas than outside those areas (e.g. in Mongolia and parts of Africa, Central Asia, and Europe). At the same time, protection was found to prevent forest loss in several countries (e.g. in South America and Southeast Asia). Globally, high area-weighted forest loss rates of protected and intact forests were associated with high gross domestic product and in the case of protected forests also with high proportions of agricultural land. Our findings reinforce the need for improved understanding of the reasons for the high forest losses in PAs and IFLs and strategies to prevent further losses.

Intact proinsulin and beta-cell function in lean and obese subjects with and without type 2 diabetes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Røder, M E; Dinesen, B; Hartling, S G

1999-01-01

, total proinsulin immunoreactivity (PIM), intact insulin, and C-peptide (by radioimmunoassay) by specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in the fasting state and during a 120-min glucagon (1 mg i.v.) stimulation test. Lean (BMI 23.5 +/- 0.3 kg/m2) (LD) and obese (30.1 +/- 0.4 kg/m2) (OD) type 2...... diabetic patients matched for fasting glucose (10.2 +/- 0.6 vs. 10.3 +/- 0.4 mmol/l) were compared with age- and BMI-matched lean (22.4 +/- 0.6 kg/m2) (LC) and obese (30.8 +/- 0.9 kg/m2) (OC) normal control subjects. RESULTS: Diabetic patients (LD vs. LC and OD vs. OC) had elevated fasting levels of intact......, most pronounced in the lean group. The ratio of intact proinsulin to PIM was higher in diabetic patients after stimulation in both LD versus LC: 32 +/- 3 vs. 23 +/- 2%, and OD versus OC: 28 +/- 4 vs. 16 +/- 2%, both P obese normal subjects, intact proinsulin/PIM was lower both in the fasting...

Protein methylation reactions in intact pea chloroplasts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niemi, K.J.

1989-01-01

Post-translational protein methylation was investigated in Pisum sativum chloroplasts. Intact pea chloroplasts were incubated with ( 3 H-methyl)-S-adenosylmethionine under various conditions. The chloroplasts were then separated into stromal and thylakoid fractions and analyzed for radioactivity transferred to protein. Light enhanced the magnitude of labeling in both fractions. One thylakoid polypeptide with an apparent molecular mass of 43 kDa was labeled only in the light. Several other thylakoid and stromal proteins were labeled in both light and dark-labeling conditions. Both base-labile methylation, carboxy-methylesters and base-stable groups, N-methylations were found. Further characterization of the methyl-transfer reactions will be presented

Characterization of the anion sensitive ATPase in intact vacuoles of Kalanchoe diagremontiana

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kobza, J.; Uribe, E.G.

1986-04-01

A method for the isolation of intact vacuoles from K. daigremontiana was developed which produced high yields of relatively pure vacuoles as determined by marker enzyme contamination. Upon isolation, the vacuoles were stabilized by the inclusion of 5% (w/v) ficoll. Enzyme activity was insensitive to vanadate and azide but was strongly inhibited by DCCD. Enzyme activity was strictly dependent on the inclusion of Mg/sup 2 +/ and was stimulated by anions as depicted by the series, NO/sub 3//sup -/ < Br/sup -/ < SO/sub 4//sup -/ < HCO/sub 3//sup -/ < Cl/sup -/. It was found that in intact vacuoles the ATPase activity was stimulated by phosphate to a level equivalent to that found with the chloride. The enzyme exhibited Michaelis-Menten kinetics with a Km for Mg-ATP complex of 0.51 mM.

Microseismic Analysis of Fracture of an Intact Rock Asperity Traversing a Sawcut Fault

Science.gov (United States)

Mclaskey, G.; Lockner, D. A.

2017-12-01

Microseismic events carry information related to stress state, fault geometry, and other subsurface properties, but their relationship to large and potentially damaging earthquakes is not well defined. We conducted laboratory rock mechanics experiments that highlight the interaction between a sawcut fault and an asperity composed of an intact rock "pin". The sample is a 76 mm diameter cylinder of Westerly granite with a 21 mm diameter cylinder (the pin) of intact Westerly granite that crosses the sawcut fault. Upon loading to 80 MPa in a triaxial machine, we first observed a slip event that ruptured the sawcut fault, slipped about 35 mm, but was halted by the rock pin. With continued loading, the rock pin failed in a swarm of thousands of M -7 seismic events similar to the localized microcracking that occurs during the final fracture nucleation phase in an intact rock sample. Once the pin was fractured to a critical point, it permitted complete rupture events on the sawcut fault (stick-slip instabilities). No seismicity was detected on the sawcut fault plane until the pin was sheared. Subsequent slip events were preceded by 10s of foreshocks, all located on the fault plane. We also identified an aseismic zone on the fault plane surrounding the fractured rock pin. A post-mortem analysis of the sample showed a thick gouge layer where the pin intersected the fault, suggesting that this gouge propped open the fault and prevented microseismic events in its vicinity. This experiment is an excellent case study in microseismicity since the events separate neatly into three categories: slip on the sawcut fault, fracture of the intact rock pin, and off-fault seismicity associated with pin-related rock joints. The distinct locations, timing, and focal mechanisms of the different categories of microseismic events allow us to study how their occurrence is related to the mechanics of the deforming rock.

Unigenic Evolution: A Novel Genetic Method Localizes a Putative Leucine Zipper That Mediates Dimerization of the Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Regulator Gcr1p

Science.gov (United States)

Deminoff, S. J.; Tornow, J.; Santangelo, G. M.

1995-01-01

The GCR1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes a transcriptional activator that complexes with Rap1p and, through UAS(RPG) elements (Rap1p DNA binding sites), stimulates efficient expression of glycolytic and translational component genes. To map the functionally important domains in Gcr1p, we combined multiple rounds of random mutagenesis in vitro with in vivo selection of functional genes to locate conserved, or hypomutable, regions. We name this method unigenic evolution, a statistical analysis of mutations in evolutionary variants of a single gene in an otherwise isogenic background. Examination of the distribution of 315 mutations in 24 variant alleles allowed the localization of four hypomutable regions in GCR1 (A, B, C, and D). Dispensable N-terminal (intronic) and C-terminal portions of the evolved region of GCR1 were included in the analysis as controls and were, as expected, not hypomutable. The analysis of several insertion, deletion, and point mutations, combined with a comparison of the hypomutability and hydrophobicity plots of Gcr1p, suggested that some of the hypomutable regions may individually or in combination correspond to functionally important surface domains. In particular, we determined that region D contains a putative leucine zipper and is necessary and sufficient for Gcr1p homodimerization. PMID:8601472

Length of time domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) spend smelling urine of gonadectomised and intact conspecifics.

Science.gov (United States)

Riach, Anna C; Asquith, Rachel; Fallon, Melissa L D

2017-09-01

Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) use urine to communicate among themselves, however, it is unknown whether the gonadectomy (neutering or spaying) of a dog affects this communication in anyway. Urine samples from 10 intact and 10 gonadectomised, unfamiliar dogs were presented to 12 tester dogs to sniff under controlled conditions in a pilot study. The amount of time the tester dogs spent sniffing each sample was recorded. Overall, tester dogs were recorded smelling the urine of gonadectomised individuals for a longer time. In addition to the type of urine sample, the result is likely to have been influenced by the sex and status (gonadectomised or intact) of the tester dogs. The observed increase in the length of time spent sniffing urine from gonadectomised individuals could be explained by the tester dogs experiencing more difficulty in gaining information from the urine or facing more confusion while analysing the urine compared to the intact urine they have evolved to smell. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isolation and Properties of Intact Chromoplasts from Tomato Fruits

OpenAIRE

Norio, Iwatsuki; Ryuichi, Moriyama; Tadashi, Asahi; Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Nagoya University; Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Nagoya University; Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Nagoya University

1984-01-01

Intact chromoplasts were isolated from tomato fruits at different ripening stages by Percoll density gradient centrifugation. The isolated chromoplast fractions were contaminated very little by other organelles, although the fraction from fully ripened fruits contained some mitochondria and microbodies. As the transformation of chloroplasts to chromoplasts proceeded, the density of the plastids decreased from 1.096 to 1.075g・cm^ and the decrease was related to a decrease in chlorophyll and an...

V2R mutations and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

Science.gov (United States)

Bichet, Daniel G

2009-01-01

Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI), which can be inherited or acquired, is characterized by an inability to concentrate urine despite normal or elevated plasma concentrations of the antidiuretic hormone, arginine vasopressin (AVP). Polyuria, with hyposthenuria, and polydipsia are the cardinal clinical manifestations of the disease. Nephrogenic failure to concentrate urine maximally may be due to a defect in vasopressin-induced water permeability of the distal tubules and collecting ducts, to insufficient buildup of the corticopapillary interstitial osmotic gradient, or to a combination of these two factors. Thus, the broadest definition of the term NDI embraces any antidiuretic hormone-resistant urinary-concentrating defect, including medullary disease with low interstitial osmolality, renal failure, and osmotic diuresis. About 90% of patients with congenital NDI are males with X-linked recessive NDI (OMIM 304800)(1) and have mutations in the AVP receptor 2 (AVPR2) gene that codes for the vasopressin V(2) receptor; the gene is located in chromosome region Xq28. In about 10% of the families studied, congenital NDI has an autosomal recessive or autosomal dominant mode of inheritance (OMIM 222000 and 125800)(1). Mutations have been identified in the aquaporin-2 gene (AQP2, OMIM 107777)(1), which is located in chromosome region 12q13 and codes for the vasopressin-sensitive water channel. NDI is clinically distinguishable from neurohypophyseal diabetes insipidus (OMIM 125700(1); also referred to as central or neurogenic diabetes insipidus) by a lack of response to exogenous AVP and by plasma levels of AVP that rise normally with increase in plasma osmolality. Hereditary neurohypophyseal diabetes insipidus is secondary to mutations in the gene encoding AVP (OMIM 192340)(1). Neurohypophyseal diabetes insipidus is also a component of autosomal recessive Wolfram syndrome 1 or DIDMOAD syndrome (diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, and deafness) (OMIM

Conductive hearing loss with an intact tympanic membrane due to non-inflammatory causes.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Jin Hyuk; Lee, Min Young; Park, Ji Hye; Lee, Kyu-Yup; Lee, Sang Heun; Jang, Jeong Hun

2016-04-01

We analyzed audiologic and surgical findings in patients with conductive hearing loss (CHL) with an intact tympanic membrane (TM) that was of a non-inflammatory origin. We reviewed data from patients who underwent exploratory tympanotomy for CHL with intact TM from January 1995 to November 2012. Patients with diseases of non-inflammatory origin were enrolled (69 patients; 79 ears). Patients were categorized into two groups: non-trauma (50 ears) and trauma (29 ears). Demographic data, intraoperative findings, and audiologic results were obtained and analyzed. Overall, the second decade was the most common age of diagnosis in both the non-trauma and trauma groups. Operative findings showed that ossicular dislocation was more prevalent than ossicular fixation; all trauma group subjects had ossicular dislocation. Short columellization or partial ossicular replacement was the most frequently adopted surgical procedures in both groups. Overall, audiologically, air-conduction thresholds (ACs) and air-bone gaps were significantly improved over the short- and long-term period in both groups. However, the non-trauma group had significantly higher preoperative ACs than the trauma group, especially at low frequencies. This study provides clinicians with useful information regarding the clinical characteristics of CHL with intact TM of non-inflammatory origin. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Insight into the Supramolecular Architecture of Intact Diatom Biosilica from DNP-Supported Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Jantschke, Anne; Koers, Eline; Mance, Deni; Weingarth, Markus; Brunner, Eike; Baldus, Marc

2015-12-07

Diatom biosilica is an inorganic/organic hybrid with interesting properties. The molecular architecture of the organic material at the atomic and nanometer scale has so far remained unknown, in particular for intact biosilica. A DNP-supported ssNMR approach assisted by microscopy, MS, and MD simulations was applied to study the structural organization of intact biosilica. For the first time, the secondary structure elements of tightly biosilica-associated native proteins in diatom biosilica were characterized in situ. Our data suggest that these proteins are rich in a limited set of amino acids and adopt a mixture of random-coil and β-strand conformations. Furthermore, biosilica-associated long-chain polyamines and carbohydrates were characterized, thereby leading to a model for the supramolecular organization of intact biosilica. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Prototypic and Arkypallidal Neurons in the Dopamine-Intact External Globus Pallidus

Science.gov (United States)

Abdi, Azzedine; Mallet, Nicolas; Mohamed, Foad Y.; Sharott, Andrew; Dodson, Paul D.; Nakamura, Kouichi C.; Suri, Sana; Avery, Sophie V.; Larvin, Joseph T.; Garas, Farid N.; Garas, Shady N.; Vinciati, Federica; Morin, Stéphanie; Bezard, Erwan

2015-01-01

Studies in dopamine-depleted rats indicate that the external globus pallidus (GPe) contains two main types of GABAergic projection cell; so-called “prototypic” and “arkypallidal” neurons. Here, we used correlative anatomical and electrophysiological approaches in rats to determine whether and how this dichotomous organization applies to the dopamine-intact GPe. Prototypic neurons coexpressed the transcription factors Nkx2-1 and Lhx6, comprised approximately two-thirds of all GPe neurons, and were the major GPe cell type innervating the subthalamic nucleus (STN). In contrast, arkypallidal neurons expressed the transcription factor FoxP2, constituted just over one-fourth of GPe neurons, and innervated the striatum but not STN. In anesthetized dopamine-intact rats, molecularly identified prototypic neurons fired at relatively high rates and with high regularity, regardless of brain state (slow-wave activity or spontaneous activation). On average, arkypallidal neurons fired at lower rates and regularities than prototypic neurons, and the two cell types could be further distinguished by the temporal coupling of their firing to ongoing cortical oscillations. Complementing the activity differences observed in vivo, the autonomous firing of identified arkypallidal neurons in vitro was slower and more variable than that of prototypic neurons, which tallied with arkypallidal neurons displaying lower amplitudes of a “persistent” sodium current important for such pacemaking. Arkypallidal neurons also exhibited weaker driven and rebound firing compared with prototypic neurons. In conclusion, our data support the concept that a dichotomous functional organization, as actioned by arkypallidal and prototypic neurons with specialized molecular, structural, and physiological properties, is fundamental to the operations of the dopamine-intact GPe. PMID:25926446

Biochemical toxicity and DNA damage of imidazolium-based ionic liquid with different anions in soil on Vicia faba seedlings.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Tong; Zhu, Lusheng; Wang, Jinhua; Wang, Jun; Zhang, Jun; Sun, Xi; Zhang, Cheng

2015-12-17

In the present study, the toxic effects of 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Omim]Cl), 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([Omim]Br) and 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([Omim]BF4) in soil on Vicia faba (V. faba) seedlings at 0, 100, 200, 400, 600 and 800 mg kg(-1) were assessed for the first time at the cellular and molecular level. Moreover, the toxicity of these three ionic liquids (ILs) was evaluated, and the influence of anions on the toxicity of the ILs was assessed. The results showed that even at 100 mg kg(-1), the growth of V. faba seedlings was inhibited after exposure to the three ILs, and the inhibitory effect was enhanced with increasing concentrations of the three ILs. The level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was increased after exposure to the three ILs, which resulted in lipid peroxidation, DNA damage and oxidative damage in the cells of the V. faba seedlings. In addition, the anion structure could influence the toxicity of ILs, and toxicity of the three tested ILs decreased in the following order: [Omim]BF4 > [Omim]Br > [Omim]Cl. Moreover, oxidative damage is the primary mechanism by which ILs exert toxic effects on crops, and ILs could reduce the agricultural productivity.

Ingested soluble CD14 from milk is transferred intact into the blood of newborn rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Tonya L; Spencer, William J; Davis, Laura D R; Harrold, Joann; Mack, David R; Altosaar, Illimar

2014-02-01

Milk acts as an edible immune system that is transferred from mother to newborn. Soluble Cluster of Differentiation 14 (sCD14) is a protein found in significant quantities in human milk (~8-29 µg/ml). At a 10-fold lower concentration in the blood (~3 µg/ml), the most notable role of sCD14 is to sequester lipopolysaccharides of Gram-negative bacteria from immune cells. To explore the pharmacodynamics of this milk protein and its biological fate, the biodistribution of radiolabeled sCD14 ((14)C, (125)I) was monitored in 10-d-old rat pups. Up to 3.4 ± 2.2% of the radiolabeled sCD14 administered was observed, intact, in the pup blood for up to 8 h post-ingestion. Additionally, 30.3 ± 13.0% of the radiolabeled sCD14 administered was observed degraded in the stomach at 8 h post-ingestion. A reservoir of intact, administered sCD14 (3.2 ± 0.3%), however, remained in the stomach at 8 h post-ingestion. Intact sCD14 was observed in the small intestine at 5.5 ± 1.6% of the dose fed at 8 h post-ingestion. The presence of intact sCD14 in the blood and the gastrointestinal tract of newborns post-ingestion has implications in the development of allergies, obesity, and other inflammation-related pathogeneses later in life.

A method to detect transfected chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene expression in intact animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narayanan, R.; Jastreboff, M.M.; Chiu, Chang Fang; Ito, Etsuro; Bertino, J.R.

1988-01-01

A rapid procedure is described for assaying chloramphenicol acetyltransferase enzyme activity in intact animals following transfection of the RSV CAT plasmid into mouse bone marrow cells by electroporation. The reconstituted mice were injected with [ 14 C]chloramphenicol and ethyl acetate extracts of 24-h urine samples were analyzed by TLC autoradiography for the excretion of 14 C-labeled metabolites. CAT expression in vivo can be detected by the presence of acetylated 14 C-labeled metabolites in the urine within 1 week after bone marrow transplantation and, under the conditions described, these metabolites can be detected for at least 3 months. CAT expression in intact mice as monitored by the urine assay correlates with the CAT expression in the hematopoietic tissues assayed in vitro. This method offers a quick mode of screening for introduced CAT gene expression in vivo without sacrificing the mice

Beta Adrenergic Regulation of Intrapulmonary Arteriovenous Anastomoses in Intact Rat and Isolated Rat Lungs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melissa L. Bates

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Intrapulmonary arteriovenous anastomoses (IPAVA allow large diameter particles of venous origin to bypass the pulmonary capillary bed and embolize the systemic arterial circulation. IPAVA have been routinely observed in healthy humans with exercise, hypoxia, and catecholamine infusion, but the mechanism by which they are recruited is not well-defined. We hypothesized that beta-adrenergic receptor stimulation recruits IPAVA and that receptor blockade would limit hypoxia-induced IPAVA recruitment. To test our hypothesis, we evaluated the transpulmonary passage of microspheres in intact rats and isolated rats lung infused with the beta-adrenergic receptor agonist isoproterenol. We also evaluated IPAVA recruitment in intact rats with hypoxia and the beta-adrenergic receptor blocker propranolol. We found that IPAVA are recruited in the intact rat by isoproterenol and their recruitment by hypoxia can be minimized by propranolol, suggesting a role for the adrenergic system in the recruitment of IPAVA by hypoxia. IPAVA recruitment is completely abolished by ventilation with 100% oxygen. Isoproterenol also recruits IPAVA in isolated rat lungs. The fact that isoproterenol can recruit IPAVA in isolated lungs, without increased pulmonary flow, suggests that elevated cardiac output is not required for IPAVA recruitment.

Perineal hernia repair using an autologous tunica vaginalis communis in nine intact male dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Pratummintra, Kittiya; Chuthatep, Suwicha; Banlunara, Wijit; Kalpravidh, Marissak

2013-01-01

Perineal hernia in dogs is very problematic and mostly requires surgical reconstruction of the weak pelvic diaphragm. Tissue or synthetic grafts have been used for the correction after failure of the conventional herniorrhaphy. Aim of this clinical trial was to assess the possible use of the autologous tunica vaginalis communis as a free graft for perineal hernia repair in intact male dogs. Seven unilateral and 2 bilateral perineal hernias in nine intact male dogs free from testicular and scrotal neoplasms were included in this study. The median surgical time for unilateral herniorrhaphy was 75 min. The median follow-up time was 13 months. The success of the autografting, based on no recurrence and comfort of the animals during urination and defecation, was found in ten of 11 hernias; giving a success rate of 90.91%. One hernia (9.09%) recurred 10 days after surgery. Histopathological examination of the apposing area between the graft and the adjacent tissue, taken during the repair of the recurred case at day 20, revealed neovascularization and connective tissue ingrowth. In conclusion, the tunica vaginalis autograft can be used for perineal herniorrhaphy in intact male dogs.

Metabolism of inhaled ethane and pentane by the intact rat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daugherty, M.S.; Luddent, T.M.; Burk, R.F.

1986-01-01

Measurement of exhaled ethane or pentane is a noninvasive technique for studying in vivo lipid peroxidation. Many past studies have assumed that pentane and ethane are not metabolized. Radiolabeled ( 14 C) ethane and pentane were used to study the disposition of these compounds in intact rats. Rats were placed for 8 h in a closed plexiglass chamber fitted with a system for replenishing chamber atmospheric O 2 . Evolved CO 2 was trapped by recirculating chamber air through 3 N NaOH contained in a vessel external to the chamber. Radiolabeled ethane or pentane was injected into the chamber at the start of each experiment. The percent of 14 C-activity added to the chamber recovered in the CO 2 trap, urine, and chamber air at the end of the experiment (8 h) in the [ 14 C]-ethane (n=5) and [ 14 C]-pentane (n=4) studies are presented. Results indicate that both ethane and pentane are metabolized to CO 2 in the intact rat. Possible changes in ethane and pentane metabolism must be considered if the exhalation rates of these hydrocarbons are to be used as indices of in vivo lipid peroxidation

Allergenicity, immunogenicity and dose-relationship of three intact allergen vaccines and four allergoid vaccines for subcutaneous grass pollen immunotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Henmar, H; Lund, G; Lund, L; Petersen, A; Würtzen, P A

2008-09-01

Different vaccines containing intact allergens or chemically modified allergoids as active ingredients are commercially available for specific immunotherapy. Allergoids are claimed to have decreased allergenicity without loss of immunogenicity and this is stated to allow administration of high allergoid doses. We compared the allergenicity and immunogenicity of four commercially available chemically modified grass pollen allergoid products with three commercially available intact grass pollen allergen vaccines. The allergenicity was investigated with immunoglobulin (Ig)E-inhibition and basophil activation assays. Human T cell proliferation and specific IgG-titres following mouse immunizations were used to address immunogenicity. Furthermore, intact allergen vaccines with different contents of active ingredients were selected to study the influence of the allergen dose. In general, a lower allergenicity for allergen vaccines was clearly linked to a reduced immunogenicity. Compared with the vaccine with the highest amount of intact allergen, the allergoids caused reduced basophil activation as well as diminished immunogenicity demonstrated by reduced T cell activation and/or reduced induction of murine grass-specific IgG antibodies. Interestingly, intact allergen vaccines with lower content of active ingredient exhibited similarly reduced allergenicity, while immunogenicity was still higher or equal to that of allergoids. The low allergenicity observed for some allergoids was inherently linked to a significantly lower immunogenic response questioning the rationale behind the chemical modification into allergoids. In addition, the linkage between allergenicity, immunogenicity and dose found for intact allergen vaccines and the immunogen as well as allergenic immune responses observed for allergoids suggest that the modified allergen vaccines do not contain high doses of immunologically active ingredients.

Operative findings of conductive hearing loss with intact tympanic membrane and normal temporal bone computed tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Se-Hyung; Cho, Yang-Sun; Kim, Hye Jeong; Kim, Hyung-Jin

2014-06-01

Despite recent technological advances in diagnostic methods including imaging technology, it is often difficult to establish a preoperative diagnosis of conductive hearing loss (CHL) in patients with an intact tympanic membrane (TM). Especially, in patients with a normal temporal bone computed tomography (TBCT), preoperative diagnosis is more difficult. We investigated middle ear disorders encountered in patients with CHL involving an intact TM and normal TBCT. We also analyzed the surgical results with special reference to the pathology. We reviewed the medical records of 365 patients with intact TM, who underwent exploratory tympanotomy for CHL. Fifty nine patients (67 ears, eight bilateral surgeries) had a normal preoperative TBCT findings reported by neuro-radiologists. Demographic data, otologic history, TM findings, preoperative imaging findings, intraoperative findings, and pre- and postoperative audiologic data were obtained and analyzed. Exploration was performed most frequently in the second and fifth decades. The most common postoperative diagnosis was stapedial fixation with non-progressive hearing loss. The most commonly performed hearing-restoring procedure was stapedotomy with piston wire prosthesis insertion. Various types of hearing-restoring procedures during exploration resulted in effective hearing improvement, especially with better outcome in the ossicular chain fixation group. In patients with CHL who have intact TM and normal TBCT, we should consider an exploratory tympanotomy for exact diagnosis and hearing improvement. Information of the common operative findings from this study may help in preoperative counseling.

Human skin penetration of silver nanoparticles through intact and damaged skin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larese, Francesca Filon; D'Agostin, Flavia; Crosera, Matteo; Adami, Gianpiero; Renzi, Nadia; Bovenzi, Massimo; Maina, Giovanni

2009-01-01

There is a growing interest on nanoparticle safety for topical use. The benefits of nanoparticles have been shown in several scientific fields, but little is known about their potential to penetrate the skin. This study aims at evaluating in vitro skin penetration of silver nanoparticles. Experiments were performed using the Franz diffusion cell method with intact and damaged human skin. Physiological solution was used as receiving phase and 70 μg/cm 2 of silver nanoparticles coated with polyvinylpirrolidone dispersed in synthetic sweat were applied as donor phase to the outer surface of the skin for 24 h. The receptor fluid measurements were performed by electro thermal atomic absorption spectroscopy (ETAAS). Human skin penetration was also determined by using transmission electron microscope (TEM) to verify the location of silver nanoparticles in exposed membranes. Median silver concentrations of 0.46 ng cm -2 (range -2 (range 0.43-11.6) were found in the receiving solutions of cells where the nanoparticles solution was applied on intact skin (eight cells) and on damaged skin (eight cells), respectively. Twenty-four hours silver flux permeation in damaged skin was 0.62 ± 0.2 ng cm -2 with a lag time <1 h. Our experimental data showed that silver nanoparticles absorption through intact and damaged skin was very low but detectable, and that in case of damaged skin it was possible an increasing permeation of silver applied as nanoparticles. Moreover, silver nanoparticles could be detected in the stratum corneum and the outermost surface of the epidermis by electron microscopy. We demonstrated for the first time that silver applied as nanoparticles coated with polyvinylpirrolidone is able to permeate the damaged skin in an in vitro diffusion cell system

Spatially Rearranged Object Parts Can Facilitate Perception of Intact Whole Objects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura eCacciamani

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The familiarity of an object depends on the spatial arrangement of its parts; when the parts are spatially rearranged, they form a novel, unrecognizable configuration. Yet the same collection of parts comprises both the familiar and novel configuration. Is it possible that the collection of familiar parts activates a representation of the intact familiar configuration even when they are spatially rearranged? We presented novel configurations as primes before test displays that assayed effects on figure-ground perception from memories of intact familiar objects. In our test displays, two equal-area regions shared a central border; one region depicted a portion of a familiar object. Previous research with such displays has shown that participants are more likely to perceive the region depicting a familiar object as the figure and the abutting region as its ground when the familiar object is depicted in its upright orientation rather than upside down. The novel primes comprised either the same or a different collection of parts as the familiar object in the test display (part-rearranged and control primes, respectively. We found that participants were more likely to perceive the familiar region as figure in upright vs. inverted displays following part-rearranged primes but not control primes. Thus, priming with a novel configuration comprising the same familiar parts as the upcoming figure-ground display facilitated orientation-dependent effects of object memories on figure assignment. Similar results were obtained when the spatially rearranged collection of parts was suggested on the groundside of the prime’s border, suggesting that familiar parts in novel configurations access the representation of their corresponding intact whole object before figure assignment. These data demonstrate that familiar parts access memories of familiar objects even when they are arranged in a novel configuration.

Spatially rearranged object parts can facilitate perception of intact whole objects.

Science.gov (United States)

Cacciamani, Laura; Ayars, Alisabeth A; Peterson, Mary A

2014-01-01

The familiarity of an object depends on the spatial arrangement of its parts; when the parts are spatially rearranged, they form a novel, unrecognizable configuration. Yet the same collection of parts comprises both the familiar and novel configuration. Is it possible that the collection of familiar parts activates a representation of the intact familiar configuration even when they are spatially rearranged? We presented novel configurations as primes before test displays that assayed effects on figure-ground perception from memories of intact familiar objects. In our test displays, two equal-area regions shared a central border; one region depicted a portion of a familiar object. Previous research with such displays has shown that participants are more likely to perceive the region depicting a familiar object as the figure and the abutting region as its ground when the familiar object is depicted in its upright orientation rather than upside down. The novel primes comprised either the same or a different collection of parts as the familiar object in the test display (part-rearranged and control primes, respectively). We found that participants were more likely to perceive the familiar region as figure in upright vs. inverted displays following part-rearranged primes but not control primes. Thus, priming with a novel configuration comprising the same familiar parts as the upcoming figure-ground display facilitated orientation-dependent effects of object memories on figure assignment. Similar results were obtained when the spatially rearranged collection of parts was suggested on the groundside of the prime's border, suggesting that familiar parts in novel configurations access the representation of their corresponding intact whole object before figure assignment. These data demonstrate that familiar parts access memories of familiar objects even when they are arranged in a novel configuration.

Spectrophotometric Evaluation of the Pulpal Peroxide Levels in Intact and Restored Teeth - An Invitro Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Patri, Gaurav; Acharya, Gourismita; Agrawal, Pratik; Panda, Vijeta

2016-08-01

Hydrogen peroxide (30%) is a commonly used "in office" bleaching agent. Deleterious effects of hydrogen peroxide on the pulp have been observed. The present study was conducted with the aim to evaluate the penetration of 30% hydrogen peroxide into the pulp chamber through intact teeth and through the surface of teeth, restored with either hybrid composite or Resin Modified Glass Ionomer Cement (RMGIC). Sixty extracted human maxillary central incisors were selected and divided into six groups. Two groups were restored with hybrid composite resin and two with RMGIC, while two groups were left intact. The teeth with acetate buffer solution in their pulp cavity were then immersed in either 30% hydrogen peroxide or distilled water depending upon the group, for 60 minutes at 37°C. Then horseradish peroxidase and leucocrystal violet were added to the acetate buffer solution present in the pulp chamber after it was transferred to a test tube and the optical density of the resultant blue solution obtained was measured spectrophotometrically. The data obtained were analyzed using one way ANOVA and Student's t-test. The data obtained established that hydrogen peroxide penetrated into the pulp from the bleaching agent used. Hydrogen peroxide (30%) showed the highest pulpal peroxide level in teeth restored with RMGIC followed by teeth restored with hybrid composite resin and the least amount of penetration was observed in intact teeth. The amount of peroxide penetration into the tooth is more through restored tooth than intact tooth and is also dependant on the type of restorative materials used.

The relationships between self-transcendence and spiritual well-being in cognitively intact nursing home patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Haugan, Gørill; Rannestad, Toril; Hammervold, Randi; Garåsen, Helge; Espnes, Geir A

2014-03-01

Self-transcendence is considered a developmental process of personal maturity and a vital resource of well-being in later adulthood. Measurement of the associations between self-transcendence and spiritual well-being in cognitively intact nursing home patients has not been previously published. The aim of this study was to identify the relationships between self-transcendence and spiritual well-being in cognitively intact nursing home patients. A cross-sectional design using the self-transcendence scale and the FACIT-Sp spiritual well-being questionnaire was adopted. A sample of 202 cognitively intact nursing home patients in mid-Norway was selected to respond to the questionnaires in 2008 and 2009. Statistical analyses were conducted using lisrel 8.8 (Scientific Software International, Chicago, IL, USA) and structural equation modelling. A hypothesised structural equation model comprising a two-factor construct of self-transcendence and a three-factor construct of spiritual well-being demonstrated significant direct relationships between self-transcendence and spiritual well-being and total effects of self-transcendence on spiritual well-being. Facilitating patients' self-transcendence, both interpersonally and intrapersonally, might increase spiritual well-being among cognitively intact nursing home patients, which is seen to be of great importance to nursing home patients' overall satisfaction and satisfaction with staff. The two-factor construct of self-transcendence and the three-factor construct of FACIT-Sp allow a more complex examination of the associations between the constructs and prove more specific guidelines for nursing interventions promoting well-being in nursing home patients. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Differential effects of androgens on coronary blood flow regulation and arteriolar diameter in intact and castrated swine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O’Connor Erin K

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Low endogenous testosterone levels have been shown to be a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular benefits associated with testosterone replacement therapy are being advocated; however, the effects of endogenous testosterone levels on acute coronary vasomotor responses to androgen administration are not clear. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of acute androgen administration on in vivo coronary conductance and in vitro coronary microvascular diameter in intact and castrated male swine. Methods Pigs received intracoronary infusions of physiologic levels (1–100 nM of testosterone, the metabolite 5α-dihydrotestosterone, and the epimer epitestosterone while left anterior descending coronary blood flow and mean arterial pressure were continuously monitored. Following sacrifice, coronary arterioles were isolated, cannulated, and exposed to physiologic concentrations (1–100 nM of testosterone, 5α-dihydrotestosterone, and epitestosterone. To evaluate effects of the androgen receptor on acute androgen dilation responses, real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry for androgen receptor were performed on conduit and resistance coronary vessels. Results In vivo, testosterone and 5α-dihydrotestosterone produced greater increases in coronary conductance in the intact compared to the castrated males. In vitro, percent maximal dilation of microvessels was similar between intact and castrated males for testosterone and 5α-dihydrotestosterone. In both studies epitestosterone produced significant increases in conductance and microvessel diameter from baseline in the intact males. Androgen receptor mRNA expression and immunohistochemical staining were similar in intact and castrated males. Conclusions Acute coronary vascular responses to exogenous androgen administration are increased by endogenous testosterone, an effect unrelated to changes in androgen receptor expression.

The effect of hepatoprotective preparations thioctacid and flavobion on histones in intact and regenerating lever in irradiated rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kozhurkova, M.; Kropachova, E.; Mishurova, R.; Reksa, R.

1992-01-01

The changes in concentration, total content of histones and relative proportion of individual histone fractions in intact and regenerating liver were followed in rats after administration of hepatoprotective agents flavobion and thioctacid and after whole-body gamma irradiation with a dose 5.7 Gy. Thioctacid alone caused an increase in histone concentration in intact liver whereas flavobion alone did not produce significant quantitative changes. Irradiation alone decreased markedly the concentration and total content of histones in intact as well as regenerating liver of unprotected rats. Administration of thioctacid or flavobion protected from these quantitative histone changes or alleviated them consideradly. In relative proportion of individual histone fractions, the most profound changes were found in H1 histone after flavobion application

Effects of intraoperative electron irradiation in the dog on cell turnover in intact and surgically-anastomosed aorta and intestine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sindelar, W.F.; Morrow, B.M.; Travis, E.L.; Tepper, J.; Merkel, A.B.; Kranda, K.; Terrill, R.

1983-01-01

Adults dogs were subjected to laparotomy and intraoperative electron irradiation after division and reanastomosis of aorta or after construction of a blind loop of small intestine having a transverse suture line and an end-to-side anastomosis. Dogs received intraoperative irradiation of both intact and anastomosed aorta or intestine in doses of 0, 2000, 3000, or 4500 rad. Animals were sacrificed at seven days or three months following treatment. At 24 hours prior to sacrifice, dogs received 5 mCi tritiated thymidine intravenously. Irradiated and non-irradiated segments of aorta and small intestine, including intact and anastomotic regions, were analyzed for tritiated thymidine incorporation and were subjected to autoradiography. Incorporation studies showed diminution in tritiated thymidine uptake by irradiated portions of aorta and small intestine, in both intact and anastomotic regions. Autoradiograms revealed that irradiated areas of intact or anastomotic aorta or intestine had diminished labeling of stromal cells, suggesting a lowered cell proliferative capacity of irradiated tissue compared to non-irradiated portions. Inflammatory cells showed similar labeling indices in irradiated and non-irradiated tissues, both intact and surgically-manipulated, suggesting that irradiation does not significantly affect a subsequent local inflammatory response. Radiation-induced decreases in tritiated thymidine incoporation in irradiated aorta and small intestine were generally more marked at seven days than at three months following irradiation, suggesting that radiation-induced depression of cell turnover rates decreases with time

The Fate of Dissolved Creosote Compounds in an Intact Fratured Clay Column

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Broholm, Kim; Arvin, Erik; Hansen, Asger

1995-01-01

The fate of 16 different organics typical for creosote was studied under aerobic conditions in a large intact fractured clay column experiment. Some of the organics (benzene, toluene, o-xylene, phenol, and o-cresol) were transported at the same rate as bromide through the fractured clay, whereas ...

Tolerance of a standard intact protein formula versus a partially hydrolyzed formula in healthy, term infants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marunycz John D

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Parents who perceive common infant behaviors as formula intolerance-related often switch formulas without consulting a health professional. Up to one-half of formula-fed infants experience a formula change during the first six months of life. Methods The objective of this study was to assess discontinuance due to study physician-assessed formula intolerance in healthy, term infants. Infants (335 were randomized to receive either a standard intact cow milk protein formula (INTACT or a partially hydrolyzed cow milk protein formula (PH in a 60 day non-inferiority trial. Discontinuance due to study physician-assessed formula intolerance was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included number of infants who discontinued for any reason, including parent-assessed. Results Formula intolerance between groups (INTACT, 12.3% vs. PH, 13.7% was similar for infants who completed the study or discontinued due to study physician-assessed formula intolerance. Overall study discontinuance based on parent- vs. study physician-assessed intolerance for all infants (14.4 vs.11.1% was significantly different (P = 0.001. Conclusion This study demonstrated no difference in infant tolerance of intact vs. partially hydrolyzed cow milk protein formulas for healthy, term infants over a 60-day feeding trial, suggesting nonstandard partially hydrolyzed formulas are not necessary as a first-choice for healthy infants. Parents frequently perceived infant behavior as formula intolerance, paralleling previous reports of unnecessary formula changes. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00666120

Clonal expansion of genome-intact HIV-1 in functionally polarized Th1 CD4+ T cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Guinevere Q; Orlova-Fink, Nina; Einkauf, Kevin; Chowdhury, Fatema Z; Sun, Xiaoming; Harrington, Sean; Kuo, Hsiao-Hsuan; Hua, Stephane; Chen, Hsiao-Rong; Ouyang, Zhengyu; Reddy, Kavidha; Dong, Krista; Ndung'u, Thumbi; Walker, Bruce D; Rosenberg, Eric S; Yu, Xu G; Lichterfeld, Mathias

2017-06-30

HIV-1 causes a chronic, incurable disease due to its persistence in CD4+ T cells that contain replication-competent provirus, but exhibit little or no active viral gene expression and effectively resist combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). These latently infected T cells represent an extremely small proportion of all circulating CD4+ T cells but possess a remarkable long-term stability and typically persist throughout life, for reasons that are not fully understood. Here we performed massive single-genome, near-full-length next-generation sequencing of HIV-1 DNA derived from unfractionated peripheral blood mononuclear cells, ex vivo-isolated CD4+ T cells, and subsets of functionally polarized memory CD4+ T cells. This approach identified multiple sets of independent, near-full-length proviral sequences from cART-treated individuals that were completely identical, consistent with clonal expansion of CD4+ T cells harboring intact HIV-1. Intact, near-full-genome HIV-1 DNA sequences that were derived from such clonally expanded CD4+ T cells constituted 62% of all analyzed genome-intact sequences in memory CD4 T cells, were preferentially observed in Th1-polarized cells, were longitudinally detected over a duration of up to 5 years, and were fully replication- and infection-competent. Together, these data suggest that clonal proliferation of Th1-polarized CD4+ T cells encoding for intact HIV-1 represents a driving force for stabilizing the pool of latently infected CD4+ T cells.

Uptake and clearance of plutonium-238 from intact liver and liver cells transplanted into fat pads of F344/N rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooks, A.L.; Guilmette, R.A.; Hahn, F.F.; Jirtle, R.L.

1985-01-01

An understanding of the role of liver cells and the intact liver in plutonium biokinetics is needed. Liver cells were isolated from rats, injected into fat pads of recipient rats, and allowed 21 days to form cell colonies. Rats then received a single intraperitoneal injection of 1 μCi 238 Pu-citrate and were serially sacrificed. Uptake, retention, and distribution of Pu in intact liver and in liver cells growing in fat pads were determined. Intact liver cells took up about twice as much 238 Pu as liver cells transplanted into fat pads. However, the retention kinetics of Pu were similar for both the liver cells in the fat pads and the intact liver cells when the retention was expressed as activity per cell. 4 references, 1 figure, 1 table

A random set scoring model for prioritization of disease candidate genes using protein complexes and data-mining of GeneRIF, OMIM and PubMed records.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Li; Edwards, Stefan M; Thomsen, Bo; Workman, Christopher T; Guldbrandtsen, Bernt; Sørensen, Peter

2014-09-24

Prioritizing genetic variants is a challenge because disease susceptibility loci are often located in genes of unknown function or the relationship with the corresponding phenotype is unclear. A global data-mining exercise on the biomedical literature can establish the phenotypic profile of genes with respect to their connection to disease phenotypes. The importance of protein-protein interaction networks in the genetic heterogeneity of common diseases or complex traits is becoming increasingly recognized. Thus, the development of a network-based approach combined with phenotypic profiling would be useful for disease gene prioritization. We developed a random-set scoring model and implemented it to quantify phenotype relevance in a network-based disease gene-prioritization approach. We validated our approach based on different gene phenotypic profiles, which were generated from PubMed abstracts, OMIM, and GeneRIF records. We also investigated the validity of several vocabulary filters and different likelihood thresholds for predicted protein-protein interactions in terms of their effect on the network-based gene-prioritization approach, which relies on text-mining of the phenotype data. Our method demonstrated good precision and sensitivity compared with those of two alternative complex-based prioritization approaches. We then conducted a global ranking of all human genes according to their relevance to a range of human diseases. The resulting accurate ranking of known causal genes supported the reliability of our approach. Moreover, these data suggest many promising novel candidate genes for human disorders that have a complex mode of inheritance. We have implemented and validated a network-based approach to prioritize genes for human diseases based on their phenotypic profile. We have devised a powerful and transparent tool to identify and rank candidate genes. Our global gene prioritization provides a unique resource for the biological interpretation of data

Radionuclide sorption on crushed and intact granitic rock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eriksen, Tryggve E.; Locklund, Birgitta

1989-05-01

The specific surface areas and distribution ratios for sorption of 85 Sr, 137 Cs and 152 Eu were measured for crushed and intact granite rock. The experimental data can be accommodated by a sorption model encompassing sorption on outer and inner surface. It is clearly demonstrated that the time required to obtain reliable Kd-values for the sorption of strongly sorbing radionuclides like 152 Eu is very long due to solution depletion and slow diffusion into the rock. A combination of surface area measurements and batch sorption with small particles may therefore be preferable when studying strongly sorbing nuclides. (authors) (17 figs., 6 tabs.)

Sediment carbon and nutrient fluxes from cleared and intact temperate mangrove ecosystems and adjacent sandflats.

Science.gov (United States)

Bulmer, Richard H; Schwendenmann, Luitgard; Lohrer, Andrew M; Lundquist, Carolyn J

2017-12-01

The loss of mangrove ecosystems is associated with numerous impacts on coastal and estuarine function, including sediment carbon and nutrient cycling. In this study we compared in situ fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from the sediment to the atmosphere, and fluxes of dissolved inorganic nutrients and oxygen across the sediment-water interface, in intact and cleared mangrove and sandflat ecosystems in a temperate estuary. Measurements were made 20 and 25months after mangrove clearance, in summer and winter, respectively. Sediment CO 2 efflux was over two-fold higher from cleared than intact mangrove ecosystems at 20 and 25months after mangrove clearance. The higher CO 2 efflux from the cleared site was explained by an increase in respiration of dead root material along with sediment disturbance following mangrove clearance. In contrast, sediment CO 2 efflux from the sandflat site was negligible (≤9.13±1.18mmolm -2 d -1 ), associated with lower sediment organic matter content. The fluxes of inorganic nutrients (NH 4 + , NO x and PO 4 3- ) from intact and cleared mangrove sediments were low (≤20.37±18.66μmolm -2 h - 1 ). The highest NH 4 + fluxes were measured at the sandflat site (69.21±13.49μmolm -2 h - 1 ). Lower inorganic nutrient fluxes within the cleared and intact mangrove sites compared to the sandflat site were associated with lower abundance of larger burrowing macrofauna. Further, a higher fraction of organic matter, silt and clay content in mangrove sediments may have limited nutrient exchange. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Collagen fibril size and crimp morphology in ruptured and intact Achilles tendons

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Magnusson, S P; Qvortrup, K; Larsen, Jytte Overgaard

2002-01-01

tendons. Crimp angle did not display any region-specific differences, or any difference between the rupture and intact tendons. In conclusion, these data suggest that although crimp morphology is unchanged there appears to be a site-specific loss of larger fibrils in the core and periphery of the Achilles...

46 CFR 173.020 - Intact stability standards: Counterballasted and non-counterballasted vessels.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

...) SUBDIVISION AND STABILITY SPECIAL RULES PERTAINING TO VESSEL USE Lifting § 173.020 Intact stability standards... vessel that is not equipped to counter-ballast while lifting must be shown by design calculations to... and crane radius. (b) Each vessel must have a righting arm curve with the following characteristics...

Forest loss in protected areas and intact forest landscapes : A global analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heino, Matias; Kummu, Matti; Makkonen, Marika; Mulligan, Mark; Verburg, Peter H.; Jalava, Mika; Räsänen, Timo A.

2015-01-01

In spite of the high importance of forests, global forest loss has remained alarmingly high during the last decades. Forest loss at a global scale has been unveiled with increasingly finer spatial resolution, but the forest extent and loss in protected areas (PAs) and in large intact forest

Cutaneous mast cell maturation does not depend on an intact bone marrow microenvironment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charley, M.R.; Mikhael, A.; Sontheimer, R.D.; Gilliam, J.N.; Bennett, M.

1984-01-01

A study was made to determine whether the maturation of murine cutaneous mast cells from stem cells depends on an intact bone marrow microenvironment. Normal bone marrow cells (+/+) were infused into 2 groups of mast cell-deficient mice: WBB6F1-W/Wv mice and 89 Sr-pretreated W/Wv mice. 89 Sr is a long-lived bone-seeking radioisotope which provides continuous irradiation of the marrow and thereby ablates the marrow microenvironment. Skin biopsies revealed that the 89 Sr-pretreated mice and the controls had repopulated their skin with mast cells equally well. Natural killer cell function was significantly depressed in the 89 Sr-treated mice, confirming that the marrow microenvironment had been functionally altered. It appears that, although the precursors for cutaneous mast cells are marrow derived, they do not need an intact marrow microenvironment for maturation

Palladium nanoparticles exposure: Evaluation of permeation through damaged and intact human skin.

Science.gov (United States)

Larese Filon, Francesca; Crosera, Matteo; Mauro, Marcella; Baracchini, Elena; Bovenzi, Massimo; Montini, Tiziano; Fornasiero, Paolo; Adami, Gianpiero

2016-07-01

The intensified use of palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) in many chemical reactions, jewellery, electronic devices, in car catalytic converters and in biomedical applications lead to a significant increase in palladium exposure. Pd can cause allergic contact dermatitis when in contact with the skin. However, there is still a lack of toxicological data related to nano-structured palladium and information on human cutaneous absorption. In fact, PdNPs, can be absorbed through the skin in higher amounts than bulk Pd because NPs can release more ions. In our study, we evaluated the absorption of PdNPs, with a size of 10.7 ± 2.8 nm, using intact and damaged human skin in Franz cells. 0.60 mg cm(-2) of PdNPs were applied on skin surface for 24 h. Pd concentrations in the receiving solutions at the end of experiments were 0.098 ± 0.067 μg cm(-2) and 1.06 ± 0.44 μg cm(-2) in intact skin and damaged skin, respectively. Pd flux permeation after 24 h was 0.005 ± 0.003 μg cm(-2) h(-1) and 0.057 ± 0.030 μg cm(-2) h(-1) and lag time 4.8 ± 1.7 and 4.2 ± 3.6 h, for intact and damaged skin respectively. This study indicates that Pd can penetrate human skin. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isotope inequilibrium of glucose metabolites in intact cells and particlefree supernatants of Ehrlich ascites tumor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daehnfeldt, J.L.; Winge, P.

1975-01-01

With an enzyme degradative technique, isotope inequilibrium of glucose metabolites was demonstrated in intact cells and particle-free supernatants of Ehrlich ascites tumor using I- 14 C-glucose as tracer. Inequilibrium was found between glucose and glucose-6-phosphate, glucose and fructose-6-phosphate, glucose and 6-phosphogluconate, while glucose-6-phosphate and fructose-6-phosphate were found to be in near equilibrium within the incubation time investigated. Glucose and lactate were found to be in near equilibrium after 8 min in intact cells. Calculations based on the equilibrium levels found, showed that these inequilibria could not be explained by the effects of the pentose cycle. (U.S.)

Boron-11 MRI and MRS of intact animals infused with a boron neutron capture agent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kabalka, G.W.; Davis, M.; Bendel, P.

1988-01-01

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) depends on the delivery of boron-containing drugs to a targeted lesion. Currently, the verification and quantification of in vivo boron content is a difficult problem. Boron-11 spectroscopy was utilized to confirm the presence of a dimeric sulfhydryl dodecaborane BNCT agent contained in an intact animal. Spectroscopy experiments revealed that the decay time of transverse magnetization of the boron-11 spins was less than 1 ms which precluded the use of a 2DFT imaging protocol. A back-projection protocol was developed and utilized to generate the first boron-11 image of a BNCT agent in the liver of an intact Fisher 344 rat

The action of cobra venom phospholipase A2 isoenzymes towards intact human erythrocytes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roelofsen, B.; Sibenius Trip, M.; Verheij, H.M.; Zevenbergen, J.L.

1980-01-01

1. 1. Cobra venom phospholipase A2 from three different sources has been fractionated into different isoenzymes by DEAE ion-exchange chromatography. 2. 2. Treatment of intact human erythrocytes with the various isoenzymes revealed significant differences in the degree of phosphatidylcholine

Optimized Planning Target Volume for Intact Cervical Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, Alvin; Jensen, Lindsay G.; Sun Shuai; Song, William Y.; Yashar, Catheryn M.; Mundt, Arno J.; Zhang Fuquan; Jiang, Steve B.; Mell, Loren K.

2012-01-01

Purpose: To model interfraction clinical target volume (CTV) variation in patients with intact cervical cancer and design a planning target volume (PTV) that minimizes normal tissue dose while maximizing CTV coverage. Methods and Materials: We analyzed 50 patients undergoing external-beam radiotherapy for intact cervical cancer using daily online cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). The CBCTs (n = 972) for each patient were rigidly registered to the planning CT. The CTV was delineated on the planning CT (CTV 0 ) and the set of CBCTs ({CTV 1 –CTV 25 }). Manual (n = 98) and automated (n = 668) landmarks were placed over the surface of CTV 0 with reference to defined anatomic structures. Normal vectors were extended from each landmark, and the minimum length required for a given probability of encompassing CTV 1 –CTV 25 was computed. The resulting expansions were used to generate an optimized PTV. Results: The mean (SD; range) normal vector length to ensure 95% coverage was 4.3 mm (2.7 mm; 1–16 mm). The uniform expansion required to ensure 95% probability of CTV coverage was 13 mm. An anisotropic margin of 20 mm anteriorly and posteriorly and 10 mm superiorly, inferiorly, and laterally also would have ensured a 95% probability of CTV coverage. The volume of the 95% optimized PTV (1470 cm 3 ) was significantly lower than both the anisotropic PTV (2220 cm 3 ) and the uniformly expanded PTV (2110 cm 3 ) (p 0 , 5–10 mm along the interfaces of CTV 0 with the bladder and rectum, and 10–14 mm along the anterior surface of CTV 0 at the level of the uterus. Conclusion: Optimizing PTV definition according to surface landmarking resulted in a high probability of CTV coverage with reduced PTV volumes. Our results provide data justifying planning margins to use in practice and clinical trials.

Family relationships and the psychosocial adjustment of school-aged children in intact families

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hakvoort, E.M.; Bos, H.M.W.; van Balen, F.; Hermanns, J.M.A.

2010-01-01

The authors investigated whether the quality of three family relationships (i.e., marital, parent-child, sibling) in intact families are associated with each other and with children's psychosocial adjustment. Data were collected by means of maternal and child reports (N = 88) using standardized

Intrahippocampal administration of an androgen receptor antagonist, flutamide, can increase anxiety-like behavior in intact and DHT-replaced male rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Edinger, Kassandra L; Frye, Cheryl A

2006-08-01

Testosterone (T) and its 5alpha-reduced metabolite, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), can decrease anxiety-like behavior; however, the mechanisms underlying these effects have not been established. First, we hypothesized that if T reduces anxiety-like behavior through actions of its 5alpha-reduced metabolite, DHT, then gonadectomy (GDX) would increase anxiety-like behavior, an effect which would be reversed by systemic administration of DHT. Second, we hypothesized that if T and DHT reduce anxiety-like behavior in part through actions at intracellular androgen receptors in the hippocampus, then administration of an androgen receptor antagonist, flutamide, directly to the hippocampus should increase anxiety-like behavior of intact and DHT-replaced, but not GDX, male rats. Inserts that were empty or contained flutamide were applied directly to the dorsal hippocampus of intact, GDX, or GDX and DHT-replaced rats 2 h prior to testing in the open field, elevated plus maze, or defensive freezing tasks. GDX rats exhibited significantly more anxiety-like behaviors than intact or DHT-replaced rats. Intact and DHT-replaced rats administered flutamide to the hippocampus showed significantly more anxiety-like behavior than did intact and DHT-replaced controls. However, flutamide alone did not increase anxiety-like behavior of GDX rats. Together, these findings suggest that androgens can decrease anxiety-like behavior of male rats in part through DHT's actions at androgen receptors in the hippocampus.

Intact Four-atom Organic Tetracation Stabilized by Charge Localization in the Gas Phase.

Science.gov (United States)

Yatsuhashi, Tomoyuki; Toyota, Kazuo; Mitsubayashi, Naoya; Kozaki, Masatoshi; Okada, Keiji; Nakashima, Nobuaki

2016-10-05

Several features distinguish intact multiply charged molecular cations (MMCs) from other species such as monocations and polycations: high potential energy, high electron affinity, a high density of electronic states with various spin multiplicities, and charge-dependent reactions. However, repulsive Coulombic interactions make MMCs quite unstable, and hence small organic MMCs are currently not readily available. Herein, we report that the isolated four-atom molecule diiodoacetylene survives after the removal of four electrons via tunneling. We show that the tetracation remains metastable towards dissociation because of the localization (91-95 %) of the positive charges on the terminal iodine atoms, ensuring minimum Coulomb repulsion between adjacent atoms as well as maximum charge-induced attractive dipole interactions between iodine and carbon. Our approach making use of iodines as the positively charged sites enables small organic MMCs to remain intact. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Acceleration effect of ionic liquids on polycyclotrimerization of dicyanate esters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Fainleib

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The polycyclotrimerization reaction of dicyanate ester of bisphenol E (DCBE in the presence of varying amounts (from 0.5 to 5 wt% of 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([OMIm][BF4] ionic liquid has been investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR techniques, after a curing stage at 150 °C for 6 h. It is noteworthy that an amount of [OMIm][BF4] as low as 0.5 wt% accelerates dramatically the thermal curing process leading to the formation of a polycyanurate network. The conversion of DCBE increased with increasing [OMIm][BF4] content in the temperature range studied. A reaction mechanism associated with the ionic liquid-catalyzed DCBE polycyclotrimerization is newly proposed via the involvement of a [CN]δ+–[OMIm]δ– complex as a key intermediate.

Does intact pleura during internal mammary artery harvesting decreases pleuropulmonary complications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paracha, V.I.; Iqbal, M.A.; Rashid, A.

2011-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the effects on postoperative pulmonary function of pleural integrity versus opened pleura, in patients who receive a left internal mammary artery graft. Study Design: Randomized control trial. Place and Duration of study: Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology and National Institute of Heart Diseases, Rawalpindi from June 2009 to Feb 2010. Patients and Methods: The study was conducted on 62 patients who underwent elective coronary artery bypass grafting. The patients were divided into 2 groups: Group A consisted of patients who underwent internal mammary artery harvesting with opened pleura (n=31) while Group B consisted of patients having internal mammary artery harvested with intact pleura (n=31). To monitor pleuro-pulmonary complications, chest radiography was performed routinely 1 day before operation and on the second, fourth and sixth postoperative days. The preoperative, after extubation, and first postoperative day values of partial oxygen pressure (PaO/sub 2/), partial carbon dioxide pressure (PaCO/sub 2/), oxygen (O/sub 2/) saturation and haematocrit were recorded for comparison. The effect of intact pleura on IMA traction was also recorded by serial cardiac enzymes measurement and electrocardiography in the immediate postoperative period. Results: Pleural effusion occurred more often in patients of Group A (35.5% versus 12.9%) which was statistically significant (P 0.038). However, no significant differences were recorded in postoperative respiratory complications. Reoperation for postoperative bleeding and tamponade was done in 6.5% and 3.2% of cases in Group B respectively but none Group A; however it was not statistically significant (P 0.076). The mean postoperative hospital stay was 7.84 days for Group A and 7.58 days for Group B. Conclusion: Pleural integrity during IMA harvesting decreases pleural effusion. Although, no significant differences were recorded in postoperative lung complications, intact pleural technique of IMA

Predictors of Attachment Security in Preschool Children from Intact and Divorced Families

Science.gov (United States)

Nair, Hira; Murray, Ann D.

2005-01-01

The authors selected 58 mother-child dyads from divorced and intact families to participate in a study on the impact of divorce on preschoolers' attachment security. The authors explored pathways that lead to security of attachment. They found that mothers from divorced families were younger, had lower income levels, and had lower levels of…

Detection of intact megadalton protein assemblies of vanillyl-alcohol oxidase by mass spectrometry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berkel, van W.J.H.; Heuvel, van den R.H.H.; Versluis, C.; Heck, A.

2000-01-01

Well-resolved ion signals of intact large protein assemblies, with molecular masses extending above one million Dalton, have been detected and mass analyzed using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, with an uncertainty in mass of <0.2&Eth;The mass spectral data seem to reflect known

pGlyco 2.0 enables precision N-glycoproteomics with comprehensive quality control and one-step mass spectrometry for intact glycopeptide identification.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ming-Qi; Zeng, Wen-Feng; Fang, Pan; Cao, Wei-Qian; Liu, Chao; Yan, Guo-Quan; Zhang, Yang; Peng, Chao; Wu, Jian-Qiang; Zhang, Xiao-Jin; Tu, Hui-Jun; Chi, Hao; Sun, Rui-Xiang; Cao, Yong; Dong, Meng-Qiu; Jiang, Bi-Yun; Huang, Jiang-Ming; Shen, Hua-Li; Wong, Catherine C L; He, Si-Min; Yang, Peng-Yuan

2017-09-05

The precise and large-scale identification of intact glycopeptides is a critical step in glycoproteomics. Owing to the complexity of glycosylation, the current overall throughput, data quality and accessibility of intact glycopeptide identification lack behind those in routine proteomic analyses. Here, we propose a workflow for the precise high-throughput identification of intact N-glycopeptides at the proteome scale using stepped-energy fragmentation and a dedicated search engine. pGlyco 2.0 conducts comprehensive quality control including false discovery rate evaluation at all three levels of matches to glycans, peptides and glycopeptides, improving the current level of accuracy of intact glycopeptide identification. The N-glycoproteome of samples metabolically labeled with 15 N/ 13 C were analyzed quantitatively and utilized to validate the glycopeptide identification, which could be used as a novel benchmark pipeline to compare different search engines. Finally, we report a large-scale glycoproteome dataset consisting of 10,009 distinct site-specific N-glycans on 1988 glycosylation sites from 955 glycoproteins in five mouse tissues.Protein glycosylation is a heterogeneous post-translational modification that generates greater proteomic diversity that is difficult to analyze. Here the authors describe pGlyco 2.0, a workflow for the precise one step identification of intact N-glycopeptides at the proteome scale.

A new infusion pathway intactness monitoring system.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogawa, Hidekuni; Yonezawa, Yoshiharu; Maki, Hiromichi; Ninomiya, Ishio; Sata, Koji; Hamada, Shingo; Caldwell, W Morton

2006-01-01

A new infusion pathway monitoring system has been developed for hospital and home use. The system consists of linear integrated circuits and a low-power 8-bit single chip microcomputer which constantly monitors the infusion pathway intactness. An AC (alternating current) voltage is induced on the patient's body by electrostatic coupling from the normal 100 volt, 60 Hz AC power line wiring field in the patient's room. The induced AC voltage can be recorded by a main electrode wrapped around the infusion polyvinyl chloride tube. A reference electrode is wrapped on the electrode to monitor the AC voltage around the main electrode. If the injection needle or infusion tube becomes detached, then the system detects changes in the induced AC voltages and alerts the nursing station, via the nurse call system or PHS (personal handy phone system).

Subsequent influences of feeding intact green seaweed Ulva lactuca to growing lambs on the seminal and testicular characteristics in rams.

Science.gov (United States)

Samara, E M; Okab, A B; Abdoun, K A; El-Waziry, A M; Al-Haidary, A A

2013-12-01

The present experiment was designed to investigate the subsequent influences of supplementing different levels of intact green seaweed Ulva lactuca (0%, 3%, and 5% DM) to growing sexually immature lambs during the growth period (74 d) on the seminal and testicular characteristics of sexually mature rams. Ulva lactuca was manually collected, adequately prepared, and then incorporated into lambs' diets. Eighteen male 3-mo-old lambs of the Awassi breed with a mean BW of 22.57 kg (SD = 1.08) were randomly assigned into treatments. The obtained results indicate that offering Ulva lactuca at the level of 3% or 5% DM to lambs during the growth period had no subsequent impacts (P > 0.05) on liver and kidney functions as well as blood water balance in rams, thereby suggesting that Ulva lactuca can be safely supplemented to lambs during growing. However, our findings point out that feeding a lamb diet supplemented with intact Ulva lactuca failed to demonstrate any subsequent benefit (P > 0.05) on the growth performance, thermoregulatory responses, and plasma oxidative status in rams. Above all, it was clearly evident that supplementing intact Ulva lactuca to lambs had demonstrated subsequent negative influences (P Ulva lactuca during the growth period compared to control rams. The deleterious impacts of feeding intact Ulva lactuca on spermatogenesis and germ cell loss were proven to be attributed to the dysfunction of Sertoli cells. Collectively, these results provide novel insights on the subsequent influences of dietary supplementation of intact Ulva lactuca to lambs. The consistent evidence of profound negative impacts on seminal and testicular characteristics as well as the resulting data of no improvement of subsequent growth, thermoregulation, and plasma oxidative status in rams prompts us to tentatively recommend the avoidance of feeding intact Ulva lactuca to lambs.

Differential isotope dansylation labeling combined with liquid chromatography mass spectrometry for quantification of intact and N-terminal truncated proteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, Yanan; Li, Liang

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •LC–MS was developed for quantifying protein mixtures containing both intact and N-terminal truncated proteins. • 12 C 2 -Dansylation of the N-terminal amino acid of proteins was done first, followed by microwave-assisted acid hydrolysis. •The released 12 C 2 -dansyl labeled N-terminal amino acid was quantified using 13 C 2 -dansyl labeled amino acid standards. •The method provided accurate and precise results for quantifying intact and N-terminal truncated proteins within 8 h. -- Abstract: The N-terminal amino acids of proteins are important structure units for maintaining the biological function, localization, and interaction networks of proteins. Under different biological conditions, one or several N-terminal amino acids could be cleaved from an intact protein due to processes, such as proteolysis, resulting in the change of protein properties. Thus, the ability to quantify the N-terminal truncated forms of proteins is of great importance, particularly in the area of development and production of protein-based drugs where the relative quantity of the intact protein and its truncated form needs to be monitored. In this work, we describe a rapid method for absolute quantification of protein mixtures containing intact and N-terminal truncated proteins. This method is based on dansylation labeling of the N-terminal amino acids of proteins, followed by microwave-assisted acid hydrolysis of the proteins into amino acids. It is shown that dansyl labeled amino acids are stable in acidic conditions and can be quantified by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC–MS) with the use of isotope analog standards

Aboveground biomass variability across intact and degraded forests in the Brazilian Amazon

Science.gov (United States)

Marcos Longo; Michael Keller; Maiza N. dos-Santos; Veronika Leitold; Ekena R. Pinagé; Alessandro Baccini; Sassan Saatchi; Euler M. Nogueira; Mateus Batistella; Douglas C. Morton

2016-01-01

Deforestation rates have declined in the Brazilian Amazon since 2005, yet degradation from logging, fire, and fragmentation has continued in frontier forests. In this study we quantified the aboveground carbon density (ACD) in intact and degraded forests using the largest data set of integrated forest inventory plots (n = 359) and airborne lidar data (18,000 ha)...

2-Methoxyestradiol Reduces Angiotensin II-Induced Hypertension and Renal Dysfunction in Ovariectomized Female and Intact Male Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Pingili, Ajeeth K; Davidge, Karen N; Thirunavukkarasu, Shyamala; Khan, Nayaab S; Katsurada, Akemi; Majid, Dewan S A; Gonzalez, Frank J; Navar, L Gabriel; Malik, Kafait U

2017-06-01

Cytochrome P450 1B1 protects against angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced hypertension and associated cardiovascular changes in female mice, most likely via production of 2-methoxyestradiol. This study was conducted to determine whether 2-methoxyestradiol ameliorates Ang II-induced hypertension, renal dysfunction, and end-organ damage in intact Cyp1b1 -/- , ovariectomized female, and Cyp1b1 +/+ male mice. Ang II or vehicle was infused for 2 weeks and administered concurrently with 2-methoxyestradiol. Mice were placed in metabolic cages on day 12 of Ang II infusion for urine collection for 24 hours. 2-Methoxyestradiol reduced Ang II-induced increases in systolic blood pressure, water consumption, urine output, and proteinuria in intact female Cyp1b1 -/- and ovariectomized mice. 2-Methoxyestradiol also reduced Ang II-induced increase in blood pressure, water intake, urine output, and proteinuria in Cyp1b1 +/+ male mice. Treatment with 2-methoxyestradiol attenuated Ang II-induced end-organ damage in intact Cyp1b1 -/- and ovariectomized Cyp1b1 +/+ and Cyp1b1 -/- female mice and Cyp1b1 +/+ male mice. 2-Methoxyestradiol mitigated Ang II-induced increase in urinary excretion of angiotensinogen in intact Cyp1b1 -/- and ovariectomized Cyp1b1 +/+ and Cyp1b1 -/- female mice but not in Cyp1b1 +/+ male mice. The G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 antagonist G-15 failed to alter Ang II-induced increases in blood pressure and renal function in Cyp1b1 +/+ female mice. These data suggest that 2-methoxyestradiol reduces Ang II-induced hypertension and associated end-organ damage in intact Cyp1b1 -/- , ovariectomized Cyp1b1 +/+ and Cyp1b1 -/- female mice, and Cyp1b1 +/+ male mice independent of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1. Therefore, 2-methoxyestradiol could serve as a therapeutic agent for treating hypertension and associated pathogenesis in postmenopausal females, and in males. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Single molecule approaches for quantifying transcription and degradation rates in intact mammalian tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Bahar Halpern, Keren; Itzkovitz, Shalev

2016-04-01

A key challenge in mammalian biology is to understand how rates of transcription and mRNA degradation jointly shape cellular gene expression. Powerful techniques have been developed for measuring these rates either genome-wide or at the single-molecule level, however these techniques are not applicable to assessment of cells within their native tissue microenvironment. Here we describe a technique based on single molecule Fluorescence in-situ Hybridization (smFISH) to measure transcription and degradation rates in intact mammalian tissues. The technique is based on dual-color libraries targeting the introns and exons of the genes of interest, enabling visualization and quantification of both nascent and mature mRNA. We present a software, TransQuant, that facilitates quantifying these rates from smFISH images. Our approach enables assessment of both transcription and degradation rates of any gene of interest while controlling for the inherent heterogeneity of intact tissues. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transcriptome analysis of genes related to resistance against powdery mildew in wheat-Thinopyrum alien addition disomic line germplasm SN6306.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Quanquan; Niu, Zubiao; Bao, Yinguang; Tian, Qiuju; Wang, Honggang; Kong, Lingrang; Feng, Deshun

2016-09-15

Wheat powdery mildew, which is mainly caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt), seriously damages wheat production. The wheat-Thinopyrum intermedium alien addition disomic line germplasm SN6306, being one of the important sources of genes for wheat resistance, is highly resistant to Bgt E09 and to many other powdery mildew physiological races. However, knowledge on the resistance mechanism of SN6306 remains limited. Our study employed high-throughput RNA sequencing based on next-generation sequencing technology (Illumina) to obtain an overview of the transcriptome characteristics of SN6306 and its parent wheat Yannong 15 (YN15) during Bgt infection. The sequencing generated 104,773 unigenes, 9909 of which showed varied expression levels. Among the 9909 unigenes, 1678 unigenes showed 0 reads in YN15. The expression levels in Bgt-inoculated SN6306 and YN15 of exactly 39 unigenes that showed 0 or considerably low reads in YN15 were validated to identify the genes involved in Bgt resistance. Among the 39 unigenes, 12 unigenes were upregulated in SN6306 by 3-45 times. These unigenes mainly encoded kinase, synthase, proteases, and signal transduction proteins, which may play an important role in the resistance against Bgt. To confirm whether the unigenes that showed 0 reads in YN15 are really unique to SN6306, 8 unigenes were cloned and sequenced. Results showed that the selected unigenes are more similar to SN6306 and Th. intermedium than to the wheat cultivar YN15. The sequencing results further confirmed that the unigenes showing 0 reads in YN15 are unique to SN6306 and are most likely derived from Th. intermedium (Host) Nevski. Thus, the genes from Th. intermedium most probably conferred the resistance of SN6306 to Bgt. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changes in the organics metabolism in the hepatopancreas induced by eyestalk ablation of the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis determined via transcriptome and DGE analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yan Sun

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: To understand the regulation mechanism of eyestalk ablation on the activities of hepatopancreas, Illumina RNA-Seq and digital gene expression (DGE analyses were performed to investigate the transcriptome of the eyestalk, Y-organ, and hepatopancreas of E. sinensis and to identify the genes associated with the hepatopancreas metabolism that are differentially expressed under eyestalk ablation conditions. RESULTS: A total of 58,582 unigenes were constructed from 157,168 contigs with SOAPdenovo. A BlastX search against the NCBI Nr database identified 21,678 unigenes with an E-value higher than 10⁻⁵. Using the BLAST2Go and BlastAll software programs, 6,883 unigenes (11.75% of the total were annotated to the Gene Ontology (GO database, 7,386 (12.6% unigenes were classified into 25 Clusters of Orthologous Groups of Proteins (COGs, 16,200 (27.7% unigenes were assigned to 242 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG pathways, and 1,846 unigenes were matched to "metabolism pathways". The DGE analysis revealed that 1,416 unigenes were significantly differentially expressed in the hepatopancreas, of which 890 unigenes were up-regulated and 526 unigenes were down-regulated. Of the differentially expressed genes, 382 unigenes were annotated and 63 were classified into metabolism pathways. The results of the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR analysis of four unigenes related to carbohydrate metabolism were consistent with those obtained from the DGE analysis, which demonstrates that the sequencing data were satisfactory for further gene expression analyses. CONCLUSION: This paper reported the transcriptom of the eyestalk, Y-organ, and hepatopancreas from E. sinensis. DGE analysis provided the different expressed genes of the metabolism processes in hepatopancreas that are affected by eyestalk ablation. These findings will facilitate further investigations on the mechanisms of the metabolism of organic substances during development

Double Outlet Right Ventricle With Intact Ventricular Septum: Avulsion or Exclusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Menon, Sabarinath; Kumar, C J Ashok; Mathew, Thomas; Venkateshwarn, S; Jayakumar, K; Dharan, Baiju S

2016-03-01

Double outlet right ventricle (DORV) is almost always associated with a ventricular septal defect. The variant of DORV with intact ventricular septum is very uncommon and may be associated with fetal demise or death immediately after birth. Reports of successful palliation of these patients to the stage of superior cavopulmonary anastomosis (bidirectional Glenn shunt) are rare. We describe the case of a child with DORV with intact ventricular septum who underwent successful palliation. This condition often provides a diagnostic, interventional, and surgical challenge. Patients generally require either balloon atrial septostomy or surgical atrial septectomy for survival, with the addition of a Blalock-Tausig shunt or pulmonary artery band depending on the pulmonary blood flow. Very few patients survive to a Glenn procedure. For those who do survive, a decision must be made regarding the management of the hypertensive and hypoplastic left ventricle (LV) and associated mitral regurgitation. The LV can be excluded by either mitral valve avulsion or closure (exclusion) of the mitral valve with a patch. The choice of the technique should be carefully made and depends in part on the size of the LV. In our patient, who was successfully palliated by bidirectional Glenn shunt, the LV was managed by means of mitral valve avulsion. © The Author(s) 2015.

Assessment of characteristic failure envelopes for intact rock using results from triaxial tests

OpenAIRE

Muralha, J.; Lamas, L.

2014-01-01

The paper presents contributions to the statistical study of the parameters of the Mohr-Coulomb and Hoek-Brown strength criteria, in order to assess the characteristic failure envelopes for intact rock, based on the results of several sets of triaxial tests performed by LNEC. 10p DBB/NMMR

Importance of an intact dura in management of compound elevated fractures; a short series and literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohindra, Sandeep; Singh, Harnarayan; Savardekar, Amey

2012-01-01

To describe compound elevated fractures (CEFs) of the skull vault, with radiological pictures, management problems and prognosticative factors. The authors describe three cases of CEFs of the cranium, their mode of injury, clinical findings, radiological images and management problems. The authors have reviewed the existing literature regarding epidemiological data, neurological status, dural breech, methods of management and final outcome, in respect of CEFs. The first case had no dural breech, the second case had completely shattered dura, with extruding brain matter from the wound, while the third case had an elevated bone flap in consequence to large extradural haematoma. The patients with intact dura had relatively favourable outcome, when compared to patients with shattered dura. Three cases are added to the existing 10 such cases described in English literature. The major cause of unfavourable outcome remains sepsis and the presence of intact dura places these cases in the relatively safe category, regarding infective complications. The authors attempt at highlighting the importance of intact dura with such an injury. The review of literature supports favourable outcomes in patients having no dural breech.

Transport of indoleacetic acid in intact corn coleoptiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parker, K.E.; Briggs, W.R.

1990-01-01

We have characterized the transport of [ 3 H]indoleacetic acid (IAA) in intact corn (Zea mays L.) coleoptiles. We have used a wide range of concentrations of added IAA (28 femtomoles to 100 picomoles taken up over 60 minutes). The shape of the transport curve varies with the concentration of added IAA, although the rate of movement of the observed front of tracer is invariant with concentration. At the lowest concentration of tracer used, the labeled IAA in the transport stream is not detectably metabolized or immobilized, curvature does not develop as a result of tracer application, and normal phototropic and gravitropic responsiveness are not affected. Therefore we believe we are observing the transport of true tracer quantities of labeled auxin at this lowest concentration

Effects of reactive Mn(III)-oxalate complexes on structurally intact plant cell walls

Science.gov (United States)

Summering, J. A.; Keiluweit, M.; Goni, M. A.; Nico, P. S.; Kleber, M.

2011-12-01

Lignin components in the in plant litter are commonly assumed to have longer residence times in soil than many other compounds, which are supposedly, more easily degradable. The supposed resistance of lignin compounds to decomposition is generally attributed to the complex chain of biochemical steps required to create footholds in the non-porous structure of ligno-cellulose in cell walls. Interestingly, Mn(III) complexes have shown the ability to degrade ligno-cellulose. Mn(III) chelated by ligands such as oxalate are soluble oxidizers with a high affinity for lignin structures. Here we determined (i) the formation and decay kinetics of the Mn(III)-oxalate complexes in aqueous solution and (ii) the effects that these complexes have on intact ligno-cellulose. UV/vis spectroscopy and iodometric titrations confirmed the transient nature of Mn(III)-oxalate complexes with decay rates being in the order of hours. Zinnia elegans tracheary elements - a model ligno-cellulose substrate - were treated with Mn(III)-oxalate complexes in a newly developed flow-through reactor. Soluble decomposition products released during the treatment were analyzed by GC/MS and the degree of cell integrity was measured by cell counts, pre- and post-treatment counts indicate a decrease in intact Zinnia elegans as a result of Mn(III)-treatment. GC/MS results showed the release of a multitude of solubilized lignin breakdown products from plant cell walls. We conclude that Mn(III)-oxalate complexes have the ability to lyse intact plant cells and solubilize lignin. Lignin decomposition may thus be seen as resource dependent, with Mn(III) a powerful resource that should be abundant in terrestrial characterized by frequent redox fluctuations.

Differential isotope dansylation labeling combined with liquid chromatography mass spectrometry for quantification of intact and N-terminal truncated proteins

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang, Yanan; Li, Liang, E-mail: Liang.Li@ualberta.ca

2013-08-20

Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •LC–MS was developed for quantifying protein mixtures containing both intact and N-terminal truncated proteins. •{sup 12}C{sub 2}-Dansylation of the N-terminal amino acid of proteins was done first, followed by microwave-assisted acid hydrolysis. •The released {sup 12}C{sub 2}-dansyl labeled N-terminal amino acid was quantified using {sup 13}C{sub 2}-dansyl labeled amino acid standards. •The method provided accurate and precise results for quantifying intact and N-terminal truncated proteins within 8 h. -- Abstract: The N-terminal amino acids of proteins are important structure units for maintaining the biological function, localization, and interaction networks of proteins. Under different biological conditions, one or several N-terminal amino acids could be cleaved from an intact protein due to processes, such as proteolysis, resulting in the change of protein properties. Thus, the ability to quantify the N-terminal truncated forms of proteins is of great importance, particularly in the area of development and production of protein-based drugs where the relative quantity of the intact protein and its truncated form needs to be monitored. In this work, we describe a rapid method for absolute quantification of protein mixtures containing intact and N-terminal truncated proteins. This method is based on dansylation labeling of the N-terminal amino acids of proteins, followed by microwave-assisted acid hydrolysis of the proteins into amino acids. It is shown that dansyl labeled amino acids are stable in acidic conditions and can be quantified by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC–MS) with the use of isotope analog standards.

Reconciling certification and intact forest landscape conservation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleinschroth, Fritz; Garcia, Claude; Ghazoul, Jaboury

2018-05-29

In 2014, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) added a new criterion to its principles that requires protection of intact forest landscapes (IFLs). An IFL is an extensive area of forest that lacks roads and other signs of human activity as detected through remote sensing. In the Congo basin, our analysis of road networks in formally approved concessionary logging areas revealed greater loss of IFL in certified than in noncertified concessions. In areas of informal (i.e., nonregulated) extraction, road networks are known to be less detectable by remote sensing. Under the current definition of IFL, companies certified under FSC standards are likely to be penalized relative to the noncertified as well as the informal logging sector on account of their planned road networks, despite an otherwise better standard of forest management. This could ultimately undermine certification and its wider adoption, with implications for the future of sustainable forest management.

Plastic Change along the Intact Crossed Pathway in Acute Phase of Cerebral Ischemia Revealed by Optical Intrinsic Signal Imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoli Guo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The intact crossed pathway via which the contralesional hemisphere responds to the ipsilesional somatosensory input has shown to be affected by unilateral stroke. The aim of this study was to investigate the plasticity of the intact crossed pathway in response to different intensities of stimulation in a rodent photothrombotic stroke model. Using optical intrinsic signal imaging, an overall increase of the contralesional cortical response was observed in the acute phase (≤48 hours after stroke. In particular, the contralesional hyperactivation is more prominent under weak stimulations, while a strong stimulation would even elicit a depressed response. The results suggest a distinct stimulation-response pattern along the intact crossed pathway after stroke. We speculate that the contralesional hyperactivation under weak stimulations was due to the reorganization for compensatory response to the weak ipsilateral somatosensory input.

Isolation of intact sub-dermal secretory cavities from Eucalyptus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Goodger Jason QD

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The biosynthesis of plant natural products in sub-dermal secretory cavities is poorly understood at the molecular level, largely due to the difficulty of physically isolating these structures for study. Our aim was to develop a protocol for isolating live and intact sub-dermal secretory cavities, and to do this, we used leaves from three species of Eucalyptus with cavities that are relatively large and rich in essential oils. Results Leaves were digested using a variety of commercially available enzymes. A pectinase from Aspergillus niger was found to allow isolation of intact cavities after a relatively short incubation (12 h, with no visible artifacts from digestion and no loss of cellular integrity or cavity contents. Several measurements indicated the potential of the isolated cavities for further functional studies. First, the cavities were found to consume oxygen at a rate that is comparable to that estimated from leaf respiratory rates. Second, mRNA was extracted from cavities, and it was used to amplify a cDNA fragment with high similarity to that of a monoterpene synthase. Third, the contents of the cavity lumen were extracted, showing an unexpectedly low abundance of volatile essential oils and a sizeable amount of non-volatile material, which is contrary to the widely accepted role of secretory cavities as predominantly essential oil repositories. Conclusions The protocol described herein is likely to be adaptable to a range of Eucalyptus species with sub-dermal secretory cavities, and should find wide application in studies of the developmental and functional biology of these structures, and the biosynthesis of the plant natural products they contain.

Surface plasmon resonance sensing: from purified biomolecules to intact cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Yu-Wen; Wang, Wei

2018-04-12

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) has become a well-recognized label-free technique for measuring the binding kinetics between biomolecules since the invention of the first SPR-based immunosensor in 1980s. The most popular and traditional format for SPR analysis is to monitor the real-time optical signals when a solution containing ligand molecules is flowing over a sensor substrate functionalized with purified receptor molecules. In recent years, rapid development of several kinds of SPR imaging techniques have allowed for mapping the dynamic distribution of local mass density within single living cells with high spatial and temporal resolutions and reliable sensitivity. Such capability immediately enabled one to investigate the interaction between important biomolecules and intact cells in a label-free, quantitative, and single cell manner, leading to an exciting new trend of cell-based SPR bioanalysis. In this Trend Article, we first describe the principle and technical features of two types of SPR imaging techniques based on prism and objective, respectively. Then we survey the intact cell-based applications in both fundamental cell biology and drug discovery. We conclude the article with comments and perspectives on the future developments. Graphical abstract Recent developments in surface plasmon resonance (SPR) imaging techniques allow for label-free mapping the mass-distribution within single living cells, leading to great expansions in biomolecular interactions studies from homogeneous substrates functionalized with purified biomolecules to heterogeneous substrates containing individual living cells.

Family Relationships and the Psychosocial Adjustment of School-Aged Children in Intact Families

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Hakvoort, Esther M.; Bos, Henny M. W.; Van Balen, Frank; Hermanns, Jo M. A.

2010-01-01

The authors investigated whether the quality of three family relationships (i.e., marital, parent-child, sibling) in intact families are associated with each other and with children's psychosocial adjustment. Data were collected by means of maternal and child reports (N = 88) using standardized instruments (i.e., Marital Satisfaction Scale,…

Estimating Carbon Dynamics in an Intact Lowland Mixed Dipterocarp Forest Using a Forest Carbon Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jongyeol Lee

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Intact dipterocarp forests in Asia act as crucial carbon (C reservoirs, and it is therefore important to investigate the C dynamics in these forests. We estimated C dynamics, together with net ecosystem production (NEP, in an intact tropical dipterocarp forest of Brunei Darussalam. Fifty-four simulation units (plots; 20 m × 20 m were established and initial C stocks were determined via direct field measurement. The C dynamics were annually simulated with a regression model and the Forest Biomass and Dead organic matter Carbon (FBDC model. The initial C stock (Mg C·ha−1 of biomass, litter, dead wood and mineral soil were 213.1 ± 104.8, 2.0 ± 0.8, 31.3 ± 38.8, and 80.7 ± 15.5, respectively. Their annual changes (Mg C·ha−1·year−1 were 3.2 ± 1.1, 0.2 ± 0.2, −3.7 ± 6.1, and −0.3 ± 1.1, respectively. NEP was −0.6 ± 6.1 Mg C·ha−1·year−1, showing large heterogeneity among the plots. The initial C stocks of biomass and dead wood, biomass turnover rates and dead wood decay rates were elucidated as dominant factors determining NEP in a sensitivity analysis. Accordingly, investigation on those input data can constrain an uncertainty in determining NEP in the intact tropical forests.

Microcephaly, microtia, preauricular tags, choanal atresia and developmental delay in three unrelated patients: a mandibulofacial dysostosis distinct from Treacher Collins syndrome.

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Wieczorek, Dagmar; Gener, Blanca; González, Ma Jesús Martínez; Seland, Saskia; Fischer, Sven; Hehr, Ute; Kuechler, Alma; Hoefsloot, Lies H; de Leeuw, Nicole; Gillessen-Kaesbach, Gabriele; Lohmann, Dietmar R

2009-05-01

Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS, OMIM 154500) is a well-defined mandibulofacial dysostosis characterized by symmetric facial anomalies consisting of malar hypoplasia, coloboma of the lower eyelid, dysplastic ears, micrognathia, cleft palate and deafness. Other mandibulofacial dysostoses (MDs) such as Toriello (OMIM 301950), Bauru (OMIM 604830), Hedera-Toriello-Petty (OMIM 608257), and Guion-Almeida (OMIM 610536) syndromes are less well characterized and much rarer. Here we describe three unrelated patients showing clinical features overlapping with TCS, but who in addition have developmental delay, microcephaly and a distinct facial gestalt. Because of the distinct ear anomalies and the hearing loss a HOXA2 mutation was taken into account. CHARGE syndrome was discussed because of ear anomalies, choanal atresia, and developmental delay in our patients. But mutational analyses including sequencing of the TCOF1, the HOXA2, and the CHD7 genes, deletion screening of the TCOF1 gene as well as genomewide array analyses revealed normal results. We suggest that these three patients have a new type of mandibulofacial dysostosis. As all three cases are sporadic and both sexes are affected the pattern of inheritance might be autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive. Identification of additional patients will allow to further delineate the phenotype, to assign the inheritance pattern and to identify the molecular basis.

Radioiodination of an outer membrane protein in intact Rickettsia prowazekii

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, D.K.; Winkler, H.H.

1980-01-01

Intact Rickettsia prowazekii was radiolabeled with the glucose oxidase-lactoperoxidase method of iodination. Separation of the rickettsial extract into cytoplasmic, outer and inner membrane fractions demonstrated that the outer membrane was preferentially labeled. Analysis of the polypeptides of these fractions on high-resolution slab polyacrylamide gels showed that most of the 125 I was in polypeptide T49, an outer membrane constituent. Additional outer membrane polypeptides were iodinated in broken envelope preparations, demonstrating that T49 is uniquely accessible to the external environment and the asymmetric polypeptide organization of the outer membrane

Effects of radiation quality on the opening of stomata in intact Phaseolus vulgaris leaves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sikorska, K.; Kozłowska, B.; Ciereszko, I.; Maleszewski, S.

1997-01-01

In intact French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) leaves blue radiation enhanced opening of stomata both when it was used individually and when it was used as preirradiation before ''white light'' irradiation. Effects of red radiation were just the contrary

Fluorescent-protein stabilization and high-resolution imaging of cleared, intact mouse brains.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin K Schwarz

Full Text Available In order to observe and quantify long-range neuronal connections in intact mouse brain by light microscopy, it is first necessary to clear the brain, thus suppressing refractive-index variations. Here we describe a method that clears the brain and preserves the signal from proteinaceous fluorophores using a pH-adjusted non-aqueous index-matching medium. Successful clearing is enabled through the use of either 1-propanol or tert-butanol during dehydration whilst maintaining a basic pH. We show that high-resolution fluorescence imaging of entire, structurally intact juvenile and adult mouse brains is possible at subcellular resolution, even following many months in clearing solution. We also show that axonal long-range projections that are EGFP-labelled by modified Rabies virus can be imaged throughout the brain using a purpose-built light-sheet fluorescence microscope. To demonstrate the viability of the technique, we determined a detailed map of the monosynaptic projections onto a target cell population in the lateral entorhinal cortex. This example demonstrates that our method permits the quantification of whole-brain connectivity patterns at the subcellular level in the uncut brain.

Intact skull chronic windows for mesoscopic wide-field imaging in awake mice

Science.gov (United States)

Silasi, Gergely; Xiao, Dongsheng; Vanni, Matthieu P.; Chen, Andrew C. N.; Murphy, Timothy H.

2016-01-01

Background Craniotomy-based window implants are commonly used for microscopic imaging, in head-fixed rodents, however their field of view is typically small and incompatible with mesoscopic functional mapping of cortex. New Method We describe a reproducible and simple procedure for chronic through-bone wide-field imaging in awake head-fixed mice providing stable optical access for chronic imaging over large areas of the cortex for months. Results The preparation is produced by applying clear-drying dental cement to the intact mouse skull, followed by a glass coverslip to create a partially transparent imaging surface. Surgery time takes about 30 minutes. A single set-screw provides a stable means of attachment for mesoscale assessment without obscuring the cortical field of view. Comparison with Existing Methods We demonstrate the utility of this method by showing seed-pixel functional connectivity maps generated from spontaneous cortical activity of GCAMP6 signals in both awake and anesthetized mice. Conclusions We propose that the intact skull preparation described here may be used for most longitudinal studies that do not require micron scale resolution and where cortical neural or vascular signals are recorded with intrinsic sensors. PMID:27102043

Determination of the intracellular pH of intact erythrocytes by 1H NMR spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rabenstein, D.L.; Isab, A.A.

1982-01-01

A method is described for determining the intracellular pH of intact erythrocytes by 1 H NMR. The determination is based on the pH dependence of the chemical shifts of resonances for carbon-bounded protons of an indicator molecule (imidazole) in intact cells. The imidazole is introduced into the erythrocytes by incubation in an isotonic saline solution of the indicator. The pH dependence of the chemical shifts of the imidazole resonances is calibrated from 1 H NMR spectra of the imidazole-containing red cell lysates whose pH is varied by the addition of acid or base and measured directly with a pH electrode. To reduce in intensity or eliminate the much more intense envelope of resonances from the hemoglobin, the 1 H NMR measurements are made by either the spin-echo Fourier transform technique or by the transfer-or-saturation by cross-relaxation method

Supracapsular glued intraocular lens in progressive subluxated cataracts: Technique to retain an intact vitreous face.

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Jacob, Soosan; Narasimhan, Smita; Agarwal, Amar; Mazzotta, Cosimo; Rechichi, Miguel; Agarwal, Athiya

2017-03-01

We describe a technique to prevent late intraocular lens (IOL) subluxation and dislocation that can be associated with progressive zonulopathy. Supracapsular glued IOL fixation is done to retain an intact anterior hyaloid face and avoid vitreous disturbance while providing stable long-term IOL fixation. Phacoemulsification is followed by glued IOL implantation above intact anterior and posterior capsules. Sclerotomies are created ab interno in a supracapsular plane under diametrically opposite lamellar scleral flaps without entering the vitreous cavity. Haptics are externalized in the supracapsular plane and tucked into intrascleral tunnels. Intraoperative or postoperative posterior capsulorhexis or capsulotomy and anterior capsule relaxing cuts can prevent capsule phimosis. Copyright © 2017 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hypomyelinating Leukodystrophy due to HSPD1 Mutations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kusk, Maria Schioldan; Damgaard, Bodil; Risom, Lotte

2016-01-01

The hypomyelinating leukodystrophies (HMLs) encompass the X-linked Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD) caused by PLP1 mutations and known as the classical form of HML as well as Pelizaeus-Merzbacher-like disease (PMLD) (Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man [OMIM] 608804 and OMIM 260600) due to GJC2...

Association of Bystander Interventions With Neurologically Intact Survival Among Patients With Bystander-Witnessed Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakahara, Shinji; Tomio, Jun; Ichikawa, Masao; Nakamura, Fumiaki; Nishida, Masamichi; Takahashi, Hideto; Morimura, Naoto; Sakamoto, Tetsuya

2015-07-21

Neurologically intact survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has been increasing in Japan. However, associations between increased prehospital care, including bystander interventions and increases in survival, have not been well estimated. To estimate the associations between bystander interventions and changes in neurologically intact survival among patients with OHCA in Japan. Retrospective descriptive study using data from Japan's nationwide OHCA registry, which started in January 2005. The registry includes all patients with OHCA transported to the hospital by emergency medical services (EMS) and recorded patients' characteristics, prehospital interventions, and outcomes. Participants were 167,912 patients with bystander-witnessed OHCA of presumed cardiac origin in the registry between January 2005 and December 2012. Prehospital interventions by bystander, including defibrillation using public-access automated external defibrillators and chest compression. Neurologically intact survival was defined as Glasgow-Pittsburgh cerebral performance category score 1 or 2 and overall performance category scores 1 or 2 at 1 month or at discharge. The association between the interventions and neurologically intact survival was evaluated. From 2005 to 2012, the number of bystander-witnessed OHCAs of presumed cardiac origin increased from 17,882 (14.0 per 100,000 persons [95% CI, 13.8-14.2]) to 23,797 (18.7 per 100,000 persons [95% CI, 18.4-18.9]), and neurologically intact survival increased from 587 cases (age-adjusted proportion, 3.3% [95% CI, 3.0%-3.5%]) to 1710 cases (8.2% [95% CI, 7.8%-8.6%]). The rates of bystander chest compression increased from 38.6% to 50.9%, bystander-only defibrillation increased from 0.1% to 2.3%, bystander defibrillation combined with EMS defibrillation increased from 0.1% to 1.4%, and EMS-only defibrillation decreased from 26.6% to 23.5%. Performance of bystander chest compression, compared with no bystander chest compression

Phonological abilities in literacy-impaired children: Brain potentials reveal deficient phoneme discrimination, but intact prosodic processing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Männel

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Intact phonological processing is crucial for successful literacy acquisition. While individuals with difficulties in reading and spelling (i.e., developmental dyslexia are known to experience deficient phoneme discrimination (i.e., segmental phonology, findings concerning their prosodic processing (i.e., suprasegmental phonology are controversial. Because there are no behavior-independent studies on the underlying neural correlates of prosodic processing in dyslexia, these controversial findings might be explained by different task demands. To provide an objective behavior-independent picture of segmental and suprasegmental phonological processing in impaired literacy acquisition, we investigated event-related brain potentials during passive listening in typically and poor-spelling German school children. For segmental phonology, we analyzed the Mismatch Negativity (MMN during vowel length discrimination, capturing automatic auditory deviancy detection in repetitive contexts. For suprasegmental phonology, we analyzed the Closure Positive Shift (CPS that automatically occurs in response to prosodic boundaries. Our results revealed spelling group differences for the MMN, but not for the CPS, indicating deficient segmental, but intact suprasegmental phonological processing in poor spellers. The present findings point towards a differential role of segmental and suprasegmental phonology in literacy disorders and call for interventions that invigorate impaired literacy by utilizing intact prosody in addition to training deficient phonemic awareness.

In Vivo Real-Time Imaging of Exogenous HGF-Triggered Cell Migration in Rat Intact Soleus Muscles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishido, Minenori; Kasuga, Norikatsu

2012-01-01

The transplantation of myogenic cells is a potentially effective therapy for muscular dystrophy. However, this therapy has achieved little success because the diffusion of transplanted myogenic cells is limited. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is one of the primary triggers to induce myogenic cell migration in vitro. However, to our knowledge, whether exogenous HGF can trigger the migration of myogenic cells (i.e. satellite cells) in intact skeletal muscles in vivo has not been reported. We previously reported a novel in vivo real-time imaging method in rat skeletal muscles. Therefore, the present study examined the relationship between exogenous HGF treatment and cell migration in rat intact soleus muscles using this imaging method. As a result, it was indicated that the cell migration velocity was enhanced in response to increasing exogenous HGF concentration in skeletal muscles. Furthermore, the expression of MyoD was induced in satellite cells in response to HGF treatment. We first demonstrated in vivo real-time imaging of cell migration triggered by exogenous HGF in intact soleus muscles. The experimental method used in the present study will be a useful tool to understand further the regulatory mechanism of HGF-induced satellite cell migration in skeletal muscles in vivo

Dissolution of intact UO2 pellet in batch and rotary dissolver conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jayendra Kumar Gelatar; Bijendra Kumar; Sampath, M.; Shekhar Kumar; Kamachi Mudali, U.; Natarajan, R.

2015-01-01

Comparative dissolution of intact un-irradiated UO 2 pellet of PHWR fuel dimensions was performed in batch and dynamic rotary dissolver conditions in aqueous nitric acid solutions at elevated temperatures. The extent of dissolution was estimated by determining the uranium concentration of the resulting aqueous solution. It was observed that rate of dissolution was much faster in dynamic conditions as compared to static batch conditions. (author)

Preparation of intact mitochondria using free-flow isoelectric focusing with post-pH gradient sample injection for morphological, functional and proteomics studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, Yu-Chen; Kong, Fan-Zhi; Fan, Liu-Yin; Wu, Jane Y.; Liu, Xiao-Ping; Li, Jun; Sun, Yan; Zhang, Qiang; Yang, Ying; Wu, Xue-Jing; Xiao, Hua; Cao, Cheng-Xi

2017-01-01

Mitochondria play essential roles in both energy metabolism and cell signaling, which are critical for cell survival. Although significant efforts have been invested in understanding mitochondrial biology, methods for intact mitochondria preparation are technically challenging and remain to be improved. New methods for heterogeneous mitochondria purification will therefore boost our understanding on their physiological and biophysical properties. Herein, we developed a novel recycling free-flow isoelectric focusing (RFFIEF) with post-pH gradient sample injection (post-PGSI) for preparative separation of mitochondria. Crude mitochondria of rabbit liver obtained from differential centrifugation were purified by the developed method according to their pI values as six fractions. Transmission electron microscope images revealed that intact mitochondria existed in two fractions of pH 6.24 and 6.61, degenerative mitochondria were in two fractions of pH 5.46 and 5.72, and inner membrane vesicles (IMVs) appeared in the fractions of pH 4.70 and 5.04. Membrane potential measurement proved a dramatic difference between intact mitochondria and IMVs, which reflected the bioactivity of obtained populations. Particularly, proteomics analyses revealed that more number of proteins were identified in the intact fractions than that of IMVs or crude mitochondria, which demonstrated that RFFIEF could be powerful tool for the preparation of intact organelle as well as their proteomic and in-depth biological analysis. - Highlights: • Mitochondrial subpopulation was successfully separated according to their pIs via the developed RFFIEF method. • The post-PGSI method was introduced for the first time to achieve higher recovery of intact mitochondria. • Quick preparation of mitochondria subpopulation via the developed RFFIEF for both pI determination and downstream research.

Pathophysiology of preterm labor with intact membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Talati, Asha N; Hackney, David N; Mesiano, Sam

2017-11-01

Preterm labor with intact membranes is a major cause of spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB). To prevent sPTB a clear understanding is needed of the hormonal interactions that initiate labor. The steroid hormone progesterone acting via its nuclear progesterone receptors (PRs) in uterine cells is essential for the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy and disruption of PR signaling (i.e., functional progesterone/PR withdrawal) is key trigger for labor. The process of parturition is also associated with inflammation within the uterine tissues and it is now generally accepted that inflammatory stimuli from multiple extrinsic and intrinsic sources induce labor. Recent studies suggest inflammatory stimuli induce labor by affecting PR transcriptional activity in uterine cells to cause functional progesterone/PR withdrawal. Advances in understanding the functional interaction of inflammatory load on the pregnancy uterus and progesterone/PR signaling is opening novel areas of research and may lead to rational therapeutic strategies to effectively prevent sPTB. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Single guard cell recordings in intact plants : light-induced hyperpolarization of the plasma membrane

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roelfsema, MRG; Steinmeyer, R; Staal, M; Hedrich, R

Guard cells are electrically isolated from other plant cells and therefore offer the unique possibility to conduct current- and voltage-clamp recordings on single cells in an intact plant. Guard cells in their natural environment were impaled with double-barreled electrodes and found to exhibit

Predicting water-holding capacity of intact chicken broiler breast fillets with Vis/NIR spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

The ability of using visible and near-infrared (Vis/NIR) spectroscopy to predict water-holding capacity (WHC) of intact chicken broiler breast fillets (pectoralis major) was assessed in this study. Boneless and skinless chicken fillets (214 in total) were procured from a commercial processing plant ...

Bioengineered human IAS reconstructs with functional and molecular properties similar to intact IAS

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Jagmohan

2012-01-01

Because of its critical importance in rectoanal incontinence, we determined the feasibility to reconstruct internal anal sphincter (IAS) from human IAS smooth muscle cells (SMCs) with functional and molecular attributes similar to the intact sphincter. The reconstructs were developed using SMCs from the circular smooth muscle layer of the human IAS, grown in smooth muscle differentiation media under sterile conditions in Sylgard-coated tissue culture plates with central Sylgard posts. The basal tone in the reconstructs and its changes were recorded following 0 Ca2+, KCl, bethanechol, isoproterenol, protein kinase C (PKC) activator phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate, and Rho kinase (ROCK) and PKC inhibitors Y-27632 and Gö-6850, respectively. Western blot (WB), immunofluorescence (IF), and immunocytochemical (IC) analyses were also performed. The reconstructs developed spontaneous tone (0.68 ± 0.26 mN). Bethanechol (a muscarinic agonist) and K+ depolarization produced contraction, whereas isoproterenol (β-adrenoceptor agonist) and Y-27632 produced a concentration-dependent decrease in the tone. Maximal decrease in basal tone with Y-27632 and Gö-6850 (each 10−5 M) was 80.45 ± 3.29 and 17.76 ± 3.50%, respectively. WB data with the IAS constructs′ SMCs revealed higher levels of RhoA/ROCK, protein kinase C-potentiated inhibitor or inhibitory phosphoprotein for myosin phosphatase (CPI-17), phospho-CPI-17, MYPT1, and 20-kDa myosin light chain vs. rectal smooth muscle. WB, IF, and IC studies of original SMCs and redispersed from the reconstructs for the relative distribution of different signal transduction proteins confirmed the feasibility of reconstruction of IAS with functional properties similar to intact IAS and demonstrated the development of myogenic tone with critical dependence on RhoA/ROCK. We conclude that it is feasible to bioengineer IAS constructs using human IAS SMCs that behave like intact IAS. PMID:22790596

[Management of threatening preterm labor with intact membranes: indications for antibiotics].

Science.gov (United States)

Winer, N

2002-11-01

To analyse the benefits and disadvantages of systematic antibiotic therapy in patient presenting a preterm labor with intact membranes. We reviewed French and English reports on Medline using to the following key words: "antibiotic therapy and preterm labor, preterm labor, streptococcus B, vaginose, mycoplasma, antenatal infection". The systematic prescription of antibiotics is not recommended for patients presenting preterm labor who have intact membranes and no symptoms of infection. The benefit of antibiotics is small and shows a tendency to prolong the pregnancy and the reduction of maternal infection. No benefit has been shown for neonatal results. When early-onset neonatal sepsis develops in a case in which antepartum chemoprophylaxis was used, the isolated bacteria will present an increasing risk of bacterial drug resistance. Local treatment (cream or pessary) do not belong in the treatment of threatening preterm labor and are not recommended for the prevention of prematurity or materno fetal infection. Risk groups of patients who present a positive vaginal colonization are subject to discussion. Studies do not allow us to ascertain that antibiotics have a beneficial effect on prematurity in these groups. Antibiotics are recommended for the treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria. This treatment reduces prematurity and maternal infections. Despite poor consensus criteria, if threatening preterm labor is associated with a bacteriuria, experts usually recommend treatment.

Intact calcium signaling in adrenergic-deficient embryonic mouse hearts.

Science.gov (United States)

Peoples, Jessica N; Taylor, David G; Katchman, Alexander N; Ebert, Steven N

2018-01-22

Mouse embryos that lack the ability to produce the adrenergic hormones, norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (EPI), due to disruption of the dopamine beta-hydroxylase (Dbh -/- ) gene inevitably perish from heart failure during mid-gestation. Since adrenergic stimulation is well-known to enhance calcium signaling in developing as well as adult myocardium, and impairments in calcium signaling are typically associated with heart failure, we hypothesized that adrenergic-deficient embryonic hearts would display deficiencies in cardiac calcium signaling relative to adrenergic-competent controls at a developmental stage immediately preceding the onset of heart failure, which first appears beginning or shortly after mouse embryonic day 10.5 (E10.5). To test this hypothesis, we used ratiometric fluorescent calcium imaging techniques to measure cytosolic calcium transients, [Ca 2+ ] i in isolated E10.5 mouse hearts. Our results show that spontaneous [Ca 2+ ] i oscillations were intact and robustly responded to a variety of stimuli including extracellular calcium (5 mM), caffeine (5 mM), and NE (100 nM) in a manner that was indistinguishable from controls. Further, we show similar patterns of distribution (via immunofluorescent histochemical staining) and activity (via patch-clamp recording techniques) for the major voltage-gated plasma membrane calcium channel responsible for the L-type calcium current, I Ca,L , in adrenergic-deficient and control embryonic cardiac cells. These results demonstrate that despite the absence of vital adrenergic hormones that consistently leads to embryonic lethality in vivo, intracellular and extracellular calcium signaling remain essentially intact and functional in embryonic mouse hearts through E10.5. These findings suggest that adrenergic stimulation is not required for the development of intracellular calcium oscillations or extracellular calcium signaling through I Ca,L and that aberrant calcium signaling does not likely contribute

Dual pathways for the intracellular processing of insulin. Relationship between retroendocytosis of intact hormone and the recycling of insulin receptors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marshall, S.

1985-01-01

Adipocytes process insulin through either of two pathways: a retroendocytotic pathway that culminates in the release of intact insulin, and a degradative pathway that terminates in the intracellular catabolism and release of degraded ligand. Mechanistically, these pathways were found to differ in several ways. First, temporal differences were found in the rate at which intact and degraded products were extruded. After 125 I-insulin was preloaded into the cell interior, intact ligand was completely released during the first 10 min (t 1/2 = 2 min), whereas degraded insulin was released at a much slower rate over 1 h (t 1/2 greater than 8 min). Secondly, it was found that chloroquine profoundly inhibited the insulin degradative pathway, resulting in the intracellular accumulation of intact ligand and a reduction in the release of degraded products. In contrast, however, chloroquine was without effect on the retroendocytotic processing of insulin. Based on the known actions of chloroquine, it appears that retroendocytosis of insulin does not involve vesicular acidification or dissociation of the insulin-receptor complex and that insulin is most likely carried to the cell exterior in the same vesicles (either receptor-bound or free) as those mediating recycling receptors. Interestingly, accumulation of undergraded insulin within chloroquine-treated cells did not result in the release of additional intact ligand, suggesting that once insulin enters the degradative compartment it is committed to catabolism and cannot exit the cell through the retroendocytotic pathway. A third difference was revealed by the finding that extracellular unlabeled insulin (100 ng/ml) markedly accelerated the rate at which preloaded 125 I-insulin was released from adipocytes (t 1/2 of 3 min versus 7 min in controls cells)

Automated setup for characterization of intact histone tails in Suz12-/- stem cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sidoli, Simone; Schwämmle, Veit; Hansen, Thomas Aarup

Epigenetics is defined as the study of heritable changes that occur without modifying the DNA sequence. Histone proteins are crucial components of epigenetic mechanisms and regulation, since they are fundamental for chromatin structure. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics is already an integrated...... developed a high-resolving and automated LC-MS/MS setup to characterize intact histone tails (middle-down strategy)...

Molecular and FISH analyses of a 53-kbp intact DNA fragment inserted by biolistics in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genome.

Science.gov (United States)

Partier, A; Gay, G; Tassy, C; Beckert, M; Feuillet, C; Barret, P

2017-10-01

A large, 53-kbp, intact DNA fragment was inserted into the wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) genome. FISH analyses of individual transgenic events revealed multiple insertions of intact fragments. Transferring large intact DNA fragments containing clusters of resistance genes or complete metabolic pathways into the wheat genome remains a challenge. In a previous work, we showed that the use of dephosphorylated cassettes for wheat transformation enabled the production of simple integration patterns. Here, we used the same technology to produce a cassette containing a 44-kb Arabidopsis thaliana BAC, flanked by one selection gene and one reporter gene. This 53-kb linear cassette was integrated in the bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genome by biolistic transformation. Our results showed that transgenic plants harboring the entire cassette were generated. The inheritability of the cassette was demonstrated in the T1 and T2 generation. Surprisingly, FISH analysis performed on T1 progeny of independent events identified double genomic insertions of intact fragments in non-homoeologous positions. Inheritability of these double insertions was demonstrated by FISH analysis of the T1 generation. Relative conclusions that can be drawn from molecular or FISH analysis are discussed along with future prospects of the engineering of large fragments for wheat transformation or genome editing.

Selective dansylation of M protein within intact influenza virions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robertson, B.H.; Bennett, J.C.; Compans, R.W.

1982-12-01

Exposure of purified influenza virions to (/sup 14/C)dansyl chloride resulted in the covalent attachment of the dansyl chromophore to the virion. Gel electrophoresis revealed that the dansyl chromophore was specifically coupled to the internal membrane (M) protein. Purification of the M protein by gel filtration followed by cyanogen bromide cleavage and peptide fractionation revealed that four of six peptide peaks contained dansyl label. Acid hydrolysis of the separated peptide peaks followed by thin-layer chromatography revealed that dansyl label was coupled to lysine residues present in these peptides. The results of these investigations have demonstrated that the M protein molecule is the major viral polypeptide labeled when intact virions are exposed to dansyl chloride.

Selective dansylation of M protein within intact influenza virions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robertson, B.H.; Bennett, J.C.; Compans, R.W.

1982-01-01

Exposure of purified influenza virions to [ 14 C]dansyl chloride resulted in the covalent attachment of the dansyl chromophore to the virion. Gel electrophoresis revealed that the dansyl chromophore was specifically coupled to the internal membrane (M) protein. Purification of the M protein by gel filtration followed by cyanogen bromide cleavage and peptide fractionation revealed that four of six peptide peaks contained dansyl label. Acid hydrolysis of the separated peptide peaks followed by thin-layer chromatography revealed that dansyl label was coupled to lysine residues present in these peptides. The results of these investigations have demonstrated that the M protein molecule is the major viral polypeptide labeled when intact virions are exposed to dansyl chloride

Mechanisms of blood pressure changes following renal irradiation of intact, adrenalectomized, and adrenal regenerating rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenblum, M.

1977-01-01

This study was conducted to determine the differences in changes in systolic arterial blood pressure following renal x irradiation (1100 R) in adrenal-intact, adrenalectomized, and adrenal-regenerating rats and to elucidate the involvement or roles of the kidneys and of the adrenal glands in the blood pressure changes. The parameters studied included the following: systolic blood pressure; body weight; food and fluid consumption; urine output; plasma and urine electrolytes; sodium balance; plasma renin activity; plasma corticosterone; renal vascular volume; renal vascular permeability (using 125 I-polyvinylpyrrolidone extravasation rate as an indicator); renal blood flow (using 42 K extraction); kidney weight; hematocrit; and total vascular, plasma, and red cell volumes. Renal x irradiation of intact rats caused polydipsia, polyuria, and reduced urine concentrations of sodium and potassium without significantly affecting blood pressure during the period of study (80 days); plasma renin activity was significantly lowered and had a positive correlation with blood volume; an abnormal blood volume-plasma renin activity relationship is suggested. Adrenalectomy caused prolonged hypotension in saline-maintained rats even though their sodium balance was more positive than that in adrenal-intact or adrenal-regenerating rats with normal or elevated blood pressure. The blood pressure of renally irrradiated, adrenalectomized rats was greater than non-irradiated adrenalectomized rats, but with only borderline significance; it is concluded that the absence of the adrenal glands does not affect the degree or duration of the effects of renal irradiation on blood pressure

Perceived Parental Acceptance Related to Self-Esteem, GPA, Sex-Role Identity, and Substance Use of Adolescents From Intact and Reconstituted Families

OpenAIRE

Sniteman, Stephen B.

1993-01-01

This investigation assessed the relationship between adolescents of intact families and adolescents in reconstituted families with regard to the effects of perception of parental acceptance on the variables of self-esteem, academic performance, sex role identity, and use o f substances. Observed differences between adolescents of intact and reconstituted families from a structural perspective, eliminating process variables, were also examined. Participants included two hundred fifty-six high ...

Genetic transformation of intact Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis by high-voltage electroporation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McIntyre, D.A.; Harlander, S.K. (Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul (USA))

1989-03-01

The objective of this study was to develop a system for electroporating intact cells of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis LM0230 (previously designated Streptococcus lactis LM0230) with a commercially available electroporation unit. Parameters which influenced the efficiency of transformation included growth phase and final concentration of cells, ionic strength of the suspending medium, concentration of plasmid DNA, and the amplitude and duration of the pulse. Washed suspensions of intact cells suspended in deionized distilled water were subjected to one high-voltage electric pulse varying in voltage (300 to 900 V corresponding to field strengths of 5 to 17 kV/cm) and duration (100 {mu}s to 1 s). Transformation efficiencies of 10{sup 3} transformants per {mu}g of DNA were obtained when dense suspensions (final concentration, 5 {times} 10{sup 10} CFU/ml) of stationary-phase cells were subjected to one pulse with a peak voltage of 900 V (field strength, 17 kV/cm) and a pulse duration of 5 ms in the presence of plasmid DNA. Dilution of porated cells in broth medium followed by an expression period of 2 h at 30{degree}C was beneficial in enhancing transformation efficiencies. Plasmids ranging in size from 9.8 to 30.0 kilobase pairs could be transformed by this procedure.

Experimental Studies on Permeability of Intact and Singly Jointed Meta-Sedimentary Rocks Under Confining Pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Louis Ngai Yuen; Li, Diyuan; Liu, Gang

2013-01-01

Three different types of permeability tests were conducted on 23 intact and singly jointed rock specimens, which were cored from rock blocks collected from a rock cavern under construction in Singapore. The studied rock types belong to inter-bedded meta-sandstone and meta-siltstone with very low porosity and high uniaxial compressive strength. The transient pulse water flow method was employed to measure the permeability of intact meta-sandstone under a confining pressure up to 30 MPa. It showed that the magnitude order of meta-sandstone's intrinsic permeability is about 10-18 m2. The steady-state gas flow method was used to measure the permeability of both intact meta-siltstone and meta-sandstone in a triaxial cell under different confining pressures spanning from 2.5 to 10 MPa. The measured permeability of both rock types ranged from 10-21 to 10-20 m2. The influence of a single natural joint on the permeability of both rock types was studied by using the steady-state water flow method under different confining pressures spanning from 1.25 to 5.0 MPa, including loading and unloading phases. The measured permeability of both jointed rocks ranged from 10-13 to 10-11 m2, where the permeability of jointed meta-siltstone was usually slightly lower than that of jointed meta-sandstone. The permeability of jointed rocks decreases with increasing confining pressure, which can be well fitted by an empirical power law relationship between the permeability and confining pressure or effective pressure. The permeability of partly open cracked specimens is lower than that of open cracked specimens, but it is higher than that of the specimen with a dominant vein for the meta-sandstone under the same confining pressure. The permeability of open cracked rock specimens will partially recover during the unloading confining pressure process. The equivalent crack (joint) aperture is as narrow as a magnitude order of 10-6 m (1 μm) in the rock specimens under confining pressures

Family Conflict and Children's Self-Concepts: A Comparison of Intact and Single-Parent Families.

Science.gov (United States)

Raschke, Helen J.; Raschke, Vernon J.

1979-01-01

Using the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale to measure self-concept, and self-reports for family structure and family conflict, no significant differences in self-concept scores of children from intact, single-parent, reconstituted, or other types of families were found. Self-concept scores were significantly lower for children reporting…

Impact of location of CaCO3 precipitation on the development of intact anaerobic sludge

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Langerak, van E.P.A.; Ramaekers, H.; Wiechers, J.; Veeken, A.H.M.; Hamelers, H.V.M.; Lettinga, G.

2000-01-01

The development of intact anaerobic granular sludge was studied in UASB reactors under varying conditions of CaCO3 precipitation and biomass yield. Varying precipitating quantities were obtained using different calcium concentrations in the influent and different biomass yields were obtained by

Superresolution and Fluorescence Dynamics Evidence Reveal That Intact Liposomes Do Not Cross the Human Skin Barrier

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dreier, Jes; Sørensen, Jens A; Brewer, Jonathan R

2016-01-01

In this study we use the combination of super resolution optical microscopy and raster image correlation spectroscopy (RICS) to study the mechanism of action of liposomes as transdermal drug delivery systems in human skin. Two different compositions of liposomes were applied to newly excised human...... skin, a POPC liposome and a more flexible liposome containing the surfactant sodium cholate. Stimulated emission depletion microscopy (STED) images of intact skin and cryo-sections of skin treated with labeled liposomes were recorded displaying an optical resolution low enough to resolve the 100 nm...... liposomes in the skin. The images revealed that virtually none of the liposomes remained intact beneath the skin surface. RICS two color cross correlation diffusion measurements of double labeled liposomes confirmed these observations. Our results suggest that the liposomes do not act as carriers...

Intact skin and not stripped skin is crucial for the safety and efficacy of peanut epicutaneous immunotherapy (EPIT in mice

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Mondoulet Lucie

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Epicutaneous immunotherapy (EPIT on intact skin with an epicutaneous delivery system has already been used in preclinical and clinical studies. In epicutaneous vaccination and immunotherapy, the stripping of skin before application of the allergen is suggested to facilitate the passage of allergen through immune cells. Objectives The aim of this study was to compare the immunological response induced by EPIT performed on intact and stripped skin in a mouse model of peanut allergy. Methods After oral sensitization with peanut and cholera toxin, BALB/c mice were epicutaneously treated using an epicutaneous delivery system (Viaskin® (DBV Technologies, Paris applied either on intact skin or on stripped skin. Following EPIT, mice received an exclusive oral peanut regimen, aimed at triggering esophageal and jejunal lesions. We assessed eosinophil infiltration by histology, mRNA expression in the esophagus, antibody levels and peripheral T-cell response. Results EPIT on intact skin significantly reduced Th2 immunological response (IgE response and splenocyte secretion of Th2 cytokines as well as esophageal eosinophilia (2.7 ± 0.9, compared to Sham 19.9 ± 1.5, p  Conclusions Epicutaneous allergen-specific immunotherapy needs the integrity of superficial layers of the stratum corneum to warranty safety of treatment and to induce a tolerogenic profile of the immune response.

Differential transcriptional profiling of damaged and intact adjacent dorsal root ganglia neurons in neuropathic pain.

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A K Reinhold

Full Text Available Neuropathic pain, caused by a lesion in the somatosensory system, is a severely impairing mostly chronic disease. While its underlying molecular mechanisms are not thoroughly understood, neuroimmune interactions as well as changes in the pain pathway such as sensitization of nociceptors have been implicated. It has been shown that not only are different cell types involved in generation and maintenance of neuropathic pain, like neurons, immune and glial cells, but, also, intact adjacent neurons are relevant to the process. Here, we describe an experimental approach to discriminate damaged from intact adjacent neurons in the same dorsal root ganglion (DRG using differential fluorescent neuronal labelling and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS. Two fluorescent tracers, Fluoroemerald (FE and 1-dioctadecyl-3,3,3,3-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI, were used, whose properties allow us to distinguish between damaged and intact neurons. Subsequent sorting permitted transcriptional analysis of both groups. Results and qPCR validation show a strong regulation in damaged neurons versus contralateral controls as well as a moderate regulation in adjacent neurons. Data for damaged neurons reveal an mRNA expression pattern consistent with established upregulated genes like galanin, which supports our approach. Moreover, novel genes were found strongly regulated such as corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH, providing novel targets for further research. Differential fluorescent neuronal labelling and sorting allows for a clear distinction between primarily damaged neuropathic neurons and "bystanders," thereby facilitating a more detailed understanding of their respective roles in neuropathic processes in the DRG.

Variable-angle total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy of intact cells of Arabidopsis thaliana

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Kim Myung K

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM is a powerful tool for observing fluorescently labeled molecules on the plasma membrane surface of animal cells. However, the utility of TIRFM in plant cell studies has been limited by the fact that plants have cell walls, thick peripheral layers surrounding the plasma membrane. Recently, a new technique known as variable-angle epifluorescence microscopy (VAEM was developed to circumvent this problem. However, the lack of a detailed analysis of the optical principles underlying VAEM has limited its applications in plant-cell biology. Results Here, we present theoretical and experimental evidence supporting the use of variable-angle TIRFM in observations of intact plant cells. We show that when total internal reflection occurs at the cell wall/cytosol interface with an appropriate angle of incidence, an evanescent wave field of constant depth is produced inside the cytosol. Results of experimental TIRFM observations of the dynamic behaviors of phototropin 1 (a membrane receptor protein and clathrin light chain (a vesicle coat protein support our theoretical analysis. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that variable-angle TIRFM is appropriate for quantitative live imaging of cells in intact tissues of Arabidopsis thaliana.

Prediction of valid acidity in intact apples with Fourier transform near infrared spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yan-De; Ying, Yi-Bin; Fu, Xia-Ping

2005-03-01

To develop nondestructive acidity prediction for intact Fuji apples, the potential of Fourier transform near infrared (FT-NIR) method with fiber optics in interactance mode was investigated. Interactance in the 800 nm to 2619 nm region was measured for intact apples, harvested from early to late maturity stages. Spectral data were analyzed by two multivariate calibration techniques including partial least squares (PLS) and principal component regression (PCR) methods. A total of 120 Fuji apples were tested and 80 of them were used to form a calibration data set. The influences of different data preprocessing and spectra treatments were also quantified. Calibration models based on smoothing spectra were slightly worse than that based on derivative spectra, and the best result was obtained when the segment length was 5 nm and the gap size was 10 points. Depending on data preprocessing and PLS method, the best prediction model yielded correlation coefficient of determination (r2) of 0.759, low root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.0677, low root mean square error of calibration (RMSEC) of 0.0562. The results indicated the feasibility of FT-NIR spectral analysis for predicting apple valid acidity in a nondestructive way.

Carcinoma of the cervical stump: comparison of radiation therapy factors, survival and patterns of failure with carcinoma of the intact uterus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Igboeli, P.; Kapp, D.S.; Lawrence, R.; Schwartz, P.E.

1983-01-01

Eighty-nine patients with previously untreated invasive carcinoma of the cervical stump were seen at Yale-New Haven Hospital from 1953 through 1977. This represented 9.4% of the carcinomas of the cervix seen during this time period. Eighty-five of the 89 patients (95.5%) had ''true'' cancers of the cervical stump diagnosed 2 years or more after subtotal hysterectomy, while 4 of the 89 patients (4.5%) had ''coincident'' cancers diagnosed within 2 years of the subtotal hysterectomy. All cervical cancers were staged by the F.I.G.O. classification. Patient characteristics, methods of management, failure sites and survival of patients with carcinoma of the cervical stump were compared to those patients with carcinoma in the intact uterus. Patients with cervical stump cancers were treated in a similar manner to those with carcinomas of the intact uterus, using a combination of external beam irradiation and intracavitary radium. The stump cancer patients had a similar stage distribution to the patients with cancers of the intact uterus but, on the average, they were older and received less irradiation. The patterns of failure were similar on a stage for stage basis, but the survival and disease-free survival for stump cancer patients were superior to those of the patients with carcinoma of the intact uterus

Mechanisms of blood pressure changes following renal irradiation of intact, adrenalectomized and adrenal regenerating rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenblum, M.

1976-01-01

Results are reported from studies on the differences in changes in systolic arterial blood pressure following renal x-irradiation (1100 R) in adrenal-intact, adrenalectomized, and adrenal-regenerating rats and the roles of the kidneys and of the adrenal glands in the blood pressure changes

Fertility, pregnancy, and delivery after biventricular repair for pulmonary atresia with an intact ventricular septum

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Drenthen, Willem; Pieper, Petronella G.; Roos-Hesselink, Jollen W.; Zoon, Nicole; Voors, Adrlaan A.; Mulder, Barbara J. M.; van Dijk, Arie P. J.; Vliegen, Hubert W.; Sollie, Krystyna M.; Ebels, Tjark; van Veldhuisen, Dirk J.

2006-01-01

The objective of the present study to investigate fertility, pregnancy, and delivery in women with biventricular repair for pulmonary atresia with an intact ventricular septum (PAIVS). Using a nationwide registry (CONCOR), 37 patients with pulmonary atresia were identified, 6 of whom (aged 21 to 34

Fertility, pregnancy, and delivery after biventricular repair for pulmonary atresia with an intact ventricular septum.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Drenthen, W.; Pieper, P.G.; Roos-Hesselink, J.W.; Zoon, N.; Voors, A.A.; Mulder, B.J.M.; Dijk, A.P.J. van; Vliegen, H.W.; Sollie, K.M.; Ebels, T.; Veldhuisen, D.J. van

2006-01-01

The objective of the present study to investigate fertility, pregnancy, and delivery in women with biventricular repair for pulmonary atresia with an intact ventricular septum (PAIVS). Using a nationwide registry (CONCOR), 37 patients with pulmonary atresia were identified, 6 of whom (aged 21 to 34

Biotransformation of the citrus flavone tangeretin in rats. Identification of metabolites with intact flavane nucleus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, S.E.; Breinholt, V.; Cornett, C.

2000-01-01

were separated and identified by HPLC and the structures elucidated by LC/MS and H-1 NMR. Ten new, major metabolites with intact flavonoid structure were identified. The metabolites identified were either demethylated or hydroxylated derivatives of the parent compound and metabolic changes were found...

Aggression toward Familiar People, Strangers, and Conspecifics in Gonadectomized and Intact Dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Farhoody, Parvene; Mallawaarachchi, Indika; Tarwater, Patrick M; Serpell, James A; Duffy, Deborah L; Zink, Chris

2018-01-01

Gonadectomy is widely used to treat and prevent behavior problems including the aggressive behavior of dogs. The aim of this study was to determine whether aggressive behavior toward familiar people, strangers, or other dogs was significantly different in dogs gonadectomized at various ages vs. intact dogs using the Canine Behavioral Assessment Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) with multivariate analysis. Of 15,370 initial surveys, those for dogs reported to have been gonadectomized at less than 6 weeks of age or to correct a behavior problem, and those with incomplete answers to questions regarding independent or dependent variables were excluded, leaving 13,795 for the analysis of aggressive behavior toward familiar people: 13,498 for aggressive behavior toward strangers and 13,237 for aggressive behavior toward dogs. Aggressive behavior was defined (a) using mean scores for all questions on the C-BARQ for aggressive behavior (range 0-4) and (b) comparing dogs with no aggressive behavior (all questions answered 0) to dogs with moderate or severe aggression (at least one score of 2, 3, or 4). Data for intact dogs were compared with those for dogs gonadectomized at 6 months or less, 7-12 months, 11-18 months, and >18 months. Neither gonadectomy nor age at gonadectomy showed an association with aggression toward familiar people or dogs. However, there was a low but significant increase in the odds of moderate or severe aggression toward strangers for all gonadectomized dogs compared with intact dogs, but this effect was driven entirely by data for dogs gonadectomized at 7-12 months of age, which were 26% more likely to demonstrate aggression toward strangers. This large, comprehensive study of the relationships between gonadectomy and aggressive behavior in dogs demonstrates that when the many factors affecting aggressive behavior are considered, there is no evidence that gonadectomy at any age alters aggressive behavior toward familiar people or dogs

Isolation of intact RNA from murine CD4+ T cells after intracellular cytokine staining and fluorescence-activated cell sorting.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunnath-Velayudhan, Shajo; Porcelli, Steven A

2018-05-01

Intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) is a powerful method for identifying functionally distinct lymphocyte subsets, and for isolating these by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS). Although transcriptomic analysis of cells sorted on the basis of ICS has many potential applications, this is rarely performed because of the difficulty in isolating intact RNA from cells processed using standard fixation and permeabilization buffers for ICS. To address this issue, we compared three buffers shown previously to preserve RNA in nonhematopoietic cells subjected to intracellular staining for their effects on RNA isolated from T lymphocytes processed for ICS. Our results showed that buffers containing the recombinant ribonuclease inhibitor RNasin or high molar concentrations of salt yielded intact RNA from fixed and permeabilized T cells. As proof of principle, we successfully used the buffer containing RNasin to isolate intact RNA from CD4 + T cells that were sorted by FACS on the basis of specific cytokine production, thus demonstrating the potential of this approach for coupling ICS with transcriptomic analysis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transcriptome analysis of soiny mullet (Liza haematocheila) spleen in response to Streptococcus dysgalactiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Zhitao; Wu, Ping; Zhang, Qihuan; Wei, Youchuan; Wang, Zisheng; Qiu, Ming; Shao, Rong; Li, Yao; Gao, Qian

2016-02-01

Soiny mullet (Liza haematocheila) is becoming an economically important aquaculture mugilid species in China and other Asian countries. However, increasing incidences of bacterial pathogenic diseases has greatly hampered the production of the soiny mullet. Deeper understanding of the soiny mullet immune system and its related genes in response to bacterial infections are necessary for disease control in this species. In this study, the transcriptomic profile of spleen from soiny mullet challenged with Streptococcus dysgalactiae was analyzed by Illumina-based paired-end sequencing method. After assembly, 86,884 unique transcript fragments (unigenes) were assembled, with an average length of 991 bp. Approximately 41,795 (48.1%) unigenes were annotated in the nr NCBI database and 57.9% of the unigenes were similar to that of the Nile tilapia. A total of 24,299 unigenes were categorized into three Gene Ontology (GO) categories (molecular function, cellular component and biological process), 13,570 unigenes into 25 functional Clusters of Orthologous Groups of proteins (COG) categories, and 30,547 unigenes were grouped into 258 known pathways in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. Following S. dysgalactiae infection, 11,461 differentially expressed unigenes were identified including 4658 up-regulated unigenes and 6803 down-regulated unigenes. Significant enrichment analysis of these differentially expressed unigenes identified major immune related pathways, including the Toll-like receptor, complement and coagulation cascades, T cell receptor signaling pathway and B cell receptor signaling pathway. In addition, 24,813 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and 127,503 candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified from the mullet spleen transcriptome. To this date, this study has globally analyzed the transcriptome profile from the spleen of L. haematocheila after S. dysgalactiae infection. Therefore, the results of our study

31P NMR study of phosphate metabolites in intact developing seeds of wheat, soybean and mustard

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gambhir, P.N.; Pande, P.C.; Ratcliffe, R.G.

1994-01-01

The study of 31 P NMR spectra of intact developing seeds of wheat, soybean and mustard and its possible use for assessing the relative degree of hypoxia under in vivo conditions are reported. 7 refs., 2 figs

De Novo Assembly and Characterization of the Transcriptome of Grasshopper Shirakiacris shirakii

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Zhongying Qiu

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Background: The grasshopper Shirakiacris shirakii is an important agricultural pest and feeds mainly on gramineous plants, thereby causing economic damage to a wide range of crops. However, genomic information on this species is extremely limited thus far, and transcriptome data relevant to insecticide resistance and pest control are also not available. Methods: The transcriptome of S. shirakii was sequenced using the Illumina HiSeq platform, and we de novo assembled the transcriptome. Results: Its sequencing produced a total of 105,408,878 clean reads, and the de novo assembly revealed 74,657 unigenes with an average length of 680 bp and N50 of 1057 bp. A total of 28,173 unigenes were annotated for the NCBI non-redundant protein sequences (Nr, NCBI non-redundant nucleotide sequences (Nt, a manually-annotated and reviewed protein sequence database (Swiss-Prot, Gene Ontology (GO and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG databases. Based on the Nr annotation results, we manually identified 79 unigenes encoding cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s, 36 unigenes encoding carboxylesterases (CarEs and 36 unigenes encoding glutathione S-transferases (GSTs in S. shirakii. Core RNAi components relevant to miroRNA, siRNA and piRNA pathways, including Pasha, Loquacious, Argonaute-1, Argonaute-2, Argonaute-3, Zucchini, Aubergine, enhanced RNAi-1 and Piwi, were expressed in S. shirakii. We also identified five unigenes that were homologous to the Sid-1 gene. In addition, the analysis of differential gene expressions revealed that a total of 19,764 unigenes were up-regulated and 4185 unigenes were down-regulated in larvae. In total, we predicted 7504 simple sequence repeats (SSRs from 74,657 unigenes. Conclusions: The comprehensive de novo transcriptomic data of S. shirakii will offer a series of valuable molecular resources for better studying insecticide resistance, RNAi and molecular marker discovery in the transcriptome.

Transcriptome Analysis of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis: De Novo Assembly, Functional Annotation and Comparative Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Jun; Ladd, Tim; Doucet, Daniel; Cusson, Michel; vanFrankenhuyzen, Kees; Mittapalli, Omprakash; Krell, Peter J; Quan, Guoxing

2015-01-01

The Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis, is an invasive phloem-feeding insect pest of ash trees. Since its initial discovery near the Detroit, US- Windsor, Canada area in 2002, the spread of EAB has had strong negative economic, social and environmental impacts in both countries. Several transcriptomes from specific tissues including midgut, fat body and antenna have recently been generated. However, the relatively low sequence depth, gene coverage and completeness limited the usefulness of these EAB databases. High-throughput deep RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) was used to obtain 473.9 million pairs of 100 bp length paired-end reads from various life stages and tissues. These reads were assembled into 88,907 contigs using the Trinity strategy and integrated into 38,160 unigenes after redundant sequences were removed. We annotated 11,229 unigenes by searching against the public nr, Swiss-Prot and COG. The EAB transcriptome assembly was compared with 13 other sequenced insect species, resulting in the prediction of 536 unigenes that are Coleoptera-specific. Differential gene expression revealed that 290 unigenes are expressed during larval molting and 3,911 unigenes during metamorphosis from larvae to pupae, respectively (FDR2). In addition, 1,167 differentially expressed unigenes were identified from larval and adult midguts, 435 unigenes were up-regulated in larval midgut and 732 unigenes were up-regulated in adult midgut. Most of the genes involved in RNA interference (RNAi) pathways were identified, which implies the existence of a system RNAi in EAB. This study provides one of the most fundamental and comprehensive transcriptome resources available for EAB to date. Identification of the tissue- stage- or species- specific unigenes will benefit the further study of gene functions during growth and metamorphosis processes in EAB and other pest insects.

De novo sequencing, assembly and characterization of antennal transcriptome of Anomala corpulenta Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Rutelidae.

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Haoliang Chen

Full Text Available Anomala corpulenta is an important insect pest and can cause enormous economic losses in agriculture, horticulture and forestry. It is widely distributed in China, and both larvae and adults can cause serious damage. It is difficult to control this pest because the larvae live underground. Any new control strategy should exploit alternatives to heavily and frequently used chemical insecticides. However, little genetic research has been carried out on A. corpulenta due to the lack of genomic resources. Genomic resources could be produced by next generation sequencing technologies with low cost and in a short time. In this study, we performed de novo sequencing, assembly and characterization of the antennal transcriptome of A. corpulenta.Illumina sequencing technology was used to sequence the antennal transcriptome of A. corpulenta. Approximately 76.7 million total raw reads and about 68.9 million total clean reads were obtained, and then 35,656 unigenes were assembled. Of these unigenes, 21,463 of them could be annotated in the NCBI nr database, and, among the annotated unigenes, 11,154 and 6,625 unigenes could be assigned to GO and COG, respectively. Additionally, 16,350 unigenes could be annotated in the Swiss-Prot database, and 14,499 unigenes could map onto 258 pathways in the KEGG Pathway database. We also found 24 unigenes related to OBPs, 6 to CSPs, and in total 167 unigenes related to chemodetection. We analyzed 4 OBPs and 3CSPs sequences and their RT-qPCR results agreed well with their FPKM values.We produced the first large-scale antennal transcriptome of A. corpulenta, which is a species that has little genomic information in public databases. The identified chemodetection unigenes can promote the molecular mechanistic study of behavior in A. corpulenta. These findings provide a general sequence resource for molecular genetics research on A. corpulenta.

Conservation experiments applying radiation-curable impregnating agents to intact and artifically decayed wood samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schaudy, R.; Slais, E.

1983-02-01

Conservation experiments have been performed applying 10 selected impregnating agents to intact and chemically as well as biologically decayed wood samples. The quality of the radiation-curable impregnating agents could be valued by determination of the monomer uptake, the alteration of dimensions and volume and the deformation of the samples. The results are to be discussed. (Author) [de

RNA sequencing on Amomum villosum Lour. induced by MeJA identifies the genes of WRKY and terpene synthases involved in terpene biosynthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Xueying; Wang, Huan; Yang, Jinfen; Deng, Ke; Wang, Teng

2018-02-01

Amomum villosum Lour. is an important Chinese medicinal plant that has diverse medicinal functions, and mainly contains volatile terpenes. This study aims to explore the WRKY transcription factors (TFs) and terpene synthase (TPS) unigenes that might be involved in terpene biosynthesis in A. villosum, and thus providing some new information on the regulation of terpenes in plants. RNA sequencing of A. villosum induced by methyl jasmonate (MeJA) revealed that the WRKY family was the second largest TF family in the transcriptome. Thirty-six complete WRKY domain sequences were expressed in response to MeJA. Further, six WRKY unigenes were highly correlated with eight deduced TPS unigenes. Ultimately, we combined the terpene abundance with the expression of candidate WRKY TFs and TPS unigenes to presume a possible model wherein AvWRKY61, AvWRKY28, and AvWRKY40 might coordinately trans-activate the AvNeoD promoter. We propose an approach to further investigate TF unigenes that might be involved in terpenoid biosynthesis, and identified four unigenes for further analyses.

DETERMINATION OF THE MINIMUM INTACT DIMENSIONS AVAILABLE IN PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF LASER CUTTING

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Peter Gyorgy HORVATH

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The reuse of wastes is one of the main requirements of sustainable wood processing. Technologies available for waste management however are currently suited to the reuse of large quantities. This study investigates the utilisation of individual pieces of sawn wood and veneer wastes by laser cutting, with special emphasis on the search for the practical minimum intact dimension that can be produced by laser cutting

Transbilayer distribution and mobility of phosphatidylcholine in intact erythrocyte membranes. A study with phosphatidylcholine exchange protein

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Meer, G.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/068570368; Poorthuis, B.J.H.M.; Wirtz, K.W.A.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/068427956; op den Kamp, J.A.F.; van Deenen, L.L.M.

1980-01-01

The exchange of phosphatidylcholine between intact human or rat erythrocytes and rat liver microsomes was greatly stimulated by phosphatidylcholine-specific exchange proteins from rat liver and beef liver. It was found, however, that compared to the exchange reaction between phospholipid vesicles

Intact long-type dupA as a marker for gastroduodenal diseases in Okinawan subpopulation, Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Ayaka; Shiota, Seiji; Matsunari, Osamu; Watada, Masahide; Suzuki, Rumiko; Nakachi, Saori; Kinjo, Nagisa; Kinjo, Fukunori; Yamaoka, Yoshio

2013-02-01

Helicobacter pylori dupA can be divided into two types according to the presence or absence of the mutation. In addition, full-sequenced data revealed that dupA has two types with different lengths depend on the presence of approximately 600 bp in the putative 5' region (presence; long-type and absence; short-type), which has not been taken into account in previous studies. A total of 319 strains isolated from Okinawa, the south islands of Japan, were included. The status of dupA and cagA was determined by polymerase chain reaction. The presence of mutations in long-type dupA was determined by DNA sequencing. The prevalence of long-type dupA was 26.3% (84/319). Sequence analysis showed that there were only six cases (7.1%) with point mutations lead to stop codon among 84 long-type dupA strains studied. Interestingly, intact long-type dupA without frameshift mutation, but not short-type dupA, was significantly associated with gastric ulcer and gastric cancer than gastritis (p = .001 and p = .019, respectively). After adjustment by age, gender, and cagA, the presence of intact long-type dupA was significantly associated with gastric ulcer and gastric cancer compared with gastritis (odds ratio [OR] = 3.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.55-7.24 and OR = 4.14, 95% CI = 1.23-13.94, respectively). Intact long-type dupA is a real virulence marker for severe outcomes in Okinawa, Japan. The previous information gained from PCR-based methods without taking long-type dupA into account must be interpreted with caution. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Structure of the intact ATM/Tel1 kinase

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xuejuan; Chu, Huanyu; Lv, Mengjuan; Zhang, Zhihui; Qiu, Shuwan; Liu, Haiyan; Shen, Xuetong; Wang, Weiwu; Cai, Gang

2016-05-01

The ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) protein is an apical kinase that orchestrates the multifaceted DNA-damage response. Normally, ATM kinase is in an inactive, homodimer form and is transformed into monomers upon activation. Besides a conserved kinase domain at the C terminus, ATM contains three other structural modules, referred to as FAT, FATC and N-terminal helical solenoid. Here we report the first cryo-EM structure of ATM kinase, which is an intact homodimeric ATM/Tel1 from Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We show that two monomers directly contact head-to-head through the FAT and kinase domains. The tandem N-terminal helical solenoid tightly packs against the FAT and kinase domains. The structure suggests that ATM/Tel1 dimer interface and the consecutive HEAT repeats inhibit the binding of kinase substrates and regulators by steric hindrance. Our study provides a structural framework for understanding the mechanisms of ATM/Tel1 regulation as well as the development of new therapeutic agents.

Enzymatic changes in intact leaves of Phaseolus vulgaris following ozone fumigation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dass, H C; Weaver, G M

1972-01-01

Enzymatic changes in the intact leaves of Phaseolus vulgaris cv. Seaway 65 were studied following ozone fumigation. It was found that peroxidase enzyme increased significantly with the ozone treatment in the first 48 h. Similarly, cellulase enzyme showed significant increase 48 h. following ozone treatment. Lactic dehydrogenase activity was not markedly affected by ozone treatment. Disc electrophoretic studies of peroxidase isoenzymes showed that ozone treatment induced a new band of peroxidase. The role of peroxidase, cellulase and lactic dehydrogenase enzymes is discussed in relation to ozone damage and the bronzing disorder in white beans. 22 references, 1 figure, 1 table.

The effect of coracoacromial ligament excision and acromioplasty on the amount of rotator cuff force production necessary to restore intact glenohumeral biomechanics.

Science.gov (United States)

Budoff, Jeffrey E; Lin, Cheng-Li; Hong, Chih-Kai; Chiang, Florence L; Su, Wei-Ren

2016-06-01

Coracoacromial ligament (CAL) excision and acromioplasty increase superior and anterosuperior glenohumeral translation. It is unknown how much of an increase in rotator cuff force production is required to re-establish intact glenohumeral biomechanics after these surgical procedures. We hypothesized that, after CAL excision and acromioplasty, an increase in rotator cuff force production would not be necessary to reproduce the anterosuperior and superior translations of the intact specimens. Nine cadaveric shoulders were subjected to loading in the superior and anterosuperior directions in the intact state after CAL excision, acromioplasty, and recording of the translations. The rotator cuff force was then increased to normalize glenohumeral biomechanics. After CAL excision at 150 and 200 N of loading, an increase in the rotator cuff force by 25% decreased anterosuperior translation to the point where there was no significant difference from the intact specimen's translation. After acromioplasty (and CAL excision) at 150 and 200 N, an increase in the rotator cuff force of 25% and 30%, respectively, decreased superior translation to the point where there was no significant difference from the intact specimen's translation. At 150 to 200 N of loading, CAL excision and acromioplasty increase the rotator cuff force required to maintain normal glenohumeral biomechanics by 25% to 30%. After a subacromial decompression, the rotator cuff has an increased force production requirement to maintain baseline glenohumeral mechanics. Under many circumstances, in vivo force requirements may be even greater after surgical attenuation of the coracoacromial arch. Basic Science Study; Biomechanics. Copyright © 2016 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New approach to measure soil particulate organic matter in intact samples using X-ray computed micro-tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Kravchenko, Alexandra; Negassa, Wakene; Guber, Andrey; Schmidt, Sonja

2014-05-01

Particulate soil organic matter (POM) is biologically and chemically active fraction of soil organic matter. It is a source of many agricultural and ecological benefits, among which are POM's contribution to C sequestration. Most of conventional research methods for studying organic matter dynamics involve measurements conducted on pre-processed i.e., ground and sieved soil samples. Unfortunately, grinding and sieving completely destroys soil structure, the component crucial for soil functioning and C protection. Importance of a better understanding of the role of soil structure and of the physical protection that it provides to soil C cannot be overstated; and analysis of quantities, characteristics, and decomposition rates of POM in soil samples with intact structure is among the key elements of gaining such understanding. However, a marked difficulty hindering the progress in such analyses is a lack of tools for identification and quantitative analysis of POM in intact soil samples. Recent advancement in applications of X-ray computed micro-tomography (μ-CT) to soil science has given an opportunity to conduct such analyses. The objective of the current study is to develop a procedure for identification and quantitative characterization of POM within intact soil samples using X-ray μ-CT images and to test performance of the proposed procedure on a set of multiple intact soil macro-aggregates. We used 16 4-6 mm soil aggregates collected at 0-15 cm depth from a Typic Hapludalf soil at multiple field sites with diverse agricultural management history. The aggregates have been scanned at SIMBIOS Centre, Dundee, Scotland at 10 micron resolution. POM was determined from the aggregate images using the developed procedure. The procedure was based on combining image pre-processing steps with discriminant analysis classification. The first component of the procedure consisted of image pre-processing steps based on the range of gray values (GV) along with shape and size

Decubitus grade IV (deep pressure sore) with intact skin in a patient with spinal cord injury

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Theunissen, C.C.W.; Zeilstra, J.T.; van Voorst Vader, P.C.; Kardaun, S.H.; Leeman, F.W.J.

2006-01-01

Even with intact skin the possibility of pressure sores should not be dismissed. Early recognition of a pressure sore is important for adequate treatment and prevention of progression. Multidisciplinary intervention is essential. A wheelchair patient with spinal cord injury is described, who

Transbilayer distribution and mobility of phosphatidylcholine in intact erythrocyte membranes. A study with phosphatidylcholine exchange protein

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Meer, G.; Poorthuis, B. J.; Wirtz, K. W.; Op den Kamp, J. A.; van Deenen, L. L.

1980-01-01

1. The exchange of phosphatidylcholine between intact human or rat erythrocytes and rat liver microsomes was greatly stimulated by phosphatidylcholine-specific exchange proteins from rat liver and beef liver. It was found, however, that compared to the exchange reaction between phospholipid vesicles

Radiolabelling of penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) in intact Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells; consequences of β-lactamase activity by PBP-5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Livermore, D.M.

1987-01-01

The time-course of labelling of penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) was compared for intact and sonicated cell preparations of nine Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, all of which gave identical PBP profiles. Saturation of all the PBPs in cell-sonicates occurred within 2 min of exposure to 14 [C] benzylpenicillin. PBP-5 formed an unstable penicilloyl-complex: the other PBPs formed highly stable complexes. Saturation of PBP-4 in intact cells occurred within 2 min of exposure to the antibiotic, correlating with the high affinity of this protein for penicillin. Labelling of PBPs 1a, 1b and 3 was slow but progressive, suggesting that these proteins were shielded by the permeability barrier(s) of the cell. Labelling of PBP-5 in intact cells achieved 10-20% saturation within 2-10 min of exposure to 14 [C] benzylpenicillin, but did not increase subsequently. This behaviour may indicate that establishment of a steady state between the formation and breakdown of the PBP-5-penicillin complex, suggesting that PBP-5, potentiated by the permeability barrier, functions as a feeble β-lactamase. Such activity may distort the labelling of other PBPs by reducing the concentration of penicillin in the periplasm. (author)

Excitons in intact cells of photosynthetic bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Freiberg, Arvi; Pajusalu, Mihkel; Rätsep, Margus

2013-09-26

Live cells and regular crystals seem fundamentally incompatible. Still, effects characteristic to ideal crystals, such as coherent sharing of excitation, have been recently used in many studies to explain the behavior of several photosynthetic complexes, especially the inner workings of the light-harvesting apparatus of the oldest known photosynthetic organisms, the purple bacteria. To this date, there has been no concrete evidence that the same effects are instrumental in real living cells, leaving a possibility that this is an artifact of unnatural study conditions, not a real effect relevant to the biological operation of bacteria. Hereby, we demonstrate survival of collective coherent excitations (excitons) in intact cells of photosynthetic purple bacteria. This is done by using excitation anisotropy spectroscopy for tracking the temperature-dependent evolution of exciton bands in light-harvesting systems of increasing structural complexity. The temperature was gradually raised from 4.5 K to ambient temperature, and the complexity of the systems ranged from detergent-isolated complexes to complete bacterial cells. The results provide conclusive evidence that excitons are indeed one of the key elements contributing to the energetic and dynamic properties of photosynthetic organisms.

Intact Pituitary Function is Decisive for the Catabolic Response to TNF-α

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bach, Ermina; Møller, Andreas B; Jørgensen, Jens O L

2015-01-01

Context: TNF-α generates inflammatory responses and insulin resistance, lipolysis and protein breakdown. It is unclear whether these changes depend on intact hypothalamo-pituitary stress hormone responses triggering release of cortisol and growth hormone. Objective: To define differential effects......-α on lipase expression or regulation in fat. Conclusions: TNF-α increased both urea and amino acid fluxes and EGP significantly more in CTR compared to HP, suggesting that increases in endogenous cortisol and GH release are significant components of the metabolic response to TNF-α....

Benign familial fleck retina: multimodal imaging including optical coherence tomography angiography.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Jose Mauricio Botto de Barros; Isaac, David Leonardo Cruvinel; Sardeiro, Tainara; Aquino, Érika; Avila, Marcos

2017-01-01

This report presents multimodal imaging of a 27-year-old woman diagnosed with benign familial fleck retina (OMIM 228980), an uncommon disorder. Fundus photographs revealed retinal flecks that affected her post-equatorial retina but spared the macular area. Fundus autofluorescence and infrared imaging demonstrated a symmetrical pattern of yellow-white fleck lesions that affected both eyes. Her full-field electroretinogram and electrooculogram were normal. An optical coherence tomography B-scan was performed for both eyes, revealing increased thickness of the retinal pigmented epithelium leading to multiple small pigmented epithelium detachments. The outer retina remained intact in both eyes. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography angiography with split-spectrum amplitude decorrelation algorithm and 3 × 3 mm structural en face optical coherence tomography did not show macular lesions. Benign familial fleck retina belongs to a heterogenous group of so-called flecked retina syndromes, and should be considered in patients with yellowish-white retinal lesions without involvement of the macula.

Benign familial fleck retina: multimodal imaging including optical coherence tomography angiography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jose Mauricio Botto de Barros Garcia

Full Text Available ABSTRACT This report presents multimodal imaging of a 27-year-old woman diagnosed with benign familial fleck retina (OMIM 228980, an uncommon disorder. Fundus photographs revealed retinal flecks that affected her post-equatorial retina but spared the macular area. Fundus autofluorescence and infrared imaging demonstrated a symmetrical pattern of yellow-white fleck lesions that affected both eyes. Her full-field electroretinogram and electrooculogram were normal. An optical coherence tomography B-scan was performed for both eyes, revealing increased thickness of the retinal pigmented epithelium leading to multiple small pigmented epithelium detachments. The outer retina remained intact in both eyes. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography angiography with split-spectrum amplitude decorrelation algorithm and 3 × 3 mm structural en face optical coherence tomography did not show macular lesions. Benign familial fleck retina belongs to a heterogenous group of so-called flecked retina syndromes, and should be considered in patients with yellowish-white retinal lesions without involvement of the macula.

Isolation of intact and pure chloroplasts from leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana plants acclimated to low irradiance for studies on Rubisco regulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magda Grabsztunowicz

2012-11-01

Full Text Available A protocol is presented for low-cost and fast isolation of intact and pure chloroplasts from leaves of plants acclimated to low irradiance. The protocol is based on a differential centrifugation of cleared leaf homogenate and omits a centrifugation on Percoll gradient step. The intactness and purity of the chloroplasts isolated from leaves of low irradiance-acclimated plants by using this protocol (confirmed by phase contrast microscopy as well as enzymatic and immunological approaches allows plausible studies on low irradiance-dependent Rubisco regulation.

Mixed-mode reversed phase/positively charged repulsion chromatography for intact protein separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Ling; Guo, Zhimou; Hu, Zhuo; Liang, Xinmiao

2017-05-10

A mixed-mode reversed phase/positively charged repulsion stationary phase C8PN composed of octyl and amino group has been developed for separation of intact protein. Before the separation of proteins, a set of probe compounds were employed to evaluate the chromatographic properties of C8PN, demonstrating typical reversed phase/positively charged repulsion interaction on this stationary phase as estimated. Then the new C8PN stationary phase was used to separate a standard protein mixture on the reversed phase mode. Compared with a commercial C4 stationary phase, it showed different selectivity for some proteins. In order to better understand the properties of C8PN, the effect of acetonitrile content was investigated based on retention equation. Higher values of the equation parameters on C8PN demonstrated that the protein retentions were more sensitive to the change of acetonitrile content. Besides, the influences of buffer salt additives on the protein retentions were also studied. The retention factors of the proteins got larger with the increase of buffer salt concentration, which confirmed the positively charged repulsion interaction on the column. Finally, the C8PN was further applied to separate oxidized- and reduced- forms of Recombinant Human Growth Hormone. Our study indicated the advantages and application potential of mixed-mode reversed phase/positively charged repulsion stationary phase for intact protein separation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Self-transcendence and nurse-patient interaction in cognitively intact nursing home patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Haugan, Gørill; Rannestad, Toril; Hanssen, Brith; Espnes, Geir A

2012-12-01

The aim of this study was to test whether nurse-patient interaction affects cognitively intact nursing home patients' interpersonal and intrapersonal self-transcendence, as well as testing the psychometric properties of the Nurse-Patient Interaction Scale (NPIS). Self-transcendence is considered a spiritual developmental process of maturity in adulthood, and a vital resource of well-being at the end of life. The concept of self-transcendence has previously been explored in various populations, yet the nurse-patient interactions' potential influence on self-transcendence in nursing home patients has not been published previously. A cross-sectional design employing the Self-Transcendence Scale and the NPIS was adopted. A sample of 202 cognitively well-functioning nursing home patients in Norway was selected. The statistical analyses were carried out using lisrel 8.8 and structural equation modelling. Structural equation modelling-analysis indicates statistical significant effect of nurse-patient interaction on the patients' self-transcendence. Direct influence on the intrapersonal and indirect influence on the interpersonal self-transcendence aspects was disclosed. Nurse-patient interaction significantly affected both interpersonal and intrapersonal self-transcendence among cognitively intact nursing home patients. Hence, facilitating caring interventions can be significantly beneficial to older patients' self-transcendence and thereby well-being, both emotional and physical. Caring behaviour signifies the vital and ultimate qualitative nursing behaviour, which promotes self-transcendence and thereby well-being. These findings are important for clinical nursing that intends to increase patients' well-being. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Characterization of Liaoning cashmere goat transcriptome: sequencing, de novo assembly, functional annotation and comparative analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongliang Liu

Full Text Available Liaoning cashmere goat is a famous goat breed for cashmere wool. In order to increase the transcriptome data and accelerate genetic improvement for this breed, we performed de novo transcriptome sequencing to generate the first expressed sequence tag dataset for the Liaoning cashmere goat, using next-generation sequencing technology.Transcriptome sequencing of Liaoning cashmere goat on a Roche 454 platform yielded 804,601 high-quality reads. Clustering and assembly of these reads produced a non-redundant set of 117,854 unigenes, comprising 13,194 isotigs and 104,660 singletons. Based on similarity searches with known proteins, 17,356 unigenes were assigned to 6,700 GO categories, and the terms were summarized into three main GO categories and 59 sub-categories. 3,548 and 46,778 unigenes had significant similarity to existing sequences in the KEGG and COG databases, respectively. Comparative analysis revealed that 42,254 unigenes were aligned to 17,532 different sequences in NCBI non-redundant nucleotide databases. 97,236 (82.51% unigenes were mapped to the 30 goat chromosomes. 35,551 (30.17% unigenes were matched to 11,438 reported goat protein-coding genes. The remaining non-matched unigenes were further compared with cattle and human reference genes, 67 putative new goat genes were discovered. Additionally, 2,781 potential simple sequence repeats were initially identified from all unigenes.The transcriptome of Liaoning cashmere goat was deep sequenced, de novo assembled, and annotated, providing abundant data to better understand the Liaoning cashmere goat transcriptome. The potential simple sequence repeats provide a material basis for future genetic linkage and quantitative trait loci analyses.

Investigations on the role of hemoglobin in sulfide metabolism by intact human red blood cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Bianco, Christopher L; Savitsky, Anton; Feelisch, Martin; Cortese-Krott, Miriam M

2018-03-01

In addition to their role as oxygen transporters, red blood cells (RBCs) contribute to cardiovascular homeostasis by regulating nitric oxide (NO) metabolism via interaction of hemoglobin (Hb) with nitrite and NO itself. RBCs were proposed to also participate in sulfide metabolism. Although Hb is known to react with sulfide, sulfide metabolism by intact RBCs has not been characterized so far. Therefore we explored the role of Hb in sulfide metabolism in intact human RBCs. We find that upon exposure of washed RBCs to sulfide, no changes in oxy/deoxyhemoglobin (oxy/deoxyHb) are observed by UV-vis and EPR spectroscopy. However, sulfide reacts with methemoglobin (metHb), forming a methemoglobin-sulfide (metHb-SH) complex. Moreover, while metHb-SH is stable in cell-free systems even in the presence of biologically relevant thiols, it gradually decomposes to produce oxyHb, inorganic polysulfides and thiosulfate in intact cells, as detected by EPR and mass spectrometry. Taken together, our results demonstrate that under physiological conditions RBCs are able to metabolize sulfide via intermediate formation of a metHb-SH complex, which subsequently decomposes to oxyHb. We speculate that decomposition of metHb-SH is preceded by an inner-sphere electron transfer, forming reduced Hb (which binds oxygen to form oxyHb) and thiyl radical (a process we here define as "reductive sulfhydration"), which upon release, gives rise to the oxidized products, thiosulfate and polysulfides. Thus, not only is metHb an efficient scavenger and regulator of sulfide in blood, intracellular sulfide itself may play a role in keeping Hb in the reduced oxygen-binding form and, therefore, be involved in RBC physiology and function. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effects of zonation of the pen and grouping in intact litters on use of pen, immune competence and health of pigs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damgaard, B.M.; Studnitz, M.; Nielsen, Jens

2006-01-01

The effects of pen design and group composition were examined with respect to activity, use of pen, floor conditions, health condition and immune competence for groups of 60 pigs. The experiment was designed with the two factors with zones/without zones and divided litters/intact litters....... The experiment included a total of 1440 pigs from weaning at the age of 4 weeks to the age of 18 weeks after weaning. In pens with zones, the selection of different areas for different activities was improved. Pens with zones were more dirty in the elimination and open areas than pens without zones. In pens...... with zones, the number of lymphocytes was decreased, the ability to respond to an additional challenge by a model infection was decreased and the number of neutrophils was increased in intact litters. In week 9, the health condition was better with a group composition consisting of intact litters compared...

Feasibility in multispectral imaging for predicting the content of bioactive compounds in intact tomato fruit.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Changhong; Liu, Wei; Chen, Wei; Yang, Jianbo; Zheng, Lei

2015-04-15

Tomato is an important health-stimulating fruit because of the antioxidant properties of its main bioactive compounds, dominantly lycopene and phenolic compounds. Nowadays, product differentiation in the fruit market requires an accurate evaluation of these value-added compounds. An experiment was conducted to simultaneously and non-destructively measure lycopene and phenolic compounds content in intact tomatoes using multispectral imaging combined with chemometric methods. Partial least squares (PLS), least squares-support vector machines (LS-SVM) and back propagation neural network (BPNN) were applied to develop quantitative models. Compared with PLS and LS-SVM, BPNN model considerably improved the performance with coefficient of determination in prediction (RP(2))=0.938 and 0.965, residual predictive deviation (RPD)=4.590 and 9.335 for lycopene and total phenolics content prediction, respectively. It is concluded that multispectral imaging is an attractive alternative to the standard methods for determination of bioactive compounds content in intact tomatoes, providing a useful platform for infield fruit sorting/grading. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Viable acrosome-intact human spermatozoa in the ejaculate as a marker of semen quality and fertility status

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Egeberg Palme, Dorte Louise; Rehfeld, Anders; Bang, Anne Kirstine

2018-01-01

STUDY QUESTION: Is it possible, in an unbiased and clinical relevant way, to determine the number of viable acrosome-intact human spermatozoa in ejaculates and to use this as a measure of fertility chances? SUMMARY ANSWER: Image cytometry enables easy and unbiased quantification of viable acrosome......-intact spermatozoa and it correlates with semen quality and fertility status. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: The presence of the acrosome and its ability to respond to physiological inducers (e.g. progesterone) in the female reproductive tract at the appropriate time and place is required for fertilization. However......, the available assays are labor intensive and therefore not used clinically. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: Washed semen samples and capacitated swim-up fractions from volunteers were used to develop the assay. Subsequently washed ejaculates from patients in fertility treatment (n = 156), proven fertile men (n...

In vitro comparison of human fibroblasts from intact and ruptured ACL for use in tissue engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T Brune

2007-12-01

Full Text Available The present study compares fibroblasts extracted from intact and ruptured human anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL for creation of a tissue engineered ACL-construct, made of porcine small intestinal submucosal extracellular matrix (SIS-ECM seeded with these ACL cells. The comparison is based on histological, immunohistochemical and RT-PCR analyses. Differences were observed between cells in a ruptured ACL (rACL and cells in an intact ACL (iACL, particularly with regard to the expression of integrin subunits and smooth muscle actin (SMA. Despite these differences in the cell source, both cell populations behaved similarly when seeded on an SIS-ECM scaffold, with similar cell morphology, connective tissue organization and composition, SMA and integrin expression. This study shows the usefulness of naturally occurring scaffolds such as SIS-ECM for the study of cell behaviour in vitro, and illustrates the possibility to use autologous cells extracted from ruptured ACL biopsies as a source for tissue engineered ACL constructs.

2,6-Dichlorobenzamide (BAM) herbicide mineralisation by Aminobacter sp. MSH1 during starvation depends on a subpopulation of intact cells maintaining vital membrane functions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sjoholm, Ole R.; Nybroe, Ole [Department of Agriculture and Ecology, Section of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C (Denmark); Aamand, Jens [Department of Agriculture and Ecology, Section of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C (Denmark); Department of Geochemistry, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Oster Voldgade 10, 1350 Copenhagen K (Denmark); Sorensen, Jan, E-mail: jan@life.ku.d [Department of Agriculture and Ecology, Section of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C (Denmark)

2010-12-15

Mineralisation capability was studied in the 2,6-dichlorobenzamide (BAM)-degrading Aminobacter sp. MSH1 under growth-arrested conditions. Cells were starved in mineral salts (MS) solution or groundwater before {sup 14}C-labelled BAM (0.1 mM) was added. Cell physiology was monitored with a panel of vitality stains combined with flow cytometry to differentiate intact, depolarised and dead cells. Cells starved for up to 3 weeks in MS solution showed immediate growth-linked mineralisation after BAM amendment while a lag-phase was seen after 8 weeks of starvation. In contrast, cells amended with BAM in natural groundwater showed BAM mineralisation but no growth. The cell-specific mineralisation rate was always comparable (10{sup -16} mol C intact cell{sup -1} day{sup -1}) independent of media, growth, or starvation period after BAM amendment; lower rates were only observed as BAM concentration decreased. MSH1 seems useful for bioremediation and should be optimised to maintain an intact cell subpopulation as this seems to be the key parameter for successful mineralisation. - The intact cell population of Aminobacter MSH1 mineralises BAM at a constant rate independent of growth or extended starvation in mineral solution and natural groundwater.

2,6-Dichlorobenzamide (BAM) herbicide mineralisation by Aminobacter sp. MSH1 during starvation depends on a subpopulation of intact cells maintaining vital membrane functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sjoholm, Ole R.; Nybroe, Ole; Aamand, Jens; Sorensen, Jan

2010-01-01

Mineralisation capability was studied in the 2,6-dichlorobenzamide (BAM)-degrading Aminobacter sp. MSH1 under growth-arrested conditions. Cells were starved in mineral salts (MS) solution or groundwater before 14 C-labelled BAM (0.1 mM) was added. Cell physiology was monitored with a panel of vitality stains combined with flow cytometry to differentiate intact, depolarised and dead cells. Cells starved for up to 3 weeks in MS solution showed immediate growth-linked mineralisation after BAM amendment while a lag-phase was seen after 8 weeks of starvation. In contrast, cells amended with BAM in natural groundwater showed BAM mineralisation but no growth. The cell-specific mineralisation rate was always comparable (10 -16 mol C intact cell -1 day -1 ) independent of media, growth, or starvation period after BAM amendment; lower rates were only observed as BAM concentration decreased. MSH1 seems useful for bioremediation and should be optimised to maintain an intact cell subpopulation as this seems to be the key parameter for successful mineralisation. - The intact cell population of Aminobacter MSH1 mineralises BAM at a constant rate independent of growth or extended starvation in mineral solution and natural groundwater.

Molecular analysis of intact preen waxes of Calidris canutus (Aves : Scolopacidae) by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dekker, MHA; Piersma, T; Damste, JSS; Dekker, Marlèn H.A.; Sinninghe Damsté, Jaap S.

The intact preen wax esters of the red knot Calidris canutus were studied with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and GC/MS/MS. In this latter technique, transitions from the molecular ion to fragment ions representing the fatty acid moiety of the wax esters were measured, providing

The effect of nurse-patient interaction on anxiety and depression in cognitively intact nursing home patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Haugan, Gørill; Innstrand, Siw T; Moksnes, Unni K

2013-08-01

To test the effects of nurse-patient interaction on anxiety and depression among cognitively intact nursing home patients. Depression is considered the most frequent mental disorder among the older population. Specifically, the depression rate among nursing home patients is three to four times higher than among community-dwelling older people, and a large overlap of anxiety is found. Therefore, identifying nursing strategies to prevent and decrease anxiety and depression is of great importance for nursing home patients' well-being. Nurse-patient interaction is described as a fundamental resource for meaning in life, dignity and thriving among nursing home patients. The study employed a cross-sectional design. The data were collected in 2008 and 2009 in 44 different nursing homes from 250 nursing home patients who met the inclusion criteria. A sample of 202 cognitively intact nursing home patients responded to the Nurse-Patient Interaction Scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. A structural equation model of the hypothesised relationships was tested by means of Lisrel 8.8 (Scientific Software International Inc., Lincolnwood, IL, USA). The SEM model tested demonstrated significant direct relationships and total effects of nurse-patient interaction on depression and a mediated influence on anxiety. Nurse-patient interaction influences depression, as well as anxiety, mediated by depression. Hence, nurse-patient interaction might be an important resource in relation to patients' mental health. Nurse-patient interaction is an essential factor of quality of care, perceived by long-term nursing home patients. Facilitating nurses' communicating and interactive skills and competence might prevent and decrease depression and anxiety among cognitively intact nursing home patients. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Cotton leaf curl Burewala virus with intact or mutant transcriptional activator proteins: complexity of cotton leaf curl disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Jitendra; Gunapati, Samatha; Alok, Anshu; Lalit, Adarsh; Gadre, Rekha; Sharma, Naresh C; Roy, Joy K; Singh, Sudhir P

2015-05-01

Cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD) is a serious disease of cotton on the Indian subcontinent. In the present study, three cotton leaf curl viruses, cotton leaf curl Burewala virus (CLCuBuV), cotton leaf curl Kokhran virus (CLCuKoV) and cotton leaf curl Multan virus (CLCuMV), and their associated satellites, cotton leaf curl Multan betasatellite (CLCuMB) and cotton leaf curl Multan alphasatellite (CLCuMA), were detected. CLCuBuV with either intact (CLCuBuV-1) or mutant (CLCuBuV-2) transcriptional activator protein (TrAP) were detected in different plants. Agroinoculation with CLCuBuV-1 or CLCuBuV-2 together with CLCuMB and CLCuMA, resulted in typical leaf curling and stunting of tobacco plants. Inoculation with CLCuKoV or an isolate of CLCuMV (CLCuMV-2), together with CLCuMB and CLCuMA, induced severe leaf curling, while the other isolate of CLCuMV (CLCuMV-1), which was recombinant in origin, showed mild leaf curling in tobacco. To investigate the effect of intact or mutant TrAP and also the recombination events, CLCuBuV-1, CLCuBuV-2, CLCuMV-1 or CLCuMV-2 together with the satellites (CLCuMA and CLCuMB) were transferred to cotton via whitefly-mediated transmission. Cotton plants containing CLCuBuV-1, CLCuBuV-2 or CLCuMV-2 together with satellites showed curling and stunting, whereas the plants having CLCuMV-1 and the satellites showed only mild and indistinguishable symptoms. CLCuBuV-1 (intact TrAP) showed severe symptoms in comparison to CLCuBuV-2 (mutant TrAP). The present study reveals that two types of CLCuBuV, one with an intact TrAP and the other with a mutant TrAP, exist in natural infection of cotton in India. Additionally, CLCuMuV-1, which has a recombinant origin, induces mild symptoms in comparison to the other CLCuMV isolates.

Autoradiographic pattern of the in vitro uptake of proline by the coronal areas of intact and carious human teeth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karjalainen, S; Soederling, E [Turku Univ. (Finland)

1979-01-01

The biosynthesis of collagen in teeth was studied by following the uptake of proline in vitro. Whole crowns of human teeth were incubated for 6 h with (/sup 14/C)- or (/sup 3/H)-proline. Autoradiographs were prepared from sections of intact teeth and teeth with carious lesions of varying depths and location. The number of silver grains per cm/sup 2/ in the predentine, odontoblast layer and pulp were counted in selected fields magnified x 430 representing the deepest parts of the carious lesions. No differences in the labelling pattern were observed between the intact teeth incubated freshly after extraction and those preserved in liquid nitrogen. The densest labelling of intact teeth was seen in the predentine and odontoblast layer. The alterations under initial dentine caries appeared as increased labelling of the predentine and decreased labelling of the odontoblast layer; no alterations were observed in the underlying pulp. In advanced lesions, the predentine labelling decreased and that in the odontoblast layer and pulp increased. In the initial stages, caries seem to activate collagen synthesis in a relatively restricted area of the underlying structures, but in advanced stages, caries seem to increase the odontoblastic cellular polypeptide chain formation but prevent further maturation of the collagen.

Research on intact marine ecosystems: a lost era.

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Stachowitsch, Michael

2003-07-01

It is proposed that a new, fifth era should be added to the four historical phases of marine research identified by Rupert Riedl, specifically an era devoted to studying and ameliorating disturbed marine ecosystems. In an age of global environmental deterioration, many marine ecosystems and organisms are high on the list of threatened entities. This poor status prompts research that would otherwise have been unnecessary and hinders research that would normally have been conducted. I argue that research into intact marine ecosystems is becoming increasingly difficult, and that most of our future insights into marine habitats will stem from knowledge gained by examining various disfunctions of those systems rather than their functions. The new era will therefore differ from past research in its underlying aim, the range of topics studied, the selection and funding of those topics, the validity of its conclusions, and in its urgency. Sea turtles and cetaceans are cited as case studies at the organismic level, shallow-water benthic communities, including coral reefs, at the ecosystem level.

Raine Syndrome (OMIM #259775), Caused By FAM20C Mutation, Is Congenital Sclerosing Osteomalacia With Cerebral Calcification (OMIM 259660).

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Whyte, Michael P; McAlister, William H; Fallon, Michael D; Pierpont, Mary Ella; Bijanki, Vinieth N; Duan, Shenghui; Otaify, Ghada A; Sly, William S; Mumm, Steven

2017-04-01

In 1985, we briefly reported infant sisters with a unique, lethal, autosomal recessive disorder designated congenital sclerosing osteomalacia with cerebral calcification. In 1986, this condition was entered into Mendelian Inheritance In Man (MIM) as osteomalacia, sclerosing, with cerebral calcification (MIM 259660). However, no attestations followed. Instead, in 1989 Raine and colleagues published an affected neonate considering unprecedented the striking clinical and radiographic features. In 1992, "Raine syndrome" entered MIM formally as osteosclerotic bone dysplasia, lethal (MIM #259775). In 2007, the etiology emerged as loss-of-function mutation of FAM20C that encodes family with sequence similarity 20, member C. FAM20C is highly expressed in embryonic calcified tissues and encodes a kinase (dentin matrix protein 4) for most of the secreted phosphoproteome including FGF23, osteopontin, and other regulators of skeletal mineralization. Herein, we detail the clinical, radiological, biochemical, histopathological, and FAM20C findings of our patients. Following premortem tetracycline labeling, the proposita's non-decalcified skeletal histopathology after autopsy indicated no rickets but documented severe osteomalacia. Archival DNA revealed the sisters were compound heterozygotes for a unique missense mutation and a novel deletion in FAM20C. Individuals heterozygous for the missense mutation seemed to prematurely fuse their metopic suture and develop a metopic ridge sometimes including trigonocephaly. Our findings clarify FAM20C's role in hard tissue formation and mineralization, and show that Raine syndrome is congenital sclerosing osteomalacia with cerebral calcification. © 2016 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. © 2016 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Short- and long-term changes in sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L. gene expression due to postharvest jasmonic acid treatment - Data

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Lucilene Silva de Oliveira

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Jasmonic acid is a natural plant hormone that induces native defense responses in plants. Sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L. root unigenes that were differentially expressed 2 and 60 days after a postharvest jasmonic acid treatment are presented. Data include changes in unigene expression relative to water-treated controls, unigene annotations against nonredundant (Nr, Swiss-Prot, Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG protein databases, and unigene annotations with Gene Ontology (GO terms. Putative defense unigenes are compiled and annotated against the sugarbeet genome. Differential gene expression data were generated by RNA sequencing. Interpretation of the data is available in the research article, “Jasmonic acid causes short- and long-term alterations to the transcriptome and the expression of defense genes in sugarbeet roots” (K.K. Fugate, L.S. Oliveira, J.P. Ferrareze, M.D. Bolton, E.L. Deckard, F.L. Finger, 2017 [1]. Public dissemination of this dataset will allow further analyses of the data.

Expression and Functional Analysis of WRKY Transcription Factors in Chinese Wild Hazel, Corylus heterophylla Fisch.

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Zhao, Tian-Tian; Zhang, Jin; Liang, Li-Song; Ma, Qing-Hua; Chen, Xin; Zong, Jian-Wei; Wang, Gui-Xi

2015-01-01

Plant WRKY transcription factors are known to regulate various biotic and abiotic stress responses. In this study we identified a total of 30 putative WRKY unigenes in a transcriptome dataset of the Chinese wild Hazel, Corylus heterophylla, a species that is noted for its cold tolerance. Thirteen full-length of these ChWRKY genes were cloned and found to encode complete protein sequences, and they were divided into three groups, based on the number of WRKY domains and the pattern of zinc finger structures. Representatives of each of the groups, Unigene25835 (group I), Unigene37641 (group II) and Unigene20441 (group III), were transiently expressed as fusion proteins with yellow fluorescent fusion protein in Nicotiana benthamiana, where they were observed to accumulate in the nucleus, in accordance with their predicted roles as transcriptional activators. An analysis of the expression patterns of all 30 WRKY genes revealed differences in transcript abundance profiles following exposure to cold, drought and high salinity conditions. Among the stress-inducible genes, 23 were up-regulated by all three abiotic stresses and the WRKY genes collectively exhibited four different patterns of expression in flower buds during the overwintering period from November to April. The organ/tissue related expression analysis showed that 18 WRKY genes were highly expressed in stem but only 2 (Unigene9262 and Unigene43101) were greatest in male anthotaxies. The expression of Unigene37641, a member of the group II WRKY genes, was substantially up-regulated by cold, drought and salinity treatments, and its overexpression in Arabidopsis thaliana resulted in better seedling growth, compared with wild type plants, under cold treatment conditions. The transgenic lines also had exhibited higher soluble protein content, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activiety and lower levels of malondialdehyde, which collectively suggets that Unigene37641 expression promotes cold tolerance.

The correlation between histologic placentitis and amnionitis and the amnioniotic fluid's inflammatory cytokines in case of spontaneous pre-term labor with intact membrane

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Agus Abadi

2001-12-01

Full Text Available Pre-term labor is presumed to result from spreading of lower genital infection to upper part, subsequently to decidual and choioamniotic tissues. Host response to this injury include the expression of protein which is responsible to the inflammatory reactions. The expression of the inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α increase in case of infection.These cytokines may play an essential role in the pathophysiology of spontaneous pretem labor with intact membrane.An observational analytic cohort study was caried out on cases of spontaneous pre-tefln labor with intact membrane. The objectives of this study are to examine the relationship between l the histologic amnionitis and placentitis and the incidence of preterm delivery,2 the expression of amniotic fluid's IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α and the incidence of preterm delivery, 3 the level of amniotic fluid's IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α and the grade of histologic amnionitis and placentitis in case of pre-term labor with intact membrane. Cases of spontaneous Pre'teftn labor with intact membrane which underwent transabdominal amniocentesis at admission and managed as standard procedure for pre-term labor with intact membrane. Atl of the cases were observed until the delivery of the baby, eithir preterm or term. The membrane and the placentawere cut postnatally and then the histologic acute inflammation eyaluated based on the criteria of Salafia.The level of amniotic fluid IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α were analyzed quantitatively by Elisa method. This study showed thet the degree of histologic amnionitis and placentitis, and the level of amniotic fluid's IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α were significantly higher in pre-term compared to terrn deliveries (p<0.05 and lhere were a positive correlation between the grade of histoLogic inflammation and the level of amniotic fluid's cytokines (Spearmann Rank Conelation test; p<0,05 in cases of preterm labor with intact membrane. The

Imaging with 11B of intact tissues using magnetic resonance gradient echoes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richards, T.L.; Bradshaw, K.M.; Freeman, D.M.; Sotak, C.H.; Gavin, P.R.

1988-01-01

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a proposed method of treating Glioblastoma Multiforme. BNCT is based on 10 B intake by the tumor and in-situ activation by neutron beam. It is estimated that to have successful BNCT, a 10 B delivery mechanism must deposit 20 ppM or more of 10 B within the tumor. To study and understand this delivery mechanism, 11 B can be used instead of 10 B. The pharmacokinetics of any compound using 11 B will be the same as 10 B. The advantage of using 11 B over 10 B is its greater nuclear magnetic resonance sensitivity for both spectroscopy and imaging. The use of 11 B imaging to detect and quantitate boron uptake non-invasively in animal tumor modes will facilitate continued work with 10 B. Preliminary work has shown that 11 B nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy (nonlocalized) can detect 11 B in intact mouse tissues and the area under the boron peak correlates with the total boron content (correlation coefficient of 0.997). Once the ability to non-invasively measure the boron compound is established using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combined with spectroscopy, we will be able to address the following questions: (1) what is the optimum method of boron administration for maximum tumor selective uptake, (2) at what time is peak tumor boron concentration after infusion, and (3) what is the dose distribution in the head (based on neutron radiation and boron concentration)? The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of imaging 11 B in intact tissues using magnetic resonance

Acceptability of Bedside Resuscitation With Intact Umbilical Cord to Clinicians and Patients’ Families in the United States

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Anup C. Katheria

2018-04-01

Full Text Available BackgroundWhile delayed umbilical cord clamping in preterm infants has shown to improve long-term neurological outcomes, infants who are thought to need resuscitation do not receive delayed cord clamping even though they may benefit the most. A mobile resuscitation platform allows infants to be resuscitated at the mother’s bedside with the cord intact. The newborn is supplied with placental blood during the resuscitation in view of the mother. The objective of the study is to assess the usability and acceptability of mobile resuscitation platform, LifeStart trolley, among the infants’ parents and perinatal providers.MethodsA resuscitation platform was present during every delivery that required advanced neonatal providers for high-risk deliveries. Perinatal providers and parents of the infants were given a questionnaire shortly after the delivery.Results60 neonatal subjects were placed on the trolley. The majority of deliveries were high risk for meconium-stained amniotic fluid (43%, and non-reassuring fetal heart rate (45%. About 50% of neonatal providers felt that there were some concerns regarding access to the baby. No parents were uncomfortable with the bedside neonatal interventions, and most parents perceived that communication was improved because of the proximity to the care team.ConclusionBedside resuscitation with umbilical cord intact through the use of a mobile resuscitation trolley is feasible, safe, and effective, but about half of the perinatal providers expressed concerns. Logistical issues such as improved space management and/or delivery setup should be considered in centers planning to perform neonatal resuscitation with an intact cord.

Sequencing Larger Intact Proteins (30-70 kDa) with Activated Ion Electron Transfer Dissociation

Science.gov (United States)

Riley, Nicholas M.; Westphall, Michael S.; Coon, Joshua J.

2018-01-01

The analysis of intact proteins via mass spectrometry can offer several benefits to proteome characterization, although the majority of top-down experiments focus on proteoforms in a relatively low mass range (AI-ETD) to proteins in the 30-70 kDa range. AI-ETD leverages infrared photo-activation concurrent to ETD reactions to improve sequence-informative product ion generation. This method generates more product ions and greater sequence coverage than conventional ETD, higher-energy collisional dissociation (HCD), and ETD combined with supplemental HCD activation (EThcD). Importantly, AI-ETD provides the most thorough protein characterization for every precursor ion charge state investigated in this study, making it suitable as a universal fragmentation method in top-down experiments. Additionally, we highlight several acquisition strategies that can benefit characterization of larger proteins with AI-ETD, including combination of spectra from multiple ETD reaction times for a given precursor ion, multiple spectral acquisitions of the same precursor ion, and combination of spectra from two different dissociation methods (e.g., AI-ETD and HCD). In all, AI-ETD shows great promise as a method for dissociating larger intact protein ions as top-down proteomics continues to advance into larger mass ranges. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Radioassays for quantitation of intact complement proteins C2 and B in human serum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oglesby, T J; Ueda, A; Volanakis, J E

1988-05-25

Availability of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies recognizing determinants on the major cleavage fragments of complement proteins C2 and B enabled development of sensitive radioassays which can be used to quantitate the intact proteins in human sera. Changes in C2 and B concentrations indicative of classical or alternative pathway activation, or both, were seen in normal serum after incubation with complement activators. The authors determined the normal range of C2 concentration to be 11-35 ..mu..g/ml in 32 healthy individuals, and that of protein B to be 74-286 ..mu..g/ml. Sera from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), septic shock, infections, and following orthopedic surgery were then assayed. Mean protein B concentration was significantly higher in SLE sera and in the infected and post-operative sera, and the mean C2 concentration in the septic shock group was significantly lower than the mean of healthy individuals. Intact C2 was not detected in known C2-deficient individuals. These assays allow parallel quantitation of the structurally and functionally homologous proteins of the classical (C2) and alternative (B) pathways, which is of interest in patients with genetic and acquired hypocomplementemia. 22 refs.; 3 figs.

Mass Spectrometry of Intact Proteins Reveals +98 u Chemical Artifacts Following Precipitation in Acetone.

Science.gov (United States)

Güray, Melda Z; Zheng, Shi; Doucette, Alan A

2017-02-03

Protein precipitation in acetone is frequently employed ahead of mass spectrometry for sample preconcentration and purification. Unfortunately, acetone is not chemically inert; mass artifacts have previously been observed on glycine-containing peptides when exposed to acetone under acidic conditions. We herein report a distinct chemical modification occurring at the level of intact proteins when incubated in acetone. This artifact manifests as one or more satellite peaks in the MS spectrum of intact protein, spaced 98 u above the mass of the unmodified protein. Other artifacts (+84, +112 u) also appear upon incubation of proteins or peptides in acetone. The reaction is pH-sensitive, being suppressed when proteins are exposed to acetone under acidic conditions. The +98 u artifact is speculated to originate through an intermediate product of aldol condensation of acetone to form diacetone alcohol and mesityl oxide. A +98 u product could originate from nucleophilic attack on mesityl oxide or through condensation with diacetone alcohol. Given the extent of modification possible upon exposure of proteins to acetone, particularly following overnight solvent exposure or incubation at room temperature, an awareness of the variables influencing this novel modification is valued by proteomics researchers who employ acetone precipitation for protein purification.

Regrowth of Cirsium arvense from intact roots and root fragments at different soil depths

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Thomsen, Mette Goul

2014-02-01

Full Text Available In the present work we measured the shoot rate from intact roots and from root fragments of Cirsium arvense at different digging depths and the number of leaves were used as estimate of minimum regenerative capacity. The experiments were performed on four sites with three or four repetitions of each treatment. On each site plot, the soil was removed down to a given depth within a 1 x 1 m square. All plant parts was excavated from the soil and the soil was either replaced without any root material, or roots of C. arvense was cut into 10 cm long fragments and replaced into the source hole. Shoot number, aboveground biomass and number of leaves were measured. Digging depth and time explained 50% - 60% of the variation in biomass (P<0.001. Replacement of root fragments increased the shoot number in one out of four treatments but did not affect biomass produced compared to production from undisturbed root systems. Number of leaves showed that shoots from all digging depths passed the level of minimum regenerative capacity. We conclude that the intact root system from all depths was able to regenerate within one season and it has a high contribution to the produced biomass compared with root fragments in the upper soil layers.

Sensory-specific satiety is intact in amnesics who eat multiple meals.

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Higgs, Suzanne; Williamson, Amy C; Rotshtein, Pia; Humphreys, Glyn W

2008-07-01

What is the relationship between memory and appetite? We explored this question by examining preferences for recently consumed food in patients with amnesia. Although the patients were unable to remember having eaten, and were inclined to eat multiple meals, we found that sensory-specific satiety was intact in these patients. The data suggest that sensory-specific satiety can occur in the absence of explicit memory for having eaten and that impaired sensory-specific satiety does not underlie the phenomenon of multiple-meal eating in amnesia. Overeating in amnesia may be due to disruption of learned control by physiological aftereffects of a recent meal or to problems utilizing internal cues relating to nutritional state.

Liposomes and lipid disks traverse the BBB and BBTB as intact forms as revealed by two-step Förster resonance energy transfer imaging

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Tongcheng Dai

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The blood–brain barrier (BBB and the blood–brain tumor barrier (BBTB prevent drug and nano-drug delivery systems from entering the brain. However, ligand-mediated nano-drug delivery systems have significantly enhanced the therapeutic treatment of glioma. In this study we investigated the mechanism especially the integrity of liposomes and lipid disks while traversing the BBB and BBTB both in vitro and in vivo. Fluorophores (DiO, DiI and DiD were loaded into liposomes and lipid disks to form Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET nano-drug delivery systems. Using brain capillary endothelial cells as a BBB model, we show that liposomes and disks are present in the cytoplasm as their intact forms and traverse the BBB with a ratio of 0.68‰ and 1.67‰, respectively. Using human umbilical vein endothelial cells as BBTB model, liposomes and disks remained intact and traversed the BBTB with a ratio of 2.31‰ and 8.32‰ at 3 h. Ex vivo imaging and immunohistochemical results revealed that liposomes and disks could traverse the BBB and BBTB in vivo as intact forms. In conclusion, these observations explain in part the mechanism by which nano-drug delivery systems increase the therapeutic treatment of glioma. KEY WORDS: Liposomes, Disks, Intact form, BBB, BBTB, FRET

Clean Transfer of Large Graphene Single Crystals for High-Intactness Suspended Membranes and Liquid Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jincan; Lin, Li; Sun, Luzhao; Huang, Yucheng; Koh, Ai Leen; Dang, Wenhui; Yin, Jianbo; Wang, Mingzhan; Tan, Congwei; Li, Tianran; Tan, Zhenjun; Liu, Zhongfan; Peng, Hailin

2017-07-01

The atomically thin 2D nature of suspended graphene membranes holds promising in numerous technological applications. In particular, the outstanding transparency to electron beam endows graphene membranes great potential as a candidate for specimen support of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). However, major hurdles remain to be addressed to acquire an ultraclean, high-intactness, and defect-free suspended graphene membrane. Here, a polymer-free clean transfer of sub-centimeter-sized graphene single crystals onto TEM grids to fabricate large-area and high-quality suspended graphene membranes has been achieved. Through the control of interfacial force during the transfer, the intactness of large-area graphene membranes can be as high as 95%, prominently larger than reported values in previous works. Graphene liquid cells are readily prepared by π-π stacking two clean single-crystal graphene TEM grids, in which atomic-scale resolution imaging and temporal evolution of colloid Au nanoparticles are recorded. This facile and scalable production of clean and high-quality suspended graphene membrane is promising toward their wide applications for electron and optical microscopy. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Characterization of intact subcellular bodies in whole bacteria by cryo-electron tomography and spectroscopic imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Comolli, L R; Kundmann, M; Downing, K H

2006-07-01

We illustrate the combined use of cryo-electron tomography and spectroscopic difference imaging in the study of subcellular structure and subcellular bodies in whole bacteria. We limited our goal and focus to bodies with a distinct elemental composition that was in a sufficiently high concentration to provide the necessary signal-to-noise level at the relatively large sample thicknesses of the intact cell. This combination proved very powerful, as demonstrated by the identification of a phosphorus-rich body in Caulobacter crescentus. We also confirmed the presence of a body rich in carbon, demonstrated that these two types of bodies are readily recognized and distinguished from each other, and provided, for the first time to our knowledge, structural information about them in their intact state. In addition, we also showed the presence of a similar type of phosphorus-rich body in Deinococcus grandis, a member of a completely unrelated bacteria genus. Cryo-electron microscopy and tomography allowed the study of the biogenesis and morphology of these bodies at resolutions better than 10 nm, whereas spectroscopic difference imaging provided a direct identification of their chemical composition.

Simple Genome Editing of Rodent Intact Embryos by Electroporation.

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Takehito Kaneko

Full Text Available The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR/CRISPR-associated (Cas system is a powerful tool for genome editing in animals. Recently, new technology has been developed to genetically modify animals without using highly skilled techniques, such as pronuclear microinjection of endonucleases. Technique for animal knockout system by electroporation (TAKE method is a simple and effective technology that produces knockout rats by introducing endonuclease mRNAs into intact embryos using electroporation. Using TAKE method and CRISPR/Cas system, the present study successfully produced knockout and knock-in mice and rats. The mice and rats derived from embryos electroporated with Cas9 mRNA, gRNA and single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotide (ssODN comprised the edited targeted gene as a knockout (67% of mice and 88% of rats or knock-in (both 33%. The TAKE method could be widely used as a powerful tool to produce genetically modified animals by genome editing.

De novo sequencing and analysis of the transcriptome during the browning of fresh-cut Luffa cylindrica 'Fusi-3' fruits.

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Haisheng Zhu

Full Text Available Fresh-cut luffa (Luffa cylindrica fruits commonly undergo browning. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms regulating this process. We used the RNA-seq technique to analyze the transcriptomic changes occurring during the browning of fresh-cut fruits from luffa cultivar 'Fusi-3'. Over 90 million high-quality reads were assembled into 58,073 Unigenes, and 60.86% of these were annotated based on sequences in four public databases. We detected 35,282 Unigenes with significant hits to sequences in the NCBInr database, and 24,427 Unigenes encoded proteins with sequences that were similar to those of known proteins in the Swiss-Prot database. Additionally, 20,546 and 13,021 Unigenes were similar to existing sequences in the Eukaryotic Orthologous Groups of proteins and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes databases, respectively. Furthermore, 27,301 Unigenes were differentially expressed during the browning of fresh-cut luffa fruits (i.e., after 1-6 h. Moreover, 11 genes from five gene families (i.e., PPO, PAL, POD, CAT, and SOD identified as potentially associated with enzymatic browning as well as four WRKY transcription factors were observed to be differentially regulated in fresh-cut luffa fruits. With the assistance of rapid amplification of cDNA ends technology, we obtained the full-length sequences of the 15 Unigenes. We also confirmed these Unigenes were expressed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. This study provides a comprehensive transcriptome sequence resource, and may facilitate further studies aimed at identifying genes affecting luffa fruit browning for the exploitation of the underlying mechanism.

De novo sequencing and analysis of the transcriptome during the browning of fresh-cut Luffa cylindrica 'Fusi-3' fruits

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Chen, Mindong; Wang, Bin; Zhang, Qianrong; Xue, Zhuzheng

2017-01-01

Fresh-cut luffa (Luffa cylindrica) fruits commonly undergo browning. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms regulating this process. We used the RNA-seq technique to analyze the transcriptomic changes occurring during the browning of fresh-cut fruits from luffa cultivar ‘Fusi-3’. Over 90 million high-quality reads were assembled into 58,073 Unigenes, and 60.86% of these were annotated based on sequences in four public databases. We detected 35,282 Unigenes with significant hits to sequences in the NCBInr database, and 24,427 Unigenes encoded proteins with sequences that were similar to those of known proteins in the Swiss-Prot database. Additionally, 20,546 and 13,021 Unigenes were similar to existing sequences in the Eukaryotic Orthologous Groups of proteins and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes databases, respectively. Furthermore, 27,301 Unigenes were differentially expressed during the browning of fresh-cut luffa fruits (i.e., after 1–6 h). Moreover, 11 genes from five gene families (i.e., PPO, PAL, POD, CAT, and SOD) identified as potentially associated with enzymatic browning as well as four WRKY transcription factors were observed to be differentially regulated in fresh-cut luffa fruits. With the assistance of rapid amplification of cDNA ends technology, we obtained the full-length sequences of the 15 Unigenes. We also confirmed these Unigenes were expressed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. This study provides a comprehensive transcriptome sequence resource, and may facilitate further studies aimed at identifying genes affecting luffa fruit browning for the exploitation of the underlying mechanism. PMID:29145430

Investigating the mechanisms of glyphosate resistance in goosegrass (Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.) by RNA sequencing technology.

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Chen, Jingchao; Huang, Hongjuan; Wei, Shouhui; Huang, Zhaofeng; Wang, Xu; Zhang, Chaoxian

2017-01-01

Glyphosate is an important non-selective herbicide that is in common use worldwide. However, evolved glyphosate-resistant (GR) weeds significantly affect crop yields. Unfortunately, the mechanisms underlying resistance in GR weeds, such as goosegrass (Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.), an annual weed found worldwide, have not been fully elucidated. In this study, transcriptome analysis was conducted to further assess the potential mechanisms of glyphosate resistance in goosegrass. The RNA sequencing libraries generated 24 597 462 clean reads. De novo assembly analysis produced 48 852 UniGenes with an average length of 847 bp. All UniGenes were annotated using seven databases. Sixteen candidate differentially expressed genes selected by digital gene expression analysis were validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Among these UniGenes, the EPSPS and PFK genes were constitutively up-regulated in resistant (R) individuals and showed a higher copy number than that in susceptible (S) individuals. The expressions of four UniGenes relevant to photosynthesis were inhibited by glyphosate in S individuals, and this toxic response was confirmed by gas exchange analysis. Two UniGenes annotated as glutathione transferase (GST) were constitutively up-regulated in R individuals, and were induced by glyphosate both in R and S. In addition, the GST activities in R individuals were higher than in S. Our research confirmed that two UniGenes (PFK, EPSPS) were strongly associated with target resistance, and two GST-annotated UniGenes may play a role in metabolic glyphosate resistance in goosegrass. © 2016 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Transcriptome Sequencing, De Novo Assembly and Differential Gene Expression Analysis of the Early Development of Acipenser baeri.

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Wei Song

Full Text Available The molecular mechanisms that drive the development of the endangered fossil fish species Acipenser baeri are difficult to study due to the lack of genomic data. Recent advances in sequencing technologies and the reducing cost of sequencing offer exclusive opportunities for exploring important molecular mechanisms underlying specific biological processes. This manuscript describes the large scale sequencing and analyses of mRNA from Acipenser baeri collected at five development time points using the Illumina Hiseq2000 platform. The sequencing reads were de novo assembled and clustered into 278167 unigenes, of which 57346 (20.62% had 45837 known homologues proteins in Uniprot protein databases while 11509 proteins matched with at least one sequence of assembled unigenes. The remaining 79.38% of unigenes could stand for non-coding unigenes or unigenes specific to A. baeri. A number of 43062 unigenes were annotated into functional categories via Gene Ontology (GO annotation whereas 29526 unigenes were associated with 329 pathways by mapping to KEGG database. Subsequently, 3479 differentially expressed genes were scanned within developmental stages and clustered into 50 gene expression profiles. Genes preferentially expressed at each stage were also identified. Through GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, relevant physiological variations during the early development of A. baeri could be better cognized. Accordingly, the present study gives insights into the transcriptome profile of the early development of A. baeri, and the information contained in this large scale transcriptome will provide substantial references for A. baeri developmental biology and promote its aquaculture research.

Evaluation of an intact, an ACL-deficient, and a reconstructed human knee joint finite element model.

Science.gov (United States)

Vairis, Achilles; Stefanoudakis, George; Petousis, Markos; Vidakis, Nectarios; Tsainis, Andreas-Marios; Kandyla, Betina

2016-02-01

The human knee joint has a three-dimensional geometry with multiple body articulations that produce complex mechanical responses under loads that occur in everyday life and sports activities. Understanding the complex mechanical interactions of these load-bearing structures is of use when the treatment of relevant diseases is evaluated and assisting devices are designed. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee is one of four main ligaments that connects the femur to the tibia and is often torn during sudden twisting motions, resulting in knee instability. The objective of this work is to study the mechanical behavior of the human knee joint and evaluate the differences in its response for three different states, i.e., intact, ACL-deficient, and surgically treated (reconstructed) knee. The finite element models corresponding to these states were developed. For the reconstructed model, a novel repair device was developed and patented by the author in previous work. Static load cases were applied, as have already been presented in a previous work, in order to compare the calculated results produced by the two models the ACL-deficient and the surgically reconstructed knee joint, under the exact same loading conditions. Displacements were calculated in different directions for the load cases studied and were found to be very close to those from previous modeling work and were in good agreement with experimental data presented in literature. The developed finite element model for both the intact and the ACL-deficient human knee joint is a reliable tool to study the kinematics of the human knee, as results of this study show. In addition, the reconstructed human knee joint model had kinematic behavior similar to the intact knee joint, showing that such reconstruction devices can restore human knee stability to an adequate extent.

Release of proteins from intact chloroplasts induced by reactive oxygen species during biotic and abiotic stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Kwang-Chul; Verma, Dheeraj; Jin, Shuangxia; Singh, Nameirakpam D; Daniell, Henry

2013-01-01

Plastids sustain life on this planet by providing food, feed, essential biomolecules and oxygen. Such diverse metabolic and biosynthetic functions require efficient communication between plastids and the nucleus. However, specific factors, especially large molecules, released from plastids that regulate nuclear genes have not yet been fully elucidated. When tobacco and lettuce transplastomic plants expressing GFP within chloroplasts, were challenged with Erwinia carotovora (biotic stress) or paraquat (abiotic stress), GFP was released into the cytoplasm. During this process GFP moves gradually towards the envelope, creating a central red zone of chlorophyll fluorescence. GFP was then gradually released from intact chloroplasts into the cytoplasm with an intact vacuole and no other visible cellular damage. Different stages of GFP release were observed inside the same cell with a few chloroplasts completely releasing GFP with detection of only red chlorophyll fluorescence or with no reduction in GFP fluorescence or transitional steps between these two phases. Time lapse imaging by confocal microscopy clearly identified sequence of these events. Intactness of chloroplasts during this process was evident from chlorophyll fluorescence emanated from thylakoid membranes and in vivo Chla fluorescence measurements (maximum quantum yield of photosystem II) made before or after infection with pathogens to evaluate their photosynthetic competence. Hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion serve as signal molecules for generation of reactive oxygen species and Tiron, scavenger of superoxide anion, blocked release of GFP from chloroplasts. Significant increase in ion leakage in the presence of paraquat and light suggests changes in the chloroplast envelope to facilitate protein release. Release of GFP-RC101 (an antimicrobial peptide), which was triggered by Erwinia infection, ceased after conferring protection, further confirming this export phenomenon. These results suggest a

Release of proteins from intact chloroplasts induced by reactive oxygen species during biotic and abiotic stress.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kwang-Chul Kwon

Full Text Available Plastids sustain life on this planet by providing food, feed, essential biomolecules and oxygen. Such diverse metabolic and biosynthetic functions require efficient communication between plastids and the nucleus. However, specific factors, especially large molecules, released from plastids that regulate nuclear genes have not yet been fully elucidated. When tobacco and lettuce transplastomic plants expressing GFP within chloroplasts, were challenged with Erwinia carotovora (biotic stress or paraquat (abiotic stress, GFP was released into the cytoplasm. During this process GFP moves gradually towards the envelope, creating a central red zone of chlorophyll fluorescence. GFP was then gradually released from intact chloroplasts into the cytoplasm with an intact vacuole and no other visible cellular damage. Different stages of GFP release were observed inside the same cell with a few chloroplasts completely releasing GFP with detection of only red chlorophyll fluorescence or with no reduction in GFP fluorescence or transitional steps between these two phases. Time lapse imaging by confocal microscopy clearly identified sequence of these events. Intactness of chloroplasts during this process was evident from chlorophyll fluorescence emanated from thylakoid membranes and in vivo Chla fluorescence measurements (maximum quantum yield of photosystem II made before or after infection with pathogens to evaluate their photosynthetic competence. Hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion serve as signal molecules for generation of reactive oxygen species and Tiron, scavenger of superoxide anion, blocked release of GFP from chloroplasts. Significant increase in ion leakage in the presence of paraquat and light suggests changes in the chloroplast envelope to facilitate protein release. Release of GFP-RC101 (an antimicrobial peptide, which was triggered by Erwinia infection, ceased after conferring protection, further confirming this export phenomenon. These

Structure-Dependent Water-Induced Linear Reduction Model for Predicting Gas Diffusivity and Tortuosity in Repacked and Intact Soil

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møldrup, Per; Chamindu, T. K. K. Deepagoda; Hamamoto, S.

2013-01-01

The soil-gas diffusion is a primary driver of transport, reactions, emissions, and uptake of vadose zone gases, including oxygen, greenhouse gases, fumigants, and spilled volatile organics. The soil-gas diffusion coefficient, Dp, depends not only on soil moisture content, texture, and compaction...... but also on the local-scale variability of these. Different predictive models have been developed to estimate Dp in intact and repacked soil, but clear guidelines for model choice at a given soil state are lacking. In this study, the water-induced linear reduction (WLR) model for repacked soil is made...... air) in repacked soils containing between 0 and 54% clay. With Cm = 2.1, the SWLR model on average gave excellent predictions for 290 intact soils, performing well across soil depths, textures, and compactions (dry bulk densities). The SWLR model generally outperformed similar, simple Dp/Do models...

Relationship between chronic pain and cognition in cognitively intact older persons and in patients with Alzheimer's disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scherder, Erik J. A.; Eggermont, Laura; Plooij, Bart; Oudshoorn, Jeroen; Vuijk, Pieter Jelle; Pickering, Gisele; Lautenbacher, Stefan; Achterberg, Wilco; Oosterman, J

2008-01-01

Background: Brain areas that are involved in cognition and mood also play a role in pain processing. Objective: The goal of the present study was to examine the relationship between chronic pain and cognition [executive functions (EF) and memory], while controlling for mood, in cognitively intact

Polymer-coated compliant receivers for intact laser-induced forward transfer of thin films: experimental results and modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Feinaeugle, Matthias; Horak, Peter; Sones, Collin L.; Lippert, Thomas; Eason, Rob W.

2014-09-01

In this study, we investigate both experimentally and numerically laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) of thin films to determine the role of a thin polymer layer coating the receiver with the aim of modifying the rate of deceleration and reduction of material stress preventing intact material transfer. A numerical model of the impact phase during LIFT shows that such a layer reduces the modelled stress. The evolution of stress within the transferred deposit and the substrate as a function of the thickness of the polymer layer, the transfer velocity and the elastic properties of the polymer are evaluated. The functionality of the polymer layer is verified experimentally by LIFT printing intact 1- m-thick bismuth telluride films and polymeric light-emitting diode pads onto a layer of 12-m-thick polydimethylsiloxane and 50-nm-thick poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) blended with poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), respectively. Furthermore, it is demonstrated experimentally that the introduction of such a compliant layer improves adhesion between the deposit and its substrate.

Valine pyrrolidide preserves intact glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide and improves abnormal glucose tolerance in minipigs with reduced beta-cell mass

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Marianne Olholm; Rolin, Bidda; Ribel, Ulla

2003-01-01

levels of intact GLP-1 but increased levels of intact GIP (from 4543 +/- 1880 to 9208 +/- 3267 pM x min; P glucose tolerance (area under the curve [AUC] for glucose reduced from 1904 +/- 480 to 1582 +/- 353 mM x min; P =.05). VP did not increase insulin levels during the oral......The incretin hormones glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) are important in blood glucose regulation. However, both incretin hormones are rapidly degraded by the enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV). The concept of DPPIV inhibition as a treatment...... glucose tolerance test (OGTT) but increased the insulinogenic index in normal animals (from 83 +/- 42 to 192 +/- 108; P

Effects of curcumin and ursolic acid on the mitochondrial coupling efficiency and hydrogen peroxide emission of intact skeletal myoblasts.

Science.gov (United States)

Tueller, Daniel J; Harley, Jackson S; Hancock, Chad R

2017-10-21

Curcumin may improve blood glucose management, but the mechanism is not fully established. We demonstrated that curcumin (40 μM) reduced the mitochondrial coupling efficiency (percentage of oxygen consumption coupled to ATP synthesis) of intact skeletal muscle cells. A 30-minute pretreatment with curcumin reduced mitochondrial coupling efficiency by 17.0 ± 0.4% relative to vehicle (p Curcumin pretreatment also decreased the rate of hydrogen peroxide emission by 43 ± 13% compared to vehicle (p curcumin revealed a 40 ± 4% increase in the rate of oxygen consumption upon curcumin administration (p curcumin-pretreated cells after permeabilization of cell membranes (p > 0.7). The interaction between curcumin and ursolic acid, another natural compound that may improve blood glucose management, was also examined. Pretreatment with ursolic acid (0.12 μM) increased the mitochondrial coupling efficiency of intact cells by 4.1 ± 1.1% relative to vehicle (p curcumin when the two compounds were used in combination. The observed changes to mitochondrial coupling efficiency and hydrogen peroxide emission were consistent with the established effects of curcumin on blood glucose control. Our findings also show that changes to mitochondrial coupling efficiency after curcumin pretreatment may go undetected unless cells are assessed in the intact condition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prospective Validation of a High Dimensional Shape Model for Organ Motion in Intact Cervical Cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williamson, Casey W.; Green, Garrett; Noticewala, Sonal S.; Li, Nan; Shen, Hanjie [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Vaida, Florin [Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Mell, Loren K., E-mail: lmell@ucsd.edu [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States)

2016-11-15

Purpose: Validated models are needed to justify strategies to define planning target volumes (PTVs) for intact cervical cancer used in clinical practice. Our objective was to independently validate a previously published shape model, using data collected prospectively from clinical trials. Methods and Materials: We analyzed 42 patients with intact cervical cancer treated with daily fractionated pelvic intensity modulated radiation therapy and concurrent chemotherapy in one of 2 prospective clinical trials. We collected online cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans before each fraction. Clinical target volume (CTV) structures from the planning computed tomography scan were cast onto each CBCT scan after rigid registration and manually redrawn to account for organ motion and deformation. We applied the 95% isodose cloud from the planning computed tomography scan to each CBCT scan and computed any CTV outside the 95% isodose cloud. The primary aim was to determine the proportion of CTVs that were encompassed within the 95% isodose volume. A 1-sample t test was used to test the hypothesis that the probability of complete coverage was different from 95%. We used mixed-effects logistic regression to assess effects of time and patient variability. Results: The 95% isodose line completely encompassed 92.3% of all CTVs (95% confidence interval, 88.3%-96.4%), not significantly different from the 95% probability anticipated a priori (P=.19). The overall proportion of missed CTVs was small: the grand mean of covered CTVs was 99.9%, and 95.2% of misses were located in the anterior body of the uterus. Time did not affect coverage probability (P=.71). Conclusions: With the clinical implementation of a previously proposed PTV definition strategy based on a shape model for intact cervical cancer, the probability of CTV coverage was high and the volume of CTV missed was low. This PTV expansion strategy is acceptable for clinical trials and practice; however, we recommend daily

Ultralarge von Willebrand Factor Fibers Mediate Luminal Staphylococcus aureus Adhesion to an Intact Endothelial Cell Layer Under Shear Stress

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pappelbaum, Karin I.; Gorzelanny, Christian; Graessle, Sandra; Suckau, Jan; Laschke, Matthias W.; Bischoff, Markus; Bauer, Corinne; Schorpp-Kistner, Marina; Weidenmaier, Christopher; Schneppenheim, Reinhard; Obser, Tobias; Sinha, Bhanu; Schneider, Stefan W.

2013-01-01

Background During pathogenesis of infective endocarditis, Staphylococcus aureus adherence often occurs without identifiable preexisting heart disease. However, molecular mechanisms mediating initial bacterial adhesion to morphologically intact endocardium are largely unknown. Methods and Results

Optimization of prosthetic foot stiffness to reduce metabolic cost and intact knee loading during below-knee amputee walking: a theoretical study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fey, Nicholas P; Klute, Glenn K; Neptune, Richard R

2012-11-01

Unilateral below-knee amputees develop abnormal gait characteristics that include bilateral asymmetries and an elevated metabolic cost relative to non-amputees. In addition, long-term prosthesis use has been linked to an increased prevalence of joint pain and osteoarthritis in the intact leg knee. To improve amputee mobility, prosthetic feet that utilize elastic energy storage and return (ESAR) have been designed, which perform important biomechanical functions such as providing body support and forward propulsion. However, the prescription of appropriate design characteristics (e.g., stiffness) is not well-defined since its influence on foot function and important in vivo biomechanical quantities such as metabolic cost and joint loading remain unclear. The design of feet that improve these quantities could provide considerable advancements in amputee care. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to couple design optimization with dynamic simulations of amputee walking to identify the optimal foot stiffness that minimizes metabolic cost and intact knee joint loading. A musculoskeletal model and distributed stiffness ESAR prosthetic foot model were developed to generate muscle-actuated forward dynamics simulations of amputee walking. Dynamic optimization was used to solve for the optimal muscle excitation patterns and foot stiffness profile that produced simulations that tracked experimental amputee walking data while minimizing metabolic cost and intact leg internal knee contact forces. Muscle and foot function were evaluated by calculating their contributions to the important walking subtasks of body support, forward propulsion and leg swing. The analyses showed that altering a nominal prosthetic foot stiffness distribution by stiffening the toe and mid-foot while making the ankle and heel less stiff improved ESAR foot performance by offloading the intact knee during early to mid-stance of the intact leg and reducing metabolic cost. The optimal design also

Determination of rat vertebral bone compressive fatigue properties in untreated intact rats and zoledronic-acid-treated, ovariectomized rats

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouwers, J.E.M.; Ruchselman, M.; Rietbergen, van B.; Bouxsein, M.L.

2009-01-01

Summary Compressive fatigue properties of whole vertebrae, which may be clinically relevant for osteoporotic vertebral fractures, were determined in untreated, intact rats and zoledronic-acid-treated, ovariectomized rats. Typical fatigue behavior was found and was similar to that seen in other

The autoradiographic pattern of the in vitro uptake of proline by the coronal areas of intact and carious human teeth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karjalainen, S.; Soederling, E.

1979-01-01

The biosynthesis of collagen in teeth was studied by following the uptake of proline in vitro. Whole crowns of human teeth were incubated for 6 h with ( 14 C)- or ( 3 H)-proline. Autoradiographs were prepared from sections of intact teeth and teeth with carious lesions of varying depths and location. The number of silver grains per cm 2 in the predentine, odontoblast layer and pulp were counted in selected fields magnified x 430 representing the deepest parts of the carious lesions. No differences in the labelling pattern were observed between the intact teeth incubated freshly after extraction and those preserved in liquid nitrogen. The densest labelling of intact teeth was seen in the predentine and odontoblast layer. The alterations under initial dentine caries appeared as increased labelling of the predentine and decreased labelling of the odontoblast layer; no alterations were observed in the underlying pulp. In advanced lesions, the predentine labelling decreased and that in the odontoblast layer and pulp increased. In the initial stages, caries seem to activate collagen synthesis in a relatively restricted area of the underlying structures, but in advanced stages, caries seem to increase the odontoblastic cellular polypeptide chain formation but prevent further maturation of the collagen. (author)

Improved intact soil-core carbon determination applying regression shrinkage and variable selection techniques to complete spectrum laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS).

Science.gov (United States)

Bricklemyer, Ross S; Brown, David J; Turk, Philip J; Clegg, Sam M

2013-10-01

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) provides a potential method for rapid, in situ soil C measurement. In previous research on the application of LIBS to intact soil cores, we hypothesized that ultraviolet (UV) spectrum LIBS (200-300 nm) might not provide sufficient elemental information to reliably discriminate between soil organic C (SOC) and inorganic C (IC). In this study, using a custom complete spectrum (245-925 nm) core-scanning LIBS instrument, we analyzed 60 intact soil cores from six wheat fields. Predictive multi-response partial least squares (PLS2) models using full and reduced spectrum LIBS were compared for directly determining soil total C (TC), IC, and SOC. Two regression shrinkage and variable selection approaches, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and sparse multivariate regression with covariance estimation (MRCE), were tested for soil C predictions and the identification of wavelengths important for soil C prediction. Using complete spectrum LIBS for PLS2 modeling reduced the calibration standard error of prediction (SEP) 15 and 19% for TC and IC, respectively, compared to UV spectrum LIBS. The LASSO and MRCE approaches provided significantly improved calibration accuracy and reduced SEP 32-55% over UV spectrum PLS2 models. We conclude that (1) complete spectrum LIBS is superior to UV spectrum LIBS for predicting soil C for intact soil cores without pretreatment; (2) LASSO and MRCE approaches provide improved calibration prediction accuracy over PLS2 but require additional testing with increased soil and target analyte diversity; and (3) measurement errors associated with analyzing intact cores (e.g., sample density and surface roughness) require further study and quantification.

Assessment of renal function following irradiation of the intact spleen for hodgkin disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Birkhead, B.M.; Dobbs, C.E.; Beard, M.F.; Tyson, J.W.; Fuller, E.A.

1979-01-01

Twenty-three patients with clinical Stage IA to IIIB Hodgkin disease underwent extended-field radiotherapy, including the intact spleen. In 17 of those patients, there was little evidence of renal dysfunction resulting from partial irradiation of the left kidney, which is inherent in such treatment. While isotopic images revealed an anatomic defect in the upper pole of the left kidney in one-third of the patients, dynamic studies showed that this anatomic alteration was not accompanied by any demonstrable dysfunction. Consistently normal serum BUN and creatinine levels in all patients tended to affirm that conclusion

Regulation of ion transport via apical purinergic receptors in intact rabbit airway epithelium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Asser Nyander; Klausen, Thomas Levin; Pedersen, Peter Steen

2005-01-01

and unidirectional Cl- fluxes decreased significantly. The results suggest that nucleotides released to the airway surface liquid exert an autocrine regulation of epithelial NaCl absorption mainly by inhibiting the amiloride-sensitive epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) and paracellular anion conductance via a P2Y......We investigated purinergic receptors involved in ion transport regulation in the intact rabbit nasal airway epithelium. Stimulation of apical membrane P2Y receptors with ATP or UTP (200 microM) induced transient increases in short-circuit current (Isc) of 13 and 6% followed by sustained inhibitions...

A Danish family with dominant deafness-onychodystrophy syndrome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vind-Kezunovic, Dina; Torring, Pernille M

2013-01-01

The rare hereditary disorder "dominant deafness and onychodystrophy (DDOD) syndrome" (OMIM 124480) has been described in a few case reports. No putative DDOD gene or locus has been mapped and the cause of the disorder remains unknown.......The rare hereditary disorder "dominant deafness and onychodystrophy (DDOD) syndrome" (OMIM 124480) has been described in a few case reports. No putative DDOD gene or locus has been mapped and the cause of the disorder remains unknown....

Transcriptome differences between enrofloxacin-resistant and enrofloxacin-susceptible strains of Aeromonas hydrophila

OpenAIRE

Zhu, Fengjiao; Yang, Zongying; Zhang, Yiliu; Hu, Kun; Fang, Wenhong

2017-01-01

Enrofloxacin is the most commonly used antibiotic to control diseases in aquatic animals caused by A. hydrophila. This study conducted de novo transcriptome sequencing and compared the global transcriptomes of enrofloxacin-resistant and enrofloxacin-susceptible strains. We got a total of 4,714 unigenes were assembled. Of these, 4,122 were annotated. A total of 3,280 unigenes were assigned to GO, 3,388 unigenes were classified into Cluster of Orthologous Groups of proteins (COG) using BLAST an...

Novel GALNT3 mutations causing hyperostosis-hyperphosphatemia syndrome result in low intact fibroblast growth factor 23 concentrations.

Science.gov (United States)

Ichikawa, Shoji; Guigonis, Vincent; Imel, Erik A; Courouble, Mélanie; Heissat, Sophie; Henley, John D; Sorenson, Andrea H; Petit, Barbara; Lienhardt, Anne; Econs, Michael J

2007-05-01

Hyperostosis-hyperphosphatemia syndrome (HHS) is a rare metabolic disorder characterized by hyperphosphatemia and localized hyperostosis. HHS is caused by mutations in GALNT3, which encodes UDP-N-acetyl-alpha-D-galactosamine:polypeptide N- acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 3. Familial tumoral calcinosis (TC), characterized by ectopic calcifications and hyperphosphatemia, is caused by mutations in the GALNT3 or fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) genes. Our objective was to identify mutations in FGF23 or GALNT3 and determine serum FGF23 levels in an HHS patient. Mutation detection in FGF23 and GALNT3 was performed by DNA sequencing, and serum FGF23 concentrations were measured by ELISA. A 5-year-old French boy with HHS and his family members participated. The patient presented with painful cortical lesions in his leg. Radiographs of the affected bone showed diaphyseal hyperostosis. The lesional tissue comprised trabeculae of immature, woven bone surrounded by fibrous tissue. Biochemistry revealed elevated phosphate, tubular maximum rate for phosphate reabsorption per deciliter of glomerular filtrate, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels. The patient was a compound heterozygote for two novel GALNT3 mutations. His parents and brother were heterozygous for one of the mutations and had no biochemical abnormalities. Intact FGF23 level in the patient was low normal, whereas C-terminal FGF23 was elevated, a pattern similar to TC. The presence of GALNT3 mutations and elevated C-terminal, but low intact serum FGF23, levels in HHS resemble those seen in TC, suggesting that HHS and TC are different manifestations of the same disorder. The absence of biochemical abnormalities in the heterozygous individuals suggests that one normal allele is sufficient for secretion of intact FGF23.

Intact unconscious processing of eye contact in schizophrenia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kiley Seymour

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The perception of eye gaze is crucial for social interaction, providing essential information about another person’s goals, intentions, and focus of attention. People with schizophrenia suffer a wide range of social cognitive deficits, including abnormalities in eye gaze perception. For instance, patients have shown an increased bias to misjudge averted gaze as being directed toward them. In this study we probed early unconscious mechanisms of gaze processing in schizophrenia using a technique known as continuous flash suppression. Previous research using this technique to render faces with direct and averted gaze initially invisible reveals that direct eye contact gains privileged access to conscious awareness in healthy adults. We found that patients, as with healthy control subjects, showed the same effect: faces with direct eye gaze became visible significantly faster than faces with averted gaze. This suggests that early unconscious processing of eye gaze is intact in schizophrenia and implies that any misjudgments of gaze direction must manifest at a later conscious stage of gaze processing where deficits and/or biases in attributing mental states to gaze and/or beliefs about being watched may play a role.

On Plant Detection of Intact Tomato Fruits Using Image Analysis and Machine Learning Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyosuke Yamamoto

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Fully automated yield estimation of intact fruits prior to harvesting provides various benefits to farmers. Until now, several studies have been conducted to estimate fruit yield using image-processing technologies. However, most of these techniques require thresholds for features such as color, shape and size. In addition, their performance strongly depends on the thresholds used, although optimal thresholds tend to vary with images. Furthermore, most of these techniques have attempted to detect only mature and immature fruits, although the number of young fruits is more important for the prediction of long-term fluctuations in yield. In this study, we aimed to develop a method to accurately detect individual intact tomato fruits including mature, immature and young fruits on a plant using a conventional RGB digital camera in conjunction with machine learning approaches. The developed method did not require an adjustment of threshold values for fruit detection from each image because image segmentation was conducted based on classification models generated in accordance with the color, shape, texture and size of the images. The results of fruit detection in the test images showed that the developed method achieved a recall of 0.80, while the precision was 0.88. The recall values of mature, immature and young fruits were 1.00, 0.80 and 0.78, respectively.

Gene expression changes in the colon epithelium are similar to those of intact colon during late inflammation in interleukin-10 gene deficient mice.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna E Russ

Full Text Available In addition to their role in absorption and secretion, epithelial cells play an important role in the protection of the colon mucosa from the resident microbiota and are important for the maintenance of homeostasis. Microarray analysis of intact colon samples is widely used to gain an overview of the cellular pathways and processes that are active in the colon during inflammation. Laser microdissection of colon epithelial cells allows a more targeted analysis of molecular pathways in the mucosa, preceding and during inflammation, with potentially increased sensitivity to changes in specific cell populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular changes that occur in early and late inflammation stages in colon epithelium of a mouse model of inflammatory bowel diseases. Microarray analysis of intact colon samples and microdissected colon epithelial cell samples from interleukin-10 gene deficient and control mice at 6 and 12 weeks of age was undertaken. Results of gene set enrichment analysis showed that more immune-related pathways were identified between interleukin-10 gene deficient and control mice at 6 weeks of age in epithelial cells than intact colon. This suggests that targeting epithelial cells could increase sensitivity for detecting immune changes that occur early in the inflammatory process. However, in the later stages of inflammation, microarray analyses of intact colon and epithelium both provide a similar overview of gene expression changes in the colon mucosa at the pathway level.

Isolation of Functionally Intact Rhodoplasts from Griffithsia monilis (Ceramiaceae, Rhodophyta) 1

Science.gov (United States)

Lilley, Ross McC.; Larkum, Anthony W. D.

1981-01-01

A procedure is described for isolating photosynthetically active rhodoplasts (“red algal chloroplasts”) from the marine alga Griffithsia monilis. The rhodoplasts exhibited rates of CO2 fixation and CO2-dependent O2 evolution in the order of 200 micromoles per milligram chlorophyll a per hour when illuminated with red or green light and were approximately 80% intact. The response of the rate of photosynthesis to the inorganic phosphate and pyrophosphate concentrations in the medium was qualitatively similar to that previously reported for spinach chloroplasts. Osmotically shocked rhodoplasts evolved O2 from ferricyanide in red, but not in green, light and were completely uncoupled. Rhodoplast envelope rupture appeared to be accompanied by phycobilisome loss from the thylakoids. Images PMID:16661632

Calcium channel agonists and antagonists regulate protein phosphorylation in intact synaptosomes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, P.J.; Lovenberg, Walter

1986-01-01

Protein phosphorylation in intact synaptosomes is highly sensitive to alterations in calcium fluxes and was used to probe the possible mechanism of action of the calcium channel agonist BAY K 8644 and antagonists verapamil and nifedipine. These agents (at 1μM) all increased the basal phosphorylation of a specific set of 4 synaptosomal phosphoproteins termed P139, P124, P96 and P60, but did not alter depolarization-dependent protein phosphorylation. The increases could not be explained by a direct stimulation of protein kinases and appears unrelated to the known effects of these + drugs on K + -stimulated neuro-transmitter release. This finding may reveal a possible new mechanism of action for drugs which interact with calcium channels. (Author)

Ischemic damage in hippocampal CA1 is dependent on glutamate release and intact innervation from CA3

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Benveniste, H; Jørgensen, M B; Sandberg, M

1989-01-01

The removal of glutamatergic afferents to CA1 by destruction of the CA3 region is known to protect CA1 pyramidal cells against 10 min of transient global ischemia. To investigate further the pathogenetic significance of glutamate, we measured the release of glutamate in intact and CA3-lesioned CA...

Novel molecular events associated with altered steroidogenesis induced by exposure to atrazine in the intact and castrate male rat

Science.gov (United States)

Toxicology is increasingly focused on molecular events comprising adverse outcome pathways. Atrazine activates the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis, but relationships to gonadal alterations are unknown. We characterized hormone profiles and adrenal (intact and castrate) and te...

De novo transcriptome sequencing and comparative analysis of differentially expressed genes in dryoperis fragrans under temperature stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, W.Z.; Tong, W.S.; Gao, R.

2016-01-01

Dryopteris fragrans is a species of fern and contains flavonoids compounds with medicinal value. This study explain the temperature stress impact flavonoids synthesis in D. fragrans tissue culture seedlings under the low temperature at 4 degree C, high temperature at 35 degree C and moderate temperature at 25 degree C. By using Illumina HiSeq 2000 sequencing, 80.9 million raw sequence reads were de novo assembled into 66,716 non-redundant unigenes. 38,486 unigenes (57.7%) were annotated for their function. 13,973 unigenes and 29,598 unigenes were allocated to gene ontology (GO) and clusters of orthologous group (COG), respectively. 18,989 sequences mapped to 118 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes Pathway database (KEGG), 204 genes were involved in flavonoid biosynthesis, regulation and transport. 25,292 and 16,817 unigenes exhibited marked differential expression in response to temperature shifts of 25 degree C to 4 degree C and 25 degree C to 35 degree C, respectively. 4CL and CHS genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis were tested and suggested that they were responsible for biosynthesis of flavonoids. This study provides the first published data to describe the D. fragrans transcriptome and should accelerate understanding of flavonoids biosynthesis, regulation and transport mechanisms. Since most unigenes described here were successfully annotated, these results should facilitate future functional genomic understanding and research of D. fragrans. (author)

Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes Associated with Apple Fruit Ripening and Softening by Suppression Subtractive Hybridization.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zongying; Jiang, Shenghui; Wang, Nan; Li, Min; Ji, Xiaohao; Sun, Shasha; Liu, Jingxuan; Wang, Deyun; Xu, Haifeng; Qi, Sumin; Wu, Shujing; Fei, Zhangjun; Feng, Shouqian; Chen, Xuesen

2015-01-01

Apple is one of the most economically important horticultural fruit crops worldwide. It is critical to gain insights into fruit ripening and softening to improve apple fruit quality and extend shelf life. In this study, forward and reverse suppression subtractive hybridization libraries were generated from 'Taishanzaoxia' apple fruits sampled around the ethylene climacteric to isolate ripening- and softening-related genes. A set of 648 unigenes were derived from sequence alignment and cluster assembly of 918 expressed sequence tags. According to gene ontology functional classification, 390 out of 443 unigenes (88%) were assigned to the biological process category, 356 unigenes (80%) were classified in the molecular function category, and 381 unigenes (86%) were allocated to the cellular component category. A total of 26 unigenes differentially expressed during fruit development period were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR. These genes were involved in cell wall modification, anthocyanin biosynthesis, aroma production, stress response, metabolism, transcription, or were non-annotated. Some genes associated with cell wall modification, anthocyanin biosynthesis and aroma production were up-regulated and significantly correlated with ethylene production, suggesting that fruit texture, coloration and aroma may be regulated by ethylene in 'Taishanzaoxia'. Some of the identified unigenes associated with fruit ripening and softening have not been characterized in public databases. The results contribute to an improved characterization of changes in gene expression during apple fruit ripening and softening.

Cinacalcet reduces plasma intact parathyroid hormone, serum phosphate and calcium levels in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism irrespective of its severity.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

2011-09-01

To evaluate the relationship between the severity of secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) - defined in terms of baseline plasma intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) level - and the magnitude of response to cinacalcet.

Variability of the nucleoli number in the progenies of intact and UV-irradiated clonogenic Hela cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kucheryavaya, N.A.; Zavol'naya, E.S.; Vakhtin, Yu.B.

1981-01-01

The coefficient of the ''nucleoli number'' character heritability (h 2 ) in the population of intact Hela cells equals 0.21 to 0.33. UV-irradiation enhances almost equally both the intraclonic and population variability of the nucleoli number and, as a result, the coefficient of the ''nucleoli number'' character heritability does not change in the population of UV-irradiated Hela cells

Analysis of transcriptome differences between resistant and susceptible strains of the citrus red mite Panonychus citri (Acari: Tetranychidae.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bin Liu

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The citrus red mite is a worldwide citrus pest and a common sensitizing allergen of asthma and rhinitis. It has developed strong resistance to many registered acaricides, However, the molecular mechanisms of resistance remain unknown. we therefore used next generation sequencing technology to investigate the global transcriptomes between resistant strains and susceptible strains. RESULTS: We obtained 34,159, 30,466 and 32,217 unigenes by assembling the SS reads, RS reads and SS&RS reads respectively. There are total 17,581 annotated unigenes from SS&RS reads by BLAST searching databases of nr, the Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COGs and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG with an E-value ≤ 1e-5, in which 7,075 unigenes were annotated in the COG database, 12, 712 unigenes were found in the KEGG database and 3,812 unigenes were assigned to Gene ontology (GO. Moreover, 2,701 unigenes were judged to be the differentially expressed genes (DEGs based on the uniquely mapped reads. There are 219 pathways in all annotated unigenes and 198 pathways in DEGs that mapped to the KEGG database. We identified 211 metabolism genes and target genes related to general insecticide resistance such as P450 and Cytochrome b, and further compared their differences between RS and SS. Meanwhile, we identified 105 and 194 genes related to growth and reproduction, respectively, based on the mode of action of Hexythiazox. After further analyses, we found variation in sequences but not in gene expression related to mite growth and reproduction between different strains. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first comparative transcriptome study to discover candidate genes involved in phytophagous mite resistance. This study identified differential unigenes related to general pesticide resistance and organism growth and reproduction in P. citri. The assembled, annotated transcriptomes provide a valuable genomic resource for further understanding

Familial Predictors of Sibling and Romantic-Partner Conflict Resolution: Comparing Late Adolescents from Intact and Divorced Families

Science.gov (United States)

Reese-Weber, M.; Kahn, J.H.

2005-01-01

The present study examined whether predictors of romantic-partner conflict may vary as a function of family structure. Using a cross-sectional design, we tested a mediation model of conflict resolution behaviours among late adolescents from intact (n=185) and divorced (n=87) families. Adolescents rated conflict resolution behaviours in five dyadic…

The Self-Concepts of Children From Intact and Divorced Families: Can They Be Affected in School Settings?

Science.gov (United States)

Parish, Thomas S.; Philip, Mary K.

1982-01-01

Seventeen teachers received inservice instructions regarding Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and then were asked to assess their students' needs and attempt to fulfill them to the very best of their ability. Of the 376 grade-school students, only children from intact families adopted significantly more positive self-concepts from the experience.…

Screening Information - JSNP | LSDB Archive [Life Science Database Archive metadata

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available List Contact us JSNP Screening Information Data detail Data name Screening Information DOI 10.18908/lsdba.nb...dc00114-003 Description of data contents Information from polymorphism screening experiments. Derived from E...the sequence for polymorphism screening Screened Position position of the polymorphism in the sequence for polymorphism screeni...ng Screened Symbol gene name related to the sequence for polymorphism screening Screened ...OMIM-ID OMIM ID related to the sequence for polymorphism screening About This Dat

Status Report on the High-Throughput Characterization of Complex Intact O-Glycopeptide Mixtures

Science.gov (United States)

Pap, Adam; Klement, Eva; Hunyadi-Gulyas, Eva; Darula, Zsuzsanna; Medzihradszky, Katalin F.

2018-05-01

A very complex mixture of intact, human N- and O-glycopeptides, enriched from the tryptic digest of urinary proteins of three healthy donors using a two-step lectin affinity enrichment, was analyzed by LC-MS/MS, leading to approximately 45,000 glycopeptide EThcD spectra. Two search engines, Byonic and Protein Prospector, were used for the interpretation of the data, and N- and O-linked glycopeptides were assigned from separate searches. The identification rate was very low in all searches, even when results were combined. Thus, we investigated the reasons why was it so, to help to improve the identification success rate. Focusing on O-linked glycopeptides, we noticed that in EThcD, larger glycan oxonium ions better survive the activation than those in HCD. These fragments, combined with reducing terminal Y ions, provide important information about the glycan(s) present, so we investigated whether filtering the peaklists for glycan oxonium ions indicating the presence of a tetra- or hexasaccharide structure would help to reveal all molecules containing such glycans. Our study showed that intact glycans frequently do not survive even mild supplemental activation, meaning one cannot rely on these oxonium ions exclusively. We found that ETD efficiency is still a limiting factor, and for highly glycosylated peptides, the only information revealed in EThcD was related to the glycan structures. The limited overlap of results delivered by the two search engines draws attention to the fact that automated data interpretation of O-linked glycopeptides is not even close to being solved. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Self-transcendence in cognitively intact nursing-home patients: a resource for well-being.

Science.gov (United States)

Haugan, Gørill; Rannestad, Toril; Hammervold, Randi; Garåsen, Helge; Espnes, Geir Arild

2013-05-01

This article reports an empirical study of self-transcendence in cognitively intact nursing-home patients. The aim was to investigate the interrelationships between self-transcendence and nursing-home patients' physical, social, emotional and functional well-being. Finding new and alternative approaches to increase well-being among nursing-home patients is highly warranted. Self-transcendence is considered a developmental process of maturity in adulthood and a vital resource for well-being at the end of life, thus self-transcendence could be a useful approach. Cross-sectional The self-transcendence scale and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy General (FACT-G) Quality of Life questionnaire were used. A sample of 202 cognitively intact nursing-home patients in Mid-Norway was selected to respond to the instruments in 2008 and 2009. Analysis was applied by means of LISREL 8·8 Structural Equation Modelling. A two-factor construct of self-transcendence showed that intrapersonal self-transcendence directly affected functional well-being and indirectly influenced physical, emotional and functional well-being. Interpersonal self-transcendence directly affected social and emotional well-being. Additionally important influences were disclosed from functional to emotional and from emotional to physical well-being. Finding nursing interventions to enhance both intrapersonal and interpersonal self-transcendence might benefit nursing-home patients' overall well-being. In a holistic perspective of body-mind-spirit, this research generates new-research questions about the pathways between the different dimensions of well-being in nursing-home patients, which is important to holistic nursing practice. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

A structured approach to the study of metabolic control principles in intact and impaired mitochondria

OpenAIRE

Huber, Heinrich J.; Connolly, Niamh M. C.; Dussmann, Heiko; Prehn, Jochen H. M.

2012-01-01

We devised an approach to extract control principles of cellular bioenergetics for intact and impaired mitochondria from ODE-based models and applied it to a recently established bioenergetic model of cancer cells. The approach used two methods for varying ODE model parameters to determine those model components that, either alone or in combination with other components, most decisively regulated bioenergetic state variables. We found that, while polarisation of the mitochondrial membrane pot...

Superresolution and Fluorescence Dynamics Evidence Reveal That Intact Liposomes Do Not Cross the Human Skin Barrier.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jes Dreier

Full Text Available In this study we use the combination of super resolution optical microscopy and raster image correlation spectroscopy (RICS to study the mechanism of action of liposomes as transdermal drug delivery systems in human skin. Two different compositions of liposomes were applied to newly excised human skin, a POPC liposome and a more flexible liposome containing the surfactant sodium cholate. Stimulated emission depletion microscopy (STED images of intact skin and cryo-sections of skin treated with labeled liposomes were recorded displaying an optical resolution low enough to resolve the 100 nm liposomes in the skin. The images revealed that virtually none of the liposomes remained intact beneath the skin surface. RICS two color cross correlation diffusion measurements of double labeled liposomes confirmed these observations. Our results suggest that the liposomes do not act as carriers that transport their cargo directly through the skin barrier, but mainly burst and fuse with the outer lipid layers of the stratum corneum. It was also found that the flexible liposomes showed a greater delivery of the fluorophore into the stratum corneum, indicating that they functioned as chemical permeability enhancers.

Comparative gas-exchange in leaves of intact and clipped, natural and planted cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda Raf.) seedlings

Science.gov (United States)

Brian R. Lockhart; John D. Hodges

2005-01-01

Gas-exchange measurements, including C022-exchange rate (net photosynthesis), stomatal conductance, and transpiration, were conducted on intact and clipped cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda Raf.) seedlings growing in the field and in a nursery bed. Seedlings in the field, released from midstory and understory woody competition,...

Differential effect of r-56865 on ouabain binding to isolated sarcolemma and intact atrial tissue of guinea-pig

NARCIS (Netherlands)

HEERS, C; SCHEUFLER, E; WILHELM, D; WERMELSKIRCHEN, D; WILFFERT, B; Peters, Thies

1 R 56865 (N-[1-[4-(4-fluorophenoxy)-butyl]-4-piperidinyl]-N-methyl-2-benzolamine) is a compound known to antagonize cardiac glycoside intoxication. Therefore, the effect of the compound on ouabain binding to intact cardiac tissue as well as cardiac membrane preparations was investigated. 2 The

Assessment of mechanical strain in the intact plantar fascia.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Ross A; Franklyn-Miller, Andrew; Falvey, Eanna; Bryant, Adam L; Bartold, Simon; McCrory, Paul

2009-09-01

A method of measuring tri-axial plantar fascia strain that is minimally affected by external compressive force has not previously been reported. The purpose of this study was to assess the use of micro-strain gauges to examine strain in the different axes of the plantar fascia. Two intact limbs from a thawed, fresh-frozen cadaver were dissected, and a combination of five linear and one three-way rosette gauges were attached to the fascia of the foot and ankle. Strain was assessed during two trials, both consisting of an identical controlled, loaded dorsiflexion. An ICC analysis of the results revealed that the majority of gauge placement sites produced reliable measures (ICC>0.75). Strain mapping of the plantar fascia indicates that the majority of the strain is centrally longitudinal, which provides supportive evidence for finite element model analysis. Although micro-strain gauges do possess the limitation of calibration difficulty, they provide a repeatable measure of fascial strain and may provide benefits in situations that require tri-axial assessment or external compression.

Measurement of tritiated norepinephrine metabolism in intact rat brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levitt, M.; Kowalik, S.; Barkai, A.I.

1983-01-01

A procedure for the study of NE metabolism in the intact rat brain is described. The method involves ventriculocisternal perfusion of the adult male rat with artificial CSF containing [ 3 H]NE. Radioactivity in the perfusate associated with NE and its metabolites 3,4-dihydroxymandelic acid (DOMA), 3,4-dihydroxphenylethyleneglycol (DHPG), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid (VMA), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol (MHPG), and normetanephrine (NMN) is separated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). After 80 min the radioactivity in the perfusate reaches an apparent steady-state. Analysis of the steady-state samples shows higher activity in the fractions corresponding to DHPG and MHPG than in those corresponding to DOMA and VMA, confirming glycol formation as the major pathway of NE metabolism in rat brain. Pretreatment with an MAO inhibitor (tranylcypromine) results in a marked decrease in the deaminated metabolites DHPG and MHPG and a concurrent increase in NMN. The results indicate this to be a sensitive procedure for the in vivo determination of changes in NE metabolism. (Auth.)

Comparative study of intact A7 MoAc and F(ab')2 fragments for radioimmunoimaging of human colon cancer in nude mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kojima, Shuji; Suzuki, Naomi; Shimura, Noriko; Kubodera, Akiko; Kubota, Kazuhiko; Yamaguchi, Toshiharu; Takahashi, Toshio; Oyamada, Hiyoshimaru

1993-01-01

Differences of pharmacokinetics and tumor imaging ability between intact monoclonal antibody A7 (A7 MoAb) and F(ab) 2 fragments were studied in human colon cancer (LS-174T)-bearing nude mice. The authors examined the yield and the immunoreactivity of F(ab) 2 fragments after treatment with ficin as a function of time. The yield of F(ab) 2 fragments reached about 50% after ficin treatment for 8 h, and the F(ab) 2 retained about 80% of the immunoreactivity of the corresponding MoAb. Longer digestion with ficin produced smaller fragments (less than 92 kDa) with a lower yield and most of the immunoreactivity was lost. In pharmacokinetics studies, the F(ab') 2 was preferentially taken up by the tumor, cleared more rapidly from the blood circulation and seemed to have less non-specific tissue binding than intact A7 MoAb. The tumor image obtained at an early time using 131 I-F(ab') 2 was much superior in quality to that with intact 131 I-A7 MoAb. The use of F(ab') 2 fragments may be effective for tumor diagnosis and therapy. (author)

Clinical application of determination of plasma intact parathyroid hormone content in kidney disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Mei; Wang Zhaohui; Zhou Xiaoli; Ren Chunling; Chen Huaqian

2011-01-01

Objective: To observe intact parathyroid hormone in kidney disease with clinical application. Methods: Plasma i-PTH level was measured in 46 patients with chronic renal insufficiency lose compensation stage, 39 patients with chronic renal failure, 35 patients with uremia. Besides, control group (n=41) was established. Results: Result shown that plasma i-PTH levels were experiment group and control group were obvious difference (P<0.01), among experiment group plasma i-PTH level was obvious difference (P<0.01). Conclusion: Results suggested along with renal function were worsen that plasma i-PTH level increasing gradually during renal insufficiency. (authors)

Use of electroporation to study the cytotoxic effects of fluorodeoxyuridylate in intact cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Jastreboff, M M; Sokoloski, J A; Bertino, J R; Narayanan, R

1987-04-15

The introduction of 2'-deoxyuridine 5'-monophosphate and its analog, 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine 5'-monophosphate, into intact CCRF-CEM and NIH3T3 cells was achieved by electroporation. Following electroporation, cells were shown to be fully functional as monitored by the incorporation of deoxyuridylate, after conversion to thymidylate, into DNA. Pretreatment of cells with fluorodeoxyuridine completely abolished this effect. In contrast, introduction of the fluoro analog into cells by electroporation markedly inhibited both DNA synthesis and cell growth in a time-dependent manner. Thus, electroporation offers a powerful tool to permeabilize cells to a variety of cellular metabolites and antimetabolites.

Attachment, conflict and self-esteem in adolescents from intact and divorced families / Apego, conflito e auto-estima em adolescentes de famílias intactas e divorciadas

OpenAIRE

Catarina Pinheiro Mota; Paula Mena Matos

2009-01-01

This study aimed to analyze the differential contribution to adolescent's self-esteem concerning family structure (intact and divorced families), interparental conflict, and attachment to parents and peers. The sample consisted of 403 adolescents, aged from 14 to 19. Univariate ANOVA showed that family structure does not predict self-esteem, but adolescents from intact families with higher levels of interparental conflict presented lower self-esteem. Parental attachment patterns derived from ...

Investigation of intact rock geomechanical parameters' effects on commercial blocks' productivity within stone reserves: A case history of some quarries in Isfahan, Iran

Science.gov (United States)

Yarahmadi, Reza; Bagherpour, Raheb; Tabaei, Morteza; Sousa, Luis M. O.

2017-10-01

One of the common methods to determine commercial blocks productivity (CBP) in reserves of dimension stone is through the study of the discontinuities' network. However, this determination remains a difficult task due to geographical heterogeneity and lack of access to all reserves' formations. This study presents a new method based on various geomechanical tests performed on intact rocks that assessed the CBP of a dimension stones' rock mass. Assuming that a dimension stone's rock mass comprised a large block of an intact rock, due to tectonics, the geomechanical properties of this block had direct effects on the discontinuities created within it. Therefore, the geomechanical properties of the intact rock may be related to the CBP of a stone reserve. Based on this factor, this study explored the relationship among some geomechanical properties, including failure angle, uniaxial compressive strength, and modulus of elasticity, and CBP by using data acquired from 21 dimension stone quarries consisting of travertine, marble, and onyx groups. According to the results obtained from the analysis of the Isfahan province's Iranian quarries, failure angle was not highly related to the reserve's CBP. In marble quarries, CBP may decrease, if the compressive strength of an intact rock exceeds 60 MPa. Among the studied parameters, the saturated-to-dry ratio's modulus of elasticity had the greatest relationship to the CBP. Generally, the presented diagrams displayed that the correlation between geomechanical properties and the CBP were an appropriate guide in determining the potential cost-effectiveness of a accessing a particular rock reserve during the early exploration phase.

Direct glycan structure determination of intact N-linked glycopeptides by low-energy collision-induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry and predicted spectral library searching.

Science.gov (United States)

Pai, Pei-Jing; Hu, Yingwei; Lam, Henry

2016-08-31

Intact glycopeptide MS analysis to reveal site-specific protein glycosylation is an important frontier of proteomics. However, computational tools for analyzing MS/MS spectra of intact glycopeptides are still limited and not well-integrated into existing workflows. In this work, a new computational tool which combines the spectral library building/searching tool, SpectraST (Lam et al. Nat. Methods2008, 5, 873-875), and the glycopeptide fragmentation prediction tool, MassAnalyzer (Zhang et al. Anal. Chem.2010, 82, 10194-10202) for intact glycopeptide analysis has been developed. Specifically, this tool enables the determination of the glycan structure directly from low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID) spectra of intact glycopeptides. Given a list of possible glycopeptide sequences as input, a sample-specific spectral library of MassAnalyzer-predicted spectra is built using SpectraST. Glycan identification from CID spectra is achieved by spectral library searching against this library, in which both m/z and intensity information of the possible fragmentation ions are taken into consideration for improved accuracy. We validated our method using a standard glycoprotein, human transferrin, and evaluated its potential to be used in site-specific glycosylation profiling of glycoprotein datasets from LC-MS/MS. In addition, we further applied our method to reveal, for the first time, the site-specific N-glycosylation profile of recombinant human acetylcholinesterase expressed in HEK293 cells. For maximum usability, SpectraST is developed as part of the Trans-Proteomic Pipeline (TPP), a freely available and open-source software suite for MS data analysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Could comets be carriers of intact homochiral biomolecules from interstellar space?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Navarro Gonzales, R.; Khanna, R.K.; Ponnamperuma, C.

1992-01-01

It has been suggested that the synchrotron circularly polarized ultraviolet light produced off-angle to the orbit of neutron star remnants of supernova explosions interacted with interstellar grains from the presolar nebula producing chiral molecules. Furthermore, it has also been suggested that comets were the carriers of such extraterrestrial sources of homochirality from interstellar space to the primitive Earth. We present here a computer model calculation of the effect of ionizing radiation on cometary material. The external (cosmic rays) and internal (embedded radionuclides) contributions were considered to determine the degree of destruction of possible homochiral biomolecules present such as amino acids and carboxylic acids. Our results suggest that an insignificant degree of destruction (2-12%) of the homochiral biomolecules could be expected. Therefore, comets could be carriers of intact homochiral biomolecules. (author)

Molecular analysis of intact preen waxes of Calidris Canutus (Aves: Scolopacidae) by GC/MS and GC/MS/MS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sinninghe Damsté, J.S.; Dekker, M.H.A.; Piersma, T.

2000-01-01

The intact preen wax esters of the red knot Calidris canutus were studied with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and GC/MS/MS. In this latter technique, transitions from the molecular ion to fragment ions representing the fatty acid moiety of the wax esters were measured, providing

Postmeal increment in intact glucagon-like peptide 1 level, but not intact glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide levels, is inversely associated with metabolic syndrome in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Soyeon; Yang, Eun-Jin; Lee, Sang Ah; Koh, Gwanpyo

2018-02-01

Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Recently glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists proved to be effective in preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with type 2 diabetes. We investigated the association of blood incretin levels with metabolic syndrome in patients with type 2 diabetes. This is a cross-sectional study involving 334 people with type 2 diabetes. Intact GLP-1 (iGLP-1) and intact glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (iGIP) levels were measured in a fasted state and 30 min after ingestion of a standard mixed meal. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed based on the criteria of the International Diabetes Federation. Two hundred twenty-five (69%) of the subjects have metabolic syndrome. The fasting iGLP-1 level was no different between groups. Thirty-min postprandial iGLP-1 was non-significantly lower in the subjects who had metabolic syndrome. Incremental iGLP-1 (ΔiGLP-1, the difference between 30-min postmeal and fasting iGLP-1 levels) was significantly lower in those with metabolic syndrome. There were no significant differences in fasting iGIP, postprandial iGIP, and ΔiGIP between groups. The ΔiGLP-1, but not ΔiGIP levels decreased significantly as the number of metabolic syndrome components increased. In hierarchical logistic regression analysis, the ΔiGLP-1 level was found to be a significant contributor to metabolic syndrome even after adjusting for other covariates. Taken together, the iGLP-1 increment in the 30 min after meal ingestion is inversely associated with metabolic syndrome in patients with type 2 diabetes. This suggests that postmeal iGLP-1 increment could be useful in assessing cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes.

Coping as a Mediator Between Parental Attachment and Resilience: An Examination of Differential Effects Between Chinese Adolescents From Single Parent Families Versus Those From Intact Families.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Xiamei

2018-01-01

The crude divorce rate has been increasing steadily for over a decade in China. Consequently, more and more children have to face the challenge of growing up in single parent families. The current study investigated the mediating effects of problem-oriented and emotion-oriented coping on the relationship between parental attachment and psychological resilience among a sample of Chinese adolescents from single parent families and intact families. Participants were 975 high school students (44.30% males; aged 15-19 years, M = 16.32 years, SD = 0.74), 871 from intact families and 104 from single parent families. Structural equation modeling showed that security in maternal attachment was positively associated with resilience through the indirect effect of reduced emotion-oriented coping among adolescents from single parent families. Among adolescents from intact families, security in maternal attachment was both directly associated with resilience and indirectly through enhanced problem-oriented and reduced emotion-oriented coping. Security in paternal attachment was associated with resilience both directly and indirectly through enhanced problem-oriented coping as well among those from intact families. Female adolescents exhibited significantly lower levels of resilience than male adolescents did regardless of the marital status of their parents. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Development of the leptospirosis by experimental infection in hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus with Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola, strain LO4, by intact and scratched skin exposures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolina de Sousa Américo Batista

2010-10-01

Full Text Available The establishment and evolution of leptospirosis in hamster (Mesocricetus auratus by experimental infection with Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola, LO4 strain, by intact and scratched skin exposures, having as control the intraperitoneal route, were evaluated. Hundred-twenty female hamsters distributed in two groups according to inoculation route (intact and scratched skin were used. Infectious inoculum was constituted by a pure culture of L. interrogans serovar Canicola (strain LO4, isolated from liver from a slaughtered swine in Londrina, Paraná state and typified by agglutinins adsortion technique with monoclonal antibody kit at the Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The animals were observed twice a day during 21 days. Animals that died were necropsied and kidneys, liver, genital tract (uterus and ovaries and brain were aseptically collected. On the 21st post-inoculation day, surviving animals were euthanized. In these animals, serum samples were also collected by cardiac puncture to antileptospires agglutinins research using microscopic agglutination test (MAT. Fresh direct microscopy and microbiological culture were used for the detection of leptospires. Scratched skin route induced larger lethality when compared to intact skin route, with establishment and evolution of leptospirosis. On the other hand, intact skin route induced renal and/or genital carrier state more frequently. LO4 strain presented low immunogenic power, characterized by soroconversion at the MAT in only one inoculated animal.

Ex vivo biomechanical evaluation of pigeon (Columba livia) cadaver intact humeri and ostectomized humeri stabilized with caudally applied titanium locking plate or stainless steel nonlocking plate constructs.

Science.gov (United States)

Darrow, Brett G; Biskup, Jeffrey J; Weigel, Joseph P; Jones, Michael P; Xie, Xie; Liaw, Peter K; Tharpe, Josh L; Sharma, Aashish; Penumadu, Dayakar

2017-05-01

OBJECTIVE To evaluate mechanical properties of pigeon (Columba livia) cadaver intact humeri versus ostectomized humeri stabilized with a locking or nonlocking plate. SAMPLE 30 humeri from pigeon cadavers. PROCEDURES Specimens were allocated into 3 groups and tested in bending and torsion. Results for intact pigeon humeri were compared with results for ostectomized humeri repaired with a titanium 1.6-mm screw locking plate or a stainless steel 1.5-mm dynamic compression plate; the ostectomized humeri mimicked a fracture in a thin cortical bone. Locking plates were secured with locking screws (2 bicortical and 4 monocortical), and nonlocking plates were secured with bicortical nonlocking screws. Constructs were cyclically tested nondestructively in 4-point bending and then tested to failure in bending. A second set of constructs were cyclically tested non-destructively and then to failure in torsion. Stiffness, strength, and strain energy of each construct were compared. RESULTS Intact specimens were stiffer and stronger than the repair groups for all testing methods, except for nonlocking constructs, which were significantly stiffer than intact specimens under cyclic bending. Intact bones had significantly higher strain energies than locking plates in both bending and torsion. Locking and nonlocking plates were of equal strength and strain energy, but not stiffness, in bending and were of equal strength, stiffness, and strain energy in torsion. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results for this study suggested that increased torsional strength may be needed before bone plate repair can be considered as the sole fixation method for avian species.

A high-throughput mass spectrometry assay to simultaneously measure intact insulin and C-peptide.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Steven W; Clarke, Nigel J; Chen, Zhaohui; McPhaul, Michael J

2016-04-01

Measurements of fasting levels of insulin and C-peptide are useful in documenting insulin resistance and may help predict development of diabetes mellitus. However, the specific insulin and C-peptide levels associated with specific degrees of insulin resistance have not been defined, owing to marked variability among immunoassays and lack of standardization. Herein, we describe a multiplexed liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assay for intact insulin and C-peptide. Insulin and C-peptide were enriched from patient sera using monoclonal antibodies immobilized on magnetic beads and processed on a robotic liquid handler. Eluted peptides were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Bovine insulin and a stable isotopically-labeled (13C/15N) C-peptide were utilized as internal standards. The assay had an analytical measurement range of 3 to 320 μIU/ml (18 to 1920 pmol/l) for insulin and 0.11 to 27.2 ng/ml (36 to 9006 pmol/l) for C-peptide. Intra- and inter-day assay variation was less than 11% for both peptides. Of the 5 insulin analogs commonly prescribed to treat diabetes, only the recombinant drug insulin lispro caused significant interference for the determination of endogenous insulin. There were no observed interferences for C-peptide. We developed and validated a high-throughput, quantitative, multiplexed LC-MS/MS assay for intact insulin and C-peptide. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

De novo assembly of mud loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) skin transcriptome to identify putative genes involved in immunity and epidermal mucus secretion.

Science.gov (United States)

Long, Yong; Li, Qing; Zhou, Bolan; Song, Guili; Li, Tao; Cui, Zongbin

2013-01-01

Fish skin serves as the first line of defense against a wide variety of chemical, physical and biological stressors. Secretion of mucus is among the most prominent characteristics of fish skin and numerous innate immune factors have been identified in the epidermal mucus. However, molecular mechanisms underlying the mucus secretion and immune activities of fish skin remain largely unclear due to the lack of genomic and transcriptomic data for most economically important fish species. In this study, we characterized the skin transcriptome of mud loach using Illumia paired-end sequencing. A total of 40364 unigenes were assembled from 86.6 million (3.07 gigabases) filtered reads. The mean length, N50 size and maximum length of assembled transcripts were 387, 611 and 8670 bp, respectively. A total of 17336 (43.76%) unigenes were annotated by blast searches against the NCBI non-redundant protein database. Gene ontology mapping assigned a total of 108513 GO terms to 15369 (38.08%) unigenes. KEGG orthology mapping annotated 9337 (23.23%) unigenes. Among the identified KO categories, immune system is the largest category that contains various components of multiple immune pathways such as chemokine signaling, leukocyte transendothelial migration and T cell receptor signaling, suggesting the complexity of immune mechanisms in fish skin. As for mucin biosynthesis, 37 unigenes were mapped to 7 enzymes of the mucin type O-glycan biosynthesis pathway and 8 members of the polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase family were identified. Additionally, 38 unigenes were mapped to 23 factors of the SNARE interactions in vesicular transport pathway, indicating that the activity of this pathway is required for the processes of epidermal mucus storage and release. Moreover, 1754 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were detected in 1564 unigenes and dinucleotide repeats represented the most abundant type. These findings have laid the foundation for further understanding the secretary

Transcriptome Analysis in Sheepgrass (Leymus chinensis). A Dominant Perennial Grass of the Eurasian Steppe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Shuangyan [Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Institute of Botany (IB), Beijing; Huang, Xin [Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Institute of Botany (IB), Beijing; Yang, Xiaohan [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Liu, Gongshe [Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Institute of Botany (IB), Beijing

2013-07-04

BACKGROUND: Sheepgrass [Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel.] is an important perennial forage grass across the Eurasian Steppe and is known for its adaptability to various environmental conditions. However, insufficient data resources in public databases for sheepgrass limited our understanding of the mechanism of environmental adaptations, gene discovery and molecular marker development. RESULTS: The transcriptome of sheepgrass was sequenced using Roche 454 pyrosequencing technology. We assembled 952,328 high-quality reads into 87,214 unigenes, including 32,416 contigs and 54,798 singletons. There were 15,450 contigs over 500 bp in length. BLAST searches of our database against Swiss-Prot and NCBI non-redundant protein sequences (nr) databases resulted in the annotation of 54,584 (62.6%) of the unigenes. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis assigned 89,129 GO term annotations for 17,463 unigenes. We identified 11,675 core Poaceae-specific and 12,811 putative sheepgrass-specific unigenes by BLAST searches against all plant genome and transcriptome databases. A total of 2,979 specific freezing-responsive unigenes were found from this RNAseq dataset. We identified 3,818 EST-SSRs in 3,597 unigenes, and some SSRs contained unigenes that were also candidates for freezing-response genes. Characterizations of nucleotide repeats and dominant motifs of SSRs in sheepgrass were also performed. Similarity and phylogenetic analysis indicated that sheepgrass is closely related to barley and wheat. CONCLUSIONS: This research has greatly enriched sheepgrass transcriptome resources. The identified stress-related genes will help us to decipher the genetic basis of the environmental and ecological adaptations of this species and will be used to improve wheat and barley crops through hybridization or genetic transformation. The EST-SSRs reported here will be a valuable resource for future gene-phenotype studies and for the molecular breeding of sheepgrass and other Poaceae species.

Transcriptome analysis in sheepgrass (Leymus chinensis): a dominant perennial grass of the Eurasian Steppe.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shuangyan; Huang, Xin; Yan, Xueqing; Liang, Ye; Wang, Yuezhu; Li, Xiaofeng; Peng, Xianjun; Ma, Xingyong; Zhang, Lexin; Cai, Yueyue; Ma, Tian; Cheng, Liqin; Qi, Dongmei; Zheng, Huajun; Yang, Xiaohan; Li, Xiaoxia; Liu, Gongshe

2013-01-01

Sheepgrass [Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel.] is an important perennial forage grass across the Eurasian Steppe and is known for its adaptability to various environmental conditions. However, insufficient data resources in public databases for sheepgrass limited our understanding of the mechanism of environmental adaptations, gene discovery and molecular marker development. The transcriptome of sheepgrass was sequenced using Roche 454 pyrosequencing technology. We assembled 952,328 high-quality reads into 87,214 unigenes, including 32,416 contigs and 54,798 singletons. There were 15,450 contigs over 500 bp in length. BLAST searches of our database against Swiss-Prot and NCBI non-redundant protein sequences (nr) databases resulted in the annotation of 54,584 (62.6%) of the unigenes. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis assigned 89,129 GO term annotations for 17,463 unigenes. We identified 11,675 core Poaceae-specific and 12,811 putative sheepgrass-specific unigenes by BLAST searches against all plant genome and transcriptome databases. A total of 2,979 specific freezing-responsive unigenes were found from this RNAseq dataset. We identified 3,818 EST-SSRs in 3,597 unigenes, and some SSRs contained unigenes that were also candidates for freezing-response genes. Characterizations of nucleotide repeats and dominant motifs of SSRs in sheepgrass were also performed. Similarity and phylogenetic analysis indicated that sheepgrass is closely related to barley and wheat. This research has greatly enriched sheepgrass transcriptome resources. The identified stress-related genes will help us to decipher the genetic basis of the environmental and ecological adaptations of this species and will be used to improve wheat and barley crops through hybridization or genetic transformation. The EST-SSRs reported here will be a valuable resource for future gene-phenotype studies and for the molecular breeding of sheepgrass and other Poaceae species.

Transcriptome Characterization for Non-Model Endangered Lycaenids, Protantigius superans and Spindasis takanosis, Using Illumina HiSeq 2500 Sequencing

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Bharat Bhusan Patnaik

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The Lycaenidae butterflies, Protantigius superans and Spindasis takanosis, are endangered insects in Korea known for their symbiotic association with ants. However, necessary genomic and transcriptomics data are lacking in these species, limiting conservation efforts. In this study, the P. superans and S. takanosis transcriptomes were deciphered using Illumina HiSeq 2500 sequencing. The P. superans and S. takanosis transcriptome data included a total of 254,340,693 and 245,110,582 clean reads assembled into 159,074 and 170,449 contigs and 107,950 and 121,140 unigenes, respectively. BLASTX hits (E-value of 1.0 × 10−5 against the known protein databases annotated a total of 46,754 and 51,908 transcripts for P. superans and S. takanosis. Approximately 41.25% and 38.68% of the unigenes for P. superans and S. takanosis found homologous sequences in Protostome DB (PANM-DB. BLAST2GO analysis confirmed 18,611 unigenes representing Gene Ontology (GO terms and a total of 5259 unigenes assigned to 116 pathways for P. superans. For S. takanosis, a total of 6697 unigenes were assigned to 119 pathways using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG pathway database. Additionally, 382,164 and 390,516 Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs were compiled from the unigenes of P. superans and S. takanosis, respectively. This is the first report to record new genes and their utilization for conservation of lycaenid species population and as a reference information for closely related species.

Using Next-Generation Sequencing to Detect Differential Expression Genes in Bradysia odoriphaga after Exposure to Insecticides

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Haoliang Chen

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Bradysia odoriphaga (Diptera: Sciaridae is the most important pest of Chinese chive. Insecticides are used widely and frequently to control B. odoriphaga in China. However, the performance of the insecticides chlorpyrifos and clothianidin in controlling the Chinese chive maggot is quite different. Using next generation sequencing technology, different expression unigenes (DEUs in B. odoriphaga were detected after treatment with chlorpyrifos and clothianidin for 6 and 48 h in comparison with control. The number of DEUs ranged between 703 and 1161 after insecticide treatment. In these DEUs, 370–863 unigenes can be classified into 41–46 categories of gene ontology (GO, and 354–658 DEUs can be mapped into 987–1623 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG pathways. The expressions of DEUs related to insecticide-metabolism-related genes were analyzed. The cytochrome P450-like unigene group was the largest group in DEUs. Most glutathione S-transferase-like unigenes were down-regulated and most sodium channel-like unigenes were up-regulated after insecticide treatment. Finally, 14 insecticide-metabolism-related unigenes were chosen to confirm the relative expression in each treatment by quantitative Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR. The results of qRT-PCR and RNA Sequencing (RNA-Seq are fairly well-established. Our results demonstrate that a next-generation sequencing tool facilitates the identification of insecticide-metabolism-related genes and the illustration of the insecticide mechanisms of chlorpyrifos and clothianidin.

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic study of intact cells of the nitrogen-fixing bacterium Azospirillum brasilense

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Kamnev, A. A.; Ristić, M.; Antonyuk, L. P.; Chernyshev, A. V.; Ignatov, V. V.

1997-06-01

The data of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic measurements performed on intact cells of the soil nitrogen-fixing bacterium Azospirillum brasilense grown in a standard medium and under the conditions of an increased metal uptake are compared and discussed. The structural FTIR information obtained is considered together with atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) data on the content of metal cations in the bacterial cells. Some methodological aspects concerning preparation of bacterial cell samples for FTIR measurements are also discussed.

Midgut transcriptome response to a Cry toxin in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Yanyuan; Zhu, Xun; Xie, Wen; Wu, Qingjun; Wang, Shaoli; Guo, Zhaojiang; Xu, Baoyun; Li, Xianchun; Zhou, Xuguo; Zhang, Youjun

2014-01-01

To investigate the response of Plutella xylostella transcriptome in defending against a Bt toxin, high-throughput RNA-sequencing was carried out to examine Cry1Ac-susceptible and -resistant strains. The comparative analysis indentified over 2900 differentially expressed unigenes (DEUs) between these two strains. Gene Ontology analysis placed these unigenes primarily into cell, cell part, organelle, binding, catalytic, cellular process, metabolic process, and response to stimulus categories. Based on pathway analyses, DEUs were enriched in oxidoreductase activity and membrane lipid metabolic processes, and they were also significantly enriched in pathways related to the metabolic and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Most of the unigenes involved in the metabolic pathway were up-regulated in resistant strains. Within the ABC transporter pathway, majority of the down-regulated unigenes belong to ABCC2 and ABCC10, respectively, while up-regulated unigenes were mainly categorized as ABCG2. Furthermore, two aminopeptidases, and four cadherins encoding genes were significantly elevated as well. This study provides a transcriptome foundation for the identification and functional characterization of genes involved in the Bt resistance in an agriculturally important insect pest, P. xylostella. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Deep sequencing-based transcriptome analysis of chicken spleen in response to avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC infection.

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Qinghua Nie

Full Text Available Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC leads to economic losses in poultry production and is also a threat to human health. The goal of this study was to characterize the chicken spleen transcriptome and to identify candidate genes for response and resistance to APEC infection using Solexa sequencing. We obtained 14422935, 14104324, and 14954692 Solexa read pairs for non-challenged (NC, challenged-mild pathology (MD, and challenged-severe pathology (SV, respectively. A total of 148197 contigs and 98461 unigenes were assembled, of which 134949 contigs and 91890 unigenes match the chicken genome. In total, 12272 annotated unigenes take part in biological processes (11664, cellular components (11927, and molecular functions (11963. Summing three specific contrasts, 13650 significantly differentially expressed unigenes were found in NC Vs. MD (6844, NC Vs. SV (7764, and MD Vs. SV (2320. Some unigenes (e.g. CD148, CD45 and LCK were involved in crucial pathways, such as the T cell receptor (TCR signaling pathway and microbial metabolism in diverse environments. This study facilitates understanding of the genetic architecture of the chicken spleen transcriptome, and has identified candidate genes for host response to APEC infection.

The Majority of Genotypes of the Virulence Gene inlA Are Intact among Natural Watershed Isolates of Listeria monocytogenes from the Central California Coast.

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Lisa Gorski

Full Text Available Internalin A is an essential virulence gene involved in the uptake of the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes into host cells. It is intact in clinical strains and often truncated due to Premature Stop Codons (PMSCs in isolates from processed foods and processing facilities. Less information is known about environmental isolates. We sequenced the inlA alleles and did Multi Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeat Analysis (MLVA on 112 L. monocytogenes isolates from a 3-year period from naturally contaminated watersheds near a leafy green growing area in Central California. The collection contained 14 serotype 1/2a, 12 serotype 1/2b, and 86 serotype 4b strains. Twenty-seven different inlA alleles were found. Twenty-three of the alleles are predicted to encode intact copies of InlA, while three contain PMSCs. Another allele has a 9-nucleotide deletion, previously described for a clinical strain, indicating that it is still functional. Intact inlA genes were found in 101 isolates, and 8 isolates contained the allele predicted to contain the 3-amino acid deletion. Both allele types were found throughout the 3-year sampling period. Three strains contained inlA alleles with PMSCs, and these were found only during the first 3 months of the study. SNP analysis of the intact alleles indicated clustering of alleles based on serotype and lineage with serotypes 1/2b and 4b (lineage I strains clustering together, and serotype 1/2a (lineage II strains clustering separately. The combination of serotype, MLVA types, and inlA allele types indicate that the 112 isolates reflect at least 49 different strains of L. monocytogenes. The finding that 90% of environmental L. monocytogenes isolates contain intact inlA alleles varies significantly from isolates found in processing plants. This information is important to public health labs and growers as to the varieties of L. monocytogenes that could potentially contaminate fresh produce in the field by various means.

Stress dependence of permeability of intact and fractured shale cores.

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van Noort, Reinier; Yarushina, Viktoriya

2016-04-01

Whether a shale acts as a caprock, source rock, or reservoir, understanding fluid flow through shale is of major importance for understanding fluid flow in geological systems. Because of the low permeability of shale, flow is thought to be largely confined to fractures and similar features. In fracking operations, fractures are induced specifically to allow for hydrocarbon exploration. We have constructed an experimental setup to measure core permeabilities, using constant flow or a transient pulse. In this setup, we have measured the permeability of intact and fractured shale core samples, using either water or supercritical CO2 as the transporting fluid. Our measurements show decreasing permeability with increasing confining pressure, mainly due to time-dependent creep. Furthermore, our measurements show that for a simple splitting fracture, time-dependent creep will also eliminate any significant effect of this fracture on permeability. This effect of confinement on fracture permeability can have important implications regarding the effects of fracturing on shale permeability, and hence for operations depending on that.

Variability of the nucleoli number in the progenies of intact and UV-irradiated clonogenic Hela cells

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Kucheryavaya, N.A.; Zavol' naya, E.S.; Vakhtin, Yu.B. (AN SSSR, Leningrad. Inst. Tsitologii)

1981-01-01

The coefficient of the ''nucleoli number'' character heritability (h/sup 2/) in the population of intact Hela cells equals 0.21 to 0.33. UV-irradiation enhances almost equally both the intraclonic and population variability of the nucleoli number and, as a result, the coefficient of the ''nucleoli number'' character heritability does not change in the population of UV-irradiated Hela cells.

Temperature dependence of 1H NMR relaxation time, T2, for intact and neoplastic plant tissues

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Lewa, Czesław J.; Lewa, Maria

Temperature dependences of the spin-spin proton relaxation time, T2, have been shown for normal and tumorous tissues collected from kalus culture Nicotiana tabacum and from the plant Kalanchoe daigremontiana. For neoplastic plant tissues, time T2 was increased compared to that for intact plants, a finding similar to that for animal and human tissues. The temperature dependences obtained were compared to analogous relations observed with animal tissues.

Malnutrition among Cognitively Intact, non-Critically Ill Older Adults in the Emergency Department

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Pereira, Greg F.; Bulik, Cynthia M.; Weaver, Mark A.; Holland, Wesley C.; Platts-Mills, Timothy F.

2014-01-01

Objectives We estimate the prevalence of malnutrition among older patients presenting to an emergency department (ED) in the southeastern United States and identify subgroups at increased risk. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study with random time block sampling of cognitively intact patients aged 65 years and older. Nutrition was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form (0–14 scale) with malnutrition defined as a score of 7 or less and at-risk for malnutrition defined as a score of 8–11. The presence of depressive symptoms was defined as a Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression-10 score of 4 or more (0–10 scale). Results Among 138 older adults, 16% (95% Confidence Interval [CI], 10%–22%) were malnourished and 60% (95% CI, 52%–69%) were either malnourished or at-risk for malnutrition. Seventeen of the 22 malnourished patients (77%) denied previously being diagnosed with malnutrition. The prevalence of malnutrition was not appreciably different between males and females, across levels of patient education, or between those living in urban and rural areas. However, the prevalence of malnutrition was higher among patients with depressive symptoms 52%, those residing in assisted living 50%, those with difficulty eating 38%, and those reporting difficulty buying groceries 33%. Conclusion Among a random sample of cognitively intact older ED patients, more than half were malnourished or at-risk for malnutrition, and the majority of malnourished patients had not previously been diagnosed. Higher rates of malnutrition among those with depression, difficulty eating, and difficulty buying groceries suggest the need to explore multifaceted interventions. PMID:25129819

Comparison of extraction and work up techniques for analysis of core and intact polar tetraether lipids from sedimentary environments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lengger, S.K.; Hopmans, E.C.; Sinninghe Damsté, J.S.; Schouten, S.

2012-01-01

Glycerol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraether-based intact polar lipids (IPL GDGTs) are used as biomarkers for living Archaea and are analyzed utilizing a variety of extraction and quantification techniques. Most IPL GDGT studies have used a modified Bligh-Dyer extraction method, but it has been

Mining Genotype-Phenotype Associations from Public Knowledge Sources via Semantic Web Querying

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Kiefer, Richard C.; Freimuth, Robert R.; Chute, Christopher G; Pathak, Jyotishman

Gene Wiki Plus (GeneWiki+) and the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) are publicly available resources for sharing information about disease-gene and gene-SNP associations in humans. While immensely useful to the scientific community, both resources are manually curated, thereby making the data entry and publication process time-consuming, and to some degree, error-prone. To this end, this study investigates Semantic Web technologies to validate existing and potentially discover new genotype-phenotype associations in GWP and OMIM. In particular, we demonstrate the applicability of SPARQL queries for identifying associations not explicitly stated for commonly occurring chronic diseases in GWP and OMIM, and report our preliminary findings for coverage, completeness, and validity of the associations. Our results highlight the benefits of Semantic Web querying technology to validate existing disease-gene associations as well as identify novel associations although further evaluation and analysis is required before such information can be applied and used effectively. PMID:24303249

Mining Genotype-Phenotype Associations from Public Knowledge Sources via Semantic Web Querying.

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Kiefer, Richard C; Freimuth, Robert R; Chute, Christopher G; Pathak, Jyotishman

2013-01-01

Gene Wiki Plus (GeneWiki+) and the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) are publicly available resources for sharing information about disease-gene and gene-SNP associations in humans. While immensely useful to the scientific community, both resources are manually curated, thereby making the data entry and publication process time-consuming, and to some degree, error-prone. To this end, this study investigates Semantic Web technologies to validate existing and potentially discover new genotype-phenotype associations in GWP and OMIM. In particular, we demonstrate the applicability of SPARQL queries for identifying associations not explicitly stated for commonly occurring chronic diseases in GWP and OMIM, and report our preliminary findings for coverage, completeness, and validity of the associations. Our results highlight the benefits of Semantic Web querying technology to validate existing disease-gene associations as well as identify novel associations although further evaluation and analysis is required before such information can be applied and used effectively.

De novo characterization of Lycoris sprengeri transcriptome using ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

value 1.0E-5) against the nr, SwissProt, Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) and Clusters of orthologous groups (COG) databases. The unigenes were annotated with gene ontology (GO) and COG. Of these, 2,173 unigenes were ...

Thermal deposition of intact tetrairon(III) single-molecule magnets in high-vacuum conditions.

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Margheriti, Ludovica; Mannini, Matteo; Sorace, Lorenzo; Gorini, Lapo; Gatteschi, Dante; Caneschi, Andrea; Chiappe, Daniele; Moroni, Riccardo; de Mongeot, Francesco Buatier; Cornia, Andrea; Piras, Federica M; Magnani, Agnese; Sessoli, Roberta

2009-06-01

A tetrairon(III) single-molecule magnet is deposited using a thermal evaporation technique in high vacuum. The chemical integrity is demonstrated by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry on a film deposited on Al foil, while superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry and alternating current susceptometry of a film deposited on a kapton substrate show magnetic properties identical to the pristine powder. High-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance spectra confirm the characteristic behavior for a system with S = 5 and a large Ising-type magnetic anisotropy. All these results indicate that the molecules are not damaged during the deposition procedure keeping intact the single-molecule magnet behavior.

Relative bioavailability of single doses of prolonged-release tacrolimus administered as a suspension, orally or via a nasogastric tube, compared with intact capsules: a phase 1 study in healthy participants.

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Undre, Nasrullah; Dickinson, James

2017-04-04

Tacrolimus, an immunosuppressant widely used in solid organ transplantation, is available as a prolonged-release capsule for once-daily oral administration. In the immediate postsurgical period, if patients cannot take intact capsules orally, tacrolimus therapy is often initiated as a suspension of the capsule contents, delivered orally or via a nasogastric tube. This study evaluated the relative bioavailability of prolonged-release tacrolimus suspension versus intact capsules in healthy participants. A phase 1, open-label, single-dose, cross-over study. A single clinical research unit. In total, 20 male participants, 18-55 years old, entered and completed the study. All participants received nasogastric administration of tacrolimus 10 mg suspension in treatment period 1, with randomisation to oral administration of suspension or intact capsules in periods 2 and 3. Blood concentration-time profile over 144 hours was used to estimate pharmacokinetic parameters. Primary end point: relative bioavailability of prolonged-release intact capsule versus oral or nasogastric administration of prolonged-release tacrolimus suspension (area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) from time 0 to infinity post-tacrolimus dose (AUC 0-∞ ); AUC measured until the last quantifiable concentration (AUC 0-tz ); maximum observed concentration (C max ); time to C max (T max )). Tolerability was assessed throughout the study. Relative bioavailability of prolonged-release tacrolimus suspension administered orally was similar to intact capsules, with a ratio of least-square means for AUC 0-tz and AUC 0-∞ of 1.05 (90% CI 0.96 to 1.14). Bioavailability was lower with suspension administered via a nasogastric tube versus intact capsules (17%; ratio 0.83; CI 0.76 to 0.92). C max was higher for oral and nasogastric suspension (30% and 28%, respectively), and median T max was shorter (difference 1.0 and 1.5 hours postdose, respectively) versus intact capsules (2.0 hours). Single 10�

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor density in cognitively intact subjects at an early stage of Parkinson’s disease

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Ioannis Ugo eIsaias

2014-08-01

Full Text Available We investigated in vivo brain nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR distribution in cognitively intact subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD at an early stage of the disease. Fourteen patients and 13 healthy subjects were imaged with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT and the radiotracer 5-[123I]iodo-3-[2(S-2-azetidinylmethoxy]pyridine ([123I]5IA. Patients were selected according to several criteria, including short duration of motor signs (<7 years and normal scores at an extensive neuropsychological evaluation. In PD patients, nAChR density was significantly higher in the putamen, the insular cortex and the supplementary motor area and lower in the caudate nucleus, the orbitofrontal cortex and the middle temporal gyrus. Disease duration positively correlated with nAChR density in the putamen ipsilateral (ρ=0.56, p<0.05 but not contralateral (ρ=0.49, p=0.07 to the clinically most affected hemibody.We observed, for the first time in vivo, higher nAChR density in brain regions of the motor and limbic basal ganglia circuits of subjects with PD. Our findings support the notion of an up-regulated cholinergic activity at the striatal and possibly cortical level in cognitively intact PD patients at an early stage of disease.

Modeling of Recovery Profiles in Mentally Disabled and Intact Patients after Sevoflurane Anesthesia; A Pharmacodynamic Analysis

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Shin, Teo Jeon; Noh, Gyu-Jeong; Koo, Yong-Seo

2014-01-01

Purpose Mentally disabled patients show different recovery profiles compared to normal patients after general anesthesia. However, the relationship of dose-recovery profiles of mentally disabled patients has never been compared to that of normal patients. Materials and Methods Twenty patients (10 mentally disabled patients and 10 mentally intact patients) scheduled to dental surgery under general anesthesia was recruited. Sevoflurane was administered to maintain anesthesia during dental treatment. At the end of the surgery, sevoflurane was discontinued. End-tidal sevoflurane and recovery of consciousness (ROC) were recorded after sevoflurane discontinuation. The pharmacodynamic relation between the probability of ROC and end-tidal sevoflurane concentration was analyzed using NONMEM software (version VII). Results End-tidal sevoflurane concentration associated with 50% probability of ROC (C50) and γ value were lower in the mentally disabled patients (C50=0.37 vol %, γ=16.5 in mentally intact patients, C50=0.19 vol %, γ=4.58 in mentally disabled patients). Mentality was a significant covariate of C50 for ROC and γ value to pharmacodynamic model. Conclusion A sigmoid Emanx model explains the pharmacodynamic relationship between end-tidal sevoflurane concentration and ROC. Mentally disabled patients may recover slower from anesthesia at lower sevoflurane concentration at ROC an compared to normal patients. PMID:25323901

Self-transcendence, nurse-patient interaction and the outcome of multidimensional well-being in cognitively intact nursing home patients.

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Haugan, Gørill; Hanssen, Brith; Moksnes, Unni K

2013-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between age, gender, self-transcendence, nurse-patient interaction and multidimensional well-being as the outcome among cognitively intact nursing home patients. Self-transcendence is considered to be a vital resource of well-being in vulnerable populations and at the end of life. Moreover, the quality of care and the nurse-patient interaction is found to influence self-transcendence and well-being in nursing home patients. A cross-sectional design employing the Self-Transcendence Scale, the Nurse-Patient Interaction Scale, the FACT-G Quality of Life and the FACIT-Sp Spiritual Well-Being questionnaires was adopted. A sample of 202 cognitively intact nursing home patients from 44 nursing homes in central Norway was selected. A previous documented two-factor construct of self-transcendence was applied. The statistical analyses were carried out by means of independent sample t-test, correlation and regression analyses. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed significant relationships between interpersonal self-transcendence and social, functional and spiritual well-being, whereas intrapersonal self-transcendence significantly related to emotional, social, functional and spiritual well-being. Nurse-patient interaction related to physical, emotional and functional well-being. Age and gender were not significant predictors for well-being, except for functional and spiritual well-being where women scored higher than men. Nurse-patient interaction and self-transcendence are vital resources for promoting well-being physically, emotionally, functionally, socially and spiritually among cognitively intact nursing home patients. Nurse-patient interaction signifies vital and ultimate nursing qualities promoting self-transcendence and multidimensional well-being. These findings are important for clinical nursing intending to increase patients' well-being. © 2012 The Authors Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences �

Gene discovery from Jatropha curcas by sequencing of ESTs from normalized and full-length enriched cDNA library from developing seeds

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Sugantham Priyanka Annabel

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Jatropha curcas L. is promoted as an important non-edible biodiesel crop worldwide. Jatropha oil, which is a triacylglycerol, can be directly blended with petro-diesel or transesterified with methanol and used as biodiesel. Genetic improvement in jatropha is needed to increase the seed yield, oil content, drought and pest resistance, and to modify oil composition so that it becomes a technically and economically preferred source for biodiesel production. However, genetic improvement efforts in jatropha could not take advantage of genetic engineering methods due to lack of cloned genes from this species. To overcome this hurdle, the current gene discovery project was initiated with an objective of isolating as many functional genes as possible from J. curcas by large scale sequencing of expressed sequence tags (ESTs. Results A normalized and full-length enriched cDNA library was constructed from developing seeds of J. curcas. The cDNA library contained about 1 × 106 clones and average insert size of the clones was 2.1 kb. Totally 12,084 ESTs were sequenced to average high quality read length of 576 bp. Contig analysis revealed 2258 contigs and 4751 singletons. Contig size ranged from 2-23 and there were 7333 ESTs in the contigs. This resulted in 7009 unigenes which were annotated by BLASTX. It showed 3982 unigenes with significant similarity to known genes and 2836 unigenes with significant similarity to genes of unknown, hypothetical and putative proteins. The remaining 191 unigenes which did not show similarity with any genes in the public database may encode for unique genes. Functional classification revealed unigenes related to broad range of cellular, molecular and biological functions. Among the 7009 unigenes, 6233 unigenes were identified to be potential full-length genes. Conclusions The high quality normalized cDNA library was constructed from developing seeds of J. curcas for the first time and 7009 unigenes coding

REAL-TIME MEASUREMENT OF AIRWAY RESPONSES TO SULOFUR DIOXIDE (SO2) IN AN INTACT, AWAKE GUINEA PIG MODEL

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Real-time measurment of airway responses to Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) in an intact, awake guinea pig model. J Stanek1,2, Q Krantz2, J Nolan2, D Winsett2, W Watkinson2, and D Costa2. 1College of Veterinary Medicine, NCSU, Raleigh, NC, USA; 2Pulmonary Toxicology Branch, ETD, NHEERL, US...

Evidence for an intact polysaccharide capsule in Bordetella pertussis.

Science.gov (United States)

Neo, YiLin; Li, Rui; Howe, Josephine; Hoo, Regina; Pant, Aakanksha; Ho, SiYing; Alonso, Sylvie

2010-03-01

Polysaccharide capsules contribute to the pathogenesis of many bacteria species by providing resistance against various defense mechanisms. The production of a capsule in Bordetella pertussis, the etiologic agent of whooping cough, has remained controversial; earlier studies reported this pathogen as a capsulated microorganism whereas the recent B. pertussis genome analysis revealed the presence of a truncated capsule locus. In this work, using transmission electron microscopy and immunostaining approaches, we provide a formal evidence for the presence of an intact microcapsule produced at the surface of both laboratory strain and clinical isolates of B. pertussis. In agreement with previous studies, we found that the capsule is optimally produced in avirulent phase. Unexpectedly, the presence of the capsule was also detected at the surface of virulent B. pertussis bacteria. Consistently, a substantial transcriptional activity of the capsule operon was detected in virulent phase, suggesting that the capsular polysaccharide may play a role during pertussis pathogenesis. In vitro assays indicated that the presence of the capsule does not affect B. pertussis adherence to mammalian cells and does not further protect the bacterium from phagocytosis, complement-mediated killing or antimicrobial peptide attack. Copyright 2009. Published by Elsevier SAS.

Quantitative analysis of the difference between an intact complete discoid lateral meniscus and a torn complete discoid meniscus on MR imaging: a feasibility study for a new classification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Mi Hee; Choi, Sang-Hee; Woo, Sook Young

2010-01-01

To determine the quantitative difference between an intact complete discoid lateral meniscus (CDLM) and a torn CDLM on MR imaging. Between May 2005 to November 2009, 137 patients with a CDLM (107 intact CDLM and 30 torn CDLM) and 92 patients with a normal meniscus were included in this study. The evaluated parameters were the height of the posterior horn of the lateral and medial menisci on the sagittal images and their ratio as assessed by two observers twice at an interval of 1 month. Each parameter was analyzed based on the Kruskal Wallis test, and the analysis using the mixed model. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to determine the interobserver reliabilities at session 2. The mean heights of the posterior horn of the lateral and medial menisci on the sagittal images for an intact CDLM, a torn CLDM, and a normal meniscus were 6.5, 7.3, 5.7 and 6.6, 6.4, 6.7 mm at session 1, respectively. The mean heights of the posterior horn of the lateral and medial menisci on the sagittal images for an intact CDLM, a torn CDLM, and a normal meniscus for both observers were 6.5, 7.2, 5.7 and 6.6, 6.3, 6.8 mm at session 2, respectively. The ratio of the height of the lateral to the height of the medial meniscus for an intact CDLM at both sessions for both observers was 1.0. The ratios were 1.2 and 0.8 for a torn CDLM and for a normal meniscus, respectively, at both sessions for observer 1. The ratios were 1.2 and 0.9 for a torn CDLM and for a normal meniscus, respectively, at session 2 for observer 2. The heights of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus on the sagittal images and the ratios of the heights of the lateral to the medial menisci in all three groups were statistically significantly different for both sessions (p < 0.0001). The interobserver ICCs for each parameter of both an intact CDLM and a torn CDLM at session 2 showed high correlations (p < 0.0001). The height of the lateral meniscus and the ratio of the height of the lateral to the height

The development of structural complexity in the child's concept of family: the effect of cognitive stage, sex, and intactness of family.

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Wedemeyer, N V; Bickhard, M H; Cooper, R G

1989-12-01

Twenty-eight boys and 28 girls at each of the Piagetian preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational cognitive stages were given an interview focusing on their concepts of family. Half of each group were from intact families, and half were from divorced families. Interviews were scored for two structural aspects of the concept of family: conceptual level, and use of dimensions that structure the concept. The complexity of children's concepts was strongly related to cognitive stage and, to a lesser degree, to sex. Frequency of use of concept dimensions was strongly affected by general developmental level, though not specifically cognitive stage, and by intactness of family, but to a lesser degree by sex. Specific information is provided on the effect of these factors on perceptions of family composition, parental roles, and breadth of family activities.

Rapid Diagnostic Assay for Intact Influenza Virus Using a High Affinity Hemagglutinin Binding Protein.

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Anderson, Caitlin E; Holstein, Carly A; Strauch, Eva-Maria; Bennett, Steven; Chevalier, Aaron; Nelson, Jorgen; Fu, Elain; Baker, David; Yager, Paul

2017-06-20

Influenza is a ubiquitous and recurring infection that results in approximately 500 000 deaths globally each year. Commercially available rapid diagnostic tests are based upon detection of the influenza nucleoprotein, which are limited in that they are unable to differentiate by species and require an additional viral lysis step. Sample preprocessing can be minimized or eliminated by targeting the intact influenza virus, thereby reducing assay complexity and leveraging the large number of hemagglutinin proteins on the surface of each virus. Here, we report the development of a paper-based influenza assay that targets the hemagglutinin protein; the assay employs a combination of antibodies and novel computationally designed, recombinant affinity proteins as the capture and detection agents. This system leverages the customizability of recombinant protein design to target the conserved receptor-binding pocket of the hemagglutinin protein and to match the trimeric nature of hemagglutinin for improved avidity. Using this assay, we demonstrate the first instance of intact influenza virus detection using a combination of antibody and affinity proteins within a porous network. The recombinant head region binder based assays yield superior analytical sensitivity as compared to the antibody based assay, with lower limits of detection of 3.54 × 10 7 and 1.34 × 10 7 CEID 50 /mL for the mixed and all binder stacks, respectively. Not only does this work describe the development of a novel influenza assay, it also demonstrates the power of recombinant affinity proteins for use in rapid diagnostic assays.

Metabolic control over the oxygen consumption flux in intact skeletal muscle: in silico studies.

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Liguzinski, Piotr; Korzeniewski, Bernard

2006-12-01

It has been postulated previously that a direct activation of all oxidative phosphorylation complexes in parallel with the activation of ATP usage and substrate dehydrogenation (the so-called each-step activation) is the main mechanism responsible for adjusting the rate of ATP production by mitochondria to the current energy demand during rest-to-work transition in intact skeletal muscle in vivo. The present in silico study, using a computer model of oxidative phosphorylation developed previously, analyzes the impact of the each-step-activation mechanism on the distribution of control (defined within Metabolic Control Analysis) over the oxygen consumption flux among the components of the bioenergetic system in intact oxidative skeletal muscle at different energy demands. It is demonstrated that in the absence of each-step activation, the oxidative phosphorylation complexes take over from ATP usage most of the control over the respiration rate and oxidative ATP production at higher (but still physiological) energy demands. This leads to a saturation of oxidative phosphorylation, impossibility of a further acceleration of oxidative ATP synthesis, and dramatic drop in the phosphorylation potential. On the other hand, the each-step-activation mechanism allows maintenance of a high degree of the control exerted by ATP usage over the ATP turnover and oxygen consumption flux even at high energy demands and thus enables a potentially very large increase in ATP turnover. It is also shown that low oxygen concentration shifts the metabolic control from ATP usage to cytochrome oxidase and thus limits the oxidative ATP production.

Time-Course Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Resistance Genes of Panax ginseng Induced by Cylindrocarpon destructans Infection Using RNA-Seq.

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Yuan Gao

Full Text Available Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer is a highly valued medicinal plant. Cylindrocarpon destructans is a destructive pathogen that causes root rot and significantly reduces the quality and yield of P. ginseng. However, an efficient method to control root rot remains unavailable because of insufficient understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying C. destructans-P. ginseng interaction. In this study, C. destructans-induced transcriptomes at different time points were investigated using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq. De novo assembly produced 73,335 unigenes for the P. ginseng transcriptome after C. destructans infection, in which 3,839 unigenes were up-regulated. Notably, the abundance of the up-regulated unigenes sharply increased at 0.5 d postinoculation to provide effector-triggered immunity. In total, 24 of 26 randomly selected unigenes can be validated using quantitative reverse transcription (qRT-PCR. Gene ontology enrichment analysis of these unigenes showed that "defense response to fungus", "defense response" and "response to stress" were enriched. In addition, differentially expressed transcription factors involved in the hormone signaling pathways after C. destructans infection were identified. Finally, differentially expressed unigenes involved in reactive oxygen species and ginsenoside biosynthetic pathway during C. destructans infection were indentified. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report on the dynamic transcriptome triggered by C. destructans. These results improve our understanding of disease resistance in P. ginseng and provide a useful resource for quick detection of induced markers in P. ginseng before the comprehensive outbreak of this disease caused by C. destructans.

Transcriptional responses of olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus to low temperature.

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Jinwei Hu

Full Text Available The olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus is an economically important flatfish in marine aquaculture with a broad thermal tolerance ranging from 14 to 23°C. Cold-tolerant flounder that can survive during the winter season at a temperature of less than 14°C might facilitate the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the response to cold stress. In this study, the transcriptional response of flounder to cold stress (0.7±0.05°C was characterized using RNA sequencing. Transcriptome sequencing was performed using the Illumina MiSeq platform for the cold-tolerant (CT group, which survived under the cold stress; the cold-sensitive (CS group, which could barely survive at the low temperature; and control group, which was not subjected to cold treatment. In all, 29,021 unigenes were generated. Compared with the unigene expression profile of the control group, 410 unigenes were up-regulated and 255 unigenes were down-regulated in the CT group, whereas 593 unigenes were up-regulated and 289 unigenes were down-regulated in the CS group. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses revealed that signal transduction, lipid metabolism, digestive system, and signaling molecules and interaction were the most highly enriched pathways for the genes that were differentially expressed under cold stress. All these pathways could be assigned to the following four biological functions for flounder that can survive under cold stress: signal response to cold stress, cell repair/regeneration, energy production, and cell membrane construction and fluidity.

Pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum and agenesis of the ductus arteriosus in a pup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, D.J.; Patterson, D.F.

1989-01-01

A 7-week-old Wire Fox Terrier was admitted with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum. The right ventricle and tricuspid valve were hypoplastic, and venous return to the right atrium reached the left side through an atrial septal defect. Oxygenation was via hyperplastic bronchial arteries. There was no evidence of the ductus arteriosus. Physical examination, plain and contrast radiography, and electrocardiography were performed. Clinical findings for this combination of defects were similar to those of more common defects (tetralogy of Fallot, patent ductus arteriosus

Intact fetal ovarian cord formation promotes mouse oocyte survival and development

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Pera Renee

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Female reproductive potential, or the ability to propagate life, is limited in mammals with the majority of oocytes lost before birth. In mice, surviving perinatal oocytes are enclosed in ovarian follicles for subsequent oocyte development and function in the adult. Before birth, fetal germ cells of both sexes develop in clusters, or germline cysts, in the undifferentiated gonad. Upon sex determination of the fetal gonad, germ cell cysts become organized into testicular or ovarian cord-like structures and begin to interact with gonadal somatic cells. Although germline cysts and testicular cords are required for spermatogenesis, the role of cyst and ovarian cord formation in mammalian oocyte development and female fertility has not been determined. Results Here, we examine whether intact fetal ovarian germ and somatic cell cord structures are required for oocyte development using mouse gonad re-aggregation and transplantation to disrupt gonadal organization. We observed that germ cells from disrupted female gonad prior to embryonic day e13.5 completed prophase I of meiosis but did not survive following transplantation. Furthermore, re-aggregated ovaries from e13.5 to e15.5 developed with a reduced number of oocytes. Oocyte loss occurred before follicle formation and was associated with an absence of ovarian cord structure and ovary disorganization. However, disrupted ovaries from e16.5 or later were resistant to the re-aggregation impairment and supported robust oocyte survival and development in follicles. Conclusions Thus, we demonstrate a critical window of oocyte development from e13.5 to e16.5 in the intact fetal mouse ovary, corresponding to the establishment of ovarian cord structure, which promotes oocyte interaction with neighboring ovarian somatic granulosa cells before birth and imparts oocytes with competence to survive and develop in follicles. Because germline cyst and ovarian cord structures are conserved in the

Cytochrome oxidase activity in the preoptic area correlates with differences in sexual behavior of intact and castrated male leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius).

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Sakata, J T; Crews, D

2004-08-01

Although the utility of analyzing behavioral experience effects on neural cytochrome oxidase (CO) activity is well recognized, the behavioral correlates of endogenous differences in CO activity have rarely been explored. In male leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius), the incubation temperature experienced during embryogenesis (IncT) and age affect CO activity in the preoptic area (POA), an area that modulates copulatory behavior. In this study, the authors assessed whether differences in POA CO activity correlate with differences in sexual behavior in intact and castrated geckos. Males with IncT- and age-dependent increases in POA CO activity mounted females with shorter latencies while intact and after castration and ejaculated more frequently after castration. The authors discuss the predictive value of CO activity and propose similar parallels in other species.

[Analyses of the clinical characteristics of unilateral conductive hearing loss with intact tympanic membrane].

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Chaoying; Zhang, Jishuai; Han, Weiju; Shen, Weidong; Liu, Jun; Hou, Zhaohui; Dai, Pu; Yang, Shiming; Han, Dongyi

2016-05-01

To analyze the clinical characteristics of unilateral conductive hearing loss with intact tympanic membrane, and summarize the key diagnostic points, differential diagnosis and observe the effects of surgical treatment. We reviewed data from 82 patients with unilateral conductive hearing loss with intact tympanic membranes who accepted the exploratory tympanotomy from April 2011 to September 2013. There were 41 males and 41 females, aged from 7 to 66( averaged 26.5±13.7)years, with a history of one month to 50 years. The history, clinical symptoms, audiological evaluation, high resolution temporal bone CT, the results of surgical exploration and hearing reconstruction were analyzed. The exploratory tympanotomy revealed 43 cases of congenital middle ear malformations (52.4%), 22 cases of otosclerosis (26.8%), eight cases of congenital cholesteatoma (9.8%), six cases of trauma induced conductive hearing loss (7.3%), three cases of congenital ossicular malformations with congenital cholesteatoma (3.7%). Progressive hearing loss was common in patients with otosclerosis and congenital cholesteatoma, and patients with congenital middle ear malformations described their hearing loss since childhood. High resolution temporal bone CT of congenital middle ear malformation, trauma induced conductive hearing loss, congenital cholesteatoma diagnosis rate was 40.0%, 50.0%, and 83.3% respectively. The preoperative air-conductive threshold of patients with absence of the oval window were increased to (66.9±1.1)dBHL, the preoperative bone-conductive threshold achieved (28.3±10.4)dBHL at 2 000 Hz. While patients with stapes fixation and that with ossicular chain discontinuity were (27.2±9.7)dBHL and (17.8±8.8)dBHL(P=0.000)respectively. Through the tympanic exploration with endaural incision under the microscope, different hearing reconstruction were applied according to different lesions. After the operation, the hearing level of 52 patients with return visit were improved, the

EU-INTACT-case studies: Impact of extreme weather on critical Infrastructure

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van Ruiten Kees

2016-01-01

One of the case studies is located in the Netherlands and deals with the port of Rotterdam. The situation in Rotterdam is representative for many other main ports in Europe. These ports are all situated in a delta area, near the sea and rivers or canals. Also, these ports are close to urban areas and industrial complexes. Finally, these ports have a multimodal transport infrastructure to and from its hinterland, which is also vulnerable for extreme weather events. The case study is not only significant for the development of methods and tools, but also of direct interest for the region itself. The combination of the National Water safety policy and the best practices from the INTACT cases offer challenges to create better adaptation options and coping capacity to these relatively unforeseen and unexpected impacts based on climate change scenario’s and socio-economic megatrends.

De Novo Assembly and Characterization of Sophora japonica Transcriptome Using RNA-seq

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Liucun Zhu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Sophora japonica Linn (Chinese Scholar Tree is a shrub species belonging to the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae. In this study, RNA sequencing of S. japonica transcriptome was performed to produce large expression datasets for functional genomic analysis. Approximate 86.1 million high-quality clean reads were generated and assembled de novo into 143010 unique transcripts and 57614 unigenes. The average length of unigenes was 901 bps with an N50 of 545 bps. Four public databases, including the NCBI nonredundant protein (NR, Swiss-Prot, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG, and the Cluster of Orthologous Groups (COG, were used to annotate unigenes through NCBI BLAST procedure. A total of 27541 of 57614 unigenes (47.8% were annotated for gene descriptions, conserved protein domains, or gene ontology. Moreover, an interaction network of unigenes in S. japonica was predicted based on known protein-protein interactions of putative orthologs of well-studied plant genomes. The transcriptome data of S. japonica reported here represents first genome-scale investigation of gene expressions in Faboideae plants. We expect that our study will provide a useful resource for further studies on gene expression, genomics, functional genomics, and protein-protein interaction in S. japonica.

Generation and Analysis of Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs from Halophyte Atriplex canescens to Explore Salt-Responsive Related Genes

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Jingtao Li

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Little information is available on gene expression profiling of halophyte A. canescens. To elucidate the molecular mechanism for stress tolerance in A. canescens, a full-length complementary DNA library was generated from A. canescens exposed to 400 mM NaCl, and provided 343 high-quality ESTs. In an evaluation of 343 valid EST sequences in the cDNA library, 197 unigenes were assembled, among which 190 unigenes (83.1% ESTs were identified according to their significant similarities with proteins of known functions. All the 343 EST sequences have been deposited in the dbEST GenBank under accession numbers JZ535802 to JZ536144. According to Arabidopsis MIPS functional category and GO classifications, we identified 193 unigenes of the 311 annotations EST, representing 72 non-redundant unigenes sharing similarities with genes related to the defense response. The sets of ESTs obtained provide a rich genetic resource and 17 up-regulated genes related to salt stress resistance were identified by qRT-PCR. Six of these genes may contribute crucially to earlier and later stage salt stress resistance. Additionally, among the 343 unigenes sequences, 22 simple sequence repeats (SSRs were also identified contributing to the study of A. canescens resources.

De novo assembly and characterization of the garlic (Allium sativum) bud transcriptome by Illumina sequencing.

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Sun, Xiudong; Zhou, Shumei; Meng, Fanlu; Liu, Shiqi

2012-10-01

Garlic is widely used as a spice throughout the world for the culinary value of its flavor and aroma, which are created by the chemical transformation of a series of organic sulfur compounds. To analyze the transcriptome of Allium sativum and discover the genes involved in sulfur metabolism, cDNAs derived from the total RNA of Allium sativum buds were analyzed by Illumina sequencing. Approximately 26.67 million 90 bp paired-end clean reads were achieved in two libraries. A total of 127,933 unigenes were generated by de novo assembly and were compared with the sequences in public databases. Of these, 45,286 unigenes had significant hits to the sequences in the Nr database, 29,514 showed significant similarity to known proteins in the Swiss-Prot database and, 20,706 and 21,952 unigenes had significant similarity to existing sequences in the KEGG and COG databases, respectively. Moreover, genes involved in organic sulfur biosynthesis were identified. These unigenes data will provide the foundation for research on gene expression, genomics and functional genomics in Allium sativum. Key message The obtained unigenes will provide the foundation for research on functional genomics in Allium sativum and its closely related species, and fill the gap of the existing plant EST database.

Transcriptome analysis and identification of P450 genes relevant to imidacloprid detoxification in Bradysia odoriphaga.

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Chen, Chengyu; Wang, Cuicui; Liu, Ying; Shi, Xueyan; Gao, Xiwu

2018-02-07

Pesticide tolerance poses many challenges for pest control, particularly for destructive pests such as Bradysia odoriphaga. Imidacloprid has been used to control B. odoriphaga since 2013, however, imidacloprid resistance in B. odoriphaga has developed in recent years. Identifying actual and potential genes involved in detoxification metabolism of imidacloprid could offer solutions for controlling this insect. In this study, RNA-seq was used to explore differentially expressed genes in B. odoriphaga that respond to imidacloprid treatment. Differential expression data between imidacloprid treatment and the control revealed 281 transcripts (176 with annotations) showing upregulation and 394 transcripts (235 with annotations) showing downregulation. Among them, differential expression levels of seven P450 unigenes were associated with imidacloprid detoxification mechanism, with 4 unigenes that were upregulated and 3 unigenes that were downregulated. The qRT-PCR results of the seven differential expression P450 unigenes after imidacloprid treatment were consistent with RNA-Seq data. Furthermore, oral delivery mediated RNA interference of these four upregulated P450 unigenes followed by an insecticide bioassay significantly increased the mortality of imidacloprid-treated B. odoriphaga. This result indicated that the four upregulated P450s are involved in detoxification of imidacloprid. This study provides a genetic basis for further exploring P450 genes for imidacloprid detoxification in B. odoriphaga.

Comparative transcriptional profiling of Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis in response to salicylic acid- and methyl jasmonate-mediated heat resistance.

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Fangjun Wang

Full Text Available Culturing the economically important macroalga Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis (Rhodophyta is limited due to the high temperatures in the summertime on the southern Chinese coast. Previous studies have demonstrated that two phytohormones, salicylic acid (SA and methyl jasmonate (MJ, can alleviate the adverse effects of high-temperature stress on Gp. lemaneiformis. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying SA- and MJ-mediated heat tolerance, we performed comprehensive analyses of transcriptome-wide gene expression profiles using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq technology. A total of 14,644 unigenes were assembled, and 10,501 unigenes (71.71% were annotated to the reference databases. In the SA, MJ and SA/MJ treatment groups, 519, 830, and 974 differentially expressed unigenes were detected, respectively. Unigenes related to photosynthesis and glycometabolism were enriched by SA, while unigenes associated with glycometabolism, protein synthesis, heat shock and signal transduction were increased by MJ. A crosstalk analysis revealed that 216 genes were synergistically regulated, while 18 genes were antagonistically regulated by SA and MJ. The results indicated that the two phytohormones could mitigate the adverse effects of heat on multiple pathways, and they predominantly acted synergistically to resist heat stress. These results will provide new insights into how SA and MJ modulate the molecular mechanisms that counteract heat stress in algae.

Transcriptome analysis of the Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus using RNA-sequencing

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Yong Huang

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus is an economically important animal on academic value. However, the genomic information of this species has been less studied. In our study, the transcripts of A. davidianus were obtained by RNA-seq to conduct a transcriptomic analysis. In total 132,912 unigenes were generated with an average length of 690 bp and N50 of 1263 bp by de novo assembly using Trinity software. Using a sequence similarity search against the nine public databases (CDD, KOG, NR, NT, PFAM, Swiss-prot, TrEMBL, GO and KEGG databases, a total of 24,049, 18,406, 36,711, 15,858, 20,500, 27,515, 36,705, 28,879 and 10,958 unigenes were annotated in databases, respectively. Of these, 6323 unigenes were annotated in all database and 39,672 unigenes were annotated in at least one database. Blasted with KEGG pathway, 10,958 unigenes were annotated, and it was divided into 343 categories according to different pathways. In addition, we also identified 29,790 SSRs. This study provided a valuable resource for understanding transcriptomic information of A. davidianus and laid a foundation for further research on functional gene cloning, genomics, genetic diversity analysis and molecular marker exploitation in A. davidianus.

De Novo Sequencing and Assembly Analysis of Transcriptome in Pinus bungeana Zucc. ex Endl.

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Qifei Cai

2018-03-01

Full Text Available To enrich the molecular data of Pinus bungeana Zucc. ex Endl. and study the regulating factors of different morphology controled by apical dominance. In this study, de novo assembly of transcriptome annotation was performed for two varieties of Pinus bungeana Zucc. ex Endl. that are obviously different in morphology. More than 147 million reads were produced, which were assembled into 88,092 unigenes. Based on a similarity search, 11,692 unigenes showed significant similarity to proteins from Picea sitchensis (Bong. Carr. From this collection of unigenes, a large number of molecular markers were identified, including 2829 simple sequence repeats (SSRs. A total of 158 unigenes expressed differently between two varieties, including 98 up-regulated and 60 down-regulated unigenes. Furthermore, among the differently expressed genes (DEGs, five genes which may impact the plant morphology were further validated by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR. The five genes related to cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX, two-component response regulator ARR-A family (ARR-A, plant hormone signal transduction (AHP, and MADS-box transcription factors have a close relationship with apical dominance. This new dataset will be a useful resource for future genetic and genomic studies in Pinus bungeana Zucc. ex Endl.

Clinically Relevant Levels of 4-Aminopyridine Strengthen Physiological Responses in Intact Motor Circuits in Rats, Especially After Pyramidal Tract Injury.

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Sindhurakar, Anil; Mishra, Asht M; Gupta, Disha; Iaci, Jennifer F; Parry, Tom J; Carmel, Jason B

2017-04-01

4-Aminopyridine (4-AP) is a Food and Drug Administration-approved drug to improve motor function in people with multiple sclerosis. Preliminary results suggest the drug may act on intact neural circuits and not just on demyelinated ones. To determine if 4-AP at clinically relevant levels alters the excitability of intact motor circuits. In anesthetized rats, electrodes were placed over motor cortex and the dorsal cervical spinal cord for electrical stimulation, and electromyogram electrodes were inserted into biceps muscle to measure responses. The motor responses to brain and spinal cord stimulation were measured before and for 5 hours after 4-AP administration both in uninjured rats and rats with a cut lesion of the pyramidal tract. Blood was collected at the same time as electrophysiology to determine drug plasma concentration with a goal of 20 to 100 ng/mL. We first determined that a bolus infusion of 0.32 mg/kg 4-AP was optimal: it produced on average 61.5 ± 1.8 ng/mL over the 5 hours after infusion. This dose of 4-AP increased responses to spinal cord stimulation by 1.3-fold in uninjured rats and 3-fold in rats with pyramidal tract lesion. Responses to cortical stimulation also increased by 2-fold in uninjured rats and up to 4-fold in the injured. Clinically relevant levels of 4-AP strongly augment physiological responses in intact circuits, an effect that was more robust after partial injury, demonstrating its broad potential in treating central nervous system injuries.

Intact plant MRI for the study of cell water relations, membrane permeability, cell-to-cell and long distance water transport

NARCIS (Netherlands)

As, van H.

2007-01-01

Water content and hydraulic conductivity, including transport within cells, over membranes, cell-to-cell, and long-distance xylem and phloem transport, are strongly affected by plant water stress. By being able to measure these transport processes non-invasely in the intact plant situation in

Accurate assessment of in situ isometric contractile properties of hindlimb plantar and dorsal flexor muscle complex of intact mice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gorselink, M.; Drost, M.R.; Louw, de J.; Willems, P.J.B.; Rosielle, P.C.J.N.; Janssen, J.D.; Vusse, van der G.J.

2000-01-01

An isometric torque sensor for measuring in situ contractions of plantar or dorsal flexors of intact mouse hindlimb has been developed and evaluated. With this device, muscle torque can be accurately measured within the range of -14 mN·m to +14 mN·m. Special attention was paid to fixation of the

De novo characterization of the Iris lactea var. chinensis transcriptome and an analysis of genes under cadmium or lead exposure.

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Gu, Chun-Sun; Liu, Liang-Qin; Deng, Yan-Ming; Zhang, Yong-Xia; Wang, Zhi-Quan; Yuan, Hai-Yan; Huang, Su-Zhen

2017-10-01

Iris lactea var. chinensis (I. lactea var. chinensis) is tolerant to accumulations of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb). In this study, the transcriptome of I. lactea var. chinensis was investigated under Cd or Pb stresses. Using the gene ontology database, 31,974 unigenes were classified into biological process, cellular component and molecular function. In total, 13,132 unigenes were involved in enriched Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) metabolic pathways, and the expression levels of 5904 unigenes were significantly changed after exposure to Cd or Pb stresses. Of these, 974 were co-up-regulated and 1281 were co-down-regulated under the two stresses. The transcriptome expression profiles of I. lactea var. chinensis under Cd or Pb stresses obtained in this study provided a resource for identifying common mechanisms in the detoxification of different heavy metals. Furthermore, the identified unigenes may be used for the genetic breeding of heavy-metal tolerant plants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Screening of intact yeasts and cell extracts to reduce Scrapie prions during biotransformation of food waste.

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Huyben, David; Boqvist, Sofia; Passoth, Volkmar; Renström, Lena; Allard Bengtsson, Ulrika; Andréoletti, Olivier; Kiessling, Anders; Lundh, Torbjörn; Vågsholm, Ivar

2018-02-08

Yeasts can be used to convert organic food wastes to protein-rich animal feed in order to recapture nutrients. However, the reuse of animal-derived waste poses a risk for the transmission of infectious prions that can cause neurodegeneration and fatality in humans and animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of yeasts to reduce prion activity during the biotransformation of waste substrates-thereby becoming a biosafety hurdle in such a circular food system. During pre-screening, 30 yeast isolates were spiked with Classical Scrapie prions and incubated for 72 h in casein substrate, as a waste substitute. Based on reduced Scrapie seeding activity, waste biotransformation and protease activities, intact cells and cell extracts of 10 yeasts were further tested. Prion analysis showed that five yeast species reduced Scrapie seeding activity by approximately 1 log10 or 90%. Cryptococcus laurentii showed the most potential to reduce prion activity since both intact and extracted cells reduced Scrapie by 1 log10 and achieved the highest protease activity. These results show that select forms of yeast can act as a prion hurdle during the biotransformation of waste. However, the limited ability of yeasts to reduce prion activity warrants caution as a sole barrier to transmission as higher log reductions are needed before using waste-cultured yeast in circular food systems.

Transcriptome analysis of duck liver and identification of differentially expressed transcripts in response to duck hepatitis A virus genotype C infection.

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Tang, Cheng; Lan, Daoliang; Zhang, Huanrong; Ma, Jing; Yue, Hua

2013-01-01

Duck is an economically important poultry and animal model for human viral hepatitis B. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying host-virus interaction remain unclear because of limited information on the duck genome. This study aims to characterize the duck normal liver transcriptome and to identify the differentially expressed transcripts at 24 h after duck hepatitis A virus genotype C (DHAV-C) infection using Illumina-Solexa sequencing. After removal of low-quality sequences and assembly, a total of 52,757 unigenes was obtained from the normal liver group. Further blast analysis showed that 18,918 unigenes successfully matched the known genes in the database. GO analysis revealed that 25,116 unigenes took part in 61 categories of biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions. Among the 25 clusters of orthologous group categories (COG), the cluster for "General function prediction only" represented the largest group, followed by "Transcription" and "Replication, recombination, and repair." KEGG analysis showed that 17,628 unigenes were involved in 301 pathways. Through comparison of normal and infected transcriptome data, we identified 20 significantly differentially expressed unigenes, which were further confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Of the 20 unigenes, nine matched the known genes in the database, including three up-regulated genes (virus replicase polyprotein, LRRC3B, and PCK1) and six down-regulated genes (CRP, AICL-like 2, L1CAM, CYB26A1, CHAC1, and ADAM32). The remaining 11 novel unigenes that did not match any known genes in the database may provide a basis for the discovery of new transcripts associated with infection. This study provided a gene expression pattern for normal duck liver and for the previously unrecognized changes in gene transcription that are altered during DHAV-C infection. Our data revealed useful information for future studies on the duck genome and provided new insights into the molecular

De novo assembly of mud loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus skin transcriptome to identify putative genes involved in immunity and epidermal mucus secretion.

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Yong Long

Full Text Available Fish skin serves as the first line of defense against a wide variety of chemical, physical and biological stressors. Secretion of mucus is among the most prominent characteristics of fish skin and numerous innate immune factors have been identified in the epidermal mucus. However, molecular mechanisms underlying the mucus secretion and immune activities of fish skin remain largely unclear due to the lack of genomic and transcriptomic data for most economically important fish species. In this study, we characterized the skin transcriptome of mud loach using Illumia paired-end sequencing. A total of 40364 unigenes were assembled from 86.6 million (3.07 gigabases filtered reads. The mean length, N50 size and maximum length of assembled transcripts were 387, 611 and 8670 bp, respectively. A total of 17336 (43.76% unigenes were annotated by blast searches against the NCBI non-redundant protein database. Gene ontology mapping assigned a total of 108513 GO terms to 15369 (38.08% unigenes. KEGG orthology mapping annotated 9337 (23.23% unigenes. Among the identified KO categories, immune system is the largest category that contains various components of multiple immune pathways such as chemokine signaling, leukocyte transendothelial migration and T cell receptor signaling, suggesting the complexity of immune mechanisms in fish skin. As for mucin biosynthesis, 37 unigenes were mapped to 7 enzymes of the mucin type O-glycan biosynthesis pathway and 8 members of the polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase family were identified. Additionally, 38 unigenes were mapped to 23 factors of the SNARE interactions in vesicular transport pathway, indicating that the activity of this pathway is required for the processes of epidermal mucus storage and release. Moreover, 1754 simple sequence repeats (SSRs were detected in 1564 unigenes and dinucleotide repeats represented the most abundant type. These findings have laid the foundation for further understanding

Nutrigenomics in Arma chinensis: transcriptome analysis of Arma chinensis fed on artificial diet and Chinese oak silk moth Antheraea pernyi pupae.

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Deyu Zou

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The insect predator, Arma chinensis, is capable of effectively controlling many pests, such as Colorado potato beetle, cotton bollworm, and mirid bugs. Our previous study demonstrated several life history parameters were diminished for A. chinensis reared on an artificial diet compared to a natural food source like the Chinese oak silk moth pupae. The molecular mechanisms underlying the nutritive impact of the artificial diet on A. chinensis health are unclear. So we utilized transcriptome information to better understand the impact of the artificial diet on A. chinensis at the molecular level. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Illumina HiSeq2000 was used to sequence 4.79 and 4.70 Gb of the transcriptome from pupae-fed and artificial diet-fed A. chinensis libraries, respectively, and a de novo transcriptome assembly was performed (Trinity short read assembler. This resulted in 112,029 and 98,724 contigs, clustered into 54,083 and 54,169 unigenes for pupae-fed and diet-fed A. chinensis, respectively. Unigenes from each sample's assembly underwent sequence splicing and redundancy removal to acquire non-redundant unigenes. We obtained 55,189 unigenes of A. chinensis, including 12,046 distinct clusters and 43,143 distinct singletons. Unigene sequences were aligned by BLASTx to nr, Swiss-Prot, KEGG and COG (E-value <10(-5, and further aligned by BLASTn to nt (E-value <10(-5, retrieving proteins of highest sequence similarity with the given unigenes along with their protein functional annotations. Totally, 22,964, 7,898, 18,069, 15,416, 8,066 and 5,341 unigenes were annotated in nr, nt, Swiss-Prot, KEGG, COG and GO, respectively. We compared gene expression variations and found thousands of genes were differentially expressed between pupae-fed and diet-fed A. chinensis. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our study provides abundant genomic data and offers comprehensive sequence information for studying A. chinensis. Additionally, the physiological

An investigation into the perceptual embodiment of an artificial hand using transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in intact-limbed individuals.

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Mulvey, Matthew; Fawkner, Helen; Johnson, Mark I

2014-01-01

Perceptual embodiment of an artificial limb aids manual control of prostheses and can be facilitated by somatosensory feedback. We hypothesised that transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) may facilitate perceptual embodiment of artificial limbs. To determine the effect of TENS on perceptual embodiment of an artificial hand in 32 intact-limbed participants. Participants were exposed to four experimental conditions in four counterbalanced blocks: (i) Vision (V) watching an artificial hand positioned congruently to the real hand (out of view); (ii) Vision and strong non-painful TENS in the real hand (V+T); Vision and Stroking (V+S) of the artificial and real hand with a brush; Vision, Stroking and TENS (V+S+T) watching artificial hand being stroked whilst real hand was stroked and receiving TENS. Repeated measure ANOVA detected effects for Condition (PTENS was generated within the artificial hand in individuals with intact limbs and this facilitated perceptual embodiment. The magnitude of effect was modest.

Less Daily Computer Use is Related to Smaller Hippocampal Volumes in Cognitively Intact Elderly.

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Silbert, Lisa C; Dodge, Hiroko H; Lahna, David; Promjunyakul, Nutta-On; Austin, Daniel; Mattek, Nora; Erten-Lyons, Deniz; Kaye, Jeffrey A

2016-01-01

Computer use is becoming a common activity in the daily life of older individuals and declines over time in those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The relationship between daily computer use (DCU) and imaging markers of neurodegeneration is unknown. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between average DCU and volumetric markers of neurodegeneration on brain MRI. Cognitively intact volunteers enrolled in the Intelligent Systems for Assessing Aging Change study underwent MRI. Total in-home computer use per day was calculated using mouse movement detection and averaged over a one-month period surrounding the MRI. Spearman's rank order correlation (univariate analysis) and linear regression models (multivariate analysis) examined hippocampal, gray matter (GM), white matter hyperintensity (WMH), and ventricular cerebral spinal fluid (vCSF) volumes in relation to DCU. A voxel-based morphometry analysis identified relationships between regional GM density and DCU. Twenty-seven cognitively intact participants used their computer for 51.3 minutes per day on average. Less DCU was associated with smaller hippocampal volumes (r = 0.48, p = 0.01), but not total GM, WMH, or vCSF volumes. After adjusting for age, education, and gender, less DCU remained associated with smaller hippocampal volume (p = 0.01). Voxel-wise analysis demonstrated that less daily computer use was associated with decreased GM density in the bilateral hippocampi and temporal lobes. Less daily computer use is associated with smaller brain volume in regions that are integral to memory function and known to be involved early with Alzheimer's pathology and conversion to dementia. Continuous monitoring of daily computer use may detect signs of preclinical neurodegeneration in older individuals at risk for dementia.

Scalable electrophysiology in intact small animals with nanoscale suspended electrode arrays

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Gonzales, Daniel L.; Badhiwala, Krishna N.; Vercosa, Daniel G.; Avants, Benjamin W.; Liu, Zheng; Zhong, Weiwei; Robinson, Jacob T.

2017-07-01

Electrical measurements from large populations of animals would help reveal fundamental properties of the nervous system and neurological diseases. Small invertebrates are ideal for these large-scale studies; however, patch-clamp electrophysiology in microscopic animals typically requires invasive dissections and is low-throughput. To overcome these limitations, we present nano-SPEARs: suspended electrodes integrated into a scalable microfluidic device. Using this technology, we have made the first extracellular recordings of body-wall muscle electrophysiology inside an intact roundworm, Caenorhabditis elegans. We can also use nano-SPEARs to record from multiple animals in parallel and even from other species, such as Hydra littoralis. Furthermore, we use nano-SPEARs to establish the first electrophysiological phenotypes for C. elegans models for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, and show a partial rescue of the Parkinson's phenotype through drug treatment. These results demonstrate that nano-SPEARs provide the core technology for microchips that enable scalable, in vivo studies of neurobiology and neurological diseases.

High Surface Area of Porous Silicon Drives Desorption of Intact Molecules

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Northen, Trent R.; Woo, Hin-Koon; Northen, Michael T.; Nordström, Anders; Uritboonthail, Winnie; Turner, Kimberly L.; Siuzdak, Gary

2007-01-01

The surface structure of porous silicon used in desorption/ionization on porous silicon (DIOS) mass analysis is known to play a primary role in the desorption/ionization (D/I) process. In this study, mass spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are used to examine the correlation between intact ion generation with surface ablation, and surface morphology. The DIOS process is found to be highly laser energy dependent and correlates directly with the appearance of surface ions (Sin+ and OSiH+). A threshold laser energy for DIOS is observed (10 mJ/cm2), which supports that DIOS is driven by surface restructuring and is not a strictly thermal process. In addition, three DIOS regimes are observed which correspond to surface restructuring and melting. These results suggest that higher surface area silicon substrates may enhance DIOS performance. A recent example which fits into this mechanism is silicon nanowires surface which have a high surface energy and concomitantly requires lower laser energy for analyte desorpton. PMID:17881245

Microleakage of stainless steel crowns placed on intact and extensively destroyed primary first molars: an in vitro study.

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Seraj, Bahman; Shahrabi, Mahdi; Motahari, Pouria; Ahmadi, Rahil; Ghadimi, Sara; Mosharafian, Shahram; Mohammadi, Kaveh; Javad Kharazifard, Mohammad

2011-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of residual tooth structure on the microleakage of stainless steel crowns cemented with glass ionomer on primary maxillary and mandibular first molars. Thirty extracted primary molars were divided into 2 groups: group 1 included intact teeth; and group 2 included extensively carious samples. Each tooth received standard preparation, and each crown was luted with G-CEM on its specific specimen. Teeth were loaded vertically and transferred to distilled water. After thermocycling and immersing in methylene blue solution, the teeth were sectioned and examined microscopically for microleakage. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. All specimens (intact and damaged teeth) had microleakage, although most of these presented only minimum microleakage. No statistically significant differences were found in the microleakage of sound and extensively carious teeth on either the buccal (P=.62) or lingual (P=.65) side. Buccal (P=.73) and lingual (P=.63) surfaces showed similar microleakage scores in primary maxillary and mandibular molars. There was no significant difference in the microleakage of sound or extensively carious teeth and primary maxillary or mandibular first molars.

Intact information sampling in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.

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Zamarian, Laura; Trinka, Eugen; Kuchukhidze, Giorgi; Bodner, Thomas; Unterberger, Iris; Luef, Gerhard; Delazer, Margarete

2015-11-01

Previous studies have reported deficits in decision making under ambiguity for patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE). It is unknown whether mTLE is also associated with alterations at a predecisional stage. This study aimed to gain insight into predecisional processing of patients with mTLE. We compared performance of patients with mTLE (n = 25) with that of healthy controls (n = 75) on the information sampling task (IST), a task assessing reflection-impulsivity and predecisional information sampling. Patients and healthy controls showed a similar performance pattern in both conditions of the IST as indicated by the amount of information gathered, the degree of uncertainty tolerated, and the number of decision errors made. They both also demonstrated a significant sensitivity to the different reward characteristics of the task. For the patient group, we found no significant effects on performance on the IST of epilepsy lateralization, abnormality side, structural abnormality (hippocampus vs. amygdala), and medication (monotherapy vs. polytherapy). Reflection processes and predecisional information sampling as tested by the IST are intact in mTLE. Patients collect as much information as healthy individuals and adapt their behavior according to the changing reward conditions. Our findings indicate that in well-defined risk situations, where memory demands are sufficiently minimized, patients with mTLE should be able to gather sufficient information, weight risks and benefits, and make advantageous decisions. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

De Novo Transcriptome Analysis of Two Seahorse Species (Hippocampus erectus and H. mohnikei and the Development of Molecular Markers for Population Genetics.

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Qiang Lin

Full Text Available Seahorse conservation has been performed utilizing various strategies for many decades, and the deeper understanding of genomic information is necessary to more efficiently protect the germplasm resources of seahorse species. However, little genetic information about seahorses currently exists in the public databases. In this study, high-throughput RNA sequencing for two seahorse species, Hippocampus erectus and H. mohnikei, was carried out, and de novo assembly generated 37,506 unigenes for H. erectus and 36,113 unigenes for H. mohnikei. Among them, 17,338 (46.23% unigenes for H. erectus and 17,900 (49.57% for H. mohnikei were successfully annotated based on the information available from the public databases. Through comparing the unigenes of two seahorse species, 7,802 candidate orthologous genes were identified and 5,268 genes among them could be annotated. In addition, gene ontology analysis of two species was similarly performed on biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions. Twenty-four and twenty-one unigenes in H. erectus and H. mohnikei were annotated in the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids pathways, and both seahorses lacked the Δ12 and Δ15 desaturases. Total of 8,992 and 9,116 SSR loci were obtained from H. erectus and H. mohnikei unigenes, respectively. Dozens of SSR were developed and then applied to assess the population genetic diversity, as well as cross-amplified in a related species, H. trimaculatus. The HO and HE values of the tested populations for H. erectus, H. mohnikei, and H. trimaculatus were medium. These resources would facilitate the conservation of the species through a better understanding of the genomics and comparative genome analysis within the Hippocampus genus.

De Novo Transcriptome Analysis of Two Seahorse Species (Hippocampus erectus and H. mohnikei) and the Development of Molecular Markers for Population Genetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Qiang; Luo, Wei; Wan, Shiming; Gao, Zexia

2016-01-01

Seahorse conservation has been performed utilizing various strategies for many decades, and the deeper understanding of genomic information is necessary to more efficiently protect the germplasm resources of seahorse species. However, little genetic information about seahorses currently exists in the public databases. In this study, high-throughput RNA sequencing for two seahorse species, Hippocampus erectus and H. mohnikei, was carried out, and de novo assembly generated 37,506 unigenes for H. erectus and 36,113 unigenes for H. mohnikei. Among them, 17,338 (46.23%) unigenes for H. erectus and 17,900 (49.57%) for H. mohnikei were successfully annotated based on the information available from the public databases. Through comparing the unigenes of two seahorse species, 7,802 candidate orthologous genes were identified and 5,268 genes among them could be annotated. In addition, gene ontology analysis of two species was similarly performed on biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions. Twenty-four and twenty-one unigenes in H. erectus and H. mohnikei were annotated in the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids pathways, and both seahorses lacked the Δ12 and Δ15 desaturases. Total of 8,992 and 9,116 SSR loci were obtained from H. erectus and H. mohnikei unigenes, respectively. Dozens of SSR were developed and then applied to assess the population genetic diversity, as well as cross-amplified in a related species, H. trimaculatus. The HO and HE values of the tested populations for H. erectus, H. mohnikei, and H. trimaculatus were medium. These resources would facilitate the conservation of the species through a better understanding of the genomics and comparative genome analysis within the Hippocampus genus.

Global transcriptome profiling of Salicornia europaea L. shoots under NaCl treatment.

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Ma, Jinbiao; Zhang, Meiru; Xiao, Xinlong; You, Jinjin; Wang, Junru; Wang, Tao; Yao, Yinan; Tian, Changyan

2013-01-01

Soil salinity is a major abiotic stress that limits agriculture productivity worldwide. Salicornia europaea is well adapted to extreme saline environments with more than 1,000 mM NaCl in the soil, so it could serve as an important model species for studying halophilic mechanisms in euhalophytes. To obtain insights into the molecular basis of salt tolerance, we present here the first extensive transcriptome analysis of this species using the Illumina HiSeq™ 2000. A total of 41 and 39 million clean reads from the salt-treated (Se200S) and salt-free (SeCKS) tissues of S. europaea shoots were obtained, and de novo assembly produced 97,865 and 101,751 unigenes, respectively. Upon further assembly with EST data from both Se200S and SeCKS, 109,712 high-quality non-redundant unigenes were generated with a mean unigene size of 639 bp. Additionally, a total of 3,979 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected between the Se200S and SeCKS libraries, with 348 unigenes solely expressed in Se200S and 460 unigenes solely expressed in SeCKS. Furthermore, we identified a large number of genes that are involved in ion homeostasis and osmotic adjustment, including cation transporters and proteins for the synthesis of low-molecular compounds. All unigenes were functionally annotated within the COG, GO and KEGG pathways, and 10 genes were validated by qRT-PCR. Our data contains the extensive sequencing and gene-annotation analysis of S. europaea. This genetic knowledge will be very useful for future studies on the molecular adaptation to abiotic stress in euhalophytes and will facilitate the genetic manipulation of other economically important crops.

De novo transcriptome sequencing and sequence analysis of the malaria vector Anopheles sinensis (Diptera: Culicidae)

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Anopheles sinensis is the major malaria vector in China and Southeast Asia. Vector control is one of the most effective measures to prevent malaria transmission. However, there is little transcriptome information available for the malaria vector. To better understand the biological basis of malaria transmission and to develop novel and effective means of vector control, there is a need to build a transcriptome dataset for functional genomics analysis by large-scale RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Methods To provide a more comprehensive and complete transcriptome of An. sinensis, eggs, larvae, pupae, male adults and female adults RNA were pooled together for cDNA preparation, sequenced using the Illumina paired-end sequencing technology and assembled into unigenes. These unigenes were then analyzed in their genome mapping, functional annotation, homology, codon usage bias and simple sequence repeats (SSRs). Results Approximately 51.6 million clean reads were obtained, trimmed, and assembled into 38,504 unigenes with an average length of 571 bp, an N50 of 711 bp, and an average GC content 51.26%. Among them, 98.4% of unigenes could be mapped onto the reference genome, and 69% of unigenes could be annotated with known biological functions. Homology analysis identified certain numbers of An. sinensis unigenes that showed homology or being putative 1:1 orthologues with genomes of other Dipteran species. Codon usage bias was analyzed and 1,904 SSRs were detected, which will provide effective molecular markers for the population genetics of this species. Conclusions Our data and analysis provide the most comprehensive transcriptomic resource and characteristics currently available for An. sinensis, and will facilitate genetic, genomic studies, and further vector control of An. sinensis. PMID:25000941

Manipulation of the apoplastic pH of intact plants mimics stomatal and growth responses to water availability and microclimatic variation.

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Wilkinson, Sally; Davies, William J

2008-01-01

The apoplastic pH of intact Forsythiaxintermedia (cv. Lynwood) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants has been manipulated using buffered foliar sprays, and thereby stomatal conductance (g(s)), leaf growth rate, and plant water loss have been controlled. The more alkaline the pH of the foliar spray, the lower the g(s) and/or leaf growth rate subsequently measured. The most alkaline pH that was applied corresponds to that measured in sap extracted from shoots of tomato and Forsythia plants experiencing, respectively, soil drying or a relatively high photon flux density (PFD), vapour pressure deficit (VPD), and temperature in the leaf microclimate. The negative correlation between PFD/VPD/temperature and g(s) determined in well-watered Forsythia plants exposed to a naturally varying summer microclimate was eliminated by spraying the plants with relatively alkaline but not acidic buffers, providing evidence for a novel pH-based signalling mechanism linking the aerial microclimate with stomatal aperture. Increasing the pH of the foliar spray only reduced g(s) in plants of the abscisic acid (ABA)-deficient flacca mutant of tomato when ABA was simultaneously sprayed onto leaves or injected into stems. In well-watered Forsythia plants exposed to a naturally varying summer microclimate (variable PFD, VPD, and temperature), xylem pH and leaf ABA concentration fluctuated but were positively correlated. Manipulation of foliar apoplastic pH also affected the response of g(s) and leaf growth to ABA injected into stems of intact Forsythia plants. The techniques used here to control physiology and water use in intact growing plants could easily be applied in a horticultural context.

Deep desulfurization by amphiphilic lanthanide-containing polyoxometalates in ionic-liquid emulsion systems under mild conditions.

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Xu, Junhua; Zhao, Shen; Ji, Yuanchun; Song, Yu-Fei

2013-01-07

Amphiphilic lanthanide-containing polyoxometalates (POMs) were prepared by surfactant encapsulation. Investigation of these lanthanide-containing POMs in oxidative desulfurization (ODS) showed that highly efficient deep desulfurization could be achieved in only 14 min with 100% conversion of dibenzothiophene under mild conditions by using (DDA)(9)LaW(10)/[omim]PF(6) (DDA=dimethyldioctadecylammonium, omim=1-octyl-3-methyl-imidazolium) in the presence of H(2) O(2) . Furthermore, deep desulfurization proceeds smoothly in model oil with an S content as low as 50 ppm. A scaled-up experiment in which the volume of model oil was increased from 5 to 1000 mL with S content of 1000 ppm indicated that about 99% sulfur removal can be achieved in 40 mins in an ionic-liquid emulsion system. To the best of our knowledge, the (DDA)(9)LaW(10)/[omim]PF(6) catalyst system with H(2)O(2) as oxidant is one of the most efficient desulfurization systems reported so far. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A rapid, simple method for the genetic discrimination of intact Arabidopsis thaliana mutant seeds using metabolic profiling by direct analysis in real-time mass spectrometry

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Jang Young

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Efficient high throughput screening systems of useful mutants are prerequisite for study of plant functional genomics and lots of application fields. Advance in such screening tools, thanks to the development of analytic instruments. Direct analysis in real-time (DART-mass spectrometry (MS by ionization of complex materials at atmospheric pressure is a rapid, simple, high-resolution analytical technique. Here we describe a rapid, simple method for the genetic discrimination of intact Arabidopsis thaliana mutant seeds using metabolic profiling by DART-MS. Results To determine whether this DART-MS combined by multivariate analysis can perform genetic discrimination based on global metabolic profiling, intact Arabidopsis thaliana mutant seeds were subjected to DART-MS without any sample preparation. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA of DART-MS spectral data from intact seeds classified 14 different lines of seeds into two distinct groups: Columbia (Col-0 and Landsberg erecta (Ler ecotype backgrounds. A hierarchical dendrogram based on partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA subdivided the Col-0 ecotype into two groups: mutant lines harboring defects in the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway and mutants without these defects. These results indicated that metabolic profiling with DART-MS could discriminate intact Arabidopsis seeds at least ecotype level and metabolic pathway level within same ecotype. Conclusion The described DART-MS combined by multivariate analysis allows for rapid screening and metabolic characterization of lots of Arabidopsis mutant seeds without complex metabolic preparation steps. Moreover, potential novel metabolic markers can be detected and used to clarify the genetic relationship between Arabidopsis cultivars. Furthermore this technique can be applied to predict the novel gene function of metabolic mutants regardless of morphological phenotypes.

Comparison of Athletics Records of Intellectually Disabled Persons with Records of Intact Athletes

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Pavel Tilinger

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Comparison of Athletics Records of Intellectually Disabled Persons with Records of Intact Athletes Comparative studies between intact and ID (Intellectually Disabled individuals have been carried out in many areas (psychic, somatic characteristics, motor skills of individuals with ID, comparison of the level of intellect and motor performance. The study compares the records of intellectually disabled athletes with the records of majority population athletes. For comparison, we have used the existing world records registered by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF, and Inas, (International Sports Federation for Persons with Intellectual Disability. To compare the best Czech records with world records, the best performances of women registered by the ČSMPS (Czech Sports Association for the Mentally Handicapped were used. If we compare the World Records (IAAF and Inas, we can find differences ranging from 8.2 to 45.3%. The differences between intact and intellectually disabled men are approx. by 2 to 10% lower than in women’s similar events. It is only in three events that the differences between intact and ID are slightly lower in women than in men (high jump, discus throw, javelin throw. The smallest differences between the IAAF and Inas records are in sprints events and middle running distances of men and women (10% men, or 15% women respectively. The differences in long distances reach 18% (men and 23% (women. The differences in jumping events are very different, accounting for 20% for men and 24% for women with some generalization. Throwing events for practically both sexes bring differences above 40% (except for shot put. Srovnání atletických rekordů intelektově postižených osob s rekordy intaktních sportovců Srovnávací studie mezi IP a intaktními byly realizovány v řadě oblastí (psychika, somatické charakteristiky, motorika jedinců s IP, srovnání úrovně intelektu a motorické v

The Megameatus, Intact Prepuce Variant of Hypospadias: Use of the Inframeatal Vascularized Flap for Surgical Correction

OpenAIRE

Marc Cendron

2018-01-01

Introduction: The megameatus intact prepuce (MIP) variant of hypospadias is a rare variant of hypospadias that is diagnosed either early at the time of circumcision or later as the foreskin is retracted. The true incidence of the anomaly is difficult to determine precisely as some patient never come to medical attention but is felt to under 5% of all cases of hypospadias. The purposes of this study are to review the embryology and clinical findings of MIP and then, in light of a personal expe...

Transcriptome Characterization of the Chinese Fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb. Hook. and Expression Analysis of Candidate Phosphate Transporter Genes

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Ming Li

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb. Hook. is the most important afforestation tree species in China because of its excellent timber quality and high yield. However, the limited availability of phosphorus in forest soils is widespread and has become an important factor in the declining productivity of Chinese fir plantations. Here we used the Illumina HiSeq™ 2000 DNA sequencing platform to sequence root, stem, and leaf transcriptomes of one-year old Chinese fir clones with phosphorus treatment. Approximately 236,529,278 clean reads were obtained and generated 35.47 G of sequencing data. These reads were assembled into 413,806 unigenes with a mean length of 520 bp. In total, 109,596 unigenes were annotated in the NR (NCBI non-redundant database, 727,287 genes were assigned for GO (Gene Ontology terms, information for 92,001 classified unigenes was assigned to 26 KOG (Karyotic Orthologous Groups categories, and 57,042 unigenes were significantly matched with 132 KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes predicted pathways. In total, 49 unigenes were identified as exhibiting inorganic phosphate transporter activity, and 14 positive genes’ expression patterns in different phosphorus deficiency treatments were analyzed by qRT-PCR to explore their putative functions. This study provides a basic foundation for functional genomic studies of the phosphate transporter in Chinese fir, and also presents an extensive annotated sequence resource for molecular research.

Peri/nuclear localization of intact insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 and a distinct carboxyl-terminal IGFBP-2 fragment in vivo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoeflich, A.; Reisinger, R.; Schuett, B.S.; Elmlinger, M.W.; Russo, V.C.; Vargas, G.A.; Jehle, P.M.; Lahm, H.; Renner-Mueller, I.; Wolf, E.

2004-01-01

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) as one of the most important IGFBPs has never been assessed in the intracellular compartment in vivo. Since there is evidence for novel intracellular functions of distinct IGFBPs, we investigated the presence of IGFBP-2 inside the cell. In peri/nuclear fractions of various tissues isolated from IGFBP-2 transgenic and non-transgenic mice we were able to show the presence of intact IGFBP-2. In addition, we demonstrate the presence of a highly conserved carboxyl-terminal IGFBP-2 fragment in the peri/nuclear fraction by using different peptide-induced antibodies. In pancreatic sections, confocal microscopy revealed the presence of IGFBP-2 on the nuclear surface but not within the nucleus. Our findings suggest novel functions of intact IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-2 fragments within the cell

Bone marrow dosimetry in rats using direct tissue counting after injection of radio-iodinated intact monoclonal antibodies or F(ab')2 fragments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buchegger, F.; Chalandon, Y.; Pelegrin, A.; Hardman, N.; Mach, J.P.

1991-01-01

Normal rats were injected intravenously with 131I- and 125I-labeled intact murine and chimeric mouse-human monoclonal antibodies directed against carcinoembryonic antigen or with the corresponding F(ab')2 fragments. At different times after injection, individual animals were killed and radioactivity of blood and major organs, including bones and bone marrow, was determined. Ratios comparing radioactivity concentration in different tissues with that of bone marrow were calculated and found to remain stable during several effective half-lives of the antibodies. Mean bone marrow radioactivity was 35% (range, 29%-40%) of that of blood and 126% (range, 108%-147%) of that of liver after injection of intact Mabs or F(ab')2 fragments. In nude rats bearing human colon carcinoma xenografts producing carcinoembryonic antigen, relative bone marrow radioactivity was slightly lower than that in normal rats

Sustaining the grassland sea: Regional perspectives on identifying, protecting and restoring the Sky Island region's most intact grassland valley landscapes

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Gitanjali S. Bodner; Peter Warren; David Gori; Karla Sartor; Steven Bassett

2013-01-01

Grasslands of the Sky Islands region once covered over 13 million acres in southeastern Arizona and adjacent portions of New Mexico, Sonora, and Chihuahua. Attempts to evaluate current ecological conditions suggest that approximately two thirds of these remain as intact or restorable grassland habitat. These grasslands provide watershed services such as flood control...

Contemporary economic and clinical evaluations of endovascular repair for intact descending thoracic aortic aneurysms.

Science.gov (United States)

Silingardi, Roberto; Gennai, Stefano; Coppi, Giovanni; Chester, Johanna; Marcheselli, Luigi; Brunetti, Massimo

2017-12-01

The aim of this study was to assess clinical and contemporary costs associated with elective endovascular repair of intact descending thoracic aortic aneurysms (DTAA) into the mid-term follow-up. A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained clinical database including 29 consecutive patients from July 2005 to December 2009 treated with elective endovascular repair (TEVAR) or TEVAR and surgical infrarenal repair (hybrid) of intact DTAA was performed. Mean age was 74.5 years old (±7.1). Primary clinical endpoints include mortality and major morbidity. Additionally a comprehensive economic appraisal of individual in-hospital and follow-up costs was executed. Economic endpoints include in-hospital and follow-up costs and patient discharge status. Elective endovascular and open repairs' clinical and economical outcomes in contemporary literature were assessed for comparison according to PRISMA standards. Immediate mortality was 6.9% (1/24 TEVAR and 1/5 hybrid). Three respiratory complications were recorded (11%; 2 TEVAR, 1 hybrid). Renal and cardiac complication rates were 7.4% (1 TEVAR, 1 hybrid) and 3.7% (1 TEVAR) respectively. Routine discharge home was achieved for 85% of patients (95.7% TEVAR, 25% hybrid). Three endoleaks were treated throughout the follow-up (2 TEVAR, 1 hybrid; mean 30.4 mo, ±19.9) rendering an 11% (3/27) reintervention rate. Average immediate cost was €21,976.87 for elective endovascular repair and €33,783.21 for elective endovascular hybrid repair. Additional reintervention and routine follow-up costs augmented immediate costs by 12.4%. This study supports satisfying immediate clinical outcomes for TEVAR and TEVAR+surgical infrarenal procedures. Although limited by a small population size and difficulties in economic comparisons, this study presents the real world social and economic cost scenario for both elective TEVAR and TEVAR hybrid treatment of DTAA of both the in-hospital and at mid term follow-up periods.

Effects of tetracaine on voltage-activated calcium sparks in frog intact skeletal muscle fibers.

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Hollingworth, Stephen; Chandler, W Knox; Baylor, Stephen M

2006-03-01

The properties of Ca(2+) sparks in frog intact skeletal muscle fibers depolarized with 13 mM [K(+)] Ringer's are well described by a computational model with a Ca(2+) source flux of amplitude 2.5 pA (units of current) and duration 4.6 ms (18 degrees C; Model 2 of Baylor et al., 2002). This result, in combination with the values of single-channel Ca(2+) current reported for ryanodine receptors (RyRs) in bilayers under physiological ion conditions, 0.5 pA (Kettlun et al., 2003) to 2 pA (Tinker et al., 1993), suggests that 1-5 RyR Ca(2+) release channels open during a voltage-activated Ca(2+) spark in an intact fiber. To distinguish between one and greater than one channel per spark, sparks were measured in 8 mM [K(+)] Ringer's in the absence and presence of tetracaine, an inhibitor of RyR channel openings in bilayers. The most prominent effect of 75-100 microM tetracaine was an approximately sixfold reduction in spark frequency. The remaining sparks showed significant reductions in the mean values of peak amplitude, decay time constant, full duration at half maximum (FDHM), full width at half maximum (FWHM), and mass, but not in the mean value of rise time. Spark properties in tetracaine were simulated with an updated spark model that differed in minor ways from our previous model. The simulations show that (a) the properties of sparks in tetracaine are those expected if tetracaine reduces the number of active RyR Ca(2+) channels per spark, and (b) the single-channel Ca(2+) current of an RyR channel is normal voltage-activated sparks (i.e., in the absence of tetracaine) are produced by two or more active RyR Ca(2+) channels. The question of how the activation of multiple RyRs is coordinated is discussed.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761 in a sample of cognitively intact older adults: neuropsychological findings.

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Mix, Joseph A; Crews, W David

2002-08-01

There appears to be an absence of large-scaled clinical trials that have examined the efficacy of Ginkgo biloba extract on the neuropsychological functioning of cognitively intact older adults. The importance of such clinical research appears paramount in light of the plethora of products containing Ginkgo biloba that are currently being widely marketed to predominantly cognitively intact adults with claims of enhanced cognitive performances. The purpose of this research was to conduct the first known, large-scaled clinical trial of the efficacy of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) on the neuropsychological functioning of cognitively intact older adults. Two hundred and sixty-two community-dwelling volunteers (both male and female) 60 years of age and older, who reported no history of dementia or significant neurocognitive impairments and obtained Mini-Mental State Examination total scores of at least 26, were examined via a 6-week, randomized, double-blind, fixed-dose, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, clinical trial. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761(n = 131; 180 mg/day) or placebo (n = 131) for 6 weeks. Efficacy measures consisted of participants' raw change in performance scores from pretreatment baseline to those obtained just prior to termination of treatment on the following standardized neuropsychological measures: Selective Reminding Test (SRT), Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III Block Design (WAIS-III BD) and Digit Symbol-Coding (WAIS-III DS) subtests, and the Wechsler Memory Scale-III Faces I (WMS-III FI) and Faces II (WMS-III FII) subtests. A subjective Follow-up Self-report Questionnaire was also administered to participants just prior to termination of the treatment phase. Analyses of covariance indicated that cognitively intact participants who received 180 mg of EGb 761 daily for 6 weeks exhibited significantly more improvement on SRT tasks involving delayed (30 min) free recall (p visual material

Application of Geostatistical Modelling to Study the Exploration Adequacy of Uniaxial Compressive Strength of Intact Rock alongthe Behesht-Abad Tunnel Route

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Mohammad Doustmohammadi

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Uniaxial compressive strength (UCS is one of the most significant factors on the stability of underground excavation projects. Most of the time, this factor can be obtained by exploratory boreholes evaluation. Due to the large distance between exploratory boreholes in the majority of geotechnical projects, the application of geostatistical methods has increased as an estimator of rock mass properties. The present paper ties the estimation of UCS values of intact rock to the distance between boreholes of the Behesht-Abad tunnel in central Iran, using SGEMS geostatistical program. Variography showed that UCS estimation of intact rock using geostatistical methods is reasonable. The model establishment and validation was done after assessment that the model was trustworthy. Cross validation proved the high accuracy (98% and reliability of the model to estimate uniaxial compressive strength. The UCS values were then estimated along the tunnel axis. Moreover, using geostatistical estimation led to better identification of the pros and cons of geotechnical explorations in each location of tunnel route.

Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticles: Behavior towards Intact and Impaired Human Skin and Keratinocytes Toxicity

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Marcella Mauro

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Skin absorption and toxicity on keratinocytes of cobalt oxide nanoparticles (Co3O4NPs have been investigated. Co3O4NPs are commonly used in industrial products and biomedicine. There is evidence that these nanoparticles can cause membrane damage and genotoxicity in vitro, but no data are available on their skin absorption and cytotoxicity on keratinocytes. Two independent 24 h in vitro experiments were performed using Franz diffusion cells, using intact (experiment 1 and needle-abraded human skin (experiment 2. Co3O4NPs at a concentration of 1000 mg/L in physiological solution were used as donor phase. Cobalt content was evaluated by Inductively Coupled–Mass Spectroscopy. Co permeation through the skin was demonstrated after 24 h only when damaged skin protocol was used (57 ± 38 ng·cm−2, while no significant differences were shown between blank cells (0.92 ± 0.03 ng cm−2 and those with intact skin (1.08 ± 0.20 ng·cm−2. To further investigate Co3O4NPs toxicity, human-derived HaCaT keratinocytes were exposed to Co3O4NPs and cytotoxicity evaluated by MTT, Alamarblue® and propidium iodide (PI uptake assays. The results indicate that a long exposure time (i.e., seven days was necessary to induce a concentration-dependent cell viability reduction (EC50 values: 1.3 × 10−4 M, 95% CL = 0.8–1.9 × 10−4 M, MTT essay; 3.7 × 10−5 M, 95% CI = 2.2–6.1 × 10−5 M, AlamarBlue® assay that seems to be associated to necrotic events (EC50 value: 1.3 × 10−4 M, 95% CL = 0.9–1.9 × 10−4 M, PI assay. This study demonstrated that Co3O4NPs can penetrate only damaged skin and is cytotoxic for HaCat cells after long term exposure.

A Universal Protocol for Photochemical Covalent Immobilization of Intact Carbohydrates for the Preparation of Carbohydrate Microarrays

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Wang, Huibin; Zhang, Yiming; Yuan, Xun; Chen, Yi; Yan, Mingdi

2010-01-01

A universal photochemical method has been established for the immobilization of intact carbohydrates and their analogues, and for the fabrication of carbohydrate microarrays. The method features the use of perfluorophenyl azide (PFPA)-modified substrates and the photochemical reaction of surface azido groups with printed carbohydrates. Various aldoses, ketoses, non-reducing sugars such as alditols and their derivatives can be directly arrayed on the PFPA-modified chips. The lectin-recognition ability of arrayed mannose, glucose and their oligo- and polysaccharides were confirmed using surface plasmon resonance imaging and laser-induced fluorescence imaging. PMID:21138274

Global transcriptome profiling of Salicornia europaea L. shoots under NaCl treatment.

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Jinbiao Ma

Full Text Available Soil salinity is a major abiotic stress that limits agriculture productivity worldwide. Salicornia europaea is well adapted to extreme saline environments with more than 1,000 mM NaCl in the soil, so it could serve as an important model species for studying halophilic mechanisms in euhalophytes. To obtain insights into the molecular basis of salt tolerance, we present here the first extensive transcriptome analysis of this species using the Illumina HiSeq™ 2000.A total of 41 and 39 million clean reads from the salt-treated (Se200S and salt-free (SeCKS tissues of S. europaea shoots were obtained, and de novo assembly produced 97,865 and 101,751 unigenes, respectively. Upon further assembly with EST data from both Se200S and SeCKS, 109,712 high-quality non-redundant unigenes were generated with a mean unigene size of 639 bp. Additionally, a total of 3,979 differentially expressed genes (DEGs were detected between the Se200S and SeCKS libraries, with 348 unigenes solely expressed in Se200S and 460 unigenes solely expressed in SeCKS. Furthermore, we identified a large number of genes that are involved in ion homeostasis and osmotic adjustment, including cation transporters and proteins for the synthesis of low-molecular compounds. All unigenes were functionally annotated within the COG, GO and KEGG pathways, and 10 genes were validated by qRT-PCR.Our data contains the extensive sequencing and gene-annotation analysis of S. europaea. This genetic knowledge will be very useful for future studies on the molecular adaptation to abiotic stress in euhalophytes and will facilitate the genetic manipulation of other economically important crops.

Analysis of Litopenaeus vannamei transcriptome using the next-generation DNA sequencing technique.

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Chaozheng Li

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei, the major species of farmed shrimps in the world, has been attracting extensive studies, which require more and more genome background knowledge. The now available transcriptome data of L. vannamei are insufficient for research requirements, and have not been adequately assembled and annotated. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This is the first study that used a next-generation high-throughput DNA sequencing technique, the Solexa/Illumina GA II method, to analyze the transcriptome from whole bodies of L. vannamei larvae. More than 2.4 Gb of raw data were generated, and 109,169 unigenes with a mean length of 396 bp were assembled using the SOAP denovo software. 73,505 unigenes (>200 bp with good quality sequences were selected and subjected to annotation analysis, among which 37.80% can be matched in NCBI Nr database, 37.3% matched in Swissprot, and 44.1% matched in TrEMBL. Using BLAST and BLAST2Go softwares, 11,153 unigenes were classified into 25 Clusters of Orthologous Groups of proteins (COG categories, 8171 unigenes were assigned into 51 Gene ontology (GO functional groups, and 18,154 unigenes were divided into 220 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG pathways. To primarily verify part of the results of assembly and annotations, 12 assembled unigenes that are homologous to many embryo development-related genes were chosen and subjected to RT-PCR for electrophoresis and Sanger sequencing analyses, and to real-time PCR for expression profile analyses during embryo development. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The L. vannamei transcriptome analyzed using the next-generation sequencing technique enriches the information of L. vannamei genes, which will facilitate our understanding of the genome background of crustaceans, and promote the studies on L. vannamei.

De novo assembly and characterization of the spleen transcriptome of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) using Illumina paired-end sequencing.

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Li, Guoxi; Zhao, Yinli; Liu, Zhonghu; Gao, Chunsheng; Yan, Fengbin; Liu, Bianzhi; Feng, Jianxin

2015-06-01

Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is one of the most important aquacultured species of the family Cyprinidae, and breeding this species for disease resistance is becoming more and more important. However, at the genome or transcriptome levels, study of the immunogenetics of disease resistance in the common carp is lacking. In this study, 60,316,906 and 75,200,328 paired-end clean reads were obtained from two cDNA libraries of the common carp spleen by Illumina paired-end sequencing technology. Totally, 130,293 unique transcript fragments (unigenes) were assembled, with an average length of 1400.57 bp. Approximately 105,612 (81.06%) unigenes could be annotated according to their homology with matches in the Nr, Nt, Swiss-Prot, COG, GO, or KEGG databases, and they were found to represent 46,747 non-redundant genes. Comparative analysis showed that 59.82% of the unigenes have significant similarity to zebrafish Refseq proteins. Gene expression comparison revealed that 10,432 and 6889 annotated unigenes were, respectively, up- and down-regulated with at least twofold changes between two developmental stages of the common carp spleen. Gene ontology and KEGG analysis were performed to classify all unigenes into functional categories for understanding gene functions and regulation pathways. In addition, 46,847 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were detected from 35,618 unigenes, and a large number of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and insertion/deletion (INDEL) sites were identified in the spleen transcriptome of common carp. This study has characterized the spleen transcriptome of the common carp for the first time, providing a valuable resource for a better understanding of the common carp immune system and defense mechanisms. This knowledge will also facilitate future functional studies on common carp immunogenetics that may eventually be applied in breeding programs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transcriptome Analysis of Dendrobium officinale and its Application to the Identification of Genes Associated with Polysaccharide Synthesis

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Zhang, Jianxia; He, Chunmei; Wu, Kunlin; Teixeira da Silva, Jaime A.; Zeng, Songjun; Zhang, Xinhua; Yu, Zhenming; Xia, Haoqiang; Duan, Jun

2016-01-01

Dendrobium officinale is one of the most important Chinese medicinal herbs. Polysaccharides are one of the main active ingredients of D. officinale. To identify the genes that maybe related to polysaccharides synthesis, two cDNA libraries were prepared from juvenile and adult D. officinale, and were named Dendrobium-1 and Dendrobium-2, respectively. Illumina sequencing for Dendrobium-1 generated 102 million high quality reads that were assembled into 93,881 unigenes with an average sequence length of 790 base pairs. The sequencing for Dendrobium-2 generated 86 million reads that were assembled into 114,098 unigenes with an average sequence length of 695 base pairs. Two transcriptome databases were integrated and assembled into a total of 145,791 unigenes. Among them, 17,281 unigenes were assigned to 126 KEGG pathways while 135 unigenes were involved in fructose and mannose metabolism. Gene Ontology analysis revealed that the majority of genes were associated with metabolic and cellular processes. Furthermore, 430 glycosyltransferase and 89 cellulose synthase genes were identified. Comparative analysis of both transcriptome databases revealed a total of 32,794 differential expression genes (DEGs), including 22,051 up-regulated and 10,743 down-regulated genes in Dendrobium-2 compared to Dendrobium-1. Furthermore, a total of 1142 and 7918 unigenes showed unique expression in Dendrobium-1 and Dendrobium-2, respectively. These DEGs were mainly correlated with metabolic pathways and the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. In addition, 170 DEGs belonged to glycosyltransferase genes, 37 DEGs were related to cellulose synthase genes and 627 DEGs encoded transcription factors. This study substantially expands the transcriptome information for D. officinale and provides valuable clues for identifying candidate genes involved in polysaccharide biosynthesis and elucidating the mechanism of polysaccharide biosynthesis. PMID:26904032

Inhibition of serine palmitoyltransferase in vitro and long-chain base biosynthesis in intact Chinese hamster ovary cells by β-chloroalanine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medlock, K.A.; Merrill, A.H. Jr.

1988-01-01

The effects of β-chloroalanine (β-Cl-alanine) on the serine palmitoyltransferase activity and the de novo biosynthesis of sphinganine and sphingenine were investigated in vitro with rat liver microsomes and in vivo with intact Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. The inhibition in vitro was rapid, irreversible, and concentration and time dependent and apparently involved the active site because inactivation only occurred with β-Cl-L-alanine and was blocked by L-serine. These are characteristics of mechanism-based (suicide) inhibition. Serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT) was also inhibited when intact CHO cells were incubated with β-Cl-alanine and this treatment inhibited [ 14 C]serine incorporation into long-chain bases by intact cells. The concentration dependence of the loss of SPT activity and of long-chain base synthesis was identical. The effects of β-Cl-alanine appeared to occur with little perturbation of other cell functions: the cells exhibited no loss in cell viability, [ 14 C]serine uptake was not blocked, total lipid biosynthesis from [ 14 C]acetic acid was not decreased (nor was the appearance of radiolabel in cholesterol and phosphatidylcholine), and [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation into DNA was not affected. There appeared to be little effect on protein synthesis based on the incorporation of [ 3 H]leucine, which was only decreased by 14%. Although β-Cl-L-alanine is known to inhibit other pyridoxal 5'-phosphate dependent enzymes, alanine and aspartate transaminases were not inhibited under these conditions. These results establish the close association between the activity of serine palmitoyltransferase and the cellular rate of long-chain base formation and indicate that β-Cl-alanine and other mechanism-based inhibitors might be useful to study alterations in cellular long-chain base synthesis

Kinetic identification of an intracellular calcium compartment sensitive to phosphate and dinitrophenol in intact isolated rabbit aorta

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hai, C.M.; Phair, R.D.

1986-01-01

Previous work from this laboratory revealed the presence of at least three distinct intracellular calcium compartments in intact segments of rabbit aorta. In this study one of these intracellular compartments is shown to be sensitive to dinitrophenol and to increased extracellular phosphate. Intact aortic segments were loaded with 45 Ca in bicarbonate-buffered physiologic salt solution for 1 hour, and then transferred to a flow-through chamber perfused with physiologic salt solution. Effluent from the chamber was collected for 8 hours, and 45 Ca efflux curves were analyzed using compartmental analysis. When aortic segments were loaded and washed out in dinitrophenol, the slowest component of the efflux curve was less prominent; in high phosphate it was more prominent. The rate constant changes required to account for these data were primarily in the exchange between the cytosolic and slowest intracellular calcium compartment, suggesting that the slowest calcium compartment resolved during the 8-hour washout was mitochondrial. This compartment contained 5.4 +/- 3.2 nmol calcium/g wet wt. tissue. The calcium flux across its membranes was 0.32 +/- 0.04 nmol min-1g-1. Because this flux is much smaller than the plasma-membrane calcium flux, we suggest that, in normal physiological circumstances, plasma-membrane extrusion is more important for the removal of Ca from the smooth muscle cytosol than is uptake into this slow intracellular compartment

Illumina-based de novo transcriptome sequencing and analysis

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In the present study, we used Illumina HiSeq technology to perform de novo assembly of heart and musk gland transcriptomes from the Chinese forest musk deer. A total of 239,383 transcripts and 176,450 unigenes were obtained, of which 37,329 unigenes were matched to known sequences in the NCBI nonredundant ...

In vivo robotics: the automation of neuroscience and other intact-system biological fields.

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Kodandaramaiah, Suhasa B; Boyden, Edward S; Forest, Craig R

2013-12-01

Robotic and automation technologies have played a huge role in in vitro biological science, having proved critical for scientific endeavors such as genome sequencing and high-throughput screening. Robotic and automation strategies are beginning to play a greater role in in vivo and in situ sciences, especially when it comes to the difficult in vivo experiments required for understanding the neural mechanisms of behavior and disease. In this perspective, we discuss the prospects for robotics and automation to influence neuroscientific and intact-system biology fields. We discuss how robotic innovations might be created to open up new frontiers in basic and applied neuroscience and present a concrete example with our recent automation of in vivo whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology of neurons in the living mouse brain. © 2013 New York Academy of Sciences.

The role of inorganic phosphate in intact human erythrocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishiguchi, Eiko; Umeda, Masahiro.

1988-01-01

The role of inorganic phosphate in intact human erythrocytes was investigated by phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance ( 31 P NMR). When erythrocytes stored for 5 weeks were incubated at 37 deg C, pH 7.4, in medium containing 2 mM adenine and 10 mM inosine, with or without 5 mM glucose, a substance of around 4 ppm, as assessed by 31 P NMR chemical shift, was detected in the mixture. However, this substance disappeared by the addition of inorganic phosphate. When erythrocytes stored for 4 weeks in acid citrate dextrose (ACD) solution were incubated with 2 mM adenine, 10 mM inosine, 5 mM glucose, 50 mM inorganic phosphate and 10 mM pyruvate at 37 deg C, pH 7.4, the 2,3-DPG level increased gradually, whereas the ATP level initially increased and then decreased. Intracellular inorganic phosphate appeared to be used for the synthesis of ATP and 2,3-DPG during the first 30 min. of the reaction. These results suggests that the inorganic phosphate accelerates glycolysis by increasing the activity of glycolytic enzymes rather than its direct involvement in synthesizing organic phosphorus compounds in stored erythrocytes. The results also suggests that the reserve energy from ATP synthesis is not sufficient for the synthesis of 2,3-DPG. (author)

Subjective Memory Complaints are Associated with Incident Dementia in Cognitively Intact Older People, but Not in Those with Cognitive Impairment: A 24-Month Prospective Cohort Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsutsumimoto, Kota; Makizako, Hyuma; Doi, Takehiko; Hotta, Ryo; Nakakubo, Sho; Makino, Keitaro; Shimada, Hiroyuki; Suzuki, Takao

2017-06-01

Although subjective memory complaints (SMCs) are considered a risk factor for incident dementia in older people, the effect might differ based on cognitive function. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the effect of SMCs on the incidence of dementia in older people differed based on cognitive function. A 24-month follow-up cohort study. Japanese community. Prospective, longitudinal data for incident dementia were collected for 3,672 participants (mean age: 71.7 years; 46.5% men) for up to 24 months. Baseline measurements included covariates for incident dementia, SMCs, and cognitive function. Associations between SMCs, cognitive impairment, and incident dementia were examined using Cox proportional hazards models. Incidences of dementia in the cognitively intact without SMC, cognitively intact with SMC, cognitive impairment without SMC, and cognitive impairment with SMC groups were 0.3%, 1.8%, 3.4%, and 4.8%, respectively. In the cognitively intact participants, SMCs were associated with a significantly higher risk of dementia (hazard ratio [HR]: 4.95, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.52-16.11, p = 0.008). Incident dementia with cognitive impairment was not significantly different based on SMC presence (p = 0.527). Participants with cognitive impairment in multiple domains had a significantly higher risk of incident dementia (HR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.01-4.24, p = 0.046) CONCLUSION: SMCs were related with dementia in cognitively intact older people, but not in those with cognitive impairment.Multiple domains of cognitive impairment were associated with a higher risk of incident dementia. Copyright © 2017 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Structural chromatin organization as a factor determining the rate of chromatin endonucleolysis in irradiated and intact thymocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryabchenko, N.I.; Ivannik, B.P.

1987-01-01

A study was made of chromatin endonucleolysis in hypotonized thymocytes incubating in digestive buffers containing different concentrations of potassium, magnesium, calcium, and mercaptoethanol. Inhibition of endonucleolysis by univalent cation during the first 20 min of incubation was followed by intensive chromatin degradation. A decrease in free potassium content retarded chromatin degradation and enhanced the inhibiting effect of the univalent cations. The regularities of changes in the rate of chromatin endonucleolysis in different digestive buffers were similar with both exposed and intact thymocytes

Transcriptome of Pneumocystis carinii during fulminate infection: carbohydrate metabolism and the concept of a compatible parasite.

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Melanie T Cushion

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Members of the genus Pneumocystis are fungal pathogens that cause pneumonia in a wide variety of mammals with debilitated immune systems. Little is known about their basic biological functions, including life cycle, since no species can be cultured continuously outside the mammalian lung. To better understand the pathological process, about 4500 ESTS derived from sequencing of the poly(A tail ends of P. carinii mRNAs during fulminate infection were annotated and functionally characterized as unassembled reads, and then clustered and reduced to a unigene set with 1042 members. Because of the presence of sequences from other microbial genomes and the rat host, the analysis and compression to a unigene set was necessarily an iterative process. BLASTx analysis of the unassembled reads (UR vs. the Uni-Prot and TREMBL databases revealed 56% had similarities to existing polypeptides at E values ofunigene set. Gene Ontology analysis using BLAST2GO revealed P. carinii dedicated most of its transcripts to cellular and physiological processes ( approximately 80%, molecular binding and catalytic activities (approximately 70%, and were primarily derived from cell and organellar compartments (approximately 80%. KEGG Pathway mapping showed the putative P. carinii genes represented most standard metabolic pathways and cellular processes, including the tricarboxylic acid cycle, glycolysis, amino acid biosynthesis, cell cycle and mitochondrial function. Several gene homologs associated with mating

The intact capture of hypervelocity dust particles using underdense foams

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Maag, Carl R.; Borg, J.; Tanner, William G.; Stevenson, T. J.; Bibring, J.-P.

1994-01-01

probability of survival for the impacting particle. The primary objectives of the experiment are to (1) Examine the morphology of primary and secondary hypervelocity impact craters. Primary attention will be paid to craters caused by ejecta during hypervelocity impacts of different substrates. (2) Determine the size distribution of ejecta by means of witness plates and collect fragments of ejecta from craters by means of momentum-sensitive mcropore foam. (3) Assess the directionality of the flux by means of penetration-hole alignment of thin films placed above the cells. (4) Capture intact the particles that perforated the thin film and entered the cell. Capture media consisted of both previously flight-tested micropore foams and aerogel. The foams had different latent heats of fusion and, accordingly, will capture particles over a range of momenta. Aerogel was incorporated into the cells to determine the minimum diameter than can be captured intact.

Maximizing Selective Cleavages at Aspartic Acid and Proline Residues for the Identification of Intact Proteins

Science.gov (United States)

Foreman, David J.; Dziekonski, Eric T.; McLuckey, Scott A.

2018-04-01

A new approach for the identification of intact proteins has been developed that relies on the generation of relatively few abundant products from specific cleavage sites. This strategy is intended to complement standard approaches that seek to generate many fragments relatively non-selectively. Specifically, this strategy seeks to maximize selective cleavage at aspartic acid and proline residues via collisional activation of precursor ions formed via electrospray ionization (ESI) under denaturing conditions. A statistical analysis of the SWISS-PROT database was used to predict the number of arginine residues for a given intact protein mass and predict a m/z range where the protein carries a similar charge to the number of arginine residues thereby enhancing cleavage at aspartic acid residues by limiting proton mobility. Cleavage at aspartic acid residues is predicted to be most favorable in the m/z range of 1500-2500, a range higher than that normally generated by ESI at low pH. Gas-phase proton transfer ion/ion reactions are therefore used for precursor ion concentration from relatively high charge states followed by ion isolation and subsequent generation of precursor ions within the optimal m/z range via a second proton transfer reaction step. It is shown that the majority of product ion abundance is concentrated into cleavages C-terminal to aspartic acid residues and N-terminal to proline residues for ions generated by this process. Implementation of a scoring system that weights both ion fragment type and ion fragment area demonstrated identification of standard proteins, ranging in mass from 8.5 to 29.0 kDa. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Rapid method for direct identification of bacteria in urine and blood culture samples by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry: intact cell vs. extraction method.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferreira, L; Sánchez-Juanes, F; Muñoz-Bellido, J L; González-Buitrago, J M

2011-07-01

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) is a fast and reliable technology for the identification of microorganisms with proteomics approaches. Here, we compare an intact cell method and a protein extraction method before application on the MALDI plate for the direct identification of microorganisms in both urine and blood culture samples from clinical microbiology laboratories. The results show that the intact cell method provides excellent results for urine and is a good initial method for blood cultures. The extraction method complements the intact cell method, improving microorganism identification from blood culture. Thus, we consider that MALDI-TOF MS performed directly on urine and blood culture samples, with the protocols that we propose, is a suitable technique for microorganism identification, as compared with the routine methods used in the clinical microbiology laboratory. © 2010 The Authors. Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2010 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

Characterization of methanotrophic bacteria on the basis of intact phospholipid profiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, J; Barcelona, M J; Semrau, J D

2000-08-01

The intact phospholipid profiles (IPPs) of seven species of methanotrophs from all three physiological groups, type I, II and X, were determined using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry. In these methanotrophs, two major classes of phospholipids were found, phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) as well as its derivatives phosphatidylmethylethanolamine (PME) and phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine (PDME). Specifically, the type I methanotrophs, Methylomonas methanica, Methylomonas rubra and Methylomicrobium album BG8 were characterized by PE and PG phospholipids with predominantly C16:1 fatty acids. The type II methanotrophs, Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b and CSC1 were characterized by phospholipids of PG, PME and PDME with predominantly C18:1 fatty acids. Methylococcus capsulatus Bath, a representative of type X methanotrophs, contained mostly PE (89% of the total phospholipids). Finally, the IPPs of a recently isolated acidophilic methanotroph, Methylocella palustris, showed it had a preponderance of PME phospholipids with 18:1 fatty acids (94% of total). Principal component analysis showed these methanotrophs could be clearly distinguished based on phospholipid profiles. Results from this study suggest that IPP can be very useful in bacterial chemotaxonomy.

Friction coefficient of an intact free liquid jet moving in air

Science.gov (United States)

Comiskey, P. M.; Yarin, A. L.

2018-04-01

Here, we propose a novel method of determining the friction coefficient of intact free liquid jets moving in quiescent air. The middle-size jets of this kind are relevant for such applications as decorative fountains, fiber-forming, fire suppression, agriculture, and forensics. The present method is based on measurements of trajectories created using a straightforward experimental apparatus emulating such jets at a variety of initial inclination angles. Then, the trajectories are described theoretically, accounting for the longitudinal traction imposed on such jets by the surrounding air. The comparison of the experimental data with the theoretical predictions shows that the results can be perfectly superimposed with the friction coefficient {C_{{fd}}}=5R{e_d}^{{ - 1/2 ± 0.05}}, in the 621 ≤ R{e_d} ≤ 1289 range, with Red being the Reynolds number based on the local cross-sectional diameter of the jet. The results also show that the farthest distance such jets can reach corresponds to the initial inclination angle α =35° which is in agreement with already published data.

Left ventricular mechanical adaptation to chronic aortic regurgitation in intact dogs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Florenzano, F.; Glantz, S.A.

1987-01-01

Increased and end-diastolic wall stress has been hypothesized to stimulate left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy following volume overload. The authors instrumented intact-chest dogs with radiopaque markers in both ventricles and created volume overload by puncturing one aortic valve cusp. An x-ray system with biplane fluoroscopic and cineradiographic capabilities was used. End-diastolic stress increased immediately, then fell over 3 mo as the heart hypertrophied. End-systolic stress did not change significantly. Chamber contractility, quantified as E/sub max/, the end-systolic pressure-volume line slope, increased. E/sub max/ normalized by multiplying by LV mass increased following the lesion before but not after β-blockade with propranolol and did not change significantly over time, suggesting that chamber contractility changed because of increased mass and sympathetic tone rather than changed intrinsic muscle function. LV mass did not initially correlate with lesion size, but steady-state mass did. Over the range of lesions the authors produced, increased end-diastolic wall stress appears to stimulate hypertrophy at a fixed rate, which stops when end-diastolic wall stress has been reduced to an acceptable level

Metabolism of fluoranthene in different plant cell cultures and intact plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kolb, M.; Harms, H.

2000-05-01

The metabolism of fluoranthene was investigated in 11 cell cultures of different plant species using a [{sup 14}C]-labeled standard. Most species metabolized less than 5% of fluoranthene to soluble metabolites and formed less than 5% nonextractable residues during the standardized 48-h test procedure. Higher metabolic rates were observed in lettuce (Lactuca sativa, 6%), wheat (Tricitum aestivum, 9%), and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum, 15%). A special high metabolic rate of nearly 50% was determined for the rose species Paul's Scarlet. Chromatographic analysis of metabolites extracted from aseptically grown tomato plants proved that the metabolites detected in the cell cultures were also formed in the intact plants. Metabolites produced in tomato and rose cells from [{sup 14}C]-fluoranthene were conjugated with glucose, glucuronic acid, and other cell components. After acid hydrolyses, the main metabolite of both species was 1-hydroxyfluoranthene as identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection. The second metabolite formed by both species was 8-hydroxyfluoranthene. A third metabolite in tomatoes was 3-hydroxyfluoranthene.

Sequencing, De Novo Assembly, and Annotation of the Transcriptome of the Endangered Freshwater Pearl Bivalve, Cristaria plicata, Provides Novel Insights into Functional Genes and Marker Discovery.

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Bharat Bhusan Patnaik

Full Text Available The freshwater mussel Cristaria plicata (Bivalvia: Eulamellibranchia: Unionidae, is an economically important species in molluscan aquaculture due to its use in pearl farming. The species have been listed as endangered in South Korea due to the loss of natural habitats caused by anthropogenic activities. The decreasing population and a lack of genomic information on the species is concerning for environmentalists and conservationists. In this study, we conducted a de novo transcriptome sequencing and annotation analysis of C. plicata using Illumina HiSeq 2500 next-generation sequencing (NGS technology, the Trinity assembler, and bioinformatics databases to prepare a sustainable resource for the identification of candidate genes involved in immunity, defense, and reproduction.The C. plicata transcriptome analysis included a total of 286,152,584 raw reads and 281,322,837 clean reads. The de novo assembly identified a total of 453,931 contigs and 374,794 non-redundant unigenes with average lengths of 731.2 and 737.1 bp, respectively. Furthermore, 100% coverage of C. plicata mitochondrial genes within two unigenes supported the quality of the assembler. In total, 84,274 unigenes showed homology to entries in at least one database, and 23,246 unigenes were allocated to one or more Gene Ontology (GO terms. The most prominent GO biological process, cellular component, and molecular function categories (level 2 were cellular process, membrane, and binding, respectively. A total of 4,776 unigenes were mapped to 123 biological pathways in the KEGG database. Based on the GO terms and KEGG annotation, the unigenes were suggested to be involved in immunity, stress responses, sex-determination, and reproduction. A total of 17,251 cDNA simple sequence repeats (cSSRs were identified from 61,141 unigenes (size of >1 kb with the most abundant being dinucleotide repeats.This dataset represents the first transcriptome analysis of the endangered mollusc, C. plicata

Slow information processing after very severe closed head injury : impaired access to declarative knowledge and intact application and acquisition of procedural knowledge

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Timmerman, ME; Brouwer, WH

As an explanation of the pattern of slow information processing after closed head injury (CHI), hypotheses of impaired access to declarative memory and intact application and acquisition of procedural memory after CHI are presented. These two hypotheses were tested by means of four cognitive

Intensity modulated tangential beam irradiation of the intact breast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, L.; Hunt, M.; Chui, C.; Forster, K.; Lee, H.; Lutz, W.; Yahalom, J.; Kutcher, G.J.; McCormick, B.

1997-01-01

Purpose/Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential benefits of intensity modulated tangential beams in the irradiation of the intact breast. The primary goal was to develop an intensity modulated treatment which would substantially decrease the dose to coronary arteries, lung and contralateral breast while still using a standard tangential beam arrangement. Improved target dose homogeneity, within the limits imposed by opposed fields, was also desired. Since a major goal of the study was the development of a technique which was practical for use on a large population of patients, the design of 'standard' intensity profiles analogous in function to conventional wedges was also investigated. Materials and Methods: Three dimensional treatment planning was performed using both conventional and intensity modulated tangential beams. Plans were developed for both the right and left breast for a range of patient sizes and shapes. For each patient, PTV, lung, heart, origin and peripheral branches of the coronary artery, and contralateral breast were contoured. Optimum tangential beam direction and shape were designed using Beams-Eye-View display and then used for both the conventional and intensity modulated plans. For the conventional plan, the optimum wedge combination and beam weighting were chosen based on the dose distribution in a single transverse plane through the field center. Intensity modulated plans were designed using an algorithm which allows the user to specify the prescribed, maximum and minimum acceptable doses and dose volume constraints for each organ of interest. Plans were compared using multiple dose distributions and DVHs. Results: Significant improvements in the doses to critical structures were achieved using the intensity modulated plan. Coronary artery dose decreased substantially for patients treated to the left breast. Ipsilateral lung and contralateral breast doses decreased for all patients. For one patient treated to

An analysis of the Athetis lepigone transcriptome from four developmental stages.

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Li-Tao Li

Full Text Available Athetis lepigone Möschler (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae has recently become an important insect pest of maize (Zea mays crops in China. In order to understand the characteristics of the different developmental stages of this pest, we used Illumina short-read sequences to perform de novo transcriptome assembly and gene expression analysis for egg, larva, pupa and adult developmental stages. We obtained 10.08 Gb of raw data from Illumina sequencing and recovered 81,356 unigenes longer than 100 bp through a de novo assembly. The total sequence length reached 49.75 Mb with 858 bp of N50 and an average unigene length of 612 bp. Annotation analysis of predicted proteins indicate that 33,736 unigenes (41.47% of total unigenes are matches to genes in the Genbank Nr database. The unigene sequences were subjected to GO, COG and KEGG functional classification. A large number of differentially expressed genes were recovered by pairwise comparison of the four developmental stages. The most dramatic differences in gene expression were found in the transitions from one stage to another stage. Some of these differentially expressed genes are related to cuticle and wing formation as well as the growth and development. We identified more than 2,500 microsatellite markers that may be used for population studies of A. lepigone. This study lays the foundation for further research on population genetics and gene function analysis in A. lepigone.

Identification of Immunity-Related Genes in Dialeurodes citri against Entomopathogenic Fungus Lecanicillium attenuatum by RNA-Seq Analysis.

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Shijiang Yu

Full Text Available Dialeurodes citri is a major pest in citrus producing areas, and large-scale outbreaks have occurred increasingly often in recent years. Lecanicillium attenuatum is an important entomopathogenic fungus that can parasitize and kill D. citri. We separated the fungus from corpses of D. citri larvae. However, the sound immune defense system of pests makes infection by an entomopathogenic fungus difficult. Here we used RNA sequencing technology (RNA-Seq to build a transcriptome database for D. citri and performed digital gene expression profiling to screen genes that act in the immune defense of D. citri larvae infected with a pathogenic fungus. De novo assembly generated 84,733 unigenes with mean length of 772 nt. All unigenes were searched against GO, Nr, Swiss-Prot, COG, and KEGG databases and a total of 28,190 (33.3% unigenes were annotated. We identified 129 immunity-related unigenes in transcriptome database that were related to pattern recognition receptors, information transduction factors and response factors. From the digital gene expression profile, we identified 441 unigenes that were differentially expressed in D. citri infected with L. attenuatum. Through calculated Log2Ratio values, we identified genes for which fold changes in expression were obvious, including cuticle protein, vitellogenin, cathepsin, prophenoloxidase, clip-domain serine protease, lysozyme, and others. Subsequent quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis verified the results. The identified genes may serve as target genes for microbial control of D. citri.

Identification of Immunity-Related Genes in Dialeurodes citri against Entomopathogenic Fungus Lecanicillium attenuatum by RNA-Seq Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Shijiang; Ding, Lili; Luo, Ren; Li, Xiaojiao; Yang, Juan; Liu, Haoqiang; Cong, Lin; Ran, Chun

2016-01-01

Dialeurodes citri is a major pest in citrus producing areas, and large-scale outbreaks have occurred increasingly often in recent years. Lecanicillium attenuatum is an important entomopathogenic fungus that can parasitize and kill D. citri. We separated the fungus from corpses of D. citri larvae. However, the sound immune defense system of pests makes infection by an entomopathogenic fungus difficult. Here we used RNA sequencing technology (RNA-Seq) to build a transcriptome database for D. citri and performed digital gene expression profiling to screen genes that act in the immune defense of D. citri larvae infected with a pathogenic fungus. De novo assembly generated 84,733 unigenes with mean length of 772 nt. All unigenes were searched against GO, Nr, Swiss-Prot, COG, and KEGG databases and a total of 28,190 (33.3%) unigenes were annotated. We identified 129 immunity-related unigenes in transcriptome database that were related to pattern recognition receptors, information transduction factors and response factors. From the digital gene expression profile, we identified 441 unigenes that were differentially expressed in D. citri infected with L. attenuatum. Through calculated Log2Ratio values, we identified genes for which fold changes in expression were obvious, including cuticle protein, vitellogenin, cathepsin, prophenoloxidase, clip-domain serine protease, lysozyme, and others. Subsequent quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis verified the results. The identified genes may serve as target genes for microbial control of D. citri.

De novo transcriptome assembly and the putative biosynthetic pathway of steroidal sapogenins of Dioscorea composita.

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Xia Wang

Full Text Available The plant Dioscorea composita has important applications in the medical and energy industries, and can be used for the extraction of steroidal sapogenins (important raw materials for the synthesis of steroidal drugs and bioethanol production. However, little is known at the genetic level about how sapogenins are biosynthesized in this plant. Using Illumina deep sequencing, 62,341 unigenes were obtained by assembling its transcriptome, and 27,720 unigenes were annotated. Of these, 8,022 unigenes were mapped to 243 specific pathways, and 531 unigenes were identified to be involved in 24 secondary metabolic pathways. 35 enzymes, which were encoded by 79 unigenes, were related to the biosynthesis of steroidal sapogenins in this transcriptome database, covering almost all the nodes in the steroidal pathway. The results of real-time PCR experiments on ten related transcripts (HMGR, MK, SQLE, FPPS, DXS, CAS, HMED, CYP51, DHCR7, and DHCR24 indicated that sapogenins were mainly biosynthesized by the mevalonate pathway. The expression of these ten transcripts in the tuber and leaves was found to be much higher than in the stem. Also, expression in the shoots was low. The nucleotide and protein sequences and conserved domains of four related genes (HMGR, CAS, SQS, and SMT1 were highly conserved between D. composita and D. zingiberensis; but expression of these four genes is greater in D. composita. However, there is no expression of these key enzymes in potato and no steroidal sapogenins are synthesized.

Presence of orally administered rice bran oil γ-oryzanol in its intact form in mouse plasma.

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Kobayashi, Eri; Ito, Junya; Kato, Shunji; Sawada, Kazue; Matsuki, Midori; Hashimoto, Hiroyuki; Miyazawa, Teruo; Nakagawa, Kiyotaka

2016-12-07

Although the beneficial effects (e.g., lipid-lowering activity) of γ-oryzanol (OZ), a mixture of ferulic acid esters of plant sterols and triterpene alcohols, have been extensively investigated, few studies have evaluated the absorption and metabolism of OZ. Moreover, it is unclear whether OZ, once ingested, is directly absorbed by the intestine into the bloodstream at a sufficient level to exhibit activity. Here, we prepared OZ concentrate from purified rice bran oil (Rice Oil OZ), determined the concentration of OZ in the preparation (cycloartenyl ferulate equivalent concentration; 52.2%), and then carried out chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of plasma samples from mice after oral administration of Rice Oil OZ. The OZ concentrations of plasma from the control (vehicle-treated) mice were low (trace levels); however, at 5 h after a single oral administration of the Rice Oil OZ (600 mg per kg body weight), the levels significantly increased, reaching 17.6 ng mL -1 for cycloartenyl ferulate, 28.2 ng mL -1 for 24-methylenecycloartanyl ferulate isomers, 15.6 ng mL -1 for campesteryl ferulate, and 5.1 ng mL -1 for β-sitosteryl ferulate, respectively, expressed in equivalence of cycloartenyl ferulate in plasma. These results provided the first mass spectrometric evidence suggesting that a portion of orally administered OZ is directly absorbed by the intestine and is present in the intact form in plasma. The presence of a significant amount of OZ in its intact form in plasma may explain the beneficial effects of OZ in vivo.

Studying physical properties of deformed intact and fractured rocks by micro-scale hydro-mechanical-seismicity model

Science.gov (United States)

Raziperchikolaee, Samin

The pore pressure variation in an underground formation during hydraulic stimulation of low permeability formations or CO2 sequestration into saline aquifers can induce microseismicity due to fracture generation or pre-existing fracture activation. While the analysis of microseismic data mainly focuses on mapping the location of fractures, the seismic waves generated by the microseismic events also contain information for understanding of fracture mechanisms based on microseismic source analysis. We developed a micro-scale geomechanics, fluid-flow and seismic model that can predict transport and seismic source behavior during rock failure. This model features the incorporation of microseismic source analysis in fractured and intact rock transport properties during possible rock damage and failure. The modeling method considers comprehensive grains and cements interaction through a bonded-particle-model. As a result of grain deformation and microcrack development in the rock sample, forces and displacements in the grains involved in the bond breakage are measured to determine seismic moment tensor. In addition, geometric description of the complex pore structure is regenerated to predict fluid flow behavior of fractured samples. Numerical experiments are conducted for different intact and fractured digital rock samples, representing various mechanical behaviors of rocks and fracture surface properties, to consider their roles on seismic and transport properties of rocks during deformation. Studying rock deformation in detail provides an opportunity to understand the relationship between source mechanism of microseismic events and transport properties of damaged rocks to have a better characterizing of fluid flow behavior in subsurface formations.

An atomic-force-microscopy study of the structure of surface layers of intact fibroblasts

Science.gov (United States)

Khalisov, M. M.; Ankudinov, A. V.; Penniyaynen, V. A.; Nyapshaev, I. A.; Kipenko, A. V.; Timoshchuk, K. I.; Podzorova, S. A.; Krylov, B. V.

2017-02-01

Intact embryonic fibroblasts on a collagen-treated substrate have been studied by atomic-force microscopy (AFM) using probes of two types: (i) standard probes with tip curvature radii of 2-10 nm and (ii) special probes with a calibrated 325-nm SiO2 ball radius at the tip apex. It is established that, irrespective of probe type, the average maximum fibroblast height is on a level of 1.7 μm and the average stiffness of the probe-cell contact amounts to 16.5 mN/m. The obtained AFM data reveal a peculiarity of the fibroblast structure, whereby its external layers move as a rigid shell relative to the interior and can be pressed inside to a depth dependent on the load only.

Gene Expression Profiling of the Intact Dermal Sheath Cup of Human Hair Follicles.

Science.gov (United States)

Niiyama, Shiro; Ishimatsu-Tsuji, Yumiko; Nakazawa, Yosuke; Yoshida, Yuzo; Soma, Tsutomu; Ideta, Ritsuro; Mukai, Hideki; Kishimoto, Jiro

2018-04-24

Cells that constitute the dermal papillae of hair follicles might be derived from the dermal sheath, the peribulbar component of which is the dermal sheath cup. The dermal sheath cup is thought to include the progenitor cells of the dermal papillae and possesses hair inductive potential; however, it has not yet been well characterized. This study investigated the gene expression profile of the intact dermal sheath cup, and identified dermal sheath cup signature genes, including extracellular matrix components and BMP-binding molecules, as well as TGF-b1 as an upstream regulator. Among these, GREM2, a member of the BMP antagonists, was found by in situ hybridization to be highly specific to the dermal sheath cup, implying that GREM2 is a key molecule contributing to maintenance of the properties of the dermal sheath cup.

Peptide fragments induce a more rapid immune response than intact proteins in earthworms.

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Hanusová, R; Tucková, L; Halada, P; Bezouska, K; Bilej, M

1999-01-01

The effect of in vivo proteolytic processing of protein antigen was studied in Eisenia foetida earthworms. Parenteral administration of the protein antigen induces elevated levels of an antigen-binding protein (ABP) which recognizes the protein used for stimulation. When the protein antigen is administered simultaneously with nontoxic serine proteinase inhibitor, ABP levels remain close to background. On the other hand, the in vivo adaptive response of earthworms to peptide fragments obtained by coelomic fluid digestion of the foreign antigen occurs even in the presence of proteinase inhibitor and, moreover, is significantly faster as compared to the response to intact antigen. These findings confirm the role of proteolytic processing in earthworms. MALDI mass spectrometric analysis of the fragments after coelomic fluid digestion has revealed the presence of the peptide fragments with molecular weights in the mass range 700-1100 Da.

Endogenous spatial attention: evidence for intact functioning in adults with autism

Science.gov (United States)

Grubb, Michael A.; Behrmann, Marlene; Egan, Ryan; Minshew, Nancy J.; Carrasco, Marisa; Heeger, David J.

2012-01-01

Lay Abstract Attention allows us to selectively process the vast amount of information with which we are confronted. Focusing on a certain location of the visual scene (visual spatial attention) enables the prioritization of some aspects of information while ignoring others. Rapid manipulation of the attention field (i.e., the location and spread of visual spatial attention) is a critical aspect of human cognition, and previous research on spatial attention in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has produced inconsistent results. In a series of three experiments, we evaluated claims in the literature that individuals with ASD exhibit a deficit in voluntarily controlling the deployment and size of the spatial attention field. We measured how well participants perform a visual discrimination task (accuracy) and how quickly they do so (reaction time), with and without spatial uncertainty (i.e., the lack of predictability concerning the spatial position of the upcoming stimulus). We found that high–functioning adults with autism exhibited slower reactions times overall with spatial uncertainty, but the effects of attention on performance accuracies and reaction times were indistinguishable between individuals with autism and typically developing individuals, in all three experiments. These results provide evidence of intact endogenous spatial attention function in high–functioning adults with ASD, suggesting that atypical endogenous spatial attention cannot be a latent characteristic of autism in general. Scientific Abstract Rapid manipulation of the attention field (i.e., the location and spread of visual spatial attention) is a critical aspect of human cognition, and previous research on spatial attention in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has produced inconsistent results. In a series of three psychophysical experiments, we evaluated claims in the literature that individuals with ASD exhibit a deficit in voluntarily controlling the

Intact suppression of increased false recognition in schizophrenia.

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Weiss, Anthony P; Dodson, Chad S; Goff, Donald C; Schacter, Daniel L; Heckers, Stephan

2002-09-01

Recognition memory is impaired in patients with schizophrenia, as they rely largely on item familiarity, rather than conscious recollection, to make mnemonic decisions. False recognition of novel items (foils) is increased in schizophrenia and may relate to this deficit in conscious recollection. By studying pictures of the target word during encoding, healthy adults can suppress false recognition. This study examined the effect of pictorial encoding on subsequent recognition of repeated foils in patients with schizophrenia. The study included 40 patients with schizophrenia and 32 healthy comparison subjects. After incidental encoding of 60 words or pictures, subjects were tested for recognition of target items intermixed with 60 new foils. These new foils were subsequently repeated following either a two- or 24-word delay. Subjects were instructed to label these repeated foils as new and not to mistake them for old target words. Schizophrenic patients showed greater overall false recognition of repeated foils. The rate of false recognition of repeated foils was lower after picture encoding than after word encoding. Despite higher levels of false recognition of repeated new items, patients and comparison subjects demonstrated a similar degree of false recognition suppression after picture, as compared to word, encoding. Patients with schizophrenia displayed greater false recognition of repeated foils than comparison subjects, suggesting both a decrement of item- (or source-) specific recollection and a consequent reliance on familiarity in schizophrenia. Despite these deficits, presenting pictorial information at encoding allowed schizophrenic subjects to suppress false recognition to a similar degree as the comparison group, implying the intact use of a high-level cognitive strategy in this population.

Superolateral dislocation of an intact mandibular condyle into the temporal fossa: case report and literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Divashree; Khasgiwala, Ankit; Maheshwari, Bharat; Singh, Charanpreet; Shakya, Neelam

2017-02-01

Temporomandibular joint dislocation refers to the dislodgement of mandibular condyle from the glenoid fossa. Anterior and anteromedial dislocations of the mandibular condyle are frequently reported in the literature, but superolateral dislocation is a rare presentation. This report outlines a case of superolateral dislocation of an intact mandibular condyle that occurred in conjunction with an ipsilateral mandibular parasymphysis fracture. A review of the clinical features of superolateral dislocation of the mandibular condyle and the possible techniques of its reduction ranging from the most conservative means to extensive surgical interventions is presented. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Characterizing genetic syndromes involved in cancer and radiogenic cancer risk

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Unrau, P.; Doerffer, K.

1998-01-01

The COG project 2806A (1995), reviewed the On-line Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database of genetic syndromes to identify those syndromes, genes, and DNA sequences implicated in some way in the cancer process, and especially in radiogenic cancer risk. The current report describes a recent update of the survey in light of two years of further progress in the Human Genome project, and is intended to supply a comprehensive list of those genetic syndromes, genes, DNA sequences and map locations that define genes likely to be involved in cancer risk. Of the 8203 syndromes in OMIM in 1997 June, 814 are associated, even if marginally, with cancer. Of the 814 syndromes so linked, 672 have been mapped to a chromosome, and 476 have been mapped to a chromosome and had a DNA sequence associated with their messenger RNA (or cDNA) sequences. In addition, 35 syndromes have sequences not associated with map locations, and the remaining 107 have neither been mapped nor sequenced. We supply the list of the various genetic syndromes sorted by chromosome location and by OMIM descriptor, together with all the associated but unmapped and unsequenced syndromes. (author)

Characterizing genetic syndromes involved in cancer and radiogenic cancer risk

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Unrau, P; Doerffer, K

1998-01-01

The COG project 2806A (1995), reviewed the On-line Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database of genetic syndromes to identify those syndromes, genes, and DNA sequences implicated in some way in the cancer process, and especially in radiogenic cancer risk. The current report describes a recent update of the survey in light of two years of further progress in the Human Genome project, and is intended to supply a comprehensive list of those genetic syndromes, genes, DNA sequences and map locations that define genes likely to be involved in cancer risk. Of the 8203 syndromes in OMIM in 1997 June, 814 are associated, even if marginally, with cancer. Of the 814 syndromes so linked, 672 have been mapped to a chromosome, and 476 have been mapped to a chromosome and had a DNA sequence associated with their messenger RNA (or cDNA) sequences. In addition, 35 syndromes have sequences not associated with map locations, and the remaining 107 have neither been mapped nor sequenced. We supply the list of the various genetic syndromes sorted by chromosome location and by OMIM descriptor, together with all the associated but unmapped and unsequenced syndromes. (author) 1 tab., 4 figs.

Basic timing abilities stay intact in patients with musician's dystonia.

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M C van der Steen

Full Text Available Task-specific focal dystonia is a movement disorder that is characterized by the loss of voluntary motor control in extensively trained movements. Musician's dystonia is a type of task-specific dystonia that is elicited in professional musicians during instrumental playing. The disorder has been associated with deficits in timing. In order to test the hypothesis that basic timing abilities are affected by musician's dystonia, we investigated a group of patients (N = 15 and a matched control group (N = 15 on a battery of sensory and sensorimotor synchronization tasks. Results did not show any deficits in auditory-motor processing for patients relative to controls. Both groups benefited from a pacing sequence that adapted to their timing (in a sensorimotor synchronization task at a stable tempo. In a purely perceptual task, both groups were able to detect a misaligned metronome when it was late rather than early relative to a musical beat. Overall, the results suggest that basic timing abilities stay intact in patients with musician's dystonia. This supports the idea that musician's dystonia is a highly task-specific movement disorder in which patients are mostly impaired in tasks closely related to the demands of actually playing their instrument.

Basic Timing Abilities Stay Intact in Patients with Musician's Dystonia

Science.gov (United States)

van der Steen, M. C.; van Vugt, Floris T.; Keller, Peter E.; Altenmüller, Eckart

2014-01-01

Task-specific focal dystonia is a movement disorder that is characterized by the loss of voluntary motor control in extensively trained movements. Musician's dystonia is a type of task-specific dystonia that is elicited in professional musicians during instrumental playing. The disorder has been associated with deficits in timing. In order to test the hypothesis that basic timing abilities are affected by musician's dystonia, we investigated a group of patients (N = 15) and a matched control group (N = 15) on a battery of sensory and sensorimotor synchronization tasks. Results did not show any deficits in auditory-motor processing for patients relative to controls. Both groups benefited from a pacing sequence that adapted to their timing (in a sensorimotor synchronization task at a stable tempo). In a purely perceptual task, both groups were able to detect a misaligned metronome when it was late rather than early relative to a musical beat. Overall, the results suggest that basic timing abilities stay intact in patients with musician's dystonia. This supports the idea that musician's dystonia is a highly task-specific movement disorder in which patients are mostly impaired in tasks closely related to the demands of actually playing their instrument. PMID:24667273

Genetic disruptions of Drosophila Pavlovian learning leave extinction learning intact.

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Qin, H; Dubnau, J

2010-03-01

Individuals who experience traumatic events may develop persistent posttraumatic stress disorder. Patients with this disorder are commonly treated with exposure therapy, which has had limited long-term success. In experimental neurobiology, fear extinction is a model for exposure therapy. In this behavioral paradigm, animals are repeatedly exposed in a safe environment to the fearful stimulus, which leads to greatly reduced fear. Studying animal models of extinction already has lead to better therapeutic strategies and development of new candidate drugs. Lack of a powerful genetic model of extinction, however, has limited progress in identifying underlying molecular and genetic factors. In this study, we established a robust behavioral paradigm to study the short-term effect (acquisition) of extinction in Drosophila melanogaster. We focused on the extinction of olfactory aversive 1-day memory with a task that has been the main workhorse for genetics of memory in flies. Using this paradigm, we show that extinction can inhibit each of two genetically distinct forms of consolidated memory. We then used a series of single-gene mutants with known impact on associative learning to examine the effects on extinction. We find that extinction is intact in each of these mutants, suggesting that extinction learning relies on different molecular mechanisms than does Pavlovian learning.

The hospital anxiety and depression scale--dimensionality, reliability and construct validity among cognitively intact nursing home patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Haugan, Gørill; Drageset, Jorunn

2014-08-01

Depression and anxiety are particularly common among individuals living in long-term care facilities. Therefore, access to a valid and reliable measure of anxiety and depression among nursing home patients is highly warranted. To investigate the dimensionality, reliability and construct validity of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS) in a cognitively intact nursing home population. Cross-sectional data were collected from two samples; 429 cognitively intact nursing home patients participated, representing 74 different Norwegian nursing homes. Confirmative factor analyses and correlations with selected constructs were used. The two-factor model provided a good fit in Sample1, revealing a poorer fit in Sample2. Good-acceptable measurement reliability was demonstrated, and construct validity was supported. Using listwise deletion the sample sizes were 227 and 187, for Sample1 and Sample2, respectively. Greater sample sizes would have strengthen the statistical power in the tests. The researchers visited the participants to help fill in the questionnaires; this might have introduced some bias into the respondents׳ reporting. The 14 HADS items were part of greater questionnaires. Thus, frail, older NH patients might have tired during the interview causing a possible bias. Low reliability for depression was disclosed, mainly resulting from three items appearing to be inappropriate indicators for depression in this population. Further research is needed exploring which items might perform as more reliably indicators for depression among nursing home patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Narratives of Self-Neglect: Patterns of Traumatic Personal Experiences and Maladaptive Behaviors in Cognitively Intact Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Lien, Cynthia; Rosen, Tony; Bloemen, Elizabeth M; Abrams, Robert C; Pavlou, Maria; Lachs, Mark S

2016-11-01

To identify patterns of personal experience or behavior in self-neglect by exploring narratives of cognitively intact older adults. Descriptive study involving semistructured interviews and unstructured narratives. A parent study of self-neglect characteristics. Cognitively intact, self-neglecting older adults referred from 11 community-based senior services agencies (N = 69). Interviews included a comprehensive psychiatric assessment using the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Axis-I and II Disorders and an unstructured interview that allowed subjects to describe important elements of their life stories. Content analysis was used to identify personal experiences and behavior patterns in each subject's narrative. Four types of traumatic personal experiences (psychologically traumatic loss, separation or abandonment (29%); violent victimization, physical trauma, or sexual abuse (19%); exposure to war or political violence (9%); prolonged mourning (7%)) and five behavior patterns (significant financial instability (23%), severe lifelong mental illness (16%), mistrust of people or paranoia (13%), distrust and avoidance of the medical establishment (13%), substance abuse or dependence (13%)) were identified in the life stories. Patterns of traumatic personal experiences and maladaptive behaviors that self-neglecters frequently report were identified. Experiences, perceptions, and behaviors developed over a lifetime may contribute to elder self-neglect. Further exploration and better understanding of these patterns may identify potential risk factors and areas for future targeted screening, intervention, and prevention. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

Kinematics of Different Components of the Posterolateral Corner of the Knee in the Lateral Collateral Ligament-intact State: A Human Cadaveric Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Domnick, Christoph; Frosch, Karl-Heinz; Raschke, Michael J; Vogel, Nils; Schulze, Martin; von Glahn, Mathias; Drenck, Tobias C; Herbort, Mirco

2017-10-01

To determine the static stabilizing effects of different anatomical structures of the posterolateral corner (PLC) of the knee in the lateral collateral ligament (LCL)-intact state. Thirteen fresh-frozen human cadaveric knees were dissected and tested using an industrial robot with an optical tracking system. Kinematics were determined for 134 N anterior/posterior loads, 10 N m valgus/varus loads, and 5 N m internal/external rotatory loads in 0°, 20°, 30°, 60°, and 90° of knee flexion. The PLC structures were dissected and consecutively released: (I) intact knee joint, (II) with released posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), (III) popliteomeniscal fibers, (IV) popliteofibular ligament, (V) arcuat and popliteotibial fibers, (VI) popliteus tendon (PLT), and (VII) LCL. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was performed with significance set at P < .05. After releasing the PCL, posterior tibial translation increased by 5.2 mm at 20° to 9.4 mm at 90° of joint flexion (P < .0001). A mild 1.8° varus instability was measured in 0° of flexion (P = .0017). After releasing the PLC structures, posterior tibial translation further increased by 2.9 mm at 20° to 5.9 mm at 90° of flexion (P < .05) and external rotation angle increased by 2.6° at 0° to 7.9° at 90° of flexion (P < .05, vs II). Varus stability did not decrease. Mild differences between states V and VI were found in 60° and 90° external rotation tests (2.1° and 3.1°; P < .05). The connecting ligaments/fibers to the PLT act as a primary static stabilizer against external rotatory loads and a secondary stabilizer against posterior tibial loads (when PCL is injured). After releasing these structures, most static stabilizing function of the intact PLT is lost. The PLC has no varus-stabilizing function in the LCL-intact knee. Anatomy and function of these structures for primary and secondary joint stability should be considered for clinical diagnostics and when performing surgery in

Temporal Ventriloquism Reveals Intact Audiovisual Temporal Integration in Amblyopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, Michael D; Goltz, Herbert C; Wong, Agnes M F

2018-02-01

We have shown previously that amblyopia involves impaired detection of asynchrony between auditory and visual events. To distinguish whether this impairment represents a defect in temporal integration or nonintegrative multisensory processing (e.g., cross-modal matching), we used the temporal ventriloquism effect in which visual temporal order judgment (TOJ) is normally enhanced by a lagging auditory click. Participants with amblyopia (n = 9) and normally sighted controls (n = 9) performed a visual TOJ task. Pairs of clicks accompanied the two lights such that the first click preceded the first light, or second click lagged the second light by 100, 200, or 450 ms. Baseline audiovisual synchrony and visual-only conditions also were tested. Within both groups, just noticeable differences for the visual TOJ task were significantly reduced compared with baseline in the 100- and 200-ms click lag conditions. Within the amblyopia group, poorer stereo acuity and poorer visual acuity in the amblyopic eye were significantly associated with greater enhancement in visual TOJ performance in the 200-ms click lag condition. Audiovisual temporal integration is intact in amblyopia, as indicated by perceptual enhancement in the temporal ventriloquism effect. Furthermore, poorer stereo acuity and poorer visual acuity in the amblyopic eye are associated with a widened temporal binding window for the effect. These findings suggest that previously reported abnormalities in audiovisual multisensory processing may result from impaired cross-modal matching rather than a diminished capacity for temporal audiovisual integration.

Inhibition of serine palmitoyltransferase in vitro and long-chain base biosynthesis in intact Chinese hamster ovary cells by β-Cl-alanine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medlock, K.A.; Merrill, A.H. Jr.

1987-01-01

Serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT) is a pyridoxal-5'-phosphate dependent enzyme that catalyzes the first committed step of long-chain base (LCB) synthesis. Inhibition of SPT activity and de novo biosynthesis of sphinganine and sphingosine was observed in vitro and in intact Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO). In vitro studies revealed that inhibition was irreversible and concentration- and time-dependent, which are characteristics of suicide inhibition. Incubation of intact CHO cells with 5 mM β-Cl-alanine for 15 min completely inhibited SPT activity and LCB synthesis from [ 14 C]serine. The concentration dependences of inhibition of SPT activity and LCB formation were identical. There was no loss of viability of recovery of SPT activity over the 2 hour time course of these experiments. The synthesis of several other lipids was not affected by the same treatment. These results establish the association between the activity of SPT and the cellular rate of LCB formation and indicate that β-Cl-alanine can be used to study alterations in cellular LCB synthesis

De novo transcriptome analysis of immune response on cobia (Rachycentron canadum) infected with Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida revealed inhibition of complement components and involvement of MyD88-independent pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Hung Bao; Lee, Yen-Hung; Guo, Jiin-Ju; Cheng, Ta-Chih

2018-06-01

Cobia, Rachycentron canadum, one of the most important aquatic species in Taiwan, has suffered heavy losses from Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida, which is the causal agent of photobacteriosis. In this study, the transcriptomic profiles of livers and spleens from Pdp-infected and non-infected cobia were obtained for the first time by Illumina-based paired-end sequencing method with a focus on immune-related genes. In total, 164,882 high quality unigenes were obtained in four libraries. Following Pdp infection, 7302 differentially expressed unigenes from liver and 8600 differentially expressed unigenes from spleen were identified. Twenty-seven of the differently expressed genes were further validated by RT-qPCR (average correlation coefficient 0.839, p-value cobia. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Localization by whole-body autoradiography of intact and fragmented radiolabeled antibodies in a metastatic human colonic cancer model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fand, Irwin; Sharkey, R.M.; Grundy, J.P.; Goldenberg, D.M.

1992-01-01

In this report, we have employed macroautoradiography to compare the tumor targeting of 125 I-labeled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) MAb (NP-4) to 125 I-labeled anti-colon-specific antigen-p (CSAp) MAb (Mu-9) and their labeled F(ab') 2 and Fab' fragments, in nude mice each bearing large dorsal human colonic tumor xenografts, and small nodular tumors in the liver and lungs. Using intact MAbs (NP-4 and Mu-9), clearance of background radioactivity was delayed to 3-7 days post-treatment. Treatment with F(ab') 2 and Fab' fragments of both NP-4 and Mu-9 MAbs, however, promoted clearance of background 125 I-radioactivity which was well advanced by 6-24 h and complete by 24-48 h after injection. Localization of 125 I-radioactivity in large and micrometastatic tumor perimeters was the most characteristic uptake pattern observed for both intact and fragmented MAbs. Qualitative analysis of macroautoradiographic images and quantitative densitometry indicated that the higher tumor-to-blood ratios achieved with labeled F(ab') 2 and Fab' fragments at early time points, compared to labeled whole immunoglobulin, appeared to be more a function of rapid plasma clearance, tumor mass, location of xenografts and specific tumor growth patterns than increased tumor penetrance by lower molecular weight univalent and bivalent immune fragments. (Author)

Development of a stable cell line with an intact PGC-1α/ERRα axis for screening environmental chemicals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teng, Christina T.; Beames, Burton; Alex Merrick, B.; Martin, Negin; Romeo, Charles; Jetten, Anton M.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We developed a stable cell line with intact PGC-1α/ERRα axis. • The ERRα repressor, XCT790, down regulates this pathway. • Phytoestrogen, genisten stimulates this pathway. - Abstract: The estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα) and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) play critical roles in the control of several physiological functions, including the regulation of genes involved in energy homeostasis. However, little is known about the ability of environmental chemicals to disrupt or modulate this important bioenergetics pathway in humans. The goal of this study was to develop a cell-based assay system with an intact PGC-1α/ERRα axis that could be used as a screening assay for detecting such chemicals. To this end, we successfully generated several stable cell lines expressing PGC-1α and showed that the reporter driven by the native ERRα hormone response unit (AAB-Luc) is active in these cell lines and that the activation is PGC-1α-dependent. Furthermore, we show that this activation can be blocked by the ERRα selective inverse agonist, XCT790. In addition, we find that genistein and bisphenol A further stimulate the reporter activity, while kaempferol has minimal effect. These cell lines will be useful for identifying environmental chemicals that modulate this important pathway

Development of a stable cell line with an intact PGC-1α/ERRα axis for screening environmental chemicals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teng, Christina T., E-mail: teng1@niehs.nih.gov [DNTP, BioMolecular Screening Branch, Division, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 (United States); Beames, Burton; Alex Merrick, B. [DNTP, BioMolecular Screening Branch, Division, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 (United States); Martin, Negin; Romeo, Charles [DIR, Viral Core Lab, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 (United States); Jetten, Anton M. [DIR Laboratory of Respiratory Biology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 (United States)

2014-02-07

Highlights: • We developed a stable cell line with intact PGC-1α/ERRα axis. • The ERRα repressor, XCT790, down regulates this pathway. • Phytoestrogen, genisten stimulates this pathway. - Abstract: The estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα) and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) play critical roles in the control of several physiological functions, including the regulation of genes involved in energy homeostasis. However, little is known about the ability of environmental chemicals to disrupt or modulate this important bioenergetics pathway in humans. The goal of this study was to develop a cell-based assay system with an intact PGC-1α/ERRα axis that could be used as a screening assay for detecting such chemicals. To this end, we successfully generated several stable cell lines expressing PGC-1α and showed that the reporter driven by the native ERRα hormone response unit (AAB-Luc) is active in these cell lines and that the activation is PGC-1α-dependent. Furthermore, we show that this activation can be blocked by the ERRα selective inverse agonist, XCT790. In addition, we find that genistein and bisphenol A further stimulate the reporter activity, while kaempferol has minimal effect. These cell lines will be useful for identifying environmental chemicals that modulate this important pathway.

Fructans and water suppression on intact and fragmented rhizophores of Vernonia herbacea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gláucia M. Dias-Tagliacozzo

2004-07-01

Full Text Available In order to evaluate the involvement of fructans in drought tolerance, experiments were conducted using intact plants and excised rhizophores of Vernonia herbacea. The water content in rhizophores of intact plants was maintained for 30 days when plants were watered every 7 and 15 days, whereas plants remained alive up to 60 days without water. Total fructan, oligo- to polysaccharides ratio and mean molecular mass of polysaccharides increased in these plants indicating depolymerization of median size molecules. In apical fragments of rhizophores kept dry the oligosaccharides increased in relation to polysaccharides one day after excision in treated tissues. This was reflected in the HPLC profile of the oligosaccharides in which the proportion of free fructose and fructans with DP 4-10 increased markedly. Results indicate that fructan metabolism is involved in drought tolerance of V. herbacea.A vegetação herbácea do cerrado brasileiro apresenta sistemas subterrâneos ricos em frutanos e estacionalmente expostos à restrição hídrica. A fim de avaliar o envolvimento dos frutanos na tolerância à dessecação foram conduzidos experimentos utilizando plantas intactas e fragmentos de rizóforos de Vernonia herbacea. O conteúdo de água nos rizóforos de plantas intactas foi mantido por 30 dias, quando as plantas foram molhadas a cada 7 ou 15 dias, sendo que as plantas permaneceram vivas até 60 dias sem água. O conteúdo total de frutanos, a razão oligo/polissacarídeos e a massa molecular média dos polissacarídeos nessas plantas aumentaram, indicando haver ocorrido despolimerização de moléculas com tamanho intermediário das cadeias. Nos fragmentos apicais de rizóforos submetidos à dessecação, os oligossacarídeos aumentaram em relação aos polissacarídeos, um dia após a excisão dos tecidos tratados. Essas alterações foram facilmente detectadas através dos perfis de oligossacarídeos analisados por HPLC, nos quais a propor

The diffusion dynamics of PEGylated liposomes in the intact vitreous of the ex vivo porcine eye: A fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and biodistribution study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eriksen, Anne Zebitz; Brewer, Jonathan; Andresen, Thomas Lars

2017-01-01

correlation spectroscopy (FCS) to determine liposome diffusion coefficients in the intact vitreous (DVit) of ex vivo porcine eyes using a modified Miyake-Apple technique to minimize the disruption of the vitreous fine structure. We chose to investigate whether the zeta potential of polyethylene glycol...

Determination of the carbon isotopic composition of whole/intact biological specimens using at-line direct thermal desorption to effect thermally assisted hydrolysis/methylation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Akoto, L.; Vreuls, R.J.J.; Irth, H.; Floris, V.; Hoogveld, H.L.; Pel, R.

2008-01-01

In this paper, we discuss the use of a direct thermal desorption (DTD) interface as an alternative to Curie-point flash pyrolysis system as an inlet technique in gas chromatography–combustion isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C-IRMS) analysis of whole/intact phytoplankton and zooplankton

Transcriptome differences between enrofloxacin-resistant and enrofloxacin-susceptible strains of Aeromonas hydrophila.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Fengjiao; Yang, Zongying; Zhang, Yiliu; Hu, Kun; Fang, Wenhong

2017-01-01

Enrofloxacin is the most commonly used antibiotic to control diseases in aquatic animals caused by A. hydrophila. This study conducted de novo transcriptome sequencing and compared the global transcriptomes of enrofloxacin-resistant and enrofloxacin-susceptible strains. We got a total of 4,714 unigenes were assembled. Of these, 4,122 were annotated. A total of 3,280 unigenes were assigned to GO, 3,388 unigenes were classified into Cluster of Orthologous Groups of proteins (COG) using BLAST and BLAST2GO software, and 2,568 were mapped onto pathways using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genomes Pathway database. Furthermore, 218 unigenes were deemed to be DEGs. After enrofloxacin treatment, 135 genes were upregulated and 83 genes were downregulated. The GO terms biological process (126 genes) and metabolic process (136 genes) were the most enriched, and the terms for protein folding, response to stress, and SOS response were also significantly enriched. This study identified enrofloxacin treatment affects multiple biological functions of A. hydrophila. Enrofloxacin resistance in A. hydrophila is closely related to the reduction of intracellular drug accumulation caused by ABC transporters and increased expression of topoisomerase IV.

Comparison of induced labour pattern in women with premature rupture of membranes at term and those with intact membranes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J A Osaikhuwuomwan

2011-01-01

Conclusion: The finding of a significant shorter latent period, requirement for less oxytocin dose and overall shorter duration of stimulated labour cases with PROM compared to induction of labour for those with intact membranes suggest that PROM may be a means of labour initiation by some parturients and thus implies that these two groups of paturients are different obstetric entities and should therefore be treated as such in their labour management and research consideration.

Preliminary investigations into macroscopic attenuated total reflection-fourier transform infrared imaging of intact spherical domains: spatial resolution and image distortion.

Science.gov (United States)

Everall, Neil J; Priestnall, Ian M; Clarke, Fiona; Jayes, Linda; Poulter, Graham; Coombs, David; George, Michael W

2009-03-01

This paper describes preliminary investigations into the spatial resolution of macro attenuated total reflection (ATR) Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) imaging and the distortions that arise when imaging intact, convex domains, using spheres as an extreme example. The competing effects of shallow evanescent wave penetration and blurring due to finite spatial resolution meant that spheres within the range 20-140 microm all appeared to be approximately the same size ( approximately 30-35 microm) when imaged with a numerical aperture (NA) of approximately 0.2. A very simple model was developed that predicted this extreme insensitivity to particle size. On the basis of these studies, it is anticipated that ATR imaging at this NA will be insensitive to the size of intact highly convex objects. A higher numerical aperture device should give a better estimate of the size of small spheres, owing to superior spatial resolution, but large spheres should still appear undersized due to the shallow sampling depth. An estimate of the point spread function (PSF) was required in order to develop and apply the model. The PSF was measured by imaging a sharp interface; assuming an Airy profile, the PSF width (distance from central maximum to first minimum) was estimated to be approximately 20 and 30 microm for IR bands at 1600 and 1000 cm(-1), respectively. This work has two significant limitations. First, underestimation of domain size only arises when imaging intact convex objects; if surfaces are prepared that randomly and representatively section through domains, the images can be analyzed to calculate parameters such as domain size, area, and volume. Second, the model ignores reflection and refraction and assumes weak absorption; hence, the predicted intensity profiles are not expected to be accurate; they merely give a rough estimate of the apparent sphere size. Much further work is required to place the field of quantitative ATR-FT-IR imaging on a sound basis.

The Effect of Two Soft Drinks on Bracket Bond Strength and on Intact and Sealed Enamel: An In Vitro Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pasha, Azam; Sindhu, D; Nayak, Rabindra S; Mamatha, J; Chaitra, K R; Vishwakarma, Swati

2015-01-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of two soft drinks, Coca-Cola and Mirinda orange on bracket bond strength, on adhesive remnant on teeth after debonding the bracket, and to observe by means of scanning electron microscope (SEM) the effect of these drinks on intact and sealed enamel. 120 non-carious maxillary premolar teeth already extracted for Orthodontic purposes were taken and divided into three groups, i.e., Coca-Cola drink, Mirinda orange, and control (artificial saliva) group. Brackets were bonded using conventional methods. Teeth were kept in soft drinks for 15 days, for 15 min, 3 times a day, separated by intervals of 2 h. At other times, they were kept in artificial saliva. The samples, thus obtained were evaluated for shear bond strength using the universal testing machine and subsequently subjected for adhesive remnant index (ARI) scores. SEM study on all the three groups was done for evaluating enamel surface of the intact and sealed enamel. The lowest mean resistance to shearing forces was shown by Mirinda orange group (5.30 ± 2.74 Mpa) followed by Coca-Cola group (6.24 ± 1.59 Mpa) and highest resistance to shearing forces by control group (7.33 ± 1.72 Mpa). The ARI scores revealed a cohesive failure in control samples and an adhesive failure in Mirinda and cola samples. SEM results showed areas of defect due to erosion caused by acidic soft drinks on intact and sealed enamel surface. Mirinda group showed the lowest resistance to shearing forces, followed by Coca-Cola group and with the highest resistance to shearing forces by the control group. There were significant differences between the control group and the study groups. Areas of defects, which were caused by erosion related to acidic soft drinks on the enamel surface around the adhesive, were seen. Areas of defects caused by Coca-Cola were more extensive when compared to Mirinda orange drink.

The Effect of Two Soft Drinks on Bracket Bond Strength and on Intact and Sealed Enamel: An In Vitro Study

Science.gov (United States)

Pasha, Azam; Sindhu, D; Nayak, Rabindra S; Mamatha, J; Chaitra, K R; Vishwakarma, Swati

2015-01-01

Background and Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of two soft drinks, Coca-Cola and Mirinda orange on bracket bond strength, on adhesive remnant on teeth after debonding the bracket, and to observe by means of scanning electron microscope (SEM) the effect of these drinks on intact and sealed enamel. Methods: 120 non-carious maxillary premolar teeth already extracted for Orthodontic purposes were taken and divided into three groups, i.e., Coca-Cola drink, Mirinda orange, and control (artificial saliva) group. Brackets were bonded using conventional methods. Teeth were kept in soft drinks for 15 days, for 15 min, 3 times a day, separated by intervals of 2 h. At other times, they were kept in artificial saliva. The samples, thus obtained were evaluated for shear bond strength using the universal testing machine and subsequently subjected for adhesive remnant index (ARI) scores. SEM study on all the three groups was done for evaluating enamel surface of the intact and sealed enamel. Results: The lowest mean resistance to shearing forces was shown by Mirinda orange group (5.30 ± 2.74 Mpa) followed by Coca-Cola group (6.24 ± 1.59 Mpa) and highest resistance to shearing forces by control group (7.33 ± 1.72 Mpa). The ARI scores revealed a cohesive failure in control samples and an adhesive failure in Mirinda and cola samples. SEM results showed areas of defect due to erosion caused by acidic soft drinks on intact and sealed enamel surface. Conclusion: Mirinda group showed the lowest resistance to shearing forces, followed by Coca-Cola group and with the highest resistance to shearing forces by the control group. There were significant differences between the control group and the study groups. Areas of defects, which were caused by erosion related to acidic soft drinks on the enamel surface around the adhesive, were seen. Areas of defects caused by Coca-Cola were more extensive when compared to Mirinda orange drink. PMID:26668477

Estimation of Elastic Modulus of Intact Rocks by Artificial Neural Network

Science.gov (United States)

Ocak, Ibrahim; Seker, Sadi Evren

2012-11-01

The modulus of elasticity of intact rock ( E i) is an important rock property that is used as an input parameter in the design stage of engineering projects such as dams, slopes, foundations, tunnel constructions and mining excavations. However, it is sometimes difficult to determine the modulus of elasticity in laboratory tests because high-quality cores are required. For this reason, various methods for predicting E i have been popular research topics in recently published literature. In this study, the relationships between the uniaxial compressive strength, unit weight ( γ) and E i for different types of rocks were analyzed, employing an artificial neural network and 195 data obtained from laboratory tests carried out on cores obtained from drilling holes within the area of three metro lines in Istanbul, Turkey. Software was developed in Java language using Weka class libraries for the study. To determine the prediction capacity of the proposed technique, the root-mean-square error and the root relative squared error indices were calculated as 0.191 and 92.587, respectively. Both coefficients indicate that the prediction capacity of the study is high for practical use.

Non-covalent association of protein and capsular polysaccharide on bacteria-sized latex beads as a model for polysaccharide-specific humoral immunity to intact Gram-positive extracellular bacteria1

Science.gov (United States)

Colino, Jesus; Duke, Leah; Snapper, Clifford M.

2013-01-01

Intact Streptococcus pneumoniae, expressing type 14 capsular polysaccharide (PPS14) and type III Streptococcus agalactiae containing a PPS14 core capsule identical to PPS14, exhibit non-covalent associations of PPS14 and bacterial protein, in contrast to soluble covalent conjugates of these respective antigens. Both bacteria and conjugates induce murine PPS14-specific IgG responses dependent on CD4+ T cells. Further, secondary immunization with conjugate and S. agalactiae, although not S. pneumoniae, results in a boosted response. However, in contrast to conjugate, PPS14-specific IgG responses to bacteria lack affinity maturation, utilize the 44.1-idiotype and are dependent on marginal zone B cells. To better understand the mechanism underlying this dichotomy we developed a minimal model of intact bacteria in which PPS14 and pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) were stably attached to 1 μm (bacteria-sized) latex beads, but not directly linked to each other, in contrast to PPS14-PspA conjugate. PPS14+[PspA] beads, similar to conjugate, induced in mice boosted PPS14-specific IgG secondary responses, dependent on T cells and ICOS-dependent costimulation, and in which priming could be achieved with PspA alone. In contrast to conjugate, but similar to intact bacteria, the primary PPS14-specific IgG response to PPS14+[PspA] beads peaked rapidly, with the secondary response highly enriched for the 44.1-idiotype and lacking affinity maturation. These results demonstrate that non-covalent association in a particle, of polysaccharide and protein, recapitulates essential immunologic characteristics of intact bacteria that are distinct from soluble covalent conjugates of these respective antigens. PMID:23926322

Faba bean drought responsive gene identification and validation

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Megahed H. Ammar

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This study was carried out to identify drought-responsive genes in a drought tolerant faba bean variety (Hassawi 2 using a suppressive subtraction hybridization approach (SSH. A total of 913 differentially expressed clones were sequenced from a differential cDNA library that resulted in a total of 225 differentially expressed ESTs. The genes of mitochondrial and chloroplast origin were removed, and the remaining 137 EST sequences were submitted to the gene bank EST database (LIBEST_028448. A sequence analysis identified 35 potentially drought stress-related ESTs that regulate ion channels, kinases, and energy production and utilization and transcription factors. Quantitative PCR on Hassawi 2 genotype confirmed that more than 65% of selected drought-responsive genes were drought-related. Among these induced genes, the expression levels of eight highly up-regulated unigenes were further analyzed across 38 selected faba bean genotypes that differ in their drought tolerance levels. These unigenes included ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (rbcL gene, non-LTR retroelement reverse related, probable cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channel, polyubiquitin, potassium channel, calcium-dependent protein kinase and putative respiratory burst oxidase-like protein C and a novel unigene. The expression patterns of these unigenes were variable across 38 genotypes however, it was found to be very high in tolerant genotype. The up-regulation of these unigenes in majority of tolerant genotypes suggests their possible role in drought tolerance. The identification of possible drought responsive candidate genes in Vicia faba reported here is an important step toward the development of drought-tolerant genotypes that can cope with arid environments.

De Novo Assembly and Transcriptome Analysis of Wheat with Male Sterility Induced by the Chemical Hybridizing Agent SQ-1.

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Qidi Zhu

Full Text Available Wheat (Triticum aestivum L., one of the world's most important food crops, is a strictly autogamous (self-pollinating species with exclusively perfect flowers. Male sterility induced by chemical hybridizing agents has increasingly attracted attention as a tool for hybrid seed production in wheat; however, the molecular mechanisms of male sterility induced by the agent SQ-1 remain poorly understood due to limited whole transcriptome data. Therefore, a comparative analysis of wheat anther transcriptomes for male fertile wheat and SQ-1-induced male sterile wheat was carried out using next-generation sequencing technology. In all, 42,634,123 sequence reads were generated and were assembled into 82,356 high-quality unigenes with an average length of 724 bp. Of these, 1,088 unigenes were significantly differentially expressed in the fertile and sterile wheat anthers, including 643 up-regulated unigenes and 445 down-regulated unigenes. The differentially expressed unigenes with functional annotations were mapped onto 60 pathways using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database. They were mainly involved in coding for the components of ribosomes, photosynthesis, respiration, purine and pyrimidine metabolism, amino acid metabolism, glutathione metabolism, RNA transport and signal transduction, reactive oxygen species metabolism, mRNA surveillance pathways, protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, protein export, and ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. This study is the first to provide a systematic overview comparing wheat anther transcriptomes of male fertile wheat with those of SQ-1-induced male sterile wheat and is a valuable source of data for future research in SQ-1-induced wheat male sterility.

Transcriptomic analysis of endangered Chinese salamander: identification of immune, sex and reproduction-related genes and genetic markers.

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Rongbo Che

Full Text Available The Chinese salamander (Hynobius chinensis, an endangered amphibian species of salamander endemic to China, has attracted much attention because of its value of studying paleontology evolutionary history and decreasing population size. Despite increasing interest in the Hynobius chinensis genome, genomic resources for the species are still very limited. A comprehensive transcriptome of Hynobius chinensis, which will provide a resource for genome annotation, candidate genes identification and molecular marker development should be generated to supplement it.We performed a de novo assembly of Hynobius chinensis transcriptome by Illumina sequencing. A total of 148,510 nonredundant unigenes with an average length of approximately 580 bp were obtained. In all, 60,388 (40.66% unigenes showed homologous matches in at least one database and 33,537 (22.58% unigenes were annotated by all four databases. In total, 41,553 unigenes were categorized into 62 sub-categories by BLAST2GO search, and 19,468 transcripts were assigned to 140 KEGG pathways. A large number of unigenes involved in immune system, local adaptation, reproduction and sex determination were identified, as well as 31,982 simple sequence repeats (SSRs and 460,923 putative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs.This dataset represents the first transcriptome analysis of the Chinese salamander (Hynobius chinensis, an endangered species, to be also the first time of hynobiidae. The transcriptome will provide valuable resource for further research in discovery of new genes, protection of population, adaptive evolution and survey of various pathways, as well as development of molecule markers in Chinese salamander; and reference information for closely related species.

The mechanism of anthracene interaction with photosynthetic apparatus: A study using intact cells, thylakoid membranes and PS II complexes isolated from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aksmann, Anna; Shutova, Tatiana; Samuelsson, Goeran; Tukaj, Zbigniew

2011-01-01

Intact cells of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as well as isolated thylakoid membranes and photosystem II complexes were used to examine a possible mechanism of anthracene (ANT) interaction with the photosynthetic apparatus. Since ANT concentrations above 1 mM were required to significantly inhibit the rate of oxygen evolution in PS II membrane fragments it may indicate that the toxicant did not directly interact with this photosystem. On the other hand, stimulation of oxygen uptake by ANT-treated thylakoids suggested that ANT could either act as an artificial electron acceptor in the photosynthetic electron transport chain or function as an uncoupler. Electron transfer from excited chlorophyll to ANT is impossible due to the very low reduction potential of ANT and therefore we propose that toxic concentrations of ANT increase the thylakoid membrane permeability and thereby function as an uncoupler, enhancing electron transport in vitro. Hence, its unspecific interference with photosynthetic membranes in vitro suggests that the inhibitory effect observed on intact cell photosynthesis is caused by uncoupling of phosphorylation.

Transcriptomic Identification of Drought-Related Genes and SSR Markers in Sudan Grass Based on RNA-Seq

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Yongqun Zhu

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Sudan grass (Sorghum sudanense is an annual warm-season gramineous forage grass that is widely used as pasture, hay, and silage. However, drought stress severely impacts its yield, and there is limited information about the mechanisms of drought tolerance in Sudan grass. In this study, we used next-generation sequencing to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs in the Sudan grass variety Wulate No.1, and we developed simple sequence repeat (SSR markers associated with drought stress. From 852,543,826 raw reads, nearly 816,854,366 clean reads were identified and used for analysis. A total of 80,686 unigenes were obtained via de novo assembly of the clean reads including 45,065 unigenes (55.9% that were identified as coding sequences (CDSs. According to Gene Ontology analysis, 31,444 unigenes were annotated, 11,778 unigenes were identified to 25 categories in the clusters of orthologous groups of proteins (KOG classification, and 11,223 unigenes were assigned to 280 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG pathways. Additionally, there were 2,329 DEGs under a short-term of 25% polyethylene glycol (PEG treatment, while 5,101 DEGs were identified under the long-term of 25% PEG treatment. DEGs were enriched in pathways of carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms and plant hormone signal transduction which played a leading role in short-term of drought stress. However, DEGs were mainly enriched in pathway of plant hormone signal transduction that played an important role under long-term of drought stress. To increase accuracy, we excluded all the DEGs of all controls, specifically, five DEGs that were associated with high PEG concentrations were found through RNA-Seq. All five genes were up-regulated under drought stress, but the functions of the genes remain unclear. In addition, we identified 17,548 SSRs obtained from 80,686 unigenes. The newly identified drought tolerance DEGs will contribute to transgenic breeding efforts, while

Application of a handheld Pressure Application Measurement device for the characterisation of mechanical nociceptive thresholds in intact pig tails

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Di Giminiani, Pierpaolo; Sandercock, Dale A.; Malcolm, Emma M.

2016-01-01

The assessment of nociceptive thresholds is employed in animals and humans to evaluate changes in sensitivity potentially arising from tissue damage. Its application on the intact pig tail might represent a suitable method to assess changes in nociceptive thresholds arising from tail injury...... to the body was observed (P knowledge, no other...... nociceptive threshold in pig tails. This methodological approach is possibly suitable for assessing changes in tail stump MNTs after tail injury caused by tail docking and biting....