Spatial organization of NG2 glial cells and astrocytes in rat hippocampal CA1 region.

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Xu, Guangjin; Wang, Wei; Zhou, Min

2014-04-01

Similar to astrocytes, NG2 glial cells are uniformly distributed in the central nervous system (CNS). However, little is known about the interspatial relationship, nor the functional interactions between these two star-shaped glial subtypes. Confocal morphometric analysis showed that NG2 immunostained cells are spatially organized as domains in rat hippocampal CA1 region and that each NG2 glial domain occupies a spatial volume of ∼178, 364 μm(3) . The processes of NG2 glia and astrocytes overlap extensively; each NG2 glial domain interlaces with the processes deriving from 5.8 ± 0.4 neighboring astrocytes, while each astrocytic domain accommodates processes stemming from 4.5 ± 0.3 abutting NG2 glia. In CA1 stratum radiatum, the cell bodies of morphologically identified glial cells often appear to make direct somatic-somata contact, termed as doublets. We used dual patch recording and postrecording NG2/GFAP double staining to determine the glial identities of these doublets. We show that among 44 doublets, 50% were NG2 glia-astrocyte pairs, while another 38.6% and 11.4% were astrocyte-astrocyte and NG2 glia-NG2 glia pairs, respectively. In dual patch recording, neither electrical coupling nor intercellular biocytin transfer was detected in astrocyte-NG2 glia or NG2 glia-NG2 glia doublets. Altogether, although NG2 glia and astrocytes are not gap junction coupled, their cell bodies and processes are interwoven extensively. The anatomical and physiological relationships revealed in this study should facilitate future studies to understand the metabolic coupling and functional communication between NG2 glia and astrocytes. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The protective effect of NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and insulin on nitric oxide inhibition and pathology in experimental diabetic rat liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozden, H.; Guven, G.; Tekin, N.; Akyuz, F.; Gurer, F.; Kucuk, F.; Ustuner, Mehmet C.; Yaylak, F.

2009-01-01

Objective was to determine on protective role of NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and insulin on the liver in streptoozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. This study was performed in the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey in 2007. Forty male Wistar albino rats were divided into 5 groups. These were untreated, diabetic control, STZ+insulin, STZ+L-NAME and STZ+insulin+L-NAME induced groups. The STZ was intraperitonally injected into 3 groups and includes insulin, L-NAME and their joint administrations as protective agents. The blood glucose and nitric oxide (NO) levels were determined. The tissue samples were obtained at the end of the fourth week. The liver tissue distortions were evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin staining. The serum glucose level was significantly higher in diabetic control (p=0.000), than the untreated group. The focal pseudo lobular structures without vena centralis increased portal fibrillary necrosis and bile duct stenosis with voagulation necrosis of the peripheral hepatocytes were more observed in diabetic group than the protective agent groups. In addition, insulin and L-NAME lead to hepatocyte regeneration and minimal mononuclear cell infiltration was noted. NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester inhibits NO level in STZ+L-NAME induced group. NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester either alone or with insulin combination significantly attenuates the liver morphological disarrangements in STZ induced diabetic rats. (author)

Vapor generation and atom traps: Atomic absorption spectrometry at the ng/L level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ataman, O. Yavuz

2008-01-01

Atom-trapping atomic absorption spectrometry is a technique that allows detection at the ng/L level for several analytes such as As, Se, Sb, Pb, Bi, Cd, In, Tl, Te, Sn and Hg. The principle involves generation of volatile species, usually hydrides, trapping these species on the surface of an atom trap held at an optimized temperature and, finally, revolatilizing the analyte species by rapid heating of the trap and transporting them in a carrier gas to a heated quartz tube, as commonly used with hydride generation AAS systems. A transient signal having, in most cases, a full width at half maximum of less than 1 s is obtained. The atom trap may be a quartz surface or a W-coil; the former is heated externally and the latter is heated resistively. Both collection and revolatilization temperatures are optimized. In some cases, the W-coil itself is used as an electrothermal atomizer and a heated quartz tube is then not needed. The evolution of these traps starts with the well-known Watling's slotted quartz tube (SQT), continues with atom trapping SQT and finally reaches the present traps mentioned above. The analytical figures of merit for these traps need to be standardized. Naturally, enhancement is on characteristic concentration, C 0 , where the change in characteristic mass, m 0 , can be related to trapping efficiency. Novel terms are suggested for E, enhancement factor; such as E max , maximum enhancement factor; E t , enhancement for 1.0 minute sampling and E v , enhancement for 1.0 mL of sample. These figures will allow easy comparison of results from different laboratories as well as different analytes and/or traps

Impact of PSA density of transition zone as a potential parameter in reducing the number of unnecessary prostate biopsies in patients with psa levels between 2.6 and 10.0 ng/mL.

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Castro, Hugo A Socrates; Iared, Wagner; Santos, José Eduardo Mourão; Solha, Raphael Sandes; Shigueoka, David Carlos; Ajzen, Sergio Aron

2018-04-10

To assess the accuracy of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) adjusted for the transition zone volume (PSATZ) in predicting prostate cancer by comparing the ability of several PSA parameters in predicting prostate cancer in men with intermediate PSA levels of 2.6 - 10.0 ng/mL and its ability to reduce unnecessary biopsies. This study included 656 patients referred for prostate biopsy who had a serum PSA of 2.6 - 10.0 ng/mL. Total prostate and transition zone volumes were measured by transrectal ultrasound using the prolate ellipsoid method. The clinical values of PSA, free-to-total (F/T) ratio, PSA density (PSAD) and PSATZ for the detection of prostate cancer were calculated and statistical comparisons between biopsy-positive (cancer) and biopsy-negative (benign) were conducted. Cancer was detected in 172 patients (26.2%). Mean PSA, PSATZ, PSAD and F/T ratio were 7.5 ng/mL, 0.68 ng/mL/cc. 0.25 ng/mL/cc and 0.14 in patients with prostate cancer and 6.29 ng/mL, 0.30 ng/mL/cc, 0.16 ng/mL/cc and 0.22 in patients with benign biopsies, respectively. ROC curves analysis demonstrated that PSATZ had a higher area under curve (0,838) than F/T ratio (0,806) (PPSA. Compared to other PSA related parameters, it was better in differentiating between prostate cancer and benign prostatic enlargement. Also, PSATZ could reduce a significant number of unnecessary biopsies. Copyright® by the International Brazilian Journal of Urology.

Vapor generation and atom traps: Atomic absorption spectrometry at the ng/L level

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ataman, O. Yavuz [Department of Chemistry, Middle East Technical University, 06531 Ankara (Turkey)], E-mail: ataman@metu.edu.tr

2008-08-15

Atom-trapping atomic absorption spectrometry is a technique that allows detection at the ng/L level for several analytes such as As, Se, Sb, Pb, Bi, Cd, In, Tl, Te, Sn and Hg. The principle involves generation of volatile species, usually hydrides, trapping these species on the surface of an atom trap held at an optimized temperature and, finally, revolatilizing the analyte species by rapid heating of the trap and transporting them in a carrier gas to a heated quartz tube, as commonly used with hydride generation AAS systems. A transient signal having, in most cases, a full width at half maximum of less than 1 s is obtained. The atom trap may be a quartz surface or a W-coil; the former is heated externally and the latter is heated resistively. Both collection and revolatilization temperatures are optimized. In some cases, the W-coil itself is used as an electrothermal atomizer and a heated quartz tube is then not needed. The evolution of these traps starts with the well-known Watling's slotted quartz tube (SQT), continues with atom trapping SQT and finally reaches the present traps mentioned above. The analytical figures of merit for these traps need to be standardized. Naturally, enhancement is on characteristic concentration, C{sub 0}, where the change in characteristic mass, m{sub 0}, can be related to trapping efficiency. Novel terms are suggested for E, enhancement factor; such as E{sub max}, maximum enhancement factor; E{sub t}, enhancement for 1.0 minute sampling and E{sub v}, enhancement for 1.0 mL of sample. These figures will allow easy comparison of results from different laboratories as well as different analytes and/or traps.

Defining the appropriate radiation dose for pretreatment PSA no. <=no. 10 ng/mL prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinover, Wayne H.; Hanlon, Alexandra L.; Horwitz, Eric M.; Hanks, Gerald E.

2000-01-01

Purpose: To investigate whether a dose response exists for biochemical no evidence of disease (bNED) control in prostate cancer patients with pretreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) no. =no. 7600 cGy. Median dose in these three groups was 7067 cGy, 7278 cGy, and 7734 cGy, respectively. Univariate analysis was performed to determine differences in bNED control (American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology [ASTRO] Consensus Guidelines definition of failure) by dose group for the entire cohort, for 310 good prognosis patients (T1-T2A, Gleason score 2-6, absence of PNI), and for 178 poor prognosis patients (T2B-T3 or Gleason score 7-10 or presence of PNI) . Multivariate analysis (MVA) was performed to determine if dose was an independent predictor of bNED control. Median follow-up was 36 months. Results: A dose response was not demonstrated for the entire group of patients with pretreatment PSA no. =no. 7600 cGy were associated with 5-year bNED control rates of 73%, 86%, and 89%, respectively (p = 0.12). MVA demonstrated prognosis group (p = 0.038) to be the only independent predictor of bNED control. Good prognosis patients had a 5-year bNED of 85% and no dose response was seen. The subgroup of poor prognosis patients demonstrated a 5-year bNED control rate of 81% and a dose response was seen for those receiving no. >=no. 7600 cGy, compared to the two lower dose groups (94% vs. 75% vs. 70%; p = 0.0062). MVA for the poor prognosis subset demonstrated dose (p = 0.01) to be the only independent predictor for improved bNED control. Conclusions: The poor prognosis subset of PSA no. <=no. 10 ng/mL prostate cancer patients benefit from dose escalation. A dose response is not demonstrated for prostate cancer patients with pretreatment PSA no. <=no. 10 ng/mL and other favorable features

Determination of musks and other fragrance compounds at ng/L levels using CLSA (closed loop stripping analysis) and GC/MS detection.

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Mitjans, D; Ventura, F

2004-01-01

Closed loop stripping analysis (CLSA), a suitable tool for the determination of volatile and semivolatile compounds at low trace levels (ng/l), has been used to determine and quantify seven selected musks and two fragrances (Acetyl cedrene and Amberonne). The obtained extracts are analyzed by high resolution gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS) operating in the SIM mode. Quality parameters such as limit of detection; matrix effects; precision expressed as repeatability and reproducibility relative standard deviations of the method and an estimation of the uncertainty have been evaluated. The method has been applied to the analysis of wastewater effluents, surface water and tap water from different places in Europe. All samples contained differents musks at ng/l levels with the polycyclic musks Galaxolide and Tonalide and both fragrances, Amberonne and Acetyl cedrene, being the most abundant. These results suggest the importance of studying and controlling the presence of these ubiquitous environmental compounds in water systems.

Neuron-NG2 Cell Synapses: Novel Functions for Regulating NG2 Cell Proliferation and Differentiation

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Qian-Kun Yang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available NG2 cells are a population of CNS cells that are distinct from neurons, mature oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and microglia. These cells can be identified by their NG2 proteoglycan expression. NG2 cells have a highly branched morphology, with abundant processes radiating from the cell body, and express a complex set of voltage-gated channels, AMPA/kainate, and GABA receptors. Neurons notably form classical and nonclassical synapses with NG2 cells, which have varied characteristics and functions. Neuron-NG2 cell synapses could fine-tune NG2 cell activities, including the NG2 cell cycle, differentiation, migration, and myelination, and may be a novel potential therapeutic target for NG2 cell-related diseases, such as hypoxia-ischemia injury and periventricular leukomalacia. Furthermore, neuron-NG2 cell synapses may be correlated with the plasticity of CNS in adulthood with the synaptic contacts passing onto their progenies during proliferation, and synaptic contacts decrease rapidly upon NG2 cell differentiation. In this review, we highlight the characteristics of classical and nonclassical neuron-NG2 cell synapses, the potential functions, and the fate of synaptic contacts during proliferation and differentiation, with the emphasis on the regulation of the NG2 cell cycle by neuron-NG2 cell synapses and their potential underlying mechanisms.

The role of NgR-Rhoa-Rock signal pathway in retinal ganglion cell apoptosis of early diabetic rats

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Yun-Jie Fu

2014-09-01

Full Text Available AIM: To study the function and mechanism of the NgR-Rhoa-Rock signal pathways which exists in the retinal ganglion cells apoptosis in diabetes mellitus(DMrats. METHODS: Some healthy SD rats were operated by means of single intraperitoneal injection of 1% streptozotocin based on the standard of 50mg/kg wight, after that the blood sugar value was greater than 16.7mmol/L as DM model, then randomly divided into 3 groups, each group was 10 rats. In addition to take 10 healthy SD rats as control group. Four groups of rats were bilaterally eyeball intravitreal injection in turn with NgR-siRNA virus 10μL(siRNA group, NgR-siRNA virus diluted 10μL(DM group, NgR-siRNA virus-negative-control solution 10μL(siRNA blank group, NgR-siRNA virus diluted 10μL(normal control group, and fed normally. During that time, some life indexes like blood glucose, body mass, etc. were measured and recorded. After 12wk, the expression of NgR and Rhoa, HE staining, and TUNNEL staining were detected by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Western blot analysis: compared with normal control group, the expression of NgR and Rhoa in DM group and siRNA blank group increased significantly(PP>0.05; compared with DM group and siRNA blank group, the expression of those proteins significantly lowered in siRNA group. HE staining: compared with normal control group, some extent ganglion cells arranged disorder, irregular shape, spacing not consistent were all found in three groups of model rats; compared with DM group and siRNA blank group, there was some improvement in siRNA group of ganglion cells about the order and shape size. TUNEL staining: compared with normal control group, there were retinal ganglion cells apoptosis in all of three groups of model rats. Compared with DM group and siRNA blank group, the number of retinal ganglion cells apoptotic cells was less, and the shape of cells had improved significantly in siRNA group. CONCLUSION: In the DM phase, the expression of NgR and

Extracellular polymeric substances affect the responses of multi-species biofilms in the presence of sulfamethizole.

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Wang, Longfei; Li, Yi; Wang, Li; Zhang, Huanjun; Zhu, Mengjie; Zhang, Peisheng; Zhu, Xiaoxiao

2018-04-01

The occurrence and transportation of antibiotics in biofilms from natural and engineered sources have attracted increasing interests. Nevertheless, the effects of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on the responses of biofilms to the exposure to antibiotics are not clear. In this study, the effects of EPS on the sorption and biological responses to one representative antibiotic, sulfamethizole (STZ), in model biofilms were investigated. Proteins dominated the interactions between the EPS and the STZ and the EPS from a moving bed biofilm reactor exhibited the strongest interaction with the STZ. The EPS served as important reservoirs for the STZ and the tested biofilms all showed reduced sorption capacities for the STZ after the EPS were extracted. The respiratory rates and typical enzymatic activities were reduced after the EPS were extracted. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing results confirmed that the bacterial community in the biofilm without the EPS was more vulnerable to antibiotic shock as indicated by the community diversity and richness indices. A greater increase in the abundance of susceptible species was observed in the natural biofilm. The results comprehensively suggested that the EPS played important role in biosorption of STZ and alleviated the direct damage of the antibiotic to the cells; in addition the extent of the bacterial community response was associated with the origins of the biofilms. Our study provided details on the responses of multi-species biofilms to the exposure to an antibiotic and highlighted the role of the EPS in interacting with the antibiotic, thereby providing a deeper understanding of the bioremediation of antibiotics in real-life natural and engineered biofilm systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of PCA3 and multiparametric MRI’s: collective benefits before deciding initial prostate biopsy for patients with PSA level between 3-10ng/mL

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Sezgin Okcelik

2016-06-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective To analyze the contribution of multiparametric MRI and PCA3 assay, pre- decision of initial biopsy in PSA level between 3-10 ng/mL patients with normal digital rectal examination(DRE. Materials and Methods PSA level 3-10 ng/mL ,patients, with normal DRE results and no previous prostate biopsy history, were included in this study. Each patient underwent multiparametric MRI one week before biopsy. Urine sample taking for PCA3 examination preceded the biopsy. Systematic and targeted biopsies were conducted. Patients with high PSA levels were seperated into two groups as: high PCA3 scored and low PCA3 scored. Then each group was divided into two sub-groups as: MRI lesion positive and negative. Tumor incidence, positive predictive values(PPV and negative predictive values(NPV were calculated. Results 53 patients were included between February 2013 and March 2014.Mean age 61.22 ± 1.06. Mean PSA value 5.13 ± 0.19 ng / mL. Mean PCA3 score 98.01 ± 23.13 and mean prostate size was 48.96 ± 2.67 grams. Fourty nine patients had both PCA3 score and multiparametric MRI. The PCA3’s PPV value was 58.33%. If multiparametric MRI lesions are added to high PCA3 scores , the PPV appears to elevate to 91.66%. NPV of PCA3 was 96%. NPV was 95% when there was no lesion in the multiparametric MRI with low PCA3 scores. Sensitivity was 91.66% , specificity was 95% respectively. Conclusion Adding multimetric MRI can also support biopsy decision for patients with high PCA3 value. When PCA3 value is low, patients can be survailled without any need to take a MRI.

High-density expression of Ca2+-permeable ASIC1a channels in NG2 glia of rat hippocampus.

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Yen-Chu Lin

Full Text Available NG2 cells, a fourth type of glial cell in the mammalian CNS, undergo reactive changes in response to a wide variety of brain insults. Recent studies have demonstrated that neuronally expressed acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs are implicated in various neurological disorders including brain ischemia and seizures. Acidosis is a common feature of acute neurological conditions. It is postulated that a drop in pH may be the link between the pathological process and activation of NG2 cells. Such postulate immediately prompts the following questions: Do NG2 cells express ASICs? If so, what are their functional properties and subunit composition? Here, using a combination of electrophysiology, Ca2+ imaging and immunocytochemistry, we present evidence to demonstrate that NG2 cells of the rat hippocampus express high density of Ca2+-permeable ASIC1a channels compared with several types of hippocampal neurons. First, nucleated patch recordings from NG2 cells revealed high density of proton-activated currents. The magnitude of proton-activated current was pH dependent, with a pH for half-maximal activation of 6.3. Second, the current-voltage relationship showed a reversal close to the equilibrium potential for Na+. Third, psalmotoxin 1, a blocker specific for the ASIC1a channel, largely inhibited proton-activated currents. Fourth, Ca2+ imaging showed that activation of proton-activated channels led to an increase of [Ca2+]i. Finally, immunocytochemistry showed co-localization of ASIC1a and NG2 proteins in the hippocampus. Thus the acid chemosensor, the ASIC1a channel, may serve for inducing membrane depolarization and Ca2+ influx, thereby playing a crucial role in the NG2 cell response to injury following ischemia.

Effects of Nitric Oxide Production Inhibitor Named, NG-Nitro-L-Arginine Methyl Ester (L-NAME, on Rat Mesenchymal Stem Cells Differentiation

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E Arfaei

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction & Objectives: Recently, the findings of some studies have shown that, nitric oxide (NO probably has an important role in differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells to osteoblasts. The aim of the present investigation was to study the effects of nitric oxide production inhibitor named, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, on rat mesenchymal stem cells differentiation to osteoblasts in vitro. Materials & Methods: This was an experimental study conducted at Hamedan University of Medical Sciences in 2009, in which rat bone marrow stem cells were isolated in an aseptic condition and cultured in vitro. After third passage, the cells were cultured in osteogenic differentiation medium. To study the effects of L-NAME on osteogenic differentiation, the L-NAME was added to the culture medium at a concentration of 125, 250, and 500 μM in some culture plates. During the culture procedure, the media were replaced with fresh ones, with a three days interval. After 28 days of culturing the mineralized matrix was stained using Alizarian red staining method. The gathered data were analyzed by SPSS software version 12 using one way ANOVA. Results: The findings of this study showed that in the presence of L-NAME, differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to osteoblasts was disordered and matrix mineralization significantly decreased in a dose dependent manner. Conclusion: This study revealed that, inhibition of nitric oxide production using L-NAME can prevent the differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to osteoblast. The results imply that NO is an important constituent in differentiation of mesenchymal stem cell to osteoblasts.

Can a Gleason 6 or Less Microfocus of Prostate Cancer in One Biopsy and Prostate-Specific Antigen Level <10 ng/mL Be Defined as the Archetype of Low-Risk Prostate Disease?

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Gianluigi Taverna

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Prostate cancer (PC remains a cause of death worldwide. Here we investigate whether a single microfocus of PC at the biopsy (graded as Gleason 6 or less, ≤5% occupancy and the PSA <10 ng/mL can define the archetype of low-risk prostate disease. 4500 consecutive patients were enrolled. Among them, 134 patients with a single micro-focus of PC were followed up, and the parameters influencing the biochemical relapse (BR were analysed. Out of 134 patients, 94 had clinically significant disease, specifically in 74.26% of the patients with PSA <10 ng/mL. Positive surgical margins and the extracapsular invasion were found in 29.1% and 51.4% patients, respectively. BR was observed in 29.6% of the patients. Cox regression evidenced a correlation between the BR and Gleason grade at the retropubic radical prostatectomy (RRP, capsular invasion, and the presence of positive surgical margins. Multivariate regression analysis showed a statistically significant correlation between the presence of surgical margins at the RRP and BR. Considering a single micro-focus of PC at the biopsy and PSA serum level <10 ng/mL, clinically significant disease was found in 74.26% patients and only positive surgical margins are useful for predicting the BR.

Value of contrast-enhanced sonographic micro flow imaging for prostate cancer detection with t-PSA level of 4–10 ng/mL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Yi-Fen; Li, Feng-Hua; Xie, Shao-Wei; Xia, Jian-Guo; Fang, Hua; Li, Hong-Li

2012-01-01

Objectives: To compare the efficiency of contrast-enhanced ultrasonographic micro flow imaging (MFI) with conventional transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) in detecting prostate cancer with serum total prostate-specific antigen (t-PSA) of 4.0–10.0 ng/mL. To evaluate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonographic MFI in detecting prostate cancer with t-PSA in diagnostic gray zone. Methods: 47 patients with t-PSA 4.0–10.0 ng/mL underwent gray scale, power Doppler TRUS and MFI examinations before ultrasound guided biopsies. Biopsies were performed at twelve sites in the base, the mid-gland and the apex of the prostate in each patient, when there was no abnormal ultrasound finding. When an abnormality was present at MFI, the biopsy specimen from the corresponding site was directed toward the abnormal finding. With histological results of prostate biopsy as reference standards, we assessed the cancer detection of these three methods. Results: 564 specimens were collected in this study, in which 101 were prostate cancer confirmed histologically. 152 of 564 specimens were demonstrated abnormal on MFI images, in which 71 were malignant and 81 were benign confirmed histologically. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for MFI in detecting prostate caner were 70.3%, 82.5%, 80.3%, 46.7% and 92.7%, respectively. The sensitivity and NPV for MFI were significantly better than gray scale (38.6%, 86.9%) and power Doppler (32.7%, 86.0%) (P < 0.001) TRUS. Conclusions: Contrast-enhanced ultrasonographic MFI could significantly improve the detection rate of prostate cancer with t-PSA in diagnostic gray zone (4–10 ng/mL) than conventional ultrasound.

Comparison of the effects of NG-nitro-L-arginine and indomethacin on the hypercapnic cerebral blood flow increase in rats

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Qian; Pelligrino, D A; Paulson, O B

1994-01-01

The effects of NG-nitro-L-arginine (NOLAG), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and of indomethacin, an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase, on the rise in cerebral blood flow (CBF) accompanying increasing levels of hypercapnia (paCO2 = 40-135 mmHg) were studied in anesthetized rats. CBF...... with additional step increase in paCO2. Intracarotid infusion of 7.5 mg/kg NOLAG significantly attenuated the CO2-elicited CBF increase by about 45-65% at paCO2 values below 115 mmHg. Beyond this level, there was a lesser inhibition of about 27-35%. 30 mg/kg NOLAG had essentially the same effect as 7.5 mg....../kg NOLAG. 50 mg/kg NOLAG, given intraperitoneally (i.p.) twice daily for 4 days, also caused an attenuated CBF response to CO2, but the inhibitory effect was significantly less than with acute NOLAG administration in the paCO2 range of 61-90 mmHg. Infusion of L-arginine, 1 g/kg/h, prevented the effect of 7...

Exploring the Nature of Silicon-Noble Gas Bonds in H3SiNgNSi and HSiNgNSi Compounds (Ng = Xe, Rn

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Sudip Pan

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Ab initio and density functional theory-based computations are performed to investigate the structure and stability of H3SiNgNSi and HSiNgNSi compounds (Ng = Xe, Rn. They are thermochemically unstable with respect to the dissociation channel producing Ng and H3SiNSi or HSiNSi. However, they are kinetically stable with respect to this dissociation channel having activation free energy barriers of 19.3 and 23.3 kcal/mol for H3SiXeNSi and H3SiRnNSi, respectively, and 9.2 and 12.8 kcal/mol for HSiXeNSi and HSiRnNSi, respectively. The rest of the possible dissociation channels are endergonic in nature at room temperature for Rn analogues. However, one three-body dissociation channel for H3SiXeNSi and one two-body and one three-body dissociation channels for HSiXeNSi are slightly exergonic in nature at room temperature. They become endergonic at slightly lower temperature. The nature of bonding between Ng and Si/N is analyzed by natural bond order, electron density and energy decomposition analyses. Natural population analysis indicates that they could be best represented as (H3SiNg+(NSi− and (HSiNg+(NSi−. Energy decomposition analysis further reveals that the contribution from the orbital term (ΔEorb is dominant (ca. 67%–75% towards the total attraction energy associated with the Si-Ng bond, whereas the electrostatic term (ΔEelstat contributes the maximum (ca. 66%–68% for the same in the Ng–N bond, implying the covalent nature of the former bond and the ionic nature of the latter.

Post treatment PSA nadirs support continuing dose escalation study in patients with pretreatment PSA levels >10 ng/ml, but not in those with PSA <10 NG/ML

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herold, D.H.; Hanlon, A.L.; Movsas, B.; Hanks, G.E.

1996-01-01

Purpose: We have recently shown that ICRU reporting point radiation doses above 71 Gy are not associated with improved bNED survival in prostate cancer patients with pretreatment PSA level 20 ng/ml we found a strong correlation between dose and nadir values < 1.0 ng/ml (p=.003) as well as for nadir's < 0.5 ng/ml (p=.04). This dose/nadir effect held at several dose levels, but 74 Gy for nadir values < 1.0 ng/ml and 72 Gy for nadir's < 0.5 ng/ml remained the most significant. 32% of these patients achieved a nadir < 1.0ng/ml and 15% < 0.5ng/ml. Conclusions: This analysis provides strong additional support that patients with pretreatment PSA values of < 10 ng/ml do not benefit from dose escalation beyond an ICRU reporting point dose of 71 Gy. For patients with pretreatment PSA's of 10-19.9 ng/ml there is no dose/nadir response evaluated at a nadir of 1.0 ng/ml; however, there is a borderline effect observed at a nadir of 0.5 ng/ml. Patients with pretreatment PSA's of 20 ng/ml or greater clearly benefit from higher doses as evaluated by PSA nadirs of 1.0 ng/ml, and 0.5 ng/ml. These studies support the continued investigation of dose escalation in treating patients with PSA levels over 10 ng/ml, they do not support continued investigation of dose escalation beyond 71 Gy in patients with pretreatment PSA levels < 10 ng/ml. The failure to demonstrate any dose response for the low PSA group and the finding of only a borderline effect for the intermediate PSA group may be influenced by the relatively small number of patients in our series treated to doses < 70 Gy and the fact that none of our patients were treated to doses below 65.98 Gy. The lower limit of acceptible dose has yet to be defined

General practitioners do not systematically adhere to regional recommendations on treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections

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Christoffersen, Thea; Bjerrum, Lars; Nielsen, Anni Brit Sternhagen

2014-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Uncomplicated urinary tract infection (uUTI) is a common reason for seeing a GP. In Denmark, it is debated if sulfamethizole or pivmecillinam should be recommended for empirical treatment of uUTIs. We evaluated sulfamethizole and pivmecillinam use in the five Danish regions from 2007...... to 2011 and explored if the choice of antibiotic in primary care was in accordance with the regional recommendations for uUTI. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Regional drug use data on pivmecillinam and sulfamethizole from 2007 to 2011 were retrieved from the Registry of Medicinal Product Statistics. Regional...... recommendations from the same period were identified. We calculated differences in consumption based on defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day (DID) of pivmecillinam and sulfamethizole between the five regions, and intraregional developments. RESULTS: Four regions had recommendations on uUTI in 2011...

Effect of nitric oxide blockade by NG-nitro-L-arginine on cerebral blood flow response to changes in carbon dioxide tension

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Qian; Paulson, O B; Lassen, N A

1992-01-01

The importance of nitric oxide (NO) for CBF variations associated with arterial carbon dioxide changes was investigated in halothane-anesthetized rats by using an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, NG-nitro-L-arginine (NOLAG). CBF was measured by intracarotid injection of 133Xe. In normocapnia......, intracarotid infusion of 1.5, or 7.5, or 30 mg/kg NOLAG induced a dose-dependent increase of arterial blood pressure and a decrease of normocapnic CBF from 85 +/- 10 to 78 +/- 6, 64 +/- 5, and 52 +/- 5 ml 100 g-1 min-1, respectively. This effect lasted for at least 2 h. Raising PaCO2 from a control level of 40...... to 68 mm Hg increased CBF to 230 +/- 27 ml 100 g-1 min-1, corresponding to a percentage CBF response (CO2 reactivity) of 3.7 +/- 0.6%/mm Hg PaCO2 in saline-treated rats. NOLAG attenuated this reactivity by 32, 49, and 51% at the three-dose levels. Hypercapnia combined with angiotensin to raise blood...

Simultaneous determination of sulfonamides, tetracyclines and tiamulin in swine wastewater by solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Ben, Weiwei; Qiang, Zhimin; Adams, Craig; Zhang, Heqing; Chen, Liping

2008-08-22

Little is known about the contamination level of antibiotics in swine wastewater in China. The highly complex matrix of swine wastewater, which generally has a chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration as high as 15,000 mg/L, makes it difficult to detect antibiotics at trace levels. In this work, a highly selective and sensitive analytical method was developed for simultaneous determination of three classes of commonly used veterinary antibiotics including five sulfonamides, three tetracyclines and one macrolide in swine wastewater using solid-phase extraction (SPE) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The method detection limits (MDL) in the swine wastewater were determined to be between 5 and 91 ng/L, depending on specific antibiotics. Except sulfamethizole, all the other eight antibiotics were detected in the swine wastewaters collected from three concentrated swine feeding plants located in the Beijing (China) area, showing a concentration range of 0.62-32.67 microg/L. These results reveal the representative concentration levels of selected antibiotics in the swine wastewaters of Beijing area.

Percent free prostate-specific antigen is effective to predict prostate biopsy outcome in Chinese men with prostate-specific antigen between 10.1 and 20.0 ng ml−1

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Rui; Zhou, Li-Qun; Cai, Xiao-Bing; Xie, Li-Ping; Huang, Yi-Ran; He, Da-Lin; Gao, Xu; Xu, Chuan-Liang; Ding, Qiang; Wei, Qiang; Yin, Chang-Jun; Ren, Shan-Cheng; Wang, Fu-Bo; Tian, Ye; Sun, Zhong-Quan; Fu, Qiang; Ma, Lu-Lin; Zheng, Jun-Hua; Ye, Zhang-Qun; Ye, Ding-Wei; Xu, Dan-Feng; Hou, Jian-Quan; Xu, Ke-Xin; Yuan, Jian-Lin; Gao, Xin; Liu, Chun-Xiao; Pan, Tie-Jun; Sun, Ying-Hao

2015-01-01

Percent free prostatic-specific antigen (%fPSA) has been introduced as a tool to avoid unnecessary biopsies in patients with a serum PSA level of 4.0–10.0 ng ml−1, however, it remains controversial whether %fPSA is effective in PSA range of 10.1–20.0 ng ml−1 in both Chinese and Western population. In this study, the diagnostic performance of %fPSA and serum PSA in predicting prostate cancer (PCa) and high-grade PCa (HGPCa) was analyzed in a multi-center biopsy cohort of 5915 consecutive Chinese patients who underwent prostate biopsy in 22 hospitals across China from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2013. The indication for biopsy was PSA>4.0 ng ml−1 or/and suspicious digital rectal examination. Total and free serum PSA determinations were performed by three types of electrochemiluminescence immunoassays with recalibration to the World Health Organization standards. The diagnostics accuracy of PSA, %fPSA and %fPSA in combination with PSA (%fPSA + PSA) was determined by the area under the receivers operating characteristic curve (AUC). %fPSA was more effective than PSA in men aged ≥60 years old. The AUC was 0.584 and 0.635 in men aged ≥60 years old with a PSA of 4.0–10.0 ng ml−1 and 10.1–20.0 ng ml−1, respectively. The AUC of %fPSA was superior to that of PSA in predicting HGPCa in patients ≥60 years old in these two PSA range. Our results indicated that %fPSA is both statistically effective and clinical applicable to predict prostate biopsy outcome in Chinese patients aged ≥60 years old with a PSA of 4.0–10.0 ng ml−1 and 10.1–20.0 ng ml−1. PMID:25926603

Percent free prostate-specific antigen is effective to predict prostate biopsy outcome in Chinese men with prostate-specific antigen between 10.1 and 20.0 ng ml(-1).

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Rui; Zhou, Li-Qun; Cai, Xiao-Bing; Xie, Li-Ping; Huang, Yi-Ran; He, Da-Lin; Gao, Xu; Xu, Chuan-Liang; Ding, Qiang; Wei, Qiang; Yin, Chang-Jun; Ren, Shan-Cheng; Wang, Fu-Bo; Tian, Ye; Sun, Zhong-Quan; Fu, Qiang; Ma, Lu-Lin; Zheng, Jun-Hua; Ye, Zhang-Qun; Ye, Ding-Wei; Xu, Dan-Feng; Hou, Jian-Quan; Xu, Ke-Xin; Yuan, Jian-Lin; Gao, Xin; Liu, Chun-Xiao; Pan, Tie-Jun; Sun, Ying-Hao

2015-01-01

Percent free prostatic-specific antigen (%fPSA) has been introduced as a tool to avoid unnecessary biopsies in patients with a serum PSA level of 4.0-10.0 ng ml-1 , however, it remains controversial whether %fPSA is effective in PSA range of 10.1-20.0 ng ml-1 in both Chinese and Western population. In this study, the diagnostic performance of %fPSA and serum PSA in predicting prostate cancer (PCa) and high-grade PCa (HGPCa) was analyzed in a multi-center biopsy cohort of 5915 consecutive Chinese patients who underwent prostate biopsy in 22 hospitals across China from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2013. The indication for biopsy was PSA>4.0 ng ml-1 or/and suspicious digital rectal examination. Total and free serum PSA determinations were performed by three types of electrochemiluminescence immunoassays with recalibration to the World Health Organization standards. The diagnostics accuracy of PSA, %fPSA and %fPSA in combination with PSA (%fPSA + PSA) was determined by the area under the receivers operating characteristic curve (AUC). %fPSA was more effective than PSA in men aged ≥60 years old. The AUC was 0.584 and 0.635 in men aged ≥60 years old with a PSA of 4.0-10.0 ng ml-1 and 10.1-20.0 ng ml-1 , respectively. The AUC of %fPSA was superior to that of PSA in predicting HGPCa in patients ≥60 years old in these two PSA range. Our results indicated that %fPSA is both statistically effective and clinical applicable to predict prostate biopsy outcome in Chinese patients aged ≥60 years old with a PSA of 4.0-10.0 ng ml-1 and 10.1-20.0 ng ml-1 .

The association of markers of oxidative-inflammatory status with malnutrition in hemodialysis patients with serum ferritin lower than 500 ng/mL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simone Gonçalves de Almeida

2013-03-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Enhanced inflammatory-oxidative status is well established in chronic kidney disease. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the oxidative- inflammatory status and iron indices in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (HD with serum ferritin lower than 500ng/mL, and to correlate them with nutritional status. METHOD: In a cross-sectional survey 35 HD patients (23 with normal nutritional status, 12 with Protein-Energy-Wasting syndrome, PEW, and healthy volunteers (n = 35 were studied. Serum concentration of iron, ferritin, transferrin saturation, malondialdehyde (MDA, protein carbonyl (PC, high-sensitive serum C -reactive protein (hs-CRP and blood counts were determined. The nutritional status was determined by anthropometric and biochemical criteria. RESULTS: HD patients showed low values of hemoglobin and higher values of ferritin, MDA and PC when compared with healthy volunteers. HD subjects with PEW had higher values of PC and hs-PCR as compared to HD patients with normal nutritional status. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the independent variables PC (Wald Statistic 4.25, p = 0.039 and hs-CRP (Wald Statistic 4.83, p = 0.028 where related with the patients' nutritional condition. CONCLUSION: In HD patients with serum ferritin below 500 ng/mL was observed one association of the markers of oxidative stress and inflammation with poor nutritional status independently of serum ferritin, gender and age.

Analysis of Coexisting GPON and NG-PON1 (10G-PON Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. D. Mraković

2011-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the simulation model of coexisting GPON and NG-PON1 (10G-PON systems is presented, which has been developed for the analysis of feasibility and implementation issues of this coexistence. The aim was to analyze the impact of the most important parameters of the components that are needed for new network elements, on the performance of these coexistent networks. On the basis of the results obtained, the optimal parameters of the new system components were defined.

TestNG beginner's guide

CERN Document Server

Menon, Varun

2013-01-01

This book is written in a friendly, beginner's guide style with plenty of step-by-step instructions with appropriate examples.This book is great for developers and testers who are new to TestNg and want to learn how to use TestNG for writing their application as well as functional tests. This book assumes that you have experience in Java and OOPs concepts and have worked with certain IDE.

Hans Küng: "Projekt Weltethos "

OpenAIRE

Altmanninger, Maria

2002-01-01

Bei dieser Arbeit werde ich mich vor Allem auf zwei Werke beziehen: Küng,Hans:Projekt Weltethos.Piper.München 1990. Küng,Hans;Kuschel,Karl-Josef (Hg.):Weltfrieden durch Religionsfrieden.Die unter Punkt Acht aufgeführte Stellungnahme wurde ausschließlich von mir verfasst.

Stage T1-2 prostate cancer with pretreatment PSA 10 ng/ml or less: radiotherapy or surgery?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keyser, Douglas; Kupelian, Patrick; Zippe, Craig; Klein, Eric

1996-01-01

Purpose: Presently, patients with pretreatment PSA levels ≤10 ng/ml constitute the majority of cases presenting for definitive treatment. Our aim was to determine whether the type of treatment (radiotherapy versus surgery) affected biochemical failure rates in this group of patients. This study is based on 389 patients treated at a single institution. Material and Methods: The charts of all patients treated with either radiotherapy or prostatectomy alone between 1987 and 1993 were reviewed (n=811). Patients with clinical stage T1 or T2 disease, and a pretreatment PSA level (iPSA) of 10.0 or less were analyzed (n=389). Two hundred forty nine (64%) received radical prostatectomy and 140 (36%) received radiotherapy (median dose 66.6 Gy). Pretreatment patient characteristics including clinical stage, biopsy Gleason score (GS) and iPSA level were not significantly different between the radiation and surgery groups (Table 1). The patients treated with radiation were significantly older (median age 70 years vs. 64 years, p<0.05). A total of 37% of the prostatectomy patients had a positive margin. The median follow-up time was 33 months; 1458 follow-up PSA levels were available for analysis. Biochemical failure was defined as a rise in PSA level of 1.0 ng/ml above the nadir PSA level in radiotherapy cases, or any value above 0.2 ng/ml in the prostatectomy cases. Results: The overall 5 year actuarial biochemical relapse free survival (bRFS) rate was 70%. The 5-year bRFS rates for prostatectomy and radiotherapy were identical (70%) (Fig.1). The significant factors affecting bRFS rates were iPSA level (≤4 vs. 4-10 ng/ml) and Gleason score (≤6 vs. ≥7) (Table 2). The 5-year bRFS rates of patients with iPSA ≤4 vs. iPSA 4-10 ng/ml were 92% vs. 61% respectively, p<0.01. The 5-year clinical relapse free survival was 93%. All clinical failures were preceded by biochemical failure. Patients with positive surgical margins did significantly worse than those with negative

Infrared Spectra of Novel NgBeSO2 Complexes (Ng = Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe) in Low Temperature Matrixes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Wenjie; Liu, Xing; Xu, Bing; Xing, Xiaopeng; Wang, Xuefeng

2016-11-03

The novel noble-gas complexes NgBeSO 2 (Ng = Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe) have been prepared in the laser-evaporated beryllium atom reactions with SO 2 in low-temperature matrixes. Doped with heavier noble gas, the guest (Ar, Kr, Xe) atom can substitute neon to form more stable complex. Infrared spectroscopy and theoretical calculations are used to confirm the band assignment. The dissociation energies are calculated at 0.9, 4.0, 4.7, and 6.0 kcal/mol for NeBeSO 2 , ArBeSO 2 , KrBeSO 2 , and XeBeSO 2 , respectively, at the CCSD(T) level. Quantum chemical calculations demonstrate that the Ng-Be bonds in NgBeSO 2 could be formed by the combination of electron-donation and ion-induced dipole interactions. The Wiberg bond index (WBI) values of Ng-Be bonds and LOL (localized orbital locator) profile indicate that the Ng-Be bond exhibits a gradual increase in covalent character along Ne to Xe.

Predictive value of [-2]propsa (p2psa and its derivatives for the prostate cancer detection in the 2.0 to 10.0ng/mL PSA range

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Vukovic

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Introduction To assess predictive value of new tumor markers, precursor of prostate specific antigen (p2PSA and its derivates-%p2PSA and prostate health index (PHI in detection of patients with indolent and aggressive prostate cancer (PC in a subcohort of man whose total PSA ranged from 2 to 10ng/mL. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study included 129 consecutive male patients aged over 50 years, with no previous history of PC and with normal digital rectal examination findings, but with serum PSA in interval between 2 and 10ng/mL. All patients underwent standard transrectal ultrasonography guided prostate biopsy for the first time. For all patients, serum PSA, free PSA (fPSA and p2PSA were measured and PHI and %p2PSA were calculated. Results PHI and %p2PSA levels were significanlty higher in patients with PC compared to those without this malignancy. The same findings have been observed in group of patients with Gleason score ≥7 compared to those with Gleason score <7. ROC analysis reveled the highest area under the curve with these two markers. Multivariate logistic regression showed significant improvement in PC detection and its agressive form (assumed as Gleason score ≥7. Conclusions New markers, derivates of p2PSA (especially %p2PSA and PHI, represente potentially very important clinical tool for predicting presence of PC, and even more important, to discriminate patients with Gleason score <7 from those with Gleason score ≥7 with total PSA in range from 2 to 10ng/mL.

Predictive value of [-2]propsa (p2psa) and its derivatives for the prostate cancer detection in the 2.0 to 10.0ng/mL PSA range.

Science.gov (United States)

Vukovic, I; Djordjevic, D; Bojanic, N; Babic, U; Soldatovic, I

2017-01-01

To assess predictive value of new tumor markers, precursor of prostate specific antigen (p2PSA) and its derivates-%p2PSA and prostate health index (PHI) in detection of patients with indolent and aggressive prostate cancer (PC) in a subcohort of man whose total PSA ranged from 2 to 10ng/mL. This cross-sectional study included 129 consecutive male patients aged over 50 years, with no previous history of PC and with normal digital rectal examination findings, but with serum PSA in interval between 2 and 10ng/mL. All patients underwent standard transrectal ultrasonography guided prostate biopsy for the first time. For all patients, serum PSA, free PSA (fPSA) and p2PSA were measured and PHI and %p2PSA were calculated. PHI and %p2PSA levels were significanlty higher in patients with PC compared to those without this malignancy. The same findings have been observed in group of patients with Gleason score ≥7 compared to those with Gleason score <7. ROC analysis reveled the highest area under the curve with these two markers. Multivariate logistic regression showed significant improvement in PC detection and its agressive form (assumed as Gleason score ≥7). New markers, derivates of p2PSA (especially %p2PSA and PHI), represente potentially very important clinical tool for predicting presence of PC, and even more important, to discriminate patients with Gleason score <7 from those with Gleason score ≥7 with total PSA in range from 2 to 10ng/mL. Copyright® by the International Brazilian Journal of Urology.

NG2 proteoglycan increases mesangial cell proliferation and extracellular matrix production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiong Jing; Wang Yang; Zhu, Zhonghua; Liu Jianshe; Wang Yumei; Zhang Chun; Hammes, Hans-Peter; Lang, Florian; Feng Yuxi

2007-01-01

As a membrane-spanning protein, NG2 chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan interacts with molecules on both sides of plasma membrane. The present study explored the role of NG2 in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. In the normal kidneys, NG2 was observed predominantly in glomerular mesangium, Bowman's capsule and interstitial vessels. Both mRNA and protein expression in kidneys was significantly higher in strepozotocin-induced diabetic rats than that in normal rats. In the cultured rat mesangial cell line HBZY-1, overexpression of NG2 promoted mesangial cell proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM) production, such as type VI collagen and laminin. Furthermore, target knockdown of NG2 resulted in decreased cell proliferation and ECM formation. The observations suggest that NG2 is up-regulated in diabetic nephropathy. It actively participates in the development and progression of glomerulosclerosis by stimulating proliferation of mesangial cells and deposition of ECM

N Güngör

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Bulletin of Materials Science. N Güngör. Articles written in Bulletin of Materials Science. Volume 27 Issue 3 June 2004 pp 317-322 Surfactants. Effect of sodium dodecyl sulfate on flow and electrokinetic properties of Na-activated bentonite dispersions · E Günıster S İşçı A Alemdar N Güngör · More Details ...

SNOW AVALANCHE ACTIVITY IN PARÂNG SKI AREA REVEALED BY TREE-RINGS

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F. MESEȘAN

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Snow Avalanche Activity in Parâng Ski Area Revealed by Tree-Rings. Snow avalanches hold favorable conditions to manifest in Parâng Mountains but only one event is historically known, without destructive impact upon infrastructure or fatalities and this region wasn’t yet the object of avalanche research. The existing ski infrastructure of Parâng resort located in the west of Parâng Mountains is proposed to be extended in the steep slopes of subalpine area. Field evidence pinpoints that these steep slopes were affected by snow avalanches in the past. In this study we analyzed 11 stem discs and 31 increment cores extracted from 22 spruces (Picea abies (L. Karst impacted by avalanches, in order to obtain more information about past avalanches activity. Using the dendrogeomorphological approach we found 13 avalanche events that occurred along Scărița avalanche path, since 1935 until 2012, nine of them produced in the last 20 years. The tree-rings data inferred an intense snow avalanche activity along this avalanche path. This study not only calls for more research in the study area but also proves that snow avalanches could constitute an important restrictive factor for the tourism infrastructure and related activities in the area. It must be taken into consideration by the future extension of tourism infrastructure. Keywords: snow avalanche, Parâng Mountains, dendrogeomorphology, ski area.

Applicability of the direct injection liquid chromatographic tandem mass spectrometric analytical approach to the sub-ngL-1 determination of perfluoro-alkyl acids in waste, surface, ground and drinking water samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Ciofi, Lorenzo; Renai, Lapo; Rossini, Daniele; Ancillotti, Claudia; Falai, Alida; Fibbi, Donatella; Bruzzoniti, Maria Concetta; Santana-Rodriguez, José Juan; Orlandini, Serena; Del Bubba, Massimo

2018-01-01

The applicability of a direct injection UHPLC-MS/MS method for the analysis of several perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in a wide range of water matrices was investigated. The method is based on the direct injection of 100µL of centrifuged water sample, without any other sample treatment. Very good method detection limits (0.014-0.44ngL -1 ) and excellent intra and inter-day precision (RSD% values in the range 1.8-4.4% and 2.7-5.7%, respectively) were achieved, with a total analysis time of 20min per sample. A high number of samples - i.e. 8 drinking waters (DW), 12 ground waters (GW), 13 surface waters (SW), 8 influents and 11 effluents of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP IN and WWTP OUT ) were processed and the extent of matrix effect (ME) was calculated, highlighting the strong prevalence of |ME| 50% was occasionally observed only for perfluorooctanesulphonic and perfluorodecanoic acids. Linear discriminant analysis highlighted the great contribution of the sample origin (i.e. DW, GW, SW, WWTP IN and WWTP OUT ) to the ME. Partial least square regression (PLS) and leave-one-out cross-validation were performed in order to interpret and predict the signal suppression or enhancement phenomena as a function of physicochemical parameters of water samples (i.e. conductivity, hardness and chemical oxygen demand) and background chromatographic area. The PLS approach resulted only in an approximate screening, due to the low prediction power of the PLS models. However, for most analytes in most samples, the fitted and cross-validated values were such as to correctly distinguish between | ME | higher than 20% or below this limit. PFAAs in the aforementioned water samples were quantified by means of the standard addition method, highlighting their occurrence mainly in WWTP influents and effluents, at concentrations as high as one hundred of µgL -1 . Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Short-acting sulfonamides near term and neonatal jaundice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klarskov, Pia; Andersen, Jon Trærup; Jimenez-Solem, Espen

2013-01-01

To investigate the association between maternal use of sulfamethizole near term and the risk of neonatal jaundice.......To investigate the association between maternal use of sulfamethizole near term and the risk of neonatal jaundice....

High serum dihydrotestosterone examined by ultrasensitive LC-MS/MS as a predictor of benign prostatic hyperplasia or Gleason score 6 cancer in men with prostate-specific antigen levels of 3-10 ng/mL.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyoshi, Y; Uemura, H; Suzuki, K; Shibata, Y; Honma, S; Harada, M; Kubota, Y

2017-03-01

There has been no consensus on the role of serum androgen concentrations in prostate cancer detection in men with prostate-specific antigen levels of 3-10 ng/mL. In this study, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone concentrations in blood were examined by a newly developed method using ultrasensitive liquid chromatography with two serially linked mass spectrometers (LC-MS/MS). We investigated the correlation between serum androgen levels and Gleason scores at biopsy. We analyzed data of 157 men with a total prostate-specific antigen range of 3-10 ng/mL who underwent initial systematic prostate needle biopsy for suspected prostate cancer between April 2000 and July 2003. Peripheral blood testosterone and dihydrotestosterone concentrations were determined by LC-MS/MS. Blood levels of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone were compared with pathological findings by multivariate analyses. Median values of prostate-specific antigen and prostate volume measured by ultrasound were 5.7 ng/mL and 31.4 cm 3 , respectively. Benign prostatic hyperplasia was diagnosed in 97 patients (61.8%), and prostate cancer was diagnosed in 60 (38.2%) patients, including 31 (19.7%) patients with a Gleason score of 6 and 29 (18.5%) patients with a Gleason score of 7-10. Median values of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in blood were 3798.7 and 371.7 pg/mL, respectively. There was a strong correlation between serum testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. In multivariate analysis, age, prostate volume, and serum dihydrotestosterone were significant predictors of benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostate cancer with a Gleason score of 6. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve for age, prostate volume, and serum dihydrotestosterone were 0.67, 0.67, and 0.67, respectively . We confirmed that high dihydrotestosterone blood levels can predict benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostate cancer with a Gleason score of 6 in men with prostate-specific antigen levels of 3-10 ng/mL

The association of markers of oxidative-inflammatory status with malnutrition in hemodialysis patients with serum ferritin lower than 500 ng/mL Associação dos marcadores do estado oxidativo e inflamatório com a desnutrição em pacientes hemodialisados com ferritina menor do que 500 ng/mL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simone Gonçalves de Almeida

2013-03-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Enhanced inflammatory-oxidative status is well established in chronic kidney disease. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the oxidative- inflammatory status and iron indices in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (HD with serum ferritin lower than 500ng/mL, and to correlate them with nutritional status. METHOD: In a cross-sectional survey 35 HD patients (23 with normal nutritional status, 12 with Protein-Energy-Wasting syndrome, PEW, and healthy volunteers (n = 35 were studied. Serum concentration of iron, ferritin, transferrin saturation, malondialdehyde (MDA, protein carbonyl (PC, high-sensitive serum C -reactive protein (hs-CRP and blood counts were determined. The nutritional status was determined by anthropometric and biochemical criteria. RESULTS: HD patients showed low values of hemoglobin and higher values of ferritin, MDA and PC when compared with healthy volunteers. HD subjects with PEW had higher values of PC and hs-PCR as compared to HD patients with normal nutritional status. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the independent variables PC (Wald Statistic 4.25, p = 0.039 and hs-CRP (Wald Statistic 4.83, p = 0.028 where related with the patients' nutritional condition. CONCLUSION: In HD patients with serum ferritin below 500 ng/mL was observed one association of the markers of oxidative stress and inflammation with poor nutritional status independently of serum ferritin, gender and age.INTRODUÇÃO: Na doença renal crônica, a presença de um estado inflamatório-oxidativo aumentado está bem estabelecida. OBJETIVO: O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o estado oxidativo e inflamatório e o perfil do ferro em pacientes submetidos à hemodiálise crônica de manutenção, com ferritina menor do que 500 ng/mL, e correlacioná-los com o estado nutricional. MÉTODO: Em estudo transversal, em 35 pacientes sob hemodiálise (23 com estado nutricional normal, 12 com desnutri

Ultra pressure liquid chromatography-negative electrospray ionization mass spectrometry determination of twelve halobenzoquinones at ng/L levels in drinking water.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Rongfu; Wang, Wei; Qian, Yichao; Boyd, Jessica M; Zhao, Yuli; Li, Xing-Fang

2013-05-07

We report here the characterization of twelve halobenzoquinones (HBQs) using electrospray ionization (ESI) high resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The high resolution negative ESI spectra of the twelve HBQs formed two parent ions, [M + H(+) + 2e(-)], and the radical M(-•). The intensities of these two parent ions are dependent on their chemical structures and on instrumental parameters such as the source temperature and flow rate. The characteristic ions of the HBQs were used to develop an ultra pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method. At the UPLC flow rate (400 μL/min) and under the optimized ESI conditions, eleven HBQs showed the stable and abundant transitions [M + H(+) + 2e(-)] → X(-) (X(-) representing Cl(-), Br(-), or I(-)), while dibromo-dimethyl-benzoquinone (DBDMBQ) showed only the transition of M(-•) → Br(-). The UPLC efficiently separates all HBQs including some HBQ isomers, while the MS/MS offers exquisite limits of detection (LODs) at subng/mL levels for all HBQs except DBDMBQ. Combined with solid phase extraction (SPE), the method LOD is down to ng/L. The results from analysis of authentic samples demonstrated that the SPE-UPLC-MS/MS method is reliable, fast, and sensitive for the identification and quantification of the twelve HBQs in drinking water.

Nature of the bonding in the AuNgX (Ng = Ar, Kr, Xe; X = F, Cl, Br, I) molecules. Topological study on electron density and the electron localization function (ELF).

Science.gov (United States)

Makarewicz, Emilia; Gordon, Agnieszka J; Berski, Slawomir

2015-03-19

Topological analysis of the electron localization function (ELF) has been carried out for the AuNgX (Ng = Ar, Kr, Xe; X = F, Cl, Br, I) molecules using the wave function approximated by the CCSD, MP2, and DFT(B3LYP, M062X) methods including zero-order regular approximation (ZORA). In the Ng-F bond, the bonding disynaptic attractor V(Ng,F) is missing; therefore, there are no signs of the covalent binding. The nature of the Au-Ng bond depends on the computational method used. Analysis of the ELF carried out for the AuArF and AuXeF molecules, with the wave function approximated by the CCSD and MP2 methods, shows the V(Au,Ng) attractor possibly corresponding to a partially covalent binding between the gold and noble gas atom. However, its very small basin population (<1e) and a very large value of the variance of the basin population suggest that the Au-Ng bond has a very delocalized character. Such bond nature may be related to the charge shift concept with a resonance of the Au(-+)NgX, Au(+-)NgX hybrids. The weakest Au-Ng bond, in terms of the smallest amount of electron density for the V(Au,Ng) basin, is found for the AuKrF molecule with the CCSD method (0.13e). The MP2 method, however, does not yield any V(Au, Ng) population; hence, the covalent Au-Kr bond is not confirmed. Because the V(Au,Ng) attractor is also not observed with the DFT method, the proper characterization of the Au-Ng bond requires proper description of correlation effects. Additional studies on the Au2 and [AuXe](+) molecules, performed at the CCSD and B3LYP levels, exhibit no V(Au,Au) and V(Au,Xe) bonding basins either.

Direct determination of platinum group elements and their distributions in geological and environmental samples at the ng g(-1) level using LA-ICP-IDMS.

Science.gov (United States)

Boulyga, Sergei F; Heumann, Klaus G

2005-10-01

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma isotope dilution mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-IDMS) was applied to the direct and simultaneous determination of the platinum group elements (PGEs) Pt, Pd, Ru, and Ir in geological and environmental samples. A special laser ablation system with high ablation rates was used, along with sector field ICP-MS. Special attention was paid to deriving the distributions of PGEs in the pulverized samples. IDMS could not be applied to the (mono-isotopic) Rh, but the similar ablation behavior of Ru and Rh allowed Rh to be simultaneously determined via relative sensitivity coefficients. The laser ablation process produces hardly any oxide ions (which usually cause interference in PGE analysis with liquid sample injection), so the ICP-MS can be run in its low mass resolution but high-sensitivity mode. The detection limits obtained for the geological samples were 0.16 ng g(-1), 0.14 ng g(-1), 0.08 ng g(-1), 0.01 ng g(-1) and 0.06 ng g(-1) for Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir and Pt, respectively. LA-ICP-IDMS was applied to different geological reference materials (TDB-1, WGB-1, UMT-1, WMG-1, SARM-7) and the road dust reference material BCR-723, which are only certified for some of the PGEs. Comparisons with certified values as well as with indicative values from the literature demonstrated the validity of the LA-ICP-IDMS method. The PGE concentrations in subsamples of the road dust reference material correspond to a normal distribution, whereas the distributions in the geological reference materials TDB-1, WGB-1, UMT-1, WMG-1, and SARM-7 are more complex. For example, in the case of Ru, a logarithmic normal distribution best fits the analyzed concentrations in TDB-1 subsamples, whereas a pronounced nugget effect was found for Pt in most geological samples.

Fate of 1,4-dioxane in the aquatic environment: from sewage to drinking water.

Science.gov (United States)

Stepien, Daria K; Diehl, Peter; Helm, Johanna; Thoms, Alina; Püttmann, Wilhelm

2014-01-01

Potential health effects of 1,4-dioxane and the limited data on its occurrence in the water cycle command for more research. In the current study, mobility and persistence of 1,4-dioxane in the sewage-, surface-, and drinking water was investigated. The occurrence of 1,4-dioxane was determined in wastewater samples from four domestic sewage treatment plants (STP). The influent and effluent samples were collected during weekly campaigns. The average influent concentrations in all four plants ranged from 262 ± 32 ng L(-1) to 834 ± 480 ng L(-1), whereas the average effluent concentrations were between 267 ± 35 ng L(-1) and 62,260 ± 36,000 ng L(-1). No removal of 1,4-dioxane during water treatment was observed. Owing to its strong internal chemical bonding, 1,4-dioxane is considered non-biodegradable under conventional bio-treatment technologies. The source of increased 1,4-dioxane concentrations in the effluents was identified to originate from impurities in the methanol used in the postanoxic denitrification process in one of the STPs. In view of poor biodegradation in STPs, surface water samples were collected to establish an extent of 1,4-dioxane pollution. Spatial and temporal distribution of 1,4-dioxane in the Rivers Main, Rhine, and Oder was examined. Concentrations reaching 2200 ng L(-1) in the Oder River, and 860 ng L(-1) in both Main and Rhine River were detected. The average monthly load of 1,4-dioxane in the Rhine River was calculated to equal to 172 kg d(-1). In all rivers, concentration of 1,4-dioxane increased with distance from the spring and was found to negatively correlate with the discharge of the river. Additionally, bank filtration and drinking water samples from two drinking water facilities were analyzed for the presence of 1,4-dioxane. The raw water contained 650 ng L(-1)-670 ng L(-1) of 1,4-dioxane, whereas the concentration in the drinking water fell only to 600 ng L(-1) and 490 ng L(-1), respectively. Neither of the purification

Determination of iridium at low levels (sub ng g-1) in geological materials by neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morcelli, Claudia Petronilho Ribeiro

1999-01-01

The analysis of the platinum group elements (PGE: Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir and Pt) in geological materials is difficult, due to the low concentrations of these elements (ng g -1 or sub ng g -1 ) and their heterogeneous distribution in many geological matrices. The determination of PGE has attracted great interest due not only to the increasing utilization of these elements in modern industry, but also to the information that these elements can provide on mantle processes. The determination of very low amounts of iridium is particularly important on account of some anomalous concentrations of iridium in sedimentary rock samples, related to the impact of an extraterrestrial object responsible for extinctions at the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary. In the present paper, a radiochemical neutron activation method for the determination of iridium in geological materials is presented. The procedure consisted of thermal neutron irradiation of about 500 mg of the sample, followed by sintering with sodium peroxide, precipitation with tellurium and high resolution gamma-ray spectrometry with a hyper-pure Ge detector. The accuracy and precision of the procedure were evaluated by analysis of the certified reference material SARM-7 (South Africa Bureau of Standards) and W-1 (USGS). The detection limit for the analytical conditions employed was 0.004 ng g -1 . The procedure was applied to the reference materials TDB-1 and WGB-1 (CANMET), which present provisional values for Ir, and to the reference materials GXR-3, GXR-5 and GXR- 6 (USGS), which do not present information values for Ir. This work is a contribution to Ir values in these reference materials. As an example of application of the method to real samples, the developed procedure was employed in the determination of iridium in basalts from Parana basin, collected in Bom Guara do Sul, Santa Catarina, provided by the Geosciences Institute of the University of Campinas. (author)

Bitcoin-NG: A Scalable Blockchain Protocol

OpenAIRE

Eyal, Ittay; Gencer, Adem Efe; Sirer, Emin Gun; van Renesse, Robbert

2015-01-01

Cryptocurrencies, based on and led by Bitcoin, have shown promise as infrastructure for pseudonymous online payments, cheap remittance, trustless digital asset exchange, and smart contracts. However, Bitcoin-derived blockchain protocols have inherent scalability limits that trade-off between throughput and latency and withhold the realization of this potential. This paper presents Bitcoin-NG, a new blockchain protocol designed to scale. Based on Bitcoin's blockchain protocol, Bitcoin-NG is By...

Yang Pagbul’lók-bul’lok: Varyasyon ng Wikang Mandaya sa Ilang Munisipalidad ng Davao Oriental

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dr. Raymund M. Pasion

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The study aimed to find out the lexical, phonological, and morphological variations of the Mandaya language in the municipalities of Manay, Caraga, Baganga and Cateel in the province of Davao Oriental. This research was conducted to meet the following objectives: (1 To present the terminologies used in the four municipalities based on the Indigenous Knowledge System and Practices of Mandaya in cultural farming, hunting, fishing and animal husbandry. (2 To identify the variations in the Mandaya language based on lexicon, phonology and morphology. (3 To show the distinct linguistic feature in the Mandaya language that is different from Filipino language based on lexicon, phonology and morphology. Qualitative design, descriptive and indigenous methods were used in gathering and analyzing the data. Purposive combination and snow-ball sampling were utilized in choosing the informants. It was found out in the study that there was a variation of the Mandaya language in the four municipalities. In the lexical aspect, there were three evident categories: the different in form; the slightly similar in form; and the same in form but different in pronunciation. While in the phonological aspect, it also showed three variations; the phoneme /h/; the phoneme /ᵊ/ (swa; and the glide l or /l−l/. On the other hand, in the morphological aspect, the researcher observed two things: the affix and morphological phenomena occurring in the words in different dialects in Mandaya. In general, the occurrence of variations in lexical, phonological and morphological aspects in the Mandaya language was inevitable, and this was caused by the three factors: the linguistics, sociolinguistics and psychological.

Direct determination of platinum group elements and their distributions in geological and environmental samples at the ng g{sup -1} level using LA-ICP-IDMS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boulyga, Sergei F.; Heumann, Klaus G. [Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Mainz (Germany)

2005-10-01

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma isotope dilution mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-IDMS) was applied to the direct and simultaneous determination of the platinum group elements (PGEs) Pt, Pd, Ru, and Ir in geological and environmental samples. A special laser ablation system with high ablation rates was used, along with sector field ICP-MS. Special attention was paid to deriving the distributions of PGEs in the pulverized samples. IDMS could not be applied to the (mono-isotopic) Rh, but the similar ablation behavior of Ru and Rh allowed Rh to be simultaneously determined via relative sensitivity coefficients. The laser ablation process produces hardly any oxide ions (which usually cause interference in PGE analysis with liquid sample injection), so the ICP-MS can be run in its low mass resolution but high-sensitivity mode. The detection limits obtained for the geological samples were 0.16 ng g{sup -1}, 0.14 ng g{sup -1}, 0.08 ng g{sup -1}, 0.01 ng g{sup -1} and 0.06 ng g{sup -1} for Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir and Pt, respectively. LA-ICP-IDMS was applied to different geological reference materials (TDB-1, WGB-1, UMT-1, WMG-1, SARM-7) and the road dust reference material BCR-723, which are only certified for some of the PGEs. Comparisons with certified values as well as with indicative values from the literature demonstrated the validity of the LA-ICP-IDMS method. The PGE concentrations in subsamples of the road dust reference material correspond to a normal distribution, whereas the distributions in the geological reference materials TDB-1, WGB-1, UMT-1, WMG-1, and SARM-7 are more complex. For example, in the case of Ru, a logarithmic normal distribution best fits the analyzed concentrations in TDB-1 subsamples, whereas a pronounced nugget effect was found for Pt in most geological samples. (orig.)

The Prostate Health Index in predicting initial prostate biopsy outcomes in Asian men with prostate-specific antigen levels of 4-10 ng/mL.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, C F; Chiu, Peter K F; Lam, N Y; Lam, H C; Lee, Kim W M; Hou, Simon S M

2014-04-01

To investigate the role of the Prostate Health Index (phi) in prostate cancer (PCa) detection in patients with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level of 4-10 ng/mL receiving their first prostatic biopsy in an Asian population. This was a retrospective study of archived serum samples from patients enlisted in our tissue bank. Patients over 50 years old, with PSA level of 4-10 ng/mL, a negative digital rectal examination, and received their first prostatic biopsy between April 2008 and April 2013, were recruited. The serum sample collected before biopsy was retrieved for the measurement of various PSA derivatives and the phi value was calculated for each patient. The performance of these parameters in predicting the prostatic biopsy results was assessed. Two hundred and thirty consecutive patients, with 21 (9.13 %) diagnosed with PCa, were recruited for this study. Statistically significant differences between PCa patients and non-PCa patients were found for total PSA, PSA density, [-2]proPSA (p2PSA), free-to-total PSA ratio (%fPSA), p2PSA-to-free PSA ratio (%p2PSA), and phi. The areas under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic curve for total PSA, PSA density, %fPSA, %p2PSA, and phi were 0.547, 0.634, 0.654, 0.768, and 0.781, respectively. The phi was the best predictor of the prostatic biopsies results. At a sensitivity of 90 %, the use of the phi could have avoided unnecessary biopsies in 104 (45.2 %) patients. Use of the phi could improve the accuracy of PCa detection in patients with an elevated PSA level and thus avoid unnecessary prostatic biopsies.

The Path from VLITE to ngLOBO: A Roadmap for Evolving a Low Frequency Commensal System from the JVLA to the ngVLA

Science.gov (United States)

Kassim, Namir E.; Clarke, Tracy; Giacintucci, Simona; Helmboldt, Joseph; Ray, Paul S.; Peters, Wendy; Polisensky, Emil; hicks, Brian C.; Brisken, Walter; hyman, Scott D.; Deneva, Julia; Kerr, Matthew T.; Taylor, Gregory; Dowell, Jayce; Schinzel, Frank K.

2018-01-01

The VLA Low-band Ionosphere and Transient Experiment (VLITE, ) is a commensal observing system on the NRAO Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA). The separate optical path of the prime-focus sub-GHz dipole feeds and the Cassegrain-focus GHz feeds provided an opportunity to expand the simultaneous frequency operation of the VLA through joint observations across both systems. 16 VLA antennas are outfitted with dedicated samplers and use spare fibers to transport the 320-384 MHz band to the VLITE CPU-based correlator. Initial goals included exploring the scientific potential of a commensal low frequency system for ionospheric remote sensing, astrophysics and transients. VLITE operates at nearly 70% wall time with roughly 6200 hours of VLA time recorded each year.Several papers at this meeting review VLITE science and early results. Here we consider how the project could evolve in the future. Over the next 10 years, a straightforward evolutionary path calls for an expansion of VLITE to all 27 VLA antennas and to the maximum available low band receiver bandwidth (224-480 MHz). The GPU-based correlator for this LOw Band Observatory (LOBO) would also incorporate lower frequency signals from the new VLA 74 MHz system, including from VLA dishes (60-80 MHz) and standalone Long Wavelength Array (LWA) aperture array stations (20-80 MHz).In the longer term, we look towards leveraging the vast infrastructure of the ngVLA to include a commensal low frequency capability, called ngLOBO. As described in our community white paper (Taylor et al. 2018; arXiv:1708.00090), ngLOBO has three primary scientific missions: (1) Radio Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (Radio-LSST): one naturally wide beam, commensal with ngVLA, will conduct a continuous synoptic survey of large swaths of the sky for both slow and fast transients; (2) This same commensal beam will provide complementary low frequency images of all ngVLA targets when such data enhances their value. (3) Independent beams from the ng

Linkage and mapping analyses of the no glue egg gene Ng in the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In the silkworm, Bombyx mori, no glue egg is mainly controlled by Ng (No glue) gene, which is located on the 12th chromosome. Owning to a lack of crossing over in females, reciprocal backcrossed F1 (BC1) progenies were used for linkage analysis and mapping of the Ng gene based on the simple sequence repeats ...

Neutron flux stabilization in the NG-150 neutron generators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuz'min, L.E.; Makarov, S.A.; Pronman, I.M.

1986-01-01

Problem of metal tritium target lifetime increase and neutron flux stabilization in the NG-150 neutron generators is studied. Possibility on neutron flux stabilization using the mass analyzer for low-angle (4 deg and 41 deg) mass separation of a beam in thre components, which fall on a target simultaneously, is confirmed experimentally. Basic generator parameters are: accelerating voltage of 150 kV, total beam current on a target of 1.5 mA, beam current density of 0.3-1.6 mA/cm 2 , beam diameter of 8 mm. The initial neutron flux on the targets of 0.73 mg/cm 2 thick constituted 1.1x10 11 ssup(-1). The neutron flux monitoring was accomplished from recoil proton recording by a plastic scintillator. Flux decrease by more than 5% served as a signel for measuring mass analyzer magnetic field providing beam displacement on a target and restoration of the given flux. The NG-150 generator neutron flux stabilization was attained during 2h

Systemic Immunization with Papillomavirus L1 Protein Completely Prevents the Development of Viral Mucosal Papillomas

Science.gov (United States)

Suzich, Joann A.; Ghim, Shin-Je; Palmer-Hill, Frances J.; White, Wendy I.; Tamura, James K.; Bell, Judith A.; Newsome, Joseph A.; Bennett Jenson, A.; Schlegel, Richard

1995-12-01

Infection of mucosal epithelium by papillomaviruses is responsible for the induction of genital and oral warts and plays a critical role in the development of human cervical and oropharyngeal cancer. We have employed a canine model to develop a systemic vaccine that completely protects against experimentally induced oral mucosal papillomas. The major capsid protein, L1, of canine oral papillomavirus (COPV) was expressed in Sf9 insect cells in native conformation. L1 protein, which self-assembled into virus-like particles, was purified on CsCl gradients and injected intradermally into the foot pad of beagles. Vaccinated animals developed circulating antibodies against COPV and became completely resistant to experimental challenge with COPV. Successful immunization was strictly dependent upon native L1 protein conformation and L1 type. Partial protection was achieved with as little as 0.125 ng of L1 protein, and adjuvants appeared useful for prolonging the host immune response. Serum immunoglobulins passively transferred from COPV L1-immunized beagles to naive beagles conferred protection from experimental infection with COPV. Our results indicate the feasibility of developing a human vaccine to prevent mucosal papillomas, which can progress to malignancy.

City-gas development in China. An NG perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, James W.K.

2010-01-01

Supply of piped gas in China has a long history but development was slow until the 21st century. The growing demand for cleaner fuel in the past ten years has encouraged domestic exploration and production of natural gas (NG) and the construction of long-haul pipelines linking upstream western regions of the country to downstream city-gas consumers in the eastern coastal areas. However, demand for NG in the cities is increasing so fast that recent winters have seen severe supply difficulties. This led to a government directive which set constraints on the domestic NG supplies and discouragement to gas power and petrochemical projects, and eventually to the Chinese government's willingness to accept the higher prices commanded by the international NG market. Nevertheless, the over demand situation has created a dominant market position for upstream NG producers and long-haul pipeline operators favouring their forward integration into downstream city-gas markets. Accordingly, pressures are building that may yet result in substantial pricing and regulatory reform in the city-gas industry. (author)

Relationship of Heme Oxygenase-1 (HO-1 Level with Onset and Severity in Normotensive Pregnancy and Severe Preeclampsia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Johannes Wantania

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Preeclampsia still becomes a major problem in pregnancies. Various evidences showed that heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1 is very important in pregnancy. This study aims to understand the relationship of heme oxygenase-1 level with onset and severity in normotensive pregnancy and severe preeclampsia. Methods: This is a cross sectional analytic comparative study, the subjects consisted of 26 patients with normotensive pregnancies and 26 patients with severe preeclampsia. Blood samples from women with < 34 / ≥ 34 weeks’ normotensive pregnancies and women with severe preeclampsia were taken. HO-1 ELISA kit used to quantitate heme oxygenase-1 level in samples. Results: The level of heme oxygenase-1 in normotensive pregnant women < 34 weeks lower than severe preeclampsia pregnant women < 34 weeks (3.28 ± 0.46 ng/mL vs 4.20 ± 0.64 ng/mL, p=0.003, respectively. The median level of heme oxygenase-1 in normotensive pregnant women ≥ 34 weeks was 2.96 (2.41–4.39 ng/mL, while severe preeclampsia pregnant women ≥ 34 weeks was 3.52 (2.88–5.43 ng/mL, (p=0.040. The median level of heme oxygenase-1 in normotensive pregnant women was 3.04 (2.41–4.39 ng/mL, while severe preeclampsia pregnant women was 3.68 (2.88–5.67 ng/mL, (p=0.001. Conclusions: There is correlation between the incidence of severe preeclampsia with heme oxygenase-1 level in < 34 and ≥ 34 weeks of pregnancy. There is a significant difference between the level of heme oxygenase-1 in pregnant women with severe preeclampsia and in women with normotensive pregnancy. 

Debris Disk Studies with the ngVLA

Science.gov (United States)

Wilner, David; Matthews, Brenda; Matra, Luca; Kennedy, Grant; Wyatt, Mark; Greaves, Jane

2018-01-01

We discuss the potential for the ngVLA to advance understanding of debris disks around main-sequence stars. Since the dust-producing planetesimals that replenish these disks through collisions persist only in stable regions like belts and resonances, their locations and physical properties encode essential information about the formation of exoplanetary systems and their dynamical evolution. Observations at long millimeter wavelengths can play a special role because the large grains that dominate the emission are faithful tracers of the dust-producing planetesimals, unlike small grains seen at shorter wavelengths that are rapidly redistributed by stellar radiation and winds. Sensitive observations of debris disks with the ngVLA can (1) reveal structures resulting from otherwise inaccessible planets on wide orbits, (2) test collisional models using spectral slopes to constrain mm/cm grain size distributions, and (3) for select sources, probe the water content of exocomets using the 21 cm HI line.

58. "Berlinale" lõppmäng / Jaak Lõhmus

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Lõhmus, Jaak

2008-01-01

Berliini 58. filmifestivali auhinnasaajatest : Kuldkaru võitis Brasiilia produtsendi ja režissööri Jose Padilha mängufilm "Eliitrühm", Hõbekaru USA režissööri Errol Morrise dokfilm "Tavaprotseduur". Parima režissööri Hõbekaru läks Paul Thomas Andersonile mängufilmi "Veri hakkab voolama" eest. Parima näitleja auhinna said Sally Hawkins ja Reza Naji, Alfred Baueri auhinna sai Fernando Eimbcke "Tahoe järv"

Measuring urinary N-acetyl-S-(4-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-buten-1-yl)-L-cysteine (IPMA3) as a potential biomarker of isoprene exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Alwis, K Udeni; Bailey, T Liz; Patel, Dhrusti; Wang, Liqun; Blount, Benjamin C

2016-10-19

Isoprene, the 2-methyl analog of 1,3-butadiene, is identified as a possible human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Isoprene is ubiquitous in the environment with numerous natural and anthropogenic sources. Tobacco smoke is the main exogenous source of isoprene exposure in indoor environments. Among smoke constituents, isoprene is thought to contribute significantly to cancer risk; however, no selective urinary biomarkers of isoprene exposure have been identified for humans. In this manuscript, we measured the minor isoprene metabolite IPMA1 (mixture of N-acetyl-S-(1-[hydroxymethyl]-2-methyl-2-propen-1-yl)-L-cysteine and N-acetyl-S-(2-hydroxy-3-methyl-3-buten-1-yl)-L-cysteine), and we identified IPMA3 (N-acetyl-S-(4-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-buten-1-yl)-L-cysteine) as a major isoprene metabolite and novel isoprene exposure biomarker for humans. Urinary isoprene metabolites were measured using ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization triple quad tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/ESI-MSMS). The detection rates of IPMA1 and IPMA3 are <20% and 82%, respectively. The selectivity and abundance of IPMA3 make it a useful urinary biomarker of isoprene exposure. The limit of detection of IPMA3 in urine was 0.5 ng mL -1 . IPMA3 was stable under different storage temperatures and following ten freeze-thaw cycles. The average recovery of urine spiked with IPMA3 at three different levels was 99%. IPMA3 was measured in urine samples received from 75 anonymous subjects; the median (25th percentile, 75th percentile) IPMA3 level in smokers was 36.2 (18.2, 56.8) ng mL -1 and non-smokers 2.31 (2.31, 4.38) ng mL -1 . Application of this method to large population studies will help to characterize isoprene exposure and assess potential health impact. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Functional roles of CSPG4/NG2 in chondrosarcoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Jamil, Nuor S M; Azfer, Asim; Worrell, Harrison; Salter, Donald M

2016-04-01

CSPG4/NG2 is a multifunctional transmembrane protein with limited distribution in adult tissues including articular cartilage. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible roles of CSPG4/NG2 in chondrosarcomas and to establish whether this molecule may have potential for targeted therapy. Stable knock-down of CSPG4/NG2 in the JJ012 chondrosarcoma cell line by shRNA resulted in decreased cell proliferation and migration as well as a decrease in gene expression of the MMP (matrix metalloproteinase) 3 protease and ADAMTS4 (aggrecanase). Chondrosarcoma cells in which CSPG4/NG2 was knocked down were more sensitive to doxorubicin than wild-type cells. The results indicate that CSPG4/NG2 has roles in regulating chondrosarcoma cell function in relation to growth, spread and resistance to chemotherapy and that anti-CSPG4/NG2 therapies may have potential in the treatment of surgically unresectable chondrosarcoma. © 2016 The Authors. International Journal of Experimental Pathology © 2016 International Journal of Experimental Pathology.

Simultaneous determination of 17 sulfonamides and the potentiators ormetoprim and trimethoprim in salmon muscle by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Potter, Ross A; Burns, B Garth; van de Riet, Jeffrey M; North, David H; Darvesh, Rozina

2007-01-01

A simple, robust method using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) for the simultaneous determination of 17 sulfonamides [sulfanilamide (SNL), sulfacetamide (SAA), sulfaguanidine (SGD), sulfapyridine (SPY), sulfadiazine (SDZ), sulfathiazole (STZ), sulfamerazine (SMR), sulfamethoxazole (SOZ), sulfamoxole (SXL), sulfisoxazole (SXZ), sulfamethizole (SML), sulfamethazine (SMZ), sulfamethoxypyridazine (SMP), sulfamonomethoxine (SMM), sulfachloropyridazine (SCP), sulfaquinoxaline (SQX), and sulfadimethoxine (SDM)] and 2 potentiators [ormetoprim (OMP) and trimethoprim (TMP)] in fish tissue has been developed. The analytes were extracted from homogenized fish tissue with water-acetonitrile (50 + 50). The extract was clarified by centrifugation and a portion defatted with hexane. The analytes were partitioned into chloroform and evaporated to dryness. The redissolved residue was applied to a C18 reversed-phase column with a water-acetonitrile (0.1% acetic acid) gradient. All of the compounds were completely separated and detected in <10 min at 30 degrees C using LC/MS/MS. Standard curves were linear over the range of 0.02 to 5 ng injected. The limit of detection varied from 0.1 ng/g for SMZ and OMP to 0.9 ng/g for SXL and SOZ. Recoveries varied from 100% for SDM, SOZ, and SQX and 85% for SMR, OMP, and TMP to approximately 30% for SAA. Relative standard deviations for repeat analysis varied from 4% for SMZ and SCP to 23% for SAA.

Portfolio giver støtte og sammenhæng i sygeplejeuddannelsen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruhn, Helle; Hjorth, Anne Charlotte Overgaard

2013-01-01

Portfolio er et pædagogisk redskab, som kan styrke den enkelte studerendes læring og støtte og give sammenhæng i sygeplejerskeuddannelsen. På baggrund af et udviklingsprojekt bidrager artiklen med konkrete anbefalinger til både undervisere og kliniske vejledere, der kan fremme brugen af portfolio....... I stedet for at se portfolio som en mappe, hvor der samles dokumenter, er det afgørende at holde fokus på de studerendes læreproces og refleksion, og studieredskabet kræver opmærksomhed fra undervisere og vejledere, hvis det skal anvendes af studerende. For både studerende og kliniske vejledere er...... forståelse for metoden det, der gør, at portfolio giver mening....

REVIEW: A GRAMMAR OF GUÌQIÓNG

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesse P. Gates

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Jiāng Lì. 2015. A Grammar of Guìqióng: A Language of Sichuan. Leiden: Brill. xiv + 452 pp. ISBN 9789004292093 (hardback 213USD - E-ISBN 9789004293045 (electronic 217USD. Jiang Li's A Grammar of Guìqióng (henceforth, AGG is a revision of her PhD dissertation at the University of Berne under the supervision of George Van Driem. It is a most welcome contribution to our understanding of this under-described language. The primary dialects of Guiqiong described in AGG are spoken in Changma Village of Maibeng Township and Qianxi Village of Qianxi Township, both in Kangding County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China. Some praiseworthy aspects of AGG include a plethora of examples sentences; a total of about 1500 example sentences are in the book. Included in the list of abbreviations are the linguistic forms from Guiqiong. The inclusion of photographs of the Guiqiong people and their geographic setting adds interest and appeal to the book. Appendix 1 (321-347 contains six texts of "sayings, stories, and recollections." This review is divided into sections similar to the divisions that the chapters of AGG provide: Introduction to AGG, Phonology, Morphology, Syntax, Errata, and Conclusion. Comments on AGG's chapter on pragmatics will be incorporated into the section on syntax since AGG's chapter on pragmatics is very short. Back-matter will also be briefly overviewed in the syntax section. ...

Kakaibang Halimuyak: Iba't Ibang Imahe ng Pangangapital sa Balintawak

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariah Amour C. Miranda

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Ginagalugad ng sanaysay na ito ang isang pangunahing lugar na nadaraanan mula Norte patungong Maynila—ang Balintawak. Nagsisilbing manibela ng pagsusuri ang kontemporaneong pananaw sa lunan bilang pugad ng mga anyong may magkakasalungat na kahulugan. Binibigyang-pansin ng sanaysay ang iba't ibang imahe ng pagbebenta na matatagpuan sa Balintawak: ang billboard ng kumpanyang Bench na siyang pinakamalaki, ang mismong palengke, at ang mga lakong paninda sa tabing-kalsada. Sa pamamagitan nito, maipapakita ng sanaysay kung paano madadalumat ang Balintawak bilang isang panlipunang texto na sumasalamin sa mga magkakaibang pangangapital sa naturang lunan. This essay explores the space of Balintawak—a focal point of urban travel from northern Luzon to Manila. Using the contemporary view on space as a site of structures with contradictory meanings, the study seeks to understand how various images of market activities in Balintawak create meaningful representations. These images include the gigantic billboard of Bench, the central market itself, and flea markets in the area. The essay shows how Balintawak as a social text serves as a trading center of different forms of capital.

IND UCTION OF SPAW NING IN THE TR OPICAL WALKING CATFISH (C la rias b atr ac hus BY CONTROLLI NG WATER L EVEL AND T EMPERAT URE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. ZAIRIN JR.

2001-01-01

Full Text Available This experiment was carried out t o confirm the rol e of water level and w ater temperature i n indu cing t he s pawning o f tr opical walking catfi sh . Ma ture mal es an d females reared un de r 23 - 2 5 °C, were paired and in duced to spa wn by cont rolling w ater level and w ater temperature. Decr easi ng water level and returni ng it to its original level r esulted i n a low spawni ng r ate (l es s t han 6. 7 % at 23 °C . Decreasing water level with simultaneous increase in water temperature, followed by returning the respective levels to their originals gave high spa wning rates ( 41.7 — 50 %; whereas the s ame treatment but without a ny water temperature decrea sed when t he wate r le vel was return ed t o t he initial level, gave a lo w spawning rate (16 .7 %. In creasin g water level only, fail ed to ind uce spa wning . A high spawning rate was obtained also when changes in water level were ca rried out under high t emperature of 28 °C. No fish spawned in the ab sence of the environmental stimulation. From the results, i t is confirmed that water le vel and t emperature play important r oles i n i nducin g spaw ning of tropical walki ng catfish. Changes i n water t emperature probably increas e the sensitivity of fish to th e change in water level. Prolo nged exposure to high water tem perature c ould also improve the sensitivity of fish.

Aflatoxin M1 Contamination in Ice-Cream

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Kazemi Darsanaki

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1 is the hydroxylated metabolite of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1 that it can be found in milk and dairy products. In this study, ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay technique was used for detection of AFM1 in ice-cream in Guilan province (Northern Iran. A total of 90 ice-cream samples was randomly obtained from different supermarkets. In 62 of the 90 ice-cream samples examined (68.88%, the presence of AFM1 was detected in concentrations between 8.4 -147.7 ng/l. The mean level of AFM1 in positive samples was 40.36 ng/l. AFM1 levels in 11 samples (12.22% were higher than the maximum tolerance limit (50 ng/l accepted by ISIRI, European Community and Codex Alimentarius.

Pathophysiology of NG2-glia:a ‘Chicken and Egg’ scenario of altered neurotransmission and disruption of NG2-glial cell function

OpenAIRE

Rivera, Andrea Domenico; De La Rocha, Irene Chacon; Neville, Rebekah; Butt, Arthur Morgan

2016-01-01

Classically, the central nervous system (CNS) was considered to contain neurons and three main types of glial cells - astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia. Now, it has been clearly established that NG2-glia are a fourth glial cell type that are defined by their expression of the NG2 chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (Cspg4). NG2-glia are also known as oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) and express the alpha receptor for platelet-derived growth factor (Pdgfra) as well as other oligod...

ngVLA Cryogenic Subsystem Concept

Science.gov (United States)

Wootten, Al; Urbain, Denis; Grammer, Wes; Durand, S.

2018-01-01

The VLA’s success over 35 years of operations stems in part from dramatically upgraded components over the years. The time has come to build a new array to lead the radio astronomical science into its next 40 years. To accomplish that, a next generation VLA (ngVLA) is envisioned to have 214 antennas with diameters of 18m. The core of the array will be centered at the current VLA location, but the arms will extend out to 1000km.The VLA cryogenic subsystem equipment and technology have remained virtually unchanged since the early 1980s. While adequate for a 27-antenna array, scaling the current system for an array of 214 antennas would be prohibitively expensive in terms of operating cost and maintenance. The overall goal is to limit operating cost to within three times the current level, despite having 8 times the number of antennas. To help realize this goal, broadband receivers and compact feeds will be utilized to reduce both the size and number of cryostats required. The current baseline front end concept calls for just two moderately-sized cryostats for the entire 1.2-116 GHz frequency range, as opposed to 8 in the VLA.For the ngVLA cryogenics, our objective is a well-optimized and efficient system that uses state-of-the-art technology to minimize per-antenna power consumption and maximize reliability. Application of modern technologies, such as variable-speed operation for the scroll compressors and cryocooler motor drives, allow the cooling capacity of the system to be dynamically matched to thermal loading in each cryostat. Significantly, power savings may be realized while the maintenance interval of the cryocoolers is also extended.Finally, a receiver designed to minimize thermal loading can produce savings directly translating to lower operating cost when variable-speed drives are used. Multi-layer insulation (MLI) on radiation shields and improved IR filters on feed windows can significantly reduce heat loading.Measurements done on existing cryogenic

Molecularly imprinted polymer-matrix nanocomposite for enantioselective electrochemical sensing of D- and L-aspartic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Prasad, Bhim Bali; Srivastava, Amrita; Tiwari, Mahavir Prasad

2013-10-01

A new molecularly imprinted polymer-matrix (titanium dioxide nanoparticle/multiwalled carbon nanotubes) nanocomposite was developed for the modification of pencil graphite electrode as an enantioselective sensing probe for aspartic acid isomers, prevalent at ultra trace level in aqueous and real samples. The nanocomposite having many shape complementary cavities was synthesized adopting surface initiated-activators regenerated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization. The proposed sensor has high stability, nanocomposite uniformity, good reproducibility, and enhanced electrocatalytic activity to respond oxidative peak current of L-aspartic acid quantitatively by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry, without any cross-reactivity in real samples. Under the optimized operating conditions, the L-aspartic acid imprinted modified electrode showed a wide linear response for L-aspartic acid within the concentration range 9.98-532.72 ng mL(-1), with the minimum detection limit of 1.73-1.79 ng mL(-1) (S/N=3) in aqueous and real samples. Almost similar stringent limit (1.79 ng mL(-1)) was obtained with cerebrospinal fluid which is typical for the primitive diagnosis of neurological disorders, caused by an acute depletion of L-aspartic acid biomarker, in clinical settings. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Understanding the NG2 glial scar after spinal cord injury

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amber R Hackett

2016-11-01

Full Text Available NG2 cells, also known as oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, are located throughout the central nervous system and serve as a pool of progenitors to differentiate into oligodendrocytes. In response to spinal cord injury, NG2 cells increase their proliferation and differentiation into remyelinating oligodendrocytes. While astrocytes are typically associated with being the major cell type in the glial scar, many NG2 cells also accumulate within the glial scar but their function remains poorly understood. Similar to astrocytes, these cells hypertrophy, upregulate expression of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, inhibit axon regeneration, contribute to the glial-fibrotic scar border, and some even differentiate into astrocytes. Whether NG2 cells also have a role in other astrocyte functions, such as preventing the spread of infiltrating leukocytes and expression of inflammatory cytokines, is not yet known. Thus, NG2 cells are not only important for remyelination after spinal cord injury, but are also a major component of the glial scar with functions that overlap with astrocytes in this region. In this review, we describe the signaling pathways important for the proliferation and differentiation of NG2 cells, as well as the role of NG2 cells in scar formation and tissue repair.

¹¹¹In-DOTA-Annexin V for imaging of apoptosis during HSV1-tk/GCV prodrug activation gene therapy in mice with NG4TL4 sarcoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Ming-Hsien; Wu, Shih-Yen; Wang, Hsin-Ell; Liu, Ren-Shyan; Chen, Jyh-Cheng

2016-02-01

Apoptosis has been suggested as a cytocidal mechanism of the HSV1-tk-expressing cells when exposed to ganciclovir (GCV). This study evaluated the efficacy of (111)In-labeled Annexin V for monitoring tumor responses during prodrug activation gene therapy with HSV1-tk and GCV. Annexin V was conjugated to DOTA using N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide (sulfo-NHS) and 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]carbodiimide (EDC), labeled with (111)In-InCl3 and purified using size exclusion chromatography to give (111)In-DOTA-Annexin V conjugate. The radiochemical yield and the radiochemical purity of (111)In-DOTA-Annexin V were 74±12% and 98±3%, respectively (n=10). (111)In-DOTA-BSA was prepared similarly. An in vitro study to demonstrate the apoptosis of NG4TL4-STK cells after GCV treatment has been performed. Mice bearing NG4TL4-STK and NG4TL4-WT tumors were treated with GCV (10 mg/kg daily) by i.p. injection for 7 consecutive days. Before and during the GCV treatment, biodistribution studies and scintigraphic imaging were performed at 2h post injection of the radiotracers. The uptake of (111)In-DOTA-Annexin V in treated cells (13.41±1.30%) was 4.1 times higher than that in untreated cells (3.21±0.37%). The GCV-induced cell apoptosis in NG4TL4-STK tumor resulted in a significantly increasing accumulation of (111)In-DOTA-Annexin V (1.92±0.32%ID/g at day 0, 4.79±0.86%ID/g at day 2, 4.56±0.58%ID/g at day 4) was observed, but not for that of (111)In-DOTA-BSA. During consecutive GCV treatment, scintigraphic imaging with (111)In-DOTA-Annexin V revealed high uptake in NG4TL4-STK tumor compared with that in NG4TL4-WT tumor. However, no specific (111)In-DOTA-BSA accumulation in NG4TL4-STK and NG4TL4-WT tumors was observed throughout the course of GCV treatment. This study demonstrated that (111)In-DOTA-Annexin V can be used for monitoring tumor cell apoptosis during prodrug activation gene therapy with HSV1-tk and GCV for cancer treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

Preliminary Antenna Concept for the ngVLA

Science.gov (United States)

Di Francesco, James; Selina, Robert; Grammer, Wes; McKinnon, Mark M.

2017-01-01

The preliminary concept for a Next Generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) calls for an interferometric array having an effective collecting area and spatial resolution that are both 10 times better than that of the current VLA and operating over a frequency range of 1.2-116 GHz. Given the large number of antennas needed to meet the collecting area goal, the ngVLA antenna concept must strike a balance between competing science requirements and the programmatic targets for the array’s life cycle cost.Antenna diameters currently under consideration for the ngVLA are in the range of 12-25 m, with a nominal 18-m diameter aperture used for the conceptual design. Currently, the optimization for operations and construction cost suggests that a smaller number of larger apertures is preferable.The surface accuracy goal for the antennas is 185 µm rms (λ/16 @ 100 GHz) for the primary and subreflector combined under optimal environmental conditions. The subreflector will be optimized for performance above 10 GHz, with some degradation in aperture efficiency accepted at lower frequencies.For high dynamic range imaging, particularly at the low end of the ngVLA’s frequency range, the optimum optical configuration is likely an offset geometry. An unblocked aperture will minimize scattering, spillover, and sidelobe pickup. Both performance and maintenance requirements favor a receiver feedarm on the low side of the reflector.High pointing accuracy will also be necessary to provide the imaging dynamic range required of the system. With an unblocked aperture, variations in the antenna gain pattern are expected to be dominated by pointing errors. Preliminary requirements are for an absolute pointing accuracy of 40” RMS, with referenced pointing of 3” RMS (FWHM/10 at 10 GHz and 120 GHz, respectively, for an 18-m diameter dish).The antenna mount is expected to be a typical altitude-azimuth design. Both pedestal bearing and rail-based azimuth drives are under consideration. If fast

76 FR 27861 - Airworthiness Directives; Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH Models DA 42, DA 42 NG, and DA 42 M-NG...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-13

... Airworthiness Directives; Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH Models DA 42, DA 42 NG, and DA 42 M-NG Airplanes... on Diamond aeroplanes, the majority of which were DA 40. In additional, at least 18 doors have been... conditions) while the aeroplane was parked. All DA 40 and DA 42 aeroplanes have a system installed that...

Nebivolol stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Chenglin; Chen, Dongrui; Xie, Qihai [State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Vascular Biology, Department of Hypertension, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200025 (China); Yang, Ying, E-mail: yangying_sh@yahoo.com [Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Clinical Center for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200025 (China); Shen, Weili, E-mail: weili_shen@hotmail.com [State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Vascular Biology, Department of Hypertension, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200025 (China)

2013-08-16

Highlights: •Nebivolol may act as a partial agonist of β3-adrenergic receptor (AR). •Nebivolol stimulates mitochondrial DNA replication and protein expression. •Nebivolol promotes mitochondrial synthesis via activation of eNOS by β3-AR. -- Abstract: Nebivolol is a third-generation β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) blocker with additional beneficial effects, including the improvement of lipid and glucose metabolism in obese individuals. However, the underlying mechanism of nebivolol’s role in regulating the lipid profile remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of nebivolol in mitochondrial biogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Exposure of 3T3-L1 cells to nebivolol for 24 h increased mitochondrial DNA copy number, mitochondrial protein levels and the expression of transcription factors involved in mitochondrial biogenesis, including PPAR-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), Sirtuin 3 (Sirt3), mitochondrial transcription factor A (Tfam) and nuclear related factor 1 (Nrf1). These changes were accompanied by an increase in oxygen consumption and in the expression of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation and antioxidant enzymes in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, including nebivolol-induced endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), as well as an increase in the formation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). Pretreatment with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) attenuated nebivolol-induced mitochondrial biogenesis, as did the soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor, ODQ. Treatment with nebivolol and β3-AR blocker SR59230A markedly attenuated PGC-1α, Sirt3 and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) protein levels in comparison to treatment with nebivolol alone. These data indicate that the mitochondrial synthesis and metabolism in adipocytes that is promoted by nebivolol is primarily mediated through the eNOS/cGMP-dependent pathway and is initiated by the activation of β3-AR receptors.

76 FR 12627 - Airworthiness Directives; Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH Models DA 42, DA 42 NG, and DA 42 M-NG...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-08

... Industries GmbH Models DA 42, DA 42 NG, and DA 42 M-NG Airplanes AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA... on Diamond aeroplanes, the majority of which were DA 40. In additional, at least 18 doors have been... conditions) while the aeroplane was parked. All DA 40 and DA 42 aeroplanes have a system installed that...

Plasma levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in patients with brain tumor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Bin; Wu Yiwei; Li Xiangdong

2004-01-01

Objective: To determinate the plasma levels of Insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and Insulin like Growth Factor Binding Protein-3 (IGFBP-3) in patients with glioma and meningioma. Methods: IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 Immunoradiometric assay on coated tubes kits (BIOCODE-HYCEL Belgium) were used to determinate the plasma levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in 41 cases of glioma (12 cases age 40), 14 cases of meningioma(age>40), and 22 cases of healthy subjects (10 cases age 40). All the diagnosis of patients was confirmed by pathology. Cap-Ria 16 Gamma Counter (CAPINTEC, INC U.S.A) was used to count the radioactivity. Results: Plasma levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in patients with glioma were 322.20±80.89 ng/mL, 1524.63±373.18 ng/mL (age 40), respectively. Plasma levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in patients with meningioma were 211.06±75.11 ng/mL, 1403.08±350.78 ng/mL (age >40); control groups were 272.46±49.67 ng/mL, 1453.38±378.73 ng/mL (age 40), respectively. Plasma levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in patients with glioma(age>40) were significantly higher than in controls (P 0.05). Conclusion: IGF-1 is a risk factor for glioma and play important role in the pathophysiological process of glioma. Endogenous regulation of the balance between IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 may be a model of regulation of cellular growth in tumor cells. (authors)

l-Cystine-Crosslinked Polypeptide Nanogel as a Reduction-Responsive Excipient for Prostate Cancer Chemotherapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liang He

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Smart polymer nanogel-assisted drug delivery systems have attracted more and more attention in cancer chemotherapy because of their well-defined morphologies and pleiotropic functions in recent years. In this work, an l-cystine-crosslinked reduction-responsive polypeptide nanogel of methoxy poly(ethylene glycol-poly(l-phenylalanine-co-l-cystine (mPEG-P(LP-co-LC was employed as a smart excipient for RM-1 prostate cancer (PCa chemotherapy. Doxorubicin (DOX, as a regular chemotherapy drug, was embedded in the nanogel. The loading nanogel marked as NG/DOX was shown to exhibit glutathione (GSH-induced swelling and GSH-accelerated DOX release. Subsequently, NG/DOX showed efficient cellular uptake and proliferation inhibition. Furthermore, NG/DOX presented enhanced antitumor efficacy and security in an RM-1 PCa-grafted mouse model in vivo, indicating its great potential for clinical treatment.

Science Ready Data Products and the ngVLA

Science.gov (United States)

Kern, Jeffrey

2018-01-01

With angular resolution comparable to ALMA and future ELTs, the ngVLA will be the centimeter wavelength instrument contributing to multi-wavelength astronomy throughout the next decades. To maximize the impact of the ngVLA it is important that it be a facility available to all astronomers, not only to those who consider themselves radio astronomers. Building on the successes of the ALMA and VLA pipelines NRAO has undertaken a multi-year project to provide science ready products to the users of our telescopes and archive. The SRDP initiative addresses one of the technical risk areas of the ngVLA, and demonstrates the Observatories ability to deliver this critical functionality. The SRDP project is currently refining and reviewing the technical and scientific requirements for the existing NRAO telescopes. Capabilities will be made available to the community as they are developed and mature. As the project progresses, a rich archive of science quality radio images from both ALMA and the VLA will be provided to the astronomical community. The current status, concepts, and plans for the SRDP project are presented, as are the implications for the ngVLA facility.

Electrochemical Oxidation of l-selenomethionine and Se-methylseleno-l-cysteine at a Thiol-Compound-Modified Gold Electrode: Its Application in a Flow-Through Voltammetric Sensor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lai-Hao Wang

2017-02-01

Full Text Available A flow-electrolytic cell that consists of a bare gold wire or of different thiol-compound-modified gold electrodes (such as 2,4-thiazolidinedione, 2-mercapto-5-thiazoline, 2-mercaptothiazoline, l-cysteine, thioglycolic acid was designed to be used in a voltammetric detector to identify l-selenomethionine and Se-methylseleno-l-cysteine using high-performance liquid chromatography. Both l-selenomethionine and Se-methylseleno-l-cysteine are more efficiently electrochemically oxidized on a thiol/gold than on a bare gold electrode. For the DC mode, and for measurements with suitable experimental parameters, a linear concentration from 10 to 1600 ng·mL−1 was found. The limits of quantification for l-selenomethionine and Se-methylseleno-l-cysteine were below 10 ng·mL−1. The method can be applied to the quantitative determination of l-selenomethionine and Se-methylseleno-l-cysteine in commercial selenium-containing supplement products. Findings using high-performance liquid chromatography with a flow-through voltammetric detector and ultraviolet detector are comparable.

Evaluación del efecto citotóxico de doxiciclina sobre la línea celular CHO-K1

OpenAIRE

De Luca, Julio César; Daniele, Marcela; Dade, Martín; Mestorino, Olga Nora

2013-01-01

Doxiciclina (DOX) es un antimicrobiano semisintético perteneciente al grupo de las tetraciclinas, muy utilizado en medicina veterinaria en aves de corral y en cerdos, para el tratamiento de enfermedades infecciosas del tracto digestivo y respiratorio. Si bien están establecidos los límites máximos de residuos (LMRs) permitidos en tejidos comestibles de origen animal (100 ng/g en músculo, 300 ng/g en hígado y grasa; y 600 ng/g en riñón), los efectos nocivos del antimicrobiano en concentracione...

Performance Estimation of the Mtd64-ng DNS64 implementation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gábor Lencse

2016-12-01

Full Text Available DNS64 and NAT64 are IPv6 transition technologies enabling IPv6 only clients to communicate with IPv4 only servers. Mtd64-ng is a novel DNS64 implementation, being a successor of MTD64. In this paper, the performance of mtd64-ng is compared with that of MTD64 and BIND. The details of the measurements are fully disclosed. It is found that under heavy load conditions mtd64-ng can answer six times as many “AAAA” record requests per second than BIND. Mtd64-ng fixed two issues of MTD64 and also outperformed its predecessor by answering 46% more “AAAA” record requests per second under heavy load conditions.

Løssluppen kohærens i Fredmans säng nr. 41 "Joachim uti Babylon"

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heltoft, Lars

2015-01-01

Denne artikel er ment som et bud på at løse visse problemer med forståelsen af FS (Fredmans Sång) 41 som en del af de bibelske travestier i værket. Den er samtidig et bidrag til udviklingen af tekstanalytisk praksis på grundlag af tæt sproglig analyse. Den er et eksempel på hvorledes tekstforståe...

Antihepatoma and Liver Protective Potentials of Ganoderma Lucidum (靈芝 Ling Zhi Fermented in a Medium Containing Black Soybean (黑豆 Hēi Dòu and Astragalus Membranaceus (生黃耆 Shēng Huáng Qí

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zheng-Yuan Su

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The antihepatoma activity and liver protective function of the fermentation products (5 L fermenator of Ganoderma lucidum (GL; 靈芝 Ling Zhi cultivated in a medium containing black soybean (BS; 黑豆 Hēi Dòu and Astragalus membranaceus (AM; 生黃耆 Shēng Huáng Qí at different fermentation temperatures were investigated in this study. Hep 3B cells pretreated with lovastatin were used to study the antihepatoma activity, and possible active components were analyzed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4-induced primary rat hepatocyte injury was further used to evaluate the liver protective activity of the fermentation products. While all the GL broth filtrates do not inhibit the growth of Hep 3B cells, the ethanolic extract from GL-2 mycelia (GL-2-mE, cultivated in the medium containing BS (50 g/L and AM (20 g/L at 24 °C for 11 days showed the best antihepatoma activity (IC50 26.6 μg/mL than the other ethanolic extracts from GL mycelia, GL fruiting body, BS, and AM did. The antihepatoma activities were correlated with some unknown active components in these samples. Furthermore, GL-2-mE (100 μg/mL without harmful effect on the growth of normal primary rat hepatocytes significantly maintained cell viability, reduced lactate dehydrogenase leakage, lowered lipid peroxidation, and increased glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase activities in the CCl4-induced damaged primary rat hepatocytes.

Lead determination at ng/mL level by flame atomic absorption spectrometry using a tantalum coated slotted quartz tube atom trap.

Science.gov (United States)

Demirtaş, İlknur; Bakırdere, Sezgin; Ataman, O Yavuz

2015-06-01

Flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) still keeps its importance despite the relatively low sensitivity; because it is a simple and economical technique for determination of metals. In recent years, atom traps have been developed to increase the sensitivity of FAAS. Although the detection limit of FAAS is only at the level of µg/mL, with the use of atom traps it can reach to ng/mL. Slotted quartz tube (SQT) is one of the atom traps used to improve sensitivity. In atom trapping mode of SQT, analyte is trapped on-line in SQT for few minutes using ordinary sample aspiration, followed by the introduction of a small volume of organic solvent to effect the revolatilization and atomization of analyte species resulting in a transient signal. This system is economical, commercially available and easy to use. In this study, a sensitive analytical method was developed for the determination of lead with the help of SQT atom trapping flame atomization (SQT-AT-FAAS). 574 Fold sensitivity enhancement was obtained at a sample suction rate of 3.9 mL/min for 5.0 min trapping period with respect to FAAS. Organic solvent was selected as 40 µL of methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK). To obtain a further sensitivity enhancement inner surface of SQT was coated with several transition metals. The best sensitivity enhancement, 1650 fold enhancement, was obtained by the Ta-coated SQT-AT-FAAS. In addition, chemical nature of Pb species trapped on quartz and Ta surface, and the chemical nature of Ta on quartz surface were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman Spectroscopy. Raman spectrometric results indicate that tantalum is coated on SQT surface in the form of Ta2O5. XPS studies revealed that the oxidation state of Pb in species trapped on both bare and Ta coated SQT surfaces is +2. For the accuracy check, the analyses of standard reference material were performed by use of SCP SCIENCE EnviroMAT Low (EU-L-2) and results for Pb were to be in good agreement with

One step hydrothermal synthesis of 3D CoS2@MoS2-NG for high performance supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Qi; Chen, Yizhi; Zhu, Wenkun; Zhang, Ling; Yang, Xiaoyong; Duan, Tao

2018-05-03

A three-dimensional (3D) MoS 2 coated CoS 2 -nitrogen doped graphene (NG) (CoS 2 @MoS 2 -NG) hybrid has been synthesized by a one step hydrothermal method as supercapacitor (SC) electrode material for the first time. Such a composite consists of NG embedded with stacked CoS 2 @MoS 2 sheets. With a 3D skeleton, it prevents the agglomeration of CoS 2 @MoS 2 nanoparticles, resulting in sound conductivity, rich porous structures and a large surface area. The results indicate that CoS 2 @MoS 2 -NG has higher specific capacitance (198 F g -1 at 1 A g -1 ), better rate performance (with about 56.57% from 1 to 16 A g -1 ) and an improved cycle stability (with about 96.97% after 1000 cycles). It is an ideal candidate for SC electrode materials.

Teoretisk och praktisk genomgång av IPv6 och dess säkerhetsaspekter

OpenAIRE

Andersson, David

2012-01-01

Den här uppsatsen går teoretiskt och praktiskt igenom IPv6 för att skapa en förståelse för det nya protokollet. Uppsatsen beskriver utöver den teoretiska genomgången av protokollet även det praktiska arbete som ligger bakom implementationen som är tänkt att kunna ge såväl privatpersoner som mindre organisationer tillgång till en säker IPv6 lösning även om Internetleverantören endast kan erbjuda IPv4.   Arbetet är gjort på eget initiativ då behovet av kunskap kring IPv6 växer lavinartat och då...

Salman Rushdie: "Troonide mäng" on rämps

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2011-01-01

Oma esimest telesarja "Järgmised inimesed" kirjutav Salman Rushdie ei hinda USA telekanali HBO seriaali "Troonide mäng" (George R. R. Martini "Jää ja tule laulu" sarja esimese raamatu "Troonide mäng" teleekraniseering)

HANS KÜNG ile KÜRESEL AHLAK ÜZERİNE

OpenAIRE

Eren, Mustafa

2015-01-01

Global ethics has as an existential significance in Hans Küng?s philosophical thought. Küng prefers the term ?ethos? for his theory as it has   deeper  and more unfathomable implications than ethics and moral. Tragedies of humankind during past two centuries have the stimulating  power for Küng. He has in his mind all these human casualties when he thinks about theology and philosophy and finally he dwelled on ethos within which he tried to handle these everlasting existential issues. The fol...

Adolescents with clinical type 1 diabetes display reduced red blood cell glucose transporter isoform 1 (GLUT1).

Science.gov (United States)

Garg, Meena; Thamotharan, Manikkavasagar; Becker, Dorothy J; Devaskar, Sherin U

2014-11-01

Type 1 diabetic (T1D) adolescent children on insulin therapy suffer episodes of both hyper- and hypoglycemic episodes. Glucose transporter isoform GLUT1 expressed in blood-brain barrier (BBB) and red blood cells (RBC) compensates for perturbed circulating glucose toward protecting the supply to brain and RBCs. We hypothesized that RBC-GLUT1 concentration, as a surrogate for BBB-GLUT1, is altered in T1D children. To test this hypothesis, we measured RBC-GLUT1 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in T1D children (n = 72; mean age 15.3 ± 0.2 yr) and control children (CON; n = 11; mean age 15.6 ± 0.9 yr) after 12 h of euglycemia and during a hyperinsulinemic-hypoglycemic clamp with a nadir blood glucose of ~3.3 mmol/L for 90 min (clamp I) or ~3 mmol/L for 45 min (clamp II). Reduced baseline RBC-GLUT1 was observed in T1D (2.4 ± 0.17 ng/ng membrane protein); vs. CON (4.2 ± 0.61 ng/ng protein) (p < 0.0001). Additionally, baseline RBC-GLUT1 in T1D negatively correlated with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (R = -0.23, p < 0.05) but not in CON (R = 0.06, p < 0.9). Acute decline in serum glucose to 3.3 mmol/L (90 min) or 3 mmol/L (45 min) did not change baseline RBC-GLUT1 in T1D or CON children. We conclude that reduced RBC-GLUT1 encountered in T1D, with no ability to compensate by increasing during acute hypoglycemia over the durations examined, may demonstrate a vulnerability of impaired RBC glucose transport (serving as a surrogate for BBB), especially in those with the worst control. We speculate that this may contribute to the perturbed cognition seen in T1D adolescents. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

"Troonide mäng" toob fantaasia usutavalt teleekraanile / Mari Rebane

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Rebane, Mari

2011-01-01

USA telekanali HBO telesarjast "Troonide mäng", George R. R. Martini "Jää ja tule laulu" sarja esimese raamatu "Troonide mäng" teleekraniseeringust. Sarja esimene osa esilinastus USA-s 17. aprillil. Osades Sean Bean jt.

Interleukin-1β increases neuronal death in the hippocampal dentate gyrus associated with status epilepticus in the developing rat.

Science.gov (United States)

Rincón-López, C; Tlapa-Pale, A; Medel-Matus, J-S; Martínez-Quiroz, J; Rodríguez-Landa, J F; López-Meraz, M-L

Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) increases necrotic neuronal cell death in the CA1 area after induced status epilepticus (SE) in developing rats. However, it remains uncertain whether IL-1β has a similar effect on the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG). In this study, we analysed the effects of IL-1β on 14-day-old Wistar rats experiencing DG neuronal death induced by SE. SE was induced with lithium-pilocarpine. Six hours after SE onset, a group of pups was injected with IL-1β (at 0, 0.3, 3, 30, or 300ng/μL) in the right ventricle; another group was injected with IL-1β receptor (IL-1R1) antagonist (IL-1Ra, at 30ng/μL) of IL-1RI antagonist (IL-1Ra) alone, and additional group with 30ng/μL of IL-1Ra plus 3ng/μL of IL-1β. Twenty-four hours after SE onset, neuronal cell death in the dentate gyrus of the dorsal hippocampus was assessed using haematoxylin-eosin staining. Dead cells showed eosinophilic cytoplasm and condensed and fragmented nuclei. We observed an increased number of eosinophilic cells in the hippocampal DG ipsilateral to the site of injection of 3ng/μL and 300ng/μL of IL-1β in comparison with the vehicle group. A similar effect was observed in the hippocampal DG contralateral to the site of injection of 3ng/μL of IL-1β. Administration of both of IL-1β and IL-1Ra failed to prevent an increase in the number of eosinophilic cells. Our data suggest that IL-1β increases apoptotic neuronal cell death caused by SE in the hippocampal GD, which is a mechanism independent of IL-1RI activation. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Molecularly imprinted polymer-matrix nanocomposite for enantioselective electrochemical sensing of D- and L-aspartic acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prasad, Bhim Bali; Srivastava, Amrita; Tiwari, Mahavir Prasad

2013-01-01

A new molecularly imprinted polymer-matrix (titanium dioxide nanoparticle/multiwalled carbon nanotubes) nanocomposite was developed for the modification of pencil graphite electrode as an enantioselective sensing probe for aspartic acid isomers, prevalent at ultra trace level in aqueous and real samples. The nanocomposite having many shape complementary cavities was synthesized adopting surface initiated-activators regenerated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization. The proposed sensor has high stability, nanocomposite uniformity, good reproducibility, and enhanced electrocatalytic activity to respond oxidative peak current of L-aspartic acid quantitatively by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry, without any cross-reactivity in real samples. Under the optimized operating conditions, the L-aspartic acid imprinted modified electrode showed a wide linear response for L-aspartic acid within the concentration range 9.98–532.72 ng mL −1 , with the minimum detection limit of 1.73–1.79 ng mL −1 (S/N = 3) in aqueous and real samples. Almost similar stringent limit (1.79 ng mL −1 ) was obtained with cerebrospinal fluid which is typical for the primitive diagnosis of neurological disorders, caused by an acute depletion of L-aspartic acid biomarker, in clinical settings. Highlights: • We have adopted surface initiated-activators regenerated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization. • This approach takes advantage of the nanostructured ultrathin imprinted film. • Successful enantioselective sensing and ultratrace analysis of D- and L-aspartic acid. • Stringent detection limit without any non-specific false-positive contribution

Molecularly imprinted polymer-matrix nanocomposite for enantioselective electrochemical sensing of D- and L-aspartic acid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prasad, Bhim Bali, E-mail: prof.bbpd@yahoo.com; Srivastava, Amrita; Tiwari, Mahavir Prasad

2013-10-15

A new molecularly imprinted polymer-matrix (titanium dioxide nanoparticle/multiwalled carbon nanotubes) nanocomposite was developed for the modification of pencil graphite electrode as an enantioselective sensing probe for aspartic acid isomers, prevalent at ultra trace level in aqueous and real samples. The nanocomposite having many shape complementary cavities was synthesized adopting surface initiated-activators regenerated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization. The proposed sensor has high stability, nanocomposite uniformity, good reproducibility, and enhanced electrocatalytic activity to respond oxidative peak current of L-aspartic acid quantitatively by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry, without any cross-reactivity in real samples. Under the optimized operating conditions, the L-aspartic acid imprinted modified electrode showed a wide linear response for L-aspartic acid within the concentration range 9.98–532.72 ng mL{sup −1}, with the minimum detection limit of 1.73–1.79 ng mL{sup −1} (S/N = 3) in aqueous and real samples. Almost similar stringent limit (1.79 ng mL{sup −1}) was obtained with cerebrospinal fluid which is typical for the primitive diagnosis of neurological disorders, caused by an acute depletion of L-aspartic acid biomarker, in clinical settings. Highlights: • We have adopted surface initiated-activators regenerated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization. • This approach takes advantage of the nanostructured ultrathin imprinted film. • Successful enantioselective sensing and ultratrace analysis of D- and L-aspartic acid. • Stringent detection limit without any non-specific false-positive contribution.

Poly β-Hydroxybutyrate Production by Bacillus subtilis NG220 Using Sugar Industry Waste Water

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Gulab; Kumari, Anish; Mittal, Arpana; Yadav, Anita; Aggarwal, Neeraj K.

2013-01-01

The production of poly β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) by Bacillus subtilis NG220 was observed utilizing the sugar industry waste water supplemented with various carbon and nitrogen sources. At a growth rate of 0.14 g h−1 L−1, using sugar industry waste water was supplemented with maltose (1% w/v) and ammonium sulphate (1% w/v); the isolate produced 5.297 g/L of poly β-hydroxybutyrate accumulating 51.8% (w/w) of biomass. The chemical nature of the polymer was confirmed with nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared, and GC-MS spectroscopy whereas thermal properties were monitored with differential scanning calorimetry. In biodegradability study, when PHB film of the polymer (made by traditional solvent casting technique) was subjected to degradation in various natural habitats like soil, compost, and industrial sludge, it was completely degraded after 30 days in the compost having 25% (w/w) moisture. So, the present study gives insight into dual benefits of conversion of a waste material into value added product, PHB, and waste management. PMID:24027767

Determination of nucleic acids based on the quenching effect on resonance light scattering of the Y(III)-1,6-bi(1'-phenyl-3'-methyl-5'-pyrazolone-4'-)hexane-dione system.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xia; Yang, Jing He; Sun, Shuna; Guo, Changying; Ran, Dehuan; Zheng, Jinhua

2006-01-01

Nucleic acids can quench resonance light scattering (RLS) intensity of the Y(III)-1,6-bi(1'-phenyl-3'-methyl-5'-pyrazolone-4'-)hexane-dione(BPMPHD) complex in the pH range 5.0-5.8. Under optimal conditions, there are linear relationships between the quenching of RLS and the concentration of nucleic acids in the range 6.3 x 10(-8)-2.1 x 10(-5) g/mL for fish sperm DNA (fsDNA), 1.2 x 10(-8)-5.0 x 10(-5) g/mL for calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) and 6.0 x 10(-8)-2.0 x 10(-5) g/mL for yeast RNA (yRNA). The detection limits (3 s) of fsDNA, ctDNA and yRNA are 0.7 ng/mL, 3.8 ng/mL and 4.2 ng/mL, respectively. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ablation of NG2 proteoglycan leads to deficits in brown fat function and to adult onset obesity.

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Yunchao Chang

Full Text Available Obesity is a major health problem worldwide. We are studying the causes and effects of obesity in C57Bl/6 mice following genetic ablation of NG2, a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan widely expressed in progenitor cells and also in adipocytes. Although global NG2 ablation delays early postnatal adipogenesis in mouse skin, adult NG2 null mice are paradoxically heavier than wild-type mice, exhibiting larger white fat deposits. This adult onset obesity is not due to NG2-dependent effects on CNS function, since specific ablation of NG2 in oligodendrocyte progenitors yields the opposite phenotype; i.e. abnormally lean mice. Metabolic analysis reveals that, while activity and food intake are unchanged in global NG2 null mice, O(2 consumption and CO(2 production are decreased, suggesting a decrease in energy expenditure. Since brown fat plays important roles in regulating energy expenditure, we have investigated brown fat function via cold challenge and high fat diet feeding, both of which induce the adaptive thermogenesis that normally occurs in brown fat. In both tests, body temperatures in NG2 null mice are reduced compared to wild-type mice, indicating a deficit in brown fat function in the absence of NG2. In addition, adipogenesis in NG2 null brown pre-adipocytes is dramatically impaired compared to wild-type counterparts. Moreover, mRNA levels for PR domain containing 16 (PRDM16 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator (PGC1-α, proteins important for brown adipocyte differentiation, are decreased in NG2 null brown fat deposits in vivo and NG2 null brown pre-adipocytes in vitro. Altogether, these results indicate that brown fat dysfunction in NG2 null mice results from deficits in the recruitment and/or development of brown pre-adipocytes. As a consequence, obesity in NG2 null mice may occur due to disruptions in brown fat-dependent energy homeostasis, with resulting effects on lipid storage in white adipocytes.

L = ± 1 stellarator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kikuchi, T.; Shiina, S.; Saito, K.; Gesso, H.; Aizawa, M.; Kawakami, I.

1985-01-01

We report the magnetic field configuration of helical magnetic axis stellarator. The magnetic field configuration is composed of large l=1 field and small l=-1 and l=0(bumpy) fields. The large l=1 field (combined with the small l=-1 field) is used to form helical magnetic axis with the helical curvature much larger than the toroidal curvature, which provides the high limiting values of β. The small l=-1 field, furthermore, as well as the large l=1 field reduces the Pfirsch-Schlueter currents by combining with l=0 field. Therefore, the large l=1 field and the combination of three field components may be favourable for the increase of limiting β value

Orman yangınları açısından riskli yılların güneş leke döngüsüne bağlı olarak önceden tahmin edilebilmesi

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Yüksek Lisans Uğur Baltacı

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Ülkemizde ve dünya genelinde, bazı yıllar daha çok sayıda ve büyük ölçekte orman yangınları görülmekte iken, bazı yıllarda orman yangını sayısı ve büyüklüğü azalmaktadır. Orman yangını istatistikleri yangın adedi ve yanan alan olarak zamana bağlı grafik haline dönüştürüldüğünde, minimum ve maksimum noktaları farklı sinüzoidal eğriler şeklinde periyodik bir dalgalanma görülmektedir. Bu durum, orman yangınlarının bir dış etkene bağlı olarak artıp azaldığını gösterebilir. Bu çalışmamızda; adet ve alan olarak orman yangınları ile Güneş Leke Döngüsü (Güneş Radyasyon Döngüsü karşılaştırılmış ve aralarında güçlü bir ilişkinin olduğu bulunmuştur. Çalışma sonucunda elde edilen bulgular, orman yangını açısından riski yüksek yılların tahmininde kullanılabilecektir. Orman yangınları ile mücadelede orta ve uzun vadeli programlar yapılırken bu tespitlerin göz önünde bulundurulmasının büyük önem arz ettiği düşünülmektedir. Özellikle bütçe planlamaları ve önceden alınacak tedbirler açısından bu öngörülerin dikkate alınması uygun olacaktır.

Design heating test section HeaTiNG-02

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riswan Djambiar; Sagino; Dedy Haryanto; Joko Prasetio Witoko

2013-01-01

HeaTiNG-02 is a component test loop BETA which serves as a heater in conducting experimental heat transfer processes in two-phase flow in narrow slit-shaped plate, considering this phenomenon is one of the conditions postulated accident scenarios a NPP type PWR. To produce heat for the heating component takes the AC power the source voltage can be set from 0 Volts to 220 Volts with no more than a maximum power of 25 KVA. To obtain the thermal conditions on HeaTiNG-02 heating wire dimensions need to be determined and the corresponding voltage so that it will an expected power. Determination of the dimensions of the heater wire through calculations using electricity formulations. Retrieved draft heater test BETA (UUB) HeaTiNG-02 use material super kanthal (FeCuAl) in diameter (Ø) = 2 mm and wire length 3770 mm. Voltage regulators with a maximum power of 25 kVA with a minimum voltage of 0 volts and a maximum of 220 volts. Heater is used as the base to form refractory stone trench. (author)

The roles of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) density, prostate volume, and their zone-adjusted derivatives in predicting prostate cancer in patients with PSA less than 20.0 ng/mL.

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Shen, P; Zhao, J; Sun, G; Chen, N; Zhang, X; Gui, H; Yang, Y; Liu, J; Shu, K; Wang, Z; Zeng, H

2017-05-01

The aim of this study was to develop nomograms for predicting prostate cancer and its zonal location using prostate-specific antigen density, prostate volume, and their zone-adjusted derivatives. A total of 928 consecutive patients with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) less than 20.0 ng/mL, who underwent transrectal ultrasound-guided transperineal 12-core prostate biopsy at West China Hospital between 2011 and 2014, were retrospectively enrolled. The patients were randomly split into training cohort (70%, n = 650) and validation cohort (30%, n = 278). Predicting models and the associated nomograms were built using the training cohort, while the validations of the models were conducted using the validation cohort. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was performed. Then, new nomograms were generated based on multivariate regression coefficients. The discrimination power and calibration of these nomograms were validated using the area under the ROC curve (AUC) and the calibration curve. The potential clinical effects of these models were also tested using decision curve analysis. In total, 285 (30.7%) patients were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Among them, 131 (14.1%) and 269 (29.0%) had transition zone prostate cancer and peripheral zone prostate cancer. Each of zone-adjusted derivatives-based nomogram had an AUC more than 0.75. All nomograms had higher calibration and much better net benefit than the scenarios in predicting patients with or without different zones prostate cancer. Prostate-specific antigen density, prostate volume, and their zone-adjusted derivatives have important roles in detecting prostate cancer and its zonal location for patients with PSA 2.5-20.0 ng/mL. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first nomogram using these parameters to predict outcomes of 12-core prostate biopsy. These instruments can help clinicians to increase the accuracy of prostate cancer screening and to avoid unnecessary prostate biopsy. © 2017

High-Throughput Testing of Urogenital and Extragenital Specimens for Detection of Chlamydia Trachomatis and Neisseria Gonorrhoeae with Cobas® CT/NG.

Science.gov (United States)

Marlowe, Elizabeth M; Hardy, David; Krevolin, Mark; Gohl, Peter; Bertram, Alexander; Arcenas, Rodney; Seiverth, Britta; Schneider, Tanja; Liesenfeld, Oliver

2017-09-01

We compared the analytical and clinical performance of cobas ® CT/NG for use on the Cobas ® 6800/8800 Systems with the Cobas ® 4800 CT/NG Test from urogenital and extragenital specimens in over 12,000 specimens from both male and female subjects in Germany and the United States. The analytical sensitivity was ≤40 EB/ml for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and ≤1 CFU/ml for Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG). Using clinical specimens, the overall percent agreement with the Cobas ® 4800 CT/NG Test was >98.5%. Across urogenital specimens, there were 93 discrepant specimens; 76 (93.8%) of 81 CT discrepant specimens were 6800+/4800- and 10 (83.3%) of 12 NG discrepant specimens were 6800+/4800-. Sequencing verified CT results for 45 (61.6%) of 73 samples positive by 6800 and 1 (20%) of 5 positive by 4800. Similarly, 7 (70.0%) of 10 NG samples positive by 6800 and 1 of 2 positive by 4800 were confirmed by sequencing. Among discrepant extragenital specimens (all 6800+/4800-), 7 (50%) of 14 oropharyngeal and 23 (76.7%) of 30 anorectal CT discordant samples were confirmed as CT positive by sequencing; all 8 anorectal and 20 (90.9%) of 22 oropharyngeal NG discordant results were also confirmed as NG positive. In conclusion, Cobas ® CT/NG for use on the Cobas ® 6800/8800 Systems provides high-throughput automated solutions for sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening programs.

Sphingosine 1-phosphate promotes activation of aprine preantral follicle in vitro

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J.E. Nóbrega Jr.

2014-08-01

Full Text Available This study describes the effect of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P for development of preantral follicle, therefore the activation and follicular viability of caprine follicles cultured in vitro. Ovarian fragments were cultured for 1 or 7 days in Minimum Essential Medium with different S1P concentrations (0, 1, 10, 50, 100 or 200ng/mL. All ovarian fragments were processed for histological analysis in optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and fluorescence analysis. The treatment using 1ng/mL of S1P was able to maintain the percentage of normal follicles with the progression of the culture from day 1 to 7. At end of the 7-day culture period there was a significant reduction (P<0.05 in the percentage of primordial follicles in all groups treated with S1P, compared with fresh control (FC and Control Culture (CC, which was followed by an increase of activated follicles (intermediary, primary and secondary. In addition, the culture for 7 days with media supplemented with S1P with 1ng/mL preserved the ultrastructure of organelles and kept the preantral follicular viability when evaluated by fluorescence microscopy. In conclusion, after 7 days of culture, the 1ng/mL of S1P activates the development of preantral caprine follicles, cultured in situ and maintains the oocitary and follicular viability.

Alliin, a Garlic (Allium sativum Compound, Prevents LPS-Induced Inflammation in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes

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Saray Quintero-Fabián

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Garlic (Allium sativum L. has been used to alleviate a variety of health problems due to its high content of organosulfur compounds and antioxidant activity. The main active component is alliin (S-allyl cysteine sulfoxide, a potent antioxidant with cardioprotective and neuroprotective actions. In addition, it helps to decrease serum levels of glucose, insulin, triglycerides, and uric acid, as well as insulin resistance, and reduces cytokine levels. However its potential anti-inflammatory effect is unknown. We examined the effects of alliin in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS- stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes by RT-PCR, Western blot, and microarrays analysis of 22,000 genes. Incubation of cells for 24 h with 100 μmol/L alliin prevented the increase in the expression of proinflammatory genes, IL-6, MCP-1, and Egr-1 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes exposed to 100 ng/mL LPS for 1 h. Interestingly, the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, which is involved in LPS-induced inflammation in adipocytes, was decreased following alliin treatment. Furthermore, the gene expression profile by microarrays evidentiate an upregulation of genes involved in immune response and downregulation of genes related with cancer. The present results have shown that alliin is able to suppress the LPS inflammatory signals by generating an anti-inflammatory gene expression profile and by modifying adipocyte metabolic profile.

Liposome-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles loaded with L-cysteine for photoelectrochemical immunoassay of aflatoxin B1.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Youxiu; Zhou, Qian; Zeng, Yongyi; Tang, Dianping

2018-06-02

The authors describe a photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunoassay for determination of aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) in foodstuff. The competitive immunoreaction is carried out on a microplate coated with a capture antibody against AFB 1 using AFB 1 -bovine serum albumin (BSA)-liposome-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) loaded with L-cysteine as a support. The photocurrent is produced by a photoactive material consisting of cerium-doped Bi 2 MoO 6 . Initially, L-cysteine acting as the electron donor is gated in the pores by interaction between mesoporous silica and liposome. Thereafter, AFB 1 -BSA conjugates are covalently bound to the liposomes. Upon introduction of the analyte (AFB 1 ), the labeled AFB 1 -BSA complex competes with the analyte for the antibody deposited on the microplate. Accompanying with the immunocomplex, the liposomes on the MSNs are lysed upon addition of Triton X-100. This results in the opening of the pores and in a release of L-cysteine. Free cysteine then induces the electron-hole scavenger of the photoactive nanosheets to increase the photocurrent. The photocurrent (relative to background signal) increases with increasing AFB 1 concentration. Under optimum conditions, the photoactive nanosheets display good photoelectrochemical responses, and allow the detection of AFB 1 at a concentration as low as 0.1 pg·mL -1 within a linear response in the 0.3 pg·mL -1 to 10 ng·mL -1 concentration range. Accuracy was evaluated by analyzing naturally contaminated and spiked peanut samples by using a commercial AFB 1 ELISA kit as the reference, and well-matching results were obtained. Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of a photoelectrochemical immunoassay for AFB 1 . It is based on the use of Ce-doped Bi 2 MoO 6 nanosheets and of liposome-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles loaded with L-cysteine.

In vitro Study of Noni Juice Extract Waste (Morinda citrifolia L.) and Pineapple Industrial Wastes (Ananas comosus L. Merr) as Energy Supplement in Dairy Goat Ration

Science.gov (United States)

Evvyernie, D.; Tjakradidjaja, A. S.; Permana, I. G.; Toharmat, T.; Insani, A.

2018-02-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the potency of noni juice extract waste (Morinda citrifolia L.) and pineapple industrial wastes (Ananas comosus L. Merr) as an energy supplement in dairy goat ration through in vitro study. This study used a complete randomized design with 5 treatments and 3 rumen fluid groups. The treatments were R0 as control (60% Napier grass (NG) + 40% concentrate), R1 (45% NG + 15% noni juice extract waste + 40% concentrate) + R2 (45% NG + 15% noni juice extract waste ammoniated + 40% concentrate), R3 (45% NG + 15% pineapple peel + 40% concentrate), and R4 (45% NG + 15% pineapple crown + 40% concentrate). The variables were totalbacterial population, protozoal population, fermentation characteristic (total VFA and NH3 concentration), and digestibility (dry matter and organic matter).Data were analyzed with analysis of variance (ANOVA) and differences among treatments were determined by orthogonal contrast.The results showed that total VFA concentration was significant increased (Ppineapple peel (R3). The average increasing of total VFA concentration was 74% compared to control. As conclusions, 15% pineapple peel or 15% noni juice extract waste can use as an energy supplement by replacing 25% of napier grass in lactating dairy goat ration.

Actividad Ribonucleasa en el Látex de Calotropis procera (Aiton W.T. Aiton y Pedilanthus tithymaloides (L. Poit / Ribonuclease Activity in Latex from Calotropis procera (Aiton W.T. Aiton and Pedilanthus tithymaloides (L. Poit

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Emma Rueda de Arvelo

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Las enzimas ribonucleasas (RNasas han sido utilizadascon efectividad en el tratamiento de ciertos tipos de cáncer ypueden tener otras propiedades aplicables en biotecnología. Con el objetivo de identificar la presencia de actividad RNasa en el látex de las plantas tropicales Calotropis procera y Pedilanthus tithymaloides se colectaron muestras a partir de plantas adultas ubicadas al norte del estado Aragua, Venezuela. Las proteínas solubles fueron extraídas con acetato de sodio 50 mM pH 5 (16 μL/μgde látex y eliminada la porción poliisoprenoide por centrifugación a 16.000 x g durante 15 min. La actividad RNasa se estimó utilizando una técnica que incluye la aplicación de alícuotas de la mezcla de reacción sobre geles de poliacrilamida-urea y separadaspor electroforesis. La degradación del sustrato fue cuantificada pordensitometría. Se probaron diversos sustratos (ARNttotal, ARNtphe yARNm transcrito in vitro a partir de ADN plasmídico. El látexde ambas especies presentó actividad RNasa, con actividadesespecíficas iniciales de 1,42 ± 0,74 μg de ARN hidrolizado/min/ μg de proteína; 0,45 ± 0,18 ng de ARN hidrolizado/min/ng de proteína y 0,28 ± 0,07 ng de ARN hidrolizado/min/ng de proteínapara el ARNttotal, ARNm transcrito y ARNtphe, respectivamente, en C. procera, y de 0,02 ± 0,001 ng de ARN hidrolizado/min/ng de proteína para el ARNm transcrito y ARNtphe en P. tithymaloides. Este constituye el primer reporte acerca de la presencia de enzimas RNasas en el látex de estas especies. / Ribonuclease enzymes (RNase have been used effectively in the treatment of certain cancers and other properties that may be applicable in biotechnology. In order to identify the RNase activity in the latex of Calotropis procera and Pedilanthus tithymaloides, tropical plants samples were collected from adult plants located in the North State of Aragua, Venezuela. Soluble proteins were extracted with 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5 (16 μL

Propaganda filmimäng sai läbi / Märt Milter

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Milter, Märt

2002-01-01

1987. aastal David Fincheri ja Dominic Sena asutatud Propaganda Films, mis tootis muusikavideosid ja reklaamfilme. Firma lõpetas tegevuse, kuna selle juhtijate viisik on tänaseks saanud Hollywoodi edukateks mängufilmide režissöörideks

Mga Lente sa Likod ng Lente: Isang Panimulang Pag-aaral ng Ilang Litratong Kuha ni Xander Angeles

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Moreal Nagarit Camba

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Ang pangalang Xander Angeles ay kilala bilang isa sa mga in-demand napangalan sa mundo ng fashion at advertisement sa Pilipinas. Kakabit ngpangalang ito ang samut-saring lokal at internasyunal na parangal; idagdag pa rito ang isang advertising company, isang modelling agency, at isang fashion and photography school.

Monoclonal Antibody L1Mab-13 Detected Human PD-L1 in Lung Cancers.

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Yamada, Shinji; Itai, Shunsuke; Nakamura, Takuro; Yanaka, Miyuki; Chang, Yao-Wen; Suzuki, Hiroyoshi; Kaneko, Mika K; Kato, Yukinari

2018-04-01

Programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein expressed on antigen-presenting cells. It is also expressed in several tumor cells such as melanoma and lung cancer cells. A strong correlation has been reported between human PD-L1 (hPD-L1) expression in tumor cells and negative prognosis in cancer patients. Here, a novel anti-hPD-L1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) L 1 Mab-13 (IgG 1 , kappa) was produced using a cell-based immunization and screening (CBIS) method. We investigated hPD-L1 expression in lung cancer using flow cytometry, Western blot, and immunohistochemical analyses. L 1 Mab-13 specifically reacted hPD-L1 of hPD-L1-overexpressed Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-K1 cells and endogenous hPD-L1 of KMST-6 (human fibroblast) in flow cytometry and Western blot. Furthermore, L 1 Mab-13 reacted with lung cancer cell lines (EBC-1, Lu65, and Lu99) in flow cytometry and stained lung cancer tissues in a membrane-staining pattern in immunohistochemical analysis. These results indicate that a novel anti-hPD-L1 mAb, L 1 Mab-13, is very useful for detecting hPD-L1 of lung cancers in flow cytometry, Western blot, and immunohistochemical analyses.

Aflatoxin M1 contamination of raw and pasteurized milk produced in Sanandaj, Iran

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Mafakheri, Sh.

2010-07-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted to evaluate and compare the levels of aflatoxin M1 in raw and pasteurized milk samples during different seasons by Enzyme- Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay in Sanandaj, Iran. In 257 (94.49% out of 272 milk samples the presence of aflatoxin M1 was detected in concentrations ranging between 0.007 and 115.930 ng/l. AFM1 level in 12 (4.4% of positive samples were higher than the maximum tolerance limit (50 ng/l accepted by Iran and European Union countries. Statistical evaluations showed that the differences between raw and pasteurized samples were not significant (p<0.05. There was no significant difference between spring and summer but the differences between other seasons were statistically significant. Winter samples with 22.35 ng/l and summer samples with 5.14 ng/l had the highest and lowest concentration, respectively (p<0.05. Since contamination of milk with aflatoxin is a potential risk for human health, milk and milk products should be controlled periodically for Aflatoxin contamination.

A multi-ingredient containing carbohydrate, proteins L-glutamine and L-carnitine attenuates fatigue perception with no effect on performance, muscle damage or immunity in soccer players.

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Fernando Naclerio

Full Text Available We investigated the effects of ingesting a multi-ingredient (53 g carbohydrate, 14.5 g whey protein, 5 g glutamine, 1.5 g L-carnitine-L-tartrate supplement, carbohydrate only, or placebo on intermittent performance, perception of fatigue, immunity, and functional and metabolic markers of recovery. Sixteen amateur soccer players ingested their respective treatments before, during and after performing a 90-min intermittent repeated sprint test. Primary outcomes included time for a 90-min intermittent repeated sprint test (IRS followed by eleven 15 m sprints. Measurements included creatine kinase, myoglobin, interleukine-6, Neutrophil; Lymphocytes and Monocyte before (pre, immediately after (post, 1 h and 24 h after exercise testing period. Overall, time for the IRS and 15 m sprints was not different between treatments. However, the perception of fatigue was attenuated (P<0.001 for the multi-ingredient (15.9±1.4 vs. placebo (17.8±1.4 but not for the carbohydrate (17.0±1.9 condition. Several changes in immune/inflammatory indices were noted as creatine kinase peaked at 24 h while Interleukin-6 and myoglobin increased both immediately after and at 1 h compared with baseline (P<0.05 for all three conditions. However, Myoglobin (P<0.05 was lower 1 h post-exercise for the multi-ingredient (241.8±142.6 ng·ml(-1 and CHO (265.4±187.8 ng·ml(-1 vs. placebo (518.6±255.2 ng·ml(-1. Carbohydrate also elicited lower neutrophil concentrations vs. multi-ingredient (3.9±1.5 10(9/L vs. 4.9±1.8 10(9/L, P = 0.016 and a reduced (P<0.05 monocytes count (0.36±0.09 10(9/L compared to both multi-ingredient (0.42±0.09 10(9/L and placebo (0.42±0.12 10(9/L. In conclusion, multi-ingredient and carbohydrate supplements did not improve intermittent performance, inflammatory or immune function. However, both treatments did attenuate serum myoglobin, while only carbohydrate blunted post-exercise leukocytosis.

Correlation of Serum Androgens and Pituitary Hormone Levels with Serum PSA Less Than 2.5 NG/ML

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Mustafa Sofikerim

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this clinical study was to determine whether there is a relationship between total serum testosterone, free testosterone, FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone, LH (Luteinizing Hormone and serum prostate specific antigen (PSA levels. We postulated that such a correlation existed then the use of hormone specific reference ranges might enhance the usefullness of PSA concentrations <2.5 ng/mL as a marker for prostate cancer.

Perfluoroalkyl substances in adolescents in northern Norway: Lifestyle and dietary predictors. The Tromsø study, Fit Futures 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Averina, Maria; Brox, Jan; Huber, Sandra; Furberg, Anne-Sofie

2018-05-01

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are environmentally persistent chemicals widely used in many consumer products due to water and oil proofing and fire-resistant properties. Several PFASs are recognized as environmental pollutants. This study investigated serum concentrations of 18 different PFASs and their associations with diet and lifestyle variables in 940 adolescents (age 15-19 years) who participated in the Fit Futures 1 study in the Troms arctic district of Norway. Serum concentrations of PFASs were analyzed by ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (UHPLC-MS/MS). The most abundant PFASs in this population were perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorononanoate (PFNA) and perfluorodecanoate (PFDA) that were found in 99% of the participants. Perfluoroheptane sulfonate (PFHpS) was found in 98% of the participants. Median concentrations were: PFOS 6.20 ng/mL, PFOA 1.92 ng/mL, PFHxS 0.71 ng/mL, PFNA 0.50 ng/mL, PFDA 0.21 ng/mL and PFHpS 0.15 ng/mL. Median of PFASs sum concentration (∑PFAS) was 10.7 ng/mL, the concentration range was 2.6-200.8 ng/mL. Intake of fat fish, fish liver, seagull eggs, reindeer meat and drinks with sugar were the main dietary predictors of several PFASs. Intake of junk food (pizza, hamburger, sausages) was positively associated with PFNA, intake of canned food was positively associated with PFHxS. Intake of fruits and vegetables, milk products, snacks and candy was not associated with PFASs concentrations. Lean fish intake was positively associated with PFUnDA, but not with other PFASs. There was a positive association of ∑PFAS, PFHxS, PFOA, PFNA and PFDA with chewed tobacco use. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Kuuldemäng "Palju õnne argipäevaks!" edukümnes

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2006-01-01

Raadioteatri kuuldemäng "Palju õnne argipäevaks" jõudis Euroopa meediafestivalil Prix Europa kümne parema hulka. Näidendi lavastas raadio jaoks Andres Noormets. 1999. a. jõudis festivalil Prix Europa äramärkimiseni Ervin Õunapuu kuuldemäng "Õhtueine Emmauses"

Molecular mechanism of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade via anti-PD-L1 antibodies atezolizumab and durvalumab.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hyun Tae; Lee, Ju Yeon; Lim, Heejin; Lee, Sang Hyung; Moon, Yu Jeong; Pyo, Hyo Jeong; Ryu, Seong Eon; Shin, Woori; Heo, Yong-Seok

2017-07-17

In 2016 and 2017, monoclonal antibodies targeting PD-L1, including atezolizumab, durvalumab, and avelumab, were approved by the FDA for the treatment of multiple advanced cancers. And many other anti-PD-L1 antibodies are under clinical trials. Recently, the crystal structures of PD-L1 in complex with BMS-936559 and avelumab have been determined, revealing details of the antigen-antibody interactions. However, it is still unknown how atezolizumab and durvalumab specifically recognize PD-L1, although this is important for investigating novel binding sites on PD-L1 targeted by other therapeutic antibodies for the design and improvement of anti-PD-L1 agents. Here, we report the crystal structures of PD-L1 in complex with atezolizumab and durvalumab to elucidate the precise epitopes involved and the structural basis for PD-1/PD-L1 blockade by these antibodies. A comprehensive comparison of PD-L1 interactions with anti-PD-L1 antibodies provides a better understanding of the mechanism of PD-L1 blockade as well as new insights into the rational design of improved anti-PD-L1 therapeutics.

Radical prostatectomy outcome when performed with PSA above 20 ng/ml.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Connolly, S S

2012-02-01

Many centres currently do not offer radical prostatectomy (RP) to men with high-risk localised prostate cancer due to concerns regarding poor outcome, despite evidence to the contrary. We identified 18 men undergoing RP with serum PSA >20 ng\\/ml (high-risk by National Comprehensive Cancer Network definition) and minimum follow-up of 12 years (mean 13.5). Mean preoperative PSA was 37.0 ng\\/ml (Range 21.1-94.0). Prostatectomy pathology reported extracapsular disease in 16 (88.9%), positive surgical margins in 15 (83%) and positive pelvic lymph nodes in 5 (27.8%). Overall and cancer-specific survival at 5 and 10-years was 83.3%, 88.2%, 72% and 76.5% respectively. With complete follow-up 11 (61.1%) are alive, and 5 (27.8%) avoided any adjuvant therapy. Complete continence (defined as no involuntary urine leakage and no use of pads) was achieved in 60%, with partial continence in the remainder. We conclude that surgery for this aggressive variant of localised prostate cancer can result in satisfactory outcome.

Development of an impedimetric aptasensor for the determination of aflatoxin M1 in milk.

Science.gov (United States)

Istamboulié, Georges; Paniel, Nathalie; Zara, Lorena; Reguillo Granados, Lucia; Barthelmebs, Lise; Noguer, Thierry

2016-01-01

An aptasensor was designed for the determination of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in milk based on DNA-aptamer recognition and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy detection. A hexaethyleneglycol-modified 21-mer oligonucleotide was immobilized on a carbon screen-printed electrode through carbodiimide immobilization, after diazonium activation of the sensing surface. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in the presence of ferri/ferrocyanide redox probe were used to characterize each step of the aptasensor development. Aptamer-AFM1 interaction induced an increase in electron-transfer resistance, allowing the determination of AFM1 in buffer in the range 2-150 ng/L (LOD=1.15 ng/L). Application to milk analysis showed that a preliminary treatment was mandatory. A simple filtration through a 0.2 µm PTFE membrane allowed determination of AFM1 in milk for concentrations ranging from 20 to 1000 ng/kg. These performances are compatible with the AFM1 levels set in European Union for milk and dairy products for adults (50 ng/kg) and infants (25 ng/kg). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Eksempler på robotter i en læringssammenhæng

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Majgaard, Gunver

2009-01-01

I denne artikel sætter jeg fokus på forskellige former for robot-applikationer, som indgår i lærings og undervisningssammenhænge. I eksemplerne fokuseres der på interaktion, det vil sige den symbolske meningsfyldte udveksling af gesti mellem robot og menneske. Læring består i, at menneske og robot...

A role for serotonin in the antidepressant activity of NG-Nitro-L-arginine, in the rat forced swimming test.

Science.gov (United States)

Gigliucci, Valentina; Buckley, Kathleen Niamh; Nunan, John; O'Shea, Karen; Harkin, Andrew

2010-02-01

The present study determined regional serotonin (5-HT) synthesis and metabolism changes associated with the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NA) and the influence of 5-HT receptor blockade in the antidepressant-like actions of L-NA in the forced swimming test (FST). Regional effects of L-NA (5,10 and 20mg/kg i.p.) on tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) activity, the rate limiting enzyme for 5-HT synthesis, were determined by measuring accumulation of the transient intermediate 5-hydoxytryptophan (5-HTP) following in vivo administration of the amino acid decarboxylase inhibitor, NSD 1015 (100mg/kg). L-NA (5-20mg/kg) dose dependently increased 5-HTP accumulation, particularly in the amygdaloid cortex, following exposure to the FST. L-NA also provoked an increase in regional brain 5-HIAA concentrations and in the 5-HIAA:5-HT metabolism ratio. Co-treatment with NSD-1015 failed to consistently modify the antidepressant-like effects of L-NA in the FST. Sub-active doses of L-NA (1mg/kg) and the 5-HT re-uptake inhibitor fluoxetine (2.5mg/kg) acted synergistically to increase swimming in the test. Co-treatment with the non-selective 5-HT receptor antagonist metergoline (1, 2 and 4mg/kg), attenuated the L-NA (20mg/kg)-induced reduction in immobility and increase in swimming behaviours. Metergoline alone however provoked an increase in immobility and reduction in swimming behaviours in the test. A similar response was obtained following co-treatment with the preferential 5-HT(2A) receptor antagonist ketanserin (5mg/kg) and the 5-HT(2C) receptor antagonist RO-430440 (5mg/kg). Co-treatment with the 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist WAY 100635 (0.3mg/kg) or the 5-HT(1B) receptor antagonist GR 127935 (4mg/kg) failed to influence the antidepressant-like activity of L-NA. Taken together these data provide further support for a role for 5-HT in the antidepressant-like properties of NOS inhibitors. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identification and Organoleptic Contribution of (Z)-1,5-Octadien-3-one to the Flavor of Vitis vinifera cv. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon Musts.

Science.gov (United States)

Allamy, Lucile; Darriet, Philippe; Pons, Alexandre

2017-03-08

The main goal of this research was to identify key aroma compounds involved in the dried fruits (prune and dried fig) aroma of musts. An odoriferous zone (OZ) was detected by gas chromatography coupled with olfactometry (GC-O) and identified as (Z)-1,5-octadien-3-one (geranium). A quantitation method by SPME-GC-MS (CI, MeOH) was developed and validated for assaying this very fragrant ketone in musts for the first time (LOD, 0.15 ng/L; LOQ, 0.5 ng/L). Concentrations of (Z)-1,5-octadien-3-one in musts marked by dried fruits flavors reached 90 ng/L, thus exceeding its detection threshold (D th = 9 ng/L). Moreover, sensory experiments showed that this compound contributes to the dried fig nuance at concentrations ranging from 64 to 96 ng/L. Above that level, it contributes to the geranium nuance of the must. Its affinity with sulfur dioxide was also established; 30 mg/L of sulfur dioxide causes a decrease of concentration of 60%.

Serum levels of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 and ovulatory responses to clomiphene citrate in women with polycystic ovarian disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Tiitinen, A E; Laatikainen, T J; Seppälä, M T

1993-07-01

To study the serum levels of insulin, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) in relation to clomiphene citrate (CC) responsiveness in women with polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD). Prospective. PATIENTS, SETTING: Twenty-three women with PCOD admitted consecutively to the University Infertility Clinic, a tertiary referral center. Blood samples were taken at fasting state and during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) for the determination of insulin, IGF-I, and IGFBP-1. A dose of 50 to 200 mg/d CC was given for ovulation induction. With CC treatment, ovulation was achieved in 13 of 23 PCOD patients. The IGFBP-1 concentration was lower in CC nonresponders than in CC responders (20.5 +/- 4.0 ng/mL versus 41.0 +/- 8.5 ng/mL) (P PCOD patients. Lean CC nonresponders (n = 7) had almost threefold lower serum IGFBP-1 levels than lean CC responders (n = 6) (24.0 +/- 3.1 ng/mL versus 61.8 +/- 8.6 ng/mL) (P PCOD patients, the IGFBP-1 levels were low irrespective of CC responsiveness (14.8 +/- 8.0 ng/mL versus 16.7 +/- 7.2 ng/mL). The differences remained during OGTT. The concentrations of IGF-I, insulin, sex hormone-binding globulin, LH, FSH, and androgens showed no significant differences between CC responders and nonresponders. There was an inverse correlation between serum insulin and IGFBP-1 levels in obese PCOD patients, whereas this was not seen in lean patients. In lean PCOD patients, low serum IGFBP-1 concentration is related to CC unresponsiveness by a mechanism unrelated to insulin.

Z L GAN

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Z L GAN. Articles written in Sadhana. Volume 43 Issue 4 April 2018 pp 59. Effect of scale size, orientation type and dispensing method on void formation in the CUF encapsulation of BGA · AIZAT ABAS FEI CHONG NG Z L GAN M H H ISHAK M Z ABDULLAH GEAN YUEN CHONG · More Details Abstract Fulltext PDF.

Effect of γ-radiation on the production of aflatoxin B1 by Aspergillus parasiticus in raisins (Vitis vinifera L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanapitsas, Alexandros; Batrinou, Anthimia; Aravantinos, Athanasios; Markaki, Panagiota

2015-01-01

Aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) mostly produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, is an extremely toxic and carcinogenic metabolite. The effect of gamma irradiation at dose of 10 kGy on the production of aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) inoculated by Aspergillus parasiticus in raisins (Vitis vinifera L.) and on AFB 1 in contaminated samples, was investigated. Values of the amount of aflatoxin B 1 produced on the 12th day of incubation, after irradiation, showed that gamma radiation exposure at 10 kGy decreased AFB 1 production at 65% compared with the non-irradiated sample, on the same day. The application of 10 kGy gamma radiation directly on 100 ng of AFB 1 which were spiked in raisins resulted in ∼29% reduction of AFB 1 . According to the risk assessment analysis the Provisional Maximum Tolerable Daily Intake (PMTDI) of 1.0 ng AFB 1 kg −1 bw, indicates that consumers are less exposed to AFB 1 from the irradiated raisins. - Highlights: • Aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) is an extremely toxic and carcinogenic metabolite. • AFB 1 is produced in raisins. • Irradiation at the dose of 10 kGy affects AFB 1 production. • 10 kGy reduced (∼65%) AFB 1 production by A.parasiticus in raisins. • 10 kGy reduced (∼29%) AFB 1 spiked directly in raisins

Synaptic communication between neurons and NG2+ cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Paukert, Martin; Bergles, Dwight E

2006-10-01

Chemical synaptic transmission provides the basis for much of the rapid signaling that occurs within neuronal networks. However, recent studies have provided compelling evidence that synapses are not used exclusively for communication between neurons. Physiological and anatomical studies indicate that a distinct class of glia known as NG2(+) cells also forms direct synaptic junctions with both glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons. Glutamatergic signaling can influence intracellular Ca(2+) levels in NG2(+) cells by activating Ca(2+) permeable AMPA receptors, and these inputs can be potentiated through high frequency stimulation. Although the significance of this highly differentiated form of communication remains to be established, these neuro-glia synapses might enable neurons to influence rapidly the behavior of this ubiquitous class of glial progenitors.

Toxicological effects of fumonisin B1 alone and in combination with other fusariotoxins on bovine granulosa cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Albonico, Marco; Schütz, Luis F; Caloni, Francesca; Cortinovis, Cristina; Spicer, Leon J

2016-08-01

There is now overwhelming evidence of global contamination of commodities with Fusarium mycotoxins. Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is a Fusarium mycotoxin frequently occurring in corn in combination with deoxynivalenol (DON), α-zearalenol (α-ZEA) and β-zearalenol (β-ZEA). The aim of this study was to determine if FB1, alone and combined with DON or α-ZEA or β-ZEA, can affect cell proliferation and steroid production of bovine granulosa cells (GC). A species-specific model with bovine granulosa cells (GC) was used to study the potential endocrine disruptor effects of FB1 alone and in co-exposure. In the presence of β-ZEA (30 ng/mL), FB1 at 30 ng/mL showed a stimulatory effect on GC numbers. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1)-stimulated cell proliferation was decreased after exposure to β-ZEA alone at 5.0 μg/mL and FB1 with α-ZEA and β-ZEA at the same concentration. Regarding steroid production, FB1 at 30 ng/mL and 100 ng/mL amplified the inhibitory effect of β-ZEA (30 ng/mL) on estradiol (E2) production, while FB1 alone increased (P < 0.05) IGF1-induced E2 production. α-ZEA alone decreased (P < 0.05) E2 production, whereas β-ZEA alone and in combination with FB1 decreased (P < 0.05) E2 production. These studies indicate for the first time that the Fusarium mycotoxin FB1 along with other mycotoxins can affect GC proliferation and steroid production, which ultimately could influence reproductive function in cattle. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

L1 and L2 Distance Effects in Learning L3 Dutch

Science.gov (United States)

Schepens, Job J.; der Slik, Frans; Hout, Roeland

2016-01-01

Many people speak more than two languages. How do languages acquired earlier affect the learnability of additional languages? We show that linguistic distances between speakers' first (L1) and second (L2) languages and their third (L3) language play a role. Larger distances from the L1 to the L3 and from the L2 to the L3 correlate with lower…

Drug binding properties of neonatal albumin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brodersen, R; Honoré, B

1989-01-01

Neonatal and adult albumin was isolated by gel chromatography on Sephacryl S-300, from adult and umbilical cord serum, respectively. Binding of monoacetyl-diamino-diphenyl sulfone, warfarin, sulfamethizole, and diazepam was studied by means of equilibrium dialysis and the binding data were analyzed...... by the method of several acceptable fitted curves. It was found that the binding affinity to neonatal albumin is less than to adult albumin for monoacetyl-diamino-diphenyl sulfone and warfarin. Sulfamethizole binding to the neonatal protein is similarly reduced when more than one molecule of the drug is bound...

Treatment failures after antibiotic therapy of uncomplicated urinary tract infections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjerrum, Lars; Dessau, Ram B; Hallas, Jesper

2002-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The efficacy of sulfamethizole and pivmecillinam in the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTI) has been questioned because of an increase in the prevalence of resistant strains. The aim of this study was to describe the risk of treatment failures over the last 10 years. DESIGN......: Retrospective cohort study. MATERIAL: Data were retrieved from Odense Pharmaco Epidemiological Database and consisted of women receiving sulfamethizole (n = 44,716) or pivmecillinam (n = 3093) during the period 1990-99. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prescription of a new antibiotic drug appropriate for UTI within 4...

Quantitative Determination of L-DOPA in Seeds of Mucuna Pruriens Germplasm by High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Raina, Archana P; Khatri, Renu

2011-07-01

Mucuna pruriens Linn. is an important medicinal plant used for treatment of Parkinson's disease and many others in ancient Indian medical system. L-DOPA extracted from seeds of Mucuna is a constituent of more than 200 indigenous drug formulations and is more effective as drug than the synthetic counterpart. A densitometric high performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method was developed for quantification of L-DOPA content present in the seeds extract. The method involves separation of L-DOPA on precoated silica gel 60 GF(254) HPTLC plates using a solvent system of n-butanol-acetic-acid-water (4:1:1, v/v) as the mobile phase. Quantification was done at 280 nm using absorbance reflectance mode. Linearity was found in the concentration range of 100 to 1000 ng/spot with the correlation coefficient value of 0.9980. The method was validated for accuracy, precision and repeatability. Mean recovery was 100.89%. The LOD and LOQ for L-DOPA determination were found to be 3.41 ng/spot and 10.35 ng/spot respectively. The proposed HPTLC method was found to be precise, specific and accurate for quantitative determination of L-DOPA. It can be used for rapid screening of large germplasm collections of Mucuna pruriens for L-DOPA content. The method was used to study variation in fifteen accessions of Mucuna germplasm collected from different geographical regions.

Axonal degeneration stimulates the formation of NG2+ cells and oligodendrocytes in the mouse

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Helle Hvilsted; Ladeby, Rune; Drøjdahl, Nina

2006-01-01

the response of the NG2+ cells to the different components of demyelinating pathology, we investigated the response of adult NG2+ cells to axonal degeneration in the absence of primary myelin or oligodendrocyte pathology. Axonal degeneration was induced in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of adult mice...... by transection of the entorhino-dentate perforant path projection. The acutely induced degeneration of axons and terminals resulted in a prompt response of NG2+ cells, consisting of morphological transformation, cellular proliferation, and upregulation of NG2 expression days 2-3 after surgery. This was followed...

Health Information in Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)

Science.gov (United States)

... Information Translations Hemorrhagic Fevers Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) -- Yellow Fever Vaccine: What You Need to Know - English PDF Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) -- Yellow Fever Vaccine: What You Need to Know - Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese) ...

Physically Based Rendering in the Nightshade NG Visualization Platform

Science.gov (United States)

Berglund, Karrie; Larey-Williams, Trystan; Spearman, Rob; Bogard, Arthur

2015-01-01

This poster describes our work on creating a physically based rendering model in Nightshade NG planetarium simulation and visualization software (project website: NightshadeSoftware.org). We discuss techniques used for rendering realistic scenes in the universe and dealing with astronomical distances in real time on consumer hardware. We also discuss some of the challenges of rewriting the software from scratch, a project which began in 2011.Nightshade NG can be a powerful tool for sharing data and visualizations. The desktop version of the software is free for anyone to download, use, and modify; it runs on Windows and Linux (and eventually Mac). If you are looking to disseminate your data or models, please stop by to discuss how we can work together.Nightshade software is used in literally hundreds of digital planetarium systems worldwide. Countless teachers and astronomy education groups run the software on flat screens. This wide use makes Nightshade an effective tool for dissemination to educators and the public.Nightshade NG is an especially powerful visualization tool when projected on a dome. We invite everyone to enter our inflatable dome in the exhibit hall to see this software in a 3D environment.

Determinação do 1-hidroxipireno em amostras de urina por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência - estudo dos parâmetros de validação Determination of 1-hydroxypyrene in human urine by high-performance liquid chromatography - study of validation parameters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrícia Miranda de Faria

2004-06-01

Full Text Available Os hidrocarbonetos aromáticos policíclicos (HAPs correspondem a um grupo de substâncias químicas formadas durante a decomposição térmica de materiais orgânicos e, então, liberadas no meio ambiente. Vários trabalhos têm relatado efeitos adversos produzidos pelos HAPs, sendo muito destes efeitos relacionados ao desenvolvimento de câncer. Segundo a International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC, seis HAPs são provavelmente carcinogênicos para o homem. Considerando as propriedades toxicológicas e com o intuito de prevenir uma exposição ocupacional a estes compostos, a monitorização biológica por meio da determinação do 1-hidroxipireno urinário é, recomendada. Para tanto, foi necessário validar metodologia para a quantificação do analito proposto. Este trabalho teve como objetivo otimizar as condições de um sistema de cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (HPLC e detecção de fluorescência para a análise do 1-hidroxipireno urinário e, ainda, validar os parâmetros analíticos para a determinação deste analito em amostras de urina. O método inclui hidrólise enzimática (²-glicuronidase/arilsulfatase com posterior extração em fase sólida - SPE (C18. A separação cromatográfica foi consumada com uma coluna LC-PAH (15 cm x 4,6 mmID x 5 µm, fluxo em fase gradiente (metanol 40 e 100% e finalmente detecção seletiva (excitação - 242 nm e emissão - 388 nm. O método demonstrou ser linear (r² = 0,999 na faixa de concentração estudada (0,2 a 40,0 ng/mL. Os limites de detecção e quantificação foram 0,5 ng/mL e 1,0 ng/mL, respectivamente. Os resultados de precisão e exatidão foram adequados para a análise (CV Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs constitute a group of chemical substances formed during thermal degradation of organic materials released in the environment. At present, several hundreds of papers reporting adverse effects produced by PAHs are mainly related to cancer development

A survey of aflatoxin M1 in cow milk in Southern Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Majid Hashemi

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique was used to evaluate aflatoxin M1 (AFM1 levels in 168 samples of raw milk (135 samples and 33 samples from bulk tanks of farms and milk collection centers, respectively and 12 samples of pasteurized milk in Fars province, Southern Iran. AFM1 was found in 55.56% of the samples with a mean concentration of 21.31 ng/L. The concentration of AFM1 in raw milk samples from farms was significantly (p < 0.05 lower than that in samples from collection centers and pasteurized milk. The concentration of AFM1 was not influenced by season, location, or type of farm. The concentrations of AFM1 in all samples were lower than the Iranian national standard limit (100 ng/L, but in 30% of raw cow milk samples they were higher than the maximum tolerance limit accepted by the European Union (50 ng/L; therefore, more effort is needed to control AFM1 levels in milk produced in Southern Iran.

Mapping methane emissions using the airborne imaging spectrometer AVIRIS-NG

Science.gov (United States)

Thorpe, A. K.; Frankenberg, C.; Thompson, D. R.; Duren, R. M.; Bue, B. D.; Green, R. O.

2017-12-01

The next generation Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS-NG) has been used to survey large regions and map methane plumes with unambiguous identification of emission source locations. This capability is aided by real time detection and geolocation of gas plumes, permitting adaptive surveys and communication to ground teams for rapid follow up. We present results from AVIRIS-NG flight campaigns in Colorado, New Mexico, and California. Hundreds of plumes were observed, reflecting emissions from the energy sector that include hydraulic fracturing, gas processing plants, tanks, pumpjacks, and pipeline leaks. In some cases, plumes observed by AVIRIS-NG resulted in mitigation. Additional examples will be shown for methane from dairy lagoons, landfills, natural emissions, as well as carbon dioxide from power plants and refineries. We describe the unique capabilities of airborne imaging spectrometers to augment other measurement techniques by efficiently surveying key regions for methane point sources and supporting timely assessment and mitigation. We summarize the outlook for near- and longer-term monitoring capabilities including future satellite systems. Figure caption. AVIRIS-NG true color image subset with superimposed methane plume showing retrieved gas concentrations. Plume extends 200 m downwind of the southern edge of the well pad. Google Earth imagery with finer spatial resolution is also included (red box), indicating that tanks in the inset scene as the source of emissions. Five wells are located at the center of this well pad and all use horizontal drilling to produce mostly natural gas.

Adenosine A1 receptor-mediated inhibition of in vitro prolactin secretion from the rat anterior pituitary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D.L.W. Picanço-Diniz

2006-11-01

Full Text Available In previous studies, we demonstrated biphasic purinergic effects on prolactin (PRL secretion stimulated by an adenosine A2 agonist. In the present study, we investigated the role of the activation of adenosine A1 receptors by (R-N6-(2-phenylisopropyladenosine (R-PIA at the pituitary level in in vitro PRL secretion. Hemipituitaries (one per cuvette in five replicates from adult male rats were incubated. Administration of R-PIA (0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, and 10 µM induced a reduction of PRL secretion into the medium in a U-shaped dose-response curve. The maximal reduction was obtained with 0.1 µM R-PIA (mean ± SEM, 36.01 ± 5.53 ng/mg tissue weight (t.w. treatment compared to control (264.56 ± 15.46 ng/mg t.w.. R-PIA inhibition (0.01 µM = 141.97 ± 15.79 vs control = 244.77 ± 13.79 ng/mg t.w. of PRL release was blocked by 1 µM cyclopentyltheophylline, a specific A1 receptor antagonist (1 µM = 212.360 ± 26.560 ng/mg t.w., whereas cyclopentyltheophylline alone (0.01, 0.1, 1 µM had no effect. R-PIA (0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1 µM produced inhibition of PRL secretion stimulated by both phospholipase C (0.5 IU/mL; 977.44 ± 76.17 ng/mg t.w. and dibutyryl cAMP (1 mM; 415.93 ± 37.66 ng/mg t.w. with nadir established at the dose of 0.1 µM (225.55 ± 71.42 and 201.9 ± 19.08 ng/mg t.w., respectively. Similarly, R-PIA (0.01 µM decreased (242.00 ± 24.00 ng/mg t.w. the PRL secretion stimulated by cholera toxin (0.5 mg/mL; 1050.00 ± 70.00 ng/mg t.w.. In contrast, R-PIA had no effect (468.00 ± 34.00 ng/mg t.w. on PRL secretion stimulation by pertussis toxin (0.5 mg/mL; 430.00 ± 26.00 ng/mg t.w.. These results suggest that inhibition of PRL secretion after A1 receptor activation by R-PIA is mediated by a Gi protein-dependent mechanism.

3'-L-monoiodothyronine: development of a radioimmunoassay and demonstration of in vivo conversion from 3',5'-diiodothyronine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smallridge, R.C.; Wartofsky, L.; Green, B.J.; Miller, F.C.; Burman, K.D.

1979-01-01

A sensitive, reproducible RIA for the measurement of 3'-L-monoiodothyronine (3'T 1 ) is described. Mean intra- and interassay coefficients of variation were 2.4% and 22.5%, respectively. Cross-reactivity with other iodothyronines was negligible, except for 3,3'-L-diiodothyronine (3,3'T 2 ) which started to demonstrate cross-reactivity when 3,3'T 2 levels were elevated above 35 ng/dl. Fifty percent displacement occurred when 500 pg 3,3'T 2 were added to the 3'T 1 assay. Employing this assay, 11 normal subjects and 7 pregnant women had serum 3'T 1 levels below the limits of detectability of the assay ( 1 , with the mean (+-SD) values being 6.5 +- 3.0 ng/dl. Serum 3'T 1 levels were present in all cord sera measured (7.3 +- 2.3 ng/dl; n = 19), and the highest levels of 3'T 1 observed were in 38- to 40-week gestation amniotic fluid specimens (15.4 +- 8.4 ng/dl; n = 20). Compared to other iodothyronines, it seems that a relatively low proportion of 3'T 1 is bound to circulating proteins, as the mean percentage of dialyzable 3'T 1 in 12 normal subjects was 5.7 +- 1.2%. An oral dose of 3'T 1 (120 μg) given to 2 euthyroid individuals resulted in peak serum levels of 28 ng/dl 2 h after ingestion. After iv administration of 3'5'T 2 to 2 athyreotic patients (1 hypothyroid and the other euthyroid on replacement T 4 ), 3'T 1 levels rose from undetectable levels to 20 ng/dl. It was concluded that 3'T 1 is routinely detectable in the serum of hyperthyroid but not normal individuals, and even higher levels are present in cord sera and amniotic fluid. Moreover, the study demonstrates that in vivo conversion of 3',5'T 2 to 3'T 1 may occur

Bioconversion of Ginsenosides in the American Ginseng (西洋參 Xī Yáng Shēn Extraction Residue by Fermentation with Lingzhi (靈芝 Líng Zhī, Ganoderma Lucidum

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Bo Yang Hsu

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Ginseng (人参 Rén Shēn has been widely employed in functional foods and traditional medicines in many Asian countries. Owing to the high consumer demand of ginseng products, a large amount of ginseng residue is generated after extraction of ginseng. However, the ginseng residue still contains many bioactive compounds such as ginsenosides. The objective of this research was to convert ginsenosides in American ginseng (西洋參 Xī Yáng Shēn extraction residue (AmR by fermentation with lingzhi (靈芝 Líng Zhī, Ganoderma lucidum and the fermentation products will be used for further hypoglycemic activity research. Thus, this study was primarily focused on the ginsenosides that have been reported to possess hypoglycemic activity. In this study, the changes in seven ginsenoside [Rg1, Re, Rb1, Rc, Rg3(S, compound K (CK, and Rh2(S] in the products as affected by fermentation were investigated. Our results showed that the levels of ginsenosides, namely, Rg1, Rg3(S, and CK increased, while the other ginsenosides (Re, Rb1, and Rc decreased during the fermentation process.

Do L2 Writing Courses Affect the Improvement of L1 Writing Skills via Skills Transfer from L2 to L1?

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Gonca, Altmisdort

2016-01-01

This study investigates the relationship of second language (L2) writing skills proficiency with the first language (L1) writing skills, in light of the language transfer. The study aims to analyze the positive effects of L2 writing proficiency on L1 writing proficiency. Forty native Turkish-speaking university students participated in the study.…

Pharmacokinetics of oseltamivir in infants under the age of 1 year.

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Dixit, Rashmi; Matthews, Slade; Khandaker, Gulam; Walker, Karen; Festa, Marino; Booy, Robert

2016-12-01

Oseltamivir is the only antiviral treatment recommended for influenza in young children over the age of 1 year. There is scant data on oseltamivir pharmacokinetics (PK) in infants clearance in infants time points afterwards, to calculate Cmax (ng/mL), Tmax (h), AUC0-t (ng h/mL) and time for AUC (h). Four children with influenza A received oral oseltamivir, 2.35-3 mg/kg/dose. This dose range produced a target oseltamivir carboxylate plasma concentration in excess of the proposed 12-h target AUC of 3800 ng h/mL, selected from earlier studies to avert resistance. One patient developed GIT adverse event: dry retching. Oseltamivir was well tolerated at a dose of 2.35-3 mg/kg/dose twice a day in infants under the age of 1 year. In general agreement with earlier data, these doses produced a target oseltamivir carboxylate plasma exposure in excess of the proposed 12-h target exposure of AUC equal to 3800 ng h/mL in two patients. The limited plasma concentration data in the remaining two patients were not inconsistent with the target exposure being reached.

Expression of NgBR Is Highly Associated with Estrogen Receptor Alpha and Survivin in Breast Cancer

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North, Paula; Kong, Amanda; Huang, Jian; Miao, Qing Robert

2013-01-01

NgBR is a type I receptor with a single transmembrane domain and was identified as a specific receptor for Nogo-B. Our recent findings demonstrated that NgBR binds farnesylated Ras and recruits Ras to the plasma membrane, which is a critical step required for the activation of Ras signaling in human breast cancer cells and tumorigenesis. Here, we first use immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR approaches to examine the expression patterns of Nogo-B and NgBR in both normal and breast tumor tissues. Then, we examine the relationship between NgBR expression and molecular subtypes of breast cancer, and the roles of NgBR in estrogen-dependent survivin signaling pathway. Results showed that NgBR and Nogo-B protein were detected in both normal and breast tumor tissues. However, the expression of Nogo-B and NgBR in breast tumor tissue was much stronger than in normal breast tissue. The statistical analysis demonstrated that NgBR is highly associated with ER-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer. We also found that the expression of NgBR has a strong correlation with the expression of survivin, which is a well-known apoptosis inhibitor. The correlation between NgBR and survivin gene expression was further confirmed by real-time PCR. In vitro results also demonstrated that estradiol induces the expression of survivin in ER-positive T47D breast tumor cells but not in ER-negative MDA-MB-468 breast tumor cells. NgBR knockdown with siRNA abolishes estradiol-induced survivin expression in ER-positive T47D cells but not in ER-negative MDA-MB-468 cells. In addition, estradiol increases the expression of survivin and cell growth in ER-positive MCF-7 and T47D cells whereas knockdown of NgBR with siRNA reduces estradiol-induced survivin expression and cell growth. In summary, these results indicate that NgBR is a new molecular marker for breast cancer. The data suggest that the expression of NgBR may be essential in promoting ER-positive tumor cell proliferation via survivin induction

Time-dependent alterations in serum NO concentration after oral administration of L-arginine, L-NAME, and allopurinol in intestinal ischemia/reperfusion

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Amalia E Yanni

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Amalia E Yanni1, Eleutherios Margaritis2, Nikolaos Liarakos2, Alkisti Pantopoulou2, Maria Poulakou2, Maria Kostakis2, Despoina Perrea2, Alkis Kostakis31Department of Science of Dietetics and Nutrition, Harokopio University of Athens, Athens, Greece, 2Laboratory of Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece, 32nd Department of Propedeutic Surgery, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, GreeceObjective: To study the effect of oral administration of a nitric oxide (NO donor L-arginine (L-Arg, a NO synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME and an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase, allopurinol (Allo, on serum NO concentration and catalase activity after intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R in rats.Methods: Male Wistar rats received per os L-Arg (800 mg/kg or L-NAME (50 mg/kg or Allo (100 mg/kg 24 hrs, 12 hrs and 1 hr before underwent 1 hr occlusion of superior mesenteric artery followed by 1 hr of reperfusion (L-Arg(IR1, L-NAME(IR1 and Allo(IR1 respectively or 1 hr occlusion followed by 8 hrs of reperfusion (L-Arg(IR8, L-NAME(IR8 and Allo(IR8 respectively. There was one group underwent 1 hr occlusion (I, a group underwent 1 hr occlusion followed by 1 hr reperfusion (IR1, a group subjected to 1 hr occlusion followed by 8 hrs of reperfusion (IR8 and a last group that served as control (C. Serum NO concentration and catalase activity were measured.Results: After 1 hr of reperfusion serum NO concentration was elevated in IR1 and L-Arg(IR1 groups compared with group C but not in L-NAME(IR1 and Allo(IR1 group. Catalase activity was enhanced in L-NAME(IR1 group. Interestingly, serum NO concentration was increased after 8 hrs of reperfusion in all groups (IR8, L-Arg(IR8, L-NAME(IR8 and Allo(IR8 compared with control while catalase activity did not show significant difference in any group.Conclusions: The results of the

NG2/CSPG4 and progranulin in the posttraumatic glial scar.

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Schäfer, Michael K E; Tegeder, Irmgard

2018-08-01

Traumatic injury of the central nervous system is one of the leading causes of death and disability in young adults. Failure of regeneration is caused by autonomous neuronal obstacles and by formation of the glial scar, which is essential to seal the injury but also constitutes a barrier for regrowing axons. The scar center is highly inflammatory and populated by NG2+ glia, whereas astrocytes form the sealing border and trap regrowing axons, suggesting that the non-permissive environment of activated astrocytes and extracellular matrix components is one of the reasons for the regenerative failure. Particularly, secreted chondroitin-sulfate proteoglycans, CSPGs, of the lectican family hinder axonal regrowth. In contrast, the transmembrane CSPG, NG2/CSPG4, appears to be functionally closer related to axon growth permissive heparan sulfate proteoglycans, HSPGs, and synaptic adhesion molecules, which all regulate synaptic signaling and plasticity upon alpha-secretase mediated shedding. Consequently, knockout of NG2/CSPG4 aggravates tissue loss, inflammation and neurologic deficits after brain injury, a phenotype partly mimicked by deletion of HSPG-binding proteins such as the HSPG2/perlecan-interacting protein, progranulin that is also a functional ligand of Notch and Eph2a. Indeed, structural features or progranulin's targets and NG2 may point to direct reciprocal regulations that may act in concert to overcome injury-evoked inflammation and neuronal dystrophy. This review provides an overview of the pathophysiology of the glial scar after brain injury, with a specific focus on NG2/CSPG4, its functions before and after shedding and putative reciprocal influences with the glycoprotein progranulin. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Attributing Methane and Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Anthropogenic and Natural Sources Using AVIRIS-NG

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Thorpe, A. K.; Frankenberg, C.; Thompson, D. R.; Duren, R. M.; Aubrey, A. D.; Bue, B. D.; Green, R. O.; Gerilowski, K.; Krings, T.; Borchardt, J.; Kort, E. A.; Sweeney, C.; Conley, S. A.; Roberts, D. A.; Dennison, P. E.; Ayasse, A.

2016-12-01

Imaging spectrometers like the next generation Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS-NG) can map large regions with the high spatial resolution necessary to resolve methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. This capability is aided by real time detection and geolocation of gas plumes, permitting unambiguous identification of individual emission source locations and communication to ground teams for rapid follow up. We present results from AVIRIS-NG flight campaigns in the Four Corners region (Colorado and New Mexico) and the San Joaquin Valley (California). Over three hundred plumes were observed, reflecting emissions from anthropogenic and natural sources. Examples of plumes will be shown for a number of sources, including CH4 from well completions, gas processing plants, tanks, pipeline leaks, natural seeps, and CO2 from power plants. Despite these promising results, an imaging spectrometer built exclusively for quantitative mapping of gas plumes would have improved sensitivity compared to AVIRIS-NG. For example, an instrument providing a 1 nm spectral sampling (2,000-2,400 micron) would permit mapping CH4, CO2, H2O, CO, and N2O from more diffuse sources using both airborne and orbital platforms. The ability to identify emission sources offers the potential to constrain regional greenhouse gas budgets and improve partitioning between anthropogenic and natural emission sources. Because the CH4 lifetime is only about 9 years and CH4 has a Global Warming Potential 86 times that of CO2 for a 20 year time interval, mitigating these emissions is a particularly cost-effective approach to reduce overall atmospheric radiative forcing. Fig. 1. True color image subset with superimposed gas plumes showing concentrations in ppmm. Left: AVIRIS-NG observed CH4 plumes from natural gas processing plant extending over 500 m downwind of multiple emissions sources. Right: Multiple CO2 plumes observed from coal-fired power plant.

No evidence of genome editing activity from Natronobacterium gregoryi Argonaute (NgAgo) in human cells.

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Javidi-Parsijani, Parisa; Niu, Guoguang; Davis, Meghan; Lu, Pin; Atala, Anthony; Lu, Baisong

2017-01-01

The argonaute protein from the thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus shows DNA-guided DNA interfering activity at high temperatures, complicating its application in mammalian cells. A recent work reported that the argonaute protein from Natronobacterium gregoryi (NgAgo) had DNA-guided genome editing activity in mammalian cells. We compared the genome editing activities of NgAgo and Staphylococcus aureus Cas9 (SaCas9) in human HEK293T cells side by side. EGFP reporter assays and DNA sequencing consistently revealed high genome editing activity from SaCas9. However, these assays did not demonstrate genome editing activity by NgAgo. We confirmed that the conditions allowed simultaneous transfection of the NgAgo expressing plasmid DNA and DNA guides, as well as heterologous expression of NgAgo in the HEK293T cells. Our data show that NgAgo is not a robust genome editing tool, although it may have such activity under other conditions.

Helical magnetic axis configuration combined with l = 1 and weak l = -1 torsatron fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kikuchi, Hitoshi; Saito, Katsunori; Gesso, Hirokazu; Shiina, Shoichi

1989-01-01

The superposition of a relatively weak l = -1 torsatron field on a main l = 1 torsatron field leads to the improvement of the confinement properties due to the formation of a local magnetic well, which results from the local curvature of the helical magnetic axis with a larger excursion in the major radius direction. This l±1 helical magnetic axis system has a comparatively simple, compact coil structure. Here the vacuum configuration properties of l = ±1 system are described. (author)

Situation of the Csángó Dialect of Moldavia in Romania

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Siarl Ferdinand

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The following paper analyses the situation of the Csángó dialect spoken in the Romanian region of Moldavia. After a review of the global phenomenon of language death, its causes, and some resources to evaluate language vitality, the study focuses on the Csángó community and its Hungarian dialect. A short description of some fundamental facts about the group, such as ethnicity, religious affiliation, and linguistic background sets the base for an in-depth study of the language situation. In order to achieve that goal, the language was scrutinized according to the nine factors proposed by the UNESCO’s Language Vitality and Endangerment (LVE framework. The results confirm previous research in the field and show that Csángó is experiencing a decisive and most difficult phase in its history. It is expected, however, that this paper can contribute to create a successful planning to preserve not only Csángó but many other languages and dialects in similar situations.

A phase 1 randomized study evaluating the effect of omeprazole on the pharmacokinetics of a novel 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 4 agonist, revexepride (SSP-002358), in healthy adults

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Pierce, David; Corcoran, Mary; Velinova, Maria; Hossack, Stuart; Hoppenbrouwers, Mieke; Martin, Patrick

2015-01-01

Background About 30% of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease continue to experience symptoms despite treatment with proton pump inhibitors. The 5-hydroxytryptamine 4 receptor agonist revexepride (SSP-002358) is a novel prokinetic that stimulates gastrointestinal motility, which has been suggested as a continued cause of symptoms in these patients. The aim of this study was to assess whether revexepride pharmacokinetics were affected by co-administration of omeprazole, in preparation for a proof-of-concept evaluation of revexepride added to proton pump inhibitor treatment. Methods In this phase 1, open-label, randomized, two-period crossover study, healthy adults aged 18–55 years were given a single dose of revexepride 1 mg or revexepride 1 mg + omeprazole 40 mg. Pharmacokinetic parameters were assessed for up to 48 hours after administration of the investigational product. Adverse events, clinical chemistry and hematology parameters, electrocardiograms, and vital signs were monitored. Results In total, 42 participants were enrolled and 40 completed the study. The median age was 24 years (18–54 years), 55% were women and 93% were white. The pharmacokinetic parameters of revexepride were similar without or with omeprazole co-administration. The mean area under the plasma concentration–time curve from time 0 to infinity (AUC0–∞) was 23.3 ng · h/mL (standard deviation [SD]: 6.33 ng · h/mL) versus 24.6 ng · h/mL (SD: 6.31 ng · h/mL), and maximum plasma concentrations (Cmax) were 3.89 ng/mL (SD: 1.30 ng/mL) and 4.12 ng/mL (SD: 1.29 ng/mL) in participants without and with omeprazole, respectively. For AUC0–∞ and Cmax, the 90% confidence intervals for the ratios of geometric least-squares means (with:without omeprazole) were fully contained within the pre-defined equivalence limits of 0.80–1.25. Mean apparent terminal phase half-life was 9.95 hours (SD: 2.06 hours) without omeprazole, and 11.0 hours (SD: 3.25 hours) with omeprazole. Conclusion

Priesagos -ng- prūsų hidronimai

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Feliksas Daubaras

2011-12-01

Full Text Available DIE ALTPREUßlSCHEN HYDRONYME MIT -ng- SUFFIXENZusammenfassungIm vorliegenden Artikel werden altpr. Gewässernamen mit den Suffixen –ing- und -ang- besprochen. Hydronyme mit -ing- sind ihrer Herkunft nach Adjektive, die meistens von Substantiven ab­geleitet sind und den Besitz des durch das Stammwort ausgedrückten Begriffes bezeichnen. Manche von ihnen sind zu Eigennamen geworden, z. B. altpr. rag-ingis „Hirsch“ „mit Hörnern“ = *Rag-ing- Fluß, vgl. altpr. ragis „Horn“, lit. rãgas „Horn, Landzunge“; altpr. *stab-ing- „steinig“ = *Stab­-ing- See, vgl. altpr. stabis „Stein“; altpr. *sil-ing- „von Heiden umgeben“ = *Sil-ing- Bach, vgl. altpr. sylo „Heide“. Insgesamt sind im Artikel einunddreißig Hydronyme mit -ing- und drei mit -ang- angeführt. Die Konzentration von Gewässer- bzw. Ortsnamen mit diesen Suffixen in altpreussischen, kurischen und selischen Gebieten hat bereits Būga bemerkt. Das Suffix -ing- bei der Bil­dung von Gewässernamen war ursprünglich wohl nur den westlichen baltischen Stämmen (Preußen und Jatwingen und ihren nächsten Nachbarn Kuren bekannt. Das Suffix -ang- ist nur für Kuren und Preußen typisch. Hydronymische Parallelen mit Wurzeln von altpr. Gewässernamen mit -ing-und -ang- sind in Litauen und Lettland verschieden verbreitet. Mehrere von ihnen sind auf dem ganzen litauischen und lettischen Territorium zu treffen, z, B. *Amel-, *Ard-, *Ar-, *Bal-, *Bert-,*Birkel- , *Dubr-, *Eiv-, *Gisl-, *Kukul-, *Mat-, *Mus-, * Mutet-, *Mar-, *Rag-, *Ser-, *Sil-, *Sav-, *Ulp-, *Vad-. Manche Wurzeln kommen nur in bestimmten Gebieten vor, z. B. *Erl-,*Ranz-, *Skutel- — in Kurland, *Stab- — in Jatwingien, *Īz— in Selenland.Einige altpr. Hydronyme mit -ing- haben Variante mit -ung- (Amel-ink: Amelung, Dalwinge: Dalwunge, Seringe: Serung, was sich durch den Einfluß der deutschen Sprache deuten läßt.

IL4I1 Is a Novel Regulator of M2 Macrophage Polarization That Can Inhibit T Cell Activation via L-Tryptophan and Arginine Depletion and IL-10 Production.

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Yinpu Yue

Full Text Available Interleukin 4-induced gene-1 (IL4I1 was initially described as an early IL-4-inducible gene in B cells. IL4I1 protein can inhibit T cell proliferation by releasing its enzymatic catabolite, H2O2, and this effect is associated with transient down-regulation of T cell CD3 receptor-zeta (TCRζ expression. Herein, we show that IL4I1 contributes to the regulation of macrophage programming. We found that expression of IL4I1 increased during bone marrow-derived macrophage (BMDM differentiation, expression of IL4I1 is much higher in primary macrophages than monocytes, and IL4I1 expression in BMDMs could be induced by Th1 and Th2 cytokines in two different patterns. Gene expression analysis revealed that overexpression of IL4I1 drove the expression of M2 markers (Fizz1, Arg1, YM-1, MR and inhibited the expression of M1-associated cytokines. Conversely, knockdown of IL4I1 by siRNA resulted in opposite effects, and also attenuated STAT-3 and STAT-6 phosphorylation. Furthermore, IL4I1 produced by macrophages catalyzed L-tryptophan degradation, while levo-1-methyl-tryptophan (L-1-MT, but not dextro-1-methyl-tryptophan, partially rescued IL4I1-dependent inhibition of T cell activation. Other inhibitors, such as diphenylene iodonium (DPI, an anti-IL-10Rα blocking antibody, and a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, also had this effect. Overall, our findings indicate that IL4I1 promotes an enhanced M2 functional phenotype, which is most likely associated with the phosphorylation of STAT-6 and STAT-3. Moreover, DPI, L-1-MT, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, and anti-IL-10Rα blocking antibody were all found to be effective IL4I1 inhibitors in vitro.

Hans Küng se voorstel vir ’n eietydse etiek

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S. A. Strauss

1998-06-01

Full Text Available This contribution undertakes a critical assessment of the well-known Hans Küng's proposal for contemporary ethics in his book Global responsibility. In search of a new world ethic (1990. This article commences by providing some background on this publication as well as on the theology of Küng in general. The content of the book is then paraphrased in summarised form. The last part of the article analyses four major convictions of Kung, against which the Reformed doctrine is brought forward. These convictions deal with the ethical aspects of normativity, humanity, postmodernity and ecumenicity.

L1 French learning of L2 Spanish past tenses: L1 transfer versus aspect and interface issues

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José Amenós Pons

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the process of acquiring L2s that are closely related to the L1 through data on how adult French speakers learning L2 Spanish in a formal setting develop knowledge and use of past tenses in this L2. We consider the role of transfer and simplification in acquiring mental representations of the L2 grammar, specifically in the area of tense and aspect, and how learners deal with integrating grammatically encoded, lexical and discursive information, including mismatching feature combinations leading to particular inferential effects on interpretation. Data is presented on the Spanish past tenses (simple and compound past, pluperfect, imperfect and progressive forms from two tasks, an oral production filmretell and a multiple-choice interpretation task, completed by learners at A2, B1, B2 and C1 CEFR levels (N = 20-24 per level. L1 influence is progressively attenuated as proficiency increases. Difficulties were not always due to negative L1 transfer, but related also to grammar-discourse interface issues when integrating linguistic and pragmatic information in the interpretation process. This has clear implications for the teaching of closely related languages: instruction should not only focus on crosslinguistic contrasts, but also prioritize uses requiring complex interface integration, which are harder to process.

CORRELATION BETWEEN PROTEIN-WITH-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT-53 (P53, BURKIT CELL LYMPHOMA 2 (BCL2, AND FAS LIGAND (FASL AND VASCULAR-CELL-ADHESION-MOLECULE-1 (VCAM-1 MRNA EXPRESSION LEVELS IN A PATHOGENESIS STUDY OF PREECLAMPSIA

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Mintareja Teguh

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: To determine the role of protein-with-molecular-weight-53 (p53, burkit cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2, Fas ligand (FasL mRNA, and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1, known as the apoptosis-related molecular pathway, in preeclamptic patients. Methods: Observation on the correlation between the mRNA levels of p53, Bcl2 and FasL and VCAM-1 in 31 subjects at 28-42 weeks gestational age was performed in this study using the real time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR. Results: The results showed that p53 mRNA increased (>1.2350 ng/μL in the preeclampsia group compared to the normal pregnancy group (p=0.010, Bcl2 mRNA was lower (≤0.9271 ng/μL in the preeclampsia group than the control group (p=0.041. There was also a tendency of increased FasL mRNA expression (>0.5509 ng/μL in the preeclampsia group compared to the normal pregnancy group (p=0.300. The level of VCAM-1 elevated (>890.08 ng/mL in the preeclampsia group compared to the normal pregnancy group (p=0.001. In preeclampsia, the correlation between the Bcl2/p53 ratio and VCAM-1 was r=0.541 (p=0.002, whereas the correlation in normal pregnancy was r=0.099 (p=0.595. Conclusions: There are correlations between the mRNA expression levels of p53 and Bcl2 as an intrinsic pathway of apoptosis along with the VCAM-1 levels in the incidence of preeclampsia. However, no correlation is found between FasL mRNA expression and the incidence of preeclampsia.

Do L1 Reading Achievement and L1 Print Exposure Contribute to the Prediction of L2 Proficiency?

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Sparks, Richard L.; Patton, Jon; Ganschow, Leonore; Humbach, Nancy

2012-01-01

The study examined whether individual differences in high school first language (L1) reading achievement and print exposure would account for unique variance in second language (L2) written (word decoding, spelling, writing, reading comprehension) and oral (listening/speaking) proficiency after adjusting for the effects of early L1 literacy and…

SAXS analysis of a soluble cytosolic NgBR construct including extracellular and transmembrane domains.

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Joshua Holcomb

Full Text Available The Nogo-B receptor (NgBR is involved in oncogenic Ras signaling through directly binding to farnesylated Ras. It recruits farnesylated Ras to the non-lipid-raft membrane for interaction with downstream effectors. However, the cytosolic domain of NgBR itself is only partially folded. The lack of several conserved secondary structural elements makes this domain unlikely to form a complete farnesyl binding pocket. We find that inclusion of the extracellular and transmembrane domains that contain additional conserved residues to the cytosolic region results in a well folded protein with a similar size and shape to the E.coli cis-isoprenyl transferase (UPPs. Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS analysis reveals the radius of gyration (Rg of our NgBR construct to be 18.2 Å with a maximum particle dimension (Dmax of 61.0 Å. Ab initio shape modeling returns a globular molecular envelope with an estimated molecular weight of 23.0 kD closely correlated with the calculated molecular weight. Both Kratky plot and pair distribution function of NgBR scattering reveal a bell shaped peak which is characteristic of a single globularly folded protein. In addition, circular dichroism (CD analysis reveals that our construct has the secondary structure contents similar to the UPPs. However, this result does not agree with the currently accepted topological orientation of NgBR which might partition this construct into three separate domains. This discrepancy suggests another possible NgBR topology and lends insight into a potential molecular basis of how NgBR facilitates farnesylated Ras recruitment.

[Expression of high mobility group box-1 in the lung tissue and serum of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis].

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Yang, Xiao-min; Yang, Hua

2013-07-01

To explore the expression of high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) in the lung tissue and serum of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and to explore its relationship with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin(IL)-1β. Sixty samples of lung tissues were obtained from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis who had underwent pneumonectomy in Department of Chest Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical College from June 2010 to December 2011. At the same period, 40 normal lung samples were also obtained from patients with pulmonary contusion and lung cancer by surgical resections as the control group. The mRNA expressions of HMGB1 was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the protein level of HMGB1 was measured by immunohistochemical staining of tissue microarrays in lung tissue. Blood samples were taken from 89 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis (pulmonary tuberculosis group), including hematogenous disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis (type II) in 35 cases and secondary pulmonary tuberculosis (type III) in 54 cases, and 50 healthy volunteers (control group). Furthermore, the 54 patients with secondary pulmonary tuberculosis were divided into different subgroups according to cavity formation and the lung fields involved: patients without lung cavity (35 cases) vs those with lung cavity (19 cases), patients with involvement of pulmonary tuberculosis (69 ± 29) was significantly higher than that in normal lung tissue (22 ± 12) (t = 2.389, P pulmonary tuberculosis (786 ± 86) was significantly higher than that in normal lung tissue (202 ± 60) (t = 3.872, P pulmonary tuberculosis group were (5.0 ± 3.2) µg/L, (118 ± 77) ng/L and (33 ± 20) ng/L, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the control group [(1.7 ± 1.0) µg/L, (40 ± 11) ng/L and (18 ± 12) ng/L, respectively], the respective t values being -0.928, 4.268 and 11.064, all P pulmonary tuberculosis, the serum concentration of HMGB

Analysis of polar organic contaminants in surface water of the northern Adriatic Sea by solid-phase extraction followed by ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography-QTRAP® MS using a hybrid triple-quadrupole linear ion trap instrument.

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Loos, Robert; Tavazzi, Simona; Paracchini, Bruno; Canuti, Elisabetta; Weissteiner, Christof

2013-07-01

Water-soluble polar organic contaminants are discharged by rivers, cities, and ships into the oceans. Little is known on the fate, pollution effects, and thresholds of toxic chemical mixtures in the marine environment. A new trace analytical method was developed for the multi-compound analysis of polar organic chemical contaminants in marine waters. The method is based on automated solid-phase extraction (SPE) of one-liter water samples followed by ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography triple-quadrupole linear ion-trap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTRAP(®) MS). Marine water samples from the open Adriatic Sea taken 16 km offshore from Venice (Italy) were analyzed. Method limits of quantification (LOQs) in the low picogram per liter (pg/l) concentration range were achieved. Among the 67 target chemicals analyzed, 45 substances could be detected above the LOQ. The chemicals detected at the highest concentrations were caffeine (up to 367 ng/l), nitrophenol (36 ng/l), 2,4-dinitrophenol (34 ng/l), 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole (18.5 ng/l), sucralose (11 ng/l), 1H-benzotriazole (9.2 ng/l), terbuthylazine (9 ng/l), alachlor (7.7 ng/l), atrazine-desisopropyl (6.6 ng/l), diethyltoluamide (DEET) (5.0 ng/l), terbuthylazine-desethyl (4.3 ng/l), metolachlor (2.8 ng/l), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) (2.5 ng/l), perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) (2.3 ng/l), linuron (2.3 ng/l), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) (2.2 ng/l), diuron (2.0 ng/l), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) (1.6 ng/l), simazine (1.6 ng/l), atrazine (1.5 ng/l), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) (1.3 ng/l). Higher concentrations were detected during summer due to increased levels of tourist activity during this period.

Etendatakse 10-aastase kirjamehe näitemäng

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2003-01-01

Tartu katoliku kooli 3. klassi poisi Mario Raitari näitemäng "Kristoph Silvester von Tenderi lugu", mis on esimene lugu sarjast "Mario Raitari kroonika". Näidendit etendab Linnupuu Lastepereteatri trupp

A Renewable and Ultrasensitive Electrochemiluminescence Immunosenor Based on Magnetic RuL@SiO2-Au~RuL-Ab2 Sandwich-Type Nano-Immunocomplexes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ning Gan

2011-08-01

Full Text Available An ultrasensitive and renewable electrochemiluminescence (ECL immunosensor was developed for the detection of tumor markers by combining a newly designed trace tag and streptavidin-coated magnetic particles (SCMPs. The trace tag (RuL@SiO2-Au~RuL-Ab2 was prepared by loading Ru(bpy32+(RuL-conjuged secondary antibodies (RuL-Ab2 on RuL@SiO2 (RuL-doped SiO2 doped Au (RuL@SiO2-Au. To fabricate the immunosensor, SCMPs were mixed with biotinylated AFP primary antibody (Biotin-Ab1, AFP, and RuL@SiO2-Au~RuL-Ab2 complexes, then the resulting SCMP/Biotin-Ab1/AFP/RuL@SiO2-Au~RuL-Ab2 (SBAR sandwich-type immunocomplexes were absorbed on screen printed carbon electrode (SPCE for detection. The immunocomplexes can be easily washed away from the surface of the SPCE when the magnetic field was removed, which made the immunosensor reusable. The present immunosensor showed a wide linear range of 0.05–100 ng mL–1 for detecting AFP, with a low detection limit of 0.02 ng mL–1 (defined as S/N = 3. The method takes advantage of three properties of the immunosensor: firstly, the RuL@SiO2-Au~RuL-Ab2 composite exhibited dual amplification since SiO2 could load large amount of reporter molecules (RuL for signal amplification. Gold particles could provide a large active surface to load more reporter molecules (RuL-Ab2. Accordingly, through the ECL response of RuL and tripropylamine (TPA, a strong ECL signal was obtained and an amplification analysis of protein interaction was achieved. Secondly, the sensor is renewable because the sandwich-type immunocomplexes can be readily absorbed or removed on the SPCE’s surface in a magnetic field. Thirdly, the SCMP modified probes can perform the rapid separation and purification of signal antibodies in a magnetic field. Thus, the present immunosensor can simultaneously realize separation, enrichment and determination. It showed potential application for the detection of AFP in human sera.

Bradykinin-activated transmembrane signals are coupled via N/sub o/ or N/sub i/ to production of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, a second messenger in NG108-15 neuroblastoma-glioma hybrid cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higashida, H.; Streaty, R.A.; Klee, W.; Nirenberg, M.

1986-01-01

The addition of bradykinin to NG108-15 cells results in a transient hyperpolarization followed by prolonged cell depolarization. Injection of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate or Ca 2+ into the cytoplasm of NG108-15 cells also elicits cell hyperpolarization followed by depolarization. Tetraethylammonium ions inhibit the hyperpolarizing response of cells to bradykinin or inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate. Thus, the hyperpolarizing phase of the cell response may be due to inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-dependent release of stored 45 Ca-labelled Ca 2+ into the cytoplasm, which activates Ca 2+ -dependent K + channels. The depolarizing phase of the cell response to bradykinin is due largely to inhibition of M channels, thereby decreasing the rate of K + efflux from cells and, to a lesser extent, to activation of Ca 2+ -dependent ion channels and Ca 2+ channels. In contrast, injection of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate or Ca 2+ into the cytosol did not alter M channel activity. Incubation of NG108-15 cells with pertussis toxin inhibits bradykinin-dependent cell hyperpolarization and depolarization. Bradykinin stimulates low K/sub m/ GTPase activity and inhibits adenylate cyclase in NG108-15 membrane preparations but not in membranes prepared from cells treated with pertussis toxin. These results show that [bradykinin-receptor] complexes interact with N/sub o/ or N/sub i/ and suggest that N/sub o/ and/or N/sub i/ mediate the transduction of signals from bradykinin receptors to phospholipase C and adenylate cyclase

A single-dose pharmacokinetic study of emamectin benzoate in cod, Gadus morhua L., held in sea water at 9 degrees C.

Science.gov (United States)

Samuelsen, O B

2010-02-01

The pharmacokinetic profile of the antiparasitic agent emamectin benzoate was studied in plasma after intravenous (i.v.) injection and in plasma, muscle and skin following oral (p.o.) administration to cod, Gadus morhua, held in sea water at 9 degrees C and weighing 100-200 g. Following i.v. injection, the plasma drug concentration-time profile showed two distinct phases. The plasma distribution half-life (t(1/2)alpha) was estimated as 2.5 h, the elimination half-life (t(1/2)beta) as 216 h, the total body clearance (Cl(T)) as 0.0059 L kg(-1) h(-1) and mean residence time (MRT) as 385 h. The volume of distribution at steady state, V(d(ss)), was calculated to be 1.839 L kg(-1). Following p.o. administration the peak plasma concentration (C(max)) was 15 ng mL(-1), the time to peak plasma concentration (T(max)) was 89 h and t(1/2)beta was 180 h. The highest concentration in muscle (21 ng g(-1)) was measured after 7 days and t(1/2)beta was calculated to be 247 h. For skin, a peak concentration of 28 ng g(-1) at 3 days was observed and a t(1/2)beta of 235 h was determined. The bioavailability following p.o. administration was calculated to be 38%.

Multipotency and therapeutic potential of NG2 cells.

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Valný, Martin; Honsa, Pavel; Kriška, Ján; Anděrová, Miroslava

2017-01-01

Roč. 141, SI (2017), s. 42-55 ISSN 0006-2952 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA17-04034S Institutional support: RVO:68378041 Keywords : NG2 cells * oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPC) * myelin plasticity Subject RIV: FH - Neurology OBOR OECD: Neurosciences (including psychophysiology Impact factor: 4.581, year: 2016

Technology in L1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elf, Nikolaj Frydensbjerg; Hanghøj, Thorkild; Skaar, Håvard

2015-01-01

In recent decades, several Scandinavian research projects have had an explicit focus on how technology intervenes in L1 (or so-called Mother Tongue Education) practices in Swedish, Norwegian and Danish educational contexts, and how this may impact on understanding of the subject. There is currently......-of-school literacy practices. A final finding is the emphasis on teacher uncertainty regarding how and why to integrate technology within existing paradigms of the subject. This calls for further research on how technology may be justified in L1 practice, including various forms of teacher education....... no systematic overview of the documented possibilities and challenges related to the use of technology in L1. At the same time, there is terminological confusion in use of ‘technology’ and related concepts in L1. Finally, there is a general lack of critical reflection on the relation between technological...

Possible role of jasmonic acid in the regulation of floral induction, evocation and floral differentiation in Lemna minor L.

Science.gov (United States)

Krajncic, B; Kristl, J; Janzekovic, I

2006-01-01

Jasmonic acid (JA) is implicated in a wide variety of developmental and physiological processes in plants. Here, we studied the effects of JA and the combination of JA and ethylenediamine-dio-hydroxyphenyl-acetic acid (EDDHA) on flowering in Lemna minor in axenical cultures. JA (0.475-47.5 nmol l(-1)) enhanced floral induction in L. minor under long-day (LD) conditions. Under the same conditions, at a concentration of 237.5 nmol l(-1), JA inhibited floral induction, and at a concentration of 475 nmol l(-1) it prevented floral induction. Under LD conditions with LD preculture, a combination of EDDHA (20,500 nmol l(-1)) and JA (47.5 nmol l(-1)) had a synergistic effect on the promotion of floral induction. Floral induction was enhanced to the greatest extent in experiments with LD precultures. Microscopic examination of microphotographs of histological sections showed that JA and, to an even greater extent, JA+EDDHA at optimal concentrations promote apical floral induction (evocation). Furthermore, JA, and to an even greater extent JA in combination with EDDHA in an optimal concentration, also promote flower differentiation, especially the development of stamens, as is evident from the microphotographs. The experimental results show that JA promotes floral induction in other species of Lemnaceae from various groups according to their photoperiodic response. The results support our hypothesis that, in addition to previously ascribed functions, JA may regulate floral induction, evocation and floral differentiation. Our hypothesis is supported also by the results obtained by quantitative determination of endogenous JA levels in L. minor at three growth stages. The levels of endogenous JA decreased from 389 ng JA g(-1) (fresh weight) of L. minor during the vegetative stage to 217 ng JA g(-1) during the evocation stage, and to 37.5 ng JA g(-1) during the flowering stage, which proves that JA is used for flowering.

Simulation of LOFT anticipated-transient experiments L6-1, L6-2, and L6-3 using TRAC-PF1/MOD1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahota, M.S.

1984-01-01

Anticipated-transient experiments L6-1, L6-2, and L6-3, performed at the Loss-of-fluid Test (LOFT) facility, are analyzed using the latest released version of the Transient Reactor Analysis Code (TRAC-PF1/MOD1). The results are used to assess TRAC-PF1/MOD1 trip and control capabilities, and predictions of thermal-hydraulic phenomena during slow transients. Test L6-1 simulated a loss-of-stream load in a large pressurized-water reactor (PWR), and was initiated by closing the main steam-flow control valve (MSFCV) at its maximum rate, which reduced the heat removal from the secondary-coolant system and increased the primary-coolant system pressure that initiated a reactor scram. Test L6-2 simulated a loss-of-primary coolant flow in a large PWR, and was initiated by tripping the power to the primary-coolant pumps (PCPs) allowing the pumps to coast down. The reduced primary-coolant flow caused a reactor scram. Test L6-3 simulated an excessive-load increase incident in a large PWR, and was initiated by opening the MSFCV at its maximum rate, which increased the heat removal from the secondary-coolant system and decreased the primary-coolant system pressure that initiated a reactor scram. The TRAC calculations accurately predict most test events. The test data and the calculated results for most parameters of interest also agree well

Detection of aflatoxin M1 in raw and commercial pasteurized milk in Urmia, Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Tajik, Hossein; Rohani, Seyed Mehdi Razavi; Moradi, Mehran

2007-11-15

During the years 2005 and 2006, samples of raw and of pasteurized milk (72 samples each) were collected randomly from various parts of Urmia city in Iran for the detection of aflatoxin M1. Aflatoxin M1 levels were assessed by Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA). There was a high incidence of AFM1 (100%), in both raw and pasteurized milk samples. The AFM1 levels in 6.25% of samples were higher than the maximum tolerance limit accepted by European Union (50 ng L(-1)), while the observed mean ofAFM1 was lower than those proposed for European diets. Maximum level ofAFM1 in raw and pasteurized samples were 91.8 and 28.5 ng L(-1), while minimum levels were 4.3 and 5.1 ng L(-1), respectively. The levels ofAFM1 in total samples indicated that feeds for cows in this region were contaminated with AFB1 in such a level that appears to be a serious public health problem at the moment. Therefore, there is a need to limit exposure to aflatoxins by imposing regulatory limits.

Anti-idiotypic nanobody-alkaline phosphatase fusion proteins: Development of a one-step competitive enzyme immunoassay for fumonisin B_1 detection in cereal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shu, Mei; Xu, Yang; Liu, Xing; Li, Yanping; He, Qinghua; Tu, Zhui; Fu, Jinheng; Gee, Shirley J.; Hammock, Bruce D.

2016-01-01

A rapid and sensitive one-step competitive enzyme immunoassay for the detection of FB_1 was developed. The anti-idiotypic nanobody–alkaline phosphatase (Ab2β−Nb−AP) was validated by the AP enzyme activity and the properties of bounding to anti-FB1-mAb (3F11) through colorimetric and chemiluminescence analyses. The 50% inhibitory concentration and the detection limit (LOD) of colorimetric enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for FB_1 were 2.69 and 0.35 ng mL"−"1, respectively, with a linear range of 0.93–7.73 ng mL"−"1. The LOD of the chemiluminescence ELISA (CLIA) was 0.12 ng mL"−"1, and the IC_5_0 was 0.89 ± 0.09 ng mL"−"1 with a linear range of 0.29–2.68 ng mL"−"1. Compared with LC-MS/MS, the results of this assay indicated the reliability of the Ab2β−Nb−AP fusion protein based one-step competitive immunoassay for monitoring FB_1 contamination in cereals. The Ab2β−Nb−AP fusion proteins have the potential to replace chemically-coupled probes in competitive enzyme immunoassay systems. - Highlights: • Ab2β−Nb−AP has the potential to replace chemically-coupled probes. • Ab2β−Nb−AP is homogeneous enzyme-labelled antigen can be prepared reproducibly. • We developed a green and rapid one-step competitive enzyme immunoassay. • The sensitivity of one-step CLIA was 9-folds higher than two-step ELISA.

Development and Validation of a UPLC-MS/MS and UPLC-HR-MS Method for the Determination of Fumonisin B1 and Its Hydrolysed Metabolites and Fumonisin B2 in Broiler Chicken Plasma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siegrid De Baere

2018-01-01

Full Text Available A sensitive and specific method for the quantitative determination of Fumonisin B1 (FB1, its partially hydrolysed metabolites pHFB1a+b and hydrolysed metabolite HFB1, and Fumonisin B2 (FB2 in broiler chicken plasma using ultra-performance liquid chromatography combined with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS was developed. The sample preparation was rapid, straightforward and consisted of a deproteinization and phospholipid removal step using an Oasis® OstroTM 96-well plate. Chromatography was performed on an Acquity HSS-T3 column, using 0.3% formic acid and 10 mM ammonium formate in water, and acetonitrile as mobile phases. The MS/MS instrument was operated in the positive electrospray ionization mode and the two multiple reaction monitoring transitions were monitored for each component for quantification and identification, respectively. The method was validated in-house: matrix-matched calibration graphs were prepared and good linearity (r ≥ 0.99 was achieved over the concentration ranges tested (1–500 ng/mL for FB1 and FB2; 0.86–860 ng/mL for pHFB1a; 0.72–1430 ng/mL for pHFB1b and 2.5–2500 ng/mL for HFB1. Limits of quantification (LOQ and detection (LOD in plasma ranged between 0.72 to 2.5 ng/mL and 0.03 to 0.17 ng/mL, respectively. The results for the within-day and between-day precision and accuracy fell within the specified ranges. Moreover, the method was transferred to an UPLC high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS instrument in order to determine potential metabolites of HFB1, such as N-acyl-HFB1s and phase II metabolites. The method has been successfully applied to investigate the toxicokinetics and biotransformation of HFB1 in broiler chickens.

Small Molecule Agonists of Cell Adhesion Molecule L1 Mimic L1 Functions In Vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Kataria, Hardeep; Lutz, David; Chaudhary, Harshita; Schachner, Melitta; Loers, Gabriele

2016-09-01

Lack of permissive mechanisms and abundance of inhibitory molecules in the lesioned central nervous system of adult mammals contribute to the failure of functional recovery after injury, leading to severe disabilities in motor functions and pain. Peripheral nerve injury impairs motor, sensory, and autonomic functions, particularly in cases where nerve gaps are large and chronic nerve injury ensues. Previous studies have indicated that the neural cell adhesion molecule L1 constitutes a viable target to promote regeneration after acute injury. We screened libraries of known drugs for small molecule agonists of L1 and evaluated the effect of hit compounds in cell-based assays in vitro and in mice after femoral nerve and spinal cord injuries in vivo. We identified eight small molecule L1 agonists and showed in cell-based assays that they stimulate neuronal survival, neuronal migration, and neurite outgrowth and enhance Schwann cell proliferation and migration and myelination of neurons in an L1-dependent manner. In a femoral nerve injury mouse model, enhanced functional regeneration and remyelination after application of the L1 agonists were observed. In a spinal cord injury mouse model, L1 agonists improved recovery of motor functions, being paralleled by enhanced remyelination, neuronal survival, and monoaminergic innervation, reduced astrogliosis, and activation of microglia. Together, these findings suggest that application of small organic compounds that bind to L1 and stimulate the beneficial homophilic L1 functions may prove to be a valuable addition to treatments of nervous system injuries.

Fen Eğitiminde Öğrenme Döngüsü Modelleri

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yüksel Keleş

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Öğrenme döngüleri yapılandırıcı yaklaşımla fen eğitimi için geliştirilmiş modellerdir. Öğrenme döngüsü modelleri birbirini izleyen 3, 5 veya 7 evreden oluşmaktadır, bu evreler birbirinden ayrı ya da doğrusal değildir. Öğrenme döngüsü uygulamalarının yaratıcı ve eleştirel düşünme için öğrencileri teşvik etmesi ve bilime karşı olumlu tutum geliştirilmesi beklenmektedir. Kavramların daha iyi anlaşılmasına ve öğrencilerde ileri düşünme yeteneklerinin gelişmesine yardımcı olacağı düşünülmektedir. Bu makalede 5E ve 7E modellerinin her bir evresindeki öğrenci ve öğretmen rolleri üzerinde durulmaktadır. Model üzerinde gerçekleştirilen çalışmaların sonuçlarına dayanılarak modelin sağlayacağı olası faydalar tartışılmaktadır. Fen eğitiminde öğrenme döngüsü uygulamalarının yaygınlaştırılması amacıyla, öğretmen yetiştirme süreçlerinde öğrenme döngüsü modellerine yer verilmesi önerilmektedir.

An evaluation of the duration of efficacy of emamectin benzoate in the control of Caligus curtus Müller infestations in Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua L.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamre, L A; Lunestad, B T; Hannisdal, R; Samuelsen, O B

2011-06-01

The duration of efficacy of emamectin benzoate in the control of Caligus curtus infestations in Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua L., was studied following an administration of 50 μg kg⁻¹ for seven consecutive days. No lice were found on medicated fish when challenged 1 week (challenge 1) or 5 weeks (challenge 2) following termination of medication, whereas the mean abundance of lice among the unmedicated fish was 17.9 and 19.3 lice per fish in challenge 1 and 2, respectively. Muscle concentrations of 19.5 ± 8.2 ng g⁻¹ and 3.4 ± 0.9 ng g⁻¹, respectively, and skin concentrations of 23.1 ± 10.8 and 4.2 ± 1.0 ng g⁻¹, respectively, were found 27 and 55 days following the termination of medication. Tissue concentrations and the duration of efficacy indicate a dosing regime for emamectin in cod, similar to the regime used for Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Changes of MMP-9 and IL-1β in serum and cerebrospinal-fluid in children with central nervous system infection

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Shu-Qin Jiao

2016-01-01

Objective:To provide a new basis for the detection of the central nervous system infection cases, we explored and compared the role of cerebrospinal-fluid (CSF), matrix metalloproteinases 9 (MMP-9) and interleukin 1 (the level of IL -1β) in the central nervous system (CNS).Methods:Sixty cases of children acute central nervous system infection were selected, including 30 cases of viral encephalitis children (VE) and 30 cases of purulent meningitis children (PM). Forty cases of non-central nervous system infection children were control group. The serum albumin (SA1b) of each group was detected by full-automatic analysis instrument, and the CSF albumin (CA1b) was detected by immunoephelometry and the albumin index (AQ) was accounted. ELISE was used to detect the levels of MMP-9 and IL-1β in serum and cerebrospinal-fluid.Results:The level of MMP-9 in the serum of groups of VE, PM and control were (267.84 ± 91.88) μg/L, (488.98 ± 159.07) μg/L and (133.04 ± 31.68) μg/L, while in the CSF were (37.18 ± 17.78) μg/L, (117.9 ± 42.87) μg/L and (10.36 ± 5.43) μg/L; The level of IL-1β in serum of groups of PM, VE and control were (19.69 ± 11.12) ng/L, (24.37 ± 4.13) ng/L and (15.01 ± 3.89) ng/L, while in the CSF were (66.94 ± 10.65) ng/L, (106.27 ± 12.79) ng/L and (49.98 ± 12.59) ng/L; The level of CAlb were (0.53 ± 0.15) g/L, (1.05 ± 0.27) g/L and (0.17 ± 0.07) g/L and AQ were (13.75 ± 3.44), (26.99 ± 7.28) and (4.63 ± 2.04). The PM, VE were respectively compared with the control, the levels of IL-1β and MMP-9 in serum and CSF all increased, with statistically significant difference.The VE, compared to the PM, the level of IL-1β in serum and CSF all decreased, with statistically significant difference; The level of MMP-9 in serum and CSF all decreased, with statistically significant difference. The level of CA1b and AQ in the VE and PM all increased, with a statistically significant difference. The level of MMP-9 and IL-1β in serum and CSF of the

L1 Korean and L1 Mandarin L2 English Learners' Acquisition of the Count/Mass Distinction in English

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Sea Hee; Ionin, Tania; Zhu, Yeqiu

2018-01-01

This study investigates the second language (L2) acquisition of the English count/mass distinction by speakers of Korean and Mandarin Chinese, with a focus on the semantics of atomicity. It is hypothesized that L1-Korean and L1-Mandarin L2-English learners are influenced by atomicity in the use of the count/mass morphosyntax in English. This…

Innova ng for Maternal and Child Health in Africa

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Innova ng for Maternal and Child Health in Africa ... spacing are cri cal to maternal and child health programming. It is ... APHRC is the only African ins tu on ... Maternal death review and outcomes: An assessment in Lagos State, Nigeria.

A simple and sensitive method for determination of vitamins D3 and K1 in rat plasma: application for an in vivo pharmacokinetic study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gershkovich, Pavel; Ibrahim, Fady; Sivak, Olena; Darlington, Jerald W; Wasan, Kishor M

2014-03-01

To develop and to validate a simple but sensitive method for determination of vitamins D3 and K1 in rat plasma. The sample treatment included protein precipitation by cold acetonitrile, evaporation, reconstitution with methanol and filtration. The chromatography conditions included Xterra RP18 3.5 µm 4.6 × 100 mm column at ambient temperature and mobile phase consisting of methanol/water (93/7, v/v) at 0.5 mL/min flow rate. Vitamin D3 and probucol were detected at 265 nm and vitamin K1 at 239 nm. Rats were administered intravenously by 0.1 mg/kg of vitamin D3 or K1 and the blood samples were withdrawn pre-administration and at pre-determined time points post-administration. The pharmacokinetic analysis was performed using a non-compartmental approach. The calibration curves in rat plasma were linear up to 5000 ng/mL for both vitamins. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 20 ng/mL for vitamin D3 and 40 ng/mL for K1. Inter- and intra-day precision and accuracy were below 15%. The pharmacokinetic parameters of vitamin D3 following intravenous administration were: AUC0-∞ = 11323 ± 1081 h × ng/mL, Vd = 218 ± 80 mL/kg, CL = 8.9 ± 0.8 mL/h/kg, t1/2 = 16.8 ± 5 h; and of vitamin K1: AUC0-∞ = 2495 ± 297 h × ng/mL, Vd = 60 ±24 mL/kg, CL = 40.5 ± 5.1 mL/h/kg, t1/2 = 1.1 ±0.5 h. The developed HPLC-UV assay is a simple and sensitive method for the determination of vitamins D3 and K1 in rat plasma. A higher dose of vitamin K1 should be used in future studies for accurate estimation of pharmacokinetic parameters. The data show the suitability of the assay for pharmacokinetic studies in rats.

Changes in Maternal Serum Transforming Growth Factor Beta-1 during Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mandeep Singh

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Changes in circulating levels of maternal serum transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1, collected from 98 women (AGA at different gestational ages (10–38 weeks were measured and comparisons were made between levels in pregnant and nonpregnant controls and also between 10 women with small-for-gestational age (SGA and 7 with appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA fetuses. Maternal serum TGF-β1 levels at all stages of pregnancy were higher than those in normal healthy nonpregnant adults. The mean TGF-β1 levels in SGA pregnancies at 34-week gestation (32.5 + 3.2 ng/mL were significantly less than those in AGA pregnancies (39.2 + 9.8 ng/mL while at 38-week gestation, the levels were similar in the two groups (36.04 + 4.3 versus 36.7 + 7.0 ng/mL. This differential change in TGF-β1 levels is probably an important modulating factor in the aetiopathogenesis of abnormal intrauterine fetal growth.

Cat serum contamination by phthalates, PCBs, and PBDEs versus food and indoor air.

Science.gov (United States)

Braouezec, Clélie; Enriquez, Brigitte; Blanchard, Martine; Chevreuil, Marc; Teil, Marie-Jeanne

2016-05-01

A wide variety of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) with semi-volatile properties are emitted to indoor air and, thus, humans might get exposed to these compounds. Pet cats spend the major part of their lifetime at home and might integrate indoor contamination so that they could mirror the human exposure. Three classes of EDCs, polybromodiphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and phthalates (PAEs), were simultaneously considered and quantified in the serum of cats (Felis silvestris catus) living in the Paris area (France). The main compound concentrations by decreasing importance order were as follows: for PAEs, di-n-butyl phthalate (79,900 ng L(-1)) next di-iso-butyl phthalate (53,200 ng L(-1)), di-iso-nonyl phthalate (43,800 ng L(-1)), and di-ethylhexyl phthalate (32,830 ng L(-1)); for PCBs, CB153 (1378 ng L(-1)) next CB52 (509 ng L(-1)), CB101 (355 ng L(-1)), CB110 (264 ng L(-1)), and CB118 (165 ng L(-1)); and for PBDEs, BDE 153/154 (35 ng L(-1)) next BDE47 (10.7 ng L(-1)). Total serum concentrations as mean ± standard deviation were 107 ± 98 μg L(-1) for ∑9PAEs, 2799 ± 944 ng L(-1) for ∑19PCBs, and 56 ± 21 ng L(-1) for ∑9BDEs. The three chemical groups were found in cat food: 0.088 ng g(-1) for ∑9BDEs, 1.7 ng g(-1) for ∑19PCBs, and 2292 ng g(-1) for ∑9PAEs and in indoor air: 0.063 ng m(-3) for ∑9BDEs, 1.5 ng m(-3) for ∑19PCBs, and 848 ng m(-3) for ∑9PAEs. Contaminant intake by food ingestion was approximately 100-fold higher than that by indoor air inhalation.

76 FR 72087 - Special Conditions: Diamond Aircraft Industries, Model DA-40NG; Electronic Engine Control (EEC...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-22

...; Special Conditions No. 23-253-SC] Special Conditions: Diamond Aircraft Industries, Model DA-40NG..., Model DA-40NG airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature(s) associated with an... include the new model DA- 40NG with the Austro Engine GmbH model E4 Aircraft Diesel Engine (ADE). The...

Ny styring af lærernes autonomi?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Claus

2015-01-01

Kapitlet ”Ny styring af lærernes autonom?” i bogen Folkeskolen - efter reformen fokuserer på, hvordan en realisering af den vedtagne skolereform og forventningen om en kommende brug af nye forenklede Fælles Mål ud fra en målstyringstænkning ændrer lærernes autonomi til at udøve dømmekraft i...... klasseværelset. Dermed er kapitlets tese, at man ikke – i hvert fald ikke kun – kan tale om et tab af autonomi, men en ændret opfattelse og indhold heraf. Opgaven er derfor at indkredse, hvordan danske læreres autonomi til at udøve professionel dømmekraft forandrer sig, hvis man realiserer idéen om en...... læringsmålstyret undervisning, konkret i form af forenklede Fælles Mål. Og netop spørgsmålet om lærerens autonomi til at udøve professionel dømmekraft bliver i sammenhæng med styring heraf et centralt emne og problematik at afklare. Ikke kun i dansk sammenhæng, men også internationalt....

Mechanism for the decrease in the FIP1L1-PDGFRalpha protein level in EoL-1 cells by histone deacetylase inhibitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishihara, Kenji; Kaneko, Motoko; Kitamura, Hajime; Takahashi, Aki; Hong, Jang Ja; Seyama, Toshio; Iida, Koji; Wada, Hiroshi; Hirasawa, Noriyasu; Ohuchi, Kazuo

2008-01-01

Acetylation and deacetylation of proteins occur in cells in response to various stimuli, and are reversibly catalyzed by histone acetyltransferase and histone deacetylase (HDAC), respectively. EoL-1 cells have an FIP1L1-PDGFRA fusion gene that causes transformation of eosinophilic precursor cells into leukemia cells. The HDAC inhibitors apicidin and n-butyrate suppress the proliferation of EoL-1 cells and induce differentiation into eosinophils by a decrease in the protein level of FIP1L1-PDGFRalpha without affecting the mRNA level for FIP1L1-PDGFRA. In this study, we analyzed the mechanism by which the protein level of FIP1L1-PDGFRalpha is decreased by apicidin and n-butyrate. EoL-1 cells were incubated in the presence of the HDAC inhibitors apicidin, trichostatin A or n-butyrate. The protein levels of FIP1L1-PDGFRalpha and phosphorylated eIF-2alpha were determined by Western blotting. Actinomycin D and cycloheximide were used to block RNA synthesis and protein synthesis, respectively, in the chasing experiment of the amount of FIP1L1-PDGFRalpha protein. When apicidin- and n-butyrate-treated EoL-1 cells were incubated in the presence of actinomycin D, the decrease in the protein level of FIP1L1-PDGFRalpha was significantly enhanced when compared with controls. In contrast, the protein levels were not changed by cycloheximide among these groups. Apicidin and n-butyrate induced the continuous phosphorylation of eIF-2alpha for up to 8 days. The decrease in the level of FIP1L1-PDGFRalpha protein by continuous inhibition of HDAC may be due to the decrease in the translation rate of FIP1L1-PDGFRA. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Interference-free determination of sub ng kg-1 levels of long-lived 93Zr in the presence of high concentrations (μg kg-1) of 93Mo and 93Nb using ICP-MS/MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Petrov, Panayot; Russell, Ben; Douglas, David N; Goenaga-Infante, Heidi

2018-01-01

Long-lived high abundance radionuclides are of increasing interest with regard to decommissioning of nuclear sites and longer term nuclear waste storage and disposal. In many cases, no routine technique is available for their measurement in nuclear waste and low-level (ng kg -1 ) environmental samples. Recent advances in ICP-MS technology offer attractive features for the selective and sensitive determination of a wide range of long-lived radionuclides. In this work, inductively coupled plasma-tandem mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS)-based methodology, suitable for accurate routine determinations of 93 Zr at very low (ng kg -1 ) levels in the presence of high levels (μg kg -1 ) of the isobaric interferents 93 Nb and 93 Mo (often present in nuclear waste samples), is reported for the first time. Additionally, a novel and systematic strategy for method development based on the use of non-radioactive isotopes is proposed. It relies on gas-phase chemical reactions for different molecular ion formation to achieve isobaric interference removal. Using cell gas mixtures of NH 3 /He/H 2 or H 2 /O 2 , and suitable mass shifts, the signal from the 93 Nb and 93 Mo isobaric interferences on 93 Zr were suppressed by up to 5 orders of magnitude. The achieved limit of detection for 93 Zr was 1.3 × 10 -5  Bq g -1 (equivalent to 0.14 ng kg -1 ). The sample analysis time is 2 min, which represents a significant improvement in terms of sample throughput, compared to liquid scintillation counting methods. The method described here can be used for routine measurements of 93 Zr at environmentally relevant levels. It can also be combined with radiometric techniques for use towards the standardisation of 93 Zr measurements. Graphical abstract Interference-free determination of 93 Zr in the presence of high concentrations of isobaric 93 Mo and 93 Nb by ICP-MS/MS.

Expression of uPA, tPA, and PAI-1 in Calcified Aortic Valves

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Najlah Kochtebane

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. Our physiopathological assumption is that u-PA, t-PA, and PAI-1 are released by calcified aortic valves and play a role in the calcification of these valves. Methods. Sixty-five calcified aortic valves were collected from patients suffering from aortic stenosis. Each valve was incubated for 24 hours in culture medium. The supernatants were used to measure u-PA, t-PA, and PAI-1 concentrations; the valve calcification was evaluated using biphotonic absorptiometry. Results. Aortic stenosis valves expressed normal plasminogen activators concentrations and overexpressed PAI-1 (u-PA, t-PA, and PAI-1 mean concentrations were, resp., 1.69 ng/mL ± 0.80, 2.76 ng/mL ± 1.33, and 53.27 ng/mL ± 36.39. There was no correlation between u-PA and PAI-1 (r=0.3 but t-PA and PAI-1 were strongly correlated with each other (r=0.6. Overexpression of PAI-1 was proportional to the calcium content of the AS valves. Conclusions. Our results demonstrate a consistent increase of PAI-1 proportional to the calcification. The overexpression of PAI-1 may be useful as a predictive indicator in patients with aortic stenosis.

Getting the Big Picture: Design Considerations for a ngVLA Short Spacing Array

Science.gov (United States)

Mason, Brian Scott; Cotton, William; Condon, James; Kepley, Amanda; Selina, Rob; Murphy, Eric Joseph

2018-01-01

The Next Generation VLA (ngVLA) aims to provide a revolutionary increase in cm-wavelength collecting area and sensitivity while at the same time providing excellent image fidelity for a broad spectrum of science cases. Likely ngVLA configurations currently envisioned provide sensitivity over a very wide range of spatial scales. The antenna diameter (notionally 18 meters) fundamentally limits the largest angular scales that can be reached. One simple and powerful way to image larger angular scales is to build a complementary interferometer comprising a smaller number of smaller-diameter dishes.We have investigated the requirements that such an array would need to meet in order to usefully scientifically complement the ngVLA; this poster presents the results of our investigation.

Modernismi lõppmäng, Tallinn 1978 = Modernisn's endgame, Tallinn 1978 / Andres Kurg

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Kurg, Andres, 1975-

2008-01-01

14 arhitekti-kunstniku-disaineri "Arhitektuurinäitus 1978" TA raamatukogu fuajees. Pööre athitektuuri tegemises 1970-ndate lõpus. Tallinna 10 näitus 1982. a. Kunstisalongis. Neofunktsionalism on midagi muud. Staatilisest korrast dünaamilisse korrastatusse. Robert Venturi mõju. Iroonia ja institutsioonikriitika. Bibliograafia lk. 54-55

Plasma chitinase 3-like 1 is persistently elevated during first month after minimally invasive colorectal cancer resection

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

HMC Shantha Kumara; David Gaita; Hiromichi Miyagaki; Xiaohong Yan; Sonali AC Hearth; Linda Njoh; Vesna Cekic; Richard L Whelan

2016-01-01

AIM: To assess blood chitinase 3-like 1(CHi3L1) levels for 2 mo after minimally invasive colorectal resection(MICR) for colorectal cancer(CRC). METHODS: CRC patients in an Institutional Review Board approved data/plasma bank who underwent elective MICR for whom preoperative(PreO p), early postoperative(PostO p), and 1 or more late PostO p samples [postoperative day(POD) 7-27] available were included. Plasma CHi3L1 levels(ng/m L) were determined in duplicate by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: PreOp and PostOp plasma sample were available for 80 MICR cancer patients for the study. The median PreOp CHi3L1 level was 56.8 CI: 41.9-78.6 ng/mL(n = 80). Significantly elevated(P < 0.001) median plasma levels(ng/mL) over PreOp levels were detected on POD1(667.7 CI: 495.7, 771.7; n = 79), POD 3(132.6 CI: 95.5, 173.7; n = 76), POD7-13(96.4 CI: 67.7, 136.9; n = 62), POD14-20(101.4 CI: 80.7, 287.4; n = 22), and POD 21-27(98.1 CI: 66.8, 137.4; n = 20, P = 0.001). No significant difference in plasma levels were noted on POD27-41. CONCLUSION: Plasma CHi3L1 levels were significantly elevated for one month after MICR. Persistently elevated plasma CHi3L1 may support the growth of residual tumor and metastasis.

Three cases with L1 syndrome and two novel mutations in the L1CAM gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Marín, Rosario; Ley-Martos, Miriam; Gutiérrez, Gema; Rodríguez-Sánchez, Felicidad; Arroyo, Diego; Mora-López, Francisco

2015-11-01

Mutations in the L1CAM gene have been identified in the following various X-linked neurological disorders: congenital hydrocephalus; mental retardation, aphasia, shuffling gait, and adducted thumbs (MASA) syndrome; spastic paraplegia; and agenesis of the corpus callosum. These conditions are currently considered different phenotypes of a single entity known as L1 syndrome. We present three families with L1 syndrome. Sequencing of the L1CAM gene allowed the identification of the following mutations involved: a known splicing mutation (c.3531-12G>A) and two novel ones: a missense mutation (c.1754A>C; p.Asp585Ala) and a nonsense mutation (c.3478C>T; p.Gln1160Stop). The number of affected males and carrier females identified in a relatively small population suggests that L1 syndrome may be under-diagnosed. L1 syndrome should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intellectual disability or mental retardation in children, especially when other signs such as hydrocephalus or adducted thumbs are present.

Pharmacokinetics of anthocyanidin-3-glycosides following consumption of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. extract.

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Thomas; Janssen, Marlies; Netzel, Michael; Strass, Gabriele; Kler, Adolf; Kriesl, Erwin; Bitsch, Irmgard

2005-02-01

Pharmacokinetic parameters of several dietary anthocyanins following consumption of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. extract were determined in 6 healthy volunteers. Subjects were given a single oral dose of 150 mL of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. extract yielding 62.6 mg of cyanidin-3-sambubioside, 81.6 mg of delphindin-3-sambubioside, and 147.4 mg of total anthocyanins (calculated as cyanidin equivalents). Within 7 hours, the urinary excretion of cyanidin-3-sambubioside, delphinidin-3-sambubioside, and total anthocyanins (ie, the sum of all quantifiable anthocyanidin glycosides) was 0.016%, 0.021%, and 0.018% of the administered doses, respectively. Maximum excretion rates were determined at 1.5 to 2.0 hours after intake. The dose-normalized plasma area under the curve estimates were 0.076, 0.032, and 0.050 ng x h/mL/mg for cyanidin-3-sambubioside, delphinidin-3-sambubioside, and total anthocyanins, respectively. The dose-normalized C(max) estimates were 0.036, 0.015, and 0.023 ng/mL/mg in the same sequence. They were reached each at 1.5 hours (median) after intake. The geometric means of t1/2 were 2.18, 3.34, and 2.63 hours for cyanidin-3-sambubioside, delphinidin-3-sambubioside, and total anthocyanins, respectively. The urinary excretion of intact anthocyanins was fast and appeared to be monoexponential. To evaluate the contribution of anthocyanins to the health-protecting effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. extract, it will be necessary to perform further studies on both the intact glycosides and their in vivo metabolites or conjugates in human plasma and urine.

PD-L1-specific T cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahmad, Shamaila Munir; Borch, Troels Holz; Hansen, Morten

2016-01-01

-specific T cells that recognize both PD-L1-expressing immune cells and malignant cells. Thus, PD-L1-specific T cells have the ability to modulate adaptive immune reactions by reacting to regulatory cells. Thus, utilization of PD-L1-derived T cell epitopes may represent an attractive vaccination strategy...... for targeting the tumor microenvironment and for boosting the clinical effects of additional anticancer immunotherapy. This review summarizes present information about PD-L1 as a T cell antigen, depicts the initial findings about the function of PD-L1-specific T cells in the adjustment of immune responses...

The Role of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Roselle in Maintenance of Ex Vivo Murine Bone Marrow-Derived Hematopoietic Stem Cells

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Zariyantey Abdul Hamid

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Hematopoietic stem cells- (HSCs- based therapy requires ex vivo expansion of HSCs prior to therapeutic use. However, ex vivo culture was reported to promote excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS, exposing HSCs to oxidative damage. Efforts to overcome this limitation include the use of antioxidants. In this study, the role of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Roselle in maintenance of cultured murine bone marrow-derived HSCs was investigated. Aqueous extract of Roselle was added at varying concentrations (0–1000 ng/mL for 24 hours to the freshly isolated murine bone marrow cells (BMCs cultures. Effects of Roselle on cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS production, glutathione (GSH level, superoxide dismutase (SOD activity, and DNA damage were investigated. Roselle enhanced the survival (P<0.05 of BMCs at 500 and 1000 ng/mL, increased survival of Sca-1+ cells (HSCs at 500 ng/mL, and maintained HSCs phenotype as shown from nonremarkable changes of surface marker antigen (Sca-1 expression in all experimental groups. Roselle increased (P<0.05 the GSH level and SOD activity but the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS was unaffected. Moreover, Roselle showed significant cellular genoprotective potency against H2O2-induced DNA damage. Conclusively, Roselle shows novel property as potential supplement and genoprotectant against oxidative damage to cultured HSCs.

The Role of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Roselle) in Maintenance of Ex Vivo Murine Bone Marrow-Derived Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Abdul Hamid, Zariyantey; Lin Lin, Winnie Hii; Abdalla, Basma Jibril; Bee Yuen, Ong; Latif, Elda Surhaida; Mohamed, Jamaludin; Rajab, Nor Fadilah; Paik Wah, Chow; Budin, Siti Balkis

2014-01-01

Hematopoietic stem cells- (HSCs-) based therapy requires ex vivo expansion of HSCs prior to therapeutic use. However, ex vivo culture was reported to promote excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), exposing HSCs to oxidative damage. Efforts to overcome this limitation include the use of antioxidants. In this study, the role of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Roselle) in maintenance of cultured murine bone marrow-derived HSCs was investigated. Aqueous extract of Roselle was added at varying concentrations (0–1000 ng/mL) for 24 hours to the freshly isolated murine bone marrow cells (BMCs) cultures. Effects of Roselle on cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, glutathione (GSH) level, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and DNA damage were investigated. Roselle enhanced the survival (P < 0.05) of BMCs at 500 and 1000 ng/mL, increased survival of Sca-1+ cells (HSCs) at 500 ng/mL, and maintained HSCs phenotype as shown from nonremarkable changes of surface marker antigen (Sca-1) expression in all experimental groups. Roselle increased (P < 0.05) the GSH level and SOD activity but the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was unaffected. Moreover, Roselle showed significant cellular genoprotective potency against H2O2-induced DNA damage. Conclusively, Roselle shows novel property as potential supplement and genoprotectant against oxidative damage to cultured HSCs. PMID:25405216

Relative bioavailability of a newly developed 5-mg levomethadone hydrochloride IR tablet (L-Polamidon® 5 mg tablets) in comparison with the 5-mg levomethadone hydrochloride oral solution (L-Polamidon® solution for substitution) as reference product.

Science.gov (United States)

Blume, Henning H; Wedemeyer, Ralf-Steven; Donath, Frank; Roscher, Katrin; Elvert, Gerd; Wagner, Daniel; Bley, Oliver; Vuia, Alexander; Todorova-Sanjari, Marina; Villalobos, Ramon; Schug, Barbara

2015-04-01

To establish the relative bioavailability (rBA) between two p.o. 5-mg levomethadone hydrochloride formulations, i.e., L-Polamidon® 5 mg tablets (test) vs. L-Polamidon® solution for substitution (reference). To assess the safety and tolerability of both formulations. A total of 33 healthy male subjects, aged 29 ± 6 years (BMI: 23.9 ± 2.5 kg/m2) completed this single center, open-label, randomized, 2-period cross-over study with single dose administrations under fasting conditions and coadministration with naltrexone for safety reasons. Administrations of both investigational products were separated by a washout period of at least 2 weeks, i.e., 13 treatmentfree days. The total dose for each subject was 2 x 5 mg resulting in 10 mg levomethadone hydrochloride. For pharmacokinetic evaluation, blood samples were withdrawn until 72 hours postdose. A validated non-stereoselective liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy method (LC-MS/MS) was applied for the determination of levomethadone in plasma. The lower limit of quantitation was 0.100 ng/mL. Adverse events were descriptively analyzed in the study population. The geometric means of the parameters related with the extent of total exposure of levomethadone, i.e., AUC(0-tlast) and AUC(0-∞), were 244.422 ng x h/mL and 332.999 ng x h/mL for test and 246.837 ng x h/mL and 329.467 ng×h/mL for reference, respectively. The geometric means of the peak exposure for levomethadone, i.e., Cmax, were 8.923 ng/mL for test and 8.635 ng/mL for reference. The point estimates (PEs) of the Test/Reference (T/R) adjusted geometric mean ratios of AUC(0-last), AUC(0-∞), and C(max) were 99.20%, 101.42%, and 104.11%, respectively, and all of them showed 90%-confidence intervals (CIs) within the range of 80.00 - 125.00% as suggested by regulatory requirements for bioequivalence assessment In total, 21 subjects experienced 55 AEs during the study, the most frequently reported AE, i.e., headache, accounted for 13 out of the total

A phase 1 randomized study evaluating the effect of omeprazole on the pharmacokinetics of a novel 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 4 agonist, revexepride (SSP-002358, in healthy adults

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Pierce D

2015-02-01

Full Text Available David Pierce,1 Mary Corcoran,2 Maria Velinova,3 Stuart Hossack,4 Mieke Hoppenbrouwers,5 Patrick Martin,21Shire, Basingstoke, UK; 2Shire, Wayne, PA, USA; 3PRA International, Zuidlaren, the Netherlands; 4Covance, Leeds, UK; 5Shire-Movetis NV, Turnhout, BelgiumBackground: About 30% of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease continue to experience symptoms despite treatment with proton pump inhibitors. The 5-hydroxytryptamine 4 receptor agonist revexepride (SSP-002358 is a novel prokinetic that stimulates gastrointestinal motility, which has been suggested as a continued cause of symptoms in these patients. The aim of this study was to assess whether revexepride pharmacokinetics were affected by co-administration of omeprazole, in preparation for a proof-of-concept evaluation of revexepride added to proton pump inhibitor treatment.Methods: In this phase 1, open-label, randomized, two-period crossover study, healthy adults aged 18–55 years were given a single dose of revexepride 1 mg or revexepride 1 mg + omeprazole 40 mg. Pharmacokinetic parameters were assessed for up to 48 hours after administration of the investigational product. Adverse events, clinical chemistry and hematology parameters, electrocardiograms, and vital signs were monitored.Results: In total, 42 participants were enrolled and 40 completed the study. The median age was 24 years (18–54 years, 55% were women and 93% were white. The pharmacokinetic parameters of revexepride were similar without or with omeprazole co-administration. The mean area under the plasma concentration–time curve from time 0 to infinity (AUC0–∞ was 23.3 ng · h/mL (standard deviation [SD]: 6.33 ng · h/mL versus 24.6 ng · h/mL (SD: 6.31 ng · h/mL, and maximum plasma concentrations (Cmax were 3.89 ng/mL (SD: 1.30 ng/mL and 4.12 ng/mL (SD: 1.29 ng/mL in participants without and with omeprazole, respectively. For AUC0–∞ and Cmax, the 90% confidence intervals for the ratios of geometric least

Klaaspärlimäng peletab klassikahirmu / Katrin Nielsen

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Nielsen, Katrin

2003-01-01

Eri stiile-ajastuid ühendavast Peeter Vähi kujandatud muusikafestivalist "Klaaspärlimäng" 22. juulist-24. augustini. Kontsertidest Pärnu kontserdimajas: gamelaniansambli Gamelan Son of Lion kontserdist 22. juulil, Vardo Rumesseni kontserdist ja CD esitlusest 28. juulil, tütarlastekoori "Ellerhein" kontserdist 30. juulil

[Construction and application of prokaryotic expression system of Leptospira interrogans lipL32/1-lipL41/1 fusion gene].

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Dong-jiao; Yan, Jie; Mao, Ya-fei; Li, Shu-ping; Luo, Yi-hui; Li, Li-wei

2005-01-01

To construct lipL32/1-lipL41/1 fusion gene and its prokaryotic expression system and to determine frequencies of carrying and expression of lipL32 and lipL41 genes in L.interrogans wild strains and specific antibody levels in sera from leptospirosis patients. lipL32/1-lipL41/1 fusion gene was constructed using linking primer PCR method and the prokaryotic expression system of the fusion gene done with routine techniques. SDS-PAGE was used to examine expression of the target recombinant protein rLipL32/1-rLipL41/1. Immunogenicity of rLipL32/1-rLipL41/1 was identified by Western blot. PCR and MAT were performed to detect carrying and expression of lipL32 and lipL41 genes in 97 wild L.interrogans strains. Antibodies against products of lipL32 and lipL41 genes in serum samples from 228 leptospirosis patients were detected by ELISA method. The homogeneity of nucleotide and putative amino acid sequence of lipL32/1-lipL41/1 fusion gene were 99.9 % and 99.8 % in comparison with the reported sequences. Expression output of the target recombinant protein rLipL32/1-rLipL41/1, mainly present in inclusion body, accounted for 10 % of the total bacterial proteins. Both the rabbit antisera against rLipL32/1 and rLipL41/1 could combine to rLipL32/1-rLipL41/1. 97.9 % and 87.6 % of the L.interrogans wild strains had lipL32 and lipL41 genes, respectively. 95.9 % and 84.5 % of the wild strains were positive for MAT with titers of 1:4 - 1:128 using rabbit anti-rLipL32s or anti-rLipL41s sera, respectively. 94.7 % - 97.4 % of the patients'serum samples were positive for rLipL32s antibodies, while 78.5 % - 84.6 % of them were rLipL41s antibodies detectable. lipL32/1-jlipL41/1 fusion gene and its prokaryotic expression system were successfully constructed. The expressed fusion protein had qualified immunogenicity. Both the lipL32 and lipL41 genes are extensively carried and frequently expressed by different serogroups of L.interrogans, and their expression products exhibit cross-antigenicity.

An evaluation of G-protein coupled membrane estrogen receptor-1 level in stuttering.

Science.gov (United States)

Bilal, Nagihan; Kurutas, Ergül Belge; Orhan, Israfil

2018-02-01

Stuttering is a widespread but little understood disease. There has been a recent increase in neuropathophysiological, genetic, and biochemical studies related to the etiopathogenesis. As developmental stuttering continues in adult males, hormonal factors are thought to have an effect. In this study, an evaluation was made for the first time of serum GPER-1 level in patients with a stutter. Prospective case control. The study included 30 patients with a stutter, aged < 18 years, and 35 age-matched children as the control group. The Stuttering Severity Instrument-3 form was administered to the patients. Evaluations were made of serum GPER-1, TSH, estradiol, prolactin, and progesterone and testosterone levels. GPER-1 level was determined as 0.51 (0.42-0.67) ng/mL in the patients and as 0.19 (0.13-0.25) ng/mL in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). A statistically significant difference was determined between genders with GPER-1 level of 0.56 (0.44-0.68) ng/mL in the male stuttering patient group and 0.44 (0.35-0.49) ng/mL in the female patient group (p = 0.026). Differential diagnosis with ROC analysis for the serum GPER-1 levels was statistically significant [Area under the ROC curve (AUC): 0.998, confidence interval, CI 0.992-1.000, p < 0.001]. The GPER-1 levels of the stuttering patients were found to be higher than those of the control group and GPER-1 levels of male patients were higher than those of females. As GPER-1 has high sensitivity and sensitivity, it could be considered important in the diagnosis and treatment of stuttering.

Anti-idiotypic nanobody-alkaline phosphatase fusion proteins: Development of a one-step competitive enzyme immunoassay for fumonisin B{sub 1} detection in cereal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shu, Mei [State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, No. 235 Nanjing East Road, Nanchang 330047 (China); Jiangxi-OAI Joint Research Institute, Nanchang University, No. 235 Nanjing East Road, Nanchang 330047 (China); Xu, Yang, E-mail: xuyang@ncu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, No. 235 Nanjing East Road, Nanchang 330047 (China); Jiangxi-OAI Joint Research Institute, Nanchang University, No. 235 Nanjing East Road, Nanchang 330047 (China); Liu, Xing [State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, No. 235 Nanjing East Road, Nanchang 330047 (China); College of Food Science and Technology, Hainan University, No. 58 Renmin Avenue, Haikou 570228 (China); Li, Yanping; He, Qinghua [Jiangxi-OAI Joint Research Institute, Nanchang University, No. 235 Nanjing East Road, Nanchang 330047 (China); Tu, Zhui [State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, No. 235 Nanjing East Road, Nanchang 330047 (China); Fu, Jinheng [Jiangxi-OAI Joint Research Institute, Nanchang University, No. 235 Nanjing East Road, Nanchang 330047 (China); Gee, Shirley J.; Hammock, Bruce D. [Department of Entomology and UCD Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 (United States)

2016-06-14

A rapid and sensitive one-step competitive enzyme immunoassay for the detection of FB{sub 1} was developed. The anti-idiotypic nanobody–alkaline phosphatase (Ab2β−Nb−AP) was validated by the AP enzyme activity and the properties of bounding to anti-FB1-mAb (3F11) through colorimetric and chemiluminescence analyses. The 50% inhibitory concentration and the detection limit (LOD) of colorimetric enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for FB{sub 1} were 2.69 and 0.35 ng mL{sup −1}, respectively, with a linear range of 0.93–7.73 ng mL{sup −1}. The LOD of the chemiluminescence ELISA (CLIA) was 0.12 ng mL{sup −1}, and the IC{sub 50} was 0.89 ± 0.09 ng mL{sup −1} with a linear range of 0.29–2.68 ng mL{sup −1}. Compared with LC-MS/MS, the results of this assay indicated the reliability of the Ab2β−Nb−AP fusion protein based one-step competitive immunoassay for monitoring FB{sub 1} contamination in cereals. The Ab2β−Nb−AP fusion proteins have the potential to replace chemically-coupled probes in competitive enzyme immunoassay systems. - Highlights: • Ab2β−Nb−AP has the potential to replace chemically-coupled probes. • Ab2β−Nb−AP is homogeneous enzyme-labelled antigen can be prepared reproducibly. • We developed a green and rapid one-step competitive enzyme immunoassay. • The sensitivity of one-step CLIA was 9-folds higher than two-step ELISA.

Detection of high PD-L1 expression in oral cancers by a novel monoclonal antibody L1Mab-4.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamada, Shinji; Itai, Shunsuke; Kaneko, Mika K; Kato, Yukinari

2018-03-01

Programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), which is a ligand of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1), is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein that is expressed on antigen-presenting cells and several tumor cells, including melanoma and lung cancer cells. There is a strong correlation between human PD-L1 (hPD-L1) expression on tumor cells and negative prognosis in cancer patients. In this study, we produced a novel anti-hPD-L1 monoclonal antibody (mAb), L 1 Mab-4 (IgG 2b , kappa), using cell-based immunization and screening (CBIS) method and investigated hPD-L1 expression in oral cancers. L 1 Mab-4 reacted with oral cancer cell lines (Ca9-22, HO-1-u-1, SAS, HSC-2, HSC-3, and HSC-4) in flow cytometry and stained oral cancers in a membrane-staining pattern. L 1 Mab-4 stained 106/150 (70.7%) of oral squamous cell carcinomas, indicating the very high sensitivity of L 1 Mab-4. These results indicate that L 1 Mab-4 could be useful for investigating the function of hPD-L1 in oral cancers.

Effects of Methylmercury exposure in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Theresa Vertigan

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Mercury-containing compounds are environmental pollutants that have become increasingly consequential in the Arctic regions of North America due to processes of climate change increasing their release and availability at northern latitudes. Currently, the form of mercury known to be most detrimental to human health is methylmercury, CH3Hg+, which is found in the environment and accumulates in the tissues of piscivores, including those consumed by Alaska Natives through subsistence gathering. Much is known about the neurotoxicity of methylmercury after exposure to high concentrations, but little is known about toxicity to other tissues and cell types, particularly for long-term exposure and the lower concentrations that would occur through fish consumption. Effects of methylmercury exposure on 3T3-L1 adipocytes in culture were assessed using assays for cytotoxicity and an ELISA assay for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, a signaling molecule shown to be important for maintaining metabolic status in adipose tissue. Results showed that exposure to methylmercury leads to significant toxicity in adipocytes at exposures of 100 ng/mL during later stages of differentiation, but lower methylmercury concentrations produced little to no toxicity. Results also showed that VEGF secretion is elevated in adipocytes exposed to methylmercury after the process of differentiating into mature, fat-storing cells. These results provide a basis for further exploration into metabolic consequences of methylmercury exposure on specific cell types and cell models.

Determination of two progestin metabolites (17α-hydroxypregnanolone and pregnanediol) and different classes of steroids (androgens, estrogens, corticosteroids, progestins) in rivers and wastewaters by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS).

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Kun; Fent, Karl

2018-01-01

A highly sensitive and robust method was developed for routine analysis of two progestin metabolites, 17α-hydroxypregnanolone (17OH-Δ5P) and pregnanediol (PD), and 31 other natural and synthetic steroids and related metabolites (estrogens, androgens, corticosteroids, progestins) in river water, as well as influents and effluents of municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) using HPLC-MS/MS combined with solid-phase extraction. For the various matrixes considered, the optimized method showed satisfactory performance with recoveries of 70-120% for most of target steroids. The method detection limits (MDLs) ranged from 0.01 to 3ng/L for river water, 0.02 to 10ng/L for WWTP effluents, and 0.1 to 40ng/L for influents with good linearity and reproducibility. The developed method was successfully applied for the analysis of steroids in rivers and WWTP influent and effluents. WWTP influents concentrations of 17OH-Δ5P and PD were 51-256ng/L and up to 400ng/L, respectively, along with androstenedione (concentration range: 38-220ng/L), testosterone (11-26ng/L), estrone (2.3-37ng/L), 17β-estradiol (N.D.-8.7ng/L), 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (N.D.-66ng/L), medroxyprogesterone acetate (N.D.-5.3ng/L), and progesterone (2.0-22ng/L), while only androstenedione (ADD), estrone (E1), and estriol (E3) were detected in effluent with concentrations ranging up to 1.7ng/L, 0.90ng/L and 0.8ng/L, respectively. In river water samples, only ADD and E1 were detected with concentrations up to 1.0ng/L and 0.91ng/L. Our procedure represents the first method for analyzing 17OH-Δ5P and PD in environmental samples along with a large series of steroids. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Escape of Sisyphus or What “Post NG-PON2” Should Do Apart from Neverending Capacity Upgrades

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Maier

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The primary design goal of (revolutionary NG-PON1&2 was the provisioning of an ever increasing capacity to cope with video-dominated traffic and handle the explosion of mobile data traffic by means of offloading. Recently, however, questions on the future of “post NG-PON2” have surfaced whether to shift its research focus to business and operation related aspects and move access technology into a substantially different direction than continued capacity upgrades. In fact, recent studies indicate that ultimately the major factor limiting the performance of 4G mobile networks is latency rather than capacity of the backhaul. In this paper, we review recently proposed low-latency techniques for NG-PONs that require architectural modifications at the remote node or distribution fiber level and highlight advanced network coding and real-time polling based low-latency techniques that can be implemented in software, enable NG-PONs to carry higher traffic loads and thereby extend their lifetime, and maintain the passive nature of existent optical distribution networks. Furthermore, we elaborate on emerging trends and open challenges for future post NG-PON2 research. To better understand their true potential, we put them into a wider non-technical and historical perspective leading up to a sustainable Third Industrial Revolution (TIR economy and its underlying Energy Internet.

Detection of high PD-L1 expression in oral cancers by a novel monoclonal antibody L1Mab-4

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Shinji Yamada

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1, which is a ligand of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1, is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein that is expressed on antigen-presenting cells and several tumor cells, including melanoma and lung cancer cells. There is a strong correlation between human PD-L1 (hPD-L1 expression on tumor cells and negative prognosis in cancer patients. In this study, we produced a novel anti-hPD-L1 monoclonal antibody (mAb, L1Mab-4 (IgG2b, kappa, using cell-based immunization and screening (CBIS method and investigated hPD-L1 expression in oral cancers. L1Mab-4 reacted with oral cancer cell lines (Ca9-22, HO-1-u-1, SAS, HSC-2, HSC-3, and HSC-4 in flow cytometry and stained oral cancers in a membrane-staining pattern. L1Mab-4 stained 106/150 (70.7% of oral squamous cell carcinomas, indicating the very high sensitivity of L1Mab-4. These results indicate that L1Mab-4 could be useful for investigating the function of hPD-L1 in oral cancers. Keywords: Programmed cell death-ligand 1, Monoclonal antibody, Oral cancer

Brief Report: Medication Sharing Is Rare Among African HIV-1 Serodiscordant Couples Enrolled in an Efficacy Trial of Oral Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV-1 Prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomson, Kerry A; Haberer, Jessica E; Marzinke, Mark A; Mujugira, Andrew; Hendrix, Craig W; Celum, Connie; Ndase, Patrick; Ronald, Allan; Bangsberg, David R; Baeten, Jared M

2017-06-01

Sharing of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medications is a concern for PrEP implementation. For HIV-1 serodiscordant couples, sharing may undermine the HIV-1 prevention benefit and also cause antiretroviral resistance if taken by HIV-1 infected partners. Within a PrEP efficacy trial among HIV-1 serodiscordant couples, we assessed the occurrence of PrEP sharing by self-report and plasma tenofovir concentrations in HIV-1 infected partners. PrEP sharing was self-reported at <0.01% of visits, and 0%-1.6% of randomly selected and 0% of purposively selected specimens from HIV-1 infected participants had detectable tenofovir concentrations (median: 66.5 ng/mL, range: 1.3-292 ng/mL). PrEP sharing within HIV-1 serodiscordant couples was extremely rare.

Localisation of NG2 immunoreactive neuroglia cells in the rat locus coeruleus and their plasticity in response to stress

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Mohsen eSeifi

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The locus coeruleus (LC nucleus modulates adaptive behavioural responses to stress and dysregulation of LC neuronal activity is implicated in stress-induced mental illnesses. The LC is composed primarily of noradrenergic neurons together with various glial populations. A neuroglia cell-type largely unexplored within the LC is the NG2 cell. NG2 cells serve primarily as oligodendrocyte precursor cells throughout the brain. However, some NG2 cells are in synaptic contact with neurons suggesting a role in information processing. The aim of this study was to neurochemically and anatomically characterise NG2 cells within the rat LC. Furthermore, since NG2 cells have been shown to proliferate in response to traumatic brain injury, we investigated whether such NG2 cells plasticity also occurs in response to emotive insults such as stress. Immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy revealed that NG2 cells were enriched within the pontine region occupied by the LC. Close inspection revealed that a sub-population of NG2 cells were located within unique indentations of LC noradrenergic somata and were immunoreactive for the neuronal marker NeuN whilst NG2 cell processes formed close appositions with clusters immunoreactive for the inhibitory synaptic marker proteins gephyrin and the GABA-A receptor alpha3-subunit, on noradrenergic dendrites. In addition, LC NG2 cell processes were decorated with vesicular glutamate transporter 2 immunoreactive puncta. Finally, ten days of repeated restraint stress significantly increased the density of NG2 cells within the LC. The study demonstrates that NG2 IR cells are integral components of the LC cellular network and they exhibit plasticity as a result of emotive challenges.

Full-Length Sequence of Mouse Acupuncture-Induced 1-L (Aig1l Gene Including Its Transcriptional Start Site

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Mika Ohta

2011-01-01

Full Text Available We have been investigating the molecular efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA, which is one type of acupuncture therapy. In our previous molecular biological study of acupuncture, we found an EA-induced gene, named acupuncture-induced 1-L (Aig1l, in mouse skeletal muscle. The aims of this study consisted of identification of the full-length cDNA sequence of Aig1l including the transcriptional start site, determination of the tissue distribution of Aig1l and analysis of the effect of EA on Aig1l gene expression. We determined the complete cDNA sequence including the transcriptional start site via cDNA cloning with the cap site hunting method. We then analyzed the tissue distribution of Aig1l by means of northern blot analysis and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. We used the semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction to examine the effect of EA on Aig1l gene expression. Our results showed that the complete cDNA sequence of Aig1l was 6073 bp long, and the putative protein consisted of 962 amino acids. All seven tissues that we analyzed expressed the Aig1l gene. In skeletal muscle, EA induced expression of the Aig1l gene, with high expression observed after 3 hours of EA. Our findings thus suggest that the Aig1l gene may play a key role in the molecular mechanisms of EA efficacy.

N.G. Basov and early works on semiconductor lasers at P.N. Lebedev Physics Institute

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eliseev, P G

2012-01-01

A survey is presented of works on creation and investigation of semiconductor lasers during 1957 – 1977 at the P.N. Lebedev Physics Institute. Many of these works were initiated by N.G. Basov, starting from pre-laser time, when N.G. Basov and his coworkers formulated principal conditions of creation of lasers on interband transitions in semiconductors. Main directions of further works were diode lasers based on various materials and structures, their characteristics of output power, high-speed operation and reliability. (special issue devoted to the 90th anniversary of n.g. basov)

Integrated Ion Exchange Regeneration Process for Perchlorate in Drinking Water

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-01

chloride NDEA N-Nitrosodiethylamine NDMA N-Nitrosodimethylamine NDPA N-Nitrosodipropylamine NAVFAC ESC Naval Facilities Engineering Command...NO3 37 mg/L as NO3 Uranium 1.6 μg/L 2.6 μg/L 2.2 mg/L NDMA ɚ.0 ng/L 32 ng/L ɚ.0 ng/L NDEA ɚ.0 ng/L ɚ.0 ng/L ɚ.0 ng/L NDPA ɚ.0 ng/L ɚ.0 ng...L ɚ.0 ng/L NDMA – N-Nitrosodimethylamine NDEA – N-Nitrosodiethylamine NDPA – N-Nitrosodipropylamine 15 Figure 5. Influent perchlorate

Elu kui näitemäng / Helju Koger

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Koger, Helju, 1943-

2007-01-01

VI kihelkonnapäevadest Juurus. Juuru Mihkli kirikus esines ansambel Resonabilis. Konverentsil räägiti Järlepa mõisast, Anu Allikvee pidas ettekande "August von Kotzebue elu nagu näitemäng" jm. Näitemängu "Pärmi Jaagu unenägu" nägi kohalike asjaarmastajate esituses

Effects of Starvation on Deltamethrin Tolerance in Bed Bugs, Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae

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Zachary C. DeVries

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L., are a major pest in the urban environment. Their presence often results in physical, psychological, and financial distress of homeowners and apartment dwellers. Although many insecticide bioassays have been performed on this pest, little attention has been paid to bed bug feeding status, which is closely linked to metabolism, molting, and mass. Therefore, we evaluated the toxicity of topically applied deltamethrin on insecticide susceptible adult male bed bugs fed 2 d, 9 d, and 21 d prior to testing. When toxicity was evaluated on a “per-bug” basis, there was no difference between 2 d [LD50 = 0.498 (0.316 − 0.692 ng·bug−1] and 9 d [LD50 = 0.572 (0.436 − 0.724 ng·bug−1] starved bugs, while 21 d starved bugs had a significantly lower LD50 [0.221 (0.075 − 0.386 ng·bug−1]. When toxicity was evaluated in terms of body mass, 9 d starved bugs had the highest LD50 values [0.138 (0.102 − 0.176 ng·mg−1], followed by 2 d starved bugs [0.095 (0.060 − 0.134 ng·mg−1], and then 21 d starved bugs [0.058 (0.019–0.102 ng·mg−1]; the LD50 values of 2 d and 9 d starved bugs were significantly different from 21 d starved bugs. These results indicate that feeding status plays an important role in the toxicity of deltamethrin. In addition, the lack of differences between 2 d and 9 d starved bugs indicate that the blood meal itself has little impact on tolerance, but rather it is some physiological change following feeding that confers increased tolerance to bed bugs.

Generation of Reactive Astrocytes from NG2 Cells is Regulated by Sonic Hedgehog

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Honsa, Pavel; Valný, Martin; Kriška, Ján; Matušková, Hana; Harantová, Lenka; Kirdajová, Denisa; Valihrach, Lukáš; Kubista, Mikael; Anděrová, Miroslava

2016-01-01

Roč. 64, č. 9 (2016), s. 1518-1531 ISSN 0894-1491 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GBP304/12/G069; GA ČR(CZ) GA16-10214S; GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0109; GA MŠk(CZ) LQ1604; GA MŠk(CZ) EE2.3.30.0045 Institutional support: RVO:68378041 ; RVO:86652036 Keywords : ischemia * NG2 cells * glial scar Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology; EI - Biotechnology ; Bionics (BTO-N) Impact factor: 6.200, year: 2016

Lavale jõuab näitemäng armastuse orjast

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2007-01-01

Komöödiateatril tuleb lavale Jaan Toominga lavastatud "Venuse armumäng" austria kirjaniku Leopold von Sacher-Masochi romaani "Venus karusnahas" järgi. Osades Veikko Täär, Britta Vahur ja kulturist Imre Vähi

Immunodiagnosis of Fasciola gigantica Infection Using Monoclonal Antibody-Based Sandwich ELISA and Immunochromatographic Assay for Detection of Circulating Cathepsin L1 Protease.

Science.gov (United States)

Anuracpreeda, Panat; Chawengkirttikul, Runglawan; Sobhon, Prasert

2016-01-01

Tropical fasciolosis caused by Fasciola gigantica infection is one of the major diseases infecting ruminants in the tropical regions of Africa and Asia including Thailand. Parasitological diagnosis of fasciolosis is often unreliable and possesses low sensitivity. Therefore, the detection of circulating parasite antigens is thought to be a better alternative for diagnosis of fasciolosis, as it reflects the real parasite burden. In this study, we have produced a monoclonal antibody (MoAb) against recombinant F. gigantica cathepsin L1 (rFgCatL1), and developed both sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (sandwich ELISA) and immunochromatographic (IC) test for rapid detection of circulating cathepsin L1 protease (CatL1) in the sera from mice experimentally and cattle naturally infected with Fasciola gigantica. MoAb 4E3 and biotinylated rabbit anti-recombinant CatL1 antibody were selected due to their high reactivities and specificities. The lower detection limits of sandwich ELISA and IC test were 3 pg/ml and 0.256 ng/ml, respectively. Sandwich ELISA and IC test could detect F. gigantica infection from day 1 to 35 post infection. In experimental mice, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 95%, 100% and 98.6% (for sandwich ELISA), and 93%, 100% and 98.2% (for IC test), while in natural cattle they were 98.3%, 100% and 99.5% (for sandwich ELISA), and 96.7%, 100% and 99.1% (for IC test). These two assay methods showed high efficiencies and precisions for diagnosis of fasciolosis by F. gigantica.

Immunodiagnosis of Fasciola gigantica Infection Using Monoclonal Antibody-Based Sandwich ELISA and Immunochromatographic Assay for Detection of Circulating Cathepsin L1 Protease

Science.gov (United States)

Anuracpreeda, Panat; Chawengkirttikul, Runglawan; Sobhon, Prasert

2016-01-01

Background Tropical fasciolosis caused by Fasciola gigantica infection is one of the major diseases infecting ruminants in the tropical regions of Africa and Asia including Thailand. Parasitological diagnosis of fasciolosis is often unreliable and possesses low sensitivity. Therefore, the detection of circulating parasite antigens is thought to be a better alternative for diagnosis of fasciolosis, as it reflects the real parasite burden. Methods In this study, we have produced a monoclonal antibody (MoAb) against recombinant F. gigantica cathepsin L1 (rFgCatL1), and developed both sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (sandwich ELISA) and immunochromatographic (IC) test for rapid detection of circulating cathepsin L1 protease (CatL1) in the sera from mice experimentally and cattle naturally infected with Fasciola gigantica. MoAb 4E3 and biotinylated rabbit anti-recombinant CatL1 antibody were selected due to their high reactivities and specificities. Results The lower detection limits of sandwich ELISA and IC test were 3 pg/ml and 0.256 ng/ml, respectively. Sandwich ELISA and IC test could detect F. gigantica infection from day 1 to 35 post infection. In experimental mice, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 95%, 100% and 98.6% (for sandwich ELISA), and 93%, 100% and 98.2% (for IC test), while in natural cattle they were 98.3%, 100% and 99.5% (for sandwich ELISA), and 96.7%, 100% and 99.1% (for IC test). Conclusions These two assay methods showed high efficiencies and precisions for diagnosis of fasciolosis by F. gigantica. PMID:26731402

Gold nanoparticles functionalized with a fragment of the neural cell adhesion molecule L1 stimulate L1-mediated functions

Science.gov (United States)

Schulz, Florian; Lutz, David; Rusche, Norman; Bastús, Neus G.; Stieben, Martin; Höltig, Michael; Grüner, Florian; Weller, Horst; Schachner, Melitta; Vossmeyer, Tobias; Loers, Gabriele

2013-10-01

The neural cell adhesion molecule L1 is involved in nervous system development and promotes regeneration in animal models of acute and chronic injury of the adult nervous system. To translate these conducive functions into therapeutic approaches, a 22-mer peptide that encompasses a minimal and functional L1 sequence of the third fibronectin type III domain of murine L1 was identified and conjugated to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to obtain constructs that interact homophilically with the extracellular domain of L1 and trigger the cognate beneficial L1-mediated functions. Covalent conjugation was achieved by reacting mixtures of two cysteine-terminated forms of this L1 peptide and thiolated poly(ethylene) glycol (PEG) ligands (~2.1 kDa) with citrate stabilized AuNPs of two different sizes (~14 and 40 nm in diameter). By varying the ratio of the L1 peptide-PEG mixtures, an optimized layer composition was achieved that resulted in the expected homophilic interaction of the AuNPs. These AuNPs were stable as tested over a time period of 30 days in artificial cerebrospinal fluid and interacted with the extracellular domain of L1 on neurons and Schwann cells, as could be shown by using cells from wild-type and L1-deficient mice. In vitro, the L1-derivatized particles promoted neurite outgrowth and survival of neurons from the central and peripheral nervous system and stimulated Schwann cell process formation and proliferation. These observations raise the hope that, in combination with other therapeutic approaches, L1 peptide-functionalized AuNPs may become a useful tool to ameliorate the deficits resulting from acute and chronic injuries of the mammalian nervous system.The neural cell adhesion molecule L1 is involved in nervous system development and promotes regeneration in animal models of acute and chronic injury of the adult nervous system. To translate these conducive functions into therapeutic approaches, a 22-mer peptide that encompasses a minimal and functional L1

Gallic acid attenuates hypertension, cardiac remodeling, and fibrosis in mice with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester-induced hypertension via regulation of histone deacetylase 1 or histone deacetylase 2.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Li; Lin, Ming Quan; Piao, Zhe Hao; Cho, Jae Yeong; Kim, Gwi Ran; Choi, Sin Young; Ryu, Yuhee; Sun, Simei; Kee, Hae Jin; Jeong, Myung Ho

2017-07-01

Gallic acid, a natural chemical found in plants, has been reported to show antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated the efficacy of a short-term or long-term treatment with gallic acid in N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)-induced hypertensive mice and the underlying regulatory mechanism. Hypertension was sufficiently induced after 2 weeks of L-NAME administration. Cardiac remodeling was assessed by echocardiography. Hypertrophic markers, transcription factors, and fibrosis-related gene expression were evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Gallic acid effectively lowered SBP, regardless of the administration route (intraperitoneal or oral). L-NAME increased the left ventricular (LV) thickness without an increase in the total heart weight. Weekly echocardiography demonstrated that gallic acid significantly reduced LV posterior wall and septum thickness in chronic L-NAME mice from 3 to 7 weeks. The administration of gallic acid to mice showed a dual preventive and therapeutic effect on the L-NAME-induced LV remodeling. The effect was associated with the suppression of the gene expression of hypertrophy markers and the GATA-binding factor 6 (GATA6) transcription factor. Short-term or long-term treatment with gallic acid attenuated cardiac fibrosis and reduced the expression of histone deacetylase 1 and 2 in H9c2 cells and in rat primary cardiac fibroblasts, as well as in vivo. Small interfering RNA knockdown confirmed the association of these enzymes with L-NAME-induced cardiac remodeling and fibrosis. These results suggested that gallic acid may be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases with hypertension and cardiac fibrosis.

HPTLC methods for the Rapid Determination of Adhatoda vasica L. Glycyrrhiza glabbra L., Phyllanthus embelica L. and Camellia sinensis L. in a polyherbal formulation (INSTY)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheikh, Z. A.; Zahoor, A.; Shafiq, K.; Usmanghani, K.; Khan, S. S.; Khan, A.

2015-01-01

An Insty Granule is a polyherbal formulation, and it is widely used to treat upper respiratory tract infections. It contains expectorant, anti-inflammatory, mucolytic and anti-pyretic properties. The major active constituents are vasicine, gallic acid, caffeine and glycyrrhizin. Insty a poly herbal formulation of eight herbs were investigated for its phytochemical evaluation. Biomarkers of about four herbs both qualitatively and quantitatively were investigated. Methods: The solvent systems used were ethyl acetate, chloroform, ethanol, ammonia (6: 3: 1: 1) for vasicin, ethyl acetate, chloroform, formic acid (12: 15: 3) for gallic acid, ethyl acetate, methanol, water (100: 13.5: 10) for caffeine, and methanol, water, acetic acid (70: 30: 0.5) for glycyrrhizin. Results: The methods showed a good linear relationship (r/sup 2/ = 0.999) in the concentration range 25-1500 ng per spot. It was found to be linear, accurate, precise, specific, robust and can be applied for quality control and standardization. Conclusion: In present study rapid and inexpensive qualification methods for the quality control of Adhatoda vasica L. Glycyrrhiza glabbra L., Phyllanthus embelica L. and Camellia sinensis L. on thin layer chromatography (TLC) were developed and validated on silica gel. HPTLC is most suitable technique because of quantification of number of samples at low operating cost, easy sample preparation, short analysis time and analytical assurance. (author)

Mission-Based Analyses of Armor Training Requirements. Volume 7. Training Objectives for the XM1 Loader

Science.gov (United States)

1982-04-01

the gas particulate filter system MODULE L: OPERATE THE M250 BRENADE LAUNCHER 1L. Load the grenade launcher 2L. Unload the grenade launcher MODULE M...k Initia~ng Stimulus: Thei (11rdLr from the T.C. to load the M250 .p grenade launcher. J ACTION Loader will: 1L. Load the grenade launcher. 2L. Unload

Comparison of Bit Error Rate of Line Codes in NG-PON2

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Tomas Horvath

2016-05-01

Full Text Available This article focuses on simulation and comparison of line codes NRZ (Non Return to Zero, RZ (Return to Zero and Miller’s code for NG-PON2 (Next-Generation Passive Optical Network Stage 2 using. Our article provides solutions with Q-factor, BER (Bit Error Rate, and bandwidth comparison. Line codes are the most important part of communication over the optical fibre. The main role of these codes is digital signal representation. NG-PON2 networks use optical fibres for communication that is the reason why OptSim v5.2 is used for simulation.

How Does L1 and L2 Exposure Impact L1 Performance in Bilingual Children? Evidence from Polish-English Migrants to the United Kingdom

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Ewa Haman

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Most studies on bilingual language development focus on children’s second language (L2. Here, we investigated first language (L1 development of Polish-English early migrant bilinguals in four domains: vocabulary, grammar, phonological processing, and discourse. We first compared Polish language skills between bilinguals and their Polish non-migrant monolingual peers, and then investigated the influence of the cumulative exposure to L1 and L2 on bilinguals’ performance. We then examined whether high exposure to L1 could possibly minimize the gap between monolinguals and bilinguals. We analyzed data from 233 typically developing children (88 bilingual and 145 monolingual aged 4;0 to 7;5 (years;months on six language measures in Polish: receptive vocabulary, productive vocabulary, receptive grammar, productive grammar (sentence repetition, phonological processing (non-word repetition, and discourse abilities (narration. Information about language exposure was obtained via parental questionnaires. For each language task, we analyzed the data from the subsample of bilinguals who had completed all the tasks in question and from monolinguals matched one-on-one to the bilingual group on age, SES (measured by years of mother’s education, gender, non-verbal IQ, and short-term memory. The bilingual children scored lower than monolinguals in all language domains, except discourse. The group differences were more pronounced on the productive tasks (vocabulary, grammar, and phonological processing and moderate on the receptive tasks (vocabulary and grammar. L1 exposure correlated positively with the vocabulary size and phonological processing. Grammar scores were not related to the levels of L1 exposure, but were predicted by general cognitive abilities. L2 exposure negatively influenced productive grammar in L1, suggesting possible L2 transfer effects on L1 grammatical performance. Children’s narrative skills benefitted from exposure to two languages

Solid phase extraction of cadmium on 2-mercaptobenzothiazole loaded on sulfur powder in the medium of ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate and cold vapor generation-atomic absorption spectrometric determination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pourreza, N.; Ghanemi, K.

2010-01-01

A novel solid phase extractor for preconcentration of cadmium at ng L -1 levels has been developed. Cadmium ions were retained on a column packed with sulfur powder modified with 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (2-MBT) in the medium of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([bmim] + PF 6 - ) ionic liquid. The presence of ionic liquid during modification of sulfur enhanced the retention of cadmium ions on the column. The retained cadmium ions were eluted with 2 mol L -1 solution of HCl and measured by cold vapor generation-atomic absorption spectrometry (CVG-AAS). By using reaction cell-gas liquid separator (RC-GLS), gaseous cadmium vapors were produced and reached the atomic absorption spectrometer, instantaneously. The influence of different variables on both processes of solid phase extraction and CVG-AAS determination of cadmium ions was investigated. The calibration curve was linear in the range of 10-200 ng L -1 of cadmium in the initial solution with r = 0.9992 (n = 8) under optimum conditions. The limit of detection based on three times the standard deviation of the blank (3S b , n = 10) was 4.6 ng L -1 . The relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) of 25 and 150 ng L -1 of cadmium was 4.1 and 2.2% (n = 8), respectively. The procedure was validated by the analysis of a certified reference material (DORM-3), water and fish samples.

[Inhibitory Effect of Decitabine on Proliferation of MDS-L Cells and Its Mechanism].

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Dong; Zhang, Yao; Zhao, You-Shan; Guo, Juan; Chang, Chun-Kang

2017-10-01

To investigate the inhibitory effect of decitabine (DAC) in various dosages on the proliferention of MDS-RAEB cell line MDS-L and its mechanism. LC-MS/MS method was used to test the blood DAC concentration of 2 groups of MDS patients being treated with DAC 20 and 15 mg/m 2 ×5 d. In according to the various blood DAC concentration levels, the MDS-L cells were treated with different DAC dosages for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h, respectively. The CCK-8 method was applied to determine the cell proliferation, the flow cytometry was used to analyze the cell cycle and cell apoptosis changes, the P15 INK4B DNA methylation status was measured by methylation specific PCR using EZ DNA Methylation-Gold Kit. The blood DAC concentration of MDS patients treated with DAC 20 mg/m 2 ×5 d was 174.08±80.15(84.7-311) ng/ml, which was significantly higher than 89.87±32.94(43.2-165)ng/ml for the group treated with 15 mg/m 2 ×5 d (P=0.014). DAC could notably inhibit the proliferation of MDS-L cells, and the effect was in dose- and- time-dependent manner(r=0.786). However, when DAC concentration was ≥0.1 µg/ml, the proliferation inhibition rates were not significantly different between various dosages. After DAC treatment, MDS-L cells in G 1 phase increased notably, while cells in S phase decreased significantly. Also, the P15 INK4B DNA methylation status of MDS-L cells decreased after being treated with DAC for 96 h, but the difference was not significant between various dosages. DAC can significantly suppress MDS-L cell proliferation, block MDS-L cells in G 1 phase and induce the apoptosis at low concentration (0.1-0.2 µg/ml).

[Eukaryotic expression of Leptospira interrogans lipL32/1-ompL1/1 fusion gene encoding genus-specific protein antigens and the immunoreactivity of expression products].

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Jie; Zhao, Shou-feng; Mao, Ya-fei; Ruan, Ping; Luo, Yi-hui; Li, Shu-ping; Li, Li-wei

2005-01-01

To construct the eukaryotic expression system of L.interrogans lipL32/1-ompL1/1 fusion gene and to identify the immunoreactivity of expression products. PCR with linking primer was used to construct the fusion gene lipL32/1-ompL1/1. The P.pastoris eukaryotic expression system of the fusion gene, pPIC9K-lipL32/1-ompL1/1-P. pastorisGS115, was constructed after the fusion gene was cloned and sequenced. Colony with phenotype His(+)Mut(+) was isolated by using MD and MM plates and His(+) Mut(+) transformant with high resistance to G418 was screened out by using YPD plate. Using lysate of His(+) Mut(+) colony with high copies of the target gene digested with yeast lyase as the template and 5'AOX1 and 3'AOX1 as the primers, the target fusion gene in chromosome DNA of the constructed P. pastoris engineering strain was detected by PCR. Methanol in BMMY medium was used to induce the target recombinant protein rLipL32/1-rOmpL1/1 expression. rLipL32/1-rOmpL1/1 in the medium supernatant was extracted by using ammonium sulfate precipitation and Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. Output and immunoreactivity of rLipL32/1-rOmpL1/1 were measured by SDS-PAGE and Western blot methods, respectively. Amplification fragments of the obtained fusion gene lipL32/1-ompL1/1 was 1794 bp in size. The homogeneity of nucleotide and putative amino acid sequences of the fusion gene were as high as 99.94 % and 100 %, respectively, compared with the sequences of original lipL32/1 and ompL1/1 genotypes. The constructed eukaryotic expression system was able to secrete rLipL32/1-rOmpL1/1 with an output of 10 % of the total proteins in the supernatant, which located the expected position after SDS-PAGE. The rabbit anti-rLipL32/1 and anti-rOmpL1/1 sera could combine the expressed rLipL32/1-rOmpL1/1. An eukaryotic expression system with high efficiency in P.pastoris of L.interrogans lipL32/1-ompL1/1 fusion gene was successfully constructed in this study. The expressed fusion protein shows specific

Diazepam e nordiazepam em plasma: métodos de extração líquido-líquido e em fase sólida no pré-tratamento de amostras para análise cromatográfica em fase líquida Diazepam and nordiazepam in plasma: liquid-liquid and solid phase extraction in sample pre-treatment for high performance liquid chromatography analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ellen Figueiredo Freire

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Analysis of diazepam (DZP and its active metabolite nordiazepam (NDZP in plasma is commonly performed in clinical medicine to ensure proper therapeutic effects while minimizing the incidence of toxicity. This study aimed to optimize analytical parameters and compare two pre-treatment techniques, liquid-liquid (LLE and solid phase extraction (SPE, as well as liquid chromatographic conditions to analyze simultaneously DZP and NDZP in plasma from 20 patients treated with a daily dose of 10 mg. Both techniques showed to be well in line with the international criteria for analytical validation, which permitted to quantify DZP (66.2 - 1148.6 ng mL-1 and NDZP (138.5 - 808.6 ng mL -1 in all samples. The correlation coefficients between SPE and LLE were respectively 0.9729 for DZP and 0.9643 for NDZP.

Spectroscopic Studies of Semiconductor Materials for Aggressive-scaled Micro- and Opto-electronic Devices: nc-SiO2, GeO2; ng-Si, Ge and ng-Transition metal (TM) oxides

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Cheng

transitions. Intra-d states are observed in all high-K dielectrics regardless of morphology, e.g. ng-TiO2, nc- Ti silicate , c-LaTiO3, nc-HfSiON334. This dissertation also discussed spectroscopic studies of: (i) nc-SiO 2, nc-GeO2 and (ii) nc-(SiO2)x(GeO2) 1-x pseudo-binary alloys. These studies, and the interpretation of these spectra and those in Chapter 3 in the This dissertation also discussed spectroscopic studies of: (i) nc-SiO2, nc-GeO2 and (ii) nc-(SiO 2)x(GeO2)1-x pseudo-binary alloys. These studies, and the interpretation of these spectra and those in Chapter 3 in the context of ab-initio theory provide a science base for the implementation of nc-oxides onto Germaniumsubstrates for aggressively scaled CMOS FETs, imaging devices as well as photovoltaics. X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy(AES) were used to determine SiO2 and GeO2 concentration in (SiO2)x(GeO2)1-x alloys. A linear trend in chemical shifts with compositions is observed and explained with charge-potential model, which incorporates the results of calculated partial charge from an empirical model for ionicity. The compositional linear relationships between binding energies nc-SiO 2, nc-GeO2, and (SiO2)x(GeO2)1-x alloy concentration agrees with the calculated results in charge potential model. SE and XAS spectral results show relatively strong O-vacancy in nc-GeO 2. O-vacancy defects in c-SiO2 are weaker. This is due to differences between Ge-O and Si-O bond (657.5kJ/mol and 799.6kJ/mol respectively). SE data shows a strong defect feature in GeO2, while SiO2 has no significant and distinct defect signature. Percolation theory describes the interconnection of bonds, e.g. Si-O and Ge-O in an otherwise nc-material, a (SiO2)x(GeO2)1-x pseudo-binary alloy. Changes in the band-gap energy of binary Si-Ge alloys occur at 0%Si (or 100% Ge), and the band gap energy increases from ˜ 0.6 eV to ˜0.87 eV as the Si concentration increases. A inflection point is at the percolation

Evaluation of a solid phase R.I.A. technique and solid phase E.L.I.S.A. technique for the demonstration of hepatitis B surface antigen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vranckx, R.; Cole, J.; Peetermans, M.

1977-01-01

We compared the sensitivity of a solidphase radio-immunoassay (R.I.A.), a solid-phase enzyme-immunoassay (E.L.I.S.A.) and a hemagglutination test (R.P.H.A.) for the detection of the HBs Ag in two ways: 1) by screening a panel of 300 sera (97 positives and 203 negatives) 2) by titrating serial dilutions of 10 positive sera. Ninety seven sera were positive by R.I.A., 95% were detected by E.L.I.S.A. and 81% were detected by R.P.H.A. In the serial dilutions the average end points of the titration were for R.I.A. 0.005 ng/ml, for E.L.I.S.A. 0,01 ng/ml and for R.P.H.A. 0.04 ng/ml. It can be concluded that the sensitivity of the E.L.I.S.A. test is intermediate between the sensitivity of the R.I.A. and the sensitivity of the R.P.H.A. The E.L.I.S.A. and the R.P.H.A. tests seam to be a little more sensitive for the detection of subtype ay than the detection of subtype ad. (orig.) [de

L1 effects on the processing of grammatical gender in L2

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sabourin, L; Foster-Cohen, S.; Nizegorodcew, A.

2001-01-01

This paper explores L1 effects on the L2 off-line processing of Dutch (grammatical gender) agreement The L2 participants had either German, English or a Romance language as their L1. Non-gender agreement (finiteness and agreement) was tested to ascertain the level of proficiency of the participants

Life history traits and the activity of antioxidative enzymes in Lymantria dispar L. (lepidoptera, lymantriidae) larvae exposed to benzo[a]pyrene.

Science.gov (United States)

Ilijin, Larisa; Mrdaković, Marija; Todorović, Dajana; Vlahović, Milena; Gavrilović, Anja; Mrkonja, Aleksandra; Perić-Mataruga, Vesna

2015-11-01

Increased presence of benzo[a]pyrene in the environment underlines the need for development of sensitive biomarkers for monitoring. Antioxidative enzymes could be used as early-warning signals because of their sensitivity and applicability. The activity of 2 antioxidative enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), were measured in midgut tissues of fifth instar Lymantria dispar larvae exposed to different concentrations of benzo[a]pyrene: 2 ng, 10 ng, 20 ng, 100 ng, 200 ng, and 2000 ng benzo[a]pyrene/g dry food weight. Larval development, larval mass, and relative growth rate were also monitored. The authors detected prolonged larval development, as well as reduced larval mass and relative growth rate in larvae exposed to all benzo[a]pyrene concentrations. The L. dispar midgut SOD activity was significantly increased, and 2 SOD isoforms were detected on native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in larvae fed on artificial diet supplemented with benzo[a]pyrene. In contrast, the control group had only 1 isoform. Catalase activity was significantly increased in all benzo[a]pyrene-treated larvae. Native gel electrophoresis showed that a switch in active CAT isoforms occurred after benzo[a]pyrene treatment. Thus, SOD and CAT in polyphagous herbivorous L. dispar larvae are very sensitive to low concentrations of benzo[a]pyrene. Therefore, they could be used as biomarkers for exposure and effects of this toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. © 2015 SETAC.

Toxoplasma encephalitis in HIV: case report | Ng'walali | East ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

P. M. Ng'walali, K. Kibayashi, M. P. Mbonde, A. M. Makata, J. N. Kitinya, S. Tsunenari. Abstract. (East African Medical Journal: 2001 78(5): 275-276). Full Text: EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT · http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/eamj.v78i5.9055 · AJOL African ...

Characterization and immunogenicity of rLipL32/1-LipL21-OmpL1/2 fusion protein as a novel immunogen for a vaccine against Leptospirosis

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Zhao Xin

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Vaccination is an effective strategy to prevent leptospirosis, a global zoonotic disease caused by infection with pathogenic Leptospira species. However, the currently used multiple-valence vaccine, which is prepared with whole cells of several Leptospira serovars, has major side effects, while its cross-immunogenicity among different Leptospira serovars is weak. LipL32, LipL21 and 2 OmpL1 have been confirmed as surface-exposed antigens in all pathogenic Leptospira strains, but their immunoprotective efficiency needs to be improved. In the present study, we generated a fusion gene lipL32/1-lipL21-ompL1/2 using primer-linking PCR and an engineered E. coli strain to express the recombinant fusion protein rLipL32/1-LipL21-OmpL1/2 (rLLO. Subsequently, the expression conditions were optimized using a central composite design that increased the fusion protein yield 2.7-fold. Western blot assays confirmed that rLLO was recognized by anti-rLipL32/1, anti-rLipL21, and anti-rOmpL1/2 sera as well as 98.5% of the sera from leptospirosis patients. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT demonstrated that rLLO antiserum had a stronger ability to agglutinate the strains of different Leptospira serovars than the rLipL32/1, rLipL21, and rOmpL1/2 antisera. More importantly, tests in hamsters showed that rLLO provided higher immunoprotective rates (91.7% than rLipL32/1, rLipL21 and rOmpL1/2 (50.0-75.0%. All the data indicate that rLLO, a recombinant fusion protein incorporating three antigens, has increased antigenicity and immunoprotective effects, and so can be used as a novel immunogen to develop a universal genetically engineered vaccine against leptospirosis.

Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound Enhances Nerve Growth Factor-Induced Neurite Outgrowth through Mechanotransduction-Mediated ERK1/2-CREB-Trx-1 Signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Lu; Feng, Yi; Hu, Hong; Shi, Aiwei; Zhang, Lei; Wan, Mingxi

2016-12-01

Enhancing the action of nerve growth factor (NGF) is a potential therapeutic approach to neural regeneration. To facilitate neural regeneration, we investigated whether combining low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) and NGF could promote neurite outgrowth, an essential process in neural regeneration. In the present study, PC12 cells were subjected to a combination of LIPUS (1 MHz, 30 or 50 mW/cm 2 , 20% duty cycle and 100-Hz pulse repetition frequency, 10 min every other day) and NGF (50 ng/mL) treatment, and then neurite outgrowth was compared. Our findings indicated that the combined treatment with LIPUS (50 mW/cm 2 ) and NGF (50 ng/mL) promotes neurite outgrowth that is comparable to that achieved by NGF (100 ng/mL) treatment alone. LIPUS significantly increased NGF-induced neurite length, but not neurite branching. These effects were attributed to the enhancing effects of LIPUS on NGF-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and CREB and the expression of thioredoxin (Trx-1). Furthermore, blockage of stretch-activated ion channels with Gd 3+ suppressed the stimulating effects of LIPUS on NGF-induced neurite outgrowth and the downstream signaling activation. Taken together, our findings suggest that LIPUS enhances NGF-induced neurite outgrowth through mechanotransduction-mediated signaling of the ERK1/2-CREB-Trx-1 pathway. The combination of LIPUS and NGF could potentially be used for the treatment of nerve injury and neurodegenerative diseases. Copyright © 2016 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantification of NS1 dengue biomarker in serum via optomagnetic nanocluster detection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Antunes, Paula Soares Martins; Watterson, Daniel; Parmvi, Mattias

2015-01-01

Dengue is a tropical vector-borne disease without cure or vaccine that progressively spreads into regions with temperate climates. Diagnostic tools amenable to resource-limited settings would be highly valuable for epidemiologic control and containment during outbreaks. Here, we present a novel low......-cost automated biosensing platform for detection of dengue fever biomarker NS1 and demonstrate it on NS1 spiked in human serum. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are coated with high-affinity monoclonal antibodies against NS1 via bio-orthogonal Cu-free 'click' chemistry on an anti-fouling surface molecular...... method. The resulting automated dengue fever assay takes just 8 minutes, requires 6 μL of serum sample and shows a limit of detection of 25 ng/mL with an upper detection range of 20000 ng/mL. The technology holds a great potential to be applied to NS1 detection in patient samples. As the assay...

The Role of NG2 Glial Cells in ALS Pathogenesis

Science.gov (United States)

2014-12-01

attached and cells migrated out from the spheres. Some had typical OPC morphology (figure 2A), bipolar and tripolar . More importantly, they...cells showed NG2 and Olig2 expression (Figure 5B) after being cultured. After being treated with T3, some cells changed their bipolar and tripolar

Photo-dynamics of the lyophilized photo-activated adenylate cyclase NgPAC2 from the amoeboflagellate Naegleria gruberi NEG-M strain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Penzkofer, A., E-mail: alfons.penzkofer@physik.uni-regensburg.de [Fakultät für Physik, Universität Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, D-93053 Regensburg (Germany); Tanwar, M.; Veetil, S.K.; Kateriya, S. [Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi 110021 (India); Stierl, M.; Hegemann, P. [Institut für Biologie/Experimentelle Biophysik, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, D-10115 Berlin (Germany)

2013-09-23

Highlights: • Lyophilizing of NgPAC2 from Naegleria gruberi caused loss of BLUF domain activity. • Photo-induced tyrosine to flavin electron transfer in lyophilized NgPAC2. • Photo-induced Tyr–Tyr cross-linking to o,o′-dityrosine in lyophilized NgPAC2. • Photo-induced partial flavin cofactor reduction in lyophilized NgPAC2. • Two NgPAC2 conformations with fast and slow photo-induced electron transfer. - Abstract: The absorption and emission spectroscopic behavior of lyophilized photo-activated adenylate cyclase NgPAC2 from the amoeboflagellate Naegleria gruberi NEG-M strain consisting of a BLUF domain (BLUF = Blue Light sensor Using Flavin) and a cyclase homology domain was studied in the dark, during blue-light exposure and after blue-light exposure at a temperature of 4 °C. The BLUF domain photo-cycle dynamics observed for snap-frozen NgPAC2 was lost by lyophilization (no signaling state formation with flavin absorption red-shift). Instead, blue-light photo-excitation of lyophilized NgPAC2 caused sterically restricted Tyr–Tyr cross-linking (o,o′-ditysosine formation) and partial flavin cofactor reduction.

Photo-dynamics of the lyophilized photo-activated adenylate cyclase NgPAC2 from the amoeboflagellate Naegleria gruberi NEG-M strain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Penzkofer, A.; Tanwar, M.; Veetil, S.K.; Kateriya, S.; Stierl, M.; Hegemann, P.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Lyophilizing of NgPAC2 from Naegleria gruberi caused loss of BLUF domain activity. • Photo-induced tyrosine to flavin electron transfer in lyophilized NgPAC2. • Photo-induced Tyr–Tyr cross-linking to o,o′-dityrosine in lyophilized NgPAC2. • Photo-induced partial flavin cofactor reduction in lyophilized NgPAC2. • Two NgPAC2 conformations with fast and slow photo-induced electron transfer. - Abstract: The absorption and emission spectroscopic behavior of lyophilized photo-activated adenylate cyclase NgPAC2 from the amoeboflagellate Naegleria gruberi NEG-M strain consisting of a BLUF domain (BLUF = Blue Light sensor Using Flavin) and a cyclase homology domain was studied in the dark, during blue-light exposure and after blue-light exposure at a temperature of 4 °C. The BLUF domain photo-cycle dynamics observed for snap-frozen NgPAC2 was lost by lyophilization (no signaling state formation with flavin absorption red-shift). Instead, blue-light photo-excitation of lyophilized NgPAC2 caused sterically restricted Tyr–Tyr cross-linking (o,o′-ditysosine formation) and partial flavin cofactor reduction

Determination of mercury and selenium in herbal medicines and hair by using a nanometer TiO2-coated quartz tube atomizer and hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Shun-Xing; Zheng, Feng-Ying; Cai, Shu-Jie; Cai, Tian-Shou

2011-01-01

The nanometer TiO 2 particle was coated onto the inner wall of a T-shaped quartz tube atomizer (QTA) and then was used as a new atomizer (NT-QTA) for the determination of Hg and Se by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HGAAS). After coating 67.4 mg TiO 2 on a quartz tube, the analytical performance of NT-QTA-HGAAS was compared to conventional QTA-HGAAS and it was improved as follows: (a) the linear range of the calibration curves was expanded from 10.0-80.0 ng mL -1 to 5.0-150.0 ng mL -1 for Hg, and from 10.0-70.0 ng mL -1 to 5.0-100.0 ng mL -1 for Se; (b) the characteristic concentration of was decreased from 2.8 ng mL -1 /1% to 1.1 ng mL -1 /1% for Hg and from 1.2 ng mL -1 /1% to 0.8 ng mL -1 /1% for Se; and (c) the interference from the coexistence of As on the determination of Hg and Se could be eliminated. The achieved technique was applied for the determination of Hg and Se in herbal medicines and hair.

From simplicial Lie algebras and hypercrossed complexes to differential graded Lie algebras via 1-jets

OpenAIRE

Jurco, Branislav

2011-01-01

Let g be a simplicial Lie algebra with Moore complex Ng of length k. Let G be the simplicial Lie group integrating g, which is simply connected in each simplicial level. We use the 1-jet of the classifying space of G to construct, starting from g, a Lie k-algebra L. The so constructed Lie k-algebra L is actually a differential graded Lie algebra. The differential and the brackets are explicitly described in terms (of a part) of the corresponding k-hypercrossed complex structure of Ng. The res...

L-rhamnose induces browning in 3T3-L1 white adipocytes and activates HIB1B brown adipocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Minji; Mukherjee, Sulagna; Kang, Nam Hyeon; Barkat, Jameel Lone; Parray, Hilal Ahmad; Yun, Jong Won

2018-04-11

Induction of the brown adipocyte-like phenotype in white adipocytes (browning) is considered as a novel strategy to fight obesity due to the ability of brown adipocytes to increase energy expenditure. Here, we report that L-rhamnose induced browning by elevating expression levels of beige-specific marker genes, including Cd137, Cited1, Tbx1, Prdm16, Tmem26, and Ucp1, in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Moreover, L-rhamnose markedly elevated expression levels of proteins involved in thermogenesis both in 3T3-L1 white and HIB1B brown adipocytes. L-rhamnose treatment in 3T3-L1 adipocytes also significantly elevated protein levels of p-HSL, p-AMPK, ACOX, and CPT1 as well as reduced levels of ACC, FAS, C/EBPα, and PPARγ, suggesting its possible role in enhancement of lipolysis and lipid catabolism as well as reduced adipogenesis and lipogenesis, respectively. The quick technique of efficient molecular docking provided insight into the strong binding of L-rhamnose to the fat-digesting glycine residue of β 3 -adrenergic receptor (AR), indicating strong involvement of L-rhamnose in fat metabolism. Further examination of the molecular mechanism of L-rhamnose revealed that it induced browning of 3T3-L1 adipocytes via coordination of multiple signaling pathways through β 3 -AR, SIRT1, PKA, and p-38. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that L-rhamnose plays multiple modulatory roles in the induction of white fat browning, activation of brown adipocytes, as well as promotion of lipid metabolism, thereby demonstrating its therapeutic potential for treatment of obesity. © 2018 IUBMB Life, 2018. © 2018 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Production of pigment-free pullulan by swollen cell in Aureobasidium pullulans NG which cell differentiation was affected by pH and nutrition.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Bing-xue; Zhang, Ning; Peng, Qing; Yin, Tie; Guan, Fei-fei; Wang, Gui-li; Li, Ying

2009-08-01

A black yeast strain "NG" was isolated from strawberry fruit and identified as Aureobasidium pullulans. Strain NG displayed yeast-like cell (YL), swollen cell (SC), septate swollen cell (SSC), meristematic structure (MS), and chlamydospore (CH) morphologies. pH was the key factor regulating cell morphogenesis of strain NG. Differentiation of YL controlled by extracellular pH had no relationship with nutrition level. YL was maintained at pH >6.0, but was transformed into SC at pH approximately 4.5. SC, a stable cell type of A. pullulans, could bud, septate, or transform into MS or CH, in response to nutrition level and low pH. SC produced swollen cell blastospores (SCB) at pH 2.1 with abundant nutrition, and could transform into MS at lower pH (1.5). SC was induced to form CH by low level nutrition and pH melanin) were produced by SC of strain NG. Pullulan content of the polysaccharides was very high (98.37%). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed that chemical structures of the polysaccharides and standard pullulan were identical. Swollen cells produced 2.08 mg/ml non-pigmented polysaccharides at 96 h in YPD medium. Controlling pH of fermentation is an effective and convenient method to harvest SC for melanin-free pullulan production.

Detection of fumonisin b1 and ochratoxin a in grain products using microsphere-based fluid array immunoassays.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, George P; Kowtha, Vasudha A; Taitt, Chris R

2010-02-01

Grain products are a staple of diets worldwide and therefore, the ability to accurately and efficiently detect foodborne contaminants such as mycotoxins is of importance to everyone. Here we describe an indirect competitive fluid array fluoroimmunoassay to quantify the mycotoxins, fumonisin B1 and ochratoxin A. Both toxins were immobilized to the surface of microspheres using a variety of intermediate molecules and binding of biotinylated "tracer" antibody tracers determined through flow cytometry using streptavidin-phycoerythrin conjugates and the Luminex100 flow cytometer. Competitive assays were developed where the binding of biotinylated monoclonal antibodies to fumonisin B and ochratoxin A was competitively inhibited by different concentrations of those toxins in solution. Concentrations of fumonisin giving 50% inhibition were 300 pg/mL in buffer, 100 ng/g in spiked oats, and 1 μg/g in spiked cornmeal; analogous concentrations for ochratoxin A were 30 ng/mL in buffer, 30 ng/g in spiked oats, and 10 ng/g in spiked corn. The future challenge will be to expand the number of mycotoxins tested both individually and in multiplexed format using this platform.

Metacognitive Online Reading Strategy Use: Readers' Perceptions in L1 and L2

Science.gov (United States)

Taki, Saeed

2016-01-01

This study aimed to explore whether first-language (L1) readers of different language backgrounds would employ similar metacognitive online reading strategies and whether reading online in a second language (L2) could be influenced by L1 reading strategies. To this end, 52 Canadian college students as English L1 readers and 38 Iranian university…

Pædagogers samarbejde med lærerne

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gulløv, Cristina Daniela

2017-01-01

på spil, og de prøver at finde ud af, hvordan de kan være loyale over for deres faglighed. For det andet rejses der et spørgsmål om hvordan pædagoger agerer inklusionsagenter i skolen, samt hvordan dette arbejde formes af eksisterende praksisideologier blandt lærere og pædagoger. I denne sammenhæng...

NEW ASPECTS OF THE ALPINE VEGETATION OF PARÂNG MOUNTAINS (SOUTH CARPATHIANS

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SIMON TIBOR

2012-12-01

Full Text Available 4 plant communities unknown in the the European syntaxonomy are described from the alpine and subalpine belts of Parâng Mountains, based on vegetation studies of the authors during 1955–1960. These are: Arabis alpina-Saxifraga aizoides, Arabis alpina-Delphinium elatum, Dianthus tenuifolius-Festuca dalmatica and the Primula minima-Dryas octopetala communities. These communities could be described later as new associations in the possession of more relevés from different localities. The East and South Carpathian Doronico carpatici-Festucetum pictae association is distinguished under this new name from the Festucetum pictae Krajina described from the Tatra Mountains. 7 further associations are found as new to the Parâng Mountains.

Chitinase-3-like Protein 1: A Progranulin Downstream Molecule and Potential Biomarker for Gaucher Disease

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Jinlong Jian

2018-02-01

Full Text Available We recently reported that progranulin (PGRN is a novel regulator of glucocerebrosidase and its deficiency associates with Gaucher Diseases (GD (Jian et al., 2016a; Jian et al., 2018. To isolate the relevant downstream molecules, we performed a whole genome microarray and mass spectrometry analysis, which led to the isolation of Chitinase-3-like-1 (CHI3L1 as one of the up-regulated genes in PGRN null mice. Elevated levels of CHI3L1 were confirmed by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. In contrast, treatment with recombinant Pcgin, a derivative of PGRN, as well as imigluerase, significantly reduced the expressions of CHI3L1 in both PGRN null GD model and the fibroblasts from GD patients. Serum levels of CHIT1, a clinical biomarker for GD, were significantly higher in GD patients than healthy controls (51.16 ± 2.824 ng/ml vs 35.07 ± 2.099 ng/ml, p < 0.001. Similar to CHIT1, serum CHI3L1 was also significantly increased in GD patients compared with healthy controls (1736 ± 152.1 pg/ml vs 684.7 ± 68.20 pg/ml, p < 0.001. Whereas the PGRN level is significantly reduced in GD patients as compared to the healthy control (91.56 ± 3.986 ng/ml vs 150.6 ± 4.501, p < 0.001. Collectively, these results indicate that CHI3L1 may be a previously unrecognized biomarker for diagnosing GD and for evaluating the therapeutic effects of new GD drug(s.

GLI ERRORI DI ITALIANO L1 ED L2: INTERFERENZA E APPRENDIMENTO

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Rosaria Solarino

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Si può oggi affrontare il tema degli errori di italiano da una prospettiva che possa giovare contemporaneamente a docenti di italiano L1 ed L2? Noi pensiamo di sì: la ricerca glottodidattica sembra aver ormai apprestato un terreno comune alle due situazioni di apprendimento, sgombrando il campo da vecchi pregiudizi e distinzioni che appaiono ormai superate. Attraverso la contrapposizione di concetti quali “lingua parlata/lingua scritta”,  “errori di lingua / errori di linguaggio”, “apprendimento spontaneo/apprendimento guidato”, “italiano L1/italiano L2”, “errori di apprendimento/errori di interferenza, si indicano diversi criteri per la interpretazione degli errori e la loro valutazione in relazione alle cause, alle situazioni comunicative, ai contesti o allo stadio di evoluzione dell’apprendimento della lingua.     Errors in italian L1 and L2: interference and learning   Can errors in Italian be approached in a way that benefits both L1 and L2 Italian teachers? We believe so: glottodidactic research seems to have prepared a common terrain for these two learning situations, clearing the field of old prejudices and obsolete distinctions.  Through the juxtaposition of concepts like “spoken language/written language”, “language errors/speech errors”, “spontaneous learning/guided learning”, “L1 Italian/L2 Italian”, “learning errors/interference errors”, different criteria for interpreting errors and evaluating them in relation to their causes, to communicative situations, to contexts and the developmental state in learning a language are singled out.

Small-Molecule Sigma1 Modulator Induces Autophagic Degradation of PD-L1.

Science.gov (United States)

Maher, Christina M; Thomas, Jeffrey D; Haas, Derick A; Longen, Charles G; Oyer, Halley M; Tong, Jane Y; Kim, Felix J

2018-02-01

Emerging evidence suggests that Sigma1 ( SIGMAR1 , also known as sigma-1 receptor) is a unique ligand-regulated integral membrane scaffolding protein that contributes to cellular protein and lipid homeostasis. Previously, we demonstrated that some small-molecule modulators of Sigma1 alter endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated protein homeostasis pathways in cancer cells, including the unfolded protein response and autophagy. Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is a type I integral membrane glycoprotein that is cotranslationally inserted into the ER and is processed and transported through the secretory pathway. Once at the surface of cancer cells, PD-L1 acts as a T-cell inhibitory checkpoint molecule and suppresses antitumor immunity. Here, we demonstrate that in Sigma1-expressing triple-negative breast and androgen-independent prostate cancer cells, PD-L1 protein levels were suppressed by RNAi knockdown of Sigma1 and by small-molecule inhibition of Sigma1. Sigma1-mediated action was confirmed by pharmacologic competition between Sigma1-selective inhibitor and activator ligands. When administered alone, the Sigma1 inhibitor decreased cell surface PD-L1 expression and suppressed functional interaction of PD-1 and PD-L1 in a coculture of T cells and cancer cells. Conversely, the Sigma1 activator increased PD-L1 cell surface expression, demonstrating the ability to positively and negatively modulate Sigma1 associated PD-L1 processing. We discovered that the Sigma1 inhibitor induced degradation of PD-L1 via autophagy, by a mechanism distinct from bulk macroautophagy or general ER stress-associated autophagy. Finally, the Sigma1 inhibitor suppressed IFNγ-induced PD-L1. Our data demonstrate that small-molecule Sigma1 modulators can be used to regulate PD-L1 in cancer cells and trigger its degradation by selective autophagy. Implications: Sigma1 modulators sequester and eliminate PD-L1 by autophagy, thus preventing functional PD-L1 expression at the cell surface. This

A Survey on Aflatoxin M1 Content in Sheep and Goat Milk Produced in Sardinia Region, Italy (2005-2013).

Science.gov (United States)

Virdis, Salvatore; Scarano, Christian; Spanu, Vincenzo; Murittu, Gavino; Spanu, Carlo; Ibba, Ignazio; De Santis, Enrico Pietro Luigi

2014-12-09

In the present work the results of a survey conducted in Sardinia Region on Aflatoxin M 1 (AFM 1 ) contamination in milk of small ruminants from 2005 to 2013 are reported. A total of 517 sheep and 88 goat milk samples from bulk tank, tank trucks and silo tank milk were collected. Analyses were performed by the Regional Farmers Association laboratory using high-performance liquid chromatography following the ISO 14501:1998 standard. None of the sheep milk samples analysed during 2005-2012 showed AFM 1 contamination. In sheep milk samples collected in 2013, 8 out of 172 (4.6%) were contaminated by AFM 1 with a concentration (mean±SD) of 12.59±14.05 ng/L. In one bulk tank milk sample 58.82 ng/L AFM 1 was detected, exceeding the EU limit. In none of goat milk samples analysed from 2010 to 2012 AFM 1 was detected. In 2013, 9 out of 66 goat milk samples (13.6%) showed an AFM 1 concentration of 47.21±19.58 ng/L. Two of these samples exceeded the EU limit, with concentrations of 62.09 and 138.6 ng/L. Higher contamination frequency and concentration rates were detected in bulk tank milk samples collected at farm than in bulk milk truck or silo samples, showing a dilution effect on AFM 1 milk content along small ruminants supply chain. The rate and levels of AFM 1 contamination in sheep and goat milk samples were lower than other countries. However, the small number of milk samples analysed for AFM 1 in Sardinia Region in 2005-2013 give evidence that food business operators check programmes should be improved to ensure an adequate monitoring of AFM 1 contamination in small ruminant dairy chain.

A survey on Aflatoxin M1 content in sheep and goat milk produced in Sardinia Region, Italy (2005-2013

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salvatore Virdis

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In the present work the results of a survey conducted in Sardinia Region on Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1 contamination in milk of small ruminants from 2005 to 2013 are reported. A total of 517 sheep and 88 goat milk samples from bulk tank, tank trucks and silo tank milk were collected. Analyses were performed by the Regional Farmers Association laboratory using high-performance liquid chromatography following the ISO 14501:1998 standard. None of the sheep milk samples analysed during 2005- 2012 showed AFM1 contamination. In sheep milk samples collected in 2013, 8 out of 172 (4.6% were contaminated by AFM1 with a concentration (mean±SD of 12.59±14.05 ng/L. In one bulk tank milk sample 58.82 ng/L AFM1 was detected, exceeding the EU limit. In none of goat milk samples analysed from 2010 to 2012 AFM1 was detected. In 2013, 9 out of 66 goat milk samples (13.6% showed an AFM1 concentration of 47.21±19.58 ng/L. Two of these samples exceeded the EU limit, with concentrations of 62.09 and 138.6 ng/L. Higher contamination frequency and concentration rates were detected in bulk tank milk samples collected at farm than in bulk milk truck or silo samples, showing a dilution effect on AFM1 milk content along small ruminants supply chain. The rate and levels of AFM1 contamination in sheep and goat milk samples were lower than other countries. However, the small number of milk samples analysed for AFM1 in Sardinia Region in 2005-2013 give evidence that food business operators check programmes should be improved to ensure an adequate monitoring of AFM1 contamination in small ruminant dairy chain.

Repeated Fish Removal to Restore Lakes: Case Study of Lake Væng, Denmark—Two Biomanipulations during 30 Years of Monitoring

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Martin Søndergaard

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Biomanipulation by fish removal has been used in many shallow lakes as a method to improve lake water quality. Here, we present and analyse 30 years of chemical and biological data from the shallow and 16 ha large Lake Væng, Denmark, which has been biomanipulated twice with a 20-year interval by removing roach (Rutilus rutilus and bream (Abramis brama. After both biomanipulations, Lake Væng shifted from a turbid, phytoplankton-dominated state to a clear, water macrophyte-dominated state. Chlorophyll a was reduced from 60–80 μg·L−1 to 10–30 μg·L−1 and the coverage of submerged macrophytes, dominated by Elodea canadensis, increased from <0.1% to 70%–80%. Mean summer total phosphorus was reduced from about 0.12 to 0.07 mg·L−1 and total nitrogen decreased from 1.0 to 0.4 mg·L−1. On a seasonal scale, phosphorus and chlorophyll concentrations changed from a summer maximum during turbid conditions to a winter maximum under clear conditions. The future of Lake Væng is uncertain and a relatively high phosphorus loading via the groundwater, and the accumulation of a mobile P pool in the sediment make it likely that the lake eventually will return to turbid conditions. Repeated fish removals might be a relevant management strategy to apply in shallow lakes with a relatively high external nutrient loading.

Ubiquitin C-Terminal Hydrolase L1 in Tumorigenesis

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Jennifer Hurst-Kennedy

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1, aka PGP9.5 is an abundant, neuronal deubiquitinating enzyme that has also been suggested to possess E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase activity and/or stabilize ubiquitin monomers in vivo. Recent evidence implicates dysregulation of UCH-L1 in the pathogenesis and progression of human cancers. Although typically only expressed in neurons, high levels of UCH-L1 have been found in many nonneuronal tumors, including breast, colorectal, and pancreatic carcinomas. UCH-L1 has also been implicated in the regulation of metastasis and cell growth during the progression of nonsmall cell lung carcinoma, colorectal cancer, and lymphoma. Together these studies suggest UCH-L1 has a potent oncogenic role and drives tumor development. Conversely, others have observed promoter methylation-mediated silencing of UCH-L1 in certain tumor subtypes, suggesting a potential tumor suppressor role for UCH-L1. In this paper, we provide an overview of the evidence supporting the involvement of UCH-L1 in tumor development and discuss the potential mechanisms of action of UCH-L1 in oncogenesis.

Comparison of (/sup 125/I)beta-endorphin binding to rat brain and NG108-15 cells using a monoclonal antibody directed against the opioid receptor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bidlack, J.M.; O' Malley, W.E.; Schulz, R.

1988-02-01

The properties of (/sup 125/I)beta h-endorphin-binding sites from rat brain membranes and membranes from the NG108-15 cell line were compared using a monoclonal antibody directed against the opioid receptor and opioid peptides as probes. The binding of (/sup 125/I)beta h-endorphin to both rat brain and NG108-15 membranes yielded linear Scatchard plots with Kd values of 1.2 nM and 1.5 nM, respectively, and Bmax values of 865 fmol/mg rat brain membrane protein and 1077 fmol/mg NG108-15 membrane protein. A monoclonal antibody, OR-689.2.4, capable of inhibiting mu and delta binding but not kappa binding to rat brain membranes, noncompetitively inhibited the binding of 1 nM (/sup 125/I)beta h-endorphin to rat brain and NG108-15 membranes with an IC50 value of 405 nM for rat brain membranes and 543 nM for NG108-15 membranes. The monoclonal antibody also inhibited the binding of 3 nM (/sup 3/H) (D-penicillamine2, D-penicillamine5) enkephalin to NG108-15 membranes with an IC50 value of 370 nM. In addition to blocking the binding of (/sup 125/I)beta h-endorphin to brain membranes, the antibody also displaced (/sup 125/I)beta h-endorphin from membranes. Site-specific opioid peptides had large variations in their IC50 values depending on whether they were inhibiting (/sup 125/I)beta h-endorphin binding to rat brain or the NG108-15 membranes. When the peptides were tested with the monoclonal antibody for their combined ability to inhibit (/sup 125/I)beta h-endorphin binding to both membrane preparations, the peptides and antibody blocked binding as though they were acting at allosterically coupled sites, not two totally independent sites. These studies suggest that mu-, delta-, and beta-endorphin-binding sites share some sequence homology with the 35,000-dalton protein that the antibody is directed against.

Performance of the Abbott RealTime CT/NG for Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae▿

Science.gov (United States)

Gaydos, C. A.; Cartwright, C. P.; Colaninno, P.; Welsch, J.; Holden, J.; Ho, S. Y.; Webb, E. M.; Anderson, C.; Bertuzis, R.; Zhang, L.; Miller, T.; Leckie, G.; Abravaya, K.; Robinson, J.

2010-01-01

A multicenter clinical study was conducted to evaluate the performance characteristics of the Abbott RealTime CT/NG assay, a multiplex real-time PCR assay, for simultaneous detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The specimens were collected from a total of 3,832 male and female subjects at 16 geographically diverse sites. Specimens included male and female urine samples, male urethral swabs, female endocervical swabs, and self-collected and clinician-collected vaginal swabs. Specimens were tested with the automated Abbott RealTime CT/NG assay, Aptima Combo 2 assay (Gen-Probe), ProbeTec ET CT/GC assay (Becton Dickinson), and culture for N. gonorrhoeae. The Aptima Combo 2 assay, the ProbeTec assay, and the N. gonorrhoeae culture were used as the reference assays. For each subject, a patient infected status (PIS) was determined based on the combined results from the reference assays. The overall prevalence in female subjects was 8.9% for C. trachomatis and 3.8% for N. gonorrhoeae. The overall male prevalence was 18.2% for C. trachomatis and 16.7% for N. gonorrhoeae. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the Abbott RealTime CT/NG assay were 92.4% and 99.2% for C. trachomatis and 96.9% and 99.7% for N. gonorrhoeae, respectively. In comparison, the sensitivity and specificity, respectively, for the Aptima Combo 2 assay were 94.5% and 99.0% for C. trachomatis and 96.1% and 99.5% for N. gonorrhoeae, and those for the ProbeTec ET assay were 90.3% and 99.5% for C. trachomatis and 92.0% and 97.3% for N. gonorrhoeae in this study. The Abbott RealTime CT/NG assay offers C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae dual detection with high sensitivity and specificity. The automated assay provides a useful alternative nucleic acid amplification assay for clinical laboratories and clinicians. PMID:20668135

Performance of the Abbott RealTime CT/NG for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaydos, C A; Cartwright, C P; Colaninno, P; Welsch, J; Holden, J; Ho, S Y; Webb, E M; Anderson, C; Bertuzis, R; Zhang, L; Miller, T; Leckie, G; Abravaya, K; Robinson, J

2010-09-01

A multicenter clinical study was conducted to evaluate the performance characteristics of the Abbott RealTime CT/NG assay, a multiplex real-time PCR assay, for simultaneous detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The specimens were collected from a total of 3,832 male and female subjects at 16 geographically diverse sites. Specimens included male and female urine samples, male urethral swabs, female endocervical swabs, and self-collected and clinician-collected vaginal swabs. Specimens were tested with the automated Abbott RealTime CT/NG assay, Aptima Combo 2 assay (Gen-Probe), ProbeTec ET CT/GC assay (Becton Dickinson), and culture for N. gonorrhoeae. The Aptima Combo 2 assay, the ProbeTec assay, and the N. gonorrhoeae culture were used as the reference assays. For each subject, a patient infected status (PIS) was determined based on the combined results from the reference assays. The overall prevalence in female subjects was 8.9% for C. trachomatis and 3.8% for N. gonorrhoeae. The overall male prevalence was 18.2% for C. trachomatis and 16.7% for N. gonorrhoeae. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the Abbott RealTime CT/NG assay were 92.4% and 99.2% for C. trachomatis and 96.9% and 99.7% for N. gonorrhoeae, respectively. In comparison, the sensitivity and specificity, respectively, for the Aptima Combo 2 assay were 94.5% and 99.0% for C. trachomatis and 96.1% and 99.5% for N. gonorrhoeae, and those for the ProbeTec ET assay were 90.3% and 99.5% for C. trachomatis and 92.0% and 97.3% for N. gonorrhoeae in this study. The Abbott RealTime CT/NG assay offers C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae dual detection with high sensitivity and specificity. The automated assay provides a useful alternative nucleic acid amplification assay for clinical laboratories and clinicians.

smport nt rust l growth in the h nerozoi X ssotopi eviden e of gr ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

smport nt rust l growth in the h nerozoi X ssotopi eviden e of gr nitoids from e stE entr l esi fy Ewsxq terx. ID p ex. IDP nd he is ryxqQ. Iq eos ien es ennesD niversit e de ennes ID QSHRP ennes gedexD pr n e em ilX j hndunivErennesIFfr. Phep rtment of qeologyD gh ng hun niversity of ien e nd e hnologyD gh ng hun IQH ...

Production of coagulation factor VII in human cell lines Sk-Hep-1 and HKB-11.

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Corrêa de Freitas, Marcela Cristina; Bomfim, Aline de Sousa; Mizukami, Amanda; Picanço-Castro, Virgínia; Swiech, Kamilla; Covas, Dimas Tadeu

2017-09-01

Recombinant factor VII (rFVII) is the main therapeutic choice for hemophilia patients who have developed inhibitory antibodies against conventional treatments (FVIII and FIX). Because of the post-translational modifications, rFVII needs to be produced in mammalian cell lines. In this study, for the first time, we have shown efficient rFVII production in HepG2, Sk-Hep-1, and HKB-11 cell lines. Experiments in static conditions for a period of 96 h showed that HepG2-FVII produced the highest amounts of rhFVII, with an average of 1843 ng/mL. Sk-hep-1-FVII cells reached a maximum protein production of 1432 ng/mL and HKB-11-FVII cells reached 1468 ng/mL. Sk-Hep-1-rFVII and HKB-11-rFVII were selected for the first step of scale-up. Over 10 days of spinner flask culture, HKB-11 and SK-Hep-1 cells showed a cumulative production of rFVII of 152 μg and 202.6 μg in 50 mL, respectively. Thus, these human cell lines can be used for an efficient production of recombinant FVII. With more investment in basic research, human cell lines can be optimized for the commercial production of different bio therapeutic proteins. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sox2-Mediated Conversion of NG2 Glia into Induced Neurons in the Injured Adult Cerebral Cortex

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Christophe Heinrich

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The adult cerebral cortex lacks the capacity to replace degenerated neurons following traumatic injury. Conversion of nonneuronal cells into induced neurons has been proposed as an innovative strategy toward brain repair. Here, we show that retrovirus-mediated expression of the transcription factors Sox2 and Ascl1, but strikingly also Sox2 alone, can induce the conversion of genetically fate-mapped NG2 glia into induced doublecortin (DCX+ neurons in the adult mouse cerebral cortex following stab wound injury in vivo. In contrast, lentiviral expression of Sox2 in the unlesioned cortex failed to convert oligodendroglial and astroglial cells into DCX+ cells. Neurons induced following injury mature morphologically and some acquire NeuN while losing DCX. Patch-clamp recording of slices containing Sox2- and/or Ascl1-transduced cells revealed that a substantial fraction of these cells receive synaptic inputs from neurons neighboring the injury site. Thus, NG2 glia represent a potential target for reprogramming strategies toward cortical repair.

Nesfatin-1 and other hormone alterations in polycystic ovary syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Deniz, Rulin; Gurates, Bilgin; Aydin, Suleyman; Celik, Husnu; Sahin, Ibrahim; Baykus, Yakup; Catak, Zekiye; Aksoy, Aziz; Citil, Cihan; Gungor, Sami

2012-12-01

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is commonly characterised by obesity, insulin resistance (IR), hyperandrogenemia and hirsutism. Nesfatin-1 a recently discovered hormone, acts upon energy balance, glucose metabolism, obesity and probably gonadal functions. This study was to evaluate the circulating levels of nesfatin-1 in patients with PCOS (n = 30) and in age and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls (n = 30). PCOS patients had significantly lower levels of nesfatin-1 (0.88 ± 0.36 ng/mL) than healthy controls (2.22 ± 1.14 ng/mL). PCOS patients also had higher gonadotropin and androgen plasma concentrations, Ferriman-Gallwey scores, blood glucose levels and a homeostasis model of assessment-IR index (HOMA-IR) index than in healthy women. Correlation tests in PCOS subjects detected a negative correlation between nesfatin-1 levels and BMI, fasting blood glucose, insulin levels and a HOMA-IR index. Lower nesfatin-1 concentration may plays a very important role in the development of PCOS.

Muutumismäng 2010. 1.-5. osa / tekst Kerttu Soans ; kommenteerinud Tõnis Elling, Maiu Herzmann, Reet Martinson, Marek Sildoja, Pille Mitt, Marko Vilipson

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Soans, Kerttu, 1961-

2010-01-01

Ajakirja Üks Muutumismäng 2010 jälgib nende käekäiku, kes soovivad langetada kaalu osaledes spordiklubi Artic Sport XL-treeningprogrammis. Tutvustatakse ka inimest, kes on eeskujuks teistele treenijatele ja kaalulangetajatele

Mineral Potential in India Using Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer-Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG) Data

Science.gov (United States)

Oommen, T.; Chatterjee, S.

2017-12-01

NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) are generating Earth surface features data using Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer-Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG) within 380 to 2500 nm spectral range. This research focuses on the utilization of such data to better understand the mineral potential in India and to demonstrate the application of spectral data in rock type discrimination and mapping for mineral exploration by using automated mapping techniques. The primary focus area of this research is the Hutti-Maski greenstone belt, located in Karnataka, India. The AVIRIS-NG data was integrated with field analyzed data (laboratory scaled compositional analysis, mineralogy, and spectral library) to characterize minerals and rock types. An expert system was developed to produce mineral maps from AVIRIS-NG data automatically. The ground truth data from the study areas was obtained from the existing literature and collaborators from India. The Bayesian spectral unmixing algorithm was used in AVIRIS-NG data for endmember selection. The classification maps of the minerals and rock types were developed using support vector machine algorithm. The ground truth data was used to verify the mineral maps.

Trichosanthes cucumerina extracts enhance glucose uptake and regulate adiponectin and leptin concentrations in 3T3-L1 adipocytes model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sassi, A.,

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Trichosanthes cucumerina (Cucurbitaceae commonly known as Snake gourd or Labu Ular is considered the largest genre in the Cucurbitaceae family and is mainly found in the southeast areas of Asia. It has been used in Ayurvedic medicine as a treatment for certain diseases such as Diabetes mellitus, but these acclaims lack scientific-based evidence. In this study, water and ethanol extracts of three parts of Trichosanthes cucumerina namely; whole vegetable, peels, and seeds, were assessed for toxicity through a cell viability assay using 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes model which revealed a maximum toleration concentration of 0.063 mg/mL. The extracts were further tested on adipocytes’ differentiation and positively showed a stimulation of lipid droplets formation during adipogenesis and significantly (p<0.001 increased glycerol release levels (75.34±3.69 μg/ml during adipolysis. The extracts also significantly (p<0.001 promoted the uptake of glucose into the cells (2636.22±91.33 Bq in an action similar to that of insulin. Similar results were observed during ELISA assay with a significant increase (p<0.001 in adiponectin concentrations (3593.1±225.25 ng/mL and a decrease in leptin concentrations (23870±5066.07 pg/mL. The present study results indicate a beneficial effect of Trichosanthes cucumerina extracts on adipogenesis, adipolysis and glucose uptake, in addition to a regulation of adiponectin and leptin concentrations in 3T3-L1 adipocytes which can be of clinical importance in energy regulation which is a key factor in treating diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.

Fra web 2.0 til læringsspil 2.0

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duus Henriksen, Thomas

2010-01-01

Artiklen sætter fokus på, hvordan man kan omsætte web 2.0-teknologien til læringsspil for derigennem at skabe en brugerbaseret, deltagerdreven tilgang til at arbejde med læringsspil. Artiklen beretter om, hvordan organisationsudviklingsspillet 6Styles omsættes, først til en skoleudviklingssammenh......Artiklen sætter fokus på, hvordan man kan omsætte web 2.0-teknologien til læringsspil for derigennem at skabe en brugerbaseret, deltagerdreven tilgang til at arbejde med læringsspil. Artiklen beretter om, hvordan organisationsudviklingsspillet 6Styles omsættes, først til en...... skoleudviklingssammenhæng og dernæst til et såkaldt 2.0-læringsspil, hvor deltagerne skaber læringsspillets indhold, mens de spiller spillet. Erfaringer fra brug af læringsspillet peger på, at 1) 2.0 læringsspil tager markant mere tid at anvende, 2) deltagerne udvikler en produktiv forståelse for den underliggende teori...

Characterization and therapeutic evaluation of a Nestin⁺ CNP⁺ NG2⁺ cell population on mouse spinal cord injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Rui; Zhang, Si; Yang, Haijie; Ju, Peijun; Xia, Yinyan; Shi, Yu; Lim, Tse Hui; Lim, Alvin St; Liang, Fengyi; Feng, Zhiwei

2015-07-01

The NG2 chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan-expressing neural cells (NG2 cells) have originally been considered as oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). However, recent findings on their diverse functions and lineage heterogeneity demonstrated that the NG2 cells contain various sub-populations whose concrete features and therapeutic potential yet remained elucidated. In the present study, we characterized a Nestin(+) 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (CNP)(+) NG2(+) subpopulation from embryonic rat cerebral cortex. The Nestin(+) CNP(+) NG2(+) cells exhibited remarkable progenitor characteristics. Having been immortalized by human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), the life span of Nestin(+) CNP(+) NG2(+) cells was extended to 230 population doublings (PDs). With immortalized NG2 cells, we demonstrated their differentiation capacities to oligodendrocytes, astrocytes and neurons. Furthermore, transplanted into injured spinal cord of a mouse model, they were able to promote remyelination and neuronal regeneration, thereby enhancing the functional recovery. Our findings suggest that the Nestin(+) CNP(+) NG2(+) progenitor cells could be a good alternative cell source of cell therapy for neurological disorders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinical applications of HPLC-competitive protein binding assay for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shouli, Yang [China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, BJ (China). Inst. of Clinical Medical Science; and others

1989-08-01

This report describes the clinical applications of HPLC-competitive protein binding assay for serum 25(OH) Vit D in 156 cases. Serum 25(OH) Vit D of normal human was 33.1 +- 14.8 nmol/L (13.2 +- 5.9 ng/ml), while for various diseases are as follows: rickets, 18.0 +- 9.0 nmol/L (7.2 +- 3.6 ng/ml, n = 36, P < 0.005); hypervitaminosis D, 116.8 +- 31.3 nmol/L (46.7 +- 12.3 ng/ml, n = 6, P < 0.001); renal diseases of children, 25.3 +- 7.3 nmol/L (10.1 +- 2.9 ng/ml, n = 9. P > 0.1); pneumonia of children, 33.8 +- 14.8 nmol/L (13.5 +- 5.9 ng/ml, n = 10, P > 0.5); cirrhosis, 13.8 +- 11.3 nmol/L (5.5 +- 4.5 ng/ml, n = 9, P < 0.001); vasculitis, 25.5 +- 15.3 nmol/L (10.2 +- 6.1 ng/ml, n = 5, P > 0.2); administration of anticonvulsant (1 to 15 years), 19.0 +- 6.5 nmol/L (7.6 +- 2.6 ng/ml, n = 19, P < 0.001); administration of glococorticoids (> 6 months), 15.3 +- 5.0 nmol/L (6.1 +- 2.0 ng/ml, n = 6, P < 0.005); hyperthyroidism, 34.0 +- 23.5 nmol/L (13.6 +- 9.4 ng/ml, n = 13, P > 0.5); pregnant women, 39.8 +- 16.5 nmol/L (15.9 +- 6.6 ng/ml, n = 7, P > 0.1). We found it is a useful reference value for most of the above diseased state especially for differentiation between rickets and hypervitaminosis.

ngLOC: software and web server for predicting protein subcellular localization in prokaryotes and eukaryotes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

King Brian R

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Understanding protein subcellular localization is a necessary component toward understanding the overall function of a protein. Numerous computational methods have been published over the past decade, with varying degrees of success. Despite the large number of published methods in this area, only a small fraction of them are available for researchers to use in their own studies. Of those that are available, many are limited by predicting only a small number of organelles in the cell. Additionally, the majority of methods predict only a single location for a sequence, even though it is known that a large fraction of the proteins in eukaryotic species shuttle between locations to carry out their function. Findings We present a software package and a web server for predicting the subcellular localization of protein sequences based on the ngLOC method. ngLOC is an n-gram-based Bayesian classifier that predicts subcellular localization of proteins both in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The overall prediction accuracy varies from 89.8% to 91.4% across species. This program can predict 11 distinct locations each in plant and animal species. ngLOC also predicts 4 and 5 distinct locations on gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial datasets, respectively. Conclusions ngLOC is a generic method that can be trained by data from a variety of species or classes for predicting protein subcellular localization. The standalone software is freely available for academic use under GNU GPL, and the ngLOC web server is also accessible at http://ngloc.unmc.edu.

CYFRA 21.1 in bronchoalveolar lavage of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Vercauteren, Inge M; Verleden, Stijn E; McDonough, John E; Vandermeulen, Elly; Ruttens, David; Lammertyn, Elise J; Bellon, Hannelore; De Dycker, Els; Dooms, Christophe; Yserbyt, Jonas; Verleden, Geert M; Vanaudenaerde, Bart M; Wuyts, Wim A

2015-01-01

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is one of the most aggressive forms of interstitial lung diseases, however, clinically relevant biomarkers of diagnosis or prognosis are lacking. In this study, we investigated the levels of a fragment of Cytokeratin 19 (CYFRA 21.1) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of IPF patients at time of diagnosis. We further evaluated associations between CYFRA 21.1, pulmonary function evolution, mortality, and BAL cell count. Using the Lumipulse® G1200, CYFRA 21.1 was measured in BAL samples of 81 IPF patients and 9 controls. Based upon the median detected level (1.2 ng/mL) of CYFRA 21.1 in IPF patients, they were subdivided into an IPF CYFRA 21.1 low group (≤ 1.2 ng/mL) and IPF CYFRA 21.1 high group (> 1.2 ng/mL). The CYFRA 21.1 levels were significantly higher in BAL of IPF patients compared to controls (P = .0015).Worse survival was observed, but no changes in pulmonary function, for IPF patients with high CYFRA 21.1 levels versus patients with low CYFRA 21.1 levels [P = .030, HR: 0.41, (0.18-0.92)[. The CYFRA 21.1 level correlated with both neutrophils (%: R = 0.60, P < .0001; #: R = 0.47, P < .0001) and eosinophils (%: R = 0.38, P = .0005; #: R = 0.30, P < .0072). CYFRA 21.1 is increased in BAL of IPF patients. IPF patients with a high CYFRA 21.1 concentration have a worse survival. CYFRA 21.1 levels correlate with eosinophils and neutrophils. Further studies are warranted in using CYFRA 21.1 as a biomarker for IPF prognosis.

L1 and L2 Spoken Word Processing: Evidence from Divided Attention Paradigm.

Science.gov (United States)

Shafiee Nahrkhalaji, Saeedeh; Lotfi, Ahmad Reza; Koosha, Mansour

2016-10-01

The present study aims to reveal some facts concerning first language (L 1 ) and second language (L 2 ) spoken-word processing in unbalanced proficient bilinguals using behavioral measures. The intention here is to examine the effects of auditory repetition word priming and semantic priming in first and second languages of these bilinguals. The other goal is to explore the effects of attention manipulation on implicit retrieval of perceptual and conceptual properties of spoken L 1 and L 2 words. In so doing, the participants performed auditory word priming and semantic priming as memory tests in their L 1 and L 2 . In a half of the trials of each experiment, they carried out the memory test while simultaneously performing a secondary task in visual modality. The results revealed that effects of auditory word priming and semantic priming were present when participants processed L 1 and L 2 words in full attention condition. Attention manipulation could reduce priming magnitude in both experiments in L 2 . Moreover, L 2 word retrieval increases the reaction times and reduces accuracy on the simultaneous secondary task to protect its own accuracy and speed.

Pentacyclic ingamine-type alkaloids, a new antiplasmodial pharmacophore from the marine sponge petrosid Ng5 Sp5

Science.gov (United States)

Two new pentacyclic ingamine- type alkaloids, namely 22(S)-hydroxyingamine A (2) and dihydroingenamine D (3), together with the known ingamine A (1) have been isolated from marine sponge Petrosid Ng5 Sp5 (Family: Petrosiidae) obtained from the open repository of National Cancer Institute, USA. The s...

Modeling of action potential generation in NG108-15 cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Molnar, Peter; Hickman, James J

2014-01-01

In order to explore the possibility of identifying toxins based on their effect on the shape of action potentials, we created a computer model of the action potential generation in NG108-15 cells (a neuroblastoma/glioma hybrid cell line). To generate the experimental data for model validation, voltage-dependent sodium, potassium and high-threshold calcium currents, as well as action potentials, were recorded from NG108-15 cells with conventional whole-cell patch-clamp methods. Based on the classic Hodgkin-Huxley formalism and the linear thermodynamic description of the rate constants, ion-channel parameters were estimated using an automatic fitting method. Utilizing the established parameters, action potentials were generated using the Hodgkin-Huxley formalism and were fitted to the recorded action potentials. To demonstrate the applicability of the method for toxin detection and discrimination, the effect of tetrodotoxin (a sodium channel blocker) and tefluthrin (a pyrethroid that is a sodium channel opener) were studied. The two toxins affected the shape of the action potentials differently, and their respective effects were identified based on the predicted changes in the fitted parameters.

Determination of mercury and selenium in herbal medicines and hair by using a nanometer TiO{sub 2}-coated quartz tube atomizer and hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Shun-Xing, E-mail: lishunxing@fjzs.edu.cn [Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Zhangzhou Normal University, Zhangzhou 363000 (China); Fujian Province University Key Laboratory of Analytical Science (Zhangzhou Normal University), Zhangzhou 363000 (China); Zheng, Feng-Ying [Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Zhangzhou Normal University, Zhangzhou 363000 (China); Fujian Province University Key Laboratory of Analytical Science (Zhangzhou Normal University), Zhangzhou 363000 (China); Cai, Shu-Jie; Cai, Tian-Shou [Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Zhangzhou Normal University, Zhangzhou 363000 (China)

2011-05-15

The nanometer TiO{sub 2} particle was coated onto the inner wall of a T-shaped quartz tube atomizer (QTA) and then was used as a new atomizer (NT-QTA) for the determination of Hg and Se by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HGAAS). After coating 67.4 mg TiO{sub 2} on a quartz tube, the analytical performance of NT-QTA-HGAAS was compared to conventional QTA-HGAAS and it was improved as follows: (a) the linear range of the calibration curves was expanded from 10.0-80.0 ng mL{sup -1} to 5.0-150.0 ng mL{sup -1} for Hg, and from 10.0-70.0 ng mL{sup -1} to 5.0-100.0 ng mL{sup -1} for Se; (b) the characteristic concentration of was decreased from 2.8 ng mL{sup -1}/1% to 1.1 ng mL{sup -1}/1% for Hg and from 1.2 ng mL{sup -1}/1% to 0.8 ng mL{sup -1}/1% for Se; and (c) the interference from the coexistence of As on the determination of Hg and Se could be eliminated. The achieved technique was applied for the determination of Hg and Se in herbal medicines and hair.

Soluble vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor-1 inhibits migration of human monocytic THP-1 cells in response to VEGF.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Cansheng; Xiong, Zhaojun; Chen, Xiaohong; Lu, Zhengqi; Zhou, Guoyu; Wang, Dunjing; Bao, Jian; Hu, Xueqiang

2011-08-01

We aimed to investigate the regulation and contribution of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and sFlt-1(1-3) to human monocytic THP-1 migration. Ad-sFlt-1/FLAG, a recombinant adenovirus carrying the human sFlt-1(1-3) (the first three extracellular domains of FLT-1, the hVEGF receptor-1) gene, was constructed. L929 cells were infected with Ad-sFlt-1/FLAG and the expression of sFlt-1 was detected by immunofluorescent assay and ELISA. Corning(®) Transwell(®) Filter Inserts containing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) membranes with pore sizes of 3 μm were used as an experimental model to simulate THP-1 migration. Five VEGF concentrations (0, 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 ng/ml), four concentrations of sFlt-1(1-3)/FLAG expression supernatants (0.1, 1, 10 and 100 ng/ml), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1, 10 ng/ml) were used to test the ability of THP-1 cells to migrate through PET membranes. The sFlt-1(1-3) gene was successfully recombined into Ad-sFlt-1/FLAG. sFlt-1(1-3) was expressed in L929 cells transfected with Ad-sFlt-1/FLAG. THP-1 cell migration increased with increasing concentrations of VEGF, while cell migration decreased with increasing concentrations of sFlt1(1-3)/FLAG. sFlt1(1-3)/FLAG had no effect on MCP-1-induced cell migration. This study demonstrated that VEGF is able to elicit a migratory response in THP-1 cells, and that sFlt-1(1-3) is an effective inhibitor of THP-1 migration towards VEGF.

Determinação de tetraciclina em líquido sinovial de vacas com doença podal Analytical method to the determination of tetracycline in synovial fluid of cows with lameness in foot

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cláudia Esteban

2007-06-01

Full Text Available As doenças podais em bovinos são, via de regra, acompanhadas de infecções existentes na área lesionada. O sucesso do tratamento relaciona-se com a concentração do fármaco nas sinóvias dos animais, sendo tetraciclina e oxitetraciclina, entre os antibióticos os principais quimioterápicos atualmente utilizados. Assim, o presente trabalho objetivou desenvolver um método analítico que permita a determinação de tetraciclina por Cromatografia a Líquido de Alta Pressão em líquido sinovial de vacas leiteiras portadoras de enfermidades podais pós-tratamento via intravenosa do antibiótico. O método analítico apresentou limite de detecção e quantificação para a tetraciclina em líquido sinovial de 38 ng/mL e 50 ng/mL, respectivamente. A recuperação das concentrações baixa, média e alta foram superiores a 75%. A linearidade foi avaliada na faixa dinâmica de 50 - 15.000 ng/mL. A precisão e a exatidão para as concentrações baixas, médias e altas foram consideradas adequadas para a realização das análises. Os resultados da concentração máxima e tempo para atingir a concentração máxima foram, respectivamente de Tmax= 1,37 h, Cmax=3471,57 ng/mL em líquido sinovial de vacas com doença podal.Lameness in cattle is, as a rule, accompanied by infection in the wounded area. Many antimicrobial agents of wide spectrum are used in this therapy, being the concentration of the active principle of paramount importance in the treatment. One of the most used antibiotics is the tetracycline family, having as main representants oxitetracycline and tetracycline due to their treatment success. Therefore, the present work aims the development of an analytical method which allows the determination of tetracycline by High Pressure Liquid Chromatography in sinovial fluid of dairy cows, with lameness in foot, post-administration of antibiotic by intravenous via. The analytical method presented detection and quantification limits in

The Influence of Schema and Cultural Difference on L1 and L2 Reading

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Shi-sheng

2010-01-01

Reading in L1 shares numerous basic elements with reading in L2, and the processes also differ greatly. Intriguing questions involve whether there are two parallel cognitive processes at work, or whether there are processing strategies that accommodate both L1 and L2. This paper examines how reading in L1 is different from and similar to reading…

Evidence from adult L1 Afrikaans L2 French

African Journals Online (AJOL)

results of this study show that a large number of the L2 learners had indeed acquired ... position in V2-languages (such as German) and in third position in non-V2 ... L1, allows construction types x and y but he will have no problem acquiring .... Modern Foreign Languages at Stellenbosch University at the time of testing.

Upregulated expression of Nogo-A and NgR in an experimental model of focal microgyria regulates the migration, proliferation and self-renewal of subventricular zone neural progenitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Sixun; Shu, Haifeng; Yang, Tao; Huang, Haidong [Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital of the People' s Liberation Army Chengdu Military Region, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610083 (China); Li, Song [Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037 (China); Zhao, Ziyi [Central Laboratory, Teaching Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 610075 (China); Kuang, Yongqin, E-mail: kuangyongqin@163.com [Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital of the People' s Liberation Army Chengdu Military Region, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610083 (China)

2016-04-29

Nogo-A and its receptor (NgR) were first described as myelin-associated inhibitors of neuronal regeneration in response to injury. In recent years, knowledge about the important role of the Nogo-A protein in several neuronal pathologies has grown considerably. Here, we employed a neonatal cortex freeze-lesion (NFL) model in neonatal rats and measured the expression of Nogo-A and NgR in the resulting cerebrocortical microdysgenesis 5–75 days after freezing injury. We observed marked upregulation of Nogo-A and NgR in protein levels. Furthermore, the migration of neural precursor cells (NPCs) derived from the subventricular zone (SVZ) toward the sits of injury was perturbed by treatment of NgR antagonist peptide NEP1-40. In vitro analysis showed that the knockdown of NgR by lentivirus-delivered siRNA promoted in axonal regeneration and SVZ-derived neural stem cell/progenitor cell (SVZ-NPCs) adhesion and migration, findings which were similar to the effects of NEP1-40. Taken together, our results indicate an important role for NgR in regulating the physiological processes of SVZ-NPCs. The observation of upregulated Nogo-A/NgR in lesion sites in the NFL model suggest that the effects of the perturbed Nogo-A are a key feature during the development and/or the progression of cortical malformation. - Highlights: • NFL model is an accurate experimental reproduction of focal microgyria of FCD. • The increase of the Nogo-A Levels occurs in response to freeze-induced focal lesioning. • Nogo-A/NgR may play a critical role for in the pathologic progression of FCD. • Nogo-A is associated with the migration, proliferation and self-renewal of SVZ-NPCs.

Voice and Narrative in L1 Writing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krogh, Ellen; Piekut, Anke

2015-01-01

This paper investigates issues of voice and narrative in L1 writing. Three branches of research are initial-ly discussed: research on narratives as resources for identity work, research on writer identity and voice as an essential aspect of identity, and research on Bildung in L1 writing. Subsequ...... training of voice and narratives as a resource for academic writing, and that the Bildung potential of L1 writing may be tied to this issue.......This paper investigates issues of voice and narrative in L1 writing. Three branches of research are initial-ly discussed: research on narratives as resources for identity work, research on writer identity and voice as an essential aspect of identity, and research on Bildung in L1 writing...... in lower secondary L1, she found that her previous writing strategies were not rewarded in upper secondary school. In the second empiri-cal study, two upper-secondary exam papers are investigated, with a focus on their approaches to exam genres and their use of narrative resources to address issues...

Photonic integrated transmitter and receiver for NG-PON2

Science.gov (United States)

Tavares, Ana; Lopes, Ana; Rodrigues, Cláudio; Mãocheia, Paulo; Mendes, Tiago; Brandão, Simão.; Rodrigues, Francisco; Ferreira, Ricardo; Teixeira, António

2014-08-01

In this paper the authors present a monolithic Photonic Integrated Circuit which includes a transmitter and a receiver for NG-PON2. With this layout it is possible to build an OLT and, by redesigning some filters, also an ONU. This technology allows reducing the losses in the transmitter and in the receiver, increasing power budget, and also reducing the OEO conversions, which has been a major problem that operators want to surpass.

l-arginine and l-NMMA for assessing cerebral endothelial dysfunction in ischaemic cerebrovascular disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karlsson, William K; Sørensen, Caspar G; Kruuse, Christina

2017-01-01

Endothelial dysfunction (ED), in particular cerebral ED, may be an essential biomarker for ischaemic cerebrovascular disease. However, there is no consensus on methods to best estimate cerebral ED. In this systematic review, we evaluate the use of l-arginine and NG -monomethyl-l-arginine (l......-NMMA) for assessment of cerebral ED. A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library was done. We included studies investigating cerebrovascular response to l-arginine or l-NMMA in human subjects with vascular risk factors or ischaemic cerebrovascular disease. Seven studies (315 subjects) were eligible...... cerebrovascular disease. Inconsistencies in results were most likely due to variations in methods and included subject populations. In order to use cerebral ED as a prognostic marker, further studies are required to evaluate the association to cerebrovascular disease....

Modulation by calcineurin of 5-HT3 receptor function in NG108-15 neuroblastoma x glioma cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boddeke, HWGM; Meigel, [No Value; Boeijinga, P; Arbuckle, J; Docherty, RJ

1 We have investigated the mechanism of regulation of 5-HT3 receptor channel sensitivity in voltage-clamped (-80 mV) NG108-15 neuroblastoma cells. 2 The 5-HT-induced inward current activated rapidly. The fast onset was followed by a biphasic decay which was characterized by two time constants,

Modulation by calcineurin of 5-HT3receptor function in NG108-15 neuroblastoma x glioma cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boddeke, H.W.G.M.; Meigel, I.; Boeijinga, P.; Arbuckle, J.; Docherty, R.J.

1996-01-01

1. We have investigated the mechanism of regulation of 5-HT3receptor channel sensitivity in voltage-clamped (-80 mV) NG108-15 neuroblastoma cells. 2. The 5-HT-induced inward current activated rapidly. The fast onset was followed by a biphasic decay which was characterized by two time constants,

Failure-free survival following brachytherapy alone or external beam irradiation alone for T1-2 prostate tumors in 2222 patients: results from a single practice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brachman, David G.; Thomas, Theresa; Hilbe, Joseph; Beyer, David C.

2000-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate failure-free survival (FFS) for brachytherapy (BT) alone compared to external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) alone for Stage T1-2 Nx-No Mo patients over the same time period by a single community-based practice in the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) era. Materials and Methods: The database of Arizona Oncology Services (a multiphysician radiation oncology practice in the Phoenix metropolitan area) was reviewed for patients meeting the following criteria: (1) T1 or T2 Nx-No Mo prostate cancer; (2) no prior or concurrent therapy including hormones; (3) treatment period 12/88-12/95; and (4) treatment with either EBRT alone or BT alone ( 125 I or 103 Pd). This yielded 1527 EBRT and 695 BT patients; no patients meeting the above criteria were excluded from analysis. Median follow-up for EBRT patients was 41.3 months and, for BT patients, 51.3 months. Patients were not randomized to either therapy but rather received EBRT or BT based upon patient, treating, and/or referring physician preference. PSA failure was defined according to the ASTRO consensus guidelines. The median patient age was 74 years for both groups. Results: Failure-free survival at 5 years for EBRT and BT are 69% and 71%, respectively (p = 0.91). For T stage, no significant difference in FFS at 5 years is observed between EBRT and BT for either T1 (78% vs. 83%, p = 0.47) or T2 (67% vs. 67%, p = 0.89) tumors. Analysis by Gleason score shows superior outcomes for Gleason 8-10 lesions treated with EBRT vs. BT (5-year FFS 52% vs. 28%, p = 0.04); outcomes for lower grade lesions (Gleason 4-6) when analyzed by Gleason score alone do not significantly differ according to treatment received. Patients with initial PSA values of 10-20 ng/dL have an improved FFS with EBRT vs. BT at 5 years (70% vs. 53%, p = 0.001); outcomes for patients with initial PSA ranges of 0-4 ng/dL, of > 4-10 ng/dL, and > 20 ng/dL did not differ significantly by treatment received. FFS was also determined for presenting

Peramivir pharmacokinetics in a patient receiving continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration during the 2009 H1N1 influenza A pandemic.

Science.gov (United States)

Bentley, Michael L; Hollistera, Alan S; Hansenb, Amanda C; Smith, Jean A; Cain, James S

2014-12-01

Peramivir is a neuraminidase inhibitor having activity against various influenza A and B subtypes. The main route of elimination is the kidney and a dose reduction is justified for multiple-day therapy when the creatinine clearance is calculate the saturation coefficient, plasma half-life, maximum and minimum plasma concentrations, and area under the plasma drug concentration-time curve (AUC) for peramivir. CVVHDF was performed using a Prisma pump and an AN69 filter. During peramivir sampling, the dialysate flow rate was 16.7 mL/min. The mean total ultrafiltrate produced was 14.2 mL/min. To calculate a saturation coefficient (SA), simultaneous sampling of blood and effluent was performed. Pre- and post-filter as well as effluent samples were obtained 4.5 and 8.5 hours following the 3rd dose of 480 mg. Plasma concentrations were also obtained at several time points and the AUC estimated from 0 to 24 hours (AUC0-24). The maximum plasma concentration (C30min) was 19,477 ng/mL, the minimum plasma concentration (Cmin) 2,750 ng/mL, and AUC0-24 196,166 ng x h/mL. The estimated plasma half-life was 8.2 hours with a log-linear decrease over the 24-hour period suggesting significant extracorporeal clearance. The calculated SA was 0.98, similar to an estimated SA of 1. Peramivir is readily cleared by CVVHDF having a calculated SA close to 1. The maximum and minimum plasma concentrations, AUC0-24, and plasma half-life was similar to those previously reported. These data will be useful in determining appropriate peramivir dosing regimens for severely ill influenza patients with acute renal impairment managed by CVVHDF.

ATG16L1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Salem, Mohammad; Ammitzboell, Mette; Nys, Kris

2015-01-01

Genetic variations in the autophagic pathway influence genetic predispositions to Crohn disease. Autophagy, the major lysosomal pathway for degrading and recycling cytoplasmic material, constitutes an important homeostatic cellular process. Of interest, single-nucleotide polymorphisms in ATG16L1...... (autophagy-related 16-like 1 [S. cerevisiae]), a key component in the autophagic response to invading pathogens, have been associated with an increased risk of developing Crohn disease. The most common and well-studied genetic variant of ATG16L1 (rs2241880; leading to a T300A conversion) exhibits a strong...... association with risk for developing Crohn disease. The rs2241880 variant plays a crucial role in pathogen clearance, resulting in imbalanced cytokine production, and is linked to other biological processes, such as the endoplasmic reticulum stress/unfolded protein response. In this review, we focus...

The effects of EGF and IGF-1 on FSH-mediated in vitro maturation of domestic cat oocytes derived from follicular and luteal stages.

Science.gov (United States)

Yıldırım, Koray; Vural, M Rıfat; Küplülü, Sükrü; Ozcan, Ziya; Polat, I Mert

2014-04-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin like growth factor-I (IGF-1) on the in vitro maturation of cat oocytes recovered from follicular and luteal stage ovaries. Oocytes from follicular (n=580) and luteal (n=209) stages were harvested and divided into four groups, which were cultured in FSH-mediated maturation medium supplemented with: (1) EGF alone (25ng/mL); (2) IGF-1 alone (100ng/mL); (3) EGF+IGF-1 (25ng/mL EGF+100ng/mL IGF-I); or (4) no growth factor (control). The proportion of follicular stage oocytes reaching the metaphase II stage was significantly higher than that of oocytes obtained at the luteal stage in both control and study groups (pIGF-1, and 78.1% in EGF+IGF-1 groups, whereas the respective values for gametes collected from luteal stage ovaries were 12.5%, 17.5%, 12.5%, and 16.9%. Additionally, the differences between the study and control groups were significant in the case of follicular stage oocytes. Finally, supplementing the maturation medium with EGF and/or IGF-1 significantly enhanced the meiotic maturation of oocytes recovered from follicular stage ovaries. The present study also demonstrated that the combination of EGF and IGF-I provides an additional or synergic effect on meiotic maturation of oocytes recovered from the follicular stage. Copyright © 2014 Society for Biology of Reproduction & the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

Steady-state pharmacokinetics of metformin is independent of the OCT1 genotype in healthy volunteers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Mette Marie Hougaard; Højlund, Kurt; Hother-Nielsen, Ole

2015-01-01

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to determine the steady-state pharmacokinetics of metformin in healthy volunteers with different numbers of reduced-function alleles in the organic cation transporter 1 gene (OCT1). METHODS: The study was conducted as part of a randomized cross-over trial. Thirty......-four healthy volunteers with known OCT1 genotypes (12 with two wild-type alleles, 13 with one and 9 with two reduced-function alleles) were included. In one of the study periods, they were titrated to steady-state with 1 g metformin twice daily. RESULTS: Neither AUC(0-12), C(max) nor Cl(renal) were...... statistically significantly affected by the number of reduced-function alleles (0, 1 or 2) in OCT1: (AUC(0-12): 0, 1, 2: 14, 13 and 14 h ng/L (P = 0.61)); (C(max): 0, 1, 2: 2192, 1934 and 2233 ng/mL, (P = 0.26)) and (Cl(renal): 0, 1, 2: 31, 28 and 30 L/h (P = 0.57)) CONCLUSIONS: In a cohort of healthy...

Effect of GenF20 Plus on serum IGF-1 levels in healthy adults: a randomized controlled study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonawane N

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Navneet Sonawane,1 Vinayak Kale,2 Suhas Erande,3 Jayesh Chaudhary1 1Vedic Lifesciences Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, India; 2Lokmanya Hospital, Pune, India; 3Akshay Hospital, Pune, India Background: Aging is related to a reduction of growth hormones, resulting in physiological derailment and affects overall wellbeing. GenF20 Plus is a dietary supplement postulated to naturally stimulate the secretion of human growth hormone (HGH through the anterior pituitary. This study sought to evaluate the effect of GenF20 Plus in enhancing the levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1, which is a marker of HGH levels. Methods: Seventy subjects aged 35–65 years visiting outpatient departments at five study centers across India, presenting with at least two of the following age-related complaints: decreased memory, decreased libido, low energy levels, or poor quality of sleep were randomly assigned to either GenF20 Plus (n=35 or placebo (n=35 for a period of 12 weeks (84 days. Randomization was carried out using computerized software. The primary outcome measure was serum IGF-1 levels. Changes in waist circumference, body mass index, body fat percentage, lean muscle mass, and scores for memory, libido, energy levels, and quality of sleep were also assessed. Trial registration: CTRI/2011/06/001784. Results: Sixty-one subjects completed the study as per protocol and were analyzed. The mean increase (mean ± standard deviation in IGF-1 levels at day 84 in the GenF20 Plus group was 13.46±36.12 ng/mL and in the placebo group was 6.35±36.56 ng/mL, which was not statistically significantly different (P>0.05 when compared across the groups. In the ≥40 years subgroup, the mean increase in IGF-1 in the GenF20 Plus group (14.59±40.08 ng/mL was not statistically significantly different when compared to the placebo group (3.17±16.09 ng/mL using analysis of variance (ANOVA; P>0.05. However, when this change was analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA considering

[Effect of electric acupuncture on the expression of NgR in the cerebral cortex, the medulla oblongata, and the spinal cord of hypertensive rats after cerebral infarction].

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Feng; Chen, Jie; Liang, Yan-Gui; Li, Yan-Ping; Wang, Xue-Wen; Meng, Di; Cheng, Nan-Fang

2014-03-01

To observe the effect of electric acupuncture (EA) on the Nogo receptors (NgR) protein expression in the cerebral cortex, the medulla oblongata, and the spinal cord of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) stroke-prone renovascular hypertensive rats (RHRSP) with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) at different time points, and to investigate its possible mechanisms for remote-organ injury of acute cerebral infarction (ACI). The RHRSP model was duplicated in male SPF grade SD rats. Then the MCAO model was prepared by a thread stringing method. Rats were divided into the hypertension group,the sham-operation group, the MCAO group, the EA group, and the sham-acupoint group by random number table method, 60 in each group. Rats in the MCAO group only received MCAO reperfusion treatment. Those in the sham-operation group only received surgical trauma. Baihui (DU20) and Dazhui (DU14) were needled in the EA group, once daily for a total of 28 days.The needles were acupunctured at the skin one cun distant from Baihui (DU20) and Dazhui (DU14) and then the same EA treatment was performed in the sham-acupoint group. At day 1, 7, 14, 28 after treatment, six rats were executed from each group, and their right cortex and medulla oblongata, and the left spinal cord were isolated. The infarct volume was detected by Nissl's staining method. The NgR expression was detect by Western blot. (1) In the cortex area: compared with the hypertension group,the NgR expression increased in the MCAO group at day 1,7,14,and 28 after MCAO (P 0.05). At day 7, 14,and 28 after MCAO, the NgR expression decreased in the EA group (P 0.05). (2) In the medulla oblongata area: compared with the hypertension group, the NgR expression was equivalent in the sham-operation group. the MCAO group,the EA group, and the sham-acupoint group at 1 day after MCAO (P > 0.05). At day 7.14, and 28 after MCAO, the NgR expression increased in the MCAO group (P 0.05). (3) In the spinal cord area: compared with the

L1 and L2 Strategy Use in Reading Comprehension of Chinese EFL Readers

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Yea-Ru; Ernst, Cheryl; Talley, Paul C.

2010-01-01

This study revealed the relationship between L1 (Mandarin Chinese) and L2 (English) strategy use in L2 reading comprehension by focusing on the correlation of L1 reading ability, L2 proficiency and employed reading strategies. The participants, 222 undergraduates learning English as a foreign language (EFL), were classified into skilled and…

Injection of Carica papaya L. Seed Extract of Cibinong Variety to Macaca fascicularis L. and its Effect to Quality of Spermatozoa and Level of Testosterone Hormone.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tuti Nuraini

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Lack of contraceptive choices which meet the requirements is one of the contributing factors to less participation of man in contraceptive use. This research aimed to study the effectiveness of natural material for alternative male contraception, by injecting papaya seed extract with Cibinong variety (Carica papaya L. to long tail monkey (Macaca fascicularis L. The research was conducted at Primates Study Center, Institute of Agriculture, Bogor. Total samples of this research were 8 monkeys, with three intervention groupsand one control group. Papaya seed extract was injected via intramuscular in 21 days, with dose for each group were 40 mg/monkey, 80 mg/monkey, and 120 mg/monkey. Data analysis of spermatozoa quality (motility, viability, morfology was done by using Cochran test before and after intervention stages, and during recovery stage. Meanwhile, data aalysis of spermatozoa concentration and testosterone hormone level was done by using Friedman test. Result of this reseachdemonstrated reduction of motility, viability, and morfology ofspermatozoa after inejction of papaya seed extract and increase to normal level at recovery stage (p ≤ 0.05. These results was supported with cement aglutination. The most effective dose was at 40 mg/monkey/day, with reduction of spermatozoa motility from 87.5 % to 40%, and reduction of testosterone level from 2.35 ng/mL to 1.83 ng/mL. Even though spermatozoa motility and testosterone hormone levelreduced, but its conditions were still in good condition category.

Osteoprotegerin Levels Change During STEMI and Reflect Cardiac Function

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindberg, Søren; Jensen, Jan S; Hoffmann, Søren

2014-01-01

% confidence interval) before PCI, after PCI, and on day 1 and day 2 of 2650 ng/L (2315-3036 ng/L), 2778 ng/L (2442-3363 ng/L), 2024 ng/L (1775-230 6 ng/L), and 1808 ng/L (1551-2106 ng/L), respectively (P ...-reactive protein. Patients with reduced LVEF (P = 0.009). Adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, and cardiovascular risk factors did not significantly affect...... the association between reduced LVEF and increased OPG response (mean increase 33% (4%-70%; F = 5.784; P = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: Circulating OPG levels are altered during STEMI treated with primary PCI. A high OPG level is independently associated with impaired LVEF....

Sammenhæng mellem luftvejssygdomme i den tidlige barndom og astma hos unge. International forskning, udvalgt og kommenteret

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, P.A.

1994-01-01

Referat af udenlandsk arbejde vedr. sammenhæng mellem luftvejssygdomme i tidlig barndom og senere astma. Udgivelsesdato: 1994......Referat af udenlandsk arbejde vedr. sammenhæng mellem luftvejssygdomme i tidlig barndom og senere astma. Udgivelsesdato: 1994...

Molecular detection and confirmation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in urogenital and extragenital specimens using the Abbott CT/NG RealTime assay and an in-house assay targeting the porA pseudogene.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Walsh, A

2011-04-01

Culture for detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) is being replaced by molecular assays, but difficulties are observed with false positive and negatives results, especially for extragenital samples. This study evaluates the Abbott CT\\/NG Real-Time assay and a real-time porA pseudogene assay. Samples (n = 600) from a mixed prevalence Irish population include 164 male urines with corresponding urethral swabs, 58 endocervical swabs, 173 male pharyngeal swabs, 205 male rectal swabs, 36 NG clinical isolates and 26 commensal Neisseria species isolates. There was a 100% concordance between the Abbott CT\\/NG Real-Time and the porA assay. The positivity rate was 1.2%, 1.7%, 8.1% and 5.8% for FVU\\/urethral swabs, endocervical, pharyngeal and rectal swabs, respectively. These results were compared to culture and discrepancies were found with nine pharyngeal and three rectal swabs. Seven of the 12 discrepant positive samples were sequenced and were confirmed "true positives". The sensitivity and specificity of the molecular assays was 100%. The sensitivity of the culture-based testing was 100% for urogenital samples but 36% and 75% for pharyngeal and rectal swabs, respectively. The combined Abbott CT\\/NG and porA assays provide a valuable alternative to culture and also generate a significant increase in the diagnosis of pharyngeal and rectal NG infection.

Direct-acting antiviral-based triple therapy on alpha-fetoprotein level in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Takayama, Koji; Furusyo, Norihiro; Ogawa, Eiichi; Ikezaki, Hiroaki; Shimizu, Motohiro; Murata, Masayuki; Hayashi, Jun

2015-04-21

To investigate the impact of telaprevir-based triple therapy on the serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level of chronic hepatitis C patients. A total of 210 patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 1 of high viral load (baseline serum hepatitis C virus RNA > 5.0 log10 IU/mL) were divided into two groups by type of treatment: triple therapy with telaprevir, pegylated-interferon-α (PEG-IFNα), and ribavirin (RBV) for 24 wk (n = 88), or dual therapy with PEG-IFNα and RBV for 48 wk (n = 122). The relationship between virological response and the change in the serum AFP level from baseline to 24 wk after the end of treatment was examined. No significant difference in mean baseline AFP level was found between the triple and dual therapy groups (8.8 ng/mL vs 7.8 ng/mL). Triple therapy produced significant declines in the AFP level in sustained virological response (SVR) and non-SVR patients (7.8 ng/mL at baseline to 3.5 ng/mL at 24 wk after the end of treatment, P < 0.001 and 14.3 ng/mL to 9.5 ng/mL, P = 0.004, respectively). In contrast, dual therapy resulted in a significant decline in AFP level only in SVR patients (4.7 ng/mL to 2.8 ng/mL, P < 0.001), but not in non-SVR patients (10.2 ng/mL to 10.1 ng/mL). Among patients with a high-baseline AFP level (≥ 10 ng/mL), the decline in the AFP level was significantly higher in the triple therapy than in the dual therapy group (15.9 ng/mL vs 1.6 ng/mL, P = 0.037). Regardless of virological response, telaprevir-based triple therapy reduced the serum AFP level.

Cannabidiol Does Not Convert to Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in an In Vivo Animal Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Wray, Louise; Stott, Colin; Jones, Nicholas; Wright, Stephen

2017-01-01

Introduction: Cannabidiol (CBD) can convert to Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in vitro with prolonged exposure to simulated gastric fluid; however, in vitro conditions may not be representative of the in vivo gut environment. Using the minipig, we investigated whether enteral CBD converts to THC in vivo . Materials and Methods: Synthetic CBD (100 mg/mL) was administered orally in a sesame oil formulation twice daily to minipigs ( N =3) in 15 mg/kg doses for 5 consecutive days. Blood samples were taken before and 1, 2, 4, and 6 h after morning doses on Days 1 and 5. Six hours after the final dose on Day 5, the animals were euthanized, and samples of gastrointestinal (GI) tract contents were obtained. Liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry analysis determined CBD, THC, and 11-hydroxy-THC (11-OH-THC) concentrations. Lower limits of quantification: plasma CBD=1 ng/mL, plasma THC and 11-OH-THC=0.5 ng/mL, GI tract CBD=2 ng/mL, and GI tract THC and 11-OH-THC=1 ng/mL. Results: THC and 11-OH-THC were undetectable in all plasma samples. Maximum plasma concentrations ( C max ) of CBD were observed between 1 and 4 h on Days 1 and 5. CBD was present in plasma 6 h after administration on Days 1 (mean 33.6 ng/mL) and 5 (mean 98.8 ng/mL). Mean C max CBD values, 328 ng/mL (Day 1) and 259 ng/mL (Day 5), were within range of those achieved in clinical studies. Mean CBD exposure over 6 h was similar on Days 1 (921 h·ng/mL) and 5 (881 h·ng/mL). THC and 11-OH-THC were not detected in all GI tract samples. Mean CBD concentrations reached 84,500 ng/mL in the stomach and 43,900 ng/mL in the small intestine. Conclusions: Findings of the present study show that orally dosed CBD, yielding clinically relevant plasma exposures, does not convert to THC in the minipig, a species predictive of human GI tract function.

Against the Grain: Socially Just Social Science from the Standpoint of Roxana Ng (Review Essay

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Elaine Coburn

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This contribution seeks to highlight the important scholarship of Roxana Ng, arguably one of Canadian sociology and political economy’s most underappreciated theorists. Like her activism, Ng’s academic work is both wide-ranging yet firmly focused on major, unjust inequalities. Her research particularly concerns the Canadian capitalist political economy but inevitably, given the embeddedness of these social relations within worldwide historical relations, stretches beyond national borders. In particular, Ng sought to unpack the everyday, intertwined – exploitative and unjust – relations of class, race, and gender, and the ways these unjust relations are articulated through migration and citizenship. This contribution situates the reception and uneven uptake of Ng’s varied work before critically analysing her contributions to understanding (1 immigrant women’s labour in Canada, (2 the complex racialized, gendered relations of power in the academy, and (3 the liberatory potential of embodied epistemologies, specifically Qi Gong meditation. In the conclusions, I consider the overall contributions and some contradictions of her work, in moving from the local to the global, and from the personal to the political.

Multivalent human papillomavirus l1 DNA vaccination utilizing electroporation.

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Kihyuck Kwak

Full Text Available Naked DNA vaccines can be manufactured simply and are stable at ambient temperature, but require improved delivery technologies to boost immunogenicity. Here we explore in vivo electroporation for multivalent codon-optimized human papillomavirus (HPV L1 and L2 DNA vaccination.Balb/c mice were vaccinated three times at two week intervals with a fusion protein comprising L2 residues ∼11-88 of 8 different HPV types (11-88×8 or its DNA expression vector, DNA constructs expressing L1 only or L1+L2 of a single HPV type, or as a mixture of several high-risk HPV types and administered utilizing electroporation, i.m. injection or gene gun. Serum was collected two weeks and 3 months after the last vaccination. Sera from immunized mice were tested for in-vitro neutralization titer, and protective efficacy upon passive transfer to naive mice and vaginal HPV challenge. Heterotypic interactions between L1 proteins of HPV6, HPV16 and HPV18 in 293TT cells were tested by co-precipitation using type-specific monoclonal antibodies.Electroporation with L2 multimer DNA did not elicit detectable antibody titer, whereas DNA expressing L1 or L1+L2 induced L1-specific, type-restricted neutralizing antibodies, with titers approaching those induced by Gardasil. Co-expression of L2 neither augmented L1-specific responses nor induced L2-specific antibodies. Delivery of HPV L1 DNA via in vivo electroporation produces a stronger antibody response compared to i.m. injection or i.d. ballistic delivery via gene gun. Reduced neutralizing antibody titers were observed for certain types when vaccinating with a mixture of L1 (or L1+L2 vectors of multiple HPV types, likely resulting from heterotypic L1 interactions observed in co-immunoprecipitation studies. High titers were restored by vaccinating with individual constructs at different sites, or partially recovered by co-expression of L2, such that durable protective antibody titers were achieved for each type

Dirichlet expression for L(1, χ )

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

We show that this expression with obvious modification is valid for the general primitive Dirichlet character χ. Keywords. Hurwitz zeta function; Dirichlet character; Dirichlet L-series; primitive character. 1. Introduction. In Dirichlet's famous work dealing with class number formula, the value of L(1,χ) is expressed in terms of finite ...

Asimmetrie L1/L2: una sfida nella didattica di “lingua e traduzione”.

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Laura Salmon

2004-12-01

Full Text Available Asymmetries Between L1 and L2: a Challenge in the Teaching of "Language and Translation" Language teaching is deeply connected to the cognitive and brain sciences. The attribution of meaning of linguistic messages depends on the interaction between the communicant’s brain and the external world. The interaction is based on the cognitive and emotional experience shared by a L-community. Competence in L2 is acquired by the development of an internal data base of contextualised .units of living speech. (Lurija 1976. L2 teaching is particularly successful when the L2 units are inscribed in memory by means of the functionally equivalent L1 units. Selection of the L1/L2 correspondent units is due to the principle of markedness: each unit of L1 has a functional equivalent in one and only one unit of the L2. Because of the interlingual asymmetries (a set of Italian/Russian examples is given, functional equivalence differs from morphosyntactic and lexical equivalence. The competency in ascribing a degree of markedness to each linguistic unit needs the regular implicit acquisition of the L2 intonational and prosodic system; the processes of the metalinguistic conscious reflection are instead a .hindrance. to the procedural acting of a “living speaker”.

Validation of ATLAS L1 Topological Triggers

CERN Document Server

Praderio, Marco

2017-01-01

The Topological trigger (L1Topo) is a new component of the ATLAS L1 (Level-1) trigger. Its purpose is that of reducing the otherwise too high rate of data collection from the LHC by rejecting those events considered “uninteresting” (meaning that they have already been studied). This event rate reduction is achieved by applying topological requirements to the physical objects present in each event. It is very important to make sure that this trigger does not reject any “interesting” event. Therefore we need to verify its correct functioning. The goal of this summer student project is to study the response of two L1Topo algorithms (concerning ∆R and invariant mass). To do so I will compare the trigger decisions produced by the L1Topo hardware with the ones produced by the “official” L1Topo simulation. This way I will be able to identify events that could be incorrectly rejected. Simultaneously I will produce an emulation of these triggers that will help me understand the cause of disagreements bet...

Design, Implementation and Performance Estimation of mtd64-ng, a New Tiny DNS64 Proxy

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Gábor Lencse

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In the current phase of the IPv6 transition, it is a typical situation that IPv6 only clients should be enabled to communicate with IPv4 only servers. The DNS64+NAT64 tool suite is an excellent solution to this problem. Although several free software DNS64 implementations exist, we point out that there is room for further high performance and computation efficient multithreaded DNS64 implementations. MTD64 was designed to be able to utilize several CPU cores. Whereas MTD64 outperformed BIND more than five times, two critical issues (memory leaking and potential vulnerability to DoS attacks were identified. Therefore MTD64 was redesigned under a new name: mtd64-ng (not capitalized. This paper is about the design, implementation and initial performance estimation of mtd64-ng. The usage of object oriented decomposition and the RAII (Resource Acquisition Is Initialization idiom ensures that raw, sensitive resources (e.g. memory, sockets are always released and it greatly simplifies exception handling. Using the new features of the C++11 standard enabled us to write more efficient and better readable code. The performance of mtd64-ng is compared to that of BIND and MTD64 and it is found that mtd64-ng outperforms even its predecessor, MTD64.

Lactobacillus delbrueckii UFV-H2b20 induces type 1 cytokine production by mouse cells in vitro and in vivo

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E. Neumann

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Lactobacillus delbrueckii UFV-H2b20 has been shown to increase clearance of bacteria injected into the blood of germ-free mice. Moreover, it induces the production of type 1 cytokines by human peripheral mononuclear cells. The objective of the present study was to investigate the production of inflammatory cytokines [interleukin-12 (IL-12 p40, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α, and interferon-γ (IFN-γ] triggered in vitro by live, heat-killed or lysozyme-treated L. delbrueckii UFV-H2b20 and in vivo by a live preparation. Germ-free, L. delbrueckii-monoassociated and lipopolysaccharide (LPS-resistant C3H/HeJ mice were used as experimental models. UFV-H2b20 induced the production of IL-12 p40 and TNF-α by peritoneal cells and IFN-γ by spleen cells from germ-free or monoassociated Swiss/NIH mice and LPS-hyporesponsive mice (around 40 ng/mL for IL-12 p40, 200 pg/mL for TNF-α and 10 ng/mL for IFN-γ. Heat treatment of L. delbrueckii did not affect the production of these cytokines. Lysozyme treatment decreased IL-12 p40 production by peritoneal cells from C3H/HeJ mice, but did not affect TNF-α production by these cells or IFN-γ production by spleen cells from the same mouse strain. TNF-α production by peritoneal cells from Swiss/NIH L. delbrueckii-monoassociated mice was inhibited by lysozyme treatment. When testing IL-12 p40 and IFN-γ levels in sera from germ-free or monoassociated Swiss/NIH mice systemically challenged with Escherichia coli we observed that IL-12 p40 was produced at marginally higher levels by monoassociated mice than by germ-free mice (40 vs 60 ng/mL, but IFN-γ was produced earlier and at higher levels by monoassociated mice (monoassociated 4 and 14 ng/mL 4 and 8 h after infection, germfree 0 and 7.5 ng/mL at the same times. These results show that L. delbrueckii UFV-H2b20 stimulates the production of type 1 cytokines in vitro and in vivo, therefore suggesting that L. delbrueckii might have adjuvant properties in infection

Characterization of cells recovered from the xenotransplanted NG97 human-derived glioma cell line subcultured in a long-term in vitro

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Heinrich Juliana K

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In order to elucidate tumoral progression and drug resistance, cultured cell lines are valuable tools applied on tumor related assays provided they are well established and characterized. Our laboratory settled the NG97 cell line derived from a human astrocytoma grade III, which started to develop and express important phenotypical characteristics of an astrocytoma grade IV after injection in the flank of nude mice. Astrocytomas are extremely aggressive malignancies of the Central Nervous System (CNS and account for 46% of all primary malignant brain tumors. Progression to worse prognosis occurs in 85% of the cases possibly due to changes in cell tumor microenvironment and through biological pathways that are still unclear. Methods This work focused on characterizing the NG97 cell line specifically after being recovered from the xenotransplant, who maintained their undifferentiated characteristics along the following 60th passages in vitro. These cells were subcultivated to evaluate the possible contribution of these undifferentiated characteristics to the malignant progression phenotype. These characteristics were the expression of molecules involved in the processes of migration, dedifferentiation and chromosomal instability. Results Results showed that NG97(ht had an decrease in doubling time through sub cultivation, which was characterized by a converse modulation between the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP and vimentin. In addition, β1 integrins were present in intermediate levels while α5 integrins had a high expression profile as well as fibronectin and laminin. Cytogenetic analysis of NG97(ht revealed several chromosomal abnormalities, 89% of the cells showed to be hyperdiploid and the modal number was assigned to be 63. Several acrocentric chromosomes were visualized and at least 30 figures were attributed to be murine. These findings suggest a possible fusion between the original NG97 cells

Characterization of cells recovered from the xenotransplanted NG97 human-derived glioma cell line subcultured in a long-term in vitro

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Machado, Camila ML; Boetcher-Luiz, Fátima; Verinaud, Liana; Ikemori, Rafael Y; Zorzeto, Tatiana Q; Nogueira, Ana CMA; Barbosa, Suse DS; Savino, Wilson; Schenka, André A; Vassallo, José; Heinrich, Juliana K

2008-01-01

In order to elucidate tumoral progression and drug resistance, cultured cell lines are valuable tools applied on tumor related assays provided they are well established and characterized. Our laboratory settled the NG97 cell line derived from a human astrocytoma grade III, which started to develop and express important phenotypical characteristics of an astrocytoma grade IV after injection in the flank of nude mice. Astrocytomas are extremely aggressive malignancies of the Central Nervous System (CNS) and account for 46% of all primary malignant brain tumors. Progression to worse prognosis occurs in 85% of the cases possibly due to changes in cell tumor microenvironment and through biological pathways that are still unclear. This work focused on characterizing the NG97 cell line specifically after being recovered from the xenotransplant, who maintained their undifferentiated characteristics along the following 60 th passages in vitro. These cells were subcultivated to evaluate the possible contribution of these undifferentiated characteristics to the malignant progression phenotype. These characteristics were the expression of molecules involved in the processes of migration, dedifferentiation and chromosomal instability. Results showed that NG97(ht) had an decrease in doubling time through sub cultivation, which was characterized by a converse modulation between the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin. In addition, β1 integrins were present in intermediate levels while α5 integrins had a high expression profile as well as fibronectin and laminin. Cytogenetic analysis of NG97(ht) revealed several chromosomal abnormalities, 89% of the cells showed to be hyperdiploid and the modal number was assigned to be 63. Several acrocentric chromosomes were visualized and at least 30 figures were attributed to be murine. These findings suggest a possible fusion between the original NG97 cells with stromal murine cells in the xenotransplant. In

Jenna Ng (ed., Understanding Machinima. Essays on Filmmaking in Virtual Worlds

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Vincenzo Idone Cassone

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Understanding Machinima. Essays on Filmmaking in Virtual Worlds (Bloomsbury 2013, edited by Jenna Ng is an intriguing incursion into the world of machinima from a Media Studies point-of-view, trying to address the topic beyond game’s environment, in connection with the evolution of the contemporary mediascape.

Validation of a serum immunoassay to measure progesterone and diagnose pregnancy in the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus)

Science.gov (United States)

Tripp, K.M.; Verstegen, J.P.; Deutsch, C.J.; Bonde, R.K.; Rodriguez, M.; Morales, B.; Schmitt, D.L.; Harr, K.E.

2008-01-01

The objective was to validate a high-sensitivity chemiluminescent assay of serum progesterone concentrations for pregnancy diagnosis in manatees. Assay analytical sensitivity was 0.1 ng/mL, with mean intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation of 9.7 and 9.2%, respectively, and accuracy had a mean adjusted R2 of 0.98. Methods comparison (relative to Siemen's Coat-A-Count RIA) demonstrated r = 0.98, Deming regression slope of 0.95, and an intercept of 0.01. Based on ROC analysis, a progesterone concentration ???0.4 ng/mL was indicative of pregnancy. Assay results were not significantly altered by two freeze-thaw cycles of samples. Characteristic progesterone concentrations during pregnancy were Months 1-4 (1.7-4.7 ng/mL), 5-8 (???1.0 ng/mL), and 10 and 11 (0.3-0.5 ng/mL), whereas two late-pregnant females with impending abortion had progesterone concentrations of 0.1 ng/mL. Among pregnant females, maximum progesterone concentrations occurred in autumn (3.9 ?? 1.8 ng/mL), and were greater during all seasons than concentrations in non-pregnant females (0.1-0.2 ng/mL). Progesterone concentrations were also significantly higher in pregnant females than in non-pregnant females and males. This highly sensitive, specific, and diagnostic assay will be valuable for monitoring pregnancy and abortion in manatees. ?? 2008 Elsevier Inc.

4G/5G polymorphism modulates PAI-1 circulating levels in obese women.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Karla S; Sandrim, Valéria C

2012-05-01

The increase in plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) has been described as a risk factor to thrombosis-related diseases. In addition, it has been demonstrated that the variant 4G of polymorphism 4G/5G located in promoter region of PAI-1 gene is associated with higher PAI-1 levels. We investigate the role of this polymorphism on circulating PAI-1 concentration in a population of 57 obese women (23%, 4G/4G; 49%, 4G/5G and 28%, 5G/5G genotypes). Our results demonstrate a genotype-specific modulation on PAI-1 levels in obese women, thus 5G/5G genotype presented significantly lower levels of plasma PAI-1 when compared to 4G/4G group (46 ± 19 ng/mL vs. 63 ± 13 ng/mL, respectively). Our findings indicate that obese carriers of 4G/4G genotype may have increased risk to develop thrombotic diseases.

Detection and occurrence of chlorinated byproducts of bisphenol a, nonylphenol, and estrogens in drinking water of china: comparison to the parent compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Zhanlan; Hu, Jianying; An, Wei; Yang, Min

2013-10-01

This study applied a sensitive dansylation LC-MS/MS method to the investigation on the occurrence of bisphenol A (BPA), nonylphenol (NP), estrogens (E1 and E2), and their 11 chlorinated byproducts in 62 drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) of 31 major cities across China. BPA (4.7-512 ng/L), NP (8.2-918 ng/L), and E1 (ND-9.9 ng/L) were widely detected in source waters, E2 was detected in less than half of the samples (ND-3.2 ng/L), while chlorinated byproducts were only detected in source waters of two DWTPs. In drinking water, chlorinated BPAs and monochloro-NP (MCNP) were detected in more than half of the samples with concentrations of 0.2-26.7 ng/L for monochloro-BPA (MCBPA), ND-6.3 ng/L for dichloro-BPA (DCBPA), ND-7.7 ng/L for trichloro-BPA (TCBPA), ND-4.8 ng/L for tetrachloro-BPA (TBBPA), and ND-13.3 ng/L for MCNP, while dichloro-E1 (DCE1, ND-0.2 ng/L) and dichloro-NP (DCNP, ND-1.6 ng/L) were less frequently detected (10/62 and 4/62). The production of chlorinated NPs in DWTPs was mainly influenced by the amount of NP in source water and chlorine added, while the concentrations of chlorinated BPAs in drinking waters were only found to be significantly correlated with those of BPA in source waters. Advanced treatment processes could be effective techniques for reducing target chlorinated byproducts in drinking water. This is the first report on the occurrence of chlorinated byproducts of BPA, NP, and estrogens in drinking water, and these chemicals should be considered when assessing the human risk of their parent compounds.

Pathological Outcome following Radical Prostatectomy in Men with Prostate Specific Antigen Greater than 10 ng/ml and Histologically Favorable Risk Prostate Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Jiwoong; Kwon, Young Suk; Kim, Sinae; Han, Christopher Sejong; Farber, Nicholas; Kim, Jongmyung; Byun, Seok Soo; Kim, Wun-Jae; Jeon, Seong Soo; Kim, Isaac Yi

2016-05-01

Active surveillance is now the treatment of choice in men with low risk prostate cancer. Although there is no consensus on which patients are eligible for active surveillance, prostate specific antigen above 10 ng/ml is generally excluded. In an attempt to determine the validity of using a prostate specific antigen cutoff of 10 ng/ml to counsel men considering active surveillance we analyzed a multi-institution database to determine the pathological outcome in men with prostate specific antigen greater than 10 ng/ml but histologically favorable risk prostate cancer. We queried a prospectively maintained database of men with histologically favorable risk prostate cancer who underwent radical prostatectomy between 2003 and 2015. The cohort was categorized into 3 groups based on prostate specific antigen level, including low-less than 10 ng/ml, intermediate-10 or greater to less than 20 and high-20 or greater. Associations of prostate specific antigen group with adverse pathological and oncologic outcomes were analyzed. Of 2,125 patients 1,327 were categorized with histologically favorable risk disease. However on multivariate analyses the rates of up staging and upgrading were similar between the intermediate and low prostate specific antigen groups. In contrast compared to the intermediate prostate specific antigen group the high group had higher incidences of up staging (p = 0.02) and upgrading to 4 + 3 or greater disease (p = 0.046). Biochemical recurrence-free survival rates revealed no pairwise intergroup differences except between the low and high groups. Patients with preoperatively elevated prostate specific antigen between 10 and less than 20 ng/ml who otherwise had histologically favorable risk prostate cancer were not at higher risk for adverse pathological outcomes than men with prostate specific antigen less than 10 ng/ml. Copyright © 2016 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assay for the pattern recognition molecule collectin liver 1 (CL-L1)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Axelgaard, Esben; Jensenius, Jens Christian; Thiel, Steffen

Collectin liver 1 (also termed collectin 10 and CL-L1) is a C-type lectin that functions as a pattern recognition molecule (PRM) in the innate immune system1. We have produced antibodies against CL-L1 and have developed a sandwich-type time-resolved immuno-fluorometric assay (TRIFMA...... to co-purify with MASPs, possibly rendering it a role in complement. CL-L1 showed binding activity towards mannose-TSK beads in a Ca2+-dependent manner. This binding could be inhibited by mannose and glucose, but not by galactose, indicating that CL-L1 binds via its carbohydrate-recognition domain (CRD)....

L-tyrosine immobilized on multiwalled carbon nanotubes: a new substrate for thallium separation and speciation using stabilized temperature platform furnace-electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Pacheco, Pablo H; Gil, Raúl A; Smichowski, Patricia; Polla, Griselda; Martinez, Luis D

2009-12-10

An approach for the separation and determination of inorganic thallium species is described. A new sorbent, L-tyrosine-carbon nanotubes (L-tyr-CNTs), was used and applied to the analysis of tap water samples. At pH 5.0, L-tyr was selective only towards Tl(III), while total thallium was determined directly by stabilized temperature platform furnace-electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (STPF-ETAAS). The Tl(III) specie, which was retained by L-tyrosine, was quantitatively eluted from the column with 10% of nitric acid. An on-line breakthrough curve was used to determine the column capacity, which resulted to be 9.00 micromol of Tl(III) g(-1) of L-tyr-CNTs with a molar ratio of 0.14 (moles of Tl bound to moles of L-tyr at pH 5). Transient peak areas revealed that Tl stripping from the column occurred instantaneously. Effects of sample flow rate, concentration and flow rate of the eluent, and interfering ions on the recovery of the analyte were systematically investigated. The detection limit for the determination of total thallium (3sigma) by STPF-ETAAS was 150 ng L(-1). The detection limit (3sigma) for Tl(III) employing the separation system was 3 ng L(-1), with an enrichment factor of 40. The precision of the method expressed as the relative standard deviation (RSD) resulted to be 3.4%. The proposed method was applied to the speciation and determination of inorganic thallium in tap water samples. The found concentrations were in the range of 0.88-0.91 microg L(-1) of Tl(III), and 3.69-3.91 microg L(-1) of total thallium.

L-Tyrosine immobilized on multiwalled carbon nanotubes: A new substrate for thallium separation and speciation using stabilized temperature platform furnace-electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pacheco, Pablo H.; Gil, Raul A.; Smichowski, Patricia; Polla, Griselda; Martinez, Luis D.

2009-01-01

An approach for the separation and determination of inorganic thallium species is described. A new sorbent, L-tyrosine-carbon nanotubes (L-tyr-CNTs), was used and applied to the analysis of tap water samples. At pH 5.0, L-tyr was selective only towards Tl(III), while total thallium was determined directly by stabilized temperature platform furnace-electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (STPF-ETAAS). The Tl(III) specie, which was retained by L-tyrosine, was quantitatively eluted from the column with 10% of nitric acid. An on-line breakthrough curve was used to determine the column capacity, which resulted to be 9.00 μmol of Tl(III) g -1 of L-tyr-CNTs with a molar ratio of 0.14 (moles of Tl bound to moles of L-tyr at pH 5). Transient peak areas revealed that Tl stripping from the column occurred instantaneously. Effects of sample flow rate, concentration and flow rate of the eluent, and interfering ions on the recovery of the analyte were systematically investigated. The detection limit for the determination of total thallium (3σ) by STPF-ETAAS was 150 ng L -1 . The detection limit (3σ) for Tl(III) employing the separation system was 3 ng L -1 , with an enrichment factor of 40. The precision of the method expressed as the relative standard deviation (RSD) resulted to be 3.4%. The proposed method was applied to the speciation and determination of inorganic thallium in tap water samples. The found concentrations were in the range of 0.88-0.91 μg L -1 of Tl(III), and 3.69-3.91 μg L -1 of total thallium.

Propranolol plasma monitoring in children submitted to surgery of tetralogy of Fallot by a micromethod using high performance liquid chromatography Monitoramento do propranolol plasmático em crianças operadas da tetralogia de Fallot através de micrométodo utilizando a cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Sanches

2007-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the analytical micromethod using liquid chromatography for the quantification of propranolol in children submitted to surgery of tetralogy of Fallot (TLF. Methods: Only 0.2 mL of plasma is required for the assay. Peaks eluted at 8.4 (Propranolol and 17.5 min (verapamil, internal standard from a C18 column, with a mobile phase 0.1 M acetate buffer, pH 5.0, and acetonitrile (60:40, v/v at flow rate 0.7 mL/min, detected at 290 nm (excitation and 358 nm (emission. Surgery was started 776 min of drug administration (8.7mg, mean; seven blood samples were collected from six patients (4M/2F; 2.1yrs;11.5kg; 0.80m; 18.9kg/m². RESULTS: Confidence limits of the method showed high selectivity and recovery, sensitivity of 0.02ng/mL, good linearity (0.05-1000ng/mL, precision of 8.6% and accuracy of 3.1%. The mean duration of surgery was 283.2min, with the patients remaining under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB for 114min. A declining curve of propranolol plasma concentration was obtained after the last dose in the night that preceded the day of surgery. Plasma concentration also was normalized with hematocrit due to the hemodilution caused by the CPB procedure. On the other hand a decrease on drug plasma concentration was obtained between periods, the beginning of surgery to the postoperative day 2 (7.09 ng/mL and 0.05 ng/mL, pOBJETIVO: Avaliar o micrométodo analítico empregando a cromatografia líquida para quantificação de propranolol em crianças operadas de tetralogia de Fallot (TLF. MÉTODO: Requereu-se apenas volumes de 0,2mL de plasma para a realização do ensaio. Os picos foram eluídos em 8.4 (Propranolol e 17.5 min (verapamil, padrão interno de uma coluna C18, com fase móvel (tampão acetato 0,1 M pH 5,0 e acetonitrila, 60:40, v/v em fluxo de 0,7 mL/min, sendo detectados em 290 nm (excitação e em 358 nm (emissão. A cirurgia iniciou-se 776 min depois da dose administrada (8,7mg, média e sete amostras de sangue foram

Expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 in poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas of the digestive system: a potential target for anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy.

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Roberts, Jordan A; Gonzalez, Raul S; Das, Satya; Berlin, Jordan; Shi, Chanjuan

2017-12-01

Poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma of the digestive system has a dismal prognosis with limited treatment options. This study aimed to investigate expression of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in these tumors. Thirty-seven patients with a poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma of the digestive system were identified. Their electronic medical records, pathology reports, and pathology slides were reviewed for demographics, clinical history, and pathologic features. Tumor sections were immunohistochemically labeled for PD-1 and PD-L1, and expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 on tumor and tumor-associated immune cells was analyzed and compared between small cell and large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas. The mean age of patients was 61 years old with 18 men and 19 women. The colorectum (n=20) was the most common primary site; other primary sites included the pancreaticobiliary system, esophagus, stomach, duodenum, and ampulla. Expression of PD-1 was detected on tumor cells (n=6, 16%) as well as on tumor-associated immune cells (n=23, 63%). The 6 cases with PD-1 expression on tumor cells also had the expression on immune cells. Expression of PD-L1 was visualized on tumor cells in 5 cases (14%) and on tumor-associated immune cells in 10 cases (27%). There was no difference in PD-1 and PD-L1 expression between small cell and large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas. In conclusion, PD-1/PD-L1 expression is a frequent occurrence in poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas of the digestive system. Checkpoint blockade targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway may have a potential role in treating patients with this disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Microdosing clinical study: pharmacokinetic, pharmacogenomic (SLCO2B1), and interaction (grapefruit juice) profiles of celiprolol following the oral microdose and therapeutic dose.

Science.gov (United States)

Ieiri, Ichiro; Doi, Yohei; Maeda, Kazuya; Sasaki, Tomohiro; Kimura, Miyuki; Hirota, Takeshi; Chiyoda, Takeshi; Miyagawa, Mayuko; Irie, Shin; Iwasaki, Kazuhide; Sugiyama, Yuichi

2012-07-01

The authors evaluated the contribution of the SLCO2B1 polymorphism to the pharmacokinetics of celiprolol at a microdose (MD) and therapeutic dose (TD) and compared pharmacokinetic proportionality between the 2 dose forms in 30 SLCO2B1 genotype-matched healthy volunteers. Three drugs (celiprolol, fexofenadine, and atenolol) were orally administered as a cassette dosing following the MD (totally 97.5 µg) and then a TD (100 mg) of celiprolol, with and without grapefruit juice. The mean AUC(0-24) of celiprolol was lower in SLCO2B1*3/*3 individuals (775 ng·h/mL) than in *1/*3 (1097 ng·h/mL) and *1/*1 (1547 ng·h/mL) individuals following the TD, and this was confirmed in population pharmacokinetic analysis with statistical significances; however, SLCO2B1 genotype-dependent differences disappeared following the MD. Dose-normalized AUC of celiprolol at the MD was much lower than that at the TD, explained by the saturation of the efflux transporter. Thus, the effect of SLCO2B1 polymorphism on the AUC of celiprolol clearly observed only at the TD may be due to the saturation of the efflux transport systems.

Discourse Connectives in L1 and L2 Argumentative Writing

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Chunyu; Li, Yuanyuan

2015-01-01

Discourse connectives (DCs) are multi-functional devices used to connect discourse segments and fulfill interpersonal levels of discourse. This study investigates the use of selected 80 DCs within 11 categories in the argumentative essays produced by L1 and L2 university students. The analysis is based on the International Corpus Network of Asian…

L2 Word Recognition: Influence of L1 Orthography on Multi-Syllabic Word Recognition

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Hamada, Megumi

2017-01-01

L2 reading research suggests that L1 orthographic experience influences L2 word recognition. Nevertheless, the findings on multi-syllabic words in English are still limited despite the fact that a vast majority of words are multi-syllabic. The study investigated whether L1 orthography influences the recognition of multi-syllabic words, focusing on…

Freed by trust, to believe together: Pursuing global ecumenism with Küng and Tracy

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Jakub Urbaniak

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Focus and scope Publication ethics Journal metrics Frequent asked questions Supporting agencies Contact us Reading tools Print this article Indexing metadata Review policy Email this article Email the author Post a Comment Translate content Powered by Translate Related items Show all ✔ Open access ✔ Global visibility ✔ Rapid publication ✔ Quality peer review ✔ Author retains copyright ✔ Personalised service ✔ Submit online Home About Author Reviewer Reader Support Archives Search Home > Vol 70, No 1 (2014 > Urbaniak Original Research Bookmark and Share Freed by trust, to believe together: Pursuing global ecumenism with Küng and Tracy Jakub Urbaniak HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies; Vol 70, No 1 (2014, 9 pages. doi: 10.4102/hts.v70i1.2047 Submitted: 16 August 2013 Published: 11 April 2014 Abstract In the past decades it has emerged more clearly than before that Christian religion, which has so often contributed to human oppression, has rich theological resources that can be used to restore and perfect human freedom. These resources have been reflected upon not only by liberation theologians, but also within the ecumenically oriented theology of religions which targets what Hans Küng calls global responsibility based on global ethics. World religions have an essential role to play in rendering that global humanity more humane and free. The only way to accomplish this task leads through ongoing dialogue, directed both ad intra and ad extra, in the pursuit of a ‘global ecumenism’ which the present suggests and the future demands. For those liberating and unitive resources inherent in religious theory and praxis to be activated, fundamental trust in the reality of the world and of one’s own self appears indispensable. By deepening the theological insights of Hans Küng and David Tracy, the article seeks to explore the mutual correlation between such fundamental trust in reality and religious faith in God, interpreted

A time-resolved luminescent competitive assay to detect L-selectin using aptamers as recognition elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cywiński, Piotr J.; Olejko, Lydia; Löhmannsröben, Hans-Gerd

2015-01-01

L-selectin is a protein with potential importance for numerous diseases and clinical disorders. In this paper, we present a new aptamer-based luminescent assay developed to detect L-selectin. The sensing system working principle is based on Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) from a donor terbium complex (TbC) to an acceptor cyanine dye (Cy5). In the present approach, the biotinylated aptamer is combined with Cy5-labelled streptavidin (Cy5-Strep) to yield an aptamer-based acceptor construct (Apta-Cy5-Strep), while L-selectin is conjugated using luminescent TbC. Upon aptamer binding to the TbC-labelled L-selectin (L-selectin-TbC), permanent donor-acceptor proximity is established which allows for radiationless energy transfer to occur. However, when unlabelled L-selectin is added, it competes with the L-selectin-TbC and the FRET signal decreases as the L-selectin concentration increases. FRET from the TbC to Cy5 was observed with time-gated time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy. A significant change in the corrected luminescence signal was observed in the dynamic range of 10–500 ng/mL L-selectin, the concentration range relevant for accelerated cognitive decline of Alzheimer's disease, with a limit of detection (LOD) equal to 10 ng/mL. The aptasensor-based assay is homogeneous and can be realized within one hour. Therefore, this method has the potential to become an alternative to tedious heterogeneous analytical methods, e.g. based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). - Highlights: • Tb-based FRET assay with aptamers toward a protein is presented for the first time. • L-selectin can be detected in concentrations relevant for the Alzheimer's Disease. • The assay can be realized in one hour with the LOD equal to 10 ng/ml

A time-resolved luminescent competitive assay to detect L-selectin using aptamers as recognition elements

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Cywiński, Piotr J., E-mail: piotr.cywinski@iap.fraunhofer.de [Functional Materials and Devices, Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research, Geiselberstr.69, 14476 Potsdam-Golm (Germany); Department of Physical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476 Potsdam-Golm (Germany); Olejko, Lydia; Löhmannsröben, Hans-Gerd [Department of Physical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476 Potsdam-Golm (Germany)

2015-08-05

L-selectin is a protein with potential importance for numerous diseases and clinical disorders. In this paper, we present a new aptamer-based luminescent assay developed to detect L-selectin. The sensing system working principle is based on Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) from a donor terbium complex (TbC) to an acceptor cyanine dye (Cy5). In the present approach, the biotinylated aptamer is combined with Cy5-labelled streptavidin (Cy5-Strep) to yield an aptamer-based acceptor construct (Apta-Cy5-Strep), while L-selectin is conjugated using luminescent TbC. Upon aptamer binding to the TbC-labelled L-selectin (L-selectin-TbC), permanent donor-acceptor proximity is established which allows for radiationless energy transfer to occur. However, when unlabelled L-selectin is added, it competes with the L-selectin-TbC and the FRET signal decreases as the L-selectin concentration increases. FRET from the TbC to Cy5 was observed with time-gated time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy. A significant change in the corrected luminescence signal was observed in the dynamic range of 10–500 ng/mL L-selectin, the concentration range relevant for accelerated cognitive decline of Alzheimer's disease, with a limit of detection (LOD) equal to 10 ng/mL. The aptasensor-based assay is homogeneous and can be realized within one hour. Therefore, this method has the potential to become an alternative to tedious heterogeneous analytical methods, e.g. based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). - Highlights: • Tb-based FRET assay with aptamers toward a protein is presented for the first time. • L-selectin can be detected in concentrations relevant for the Alzheimer's Disease. • The assay can be realized in one hour with the LOD equal to 10 ng/ml.

Amadurecimento de sapoti (Manilkara zapota L. submetido ao 1-metilciclopropeno Ripening of sapodilla (Manilkara zapota L. submitted to 1-methylcyclopropene

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Patrícia Lígia Dantas de Morais

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Este trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar o efeito do 1-MCP no controle do amadurecimento de sapoti. Os frutos foram colhidos no estádio de maturação fisiológico (fruto apto para amadurecer separado da planta-mãe, tratados com 0; 300 e 600 nL L-1 de 1-MCP por 12 horas em câmaras vedadas a 25 ± 2ºC e umidade relativa de 70 ± 5%. Ao término do tratamento com 1-MCP, os frutos foram armazenados por 23 dias nas mesmas condições de temperatura e umidade. As variáveis analisadas foram: perda de massa fresca, aparência externa, firmeza, cor da polpa, acidez titulável, pH, sólidos solúveis e açúcares solúveis totais. O 1-metilciclopropeno (1-MCP retarda o amadurecimento e prolonga a vida útil pós-colheita de sapoti. A concentração de 300 nL.L-1 de 1-MCP apresentou melhores resultados, prolongando a vida útil pós-colheita do sapoti por seis dias.This work aimed to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of 1-MCP on the ripening process of sapodilla. Fruits were harvested at the physiologically mature stage and treated with 0, 300 and 600 nL.L-1 dosages of 1-MCP for 12 hours in hermetically closed chambers at 25 ± 2ºC and 70 ± 5% R.H.. After the 12 h 1-MCP treatment, the fruits were stored for 23 days under the same conditions of temperature and humidity. The parameters analyzed for postharvest quality were: weight loss, external appearance, firmness, pulp color, total titrable acidity, total soluble solids and total soluble sugar content. In sapodilla, 1-MCP delays ripening and prolongs the postharvest shelf life and the 300 nL.L-1 of 1-MCP dosage showed the best results extending the postharvest life of sapodilla in 6 days.

Long-acting rilpivirine as potential pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV-1 prevention (the MWRI-01 study): an open-label, phase 1, compartmental, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

McGowan, Ian; Dezzutti, Charlene S; Siegel, Aaron; Engstrom, Jarret; Nikiforov, Alexiy; Duffill, Kathryn; Shetler, Cory; Richardson-Harman, Nicola; Abebe, Kaleab; Back, David; Else, Laura; Egan, Deidre; Khoo, Saye; Egan, James E; Stall, Ronald; Williams, Peter E; Rehman, Khaleel K; Adler, Amy; Brand, Rhonda M; Chen, Beatrice; Achilles, Sharon; Cranston, Ross D

2016-12-01

Long-acting injectable antiretroviral agents are being developed for HIV-1 prevention. The MWRI-01 study was done to characterise the safety, acceptability, and pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile of long-acting rilpivirine. We did a phase 1 open-label study at the University of Pittsburgh. We enrolled healthy individuals (aged 18-45 years) who were seronegative for HIV-1. Participants were assigned alternately one intramuscular dose of either 1200 mg or 600 mg long-acting rilpivirine, beginning with the 1200 mg dose. We obtained plasma specimens, genital and rectal fluids, and tissue samples (rectal, cervical, and vaginal) before and after exposure to long-acting rilpivirine for assessment of pharmacokinetics and ex-vivo biopsy challenge with HIV-1. Our primary objective was to characterise product safety, and the analysis included all enrolled participants. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01656018. 36 participants were enrolled into the study, of whom 24 were women and 12 men. 12 women and six men received each dose. 204 adverse events were reported among the 36 participants, of which 200 (98%) were grade 1-2. The most common adverse event was injection site reaction. All grade 3 and 4 adverse events were deemed not related to rilpivirine. Geometric mean (90% CI) concentrations in plasma of rilpivirine at day 28 post dose were 53 ng/mL (38-67) in women and 43 ng/mL (23-63) in men for the 1200 mg dose and 28 ng/mL (19-37) in women and 17 ng/mL (9-24) in men for the 600 mg dose. The tissue-to-plasma ratio for rilpivirine in rectal tissue was about two-fold higher than in vaginal and cervical tissue (1·10-1·53 vs 0·61-0·72 and 0·50-0·71, respectively). Exposure to long-acting rilpivirine suppressed viral replication significantly in rectal tissue (psuppression persisted for up to 4 months. By contrast, no viral suppression was seen in cervical or vaginal tissue. Ongoing research will characterise longer term safety and

The occurrence and source identification of bisphenol compounds in wastewaters.

Science.gov (United States)

Česen, Marjeta; Lenarčič, Kaja; Mislej, Vesna; Levstek, Meta; Kovačič, Ana; Cimrmančič, Bernardka; Uranjek, Nataša; Kosjek, Tina; Heath, David; Dolenc, Marija Sollner; Heath, Ester

2018-03-01

This study reports the occurrence of eight bisphenols (BPs): bisphenol AF (BPAF), bisphenol AP (BPAP), bisphenol B (BPB), bisphenol C (BPC), bisphenol E (BPE), bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol Z (BPZ) in wastewaters (WWs). Sample preparation involved pre-concentration with SPE cartridges (Oasis HLB), followed by derivatization using N-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-N-methyltrifluoroacetamide with 1% tert-butyldimethylchlorosilane. Chemical analysis was based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A validated method with limits of detection (LODs) at ngL -1 range was applied to WWs collected at five Slovene wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and WW inflows from industrial, commercial and residential sources entering the sewerage systems of two catchments (Domžale-Kamnik (DK) and Ljubljana (LJ)). The presence of all BPs was confirmed in three inflows in DK and two inflows in the LJ catchments. High cumulative concentrations of all BPs were determined in WW from food processing facilities (LJ: 3030ngL -1 and DK: 599ngL -1 ). A high detection frequency was observed in the WW from two textile cleaning companies (6 BPs for LJ and 8 BPs for DK). The analysis of WW from WWTPs revealed that only BPF (36.7ngL -1 ) and BPS (40.6ngL -1 ) were >LODs in the influents, whereas other BPs were detected also in the effluents. BPZ was found in the highest concentration (403ngL -1 at WWTP-DK). WW collected at this WWTP also contained the highest amount of BPE (238ngL -1 ). Although BPs removal could not be directly compared between the WWTPs, with the exception of BPAP and BPB in the case of two smaller WWTPs (6.39%-43.2%) bisphenols were in general highly removed (≥96.2%). Finally, levels of BPC>LOD are reported for first time (WWTP in the DK catchment: 1.01ngL -1 -11.8ngL -1 ; LJ inflow from food processing plant up to 2560ngL -1 ). Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

RAC1 P29S regulates PD-L1 expression in melanoma

Science.gov (United States)

Vu, Ha Linh; Rosenbaum, Sheera; Purwin, Timothy J.; Davies, Michael A.; Aplin, Andrew E.

2015-01-01

Summary Whole exome sequencing of cutaneous melanoma has led to the detection of P29 mutations in RAC1 in 5–9% of samples, but the role of RAC1 P29 mutations in melanoma biology remains unclear. Using reverse phase protein array analysis to examine the changes in protein/phospho-protein expression, we identified cyclin B1, PD-L1, Ets-1, and Syk as being selectively upregulated with RAC1 P29S expression and downregulated with RAC1 P29S depletion. Using the melanoma patient samples in TCGA, we found PD-L1 expression to be significantly increased in RAC1 P29S patients compared to RAC1 WT as well as other RAC1 mutants. The finding that PD-L1 is upregulated suggests that oncogenic RAC1 P29S may promote suppression of the antitumor immune response. This is a new insight into the biological function of RAC1 P29S mutations with potential clinical implications as PD-L1 is a candidate biomarker for increased benefit from treatment with anti-PD1 or anti-PD-L1 antibodies. PMID:26176707

Safety and Immunogenicity of EBA-175 RII-NG Malaria Vaccine Administered Intramuscularly in Semi-Immune Adults: A Phase 1, Double-Blinded Placebo Controlled Dosage Escalation Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Koram, Kwadwo A; Adu, Bright; Ocran, Josephine; Karikari, Yaa S; Adu-Amankwah, Susan; Ntiri, Michael; Abuaku, Benjamin; Dodoo, Daniel; Gyan, Ben; Kronmann, Karl C; Nkrumah, Francis

2016-01-01

The erythrocyte binding antigen region II (EBA-175 RII) is a Plasmodium falciparum ligand that mediates erythrocyte invasion and is considered an important malaria vaccine candidate. A phase Ia trial in malaria naïve adults living in the United States found the recombinant non-glycosylated vaccine antigen, EBA-175 RII-NG adjuvanted with aluminium phosphate to be safe, immunogenic and capable of inducing biologically active antibodies that can inhibit parasite growth in vitro. The aim of the current study was to assess the safety and immunogenicity of this vaccine in malaria exposed semi-immune healthy adults living in a malaria endemic country, Ghana. In this double-blinded, placebo controlled, dose escalation phase I trial, eighteen subjects per group received ascending dose concentrations (5 μg, 20 μg or 80 μg) of the vaccine intramuscularly at 0, 1 and 6 months, while 6 subjects received placebo (normal saline). The primary end point was the number of subjects experiencing Grade 3 systemic or local adverse events within 14 days post-vaccination. Serious adverse events were assessed throughout the study period. Blood samples for immunological analyses were collected at days 0, 14, 28, 42, 180 and 194. A total of 52 subjects received three doses of the vaccine in the respective groups. No serious adverse events were reported. The majority of all adverse events reported were mild to moderate in severity, with local pain and tenderness being the most common. All adverse events, irrespective of severity, resolved without any sequelae. Subjects who received any of the EBA-175 RII-NG doses had high immunoglobulin G levels which moderately inhibited P. falciparum growth in vitro, compared to those in the placebo group. In conclusion, the EBA-175 RII-NG vaccine was safe, well tolerated and immunogenic in malaria semi-immune Ghanaian adults. Its further development is recommended. ClinicalTrials.gov. Identifier: NCT01026246.

Safety and Immunogenicity of EBA-175 RII-NG Malaria Vaccine Administered Intramuscularly in Semi-Immune Adults: A Phase 1, Double-Blinded Placebo Controlled Dosage Escalation Study.

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Kwadwo A Koram

Full Text Available The erythrocyte binding antigen region II (EBA-175 RII is a Plasmodium falciparum ligand that mediates erythrocyte invasion and is considered an important malaria vaccine candidate. A phase Ia trial in malaria naïve adults living in the United States found the recombinant non-glycosylated vaccine antigen, EBA-175 RII-NG adjuvanted with aluminium phosphate to be safe, immunogenic and capable of inducing biologically active antibodies that can inhibit parasite growth in vitro. The aim of the current study was to assess the safety and immunogenicity of this vaccine in malaria exposed semi-immune healthy adults living in a malaria endemic country, Ghana. In this double-blinded, placebo controlled, dose escalation phase I trial, eighteen subjects per group received ascending dose concentrations (5 μg, 20 μg or 80 μg of the vaccine intramuscularly at 0, 1 and 6 months, while 6 subjects received placebo (normal saline. The primary end point was the number of subjects experiencing Grade 3 systemic or local adverse events within 14 days post-vaccination. Serious adverse events were assessed throughout the study period. Blood samples for immunological analyses were collected at days 0, 14, 28, 42, 180 and 194. A total of 52 subjects received three doses of the vaccine in the respective groups. No serious adverse events were reported. The majority of all adverse events reported were mild to moderate in severity, with local pain and tenderness being the most common. All adverse events, irrespective of severity, resolved without any sequelae. Subjects who received any of the EBA-175 RII-NG doses had high immunoglobulin G levels which moderately inhibited P. falciparum growth in vitro, compared to those in the placebo group. In conclusion, the EBA-175 RII-NG vaccine was safe, well tolerated and immunogenic in malaria semi-immune Ghanaian adults. Its further development is recommended.ClinicalTrials.gov. Identifier: NCT01026246.

Nano-level determination of copper with atomic absorption spectrometry after pre-concentration on N,N-(4-methyl-1,2-phenylene)diquinoline-2-carboxamide-naphthalene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rezaei, Behzad, E-mail: rezaei@cc.iut.ac.ir [Department of Chemistry, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sadeghi, Elham; Meghdadi, Soraia [Department of Chemistry, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2009-09-15

A novel, simple, sensitive and effective method has been developed for selective extraction and pre-concentration of copper on N,N-(4-methyl-1,2-phenylene)diquinoline-2-carboxamide-naphthalene. After pre-concentration, copper was eluted from sorbent with hydrochloric acid, and then flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) was used for its determination. The effect of pH, sample flow rate and the volume and concentration of eluent on the recovery of the analyte was investigated and the optimum conditions were established. A pre-concentration factor of 400, and an adsorption capacity of 6.9 mg g{sup -1} of the solid-phase sorbent or 82.8 mg g{sup -1} of ligand was achieved using the optimum conditions. The calibration graph was linear in the range of 1.0-4000 ng mL{sup -1} with the detection limit of 1.0 ng mL{sup -1}. A R.S.D. value of 2.4% was obtained by this method for 400 ng mL{sup -1} of Cu{sup 2+} solution. This procedure has been successfully applied to separate and determine the ultra trace levels of copper in the environmental samples, free from the interference of some diverse ions.

O movimento Yīn e Yáng na cosmologia da medicina chinesa

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Bernardo Diniz Coutinho

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Após ter se desenvolvido no Oriente, embasada pela cosmologia taoista, a medicina chinesa vem sendo praticada no Ocidente baseada na fundamentação científica e no paradigma biomédico, abandonando alguns elementos tradicionais dessa racionalidade, como a teoria Yīn e Yáng, conhecimento essencial para o entendimento do processo saúde-doença decorrente da circulação do sopro vital pelo corpo. Este artigo estuda o movimento da dupla Yīn e Yáng na doutrina médica chinesa, buscando conhecer como se desenvolveu essa linha de pensamento e a sua contribuição na elaboração do sistema diagnóstico e terapêutico. A metodologia utilizada foi a análise da literatura que aborda o objeto a partir do referencial teórico do pensamento taoista e da medicina tradicional chinesa.

Voltage-gated sodium channel expression and action potential generation in differentiated NG108-15 cells.

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Liu, Jinxu; Tu, Huiyin; Zhang, Dongze; Zheng, Hong; Li, Yu-Long

2012-10-25

The generation of action potential is required for stimulus-evoked neurotransmitter release in most neurons. Although various voltage-gated ion channels are involved in action potential production, the initiation of the action potential is mainly mediated by voltage-gated Na+ channels. In the present study, differentiation-induced changes of mRNA and protein expression of Na+ channels, Na+ currents, and cell membrane excitability were investigated in NG108-15 cells. Whole-cell patch-clamp results showed that differentiation (9 days) didn't change cell membrane excitability, compared to undifferentiated state. But differentiation (21 days) induced the action potential generation in 45.5% of NG108-15 cells (25/55 cells). In 9-day-differentiated cells, Na+ currents were mildly increased, which was also found in 21-day differentiated cells without action potential. In 21-day differentiated cells with action potential, Na+ currents were significantly enhanced. Western blot data showed that the expression of Na+ channels was increased with differentiated-time dependent manner. Single-cell real-time PCR data demonstrated that the expression of Na+ channel mRNA was increased by 21 days of differentiation in NG108-15 cells. More importantly, the mRNA level of Na+ channels in cells with action potential was higher than that in cells without action potential. Differentiation induces expression of voltage-gated Na+ channels and action potential generation in NG108-15 cells. A high level of the Na+ channel density is required for differentiation-triggered action potential generation.

Clinical applications of HPLC-competitive protein binding assay for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Shouli

1989-01-01

This report describes the clinical applications of HPLC-competitive protein binding assay for serum 25(OH) Vit D in 156 cases. Serum 25(OH) Vit D of normal human was 33.1 +- 14.8 nmol/L (13.2 +- 5.9 ng/ml), while for various diseases are as follows: rickets, 18.0 +- 9.0 nmol/L (7.2 +- 3.6 ng/ml, n = 36, P 0.1); pneumonia of children, 33.8 +- 14.8 nmol/L (13.5 +- 5.9 ng/ml, n = 10, P > 0.5); cirrhosis, 13.8 +- 11.3 nmol/L (5.5 +- 4.5 ng/ml, n = 9, P 0.2); administration of anticonvulsant (1 to 15 years), 19.0 +- 6.5 nmol/L (7.6 +- 2.6 ng/ml, n = 19, P 6 months), 15.3 +- 5.0 nmol/L (6.1 +- 2.0 ng/ml, n = 6, P 0.5); pregnant women, 39.8 +- 16.5 nmol/L (15.9 +- 6.6 ng/ml, n = 7, P > 0.1). We found it is a useful reference value for most of the above diseased state especially for differentiation between rickets and hypervitaminosis

Myoglobin as a prognostic indicator for outcome in dogs with gastric dilatation-volvulus.

Science.gov (United States)

Adamik, Katja N; Burgener, Iwan A; Kovacevic, Alan; Schulze, Sebastian P; Kohn, Barbara

2009-06-01

To determine whether myoglobin (Mb) is a useful prognostic indicator for outcome and to investigate any relationship between Mb and mortality in dogs with gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV). Prospective study. Veterinary teaching hospital. Seventy-two dogs with GDV. Blood sampling. Mb levels were measured at the time of diagnosis (Mbt0), 24 hours (Mbt1), and 48 hours (Mbt2) after signs of GDV were recognized. Fifty-seven dogs survived (group I) and 15 dogs did not survive (group II). Mbt0 differed significantly between groups (P=0.04). Mbt0 in group I ranged from 700 ng/mL (n=57, median 74 ng/mL), and in group II from 34 to >700 ng/mL (n=15, median 238 ng/mL). Analysis of a receiver operating characteristic curve of Mbt0 suggested that the best single cutpoint would be 168 ng/mL (sensitivity 60.0%, specificity 84.2%). Fifty percent of dogs with Mbt0>168 ng/mL were euthanized, while 88.9% with Mbt0700 ng/mL (n=55, median 123 ng/mL), and Mbt1 in group II ranged from 131 to 643 ng/mL (n=7, median 343 ng/mL) (P=0.006). Mbt2 in group I ranged from 30 to 597 ng/mL (n=54, median 101 ng/mL), and in group II from 141 to >700 ng/mL (n=8, median 203 ng/mL) (P=0.02). In this study, Mbt0 is a moderately sensitive and specific prognostic indicator. Almost 90% of the dogs below the cutpoint survived to discharge, whereas 50% with Mbt0 above the cutpoint did not survive.

FGF-23 dysregulates calcium homeostasis and electrophysiological properties in HL-1 atrial cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Kao, Yu-Hsun; Chen, Yao-Chang; Lin, Yung-Kuo; Shiu, Rong-Jie; Chao, Tze-Fan; Chen, Shih-Ann; Chen, Yi-Jen

2014-08-01

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-23 is a key regulator of phosphate homeostasis. Higher FGF-23 levels are correlated with poor outcomes in cardiovascular diseases. FGF-23 can produce cardiac hypertrophy and increase intracellular calcium, which can change cardiac electrical activity. However, it is not clear whether FGF-23 possesses arrhythmogenic potential through calcium dysregulation. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to evaluate the electrophysiological effects of FGF-23 and identify the underlying mechanisms. Patch clamp, confocal microscope with Fluo-4 fluorescence, and Western blot analyses were used to evaluate the electrophysiological characteristics, calcium homeostasis and calcium regulatory proteins in HL-1 atrial myocytes with and without FGF-23 (10 and 25 ng/mL) incubation for 24 h. FGF-23 (25 ng/mL) increased L-type calcium currents, calcium transient and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) contents in HL-1 cells. FGF-23 (25 ng/mL)-treated cells (n = 14) had greater incidences (57%, 17% and 15%, P calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIδ and phospholamban (PLB) at threonine 17 but had similar phosphorylation extents of PLB at serine 16, total PLB and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) -ATPase protein. Moreover, the FGF receptor inhibitor (PD173074, 10 nM), calmodulin inhibitor (W7, 5 μM) and phospholipase C inhibitor (U73122, 1 μM) attenuated the effects of FGF-23 on calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II phosphorylation. FGF-23 increases HL-1 cells arrhythmogenesis with calcium dysregulation through modulating calcium-handling proteins. © 2014 Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation.

Mechanisms for the proliferation of eosinophilic leukemia cells by FIP1L1-PDGFRα

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishihara, Kenji; Kitamura, Hajime; Hiraizumi, Kenji; Kaneko, Motoko; Takahashi, Aki; Zee, OkPyo; Seyama, Toshio; Hong, JangJa; Ohuchi, Kazuo; Hirasawa, Noriyasu

2008-01-01

The constitutively activated tyrosine kinase Fip1-like 1 (FIP1L1)-platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα) causes eosinophilic leukemia EoL-1 cells to proliferate. Recently, we demonstrated that histone deacetylase inhibitors suppressed this proliferation and induced the differentiation of EoL-1 cells into eosinophils in parallel with a decrease in the level of FIP1L1-PDGFRα. In this study, we analyzed the mechanism by which FIP1L1-PDGFRα induces the proliferation and whether the suppression of cell proliferation triggers the differentiation into eosinophils. The FIP1L1-PDGFRα inhibitor imatinib inhibited the proliferation of EoL-1 cells and decreased the level of the oncoprotein c-Myc as well as the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). The proliferation of EoL-1 cells and expression of c-Myc were also inhibited by the MEK inhibitor U0126 and JNK inhibitor SP600125. The expression of the eosinophilic differentiation marker CCR3 was not induced by imatinib. These findings suggest that FIP1L1-PDGFRα induces the proliferation of EoL-1 cells through the induction of c-Myc expression via ERK and JNK signaling pathways, but is not involved in the inhibition of differentiation toward mature eosinophils

Analytical evaluation of the novel Lumipulse G BRAHMS procalcitonin immunoassay.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruzzenente, Orazio; Salvagno, Gian Luca; Gelati, Matteo; Lippi, Giuseppe

2016-12-01

This study was designed to evaluate the analytical performance of the novel Lumipulse G1200 BRAHMS procalcitonin (PCT) immunoassay. This analytical evaluation encompassed the calculation of the limit of blank (LOB), limit of detection (LOD), functional sensitivity, intra- and inter-assay imprecision, confirmation of linearity and a comparison with the Vidas BRAHMS PCT assay. The LOB, LOD and functional sensitivity were 0.0010 ng/mL, 0.0016 ng/mL and 0.008 ng/mL, respectively. The total analytical imprecision was found to be 2.1% and the linearity was excellent (r=1.00) in the range of concentrations between 0.006-75.5 ng/mL. The correlation coefficient with Vidas BRAHMS PCT was 0.995 and the equation of the Passing and Bablok regression analysis was [Lumipulse G BRAHMS PCT]=0.76×[Vidas BRAHMS PCT]+0.04. The mean overall bias of Lumipulse G BRAHMS PCT versus Vidas BRAHMS PCT was -3.03 ng/mL (95% confidence interval [CI]: -4.32 to -1.74 ng/mL), whereas the mean bias in samples with PCT concentration between 0-10 ng/mL was -0.49 ng/mL (95% CI: -0.77 to -0.24 ng/mL). The diagnostic agreement was 100% at 0.5 ng/mL, 97% at 2.0 ng/mL and 95% at 10 ng/mL, respectively. These results attest that Lumipulse G BRAHMS PCT exhibits excellent analytical performance, among the best of the methods currently available on the diagnostic market. However, the significant bias compared to the Vidas BRAHMS PCT suggests that the methods cannot be used interchangeably.

Dialogic spaces of knowledge construction in research article Conclusion sections written by English L1, English L2 and Spanish L1 writers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Sheldon

2018-04-01

Full Text Available While vast research efforts have been directed to the identification of moves and their constituent steps in research articles (RA, less attention has been paid to the social negotiation of knowledge, in particular in the Conclusion section of RAs. In this paper, I examine the Conclusion sections of RAs in English and Spanish, including RA Conclusions written in English by Spanish-background speakers in the field of applied linguistics. This study brings together two complementary frameworks, genre-based knowledge and evaluative stance, drawing on Swales’s (1990, 2004 move analysis framework and on the engagement system in Martin and White’s (2005 Appraisal framework. The results indicate that the English L1 group negotiates a consistent space for readers to approve or disapprove the writers’ propositions. However, the Spanish L1 group aligns with readers, using a limited space through contracting resources, which may be because this group addresses a smaller audience in comparison to the English L1 group which addresses an international readership. On the other hand, the English L2 group tends to move towards English rhetorical international practice, but without fully abandoning their SpL1. These results contribute to gaining a better understanding of how successful scholarly writing in English is achieved, and offers important insights for teaching multilingual researchers.

The correlation between the levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 in plasma and tumour response and survival after preoperative radiochemotherapy in patients with rectal cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oblak, Irena; Velenik, Vaneja; Anderluh, Franc; Mozina, Barbara; Ocvirk, Janja

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyse whether the level of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) 1 is associated with the tumour response and survival to preoperative radiochemotherapy in rectal cancer patients. Ninety-two patients with histologically confirmed non-metastatic rectal cancer of clinical stage I– III were treated with preoperative radiochemotherapy, surgery and postoperative chemotherapy. Plasma TIMP-1 concentrations were measured prior to the start of the treatment with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Median follow-up time was 68 months (range: 3–93 months) while in survivors it was 80 months (range: 68–93 months). The 5-year locoregional control (LRC), disease-free survival (DFS), disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) rates for all patients were 80.2%, 56.4%, 63.7% and 52.2%, respectively. The median TIMP-1 level was 185 ng/mL (range: 22–523 ng/mL) and the mean level (±standard deviation) was 192 (±87) ng/mL. Serum TIMP-1 levels were found to be significantly increased in patients with preoperative CRP>12 mg/L and in those who died from rectal cancer or had cT4 tumours. No correlation was established for age, gender, carcinoembriogenic antigene (CEA) level, platelets count, histopathological grade, response to preoperative therapy, resectability and disease reappearance. On univariate analysis, various parameters favourably influenced one or more survival endpoints: TIMP-1 <170 ng/mL, CRP <12 mg/L, platelets count <290 10E9/L, CEA <3.4mg/L, age <69 years, male gender, early stage disease (cN0 and/or cT2–3), radical surgery (R0) and response to preoperative radiochemotherapy. In multivariate model, LRC was favourably influenced by N-downstage, DFS by lower CRP and N-downstage, DSS by lower CRP and N-downstage and OS by lower TIMP-1 level, lower CRP and N-downstage. Although we did not find any association between pretreatment serum TIMP-1 levels and primary tumour response to preoperative

Inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis by systemic N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine administration in humans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frandsen, U; Bangsbo, J; Langberg, Henning

2000-01-01

(controls) and with prior N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) infusion (4 mg/kg, intravenously). Samples from the interstitial fluid were obtained at rest, during exercise and after exercise with the microdialysis technique. Interstitial adenosine in controls increased (p0.05) to controls. The 6......-keto-prostaglandin F1alpha concentration in controls was 1.17+/-0.20 ng/ml at rest and increased (p0.05) in L-NAME. The interstitial K(+) concentration in controls increased (p......We examined whether the formation or the release of the vasodilators adenosine, prostacyclin (PGI(2)) and potassium (K(+)) increase in skeletal muscle interstitium in response to nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition. Five subjects performed one-legged knee extensor exercise at 30 W without...