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Sample records for odc activity compared

  1. Regulation of ODC activity in the thymus and liver of rats by adrenal hormones.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zahner, S L; Prahlad, K V; Mitchell, J L

    1986-01-01

    The activity of L-ornithine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.17, ODC) has become a useful indicator of hormone responsiveness. Various regimens of dexamethasone, aldosterone and epinephrine, alone or in combination, were administered to adrenalectomized rats either in acute or chronic doses. In addition, adrenalectomized rats, which were chronically treated with aldosterone and epinephrine, were given a single injection of 50 micrograms dexamethasone and sacrificed at various time intervals after hormone treatment. Hepatic and thymic ODC activity was measured. The expected dexamethasone effect, an increase in hepatic and a decrease in thymic ODC, was observed. This study also revealed that aldosterone induced similar responses in these tissues. Epinephrine had the opposite effect since chronic administration of dexamethasone or aldosterone with epinephrine resulted in control levels of ODC. Furthermore, when aldosterone and epinephrine were chronically administered to adrenalectomized rats, to study the acute effects of dexamethasone on rat thymus and liver, the time course of the response in each tissue was found to be distinct. The influence of the adrenal gland on rat thymus and liver is not restricted only to glucocorticoids, but may also involve other hormones which it secretes.

  2. Keratin-6 driven ODC expression to hair follicle keratinocytes enhances stemness and tumorigenesis by negatively regulating Notch

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    Arumugam, Aadithya; Weng, Zhiping; Chaudhary, Sandeep C.; Afaq, Farrukh [Department of Dermatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-0019 (United States); Elmets, Craig A. [Department of Dermatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-0019 (United States); Skin Diseases Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 (United States); Athar, Mohammad, E-mail: mathar@uab.edu [Department of Dermatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-0019 (United States); Skin Diseases Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 (United States)

    2014-08-29

    Highlights: • Targeting ODC to hair follicle augments skin carcinogenesis and invasive SCCs. • Hair follicle ODC expands stem cell compartment carrying CD34{sup +}/K15{sup +}/p63{sup +} keratinocytes. • Negatively regulated Notch1 is associated with expansion of stem cell compartment. - Abstract: Over-expression of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is known to be involved in the epidermal carcinogenesis. However, the mechanism by which it enhances skin carcinogenesis remains undefined. Recently, role of stem cells localized in various epidermal compartments has been shown in the pathogenesis of skin cancer. To direct ODC expression in distinct epidermal compartments, we have developed keratin 6 (K6)-ODC/SKH-1 and keratin 14 (K14)-ODC/SKH-1 mice and employed them to investigate the role of ODC directed to these epidermal compartments on UVB-induced carcinogenesis. K6-driven ODC over-expression directed to outer root sheath (ORS) of hair follicle was more effective in augmenting tumorigenesis as compared to mice where K14-driven ODC expression was directed to inter-follicular epidermal keratinocytes. Chronically UVB-irradiated K6-ODC/SKH-1 developed 15 ± 2.5 tumors/mouse whereas K14-ODC/SKH-1 developed only 6.8 ± 1.5 tumors/mouse. K6-ODC/SKH-1 showed augmented UVB-induced proliferation and much higher pro-inflammatory responses than K14-ODC/SKH-1 mice. Tumors induced in K6-ODC/SKH-1 were rapidly growing, invasive and ulcerative squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) showing decreased expression of epidermal polarity marker E-cadherin and enhanced mesenchymal marker, fibronectin. Interestingly, the number of CD34/CK15/p63 positive stem-like cells was significantly higher in chronically UVB-irradiated K6-ODC/SKH-1 as compared to K14-ODC/SKH-1 mice. Reduced Notch1 expression was correlated with the expansion of stem cell compartment in these animals. However, other signaling pathways such as DNA damage response or mTOR signaling pathways were not significantly different in

  3. Keratin-6 driven ODC expression to hair follicle keratinocytes enhances stemness and tumorigenesis by negatively regulating Notch

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arumugam, Aadithya; Weng, Zhiping; Chaudhary, Sandeep C.; Afaq, Farrukh; Elmets, Craig A.; Athar, Mohammad

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Targeting ODC to hair follicle augments skin carcinogenesis and invasive SCCs. • Hair follicle ODC expands stem cell compartment carrying CD34 + /K15 + /p63 + keratinocytes. • Negatively regulated Notch1 is associated with expansion of stem cell compartment. - Abstract: Over-expression of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is known to be involved in the epidermal carcinogenesis. However, the mechanism by which it enhances skin carcinogenesis remains undefined. Recently, role of stem cells localized in various epidermal compartments has been shown in the pathogenesis of skin cancer. To direct ODC expression in distinct epidermal compartments, we have developed keratin 6 (K6)-ODC/SKH-1 and keratin 14 (K14)-ODC/SKH-1 mice and employed them to investigate the role of ODC directed to these epidermal compartments on UVB-induced carcinogenesis. K6-driven ODC over-expression directed to outer root sheath (ORS) of hair follicle was more effective in augmenting tumorigenesis as compared to mice where K14-driven ODC expression was directed to inter-follicular epidermal keratinocytes. Chronically UVB-irradiated K6-ODC/SKH-1 developed 15 ± 2.5 tumors/mouse whereas K14-ODC/SKH-1 developed only 6.8 ± 1.5 tumors/mouse. K6-ODC/SKH-1 showed augmented UVB-induced proliferation and much higher pro-inflammatory responses than K14-ODC/SKH-1 mice. Tumors induced in K6-ODC/SKH-1 were rapidly growing, invasive and ulcerative squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) showing decreased expression of epidermal polarity marker E-cadherin and enhanced mesenchymal marker, fibronectin. Interestingly, the number of CD34/CK15/p63 positive stem-like cells was significantly higher in chronically UVB-irradiated K6-ODC/SKH-1 as compared to K14-ODC/SKH-1 mice. Reduced Notch1 expression was correlated with the expansion of stem cell compartment in these animals. However, other signaling pathways such as DNA damage response or mTOR signaling pathways were not significantly different in tumors induced

  4. ODC-Free Solvent Implementation Issues for Vulcanized Rubber and Bond Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hodgson, James R.; McCool, Alex (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    Thiokol Propulsion has worked extensively to replace 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA) with ozone depleting chemicals (ODC)-free solvents for use in the manufacture of the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) for the Space Shuttle Program. As Thiokol has transitioned from sub-scale to full-scale testing and implementation of these new solvents, issues have been discovered which have required special attention. The original intent of Thiokol's solvent replacement strategy was to replace TCA with a single drop-in solvent for all equivalent applications. We have learned that a single candidate does not exist for replacing TCA. Solvent incompatibility with process materials has caused us to seek for niche solvents and/or processing changes that provide an ODC-free solution for special applications. This paper addresses some of the solvent incompatibilities, which have lead to processes changes and possible niche solvent usage. These incompatibilities were discovered during full-scale testing of ODC-free solvents and relate to vulcanized rubber and bond systems in the RSRM. Specifically, the following items are presented: (1) Cure effects of d-limonene based solvents on Silica Filled Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (SF-EPDM) rubber. During full-scale test operations, Thiokol discovered that d-limonene (terpene) based solvents inhibit the cure of EPDM rubber. Subsequent testing showed the same issue with Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR). Also discussed are efforts to minimize uncured rubber exposure to solvents; and (2) Cured bond system sensitivity to ODC-free solvents. During full scale testing it was discovered that a natural rubber to steel vulcanized bond could degrade after prolonged exposure to ODC-free solvents. Follow on testing showed that low vapor pressure and residence time seemed to be most likely cause for failure.

  5. Ornithine decarboxylase regulates the activity and localization of rhoA via polyamination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maekitie, Laura T.; Kanerva, Kristiina; Andersson, Leif C.

    2009-01-01

    Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is the rate-limiting enzyme of polyamine synthesis. Polyamines and ODC are connected to cell proliferation and transformation. Resting cells display a low ODC activity while normal, proliferating cells display fluctuations in ODC activity that coincide with changes in the actin cytoskeleton during the cell cycle. Cancerous cells display constitutively elevated ODC activity. Overexpression of ODC in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts induces a transformed phenotype. The cytoskeletal rearrangements during cytokinesis and cell transformation are intimately coupled to the ODC activity but the molecular mechanisms have remained elusive. In this study we investigated how ODC and polyamines influence the organization of the cytoskeleton. Given that the small G-proteins of the rho family are key modulators of the actin cytoskeleton, we investigated the molecular interactions of rhoA with ODC and polyamines. Our results show that transglutaminase-catalyzed polyamination of rhoA regulates its activity. The polyamination status of rhoA crucially influences the progress of the cell cycle as well as the rate of transformation of rat fibroblasts infected with temperature-sensitive v-src. We also show that ODC influences the intracellular distribution of rhoA. These findings provide novel insights into the mechanisms by which ODC and polyamines regulate the dynamics of the cytoskeleton during cell proliferation and transformation

  6. Overexpression of mitochondrial oxodicarboxylate carrier (ODC1 preserves oxidative phosphorylation in a yeast model of Barth syndrome

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    Maxence de Taffin de Tilques

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Cardiolipin (CL is a diglycerol phospholipid mostly found in mitochondria where it optimizes numerous processes, including oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS. To function properly, CL needs to be unsaturated, which requires the acyltransferase tafazzin. Loss-of-function mutations in this protein are responsible for Barth syndrome (BTHS, presumably because of a diminished OXPHOS capacity. Here, we show that overexpressing Odc1p, a conserved oxodicarboxylic acid carrier located in the mitochondrial inner membrane, fully restores oxidative phosphorylation in a yeast model (taz1Δ of BTHS. The rescuing activity involves the recovery of normal expression of key components that sustain oxidative phosphorylation, including cytochrome c and electron transport chain complexes IV and III, which are strongly downregulated in taz1Δ yeast. Interestingly, overexpression of Odc1p was also shown previously to rescue yeast models of mitochondrial diseases caused by defects in the assembly of ATP synthase and by mutations in the MPV17 protein that result in hepatocerebral mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome. These findings define the transport of oxodicarboxylic acids across the inner membrane as a potential therapeutic target for a large spectrum of mitochondrial diseases, including BTHS.

  7. Renal ornithine decarboxylase activity, polyamines, and compensatory renal hypertrophy in the rat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Humphreys, M.H.; Etheredge, S.B.; Lin, Shanyan; Ribstein, J.; Marton, L.J.

    1988-01-01

    The authors determined the role of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) in compensatory renal hypertrophy (CRH) by relating renal ODC activity and polyamine content to kidney size, expressed as a percent of body weight, 1 wk after unilateral nephrectomy (UN). In normal rats, renal ODC activity increased after UN; 1 wk later the remaining kidney weight had increased. Renal concentration of putrescine, the product of ODC's decarboxylation of ornithine, was increased 3, 8, and 48 h after UN, but concentrations of polyamines synthesized later in the pathway, spermidine and spermine, were not appreciably affected. Pretreatment with difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an irreversible inhibitor of ODC inhibited both base-line renal ODC activity and putrescine concentration as well as increases stimulated by UN, although concentrations of spermidine and spermine were not decreased. In hypophysectomized rats, both increased renal ODC activity and CRH occurred as well, indicating that these two consequences of UN do not require intact pituitary function. Thus stimulation of renal ODC activity and putrescine content do not appear critical to the process of CRH after UN

  8. Materials Compatibility Testing in RSRM ODC: Free Cleaner Selection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keen, Jill M.; Sagers, Neil W.; McCool, Alex (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    Government regulations have mandated production phase-outs of a number of solvents, including 1,1,1-trichloroethane, an ozone-depleting chemical (ODC). This solvent was used extensively in the production of the Reusable Solid Rocket Motors (RSRMs) for the Space Shuttle. Many tests have been performed to identify replacement cleaners. One major area of concern in the selection of a new cleaner has been compatibility. Some specific areas considered included cleaner compatibility with non-metallic surfaces, painted surfaces, support materials such as gloves and wipers as well as corrosive properties of the cleaners on the alloys used on these motors. The intent of this paper is to summarize the test logic, methodology, and results acquired from testing the many cleaner and material combinations.

  9. Polyamines and meristematic activity in Zea mays roots

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schwartz, M.; Arzee, T.; Cohen, Y.; Altman, A.

    1989-01-01

    Polyamine content and biosynthesis were determined in conjunction with meristematic activity and growth of Zea mays roots. Three types of developmental events were investigated: growth of intact primary roots, formation of lateral root primordia following main root decapitation, and activity of the quiescent center following root cap excision. A low ratio of putrescine/spermidine cotents was found to be salient feature of regions with high meristematic activity, in all 3 experimental systems. Arginine decarboxylase (ADC) and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activities increased concomitantly with lateral root primordia development and activation of the quiescent center. An increase in the incorporation of arginine and ornithine into spermidine was found in meristematic zones. L-canavanine inhibited primary root elongation and formation of lateral primordia as well as ADC and ODC activity. Similar inhibitory effects were found with MGBG and CHA, both inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis. A parallel study of ODC localization and DNA synthesis (using α- 14 C-DFMO and 3 H-thymidine microautoradiography, respectively) revealed than root zones with high meristematic activity are characterized by high ODC activity

  10. Ornithine decarboxylase activity in rat organs and tissues under artificial hypobiosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aksyonova, G E; Logvinovich, O S; Fialkovskaya, L A; Afanasyev, V N; Ignat'ev, D A; Kolomiytseva, I K

    2010-09-01

    The influence of hypothermia-hypoxia-hypercapnia on ornithine decarboxylase (ODC, EC 4.1.1.17) activities in rat organs and tissues and also on the thymocyte distribution throughout the cell cycle stages was studied. The state of artificial hypobiosis in rats on decrease in the body temperature to 14.4-18.0°C during 3.0-3.5 h was accompanied by drops in the ODC activities in the neocortex and liver by 50-60% and in rapidly proliferating tissues (thymus, spleen, and small intestine mucosa) by 80% of the control value. In kidneys the ODC activity raised to 200% of the control level. Twenty-four hours after termination of the cooling and replacing the rats under the standard conditions, the ODC activities in the neocortex, liver, kidneys, spleen, and intestinal mucosa returned to the control values, but remained decreased in the thymus. Forty-eight hours later the ODC activities in the thymus and spleen exceeded the normal level. The distribution of thymocytes throughout the cell cycle stages did not change in rats in the state of hypothermia (hypobiosis); 24 and 48 h after termination of the cooling the fraction of thymocytes in the S stage was decreased and the fraction of the cells in the G(0)+G(1) stage was increased. The normal distribution of thymocytes throughout the cell cycle stages recovered in 72 h. Thus, in the thymus the diminution of the ODC activity preceded the suppression of the cell proliferation rate. The tissue-specific changes in the ODC activity are suggested to reflect adaptive changes in the functional and proliferative activities of organs and tissues during the development of hypobiosis under conditions of hypothermia-hypoxia-hypercapnia.

  11. Suppression of metabolic activity caused by infantile strabismus and strabismic amblyopia in striate visual cortex of macaque monkeys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Agnes M F; Burkhalter, Andreas; Tychsen, Lawrence

    2005-02-01

    Suppression is a major sensorial abnormality in humans and monkeys with infantile strabismus. We previously reported evidence of metabolic suppression in the visual cortex of strabismic macaques, using the mitochondrial enzyme cytochrome oxidase as an anatomic label. The purpose of this study was to further elucidate alterations in cortical metabolic activity, with or without amblyopia. Six macaque monkeys were used in the experiments (four strabismic and two control). Three of the strabismic monkeys had naturally occurring, infantile strabismus (two esotropic, one exotropic). The fourth strabismic monkey had infantile microesotropia induced by alternating monocular occlusion in the first months of life. Ocular motor behaviors and visual acuity were tested after infancy in each animal, and development of stereopsis was recorded during infancy in one strabismic and one control monkey. Ocular dominance columns (ODCs) of the striate visual cortex (area V1) were labeled using cytochrome oxidase (CO) histochemistry alone, or CO in conjunction with an anterograde tracer ([H 3 ]proline or WGA-HRP) injected into one eye. Each of the strabismic monkeys showed inequalities of metabolic activity in ODCs of opposite ocularity, visible as rows of lighter CO staining, corresponding to ODCs of lower metabolic activity, alternating with rows of darker CO staining, corresponding to ODCs of higher metabolic activity. In monkeys who had infantile strabismus and unilateral amblyopia, lower metabolic activity was found in (suppressed) ODCs driven by the nondominant eye in each hemisphere. In monkeys who had infantile esotropia and alternating fixation (no amblyopia), metabolic activity was lower in ODCs driven by the ipsilateral eye in each hemisphere. The suppression included a monocular core zone at the center of ODCs and binocular border zones at the boundaries of ODCs. This suppression was not evident in the monocular lamina of the LGN, indicating an intracortical rather than

  12. Effects of bis(guanylhydrazones) on the activity and expression of ornithine decarboxylase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikula, P; Alhonen-Hongisto, L; Jänne, J

    1985-01-01

    Derivatives of glyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (GBG), such as methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) and ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), are potent inhibitors of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50), the key enzyme required for the synthesis of spermidine and spermine. These compounds, but not the parent compound, induce a massive accumulation of putrescine, partly by blocking the conversion of putrescine into spermidine, but also by strikingly stimulating ornithine decarboxylase (ODC; EC 4.1.1.17) activity. The mechanism of the stimulation of ODC activity and enhanced accumulation of the enzyme protein apparently involved a distinct stabilization of the enzyme against intracellular degradation. However, although the parent compound GBG also stabilized ODC, it powerfully inhibited the enzyme activity and the accumulation of immunoreactive protein in cultured L1210 leukaemia cells. Kinetic considerations indicated that, in addition to the stabilization, all three compounds, GBG in particular, inhibited the expression of ODC. It is unlikely that the decreased rate of synthesis of ODC was attributable to almost unaltered amounts of mRNA in drug-treated cells, thus supporting the view that especially GBG apparently depressed the expression of ODC at some post-transcriptional level. Images PMID:4062886

  13. Expression of ODC Antizyme Inhibitor 2 (AZIN2 in Human Secretory Cells and Tissues.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tiina Rasila

    Full Text Available Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC antizyme inhibitor 2 (AZIN2, originally called ODCp, is a regulator of polyamine synthesis that we originally identified and cloned. High expression of ODCp mRNA was found in brain and testis. We reported that AZIN2 is involved in regulation of cellular vesicle transport and / or secretion, but the ultimate physiological role(s of AZIN2 is still poorly understood. In this study we used a peptide antibody (K3 to human AZIN2 and by immunohistochemistry mapped its expression in various normal tissues. We found high expression in the nervous system, in type 2 pneumocytes in the lung, in megakaryocytes, in gastric parietal cells co-localized with H,K-ATPase beta subunit, in selected enteroendocrine cells, in acinar cells of sweat glands, in podocytes, in macula densa cells and epithelium of collecting ducts in the kidney. The high expression of AZIN2 in various cells with secretory or vesicle transport activity indicates that the polyamine metabolism regulated by AZIN2 is more significantly involved in these events than previously appreciated.

  14. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase gene expressions are significantly correlated in human colorectal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Linsalata, Michele; Giannini, Romina; Notarnicola, Maria; Cavallini, Aldo

    2006-01-01

    The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is a transcription factor that regulates adipogenic differentiation and glucose homeostasis. Spermidine/spermine N 1 -acetyltransferase (SSAT) and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) are key enzymes involved in the metabolism of polyamines, compounds that play an important role in cell proliferation. While the PPARγ role in tumour growth has not been clearly defined, the involvement of the altered polyamine metabolism in colorectal carcinogenesis has been established. In this direction, we have evaluated the PPARγ expression and its relationship with polyamine metabolism in tissue samples from 40 patients operated because of colorectal carcinoma. Since it is known that the functional role of K-ras mutation in colorectal tumorigenesis is associated with cell growth and differentiation, polyamine metabolism and the PPARγ expression were also investigated in terms of K-ras mutation. PPARγ, ODC and SSAT mRNA levels were evaluated by reverse transcriptase and real-time PCR. Polyamines were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). ODC and SSAT activity were measured by a radiometric technique. PPARγ expression, as well as SSAT and ODC mRNA levels were significantly higher in cancer as compared to normal mucosa. Tumour samples also showed significantly higher polyamine levels and ODC and SSAT activities in comparison to normal samples. A significant and positive correlation between PPARγ and the SSAT gene expression was observed in both normal and neoplastic tissue (r = 0.73, p < 0.0001; r = 0.65, p < 0.0001, respectively). Moreover, gene expression, polyamine levels and enzymatic activities were increased in colorectal carcinoma samples expressing K-ras mutation as compared to non mutated K-ras samples. In conclusion, our data demonstrated a close relationship between PPARγ and SSAT in human colorectal cancer and this could represent an attempt to decrease polyamine levels and to reduce cell

  15. Gamma radiation inhibits the appearance of induced ornithine decarboxylase activity in Chinese hamster cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ben-Hur, E.; Heimer, Y.M.; Riklis, E.

    1981-01-01

    Ornithine decarboxylase activity of Chinese hamster cells (ODC, EC 4.1.1.17) can be induced in plateau phase by change of medium. Exposure of the cells to gamma radiation before induction reduces the amount of ODC activity induced. The dose-response curve is exponential with a D 0 of 106 krad. Exposure of BUdR-substituted cells is more effective in reducing ODC induction at high doses, with a D 0 of 38 krad. Cells can recover from the reduction incurred by 74 krad if enzyme induction is delayed for 2 hours after exposure. Treatment of the cells with psoralen-plus-light completely inhibits RNA synthesis without affecting protein synthesis (Heimer, Ben-Hur and Riklis 1977, 1978). Using this procedure it is shown that the effect of gamma radiation on inducible ODC activity is due not only to DNA damage but also involves a post-transcriptional effect. This conclusion is supported by employing a heat shock to inhibit protein synthesis prior to gamma-irradiation of log-phase cells. In such cells the increased activity of ODC upon transfer to 37 0 C is due primarily to enzyme synthesis using pre-existing RNA species during the first few hours. A low concentration of actinomycin D, which inhibits rRNA synthesis, applied during the recovery period, prevents the recovery of the cells' capacity for maximal ODC induction. This may indicate that, in order to recover, the cells have to repair damage to the ribosomes as well as to DNA. (author)

  16. Dose response evaluation of gene expression profiles in the skin of K6/ODC mice exposed to sodium arsenite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahlborn, Gene J.; Nelson, Gail M.; Ward, William O.; Knapp, Geremy; Allen, James W.; Ouyang Ming; Roop, Barbara C.; Chen Yan; O'Brien, Thomas; Kitchin, Kirk T.; Delker, Don A.

    2008-01-01

    Chronic drinking water exposure to inorganic arsenic and its metabolites increases tumor frequency in the skin of K6/ODC transgenic mice. To identify potential biomarkers and modes of action for this skin tumorigenicity, we characterized gene expression profiles from analysis of K6/ODC mice administered 0, 0.05, 0.25, 1.0 and 10 ppm sodium arsenite in their drinking water for 4 weeks. Following exposure, total RNA was isolated from mouse skin and processed to biotin-labeled cRNA for microarray analyses. Skin gene expression was analyzed with Affymetrix Mouse Genome 430A 2.0 GeneChips (registered) , and pathway analysis was conducted with DAVID (NIH), Ingenuity (registered) Systems and MetaCore's GeneGo. Differential expression of several key genes was verified through qPCR. Only the highest dose (10 ppm) resulted in significantly altered KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathways, including MAPK, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, Wnt, Jak-Stat, Tight junction, Toll-like, phosphatidylinositol and insulin signaling pathways. Approximately 20 genes exhibited a dose response, including several genes known to be associated with carcinogenesis or tumor progression including cyclin D1, CLIC4, Ephrin A1, STAT3 and DNA methyltransferase 3a. Although transcription changes in all identified genes have not previously been linked to arsenic carcinogenesis, their association with carcinogenesis in other systems suggests that these genes may play a role in the early stages of arsenic-induced skin carcinogenesis and can be considered potential biomarkers

  17. Polyamine regulation of ornithine decarboxylase and its antizyme in intestinal epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Q; Ray, R M; Viar, M J; Johnson, L R

    2001-01-01

    Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is feedback regulated by polyamines. ODC antizyme mediates this process by forming a complex with ODC and enhancing its degradation. It has been reported that polyamines induce ODC antizyme and inhibit ODC activity. Since exogenous polyamines can be converted to each other after they are taken up into cells, we used an inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, diethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (DEGBG), to block the synthesis of spermidine and spermine from putrescine and investigated the specific roles of individual polyamines in the regulation of ODC in intestinal epithelial crypt (IEC-6) cells. We found that putrescine, spermidine, and spermine inhibited ODC activity stimulated by serum to 85, 46, and 0% of control, respectively, in the presence of DEGBG. ODC activity increased in DEGBG-treated cells, despite high intracellular putrescine levels. Although exogenous spermidine and spermine reduced ODC activity of DEGBG-treated cells close to control levels, spermine was more effective than spermidine. Exogenous putrescine was much less effective in inducing antizyme than spermidine or spermine. High putrescine levels in DEGBG-treated cells did not induce ODC antizyme when intracellular spermidine and spermine levels were low. The decay of ODC activity and reduction of ODC protein levels were not accompanied by induction of antizyme in the presence of DEGBG. Our results indicate that spermine is the most, and putrescine the least, effective polyamine in regulating ODC activity, and upregulation of antizyme is not required for the degradation of ODC protein.

  18. Cyclobutane-type pyrimidine photodimer formation and induction of ornithine decarboxylase in human skin fibroblasts after UV irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niggli, H.J.; Roethlisberger, R.

    1988-01-01

    Cyclobutane-type pyrimidine photodimers as well as the induction of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) may serve as biochemical markers of the mutagenic and carcinogenic effects of ultraviolet light (UV). For this reason, it is important to compare the formation of pyrimidine dimers with the induction of ODC in human skin fibroblasts after irradiation with UVC (200-290 nm) and UVB (290-320 nm). In our studies we determined cytosine-thymine (C-T) as well as thymine-thymine dimer yields (T-T) by high-pressure liquid chromatography in cultures of neonatal normal human foreskin-derived fibroblasts after irradiation with UVC and UVB light. It was found that the yield of dimerization and the ratio of T-T/C-T decreased from the UVC to the UVB region. Time-course studies of ODC-induction in the same cells indicated that the maximal activity after UVB irradiation was retarded compared to UVC exposure. For the UV-induced ODC-levels, however, no significant difference in maximal induction could be measured after UVC and UVB irradiation at fluences where comparable yields of thymine dimerization are produced. Similar ODC-maxima were obtained with strains from children, while cells from adults showed significantly less pronounced ODC induction, indicating that ODC-response decreases with age and may therefore be used as a marker of aging

  19. Folate deficiency enhances arsenic effects on expression of genes involved in epidermal differentiation in transgenic K6/ODC mouse skin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nelson, Gail M.; Ahlborn, Gene J.; Delker, Don A.; Kitchin, Kirk T.; O'Brien, Thomas G.; Chen Yan; Kohan, Michael J.; Roop, Barbara C.; Ward, William O.; Allen, James W.

    2007-01-01

    Chronic arsenic exposure in humans is associated with cancers of the skin, lung, bladder and other tissues. There is evidence that folate deficiency may increase susceptibility to arsenic effects, including skin lesions. K6/ODC mice develop skin tumors when exposed to 10 ppm sodium arsenite for 5 months. In the current study, K6/ODC mice maintained on either a folate deficient or folate sufficient diet were exposed to 0, 1, or 10 ppm sodium arsenite in the drinking water for 30 days. Total RNA was isolated from skin samples and gene expression analyzed using Affymetrix Mouse 430 2.0 GeneChips. Data from 24 samples, with 4 mice in each of the 6 treatment groups, were RMA normalized and analyzed by two-way ANOVA using GeneSpring TM . Top gene ontology (GO) categories for genes responding significantly to both arsenic treatment and folate deficiency include nucleotide metabolism and cell organization and biogenesis. For many of these genes, folate deficiency magnifies the response to arsenic treatment. In particular, expression of markers of epidermal differentiation, e.g., loricrin, small proline rich proteins and involucrin, was significantly reduced by arsenic in the folate sufficient animals, and reduced further or at a lower arsenic dose in the folate deficient animals. In addition, expression of a number of epidermal cell growth/proliferation genes and cellular movement genes was altered. These results indicate that arsenic disrupts the normal balance of cell proliferation and differentiation, and that folate deficiency exacerbates these effects, consistent with the view that folate deficiency is a nutritional susceptibility factor for arsenic-induced skin tumorigenesis

  20. An endosymbiont positively modulates ornithine decarboxylase in host trypanosomatids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frossard, Mariana Lins; Seabra, Sergio Henrique; Matta, Renato Augusto da; Souza, Wanderley de; Garcia de Mello, Fernando; Motta, Maria Cristina Machado

    2006-01-01

    Summary: Some trypanosomatids, such as Crithidia deanei, are endosymbiont-containing species. Aposymbiotic strains are obtained after antibiotic treatment, revealing interesting aspects of this symbiotic association. Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) promotes polyamine biosynthesis and contributes to cell proliferation. Here, we show that ODC activity is higher in endosymbiont-bearing trypanosomatids than in aposymbiotic cells, but isolated endosymbionts did not display this enzyme activity. Intriguingly, expressed levels of ODC were similar in both strains, suggesting that ODC is positively modulated in endosymbiont-bearing cells. When the aposymbiotic strain was grown in conditioned medium, obtained after cultivation of the endosymbiont-bearing strain, cellular proliferation as well as ODC activity and localization were similar to that observed in the endosymbiont-containing trypanosomatids. Furthermore, dialyzed-heated medium and trypsin treatment reduced ODC activity of the aposymbiont strain. Taken together, these data indicate that the endosymbiont can enhance the protozoan ODC activity by providing factors of protein nature, which increase the host polyamine metabolism

  1. [Ornithine decarboxylase in mammalian organs and tissues at hibernation and artificial hypobiosis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Logvinovich, O S; Aksenova, G E

    2013-01-01

    Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC, EC 4.1.1.17.) is a short-lived and dynamically regulated enzyme of polyamines biosynthesis. Regulation of functional, metabolic and proliferative state of organs and tissues involves the modifications of the ODC enzymatic activity. The organ-specific changes in ODC activity were revealed in organs and tissues (liver, spleen, bone marrow, kidney, and intestinal mucosa) of hibernating mammals - squirrels Spermophilus undulates - during the hibernating season. At that, a positive correlation was detected between the decline and recovery of the specialized functions of organs and tissues and the respective modifications of ODC activity during hibernation bouts. Investigation of changes in ODC activity in organs and tissues of non-hibernating mammals under artificial hypobiosis showed that in Wistar rats immediately after exposure to hypothermia-hypoxia-hypercapnia (hypobiosis) the level of ODC activity was low in thymus, spleen, small intestine mucosa, neocortex, and liver. The most marked reduction in enzyme activity was observed in actively proliferating tissues: thymus, spleen, small intestine mucosa. In bone marrow of squirrels, while in a state of torpor, as well as in thymus of rats after exposure to hypothermia-hypoxia-hypercapnia, changes in the ODC activity correlated with changes in the rate of cell proliferation (by the criterion of cells distribution over cell cycle). The results obtained, along with the critical analysis of published data, indicate that the ODC enzyme is involved in biochemical adaptation of mammals to natural and artificial hypobiosis. A decline in the ODC enzymatic activity indicates a decline in proliferative, functional, and metabolic activity of organs and tissues of mammals (bone marrow, mucosa of small intestine, thymus, spleen, neocortex, liver, kidneys) when entering the state of hypobiosis.

  2. Comparison of ultraviolet light-induced skin carcinogenesis and ornithine decarboxylase activity in sencar and hairless SKH-1 mice fed a constant level of dietary lipid varying in corn and coconut oil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berton, T.R.; Fischer, S.M.; Conti, C.J.; Locniskar, M.F.

    1996-01-01

    To investigate the effect of various levels of corn oil and coconut oil on ultraviolet (UV) light‐induced skin tumorigenesis and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity, Sencar and SKH‐1 mice were fed one of three 15% (weight) fat semipurified diets containing three ratios of com oil to coconut oil: 1.0%:14.0%, 7.9%:7.1%, and 15.0%:0.0% in Diets A, B, and C, respectively. Groups of 30 Sencar and SKH‐1 mice were fed one of the diets for three weeks before UV irradiation; then both strains were UV irradiated with an initial dose of 90 mJ/cm2. The dose was given three times a week and increased 25% each week. For Sencar mice (irradiated 33 wks for a total dose of 48 J/cm2), tumor incidence reached a maximum of 60%, 60%, and 53% for Diets A, B, and C, respectively, with an overall average of one to two tumors per tumor‐bearing animal. For the SKH‐1 mice (irradiated 29 wks for a total dose of 18 J/cm2), all diet groups reached 100% incidence by 29 weeks, with approximately 12 tumors per tumor‐bearing mouse. No significant effect of dietary corn oil/coconut oil was found for tumor latency, incidence, or yield in either strain. The effect of increasing com oil on epidermal ODC activity in chronically UV‐irradiated Sencar and SKH‐1 mice was assessed Three groups of mice from each strain were fed one of the experimental diets and UV irradiated for six weeks. Sencar mice showed no increase in ODC activity until six weeks of treatment, when the levels of ODC activity in the UV‐irradiated mice fed Diet A were significantly higher than those in mice fed Diet B or Diet C: 1.27, 0.55, and 0.52 nmol/mg protein/hr, respectively. In the SKH‐1 mice, ODC activity was increased by the first week of UV treatment, and by three weeks of treatment a dietary effect was observed: ODC activity was significantly higher in mice fed Diet C (0.70 nmol/mg protein/hr) than in mice fed Diet A (0.18 nmol/mg protein/hr). Although there was no significant effect of dietary corn oil

  3. Polyamines modulate carcinogen-induced mutagenesis in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallon, U Margaretha; O'Brien, Thomas G

    2005-01-01

    Elevated polyamine levels as a consequence of targeted overexpression of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) to murine skin enhance susceptibility to tumorigenesis in this tissue. A possible mechanism for the enhanced susceptibility phenotype is an increased sensitivity of tissues with elevated polyamine levels to the mutagenic action of carcinogens. To test this hypothesis, a transgenic mouse model containing the Big Blue transgene and also expressing a K6/ODC transgene was developed. Incorporation of the K6/ODC transgene into the Big Blue model did not affect the spontaneous lacI mutant frequency in either skin or epidermis of the double-transgenic mice. After skin treatment with single doses of either 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene or N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, however, the mutant frequency was significantly increased in the skin of double-transgenic Big Blue;K6/ODC mice compared to Big Blue controls. The increases in mutant frequency were clearly due to ODC transgene activity, since treatment of mice with the ODC inhibitor, alpha-difluoromethylornithine, completely abolished the difference in mutant frequencies between double-transgenic and Big Blue mice. These results demonstrate that intracellular polyamine levels modulate mutation induction following carcinogen exposure. 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  4. Spermidine mediates degradation of ornithine decarboxylase by a non-lysosomal, ubiquitin-independent mechanism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Glass, J.R.; Gerner, E.W.

    1987-01-01

    The mechanism of spermidine-induced ornithine decarboxylase (OCD, E.C. 4.1.1.17) inactivation was investigated using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, maintained in serum-free medium, which display a stabilization of ODC owing to the lack of accumulation of putrescine and spermidine. Treatment of cells with 10 μM exogenous spermidine leads to rapid decay of ODC activity accompanied by a parallel decrease in enzyme protein. Analysis of the decay of [ 35 S]methionine-labeled ODC and separation by two-dimensional electrophoresis revealed no detectable modification in ODC structure during enhanced degradation. Spermidine-mediated inactivation of ODC occurred in a temperature-dependent manner exhibiting pseudo-first-order kinetics over a temperature range of 22-37 0 C. In cultures treated continuously, an initial lag was observed after treatment with spermidine, followed by a rapid decline in activity as an apparent critical concentration of intracellular spermidine was achieved. Treating cells at 22 0 C for 3 hours with 10 μ M spermidine, followed by removal of exogenous polyamine, and then shifting to varying temperatures, resulted in rates of ODC inactivation identical with that determined with a continuous treatment. Arrhenius analysis showed that polyamine mediated inactivation of ODC occurred with an activation energy of approximately 16 kcal/mol. Treatment of cells with lysosomotrophic agents had no effect of ODC degradation. ODC turnover was not dependent on ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis. These data support the hypothesis that spermidine regulates ODC degradation via a mechanism requiring new protein synthesis, and that this occurs via a non-lysosomal, ubiquitin-independent pathway

  5. Hemin inhibits cyclooxygenase-2 expression through nuclear factor-kappa B activation and ornithine decarboxylase expression in 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-treated mouse skin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Jae Hee; Lee, Chang Ki [Department of Oral Biology, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, 134 Shinchon-Dong, Seodaemoon-Ku, Seoul 120-752 (Korea, Republic of); Oral Cancer Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, 134 Shinchon-Dong, Seodaemoon-Ku, Seoul 120-752 (Korea, Republic of); Hwang, Young Sun [Department of Applied Life Science and Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, 134 Shinchon-Dong, Seodaemoon-Ku, Seoul 120-752 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Kwang-Kyun [Department of Oral Biology, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, 134 Shinchon-Dong, Seodaemoon-Ku, Seoul 120-752 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Applied Life Science and Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, 134 Shinchon-Dong, Seodaemoon-Ku, Seoul 120-752 (Korea, Republic of); Chung, Won-Yoon [Department of Oral Biology, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, 134 Shinchon-Dong, Seodaemoon-Ku, Seoul 120-752 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Applied Life Science and Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, 134 Shinchon-Dong, Seodaemoon-Ku, Seoul 120-752 (Korea, Republic of)], E-mail: wychung@yuhs.ac

    2008-07-03

    Inflammation induced by various stimuli has been found to be associated with increased risk for most types of human cancer. Inflammation facilitates the initiation of normal cells, as well as the growth of initiated cells and their progression to malignancy through production of proinflammatory cytokines and diverse reactive oxygen/nitrogen species. These also activate the signaling molecules that are involved in inflammation and carcinogenesis. Our previous studies have demonstrated that hemin inhibited 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced bacterial mutagenesis and oxidative DNA damage, reduced the level of DNA-DMBA adduct and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorobl-13-acetate (TPA)-induced tumor formation in DMBA-initiated ICR mouse skin, and inhibited myeloperoxidase and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} formation in TPA-treated mouse skin. In the present study, to further elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the chemopreventive activity of hemin, its effect on the expression of ODC and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, and the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-{kappa}B) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) regulating these proteins were explored in mouse skin with TPA-induced inflammation. Topically applied hemin inhibited ear edema and epidermal thickness in mice treated with TPA. Pretreatment with hemin reduced the expression of ODC and COX-2, and also reduced NF-{kappa}B activation in TPA-stimulated mouse skin. In addition, hemin suppressed the TPA-induced activation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) and p38 MAPK in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, hemin inhibited TPA-induced COX-2 expression by altering NF-{kappa}B signaling pathway via ERK and p38 MAPK, as well as TPA-induced ODC expression in mouse skin. Thereby, hemin may be an attractive candidate for a chemopreventive agent.

  6. Hemin inhibits cyclooxygenase-2 expression through nuclear factor-kappa B activation and ornithine decarboxylase expression in 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-treated mouse skin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Jae Hee; Lee, Chang Ki; Hwang, Young Sun; Park, Kwang-Kyun; Chung, Won-Yoon

    2008-01-01

    Inflammation induced by various stimuli has been found to be associated with increased risk for most types of human cancer. Inflammation facilitates the initiation of normal cells, as well as the growth of initiated cells and their progression to malignancy through production of proinflammatory cytokines and diverse reactive oxygen/nitrogen species. These also activate the signaling molecules that are involved in inflammation and carcinogenesis. Our previous studies have demonstrated that hemin inhibited 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced bacterial mutagenesis and oxidative DNA damage, reduced the level of DNA-DMBA adduct and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorobl-13-acetate (TPA)-induced tumor formation in DMBA-initiated ICR mouse skin, and inhibited myeloperoxidase and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and H 2 O 2 formation in TPA-treated mouse skin. In the present study, to further elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the chemopreventive activity of hemin, its effect on the expression of ODC and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, and the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) regulating these proteins were explored in mouse skin with TPA-induced inflammation. Topically applied hemin inhibited ear edema and epidermal thickness in mice treated with TPA. Pretreatment with hemin reduced the expression of ODC and COX-2, and also reduced NF-κB activation in TPA-stimulated mouse skin. In addition, hemin suppressed the TPA-induced activation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) and p38 MAPK in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, hemin inhibited TPA-induced COX-2 expression by altering NF-κB signaling pathway via ERK and p38 MAPK, as well as TPA-induced ODC expression in mouse skin. Thereby, hemin may be an attractive candidate for a chemopreventive agent

  7. Role of ornithine decarboxylase in breast cancer

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Wensheng Deng; Xian Jiang; Yu Mei; Jingzhong Sun; Rong Ma; Xianxi Liu; Hui Sun; Hui Tian; Xueying Sun

    2008-01-01

    Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis that decarboxylates ornithine to putrescine, has become a promising target for cancer research. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of ODC in breast cancer. We detected expression of ODC in breast cancer tissues and four breast cancer cell lines, and transfected breast cancer cells with an adenoviral vector carrying antisense ODC (rAd-ODC/Ex3as) and examined their growth and migration.ODC was overexpressed in breast cancer tissues and cell lines compared with non-tumor tissues and normal breast epithelial celis,and there was a positive correlation between the level of ODC mRNA and the staging of tumors.The expression of ODC correlated with cyclin D1,a cell cycle protein,in synchronized breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells.Gene transfection of rAd-ODC/Ex3as markedly down-regulated expression Of ODC and cyclin D1,resulting in suppression of proliferation and cell cycle arrest at G0-G1 phase,and the inhibifion of colony formation,an anchorage-independent growth pattern,and the migratory ability of MDA-MB-231 cells.rAd-ODC/Ex3as also markedly reduced the concentration of putrescine,but not spermidine or spermine,in MDA-MB-231 cells.The results suggested that the ODC gene might act as aprognostic factor for breast cancer and it could be a promising therapeutic target.

  8. Ability of m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid to induce the ornithine decarboxylase marker of skin tumor promotion and inhibition of this response by gallotannins, oligomeric proanthocyanidins, and their monomeric units in mouse epidermis in Vivo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guilan Chen; Elisabeth M. Perchellet; Xiao Mei Gao; Steven W. Newell; richard W. Hemingway; Vittorio Bottari; Jean-Pierre Perchellet

    1995-01-01

    m-Chloroperoxybenzoic acid (CPBA) was tested for its ability to induce the ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) marker of skin tumor promotion. In contrast to benzoyl peroxide, dicumyl peroxide, and 2-butanol peroxide, 5 mg of CPBA applied twice at a 72-h interval induce ODC activity at least as much as 3 ug of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). ODC induction peaks...

  9. Regulation of intestinal mucosal growth by amino acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ray, Ramesh M; Johnson, Leonard R

    2014-03-01

    Amino acids, especially glutamine (GLN) have been known for many years to stimulate the growth of small intestinal mucosa. Polyamines are also required for optimal mucosal growth, and the inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the first rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine synthesis, blocks growth. Certain amino acids, primarily asparagine (ASN) and GLN stimulate ODC activity in a solution of physiological salts. More importantly, their presence is also required before growth factors and hormones such as epidermal growth factor and insulin are able to increase ODC activity. ODC activity is inhibited by antizyme-1 (AZ) whose synthesis is stimulated by polyamines, thus, providing a negative feedback regulation of the enzyme. In the absence of amino acids mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is inhibited, whereas, mTORC2 is stimulated leading to the inhibition of global protein synthesis but increasing the synthesis of AZ via a cap-independent mechanism. These data, therefore, explain why ASN or GLN is essential for the activation of ODC. Interestingly, in a number of papers, AZ has been shown to inhibit cell proliferation, stimulate apoptosis, or increase autophagy. Each of these activities results in decreased cellular growth. AZ binds to and accelerates the degradation of ODC and other proteins shown to regulate proliferation and cell death, such as Aurora-A, Cyclin D1, and Smad1. The correlation between the stimulation of ODC activity and the absence of AZ as influenced by amino acids is high. Not only do amino acids such as ASN and GLN stimulate ODC while inhibiting AZ synthesis, but also amino acids such as lysine, valine, and ornithine, which inhibit ODC activity, increase the synthesis of AZ. The question remaining to be answered is whether AZ inhibits growth directly or whether it acts by decreasing the availability of polyamines to the dividing cells. In either case, evidence strongly suggests that the regulation of AZ synthesis is the

  10. Ornithine Decarboxylase-Mediated Production of Putrescine Influences Ganoderic Acid Biosynthesis by Regulating Reactive Oxygen Species in Ganoderma lucidum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Chen-Gao; Tian, Jia-Long; Liu, Rui; Cao, Peng-Fei; Zhang, Tian-Jun; Ren, Ang; Shi, Liang; Zhao, Ming-Wen

    2017-10-15

    Putrescine is an important polyamine that participates in a variety of stress responses. Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is a key enzyme that catalyzes the biosynthesis of putrescine. A homolog of the gene encoding ODC was cloned from Ganoderma lucidum In the ODC -silenced strains, the transcript levels of the ODC gene and the putrescine content were significantly decreased. The ODC -silenced strains were more sensitive to oxidative stress. The content of ganoderic acid was increased by approximately 43 to 46% in the ODC -silenced strains. The content of ganoderic acid could be recovered after the addition of exogenous putrescine. Additionally, the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was significantly increased by approximately 1.3-fold in the ODC -silenced strains. The ROS content was significantly reduced after the addition of exogenous putrescine. The gene transcript levels and the activities of four major antioxidant enzymes were measured to further explore the effect of putrescine on the intracellular ROS levels. Further studies showed that the effect of the ODC-mediated production of putrescine on ROS might be a factor influencing the biosynthesis of ganoderic acid. Our study reports the role of putrescine in large basidiomycetes, providing a basis for future studies of the physiological functions of putrescine in microbes. IMPORTANCE It is well known that ODC and the ODC-mediated production of putrescine play an important role in resisting various environmental stresses, but there are few reports regarding the mechanisms underlying the effect of putrescine on secondary metabolism in microorganisms, particularly in fungi. G. lucidum is gradually becoming a model organism for studying environmental regulation and metabolism. In this study, a homolog of the gene encoding ODC was cloned in Ganoderma lucidum We found that the transcript level of the ODC gene and the content of putrescine were significantly decreased in the ODC -silenced strains. The content of

  11. TP53 modulating agent, CP-31398 enhances antitumor effects of ODC inhibitor in mouse model of urinary bladder transitional cell carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madka, Venkateshwar; Mohammed, Altaf; Li, Qian; Zhang, Yuting; Kumar, Gaurav; Lightfoot, Stan; Wu, Xueru; Steele, Vernon; Kopelovich, Levy; Rao, Chinthalapally V

    2015-01-01

    Mutations of the tumor suppressor p53 and elevated levels of polyamines are known to play key roles in urothelial tumorigenesis. We investigated the inhibition of polyamines biosynthesis and the restoration of p53 signaling as a possible means of preventing muscle invasive urothelial tumors using DFMO, an ODC-inhibiting agent, and CP-31398 (CP), a p53 stabilizing agent. Transgenic UPII-SV40T male mice at 6weeks age (n=15/group) were fed control diet (AIN-76A) or experimental diets containing DFMO (1000 and 2000 ppm) or 150 ppm CP or both. At 40 weeks of age, all mice were euthanized and urinary bladders were evaluated to determine tumor weight and histopathology. Low-dose DFMO had a moderate significant inhibitory effect on tumor growth (38%, P0.05). CP at 150 ppm alone had a strong inhibitory effect on tumor growth by 80% (PCP (150 ppm) led to significant decrease in tumor weight (70%, PCP and DFMO appears to be a promising strategy for urothelial TCC prevention.

  12. Ultraviolet radiation induction of ornithine decarboxylase in rat keratinocytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosen, C.F.; Gajic, D.; Drucker, D.J.

    1990-01-01

    UV radiation plays an important role in the induction of cutaneous malignancy, including basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas and malignant melanoma. In addition to its effects on DNA damage and repair mechanisms, UV radiation has been shown to modulate the expression of specific genes, altering the levels of their mRNAs and the synthesis of their corresponding proteins. In order to gain further information about the molecular effects of UV radiation, we have studied the regulation of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) gene expression in response to UVB radiation. ODC is the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, is involved in growth and differentiation, and has been implicated in carcinogenesis. Keratinocytes grown in culture were either sham-irradiated or exposed to increasing doses of UVB (1-5 mJ/cm2). Northern blot analysis of keratinocyte RNA under basal conditions demonstrated the presence of two ODC mRNA transcripts. Increasing exposure to UVB resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the levels of both ODC mRNA transcripts. The induction of ODC gene expression following UVB was noted 2 h after UVB exposure, and ODC mRNA levels continued to increase up to 24 h after UVB exposure. The UVB-induced increase in ODC gene expression was not serum dependent, despite the ability of serum alone to induce ODC gene expression. The mRNA transcripts for actin and hexosaminidase A were not induced after UVB exposure. These studies show that the UVB-induced increase in ODC activity is due, at least in part, to an increase in ODC gene expression and they provide a useful model for the analysis of the molecular effects of UVB radiation

  13. Ultraviolet radiation induction of ornithine decarboxylase in rat keratinocytes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rosen, C.F.; Gajic, D.; Drucker, D.J. (Women' s College Hospital, Toronto, Ontario (Canada))

    1990-05-01

    UV radiation plays an important role in the induction of cutaneous malignancy, including basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas and malignant melanoma. In addition to its effects on DNA damage and repair mechanisms, UV radiation has been shown to modulate the expression of specific genes, altering the levels of their mRNAs and the synthesis of their corresponding proteins. In order to gain further information about the molecular effects of UV radiation, we have studied the regulation of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) gene expression in response to UVB radiation. ODC is the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, is involved in growth and differentiation, and has been implicated in carcinogenesis. Keratinocytes grown in culture were either sham-irradiated or exposed to increasing doses of UVB (1-5 mJ/cm2). Northern blot analysis of keratinocyte RNA under basal conditions demonstrated the presence of two ODC mRNA transcripts. Increasing exposure to UVB resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the levels of both ODC mRNA transcripts. The induction of ODC gene expression following UVB was noted 2 h after UVB exposure, and ODC mRNA levels continued to increase up to 24 h after UVB exposure. The UVB-induced increase in ODC gene expression was not serum dependent, despite the ability of serum alone to induce ODC gene expression. The mRNA transcripts for actin and hexosaminidase A were not induced after UVB exposure. These studies show that the UVB-induced increase in ODC activity is due, at least in part, to an increase in ODC gene expression and they provide a useful model for the analysis of the molecular effects of UVB radiation.

  14. Insights on ornithine decarboxylase silencing as a potential strategy for targeting retinoblastoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muthukumaran, Sivashanmugam; Bhuvanasundar, Renganathan; Umashankar, Vetrivel; Sulochana, K N

    2018-02-01

    Ornithine Decarboxylase (ODC) is a key enzyme involved in polyamine synthesis and is reported to be up regulated in several cancers. However, the effect of ODC gene silencing in retinoblastoma is to be understood for utilization in therapeutic applications. Hence, in this study, a novel siRNA (small interference RNA) targeting ODC was designed and validated in Human Y79 retinoblastoma cells for its effects on intracellular polyamine levels, Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 & 9 activity and Cell cycle. The designed siRNA showed efficient silencing of ODC mRNA expression and protein levels in Y79 cells. It also showed significant reduction of intracellular polyamine levels and altered levels of oncogenic LIN28b expression. By this study, a regulatory loop is proposed, wherein, ODC silencing in Y79 cells to result in decreased polyamine levels, thereby, leading to altered protein levels of Lin28b, MMP-2 and MMP-9, which falls in line with earlier studies in neuroblastoma. Thus, by this study, we propose ODC silencing as a prospective strategy for targeting retinoblastoma. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  15. A mechanistic study of cigarette smoke and cyclooxygenase-2 on proliferation of gastric cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shin, Vivian Y.; Liu, Edgar S.L.; Ye, Yi-Ne; Koo, Marcel W.L.; Chu, K.-M.; Cho, C.-H.

    2004-01-01

    Cigarette smoke has been shown to cause gastric cancer. Overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a common characteristic in gastric malignancy. The present study aimed to explore the correlation between cigarette smoke and COX-2 in the promotion of tumorigenesis in human gastric cancer cells (AGS). We further studied the action of COX-2 on other proto-oncogenes on gastric tumor growth. Results showed that chloroform extract (CE) and ethanol extract (EE) from cigarette smoke dose-dependently stimulated gastric cancer cell proliferation, which was accompanied with an activation of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity, COX-2, and c-myc expressions. Both antisense of c-myc and α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO, specific ODC inhibitor) inhibited cell proliferation without affecting COX-2 expression in response to cigarette smoke extracts (CSE). However, selective COX-2 inhibitor (SC-236) not only blocked the proliferative activity but also the ODC activity and c-myc protein expression by CSE in gastric cancer cells. Further, supplementation of exogenous prostaglandin (PG) E 2 reversed all the inhibitory actions of SC-236. Our results underline the importance of COX-2 in the cancer-promoting effect of CSE and its modulation on its downstream growth-related genes, such as c-myc and ODC in cancer cell proliferation. These results reveal that CSE-induced gastric carcinogenesis is via the COX-2/c-myc/ODC and PGE 2 -dependent pathway. Hence, selective COX-2 inhibitor could be an effective therapeutic agent for gastric cancer in smokers

  16. Recovery from inhibition by UV-irradiation of ornithine decarboxylase induction in human cells: implication of excision repair

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ben-Hur, E.; Prager, A. (Nuclear Research Centre-Negev, Beer-Sheva (Israel)); Buonaguro, F. (Argonne National Lab., IL (USA))

    1982-05-01

    Exposure of stationary-phase human breast carcinoma (T-47D) cells to far-UV light (254nm) inhibited the appearance of induced ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity. The fluence response curve had a shoulder (Dsub(q)=2Jm/sup -2/) followed by an exponential decline (D/sub 0/=4.2Jm/sup -2/). The cells could recover from this inhibition when the stimulus of induction of ODC was delayed for 20-24h after irradiation. Hydroxyurea (HU) when present at 3mM during the recovery period eliminated completely the ability of the cells to recover. This effect of HU on ODC induction was partially reversed by 50..mu..M of the four deoxyribonucleosides required for DNA synthesis. Neither HU nor the deoxyribonucleosides by themselves affected ODC induction in unirradiated cells. Since HU inhibited the recovery from potentially lethal UV damage and is a known inhibitor of excision repair, it is suggested that recovery from UV-induced inhibition of ODC induction depends on excision-repair of DNA damage. This interpretation is strongly supported by the finding that specific photolysis of 5-bromodeoxyuridine, incorporated into DNA during the recovery period, inhibited recovery of ODC induction from inhibition by UV light.

  17. Ornithine decarboxylase and extracellular polyamines regulate microvascular sprouting and actin cytoskeleton dynamics in endothelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kucharzewska, Paulina; Welch, Johanna E.; Svensson, Katrin J.; Belting, Mattias

    2010-01-01

    The polyamines are essential for cancer cell proliferation during tumorigenesis. Targeted inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), i.e. a key enzyme of polyamine biosynthesis, by α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) has shown anti-neoplastic activity in various experimental models. This activity has mainly been attributed to the anti-proliferative effect of DFMO in cancer cells. Here, we provide evidence that unperturbed ODC activity is a requirement for proper microvessel sprouting ex vivo as well as the migration of primary human endothelial cells. DFMO-mediated ODC inhibition was reversed by extracellular polyamine supplementation, showing that anti-angiogenic effects of DFMO were specifically related to polyamine levels. ODC inhibition was associated with an abnormal morphology of the actin cytoskeleton during cell spreading and migration. Moreover, our data suggest that de-regulated actin cytoskeleton dynamics in DFMO treated endothelial cells may be related to constitutive activation of the small GTPase CDC42, i.e. a well-known regulator of cell motility and actin cytoskeleton remodeling. These insights into the potential role of polyamines in angiogenesis should stimulate further studies testing the combined anti-tumor effect of polyamine inhibition and established anti-angiogenic therapies in vivo.

  18. The effects of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, adenosine triphosphate, and glycosylated hemoglobin on the hemoglobin-oxygen affinity of diabetic patients

    OpenAIRE

    E.M. Castilho; M.L. Glass; J.C. Manço

    2003-01-01

    The position of the oxygen dissociation curve (ODC) is modulated by 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG). Decreases in 2,3-DPG concentration within the red cell shift the curve to the left, whereas increases in concentration cause a shift to the right of the ODC. Some earlier studies on diabetic patients have reported that insulin treatment may reduce the red cell concentrations of 2,3-DPG, causing a shift of the ODC to the left, but the reports are contradictory. Three groups were compared in th...

  19. Inhibiting cycloxygenase and ornithine decarboxylase by diclofenac and alpha-difluoromethylornithine blocks cutaneous SCCs by targeting Akt-ERK axis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arumugam, Aadithya; Weng, Zhiping; Talwelkar, Sarang S; Chaudhary, Sandeep C; Kopelovich, Levy; Elmets, Craig A; Afaq, Farrukh; Athar, Mohammad

    2013-01-01

    Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common type of skin cancer in Caucasian populations. Its increasing incidence has been a major public health concern. Elevated expressions of ODC and COX-2 are associated with both murine and human NMSCs. Inhibition of these molecular targets singly employing their respective small molecule inhibitors showed limited success. Here, we show that combined blockade of ODC and COX-2 using their potent inhibitors, DFMO and diclofenac respectively abrogates growth of A431 epidermal xenograft tumors in nu/nu mice by more than 90%. The tumor growth inhibition was associated with a diminution in the proliferation and enhancement in apoptosis. The proliferation markers such as PCNA and cyclin D1 were reduced. TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells and cleaved caspase-3 were increased in the residual tumors. These agents also manifested direct target-unrelated effects. Reduced expression of phosphorylated MAPKAP-2, ERK, and Akt (ser(473) & thr(308)) were noticed. The mechanism by which combined inhibition of ODC/COX attenuated tumor growth and invasion involved reduction in EMT. Akt activation by ODC+COX-2 over-expression was the key player in this regard as Akt inhibition manifested effects similar to those observed by the combined inhibition of ODC+COX-2 whereas forced over-expression of Akt resisted against DFMO+diclofenac treatment. These data suggest that ODC+COX-2 over-expression together leads to pathogenesis of aggressive and invasive cutaneous carcinomas by activating Akt signaling pathway, which through augmenting EMT contributes to tumor invasion.

  20. Inhibiting cycloxygenase and ornithine decarboxylase by diclofenac and alpha-difluoromethylornithine blocks cutaneous SCCs by targeting Akt-ERK axis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aadithya Arumugam

    Full Text Available Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC is the most common type of skin cancer in Caucasian populations. Its increasing incidence has been a major public health concern. Elevated expressions of ODC and COX-2 are associated with both murine and human NMSCs. Inhibition of these molecular targets singly employing their respective small molecule inhibitors showed limited success. Here, we show that combined blockade of ODC and COX-2 using their potent inhibitors, DFMO and diclofenac respectively abrogates growth of A431 epidermal xenograft tumors in nu/nu mice by more than 90%. The tumor growth inhibition was associated with a diminution in the proliferation and enhancement in apoptosis. The proliferation markers such as PCNA and cyclin D1 were reduced. TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells and cleaved caspase-3 were increased in the residual tumors. These agents also manifested direct target-unrelated effects. Reduced expression of phosphorylated MAPKAP-2, ERK, and Akt (ser(473 & thr(308 were noticed. The mechanism by which combined inhibition of ODC/COX attenuated tumor growth and invasion involved reduction in EMT. Akt activation by ODC+COX-2 over-expression was the key player in this regard as Akt inhibition manifested effects similar to those observed by the combined inhibition of ODC+COX-2 whereas forced over-expression of Akt resisted against DFMO+diclofenac treatment. These data suggest that ODC+COX-2 over-expression together leads to pathogenesis of aggressive and invasive cutaneous carcinomas by activating Akt signaling pathway, which through augmenting EMT contributes to tumor invasion.

  1. Differential retinoic acid inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase induction by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate and by germicidal ultraviolet light

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lichti, U.; Patterson, E.; Hennings, H.; Yuspa, S.H.

    1981-01-01

    Several retinoids including retinoic acid effectively inhibit phorbol ester-mediated tumor promotion and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) induction in mouse epidermis. To understand better the possible cellular site of action of retinoids, the inhibitory action of retinoic acid on the induction of ODC was compared for two distinctly different inducers, namely, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and germicidal ultraviolet light (uv), in primary mouse epidermal cell cultures. It was found that the induction of ODC by TPA is almost completely prevented by retinoic acid while the induction by uv is only moderately inhibited. The differential inhibition of enzyme induction cannot be accounted for by selective retinoid inhibition of DNA, RNA, or protein synthesis either alone or in concert with TPA or uv. These agents possibly act at transcription or translation, both of which are required for ODC induction by TPA or uv

  2. N-ω-chloroacetyl-L-ornithine has in-vitro activity against cancer cell lines and in-vivo activity against ascitic and solid tumors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vargas-Ramírez, Alba L; Medina-Enríquez, Miriam M; Cordero-Rodríguez, Neira I; Ruiz-Cuello, Tatiana; Aguilar-Faisal, Leopoldo; Trujillo-Ferrara, José G; Alcántara-Farfán, Verónica; Rodríguez-Páez, Lorena

    2016-07-01

    N-ω-chloroacetyl-L-ornithine (NCAO) is an ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) inhibitor that is known to exert cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects on three neoplastic human cancer cell lines (HeLa, MCF-7, and HepG2). Here, we show that NCAO has antiproliferative activity in 13 cancer cell lines, of diverse tissue origin from human and mice, and in a mouse cancer model in vivo. All cell lines were sensitive to NCAO after 72 h of treatment (the EC50 ranged from 1 to 50.6 µmol/l). The Ca Ski cell line was the most sensitive (EC50=1.18±0.07 µmol/l) and MDA-MB-231 was the least sensitive (EC50=50.6±0.3 µmol/l). This ODC inhibitor showed selectivity for cancer cells, exerting almost no cytotoxic effect on the normal Vero cell line (EC50>1000 µmol/l). NCAO induced apoptosis and inhibited tumor cell migration in vitro. Furthermore, in vivo, this compound (at 50 and 100 mg/kg, daily intraperitoneal injection for 7 days) exerted potent antitumor activity against both solid and ascitic tumors in a mouse model using the myeloma (Ag8) cell line. At these same two doses, the toxicological evaluation showed that NCAO has no obvious systemic toxicity. The current results suggest that the antitumor activity is exerted by apoptosis related not only to a local but also a systemic cytotoxic effect exerted by NCAO on tumor cells. The applications for NCAO as an antitumor agent may be extensive; however, further studies are needed to ascertain the antitumor activity on other types of tumor in vivo and to determine the precise molecular mechanism of its activity.

  3. Polyamine and methionine adenosyltransferase 2A crosstalk in human colon and liver cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tomasi, Maria Lauda [Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (United States); USC Research Center for Liver Diseases, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (United States); The Southern California Research Center for Alcoholic and Pancreatic Diseases and Cirrhosis, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (United States); Ryoo, Minjung; Skay, Anna [Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (United States); USC Research Center for Liver Diseases, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (United States); Tomasi, Ivan; Giordano, Pasquale [Department of Colorectal Surgery, Whipps Cross University Hospital, London E11 1NR (United Kingdom); Mato, José M. [CIC bioGUNE, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (Ciberehd), Technology Park of Bizkaia, 48160 Derio, Bizkaia (Spain); Lu, Shelly C., E-mail: shellylu@usc.edu [Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (United States); USC Research Center for Liver Diseases, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (United States); The Southern California Research Center for Alcoholic and Pancreatic Diseases and Cirrhosis, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033 (United States)

    2013-07-15

    Methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT) is an essential enzyme that is responsible for the biosynthesis of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), the principal methyl donor and precursor of polyamines. MAT1A is expressed in normal liver and MAT2A is expressed in all extrahepatic tissues. MAT2A expression is increased in human colon cancer and in colon cancer cells treated with mitogens, whereas silencing MAT2A resulted in apoptosis. The aim of the current work was to examine the mechanism responsible for MAT2A-dependent growth and apoptosis. We found that in RKO (human adenocarcinoma cell line) cells, MAT2A siRNA treatment lowered cellular SAMe and putrescine levels by 70–75%, increased apoptosis and inhibited growth. Putrescine supplementation blunted significantly MAT2A siRNA-induced apoptosis and growth suppression. Putrescine treatment (100 pmol/L) raised MAT2A mRNA level to 4.3-fold of control, increased the expression of c-Jun and c-Fos and binding to an AP-1 site in the human MAT2A promoter and the promoter activity. In human colon cancer specimens, the expression levels of MAT2A, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), c-Jun and c-Fos are all elevated as compared to adjacent non-tumorous tissues. Overexpression of ODC in RKO cells also raised MAT2A mRNA level and MAT2A promoter activity. ODC and MAT2A are also overexpressed in liver cancer and consistently, similar MAT2A-ODC-putrescine interactions and effects on growth and apoptosis were observed in HepG2 cells. In conclusion, there is a crosstalk between polyamines and MAT2A. Increased MAT2A expression provides more SAMe for polyamines biosynthesis; increased polyamine (putrescine in this case) can activate MAT2A at the transcriptional level. This along with increased ODC expression in cancer all feed forward to further enhance the proliferative capacity of the cancer cell. -- Highlights: • MAT2A knockdown depletes putrescine and leads to apoptosis. • Putrescine attenuates MAT2A knockdown-induced apoptosis and growth

  4. N-ω-chloroacetyl-l-ornithine, a new competitive inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, induces selective growth inhibition and cytotoxicity on human cancer cells versus normal cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medina-Enríquez, Miriam Marlene; Alcántara-Farfán, Verónica; Aguilar-Faisal, Leopoldo; Trujillo-Ferrara, José Guadalupe; Rodríguez-Páez, Lorena; Vargas-Ramírez, Alba Laura

    2015-06-01

    Many cancer cells have high expression of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and there is a concerted effort to seek new inhibitors of this enzyme. The aim of the study was to initially characterize the inhibition properties, then to evaluate the cytotoxicity/antiproliferative cell based activity of N-ω-chloroacetyl-l-ornithine (NCAO) on three human cancer cell lines. Results showed NCAO to be a reversible competitive ODC inhibitor (Ki = 59 µM) with cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects, which were concentration- and time-dependent. The EC50,72h of NCAO was 15.8, 17.5 and 10.1 µM for HeLa, MCF-7 and HepG2 cells, respectively. NCAO at 500 µM completely inhibited growth of all cancer cells at 48 h treatment, with almost no effect on normal cells. Putrescine reversed NCAO effects on MCF-7 and HeLa cells, indicating that this antiproliferative activity is due to ODC inhibition.

  5. Short-term biomarkers of tumor promotion in mouse skin treated with petroleum middle distillates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walborg, E F; DiGiovanni, J; Conti, C J; Slaga, T J; Freeman, J J; Steup, D R; Skisak, C M

    1998-10-01

    Topical application of certain petroleum middle distillates (PMD) to mice produces skin tumors after long latency, and initiation/promotion protocols indicate that this effect is associated with their tumor promoting activity. Since induction of sustained, potentiated epidermal hyperplasia is predictive of promoting activity, five compositionally distinct PMD [hydrodesulfurized kerosene (API 81-07); hydrodesulfurized PMD (API 81-10); odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons; severely hydrotreated light vacuum distillate (LVD); and lightly refined paraffinic oil (LRPO)] were assessed for their effects on epidermal hyperplasia. PMD were administered (2 x/week for 2 weeks) to skin of CD-1 mice. Four quantitative biomarkers of epidermal hyperplasia were evaluated: epidermal thickness, number of nucleated epidermal cells per unit length of basement membrane, labeling (BrdUrd) index of epidermal cells, and induction of epidermal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity. As positive controls, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and n-dodecane were utilized. PMD-induced skin irritation was evaluated visually and/or histopathologically. All five PMD produced dose-dependent, skin irritation and epidermal hyperplasia. On a weight basis the magnitude of the maximal PMD-induced effects was similar to that produced by n-dodecane, but > 1000-fold less than that produced by TPA. Epidermal hyperplasia and subacute skin irritancy produced by the five PMD were similar. Of the four short-term markers of tumor promotion assessed, labeling index and epidermal ODC activity were predictive of the relative promoting activities of those PMD for which tumorigenicity bioassay data are available, i.e., API 81-07 > API 81-10 > LRPO. An apparent discrepancy to the predictability of epidermal ODC activity occurred with LRPO:toluene [1:1 (v/v)]. This mixture is nontumorigenic, yet significantly induced epidermal ODC activity. This mixture, however, produced severe epidermal toxicity that

  6. Correlation between endogenous polyamines in human cardiac tissues and clinical parameters in patients with heart failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meana, Clara; Rubín, José Manuel; Bordallo, Carmen; Suárez, Lorena; Bordallo, Javier; Sánchez, Manuel

    2016-02-01

    Polyamines contribute to several physiological and pathological processes, including cardiac hypertrophy in experimental animals. This involves an increase in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and intracellular polyamines associated with cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) increases. The aim of the study was to establish the role of these in the human heart in living patients. For this, polyamines (by high performance liquid chromatography) and the activity of ODC and N(1)-acetylpolyamine oxidases (APAO) were determined in the right atrial appendage of 17 patients undergoing extracorporeal circulation to correlate with clinical parameters. There existed enzymatic activity associated with the homeostasis of polyamines. Left atria size was positively associated with ODC (r = 0.661, P = 0.027) and negatively with APAO-N(1) -acetylspermine (r = -0.769, P = 0.026), suggesting that increased levels of polyamines are associated with left atrial hemodynamic overload. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and heart rate were positively associated with spermidine (r = 0.690, P = 0.003; r = 0.590, P = 0.021) and negatively with N(1)-acetylspermidine (r = -0.554, P = 0.032; r = -0.644, P = 0.018). LVEF was negatively correlated with cAMP levels (r = -0.835, P = 0.001) and with cAMP/ODC (r = -0.794, P = 0.011), cAMP/spermidine (r = -0.813, P = 0.001) and cAMP/spermine (r = -0.747, P = 0.003) ratios. Abnormal LVEF patients showed decreased ODC activity and spermidine, and increased N(1) -acetylspermidine, and cAMP. Spermine decreased in congestive heart failure patients. The trace amine isoamylamine negatively correlated with septal wall thickness (r = -0.634, P = 0.008) and was increased in cardiac heart failure. The results indicated that modifications in polyamine homeostasis might be associated with cardiac function and remodelling. Increased cAMP might have a deleterious effect on function. Further studies should confirm these findings and the involvement of

  7. A difference in [14C]deoxyglucose autoradiographic patterns in striate cortex between Macaca and Saimiri monkeys following monocular stimulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hendrickson, A.E.; Wilson, J.R.

    1979-01-01

    Since the apparent absence of ocular dominance columns (ODC) in some New World primates could be caused by deficiencies of the transsynaptic autoradiographic technique, such as spillage of label in the poorly laminated dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, the authors have examined this question using a functional autoradiographic tracing technique based on the uptake of [ 14 C]2-deoxyglucose ([ 14 C]dG) by active neurons. When only one eye is stimulated, this innovative method graphically demonstrates a repetitive pattern in Macaca monkey striate cortex which has been interpreted to be the ODC driven by the open eye. They now report on the results of a comparative study of Old World Macaca and New World Saimiri monkeys using [ 14 C]dG autoradiography in which evidence is found for repetitive patterns of [ 14 C]dG in Saimiri for layers above, but not in, layer IV. (Auth.)

  8. Comparison of the effects of an ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor on the intestinal epithelium and on intestinal tumors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tutton, P J; Barkla, D H

    1986-12-01

    Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the synthesis of polyamines, it has a short half-life, and its synthesis is under hormonal control. Recently, insight into the role of ODC and thus into the physiology of polyamines has been gained by the use of an inhibitor of ODC, difluoromethylornithine (DFMO). In the present report cell proliferation was measured by a stathmokinetic method in the crypt epithelium of the jejunum and colon of normal rats and in dimethylhydrazine-induced colonic tumors. Growth of human colon tumor xenografts in immunosuppressed mice and mouse colon tumor isografts was also assessed. Cell proliferation in primary colonic tumors was substantially suppressed by a single dose of DFMO at 100 mg/kg whereas the normal crypt epithelium of the small and large intestine required two doses at 400 mg/kg to produce a similar magnitude of inhibition of cell proliferation. DFMO was also found to suppress cell proliferation in, and the growth of, the transplantable colon cancers. Because of the apparent selectivity of the antimitotic activity of DFMO towards tumors, ODC inhibitors may prove to be useful anticancer drugs.

  9. The effects of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, adenosine triphosphate, and glycosylated hemoglobin on the hemoglobin-oxygen affinity of diabetic patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Castilho E.M.

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available The position of the oxygen dissociation curve (ODC is modulated by 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG. Decreases in 2,3-DPG concentration within the red cell shift the curve to the left, whereas increases in concentration cause a shift to the right of the ODC. Some earlier studies on diabetic patients have reported that insulin treatment may reduce the red cell concentrations of 2,3-DPG, causing a shift of the ODC to the left, but the reports are contradictory. Three groups were compared in the present study: 1 nondiabetic control individuals (N = 19; 2 insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM patients (on insulin treatment (N = 19; 3 non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM patients using oral hypoglycemic agents and no insulin treatment (N = 22. The overall position of the ODC was the same for the three groups despite an increase of the glycosylated hemoglobin fraction that was expected to shift the ODC to the left in both groups of diabetic patients (HbA1c: control, 4.6%; IDDM, 10.5%; NIDDM, 9.0%. In IDDM patients, the effect of the glycosylated hemoglobin fraction on the position of the ODC appeared to be counterbalanced by small though statistically significant increases in 2,3-DPG concentration from 2.05 (control to 2.45 µmol/ml blood (IDDM. Though not statistically significant, an increase of 2,3-DPG also occurred in NIDDM patients, while red cell ATP levels were the same for all groups. The positions of the ODC were the same for control subjects, IDDM and NIDDM patients. Thus, the PO2 at 50% hemoglobin-oxygen saturation was 26.8, 28.2 and 28.5 mmHg for control, IDDM and NIDDM, respectively. In conclusion, our data question the idea of adverse side effects of insulin treatment on oxygen transport. In other words, the shift to the left reported by others to be caused by insulin treatment was not detected.

  10. The effects of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, adenosine triphosphate, and glycosylated hemoglobin on the hemoglobin-oxygen affinity of diabetic patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castilho, E M; Glass, M L; Manço, J C

    2003-06-01

    The position of the oxygen dissociation curve (ODC) is modulated by 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG). Decreases in 2,3-DPG concentration within the red cell shift the curve to the left, whereas increases in concentration cause a shift to the right of the ODC. Some earlier studies on diabetic patients have reported that insulin treatment may reduce the red cell concentrations of 2,3-DPG, causing a shift of the ODC to the left, but the reports are contradictory. Three groups were compared in the present study: 1) nondiabetic control individuals (N = 19); 2) insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) patients (on insulin treatment) (N = 19); 3) non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients using oral hypoglycemic agents and no insulin treatment (N = 22). The overall position of the ODC was the same for the three groups despite an increase of the glycosylated hemoglobin fraction that was expected to shift the ODC to the left in both groups of diabetic patients (HbA1c: control, 4.6%; IDDM, 10.5%; NIDDM, 9.0%). In IDDM patients, the effect of the glycosylated hemoglobin fraction on the position of the ODC appeared to be counterbalanced by small though statistically significant increases in 2,3-DPG concentration from 2.05 (control) to 2.45 mol/ml blood (IDDM). Though not statistically significant, an increase of 2,3-DPG also occurred in NIDDM patients, while red cell ATP levels were the same for all groups. The positions of the ODC were the same for control subjects, IDDM and NIDDM patients. Thus, the PO2 at 50% hemoglobin-oxygen saturation was 26.8, 28.2 and 28.5 mmHg for control, IDDM and NIDDM, respectively. In conclusion, our data question the idea of adverse side effects of insulin treatment on oxygen transport. In other words, the shift to the left reported by others to be caused by insulin treatment was not detected.

  11. The effects of a "low-risk" diet on cell proliferation and enzymatic parameters of preneoplastic rat colon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goettler, D; Rao, A V; Bird, R P

    1987-01-01

    The relationship between various dietary constituents and colon cancer has been demonstrated by previous research. This study was conducted to investigate the combined effects of several dietary constituents on the preneoplastic stage of azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colon cancer in rats. A nutritionally adequate, "low-risk" (LR) diet was formulated through the modulation of dietary fat, fiber, protein, vitamins A and E, and selenium. Female F344 rats were given three weekly subcutaneous injections of AOM and were maintained on either the LR diet or a "high-risk" (HR) diet. After 12 weeks, the rats were killed and the following parameters were determined: pH of colon contents, fecal beta-glucuronidase activity, tissue ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity, and colonic labeling index. The pH of the colon contents and incremental labeling index were lower in the group given the LR diet and treated with AOM compared with the group given the HR diet and treated with AOM; however, no statistically significant dietary effects were observed for beta-glucuronidase and ODC activities. The results of this study indicated that the colons of rats fed the LR diet exhibited different proliferative characteristics than did the colons of rats fed the HR diet.

  12. Ultrasonic texture characterization of aluminum, zirconium and titanium alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderson, A.J.

    1997-01-01

    This work attempts to show the feasibility of nondestructive characterization of non-ferrous alloys. Aluminum alloys have a small single crystal anisotropy which requires very precise ultrasonic velocity measurements for derivation of orientation distribution coefficients (ODCs); the precision in the ultrasonic velocity measurement required for aluminum alloys is much greater than is necessary for iron alloys or other alloys with a large single crystal anisotropy. To provide greater precision, some signal processing corrections need to be applied to account for the inherent, half-bandwidth offset in triggered pulses when using a zero-crossing technique for determining ultrasonic velocity. In addition, alloys with small single crystal anisotropy show a larger dependence on the single crystal elastic constants (SCECs) when predicting ODCs which require absolute velocity measurements. Attempts were made to independently determine these elastics constants in an effort to improve correlation between ultrasonically derived ODCs and diffraction derived ODCs. The greater precision required to accurately derive ODCs in aluminum alloys using ultrasonic nondestructive techniques is easily attainable. Ultrasonically derived ODCs show good correlation with derivations made by Bragg diffraction techniques, both neutron and X-ray. The best correlation was shown when relative velocity measurements could be used in the derivations of the ODCs. Calculation of ODCs in materials with hexagonal crystallites can also be done. Because of the crystallite symmetries, more information can be extracted using ultrasonic techniques, but at a cost of requiring more physical measurements. Some industries which use materials with hexagonal crystallites, e.g. zirconium alloys and titanium, have traditionally used texture parameters which provide some specialized measure of the texture. These texture parameters, called Kearns factors, can be directly related to ODCs

  13. Induction of apoptotic cell death by putrescine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Takao, Koichi; Rickhag, Karl Mattias; Hegardt, Cecilia

    2006-01-01

    that overexpression of a metabolically stable ODC in CHO cells induced a massive cell death unless the cells were grown in the presence of the ODC inhibitor alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO). Cells overexpressing wild-type (unstable) ODC, on the other hand, were not dependent on the presence of DFMO...... for their growth. The induction of cell death was correlated with a dramatic increase in cellular putrescine levels. Analysis using flow cytometry revealed perturbed cell cycle kinetics, with a large accumulation of cells with sub-G1 amounts of DNA, which is a typical sign of apoptosis. Another strong indication...... of apoptosis was the finding that one of the key enzymes in the apoptotic process, caspase-3, was induced when DFMO was omitted from the growth medium. Furthermore, inhibition of the caspase activity significantly reduced the recruitment of cells to the sub-G1 fraction. In conclusion, deregulation of polyamine...

  14. A Phase I Trial of DFMO Targeting Polyamine Addiction in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Neuroblastoma.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giselle L Saulnier Sholler

    Full Text Available Neuroblastoma (NB is the most common cancer in infancy and most frequent cause of death from extracranial solid tumors in children. Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC expression is an independent indicator of poor prognosis in NB patients. This study investigated safety, response, pharmacokinetics, genetic and metabolic factors associated with ODC in a clinical trial of the ODC inhibitor difluoromethylornithine (DFMO ± etoposide for patients with relapsed or refractory NB.Twenty-one patients participated in a phase I study of daily oral DFMO alone for three weeks, followed by additional three-week cycles of DFMO plus daily oral etoposide. No dose limiting toxicities (DLTs were identified in patients taking doses of DFMO between 500-1500 mg/m2 orally twice a day. DFMO pharmacokinetics, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in the ODC gene and urinary levels of substrates for the tissue polyamine exporter were measured. Urinary polyamine levels varied among patients at baseline. Patients with the minor T-allele at rs2302616 of the ODC gene had higher baseline levels (p=0.02 of, and larger decreases in, total urinary polyamines during the first cycle of DFMO therapy (p=0.003 and had median progression free survival (PFS that was over three times longer, compared to patients with the major G allele at this locus although this last result was not statistically significant (p=0.07. Six of 18 evaluable patients were progression free during the trial period with three patients continuing progression free at 663, 1559 and 1573 days after initiating treatment. Median progression-free survival was less among patients having increased urinary polyamines, especially diacetylspermine, although this result was not statistically significant (p=0.056.DFMO doses of 500-1500 mg/m2/day are safe and well tolerated in children with relapsed NB. Children with the minor T allele at rs2302616 of the ODC gene with relapsed or refractory NB had higher levels of urinary

  15. Stress-induced osteolysis of distal clavicle: imaging patterns and treatment using CT-guided injection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sopov, V.; Groshar, D. [Dept. of Nuclear Medicine, Technion-Israel Inst. of Technology, Haifa (Israel); Fuchs, D. [Dept. of Orthopaedics, Technion-Israel Inst. of Technology, Haifa (Israel); Bar-Meir, E. [Dept. of Radiology, Technion-Israel Inst. of Technology, Haifa (Israel)

    2001-02-01

    Osteolysis of distal clavicle (ODC) may occur in patients who experience repeated stress or microtrauma to the shoulder. This entity has clinical and radiological findings similar to post-traumatic ODC. We describe a case of successful treatment of stress-induced ODC with CT-guided injection of corticosteroid and anesthetic drug into the acromioclavicular joint. (orig.)

  16. Stress-induced osteolysis of distal clavicle: imaging patterns and treatment using CT-guided injection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sopov, V.; Groshar, D.; Fuchs, D.; Bar-Meir, E.

    2001-01-01

    Osteolysis of distal clavicle (ODC) may occur in patients who experience repeated stress or microtrauma to the shoulder. This entity has clinical and radiological findings similar to post-traumatic ODC. We describe a case of successful treatment of stress-induced ODC with CT-guided injection of corticosteroid and anesthetic drug into the acromioclavicular joint. (orig.)

  17. 26 CFR 52.4682-4 - Floor stocks tax.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... conditioners. Example 4. D operates an air-conditioning repair service and holds an ODC for use in repairing... automobile dealer, holds an ODC for use in charging air conditioners installed in automobiles that it sells... sale. However, the tax is imposed on a can of ODC used to recharge an air conditioning unit because the...

  18. Alteraciones del desarrollo embrionario, poliaminas y estrés oxidativo inducidos por plaguicidas organofosforados en Rhinella Arenarum Alterations in embryonic development, polyamines and oxidative stress induced by organophosphates in Rhinella arenarum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cecilia Inés Lascano

    2009-07-01

    use an amphibian embryonic model (Rhinella arenarum in order to assess the mechanisms by which the OP pesticides azinphos methyl (AM and chlorpyrifos (CP could cause teratogenesis. The embryos were developed in different concentrations of AM or CP until they reached the stage of complete operculum (CO. We analyzed malformations, histology, reduced gluthatione content (GSH and activity of antioxidant enzymes, polyamine content, ornithine decarboxilase (ODC and protein kinase C (PKC activities. Both OP pesticides caused a time- and dose-dependent increase in the number of malformations, reaching 100% teratogenesis in late embryonic development at the highest OP concentrations used. Malformations assessed include exogastrulation, caudal fin curvature, axial shortening, edema, and gill atrophy. Increasing evidence of oxidative stress was observed: GSH dependent enzymes (S- transferase, GST; peroxidase and reductase were early induced in embryos exposed to low concentrations of the OP pesticides, but their activities were inhibited in the stage of CO at high concentrations of OP. These changes were accompanied by a significant decrease in GSH content (62% in embryos exposed to AM. Besides, AM significantly increased (18X ODC activity in the stage of CO, along with putrescine levels (60% of increase but spermidine and spermine levels were significantly decreased (56% and 100%, respectively. The OP pesticide CP caused and early decrease in ODC activity and polyamine levels. The decrease in polyamine levels could be due to an increase in their degradation by polyamine oxidase, contributing to the oxidative stress induced by OP. This, in turn, would cause the decline in GSH levels and the activation of PKC in the embryonic stage of CO (55%, which is involved in the positive feedback of GST and ODC. Finally, the oxidative stress and the decrease in PA levels could be the cause of the observed embryonic alterations.

  19. Novel agmatine analogue, γ-guanidinooxypropylamine (GAPA) efficiently inhibits proliferation of Leishmania donovani by depletion of intracellular polyamine levels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, Sushma; Jhingran, Anupam; Sharma, Ankur; Simonian, Alina R.; Soininen, Pasi; Vepsalainen, Jouko; Khomutov, Alex R.; Madhubala, Rentala

    2008-01-01

    The efficacy of γ-guanidinooxypropylamine (GAPA), a novel agmatine analogue against protozoan parasite, Leishmaniadonovani was evaluated. Wild-type and ornithine decarboxylase-overexpressors of L. donovani were used to study the effect and mode of action of this inhibitor. GAPA inhibited the growth of both promastigotes and amastigotes. Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and polyamine levels were markedly lower in cells treated with GAPA and proliferation was rescued by addition of putrescine or spermidine. GAPA inhibited L. donovani recombinant ODC with K i value of ∼60 μM. The ODC-overexpressors showed significant resistance to GAPA. GAPA has pK a 6.71 and at physiological pH the analogue can mimic protonated state of putrescine and can probably use putrescine transport system. Transport of putrescine in wild-type L. donovani promastigotes was inhibited by GAPA. We for the first time report that GAPA is a potential antileishmanial lead compound and it possibly inhibits L. donovani growth by depletion of intracellular polyamine levels

  20. Altered subcellular localization of ornithine decarboxylase in Alzheimer's disease brain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nilsson, Tatjana; Bogdanovic, Nenad; Volkman, Inga; Winblad, Bengt; Folkesson, Ronnie; Benedikz, Eirikur

    2006-01-01

    The amyloid precursor protein can through ligand-mimicking induce expression of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the initial and rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis. We report here the regional distribution and cellular localization of ODC immunoreactivity in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains. In frontal cortex and hippocampus of control cases, the most pronounced ODC immunoreactivity was found in the nucleus. In possible and definite AD the immunoreactivity had shifted to the cytoplasm. In cerebellum of control cases, ODC staining was found in a small portion of Purkinje cells, mostly in the nucleus. In AD, both possible and definite, the number of stained Purkinje cells increased significantly and immunoreactivity was shifted to the cytoplasm, even though it was still prominent in the nucleus. In conclusion, our study reveals an early shift of the ODC immunoreactivity in AD from the nuclear compartment towards the cytoplasm

  1. Evolution of Oxygen Deficiency Center on Fused Silica Surface Irradiated by Ultraviolet Laser and Posttreatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hai-Bing Lü

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Evolution of oxygen deficiency centers (ODCs on a fused silica surface irradiated using a 355 nm ultraviolet (UV laser beam in both vacuum and atmospheric conditions was quantitatively studied using photoluminescence and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. When the fusedsilica surface was exposed to the UV laser in vacuum, the laser damage threshold was decreased whereas the concentration of the ODCs was increased. For the fuse silica operated under the high power lasers, creation of ODCs on their surface resulted from the UV laser irradiation, and this is more severe in a high vacuum. The laser fluence and/or laser intensity have significant effects on the increase of the ODCs concentration. The ODCs can be effectively repaired using postoxygen plasma treatment and UV laser irradiation in an excessive oxygen environment. Results also demonstrated that the “gain” and “loss” of oxygen at the silica surface is a reversible and dynamic process.

  2. Gene expression changes in rat prostate after activation or blocking of the androgen and estrogen receptor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nellemann, Christine Lydia; Dalgaard, Majken; Holst, Bjørn

    2005-01-01

    responsive genes (complement C3, ER alpha, ER beta, AR, TRPM-2, PBPC3, ODC, and IGF-1 mRNA) was analyzed in rat ventral prostate by real time RT-PCR. Administration of estradiol benzoate (EB) to castrated testosterone-treated rats had no effect on reproductive organ weights or gene expression levels...... reversed by ICI 182780, and affected TRPM-2, PBP C3, ODC, IGF-1, AR, and ERa mRNA levels. AR expression in the prostate seemed to be under regulation of both estrogens and androgens, as ICI 182780 inhibited the testosterone-induced AR expression, and flutamide inhibited the EB-induced AR expression...... administration abolished the effects of EB. First choice of gene expression profiles in the Hershberger assay to study androgenic or anti-androgenic effects would be the traditional, TRPNI-2 and PBP C3, supplemented with the new complement C3....

  3. Photoluminescence of Se-related oxygen deficient center in ion-implanted silica films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zatsepin, A.F.; Buntov, E.A.; Pustovarov, V.A.; Fitting, H.-J.

    2013-01-01

    The results of low-temperature time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) investigation of thin SiO 2 films implanted with Se + ions are presented. The films demonstrate an intensive PL band in the violet spectral region, which is attributed to the triplet luminescence of a new variant of selenium-related oxygen deficient center (ODC). The main peculiarity of the defect energy structure is the inefficient direct optical excitation. Comparison with spectral characteristics of isoelectronic Si-, Ge- and SnODCs show that the difference in electronic properties of the new center is related to ion size factor. It was established that the dominating triplet PL excitation under VUV light irradiation is related to the energy transfer from SiO 2 excitons. A possible model of Se-related ODC is considered. -- Highlights: • The low-temperature photoluminescence of thin SiO 2 films implanted with Se + ions was studied. • The 3.4 eV PL band was attributed to triplet luminescence of Se-related ODC. • The peculiarity of SeODC electronic properties is related to ion size factor. • The dominating VUV excitation of triplet PL is related to energy transfer from SiO 2 excitons. • A possible model of Se-related ODC is considered

  4. Oxygen dependence of respiration in rat spinotrapezius muscle in situ

    OpenAIRE

    Golub, Aleksander S.; Pittman, Roland N.

    2012-01-01

    The oxygen dependence of respiration in striated muscle in situ was studied by measuring the rate of decrease of interstitial Po2 [oxygen disappearance curve (ODC)] following rapid arrest of blood flow by pneumatic tissue compression, which ejected red blood cells from the muscle vessels and made the ODC independent from oxygen bound to hemoglobin. After the contribution of photo-consumption of oxygen by the method was evaluated and accounted for, the corrected ODCs were converted into the Po...

  5. Growth-inhibitory effects of the chemopreventive agent indole-3-carbinol are increased in combination with the polyamine putrescine in the SW480 colon tumour cell line

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gescher Andreas

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Many tumours undergo disregulation of polyamine homeostasis and upregulation of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC activity, which can promote carcinogenesis. In animal models of colon carcinogenesis, inhibition of ODC activity by difluoromethylornithine (DFMO has been shown to reduce the number and size of colon adenomas and carcinomas. Indole-3-carbinol (I3C has shown promising chemopreventive activity against a range of human tumour cell types, but little is known about the effect of this agent on colon cell lines. Here, we investigated whether inhibition of ODC by I3C could contribute to a chemopreventive effect in colon cell lines. Methods Cell cycle progression and induction of apoptosis were assessed by flow cytometry. Ornithine decarboxylase activity was determined by liberation of CO2 from 14C-labelled substrate, and polyamine levels were measured by HPLC. Results I3C inhibited proliferation of the human colon tumour cell lines HT29 and SW480, and of the normal tissue-derived HCEC line, and at higher concentrations induced apoptosis in SW480 cells. The agent also caused a decrease in ODC activity in a dose-dependent manner. While administration of exogenous putrescine reversed the growth-inhibitory effect of DFMO, it did not reverse the growth-inhibition following an I3C treatment, and in the case of the SW480 cell line, the effect was actually enhanced. In this cell line, combination treatment caused a slight increase in the proportion of cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, and increased the proportion of cells undergoing necrosis, but did not predispose cells to apoptosis. Indole-3-carbinol also caused an increase in intracellular spermine levels, which was not modulated by putrescine co-administration. Conclusion While indole-3-carbinol decreased ornithine decarboxylase activity in the colon cell lines, it appears unlikely that this constitutes a major mechanism by which the agent exerts its antiproliferative

  6. Angiotensin II-induced arterial thickening, fibrosis and stiffening involves elevated arginase function.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anil Bhatta

    Full Text Available Arterial stiffness (AS is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity/mortality. Smooth muscle cell (SMC proliferation and increased collagen synthesis are key features in development of AS. Arginase (ARG, an enzyme implicated in many cardiovascular diseases, can compete with nitric oxide (NO synthase for their common substrate, L-arginine. Increased arginase can also provide ornithine for synthesis of polyamines via ornithine decarboxylase (ODC and proline/collagen via ornithine aminotransferase (OAT, leading to vascular cell proliferation and collagen formation, respectively. We hypothesized that elevated arginase activity is involved in Ang II-induced arterial thickening, fibrosis, and stiffness and that limiting its activity can prevent these changes.We tested this by studies in mice lacking one copy of the ARG1 gene that were treated with angiotensin II (Ang II, 4 weeks. Studies were also performed in rat aortic Ang II-treated SMC. In WT mice treated with Ang II, we observed aortic stiffening (pulse wave velocity and aortic and coronary fibrosis and thickening that were associated with increases in ARG1 and ODC expression/activity, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, hydroxyproline levels, and collagen 1 protein expression. ARG1 deletion prevented each of these alterations. Furthermore, exposure of SMC to Ang II (1 μM, 48 hrs increased ARG1 expression, ARG activity, ODC mRNA and activity, cell proliferation, collagen 1 protein expression and hydroxyproline content. Treatment with ABH prevented these changes.Arginase 1 is crucially involved in Ang II-induced SMC proliferation and arterial fibrosis and stiffness and represents a promising therapeutic target.

  7. Antiproliferative and antimicrobial efficacy of the compounds isolated from the roots of Oenothera biennis L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Shilpi; Dubey, Vijaya; Singh, Dhananjay Kumar; Fatima, Kaneez; Ahmad, Ateeque; Luqman, Suaib

    2017-09-01

    Oenothera biennis L., commonly known as evening primrose, harbours the flavonoids, steroids, tannins, fatty acids and terpenoids responsible for a diverse range of biological activity, such as antitumour, anti-arthritic and anti-inflammatory effects. In addition to the previous reports from aerial parts of this plant, studies related to antiproliferative or antimicrobial activity from the roots are warranted. To investigate antiproliferative and antimicrobial activity of compounds/mixture (1-8) isolated and characterized from the roots of O. biennis L. A possible mechanism of antiproliferative activity was also studied by targeting ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and cathepsin D (CATD). Antiproliferative efficacy of the compounds/mixture was examined in selected cancer cell lines along with their probable mechanism of action. The antimicrobial activity was also studied against selected microbes (bacteria and fungi). Antiproliferative potential was evaluated by MTT assay against selected cell lines. The mechanism of action was studied spectrophotometrically by targeting ODC and CATD using both an in-vitro and an in-silico approach. The antimicrobial efficiency was analysed using the disc diffusion and broth dilution methods. Oenotheralanosterol B (3) and the mixture of oenotheralanosterol A and oenotheralanosterol B (4) exhibited antiproliferative activity against breast, hepatic, prostate and leukaemia cancer cell lines as well as in mouse macrophages (IC 50 8.35-49.69 μg/ml). Oenotheralanosterol B (3) and the mixture of oenotheralanosterol A and oenotheralanosterol B (4) displayed a strong molecular interaction with succinate dehydrogenase (binding energy -6.23 and -6.84 kcal/mol and Ki 27.03 and 9.6 μm, respectively). Oenotheralanosterol A (1), oenotheralanosterol B (3) and mixture of oenotheralanosterol A and oenotheralanosterol B (4) potently inhibited the ODC activity with IC 50 ranging from 4.65 ± 0.35 to 19.06 ± 4.16 μg/ml and also showed a

  8. Activities in dementia care: A comparative assessment of activity types.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lokon, Elizabeth; Sauer, Philip E; Li, Yue

    2016-12-05

    This exploratory study compares the impact of five activity types on the well-being of institutionalized people with dementia: the intergenerational art program Opening Minds through Art, art and music therapies, creative activities, non-creative activities, and no activities at all. We validated the Scripps Modified Greater Cincinnati Chapter Well-Being Observational Tool, and used that instrument to systematically observe N = 67 people with dementia as they participated in different activity types. People with dementia showed the highest well-being scores during Opening Minds through Art compared to all other activities. No significant well-being differences were found between creative activities led by licensed art/music therapist versus regular activity staff. Furthermore, no significant well-being differences were found between creative and non-creative activities that were both led by regular activity staff. Overall, people with dementia benefit from participating in activities, regardless of the type (creative or non-creative), or who conducts them (licensed therapists or activity staff). However, in order for people with dementia to reach significantly high levels of overall well-being, we recommend that activities are specifically designed for people with dementia and incorporate a 1:1 ratio between people with dementia and well-trained volunteers/staff members. © The Author(s) 2016.

  9. Neutron activation analysis-comparative (NAAC)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zimmer, W.H.

    1979-01-01

    A software system for the reduction of comparative neutron activation analysis data is presented. Libraries are constructed to contain the elemental composition and isotopic nuclear data of an unlimited number of standards. Ratios to unknown sample data are performed by standard calibrations. Interfering peak corrections, second-order activation-product corrections, and deconvolution of multiplets are applied automatically. Passive gamma-energy analysis can be performed with the same software. 3 figures

  10. Effect of Proton Beam on Cancer Progressive and Metastatic Enzymes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sohn, Y. H.; Nam, K. S.; Oh, Y. H.; Kim, M. K.; Kim, M. Y.; Jang, J. S.

    2008-04-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of proton beam on enzymes for promotion/progression of carcinogenesis and metastasis of malignant tumor cells to clarify proton beam-specific biological effects. The changes of cancer chemopreventive enzymes in human colorectal adenocarcinoma HT-29 cells irradiated with proton beams were tested by measuring the activities of quinine reductase (QR), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), glutathione (GSH) levels, and expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). We also examined the effect of proton beam on the ODC activity and expression of COX-2 in human breast cancer cell. We then assessed the metastatic capabilities of HT-29 and MDA-MB-231 cells irradiated with proton beam by measuring the invasiveness of cells through Matrigel-coated membrane and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced MMP activity in MDA-MB-231 and HT-29 cells. QR activity of irradiated HT-29 cells was slightly increased. Proton irradiation at dose of 32 Gy in HT-29 cells increased GST activity by 1.23-fold. In addition GSH levels in HT-29 cells was significantly increased 1.23- (p<0.05), 1.32- (p<0.01) and 1.34-fold (p<0.01) with the proton irradiation at doses of 8, 16 and 32 Gy, respectively. These results suggest that colon cancer chemopreventive activity was increased with the proton irradiation by increasing QR and GST activities and GSH levels and inhibiting ODC activity. Proton ion irradiation decreased the invasiveness of TPA-treated HT-29 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells through Matrigel-coated membrane. Proton ion irradiation pretreatment decreased TPA-induced MMP activity in MDA-MB-231 and HT-29 cells. Further studies are necessary to investigate if these findings could be translated to in vivo situations

  11. Altered subcellular localization of ornithine decarboxylase in Alzheimer's disease brain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nilsson, Tatjana; Bogdanovic, Nenad; Volkman, Inga

    2006-01-01

    The amyloid precursor protein can through ligand-mimicking induce expression of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the initial and rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis. We report here the regional distribution and cellular localization of ODC immunoreactivity in Alzheimer's disease (AD...

  12. Refined estimates of local recurrence risks by DCIS score adjusting for clinicopathological features: a combined analysis of ECOG-ACRIN E5194 and Ontario DCIS cohort studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rakovitch, E; Gray, R; Baehner, F L; Sutradhar, R; Crager, M; Gu, S; Nofech-Mozes, S; Badve, S S; Hanna, W; Hughes, L L; Wood, W C; Davidson, N E; Paszat, L; Shak, S; Sparano, J A; Solin, L J

    2018-06-01

    Better tools are needed to estimate local recurrence (LR) risk after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) for DCIS. The DCIS score (DS) was validated as a predictor of LR in E5194 and Ontario DCIS cohort (ODC) after BCS. We combined data from E5194 and ODC adjusting for clinicopathological factors to provide refined estimates of the 10-year risk of LR after treatment by BCS alone. Data from E5194 and ODC were combined. Patients with positive margins or multifocality were excluded. Identical Cox regression models were fit for each study. Patient-specific meta-analysis was used to calculate precision-weighted estimates of 10-year LR risk by DS, age, tumor size and year of diagnosis. The combined cohort includes 773 patients. The DS and age at diagnosis, tumor size and year of diagnosis provided independent prognostic information on the 10-year LR risk (p ≤ 0.009). Hazard ratios from E5194 and ODC cohorts were similar for the DS (2.48, 1.95 per 50 units), tumor size ≤ 1 versus  > 1-2.5 cm (1.45, 1.47), age ≥ 50 versus  15%) 10-year LR risk after BCS alone compared to utilization of DS alone or clinicopathological factors alone. The combined analysis provides refined estimates of 10-year LR risk after BCS for DCIS. Adding information on tumor size and age at diagnosis to the DS adjusting for year of diagnosis provides improved LR risk estimates to guide treatment decision making.

  13. Ornithine Decarboxylase Activity Is Required for Prostatic Budding in the Developing Mouse Prostate.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melissa Gamat

    Full Text Available The prostate is a male accessory sex gland that produces secretions in seminal fluid to facilitate fertilization. Prostate secretory function is dependent on androgens, although the mechanism by which androgens exert their effects is still unclear. Polyamines are small cationic molecules that play pivotal roles in DNA transcription, translation and gene regulation. The rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis is ornithine decarboxylase, which is encoded by the gene Odc1. Ornithine decarboxylase mRNA decreases in the prostate upon castration and increases upon administration of androgens. Furthermore, testosterone administered to castrated male mice restores prostate secretory activity, whereas administering testosterone and the ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor D,L-α-difluromethylornithine (DFMO to castrated males does not restore prostate secretory activity, suggesting that polyamines are required for androgens to exert their effects. To date, no one has examined polyamines in prostate development, which is also androgen dependent. In this study, we showed that ornithine decarboxylase protein was expressed in the epithelium of the ventral, dorsolateral and anterior lobes of the adult mouse prostate. Ornithine decarboxylase protein was also expressed in the urogenital sinus (UGS epithelium of the male and female embryo prior to prostate development, and expression continued in prostatic epithelial buds as they emerged from the UGS. Inhibiting ornithine decarboxylase using DFMO in UGS organ culture blocked the induction of prostatic buds by androgens, and significantly decreased expression of key prostate transcription factor, Nkx3.1, by androgens. DFMO also significantly decreased the expression of developmental regulatory gene Notch1. Other genes implicated in prostatic development including Sox9, Wif1 and Srd5a2 were unaffected by DFMO. Together these results indicate that Odc1 and polyamines are required for androgens to exert their

  14. Research Note: Comparative antibacterial activities of oil-palm ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Research Note: Comparative antibacterial activities of oil-palm Elaeis ... The antimicrobial activities liquid pyrolysates (obtained by destructive distillation), their ... respective chloroform fractions which showed higher activities than the crude ...

  15. Obligatory decentralized capacity, the best capacity mechanism in the context of the NOME regime

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Finon, D.

    2011-01-01

    The 'obligatory decentralised capacity' (ODC) proposal put forward by RTE and chosen by the Ministry is compared here with the centralised capacity contract bidding system that was preferred by the major operators. It is shown that the criticisms concerning the first system are invalid. In the specific context of the highly vertically integrated French electricity sector and given the way competition has been set up in the NOME system, obligatory decentralisation produces a result, in terms of supply safety, that is no worse than the one of the centralised mechanism. It is also shown that in the French context, the ODC would serve to limit costs to consumers by preventing rent accrual from existing infrastructure, unlike the alternative proposal. (author)

  16. Is That Fiscal Convergence Provides Business Cycles Synchronization

    OpenAIRE

    Alimi, Nabil; Garbaa, Radhouan

    2014-01-01

    Using a panel of annual data for 29 ODCE countries over the period 1996 2010, we empirically examine if fiscal convergence make business cycles more closely linked. The results suggest that a reduction in fiscal divergence tend to raise the business cycle correlation between a pair of ODCE countries.

  17. Urtica dioica inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis by targeting Ornithine decarboxylase and Adenosine deaminase as key regulatory enzymes in adenosine and polyamines homeostasis in human breast cancer cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fattahi, Sadegh; Ghadami, Elham; Asouri, Mohsen; Motevalizadeh Ardekanid, Ali; Akhavan-Niaki, Haleh

    2018-02-28

    Breast cancer is a heterogeneous and multifactorial disease with variable disease progression risk, and treatment response. Urtica dioica is a traditional herb used as an adjuvant therapeutic agent in cancer. In the present study, we have evaluated the effects of the aqueous extract of Urtica dioica on Adenosine deaminase (ADA) and Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC1) gene expression in MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, two breast cancer cell lines being estrogen receptor positive and estrogen receptor negative, respectively.  Cell lines were cultured in suitable media. After 24 h, different concentrations of the extract were added and after 72 h, ADA and ODC1 gene expression as well as BCL2 and BAX apoptotic genes were assessed by Taqman real time PCR assay. Cells viability was assessed by MTT assay, and apoptosis was also evaluated at cellular level. The intra and extracellular levels of ODC1 and ADA enzymes were evaluated by ELISA. Results showed differential expression of ADA and ODC1 genes in cancer cell lines. In MCF-7 cell line, the expression level of ADA was upregulated in a dose-dependent manner but its expression did not change in MDA-MB cell line. ODC1 expression was increased in both examined cell lines. Also, increased level of the apoptotic BAX/BCL-2 ratio was detected in MCF-7 cells. These results demonstrated that Urtica dioica induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells by influencing ODC1 and ADA genes expression, and estrogen receptors. The different responses observed with these cell lines could be due to the interaction of Urtica dioica as a phytoestrogen with the estrogen receptor.

  18. Systemic administration of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) causes growth of the rat prostate

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tørring, N; Vinter-Jensen, L; Pedersen, S B

    1997-01-01

    -I after 3 days of treatment, and administration of IGF-I concomitantly with DFMO significantly inhibited ODC activity and the weight increase of the prostate. Stereological examination of the prostate in the IGF-I-treated animals showed growth of the epithelial component of the gland. Systemic treatment...

  19. Changes of initiation, promotion and metastatic enzyme system in human breast cancer with the proton irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sohn, Y. H.; Kim, S. W.; Lee, K. S.; Mo, J. Y. [Dongguk University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2010-04-15

    Proton irradiations in the cells were significantly decreased cell viability but increased the QR activity in a dose-dependent manner. Cell viability was 92.3%, 88.4%, 81.8%, 72.4%, 68.9% at doses of 0.5, 2, 8, 16, and 32 Gy, respectively. At doses of 2, 8, 16, and 32 Gy, QR activity was increased 1.27-, 1.31-, 1.45- and 2.08-fold. However, negligible GST activity in the cells was detected and the activity was not changed by proton irradiation. Proton irradiation also increased GSH contents by 1.18- and 1.21-fold at doses of 0.5 and 2 Gy. In contrast, the ODC activity, a key enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis and tumor promotion, was decreased in a dose-dependent manner. We also investigated anti-metastatic effects of proton beam irradiation in breast cancer cells. Invasion and wound healing assay showed that metastatic activities in breast cancer cells were significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner by proton beam irradiation. In zymography of MMP-9, the activity was slightly diminished. These results suggest that breast cancer chemopreventive potential was increased with proton irradiation by increasing the QR activity and the GSH levels and by inhibiting the ODC activity.

  20. Changes of initiation, promotion and metastatic enzyme system in human breast cancer with the proton irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sohn, Y. H.; Kim, S. W.; Lee, K. S.; Mo, J. Y.

    2010-04-01

    Proton irradiations in the cells were significantly decreased cell viability but increased the QR activity in a dose-dependent manner. Cell viability was 92.3%, 88.4%, 81.8%, 72.4%, 68.9% at doses of 0.5, 2, 8, 16, and 32 Gy, respectively. At doses of 2, 8, 16, and 32 Gy, QR activity was increased 1.27-, 1.31-, 1.45- and 2.08-fold. However, negligible GST activity in the cells was detected and the activity was not changed by proton irradiation. Proton irradiation also increased GSH contents by 1.18- and 1.21-fold at doses of 0.5 and 2 Gy. In contrast, the ODC activity, a key enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis and tumor promotion, was decreased in a dose-dependent manner. We also investigated anti-metastatic effects of proton beam irradiation in breast cancer cells. Invasion and wound healing assay showed that metastatic activities in breast cancer cells were significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner by proton beam irradiation. In zymography of MMP-9, the activity was slightly diminished. These results suggest that breast cancer chemopreventive potential was increased with proton irradiation by increasing the QR activity and the GSH levels and by inhibiting the ODC activity.

  1. The Effect of Exogenous Spermidine Concentration on Polyamine Metabolism and Salt Tolerance in Zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud) Subjected to Short-Term Salinity Stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Shucheng; Jin, Han; Zhang, Qiang

    2016-01-01

    Salt stress, particularly short-term salt stress, is among the most serious abiotic factors limiting plant survival and growth in China. It has been established that exogenous spermidine (Spd) stimulates plant tolerance to salt stress. The present study utilized two zoysiagrass cultivars commonly grown in China that exhibit either sensitive (cv. Z081) or tolerant (cv. Z057) adaptation capacity to salt stress. The two cultivars were subjected to 200 mM salt stress and treated with different exogenous Spd concentrations for 8 days. Polyamine [diamine putrescine (Put), tetraamine spermine (Spm), and Spd], H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and polyamine metabolic (ADC, ODC, SAMDC, PAO, and DAO) and antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase) enzyme activities were measured. The results showed that salt stress induced increases in Spd and Spm contents and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), and diamine oxidase (DAO) activities in both cultivars. Exogenous Spd application did not alter polyamine contents via regulation of polyamine-degrading enzymes, and an increase in polyamine biosynthetic enzyme levels was observed during the experiment. Increasing the concentration of exogenous Spd resulted in a tendency of the Spd and Spm contents and ODC, SAMDC, DAO, and antioxidant enzyme activities to first increase and then decrease in both cultivars. H2O2 and MDA levels significantly decreased in both cultivars treated with Spd. Additionally, in both cultivars, positive correlations between polyamine biosynthetic enzymes (ADC, SAMDC), DAO, and antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT), but negative correlations with H2O2 and MDA levels, and the Spd + Spm content were observed with an increase in the concentration of exogenous Spd.

  2. Putrescine treatment reverses α-tocopherol-induced desynchronization of polyamine and retinoid metabolism during rat liver regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lourdes Sánchez-Sevilla

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The pre-treatment with α-tocopherol inhibits progression of rat liver proliferation induced by partial hepatectomy (PH, by decreasing and/or desynchronizing cyclin D1 expression and activation into the nucleus, activation and nuclear translocation of STAT-1 and -3 proteins and altering retinoid metabolism. Interactions between retinoic acid and polyamines have been reported in the PH-induced rat liver regeneration. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of low dosage of α-tocopherol on PH-induced changes in polyamine metabolism. Methods This study evaluated the participation of polyamine synthesis and metabolism during α-tocopherol-induced inhibition of rat liver regeneration. In PH-rats (Wistar treated with α-tocopherol and putrescine, parameters indicative of cell proliferation, lipid peroxidation, ornithine decarboxylase expression (ODC, and polyamine levels, were determined. Results Pre-treatment with α-tocopherol to PH-animals exerted an antioxidant effect, shifting earlier the increased ODC activity and expression, temporally affecting polyamine synthesis and ornithine metabolism. Whereas administration of putrescine induced minor changes in PH-rats, the concomitant treatment actually counteracted most of adverse actions exerted by α-tocopherol on the remnant liver, restituting its proliferative potential, without changing its antioxidant effect. Putrescine administration to these rats was also associated with lower ODC expression and activity in the proliferating liver, but the temporally shifting in the amount of liver polyamines induced by α-tocopherol, was also “synchronized” by the putrescine administration. The latter is supported by the fact that a close relationship was observed between fluctuations of polyamines and retinoids. Conclusions Putrescine counteracted most adverse actions exerted by α-tocopherol on rat liver regeneration, restoring liver proliferative potential and restituting the decreased

  3. Oxalate-metabolising genes of the white-rot fungus Dichomitus squalens are differentially induced on wood and at high proton concentration.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miia R Mäkelä

    Full Text Available Oxalic acid is a prevalent fungal metabolite with versatile roles in growth and nutrition, including degradation of plant biomass. However, the toxicity of oxalic acid makes regulation of its intra- and extracellular concentration crucial. To increase the knowledge of fungal oxalate metabolism, a transcriptional level study on oxalate-catabolising genes was performed with an effective lignin-degrading white-rot fungus Dichomitus squalens, which has demonstrated particular abilities in production and degradation of oxalic acid. The expression of oxalic-acid decomposing oxalate decarboxylase (ODC and formic-acid decomposing formate dehydrogenase (FDH encoding genes was followed during the growth of D. squalens on its natural spruce wood substrate. The effect of high proton concentration on the regulation of the oxalate-catabolising genes was determined after addition of organic acid (oxalic acid and inorganic acid (hydrochloric acid to the liquid cultures of D. squalens. In order to evaluate the co-expression of oxalate-catabolising and manganese peroxidase (MnP encoding genes, the expression of one MnP encoding gene, mnp1, of D. squalens was also surveyed in the solid state and liquid cultures. Sequential action of ODC and FDH encoding genes was detected in the studied cultivations. The odc1, fdh2 and fdh3 genes of D. squalens showed constitutive expression, whereas ODC2 and FHD1 most likely are the main responsible enzymes for detoxification of high concentrations of oxalic and formic acids. The results also confirmed the central role of ODC1 when D. squalens grows on coniferous wood. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that fungal ODCs have evolved from at least two gene copies whereas FDHs have a single ancestral gene. As a conclusion, the multiplicity of oxalate-catabolising genes and their differential regulation on wood and in acid-amended cultures of D. squalens point to divergent physiological roles for the corresponding enzymes.

  4. Involvement of Antizyme Characterized from the Small Abalone Haliotis diversicolor in Gonadal Development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wei-Dong; Huang, Min; Lü, Wen-Gang; Chen, Xiao; Shen, Ming-Hui; Li, Xiang-Min; Wang, Rong-Xia; Ke, Cai-Huan

    2015-01-01

    The small abalone Haliotis diversicolor is an economically important mollusk that is widely cultivated in Southern China. Gonad precocity may affect the aquaculture of small abalone. Polyamines, which are small cationic molecules essential for cellular proliferation, may affect gonadal development. Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and antizyme (AZ) are essential elements of a feedback circuit that regulates cellular polyamines. This paper presents the molecular cloning and characterization of AZ from small abalone. Sequence analysis showed that the cDNA sequence of H. diversicolor AZ (HdiODCAZ) consisted of two overlapping open reading frames (ORFs) and conformed to the +1 frameshift property of the frame. Thin Layer chromatography (TLC) analysis suggested that the expressed protein encoded by +1 ORF2 was the functional AZ that targets ODC to 26S proteasome degradation. The result demonstrated that the expression level of AZ was higher than that of ODC in the ovary of small abalone. In addition, the expression profiles of ODC and AZ at the different development stages of the ovary indicated that these two genes might be involved in the gonadal development of small abalone.

  5. Combined antibacterial effects of tissue-tolerable plasma and a modern conventional liquid antiseptic on chronic wound treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klebes, Martin; Ulrich, Christin; Kluschke, Franziska; Patzelt, Alexa; Vandersee, Staffan; Richter, Heike; Bob, Adrienne; von Hutten, Johanna; Krediet, Jorien T; Kramer, Axel; Lademann, Jürgen; Lange-Asschenfeld, Bernhard

    2015-05-01

    Potential antimicrobial effects of sequential applications of tissue-tolerable plasma (TTP) and the conventional liquid antiseptic octenidine dihydrochloride (ODC) were investigated. 34 patients with chronic leg ulcers were treated with TTP, ODC or a combination of both. The bacterial colonization was measured semi-quantitatively before and immediately after treatment and changes in the microbial strains' compositions before and after antiseptic treatments were analyzed. All antiseptic procedures reduced the bacterial counts significantly. The sequential application of TTP and ODC displayed the highest antimicrobial efficacy. Me combined use of TTP and conventional antiseptics might represent the most efficient strategy for antiseptic treatment of chronic wounds. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Early activation of wheat polyamine biosynthesis during Fusarium head blight implicates putrescine as an inducer of trichothecene mycotoxin production

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rusu Anca

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum causes Fusarium Head Blight (FHB disease on wheat which can lead to trichothecene mycotoxin (e.g. deoxynivalenol, DON contamination of grain, harmful to mammalian health. DON is produced at low levels under standard culture conditions when compared to plant infection but specific polyamines (e.g. putrescine and agmatine and amino acids (e.g. arginine and ornithine are potent inducers of DON by F. graminearum in axenic culture. Currently, host factors that promote mycotoxin synthesis during FHB are unknown, but plant derived polyamines could contribute to DON induction in infected heads. However, the temporal and spatial accumulation of polyamines and amino acids in relation to that of DON has not been studied. Results Following inoculation of susceptible wheat heads by F. graminearum, DON accumulation was detected at two days after inoculation. The accumulation of putrescine was detected as early as one day following inoculation while arginine and cadaverine were also produced at three and four days post-inoculation. Transcripts of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC and arginine decarboxylase (ADC, two key biosynthetic enzymes for putrescine biosynthesis, were also strongly induced in heads at two days after inoculation. These results indicated that elicitation of the polyamine biosynthetic pathway is an early response to FHB. Transcripts for genes encoding enzymes acting upstream in the polyamine biosynthetic pathway as well as those of ODC and ADC, and putrescine levels were also induced in the rachis, a flower organ supporting DON production and an important route for pathogen colonisation during FHB. A survey of 24 wheat genotypes with varying responses to FHB showed putrescine induction is a general response to inoculation and no correlation was observed between the accumulation of putrescine and infection or DON accumulation. Conclusions The activation of the polyamine biosynthetic

  7. Patulin causes DNA damage leading to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis through modulation of Bax, p53 and p21/WAF1 proteins in skin of mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saxena, Neha; Ansari, Kausar M.; Kumar, Rahul; Dhawan, Alok; Dwivedi, Premendra D.; Das, Mukul

    2009-01-01

    Patulin (PAT), a mycotoxin found in apples, grapes, oranges, pear and peaches, is a potent genotoxic compound. WHO has highlighted the need for the study of cutaneous toxicity of PAT as manual labour is employed during pre and post harvest stages, thereby causing direct exposure to skin. In the present study cutaneous toxicity of PAT was evaluated following topical application to Swiss Albino mice. Dermal exposure of PAT, to mice for 4 h resulted in a dose (40-160 μg/animal) and time (up to 6 h) dependent enhancement of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), a marker enzyme of cell proliferation. The ODC activity was found to be normal after 12 and 24 h treatment of patulin. Topical application of PAT (160 μg/100 μl acetone) for 24-72 h caused (a) DNA damage in skin cells showing significant increase (34-63%) in olive tail moment, a parameter of Comet assay (b) significant G 1 and S-phase arrest along with induction of apoptosis (2.8-10 folds) as shown by annexin V and PI staining assay through flow cytometer. Moreover PAT leads to over expression of p 21/WAF1 (3.6-3.9 fold), pro apoptotic protein Bax (1.3-2.6) and tumor suppressor wild type p 53 (2.8-3.9 fold) protein. It was also shown that PAT induced apoptosis was mediated through mitochondrial intrinsic pathway as revealed through the release of cytochrome C protein in cytosol leading to enhancement of caspase-3 activity in skin cells of mice. These results suggest that PAT has a potential to induce DNA damage leading to p 53 mediated cell cycle arrest along with intrinsic pathway mediated apoptosis that may also be correlated with enhanced polyamine production as evident by induction of ODC activity, which may have dermal toxicological implications

  8. Comparative antimicrobial activity of clove and fennel essential oils ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Bactericidal activity of culinary spices was evaluated against five food spoilage bacteria namely: Pseudomonas syringae, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus sp., and Aeromicrobium erythreum. Fennel oil was found fairly active against bacterial strains as compared to clove oil with highest antibacterial activity ...

  9. Dual-Functional Graphene Carbon as Polysulfide Trapper for High-Performance Lithium Sulfur Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Linlin; Wan, Fang; Wang, Xinyu; Cao, Hongmei; Dai, Xi; Niu, Zhiqiang; Wang, Yijing; Chen, Jun

    2018-02-14

    The lithium sulfur (Li-S) battery has attracted much attention due to its high theoretical capacity and energy density. However, its cycling stability and rate performance urgently need to improve because of its shuttle effect. Herein, oxygen-doped carbon on the surface of reduced graphene oxide (labeled as ODC/rGO) was fabricated to modify the separators of Li-S batteries to limit the dissolution of the lithium polysulfides. The mesoporous structure in ODC/rGO can not only serve as the physical trapper, but also provide abundant channels for fast ion transfer, which is beneficial for effective confinement of the dissoluble intermediates and superior rate performance. Moreover, the oxygen-containing groups in ODC/rGO are able to act as chemical adsorption sites to immobilize the lithium polysulfides, suppressing their dissolution in electrolyte to enhance the utilization of sulfur cathode in Li-S batteries. As a result, because of the synergetic effects of physical adsorption and chemical interaction to immobilize the soluble polysulfides, the Li-S batteries with the ODC/rGO-coated separator exhibit excellent rate performance and good long-term cycling stability with 0.057% capacity decay per cycle at 1.0 C after 600 cycles.

  10. Involvement of Antizyme Characterized from the Small Abalone Haliotis diversicolor in Gonadal Development.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei-Dong Li

    Full Text Available The small abalone Haliotis diversicolor is an economically important mollusk that is widely cultivated in Southern China. Gonad precocity may affect the aquaculture of small abalone. Polyamines, which are small cationic molecules essential for cellular proliferation, may affect gonadal development. Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC and antizyme (AZ are essential elements of a feedback circuit that regulates cellular polyamines. This paper presents the molecular cloning and characterization of AZ from small abalone. Sequence analysis showed that the cDNA sequence of H. diversicolor AZ (HdiODCAZ consisted of two overlapping open reading frames (ORFs and conformed to the +1 frameshift property of the frame. Thin Layer chromatography (TLC analysis suggested that the expressed protein encoded by +1 ORF2 was the functional AZ that targets ODC to 26S proteasome degradation. The result demonstrated that the expression level of AZ was higher than that of ODC in the ovary of small abalone. In addition, the expression profiles of ODC and AZ at the different development stages of the ovary indicated that these two genes might be involved in the gonadal development of small abalone.

  11. Comparative anthelmintic activity investigation of selected ethno-medicinal weeds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pueblos, Kirstin Rhys S.; Bajalla, Mark; Pacheco, Dixie; Ganot, Sheila; Paig, Daisy; Tapales, Radyn; Lagare, Jeanne; Quimque, Mark Tristan J.

    2017-01-01

    Helminth infections are one of the seriously neglected potent diseases in many parts of the world. The problems of parasitic helminthes becoming resistant to currently available anthelmintic drugs pose a challenge for the search - relying on natural products - for new and better anthelmintics. In this paper, four abundant Philippine weeds: Chrysopogon aciculatus Trin. Cyperus brevifolius Rottb., Ruellia tuberosa Linn. and Saccharum spontaneum Linn. were investigated for their anthelmintic activities to establish basis of their folkloric claim. The hexane-soluble and chloroform-soluble extracts were obtained through sequential solvent partitioning of the crude ethanolic extract of the air-dried aerial part of each plant sample. Meanwhile, the decoction was obtained from fresh aerial part of the plant samples. All extracts were then subjected to in vitro anthelmintic screening at different concentration as per method of Ghosh, et al. against African nightcrawler earthworms (Eudrillus euginiae) in which the activity of the extracts was determined by correlation with time. The anthelmintic bioassay results revealed a dose-dependent toxicity relationship. It indicated relatively low anthelmintic activities of the decoction of the four plant samples as compared to their corresponding crude ethanol extracts. Among the crude ethanol extracts, C. brevifolius (CBE) gave fastest time to bring about paralysis and death to the test organisms at all concentrations tested. For the hexane extracts, R. tuberosa (RTH) gave better activity among other plant samples. Lastly, among the chloroform-soluble extracts, both that of C. brevifolius (CBC) and R. tuberosa (RTC) comparably showed strongest anthelmintic activities at all tested concentrations, thus, exhibited best anthelmintic activity that is remarkably comparable to the positive control, Mebendazole at the highest concentration tested. In fact, CBC and RTC showed highest anthelmintic potential compared to all extracts tested in

  12. Induction of short-term biomarkers of tumor promotion in skin of CD-1 mice by petroleum middle distillates: preliminary observations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skisak, C; DiGiovanni, J; Conti, C J; Slaga, T J; Sharma, S; Sagartz, J W; Walborg, E F

    1995-01-01

    The induction of sustained epidermal hyperplasia in mouse skin has been shown to be a reliable predictor of tumor promoting activity for chemicals as diverse as phorbol esters, anthralins, n-dodecane and organic peroxides (DiGiovanni, 1992). The results contained herein demonstrate that API 81-07 and API 81-10, petroleum middle distillates that exhibit tumor promoting activity in mouse skin, induce epidermal hyperplasia and ODC activity. Other petroleum middle distillates (odorless light petroleum hydrocarbons, a light vacuum distillate, and a mineral seal oil) were also shown to share these activities. It should be emphasized that the relevance of these observations to human skin remains unresolved; however, the availability of these short-term biomarkers offers the opportunity to address the issue by performing comparative investigations on the effects of petroleum middle distillates on human skin xenografted to athymic (nude) mice. Such studies are being initiated.

  13. Trypanosoma cruzi Coexpressing Ornithine Decarboxylase and Green Fluorescence Proteins as a Tool to Study the Role of Polyamines in Chagas Disease Pathology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeremías José Barclay

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Polyamines are essential for Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. As T. cruzi behaves as a natural auxotrophic organism, it relies on host polyamines biosynthesis. In this paper we obtained a double-transfected T. cruzi parasite that expresses the green fluorescent protein (GFP and a heterologous ornithine decarboxylase (ODC, used itself as a novel selectable marker. These autotrophic and fluorescent parasites were characterized; the ODC presented an apparent Km for ornithine of 0.51 ± 0.16 mM and an estimated Vmax value of 476.2 nmoles/h/mg of protein. These expressing ODC parasites showed higher metacyclogenesis capacity than the auxotrophic counterpart, supporting the idea that polyamines are engaged in this process. This double-transfected T. cruzi parasite results in a powerful tool—easy to follow by its fluorescence—to study the role of polyamines in Chagas disease pathology and in related processes such as parasite survival, invasion, proliferation, metacyclogenesis, and tissue spreading.

  14. Comparative Effectiveness of After-School Programs to Increase Physical Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabina B. Gesell

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. We conducted a comparative effectiveness analysis to evaluate the difference in the amount of physical activity children engaged in when enrolled in a physical activity-enhanced after-school program based in a community recreation center versus a standard school-based after-school program. Methods. The study was a natural experiment with 54 elementary school children attending the community ASP and 37 attending the school-based ASP. Accelerometry was used to measure physical activity. Data were collected at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks, with 91% retention. Results. At baseline, 43% of the multiethnic sample was overweight/obese, and the mean age was 7.9 years (SD = 1.7. Linear latent growth models suggested that the average difference between the two groups of children at Week 12 was 14.7 percentage points in moderate-vigorous physical activity (P<.001. Cost analysis suggested that children attending traditional school-based ASPs—at an average cost of $17.67 per day—would need an additional daily investment of $1.59 per child for 12 weeks to increase their moderate-vigorous physical activity by a model-implied 14.7 percentage points. Conclusions. A low-cost, alternative after-school program featuring adult-led physical activities in a community recreation center was associated with increased physical activity compared to standard-of-care school-based after-school program.

  15. Comparing herbaceous plant communities in active and passive riparian restoration.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elise S Gornish

    Full Text Available Understanding the efficacy of passive (reduction or cessation of environmental stress and active (typically involving planting or seeding restoration strategies is important for the design of successful revegetation of degraded riparian habitat, but studies explicitly comparing restoration outcomes are uncommon. We sampled the understory herbaceous plant community of 103 riparian sites varying in age since restoration (0 to 39 years and revegetation technique (active, passive, or none to compare the utility of different approaches on restoration success across sites. We found that landform type, percent shade, and summer flow helped explain differences in the understory functional community across all sites. In passively restored sites, grass and forb cover and richness were inversely related to site age, but in actively restored sites forb cover and richness were inversely related to site age. Native cover and richness were lower with passive restoration compared to active restoration. Invasive species cover and richness were not significantly different across sites. Although some of our results suggest that active restoration would best enhance native species in degraded riparian areas, this work also highlights some of the context-dependency that has been found to mediate restoration outcomes. For example, since the effects of passive restoration can be quite rapid, this approach might be more useful than active restoration in situations where rapid dominance of pioneer species is required to arrest major soil loss through erosion. As a result, we caution against labeling one restoration technique as better than another. Managers should identify ideal restoration outcomes in the context of historic and current site characteristics (as well as a range of acceptable alternative states and choose restoration approaches that best facilitate the achievement of revegetation goals.

  16. Alpha-Difluoromethylornithine, an Irreversible Inhibitor of Polyamine Biosynthesis, as a Therapeutic Strategy against Hyperproliferative and Infectious Diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicole LoGiudice

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available The fluorinated ornithine analog α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO, eflornithine, ornidyl is an irreversible suicide inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC, the first and rate-limiting enzyme of polyamine biosynthesis. The ubiquitous and essential polyamines have many functions, but are primarily important for rapidly proliferating cells. Thus, ODC is potentially a drug target for any disease state where rapid growth is a key process leading to pathology. The compound was originally discovered as an anticancer drug, but its effectiveness was disappointing. However, DFMO was successfully developed to treat African sleeping sickness and is currently one of few clinically used drugs to combat this neglected tropical disease. The other Food and Drug Administration (FDA approved application for DFMO is as an active ingredient in the hair removal cream Vaniqa. In recent years, renewed interest in DFMO for hyperproliferative diseases has led to increased research and promising preclinical and clinical trials. This review explores the use of DFMO for the treatment of African sleeping sickness and hirsutism, as well as its potential as a chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agent against colorectal cancer and neuroblastoma.

  17. Comparative activity of carbapenem testing (the COMPACT study in Turkey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leblebicioglu Hakan

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Recent evidence indicates that Gram-negative bacterial pathogens, the most common of which are Pseudomonas spp., Enterobacteriaceae, and Acinetobacter baumannii, are frequent causes of hospital-acquired infections. This study aims to evaluate the in vitro activity of doripenem and comparator carbapenem antibiotics against Gram-negative clinical isolates collected from COMParative Activity of Carbapenem Testing (COMPACT study centres in Turkey. Methods Ten centres in Turkey were invited to submit Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacteriaceae, and other Gram-negative isolates from intensive care unit (ICU/non-ICU patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections, bloodstream infections, or nosocomial pneumonia, including ventilator-associated pneumonia, between May and October 2008. Susceptibility was determined by each centre using E-test. A central laboratory performed species confirmation as well as limited susceptibility and quality-control testing. Results Five hundred and ninety six isolates were collected. MIC90 values for doripenem, meropenem, and imipenem, respectively, were 32, ≥ 64, and ≥ 64 mg/L against Pseudomonas spp.; 0.12, 0.12, and 0.5 mg/L against Enterobacteriaceae; and ≥ 64 mg/L for each against other Gram-negative isolates. In determining the susceptibility of hospital isolates of selected Gram-negative pathogens to doripenem, imipenem, and meropenem, we found that against all pathogens combined, the MIC90 for ICU compared with non-ICU isolates was higher. Conclusions Doripenem showed similar or slightly better activity than meropenem and better activity than imipenem against the Gram-negative pathogens collected in Turkey.

  18. Changes in the biochemical composition of testes during spermatogenesis in Asterias vulgaris, with emphasis on the role of polyamines in regulating proliferation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, F.F.

    1985-01-01

    Testes of Asterias vulgaris are potentially useful for investigating mechanisms regulating spermatogenic events because of their structural simplicity and annual spermatogenic cycle. Examination of major biochemical classes during the spermatogenic cycle provides a definition of the changing chemical microenvironment influencing germinal cells and also suggests temporal relationships among successive spermatogenic events. Testes from seastars collected throughout the year were homogenized and lyophilized and aliquots assayed for DNA, RNA, total protein, free amino acids, total lipids, glycogen, and other carbohydrates; spermatogenic stage was determined by examination of paraffin sections. Activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the rate-limiting enzyme of polyamine synthesis, increases during the proliferative phase of spermatogenesis. Testicular ODC activity correlates well with DNA synthetic rate. To test the possible role of polyamines in regulating initiation of spermatogonial mitoses, intact testes near the beginning of the proliferative phase were incubated in vitro with exogenous polyamines. They subsequently showed a significant increase in incorporation of 3 H-thymidine into DNA. These results suggest a direct role for polyamines in the regulation of spermatogenic proliferation in a. vulgaris. Evidence for a regulatory role of polyamines in the initiation of proliferation, together with existing information on the environmental, hormonal, and cytological interactions, facilitates development of a preliminary model for regulation and entrainment of spermatogenesis

  19. Comparative antimicrobial activities of aloe vera gel and leaf ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The comparative antimicrobial activities of the gel and leaf of Aloe vera were tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Trichophyton mentagraphytes, T. schoeleinii, Microsporium canis and Candida albicans. Ethanol was used for the extraction of the leaf after obtaining the gel from it. Antimicrobial ...

  20. Comparing Pedophile Activity in Different P2P Systems

    OpenAIRE

    Raphaël Fournier; Thibault Cholez; Matthieu Latapy; Isabelle Chrisment; Clémence Magnien; Olivier Festor; Ivan Daniloff

    2014-01-01

    International audience; Peer-to-peer (P2P) systems are widely used to exchange content over the Internet. Knowledge of pedophile activity in such networks remains limited, despite having important social consequences. Moreover, though there are different P2P systems in use, previous academic works on this topic focused on one system at a time and their results are not directly comparable. We design a methodology for comparing KAD and eDonkey, two P2P systems among the most prominent ones and ...

  1. Polyamines mediate abnormal Ca2+ transport and Ca2+-induced cardiac cell injury in the calcium paradox

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trout, J.J.; Koenig, H.; Goldstone, A.D.; Lu, C.Y.; Fan, C.C.

    1986-01-01

    Ca 2+ -free perfusion renders heart cells Ca 2+ -sensitive so that readmission of Ca 2+ causes a sudden massive cellular injury attributed to abnormal entry of Ca 2+ into cells (Ca paradox). Hormonal stimulation of Ca 2+ fluxes was earlier shown to be mediated by polyamines (PA). 5 min perfusion of rat heart with Ca 2+ -free medium induce a prompt 40-50% decline in levels of the PA putrescine (PUT), spermidine and spermine and their rate-regulatory synthetic enzyme ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), and readmission of Ca 2+ -containing medium abruptly ( 2+ reperfusion-induced increases in ODC and PA and also prevented increased 45 Ca 2+ uptake and heart injury, manifested by loss of contractility, release of enzymes (CPK, LDH), myoglobin and protein, and E.M. lesions (contracture bands, mitochondrial changes). 1 mM PUT negated DFMO inhibition, repleted heart PA and restored Ca 2+ reperfusion-induced 45 Ca 2+ influx and cell injury. These data indicate that the Ca 2+ -directed depletion-repletion cycle of ODC and PA triggers excessive transsarcolemmal Ca 2+ transport leading to the calcium paradox

  2. Comparing Pedophile Activity in Different P2P Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raphaël Fournier

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Peer-to-peer (P2P systems are widely used to exchange content over the Internet. Knowledge of pedophile activity in such networks remains limited, despite having important social consequences. Moreover, though there are different P2P systems in use, previous academic works on this topic focused on one system at a time and their results are not directly comparable. We design a methodology for comparing KAD and eDonkey, two P2P systems among the most prominent ones and with different anonymity levels. We monitor two eDonkey servers and the KAD network during several days and record hundreds of thousands of keyword-based queries. We detect pedophile-related queries with a previously validated tool and we propose, for the first time, a large-scale comparison of pedophile activity in two different P2P systems. We conclude that there are significantly fewer pedophile queries in KAD than in eDonkey (approximately 0.09% vs. 0.25%.

  3. Investigations on the comparator technique used in epithermal neutron activation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bereznai, T.; Bodizs, D.; Keoemley, G.

    1977-01-01

    The possible extension of the comparator technique of reactor neutron activation analysis into the field of epithermal neutron activation has been investigated. Ruthenium was used for multi-isotopic comparator. Experiments show that conversion of the so-called reference k-factors - determined by irradiation with reactor neutrons - into ksup(epi)-factors usable at activation under cadmium filter, can be evaluated with fair accuracy. Sources and extent of errors and their contribution to the final error of analysis are discussed. For equal irradiation and counting times advantage of ENAA for several elements is obvious: the much lower background activity permitted the sample to be measured closer to the detector, under better geometry conditions, consequently, permitting several elements to be determined quantitatively. The number of elements determined and the sensitivity of the method are much dependent on the experimental conditions, especially on the composition of the sample, on the PHIsub(e) value, the irradiation time and the efficiency of the Ge(Li) detector. (T.G.)

  4. Comparing trapezius muscle activity in the different planes of shoulder elevation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishigaki, Tomonobu; Ishida, Tomoya; Samukawa, Mina; Saito, Hiroshi; Hirokawa, Motoki; Ezawa, Yuya; Sugawara, Makoto; Tohyama, Harukazu; Yamanaka, Masanori

    2015-05-01

    [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to compare the upper, middle, and lower trapezius muscles' activity in the different planes of shoulder elevation. [Subjects] Twenty male subjects volunteered for this study. [Methods] Surface electromyographic (EMG) activity for each of the three regions of the trapezius muscles in the three different planes of elevation were collected while the participants maintained 30, 60, and 90 degrees of elevation in each plane. The EMG data were normalized with maximum voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC), and compared among the planes at each angle of elevation. [Results] There were significantly different muscle activities among the elevation planes at each angle. [Conclusion] This study found that the three regions of the trapezius muscles changed their activity depending on the planes of shoulder elevation. These changes in the trapezius muscles could induce appropriate scapular motion to face the glenoid cavity in the correct directions in different planes of shoulder elevation.

  5. Phosphorescence quenching microrespirometry of skeletal muscle in situ

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golub, Aleksander S.; Tevald, Michael A.

    2011-01-01

    We have developed an optical method for the evaluation of the oxygen consumption (V̇o2) in microscopic volumes of spinotrapezius muscle. Using phosphorescence quenching microscopy (PQM) for the measurement of interstitial Po2, together with rapid pneumatic compression of the organ, we recorded the oxygen disappearance curve (ODC) in the muscle of the anesthetized rats. A 0.6-mm diameter area in the tissue, preloaded with the phosphorescent oxygen probe, was excited once a second by a 532-nm Q-switched laser with pulse duration of 15 ns. Each of the evoked phosphorescence decays was analyzed to obtain a sequence of Po2 values that constituted the ODC. Following flow arrest and tissue compression, the interstitial Po2 decreased rapidly and the initial slope of the ODC was used to calculate the V̇o2. Special analysis of instrumental factors affecting the ODC was performed, and the resulting model was used for evaluation of V̇o2. The calculation was based on the observation of only a small amount of residual blood in the tissue after compression. The contribution of oxygen photoconsumption by PQM and oxygen inflow from external sources was evaluated in specially designed tests. The average oxygen consumption of the rat spinotrapezius muscle was V̇o2 = 123.4 ± 13.4 (SE) nl O2/cm3·s (N = 38, within 6 muscles) at a baseline interstitial Po2 of 50.8 ± 2.9 mmHg. This technique has opened the opportunity for monitoring respiration rates in microscopic volumes of functioning skeletal muscle. PMID:20971766

  6. La Oficina de Difusión del Conocimiento: unificando las iniciativas a favor del acceso abierto

    OpenAIRE

    Labastida Juan, Ignasi; Gairín Giberga, Gemma; Riera Riera, Manel; Martín Pina, Álvaro; Sucarrat Viola, Meritxell

    2015-01-01

    Comunicación presentada al XIV Workshop Rebiun de Poyectos Digitales / VI Jornadas OS-Repositorios (Córdoba, 11-13 de marzo de 2015) En el año 2006 se creó la Oficina de Difusión del Conocimiento (ODC) de la Universidad de Barcelona (UB) para dar cobertura institucional al proyecto de Creative Commons (CC) en España. La UB es la institución afiliada a CC en España desde 2003 y se encarga de mantener y difundir el sistema de licencias que ofrece CC. En un primer momento, la ODC se enmarcó d...

  7. Organizational-economic maintenance of innovation activity in the region: comparative assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nadezhda Igorevna Antipina

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The article proposes the approach to evaluate the organizational-economic maintenance of innovation activity in the regions in quantitative and qualitative indicators, as well as the method to calculate the assessment of regulatory support of this activity. It justifies the author’s approach of comparative efficiency evaluation of innovation legislation and regions’ innovation development level. The article gives the qualitative estimation of regulatory support of innovation development in the regions that are innovation leaders. It singles out key directions to develop regulatory support of innovation activity, which encourage RF subjects’ innovation activity

  8. A Comparative Analysis of Activity-Based Costing and Traditional Costing

    OpenAIRE

    Derya Eren Akyol; Gonca Tuncel; G. Mirac Bayhan

    2007-01-01

    Activity-Based Costing (ABC) which has become an important aspect of manufacturing/service organizations can be defined as a methodology that measures the cost and performance of activities, resources and cost objects. It can be considered as an alternative paradigm to traditional cost-based accounting systems. The objective of this paper is to illustrate an application of ABC method and to compare the results of ABC with traditional costing methods. The results of the application highlight t...

  9. Antimicrobial activity of silver and gold in toothpastes: A comparative analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Junevičius, Jonas; Žilinskas, Juozas; Česaitis, Kęstutis; Česaitienė, Gabrielė; Gleiznys, Darius; Maželienė, Žaneta

    2015-01-01

    In this study, we compared the antimicrobial activity of identical toothpastes differing only in silver or gold nanoparticles against the activity of one of the common toothpastes containing a chemical active ingredient. We also compared the active concentrations of the toothpastes. For this study, we selected "Royal Denta" toothpastes containing silver and gold particles, and the "Blend-A-Med Complete" toothpaste containing zinc citrate as the active ingredient. We used 8 standard microorganism cultures on the basis of their individual mechanisms of protection. The antimicrobial activity of each studied preparation was evaluated at 9 concentrations. Most effective against gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis) was the "Silver Technology" – MIC was 0.004-0.0015 g/mL. Neither "Silver Technology" nor "Orange and Gold Technology" had any effect on Escherichia coli or Proteus mirabilis. Antimicrobial activity against the motile bacterium Proteus mirabilis was observed in "Silver Technology", "Orange and Gold Technology", and "Blend-A-Med Complete" – the MIC was 0.015 g/mL or lower. No antimicrobial activity against Candida albicans fungus at the studied concentrations was observed in the "Orange and Gold Technology". The toothpaste "Blend-A-Med" demonstrated the most effective antimicrobial activity - the MIC of 0.0015 g/mL and 0.015 g/mL inhibited Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis, respectively, and the MIC of 0.15 g/mL inhibited the growth of the bacteria Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and fungus Candida albicans. Silver in toothpaste has a greater antimicrobial effect than gold, but its effect is still inferior to that of a chemical antimicrobial agent.

  10. Comparative in vitro activity of the new oxacephem antibiotic, flomoxef (6315-S).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruckdeschel, G; Eder, W

    1988-10-01

    The in vitro activity of flomoxef (6315-S) was determined and compared to that of different cephalosporins against 787 clinical isolates of staphylococci, Enterobacteriaceae and anaerobes. Flomoxef is similar in activity to latamoxef and cefotaxime against Enterobacteriaceae, slightly more active than cephalothin and cefamandole against oxacillin-sensitive strains of Staphylococcus aureus and minimally less active than cefamandole against oxacillin-resistant strains. Flomoxef showed similar or better activity than latamoxef and cefoxitin against most of the anaerobic species of medical importance.

  11. Comparison of prostate gene expression and tissue weight changes as monitors of antiandrogen activity in GNRH-inhibited rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nellemann, Christine Lydia; Lefevre, P. A.; Ashby, J.

    2003-01-01

    and Pharmacology 34:188-203, 2001], and concomitantly described changes in expression of the androgen-dependent prostatic genes PBP C3, TRPM-2, and ODC as a possible complement to gravimetric analysis of the sex accessory tissues (SAT) [Nellemann C, Vinggaard AM, Dalgaard M, Hossaini A, Larsen J-J. Toxicology 163......:29-38, 2001]. METHODS: The present study describes the results of combining these two modifications into a single assay. During the course of these experiments it was shown that SD rats gave similar results to AP rats and that the higher stimulatory dose of testosterone propionate (TP) used in our experiments...

  12. A field study on root cause analysis of defects in space software

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, Nuno; Cunha, João Carlos; Vieira, Marco

    2017-01-01

    Critical systems, such as space systems, are developed under strict requirements envisaging high integrity in accordance to specific standards. For such software systems, an independent assessment is put into effect (Independent Software Verification and Validation – ISVV) after the regular development lifecycle and V&V activities, aiming at finding residual faults and raising confidence in the software. However, it has been observed that there is still a significant number of defects remaining at this stage, questioning the effectiveness of the previous engineering processes. This paper presents a root cause analysis of 1070 defects found in four space software projects during ISVV, by applying an improved Orthogonal Defect Classification (ODC) taxonomy and examining the defect types, triggers and impacts, in order to identify why they reached such a later stage in the development. The paper also puts forward proposals for modifications to both the software development (to prevent defects) and the V&V activities (to better detect defects) and an assessment methodology for future works on root cause analysis. - Highlights: • Root cause analysis of space software defects by using an enhanced ODC taxonomy. • Prioritization of the root causes according to the more important defect impacts. • Identification of improvements to systems engineering and development processes. • Improvements to V&V activities as means to reduce the occurrence of defects. • Generic process to achieve the defects root causes and the corrections suggestions.

  13. Charcoal and activated carbon as adsorbate of phytotoxic compounds - a comparative study.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hille, M.G.; Ouden, den J.

    2005-01-01

    This study compares the potential of natural charcoal from Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and activated carbon to improve germination under the hypothesis that natural charcoal adsorbs phytotoxins produced by dwarf-shrubs, but due to it's chemical properties to a lesser extent than activated

  14. Comparing phenolics composition and antioxidant activities of different pomegranate products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wasila, H.; Li, X.; Liu, L.; Ahmad, I.

    2014-01-01

    The phenolics and antioxidant abilities of pomegranate juices (aril juice (aj) and aril-mesocarp-epicarp mixture juice (amej), by-product extracts (extract of aril-mesocarp-epicarp (eame) and rind extract (er) were determined and compared. The results showed no significant difference in phenolic compositions however ratio of phenolic constituent were found different. The total phenolics, total flavonoids and total tannins contents followed the order of er>eame>amej>aj, and total anthocyanins followed the trend eame>amej>aj>er. The total antioxidant, total reduction, abts o+ radical scavenging and dppho radical scavenging capacities followed the sequence r>aj>eame>amej, amej>er>eame>aj, er>amej>eame>aj and amej>er>aj>eame respectively. With the exception of abtso+ scavenging capacities, strongest antioxidant activity found in juices compared to their corresponding purified products. These data suggest that phenolics play a vital role in the composition and antioxidant activity of pomegranate products. (author)

  15. A comparative study of 232Th and 238U activity estimation in soil samples by gamma spectrometry and neutron activation analysis technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anilkumar, Rekha; Anilkumar, S.; Narayani, K.; Babu, D.A.R.; Sharma, D.N.

    2012-01-01

    Neutron activation analysis (NAA) is a well-established analytical technique. It has many advantages as compared to the other commonly used techniques. NAA can be performed in a variety of ways depending on the element, its activity level in the sample, interference from the sample matrix and other elements, etc. This technique is used to get high analytical sensitivity and low detection limits (ppm to ppb). The high sensitivity is due to the irradiation at high neutron flux available from the research reactors and the activity measurement is done using high resolution HPGe detectors. In this paper, the activity estimation of soil samples using neutron activation and direct gamma spectrometry methods are compared. Even though the weights of samples considered and samples preparation methods are different for these two methods, the estimated activity values are comparable. (author)

  16. Studies on the instrumental neutron activation analysis by cadmium ratio method and pair comparator method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chao, H E; Lu, W D; Wu, S C

    1977-12-01

    The cadmium ratio method and pair comparator method provide a solution for the effects on the effective activation factors resulting from the variation of neutron spectrum at different irradiation positions as usually encountered in the single comparator method. The relations between the activation factors and neutron spectrum in terms of cadmium ratio of the comparator Au or of the activation factor of Co-Au pair for the elements, Sc, Cr, Mn, Co, La, Ce, Sm, and Th have been determined. The activation factors of the elements at any irradiation position can then be obtained from the cadmium ratio of the comparator and/or the activation factor of the comparator pair. The relations determined should be able to apply to different reactors and/or different positions of a reactor. It is shown that, for the isotopes /sup 46/Sc, /sup 51/Cr, /sup 56/Mn, /sup 60/Co, /sup 140/La, /sup 141/Ce, /sup 153/Sm and /sup 233/Pa, the thermal neutron activation factors determined by these two methods were generally in agreement with theoretical values. Their I/sub 0//sigma/sub th/ values appeared to agree with literature values also. The methods were applied to determine the contents of elements Sc, Cr, Mn, La, Ce, Sm, and Th in U.S.G.S. Standard Rock G-2, and the results were also in agreement with literature values. The cadmium ratio method and pair comparator method improved the single comparator method, and they are more suitable to analysis for multi-elements of a large number of samples.

  17. A Comparative Study on the Antioxidant Activity of Commonly Used South Asian Herbs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Viduranga Waisundara

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The antioxidant activities of curry leaves, fenugreek seeds, Indian malabar leaves, red silk cotton tree leaves, cowitch leaves, holyfruit tree leaves, and black mustard seeds were compared. Their effects on reactive oxygen species (ROS and superoxide dismutase (SOD activity were investigated. The Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC assay determined the antioxidant potential of the extracts, while the ROS scavenging ability was explored in hyperglycemia-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs. The SOD assay determined if the extracts stimulated the enzyme activity in the HUVECs. Curry leaf and fenugreek extracts had high ORAC values and superior free radical scavenging abilities compared with the rest of the extracts. The curry leaf extract had also increased the SOD activity. Fenugreek extract had not increased the SOD activity of the HUVECs. Thus, the two herbs displayed two distinct pathways of action for scavenging of ROS.

  18. Comparing Role-Playing Activities in Second Life and Face-to-Face Environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Fei; Noh, Jeongmin J.; Koehler, Matthew J.

    2009-01-01

    This study compared student performances in role-playing activities in both a face-to-face (FTF) environment and a virtual 3D environment, Second Life (SL). We found that students produced a similar amount of communication in the two environments, but the communication styles were different. In SL role-playing activities, students took more…

  19. Growth inhibition of human breast cancer cells and down-regulation of ODC1 and ADA genes by Nepeta binaloudensis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akbar Safipour Afshar

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Nepeta binaloudensis Jamzad, Lamiaceae, is a rare medicinal plant endemic to Iran. In spite of many studies about the chemical constituents and antibacterial effects of this species, no report has been provided about its cytotoxic and anticancer activities. In this study we have evaluated the effects of EtOH 70%, hexane and aqueous extracts of N. binaloudensis on the cell proliferation and n-hexane extract on the expression of adenosine deaminase and ornithine decarboxylase 1 genes in breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 compared to non-cancer line (MCF-10A. The cell lines were subjected to increasing doses of the extracts ranging from 10 to 320 µg/ml. Cell viability was quantified by MTS assay. Expression of adenosine deaminase and ornithine decarboxylase 1 genes was analyzed by real time PCR. N. binaloudensis inhibited the growth of malignant cells in a time and dose-dependent manner. Among extracts of N. binaloudensis, the hexane extract was found to be more toxic compared to other extracts. Results showed a marked decrease in the expression of ornithine decarboxylase 1 and adenosine deaminase genes in cancer cell lines. At 60 µg/ml concentration of N. binaloudensis hexane extract ornithine decarboxylase 1 and adenosine deaminase mRNA expression were reduced 4.9 fold and 3.5 fold in MCF-7 cell line and 3.6 fold and 2.6 fold in MDA-MB-231 cell line compared to control, respectively. The result of our study highlights the potential influences of N. binaloudensis hexane extract on ornithine decarboxylase 1 and adenosine deaminase genes expression in breast cancer cells and its relation to inhibition of cancer cell growth.

  20. Comparing Book- and Tablet-Based Picture Activity Schedules: Acquisition and Preference.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giles, Aimee; Markham, Victoria

    2017-09-01

    Picture activity schedules consist of a sequence of images representing the order of tasks for a person to complete. Although, picture activity schedules have traditionally been presented in a book format, recently picture activity schedules have been evaluated on technological devices such as an iPod™ touch. The present study compared the efficiency of picture activity schedule acquisition on book- and tablet-based modalities. In addition, participant preference for each modality was assessed. Three boys aged below 5 years with a diagnosis of autism participated. Participants were taught to follow the schedules using both modalities. Following mastery of each modality of picture activity schedule, a concurrent-chains preference assessment was conducted to evaluate participant preference for each modality. Differences in acquisition rates across the two modalities were marginal. Preference for book- or tablet-based schedules was idiosyncratic across participants.

  1. Comparative studies of brain activation with MEG and functional MRI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    George, J.S.; Aine, C.J.; Sanders, J.A.; Lewine, J.D.; Caprihan, A.

    1993-01-01

    The past two years have witnessed the emergence of MRI as a functional imaging methodology. Initial demonstrations involved the injection of a paramagnetic contrast agent and required ultrafast echo planar imaging capability to adequately resolve the passage of the injected bolus. By measuring the local reduction in image intensity due to magnetic susceptibility, it was possible to calculate blood volume, which changes as a function of neural activation. Later developments have exploited endogenous contrast mechanisms to monitor changes in blood volume or in venous blood oxygen content. Recently, we and others have demonstrated that it is possible to make such measurements in a clinical imager, suggesting that the large installed base of such machines might be utilized for functional imaging. Although it is likely that functional MRI (fMRI) will subsume some of the clinical and basic neuroscience applications now touted for MEG, it is also clear that these techniques offer different largely complementary, capabilities. At the very least, it is useful to compare and cross-validate the activation maps produced by these techniques. Such studies will be valuable as a check on results of neuromagnetic distributed current reconstructions and will allow better characterization of the relationship between neurophysiological activation and associated hemodynamic changes. A more exciting prospect is the development of analyses that combine information from the two modalities to produce a better description of underlying neural activity than is possible with either technique in isolation. In this paper we describe some results from initial comparative studies and outline several techniques that can be used to treat MEG and fMRI data within a unified computational framework

  2. Comparative study on the electrocatalytic activities of ordered mesoporous carbons and graphene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Huan; Qi Bin; Lu Baoping; Bo Xiangjie; Guo Liping

    2011-01-01

    In this work, a comparative study on the electrocatalytic activities of ordered mesoporous carbons (OMCs) and graphene (GR) is presented. Using voltammetry and amperometry as detection methods, four DNA bases, double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), six important electroactive compounds and various biomolecules were employed to investigate their electrochemical responses on OMC and GR modified glassy carbon electrodes (OMC/GCE and GR/GCE). The results show that OMC/GCE enhances the electron transfer kinetics of these compounds compared to GR/GCE. The discrepancy in electrochemical activities can be attributed to the different microstructures of OMC and GR, which were examined by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectra, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectra and nitrogen adsorption-desorption.

  3. Energy expenditure of sedentary screen time compared with active screen time for children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lanningham-Foster, Lorraine; Jensen, Teresa B; Foster, Randal C; Redmond, Aoife B; Walker, Brian A; Heinz, Dieter; Levine, James A

    2006-12-01

    We examined the effect of activity-enhancing screen devices on children's energy expenditure compared with performing the same activities while seated. Our hypothesis was that energy expenditure would be significantly greater when children played activity-promoting video games, compared with sedentary video games. Energy expenditure was measured for 25 children aged 8 to 12 years, 15 of whom were lean, while they were watching television seated, playing a traditional video game seated, watching television while walking on a treadmill at 1.5 miles per hour, and playing activity-promoting video games. Watching television and playing video games while seated increased energy expenditure by 20 +/- 13% and 22 +/- 12% above resting values, respectively. When subjects were walking on the treadmill and watching television, energy expenditure increased by 138 +/- 40% over resting values. For the activity-promoting video games, energy expenditure increased by 108 +/- 40% with the EyeToy (Sony Computer Entertainment) and by 172 +/- 68% with Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix 2 (Konami Digital Entertainment). Energy expenditure more than doubles when sedentary screen time is converted to active screen time. Such interventions might be considered for obesity prevention and treatment.

  4. A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE ACTIVITY OF ALANIN-AMINOTRANSFERASE IN HYPOPHTHALMICHTHYS MOLITRIX AND ARISTICHTHYS NOBILIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriela Vasile

    2006-08-01

    Full Text Available The present paper represents a comparative study on the activity of one aminotransferase - alaninaminotransferase, in the digestive tube of Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (silver carp and Aristichthys nobilis (bighead carp. The enzymatic activity has been determined colorimetrically, with 2, 4 - dinitrophenyl hydrazine, the results obtained being expressed as UE / g / min. It was observed that, comparatively with the alanin-aminotransferase activity recorded in silver carp, in the case of bighead carp, the values recorded are much lower.

  5. Agmatine Production by Aspergillus oryzae is Elevated by Low pH During Solid-State Cultivation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akasaka, Naoki; Kato, Saori; Kato, Saya; Hidese, Ryota; Wagu, Yutaka; Sakoda, Hisao; Fujiwara, Shinsuke

    2018-05-25

    Sake (rice wine) produced by multiple parallel fermentation (MPF) involving Aspergillus oryzae (strain RW) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae under solid-state cultivation conditions contained 3.5 mM agmatine, while that produced from enzymatically saccharified rice syrup by S. cerevisiae contained oryzae under solid-state cultivation (3.1 mM) but not under submerged cultivation, demonstrating that A. oryzae in solid-state culture produces agmatine. The effect of cultivation conditions on agmatine production was examined. Agmatine production was boosted at 30°C and reached the highest level (6.3 mM) at pH 5.3. The addition of l-lactic, succinic, and citric acids reduced the initial culture pH to 3.0, 3.5, and 3.2, respectively, resulting in further increase in agmatine accumulation (8.2, 8.7, and 8.3 mM, respectively). Homogenate from a solid-state culture exhibited a maximum l-arginine decarboxylase (ADC) activity (74 pmol min -1 μg -1 ) at pH 3.0 at 30°C; that from a submerged culture exhibited an extremely low activity (oryzae , even though A. oryzae lacks ADC orthologs and, instead, possesses four ornithine decarboxylases (ODC1-4). Recombinant ODC1 and ODC2 exhibited no ADC activity at acidic pH (pH 4.0>), suggesting that other decarboxylases or an unidentified ADC is involved in agmatine production. IMPORTANCE It has been speculated that, in general, fungi do not synthesize agmatine from l-arginine because they do not possess genes encoding for arginine decarboxylase. Numerous preclinical studies have shown that agmatine exerts pleiotropic effects on various molecular targets, leading to an improved quality of life. In the present study, we first demonstrated that l-arginine was a feasible substrate for agmatine production by the fungus Aspergillus oryzae RW. We observed that the productivity of agmatine by A. oryzae RW was elevated at low pH only during solid-state cultivation. A. oryzae is utilized in the production of various oriental fermented foods. The

  6. Evolving Identification of Blood Cells Associated with Clinically Isolated Syndrome: Importance of Time since Clinical Presentation and Diagnostic MRI.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trend, Stephanie; Jones, Anderson P; Geldenhuys, Sian; Byrne, Scott N; Fabis-Pedrini, Marzena J; Nolan, David; Booth, David R; Carroll, William M; Lucas, Robyn M; Kermode, Allan G; Hart, Prue H

    2017-06-15

    It is not clear how the profile of immune cells in peripheral blood differs between patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and healthy controls (HC). This study aimed to identify a CIS peripheral blood signature that may provide clues for potential immunomodulatory approaches early in disease. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected from 18 people with CIS, 19 HC and 13 individuals with other demyelinating conditions (ODC) including multiple sclerosis (MS). Individuals with CIS separated into two groups, namely those with early (≤14 days post-diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); n = 6) and late (≥27 days; n = 12) blood sampling. Transitional B cells were increased in the blood of CIS patients independently of when blood was taken. However, there were two time-dependent effects found in the late CIS group relative to HC, including decreased CD56bright NK cells, which correlated significantly with time since MRI, and increased CD141+ myeloid dendritic cell (mDC2) frequencies. Higher CD1c+ B cells and lower non-classical monocyte frequencies were characteristic of more recent demyelinating disease activity (ODC and early CIS). Analysing cell populations by time since symptoms (subjective) and diagnostic MRI (objective) may contribute to understanding CIS.

  7. Sultanate of Oman: building a dental workforce.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallagher, Jennifer E; Manickam, Sivakumar; Wilson, Nairn H F

    2015-06-22

    A medium- and long-term perspective is required in human resource development to ensure that future needs and demands for oral healthcare are met by the most appropriate health professionals. This paper presents a case study of the Sultanate of Oman, one of the Gulf States with a current population of 3.8 million, which has initiated dental training through the creation of a dental college. The objectives of this paper are first to describe trends in the dental workforce in Oman from 1990 to date and compare the dental workforce with its medical counterparts in Oman and with other countries, and second, to consider future dental workforce in the Sultanate. Data were collected from published sources, including the Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Manpower (MoM), and Ministry of National Economy (MoNE)-Sultanate of Oman; the World Health Organization (WHO); World Bank; and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Dentist-to-population ratios were compared nationally, regionally and globally for medicine and dentistry. Dental graduate outputs were mapped onto the local supply. Future trends were examined using population growth predictions, exploring the expected impact in relation to global, regional and European workforce densities. Population growth in Oman is increasing at a rate of over 2% per year. Oman has historically been dependent upon an expatriate dental workforce with only 24% of the dentist workforce Omani in 2010 (n = 160). Subsequent to Oman Dental College (ODC) starting to qualify dental (BDS) graduates in 2012, there is an increase in the annual growth of the dentist workforce. On the assumption that all future dental graduates from ODC have an opportunity to practise in Oman, ODC graduates will boost the annual Omani dentist growth rate starting at 28% per annum from 2012 onwards, building capacity towards global (n = 1711) and regional levels (Gulf State: n = 2167) in the medium term. The output of dental graduates from Oman Dental College is

  8. Comparative study of selenite adsorption on carbon based adsorbents and activated alumina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jegadeesan, G; Mondal, K; Lalvani, S B

    2003-08-01

    The sorption characteristics of carbon-based adsorbents such as activated carbon and chitin for the removal of selenite, Se (IV), an anionic, hazardous contaminant, are compared with those of alpha and gamma alumina. Batch experiments were conducted to determine the influence of pH, concentration of adsorbate, adsorbent loading and temperature on the sorption characteristics of the adsorbents. Generally, low pH of the solution resulted in favorable selenium removal. With the exception of activated carbon, uptakes decreased with increase in temperature. In comparison, chitin was found to be far less effective for the removal of Se (IV) from aqueous solutions. The data also showed that gamma alumina provided higher selenium removal percentages (99%) compared to alpha alumina (94%), activated carbon (87%) and chitin (49%). The selenite removal was found to decrease with increasing initial Se (IV) concentration in the solution. Adsorption capacities of the adsorbents are reported in terms of their Langmuir adsorption isotherms. The adsorption capacity (on unit mass basis) of the adsorbents for selenite is in the order: chitin (specific area (sa) = 9.58 m2 g(-1)) activated carbon (sa = 96.37 m2 g(-1)) < alpha alumina (sa = 6 m2 g(-1)) < gamma alumina (sa = 150 m2 g(-1)).

  9. Time-driven activity based costing: a comparative study with the activity based costing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina Battistella Luna

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The activity-based costing (ABC emerged in the 1980s to meet the new necessities of cost information facing companies, the result of continuous changes in the business environment. In the 2000s, a new costing method, known as time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC was introduced in order to simplify the ABC. This paper compares these methods in order to provide information to assist managers to decide which of these methods better suits the reality of their companies. Therefore, they were analyzed based on information obtained through a systematic search in the Scopus and Web of Knowledge databases, as well as papers from the annals of the Congresso Brasileiro de Custos, Congresso de Controladoria e Contabilidade da USP and Encontro Nacional de Engenharia de Produção (considering scientific papers published between 2004 and 2016. From this analysis, in most cases it was concluded that TDABC is a simpler and more practical option than ABC. However, it was also apparent that managers, before choosing a particular method, must verify whether the conditions that enable its applicability exist.

  10. Comparative study of the in vitro activity of a new fluoroquinolone, ABT-492.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harnett, S J; Fraise, A P; Andrews, J M; Jevons, G; Brenwald, N P; Wise, R

    2004-05-01

    The in vitro activity of a new fluoroquinolone, ABT-492, was determined. MICs were compared with those of two beta-lactams, telithromycin, ciprofloxacin and four later generation fluoroquinolones. The effects of human serum and of inoculum concentration were also investigated. MIC data indicate that ABT-492 has potent activity against Gram-positive organisms with enhanced anti-staphylococcal activity compared with earlier fluoroquinolones, in addition to activity against beta-haemolytic streptococci, pneumococci including penicillin- and fluoroquinolone-resistant strains and vancomycin-susceptible and -resistant Enterococcus faecalis but not Enterococcus faecium. ABT-492 was the most active agent tested against Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Neisseria meningitidis, fluoroquinolone-susceptible Neisseria gonorrhoeae and anaerobes. Good activity was observed for ABT-492 amongst the Enterobacteriaceae and anaerobes tested, but ciprofloxacin showed superior activity for species of Proteus, Morganella and Providencia, as well as for Pseudomonas spp. In common with the other fluoroquinolones tested, organisms with reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin had raised MIC(90)s to ABT-492. The one isolate of H. influenzae tested with reduced fluoroquinolone susceptibility had an ABT-492 MIC close to that of the population lacking a mechanism of quinolone resistance. ABT-492 was more active than ciprofloxacin against Chlamydia spp. An inoculum effect was observed with a number of isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, E. faecium, Klebsiella spp. and Escherichia coli, in addition to moderately raised MICs in the presence of 70% serum protein. The clinical significance of these findings is yet to be determined. ABT-492 is a new fluoroquinolone with excellent activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms, with many potential clinical uses.

  11. Effect of sulfasalazine on human neuroblastoma: analysis of sepiapterin reductase (SPR) as a new therapeutic target

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yco, Lisette P.; Geerts, Dirk; Mocz, Gabor; Koster, Jan; Bachmann, André S.

    2015-01-01

    Neuroblastoma (NB) is an aggressive childhood malignancy in children up to 5 years of age. High-stage tumors frequently relapse even after aggressive multimodal treatment, and then show therapy resistance, typically resulting in patient death. New molecular-targeted compounds that effectively suppress tumor growth and prevent relapse with more efficacy are urgently needed. We and others previously showed that polyamines (PA) like spermidine and spermine are essential for NB tumorigenesis and that DFMO, an inhibitor of the key PA synthesis gene product ODC, is effective both in vitro and in vivo, securing its evaluation in NB clinical trials. To find additional compounds interfering with PA biosynthesis, we tested sulfasalazine (SSZ), an FDA-approved salicylate-based anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory drug, recently identified to inhibit sepiapterin reductase (SPR). We earlier presented evidence for a physical interaction between ODC and SPR and we showed that RNAi-mediated knockdown of SPR expression significantly reduced native ODC enzyme activity and impeded NB cell proliferation. Human NB mRNA expression datasets in the public domain were analyzed using the R2 platform. Cell viability, isobologram, and combination index analyses as a result of SSZ treatment with our without DFMO were carried out in NB cell cultures. Molecular protein-ligand docking was achieved using the GRAMM algorithm. Statistical analyses were performed with the Kruskal-Wallis test, 2log Pearson test, and Student’s t test. In this study, we show the clinical relevance of SPR in human NB tumors. We found that high SPR expression is significantly correlated to unfavorable NB characteristics like high age at diagnosis, MYCN amplification, and high INSS stage. SSZ inhibits the growth of NB cells in vitro, presumably due to the inhibition of SPR as predicted by computational docking of SSZ into SPR. Importantly, the combination of SSZ with DFMO produces synergistic antiproliferative effects

  12. Effect of sulfasalazine on human neuroblastoma: analysis of sepiapterin reductase (SPR) as a new therapeutic target.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yco, Lisette P; Geerts, Dirk; Mocz, Gabor; Koster, Jan; Bachmann, André S

    2015-06-21

    Neuroblastoma (NB) is an aggressive childhood malignancy in children up to 5 years of age. High-stage tumors frequently relapse even after aggressive multimodal treatment, and then show therapy resistance, typically resulting in patient death. New molecular-targeted compounds that effectively suppress tumor growth and prevent relapse with more efficacy are urgently needed. We and others previously showed that polyamines (PA) like spermidine and spermine are essential for NB tumorigenesis and that DFMO, an inhibitor of the key PA synthesis gene product ODC, is effective both in vitro and in vivo, securing its evaluation in NB clinical trials. To find additional compounds interfering with PA biosynthesis, we tested sulfasalazine (SSZ), an FDA-approved salicylate-based anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory drug, recently identified to inhibit sepiapterin reductase (SPR). We earlier presented evidence for a physical interaction between ODC and SPR and we showed that RNAi-mediated knockdown of SPR expression significantly reduced native ODC enzyme activity and impeded NB cell proliferation. Human NB mRNA expression datasets in the public domain were analyzed using the R2 platform. Cell viability, isobologram, and combination index analyses as a result of SSZ treatment with our without DFMO were carried out in NB cell cultures. Molecular protein-ligand docking was achieved using the GRAMM algorithm. Statistical analyses were performed with the Kruskal-Wallis test, 2log Pearson test, and Student's t test. In this study, we show the clinical relevance of SPR in human NB tumors. We found that high SPR expression is significantly correlated to unfavorable NB characteristics like high age at diagnosis, MYCN amplification, and high INSS stage. SSZ inhibits the growth of NB cells in vitro, presumably due to the inhibition of SPR as predicted by computational docking of SSZ into SPR. Importantly, the combination of SSZ with DFMO produces synergistic antiproliferative effects

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Çatikkas, Fatih

    2017-01-01

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

  14. Development Of The Computer Code For Comparative Neutron Activation Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Purwadi, Mohammad Dhandhang

    2001-01-01

    The qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis with Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) is an importance utilization of a nuclear research reactor, and this should be accelerated and promoted in application and its development to raise the utilization of the reactor. The application of Comparative NAA technique in GA Siwabessy Multi Purpose Reactor (RSG-GAS) needs special (not commercially available yet) soft wares for analyzing the spectrum of multiple elements in the analysis at once. The application carried out using a single spectrum software analyzer, and comparing each result manually. This method really degrades the quality of the analysis significantly. To solve the problem, a computer code was designed and developed for comparative NAA. Spectrum analysis in the code is carried out using a non-linear fitting method. Before the spectrum analyzed, it was passed to the numerical filter which improves the signal to noise ratio to do the deconvolution operation. The software was developed using the G language and named as PASAN-K The testing result of the developed software was benchmark with the IAEA spectrum and well operated with less than 10 % deviation

  15. L-Arginine metabolism in cardiovascular and renal tissue from hyper- and hypothyroid rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez-Gómez, Isabel; Moliz, Juan N; Quesada, Andrés; Montoro-Molina, Sebastian; Vargas-Tendero, Pablo; Osuna, Antonio; Wangensteen, Rosemary; Vargas, Félix

    2016-03-01

    This study assessed the effects of thyroid hormones on the enzymes involved in l-arginine metabolism and the metabolites generated by the different metabolic pathways. Compounds of l-arginine metabolism were measured in the kidney, heart, aorta, and liver of euthyroid, hyperthyroid, and hypothyroid rats after 6 weeks of treatment. Enzymes studied were NOS isoforms (neuronal [nNOS], inducible [iNOS], and endothelial [eNOS]), arginases I and II, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), ornithine aminotransferase (OAT), and l-arginine decarboxylase (ADC). Metabolites studied were l-arginine, l-citrulline, spermidine, spermine, and l-proline. Kidney heart and aorta levels of eNOS and iNOS were augmented and reduced (P hyperthyroid rats and was decreased in kidney and aorta of hypothyroid rats (P hyperthyroid rats and remained unchanged in all organs of hypothyroid rats. The substrate for these enzymes, l-arginine, was reduced (P hyperthyroid rats. Levels of ODC and spermidine, its product, were increased and decreased (P metabolic pathways. The changes recorded in the abundance of eNOS, arginases I and II, and ADC protein in renal and cardiovascular tissues may play a role in the hemodynamic and renal manifestations observed in thyroid disorders. Furthermore, the changes in ODC and spermidine might contribute to the changes in cardiac and renal mass observed in thyroid disorders. © 2015 by the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.

  16. Comparative study on economic security of enterprises depending on implemented business activities quantity

    OpenAIRE

    Shkarina Tatyana; Chudnova Olga; Mokhova Olga

    2017-01-01

    The results of a comparative study on economic security of enterprises depending on the quantity of business activities are published in the article. The sampling for analysis was conducted based on statistic data of Primorsky Region of the Russian Federation. The control points are the years of the most thorough data collection on the business activities of one-field and diversified enterprises: 2005, 2009, 2013, 2015.

  17. Comparative study of cellulolytic activity of three rumen fungi on different substrates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atanasova-Pančevska Natalija

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Anaerobic chytridiomycete fungi are found in the gastrointestinal tracts of many domesticated ruminant and nonruminant herbivores and of a wide variety of wild herbivorous mammals. They produce high levels of cellulases and hemicellulases; these enzymes are regulated by substrate (especially soluble sugars available to the organisms. The aim of this paper was to do a comparative study of cellulolytic activity of three rumen fungi on carboxymethyl cellulose and Avicel. The capacity of enzymes was determined by monitoring the growth on carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC and Avicel. Enzyme activity was detected extracellularly in culture supernatants after vegetative growth. All of the isolates degraded CMC and avicel, and exhibited cellulolytic activities (carboxymethyl cellulose-(CMC-ase and avicelase.

  18. The ACTIVATE study: results from a group-randomized controlled trial comparing a traditional worksite health promotion program with an activated consumer program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terry, Paul E; Fowles, Jinnet Briggs; Xi, Min; Harvey, Lisa

    2011-01-01

    PURPOSE. This study compares a traditional worksite-based health promotion program with an activated consumer program and a control program DESIGN. Group randomized controlled trial with 18-month intervention. SETTING. Two large Midwestern companies. SUBJECTS. Three hundred and twenty employees (51% response). INTERVENTION. The traditional health promotion intervention offered population-level campaigns on physical activity, nutrition, and stress management. The activated consumer intervention included population-level campaigns for evaluating health information, choosing a health benefits plan, and understanding the risks of not taking medications as prescribed. The personal development intervention (control group) offered information on hobbies. The interventions also offered individual-level coaching for high risk individuals in both active intervention groups. MEASURES. Health risk status, general health status, consumer activation, productivity, and the ability to evaluate health information. ANALYSIS. Multivariate analyses controlled for baseline differences among the study groups. RESULTS. At the population level, compared with baseline performance, the traditional health promotion intervention improved health risk status, consumer activation, and the ability to recognize reliable health websites. Compared with baseline performance, the activated consumer intervention improved consumer activation, productivity, and the ability to recognize reliable health websites. At the population level, however, only the activated consumer intervention improved any outcome more than the control group did; that outcome was consumer activation. At the individual level for high risk individuals, both traditional health coaching and activated consumer coaching positively affected health risk status and consumer activation. In addition, both coaching interventions improved participant ability to recognize a reliable health website. Consumer activation coaching also

  19. Comparative study on the copper activation and xanthate adsorption on sphalerite and marmatite surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jian; Wang, Yu; Luo, Deqiang; Chen, Luzheng; Deng, Jiushuai

    2018-05-01

    The copper activation and potassium butyl xanthate (PBX) adsorption on sphalerite and marmatite surfaces were comparatively investigated using in situ local electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (LEIS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and surface adsorption tests. Comparing the LEIS and surface adsorption results, it was found that the activation time is a key factor influencing the copper activation and PBX adsorption on marmatite surface, but it has a negligible influence on sphalerite. For a short activation time within 10 min, the Fe impurity in marmatite shows an adverse influence on the speed of Cu adsorption and ion exchange as well as on the subsequent PBX adsorption. For a long activation time of 30 min, the LEIS, ToF-SIMS and surface adsorption results suggested that the Fe impurity in marmatite enhances the copper adsorption, whereas such enhanced copper adsorption of marmatite cannot result in corresponding enhancing of PBX adsorption. DFT result showed that the Fe impurity in marmatite has harmful influence on the PBX interaction with the Cu-activated surface by increasing the interaction energy. ToF-SIMS result further indicated that the Cu distribution in the outermost surface of marmatite is less than that of the sphalerite, which also results in the less PBX adsorption for the marmatite.

  20. Web catalog of oceanographic data using GeoNetwork

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marinova, Veselka; Stefanov, Asen

    2017-04-01

    Most of the data collected, analyzed and used by Bulgarian oceanographic data center (BgODC) from scientific cruises, argo floats, ferry boxes and real time operating systems are spatially oriented and need to be displayed on the map. The challenge is to make spatial information more accessible to users, decision makers and scientists. In order to meet this challenge, BgODC concentrate its efforts on improving dynamic and standardized access to their geospatial data as well as those from various related organizations and institutions. BgODC currently is implementing a project to create a geospatial portal for distributing metadata and search, exchange and harvesting spatial data. There are many open source software solutions able to create such spatial data infrastructure (SDI). Finally, the GeoNetwork open source is chosen, as it is already widespread. This software is free, effective and "cheap" solution for implementing SDI at organization level. It is platform independent and runs under many operating systems. Filling of the catalog goes through these practical steps: • Managing and storing data reliably within MS SQL spatial data base; • Registration of maps and data of various formats and sources in GeoServer (most popular open source geospatial server embedded with GeoNetwork) ; • Filling added meta data and publishing geospatial data at the desktop of GeoNetwork. GeoServer and GeoNetwork are based on Java so they require installing of a servlet engine like Tomcat. The experience gained from the use of GeoNetwork Open Source confirms that the catalog meets the requirements for data management and is flexible enough to customize. Building the catalog facilitates sustainable data exchange between end users. The catalog is a big step towards implementation of the INSPIRE directive due to availability of many features necessary for producing "INSPIRE compliant" metadata records. The catalog now contains all available GIS data provided by BgODC for Internet

  1. Comparative Study of the Analgesic Activity of Two Iraqi Medicinal Plants, Ruta graveolens and Matricaria chamomilla Extracts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saad Abdulrahman Hussain

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Aims: The study was performed to compare the analgesic activity of different fractions of the extracts of Ruta graveolens and Matricaria chamomilla. Materials and Methods: The plant materials were extracted with 70% ethanol, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. The ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions of each plant were evaporated to dryness and analyzed by HPLC. The analgesic activity of these extracts was evaluated using writhing reflex test and compared with that produced by a standard drug (Diclofenac sodium. Results: Flavonoids were found in all fractions of both plants (i.e ethyl acetate and n-butanol, while trace of alkaloids in were found in the ethyl acetate fraction of Ruta. The prepared extracts showed better analgesic activity than the standard drug; when compared with each other, Matricaria extracts showed better analgesic activity compared to Ruta extracts. Conclusion: There is similar efficacy of chamomile and common rue as analgesic agents. [J Intercult Ethnopharmacol 2012; 1(2.000: 79-83

  2. Comparative analysis of competitive activity parameters of amateur boxers high qualification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V.P. Martsiv

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose : analyze competitive activity of boxers of high qualifications in different time periods in the development of boxing. Material : 142 analyzed boxing matches at the Olympic Games 2012. Results : present indicators of competitive activity of boxers. Shows the comparative characteristics of the battles that took place under different formulas of competitive activity in different periods of the development of amateur boxing. It is shown that increasing the skills of athletes appear to increase the density of hits in combat. As a result of innovations in the rules of the competition, boxing match was different higher intensity combat, attacking actions began to perform at a higher speed mode. Conclusions : As a result of the transition to the new formula of fighting to increase the density of the match. Also a 3-fold increase in the number of strikes indicator, surviving on target. Increased efficiency factor strikes, which leads to the expansion of effective technical and tactical actions.

  3. The comparative effectiveness of a team-based versus group-based physical activity intervention for cancer survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carter, Cindy L; Onicescu, Georgiana; Cartmell, Kathleen B; Sterba, Katherine R; Tomsic, James; Alberg, Anthony J

    2012-08-01

    Physical activity benefits cancer survivors, but the comparative effectiveness of a team-based delivery approach remains unexplored. The hypothesis tested was that a team-based physical activity intervention delivery approach has added physical and psychological benefits compared to a group-based approach. A team-based sport accessible to survivors is dragon boating, which requires no previous experience and allows for diverse skill levels. In a non-randomized trial, cancer survivors chose between two similarly structured 8-week programs, a dragon boat paddling team (n = 68) or group-based walking program (n = 52). Three separate intervention rounds were carried out in 2007-2008. Pre-post testing measured physical and psychosocial outcomes. Compared to walkers, paddlers had significantly greater (all p team cohesion, program adherence/attendance, and increased upper-body strength. For quality-of-life outcomes, both interventions were associated with pre-post improvements, but with no clear-cut pattern of between-intervention differences. These hypothesis-generating findings suggest that a short-term, team-based physical activity program (dragon boat paddling) was associated with increased cohesion and adherence/attendance. Improvements in physical fitness and psychosocial benefits were comparable to a traditional, group-based walking program. Compared to a group-based intervention delivery format, the team-based intervention delivery format holds promise for promoting physical activity program adherence/attendance in cancer survivors.

  4. Metal-Detergent/Cleaner Compatibility

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Hindin, Barry

    1994-01-01

    ...) such as CFC-1 13 or 1,1,1 Trichioroethane (TCA) in their cleaning and degreasing procedures. During the last few years, AGMC has been evaluating alternative, environmentally acceptable chemicals to replace their ODC cleaners...

  5. A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF LIPID PROFILE IN SEDENTARY AND ACTIVE ADULT FEMALES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suhasini Sanda

    2018-11-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Lipids and lipoproteins are essential constituents of the body and their activities assist in maintenance of body homeostasis. Sedentary lifestyle has been shown to lead to inactivity, which could lead to lipid disorders. Hyperlipidaemias is one of the major independent risk factor, which affects the cardiovascular system adversely resulting eventually damage to various organs most notably heart, kidneys and brain. The present study is therefore designed to ascertain the effect of sedentary lifestyle on lipid status of sedentary adult females when compared to that of the lipid status of active adult females. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present study comprised of Group I - 50 sedentary adult females and Group II - 50 active adult females aged between 30 to 60 years. The subjects selected in both groups were matched for age and dietary habits. The subjects with hypertension, diabetes, smokers, pregnancy and subjects with Body Mass Index (BMI greater than 30 are excluded. After overnight fasting of 12 to 14 hours, 5 mL of blood is collected from the subjects and fasting Total Serum Cholesterol (TC, Total Serum Triglycerides (TG, HDL cholesterol (HDL-C, LDL cholesterol (LDL-C and total serum cholesterol/HDL-C ratio are measured and data is statistically analysed. RESULTS The evaluation of lipid profile patterns in above subjects showed hypercholesterolaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia, increased LDLC and total serum cholesterol/HDL-C ratio in sedentary adult females and also decreased HDL-C levels in them when compared to the normal healthy lipid profile patterns in active adult females. A statistically significant increased lipid profiles (P-value <0.001 was observed in the sedentary adult females than in active adult females. CONCLUSION This study shows that sedentary lifestyle predisposes to hyperlipidaemias, one of the major risk factor of cardiovascular disease and lack of exercise worsens the situation.

  6. Depth-based human activity recognition: A comparative perspective study on feature extraction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heba Hamdy Ali

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Depth Maps-based Human Activity Recognition is the process of categorizing depth sequences with a particular activity. In this problem, some applications represent robust solutions in domains such as surveillance system, computer vision applications, and video retrieval systems. The task is challenging due to variations inside one class and distinguishes between activities of various classes and video recording settings. In this study, we introduce a detailed study of current advances in the depth maps-based image representations and feature extraction process. Moreover, we discuss the state of art datasets and subsequent classification procedure. Also, a comparative study of some of the more popular depth-map approaches has provided in greater detail. The proposed methods are evaluated on three depth-based datasets “MSR Action 3D”, “MSR Hand Gesture”, and “MSR Daily Activity 3D”. Experimental results achieved 100%, 95.83%, and 96.55% respectively. While combining depth and color features on “RGBD-HuDaAct” Dataset, achieved 89.1%. Keywords: Activity recognition, Depth, Feature extraction, Video, Human body detection, Hand gesture

  7. Comparative Study of Erythrina indica Lam. (Febaceae) Leaves Extracts for Antioxidant Activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakat, SS; Juvekar, AR

    2010-01-01

    The present study was designed to investigate the antioxidant activity of aqueous and methanol extracts of Erythrina indica Lam leaves by in vitro methods viz. 1, 1-Diphenyl-2-Picrylhydrazyl, nitric oxide radical scavenging activity, and inhibition of lipid peroxidation by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) method on isolated rat liver tissues. Quantitative analysis of antioxidative components like total amount of phenolics, flavonoids, and flavonols were estimated using the spectrophotometric method. Linear regression analysis was used to calculate the IC50 value. Results showed that the aqueous and methanol extracts exhibited significant DPPH radicals scavenging activity with an IC50 value 342.59 ± 19.59, 283.24 ± 12.28 µg/mL respectively. Nitric oxide radicals were significantly scavenged by the aqueous and methanol extracts (IC50 = 250.12 ± 10.66; 328.29 ± 3.74 µg/mL). Lipid peroxidation induced by the Fe2+ was inhibited by the aqueous extract with low IC50 value (97.29 ± 2.05 µg/mL) as compared to methanol extract (IC50 = 283.74 ± 5.70 µg/mL). Both the extracts were exhibited similar quantities of total phenolics. Total flavonoids were found to be in higher quantities than total flavonols in aqueous extract as compared to methanol extract. From the results, it is concluded that the aqueous and methanol extracts of E. indica leaves possesses significant antioxidant activity that may be due to the presence of flavonoids and related polyphenolic compounds. PMID:21331194

  8. Comparing responses to horticultural-based and traditional activities in dementia care programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jarrott, Shannon E; Gigliotti, Christina M

    2010-12-01

    Engaging persons with dementia in meaningful activities supports well-being; however, care staff are challenged to implement age- and ability-appropriate activities in a group setting. We compared a randomly assigned treatment group, who received horticultural therapy-based (HT-based) programming to a comparison group, who engaged in traditional activities (TA) programming, on engagement and affect. Horticultural therapy-based programming was implemented twice weekly at 4 treatment sites for 6 weeks, while regular TA were observed at comparison sites. Results revealed no differences between groups on affective domains. Levels of adaptive behavior differed between the groups, with the treatment group demonstrating higher levels of active, passive, and other engagement and the comparison group demonstrating higher levels of self-engagement. Our results highlight the value of HT-based programs and the importance of simultaneously capturing participants' affective and behavioral responses. Theoretical and practical considerations about the facilitation of and context in which the programming occurs are discussed.

  9. Prevention of short-term ultraviolet B radiation-mediated damages by resveratrol in SKH-1 hairless mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Afaq, Farrukh; Adhami, Vaqar Mustafa; Ahmad, Nihal

    2003-01-01

    Nonmelanoma skin cancer is the most common cancer among humans and solar UV radiation, particularly its UVB component (290-320 nm), is its major cause. One way to reduce the occurrence of the cancer is via the use of substances (often antioxidants) termed 'photochemopreventive agents'. Resveratrol (trans-3,4',5-trihydroxystilbene), a phytoalexin found in grapes, nuts, fruits, and red wine, is a potent antioxidant with strong anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative properties. This study was designed to examine whether resveratrol possesses the potential to ameliorate the damages caused by short-term UVB exposure to mouse skin. Single topical application of resveratrol (25 μmol/0.2 ml acetone per mouse) to SKH-1 hairless mice was found to result in significant inhibition of UVB (180 mJ/cm 2 )-mediated increase in bifold skin thickness and skin edema. The resveratrol treatment to mouse skin was also found to result in significant inhibition of UVB-mediated induction of cyclooxygenase and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) enzyme activities and protein expression of ODC, which are well-established markers for tumor promotion. We also observed that resveratrol inhibits UVB-mediated increased level of lipid peroxidation, a marker of oxidative stress. Taken together, our results suggest that resveratrol may afford substantial protection against the damages caused by UVB exposure, and these protective effects may be mediated via its antioxidant properties

  10. The Dysregulation of Polyamine Metabolism in Colorectal Cancer Is Associated with Overexpression of c-Myc and C/EBPβ rather than Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anastasiya V. Snezhkina

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. It is well known that the chronic inflammation can promote the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC. Recently, a number of studies revealed a potential association between colorectal inflammation, cancer progression, and infection caused by enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF. Bacterial enterotoxin activates spermine oxidase (SMO, which produces spermidine and H2O2 as byproducts of polyamine catabolism, which, in turn, enhances inflammation and tissue injury. Using qPCR analysis, we estimated the expression of SMOX gene and ETBF colonization in CRC patients. We found no statistically significant associations between them. Then we selected genes involved in polyamine metabolism, metabolic reprogramming, and inflammation regulation and estimated their expression in CRC. We observed overexpression of SMOX, ODC1, SRM, SMS, MTAP, c-Myc, C/EBPβ (CREBP, and other genes. We found that two mediators of metabolic reprogramming, inflammation, and cell proliferation c-Myc and C/EBPβ may serve as regulators of polyamine metabolism genes (SMOX, AZIN1, MTAP, SRM, ODC1, AMD1, and AGMAT as they are overexpressed in tumors, have binding site according to ENCODE ChIP-Seq data, and demonstrate strong coexpression with their targets. Thus, increased polyamine metabolism in CRC could be driven by c-Myc and C/EBPβ rather than ETBF infection.

  11. Comparing the Effects of Group and Home-based Physical Activity on Mental Health in the Elderly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mortazavi, Seyede Salehe; Shati, Mohsen; Ardebili, Hassan Eftekhar; Mohammad, Kazem; Beni, Reza Dorali; Keshteli, A H

    2013-11-01

    The present study focuses on comparing the effects of home-based (HB) and group-based (GB) physical activity on mental health in a sample of older adults in Shahr-e-kord. In this quasi-experimental study, a twice-weekly physical activity program for 2 months was provided either individually at home or in a group format for 181 people who were divided into two groups (HB and GB). The outcome, mental health, was measured with the 28-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Mental health status improved after participation in the physical activity program. The decrease in GHQ-28 total score in GB group, 3 months after intervention, was 3.61 ± 2.28 (P effects of GB physical activity on mental health compared with HB physical activity, adjusted for related baseline variables, were significant. These findings reveal the probable effects of GB rather than HB physical activity on mental health among the elderly.

  12. International Comparability of 131I, 201TI and 99mTc Activity Measurements performed in Cuban Nuclear Medicine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oropesa, P; Serra, R; Hernandez, A.T.; Varela, C

    2006-01-01

    This paper refers about the International Comparability of 131 I, 201 TI and 99m Tc Activity Measurements performed in Cuban Nuclear Medicine. Traceability of activity measurements in nuclear medicine based in two aspects: Comparability of clinic results and the safe and effective use of drugs. A bilateral international comparison for activity measurements CIEMAT CENTIS DMR was done. 2000-2004 National Program for 99m Tc 201 TI, 131 I vial and syringe measurements in radionuclide calibrators including a simulated test for activity administration. It is employed the Cause Effect Diagram for the activity measurement result of a source in the calibrator and the statistical methods for comparing several characteristics of the obtained data. The result of the comparisons demonstrates that the measurement quality has increased from one year to another

  13. Rivaroxaban limits complement activation compared with warfarin in antiphospholipid syndrome patients with venous thromboembolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arachchillage, D R J; Mackie, I J; Efthymiou, M; Chitolie, A; Hunt, B J; Isenberg, D A; Khamashta, M; Machin, S J; Cohen, H

    2016-11-01

    Essentials Complement activation has a pathogenic role in thrombotic antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Coagulation proteases such as factor Xa can activate complement proteins. Complement activation markers were elevated in anticoagulated thrombotic APS patients. Complement activation decreased in APS patients switching from warfarin to rivaroxaban. Background Complement activation may play a major role in the pathogenesis of thrombotic antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Coagulation proteases such as factor Xa can activate complement proteins. Aims To establish whether rivaroxaban, a direct factor Xa inhibitor, limits complement activation compared with warfarin in APS patients with previous venous thromboembolism (VTE). Methods A total of 111 APS patients with previous VTE, on warfarin target INR 2.5, had blood samples taken at baseline and at day 42 after randomization in the RAPS (Rivaroxaban in Antiphospholipid Syndrome) trial. Fifty-six patients remained on warfarin and 55 switched to rivaroxaban. Fifty-five normal controls (NC) were also studied. Markers of complement activation (C3a, C5a, terminal complement complex [SC5b-9] and Bb fragment) were assessed. Results APS patients had significantly higher complement activation markers compared with NC at both time-points irrespective of the anticoagulant. There were no differences between the two patient groups at baseline, or patients remaining on warfarin at day 42. In 55 patients randomized to rivaroxaban, C3a, C5a and SC5b-9 were lower at day 42 (median (ng mL -1 ) [confidence interval] 64 [29-125] vs. 83 [35-147], 9 [2-15] vs. 12 [4-18] and 171 [56-245] vs. 201 [66-350], respectively) but levels of Bb fragment were unchanged. There were no correlations between rivaroxaban levels and complement activation markers. Conclusions APS patients with previous VTE on warfarin exhibit increased complement activation, which is likely to occur via the classical pathway and is decreased by rivaroxaban administration

  14. Non-occupational physical activity levels of shift workers compared with non-shift workers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Loef, Bette; Hulsegge, Gerben; Wendel-Vos, G C Wanda; Verschuren, W M Monique; Vermeulen, Roel C H; Bakker, Marije F.; van der Beek, Allard J.; Proper, Karin I

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: Lack of physical activity (PA) has been hypothesised as an underlying mechanism in the adverse health effects of shift work. Therefore, our aim was to compare non-occupational PA levels between shift workers and non-shift workers. Furthermore, exposure-response relationships for

  15. Glucocorticoids and Polyamine Inhibitors Synergize to Kill Human Leukemic CEM Cells1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Aaron L; Johnson, Betty H; Medh, Rheem D; Townsend, Courtney M; Thompson, E Brad

    2002-01-01

    Abstract Glucocorticoids are well-known apoptotic agents in certain classes of lymphoid cell malignancies. Reduction of intracellular polyamine levels by use of inhibitors that block polyamine synthesis slows or inhibits growth of many cells in vitro. Several such inhibitors have shown efficacy in clinical trials, though the toxicity of some compounds has limited their usefulness. We have tested the effects of combinations of the glucocorticoid dexamethasone (Dex) and two polyamine inhibitors, difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and methyl glyoxal bis guanylhydrazone (MGBG), on the clonal line of human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells, CEM-C7-14. Dex alone kills these cells, though only after a delay of at least 24 hours. We also evaluated a partially glucocorticoid-resistant c-Myc-expressing CEM-C7-14 clone. We show that Dex downregulates ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine synthesis. Pretreatment with the ODC inhibitor DFMO, followed by addition of Dex, enhances steroid-evoked kill slightly. The combination of pretreatment with sublethal concentrations of both DFMO and the inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, MGBG, followed by addition of Dex, results in strong synergistic cell kill. Both the rapidity and extent of cell kill are enhanced compared to the effects of Dex alone. These results suggest that use of such combinations in vivo may result in apoptosis of malignant cells with lower overall toxicity. PMID:11922393

  16. Glucocorticoids and Polyamine Inhibitors Synergize to Kill Human Leukemic CEM Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aaron L. Miller

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available Glucocorticoids are well-known apoptotic agents in certain classes of lymphoid cell malignancies. Reduction of intracellular polyamine levels by use of inhibitors that block polyamine synthesis slows or inhibits growth of many cells in vitro. Several such inhibitors have shown efficacy in clinical trials, though the toxicity of some compounds has limited their usefulness. We have tested the effects of combinations of the glucocorticoid dexamethasone. (20Dex and two polyamine inhibitors, difluoromethylornithine. (20DFMO and methyl glyoxal bis guanylhydrazone. (20MGBG, on the clonal line of human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells, CEM-C7-14. Dex alone kills these cells, though only after a delay of at least 24 hours. We also evaluated a partially glucocorticoid-resistant c-Myc-expressing CEM-C7-14 clone. We show that Dex downregulates ornithine decarboxylase. (20ODC, the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine synthesis. Pretreatment with the ODC inhibitor DFMO, followed by addition of Dex, enhances steroid-evoked kill slightly. The combination of pretreatment with sublethal concentrations of both DFMO and the inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, MGBG, followed by addition of Dex, results in strong synergistic cell kill. Both the rapidity and extent of cell kill are enhanced compared to the effects of Dex alone. These results suggest that use of such combinations in vivo may result in apoptosis of malignant cells with lower overall toxicity.

  17. [Effect of almitrine administered by the oral route on levels of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate and on the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen in healthy subjects].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clerbaux, T; Frans, A

    1985-02-01

    Clinical and pharmacological studies have shown that almitrine increased arterial blood oxygen partial pressure (PaO2) and tissular oxygenation. We have verified whether this drug could also increase the 2,3 diphosphoglycerate (DPG) level and so modify the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve (ODC). Determinations performed 3 hours and 5 days after daily oral administration (1,5 mg/kg) of the drug showed no alterations of DPG and ODC in normal subjects. The presence of almitrine does not explain the observed PaO2 increase by means of a direct effect on the hemoglobin oxygen affinity. However, one cannot exclude almitrine long term effect; indeed, after 15 days, DPG levels and Hill coefficient increased significantly (p less than 0.05) but no the P50 (respectively + 1,5 mumole/gHb; +0.1 and 26.0 vs 26.5 mmHg).

  18. Comparative study of destructive and non-destructive methods in the activation analysis of rocks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vasconcellos, M.B.A.

    1978-01-01

    A comparative study between non-destructive thermal neutron activation analysis and activation analysis with radiochemical group separation is made Both methods are applied to the determination of trace elements minor and major elements in rocks. The treatment of the rocks, with special reference to the problems related to grinding and contamination by foreign elements is described. The choice of standards for multielement trace activation analysis is discussed. Two types of computer programs for the evalution of data obtained through Ge-li detector counting are used. All the phases of the destructive and non destructive analysis are described. In the destructive analysis, an adaptation of the group separation scheme developed by Morrison et al for the activation analysis of geological samples is made. The changes introduced make the radiochemical separation simpler and more rapid. Both destructive and non destructive methods are tested by means of the analysis of the United States Geological Survey standard rock AGV-1, which has been analysed by many authors. The same procedure is then applied to some alcaline rocks taken from the apatite mine of Jacupiranga, in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The knowledge of the trace element concentration in these rocks is important for geochemical studies. A detailed study of the possible interferences encountered in the neutron activation analysis of these rocks is made, considering the interferences due to major activities, and to the proximity of the several gamma ray energies of the radioisotopes produced. Finally, the comparative study between the two methods is presented, using statistical tests for the quantitative evalution of results. (Author) [pt

  19. Physical Activity in Boys With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Is Lower and Less Demanding Compared to Healthy Boys

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Heutinck, L.B.; Kampen, N. van; Jansen, M.; Groot, I.J.M. de

    2017-01-01

    This study describes the amount of physical activity and perception of physical activity in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) compared to healthy boys. A questionnaire described 6 domains of physical activity. Four Duchenne muscular dystrophy subgroups were made: early and late ambulatory,

  20. A comparative study of 232Th and 238U activity estimation in soil samples by gamma spectrometry and Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rekha, A.K.; Anilkumar, S.; Narayani, K.; Babu, D.A.R.

    2012-01-01

    Radioactivity in the environment is mainly due to the naturally occurring radionuclides like uranium, thorium with their daughter products and potassium. Even though Gamma spectrometry is the most commonly used non destructive method for the quantification of these naturally occurring radionuclides, Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA), a well established analytical technique, can also be used. But the NAA technique is a time consuming process and needs proper standards, proper sample preparation etc. In this paper, the 232 Th and 238 U activity estimated using gamma ray spectrometry and NAA technique are compared. In the case of direct gamma spectrometry method, the samples were analysed after sealing in a 250 ml container. Whereas for the NAA, about 300 mg of each sample, after irradiation were subjected to gamma spectrometry. The 238 U and 232 Th activities (in Bq/kg) in samples were estimated after the proper efficiency correction and were compared. The estimated activities by these two methods are in good agreement. The variation in 238 U and 232 Th activity values are within ± 15% which are acceptable for environmental samples

  1. Enhancement or Reduction of Sonochemical Activity of Pulsed Ultrasound Compared to Continuous Ultrasound at 20 kHz?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yujing Sun

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Little is known about the efficacy of pulsed ultrasound compared with continuous ultrasound. Previous studies on the efficacy of pulsed ultrasound were not systematic and gave different results. In this study, the effects of pulse length, pulse interval, pulse length × pulse intervals, and treatment time on sonochemical activity were investigated using a simple oxidation of iodide method and a comparison of the efficacy of pulsed ultrasound and continuous ultrasound is made. The results showed that the main factor in the efficacy of pulsed ultrasound was pulse length when pulse length varied from 0.1 to 1 s. However, the main factors were pulse length, the pulse length × pulse interval, and pulse interval when pulse length varied from 1 to 9 s. Pulsed ultrasound had no effect when the pulse length was 0.1 s; however, the sonochemical activity of pulsed ultrasound decreased compared to continuous ultrasound as the pulse length varied from 0.1 to 1 s. The sonochemical activity of pulsed ultrasound either increased or decreased compared to continuous ultrasound when pulse length varied from 1 to 9 s, but the increase or decrease had no clear trend. The sonochemical activity was constant at Ton/Toff = 2 s/2 s and slightly decreased at Ton/Toff = 3 s/2 s with time, whereas the sonochemical activity of continuous ultrasound significantly decreased with time. Enhancement or reduction of sonochemical activity of pulsed ultrasound compared to continuous ultrasound depended on the pulse length and pulse interval.

  2. Comparative analysis of thermally activated, environmentally friendly cooling systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gupta, Y.; Metchop, L.; Frantzis, A.; Phelan, P.E.

    2008-01-01

    This paper compares the relative performances of three different thermally activated, environmentally friendly cooling systems, e.g. a silica-gel-water adsorption system, a LiBr-H 2 O absorption system and a desiccant air system. The adsorption and absorption systems in the current study employ water as the refrigerant, while the desiccant system cools atmospheric air directly. Each of these systems can be utilized at relatively low heat source temperatures such as achieved by flat plate solar collectors, but it is unclear which of these systems is best suited to what range of heat source temperature. Our study explores answers to this question by generating quantitative results comparing their relative thermal performance, i.e. COP and refrigeration capacity, and a qualitative comparison based on the size, maturity of technology, safe operation etc. In order to provide a fair comparison between the fundamentally different systems, a UA (overall heat transfer coefficient multiplied by the heat transfer area) value of 1.0 kW deg. C -1 is considered for the heat exchanger that transfers heat from the supplied hot water. Furthermore, to compare systems of similar size, the mass of silica-gel in the adsorption and desiccant systems and the mass of LiBr-H 2 O solution in the absorption system were specified such that each system provides the same amount of refrigeration (8.0 kW) at a source temperature of 90 deg. C. It is found that the absorption and adsorption cooling systems have a higher refrigeration capacity at heat source temperatures below 90 deg. C, while the desiccant air system outperforms the others at temperatures above 90 deg. C

  3. Comparing of goal setting strategy with group education method to increase physical activity level: A randomized trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiryaee, Nasrin; Siadat, Zahra Dana; Zamani, Ahmadreza; Taleban, Roya

    2015-10-01

    Designing an intervention to increase physical activity is important to be based on the health care settings resources and be acceptable by the subject group. This study was designed to assess and compare the effect of the goal setting strategy with a group education method on increasing the physical activity of mothers of children aged 1 to 5. Mothers who had at least one child of 1-5 years were randomized into two groups. The effect of 1) goal-setting strategy and 2) group education method on increasing physical activity was assessed and compared 1 month and 3 months after the intervention. Also, the weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumference, and well-being were compared between the two groups before and after the intervention. Physical activity level increased significantly after the intervention in the goal-setting group and it was significantly different between the two groups after intervention (P goal-setting group after the intervention. In the group education method, only the well-being score improved significantly (P goal-setting strategy to boost physical activity, improving the state of well-being and decreasing BMI, waist, and hip circumference.

  4. Comparative antianaerobic activities of doripenem determined by MIC and time-kill analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Credito, Kim L; Ednie, Lois M; Appelbaum, Peter C

    2008-01-01

    Against 447 anaerobe strains, the investigational carbapenem doripenem had an MIC 50 of 0.125 microg/ml and an MIC 90 of 1 microg/ml. Results were similar to those for imipenem, meropenem, and ertapenem. Time-kill studies showed that doripenem had very good bactericidal activity compared to other carbapenems, with 99.9% killing of 11 strains at 2x MIC after 48 h.

  5. In vitro activities of dalbavancin and nine comparator agents against anaerobic gram-positive species and corynebacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldstein, Ellie J C; Citron, Diane M; Merriam, C Vreni; Warren, Yumi; Tyrrell, Kerin; Fernandez, Helen T

    2003-06-01

    Dalbavancin is a novel semisynthetic glycopeptide with enhanced activity against gram-positive species. Its comparative in vitro activities and those of nine comparator agents, including daptomycin, vancomycin, linezolid, and quinupristin-dalfopristin, against 290 recent gram-positive clinical isolates strains, as determined by the NCCLS agar dilution method, were studied. The MICs of dalbavancin at which 90% of various isolates tested were inhibited were as follows: Actinomyces spp., 0.5 microg/ml; Clostridium clostridioforme, 8 microg/ml; C. difficile, 0.25 microg/ml; C. innocuum, 0.25 microg/ml; C. perfringens, 0.125 microg/ml; C. ramosum, 1 microg/ml; Eubacterium spp., 1 microg/ml; Lactobacillus spp., >32 microg/ml, Propionibacterium spp., 0.5 microg/ml; and Peptostreptococcus spp., 0.25 microg/ml. Dalbavancin was 1 to 3 dilutions more active than vancomycin against most strains. Dalbavancin exhibited excellent activity against gram-positive strains tested and warrants clinical evaluation.

  6. Comparing droplet activation parameterisations against adiabatic parcel models using a novel inverse modelling framework

    Science.gov (United States)

    Partridge, Daniel; Morales, Ricardo; Stier, Philip

    2015-04-01

    Many previous studies have compared droplet activation parameterisations against adiabatic parcel models (e.g. Ghan et al., 2001). However, these have often involved comparisons for a limited number of parameter combinations based upon certain aerosol regimes. Recent studies (Morales et al., 2014) have used wider ranges when evaluating their parameterisations, however, no study has explored the full possible multi-dimensional parameter space that would be experienced by droplet activations within a global climate model (GCM). It is important to be able to efficiently highlight regions of the entire multi-dimensional parameter space in which we can expect the largest discrepancy between parameterisation and cloud parcel models in order to ascertain which regions simulated by a GCM can be expected to be a less accurate representation of the process of cloud droplet activation. This study provides a new, efficient, inverse modelling framework for comparing droplet activation parameterisations to more complex cloud parcel models. To achieve this we couple a Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm (Partridge et al., 2012) to two independent adiabatic cloud parcel models and four droplet activation parameterisations. This framework is computationally faster than employing a brute force Monte Carlo simulation, and allows us to transparently highlight which parameterisation provides the closest representation across all aerosol physiochemical and meteorological environments. The parameterisations are demonstrated to perform well for a large proportion of possible parameter combinations, however, for certain key parameters; most notably the vertical velocity and accumulation mode aerosol concentration, large discrepancies are highlighted. These discrepancies correspond for parameter combinations that result in very high/low simulated values of maximum supersaturation. By identifying parameter interactions or regimes within the multi-dimensional parameter space we hope to guide

  7. Comparative analysis of procoagulant and fibrinogenolytic activity of crude protease fractions of turmeric species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shivalingu, B R; Vivek, H K; Nafeesa, Zohara; Priya, B S; Swamy, S Nanjunda

    2015-08-22

    Turmeric rhizome is a traditional herbal medicine, which has been widely used as a remedy to stop bleeding on fresh cuts and for wound healing by the rural and tribal population of India. To validate scientific and therapeutic application of turmeric rhizomes to stop bleeding on fresh cuts and its role in wound healing process. The water extracts of thoroughly scrubbed and washed turmeric rhizomes viz., Curcuma aromatica Salisb., Curcuma longa L., Curcuma caesia Roxb., Curcuma amada Roxb. and Curcuma zedoria (Christm.) Roscoe. were subjected to salting out and dialysis. The dialyzed crude enzyme fractions (CEFs) were assessed for proteolytic activity using casein as substrate and were also confirmed by caseinolytic zymography. Its coagulant activity and fibrinogenolytic activity were assessed using human citrated plasma and fibrinogen, respectively. The type of protease(s) in CEFs was confirmed by inhibition studies using specific protease inhibitors. The CEFs of C. aromatica, C. longa and C. caesia showed 1.89, 1.21 and 1.07 folds higher proteolytic activity, respectively, compared to papain. In contrast to these, C. amada and C. zedoria exhibited moderate proteolytic activity. CEFs showed low proteolytic activities compared to trypsin. The proteolytic activities of CEFs were confirmed by caseinolytic zymography. The CEFs of C. aromatica, C. longa and C. caesia showed complete hydrolysis of Aα, Bβ and γ subunits of human fibrinogen, while C. amada and C. zedoria showed partial hydrolysis. The CEFs viz., C. aromatica, C. longa, C. caesia, C. amada and C. zedoria exhibited strong procoagulant activity by reducing the human plasma clotting time from 172s (Control) to 66s, 84s 88s, 78s and 90s, respectively. The proteolytic activity of C. aromatica, C. longa, C. caesia and C. amada was inhibited (>82%) by PMSF, suggesting the possible presence of a serine protease(s). However, C. zedoria showed significant inhibition (60%) against IAA and moderate inhibition (30

  8. Comparative Antianaerobic Activities of Doripenem Determined by MIC and Time-Kill Analysis▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Credito, Kim L.; Ednie, Lois M.; Appelbaum, Peter C.

    2008-01-01

    Against 447 anaerobe strains, the investigational carbapenem doripenem had an MIC50 of 0.125 μg/ml and an MIC90 of 1 μg/ml. Results were similar to those for imipenem, meropenem, and ertapenem. Time-kill studies showed that doripenem had very good bactericidal activity compared to other carbapenems, with 99.9% killing of 11 strains at 2× MIC after 48 h. PMID:17938185

  9. Comparing Primary Student Teachers' Attitudes, Subject Knowledge and Pedagogical Content Knowledge Needs in a Physics Activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnston, Jane; Ahtee, Maija

    2006-01-01

    This research explores and compares primary student teachers' attitudes, subject knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in physics in two institutions in England and Finland, using a practical physics activity and questionnaire. Teaching of physics activities was rated unpopular both in Finland and England, although English students…

  10. Proliferative activity in oral pyogenic granuloma: A comparative immunohistochemical study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rezvani Gita

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Context: Pyogenic granuloma (PG is one of the most common reactive vascular lesions in the oral mucosa, which has been divided into the lobular capillary hemangioma (LCH and the non lobular type (non-LCH as two distinct entities, on the basis of some investigations. Aims: This study aims to compare the proliferative and angiogenic activity of two histological types of PG to determine whether they have two distinct types of biological behavior. Settings and Design: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, immunostaining was performed on 10 cases of each type of PG. Materials and Methods: About 4μm sections were cut from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded blocks and each specimen was stained with both anti-CD31 and anti-Ki-67 antibodies simultaneously. Labeling index (LI was determined for both types by counting Ki-67 and CD31 positive cells separately and simultaneously in 1000 stromal and luminal cells. Micro vessel count (MVC, the mean number of micro vessels in five areas at Χ200 magnification, was also determined for both groups. Statistical Analysis: The results were statistically compared using the Mann-Whitney U-test. Results: Ki-67 LI in LCH (5.4 ± 2.4 was higher than non-LCH (3.9 ± 3.9. The percentage of CD31 positive cells in LCH (28.5 ± 22 was lower than non-LCH (37.1 ± 20.8 and simultaneously immunostaining for both markers in LCH type (2.4 ± 2.1 was higher than non-LCH (1.2 ± 1. The MVC was approximately 77.35 ± 34.6 and 82.6 ± 42.7 in the lobular areas of LCH and central areas of non-LCH PG, respectively. These differences were not statistically significant. Conclusions: These results demonstrate a higher proliferation activity in endothelial cells of LCH PG than in non-LCH.

  11. Evaluation of the in vitro activity of levornidazole, its metabolites and comparators against clinical anaerobic bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Jiali; Zhang, Jing; Wu, Shi; Zhu, Demei; Huang, Haihui; Chen, Yuancheng; Yang, Yang; Zhang, Yingyuan

    2014-12-01

    This study evaluated the in vitro anti-anaerobic activity and spectrum of levornidazole, its metabolites and comparators against 375 clinical isolates of anaerobic bacteria, including Gram-negative bacilli (181 strains), Gram-negative cocci (11 strains), Gram-positive bacilli (139 strains) and Gram-positive cocci (44 strains), covering 34 species. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of levornidazole, its five metabolites and three comparators against these anaerobic isolates were determined by the agar dilution method. Minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of levornidazole and metronidazole were measured against 22 strains of Bacteroides fragilis. Levornidazole showed good activity against B. fragilis, other Bacteroides spp., Clostridium difficile, Clostridium perfringens and Peptostreptococcus magnus, evidenced by MIC90 values of 0.5, 1, 0.25, 2 and 1mg/L, respectively. The activity of levornidazole and the comparators was poor for Veillonella spp. Generally, levornidazole displayed activity similar to or slightly higher than that of metronidazole, ornidazole and dextrornidazole against anaerobic Gram-negative bacilli, Gram-positive bacilli and Gram-positive cocci, especially B. fragilis. Favourable anti-anaerobic activity was also seen with levornidazole metabolites M1 and M4 but not M2, M3 or M5. For the 22 clinical B. fragilis strains, MBC50 and MBC90 values of levornidazole were 2mg/L and 4mg/L, respectively. Both MBC50/MIC50 and MBC90/MIC90 ratios of levornidazole were 4, similar to those of metronidazole. Levornidazole is an important anti-anaerobic option in clinical settings in terms of its potent and broad-spectrum in vitro activity, bactericidal property, and the anti-anaerobic activity of its metabolites M1 and M4. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. and the International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

  12. Comparative study of the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in different forms of disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gonzalez Quesada, Jorge; Jorquera Cortez, Rodrigo; Rivera Alvarez, Sonia

    2007-01-01

    The activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was determined in the fluid gingival crevicular (FGC) from different sites of the anterior sector of the oral cavity in a clinically healthy subjects, and other with moderate gingivitis and with chronic severe generalized periodontists. Patients were treated and followed for three months, after the which has proceeded to make measurements of activity in the same sites discussed above. The results have showed statistically significant differences when comparing the activity of LDH in healthy individuals, and in other patients, treated by the pathology that presenting. On the other hand, were found without statistically significant differences between patients treated with clinically healthy subjects. The conclusion has been that the activity of LDH could be a quantitative marker for assessing cellular damage and evolution of treatment. (author) [es

  13. In vitro and comparative study on the extracellular enzyme activity of molds isolated from keratomycosis and soil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arumugam Mythili

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available AIM:To isolate and identify the molds involved in mycotic keratitis; to isolate corresponding species from soil samples; to compare the extracellular enzyme activity indices of the molds isolated from keratitis cases and the corresponding soil isolates.METHODS:The specimens were collected from the target patients attending the microbiology laboratory of tertiary eye hospital in Coimbatore, Tamilnadu state, India. The isolates were subjected for identification based on the growth on solid media, direct microscopy and lacto phenol cotton blue wet mount preparation. Extracellular enzymes such as lipase, deoxyribonuclease (DNase, α-amylase, protease, cellulase and pectinase produced by the fungalisolates were screened on solid media supplemented with the corresponding substrates. Based on growth and zone diameter, the enzyme activity indices were calculated and were compared with that of the soil fungalisolates.RESULTS:A total of 108 clinical samples were collected from a tertiary eye care hospital and out of which 60 fungal isolates were obtained. Among these, Fusarium spp. (n=30, non sporulating molds (n=9, Aspergillus flavus (n=6, Bipolaris spp. (n=6, Exserohilum spp. (n=4, Curvularia spp. (n=3, Alternaria spp. (n=1 and Exophiala spp. (n=1were identified and designated as FS1-30, NSM1-9, AF1-6, BS1-6, ES1-4, CS1-3, AS1 and EX1, respectively. For comparative analysis, soil samples were also collected from which, one isolate of each Fusarium spp., Aspergillus flavus, Bipolaris spp., Exserohilum spp., and Curvularia spp., respectively were selected. Highest lipase activity was seen in corneal isolate NSM2 (EAI= 2.14. The DNase activity was higher in NSM9 (EAI=1.88. In case of protease, Fusarium spp. (FS9 had prominent enzyme activity index of 1.38; α-amylase activity was also superior in corneal isolate FS13 with EAI of 1.63 when compared to other isolates. The enzyme activity index for cellulase was also noted to be higher in corneal isolates i

  14. Screening of Plant Extracts for Antioxidant Activity: a Comparative Study on Three Testing Methods

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Koleva, I.; Beek, van T.A.; Linssen, J.P.H.; Groot, de Æ.; Evstatieva, L.N.

    2002-01-01

    Three methods widely employed in the evaluation of antioxidant activity, namely 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method, static headspace gas chromatography (HS-GC) and -carotene bleaching test (BCBT), have been compared with regard to their application in the screening of

  15. Hippocampal activation during episodic and semantic memory retrieval: comparing category production and category cued recall.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryan, Lee; Cox, Christine; Hayes, Scott M; Nadel, Lynn

    2008-01-01

    Whether or not the hippocampus participates in semantic memory retrieval has been the focus of much debate in the literature. However, few neuroimaging studies have directly compared hippocampal activation during semantic and episodic retrieval tasks that are well matched in all respects other than the source of the retrieved information. In Experiment 1, we compared hippocampal fMRI activation during a classic semantic memory task, category production, and an episodic version of the same task, category cued recall. Left hippocampal activation was observed in both episodic and semantic conditions, although other regions of the brain clearly distinguished the two tasks. Interestingly, participants reported using retrieval strategies during the semantic retrieval task that relied on autobiographical and spatial information; for example, visualizing themselves in their kitchen while producing items for the category kitchen utensils. In Experiment 2, we considered whether the use of these spatial and autobiographical retrieval strategies could have accounted for the hippocampal activation observed in Experiment 1. Categories were presented that elicited one of three retrieval strategy types, autobiographical and spatial, autobiographical and nonspatial, and neither autobiographical nor spatial. Once again, similar hippocampal activation was observed for all three category types, regardless of the inclusion of spatial or autobiographical content. We conclude that the distinction between semantic and episodic memory is more complex than classic memory models suggest.

  16. Gene expression profiles reveal key pathways and genes associated with neuropathic pain in patients with spinal cord injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Xijing; Fan, Liying; Wu, Zhongheng; He, Jiaxuan; Cheng, Bin

    2017-04-01

    Previous gene expression profiling studies of neuropathic pain (NP) following spinal cord injury (SCI) have predominantly been performed in animal models. The present study aimed to investigate gene alterations in patients with spinal cord injury and to further examine the mechanisms underlying NP following SCI. The GSE69901 gene expression profile was downloaded from the public Gene Expression Omnibus database. Samples of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) derived from 12 patients with intractable NP and 13 control patients without pain were analyzed to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), followed by functional enrichment analysis and protein‑protein interaction (PPI) network construction. In addition, a transcriptional regulation network was constructed and functional gene clustering was performed. A total of 70 upregulated and 61 downregulated DEGs were identified in the PBMC samples from patients with NP. The upregulated and downregulated genes were significantly involved in different Gene Ontology terms and pathways, including focal adhesion, T cell receptor signaling pathway and mitochondrial function. Glycogen synthase kinase 3 β (GSK3B) was identified as a hub protein in the PPI network. In addition, ornithine decarboxylase 1 (ODC1) and ornithine aminotransferase (OAT) were regulated by additional transcription factors in the regulation network. GSK3B, OAT and ODC1 were significantly enriched in two functional gene clusters, the function of mitochondrial membrane and DNA binding. Focal adhesion and the T cell receptor signaling pathway may be significantly linked with NP, and GSK3B, OAT and ODC1 may be potential targets for the treatment of NP.

  17. Role of the chronic bacterial infection in urinary bladder carcinogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Higgy, N.A.

    1985-01-01

    The purpose of this thesis was to determine whether or not bacterial infection of the urinary bladder had a role in urinary bladder carcinogenesis. To investigate this proposition, four separate studies were conducted. The first study developed an experimental animal model where bacterial infection of the urinary bladder could be introduced and maintained for a period in excess of one year. The method of infection, inoculation of bacteria (Escherichia coli type 04) subserosally into the vesical wall, successfully caused persistent infection in the majority of animals. In the second study the temporal effects of bacterial infection on the induction of urothelial ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and 3 H-thymidine uptake and DNA synthesis were examined. Bacterial infection of the urinary bladder induced urothelial ODC with a peak in enzyme activity 6 hr after infection. 3 H-Thymidine uptake and DNA synthesis peaked 48 hr after infection and coincided with the urothelial hyperplasia that occurred in response to the infection. In the third study the specific bladder carcinogen N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) was given to rats concurrent with the urinary bacterial infection. In the fourth study rats were administered sodium nitrate and either dibutylamine or piperazine in the drinking water. The infected group developed bladder tumors while none were detected in the non-infected rats. From these studies it may be concluded that bacterial infection may have a significant role in the process of urinary bladder carcinogenesis

  18. Anaemia and pregnancy: Anaesthetic implications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anju Grewal

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Anaemia in pregnancy defined as haemoglobin (Hb level of < 10 gm/dL, is a qualitative or quantitative deficiency of Hb or red blood cells in circulation resulting in reduced oxygen (O 2 -carrying capacity of the blood. Compensatory mechanisms in the form of increase in cardiac output (CO, PaO 2 , 2,3 diphosphoglycerate levels, rightward shift in the oxygen dissociation curve (ODC, decrease in blood viscosity and release of renal erythropoietin, get activated to variable degrees to maintain tissue oxygenation and offset the decreases in arterial O 2 content. Parturients with concomitant medical diseases or those with acute ongoing blood losses may get decompensated, leading to serious consequences like right heart failure, angina or tissue hypoxemia in severe anaemia. Preoperative evaluation is aimed at assessing the severity and cause of anaemia. The concept of an acceptable Hb level varies with the underlying medical condition, extent of physiological compensation, the threat of bleeding and ongoing blood losses. The main anaesthetic considerations are to minimize factors interfering with O 2 delivery, prevent any increase in oxygen consumption and to optimize the partial pressure of O 2 in the arterial blood. Both general anaesthesia and regional anaesthesia can be employed judiciously. Monitoring should focus mainly on the adequacy of perfusion and oxygenation of vital organs. Hypoxia, hyperventilation, hypothermia, acidosis and other conditions that shift the ODC to left should be avoided. Any decrease in CO should be averted and aggressively treated.

  19. Influence of ornithine decarboxylase antizymes and antizyme inhibitors on agmatine uptake by mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramos-Molina, Bruno; López-Contreras, Andrés J; Lambertos, Ana; Dardonville, Christophe; Cremades, Asunción; Peñafiel, Rafael

    2015-05-01

    Agmatine (4-aminobutylguanidine), a dicationic molecule at physiological pH, exerts relevant modulatory actions at many different molecular target sites in mammalian cells, having been suggested that the administration of this compound may have therapeutic interest. Several plasma membrane transporters have been implicated in agmatine uptake by mammalian cells. Here we report that in kidney-derived COS-7 cell line, at physiological agmatine levels, the general polyamine transporter participates in the plasma membrane translocation of agmatine, with an apparent Km of 44 ± 7 µM and Vmax of 17.3 ± 3.3 nmol h(-1) mg(-1) protein, but that at elevated concentrations, agmatine can be also taken up by other transport systems. In the first case, the physiological polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine), several diguanidines and bis(2-aminoimidazolines) and the polyamine transport inhibitor AMXT-1501 markedly decreased agmatine uptake. In cells transfected with any of the three ornithine decarboxylase antizymes (AZ1, AZ2 and AZ3), agmatine uptake was dramatically reduced. On the contrary, transfection with antizyme inhibitors (AZIN1 and AZIN2) markedly increased the transport of agmatine. Furthermore, whereas putrescine uptake was significantly decreased in cells transfected with ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the accumulation of agmatine was stimulated, suggesting a trans-activating effect of intracellular putrescine on agmatine uptake. All these results indicate that ODC and its regulatory proteins (antizymes and antizyme inhibitors) may influence agmatine homeostasis in mammalian tissues.

  20. Systemic administration of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) causes growth of the rat prostate

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tørring, N; Vinter-Jensen, L; Pedersen, S B

    1997-01-01

    PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the rat prostate. In addition, we investigated the effect of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) inhibition with alpha-diflouromethylornitine (DFMO) on the expected growth of the prostate.MA...

  1. Comparing of goal setting strategy with group education method to increase physical activity level: A randomized trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nasrin Jiryaee

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Designing an intervention to increase physical activity is important to be based on the health care settings resources and be acceptable by the subject group. This study was designed to assess and compare the effect of the goal setting strategy with a group education method on increasing the physical activity of mothers of children aged 1 to 5. Materials and Methods: Mothers who had at least one child of 1-5 years were randomized into two groups. The effect of 1 goal-setting strategy and 2 group education method on increasing physical activity was assessed and compared 1 month and 3 months after the intervention. Also, the weight, height, body mass index (BMI, waist and hip circumference, and well-being were compared between the two groups before and after the intervention. Results: Physical activity level increased significantly after the intervention in the goal-setting group and it was significantly different between the two groups after intervention (P < 0.05. BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, and well-being score were significantly different in the goal-setting group after the intervention. In the group education method, only the well-being score improved significantly (P < 0.05. Conclusion: Our study presented the effects of using the goal-setting strategy to boost physical activity, improving the state of well-being and decreasing BMI, waist, and hip circumference.

  2. Comparative Study of Chemical Composition and Biological Activity of Yellow, Green, Brown, and Red Brazilian Propolis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christiane Schineider Machado

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The chemical composition and biological activity of a sample of yellow propolis from Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil (EEP-Y MS, were investigated for the first time and compared with green, brown, and red types of Brazilian propolis and with a sample of yellow propolis from Cuba. Overall, EEP-Y MS had different qualitative chemical profiles, as well as different cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities when compared to the other types of propolis assessed in this study and it is a different chemotype of Brazilian propolis. Absence of phenolic compounds and the presence of mixtures of aliphatic compounds in yellow propolis were determined by analysing 1H-NMR spectra and fifteen terpenes were identified by GC-MS. EEP-Y MS showed cytotoxic activity against human tumour strain OVCAR-8 but was not active against Gram-negative or Gram-positive bacteria. Our results confirm the difficulty of establishing a uniform quality standard for propolis from diverse geographical origins. The most appropriate pharmacological applications of yellow types of propolis must be further investigated.

  3. Comparison of 3D quantitative structure-activity relationship methods: Analysis of the in vitro antimalarial activity of 154 artemisinin analogues by hypothetical active-site lattice and comparative molecular field analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woolfrey, John R.; Avery, Mitchell A.; Doweyko, Arthur M.

    1998-03-01

    Two three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) methods, comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and hypothetical active site lattice (HASL), were compared with respect to the analysis of a training set of 154 artemisinin analogues. Five models were created, including a complete HASL and two trimmed versions, as well as two CoMFA models (leave-one-out standard CoMFA and the guided-region selection protocol). Similar r2 and q2 values were obtained by each method, although some striking differences existed between CoMFA contour maps and the HASL output. Each of the four predictive models exhibited a similar ability to predict the activity of a test set of 23 artemisinin analogues, although some differences were noted as to which compounds were described well by either model.

  4. Methods for preparing comparative standards and field samples for neutron activation analysis of soil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Glasgow, D.C.; Dyer, F.F.; Robinson, L.

    1995-01-01

    One of the more difficult problems associated with comparative neutron activation analysis (CNAA) is the preparation of standards which are tailor-made to the desired irradiation and counting conditions. Frequently, there simply is not a suitable standard available commercially, or the resulting gamma spectrum is convoluted with interferences. In a recent soil analysis project, the need arose for standards which contained about 35 elements. In response, a computer spreadsheet was developed to calculate the appropriate amount of each element so that the resulting gamma spectrum is relatively free of interferences. Incorporated in the program are options for calculating all of the irradiation and counting parameters including activity produced, necessary flux/bombardment time, counting time, and appropriate source-to-detector distance. The result is multi-element standards for CNAA which have optimal concentrations. The program retains ease of use without sacrificing capability. In addition to optimized standard production, a novel soil homogenization technique was developed which is a low cost, highly efficient alternative to commercially available homogenization systems. Comparative neutron activation analysis for large scale projects has been made easier through these advancements. This paper contains details of the design and function of the NAA spreadsheet and innovative sample handling techniques. (author) 7 refs.; 5 tabs

  5. Methods for preparing comparative standards and field samples for neutron activation analysis of soil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Glasgow, D.C.; Dyer, F.F.; Robinson, L.

    1994-01-01

    One of the more difficult problems associated with comparative neutron activation analysis (CNAA) is the preparation of standards which are tailor-made to the desired irradiation and counting conditions. Frequently, there simply is not a suitable standard available commercially, or the resulting gamma spectrum is convoluted with interferences. In a recent soil analysis project, the need arose for standards which contained about 35 elements. In response, a computer spreadsheet was developed to calculate the appropriate amount of each element so that the resulting gamma spectrum is relatively free of interferences. Incorporated in the program are options for calculating all of the irradiation and counting parameters including activity produced, necessary flux/bombardment time, counting time, and appropriate source-to-detector distance. The result is multi-element standards for CNAA which have optimal concentrations. The program retains ease of use without sacrificing capability. In addition to optimized standard production, a novel soil homogenization technique was developed which is a low cost, highly efficient alternative to commercially available homogenization systems. Comparative neutron activation analysis for large scale projects has been made easier through these advancements. This paper contains details of the design and function of the NAA spreadsheet and innovative sample handling techniques

  6. COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF INHIBITORY ACTIVITY OF ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Osondu

    2013-02-26

    Feb 26, 2013 ... especially the four bacteria isolates used in this study are present in the epiphgram of both normal and ... Keyword: Albino snail, Archachatina marginata, Inhibitory activity, Epiphgram, Bacteria isolate. Introduction .... evolution.

  7. Physical Activity Level and Physical Functionality in Nonagenarians Compared to Individuals Aged 60–74 Years

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frisard, Madlyn I.; Fabre, Jennifer M.; Russell, Ryan D.; King, Christina M.; DeLany, James P.; Wood, Robert H.; Ravussin, Eric

    2009-01-01

    Background Functional dependence and the risks of disability increase with age. The loss of independence is thought to be partially due to a decrease in physical activity. However, in populations, accurate measurement of physical activity is challenging and may not provide information on functional impairment. Methods This study therefore assessed physical functionality and physical activity level in a group of nonagenarians (11 men/11 women; 93 ± 1 years, 66.6 ± 2.4 kg, body mass index [BMI] = 24 ± 1 kg/m2) and a group of participants aged 60–74 years (17 men/15 women; 70 ± 1 years, 83.3 ± 3.0 kg, BMI = 29 ± 1 kg/m2) from the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study. Physical activity level was calculated from total energy expenditure (TEE) and resting metabolic rate (RMR). Physical functionality was assessed using the Reduced Continuous Scale Physical Functional Performance Test (CS-PFP10). Results Nonagenarians had lower absolute ( p < .001) and adjusted ( p < .007) TEE compared to participants aged 60–74 years which was attributed to a reduction in both RMR and physical activity level. Nonagenarians also had reduced functional performance ( p < .001) which was correlated with activity level (r = 0.68, p < .001). Conclusions When compared to individuals aged 60–74 years, 73% of the reduction in TEE in nonagenarians can be attributed to a reduction in physical activity level, the remaining being accounted for by a reduction in RMR. The reduced physical activity in nonagenarians is associated with less physical functionality. This study provides the first objective comparison of physical functionality and actual levels of physical activity in older individuals. PMID:17634327

  8. Fixed-Dose Combination Drug Approvals, Patents and Market Exclusivities Compared to Single Active Ingredient Pharmaceuticals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hao, Jing; Rodriguez-Monguio, Rosa; Seoane-Vazquez, Enrique

    2015-01-01

    Fixed-dose combinations (FDC) contain two or more active ingredients. The effective patent and exclusivity life of FDC compared to single active ingredient has not been assessed. Trends in FDA approved FDC in the period 1980-2012 and time lag between approval of FDC and single active ingredients in the combination were assessed, and the effective patent and exclusivity life of FDC was compared with their single active ingredients. New molecular entities (NMEs), new therapeutic biologics license applications (BLAs) and FDC data were collected from the FDA Orange Book and Drugs@FDA. Analysis included FDC containing one or more NMEs or BLAs at first FDA approval (NMEs-FDC) and only already marketed drugs (Non-NMEs-FDC). Descriptive, Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon Rank Sum analyses were performed. During the study period, the FDA approved 28 NMEs-FDC (3.5% of NMEs) and 117 non-NMEs-FDC. FDC approvals increased from 12 in the 1980s to 59 in the 2000s. Non-NMEs-FDC entered the market at a median of 5.43 years (interquartile range 1.74, 10.31) after first FDA approval of single active ingredients in the combination. The Non-NMEs-FDC entered the market at a median of 2.33 years (-7.55, 2.39) before approval of generic single active ingredient. Non-NME-FDC added a median of 9.70 (2.75, 16.24) years to the patent and exclusivity life of the single active ingredients in the combination. FDC approvals significantly increased over the last twenty years. Pharmaceutical companies market FDC drugs shortly before the generic versions of the single ingredients enter the market extending the patent and exclusivity life of drugs included in the combination.

  9. Fixed-Dose Combination Drug Approvals, Patents and Market Exclusivities Compared to Single Active Ingredient Pharmaceuticals.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jing Hao

    Full Text Available Fixed-dose combinations (FDC contain two or more active ingredients. The effective patent and exclusivity life of FDC compared to single active ingredient has not been assessed.Trends in FDA approved FDC in the period 1980-2012 and time lag between approval of FDC and single active ingredients in the combination were assessed, and the effective patent and exclusivity life of FDC was compared with their single active ingredients.New molecular entities (NMEs, new therapeutic biologics license applications (BLAs and FDC data were collected from the FDA Orange Book and Drugs@FDA. Analysis included FDC containing one or more NMEs or BLAs at first FDA approval (NMEs-FDC and only already marketed drugs (Non-NMEs-FDC. Descriptive, Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon Rank Sum analyses were performed.During the study period, the FDA approved 28 NMEs-FDC (3.5% of NMEs and 117 non-NMEs-FDC. FDC approvals increased from 12 in the 1980s to 59 in the 2000s. Non-NMEs-FDC entered the market at a median of 5.43 years (interquartile range 1.74, 10.31 after first FDA approval of single active ingredients in the combination. The Non-NMEs-FDC entered the market at a median of 2.33 years (-7.55, 2.39 before approval of generic single active ingredient. Non-NME-FDC added a median of 9.70 (2.75, 16.24 years to the patent and exclusivity life of the single active ingredients in the combination.FDC approvals significantly increased over the last twenty years. Pharmaceutical companies market FDC drugs shortly before the generic versions of the single ingredients enter the market extending the patent and exclusivity life of drugs included in the combination.

  10. Origin of the Putrescine-Producing Ability of the Coagulase-Negative Bacterium Staphylococcus epidermidis 2015B

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Coton, Emmanuel; Mulder, Niels; Coton, Monika; Pochet, Sylvie; Trip, Hein; Lolkema, Juke S.

    A multiplex PCR method, aimed at the detection of genes associated with biogenic amine production, identified the odc gene encoding ornithine decarboxylase in 1 of 15 strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis. The ability of the positive strain, S. epidermidis 2015B, to produce putrescine in vitro was

  11. COMPARATIVE ACTIVITY OF CECROPIN A AND POLYMYXIN B AGAINST FROG BACTERIAL PATHOGENS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ermin Schadich

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available The antimicrobial activity of two antimicrobial peptides, cecropin A and polymyxin B against different bacterial pathogens associated with bacterial dermatosepticemia, a fatal bacterial infectious disease of frogs was investigated. The peptides were tested in serial of concentrations (100-0.19 µg/ml for growth inhibition of seven pathogens: Aeromonas hydrophila, Chryseobacterium meningosepticum, Citrobacter freundii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis and Serratia liquefaciens. Their antimicrobial activity was compared with that of two antimicrobial peptides from frog skin, magainin 2 and aurein 2.1. Both cecropin A and polymyxin B, completely inhibited the growth of three pathogens: C. freundii, K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa at a concentration some sixteen times less than two skin peptides. Furthermore, cecropin A inhibited the growth of three pathogens resistant to the two skin peptides, A. hydrophila, C. meningosepticum and P. mirabilis. Polymyxin B also inhibited the growth of three pathogens resistant to the skin peptides, A. hydrophila, C. meningosepticum and S. liquefaciens. Cecropin A and polymyxin B have marked antibacterial activity against different frog bacterial pathogens indicating potential for therapeutic measures.Keywords: frogs, antimicrobial, bacteria, cecropin, polymyxin, resistance

  12. Comparing return to sport activities after short metaphyseal femoral arthroplasty with resurfacing and big femoral head arthroplasties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karampinas, Panagiotis K; Papadelis, Eustratios G; Vlamis, John A; Basiliadis, Hlias; Pneumaticos, Spiros G

    2017-07-01

    Young patients feel that maintaining sport activities after total hip arthroplasty constitutes an important part of their quality of life. The majority of hip surgeons allow patients to return to low-impact activities, but significant caution is advised to taking part in high-impact activities. The purpose of this study is to compare and evaluate the post-operative return to daily living habits and sport activities following short-metaphyseal hip and high functional total hip arthroplasties (resurfacing and big femoral head arthroplasties). In a study design, 48 patients (55 hips) were enrolled in three different comparative groups, one with the short-metaphyseal arthroplasties, a second with high functional resurfacing arthroplasties and a third of big femoral head arthroplasties. Each patient experienced a clinical examination and evaluated with Harris Hip Score, WOMAC, Sf-36, UCLA activity score, satisfaction VAS, anteroposterior and lateral X-rays of the hip and were followed in an outpatient setting for 2 years. Statistical analysis revealed no notable differences between the three groups regarding their demographic data however significant differences have been found between preoperative and postoperative clinical scores of each group. Also, we fail to reveal any significant differences when comparing data of all three groups at the final 2 years postoperative control regarding their clinical scores. The overall outcome of all three groups was similar, all the patients were satisfied and returned to previous level of sport activities. Short metaphyseal hip arthroplasties in young patients intending to return to previous and even high impact sport activities, similar to high functional resurfacing, big femoral head arthroplasties. Short stems with hard on hard bearing surfaces might become an alternative to standard stems and hip resurfacing.

  13. Dehydration enhances pain-evoked activation in the human brain compared with rehydration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogino, Yuichi; Kakeda, Takahiro; Nakamura, Koji; Saito, Shigeru

    2014-06-01

    Negative effects of dehydration on the human brain and cognitive function have been reported. In this study, we examined the effects of dehydration on pain thresholds and cortical activations in response to pain, compared with rehydration with an oral rehydration solution (ORS) by functional magnetic resonance imaging. Five healthy adult men were subjected to dehydration and rehydration on 2 different days. The condition on the first day was randomly assigned to each subject. They completed a 40-minute exercise protocol using a walking machine after 12 hours of fasting under both conditions. For rehydration, the subjects consumed up to 3000 mL ORS starting from the night before the test day. After exercise, a painful stimulus (cold pressor test) was applied to the subjects' medial forearm in a magnetic resonance imaging scanning gantry, and pain-evoked brain activation was analyzed. On the rehydration day, each of the subjects consumed an average of 2040 mL (range; 1800-2500 mL) ORS. Physiological data revealed that subjects when dehydrated lost more weight from exercise than subjects when rehydrated had a larger heart rate increase, a higher tympanic temperature, and a higher urine osmolality. Subjective data revealed that the subjects reported significantly stronger thirst while dehydrated than while rehydrated with ORS, although the levels of hunger and anxiety and mood did not significantly differ between conditions. The cold pressor test robustly activated the pain-related neural network, notably the anterior cingulate cortex, insula, and thalamus. Such activations in the dehydrated subjects were greater than those in the rehydrated subjects in terms of peak and cluster, accompanied by a decrease in pain threshold (P = 0.001). Our findings suggest that dehydration brings about increased brain activity related to painful stimuli together with enhanced thirst, whereas rehydration with ORS alleviates thirst and decreases brain activity related to painful stimuli.

  14. Comparative study of anthropometric variables in female classical ballet dancers, volleyball players and physically active subjects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco Aurélio Vaz

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to compare anthropometric variables (body weight, height, and percent body fat and plantarflexion and dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM between three different groups of women: classical ballet dancers (n=14, volleyball players (n=22 and physically active subjects (n=13. The assumption was that different functional requirements should produce differences in the anthropometric variables and ROM between the three groups. Body weight and height were higher in volleyball players (66.42 ± 5.8 kg; 174.77 ± 5.6 cm, followed by physically active women (59.93 ±10.3 kg; 164 ± 7.5 cm and ballet dancers (49.25 ± 4.5 kg; 157.03 ± 3.6 cm (p<0.05. Percent body fat was higher in physically active women (30.67 ± 4.6% compared to theother two groups, which showed similar percentages (volleyball players: 24.93 ± 4.1%; ballet dancers: 21.94 ± 4.3%. The three groups were similar in terms of total ankle ROM and active dorsiflexion ROM between the right and left sides. However, plantarflexion ROM was higher in ballet dancers (~83°, followed by physically active women (~68° and volleyball players who presented the smallest ROM (~60°. The different requirements imposed by the three distinct physical activities seem to be responsible for changes in some of the anthropometric variables and ankle joint ROM.

  15. Comparing the Effect of Fasting and Physical Activity on Active and Non-active Males’ Body Composition, Serum Osmolarity Levels and Some Parameters of Electrolytes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Nematy

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Ever since there is insufficient and incoherent information about the effect of the Ramadan Fasting together with regular exercise on levels of serum osmolarity, and electrolytes concentration. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of fasting and physical activity on active and non-active males’ body composition, serum osmolarity levels and some parameters of electrolytes. Methods: Twenty six healthy males, who were selected by convenience sampling method, were divided into two (active and non-active groups. The Active group participated in football training for three sessions per week during the fasting month. All measurements were repeated on the first and last day of fasting month and were used to analyze the test results. Results: The average differences were significantly decreased in weight, BMI, WHR, mineral, total water in two groups (P≤0.05. There was a significant difference in average of BMI, WHR, body fat, mineral and total water between two groups (P≤0.05. Within-group mean differences in glucose, potassium, urine and albumin in both groups were significant (P≤0.05. Differences of serum osmolarity in between- and within-groups were not significant in both groups. While, glucose decreased significantly, the levels of the protein decreased, and urea increased significantly only in non active fasting group. Conclusion: According to these results, regular exercise together with the Ramadan fasting result in change in some serum osmolarity index, electrolytes and water. Therefore, it is necessary to protect the athletics against the malnutrition in Ramadan fasting by using the diet schedule and enough water.

  16. On the comparability of knowledge transfer activities - a case study at the German Baltic Sea Coast focusing regional climate services

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meinke, Insa

    2017-06-01

    In this article the comparability of knowledge transfer activities is discussed by accounting for external impacts. It is shown that factors which are neither part of the knowledge transfer activity nor part of the participating institution may have significant impact on the potential usefulness of knowledge transfer activities. Differences in the potential usefulness are leading to different initial conditions of the knowledge transfer activities. This needs to be taken into account when comparing different knowledge transfer activities, e.g., in program evaluations. This study is focusing on regional climate services at the German Baltic Sea coast. It is based on two surveys and experiences with two identical web tools applied on two regions with different spatial coverage. The results show that comparability among science based knowledge transfer activities is strongly limited through several external impacts. The potential usefulness and thus the initial condition of a particular knowledge transfer activity strongly depends on (1) the perceived priority of the focused topic, (2) the used information channels, (3) the conformity between the research agenda of service providing institutions and information demands in the public, as well as (4) on the spatial coverage of a service. It is suggested to account for the described external impacts for evaluations of knowledge transfer activities. The results show that the comparability of knowledge transfer activities is limited and challenge the adequacy of quantitative measures in this context. Moreover, as shown in this case study, in particular regional climate services should be individually evaluated on a long term perspective, by potential user groups and/or by its real users. It is further suggested that evaluation criteria should be co-developed with these stakeholder groups.

  17. A comparative study on antioxidant activity of different parts of lotus (Nelumbo nuficera Gaertn rhizome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dongmei YANG

    Full Text Available Abstract In this study, the antioxidant activities of different parts of lotus (Nelumbo nuficera Gaertn rhizome were compared. The total phenolic content of lotus rhizome was determined, and Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP assay, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH radical-scavenging assay and β-carotene-linoleic acid assay were performed to assess the antioxidant activity of lotus rhizome. Results showed that there was a significant difference in total phenolic content and antioxidant activity between any two of four parts of lotus rhizome. The order of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity in different parts of lotus rhizome was as follows: peel of old lotus rhizome > peel of young lotus rhizome > flesh of old lotus rhizome > flesh of young lotus rhizome. The total phenol content is significantly positive correlated with the antioxidant activity in different parts of lotus rhizome. This study has provided a basis for further exploring the antioxidant components in lotus rhizome.

  18. Physical activity and gender: comparative study between adolescents from Monterrey, Mexico and Zaragoza, Spain.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oswaldo Ceballos Gurrola

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to compare medium energy expenditure and levels of physical activity between adolescents from Monterrey, Mexico and Zaragoza, Spain taking into consideration variables such as gender, type of school, and time of the week.  Methods: adolescent students of 12 to 17 years of age from public and private schools in Monterrey (N= 396 and Zaragoza (N= 394.  The Four-by-One-Day Physical Activity Questionnaire was used and a .89 reliability with a test-retest because the test was adapted to this study.  Results: In Zaragoza as well as in Monterrey there is a significant number of students with low levels of physical activity.  Almost half of the students have been classified as inactive and very inactive.  The energy expenditure was very similar for both cities: Monterrey 37.52 ± 2.12 kcal/kg/day and Zaragoza 37.66 ± 2.95 kcal/kg/day.  Conclusions: Regarding gender, men show greater levels of physical activity than women.  This data coincides with the majority of the studies.  Students perform a higher level of physical activity during school days than during weekends.

  19. Comparable cortical activation with inferior performance in women during a novel cognitive inhibition task.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halari, R; Kumari, V

    2005-03-07

    Men are hypothesised to perform better than women at tasks requiring cognitive inhibition. The present study applied whole-brain functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the neural correlates of cognitive inhibition using a novel task, requiring detection of numbers decreasing in numerical order, in relation to sex. The study involved 19 young healthy subjects (9 men, 10 women). Behavioural sex differences favouring men were found on the inhibition, but not on the automatization (i.e. detection of numbers increasing in numerical order), condition of the task. Significant areas of activation associated with cognitive inhibition included the right inferior prefrontal and bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortices, left inferior and superior parietal lobes, and bilateral temporal regions across men and women. No brain region was significantly differently activated in men and women. Our findings demonstrate that (a) cognitive inhibition is dependent on intact processes within frontal and parietal regions, and (b) women show inferior cognitive inhibition despite of comparable activation to men in relevant regions. Equated behavioural performance may elicit sex differences in brain activation.

  20. Comparative assessment of antioxidant activity of chicory products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Z. A. Badretdinova

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available There are various methods for determining the antioxidant activity. They are differing by the source of oxidation, oxidized compounds and methods for the measurement of oxidized compounds. Methods for determination of antioxidant activity provide a wide range of results, so the evaluation of the antioxidant activity should be carried out in several ways, and the results should be interpreted with caution. In assessing antioxidant capacity is necessary to consider not only the nature and content of the reducing agent in the test facility, but also the possibility of their mutual influence. The objects of research in this research work were Instant chicory (Leroux, Fried chicory (Leroux, Instant chicory (LLC Favorit, Instant chicory (LLC SlavKofe, Instant chicory with hawthorn (Iceberg Ltd and K, Instant chicory (LLC Flagistom, Instant chicory (Ltd. Around the World, Instant chicory (LLC Beta +, Chicory flour (Leroux, Chicory flour. Antioxidant activity of the products of chicory determined by spectrophotometric (using adrenaline and 2,2 – diphenyl- 1-picrylhydrazyl, and amperometric methods. These results indicate that chicory products possess antioxidant activity but not give fully correlated with each other results. The highest antioxidant activity have fried products from chicory – Instant chicory (LLC SlavKofe and Instant chicory with hawthorn (Iceberg Ltd and K. No fried products from chicory (Chicory flour (Leroux have lower antioxidant activity then fried products from chicory. Because during frying new compounds are formed – chikoreol, which comprises acetic and valeric acid, acrolein and furfural, furfuryl alcohol, diacetyl. Best convergence results provide spectrophotometric methods using epinephrine and 2,2 – diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl.

  1. Stratospheric Ozone Reactive Chemicals Generated by Space Launches Worldwide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1994-11-01

    I ODCs). Their carbon - chlorine bond is severed in the stratosphere by solar photolysis or reaction. Once the carbon-chlorine bond is broken, the...include the Russian Proton and Energia , and the Chinese Long March series. Roughly half (seven per year) of the Ariane 4 launches use two solid strap-ons

  2. Comparing summer and winter indoor radon and radon daughters activity in Campinas, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guedes, O.S.; Hadler, N.J.C.; Iunes, P.J.; Neman, R.S.; Souza, W.F.; Tello, S.C.A.; Paulo, S.R.

    2002-01-01

    We developed a technique - based on alpha particle track detection using CR-39 - where the activity originated from indoor radon can be potentially separated into three fraction: (i) radon in the air, (ii) radon daughters (RD), 218 Po and 214 Po, in the air and (iii) RD plated-out on the detector surface during exposure. In this work only a partial separation was carried out, then our results are limited to radon plus RD in the air and RD attached to detector surface. These activities can be separated if size and gray level of the round tracks are measured using an automatic optical microscopy system.Our group carried out an indoor radon and radon daughters (RD) survey in Campinas made up by a summer (November, 96 to May, 97) and a winter (May, 97 to November, 97) exposure, where the detectors were placed in the same rooms of the same dwellings (approximately 100) in both cases. Comparing winter and summer alpha activity for the detectors analyzed up to now, approximately 45 dwellings, we observed that: i) it seems that the source of radon is the material (brick and concrete mainly) making up walls, floor and ceiling of the dwellings, ii) there is no clear relationship between intensity of aeration and the activities measured in this work, and iii) the average ratio between winter and summer activity in the air (radon plus RD) is approximately equal to similar ratios observed in other countries, but for radon only. (author)

  3. Comparative Immunologic Activities of Polyclonal Antibodies ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Three types of Vibrio cholerae (El tor, Ogawa) whole cell antigens constituted with liquid paraffin adjuvant (LPA), Freund's incomplete adjuvant (FIA) and physiological saline (SA) were used for polyclonal antisera production in adult rabbits. Antisera were compared for serologic reactivities with homologous and ...

  4. Comparative studies on Fc receptors for IgG on resting and activated T lymphocytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hueckel, C.; Jensen, H.L.; Rychly, J.; Sandor, M.; Erdei, A.; Gergely, J.

    1986-01-01

    Fc-receptors for IgG (FcγR) on resting (i.e. freshly prepared) and mitogen (Con A) or alloantigen-activated mouse spleen T cells were compared using binding of different markers such as 125 I-labelled immune complexes, 125 I-labelled anti FcγR monoclonal antibody, FITC-labelled aggr. IgG and sheep erythrocytes covered with specific antibody (EA rosetting). C3b receptors were detected by rosetting with sheep erythrocytes covered with antibody and complement (EAC rosetting). The electrophoretic mobility of the cells without or after binding of aggr. IgG was also tested. Differences between resting and activated T cells were found: (1) After activation of T cells by mitogen or alloantigen, a proportion of FcγR-positive cells increased two to four times. (2) FcγR number per FcγR-positive cell seemed to be higher on activated then on resting cells. (3) FcγR-positive resting cells did not shed their FcγR upon incubation at 4 0 C followed by incubation at 37 0 C, but FcγR-positive activated cells shed a remarkable proportion of their FcγR on the same conditions. (4) Binding of aggr. IgG caused a decrease of electrophoretic mobility of activated but not resting cells. (5) FcγR-positive resting cells were also C3b receptor-positive, whereas FcγR-positive activated cells had no detectable C3b receptors. (author)

  5. The impact of cultural diversity forum on students' openness to diversity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanner, Susan; Baldwin, Dee; Cannella, Kathleen A S; Charles, Jennell; Parker, Lillian

    2010-01-01

    As the population demographics for the United States (U.S.) shift towards increasing diversity, it is essential that nurses provide culturally competent care. Cultural sensitivity has been identified as a major curricular element in the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's (AACN) The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice. Thus it is imperative that nursing faculty use effective strategies to help nursing students develop cultural sensitivity and competence. Educational workshops focusing on cultural diversity are usually designed to increase people's cultural sensitivity. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a cultural diversity forum on nursing students' cultural sensitivity as measured by their openness to diversity. A convenience sample of students was recruited from a public university in the southeastern United States. The workshop was designed as a forum that combined a keynote presentation, shared meal, and a small group interactional activity. Cultural sensitivity was measured using the Openness to Diversity/Challenge Scale (ODCS), and was administered to students before and after the forum. A convenience sample of 47 students agreed to participate and completed both the pretest and posttest. Following the workshop, the students had more cultural sensitivity as measured by their scores on the ODCS (Wilcoxin Signed-Rank test z= -3.286, p = 0.001). The findings suggested that an educational format like the cultural diversity forum can promote students' cultural sensitivity. Further research needs to continue to focus on the effectiveness of strategies to increase the cultural sensitivity of baccalaureate nursing students.

  6. Comparative analysis of competitive activities of skilled players of different functions in women's and men's football

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhurid S.

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available The comparative analysis of results of the pedagogical looking is conducted after individual and command competition activity of footballers of professional clubs. The most characteristic are exposed technical tactical receptions. Quantitative and high-quality competition performance of sportsmen indicators are certain. In descriptions of competition activity it is necessary to take into account quantitative and high-quality indexes. Also are terms: speed, limitations, is in time and space, presence of hammerings together factors and competitor.

  7. Comparative activation states of tumor-associated and peritoneal macrophages from mice bearing an induced fibrosarcoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valdez, J C; de Alderete, N; Meson, O E; Sirena, A; Perdigon, G

    1990-11-01

    Balb/c mice bearing a methylcholanthrene-induced fibrosarcoma were used to compare the activation levels of tumor-associated and peritoneal macrophages. Two stages of tumor growth were examined, namely "small" and "large" tumors, with average diameters of 10 and 30 mm, respectively. The activation state, determined by measurement of both phagocytic index and beta-glucuronidase content, was found to be markedly higher in tumor-associated macrophages than in their peritoneal counterparts and it was, in addition, independent of tumor progression. The percentage of tumor-associated macrophages, which were detected on the basis of Fc receptor expression, remained constant in the growing neoplasm, at approximately 23% of total cell population. None of these parameters were affected by inoculation with an immunopotentiating dose of heat-killed Candida albicans which, on the other hand, seemed not to alter the course of the tumor. These data suggest that within the tumor microenvironment macrophages would somehow be maintained at a constant proportion and at a highly activated state, while outside the tumor they would be at a lower activation level. Our results also suggest that TAM would not possess antitumor activity in vivo, although we have found this activity in vitro.

  8. Effect of bypass on the motor activation SPECT compared to the acetazolamide SPECT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawaguchi, Shoichiro; Iwahashi, Hideaki; Sakaki, Toshisuke; Imai, Teruhiko; Ohishi, Hajime

    2002-01-01

    The authors evaluated and analyzed motor activation single photon emission computed tomography (M-SPECT) in ischemic cerebrovascular disease compared to resting and acetazolamide (ACZ) activated SPECT studies. Seventeen cases with STA-MCA bypass performed for ischemic cerebrovascular disease were examined. The SPECT studies consisting of resting, ACZ activation, and motor activation stages were performed before bypass, at 1 month, and 3 months after bypass. The result of the M-SPECT was expressed as negative or positive. Before bypass: In all 17 cases, SPECT studies of the affected side showed reduction of resting cerebral blood flow (CBF) and reduction of cerebrovascular reserve capacity (CVRC). Eight cases were positive in the M-SPECT study. One week after bypass: The resting CBF increased in seven cases. Four showed preoperative positive M-SPECT. Eight cases showed improvement of the CVRC. Twelve cases were positive in M-SPECT, and two were negative in the preoperative M-SPECT. Three months after bypass: Thirteen cases showed improvement in the resting CBF, and fourteen cases showed improvement of the CVRC. Fourteen cases were positive in the M-SPECT, and among these, 6 were negative in the preoperative M-SPECT. There was a discrepancy between the improvement in CVRC and M-SPECT. M-SPECT study can provide information about the degree of hemodynamic compromise and effect of bypass surgery. (author)

  9. Effect of bypass on the motor activation SPECT compared to the acetazolamide SPECT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kawaguchi, Shoichiro; Iwahashi, Hideaki; Sakaki, Toshisuke; Imai, Teruhiko; Ohishi, Hajime [Nara Medical Univ., Kashihara (Japan)

    2002-03-01

    The authors evaluated and analyzed motor activation single photon emission computed tomography (M-SPECT) in ischemic cerebrovascular disease compared to resting and acetazolamide (ACZ) activated SPECT studies. Seventeen cases with STA-MCA bypass performed for ischemic cerebrovascular disease were examined. The SPECT studies consisting of resting, ACZ activation, and motor activation stages were performed before bypass, at 1 month, and 3 months after bypass. The result of the M-SPECT was expressed as negative or positive. Before bypass: In all 17 cases, SPECT studies of the affected side showed reduction of resting cerebral blood flow (CBF) and reduction of cerebrovascular reserve capacity (CVRC). Eight cases were positive in the M-SPECT study. One week after bypass: The resting CBF increased in seven cases. Four showed preoperative positive M-SPECT. Eight cases showed improvement of the CVRC. Twelve cases were positive in M-SPECT, and two were negative in the preoperative M-SPECT. Three months after bypass: Thirteen cases showed improvement in the resting CBF, and fourteen cases showed improvement of the CVRC. Fourteen cases were positive in the M-SPECT, and among these, 6 were negative in the preoperative M-SPECT. There was a discrepancy between the improvement in CVRC and M-SPECT. M-SPECT study can provide information about the degree of hemodynamic compromise and effect of bypass surgery. (author)

  10. The central domain of yeast transcription factor Rpn4 facilitates degradation of reporter protein in human cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morozov, A V; Spasskaya, D S; Karpov, D S; Karpov, V L

    2014-10-16

    Despite high interest in the cellular degradation machinery and protein degradation signals (degrons), few degrons with universal activity along species have been identified. It has been shown that fusion of a target protein with a degradation signal from mammalian ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) induces fast proteasomal degradation of the chimera in both mammalian and yeast cells. However, no degrons from yeast-encoded proteins capable to function in mammalian cells were identified so far. Here, we demonstrate that the yeast transcription factor Rpn4 undergoes fast proteasomal degradation and its central domain can destabilize green fluorescent protein and Alpha-fetoprotein in human HEK 293T cells. Furthermore, we confirm the activity of this degron in yeast. Thus, the Rpn4 central domain is an effective interspecies degradation signal. Copyright © 2014 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Nigella sativa (black cumin) ameliorates potassium bromate-induced early events of carcinogenesis: diminution of oxidative stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Naghma; Sharma, Sonia; Sultana, Sarwat

    2003-04-01

    Potassium bromate (KBrO3) is a potent nephrotoxic agent. In this paper, we report the chemopreventive effect of Nigella sativa (black cumin) on KBrO3-mediated renal oxidative stress, toxicity and tumor promotion response in rats. KBrO3 (125 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneally) enhances lipid peroxidation, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, hydrogen peroxide and xanthine oxidase with reduction in the activities of renal antioxidant enzymes and renal glutathione content. A marked increase in blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine has also been observed. KBrO3 treatment also enhances ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and [3H] thymidine incorporation into renal DNA. Prophylaxis of rats orally with Nigella sativa extract (50 mg/kg body weight and 100 mg/kg body weight) resulted in a significant decrease in renal microsomal lipid peroxidation (P stress, toxicity and tumour promotion response in rats.

  12. Comparative study of antioxidant, metal chelating and antiglycation activities of Momordica charantia flesh and pulp fractions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghous, Tahseen; Aziz, Nouman; Mehmood, Zahid; Andleeb, Saiqa

    2015-07-01

    Momordica charantia is commonly used as a vegetable and folk medicine in most parts of South Asia. This study aims to determine and compare the antioxidant, metal chelating and antiglycation activities of aqueous extracts of M. charantia fruit flesh (MCF) and fruit pulp (MCP) fractions. Our results show that MCP has pronounced DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging potential compared to MCF. In the antiglycation assay both fractions illustrated considerable inhibitory activities against the formation of AGEs induced by glucose with an efficacy of 75 and 67% with 150 μl of MCP and MCF extracts respectively, almost equal to 0.3mM amino guanidine. Results for metal catalysed protein fragmentation and autoxidative and glycoxidation assays demonstrate that MCF and MCP inhibited metal catalysed protein fragmentation. The percentage of relative standard deviation for three replicate measurements of 150 μl of MCF and MCP was < 3.0% for antiglycation. The antioxidant assays with regression values of MCP (0.981 and 0.991) and MCF (0.967 and 0.999) were also recorded. We conclude that both extracts possess high antioxidant and antiglycation activities and are equally good sources of antioxidant and antiglycating agents.

  13. Comparative study of biological activity of glutathione, sodium ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Glutathione (GSH) and sodium tungstate (Na2WO4) are important pharmacological agents. They provide protection to cells against cytotoxic agents and thus reduce their cytotoxicity. It was of interest to study the biological activity of these two pharmacological active agents. Different strains of bacteria were used and the ...

  14. Comparative Antioxidant Activity of Hibiscus sabdariffa and Ascorbic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Lipid peroxidation is becoming a popular biological marker of oxidative stress. Hibiscus sabdariffa has been reported to serve as a herbal remedy for various disease conditions, but studies on its antioxidant activity and the extent to which it acts remain scarce. The antioxidant activity of H. sabdariffa aqueous extracts, ...

  15. Comparative study of active and inactive elderly persons through the assessment of activities of daily living and quality of life

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah Caporicci

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed at evaluating the activities of daily living and quality of active and inactive seniors’ life. This is a descriptive research of a quantitative nature. Participants were 24 seniors, 12 physical activity practitioners (PPA and 12 non-practitioners (NPPA. The instrument was a demographic questionnaire and SF-36 for measuring the quality of life and tests proposed by GDLAM. SPSS 15.0 was used for data analysis. The results obtained by the sociodemographic questionnaire for PPA and NPPA groups were, respectively: age − 69.5 and 70.0 years, marital status − 50.0% widower and 41.7% were married; education − 50.0% with complete elementary school and 58.3% with incomplete elementary school; health problems − 25.0% and 58.33% hypertension. In functional autonomy tests, the PPA group had shorter execution time when compared with the NPPA group; however, both groups found themselves in the rating of "weak" according to the protocol GDLAM. We concluded that there was no statistical difference between groups.

  16. Comparative study of active and inactive elderly persons through the assessment of activities of daily living and quality of life

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Caporicci

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed at evaluating the activities of daily living and quality of active and inactive seniors’ life. This is a descriptive research of a quantitative nature. Participants were 24 seniors, 12 physical activity practitioners (PPA and 12 non-practitioners (NPPA. The instrument was a demographic questionnaire and SF-36 for measuring the quality of life and tests proposed by GDLAM. SPSS 15.0 was used for data analysis. The results obtained by the sociodemographic questionnaire for PPA and NPPA groups were, respectively: age − 69.5 and 70.0 years, marital status − 50.0% widower and 41.7% were married; education − 50.0% with complete elementary school and 58.3% with incomplete elementary school; health problems − 25.0% and 58.33% hypertension. In functional autonomy tests, the PPA group had shorter execution time when compared with the NPPA group; however, both groups found themselves in the rating of "weak" according to the protocol GDLAM. We concluded that there was no statistical difference between groups.

  17. [Food intake, nutritional status and physical activity between elderly with and without chronic constipation. A comparative study].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vargas-García, Elisa Joan; Vargas-Salado, Enrique

    2013-01-01

    Constipation is one of the most frequently found gastrointestinal problems in the elderly as aging modifies their food intake, nutritional status and physical activity, which are associated factors in the development of constipation. To compare food intake, nutritional status and physical activity between elderly subjects with or without chronic constipation. The study included a total of 140 subjects who were divided in two groups according to the presence or absence of constipation using the Rome III criteria. Diet intake was obtained through a 3-day dietary record (2 days during the week and one on Saturday or Sunday). Height, weight, arm circumference, and triceps skinfold thickness were measured and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was applied to all participants. Fiber and water intake were not statistically different between both groups. Constipated participants showed significantly less variety and less inclusion of all food groups in their diets compared to their non-constipated counterparts (p < 0.02; p < 0.03). Mean nutritional status was overweight and it didn't differ from each studied group (p= 0.49). Higher levels of physical activity were found in non-constipated subjects (1664 vs 1049 MET, p= 0.004). This study indicates that lower physical activity levels as well as an incomplete and less varied diet are associated to constipation in the elderly. Water and fibre intake do not seem to be contributing to constipation.

  18. Comparative Activity of Pradofloxacin, Enrofloxacin, and Azithromycin against Bartonella henselae Isolates Collected from Cats and a Human ▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biswas, Silpak; Maggi, Ricardo G.; Papich, Mark G.; Keil, Daniel; Breitschwerdt, Edward B.

    2010-01-01

    Using Bartonella henselae isolates from cats and a human, the activity of pradofloxacin was compared with those of enrofloxacin and azithromycin. By Etest and disc diffusion assay, pradofloxacin showed greater antimicrobial activity than did other antibiotics. We conclude that pradofloxacin may prove useful for the treatment of B. henselae infections. PMID:20007401

  19. An Integrated Power-Efficient Active Rectifier With Offset-Controlled High Speed Comparators for Inductively Powered Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hyung-Min; Ghovanloo, Maysam

    2011-01-01

    We present an active full-wave rectifier with offset-controlled high speed comparators in standard CMOS that provides high power conversion efficiency (PCE) in high frequency (HF) range for inductively powered devices. This rectifier provides much lower dropout voltage and far better PCE compared to the passive on-chip or off-chip rectifiers. The built-in offset-control functions in the comparators compensate for both turn-on and turn-off delays in the main rectifying switches, thus maximizing the forward current delivered to the load and minimizing the back current to improve the PCE. We have fabricated this active rectifier in a 0.5-μm 3M2P standard CMOS process, occupying 0.18 mm2 of chip area. With 3.8 V peak ac input at 13.56 MHz, the rectifier provides 3.12 V dc output to a 500 Ω load, resulting in the PCE of 80.2%, which is the highest measured at this frequency. In addition, overvoltage protection (OVP) as safety measure and built-in back telemetry capabilities have been incorporated in our design using detuning and load shift keying (LSK) techniques, respectively, and tested. PMID:22174666

  20. Medicine and Physiotherapy students: are they physically active? Comparative research on Spanish and German population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeńczak-Praga, Krystyna; Pluto-Prondzinska, Joanna; Zgorzalewicz-Stachowiak, Małgorzata

    2017-05-23

    Despite the fact that regular physical activity is beneficial to human life, there are still more and more overweight and obese people throughout the world today. Healthy habits taken from home or socioeconomic situation are factors which might influence on regular physical activity. People who lead a healthy lifestyle in childhood are also active during adulthood. On the other hand academic life might promote less healthy lifestyle. The aim of the study was to assess and compare the level of physical activity of both German and Spanish students of Medicine and Physiotherapy. The study involved 100 Spanish and 100 German students aged from 19 to 24 years. Based on Eurobarometer 72.3, the respondents were asked a set of questions regarding physical activity. The chi-squared test (χ2) and Mann-Whitney U test were used for the statistical analysis. The vast majority of students presented a normal BMI value, but it was not related to high physical activity. More than one-third of all students seldom practised any sports. The Spanish students usually did some form of physical activity outdoors, whereas the German students exercised in a fitness centre. Lack of time was to the Medicine and Physiotherapy students the most significant factor that did not allow them to be more physically active. Medicine and Physiotherapy students should be more physically active in order to promote a good, healthy lifestyle model to society and there should be more physical activity education to encourage more students to practise sports.

  1. Selenium-Enriched Foods Are More Effective at Increasing Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) Activity Compared with Selenomethionine: A Meta-Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bermingham, Emma N.; Hesketh, John E.; Sinclair, Bruce R.; Koolaard, John P.; Roy, Nicole C.

    2014-01-01

    Selenium may play a beneficial role in multi-factorial illnesses with genetic and environmental linkages via epigenetic regulation in part via glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity. A meta-analysis was undertaken to quantify the effects of dietary selenium supplementation on the activity of overall GPx activity in different tissues and animal species and to compare the effectiveness of different forms of dietary selenium. GPx activity response was affected by both the dose and form of selenium (p selenium supplementation on GPx activity (p selenium supply include red blood cells, kidney and muscle. The meta-analysis identified that for animal species selenium-enriched foods were more effective than selenomethionine at increasing GPx activity. PMID:25268836

  2. The energy expenditure of an activity-promoting video game compared to sedentary video games and TV watching.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitre, Naim; Foster, Randal C; Lanningham-Foster, Lorraine; Levine, James A

    2011-01-01

    In the present study we investigated the effect of television watching and the use of activity-promoting video games on energy expenditure in obese and lean children. Energy expenditure and physical activity were measured while participants were watching television, playing a video game on a traditional sedentary video game console, and while playing the same video game on an activity-promoting video game console. Energy expenditure was significantly greater than television watching and playing video games on a sedentary video game console when children played the video game on the activity-promoting console. When examining movement with accelerometry, children moved significantly more when playing the video game on the Nintendo Wii console. Activity-promoting video games have shown to increase movement, and be an important tool to raise energy expenditure by 50% when compared to sedentary activities of daily living.

  3. Comparative Neuropharmacological Activities Methanolic Extracts of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Comparative neuropharmacological efficacy of the leaf and root 70 % methanol extract of Cissus cornifolia was studied in mice. The extractive values of the leaf and root methanol extract was found to be 31.5 g with yield of 12.6 %(w/w) and 37.8 g with the yield of 15.12 %(w/w) respectively. The acute toxicity (LD50) values ...

  4. Use of Germanium as comparator and integral monitor of neutron flux in activation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furnari, Juan C.; Cohen, Isaac M.; Arribere, Maria A.; Kestelman, Abraham J.

    1997-01-01

    The possibility of using germanium as monitor of the thermal and epithermal components of the neutron flux, and comparator in parametric activation analysis, is discussed. The advantages and drawbacks associated to the use of this element are commented on, and the comparison with zirconium, in terms of the determination relative error, is performed. The utilisation of germanium as integral flux monitor, including the fast component of the neutron spectrum, is also discussed. Data corresponding to measurements of k 0 factor for the most relevant gamma transitions from Ge-75 and Be-77 are presented, as well as the results of the reference material analysis, employing germanium as flux monitor and comparator in a simultaneous way. (author). 8 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs

  5. Comparative study of microcontroller controlled four-wire voltage and current source shunt active power filters

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pettersson, S.

    2009-07-01

    During the past two decades, active power filters have increasingly grown their popularity as a viable method for improving electric power quality. The main reasons for this have been the advent of fast self-commutating solid-state devices, the progression of digital technology and the improved sensor technology. Four-wire active power filters provide an efficient solution for improving the quality of supply in grounded three-phase systems or three-phase systems with neutral conductors, which are commonly used for powering residential, office and public buildings. Four-wire active power filters are applicable in compensating current harmonics, reactive power, neutral current and load phase imbalance.This thesis presents a comparative study of microcontroller controlled four-wire voltage and current source shunt active power filters. The study includes two voltage source topologies and a current source topology with two different dc-link energy storage structures, which are compared on the basis of their filtering properties, filtering performance and efficiency. The obtained results are used for determining the suitability of current source technology for four-wire active power filtering and finding the most viable four-wire shunt active power filter topology. One commonly recognized disadvantage of the current source active power filter has always been the bulky dc-link inductor. To reduce the size of the dc-link inductor, an alternative dc-link structure for current source active power filters was introduced in the late 80's. The hybrid energy storage consists of both inductive and capacitive energy storage elements, two diodes and two controllable semiconductor switching devices. Since the capacitive element is used as a main storage unit, the inductance of the dc-link inductor can be considerably reduced. However, the original dc current control method proposed is not able to utilize the full potential of the hybrid energy storage and the inductance

  6. On the comparability of knowledge transfer activities – a case study at the German Baltic Sea Coast focusing regional climate services

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. Meinke

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available In this article the comparability of knowledge transfer activities is discussed by accounting for external impacts. It is shown that factors which are neither part of the knowledge transfer activity nor part of the participating institution may have significant impact on the potential usefulness of knowledge transfer activities. Differences in the potential usefulness are leading to different initial conditions of the knowledge transfer activities. This needs to be taken into account when comparing different knowledge transfer activities, e.g., in program evaluations. This study is focusing on regional climate services at the German Baltic Sea coast. It is based on two surveys and experiences with two identical web tools applied on two regions with different spatial coverage. The results show that comparability among science based knowledge transfer activities is strongly limited through several external impacts. The potential usefulness and thus the initial condition of a particular knowledge transfer activity strongly depends on (1 the perceived priority of the focused topic, (2 the used information channels, (3 the conformity between the research agenda of service providing institutions and information demands in the public, as well as (4 on the spatial coverage of a service. It is suggested to account for the described external impacts for evaluations of knowledge transfer activities. The results show that the comparability of knowledge transfer activities is limited and challenge the adequacy of quantitative measures in this context. Moreover, as shown in this case study, in particular regional climate services should be individually evaluated on a long term perspective, by potential user groups and/or by its real users. It is further suggested that evaluation criteria should be co-developed with these stakeholder groups.

  7. Comparative evaluation of different extracts of leaves of Psidium guajava Linn. for hepatoprotective activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roy, Chanchal K; Das, Amit Kumar

    2010-01-01

    The study was designed to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of different extracts (petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol and aqueous) of P. guajava in acute experimental liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride and paracetamol. The effects observed were compared with a known hepatoprotective agent, silymarin (100 mg/kg p.o.). In the acute liver damage induced by different hepatotoxins, P. guajava methanolic leaf extract (200 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly reduced the elevated serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin in carbon tetrachloride and paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity. P. guajava ethyl acetate leaf extract (200 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly reduced the elevated serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and bilirubin in carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity whereas P. guajava aqueous leaf extract (200 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly reduced the elevated serum levels of alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase and bilirubin in carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity. P. guajava ethyl acetate and aqueous leaf extracts (200 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly reduced the elevated serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase in paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity. Histological examination of the liver tissues supported the hepatoprotection. It is concluded that the methanolic extract of leaves of Psidium guajava plant possesses better hepatoprotective activity compared to other extracts.

  8. Redefining neighborhoods using common destinations: social characteristics of activity spaces and home census tracts compared.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Malia; Pebley, Anne R

    2014-06-01

    Research on neighborhood effects has focused largely on residential neighborhoods, but people are exposed to many other places in the course of their daily lives-at school, at work, when shopping, and so on. Thus, studies of residential neighborhoods consider only a subset of the social-spatial environment affecting individuals. In this article, we examine the characteristics of adults' "activity spaces"-spaces defined by locations that individuals visit regularly-in Los Angeles County, California. Using geographic information system (GIS) methods, we define activity spaces in two ways and estimate their socioeconomic characteristics. Our research has two goals. First, we determine whether residential neighborhoods represent the social conditions to which adults are exposed in the course of their regular activities. Second, we evaluate whether particular groups are exposed to a broader or narrower range of social contexts in the course of their daily activities. We find that activity spaces are substantially more heterogeneous in terms of key social characteristics, compared to residential neighborhoods. However, the characteristics of both home neighborhoods and activity spaces are closely associated with individual characteristics. Our results suggest that most people experience substantial segregation across the range of spaces in their daily lives, not just at home.

  9. Oxygen dependence of respiration in rat spinotrapezius muscle in situ

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pittman, Roland N.

    2012-01-01

    The oxygen dependence of respiration in striated muscle in situ was studied by measuring the rate of decrease of interstitial Po2 [oxygen disappearance curve (ODC)] following rapid arrest of blood flow by pneumatic tissue compression, which ejected red blood cells from the muscle vessels and made the ODC independent from oxygen bound to hemoglobin. After the contribution of photo-consumption of oxygen by the method was evaluated and accounted for, the corrected ODCs were converted into the Po2 dependence of oxygen consumption, V̇o2, proportional to the rate of Po2 decrease. Fitting equations obtained from a model of heterogeneous intracellular Po2 were applied to recover the parameters describing respiration in muscle fibers, with a predicted sigmoidal shape for the dependence of V̇o2 on Po2. This curve consists of two regions connected by the point for critical Po2 of the cell (i.e., Po2 at the sarcolemma when the center of the cell becomes anoxic). The critical Po2 was below the Po2 for half-maximal respiratory rate (P50) for the cells. In six muscles at rest, the rate of oxygen consumption was 139 ± 6 nl O2/cm3·s and mitochondrial P50 was k = 10.5 ± 0.8 mmHg. The range of Po2 values inside the muscle fibers was found to be 4–5 mmHg at the critical Po2. The oxygen dependence of respiration can be studied in thin muscles under different experimental conditions. In resting muscle, the critical Po2 was substantially lower than the interstitial Po2 of 53 ± 2 mmHg, a finding that indicates that V̇o2 under this circumstance is independent of oxygen supply and is discordant with the conventional hypothesis of metabolic regulation of the oxygen supply to tissue. PMID:22523254

  10. 26 CFR 52.4682-2 - Qualifying sales.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 17 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Qualifying sales. 52.4682-2 Section 52.4682-2... TAXES (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL TAXES § 52.4682-2 Qualifying sales. (a) In general—(1) Special rules applicable to certain sales. Special rules apply to sales of ODCs in the following cases: (i) Under section...

  11. Active learning on the ward: outcomes from a comparative trial with traditional methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melo Prado, Hegla; Hannois Falbo, Gilliatt; Rodrigues Falbo, Ana; Natal Figueirôa, José

    2011-03-01

    Academic activity during internship is essentially practical and ward rounds are traditionally considered the cornerstone of clinical education. However, the efficacy and effectiveness of ward rounds for learning purposes have been under-investigated and it is necessary to assess alternative educational paradigms for this activity. This study aimed to compare the educational effectiveness of ward rounds conducted with two different learning methodologies. Student subjects were first tested on 30 true/false questions to assess their initial degree of knowledge on pneumonia and diarrhoea. Afterwards, they attended ward rounds conducted using an active and a traditional learning methodology. The participants were submitted to a second test 48hours later in order to assess knowledge acquisition and were asked to answer two questions about self-directed learning and their opinions on the two learning methodologies used. Seventy-two medical students taking part in a paediatric clinic rotation were enrolled. The active methodology proved to be more effective than the traditional methodology for the three outcomes considered: knowledge acquisition (33 students [45.8%] versus 21 students [29.2%]; p=0.03); self-directed learning (38 students [52.8%] versus 11 students [15.3%]; pmethods (61 students [84.7%] versus 38 students [52.8%]; ptraditional methodology in a ward-based context. This study seems to be valuable in terms of the new evidence it demonstrates on learning methodologies in the context of the ward round. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

  12. Activation of Human Peripheral Blood Eosinophils by Cytokines in a Comparative Time-Course Proteomic/Phosphoproteomic Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soman, Kizhake V; Stafford, Susan J; Pazdrak, Konrad; Wu, Zheng; Luo, Xuemei; White, Wendy I; Wiktorowicz, John E; Calhoun, William J; Kurosky, Alexander

    2017-08-04

    Activated eosinophils contribute to airway dysfunction and tissue remodeling in asthma and thus are considered to be important factors in asthma pathology. We report here comparative proteomic and phosphoproteomic changes upon activation of eosinophils using eight cytokines individually and in selected cytokine combinations in time-course reactions. Differential protein and phosphoprotein expressions were determined by mass spectrometry after 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DGE) and by LC-MS/MS. We found that each cytokine-stimulation produced significantly different changes in the eosinophil proteome and phosphoproteome, with phosphoproteomic changes being more pronounced and having an earlier onset. Furthermore, we observed that IL-5, GM-CSF, and IL-3 showed the greatest change in protein expression and phosphorylation, and this expression differed markedly from those of the other five cytokines evaluated. Comprehensive univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were employed to evaluate the comparative results. We also monitored eosinophil activation using flow cytometry (FC) analysis of CD69. In agreement with our proteomic studies, FC indicated that IL-5, GM-CSF, and IL-3 were more effective than the other five cytokines studied in stimulating a cell surface CD69 increase indicative of eosinophil activation. Moreover, selected combinations of cytokines revealed proteomic patterns with many proteins in common with single cytokine expression patterns but also showed a greater effect of the two cytokines employed, indicating a more complex signaling pathway that was reflective of a more typical inflammatory pathology.

  13. From costs to prices: economic analysis of photovoltaic energy and services

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chabot, Bernard

    1998-01-01

    A global economic analysis methodology is proposed in order to simplify the cost and the profitability assessment of energy and services delivered by photovoltaic (PV) systems. As examples, equations and graphic tools derived from this methodology give directly the overall discounted costs (ODC) of electricity delivered by grid-connected PV power plants and the ODC of water delivered by a stand-alone PV pumping system. The main criteria used for profitability analysis of PV projects are reviewed: net present value, internal rate of return and profitability index (PI). A simple method with associated equations and graphic tools is presented in order to assess the profitability of PV projects from their PI. Examples of profitability analysis of present and future grid-connected PV power plants built and operated by an independent power producers are presented and discussed, together with examples of stand-alone PV water pumping systems operated by the local community in developing countries. In both cases, equations and specific graphic tools are presented. Specific graphs can be used with different monetary units, different sizes and different investment costs of PV projects. (Author)

  14. Comparative study of active plasma lenses in high-quality electron accelerator transport lines

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Tilborg, J.; Barber, S. K.; Benedetti, C.; Schroeder, C. B.; Isono, F.; Tsai, H.-E.; Geddes, C. G. R.; Leemans, W. P.

    2018-05-01

    Electrically discharged active plasma lenses (APLs) are actively pursued in compact high-brightness plasma-based accelerators due to their high-gradient, tunable, and radially symmetric focusing properties. In this manuscript, the APL is experimentally compared with a conventional quadrupole triplet, highlighting the favorable reduction in the energy dependence (chromaticity) in the transport line. Through transport simulations, it is explored how the non-uniform radial discharge current distribution leads to beam-integrated emittance degradation and a charge density reduction at focus. However, positioning an aperture at the APL entrance will significantly reduce emittance degradation without additional loss of charge in the high-quality core of the beam. An analytical model is presented that estimates the emittance degradation from a short beam driving a longitudinally varying wakefield in the APL. Optimizing laser plasma accelerator operation is discussed where emittance degradation from the non-uniform discharge current (favoring small beams inside the APL) and wakefield effects (favoring larger beam sizes) is minimized.

  15. Voluntary activation of the trapezius muscle in cases with neck/shoulder pain compared to healthy controls

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bech, Katrine Tholstrup; Larsen, Camilla Marie; Sjøgaard, Gisela

    2017-01-01

    Subjects reporting neck/shoulder pain have been shown to generate less force during maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVC) of the shoulder muscles compared to healthy controls. This has been suggested to be caused by a pain-related decrease in voluntary activation (VA) rather than lack of...

  16. Comparative Study between Two Schemes of Active-Control-Based Mechatronic Inerter

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    He Lingduo

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Based on force-current analogy and velocity-voltage analogy in the theory of electromechanical analogy, the inerter is a device that corresponded to the capacitor completely where conquers the nature restriction of mass, what’s more, it is significant to improve the ratio of the inerter’s inertance to its mass for mechanical networks synthesis. And according to the principle of active-control-based mechatronic inerter, we present two implementation schemes. One was based on linear motor, and the other was based on the ball screw and rotary motor. We introduced the implementation methods and established theoretical model of the two schemes, then compared the ratio of the inerter’s inertance to its mass for the two schemes. Finally, we consider the scheme is better which was based on the ball screw and rotary motor.

  17. Comparative in-vitro evaluation of antibacterial activity of levofloxacin brands available in Pakistan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sajid Bashir

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: Antimicrobial susceptibility against marketed antibiotic products is dynamic and changes with development of resistance in microbes. Susceptibility status of antibiotics helps health care practitioners in refining their prescribing trends and selection of suitable antibiotic and its commercial brand. Objective of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial sensitivity and susceptibility patterns of levofloxacin of different national and multinational brands in Pakistan. Levofloxacin is among the commonly mis-prescribed antibiotic in Pakistan and this study will give an insight of microbial resistance/susceptibility status against quinolones and help prescribing practice. Methods: In this study 29 different brands of levofloxacin from different cities of Pakistan are evaluated for their sensitivity against four microbial strains i.e. Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella Pneumonia. Evaluation was performed via disc diffusion method against standard drug discs. Result: Different brands exhibited different antimicrobial status regardless of their price and national or multinational status. In low price range, Levomerc while Tavanic in high price range showed significant antimicrobial activity. Different brands are evaluated and compared statistically with price and activity as variant. Conclusion: Antimicrobial activity of different brands of levofloxacin varied regardless of their national/multinational status and price factor. This study refined the suitability of different brands of levofloxacin against respective pathogens and disease indications.

  18. Comparative study on the antioxidant and anti-Toxoplasma activities of vanillin and its resorcinarene derivative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira, Claudio B S; Meurer, Ywlliane S R; Oliveira, Marianne G; Medeiros, Wendy M T Q; Silva, Francisco O N; Brito, Ana C F; Pontes, Daniel de L; Andrade-Neto, Valter F

    2014-05-07

    A resorcinarene derivative of vanillin, resvan, was synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic techniques. We measured the cytotoxicity (in vivo and in vitro), antioxidant and anti-Toxoplasma activities of vanillin and the resorcinarene compound. Here we show that vanillin has a dose-dependent behavior with IC50 of 645 µg/mL through an in vitro cytotoxicity assay. However, we could not observe any cytotoxic response at higher concentrations of resvan (IC50 > 2,000 µg/mL). The in vivo acute toxicity assays of vanillin and resvan exhibited a significant safety margin indicated by a lack of systemic and behavioral toxicity up to 300 mg/kg during the first 30 min, 24 h or 14 days after administration. The obtained derivative showed greater antioxidative activity (84.9%) when comparing to vanillin (19.4%) at 1,000 μg/mL. In addition, vanillin presents anti-Toxoplasma activity, while resvan does not show that feature. Our findings suggest that this particular derivative has an efficient antioxidant activity and a negligible cytotoxic effect, making it a potential target for further biological investigations.

  19. Activity of OPT-80, a novel macrocycle, compared with those of eight other agents against selected anaerobic species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Credito, Kim L; Appelbaum, Peter C

    2004-11-01

    Agar dilution MIC was used to compare activities of OPT-80, linezolid, vancomycin, teicoplanin, quinupristin/dalfopristin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, imipenem, clindamycin, and metronidazole against 350 gram-positive and -negative anaerobes. OPT-80 was active against gram-positive strains only, especially Clostridium spp. (85 strains tested, including 21 strains of C. difficile), with MICs ranging between

  20. The Energy Expenditure of an Activity-Promoting Video Game compared to Sedentary Video Games and TV Watching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitre, Naim; Foster, Randal C; Lanningham-Foster, Lorraine; Levine, James A.

    2014-01-01

    Background Screen time continues to be a major contributing factor to sedentariness in children. There have been more creative approaches to increase physical over the last few years. One approach has been through the use of video games. In the present study we investigated the effect of television watching and the use of activity-promoting video games on energy expenditure and movement in lean and obese children. Our primary hypothesis was that energy expenditure and movement decreases while watching television, in lean and obese children. Our secondary hypothesis was that energy expenditure and movement increases when playing the same game with an activity-promoting video game console compared to a sedentary video game console, in lean and obese children. Methods Eleven boys (10 ± 1 year) and eight girls (9 ± 1 year) ranging in BMI from 14–29 kg/m2 (eleven lean and eight overweight or obese) were recruited. Energy expenditure and physical activity were measured while participants were watching television, playing a video game on a traditional sedentary video game console, and while playing the same video game on an activity-promoting video game (Nintendo Wii) console. Results Energy expenditure was significantly greater than television watching and playing video games on a sedentary video game console when children played the video game on the activity-promoting console(125.3 ± 38.2 Kcal/hr vs. 79.7 ± 20.1 and 79.4 ±15.7, Pvideo games on a sedentary video game console is not different. Activity-promoting video games have shown to increase movement, and be an important tool to raise energy expenditure by 50% when compared to sedentary activities of daily living. PMID:22145458

  1. Similar healthy osteoclast and osteoblast activity on nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite and nanoparticles of tri-calcium phosphate compared to natural bone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MacMillan AK

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Adam K MacMillan,1 Francis V Lamberti,1 Julia N Moulton,2 Benjamin M Geilich,2 Thomas J Webster2,3 1RTI Surgical, Alachua, FL, USA; 2Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; 3Center of Excellence for Advanced Materials Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Abstract: While there have been numerous studies to determine osteoblast (bone forming cell functions on nanocrystalline compared to micron crystalline ceramics, there have been few studies which have examined osteoclast activity (including tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, formation of resorption pits, size of resorption pits, and receptor activator of nuclear factor κB [RANK]. This is despite the fact that osteoclasts are an important part of maintaining healthy bone since they resorb bone during the bone remodeling process. Moreover, while it is now well documented that bone formation is enhanced on nanoceramics compared to micron ceramics, some have pondered whether osteoblast functions (such as osteoprotegerin and RANK ligand [RANKL] are normal (ie, non-diseased on such materials compared to natural bone. For these reasons, the objective of the present in vitro study was to determine various functions of osteoclasts and osteoblasts on nanocrystalline and micron crystalline hydroxyapatite as well as tri-calcium phosphate materials and compare such results to cortical and cancellous bone. Results showed for the first time similar osteoclast activity (including tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, formation of resorption pits, size of resorption pits, and RANK and osteoblast activity (osteoprotegerin and RANKL on nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite compared to natural bone, whereas osteoclast and osteoblast functions on micron crystalline versions of these ceramics were much different than natural bone. In this manner, this study provides additional evidence that nanocrystalline calcium phosphates can serve as suitable synthetic

  2. Comparative Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase-Activated Protein Kinase 5

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Inger Lindin

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase MK5 is a substrate of the mitogen-activated protein kinases p38, ERK3 and ERK4. Cell culture and animal studies have demonstrated that MK5 is involved in tumour suppression and promotion, embryogenesis, anxiety, cell motility and cell cycle regulation. In the present study, homology models of MK5 were used for molecular dynamics (MD simulations of: (1 MK5 alone; (2 MK5 in complex with an inhibitor; and (3 MK5 in complex with the interaction partner p38α. The calculations showed that the inhibitor occupied the active site and disrupted the intramolecular network of amino acids. However, intramolecular interactions consistent with an inactive protein kinase fold were not formed. MD with p38α showed that not only the p38 docking region, but also amino acids in the activation segment, αH helix, P-loop, regulatory phosphorylation region and the C-terminal of MK5 may be involved in forming a very stable MK5-p38α complex, and that p38α binding decreases the residual fluctuation of the MK5 model. Electrostatic Potential Surface (EPS calculations of MK5 and p38α showed that electrostatic interactions are important for recognition and binding.

  3. Granular biochar compared with activated carbon for wastewater treatment and resource recovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huggins, Tyler M; Haeger, Alexander; Biffinger, Justin C; Ren, Zhiyong Jason

    2016-05-01

    Granular wood-derived biochar (BC) was compared to granular activated carbon (GAC) for the treatment and nutrient recovery of real wastewater in both batch and column studies. Batch adsorption studies showed that BC material had a greater adsorption capacity at the high initial concentrations of total chemical oxygen demand (COD-T) (1200 mg L(-1)), PO4 (18 mg L(-1)), and NH4 (50 mg L(-1)) compared to GAC. Conversely the BC material showed a lower adsorption capacity for all concentrations of dissolved chemical oxygen demand (COD-D) and the lower concentrations of PO4 (5 mg L(-1)) and NH4 (10 mg L(-1)). Packed bed column studies showed similar average COD-T removal rate for BC with 0.27 ± 0.01 kg m(-3) d(-1) and GAC with 0.24 ± 0.01 kg m(-3) d(-1), but BC had nearly twice the average removal rate (0.41 ± 0.08 kg m(-3) d(-3)) compared to GAC during high COD-T concentrations (>500 mg L(-1)). Elemental analysis showed that both materials accumulated phosphorous during wastewater treatment (2.6 ± 0.4 g kg(-1) and 1.9 ± 0.1 g kg(-1) for BC and GAC respectively). They also contained high concentrations of other macronutrients (K, Ca, and Mg) and low concentrations of metals (As, Cd, Cr, Pb, Zn, and Cu). The good performance of BC is attributed to its macroporous structure compared with the microporous GAC. These favorable treatment data for high strength wastewater, coupled with additional life-cycle benefits, helps support the use of BC in packed bed column filters for enhanced wastewater treatment and nutrient recovery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Comparative activities of telavancin combined with nafcillin, imipenem, and gentamicin against Staphylococcus aureus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leonard, Steven N; Supple, Megan E; Gandhi, Ronak G; Patel, Meghna D

    2013-06-01

    Beta-lactams enhance the killing activity of vancomycin. Due to structural and mechanistic similarities between vancomycin and telavancin, we investigated the activity of telavancin combined with nafcillin and imipenem compared to the known synergistic combination of telavancin and gentamicin. Thirty strains of Staphylococcus aureus, 10 methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), 10 methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), and 10 heterogeneously vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (hVISA), were tested for synergy by time-kill methodology. Six strains (2 each of MSSA, MRSA, and hVISA) were further evaluated in an in vitro pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model with simulated regimens of 10 mg/kg of body weight of telavancin once daily alone and combined with 2 g nafcillin every 4 h, 500 mg imipenem every 6 h, or 5 mg/kg gentamicin once daily over 72 h. In the synergy test, 67% of strains displayed synergy with the combination of telavancin and gentamicin, 70% with telavancin and nafcillin, and 63% with telavancin and imipenem. In the PK/PD model, the activities of all three combinations against MRSA and hVISA were superior to all individual drugs alone (P ≤ 0.002) and were similar to each other (P ≥ 0.187). The activities of all three combinations against MSSA were generally similar to each other except for one strain where the combination of telavancin and imipenem was superior to all other regimens (P ≤ 0.011). The activity of the combination of telavancin and beta-lactam agents was similar to that of telavancin and gentamicin against S. aureus, including resistant strains. Because beta-lactam combinations are less likely to be nephrotoxic than telavancin plus gentamicin, these beta-lactam combinations may have clinical utility.

  5. Comparative study between the PIXE technique and neutron activation analysis for Zinc determination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cruvinel, Paulo Estevao; Crestana, Silvio; Artaxo Netto, Paulo Eduardo

    1997-01-01

    This work presents a comparative study between the PIXE, proton beams and neutron activation analysis (NAA) techniques, for determination of total zinc concentration. Particularly, soil samples from the Pindorama, Instituto Agronomico de Campinas, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, experimental station have been analysed and measuring the zinc contents in μg/g. The results presented good correlation between the mentioned techniques. The PIXE and NAA analyses have been carried out by using the series S, 2.4 MeV proton beams Pelletron accelerator and the IPEN/CNEN-IEA-R1 reactor, both installed at the Sao Paulo - Brazil university

  6. COMPARATIVE LEGISLATIVE ANALYSIS OF ACTIVE BRIBERY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mijo Galiot

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Confronting socially unacceptable activities, especially corruptive criminal acts, including bribing, makes an important issue of every regulated legal system. The crucial part of such policies are the criminal polices. In this paper, the author deals with the criminal legislation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, related to the matters of active bribing as one of the basic forms of corruptive behaviour. While comparing the way the penal system is regulated in the said country, the author comments basic similarities and differences of the passive bribing legal regulation in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Croatia.

  7. Comparative trials in registration files of cardiovascular drugs : Comparator drugs and dosing schemes.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wieringa, NF; Vos, R; de Graeff, PA

    Registration files of 13 cardiovascular drugs were analysed with respect to the number of double-blind phase-III clinical trials, the use of placebo and active comparator drugs and their dosing schemes. Half of the 146 double-blind trials used active comparator drugs. The majority of files included

  8. Barriers to Self-Motivated Conceptual Music Learning: Activity Theory as a Framework for Comparing Dissimilar Cases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmidt-Jones, Catherine

    2018-01-01

    This paper describes the use of activity theory to compare dissimilar cases in a study of adult online music learners. The purpose of the study was to better understand the barriers that keep self-motivated users of online open education resources from experiencing successful independent learning. Eleven participants were given tutoring-style help…

  9. Comparative costs and activity from a sample of UK clinical trials units.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hind, Daniel; Reeves, Barnaby C; Bathers, Sarah; Bray, Christopher; Corkhill, Andrea; Hayward, Christopher; Harper, Lynda; Napp, Vicky; Norrie, John; Speed, Chris; Tremain, Liz; Keat, Nicola; Bradburn, Mike

    2017-05-02

    The costs of medical research are a concern. Clinical Trials Units (CTUs) need to better understand variations in the costs of their activities. Representatives of ten CTUs and two grant-awarding bodies pooled their experiences in discussions over 1.5 years. Five of the CTUs provided estimates of, and written justification for, costs associated with CTU activities required to implement an identical protocol. The protocol described a 5.5-year, nonpharmacological randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted at 20 centres. Direct and indirect costs, the number of full time equivalents (FTEs) and the FTEs attracting overheads were compared and qualitative methods (unstructured interviews and thematic analysis) were used to interpret the results. Four members of the group (funding-body representatives or award panel members) reviewed the justification statements for transparency and information content. Separately, 163 activities common to trials were assigned to roles used by nine CTUs; the consistency of role delineation was assessed by Cohen's κ. Median full economic cost of CTU activities was £769,637 (range: £661,112 to £1,383,323). Indirect costs varied considerably, accounting for between 15% and 59% (median 35%) of the full economic cost of the grant. Excluding one CTU, which used external statisticians, the total number of FTEs ranged from 2.0 to 3.0; total FTEs attracting overheads ranged from 0.3 to 2.0. Variation in directly incurred staff costs depended on whether CTUs: supported particular roles from core funding rather than grants; opted not to cost certain activities into the grant; assigned clerical or data management tasks to research or administrative staff; employed extensive on-site monitoring strategies (also the main source of variation in non-staff costs). Funders preferred written justifications of costs that described both FTEs and indicative tasks for funded roles, with itemised non-staff costs. Consistency in role delineation was fair (κ

  10. Contrast-enhanced MRI compared with the physical examination in the evaluation of disease activity in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hemke, Robert; Maas, Mario; Veenendaal, Mira van; Kuijpers, Taco W.; Dolman, Koert M.; Rossum, Marion A.J. van; Berg, J.M. van den

    2014-01-01

    To assess the value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in discriminating between active and inactive juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients and to compare physical examination outcomes with MRI outcomes in the assessment of disease status in JIA patients. Consecutive JIA patients with knee involvement were prospectively studied using an open-bore MRI. Imaging findings from 146 JIA patients were analysed (59.6 % female; mean age, 12.9 years). Patients were classified as clinically active or inactive. MRI features were evaluated using the JAMRIS system, comprising validated scores for synovial hypertrophy, bone marrow oedema, cartilage lesions and bone erosions. Inter-reader reliability was good for all MRI features (intra-class correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.87-0.94). No differences were found between the two groups regarding MRI scores of bone marrow oedema, cartilage lesions or bone erosions. Synovial hypertrophy scores differed significantly between groups (P = 0.016). Nonetheless, synovial hypertrophy was also present in 14 JIA patients (35.9 %) with clinically inactive disease. Of JIA patients considered clinically active, 48.6 % showed no signs of MRI-based synovitis. MRI can discriminate between clinically active and inactive JIA patients. However, physical examination is neither very sensitive nor specific in evaluating JIA disease activity compared with MRI. Subclinical synovitis was present in >35 % of presumed clinically inactive patients. (orig.)

  11. Comparative Analysis of Phenolic Content and Anti oxidative Activities of Eight Malaysian Traditional Vegetables

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nur Huda-Faujan; Zulaikha Abdul Rahim; Maryam Mohamed Rehan; Faujan Ahmad

    2015-01-01

    Vegetables have been believed to exhibit antioxidant activities due to its phenolic content. Thus, this study was carried out to determine the total phenolic content of water and ethanolic extracts of Malaysian traditional vegetables and assess their antioxidant activities. Eight samples of Malaysian traditional vegetables were dried and extracted its phenolic compounds using water and ethanolic solvent. Total phenolic content of the extracts were compared and evaluated using Folin-Ciocalteu and Prussian Blue reagent. The antioxidant activity were assessed using ferric thiocyanate assay and DPPH free radical scavenging assays. Results found that total phenolic content of water extracts ranged from 7.08 to 14.76 mg GAE (Folin-Ciocalteu assay) and 3.50 to 7.82 mg GAE (Prussian Blue assay). However, the content of phenolic of ethanolic extracts ranged from 5.21 to 15.86 mg GAE (Folin-Ciocalteu assay), and 1.84 to 11.54 mg GAE (Prussian Blue assay). The highest antioxidant activity was observed in water extracts of Etlingera elatior (75.6 %) and ethanolic extracts of Sauropus androgynus (78.1 %). Results also found that the best half maximal inhibitory concentration or IC 50 were demonstrated by water and ethanolic extracts of Sauropus androgynus which demonstrated 0.077 mg/mL and 0.078 mg/ mL, respectively. Hence, this study obtained that most of the Malaysian traditional vegetables have a potential source of natural antioxidant. (author)

  12. Specific cerebral activation due to visual erotic stimuli in male-to-female transsexuals compared with male and female controls: an fMRI study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gizewski, Elke R; Krause, Eva; Schlamann, Marc; Happich, Friederike; Ladd, Mark E; Forsting, Michael; Senf, Wolfgang

    2009-02-01

    Transsexuals harbor the strong feeling of having been born to the wrong sex. There is a continuing controversial discussion of whether or not transsexualism has a biological representation. Differences between males and females in terms of functional imaging during erotic stimuli have been previously described, revealing gender-specific results. Therefore, we postulated that male-to-female (MTF) transsexuals may show specific cerebral activation differing from their biological gender. Cerebral activation patterns during viewing of erotic film excerpts in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Twelve male and 12 female heterosexual volunteers and 12 MTF transsexuals before any treatment viewed erotic film excerpts during fMRI. Additionally, subjective rating of sexual arousal was assessed. Statistics were performed using the Statistical Parametric Mapping software. Significantly enhanced activation for men compared with women was revealed in brain areas involved in erotic processing, i.e., the thalamus, the amygdala, and the orbitofrontal and insular cortex, whereas no specific activation for women was found. When comparing MTF transsexuals with male volunteers, activation patterns similar to female volunteers being compared with male volunteers were revealed. Sexual arousal was assessed using standard rating scales and did not differ significantly for the three groups. We revealed a cerebral activation pattern in MTF transsexuals compared with male controls similar to female controls compared with male controls during viewing of erotic stimuli, indicating a tendency of female-like cerebral processing in transsexualism.

  13. Enzymatic Activity of the Mycelium Compared with Oospore Development During Infection of Pea Roots by Aphanomyces euteiches

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kjøller, Rasmus; Rosendahl, Søren

    1998-01-01

    To describe the disease cycle of the root pathogen Aphanomyces euteiches, enzymatic activity in the mycelium was compared with the development of oospores in pea roots. Plants were inoculated with two zoospore concentrations to achieve different disease levels. Hyphae were stained for fungal...

  14. [Neratinib + Valproate] exposure permanently reduces ERBB1 and RAS expression in 4T1 mammary tumors and enhances M1 macrophage infiltration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Booth, Laurence; Roberts, Jane L; Rais, Rumeesa; Kirkwood, John; Avogadri-Connors, Francesca; Cutler, Richard E; Lalani, Alshad S; Poklepovic, Andrew; Dent, Paul

    2018-01-19

    The irreversible ERBB1/2/4 inhibitor neratinib has been shown in vitro to rapidly reduce the expression of ERBB1/2/4 and RAS proteins via autophagic/lysosomal degradation. We have recently demonstrated that neratinib and valproate interact to suppress the growth of 4T1 mammary tumors but had not defined whether the [neratinib + valproate] drug combination, in a mouse, had altered the biology of the 4T1 cells. Exposure of 4T1 mammary tumors to [neratinib + valproate] for three days resulted, two weeks later, in tumors that expressed less ERBB1, K-RAS, N-RAS, indoleamine-pyrrole 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO-1), ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and had increased Class I MHCA expression. Tumors previously exposed to [neratinib + valproate] grew more slowly than those exposed to vehicle control and contained more CD8+ cells and activated NK cells. M1 but not M2 macrophage infiltration was significantly enhanced by the drug combination. In vitro exposure of 4T1 tumor cells to [neratinib + valproate] variably reduced the expression of histone deacetylases 1-11. In vivo , prior exposure of tumors to [neratinib + valproate] permanently reduced the expression of HDACs 1-3, 6 and 10. Combined knock down of HDACs 1/2/3 or of 3/10 rapidly reduced the expression IDO-1, and ODC and increased the expression of MHCA. H&E staining of normal tissues at animal nadir revealed no obvious cyto-architectural differences between control and drug-treated animals. We conclude that [neratinib + valproate] evolves 4T1 tumors to grow more slowly and to be more sensitive to checkpoint immunotherapy antibodies.

  15. Comparative SPR study on the effect of nanomaterials on the biological activity of adsorbed proteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mei, Q.; Chen, Y.; Hong, J.; Chen, H.; Ding, X.; Yin, Y.; Koh, K.; Lee, J.

    2012-01-01

    Bioactivity of proteins is evaluated to test the adverse effects of nanoparticles interjected into biological systems. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy detects binding affinity that is normally related to biological activity. Utilizing SPR spectroscopy, a concise testing matrix is established by investigating the adsorption level of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and anti-BSA on the surface covered with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA); magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), respectively. The immunoactivity of BSA on MNPs and SWCNT decreased by 18 % and 5 %, respectively, compared to that on the gold film modified with MUA. This indicates that MNPs cause a considerable loss of biological activity of adsorbed protein. This effect can be utilized for practical applications on detailed biophysical research and nanotoxicity studies. (author)

  16. Comparative in vitro activity of piperacillinl tazobactam against Gram ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Tables V and VI. Against the Enterobacteriaceae tested, which excluded. Enterobacter spp., the most active agents overall were. SAMJ. ARTICLES ciprofloxacin, the carbapenems (biapenem and imipenem), and the new cephalosporins (cefepime and cefpirome). PiperacillinJtazobactam demonstrated good activity against.

  17. Comparative study of CO2 and H2O activation in the synthesis of carbon electrode for supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taer, E.; Apriwandi, Yusriwandi, Mustika, W. S.; Zulkifli, Taslim, R.; Sugianto, Kurniasih, B.; Agustino, Dewi, P.

    2018-02-01

    The physical activation for the comparative study of carbon electrode synthesized for supercapacitor applications made from rubber wood sawdust has been performed successfully. Comparison of physical activation used in this research is based on the different gas activation such as CO2 and H2O. The CO2 and H2O activation are made by using an integrated carbonization and activation system. The carbonization process is performed in N2 atmosphere followed by CO2 and H2O activation process. The carbonization process at temperature of 600°C, the CO2 and H2O activation process at a temperature of 900°C and maintained at this condition for 2 h and 3 h. The electrochemical properties were analyzed using cyclic voltammetric (CV) method. The CV results show that the carbon electrode with CO2 activation has better capacitive properties than H2O, the highest specific capacitance obtained is 93.22 F/g for 3 h of activation time. In addition, the analysis of physical properties such as surface morphology and degree of crystallinity was also performed.

  18. Comparative Study on the Cytoprotective Effects of Activated Protein C Treatment in Nonsteatotic and Steatotic Livers under Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akitoshi Matsuda

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Activated protein C (APC has cytoprotective effects on liver ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI. However, it is unclear whether APC is beneficial in steatotic liver IRI. We compared the cytoprotective effects of APC in nonsteatotic and steatotic liver IRI. Methods. Mice fed either normal diets (ND mice or high fat diets (HF mice, were treated with APC or saline (control and were performed 60 min partial IRI. Moreover, primary steatotic hepatocytes were either untreated or treated with APC and then incubated with H2O2. Results. APC significantly reduced serum transaminase levels and the inflammatory cells infiltration compared with control at 4 h in ND mice and at 24 h in HF mice. APC inhibited sinusoidal endothelial injury in ND mice, but not in HF mice. In contrast, APC activated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK phosphorylation in HF mice, but not in ND mice. In the in vitro study, APC significantly increased AMPK phosphorylation, ATP concentration, and survival rates of hepatocytes compared with control. Conclusion. During IRI in normal liver, APC attenuated initial damage by inhibiting inflammatory cell infiltration and sinusoidal endothelial injury, but not in steatotic liver. However, in steatotic liver, APC might attenuate late damage via activation of AMPK.

  19. Comparative analysis of methods and sources of financing of the transport organizations activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorshkov, Roman

    2017-10-01

    The article considers the analysis of methods of financing of transport organizations in conditions of limited investment resources. A comparative analysis of these methods is carried out, the classification of investment, methods and sources of financial support for projects being implemented to date are presented. In order to select the optimal sources of financing for the projects, various methods of financial management and financial support for the activities of the transport organization were analyzed, which were considered from the perspective of analysis of advantages and limitations. The result of the study is recommendations on the selection of optimal sources and methods of financing of transport organizations.

  20. Comparing the functional components, SOD-like activities, antimutagenicity, and nutrient compositions of Phellinus igniarius and Phellinus linteus mushrooms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nae-Cherng Yang

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Many species of the genus Phellinus possess beneficial properties, including antioxidant, immune-enhancing, and antimutagenic effects. Phenolic compounds and polysaccharides are two kinds of bioactive compounds; however, few studies have compared the differences between Phellinus igniarius and Phellinus linteus in their functional components, functional activities, and nutrient compositions. Herein, the proximate compositions and microelements of the fruiting body of P. igniarius and P. linteus were determined. The fruiting body of P. igniarius and P. linteus were extracted by boiling water [water extract of P. igniarius (WEPI and P. linteus (WEPL]. The contents of total phenolics and polysaccharides, as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD-like and antimutagenic activities of WEPI and WEPL, were compared. We found that WEPI was rich in phenolics and polysaccharides and had higher SOD-like activity than WEPL. Nutrient compositions were mainly different in minerals, whereas anitmutagenicity was similar. All of these results suggested that P. igniarius has greater potential for the development of antioxidant and immunomodulating food products than P. linteus.

  1. Basic characterization of low-activated F82H-mod steel as compared to OPTIFER

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schirra, M.; Adelhelm, C.; Graf, P.; Heger, S.; Kempe, H.; Zimmermann, H.

    1997-12-01

    Low-activated F82H-model steel plate material was made available to the European laboratories by the Japanese side. Basic characterization work is being performed by FZK/IMF. In the present report, the results obtained shall be compared with the European OPTIFER types. The chemical composition and the state as delivered are controlled. In addition, transformation, hardness and tempering behaviors shall be described. Tensile strength and impact bending strength were determined in the ranges of RT to 700 C and -80 C to +80 C, respectively. Particular attention is paid to the creep strength behavior. The current tests cover the range of up to 15000 h at temperatures ranging from 450 to 700 C. It can be noticed that the results measured for some parameters are subject to considerable scattering. As compared to previous tests, the experimental scope therefore had to be increased significantly. (orig.) [de

  2. Comparative in-vitro activity of Imipenem and Doripenem against ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Doripenem is a recent carbapenem not commercially available in Nigeria with broad spectrum antibacterial activity against various clinical infections. Carbapenems have been shown to be the last line of agents against ESBL producing organisms. Objective: To determine the in-vitro activity of Imipenem and ...

  3. Increased activity of a new chlorofluoroquinolone, BAY y 3118, compared with activities of ciprofloxacin, sparfloxacin, and other antimicrobial agents against anaerobic bacteria.

    OpenAIRE

    Aldridge, K E

    1994-01-01

    A total of 435 clinical isolates of anaerobes were tested with a broth microdilution method to determine the activity of BAY y 3118 compared with those of other agents against anaerobic bacteria. All strains of Bacteroides capillosus, Prevotella spp., Porphyromonas spp., Fusobacterium spp., Clostridium spp., Eubacterium spp., Peptostreptococcus spp., and Veillonella parvula were susceptible (MICs of < or = 2 micrograms/ml) to BAY y 3118. Against the 315 strains of the Bacteroides fragilis gro...

  4. Optic disc coloboma in two nigerian siblings: Case report and review ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    No systemic features of syndromes associated with ODCs and intellectual disability were present in both patients. The younger sibling an 8‑year‑old girl later presented to the eye clinic with a 5‑month history of poor vision in the left eye. Ocular examination revealed visual acuity of 6/6 in the right eye and counting fingers in ...

  5. Optic Disc Coloboma in Two Nigerian Siblings: Case Report and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ODCs and intellectual disability were present in both patients. The younger sibling an 8‑year‑old girl later presented to the eye clinic with a 5‑month history of poor ... the 5th–7th week of intrauterine life.[2] It ... of 2 months for a severe febrile illness, and multiple .... multidisciplinary approach to the management of patients.

  6. How Do Sociodemographics and Activity Participations Affect Activity-Travel? Comparative Study between Women and Men

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Min Yang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Activity-travel behaviors of women and men are different because they have different social and household responsibilities. However, studies concerning gender differences are mainly limited in developed countries. This paper concentrates on gender role-based differences in activity-travel behavior in a typical developing country, namely, China. Using data from 3656 cases collected through surveys conducted in Shangyu, data processing, method choice, and descriptive analysis were conducted. Binary and ordered logistic regression models segmented by gender were developed to evaluate the mechanism through which individual sociodemographics, household characteristics, and activity participations affect the number of trip chain types and activities for women and men. The results show that women aged 30 to 50 perform less subsistence activities. However, the difference between the different age groups of men is not as significant. In addition, men with bicycles and electric bicycles have more subsistence and maintenance activities, whereas women do not have these attributes. Moreover, women with children under schooling age make more maintenance trip chains but less leisure trip chains and activities, whereas men are free from this influence. Furthermore, both women and men perform more subsistence activities if the duration increases, and men have less influences than women do.

  7. Compound-Specific Carbon, Nitrogen, and Hydrogen Isotopic Ratios for Amino Acids in CM and CR Chondrites and their use in Evaluating Potential Formation Pathways

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elsila, Jamie E.; Charnley, Steven B.; Burton, Aaron S.; Glavin, Daniel P.; Dworkin, Jason P.

    2012-01-01

    Stable hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen isotopic ratios (oD, 013C, and olSN) of organic compounds can revcal information about their origin and formation pathways. Several formation mechanisms and environments have been postulated for the amino acids detected in carbonaceous chondrites. As each proposed mechanism utilizes different precursor molecules, the isotopic signatures of the resulting amino acids may indicate the most likely of these pathways. We have applied gas chromatography with mass spectrometry and combustion isotope ratio mass spectrometry to measure the compound-specific C, N, and H stable isotopic ratios of amino acids from seven CM and CR carbonaceous chondrites: CM1I2 Allan Hills (ALH) 83100, CM2 Murchison, CM2 Lewis Cliff (LEW) 90500, CM2 Lonewolf Nunataks (LON) 94101, CRZ Graves Nunataks (GRA) 95229, CRZ Elephant Moraine (EET) 92042, and CR3 Queen Alexandra Range (QUE) 99177. We compare the isotopic compositions of amino acids in these meteorites with predictions of expected isotopic enrichments from potential formation pathways. We observe trends of decreasing ODC and increasing oD with increasing carbon number in the aH, (l-NH2 amino acids that correspond to predictions made for formation via Streckercyanohydrin synthesis. We also observe light ODC signatures for -alanine, which may indicate either formation via Michael addition or via a pathway that forms primarily small, straight-chain, amine-terminal amino acids (n-ro-amino acids). Higher deuterium enrichments are observed in amethyl amino acids, indicating formation of these amino acids or their precursors in cold interstellar or nebular environments. Finally, individual amino acids are more enriched in deuterium in CR chondrites than CM chondrites, reflecting different parent-body chemistry.

  8. Health-Related Quality of Life Measures for Physically Active Elderly in Community Exercise Programs in Catalonia: Comparative Analysis with Sedentary People

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jesús Fortuño-Godes

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To evaluate Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL, medication used, and Stock of Health Capital (SHC in physically active elderly participants in Community Exercise Programs (CEPs compared to a sedentary group. Methods. EuroQol standardized instrument was completed by physically active elderly (n = 2,185 who participated in CEPs. Common items were compared to HRQoL data of 1,874 sedentary elderly people, taken from the Catalan Health Survey 2006 (CHS’06. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS outcomes and medication used were assessed through parametric statistics. Dimensions of health conditions were compared, between sedentary people and physically active elderly participants in CEPs. SHC results were obtained combining the EuroQol scores and Life Expectancy (LE values. An economic value of €34,858.70 was assigned to these years of LE. Results. Physically active subjects had better HRQoL values (75.36 in males and 70.71 in females than CHS’06 sedentary subjects (58.35 in males and 50.59 in females. Medication used was different between physically active subjects (1.89 in males and 2.87 in females and CHS’06 sedentary subjects (4.34 in males and 4.21 in females. SHC data for physically active elderly (€465,988.31/QALY in males and €522,550.31/QALY in females were higher than for CHS’06 sedentary subjects (€363,689.33/QALY in males and €346,615.91/QALY in females.

  9. Novel Control Strategy for VSI and CSI Active Filters and Comparing These Two Types of Filters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gholam Reza Arab

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Recently to eliminate the harmonics and improve the power factor of the power networks, much attention has been attracted to active filters. The advantages of these filters are lower volume and their better compensating characteristics than the passive filters. In conventional sliding mode controllers, the source current waveform is fluctuated in near to zero values. In this paper, using a new sliding technique, lower Total Harmonic Distortion (THD in source current is obtained and the current waveform is improved. As well as, two novel control strategies for two types of active filters, VSI and CSI is proposed and then these two types of filters are compared to reduce THD value of source current.The proposed controlled strategies are simulated by MATLAB/Simulink. The Simulation results confirm that the proposed strategies reduce the THD of source current more than other strategies, and active filter based on CSI has a better performance than active filter based on VSI with a dead time area (for avoiding short circuit of the source in high powers.

  10. Comparative evaluation of antibacterial activity of caffeic acid phenethyl ester and PLGA nanoparticle formulation by different methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arasoglu, Tülin; Derman, Serap; Mansuroglu, Banu

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of nanoparticle and free formulations of the CAPE compound using different methods and comparing the results in the literature for the first time. In parallel with this purpose, encapsulation of CAPE with the PLGA nanoparticle system (CAPE-PLGA-NPs) and characterization of nanoparticles were carried out. Afterwards, antimicrobial activity of free CAPE and CAPE-PLGA-NPs was determined using agar well diffusion, disk diffusion, broth microdilution and reduction percentage methods. P. aeroginosa, E. coli, S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) were chosen as model bacteria since they have different cell wall structures. CAPE-PLGA-NPs within the range of 214.0 ± 8.80 nm particle size and with an encapsulation efficiency of 91.59 ± 4.97% were prepared using the oil-in-water (o-w) single-emulsion solvent evaporation method. The microbiological results indicated that free CAPE did not have any antimicrobial activity in any of the applied methods whereas CAPE-PLGA-NPs had significant antimicrobial activity in both broth dilution and reduction percentage methods. CAPE-PLGA-NPs showed moderate antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and MRSA strains particularly in hourly measurements at 30.63 and 61.25 μg ml-1 concentrations (both p 0.05). In the reduction percentage method, in which the highest results of antimicrobial activity were obtained, it was observed that the antimicrobial effect on S. aureus was more long-standing (3 days) and higher in reduction percentage (over 90%). The appearance of antibacterial activity of CAPE-PLGA-NPs may be related to higher penetration into cells due to low solubility of free CAPE in the aqueous medium. Additionally, the biocompatible and biodegradable PLGA nanoparticles could be an alternative to solvents such as ethanol, methanol or DMSO. Consequently, obtained results show that the method of selection is extremely important and will influence the

  11. Comparative Study of Antidiabetic Activity and Oxidative Stress Induced by Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and Zinc Sulfate in Diabetic Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nazarizadeh, Ali; Asri-Rezaie, Siamak

    2016-08-01

    In the current study, antidiabetic activity and toxic effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO) were investigated in diabetic rats compared to zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) with particular emphasis on oxidative stress parameters. One hundred and twenty male Wistar rats were divided into two healthy and diabetic groups, randomly. Each major group was further subdivided into five subgroups and then orally supplemented with various doses of ZnO (1, 3, and 10 mg/kg) and ZnSO4 (30 mg/kg) for 56 consecutive days. ZnO showed greater antidiabetic activity compared to ZnSO4 evidenced by improved glucose disposal, insulin levels, and zinc status. The altered activities of erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes as well as raised levels of lipid peroxidation and a marked reduction of total antioxidant capacity were observed in rats receiving ZnO. ZnO nanoparticles acted as a potent antidiabetic agent, however, severely elicited oxidative stress particularly at higher doses.

  12. Comparing the desorption and biodegradation of low concentrations of phenanthrene sorbed to activated carbon, biochar and compost

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Marchal, Geoffrey; Smith, Kilian E.C.; Rein, Arno

    2013-01-01

    can be degraded at all, the desorption and biodegradation of low concentrations of 14C-labelled phenanthrene (⩽5μgL−1) freshly sorbed to suspensions of the pure soil amendments activated carbon (AC), biochar (charcoal) and compost were compared. Firstly, the maximum abiotic desorption of phenanthrene...

  13. Comparing physical activity of Malaysian Malay men before, during ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    during this time of the year, most Muslims will live an inactive and sedentary lifestyle. However, no empirical data exist to substantiate this assumption among Malay Muslims. Study showed that minimum of 10,000 steps per day is required to achieve an active lifestyle status. The active lifestyle status is recommended ...

  14. Non-occupational physical activity levels of shift workers compared with non-shift workers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loef, Bette; Hulsegge, Gerben; Wendel-Vos, G C Wanda; Verschuren, W M Monique; Bakker, Marije F; van der Beek, Allard J; Proper, Karin I

    2017-01-01

    Objectives Lack of physical activity (PA) has been hypothesised as an underlying mechanism in the adverse health effects of shift work. Therefore, our aim was to compare non-occupational PA levels between shift workers and non-shift workers. Furthermore, exposure–response relationships for frequency of night shifts and years of shift work regarding non-occupational PA levels were studied. Methods Data of 5980 non-shift workers and 532 shift workers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Netherlands (EPIC-NL) were used in these cross-sectional analyses. Time spent (hours/week) in different PA types (walking/cycling/exercise/chores) and intensities (moderate/vigorous) were calculated based on self-reported PA. Furthermore, sports were operationalised as: playing sports (no/yes), individual versus non-individual sports, and non-vigorous-intensity versus vigorous-intensity sports. PA levels were compared between shift workers and non-shift workers using Generalized Estimating Equations and logistic regression. Results Shift workers reported spending more time walking than non-shift workers (B=2.3 (95% CI 1.2 to 3.4)), but shift work was not associated with other PA types and any of the sports activities. Shift workers who worked 1–4 night shifts/month (B=2.4 (95% CI 0.6 to 4.3)) and ≥5 night shifts/month (B=3.7 (95% CI 1.8 to 5.6)) spent more time walking than non-shift workers. No exposure–response relationships were found between years of shift work and PA levels. Conclusions Shift workers spent more time walking than non-shift workers, but we observed no differences in other non-occupational PA levels. To better understand if and how PA plays a role in the negative health consequences of shift work, our findings need to be confirmed in future studies. PMID:27872151

  15. A Comparative Study of Applying Active-Set and Interior Point Methods in MPC for Controlling Nonlinear pH Process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Syam Syafiie

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available A comparative study of Model Predictive Control (MPC using active-set method and interior point methods is proposed as a control technique for highly non-linear pH process. The process is a strong acid-strong base system. A strong acid of hydrochloric acid (HCl and a strong base of sodium hydroxide (NaOH with the presence of buffer solution sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3 are used in a neutralization process flowing into reactor. The non-linear pH neutralization model governed in this process is presented by multi-linear models. Performance of both controllers is studied by evaluating its ability of set-point tracking and disturbance-rejection. Besides, the optimization time is compared between these two methods; both MPC shows the similar performance with no overshoot, offset, and oscillation. However, the conventional active-set method gives a shorter control action time for small scale optimization problem compared to MPC using IPM method for pH control.

  16. The physical environment and patients' activities and care: A comparative case study at three newly built stroke units.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anåker, Anna; von Koch, Lena; Sjöstrand, Christina; Heylighen, Ann; Elf, Marie

    2018-04-20

    To explore and compare the impact of the physical environment on patients' activities and care at three newly built stroke units. Receiving care in a stroke unit instead of in a general ward reduces the odds of death, dependency and institutionalized care. In stroke units, the design of the physical environment should support evidence-based care. Studies on patients' activities in relation to the design of the physical environment of stroke units are scarce. This work is a comparative descriptive case study. Patients (N = 55) who had a confirmed diagnosis of stroke were recruited from three newly built stroke units in Sweden. The units were examined by non-participant observation using two types of data collection: behavioural mapping analysed with descriptive statistics and field note taking analysed with deductive content analysis. Data were collected from April 2013 - December 2015. The units differed in the patients' levels of physical activity, the proportion of the day that patients spent with health professionals and family presence. Patients were more physically active in a unit with a combination of single and multi-bed room designs than in a unit with an entirely single-room design. Stroke units that were easy to navigate and offered variations in the physical environment had an impact on patients' activities and care. Patients' activity levels and interactions appeared to vary with the design of the physical environments of stroke units. Stroke guidelines focused on health status assessments, avoidance of bed-rest and early rehabilitation require a supportive physical environment. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Intermittent compared to continuous real-time fMRI neurofeedback boosts control over amygdala activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hellrung, Lydia; Dietrich, Anja; Hollmann, Maurice; Pleger, Burkhard; Kalberlah, Christian; Roggenhofer, Elisabeth; Villringer, Arno; Horstmann, Annette

    2018-02-01

    Real-time fMRI neurofeedback is a feasible tool to learn the volitional regulation of brain activity. So far, most studies provide continuous feedback information that is presented upon every volume acquisition. Although this maximizes the temporal resolution of feedback information, it may be accompanied by some disadvantages. Participants can be distracted from the regulation task due to (1) the intrinsic delay of the hemodynamic response and associated feedback and (2) limited cognitive resources available to simultaneously evaluate feedback information and stay engaged with the task. Here, we systematically investigate differences between groups presented with different variants of feedback (continuous vs. intermittent) and a control group receiving no feedback on their ability to regulate amygdala activity using positive memories and feelings. In contrast to the feedback groups, no learning effect was observed in the group without any feedback presentation. The group receiving intermittent feedback exhibited better amygdala regulation performance when compared with the group receiving continuous feedback. Behavioural measurements show that these effects were reflected in differences in task engagement. Overall, we not only demonstrate that the presentation of feedback is a prerequisite to learn volitional control of amygdala activity but also that intermittent feedback is superior to continuous feedback presentation. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Activity-Based Profiling of Retaining β-Glucosidases: A Comparative Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Witte, Martin D.; Walvoort, Marthe T. C.; Li, Kah-Yee; Kallemeijn, Wouter W.; Donker-Koopman, Wilma E.; Boot, Rolf G.; Aerts, Johannes M. F. G.; Codée, Jeroen D. C.; van der Marel, Gijsbert A.; Overkleeft, Herman S.

    2011-01-01

    Activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) is a versatile strategy to report on enzyme activity in vitro, in situ, and in vivo. The development and use of ABPP tools and techniques has met with considerable success in monitoring physiological processes involving esterases and proteases. Activity-based

  19. Activity-Based Profiling of Retaining beta-Glucosidases : A Comparative Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Witte, Martin D.; Walvoort, Marthe T. C.; Li, Kah-Yee; Kallemeijn, Wouter W.; Donker-Koopman, Wilma E.; Boot, Rolf G.; Aerts, Johannes M. F. G.; Codee, Jeroen D. C.; van der Marel, Gijsbert A.; Overkleeft, Herman S.

    2011-01-01

    Activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) is a versatile strategy to report on enzyme activity in vitro, in situ, and in vivo. The development and use of ABPP tools and techniques has met with considerable success in monitoring physiological processes involving esterases and proteases. Activity-based

  20. Activity-Based Profiling of Retaining β-Glucosidases : A Comparative Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Witte, Martin D.; Walvoort, Marthe T.C.; Li, Kah-Yee; Kallemeijn, Wouter W.; Donker-Koopman, Wilma E.; Boot, Rolf G.; Aerts, Johannes M.F.G.; Codée, Jeroen D.C.; Marel, Gijsbert A. van der; Overkleeft, Herman S.

    2011-01-01

    Activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) is a versatile strategy to report on enzyme activity in vitro, in situ, and in vivo. The development and use of ABPP tools and techniques has met with considerable success in monitoring physiological processes involving esterases and proteases. Activity-based

  1. COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF COMMERCIAL AND SEWAGE SLUDGE BASED ACTIVATED CARBONS FOR THE REMOVAL OF TEXTILE DYES FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Sreedhar Reddy, B. Kotaiah

    2006-10-01

    Full Text Available The sorption of dyes from aqueous solutions on to sludge-based activated carbon have been studied and compared with commercial activated carbon. Adsorption parameters for the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were determined and the effects of effluent pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time and initial dye concentration were studied. A pseudo-second order kinetic model has been proposed to correlate the experimental data.

  2. COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF THREE METHODS FOR MEASURING PEPSIN ACTIVITY

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loken, Merle K.; Terrill, Kathleen D.; Marvin, James F.; Mosser, Donn G.

    1958-01-01

    Comparison has been made of a simple method originated by Absolon and modified in our laboratories for assay of proteolytic activity using RISA (radioactive iodinated serum albumin—Abbott Laboratories), with the commonly used photometric methods of Anson and Kunitz. In this method, pepsin was incubated with an albumin substrate containing RISA, followed by precipitation of the undigested substrate with trichloroacetic acid and measurement of radioactive digestion products in the supernatant fluid. The I131—albumin bond was shown in the present studies to be altered only by the proteolytic activity, and not by the incubation procedures at various values of pH. Any free iodine present originally in the RISA was removed by a single passage through a resin column (amberlite IRA-400-C1). Pepsin was shown to be most stable in solution at a pH of 5.5. Activity of pepsin was shown to be maximal when it was incubated with albumin at a pH of 2.5. Pepsin activity was shown to be altered in the presence of various electrolytes. Pepsin activity measured by the RISA and Anson methods as a function of concentration or of time of incubation indicated that these two methods are in good agreement and are equally sensitive. Consistently smaller standard errors were obtained by the RISA method of pepsin assay than were obtained with either of the other methods. PMID:13587910

  3. Comparative evaluation of antibacterial activity of caffeic acid phenethyl ester and PLGA nanoparticle formulation by different methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arasoglu, Tülin; Mansuroglu, Banu; Derman, Serap

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of nanoparticle and free formulations of the CAPE compound using different methods and comparing the results in the literature for the first time. In parallel with this purpose, encapsulation of CAPE with the PLGA nanoparticle system (CAPE-PLGA-NPs) and characterization of nanoparticles were carried out. Afterwards, antimicrobial activity of free CAPE and CAPE-PLGA-NPs was determined using agar well diffusion, disk diffusion, broth microdilution and reduction percentage methods. P. aeroginosa, E. coli, S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) were chosen as model bacteria since they have different cell wall structures. CAPE-PLGA-NPs within the range of 214.0 ± 8.80 nm particle size and with an encapsulation efficiency of 91.59 ± 4.97% were prepared using the oil-in-water (o–w) single-emulsion solvent evaporation method. The microbiological results indicated that free CAPE did not have any antimicrobial activity in any of the applied methods whereas CAPE-PLGA-NPs had significant antimicrobial activity in both broth dilution and reduction percentage methods. CAPE-PLGA-NPs showed moderate antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and MRSA strains particularly in hourly measurements at 30.63 and 61.25 μg ml −1 concentrations (both p < 0.05), whereas they failed to show antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative bacteria (P. aeroginosa and E. coli, p > 0.05). In the reduction percentage method, in which the highest results of antimicrobial activity were obtained, it was observed that the antimicrobial effect on S. aureus was more long-standing (3 days) and higher in reduction percentage (over 90%). The appearance of antibacterial activity of CAPE-PLGA-NPs may be related to higher penetration into cells due to low solubility of free CAPE in the aqueous medium. Additionally, the biocompatible and biodegradable PLGA nanoparticles could be an alternative to solvents such as

  4. Comparative Study of the Biological Activity of Allantoin and Aqueous Extract of the Comfrey Root.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savić, Vesna Lj; Nikolić, Vesna D; Arsić, Ivana A; Stanojević, Ljiljana P; Najman, Stevo J; Stojanović, Sanja; Mladenović-Ranisavljević, Ivana I

    2015-08-01

    This study investigates the biological activity of pure allantoin (PA) and aqueous extract of the comfrey (Symphytum officinale L.) root (AECR) standardized to the allantoin content. Cell viability and proliferation of epithelial (MDCK) and fibroblastic (L929) cell line were studied by using MTT test. Anti-irritant potential was determined by measuring electrical capacitance, erythema index (EI) and transepidermal water loss of artificially irritated skin of young healthy volunteers, 3 and 7 days after application of creams and gels with PA or AECR. Pure allantoin showed mild inhibitory effect on proliferation of both cell lines at concentrations 40 and 100 µg/ml, but more pronounced on MDCK cells. Aqueous extract of the comfrey root effect on cell proliferation in concentrations higher than 40 µg/ml was significantly stimulatory for L929 but inhibitory for MDCK cells. Pharmaceutical preparations that contained AECR showed better anti-irritant potential compared with PA. Creams showed better effect on hydration and EI compared with the gels that contained the same components. Our results indicate that the biological activity of the comfrey root extract cannot be attributed only to allantoin but is also likely the result of the interaction of different compounds present in AECR. Topical preparations that contain comfrey extract may have a great application in the treatment of skin irritation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. Physical functioning in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: comparing approaches of experienced ability with self-reported and objectively measured physical activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Genderen, Simon; van den Borne, Carlie; Geusens, Piet; van der Linden, Sjef; Boonen, Annelies; Plasqui, Guy

    2014-04-01

    Physical functioning can be assessed by different approaches that are characterized by increasing levels of individual appraisal. There is insufficient insight into which approach is the most informative in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) compared with control subjects. The objective of this study was to compare patients with AS and control subjects regarding 3 approaches of functioning: experienced ability to perform activities (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index [BASFI]), self-reported amount of physical activity (PA) (Baecke questionnaire), and the objectively measured amount of PA (triaxial accelerometer). This case-control study included 24 AS patients and 24 control subjects (matched for age, gender, and body mass index). Subjects completed the BASFI and Baecke questionnaire and wore a triaxial accelerometer. Subjects also completed other self-reported measures on disease activity (Bath AS Disease Activity Index), fatigue (Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory), and overall health (EuroQol visual analog scale). Both groups included 14 men (58%), and the mean age was 48 years. Patients scored significantly worse on the BASFI (3.9 vs 0.2) than their healthy peers, whereas PA assessed by Baecke and the accelerometer did not differ between groups. Correlations between approaches of physical functioning were low to moderate. Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index was associated with disease activity (r = 0.49) and physical fatigue (0.73) and Baecke with physical and activity related fatigue (r = 0.54 and r = 0.54), but total PA assessed by accelerometer was not associated with any of these experience-based health outcomes. Different approaches of the concept physical functioning in patients with AS provide different information. Compared with matched control subjects, patients with AS report more difficulties but report and objectively perform the same amount of PA.

  6. The trophic effect of epidermal growth factor on morphological changes and polyamine metabolism in the small intestine of rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsujikawa, T; Bamba, T; Hosoda, S

    1990-06-01

    This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the morphological changes and polyamine metabolism in the atrophic small intestinal mucosa of rats caused by feeding elemental diet (ED; Elental, Ajinomoto, Tokyo) for several weeks. Four-week-old Wistar male rats were given ad libitum ED (1 kcal/ml) for 4 weeks. The body weight increased to the same extent as the control group fed a pellet diet. However, the small intestine became atrophic: the mucosal wet weight of the jejunum decreased to 70%, while that of the ileum decreased to 60%. EGF (10 micrograms/kg) was subcutaneously injected into these rats every 8 hours. Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activities of the jejunal and ileal mucosa rose within 12 hours of the initial EGF administration. Mucosal DNA specific activities tended to increase. Next, EGF (30 micrograms/kg/day) was intraperitoneally administered with a Mini-osmotic pump for one week. The wet weight, protein and DNA contents of the ileal mucosa increased significantly compared with those of the saline administered controls, while the crypt cell production rate (CCPR) also increased. Histologically, increases in both villus height and crypt depth were confirmed. These findings indicate that EGF causes mucosal proliferation through polyamine metabolism even in the atrophic small intestine of mature rats after ED administration for 4 weeks.

  7. Measurement of Community Empowerment in Three Community Programs in Rapla (Estonia)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasmel, Anu; Andersen, Pernille Tanggaard

    2011-01-01

    Community empowerment approaches have been proven to be powerful tools for solving local health problems. However, the methods for measuring empowerment in the community remain unclear and open to dispute. This study aims to describe how a context-specific community empowerment measurement tool was developed and changes made to three health promotion programs in Rapla, Estonia. An empowerment expansion model was compiled and applied to three existing programs: Safe Community, Drug/HIV Prevention and Elderly Quality of Life. The consensus workshop method was used to create the measurement tool and collect data on the Organizational Domains of Community Empowerment (ODCE). The study demonstrated considerable increases in the ODCE among the community workgroup, which was initiated by community members and the municipality’s decision-makers. The increase was within the workgroup, which had strong political and financial support on a national level but was not the community’s priority. The program was initiated and implemented by the local community members, and continuous development still occurred, though at a reduced pace. The use of the empowerment expansion model has proven to be an applicable, relevant, simple and inexpensive tool for the evaluation of community empowerment. PMID:21556179

  8. Mechanisms of asbestos-induced squamous metaplasia in tracheobronchial epithelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cameron, G.; Woodworth, C.D.; Edmondson, S.; Mossman, B.T.

    1989-01-01

    Within 1 to 4 weeks after exposure to asbestos, differentiated rodent and human tracheobronchial epithelial cells in organ culture undergo squamous metaplasia, a putative preneoplastic lesion characterized by conversion of mucociliary cell types to keratinizing cells. The exogenous addition of retinal acetate (RA) to culture medium of hamster tracheal organ cultures reverses preestablished, asbestos-induced squamous metaplasia, although data suggest that the effectiveness of RA decreases as the length of time between exposure to asbestos and initial application of RA increases. Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), inhibits squamous metaplasia caused by asbestos or vitamin A deficiency, whereas addition of methylglyoxal bis(guanyl-hydrazone) (MGBG), a structural analog of spermidine and inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, causes an enhancement of metaplasia under both circumstances. Basal cell hyperplasia and increased incorporation of 3 H-thymidine by tracheal epithelial cells also are seen after addition of the polyamines, putrescine or spermidine, to tracheal organ cultures, an observation supporting the importance of polyamines in the development of this lesion. The use of retinoids and inhibitors of ODC could be promising as preventive and/or therapeutic approaches for individuals at high risk for development of asbestos-associated diseases

  9. Measurement of Community Empowerment in Three Community Programs in Rapla (Estonia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pernille Tanggaard Andersen

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Community empowerment approaches have been proven to be powerful tools for solving local health problems. However, the methods for measuring empowerment in the community remain unclear and open to dispute. This study aims to describe how a context-specific community empowerment measurement tool was developed and changes made to three health promotion programs in Rapla, Estonia. An empowerment expansion model was compiled and applied to three existing programs: Safe Community, Drug/HIV Prevention and Elderly Quality of Life. The consensus workshop method was used to create the measurement tool and collect data on the Organizational Domains of Community Empowerment (ODCE. The study demonstrated considerable increases in the ODCE among the community workgroup, which was initiated by community members and the municipality’s decision-makers. The increase was within the workgroup, which had strong political and financial support on a national level but was not the community’s priority. The program was initiated and implemented by the local community members, and continuous development still occurred, though at a reduced pace. The use of the empowerment expansion model has proven to be an applicable, relevant, simple and inexpensive tool for the evaluation of community empowerment.

  10. Comparative evaluation of activity-based costing and variable costing: a case study at IPEN

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Esteves, Josefina Maria da Silva SILVA

    2010-01-01

    This research aims to compare the results with the application of Activity Based Costing and Variable Costing methods in an administrative unit of the Brazilian Federal Government: the Radiopharmacy Facility of IPEN (Institute for Energy and Nuclear Research), which produces radiopharmaceuticals products and develops R and D activities. Faced with the need to adopt a more economical and managerial public administration, this research has provided information to assess which of the two costing methods proves more suitable for cost management in that unit. The research is exploratory and a single-case study. We traced about 80% of material costs by observation 'in loco' of the entire manufacturing process of technetium generator, which represents the main product in terms of production volume and revenues. The results show that the Contribution Margin Variable Costing of 29.12% is very close to the operating income of 28.86%, ahead of support activities, obtained by ABC. It is also noted that the operational result of the product does not change by using either one or another costing method. In the two costing methods the end result is 24.20%. This occurs because the production is on demand. There is no inventory of finished product because it is radioactive. The research has revealed that both methods provide useful information for the management and optimization of costs and results of processes/activities, and that the two methods, in this case, may be used in an integrated and complementary approach, enabling to use the best information content of both. (author)

  11. Dietary patterns as compared with physical activity in relation to metabolic syndrome among Chinese adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Y; Li, Y; Lai, J; Wang, D; Zhang, J; Fu, P; Yang, X; Qi, L

    2013-10-01

    To examine the nationally-representative dietary patterns and their joint effects with physical activity on the likelihood of metabolic syndrome (MS) among 20,827 Chinese adults. CNNHS was a nationally representative cross-sectional observational study. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the Joint Interim Statement definition. The "Green Water" dietary pattern, characterized by high intakes of rice and vegetables and moderate intakes in animal foods was related to the lowest prevalence of MS (15.9%). Compared to the "Green Water" dietary pattern, the "Yellow Earth" dietary pattern, characterized by high intakes of refined cereal products, tubers, cooking salt and salted vegetable was associated with a significantly elevated odds of MS (odds ratio 1.66, 95%CI: 1.40-1.96), after adjustment of age, sex, socioeconomic status and lifestyle factors. The "Western/new affluence" dietary pattern characterized by higher consumption of beef/lamb, fruit, eggs, poultry and seafood also significantly associated with MS (odds ratio: 1.37, 95%CI: 1.13-1.67). Physical activity showed significant interactions with the dietary patterns in relation to MS risk (P for interaction = 0.008). In the joint analysis, participants with the combination of sedentary activity with the "Yellow Earth" dietary pattern or the "Western/new affluence" dietary pattern both had more than three times (95%CI: 2.8-6.1) higher odds of MS than those with active activity and the "Green Water" dietary pattern. Our findings from the large Chinese national representative data indicate that dietary patterns affect the likelihood of MS. Combining healthy dietary pattern with active lifestyle may benefit more in prevention of MS. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Comparative study of DL-selenomethionine vs sodium selenite and seleno-yeast on antioxidant activity and selenium status in laying hens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jing, C L; Dong, X F; Wang, Z M; Liu, S; Tong, J M

    2015-05-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the effect of DL-selenomethionine (SM) with 2 routinely used Se sources, sodium selenite (SS) and seleno-yeast (SY), on relative bioavailability based on antioxidant activity and tissue Se content. Six hundred thirty 131-day-old brown laying hens were randomly assigned to 7 treatments for 168 d (24 wks) with 6 replicates of 15 hens per replicate. The SS and SY animals were supplemented a cornmeal and soybean diet that supplied a total Se 0.3 mg/kg whereas SM was added at 4 different levels to the total Se at 0.1, 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 mg/kg. All hens fed the Se-supplemented diet showed higher glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity (P < 0.01), higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (P < 0.05), lower malondialdehyde (MDA) content (P < 0.05) in plasma, and greater Se contents in egg yolks, albumen, leg muscle, breast muscle, liver, and plasma compared with those fed the control diet (P < 0.01). The organic sources (SY and SM) exhibited a greater ability to increase the GSH-Px activity (P < 0.01) and Se content in albumen (P < 0.01), leg, and breast muscles (P = 0.0099 and P = 0.0014, respectively) than the SS that was added at 0.3 mg Se/kg. The higher SM added levels increased the GSH-Px activity until the dose of 0.5mg Se/kg (P < 0.01).The greater Se concentrations in albumen, muscle and liver appeared in the higher SM-added level, as well as above the dose of 0.1 mg Se/kg (P < 0.01). In addition, hens fed the diet with SM accumulated more Se in albumen, leg, and breast muscle than those fed diets with SY (P < 0.05). These results confirmed the higher ability of organic Se sources to increase the antioxidant activity and Se deposition in egg albumen, leg, and breast muscles compared with SS, and demonstrated a significantly better efficiency of SM compared with SY for albumen and muscle Se enrichment. © 2015 Poultry Science Association Inc.

  13. Comparative study on anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of Caesalpinia crista and Centella asiatica leaf extracts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B N Ramesh

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Amyloidosis, oxidative stress and inflammation have been strongly implicated in neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer′s disease. Traditionally, Caesalpinia crista and Centella asiatica leaf extracts are used to treat brain related diseases in India. C. crista is used as a mental relaxant drink as well as to treat inflammatory diseases, whereas C. asiatica is reported to be used to enhance memory and to treat dementia. Objective: The present study is aimed to understand the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of C. asiatica and C. crista leaf extracts. Materials and Methods: Phenolic acid composition of the aqueous extracts of C. crista and C. asiatica were separated on a reverse phase C18 column (4.6 x 250 mm using HPLC system. Antioxidant properties of the leaf extracts were determined by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH radical scavenging assay and the reducing potential assay. The anti-inflammatory activities of aqueous extracts of C. crista and C. asiatica were studied using 5-lipoxygenase assay. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs were isolated from blood by Ficoll-Histopaque density gradient followed by hypotonic lysis of erythrocytes. Results: Gallic, protocatechuic, gentisic, chlorogenic, caffeic, p-coumaric and ferulic acids were the phenolic acids identified in C. crista and C. asiatica leaf aqueous extracts. However, gallic acid and ferulic acid contents were much higher in C. crista compared to C. asiatica. Leaf extracts of C. asiatica and C. crista exhibited antioxidant properties and inhibited 5-lipoxygenase (anti-inflammatory in a dose dependent manner. However, leaf extracts of C. crista had better antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity compared to that of C. asiatica. The better activity of C. crista is attributed to high gallic acid and ferulic acid compared to C. asiatica. Conclusions: Thus, the leaf extract of C. crista can be a potential therapeutic role for Alzheimer′s disease.

  14. Comparative Analysis of Predictive Models for Liver Toxicity Using ToxCast Assays and Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships (MCBIOS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Comparative Analysis of Predictive Models for Liver Toxicity Using ToxCast Assays and Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships Jie Liu1,2, Richard Judson1, Matthew T. Martin1, Huixiao Hong3, Imran Shah1 1National Center for Computational Toxicology (NCCT), US EPA, RTP, NC...

  15. Comparative screening of the anti-oxidant and antimicrobial activities of Sempervivum marmoreum L. extracts obtained by various extraction techniques

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    SASA S. STOJICEVIC

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a comparative study of the anti-oxidant and anti-microbial activities, total phenolic compounds and total flavonoids in extracts obtained from houseleek (Sempervivum marmoreum L. leaves by the classical (maceration, ultrasonic and Soxhlet extraction (CE, UE and SE, respectively. The extract obtained by the CE contained higher amounts of phenolic and flavonoid compounds and showed a better antioxidant activity than those obtained using other two techniques. All the extracts, independent of the extraction technique applied, showed antimicrobial activities against Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans only but not against the tested bacteria.

  16. Brain microbial populations in HIV/AIDS: α-proteobacteria predominate independent of host immune status.

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    William G Branton

    Full Text Available The brain is assumed to be a sterile organ in the absence of disease although the impact of immune disruption is uncertain in terms of brain microbial diversity or quantity. To investigate microbial diversity and quantity in the brain, the profile of infectious agents was examined in pathologically normal and abnormal brains from persons with HIV/AIDS [HIV] (n = 12, other disease controls [ODC] (n = 14 and in cerebral surgical resections for epilepsy [SURG] (n = 6. Deep sequencing of cerebral white matter-derived RNA from the HIV (n = 4 and ODC (n = 4 patients and SURG (n = 2 groups revealed bacterially-encoded 16 s RNA sequences in all brain specimens with α-proteobacteria representing over 70% of bacterial sequences while the other 30% of bacterial classes varied widely. Bacterial rRNA was detected in white matter glial cells by in situ hybridization and peptidoglycan immunoreactivity was also localized principally in glia in human brains. Analyses of amplified bacterial 16 s rRNA sequences disclosed that Proteobacteria was the principal bacterial phylum in all human brain samples with similar bacterial rRNA quantities in HIV and ODC groups despite increased host neuroimmune responses in the HIV group. Exogenous viruses including bacteriophage and human herpes viruses-4, -5 and -6 were detected variably in autopsied brains from both clinical groups. Brains from SIV- and SHIV-infected macaques displayed a profile of bacterial phyla also dominated by Proteobacteria but bacterial sequences were not detected in experimentally FIV-infected cat or RAG1⁻/⁻ mouse brains. Intracerebral implantation of human brain homogenates into RAG1⁻/⁻ mice revealed a preponderance of α-proteobacteria 16 s RNA sequences in the brains of recipient mice at 7 weeks post-implantation, which was abrogated by prior heat-treatment of the brain homogenate. Thus, α-proteobacteria represented the major bacterial component of the primate brain

  17. Comparing participation in physical recreation activities between children with disability and children with typical development: A secondary analysis of matched data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woodmansee, Carmen; Hahne, Andrew; Imms, Christine; Shields, Nora

    2016-01-01

    Facilitating participation in physical recreation among children with disability is an increasingly important aim of paediatric rehabilitation. To compare the extent (diversity and frequency), context (where and companionship), experience (enjoyment) and preference for participation in physical recreation activities outside-of-school between children with disability and children with typical development. One hundred and sixty-three children with physical, intellectual, sensory or multiple disabilities (67 girls; mean age 10.8 yr) were matched with 163 children with typical development for age, sex, geographical location and socioeconomic status. Participation in 16 physical recreation activities (including walking, cycling, team sports) was compared between these two groups using non-parametric statistics and relative risk ratios. There were significant differences between the groups in 14 activities. A lower percentage of children with disability reported participating in 5 physical recreation activities. A higher percentage of children with disability reported not participating in their preferred activities. Children with disability were less likely to participate on their own in some day-to-day physical recreation activities such as walking and cycling. Differences between the groups related to the context (companionship) and preference for participation. Understanding and addressing these differences may enhance participation among children with disability. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Physical activity of men from Wroclaw compared with their discretionary income

    OpenAIRE

    Puciato, Daniel

    2016-01-01

    [Purpose] This paper attempted to determine the relationship between physical activity of men from Wroc?aw and their discretionary income. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 1,601 male survey respondents aged from 18 to 65?years old. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used for the assessment of physical activity. [Results] Among respondents, low intensity physical activity was predominant. The level of physical activity of the respondents increased with their discreti...

  19. Comparative Evaluation of Polyphenol Contents and Antioxidant Activities between Ethanol Extracts of Vitex negundo and Vitex trifolia L. Leaves by Different Methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saklani, Sarla; Mishra, Abhay Prakash; Chandra, Harish; Atanassova, Maria Stefanova; Stankovic, Milan; Sati, Bhawana; Shariati, Mohammad Ali; Nigam, Manisha; Khan, Mohammad Usman; Plygun, Sergey; Elmsellem, Hicham; Suleria, Hafiz Ansar Rasul

    2017-09-27

    The in vitro antioxidant potential assay between ethanolic extracts of two species from the genus Vitex ( Vitex negundo L. and Vitex trifolia L.) belonging to the Lamiaceae family were evaluated. The antioxidant properties of different extracts prepared from both plant species were evaluated by different methods. DPPH scavenging, nitric oxide scavenging, and β-carotene-linoleic acid and ferrous ion chelation methods were applied. The antioxidant activities of these two species were compared to standard antioxidants such as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), ascorbic acid, and Ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA). Both species of Vitex showed significant antioxidant activity in all of the tested methods. As compared to V. trifolia L. (60.87-89.99%; 40.0-226.7 μg/mL), V. negundo has been found to hold higher antioxidant activity (62.6-94.22%; IC 50 = 23.5-208.3 μg/mL) in all assays. In accordance with antioxidant activity, total polyphenol contents in V. negundo possessed greater phenolic (89.71 mg GAE/g dry weight of extract) and flavonoid content (63.11 mg QE/g dry weight of extract) as compared to that of V. trifolia (77.20 mg GAE/g and 57.41 mg QE/g dry weight of extract respectively). Our study revealed the significant correlation between the antioxidant activity and total phenolic and flavonoid contents of both plant species.

  20. A comparative study of two advanced spraying techniques for the deposition of biologically active enzyme coatings onto bone-substituting implants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jonge, Lise T. de; Ju, J.; Leeuwenburgh, S.C.G.; Yamagata, Y.; Higuchi, T.; Wolke, J.G.C.; Inoue, K.; Jansen, J.A.

    2010-01-01

    Surface modification of implant materials with biomolecule coatings is of high importance to improve implant fixation in bone tissue. In the current study, we present two techniques for the deposition of biologically active enzyme coatings onto implant materials. The well-established thin film ElectroSpray Deposition (ESD) technique was compared with the SAW-ED technique that combines high-frequency Surface Acoustic Wave atomization with Electrostatic Deposition. By immobilizing the enzyme alkaline phosphatase (ALP) onto implant surfaces, the influence of both SAW-ED and ESD deposition parameters on ALP deposition efficiency and ALP biological activity was investigated. ALP coatings with preserved enzyme activity were deposited by means of both the SAW-ED and ESD technique. The advantages of SAW-ED over ESD include the possibility to spray highly conductive protein solutions, and the 60-times faster deposition rate. Furthermore, significantly higher deposition efficiencies were observed for the SAW-ED technique compared to ESD. Generally, it was shown that protein inactivation is highly dependent on both droplet dehydration and the applied electrical field strength. The current study shows that SAW-ED is a versatile and flexible technique for the fabrication of functionally active biomolecule coatings.

  1. Frontopolar cortex and decision-making efficiency: comparing brain activity of experts with different professional background during an exploration-exploitation task

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniella eLaureiro-Martínez

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available An optimal balance between efficient exploitation of available resources and creative exploration of alternatives is critical for adaptation and survival. Previous studies associated these behavioral drives with, respectively, the dopaminergic mesocorticolimbic system and frontopolar-intraparietal networks. We study the activation of these systems in two age and gender-matched groups of experienced decision-makers differing in prior professional background, with the aim to understand the neural bases of individual differences in decision-making efficiency (performance divided by response time. We compare brain activity of entrepreneurs (who currently manage the organization they founded based on their venture idea and managers (who are constantly involved in making strategic decisions but have no venture experience engaged in a gambling-task assessing exploitative vs. explorative decision-making. Compared with managers, entrepreneurs showed higher decision-making efficiency, and a stronger activation in regions of frontopolar cortex previously associated with explorative choice. Moreover, activity across a network of regions previously linked to explore/exploit tradeoffs explained individual differences in choice efficiency. These results suggest new avenues for the study of individual differences in the neural antecedents of efficient decision-making.

  2. Wellbeing, activity and housing satisfaction - comparing residents with psychiatric disabilities in supported housing and ordinary housing with support.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eklund, Mona; Argentzell, Elisabeth; Bejerholm, Ulrika; Tjörnstrand, Carina; Brunt, David

    2017-08-30

    The home is imperative for the possibilities for meaningful everyday activities among people with psychiatric disabilities. Knowledge of whether such possibilities vary with type of housing and housing support might reveal areas for improved support. We aimed to compare people with psychiatric disabilities living in supported housing (SH) and ordinary housing with support (OHS) regarding perceived well-being, engaging and satisfying everyday activities, and perceived meaning of activity in one's accommodation. The importance of these factors and socio-demographics for satisfaction with housing was also explored. This naturalistic cross-sectional study was conducted in municipalities and city districts (n = 21) in Sweden, and 155 SH residents and 111 OHS residents participated in an interview that included both self-reports and interviewer ratings. T-test and linear regression analysis were used. The SH group expressed more psychological problems, but better health, quality of life and personal recovery compared to the OHS residents. The latter were rated as having less symptom severity, and higher levels of functioning and activity engagement. Both groups rated themselves as under-occupied in the domains of work, leisure, home management and self-care, but the SH residents less so regarding home management and self-care chores. Although the groups reported similar levels of activity, the SH group were more satisfied with everyday activities and rated their housing higher on possibilities for social interaction and personal development. The groups did not differ on access to activity in their homes. The participants generally reported sufficient access to activity, social interaction and personal development, but those who wanted more personal development in the OHS group outnumbered those who stated they received enough. Higher scores on satisfaction with daily occupations, access to organization and information, wanting more social interaction, and personal

  3. Comparative study of hypoglycemic and antibacterial activity of organic extracts of four Bangladeshi plants

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    Mohammad Shah Hafez Kabir

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To examine hypoglycemic and antibacterial activity against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria of organic extracts of four Bangladeshi plants. Methods: An in vivo hypoglycemic effect on mice model was used to check the hypoglycemic effect of four Bangladeshi herbal organic extracts viz., roots of Curculigo recurvata W. T. Aiton (Satipata (C. recurvata, leaf of Amorphophallus bulbifer Roxb. (Olkachu (A. bulbifer, whole plant of Thunbergia grandiflora Roxb. (Nillata (T. grandiflora and leaf of Steudnera colocasiifolia K. Koch (Yunnan (S. colocasiifolia using glibenclamide as a positive control and water as a negative control. They were also tested for antibacterial activity on three Grampositive and four Gram-negative bacteria by disk diffusion method. C. recurvata, A. bulbifer and T. grandiflora were extracted with methanol and S. colocasiifolia was extracted with ethanol. Results: Among all the plant extract, only ethanol extract of S. colocasiifolia leaves at 800 mg/ kg dose significantly (P < 0.01 reduced fasting glucose level in normal mice as compared to standard drug glibenclamide (5 mg/kg. Ethanol extract of S. colocasiifolia leaves at 800 mg/ kg dose decreased 20.28% of blood glucose level after 2 h of administration in normal mice, where glibenclamide decreased 39.63%. Methanol extract of T. grandiflra didn’t show any zone of inhibition against the tested bacteria, but other three extracts showed a wide range of zone of inhibition. However, none of the extract showed antibacterial activity against all the tested bacteria. Methanol extract of C. recurvata showed maximum zone of inhibition against Bacillus cereus [(10.50 ± 0.50 mm], Salmonella typhi [(16.20 ± 1.26 mm], Escherichia coli [(13.00 ± 1.00 mm] and ethanol extract of S. colocasiifolia showed maximum zone of inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus [(11.20 ± 1.26 (mm], Bacillus subtilis [(12.00 ± 0.50 (mm], Salmonella paratyphi [(10.80 ± 0.29 (mm

  4. Targeting eukaryotic translation in mesothelioma cells with an eIF4E-specific antisense oligonucleotide.

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    Blake A Jacobson

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Aberrant cap-dependent translation is implicated in tumorigenesis in multiple tumor types including mesothelioma. In this study, disabling the eIF4F complex by targeting eIF4E with eIF4E-specific antisense oligonucleotide (4EASO is assessed as a therapy for mesothelioma. METHODS: Mesothelioma cells were transfected with 4EASO, designed to target eIF4E mRNA, or mismatch-ASO control. Cell survival was measured in mesothelioma treated with 4EASO alone or combined with either gemcitabine or pemetrexed. Levels of eIF4E, ODC, Bcl-2 and β-actin were assessed following treatment. Binding to a synthetic cap-analogue was used to study the strength of eIF4F complex activation following treatment. RESULTS: eIF4E level and the formation of eIF4F cap-complex decreased in response to 4EASO, but not mismatch control ASO, resulting in cleavage of PARP indicating apoptosis. 4EASO treatment resulted in dose dependent decrease in eIF4E levels, which corresponded to cytotoxicity of mesothelioma cells. 4EASO resulted in decreased levels of eIF4E in non-malignant LP9 cells, but this did not correspond to increased cytotoxicity. Proteins thought to be regulated by cap-dependent translation, Bcl-2 and ODC, were decreased upon treatment with 4EASO. Combination therapy of 4EASO with pemetrexed or gemcitabine further reduced cell number. CONCLUSION: 4EASO is a novel drug that causes apoptosis and selectively reduces eIF4E levels, eIF4F complex formation, and proliferation of mesothelioma cells. eIF4E knockdown results in decreased expression of anti-apoptotic and pro-growth proteins and enhances chemosensitivity.

  5. Non-occupational physical activity levels of shift workers compared with non-shift workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loef, Bette; Hulsegge, Gerben; Wendel-Vos, G C Wanda; Verschuren, W M Monique; Vermeulen, Roel C H; Bakker, Marije F; van der Beek, Allard J; Proper, Karin I

    2017-05-01

    Lack of physical activity (PA) has been hypothesised as an underlying mechanism in the adverse health effects of shift work. Therefore, our aim was to compare non-occupational PA levels between shift workers and non-shift workers. Furthermore, exposure-response relationships for frequency of night shifts and years of shift work regarding non-occupational PA levels were studied. Data of 5980 non-shift workers and 532 shift workers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Netherlands (EPIC-NL) were used in these cross-sectional analyses. Time spent (hours/week) in different PA types (walking/cycling/exercise/chores) and intensities (moderate/vigorous) were calculated based on self-reported PA. Furthermore, sports were operationalised as: playing sports (no/yes), individual versus non-individual sports, and non-vigorous-intensity versus vigorous-intensity sports. PA levels were compared between shift workers and non-shift workers using Generalized Estimating Equations and logistic regression. Shift workers reported spending more time walking than non-shift workers (B=2.3 (95% CI 1.2 to 3.4)), but shift work was not associated with other PA types and any of the sports activities. Shift workers who worked 1-4 night shifts/month (B=2.4 (95% CI 0.6 to 4.3)) and ≥5 night shifts/month (B=3.7 (95% CI 1.8 to 5.6)) spent more time walking than non-shift workers. No exposure-response relationships were found between years of shift work and PA levels. Shift workers spent more time walking than non-shift workers, but we observed no differences in other non-occupational PA levels. To better understand if and how PA plays a role in the negative health consequences of shift work, our findings need to be confirmed in future studies. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  6. Physiotherapists use a small number of behaviour change techniques when promoting physical activity: A systematic review comparing experimental and observational studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kunstler, Breanne E; Cook, Jill L; Freene, Nicole; Finch, Caroline F; Kemp, Joanne L; O'Halloran, Paul D; Gaida, James E

    2018-06-01

    Physiotherapists promote physical activity as part of their practice. This study reviewed the behaviour change techniques physiotherapists use when promoting physical activity in experimental and observational studies. Systematic review of experimental and observational studies. Twelve databases were searched using terms related to physiotherapy and physical activity. We included experimental studies evaluating the efficacy of physiotherapist-led physical activity interventions delivered to adults in clinic-based private practice and outpatient settings to individuals with, or at risk of, non-communicable diseases. Observational studies reporting the techniques physiotherapists use when promoting physical activity were also included. The behaviour change techniques used in all studies were identified using the Behaviour Change Technique Taxonomy. The behaviour change techniques appearing in efficacious and inefficacious experimental interventions were compared using a narrative approach. Twelve studies (nine experimental and three observational) were retained from the initial search yield of 4141. Risk of bias ranged from low to high. Physiotherapists used seven behaviour change techniques in the observational studies, compared to 30 behaviour change techniques in the experimental studies. Social support (unspecified) was the most frequently identified behaviour change technique across both settings. Efficacious experimental interventions used more behaviour change techniques (n=29) and functioned in more ways (n=6) than did inefficacious experimental interventions (behaviour change techniques=10 and functions=1). Physiotherapists use a small number of behaviour change techniques. Less behaviour change techniques were identified in observational studies compared to experimental studies, suggesting physiotherapists use less BCTs clinically than experimentally. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Comparing the Quality of Life Between Active and Non-Active Elderly Women With an Emphasis on Physical Activity

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    Mojtaba Ahmadi

    2017-12-01

    Conclusion The findings of this study suggested engaging in regular physical activity as it could work as a significant strategy to improve the quality of life among the elderly. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that the officials dealing with public health create appropriate facilities for  the physical activity and sports of the elderly women.

  8. Comparative studies of utilization of industrial electron accelerators and adsorption with activated carbon for industrial effluent treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sampa, Maria Helena de O.; Rela, Paulo R.; Duarte, Celina Lopes; Las Casas, Alexandre; Mori, Manoel Nunes; Omi, Nelson M.

    2005-01-01

    A technical and economical feasibility study was performed comparing the use electron beam and activated charcoal for treatment of industrial wastewater. In this study was used synthetic solutions, prepared in laboratory with organic compounds standards, where the composition was focused on the critical organic contaminants usually presented in wastewater from petrochemical industry. For the sample irradiation was used an industrial electron beam from Radiation Dynamics Inc. 1.5 MeV - 37.5 kW setup in IPEN. The doses ranged from 5 kGy to 100 kGy. A common granulated activated charcoal in a fixed-bed absorber glass column was used to study the pollutants absorption performance. The results show that if the adequate irradiation dose was delivered to the organic pollutant, it is possible to conclude for the studied compounds that the Electron Beam Process is, in aspect of organic removal efficiency, similar to the activated carbon process. (author)

  9. A comparative study on immunomodulatory activity of polysaccharides from two official species of Ganoderma (Lingzhi).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Lan-Zhen; Xie, Jing; Lv, Guang-Ping; Hu, De-Jun; Zhao, Jing; Duan, Jin-Ao; Li, Shao-Ping

    2014-01-01

    Two Ganoderma species, G. lucidum and G. sinense, are listed as Lingzhi in Chinese Pharmacopoeia and they are considered to have the same therapeutic effects. Polysaccharides were the main immunomodulatory and anticancer components in Ganoderma. In this study, the chemical characters and the effects of polysaccharides from G. lucidum (GLPS) and G. sinense (GSPS) on macrophage functions were investigated and compared. Chemical studies showed that GLPS and GSPS were different, displaying various molecular weight distribution and ratio of monosaccharide components. In vitro pharmacological studies showed that both GLPS and GSPS had potent effects on macrophage functions, such as promoting macrophage phagocytosis, increasing their release of nitric oxide and cytokines interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-6, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Generally, GLPS was more powerful than GSPS. This study is helpful to elucidate the active components and pharmacological variation between the 2 Ganoderma species. The structure-activity relationship of polysaccharides from Ganoderma needs further study.

  10. Autonomy of action among elderly women on physical activity programs in Brazil and Belgium: a comparative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo de Tarso Veras Farinatti

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1980-0037.2008v10n2p107 Autonomy of action is important for quality of life. This study compared the autonomy of action of elderly female participants on physical activity programs in Brazil (IMMA, n=47, age=75±5 years and Belgium (ISEPK, n=77; age=69±7 years, using the Senior System for Evaluation of Autonomy of Action (SysSen. The SysSen is composed of a questionnaire (QSAP about the aerobic power and upper limb strength needed for a life perceived as autonomous, and a fi eld test (TSMP, in which the subject walks 800 m carrying predetermined loads. The QSAP results are used to calculate an Index of Expressed Autonomy (IAE and the TSMP to calculate an Index of Potential Autonomy (IAP. The ratio of IAP to IAE then gives an Index of Autonomy of Action (IAP/IAE=ISAC. An ISAC of 1.0 or more defi nes the subject as independent. IMMA and ISEPK data were compared with ANOVA for repeated measures or Friedman ANOVA, depending on distribution (p<.05. The results revealed that: a the IAP was lower for women on the IMMA than for those on the ISEPK, whereas their needs in terms of physical activities (IAE were similar; b Most of the IMMA subjects had ISAC<1.0, in contrast with those on the ISEPK program; c In both groups, the activities related to aerobic power made a greater contribution to the IAE than those depending on upper limb strength; d All four parts of the QSAP made similar contributions to the IAE. In conclusion, the elderly women from IMMA had defi cits in autonomy of action, mainly as a result of insuffi cient physical fi tness for the declared demands of daily activities.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2006-11-01

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

  12. Enhanced airway dilation by positive-pressure inflation of the lungs compared with active deep inspiration in patients with asthma

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Slats, Annelies M.; Janssen, Kirsten; de Jeu, Ronald C.; van der Plas, Dirk T.; Schot, Robert; van den Aardweg, Joost G.; Sterk, Peter J.

    2008-01-01

    Deep inspiration temporarily reduces induced airways obstruction in healthy subjects. This bronchodilatory effect of deep inspiration is impaired in asthma. Passive machine-assisted lung inflation may augment bronchodilation compared with an active deep inspiration in patients with asthma by either

  13. A comparative neutron activation analysis study of common generic manipulated and reference medicines commercialized in Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leal, A.S.; Menezes, M.A.B.C.; Rodrigues, R.R.; Andonie, O.; Vermaercke, P.; Sneyers, L.

    2008-01-01

    In this work, a comparative study of neutron activation analysis (NAA) was performed by the nuclear institutes: CDTN/CNEN-Brazil, CCHEN-Chile and the SCK.CEN-Belgium aiming to investigate some generic, manipulated and reference medicines largely commercialized in Brazil. Some impurities such as: As, Ba, Br, Ce, Co, Cr, Eu, Fe, Hf, Sb, Sc, Sm, Ti and Zn were found, and the heterogeneity of the samples pointed out the lack of an efficient public system of quality control

  14. Comparative analysis of succinate dehydrogenase activity in mammalian peripheral blood lymphocytes and radiomodifying action of gas hypoxis mixtures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gajdamakin, A.N.; Abramov, M.M.

    1987-01-01

    Radiprotective efficiency of gas hypoxic mixtures (GHM) containing 5-12% of oxygen and the rate of the reaction of succinate dehydrogenase (V SDG ) activity in peripheral blood lymphocytes upon breathing GHM were comparatively studied in rats and dogs. V SDG was 4393.5 (%O 2 ) -2,58 and 130.76 (%O 2 ) -1.42 in dogs and rats respectively. Taking into account that DMF in rats is a function of oxygen concentration in the mixture one can obtain a formula for determining a dose modifying factors (DMF) as a function of the rate of SDG activity reaction

  15. Comparative antibacterial activity of topical antiseptic eardrops against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and quinolone-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Youn, Cha Kyung; Jang, Sook-Jin; Jo, Eu-Ri; Choi, Ji Ae; Sim, Ju-Hwan; Cho, Sung Il

    2016-06-01

    Aural irrigation using antiseptic solutions can be an effective medical treatment of chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) owing to the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant CSOM infections. In the present study, we compared the antimicrobial activities of 100% Burow's solution, 50% Burow's solution, 2% acetic acid, vinegar with water (1:1), and 4% boric acid solution against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), quinolone-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (QRPA), and quinolone-susceptible P. aeruginosa (QSPA) in vitro. We examined the antimicrobial activities of five antiseptic solutions against MRSA, MSSA, QRPA, and QSPA. The antimicrobial activities of the solutions were calculated as a percentage of the surviving microorganisms by dividing the viable count in each antiseptic solution with that in control. The time (D10 value) required for each of the five solutions to inactivate 90% of the microorganism population was also investigated. Burow's solution exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity and the lowest D10 value against MRSA, MSSA, QRPA, and QSPA, followed by 2% acetic acid, vinegar with water (1:1), and 4% boric acid solution. Our results indicate that Burow's solution has the most potent activity against bacteria including antibiotic-resistant strains. Twofold dilution of the solution is recommended to avoid ototoxicity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Persistent polar depletion of stratospheric ozone and emergent mechanisms of ultraviolet radiation-mediated health dysregulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dugo, Mark A; Han, Fengxiang; Tchounwou, Paul B

    2012-01-01

    Year 2011 noted the first definable ozone "hole" in the Arctic region, serving as an indicator to the continued threat of dangerous ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure caused by the deterioration of stratospheric ozone in the northern hemisphere. Despite mandates of the Montreal Protocol to phase out the production of ozone-depleting chemicals (ODCs), the relative stability of ODCs validates popular notions of persistent stratospheric ozone for several decades. Moreover, increased UVR exposure through stratospheric ozone depletion is occurring within a larger context of physiologic stress and climate change across the biosphere. In this review, we provide commentaries on stratospheric ozone depletion with relative comparisons between the well-known Antarctic ozone hole and the newly defined ozone hole in the Arctic. Compared with the Antarctic region, the increased UVR exposure in the Northern Hemisphere poses a threat to denser human populations across North America, Europe, and Asia. In this context, we discuss emerging targets of UVR exposure that can potentially offset normal biologic rhythms in terms of taxonomically conserved photoperiod-dependent seasonal signaling and entrainment of circadian clocks. Consequences of seasonal shifts during critical life history stages can alter fitness and condition, whereas circadian disruption is increasingly becoming associated as a causal link to increased carcinogenesis. We further review the significance of genomic alterations via UVR-induced modulations of phase I and II transcription factors located in skin cells, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), and the nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-related factor 2 (Nrf2), with emphasis on mechanism that can lead to metabolic shifts and cancer. Although concern for adverse health consequences due to increased UVR exposure are longstanding, recent advances in biochemical research suggest that AhR and Nrf2 transcriptional regulators are likely targets for UVR

  17. Comparative analysis of selected methods for the assessment of antimicrobial and membrane-permeabilizing activity: a case study for lactoferricin derived peptides

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lohner Karl

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Growing concerns about bacterial resistance to antibiotics have prompted the development of alternative therapies like those based on cationic antimicrobial peptides (APs. These compounds not only are bactericidal by themselves but also enhance the activity of antibiotics. Studies focused on the systematic characterization of APs are hampered by the lack of standard guidelines for testing these compounds. We investigated whether the information provided by methods commonly used for the biological characterization of APs is comparable, as it is often assumed. For this purpose, we determined the bacteriostatic, bactericidal, and permeability-increasing activity of synthetic peptides (n = 57; 9–13 amino acid residues in length analogous to the lipopolysaccharide-binding region of human lactoferricin by a number of the most frequently used methods and carried out a comparative analysis. Results While the minimum inhibitory concentration determined by an automated turbidimetry-based system (Bioscreen or by conventional broth microdilution methods did not differ significantly, bactericidal activity measured under static conditions in a low-ionic strength solvent resulted in a vast overestimation of antimicrobial activity. Under these conditions the degree of antagonism between the peptides and the divalent cations differed greatly depending on the bacterial strain tested. In contrast, the bioactivity of peptides was not affected by the type of plasticware (polypropylene vs. polystyrene. Susceptibility testing of APs using cation adjusted Mueller-Hinton was the most stringent screening method, although it may overlook potentially interesting peptides. Permeability assays based on sensitization to hydrophobic antibiotics provided overall information analogous – though not quantitatively comparable- to that of tests based on the uptake of hydrophobic fluorescent probes. Conclusion We demonstrate that subtle changes in methods for

  18. Antipneumococcal activity of DK-507k, a new quinolone, compared with the activities of 10 other agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Browne, Frederick A; Bozdogan, Bülent; Clark, Catherine; Kelly, Linda M; Ednie, Lois; Kosowska, Klaudia; Dewasse, Bonifacio; Jacobs, Michael R; Appelbaum, Peter C

    2003-12-01

    Agar dilution MIC determination was used to compare the activity of DK-507k with those of ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin, sitafloxacin, amoxicillin, cefuroxime, erythromycin, azithromycin, and clarithromycin against 113 penicillin-susceptible, 81 penicillin-intermediate, and 67 penicillin-resistant pneumococci (all quinolone susceptible). DK-507k and sitafloxacin had the lowest MICs of all quinolones against quinolone-susceptible strains (MIC at which 50% of isolates were inhibited [MIC50] and MIC90 of both, 0.06 and 0.125 microg/ml, respectively), followed by moxifloxacin, gatifloxacin, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin. MICs of beta-lactams and macrolides rose with those of penicillin G. Against 26 quinolone-resistant pneumococci with known resistance mechanisms, DK-507k and sitafloxacin were also the most active quinolones (MICs, 0.125 to 1.0 microg/ml), followed by moxifloxacin, gatifloxacin, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin. Mutations in quinolone resistance-determining regions of quinolone-resistant strains were in the usual regions of the parC and gyrA genes. Time-kill testing showed that both DK-507k and sitafloxacin were bactericidal against all 12 quinolone-susceptible and -resistant strains tested at twice the MIC at 24 h. Serial broth passages in subinhibitory concentrations of 10 strains for a minimum of 14 days showed that development of resistant mutants (fourfold or greater increase in the original MIC) occurred most rapidly for ciprofloxacin, followed by moxifloxacin, DK-507k, gatifloxacin, sitafloxacin, and levofloxacin. All parent strains demonstrated a fourfold or greater increase in initial MIC in DK-507k against resistant mutants were lowest, followed by those of sitafloxacin, moxifloxacin, gatifloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin. Four strains were subcultured in subinhibitory concentrations of each drug for 50 days: MICs of DK-507k against resistant mutants were lowest, followed by those of sitafloxacin

  19. Digestive enzyme activity and trophic behavior in two predator aquatic insects (Plecoptera, Perlidae): a comparative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    López-Rodríguez, M J; Trenzado, C E; Tierno de Figueroa, J M; Sanz, A

    2012-05-01

    Plecoptera (Perlidae) are among the major macroinvertebrate predators in stream ecosystems and one of the insect families with lower tolerance to environmental alterations, being usually employed as bioindicators of high water ecological quality. The differences in the trophic roles of the coexisting species have been exclusively studied from their gut contents, while no data are available on the comparative digestive capacity. In the present paper, we make a comparative study of the activity of several digestive enzymes, namely proteases (at different pH), amylase, lipase, trypsin and chymotrypsin, in two species of stoneflies, Perla bipunctata and Dinocras cephalotes, which cohabit in the same stream. The study of digestive enzyme activity together with the analysis of gut contents can contribute to a better understanding of the ecology of these aquatic insects and their role in freshwater food webs. Thus, our results show that the two studied predator species inhabiting in the same stream present specializations on their feeding behaviors, facilitating their coexistence, and also differences in their capacity of use the resources. One of the main findings of this study is that D. cephalotes is able to assimilate a wider trophic resource spectrum and this could be one of the reasons why this species has a wider global distribution in all its geographical range. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Adsorptive removal of hydrophobic organic compounds by carbonaceous adsorbents: a comparative study of waste-polymer-based, coal-based activated carbon, and carbon nanotubes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lian, Fei; Chang, Chun; Du, Yang; Zhu, Lingyan; Xing, Baoshan; Liu, Chang

    2012-01-01

    Adsorption of the hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) trichloroethylene (TCE), 1,3-dichlorobenzene (DCB), 1,3-dinitrobenzene (DNB) and gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) on five different carbonaceous materials was compared. The adsorbents included three polymer-based activated carbons, one coal-based activated carbon (F400) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT). The polymer-based activated carbons were prepared using KOH activation from waste polymers: polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) and tire rubber (TR). Compared with F400 and MWNT, activated carbons derived from PVC and PET exhibited fast adsorption kinetics and high adsorption capacity toward the HOCs, attributed to their extremely large hydrophobic surface area (2700 m2/g) and highly mesoporous structures. Adsorption of small-sized TCE was stronger on the tire-rubber-based carbon and F400 resulting from the pore-filling effect. In contrast, due to the molecular sieving effect, their adsorption on HCH was lower. MWNT exhibited the lowest adsorption capacity toward HOCs because of its low surface area and characteristic of aggregating in aqueous solution.

  1. Adsorptive removal of hydrophobic organic compounds by carbonaceous adsorbents: A comparative study of waste-polymer-based,coal-based activated carbon, and carbon nanotubes

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Fei Lian; Chun Chang; Yang Du; Lingyan Zhu; Baoshan Xing; Chang Liu

    2012-01-01

    Adsorption of the hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) trichloroethylene (TCE),1,3-dichlorobenzene (DCB),1,3-dinitrobenzene (DNB) and γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) on five different carbonaceous materials was compared.The adsorbents included three polymer-based activated carbons,one coal-based activated carbon (F400) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT).The polymerbased activated carbons were prepared using KOH activation from waste polymers:polyvinyl chloride (PVC),polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) and tire rubber (TR).Compared with F400 and MWNT,activated carbons derived from PVC and PET exhibited fast adsorption kinetics and high adsorption capacity toward the HOCs,attributed to their extremely large hydrophobic surface area (2700 m2/g) and highly mesoporous structures.Adsorption of small-sized TCE was stronger on the tire-rubber-based carbon and F400 resulting from the pore-filling effect.In contrast,due to the molecular sieving effect,their adsorption on HCH was lower.MWNT exhibited the lowest adsorption capacity toward HOCs because of its low surface area and characteristic of aggregating in aqueous solution.

  2. Comparative study of carbon nanotubes and granular activated carbon: Physicochemical properties and adsorption capacities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gangupomu, Roja Haritha; Sattler, Melanie L; Ramirez, David

    2016-01-25

    The overall goal was to determine an optimum pre-treatment condition for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to facilitate air pollutant adsorption. Various combinations of heat and chemical pre-treatment were explored, and toluene was tested as an example hazardous air pollutant adsorbate. Specific objectives were (1) to characterize raw and pre-treated single-wall (SW) and multi-wall (MW) CNTs and compare their physical/chemical properties to commercially available granular activated carbon (GAC), (2) to determine the adsorption capacities for toluene onto pre-treated CNTs vs. GAC. CNTs were purified via heat-treatment at 400 °C in steam, followed by nitric acid treatment (3N, 5N, 11N, 16N) for 3-12 h to create openings to facilitate adsorption onto interior CNT sites. For SWNT, Raman spectroscopy showed that acid treatment removed impurities up to a point, but amorphous carbon reformed with 10h-6N acid treatment. Surface area of SWNTs with 3 h-3N acid treatment (1347 m(2)/g) was higher than the raw sample (1136 m(2)/g), and their toluene maximum adsorption capacity was comparable to GAC. When bed effluent reached 10% of inlet concentration (breakthrough indicating time for bed cleaning), SWNTs had adsorbed 240 mg/g of toluene, compared to 150 mg/g for GAC. Physical/chemical analyses showed no substantial difference for pre-treated vs. raw MWNTs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Comparative pesticidal activity of dichloromethane extracts of Piper ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    AJB SERVER

    2006-12-18

    Dec 18, 2006 ... Full Length Research Paper. Comparative ... the compound in extract of P. nigrum on stored products insects found in maize and ... the viscous brown olive oil produced was allowed to cool in ice cold bath for two minutes ...

  4. Treatment of industrial effluents using electron beam accelerator and adsorption with activated carbon. A comparative study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Las Casas, Alexandre

    2004-01-01

    Several methods are used In the pollutant removal from Industrial and domestic wastewater. However when the degradation of toxic organic pollutants, mainly the recalcitrant is objectified, the conventional treatments usually do not meet the desirable performance in the elimination or decrease the impact when the effluent are released to the environment what takes to the research of alternative methods that seek the improvement of the efficiency of the wastewater treatment systems jointly employees or separately. This work presents a study of degradation/removal of pollutants organic compounds comparing two methods using radiation from industrial electron beam and granular activated carbon (GAC). The removal efficiency of the pollutants was evaluated and it was verified that the efficiency of adsorption with activated carbon is similar to the radiation method. The obtained results allowed to evaluated the relative costs of these methods. (author)

  5. High Bandwidth, Fine Resolution Deformable Mirror Design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1980-03-01

    Low Temperature Solders 68 B.6 Influence Function Parameters 68 APPENDIX C 19 Capacitance Measurement 69 ACCESSION for NTIS white Sectloo ODC Buff...Multilayer actuator: Dilatation versus applied electric field 10 Figure 3 - Multilayer actuator: Influence function 11 Figure 4 - Honeycomb device...bimorph 20 Figure 8 - Bimorph device: Influence function of a bimorph device which has a glass plate 0.20 cm thick 24 Figure 9 - Bimorph device

  6. Comparative study of the antifungal activity of some essential oils ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study aimed to evaluate the antimould activity of oregano, thyme, rosemary and clove essential oils and some of their main constituents: eugenol, carvacrol and thymol against Aspergillus niger. This antifungal activity was assessed using broth dilution, disc diffusion and micro atmosphere methods. In both agar diffusion ...

  7. Physical Activity and Sedentary Time among Young Children in Full-Day Kindergarten: Comparing Traditional and Balanced Day Schedules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanderloo, Leigh M.; Tucker, Patricia

    2017-01-01

    Objective: To compare physical activity and sedentary time among young children whose schools adhere to traditional (i.e. three outdoor playtimes = 70 minutes) versus balanced day (i.e. two outdoor playtimes = ~55 minutes) schedules in Ontario full-day kindergarten classrooms. Design: The project was part of a larger, 2-year cross-sectional study.…

  8. IMMEDIATE EFFECT OF KINESIO VERSUS MCCONNELL TAPING ON PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN SYNDROME DURING FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITIES- A COMPARATIVE STUDY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sai Kumar. N

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS is a condition presenting with anterior knee pain or pain behind the patella (retro-patellar pain. The purpose of the study is to find the immediate effect of Kinesio taping versus McConnell taping in patellofemoral pain syndrome subjects during functional activities- stair ascent, stair descent and squat lift. Methods: An experimental study design with three groups, 45 subjects with patellofemoral pain syndrome was randomized. 15 subjects into each Kinesiotaping group, McConnell group and Sham group. Kinesiotaping group received patellofemoral kinesio taping technique, McConnell group received McConnell taping technique and Sham group received sham taping technique. Outcome measure pain was measured using visual analogue scale during pre and post taping pain levels that were measured during three functional activities: stair ascent, stair descent and squat lift. Results: When analysed within the group using paired ‘t’ test and wilcoxon signed rank test, there is statistically significant improvement in post pain levels in KT, MT and Sham group during stair climbing, stair descent and squat lift. When compared measuring of pre and post pain levels between three groups, there is no significant change in pain level between Kinesio taping and McConnell taping as also compared to sham taping. Conclusion: The study concluded that Kinesio taping, McConnell taping and sham taping shown immediate effect on reducing pain during functional activities such as stair climbing, stair descent and squat lift with greater percentage of pain reduction was found following Kinesiotaping and McConnell taping.

  9. Comparative study of different types of granular activated carbon in removing medium level radon from water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alabdula'aly, A.I.; Maghrawy, H.B.

    2011-01-01

    Granular activated carbon (GAC) has proven its effectiveness in removing radon from water supplies. Laboratory and pilot plant studies were carried out using three different types of activated carbons (F-300, F-400, and HD-4000) to remove radon from water supply. From the experimental kinetic study, the data indicated that at least 6 h are needed to attain equilibrium between radon activity adsorbed onto carbon and its concentration in the aqueous phase. Also, it showed that HD-4000 has higher capacity for removing radon than the other two investigated carbons F-300 and F-400. The adsorption isotherms were satisfactorily explained by Freundlich equation. In the pilot plant study, the performance of the three activated carbons in removing radon at medium concentration (∼111 Bq dm -3 ) was evaluated over 60 days of continuous water flow. Four empty-bed contact times (EBCTs) corresponding to four bed depths were continuously monitored and the corresponding steady state adsorption-decay constant values were calculated and the efficiency of each carbon was used to provide a facet for comparison. The γ-radiation exposure rate distribution throughout each GAC bed was measured and compared. This study, despite paucity of literature in this field, is useful for designing a GAC adsorption system for the removal of medium level radon concentration from water supplies. (author)

  10. Elemental analysis using instrumental neutron activation analysis and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry: a comparative study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chung, Yong Sam; Choi, Kwang Soon; Moon, Jong Hwa; Kim, Sun Ha; Lim, Jong Myoung; Kim, Young Jin; Quraishi, Shamshad Begum

    2003-05-01

    Elemental analyses for certified reference materials were carried out using instrumental neutron activation analysis and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. Five Certified Reference Materials (CRM) were selected for the study on comparative analysis of environmental samples. The CRM are Soil (NIST SRM 2709), Coal fly ash (NIST SRM 1633a), urban dust (NIST SRM 1649a) and air particulate on filter media (NIST SRM 2783 and human hair (GBW 09101)

  11. Comparative analgesic activity of the root bark, stem bark, leaves ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The analgesic activity of the water extracts (50,100 and150 mg/Kg body weight) of the root bark, stem bark, leaves, fruits and seeds of Carissa edulis were evaluated in mice using the mechanical method (tail-chip method) and chemical method (acetic acid induced writhing). The plant was found to have analgesic activity, ...

  12. Vitamin B6-Dependent Enzymes in the Human Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum: A Druggable Target?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thales Kronenberger

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Malaria is a deadly infectious disease which affects millions of people each year in tropical regions. There is no effective vaccine available and the treatment is based on drugs which are currently facing an emergence of drug resistance and in this sense the search for new drug targets is indispensable. It is well established that vitamin biosynthetic pathways, such as the vitamin B6 de novo synthesis present in Plasmodium, are excellent drug targets. The active form of vitamin B6, pyridoxal 5-phosphate, is, besides its antioxidative properties, a cofactor for a variety of essential enzymes present in the malaria parasite which includes the ornithine decarboxylase (ODC, synthesis of polyamines, the aspartate aminotransferase (AspAT, involved in the protein biosynthesis, and the serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT, a key enzyme within the folate metabolism.

  13. The effects of constant and alternating temperatures on the reproductive potential, life span, and life expectancy of Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann (Dipteria: Tephritidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. V. CARDOSO

    Full Text Available Ovarian development, oviposition, larval eclosion, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC activity, ovarian, testis and ejaculatory apodeme measurements (length, width, and area, and the number of spermatozoa of Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann were analyzed at alternating (20º/6ºC and 20º/13°C and constant (6°C; 25°C temperatures. Life span and life expectancy were also analyzed for both genders. All the results suggest that temperature, especially alternating temperatures, increase not only male and female reproductive potential but also their life span and life expectancy. These changes can be a powerful strategy triggered by A. fraterculus as a means to survive the stressful temperature conditions found in winter in the apple production region in Brazil, enabling this species to increase its population density and cause apple damage when spring begins.

  14. The effects of constant and alternating temperatures on the reproductive potential, life span, and life expectancy of Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann (Dipteria: Tephritidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CARDOSO V. V.

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available Ovarian development, oviposition, larval eclosion, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC activity, ovarian, testis and ejaculatory apodeme measurements (length, width, and area, and the number of spermatozoa of Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann were analyzed at alternating (20masculine/6masculineC and 20masculine/13degreesC and constant (6degreesC; 25degreesC temperatures. Life span and life expectancy were also analyzed for both genders. All the results suggest that temperature, especially alternating temperatures, increase not only male and female reproductive potential but also their life span and life expectancy. These changes can be a powerful strategy triggered by A. fraterculus as a means to survive the stressful temperature conditions found in winter in the apple production region in Brazil, enabling this species to increase its population density and cause apple damage when spring begins.

  15. The effect of music therapy compared with general recreational activities in reducing agitation in people with dementia: a randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vink, A C; Zuidersma, M; Boersma, F; de Jonge, P; Zuidema, S U; Slaets, J P J

    2013-10-01

    This study aimed to compare the effects of music therapy with general recreational day activities in reducing agitation in people with dementia, residing in nursing home facilities. In a randomised controlled design, residents with dementia (n = 94) were allocated to either music therapy or recreational activities. Both music therapy and general activities were offered twice weekly for 4 months. Changes in agitation were measured with a modified Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI) at four intervals on each intervention day. A mixed model analysis was used to evaluate the effectiveness of music therapy, compared with general activities, on CMAI scores at 4 h after the intervention, controlled for CMAI scores at 1 h before the session and session number. Data were analysed for 77 residents (43 randomised to music therapy and 34 to general activities). In both groups, the intervention resulted in a decrease in agitated behaviours from 1 h before to 4 h after each session. This decrease was somewhat greater in the music therapy group than in the general activities group, but this difference was statistically not significant (F = 2.885, p = 0.090) and disappeared completely after adjustment for Global Deterioration Scale stage (F = 1.500; p = 0.222). Both music therapy and recreational activities lead to a short-term decrease in agitation, but there was no additional beneficial effect of music therapy over general activities. More research is required to provide insight in the effects of music therapy in reducing agitation in demented older people. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  16. Comparative effectiveness of manipulation, mobilisation and the Activator instrument in treatment of non-specific neck pain: a systematic review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miller Peter

    2006-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Neck pain is a common problem and different forms of manual therapy are used in its treatment. The purpose of this systematic review was to critically appraise the literature that directly compared manipulation, mobilisation and the Activator instrument for non-specific neck pain. Methods Electronic databases (MEDLINE, MANTIS and CINAHL were searched from their inception to October 2005 for all English language randomised clinical trials that directly compared manipulation, mobilisation and the Activator instrument. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to select the studies and these studies were then evaluated using validated criteria. Results Five such studies were identified. The methodological quality was mostly poor. Findings from the studies were mixed and no one therapy was shown to be more effective than the others. Conclusion Further high quality research has to be done before a recommendation can be made as to the most effective manual method for non-specific neck pain.

  17. Differential inhibition of activity, activation and gene expression of MMP-9 in THP-1 cells by azithromycin and minocycline versus bortezomib: A comparative study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer Vandooren

    Full Text Available Gelatinase B or matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9 (EC 3.4.24.35 is increased in inflammatory processes and cancer, and is associated with disease progression. In part, this is due to MMP-9-mediated degradation of extracellular matrix, facilitating influx of leukocytes into inflamed tissues and invasion or metastasis of cancer cells. MMP-9 is produced as proMMP-9 and its propeptide is subsequently removed by other proteases to generate proteolytically active MMP-9. The significance of MMP-9 in pathologies triggered the development of specific inhibitors of this protease. However, clinical trials with synthetic inhibitors of MMPs in the fight against cancer were disappointing. Reports on active compounds which inhibit MMP-9 should be carefully examined in this regard. In a considerable set of recent publications, two antibiotics (minocycline and azythromycin and the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, used in cancers, were reported to inhibit MMP-9 at different stages of its expression, activation or activity. The current study was undertaken to compare and to verify the impact of these compounds on MMP-9. With exception of minocycline at high concentrations (>100 μM, the compounds did not affect processing of proMMP-9 into MMP-9, nor did they affect direct MMP-9 gelatinolytic activity. In contrast, azithromycin specifically reduced MMP-9 mRNA and protein levels without affecting NF-κB in endotoxin-challenged monocytic THP-1 cells. Bortezomib, although being highly toxic, had no MMP-9-specific effects but significantly upregulated cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2 activity and PGE2 levels. Overall, our study clarified that azithromycin decreased the levels of MMP-9 by reduction of gene and protein expression while minocycline inhibits proteolytic activity at high concentrations.

  18. Comparative Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Activity of Different Antimicrobial Peptides against a Range of Pathogenic Bacteria

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ebbensgaard, Anna Elisabeth; Mordhorst, Hanne; Overgaard, Michael Toft

    2015-01-01

    The rapid emergence of resistance to classical antibiotics has increased the interest in novel antimicrobial compounds. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent an attractive alternative to classical antibiotics and a number of different studies have reported antimicrobial activity data of various...... AMPs, but there is only limited comparative data available. The mode of action for many AMPs is largely unknown even though several models have suggested that the lipopolysaccharides (LPS) play a crucial role in the attraction and attachment of the AMP to the bacterial membrane in Gram...

  19. Comparative analysis of the end-joining activity of several DNA ligases.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert J Bauer

    Full Text Available DNA ligases catalyze the repair of phosphate backbone breaks in DNA, acting with highest activity on breaks in one strand of duplex DNA. Some DNA ligases have also been observed to ligate two DNA fragments with short complementary overhangs or blunt-ended termini. In this study, several wild-type DNA ligases (phage T3, T4, and T7 DNA ligases, Paramecium bursaria chlorella virus 1 (PBCV1 DNA ligase, human DNA ligase 3, and Escherichia coli DNA ligase were tested for their ability to ligate DNA fragments with several difficult to ligate end structures (blunt-ended termini, 3'- and 5'- single base overhangs, and 5'-two base overhangs. This analysis revealed that T4 DNA ligase, the most common enzyme utilized for in vitro ligation, had its greatest activity on blunt- and 2-base overhangs, and poorest on 5'-single base overhangs. Other ligases had different substrate specificity: T3 DNA ligase ligated only blunt ends well; PBCV1 DNA ligase joined 3'-single base overhangs and 2-base overhangs effectively with little blunt or 5'- single base overhang activity; and human ligase 3 had highest activity on blunt ends and 5'-single base overhangs. There is no correlation of activity among ligases on blunt DNA ends with their activity on single base overhangs. In addition, DNA binding domains (Sso7d, hLig3 zinc finger, and T4 DNA ligase N-terminal domain were fused to PBCV1 DNA ligase to explore whether modified binding to DNA would lead to greater activity on these difficult to ligate substrates. These engineered ligases showed both an increased binding affinity for DNA and increased activity, but did not alter the relative substrate preferences of PBCV1 DNA ligase, indicating active site structure plays a role in determining substrate preference.

  20. Leisure activities are linked to mental health benefits by providing time structure: comparing employed, unemployed and homemakers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodman, William K; Geiger, Ashley M; Wolf, Jutta M

    2017-01-01

    Unemployment has consistently been linked to negative mental health outcomes, emphasising the need to characterise the underlying mechanisms. The current study aimed at testing whether compared with other employment groups, fewer leisure activities observed in unemployment may contribute to elevated risk for negative mental health via loss of time structure. Depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression), leisure activities (exercise, self-focused, social), and time structure (Time Structure Questionnaire (TSQ)) were assessed cross-sectionally in 406 participants (unemployed=155, employed=140, homemakers=111) recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk. Controlling for gender and age, structural equation modelling revealed time structure partially (employed, homemakers) and fully (unemployed) mediated the relationship between leisure activities and depressive symptoms. With the exception of differential effects for structured routines, all other TSQ factors (sense of purpose, present orientation, effective organisation and persistence) contributed significantly to all models. These findings support the idea that especially for the unemployed, leisure activities impose their mental health benefits through increasing individuals' perception of spending their time effectively. Social leisure activities that provide a sense of daily structure may thereby be a particularly promising low-cost intervention to improve mental health in this population. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  1. High-altitude diving in river otters: coping with combined hypoxic stresses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crait, Jamie R; Prange, Henry D; Marshall, Noah A; Harlow, Henry J; Cotton, Clark J; Ben-David, Merav

    2012-01-15

    River otters (Lontra canadensis) are highly active, semi-aquatic mammals indigenous to a range of elevations and represent an appropriate model for assessing the physiological responses to diving at altitude. In this study, we performed blood gas analyses and compared blood chemistry of river otters from a high-elevation (2357 m) population at Yellowstone Lake with a sea-level population along the Pacific coast. Comparisons of oxygen dissociation curves (ODC) revealed no significant difference in hemoglobin-oxygen (Hb-O(2)) binding affinity between the two populations - potentially because of demands for tissue oxygenation. Instead, high-elevation otters had greater Hb concentrations (18.7 g dl(-1)) than sea-level otters (15.6 g dl(-1)). Yellowstone otters displayed higher levels of the vasodilator nitric oxide (NO), and half the concentration of the serum protein albumin, possibly to compensate for increased blood viscosity. Despite compensation in several hematological and serological parameters, theoretical aerobic dive limits (ADL) were similar between high-elevation and sea-level otters because of the lower availability of O(2) at altitude. Our results suggest that recent disruptions to the Yellowstone Lake food web could be detrimental to otters because at this high elevation, constraints on diving may limit their ability to switch to prey in a deep-water environment.

  2. Aerobic Capacity, Physical Activity and Metabolic Risk Factors in Firefighters Compared with Police Officers and Sedentary Clerks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leischik, Roman; Foshag, Peter; Strauß, Markus; Littwitz, Henning; Garg, Pankaj; Dworrak, Birgit; Horlitz, Marc

    2015-01-01

    This study examined the association between the physical work environment and physiological performance measures, physical activity levels and metabolic parameters among German civil servants. A main focus in this study was to examine the group differences rather than measuring the absolute values in an occupational group. We prospectively examined 198 male German civil servants (97 firefighters [FFs], 55 police officers [POs] and 46 sedentary clerks [SCs]). For each parameter, the groups were compared using a linear regression adjusted for age. The 97 FFs showed a similar maximal aerobic power (VO2max l/min) of 3.17±0.44 l/min compared with the POs, who had a maximal aerobic power of 3.13±0.62 l/min (estimated difference, POs vs. FFs: 0.05, CI: -0.12-0.23, p=0.553). The maximal aerobic power of the FFs was slightly higher than that of the SCs, who had a maximal aerobic power of 2.85±0.52 l/min (-0.21, CI: -0.39-0.04, p=0.018 vs. FFs). The average physical activity (in metabolic equivalents [METS]/week) of the FFs was 3953±2688, whereas those of the POs was 2838±2872 (vs. FFs: -985, CI: -1941-30, p = 0.043) and of the SCs 2212±2293 (vs. FFs: -1598.8, CI: -2477-721, p = 0.000; vs. POs: -613.6, CI: -1617.4–390.3, p = 0.229), respectively [corrected]. For the FFs, the average body fat percentage was 17.7%±6.2, whereas it was 21.4%±5.6 for the POs (vs. FFs: 2.75, CI: 0.92-4.59, p=0.004) and 20.8%±6.5 for the SCs (vs. FFs: 1.98, CI: -0.28-4.25, p=0.086; vs. POs: -0.77, CI: 3.15-1.61, p=0.523). The average waist circumference was 89.8 cm±10.0 for the FFs, 97.8 cm±12.4 (5.63, CI: 2.10-9.15, p=0.002) for the POs, and 97.3±11.7 (vs. FFs: -4.89, CI: 1.24-8.55, p=0.009; vs. POs: -0.73, CI: -5.21-3.74, p=0.747) for the SCs. The FFs showed significantly higher physical activity levels compared with the SCs. The PO group had the highest cardiovascular risk of all of the groups because it included more participants with metabolic syndrome; furthermore, the POs had

  3. Aerobic Capacity, Physical Activity and Metabolic Risk Factors in Firefighters Compared with Police Officers and Sedentary Clerks.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roman Leischik

    Full Text Available This study examined the association between the physical work environment and physiological performance measures, physical activity levels and metabolic parameters among German civil servants. A main focus in this study was to examine the group differences rather than measuring the absolute values in an occupational group.We prospectively examined 198 male German civil servants (97 firefighters [FFs], 55 police officers [POs] and 46 sedentary clerks [SCs]. For each parameter, the groups were compared using a linear regression adjusted for age.The 97 FFs showed a similar maximal aerobic power (VO2max l/min of 3.17±0.44 l/min compared with the POs, who had a maximal aerobic power of 3.13±0.62 l/min (estimated difference, POs vs. FFs: 0.05, CI: -0.12-0.23, p=0.553. The maximal aerobic power of the FFs was slightly higher than that of the SCs, who had a maximal aerobic power of 2.85±0.52 l/min (-0.21, CI: -0.39-0.04, p=0.018 vs. FFs. The average physical activity (in metabolic equivalents [METS]/week of the FFs was 3953±2688, whereas those of the POs was 2838±2872 (vs. FFs: -985, CI: -1941-30, p = 0.043 and of the SCs 2212±2293 (vs. FFs: -1598.8, CI: -2477-721, p = 0.000; vs. POs: -613.6, CI: -1617.4–390.3, p = 0.229, respectively [corrected]. For the FFs, the average body fat percentage was 17.7%±6.2, whereas it was 21.4%±5.6 for the POs (vs. FFs: 2.75, CI: 0.92-4.59, p=0.004 and 20.8%±6.5 for the SCs (vs. FFs: 1.98, CI: -0.28-4.25, p=0.086; vs. POs: -0.77, CI: 3.15-1.61, p=0.523. The average waist circumference was 89.8 cm±10.0 for the FFs, 97.8 cm±12.4 (5.63, CI: 2.10-9.15, p=0.002 for the POs, and 97.3±11.7 (vs. FFs: -4.89, CI: 1.24-8.55, p=0.009; vs. POs: -0.73, CI: -5.21-3.74, p=0.747 for the SCs.The FFs showed significantly higher physical activity levels compared with the SCs. The PO group had the highest cardiovascular risk of all of the groups because it included more participants with metabolic syndrome; furthermore, the POs

  4. Exploring polyamine metabolism of Alternaria alternata to target new substances to control the fungal infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Estiarte, N; Crespo-Sempere, A; Marín, S; Sanchis, V; Ramos, A J

    2017-08-01

    Polyamines are essential for all living organisms as they are involved in several vital cell functions. The biosynthetic pathway of polyamines and its regulation is well established and, in this sense, the ornithine descarboxylase (ODC) enzyme acts as one of the controlling factors of the entire pathway. In this work we assessed the inhibition of the ODC with D, l-α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) on Alternaria alternata and we observed that fungal growth and mycotoxin production were reduced. This inhibition was not completely restored by the addition of exogenous putrescine. Actually, increasing concentrations of putrescine on the growth media negatively affected mycotoxin production, which was corroborated by the downregulation of pksJ and altR, both genes involved in mycotoxin biosynthesis. We also studied the polyamine metabolism of A. alternata with the goal of finding new targets that compromise its growth and its mycotoxin production capacity. In this sense, we tested two different polyamine analogs, AMXT-2455 and AMXT-3016, and we observed that they partially controlled A. alternata's viability in vitro and in vivo using tomato plants. Finding strategies to design new fungicide substances is becoming a matter of interest as resistance problems are emerging. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  5. Antipneumococcal activity of DW-224a, a new quinolone, compared to those of eight other agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kosowska-Shick, Klaudia; Credito, Kim; Pankuch, Glenn A; Lin, Gengrong; Bozdogan, Bülent; McGhee, Pamela; Dewasse, Bonifacio; Choi, Dong-Rack; Ryu, Jei Man; Appelbaum, Peter C

    2006-06-01

    DW-224a is a new broad-spectrum quinolone with excellent antipneumococcal activity. Agar dilution MIC was used to test the activity of DW-224a compared to those of penicillin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin, gemifloxacin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, cefuroxime, and azithromycin against 353 quinolone-susceptible pneumococci. The MICs of 29 quinolone-resistant pneumococci with defined quinolone resistance mechanisms against seven quinolones and an efflux mechanism were also tested. DW-224a was the most potent quinolone against quinolone-susceptible pneumococci (MIC(50), 0.016 microg/ml; MIC(90), 0.03 microg/ml), followed by gemifloxacin, moxifloxacin, gatifloxacin, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin. beta-Lactam MICs rose with those of penicillin G, and azithromycin resistance was seen mainly in strains with raised penicillin G MICs. Against the 29 quinolone-resistant strains, DW-224a had the lowest MICs (0.06 to 1 microg/ml) compared to those of gemifloxacin, clinafloxacin, moxifloxacin, gatifloxacin, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin. DW-224a at 2x MIC was bactericidal after 24 h against eight of nine strains tested. Other quinolones gave similar kill kinetics relative to higher MICs. Serial passages of nine strains in the presence of sub-MIC concentrations of DW-224a, moxifloxacin, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, gatifloxacin, gemifloxacin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, cefuroxime, and azithromycin were performed. DW-224a yielded resistant clones similar to moxifloxacin and gemifloxacin but also yielded lower MICs. Azithromycin selected resistant clones in three of the five parents tested. Amoxicillin-clavulanate and cefuroxime did not yield resistant clones after 50 days.

  6. Comparative shoulder kinematics during free standing, standing depression lifts and daily functional activities in persons with paraplegia: considerations for shoulder health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riek, L M; Ludewig, P M; Nawoczenski, D A

    2008-05-01

    Case series; nonparametric repeated-measures analysis of variance. To compare and contrast three-dimensional shoulder kinematics during frequently utilized upper extremity weight-bearing activities (standing depression lifts used in brace walking, weight-relief raises, transfers) and postures (sitting rest, standing in a frame) in spinal cord injury (SCI). Movement Analysis Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, Ithaca College, Rochester, NY, USA. Three female and two male subjects (39.2+/-6.1 years old) at least 12 months post-SCI (14.6+/-6.7 years old), SCI distal to T2 and with an ASIA score of A. The Flock of Birds magnetic tracking device was used to measure three-dimensional positions of the scapula, humerus and thorax during various activities. Standing in a frame resulted in significantly less scapular anterior tilt (AT) and greater glenohumeral external rotation (GHER) than standing depression lifts and weight-relief raises. Standing frame posture offers the most favorable shoulder joint positions (less scapular AT and greater GHER) when compared to sitting rest posture, weight-relief raises, transfers and standing depression lifts. Knowledge of kinematic patterns associated with each activity is an essential first step to understanding the potential impact on shoulder health. Choosing specific activities or modifying techniques within functional activities that promote favorable shoulder positions may preserve long-term shoulder health.

  7. Comparative study of wastewater treatment and nutrient recycle via activated sludge, microalgae and combination systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Liang; Liu, Jinli; Zhao, Quanyu; Wei, Wei; Sun, Yuhan

    2016-07-01

    Algal-bacterial synergistic cultivation could be an optional wastewater treatment technology in temperate areas. In this study, a locally screened vigorous Chlorella strain was characterized and then it was used in a comparative study of wastewater treatment and nutrient recycle assessment via activated sludge (AS), microalgae and their combination systems. Chlorella sp. cultured with AS in light showed the best performance, in which case the removal efficiencies of COD, NH3-N and TP were 87.3%, 99.2% and 83.9%, respectively, within a short period of 1day. Algal-bacterial combination in light had the best settleability. Chlorella sp. contained biomass, could be processed to feed, fertilizer or fuel due to the improved quality (higher C/H/N) compared with sludge. PCR-DGGE analysis shows that two types of rhizobacteria, namely, Pseudomonas putida and Flavobacterium hauense were enriched in sludge when cultured with algae in light, serving as the basics for artificial consortium construction for improved wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Engagement in family activities: a quantitative, comparative study of children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities and children with typical development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Axelsson, A K; Granlund, M; Wilder, J

    2013-07-01

    Participation is known to be of great importance for children's development and emotional well-being as well as for their families. In the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health - Children and Youth version participation is defined as a person's 'involvement in a life situation'. Engagement is closely related to involvement and can be seen as expressions of involvement or degree of involvement within a situation. This study focuses on children's engagement in family activities; one group of families with a child with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) and one group of families with children with typical development (TD) were compared. A descriptive study using questionnaires. Analyses were mainly performed by using Mann-Whitney U-test and Spearman's rank correlation test. Engagement in family activities differed in the two groups of children. The children with PIMD had a lower level of engagement in most family activities even though the activities that engaged the children to a higher or lesser extent were the same in both groups. Child engagement was found to correlate with family characteristics mostly in the children with TD and in the children with PIMD only negative correlations occurred. In the children with PIMD child engagement correlated with cognition in a high number of listed family activities and the children had a low engagement in routines in spite of these being frequently occurring activities. Level of engagement in family activities in the group of children with PIMD was lower compared with that in the group of children with TD. Families with a child with PIMD spend much time and effort to adapt family living patterns to the child's functioning. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. AN EXPERIMENTAL COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ANALGESIC ACTIVITY OF CURCUMA: AMADA (MANGO - GINGER WITH CONVENTIONAL NSAID ASPIRIN IN MALE ALBINO WISTAR RATS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shanmukananda

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Mango ginger ( Curcuma amada Roxb. belongs to Zingiberaceae family has biological activities include antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, anti - inflammatory, antiallergic, CNS depressant and analgesic activity. The major chemical components include starch, phenolic acids, volatile oils, curcuminoids and terpenoids like difurocumenonol, amadannulen and amadaldehyde. Pain is often the first indication of disease or injury and a major symptom in many clinical conditions and can significantly interferes with a person’s quality of life and general functioning. The standard and test drugs suppress the inflammatory mediators associated with pain. This article brings out the analgesic activity of C. Amada in comparison with aspirin. Therefore aqueous extract of C. amada was evaluated for analgesic activity in animal models of pain. OBJECTIVES: 1. To evaluate rhizomes of Curcuma Amada for analgesic activity in male albino wistar rats and to compare the analgesic activity with aspirin . 2. To Evaluate if combination of Curcuma Amada with aspirin is synergistic . MATERIALS AND METHODS: Albino rats are the proven models for analgesic studies. They were obtained from the animal house of DR.B. R. Ambedkar Medical College. Animals were maintained as per CPCSEA guidelines .The aqueous extract of Curcuma Amada was used. Aspirin (100mg/kg was used as the standard analgesic drug. 4x4 groups of 6 Rats were used to ensure that results obtained were statistically significant using ANOVA test. Analgesic activity will be assessed with the help of following screening methods Acetic Acid Writhing Method using Acetic Acid, Tail Flick Method using the Analgesiometer, Tail Immersion Method using Hot Water (55 0 C , Hot Plate method using Hot Plate . RESULTS : Aqueous extract of Curcuma Amada significantly suppressed the 1% acetic acid induced writhing response in rats when compared to standard drug aspirin. In the Tail flick and Hot plate test Curcuma

  10. Comparative studies on the constituents, antioxidant and anticancer activities of extracts from different varieties of corn silk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Jingge; Chen, Haixia; Chen, Shuhan; Xing, Lisha; Wang, Yanwei; Wang, Jia

    2013-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of varieties on the constituents, antioxidant and anticancer activities of corn silk. The contents of total phenolic and flavonoids and individual flavonoids in six corn silk varieties (Denghai6702, Delinong988, Tunyu808, Zhongdan909, Liangyu208, Jingke968) were comparatively analyzed by colourimetric methods, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods and antioxidant activities were assessed using a panel of in vitro assays, including 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity assay, the inhibitory effects on lipid peroxidation (MDA) assay and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, and the cytotoxicity against human prostatic carcinoma cells PC3 and breast carcinoma cells MDA-MB-231 and MCF7 were also evaluated. Results showed that Zhongdan909 exhibited the highest total phenolic content while Tunyu808 had the highest flavonoid content among the six species. Zhongdan909 showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity, the highest inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation and the strongest cytotoxicity against breast carcinoma cells MCF7, while Tunyu808 exhibited the highest reducing power. There were good relationships between the total phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activities (r > 0.78) and the cytotoxicity against breast carcinoma cells MCF7 (r > 0.79). This study suggested that corn silk could be potentially used as a readily accessible source of natural antioxidants and formononetin was one of the main antioxidant constituents in corn silk.

  11. Comparative study on the performance of textural image features for active contour segmentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moraru, Luminita; Moldovanu, Simona

    2012-07-01

    We present a computerized method for the semi-automatic detection of contours in ultrasound images. The novelty of our study is the introduction of a fast and efficient image function relating to parametric active contour models. This new function is a combination of the gray-level information and first-order statistical features, called standard deviation parameters. In a comprehensive study, the developed algorithm and the efficiency of segmentation were first tested for synthetic images. Tests were also performed on breast and liver ultrasound images. The proposed method was compared with the watershed approach to show its efficiency. The performance of the segmentation was estimated using the area error rate. Using the standard deviation textural feature and a 5×5 kernel, our curve evolution was able to produce results close to the minimal area error rate (namely 8.88% for breast images and 10.82% for liver images). The image resolution was evaluated using the contrast-to-gradient method. The experiments showed promising segmentation results.

  12. Organ involvement in Argentinian systemic sclerosis patients with "late" pattern as compared to patients with "early/active" pattern by nailfold capillaroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marino Claverie, Lucila; Knobel, Elizabeth; Takashima, Lorena; Techera, Lorena; Oliver, Marina; Gonzalez, Paula; Romanini, Félix E; Fonseca, María L; Mamani, Marta N

    2013-06-01

    Changes in nailfold capillaroscopy in systemic sclerosis patients could be related to the disease severity. The aim of this study was to investigate whether patients with "late" scleroderma (SD) pattern have more organ involvement than patients with "early/active" SD pattern. Forty-six Argentinian patients (44 women and 2 men), with a diagnosis of systemic sclerosis, were distributed in two groups based on the presence of late and early/active patterns. Organ involvement was assessed as follows: pulmonary function by chest radiography, high-resolution chest tomography (HRCT), lung volume tests, and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO); esophageal involvement by manometry; and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) by Doppler echocardiography and six-minute walk test. Honeycombing of the lungs evaluated by HRCT was more frequently present in patients with late pattern compared with early/active patients (p = 0.01). We also found statistically significant differences in lung volume tests (p = 0.03) and DLCO (p = 0.02) between the two SD pattern groups. Esophageal manometry showed a significantly higher frequency of motility disorders in the group with late pattern (p = 0.0024). In this study, patients with late pattern had higher frequency of pulmonary and esophageal involvement compared with patients with early/active pattern.

  13. Comparative in vitro activities of trovafloxacin (CP-99,219) against 445 gram-positive isolates from patients with endocarditis and those with other bloodstream infections

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    H.P. Endtz (Hubert); J.W. Mouton (Johan); J.G. den Hollander (Jan); N.P.W.C.J. van den Braak (Nicole); H.A. Verbrugh (Henri)

    1997-01-01

    textabstractThe in vitro activity of trovafloxacin (CP-99,219), a new fluoroquinolone, was compared with the in vitro activities of other commonly used quinolones and other antimicrobial agents against 445 gram-positive microorganisms isolated between 1986 and 1995 from

  14. Facile synthesis of polypyrrole functionalized nickel foam with catalytic activity comparable to Pt for the poly-generation of hydrogen and electricity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Tiantian; Li, Kan; Shen, Zhemin; Sun, Tonghua; Wang, Yalin; Jia, Jinping

    2016-01-01

    Polypyrrole functionalized nickel foam is facilely prepared through the potentiostatic electrodeposition. The PPy-functionalized Ni foam functions as a hydrogen-evolution cathode in a rotating disk photocatalytic fuel cell, in which hydrogen energy and electric power are generated by consuming organic wastes. The PPy-functionalized Ni foam cathode exhibits stable catalytic activities after thirteen continuous runs. Compared with net or plate structure, the Ni foam with a unique three-dimensional reticulate structure is conducive to the electrodeposition of PPy. Compared with Pt-group electrode, PPy-coated Ni foam shows a satisfactory catalytic performance for the H2 evolution. The combination of PPy and Ni forms a synergistic effect for the rapid trapping and removal of proton from solution and the catalytic reduction of proton to hydrogen. The PPy-functionalized Ni foam could be applied in photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical generation of H2. In all, we report a low cost, high efficient and earth abundant PPy-functionalized Ni foam with a satisfactory catalytic activities comparable to Pt for the practical application of poly-generation of hydrogen and electricity.

  15. Measurements by activation foils and comparative computations by MCNP code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kyncl, J.

    2008-01-01

    Systematic study of the radioactive waste minimisation problem is subject of the SPHINX project. Its idea is that burning or transmutation of the waste inventory problematic part will be realized in a nuclear reactor the fuel of which is in the form of liquid fluorides. In frame of the project, several experiments have been performed with so-called inserted experimental channel. The channel was filled up by the fluorides mixture, surrounded by six fuel assemblies with moderator and placed into LR-0 reactor vessel. This formation was brought to critical state and measurement with activation foil detectors were carried out at selected positions of the inserted channel. Main aim of the measurements was to determine reaction rates for the detectors mentioned. For experiment evaluation, comparative computations were accomplished by code MCNP4a. The results obtained show that very often, computed values of reaction rates differ substantially from the values that were obtained from the experiment. This contribution deals with analysis of the reasons of these differences from the point of view of computations by Monte Carlo method. The analysis of concrete cases shows that the inaccuracy of reaction rate computed is caused mostly by three circumstances:-space region that is occupied by detector is relatively very small;- microscopic effective cross-section R(E) of the reaction changes strongly with energy just in the energy interval that gives the greatest contribution to the reaction; - in the energy interval that gives the greatest contribution to reaction rate, the error of the computed neutron flux is great. These circumstances evoke that the computation of reaction rate with casual accuracy submits extreme demands on computing time. (Author)

  16. Dietary intake of adolescents compared with the Brazilian Food Guide and their differences according to anthropometric data and physical activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carla Cristina Enes

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Objective: To assess the dietary intake of adolescents compared with the Brazilian Food Guide and to explore their differences according to anthropometric data and physical activity. Methods: A total of 476 adolescents from public schools of Piracicaba, SP, Brazil participated in this study. A semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to estimate food group intake of adolescents. Height, weight and waist circumference of all participants were measured. Physical activity pattern was determined by questioning about participation in regular sport activities. Results: The prevalence of overweight was 36.1% and 60% were not physically active. 7.8, 7.1, 6.3, and 0.2% of adolescents consumed vegetables, fruits, milk and derivatives, and cereals, respectively, according to recommendations. About 55 and 79% of adolescents consumed excessively oils/fats and sugar/sweets, respectively. Physically active adolescents consumed more cereals, fruits, vegetables, milk and derivatives, and meats and eggs. Conclusion: Most adolescents did not follow the food group recommendations and those who were physically active have healthier food habits.

  17. The Activity of [60]Fullerene Derivatives Bearing Amine and Carboxylic Solubilizing Groups against Escherichia coli: A Comparative Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dmitry G. Deryabin

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available We report a comparative investigation of the antibacterial activity of two water-soluble fullerene derivatives bearing protonated amine (AF and deprotonated carboxylic (CF groups appended to the fullerene cage via organic linkers. The negatively charged fullerene derivative CF showed no tendency to bind to the bacterial cells and, consequently, no significant antibacterial activity. In contrast, the compound AF loaded with cationic groups showed strong and partially irreversible binding to the negatively charged Escherichia coli K12 TG1 cells and to human erythrocytes, also possessing negative zeta potential. Adsorption of AF on the bacterial surface was visualized by atomic force microscopy revealing the formation of specific clusters (AF aggregates surrounding the bacterial cell. Incubation of E. coli K12 TG1 with AF led to a dose-dependent bactericidal effect with LD50 = 79.1 µM. The presence of human erythrocytes in the test medium decreased the AF antibacterial activity. Thus we reveal that the water-soluble cationic fullerene derivative AF possesses promising antibacterial activity, which might be utilized in the development of novel types of chemical disinfectants.

  18. Low validity of the Sensewear Pro3 activity monitor compared to indirect calorimetry during simulated free living in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hermann, Andreas; Ried-Larsen, Mathias; Jensen, Andreas Emil Kryger

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: To validate physical activity estimates by the Sensewear Pro3 activity monitor compared with indirect calorimetry during simulated free living in patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the hip pre or post total hip arthroplasty. METHODS: Twenty patients diagnosed with hip osteoarth...

  19. COGNITIVE COMPETENCE COMPARED TO COGNITIVE INDEPENDENCE AND COGNITIVE ACTIVITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irina B. Shmigirilova

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The research is aimed at identifying the essence of the cognitive competence concept in comparison with the concepts of cognitive independence and activity.Methods: The methodology implies a theoretical analysis of psychopedagogical and methodological materials on the cognitive competence formation; generalized teaching experience; empirical methods of direct observations of educational process in the secondary school classrooms; interviews with school teachers and pupils.Results: The research outcomes reveal a semantic intersection between the cognitive competence, independence and activity, and their distinctive features. The paper emphasizes the importance of cognitive competence as an adaptive mechanism in situations of uncertainty and instability.Scientific novelty: The author clarifies the concept of cognitive competence regarding it as a multi-component and systematic characteristic of a personality.Practical significance: The research findings can be used by specialists in didactics developing the teaching techniques of cognitive competence formation for schoolchildren.

  20. MEG source localization of spatially extended generators of epileptic activity: comparing entropic and hierarchical bayesian approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chowdhury, Rasheda Arman; Lina, Jean Marc; Kobayashi, Eliane; Grova, Christophe

    2013-01-01

    Localizing the generators of epileptic activity in the brain using Electro-EncephaloGraphy (EEG) or Magneto-EncephaloGraphy (MEG) signals is of particular interest during the pre-surgical investigation of epilepsy. Epileptic discharges can be detectable from background brain activity, provided they are associated with spatially extended generators. Using realistic simulations of epileptic activity, this study evaluates the ability of distributed source localization methods to accurately estimate the location of the generators and their sensitivity to the spatial extent of such generators when using MEG data. Source localization methods based on two types of realistic models have been investigated: (i) brain activity may be modeled using cortical parcels and (ii) brain activity is assumed to be locally smooth within each parcel. A Data Driven Parcellization (DDP) method was used to segment the cortical surface into non-overlapping parcels and diffusion-based spatial priors were used to model local spatial smoothness within parcels. These models were implemented within the Maximum Entropy on the Mean (MEM) and the Hierarchical Bayesian (HB) source localization frameworks. We proposed new methods in this context and compared them with other standard ones using Monte Carlo simulations of realistic MEG data involving sources of several spatial extents and depths. Detection accuracy of each method was quantified using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis and localization error metrics. Our results showed that methods implemented within the MEM framework were sensitive to all spatial extents of the sources ranging from 3 cm(2) to 30 cm(2), whatever were the number and size of the parcels defining the model. To reach a similar level of accuracy within the HB framework, a model using parcels larger than the size of the sources should be considered.

  1. MEG source localization of spatially extended generators of epileptic activity: comparing entropic and hierarchical bayesian approaches.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rasheda Arman Chowdhury

    Full Text Available Localizing the generators of epileptic activity in the brain using Electro-EncephaloGraphy (EEG or Magneto-EncephaloGraphy (MEG signals is of particular interest during the pre-surgical investigation of epilepsy. Epileptic discharges can be detectable from background brain activity, provided they are associated with spatially extended generators. Using realistic simulations of epileptic activity, this study evaluates the ability of distributed source localization methods to accurately estimate the location of the generators and their sensitivity to the spatial extent of such generators when using MEG data. Source localization methods based on two types of realistic models have been investigated: (i brain activity may be modeled using cortical parcels and (ii brain activity is assumed to be locally smooth within each parcel. A Data Driven Parcellization (DDP method was used to segment the cortical surface into non-overlapping parcels and diffusion-based spatial priors were used to model local spatial smoothness within parcels. These models were implemented within the Maximum Entropy on the Mean (MEM and the Hierarchical Bayesian (HB source localization frameworks. We proposed new methods in this context and compared them with other standard ones using Monte Carlo simulations of realistic MEG data involving sources of several spatial extents and depths. Detection accuracy of each method was quantified using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC analysis and localization error metrics. Our results showed that methods implemented within the MEM framework were sensitive to all spatial extents of the sources ranging from 3 cm(2 to 30 cm(2, whatever were the number and size of the parcels defining the model. To reach a similar level of accuracy within the HB framework, a model using parcels larger than the size of the sources should be considered.

  2. Comparative analysis of fecal microbiota and intestinal microbial metabolic activity in captive polar bears.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwab, Clarissa; Gänzle, Michael

    2011-03-01

    The composition of the intestinal microbiota depends on gut physiology and diet. Ursidae possess a simple gastrointestinal system composed of a stomach, small intestine, and indistinct hindgut. This study determined the composition and stability of fecal microbiota of 3 captive polar bears by group-specific quantitative PCR and PCR-DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) using the 16S rRNA gene as target. Intestinal metabolic activity was determined by analysis of short-chain fatty acids in feces. For comparison, other Carnivora and mammals were included in this study. Total bacterial abundance was approximately log 8.5 DNA gene copies·(g feces)-1 in all 3 polar bears. Fecal polar bear microbiota was dominated by the facultative anaerobes Enterobacteriaceae and enterococci, and the Clostridium cluster I. The detection of the Clostridium perfringens α-toxin gene verified the presence of C. perfringens. Composition of the fecal bacterial population was stable on a genus level; according to results obtained by PCR-DGGE, dominant bacterial species fluctuated. The total short-chain fatty acid content of Carnivora and other mammals analysed was comparable; lactate was detected in feces of all carnivora but present only in trace amounts in other mammals. In comparison, the fecal microbiota and metabolic activity of captive polar bears mostly resembled the closely related grizzly and black bears.

  3. Antimicrobial activity of metal oxide nanoparticles against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria: a comparative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azam A

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Ameer Azam,1,2 Arham S Ahmed,2 Mohammad Oves,3 Mohammad S Khan,3 Sami S Habib,1 Adnan Memic11Centre of Nanotechnology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 2Centre of Excellence in Materials Science (Nanomaterials, 3Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, IndiaBackground: Nanomaterials have unique properties compared to their bulk counterparts. For this reason, nanotechnology has attracted a great deal of attention from the scientific community. Metal oxide nanomaterials like ZnO and CuO have been used industrially for several purposes, including cosmetics, paints, plastics, and textiles. A common feature that these nanoparticles exhibit is their antimicrobial behavior against pathogenic bacteria. In this report, we demonstrate the antimicrobial activity of ZnO, CuO, and Fe2O3 nanoparticles against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.Methods and results: Nanosized particles of three metal oxides (ZnO, CuO, and Fe2O3 were synthesized by a sol–gel combustion route and characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy techniques. X-ray diffraction results confirmed the single-phase formation of all three nanomaterials. The particle sizes were observed to be 18, 22, and 28 nm for ZnO, CuO, and Fe2O3, respectively. We used these nanomaterials to evaluate their antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis bacteria.Conclusion: Among the three metal oxide nanomaterials, ZnO showed greatest antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria used in this study. It was observed that ZnO nanoparticles have excellent bactericidal potential, while Fe2O3 nanoparticles exhibited the least bactericidal activity. The order of antibacterial activity was demonstrated to be the following: ZnO > CuO > Fe2O3

  4. Socializing Agents for Sport and Physical Activities in Teenage Students: Comparative Studies in Samples From Costa Rica, Mexico, and Spain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruiz-Juan, Francisco; Baena-Extremera, Antonio; Granero-Gallegos, Antonio

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is to analyze a set of socializing agents for sport and physical activities and to establish their relationship with leisure time sport and physical activities behaviors and practice patterns in samples of teenage students with different sociocultural backgrounds. The sample included 2168 students in their first year of secondary education, 423 of them being from Costa Rica, 408 from Mexico, and 1337 from Spain (1052 male students, 1037 female students, and 79 students who did not specify gender) aged 11-16 years old ( M = 12.49; SD = .81). A validated questionnaire with questions about leisure time sport and physical activities and socializing agents was used. Descriptive, inferential, and multinomial logistic regression analyses were carried out with SPSS 17.0 to compare all three countries. Costa Rica had the most active students, best friends' inactivity, and unsupportive parents being the agents predicting inactivity and a low level of sport and physical activities. Mexico has a high dropout rate and inactive students exceed active ones; no agent predicts inactivity or sport and physical activities pattern. Spain has the highest level of sport and physical activities practice, and parents, siblings, and friends are predicting agents of inactivity together with unsupportive parents and friends.

  5. Comparative study on collagen-binding enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and ristocetin cofactor activity assays for detection of functional activity of von Willebrand factor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turecek, Peter L; Siekmann, Jürgen; Schwarz, Hans Peter

    2002-04-01

    For more than two decades, the ristocetin cofactor (RCo) assay, which measures the von Willebrand factor (vWF)-mediated agglutination of platelets in the presence of the antibiotic ristocetin, has been the most common method for measuring the functional activity of vWF. There is, however, general agreement among clinical analysts that this method has major practical disadvantages in performance and reproducibility. Today, collagen-binding assays (CBA) based on the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique that measure the interaction of vWF and collagen are an alternative analytic procedure based on a more physiological function than that of the RCo procedure. We used both assay systems in a comparative study to assess the functional activity of vWF in plasma as well as in therapeutic preparations. We measured RCo activities of plasma from healthy donors and patients with different types of von Willebrand disease (vWD) and of vWF as a drug substance in factor (F) VIII/vWF concentrates using both the aggregometric and the macroscopic methods. In addition, we measured collagen-binding activity (vWF:CB) using a recently developed commercially available CBA system. To investigate the relation between the structure and the functional activity of vWF, we isolated vWF species with different numbers of multimers from FVIII/vWF concentrates by affinity chromatography on immobilized heparin. The vWF:RCo and vWF:CB of the different fractions were measured, and the multimeric structure of vWF was analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) agarose gel electrophoresis. (vWF:CB and vWF:RCo are part of the nomenclature proposed by the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis Scientific and Standardization Committee [ISTH SSC] subcommittee on von Willebrand factor, in Maastricht, Germany, June 16, 2000.) Measurement of functional vWF activity by CBA can be carried out with substantially higher interassay reproducibility than can measurement of RCo. Both assay

  6. Spectrophotometric evaluation of surface morphology dependent catalytic activity of biosynthesized silver and gold nanoparticles using UV–vis spectra: A comparative kinetic study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ankamwar, Balaprasad, E-mail: bankamwar@yahoo.com [Bio-inspired Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411007 (India); Kamble, Vaishali; Sur, Ujjal Kumar [Bio-inspired Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411007 (India); Santra, Chittaranjan [Department of Chemistry, Netaji Nagar Day College, Regent Park, Kolkata 700092 (India)

    2016-03-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The biosynthesized silver nanoparticles were stable for 6 months and used as effective SERS active substrate. • They are effective catalyst in the chemical reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol. • Comparative catalytic efficiency of both silver and gold nanoparticles was studied spectrophotometrically. • Our results demonstrate surface morphology dependent catalytic activity of both nanoparticles. - Abstract: The development of eco-friendly and cost-effective synthetic protocol for the preparation of nanomaterials, especially metal nanoparticles is an emerging area of research in nanotechnology. These metal nanoparticles, especially silver can play a crucial role in various catalytic reactions. The biosynthesized silver nanoparticles described here was very stable up to 6 months and can be further exploited as an effective catalyst in the chemical reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol. The silver nanoparticles were utilized as an efficient surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) active substrate using Rhodamine 6G as Raman probe molecule. We have also carried out systematic comparative studies on the catalytic efficiency of both silver and gold nanoparticles using UV–vis spectra to monitor the above reaction spectrophotometrically. We find that the reaction follows pseudo-first order kinetics and the catalytic activity can be explained by a simple model based on Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism for heterogeneous catalysis. We also find that silver nanoparticles are more efficient as a catalyst compare to gold nanoparticles in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol, which can be explained by the morphology of the nanoparticles as determined by transmission electron microscopy.

  7. Spectrophotometric evaluation of surface morphology dependent catalytic activity of biosynthesized silver and gold nanoparticles using UV–vis spectra: A comparative kinetic study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ankamwar, Balaprasad; Kamble, Vaishali; Sur, Ujjal Kumar; Santra, Chittaranjan

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The biosynthesized silver nanoparticles were stable for 6 months and used as effective SERS active substrate. • They are effective catalyst in the chemical reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol. • Comparative catalytic efficiency of both silver and gold nanoparticles was studied spectrophotometrically. • Our results demonstrate surface morphology dependent catalytic activity of both nanoparticles. - Abstract: The development of eco-friendly and cost-effective synthetic protocol for the preparation of nanomaterials, especially metal nanoparticles is an emerging area of research in nanotechnology. These metal nanoparticles, especially silver can play a crucial role in various catalytic reactions. The biosynthesized silver nanoparticles described here was very stable up to 6 months and can be further exploited as an effective catalyst in the chemical reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol. The silver nanoparticles were utilized as an efficient surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) active substrate using Rhodamine 6G as Raman probe molecule. We have also carried out systematic comparative studies on the catalytic efficiency of both silver and gold nanoparticles using UV–vis spectra to monitor the above reaction spectrophotometrically. We find that the reaction follows pseudo-first order kinetics and the catalytic activity can be explained by a simple model based on Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism for heterogeneous catalysis. We also find that silver nanoparticles are more efficient as a catalyst compare to gold nanoparticles in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol, which can be explained by the morphology of the nanoparticles as determined by transmission electron microscopy.

  8. Legal regime of lobby activities. A comparative view

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ovidiu-Horia MAICAN

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available A very important aspect is that countries with specific rules and regulations regulating the activities of lobbyists and interest groups are more the exception than the rule. The interest groups are pursuing their goals in the political arena by lobbying, or attempting to influence policy-making, are consistent with the spirit of democracy. In practice, interest group influence can sometimes lead to political corruption, the inequality of representation, and the overcrowding of political institutions. As a consequence, some political systems find it appropriate to regulate interest representation.

  9. Comparative Studies on Bioactive Constituents in Hawk Tea Infusions with Different Maturity Degree and Their Antioxidant Activities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming Yuan

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Hawk tea (Litsea coreana var. lanuginose is a very popular herbal tea in the southwest of China. According to the maturity degree of raw materials, Hawk tea can usually be divided into three types: Hawk bud tea (HB, Hawk primary leaf tea (HP, and Hawk mature leaf tea (HM. In this study, some of the bioactive constituents and antioxidant properties of the three kinds of Hawk tea infusions were comparatively investigated. The results showed that the contents of total flavonoids, vitamin C, and carbohydrates in Hawk bud tea infusion (HBI were higher than those in Hawk primary leaf tea infusion (HPI and Hawk mature leaf tea infusion (HMI. HPI had higher contents of total polyphenols and exhibited better DPPH radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing activity power. HBI could provide more effective protection against erythrocyte hemolysis. As age is going from bud to mature leaf, the ability to inhibit the formation of low density lipoprotein (LDL conjugated diene and the loss of tryptophan fluorescence decreased. The bioactive constituents and antioxidant activities of Hawk tea infusions were significantly affected by the maturity degree of the raw material.

  10. Two Kazal-type protease inhibitors from Macrobrachium nipponense and Eriocheir sinensis: comparative analysis of structure and activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qian, Ye-Qing; Li, Ye; Yang, Fan; Yu, Yan-Qin; Yang, Jin-Shu; Yang, Wei-Jun

    2012-03-01

    Kazal-type inhibitors (KPIs) play important roles in many biological and physiological processes, such as blood clotting, the immune response and reproduction. In the present study, two male reproductive tract KPIs, termed Man-KPI and Ers-KPI, were identified in Macrobrachium nipponense and Eriocheir sinensis, respectively. The inhibitory activities of recombinant Man-KPI and Ers-KPI against chymotrypsin, elastase, trypsin and thrombin were determined. The results showed that both of them strongly inhibit chymotrypsin and elastase. Kinetic studies were performed to elucidate their inhibition mechanism. Furthermore, individual domains were also expressed to learn further which domain contributes to the inhibitory activities of intact KPIs. Only Man-KPI_domain3 is active in the inhibition of chymotrypsin and elastase. Meanwhile, Ers-KPI_domain2 and 3 are responsible for inhibition of chymotrypsin, and Ers-KPI_domains2, 3 and 4 are responsible for the inhibition of elastase. Meanwhile, the inhibitory activities of these two KPIs toward Macrobrachium rosenbergii, M. nipponense and E. sinensis sperm were compared with that of the Kazal-type peptidase inhibitor (MRPINK) characterized from the M. rosenbergii reproductive tract in a previous study. The results demonstrated that KPIs can completely inhibit the gelatinolytic activities of sperm proteases from their own species, while different levels of cross-inhibition were observed between KPI and proteases from different species. These results may provide new perspective to further clarify the mechanism of KPI-proteases interaction in the male reproductive system. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Comparative characteristics of immune answers indicators depending on the replicative activity and genotype of hepatitis c virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Олеся Василівна Гололобова

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Aim. To analyze the character of changes and disorders of immune system with the help of complex study of indicators of cellular and humor section of immunity, cytokine status in patients with HCV-infection taking into account the replicative activity, genotype of virus and to formulate the possible causes of chronization.Methods. There were examined 155 patients with HCV-infection. An acute hepatitis C AHC was fixed in 23,9 %, chronic hepatitis C (CHC– in 76,1 %, 18–70 years old. Among examined patients with AHC and CHC prevailed men (67,6 and 72 % respectively. Diagnosis was set on the base of clinic and amnestic, epidemiologic, laboratory and instrumental data. Epidemiologic verification of diagnosis was realized by detection the specific serologic markers of HC (anti-HCV (sum, anti-HCV IgM and Ig G, anti-HCV core and anti-HCV NS-3, NS-4, NS-5 in blood serum using ELISA method. Molecular and genetic studies that included definition of replicative activity of HCV evaluated on the base of detection of RNA HCV in blood serum using the qualitative PCR method were carried out in 126 patients (31 with AHC and 95 with CHC. At the same time RNA of HCV was detected in peripheral blood in all (31 patients with AHC and in 74 (77,89 % patients with CHC. Using the method of restriction analysis we carried out the genetic typing of HCV in 90 patients with AHC and 60 with CHC. We carried out the comparative characteristics of the content of immunologic indicators in 45 (75 % patients with CHC with positive and 15 (25 % patients with negative results of PCR-study (polymerase chain reaction of HCV RNA in blood. For detection of regularities of changes of immune status depending on virus genotype there was carried out the comparative assessment of the content of immunologic indicators in patients with AHC and CHC with the most widespread genotypes of HVC– 1b and 3a. Immunologic studies included the definitions of the main subpopulations of lymphocytes

  12. Recombinant deamidated mutants of Erwinia chrysanthemi L-asparaginase have similar or increased activity compared to wild-type enzyme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gervais, David; Foote, Nicholas

    2014-10-01

    The enzyme Erwinia chrysanthemi L-asparaginase (ErA) is an important biopharmaceutical product used in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Like all proteins, certain asparagine (Asn) residues of ErA are susceptible to deamidation to aspartic acid (Asp), which may be a concern with respect to enzyme activity and potentially to pharmaceutical efficacy. Recombinant ErA mutants containing Asn to Asp changes were expressed, purified and characterised. Two mutants with single deamidation sites (N41D and N281D) were found to have approximately the same specific activity (1,062 and 924 U/mg, respectively) as the wild-type (908 U/mg). However, a double mutant (N41D N281D) had an increased specific activity (1261 U/mg). The N41D mutation conferred a slight increase in the catalytic constant (k cat 657 s(-1)) when compared to the WT (k cat 565 s(-1)), which was further increased in the double mutant, with a k cat of 798 s(-1). Structural analyses showed that the slight changes caused by point mutation of Asn41 to Asp may have reduced the number of hydrogen bonds in this α-helical part of the protein structure, resulting in subtle changes in enzyme turnover, both structurally and catalytically. The increased α-helical content observed with the N41D mutation by circular dichroism spectroscopy correlates with the difference in k cat, but not K m. The N281D mutation resulted in a lower glutaminase activity compared with WT and the N41D mutant, however the N281D mutation also imparted less stability to the enzyme at elevated temperatures. Taken as a whole, these data suggest that ErA deamidation at the Asn41 and Asn281 sites does not affect enzyme activity and should not be a concern during processing, storage or clinical use. The production of recombinant deamidated variants has proven an effective and powerful means of studying the effect of these changes and may be a useful strategy for other biopharmaceutical products.

  13. Comparative study of the mutagenic and genotoxic activity associated with inhalable particulate matter in Rio de Janeiro air

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miguel, A.G.; Daisey, J.M.; Sousa, J.A. (Federal Univ. of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil))

    1990-01-01

    We have determined the genotoxic and mutagenic activities associated with inhalable particulate matter (IPM) collected in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Camden, NJ, and Caldecott Tunnel, CA, and used these results to compare three different bioassays. Samples collected every 12 hr (Rio) or every 24 hr (Camden) were extracted sequentially with cyclohexane (CX), dichloromethane (DCM), and acetone (ACE), for a rough fractionation by polarity, and composites of the extracts were tested for mutagenicity using the Salmonella frame shift (TA98) and base substitution (TA100) tester strains, as well as for genotoxicity using the Rossman Microscreen bioassay based on the induction of lambda-prophage in a lysogenic Escherichia coli strain. All samples were tested without and with S9 metabolic activation. Maximum mutagenic and genotoxic activities were in the nonpolar (CX) and polar (ACE) fractions, respectively, indicating that these two assays detect different classes of compounds with different efficiencies. Oxidative aging of the Rio aerosol is indicated by a shift in activities in both tests from the less polar fractions in the day to the polar (ACE) fraction at night. The Rio TA98 mutagenic (18 rev/m3) and genotoxic (1.4 x 10(5) PFU/m3) activities were higher than those for Camden, an Eastern U.S. city, by factors of 1.4 and 2.8, respectively.

  14. Prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides and risk of autism spectrum disorders and other non-typical development at 3 years in a high-risk cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Philippat, Claire; Barkoski, Jacqueline; Tancredi, Daniel J; Elms, Bill; Barr, Dana Boyd; Ozonoff, Sally; Bennett, Deborah H; Hertz-Picciotto, Irva

    2018-04-01

    Organophosphates are widely used pesticides that have been shown to affect child neurodevelopment. Previous studies that explored their potential effects on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) relied either on proxies of external exposure or on questionnaires completed by the parents to identify autism-like behaviors but did not provide a clinical diagnosis of ASD. We studied the associations between prenatal biologic markers for exposure to organophosphate pesticides and the risk of having a child with ASD or other developmental concerns (ODC). We analyzed 203 mother-child pairs of the ongoing MARBLES (Markers of Autism Risk in Babies - Learning Early Signs) mother-child cohort, which enrolls mothers who are either pregnant or planning a pregnancy and whose expected child has an elevated risk to develop ASD. Seven metabolites of organophosphate pesticides were assessed in repeated urine samples collected during pregnancy. At 36 months, children were assessed with intruments measuring cognitive function and adaptive behaviors, and with two gold-standard diagnostic instruments for ASD: the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule and the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised. Children were classified in one of the following groups: ASD (n = 46), ODC (n = 55) and typically developing (TD, n = 102). After adjustment for potential confounders, organophosphate metabolite concentrations were not associated with an increased risk of ASD or ODC when boys and girls were studied together. After stratification by sex, dimethylthiophosphate (DMTP) pregnancy concentration tended to be associated with an increased ASD risk among girls (OR for a doubling in the DMTP concentration: 1.64 (95%CI, 0.95; 2.82)) but not among boys (OR: 0.84, 95%CI: 0.63; 1.11). This is the first study of clinically confirmed diagnoses of ASD that utilized repeated measurements of organophosphate metabolites during pregnancy to explore the associations between these pesticides and ASD risk in

  15. Antistaphylococcal activity of DX-619, a new des-F(6)-quinolone, compared to those of other agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bogdanovich, Tatiana; Esel, Duygu; Kelly, Linda M; Bozdogan, Bülent; Credito, Kim; Lin, Gengrong; Smith, Kathy; Ednie, Lois M; Hoellman, Dianne B; Appelbaum, Peter C

    2005-08-01

    The in vitro activity of DX-619, a new des-F(6)-quinolone, was tested against staphylococci and compared to those of other antimicrobials. DX-619 had the lowest MIC ranges/MIC(50)s/MIC(90)s (microg/ml) against 131 Staphylococcus aureus strains (32), and ciprofloxacin (>32/>32). Raised quinolone MICs were associated with mutations in GyrA (S84L) and single or double mutations in GrlA (S80F or Y; E84K, G, or V) in all S. aureus strains tested. A recent vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA) strain (Hershey) was resistant to available quinolones and was inhibited by DX-619 at 0.25 microg/ml and sitafloxacin at 1.0 microg/ml. Vancomycin (except VRSA), linezolid, ranbezolid, tigecycline, and quinupristin-dalfopristin were active against all strains, and teicoplanin was active against S. aureus but less active against coagulase-negative staphylococci. DX-619 produced resistant mutants with MICs of 1 to >32 microg/ml after 32 microg/ml for ciprofloxacin, sitafloxacin, moxifloxacin, and gatifloxacin. DX-619 and sitafloxacin were also more active than other tested drugs against selected mutants and had the lowest mutation frequencies in single-step resistance selection. DX-619 and sitafloxacin were bactericidal against six quinolone-resistant (including the VRSA) and seven quinolone-susceptible strains tested, whereas gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin were bactericidal against 11, 10, 7, and 5 strains at 4x MIC after 24 h, respectively. DX-619 was also bactericidal against one other VRSA strain, five vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus strains, and four vancomycin-intermediate coagulase-negative staphylococci. Linezolid, ranbezolid, and tigecycline were bacteriostatic and quinupristin-dalfopristin, teicoplanin, and vancomycin were bactericidal against two, eight, and nine strains, and daptomycin and oritavancin were rapidly bactericidal against all strains, including the VRSA. DX-619 has potent in vitro activity against staphylococci, including

  16. Compare the amount of phenols, flavonoids and antioxidant activity of five varieties of Iranian olive leaf hydroalcholic extract

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B mohammadi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background & aim: Olive leaf extract can be used as a rich source of the polyphenolic antioxidant. The present study aimed to compare the amount of phenols, flavonoids and antioxidant activity of five varieties of Iranian olive leaf hydro alcholic extract . Methods: In the present experimental study, leaves of five Iranian olives  which are raised in five different regions in Iran (Dezfooli variety in gachsaran, Dehghan variety in the region Nurabad mamasani, Shenge variety in kazeron, Shirazi variety in Shiraz, Feshomi vareity in Roodbar in Gilan region was collected. All samples were prepared in spring, then dried in the shade at 28-26 °C . Hydroalcholic extract was obtained with 70% ethanol with maceration method for 24 hours at a temperature of 40-37 °C.Total phenol contents ( Folin-Ciocalteu  and, Flavonoids ( zishen was determined.  Antioxidant activity of the olive leaves extract was evaluated by radical scavenging DPPH method and vitamin C applied as standard .Data were analyzed by the SPSS software (version 21 and significant level (P˂0.05 and 95% confidence intervals were considered. Results: The total phenol and flavonoid content were different in five varieties of olive leaf extract. The highest level of total phenol and flavonoids were reported (212.54 ± 3 in Dezfooli olive variety (900.13±3.28 Shirazi olive variety.  Respectively. The antioxidant activity was different in all vareity. Dezfooli olive variety have the highest antioxidant activity (%71.27 and Shirazi olive variety (%37.29 had the least antioxidant activity with DPPH method. The high relationship was found between the total phenol and antioxidant activity in extracts. Conclusion:  Antioxidant activity, total phenol and flavonoid content were different in each plant extract and a high correlation was found between total phenol and Antioxidant activity

  17. Does serotonin influence aggression? Comparing regional activity before and during social interaction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Summers, C.H.; Korzan, W.J.; Lukkes, J.L.

    2005-01-01

    Serotonin is widely believed to exert inhibitory control over aggressive behavior and intent. In addition, a number of studies of fish, reptiles, and mammals, including the lizard Anolis carolinensis, have demonstrated that serotonergic activity is stimulated by aggressive social interaction...... in both dominant and subordinate males. As serotonergic activity does not appear to inhibit agonistic behavior during combative social interaction, we investigated the possibility that the negative correlation between serotonergic activity and aggression exists before aggressive behavior begins. To do......, where low serotonergic activity may help promote aggression, agonistic behavior also stimulates the greatest rise in serotonergic activity among the most aggressive males, most likely as a result of the stress associated with social interaction....

  18. Comparative study of the active cadmium efflux systems operating at the plasma membrane and tonoplast of cucumber root cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Migocka, Magdalena; Papierniak, Anna; Kosatka, Ewelina; Klobus, Grazyna

    2011-10-01

    The strategies developed by plants to avoid the toxicity of cadmium (Cd) and other heavy metals involve active sequestration of metals into the apoplast and vacuoles. The protein systems excluding heavy metals from the cell cytosol localize to the plasma membrane and tonoplast and are energized either by ATP or by the electrochemical gradient generated by H(+)-ATPase or by V-ATPase and pyrophosphatase (PPase), respectively. In this work, a comparative study on the contribution of both the plasma membrane and tonoplast in the active detoxification of plant cells after treatment with Cd was performed. The studies using plants treated and untreated with Cd reveal that both, H(+)-coupled and MgATP-driven efflux of Cd across plasma membranes and tonoplast is markedly stimulated in the presence of Cd in the environment. Previous studies on plasma-membrane localized H(+)-coupled Cd efflux together with the present data demonstrating tonoplast H(+)/Cd(2+) antiport activity suggest that H(+)-coupled secondary transport of Cd displays a lower affinity for Cd when compared with Cd primary pumps driven by MgATP. In addition, it is shown that MgATP-energized Cd efflux across both membranes is significantly enhanced by cysteine, dithiothreitol, and glutathione. These results suggest that Cd is excluded from the cytosol through an energy-dependent system as a free ion as well as a complexed form. Although both membranes contribute in the active exclusion of ionized and complexed Cd from the cytosol, the overall calculation of Cd accumulation in the everted plasma membranes and vacuolar vesicles suggests that the tonoplast and vacuole have a major function in Cd efflux from the cytosol in the roots of cucumber subjected to Cd stress.

  19. ICT Tools of Professional Teacher Activity: A Comparative Analysis of Russian and European Experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tatiana N.

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: electronic, distance and blended educational technologies are actively used in modern teaching and learning process. The relevance of the study is predetermined by the necessity to consolidate teachers’ competencies in the field of ICT tools. The purpose of the article is to study and compare the competences of Russian and European teachers in using pedagogical ICT tools. Materials and Methods: comparison and analysis of domestic and foreign pedagogical practices are used. Data was obtained with the help of elaborated questionnaires for teachers with sufficient experience in the use of ICT. Results: the results of a comparative analysis of data characterising the experience of pedagogical ICT tools application by teachers of Russian and foreign universities are presented. Similar trends and problem areas were identified. They relate both to the use of information technology and electronic educational resources and to the variability of the educational opportunities. The obtained results show that the educational request of students in the electronic environment is not always sufficiently recognised and taken into account by teachers. The revealed general directions of research in the area of ICT tools application in teaching activity indicate the tendencies of the integration of the Russian and European experience into the global information and educational space. Discussion and Conclusions: in summary, Russian and foreign teachers have similar competencies in the use of educational ICT tools. They apply the tools to the learning process with varying intensity depending on the experience of distance educational services implementation, the policy of an educational institution, and the awareness of the blended learning specifics. The practical significance of the results it the following: firstly, the directions that need to be strengthened in vocational training programs for future and practicing teachers are identified; secondly

  20. Development of a Synthetic Switch to Control Protein Stability in Eukaryotic Cells with Light.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taxis, Christof

    2017-01-01

    In eukaryotic cells, virtually all regulatory processes are influenced by proteolysis. Thus, synthetic control of protein stability is a powerful approach to influence cellular behavior. To achieve this, selected target proteins are modified with a conditional degradation sequence (degron) that responds to a distinct signal. For development of a synthetic degron, an appropriate sensor domain is fused with a degron such that activity of the degron is under control of the sensor. This chapter describes the development of a light-activated, synthetic degron in the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This photosensitive degron module is composed of the light-oxygen-voltage (LOV) 2 photoreceptor domain of Arabidopsis thaliana phototropin 1 and a degron derived from murine ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). Excitation of the photoreceptor with blue light induces a conformational change that leads to exposure and activation of the degron. Subsequently, the protein is targeted for degradation by the proteasome. Here, the strategy for degron module development and optimization is described in detail together with experimental aspects, which were pivotal for successful implementation of light-controlled proteolysis. The engineering of the photosensitive degron (psd) module may well serve as a blueprint for future development of sophisticated synthetic switches.

  1. Comparative ovicidal activity of Moringa oleifera leaf extracts on Fasciola gigantica eggs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hegazi, Ahmed G.; Megeed, Kadria N. Abdel; Hassan, Soad E.; Abdelaziz, M. M.; Toaleb, Nagwa I.; Shanawany, Eman E. El; Aboelsoued, Dina

    2018-01-01

    Background: Fasciolosis is an important zoonotic disease affecting the productive performance of farm animals in Egypt. Aim: The aim of the present study was comparing the ovicidal effect of different extracts as an alcoholic (Methanolic and Ethanolic) and aqueous Moringa oleifera leaf extracts on Fasciola gigantica non-embryonated and developed eggs. Materials and Methods: Tested concentrations of extracts ranged from 12.5 to 800 mg/ml. Nitroxynil was used as reference drug with a dose of 100 mg/ml. Results: M. oleifera alcoholic and aqueous extracts showed a concentration-dependent ovicidal effect on F. gigantica non-embryonated and developed eggs. Based on LC50 values, water extract showed the highest ovicidal activity since it registered the lowest values of 2.6 mg/ml on non-embryonated eggs. Non-embryonated eggs were more susceptible to aqueous extract than developed eggs. On the other hand, the developed eggs were more susceptible to ethanolic extract than non-embryonated eggs even the lowest LC50 (12.38 mg/ml). Conclusion: M. oleifera leaf extracts especially aqueous extract could be a promising step in the field of controlling fascioliasis. Further, in vivo studies are needed to enlighten the therapeutic potential of M. oleifera extracts in treating F. gigantica infection. PMID:29657406

  2. Comparative ovicidal activity of Moringa oleifera leaf extracts on Fasciola gigantica eggs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmed G. Hegazi

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: Fasciolosis is an important zoonotic disease affecting the productive performance of farm animals in Egypt. Aim: The aim of the present study was comparing the ovicidal effect of different extracts as an alcoholic (Methanolic and Ethanolic and aqueous Moringa oleifera leaf extracts on Fasciola gigantica non-embryonated and developed eggs. Materials and Methods: Tested concentrations of extracts ranged from 12.5 to 800 mg/ml. Nitroxynil was used as reference drug with a dose of 100 mg/ml. Results: M. oleifera alcoholic and aqueous extracts showed a concentration-dependent ovicidal effect on F. gigantica non-embryonated and developed eggs. Based on LC50 values, water extract showed the highest ovicidal activity since it registered the lowest values of 2.6 mg/ml on non-embryonated eggs. Non-embryonated eggs were more susceptible to aqueous extract than developed eggs. On the other hand, the developed eggs were more susceptible to ethanolic extract than non-embryonated eggs even the lowest LC50 (12.38 mg/ml. Conclusion: M. oleifera leaf extracts especially aqueous extract could be a promising step in the field of controlling fascioliasis. Further, in vivo studies are needed to enlighten the therapeutic potential of M. oleifera extracts in treating F. gigantica infection.

  3. A comparative study of reverse osmosis and activated charcoal, two inexpensive and very effective ways to remove waterborne radon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sullivan, K.T.; Mose, D.G.; Mushrush, G.W.

    1994-01-01

    A two year comparative study of waterborne radon removal reveals that reverse osmosis is consistently more effective than the use of activated charcoal. Reverse osmosis is a process by which water is forced under a pressure sufficient to overcome osmotic pressure through a semipermeable membrane, leaving behind impurities. Removal effectiveness for dissolved organic, dissolved ionic and suspended impurities are typically above 90%. Systems designed for home use to remove impurities from water dispensed at a convenient tap cost about $2000 and commonly consist of a sediment filter, a carbon prefilter, and a reverse osmosis container. A tank of activated charcoal can work equally well, and cost $500-$1000. However, the tank of charcoal becomes measurably enriched in gamma-emitters

  4. In-vitro activity of ciprofloxacin combined with flomoxef against Bacteroides fragilis, compared with that of ciprofloxacin combined with clindamycin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kato, Komei; Iwai, Shigetomi; Sato, Takeshi; Harada, Tomohide; Nakagawa, Yoshiteru; Iwanaga, Hitomi; Ito, Yumiko; Takayama, Tadatoshi

    2002-06-01

    Using checkerboard and time-kill assays, the in-vitro activity of ciprofloxacin alone and in combination with flomoxef against clinical Bacteroides fragilis strains was evaluated. In addition, the microbiological efficacy of this combination was compared with that of ciprofloxacin plus clindamycin. In 88% of the 25 strains tested, the combination of ciprofloxacin plus flomoxef exhibited a synergistic or an additive effect, whereas only 56% of the 25 strains ( Pflomoxef was observed in all 7 strains. In conclusion, the combination of ciprofloxacin plus flomoxef is very active against B. fragilis, suggesting that this combination may be very useful in the treatment of aerobic and B. fragilis mixed infections, because ciprofloxacin has an expanded spectrum against aerobes.

  5. Comparative Hepatoprotective Activity of Ethanolic Extracts of Cuscuta australis against Acetaminophen Intoxication in Wistar Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Folarin, Rachael O; Omirinde, Jamiu O; Bejide, Ronald; Isola, Tajudeen O; Usende, Levi I; Basiru, Afisu

    2014-01-01

    This study investigates the comparative hepatoprotective activity of crude ethanol extracts of Cuscuta australis against acetaminophen (APAP) intoxication. Thirty-six rats were randomly divided into six groups of 6 replicates: Group 1 which served as control received water. Group 2 was orally administered 835 mg/kg body wt. of paracetamol on day 8. Groups 3 and 4 were orally administered ethanolic extracts of the seed of Cuscuta australis in doses of 125 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg, respectively, for 7 days and then intoxicated as in Group 2 on the 8th day. Groups 5 and 6 received similar oral doses of Cuscuta australis stem extracts for 7 days and then intoxicated as in Groups 3 and 4. Group 2 rats showed severe periportal hepatic necrosis, significantly elevated serum hepatic injury markers, markedly increased lipid peroxidation, and decreased hepatic antioxidant enzymes activities. Remarkably, Cuscuta australis (seed and stem) extract pretreatments in Groups 3, 4, 5, and 6, most especially, the stem extract pretreatment in Groups 5 and 6, improved better the hepatic histoarchitecture, the hepatocellular, and the oxidative stress injury markers in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusively, ethanol extractions of Cuscuta australis stem appear to protect the liver from acetaminophen intoxication better than the seed counterpart.

  6. Comparative Analysis of Human and Rodent Brain Primary Neuronal Culture Spontaneous Activity Using Micro-Electrode Array Technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Napoli, Alessandro; Obeid, Iyad

    2016-03-01

    Electrical activity in embryonic brain tissue has typically been studied using Micro Electrode Array (MEA) technology to make dozens of simultaneous recordings from dissociated neuronal cultures, brain stem cell progenitors, or brain slices from fetal rodents. Although these rodent neuronal primary culture electrical properties are mostly investigated, it has not been yet established to what extent the electrical characteristics of rodent brain neuronal cultures can be generalized to those of humans. A direct comparison of spontaneous spiking activity between rodent and human primary neurons grown under the same in vitro conditions using MEA technology has never been carried out before and will be described in the present study. Human and rodent dissociated fetal brain neuronal cultures were established in-vitro by culturing on a glass grid of 60 planar microelectrodes neurons under identical conditions. Three different cultures of human neurons were produced from tissue sourced from a single aborted fetus (at 16-18 gestational weeks) and these were compared with seven different cultures of embryonic rat neurons (at 18 gestational days) originally isolated from a single rat. The results show that the human and rodent cultures behaved significantly differently. Whereas the rodent cultures demonstrated robust spontaneous activation and network activity after only 10 days, the human cultures required nearly 40 days to achieve a substantially weaker level of electrical function. These results suggest that rat neuron preparations may yield inferences that do not necessarily transfer to humans. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. The structure of walking activity in people after stroke compared with older adults without disability: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roos, Margaret A; Rudolph, Katherine S; Reisman, Darcy S

    2012-09-01

    People with stroke have reduced walking activity. It is not known whether this deficit is due to a reduction in all aspects of walking activity or only in specific areas. Understanding specific walking activity deficits is necessary for the development of interventions that maximize improvements in activity after stroke. The purpose of this study was to examine walking activity in people poststroke compared with older adults without disability. A cross-sectional study was conducted. Fifty-four participants poststroke and 18 older adults without disability wore a step activity monitor for 3 days. The descriptors of walking activity calculated included steps per day (SPD), bouts per day (BPD), steps per bout (SPB), total time walking per day (TTW), percentage of time walking per day (PTW), and frequency of short, medium, and long walking bouts. Individuals classified as household and limited community ambulators (n=29) did not differ on any measure and were grouped (HHA-LCA group) for comparison with unlimited community ambulators (UCA group) (n=22) and with older adults without disability (n=14). The SPD, TTW, PTW, and BPD measurements were greatest in older adults and lowest in the HHA-LCA group. Seventy-two percent to 74% of all walking bouts were short, and this finding did not differ across groups. Walking in all categories (short, medium, and long) was lowest in the HHA-LCA group, greater in the UCA group, and greatest in older adults without disability. Three days of walking activity were captured. The specific descriptors of walking activity presented provide insight into walking deficits after stroke that cannot be ascertained by looking at steps per day alone. The deficits that were revealed could be addressed through appropriate exercise prescription, underscoring the need to analyze the structure of walking activity.

  8. Comparative study of in vitro antibacterial activity of leaves, bark, heart wood and seed extracts of Caesalpinia sappan L.

    OpenAIRE

    Arunkumar Naik Bukke; Fathima Nazneen Hadi; Chandramati Shankar Produtur

    2015-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate and compare the maximum antimicrobial activity by screening different parts of Caesalpinia sappan L. extracted in different solvents against Salmonella ebony (MTCC 3384) (S. ebony), Klebsiella pneumoniae (MTCC 432) (K. pneumoniae), Escherichia coli (MTCC 443) (E. coli) and Bacillus subtilis (MTCC 10619) (B. subtilis). Methods: Dried plant parts were extracted with petroleum ether, methanol, chloroform and water by Soxhlet extraction method. The extracts w...

  9. The effect of music therapy compared with general recreational activities in reducing agitation in people with dementia: a randomised controlled trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vink, A.C.; Zuidersma, M.; Boersma, F.; Jonge, P. de; Zuidema, S.U.; Slaets, J.P.

    2013-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the effects of music therapy with general recreational day activities in reducing agitation in people with dementia, residing in nursing home facilities. METHODS: In a randomised controlled design, residents with dementia (n = 94) were allocated to either music

  10. The effect of music therapy compared with general recreational activities in reducing agitation in people with dementia : a randomised controlled trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vink, A. C.; Zuidersma, M.; Boersma, F.; de Jonge, P.; Zuidema, S. U.; Slaets, J. P. J.

    2013-01-01

    Objective This study aimed to compare the effects of music therapy with general recreational day activities in reducing agitation in people with dementia, residing in nursing home facilities. Methods In a randomised controlled design, residents with dementia (n=94) were allocated to either music

  11. Comparative analysis of four active compounds of Baikal skullcap and its classical TCM prescriptions according to different clinical curative effects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guang-Wei Zhu

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Objective: A sensitive HPLC-DAD detection method was established for the comparative analysis of the four active compounds (including baicalin, baicalein, wogonoside and wogonin of Baikal Skullcap and its classical TCM prescriptions according to different clinical curative effects. And analyze the relationship between compatibility of medicines, content and clinical curative effect.

  12. Alkali activated fly ash binders. A comparative study between sodium and potassium activators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Criado, M.

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper shows the effect of the nature of some alkaline activators in the microstructural development of thermal-alkali activated f/y ash systems. The alkaline compounds employed in this investigation were: NaOH, KOH, Na2C03, K2C03, sodium silicate and potassium silicate. Results confirm that the main reaction product of the activation process (throughout the studied systems is the amorphous alkaline aluminosilicate gel with a three-dimensional structure already observed in earlier research. It has been proved that the type of anion and cation involved in the activation reaction of the ashes not only affects the microstructural development of the systems but the Si/Al ratio of that prezeolitic gel too. For example, in the presence of soluble silicate ions the content of Si in the final structure is notably increased (Si/Al =2.7-3.0, however carbonate ions play a different role since the formation of Sodium or Potassium carbonate/bicarbonate acidifies the system and consequently the reaction rate is considerably slowed. Finally it is evident that; when all experimental conditions are equal, sodium has a greater capacity than potassium to accelerate the setting and hardening reactions of fly ash and also to stimulate the growth of certain zeolitic crystals (reaction by-products. In general it can be affirmed that OH- ion acts as a reaction catalyst; and the alkaline metal (M+ acts as a structure-forming element.Este trabajo muestra el efecto de la naturaleza del activador alcalino en el desarrollo microestructural de sistemas de ceniza volante, activados térmica y alcalinamente. Los componentes alcalinos empleados en esta investigación fueron: NaOH, KOH, Na2C03, K2C03, silicato sódico y silicato potásico. Los resultados obtenidos confirman que el principal producto de reacción del proceso de activación (a través de los sistemas estudiados es un gel de aluminosilicato alcalino amorfo con estructura tridimensional ya observada en trabajos

  13. ACR/EULAR Definitions of Remission Are Associated with Lower Residual Inflammatory Activity Compared with DAS28 Remission on Hand MRI in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lisbona, Maria Pilar; Solano, Albert; Ares, Jesús; Almirall, Miriam; Salman-Monte, Tarek Carlos; Maymó, Joan

    2016-09-01

    To determine the level of residual inflammation [synovitis, bone marrow edema (BME), tenosynovitis, and total inflammation] quantified by hand magnetic resonance imaging (h-MRI) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in remission according to 3 different definitions of clinical remission, and to compare these remission definitions. A cross-sectional study. To assess the level of residual MRI inflammation in remission, cutoff levels associated to remission and median scores of MRI residual inflammatory lesions were calculated. Data from an MRI register of patients with RA who have various levels of disease activity were used. These were used for the analyses: synovitis, BME according to the Rheumatoid Arthritis Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scoring system, tenosynovitis, total inflammation, and disease activity composite measures recorded at the time of MRI. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis was used to identify the best cutoffs associated with remission for each inflammatory lesion on h-MRI. Median values of each inflammatory lesion for each definition of remission were also calculated. A total of 388 h-MRI sets of patients with RA with different levels of disease activity, 130 in remission, were included. Cutoff values associated with remission according to the Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI) ≤ 3.3 and the Boolean American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) definitions for BME and tenosynovitis (1 and 3, respectively) were lower than BME and tenosynovitis (2 and 5, respectively) for the Disease Activity Score on 28 joints (DAS28) ≤ 2.6. Median scores for synovitis, BME, and total inflammation were also lower for the SDAI and Boolean ACR/EULAR remission criteria compared with DAS28. Patients with RA in remission according to the SDAI and Boolean ACR/EULAR definitions showed lower levels of MRI-detected residual inflammation compared with DAS28.

  14. Informing hot flash treatment decisions for breast cancer survivors: a systematic review of randomized trials comparing active interventions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johns, Claire; Seav, Susan M; Dominick, Sally A; Gorman, Jessica R; Li, Hongying; Natarajan, Loki; Mao, Jun James; Irene Su, H

    2016-04-01

    Patient-centered decision making about hot flash treatments often incorporates a balance of efficacy and side effects in addition to patient preference. This systematic review examines randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing at least two non-hormonal hot flash treatments in breast cancer survivors. In July 2015, PubMed, SCOPUS, CINAHL, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases were searched for RCTs comparing active, non-hormonal hot flash treatments in female breast cancer survivors. Thirteen trials were included after identifying 906 potential studies. Four trials were dose comparison studies of pharmacologic treatments citalopram, venlafaxine, gabapentin, and paroxetine. Hot flash reduction did not differ by tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitor use. Citalopram 10, 20, and 30 mg daily had comparable outcomes. Venlafaxine 75 mg daily improved hot flashes without additional side effects from higher dosing. Gabapentin 900 mg daily improved hot flashes more than 300 mg. Paroxetine 10 mg daily had fewer side effects than 20 mg. Among four trials comparing different pharmacologic treatments, venlafaxine alleviated hot flash symptoms faster than clonidine; participants preferred venlafaxine over gabapentin. Five trials compared pharmacologic to non-pharmacologic treatments. Acupuncture had similar efficacy to venlafaxine and gabapentin but may have longer durability after completing treatment and fewer side effects. We could not perform a pooled meta-analysis because outcomes were not reported in comparable formats. Clinical trial data on non-hormonal hot flash treatments provide comparisons of hot flash efficacy and other patient important outcomes to guide clinical management. Clinicians can use the information to help patients select hot flash interventions.

  15. Comparing fMRI activation during smooth pursuit eye movements among contact sport athletes, non-contact sport athletes, and non-athletes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Derek Kellar

    Full Text Available Objectives: Though sub-concussive impacts are common during contact sports, there is little consensus whether repeat blows affect brain function. Using a “lifetime exposure” rather than acute exposure approach, we examined oculomotor performance and brain activation among collegiate football players and two control groups. Our analysis examined whether there are group differences in eye movement behavioral performance and in brain activation during smooth pursuit. Methods: Data from 21 off-season Division I football “starters” were compared with a 19 collegiate cross-country runners, and b 11 non-athlete college students who were SES matched to the football player group (total N = 51. Visual smooth pursuit was performed while undergoing fMRI imaging via a 3 Tesla scanner. Smooth pursuit eye movements to three stimulus difficulty levels were measured with regard to RMS error, gain, and lag. Results: No meaningful differences were found for any of the standard analyses used to assess smooth pursuit eye movements. For fMRI, greater activation was seen in the oculomotor region of the cerebellar vermis and areas of the FEF for football players as compared to either control group, who did not differ on any measure. Conclusion: Greater cerebellar activity among football players while performing an oculomotor task could indicate that they are working harder to compensate for some subtle, long-term subconcussive deficits. Alternatively, top athletes in a sport requiring high visual motor skill could have more of their cerebellum and FEF devoted to oculomotor task performance regardless of subconcussive history. Overall, these results provide little firm support for an effect of accumulated subconcussion exposure on brain function. Keywords: Smooth pursuit, fMRI, Collegiate athletics

  16. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PARENTS` ATTUTUTES FROM NEIGHBOUR COUNTRIES ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES OF THEIR PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dragan Krivokapić

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: A research has been done in pre-school institutions of Montenegro and Serb Republic whose aim was to get directions for improvement of physical education in pre-school institutions as well as for taking measures in order to educate parents of the children attending those institutions in the sense of improving knowledge on importance of physical activity for growth and development of pre-school children through monitoring and insight into attitudes of parents on physical activity of their children. Problem of this research is consisted of an attempt to use the parents` attitudes to estimate how active their children are within the time period when there are not on the pre-school institutions. Methods: The research was done by the poll method of anonymous questionnaire, with was filled by parents of the children attending pre-school institutions in Montenegro and Serb Republic. Sample of the examinees from Montenegro was made of 1356 of parents of the pre-school children attending pre-school institutions from all three Montenegrin regions. Sample of the examinees from the Serb Republic was made of 386 parents of the pre-school children attending pre-school institutions. Aim of the research was consisted of estimation of the parents` attitudes on volume and features of the physical activity of their children and of attempt to use the given data to take certain measures on the base of which their physical activities would be optimized. For this poll, a specially structured questionnaire for this purpose was used, in which the questions were set into groups with the aim of estimating features of physical activity of the pre-school children. Results: For the statistics processing methods of descriptive statistics were used, which were used for numerical and percent presentation of frequency of some answers of the examinees, and the answers were presented comparatively in tables for both samples. Results of this research indicate to trend

  17. A comparative analysis of the electrical activity of the abdominal muscles during traditional and Pilates-based exercises under two conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariana Felipe Silva

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available The use of Pilates-based exercises for trunk strengthening has been reported in the literature. The objective of this study was to analyze and compare the electrical activity of the rectus abdominis and external oblique muscles during a traditional abdominal exercise program and an exercise program based on the Pilates method using a ball and an elastic band. The sample was composed of 10 healthy women, non-practitioners of Pilates, who performed the traditional abdominal exercise and roll-up with the ball and elastic band. The sign was normalized by the electromyographic peak of the dynamics activity and was adjusted for 2000 samples/s; the filter was set in a frequency band from 20 to 450 Hz. In the comparison between exercises, the external oblique muscle in the concentric phase had a higher recruitment in the roll-up with the ball (P =0.042. In the comparison between muscles in each exercise, the rectus abdominis showed a higher activation in the concentric phase (P = 0.009 and in the eccentric phase (P = 0.05 of the traditional abdominal exercise. Activation percentages ranged from 15% to 22%. The traditional abdominal exercise had the largest activation percentage.

  18. Comparative Study on Antistaphylococcal Activity of Lipopeptides in Various Culture Media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maciej Jaśkiewicz

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus bacteria are one of the leading microorganisms responsible for nosocomial infections as well as being the primary causative pathogen of skin and wound infections. Currently, the therapy of staphylococcal diseases faces many difficulties, due to a variety of mechanisms of resistance and virulence factors. Moreover, a number of infections caused by S. aureus are connected with biofilm formation that impairs effectiveness of the therapy. Short cationic lipopeptides that are designed on the basis of the structure of antimicrobial peptides are likely to provide a promising alternative to conventional antibiotics. Many research groups have proved a high antistaphylococcal potential of lipopeptides, however, the use of different protocols for determination of antimicrobial activity may be the reason for inconsistency of the results. The aim of this study was to learn how the use of various bacteriological media as well as solvents may affect activity of lipopeptides and their cyclic analogs. Obtained results showed a great impact of these variables. For example, cyclic analogs were more effective when dissolved in an aqueous solution of acetic acid and bovine serum albumin (BSA. The greater activity against planktonic cultures was found in brain-heart infusion broth (BHI and tryptic-soy broth (TSB, while the antibiofilm activity was higher in the Mueller-Hinton medium.

  19. Environmental Comparative Risk Assessment: A Case Study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ali, M.M.

    2007-01-01

    Health and environmental impacts associated with energy production and industrial activities as well as food production and agricultural activities have had great concern in the last decades. Early activities emerged in late 80s of the last century through an Inter- Agency project (lAEA, UNDY, WHO, ... ) on the comparative risk assessment from energy systems and industrial complexes. A work-shop on Risk Assessment and Management in large industrial areas was held in Alexandria Egypt on 20-33 Det 1993, sponsored by IAEA. Several conferences, experts work groups and workshops were held there of Recent trends in determining risks are: 1. Use of probabilistic risk assessment approach to identify hazardous activities and accident scenario. 2. development of data base on failure probabilities and appropriate physical models. 3. Development of related directives and regulations and criteria Comparative risk assessment case study as a tool for comparing risk is emphasized Criteria of exposure to human and ecological risks are addressed

  20. A comparative study on the antioxidant activity of fringe tree ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Administrator

    2007-02-19

    Feb 19, 2007 ... peroxidation of membrane lipids, leading to the accumu- lation of lipid peroxides. ...... Structure activity relationships and classification of flavonoids as inhibitors of xanthine oxidase and superoxide scavengers. J. Nat. Prod.

  1. Low back pain in female elite football and handball players compared with an active control group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tunås, Paula; Nilstad, Agnethe; Myklebust, Grethe

    2015-09-01

    The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to compare the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) among female elite football and handball players to a matched non-professional active control group. The participants were requested to answer a questionnaire based on standardized Nordic questionnaires for musculoskeletal symptoms to assess the prevalence of LBP. Included participants were elite female football (n = 277) and handball players (n = 190), and a randomly selected control group from the Norwegian population (n = 167). Fifty-seven percentage of the football players, 59 % of the handball players and 60 % of the control group had experienced LBP the previous year. There were no significant group differences in the prevalence of LBP ever (p = 0.62), the previous year (p = 0.85) or the previous 7 days (p = 0.63). For both sports, there was a significant increase in prevalence of LBP from the resting period to the competitive periods of the season (p ≤ 0.001). Seventy percent of the goalkeepers in both football and handball had experienced LBP the previous year. There were no difference in LBP among female elite football and handball players compared with the control group. However, female elite athletes in football and handball reported a high prevalence of LBP compared to previous studies. The variations in LBP and playing positions indicate that specific field positions, in football and handball, is a risk factor for developing LBP.

  2. Comparative MD Simulations Indicate a Dual Role for Arg1323.50 in Dopamine-Dependent D2R Activation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ralf C Kling

    Full Text Available Residue Arg3.50 belongs to the highly conserved DRY-motif of class A GPCRs, which is located at the bottom of TM3. On the one hand, Arg3.50 has been reported to help stabilize the inactive state of GPCRs, but on the other hand has also been shown to be crucial for stabilizing active receptor conformations and mediating receptor-G protein coupling. The combined results of these studies suggest that the exact function of Arg3.50 is likely to be receptor-dependent and must be characterized independently for every GPCR. Consequently, we now present comparative molecular-dynamics simulations that use our recently described inactive-state and Gα-bound active-state homology models of the dopamine D2 receptor (D2R, which are either bound to dopamine or ligand-free, performed to identify the function of Arg1323.50 in D2R. Our results are consistent with a dynamic model of D2R activation in which Arg1323.50 adopts a dual role, both by stabilizing the inactive-state receptor conformation and enhancing dopamine-dependent D2R-G protein coupling.

  3. Quantification of trypsin with a radioimmunoassay in herring larvae (Clupea harengus L.) compared with a highly sensitive fluorescence technique to determine tryptic enzyme activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ueberschaer, B.; Pedersen, B.H.; Hjelmeland, K.

    1993-01-01

    Enzymatic activity and quantity of the protease trypsin were measured in individual herring larvae (Clupea harengus L.). The enzymatic activity assay was done by a fluorescence technique, and a radioimmunoassay was used for quantification of trypsin. The results are compared and the differences between the techniques discussed. Both methods have similar results, as high or low values in trypsin quantity were reflected in high or low values of tryptic activity. Quantity and activity were linearly and positively correlated, but small differences between methods were found at the lowest detection limits. Both techniques reflect the high variability between individual larvae. (orig.)

  4. Spatiotemporal, kinematic, force and muscle activation outcomes during gait and functional exercise in water compared to on land: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heywood, Sophie; McClelland, Jodie; Geigle, Paula; Rahmann, Ann; Clark, Ross

    2016-07-01

    Exercises replicating functional activities are commonly used in aquatic rehabilitation although it is not clear how the movement characteristics differ between the two environments. A systematic review was completed in order to compare the biomechanics of gait, closed kinetic chain and plyometric exercise when performed in water and on land. Databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Embase and the Cochrane library were searched. Studies were included where a functional lower limb activity was performed in water and on land with the same instructions. Standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for spatiotemporal, kinematic, force and muscle activation outcomes. 28 studies included walking or running (19 studies), stationary running (three), closed kinetic chain exercise (two), plyometric exercise (three) and timed-up and go (one). Very large effect sizes showed self-selected speed of walking (SMD >4.66) and vertical ground reaction forces (VGRF) (SMD >1.91) in water were less than on land, however, lower limb range of movement and muscle activity were similar. VGRF in plyometric exercise was lower in water when landing but more similar between the two environments in propulsion. Maximal speed of movement for walking and stationary running was lower in water compared to on land (SMD>3.05), however was similar in propulsion in plyometric exercise. Drag forces may contribute to lower self-selected speed of walking. Monitoring speed of movement in water assists in determining the potential advantages or limitations of aquatic exercise and the task specificity to land-based function. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Superior bactericidal activity of N-bromine compounds compared to their N-chlorine analogues can be reversed under protein load.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gottardi, W; Klotz, S; Nagl, M

    2014-06-01

    To investigate and compare the bactericidal activity (BA) of active bromine and chlorine compounds in the absence and presence of protein load. Quantitative killing tests against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were performed both in the absence and in the presence of peptone with pairs of isosteric active chlorine and bromine compounds: hypochlorous and hypobromous acid (HOCl and HOBr), dichloro- and dibromoisocyanuric acid, chlorantine and bromantine (1,3-dibromo- and 1,3 dichloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoine), chloramine T and bromamine T (N-chloro- and N-bromo-4-methylbenzenesulphonamide sodium), and N-chloro- and N-bromotaurine sodium. To classify the bactericidal activities on a quantitative basis, an empirical coefficient named specific bactericidal activity (SBA), founded on the parameters of killing curves, was defined: SBA= mean log reductions/(mean exposure times x concentration) [mmol 1(-1) min (-1)]. In the absence of peptone, tests with washed micro-organisms revealed a throughout higher BA of bromine compounds with only slight differences between single substances. This was in contrast to chlorine compounds, whose killing times differed by a factor of more than four decimal powers. As a consequence, also the isosteric pairs showed according differences. In the presence of peptone, however, bromine compounds showed an increased loss of BA, which partly caused a reversal of efficacy within isosteric pairs. In medical practice, weakly oxidizing active chlorine compounds like chloramines have the highest potential as topical anti-infectives in the presence of proteinaceous material (mucous membranes, open wounds). Active bromine compounds, on the other hand, have their chance at insensitive body regions with low organic matter, for example skin surfaces. The expected protein load is one of the most important parameters for selection of a suited active halogen compound. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  6. Differences in active range of motion measurements in the upper extremity of patients with writer's cramp compared with healthy controls.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srivanitchapoom, Prachaya; Shamim, Ejaz A; Diomi, Pierre; Hattori, Takaaki; Pandey, Sanjay; Vorbach, Sherry; Park, Jung E; Wu, Tianxia; Auh, Sungyoung; Hallett, Mark

    Exploratory case-control study. Writer's cramp (WC) is a type of focal hand dystonia. The central nervous system plays a role in its pathophysiology, but abnormalities in the affected musculoskeletal components may also be relevant. We compared the active range of motion (ROM) in patients with WC and healthy volunteers (HVs) and correlated the findings with disease duration and severity. Affected limb joints were measured with goniometers. Patients were assessed at least 3 months after their last botulinum toxin (botulinum neurotoxin) injection, and strength was clinically normal. t tests were used to compare the ROMs of WC with matched HVs. The Spearman correlation coefficient assessed the relationship of active ROMs to the disease duration and handwriting subscore of the Dystonia Disability Scale. ROMs of D1 metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint extension as well as D2 and D5 MCP flexion were significantly smaller in WC, and distal interphalangeal joint extension in D3 and D5 was significantly greater compared with HVs. There were negative correlations between D2 MCP flexion and disease duration and with Dystonia Disability Scale. Abnormalities in ROMs in WC were found. Severity and disease duration correlated with reduced D2 MCP flexion. This may be related to intrinsic biomechanical abnormalities, co-contraction of muscles, or a combination of subclinical weakness and atrophy from repeated botulinum neurotoxin injections. Hand biomechanical properties should not be ignored in the pathophysiology of WC. 2c. Copyright © 2016 Hanley & Belfus. All rights reserved.

  7. Comparative evaluation of 12 immature citrus fruit extracts for the inhibition of cytochrome P450 isoform activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujita, Tadashi; Kawase, Atsushi; Niwa, Toshiro; Tomohiro, Norimichi; Masuda, Megumi; Matsuda, Hideaki; Iwaki, Masahiro

    2008-05-01

    In a previous study we found that 50% ethanol extracts of immature fruits of Citrus unshiu (satsuma mandarin) have anti-allergic effects against the Type I, II and IV allergic reactions. However, many adverse interactions between citrus fruit, especially grapefruit juice, and drugs have been reported due to the inhibition of cytochrome P450 (CYP) activities. The purpose of this study was to examine the competitive inhibitory effects of extracts from immature citrus fruit on CYP activity. Extracts were prepared from 12 citrus species or cultivars, and were tested against three kinds of major CYPs, CYP2C9, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4, in human liver microsomes. We also estimated the amounts of flavonoids (narirutin, hesperidin, naringin and neohesperidin) and furanocoumarins (bergapten, 6',7'-dihydroxybergamottin and bergamottin) in each extract using HPLC. Citrus paradisi (grapefruit) showed the greatest inhibition of CYP activities, while Citrus unshiu which has an antiallergic effect, showed relatively weak inhibitory effects. Extracts having relatively strong inhibitory effects for CYP3A4 tended to contain higher amounts of naringin, bergamottin and 6',7'-dihydroxybergamottin. These results, providing comparative information on the inhibitory effects of citrus extracts on CYP isoforms, suggest that citrus extracts containing high levels of narirutin and hesperidin and lower levels of furanocoumarins such as C. unshiu are favorable as antiallergic functional ingredients.

  8. 45 CFR 86.33 - Comparable facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... SEX IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES RECEIVING FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 86.33 Comparable facilities. A recipient... the other sex. (Secs. 901, 902, Education Amendments of 1972, 86 Stat. 373, 374) ...

  9. A Comparative Study of Personality Traits and Brain Behavioral activation Systems and Inhibition in Women with Cancer, Cardiovascular Diseases and Normal Women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sohrab Amiri

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objectives: Chronic diseases are among the most important causes of mortality. The aim of the current study was to compare the Brain/behavioral systems and Dark personality traits of Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy in cancer, cardiovascular female patients and normal women. Methods: In this study, 60 individuals were selected using available sampling in three groups of 20 cancer patients, cardiovascular patients, and normal subjects. Finally, in order to test the goals and hypotheses of the research, the participants were studied based on Behavioral Activation System and Behavioral Inhibition System, and Dark Triad traits. Data analysis was performed using multivariate ANOVA, univariate ANOVA and post-hoc tests. Results: In this study, there was a significant difference among the three groups in Brain/behavioral systems and traits of Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy, so that the cancer and cardiovascular patients had higher score in dark triad traits compared to normal individuals. Also, the cancer patients had a higher score in Machiavellianism trait compared to the cardiovascular patients. In the brain/behavioral systems, cardiovascular and cancer patients had higher score in behavioral inhibition system (BIS component compared to the normal individuals in the of behavioral inhibition system (BIS. Also, in the reward seeking subscale of behavioral activation system (BAS-f, cancer patients had a higher score compared to cardiovascular patients, which was significantly different. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that cancer and cardiovascular patients, have greater extent of social disgusting personality traits as well as behavioral inhibition system as anxiety-predisposing factor.

  10. Comparative potential of black tea leaves waste to granular activated carbon in adsorption of endocrine disrupting compounds from aqueous solution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.O. Ifelebuegu

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The adsorption properties and mechanics of selected endocrine disrupting compounds; 17 β-estradiol, 17 α – ethinylestradiol and bisphenol A on locally available black tea leaves waste and granular activated carbon were investigated. The results obtained indicated that the kinetics of adsorption were pH, adsorbent dose, contact time and temperature dependent with equilibrium being reached at 20 to 40 minutes for tea leaves waste and 40 to 60 minutes for granular activated compound. Maximum adsorption capacities of 3.46, 2.44 and 18.35 mg/g were achieved for tea leaves waste compared to granular activated compound capacities of 4.01, 2.97 and 16.26 mg/g for 17 β- estradiol, 17 α-ethinylestradiol and bisphenol A respectively. Tea leaves waste adsorption followed pseudo-first order kinetics while granular activated compound fitted better to the pseudo-second order kinetic model. The experimental isotherm data for both tea leaves waste and granular activated compound showed a good fit to the Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models with the Langmuir model showing the best fit. The thermodynamic and kinetic data for the adsorption indicated that the adsorption process for tea leaves waste was predominantly by physical adsorption while the granular activated compound adsorption was more chemical in nature. The results have demonstrated the potential of waste tea leaves for the adsorptive removal of endocrine disrupting compounds from water.

  11. A Comparative Study on Phytochemical Profiles and Biological Activities of Sclerocarya birrea (A.Rich. Hochst Leaf and Bark Extracts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniela Russo

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Sclerocarya birrea (A.Rich. Hochst (Anacardiaceae is a savannah tree that has long been used in sub-Saharan Africa as a medicinal remedy for numerous ailments. The purpose of this study was to increase the scientific knowledge about this plant by evaluating the total content of polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins in the methanol extracts of the leaves and bark (MLE and MBE, respectively, as well as the in vitro antioxidant activity and biological activities of these extracts. Reported results show that MLE is rich in flavonoids (132.7 ± 10.4 mg of quercetin equivalents/g, whereas MBE has the highest content of tannins (949.5 ± 29.7 mg of tannic acid equivalents/g. The antioxidant activity was measured using four different in vitro tests: β-carotene bleaching (BCB, 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS, O2−•, and nitric oxide (NO• assays. In all cases, MBE was the most active compared to MLE and the standards used (Trolox and ascorbic acid. Furthermore, MBE and MLE were tested to evaluate their activity in HepG2 and fibroblast cell lines. A higher cytotoxic activity of MBE was evidenced and confirmed by more pronounced alterations in cell morphology. MBE induced cell death, triggering the intrinsic apoptotic pathway by reactive oxygen species (ROS generation, which led to a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential with subsequent cytochrome c release from the mitochondria into the cytosol. Moreover, MBE showed lower cytotoxicity in normal human dermal fibroblasts, suggesting its potential as a selective anticancer agent.

  12. Comparing Demonstratives in Kwa

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper is a comparative study of demonstrative forms in three K wa languages, ... relative distance from the deictic centre, such as English this and that, here and there. ... Mostly, the referents of demonstratives are 'activated' or at least.

  13. Simultaneous measurement of two enzyme activities using infrared spectroscopy: A comparative evaluation of PARAFAC, TUCKER and N-PLS modeling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baum, Andreas; Hansen, Per Waaben; Meyer, Anne S; Mikkelsen, Jørn Dalgaard

    2013-08-06

    Enzymes are used in many processes to release fermentable sugars for green production of biofuel, or the refinery of biomass for extraction of functional food ingredients such as pectin or prebiotic oligosaccharides. The complex biomasses may, however, require a multitude of specific enzymes which are active on specific substrates generating a multitude of products. In this paper we use the plant polymer, pectin, to present a method to quantify enzyme activity of two pectolytic enzymes by monitoring their superimposed spectral evolutions simultaneously. The data is analyzed by three chemometric multiway methods, namely PARAFAC, TUCKER3 and N-PLS, to establish simultaneous enzyme activity assays for pectin lyase and pectin methyl esterase. Correlation coefficients Rpred(2) for prediction test sets are 0.48, 0.96 and 0.96 for pectin lyase and 0.70, 0.89 and 0.89 for pectin methyl esterase, respectively. The retrieved models are compared and prediction test sets show that especially TUCKER3 performs well, even in comparison to the supervised regression method N-PLS. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. The in vitro activity of flomoxef compared to four other cephalosporins and imipenem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, P M; Knothe, H

    1991-01-01

    The antibacterial activity of the oxacephalosporin flomoxef was evaluated in comparison to cefpirome, cefuzoname, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, and imipenem against fresh clinical isolates. Flomoxef is an antibiotic with strong antibacterial activity against staphylococci including methicillin-resistant strains and streptococci with the exception of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium. It is very active against gram-negative cocci and rods including gram-positive and gram-negative anaerobes. Against Pseudomonas sp. flomoxef has no activity.

  15. Identification of unique expression signatures and therapeutic targets in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Wusheng

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC, the predominant histological subtype of esophageal cancer, is characterized by high mortality. Previous work identified important mRNA expression differences between normal and tumor cells; however, to date there are limited ex vivo studies examining expression changes occurring during normal esophageal squamous cell differentiation versus those associated with tumorigenesis. In this study, we used a unique tissue microdissection strategy and microarrays to measure gene expression profiles associated with cell differentiation versus tumorigenesis in twelve cases of patient-matched normal basal squamous epithelial cells (NB, normal differentiated squamous epithelium (ND, and squamous cell cancer. Class comparison and pathway analysis were used to compare NB versus tumor in a search for unique therapeutic targets. Results As a first step towards this goal, gene expression profiles and pathways were evaluated. Overall, ND expression patterns were markedly different from NB and tumor; whereas, tumor and NB were more closely related. Tumor showed a general decrease in differentially expressed genes relative to NB as opposed to ND that exhibited the opposite trend. FSH and IgG networks were most highly dysregulated in normal differentiation and tumorigenesis, respectively. DNA repair pathways were generally elevated in NB and tumor relative to ND indicating involvement in both normal and pathological growth. PDGF signaling pathway and 12 individual genes unique to the tumor/NB comparison were identified as therapeutic targets, and 10 associated ESCC gene-drug pairs were identified. We further examined the protein expression level and the distribution patterns of four genes: ODC1, POSTN, ASPA and IGF2BP3. Ultimately, three genes (ODC1, POSTN, ASPA were verified to be dysregulated in the same pattern at both the mRNA and protein levels. Conclusions These data reveal insight into genes and

  16. Comparative study of anthocyanin composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity in bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) fruits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burdulis, Deividas; Sarkinas, Antanas; Jasutiené, Ina; Stackevicené, Elicija; Nikolajevas, Laurynas; Janulis, Valdimaras

    2009-01-01

    Simultaneous comparison of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L) fruits for their anthocyanin composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity is reported. The aim of this study was to investigate and to compare anthocyanin composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity in bilberry and blueberry fruits and their skins. The investigations revealed that the highest amount of total anthocyanins was observed in fruits skins of blueberry cultivars. The results, obtained by chromatographic analysis, indicated that cyanidin is a dominant anthocyanidin in bilberry and malvidin in blueberry samples. Extracts of "Herbert", "Coville", "Toro" blueberry cultivars and bilberry fruits revealed antimicrobial properties. Citrobacter freundii (ATCC 8090) and Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC29212) were the most sensitive among eight tested Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Significant differences between berry and skin extracts were not established. Studies with fruits showed that the strongest antioxidant activity possesses blueberry cultivar "Berkeley" (82.13 +/- 0.51%). Meanwhile, the amount of quenched free radicals in bilberry samples was 63.72 +/- 1.11%, respectively. The lowest antioxidant activity was estimated in blueberry cultivar "Coville". Accordingly, the strongest antiradical properties were estimated in blueberry cultivar "Ama" fruit skins. Bilberry fruit skin samples possess strong antiradical activity as well (82.69 +/- 0.37%).

  17. Activity Modelling and Comparative Evaluation of WSN MAC Security Attacks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pawar, Pranav M.; Nielsen, Rasmus Hjorth; Prasad, Neeli R.

    2012-01-01

    and initiate security attacks that disturb the normal functioning of the network in a severe manner. Such attacks affect the performance of the network by increasing the energy consumption, by reducing throughput and by inducing long delays. Of all existing WSN attacks, MAC layer attacks are considered...... the most harmful as they directly affect the available resources and thus the nodes’ energy consumption. The first endeavour of this paper is to model the activities of MAC layer security attacks to understand the flow of activities taking place when mounting the attack and when actually executing it....... The second aim of the paper is to simulate these attacks on hybrid MAC mechanisms, which shows the performance degradation of aWSN under the considered attacks. The modelling and implementation of the security attacks give an actual view of the network which can be useful in further investigating secure...

  18. In vitro activity of tigecycline and comparators against carbapenem-susceptible and resistant Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates in Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carattoli Alessandra

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In a recent multi-centre Italian survey (2003–2004, conducted in 45 laboratories throughout Italy with the aim of monitoring microorganisms responsible for severe infections and their antibiotic resistance, Acinetobacter baumannii was isolated from various wards of 9 hospitals as one of the most frequent pathogens. One hundred and seven clinically significant strains of A. baumannii isolates were included in this study to determine the in vitro activity of tigecycline and comparator agents. Methods Tests for the susceptibility to antibiotics were performed by the broth microdilution method as recommended by CLSI guidelines. The following antibiotics were tested: aztreonam, piperacillin/tazobactam, ampicillin/sulbactam, ceftazidime, cefepime, imipenem, meropenem tetracycline, doxycycline, tigecycline, gentamicin, amikacin, ciprofloxacin, colistin, and trimethoprim/sulphametoxazole. The PCR assay was used to determine the presence of OXA, VIM, or IMP genes in the carbapenem resistant strains. Results A. baumannii showed widespread resistance to ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin and aztreonam in more than 90% of the strains; resistance to imipenem and meropenem was 50 and 59% respectively, amikacin and gentamicin were both active against about 30% of the strains and colistin about 99%, with only one strain resistant. By comparison with tetracyclines, tigecycline and doxycycline showed a higher activity. In particular, tigecycline showed a MIC90 value of 2 mg/L and our strains displayed a unimodal distribution of susceptibility being indistinctly active against carbapenem-susceptible and resistant strains, these latter possessed OXA-type variant enzymes. Conclusion In conclusion, tigecycline had a good activity against the MDR A. baumannii strains while maintaining the same MIC90 of 2 mg/L against the carbapenem-resistant strains.

  19. Evaluation of the Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Raisins (Vitis vinifera L. in Human Gastric Epithelial Cells: A Comparative Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chiara Di Lorenzo

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Raisins (Vitis vinifera L. are dried grapes largely consumed as important source of nutrients and polyphenols. Several studies report health benefits of raisins, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, whereas the anti-inflammatory activity at gastric level of the hydro-alcoholic extracts, which are mostly used for food supplements preparation, was not reported until now. The aim of this study was to compare the anti-inflammatory activity of five raisin extracts focusing on Interleukin (IL-8 and Nuclear Factor (NF-κB pathway. Raisin extracts were characterized by High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Diode Array Detector (HPLC-DAD analysis and screened for their ability to inhibit Tumor necrosis factor (TNFα-induced IL-8 release and promoter activity in human gastric epithelial cells. Turkish variety significantly inhibited TNFα-induced IL-8 release, and the effect was due to the impairment of the corresponding promoter activity. Macroscopic evaluation showed the presence of seeds, absent in the other varieties; thus, hydro-alcoholic extracts from fruits and seeds were individually tested on IL-8 and NF-κB pathway. Seed extract inhibited IL-8 and NF-κB pathway, showing higher potency with respect to the fruit. Although the main effect was due to the presence of seeds, the fruit showed significant activity as well. Our data suggest that consumption of selected varieties of raisins could confer a beneficial effect against gastric inflammatory diseases.

  20. French Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire compared with an accelerometer cut point to classify physical activity among pregnant obese women.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nadia Chandonnet

    Full Text Available Given the high risk for inactivity during pregnancy in obese women, validated questionnaires for physical activity (PA assessment in this specific population is required before evaluating the effect of PA on perinatal outcomes. No questionnaire was validated in pregnant obese women. The Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ has been designed based on activities reported during pregnancy and validated in pregnant women. We translated the PPAQ to French and assessed reliability and accuracy of this French version among pregnant obese women. In this cross-sectional study, pregnant obese women were evenly recruited at the end of each trimester of pregnancy. They completed the PPAQ twice, with an interval of 7 days in-between, to recall PA of the last three months. Between PPAQ assessments, participants wore an accelerometer (Actigraph GT1M during 7 consecutive days. Fourty-nine (49 pregnant obese women (29.8±4.2 yrs, 34.7±5.1 kg x m(-2 participated to the study. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs between the two PPAQ assessments were 0.90 for total activity, 0.86 for light and for moderate intensity, and 0.81 for vigorous intensity activities. It ranged from 0.59 for "Transportation" to 0.89 for "Household and Caregiving" activities. Spearman correlation coefficients (SCCs between the PPAQ and the Matthews' cut point used to classify an activity of moderate and above intensity were 0.50 for total activity, 0.25 for vigorous intensity and 0.40 for moderate intensity. The correlations between the PPAQ and the accelerometer counts were 0.58 for total activity, 0.39 for vigorous intensity and 0.49 for moderate intensity. The highest SCCs were for "Occupation" and "Household and Caregiving" activities. Comparisons with other standard cutpoints were presented in files S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7. The PPAQ is reliable and moderately accurate for the measure of PA of various intensities and types among pregnant obese women.

  1. Behavioral Effects of Neurofeedback Compared to Stimulants and Physical Activity in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geladé, Katleen; Janssen, Tieme W P; Bink, Marleen; van Mourik, Rosa; Maras, Athanasios; Oosterlaan, Jaap

    2016-10-01

    The efficacy of neurofeedback as a treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and whether neurofeedback is a viable alternative for stimulant medication, is still an intensely debated subject. The current randomized controlled trial compared neurofeedback to (1) optimally titrated methylphenidate and (2) a semi-active control intervention, physical activity, to account for nonspecific effects. A multicenter 3-way parallel-group study with balanced randomization was conducted. Children with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of ADHD, aged 7-13 years, were randomly allocated to receive neurofeedback (n = 39), methylphenidate (n = 36), or physical activity (n = 37) over a period of 10-12 weeks. Neurofeedback comprised theta/beta training on the vertex (Cz). Physical activity consisted of moderate to vigorous intensity exercises. Neurofeedback and physical activity were balanced in terms of number (~30) and duration of sessions. A double-blind pseudorandomized placebo-controlled crossover titration procedure was used to determine an optimal dose in the methylphenidate intervention. Parent and teacher ratings on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and Strengths and Weaknesses of ADHD Symptoms and Normal Behavior (SWAN) were used to assess intervention outcomes. Data collection took place between September 2010 and March 2014. Intention-to-treat analyses revealed an improvement in parent-reported behavior on the SDQ and the SWAN Hyperactivity/Impulsivity scale, irrespective of received intervention (ηp² = 0.21-0.22, P ≤ .001), whereas the SWAN Inattention scale revealed more improvement in children who received methylphenidate than neurofeedback and physical activity (ηp² = 0.13, P ≤ .001). Teachers reported a decrease of ADHD symptoms on all measures for methylphenidate, but not for neurofeedback or physical activity (range of ηp² = 0.14-0.29, P ADHD symptoms in children with ADHD. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01363544. © Copyright

  2. Comparability of activity monitors used in Asian and Western-country studies for assessing free-living sedentary behaviour.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Satoshi Kurita

    Full Text Available This study aims to compare the outputs of the waist-worn Active style Pro HJA-350IT (ASP; used in studies with Asian populations, the waist-worn ActiGragh™GT3X+ using the normal filter (GT3X+ and the thigh-worn activPAL3 (AP in assessing adults' sedentary behaviour (total sedentary time, number of breaks under free-living conditions. Fifty healthy workers wore the three monitors simultaneously during their waking hours on two days, including a work day and a non-work day. Valid data were at least 10 hours of wearing time, and the differences between monitors on the sedentary outputs using the AP as criterion measurement were analyzed by ANOVA. The number of participants who had complete valid data for work day and non-work day was 47 and 44, respectively. Total sedentary time and breaks estimated by the AP were respectively 466.5 ± 146.8 min and 64.3 ± 24.9 times on the work day and 497.7 ± 138.3 min and 44.6 ± 15.4 times on the non-work day. In total sedentary time, the ASP estimated 29.7 min (95%CI = 7.9 to 51.5 significantly shorter than the AP on the work day but showed no significant difference against the AP on the non-work day. The GT3X+ estimated 80.1 min (54.6 to 105.6 and 52.3 (26.4 to 78.2 significantly longer than the AP on the work day and the non-work day, respectively. For the number of breaks from sedentary time, on both days, the ASP and the GT3X+ estimated significantly more than the AP: 14.1 to 15.8 times (6.3 to 22.5 for the ASP and 27.7 to 28.8 times (21.8 to 34.8 for the GT3X+. Compared to the AP as the criterion, the ASP can underestimate total sedentary time and the GT3X+ can overestimate it, and more so at the lower levels of sedentary time. For breaks from sedentary time, compared to the AP, both the GT3X+ the ASP can overestimate.

  3. Comparability of activity monitors used in Asian and Western-country studies for assessing free-living sedentary behaviour.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurita, Satoshi; Yano, Shohei; Ishii, Kaori; Shibata, Ai; Sasai, Hiroyuki; Nakata, Yoshio; Fukushima, Noritoshi; Inoue, Shigeru; Tanaka, Shigeho; Sugiyama, Takemi; Owen, Neville; Oka, Koichiro

    2017-01-01

    This study aims to compare the outputs of the waist-worn Active style Pro HJA-350IT (ASP; used in studies with Asian populations), the waist-worn ActiGragh™GT3X+ using the normal filter (GT3X+) and the thigh-worn activPAL3 (AP) in assessing adults' sedentary behaviour (total sedentary time, number of breaks) under free-living conditions. Fifty healthy workers wore the three monitors simultaneously during their waking hours on two days, including a work day and a non-work day. Valid data were at least 10 hours of wearing time, and the differences between monitors on the sedentary outputs using the AP as criterion measurement were analyzed by ANOVA. The number of participants who had complete valid data for work day and non-work day was 47 and 44, respectively. Total sedentary time and breaks estimated by the AP were respectively 466.5 ± 146.8 min and 64.3 ± 24.9 times on the work day and 497.7 ± 138.3 min and 44.6 ± 15.4 times on the non-work day. In total sedentary time, the ASP estimated 29.7 min (95%CI = 7.9 to 51.5) significantly shorter than the AP on the work day but showed no significant difference against the AP on the non-work day. The GT3X+ estimated 80.1 min (54.6 to 105.6) and 52.3 (26.4 to 78.2) significantly longer than the AP on the work day and the non-work day, respectively. For the number of breaks from sedentary time, on both days, the ASP and the GT3X+ estimated significantly more than the AP: 14.1 to 15.8 times (6.3 to 22.5) for the ASP and 27.7 to 28.8 times (21.8 to 34.8) for the GT3X+. Compared to the AP as the criterion, the ASP can underestimate total sedentary time and the GT3X+ can overestimate it, and more so at the lower levels of sedentary time. For breaks from sedentary time, compared to the AP, both the GT3X+ the ASP can overestimate.

  4. Comparing of Cu/Zn SOD Gene Expression of Lymphocyte Cell and Malondialdehyde Level in Active Men and Women after Physical Training

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bakhtiar Tartibian

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: The purpose of this study is to compare Cu/Zn SOD mRNA and MDA level as a result of a session incremental exercise in active women and men. Materials and Methods: This research is a quasi-experimental study with repeated measurements in which 14 active female and 13 male subjects with age range 22-24 participated voluntarily. Then, blood was taken from brachial vein of the subjects in three stages before and after GXT (Graded exercise test and 3 hours after that and SYBER Green PCR Master mix reagent Kit and Real time-PCR were used to measure Cu/Zn SOD mRNA and spectrophotometer was used to measure MDA level.Results: MDA levels increased significantly in men during the recovery stage and after the exercise (p1=0.012 and p2 =0.014, but it did not increase significantly in active women. Also, MDA difference between the two genders was not reported significant in any of the exercise stages. Cu/Zn SOD gene expression did not increase significantly in either sex.Conclusion: The risk of injury from free radicals is more probable in active men than active women and vigorous physical activity does not significantly increase the Cu/Zn SOD gene expression.

  5. 28 CFR 54.410 - Comparable facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Comparable facilities. 54.410 Section 54... in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 54.410 Comparable facilities. A recipient may provide separate toilet, locker room, and shower facilities on the basis of sex, but such facilities...

  6. Mindfulness training alters emotional memory recall compared to active controls: support for an emotional information processing model of mindfulness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Doug eRoberts-Wolfe

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: While mindfulness-based interventions have received widespread application in both clinical and non-clinical populations, the mechanism by which mindfulness meditation improves well-being remains elusive. One possibility is that mindfulness training alters the processing of emotional information, similar to prevailing cognitive models of depression and anxiety. The aim of this study was to investigating the effects of mindfulness training on emotional information processing (i.e. memory biases in relation to both clinical symptomatology and well-being in comparison to active control conditions.Methods: Fifty-eight university students (28 female, age = 20.1 ± 2.7 years participated in either a 12-week course containing a "meditation laboratory" or an active control course with similar content or experiential practice laboratory format (music. Participants completed an emotional word recall task and self-report questionnaires of well-being and clinical symptoms before and after the 12-week course.Results: Meditators showed greater increases in positive word recall compared to controls F(1, 56 = 6.6, p = .02. The meditation group increased significantly more on measures of well-being [F(1, 56 = 6.6, p = .01], with a marginal decrease in depression and anxiety [(F(1, 56 = 3.0, p = .09] compared to controls. Increased positive word recall was associated with increased psychological well-being [r = 0.31, p = .02] and decreased clinical symptoms [r = -0.29, p = .03].Conclusion: Mindfulness training was associated with greater improvements in processing efficiency for positively valenced stimuli than active control conditions. This change in emotional information processing was associated with improvements in psychological well-being and less depression and anxiety. These data suggest that mindfulness training may improve well-being via changes in emotional information processing.

  7. Comparative efficacy of switching to natalizumab in active multiple sclerosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Spelman, Timothy; Kalincik, Tomas; Zhang, Annie

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To compare treatment efficacy and persistence in patients who switched to natalizumab versus those who switched between glatiramer acetate (GA) and interferon-beta (IFNβ) after an on-treatment relapse on IFNβ or GA using propensity score matched real-world datasets. METHODS: Patients...... included were registered in MSBase or the TYSABRI Observational Program (TOP), had relapsed on IFNβ or GA within 12 months prior to switching to another therapy, and had initiated natalizumab or IFNβ/GA treatment ≤6 months after discontinuing prior therapy. Covariates were balanced across post switch...... treatment groups by propensity score matching at treatment initiation. Relapse, persistence, and disability measures were compared between matched treatment arms in the total population (n = 869/group) and in subgroups defined by prior treatment history (IFNβ only [n = 578/group], GA only [n = 165/group...

  8. Circadian profiling reveals higher histamine plasma levels and lower diamine oxidase serum activities in 24% of patients with suspected histamine intolerance compared to food allergy and controls.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinzer, T C; Tietz, E; Waldmann, E; Schink, M; Neurath, M F; Zopf, Y

    2018-04-01

    Histamine intolerance is thought to trigger manifold clinical symptoms after ingesting histamine-rich food due to reduced activity of diamine oxidase (DAO). No study has hitherto systematically assessed daily fluctuations of histamine levels and DAO activities in symptomatic patients. The aim of the study was to investigate the presence of histamine intolerance, to therefore establish day profiles of histamine levels and DAO activities, and to compare the results between patients with suspected histamine intolerance, food allergy and healthy controls. We determined day profiles of histamine plasma levels and DAO serum activities in 33 patients with suspected histamine intolerance, in 21 patients with proven food allergy and in 10 healthy control patients. Clinical symptoms, food intolerances and further clinical and laboratory chemical parameters were evaluated. Twenty-four percent (8 of 33) suspected histamine-intolerant patients showed elevated histamine levels during the day. That might be caused by constantly and significantly reduced DAO activities in these patients compared to food-allergic and control patients. The remaining 25 patients presented normal histamine levels and DAO activities, but an increased prevalence of multiple food intolerances compared to the other subgroup of suspected histamine-intolerants. There was no correlation between subjective complaints and serological histamine parameters in patients with suspected histamine intolerance. We determined by daily profiling that decreased DAO activities correlated with elevated histamine levels in a subgroup of suspected histamine-intolerants. This finding discriminates these patients from food intolerant individuals with similar clinical symptoms and strongly suggests the presence of histamine intolerance. © 2017 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

  9. Comparative in vitro activity of 16 antimicrobial agents against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshimura, H; Takagi, M; Ishimura, M; Endoh, Y S

    2002-01-01

    Sixteen antimicrobial agents were tested for their activity against 68 isolates of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae by determining the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). Ceftiofur and the fluoroquinolones danofloxacin and enrofloxacin were the most active compounds, with a MIC for 90% of the isolates (MIC90) of (0.05 microg/ml. The MIC90 values of benzylpenicillin, amoxicillin and aspoxicillin were 0.78 units/ml, 0.39 microg/ml and colistin and tiamulin. Of these, spectinomycin was the least active, with a MIC50 of 25 microg/ml, followed by tiamulin, with a MIC50 of 6.25 microg/ml. Of the 68 isolates tested, 49 (72.0%) were of serotype 2; 14 (20.5%) were of serotype 1; 2 each (3.0%) were of serotypes 5 and 6; and one was of serotype 7. Of the isolates, 23 (33.8%) were resistant to one or more of the major antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance was found only infrequently among serotype 2, with 5 (10.2%) of 49 isolates being resistant to chloramphenicol and/or oxytetracycline, while it occurred in 18 (94.7%) of the 19 isolates of other serotypes.

  10. Comparative Evaluation of Different Extraction Techniques and Solvents for the Assay of Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activity of Hashemi Rice Bran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghasemzadeh, Ali; Jaafar, Hawa Z E; Juraimi, Abdul Shukor; Tayebi-Meigooni, Amin

    2015-06-11

    Secondary metabolite contents (total phenolic, flavonoid, tocopherol, and tocotrienol) and antioxidant activities of Hashemi rice bran extracts obtained by ultrasound-assisted and traditional solvent (ethanol and 50:50 (v/v) ethanol-water) extraction techniques were compared. Phenolic and, flavonoid compounds were identified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and method validation was performed. Significant differences (p phytochemical contents and antioxidant activities. The extracts obtained using the ethanol-water (50:50 v/v) ultrasonic technique showed the highest amounts of total phenolics (288.40 mg/100 g dry material (DM)), total flavonoids (156.20 mg/100 g DM), and total tocotrienols (56.23 mg/100 g DM), and the highest antioxidant activity (84.21% 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 65.27% β-carotene-linoleic bleaching and 82.20% nitric oxide scavenging activity). Secondary metabolite contents and antioxidant activities of the rice bran extracts varied depending of the extraction method used, and according to their effectiveness, these were organized in a decreasing order as follows: ethanol-water (50:50 v/v) ultrasonic, ethanol-water (50:50 v/v) maceration, ethanol ultrasonic and ethanol maceration methods. Ferulic, gallic and chlorogenic acids were the most abundant phenolic compounds in rice bran extracts. The phytochemical constituents of Hashemi rice bran and its antioxidant properties provides insights into its potential application to promote health.

  11. Comparative Analysis of Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Mentha rotundifolia Essential oils from Algeria extracted by microwave and hydrodistillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nacéra HADDACHE

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The essential oil of Mentha rotundifolia (L. Huds growing wild from East Algeria (Naciria at 60Km in East of Algiers obtained by hydrodistillation (HD° and a microwave distillation process (MD have been analysed by means of GC-FID and GC/MS in combination with retention indices. In total, 54 constituents were identified (accounting for 96.7 and 95.6% in HD and MD oils, respectively. The main components were piperitone oxide (25.1 and 29.1% in HD and MD oils, respectively, piperitenone oxide (8.9 – 11.8%, terpinen-4-ol (9.3 – 3.4%, β-caryophyllene (5.4 – 7.3%, allo-aromadendrene (5.3 - 6.4% and Dgermacrène (5.4 – 7.1%. In comparison with HD, MD allows to obtain oil in a very short time, with the reduction of solvent used similar yields, comparable qualities and substantial savings of energy. The antioxidant activity was determined according to the ability of the tested samples to scavenge the free radicals 2,2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH*. The essential oil were slightly active (32.6 and 21.8% in HD and MD oils, respectively comparing with BHT (64.7%. The antibacterial activities of the essential oils indicated that Staphylococcus aureus was the more sensitive strain tested to the oils of Mentha rotundifolia with the strongest inhibition zone 28.3 for HD and 26.5 mm for MO.

  12. Comparative antioxidant activity of cultivated and wild Vaccinium species investigated by EPR, human neutrophil burst and COMET assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braga, P C; Antonacci, R; Wang, Y Y; Lattuada, N; Dal Sasso, M; Marabini, L; Fibiani, M; Lo Scalzo, R

    2013-01-01

    The Vaccinium (V.) spp. berries are considered a source of antioxidants, mainly belonging to polyphenols, specifically flavonoids and anthocyanins. Wild genotypes generally contain more antioxidants than cultivated counterparts. So, seven different antioxidants assays on extracts from cultivated and wild Vaccinium berries were performed, to evaluate their difference in terms of bioactivity on oxidative protection and minimum dosage to have a significant action. Four cell-free antioxidant assays (ABTS radical scavenging and electronic paramagnetic resonance using Fremy's salt, superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical), and three assays on human cells (two luminol amplified chemiluminescence, LACL, one on DNA damage, COMET) were used to measure the effects of cultivated blueberry (V. corymbosum) and wild bilberry (V. myrtillus) on the differently induced oxidative stress. Concentrations vs activity patterns were obtained by successive dilutions of extracts in order to identify both EC50 and minimum significant activity (MSA). All the assays (except for the hydroxyl radical scavenging) showed a good relationship mainly with anthocyanin and polyphenol content and the significant greater activity of wild Vaccinium extracts. In fact, LACL data gave an EC50 of 11.8 and an MSA of 5.2 g were calculated as fresh weight dosage in cultivated berries, compared with lower doses in wild berries, EC50 of 5.7 g and MSA of 3.4 g. Wild Vaccinium extracts averaged 3.04 and 2.40 fold more activity than cultivated extracts by EC50 and MSA, respectively. COMET assay confirmed the stronger action on DNA protection in wild samples.

  13. Comparative evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of 19 essential oils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaftar, Naouel; Girardot, Marion; Labanowski, Jérôme; Ghrairi, Tawfik; Hani, Khaled; Frère, Jacques; Imbert, Christine

    2016-01-01

    In our research on natural compounds efficient against human pathogen or opportunist microorganisms contracted by food or water, the antimicrobial activity of 19 essential oils (EOs) was investigated against 11 bacterial species (6 Gram positive, 5 Gram negative) and 7 fungal species (2 dermatophytes, 1 mould, 4 yeasts) using microdilution assays. Five essential oils were obtained from Tunisian plants (EOtun): Artemisia herba-alba Asso, Juniperus phoenicea L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Ruta graveolens L. and Thymus vulgaris L., whereas others were commercial products (EOcom). Overall, T. vulgaris EOtun was the most efficient EO against both bacteria (Gram negative: MIC ≤ 0.34 mg/mL; Gram positive: MIC ≤ 0.70 mg/mL) and fungi (yeasts: MIC ≤ 0.55 mg/mL; mould: MIC = 0.30 mg/mL; dermatophytes: MIC ≤ 0.07 mg/mL). Two EOcom displayed both acceptable antibacterial and antifungal potency, although weaker than T. vulgaris EOtun activity: Origanum vulgare EOcom (bacteria: MIC ≤ 1.13 mg/mL, fungi: MIC ≤ 1.80 mg/mL), and Cymbopogon martinii var. motia EOcom (bacteria: MIC ≤ 1.00 mg/mL, fungi: MIC ≤ 0.80 mg/mL). Bacillus megaterium, Legionella pneumophila, Listeria monocytogenes and Trichophyton spp. were the most sensitive species to both EOcom and EOtun. This study demonstrated the noteworthy antimicrobial activity of two commercial EOs and points out the remarkable efficiency of T. vulgaris EOtun on all tested bacterial and fungal species, certainly associated with its high content in carvacrol (85 %). These three oils could thus represent promising candidates for applications in water and food protections.

  14. A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF EFFICACY OF HYOSCINE BROMIDE (IV VERSUS TRAMADOL (IM VERSUS PARACETAMOL (IV ON CERVICAL DILATATION IN ACTIVE LABOUR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sampathukumari S

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Labour is a natural process, which involves a series of regular and progressive uterine contractions causing effacement and dilatation of cervix leading to birth of the baby. In order to minimise the perinatal morbidity and mortality caused by the prolonged labour, several drugs have been tried to hasten the process of cervical dilatation and this study in one such exercise. AIM OF THE STUDY 1 To compare the efficacy of Hyoscine Bromide (IV vs. Tramadol (IM vs. Paracetamol (IV on cervical dilatation in active labour. 2 To compare the duration of active phase of labour. 150 full-term women with gestational age 37-42 weeks, primi and multi singleton pregnancy with cephalic presentation in active labour were included in the study. Cases were divided into 3 groups - Group A: 50 cases of labour accelerated by Hyoscine Bromide 20 mg (IV, Group B: 50 cases of labour accelerated by Tramadol 50 mg (IM and Group C: 50 cases of labour accelerated by Paracetamol 500 mg (IV. Mean duration of active phase of 1st stage of labour was 3 hrs. 8 mins. (primi and 2 hrs. 3 mins. (multi in Hyoscine Bromide group and 4 hrs. 8 mins. (primi and 3 hrs. 5 mins. (multi in Tramadol group and 4 hrs. 2 mins. (primi and 2 hrs. 5 mins. (multi in Paracetamol group. Mean rate of cervical dilatation was 1.5 cm/hr (primi and 2.6 cm/hr (multi in Hyoscine Bromide group, 1.2 cm/hr (primi and 1.6 cm/hr (multi in Tramadol group and 1.3 cm/hr (primi and 1.6 cm/hr (multi in the Paracetamol group. The difference between the groups A and B and A and C is significant (p=0.0001 and thus it is concluded that Hyoscine Bromide hastened the rate of cervical dilatation and reduced the duration of active phase of 1 st stage of labour. Divide the abstract into materials and methods, results and conclusion.

  15. A comparative study of anti-gastric cancer activity between aqueous ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... activity at a low concentration (32.5 mg/ml), which was remained at about 20%. After being affected by two types of extracts, cells had uneven sizes, with very low brightness, while the normal cells presented a uniform full form, with high definition. Keywords: Folium Cordylines Fruticosae Anti-gastric Cancer MGC-803 cell ...

  16. Comparative Study of Antibacterial Activities of the Fresh and Dried ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The fresh and dried fruit extracts of Capsicum species were screened for antibacterial activities against Staph. aureus, S. typhi and B. subtilis using two assay methods. The filter disk and agar plate diffusion were the assay methods employed in the study. The results of the study revealed that the extracts obtained from the ...

  17. 6 CFR 17.410 - Comparable facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 6 Domestic Security 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Comparable facilities. 17.410 Section 17.410... the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 17.410 Comparable facilities. A recipient may provide separate toilet, locker room, and shower facilities on the basis of sex, but such...

  18. 13 CFR 113.410 - Comparable facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Comparable facilities. 113.410... Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs Or Activities Prohibited § 113.410 Comparable facilities. A recipient may provide separate toilet, locker room, and shower facilities on the basis of sex, but...

  19. 10 CFR 1042.410 - Comparable facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Comparable facilities. 1042.410 Section 1042.410 Energy... Activities Prohibited § 1042.410 Comparable facilities. A recipient may provide separate toilet, locker room, and shower facilities on the basis of sex, but such facilities provided for students of one sex shall...

  20. 14 CFR 1253.410 - Comparable facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Comparable facilities. 1253.410 Section... on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 1253.410 Comparable facilities. A recipient may provide separate toilet, locker room, and shower facilities on the basis of sex, but...

  1. 44 CFR 19.410 - Comparable facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Comparable facilities. 19.410... Activities Prohibited § 19.410 Comparable facilities. A recipient may provide separate toilet, locker room, and shower facilities on the basis of sex, but such facilities provided for students of one sex shall...

  2. Antipneumococcal activities of gemifloxacin compared to those of nine other agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davies, T A; Kelly, L M; Pankuch, G A; Credito, K L; Jacobs, M R; Appelbaum, P C

    2000-02-01

    The activities of gemifloxacin compared to those of nine other agents was tested against a range of penicillin-susceptible and -resistant pneumococci by agar dilution, microdilution, time-kill, and post-antibiotic effect (PAE) methods. Against 64 penicillin-susceptible, 68 penicillin-intermediate, and 75 penicillin-resistant pneumococci (all quinolone susceptible), agar dilution MIC(50)s (MICs at which 50% of isolates are inhibited)/MIC(90)s (in micrograms per milliliter) were as follows: gemifloxacin, 0.03/0.06; ciprofloxacin, 1.0/4.0; levofloxacin, 1.0/2. 0; sparfloxacin, 0.5/1.0; grepafloxacin, 0.125/0.5; trovafloxacin, 0. 125/0.25; amoxicillin, 0.016/0.06 (penicillin-susceptible isolates), 0.125/1.0 (penicillin-intermediate isolates), and 2.0/4.0 (penicillin-resistant isolates); cefuroxime, 0.03/0.25 (penicillin-susceptible isolates), 0.5/2.0 (penicillin-intermediate isolates), and 8.0/16.0 (penicillin-resistant isolates); azithromycin, 0.125/0.5 (penicillin-susceptible isolates), 0. 125/>128.0 (penicillin-intermediate isolates), and 4.0/>128.0 (penicillin-resistant isolates); and clarithromycin, 0.03/0.06 (penicillin-susceptible isolates), 0.03/32.0 (penicillin-intermediate isolates), and 2.0/>128.0 (penicillin-resistant isolates). Against 28 strains with ciprofloxacin MICs of >/=8 microg/ml, gemifloxacin had the lowest MICs (0.03 to 1.0 microg/ml; MIC(90), 0.5 microg/ml), compared with MICs ranging between 0.25 and >32.0 microg/ml (MIC(90)s of 4.0 to >32.0 microg/ml) for other quinolones. Resistance in these 28 strains was associated with mutations in parC, gyrA, parE, and/or gyrB or efflux, with some strains having multiple resistance mechanisms. For 12 penicillin-susceptible and -resistant pneumococcal strains (2 quinolone resistant), time-kill results showed that levofloxacin at the MIC, gemifloxacin and sparfloxacin at two times the MIC, and ciprofloxacin, grepafloxacin, and trovafloxacin at four times the MIC were bactericidal for all strains after 24 h

  3. Comparative evaluation of adsorption kinetics of diclofenac and isoproturon by activated carbon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torrellas, Silvia A; Rodriguez, Araceli R; Escudero, Gabriel O; Martín, José María G; Rodriguez, Juan G

    2015-01-01

    Adsorption mechanism of diclofenac and isoproturon onto activated carbon has been proposed using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Adsorption capacity and optimum adsorption isotherms were predicted by nonlinear regression method. Different kinetic equations, pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, intraparticle diffusion model and Bangham kinetic model, were applied to study the adsorption kinetics of emerging contaminants on activated carbon in two aqueous matrices.

  4. Validation of Physical Activity Tracking via Android Smartphones Compared to ActiGraph Accelerometer: Laboratory-Based and Free-Living Validation Studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hekler, Eric B; Buman, Matthew P; Grieco, Lauren; Rosenberger, Mary; Winter, Sandra J; Haskell, William; King, Abby C

    2015-04-15

    There is increasing interest in using smartphones as stand-alone physical activity monitors via their built-in accelerometers, but there is presently limited data on the validity of this approach. The purpose of this work was to determine the validity and reliability of 3 Android smartphones for measuring physical activity among midlife and older adults. A laboratory (study 1) and a free-living (study 2) protocol were conducted. In study 1, individuals engaged in prescribed activities including sedentary (eg, sitting), light (sweeping), moderate (eg, walking 3 mph on a treadmill), and vigorous (eg, jogging 5 mph on a treadmill) activity over a 2-hour period wearing both an ActiGraph and 3 Android smartphones (ie, HTC MyTouch, Google Nexus One, and Motorola Cliq). In the free-living study, individuals engaged in usual daily activities over 7 days while wearing an Android smartphone (Google Nexus One) and an ActiGraph. Study 1 included 15 participants (age: mean 55.5, SD 6.6 years; women: 56%, 8/15). Correlations between the ActiGraph and the 3 phones were strong to very strong (ρ=.77-.82). Further, after excluding bicycling and standing, cut-point derived classifications of activities yielded a high percentage of activities classified correctly according to intensity level (eg, 78%-91% by phone) that were similar to the ActiGraph's percent correctly classified (ie, 91%). Study 2 included 23 participants (age: mean 57.0, SD 6.4 years; women: 74%, 17/23). Within the free-living context, results suggested a moderate correlation (ie, ρ=.59, PAndroid smartphone can provide comparable estimates of physical activity to an ActiGraph in both a laboratory-based and free-living context for estimating sedentary and MVPA and that different Android smartphones may reliably confer similar estimates.

  5. Design and synthesis of dimethylaminomethyl-substituted curcumin derivatives/analogues: potent antitumor and antioxidant activity, improved stability and aqueous solubility compared with curcumin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Xubin; Fang, Lei; Gou, Shaohua; Cheng, Lin

    2013-03-01

    A series of dimethylaminomethyl-substituted curcumin derivatives/analogues were designed and synthesized. All compounds effectively inhibited HepG2, SGC-7901, A549 and HCT-116 tumor cell lines proliferation in MTT assay. Particularly, compounds 2a and 3d showed much better activity than curcumin against all of the four tumor cell lines. Antioxidant test revealed that these compounds had higher free radical scavenging activity than curcumin towards both DPPH and galvinoxyl radicals. Furthermore, the aqueous solubility and stability of the target compounds were also significantly improved compared with curcumin. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. A Comparative Study of Group Behavioral Activation and Cognitive Therapy in Reducing Subsyndromal Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehdi Soleimani

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Objective: This study compared the effectiveness of two group treatments, behavioral activation (BA and cognitive therapy (CT, in reducing subsyndromal anxiety and depressive symptoms in a sample of Iranian university students.Method: Twenty-seven Iranian university students who scored 18 or higher on the depression subscale and 16 or higher on the anxiety subscale of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-42 were randomly assigned into treatment groups. One group received 8 sessions of BA (n = 14, and the other received 8 sessions of group CT (n = 13.Result: Analysis of covariance revealed that the BA group had a significantly greater reduction in depressive symptoms than the CT group. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in the levels of anxiety, stress symptoms or functional impairment after treatment.Conclusion: This study found evidence for the effectiveness of BA in reducing anxiety, depressive and stress symptoms and functional impairment compared to CT. BA was more effective than CT in improving depressive symptoms and was as effective as CT in decreasing anxiety, stress and functional impairment. BA is also a cost-effective intervention, particularly in group formats.

  7. 34 CFR 106.33 - Comparable facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Comparable facilities. 106.33 Section 106.33 Education... Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 106.33 Comparable facilities. A recipient may provide separate toilet, locker room, and shower facilities on the basis of sex, but...

  8. 45 CFR 618.410 - Comparable facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Comparable facilities. 618.410 Section 618.410... Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 618.410 Comparable facilities. A recipient may provide separate toilet, locker room, and shower facilities on the basis of sex, but...

  9. 31 CFR 28.410 - Comparable facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Comparable facilities. 28.410 Section... on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 28.410 Comparable facilities. A recipient may provide separate toilet, locker room, and shower facilities on the basis of sex, but such...

  10. Genome-wide identification, phylogenetic analysis, and expression profiling of polyamine synthesis gene family members in tomato.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Taibo; Huang, Binbin; Chen, Lin; Xian, Zhiqiang; Song, Shiwei; Chen, Riyuan; Hao, Yanwei

    2018-06-30

    Polyamines (PAs), including putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd), spermine (Spm), and thermospermine (T-Spm), play key roles in plant development, including fruit setting and ripening, morphogenesis, and abiotic/biotic stress. Their functions appear to be intimately related to their synthesis, which occurs via arginine/ornithine decarboxylase (ADC/ODC), Spd synthase (SPDS), Spm synthase (SPMS), and Acaulis5 (ACL5), respectively. Unfortunately, the expression and function of these PA synthesis-relate genes during specific developmental process or under stress have not been fully elucidated. Here, we present the results of a genome-wide analysis of the PA synthesis genes (ADC, ODC, SPDS, SPMS, ACL5) in the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). In total, 14 PA synthesis-related genes were identified. Further analysis of their structures, conserved domains, phylogenetic trees, predicted subcellular localization, and promoter cis-regulatory elements were analyzed. Furthermore, we also performed experiments to evaluate their tissue expression patterns and under hormone and various stress treatments. To our knowledge, this is the first study to elucidate the mechanisms underlying PA function in this variety of tomato. Taken together, these data provide valuable information for future functional characterization of specific genes in the PA synthesis pathway in this and other plant species. Although additional research is required, the insight gained by this and similar studies can be used to improve our understanding of PA metabolism ultimately leading to more effective and consistent plant cultivation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. A randomised comparative study of the short term clinical and biological effects of intravenous pulse methylprednisolone and infliximab in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis despite methotrexate treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Durez, P; Nzeusseu Toukap, A; Lauwerys, B R; Manicourt, D H; Verschueren, P; Westhovens, R; Devogelaer, J-P; Houssiau, F A

    2004-09-01

    To compare the short term clinical and biological effects of intravenous (i.v.) pulse methylprednisolone (MP) and infliximab (IFX) in patients with severe active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) despite methotrexate (MTX) treatment. Patients with active RA despite MTX treatment were randomly allocated to receive a single i.v. infusion of MP (1 g) or three i.v. infusions of IFX (3 mg/kg) on weeks 0, 2, and 6. Patients were "blindly" evaluated for disease activity measures. Quality of life (QoL) was evaluated through the SF-36 health survey. Serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) titres were measured at baseline, weeks 2 and 6. Compared with baseline, significant improvement was noted in all activity measures, including serum C reactive protein (CRP) titres, in the IFX group only. At week 14, 6/9 (67%) and 4/9 (44%) IFX patients met the ACR20 and 50 response criteria, while this was the case in only 1/12 (8%) and 0/12 (0%) MP patients, respectively (ptreatment, whereas some did so in the IFX group. Serum MMP-3 titres significantly decreased (41% drop) at week 6 in the IFX group, while no changes were seen in patients given MP. This short term randomised comparative study demonstrates that TNF blockade is better than MP pulse therapy in a subset of patients with severe refractory RA, with improvement in not only clinical parameters of disease activity but also biological inflammatory indices, such as serum CRP and MMP-3 titres.

  12. Comparative evaluation of antimicrobial activity of three cements: new endodontic cement (NEC), mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and Portland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasan Zarrabi, Mohammad; Javidi, Maryam; Naderinasab, Mahboube; Gharechahi, Maryam

    2009-09-01

    Using the agar diffusion method, we conducted an in vitro study to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), new endodontic cement (NEC) and Portland cement at different concentrations against five different microorganisms. A base layer was made using Muller-Hinton agar for Escherichia coli (ATCC 10538) and Candida (ATCC 10231). For Actinomyces viscosus (ATCC 15987), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 10541) and Streptococcus mutans (ATCC 25175) blood agar medium was used. Wells were formed by removing the agar, and the materials were placed in the well immediately after manipulation. The plates were kept at room temperature for 2 h for prediffusion, and then incubated at 37 degrees C for 72 h. The inhibition zones were then measured. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and the Tukey test to compare the differences among the three cements at different concentrations. The positive controls showed bacterial growth, while the negative controls showed no bacterial growth. All materials showed antimicrobial activity against the tested strains except for Enterococcus faecalis. NEC created larger inhibition zones than MTA and Portland cement. This difference was significant for Portland cement (P 0.05). Among the examined microorganisms, the largest inhibition zone was observed for Actinomyces group (P < 0.05). The antimicrobial activity of the materials increased with time and concentration (P < 0.05). It was concluded that NEC is a potent inhibitor of microorganism growth.

  13. The Effect of Dry Needling Compared With Ischemic Pressure on Pain Intensity on Active Trigger Point in Upper Trapezius Muscle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maryam Ziaeifar

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Myofascial trigger point is one of the most common causes of musculoskeletal pain and disorders. Myofascial trigger point in upper trapezius has been reported as a frequent symptom in patients with neck and thoracic pain. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of dry needling compared with ischemic pressure on active trigger point in upper trapezius muscle. Materials & Methods: 32 women with active myofascial trigger point in upper trapezius muscle participated in this randomized clinical trial (RCT study. The subjects were randomly assigned into two groups: dry needling (N=15 and ischemic pressure (N=17. The visual analogue scale (VAS was used to assess the pain intensity before and after treatment in both groups. Paired t-test was used to determine any significant difference in pain intensity after treatment sessions compared with pre-treatment score in control and experimental group. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA was calculated to determine the significance of differences between the control and experimental groups in post-test scores, with pre-treatment scores used as covariates in the analysis. Results: Statistical analysis (paired t-test revealed significant decrease in pain intensity after treatment sessions in control and experimental group (P=0.00 compared with pre-treatment score. In the ANCOVA, controlling for pre-test scores, no significant difference was found between the two groups (P=0.8. Conclusion: It seems that that both dry needling and ischemic pressure are effective in improvement in the pain intensity in subjects with myofascial trigger points. However, dry needling can be used by clinicians and therapist in physiotherapy clinics.

  14. Cognitive stimulation in healthy older adults: a cognitive stimulation program using leisure activities compared to a conventional cognitive stimulation program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grimaud, Élisabeth; Taconnat, Laurence; Clarys, David

    2017-06-01

    The aim of this study was to compare two methods of cognitive stimulation for the cognitive functions. The first method used an usual approach, the second used leisure activities in order to assess their benefits on cognitive functions (speed of processing; working memory capacity and executive functions) and psychoaffective measures (memory span and self esteem). 67 participants over 60 years old took part in the experiment. They were divided into three groups: 1 group followed a program of conventional cognitive stimulation, 1 group a program of cognitive stimulation using leisure activities and 1 control group. The different measures have been evaluated before and after the training program. Results show that the cognitive stimulation program using leisure activities is as effective on memory span, updating and memory self-perception as the program using conventional cognitive stimulation, and more effective on self-esteem than the conventional program. There is no difference between the two stimulated groups and the control group on speed of processing. Neither of the two cognitive stimulation programs provides a benefit over shifting and inhibition. These results indicate that it seems to be possible to enhance working memory and to observe far transfer benefits over self-perception (self-esteem and memory self-perception) when using leisure activities as a tool for cognitive stimulation.

  15. Comparing Enchytraeus albidus populations from contrasting climatic environments suggest a link between cold tolerance and metabolic activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Žagar, Anamarija; Holmstrup, Martin; Simčič, Tatjana; Debeljak, Barabara; Slotsbo, Stine

    2018-06-06

    Basal metabolic activity and freezing of body fluids create reactive oxygen species (ROS) in freeze-tolerant organisms. These sources of ROS can have an additive negative effect via oxidative stress. In cells, antioxidant systems are responsible for removing ROS in order to avoid damage due to oxidative stress. Relatively little is known about the importance of metabolic rate for the survival of freezing, despite a good understanding of several cold tolerance related physiological mechanisms. We hypothesized that low basal metabolism would be selected for in freeze-tolerant organisms where winter survival is important for fitness for two reasons. First, avoidance of the additive effect of ROS production from metabolism and freezing, and second, as an energy-saving mechanism under extended periods of freezing where the animal is metabolically active, but unable to feed. We used the terrestrial oligochaete, Enchytraeus albidus, which is widely distributed from Spain to the high Arctic and compared eight populations originating across a broad geographical and climatic gradient after they had been cold acclimated at 5 °C in a common garden experiment. Cold tolerance (lower lethal temperature: LT50) and the potential metabolic activity (PMA, an estimator of the maximal enzymatic potential of the mitochondrial respiration chain) of eight populations were positively correlated amongst each other and correlated negatively with latitude and positively with average yearly temperature and the average temperature of the coldest month. These results indicate that low PMA in cold tolerant populations is important for survival in extremely cold environments. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  16. Comparing electro- and mechano-myographic muscle activation patterns in self-paced pediatric gait.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plewa, Katherine; Samadani, Ali; Chau, Tom

    2017-10-01

    Electromyography (EMG) is the standard modality for measuring muscle activity. However, the convenience and availability of low-cost accelerometer-based wearables makes mechanomyography (MMG) an increasingly attractive alternative modality for clinical applications. Literature to date has demonstrated a strong association between EMG and MMG temporal alignment in isometric and isokinetic contractions. However, the EMG-MMG relationship has not been studied in gait. In this study, the concurrence of EMG- and MMG-detected contractions in the tibialis anterior, lateral gastrocnemius, vastus lateralis, and biceps femoris muscles were investigated in children during self-paced gait. Furthermore, the distribution of signal power over the gait cycle was statistically compared between EMG-MMG modalities. With EMG as the reference, muscular contractions were detected based on MMG with balanced accuracies between 88 and 94% for all muscles except the gastrocnemius. MMG signal power differed from that of EMG during certain phases of the gait cycle in all muscles except the biceps femoris. These timing and power distribution differences between the two modalities may in part be related to muscle fascicle length changes that are unique to muscle motion during gait. Our findings suggest that the relationship between EMG and MMG appears to be more complex during gait than in isometric and isokinetic contractions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Comparative analysis of caffeoylquinic acids and lignans in roots and seeds among various burdock (Arctium lappa) genotypes with high antioxidant activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jingyi; Cai, Yi-Zhong; Wong, Ricky Ngok Shun; Lee, Calvin Kai-Fai; Tang, Sydney Chi Wai; Sze, Stephen Cho Wing; Tong, Yao; Zhang, Yanbo

    2012-04-25

    Caffeoylquinic acids and lignans in the crude extracts of both roots and seeds from different burdock ( Arctium lappa L.) genotypes were simultaneously characterized and systematically compared by LC-MS and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization quadrupole ion trap time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-QIT-TOF MS), and their antioxidant activities were also investigated. A total of 14 lignans were identified in burdock seeds and 12 caffeoylquinic acids in burdock roots. High levels of caffeoylquinic acids were also detected in burdock seeds, but only trace amounts of lignans were found in burdock roots. Burdock seeds contained higher concentrations of lignans and caffeoylquinic acids than burdock roots. Quantitative analysis of caffeoylquinic acids and lignans in roots and seeds of various burdock genotypes was reported for the first time. Great variations in contents of both individual and total phenolic compounds as well as antioxidant activities were found among different genotypes. Burdock as a root vegetable or medicinal plants possessed considerably stronger antioxidant activity than common vegetables and fruits.

  18. Comparative characterization of protease activity in cultured spotted rose snapper juveniles (Lutjanus guttatus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emyr Peña

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Partial characterizations of digestive proteases were studied in three life stages of spotted rose snapper: early (EJ, middle (MJ and late juvenile (LJ with corresponding average weights of 21.3 ± 2.6 g (3 months after hatching, MAH, 190 ± 4.4 g (7 MAH, and 400 ± 11.5 g (12 MAH. At sampling points, the digestive tract was dissected into the stomach (St, pyloric caeca (PC, and the intestine in three sections (proximal (PI, middle (MI and distal intestine (DI. The effect of pH and temperature and specific inhibitors were evaluated for acid and alkaline proteases. Total acid and alkaline protease activity showed a tendency to increase with juvenile life stage of fish while trypsin activity decreased. Differences were found in acid and alkaline protease activities at different pH and temperatures during juvenile stages. Pepstatin A inhibited total activity in the stomach extract in all juvenile stages. Activity in total alkaline protease inhibition was significantly higher in EJ using TLCK, PMSF, SBTI, Phen and Ovo than in MJ and LJ, while no significant differences were found with TPCK inhibition. Therefore increases in protease activities with fish growth through juvenile stages in which a substitution or diversification in the type of alkaline enzymes exist. These results lead a better comprehension of changes in digestive potential of Lutjanidae fish.

  19. Comparative Evaluation of Different Extraction Techniques and Solvents for the Assay of Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activity of Hashemi Rice Bran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Ghasemzadeh

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Secondary metabolite contents (total phenolic, flavonoid, tocopherol, and tocotrienol and antioxidant activities of Hashemi rice bran extracts obtained by ultrasound-assisted and traditional solvent (ethanol and 50:50 (v/v ethanol-water extraction techniques were compared. Phenolic and, flavonoid compounds were identified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and method validation was performed. Significant differences (p < 0.05 were observed among the different extraction techniques upon comparison of phytochemical contents and antioxidant activities. The extracts obtained using the ethanol-water (50:50 v/v ultrasonic technique showed the highest amounts of total phenolics (288.40 mg/100 g dry material (DM, total flavonoids (156.20 mg/100 g DM, and total tocotrienols (56.23 mg/100 g DM, and the highest antioxidant activity (84.21% 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH, 65.27% β-carotene-linoleic bleaching and 82.20% nitric oxide scavenging activity. Secondary metabolite contents and antioxidant activities of the rice bran extracts varied depending of the extraction method used, and according to their effectiveness, these were organized in a decreasing order as follows: ethanol-water (50:50 v/v ultrasonic, ethanol-water (50:50 v/v maceration, ethanol ultrasonic and ethanol maceration methods. Ferulic, gallic and chlorogenic acids were the most abundant phenolic compounds in rice bran extracts. The phytochemical constituents of Hashemi rice bran and its antioxidant properties provides insights into its potential application to promote health.

  20. Comparative in vitro activity of sulfametrole/trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim and other agents against multiresistant Gram-negative bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Livermore, David M; Mushtaq, Shazad; Warner, Marina; Woodford, Neil

    2014-04-01

    Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim is standard therapy for infections caused by opportunist non-fermenters except Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter. Sulfametrol(e)/trimethoprim is an alternative to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim available in some EU countries, with possible pharmacological advantages. We compared their activities against (i) non-fermenters, (ii) multiresistant Enterobacteriaceae and (iii) reference strains with sul1 and sul2. Test isolates were recent submissions to the reference laboratory, or were Escherichia coli previously shown to have sul1 or sul2. Identification was by MALDI-ToF, by 16S rRNA gene sequencing or with API20NE strips. MICs were determined by CLSI agar dilution. The Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Burkholderia series were enhanced by inclusion of 25% sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim-resistant isolates; other series were not enhanced. MICs of sulfametrole/trimethoprim for non-fermenters tracked those of sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, being equal in 97/170 cases, 2-fold higher in 57/170 cases and 2-fold lower in 12/170 cases. Despite supplementing the Burkholderia and S. maltophilia collections with sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim-resistant organisms, the antifolate combinations retained better activity against these and other non-fermenters than did piperacillin/tazobactam, moxifloxacin, ticarcillin/clavulanate, tigecycline, cefotaxime or imipenem. By contrast, few (5%-20%) of the extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)- and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae were susceptible to the sulphonamides or their trimethoprim combinations, probably reflecting widespread co-carriage of sul1 and sul2, which both conferred resistance. Antifolate combinations remain the most active antimicrobials against less common non-fermenters, importantly including S. maltophilia and Burkholderia spp., but resistance is prevalent among ESBL- and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Sulfametrole/trimethoprim had similar activity to

  1. Polyamines as mediators of insulin's action on pyruvate dehydrogenase, 45Ca2+ fluxes, and membrane transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goldstone, A.D.; Koenig, H.; Lu, C.Y.

    1986-01-01

    Insulin (IN) induces a rapid stimulation of Ca 2+ fluxes and membrane transport in mouse kidney cortex which involves rapid polyamine synthesis. 1.3 nM (IN) induced an early ( 45 Ca 2+ influx and efflux peaked at 1-2 min and returned to basal levels by 5-10 min. The ODC inhibitor α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO, 5 mM) abolished IN stimulation of PDH, 45 Ca 2+ fluxes and membrane transport, and putrescine (.5 mM) nullified DFMO inhibition. IN (50 mUnits/kg) in rats induced an early ( 2+ fluxes, and membrane transport

  2. A comparative study on the aphrodisiac activity of food plants ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Any substance that increases erectile function, sexual performance and enjoyment is considered an aphrodisiac. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of food plants Mondia whitei, Chenopodium album, Cucurbita pepo and Sclerocarya birrea extracts at a fixed dose of 200mg/kg body weight on ...

  3. Compositions in English: Comparing the Works of Monolinguals, Passive Bilinguals, and Active Bilinguals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julia Eka Rini

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available This study tries to see whether the subjects’ “monolingualism” and “bilingualism” (monolinguals learning an L2 and bilinguals learning an L3 influence their study on English, especially writing. The term “bilinguals” also means “multilinguals” in this study. Bilinguals in this paper are classified into two; first, passive bilinguals who are only exposed to another local language, besides speaking Bahasa Indonesia at home, and second, active bilinguals who are exposed to and also speak other language(s and Bahasa Indonesia at home. The findings show that the monolingual and the active bilingual are better than the passive one; the active bilingual is better than the monolingual. However, if the passive and the active bilingual are combined, the monolingual is better than the bilinguals.

  4. Preclinical activity of the type II CD20 antibody GA101 (obinutuzumab) compared with rituximab and ofatumumab in vitro and in xenograft models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herter, Sylvia; Herting, Frank; Mundigl, Olaf; Waldhauer, Inja; Weinzierl, Tina; Fauti, Tanja; Muth, Gunter; Ziegler-Landesberger, Doris; Van Puijenbroek, Erwin; Lang, Sabine; Duong, Minh Ngoc; Reslan, Lina; Gerdes, Christian A; Friess, Thomas; Baer, Ute; Burtscher, Helmut; Weidner, Michael; Dumontet, Charles; Umana, Pablo; Niederfellner, Gerhard; Bacac, Marina; Klein, Christian

    2013-10-01

    We report the first preclinical in vitro and in vivo comparison of GA101 (obinutuzumab), a novel glycoengineered type II CD20 monoclonal antibody, with rituximab and ofatumumab, the two currently approved type I CD20 antibodies. The three antibodies were compared in assays measuring direct cell death (AnnexinV/PI staining and time-lapse microscopy), complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), antibody-dependent cell-mediated phagocytosis (ADCP), and internalization. The models used for the comparison of their activity in vivo were SU-DHL4 and RL xenografts. GA101 was found to be superior to rituximab and ofatumumab in the induction of direct cell death (independent of mechanical manipulation required for cell aggregate disruption formed by antibody treatment), whereas it was 10 to 1,000 times less potent in mediating CDC. GA101 showed superior activity to rituximab and ofatumumab in ADCC and whole-blood B-cell depletion assays, and was comparable with these two in ADCP. GA101 also showed slower internalization rate upon binding to CD20 than rituximab and ofatumumab. In vivo, GA101 induced a strong antitumor effect, including complete tumor remission in the SU-DHL4 model and overall superior efficacy compared with both rituximab and ofatumumab. When rituximab-pretreated animals were used, second-line treatment with GA101 was still able to control tumor progression, whereas tumors escaped rituximab treatment. Taken together, the preclinical data show that the glyoengineered type II CD20 antibody GA101 is differentiated from the two approved type I CD20 antibodies rituximab and ofatumumab by its overall preclinical activity, further supporting its clinical investigation. ©2013 AACR.

  5. Passion, self-esteem, and the role of comparative performance evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stenseng, Frode; Dalskau, Lina Harvold

    2010-12-01

    Two studies were conducted to investigate the paradoxical behavior of obsessively passionate individuals: they tend to continue involvement in their passion activity despite reporting the activity as a source of ill-being. We suggested that elevated self-esteem in activity engagement could be one such persistence-promoting factor. In Study 1, we found that obsessively passionate individuals reported lower levels of global self-esteem compared with harmoniously passionate individuals, whereas they reported similar levels of activity-related self-esteem. We suggest that this indicates that obsessively passionate individuals try to compensate for low global self-esteem by utilizing self-esteem contingencies in their passion activity. Study 2 showed that activity-related self-esteem among obsessively passionate individuals was found to be strongly related to comparative performance evaluations, whereas no such relationship was found among harmoniously passionate individuals. We suggest that self-esteem contingencies related to comparative performance criteria represent a persistence-promoting factor among obsessively passionate individuals.

  6. Mindfulness training alters emotional memory recall compared to active controls: support for an emotional information processing model of mindfulness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts-Wolfe, Douglas; Sacchet, Matthew D; Hastings, Elizabeth; Roth, Harold; Britton, Willoughby

    2012-01-01

    While mindfulness-based interventions have received widespread application in both clinical and non-clinical populations, the mechanism by which mindfulness meditation improves well-being remains elusive. One possibility is that mindfulness training alters the processing of emotional information, similar to prevailing cognitive models of depression and anxiety. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of mindfulness training on emotional information processing (i.e., memory) biases in relation to both clinical symptomatology and well-being in comparison to active control conditions. Fifty-eight university students (28 female, age = 20.1 ± 2.7 years) participated in either a 12-week course containing a "meditation laboratory" or an active control course with similar content or experiential practice laboratory format (music). Participants completed an emotional word recall task and self-report questionnaires of well-being and clinical symptoms before and after the 12-week course. Meditators showed greater increases in positive word recall compared to controls [F(1, 56) = 6.6, p = 0.02]. The meditation group increased significantly more on measures of well-being [F(1, 56) = 6.6, p = 0.01], with a marginal decrease in depression and anxiety [F(1, 56) = 3.0, p = 0.09] compared to controls. Increased positive word recall was associated with increased psychological well-being (r = 0.31, p = 0.02) and decreased clinical symptoms (r = -0.29, p = 0.03). Mindfulness training was associated with greater improvements in processing efficiency for positively valenced stimuli than active control conditions. This change in emotional information processing was associated with improvements in psychological well-being and less depression and anxiety. These data suggest that mindfulness training may improve well-being via changes in emotional information processing. Future research with a fully randomized design will be

  7. THE COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ACTIVITY ASSAY METHODS FOR MG2+-DEPENDENT NA+/K+-ACTIVATED ATPASE IN ERYTHROCYTE MEMBRANES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Polina Anatolevna Petrova

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This review considers the methodological reasons for the wide range of results for the red blood cells Mg2+-dependent Na+/K+-ATPase activity described by different authors. We assert that the differences in the Na+/K+-ATPase activity obtained by the researchers are due to the methodological peculiarities associated with methods of obtaining and measurement of the enzyme activity, such as red blood cells separation and storage (centrifugation, concentration and composition of the lysing solution, time and temperature of hemolysis and freezing, as well as the peculiarities of methods for the quantitative determination of protein and inorganic phosphorus. On the basis of the literature data analysis we recommend that for the most accurate determination of the Na+/K+-ATPase activity it is better to use the chelator in the lysing buffer solution and Fiske-Subbarow and Lowry methods for the determination of inorganic phosphorus and quantitative protein content, respectively.

  8. Comparative activity of ceftobiprole against Gram-positive and Gram-negative isolates from Europe and the Middle East: the CLASS study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rossolini, Gian M; Dryden, Matthew S; Kozlov, Roman S; Quintana, Alvaro; Flamm, Robert K; Läuffer, Jörg M; Lee, Emma; Morrissey, Ian; CLASS Study Group

    2011-01-01

    to assess the in vitro activity of ceftobiprole and comparators against a recent collection of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens, in order to detect potential changes in susceptibility patterns, and to evaluate the Etest assay for ceftobiprole susceptibility testing. contemporary Gram-positive and Gram-negative isolates (excluding extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing isolates) from across Europe and the Middle East were collected, and their susceptibility to ceftobiprole, vancomycin, teicoplanin, linezolid, ceftazidime and cefepime was assessed using the Etest method. Quality testing [using Etest and broth microdilution (BMD)] was conducted at a central reference laboratory. some 5041 Gram-positive and 4026 Gram-negative isolates were included. Against Gram-positive isolates overall, ceftobiprole had the lowest MIC50 (0.5 mg/L), compared with 1 mg/L for its comparators (vancomycin, teicoplanin and linezolid). Against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, all four agents had a similar MIC90 (2 mg/L), but ceftobiprole had a 4-fold better MIC90 (0.5 mg/L) against methicillin-susceptible strains. Only 38 Gram-positive isolates were confirmed as ceftobiprole resistant. Among Gram-negative strains, 86.9%, 91.7% and 95.2% were susceptible to ceftobiprole, ceftazidime and cefepime, respectively. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was less susceptible to all three antimicrobials than any other Gram-negative pathogen. There was generally good agreement between local Etest results and those obtained at the reference laboratory (for ceftobiprole: 86.8% with Gram-negatives; and 94.7% with Gram-positives), as well as between results obtained by BMD and Etest methods (for ceftobiprole: 98.2% with Gram-negatives; and 98.4% with Gram-positives). ceftobiprole exhibits in vitro activity against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens, including multidrug-resistant strains. No changes in its known susceptibility profile were identified.

  9. Comparative study of genetic activity of chlorambucil's active metabolite steroidal esters: The role of steroidal skeleton on aneugenic potential

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Efthimiou, M.; Ouranou, D.; Stephanou, G.; Demopoulos, N.A.; Nikolaropoulos, S.S.; Alevizos, Ph.

    2010-01-01

    p-N,N-bis(2-chloroethyl)aminophenylacetic acid (PHE), a nitrogen mustard analogue and chlorambucil's active metabolite used as chemotherapeutic agent, has been shown that, in addition to its clastogenic activity, induces chromosome delay. In the present study an efford has been made (a) to investigate if the steroidal analogues of PHE (EA-92, EA-97, AK-333, AK-409 and AK-433) exert the same genetic activity as the parent compound, (b) to further analyze the aneugenic activity of nitrogen mustard analogues, (c) to investigate the mechanism by which they exert aneugenic potential and (d) to correlate the genetic activity with chemical structure. For this purpose the Cytokinesis Block Micronucleus (CBMN) assay was conducted in human lymphocytes in vitro and the micronucleus (MN) frequency was determined to investigate their genetic activity. The mechanism of micronucleation was determined in combination with Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) using pancentromeric DNA probe. Since one of the mechanisms that chemicals cause aneuploidy is through alterations in the mitotic spindle, we also investigated the effect of the above compounds on the integrity and morphology of the mitotic spindle using double immunofluorescence of β- and γ-tubulin in C 2 C 12 mouse cell line. We found that PHE and its steroidal analogues, EA-92, EA-97, AK-333, AK-409 and AK-433, affect cell proliferation in human lymphocytes and C 2 C 12 mouse cells. All studied compounds are capable of inducing chromosome breakage events, as indicated by the enhanced C - MN frequencies. The less lipophilic compounds are the most genetically active molecules. PHE and only two of the studied analogues, AK-409 and AK-433, the most hydrophilic ones, showed aneugenic potential, by increasing the frequencies of MN containing a whole chromosome. The aneugenic potential of the above referred analogues is associated with amplification of centrosome number, since they caused high multipolar metaphase

  10. Comparative Solid-State Stability of Perindopril Active Substance vs. Pharmaceutical Formulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valentina Buda

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the results obtained after studying the thermal stability and decomposition kinetics of perindopril erbumine as a pure active pharmaceutical ingredient as well as a solid pharmaceutical formulation containing the same active pharmaceutical ingredient (API. Since no data were found in the literature regarding the spectroscopic description, thermal behavior, or decomposition kinetics of perindopril, our goal was the evaluation of the compatibility of this antihypertensive agent with the excipients in the tablet under ambient conditions and to study the effect of thermal treatment on the stability of perindopril erbumine. ATR-FTIR (Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis (thermogravimetric mass curve (TG—thermogravimetry, derivative thermogravimetric mass curve (DTG, and heat flow (HF and model-free kinetics were chosen as investigational tools. Since thermal behavior is a simplistic approach in evaluating the thermal stability of pharmaceuticals, in-depth kinetic studies were carried out by classical kinetic methods (Kissinger and ASTM E698 and later with the isoconversional methods of Friedman, Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa. It was shown that the main thermal degradation step of perindopril erbumine is characterized by activation energy between 59 and 69 kJ/mol (depending on the method used, while for the tablet, the values were around 170 kJ/mol. The used excipients (anhydrous colloidal silica, microcrystalline cellulose, lactose, and magnesium stearate should be used in newly-developed generic solid pharmaceutical formulations, since they contribute to an increased thermal stability of perindopril erbumine.

  11. Comparative study of biological activities and phytochemical composition of two rose hips and their preserves: Rosa canina L. and Rosa arvensis Huds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nađpal, Jelena D; Lesjak, Marija M; Šibul, Filip S; Anačkov, Goran T; Četojević-Simin, Dragana D; Mimica-Dukić, Neda M; Beara, Ivana N

    2016-02-01

    The aim of this study was to compare phenolic profile, vitamin C content, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activity of rose hips and the preserves (purée and jam) of two Rosa species: renowned Rosa canina L. and unexplored Rosa arvensis Huds. The liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of 45 phenolics resulted in quantification of 14 compounds, with quercitrin, gallic and protocatechuic acids as the most dominant. High antioxidant potential of R. canina and a moderate activity of R. arvensis extracts were determined through several assays. Purée of both species and methanol extract of air-dried R. canina hips showed some anti-inflammatory (cyclooxygenase-1 and 12-lipooxygense inhibition potency) activity. Purée of R. canina exerted cytotoxic activity only against the HeLa cell line among several others (HeLa, MCF7, HT-29 and MRC-5). The presented results support traditional use of rose hips and their fruit preserves as food with health and nutritional benefits. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. A Comparative Discussion of the Catalytic Activity and CO2-Selectivity of Cu-Zr and Pd-Zr (Intermetallic Compounds in Methanol Steam Reforming

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Norbert Köpfle

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available The activation and catalytic performance of two representative Zr-containing intermetallic systems, namely Cu-Zr and Pd-Zr, have been comparatively studied operando using methanol steam reforming (MSR as test reaction. Using an inverse surface science and bulk model catalyst approach, we monitored the transition of the initial metal/intermetallic compound structures into the eventual active and CO2-selective states upon contact to the methanol steam reforming mixture. For Cu-Zr, selected nominal stoichiometries ranging from Cu:Zr = 9:2 over 2:1 to 1:2 have been prepared by mixing the respective amounts of metallic Cu and Zr to yield different Cu-Zr bulk phases as initial catalyst structures. In addition, the methanol steam reforming performance of two Pd-Zr systems, that is, a bulk system with a nominal Pd:Zr = 2:1 stoichiometry and an inverse model system consisting of CVD-grown ZrOxHy layers on a polycrystalline Pd foil, has been comparatively assessed. While the CO2-selectivity and the overall catalytic performance of the Cu-Zr system is promising due to operando formation of a catalytically beneficial Cu-ZrO2 interface, the case for Pd-Zr is different. For both Pd-Zr systems, the low-temperature coking tendency, the high water-activation temperature and the CO2-selectivity spoiling inverse WGS reaction limit the use of the Pd-Zr systems for selective MSR applications, although alloying of Pd with Zr opens water activation channels to increase the CO2 selectivity.

  13. Comparing Active and Passive Distraction-Based Music Therapy Interventions on Preoperative Anxiety in Pediatric Patients and Their Caregivers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Millett, Christopher R; Gooding, Lori F

    2018-01-13

    Young children who experience high levels of preoperative anxiety often exhibit distress behaviors, experience more surgical complications, and are at a higher risk for developing a variety of negative postoperative consequences. A significant factor in pediatric preoperative anxiety is the level of anxiety present in their caregivers. Active and passive music therapy interventions addressing anxiety prior to invasive procedures have been met with success. The purpose of this study was to investigate the comparative effectiveness of two distraction-based music therapy interventions on reducing preoperative anxiety in young pediatric surgical patients and their caregivers. A total of 40 pediatric patient and caregiver dyads undergoing ambulatory surgery were included in this study. Pediatric preoperative anxiety was measured pre- and post-intervention using the modified Yale Pediatric Anxiety Scale, while caregiver anxiety was measured through self-report using the short-form Strait-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Y6. Participants were randomized to either an active or passive intervention group for a preoperative music therapy session. Results indicated a significant reduction in preoperative anxiety for both patients and their caregivers regardless of intervention type. Neither active nor passive music therapy interventions were significantly more effective than the other. For future studies, the researchers recommend an increased sample size, controlling for various factors such as sedative premedication use, and testing interventions with patients in various stages of development. © the American Music Therapy Association 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  14. Proteolytic activities of kiwifruit actinidin (Actinidia deliciosa cv. Hayward) on different fibrous and globular proteins: a comparative study of actinidin with papain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chalabi, Maryam; Khademi, Fatemeh; Yarani, Reza; Mostafaie, Ali

    2014-04-01

    Actinidin, a member of the papain-like family of cysteine proteases, is abundant in kiwifruit. To date, a few studies have been provided to investigate the proteolytic activity and substrate specificity of actinidin on native proteins. Herein, the proteolytic activity of actinidin was compared to papain on several different fibrous and globular proteins under neutral, acidic and basic conditions. The digested samples were subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and densitometry to assess the proteolytic effect. Furthermore, the levels of free amino nitrogen (FAN) of the treated samples were determined using the ninhydrin colorimetric method. The findings showed that actinidin has no or limited proteolytic effect on globular proteins such as immunoglobulins including sheep IgG, rabbit IgG, chicken IgY and fish IgM, bovine serum albumin (BSA), lipid transfer protein (LTP), and whey proteins (α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin) compared to papain. In contrast to globular proteins, actinidin could hydrolyze collagen and fibrinogen perfectly at neutral and mild basic pHs. Moreover, this enzyme could digest pure α-casein and major subunits of micellar casein especially in acidic pHs. Taken together, the data indicated that actinidin has narrow substrate specificity with the highest enzymatic activity for the collagen and fibrinogen substrates. The results describe the actinidin as a mild plant protease useful for many special applications such as cell isolation from different tissues and some food industries as a mixture formula with other relevant proteases.

  15. Comparative proteomic analysis to dissect differences in signal transduction in activating TSH receptor mutations in the thyroid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krause, Kerstin; Boisnard, Alexandra; Ihling, Christian; Ludgate, Marian; Eszlinger, Markus; Krohn, Knut; Sinz, Andrea; Fuhrer, Dagmar

    2012-02-01

    In the thyroid, cAMP controls both thyroid growth and function. Gain-of-function mutations in the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) lead to constitutive cAMP formation and are a major cause of autonomous thyroid adenomas. The impact of activating TSHR mutations on the signal transduction network of the thyrocyte is not fully understood. To gain more insights into constitutive TSHR signaling, rat thyrocytes (FRTL-5 cells) with stable expression of three activating TSHR mutants (mutTSHR: A623I, L629F and Del613-621), which differ in their functional characteristics in vitro, were analyzed by a quantitative proteomic approach and compared to the wild-type TSHR (WT-TSHR). This study revealed (1) differences in the expression of Rab proteins suggesting an increased TSHR internalization in mutTSHR but not in the WT-TSHR; (2) differential stimulation of PI3K/Akt signaling in mutTSHR vs. WT-TSHR cells, (3) activation of Epac, impairing short-time Akt phosphorylation in both, mutTSHR and WT-TSHR cells. Based on the analysis of global changes in protein expression patterns, our findings underline the complexity of gain-of-function TSHR signaling in thyrocytes, which extends beyond pure cAMP and/or IP formation. Moreover, evidence for augmented endocytosis in the mutTSHR, adds to a new concept of TSHR signaling in thyroid autonomy. Further studies are required to clarify whether the observed differences in Rab, PI3K and Epac signaling may contribute to differences in the phenotypic presentation, i.e. stimulation of function and growth of thyroid autonomy in vivo. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial of Classroom-Based Mindfulness Meditation Compared to an Active Control Condition in 6th Grade Children

    Science.gov (United States)

    Britton, Willoughby B.; Lepp, Nathaniel E.; Niles, Halsey F.; Rocha, Tomas; Fisher, Nathan; Gold, Jonathan

    2014-01-01

    Children in the United States are at risk for numerous psychological problems, such as anxiety, attention problems, and mood disorders, and are underserved by current mental health provisions. The current study is a pilot trial to examine the effects of a nonelective, classroom-based, teacher-implemented, mindfulness meditation intervention on standard clinical measures of mental health and affect in middle school children. A total of 101 healthy sixth-grade students (55 boys and 46 girls) were randomized to either an Asian history course with daily mindfulness meditation practice (intervention group) or an African history course with a matched experiential activity (active control group). Self-reported data was collected by administering the Youth Self Report (YSR), a modified Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Measure -Revised before and after 6 weeks of meditation or active control condition. Both meditators and active controls decreased significantly on the YSR Internalizing Problems, Externalizing Problems, and Attention Problems subscales but did not differ in the extent of their improvements. Both groups also showed comparable improvements on measures in affect. Meditators were significantly less likely to develop suicidal ideation or thoughts of self-harm than controls. Improvements in affect were correlated with increases in mindfulness in meditators but not controls. These results suggest that mindfulness training may yield both unique and nonspecific benefits that are shared by other novel activities. PMID:24930819

  17. Comparative studies on the correlation between pyrimidine dimer formation and tyrosinase activity in Cloudman S91 melanoma cells after ultraviolet-irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niggli, H.J.

    1990-01-01

    The authors compared the induction of pyrimidine dimer densities after UV-irradiation in mouse melanoma cells before and after treatment with cholera toxin. Treatment with cholera toxin stimulated tyrosinase activity up to 50-fold, leading to a marked, visually apparent increase in cellular melanin concentrations. Results indicate that de novo melanin pigmentation induced via the c-AMP pathway is not involved in protection against UV-induced thymine-containing pyrimidine dimers. In separate experiments, irradiation of toxin-treated and untreated mouse melanoma cells with UVC or UVB light produced a 20-30% lower dimer density compared to irradiated human skin fibroblasts. This finding suggests that melanin has some protection properties against UV-induced pyrimidine dimers, although the exact defense mechanism seems highly complex. (author)

  18. 41 CFR 101-4.410 - Comparable facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Comparable facilities... in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 101-4.410 Comparable facilities. A recipient may provide separate toilet, locker room, and shower facilities on the basis of sex, but such facilities...

  19. Defining a Roadmap Towards Comparative Research in Online Activity Recognition on Mobile Phones

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Shoaib, M.; Bosch, S.; Durmaz, O.; Scholten, Johan; Havinga, Paul J.M.

    2015-01-01

    Many context-aware applications based on activity recognition are currently using mobile phones. Most of this work is done in an offline way. However, there is a shift towards an online approach in recent studies, where activity recognition systems are implemented on mobile phones. Unfortunately,

  20. Contribution of nonneutralizing vaccine-elicited antibody activities to improved protective efficacy in rhesus macaques immunized with Tat/Env compared with multigenic vaccines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Florese, Ruth H; Demberg, Thorsten; Xiao, Peng; Kuller, LaRene; Larsen, Kay; Summers, L Ebonita; Venzon, David; Cafaro, Aurelio; Ensoli, Barbara; Robert-Guroff, Marjorie

    2009-03-15

    Previously, chronic-phase protection against SHIV(89.6P) challenge was significantly greater in macaques primed with replicating adenovirus type 5 host range mutant (Ad5hr) recombinants encoding HIVtat and env and boosted with Tat and Env protein compared with macaques primed with multigenic adenovirus recombinants (HIVtat, HIVenv, SIVgag, SIVnef) and boosted with Tat, Env, and Nef proteins. The greater protection was correlated with Tat- and Env-binding Abs. Because the macaques lacked SHIV(89.6P)-neutralizing activity prechallenge, we investigated whether Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and Ab-dependent cell-mediated viral inhibition (ADCVI) might exert a protective effect. We clearly show that Tat can serve as an ADCC target, although the Tat-specific activity elicited did not correlate with better protection. However, Env-specific ADCC activity was consistently higher in the Tat/Env group, with sustained cell killing postchallenge exhibited at higher levels (p vaccine regimens.

  1. A randomised comparative study of the short term clinical and biological effects of intravenous pulse methylprednisolone and infliximab in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis despite methotrexate treatment

    OpenAIRE

    Durez, P; Nzeusseu, T; Lauwerys, B; Manicourt, D; Verschueren, P; Westhovens, R; Devogelaer, J; Houssiau, F

    2004-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To compare the short term clinical and biological effects of intravenous (i.v.) pulse methylprednisolone (MP) and infliximab (IFX) in patients with severe active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) despite methotrexate (MTX) treatment. METHODS: Patients with active RA despite MTX treatment were randomly allocated to receive a single i.v. infusion of MP (1 g) or three i.v. infusions of IFX (3 mg/kg) on weeks 0, 2, and 6. Patients were "blindly" evaluated for disease activity measures. Qualit...

  2. PET quantification with a histogram derived total activity metric: Superior quantitative consistency compared to total lesion glycolysis with absolute or relative SUV thresholds in phantoms and lung cancer patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burger, Irene A.; Vargas, Hebert Alberto; Apte, Aditya; Beattie, Bradley J.; Humm, John L.; Gonen, Mithat; Larson, Steven M.; Ross Schmidtlein, C.

    2014-01-01

    Introduction: The increasing use of molecular imaging probes as biomarkers in oncology emphasizes the need for robust and stable methods for quantifying tracer uptake in PET imaging. The primary motivation for this research was to find an accurate method to quantify the total tumor uptake. Therefore we developed a histogram-based method to calculate the background subtracted lesion (BSL) activity and validated BSL by comparing the quantitative consistency with the total lesion glycolysis (TLG) in phantom and patient studies. Methods: A thorax phantom and a PET-ACR quality assurance phantom were scanned with increasing FDG concentrations. Volumes of interest (VOIs) were placed over each chamber. TLG was calculated with a fixed threshold at SUV 2.5 (TLG 2.5 ) and a relative threshold at 42% of SUV max (TLG 42% ). The histogram for each VOI was built and BSL was calculated. Comparison with the total injected FDG activity (TIA) was performed using concordance correlation coefficients (CCC) and the slope (a). Fifty consecutive patients with FDG-avid lung tumors were selected under an IRB waiver. TLG 42% , TLG 2.5 and BSL were compared to the reference standard calculating CCC and the slope. Results: In both phantoms, the CCC for lesions with a TIA ≤ 50 ml*SUV between TIA and BSL was higher and the slope closer to 1 (CCC = 0.933, a = 1.189), than for TLG 42% (CCC = 0.350, a = 0.731) or TLG 2.5 (CCC = 0.761, a = 0.727). In 50 lung lesions BSL had a slope closer to 1 compared to the reference activity than TLG 42% (a = 1.084 vs 0.618 – for high activity lesions) and also closer to 1 than TLG 2.5 (a = 1.117 vs 0.548 – for low activity lesions). Conclusion: The histogram based BSL correlated better with TIA in both phantom studies than TLG 2.5 or TLG 42% . Also in lung tumors, the BSL activity is overall more accurate in quantifying the lesion activity compared to the two most commonly applied TLG quantification methods

  3. A comparative study of methods for automatic detection of rapid eye movement abnormal muscular activity in narcolepsy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olesen, Alexander Neergaard; Cesari, Matteo; Christensen, Julie Anja Engelhard

    2018-01-01

    atonia index (RAI), supra-threshold REM EMG activit ymetric (STREAM), and Frandsen method (FR) were calculated from polysomnography recordings of 20 healthy controls, 18 clinic controls (subjects suspected with narcolepsy but finally diagnosed without any sleep abnormality), 16 narcolepsy type 1 without...... REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), 9 narcolepsy type 1 with RBD, and 18 narcolepsy type 2. Diagnostic value of metrics in differentiating between groups was quantified by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Correlations among the metrics and cerebrospinal fluid hypocretin-1...... in narcolepsy 1 compared to controls. This finding might play a supportive role in diagnosing narcolepsy and in discriminating narcolepsy subtypes. Moreover, the negative correlation between CSF-hcrt-1 level and REM muscular activity supported a role for hypocretin in the control of motor tone during REM sleep....

  4. Comparative study of the base activity levels of the Spanish continental nuclear power stations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gregorides de los Santos y Perez-Minguez, A.M.

    1980-01-01

    In this work the pre-operational activity levels of the sites of some Spanish nuclear power stations are discussed. These power stations are located near the Tagus and Ebro river basins. A report of the communities investigated is made. The total alpha and beta activity as well as the long half life activity has been researched there. The importance of this question is obvious for it gives a regional average of the base activity in the basins of these two big Spanish rivers [fr

  5. Comparative field study: impact of laboratory assay variability on the assessment of recombinant factor IX Fc fusion protein (rFIXFc) activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sommer, Jurg M; Buyue, Yang; Bardan, Sara; Peters, Robert T; Jiang, Haiyan; Kamphaus, George D; Gray, Elaine; Pierce, Glenn F

    2014-11-01

    Due to variability in the one-stage clotting assay, the performance of new factor IX (FIX) products should be assessed in this assay. The objective of this field study was to evaluate the accuracy of measuring recombinant FIX Fc fusion protein (rFIXFc) activity in clinical haemostasis laboratories using the one-stage clotting assay. Human haemophilic donor plasma was spiked with rFIXFc or BeneFIX® at 0.80, 0.20, or 0.05 IU/ml based on label potency. Laboratories tested blinded samples using their routine one-stage assay and in-house FIX plasma standard. The mean spike recoveries for BeneFIX (n=30 laboratories) were 121 %, 144 %, and 168 % of expected at nominal 0.80, 0.20, and 0.05 IU/ml concentrations, respectively. Corresponding rFIXFc spike recoveries were 88 %, 107 %, and 132 % of expected, respectively. All BeneFIX concentrations were consistently overestimated by most laboratories. rFIXFc activity was reagent-dependent; ellagic acid and silica gave higher values than kaolin, which underestimated rFIXFc. BeneFIX demonstrated significantly reduced chromogenic assay activity relative to one-stage assay results and nominal activity, while rFIXFc activity was close to nominal activity at three concentrations with better dilution linearity than the typical one-stage assay. In conclusion, laboratory- and reagent-specific assay variabilities were revealed, with progressively higher variability at lower FIX concentrations. Non-parallelism against the FIX plasma standard was observed in all one-stage assays with rFIXFc and BeneFIX, leading to significant overestimation of FIX activity at lower levels and generally high inter-laboratory variability. Compared to the accuracy currently achieved in clinical laboratories when measuring other rFIX products, most laboratories measured rFIXFc activity with acceptable accuracy and reliability using routine one-stage assay methods and commercially available plasma standards.

  6. Comparative study of activated carbon, natural zeolite, and green sand supports for CuOX and ZnO sites as ozone decomposition catalyst

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azhariyah, A. S.; Pradyasti, A.; Dianty, A. G.; Bismo, S.

    2018-03-01

    This research was based on ozone decomposition in industrial environment. Ozone is harmful to human. Therefore, catalysts were made as a mask filter to decompose ozone. Comparison studies of catalyst supports were done using Granular Activated Carbon (GAC), Natural Zeolite (NZ), and Green Sand (GS). GAC showed the highest catalytic activity compared to other supports with conversion of 98%. Meanwhile, the conversion using NZ was only 77% and GS had been just 27%. GAC had the highest catalytic activity because it had the largest pore volume, which is 0.478 cm3/g. So GAC was used as catalyst supports. To have a higher conversion in ozone decomposition, GAC was impregnated with metal oxide as the active site of the catalyst. Active site comparison was made using CuOX and ZnO as the active site. Morphology, composition, and crystal phase were analyzed using SEM-EDX, XRF, and XRD methods. Mask filter, which contained catalysts for ozone decomposition, was tested using a fixed bed reactor at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The result of conversion was analyzed using iodometric method. CuOX/GAC and ZnO/GAC 2%-w showed the highest catalytic activity and conversion reached 100%. From the durability test, CuOX/GAC 2%-w was better than ZnO/GAC 2%-w because the conversion of ozone to oxygen reached 100% with the lowest conversion was 70% for over eight hours.

  7. A comparative study of night-time enhancement of TEC at a low latitude station on storm and quiet nights including the local time, seasonal and solar activity dependence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Unnikrishnan

    Full Text Available The main characteristics of night-time enhancements in TEC during magnetic storms are compared with those during quiet nights for different seasons and solar activity conditions at Palehua, a low latitude station during the period 1980–1989. We find that the mean amplitude has both a seasonal and solar activity dependence: in winter, the values are higher for weak storms as compared to those during quiet nights and increase with an increase in solar activity. In summer, the mean amplitude values during weak storms and quiet nights are almost equal. But during equinox, the mean amplitude values for quiet nights are greater than those during weak storms. The mean half-amplitude duration is higher during weak storms as compared to that during quiet nights in summer. However, during winter and equinox, the durations are almost equal for both quiet and weak storm nights. For the mean half-amplitude duration, the quiet night values for all the seasons and equinoctial weak storm values increase with an increase in solar activity. The occurrence frequency (in percent of TEC enhancement during weak storms is greater than during quiet nights for all seasons. The mean amplitude, the mean half-amplitude duration and the occurrence frequency (in percent of TEC enhancement values are higher during major storms as compared to those during quiet nights. The above parameters have their highest values during pre-midnight hours. From the data analysed, this behaviour is true in the case of major storms also.

    Key words. Ionosphere (ionospheric disturbances; plasma convection Magnetospheric physics (storms and substorms

  8. Superior integrin activating capacity and higher adhesion to fibrinogen matrix in buffy coat-derived platelet concentrates (PCs) compared to PRP-PCs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beshkar, Pezhman; Hosseini, Ehteramolsadat; Ghasemzadeh, Mehran

    2018-02-01

    Regardless of different sources, methods or devices which are applied for preparation of therapeutic platelets, these products are generally isolated from whole blood by the sedimentation techniques which are based on PRP or buffy coat (BC) separation. As a general fact, platelet preparation and storage are also associated with some deleterious changes that known as platelet storage lesion (PSL). Although these alternations in platelet functional activity are aggravated during storage, whether technical issues within preparation can affect integrin activation and platelet adhesion to fibrinogen were investigated in this study. PRP- and BC-platelet concentrates (PCs) were subjected to flowcytometry analysis to examine the expression of platelet activation marker, P-selectin as well as active confirmation of the GPIIb/IIIa (α IIb β 3 ) on day 0, 1, 3 and 5 post-storage. Platelet adhesion to fibrinogen matrix was evaluated by fluorescence microscopy. Glucose concentration and LDH activity were also measured by colorimetric methods. The increasing P-selectin expression during storage was in a reverse correlation with PAC-1 binding (r = -0.67; p = .001). PRP-PCs showed the higher level of P-selectin expression than BC-PCs, whereas the levels of PAC-1 binding and platelet adhesion to fibrinogen matrix were significantly lower in PRP-PCs. Higher levels of active confirmation of the GPIIb/IIIa in BC-PCs were also associated with greater concentration of glucose in these products. We demonstrated the superior capacities of integrin activation and adhesion to fibrinogen for BC-PCs compared to those of PRP-PCs. These findings may provide more advantages for BC method of platelet preparation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Active Traveling and Its Associations with Self-Rated Health, BMI and Physical Activity: A Comparative Study in the Adult Swedish Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berglund, Erik; Lytsy, Per; Westerling, Ragnar

    2016-04-28

    Active traveling to a daily occupation means that an individual uses an active way of traveling between two destinations. Active travel to work or other daily occupations offers a convenient way to increase physical activity levels which is known to have positive effects on several health outcomes. Frequently used concepts in city planning and regional planning today are to create environments for active commuting and active living. Even then, little research has focused on traveling modes and subjective health outcomes such as self-rated health (SRH). This study aimed to explore and investigate associations between travel mode and health-related outcomes, such as self-rated health (SRH), body mass index (BMI) and overall physical activity, in an adult population in Sweden. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a randomly selected population-based sample (n = 1786, age 45-75 years); the respondents completed a questionnaire about their regular travel mode, demographics, lifestyle, BMI and SRH. Chi-square tests and logistic regressions found that inactive traveling was associated with poor SRH, a greater risk of obesity or being overweight and overall physical inactivity. In addition, lifestyle factors, such as choice of food and smoking habits, were associated with SRH, BMI and overall physical activity.

  10. Advantages of laparoscopic compared to conventional surgery are not related to an innate immune response of peritoneal immune activation: an animal study in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lingohr, Philipp; Dohmen, Jonas; Matthaei, Hanno; Schwandt, Timo; Stein, Kathy; Hong, Gun-Soo; Steitz, Julia; Longerich, Thomas; Bölke, Edwin; Wehner, Sven; Kalff, Jörg C

    2017-06-01

    Laparoscopic surgery (LS) has proved superior compared to conventional surgery (CS) regarding morbidity, length of hospital stay, rate of wound infection and time until recovery. An improved preservation of the postoperative immune function is assumed to contribute to these benefits though the role of the local peritoneal immune response is still poorly understood. Our study investigates the peritoneal immune response subsequent to abdominal surgery and compares it between laparoscopic and conventional surgery to find an immunological explanation for the clinically proven benefits of LS. Wistar rats (N = 140) underwent laparoscopic cecum resection (LCR; N = 28), conventional cecum resection (CCR; N = 28), laparoscopic sham operation (LSO; N = 28), conventional sham operation (CSO; N = 28), or no surgical treatment (CTRL; N = 28). Postoperatively, peritoneal lavages were performed, leukocytes isolated and analyzed regarding immune function and phagocytosis activity. Immune function was inhibited postoperatively in animals undergoing LCR or CCR compared to CTRL reflected by a lower TNF-α (CTRL 3956.65 pg/ml, LCR 2018.48 pg/ml (p = 0.023), CCR 2793.78 pg/ml (n.s.)) and IL-6 secretion (CTRL 625.84 pg/ml, LCR 142.84 pg/ml (p = 0.009), CCR 169.53 pg/ml (p = 0.01)). Phagocytosis was not affected in rats undergoing any kind of surgery compared to CTRL. Neither cytokine secretion nor phagocytosis activity differed significantly between laparoscopic and conventional surgery. According to our findings the benefits associated with LS compared to CS cannot be explained by differences in the postoperative peritoneal innate immune response. Further studies are needed to elucidate the causes for a more favorable postoperative outcome in patients after LS compared to CS.

  11. Comparative Analysis of Click Chemistry Mediated Activity-Based Protein Profiling in Cell Lysates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yinliang Yang

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Activity-based protein profiling uses chemical probes that covalently attach to active enzyme targets. Probes with conventional tags have disadvantages, such as limited cell permeability or steric hindrance around the reactive group. A tandem labeling strategy with click chemistry is now widely used to study enzyme targets in situ and in vivo. Herein, the probes are reacted in live cells, whereas the ensuing detection by click chemistry takes place in cell lysates. We here make a comparison of the efficiency of the activity-based tandem labeling strategy by using Cu(I-catalyzed and strain-promoted click chemistry, different ligands and different lysis conditions.

  12. In Vitro Activity of Isavuconazole and Comparators against Clinical Isolates of the Mucorales Order.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arendrup, Maiken Cavling; Jensen, Rasmus Hare; Meletiadis, Joseph

    2015-12-01

    The in vitro activity of isavuconazole against Mucorales isolates measured by EUCAST E.Def 9.2 and CLSI M38-A2 methodologies was investigated in comparison with those of amphotericin B, posaconazole, and voriconazole. Seventy-two isolates were included: 12 of Lichtheimia corymbifera, 5 of Lichtheimia ramosa, 5 of group I and 9 of group II of Mucor circinelloides, 9 of Rhizomucor pusillus, 26 of Rhizopus microsporus, and 6 of Rhizopus oryzae. Species identification was confirmed by internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing. EUCAST MICs were read on day 1 (EUCAST-d1) and day 2 (EUCAST-d2), and CLSI MICs were read on day 2 (CLSI-d2). Isavuconazole MIC50s (range) (mg/liter) by EUCAST-d1, CLSI-d2, and EUCAST-d2 were 1 (0.125 to 16), 1 (0.125 to 2), and 4 (0.5 to >16), respectively, across all isolates. The similar values for comparator drugs were as follows: posaconazole, 0.25 (≤ 0.03 to >16), 0.25 (0.06 to >16), and 1 (0.06 to >16); amphotericin, 0.06 (≤ 0.03 to 0.5), 0.06 (≤ 0.03 to 0.25), and 0.125 (≤ 0.03 to 1); voriconazole, 16 (2 to >16), 8 (1 to >16), and >16 (8 to >16), respectively. Isavuconazole activity varied by species: Lichtheimia corymbifera, 1 (0.5 to 2), 1 (1 to 2), and 2 (1 to 4); Lichtheimia ramosa, 0.25 (0.125 to 0.5), 1 (0.5 to 2), and 2 (0.5 to 4); Rhizomucor pusillus, 0.5 (0.5 to 1), 1 (0.125 to 1), and 2 (1 to 2); Rhizopus microsporus, 1 (0.5 to 4), 0.5 (0.125 to 1), and 4 (1 to 8); and Rhizopus oryzae, 1 (0.5 to 4), 1 (0.125 to 2), and 4 (0.5 to 8), respectively, were more susceptible than Mucor circinelloides: group I, 8 (4 to 8), 4 (2 to 4), and 16 (2 to 16), respectively, and group II, 8 (1 to 16), 8 (1 to 8), and 16 (4 to >16), respectively. This was also observed for posaconazole. The essential agreement was best between EUCAST-d1 and CLSI-d2 (75% to 83%). Isavuconazole displayed in vitro activity against Mucorales isolates with the exception of Mucor circinelloides. The MICs were in general 1 to 3 steps higher than those for

  13. Differential expression of NK receptors CD94 and NKG2A by T cells in rheumatoid arthritis patients in remission compared to active disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ceara E Walsh

    Full Text Available TNF inhibitors (TNFi have revolutionised the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA. Natural killer (NK cells and Natural Killer Cell Receptor+ T (NKT cells comprise important effector lymphocytes whose activity is tightly regulated through surface NK receptors (NKRs. Dysregulation of NKRs in patients with autoimmune diseases has been shown, however little is known regarding NKRs expression in patients with TNFi-induced remission and in those who maintain remission vs disease flare following TNFi withdrawal.Patients with RA were recruited for this study, (i RA patients in clinical remission following a minimum of one year of TNFi therapy (n = -15; (2 Active RA patients, not currently or ever receiving TNFi (n = 18; and healthy control volunteers (n = 15. Patients in remission were divided into two groups: those who were maintained on TNFi and those who withdrew from TNFi and maintained on DMARDS. All patients underwent full clinical assessment. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and NKR (CD94, NKG2A, CD161, CD69, CD57, CD158a, CD158b expression on T-(CD3+CD56-, NK-(CD3-CD56+ and NKT-(CD3+CD56+ cells was determined by flow cytometry.Following TNFi withdrawal, percentages and numbers of circulating T cells, NK cells or NKT cell populations were unchanged in patients in remission versus active RA or HCs. Expression of the NKRs CD161, CD57, CD94 and NKG2A was significantly increased on CD3+CD56-T cells from patients in remission compared to active RA (p<0.05. CD3+CD56-T cell expression of CD94 and NKG2A was significantly increased in patients who remained in remission compared with patients whose disease flared (p<0.05, with no differences observed for CD161 and CD57. CD3+CD56- cell expression of NKG2A was inversely related to DAS28 (r = -0.612, p<0.005.High CD94/NKG2A expression by T cells was demonstrated in remission patients following TNFi therapy compared to active RA, while low CD94/NKG2A were associated with

  14. Foundations of Children's Self-Concepts about Everyday Activities: Identities and Comparative Contexts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, Laurel

    2014-01-01

    Children's motivations to engage in everyday activities draw on their experiences in thinking of oneself and the activities. In theory, these personal and social realities provide the complex foundations of self-concepts. The aim of this project was to define the foundations of children's self-concepts about everyday activities; to focus…

  15. Comparative evaluation of lignocellulolytic activities of filamentous cultures of monocentric and polycentric anaerobic fungi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dagar, Sumit Singh; Kumar, Sanjay; Mudgil, Priti; Puniya, Anil Kumar

    2018-04-01

    Sixteen strains of monocentric and polycentric anaerobic fungi were evaluated for cellulase, xylanase and esterase activities. Though strain level variations were observed among all genera, Neocallimastix and Orpinomyces strains exhibited the highest lignocellulolytic activities. The esterase activities of monocentric group of anaerobic fungi were better than the polycentric group. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Rosmarinic acid and antioxidant enzyme activities in Lavandula vera MM cell suspension culture: a comparative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Georgiev, Milen; Abrashev, Radoslav; Krumova, Ekaterina; Demirevska, Klimentina; Ilieva, Mladenka; Angelova, Maria

    2009-11-01

    The growth and intracellular protein content of lavender (Lavandula vera MM) cell suspension culture was followed along with some antioxidant defense system members-non-enzymatic (rosmarinic acid) and enzymatic [superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) and catalase (EC 1.11.1.6)]. It was found that the media content and the cultivation mode strongly influenced the production of plant defense compounds as well as the ratio between non-enzymatic and enzymatic ones. The bioreactor culture contains about two times more rosmarinic acid, superoxide dismutase, and catalase compared to the shake-flask cultivation. These findings are discussed with respect to the relative stress levels and plant antioxidant orchestra system. It was concluded that investigated defense system components (enzymatic and non-enzymatic) were closely associated in a complex balance. The three isoenzyme forms of SOD (Cu/ZnSOD, FeSOD, and MnSOD) in the cells of Lavandula vera were revealed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis, and the FeSOD isoform exhibited highest activity.

  17. Comparative Flight Activities and Pathogen Load of Two Stocks of Honey Bees Reared in Gamma-Irradiated Combs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lilia I. de Guzman

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Gamma irradiation is known to inactivate various pathogens that negatively affect honey bee health. Bee pathogens, such as Deformed wing virus (DWV and Nosema spp., have a deleterious impact on foraging activities and bee survival, and have been detected in combs. In this study, we assessed the effects of gamma irradiation on the flight activities, pathogen load, and survival of two honey bee stocks that were reared in irradiated and non-irradiated combs. Overall, bee genotype influenced the average number of daily flights, the total number of foraging flights, and total flight duration, in which the Russian honey bees outperformed the Italian honey bees. Exposing combs to gamma irradiation only affected the age at first flight, with worker bees that were reared in non-irradiated combs foraging prematurely compared to those reared in irradiated combs. Precocious foraging may be associated with the higher levels of DWV in bees reared in non-irradiated combs and also with the lower amount of pollen stores in colonies that used non-irradiated combs. These data suggest that gamma irradiation of combs can help minimize the negative impact of DWV in honey bees. Since colonies with irradiated combs stored more pollen than those with non-irradiated combs, crop pollination efficiency may be further improved when mite-resistant stocks are used, since they performed more flights and had longer flight durations.

  18. Comparing amyloid-β deposition, neuroinflammation, glucose metabolism, and mitochondrial complex I activity in brain: a PET study in aged monkeys

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

    2014-11-15

    The aim of the present study was to compare amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition, translocator protein (TSPO) activity, regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (rCMRglc), and mitochondrial complex I (MC-I) activity in the brain of aged monkeys. PET scans with {sup 11}C-PIB (Aβ), {sup 18}F-BCPP-EF (MC-I), {sup 11}C-DPA-713 (TSPO), and {sup 18}F-FDG (rCMRglc) were performed in aged monkeys (Macaca mulatta) in the conscious state and under isoflurane anaesthesia. {sup 11}C-PIB binding to Aβ and {sup 11}C-DPA-713 binding to TSPO were evaluated in terms of standard uptake values (SUV). The total volume of distribution (V{sub T}) of {sup 18}F-BCPP-EF and rCMRglc with {sup 18}F-FDG were calculated using arterial blood sampling. Isoflurane did not affect MC-I activity measured in terms of {sup 18}F-BCPP-EF uptake in living brain. There was a significant negative correlation between {sup 18}F-BCPP-EF binding (V{sub T}) and {sup 11}C-PIB uptake (SUVR), and there was a significant positive correlation between {sup 11}C-DPA-713 uptake (SUV) and {sup 11}C-PIB uptake. In contrast, there was no significant correlation between rCMRglc ratio and {sup 11}C-PIB uptake. {sup 18}F-BCPP-EF could be a potential PET probe for quantitative imaging of impaired MC-I activity that is correlated with Aβ deposition in the living brain. (orig.)

  19. Use of muscle functional magnetic resonance imaging to compare cervical flexor activity between patients with whiplash-associated disorders and people who are healthy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cagnie, Barbara; Dolphens, Mieke; Peeters, Ian; Achten, Eric; Cambier, Dirk; Danneels, Lieven

    2010-08-01

    Chronic whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) have been shown to be associated with motor dysfunction. Increased electromyographic (EMG) activity in neck and shoulder girdle muscles has been demonstrated during different tasks in participants with persistent WAD. Muscle functional magnetic resonance imaging (mfMRI) is an innovative technique to evaluate muscle activity and differential recruitment of deep and superficial muscles following exercise. The purpose of this study was to compare the recruitment pattern of deep and superficial neck flexors between patients with WAD and controls using mfMRI. A cross-sectional design was used. The study was conducted in a physical and rehabilitation medicine department. The participants were 19 controls who were healthy (10 men, 9 women; mean [+/-SD] age=22.2+/-0.6 years) and 16 patients with WAD (5 men, 11 women; mean [+/-SD] age=32.9+/-12.7 years). The T2 values were calculated for the longus colli (Lco), longus capitis (Lca), and sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscles at rest and following cranio-cervical flexion (CCF). In the overall statistical model for T2 shift, there was a significant main effect for muscle (F=3.906, P=.033) but not for group (F=2.855, P=.101). The muscle x group interaction effect was significant (F=3.618, P=.041). Although not significant, there was a strong trend for lesser Lco (P=.061) and Lca (P=.060) activity for the WAD group compared with the control group. Although the SCM showed higher T2 shifts, this difference was not significant (P=.291). Although mfMRI is an innovative and useful technique for the evaluation of deep cervical muscles, consideration is required, as this method encompasses a postexercise evaluation and is limited to resistance types of exercises. Muscle functional magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a difference in muscle recruitment between the Lco, Lca, and SCM during CCF in the control group, but failed to demonstrate a changed activity pattern in the WAD group compared

  20. Perception versus reality: a comparative study of the clinical judgment skills of nurses during a simulated activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fenske, Cynthia L; Harris, Margaret A; Aebersold, Michelle L; Hartman, Laurie S

    2013-09-01

    This study was conducted to determine how closely nurses' perceptions of their clinical judgment abilities matched their demonstrated clinical judgment skills during a simulation. Seventy-four registered nurses participated in a simulation using a video format. After the simulation, the nurses self-assessed their performance using the Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric. This rubric was then used to rate the nurses' actual performance in the simulation activity. The study results showed a significant discrepancy between nurses' perceptions of their own clinical judgment abilities and their demonstrated clinical judgment skills. Age and length of nursing experience enhanced the difference between the findings of self-assessment and actual performance. Younger nurses and those with 1 year or less of nursing experience were significantly more likely to have self-assessed their abilities at a much higher level compared with their actual skills. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.