Cutaneous vascular anomalies associated with neural tube defects: nomenclature and pathology revisited.

Science.gov (United States)

Maugans, Todd; Sheridan, Rachel M; Adams, Denise; Gupta, Anita

2011-07-01

Lumbosacral cutaneous vascular anomalies associated with neural tube defects are frequently described in the literature as "hemangiomas." The classification system for pediatric vascular anomalies developed by the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies provides a framework to accurately diagnose these lesions. To apply this classification to vascular cutaneous anomalies overlying myelodysplasias. A retrospective analysis of patients with neural tube defects and lumbosacral cutaneous vascular lesions was performed. All eligible patients had detailed histopathologic analysis of skin and spinal cord/placode lesions. Clinical and radiologic features were analyzed. Conventional histology and GLUT-1 immunostaining were performed to differentiate infantile capillary hemangiomas from capillary vascular malformations. Ten cases with cutaneous lesions associated with neural tube defects were reviewed. Five lesions were diagnosed as infantile capillary hemangiomas based upon histology and positive GLUT-1 endothelial reactivity. These lesions had a strong association with dermal sinus tracts. No reoperations were required for residual intraspinal vascular lesions, and overlying cutaneous vascular anomalies involuted with time. The remaining 5 lesions were diagnosed as capillary malformations. These occurred with both open and closed neural tube defects, did not involute, and demonstrated enlargement and darkening due to vascular congestion. The International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies scheme should be used to describe the cutaneous vascular lesions associated with neural tube defects: infantile capillary hemangiomas and capillary malformations. We advocate that these lesions be described as "vascular anomalies" or "stains" pending accurate diagnosis by clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical evaluations.

An anti vimentin antibody promotes tube formation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Mathias Lindh; Møller, Carina Kjeldahl; Rasmussen, Lasse

2017-01-01

antibody technology, promotes tube formation of endothelial cells in a 2D matrigel assay. By binding vimentin, the antibody increases the tube formation by 21% after 5 hours of incubation. Addition of the antibody directly to cultured endothelial cells does not influence endothelial cell migration...... or proliferation. The enhanced tube formation can be seen for up to 10 hours where after the effect decreases. It is shown that the antibody-binding site is located on the coil 2 domain of vimentin. To our knowledge this is the first study that demonstrates an enhanced tube formation by binding vimentin in a 2D...

Diagnosis of fetal neural tube defects by MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong Suzhen; Zhu Ming; Zhong Yumin; Zhang Hong; Pan Huihong

2010-01-01

Objective: To explore the diagnostic value of MRI on fetal neural tube defects. Methods: Ten pregnant women, aged from 25 to 35 years (average 28 years) and with gestation from 20-39 weeks (average 33 weeks) were studied with a 1.5 T superconductive MR unit within 24 to 48 hours after ultrasound (US) studies. The imaging protocol included fast-imaging employing steady-state acquisition, single-shot FSE and T 1 -weighted fast inversion recovery motion insensitive sequences in the axial, fromtal, and sagittal planes relative to the fetal brain, thorax, abdomen, and spines. Prenatal US and MRI findings were compared with postnatal MRI diagnoses (3 fetuses) or autopsy (7 fetuses). Results: Ten pregnant women (9 with a single fetus and 1 with twin fetuses) were examined. For all cases, the diagnoses established by MRI were correct when compared with postnatal diagnosis or autopsy. In 7 cases, US and MRI findings were in complete agreement with postnatal diagnoses. US missed the diagnosis in 1 cases and misdiagnosed in 2 cases. Ten neural tube defects in this study included anencephaly (1 case), exencephaly (1 case), meningoencephalocele associated with amniotic band sequence (1 case), meningocele (1 case), thoracic myelomeningocele (1 case), lumbar spinal bifida (1 case), sacroiliac myelomeningocele (2 cases), sacroiliac large cystic spinal meningocele (1 case), sacroiliac spinal bifida (1 case). Conclusions: Prenatal MRI is effective in the assessment of fetal neural tube defects. It can exactly discriminate herniated contents and locate the spinal lesion level. (authors)

Flexible deep brain neural probes based on a parylene tube structure

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Zhiguo; Kim, Eric; Luo, Hao; Zhang, Jinsheng; Xu, Yong

2018-01-01

Most microfabricated neural probes have limited shank length, which prevents them from reaching many deep brain structures. This paper reports deep brain neural probes with ultra-long penetrating shanks based on a simple but novel parylene tube structure. The mechanical strength of the parylene tube shank is temporarily enhanced during implantation by inserting a metal wire. The metal wire can be removed after implantation, making the implanted probe very flexible and thus minimizing the stress caused by micromotions of brain tissues. Optogenetic stimulation and chemical delivery capabilities can be potentially integrated by taking advantage of the tube structure. Single-shank prototypes with a shank length of 18.2 mm have been developed. The microfabrication process comprises of deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) of silicon, parylene conformal coating/refilling, and XeF2 isotropic silicon etching. In addition to bench-top insertion characterization, the functionality of developed probes has been preliminarily demonstrated by implanting into the amygdala of a rat and recording neural signals.

Isolation and culture of neural crest cells from embryonic murine neural tube.

Science.gov (United States)

Pfaltzgraff, Elise R; Mundell, Nathan A; Labosky, Patricia A

2012-06-02

The embryonic neural crest (NC) is a multipotent progenitor population that originates at the dorsal aspect of the neural tube, undergoes an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and migrates throughout the embryo, giving rise to diverse cell types. NC also has the unique ability to influence the differentiation and maturation of target organs. When explanted in vitro, NC progenitors undergo self-renewal, migrate and differentiate into a variety of tissue types including neurons, glia, smooth muscle cells, cartilage and bone. NC multipotency was first described from explants of the avian neural tube. In vitro isolation of NC cells facilitates the study of NC dynamics including proliferation, migration, and multipotency. Further work in the avian and rat systems demonstrated that explanted NC cells retain their NC potential when transplanted back into the embryo. Because these inherent cellular properties are preserved in explanted NC progenitors, the neural tube explant assay provides an attractive option for studying the NC in vitro. To attain a better understanding of the mammalian NC, many methods have been employed to isolate NC populations. NC-derived progenitors can be cultured from post-migratory locations in both the embryo and adult to study the dynamics of post-migratory NC progenitors, however isolation of NC progenitors as they emigrate from the neural tube provides optimal preservation of NC cell potential and migratory properties. Some protocols employ fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) to isolate a NC population enriched for particular progenitors. However, when starting with early stage embryos, cell numbers adequate for analyses are difficult to obtain with FACS, complicating the isolation of early NC populations from individual embryos. Here, we describe an approach that does not rely on FACS and results in an approximately 96% pure NC population based on a Wnt1-Cre activated lineage reporter. The method presented here is adapted from

Morphogenetic movements during cranial neural tube closure in the chick embryo and the effect of homocysteine

OpenAIRE

Brouns, M.R.; Afman, L.A.; VanHauten, B.A.M.; Hekking, J.W.M.; Kohler, E.S.; Straaten, van, H.W.M.

2005-01-01

In order to unravel morphogenetic mechanisms involved in neural tube closure, critical cell movements that are fundamental to remodelling of the cranial neural tube in the chick embryo were studied in vitro by quantitative time-lapse video microscopy. Two main directions of movements were observed. The earliest was directed medially; these cells invaginated into a median groove and were the main contributors to the initial neural tube closure. Once the median groove was completed, cells chang...

Preventing neural tube defects in Europe: a missed opportunity.

Science.gov (United States)

Busby, Araceli; Abramsky, Lenore; Dolk, Helen; Armstrong, Ben; Addor, Marie-Claude; Anneren, Goran; Armstrong, Nicola; Baguette, Andre; Barisic, Ingeborg; Berghold, Andrea; Bianca, Sebastiano; Braz, Paula; Calzolari, Elisa; Christiansen, Marianne; Cocchi, Guido; Daltveit, Anne Kjersti; De Walle, Hermien; Edwards, Grace; Gatt, Miriam; Gener, Blanca; Gillerot, Yves; Gjergja, Romana; Goujard, Janine; Haeusler, Martin; Latos-Bielenska, Anna; McDonnell, Robert; Neville, Amanda; Olars, Birgitta; Portillo, Isabel; Ritvanen, Annukka; Robert-Gnansia, Elizabeth; Rösch, Christine; Scarano, Gioacchino; Steinbicker, Volker

2005-01-01

Each year, more than 4500 pregnancies in the European Union are affected by neural tube defects (NTD). Unambiguous evidence of the effectiveness of periconceptional folic acid in preventing the majority of neural tube defects has been available since 1991. We report on trends in the total prevalence of neural tube defects up to 2002, in the context of a survey in 18 European countries of periconceptional folic acid supplementation (PFAS) policies and their implementation. EUROCAT is a network of population-based registries in Europe collaborating in the epidemiological surveillance of congenital anomalies. Representatives from 18 participating countries provided information about policy, health education campaigns and surveys of PFAS uptake. The yearly total prevalence of neural tube defects including livebirths, stillbirths and terminations of pregnancy was calculated from 1980 to 2002 for 34 registries, with UK and Ireland estimated separately from the rest of Europe. A meta-analysis of changes in NTD total prevalence between 1989-1991 and 2000-2002 according to PFAS policy was undertaken for 24 registries. By 2005, 13 countries had a government recommendation that women planning a pregnancy should take 0.4mg folic acid supplement daily, accompanied in 7 countries by government-led health education initiatives. In the UK and Ireland, countries with PFAS policy, there was a 30% decline in NTD total prevalence (95% CI 16-42%) but it was difficult to distinguish this from the pre-existing strong decline. In other European countries with PFAS policy, there was virtually no decline in NTD total prevalence whether a policy was in place by 1999 (2%, 95% CI 28% reduction to 32% increase) or not (8%, 95% CI 26% reduction to 16% increase). The potential for preventing NTDs by periconceptional folic acid supplementation is still far from being fulfilled in Europe. Only a public health policy including folic acid fortification of staple foods is likely to result in large

Partitioning of One-Carbon Units in Folate and Methionine Metabolism Is Essential for Neural Tube Closure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kit-Yi Leung

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Summary: Abnormal folate one-carbon metabolism (FOCM is implicated in neural tube defects (NTDs, severe malformations of the nervous system. MTHFR mediates unidirectional transfer of methyl groups from the folate cycle to the methionine cycle and, therefore, represents a key nexus in partitioning one-carbon units between FOCM functional outputs. Methionine cycle inhibitors prevent neural tube closure in mouse embryos. Similarly, the inability to use glycine as a one-carbon donor to the folate cycle causes NTDs in glycine decarboxylase (Gldc-deficient embryos. However, analysis of Mthfr-null mouse embryos shows that neither S-adenosylmethionine abundance nor neural tube closure depend on one-carbon units derived from embryonic or maternal folate cycles. Mthfr deletion or methionine treatment prevents NTDs in Gldc-null embryos by retention of one-carbon units within the folate cycle. Overall, neural tube closure depends on the activity of both the methionine and folate cycles, but transfer of one-carbon units between the cycles is not necessary. : Leung at al. find that embryonic neural tube closure depends both on the supply of one-carbon units to the folate cycle from glycine cleavage and on the methionine cycle. In contrast, transfer of one-carbon units from the folate cycle to the methionine cycle by MTHFR is dispensable. Keywords: one-carbon metabolism, folic acid, neural tube defects, spina bifida, glycine cleavage system, non-ketotic hyperglycinemia, eye, Mthfr, Gldc

Neural Tube Defect in Alive Neonates: Incidence Rate and Predisposing Factors

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F Haghollahi

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Neural Tube Defect (NTD characterized by failure of neural tube to close properly be the second most common born defect after congenital heart disease. The most prevalent forms of NTD are Anencephaly and Spinal-bifida. Many factors are involved in this anomaly. New researches suggest environmental factors like radiation, hyperthermia, Vitamin A and acid folic deficiency, anti epileptic drug like Carbamazepine, Phenobarbital, phenytoin, Folic acid antagonist like Sulfasalazine, Triametherine and systemic disease like diabet mellitus, obesity, genetic factors, the most schance 40 to 70 percentages.Methods: In this survey cross sectional study was conducted in five hospitals depend to Tehran university during three years. Study subject identified through review of admission and discharge at major hospital through regular contact with newborn nurseries and birth hospital.Results: In 38473 reported cases, 143 cases have neural tube defect. Among NTD cases, 11.9% of mothers had medical diseases in their previous history such as diabetes mellitus, epilepsy-psychiatric, and disorder-heart diseases. In this study group, 5.6% have preclampsia during pregnancy period. The most common NTD anomaly in this study was anencephaly and meningomyelocele that was different from studies in literature.Conclusion: NTD result from failure of neural tube close threats fetus health up to 28 days after conception. When is often prior to the recognition of pregnancy since many pregnancy are unplanned NTD prevention is best achieve by adequate daily folic acid intake thought of reproductive ages .educational effort to promote daily intake of folic acid supplemental by women of reproductive age and NTD risk factor should be done. Early diagnostic procedure for high risk pregnancy advised.

Morphogenetic movements during cranial neural tube closure in the chick embryo and the effect of homocysteine

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouns, M.R.; Afman, L.A.; VanHauten, B.A.M.; Hekking, J.W.M.; Kohler, E.S.; Straaten, van H.W.M.

2005-01-01

In order to unravel morphogenetic mechanisms involved in neural tube closure, critical cell movements that are fundamental to remodelling of the cranial neural tube in the chick embryo were studied in vitro by quantitative time-lapse video microscopy. Two main directions of movements were observed.

Morphogenetic movements during cranial neural tube closure in the chick embryo and the effect of homocysteine.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouns, M.R.; Afman, L.A.; Vanhauten, B.A.M.; Hekking, J.W.M.; Köhler, E.S.; Straaten, H.W.M. van

2005-01-01

In order to unravel morphogenetic mechanisms involved in neural tube closure, critical cell movements that are fundamental to remodelling of the cranial neural tube in the chick embryo were studied in vitro by quantitative time-lapse video microscopy. Two main directions of movements were observed.

Application of artificial neural networks in analysis of CHF experimental data in round tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Yanping; Chen Bingde; Lang Xuemei; Wang Xiaojun; Shan Jianqiang; Jia Dounan

2004-01-01

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are applied successfully to analyze the critical heat flux (CHF) experimental data from some round tubes in this paper. A set of software adopting artificial neural network method for predicting CHF in round tube and a set of CHF database are gotten. Comparing with common CHF correlations and CHF look-up table, ANN method has stronger ability of allow-wrong and nice robustness. The CHF predicting software adopting artificial neural network technology can improve the predicting accuracy in a wider parameter range, and is easier to update and to use. The artificial neural network method used in this paper can be applied to some similar physical problems. (authors)

Influence of the neural tube/notochord complex on MyoD expression and cellular proliferation in chicken embryos

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H.J. Alves

2003-02-01

Full Text Available Important advances have been made in understanding the genetic processes that control skeletal muscle formation. Studies conducted on quails detected a delay in the myogenic program of animals selected for high growth rates. These studies have led to the hypothesis that a delay in myogenesis would allow somitic cells to proliferate longer and consequently increase the number of embryonic myoblasts. To test this hypothesis, recently segmented somites and part of the unsegmented paraxial mesoderm were separated from the neural tube/notochord complex in HH12 chicken embryos. In situ hybridization and competitive RT-PCR revealed that MyoD transcripts, which are responsible for myoblast determination, were absent in somites separated from neural tube/notochord (1.06 and 0.06 10-3 attomol MyoD/1 attomol ß-actin for control and separated somites, respectively; P<0.01. However, reapproximation of these structures allowed MyoD to be expressed in somites. Cellular proliferation was analyzed by immunohistochemical detection of incorporated BrdU, a thymidine analogue. A smaller but not significant (P = 0.27 number of proliferating cells was observed in somites that had been separated from neural tube/notochord (27 and 18 for control and separated somites, respectively. These results confirm the influence of the axial structures on MyoD activation but do not support the hypothesis that in the absence of MyoD transcripts the cellular proliferation would be maintained for a longer period of time.

Professor John Scott, folate and neural tube defects.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffbrand, A Victor

2014-02-01

John Scott (1940-2013) was born in Dublin where he was to spend the rest of his career, both as an undergraduate and subsequently Professor of Biochemistry and Nutrition at Trinity College. His research with the talented group of scientists and clinicians that he led has had a substantial impact on our understanding of folate metabolism, mechanisms of its catabolism and deficiency. His research established the leading theory of folate involvement with vitamin B12 in the pathogenesis of vitamin B12 neuropathy. He helped to establish the normal daily intake of folate and the increased requirements needed either in food or as a supplement before and during pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects. He also suggested a dietary supplement of vitamin B12 before and during pregnancy to reduce the risk of neural tube defects. It would be an appropriate epitaph if fortification of food with folic acid became mandatory in the UK and Ireland, as it is in over 70 other countries. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluation of the cranial base in amnion rupture sequence involving the anterior neural tube: implications regarding recurrence risk.

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Jones, Kenneth Lyons; Robinson, Luther K; Benirschke, Kurt

2006-09-01

Amniotic bands can cause disruption of the cranial end of the developing fetus, leading in some cases to a neural tube closure defect. Although recurrence for unaffected parents of an affected child with a defect in which the neural tube closed normally but was subsequently disrupted by amniotic bands is negligible; for a primary defect in closure of the neural tube to which amnion has subsequently adhered, recurrence risk is 1.7%. In that primary defects of neural tube closure are characterized by typical abnormalities of the base of the skull, evaluation of the cranial base in such fetuses provides an approach for making a distinction between these 2 mechanisms. This distinction has implications regarding recurrence risk. The skull base of 2 fetuses with amnion rupture sequence involving the cranial end of the neural tube were compared to that of 1 fetus with anencephaly as well as that of a structurally normal fetus. The skulls were cleaned, fixed in 10% formalin, recleaned, and then exposed to 10% KOH solution. After washing and recleaning, the skulls were exposed to hydrogen peroxide for bleaching and photography. Despite involvement of the anterior neural tube in both fetuses with amnion rupture sequence, in Case 3 the cranial base was normal while in Case 4 the cranial base was similar to that seen in anencephaly. This technique provides a method for determining the developmental pathogenesis of anterior neural tube defects in cases of amnion rupture sequence. As such, it provides information that can be used to counsel parents of affected children with respect to recurrence risk.

Design of large-format X-ray framing image tube

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zong Fangke; Yang Qinlao; Gu Li; Li Xiang; Zhang Jingjin

2012-01-01

An implementation method of large-format framing image tube is proposed. An electrostatic focusing image tube with large input photocathode and small output image is designed. Coupling with common small-format microchannel plate (MCP) gated framing unit, image gating and enhancement can be realized. Compared to the tube with large-format MCP, this kind of framing tube avoids the high manufacturing cost of lager-format MCP and overcomes the transmission voltage loss and gain uniformity caused by long micro strips. The framing image tube has an effective input working diameter of 100 mm, an output image diameter of 40 mm, and a magnification of 0.4. The centre spatial resolution is 14.4 lp/mm, the marginal spatial resolution is 11.2 lp/mm, and the the geometric distortion is less than 15%. The framing characteristics is determined by the MCP framing unit. This method is an effective way for expanding the work area of framing image tubes. (authors)

Neural tube closure depends on expression of Grainyhead-like 3 in multiple tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

De Castro, Sandra C P; Hirst, Caroline S; Savery, Dawn; Rolo, Ana; Lickert, Heiko; Andersen, Bogi; Copp, Andrew J; Greene, Nicholas D E

2018-03-15

Failure of neural tube closure leads to neural tube defects (NTDs), common congenital abnormalities in humans. Among the genes whose loss of function causes NTDs in mice, Grainyhead-like3 (Grhl3) is essential for spinal neural tube closure, with null mutants exhibiting fully penetrant spina bifida. During spinal neurulation Grhl3 is initially expressed in the surface (non-neural) ectoderm, subsequently in the neuroepithelial component of the neural folds and at the node-streak border, and finally in the hindgut endoderm. Here, we show that endoderm-specific knockout of Grhl3 causes late-arising spinal NTDs, preceded by increased ventral curvature of the caudal region which was shown previously to suppress closure of the spinal neural folds. This finding supports the hypothesis that diminished Grhl3 expression in the hindgut is the cause of spinal NTDs in the curly tail, carrying a hypomorphic Grhl3 allele. Complete loss of Grhl3 function produces a more severe phenotype in which closure fails earlier in neurulation, before the stage of onset of expression in the hindgut of wild-type embryos. This implicates additional tissues and NTD mechanisms in Grhl3 null embryos. Conditional knockout of Grhl3 in the neural plate and node-streak border has minimal effect on closure, suggesting that abnormal function of surface ectoderm, where Grhl3 transcripts are first detected, is primarily responsible for early failure of spinal neurulation in Grhl3 null embryos. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Maternal bereavement in the antenathal period and Neural tube defect in the offspring

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ingstrup, Katja Glejsted; Olsen, Jørn; Bech, Bodil Hammer

2013-01-01

Title: Maternal bereavement after death of a close relative and neural tube defect in the offspring Background: Neural tube defects are the second most common and often lethal congenital anomaly in the world leaving surviving children with life-long severe disabilities. A low intake of folic acid...... was seen (OR 1.61, 95% CI: 1.07; 2.41). Discussion: We only studied live born children but about 2/3 of children with spina bifida survive the birth or longer with corrective surgery. We did not adjust for folic acid, but a sub-analysis of approximately 85,000 mothers showed no difference in intake during...... all children born in Denmark from 1978-2008 and their mothers (n=1,734,190). In the time window of one year before pregnancy or during the first trimester of pregnancy 34,407 mothers were exposed to bereavement. Results: A total of 5,031 cases of neural tube defects were identified: 889 with spina...

Maternal Diabetes Alters Expression of MicroRNAs that Regulate Genes Critical for Neural Tube Development

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Seshadri Ramya

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Maternal diabetes is known to cause neural tube defects (NTDs in embryos and neuropsychological deficits in infants. Several metabolic pathways and a plethora of genes have been identified to be deregulated in developing brain of embryos by maternal diabetes, although the exact mechanism remains unknown. Recently, miRNAs have been shown to regulate genes involved in brain development and maturation. Therefore, we hypothesized that maternal diabetes alters the expression of miRNAs that regulate genes involved in biological pathways critical for neural tube development and closure during embryogenesis. To address this, high throughput miRNA expression profiling in neural stem cells (NSCs isolated from the forebrain of embryos from normal or streptozotocin-induced diabetic pregnancy was carried out. It is known that maternal diabetes results in fetal hypoglycemia/hyperglycemia or hypoxia. Hence, NSCs from embryos of control pregnant mice were exposed to low or high glucose or hypoxia in vitro. miRNA pathway analysis revealed distinct deregulation of several biological pathways, including axon guidance pathway, which are critical for brain development in NSCs exposed to different treatments. Among the differentially expressed miRNAs, the miRNA-30 family members which are predicted to target genes involved in brain development was upregulated in NSCs from embryos of diabetic pregnancy when compared to control. miRNA-30b was found to be upregulated while its target gene Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1, as revealed by luciferase assay, was down regulated in NSCs from embryos of diabetic pregnancy. Further, overexpression of miRNA-30b in NSCs, resulted in decreased expression of Sirt1 protein, and altered the neuron/glia ratio. On the other hand, siRNA mediated knockdown of Sirt1 in NSCs promoted astrogenesis, indicating that miRNA-30b alters lineage specification via Sirt1. Overall, these results suggest that maternal diabetes alters the genes involved in neural tube

dNTP deficiency induced by HU via inhibiting ribonucleotide reductase affects neural tube development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guan, Zhen; Wang, Xiuwei; Dong, Yanting; Xu, Lin; Zhu, Zhiqiang; Wang, Jianhua; Zhang, Ting; Niu, Bo

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Murine NTDs were successfully induced by means of hydroxyurea (HU). • The impairment of dNTP was induced via inhibition of ribonucleotide reductase. • dNTP deficiency induced by HU caused defective DNA synthesis and repair. • Abnormal apoptosis and proliferation induced by HU affected neural tube development. - Abstract: Exposure to environmental toxic chemicals in utero during the neural tube development period can cause developmental disorders. To evaluate the disruption of neural tube development programming, the murine neural tube defects (NTDs) model was induced by interrupting folate metabolism using methotrexate in our previous study. The present study aimed to examine the effects of dNTP deficiency induced by hydroxyurea (HU), a specific ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) inhibitor, during murine neural tube development. Pregnant C57BL/6J mice were intraperitoneally injected with various doses of HU on gestation day (GD) 7.5, and the embryos were checked on GD 11.5. RNR activity and deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) levels were measured in the optimal dose. Additionally, DNA damage was examined by comet analysis and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay. Cellular behaviors in NTDs embryos were evaluated with phosphorylation of histone H3 (PH-3) and caspase-3 using immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. The results showed that NTDs were observed mostly with HU treatment at an optimal dose of 225 mg/kg b/w. RNR activity was inhibited and dNTP levels were decreased in HU-treated embryos with NTDs. Additionally, increased DNA damage, decreased proliferation, and increased caspase-3 were significant in NTDs embryos compared to the controls. Results indicated that HU induced murine NTDs model by disturbing dNTP metabolism and further led to the abnormal cell balance between proliferation and apoptosis

Epidemiology of neural tube defects in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

AlShail, Essam; De Vol, Edward; Yassen, Ahsan; Elgamal, Essam A

2014-12-01

To evaluate the distribution and pattern of neural tube defects in Saudi Arabia by creating a hospital based registry. All cases registered in the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSH&RC) neural tube defect (NTD) registry since it was established in October 2000 until December 2012 were studied through active surveillance comprising a registrar who collects NTD information by reviewing the patient's medical records, and interviewing patient's families. The total number of patients registered from October 2000 to December 2012 was 718 patients. There were more females (417, 58%) than males (301, 42%). Of 620 mothers who underwent antenatal ultrasonography; 392 (63%) were diagnosed at birth, and 204 (33%) were diagnosed with antenatal hydrocephalus. In our registry sample, most mothers (95%) did not take folic acid 3 months prior to pregnancy, and 76% did not take folic acid during the 3 months after conception with the affected child. Only 5% received folic acid prior to conception. The KFSH&RC-NTD registry has met its objectives as a source of data that may significantly contribute to the prevention of NTDs, and improving quality of care for NTD patients through active publication of registry findings and management approaches.

Prevalence of neural tube defect and hydrocephalus in Northern ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

All the cases reported in this study were open neural tube defect (NTD). The most common defect was hydrocephalus occurring in 33 patients representing 57.9%, with spinal bifida occurring in 21 patients representing 38.6%. Encephalocele or cranium bifida occurred in only 5.3% (3 patients). Among the spinal bifida cases ...

Birth prevalence of neural tube defects and orofacial clefts in India: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Komal Preet Allagh

Full Text Available In the last two decades, India has witnessed a substantial decrease in infant mortality attributed to infectious disease and malnutrition. However, the mortality attributed to birth defects remains constant. Studies on the prevalence of birth defects such as neural tube defects and orofacial clefts in India have reported inconsistent results. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of observational studies to document the birth prevalence of neural tube defects and orofacial clefts.A comprehensive literature search for observational studies was conducted in MEDLINE and EMBASE databases using key MeSH terms (neural tube defects OR cleft lip OR cleft palate AND Prevalence AND India. Two reviewers independently reviewed the retrieved studies, and studies satisfying the eligibility were included. The quality of included studies was assessed using selected criteria from STROBE statement.The overall pooled birth prevalence (random effect of neural tube defects in India is 4.5 per 1000 total births (95% CI 4.2 to 4.9. The overall pooled birth prevalence (random effect of orofacial clefts is 1.3 per 1000 total births (95% CI 1.1 to 1.5. Subgroup analyses were performed by region, time period, consanguinity, and gender of newborn.The overall prevalence of neural tube defects from India is high compared to other regions of the world, while that of orofacial clefts is similar to other countries. The majority of studies included in the review were hospital based. The quality of these studies ranged from low to moderate. Further well-designed, high quality community-based observational studies are needed to accurately estimate the burden of neural tube defects and orofacial clefts in India.

Evaluation of the prenatal diagnosis of neural tube defects by fetal ultrasonographic examination in different centres across Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boyd, PA; Wellesley, DG; De Walle, HEK; Tenconi, R; Garcia-Minaur, S; Zandwijken, GRJ; Stoll, C; Clementi, M

2000-01-01

Objective-Evaluation of prenatal diagnosis of neural tube defects by ultrasound examination in unselected populations across Europe. Setting-Prenatal ultrasound units in areas that report to contributing congenital malformation registers. Methods-All cases with a suspected or confirmed neural tube

International retrospective cohort study of neural tube defects in relation to folic acid recommendations : are the recommendations working?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Botto, LD; Lisi, A; Robert-Gnansia, E; Erickson, JD; Vollset, SE; Mastroiacovo, P; Botting, B; Cocchi, G; de Vigan, C; de Walle, H; Feijoo, M; Irgens, LM; McDonnell, B; Merlob, P; Ritvanen, A; Scarano, G; Siffel, C; Metneki, J; Stoll, C; Smithells, R; Goujard, J

2005-01-01

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of policies and recommendations on folic acid aimed at reducing the occurrence of neural tube defects. Design Retrospective cohort study of births monitored by birth defect registries. Setting 13 birth defects registries monitoring rates of neural tube defects

Neural Tube Defects and Pregnancy

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Emine Çoşar

2009-09-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Neural tube defects are congenital malformations those mostly causing life-long morbidities. They are prevented by the periconseptional folic acid usage and prenatal diagnostic methods. MATERIALS-METHODS: Pregnants from Afyonkarahisar and neighbourhood cities applied to our hospital and determined NTD, were investigated. RESULTS: In our obstetrics clinic 1403 delivery were made and 43 of them had fetus with NTD. Among these fetuses 41.3% had meningomyelocel, 17.4% had meningocel, 21.7% had encephalocel, 8.7% had unencephali and 4.3% had iniencephali. CONCLUSION: Incidence of NTD is high in our region and geographic region, nutrition and other socioeconomic factors may be related to the high incidence. Education of the mother and periconceptional folic acid usage may reduce teh incidence of NTD.

Neural tube defects – recent advances, unsolved questions and controversies

Science.gov (United States)

Copp, Andrew J.; Stanier, Philip; Greene, Nicholas D. E.

2014-01-01

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are severe congenital malformations affecting around 1 in every 1000 pregnancies. Here we review recent advances and currently unsolved issues in the NTD field. An innovation in clinical management has come from the demonstration that closure of open spina bifida lesions in utero can diminish neurological dysfunction in children. Primary prevention by folic acid has been enhanced through introduction of mandatory food fortification in some countries, although not yet in UK. Genetic predisposition comprises the majority of NTD risk, and genes that regulate folate one-carbon metabolism and planar cell polarity have been strongly implicated. The sequence of human neural tube closure events remains controversial, but study of mouse NTD models shows that anencephaly, open spina bifida and craniorachischisis result from failure of primary neurulation, while skin-covered spinal dysraphism results from defective secondary neurulation. Other ‘NTD’ malformations, such as encephalocele, are likely to be post-neurulation disorders. PMID:23790957

A comparison of neural tube defects identified by two independent routine recording systems for congenital malformations in Northern Ireland.

Science.gov (United States)

Nevin, N C; McDonald, J R; Walby, A L

1978-12-01

The efficiency of two systems for recording congenital malformations has been compared; one system, the Registrar General's Congenital Malformation Notification, is based on registering all malformed infants, and the other, the Child Health System, records all births. In Northern Ireland for three years [1974--1976], using multiple sources of ascertainment, a total of 686 infants with neural tube defects was identified among 79 783 live and stillbirths. The incidence for all neural tube defects in 8 60 per 1 000 births. The Registrar General's Congenital Malformation Notification System identified 83.6% whereas the Child Health System identified only 63.3% of all neural tube defects. Both systems together identified 86.2% of all neural tube defects. The two systems are suitable for monitoring of malformations and the addition of information from the Genetic Counselling Clinics would enhance the data for epidemiological studies.

An amphioxus Msx gene expressed predominantly in the dorsal neural tube.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharman, A C; Shimeld, S M; Holland, P W

1999-04-01

Genomic and cDNA clones of an Msx class homeobox gene were isolated from amphioxus (Branchiostoma floridae). The gene, AmphiMsx, is expressed in the neural plate from late gastrulation; in later embryos it is expressed in dorsal cells of the neural tube, excluding anterior and posterior regions, in an irregular reiterated pattern. There is transient expression in dorsal cells within somites, reminiscent of migrating neural crest cells of vertebrates. In larvae, mRNA is detected in two patches of anterior ectoderm proposed to be placodes. Evolutionary analyses show there is little phylogenetic information in Msx protein sequences; however, it is likely that duplication of Msx genes occurred in the vertebrate lineage.

Dishevelled 2 is essential for cardiac outflow tract development, somite segmentation and neural tube closure.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamblet, Natasha S; Lijam, Nardos; Ruiz-Lozano, Pilar; Wang, Jianbo; Yang, Yasheng; Luo, Zhenge; Mei, Lin; Chien, Kenneth R; Sussman, Daniel J; Wynshaw-Boris, Anthony

2002-12-01

The murine dishevelled 2 (Dvl2) gene is an ortholog of the Drosophila segment polarity gene Dishevelled, a member of the highly conserved Wingless/Wnt developmental pathway. Dvl2-deficient mice were produced to determine the role of Dvl2 in mammalian development. Mice containing null mutations in Dvl2 present with 50% lethality in both inbred 129S6 and in a hybrid 129S6-NIH Black Swiss background because of severe cardiovascular outflow tract defects, including double outlet right ventricle, transposition of the great arteries and persistent truncus arteriosis. The majority of the surviving Dvl2(-/-) mice were female, suggesting that penetrance was influenced by sex. Expression of Pitx2 and plexin A2 was attenuated in Dvl2 null mutants, suggesting a defect in cardiac neural crest development during outflow tract formation. In addition, approximately 90% of Dvl2(-/-) mice have vertebral and rib malformations that affect the proximal as well as the distal parts of the ribs. These skeletal abnormalities were more pronounced in mice deficient for both Dvl1 and Dvl2. Somite differentiation markers used to analyze Dvl2(-/-) and Dvl1(-/-);Dvl2(-/-) mutant embryos revealed mildly aberrant expression of Uncx4.1, delta 1 and myogenin, suggesting defects in somite segmentation. Finally, 2-3% of Dvl2(-/-) embryos displayed thoracic spina bifida, while virtually all Dvl1/2 double mutant embryos displayed craniorachishisis, a completely open neural tube from the midbrain to the tail. Thus, Dvl2 is essential for normal cardiac morphogenesis, somite segmentation and neural tube closure, and there is functional redundancy between Dvl1 and Dvl2 in some phenotypes.

Formate supplementation enhances folate-dependent nucleotide biosynthesis and prevents spina bifida in a mouse model of folic acid-resistant neural tube defects.

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Sudiwala, Sonia; De Castro, Sandra C P; Leung, Kit-Yi; Brosnan, John T; Brosnan, Margaret E; Mills, Kevin; Copp, Andrew J; Greene, Nicholas D E

2016-07-01

The curly tail mouse provides a model for neural tube defects (spina bifida and exencephaly) that are resistant to prevention by folic acid. The major ct gene, responsible for spina bifida, corresponds to a hypomorphic allele of grainyhead-like 3 (Grhl3) but the frequency of NTDs is strongly influenced by modifiers in the genetic background. Moreover, exencephaly in the curly tail strain is not prevented by reinstatement of Grhl3 expression. In the current study we found that expression of Mthfd1L, encoding a key component of mitochondrial folate one-carbon metabolism (FOCM), is significantly reduced in ct/ct embryos compared to a partially congenic wild-type strain. This expression change is not attributable to regulation by Grhl3 or the genetic background at the Mthfd1L locus. Mitochondrial FOCM provides one-carbon units as formate for FOCM reactions in the cytosol. We found that maternal supplementation with formate prevented NTDs in curly tail embryos and also resulted in increased litter size. Analysis of the folate profile of neurulation-stage embryos showed that formate supplementation resulted in an increased proportion of formyl-THF and THF but a reduction in proportion of 5-methyl THF. In contrast, THF decreased and 5-methyl THF was relatively more abundant in the liver of supplemented dams than in controls. In embryos cultured through the period of spinal neurulation, incorporation of labelled thymidine and adenine into genomic DNA was suppressed by supplemental formate, suggesting that de novo folate-dependent biosynthesis of nucleotides (thymidylate and purines) was enhanced. We hypothesise that reduced Mthfd1L expression may contribute to susceptibility to NTDs in the curly tail strain and that formate acts as a one-carbon donor to prevent NTDs. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Global Burden of Neural Tube Defects, Risk Factors, and Prevention

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Joseph E

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Neural tube defects (NTDs, serious birth defects of the brain and spine usually resulting in death or paralysis, affect an estimated 300,000 births each year worldwide. Although the majority of NTDs are preventable with adequate folic acid consumption during the preconception period and throughout the first few weeks of gestation, many populations, in particular those in low and middle resource settings, do not have access to fortified foods or vitamin supplements containing folic acid. Further, accurate birth defects surveillance data, which could help inform mandatory fortification and other NTD prevention initiatives, are lacking in many of these settings. The burden of birth defects in South East Asia is among the highest in the world. Expanding global neural tube defects prevention initiatives can support the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goal 4 to reduce child mortality, a goal which many countries in South East Asia are currently not poised to reach, and the 63rd World Health Assembly Resolution on birth defects. More work is needed to develop and implement mandatory folic acid fortification policies, as well as supplementation programs in countries where the reach of fortification is limited.

The murine homeobox gene Msx-3 shows highly restricted expression in the developing neural tube.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimeld, S M; McKay, I J; Sharpe, P T

1996-04-01

The mouse homeobox-genes Msx-1 and Msx-2 are expressed in several areas of the developing embryo, including the neural tube, neural crest, facial processes and limb buds. Here we report the characterisation of a third mouse Msx gene, which we designate Msx-3. The embryonic expression of Msx-3 was found to differ from that of Msx-1 and -2 in that it was confined to the dorsal neural tube. In embryos with 5-8 somites a segmental pattern of expression was observed in the hindbrain, with rhombomeres 3 and 5 lacking Msx-3 while other rhombomeres expressed Msx-3. This pattern was transient, however, such that in embryos with 18 or more somites expression was continuous throughout the dorsal hindbrain and anterior dorsal spinal cord. Differentiation of dorsal cell types in the neural tube can be induced by addition of members of the Tgf-beta family. Additionally, Msx-1 and -2 have been shown to be activated by addition of the Tgf-beta family member Bmp-4. To determine if Bmp-4 could activate Msx-3, we incubated embryonic hindbrain explants with exogenous Bmp-4. The dorsal expression of Msx-3 was seen to expand into more ventral regions of the neurectoderm in Bmp-4-treated cultures, implying that Bmp-4 may be able to mimic an in vivo signal that induces Msx-3.

Malformations du tube neural en chirurgie pediatrique du chu de ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

encéphalocèle et 6 cas de sipina bifida. La cure chirurgicale a été le principal mode de prise en charge des patients. Seuls 91,38% des cas ont été opérés. Pour toutes les malformations du tube neural, nous avons enregistré 7 décès dont 2 décès ...

Prediction of friction factor of pure water flowing inside vertical smooth and microfin tubes by using artificial neural networks

Science.gov (United States)

Çebi, A.; Akdoğan, E.; Celen, A.; Dalkilic, A. S.

2017-02-01

An artificial neural network (ANN) model of friction factor in smooth and microfin tubes under heating, cooling and isothermal conditions was developed in this study. Data used in ANN was taken from a vertically positioned heat exchanger experimental setup. Multi-layered feed-forward neural network with backpropagation algorithm, radial basis function networks and hybrid PSO-neural network algorithm were applied to the database. Inputs were the ratio of cross sectional flow area to hydraulic diameter, experimental condition number depending on isothermal, heating, or cooling conditions and mass flow rate while the friction factor was the output of the constructed system. It was observed that such neural network based system could effectively predict the friction factor values of the flows regardless of their tube types. A dependency analysis to determine the strongest parameter that affected the network and database was also performed and tube geometry was found to be the strongest parameter of all as a result of analysis.

Histological evaluation of acute covering of an experimental neural tube defect with biomatrices in fetal sheep.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eggink, A.J.; Roelofs, L.A.J.; Lammens, M.M.Y.; Feitz, W.F.J.; Wijnen, R.M.H.; Mullaart, R.A.; Moerkerk, H.T.B. van; Kuppevelt, A.H.M.S.M. van; Crevels, A.J.; Hanssen, A.; Lotgering, F.K.; Berg, P.P. van den

2006-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine the histological effect on the neural tissue of in utero covering of an experimental neural tube defect in fetal lambs, with the use of two different biomatrices. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 23 fetal sheep, surgery was performed at 79 days' gestation.

Air Pollution, Neighbourhood Socioeconomic Factors, and Neural Tube Defects in the San Joaquin Valley of California.

Science.gov (United States)

Padula, Amy M; Yang, Wei; Carmichael, Suzan L; Tager, Ira B; Lurmann, Frederick; Hammond, S Katharine; Shaw, Gary M

2015-11-01

Environmental pollutants and neighbourhood socioeconomic factors have been associated with neural tube defects, but the potential impact of interaction between ambient air pollution and neighbourhood socioeconomic factors on the risks of neural tube defects is not well understood. We used data from the California Center of the National Birth Defects Study and the Children's Health and Air Pollution Study to investigate whether associations between air pollutant exposure in early gestation and neural tube defects were modified by neighbourhood socioeconomic factors in the San Joaquin Valley of California, 1997-2006. There were 5 pollutant exposures, 3 outcomes, and 9 neighbourhood socioeconomic factors included for a total of 135 investigated associations. Estimates were adjusted for maternal race-ethnicity, education, and multivitamin use. We present below odds ratios (ORs) that exclude 1 and a chi-square test of homogeneity P-value of <0.05. We observed increased odds of spina bifida comparing the highest to lowest quartile of particulate matter <10 μm (PM10 ) among those living in a neighbourhood with: (i) median household income of less than $30 000 per year [OR 5.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7, 15.3]; (ii) more than 20% living below the federal poverty level (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.1, 6.0); and (iii) more than 30% with less than or equal to a high school education (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.4, 7.4). The ORs were not statistically significant among those higher socioeconomic status (SES) neighbourhoods. Our results demonstrate effect modification by neighbourhood socioeconomic factors in the association of particulate matter and neural tube defects in California. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Neural tube defects – disorders of neurulation and related embryonic processes

Science.gov (United States)

Copp, Andrew J.; Greene, Nicholas D. E.

2014-01-01

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are severe congenital malformations affecting 1 in every 1000 pregnancies. ‘Open’ NTDs result from failure of primary neurulation as seen in anencephaly, myelomeningocele (open spina bifida) and craniorachischisis. Degeneration of the persistently open neural tube in utero leads to loss of neurological function below the lesion level. ‘Closed’ NTDs are skin-covered disorders of spinal cord structure, ranging from asymptomatic spina bifida occulta to severe spinal cord tethering, and usually traceable to disruption of secondary neurulation. ‘Herniation’ NTDs are those in which meninges, with or without brain or spinal cord tissue, become exteriorised through a pathological opening in the skull or vertebral column (e.g. encephalocele and meningocele). NTDs have multifactorial etiology, with genes and environmental factors interacting to determine individual risk of malformation. While over 200 mutant genes cause open NTDs in mice, much less is known about the genetic causation of human NTDs. Recent evidence has implicated genes of the planar cell polarity signalling pathway in a proportion of cases. The embryonic development of NTDs is complex, with diverse cellular and molecular mechanisms operating at different levels of the body axis. Molecular regulatory events include the BMP and Sonic hedgehog pathways which have been implicated in control of neural plate bending. Primary prevention of NTDs has been implemented clinically following the demonstration that folic acid, when taken as a peri-conceptional supplement, can prevent many cases. Not all NTDs respond to folic acid, however, and adjunct therapies are required for prevention of this folic acid-resistant category. PMID:24009034

Recurrent white thrombi formation in hemodialysis tubing: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Sathe, Kiran P; Yeo, Wee-Song; Liu, Isaac Desheng; Ekambaram, Sudha; Azar, Mohammed; Yap, Hui-Kim; Ng, Kar-Hui

2015-01-15

While the appearance of red clots in the dialyzer is a common phenomenon in every hemodialysis unit, the occurrence of white thrombi in the tubing is relatively rare. We describe an adolescent male with recurrent white thrombi formation in the hemodialysis tubing. This patient had chronic renal failure from focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, but was no longer nephrotic at the time of the thrombi formation. He had a history of recurrent thrombosis of his vascular access. However, no pro-thrombotic risk factors could be identified. White particulate matter, measuring 1 to 3mm in size, and adherent to the arterial and venous blood tubing lines was found during the rinse back of a hemodialysis session. This was associated with a 60% decrease in his platelet count. Light microscopic examination of the deposits revealed the presence of platelet aggregates. He subsequently developed thrombosis of his arteriovenous graft six hours later. The white thrombi recurred at the next dialysis session, as well as six months later. These episodes occurred regardless of the type of dialysis machine or tubing, and appeared to resolve with an increase in heparin dose. Recurrent white thrombi formation can occur in the hemodialysis tubing of a patient with no identifiable pro-thrombotic factors. The white thrombi may be a harbinger of arteriovenous graft thrombosis and may be prevented by an increase in heparin dose.

Defeitos de fechamento do tubo neural e fatores associados em recém-nascidos vivos e natimortos Neural tube defects and associated factors among liveborn and stillborn infants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcos J.B. Aguiar

2003-04-01

evaluate the prevalence and factors associated to neural tube defects in liveborn and stillborn infants delivered at the Hospital das Clínicas, UFMG, from January 8, 1999 to July 31, 2000. METHODS: this is a descriptive study, based on a database, according to the Latin-American Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformation (ECLAMC rules. Reports on liveborn and stillborn infants with congenital anomalies were prepared including information about morphological description, necropsy results, complementary exams, family, social and pregnancy histories and other clinical data. Each malformed liveborn infant originated a control of the same sex, without malformations. The liveborn and stillborn infants with neural tube defects delivered during that period were classified according to their defect and the presence or absence of associated defects. The liveborn and stillborn infants with neural tube defects were compared to newborns without neural tube defects according to their weight and sex and their mother's age and parity. Epi-Info 6.0 Program was used for the statistical analysis of the results. RESULTS: the prevalence of neural tube defects was 4.73 to 1,000 deliveries (89:18,807; it was significantly higher among stillborn infants (23.7:1,000 than among liveborn infants (4.16:1,000, p < 0.001. Neural tube defects were more often found among low weight liveborn infants (< 2,500 g, p < 0.001 and less frequently among women who had had more than three gestations, p = 0.007. No association was found regarding newborn's sex or maternal age. There was no association with newborn's sex and weight, maternal parity or age among stillborn infants. The most common neural tube defects were myelomeningocele (47.2%, anencephaly (26.9% and encephalocele (16.9%. The defects were found as isolated anomalies in 71.1% of the liveborn and 38.5% of the stillborn infants; they were part of a syndrome in 9.2% (liveborn and 7.7% (stillborn. CONCLUSIONS: the neural tube defect prevalence found

Transcriptional response of Hoxb genes to retinoid signalling is regionally restricted along the neural tube rostrocaudal axis.

Science.gov (United States)

Carucci, Nicoletta; Cacci, Emanuele; Nisi, Paola S; Licursi, Valerio; Paul, Yu-Lee; Biagioni, Stefano; Negri, Rodolfo; Rugg-Gunn, Peter J; Lupo, Giuseppe

2017-04-01

During vertebrate neural development, positional information is largely specified by extracellular morphogens. Their distribution, however, is very dynamic due to the multiple roles played by the same signals in the developing and adult neural tissue. This suggests that neural progenitors are able to modify their competence to respond to morphogen signalling and autonomously maintain positional identities after their initial specification. In this work, we take advantage of in vitro culture systems of mouse neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) to show that NSPCs isolated from rostral or caudal regions of the mouse neural tube are differentially responsive to retinoic acid (RA), a pivotal morphogen for the specification of posterior neural fates. Hoxb genes are among the best known RA direct targets in the neural tissue, yet we found that RA could promote their transcription only in caudal but not in rostral NSPCs. Correlating with these effects, key RA-responsive regulatory regions in the Hoxb cluster displayed opposite enrichment of activating or repressing histone marks in rostral and caudal NSPCs. Finally, RA was able to strengthen Hoxb chromatin activation in caudal NSPCs, but was ineffective on the repressed Hoxb chromatin of rostral NSPCs. These results suggest that the response of NSPCs to morphogen signalling across the rostrocaudal axis of the neural tube may be gated by the epigenetic configuration of target patterning genes, allowing long-term maintenance of intrinsic positional values in spite of continuously changing extrinsic signals.

review of current evidence for folate in the prevention of neural tube ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The incidence of neural tube defects (NTD) among black South. Africans living in urban areas is low compared with reports of _". I\\TTD incidence in rural areasY A NTD incidence of 0.95 per -;:-. 1000 live births was reported in Cape Town,l while an incidence of 0.99 per 1 000 live births was reported in a study performed at ...

Deep Convolutional Neural Networks for Endotracheal Tube Position and X-ray Image Classification: Challenges and Opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Lakhani, Paras

2017-08-01

The goal of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) in differentiating subtle, intermediate, and more obvious image differences in radiography. Three different datasets were created, which included presence/absence of the endotracheal (ET) tube (n = 300), low/normal position of the ET tube (n = 300), and chest/abdominal radiographs (n = 120). The datasets were split into training, validation, and test. Both untrained and pre-trained deep neural networks were employed, including AlexNet and GoogLeNet classifiers, using the Caffe framework. Data augmentation was performed for the presence/absence and low/normal ET tube datasets. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC), area under the curves (AUC), and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Statistical differences of the AUCs were determined using a non-parametric approach. The pre-trained AlexNet and GoogLeNet classifiers had perfect accuracy (AUC 1.00) in differentiating chest vs. abdominal radiographs, using only 45 training cases. For more difficult datasets, including the presence/absence and low/normal position endotracheal tubes, more training cases, pre-trained networks, and data-augmentation approaches were helpful to increase accuracy. The best-performing network for classifying presence vs. absence of an ET tube was still very accurate with an AUC of 0.99. However, for the most difficult dataset, such as low vs. normal position of the endotracheal tube, DCNNs did not perform as well, but achieved a reasonable AUC of 0.81.

High glucose-induced oxidative stress represses sirtuin deacetylase expression and increases histone acetylation leading to neural tube defects.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Jingwen; Wu, Yanqing; Yang, Peixin

2016-05-01

Aberrant epigenetic modifications are implicated in maternal diabetes-induced neural tube defects (NTDs). Because cellular stress plays a causal role in diabetic embryopathy, we investigated the possible role of the stress-resistant sirtuin (SIRT) family histone deacetylases. Among the seven sirtuins (SIRT1-7), pre-gestational maternal diabetes in vivo or high glucose in vitro significantly reduced the expression of SIRT 2 and SIRT6 in the embryo or neural stem cells, respectively. The down-regulation of SIRT2 and SIRT6 was reversed by superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) over-expression in the in vivo mouse model of diabetic embryopathy and the SOD mimetic, tempol and cell permeable SOD, PEGSOD in neural stem cell cultures. 2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (DMNQ), a superoxide generating agent, mimicked high glucose-suppressed SIRT2 and SIRT6 expression. The acetylation of histone 3 at lysine residues 56 (H3K56), H3K14, H3K9, and H3K27, putative substrates of SIRT2 and SIRT6, was increased by maternal diabetes in vivo or high glucose in vitro, and these increases were blocked by SOD1 over-expression or tempol treatment. SIRT2 or SIRT6 over-expression abrogated high glucose-suppressed SIRT2 or SIRT6 expression, and prevented the increase in acetylation of their histone substrates. The potent sirtuin activator (SRT1720) blocked high glucose-increased histone acetylation and NTD formation, whereas the combination of a pharmacological SIRT2 inhibitor and a pan SIRT inhibitor mimicked the effect of high glucose on increased histone acetylation and NTD induction. Thus, diabetes in vivo or high glucose in vitro suppresses SIRT2 and SIRT6 expression through oxidative stress, and sirtuin down-regulation-induced histone acetylation may be involved in diabetes-induced NTDs. The mechanism underlying pre-gestational diabetes-induced neural tube defects (NTDs) is still elusive. Our study unravels a new epigenetic mechanism in which maternal diabetes-induced oxidative stress represses

Expression of p53/HGF/c-met/STAT3 signal in fetuses with neural tube defects.

Science.gov (United States)

Trovato, Maria; D'Armiento, Maria; Lavra, Luca; Ulivieri, Alessandra; Dominici, Roberto; Vitarelli, Enrica; Grosso, Maddalena; Vecchione, Raffaella; Barresi, Gaetano; Sciacchitano, Salvatore

2007-02-01

Neural tube defects (NTD) are morphogenetic alterations due to a defective closure of neural tube. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-met system plays a role in morphogenesis of nervous system, lung, and kidney. HGF/c-met morphogenetic effects are mediated by signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT)3 and both HGF and c-met genes are regulated from p53. The aim of our study was to analyze mRNA and protein expressions of p53, HGF, c-met, and STAT3 in fetuses with NTD. By reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry, we analyzed neural tissues from four NTD fetuses and the corresponding non-malformed lungs, kidneys and placentas. We found a reduced mRNA expression of HGF/c-met/STAT3 pathway, in the malformed nervous systems and placentas. The reduced expression of this pathway correlated with the absence of p53 in all these samples. On the contrary, detectable expression levels of p53, HGF, c-met, and STAT3 were observed in non-malformed lungs and kidneys obtained from the same fetuses. Comparable results were obtained by immunohistochemistry, with the exception of p53, which was undetected in all fetal tissues. In conclusion, in NTD fetuses, both the defective neural tube tissue and the placenta have a reduction in all components of the p53/HGF/c-met/STAT3 cascade. This raises the possibility of using the suppression of these genes for early diagnosis of NTD especially on chorionic villus sampling.

A mutation in the tuft mouse disrupts TET1 activity and alters the expression of genes that are crucial for neural tube closure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keith S. K. Fong

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Genetic variations affecting neural tube closure along the head result in malformations of the face and brain. Neural tube defects (NTDs are among the most common birth defects in humans. We previously reported a mouse mutant called tuft that arose spontaneously in our wild-type 3H1 colony. Adult tuft mice present midline craniofacial malformations with or without an anterior cephalocele. In addition, affected embryos presented neural tube closure defects resulting in insufficient closure of the anterior neuropore or exencephaly. Here, through whole-genome sequencing, we identified a nonsense mutation in the Tet1 gene, which encodes a methylcytosine dioxygenase (TET1, co-segregating with the tuft phenotype. This mutation resulted in premature termination that disrupts the catalytic domain that is involved in the demethylation of cytosine. We detected a significant loss of TET enzyme activity in the heads of tuft embryos that were homozygous for the mutation and had NTDs. RNA-Seq transcriptome analysis indicated that multiple gene pathways associated with neural tube closure were dysregulated in tuft embryo heads. Among them, the expressions of Cecr2, Epha7 and Grhl2 were significantly reduced in some embryos presenting neural tube closure defects, whereas one or more components of the non-canonical WNT signaling pathway mediating planar cell polarity and convergent extension were affected in others. We further show that the recombinant mutant TET1 protein was capable of entering the nucleus and affected the expression of endogenous Grhl2 in IMCD-3 (inner medullary collecting duct cells. These results indicate that TET1 is an epigenetic determinant for regulating genes that are crucial to closure of the anterior neural tube and its mutation has implications to craniofacial development, as presented by the tuft mouse.

Syndromes, Disorders and Maternal Risk Factors Associated with Neural Tube Defects (IV)

OpenAIRE

Chen, Chih-Ping

2008-01-01

Fetuses with neural tube defects (NTDs) may be associated with maternal and fetal risk factors. This article provides a comprehensive review of maternal and fetal risk factors associated with NTDs, such as infertility, periconceptional clomiphene use and assisted reproductive technology, periconceptional folic acid deficiency and effects offolic acid supplementation and fortification on NTD rates, periconceptional vitamin B1 2 deficiency, single nucleotide polymorphisms and polymorphisms in g...

UV-Induced prevention of biofilm formation inside medical tubes and catheters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Jens Kristian Mølgaard; Nielsen, Kristian; Bang, Ole

2014-01-01

Biofilm formation inside medical tubes and catheters may often cause unwanted infections, illness andimpaired wound healing during medical treatment, resulting in extended hospitalization and - in worst case– life threatening conditions of the patients. In fact, it is estimated, that the infection...... of multi resistant bacteriacultures. Prevention of biofilm formation inside the tube or catheter, without risk of developing multiresistance, may be achieved by creating a UV-exposed environment in the interior. This may be realized bytransforming the tube itself into an optical waveguide supporting UV...... risk connected withthe use of medical tubes and catheters is the direct cause of more than 60% of all infections acquired inEuropean hospitals. Once formed, the biofilm is generally very tough to suppress by either the body’simmunity system or by use of antibiotics, which may even favor the population...

Antenatal Diagnosis of a Rare Neural Tube Defect: Sincipital Encephalocele

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehdi Kehila

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Context. Fetal sincipital encephalocele is one of the most serious congenital neural tube defects with a high risk of mortality and neonatal morbidity. Prenatal diagnosis of this malformation is important in fetal medicine. Case Report. We report a case of prenatal diagnosis of sincipital encephalocele using ultrasound and MRI imaging. The diagnosis was done at 25 weeks of gestation by identifying an anterior cephalic protrusion through a defect in the skull. Conclusion. Through this case, we discuss the differential diagnosis, management, and prognosis of such lesions.

Heat transfer analysis and effects of feeding tubes arrangement, falling film behavior and backsplash on ice formation around horizontal tubes bundles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sait, Hani Hussain

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Ice shape around the tubes. • Effects of accumulation of ice around the tubes. • Effects of parallel and series tubes arrangements. • Effects of ice accumulated around the tube surfaces. • Effects of backsplash on ice formation. - Abstract: Excessive electrical load has recently get a lot of attention from electric companies specially in hot countries like Saudi Arabia, where air-conditioning load represents about 75% from the total electrical load. Energy storage by freezing is one of the methods that used to tackle this issue. Ice is formed around horizontal cold tubes that are subjected to falling film of water. Ice quantity is measured, photographed and studied. In this studied the coolant inside the tubes flows in series tube arrangement. The results are compared with previous study in which parallel arrangement was used. In addition the falling film behavior and the resulted backsplash are also investigated. A mathematical model to predict ice formation around the tube is proposed. Comparison of the results of the model with that of the experiments showed that the agreement between the two is acceptable. The results also show a quite reasonable quantity of ice is formed in a short time and the series arrangement is more efficient than parallel one. The falling film shapes and its backsplash has also affected the ice formation

Melatonin prevents neural tube defects in the offspring of diabetic pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shangming; Guo, Yuji; Yuan, Qiuhuan; Pan, Yan; Wang, Liyan; Liu, Qian; Wang, Fuwu; Wang, Jingjing; Hao, Aijun

2015-11-01

Melatonin, an endogenous neurohormone secreted by the pineal gland, has a variety of physiological functions and neuroprotective effects. However, its protective role on the neural tube defects (NTDs) was not very clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of melatonin on the incidence of NTDs (including anencephaly, encephalocele, and spina bifida) of offspring from diabetic pregnant mice as well as its underlying mechanisms. Pregnant mice were given 10 mg/kg melatonin by daily i.p. injection from embryonic day (E) 0.5 until being killed on E11.5. Here, we showed that melatonin decreased the NTDs (especially exencephaly) rate of embryos exposed to maternal diabetes. Melatonin stimulated proliferation of neural stem cells (NSCs) under hyperglycemic condition through the extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) pathway. Furthermore, as a direct free radical scavenger, melatonin decreased apoptosis of NSCs exposed to hyperglycemia. In the light of these findings, it suggests that melatonin supplementation may play an important role in the prevention of neural malformations in diabetic pregnancy. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Epigenetic profiles in children with a neural tube defect; a case-control study in two populations.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lisette Stolk

Full Text Available Folate deficiency is implicated in the causation of neural tube defects (NTDs. The preventive effect of periconceptional folic acid supplement use is partially explained by the treatment of a deranged folate-dependent one carbon metabolism, which provides methyl groups for DNA-methylation as an epigenetic mechanism. Here, we hypothesize that variations in DNA-methylation of genes implicated in the development of NTDs and embryonic growth are part of the underlying mechanism. In 48 children with a neural tube defect and 62 controls from a Dutch case-control study and 34 children with a neural tube defect and 78 controls from a Texan case-control study, we measured the DNA-methylation levels of imprinted candidate genes (IGF2-DMR, H19, KCNQ1OT1 and non-imprinted genes (the LEKR/CCNL gene region associated with birth weight, and MTHFR and VANGL1 associated with NTD. We used the MassARRAY EpiTYPER assay from Sequenom for the assessment of DNA-methylation. Linear mixed model analysis was used to estimate associations between DNA-methylation levels of the genes and a neural tube defect. In the Dutch study group, but not in the Texan study group we found a significant association between the risk of having an NTD and DNA methylation levels of MTHFR (absolute decrease in methylation of -0.33% in cases, P-value = 0.001, and LEKR/CCNL (absolute increase in methylation: 1.36% in cases, P-value = 0.048, and a borderline significant association for VANGL (absolute increase in methylation: 0.17% in cases, P-value = 0.063. Only the association between MTHFR and NTD-risk remained significant after multiple testing correction. The associations in the Dutch study were not replicated in the Texan study. We conclude that the associations between NTDs and the methylation of the MTHFR gene, and maybe VANGL and LEKKR/CNNL, are in line with previous studies showing polymorphisms in the same genes in association with NTDs and embryonic development

Artificial Neural Networks-Based Software for Measuring Heat Collection Rate and Heat Loss Coefficient of Water-in-Glass Evacuated Tube Solar Water Heaters.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhijian; Liu, Kejun; Li, Hao; Zhang, Xinyu; Jin, Guangya; Cheng, Kewei

2015-01-01

Measurements of heat collection rate and heat loss coefficient are crucial for the evaluation of in service water-in-glass evacuated tube solar water heaters. However, conventional measurement requires expensive detection devices and undergoes a series of complicated procedures. To simplify the measurement and reduce the cost, software based on artificial neural networks for measuring heat collection rate and heat loss coefficient of water-in-glass evacuated tube solar water heaters was developed. Using multilayer feed-forward neural networks with back-propagation algorithm, we developed and tested our program on the basis of 915 measured samples of water-in-glass evacuated tube solar water heaters. This artificial neural networks-based software program automatically obtained accurate heat collection rate and heat loss coefficient using simply "portable test instruments" acquired parameters, including tube length, number of tubes, tube center distance, heat water mass in tank, collector area, angle between tubes and ground and final temperature. Our results show that this software (on both personal computer and Android platforms) is efficient and convenient to predict the heat collection rate and heat loss coefficient due to it slow root mean square errors in prediction. The software now can be downloaded from http://t.cn/RLPKF08.

Artificial Neural Networks-Based Software for Measuring Heat Collection Rate and Heat Loss Coefficient of Water-in-Glass Evacuated Tube Solar Water Heaters

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhijian; Liu, Kejun; Li, Hao; Zhang, Xinyu; Jin, Guangya; Cheng, Kewei

2015-01-01

Measurements of heat collection rate and heat loss coefficient are crucial for the evaluation of in service water-in-glass evacuated tube solar water heaters. However, conventional measurement requires expensive detection devices and undergoes a series of complicated procedures. To simplify the measurement and reduce the cost, software based on artificial neural networks for measuring heat collection rate and heat loss coefficient of water-in-glass evacuated tube solar water heaters was developed. Using multilayer feed-forward neural networks with back-propagation algorithm, we developed and tested our program on the basis of 915measuredsamples of water-in-glass evacuated tube solar water heaters. This artificial neural networks-based software program automatically obtained accurate heat collection rateand heat loss coefficient using simply "portable test instruments" acquired parameters, including tube length, number of tubes, tube center distance, heat water mass in tank, collector area, angle between tubes and ground and final temperature. Our results show that this software (on both personal computer and Android platforms) is efficient and convenient to predict the heat collection rate and heat loss coefficient due to it slow root mean square errors in prediction. The software now can be downloaded from http://t.cn/RLPKF08. PMID:26624613

Are concentrations of alkaline earth elements in maternal hair associated with risk of neural tube defects?

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Li, Zhenjiang; Wang, Bin; Huo, Wenhua; Liu, Yingying; Zhu, Yibing; Xie, Jing; Li, Zhiwen; Ren, Aiguo

2017-12-31

The relationship between maternal intake of alkaline earth elements (AEEs) during the period of neural tube closure and the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) is still unclear. We propose that AEE deficiency during the early period of pregnancy is associated with an elevated risk of NTDs in the offspring. In this study, we recruited 191 women with NTD-affected pregnancies (cases) and 261 women who delivered healthy infants (controls). The concentrations of four AEEs (Ca, Mg, Sr, Ba) in maternal hair sections that grew during early pregnancy were analyzed. Information on the dietary habits of the mothers was also collected by questionnaire. Higher concentrations of the four AEEs in hair had protective effects against the risk of total NTDs, with odds ratios with 95% confidence interval (comparing groups separated by each median level) of 0.44 (0.28-0.68) for Mg, 0.56 (0.36-0.87) for Ca, 0.45 (0.28-0.70) for Sr, and 0.41 (0.26-0.65) for Ba. Significant negative dose-response trends were identified for the relationships between the four AEE concentrations in maternal hair and the risks of anencephaly and spina bifida, but not for encephalocele. The frequencies of maternal consumption of fresh green vegetables, fresh fruit, and meat or fish were positively correlated with the concentrations of AEEs in hair. We concluded that the maternal intake of AEEs may play an important role in preventing NTD formation in offspring, and that this intake is related to maternal dietary habits of consuming fresh green vegetables, fresh fruit, and fish or meat. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Difficulties of the methods for studying environmental exposure and neural tube defects].

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Borja-Aburto, V H; Bermúdez-Castro, O; Lacasaña-Navarro, M; Kuri, P; Bustamante-Montes, P; Torres-Meza, V

1999-01-01

To discuss the attitudes in the assessment of environmental exposures as risk factors associated with neural tube defects, and to present the main risk factors studied to date. Environmental exposures have been suggested to have a roll in the genesis of birth defects. However, studies conducted in human populations have found difficulties in the design and conduction to show such an association for neural tube defects (anencephaly, espina bifida and encephalocele) because of problems raised from: a) the frequency measures used to compare time trends and communities, b) the classification of heterogeneous malformations, c) the inclusion of maternal, paternal and fetal factors as an integrated process and, d) the assessment of environmental exposures. Hypothetically both maternal and paternal environmental exposures can produce damage before and after conception by direct action on the embryo and the fetus-placenta complex. Therefore, in the assessment of environmental exposures we need to take into account: a) both paternal and maternal exposures; b) the critical exposure period, three months before conception for paternal exposures and one month around the conceptional period for maternal exposures; c) quantitatively evaluate environmental exposures when possible, avoiding a dichotomous classification; d) the use of biological markers of exposure is highly recommended as well as markers of genetic susceptibility.

Spinal neural tube defects on in utero MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, F.; Griffiths, P.D.

2013-01-01

Spinal neural tube defects are a heterogeneous group of disorders, which remain relatively common, with a prevalence of 1–2 per 1000 live births despite advances in maternal antenatal care. They range from mild disorders with limited neurodevelopmental sequelae to extensive abnormalities with significant morbidity and mortality. The advent of in utero magnetic resonance imaging has enabled accurate anatomical characterization of an increasing number of abnormalities with increasing confidence. Recognition of the salient radiological features of these disorders and their relationship to the embryogenesis of the spinal cord and its coverings is now possible. This review describes the radiological appearances of these disorders with examples from Fetal Imaging Unit, University of Sheffield to illustrate the key anatomical and radiological features to aid the radiologist in their recognition

Epigenetic profiles in children with a neural tube defect; a case-control study in two populations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

L. Stolk (Lisette); M.I. Both (Marieke); N.H. van Mill (Nina); M.M.P.J. Verbiest (Michael); P.H.C. Eilers (Paul); H. Zhu (Huiping); L. Suarez (Lucina); A.G. Uitterlinden (André); R.P.M. Steegers-Theunissen (Régine)

2013-01-01

textabstractFolate deficiency is implicated in the causation of neural tube defects (NTDs). The preventive effect of periconceptional folic acid supplement use is partially explained by the treatment of a deranged folate-dependent one carbon metabolism, which provides methyl groups for

Genetic interactions between planar cell polarity genes cause diverse neural tube defects in mice

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Jennifer N. Murdoch

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Neural tube defects (NTDs are among the commonest and most severe forms of developmental defect, characterized by disruption of the early embryonic events of central nervous system formation. NTDs have long been known to exhibit a strong genetic dependence, yet the identity of the genetic determinants remains largely undiscovered. Initiation of neural tube closure is disrupted in mice homozygous for mutations in planar cell polarity (PCP pathway genes, providing a strong link between NTDs and PCP signaling. Recently, missense gene variants have been identified in PCP genes in humans with NTDs, although the range of phenotypes is greater than in the mouse mutants. In addition, the sequence variants detected in affected humans are heterozygous, and can often be detected in unaffected individuals. It has been suggested that interactions between multiple heterozygous gene mutations cause the NTDs in humans. To determine the phenotypes produced in double heterozygotes, we bred mice with all three pairwise combinations of Vangl2Lp, ScribCrc and Celsr1Crsh mutations, the most intensively studied PCP mutants. The majority of double-mutant embryos had open NTDs, with the range of phenotypes including anencephaly and spina bifida, therefore reflecting the defects observed in humans. Strikingly, even on a uniform genetic background, variability in the penetrance and severity of the mutant phenotypes was observed between the different double-heterozygote combinations. Phenotypically, Celsr1Crsh;Vangl2Lp;ScribCrc triply heterozygous mutants were no more severe than doubly heterozygous or singly homozygous mutants. We propose that some of the variation between double-mutant phenotypes could be attributed to the nature of the protein disruption in each allele: whereas ScribCrc is a null mutant and produces no Scrib protein, Celsr1Crsh and Vangl2Lp homozygotes both express mutant proteins, consistent with dominant effects. The variable outcomes of these genetic

Folic acid supplementation influences the distribution of neural tube defect subtypes : A registry-based study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bergman, J. E. H.; Otten, E.; Verheij, J. B. G. M.; de Walle, H. E. K.

Periconceptional folic acid (FA) reduces neural tube defect (NTD) risk, but seems to have a varying effect per NTD subtype. We aimed to study the effect of FA supplementation on NTD subtype distribution using data from EUROCAT Northern Netherlands. We included all birth types with non-syndromal NTDs

Brain tissue aspiration neural tube defect Aspiração de tecido cerebral em casos de defeitos de fechamento do tubo neural

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Luiz Cesar Peres

2005-09-01

Full Text Available The study aimed to find out how frequent is brain tissue aspiration and if brain tissue heterotopia could be found in the lung of human neural tube defect cases. Histological sections of each lobe of both lungs of 22 fetuses and newborn with neural tube defect were immunostained for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP. There were 15 (68.2% females and 7 (31.8% males. Age ranged from 18 to 40 weeks of gestation (mean= 31.8. Ten (45.5% were stillborn, the same newborn, and 2 (9.1% were abortuses. Diagnosis were: craniorrhachischisis (9 cases, 40.9%, anencephaly (8 cases, 36,4%, ruptured occipital encephalocele and rachischisis (2 cases, 9.1% each, and early amniotic band disruption sequence (1 case, 4.5%. Only one case (4.5% exhibited GFAP positive cells inside bronchioles and alveoli admixed to epithelial amniotic squames. No heterotopic tissue was observed in the lung interstitium. We concluded that aspiration of brain tissue from the amniotic fluid in neural tube defect cases may happen but it is infrequent and heterotopia was not observed.O objetivo do estudo foi identificar qual a freqüência de aspiração de tecido cerebral e a existência de heterotopia nos pulmões de casos humanos de defeito de fechamento do tubo neural através da reação imuno-histoquímica para proteína fibrilar glial ácida (GFAP em cortes histológicos de todos os lobos de ambos os pulmões de 22 casos de fetos e neonatos com defeito de fechamento do tubo neural. Havia 15 casos femininos (68,2% e 7 masculinos (31,8%, com idade gestacional variando de 18 a 40 semanas (média= 31,8, sendo natimortos e neomortos 10 (45,5% cada e 2 (9,1% abortos. Os diagnósticos foram: Craniorraquisquise (9 casos, 40,9%, anencefalia (8 casos, 36,4%, encefalocele occipital rota e raquisquise (2 casos, 9,1% e 1 (4,5%caso de seqüência de disruptura amniótica precoce. Somente 1 caso (4,5% apresentou células positivas dentro de bronquíolos e alvéolos em meio a células epiteliais

A compact large-format streak tube for imaging lidar

Science.gov (United States)

Hui, Dandan; Luo, Duan; Tian, Liping; Lu, Yu; Chen, Ping; Wang, Junfeng; Sai, Xiaofeng; Wen, Wenlong; Wang, Xing; Xin, Liwei; Zhao, Wei; Tian, Jinshou

2018-04-01

The streak tubes with a large effective photocathode area, large effective phosphor screen area, and high photocathode radiant sensitivity are essential for improving the field of view, depth of field, and detectable range of the multiple-slit streak tube imaging lidar. In this paper, a high spatial resolution, large photocathode area, and compact meshless streak tube with a spherically curved cathode and screen is designed and tested. Its spatial resolution reaches 20 lp/mm over the entire Φ28 mm photocathode working area, and the simulated physical temporal resolution is better than 30 ps. The temporal distortion in our large-format streak tube, which is shown to be a non-negligible factor, has a minimum value as the radius of curvature of the photocathode varies. Furthermore, the photocathode radiant sensitivity and radiant power gain reach 41 mA/W and 18.4 at the wavelength of 550 nm, respectively. Most importantly, the external dimensions of our streak tube are no more than Φ60 mm × 110 mm.

Folic Acid for the Prevention of Neural Tube Defects : US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Calonge, Ned; Petitti, Diana B.; DeWitt, Thomas G.; Dietrich, Allen J.; Gregory, Kimberly D.; Grossman, David; Isham, George; LeFevre, Michael L.; Leipzig, Rosanne M.; Marion, Lucy N.; Melnyk, Bernadette; Moyer, Virginia A.; Ockene, Judith K.; Sawaya, George F.; Schwartz, J. Sanford; Wilt, Timothy

2009-01-01

Description: In 1996, the U. S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended that all women planning or capable of pregnancy take a multivitamin supplement containing folic acid for the prevention of neural tube defects. This recommendation is an update of the 1996 USPSTF recommendation.

Access to health care for children with neural tube defects: Experiences of mothers in Zambia

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Micah M. Simpamba

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: In Zambia, all children born with neural tube defects requiring surgery need to be referred to a tertiary level hospital in Lusaka, the capital city, where the specialists are based. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of mothers accessing health care who had recently given birth to a child with a neural tube defect. Methods and analysis: In-depth interviews were conducted with a purposively selected sample of 20 mothers at the tertiary level hospital. The interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim and translated. Content analysis was used to identify codes, which were later collapsed into categories and themes. Findings: Five themes emerged: access to health care, access to transport, access to information, concerns about family and support needs. Discussion: Barriers to access to health care included geographical barriers and barriers linked to availability. Geographical barriers were related to distance between home and the health centre, and referral between health facilities. Barriers to availability included the lack of specialist health workers at various levels, and insufficient hospital vehicles to transport mothers and children to the tertiary level hospital. The main barrier to affordability was the cost of transport, which was alleviated by either family or government support. Acceptability of the health services was affected by a lack of information, incorrect advice, the attitude of health workers and the beliefs of the family. Conclusion: Access to health care by mothers of children with neural tube defects in Zambia is affected by geographical accessibility, availability, affordability and acceptability. The supply-side barriers and demand-side barriers require different interventions to address them. This suggests that health policy is needed which ensures access to surgery and follow-up care.

Novel Mutation of LRP6 Identified in Chinese Han Population Links Canonical WNT Signaling to Neural Tube Defects.

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Shi, Zhiwen; Yang, Xueyan; Li, Bin-Bin; Chen, Shuxia; Yang, Luming; Cheng, Liangping; Zhang, Ting; Wang, Hongyan; Zheng, Yufang

2018-01-15

Neural tube defects (NTDs), the second most frequent cause of human congenital abnormalities, are debilitating birth defects due to failure of neural tube closure. It has been shown that noncanonical WNT/planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling is required for convergent extension (CE), the initiation step of neural tube closure (NTC). But the effect of canonical WNT//β-catenin signaling during NTC is still elusive. LRP6 (low density lipoprotein receptor related proteins 6) was identified as a co-receptor for WNT/β-catenin signaling, but recent studies showed that it also can mediate WNT/PCP signaling. In this study, we screened mutations in the LRP6 gene in 343 NTDs and 215 ethnically matched normal controls of Chinese Han population. Three rare missense mutations (c.1514A>G, p.Y505C); c.2984A>G, p.D995G; and c.4280C>A, p.P1427Q) of the LRP6 gene were identified in Chinese NTD patients. The Y505C mutation is a loss-of-function mutation on both WNT/β-catenin and PCP signaling. The D995G mutation only partially lost inhibition on PCP signaling without affecting WNT/β-catenin signaling. The P1427Q mutation dramatically increased WNT/β-catenin signaling but only mildly loss of inhibition on PCP signaling. All three mutations failed to rescue CE defects caused by lrp6 morpholino oligos knockdown in zebrafish. Of interest, when overexpressed, D995G did not induce any defects, but Y505C and P1427Q caused more severe CE defects in zebrafish. Our results suggested that over-active canonical WNT signaling induced by gain-of-function mutation in LRP6 could also contribute to human NTDs, and a balanced WNT/β-catenin and PCP signaling is probably required for proper neural tube development. Birth Defects Research 110:63-71, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Tube formation by complex cellular processes in Ciona intestinalis notochord.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Bo; Horie, Takeo; Denker, Elsa; Kusakabe, Takehiro; Tsuda, Motoyuki; Smith, William C; Jiang, Di

2009-06-15

In the course of embryogenesis multicellular structures and organs are assembled from constituent cells. One structural component common to many organs is the tube, which consists most simply of a luminal space surrounded by a single layer of epithelial cells. The notochord of ascidian Ciona forms a tube consisting of only 40 cells, and serves as a hydrostatic "skeleton" essential for swimming. While the early processes of convergent extension in ascidian notochord development have been extensively studied, the later phases of development, which include lumen formation, have not been well characterized. Here we used molecular markers and confocal imaging to describe tubulogenesis in the developing Ciona notochord. We found that during tubulogenesis each notochord cell established de novo apical domains, and underwent a mesenchymal-epithelial transition to become an unusual epithelial cell with two opposing apical domains. Concomitantly, extracellular luminal matrix was produced and deposited between notochord cells. Subsequently, each notochord cell simultaneously executed two types of crawling movements bi-directionally along the anterior/posterior axis on the inner surface of notochordal sheath. Lamellipodia-like protrusions resulted in cell lengthening along the anterior/posterior axis, while the retraction of trailing edges of the same cell led to the merging of the two apical domains. As a result, the notochord cells acquired endothelial-like shape and formed the wall of the central lumen. Inhibition of actin polymerization prevented the cell movement and tube formation. Ciona notochord tube formation utilized an assortment of common and fundamental cellular processes including cell shape change, apical membrane biogenesis, cell/cell adhesion remodeling, dynamic cell crawling, and lumen matrix secretion.

Study on tube critical heat flux data treatment with artificial neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han Lang; Shan Jianqiang

2005-01-01

Prediction of the Critical Heat Flux (CHF) are analyzed by Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) to a CHF database for upward flow of water in uniformly heated vertical round tubes. The analysis is performed with three viewpoints hypothesis, i.e. for fixed inlet condition, fixed exit condition and local condition. Half of 6941 from CHF database data is trained through ANN, the trained ANN predicts the total CHF data better than any other conventional correlations, showing RMS error of 6.6%, 10.39% and 21.39%, respectively. (author)

Management of Labor and Delivery After Fetoscopic Repair of an Open Neural Tube Defect.

Science.gov (United States)

Kohn, Jaden R; Rao, Vibha; Sellner, Allison A; Sharhan, Dina; Espinoza, Jimmy; Shamshirsaz, Alireza A; Whitehead, William E; Belfort, Michael A; Sanz Cortes, Magdalena

2018-06-01

To report labor, delivery, and neonatal outcomes in a cohort of women delivering neonates who had undergone fetoscopic neural tube defect repair. We conducted a retrospective cohort study from April 2014 to January 2018. All patients met Management of Myelomeningocele Study eligibility criteria. We included patients with completed second-trimester fetoscopic neural tube defect repair (laparotomy, uterine exteriorization, and minimally invasive access through two or three uterine ports) followed by standardized management of labor and delivery at our institution. Outcomes included rates of vaginal delivery, term delivery, and intrapartum cesarean delivery as well as obstetric and neonatal outcomes after oxytocin. Complications of interest included preterm prelabor rupture of membranes, chorioamnionitis, uterine dehiscence or rupture, 5-minute Apgar score less than 7, and neonatal acidosis (umbilical artery pH less than 7.15). Thirty-four patients had fetoscopic repair, followed by 17 vaginal deliveries (50%, 95% CI 32-68%). Median gestational age was 38 1/7 weeks at vaginal delivery (range 26 0/7-40 2/7 weeks of gestation) and 37 1/7 weeks of gestation at cesarean delivery (range 25 5/7-40 5/7 weeks of gestation); 62% of deliveries occurred at term. Eight patients had prelabor cesarean delivery: three nonurgent and five urgent (for nonreassuring fetal heart tracings). Twenty-six patients labored; six were induced and 20 labored spontaneously. Of the latter, five were augmented. Of 26 laboring patients, 17 delivered vaginally and nine underwent urgent cesarean delivery (35%, 95% CI 17-56%; seven nonreassuring fetal heart tracings and two breech). There were no cases of uterine rupture or dehiscence. Most (94%, 95% CI 80-99%) had normal 5-minute Apgar scores; one neonate (3%, 95% CI 0-15%) had acidosis but normal Apgar scores. Our data regarding trial of labor, use of low-dose oxytocin, and vaginal delivery after prenatal fetoscopic neural tube defect repair are

Systems biological approach to investigate the lack of familial link between Down's Syndrome & Neural Tube Disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Ragunath, Pk; Abhinand, Pa

2013-01-01

Systems Biology involves the study of the interactions of biological systems and ultimately their functions. Down's syndrome (DS) is one of the most common genetic disorders which are caused by complete, or occasionally partial, triplication of chromosome 21, characterized by cognitive and language dysfunction coupled with sensory and neuromotor deficits. Neural Tube Disorders (NTDs) are a group of congenital malformations of the central nervous system and neighboring structures related to defective neural tube closure during the first trimester of pregnancy usually occurring between days 18-29 of gestation. Several studies in the past have provided considerable evidence that abnormal folate and methyl metabolism are associated with onset of DS & NTDs. There is a possible common etiological pathway for both NTDs and Down's syndrome. But, various research studies over the years have indicated very little evidence for familial link between the two disorders. Our research aimed at the gene expression profiling of microarray datasets pertaining to the two disorders to identify genes whose expression levels are significantly altered in these conditions. The genes which were 1.5 fold unregulated and having a p-value disorders were recognized and over representation analysis was carried out for each of the constituent genes. The comprehensive manual analysis of these genes yields a hypothetical understanding of the lack of familial link between DS and NTDs. There were no genes involved with folic acid present in the dense cliques. Only - CBL, EGFR genes were commonly present, which makes the allelic variants of these genes - good candidates for future studies regarding the familial link between DS and NTDs. NTD - Neural Tube Disorders, DS - Down's Syndrome, MTHFR - Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, MTRR- 5 - methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase reductase.

Development of teeth in chick embryos after mouse neural crest transplantations.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitsiadis, Thimios A; Chéraud, Yvonnick; Sharpe, Paul; Fontaine-Pérus, Josiane

2003-05-27

Teeth were lost in birds 70-80 million years ago. Current thinking holds that it is the avian cranial neural crest-derived mesenchyme that has lost odontogenic capacity, whereas the oral epithelium retains the signaling properties required to induce odontogenesis. To investigate the odontogenic capacity of ectomesenchyme, we have used neural tube transplantations from mice to chick embryos to replace the chick neural crest cell populations with mouse neural crest cells. The mouse/chick chimeras obtained show evidence of tooth formation showing that avian oral epithelium is able to induce a nonavian developmental program in mouse neural crest-derived mesenchymal cells.

Rodent Zic Genes in Neural Network Wiring.

Science.gov (United States)

Herrera, Eloísa

2018-01-01

The formation of the nervous system is a multistep process that yields a mature brain. Failure in any of the steps of this process may cause brain malfunction. In the early stages of embryonic development, neural progenitors quickly proliferate and then, at a specific moment, differentiate into neurons or glia. Once they become postmitotic neurons, they migrate to their final destinations and begin to extend their axons to connect with other neurons, sometimes located in quite distant regions, to establish different neural circuits. During the last decade, it has become evident that Zic genes, in addition to playing important roles in early development (e.g., gastrulation and neural tube closure), are involved in different processes of late brain development, such as neuronal migration, axon guidance, and refinement of axon terminals. ZIC proteins are therefore essential for the proper wiring and connectivity of the brain. In this chapter, we review our current knowledge of the role of Zic genes in the late stages of neural circuit formation.

A Robust Single Primate Neuroepithelial Cell Clonal Expansion System for Neural Tube Development and Disease Studies

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Xiaoqing Zhu

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Developing a model of primate neural tube (NT development is important to promote many NT disorder studies in model organisms. Here, we report a robust and stable system to allow for clonal expansion of single monkey neuroepithelial stem cells (NESCs to develop into miniature NT-like structures. Single NESCs can produce functional neurons in vitro, survive, and extensively regenerate neuron axons in monkey brain. NT formation and NESC maintenance depend on high metabolism activity and Wnt signaling. NESCs are regionally restricted to a telencephalic fate. Moreover, single NESCs can turn into radial glial progenitors (RGPCs. The transition is accurately regulated by Wnt signaling through regulation of Notch signaling and adhesion molecules. Finally, using the “NESC-TO-NTs” system, we model the functions of folic acid (FA on NT closure and demonstrate that FA can regulate multiple mechanisms to prevent NT defects. Our system is ideal for studying NT development and diseases.

msh/Msx gene family in neural development.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos, Casto; Robert, Benoît

2005-11-01

The involvement of Msx homeobox genes in skull and tooth formation has received a great deal of attention. Recent studies also indicate a role for the msh/Msx gene family in development of the nervous system. In this article, we discuss the functions of these transcription factors in neural-tissue organogenesis. We will deal mainly with the interactions of the Drosophila muscle segment homeobox (msh) gene with other homeobox genes and the repressive cascade that leads to neuroectoderm patterning; the role of Msx genes in neural-crest induction, focusing especially on the differences between lower and higher vertebrates; their implication in patterning of the vertebrate neural tube, particularly in diencephalon midline formation. Finally, we will examine the distinct activities of Msx1, Msx2 and Msx3 genes during neurogenesis, taking into account their relationships with signalling molecules such as BMP.

Assessing the prevalence of spina bifida and encephalocele in a Kenyan hospital from 2005-2010: implications for a neural tube defects surveillance system.

Science.gov (United States)

Githuku, Jane N; Azofeifa, Alejandro; Valencia, Diana; Ao, Trong; Hamner, Heather; Amwayi, Samuel; Gura, Zeinab; Omolo, Jared; Albright, Leland; Guo, Jing; Arvelo, Wences

2014-01-01

Neural tube defects such as anencephaly, spina bifida, and encephalocele are congenital anomalies of the central nervous system. Data on the prevalence of neural tube defects in Kenya are limited. This study characterizes and estimates the prevalence of spina bifida and encephalocele reported in a referral hospital in Kenya from 2005-2010. Cases were defined as a diagnosis of spina bifida or encephalocele. Prevalence was calculated as the number of cases by year and province of residence divided by the total number of live-births per province. From a total of 6,041 surgical records; 1,184 (93%) had reported diagnosis of spina bifida and 88 (7%) of encephalocele. Estimated prevalence of spina bifida and encephalocele from 2005-2010 was 3.3 [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 3.1-3.5] cases per 10,000 live-births. The highest prevalence of cases were reported in 2007 with 4.4 (95% CI: 3.9-5.0) cases per 10,000 live-births. Rift Valley province had the highest prevalence of spina bifida and encephalocele at 6.9 (95% CI: 6.3-7.5) cases per 10,000 live-births from 2005-2010. Prevalence of spina bifida and encephalocele is likely underestimated, as only patients seeking care at the hospital were included. Variations in regional prevalence could be due to referral patterns and healthcare access. Implementation of a neural tube defects surveillance system would provide a more thorough assessment of the burden of neural tube defects in Kenya.

Prenatal screening, diagnosis, and pregnancy management of fetal neural tube defects.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, R Douglas

2014-10-01

To provide obstetrical and genetic health care practitioners with guidelines and recommendations for prenatal screening, diagnosis, and obstetrical management of fetal open and closed neural tube defects (OCNTD). This review includes prenatal screening and diagnostic techniques currently being used for the detection of OCNTD including maternal serum alpha fetoprotein screening, ultrasound, fetal magnetic resonance imaging, and amniocentesis. To improve prenatal screening, diagnosis, and obstetrical management of OCNTD while taking into consideration patient care, efficacy, cost, and care procedures. Published literature was retrieved through searches of PubMed or MEDLINE, CINAHL, and The Cochrane Library in November, 2013, using appropriate controlled vocabulary and key words (e.g., prenatal screening, congenital anomalies, neural tube defects, alpha fetoprotein, ultrasound scan, magnetic resonance imaging). Results were restricted to systematic reviews, randomized control trials/controlled clinical trials, and observational studies published in English from 1977 to 2012. Searches were updated on a regular basis and incorporated in the guideline to November 30, 2013. Grey (unpublished) literature was identified through searching the websites of health technology assessment and health technology-related agencies, clinical practice guideline collections, clinical trial registries, and national and international medical specialty societies. An online survey of health care practitioners was also reviewed. The quality of evidence in this document was rated using the criteria described in the Report of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (Table). This review will provide health care practitioners with a better understanding of the available prenatal screening methods for OCNTD and the benefits and risks associated with each technique to allow evidenced-based decisions on OCNTD screening, diagnosis, and obstetrical management.

Spontaneous neural tube defects in splotch mice supplemented with selected micronutrients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wlodarczyk, Bogdan J.; Tang, Louisa S.; Triplett, Aleata; Aleman, Frank; Finnell, Richard H.

2006-01-01

Splotch (Sp/Sp) mice homozygous for a mutation in the Pax3 gene inevitably present with neural tube defects (NTDs), along with other associated congenital anomalies. The affected mutant embryos usually die by gestation days (E) 12-13. In the present study, the effect of modifier genes from a new genetic background (CXL-Sp) and periconceptional supplementation with selected micronutrients (folic acid, 5-formyltetrahydrofolate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, methionine, myoinositol, thiamine, thymidine, and α-tocopherol) was determined with respect to the incidence of NTDs. In order to explore how different exposure parameters (time, dose, and route of compound administration) modulate the beneficial effects of micronutrient supplementation, female mice received either short- or long-term nutrient supplements via enteral or parenteral routes. Embryos were collected on E12.5 and examined for the presence of anterior or posterior NTDs. Additionally, whole mount in situ hybridization studies were conducted in order to reveal/confirm normal expression patterns of the Pax3 gene during neurulation in the wild-type and Sp/Sp homozygous mutant mouse embryos utilized in this study. A strong Pax3 signal was demonstrated in CXL-Sp embryos during neural tube closure (E9.5 to E10.5). The intensity and spatial pattern of expression were similar to other Splotch mutant mice. Of all the micronutrients tested, only supplementation with folic acid or 5-methyltetrahydrofolate rescued the normal phenotype in Sp/Sp embryos. When the folate supplementation dose was increased to 200 mg/kg in the diet, the incidence of rescued splotch homozygotes reached 30%; however, this was accompanied by six-fold increased resorption rate

Ethanol-induced impairment of polyamine homeostasis – A potential cause of neural tube defect and intrauterine growth restriction in fetal alcohol syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haghighi Poodeh, Saeid; Alhonen, Leena; Salonurmi, Tuire; Savolainen, Markku J.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Polyamine pools in embryonic and extraembryonic tissues are developmentally regulated. • Alcohol administration perturbs polyamine levels in the tissues with various patterns. • Total absence of polyamines in the embryo head at 9.5 dpc is critical for development. • The deficiency is associated with reduction in endothelial cell sprouting in the head. • Retarded migration of neural crest cells may cause development of neural tube defect. - Abstract: Introduction: Polyamines play a fundamental role during embryogenesis by regulating cell growth and proliferation and by interacting with RNA, DNA and protein. The polyamine pools are regulated by metabolism and uptake from exogenous sources. The use of certain inhibitors of polyamine synthesis causes similar defects to those seen in alcohol exposure e.g. retarded embryo growth and endothelial cell sprouting. Methods: CD-1 mice received two intraperitoneal injections of 3 g/kg ethanol at 4 h intervals 8.75 days post coitum (dpc). The fetal head, trunk, yolk sac and placenta were collected at 9.5 and 12.5 dpc and polyamine concentrations were determined. Results: No measurable quantity of polyamines could be detected in the embryo head at 9.5 dpc, 12 h after ethanol exposure. Putrescine was not detectable in the trunk of the embryo at that time, whereas polyamines in yolk sac and placenta were at control level. Polyamine deficiency was associated with slow cell growth, reduction in endothelial cell sprouting, an altered pattern of blood vessel network formation and consequently retarded migration of neural crest cells and growth restriction. Discussion: Our results indicate that the polyamine pools in embryonic and extraembryonic tissues are developmentally regulated. Alcohol administration, at the critical stage, perturbs polyamine levels with various patterns, depending on the tissue and its developmental stage. The total absence of polyamines in the embryo head at 9.5 dpc may explain why this

Ethanol-induced impairment of polyamine homeostasis – A potential cause of neural tube defect and intrauterine growth restriction in fetal alcohol syndrome

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haghighi Poodeh, Saeid, E-mail: saeid.haghighi@oulu.fi [Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, and Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu (Finland); Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu (Finland); Alhonen, Leena [Department of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine, A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, Kuopio (Finland); School of Pharmacy, Biocenter Kuopio, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (Finland); Salonurmi, Tuire; Savolainen, Markku J. [Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, and Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu (Finland); Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu (Finland)

2014-03-28

Highlights: • Polyamine pools in embryonic and extraembryonic tissues are developmentally regulated. • Alcohol administration perturbs polyamine levels in the tissues with various patterns. • Total absence of polyamines in the embryo head at 9.5 dpc is critical for development. • The deficiency is associated with reduction in endothelial cell sprouting in the head. • Retarded migration of neural crest cells may cause development of neural tube defect. - Abstract: Introduction: Polyamines play a fundamental role during embryogenesis by regulating cell growth and proliferation and by interacting with RNA, DNA and protein. The polyamine pools are regulated by metabolism and uptake from exogenous sources. The use of certain inhibitors of polyamine synthesis causes similar defects to those seen in alcohol exposure e.g. retarded embryo growth and endothelial cell sprouting. Methods: CD-1 mice received two intraperitoneal injections of 3 g/kg ethanol at 4 h intervals 8.75 days post coitum (dpc). The fetal head, trunk, yolk sac and placenta were collected at 9.5 and 12.5 dpc and polyamine concentrations were determined. Results: No measurable quantity of polyamines could be detected in the embryo head at 9.5 dpc, 12 h after ethanol exposure. Putrescine was not detectable in the trunk of the embryo at that time, whereas polyamines in yolk sac and placenta were at control level. Polyamine deficiency was associated with slow cell growth, reduction in endothelial cell sprouting, an altered pattern of blood vessel network formation and consequently retarded migration of neural crest cells and growth restriction. Discussion: Our results indicate that the polyamine pools in embryonic and extraembryonic tissues are developmentally regulated. Alcohol administration, at the critical stage, perturbs polyamine levels with various patterns, depending on the tissue and its developmental stage. The total absence of polyamines in the embryo head at 9.5 dpc may explain why this

Schlafen 1 inhibits the proliferation and tube formation of endothelial progenitor cells.

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Chun-yan Kuang

Full Text Available Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs are the major source of cells that restore the endothelium during reendothelialization. This study was designed to investigate whether Schlafen 1 (Slfn1 has an effect on the proliferation and tube formation of EPCs in vivo. Slfn1 was expressed in rat EPCs. The overexpression of Slfn1 suppressed the proliferation and tube formation of EPCs; conversely, the knockdown of Slfn1 by shRNA promoted the proliferation and tube formation of EPCs. Furthermore, when Slfn1 was overexpressed, the EPCs were arrested in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. In contrast, when Slfn1 was knocked down, the EPCs progressed into the S phase of the cell cycle. Additionally, the overexpression of Slfn1 decreased the expression of Cyclin D1, whereas the knockdown of Slfn1 increased the expression of Cyclin D1; these findings suggest that Cyclin D1 is downstream of Slfn1 in Slfn1-mediated EPC proliferation. Taken together, these results indicate a key role for Slfn1 in the regulation of EPC biological behavior, which may provide a new target for the use of EPCs during reendothelialization.

Tube Formation in Nanoscale Materials

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Yan Chenglin

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract The formation of tubular nanostructures normally requires layered, anisotropic, or pseudo-layered crystal structures, while inorganic compounds typically do not possess such structures, inorganic nanotubes thus have been a hot topic in the past decade. In this article, we review recent research activities on nanotubes fabrication and focus on three novel synthetic strategies for generating nanotubes from inorganic materials that do not have a layered structure. Specifically, thermal oxidation method based on gas–solid reaction to porous CuO nanotubes has been successfully established, semiconductor ZnS and Nb2O5nanotubes have been prepared by employing sacrificial template strategy based on liquid–solid reaction, and an in situ template method has been developed for the preparation of ZnO taper tubes through a chemical etching reaction. We have described the nanotube formation processes and illustrated the detailed key factors during their growth. The proposed mechanisms are presented for nanotube fabrication and the important pioneering studies are discussed on the rational design and fabrication of functional materials with tubular structures. It is the intention of this contribution to provide a brief account of these research activities.

Erythorbic acid promoted formation of CdS QDs in a tube-in-tube micro-channel reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liang, Yan; Tan, Jiawei; Wang, Jiexin; Chen, Jianfeng [State Key Laboratory of Organic–Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Research Center of the Ministry of Education for High Gravity Engineering and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Sun, Baochang, E-mail: sunbc@mail.buct.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Organic–Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Research Center of the Ministry of Education for High Gravity Engineering and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Shao, Lei, E-mail: shaol@mail.buct.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Organic–Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Research Center of the Ministry of Education for High Gravity Engineering and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China)

2014-12-15

Erythorbic acid assistant synthesis of CdS quantum dots (QDs) was conducted by homogeneous mixing of two continuous liquids in a high-throughput microporous tube-in-tube micro-channel reactor (MTMCR) at room temperature. The effects of the micropore size of the MTMCR, liquid flow rate, mixing time and reactant concentration on the size and size distribution of CdS QDs were investigated. It was found that the size and size distribution of CdS QDs could be tuned in the MTMCR. A combination of erythorbic acid promoted formation technique with the MTMCR may be a promising pathway for controllable mass production of QDs.

Molecular regionalization of the developing amphioxus neural tube challenges major partitions of the vertebrate brain.

Science.gov (United States)

Albuixech-Crespo, Beatriz; López-Blanch, Laura; Burguera, Demian; Maeso, Ignacio; Sánchez-Arrones, Luisa; Moreno-Bravo, Juan Antonio; Somorjai, Ildiko; Pascual-Anaya, Juan; Puelles, Eduardo; Bovolenta, Paola; Garcia-Fernàndez, Jordi; Puelles, Luis; Irimia, Manuel; Ferran, José Luis

2017-04-01

All vertebrate brains develop following a common Bauplan defined by anteroposterior (AP) and dorsoventral (DV) subdivisions, characterized by largely conserved differential expression of gene markers. However, it is still unclear how this Bauplan originated during evolution. We studied the relative expression of 48 genes with key roles in vertebrate neural patterning in a representative amphioxus embryonic stage. Unlike nonchordates, amphioxus develops its central nervous system (CNS) from a neural plate that is homologous to that of vertebrates, allowing direct topological comparisons. The resulting genoarchitectonic model revealed that the amphioxus incipient neural tube is unexpectedly complex, consisting of several AP and DV molecular partitions. Strikingly, comparison with vertebrates indicates that the vertebrate thalamus, pretectum, and midbrain domains jointly correspond to a single amphioxus region, which we termed Di-Mesencephalic primordium (DiMes). This suggests that these domains have a common developmental and evolutionary origin, as supported by functional experiments manipulating secondary organizers in zebrafish and mice.

A regulating element essential for PDGFRA transcription is recognized by neural tube defect-associated PRX homeobox transcription factors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Joosten, Paul H. L. J.; Toepoel, Mascha; van Oosterhout, Dirk; Afink, Gijs B.; van Zoelen, Everardus J. J.

2002-01-01

We have previously shown that deregulated expression of the platelet-derived growth factor alpha-receptor (PDGFRA) can be associated with neural tube defects (NTDs) in both men and mice. In the present study, we have investigated the transcription factors that control the up-regulation of PDGFRA

Chromosomal Abnormalities Associated with Neural Tube Defects (I: Full Aneuploidy

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Chih-Ping Chen

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Fetuses with neural tube defects (NTDs carry a risk of chromosomal abnormalities. The risk varies with maternal age, gestational age at diagnosis, association with other structural abnormalities, and family history of chromosome aberrations. This article provides an overview of chromosomal abnormalities associated with NTDs in embryos, fetuses, and newborn patients, and a comprehensive review of numerical chromosomal abnormalities associated with NTDs, such as trisomy 18, trisomy 13, triploidy, trisomy 9, trisomy 2, trisomy 21, trisomy 7, trisomy 8, trisomy 14, trisomy 15, trisomy 16, trisomy 5 mosaicism, trisomy 11 mosaicism, trisomy 20 mosaicism, monosomy X, and tetraploidy. NTDs may be associated with aneuploidy. Perinatal identification of NTDs should alert one to the possibility of chromosomal abnormalities and prompt a thorough cytogenetic investigation and genetic counseling.

Assessing the prevalence of spina bifida and encephalocele in a Kenyan hospital from 2005–2010: implications for a neural tube defects surveillance system

Science.gov (United States)

Githuku, Jane N; Azofeifa, Alejandro; Valencia, Diana; Ao, Trong; Hamner, Heather; Amwayi, Samuel; Gura, Zeinab; Omolo, Jared; Albright, Leland; Guo, Jing; Arvelo, Wences

2014-01-01

Introduction Neural tube defects such as anencephaly, spina bifida, and encephalocele are congenital anomalies of the central nervous system. Data on the prevalence of neural tube defects in Kenya are limited. This study characterizes and estimates the prevalence of spina bifida and encephalocele reported in a referral hospital in Kenya from 2005-2010. Methods Cases were defined as a diagnosis of spina bifida or encephalocele. Prevalence was calculated as the number of cases by year and province of residence divided by the total number of live-births per province. Results From a total of 6,041 surgical records; 1,184 (93%) had reported diagnosis of spina bifida and 88 (7%) of encephalocele. Estimated prevalence of spina bifida and encephalocele from 2005-2010 was 3.3 [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 3.1-3.5] cases per 10,000 live-births. The highest prevalence of cases were reported in 2007 with 4.4 (95% CI: 3.9-5.0) cases per 10,000 live-births. Rift Valley province had the highest prevalence of spina bifida and encephalocele at 6.9 (95% CI: 6.3-7.5) cases per 10,000 live-births from 2005-2010. Conclusion Prevalence of spina bifida and encephalocele is likely underestimated, as only patients seeking care at the hospital were included. Variations in regional prevalence could be due to referral patterns and healthcare access. Implementation of a neural tube defects surveillance system would provide a more thorough assessment of the burden of neural tube defects in Kenya. PMID:26113894

Syndromes and Disorders Associated with Omphalocele (III: Single Gene Disorders, Neural Tube Defects, Diaphragmatic Defects and Others

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Chih-Ping Chen

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Omphalocele can be associated with single gene disorders, neural tube defects, diaphragmatic defects, fetal valproate syndrome, and syndromes of unknown etiology. This article provides a comprehensive review of omphalocele-related disorders: otopalatodigital syndrome type II; Melnick–Needles syndrome; Rieger syndrome; neural tube defects; Meckel syndrome; Shprintzen–Goldberg omphalocele syndrome; lethal omphalocele-cleft palate syndrome; cerebro-costo-mandibular syndrome; fetal valproate syndrome; Marshall–Smith syndrome; fibrochondrogenesis; hydrolethalus syndrome; Fryns syndrome; omphalocele, diaphragmatic defects, radial anomalies and various internal malformations; diaphragmatic defects, limb deficiencies and ossification defects of skull; Donnai–Barrow syndrome; CHARGE syndrome; Goltz syndrome; Carpenter syndrome; Toriello–Carey syndrome; familial omphalocele; Cornelia de Lange syndrome; C syndrome; Elejalde syndrome; Malpuech syndrome; cervical ribs, Sprengel anomaly, anal atresia and urethral obstruction; hydrocephalus with associated malformations; Kennerknecht syndrome; lymphedema, atrial septal defect and facial changes; and craniosynostosis- mental retardation syndrome of Lin and Gettig. Perinatal identification of omphalocele should alert one to the possibility of omphalocele-related disorders and familial inheritance and prompt a thorough genetic counseling for these disorders.

Chlamydospore production and germ-tube formation by auxotrophs of Candida albicans.

Science.gov (United States)

Balish, E

1973-04-01

A prototrophic strain and 21 auxotrophic strains of Candida albicans were assessed for their capacity to produce chlamydospores and germ tubes. All of the mutants were able to produce germ-tubes in human serum but only two mutants produced them in defined medium with L-alpha-amino-n-butyric acid as the sole source of nitrogen. Most auxotrophs were not able to produce chlamydospores on corn meal agar with 1% Tween 80, but they could be induced to do so if the medium was supplemented with their growth requirement(s). Although L-cysteine was able to support the growth of two methionine mutants, it did not support chlamydospore formation when added to corn meal agar with 1% Tween 80. Mutants of C. albicans that do not form chlamydospores could be incorrectly identified in laboratories that rely on chlamydospore formation for identification.

CRIM1 Complexes with ß-catenin and Cadherins, Stabilizes Cell-Cell Junctions and Is Critical for Neural Morphogenesis

OpenAIRE

Ponferrada, Virgilio G.; Fan, Jieqing; Vallance, Jefferson E.; Hu, Shengyong; Mamedova, Aygun; Rankin, Scott A.; Kofron, Matthew; Zorn, Aaron M.; Hegde, Rashmi S.; Lang, Richard A.

2012-01-01

In multicellular organisms, morphogenesis is a highly coordinated process that requires dynamically regulated adhesion between cells. An excellent example of cellular morphogenesis is the formation of the neural tube from the flattened epithelium of the neural plate. Cysteine-rich motor neuron protein 1 (CRIM1) is a single-pass (type 1) transmembrane protein that is expressed in neural structures beginning at the neural plate stage. In the frog Xenopus laevis, loss of function studies using C...

Optimal Formation of Multirobot Systems Based on a Recurrent Neural Network.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yunpeng; Cheng, Long; Hou, Zeng-Guang; Yu, Junzhi; Tan, Min

2016-02-01

The optimal formation problem of multirobot systems is solved by a recurrent neural network in this paper. The desired formation is described by the shape theory. This theory can generate a set of feasible formations that share the same relative relation among robots. An optimal formation means that finding one formation from the feasible formation set, which has the minimum distance to the initial formation of the multirobot system. Then, the formation problem is transformed into an optimization problem. In addition, the orientation, scale, and admissible range of the formation can also be considered as the constraints in the optimization problem. Furthermore, if all robots are identical, their positions in the system are exchangeable. Then, each robot does not necessarily move to one specific position in the formation. In this case, the optimal formation problem becomes a combinational optimization problem, whose optimal solution is very hard to obtain. Inspired by the penalty method, this combinational optimization problem can be approximately transformed into a convex optimization problem. Due to the involvement of the Euclidean norm in the distance, the objective function of these optimization problems are nonsmooth. To solve these nonsmooth optimization problems efficiently, a recurrent neural network approach is employed, owing to its parallel computation ability. Finally, some simulations and experiments are given to validate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed optimal formation approach.

In Vitro Effect of Local Anesthetics on Candida albicans Germ Tube Formation

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Acácio Rodrigues

1994-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: This study was planned to clarify the in vitro effect of lidocaine and bupivacaine on germ tube formation by Candida albicans isolates from cases of clinical vaginal candidiasis.

Optimal serum and red blood cell folate concentrations in women of reproductive age for prevention of neural tube defects: World Health Organization guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Cordero, Amy M; Crider, Krista S; Rogers, Lisa M; Cannon, Michael J; Berry, R J

2015-04-24

Neural tube defects (NTDs) such as spina bifida, anencephaly, and encephalocele are serious birth defects of the brain and spine that occur during the first month of pregnancy when the neural tube fails to close completely. Randomized controlled trials and observational studies have shown that adequate daily consumption of folic acid before and during early pregnancy considerably reduces the risk for NTDs. The U.S. Public Health Service recommends that women capable of becoming pregnant consume 400 µg of folic acid daily for NTD prevention. Furthermore, fortification of staple foods (e.g., wheat flour) with folic acid has decreased folate-sensitive NTD prevalence in multiple settings and is a highly cost-effective intervention.

Treatment with some anti-inflammatory drugs reduces germ tube formation in Candida albicans strains

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Elena Rusu

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Candida albicans is an opportunistic dimorphic fungus that inhabits various host mucosal sites. It can cause both superficial and serious systemic disease. Conversion from the yeast to the hyphal form has been associated with increased virulence and mucosal invasiveness. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sodium diclofenac and aspirin on germs tube formation of different Candida albicans strains. Prostaglandins may play an important role in fungal colonization. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are inhibitors of the cyclooxygenase isoenzymes. These drugs specifically block the biosynthesis of mammalian prostaglandins by inhibiting one or both of cyclooxygenase isoenzymes. In tests for germ tube formation sodium diclofenac reduced the filamentation to the 12.5%- 5.1%. In the presence of aspirin the filamentation was reduced up to 85-45% depending on the tested strain. Our results suggest that cyclooxygenase-depending synthesis of fungal prostaglandins is important for morphogenesis and fungal virulence. Inhibitors of cyclooxygenase isoensymes (aspirin and diclofenac are effective in decreasing germ tube formation of Candida albicans.

Prevalentie, klinisch beeld en prognose van neuralebuisdefecten in Nederland [Prevalence, presentation and prognosis of neural tube defects in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ouden, A.L. den; Hirasing, R.A.; Buitendijk, S.E.; Jong-van de Berg, L.T.W. de; Walle, H.E.K. de; Cornel, M.C.

1996-01-01

Objective. To determine the live birth prevalence of neural tube defects (NTD) in the Netherlands and describe the clinical picture. Design. Descriptive. Setting. TNO Prevention and Health, Leiden, the Netherlands. Method. Data collected through active surveillance of NTD on a monthly basis by

Evidence for increased SOX3 dosage as a risk factor for X-linked hypopituitarism and neural tube defects.

Science.gov (United States)

Bauters, Marijke; Frints, Suzanna G; Van Esch, Hilde; Spruijt, Liesbeth; Baldewijns, Marcella M; de Die-Smulders, Christine E M; Fryns, Jean-Pierre; Marynen, Peter; Froyen, Guy

2014-08-01

Genomic duplications of varying lengths at Xq26-q27 involving SOX3 have been described in families with X-linked hypopituitarism. Using array-CGH we detected a 1.1 Mb microduplication at Xq27 in a large family with three males suffering from X-linked hypopituitarism. The duplication was mapped from 138.7 to 139.8 Mb, harboring only two annotated genes, SOX3 and ATP11C, and was shown to be a direct tandem copy number gain. Unexpectedly, the microduplication did not fully segregate with the disease in this family suggesting that SOX3 duplications have variable penetrance for X-linked hypopituitarism. In the same family, a female fetus presenting with a neural tube defect was also shown to carry the SOX3 copy number gain. Since we also demonstrated increased SOX3 mRNA levels in amnion cells derived from an unrelated t(X;22)(q27;q11) female fetus with spina bifida, we propose that increased levels of SOX3 could be a risk factor for neural tube defects. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Frecuencia y algunos factores de riesgo de mortalidad en el estado de Hidalgo, México, por defectos de cierre del tubo neural Mortality due to neural tube defects and risk factors in Hidalgo, Mexico

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Sergio Muñoz-Juárez

2002-09-01

Full Text Available Objetivo. Calcular el riesgo de muerte fetal secundaria a defectos del cierre del tubo neural y estimar factores asociados con este tipo de muertes en el estado de Hidalgo. Material y métodos. La información analizada en el año 2000 fue obtenida de los certificados de muerte fetal del periodo 1990-1995 en el estado de Hidalgo. Se utilizó un diseño de mortalidad proporcional, considerado como una variante del diseño de casos y controles. Los casos fueron aquellas muertes fetales secundarias a defectos del tubo neural y los controles las muertes fetales por otros motivos. Se utilizó ji cuadrada de Pearson para estimar las diferencias entre los casos y controles. Para el riesgo crudo de morir por defectos de cierre del tubo neural se empleó la razón de momios, y para el riesgo ajustado se usó la regresión logística no condicional. Resultados. Se analizaron 3 673 certificados de muerte fetal, identificándose 8.06% de muertes por defectos del tubo neural; el resto lo constituyeron muertes por otras causas. Se encontró como variables asociadas con la muerte fetal por defectos del tubo neural a los fetos que pesaron menos de 2 500 gramos (RM 5.0, IC 95% 3.6, 6.7, a los productos del sexo femenino (RM 1.7, IC 95% 1.3, 2.3 y a las muertes ocurridas en el periodo fetal tardío (RM 5.5 IC 95% 3.8, 8.1. Conclusiones. Los resultados indican que el riesgo de muerte fetal debida a defectos del tubo neural es mayor en productos de bajo peso, en los del sexo femenino y los que ocurren en el periodo fetal tardío.Objective. To calculate the risk of fetal death due to neural tube defects and estimate associated factors in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. Material and Methods. Data were abstracted from death certificates registered during 1990-1995 in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. The design was a proportional mortality study, which is considered as a variant of the case control design. Cases were deaths with any type of neural tube defect, and controls

Novel experimental surgical strategy to prevent traumatic neuroma formation by combining a 3D-printed Y-tube with an autograft.

Science.gov (United States)

Bolleboom, Anne; de Ruiter, Godard C W; Coert, J Henk; Tuk, Bastiaan; Holstege, Jan C; van Neck, Johan W

2018-02-09

OBJECTIVE Traumatic neuromas may develop after nerve injury at the proximal nerve stump, which can lead to neuropathic pain. These neuromas are often resistant to therapy, and excision of the neuroma frequently leads to recurrence. In this study, the authors present a novel surgical strategy to prevent neuroma formation based on the principle of centro-central anastomosis (CCA), but rather than directly connecting the nerve ends to an autograft, they created a loop using a 3D-printed polyethylene Y-shaped conduit with an autograft in the distal outlets. METHODS The 3D-printed Y-tube with autograft was investigated in a model of rat sciatic nerve transection in which the Y-tube was placed on the proximal sciatic nerve stump and a peroneal graft was placed between the distal outlets of the Y-tube to form a closed loop. This model was compared with a CCA model, in which a loop was created between the proximal tibial and peroneal nerves with a peroneal autograft. Additional control groups consisted of the closed Y-tube and the extended-arm Y-tube. Results were analyzed at 12 weeks of survival using nerve morphometry for the occurrence of neuroma formation and axonal regeneration in plastic semi-thin sections. RESULTS Among the different surgical groups, the Y-tube with interposed autograft was the only model that did not result in neuroma formation at 12 weeks of survival. In addition, a 13% reduction in the number of myelinated axons regenerating through the interposed autograft was observed in the Y-tube with autograft model. In the CCA model, the authors also observed a decrease of 17% in the number of myelinated axons, but neuroma formation was present in this model. The closed Y-tube resulted in minimal nerve regeneration inside the tube together with extensive neuroma formation before the entrance of the tube. The extended-arm Y-tube model clearly showed that the majority of the regenerating axons merged into the Y-tube arm, which was connected to the autograft

Epidemiology of neural tube defects in the world and Iran

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farhud, D.; Hadavi, V.; Sadighi, H.

2000-01-01

Statistical data from 1996 till 1995, showed that Neural tube defects, in the American continent, Venezuela had the highest prevalence of 38.9 and some Latin American countries showed the low of 7.7. In Europe, Norway had the highest prevalence of 68, and Denmark the lowest, 5.8. In Asia, India had the highest of 181.8 and Japan the lowest of 10. In Africa, Nigeria had the highest of 70 and negroes of South Africa had the lowest of 9.9. In Australia the figure was 20.05. According to the statistics available of the years 1967 till 1996, anencephaly in China had the highest prevalence of 87. In the American continent, state of Michigan in the USA had the highest of 10.5 and Jamaica, in Central American, had the lowest of 2.6. In Europe, Turkey with 16.4 and Italy with 2.73; in Asia, China with 87 and Iran with 0.8 had the highest and the lowest pre valences, respectively. In Africa, Nigeria with 3.5, and in Oceania, New zealand with 7.8 in 10000, were reported. Data available on spin a bifida, from the years 1968 till 1991 showed, the highest prevalence in China with 36, and the lowest in the Alps mountains with 0.55 in 10000 individuals. In the American continent, state of Arkansas with 7.8 and California with 3.87; in Europe, England with 23.1 and Rein-Alp with 0.55 in 10000 had the highest and the lowest pre valences. Finally, in China this rate was 36, in Australia 10, in New zealand 9.4, and in Nigeria 7/10000. In a study carried out in Tehran, from 1969 till 1978 by the authors, out of 13037 birth, (17.6 in 10000) newborns had neural tube defects, with anencephaly 0.8 and spin a bifida 3.8/10000. In a new study on 8585 deliveries (1991-1997) in Hamadan (a north west Providence of Iran), Pre valences of total Nds was 50.1/10000, anencephaly 15.6 and spinabifida 6.98

Syndromes, Disorders and Maternal Risk Factors Associated with Neural Tube Defects (II

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Chih-Ping Chen

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Fetuses with neural tube defects (NTDs maybe associated with syndromes, disorders, and maternal risk factors. This article provides a comprehensive review of syndromes, disorders, and maternal risk factors associated with NTDs, such as Currarino syndrome, sacral defect with anterior meningocele, Jarcho-Levin syndrome (spondylo-costal dysostosis, lateral meningocele syndrome, neurofibromatosis type I, Marfan syndrome, and hyperthermia. The recurrence risk and the preventive effect of maternal folic acid intake in NTDs associated with syndromes, disorders, and maternal risk factors may be different from those of non-syndromic multifactorial NTDs. Perinatal identification of NTDs should alert one to the syndromes, disorders, and maternal risk factors associated with NTDs, and prompt a thorough etiologic investigation and genetic counseling.

Epidemiologic study of neural tube defects in Los Angeles County. I. Prevalence at birth based on multiple sources of case ascertainment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sever, L.E. (Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA); Sanders, M.; Monsen, R.

1982-01-01

Epidemiologic studies of the neural tube defects (NTDs), anencephalus and spina bifida, have for the most part been based on single sources of case ascertainment in past studies. The present investigation attempts total ascertainment of NTD cases in the newborn population of Los Angeles County residents for the period 1966 to 1972. Design of the study, sources of data, and estimates of prevalence rates based on single and multiple sources of case ascertainment are here discussed. Anencephalus cases totaled 448, spina bifida 442, and encephalocele 72, giving prevalence rates of 0.52, 0.51, and 0.08 per 1000 total births, respectively, for these neural tube defects - rates considered to be low. The Los Angeles County prevalence rates are compared with those of other recent North American studies and support is provided for earlier suggestions of low rates on the West Coast.

Inositol for the prevention of neural tube defects: a pilot randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Greene, Nicholas D E; Leung, Kit-Yi; Gay, Victoria; Burren, Katie; Mills, Kevin; Chitty, Lyn S; Copp, Andrew J

2016-03-28

Although peri-conceptional folic acid (FA) supplementation can prevent a proportion of neural tube defects (NTD), there is increasing evidence that many NTD are FA non-responsive. The vitamin-like molecule inositol may offer a novel approach to preventing FA-non-responsive NTD. Inositol prevented NTD in a genetic mouse model, and was well tolerated by women in a small study of NTD recurrence. In the present study, we report the Prevention of Neural Tube Defects by Inositol (PONTI) pilot study designed to gain further experience of inositol usage in human pregnancy as a preliminary trial to a future large-scale controlled trial to evaluate efficacy of inositol in NTD prevention. Study subjects were UK women with a previous NTD pregnancy who planned to become pregnant again. Of 117 women who made contact, ninety-nine proved eligible and forty-seven agreed to be randomised (double-blind) to peri-conceptional supplementation with inositol plus FA or placebo plus FA. In total, thirty-three randomised pregnancies produced one NTD recurrence in the placebo plus FA group (n 19) and no recurrences in the inositol plus FA group (n 14). Of fifty-two women who declined randomisation, the peri-conceptional supplementation regimen and outcomes of twenty-two further pregnancies were documented. Two NTD recurred, both in women who took only FA in their next pregnancy. No adverse pregnancy events were associated with inositol supplementation. The findings of the PONTI pilot study encourage a large-scale controlled trial of inositol for NTD prevention, but indicate the need for a careful study design in view of the unwillingness of many high-risk women to be randomised.

Risk factors of neural tube defects: A reality of Batna region in Algeria

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Romyla Bourouba

2018-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Neural tube defects (NTDs are severe birth defects, with genetic and/or environmental risk factors. Aim: The objective of this study was to analyze data on NTDs cases at the Batna Maternity Hospital and to investigate some environmental and two genetic risk factors suspected in the etiology of NTDs. Subjects and methods: This study was conducted on 82 healthy participants and 48 mothers with an NTD child. Peripheral blood samples were collected, in EDTA tubes and frozen at −20 °C until DNA extraction by conventional method. Genetic analysis of methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase C677T polymorphism was determined by real time PCR, while cystathionine-beta-synthase 844 insertion was investigated by traditional PCR. Chi-square analyses were used to evaluate differences in the distribution of data. The odds-ratio was also calculated. A P-value less than 0.05 were significant. Results: The incidence of NTD in Batna region was 1.58 per 1000 births. The rate of NTD was significantly higher in females than males, highest affected NTD newborn’s was observed in mothers aged between 25 and 29 years and the consanguinity among all NTD cases was 30%. Data showed no significant association of NTDs with personal education, obesity, diabetes, but regarding folic acid consumption, about 86% of NTD’s mothers in our region didn’t take pre-conceptional supplementation with this vitamin .Genetic factors results didn't show a significant association of NTDs with specific mutations of the variant C677T MTHFR, and no gene-gene interaction of CBS insertion and C677T polymorphism was found, despite a significant difference in heterozygote frequency of CBS 844ins68 genotype between NTD’s mothers and controls, OR: 2.85(1.18–6.88. Conclusion: NTD represents a real public health problem in Batna, Algeria. Various genetic and/or nutritional factors are implicated, although the mechanism is not clear. We suggest that further research should continue

Bump formation in a binary attractor neural network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koroutchev, Kostadin; Korutcheva, Elka

2006-01-01

The conditions for the formation of local bumps in the activity of binary attractor neural networks with spatially dependent connectivity are investigated. We show that these formations are observed when asymmetry between the activity during the retrieval and learning is imposed. An analytical approximation for the order parameters is derived. The corresponding phase diagram shows a relatively large and stable region where this effect is observed, although critical storage and information capacities drastically decrease inside that region. We demonstrate that the stability of the network, when starting from the bump formation, is larger than the stability when starting even from the whole pattern. Finally, we show a very good agreement between the analytical results and the simulations performed for different topologies of the network

Fgf8-related secondary organizers exert different polarizing planar instructions along the mouse anterior neural tube.

Science.gov (United States)

Crespo-Enriquez, Ivan; Partanen, Juha; Martinez, Salvador; Echevarria, Diego

2012-01-01

Early brain patterning depends on proper arrangement of positional information. This information is given by gradients of secreted signaling molecules (morphogens) detected by individual cells within the responding tissue, leading to specific fate decisions. Here we report that the morphogen FGF8 exerts initially a differential signal activity along the E9.5 mouse neural tube. We demonstrate that this polarizing activity codes by RAS-regulated ERK1/2 signaling and depends on the topographical location of the secondary organizers: the isthmic organizer (IsO) and the anterior neural ridge (anr) but not on zona limitans intrathalamica (zli). Our results suggest that Sprouty2, a negative modulator of RAS/ERK pathway, is important for regulating Fgf8 morphogenetic signal activity by controlling Fgf8-induced signaling pathways and positional information during early brain development.

A case of junctional neural tube defect associated with a lipoma of the filum terminale: a new subtype of junctional neural tube defect?

Science.gov (United States)

Florea, Simona Mihaela; Faure, Alice; Brunel, Hervé; Girard, Nadine; Scavarda, Didier

2018-06-01

The embryological development of the central nervous system takes place during the neurulation process, which includes primary and secondary neurulation. A new form of dysraphism, named junctional neural tube defect (JNTD), was recently reported, with only 4 cases described in the literature. The authors report a fifth case of JNTD. This 5-year-old boy, who had been operated on during his 1st month of life for a uretero-rectal fistula, was referred for evaluation of possible spinal dysraphism. He had urinary incontinence, clubfeet, and a history of delayed walking ability. MRI showed a spinal cord divided in two, with an upper segment ending at the T-11 level and a lower segment at the L5-S1 level, with a thickened filum terminale. The JNTDs represent a recently classified dysraphism caused by an error during junctional neurulation. The authors suggest that their patient should be included in this category as the fifth case reported in the literature and note that this would be the first reported case of JNTD in association with a lipomatous filum terminale.

Quantitative trait loci affecting phenotypic variation in the vacuolated lens mouse mutant, a multigenic mouse model of neural tube defects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Korstanje, Ron; Desai, Jigar; Lazar, Gloria; King, Benjamin; Rollins, Jarod; Spurr, Melissa; Joseph, Jamie; Kadambi, Sindhuja; Li, Yang; Cherry, Allison; Matteson, Paul G.; Paigen, Beverly; Millonig, James H.

Korstanje R, Desai J, Lazar G, King B, Rollins J, Spurr M, Joseph J, Kadambi S, Li Y, Cherry A, Matteson PG, Paigen B, Millonig JH. Quantitative trait loci affecting phenotypic variation in the vacuolated lens mouse mutant, a multigenic mouse model of neural tube defects. Physiol Genomics 35:

Developing effective campaign messages to prevent neural tube defects: a qualitative assessment of women's reactions to advertising concepts.

Science.gov (United States)

Massi Lindsey, Lisa L; Silk, Kami J; Von Friederichs-Fitzwater, Marlene M; Hamner, Heather C; Prue, Christine E; Boster, Franklin J

2009-03-01

The incidence of neural tube defects (NTDs), serious birth defects of the brain and spine that affect approximately 3,000 pregnancies in the United States each year, can be reduced by 50-70% with daily periconceptional consumption of the B vitamin folic acid. Two studies were designed to assess college women's reactions to and perceptions of potential campaign advertising concepts derived from preproduction formative research to increase folic acid consumption through the use of a daily multivitamin. Study one assessed draft advertising concepts in eight focus groups (N = 71) composed of college-enrolled women in four cities geographically dispersed across the United States. Based on study one results, the concepts were revised and reassessed in study two with a different sample (eight focus groups; N = 73) of college women in the same four cities. Results indicated that participants generally responded favorably to concepts in each of the two studies, and provided insight into individual concepts to increase their overall appeal and effectiveness. The specific findings and implications of these results are discussed.

Long term trends in prevalence of neural tube defects in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khoshnood, Babak; Loane, Maria; Walle, Hermien de

2015-01-01

STUDY QUESTION: What are the long term trends in the total (live births, fetal deaths, and terminations of pregnancy for fetal anomaly) and live birth prevalence of neural tube defects (NTD) in Europe, where many countries have issued recommendations for folic acid supplementation but a policy...... for mandatory folic acid fortification of food does not exist? METHODS: This was a population based, observational study using data on 11 353 cases of NTD not associated with chromosomal anomalies, including 4162 cases of anencephaly and 5776 cases of spina bifida from 28 EUROCAT (European Surveillance......-conceptional folic acid supplementation and existence of voluntary folic acid fortification. FUNDING, COMPETING INTERESTS, DATA SHARING: The study was funded by the European Public Health Commission, EUROCAT Joint Action 2011-2013. HD and ML received support from the European Commission DG Sanco during the conduct...

INCREASED MATERNAL SERUM ALPHA-FETOPROTEIN AND HUMAN CHORIONIC-GONADOTROPIN IN COMPROMISED PREGNANCIES OTHER THAN FOR NEURAL-TUBE DEFECTS OR DOWN-SYNDROME

NARCIS (Netherlands)

BEEKHUIS, [No Value; VANLITH, JMM; DEWOLF, BTHM; MANTINGH, A

Intrauterine fetal death occurred in four women who were 'screen-positive' in a screening programme for neural tube defects (NTDs) and Down syndrome (DS). These women had very high levels of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) and maternal serum human chorionic gonadotropin (MShCG). Therefore,

Folato, vitamina B12 e ferritina sérica e defeitos do tubo neural Folate, vitamin B12, serum ferritin and defects of the neural tube

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Gizele Thame

1998-09-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: verificar os níveis de folatos, vitamina B12 e ferritina em pacientes cujos fetos apresentaram defeitos de tubo neural (DTN. O folato sangüíneo e a vitamina B12 atuam como cofatores para as enzimas envolvidas na biossíntese do DNA. A interrupção deste processo pode impedir o fechamento do tubo neural. A suplementação vitamínica contendo folato pode reduzir as taxas de ocorrência de defeitos de tubo neural, embora exista a preocupação de que esta prevenção possa mascarar a deficiência de vitamina B12. Métodos: dosagens de vitamina B12 e ferritina pelo método de enzimaimunoensaio com micropartículas e a dosagens de ácido fólico pelo método de captura iônica (IMx ABBOTT. Resultados: a porcentagem de gestantes com deficiência de vitamina B12 (níveis séricos Purpose: to determine folate, vitamin B12 and ferritin levels in patients whose fetuses presented neural-tube defects (NTD. Blood folate and vitamin B12 act as cofactors of enzymes involved in DNA biosynthesis. Interruption of this process may block neural-tube closing. Vitamin supplementation with folate may reduce occurrence rates and recurrence of NTD, although there is concern about the fact that this prevention may mask vitamin B12 deficiency. Methods: vitamin B12 and ferritin determinations by enzyme immunoassay with microparticles and folic acid determination using the ion capture method (IMx ABBOTT. Results: the percentage of pregnant women with vitamin B12 deficirncy (serum levels < 150 pg/ml was 11.8%. There was no case of folate deficiency (serum levels < 3.0 ng/ml and prevalence of pregnant women with iron store deficiency was 47.1% (serum levels < ng/mg. Conclusions: occording to the results obtained in this study (prevalence of 11.8% of vitamin B12 and 0% of folate deficient pregnant women we suggest that supplementation should be administered after serum vitamin B12 determination.

Novel Method for Measuring the Heat Collection Rate and Heat Loss Coefficient of Water-in-Glass Evacuated Tube Solar Water Heaters Based on Artificial Neural Networks and Support Vector Machine

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Zhijian Liu

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The determinations of heat collection rate and heat loss coefficient are crucial for the evaluation of in service water-in-glass evacuated tube solar water heaters. However, the direct determination requires complex detection devices and a series of standard experiments, which also wastes too much time and manpower. To address this problem, we propose machine learning models including artificial neural networks (ANNs and support vector machines (SVM to predict the heat collection rate and heat loss coefficient without a direct determination. Parameters that can be easily obtained by “portable test instruments” were set as independent variables, including tube length, number of tubes, tube center distance, heat water mass in tank, collector area, final temperature and angle between tubes and ground, while the heat collection rate and heat loss coefficient determined by the detection device were set as dependent variables respectively. Nine hundred fifteen samples from in-service water-in-glass evacuated tube solar water heaters were used for training and testing the models. Results show that the multilayer feed-forward neural network (MLFN with 3 nodes is the best model for the prediction of heat collection rate and the general regression neural network (GRNN is the best model for the prediction of heat loss coefficient due to their low root mean square (RMS errors, short training times, and high prediction accuracies (under the tolerances of 30%, 20%, and 10%, respectively.

Effects of brefeldin A on the endomembrane system and germ tube formation of the tetraspore of Gelidium floridanum (Rhodophyta, Florideophyceae).

Science.gov (United States)

Simioni, Carmen; Rover, Ticiane; Schmidt, Éder C; de L Felix, Marthiellen R; Polo, Luz Karime; Santos, Rodrigo Dos; Costa, Giulia Burle; Kreusch, Marianne; Pereira, Debora T; Ouriques, Luciane C; Bouzon, Zenilda L

2014-06-01

Gelidium floridanum W.R. Taylor tetraspores are units of dispersal and are responsible for substrate attachment. This study aimed to examine evidence of direct interaction between germ tube formation and Golgi activity during tetraspore germination of G. floridanum. After release, the tetraspores were incubated with brefeldin A (BFA) in concentrations of 4 and 8 μM over a 6 h period. The controls and treatments were analyzed with light, fluorescence (FM4-64 dye) and transmission electron microscopy. In the control samples, the Golgi bodies were responsible for germ tube formation. In contrast, BFA-treated samples were observed to inhibit spore adhesion and germ tube formation. These tetraspores also showed an increase in volume (≥30 μm width). BFA treatment also resulted in the disassembly of Golgi cisternae and the formation of vesiculated areas of the cytoplasm, blocking the secretion of protein and amorphous matrix polysaccharides. When stained with FM4-64, the control samples showed fluorescence in the apical region of the germ tube, but the treated samples showed an intense fluorescence throughout the cytoplasm. From these results, we can conclude that the germ tube is formed by the incorporation of vesicles derived from Golgi. Thus, vesicle secretion and Golgi organization are basic processes and essential in adhesion and tube formation. By blocking the secretion of protein and amorphous matrix polysaccharides, BFA treatment precluded tetraspore germination. © 2014 Phycological Society of America.

Syndromes, Disorders and Maternal Risk Factors Associated with Neural Tube Defects (IV

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chih-Ping Chen

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Fetuses with neural tube defects (NTDs may be associated with maternal and fetal risk factors. This article provides a comprehensive review of maternal and fetal risk factors associated with NTDs, such as infertility, periconceptional clomiphene use and assisted reproductive technology, periconceptional folic acid deficiency and effects offolic acid supplementation and fortification on NTD rates, periconceptional vitamin B1 2 deficiency, single nucleotide polymorphisms and polymorphisms in genes of folate metabolism, and maternal autoantibodies to folate receptors. NTDs associated with maternal and fetal risk factors are an important cause of NTDs. Perinatal identification of NTDs should alert the clinician to the maternal and fetal risk factors associated with NTDs, and prompt a thorough etiologic investigation and genetic counseling. [Taiwan J Obstet Cynecol 2008;47(2:141-1 50

Neural Activity During The Formation Of A Giant Auditory Synapse

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.C. Sierksma (Martijn)

2018-01-01

markdownabstractThe formation of synapses is a critical step in the development of the brain. During this developmental stage neural activity propagates across the brain from synapse to synapse. This activity is thought to instruct the precise, topological connectivity found in the sensory central

Vortex ring formation at the open end of a shock tube: A particle image velocimetry study

Science.gov (United States)

Arakeri, J. H.; Das, D.; Krothapalli, A.; Lourenco, L.

2004-04-01

The vortex ring generated subsequent to the diffraction of a shock wave from the open end of a shock tube is studied using particle image velocimetry. We examine the early evolution of the compressible vortex ring for three-exit shock Mach numbers, 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3. For the three cases studied, the ring formation is complete at about tUb/D=2, where t is time, Ub is fluid velocity behind shock as it exits the tube and D is tube diameter. Unlike in the case of piston generated incompressible vortex rings where the piston velocity variation with time is usually trapezoidal, in the shock-generated vortex ring case the exit fluid velocity doubles from its initial value Ub before it slowly decays to zero. At the end of the ring formation, its translation speed is observed to be about 0.7 Ub. During initial formation and propagation, a jet-like flow exists behind the vortex ring. The vortex ring detachment from the tailing jet, commonly referred to as pinch-off, is briefly discussed.

ESTIMATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARD OF NEURAL TUBE IN EMBRYOS FROM TRANSYLVANIAN NAKED NECK AND PLYMOUTH ROCK HEN BREEDS, DURING EARLY EMBRYOGENESIS

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D. DRONCA

2007-05-01

Full Text Available In Romania, the Transylvanian Naked Neck hen breed is considered to be an“endangered” population, reason for which we consider that a special attentionshould have been given until now. Plymouth Rock breed was imported for the firsttime to Romania from the Studler Company, France in 1969. This paper is aimingto perform a profound analysis of the development patterns of the neural tube inthe two breeds, by measurements carried out at 30, 40, 50, and 60 hours ofincubation. Observations show that the closure of the neural canal and itstransformation into a tube follows an undulatory pattern, of which positive andnegative curls are diametrically opposed in the two breeds, while the developmentspeed during the whole studied period have a relative similar value between thetwo breeds. We estimate that the two breeds have a good combinative capacity,which recommend the utilization of these genetic materials to obtain hybrids forproducing “peasant-type” chicken meat, very well-appreciated by the Europeansbetween the two World Wars.

Data analysis for steam generator tubing samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dodd, C.V.

1996-07-01

The objective of the Improved Eddy-Current ISI for Steam Generators program is to upgrade and validate eddy-current inspections, including probes, instrumentation, and data processing techniques for inservice inspection of new, used, and repaired steam generator tubes; to improve defect detection, classification and characterization as affected by diameter and thickness variations, denting, probe wobble, tube sheet, tube supports, copper and sludge deposits, even when defect types and other variables occur in combination; to transfer this advanced technology to NRC's mobile NDE laboratory and staff. This report provides a description of the application of advanced eddy-current neural network analysis methods for the detection and evaluation of common steam generator tubing flaws including axial and circumferential outer-diameter stress-corrosion cracking and intergranular attack. The report describes the training of the neural networks on tubing samples with known defects and the subsequent evaluation results for unknown samples. Evaluations were done in the presence of artifacts. Computer programs are given in the appendix

Is 5-methyltetrahydrofolate an alternative to folic acid for the prevention of neural tube defects?

Science.gov (United States)

Obeid, Rima; Holzgreve, Wolfgang; Pietrzik, Klaus

2013-09-01

Women have higher requirements for folate during pregnancy. An optimal folate status must be achieved before conception and in the first trimester when the neural tube closes. Low maternal folate status is causally related to neural tube defects (NTDs). Many NTDs can be prevented by increasing maternal folate intake in the preconceptional period. Dietary folate is protective, but recommending increasing folate intake is ineffective on a population level particularly during periods of high demands. This is because the recommendations are often not followed or because the bioavailability of food folate is variable. Supplemental folate [folic acid (FA) or 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-methylTHF)] can effectively increase folate concentrations to the level that is considered to be protective. FA is a synthetic compound that has no biological functions unless it is reduced to dihydrofolate and tetrahydrofolate. Unmetabolized FA appears in the circulation at doses of >200 μg. Individuals show wide variations in their ability to reduce FA. Carriers of certain polymorphisms in genes related to folate metabolism or absorption can better benefit from 5-methylTHF instead of FA. 5-MethylTHF [also known as (6S)-5-methylTHF] is the predominant natural form that is readily available for transport and metabolism. In contrast to FA, 5-methylTHF has no tolerable upper intake level and does not mask vitamin B12 deficiency. Supplementation of the natural form, 5-methylTHF, is a better alternative to supplementation of FA, especially in countries not applying a fortification program. Supplemental 5-methylTHF can effectively improve folate biomarkers in young women in early pregnancy in order to prevent NTDs.

Prevalência de defeitos de fechamento de tubo neural no Vale do Paraíba, São Paulo Prevalence of neural tube defects in Vale do Paraíba, São Paulo, Brazil

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Luiz Fernando C. Nascimento

2008-12-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Estimar a prevalência de defeitos de fechamento do tubo neural no Vale do Paraíba paulista e identificar possíveis fatores maternos e neonatais associados a tais defeitos. MÉTODOS: Realizou-se um estudo transversal com dados secundários obtidos na Secretaria Estadual da Saúde referentes aos nascimentos ocorridos em 2004 no Vale do Paraíba paulista, que compreende 35 municípios e conta com população de 2 milhões de habitantes. Anencefalia, encefalocele e espina bífida (mielocele e mielomeningocele foram considerados defeitos de fechamento do tubo neural. As variáveis maternas foram: idade, escolaridade, cor da pele, número de consultas no pré-natal, número de filhos vivos e relato de óbito fetal prévio. As variáveis relativas ao recém-nascido foram: peso, idade gestacional e escore de Apgar. Realizou-se comparação das médias por meio do teste t de Student e obtiveram-se os valores das razões de chance com intervalos de confiança de 95%. RESULTADOS: Foram analisados 33.653 nascidos vivos. Trinta e oito recém-nascidos com o defeito foram encontrados (1,13/1.000 nascidos vivos, sendo 23 casos de espina bífida. Houve associação com baixo peso ao nascimento, prematuridade e menores escores de Apgar de cinco minutos. CONCLUSÕES: A prevalência desta anomalia foi inferior à de outros estudos nacionais e sua presença esteve associada ao baixo peso, à prematuridade e à baixa vitalidade ao nascer.OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of neural tube defects in Vale do Paraíba, São Paulo, Brazil, and to identify possible maternal and neonatal variables associated with these defects. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used secondary records of the Health Department of São Paulo State related live births during 2004 in Vale do Paraíba, São Paulo, Brazil. This region has 35 cities and 2 million inhabitants. Anencephaly, encephalocele and spina bifida (myelocele and myelomeningocele were considered as neural tube

Neural Network Observer-Based Finite-Time Formation Control of Mobile Robots

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Caihong Zhang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper addresses the leader-following formation problem of nonholonomic mobile robots. In the formation, only the pose (i.e., the position and direction angle of the leader robot can be obtained by the follower. First, the leader-following formation is transformed into special trajectory tracking. And then, a neural network (NN finite-time observer of the follower robot is designed to estimate the dynamics of the leader robot. Finally, finite-time formation control laws are developed for the follower robot to track the leader robot in the desired separation and bearing in finite time. The effectiveness of the proposed NN finite-time observer and the formation control laws are illustrated by both qualitative analysis and simulation results.

White thrombus formation in blood tubing lines in a chronic hemodialysis unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Watnick, Suzanne; Stooksbury, Michael; Winter, Rolf; Riscoe, Michael; Cohen, David M

2008-03-01

Previous reports have described white particulate matter in banked blood components, but no prior public reports describe such matter in blood tubing during the course of routine in-center hemodialysis. This report describes the events, investigations, and preliminary conclusions associated with the spontaneous formation of adherent white thrombus in the venous and arterial blood lines during routine in-center hemodialysis treatments. Design setting, participants, & measurements: This investigation occurred at the Portland Veterans Administration Medical Center (PVAMC) Hemodialysis Unit from October 2006 through April 2007. Sixty-eight variables regarding demographics, medical history and dialysis treatments were collected on our 34 chronic hemodialysis outpatients. Over a 5-wk interval, 62% (21 of 34) of the chronic hemodialysis patients unexpectedly developed a white precipitate adhering to the lumenal surface of their dialysis blood tubing, with 73 of 580 chronic dialysis treatments exhibiting the phenomenon. Microscopic and biochemical analyses were consistent with white thrombus, formed by an aggregation of platelets and fibrin. An alert was issued and other in-center hemodialysis units noted similar findings. This was remedied by the removal of specific tubing. Both patient-specific and tubing-specific factors may have been operative. Although patient safety was not adversely affected, assessment of clinical and manufacturing variables potentially affecting platelet activation is warranted.

Effect of repeated tracheostomy tube reprocessing on biofilm formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodney, Jennifer; Ojano-Dirain, Carolyn P; Antonelli, Patrick J; Silva, Rodrigo C

2016-04-01

To determine the effect of repeated reprocessing of pediatric tracheostomy tubes (TTs) on biofilm formation. In vitro microbiological study. Pediatric, uncuffed, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) TTs from two different manufacturers (Tracoe Mini and Shiley) were reprocessed mechanically with household detergent and soaked in sodium hypochlorite (bleach). Two TTs of each brand were reprocessed 0 (control), 10, or 20 times. Twenty 2-mm coupons were then obtained from each TT, immersed in human mucus, and cultured with either Staphylococcus aureus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Biofilm formation was evaluated with bacterial counts. Bacterial counts of S. aureus for both brands were significantly higher on the TTs that were reprocessed 20 times compared to those that were not reprocessed (Tracoe: P = .040, Shiley: P  attachment. Further investigation is needed to determine the optimal technique and limits of reprocessing TTs in clinical practice. NA. Laryngoscope published by Wiley on behalf of the American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc, “The Triological Society” and American Laryngological Association (the “Owner”).

Folic acid supplement use in the prevention of neural tube defects.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Delany, C

2011-01-01

In 2008, planned folic acid fortification for the prevention of Neural Tube Defects (NTD) was postponed. Concurrently, the economic recession may have affected dietary folic acid intake, placing increased emphasis on supplement use. This study examined folic acid supplement use in 2009. A cross-sectional survey of 300 ante-natal women was undertaken to assess folic acid knowledge and use. Associations between demographic, obstetric variables and folic acid knowledge and use were examined. A majority, 284\\/297 (96%), had heard of folic acid, and 178\\/297 (60%) knew that it could prevent NTD. Most, 270\\/297 (91%) had taken it during their pregnancy, but only 107\\/297 (36%) had used it periconceptionally. Being older, married, planned pregnancy and better socioeconomic status were associated with periconceptional use. Periconceptional folic acid use in 2009 was very low, little changed from economic status were associated with periconceptional use. Periconceptional folic acid use in 2009 was very low, little changed from earlier years. Continuous promotion efforts are necessary. Close monitoring of folic acid intake and NTD rates is essential, particularly in the absence of fortification.

Level of Processing Modulates the Neural Correlates of Emotional Memory Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Ritchey, Maureen; LaBar, Kevin S.; Cabeza, Roberto

2011-01-01

Emotion is known to influence multiple aspects of memory formation, including the initial encoding of the memory trace and its consolidation over time. However, the neural mechanisms whereby emotion impacts memory encoding remain largely unexplored. The present study used a levels-of-processing manipulation to characterize the impact of emotion on…

White Thrombus Formation in Blood Tubing Lines in a Chronic Hemodialysis Unit

OpenAIRE

Watnick, Suzanne; Stooksbury, Michael; Winter, Rolf; Riscoe, Michael; Cohen, David M.

2008-01-01

Background and objectives: Previous reports have described white particulate matter in banked blood components, but no prior public reports describe such matter in blood tubing during the course of routine in-center hemodialysis. This report describes the events, investigations, and preliminary conclusions associated with the spontaneous formation of adherent white thrombus in the venous and arterial blood lines during routine in-center hemodialysis treatments.

Syndromes, Disorders and Maternal Risk Factors Associated with Neural Tube Defects (I

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Chih-Ping Chen

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Fetuses with neural tube defects (NTDs maybe associated with syndromes, disorders, and maternal risk factors. This article provides a comprehensive review of syndromes, disorders, and maternal risk factors associated with NTDs, such as acrocallosal syndrome, autosomal dominant brachydactyly-clinodactyly syndrome, Manouvrier syndrome, short rib-polydactyly syndrome, Disorganization (Ds-like human malformations, isolated hemihyper-plasia, X-linked NTDs, meroanencephaly, schisis association, diprosopus, fetal valproate syndrome, DiGeorge syndrome/velocardiofacial syndrome, Waardenburg syndrome, folic acid antagonists, diabetes mellitus, and obesity. NTDs associated with syndromes, disorders, and maternal risk factors are a rare but important cause of NTDs. The recurrence risk and the preventive effect of maternal folic acid intake in NTDs associated with syndromes, disorders, and maternal risk factors may be different from those of non-syndromic multifactorial NTDs. Perinatal identification of NTDs should alert one to the syndromes, disorders, and maternal risk factors associated with NTDs, and prompt a thorough etiologic investigation and genetic counseling.

Syndromes, disorders and maternal risk factors associated with neural tube defects (I).

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chih-Ping

2008-03-01

Fetuses with neural tube defects (NTDs) may be associated with syndromes, disorders, and maternal risk factors. This article provides a comprehensive review of syndromes, disorders, and maternal risk factors associated with NTDs, such as acrocallosal syndrome, autosomal dominant brachydactyly-clinodactyly syndrome, Manouvrier syndrome, short rib-polydactyly syndrome, Disorganization ( Ds )-like human malformations, isolated hemihyperplasia, X-linked NTDs, meroanencephaly, schisis association, diprosopus, fetal valproate syndrome, DiGeorge syndrome/velocardiofacial syndrome, Waardenburg syndrome, folic acid antagonists, diabetes mellitus, and obesity. NTDs associated with syndromes, disorders, and maternal risk factors are a rare but important cause of NTDs. The recurrence risk and the preventive effect of maternal folic acid intake in NTDs associated with syndromes, disorders, and maternal risk factors may be different from those of non-syndromic multifactorial NTDs. Perinatal identification of NTDs should alert one to the syndromes, disorders, and maternal risk factors associated with NTDs, and prompt a thorough etiologic investigation and genetic counseling.

Syndromes, Disorders and Maternal Risk Factors Associated With Neural Tube Defects (VI

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Chih-Ping Chen

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Neural tube defects (NTDs may be associated with syndromes, disorders, and maternal and fetal risk factors. This article provides a comprehensive review of the syndromes, disorders, and maternal and fetal risk factors associated with NTDs, including maternal fumonisin consumption, periconceptional zinc deficiency, parental occupational exposure and residential proximity to pesticides, lower socioeconomic status, fetal alcohol syndrome, mutations in the VANGL1 gene, human athymic Nude/SCID fetus, and single nucleotide polymorphism in the NOS3 gene. NTDs associated with these syndromes, disorders, and maternal and fetal risk factors are a rare but important cause of NTDs. The recurrence risk and the preventive effect of maternal folic acid intake in NTDs associated with syndromes, disorders and maternal risk factors may be different from those of nonsyndromic multifactorial NTDs. Perinatal diagnosis of NTDs should alert doctors to the syndromes, disorders, and maternal and fetal risk factors associated with NTDs, and prompt thorough etiologic investigation and genetic counseling.

Genetic, chromosomal, and syndromic causes of neural tube defects.

Science.gov (United States)

Seidahmed, Mohammed Z; Abdelbasit, Omer B; Shaheed, Meeralebbae M; Alhussein, Khalid A; Miqdad, Abeer M; Samadi, Abdulmohsen S; Khalil, Mohammed I; Al-Mardawi, Elham; Salih, Mustafa A

2014-12-01

To ascertain the incidence, and describe the various forms of neural tube defects (NTDs) due to genetic, chromosomal, and syndromic causes. We carried out a retrospective analysis of data retrieved from the medical records of newborn infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with NTDs and their mothers spanning 14 years (1996-2009) at the Security Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The cases were ascertained by a perinatologist, neonatologist, geneticist, radiologist, and neurologist. The literature was reviewed via a MEDLINE search. Only liveborn babies were included. Permission from the Educational Committee at the Security Forces Hospital was obtained prior to the collection of data. Out of 103 infants with NTDs admitted during this period, 20 (19.4%) were found to have an underlying genetic syndromic, chromosomal and/or other anomalies. There were 5 cases of Meckel-Gruber syndrome, 2 Joubert syndrome, one Waardenburg syndrome, one Walker-Warburg syndrome, 2 chromosomal disorders, 2 caudal regression, one amniotic band disruption sequence, one associated with omphalocele, one with diaphragmatic hernia, and 4 with multiple congenital anomalies. There is a high rate of underlying genetic syndromic and/or chromosomal causes of NTDs in the Saudi Arabian population due to the high consanguinity rate. Identification of such association can lead to more accurate provisions of genetic counseling to the family including preimplantation genetic diagnosis or early termination of pregnancies associated with lethal conditions.

Modelling of fast jet formation under explosion collision of two-layer alumina/copper tubes

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I Balagansky

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Under explosion collapse of two-layer tubes with an outer layer of high-modulus ceramics and an inner layer of copper, formation of a fast and dense copper jet is plausible. We have performed a numerical simulation of the explosion collapse of a two-layer alumina/copper tube using ANSYS AUTODYN software. The simulation was performed in a 2D-axis symmetry posting on an Eulerian mesh of 3900x1200 cells. The simulation results indicate two separate stages of the tube collapse process: the nonstationary and the stationary stage. At the initial stage, a non-stationary fragmented jet is moving with the velocity of leading elements up to 30 km/s. The collapse velocity of the tube to the symmetry axis is about 2 km/s, and the pressure in the contact zone exceeds 700 GPa. During the stationary stage, a dense jet is forming with the velocity of 20 km/s. Temperature of the dense jet is about 2000 K, jet failure occurs when the value of effective plastic deformation reaches 30.

Mature teratoma in association with neural tube defect (occipital encephalocele): series of four cases and review of the literature.

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Goyal, Nishant; Singh, Pankaj Kumar; Kakkar, Aanchal; Sharma, Meher Chand; Mahapatra, Ashok Kumar

2012-01-01

Both occipital encephalocele and teratomas are midline congenital malformations. Encephalocele is a form of neural tube defect in which there is a congenital defect of the cranium through which occurs a protrusion of brain matter or meninges, while teratoma is a tumor derived from all three germ layers. The association between occipital encephalocele and teratoma has not been reported to date. In the present study, the authors present a series of four such cases. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

A theoretical and shock tube kinetic study on hydrogen abstraction from phenyl formate.

Science.gov (United States)

Ning, Hongbo; Liu, Dapeng; Wu, Junjun; Ma, Liuhao; Ren, Wei; Farooq, Aamir

2018-06-12

The hydrogen abstraction reactions of phenyl formate (PF) by different radicals (H/O(3P)/OH/HO2) were theoretically investigated. We calculated the reaction energetics for PF + H/O/OH using the composite method ROCBS-QB3//M06-2X/cc-pVTZ and that for PF + HO2 at the M06-2X/cc-pVTZ level of theory. The high-pressure limit rate constants were calculated using the transition state theory in conjunction with the 1-D hindered rotor approximation and tunneling correction. Three-parameter Arrhenius expressions of rate constants were provided over the temperature range of 500-2000 K. To validate the theoretical calculations, the overall rate constants of PF + OH → Products were measured in shock tube experiments at 968-1128 K and 1.16-1.25 atm using OH laser absorption. The predicted overall rate constants agree well with the shock tube data (within 15%) over the entire experimental conditions. Rate constant analysis indicates that the H-abstraction at the formic acid site dominates the PF consumption, whereas the contribution of H-abstractions at the aromatic ring increases with temperature. Additionally, comparisons of site-specific H-abstractions from PF with methyl formate, ethyl formate, benzene, and toluene were performed to understand the effects of the aromatic ring and side-chain substituent on H-abstraction rate constants.

Attachment of and biofilm formation by Enterobacter sakazakii on stainless steel and enteral feeding tubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hoikyung; Ryu, Jee-Hoon; Beuchat, Larry R

2006-09-01

Enterobacter sakazakii has been reported to form biofilms, but environmental conditions affecting attachment to and biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces have not been described. We did a study to determine the effects of temperature and nutrient availability on attachment and biofilm formation by E. sakazakii on stainless steel and enteral feeding tubes. Five strains grown to stationary phase in tryptic soy broth (TSB), infant formula broth (IFB), or lettuce juice broth (LJB) at 12 and 25 degrees C were examined for the extent to which they attach to these materials. Higher populations attached at 25 degrees C than at 12 degrees C. Stainless steel coupons and enteral feeding tubes were immersed for 24 h at 4 degrees C in phosphate-buffered saline suspensions (7 log CFU/ml) to facilitate the attachment of 5.33 to 5.51 and 5.03 to 5.12 log CFU/cm(2), respectively, before they were immersed in TSB, IFB, or LJB, followed by incubation at 12 or 25 degrees C for up to 10 days. Biofilms were not produced at 12 degrees C. The number of cells of test strains increased by 1.42 to 1.67 log CFU/cm(2) and 1.16 to 1.31 log CFU/cm(2) in biofilms formed on stainless steel and feeding tubes, respectively, immersed in IFB at 25 degrees C; biofilms were not formed on TSB and LJB at 25 degrees C, indicating that nutrient availability plays a major role in processes leading to biofilm formation on the surfaces of these inert materials. These observations emphasize the importance of temperature control in reconstituted infant formula preparation and storage areas in preventing attachment and biofilm formation by E. sakazakii.

CONCENTRIC TUBE-FOULING RIG FOR INVESTIGATION OF FOULING DEPOSIT FORMATION FROM PASTEURISER OF VISCOUS FOOD LIQUID

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N. I. KHALID

2013-02-01

Full Text Available This paper reports the work on developing concentric tube-fouling rig, a new fouling deposit monitoring device. This device can detect and quantify the level of fouling deposit formation. It can also functioning as sampler for fouling deposit study, which can be attached at any food processing equipment. The design is initiated with conceptual design. The rig is designed with inner diameter of 7 cm and with tube length of 37 cm. A spiral insert with 34.5 cm length and with 5.4 cm diameter is fitted inside the tube to ensure the fluid flows around the tube. In this work, the rig is attached to the lab-scale concentric tube-pasteurizer to test its effectiveness and to collect a fouling sample after pasteurization of pink guava puree. Temperature changes are recorded during the pasteurization and the data is used to plot the heat transfer profile. Thickness of the fouling deposit is also measured. The trends for thickness, heat resistance profile and heat transfer profile for concentric tube-fouling rig matched the trends obtained from lab-scale concentric tube-pasteurizer very well. The findings from this work have shown a good potential of this rig however there is a limitation with spiral insert, which is discussed in this paper.

Dynamo generation of magnetic fields in three-dimensional space: Solar cycle main flux tube formation and reversals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshimura, H.

1983-01-01

Dynamo processes as a magnetic field generation mechanism in astrophysics can be described essentially by movement and deformation of magnetic field lines due to plasma fluid motions. A basic element of the processes is a kinematic problem. As an important prototype of these processes, we investigate the case of the solar magnetic cycle. To follow the movement and deformation, we solve magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations by a numerical method with a prescribed velocity field. A simple combination of differential rotation and global convection, given by a linear analysis of fluid dynamics in a rotating sphere, can perpetually create and reverse great magnetic flux tubes encircling the Sun. We call them the main flux tubes of the solar cycle. They are progenitors of small-scale flux ropes of the solar activity. This shows that magnetic field generation by fluid motions is, in fact, possible and that MHD equations have a new type of oscillatory solution. The solar cycle can be identified with one of such oscillatory solutions. This means that we can follow detailed stages of the field generation and reversal processes of the dynamo by continuously observing the Sun. It is proposed that the magnetic flux tube formation by streaming plasma flows exemplified here could be a universal mechanism of flux tube formation in astrophysics

Effect of annealing temperature on the anatase and rutile TiO2 nano tubes formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zainovia Lockman; Kit, C.H.; Srimala Sreekantan

2009-01-01

Herein, we report on the optimum condition for TiO 2 titania nano tubes formation and the effect of annealing on the formation of anatse and rutile titania. Anodic oxidation was carried out in two electrodes bath consisting of 5 wt % NH 4 F ions. The anode was a 0.1 mm thick Ti foil and the cathode was Pt electrode. Anodization was conducted at 20 V. The anodised foils were subjected to morphological and structural characterizations. As-anodised foil was found to be amorphous or weakly crystalline. When the oxide was heat treated, x-ray diffraction analysis revealed the presence of (101) anatase at annealing temperature from 400 - 500 degree Celsius. This indicates that the transformation occurs at this range of temperatures. Raman spectroscopy analysis showed the diminishing of anatase peaks for samples annealed at 500 degree Celsius. At above 600 degree Celsius, x-ray diffraction pattern shows a peak belonging to the rutile peak. Transformation from anatase to rutile is thought to occur at about 500 degree Celsius with a more complete transformation at higher temperature. Annealing at higher than 600 degree Celsius induces thickening of the nano tubes wall and at above 700 degree Celsius, the nano tubes structure has completely disappeared. (author)

Genetic, chromosomal, and syndromic causes of neural tube defects

Science.gov (United States)

Seidahmed, Mohammed Z.; Abdelbasit, Omer B.; Shaheed, Meeralebbae M.; Alhussein, Khalid A.; Miqdad, Abeer M.; Samadi, Abdulmohsen S.; Khalil, Mohammed I.; Al-Mardawi, Elham; Salih, Mustafa A.

2014-01-01

Objective: To ascertain the incidence, and describe the various forms of neural tube defects (NTDs) due to genetic, chromosomal, and syndromic causes. Methods: We carried out a retrospective analysis of data retrieved from the medical records of newborn infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with NTDs and their mothers spanning 14 years (1996-2009) at the Security Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The cases were ascertained by a perinatologist, neonatologist, geneticist, radiologist, and neurologist. The literature was reviewed via a MEDLINE search. Only liveborn babies were included. Permission from the Educational Committee at the Security Forces Hospital was obtained prior to the collection of data. Results: Out of 103 infants with NTDs admitted during this period, 20 (19.4%) were found to have an underlying genetic syndromic, chromosomal and/or other anomalies. There were 5 cases of Meckel-Gruber syndrome, 2 Joubert syndrome, one Waardenburg syndrome, one Walker-Warburg syndrome, 2 chromosomal disorders, 2 caudal regression, one amniotic band disruption sequence, one associated with omphalocele, one with diaphragmatic hernia, and 4 with multiple congenital anomalies. Conclusions: There is a high rate of underlying genetic syndromic and/or chromosomal causes of NTDs in the Saudi Arabian population due to the high consanguinity rate. Identification of such association can lead to more accurate provisions of genetic counseling to the family including preimplantation genetic diagnosis or early termination of pregnancies associated with lethal conditions. PMID:25551112

Vertical steam generator with slab-type tube-plate with even tube bundle washing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manek, O.; Masek, V.; Motejl, V.; Quitta, R.

1980-01-01

A shielding plate supporting the tubes attached to the tube plate of a vertical steam generator is mounted above the tube plate. Tube sleeves are designed with a dimensional tolerance relative to the heat transfer tubes and the sleeve end and the tube plate end. A separate space is thus formed above the tube plate in which circulation or feed water is introduced to flow between the branch and the heat transfer tube. This provides intensive washing of heat transfer tubes at a critical point and prevents deposit formation, thus excluding heat transfer tube failures. (J.B.)

Maternal Antenatal Bereavement and Neural Tube Defect in Live-Born Offspring: A Cohort Study.

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Katja Glejsted Ingstrup

Full Text Available Maternal emotional stress during pregnancy has previously been associated with congenital neural malformations, but most studies are based on data collected retrospectively. The objective of our study was to investigate associations between antenatal maternal bereavement due to death of a close relative and neural tube defects (NTDs in the offspring.We performed a register-based cohort study including all live-born children (N = 1,734,190 from 1978-2008. Exposure was bereavement due to loss of a close relative from one year before conception to the end of the first trimester of pregnancy. The outcome was NTDs in the offspring according to the International Classification of Disease. We used multivariate logistic regression to estimate prevalence odds ratios (ORs.A total of 2% children were born to mothers who lost a close relative prenatally. During 30 years of follow-up, 1,115 children were diagnosed with any NTDs: spina bifida (n = 889, anencephaly (n = 85 and encephalocele (n = 164. And 23 children were diagnosed with two types of NTDs. Overall, when comparing bereaved mothers to non-bereaved mothers, no significant increased prevalence of NTDs in the offspring was seen (OR = 0.84; 95% confidence interval: 0.52-1.33.Overall maternal bereavement in the antenatal period was not related to NTDs in liveborn offspring.

Syndromes, Disorders and Maternal Risk Factors Associated with Neural Tube Defects (III

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Chih-Ping Chen

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Fetuses with neural tube defects (NTDs may be associated with syndromes, disorders, and maternal and fetal risk factors. This article provides a comprehensive review of syndromes, disorders, and maternal and fetal risk factors associated with NTDs, such as omphalocele, OEIS (omphalocele-exstrophy-imperforate anus-spinal defects complex, pentalogy of Cantrell, amniotic band sequence, limb-body wall complex, Meckel syndrome, Joubert syndrome, skeletal dysplasia, diabetic embryopathy, and single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes of glucose metabolism. NTDs associated with syndromes, disorders, and maternal and fetal risk factors are a rare but important cause of NTDs. The recurrence risk and the preventive effect of maternal folic acid intake in NTDs associated with syndromes, disorders and maternal risk factors may be different from those of nonsyndromic multi facto rial NTDs. Perinatal identification of NTDs should alert the clinician to the syndromes, disorders, and maternal and fetal risk factors associated with NTDs, and prompt a thorough etiologic investigation and genetic counseling. [Taiwan J Obstet Cynecol 2008;47(2:131-140

Syndromes, Disorders and Maternal Risk Factors Associated With Neural Tube Defects (VII

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Chih-Ping Chen

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Neural tube defects (NTDs may be associated with syndromes, disorders and maternal risk factors. This article provides a comprehensive review of the syndromes, disorders and maternal risk factors associated with NTDs, including DK phocomelia syndrome (von Voss-Cherstvoy syndrome, Siegel-Bartlet syndrome, fetal warfarin syndrome, craniotelencephalic dysplasia, Czeizel-Losonci syndrome, maternal cocaine abuse, Weissenbacher-Zweymüller syndrome, parietal foramina (cranium bifidum, Apert syndrome, craniomicromelic syndrome, XX-agonadism with multiple dysraphic lesions including omphalocele and NTDs, Fryns microphthalmia syndrome, Gershoni-Baruch syndrome, PHAVER syndrome, periconceptional vitamin B6 deficiency, and autosomal dominant Dandy-Walker malformation with occipital cephalocele. NTDs associated with these syndromes, disorders and maternal risk factors are a rare but important cause of NTDs. The recurrence risk and the preventive effect of maternal folic acid intake in NTDs associated with syndromes, disorders and maternal risk factors may be different from those of nonsyndromic multifactorial NTDs. Perinatal diagnosis of NTDs should alert doctors to the syndromes, disorders and maternal risk factors associated with NTDs, and prompt thorough etiologic investigation and genetic counseling.

Neural tube defects in Malaysia: data from the Malaysian National Neonatal Registry.

Science.gov (United States)

Boo, Nem-Yun; Cheah, Irene G S; Thong, Meow-Keong

2013-10-01

This study aimed to determine the prevalence and early outcome of neural tube defects (NTDs) in Malaysia. This prospective study included all neonates with NTDs (spina bifida, anencephaly, encephalocoele) born in 2009 in 32 Malaysian hospitals in the Malaysian National Neonatal Network. The prevalence of NTDs was 0.42 per 1000 live births, being highest among the indigenous people of Sarawak (1.09 per 1000 live births) and lowest among Malaysians of Chinese descent (0.09 per 1000 live births). The most common type of NTDs was anencephaly (0.19 per 1000 live births), followed by spina bifida (0.11 per 1000 live births) and encephalocoele (0.07 per 1000 live births). Majority of the infants with anencephaly (94.5%, n = 51), 45.8% (n = 11) with encephalocoele and 9.5% (n = 4) with spina bifida died. The median duration of hospital stay was 4 (range: 0-161) days. NTDs were common in Malaysia. Mortality was high. Long-term monitoring of NTD prevalence following folic fortification of food is recommended.

Effect of 3D-scaffold formation on differentiation and survival in human neural progenitor cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortinau, Stefanie; Schmich, Jürgen; Block, Stephan; Liedmann, Andrea; Jonas, Ludwig; Weiss, Dieter G; Helm, Christiane A; Rolfs, Arndt; Frech, Moritz J

2010-11-11

3D-scaffolds have been shown to direct cell growth and differentiation in many different cell types, with the formation and functionalisation of the 3D-microenviroment being important in determining the fate of the embedded cells. Here we used a hydrogel-based scaffold to investigate the influences of matrix concentration and functionalisation with laminin on the formation of the scaffolds, and the effect of these scaffolds on human neural progenitor cells cultured within them. In this study we used different concentrations of the hydrogel-based matrix PuraMatrix. In some experiments we functionalised the matrix with laminin I. The impact of concentration and treatment with laminin on the formation of the scaffold was examined with atomic force microscopy. Cells from a human fetal neural progenitor cell line were cultured in the different matrices, as well as in a 2D culture system, and were subsequently analysed with antibody stainings against neuronal markers. In parallel, the survival rate of the cells was determined by a live/dead assay. Atomic force microscopy measurements demonstrated that the matrices are formed by networks of isolated PuraMatrix fibres and aggregates of fibres. An increase of the hydrogel concentration led to a decrease in the mesh size of the scaffolds and functionalisation with laminin promoted aggregation of the fibres (bundle formation), which further reduces the density of isolated fibres. We showed that laminin-functionalisation is essential for human neural progenitor cells to build up 3D-growth patterns, and that proliferation of the cells is also affected by the concentration of matrix. In addition we found that 3D-cultures enhanced neuronal differentiation and the survival rate of the cells compared to 2D-cultures. Taken together, we have demonstrated a direct influence of the 3D-scaffold formation on the survival and neuronal differentiation of human neural progenitor cells. These findings emphasize the importance of optimizing 3

Disostose espôndilo-costal associada a defeitos de fechamento do tubo neural Spondylocostal dysostosis associated with neural tube defects

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Rafael Fabiano M. Rosa

2009-09-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Salientar a relação dos defeitos de fechamento do tubo neural com a disostose espôndilo-costal (DEC por meio da descrição de três pacientes. DESCRIÇÃO DOS CASOS: Paciente 1: menina branca, 22 meses, nascida com mielomeningocele lombar. Na avaliação, apresentava hipotonia, baixa estatura, dolicocefalia, fendas palpebrais oblíquas para cima, pregas epicânticas e tronco curto com tórax assimétrico. A avaliação radiográfica revelou hemivértebras múltiplas, vértebras em borboleta e fusão e ausência de algumas costelas. Paciente 2: menina branca, 22 meses, com moderado atraso do desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor, baixa estatura, olhos profundos, pregas epicânticas, pescoço e tronco curtos com assimetria do tórax, abdome protruso, hemangioma plano na altura da transição lombossacra e fosseta sacral profunda no dorso. A avaliação radiográfica identificou hemivértebras, fusão incompleta de vértebras e vértebras em borboleta, malformações de costelas e espinha bífida oculta em L5/S1. Paciente 3: menina branca, 9 dias de vida, com fendas palpebrais oblíquas para cima, ponte nasal alargada, orelhas baixo implantadas e rotadas posteriormente, tronco curto, tórax assimétrico e meningocele tóraco-lombar. A avaliação radiográfica evidenciou hemivértebras, malformação e ausência de algumas costelas e agenesia diafragmática à esquerda. A tomografia computadorizada de encéfalo mostrou estenose de aqueduto. COMENTÁRIOS: Vários defeitos de fechamento do tubo neural, de espinha bífida oculta a grandes mielomeningoceles, são observados em pacientes com DEC, indicando que tais pacientes devem ser cuidadosamente avaliados quanto à possível presença desses defeitos.OBJECTIVE: To highlight the relationship between neural tube defects and spondylocostal dysostosis (SCD through the description of three patients. CASES DESCRIPTION: Patient 1: white girl, 22 months old, born with a lumbar meningomyelocele. At

Interaction between Maternal and Paternal SHMT1 C1420T Predisposes to Neural Tube Defects in the Fetus: Evidence from Case-Control and Family-Based Triad Approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

K Rebekah, Prasoona; Tella, Sunitha; Buragadda, Srinadh; Tiruvatturu, Muni Kumari; Akka, Jyothy

2017-07-17

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are caused by the failure of neural tube formation which occurs during early embryonic development. NTDs are the most severe and leading cause of fetal mortality. Serine hydroxymethyl transferase (SHMT1) provides one-carbon units necessary for embryogenesis and defects in one-carbon production result in specific pathological conditions during pregnancy. The present study is aimed to evaluate the association of SHMT1 C1420T with NTD risk in the fetus using fetal, maternal and paternal groups by applying both case-control and family-based triad approaches. A total of 924 subjects including 124 NTD case-parent trios (n = 124 × 3 = 372) and 184 healthy control-parent trios (n = 184 × 3 = 552) from Telangana State, South India were analyzed. DNA from umbilical cord tissues and parental blood samples were extracted, and genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Statistical analysis used were SPSS, parent-of-origin effect (POE) analysis. Case-control study design demonstrated fetuses with homozygous variant genotype (TT) to be at risk toward spina bifida subtype (p = 0.022). Among parents, fathers with TT genotype were associated with anencephaly (p = 0.018) and spina bifida subtypes (p = 0.027) in the offspring. Of interest, maternal-paternal-offspring genotype incompatibility revealed maternal CT genotype in combination with paternal TT genotype increased risk for NTDs in the fetus (CTxTT = TT; p = 0.021). Family-based parent-of-origin effect linkage analysis revealed significant maternal over-transmission of variant allele to NTD fetuses (p < 0.01). The present study, using both case-control and family-based triad approach is the first report to demonstrate parental association of SHMT1 C1420T variant in conferring NTD risk in the fetus. Birth Defects Research 109:1020-1029, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Radioimmunoassay of alpha-foetoprotein in the eluate of dried blood. A method for antenatal screening of neural tube defects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Travert, G.; Herlicoviez, M.; Laroche, D.

1979-01-01

A radioimmunoassay for alpha-foetoprotein (AFP) in dried blood spots is reported. The main technical characteristics (reproducibility, sensitivity, recovery of exogenous AFP added and AFP stability in dried blood) are evaluated. They indicate that this method is feasible and well adapted to AFP measurement during pregnancy. AFP determination in maternal serum allows early detection of at least 80% of neural tube defects. The use of dried blood spots as samples for AFP assay makes our method a possible mass screening test for these malformations, which occur with an incidence of 12 for 10,000 [fr

Outcome dependency alters the neural substrates of impression formation

Science.gov (United States)

Ames, Daniel L.; Fiske, Susan T.

2015-01-01

How do people maintain consistent impressions of other people when other people are often inconsistent? The present research addresses this question by combining recent neuroscientific insights with ecologically meaningful behavioral methods. Participants formed impressions of real people whom they met in a personally involving situation. fMRI and supporting behavioral data revealed that outcome dependency (i.e., depending on another person for a desired outcome) alters previously identified neural dynamics of impression formation. Consistent with past research, a functional localizer identified a region of dorsomedial PFC previously linked to social impression formation. In the main task, this ROI revealed the predicted patterns of activity across outcome dependency conditions: greater BOLD response when information confirmed (vs. violated) social expectations if participants were outcome-independent and the reverse pattern if participants were outcome-dependent. We suggest that, although social perceivers often discount expectancy-disconfirming information as noise, being dependent on another person for a desired outcome focuses impression-formation processing on the most diagnostic information, rather than on the most tractable information. PMID:23850465

c-Myc Enhances Sonic Hedgehog-Induced Medulloblastoma Formation from Nestin-Expressing Neural Progenitors in Mice

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Ganesh Rao

2003-05-01

Full Text Available Medulloblastomas are malignant brain tumors that arise in the cerebella of children. The presumed cellsof-origin are undifferentiated precursors of granule neurons that occupy the external granule layer (EGL of the developing cerebellum. The overexpression of proteins that normally stimulate proliferation of neural progenitor cells may initiate medulloblastoma formation. Two known mitogens for neural progenitors are the c-Myc oncoprotein and Sonic hedgehog (Shh, a crucial determinant of embryonic pattern formation in the central nervous system. We modeled the ability of c-Myc and Shh to induce medulloblastoma in mice using the RCAS/tv-a system, which allows postnatal gene transfer and expression in a cell type-specific manner. We targeted the expression of Shh and c-Myc to nestin-expressing neural progenitor cells by injecting replication-competent ALV splice acceptor (RCAS vectors into the cerebella of newborn mice. Following injection with RCAS-Shh alone, 3/32 (9% mice developed medulloblastomas and 5/32 showed multifocal hyperproliferation of the EGL, possibly a precursor stage of medulloblastoma. Following injection with RCAS-Shh plus RCAS-Myc, 9/39 (23% mice developed medulloblastomas. We conclude that nestin-expressing neural progenitors, present in the cerebellum at birth, can act as the cells-of-origin for medulloblastoma, and that c-Myc cooperates with Shh to enhance tumorigenicity.

Nutrition, One-Carbon Metabolism and Neural Tube Defects: A Review

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Kelei Li

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Neural tube defects (NTDs are a group of severe congenital malformations, induced by the combined effects of genes and the environment. The most valuable finding so far has been the protective effect of folic acid supplementation against NTDs. However, many women do not take folic acid supplements until they are pregnant, which is too late to prevent NTDs effectively. Long-term intake of folic acid–fortified food is a good choice to solve this problem, and mandatory folic acid fortification should be further promoted, especially in Europe, Asia and Africa. Vitamin B2, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, choline, betaine and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs can also reduce the NTD risk by interacting with the one-carbon metabolism pathway. This suggest that multivitamin B combined with choline, betaine and n-3 PUFAs supplementation may have a better protective effect against NTDs than folic acid alone. Genetic polymorphisms involved in one-carbon metabolism are associated with NTD risk, and gene screening for women of childbearing age prior to pregnancy may help prevent NTDs induced by the risk allele. In addition, the consumption of alcohol, tea and coffee, and low intakes of fruit and vegetable are also associated with the increased risk of NTDs, and should be avoided by women of childbearing age.

Genome-wide association mapping in dogs enables identification of the homeobox gene, NKX2-8, as a genetic component of neural tube defects in humans.

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Noa Safra

Full Text Available Neural tube defects (NTDs is a general term for central nervous system malformations secondary to a failure of closure or development of the neural tube. The resulting pathologies may involve the brain, spinal cord and/or vertebral column, in addition to associated structures such as soft tissue or skin. The condition is reported among the more common birth defects in humans, leading to significant infant morbidity and mortality. The etiology remains poorly understood but genetic, nutritional, environmental factors, or a combination of these, are known to play a role in the development of NTDs. The variable conditions associated with NTDs occur naturally in dogs, and have been previously reported in the Weimaraner breed. Taking advantage of the strong linkage-disequilibrium within dog breeds we performed genome-wide association analysis and mapped a genomic region for spinal dysraphism, a presumed NTD, using 4 affected and 96 unaffected Weimaraners. The associated region on canine chromosome 8 (pgenome  =3.0 × 10(-5, after 100,000 permutations, encodes 18 genes, including NKX2-8, a homeobox gene which is expressed in the developing neural tube. Sequencing NKX2-8 in affected Weimaraners revealed a G to AA frameshift mutation within exon 2 of the gene, resulting in a premature stop codon that is predicted to produce a truncated protein. The exons of NKX2-8 were sequenced in human patients with spina bifida and rare variants (rs61755040 and rs10135525 were found to be significantly over-represented (p=0.036. This is the first documentation of a potential role for NKX2-8 in the etiology of NTDs, made possible by investigating the molecular basis of naturally occurring mutations in dogs.

Folic acid and pantothenic acid protection against valproic acid-induced neural tube defects in CD-1 mice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dawson, Jennifer E [Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and School of Environmental Studies, Queen' s University, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6 (Canada); Raymond, Angela M [Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and School of Environmental Studies, Queen' s University, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6 (Canada); Winn, Louise M [Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and School of Environmental Studies, Queen' s University, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6 (Canada)

2006-03-01

In utero exposure to valproic acid (VPA) during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of neural tube defects (NTDs). Although the mechanism by which VPA mediates these effects is unknown, VPA-initiated changes in embryonic protein levels have been implicated. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of in utero VPA exposure on embryonic protein levels of p53, NF-{kappa}B, Pim-1, c-Myb, Bax, and Bcl-2 in the CD-1 mouse. We also evaluated the protective effects of folic acid and pantothenic acid on VPA-induced NTDs and VPA-induced embryonic protein changes in this model. Pregnant CD-1 mice were administered a teratogenic dose of VPA prior to neural tube closure and embryonic protein levels were analyzed. In our study, VPA (400 mg/kg)-induced NTDs (24%) and VPA-exposed embryos with an NTD showed a 2-fold increase in p53, and 4-fold decreases in NF-{kappa}B, Pim-1, and c-Myb protein levels compared to their phenotypically normal littermates (P < 0.05). Additionally, VPA increased the ratio of embryonic Bax/Bcl-2 protein levels (P < 0.05). Pretreatment of pregnant dams with either folic acid or pantothenic acid prior to VPA significantly protected against VPA-induced NTDs (P < 0.05). Folic acid also reduced VPA-induced alterations in p53, NF-{kappa}B, Pim-1, c-Myb, and Bax/Bcl-2 protein levels, while pantothenic acid prevented VPA-induced alterations in NF-{kappa}B, Pim-1, and c-Myb. We hypothesize that folic acid and pantothenic acid protect CD-1 embryos from VPA-induced NTDs by independent, but not mutually exclusive mechanisms, both of which may be mediated by the prevention of VPA-induced alterations in proteins involved in neurulation.

Level of processing modulates the neural correlates of emotional memory formation

OpenAIRE

Ritchey, Maureen; LaBar, Kevin S.; Cabeza, Roberto

2010-01-01

Emotion is known to influence multiple aspects of memory formation, including the initial encoding of the memory trace and its consolidation over time. However, the neural mechanisms whereby emotion impacts memory encoding remain largely unexplored. The present study employed a levels-of-processing manipulation to characterize the impact of emotion on encoding with and without the influence of elaborative processes. Participants viewed emotionally negative, neutral, and positive scenes under ...

HETEROGENEITY OF NEURAL-TUBE DEFECTS IN EUROPE - THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SITE OF DEFECT AND PRESENCE OF OTHER MAJOR ANOMALIES IN RELATION TO GEOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES IN PREVALENCE

NARCIS (Netherlands)

DOLK, H; DEWALS, P; GILLEROT, Y; LECHAT, MF; AYME, S; CORNEL, M; CUSCHIERI, A; GARNE, E; GOUJARD, J; LAURENCE, KM; LILLIS, D; LYS, F; NEVIN, N; OWENS, J; RADIC, A; STOLL, C; STONE, D; TENKATE, L

1991-01-01

In the period 1980-1987, neural tube defects were two to three times more prevalent in populations covered by EUROCAT registries in the United Kingdom and Ireland (UKI) than in Continental Europe and Malta (CEM). 1864 NTD cases in a total population of 580,000 births in UKI and 455 cases in a

Differentiation state determines neural effects on microvascular endothelial cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muffley, Lara A.; Pan, Shin-Chen; Smith, Andria N.; Ga, Maricar; Hocking, Anne M.; Gibran, Nicole S.

2012-01-01

Growing evidence indicates that nerves and capillaries interact paracrinely in uninjured skin and cutaneous wounds. Although mature neurons are the predominant neural cell in the skin, neural progenitor cells have also been detected in uninjured adult skin. The aim of this study was to characterize differential paracrine effects of neural progenitor cells and mature sensory neurons on dermal microvascular endothelial cells. Our results suggest that neural progenitor cells and mature sensory neurons have unique secretory profiles and distinct effects on dermal microvascular endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and nitric oxide production. Neural progenitor cells and dorsal root ganglion neurons secrete different proteins related to angiogenesis. Specific to neural progenitor cells were dipeptidyl peptidase-4, IGFBP-2, pentraxin-3, serpin f1, TIMP-1, TIMP-4 and VEGF. In contrast, endostatin, FGF-1, MCP-1 and thrombospondin-2 were specific to dorsal root ganglion neurons. Microvascular endothelial cell proliferation was inhibited by dorsal root ganglion neurons but unaffected by neural progenitor cells. In contrast, microvascular endothelial cell migration in a scratch wound assay was inhibited by neural progenitor cells and unaffected by dorsal root ganglion neurons. In addition, nitric oxide production by microvascular endothelial cells was increased by dorsal root ganglion neurons but unaffected by neural progenitor cells. -- Highlights: ► Dorsal root ganglion neurons, not neural progenitor cells, regulate microvascular endothelial cell proliferation. ► Neural progenitor cells, not dorsal root ganglion neurons, regulate microvascular endothelial cell migration. ► Neural progenitor cells and dorsal root ganglion neurons do not effect microvascular endothelial tube formation. ► Dorsal root ganglion neurons, not neural progenitor cells, regulate microvascular endothelial cell production of nitric oxide. ► Neural progenitor cells and dorsal root

Resveratrol Improves Tube Formation in AGE-Induced Late Endothelial Progenitor Cells by Suppressing Syndecan-4 Shedding

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Han Wu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Dysfunction of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs contributes to cardiovascular complications in diabetes, and resveratrol has been shown to improve EPC functions. Syndecan-4 (Synd4, a cell surface heparin sulfate proteoglycan, has been shown to promote neovascularization. Thus, the present study was performed to determine whether resveratrol promoted angiogenesis of EPCs by regulating Synd4. Late EPCs were isolated from human peripheral blood and stimulated with AGEs. Western blot showed that AGEs induced Synd4 shedding in a dose- and time-dependent manner. AGE-induced Synd4 shedding was partly reversed by NAC or resveratrol, along with normalized ROS production. Overexpression of Synd4 or pretreatment of resveratrol reversed AGE-impaired tube formation of EPCs and regulated the Akt/eNOS pathway. Furthermore, resveratrol suppressed Synd4 shedding via the inhibition of oxidative stress and improved tube formation of late EPCs via the regulation of the Synd4/Akt/eNOS pathway.

Formation and biochemical characterization of tube/pelle death domain complexes: critical regulators of postreceptor signaling by the Drosophila toll receptor.

Science.gov (United States)

Schiffmann, D A; White, J H; Cooper, A; Nutley, M A; Harding, S E; Jumel, K; Solari, R; Ray, K P; Gay, N J

1999-09-07

In Drosophila, the Toll receptor signaling pathway is required for embryonic dorso-ventral patterning and at later developmental stages for innate immune responses. It is thought that dimerization of the receptor by binding of the ligand spätzle causes the formation of a postreceptor activation complex at the cytoplasmic surface of the membrane. Two components of this complex are the adaptor tube and protein kinase pelle. These proteins both have "death domains", protein interaction motifs found in a number of signaling pathways, particularly those involved in apoptotic cell death. It is thought that pelle is bound by tube during formation of the activation complexes, and that this interaction is mediated by the death domains. In this paper, we show using the yeast two-hybrid system that the wild-type tube and pelle death domains bind together. Mutant tube proteins which do not support signaling in the embryo are also unable to bind pelle in the 2-hybrid assay. We have purified proteins corresponding to the death domains of tube and pelle and show that these form corresponding heterodimeric complexes in vitro. Partial proteolysis reveals a smaller core consisting of the minimal death domain sequences. We have studied the tube/pelle interaction with the techniques of surface plasmon resonance, analytical ultracentrifugation and isothermal titration calorimetry. These measurements produce a value of K(d) for the complex of about 0.5 microM.

The novel mouse mutant, chuzhoi, has disruption of Ptk7 protein and exhibits defects in neural tube, heart and lung development and abnormal planar cell polarity in the ear

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Paudyal Anju

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The planar cell polarity (PCP signalling pathway is fundamental to a number of key developmental events, including initiation of neural tube closure. Disruption of the PCP pathway causes the severe neural tube defect of craniorachischisis, in which almost the entire brain and spinal cord fails to close. Identification of mouse mutants with craniorachischisis has proven a powerful way of identifying molecules that are components or regulators of the PCP pathway. In addition, identification of an allelic series of mutants, including hypomorphs and neomorphs in addition to complete nulls, can provide novel genetic tools to help elucidate the function of the PCP proteins. Results We report the identification of a new N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU-induced mutant with craniorachischisis, which we have named chuzhoi (chz. We demonstrate that chuzhoi mutant embryos fail to undergo initiation of neural tube closure, and have characteristics consistent with defective convergent extension. These characteristics include a broadened midline and reduced rate of increase of their length-to-width ratio. In addition, we demonstrate disruption in the orientation of outer hair cells in the inner ear, and defects in heart and lung development in chuzhoi mutants. We demonstrate a genetic interaction between chuzhoi mutants and both Vangl2Lp and Celsr1Crsh mutants, strengthening the hypothesis that chuzhoi is involved in regulating the PCP pathway. We demonstrate that chuzhoi maps to Chromosome 17 and carries a splice site mutation in Ptk7. This mutation results in the insertion of three amino acids into the Ptk7 protein and causes disruption of Ptk7 protein expression in chuzhoi mutants. Conclusions The chuzhoi mutant provides an additional genetic resource to help investigate the developmental basis of several congenital abnormalities including neural tube, heart and lung defects and their relationship to disruption of PCP. The chuzhoi mutation

Mortalidad por defectos del tubo neural en México, 1980-1997 Mortality due to neural tube defects in Mexico, 1980-1997

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José A Ramírez-Espitia

2003-10-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Describir la mortalidad en México por defectos del tubo neural, durante el periodo 1980-1997. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Las tasas anuales de mortalidad estatales y nacionales, por defectos del tubo neural, se calcularon por 10 000 nacidos vivos. La tendencia temporal fue evaluada por el porcentaje de cambio anual obtenido mediante un modelo de regresión de Poisson. Se calculó la razón de mortalidad, tomando la media nacional como referencia. Las tasas y las razones se representaron gráficamente en mapas. RESULTADOS: Durante el periodo la tasa bruta de mortalidad por defectos del tubo neural fue de 5.8 por 10 000 nacidos vivos. La anencefalia fue el tipo de defecto más frecuente (37.7%, seguida de la espina bífida sin hidrocefalia (31.6%. La tendencia nacional de la mortalidad por defectos del tubo neural fue ascendente entre 1980 y 1990 (porcentaje de cambio anual 7.5 IC 95% 6.5, 8.6 y descendente entre 1990-1997 (porcentaje de cambio anual -2.3 IC 95% -3.6, -0.9. CONCLUSIONES: Las altas tasas de mortalidad por defectos del tubo neural fueron debidas principalmente a la elevada frecuencia de las anencefalias. El incremento observado parece no ser sólo atribuible a cuestiones puramente diagnósticas o de mejora en los registros. La influencia de factores asociados a estos defectos, como determinados polimorfismos genéticos, la deficiencia de ácido fólico, la obesidad materna, la exposición laboral a plaguicidas y la pobreza deberán evaluarse mediante estudios específicos.OBJECTIVE: To describe the mortality due to neural tube defects (NTD in Mexico for the 1980-1997 period. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The annual NTD mortality rates per 10000 liveborn infants were calculated by state and for the country. The time trend was evaluated with the annual percent change (APC obtained using a Poisson regression model. The NTD mortality ratio was calculated using the average national rate as reference. NTD mortality rates and ratios were

Modulation of nuclear factor-κB signaling and reduction of neural tube defects by quercetin-3-glucoside in embryos of diabetic mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Chengyu; Meng, Fantong; Reece, E Albert; Zhao, Zhiyong

2018-05-04

Diabetes mellitus in early pregnancy increases the risk of birth defects in infants. Maternal hyperglycemia stimulates the expression of nitric oxide (NO) synthase 2 (NOS2), which can be regulated by transcription factors of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) family. Increases in reactive nitrogen species (RNS) generate intracellular stress conditions, including nitrosative, oxidative, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stresses, and trigger programmed cell death (or apoptosis) in the neural folds, resulting in neural tube defects (NTDs) in the embryo. Inhibiting NOS2 can reduce NTDs; however, the underlying mechanisms require further delineation. Targeting NOS2 and associated nitrosative stress using naturally occurring phytochemicals is a potential approach to preventing birth defects in diabetic pregnancies. This study aims to investigate the effect of quercetin-3-glucoside (Q3G), a polyphenol flavonoid found in fruit, in reducing maternal diabetes-induced NTDs in an animal model, and to delineate the molecular mechanisms underlying Q3G action in regulating NOS2 expression. Female mice (C57BL/6) were induced to develop diabetes using streptozotocin before pregnancy. Diabetic pregnant mice were administered Q3G (100 mg/kg) daily via gavage feeding, introduction of drug to the stomach directly via a feeding needle, during neurulation from embryonic (E) day 6.5 to E9.5. After treatment, E10.5 embryos were collected and examined for the presence of NTDs and apoptosis in the neural tube. Expression of Nos2 and superoxide dismutase 1 (Sod1; an antioxidative enzyme) was quantified using Western blot assay. Nitrosative, oxidative, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress conditions were assessed using specific biomarkers. Expression and posttranslational modification of factors in the NF-κB system were investigated. Treatment with Q3G (suspended in water) significantly decreased NTD rate (24.7%) and apoptosis in the embryos of diabetic mice, compared with those in the water

Efeito da fortificação alimentar com ácido fólico na prevalência de defeitos do tubo neural Efecto de la fortificación alimentaria con ácido fólico en la prevalencia de defectos del tubo neural Effects of folic acid fortification on the prevalence of neural tube defects

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Sâmya Silva Pacheco

2009-08-01

defectos del cierre del tubo neural fueron definidos de acuerdo con el Códigos Internacional de Enfermedades- 10ª Revisión: anencefalia, encefalocele y espina bífida. Se compararon las prevalencias en los períodos anterior (2000 - 2004 y posterior (2005-2006 al período obligatorio de fortificación. Se analizó la tendencia temporal de las prevalencias trimestrales de defectos del cierre del tubo neural por las pruebas de Mann-Kendall y Sen's Slope. RESULTADOS: No se identificó tendencia de reducción en la ocurrencia del hecho (Teste de Mann-Kendall; p= 0,270; Sen's Slope = - 0,008 en el período estudiado. No hubo diferencia estadísticamente significativa entre las prevalencias de defectos de cierre del tubo neural en los períodos anterior y posterior a la fortificación de los alimentos con ácido fólico de acuerdo con las características maternas. CONCLUSIONES: A pesar de que no haya sido observada reducción de los defectos de cierre del tubo neural posterior al período obligatorio de fortificación de alimentos con ácido fólico, los resultados encontrados no permiten descartar el beneficio del mismo en la prevención de esta malformación. Son necesarios estudios evaluando mayor período y considerando el nivel de consumo de los productos fortificados por las mujeres en edad fértil.OBJECTIVE:To analyze the effect of folic acid-fortified foods on the prevalence of neural tube defects in live newborns. METHODS: Longitudinal study with newborns from the city of Recife, Northeastern Brazil, between 2000 and 2006. Data analyzed were obtained from the Sistema Nacional de Informações de Nascidos Vivos (National Information System on Live Births. Neural tube defects were defined in accordance with the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10: anencephaly, encephalocele, and spina bifida. Prevalences from the periods before (2000-2004 and after (2005-2006 the mandatory fortification period were compared. Time trend of three

The Neural Border: Induction, Specification and Maturation of the territory that generates Neural Crest cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Pla, Patrick; Monsoro-Burq, Anne H

2018-05-28

The neural crest is induced at the edge between the neural plate and the nonneural ectoderm, in an area called the neural (plate) border, during gastrulation and neurulation. In recent years, many studies have explored how this domain is patterned, and how the neural crest is induced within this territory, that also participates to the prospective dorsal neural tube, the dorsalmost nonneural ectoderm, as well as placode derivatives in the anterior area. This review highlights the tissue interactions, the cell-cell signaling and the molecular mechanisms involved in this dynamic spatiotemporal patterning, resulting in the induction of the premigratory neural crest. Collectively, these studies allow building a complex neural border and early neural crest gene regulatory network, mostly composed by transcriptional regulations but also, more recently, including novel signaling interactions. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Liquid-Nitrogen Test for Blocked Tubes

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, W. R.

1984-01-01

Nondestructive test identifies obstructed tube in array of parallel tubes. Trickle of liquid nitrogen allowed to flow through tube array until array accumulates substantial formation of frost from moisture in air. Flow stopped and warm air introduced into inlet manifold to heat tubes in array. Tubes still frosted after others defrosted identified as obstructed tubes. Applications include inspection of flow systems having parallel legs.

Condenser tube buckling within tube-tubesheet joints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Willertz, L.E.; Kalnins, A.; Updike, D.P.

1991-01-01

The problem of the appearance of protrusions, or bumps, in the interior of roller-expanded tubes within a tubesheet is addressed. Such bumps have been observed in condensers of power plants. A brief history of the reported occurrences of the bumps is given. The hypothesis is advanced that the mechanics of the formation of the bumps is similar to a buckling problem that has 'bifurcation at infinity'. Following this hypothesis, a two-dimensional physical model is developed, and the application of this model to study a three-dimensional bump is proposed. It is proposed in this paper that an initial deviation from the circular shape of the tube required to produce a bump. It is shown that without such a deviation the tubes cannot buckle. An experiment with short tube segments has been performed that verifies some of the features of the observed condenser tube bumps. Exactly what force produced the initial deviation for the observed bumps is still unknown. Available evidence implicates the hydro-laser jet that is used in the cleaning of tubes and tubesheets. A scenario of how a bump could have been produced by the hydro-laser jet is proposed. (author)

Neural tube defects in the Republic of Ireland in 2009-11.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

McDonnell, R

2014-03-18

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are associated with deficient maternal folic acid peri-conceptionally. In Ireland, there is no mandatory folic acid food fortification, partly due to declining NTD rates in recent years. The aim of this study was to ascertain the incident rate of NTD during the period 2009-11 and describe epidemiologically NTD in Ireland.METHODSCases were ascertained through multiple sources, including three regional congenital anomaly registers, all maternity hospitals nationally and paediatric hospitals providing care for children with spina bifida in the Republic of Ireland during the period 2009-11.RESULTSFrom 225 998 total births, 236 NTDs were identified, giving an incidence of 1.04\\/1 000 births, increasing from 0.92\\/1 000 in 2009 to 1.17\\/1 000 in 2011. Of all cases, 45% (n = 106) had anencephaly, 49% (n = 115) had spina bifida and 6% (n = 15) had an encephalocoele; 78% (n = 184) were liveborn or stillborn and 22% (n = 52) were terminations abroad. Peri-conceptional folic acid supplement intake was 13.7% among the 52.5% (n = 124) of cases whose folic acid supplement intake was known.CONCLUSIONThe incidence of NTDs in the Republic of Ireland appears to be increasing. Renewed public health interventions, including mandatory folic acid food fortification, must be considered to reduce the incidence of NTD.

Neural crest contributions to the lamprey head

Science.gov (United States)

McCauley, David W.; Bronner-Fraser, Marianne

2003-01-01

The neural crest is a vertebrate-specific cell population that contributes to the facial skeleton and other derivatives. We have performed focal DiI injection into the cranial neural tube of the developing lamprey in order to follow the migratory pathways of discrete groups of cells from origin to destination and to compare neural crest migratory pathways in a basal vertebrate to those of gnathostomes. The results show that the general pathways of cranial neural crest migration are conserved throughout the vertebrates, with cells migrating in streams analogous to the mandibular and hyoid streams. Caudal branchial neural crest cells migrate ventrally as a sheet of cells from the hindbrain and super-pharyngeal region of the neural tube and form a cylinder surrounding a core of mesoderm in each pharyngeal arch, similar to that seen in zebrafish and axolotl. In addition to these similarities, we also uncovered important differences. Migration into the presumptive caudal branchial arches of the lamprey involves both rostral and caudal movements of neural crest cells that have not been described in gnathostomes, suggesting that barriers that constrain rostrocaudal movement of cranial neural crest cells may have arisen after the agnathan/gnathostome split. Accordingly, neural crest cells from a single axial level contributed to multiple arches and there was extensive mixing between populations. There was no apparent filling of neural crest derivatives in a ventral-to-dorsal order, as has been observed in higher vertebrates, nor did we find evidence of a neural crest contribution to cranial sensory ganglia. These results suggest that migratory constraints and additional neural crest derivatives arose later in gnathostome evolution.

Eddy Current Flaw Characterization Using Neural Networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, S. J.; Park, H. J.; Shin, Y. K.

1998-01-01

Determination of location, shape and size of a flaw from its eddy current testing signal is one of the fundamental issues in eddy current nondestructive evaluation of steam generator tubes. Here, we propose an approach to this problem; an inversion of eddy current flaw signal using neural networks trained by finite element model-based synthetic signatures. Total 216 eddy current signals from four different types of axisymmetric flaws in tubes are generated by finite element models of which the accuracy is experimentally validated. From each simulated signature, total 24 eddy current features are extracted and among them 13 features are finally selected for flaw characterization. Based on these features, probabilistic neural networks discriminate flaws into four different types according to the location and the shape, and successively back propagation neural networks determine the size parameters of the discriminated flaw

RNAi-mediated downregulation of oral cancer overexpressed 1 (ORAOV1) inhibits vascular endothelial cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and tube formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xin; Liu, Dongjuan; Wang, Lili; Wu, Ruiqing; Zeng, Xin; Dan, Hongxia; Ji, Ning; Jiang, Lu; Zhou, Yu; Chen, Qianming

2016-04-01

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the top ten tumors threatening human health. Oral cancer overexpressed 1 (ORAOV1) identified within chromosomal region 11q13, one of the most frequently amplified regions in OSCC, has been suggested as a novel candidate oncogene in OSCC, regulating cell cycle, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. In this study, we investigated the role of ORAOV1 in OSCC-induced angiogenesis in vitro. EA.hy926 human endothelial cells were co-cultured with OSCC cells (HSC-3 and SCC-25) transfected with ORAOV1-specific shRNA to downregulate ORAOV1 expression, and analyzed for proliferation, migration, invasion, and tube formation by specific assays. EA.hy926 endothelial cells co-cultured with ORAOV1-deficient OSCC cells exhibited significantly lower proliferation, migration, and invasion, as well as the activity in tube formation compared to that in the control cells. Our results show, for the first time, that ORAOV1 expressed by OSCC cells promotes tube formation by endothelial cells, indicating its involvement in OSCC angiogenesis. Considering the importance of neovascularization in tumor development and metastasis, these findings suggest that targeting ORAOV1 may be a potential therapeutic strategy against OSCC. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

3D silicon neural probe with integrated optical fibers for optogenetic modulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Eric G R; Tu, Hongen; Luo, Hao; Liu, Bin; Bao, Shaowen; Zhang, Jinsheng; Xu, Yong

2015-07-21

Optogenetics is a powerful modality for neural modulation that can be useful for a wide array of biomedical studies. Penetrating microelectrode arrays provide a means of recording neural signals with high spatial resolution. It is highly desirable to integrate optics with neural probes to allow for functional study of neural tissue by optogenetics. In this paper, we report the development of a novel 3D neural probe coupled simply and robustly to optical fibers using a hollow parylene tube structure. The device shanks are hollow tubes with rigid silicon tips, allowing the insertion and encasement of optical fibers within the shanks. The position of the fiber tip can be precisely controlled relative to the electrodes on the shank by inherent design features. Preliminary in vivo rat studies indicate that these devices are capable of optogenetic modulation simultaneously with 3D neural signal recording.

α-Naphthoflavone Increases Lipid Accumulation in Mature Adipocytes and Enhances Adipocyte-Stimulated Endothelial Tube Formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mei-Lin Wang

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR is a ligand-activated factor that regulates biological effects associated with obesity. The AhR agonists, such as environmental contaminants 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD and β-naphthoflavone (BNF, inhibit preadipocyte differentiation and interfere with the functions of adipose tissue, whereas the antagonist may have opposite or protective effects in obesity. This study investigated the effects of α-naphthoflavone (α-NF, an AhR antagonist, on adipogenesis- and angiogenesis-associated factors in mature adipocytes and on cross-talk of mature adipocytes with endothelial cells (ECs. Besides, the roles of the AhR on lipid accumulation and on secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor were also determined by introducing siRNA of AhR. Differentiated 3T3-L1 cells were treated with α-naphthoflavone (α-NF (1–5 μM for 16 h. Lipid accumulation and the expressions of AhR-associated factors in the cells were determined. The interaction between adipocytes and ECs was investigated by cultivating ECs with conditioned medium (CM from α-NF-treated mature adipocytes, followed by the determination of endothelial tube formation. The results showed that α-NF significantly increased triglyceride (TG accumulation in mature adipocytes, which was associated with increased expression of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL, estrogen receptor (ER, as well as decreased expression of AhR, AhR nuclear translocator (ARNT, cytochrome P4501B1 (CYP1B1, and nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor (NRF-2 proteins. In addition, CM stimulated formation of tube-like structures in ECs, and α-NF further enhanced such stimulation in association with modulated the secretions of various angiogenic mediators by mature adipocytes. Similarly, increased TG accumulation and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF secretion were observed in AhR-knockout cells. In conclusion, α-NF increased TG accumulation in mature adipocytes and

U-tube steam generator empirical model development and validation using neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parlos, A.G.; Chong, K.T.; Atiya, A.

1992-01-01

Empirical modeling techniques that use model structures motivated from neural networks research have proven effective in identifying complex process dynamics. A recurrent multilayer perception (RMLP) network was developed as a nonlinear state-space model structure along with a static learning algorithm for estimating the parameter associated with it. The methods developed were demonstrated by identifying two submodels of a U-tube steam generator (UTSG), each valid around an operating power level. A significant drawback of this approach is the long off-line training times required for the development of even a simplified model of a UTSG. Subsequently, a dynamic gradient descent-based learning algorithm was developed as an accelerated alternative to train an RMLP network for use in empirical modeling of power plants. The two main advantages of this learning algorithm are its ability to consider past error gradient information for future use and the two forward passes associated with its implementation. The enhanced learning capabilities provided by the dynamic gradient descent-based learning algorithm were demonstrated via the case study of a simple steam boiler power plant. In this paper, the dynamic gradient descent-based learning algorithm is used for the development and validation of a complete UTSG empirical model

Importance of crevices formed between tubes and tube plate for the operational behaviour of heat exchangers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Achten, N.; Herbsleb, G.; Wieling, N.

1986-01-01

It must be guaranteed by construction and manufacture of heat exchangers that primary and secondary medium are completely separated from each other. When this requirement is fullfilled, the operational use of heat exchangers can be impaired by corrosion reactions within the crevice formed between tube and tube plate which may result in corrosion damage. The various techniques which are in use to connect tubes and tube plate and which are described in the present report, must be valued with respect to the tightness of the connection as well as to the formation of crevices between tubes and tube plate. Corrosion resistant copperbase alloys and stainless steels are the most important materials which are in use for the construction of heat exchangers. The mechanisms of crevice corrosion with unalloyed and low alloy carbon steels, stainless steels, and mixed connections between tube and tube plate with these materials are described in detail. Crevice corrosion may be caused also by the formation of galvanic cells between materials of differing electrochemical response. Furthermore, the concentration of aggressive media in crevices between tubes and tube plate can lead to corrosion damage of heat exchanger tubes. For the service operation of heat exchangers without any hazard of corrosion damage in crevices between tubes and tube plate, such crevices must be avoided by proper construction and manufacture. As a model for suitable measures to avoid crevices, the manufacture of steam generators for PWR's is described. (orig.) [de

Depicting mass flow rate of R134a /LPG refrigerant through straight and helical coiled adiabatic capillary tubes of vapor compression refrigeration system using artificial neural network approach

Science.gov (United States)

Gill, Jatinder; Singh, Jagdev

2018-07-01

In this work, an experimental investigation is carried out with R134a and LPG refrigerant mixture for depicting mass flow rate through straight and helical coil adiabatic capillary tubes in a vapor compression refrigeration system. Various experiments were conducted under steady-state conditions, by changing capillary tube length, inner diameter, coil diameter and degree of subcooling. The results showed that mass flow rate through helical coil capillary tube was found lower than straight capillary tube by about 5-16%. Dimensionless correlation and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models were developed to predict mass flow rate. It was found that dimensionless correlation and ANN model predictions agreed well with experimental results and brought out an absolute fraction of variance of 0.961 and 0.988, root mean square error of 0.489 and 0.275 and mean absolute percentage error of 4.75% and 2.31% respectively. The results suggested that ANN model shows better statistical prediction than dimensionless correlation model.

Risk factors, organ weight deviation and associated anomalies in neural tube defects: A prospective fetal and perinatal autopsy series

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Asaranti Kar

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Neural tube defects (NTD are a group of serious birth defects occurring due to defective closure of neural tube during embryonic development. It comprises of anencephaly, encephalocele and spina bifida. We conducted this prospective fetal autopsy series to study the rate and distribution of NTD, analyze the reproductive factors and risk factors, note any associated anomalies and evaluate the organ weights and their deviation from normal. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective study done over a period of 6 years from August, 2007 to July, 2013. All cases of NTDs delivered as abortion, still born and live born were included. The reproductive and risk factors like age, parity, multiple births, previous miscarriage, obesity, diabetes mellitus, socioeconomic status and use of folic acid during pregnancy were collected.Autopsy was performed according to Virchow′s technique. Detail external and internal examination were carried out to detect any associated anomalies. Gross and microscopic examination of organs were done. Results: Out of 210 cases of fetal and perinatal autopsy done, 72 (34.28% had NTD constituting 49 cases of anencephaly, 16 spina bifida and 7 cases of encephalocele. The mothers in these cases predominantly were within 25-29 years (P = 0.02 and primy (P = 0.01. Female sex was more commonly affected than males (M:F = 25:47, P = 0.0005 There was no history of folate use in majority of cases. Organ weight deviations were >2 standard deviation low in most of the cases. Most common associated anomalies were adrenal hypoplasia and thymic hyperplasia. Conclusion: The authors have made an attempt to study NTD cases in respect to maternal reproductive and risk factors and their association with NTD along with the organ weight deviation and associated anomalies. This so far in our knowledge is an innovative study which was not found in literature even after extensive search.

CRIM1 complexes with ß-catenin and cadherins, stabilizes cell-cell junctions and is critical for neural morphogenesis.

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Virgilio G Ponferrada

Full Text Available In multicellular organisms, morphogenesis is a highly coordinated process that requires dynamically regulated adhesion between cells. An excellent example of cellular morphogenesis is the formation of the neural tube from the flattened epithelium of the neural plate. Cysteine-rich motor neuron protein 1 (CRIM1 is a single-pass (type 1 transmembrane protein that is expressed in neural structures beginning at the neural plate stage. In the frog Xenopus laevis, loss of function studies using CRIM1 antisense morpholino oligonucleotides resulted in a failure of neural development. The CRIM1 knockdown phenotype was, in some cases, mild and resulted in perturbed neural fold morphogenesis. In severely affected embryos there was a dramatic failure of cell adhesion in the neural plate and complete absence of neural structures subsequently. Investigation of the mechanism of CRIM1 function revealed that it can form complexes with ß-catenin and cadherins, albeit indirectly, via the cytosolic domain. Consistent with this, CRIM1 knockdown resulted in diminished levels of cadherins and ß-catenin in junctional complexes in the neural plate. We conclude that CRIM1 is critical for cell-cell adhesion during neural development because it is required for the function of cadherin-dependent junctions.

A C-terminal fragment of fibulin-7 interacts with endothelial cells and inhibits their tube formation in culture.

Science.gov (United States)

de Vega, Susana; Suzuki, Nobuharu; Nonaka, Risa; Sasaki, Takako; Forcinito, Patricia; Arikawa-Hirasawa, Eri; Yamada, Yoshihiko

2014-03-01

We have previously demonstrated that fibulin-7 (Fbln7) is expressed in teeth by pre-odontoblast and odontoblast cells, localized in the basement membrane and dentin matrices, and is an adhesion molecule for dental mesenchyme cells and odontoblasts. Fbln7 is also expressed in blood vessels by endothelial cells. In this report, we show that a recombinant C-terminal Fbln7 fragment (Fbln7-C) bound to Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs) but did not promote cell spreading and actin stress fiber formation. Fbln7-C binding to HUVECs induced integrin clustering at cell adhesion sites with other focal adhesion molecules, and sustained activation of FAK, p130Cas, and Rac1. In addition, RhoA activation was inhibited, thereby preventing HUVEC spreading. As endothelial cell spreading is an important step for angiogenesis, we examined the effect of Fbln7-C on angiogenesis using in vitro assays for endothelial cell tube formation and vessel sprouting from aortic rings. We found that Fbln7-C inhibited the HUVEC tube formation and the vessel sprouting in aortic ring assays. Our findings suggest potential anti-angiogenic activity of the Fbln7 C-terminal region. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Thru-tubing inflatable workover systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coronado, M.P.; Mody, R.K.; Craig, G.C.

1991-01-01

Recent technological advances in inflatable packing element design has allowed non-conventional workover techniques to be accomplished through the production tubing. The improved capabilities of these elements, coupled with new tool designs allowing workovers to be completed with coiled tubing or electric wireline, has seen growing applications. These workovers include, selective and zonal chemical treatments, temporary and permanent plugback operations, intermediate zone blankoff, production and injection flow profile modifications and formation fracturing. They are completed without pulling the production tubing from the well, and thus do not require a rig on the well. Since these tools are snubbed in the well with coiled tubing or electric wireline, thus eliminating the need to kill the well, heavy weight kill fluids, which may cause formation damage, are not required. These tools have been designed to operate with hydraulic pressure and workstring tension within the coiled tubing limitations. This paper outlines the development of these Thru-tubing systems and application techniques that have been developed as a result of their field use. It discusses case histories of applications using this technology and the resulting increase in well performance. This paper also describes auxiliary equipment that has been developed to allow these tool systems to be used safely on coiled tubing and electric wireline

Neural network regulation driven by autonomous neural firings

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Myoung Won

2016-07-01

Biological neurons naturally fire spontaneously due to the existence of a noisy current. Such autonomous firings may provide a driving force for network formation because synaptic connections can be modified due to neural firings. Here, we study the effect of autonomous firings on network formation. For the temporally asymmetric Hebbian learning, bidirectional connections lose their balance easily and become unidirectional ones. Defining the difference between reciprocal connections as new variables, we could express the learning dynamics as if Ising model spins interact with each other in magnetism. We present a theoretical method to estimate the interaction between the new variables in a neural system. We apply the method to some network systems and find some tendencies of autonomous neural network regulation.

Applications of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Neural Crest Cells in Craniofacial Skeletal Research

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Satoru Morikawa

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Craniofacial skeletal tissues are composed of tooth and bone, together with nerves and blood vessels. This composite material is mainly derived from neural crest cells (NCCs. The neural crest is transient embryonic tissue present during neural tube formation whose cells have high potential for migration and differentiation. Thus, NCCs are promising candidates for craniofacial tissue regeneration; however, the clinical application of NCCs is hindered by their limited accessibility. In contrast, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs are easily accessible in adults, have similar potential for self-renewal, and can differentiate into skeletal tissues, including bones and cartilage. Therefore, MSCs may represent good sources of stem cells for clinical use. MSCs are classically identified under adherent culture conditions, leading to contamination with other cell lineages. Previous studies have identified mouse- and human-specific MSC subsets using cell surface markers. Additionally, some studies have shown that a subset of MSCs is closely related to neural crest derivatives and endothelial cells. These MSCs may be promising candidates for regeneration of craniofacial tissues from the perspective of developmental fate. Here, we review the fundamental biology of MSCs in craniofacial research.

Mediterranean diet, folic acid, and neural tube defects.

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Maximilian; Stronati, Mauro; Lanari, Marcello

2017-08-17

The Mediterranean diet has been for a very long time the basis of food habits all over the countries of the Mediterranean basin, originally founded on rural models and low consumption of meat products and high-fat/high-processed foods. However, in the modern era, the traditional Mediterranean diet pattern is now progressively eroding due to the widespread dissemination of the Western-type economy, life-style, technology-driven culture, as well as the globalisation of food production, availability and consumption, with consequent homogenisation of food culture and behaviours. This transition process may affect many situations, including pregnancy and offspring's health. The problem of the diet during pregnancy and the proper intake of nutrients are nowadays a very current topic, arousing much debate. The Mediterranean dietary pattern, in particular, has been associated with the highest risk reduction of major congenital anomalies, like the heterogeneous class of neural tube defects (NTDs). NTDs constitute a major health burden (0.5-2/1000 pregnancies worldwide) and still remain a preventable cause of still birth, neonatal and infant death, or significant lifelong disabilities. Many studies support the finding that appropriate folate levels during pregnancy may confer protection against these diseases. In 1991 one randomised controlled trial (RCT) demonstrated for the first time that periconceptional supplementation of folic acid is able to prevent the recurrence of NTDs, finding confirmed by many other subsequent studies. Anyway, the high rate of unplanned/unintended pregnancies and births and other issues hindering the achievement of adequate folate levels in women in childbearing age, induced the US government and many other countries to institute mandatory food fortification with folic acid. The actual strategy adopted by European Countries (including Italy) suggests that women take 0,4 mg folic acid/die before conception. The main question is which intervention

A biologically inspired neural net for trajectory formation and obstacle avoidance.

Science.gov (United States)

Glasius, R; Komoda, A; Gielen, S C

1996-06-01

In this paper we present a biologically inspired two-layered neural network for trajectory formation and obstacle avoidance. The two topographically ordered neural maps consist of analog neurons having continuous dynamics. The first layer, the sensory map, receives sensory information and builds up an activity pattern which contains the optimal solution (i.e. shortest path without collisions) for any given set of current position, target positions and obstacle positions. Targets and obstacles are allowed to move, in which case the activity pattern in the sensory map will change accordingly. The time evolution of the neural activity in the second layer, the motor map, results in a moving cluster of activity, which can be interpreted as a population vector. Through the feedforward connections between the two layers, input of the sensory map directs the movement of the cluster along the optimal path from the current position of the cluster to the target position. The smooth trajectory is the result of the intrinsic dynamics of the network only. No supervisor is required. The output of the motor map can be used for direct control of an autonomous system in a cluttered environment or for control of the actuators of a biological limb or robot manipulator. The system is able to reach a target even in the presence of an external perturbation. Computer simulations of a point robot and a multi-joint manipulator illustrate the theory.

Program Specificity for Ptf1a in Pancreas versus Neural Tube Development Correlates with Distinct Collaborating Cofactors and Chromatin Accessibility

Science.gov (United States)

Meredith, David M.; Borromeo, Mark D.; Deering, Tye G.; Casey, Bradford H.; Savage, Trisha K.; Mayer, Paul R.; Hoang, Chinh; Tung, Kuang-Chi; Kumar, Manonmani; Shen, Chengcheng; Swift, Galvin H.

2013-01-01

The lineage-specific basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor Ptf1a is a critical driver for development of both the pancreas and nervous system. How one transcription factor controls diverse programs of gene expression is a fundamental question in developmental biology. To uncover molecular strategies for the program-specific functions of Ptf1a, we identified bound genomic regions in vivo during development of both tissues. Most regions bound by Ptf1a are specific to each tissue, lie near genes needed for proper formation of each tissue, and coincide with regions of open chromatin. The specificity of Ptf1a binding is encoded in the DNA surrounding the Ptf1a-bound sites, because these regions are sufficient to direct tissue-restricted reporter expression in transgenic mice. Fox and Sox factors were identified as potential lineage-specific modifiers of Ptf1a binding, since binding motifs for these factors are enriched in Ptf1a-bound regions in pancreas and neural tube, respectively. Of the Fox factors expressed during pancreatic development, Foxa2 plays a major role. Indeed, Ptf1a and Foxa2 colocalize in embryonic pancreatic chromatin and can act synergistically in cell transfection assays. Together, these findings indicate that lineage-specific chromatin landscapes likely constrain the DNA binding of Ptf1a, and they identify Fox and Sox gene families as part of this process. PMID:23754747

Preventing Silicone Tube Extrusion after Nasolacrimal Duct Intubation in Children

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Ali-Akbar Sabermoghaddam

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Herein we report our experience with a simple technique for reducing the rate of silicone tube extrusion after nasolacrimal duct (NLD intubation for congenital NLD obstruction. Medical records of children older than 2 years, with or without history of failed probing, who had undergone NLD intubation with a Crawford silicone tube over a period of 4 years were reviewed. In all subjects, one end of the Crawford tube was passed through a piece of scalp vein tubing followed by applying one or two knots. All Crawford tubes were removed after 3 months. Main outcome measures included complications such as tube extrusion, nasal discharge, crust formation and pyogenic granuloma formation. Fifty-seven patients, including 49 unilateral and 8 bilateral cases with mean age of 3.8΁1.6 (range, 2 to 11.5 years were operated. No complications such as tube dislodgement, significant nasal discharge, crust or pyogenic granuloma formation occurred prior to Crawford tube removal. All silicone tubes were successfully removed from the nasal cavity. In conclusion, passing one end of the Crawford tube through a small piece of scalp vein tubing before knotting it in the nasal cavity seems to decrease the rate of tube extrusion which is the most common complication following NLD intubation in children.

Neural crest stem cell population in craniomaxillofacial development and tissue repair

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M La Noce

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Neural crest cells, delaminating from the neural tube during migration, undergo an epithelial-mesenchymal transition and differentiate into several cell types strongly reinforcing the mesoderm of the craniofacial body area – giving rise to bone, cartilage and other tissues and cells of this human body area. Recent studies on craniomaxillofacial neural crest-derived cells have provided evidence for the tremendous plasticity of these cells. Actually, neural crest cells can respond and adapt to the environment in which they migrate and the cranial mesoderm plays an important role toward patterning the identity of the migrating neural crest cells. In our experience, neural crest-derived stem cells, such as dental pulp stem cells, can actively proliferate, repair bone and give rise to other tissues and cytotypes, including blood vessels, smooth muscle, adipocytes and melanocytes, highlighting that their use in tissue engineering is successful. In this review, we provide an overview of the main pathways involved in neural crest formation, delamination, migration and differentiation; and, in particular, we concentrate our attention on the translatability of the latest scientific progress. Here we try to suggest new ideas and strategies that are needed to fully develop the clinical use of these cells. This effort should involve both researchers/clinicians and improvements in good manufacturing practice procedures. It is important to address studies towards clinical application or take into consideration that studies must have an effective therapeutic prospect for humans. New approaches and ideas must be concentrated also toward stem cell recruitment and activation within the human body, overcoming the classical grafting.

Cell death in neural precursor cells and neurons before neurite formation prevents the emergence of abnormal neural structures in the Drosophila optic lobe.

Science.gov (United States)

Hara, Yusuke; Sudo, Tatsuya; Togane, Yu; Akagawa, Hiromi; Tsujimura, Hidenobu

2018-04-01

Programmed cell death is a conserved strategy for neural development both in vertebrates and invertebrates and is recognized at various developmental stages in the brain from neurogenesis to adulthood. To understand the development of the central nervous system, it is essential to reveal not only molecular mechanisms but also the role of neural cell death (Pinto-Teixeira et al., 2016). To understand the role of cell death in neural development, we investigated the effect of inhibition of cell death on optic lobe development. Our data demonstrate that, in the optic lobe of Drosophila, cell death occurs in neural precursor cells and neurons before neurite formation and functions to prevent various developmental abnormalities. When neuronal cell death was inhibited by an effector caspase inhibitor, p35, multiple abnormal neuropil structures arose during optic lobe development-e.g., enlarged or fused neuropils, misrouted neurons and abnormal neurite lumps. Inhibition of cell death also induced morphogenetic defects in the lamina and medulla development-e.g., failures in the separation of the lamina and medulla cortices and the medulla rotation. These defects were reproduced in the mutant of an initiator caspase, dronc. If cell death was a mechanism for removing the abnormal neuropil structures, we would also expect to observe them in mutants defective for corpse clearance. However, they were not observed in these mutants. When dead cell-membranes were visualized with Apoliner, they were observed only in cortices and not in neuropils. These results suggest that the cell death occurs before mature neurite formation. Moreover, we found that inhibition of cell death induced ectopic neuroepithelial cells, neuroblasts and ganglion mother cells in late pupal stages, at sites where the outer and inner proliferation centers were located at earlier developmental stages. Caspase-3 activation was observed in the neuroepithelial cells and neuroblasts in the proliferation centers

Numerical investigation on nonlinear effect and vortex formation of oscillatory flow throughout a short tube in a thermoacoustic Stirling engine

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Peng; Chen, Hui; Liu, Yingwen

2017-06-01

In this paper, a two-dimensional axisymmetric model of a thermoacoustic Stirling engine with a short tube where the cross section narrows has been developed. The transient streamlines and vortex formation through short tubes with different diameters in oscillatory flow have been investigated visually by computational fluid dynamics. Three dimensionless parameters, Reynolds number (Re), Keulegan-Carpenter number (KC), and Womersley number (Wo), are used to describe the flow regime and vortex characteristic throughout the short tube. High Re and Wo numbers indicate that the oscillatory flow develops into the turbulent flow through the short tube. The KC number has a direct effect on the transition of streamlines and the development of the vortex. For a small cross section where KC ≈ 1, streamlines rotate and the vortex forms at both sides of the short tube. The vortex stays in the main flow region, and intensity varies as streamlines are convected downstream. The velocity along the radius presents a Poiseuille profile within the influence of the vortex. For a large cross section where KC < 1, streamlines pass the short tube with little rotation and the vortex disappears in the main flow region and confines near the short tube. The velocity profile tends to be flat. The nonlinear effects including instantaneous pressure drop and power dissipation throughout the short tube are also discussed. It shows that the time averaged pressure drop is generated at the cost of power dissipation. Finally, the "effectiveness" is applied to evaluate the performance of the short tube. The results suggest that increasing the diameter of the short tube is in favor of reducing power dissipation, which is beneficial to improve "effectiveness."

Operating performance of CANDU pressure tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheadle, B.A.; Price, E.G.

1989-04-01

The performance of Zircaloy-2 and Zr-2.5 Nb pressure tubes in CANDU reactors is reviewed. The accelerated hydriding of Zircaloy-2 in reducing water chemistries can lower the toughness of this material and it is essential that defect-initiating phenomena, such as hydride blister formation from pressure tube to calandria tube contact, be prevented. Zr-2.5 Nb pressure tubes are performing well with low rates of hydrogen pick-up and good retention of material properties

In vivo differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells into neural stem cells by chimera formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Hyun Woo; Hong, Yean Ju; Kim, Jong Soo; Song, Hyuk; Cho, Ssang Gu; Bae, Hojae; Kim, Changsung; Byun, Sung June; Do, Jeong Tae

2017-01-01

Like embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can differentiate into all three germ layers in an in vitro system. Here, we developed a new technology for obtaining neural stem cells (NSCs) from iPSCs through chimera formation, in an in vivo environment. iPSCs contributed to the neural lineage in the chimera, which could be efficiently purified and directly cultured as NSCs in vitro. The iPSC-derived, in vivo-differentiated NSCs expressed NSC markers, and their gene-expression pattern more closely resembled that of fetal brain-derived NSCs than in vitro-differentiated NSCs. This system could be applied for differentiating pluripotent stem cells into specialized cell types whose differentiation protocols are not well established.

Optimization and testing of dried antibody tube: The EuroFlow LST and PIDOT tubes as examples

NARCIS (Netherlands)

V.H.J. van der Velden (Vincent); J. Flores-Montero (Juan); M. Perez-Andres; M. Martin-Ayuso (M.); Crespo, O. (Oliver); Blanco, E. (Elena); T. Kalina (Tomas); J. Philippé (Jan); Bonroy, C. (Carolien); M. de Bie (Maaike); J.G. te Marvelde (Jeroen); C. Teodosio (Cristina); Corral Mateos, A. (Alba); V. Kanderová (V.); M. van der Burg (Mirjam); Van Hoof, D. (Dennis); J.J.M. van Dongen (Jacques); A. Orfao (Alberto)

2017-01-01

textabstractWithin EuroFlow, we recently developed screening tubes for hematological malignancies and immune deficiencies. Pipetting of antibodies for such 8-color 12-marker tubes however is time-consuming and prone to operational mistakes. We therefore evaluated dried formats of the lymphocytosis

Development of teeth in chick embryos after mouse neural crest transplantations

OpenAIRE

Mitsiadis, Thimios A.; Chéraud, Yvonnick; Sharpe, Paul; Fontaine-Pérus, Josiane

2003-01-01

Teeth were lost in birds 70–80 million years ago. Current thinking holds that it is the avian cranial neural crest-derived mesenchyme that has lost odontogenic capacity, whereas the oral epithelium retains the signaling properties required to induce odontogenesis. To investigate the odontogenic capacity of ectomesenchyme, we have used neural tube transplantations from mice to chick embryos to replace the chick neural crest cell populations with mouse neural crest cells. The mouse/chick ...

Late-Onset Inadvertent Bleb Formation following Pars Plana M3 Molteno Implant Tube Obstruction

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Anmar M. Abdul-Rahman

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To report a case of inadvertent bleb formation presenting 18 months after pars plana M3 Molteno implant tube obstruction in a patient with mixed mechanism glaucoma. Materials and Methods: An 84-year-old Caucasian male with mixed mechanism glaucoma underwent slit-lamp examination, gonioscopy, colour anterior segment photography and anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT. Results: An inadvertent bleb developed 18 months after pars plana implant tube re-positioning with a 6/0 Vicryl tie ligature. The bleb was located in the area anterior to the implant plate; it was characterised by a thin, transparent, avascular and multi-cystic wall, with a visible stoma at the posterior edge of the bleb. The bleb was functioning as demonstrated by an intraocular pressure of 6 mm Hg at presentation and a punctate fluorescein uptake pattern of the bleb wall. The bleb over the plate of the Molteno implant was non-functioning, likely secondary to tube obstruction by vitreous in the early postoperative period. AS-OCT showed a tract from the anterior chamber commencing at an entry wound through a corneal tunnel to the posterior stoma at the base of the inadvertent bleb. Conclusions: We hypothesise that the pathophysiologic factors resulting in an inadvertent bleb are a result of a combination of apoptosis, late-onset wound dehiscence and internal gaping of a centrally placed corneal wound. In addition, aqueous hydrodynamic factors may play a role.

Shape optimization of draft tubes for Agnew microhydro turbines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shojaeefard, Mohammad Hasan; Mirzaei, Ammar; Babaei, Ali

2014-01-01

Highlights: • The draft tube of Agnew microhydro turbine was optimized. • Pareto optimal solutions were determined by neural networks and NSGA-II algorithm. • The pressure recovery factor increases with height and angle over design ranges. • The loss coefficient reaches the minimum values at angles about 2 o . • Swirl of the incoming flow has great influence on the optimization results. - Abstract: In this study, the shape optimization of draft tubes utilized in Agnew type microhydro turbines has been discussed. The design parameters of the draft tube such as the cone angle and the height above the tailrace are considered in defining an optimization problem whose goal is to maximize the pressure recovery factor and minimize the energy loss coefficient of flow. The design space is determined by considering the experimental constraints and parameterized by the method of face-centered uniform ascertain distribution. The numerical simulations are performed using the boundary conditions found from laboratory tests and the obtained results are analyzed to create and validate a feed-forward neural network model, which is implemented as a surrogate model. The optimal Pareto solutions are finally determined using the NSGA-II evolutionary algorithm and compared for different inlet conditions. The results predict that the high swirl of the incoming flow drastically reduces the performance of the draft tube

Detection of neural activity in the brains of Japanese honeybee workers during the formation of a "hot defensive bee ball".

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Atsushi Ugajin

Full Text Available Anti-predator behaviors are essential to survival for most animals. The neural bases of such behaviors, however, remain largely unknown. Although honeybees commonly use their stingers to counterattack predators, the Japanese honeybee (Apis cerana japonica uses a different strategy to fight against the giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia japonica. Instead of stinging the hornet, Japanese honeybees form a "hot defensive bee ball" by surrounding the hornet en masse, killing it with heat. The European honeybee (A. mellifera ligustica, on the other hand, does not exhibit this behavior, and their colonies are often destroyed by a hornet attack. In the present study, we attempted to analyze the neural basis of this behavior by mapping the active brain regions of Japanese honeybee workers during the formation of a hot defensive bee ball. First, we identified an A. cerana homolog (Acks = Apis cerana kakusei of kakusei, an immediate early gene that we previously identified from A. mellifera, and showed that Acks has characteristics similar to kakusei and can be used to visualize active brain regions in A. cerana. Using Acks as a neural activity marker, we demonstrated that neural activity in the mushroom bodies, especially in Class II Kenyon cells, one subtype of mushroom body intrinsic neurons, and a restricted area between the dorsal lobes and the optic lobes was increased in the brains of Japanese honeybee workers involved in the formation of a hot defensive bee ball. In addition, workers exposed to 46°C heat also exhibited Acks expression patterns similar to those observed in the brains of workers involved in the formation of a hot defensive bee ball, suggesting that the neural activity observed in the brains of workers involved in the hot defensive bee ball mainly reflects thermal stimuli processing.

Synthesis and characterization of magnetite/hydroxyapatite tubes ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The first step is the formation of magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) tubes on natural template followed by hydroxyapatite (HAp) bioceramic coated on the Fe 3 O 4 tubes. HAp improves the biocompatibility and stability of the prepared tubes. Sintering at 900 ∘ C improves the crystalline stability of nanotubes and removes the natural ...

Dosagem de folatos maternos e fetais, séricos e eritrocitários em malformações por defeito de fechamento do tubo neural no feto Maternal and fetal serum and red blood cell folate levels in pregnancies complicated by neural tube defects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victor Bunduki

1998-07-01

Full Text Available Objetivos: avaliar os níveis de folatos maternos e fetais gestações com malformações por defeitos de fechamento do tubo neural (DFTN. Métodos: o estudo foi do tipo caso-controle, no qual 14 casos de fetos com DFTN (grupo estudo e 14 casos de fetos com outras malformações (grupo controle foram estudados em gestantes de baixo risco para DFTN. Propusemo-nos a dosar o ácido fólico, na sua forma total e metilada, nos compartimentos fetal e materno, utilizando dosagens séricas e tissulares (eritrocitárias, assim como o volume corpuscular médio, o hematócrito e a hemoglobina. As coletas foram realizadas imediatamente antes da interrupção da gestação. Os resultados nos dois grupos foram comparados pelo teste t de Student, método de amostras pareados pela idade gestacional. Resultados: não se encontrou diferença nas taxas de folatos fetais e nos parâmetros hematológicos dos fetos, entre os dois grupos. Por outro lado, taxas anormalmente baixas de folatos foram encontradas nos eritrócitos das mães portadoras de fetos com DFTN, tanto para as formas totais(293,9 ng/mL contra 399,1 ng/mL no grupo controle, p=0,01 quanto para as formas metiladas (201,9 ng/mL contra 314,0 ng/mL para o grupo controle, p=0,02. Os folatos séricos maternos não se mostraram diferentes nos grupos estudo e controle. Conclusão: este estudo demonstrou que há uma menor taxa de folatos intratissulares, nas mães de fetos acometidos por DFTN, porém com taxas de folatos séricos semelhantes em relação ao grupo controle.Objective: to analyze maternal and fetal folate status in cases of neural tube defects (NTD. Methods: a case-control study was designed with 14 cases of fetuses with neural tube defects (study group and 14 cases of fetuses with other unrelated malformations (control group gestational age matched, in low-risk pregnant women. Both total and methylated folic acid levels in fetal and maternal compartments using serum and tissular (red blood cells

Ridge-like lava tube systems in southeast Tharsis, Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Jiannan; Huang, Jun; Kraft, Michael D.; Xiao, Long; Jiang, Yun

2017-10-01

Lava tubes are widely distributed in volcanic fields on a planetary surface and they are important means of lava transportation. We have identified 38 sinuous ridges with a lava-tube origin in southeast Tharsis. The lengths vary between 14 and 740 km, and most of them occur in areas with slopes rate, low lava viscosity, and sustained magma supply during a long period. Besides, lava flow inflation is also important in the formation of the ridge-like lava tubes and some associated features. These lava tubes provide efficient lateral pathways for magma transportation over the relatively low topographic slopes in southeast Tharsis, and they are important for the formation of long lava flows in this region. The findings of this study provide an alternative formation mechanism for sinuous ridges on the martian surface.

Molecular mechanisms controlling brain development: an overview of neuroepithelial secondary organizers.

Science.gov (United States)

Vieira, Claudia; Pombero, Ana; García-Lopez, Raquel; Gimeno, Lourdes; Echevarria, Diego; Martínez, Salvador

2010-01-01

The vertebrate Central Nervous System (CNS) originates from the embryonic dorsal ectoderm. Differentiation of the neural epithelium from the ectoderm and the formation of the neural plate constitute the first phase of a complex process called neurulation which culminates in the formation of the neural tube, the anlage of the CNS in sauropsids and mammals (for review see Smith and Schoenwolf, 1997; Colas and Schoenwolf, 2001). At neural plate and neural tube stages, local signaling centers in the neuroepithelium, known as secondary organizers, refine the antero-posterior specification of different neural territories (for review see Echevarria et al., 2003; Stern et al.,2006; Woltering and Durston, 2008). In this review, we will describe the principle aspects of CNS development in birds and mammals, starting from early stages of embryogenesis (gastrulation and neurulation) and culminating with the formation of a variety of different regions which contribute to the structural complexity of the brain (regionalization and morphogenesis). We will pay special attention to the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in neural tube regionalization and the key role played by localized secondary organizers in the patterning of neural primordia.

Incidence of neural tube defects in the natural radiation coastal areas of Kerala

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaikrishan, G.; Sudheer, K.R.; Andrews, V.J.; Koya, P.K.M.; Cheriyan, V.D.; Seshadri, M.

2010-01-01

All consecutive births in selected government hospitals in and around the high level natural background radiation areas (HLNRA) of Kerala were monitored for congenital malformations observable at birth since 1995. The HLNR area, a coastal strip of land about 55 km in length and 0.5 km in breadth from Purakkad in the north in Alleppey district to Sakthikulangara in the south of Quilon district, stands out among the most prominent background radiation areas of the world. Natural deposit of monazite sand, containing Thorium (8-10%), Uranium (0.3%) and corresponding decay products, is the source of elevated background radiation, ranging from < 1 to 45 mGy/year. Wide variation in dose, due to the patchy and non-uniform distribution of Monazite sand, enables in built controls. High population density, limited migration, ethnic diversity, good literacy, health awareness, institutionalized births and acceptance of small family norm are some of the key features of the population. Areas with a mean radiation dose of more than 1.5 mGy/year were treated as HLNR areas and areas with a dose level of 1.5 mGy/year or less were treated as normal level radiation (NLNR) areas. The study carried out since 1995 does not seem to implicate HLNR in the incidence of neural tube defects among newborns

Formation and dynamics of a solar eruptive flux tube

Science.gov (United States)

Inoue, Satoshi; Kusano, Kanya; Büchner, Jörg; Skála, Jan

2018-01-01

Solar eruptions are well-known drivers of extreme space weather, which can greatly disturb the Earth's magnetosphere and ionosphere. The triggering process and initial dynamics of these eruptions are still an area of intense study. Here we perform a magnetohydrodynamic simulation taking into account the observed photospheric magnetic field to reveal the dynamics of a solar eruption in a real magnetic environment. In our simulation, we confirmed that tether-cutting reconnection occurring locally above the polarity inversion line creates a twisted flux tube, which is lifted into a toroidal unstable area where it loses equilibrium, destroying the force-free state, and driving the eruption. Consequently, a more highly twisted flux tube is built up during this initial phase, which can be further accelerated even when it returns to a stable area. We suggest that a nonlinear positive feedback process between the flux tube evolution and reconnection is the key to ensure this extra acceleration.

Formation of Neural Networks in 3D Scaffolds Fabricated by Means of Laser Microstereolithography.

Science.gov (United States)

Vedunova, M V; Timashev, P S; Mishchenko, T A; Mitroshina, E V; Koroleva, A V; Chichkov, B N; Panchenko, V Ya; Bagratashvili, V N; Mukhina, I V

2016-08-01

We developed and tested new 3D scaffolds for neurotransplantation. Scaffolds of predetermined architectonic were prepared using microstereolithography technique. Scaffolds were highly biocompatible with the nervous tissue cells. In vitro studies showed that the material of fabricated scaffolds is not toxic for dissociated brain cells and promotes the formation of functional neural networks in the matrix. These results demonstrate the possibility of fabrication of tissue-engineering constructs for neurotransplantation based on created scaffolds.

Prediction of Austenite Formation Temperatures Using Artificial Neural Networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schulze, P; Schmidl, E; Grund, T; Lampke, T

2016-01-01

For the modeling and design of heat treatments, in consideration of the development/ transformation of the microstructure, different material data depending on the chemical composition, the respective microstructure/phases and the temperature are necessary. Material data are, e.g. the thermal conductivity, heat capacity, thermal expansion and transformation data etc. The quality of thermal simulations strongly depends on the accuracy of the material data. For many materials, the required data - in particular for different microstructures and temperatures - are rare in the literature. In addition, a different chemical composition within the permitted limits of the considered steel alloy cannot be predicted. A solution for this problem is provided by the calculation of material data using Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). In the present study, the start and finish temperatures of the transformation from the bcc lattice to the fcc lattice structure of hypoeutectoid steels are calculated using an Artificial Neural Network. An appropriate database containing different transformation temperatures (austenite formation temperatures) to train the ANN is selected from the literature. In order to find a suitable feedforward network, the network topologies as well as the activation functions of the hidden layers are varied and subsequently evaluated in terms of the prediction accuracy. The transformation temperatures calculated by the ANN exhibit a very good compliance compared to the experimental data. The results show that the prediction performance is even higher compared to classical empirical equations such as Andrews or Brandis. Therefore, it can be assumed that the presented ANN is a convenient tool to distinguish between bcc and fcc phases in hypoeutectoid steels. (paper)

Prediction of Austenite Formation Temperatures Using Artificial Neural Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Schulze, P.; Schmidl, E.; Grund, T.; Lampke, T.

2016-03-01

For the modeling and design of heat treatments, in consideration of the development/ transformation of the microstructure, different material data depending on the chemical composition, the respective microstructure/phases and the temperature are necessary. Material data are, e.g. the thermal conductivity, heat capacity, thermal expansion and transformation data etc. The quality of thermal simulations strongly depends on the accuracy of the material data. For many materials, the required data - in particular for different microstructures and temperatures - are rare in the literature. In addition, a different chemical composition within the permitted limits of the considered steel alloy cannot be predicted. A solution for this problem is provided by the calculation of material data using Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). In the present study, the start and finish temperatures of the transformation from the bcc lattice to the fcc lattice structure of hypoeutectoid steels are calculated using an Artificial Neural Network. An appropriate database containing different transformation temperatures (austenite formation temperatures) to train the ANN is selected from the literature. In order to find a suitable feedforward network, the network topologies as well as the activation functions of the hidden layers are varied and subsequently evaluated in terms of the prediction accuracy. The transformation temperatures calculated by the ANN exhibit a very good compliance compared to the experimental data. The results show that the prediction performance is even higher compared to classical empirical equations such as Andrews or Brandis. Therefore, it can be assumed that the presented ANN is a convenient tool to distinguish between bcc and fcc phases in hypoeutectoid steels.

Mechanism of formation and spatial distribution of lead atoms in quartz tube atomizers

Science.gov (United States)

Johansson, M.; Baxter, D. C.; Ohlsson, K. E. A.; Frech, W.

1997-05-01

The cross-sectional and longitudinal spatial distributions of lead atoms in a quartz tube (QT) atomizers coupled to a gas chromatograph have been investigated. A uniform analyte atom distribution over the cross-section was found in a QT having an inner diameter (i.d.) of 7 mm, whereas a 10 mm i.d. QT showed an inhomogeneous distribution. These results accentuate the importance of using QTs with i.d.s below 10 mm to fulfil the prerequirement of the Beer—Lambert law to avoid bent calibration curves. The influence of the make up gas on the formation of lead atoms from alkyllead compounds has been studied, and carbon monoxide was found equally efficient in promoting free atom formation as hydrogen. This suggests that hydrogen radicals are not essential for mediating the atomization of alkyllead in QT atomizers at ˜ 1200 K. Furthermore, thermodynamic equilibrium calculations describing the investigated system were performed supporting the experimental results. Based on the presented data, a mechanism for free lead atom formation in continuously heated QT atomizers is proposed; thermal atomization occurs under thermodynamic equilibrium conditions in a reducing gas. The longitudinal atom distribution has been further investigated applying other make up gases, N 2 and He. These results show the effect of the influx of atmospheric oxygen on the free lead atom formation. Calculations of the partial pressure of oxygen in the atomizer gas phase assuming thermodynamic equilibrium have been undertaken using a convective-diffusional model.

Inositol- and folate-resistant neural tube defects in mice lacking the epithelial-specific factor Grhl-3.

Science.gov (United States)

Ting, Stephen B; Wilanowski, Tomasz; Auden, Alana; Hall, Mark; Voss, Anne K; Thomas, Tim; Parekh, Vishwas; Cunningham, John M; Jane, Stephen M

2003-12-01

The neural tube defects (NTDs) spina bifida and anencephaly are widely prevalent severe birth defects. The mouse mutant curly tail (ct/ct) has served as a model of NTDs for 50 years, even though the responsible genetic defect remained unrecognized. Here we show by gene targeting, mapping and genetic complementation studies that a mouse homolog of the Drosophila grainyhead (grh) gene, grainyhead-like-3 (Grhl3), is a compelling candidate for the gene underlying the curly tail phenotype. The NTDs in Grhl3-null mice are more severe than those in the curly tail strain, as the Grhl3 alleles in ct/ct mice are hypomorphic. Spina bifida in ct/ct mice is folate resistant, but its incidence can be markedly reduced by maternal inositol supplementation periconceptually. The NTDs in Grhl3-/- embryos are also folate resistant, but unlike those in ct/ct mice, they are resistant to inositol. These findings suggest that residual Grhl3 expression in ct/ct mice may be required for inositol rescue of folate-resistant NTDs.

Predicting diametral creep of the pressure tubes in CANDU reactors using fuzzy neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jae Yong; Na, Man Gyun; Park, Jong Ho

2011-01-01

Pressure tube (PT) creep is one of the principal aging mechanisms governing the heat transfer and hydraulic degradation of the heat transport system (HTS) in Canada deuterium uranium reactors. PT diametral creep affects the thermal hydraulic characteristics of coolant channels and the critical heat flux (CHF). CHF is a key parameter in determining the critical channel power, which is used in the trip setpoint calculations of regional overpower protection systems. This paper aims to predict PT diametral creep using the measured signals of the HTS by applying fuzzy neural networks (FNNs) according to operating conditions. The FNN model was optimized in terms of its fuzzy rules and parameters by a genetic algorithm combined with the least-squares method. Informative data that demonstrate the system's characteristic behavior were selected to train the FNN model using the subtractive clustering method. The proposed FNN model for predicting PT diametral creep was verified using the operating data of the Wolsong Unit 1 nuclear power plant in Korea. It was known that the FNN could predict the PT diametral creep accurately. Statistical and analytical uncertainty analysis methods were applied to the models and their uncertainties were evaluated using 60 sampled training and optimization data sets, as well as two fixed test data sets. (author)

Management of abnormal serum markers in the absence of aneuploidy or neural tube defects

Science.gov (United States)

Schnettler, William T.; Hacker, Michele R.; Barber, Rachel E.; Rana, Sarosh

2013-01-01

Objective Few guidelines address the management of pregnancies complicated by abnormal maternal serum analytes (MSAs) in the absence of aneuploidy or neural tube defects (NTDs). Our objective was to gather preliminary data regarding current opinions and management strategies among perinatologists in the US. Methods This survey of Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) physicians and fellows used a secure electronic web-based data capture tool. Results A total of 545 potential participants were contacted, and 136 (25%) responded. The majority were experienced academic physicians with robust practices. Nearly all (97.7%) respondents reported a belief in an association between abnormal MSAs and adverse pregnancy outcomes other than aneuploidy or NTDs. Plasma protein A (PAPP-A) and α-fetoprotein (AFP) were most often chosen as markers demonstrating a strong association with adverse outcomes. Most (86.9%) respondents acknowledged that abnormal MSAs influenced their counseling approach, and the majority (80.1%) offered additional ultrasound examinations. Nearly half started at 28 weeks and almost one-third at 32 weeks. Respondents acknowledging a relevant protocol in their hospital or practice were more likely to offer additional antenatal testing (p = 0.01). Conclusions Although most perinatologists were in agreement regarding the association of MSAs with adverse pregnancy outcomes, a lack of consensus exists regarding management strategies. PMID:22372385

Annular gap measurement between pressure tube and calandria tube by eddy current technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhole, V.M.; Rastogi, P.K.; Kulkarni, P.G.

1992-01-01

In pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR) major distinguishing feature is that there are number of identical fuel channels in the reactor core. Each channel consists of pressure tube of Zr-2.5 Nb or zircaloy-2 through which high temperature, high pressure primary coolant is passing. The pressure tube contains fuel. Surrounding the pressure tube there is low pressure, cool heavy water (moderator). The moderator is thermally separated from coolant by the tube which is nominally concentric with pressure tube called calandria tube. There are four garter springs in the annular gap between pressure tube and calandria tube. During the life of the reactor there are number of factors by which the pressure tube sags, most important factors are irradiation creep, thermal creep, fuel load etc. Because of the sag of pressure tube it can touch the calandria tube resulting in formation of cold spot. This leads to hydrogen concentration at that spot by which the material at that place becomes brittle and can lead to catastrophic failure of pressure tube. There is no useful access for measurement of annular gap either through the gas annular space or from exterior of calandria tube. So the annular gap was measured from inside surface of pressure tube which is accessible. Eddy current technique was used for finding the gap. The paper describe the details of split coil design of bobbin probe, selection of operating point on normalised impedance diagram by choosing frequency. Experimental results on full scale mock up, and actual gap measurement in reactor channel, are also given. (author). 7 figs

Amphioxus and lamprey AP-2 genes: implications for neural crest evolution and migration patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Meulemans, Daniel; Bronner-Fraser, Marianne

2002-01-01

The neural crest is a uniquely vertebrate cell type present in the most basal vertebrates, but not in cephalochordates. We have studied differences in regulation of the neural crest marker AP-2 across two evolutionary transitions: invertebrate to vertebrate, and agnathan to gnathostome. Isolation and comparison of amphioxus, lamprey and axolotl AP-2 reveals its extensive expansion in the vertebrate dorsal neural tube and pharyngeal arches, implying co-option of AP-2 genes by neural crest cells early in vertebrate evolution. Expression in non-neural ectoderm is a conserved feature in amphioxus and vertebrates, suggesting an ancient role for AP-2 genes in this tissue. There is also common expression in subsets of ventrolateral neurons in the anterior neural tube, consistent with a primitive role in brain development. Comparison of AP-2 expression in axolotl and lamprey suggests an elaboration of cranial neural crest patterning in gnathostomes. However, migration of AP-2-expressing neural crest cells medial to the pharyngeal arch mesoderm appears to be a primitive feature retained in all vertebrates. Because AP-2 has essential roles in cranial neural crest differentiation and proliferation, the co-option of AP-2 by neural crest cells in the vertebrate lineage was a potentially crucial event in vertebrate evolution.

Assessment of Blasting Performance Using Electronic Vis-à-Vis Shock Tube Detonators in Strong Garnet Biotite Sillimanite Gneiss Formations

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Suresh Kumar; Rai, Piyush

2016-04-01

This paper presents a comparative investigation of the shock tube and electronic detonating systems practised in bench blasting. The blast trials were conducted on overburden rocks of Garnet Biotite Sillimanite Gneiss formations in one of the largest metalliferous mine of India. The study revealed that the choice of detonating system was crucial in deciding the fragment size and its distribution within the blasted muck-piles. The fragment size and its distribution affected the digging rate of excavators. Also, the shape of the blasted muck-pile was found to be related to the degree of fragmentation. From the present work, it may be inferred that in electronic detonation system, timely release of explosive energy resulted in better overall blasting performance. Hence, the precision in delay time must be considered in designing blast rounds in such overburden rock formations. State-of-art image analysis, GPS based muck-pile profile plotting techniques were rigorously used in the investigation. The study revealed that a mean fragment size (K50) value for shock tube detonated blasts (0.55-0.59 m) was higher than that of electronically detonated blasts (0.43-0.45 m). The digging rate of designated shovels (34 m3) with electronically detonated blasts was consistently more than 5000 t/h, which was almost 13 % higher in comparison to shock tube detonated blasts. Furthermore, favourable muck-pile shapes were witnessed in electronically detonated blasts from the observations made on the dozer performance.

Formation of nano iridium oxide: material properties and neural cell culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, In-Seop; Whang, Chung-Nam; Lee, Young-Hee; Hwan Lee, Gun; Park, Bong-Joo; Park, Jong-Chul; Seo, Won-Seon; Cui Fuzhai

2005-01-01

Iridium film with the thickness of 30 and 60 nm were formed on both Si wafer and commercially pure (CP) Ti by electron beam evaporation. The thin iridium film showed the identical charge injection capability with the bulk Ir. However, the charge injection value of iridium film was decreased with continuous potential cycling when the deposited iridium became depleted due to the formation of oxide. The number of cycles at which the charge injection value decreased was 800 and 1600 cycles for the 30- and 60-nm-thick Ir film, respectively. FE-SEM observations on the cross section of Ir film clearly showed the thicker iridium oxide was formed with the more potential cycling. Ar ion beam etching to substrates before deposition certainly improved the adhesion strength of Ir film enough to resist to the strain induced by the larger volume occupation of iridium oxide. Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts culture on Ir and Ir oxide showed no cytotoxicity. Also, embryonic cortical neural cell culture on electrode indicated neurons adhered and survived by the formation of neurofilament

From disability to ability: comprehensive rehabilitation providing a holistic functional improvement in a child with neglected neural tube defect.

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Kriti; Siddharth, V

2017-09-25

Neural Tube defects are one of the most common congenital disorders, presenting in a paediatric rehabilitation set-up. With its wide spectrum of clinical presentation and possible complications, the condition can significantly impact an individual's functional capacity and quality of life. The condition also affects the family of the child leaving them with a lifelong impairment to cope up with. Through this 16-year-old child, we shed light on the effects of providing rehabilitation, even at a later stage and its benefits. We also get a glimpse of difficulties in availing rehabilitation services in developing countries and the need to reach out many more neglected children like him with good functional abilities. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Lack of beta1 integrins in enteric neural crest cells leads to a Hirschsprung-like phenotype

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Breau, Marie A; Pietri, Thomas; Eder, Olivier

2006-01-01

The enteric nervous system arises mainly from vagal and sacral neural crest cells that colonise the gut between 9.5 and 14 days of development in mice. Using the Cre-LoxP system, we removed beta1 integrins in the neural crest cells when they emerge from the neural tube. beta1-null enteric neural...

Failure analysis of boiler tube

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mehmood, K.; Siddiqui, A.R.

2007-01-01

Boiler tubes are energy conversion components where heat energy is used to convert water into high pressure superheated steam, which is then delivered to a turbine for electric power generation in thermal power plants or to run plant and machineries in a process or manufacturing industry. It was reported that one of the tubes of a fire-tube boiler used in a local industry had leakage after the formation of pits at the external surface of the tube. The inner side of the fire tube was working with hot flue gasses with a pressure of 10 Kg/cm/sup 2/ and temperature 225 degree C. The outside of the tube was surrounded by feed water. The purpose of this study was to determine the cause of pits developed at the external surface of the failed boiler tube sample. In the present work boiler tube samples of steel grade ASTM AI61/ASTM A192 were analyzed using metallographic analysis, chemical analysis, and mechanical testing. It was concluded that the appearance of defects on the boiler tube sample indicates cavitation type corrosion failure. Cavitation damage superficially resembled pitting, but surface appeared considerably rougher and had many closely spaced pits. (author)

Synergistic inhibition of endothelial cell proliferation, tube formation, and sprouting by cyclosporin A and itraconazole.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin A Nacev

Full Text Available Pathological angiogenesis contributes to a number of diseases including cancer and macular degeneration. Although angiogenesis inhibitors are available in the clinic, their efficacy against most cancers is modest due in part to the existence of alternative and compensatory signaling pathways. Given that angiogenesis is dependent on multiple growth factors and a broad signaling network in vivo, we sought to explore the potential of multidrug cocktails for angiogenesis inhibition. We have screened 741 clinical drug combinations for the synergistic inhibition of endothelial cell proliferation. We focused specifically on existing clinical drugs since the re-purposing of clinical drugs allows for a more rapid and cost effective transition to clinical studies when compared to new drug entities. Our screen identified cyclosporin A (CsA, an immunosuppressant, and itraconazole, an antifungal drug, as a synergistic pair of inhibitors of endothelial cell proliferation. In combination, the IC(50 dose of each drug is reduced by 3 to 9 fold. We also tested the ability of the combination to inhibit endothelial cell tube formation and sprouting, which are dependent on two essential processes in angiogenesis, endothelial cell migration and differentiation. We found that CsA and itraconazole synergistically inhibit tube network size and sprout formation. Lastly, we tested the combination on human foreskin fibroblast viability as well as Jurkat T cell and HeLa cell proliferation, and found that endothelial cells are selectively targeted. Thus, it is possible to combine existing clinical drugs to synergistically inhibit in vitro models of angiogenesis. This strategy may be useful in pursuing the next generation of antiangiogenesis therapy.

Synergistic inhibition of endothelial cell proliferation, tube formation, and sprouting by cyclosporin A and itraconazole.

Science.gov (United States)

Nacev, Benjamin A; Liu, Jun O

2011-01-01

Pathological angiogenesis contributes to a number of diseases including cancer and macular degeneration. Although angiogenesis inhibitors are available in the clinic, their efficacy against most cancers is modest due in part to the existence of alternative and compensatory signaling pathways. Given that angiogenesis is dependent on multiple growth factors and a broad signaling network in vivo, we sought to explore the potential of multidrug cocktails for angiogenesis inhibition. We have screened 741 clinical drug combinations for the synergistic inhibition of endothelial cell proliferation. We focused specifically on existing clinical drugs since the re-purposing of clinical drugs allows for a more rapid and cost effective transition to clinical studies when compared to new drug entities. Our screen identified cyclosporin A (CsA), an immunosuppressant, and itraconazole, an antifungal drug, as a synergistic pair of inhibitors of endothelial cell proliferation. In combination, the IC(50) dose of each drug is reduced by 3 to 9 fold. We also tested the ability of the combination to inhibit endothelial cell tube formation and sprouting, which are dependent on two essential processes in angiogenesis, endothelial cell migration and differentiation. We found that CsA and itraconazole synergistically inhibit tube network size and sprout formation. Lastly, we tested the combination on human foreskin fibroblast viability as well as Jurkat T cell and HeLa cell proliferation, and found that endothelial cells are selectively targeted. Thus, it is possible to combine existing clinical drugs to synergistically inhibit in vitro models of angiogenesis. This strategy may be useful in pursuing the next generation of antiangiogenesis therapy.

Hybrid Intelligent Warning System for Boiler tube Leak Trips

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Singh Deshvin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Repeated boiler tube leak trips in coal fired power plants can increase operating cost significantly. An early detection and diagnosis of boiler trips is essential for continuous safe operations in the plant. In this study two artificial intelligent monitoring systems specialized in boiler tube leak trips have been proposed. The first intelligent warning system (IWS-1 represents the use of pure artificial neural network system whereas the second intelligent warning system (IWS-2 represents merging of genetic algorithms and artificial neural networks as a hybrid intelligent system. The Extreme Learning Machine (ELM methodology was also adopted in IWS-1 and compared with traditional training algorithms. Genetic algorithm (GA was adopted in IWS-2 to optimize the ANN topology and the boiler parameters. An integrated data preparation framework was established for 3 real cases of boiler tube leak trip based on a thermal power plant in Malaysia. Both the IWSs were developed using MATLAB coding for training and validation. The hybrid IWS-2 performed better than IWS-1.The developed system was validated to be able to predict trips before the plant monitoring system. The proposed artificial intelligent system could be adopted as a reliable monitoring system of the thermal power plant boilers.

Dificultades en los métodos de estudio de exposiciones ambientales y defectos del tubo neural Methodological challenges to assess environmental exposures related to neural tube defects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Víctor Hugo Borja-Aburto

1999-11-01

susceptibilidad genética.Objective. To discuss the attitudes in the assessment of environmental exposures as risk factors associated with neural tube defects, and to present the main risk factors studied to date. Results. Environmental exposures have been suggested to have a roll in the genesis of birth defects. However, studies conducted in human populations have found difficulties in the design and conduction to show such an association for neural tube defects (anencephaly, espina bifida and encefalocele because of problems raised from: a the frequency measures used to compare time trends and communities, b the classification of heterogeneous malformations, c the inclusion of maternal, paternal and fetal factors as an integrated process and, d the assessment of environmental exposures. Conclusions. Hypothetically both maternal and paternal environmental exposures can produce damage before and after conception by direct action on the embryo and the fetus-placenta complex. Therefore, in the assessment of environmental exposures we need to take into account: a both paternal and maternal exposures; b the critical exposure period, three months before conception for paternal exposures and one month around the conceptional period for maternal exposures; c quantitatively evaluate environmental exposures when possible, avoiding a dichotomous classification; d the use of biological markers of exposure is highly recommended as well as markers of genetic susceptibility.

The YouTube reader

OpenAIRE

2009-01-01

YouTube has come to epitomize the possibilities of digital culture. With more than seventy million unique users a month and approximately eighty million videos online, this brand-name video distribution platform holds the richest repository of popular culture on the Internet. As the fastest growing site in the history of the Web, YouTube promises endless new opportunities for amateur video, political campaigning, entertainment formats, and viral marketing—a clip culture that has seemed to out...

Research on the promoting role of apelin-13 in proliferation, migration and capillary-like tube formation of RF/6A cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kun-Peng Xie

2017-05-01

Full Text Available AIM: To investigate the effects of apelin-13 on proliferation, migration and capillary-like tube formation of a monkey choroid / retinal endothelial cell line, RF/6A, to clarify whether apelin-13 could promote retinal angiogenesis in vitro.METHODS: RF/6A cells in good conditions were administrated with DMSO(the control group, apelin-13 at 0.1μmol/L(low dose groupor apelin-13 at 1μmol/L(high dose group. Cell proliferation, migration and capillary-like tube formation were detected by using the MTT assay, scratch assay and matrigel assay, respectively, at 24h after plating the cells. RESULTS: Cell proliferation was promoted in both low and high dose apelin-13 groups compared to the control cells(PPPCONCLUSION: Apelin-13 could obviously promote the angiogenesis capacity of RF/6A cells, suggesting that apelin-13 was an important pro-angiogenic factor in retinal endothelial cells.

MTHFD1 polymorphism as maternal risk for neural tube defects: a meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Jinyu; Lu, Xiaocheng; Liu, Hao; Zhao, Penglai; Li, Kai; Li, Lixin

2015-04-01

Recently, the association between methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase 1 (MTHFD1) G1958A polymorphism and neural tube defects (NTD) susceptibility has been widely investigated; however, the results remained inconclusive. Hence, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of MTHFD1 G1958A polymorphism on NTD. The relative literatures were identified by search of the electronic databases PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE. The extracted data were statistically analyzed, and pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to estimate the association strength using Stata version 11.0 software. Finally, ten studies met our inclusion criteria, including 2,132/4,082 in NTD infants and controls; 1,402/3,136 in mothers with NTD offspring and controls; and 993/2,879 in fathers with NTD offspring and controls. This meta-analysis showed that, compared with the mothers with GG genotype, the women with AA genotype had an increased risk of NTD in their offspring, with OR values and 95 % CI at 1.39 (1.16-1.68), p < 0.001. Interestingly, fathers with AG genotype had a significant decreased risk of NTD offspring (OR = 0.79, 95 % CI = 0.66-0.94, p = 0.009). However, there was no significant association between the MTHFD1 G1958A polymorphism in NTD patients and the risk of NTD. In conclusion, the present meta-analysis provided evidence of the association between maternal MTHFD1 G1958A polymorphism and NTD susceptibility.

Podocalyxin Is a Novel Polysialylated Neural Adhesion Protein with Multiple Roles in Neural Development and Synapse Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Vitureira, Nathalia; Andrés, Rosa; Pérez-Martínez, Esther; Martínez, Albert; Bribián, Ana; Blasi, Juan; Chelliah, Shierley; López-Doménech, Guillermo; De Castro, Fernando; Burgaya, Ferran; McNagny, Kelly; Soriano, Eduardo

2010-01-01

Neural development and plasticity are regulated by neural adhesion proteins, including the polysialylated form of NCAM (PSA-NCAM). Podocalyxin (PC) is a renal PSA-containing protein that has been reported to function as an anti-adhesin in kidney podocytes. Here we show that PC is widely expressed in neurons during neural development. Neural PC interacts with the ERM protein family, and with NHERF1/2 and RhoA/G. Experiments in vitro and phenotypic analyses of podxl-deficient mice indicate that PC is involved in neurite growth, branching and axonal fasciculation, and that PC loss-of-function reduces the number of synapses in the CNS and in the neuromuscular system. We also show that whereas some of the brain PC functions require PSA, others depend on PC per se. Our results show that PC, the second highly sialylated neural adhesion protein, plays multiple roles in neural development. PMID:20706633

Drinking water treatment is not associated with an observed increase in neural tube defects in mice

Science.gov (United States)

Melin, Vanessa E.; Johnstone, David W.; Etzkorn, Felicia A.

2018-01-01

Disinfection by-products (DBPs) arise when natural organic matter in source water reacts with disinfectants used in the water treatment process. Studies have suggested an association between DBPs and birth defects. Neural tube defects (NTDs) in embryos of untreated control mice were first observed in-house in May 2006 and have continued to date. The source of the NTD-inducing agent was previously determined to be a component of drinking water. Tap water samples from a variety of sources were analyzed for trihalomethanes (THMs) to determine if they were causing the malformations. NTDs were observed in CD-1 mice provided with treated and untreated surface water. Occurrence of NTDs varied by water source and treatment regimens. THMs were detected in tap water derived from surface water but not detected in tap water derived from a groundwater source. THMs were absent in untreated river water and laboratory purified waters, yet the percentage of NTDs in untreated river water were similar to the treated water counterpart. These findings indicate that THMs were not the primary cause of NTDs in the mice since the occurrence of NTDs was unrelated to drinking water disinfection. PMID:24497082

YouTube as research tool–Three approaches

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Konijn, E.A.; Veldhuis, J.; Plaisier, X.S.

2013-01-01

The present paper provides empirical data to support the use of social media as research environment. YouTube was chosen as a most appropriate format to target adolescents in experimental and cross-sectional designs given its popularity as well as its plasticity. We uniquely applied the YouTube

Do neural tube defects lead to structural alterations in the human bladder?

Science.gov (United States)

Pazos, Helena M F; Lobo, Márcio Luiz de P; Costa, Waldemar S; Sampaio, Francisco J B; Cardoso, Luis Eduardo M; Favorito, Luciano Alves

2011-05-01

Anencephaly is the most severe neural tube defect in human fetuses. The objective of this paper is to analyze the structure of the bladder in anencephalic human fetuses. We studied 40 bladders of normal human fetuses (20 male and 20 female, aged 14 to 23 WPC) and 12 bladders of anencephalic fetuses (5 male and 7 female, aged 18 to 22 WPC). The bladders were removed and processed by routine histological techniques. Stereological analysis of collagen, elastic system fibers and smooth muscle was performed in sections. Data were expressed as volumetric density (Vv-%). The images were captured with Olympus BX51 microscopy and Olympus DP70 camera. The stereological analysis was done using the software Image Pro and Image J. For biochemical analysis, samples were fixed in acetone, and collagen concentrations were expressed as micrograms of hydroxyproline per mg of dry tissue. Means were statistically compared using the unpaired t-test (p<0.05). We observed a significant increase (p<0.0001) in the Vv of collagen in the bladders of anencephalic fetuses (69.71%) when compared to normal fetuses (52.74%), and a significant decrease (p<0.0001) in the Vv of smooth muscle cells in the bladders of anencephalic fetuses (23.96%) when compared to normal fetuses (38.35%). The biochemical analyses showed a higher concentration of total collagen in the bladders of anencephalic fetuses (37354 µg/mg) when compared to normal fetuses (48117 µg/mg, p<0.02). The structural alterations of the bladder found in this study may suggest the existence of functional alterations in the bladder of anencephalic human fetuses.

The postischemic environment differentially impacts teratoma or tumor formation after transplantation of human embryonic stem cell-derived neural progenitors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Seminatore, Christine; Polentes, Jerome; Ellman, Ditte

2010-01-01

Risk of tumorigenesis is a major obstacle to human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cell therapy. Likely linked to the stage of differentiation of the cells at the time of implantation, formation of teratoma/tumors can also be influenced by factors released by the host tissue. We have...... analyzed the relative effects of the stage of differentiation and the postischemic environment on the formation of adverse structures by transplanted human embryonic stem cell-derived neural progenitors....

Dynamics of explosively imploded pressurized tubes

Science.gov (United States)

Szirti, Daniel; Loiseau, Jason; Higgins, Andrew; Tanguay, Vincent

2011-04-01

The detonation of an explosive layer surrounding a pressurized thin-walled tube causes the formation of a virtual piston that drives a precursor shock wave ahead of the detonation, generating very high temperatures and pressures in the gas contained within the tube. Such a device can be used as the driver for a high energy density shock tube or hypervelocity gas gun. The dynamics of the precursor shock wave were investigated for different tube sizes and initial fill pressures. Shock velocity and standoff distance were found to decrease with increasing fill pressure, mainly due to radial expansion of the tube. Adding a tamper can reduce this effect, but may increase jetting. A simple analytical model based on acoustic wave interactions was developed to calculate pump tube expansion and the resulting effect on the shock velocity and standoff distance. Results from this model agree quite well with experimental data.

Sonic Hedgehog promotes the survival of neural crest cells by limiting apoptosis induced by the dependence receptor CDON during branchial arch development.

Science.gov (United States)

Delloye-Bourgeois, Céline; Rama, Nicolas; Brito, José; Le Douarin, Nicole; Mehlen, Patrick

2014-09-26

Cell-adhesion molecule-related/Downregulated by Oncogenes (CDO or CDON) was identified as a receptor for the classic morphogen Sonic Hedgehog (SHH). It has been shown that, in cell culture, CDO also behaves as a SHH dependence receptor: CDO actively triggers apoptosis in absence of SHH via a proteolytic cleavage in CDO intracellular domain. We present evidence that CDO is also pro-apoptotic in the developing neural tube where SHH is known to act as a survival factor. SHH, produced by the ventral foregut endoderm, was shown to promote survival of facial neural crest cells (NCCs) that colonize the first branchial arch (BA1). We show here that the survival activity of SHH on neural crest cells is due to SHH-mediated inhibition of CDO pro-apoptotic activity. Silencing of CDO rescued NCCs from apoptosis observed upon SHH inhibition in the ventral foregut endoderm. Thus, the pair SHH/dependence receptor CDO may play an important role in neural crest cell survival during the formation of the first branchial arch. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reversible and irreversible wrinkling in tube hydroforming process

Science.gov (United States)

El-Aty, Ali Abd; Ahmed, Tauseef; Farooq, Ahmed

2017-07-01

The aim of this research is to analyzeandoptimize the hydroforming process parameters in order to achieve a sound bulged tube without failure. Theoretical constitutive model is formulated to develop a working diagram including process window, which represents the optimize region to carry out the hydroforming process and predict the type of tube failure during the process accurately. The model is applied into different bulging ratios for low carbon steel (C1010). From this study, it is concluded that the tubes with bulging ratios up to 50% and 70% are successfully formed without defects. The tubes with bulging ratio of 90% are successfully formed by hydroforming with optimized the loading path (axial feed versus internal pressure) within the process window. The working diagram is modified due to different types of formation of wrinkling during the hydroforming process. The formation of wrinkles with increasing axial feed can be useful in terms of the achievement of higher bulging ratio and/or less thinning and this type of wrinkles can be overcome through the internal pressure in the later stage of the hydroforming process. On the other hand, the formation of wrinkles may be harmful, if it cannot be reversed.

Physics of magnetic flux tubes

CERN Document Server

Ryutova, Margarita

2015-01-01

This book is the first account of the physics of magnetic flux tubes from their fundamental properties to collective phenomena in an ensembles of flux tubes. The physics of magnetic flux tubes is absolutely vital for understanding fundamental physical processes in the solar atmosphere shaped and governed by magnetic fields. High-resolution and high cadence observations from recent space and  ground-based instruments taken simultaneously at different heights and temperatures not only show the ubiquity of filamentary structure formation but also allow to study how various events are interconnected by system of magnetic flux tubes. The book covers both theory and observations. Theoretical models presented in analytical and phenomenological forms are tailored for practical applications. These are welded with state-of-the-art observations from early decisive ones to the most recent data that open a new phase-space for exploring the Sun and sun-like stars. Concept of magnetic flux tubes is central to various magn...

Zinc-chelation contributes to the anti-angiogenic effect of ellagic acid on inhibiting MMP-2 activity, cell migration and tube formation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheng-Teng Huang

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Ellagic acid (EA, a dietary polyphenolic compound, has been demonstrated to exert anti-angiogenic effect but the detailed mechanism is not yet fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the zinc chelating activity of EA contributed to its anti-angiogenic effect. METHODS AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The matrix metalloproteinases-2 (MMP-2 activity, a zinc-required reaction, was directly inhibited by EA as examined by gelatin zymography, which was reversed dose-dependently by adding zinc chloride. In addition, EA was demonstrated to inhibit the secretion of MMP-2 from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs as analyzed by Western blot method, which was also reversed by the addition of zinc chloride. Reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK, known to down-regulate the MMP-2 activity, was induced by EA at both the mRNA and protein levels which was correlated well with the inhibition of MMP-2 activity. Interestingly, zinc chloride could also abolish the increase of EA-induced RECK expression. The anti-angiogenic effect of EA was further confirmed to inhibit matrix-induced tube formation of endothelial cells. The migration of endothelial cells as analyzed by transwell filter assay was suppressed markedly by EA dose-dependently as well. Zinc chloride could reverse these two effects of EA also in a dose-dependent manner. Since magnesium chloride or calcium chloride could not reverse the inhibitory effect of EA, zinc was found to be involved in tube formation and migration of vascular endothelial cells. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Together these results demonstrated that the zinc chelation of EA is involved in its anti-angiogenic effects by inhibiting MMP-2 activity, tube formation and cell migration of vascular endothelial cells. The role of zinc was confirmed to be important in the process of angiogenesis.

Joint OSNR monitoring and modulation format identification in digital coherent receivers using deep neural networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Faisal Nadeem; Zhong, Kangping; Zhou, Xian; Al-Arashi, Waled Hussein; Yu, Changyuan; Lu, Chao; Lau, Alan Pak Tao

2017-07-24

We experimentally demonstrate the use of deep neural networks (DNNs) in combination with signals' amplitude histograms (AHs) for simultaneous optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) monitoring and modulation format identification (MFI) in digital coherent receivers. The proposed technique automatically extracts OSNR and modulation format dependent features of AHs, obtained after constant modulus algorithm (CMA) equalization, and exploits them for the joint estimation of these parameters. Experimental results for 112 Gbps polarization-multiplexed (PM) quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK), 112 Gbps PM 16 quadrature amplitude modulation (16-QAM), and 240 Gbps PM 64-QAM signals demonstrate OSNR monitoring with mean estimation errors of 1.2 dB, 0.4 dB, and 1 dB, respectively. Similarly, the results for MFI show 100% identification accuracy for all three modulation formats. The proposed technique applies deep machine learning algorithms inside standard digital coherent receiver and does not require any additional hardware. Therefore, it is attractive for cost-effective multi-parameter estimation in next-generation elastic optical networks (EONs).

Risk factors for neural tube defects in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia: Case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Salih, Mustafa A M; Murshid, Waleed R; Mohamed, Ashry Gad; Ignacio, Lena C; de Jesus, Julie E; Baabbad, Rubana; El Bushra, Hassan M

2014-01-01

Both genetic and non-genetic environmental factors are involved in the etiology of neural tube defects (NTD) which affect 0.5-2/1000 pregnancies worldwide. This study aimed to explore the risk factors for the development of NTD in Saudi population, and highlight identifiable and preventable causes. Similar studies are scarce in similar populations ofthe Arabian Peninsula and North Africa. This is an unmatched concurrent case-control study including NTD cases born at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh during a 4-year period (2002-2006). The case-control study included 25 cases and 125 controls (case: control ratio of 1:5). Years of formal education, employment, household environment (including availability of air conditioning) and rate of parental consanguinity did not differ between mothers of cases and controls. Significantly higher proportion of mothers of cases had history of stillbirth compared to control mothers (16% vs 4.1%, P=0.02). Also family history of hydrocephalus and congenital anomalies were more prevalent in cases than controls (P values=0.0000 and 0.003, respectively). There was significant protective effect of periconceptional folic acid consumption both prior to conception (OR 0.02, 95% CI 0.00-0.07) and during the first 6 weeks of conception (OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.04-0.39). Further research, including a larger cohort, is required to enable ascertainment of gene-nutrient and gene environment interactions associated with NTD in Saudi Arabia.

Eddy Current Signature Classification of Steam Generator Tube Defects Using A Learning Vector Quantization Neural Network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia, Gabe V.

2005-01-01

A major cause of failure in nuclear steam generators is degradation of their tubes. Although seven primary defect categories exist, one of the principal causes of tube failure is intergranular attack/stress corrosion cracking (IGA/SCC). This type of defect usually begins on the secondary side surface of the tubes and propagates both inwards and laterally. In many cases this defect is found at or near the tube support plates

Level of processing modulates the neural correlates of emotional memory formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ritchey, Maureen; LaBar, Kevin S; Cabeza, Roberto

2011-04-01

Emotion is known to influence multiple aspects of memory formation, including the initial encoding of the memory trace and its consolidation over time. However, the neural mechanisms whereby emotion impacts memory encoding remain largely unexplored. The present study used a levels-of-processing manipulation to characterize the impact of emotion on encoding with and without the influence of elaborative processes. Participants viewed emotionally negative, neutral, and positive scenes under two conditions: a shallow condition focused on the perceptual features of the scenes and a deep condition that queried their semantic meaning. Recognition memory was tested 2 days later. Results showed that emotional memory enhancements were greatest in the shallow condition. fMRI analyses revealed that the right amygdala predicted subsequent emotional memory in the shallow more than deep condition, whereas the right ventrolateral PFC demonstrated the reverse pattern. Furthermore, the association of these regions with the hippocampus was modulated by valence: the amygdala-hippocampal link was strongest for negative stimuli, whereas the prefrontal-hippocampal link was strongest for positive stimuli. Taken together, these results suggest two distinct activation patterns underlying emotional memory formation: an amygdala component that promotes memory during shallow encoding, especially for negative information, and a prefrontal component that provides extra benefits during deep encoding, especially for positive information.

Level of processing modulates the neural correlates of emotional memory formation

Science.gov (United States)

Ritchey, Maureen; LaBar, Kevin S.; Cabeza, Roberto

2010-01-01

Emotion is known to influence multiple aspects of memory formation, including the initial encoding of the memory trace and its consolidation over time. However, the neural mechanisms whereby emotion impacts memory encoding remain largely unexplored. The present study employed a levels-of-processing manipulation to characterize the impact of emotion on encoding with and without the influence of elaborative processes. Participants viewed emotionally negative, neutral, and positive scenes under two conditions: a shallow condition focused on the perceptual features of the scenes and a deep condition that queried their semantic meaning. Recognition memory was tested 2 days later. Results showed that emotional memory enhancements were greatest in the shallow condition. FMRI analyses revealed that the right amygdala predicted subsequent emotional memory in the shallow more than deep condition, whereas the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex demonstrated the reverse pattern. Furthermore, the association of these regions with the hippocampus was modulated by valence: the amygdala-hippocampal link was strongest for negative stimuli, whereas the prefrontal-hippocampal link was strongest for positive stimuli. Taken together, these results suggest two distinct activation patterns underlying emotional memory formation: an amygdala component that promotes memory during shallow encoding, especially for negative information, and a prefrontal component that provides extra benefits during deep encoding, especially for positive information. PMID:20350176

Calcium signaling mediates five types of cell morphological changes to form neural rosettes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hříbková, Hana; Grabiec, Marta; Klemová, Dobromila; Slaninová, Iva; Sun, Yuh-Man

2018-02-12

Neural rosette formation is a critical morphogenetic process during neural development, whereby neural stem cells are enclosed in rosette niches to equipoise proliferation and differentiation. How neural rosettes form and provide a regulatory micro-environment remains to be elucidated. We employed the human embryonic stem cell-based neural rosette system to investigate the structural development and function of neural rosettes. Our study shows that neural rosette formation consists of five types of morphological change: intercalation, constriction, polarization, elongation and lumen formation. Ca 2+ signaling plays a pivotal role in the five steps by regulating the actions of the cytoskeletal complexes, actin, myosin II and tubulin during intercalation, constriction and elongation. These, in turn, control the polarizing elements, ZO-1, PARD3 and β-catenin during polarization and lumen production for neural rosette formation. We further demonstrate that the dismantlement of neural rosettes, mediated by the destruction of cytoskeletal elements, promotes neurogenesis and astrogenesis prematurely, indicating that an intact rosette structure is essential for orderly neural development. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Folate status in women of reproductive age as basis of neural tube defect risk assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Bailey, Lynn B; Hausman, Dorothy B

2018-02-01

Reliable folate status data for women of reproductive age (WRA) to assess global risk for neural tube defects (NTDs) are needed. We focus on a recent recommendation by the World Health Organization that a specific "optimal" red blood cell (RBC) folate concentration be used as the sole indicator of NTD risk within a population and discuss how to best apply this guidance to reach the goal of assessing NTD risk globally. We also emphasize the importance of using the microbiologic assay (MBA) as the most reliable assay for obtaining comparable results for RBC folate concentration across time and countries, the need for harmonization of the MBA through use of consistent key reagents and procedures within laboratories, and the requirement to apply assay-matched cutoffs for folate deficiency and insufficiency. To estimate NTD risk globally, the ideal scenario would be to have country-specific population-based surveys of RBC folate in WRA determined utilizing a harmonized MBA, as was done in recent studies in Guatemala and Belize. We conclude with guidance on next steps to best navigate the road map toward the goal of generating reliable folate status data on which to assess NTD risk in WRA in low- and middle-income countries. © 2017 The Authors. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of New York Academy of Sciences.

Myo-inositol soft gel capsules may prevent the risk of coffee-induced neural tube defects.

Science.gov (United States)

De Grazia, Sara; Carlomagno, Gianfranco; Unfer, Vittorio; Cavalli, Pietro

2012-09-01

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are classified as folate sensitive (about 70%) and folate resistant (about 30%); although folic acid is able to prevent the former, several data have shown that inositol may prevent the latter. It has recently been proposed that coffee intake might represent a risk factor for NTD, likely by interfering with the inositol signaling. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that, beside affecting the inositol signaling pathway, coffee also interferes with inositol absorption. In order to evaluate coffee possible negative effects on inositol gastrointestinal absorption, a single-dose bioavailability trial was conducted. Pharmacokinetics (PK) parameters of myo-inositol (MI) powder and MI soft gelatin capsules swallowed with water and with a single 'espresso' were compared. PK profiles were obtained by analysis of MI plasma concentration, and the respective MI bioavailability was compared. Myo-inositol powder administration was negatively affected by coffee intake, thus suggesting an additional explanation to the interference between inositol deficiency and coffee consumption. On the contrary, the concomitant single 'espresso' consumption did not affect MI absorption following MI soft gelatin capsules administration. Furthermore, it was observed that MI soft gelatin capsule administration resulted in improved bioavailability compared to the MI powder form. Myo-inositol soft gelatin capsules should be considered for the preventive treatment of NTDs in folate-resistant subjects due to their higher bioavailability and to the capability to reduce espresso interference.

Levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Maternal Serum and Risk of Neural Tube Defects in Offspring

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants, and have been reported to be a risk factor for human neural tube defects (NTDs). We investigated the relationship between PAH concentrations in maternal serum and NTD risk in offspring using a case-control study design, and explored the link between PAH concentrations to household energy usage characteristics and life styles. One hundred and seventeen women who had NTD-affected pregnancies (cases) and 121 women who delivered healthy infants (controls) were recruited in Northern China. Maternal blood samples were collected at pregnancy termination or at delivery. Twenty-seven PAHs were measured by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The concentrations of 13 individual PAHs detected were significantly higher in the cases than in the controls. Clear dose–response relationships between concentrations of most individual PAHs and the risk of total NTDs or subtypes were observed, even when potential covariates were adjusted for. High-molecular-weight PAHs (H-PAHs) showed higher risk than low-molecular-weight PAHs (L-PAHs). No associations between PAH concentrations and indoor life styles and energy usage characteristics were observed. It was concluded that maternal exposure to PAHs was associated with an increased risk of NTDs, and H-PAHs overall posed a higher risk for NTDs than L-PAHs. PMID:25488567

Recycling signals in the neural crest

OpenAIRE

Taneyhill, Lisa A.; Bronner-Fraser, Marianne E.

2006-01-01

Vertebrate neural crest cells are multipotent and differentiate into structures that include cartilage and the bones of the face, as well as much of the peripheral nervous system. Understanding how different model vertebrates utilize signaling pathways reiteratively during various stages of neural crest formation and differentiation lends insight into human disorders associated with the neural crest.

Recycling signals in the neural crest.

Science.gov (United States)

Taneyhill, Lisa A; Bronner-Fraser, Marianne

2005-01-01

Vertebrate neural crest cells are multipotent and differentiate into structures that include cartilage and the bones of the face, as well as much of the peripheral nervous system. Understanding how different model vertebrates utilize signaling pathways reiteratively during various stages of neural crest formation and differentiation lends insight into human disorders associated with the neural crest.

Synaptic inputs compete during rapid formation of the calyx of Held: a new model system for neural development.

Science.gov (United States)

Holcomb, Paul S; Hoffpauir, Brian K; Hoyson, Mitchell C; Jackson, Dakota R; Deerinck, Thomas J; Marrs, Glenn S; Dehoff, Marlin; Wu, Jonathan; Ellisman, Mark H; Spirou, George A

2013-08-07

Hallmark features of neural circuit development include early exuberant innervation followed by competition and pruning to mature innervation topography. Several neural systems, including the neuromuscular junction and climbing fiber innervation of Purkinje cells, are models to study neural development in part because they establish a recognizable endpoint of monoinnervation of their targets and because the presynaptic terminals are large and easily monitored. We demonstrate here that calyx of Held (CH) innervation of its target, which forms a key element of auditory brainstem binaural circuitry, exhibits all of these characteristics. To investigate CH development, we made the first application of serial block-face scanning electron microscopy to neural development with fine temporal resolution and thereby accomplished the first time series for 3D ultrastructural analysis of neural circuit formation. This approach revealed a growth spurt of added apposed surface area (ASA)>200 μm2/d centered on a single age at postnatal day 3 in mice and an initial rapid phase of growth and competition that resolved to monoinnervation in two-thirds of cells within 3 d. This rapid growth occurred in parallel with an increase in action potential threshold, which may mediate selection of the strongest input as the winning competitor. ASAs of competing inputs were segregated on the cell body surface. These data suggest mechanisms to select "winning" inputs by regional reinforcement of postsynaptic membrane to mediate size and strength of competing synaptic inputs.

Hard sludge formation in modern steam generators of nuclear power plants. Formation, risks and mitigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strohmer, F.

2014-01-01

In recent years modern steam generators with triangular pitch tube bundle geometry have experienced damage caused by hard sludge formation on top of the tube sheet and denting. The effect can lead to a limitation of the modern steam generators’ lifetime. The current publication shows reasons for the generation of hard sludge formation. Moreover, it describes the risk arising from hard sludge formation for the concerned steam generators and the mitigation of the problem. The main factors contributing to the formation of hard sludge are: the amount of corrosion product ingress into the steam generators, hard sludge formation favouring impurities and, skipped maintenance applications during outages. The main damaging mechanism of denting that can arise under certain secondary side conditions from hard sludge is explained. For steam generator tube denting, aggressive, oxidizing conditions have to be established in crevices beneath the hard sludge piles. Severely dented tubes are sensitive toward outer diameter stress corrosion cracking (ODSCC). The denting and ODSCC mechanism is explained. In addition, a proactive long-term maintenance strategy to avoid the formation of hard sludge piles will be shown. The strategy is based on a reduction of the corrosion product ingress into the steam generator's secondary side, and on the regular removal of deposits from the tube sheet and from the entire upper bundle area by latest mechanical cleaning methods. For hard deposits - formed either by silicates or long term hardened corrosion products, which, in the past, could not be removed by chemical or mechanical means - a new, simple, mechanical cleaning method is presented. This method can be used during the normal time frame of an outage and allows the restart of the unit with clean steam generator tube sheets. This mitigates the tendency to form hard sludge and denting in the long term. (author)

(GAGs) in normal and ethanol-induced chick embryo during neural

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Administrator

2011-09-14

Sep 14, 2011 ... Alcohol as a teratogenic agent inhibits cell growth, function, proliferation and migration by affecting .... formed along the right and left side of the neural tube .... of neurons by harming the developing brain and also can.

Preliminary research on eddy current bobbin quantitative test for heat exchange tube in nuclear power plant

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Pan; Shao, Wenbin; Liao, Shusheng

2016-02-01

For quantitative defects detection research on heat transfer tube in nuclear power plants (NPP), two parts of work are carried out based on the crack as the main research objects. (1) Production optimization of calibration tube. Firstly, ASME, RSEM and homemade crack calibration tubes are applied to quantitatively analyze the defects depth on other designed crack test tubes, and then the judgment with quantitative results under crack calibration tube with more accuracy is given. Base on that, weight analysis of influence factors for crack depth quantitative test such as crack orientation, length, volume and so on can be undertaken, which will optimize manufacture technology of calibration tubes. (2) Quantitative optimization of crack depth. Neural network model with multi-calibration curve adopted to optimize natural crack test depth generated in in-service tubes shows preliminary ability to improve quantitative accuracy.

Inductive differentiation of two neural lineages reconstituted in a microculture system from Xenopus early gastrula cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitani, S; Okamoto, H

1991-05-01

Neural induction of ectoderm cells has been reconstituted and examined in a microculture system derived from dissociated early gastrula cells of Xenopus laevis. We have used monoclonal antibodies as specific markers to monitor cellular differentiation from three distinct ectoderm lineages in culture (N1 for CNS neurons from neural tube, Me1 for melanophores from neural crest and E3 for skin epidermal cells from epidermal lineages). CNS neurons and melanophores differentiate when deep layer cells of the ventral ectoderm (VE, prospective epidermis region; 150 cells/culture) and an appropriate region of the marginal zone (MZ, prospective mesoderm region; 5-150 cells/culture) are co-cultured, but not in cultures of either cell type on their own; VE cells cultured alone yield epidermal cells as we have previously reported. The extent of inductive neural differentiation in the co-culture system strongly depends on the origin and number of MZ cells initially added to culture wells. The potency to induce CNS neurons is highest for dorsal MZ cells and sharply decreases as more ventrally located cells are used. The same dorsoventral distribution of potency is seen in the ability of MZ cells to inhibit epidermal differentiation. In contrast, the ability of MZ cells to induce melanophores shows the reverse polarity, ventral to dorsal. These data indicate that separate developmental mechanisms are used for the induction of neural tube and neural crest lineages. Co-differentiation of CNS neurons or melanophores with epidermal cells can be obtained in a single well of co-cultures of VE cells (150) and a wide range of numbers of MZ cells (5 to 100). Further, reproducible differentiation of both neural lineages requires intimate association between cells from the two gastrula regions; virtually no differentiation is obtained when cells from the VE and MZ are separated in a culture well. These results indicate that the inducing signals from MZ cells for both neural tube and neural

Primary prevention of neural-tube defects and some other congenital abnormalities by folic acid and multivitamins: history, missed opportunity and tasks

Science.gov (United States)

Bártfai, Zoltán; Bánhidy, Ferenc

2011-01-01

The history of intervention trials of periconception folic acid with multivitamin and folic acid supplementation in women has shown a recent breakthrough in the primary prevention of structural birth defects, namely neural-tube defects and some other congenital abnormalities. Recently, some studies have demonstrated the efficacy of this new method in reducing congenital abnormalities with specific origin; for example, in the offspring of diabetic and epileptic mothers, and in pregnancy with high fever. The benefits and drawbacks of four possible uses of periconception folate/folic acid and multivitamin supplementation are discussed: we believe there has been a missed opportunity to implement this preventive approach in medical practice. The four methods are as follows: (i) dietary intake of folate and other vitamins, (ii) periconception folic acid/multivitamin supplementation, (iii) food fortification with folic acid, and (iv) the combination of oral contraceptives with 6S-5-methytetrahydrofolate (‘folate’). PMID:25083211

Calculation of the Pitot tube correction factor for Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids.

Science.gov (United States)

Etemad, S Gh; Thibault, J; Hashemabadi, S H

2003-10-01

This paper presents the numerical investigation performed to calculate the correction factor for Pitot tubes. The purely viscous non-Newtonian fluids with the power-law model constitutive equation were considered. It was shown that the power-law index, the Reynolds number, and the distance between the impact and static tubes have a major influence on the Pitot tube correction factor. The problem was solved for a wide range of these parameters. It was shown that employing Bernoulli's equation could lead to large errors, which depend on the magnitude of the kinetic energy and energy friction loss terms. A neural network model was used to correlate the correction factor of a Pitot tube as a function of these three parameters. This correlation is valid for most Newtonian, pseudoplastic, and dilatant fluids at low Reynolds number.

Artificial-neural-network-based failure detection and isolation

Science.gov (United States)

Sadok, Mokhtar; Gharsalli, Imed; Alouani, Ali T.

1998-03-01

This paper presents the design of a systematic failure detection and isolation system that uses the concept of failure sensitive variables (FSV) and artificial neural networks (ANN). The proposed approach was applied to tube leak detection in a utility boiler system. Results of the experimental testing are presented in the paper.

Neural Progenitors Adopt Specific Identities by Directly Repressing All Alternative Progenitor Transcriptional Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Kutejova, Eva; Sasai, Noriaki; Shah, Ankita; Gouti, Mina; Briscoe, James

2016-03-21

In the vertebrate neural tube, a morphogen-induced transcriptional network produces multiple molecularly distinct progenitor domains, each generating different neuronal subtypes. Using an in vitro differentiation system, we defined gene expression signatures of distinct progenitor populations and identified direct gene-regulatory inputs corresponding to locations of specific transcription factor binding. Combined with targeted perturbations of the network, this revealed a mechanism in which a progenitor identity is installed by active repression of the entire transcriptional programs of other neural progenitor fates. In the ventral neural tube, sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling, together with broadly expressed transcriptional activators, concurrently activates the gene expression programs of several domains. The specific outcome is selected by repressive input provided by Shh-induced transcription factors that act as the key nodes in the network, enabling progenitors to adopt a single definitive identity from several initially permitted options. Together, the data suggest design principles relevant to many developing tissues. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High-intensity focused ultrasound ablation around the tubing.

Science.gov (United States)

Siu, Jun Yang; Liu, Chenhui; Zhou, Yufeng

2017-01-01

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has been emerging as an effective and noninvasive modality in cancer treatment with very promising clinical results. However, a small vessel in the focal region could be ruptured, which is an important concern for the safety of HIFU ablation. In this study, lesion formation in the polyacrylamide gel phantom embedded with different tubing (inner diameters of 0.76 mm and 3 mm) at varied flow speeds (17-339 cm/s) by HIFU ablation was photographically recorded. Produced lesions have decreased length (~30%) but slightly increased width (~6%) in comparison to that without the embedded tubing. Meanwhile, bubble activities during the exposures were measured by passive cavitation detection (PCD) at the varied pulse repetition frequency (PRF, 10-30 Hz) and duty cycle (DC, 10%-20%) of the HIFU bursts. High DC and low flow speed were found to produce stronger bubble cavitation whereas no significant influence of the PRF. In addition, high-speed photography illustrated that the rupture of tubing was produced consistently after the first HIFU burst within 20 ms and then multiple bubbles would penetrate into the intraluminal space of tubing through the rupture site by the acoustic radiation force. Alignment of HIFU focus to the anterior surface, middle, and posterior surface of tubing led to different characteristics of vessel rupture and bubble introduction. In summary, HIFU-induced vessel rupture is possible as shown in this phantom study; produced lesion sizes and shapes are dependent on the focus alignment to the tubing, flow speed, and tubing properties; and bubble cavitation and the formation liquid jet may be one of the major mechanisms of tubing rupture as shown in the high-speed photography.

Trade-off between multiple constraints enables simultaneous formation of modules and hubs in neural systems.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuhan Chen

Full Text Available The formation of the complex network architecture of neural systems is subject to multiple structural and functional constraints. Two obvious but apparently contradictory constraints are low wiring cost and high processing efficiency, characterized by short overall wiring length and a small average number of processing steps, respectively. Growing evidence shows that neural networks are results from a trade-off between physical cost and functional value of the topology. However, the relationship between these competing constraints and complex topology is not well understood quantitatively. We explored this relationship systematically by reconstructing two known neural networks, Macaque cortical connectivity and C. elegans neuronal connections, from combinatory optimization of wiring cost and processing efficiency constraints, using a control parameter α, and comparing the reconstructed networks to the real networks. We found that in both neural systems, the reconstructed networks derived from the two constraints can reveal some important relations between the spatial layout of nodes and the topological connectivity, and match several properties of the real networks. The reconstructed and real networks had a similar modular organization in a broad range of α, resulting from spatial clustering of network nodes. Hubs emerged due to the competition of the two constraints, and their positions were close to, and partly coincided, with the real hubs in a range of α values. The degree of nodes was correlated with the density of nodes in their spatial neighborhood in both reconstructed and real networks. Generally, the rebuilt network matched a significant portion of real links, especially short-distant ones. These findings provide clear evidence to support the hypothesis of trade-off between multiple constraints on brain networks. The two constraints of wiring cost and processing efficiency, however, cannot explain all salient features in the real

Gastrostomy Tube (G-Tube)

Science.gov (United States)

... any of these problems: a dislodged tube a blocked or clogged tube any signs of infection (including redness, swelling, or warmth at the tube site; discharge that's yellow, green, or foul-smelling; fever) excessive bleeding or drainage from the tube site severe abdominal pain lasting ...

Early tube leak detection system for steam boiler at KEV power plant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ismail Firas B.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Tube leakage in boilers has been a major contribution to trips which eventually leads to power plant shut downs. Training of network and developing artificial neural network (ANN models are essential in fault detection in critically large systems. This research focusses on the ANN modelling through training and validation of real data acquired from a sub-critical boiler unit. The artificial neural network (ANN was used to develop a compatible model and to evaluate the working properties and behaviour of boiler. The training and validation of real data has been applied using the feed-forward with back-propagation (BP. The right combination of number of neurons, number of hidden layers, training algorithms and training functions was run to achieve the best ANN model with lowest error. The ANN was trained and validated using real site data acquired from a coal fired power plant in Malaysia. The results showed that the Neural Network (NN with one hidden layers performed better than two hidden layer using feed-forward back-propagation network. The outcome from this study give us the best ANN model which eventually allows for early detection of boiler tube leakages, and forecast of a trip before the real shutdown. This will eventually reduce shutdowns in power plants.

Autonomy in action: linking the act of looking to memory formation in infancy via dynamic neural fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Perone, Sammy; Spencer, John P

2013-01-01

Looking is a fundamental exploratory behavior by which infants acquire knowledge about the world. In theories of infant habituation, however, looking as an exploratory behavior has been deemphasized relative to the reliable nature with which looking indexes active cognitive processing. We present a new theory that connects looking to the dynamics of memory formation and formally implement this theory in a Dynamic Neural Field model that learns autonomously as it actively looks and looks away from a stimulus. We situate this model in a habituation task and illustrate the mechanisms by which looking, encoding, working memory formation, and long-term memory formation give rise to habituation across multiple stimulus and task contexts. We also illustrate how the act of looking and the temporal dynamics of learning affect each other. Finally, we test a new hypothesis about the sources of developmental differences in looking. Copyright © 2012 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Ammonium detection by formation of colored zebra-bands in a detecting tube.

Science.gov (United States)

Hori, Tatsuaki; Niki, Keizou; Kiso, Yoshiaki; Oguchi, Tatsuo; Kamimoto, Yuki; Yamada, Toshiro; Nagai, Masahiro

2010-06-15

Ammonium ion was colorized by means of a diazo coupling reaction with 2-phenylphenol, where the color development reaction was conducted within 3min by using boric acid as a catalyst. The resulting colored solution (0.5ml) was supplied by suction to a detecting tube consisting of a nonwoven fabric test strip (2mm wide, 1mm thick, 150mm long) impregnated with benzylcetyldimethylammonium chloride in a stripe pattern and enclosed in a heat-shrinkable tube. When the colored solution was supplied to the detecting tube, blue zebra-bands formed, and the ammonium concentration was determined by counting the number of zebra-bands. The detection range was 1-20mg-Nl(-1). Ammonium ion in actual domestic wastewater samples was successfully detected by means of this method.

Automatic modulation format recognition for the next generation optical communication networks using artificial neural networks

Science.gov (United States)

Guesmi, Latifa; Hraghi, Abir; Menif, Mourad

2015-03-01

A new technique for Automatic Modulation Format Recognition (AMFR) in next generation optical communication networks is presented. This technique uses the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) in conjunction with the features of Linear Optical Sampling (LOS) of the detected signal at high bit rates using direct detection or coherent detection. The use of LOS method for this purpose mainly driven by the increase of bit rates which enables the measurement of eye diagrams. The efficiency of this technique is demonstrated under different transmission impairments such as chromatic dispersion (CD) in the range of -500 to 500 ps/nm, differential group delay (DGD) in the range of 0-15 ps and the optical signal tonoise ratio (OSNR) in the range of 10-30 dB. The results of numerical simulation for various modulation formats demonstrate successful recognition from a known bit rates with a higher estimation accuracy, which exceeds 99.8%.

Maternal Antenatal Bereavement and Neural Tube Defect in Live-Born Offspring

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ingstrup, Katja Glejsted; Wu, Chun Sen; Olsen, Jørn

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Maternal emotional stress during pregnancy has previously been associated with congenital neural malformations, but most studies are based on data collected retrospectively. The objective of our study was to investigate associations between antenatal maternal bereavement due to death...

Arsenate-induced maternal glucose intolerance and neural tube defects in a mouse model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, Denise S.; Wlodarczyk, Bogdan J.; Mitchell, Laura E.; Finnell, Richard H.

2009-01-01

Background: Epidemiological studies have linked environmental arsenic (As) exposure to increased type 2 diabetes risk. Periconceptional hyperglycemia is a significant risk factor for neural tube defects (NTDs), the second most common structural birth defect. A suspected teratogen, arsenic (As) induces NTDs in laboratory animals. Objectives: We investigated whether maternal glucose homeostasis disruption was responsible for arsenate-induced NTDs in a well-established dosing regimen used in studies of arsenic's teratogenicity in early neurodevelopment. Methods: We evaluated maternal intraperitoneal (IP) exposure to As 9.6 mg/kg (as sodium arsenate) in LM/Bc/Fnn mice for teratogenicity and disruption of maternal plasma glucose and insulin levels. Selected compounds (insulin pellet, sodium selenate (SS), N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), L-methionine (L-Met), N-tert-Butyl-α-phenylnitrone (PBN)) were investigated for their potential to mitigate arsenate's effects. Results: Arsenate caused significant glucose elevation during an IP glucose tolerance test (IPGTT). Insulin levels were not different between arsenate and control dams before (arsenate, 0.55 ng/dl; control, 0.48 ng/dl) or after glucose challenge (arsenate, 1.09 ng/dl; control, 0.81 ng/dl). HOMA-IR index was higher for arsenate (3.9) vs control (2.5) dams (p = 0.0260). Arsenate caused NTDs (100%, p < 0.0001). Insulin pellet and NAC were the most successful rescue agents, reducing NTD rates to 45% and 35%. Conclusions: IPGTT, insulin assay, and HOMA-IR results suggest a modest failure of glucose stimulated insulin secretion and insulin resistance characteristic of glucose intolerance. Insulin's success in preventing arsenate-induced NTDs provides evidence that these arsenate-induced NTDs are secondary to elevated maternal glucose. The NAC rescue, which did not restore maternal glucose or insulin levels, suggests oxidative disruption plays a role.

Reduced folate carrier polymorphism (80A-->G) and neural tube defects.

Science.gov (United States)

De Marco, Patrizia; Calevo, Maria Grazia; Moroni, Anna; Merello, Elisa; Raso, Alessandro; Finnell, Richard H; Zhu, Huiping; Andreussi, Luciano; Cama, Armando; Capra, Valeria

2003-03-01

Transport of folates in mammalian cells occurs by a carrier-mediated mechanism. The human folate carrier (RFC-1) gene has been isolated and characterized. Within this gene, a common polymorphism, 80A-->G, changing a histidine to an arginine in exon 2 (H27R), was recently identified. Defects in folate metabolism, such as defective carrier molecules, could be implicated in the etiology of neural tube defects (NTDs). In the present case-control study, we recruited 174 Italian probands with nonsyndromic NTD, 43 mothers, 53 fathers and 156 control individuals and evaluated the impact of RFC-1 variant on NTD risk. A statistically significant risk was calculated for the 80GG genotype of the NTD cases (OR=2.35; 95% CI 1.21-4.58) and mothers (OR=2.74; 95% CI 0.92-8.38). On the contrary, the heterozygous genotype of the mothers and both heterozygous and homozygous genotypes of the fathers did not seem to be significant NTD risk factors. Furthemore, according to the multifactorial inheritance of NTDs, we demonstrated that the combined genotypes for MTHFR 1298A-->C and RFC-1 80A-->G polymorphisms of cases resulted in greater NTD risk than heterozygosity or homozygosity for RFC-1 80A-->G variant alone. Conversely, our data provide no evidence for an association between NTD phenotype and combined MTHFR C677T/RFC-1 A80G genotypes. Moreover, here we describe the combinations of the two MTHFR polymorphic sites (677CT and 1298AC) with RFC-1 genotypes. We found that both patients and controls could have at most quadruple-mutation combinations. Interestingly, 27% (7/26) of the mothers and 18.75% (30/160) of the cases genotyped presented four mutant alleles in comparison with 8.5% (11/129) of the controls. Finally, the frequency of NTD cases and mothers carrying combined heterozygosity for the two MTHFR polymorphisms and RFC-1 80GG homozygosity (677CT/1298AC/80GG) (cases=11.3%; mothers 11.5%) was increased compared with controls (1.6%). Altogether, our findings support the hypothesis

Describing the Prevalence of Neural Tube Defects Worldwide: A Systematic Literature Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaganjor, Ibrahim; Sekkarie, Ahlia; Tsang, Becky L; Williams, Jennifer; Razzaghi, Hilda; Mulinare, Joseph; Sniezek, Joseph E; Cannon, Michael J; Rosenthal, Jorge

2016-01-01

Folate-sensitive neural tube defects (NTDs) are an important, preventable cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. There is a need to describe the current global burden of NTDs and identify gaps in available NTD data. We conducted a systematic review and searched multiple databases for NTD prevalence estimates and abstracted data from peer-reviewed literature, birth defects surveillance registries, and reports published between January 1990 and July 2014 that had greater than 5,000 births and were not solely based on mortality data. We classified countries according to World Health Organization (WHO) regions and World Bank income classifications. The initial search yielded 11,614 results; after systematic review we identified 160 full text manuscripts and reports that met the inclusion criteria. Data came from 75 countries. Coverage by WHO region varied in completeness (i.e., % of countries reporting) as follows: African (17%), Eastern Mediterranean (57%), European (49%), Americas (43%), South-East Asian (36%), and Western Pacific (33%). The reported NTD prevalence ranges and medians for each region were: African (5.2-75.4; 11.7 per 10,000 births), Eastern Mediterranean (2.1-124.1; 21.9 per 10,000 births), European (1.3-35.9; 9.0 per 10,000 births), Americas (3.3-27.9; 11.5 per 10,000 births), South-East Asian (1.9-66.2; 15.8 per 10,000 births), and Western Pacific (0.3-199.4; 6.9 per 10,000 births). The presence of a registry or surveillance system for NTDs increased with country income level: low income (0%), lower-middle income (25%), upper-middle income (70%), and high income (91%). Many WHO member states (120/194) did not have any data on NTD prevalence. Where data are collected, prevalence estimates vary widely. These findings highlight the need for greater NTD surveillance efforts, especially in lower-income countries. NTDs are an important public health problem that can be prevented with folic acid supplementation and fortification of staple foods.

Describing the Prevalence of Neural Tube Defects Worldwide: A Systematic Literature Review.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ibrahim Zaganjor

Full Text Available Folate-sensitive neural tube defects (NTDs are an important, preventable cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. There is a need to describe the current global burden of NTDs and identify gaps in available NTD data.We conducted a systematic review and searched multiple databases for NTD prevalence estimates and abstracted data from peer-reviewed literature, birth defects surveillance registries, and reports published between January 1990 and July 2014 that had greater than 5,000 births and were not solely based on mortality data. We classified countries according to World Health Organization (WHO regions and World Bank income classifications. The initial search yielded 11,614 results; after systematic review we identified 160 full text manuscripts and reports that met the inclusion criteria. Data came from 75 countries. Coverage by WHO region varied in completeness (i.e., % of countries reporting as follows: African (17%, Eastern Mediterranean (57%, European (49%, Americas (43%, South-East Asian (36%, and Western Pacific (33%. The reported NTD prevalence ranges and medians for each region were: African (5.2-75.4; 11.7 per 10,000 births, Eastern Mediterranean (2.1-124.1; 21.9 per 10,000 births, European (1.3-35.9; 9.0 per 10,000 births, Americas (3.3-27.9; 11.5 per 10,000 births, South-East Asian (1.9-66.2; 15.8 per 10,000 births, and Western Pacific (0.3-199.4; 6.9 per 10,000 births. The presence of a registry or surveillance system for NTDs increased with country income level: low income (0%, lower-middle income (25%, upper-middle income (70%, and high income (91%.Many WHO member states (120/194 did not have any data on NTD prevalence. Where data are collected, prevalence estimates vary widely. These findings highlight the need for greater NTD surveillance efforts, especially in lower-income countries. NTDs are an important public health problem that can be prevented with folic acid supplementation and fortification of staple foods.

YouTube Enhanced Case Teaching in Health Management and Policy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeremy C. Green

2018-03-01

Discussion: YouTube videos can be a valuable source of content to supplement existing case teaching materials in health management and policy. More research is needed to distinguish the effects of YouTube videos from other case teaching materials and flipped format aspects of course design. The general method of YouTube enhanced case teaching might be expanded beyond health management and policy to other topics in health professions education.

Hybrid digital signal processing and neural networks for automated diagnostics using NDE methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Upadhyaya, B.R.; Yan, W.

1993-11-01

The primary purpose of the current research was to develop an integrated approach by combining information compression methods and artificial neural networks for the monitoring of plant components using nondestructive examination data. Specifically, data from eddy current inspection of heat exchanger tubing were utilized to evaluate this technology. The focus of the research was to develop and test various data compression methods (for eddy current data) and the performance of different neural network paradigms for defect classification and defect parameter estimation. Feedforward, fully-connected neural networks, that use the back-propagation algorithm for network training, were implemented for defect classification and defect parameter estimation using a modular network architecture. A large eddy current tube inspection database was acquired from the Metals and Ceramics Division of ORNL. These data were used to study the performance of artificial neural networks for defect type classification and for estimating defect parameters. A PC-based data preprocessing and display program was also developed as part of an expert system for data management and decision making. The results of the analysis showed that for effective (low-error) defect classification and estimation of parameters, it is necessary to identify proper feature vectors using different data representation methods. The integration of data compression and artificial neural networks for information processing was established as an effective technique for automation of diagnostics using nondestructive examination methods

Neural correlates and neural computations in posterior parietal cortex during perceptual decision-making

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander eHuk

2012-10-01

Full Text Available A recent line of work has found remarkable success in relating perceptual decision-making and the spiking activity in the macaque lateral intraparietal area (LIP. In this review, we focus on questions about the neural computations in LIP that are not answered by demonstrations of neural correlates of psychological processes. We highlight three areas of limitations in our current understanding of the precise neural computations that might underlie neural correlates of decisions: (1 empirical questions not yet answered by existing data; (2 implementation issues related to how neural circuits could actually implement the mechanisms suggested by both physiology and psychology; and (3 ecological constraints related to the use of well-controlled laboratory tasks and whether they provide an accurate window on sensorimotor computation. These issues motivate the adoption of a more general encoding-decoding framework that will be fruitful for more detailed contemplation of how neural computations in LIP relate to the formation of perceptual decisions.

Meson emissions from quark-gluon plasma through formation and fission of chromoelectric flux tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsui, T.; Banerjee, B.; Glendenning, N.K.

1983-06-01

In the present work we study a facet of the plasma evolution, the formation and radiation of mesons at the surface of hog plasma. The surface meson radiation would play two important roles. First, it may carry some information about the pre-freezeout stage of the plasma evolution. Second, it causes a pressure decrease at the surface that works against the expansion. In the extreme, the plasma may extinct very rapidly by the surface meson radiation without collective expansion. It is very unclear how the incident quark degrees of freedom is converted into mesonic degrees of freedom and how the color confinement works in such a process. We have studied the problem by fully employing the chromoelectric flux tube model. We found that their parametrization is quite unsatisfactory and is actually incompatible with a dynamical description of color confinement. We briefly recapitulate our treatments and findings

Multi-flux-tube system in the dual Ginzburg-Landau theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ichie, H.; Suganuma, H.; Toki, H.

1996-01-01

We study the multi-flux-tube system in terms of the dual Ginzburg-Landau theory. We consider two periodic cases, where the directions of all the flux tubes are the same in one case and alternating in the other case for neighboring flux tubes. We formulate the multi-flux-tube system by regarding it as the system of two flux tubes penetrating through a two-dimensional spherical surface. We find the multi-flux-tube configuration becomes uniform above some critical flux-tube number density ρ c =1.3 endash 1.7 fm -2 . On the other hand, the inhomogeneity of the color electric distribution appears when the flux-tube density is smaller than ρ c . We study the inhomogeneity on the color electric distribution in relation with the flux-tube number density, and discuss the quark-gluon plasma formation process in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions. copyright 1996 The American Physical Society

Falling film evaporation on a tube bundle with plain and enhanced tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Habert, M.

2009-04-01

The complexities of two-phase flow and evaporation on a tube bundle present important problems in the design of heat exchangers and the understanding of the physical phenomena taking place. The development of structured surfaces to enhance boiling heat transfer and thus reduce the size of evaporators adds another level of complexity to the modeling of such heat exchangers. Horizontal falling film evaporators have the potential to be widely used in large refrigeration systems and heat pumps, in the petrochemical industry and for sea water desalination units, but there is a need to improve the understanding of falling film evaporation mechanisms to provide accurate thermal design methods. The characterization of the effect of enhanced surfaces on the boiling phenomena occurring in falling film evaporators is thus expected to increase and optimize the performance of a tube bundle. In this work, the existing LTCM falling film facility was modified and instrumented to perform falling film evaporation measurements on single tube row and a small tube bundle. Four types of tubes were tested including: a plain tube, an enhanced condensing tube (Gewa-C+LW) and two enhanced boiling tubes (Turbo-EDE2 and Gewa-B4) to extend the existing database. The current investigation includes results for two refrigerants, R134a and R236fa, at a saturation temperature of T sat = 5 °C, liquid film Reynolds numbers ranging from 0 to 3000, at heat fluxes between 20 and 60 kW/m² in pool boiling and falling film configurations. Measurements of the local heat transfer coefficient were obtained and utilized to improve the current prediction methods. Finally, the understanding of the physical phenomena governing the falling film evaporation of liquid refrigerants has been improved. Furthermore, a method for predicting the onset of dry patch formation has been developed and a local heat transfer prediction method for falling film evaporation based on a large experimental database has been proposed

Neural Networks in R Using the Stuttgart Neural Network Simulator: RSNNS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher Bergmeir

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Neural networks are important standard machine learning procedures for classification and regression. We describe the R package RSNNS that provides a convenient interface to the popular Stuttgart Neural Network Simulator SNNS. The main features are (a encapsulation of the relevant SNNS parts in a C++ class, for sequential and parallel usage of different networks, (b accessibility of all of the SNNSalgorithmic functionality from R using a low-level interface, and (c a high-level interface for convenient, R-style usage of many standard neural network procedures. The package also includes functions for visualization and analysis of the models and the training procedures, as well as functions for data input/output from/to the original SNNSfile formats.

Metal diffusion from furnace tubes depends on location

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albright, L.F.

1988-01-01

Studies of metal samples from an ethylene furnace on the Texas Gulf Coast, using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an energy dispersive X-ray analyzer (EDAX), reveal preferential diffusion of chromium, titanium, and aluminum in the coil wall to the surfaces of the tube where they form metal oxides. These elements are gradually depleted from the tube wall. Complicated surface reactions that include the formation of several metal oxides, metal sulfides, and metal-catalyzed coke also occur. Several mechanisms can be postulated as to how metal fines or compounds are formed and transferred in the coil and transfer lines exchanger (TLX) of ethylene units. These surface reactions directly or indirectly affect coke formation in the tube. Finally, creep in the coils is likely a factor in promoting corrosion. Such creep is promoted by variable temperature-time patterns to which a coil is exposed during pyrolysis, and then decoking. Periods of stress and compression occur in the coil walls. Knowledge of the diffusion and reactions that take place can result in better furnace operations and decoking procedures to extend the life of the furnace tubes. In this second installment of a four-part series, photomicrographs of four pyrolysis tube samples from the ethylene furnace indicate that significant differences existed between the outer surfaces, inner surfaces, and cross-sectional areas of the samples. The first installment of the series dealt with coke

Cosmic R-string, R-tube and vacuum instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eto, Minoru; Ohashi, Keisuke; Ookouchi, Yutaka; Kyoto Univ.

2012-11-01

We show that a cosmic string associated with spontaneous U(1) R symmetry breaking gives a constraint for supersymmetric model building. In some models, the string can be viewed as a tube-like domain wall with a winding number interpolating a false vacuum and a true vacuum. Such string causes inhomogeneous decay of the false vacuum to the true vacuum via rapid expansion of the radius of the tube and hence its formation would be inconsistent with the present Universe. However, we demonstrate that there exist metastable solutions which do not expand rapidly. Furthermore, when the true vacua are degenerate, the structure inside the tube becomes involved. As an example, we show a ''bamboo''-like solution, which suggests a possibility observing an information of true vacua from outside of the tube through the shape and the tension of the tube.

Neural mechanisms of social dominance

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Noriya; Yamamoto, Miyuki

2015-01-01

In a group setting, individuals' perceptions of their own level of dominance or of the dominance level of others, and the ability to adequately control their behavior based on these perceptions are crucial for living within a social environment. Recent advances in neural imaging and molecular technology have enabled researchers to investigate the neural substrates that support the perception of social dominance and the formation of a social hierarchy in humans. At the systems' level, recent studies showed that dominance perception is represented in broad brain regions which include the amygdala, hippocampus, striatum, and various cortical networks such as the prefrontal, and parietal cortices. Additionally, neurotransmitter systems such as the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems, modulate and are modulated by the formation of the social hierarchy in a group. While these monoamine systems have a wide distribution and multiple functions, it was recently found that the Neuropeptide B/W contributes to the perception of dominance and is present in neurons that have a limited projection primarily to the amygdala. The present review discusses the specific roles of these neural regions and neurotransmitter systems in the perception of dominance and in hierarchy formation. PMID:26136644

Neural mechanisms of social dominance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noriya eWatanabe

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In a group setting, individuals’ perceptions of their own level of dominance or of the dominance level of others, and the ability to adequately control their behavior based on these perceptions are crucial for living within a social environment. Recent advances in neural imaging and molecular technology have enabled researchers to investigate the neural substrates that support the perception of social dominance and the formation of a social hierarchy in humans. At the systems’ level, recent studies showed that dominance perception is represented in broad brain regions which include the amygdala, hippocampus, striatum, and various cortical networks such as the prefrontal, and parietal cortices. Additionally, neurotransmitter systems such as the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems, modulate and are modulated by the formation of the social hierarchy in a group. While these monoamine systems have a wide distribution and multiple functions, it was recently found that the Neuropeptide B/W contributes to the perception of dominance and is present in neurons that have a limited projection primarily to the amygdala. The present review discusses the specific roles of these neural regions and neurotransmitter systems in the perception of dominance and in hierarchy formation.

Vortex rope instabilities in a model of conical draft tube

Science.gov (United States)

Skripkin, Sergey; Tsoy, Mikhail; Kuibin, Pavel; Shtork, Sergey

2017-10-01

We report on experimental studies of the formation of vortex ropes in a laboratory simplified model of hydroturbine draft tube. Work is focused on the observation of various flow patterns at the different rotational speed of turbine runner at fixed flow rate. The measurements involve high-speed visualization and pressure pulsations recordings. Draft tube wall pressure pulsations are registered by pressure transducer for different flow regimes. Vortex rope precession frequency were calculated using FFT transform. The experiments showed interesting features of precessing vortex rope like twin spiral and formation of vortex ring.

Vortex rope instabilities in a model of conical draft tube

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Skripkin Sergey

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We report on experimental studies of the formation of vortex ropes in a laboratory simplified model of hydroturbine draft tube. Work is focused on the observation of various flow patterns at the different rotational speed of turbine runner at fixed flow rate. The measurements involve high-speed visualization and pressure pulsations recordings. Draft tube wall pressure pulsations are registered by pressure transducer for different flow regimes. Vortex rope precession frequency were calculated using FFT transform. The experiments showed interesting features of precessing vortex rope like twin spiral and formation of vortex ring.

Folic acid supplements to prevent neural tube defects: trends in East of Ireland 1996-2002.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Ward, M

2004-10-01

Promotion of folic acid to prevent neural Tube Defects (NTD) has been ongoing for ten years in Ireland, without a concomitant reduction in the total birth prevalence of NTD. The effectiveness of folic acid promotion as the sole means of primary prevention of NTD is therefore questionable. We examined trends in folic acid knowledge and peri-conceptional use from 1996-2002 with the aim of assessing the value of this approach. From 1996-2002, 300 women attending ante-natal clinics in Dublin hospitals annually were surveyed regarding their knowledge and use of folic acid. During the period the proportion who had heard of folic acid rose from 54% to 94% between 1996 and 2002 (c2 test for trend: p<0.001). Knowledge that folic acid can prevent NTD also rose from 21% to 66% (c2 test for trend: p<0.001). Although the proportion who took folic acid during pregnancy increased from 14% to 83% from 1996 to 2002 (c2 test for trend: p<0.001), peri-conceptional intake did not rise above 24% in any year. There is a high awareness of folic acid and its relation to NTD, which is not matched by peri-conceptional uptake. The main barrier to peri-conceptional uptake is the lack of pregnancy planning. To date promotional campaigns appear to have been ineffective in reducing the prevalence of NTD in Ireland. Consequently, fortification of staple foodstuffs is the only practical and reliable means of primary prevention of NTD.

Variations in the formation of the human caudal spinal cord.

Science.gov (United States)

Saraga-Babić, M; Sapunar, D; Wartiovaara, J

1995-01-01

Collection of 15 human embryos between 4-8 developmental weeks was used to histologically investigate variations in the development of the caudal part of the spinal cord and the neighboring axial organs (notochord and vertebral column). In the 4-week embryo, two types of neurulation were parallelly observed along the anteroposterior body axis: primary in the areas cranial to the neuroporus caudalis and secondary in the more caudal tail regions. In the 5-week embryos, both parts of the neural tube fused, forming only one continuous lumen in the developing spinal cord. In the three examined embryos we found anomalous pattern of spinal cord formation. Caudal parts of these spinal cords displayed division of their central canal into two or three separate lumina, each surrounded by neuroepithelial layer. In the caudal area of the spinal cord, derived by secondary neurulation, formation of separate lumina was neither connected to any anomalous notochord or vertebral column formation, nor the appearance of any major axial disturbances. We suggest that development of the caudal part of the spinal cord differs from its cranial region not only in the type of neurulation, but also in the destiny of its derivatives and possible modes of abnormality formation.

Mosaic and Regulation Phenomena during the Early Formation of the Chick Blastoderm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marc Callebaut

2010-01-01

Full Text Available After culturing symmetrically hemisectioned unincubated chicken blastoderms, asymmetric hemiembryos developed (indicating mosaic development. In the present study, we observed that after prolonged culture, the further asymmetric development (way with no possible return becomes profoundly disturbed, more particularly the Rauber's sickle-dependent phenomena: gastrulation and the formation of the coelomo-cardiovascular complex with absence of heart and pericard development. By contrast, the neural plate develops symmetrically. Asymmetrical ablation of Rauber's sickle and the neighboring upper layer results in the development of an apparently normal symmetrical embryo. Indeed, at the unoperated side, a normal half coelomo-cardiovascular system develops with a unilateral or bilateral heart tube and pericard formation (indicating regulation. Both regulation and mosaicism indicate that during normal early development, the interaction between the left and right sides of the caudal area centralis of the blastoderm is indispensable, depending on the spatial relationship between the elementary tissues (upper layer, Rauber's sickle, endophyll.

Effects of an elastic membrane on tube waves in permeable formations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, H; Johnson, D

1996-10-01

In this paper, the modified properties were calculated for tube wave propagation in a fluid-filled borehole penetrating a permeable rock due to the presence of a mudcake which forms on the borehole wall. The mudcake was characterized by an impermeable elastic layer. The mudcake partial sealing mechanism was simulated using a finite membrane stiffness. Consequently, it was shown that the mudcake can reduce, but not eliminate, the permeability effects on the tube wave slowness and attenuation. Moreover, this paper discusses a variety of values for the relevant parameters especially the mudcake thickness and membrane stiffness. The important combinations of mudcake parameters were clarified by using an analytic expression for the low-frequency limit.

Chondroitin sulfate effects on neural stem cell differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Canning, David R; Brelsford, Natalie R; Lovett, Neil W

2016-01-01

We have investigated the role chondroitin sulfate has on cell interactions during neural plate formation in the early chick embryo. Using tissue culture isolates from the prospective neural plate, we have measured neural gene expression profiles associated with neural stem cell differentiation. Removal of chondroitin sulfate from stage 4 neural plate tissue leads to altered associations of N-cadherin-positive neural progenitors and causes changes in the normal sequence of neural marker gene expression. Absence of chondroitin sulfate in the neural plate leads to reduced Sox2 expression and is accompanied by an increase in the expression of anterior markers of neural regionalization. Results obtained in this study suggest that the presence of chondroitin sulfate in the anterior chick embryo is instrumental in maintaining cells in the neural precursor state.

Cosmic R-string, R-tube and vacuum instability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eto, Minoru [Yamagata Univ. (Japan). Dept. of Physics; Hamada, Yuta; Kobayashi, Tatsuo [Kyoto Univ. (Japan). Dept. of Physics; Kamada, Kohei [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany); Ohashi, Keisuke [Osaka City Univ. (Japan). Dept. of Mathematics and Physics; Ookouchi, Yutaka [Kyoto Univ. (Japan). Dept. of Physics; Kyoto Univ. (Japan). The Hakubi Center for Advanced Research

2012-11-15

We show that a cosmic string associated with spontaneous U(1) R symmetry breaking gives a constraint for supersymmetric model building. In some models, the string can be viewed as a tube-like domain wall with a winding number interpolating a false vacuum and a true vacuum. Such string causes inhomogeneous decay of the false vacuum to the true vacuum via rapid expansion of the radius of the tube and hence its formation would be inconsistent with the present Universe. However, we demonstrate that there exist metastable solutions which do not expand rapidly. Furthermore, when the true vacua are degenerate, the structure inside the tube becomes involved. As an example, we show a ''bamboo''-like solution, which suggests a possibility observing an information of true vacua from outside of the tube through the shape and the tension of the tube.

Review: the role of neural crest cells in the endocrine system.

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Meghan Sara; Bronner-Fraser, Marianne

2009-01-01

The neural crest is a pluripotent population of cells that arises at the junction of the neural tube and the dorsal ectoderm. These highly migratory cells form diverse derivatives including neurons and glia of the sensory, sympathetic, and enteric nervous systems, melanocytes, and the bones, cartilage, and connective tissues of the face. The neural crest has long been associated with the endocrine system, although not always correctly. According to current understanding, neural crest cells give rise to the chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla, chief cells of the extra-adrenal paraganglia, and thyroid C cells. The endocrine tumors that correspond to these cell types are pheochromocytomas, extra-adrenal paragangliomas, and medullary thyroid carcinomas. Although controversies concerning embryological origin appear to have mostly been resolved, questions persist concerning the pathobiology of each tumor type and its basis in neural crest embryology. Here we present a brief history of the work on neural crest development, both in general and in application to the endocrine system. In particular, we present findings related to the plasticity and pluripotency of neural crest cells as well as a discussion of several different neural crest tumors in the endocrine system.

Neural network-based distributed attitude coordination control for spacecraft formation flying with input saturation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, An-Min; Kumar, Krishna Dev

2012-07-01

This brief considers the attitude coordination control problem for spacecraft formation flying when only a subset of the group members has access to the common reference attitude. A quaternion-based distributed attitude coordination control scheme is proposed with consideration of the input saturation and with the aid of the sliding-mode observer, separation principle theorem, Chebyshev neural networks, smooth projection algorithm, and robust control technique. Using graph theory and a Lyapunov-based approach, it is shown that the distributed controller can guarantee the attitude of all spacecraft to converge to a common time-varying reference attitude when the reference attitude is available only to a portion of the group of spacecraft. Numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the performance of the proposed distributed controller.

Shock tube/laser absorption studies of the decomposition of methyl formate

KAUST Repository

Ren, Wei; Lam, Kingyiu; Pyun, Sunghyun; Farooq, Aamir; Davidson, David Frank; Hanson, Ronald Kenneth

2013-01-01

Reaction rate coefficients for the major high-temperature methyl formate (MF, CH3OCHO) decomposition pathways, MF → CH3OH + CO (1), MF →CH2O+CH2O (2), and MF→ CH4 + CO2 (3), were directly measured in a shock tube using laser absorption of CO (4.6 μm), CH2O (306 nm) and CH4 (3.4 μm). Experimental conditions ranged from 1202 to 1607 K and 1.36 to 1.72 atm, with mixtures varying in initial fuel concentration from 0.1% to 3% MF diluted in argon. The decomposition rate coefficients were determined by monitoring the formation rate of each target species immediately behind the reflected shock waves and modeling the species time-histories with a detailed kinetic mechanism [12]. The three measured rate coefficients can be well-described using two-parameter Arrhenius expressions over the temperature range in the present study: k1 = 1.1 × 1013 exp(-29556/T, K) s -1, k2 = 2.6 × 1012 exp(-32052/T, K) s-1, and k3 = 4.4 × 1011 exp(-29 078/T, K) s-1, all thought to be near their high-pressure limits. Uncertainties in the k1, k2 and k3 measurements were estimated to be ±25%, ±35%, and ±40%, respectively. We believe that these are the first direct high-temperature rate measurements for MF decomposition and all are in excellent agreement with the Dooley et al. [12] mechanism. In addition, by also monitoring methanol (CH3OH) and MF concentration histories using a tunable CO2 gas laser operating at 9.67 and 9.23 μm, respectively, all the major oxygen-carrying molecules were quantitatively detected in the reaction system. An oxygen balance analysis during MF decomposition shows that the multi-wavelength laser absorption strategy used in this study was able to track more than 97% of the initial oxygen atoms in the fuel. © 2012 The Combustion Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Heat transfer in a membrane assisted fluidised bed with immersed horizontal tubes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Deshmukh, S.A.R.K.; Volkers, S.; van Sint Annaland, M.; Kuipers, J.A.M.

2004-01-01

The effect of gas permeation through horizontally immersed membrane tubes on the heat transfer characteristics in a membrane assisted fluidised bed was investigated experimentally. Local time-averaged heat transfer coefficients from copper tubes arranged in a staggered formation with the membrane

Maternal exposure to arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury and neural tube defects in offspring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brender, Jean D.; Suarez, Lucina; Felkner, Marilyn; Gilani, Zunera; Stinchcomb, David; Moody, Karen; Henry, Judy; Hendricks, Katherine

2006-01-01

Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury are neurotoxins, and some studies suggest that these elements might also be teratogens. Using a case-control study design, we investigated the relation between exposure to these heavy metals and neural tube defects (NTDs) in offspring of Mexican-American women living in 1 of the 14 Texas counties bordering Mexico. A total of 184 case-women with NTD-affected pregnancies and 225 control-women with normal live births were interviewed about their environmental and occupational exposures during the periconceptional period. Biologic samples for blood lead and urinary arsenic, cadmium, and mercury were also obtained for a subset of these women. Overall, the median levels of these biomarkers for heavy metal exposure did not differ significantly (P>0.05) between case- and control-women. However, among women in the highest income group, case-women were nine times more likely (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4-57) than control-women to have a urinary mercury >=5.62μg/L. Case-women were 4.2 times more likely (95% CI 1.1-16) to report burning treated wood during the periconceptional period than control-women. Elevated odds ratios (ORs) were observed for maternal and paternal occupational exposures to arsenic and mercury, but the 95% CIs were consistent with unity. The 95% CIs of the ORs were also consistent with unity for higher levels of arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury in drinking water and among women who lived within 2 miles at the time of conception to industrial facilities with reported emissions of any of these heavy metals. Our findings suggest that maternal exposures to arsenic, cadmium, or lead are probably not significant risk factors for NTDs in offspring. However, the elevated urinary mercury levels found in this population and exposures to the combustion of treated wood may warrant further investigation

The effect of the neural activity on topological properties of growing neural networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Gafarov, F M; Gafarova, V R

2016-09-01

The connectivity structure in cortical networks defines how information is transmitted and processed, and it is a source of the complex spatiotemporal patterns of network's development, and the process of creation and deletion of connections is continuous in the whole life of the organism. In this paper, we study how neural activity influences the growth process in neural networks. By using a two-dimensional activity-dependent growth model we demonstrated the neural network growth process from disconnected neurons to fully connected networks. For making quantitative investigation of the network's activity influence on its topological properties we compared it with the random growth network not depending on network's activity. By using the random graphs theory methods for the analysis of the network's connections structure it is shown that the growth in neural networks results in the formation of a well-known "small-world" network.

Applying of the Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) to Identify and Characterize Sweet Spots in Shale Gas Formations

Science.gov (United States)

Puskarczyk, Edyta

2018-03-01

The main goal of the study was to enhance and improve information about the Ordovician and Silurian gas-saturated shale formations. Author focused on: firstly, identification of the shale gas formations, especially the sweet spots horizons, secondly, classification and thirdly, the accurate characterization of divisional intervals. Data set comprised of standard well logs from the selected well. Shale formations are represented mainly by claystones, siltstones, and mudstones. The formations are also partially rich in organic matter. During the calculations, information about lithology of stratigraphy weren't taken into account. In the analysis, selforganizing neural network - Kohonen Algorithm (ANN) was used for sweet spots identification. Different networks and different software were tested and the best network was used for application and interpretation. As a results of Kohonen networks, groups corresponding to the gas-bearing intervals were found. The analysis showed diversification between gas-bearing formations and surrounding beds. It is also shown that internal diversification in sweet spots is present. Kohonen algorithm was also used for geological interpretation of well log data and electrofacies prediction. Reliable characteristic into groups shows that Ja Mb and Sa Fm which are usually treated as potential sweet spots only partially have good reservoir conditions. It is concluded that ANN appears to be useful and quick tool for preliminary classification of members and sweet spots identification.

Interactions between Type III receptor tyrosine phosphatases and growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases regulate tracheal tube formation in Drosophila

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mili Jeon

2012-04-01

The respiratory (tracheal system of the Drosophila melanogaster larva is an intricate branched network of air-filled tubes. Its developmental logic is similar in some ways to that of the vertebrate vascular system. We previously described a unique embryonic tracheal tubulogenesis phenotype caused by loss of both of the Type III receptor tyrosine phosphatases (RPTPs, Ptp4E and Ptp10D. In Ptp4E Ptp10D double mutants, the linear tubes in unicellular and terminal tracheal branches are converted into bubble-like cysts that incorporate apical cell surface markers. This tube geometry phenotype is modulated by changes in the activity or expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (Egfr tyrosine kinase (TK. Ptp10D physically interacts with Egfr. Here we demonstrate that the Ptp4E Ptp10D phenotype is the consequence of the loss of negative regulation by the RPTPs of three growth factor receptor TKs: Egfr, Breathless and Pvr. Reducing the activity of any of the three kinases by tracheal expression of dominant-negative mutants suppresses cyst formation. By competing dominant-negative and constitutively active kinase mutants against each other, we show that the three RTKs have partially interchangeable activities, so that increasing the activity of one kinase can compensate for the effects of reducing the activity of another. This implies that SH2-domain downstream effectors that are required for the phenotype are likely to be able to interact with phosphotyrosine sites on all three receptor TKs. We also show that the phenotype involves increases in signaling through the MAP kinase and Rho GTPase pathways.

Robo signaling regulates the production of cranial neural crest cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan; Zhang, Xiao-Tan; Wang, Xiao-Yu; Wang, Guang; Chuai, Manli; Münsterberg, Andrea; Yang, Xuesong

2017-12-01

Slit/Robo signaling plays an important role in the guidance of developing neurons in developing embryos. However, it remains obscure whether and how Slit/Robo signaling is involved in the production of cranial neural crest cells. In this study, we examined Robo1 deficient mice to reveal developmental defects of mouse cranial frontal and parietal bones, which are derivatives of cranial neural crest cells. Therefore, we determined the production of HNK1 + cranial neural crest cells in early chick embryo development after knock-down (KD) of Robo1 expression. Detection of markers for pre-migratory and migratory neural crest cells, PAX7 and AP-2α, showed that production of both was affected by Robo1 KD. In addition, we found that the transcription factor slug is responsible for the aberrant delamination/EMT of cranial neural crest cells induced by Robo1 KD, which also led to elevated expression of E- and N-Cadherin. N-Cadherin expression was enhanced when blocking FGF signaling with dominant-negative FGFR1 in half of the neural tube. Taken together, we show that Slit/Robo signaling influences the delamination/EMT of cranial neural crest cells, which is required for cranial bone development. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Evaluation of hydride blisters in zirconium pressure tube in CANDU reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheong, Y. M.; Kim, Y. S.; Gong, U. S.; Kwon, S. C.; Kim, S. S.; Choo, K.N.

2000-09-01

When the garter springs for maintaining the gap between the pressure tube and the calandria tube are displaced in the CANDU reactor, the sagging of pressure tube results in a contact to the calandria tube. This causes a temperature difference between the inner and outer surface of the pressure tube. The hydride can be formed at the cold spot of outer surface and the volume expansion by hydride dormation causes the blistering in the zirconium alloys. An incident of pressure tube rupture due to the hydride blisters had happened in the Canadian CANDU reactor. This report describes the theoretical development and models on the formation and growth of hydride blister and some experimental results. The evaluation methodology and non-destructive testing for hydride blister in operating reactors are also described

Evaluation of hydride blisters in zirconium pressure tube in CANDU reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheong, Y M; Kim, Y S; Gong, U S; Kwon, S C; Kim, S S; Choo, K N

2000-09-01

When the garter springs for maintaining the gap between the pressure tube and the calandria tube are displaced in the CANDU reactor, the sagging of pressure tube results in a contact to the calandria tube. This causes a temperature difference between the inner and outer surface of the pressure tube. The hydride can be formed at the cold spot of outer surface and the volume expansion by hydride dormation causes the blistering in the zirconium alloys. An incident of pressure tube rupture due to the hydride blisters had happened in the Canadian CANDU reactor. This report describes the theoretical development and models on the formation and growth of hydride blister and some experimental results. The evaluation methodology and non-destructive testing for hydride blister in operating reactors are also described.

Neutron radiography of irradiated zircaloy coupons of pressure tubes from PHWR`s

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gangotra, S; Ouseph, P M; Tamhane, A B; Singh, H N; Sahoo, K C [Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Bombay (India). Radiometallurgy Div.

1994-12-31

The Indian Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR`s) are of CANDU type, consisting of 304 zircaloy-2 pressure tubes. These pressure tubes contain the fuel bundles, where the heat is generated and is removed by the heavy water flowing through these pressure tubes at high temperature and pressure. These pressure tubes are surrounded by the calandria tubes, and are separated from them by a pair of garter springs. Over a period of time, as a result of the irradiation creep and assisted by the displacement of the garter springs, the hot pressure tube may come in contact with the cold calandria tube. This would result in the hydrogen migrating to the cold contact location and formation of hydride blisters. These blisters could eventually rupture the pressure tube by the DHC (delayed hydrogen cracking) mechanism. 2 refs., 2 figs.

Cadmium-induced neural tube defects and fetal growth restriction: Association with disturbance of placental folate transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Gui-Bin; Wang, Hua; Hu, Jun; Guo, Min-Yin; Wang, Ying; Zhou, Yan; Yu, Zhen; Fu, Lin; Chen, Yuan-Hua; Xu, De-Xiang

2016-01-01

Previous studies found that maternal Cd exposure on gestational day (GD)9 caused forelimb ectrodactyly and tail deformity, the characteristic malformations. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether maternal Cd exposure on GD8 induces fetal neural tube defects (NTDs). Pregnant mice were intraperitoneally injected with CdCl 2 (2.5 or 5.0 mg/kg) on GD8. Neither forelimb ectrodactyly nor tail deformity was observed in mice injected with CdCl 2 on GD8. Instead, maternal Cd exposure on GD8 resulted in the incidence of NTDs. Moreover, maternal Cd exposure on GD8 resulted in fetal growth restriction. In addition, maternal Cd exposure on GD8 reduced placental weight and diameter. The internal space of maternal and fetal blood vessels in the labyrinth layer was decreased in the placentas of mice treated with CdCl 2 . Additional experiment showed that placental PCFT protein and mRNA, a critical folate transporter, was persistently decreased when dams were injected with CdCl 2 on GD8. Correspondingly, embryonic folate content was markedly decreased in mice injected with CdCl 2 on GD8, whereas Cd had little effect on folate content in maternal serum. Taken together, these results suggest that maternal Cd exposure during organogenesis disturbs transport of folate from maternal circulation to the fetuses through down-regulating placental folate transporters. - Highlights: • Maternal Cd exposure during organogenesis causes NTDs and FGR. • Maternal Cd exposure during organogenesis impairs placental development. • Cd disturbs transport of folate by down-regulating placental folate transporters.

Cadmium-induced neural tube defects and fetal growth restriction: Association with disturbance of placental folate transport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Gui-Bin; Wang, Hua, E-mail: wanghuadev@126.com; Hu, Jun; Guo, Min-Yin; Wang, Ying; Zhou, Yan; Yu, Zhen; Fu, Lin; Chen, Yuan-Hua; Xu, De-Xiang, E-mail: xudex@126.com

2016-09-01

Previous studies found that maternal Cd exposure on gestational day (GD)9 caused forelimb ectrodactyly and tail deformity, the characteristic malformations. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether maternal Cd exposure on GD8 induces fetal neural tube defects (NTDs). Pregnant mice were intraperitoneally injected with CdCl{sub 2} (2.5 or 5.0 mg/kg) on GD8. Neither forelimb ectrodactyly nor tail deformity was observed in mice injected with CdCl{sub 2} on GD8. Instead, maternal Cd exposure on GD8 resulted in the incidence of NTDs. Moreover, maternal Cd exposure on GD8 resulted in fetal growth restriction. In addition, maternal Cd exposure on GD8 reduced placental weight and diameter. The internal space of maternal and fetal blood vessels in the labyrinth layer was decreased in the placentas of mice treated with CdCl{sub 2}. Additional experiment showed that placental PCFT protein and mRNA, a critical folate transporter, was persistently decreased when dams were injected with CdCl{sub 2} on GD8. Correspondingly, embryonic folate content was markedly decreased in mice injected with CdCl{sub 2} on GD8, whereas Cd had little effect on folate content in maternal serum. Taken together, these results suggest that maternal Cd exposure during organogenesis disturbs transport of folate from maternal circulation to the fetuses through down-regulating placental folate transporters. - Highlights: • Maternal Cd exposure during organogenesis causes NTDs and FGR. • Maternal Cd exposure during organogenesis impairs placental development. • Cd disturbs transport of folate by down-regulating placental folate transporters.

Capacity of Human Dental Follicle Cells to Differentiate into Neural Cells In Vitro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shingo Kanao

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The dental follicle is an ectomesenchymal tissue surrounding the developing tooth germ. Human dental follicle cells (hDFCs have the capacity to commit to differentiation into multiple cell types. Here we investigated the capacity of hDFCs to differentiate into neural cells and the efficiency of a two-step strategy involving floating neurosphere-like bodies for neural differentiation. Undifferentiated hDFCs showed a spindle-like morphology and were positive for neural markers such as nestin, β-III-tubulin, and S100β. The cellular morphology of several cells was neuronal-like including branched dendrite-like processes and neurites. Next, hDFCs were used for neurosphere formation in serum-free medium containing basic fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and B27 supplement. The number of cells with neuronal-like morphology and that were strongly positive for neural markers increased with sphere formation. Gene expression of neural markers also increased in hDFCs with sphere formation. Next, gene expression of neural markers was examined in hDFCs during neuronal differentiation after sphere formation. Expression of Musashi-1 and Musashi-2, MAP2, GFAP, MBP, and SOX10 was upregulated in hDFCs undergoing neuronal differentiation via neurospheres, whereas expression of nestin and β-III-tubulin was downregulated. In conclusion, hDFCs may be another optimal source of neural/glial cells for cell-based therapies to treat neurological diseases.

Failure analysis of burst tested fuel tube samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padmaprabu, C.; Ramana Rao, S.V.; Srivatsava, R.K.

2005-01-01

The Total Circumferential Elongation (TCE) is an important parameter for evaluation of ductility of the Zircaloy-4 fuel tubes for the PHWR reactors. The TCE values of the fuel tubes were obtained using the burst testing technique. In some lots there is a variation in the values of the TCE. To investigate the reasons for such a large variation in the TCE, samples were selected at appropriate intervals and sectioned at the fractured portion. The surface morphology of the fractured surfaces was examined under Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) equipped with Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS). The morphologies show segregation of elements at specific locations. Energy dispersive spectra was obtained from those segregated particles. According to the magnitude of TCE value the samples were classified into low, intermediate and high ductility. Low ductility samples were found to contain large amount of segregations along the thickness direction of the tube. This forms a brittle region and a path for the easy crack growth along thickness direction. In the case of intermediate samples the segregation occurred in fewer locations compared to low ductile samples and also confined to the circumferential direction of the outside surface of the tube. Due to this, probability of crack formation at the surface of the tube could be high. But crack growth would be slower in the ductile matrix along the thickness direction resulting in the enhancement of TCE value compared to the low ductile sample. In the high ductile samples, the segregations were very scarce and found to be isolated and embedded in the ductile matrix. The mode of failure in these types of samples was found to be purely ductile. Cracks were found to originate solely from the micro voids in the material. As the probability of crack formation and its propagation is low, very high TCE values were observed in these samples. Microstructural observations of fractured surfaces and EDAX analysis was able to identify the

Assessing a nephrology-focused YouTube channel's potential to educate health care providers.

Science.gov (United States)

Desai, Tejas; Sanghani, Vivek; Fang, Xiangming; Christiano, Cynthia; Ferris, Maria

2013-01-01

YouTube has emerged as a potential teaching tool. Studies of the teaching potential of YouTube videos have not addressed health care provider (HCP) satisfaction; a necessary prerequisite for any teaching tool. We conducted a 4-month investigation to determine HCP satisfaction with a nephrology-specific YouTube channel. The Nephrology On-Demand YouTube channel was analyzed from January 1 through April 30, 2011. Sixty-minute nephrology lectures at East Carolina University were compressed into 10-minute videos and uploaded to the channel. HCPs were asked to answer a 5-point Likert questionnaire regarding the accuracy, currency, objectivity and usefulness of the digital format of the teaching videos. Means, standard deviations and 2-sided chi-square testing were performed to analyze responses. Over 80% of HCPs considered the YouTube channel to be accurate, current and objective. A similar percentage considered the digital format useful despite the compression of videos and lack of audio. The nephrology-specific YouTube channel has the potential to educate HCPs of various training backgrounds. Additional studies are required to determine if such specialty-specific channels can improve knowledge acquisition and retention.

Evolution of posterior fossa and brain morphology after in utero repair of open neural tube defects assessed by MRI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rethmann, Christin; Scheer, Ianina; Kellenberger, Christian Johannes [University Children' s Hospital Zurich, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Zurich (Switzerland); University of Zurich, The Zurich Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Therapy, Zurich (Switzerland); Children' s Research Center (CRC), Zurich (Switzerland); Meuli, Martin; Mazzone, Luca; Moehrlen, Ueli [University of Zurich, The Zurich Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Therapy, Zurich (Switzerland); Children' s Research Center (CRC), Zurich (Switzerland); University Children' s Hospital Zurich, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Zurich (Switzerland)

2017-11-15

To describe characteristics of foetuses undergoing in utero repair of open neural tube defects (ONTD) and assess postoperative evolution of posterior fossa and brain morphology. Analysis of pre- and postoperative foetal as well as neonatal MRI of 27 foetuses who underwent in utero repair of ONTD. Type and level of ONTD, hindbrain configuration, posterior fossa and liquor space dimensions, and detection of associated findings were compared between MRI studies and to age-matched controls. Level of bony spinal defect was defined with exactness of ± one vertebral body. Of surgically confirmed 18 myelomeningoceles (MMC) and 9 myeloschisis (MS), 3 MMC were misdiagnosed as MS due to non-visualisation of a flat membrane on MRI. Hindbrain herniation was more severe in MS than MMC (p < 0.001). After repair, hindbrain herniation resolved in 25/27 cases at 4 weeks and liquor spaces increased. While posterior fossa remained small (p < 0.001), its configuration normalised. Lateral ventricle diameter indexed to cerebral width decreased in 48% and increased in 12% of cases, implying a low rate of progressive obstructive hydrocephalus. Neonatally evident subependymal heterotopias were detected in 33% at preoperative and 50% at postoperative foetal MRI. MRI demonstrates change of Chiari malformation type II (CM-II) features. (orig.)

Evolution of posterior fossa and brain morphology after in utero repair of open neural tube defects assessed by MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rethmann, Christin; Scheer, Ianina; Kellenberger, Christian Johannes; Meuli, Martin; Mazzone, Luca; Moehrlen, Ueli

2017-01-01

To describe characteristics of foetuses undergoing in utero repair of open neural tube defects (ONTD) and assess postoperative evolution of posterior fossa and brain morphology. Analysis of pre- and postoperative foetal as well as neonatal MRI of 27 foetuses who underwent in utero repair of ONTD. Type and level of ONTD, hindbrain configuration, posterior fossa and liquor space dimensions, and detection of associated findings were compared between MRI studies and to age-matched controls. Level of bony spinal defect was defined with exactness of ± one vertebral body. Of surgically confirmed 18 myelomeningoceles (MMC) and 9 myeloschisis (MS), 3 MMC were misdiagnosed as MS due to non-visualisation of a flat membrane on MRI. Hindbrain herniation was more severe in MS than MMC (p < 0.001). After repair, hindbrain herniation resolved in 25/27 cases at 4 weeks and liquor spaces increased. While posterior fossa remained small (p < 0.001), its configuration normalised. Lateral ventricle diameter indexed to cerebral width decreased in 48% and increased in 12% of cases, implying a low rate of progressive obstructive hydrocephalus. Neonatally evident subependymal heterotopias were detected in 33% at preoperative and 50% at postoperative foetal MRI. MRI demonstrates change of Chiari malformation type II (CM-II) features. (orig.)

Neuronal patterning of the tubular collar cord is highly conserved among enteropneusts but dissimilar to the chordate neural tube.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaul-Strehlow, Sabrina; Urata, Makoto; Praher, Daniela; Wanninger, Andreas

2017-08-01

A tubular nervous system is present in the deuterostome groups Chordata (cephalochordates, tunicates, vertebrates) and in the non-chordate Enteropneusta. However, the worm-shaped enteropneusts possess a less complex nervous system featuring only a short hollow neural tube, whereby homology to its chordate counterpart remains elusive. Since the majority of data on enteropneusts stem from the harrimaniid Saccoglossus kowalevskii, putative interspecific variations remain undetected resulting in an unreliable ground pattern that impedes homology assessments. In order to complement the missing data from another enteropneust family, we investigated expression of key neuronal patterning genes in the ptychoderid Balanoglossus misakiensis. The collar cord of B. misakiensis shows anterior Six3/6 and posterior Otx + Engrailed expression, in a region corresponding to the chordate brain. Neuronal Nk2.1/Nk2.2 expression is absent. Interestingly, we found median Dlx and lateral Pax6 expression domains, i.e., a condition that is reversed compared to chordates. Comparative analyses reveal that adult nervous system patterning is highly conserved among the enteropneust families Harrimaniidae, Spengelidae and Ptychoderidae. BmiDlx and BmiPax6 have no corresponding expression domains in the chordate brain, which may be indicative of independent acquisition of a tubular nervous system in Enteropneusta and Chordata.

High glucose alters the expression of genes involved in proliferation and cell-fate specification of embryonic neural stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, J; Tay, S S W; Ling, E A; Dheen, S T

2006-05-01

Maternal diabetes induces neural tube defects during embryogenesis. Since the neural tube is derived from neural stem cells (NSCs), it is hypothesised that in diabetic pregnancy neural tube defects result from altered expression of developmental control genes, leading to abnormal proliferation and cell-fate choice of NSCs. Cell viability, proliferation index and apoptosis of NSCs and differentiated cells from mice exposed to physiological or high glucose concentration medium were examined by a tetrazolium salt assay, 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labelling and immunocytochemistry. Expression of developmental genes, including sonic hedgehog (Shh), bone morphogenetic protein 4 (Bmp4), neurogenin 1/2 (Neurog1/2), achaete-scute complex-like 1 (Ascl1), oligodendrocyte transcription factor 1 (Olig1), oligodendrocyte lineage transcription factor 2 (Olig2), hairy and enhancer of split 1/5 (Hes1/5) and delta-like 1 (Dll1), was analysed by real-time RT-PCR. Proliferation index and neuronal specification in the forebrain of embryos at embryonic day 11.5 were examined histologically. High glucose decreased the proliferation of NSCs and differentiated cells. The incidence of apoptosis was increased in NSCs treated with high glucose, but not in the differentiated cells. High glucose also accelerated neuronal and glial differentiation from NSCs. The decreased proliferation index and early differentiation of neurons were evident in the telencephalon of embryos derived from diabetic mice. Exposure to high glucose altered the mRNA expression levels of Shh, Bmp4, Neurog1/2, Ascl1, Hes1, Dll1 and Olig1 in NSCs and Shh, Dll1, Neurog1/2 and Hes5 in differentiated cells. The changes in proliferation and differentiation of NSCs exposed to high glucose are associated with altered expression of genes that are involved in cell-cycle progression and cell-fate specification during neurulation. These changes may form the

Ectopic cross-talk between thyroid and retinoic acid signaling: A possible etiology for spinal neural tube defects.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Huili; Bai, Baoling; Zhang, Qin; Bao, Yihua; Guo, Jin; Chen, Shuyuan; Miao, Chunyue; Liu, Xiaozhen; Zhang, Ting

2015-12-01

Previous studies have highlighted the connections between neural tube defects (NTDs) and both thyroid hormones (TH) and vitamin A. However, whether the two hormonal signaling pathways interact in NTDs has remained unclear. We measured the expression levels of TH signaling genes in human fetuses with spinal NTDs associated with maternal hyperthyroidism as well as levels of retinoic acid (RA) signaling genes in mouse fetuses exposed to an overdose of RA using NanoString or real-time PCR on spinal cord tissues. Interactions between the two signaling pathways were detected by ChIP assays. The data revealed attenuated DIO2/DIO3 switching in fetuses with NTDs born to hyperthyroid mothers. The promoters of the RA signaling genes CRABP1 and RARB were ectopically occupied by increased RXRG and RXRB but displayed decreased levels of inhibitory histone modifications, suggesting that elevated TH signaling abnormally stimulates RA signaling genes. Conversely, in the mouse model, the observed decrease in Dio3 expression could be explained by increased levels of inhibitory histone modifications in the Dio3 promoter region, suggesting that overactive RA signaling may ectopically derepress TH signaling. This study thus raises in vivo a possible abnormal cross-promotion between two different hormonal signals through their common RXRs and the subsequent recruitment of histone modifications, prompting further investigation into their involvement in the etiology of spinal NTDs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Anosmin-1 is essential for neural crest and cranial placodes formation in Xenopus.

Science.gov (United States)

Bae, Chang-Joon; Hong, Chang-Soo; Saint-Jeannet, Jean-Pierre

2018-01-15

During embryogenesis vertebrates develop a complex craniofacial skeleton associated with sensory organs. These structures are primarily derived from two embryonic cell populations the neural crest and cranial placodes, respectively. Neural crest cells and cranial placodes are specified through the integrated action of several families of signaling molecules, and the subsequent activation of a complex network of transcription factors. Here we describe the expression and function of Anosmin-1 (Anos1), an extracellular matrix protein, during neural crest and cranial placodes development in Xenopus laevis. Anos1 was identified as a target of Pax3 and Zic1, two transcription factors necessary and sufficient to generate neural crest and cranial placodes. Anos1 is expressed in cranial neural crest progenitors at early neurula stage and in cranial placode derivatives later in development. We show that Anos1 function is required for neural crest and sensory organs development in Xenopus, consistent with the defects observed in Kallmann syndrome patients carrying a mutation in ANOS1. These findings indicate that anos1 has a conserved function in the development of craniofacial structures, and indicate that anos1-depleted Xenopus embryos represent a useful model to analyze the pathogenesis of Kallmann syndrome. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A targeted sequencing panel identifies rare damaging variants in multiple genes in the cranial neural tube defect, anencephaly.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishida, M; Cullup, T; Boustred, C; James, C; Docker, J; English, C; Lench, N; Copp, A J; Moore, G E; Greene, N D E; Stanier, P

2018-04-01

Neural tube defects (NTDs) affecting the brain (anencephaly) are lethal before or at birth, whereas lower spinal defects (spina bifida) may lead to lifelong neurological handicap. Collectively, NTDs rank among the most common birth defects worldwide. This study focuses on anencephaly, which despite having a similar frequency to spina bifida and being the most common type of NTD observed in mouse models, has had more limited inclusion in genetic studies. A genetic influence is strongly implicated in determining risk of NTDs and a molecular diagnosis is of fundamental importance to families both in terms of understanding the origin of the condition and for managing future pregnancies. Here we used a custom panel of 191 NTD candidate genes to screen 90 patients with cranial NTDs (n = 85 anencephaly and n = 5 craniorachischisis) with a targeted exome sequencing platform. After filtering and comparing to our in-house control exome database (N = 509), we identified 397 rare variants (minor allele frequency, MAF < 1%), 21 of which were previously unreported and predicted damaging. This included 1 frameshift (PDGFRA), 2 stop-gained (MAT1A; NOS2) and 18 missense variations. Together with evidence for oligogenic inheritance, this study provides new information on the possible genetic causation of anencephaly. © 2017 The Authors. Clinical Genetics published by John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Hydride blister formation simulation in Candu type reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otero, D.; Bollini, C.; Sangregorio, D.

1992-01-01

We have developed a computer code for the probability study of hydride blister formation in pressure tubes named BLIFO. The basic hypothesis of the model are: the pressure tube is divided into five areas according to the existence of four garter springs. For each area the probability of blister formation is the probability of the hydrogen content exceeding a critical threshold when contact tube is present; the probability of a blister in a tube is the OR combination of the probabilities of a blister in each area; the tube contact is a function of the garter springs location, and the time; the critical hydrogen threshold is sorted over the areas within the pressure tube; hydrogen pick-up rate was sorted with a Gaussian distribution; the initial hydrogen content values for each tube were measured before the ensamble and they are used in the code. For Embalse evaluation, we build up a subroutine that simulate Gaussian distribution using the parameters of a typical nuclear power Candu reactor garter spring distribution. (author)

Analysis of Boiler Operational Variables Prior to Tube Leakage Fault by Artificial Intelligent System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Al-Kayiem Hussain H.

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Steam boilers are considered as a core of any steam power plant. Boilers are subjected to various types of trips leading to shut down of the entire plant. The tube leakage is the worse among the common boiler faults, where the shutdown period lasts for around four to five days. This paper describes the rules of the Artificial Intelligent Systems to diagnosis the boiler variables prior to tube leakage occurrence. An Intelligent system based on Artificial Neural Network was designed and coded in MATLAB environment. The ANN was trained and validated using real site data acquired from coal fired power plant in Malaysia. Ninety three boiler operational variables were identified for the present investigation based on the plant operator experience. Various neural networks topology combinations were investigated. The results showed that the NN with two hidden layers performed better than one hidden layer using Levenberg-Maquardt training algorithm. Moreover, it was noticed that hyperbolic tangent function for input and output nodes performed better than other activation function types.

Empirical modeling of nuclear power plants using neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parlos, A.G.; Atiya, A.; Chong, K.T.

1991-01-01

A summary of a procedure for nonlinear identification of process dynamics encountered in nuclear power plant components is presented in this paper using artificial neural systems. A hybrid feedforward/feedback neural network, namely, a recurrent multilayer perceptron, is used as the nonlinear structure for system identification. In the overall identification process, the feedforward portion of the network architecture provides its well-known interpolation property, while through recurrency and cross-talk, the local information feedback enables representation of time-dependent system nonlinearities. The standard backpropagation learning algorithm is modified and is used to train the proposed hybrid network in a supervised manner. The performance of recurrent multilayer perceptron networks in identifying process dynamics is investigated via the case study of a U-tube steam generator. The nonlinear response of a representative steam generator is predicted using a neural network and is compared to the response obtained from a sophisticated physical model during both high- and low-power operation. The transient responses compare well, though further research is warranted for training and testing of recurrent neural networks during more severe operational transients and accident scenarios

Analysis of defect tubes of fast reactor heat exchanger

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rukhlyada, N.Ya.

2014-01-01

The experimental Auger electron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction microanalysis data of laboratory investigations of defect tubes of heat exchanger with sodium coolant are presented. Element distribution through depth of corrosion layers form on the side of coolant (sodium) and on the surface contacting with steam in heat exchanger tube is studied. Sodium presence through all thickness of the tube is determined. It is shown that treatment of 12Cr18N9 steel surface by plasma pulses decreases intergranular corrosion susceptibility. It is related with structural changes of surface layer (∼ 20 μm), its enrichment by chromium and formation of chromium oxide protective film [ru

From Empress to Emmen: Canadian-developed coil tubing technology gains international recognition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ross, E.

2004-03-01

The evolution of the Canadian-developed Drilling Using Coiled Tubing (DUCT) technology is traced from its humble beginnings in the 1970s when it was used as small-diameter tubing for gas lift wells, evolving over time to larger tubing and complex job designs involving sophisticated modelling and planning. Today the technology can be found in underbalanced drilling projects as far east as offshore Holland. Underbalanced drilling can help operators achieve optimum well production by reducing the risk of reservoir damage from the influx of fluids, chemicals and formation solids into a porous formation. Using coiled tubing can ensure a consistent bottomhole pressure with no forced surging on the reservoir because there are no connections to be made and the circulation is continuous. Reservoir temperature and hydrocarbons continue to be the great challenges to the bottomhole assembly (BHA) and the positive displacement motor (PDM), but suppliers have been able to develop PDMs that can handle higher temperatures in the presence of hydrocarbons. With regard to future applications, coiled tubing drilling also appears to have a growing market for offshore re-entries using slim-hole drilling, due primarily to its lower transportation cost. 1 fig.

Failure investigation of super heater tubes of coal fired power plant

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A.K. Pramanick

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Cause of failure of two adjacent super heater tubes made of Cr-Mo steel of a coal based 60 MW thermal power plant has been portrayed in present investigation. Oxide deposits were found on internal surface of tubes. Deposits created significant resistance to heat transfer and resulted in undesirable rise in component temperature. This situation, in turn, aggravated the condition of gas side that was exposed to high temperature. Localized heating coarsened carbides as well as propelled precipitation of new brittle phases along grain boundary resulting in embrittlement of tube material. Continuous exposure to high temperature softened the tube material and tube wall was thinned down with bulging toward outside. Creep void formation along grain boundary was observed and steered intergranular cracking. All these effects contributed synergistically and tubes were failed ultimately due to overload under high Hoop stress.

Synthesis of barium-strontium titanate hollow tubes using Kirkendall effect

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xuncai; Im, SangHyuk; Kim, Jinsoo; Kim, Woo-Sik

2018-02-01

(BaSr)TiO3 hexagonal hollow tubes was fabricated by a solid-state interfacial reaction including a Kirkendall diffusion. Using a co-precipitation and sol-gel process, a core@shell structure of (BaSr)CO3@TiO2 rods were prepared, and then converted to (BaSr)TiO3 hollow tubes at 750 °C. This was a first achievement of single-phase crystal hollow tube. Here, the inner diameter and wall thickness of hollow tube were about 700 nm and 130 nm, respectively. The fabrication of (BaSr)TiO3 hollow tubes was monitored with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to investigate their formation mechanism. The present synthetic approach would provide a new insight into the design and fabrication of hollow architectures of many perovskite oxides.

Changes in pediatric tracheostomy tubes exposed to home dishwashing.

Science.gov (United States)

Smolar, David E; Ho, Brian; Kent, Steven M; Hughes, C Anthony; Mettenburg, Donald; Rueggeberg, Fredrick A; Groves, Michael W

2017-09-01

Determine the effects of household dishwashing on Tracheostomy Tube safety. Tracheostomy tubes accumulate biofilms, which may limit their lifespan. Frequent cleaning of the tubes is a method for biofilm prevention. Cleaning practices vary widely. Some families prefer dishwashing of tubes, but its effects are currently unknown. We hypothesize that dishwashing has no significant effect on the physical properties of tracheostomy tubes and can be recommended as a safe way to clean tracheostomy tubes. Twenty 4.0 Shiley™ pediatric tracheostomy tubes were randomly assigned into dishwashed (DW) and non-dishwashed (NDW) groups, 10/group. DW tubes were subjected to 12 wash cycles. Each tube's hardness along with the surface spectra were analyzed to assess for chemical composition changes. Three cannula samples from each group were also randomly assessed with scanning-electron microscopy and scored by blinded examiners to assess for changes in surface heterogeneity. Hardness testing revealed a statistically significant difference (p = 0.0009) between the NDW and the DW group indicating increased fragility in the dishwashed tubes. Spectral analysis revealed loss of plasticizers, indicating decreased flexibility. Blinded electron microscopy scoring revealed increased surface heterogeneity in the DW group (p = 0.00007). A significant decrease in tube hardness and increased surface heterogeneity were found with dishwashing. The spectral analysis demonstrated increasing fragility. We believe these effects could potentially lead to decreased mechanical safety. With increased surface heterogeneity there is a greater potential for biofilm formation. At this time, dishwashing cannot be recommended as a tracheostomy tube cleaning method. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Halloysite tubes as nanocontainers for anticorrosion coating with benzotriazole.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdullayev, Elshad; Price, Ronald; Shchukin, Dmitry; Lvov, Yuri

2009-07-01

Halloysite clay nanotubes were investigated as a tubular container for the corrosion inhibitor benzotriazole. Halloysite is a naturally occurring cylindrical clay mineral with an internal diameter in the nanometer range and a length up to several micrometers, yielding a high-aspect-ratio hollow tube structure. Halloysite may be used as an additive in paints to produce a functional composite coating material. A maximum benzotriazole loading of 5% by weight was achieved for clay tubes of 50 nm external diameters and lumen of 15 nm. Variable release rates of the corrosion inhibitor were possible in a range between 5 and 100 h, as was demonstrated by formation of stoppers at tube openings. The anticorrosive performance of the sol-gel coating and paint loaded with 2-5% of halloysite-entrapped benzotriazole was tested on copper and on 2024-aluminum alloy by direct exposure of the metal plates to corrosive media. Kinetics of the corrosion spot formation at the coating defects was analyzed by the scanning vibrating electrode technique, and an essential damping of corrosion development was demonstrated for halloysite-loaded samples.

Absence of Rybp Compromises Neural Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells

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Gergo Kovacs

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Rybp (Ring1 and Yy1 Binding Protein is a transcriptional regulator and member of the noncanonical polycomb repressive complex 1 with essential role in early embryonic development. We have previously described that alteration of Rybp dosage in mouse models induced striking neural tube defects (NTDs, exencephaly, and disorganized neurocortex. In this study we further investigated the role of Rybp in neural differentiation by utilising wild type (rybp+/+ and rybp null mutant (rybp-/- embryonic stem cells (ESCs and tried to uncover underlying molecular events that are responsible for the observed phenotypic changes. We found that rybp null mutant ESCs formed less matured neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes from existing progenitors than wild type cells. Furthermore, lack of rybp coincided with altered gene expression of key neural markers including Pax6 and Plagl1 pinpointing a possible transcriptional circuit among these genes.

A Neural Network Approach to Fluid Quantity Measurement in Dynamic Environments

CERN Document Server

Terzic, Edin; Nagarajah, Romesh; Alamgir, Muhammad

2012-01-01

Sloshing causes liquid to fluctuate, making accurate level readings difficult to obtain in dynamic environments. The measurement system described uses a single-tube capacitive sensor to obtain an instantaneous level reading of the fluid surface, thereby accurately determining the fluid quantity in the presence of slosh. A neural network based classification technique has been applied to predict the actual quantity of the fluid contained in a tank under sloshing conditions.   In A neural network approach to fluid quantity measurement in dynamic environments, effects of temperature variations and contamination on the capacitive sensor are discussed, and the authors propose that these effects can also be eliminated with the proposed neural network based classification system. To examine the performance of the classification system, many field trials were carried out on a running vehicle at various tank volume levels that range from 5 L to 50 L. The effectiveness of signal enhancement on the neural network base...

Journal of Biosciences | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2011-07-08

Jul 8, 2011 ... Noggin, along with other secreted bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) inhibitors, plays a crucial role in neural induction and neural tube patterning as well as in ... Understanding its evolutionary origin and role in pattern formation is, therefore, important to evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo).

Mechanistic modeling of heat transfer process governing pressure tube-to-calandria tube contact and fuel channel failure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luxat, J.C.

2002-01-01

Heat transfer behaviour and phenomena associated with ballooning deformation of a pressure tube into contact with a calandria tube have been analyzed and mechanistic models have been developed to describe the heat transfer and thermal-mechanical processes. These mechanistic models are applied to analyze experiments performed in various COG funded Contact Boiling Test series. Particular attention is given in the modeling to characterization of the conditions for which fuel channel failure may occur. Mechanistic models describing the governing heat transfer and thermal-mechanical processes are presented. The technical basis for characterizing parameters of the models from the general heat transfer literature is described. The validity of the models is demonstrated by comparison with experimental data. Fuel channel integrity criteria are proposed which are based upon three necessary and sequential mechanisms: Onset of CHF and local drypatch formation at contact; sustained film boiling in the post-contact period; and creep strain to failure of the calandria tube while in sustained film boiling. (author)

The YouTube Makeup Class

Science.gov (United States)

Haase, David G.

2009-05-01

When a college instructor goes out of town and must miss a lecture, the standard options are to cancel the class meeting or to enlist a colleague to fill in. In the former case a teaching opportunity is lost; in the latter the substitute may not lead the class in the same way as the instructor. Some students routinely skip lectures by a guest instructor, in the belief that the material in the substitute lecture will not be covered on the exam. There are other makeup options such as a directed study assignment. For instance, a missed class is sometimes a good opportunity to require students to investigate web-based simulations such as Physlets® that illustrate the class topics. These are most effective if the students are given a clear structure and if there are questions that the students must answer from their investigations with the Physlets. But many students are more comfortable with the audio and visual communication that occurs in the classroom. Web 2.0 technology, e.g., YouTube (http://www.youtube.com), makes it convenient for faculty to upload videos of lectures and demonstrations that can be used for makeup classes. College students already use YouTube for entertainment, and the YouTube format is simple to view on any web-connected computer. Although some universities have highly developed media delivery systems, YouTube is extremely convenient and accessible by anyone. This paper discusses how a YouTube makeup class can be efficiently produced and structured to be an effective learning experience.

Detection of copy number variants reveals association of cilia genes with neural tube defects.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoli Chen

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Neural tube defects (NTDs are one of the most common birth defects caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Currently, little is known about the genetic basis of NTDs although up to 70% of human NTDs were reported to be attributed to genetic factors. Here we performed genome-wide copy number variants (CNVs detection in a cohort of Chinese NTD patients in order to exam the potential role of CNVs in the pathogenesis of NTDs. METHODS: The genomic DNA from eighty-five NTD cases and seventy-five matched normal controls were subjected for whole genome CNVs analysis. Non-DGV (the Database of Genomic Variants CNVs from each group were further analyzed for their associations with NTDs. Gene content in non-DGV CNVs as well as participating pathways were examined. RESULTS: Fifty-five and twenty-six non-DGV CNVs were detected in cases and controls respectively. Among them, forty and nineteen CNVs involve genes (genic CNV. Significantly more non-DGV CNVs and non-DGV genic CNVs were detected in NTD patients than in control (41.2% vs. 25.3%, p<0.05 and 37.6% vs. 20%, p<0.05. Non-DGV genic CNVs are associated with a 2.65-fold increased risk for NTDs (95% CI: 1.24-5.87. Interestingly, there are 41 cilia genes involved in non-DGV CNVs from NTD patients which is significantly enriched in cases compared with that in controls (24.7% vs. 9.3%, p<0.05, corresponding with a 3.19-fold increased risk for NTDs (95% CI: 1.27-8.01. Pathway analyses further suggested that two ciliogenesis pathways, tight junction and protein kinase A signaling, are top canonical pathways implicated in NTD-specific CNVs, and these two novel pathways interact with known NTD pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence from the genome-wide CNV study suggests that genic CNVs, particularly ciliogenic CNVs are associated with NTDs and two ciliogenesis pathways, tight junction and protein kinase A signaling, are potential pathways involved in NTD pathogenesis.

21 CFR 868.5800 - Tracheostomy tube and tube cuff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Tracheostomy tube and tube cuff. 868.5800 Section... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5800 Tracheostomy tube and tube cuff. (a) Identification. A tracheostomy tube and tube cuff is a device intended to be placed into a...

Prevalência e distribuição espacial de defeitos do tubo neural no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, antes e após a fortificação de farinhas com ácido fólico Prevalencia y distribución espacial de defectos del tubo neural en el Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, antes y después del enriquecimiento de harinas con ácido fólico Prevalence and spatial distribution of neural tube defects in São Paulo State, Brazil, before and after folic acid flour fortification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth Fujimori

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Estudo transversal que analisou prevalência e distribuição espacial de defeitos do tubo neural, antes e após a fortificação das farinhas de trigo e milho com ácido fólico no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, com uso do Sistema de Informações sobre Nascidos Vivos (SINASC. São apresentadas prevalências segundo características maternas por meio de odds ratio (OR e intervalos de 95% de confiança (IC95%. Para análise temporal e espacial, foram utilizados, respectivamente, regressão polinomial e mapas com suavização bayesiana empírica. A prevalência diminuiu 35%, de 0,57 para 0,37 por mil nascidos vivos após a fortificação (OR = 0,65; IC95%: 0,59-0,72. Verificou-se redução para mulheres de todas as idades (exceto Estudio transversal que analizó la prevalencia y distribución espacial de defectos del tubo neural, antes y después del enriquecimiento de las harinas de trigo y maíz con ácido fólico en el Estado de Sao Paulo, Brasil, con el uso del Sistema de Información sobre Nacidos Vivos (SINASC. Se presentaron prevalencias, según características maternas, mediante odds ratio (OR e intervalos de un 95% de confianza (IC95%. Para un análisis temporal y espacial, fueron utilizados, respectivamente, regresión polinomial y mapas con suavizamiento bayesiano empírico. La prevalencia disminuyó un 35%, de 0,57 a 0,37 por mil nacidos vivos tras el enriquecimiento (OR = 0,65; IC95%: 0,59-0,72. Se verificó la reducción en mujeres de todas las edades (excepto This cross-sectional study analyzed the prevalence and spatial distribution of neural tube defects before and after folic acid flour fortification. The study used the Information System on Live Births (SINASC and presented prevalence rates according to maternal characteristics with odds ratios (OR and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI. Polynomial regression was used in time trend analysis and empirical Bayesian smoothed maps for spatial analysis. Total prevalence of neural tube

Tube plug

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zafred, P. R.

1985-01-01

The tube plug comprises a one piece mechanical plug having one open end and one closed end which is capable of being inserted in a heat exchange tube and internally expanded into contact with the inside surface of the heat exchange tube for preventing flow of a coolant through the heat exchange tube. The tube plug also comprises a groove extending around the outside circumference thereof which has an elastomeric material disposed in the groove for enhancing the seal between the tube plug and the tube

Ultrasonic inspection of tube to tube plate welds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Telford, D.W.; Peat, T.S.

1985-01-01

To monitor the deterioration of a weld between a tube and tube plate which has been repaired by a repair sleeve inside the tube and brazed at one end to the tube, ultrasound from a crystal at the end of a rod is launched, in the form of Lamb-type waves, into the tube through the braze and allowed to travel along the tube to the weld and be reflected back along the tube. The technique may also be used for the type of heat exchanger in which, during construction, the tubes are welded to the tube plate via external sleeves in which case the ultrasound is used in a similar manner to inspect the sleeve/tube plate weld. an electromagnetic transducer may be used to generate the ultrasound. The ultrasonic head comprising the crystal and an acoustic baffle is mounted on a Perspex (RTM) rod which may be rotated by a stepping motor. Echo signals from the region of deterioration may be isolated by use of a time gate in the receiver. The device primarily detects circumferentially orientated cracks, and may be used in heat exchangers in nuclear power plants. (author)

Chromatic characterization of a three-channel colorimeter using back-propagation neural networks

Science.gov (United States)

Pardo, P. J.; Pérez, A. L.; Suero, M. I.

2004-09-01

This work describes a method for the chromatic characterization of a three-channel colorimeter of recent design and construction dedicated to color vision research. The colorimeter consists of two fixed monochromators and a third monochromator interchangeable with a cathode ray tube or any other external light source. Back-propagation neural networks were used for the chromatic characterization to establish the relationship between each monochromator's input parameters and the tristimulus values of each chromatic stimulus generated. The results showed the effectiveness of this type of neural-network-based system for the chromatic characterization of the stimuli produced by any monochromator.

Fetoscopic Open Neural Tube Defect Repair: Development and Refinement of a Two-Port, Carbon Dioxide Insufflation Technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Belfort, Michael A; Whitehead, William E; Shamshirsaz, Alireza A; Bateni, Zhoobin H; Olutoye, Oluyinka O; Olutoye, Olutoyin A; Mann, David G; Espinoza, Jimmy; Williams, Erin; Lee, Timothy C; Keswani, Sundeep G; Ayres, Nancy; Cassady, Christopher I; Mehollin-Ray, Amy R; Sanz Cortes, Magdalena; Carreras, Elena; Peiro, Jose L; Ruano, Rodrigo; Cass, Darrell L

2017-04-01

To describe development of a two-port fetoscopic technique for spina bifida repair in the exteriorized, carbon dioxide-filled uterus and report early results of two cohorts of patients: the first 15 treated with an iterative technique and the latter 13 with a standardized technique. This was a retrospective cohort study (2014-2016). All patients met Management of Myelomeningocele Study selection criteria. The intraoperative approach was iterative in the first 15 patients and was then standardized. Obstetric, maternal, fetal, and early neonatal outcomes were compared. Standard parametric and nonparametric tests were used as appropriate. Data for 28 patients (22 endoscopic only, four hybrid, two abandoned) are reported, but only those with a complete fetoscopic repair were analyzed (iterative technique [n=10] compared with standardized technique [n=12]). Maternal demographics and gestational age (median [range]) at fetal surgery (25.4 [22.9-25.9] compared with 24.8 [24-25.6] weeks) were similar, but delivery occurred at 35.9 (26-39) weeks of gestation with the iterative technique compared with 39 (35.9-40) weeks of gestation with the standardized technique (Pmet in 9 of 12 (75%) and 3 of 10 (30%), respectively, and 7 of 12 (58%) compared with 2 of 10 (20%) have been treated for hydrocephalus to date. These latter differences were not statistically significant. Fetoscopic open neural tube defect repair does not appear to increase maternal-fetal complications as compared with repair by hysterotomy, allows for vaginal delivery, and may reduce long-term maternal risks. ClinicalTrials.gov, https://clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02230072.

The response of early neural genes to FGF signaling or inhibition of BMP indicate the absence of a conserved neural induction module

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rogers Crystal D

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The molecular mechanism that initiates the formation of the vertebrate central nervous system has long been debated. Studies in Xenopus and mouse demonstrate that inhibition of BMP signaling is sufficient to induce neural tissue in explants or ES cells respectively, whereas studies in chick argue that instructive FGF signaling is also required for the expression of neural genes. Although additional signals may be involved in neural induction and patterning, here we focus on the roles of BMP inhibition and FGF8a. Results To address the question of necessity and sufficiency of BMP inhibition and FGF signaling, we compared the temporal expression of the five earliest genes expressed in the neuroectoderm and determined their requirements for induction at the onset of neural plate formation in Xenopus. Our results demonstrate that the onset and peak of expression of the genes vary and that they have different regulatory requirements and are therefore unlikely to share a conserved neural induction regulatory module. Even though all require inhibition of BMP for expression, some also require FGF signaling; expression of the early-onset pan-neural genes sox2 and foxd5α requires FGF signaling while other early genes, sox3, geminin and zicr1 are induced by BMP inhibition alone. Conclusions We demonstrate that BMP inhibition and FGF signaling induce neural genes independently of each other. Together our data indicate that although the spatiotemporal expression patterns of early neural genes are similar, the mechanisms involved in their expression are distinct and there are different signaling requirements for the expression of each gene.

Estimation and optimization of heat transfer and overall presure drop for a shell and tube heat exchanger

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rao, Bala Bhaskara [Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, SISTAM College, JNTU, Kakinada (India); Raju, V. Ramachandra [Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, JNTU, Kakinada (India); Deepak, B. B V. L. [Dept. of Industrial Design, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela (India)

2017-01-15

Most thermal/chemical industries are equipped with heat exchangers to enhance thermal efficiency. The performance of heat exchangers highly depends on design modifications in the tube side, such as the cross-sectional area, orientation, and baffle cut of the tube. However, these parameters do not exhibit a specific relation to determining the optimum design condition for shell and tube heat exchangers with a maximum heat transfer rate and reduced pressure drops. Accordingly, experimental and numerical simulations are performed for a heat exchanger with varying tube geometries. The heat exchanger considered in this investigation is a single-shell, multiple-pass device. A Generalized regression neural network (GRNN) is applied to generate a relation among the input and output process parameters for the experimental data sets. Then, an Artificial immune system (AIS) is used with GRNN to obtain optimized input parameters. Lastly, results are presented for the developed hybrid GRNN-AIS approach.

Heat Exchanger Tube to Tube Sheet Joints Corrosion Behavior

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Iancu

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Paper presents the studies made by the authors above the tube to tube sheet fittings of heat exchanger with fixed covers from hydrofining oil reforming unit. Tube fittings are critical zones for heat exchangers failures. On a device made from material tube and tube sheet at real joints dimensions were establish axial compression force and traction force at which tube is extracted from expanded joint. Were used two shapes joints with two types of fittings surfaces, one with smooth hole of tube sheet and other in which on boring surface we made a groove. From extracted expanded tube zones were made samples for corrosion tests in order to establish the corrosion rate, corrosion potential and corrosion current in working mediums such as hydrofining oil and industrial water at different temperatures. The corrosion rate values and the temperature influence are important to evaluate joints durability and also the results obtained shows that the boring tube sheet shape with a groove on hole tube shape presents a better corrosion behavior then the shape with smooth hole tube sheet.

Tube spacer grid for a heat-exchanger tube bundle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scheidl, H.

1976-01-01

A tube spacer grid for a heat-exchanger tube bundle is formed by an annular grid frame having a groove formed in its inner surface in which the interspaced grid bars have their ends positioned and held in interspaced relationship by short sections of tubes passed through holes axially formed in the grid frame so that the tubes are positioned between the ends of the grid bars in the grooves. The tube sections may be cut from the same tubes used to form the tube bundle. 5 claims, 3 drawing figures

Performance improvements of the BNC tubes from unique double-silicone-tube bioreactors by introducing chitosan and heparin for application as small-diameter artificial blood vessels.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xue; Tang, Jingyu; Bao, Luhan; Chen, Lin; Hong, Feng F

2017-12-15

In order to improve property of bacterial nano-cellulose (BNC) to achieve the requirements of clinical application as small caliber vascular grafts, chitosan (CH) was deposited into the fibril network of the BNC tubes fabricated in unique Double-Silicone-Tube bioreactors. Heparin (Hep) was then chemically grafted into the BNC-based tubes using EDC/NHS crosslinking to improve performance of anticoagulation and endothelialization. Physicochemical and mechanical property, blood compatibility, and cytocompatibility were compared before and after compositing. The results indicated that strength at break was increased but burst pressure decreased slightly after compositing. Performance of the BNC tubes was improved remarkably after introducing chitosan and heparin. The EDC/NHS crosslinking catalyzed both amide bonds and ester bonds formation in the BNC/CH-Hep composites. Three-dimensional surface structure and roughness were firstly obtained and discussed in relation to the hemocompatibility of BNC-based tubes. This work demonstrates the heparinized BNC-based tubes have great potential in application as small-diameter vascular prosthesis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sinup, a novel Siaz-interacting nuclear protein, modulates neural plate formation in the zebrafish embryos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ro, Hyunju; Won, Minho; Lee, Su-Ui; Kim, Kyoon E.; Huh, Tae-Lin; Kim, Cheol-Hee; Rhee, Myungchull

2005-01-01

Siah, the vertebrate homologue of the Drosophila seven in absentia (sina) gene, is well conserved from Drosophila to mammal and involved in ubiquitination and proteasome-dependent degradation of various target proteins. To identify cellular proteins interacting with Siah, we screened a zebrafish cDNA library with zebrafish Siah (Siaz) as bait in a yeast two-hybrid assay. We identified a cDNA encoding a novel protein composed of 145 amino acids and termed it as Sinup (Siaz-interacting-nuclear-protein). Sinup is a novel nuclear protein that binds to the highly conserved C-terminal protein-interacting domain of Siaz both in vivo and in vitro. During development, sinup transcripts are abundant from the one-cell stage to the early blastula and then markedly diminished, suggesting sinup largely exists as maternal transcripts. sinup overexpression induced lateral expansion of the neural plate and in consequence caused ectopic expression of otx-2 and hoxb1b during the late gastrula stage. In addition, the lateral/paraxial expression of wnt8 at the onset of gastrulation is suppressed by the forced expression of sinup while the expression levels of various dorso-ventral markers are unaffected. In contrast, interfering with sinup functions using sinup morpholino oligonucleotides gradually diminished the anterior neuroectoderm from the posterior region, and resulted in compete loss of hindbrain at the 3-somites stage. Our report suggests that sinup expression should be tightly regulated during early embryonic development for the proper neural plate formation

Nonlinear identification of process dynamics using neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parlos, A.G.; Atiya, A.F.; Chong, K.T.

1992-01-01

In this paper the nonlinear identification of process dynamics encountered in nuclear power plant components is addressed, in an input-output sense, using artificial neural systems. A hybrid feedforward/feedback neural network, namely, a recurrent multilayer perceptron, is used as the model structure to be identified. The feedforward portion of the network architecture provides its well-known interpolation property, while through recurrency and cross-talk, the local information feedback enables representation of temporal variations in the system nonlinearities. The standard backpropagation learning algorithm is modified, and it is used for the supervised training of the proposed hybrid network. The performance of recurrent multilayer perceptron networks in identifying process dynamics is investigated via the case study of a U-tube steam generator. The response of representative steam generator is predicted using a neural network, and it is compared to the response obtained from a sophisticated computer model based on first principles. The transient responses compare well, although further research is warranted to determine the predictive capabilities of these networks during more severe operational transients and accident scenarios

Characterization of the ETEL D784UKFLB 11 in. photomultiplier tube

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barros, N.; Kaptanoglu, T. [University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States); Kimelman, B. [Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA 18104 (United States); Klein, J.R. [University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States); Moore, E.; Nguyen, J. [University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616 (United States); Stavreva, K. [University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States); Svoboda, R., E-mail: rsvoboda@physics.ucdavis.edu [University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616 (United States)

2017-04-21

Water Cherenkov and scintillator detectors are a critical tool for neutrino physics. Their large size, low threshold, and low operational cost make them excellent detectors for long baseline neutrino oscillations, proton decay, supernova and solar neutrinos, double beta decay, and ultra-high energy astrophysical neutrinos. Proposals for a new generation of large detectors rely on the availability of large format, fast, cost-effective photomultiplier tubes. The Electron Tubes Enterprises, Ltd (ETEL) D784KFLB 11 in. Photomultiplier Tube has been developed for large neutrino detectors. We have measured the timing characteristics, relative efficiency, and magnetic field sensitivity of the first fifteen prototypes.

Optical and acoustic phonon modes in strained InGaAs/GaAs rolled up tubes

Science.gov (United States)

Angelova, T.; Shtinkov, N.; Ivanov, Ts.; Donchev, V.; Cantarero, A.; Deneke, Ch.; Schmidt, O. G.; Cros, A.

2012-05-01

Rolled-up semiconductor tubes of various diameters made of alternating In0.215Ga0.785As/GaAs layers have been investigated by means of Raman scattering. The optical and acoustic phonon modes of individual tubes have been studied and compared with the characteristics of the surrounding material. After tube formation, the frequency of the phonon modes shifts with respect to the as-grown material and disorder activated modes are observed. The frequency shifts are related to the residual strain in the tubes through the deformation potential approximation. Good agreement with atomistic valence force field simulations and x-ray micro-diffraction measurements is found. By comparison with x-ray data, a Raman strain constant K = 0.65 is proposed for In0.215Ga0.785As. In the low frequency range, acoustic mode doublets are observed on the tubes that are absent in the surrounding material. They show clear evidence of the formation of periodic superlattices after the rolling-up process, and give insight into the quality of their interfaces.

Albendazole inhibits endothelial cell migration, tube formation, vasopermeability, VEGF receptor-2 expression and suppresses retinal neovascularization in ROP model of angiogenesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pourgholami, Mohammad H., E-mail: mh.pourgholami@unsw.edu.au [University of New South Wales, Department of Surgery, St George Hospital (SESIAHS), Sydney (Australia); Khachigian, Levon M.; Fahmy, Roger G. [Centre for Vascular Research, The University of New South Wales, Department of Haematology, The Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney (Australia); Badar, Samina; Wang, Lisa; Chu, Stephanie Wai Ling; Morris, David Lawson [University of New South Wales, Department of Surgery, St George Hospital (SESIAHS), Sydney (Australia)

2010-07-09

The angiogenic process begins with the cell proliferation and migration into the primary vascular network, and leads to vascularization of previously avascular tissues and organs as well to growth and remodeling of the initially homogeneous capillary plexus to form a new microcirculation. Additionally, an increase in microvascular permeability is a crucial step in angiogenesis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a central role in angiogenesis. We have previously reported that albendazole suppresses VEGF levels and inhibits malignant ascites formation, suggesting a possible effect on angiogenesis. This study was therefore designed to investigate the antiangiogenic effect of albendazole in non-cancerous models of angiogenesis. In vitro, treatment of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with albendazole led to inhibition of tube formation, migration, permeability and down-regulation of the VEGF type 2 receptor (VEGFR-2). In vivo albendazole profoundly inhibited hyperoxia-induced retinal angiogenesis in mice. These results provide new insights into the antiangiogenic effects of albendazole.

Albendazole inhibits endothelial cell migration, tube formation, vasopermeability, VEGF receptor-2 expression and suppresses retinal neovascularization in ROP model of angiogenesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pourgholami, Mohammad H.; Khachigian, Levon M.; Fahmy, Roger G.; Badar, Samina; Wang, Lisa; Chu, Stephanie Wai Ling; Morris, David Lawson

2010-01-01

The angiogenic process begins with the cell proliferation and migration into the primary vascular network, and leads to vascularization of previously avascular tissues and organs as well to growth and remodeling of the initially homogeneous capillary plexus to form a new microcirculation. Additionally, an increase in microvascular permeability is a crucial step in angiogenesis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a central role in angiogenesis. We have previously reported that albendazole suppresses VEGF levels and inhibits malignant ascites formation, suggesting a possible effect on angiogenesis. This study was therefore designed to investigate the antiangiogenic effect of albendazole in non-cancerous models of angiogenesis. In vitro, treatment of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with albendazole led to inhibition of tube formation, migration, permeability and down-regulation of the VEGF type 2 receptor (VEGFR-2). In vivo albendazole profoundly inhibited hyperoxia-induced retinal angiogenesis in mice. These results provide new insights into the antiangiogenic effects of albendazole.

Restoration of Impaired Metabolic Energy Balance (ATP Pool and Tube Formation Potential of Endothelial Cells under “high glucose”, Diabetic Conditions by the Bioinorganic Polymer Polyphosphate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaohong Wang

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Micro-vascularization is a fast, energy-dependent process that is compromised by elevated glucose concentrations such as in diabetes mellitus disease. Here, we studied the effect of the physiological bioinorganic polymer, polyphosphate (polyP, on the reduced ATP content and impaired function of endothelial cells cultivated under “high glucose” (35 mM diabetes mellitus conditions concentrations. This high-energy biopolymer has been shown to provide a source of metabolic energy, stored in its phosphoanhydride bonds. We show that exposure of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC cells to “high glucose” levels results in reduced cell viability, increased apoptotic cell death, and a decline in intracellular ATP level. As a consequence, the ability of HUVEC cells to form tube-like structures in the in vitro cell tube formation assay was almost completely abolished under “high glucose” conditions. Those cells were grown onto a physiological collagen scaffold (collagen/basement membrane extract. We demonstrate that these adverse effects of increased glucose levels can be reversed by administration of polyP to almost normal values. Using Na-polyP, complexed in a stoichiometric (molar ratio to Ca2+ ions and in the physiological concentration range between 30 and 300 µM, an almost complete restoration of the reduced ATP pool of cells exposed to “high glucose” was found, as well as a normalization of the number of apoptotic cells and energy-dependent tube formation. It is concluded that the adverse effects on endothelial cells caused by the metabolic energy imbalance at elevated glucose concentrations can be counterbalanced by polyP, potentially opening new strategies for treatment of the micro-vascular complications in diabetic patients.

Water nucleation : wave tube experiments and theoretical considerations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Holten, V.

2009-01-01

This work is an experimental and theoretical study of the condensation of water. Condensation consists of nucleation – the formation of droplets – and the subsequent growth of those droplets. In our expansion tube setup, these processes are separated in time with the nucleation pulse principle, in

International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks (ICANN)

CERN Document Server

Mladenov, Valeri; Kasabov, Nikola; Artificial Neural Networks : Methods and Applications in Bio-/Neuroinformatics

2015-01-01

The book reports on the latest theories on artificial neural networks, with a special emphasis on bio-neuroinformatics methods. It includes twenty-three papers selected from among the best contributions on bio-neuroinformatics-related issues, which were presented at the International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks, held in Sofia, Bulgaria, on September 10-13, 2013 (ICANN 2013). The book covers a broad range of topics concerning the theory and applications of artificial neural networks, including recurrent neural networks, super-Turing computation and reservoir computing, double-layer vector perceptrons, nonnegative matrix factorization, bio-inspired models of cell communities, Gestalt laws, embodied theory of language understanding, saccadic gaze shifts and memory formation, and new training algorithms for Deep Boltzmann Machines, as well as dynamic neural networks and kernel machines. It also reports on new approaches to reinforcement learning, optimal control of discrete time-delay systems, new al...

Effect of sponge ball cleaning on removing vernacles in condenser tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mimura, Keisuke; Minamoto, Kenju; Kyohara, Shigeru

1977-01-01

Usually aluminum brass material is adopted for the condenser tubes in thermal and nuclear power stations today, and sea water is treated with chlorine for the purpose of smooth operation and maintenance, but recently, this treatment tends to be avoided in view of environment preservation. When the chlorine treatment is not carried out, vernacles and other marine living things adhere to the internal surfaces of condenser tubes, and the corrosion of the tubes and the lowering of heat transfer rate occur. In this study, sponge ball cleaning was selected as the method of mechanically removing the adhering living things in tubes. When the balls are used too frequently, the formation of protective film is hindered, and the corrosion of tubes is accelerated, therefore it is important to determine the optimal frequency. The model condenser test and the immersion test of aluminum brass and titanium tubes were carried out. The testing method, the operation record and the test results are reported. Vernacles are apt to adhere to titanium tubes rather than aluminum brass tubes, and in case of aluminum brass tubes, they adhere to those with iron hydroxide film rather than those as manufactured. Vernacles adhere more as the flow speed in tubes is lower and the number of larvae in water is more. It was confirmed that the sponge ball cleaning was extremely effective for removing vernacles. (Kako, I.)

Effect of sponge ball cleaning on removing vernacles in condenser tubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mimura, K; Minamoto, K; Kyohara, S [Kobe Steel Ltd. (Japan)

1977-01-01

Usually aluminum brass material is adopted for the condenser tubes in thermal and nuclear power stations today, and sea water is treated with chlorine for the purpose of smooth operation and maintenance, but recently, this treatment tends to be avoided in view of environment preservation. When the chlorine treatment is not carried out, vernacles and other marine living things adhere to the internal surfaces of condenser tubes, and the corrosion of the tubes and the lowering of heat transfer rate occur. In this study, sponge ball cleaning was selected as the method of mechanically removing the adhering living things in tubes. When the balls are used too frequently, the formation of protective film is hindered, and the corrosion of tubes is accelerated, therefore it is important to determine the optimal frequency. The model condenser test and the immersion test of aluminum brass and titanium tubes were carried out. The testing method, the operation record and the test results are reported. Vernacles are apt to adhere to titanium tubes rather than aluminum brass tubes, and in case of aluminum brass tubes, they adhere to those with iron hydroxide film rather than those as manufactured. Vernacles adhere more as the flow speed in tubes is lower and the number of larvae in water is more. It was confirmed that the sponge ball cleaning was extremely effective for removing vernacles.

Sampling of high molecular weight hydrocarbons with adsorbent tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stroemberg, B.

1996-12-01

Adsorption tubes have been used to determine the content of hydrocarbons in gas samples from small scale combustion and gasification of biomass. Compounds from benzene (mw 78) to indeno (1,2,3-cd) pyrene (mw 276) have been examined. The results show that it is possible to analyze polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) with 4 aromatic rings (mw 202). Detection limits for these compounds are 3 . PAH with higher molecule weight can be identified and quantified in samples with high amounts of PAH e.g. at gasification of biomass. Sampling on adsorption tubes is extremely quick and easy. The tube is inserted in the gas of interest and the sample is sucked through the tube with a pump. Sampling times of 2-10 minutes are often sufficient. High moisture content in the gas may result in losses of the most volatile compounds, when drying. Even very low concentrations of water in the tube may cause ice formation in the cold-trap and the sample will be destroyed. The analysis is unfortunately time-consuming because the desorption oven must be cooled between every analysis. This will reduce the number of samples which can be analyzed per day. The tubes can be stored for several weeks before analysis without deterioration. 4 refs, 5 figs, 3 tabs

A plausible neural circuit for decision making and its formation based on reinforcement learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Hui; Dai, Dawei; Bu, Yijie

2017-06-01

A human's, or lower insects', behavior is dominated by its nervous system. Each stable behavior has its own inner steps and control rules, and is regulated by a neural circuit. Understanding how the brain influences perception, thought, and behavior is a central mandate of neuroscience. The phototactic flight of insects is a widely observed deterministic behavior. Since its movement is not stochastic, the behavior should be dominated by a neural circuit. Based on the basic firing characteristics of biological neurons and the neural circuit's constitution, we designed a plausible neural circuit for this phototactic behavior from logic perspective. The circuit's output layer, which generates a stable spike firing rate to encode flight commands, controls the insect's angular velocity when flying. The firing pattern and connection type of excitatory and inhibitory neurons are considered in this computational model. We simulated the circuit's information processing using a distributed PC array, and used the real-time average firing rate of output neuron clusters to drive a flying behavior simulation. In this paper, we also explored how a correct neural decision circuit is generated from network flow view through a bee's behavior experiment based on the reward and punishment feedback mechanism. The significance of this study: firstly, we designed a neural circuit to achieve the behavioral logic rules by strictly following the electrophysiological characteristics of biological neurons and anatomical facts. Secondly, our circuit's generality permits the design and implementation of behavioral logic rules based on the most general information processing and activity mode of biological neurons. Thirdly, through computer simulation, we achieved new understanding about the cooperative condition upon which multi-neurons achieve some behavioral control. Fourthly, this study aims in understanding the information encoding mechanism and how neural circuits achieve behavior control

Cardiomyocytes derived from embryonic stem cells resemble cardiomyocytes of the embryonic heart tube

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fijnvandraat, Arnoud C.; van Ginneken, Antoni C. G.; de Boer, Piet A. J.; Ruijter, Jan M.; Christoffels, Vincent M.; Moorman, Antoon F. M.; Lekanne Deprez, Ronald H.

2003-01-01

OBJECTIVE: After formation of the linear heart tube a chamber-specific program of gene expression becomes active that underlies the formation of the chamber myocardium. To assess whether this program is recapitulated in in vitro differentiated embryonic stem cells, we performed qualitative and

High glucose suppresses embryonic stem cell differentiation into neural lineage cells

OpenAIRE

Yang, Penghua; Shen, Wei-bin; Reece, E. Albert; Chen, Xi; Yang, Peixin

2016-01-01

Abnormal neurogenesis occurs during embryonic development in human diabetic pregnancies and in animal models of diabetic embryopathy. Our previous studies in a mouse model of diabetic embryopathy have implicated that high glucose of maternal diabetes delays neurogenesis in the developing neuroepithelium leading to neural tube defects. However, the underlying process in high glucose-impaired neurogenesis is uncharacterized. Neurogenesis from embryonic stem (ES) cells provides a valuable model ...

Neural systems for control

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Omidvar, Omid; Elliott, David L

1997-01-01

... is reprinted with permission from A. Barto, "Reinforcement Learning," Handbook of Brain Theory and Neural Networks, M.A. Arbib, ed.. The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, pp. 804-809, 1995. Chapter 4, Figures 4-5 and 7-9 and Tables 2-5, are reprinted with permission, from S. Cho, "Map Formation in Proprioceptive Cortex," International Jour...

Tube holding system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cunningham, R.C.

1978-01-01

A tube holding rig is described for the lateral support of tubes arranged in tight parcels in a heat exchanger. This tube holding rig includes not less than two tube supporting assemblies, with a space between them, located crosswise with respect to the tubes, each supporting assembly comprising a first set of parallel components in contact with the tubes, whilst a second set of components is also in contact with the tubes. These two sets of parts together define apertures through which the tubes pass [fr

[C677T polymorphism of the methylentetrahydrofolate reductase gene in mothers of children affected with neural tube defects].

Science.gov (United States)

Morales de Machín, Alisandra; Méndez, Karile; Solís, Ernesto; Borjas de Borjas, Lisbeth; Bracho, Ana; Hernández, María Luisa; Negrón, Aimara; Delgado, Wilmer; Sánchez, Yanira

2015-09-01

Neural tube defects (NTD) are the most common congenital anomalies of the central nervous system, with a multifactorial pattern of inheritance, presumably involving the interaction of several genetic and environmental factors. The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene 677C>T polymorphism has been implicated as a risk factor for NTD. The main objective of this research was to investigate the association of the 677C>T polymorphism of the MTHFR gene as a genetic risk factor for NTD. Molecular analysis was performed in DNA samples from 52 mothers with antecedent of NTD offspring and from 119 healthy control mothers. Using the Polymerase Chain Reaction, a 198 bases pairs fragment was digested with the restriction enzyme Hinfi. 677T MTHFR allele frequencies for the problem and the control groups were 51.92% and 34.45%, respectively, and 677C MTHFR allele frequencies were 48.08% and 65.55%, respectively. There were significant differences in allele (p: 0.002) and genotype (p: 0.007) frequencies between these two groups. The odds ratio (OR) to the TT genotype vs. the CC genotype was estimated as OR: 4.9 [95% CI: 1,347-6.416] p: 0.002; CT+TT vs. CC: OR: 2.9 [95% CI: 1.347-6.416] p: 0.005; TT vs. CT+CC: OR: 2.675 [95% CI: 1,111-6.441] p: 0.024. The data presented in this study support the relationship between MTHFR 677C>T polymorphism and risk in mothers with antecedent of NTD offspring.

Association of main folate metabolic pathway gene polymorphisms with neural tube defects in Han population of Northern China.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Yulian; Zhang, Ruiping; Zhi, Xiufang; Zhao, Linsheng; Cao, Lirong; Wang, Yizheng; Cai, Chunquan

2018-04-01

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are one of the most prevalent and the most severe congenital malformations worldwide. Studies have confirmed that folic acid supplementation could effectively reduce NTDs risk, but the genetic mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we explored association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) within folate metabolic pathway genes with NTDs in Han population of Northern China. We performed a case-control study to compare genotype and allele distributions of SNPs in 152 patients with NTDs and 169 controls. A total of 16 SNPs within five genes were genotyped by the Sequenom MassARRAY assay. Our results indicated that three SNPs associated significantly with NTDs (P<0.05). For rs2236225 within MTHFD1, children with allele A or genotype AA had a high NTDs risk (OR=1.500, 95%CI=1.061~2.120; OR=2.862, 95%CI=1.022~8.015, respectively). For rs1801133 within MTHFR, NTDs risk markedly increased in patients with allele T or genotype TT (OR=1.552, 95%CI=1.130~2.131; OR=2.344, 95%CI=1.233~4.457, respectively). For rs1801394 within MTRR, children carrying allele G and genotype GG had a higher NTDs risk (OR=1.533, 95%CI=1.102~2.188; OR=2.355, 95%CI=1.044~5.312, respectively). Our results suggest that rs2236225 of MTHFD1 gene, rs1801133 of MTHFR gene and rs1801394 of MTRR gene were associated with NTDs in Han population of Northern China.

Impacto de la fortificación de alimentos con ácido fólico en los defectos del tubo neural en Costa Rica Impact of the fortification of food with folic acid on neural tube defects in Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María de la Paz Barboza Argüello

2011-07-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Evaluar el impacto de la fortificación de alimentos con ácido fólico en las tendencias de las prevalencias de los defectos del tubo neural (DTN y la tasa de mortalidad infantil (TMI por este trastorno en Costa Rica. MÉTODOS: Se analizaron los datos de vigilancia del Centro de Registro de Enfermedades Congénitas y el Centro Centroamericano de Población. Se consideraron defectos del tubo neural la anencefalia, la espina bífida y el encefalocele. Se examinaron las tendencias durante 1987-2009, así como las diferencias de tasas (intervalo de confianza [IC] 95% de prevalencia y mortalidad antes de la fortificación de alimentos con ácido fólico y hasta 12 años después de su implementación. Se determinó el aporte de la fortificación al descenso en la TMI general. RESULTADOS: En 1987-1997, previo al período de fortificación de alimentos con ácido fólico, la prevalencia de DTN fue de 12/10 000 nacidos (IC95%: 11,1-12,8, mientras que en 2009 fue de 5,1/10 000 nacidos (3,3-6,5. La TMI por DTN en 1997 fue de 0,64/1 000 nacimientos (46-0,82 y en 2009 de 0,19/1 000 (0,09-0,3. La TMI por DTN y su prevalencia disminuyeron en forma significativa, 71% y 58% respectivamente (P OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the impact of the fortification of food with folic acid on prevalence trends for neural tube defects (NTD and the infant mortality rate (IMR associated with this disorder in Costa Rica. METHODS: The surveillance data from the Congenital Disease Registry Center and the Central American Population Center were analyzed. The neural tube defects considered were anencephaly, spina bifida, and encephalocele. The trends from 1987-2009, as well as the differences in prevalence and mortality rates prior to and up to 12 years after food fortification with folic acid, were examined (95% confidence interval [CI]. The contribution of fortification to the decrease in the overall IMR was determined. RESULTS: During 1987-1997, prior to the period of food

High Glucose Inhibits Neural Stem Cell Differentiation Through Oxidative Stress and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xi; Shen, Wei-Bin; Yang, Penghua; Dong, Daoyin; Sun, Winny; Yang, Peixin

2018-06-01

Maternal diabetes induces neural tube defects by suppressing neurogenesis in the developing neuroepithelium. Our recent study further revealed that high glucose inhibited embryonic stem cell differentiation into neural lineage cells. However, the mechanism whereby high glucose suppresses neural differentiation is unclear. To investigate whether high glucose-induced oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress lead to the inhibition of neural differentiation, the effect of high glucose on neural stem cell (the C17.2 cell line) differentiation was examined. Neural stem cells were cultured in normal glucose (5 mM) or high glucose (25 mM) differentiation medium for 3, 5, and 7 days. High glucose suppressed neural stem cell differentiation by significantly decreasing the expression of the neuron marker Tuj1 and the glial cell marker GFAP and the numbers of Tuj1 + and GFAP + cells. The antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase mimetic Tempol reversed high glucose-decreased Tuj1 and GFAP expression and restored the numbers of neurons and glial cells differentiated from neural stem cells. Hydrogen peroxide treatment imitated the inhibitory effect of high glucose on neural stem cell differentiation. Both high glucose and hydrogen peroxide triggered ER stress, whereas Tempol blocked high glucose-induced ER stress. The ER stress inhibitor, 4-phenylbutyrate, abolished the inhibition of high glucose or hydrogen peroxide on neural stem cell differentiation. Thus, oxidative stress and its resultant ER stress mediate the inhibitory effect of high glucose on neural stem cell differentiation.

Experimental Germ Tube Induction in Candida albicans: An Evaluation of the Effect of Sodium Bicarbonate on Morphogenesis and Comparison with Pooled Human Serum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tapiwa Matare

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. The potential of NaHCO3 versus human serum to induce germ tube formation in Candida albicans was investigated. Specimens. A total of 100 isolates were obtained from oral swabs of patients presenting with thrush. Approval for the study was granted by the Joint Research Ethics Committee (JREC/23/08. Method. Confirmed C. albicans isolates by routine methods were tested for germ tube induction using 5 different concentrations of Tris-maleate buffered NaHCO3 and Tris-maleate buffer control. Standard control strains included were C. albicans (ATCC 10231 and C. krusei (ATCC 6258. Microculture was done in 20 μL inoculums on microscope slides for 3 hours at 37°C. The rate of germ tube formation at 10-minute intervals was determined on 100 isolates using the optimum 20 mM Tris-maleate buffered NaHCO3 concentration. Parallel germ tube formation using human serum was done in test tubes. Results. The optimum concentration of NaHCO3 in Tris-maleate buffer for germ tube induction was 20 mM for 67% of isolates. Only 21% of isolates formed germ tubes in Tris-maleate buffer control. There was no significant difference in induction between human serum and Tris-maleate buffered NaHCO3. Conclusion. Tris-maleate buffered NaHCO3 induced germ tube formation in C. albicans isolates at rates similar to human serum.

Neuronal sFlt1 and Vegfaa determine venous sprouting and spinal cord vascularization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wild, Raphael; Klems, Alina; Takamiya, Masanari

2017-01-01

Formation of organ-specific vasculatures requires cross-talk between developing tissue and specialized endothelial cells. Here we show how developing zebrafish spinal cord neurons coordinate vessel growth through balancing of neuron-derived Vegfaa, with neuronal sFlt1 restricting Vegfaa......-Kdrl mediated angiogenesis at the neurovascular interface. Neuron-specific loss of flt1 or increased neuronal vegfaa expression promotes angiogenesis and peri-neural tube vascular network formation. Combining loss of neuronal flt1 with gain of vegfaa promotes sprout invasion into the neural tube. On loss...... of neuronal flt1, ectopic sprouts emanate from veins involving special angiogenic cell behaviours including nuclear positioning and a molecular signature distinct from primary arterial or secondary venous sprouting. Manipulation of arteriovenous identity or Notch signalling established that ectopic sprouting...

HF electronic tubes. Technologies, grid tubes and klystrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lemoine, Th.

2009-01-01

This article gives an overview of the basic technologies of electronic tubes: cathodes, electronic optics, vacuum and high voltage. Then the grid tubes, klystrons and inductive output tubes (IOT) are introduced. Content: 1 - context and classification; 2 - electronic tube technologies: cathodes, electronic optics, magnetic confinement (linear tubes), periodic permanent magnet (PPM) focussing, collectors, depressed collectors; 3 - vacuum technologies: vacuum quality, surface effects and interaction with electrostatic and RF fields, secondary emission, multipactor effect, thermo-electronic emission; 4 - grid tubes: operation of a triode, tetrodes, dynamic operation and classes of use, 'common grid' and 'common cathode' operation, ranges of utilisation and limitations, operation of a tetrode on unadjusted load, lifetime of a tetrode, uses of grid tubes; 5 - klystrons: operation, impact of space charge, multi-cavity klystrons, interaction efficiency, extended interaction klystrons, relation between interaction efficiency, perveance and efficiency, ranges of utilization and power limitations, multi-beam klystrons and sheet beam klystrons, operation on unadjusted load, klystron band pass and lifetime, uses; 6 - IOT: principle of operation, ranges of utilisation and limitations, interaction efficiency and depressed collector IOT, IOT lifetime and uses. (J.S.)

Simultaneous separate exploitation of two formations by a single well in npu ocytyabrskneft

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gilmanov, G R; Kashapov, M T

1970-01-01

In order to produce 2 formations with a single well, various double completions are used. One procedure uses 2 parallel 2-in. tubing strings separated by packers. In some cases, production flows in both strings; in other cases, one formation flows while the other is pumped, while sometimes both formations are pumped. Among the main advantages of such completions are that paraffin can readily be scraped from tubing, while the main disadvantage is that 2 sets of equipment are used, 2 tubing strings, pump units, etc. This problem was solved by using one tubing string and mounting 2 pumps on one sucker rod string. Part of the sucker rod string in this arrangement is hollow. A schematic diagram and description of this equipment are given. The method has been successfully tested in the field.

Neural nets for job-shop scheduling, will they do the job?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rooda, J.E.; Willems, T.M.; Goodwin, G.C.; Evans, R.J.

1993-01-01

A neural net structure has been developed which is capable of solving deterministic jobshop scheduling problems, part of the large class of np-complete problems. The problem was translated in an integer linear-programming format which facilitated translation in an adequate neural net structure. Use

Effect of sponge ball cleaning on removing barnacles in condenser tubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mimura, K; Minamoto, K; Kyohara, S [Kobe Steel Ltd. (Japan)

1977-07-01

Considering environmental protection, the recent tendency has been to give up chlorination of cooling water for power stations. The experimental results show that cooling sea-water without chlorination cannot get rid of barnacles which grow inside condenser tubes when the speed of the cooling water is less than 1 m/s. Cleaning by sponge balls 2 -- 3 times a week is found to be effective for both barnacle prevention and inactive film formation on the tube surface.

Distinct Neural Mechanisms Mediate Olfactory Memory Formation at Different Timescales

Science.gov (United States)

McNamara, Ann Marie; Magidson, Phillip D.; Linster, Christiane; Wilson, Donald A.; Cleland, Thomas A.

2008-01-01

Habituation is one of the oldest forms of learning, broadly expressed across sensory systems and taxa. Here, we demonstrate that olfactory habituation induced at different timescales (comprising different odor exposure and intertrial interval durations) is mediated by different neural mechanisms. First, the persistence of habituation memory is…

Neural mechanisms of song memory formation in juvenile zebra finches

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Moorman, S.

2015-01-01

There are many parallels between the acquisition of spoken language in human infants and song learning in songbirds, at the behavioural, neural, genetic and cognitive levels. Both human infants and juvenile songbirds are able to imitate sounds from adults of the same species (often their parents),

Proposal of a model of mammalian neural induction

Science.gov (United States)

Levine, Ariel J.; Brivanlou, Ali H.

2009-01-01

How does the vertebrate embryo make a nervous system? This complex question has been at the center of developmental biology for many years. The earliest step in this process – the induction of neural tissue – is intimately linked to patterning of the entire early embryo, and the molecular and embryological basis these processes are beginning to emerge. Here, we analyze classic and cutting-edge findings on neural induction in the mouse. We find that data from genetics, tissue explants, tissue grafting, and molecular marker expression support a coherent framework for mammalian neural induction. In this model, the gastrula organizer of the mouse embryo inhibits BMP signaling to allow neural tissue to form as a default fate – in the absence of instructive signals. The first neural tissue induced is anterior and subsequent neural tissue is posteriorized to form the midbrain, hindbrain, and spinal cord. The anterior visceral endoderm protects the pre-specified anterior neural fate from similar posteriorization, allowing formation of forebrain. This model is very similar to the default model of neural induction in the frog, thus bridging the evolutionary gap between amphibians and mammals. PMID:17585896

Tube to tube excursive instability - sensitivities and transients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, M.; Layland, M.W.

1980-01-01

A simple basic analysis of excursive instability in a boiler tube shows how it depends upon operating conditions and physical properties. A detailed mathematical model of an AGR boiler is used to conduct a steady state parameter sensitivity survey. It is possible from this basis to anticipate the effects of changes in operating conditions and changes in design parameters upon tube to tube stability. Dynamic responses of tubes operating near the stability threshold are examined using a mathematical model. Simulated excursions are triggered by imparting small abrupt pressure changes on the boiler inlet pressure. The influences of the magnitude of the pressure change, waterside friction factor and gas side coupling between tubes are examined. (author)

Tube-support response to tube-denting evaluation. Volume 1. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, P.L.; Hall, J.F.; Shah, P.K.; Wills, R.L.

1983-05-01

The response of the tube supports is one of the important considerations of tube denting in a steam generator. Investigations have indicated that damaged tube supports have the potential to distort and damage tubes. This investigation considers the response to tube denting of the Combustion Engineering type tube supports. Drilled support plates and eggcrate tube supports are tested in a model steam generator in which tube denting is induced. The experimental data is used to verify and refine analytical predictor models developed using finite element techniques. It was found that analytical models underpredicted the deformations of the tube supports and appropriate modifications to enhance the predictive capability are identified. Non-destructive examination methods are evaluated for application to operating steam generators. It was found that the standard eddy current and profilometry techniques are acceptable methods for determining tube deformations, but these techniques are not adequate to assess tube support damage. Radiography is judged to be the best available means of determining the extent and progression of damage in tube supports

IL-6 is increased in the cerebellum of autistic brain and alters neural cell adhesion, migration and synaptic formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Hongen; Zou, Hua; Sheikh, Ashfaq M; Malik, Mazhar; Dobkin, Carl; Brown, W Ted; Li, Xiaohong

2011-05-19

Although the cellular mechanisms responsible for the pathogenesis of autism are not understood, a growing number of studies have suggested that localized inflammation of the central nervous system (CNS) may contribute to the development of autism. Recent evidence shows that IL-6 has a crucial role in the development and plasticity of CNS. Immunohistochemistry studies were employed to detect the IL-6 expression in the cerebellum of study subjects. In vitro adenoviral gene delivery approach was used to over-express IL-6 in cultured cerebellar granule cells. Cell adhesion and migration assays, DiI labeling, TO-PRO-3 staining and immunofluorescence were used to examine cell adhesion and migration, dendritic spine morphology, cell apoptosis and synaptic protein expression respectively. In this study, we found that IL-6 was significantly increased in the cerebellum of autistic subjects. We investigated how IL-6 affects neural cell development and function by transfecting cultured mouse cerebellar granule cells with an IL-6 viral expression vector. We demonstrated that IL-6 over-expression in granule cells caused impairments in granule cell adhesion and migration but had little effect on the formation of dendritic spines or granule cell apoptosis. However, IL-6 over-expression stimulated the formation of granule cell excitatory synapses, without affecting inhibitory synapses. Our results provide further evidence that aberrant IL-6 may be associated with autism. In addition, our results suggest that the elevated IL-6 in the autistic brain could alter neural cell adhesion, migration and also cause an imbalance of excitatory and inhibitory circuits. Thus, increased IL-6 expression may be partially responsible for the pathogenesis of autism.

IL-6 is increased in the cerebellum of autistic brain and alters neural cell adhesion, migration and synaptic formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dobkin Carl

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although the cellular mechanisms responsible for the pathogenesis of autism are not understood, a growing number of studies have suggested that localized inflammation of the central nervous system (CNS may contribute to the development of autism. Recent evidence shows that IL-6 has a crucial role in the development and plasticity of CNS. Methods Immunohistochemistry studies were employed to detect the IL-6 expression in the cerebellum of study subjects. In vitro adenoviral gene delivery approach was used to over-express IL-6 in cultured cerebellar granule cells. Cell adhesion and migration assays, DiI labeling, TO-PRO-3 staining and immunofluorescence were used to examine cell adhesion and migration, dendritic spine morphology, cell apoptosis and synaptic protein expression respectively. Results In this study, we found that IL-6 was significantly increased in the cerebellum of autistic subjects. We investigated how IL-6 affects neural cell development and function by transfecting cultured mouse cerebellar granule cells with an IL-6 viral expression vector. We demonstrated that IL-6 over-expression in granule cells caused impairments in granule cell adhesion and migration but had little effect on the formation of dendritic spines or granule cell apoptosis. However, IL-6 over-expression stimulated the formation of granule cell excitatory synapses, without affecting inhibitory synapses. Conclusions Our results provide further evidence that aberrant IL-6 may be associated with autism. In addition, our results suggest that the elevated IL-6 in the autistic brain could alter neural cell adhesion, migration and also cause an imbalance of excitatory and inhibitory circuits. Thus, increased IL-6 expression may be partially responsible for the pathogenesis of autism.

Estimation of break location and size for loss of coolant accidents using neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Na, Man Gyun; Shin, Sun Ho; Jung, Dong Won; Kim, Soong Pyung; Jeong, Ji Hwan; Lee, Byung Chul

2004-01-01

In this work, a probabilistic neural network (PNN) that has been applied well to the classification problems is used in order to identify the break locations of loss of coolant accidents (LOCA) such as hot-leg, cold-leg and steam generator tubes. Also, a fuzzy neural network (FNN) is designed to estimate the break size. The inputs to PNN and FNN are time-integrated values obtained by integrating measurement signals during a short time interval after reactor scram. An automatic structure constructor for the fuzzy neural network automatically selects the input variables from the time-integrated values of many measured signals, and optimizes the number of rules and its related parameters. It is verified that the proposed algorithm identifies very well the break locations of LOCAs and also, estimate their break size accurately

Competition and Cooperation in Neural Nets : U.S.-Japan Joint Seminar

CERN Document Server

Arbib, Michael

1982-01-01

The human brain, wi th its hundred billion or more neurons, is both one of the most complex systems known to man and one of the most important. The last decade has seen an explosion of experimental research on the brain, but little theory of neural networks beyond the study of electrical properties of membranes and small neural circuits. Nonetheless, a number of workers in Japan, the United States and elsewhere have begun to contribute to a theory which provides techniques of mathematical analysis and computer simulation to explore properties of neural systems containing immense numbers of neurons. Recently, it has been gradually recognized that rather independent studies of the dynamics of pattern recognition, pattern format::ion, motor control, self-organization, etc. , in neural systems do in fact make use of common methods. We find that a "competition and cooperation" type of interaction plays a fundamental role in parallel information processing in the brain. The present volume brings together 23 papers ...

Sound Coiled-Tubing Drilling Practices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williams, Thomas; Deskins, Greg (Maurer Technology Inc.); Ward, Stephen L. (Advantage Energy Services Ltd); Hightower, Mel

2001-09-30

This Coiled-Tubing Drilling (CTD) Sound Practices Manual provides tools needed by CTD engineers and supervisors to plan, design and perform safe, successful CTD operations. As emphasized throughout, both careful planning and attention to detail are mandatory for success. A bibliography of many useful CTD references is presented in Chapter 6. This manual is organized according to three processes: 1) Pre-Job Planning Process, 2) Operations Execution Process, and 3) Post-Job Review Process. Each is discussed in a logical and sequential format.

Pcl/Chitosan Blended Nanofibrous Tubes Made by Dual Syringe Electrospinning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hild Martin

2015-03-01

Full Text Available 3D tubular scaffolds made from Poly-(Ɛ-caprolactone (PCL/chitosan (CS nanofibres are very promising candidate as vascular grafts in the field of tissue engineering. In this work, the fabrication of PCL/CS-blended nanofibrous tubes with small diameters by electrospinning from separate PCL and CS solutions is studied. The influence of different CS solutions (CS/polyethylene glycol (PEO/glacial acetic acid (AcOH, CS/trifluoroacetic acid (TFA, CS/ AcOH on fibre formation and producibility of nanofibrous tubes is investigated. Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR is used to verify the presence of CS in the blended samples. Tensile testing and pore size measurements are done to underline the good prerequisites of the fabricated blended PCL/ CS nanofibrous tubes as potential scaffolds for vascular grafts. Tubes fabricated from the combination of PCL and CS dissolved in AcOH possesses properties, which are favourable for future cell culture studies.

Extracorporeal tubing in the roller pump raceway: physical changes and particulate generation.

Science.gov (United States)

Spiwak, Allison J Bednarski; Horbal, Alexander; Leatherbury, Robert; Hansford, Derek J

2008-09-01

Plasticized polyvinyl chloride tubing is used as the blood conduit in the heart lung bypass circuit. The section in the roller pump undergoes rigorous compression. Fatigue leads to material changes in weight and length of the bulk material. Particles are released during normal pump operation. This study evaluates the time course of particle loss. Three segments of 1/2" ID tubing run in the raceway for 30-minute, 1-hour, or 2-hour. The fluid path of each segment includes an oxygenator; a castor oil blend was used for the prime. The 5 mL sample was acquired at 10 minute intervals. Raceway tubing segments were measured for a change in weight and length. The same procedure repeated with 1/4" ID and 3/8" ID tubing. All tubing increased at least 5 mm by the 2-hour trial. There were no remarkable changes in weight. Particles were measured for size and percent volume. Tubing with 1/2" ID performed most consistently for particle release during all trials. Particles were observed as small as 1 nm. Particles as large as 3 micron could be confirmed. For all tubing there was particle release by 30 minutes. Perfusionists must consider tubing inner diameter and wall thickness in choosing the pPVC for the raceway in order to minimize particulate emboli. This research suggests that 3/8" ID tubing produces spalls inconsistently compared to 2" ID tubing. Thinner wall thickness tubing also has the potential to limit spall formation.

Sub-meninges implantation reduces immune response to neural implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Markwardt, Neil T; Stokol, Jodi; Rennaker, Robert L

2013-04-15

Glial scar formation around neural interfaces inhibits their ability to acquire usable signals from the surrounding neurons. To improve neural recording performance, the inflammatory response and glial scarring must be minimized. Previous work has indicated that meningeally derived cells participate in the immune response, and it is possible that the meninges may grow down around the shank of a neural implant, contributing to the formation of the glial scar. This study examines whether the glial scar can be reduced by placing a neural probe completely below the meninges. Rats were implanted with sets of loose microwire implants placed either completely below the meninges or implanted conventionally with the upper end penetrating the meninges, but not attached to the skull. Histological analysis was performed 4 weeks following surgical implantation to evaluate the glial scar. Our results found that sub-meninges implants showed an average reduction in reactive astrocyte activity of 63% compared to trans-meninges implants. Microglial activity was also reduced for sub-meninges implants. These results suggest that techniques that isolate implants from the meninges offer the potential to reduce the encapsulation response which should improve chronic recording quality and stability. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Histopathologic changes in fallopian tubes subsequent to sterilization procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Stock, R J

1983-01-01

Longitudinal serial and serial step sections of fallopian tubes from more than 100 patients, subsequent to tubal sterilization procedures, were examined. Thirteen of these patients had pregnancies following their sterilizations. The histologic findings at the previous surgical sites were compatible with what would be expected for a normal healing process. Evidence for a unique tubal epithelial process, as suggested by the terms "endosalpingiosis" or "recanalization," was lacking. Likewise, the author found no evidence of tuboperitoneal fistula formation and/or the subsequent occurrence of pregnancy secondary to localized endometriosis. The histologic notations of proximal luminal dilatation, plical attenuation, chronic inflammatory infiltrates with pseudopolyp formation, and the findings of plical thickening in the distal segment of remaining tube after an interruption type of procedure seem to be associated with the length of time from the sterilization procedure. These may be factors related to the apparent reduced success rate, with time, of microsurgical reanastomotic procedures.

A single-tube screen for Salmonella and Shigella.

Science.gov (United States)

Procop, Gary W; Wallace, Jacqueline D; Tuohy, Marion J; Lasalvia, Margret M; Addison, Rachel M; Reller, L Barth

2008-08-01

Salmonella and Shigella species are routinely sought in stool specimens submitted for culture. It is a common practice to screen lactose-negative colonies by using triple sugar iron agar, lysine iron agar, and Christensen urea agar to determine if further identification is necessary. We designed and evaluated a novel combination of media, which are layered in a single tube, for screening isolates suspected to possibly represent Salmonella or Shigella. We tested this media combination with 106 Salmonella, 56 Shigella, and 56 other gram-negative bacilli. All Salmonella and Shigella isolates tested were appropriately characterized as possible Salmonella or Shigella by using an algorithm developed for use with this media combination. Similarly, 53 (95%) of 56 other gram-negative bacilli were appropriately screened as non -Salmonella and non -Shigella isolates. This unique media combination provides the most important biochemical reactions needed to screen for Salmonella and Shigella in a single-tube format, which decreases labor by two thirds (ie, 1 tube is inoculated vs 3).

Establishment of Human Neural Progenitor Cells from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells with Diverse Tissue Origins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hayato Fukusumi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs have previously been generated from limited numbers of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC clones. Here, 21 hiPSC clones derived from human dermal fibroblasts, cord blood cells, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were differentiated using two neural induction methods, an embryoid body (EB formation-based method and an EB formation method using dual SMAD inhibitors (dSMADi. Our results showed that expandable hNPCs could be generated from hiPSC clones with diverse somatic tissue origins. The established hNPCs exhibited a mid/hindbrain-type neural identity and uniform expression of neural progenitor genes.

Chest tube insertion

Science.gov (United States)

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

Vibro-impact responses of a tube with tube--baffle interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Y.S.; Sass, D.E.; Jendrzejczyk, J.A.

1978-01-01

The relatively small, inherent tube-to-baffle hole clearances associated with manufacturing tolerances in heat exchangers affect the vibrational characteristics and the response of the tube. Numerical studies were made to predict the vibro-impact response of a tube with tube-baffle interaction. The finite element method has been employed with a non-linear elastic contact spring-dashpot to model the effect of the relative approach between the tube and the baffle plate. The coupled equations of motion are directly integrated with a proportional system damping represented by a linear combination of mass and stiffness. Lumped mass approach with explicit time integration scheme was found to be a suitable choice for tube-baffle impacting analysis. Fourier analyses indicate that the higher mode contributions to the tube response are significant for strong tube-baffle impacting. The contact damping forces are negligible compared with the contact spring forces. The numerical analysis results are in reasonably good agreement with those of the experiments

A caudal proliferating growth center contributes to both poles of the forming heart tube

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Berg, G.; Abu-Issa, R.; de Boer, B.A.; Hutson, M.R.; de Boer, P.A.J.; Soufan, A.T.; Ruijter, J.M.; Kirby, M.L.; van den Hoff, M.J.B.; Moorman, A.F.M.

2009-01-01

Recent studies have shown that the primary heart tube continues to grow by addition of cells from the coelomic wall. This growth occurs concomitantly with embryonic folding and formation of the coelomic cavity, making early heart formation morphologically complex. A scarcity of data on localized

Mortality due to neural tube defects and risk factors in Hidalgo, Mexico

OpenAIRE

Muñoz-Juárez, Sergio; Vargas-Flores, Humberto; Hernández-Prado, Bernardo; López-Ríos, Olga; Ortiz-Espinosa, Rosa María

2002-01-01

Objetivo. Calcular el riesgo de muerte fetal secundaria a defectos del cierre del tubo neural y estimar factores asociados con este tipo de muertes en el estado de Hidalgo. Material y métodos. La información analizada en el año 2000 fue obtenida de los certificados de muerte fetal del periodo 1990-1995 en el estado de Hidalgo. Se utilizó un diseño de mortalidad proporcional, considerado como una variante del diseño de casos y controles. Los casos fueron aquellas muertes fetales secundarias a ...

Calculation of vapour bubble growth on the lower generatrix of horizontal tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chajka, V.D.

1987-01-01

The known models of vapour bubble growth are compared with experimental data. Cinematographic study of vapour formation during water boiling was carried out with elements of horizontal tubes of copper 10, 16, 24, 34 and 70 mm in diameter under the pressure of 100 kPa and specific thermal loadings of 20 and 40 kW/m 2 . According to the experimental data the main volume of vapour phase is occupied by vapour bubbles from the lower part of the horizontal tube. Five stages of vapour bubble growth on the lower generatrix of the horizontal tube: nucleation, growth to the point of breaking off from nucleate centre, the breaking off from the nucleate centre, the tube surface flowing around during floating up, the breaking off from the tube surface, were singled out. The shape of vapour volume varied during the whole period of the bubble growth and it was mainly determined by the horizontal tube diameter. The change of vapour bubble radius in time is the function of the horizontal tube diameter. Comparison of the experimental data with the known models of vapour bubble growth has shown, that every stage of vapour bubble growth on the lower generatrix of the tube is determined by the complex of thermal and hydrodynamic conditions, the effect of which depends on the horizontal tube diameter

Thoracostomy tubes: A comprehensive review of complications and related topics

Science.gov (United States)

Kwiatt, Michael; Tarbox, Abigail; Seamon, Mark J.; Swaroop, Mamta; Cipolla, James; Allen, Charles; Hallenbeck, Stacinoel; Davido, H. Tracy; Lindsey, David E.; Doraiswamy, Vijay A.; Galwankar, Sagar; Tulman, David; Latchana, Nicholas; Papadimos, Thomas J.; Cook, Charles H.; Stawicki, Stanislaw P.

2014-01-01

Tube thoracostomy (TT) placement belongs among the most commonly performed procedures. Despite many benefits of TT drainage, potential for significant morbidity and mortality exists. Abdominal or thoracic injury, fistula formation and vascular trauma are among the most serious, but more common complications such as recurrent pneumothorax, insertion site infection and nonfunctioning or malpositioned TT also represent a significant source of morbidity and treatment cost. Awareness of potential complications and familiarity with associated preventive, diagnostic and treatment strategies are fundamental to satisfactory patient outcomes. This review focuses on chest tube complications and related topics, with emphasis on prevention and problem-oriented approaches to diagnosis and treatment. The authors hope that this manuscript will serve as a valuable foundation for those who wish to become adept at the management of chest tubes. PMID:25024942

Modelling of thermal behaviour of iron oxide layers on boiler tubes

Science.gov (United States)

Angelo, J. D.; Bennecer, A.; Kaczmarczyk, S.; Picton, P.

2016-05-01

Slender boiler tubes are subject to localised swelling when they are expose to excessive heat. The latter is due to the formation of an oxide layer, which acts as an insulation barrier. This excessive heat can lead to microstructural changes in the material that would reduce the mechanical strength and would eventually lead to critical and catastrophic failure. Detecting such creep damage remains a formidable challenge for boiler operators. It involves a costly process of shutting down the plant, performing electromagnetic and ultrasonic non-destructive inspection, repairing or replacing damaged tubes and finally restarting the plant to resume its service. This research explores through a model developed using a finite element computer simulation platform the thermal behaviour of slender tubes under constant temperature exceeding 723 °K. Our simulation results demonstrate that hematite layers up to 15 μm thickness inside the tubes do not act as insulation. They clearly show the process of long term overheating on the outside of boiler tubes which in turn leads to initiation of flaws.

Formation of thermal fatigue cracks in periodic rapid quenching of metal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ots, A [Tallinn Technical University, Thermal Engineering Department, Tallinn (Estonia)

1999-12-31

Water lancing is an effective technique for cleaning boiler heating surfaces from ash deposits by burning low-grade fuels with complicated composition of mineral matter. In water cleaning cycles of boiler`s heat transfer surfaces due to rapid quenching destruction of corrosion protective oxide film and formation of thermal fatigue cracks on the outer surface of the tube`s metal occur. The criterion of the thermal fatigue cracks` formation and their growth intensity depend on the character of temperature field in the tube`s metal outer layer. The solution of non-stationary heat conductivity equation for metal rapid quenching conditions is given. The convective heat transfer coefficients from hot metal surface to water jet were established experimentally. Thermal fatigue crack growth intensity was investigated in real boilers` heat transfer surfaces` tubes as well as in laboratory conditions. The formula for predicting thermal fatigue cracks` depth depending on the number of cleaning cycles. (orig.) 5 refs.

Formation of thermal fatigue cracks in periodic rapid quenching of metal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ots, A. [Tallinn Technical University, Thermal Engineering Department, Tallinn (Estonia)

1998-12-31

Water lancing is an effective technique for cleaning boiler heating surfaces from ash deposits by burning low-grade fuels with complicated composition of mineral matter. In water cleaning cycles of boiler`s heat transfer surfaces due to rapid quenching destruction of corrosion protective oxide film and formation of thermal fatigue cracks on the outer surface of the tube`s metal occur. The criterion of the thermal fatigue cracks` formation and their growth intensity depend on the character of temperature field in the tube`s metal outer layer. The solution of non-stationary heat conductivity equation for metal rapid quenching conditions is given. The convective heat transfer coefficients from hot metal surface to water jet were established experimentally. Thermal fatigue crack growth intensity was investigated in real boilers` heat transfer surfaces` tubes as well as in laboratory conditions. The formula for predicting thermal fatigue cracks` depth depending on the number of cleaning cycles. (orig.) 5 refs.

Formation of field-twisting flux tubes on the magnetopause and solar wind particle entry into the magnetosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, T.; Shimada, T.; Tanaka, M.; Hayashi, T.; Watanabe, K.

1986-01-01

A global interaction between the solar wind with a southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and the magnetosphere is studied using a semi-global simulation model. A magnetic flux tube in which field lines are twisted is created as a result of repeated reconnection between the IMF and the outermost earth-rooted magnetic field near the equatorial plane and propagates to higher latitudes. When crossing the polar cusp, the flux tube penetrates into the magnetosphere reiterating reconnection with the earth-rooted higher latitude magnetic field, whereby solar wind particles are freely brought inside the magnetosphere. The flux tube structure has similarities in many aspects to the flux transfer events (FTEs) observed near the dayside magnetopause

Pressure tube reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Susuki, Akira; Murata, Shigeto; Minato, Akihiko.

1993-01-01

In a pressure tube reactor, a reactor core is constituted by arranging more than two units of a minimum unit combination of a moderator sealing pipe containing a calandria tube having moderators there between and a calandria tube and moderators. The upper header and a lower header of the calandria tank containing moderators are communicated by way of the moderator sealing tube. Further, a gravitationally dropping mechanism is disposed for injecting neutron absorbing liquid to a calandria gas injection portion. A ratio between a moderator volume and a fuel volume is defined as a function of the inner diameter of the moderator sealing tube, the outer diameter of the calandria tube and the diameter of fuel pellets, and has no influence to intervals of a pressure tube lattice. The interval of the pressure tube lattice is enlarged without increasing the size of the pressure tube, to improve production efficiency of the reactor and set a coolant void coefficient more negative, thereby enabling to improve self controllability and safety. Further, the reactor scram can be conducted by injecting neutron absorbing liquid. (N.H.)

Astrobiology Training in Lava Tubes (ATiLT): Characterizing coralloid speleothems in basaltic lava tubes as a Mars analogue

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, J.; Leveille, R. J.; Douglas, P.

2017-12-01

Coralloid speleothems or cave corals are small mineralised nodes that can take a variety of forms, and which develop through groundwater seepage and water-rock interaction in caves. They are found commonly on Earth in a plethora of caves, including lava tubes. Since lava tubes have been identified on the surface of Mars from remotely sensed images, there has been interest in studying Earth's lava tube systems as an analogue for understanding Martian lava environments. If cave minerals were found on Mars, they could indicate past or present water-rock interaction in the Martian subsurface. Martian lava tubes could also provide insights into habitable subsurface environments as well as conditions favourable for the synthesis and preservation of biosignatures. One of the aims of the Astrobiology Training in Lava Tubes (ATiLT) project is to analyze biosignatures and paleoenvironmental indicators in secondary cave minerals, which will be looked at in-situ and compared to collected field samples. In this study, secondary mineralization in lava cave systems from Lava Beds National Monument, CA is examined. In the field, coralloid speleothems have been observed growing on all surfaces of the caves, including cave ceilings, floors, walls and overhangs. They are also observed growing adjacent to biofilms, which sometimes fill in the cracks of the coralloid nodes. Preliminary results show the presence of opal, calcite, quartz and other minor minerals in the speleothems. This study seeks to understand the formation mechanism and source of these secondary minerals, as well as determine their possible relation to the biofilms. This will be done through the analysis of the water chemistry, isotope geochemistry and microscale mineralogy.

Use of CATHENA to model calandria-tube/moderator heat transfer after pressure-tube/calandria-tube ballooning contact

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan, H.Z.; Bilanovic, Z.; Nitheanandan, T.

2004-01-01

A study was performed to assess the effect of the calandria-tube/moderator heat transfer after pressure-tube/calandria tube ballooning contact using CATHENA. Results of this study indicated that the analytical tool, CATHENA, can be applied for pool boiling heat transfer on the external surface of a large diameter tube, such as the calandria tube used in CANDU reactors. The methodology in such CANDU-generic study can be used to simulate the tube surface with multiple boiling regimes and to assess the benefits of closely coupling thermalhydraulics modelling and fuel/fuel channel behaviour modelling. CATHENA (Canadian Algorithm for THErmalhydraulic Network Analysis) is a one-dimensional, two-fluid thermalhydraulic simulation code designed by AECL to analyse two-phase flow and heat transfer in piping networks. The detailed heat transfer package in CATHENA allows a connection to be established from the multiple solid surfaces of tubes to the surrounding large amount of moderator water, which acts as a heat sink during a postulated loss of coolant event. The generalized heat transfer package within CATHENA allows the tube walls to be divided into several layers in the radial direction and several sectors in the circumferential direction, to account for heat transfer conditions in these two directions. The CATHENA code with the generalized heat transfer package is capable of capturing key pool-boiling phenomena such as nucleate, transition and film boiling heat transfer as well as an ability to model the rewet phenomenon to some extent. A CATHENA input model was generated and used in simulations of selected contact boiling experiment test cases. The transient wall temperatures have been calculated in different portions of the calandria tube. By using this model an adequate agreement was achieved between CATHENA calculation and experimental measurement The CATHENA code enables one to investigate the transient and local thermal-mechanical behaviour of the calandria tube

Use of the silicone tracheal T-tube for tracheostenosis or tracheomalacia.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, H C; Wang, L S; Fahn, H J; Lee, Y C; Lu, C C; Chan, K H; Huang, M H

1996-09-01

Tracheobtenosib and tracheomalacia are trivial diseases. The conventional choice of managements with tracheostomy, either temporary or long-term usage, can only partially resolve the problems of airway obstruction. Silicone tracheal T-tube presents a substitute for it. We present 5 patients with tracheostenosis or tracheomalacia managed with nine procedures of long silicone Montgomery T-tube prothesis between 1984 and 1994 in VGH-Taipei. The primary diagnosis included tracheal injury (2), postintubation tracheal stenosis (2), and stenosis due to endotracheal tuberculosis (1). Three patients received a long segmental T-tube for permanent endotracheal stenting and the other two patients used T-tube insertion for temporary stenting of the trachea for 7 and 11 months, respectively, with satisfactory results. All patients got immediate benefit from the prothesis in respiration with simple postoperative care. Two patients with temporary T-tube placement had it successfully removed in 7 and 11 months, respectively. Placement of the T-tube for subglottic stenosis also protected the function of phonation. The tracheal T-tube restored airway patency reliably with good long-term results and could be the preferred management of chronic upper airway obstructive disease not amenable to surgical repair. The most common complication was airway obstruction caused by either granulations or sticky mucoid substance. Three patients and six tubes (60%) developed granulation obstruction and the average duration of granuloma formation was 7.7 months. Laser phototherapy or surgical intervention, such as tracheoplasty, with change of the T-tube was carried out for granuloma obstruction. T-tube is a good endoprothesis for tracheostenosis and tracheomalacia with minimal complication for cases of long tracheostenosis or complex tracheal injury.

Air bubbles and hemolysis of blood samples during transport by pneumatic tube systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Mullins, Garrett R; Bruns, David E

2017-10-01

Transport of blood samples through pneumatic tube systems (PTSs) generates air bubbles in transported blood samples and, with increasing duration of transport, the appearance of hemolysis. We investigated the role of air-bubble formation in PTS-induced hemolysis. Air was introduced into blood samples for 0, 1, 3 or 5min to form air bubbles. Hemolysis in the blood was assessed by (H)-index, lactate dehydrogenase (LD) and potassium in plasma. In an effort to prevent PTS-induced hemolysis, blood sample tubes were completely filled, to prevent air bubble formation, and compared with partially filled samples after PTS transport. We also compared hemolysis in anticoagulated vs clotted blood subjected to PTS transport. As with transport through PTSs, the duration of air bubble formation in blood by a gentle stream of air predicted the extent of hemolysis as measured by H-index (pair space in a blood sample prevented bubble formation and fully protected the blood from PTS-induced hemolysis (ptransport and was partially protected from hemolysis vs anticoagulated blood as indicated by lower LD (ptransport. Prevention of air bubble formation in blood samples during PTS transport protects samples from hemolysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Flow Regime Identification of Co-Current Downward Two-Phase Flow With Neural Network Approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hiroshi Goda; Seungjin Kim; Ye Mi; Finch, Joshua P.; Mamoru Ishii; Jennifer Uhle

2002-01-01

Flow regime identification for an adiabatic vertical co-current downward air-water two-phase flow in the 25.4 mm ID and the 50.8 mm ID round tubes was performed by employing an impedance void meter coupled with the neural network classification approach. This approach minimizes the subjective judgment in determining the flow regimes. The signals obtained by an impedance void meter were applied to train the self-organizing neural network to categorize these impedance signals into a certain number of groups. The characteristic parameters set into the neural network classification included the mean, standard deviation and skewness of impedance signals in the present experiment. The classification categories adopted in the present investigation were four widely accepted flow regimes, viz. bubbly, slug, churn-turbulent, and annular flows. These four flow regimes were recognized based upon the conventional flow visualization approach by a high-speed motion analyzer. The resulting flow regime maps classified by the neural network were compared with the results obtained through the flow visualization method, and consequently the efficiency of the neural network classification for flow regime identification was demonstrated. (authors)

Improvement of pump tubes for gas guns and shock tube drivers

Science.gov (United States)

Bogdanoff, D. W.

1990-01-01

In a pump tube, a gas is mechanically compressed, producing very high pressures and sound speeds. The intensely heated gas produced in such a tube can be used to drive light gas guns and shock tubes. Three concepts are presented that have the potential to allow substantial reductions in the size and mass of the pump tube to be achieved. The first concept involves the use of one or more diaphragms in the pump tube, thus replacing a single compression process by multiple, successive compressions. The second concept involves a radical reduction in the length-to-diameter ratio of the pump tube and the pump tube piston. The third concept involves shock heating of the working gas by high explosives in a cyclindrical geometry reusable device. Preliminary design analyses are performed on all three concepts and they appear to be quite feasible. Reductions in the length and mass of the pump tube by factors up to about 11 and about 7, respectively, are predicted, relative to a benchmark conventional pump tube.

A study on the critical heat flux for annuli and round tubes under low pressure conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jae Wook

1997-02-01

conditions hypothesis for annuli and round tubes. The data have also been compared with predictions of the existing well-known correlations: Among the CHF correlation for annuli, Doerffer et al.'s correlation is suggested to be used for reliable assessment of the annulus CHF for most conditions, except for very low pressure conditions (P < 1000 kPa). The success of tube-table-based correlations by Doerffer et al. indicate the feasibility of using a well-established tube correlation as a basis for future development of annulus CHF prediction models. The artificial neural networks (ANNs) are applied to the CHF database for round tube at LPLF (P = 110∼1100 kPa, G = 0∼500 kg/m 2 s) conditions. The train back-propagation neural networks (BPNs) predict the CHF better than those any other CHF correlations. The parametric trends on the BPN for fixed inlet conditions well agree with our experimental results. For local conditions hypothesis, the parametric trend analysis are consistence with many previous studies except for tube diameter effect. Except for exit qualities of 0.6 and 0.7, the CHF increases with increasing tube diameter. By considering the above conclusions, the followings are recommended for further study: (a) BPN is recommended to be used for predicting and parametric trend analyzing the critical heat flux with high reliability. (b) It is found that the trained data can be directly used to assess the error statistics of a trained BPN; whereas in the past an independent sample data have been used to assess the errors. (c) It is recommended that the feasibility of using a well-established tube correlation as a basis for future development of annulus CHF prediction models. (d) Still, the CHF database for LPLF conditions are not enough, it is highly recommended to supplement the reliable CHF data set specially in the subcooled and low-quality region

Fine element (F.E.) modelling of hydrogen migration and blister formation in PHWR coolant channels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prasad, P.S.; Dutta, B.K.; Sinha, R.K.; Kushwaha, H.S.; Mahajan, S.C.; Kakodkar, A.

1995-01-01

The formation of a cold spot in pressure tube due to its contact with calandria tube of PHWR coolant results in the migration of Hydrogen in pressure tube towards contact zone from its surrounding material. A 3-D finite element code SPARSH is developed to model the hydrogen redistribution and consequent hydride blister formation due to thermal and Hydrogen concentration gradients. In the present paper, the details and performance of this code are presented. (author). 6 refs., 2 figs

Neural Protein Synuclein Gamma (SNCG) in Breast Cancer Progression

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Jiang, Yangfu

2002-01-01

Synucleins are emerging as a central player in the fundamental neural processes and in the formation of pathologically insoluble deposits characteristic of Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's (PD) diseases...

Evaluation of machine learning tools for inspection of steam generator tube structures using pulsed eddy current

Science.gov (United States)

Buck, J. A.; Underhill, P. R.; Morelli, J.; Krause, T. W.

2017-02-01

Degradation of nuclear steam generator (SG) tubes and support structures can result in a loss of reactor efficiency. Regular in-service inspection, by conventional eddy current testing (ECT), permits detection of cracks, measurement of wall loss, and identification of other SG tube degradation modes. However, ECT is challenged by overlapping degradation modes such as might occur for SG tube fretting accompanied by tube off-set within a corroding ferromagnetic support structure. Pulsed eddy current (PEC) is an emerging technology examined here for inspection of Alloy-800 SG tubes and associated carbon steel drilled support structures. Support structure hole size was varied to simulate uniform corrosion, while SG tube was off-set relative to hole axis. PEC measurements were performed using a single driver with an 8 pick-up coil configuration in the presence of flat-bottom rectangular frets as an overlapping degradation mode. A modified principal component analysis (MPCA) was performed on the time-voltage data in order to reduce data dimensionality. The MPCA scores were then used to train a support vector machine (SVM) that simultaneously targeted four independent parameters associated with; support structure hole size, tube off-centering in two dimensions and fret depth. The support vector machine was trained, tested, and validated on experimental data. Results were compared with a previously developed artificial neural network (ANN) trained on the same data. Estimates of tube position showed comparable results between the two machine learning tools. However, the ANN produced better estimates of hole inner diameter and fret depth. The better results from ANN analysis was attributed to challenges associated with the SVM when non-constant variance is present in the data.

A Neural Network Approach to Fluid Level Measurement in Dynamic Environments Using a Single Capacitive Sensor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edin TERZIC

2010-03-01

Full Text Available A measurement system has been developed using a single tube capacitive sensor to accurately determine the fluid level in vehicular fuel tanks. A novel approach based on artificial neural networks based signal pre-processing and classification has been described in this article. A broad investigation on the Backpropagation neural network and some selected signal pre-processing filters, namely, Moving Mean, Moving Median, and Wavelet Filter has also been presented. An on field drive trial was conducted under normal driving conditions at various fuel volumes ranging from 5 L to 50 L to acquire training samples from the capacitive sensor. A second field trial was conducted to obtain test samples to verify the performance of the neural network. The neural network was trained and verified with 50 % of the training and test samples. The results obtained using the neural network approach having different filtration methods are compared with the results obtained using simple Moving Mean and Moving Median functions. It is demonstrated that the Backpropagation neural network with Moving Median filter produced the most accurate outcome compared with the other signal filtration methods.

Adrenergic innervation of the developing chick heart: neural crest ablations to produce sympathetically aneural hearts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirby, M.; Stewart, D.

1984-01-01

Ablation of various regions of premigratory trunk neural crest which gives rise to the sympathetic trunks was used to remove sympathetic cardiac innervation. Neuronal uptake of [ 3 H]-norepinephrine was used as an index of neuronal development in the chick atrium. Following ablation of neural crest over somites 10-15 or 15-20, uptake was significantly decreased in the atrium at 16 and 17 days of development. Ablation of neural crest over somites 5-10 and 20-25 caused no decrease in [ 3 H]-norepinephrine uptake. Removal of neural crest over somites 5-25 or 10-20 caused approximately equal depletions of [ 3 H]-norepinephrine uptake in the atrium. Cardiac norepinephrine concentration was significantly depressed following ablation of neural crest over somites 5-25 but not over somites 10-20. Light-microscopic and histofluorescent preparations confirmed the absence of sympathetic trunks in the region of the normal origin of the sympathetic cardiac nerves following neural crest ablation over somites 10-20. The neural tube and dorsal root ganglia were damaged in the area of the neural-crest ablation; however, all of these structures were normal cranial and caudal to the lesioned area. Development of most of the embryos as well as the morphology of all of the hearts was normal following the lesion. These results indicate that it is possible to produce sympathetically aneural hearts by neural-crest ablation; however, sympathetic cardiac nerves account for an insignificant amount of cardiac norepinephrine

Rechargeable biofilm-controlling tubing materials for use in dental unit water lines.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Jie; Porteous, Nuala; Sun, Yuyu

2011-08-01

A simple and practical surface grafting approach was developed to introduce rechargeable N-halamine-based antimicrobial functionality onto the inner surfaces of continuous small-bore polyurethane (PU) dental unit waterline (DUWL) tubing. In this approach, tetrahydrofuran (THF) solution of a free-radical initiator, dicumyl peroxide (DCP), flowed through the PU tubing (inner diameter of 1/16 in., or 1.6 mm) to diffuse DCP into the tubing's inner walls, which was used as initiator in the subsequent grafting polymerization of methacrylamide (MAA) onto the tubing. Upon chlorine bleach treatment, the amide groups of the grafted MAA side chains were transformed into acyclic N-halamines. The reactions were confirmed with attenuated total reflectance infrared (ATR) spectra and iodometric titration. The mechanical properties of the tubing were not significantly affected by the grafting reactions. The biofilm-controlling function of the new N-halamine-based PU tubing was evaluated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), one of the most isolated water bacteria from DUWLs, in a continuous bacterial flow model. Bacteria culturing and SEM studies showed that the inner surfaces of the new N-halamine-based PU tubing completely prevented bacterial biofilm formation for at least three to four weeks. After that, bacteria began to colonize the tubing surface. However, the lost function was fully regenerated by exposing the tubing inner surfaces to diluted chlorine bleach. The recharging process could be repeated periodically to further extend the biofilm-controlling duration for long-term applications.

Association of neural tube defects in children of mothers with MTHFR 677TT genotype and abnormal carbohydrate metabolism risk: a case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cadenas-Benitez, N M; Yanes-Sosa, F; Gonzalez-Meneses, A; Cerrillos, L; Acosta, D; Praena-Fernandez, J M; Neth, O; Gomez de Terreros, I; Ybot-González, P

2014-03-26

Abnormalities in maternal folate and carbohydrate metabolism have both been shown to induce neural tube defects (NTD) in humans and animal models. However, the relationship between these two factors in the development of NTDs remains unclear. Data from mothers of children with spina bifida seen at the Unidad de Espina Bífida del Hospital Infantil Virgen del Rocío (case group) were compared to mothers of healthy children with no NTD (control group) who were randomly selected from patients seen at the outpatient ward in the same hospital. There were 25 individuals in the case group and 41 in the control group. Analysis of genotypes for the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677CT polymorphism in women with or without risk factors for abnormal carbohydrate metabolism revealed that mothers who were homozygous for the MTHFR 677TT polymorphism and at risk of abnormal carbohydrate metabolism were more likely to have offspring with spina bifida and high levels of homocysteine, compared to the control group. The increased incidence of NTDs in mothers homozygous for the MTHFR 677TT polymorphism and at risk of abnormal carbohydrate metabolism stresses the need for careful metabolic screening in pregnant women, and, if necessary, determination of the MTHFR 677CT genotype in those mothers at risk of developing abnormal carbohydrate metabolism.

Vibro-impact responses of a tube with tube--baffle interaction. [LMFBR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shin, Y S; Sass, D E; Jendrzejczyk, J A

1978-01-01

The relatively small, inherent tube-to-baffle hole clearances associated with manufacturing tolerances in heat exchangers affect the vibrational characteristics and the response of the tube. Numerical studies were made to predict the vibro-impact response of a tube with tube-baffle interaction. The finite element method has been employed with a non-linear elastic contact spring-dashpot to model the effect of the relative approach between the tube and the baffle plate. The coupled equations of motion are directly integrated with a proportional system damping represented by a linear combination of mass and stiffness. Lumped mass approach with explicit time integration scheme was found to be a suitable choice for tube-baffle impacting analysis. Fourier analyses indicate that the higher mode contributions to the tube response are significant for strong tube-baffle impacting. The contact damping forces are negligible compared with the contact spring forces. The numerical analysis results are in reasonably good agreement with those of the experiments.

Cavitational micro-particles: plasma formation mechanisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bica, Ioan

2005-01-01

Cavitational micro-particles are a class to which the micro-spheres, the micro-tubes and the octopus-shaped micro-particles belong. The cavitational micro-particles (micro-spheres, micro-tubes and octopus-shaped micro-particles) at an environmental pressure. The micro-spheres, the micro-tubes and the ligaments of the octopus-shaped micro-particles are produced in the argon plasma and are formed of vapors with low values of the molar concentration in comparison with the molar density of the gas and vapor mixture, the first one on the unstable and the last two on the stable movement of the vapors. The ligaments of the octopus-shaped micro-particles are open at the top for well-chosen values of the sub-cooling of the vapor and gas cylinders. The nitrogen in the air favors the formation of pores in the wall of the micro-spheres. In this paper we present the cavitational micro-particles, their production in the plasma and some mechanisms for their formation in the plasma. (author)

Dissimilar metal study on C44300 tube to AA7075 -T651 tube plate with and without thread by FWTPET process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radhakrishnan, E.; Kumaraswamidhas, L. A. [Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Jharkhand (India); Muruganandam, D. [Sri Sairam Engineering College, Tamil Nadu (India); Kumaran, S. Senthil [RVS School of Engineering and Technology, Tamilnadu, (India)

2017-05-15

Friction welding has vital industrial role in fabricating automobiles, aerospace, ship building, heat exchangers using similar, dissimilar and bi-metal of ferrous and non-ferrous metals at mass production level. In this study, admiralty brass C44300 tube and aluminium alloy AA7075 -T651, 6 mm thick tube plate were identified as base metals. Different joint surface area profile of with and without thread of different pitch values was chosen to study the mechanical properties and micro structures of these two base metals. 0.1 mm clearance was maintained between the AA7075-T651 tube plate and C44300 tube outer diameter to make friction welding. Taguchi’s L16 orthogonal array techniques were adopted for identifying the most significant ranking process parameters. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) has been used to analyze the input parameter contribution in terms of percentage. Genetic algorithm (GA) was used to access the suitable input parameter value to obtain effective joint strength in terms of hardness, compressive strength and microstructure formation in the interface of the joint. A Compression test (CT) was conducted to evaluate the level of compressive strength of the joint. Threaded profile pair with higher pitch value proved high compressive strength over unthreaded pair. Micro structure for base metal C44300 tube and AA7075-T651 tube plate, Heat affected zone (HAZ) and Weld zone (WZ) of the joint has been studied. Hardness of base metals, HAZ and WZ was measured by micro Vickers hardness tester and the observation shows that hardness at joint interface has been found to be higher in all pairs.

Bender/Coiler for Tubing

Science.gov (United States)

Stoltzfus, J. M.

1983-01-01

Easy-to-use tool makes coils of tubing. Tubing to be bend clamped with stop post. Die positioned snugly against tubing. Operator turns handle to slide die along tubing, pushing tubing into spiral groove on mandrel.

The positional identity of iPSC-derived neural progenitor cells along the anterior-posterior axis is controlled in a dosage-dependent manner by bFGF and EGF

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhou, Shuling; Ochalek, Anna; Szczesna, Karolina

2016-01-01

Neural rosettes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have been claimed to be a highly robust in vitro cellular model for biomedical application. They are able to propagate in vitro in the presence of mitogens, including basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and epidermal growth...... factor (EGF). However, these two mitogens are also involved in anterior-posterior patterning in a gradient dependent manner along the neural tube axis. Here, we compared the regional identity of neural rosette cells and specific neural subtypes of their progeny propagated with low and high concentrations...... of the neural rosettes, resulting in subsequent cholinergic neuron differentiation. Thus, our results indicate that different concentrations of bFGF and EGF supplemented during propagation of neural rosettes are involved in altering the identity of the resultant neural cells....

Rolling of molybdenum and niobium tubes on cold-rolling mill with high stiff stand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Potapov, I N; Shejkh-Ali, A D; Filimonov, G V; Lunev, A G

1984-03-01

To develop the technique of tube production the process of rolling is studied and comparative evaluation of the structure formed is carried out. It is shown that billets of rods deformed by screw rolling have the improved plastic properties and are deformed on cold-rolling mill (CRM) with a high degree of reduction without defect formation. High stiff stand of the CRM permits to produce high-quality molybdenum tubes.

Pharmacological blockade of aquaporin-1 water channel by AqB013 restricts migration and invasiveness of colon cancer cells and prevents endothelial tube formation in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Dorward, Hilary S; Du, Alice; Bruhn, Maressa A; Wrin, Joseph; Pei, Jinxin V; Evdokiou, Andreas; Price, Timothy J; Yool, Andrea J; Hardingham, Jennifer E

2016-02-24

Aquaporins (AQP) are water channel proteins that enable fluid fluxes across cell membranes, important for homeostasis of the tissue environment and for cell migration. AQP1 knockout mouse models of human cancers showed marked inhibition of tumor-induced angiogenesis, and in pre-clinical studies of colon adenocarcinomas, forced over-expression of AQP1 was shown to increase angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis. We have synthesized small molecule antagonists of AQP1. Our hypothesis is that inhibition of AQP1 will reduce migration and invasiveness of colon cancer cells, and the migration and tube-forming capacity of endothelial cells in vitro. Expression of AQP1 in cell lines was assessed by quantitative (q) PCR, western blot and immunofluorescence, while expression of AQP1 in human colon tumour tissue was assessed by immunohistochemistry. The effect of varying concentrations of the AQP1 inhibitor AqB013 was tested on human colon cancer cell lines expressing high versus low levels of AQP1, using wound closure (migration) assays, matrigel invasion assays, and proliferation assays. The effect of AqB013 on angiogenesis was tested using an endothelial cell tube-formation assay. HT29 colon cancer cells with high AQP1 levels showed significant inhibition of migration compared to vehicle control of 27.9% ± 2.6% (p migration of HCT-116 cells with low AQP1 expression. In an invasion assay, HT29 cells treated with 160 μM of AqB013, showed a 60.3% ± 8.5% decrease in invasion at 144 hours (p < 0.0001) and significantly decreased rate of invasion compared with the vehicle control (F-test, p = 0.001). Almost complete inhibition of endothelial tube formation (angiogenesis assay) was achieved at 80 μM AqB013 compared to vehicle control (p < 0.0001). These data provide good evidence for further testing of the inhibitor as a therapeutic agent in colon cancer.

Experimental and numerical analysis of the optimized finned-tube heat exchanger for OM314 diesel exhaust exergy recovery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatami, M.; Ganji, D.D.; Gorji-Bandpy, M.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • An optimized finned-tube heat exchanger is modeled. • Artificial Neural Networks and Genetic Algorithm are applied. • Exergy recovery from exhaust of a diesel engine is studied. - Abstract: In this research, a multi objective optimization based on Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Genetic Algorithm (GA) are applied on the obtained results from numerical outcomes for a finned-tube heat exchanger (HEX) in diesel exhaust heat recovery. Thirty heat exchangers with different fin length, thickness and fin numbers are modeled and those results in three engine loads are optimized with weight functions for pressure drop, recovered heat and HEX weight. Finally, two cases of HEXs (an optimized and a non-optimized) are produced experimentally and mounted on the exhaust of an OM314 diesel engine to compare their results in heat and exergy recovery. All experiments are done for five engine loads (0%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% of full load) and four water mass flow rates (50, 40, 30 and 20 g/s). Results show that maximum exergy recovers occurs in high engine loads and optimized HEX with 10 fins have averagely 8% second law efficiency in exergy recovery

Steam generator tube extraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delorme, H.

1985-05-01

To enable tube examination on steam generators in service, Framatome has now developed a process for removing sections of steam generator tubes. Tube sections can be removed without being damaged for treating the tube section expanded in the tube sheet

Prediction of hydrate formation temperature by both statistical models and artificial neural network approaches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zahedi, Gholamreza; Karami, Zohre; Yaghoobi, Hamed

2009-01-01

In this study, various estimation methods have been reviewed for hydrate formation temperature (HFT) and two procedures have been presented. In the first method, two general correlations have been proposed for HFT. One of the correlations has 11 parameters, and the second one has 18 parameters. In order to obtain constants in proposed equations, 203 experimental data points have been collected from literatures. The Engineering Equation Solver (EES) and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) soft wares have been employed for statistical analysis of the data. Accuracy of the obtained correlations also has been declared by comparison with experimental data and some recent common used correlations. In the second method, HFT is estimated by artificial neural network (ANN) approach. In this case, various architectures have been checked using 70% of experimental data for training of ANN. Among the various architectures multi layer perceptron (MLP) network with trainlm training algorithm was found as the best architecture. Comparing the obtained ANN model results with 30% of unseen data confirms ANN excellent estimation performance. It was found that ANN is more accurate than traditional methods and even our two proposed correlations for HFT estimation.

Interaction between the SLC19A1 gene and maternal first trimester fever on offspring neural tube defects.

Science.gov (United States)

Pei, Lijun; Zhu, Huiping; Ye, Rongwei; Wu, Jilei; Liu, Jianmeng; Ren, Aiguo; Li, Zhiwen; Zheng, Xiaoying

2015-01-01

Many studies have indicated that the reduced folate carrier gene (SLC19A1) is associated with an increased risk of neural tube defects (NTDs). However, the interaction between the SLC19A1 gene variant and maternal fever exposure and NTD risk remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the risk for NTDs was influenced by the interactions between the SLC19A1 (rs1051266) variant and maternal first trimester fever. We investigated the potential interaction between maternal first trimester fever and maternal or offspring SLC19A1 polymorphism through a population-based case-control study. One hundred and four nuclear families with NTDs and 100 control families with nonmal newborns were included in the study. SLC19A1 polymorphism was determined using polymerase chain reaction-restricted fragment length polymorphism. Mothers who had the GG/GA genotype and first trimester fever had an elevated risk of NTDs (adjusted odds ratio, 11.73; 95% confidence interval, 3.02-45.58) as compared to absence of maternal first trimester fever and AA genotype after adjusting for maternal education, paternal education, and age, and had a significant interactive coefficient (γ = 3.17) between maternal GG/GA genotype and first trimester fever. However, there was no interaction between offspring's GG/GA genotype and maternal first trimester fever (the interactive coefficient γ = 0.97) after adjusting for confounding factors. Our findings suggested that the risk of NTDs was potentially influenced by a gene-environment interaction between maternal SLC19A1 rs1051266 GG/GA genotype and first trimester fever. Maternal GG/GA genotype may strengthen the effect of maternal fever exposure on NTD risk in this Chinese population. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Maternal Consumption of Non-Staple Food in the First Trimester and Risk of Neural Tube Defects in Offspring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meng Wang

2015-04-01

Full Text Available To study the associations between maternal consumption of non-staple food in the first trimester and risk of neural tube defects (NTDs in offspring. Data collected from a hospital-based case-control study conducted between 2006 and 2008 in Shandong/Shanxi provinces including 459 mothers with NTDs-affected births and 459 mothers without NTDs-affected births. Logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between maternal consumption of non-staple food in the first trimester and risk of NTDs in offspring. The effects were evaluated by odds ratio (OR and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs with SAS9.1.3.software. Maternal consumption of milk, fresh fruits and nuts in the first trimester were protective factors for total NTDs. Compared with consumption frequency of ˂1 meal/week, the ORs for milk consumption frequency of 1–2, 3–6, ≥7 meals/week were 0.50 (95% CI: 0.28–0.88, 0.56 (0.32–0.99, and 0.59 (0.38–0.90, respectively; the ORs for fresh fruits consumption frequency of 1–2, 3–6, ≥7 meals/week were 0.29 (95% CI: 0.12–0.72, 0.22 (0.09–0.53, and 0.32 (0.14–0.71, respectively; the ORs for nuts consumption frequency of 1–2, 3–6, ≥7 meals/week were 0.60 (95% CI: 0.38–0.94, 0.49 (0.31–0.79, and 0.63 (0.36–1.08, respectively. Different effects of above factors on NTDs were found for subtypes of anencephaly and spina bifida. Maternal non-staple food consumption of milk, fresh fruits and nuts in the first trimester was associated with reducing NTDs risk in offspring.

Performance of pressure tubes in CANDU reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodgers, D.; Griffiths, M.; Bickel, G.; Buyers, A.; Coleman, C.; Nordin, H.; St Lawrence, S. [Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, Ontario (Canada)

2016-06-15

The pressure tubes in CANDU reactors typically operate for times up to about 30 years prior to refurbishment. The in-reactor performance of Zr-2.5Nb pressure tubes has been evaluated by sampling and periodic inspection. This paper describes the behavior and discusses the factors controlling the behaviour of these components. The Zr–2.5Nb pressure tubes are nominally extruded at 815{sup o}C, cold worked nominally 27%, and stress relieved at 400 {sup o}C for 24 hours, resulting in a structure consisting of elongated grains of hexagonal close-packed alpha-Zr, partially surrounded by a thin network of filaments of body-centred-cubic beta-Zr. These beta-Zr filaments are meta-stable and contain about 20% Nb after extrusion. The stress-relief treatment results in partial decomposition of the beta-Zr filaments with the formation of hexagonal close-packed alpha-phase particles that are low in Nb, surrounded by a Nb-enriched beta-Zr matrix. The material properties of pressure tubes are determined by variations in alpha-phase texture, alpha-phase grain structure, network dislocation density, beta-phase decomposition, and impurity concentration that are a function of manufacturing variables. The pressure tubes operate at temperatures between 250 {sup o}C and 310 {sup o}C with coolant pressures up to about 11 MPa in fast neutron fluxes up to 4 x 10{sup 17} n·m{sup -2}·s{sup -1} (E > 1 MeV) and the properties are modified by these conditions. The properties of the pressure tubes in an operating reactor are therefore a function of both manufacturing and operating condition variables. The ultimate tensile strength, fracture toughness, and delayed hydride-cracking properties (velocity (V) and threshold stress intensity factor (K{sub IH})) change with irradiation, but all reach a nearly limiting value at a fluence of less than 10{sup 25} n·m{sup -2} (E > 1 MeV). At this point the ultimate tensile strength is raised about 200 MPa, toughness is reduced by about 50%, V increases

The application of neural network for the advancement of the eddy current testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakai, T.; Soneda, N.

1996-01-01

All the steam generator (SG) tubes of Japanese pressurized water reactors (PWRs) are inspected by the eddy current testing (ECT) method in every annual scheduled inspection. Here, a neural network system to estimate the class and size of defects from signals obtained by the eddy current testing (ECT) method has been developed. A trajectory of ECT signal is characterized by four representative parameters, and totally eight parameters obtained from two trajectories by different AC current frequencies are used as input parameters for neutral networks. A probabilistic descent method is employed to minimize the error at the learning process of neural networks. It is indicated that using multiple neutral networks which are separately responsible to each class of defects is effective to the improvement of their estimation accuracy. And, it is demonstrated that the neural network system which the authors developed can estimate the class and size of defects from unlearned trajectories with high accuracy

Perlecan is required for FGF-2 signaling in the neural stem cell niche

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aurelien Kerever

2014-03-01

Full Text Available In the adult subventricular zone (neurogenic niche, neural stem cells double-positive for two markers of subsets of neural stem cells in the adult central nervous system, glial fibrillary acidic protein and CD133, lie in proximity to fractones and to blood vessel basement membranes, which contain the heparan sulfate proteoglycan perlecan. Here, we demonstrate that perlecan deficiency reduces the number of both GFAP/CD133-positive neural stem cells in the subventricular zone and new neurons integrating into the olfactory bulb. We also show that FGF-2 treatment induces the expression of cyclin D2 through the activation of the Akt and Erk1/2 pathways and promotes neurosphere formation in vitro. However, in the absence of perlecan, FGF-2 fails to promote neurosphere formation. These results suggest that perlecan is a component of the neurogenic niche that regulates FGF-2 signaling and acts by promoting neural stem cell self-renewal and neurogenesis.

Nondestructive evaluation of the QT on the SG tubes affected by chemical cleaning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shin, Ki Seok Shin; Cheon, Keun Young; Kim, Wang Bae [Central Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Min, Kyong Mahn [UMI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2012-10-15

The major mechanisms of flaws detected on the currently operating steam generator(SG) tubes are wear and stress corrosion cracking(SCC) defects. Wear defect has continuously occurred in the upper tube bundle imposed to the flow induced vibration at the interaction between tube and its support structure. Meanwhile, SCC has been formed by a variety of mixed mode, such as the corrosion susceptible material, residual stress and secondary side chemical environment of the SG tubes. Recently, corrosion related defects were detected in the domestic OPR 1000 model SG tubes especially in the egg crate tube support plate(TSP), as a form of axially oriented outer diameter stress corrosion cracking (ODSCC). Therefore, the need to take corrective measures against the corrosion defects is required and various studies have been conducted to clarify the main causes of the defects. In general, as a representing SG tube materials, Ni based alloy 600 tubes have been widely applied and also adversely shown weak properties on the corrosion cracking resistivity. According to the studies on the factors developing corrosion cracking, densely accumulated sludge pile on the secondary side of the SG tubes have been mainly attributed to the formation of the corrosion defects. Therefore, it is imperative to secure applicable and efficient sludge removal process. In this paper, the chemical cleaning processes to dissolve and remove the sludge, thus promote the integrity of the SG tubes were introduced and eddy current testing(ECT) results on the pre cracked SG tubes to determine the effectiveness of those processes were represented as well.

Maternal Use of Weight Loss Products and the Risk of Neural Tube Defects in Offspring: A Systematic Literature Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoang, Thanh T; Agopian, A J; Mitchell, Laura E

2018-01-15

Several studies have assessed potential associations between use of weight loss products in the periconceptional period and neural tube defects (NTDs). However, the individual studies are inconclusive and there has not been a systematic review of this literature. We conducted a systematic search, using Ovid MEDLINE and PubMed, to identify studies that evaluated the association between products used for weight loss and the risk of NTDs. Because many studies of birth defects only evaluate a composite birth defect outcome, we evaluated studies that defined the outcome as "any major birth defect" or as NTDs. We abstracted data on study design, exposure definition, outcome definition, covariates and effect size estimates from each article that met our inclusion criteria. For studies that evaluated a composite birth defect outcome, we also abstracted the number of NTD cases included in the composite outcome. We used a modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale to assess the quality of each article. We screened 865 citations and identified nine articles that met our inclusion criteria. The majority of studies reported positive associations between maternal use of weight loss products and birth defects (overall and NTDs). However, there were few significant associations and there was considerable heterogeneity in the specific exposures assessed across the nine studies. Our systematic review of weight loss products and NTDs indicates that the literature on this topic is sparse. Because several studies reported modest, positive associations between risk and use of weight loss products, additional studies are warranted. Birth Defects Research 110:48-55, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Feeding tube - infants

Science.gov (United States)

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007235.htm Feeding tube - infants To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. A feeding tube is a small, soft, plastic tube placed ...

Young adult smokers' neural response to graphic cigarette warning labels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adam E. Green

2016-06-01

Conclusions: In this sample of young adult smokers, GWLs promoted neural activation in brain regions involved in cognitive and affective decision-making and memory formation and the effects of GWLs did not differ on branded or plain cigarette packaging. These findings complement other recent neuroimaging GWL studies conducted with older adult smokers and with adolescents by demonstrating similar patterns of neural activation in response to GWLs among young adult smokers.

Gamma irradiation effect on thermo shrink polyethylene tube: Case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naurah Mat Isa; Siti Zulaiha Hairaldin; Mohd Yusof Hamzah; Zulkafli Ghazali

2010-01-01

The production technology of heat shrinkable tubes is based on the industrial usage of so-called memory effect in some polymers. Many polymers can be rendered heat shrinkable, particularly polyolefins by introducing crosslinking in the polymer backbone. Heat shrinkable tubes and moulded parts provide mechanical and/or chemical and/or electrical protection. . In this work, irradiation from Co-60 was used to impart crosslinking in polymer and thus modify their mechanical and thermal properties. Heat shrinkable or thermo shrink polyethylene (PE) tube with diameter 6.4 mm was selected to evaluate crosslinking behaviour from the gamma irradiation exposure at 5 different doses (120, 140, 160, 200 and 220 kGy). The gel content (%), tensile properties and thermal behavior and stability of the tubes were measured using DSC and TGA. Tubes irradiated at 140 kGy and 160 kGy showed better tensile properties than those at 120, 200 and 220 kGy doses. Maximum percent of crystallization was observed at 160 kGy and temperature required to crystallize is lower than melting temperature due to changes in molecular orientation. Thermal decomposition of the irradiated tubes occurred at 430-450 degree Celsius which is lower than the unirradiated sample. Gel content analysis for samples irradiated at 180-220 kGy yield up to 30 to 40 % gel fraction. Although the gel fractions are higher than other dose, the samples are expected to experience chain scission presumably due to localized gel formation. (author)

Leakage Characteristics of Dual-Cannula Fenestrated Tracheostomy Tubes during Positive Pressure Ventilation: A Bench Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Berlet

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This study compared the leakage characteristics of different types of dual-cannula fenestrated tracheostomy tubes during positive pressure ventilation. Fenestrated Portex® Blue Line Ultra®, TRACOE® twist, or Rüsch® Traceofix® tracheostomy tubes equipped with nonfenestrated inner cannulas were tested in a tracheostomy-lung simulator. Transfenestration pressures and transfenestration leakage rates were measured during positive pressure ventilation. The impact of different ventilation modes, airway pressures, temperatures, and simulated static lung compliance settings on leakage characteristics was assessed. We observed substantial differences in transfenestration pressures and transfenestration leakage rates. The leakage rates of the best performing tubes were <3.5% of the delivered minute volume. At body temperature, the leakage rates of these tracheostomy tubes were <1%. The tracheal tube design was the main factor that determined the leakage characteristics. Careful tracheostomy tube selection permits the use of fenestrated tracheostomy tubes in patients receiving positive pressure ventilation immediately after stoma formation and minimises the risk of complications caused by transfenestration gas leakage, for example, subcutaneous emphysema.