The Hypoxic Regulator of Sterol Synthesis Nro1 Is a Nuclear Import Adaptor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

T Yeh; C Lee; L Amzel; P Espenshade; M Bianchet

2011-12-31

Fission yeast protein Sre1, the homolog of the mammalian sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP), is a hypoxic transcription factor required for sterol homeostasis and low-oxygen growth. Nro1 regulates the stability of the N-terminal transcription factor domain of Sre1 (Sre1N) by inhibiting the action of the prolyl 4-hydroxylase-like Ofd1 in an oxygen-dependent manner. The crystal structure of Nro1 determined at 2.2 {angstrom} resolution shows an all-{alpha}-helical fold that can be divided into two domains: a small N-terminal domain, and a larger C-terminal HEAT-repeat domain. Follow-up studies showed that Nro1 defines a new class of nuclear import adaptor that functions both in Ofd1 nuclear localization and in the oxygen-dependent inhibition of Ofd1 to control the hypoxic response.

The finite element response matrix method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakata, H.; Martin, W.R.

1983-02-01

A new technique is developed with an alternative formulation of the response matrix method implemented with the finite element scheme. Two types of response matrices are generated from the Galerkin solution to the weak form of the diffusion equation subject to an arbitrary current and source. The piecewise polynomials are defined in two levels, the first for the local (assembly) calculations and the second for the global (core) response matrix calculations. This finite element response matrix technique was tested in two 2-dimensional test problems, 2D-IAEA benchmark problem and Biblis benchmark problem, with satisfatory results. The computational time, whereas the current code is not extensively optimized, is of the same order of the well estabilished coarse mesh codes. Furthermore, the application of the finite element technique in an alternative formulation of response matrix method permits the method to easily incorporate additional capabilities such as treatment of spatially dependent cross-sections, arbitrary geometrical configurations, and high heterogeneous assemblies. (Author) [pt

Characterization of Imidazopyridine Compounds as Negative Allosteric Modulators of Proton-Sensing GPR4 in Extracellular Acidification-Induced Responses.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayaka Tobo

Full Text Available G protein-coupled receptor 4 (GPR4, previously proposed as the receptor for sphingosylphosphorylcholine, has recently been identified as the proton-sensing G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR coupling to multiple intracellular signaling pathways, including the Gs protein/cAMP and G13 protein/Rho. In the present study, we characterized some imidazopyridine compounds as GPR4 modulators that modify GPR4 receptor function. In the cells that express proton-sensing GPCRs, including GPR4, OGR1, TDAG8, and G2A, extracellular acidification stimulates serum responsive element (SRE-driven transcriptional activity, which has been shown to reflect Rho activity, with different proton sensitivities. Imidazopyridine compounds inhibited the moderately acidic pH-induced SRE activity only in GPR4-expressing cells. Acidic pH-stimulated cAMP accumulation, mRNA expression of inflammatory genes, and GPR4 internalization within GPR4-expressing cells were all inhibited by the GPR4 modulator. We further compared the inhibition property of the imidazopyridine compound with psychosine, which has been shown to selectively inhibit actions induced by proton-sensing GPCRs, including GPR4. In the GPR4 mutant, in which certain histidine residues were mutated to phenylalanine, proton sensitivity was significantly shifted to the right, and psychosine failed to further inhibit acidic pH-induced SRE activation. On the other hand, the imidazopyridine compound almost completely inhibited acidic pH-induced action in mutant GPR4. We conclude that some imidazopyridine compounds show specificity to GPR4 as negative allosteric modulators with a different action mode from psychosine, an antagonist susceptible to histidine residues, and are useful for characterizing GPR4-mediated acidic pH-induced biological actions.

Characterization of Imidazopyridine Compounds as Negative Allosteric Modulators of Proton-Sensing GPR4 in Extracellular Acidification-Induced Responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Tobo, Ayaka; Tobo, Masayuki; Nakakura, Takashi; Ebara, Masashi; Tomura, Hideaki; Mogi, Chihiro; Im, Dong-Soon; Murata, Naoya; Kuwabara, Atsushi; Ito, Saki; Fukuda, Hayato; Arisawa, Mitsuhiro; Shuto, Satoshi; Nakaya, Michio; Kurose, Hitoshi; Sato, Koichi; Okajima, Fumikazu

2015-01-01

G protein-coupled receptor 4 (GPR4), previously proposed as the receptor for sphingosylphosphorylcholine, has recently been identified as the proton-sensing G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) coupling to multiple intracellular signaling pathways, including the Gs protein/cAMP and G13 protein/Rho. In the present study, we characterized some imidazopyridine compounds as GPR4 modulators that modify GPR4 receptor function. In the cells that express proton-sensing GPCRs, including GPR4, OGR1, TDAG8, and G2A, extracellular acidification stimulates serum responsive element (SRE)-driven transcriptional activity, which has been shown to reflect Rho activity, with different proton sensitivities. Imidazopyridine compounds inhibited the moderately acidic pH-induced SRE activity only in GPR4-expressing cells. Acidic pH-stimulated cAMP accumulation, mRNA expression of inflammatory genes, and GPR4 internalization within GPR4-expressing cells were all inhibited by the GPR4 modulator. We further compared the inhibition property of the imidazopyridine compound with psychosine, which has been shown to selectively inhibit actions induced by proton-sensing GPCRs, including GPR4. In the GPR4 mutant, in which certain histidine residues were mutated to phenylalanine, proton sensitivity was significantly shifted to the right, and psychosine failed to further inhibit acidic pH-induced SRE activation. On the other hand, the imidazopyridine compound almost completely inhibited acidic pH-induced action in mutant GPR4. We conclude that some imidazopyridine compounds show specificity to GPR4 as negative allosteric modulators with a different action mode from psychosine, an antagonist susceptible to histidine residues, and are useful for characterizing GPR4-mediated acidic pH-induced biological actions.

Nuclear responses in INTOR plasma stabilization elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gohar, Y.; Gilligan, J.; Jung, J.; Mattas, R.F.; Miley, G.H.; Wiffen, F.W.; Yang, S.

1985-01-01

Nuclear responses in the plasma stabilization elements were studied in a parametric fashion as a part of the transient electromagnetics critical issue C of ETR/INTOR activity. The main responses are neutron fluence and radiation dose in the insulator material, induced resistivity and atomic displacement in the conductor material, nuclear heating and life analysis for the elements. Copper and aluminum conductors with either MgAl 2 O 4 or MgO insulating material were investigated. Radiation damage and life analysis for these elements were also discussed

Stochastic Modeling of Sediment Connectivity for Reconstructing Sand Fluxes and Origins in the Unmonitored Se Kong, Se San, and Sre Pok Tributaries of the Mekong River

Science.gov (United States)

Schmitt, R. J. P.; Bizzi, S.; Castelletti, A. F.; Kondolf, G. M.

2018-01-01

Sediment supply to rivers, subsequent fluvial transport, and the resulting sediment connectivity on network scales are often sparsely monitored and subject to major uncertainty. We propose to approach that uncertainty by adopting a stochastic method for modeling network sediment connectivity, which we present for the Se Kong, Se San, and Sre Pok (3S) tributaries of the Mekong. We quantify how unknown properties of sand sources translate into uncertainty regarding network connectivity by running the CASCADE (CAtchment Sediment Connectivity And DElivery) modeling framework in a Monte Carlo approach for 7,500 random realizations. Only a small ensemble of realizations reproduces downstream observations of sand transport. This ensemble presents an inverse stochastic approximation of the magnitude and variability of transport capacity, sediment flux, and grain size distribution of the sediment transported in the network (i.e., upscaling point observations to the entire network). The approximated magnitude of sand delivered from each tributary to the Mekong is controlled by reaches of low transport capacity ("bottlenecks"). These bottlenecks limit the ability to predict transport in the upper parts of the catchment through inverse stochastic approximation, a limitation that could be addressed by targeted monitoring upstream of identified bottlenecks. Nonetheless, bottlenecks also allow a clear partitioning of natural sand deliveries from the 3S to the Mekong, with the Se Kong delivering less (1.9 Mt/yr) and coarser (median grain size: 0.4 mm) sand than the Se San (5.3 Mt/yr, 0.22 mm) and Sre Pok (11 Mt/yr, 0.19 mm).

Comparative analysis of the ternary complex factors Elk-1, SAP-1a and SAP-2 (ERP/NET).

Science.gov (United States)

Price, M A; Rogers, A E; Treisman, R

1995-06-01

A transcription factor ternary complex composed of Serum Response Factor (SRF) and Ternary Complex Factor (TCF) mediates the response of the c-fos Serum Response Element (SRE) to growth factors and mitogens. Three Ets domain proteins, Elk-1, SAP-1 and ERP/NET, have been reported to have the properties of TCF. Here we compare Elk-1 and SAP-1a with the human ERP/NET homologue SAP-2. All three TCF RNAs are ubiquitously expressed at similar relative levels. All three proteins contain conserved regions that interact with SRF and the c-fos SRE with comparable efficiency, but in vitro complex formation by SAP-2 is strongly inhibited by its C-terminal sequences. Similarly, only Elk-1 and SAP-1a efficiently bind the c-fos SRE in vivo; ternary complex formation by SAP-2 is weak and is substantially unaffected by serum stimulation or v-ras co-expression. All three TCFs contain C-terminal transcriptional activation domains that are phosphorylated following growth factor stimulation. Activation requires conserved S/T-P motifs found in all the TCF family members. Each TCF activation domain can be phosphorylated in vitro by partially purified ERK2, and ERK activation in vivo is sufficient to potentiate transcriptional activation.

The finite element response Matrix method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakata, H.; Martin, W.R.

1983-01-01

A new method for global reactor core calculations is described. This method is based on a unique formulation of the response matrix method, implemented with a higher order finite element method. The unique aspects of this approach are twofold. First, there are two levels to the overall calculational scheme: the local or assembly level and the global or core level. Second, the response matrix scheme, which is formulated at both levels, consists of two separate response matrices rather than one response matrix as is generally the case. These separate response matrices are seen to be quite beneficial for the criticality eigenvalue calculation, because they are independent of k /SUB eff/. The response matrices are generated from a Galerkin finite element solution to the weak form of the diffusion equation, subject to an arbitrary incoming current and an arbitrary distributed source. Calculational results are reported for two test problems, the two-dimensional International Atomic Energy Agency benchmark problem and a two-dimensional pressurized water reactor test problem (Biblis reactor), and they compare well with standard coarse mesh methods with respect to accuracy and efficiency. Moreover, the accuracy (and capability) is comparable to fine mesh for a fraction of the computational cost. Extension of the method to treat heterogeneous assemblies and spatial depletion effects is discussed

Activation of the skeletal alpha-actin promoter during muscle regeneration.

Science.gov (United States)

Marsh, D R; Carson, J A; Stewart, L N; Booth, F W

1998-11-01

Little is known concerning promoter regulation of genes in regenerating skeletal muscles. In young rats, recovery of muscle mass and protein content is complete within 21 days. During the initial 5-10 days of regeneration, mRNA abundance for IGF-I, myogenin and MyoD have been shown to be dramatically increased. The skeletal alpha-actin promoter contains E box and serum response element (SRE) regulatory regions which are directly or indirectly activated by myogenin (or MyoD) and IGF-I proteins, respectively. We hypothesized that the skeletal alpha-actin promoter activity would increase during muscle regeneration, and that this induction would occur before muscle protein content returned to normal. Total protein content and the percentage content of skeletal alpha-actin protein was diminished at 4 and 8 days and re-accumulation had largely occurred by 16 days post-bupivacaine injection. Skeletal alpha-actin mRNA per whole muscle was decreased at day 8, and thereafter returned to control values. During regeneration at day 8, luciferase activity (a reporter of promoter activity) directed by -424 skeletal alpha-actin and -99 skeletal alpha-actin promoter constructs was increased by 700% and 250% respectively; however, at day 16, skeletal alpha-actin promoter activities were similar to control values. Thus, initial activation of the skeletal alpha-actin promoter is associated with regeneration of skeletal muscle, despite not being sustained during the later stages of regrowth. The proximal SRE of the skeletal alpha-actin promoter was not sufficient to confer a regeneration-induced promoter activation, despite increased serum response factor protein binding to this regulatory element in electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Skeletal alpha-actin promoter induction during regeneration is due to a combination of regulatory elements, at least including the SRE and E box.

Organization of cis-acting regulatory elements in osmotic- and cold-stress-responsive promoters.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, Kazuko; Shinozaki, Kazuo

2005-02-01

cis-Acting regulatory elements are important molecular switches involved in the transcriptional regulation of a dynamic network of gene activities controlling various biological processes, including abiotic stress responses, hormone responses and developmental processes. In particular, understanding regulatory gene networks in stress response cascades depends on successful functional analyses of cis-acting elements. The ever-improving accuracy of transcriptome expression profiling has led to the identification of various combinations of cis-acting elements in the promoter regions of stress-inducible genes involved in stress and hormone responses. Here we discuss major cis-acting elements, such as the ABA-responsive element (ABRE) and the dehydration-responsive element/C-repeat (DRE/CRT), that are a vital part of ABA-dependent and ABA-independent gene expression in osmotic and cold stress responses.

ACGT-containing abscisic acid response element (ABRE) and coupling element 3 (CE3) are functionally equivalent.

Science.gov (United States)

Hobo, T; Asada, M; Kowyama, Y; Hattori, T

1999-09-01

ACGT-containing ABA response elements (ABREs) have been functionally identified in the promoters of various genes. In addition, single copies of ABRE have been found to require a cis-acting, coupling element to achieve ABA induction. A coupling element 3 (CE3) sequence, originally identified as such in the barley HVA1 promoter, is found approximately 30 bp downstream of motif A (ACGT-containing ABRE) in the promoter of the Osem gene. The relationship between these two elements was further defined by linker-scan analyses of a 55 bp fragment of the Osem promoter, which is sufficient for ABA-responsiveness and VP1 activation. The analyses revealed that both motif A and CE3 sequence were required not only for ABA-responsiveness but also for VP1 activation. Since the sequences of motif A and CE3 were found to be similar, motif-exchange experiments were carried out. The experiments demonstrated that motif A and CE3 were interchangeable by each other with respect to both ABA and VP1 regulation. In addition, both sequences were shown to be recognized by a VP1-interacting, ABA-responsive bZIP factor TRAB1. These results indicate that ACGT-containing ABREs and CE3 are functionally equivalent cis-acting elements. Furthermore, TRAB1 was shown to bind two other non-ACGT ABREs. Based on these results, all these ABREs including CE3 are proposed to be categorized into a single class of cis-acting elements.

Integrating Responsive Building Elements in Buildings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haase, Matthias; Amato, Alex; Heiselberg, Per

2006-01-01

energy strategies to develop guidelines and procedures for estimation of environmental performance of responsive building elements and integrated building concepts This paper introduces the ideas of this collaborative work and discusses its usefulness for Hong Kong and China. Special focus was put...

Transcriptomic profiling-based mutant screen reveals three new transcription factors mediating menadione resistance in Neurospora crassa.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Jufen; Yu, Xinxu; Xie, Baogui; Gu, Xiaokui; Zhang, Zhenying; Li, Shaojie

2013-06-01

To gain insight into the regulatory mechanisms of oxidative stress responses in filamentous fungi, the genome-wide transcriptional response of Neurospora crassa to menadione was analysed by digital gene expression (DGE) profiling, which identified 779 upregulated genes and 576 downregulated genes. Knockout mutants affecting 130 highly-upregulated genes were tested for menadione sensitivity, which revealed that loss of the transcription factor siderophore regulation (SRE) (a transcriptional repressor for siderophore biosynthesis), catatase-3, cytochrome c peroxidase or superoxide dismutase 1 copper chaperone causes hypersensitivity to menadione. Deletion of sre dramatically increased transcription of the siderophore biosynthesis gene ono and the siderophore iron transporter gene sit during menadione stress, suggesting that SRE is required for repression of iron uptake under oxidative stress conditions. Contrary to its phenotype, the sre deletion mutant showed higher transcriptional levels of genes encoding reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers than wild type during menadione stress, which implies that the mutant suffers a higher level of oxidative stress than wild type. Uncontrolled iron uptake in the sre mutant might exacerbate cellular oxidative stress. This is the first report of a negative regulator of iron assimilation participating in the fungal oxidative stress response. In addition to SRE, eight other transcription factor genes were also menadione-responsive but their single gene knockout mutants showed wild-type menadione sensitivity. Two of them, named as mit-2 (menadione induced transcription factor-2) and mit-4 (menadione induced transcription factor-4), were selected for double mutant analysis. The double mutant was hypersensitive to menadione. Similarly, the double mutation of mit-2 and sre also had additive effects on menadione sensitivity, suggesting multiple transcription factors mediate oxidative stress resistance in an additive manner

Response Surface Methodology and Aspen Plus Integration for the Simulation of the Catalytic Steam Reforming of Ethanol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bernay Cifuentes

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The steam reforming of ethanol (SRE on a bimetallic RhPt/CeO2 catalyst was evaluated by the integration of Response Surface Methodology (RSM and Aspen Plus (version 9.0, Aspen Tech, Burlington, MA, USA, 2016. First, the effect of the Rh–Pt weight ratio (1:0, 3:1, 1:1, 1:3, and 0:1 on the performance of SRE on RhPt/CeO2 was assessed between 400 to 700 °C with a stoichiometric steam/ethanol molar ratio of 3. RSM enabled modeling of the system and identification of a maximum of 4.2 mol H2/mol EtOH (700 °C with the Rh0.4Pt0.4/CeO2 catalyst. The mathematical models were integrated into Aspen Plus through Excel in order to simulate a process involving SRE, H2 purification, and electricity production in a fuel cell (FC. An energy sensitivity analysis of the process was performed in Aspen Plus, and the information obtained was used to generate new response surfaces. The response surfaces demonstrated that an increase in H2 production requires more energy consumption in the steam reforming of ethanol. However, increasing H2 production rebounds in more energy production in the fuel cell, which increases the overall efficiency of the system. The minimum H2 yield needed to make the system energetically sustainable was identified as 1.2 mol H2/mol EtOH. According to the results of the integration of RSM models into Aspen Plus, the system using Rh0.4Pt0.4/CeO2 can produce a maximum net energy of 742 kJ/mol H2, of which 40% could be converted into electricity in the FC (297 kJ/mol H2 produced. The remaining energy can be recovered as heat.

Prospective study of serial 18F-FDG PET and 18F-fluoride (18F-NaF) PET to predict time to skeletal related events, time-to-progression, and survival in patients with bone-dominant metastatic breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Lanell M; O'Sullivan, Janet; Wu, Qian Vicky; Novakova-Jiresova, Alena; Jenkins, Isaac; Lee, Jean H; Shields, Andrew; Montgomery, Susan; Linden, Hannah M; Gralow, Julie R; Gadi, Vijayakrishna K; Muzi, Mark; Kinahan, Paul E; Mankoff, David A; Specht, Jennifer M

2018-05-10

Assessing therapy response of breast cancer bone metastases is challenging. In retrospective studies, serial 18 F-FDG PET was predictive of time to skeletal related events (tSRE) and time-to-progression (TTP). 18 F-NaF PET improves bone metastasis detection compared to bone scans. We prospectively tested 18 F-FDG PET and 18 F-NaF PET to predict tSRE, TTP, and overall survival (OS) in patients with bone-dominant metastatic breast cancer (BD MBC). Methods: Patients with BD MBC were imaged with 18 F-FDG PET and 18 F-NaF PET prior to starting new therapy (scan1) and again at a range of times centered around approximately 4 months later (scan2). SUV max and SULpeak were recorded for a single index lesion and up to 5 most dominant lesions for each scan. tSRE, TTP, and OS were assessed exclusive of the PET images. Univariate Cox regression was performed to test the association between clinical endpoints and 18 F-FDG PET and 18 F-NaF PET measures. mPERCIST (Modified PET Response Criteria in Solid Tumors) criteria were also applied. Survival curves for mPERCIST compared response categories of Complete Response+Partial Response+Stable Disease versus Progressive Disease (CR+PR+SD vs PD) for tSRE, TTP, and OS. Results: Twenty-eight patients were evaluated. Higher FDG SULpeak at scan2 predicted shorter time to tSRE ( P = PET mPERCIST, tSRE and TTP were longer in responders (CR, PR, or stable) compared to non-responders (PD) ( P = 0.007, 0.028 respectively), with a trend toward improved survival ( P = 0.1). An increase in the uptake between scans of up to 5 lesions by 18 F-NaF PET was associated with longer OS ( P = 0.027). Conclusion: Changes in 18 F-FDG PET parameters during therapy are predictive of tSRE and TTP, but not OS. mPERCIST evaluation in bone lesions may be useful in assessing response to therapy and is worthy of evaluation in multicenter, prospective trials. Serial 18 F-NaF PET was associated with OS, but was not useful for predicting TTP or tSRE in BD MBC

Characteristic and analysis of structural elements of corporate social responsibility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. S. Bilonog

2015-04-01

Full Text Available In this article attention is focused on social responsibility of business and on necessity to estimate its condition in Ukraine. Materials regarding elements and the principles of corporate social responsibility are structured. On this basis unification of quantitative elements of business social responsibility is offered according to which it is possible to carry out the analysis of the non­financial reporting. It is proposed to use not only quantitative techniques of data analysis but also refer to the qualitative ones. As a result of this, the analysis of social reports will be more productive and would minimize subjectivity of the researcher or representatives of the company which are responsible for presenting the information to the general public. The basic principles by which the companies can realize the strategy of corporate social responsibility are considered. Due to the empirical analysis of corporate reports expediency to use specified elements is proved. Reports of the companies in producing and non­productive sector are analyzed in more detail; features of displaying information on corporate social responsibility are defined. The attention to need of carrying out monitoring researches in the sphere of the corporate social reporting is updated.

Generation of an efficient artificial promoter of bovine skeletal muscle α-actin gene (ACTA1) through addition of cis-acting element.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Qian; Tong, Huili; Zhao, Dandan; Cao, Yunkao; Zhang, Weiwei; Chang, Shuwei; Yang, Yu; Yan, Yunqin

2015-03-01

The promoter of skeletal muscle α-actin gene (ACTA1) is highly muscle specific. The core of the bovine ACTA1 promoter extends from +29 to -233, about 262 base pairs (bp), which is sufficient to activate transcription in bovine muscle satellite cells. In this study, analysis by PCR site-specific mutagenesis showed that the cis-acting element SRE (serum response element binding factor) was processed as a transcriptional activator. In order to enhance the bovine ACTA1 promoter's activity, we used a strategy to modify it. We cloned a fragment containing three SREs from the promoter of ACTA1, and then one or two clones were linked upstream of the core promoter (262 bp) of ACTA1. One and two clones increased the activity of the ACTA1 promoter 3-fold and 10-fold, respectively, and maintained muscle tissue specificity. The modified promoter with two clones could increase the level of ACTA1 mRNA and protein 4-fold and 1.1-fold, respectively. Immunofluorescence results showed that green fluorescence of ACTA1 increased. Additionally, the number of total muscle microfilaments increased. These genetically engineered promoters might be useful for regulating gene expression in muscle cells and improving muscle mass in livestock.

Honokiol reverses alcoholic fatty liver by inhibiting the maturation of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c and the expression of its downstream lipogenesis genes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yin Huquan; Kim, Youn-Chul; Chung, Young-Suk; Kim, Young-Chul; Shin, Young-Kee; Lee, Byung-Hoon

2009-01-01

Ethanol induces hepatic steatosis via a complex mechanism that is not well understood. Among the variety of molecules that have been proposed to participate in this mechanism, the sterol regulatory element (SRE)-binding proteins (SREBPs) have been identified as attractive targets for therapeutic intervention. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of honokiol on alcoholic steatosis and investigated its possible effect on the inhibition of SREBP-1c maturation. In in vitro studies, H4IIEC3 rat hepatoma cells developed increased lipid droplets when exposed to ethanol, but co-treatment with honokiol reversed this effect. Honokiol inhibited the maturation of SREBP-1c and its translocation to the nucleus, the binding of nSREBP-1c to SRE or SRE-related sequences of its lipogenic target genes, and the expression of genes for fatty acid synthesis. In contrast, magnolol, a structural isomer of honokiol, had no effect on nSREBP-1c levels. Male Wistar rats fed with a standard Lieber-DeCarli ethanol diet for 4 weeks exhibited increased hepatic triglyceride and decreased hepatic glutathione levels, with concomitantly increased serum alanine aminotransferase and TNF-α levels. Daily administration of honokiol (10 mg/kg body weight) by gavage during the final 2 weeks of ethanol treatment completely reversed these effects on hepatotoxicity markers, including hepatic triglyceride, hepatic glutathione, and serum TNF-α, with efficacious abrogation of fat accumulation in the liver. Inhibition of SREBP-1c protein maturation and of the expression of Srebf1c and its target genes for hepatic lipogenesis were also observed in vivo. A chromatin immunoprecipitation assay demonstrated inhibition of specific binding of SREBP-1c to the Fas promoter by honokiol in vivo. These results demonstrate that honokiol has the potential to ameliorate alcoholic steatosis by blocking fatty acid synthesis regulated by SREBP-1c

State-of-the-art Review : Vol. 2A. Responsive Building Elements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blümel, Ernst; Haghighat, Fariborz; Li, Yuguo

This report resumes and presents the activity done in Subtask A of IEA-ECBCS Annex 44 “Integrating Environmentally Responsive Elements in Buildings” concerning the state of the art review of Responsive Building Elements. It is based on the contributions from the participating countries...... at researchers in the field and gives an overview of how these elements work together with available performance data. It is hoped, that this report will be helpful for researchers in their search for new solutions to the problem of designing and constructing sustainable buildings....

Specificity determinants for the abscisic acid response element ?

OpenAIRE

Sarkar, Aditya Kumar; Lahiri, Ansuman

2013-01-01

Abscisic acid (ABA) response elements (ABREs) are a group of cis-acting DNA elements that have been identified from promoter analysis of many ABA-regulated genes in plants. We are interested in understanding the mechanism of binding specificity between ABREs and a class of bZIP transcription factors known as ABRE binding factors (ABFs). In this work, we have modeled the homodimeric structure of the bZIP domain of ABRE binding factor 1 from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtABF1) and studied its interac...

3-dimensional earthquake response analysis of embedded reactor building using hybrid model of boundary elements and finite elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muto, K.; Motosaka, M.; Kamata, M.; Masuda, K.; Urao, K.; Mameda, T.

1985-01-01

In order to investigate the 3-dimensional earthquake response characteristics of an embedded structure with consideration for soil-structure interaction, the authors have developed an analytical method using 3-dimensional hybrid model of boundary elements (BEM) and finite elements (FEM) and have conducted a dynamic analysis of an actual nuclear reactor building. This paper describes a comparative study between two different embedment depths in soil as elastic half-space. As the results, it was found that the earthquake response intensity decreases with the increase of the embedment depth and that this method was confirmed to be effective for investigating the 3-D response characteristics of embedded structures such as deflection pattern of each floor level, floor response spectra in high frequency range. (orig.)

A Multi-Element Ultrasonic Ranging Array

Science.gov (United States)

1985-01-01

of local tehiperature, in degrees Rankine (degrees Farenheit + 460 degrees). At 70 degrees F: c = 49.018 V ^60 + 70 = 1128 ft/sec At 30 degrees F...the RS-232. When acknowledged, the ranges sre sequentially dumped out the serial interface and placed by the Scheduler in Page Zero indexed storage...served, such as collision avoidance or object tracking, where absolute accuracies are not as important as is relative information

Prediction of transcriptional regulatory elements for plant hormone responses based on microarray data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yamaguchi-Shinozaki Kazuko

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Phytohormones organize plant development and environmental adaptation through cell-to-cell signal transduction, and their action involves transcriptional activation. Recent international efforts to establish and maintain public databases of Arabidopsis microarray data have enabled the utilization of this data in the analysis of various phytohormone responses, providing genome-wide identification of promoters targeted by phytohormones. Results We utilized such microarray data for prediction of cis-regulatory elements with an octamer-based approach. Our test prediction of a drought-responsive RD29A promoter with the aid of microarray data for response to drought, ABA and overexpression of DREB1A, a key regulator of cold and drought response, provided reasonable results that fit with the experimentally identified regulatory elements. With this succession, we expanded the prediction to various phytohormone responses, including those for abscisic acid, auxin, cytokinin, ethylene, brassinosteroid, jasmonic acid, and salicylic acid, as well as for hydrogen peroxide, drought and DREB1A overexpression. Totally 622 promoters that are activated by phytohormones were subjected to the prediction. In addition, we have assigned putative functions to 53 octamers of the Regulatory Element Group (REG that have been extracted as position-dependent cis-regulatory elements with the aid of their feature of preferential appearance in the promoter region. Conclusions Our prediction of Arabidopsis cis-regulatory elements for phytohormone responses provides guidance for experimental analysis of promoters to reveal the basis of the transcriptional network of phytohormone responses.

A retinoic acid response element that overlaps an estrogen response element mediates multihormonal sensitivity in transcriptional activation of the lactoferrin gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, M O; Liu, Y; Zhang, X K

1995-08-01

The lactoferrin gene is highly expressed in many different tissues, and its expression is controlled by different regulators. In this report, we have defined a retinoic acid response element (RARE) in the 5'-flanking region of the lactoferrin gene promoter. The lactoferrin-RARE is composed of two AGGTCA-like motifs arranged as a direct repeat with 1-bp spacing (DR-1). A gel retardation assay demonstrated that it bound strongly with retinoid X receptor (RXR) homodimers and RXR-retinoic acid receptor (RAR) heterodimers as well as chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor (COUP-TF) orphan receptor. In CV-1 cells, the lactoferrin-RARE linked with a heterologous thymidine kinase promoter was strongly activated by RXR homodimers in response to 9-cis-retinoic acid (9-cis-RA) but not to all-trans-RA. When the COUP-TF orphan receptor was cotransfected, the 9-cis-RA-induced RXR homodimer activity was strongly repressed. A unique feature of the lactoferrin-RARE is that it has an AGGTCA-like motif in common with an estrogen-responsive element (ERE). The composite RARE/ERE contributes to the functional interaction between retinoid receptors and the estrogen receptor (ER) and their ligands. In CV-1 cells, cotransfection of the retinoid and estrogen receptors led to mutual inhibition of the other's activity, while an RA-dependent inhibition of ER activity was observed in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, the lactoferrin-RARE/ERE showed differential transactivation activity in different cell types. RAs could activate the lactoferrin-RARE/ERE in human leukemia HL-60 cells and U937 cells but not in human breast cancer cells. By gel retardation analyses, we demonstrated that strong binding of the endogenous COUP-TF in breast cancer cells to the composite element contributed to diminished RA response in these cells. Thus, the lactoferrin-RARE/ERE functions as a signaling switch module that mediates multihormonal responsiveness in the regulation of lactoferrin gene

Spectral response of multi-element silicon detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ludewigt, B.A.; Rossington, C.S.; Chapman, K. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

1997-04-01

Multi-element silicon strip detectors, in conjunction with integrated circuit pulse-processing electronics, offer an attractive alternative to conventional lithium-drifted silicon Si(Li) and high purity germanium detectors (HPGe) for high count rate, low noise synchrotron x-ray fluorescence applications. One of the major differences between the segmented Si detectors and the commercially available single-element Si(Li) or HPGe detectors is that hundreds of elements can be fabricated on a single Si substrate using standard silicon processing technologies. The segmentation of the detector substrate into many small elements results in very low noise performance at or near, room temperature, and the count rate of the detector is increased many-fold due to the multiplication in the total number of detectors. Traditionally, a single channel of detector with electronics can handle {approximately}100 kHz count rates while maintaining good energy resolution; the segmented detectors can operate at greater than MHz count rates merely due to the multiplication in the number of channels. One of the most critical aspects in the development of the segmented detectors is characterizing the charge sharing and charge loss that occur between the individual detector strips, and determining how these affect the spectral response of the detectors.

Elements of a national emergency response system for nuclear accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dickerson, M.H.

1987-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to suggest elements for a general emergency response system, employed at a national level, to detect, evaluate and assess the consequences of a radiological atmospheric release occurring within or outside of national boundaries. These elements are focused on the total aspect of emergency response ranging from providing an initial alarm to a total assessment of the environmental and health effects. Elements of the emergency response system are described in such a way that existing resources can be directly applied if appropriate; if not, newly developed or an expansion of existing resources can be employed. The major thrust of this paper is toward a philosophical discussion and general description of resources that would be required to implementation. If the major features of this proposal system are judged desirable for implementation, then the next level of detail can be added. The philosophy underlying this paper is preparedness - preparedness through planning, awareness and the application of technology. More specifically, it is establishment of reasonable guidelines including the definition of reference and protective action levels for public exposure to accidents involving nuclear material; education of the public, government officials and the news media; and the application of models and measurements coupled to computer systems to address a series of questions related to emergency planning, response and assessment. It is the role of a proven national emergency response system to provide reliable, quality-controlled information to decision makers for the management of environmental crises

ABFs, a family of ABA-responsive element binding factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, H; Hong, J; Ha, J; Kang, J; Kim, S Y

2000-01-21

Abscisic acid (ABA) plays an important role in environmental stress responses of higher plants during vegetative growth. One of the ABA-mediated responses is the induced expression of a large number of genes, which is mediated by cis-regulatory elements known as abscisic acid-responsive elements (ABREs). Although a number of ABRE binding transcription factors have been known, they are not specifically from vegetative tissues under induced conditions. Considering the tissue specificity of ABA signaling pathways, factors mediating ABA-dependent stress responses during vegetative growth phase may thus have been unidentified so far. Here, we report a family of ABRE binding factors isolated from young Arabidopsis plants under stress conditions. The factors, isolated by a yeast one-hybrid system using a prototypical ABRE and named as ABFs (ABRE binding factors) belong to a distinct subfamily of bZIP proteins. Binding site selection assay performed with one ABF showed that its preferred binding site is the strong ABRE, CACGTGGC. ABFs can transactivate an ABRE-containing reporter gene in yeast. Expression of ABFs is induced by ABA and various stress treatments, whereas their induction patterns are different from one another. Thus, a new family of ABRE binding factors indeed exists that have the potential to activate a large number of ABA/stress-responsive genes in Arabidopsis.

Sterols regulate 3β-hydroxysterol Δ24-reductase (DHCR24) via dual sterol regulatory elements: cooperative induction of key enzymes in lipid synthesis by Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Zerenturk, Eser J; Sharpe, Laura J; Brown, Andrew J

2012-10-01

3β-Hydroxysterol Δ24-reductase (DHCR24) catalyzes a final step in cholesterol synthesis, and has been ascribed diverse functions, such as being anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory. How this enzyme is regulated transcriptionally by sterols is currently unclear. Some studies have suggested that its expression is regulated by Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Proteins (SREBPs) while another suggests it is through the Liver X Receptor (LXR). However, these transcription factors have opposing effects on cellular sterol levels, so it is likely that one predominates. Here we establish that sterol regulation of DHCR24 occurs predominantly through SREBP-2, and identify the particular region of the DHCR24 promoter to which SREBP-2 binds. We demonstrate that sterol regulation is mediated by two sterol regulatory elements (SREs) in the promoter of the gene, assisted by two nearby NF-Y binding sites. Moreover, we present evidence that the dual SREs work cooperatively to regulate DHCR24 expression by comparison to two known SREBP target genes, the LDL receptor with one SRE, and farnesyl-diphosphate farnesyltransferase 1, with two SREs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of Large Negative Phase of Blast Loading on Structural Response of RC Elements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Syed Zubair Iman

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Structural response of reinforced concrete (RC elements for analysis and design are often obtained using the positive phase of the blast pressure curve disregarding the negative phase assuming insignificant contribution from the negative phase of the loading. Although, some insight on the effect of negative phase of blast pressure based on elastic single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF analysis was presented before, the influence of negative phase on different types of resistance functions of SDOF models and on realistic finite element analysis has not been explored. In this study, the effects of inclusion of pulse negative phase on structural response of RC elements from SDOF analysis and from more detailed finite element analysis have been investigated. Investigation of SDOF part has been conducted using MATLAB code that utilizes non-linear resistance functions of SDOF model. Detailed numerical investigation using finite element code DIANA was conducted on the significance of the negative phase on structural response. In the FE model, different support stiffness was used to explore the effect of support stiffness on the structural response due to blast negative phase. Results from SDOF and FE analyses present specific situations where the effect of large negative phase was found to be significant on the structural response of RC elements.

33 CFR Appendix C to Part 155 - Training Elements for Oil Spill Response Plans

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

.... 155, App. C Appendix C to Part 155—Training Elements for Oil Spill Response Plans 1. General 1.1The portion of the plan dealing with training is one of the key elements of a response plan. This concept is... included training as one of the sections required in a vessel or facility response plan. In reviewing...

Assessment of hypoxia and TNF-alpha response by a vector with HRE and NF-kappaB response elements.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhilin; Eadie, Ashley L; Hall, Sean R; Ballantyne, Laurel; Ademidun, David; Tse, M Yat; Pang, Stephen C; Melo, Luis G; Ward, Christopher A; Brunt, Keith R

2017-01-01

Hypoxia and inflammatory cytokine activation (H&I) are common processes in many acute and chronic diseases. Thus, a single vector that responds to both hypoxia and inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-alpha, is useful for assesing the severity of such diseases. Adaptation to hypoxia is regulated primarily by hypoxia inducible transcription factor (HIF alpha) nuclear proteins that engage genes containing a hypoxia response element (HRE). Inflammation activates a multitude of cytokines, including TNF-alpha, that invariably modulate activation of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) transcription factor. We constructed a vector that encompassed both a hypoxia response element (HRE), and a NF-kappaB responsive element. We show that this vector was functionally responsive to both hypoxia and TNF-alpha, in vitro and in vivo . Thus, this vector might be suitable for the detection and assessment of hypoxia or TNF-alpha.

Hormone response element binding proteins: novel regulators of vitamin D and estrogen signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Lisse, Thomas S; Hewison, Martin; Adams, John S

2011-03-01

Insights from vitamin D-resistant New World primates and their human homologues as models of natural and pathological insensitivity to sterol/steroid action have uncovered a family of novel intracellular vitamin D and estrogen regulatory proteins involved in hormone action. The proteins, known as "vitamin D or estrogen response element-binding proteins", behave as potent cis-acting, transdominant regulators to inhibit steroid receptor binding to DNA response elements and is responsible for vitamin D and estrogen resistances. This set of interactors belongs to the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) family of previously known pre-mRNA-interacting proteins. This review provides new insights into the mechanism by which these novel regulators of signaling and metabolism can act to regulate responses to vitamin D and estrogen. In addition the review also describes other molecules that are known to influence nuclear receptor signaling through interaction with hormone response elements. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Functional analysis of the stress response element and its role in the multistress response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Treger, J M; Magee, T R; McEntee, K

1998-02-04

The DDR2 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a multistress response gene whose transcription is rapidly and strongly induced by a diverse array of xenobiotic agents, and environmental and physiological conditions. The multistress response of this gene requires the pentanucleotide, 5' CCCCT, (C4T;STRE (STress Response Element)) and the zinc-finger transcription factors, Msn2p and Msn4p. A 51bp oligonucleotide (oligo 31/32) containing two STREs from the DDR2 promoter region was previously shown to direct heat shock activation of a lacZ reporter gene. In this work we demonstrate that the same element conferred a complete multistress response to an E. coli galK reporter gene introduced into yeast cells. A variant oligonucleotide in which both the STRE spacing and neighboring sequences were altered responded to the same spectrum of stresses, while substitution of nucleotides within the pentanucleotide completely abolished the multistress response. These results directly demonstrate that STREs are not only necessary but are sufficient for mediating a transcriptional response to a surprisingly diverse set of environmental and physiological conditions.

33 CFR Appendix D to Part 154 - Training Elements for Oil Spill Response Plans

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Appendix D to Part 154—Training Elements for Oil Spill Response Plans 1. General 1.1The portion of the plan dealing with training is one of the key elements of a response plan. This concept is clearly expressed by... that the plans often do not provide sufficient information in the training section of the plan for...

Antioxidant response elements: Discovery, classes, regulation and potential applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azhwar Raghunath

2018-07-01

Full Text Available Exposure to antioxidants and xenobiotics triggers the expression of a myriad of genes encoding antioxidant proteins, detoxifying enzymes, and xenobiotic transporters to offer protection against oxidative stress. This articulated universal mechanism is regulated through the cis-acting elements in an array of Nrf2 target genes called antioxidant response elements (AREs, which play a critical role in redox homeostasis. Though the Keap1/Nrf2/ARE system involves many players, AREs hold the key in transcriptional regulation of cytoprotective genes. ARE-mediated reporter constructs have been widely used, including xenobiotics profiling and Nrf2 activator screening. The complexity of AREs is brought by the presence of other regulatory elements within the AREs. The diversity in the ARE sequences not only bring regulatory selectivity of diverse transcription factors, but also confer functional complexity in the Keap1/Nrf2/ARE pathway. The different transcription factors either homodimerize or heterodimerize to bind the AREs. Depending on the nature of partners, they may activate or suppress the transcription. Attention is required for deeper mechanistic understanding of ARE-mediated gene regulation. The computational methods of identification and analysis of AREs are still in their infancy. Investigations are required to know whether epigenetics mechanism plays a role in the regulation of genes mediated through AREs. The polymorphisms in the AREs leading to oxidative stress related diseases are warranted. A thorough understanding of AREs will pave the way for the development of therapeutic agents against cancer, neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, metabolic and other diseases with oxidative stress. Keywords: Antioxidant response elements, Antioxidant genes, ARE-reporter constructs, ARE SNPs, Keap1/Nrf2/ARE pathway, Oxidative stress

Molecular analysis of UAS(E), a cis element containing stress response elements responsible for ethanol induction of the KlADH4 gene of Kluyveromyces lactis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzoni, C; Santori, F; Saliola, M; Falcone, C

2000-01-01

KlADH4 is a gene of Kluyveromyces lactis encoding a mitochondrial alcohol dehydrogenase activity, which is specifically induced by ethanol and insensitive to glucose repression. In this work, we report the molecular analysis of UAS(E), an element of the KlADH4 promoter which is essential for the induction of KlADH4 in the presence of ethanol. UAS(E) contains five stress response elements (STREs), which have been found in many genes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae involved in the response of cells to conditions of stress. Whereas KlADH4 is not responsive to stress conditions, the STREs present in UAS(E) seem to play a key role in the induction of the gene by ethanol, a situation that has not been observed in the related yeast S. cerevisiae. Gel retardation experiments showed that STREs in the KlADH4 promoter can bind factor(s) under non-inducing conditions. Moreover, we observed that the RAP1 binding site present in UAS(E) binds KlRap1p.

SREBP controls oxygen-dependent mobilization of retrotransposons in fission yeast.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alfica Sehgal

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Retrotransposons are mobile genetic elements that proliferate through an RNA intermediate. Transposons do not encode transcription factors and thus rely on host factors for mRNA expression and survival. Despite information regarding conditions under which elements are upregulated, much remains to be learned about the regulatory mechanisms or factors controlling retrotransposon expression. Here, we report that low oxygen activates the fission yeast Tf2 family of retrotransposons. Sre1, the yeast ortholog of the mammalian membrane-bound transcription factor sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP, directly induces the expression and mobilization of Tf2 retrotransposons under low oxygen. Sre1 binds to DNA sequences in the Tf2 long terminal repeat that functions as an oxygen-dependent promoter. We find that Tf2 solo long terminal repeats throughout the genome direct oxygen-dependent expression of adjacent coding and noncoding sequences, providing a potential mechanism for the generation of oxygen-dependent gene expression.

Finite element simulation of impact response of wire mesh screens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Caizheng

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the response of wire mesh screens to low velocity impact with blunt objects is investigated using finite element (FE simulation. The woven wire mesh is modelled with homogeneous shell elements with equivalent smeared mechanical properties. The mechanical behaviour of the woven wire mesh was determined experimentally with tensile tests on steel wire mesh coupons to generate the data for the smeared shell material used in the FE. The effects of impacts with a low mass (4 kg and a large mass (40 kg providing the same impact energy are studied. The joint between the wire mesh screen and the aluminium frame surrounding it is modelled using contact elements with friction between the corresponding elements. Damage to the screen of different types compromising its structural integrity, such as mesh separation and pulling out from the surrounding frame is modelled. The FE simulation is validated with results of impact tests conducted on woven steel wire screen meshes.

Zinc finger transcription factors displaced SREBP proteins as the major Sterol regulators during Saccharomycotina evolution.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah L Maguire

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In most eukaryotes, including the majority of fungi, expression of sterol biosynthesis genes is regulated by Sterol-Regulatory Element Binding Proteins (SREBPs, which are basic helix-loop-helix transcription activators. However, in yeasts such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans sterol synthesis is instead regulated by Upc2, an unrelated transcription factor with a Gal4-type zinc finger. The SREBPs in S. cerevisiae (Hms1 and C. albicans (Cph2 have lost a domain, are not major regulators of sterol synthesis, and instead regulate filamentous growth. We report here that rewiring of the sterol regulon, with Upc2 taking over from SREBP, likely occurred in the common ancestor of all Saccharomycotina. Yarrowia lipolytica, a deep-branching species, is the only genome known to contain intact and full-length orthologs of both SREBP (Sre1 and Upc2. Deleting YlUPC2, but not YlSRE1, confers susceptibility to azole drugs. Sterol levels are significantly reduced in the YlUPC2 deletion. RNA-seq analysis shows that hypoxic regulation of sterol synthesis genes in Y. lipolytica is predominantly mediated by Upc2. However, YlSre1 still retains a role in hypoxic regulation; growth of Y. lipolytica in hypoxic conditions is reduced in a Ylupc2 deletion and is abolished in a Ylsre1/Ylupc2 double deletion, and YlSre1 regulates sterol gene expression during hypoxia adaptation. We show that YlSRE1, and to a lesser extent YlUPC2, are required for switching from yeast to filamentous growth in hypoxia. Sre1 appears to have an ancestral role in the regulation of filamentation, which became decoupled from its role in sterol gene regulation by the arrival of Upc2 in the Saccharomycotina.

Zinc Finger Transcription Factors Displaced SREBP Proteins as the Major Sterol Regulators during Saccharomycotina Evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Maguire, Sarah L.; Wang, Can; Holland, Linda M.; Brunel, François; Neuvéglise, Cécile; Nicaud, Jean-Marc; Zavrel, Martin; White, Theodore C.; Wolfe, Kenneth H.; Butler, Geraldine

2014-01-01

In most eukaryotes, including the majority of fungi, expression of sterol biosynthesis genes is regulated by Sterol-Regulatory Element Binding Proteins (SREBPs), which are basic helix-loop-helix transcription activators. However, in yeasts such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans sterol synthesis is instead regulated by Upc2, an unrelated transcription factor with a Gal4-type zinc finger. The SREBPs in S. cerevisiae (Hms1) and C. albicans (Cph2) have lost a domain, are not major regulators of sterol synthesis, and instead regulate filamentous growth. We report here that rewiring of the sterol regulon, with Upc2 taking over from SREBP, likely occurred in the common ancestor of all Saccharomycotina. Yarrowia lipolytica, a deep-branching species, is the only genome known to contain intact and full-length orthologs of both SREBP (Sre1) and Upc2. Deleting YlUPC2, but not YlSRE1, confers susceptibility to azole drugs. Sterol levels are significantly reduced in the YlUPC2 deletion. RNA-seq analysis shows that hypoxic regulation of sterol synthesis genes in Y. lipolytica is predominantly mediated by Upc2. However, YlSre1 still retains a role in hypoxic regulation; growth of Y. lipolytica in hypoxic conditions is reduced in a Ylupc2 deletion and is abolished in a Ylsre1/Ylupc2 double deletion, and YlSre1 regulates sterol gene expression during hypoxia adaptation. We show that YlSRE1, and to a lesser extent YlUPC2, are required for switching from yeast to filamentous growth in hypoxia. Sre1 appears to have an ancestral role in the regulation of filamentation, which became decoupled from its role in sterol gene regulation by the arrival of Upc2 in the Saccharomycotina. PMID:24453983

Altered response hierarchy and increased T-cell breadth upon HIV-1 conserved element DNA vaccination in macaques.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viraj Kulkarni

Full Text Available HIV sequence diversity and potential decoy epitopes are hurdles in the development of an effective AIDS vaccine. A DNA vaccine candidate comprising of highly conserved p24(gag elements (CE induced robust immunity in all 10 vaccinated macaques, whereas full-length gag DNA vaccination elicited responses to these conserved elements in only 5 of 11 animals, targeting fewer CE per animal. Importantly, boosting CE-primed macaques with DNA expressing full-length p55(gag increased both magnitude of CE responses and breadth of Gag immunity, demonstrating alteration of the hierarchy of epitope recognition in the presence of pre-existing CE-specific responses. Inclusion of a conserved element immunogen provides a novel and effective strategy to broaden responses against highly diverse pathogens by avoiding decoy epitopes, while focusing responses to critical viral elements for which few escape pathways exist.

Regulatory elements in vivo in the promoter of the abscisic acid responsive gene rab17 from maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Busk, P K; Jensen, A B; Pagès, M

1997-06-01

The rab17 gene from maize is transcribed in late embryonic development and is responsive to abscisic acid and water stress in embryo and vegetative tissues. In vivo footprinting and transient transformation of rab17 were performed in embryos and vegetative tissues to characterize the cis-elements involved in regulation of the gene. By in vivo footprinting, protein binding was observed to nine elements in the promoter, which correspond to five putative ABREs (abscisic acid responsive elements) and four other sequences. The footprints indicated that distinct proteins interact with these elements in the two developmental stages. In transient transformation, six of the elements were important for high level expression of the rab17 promoter in embryos, whereas only three elements were important in leaves. The cis-acting sequences can be divided in embryo-specific, ABA-specific and leaf-specific elements on the basis of protein binding and the ability to confer expression of rab17. We found one positive, new element, called GRA, with the sequence CACTGGCCGCCC. This element was important for transcription in leaves but not in embryos. Two other non-ABRE elements that stimulated transcription from the rab17 promoter resemble previously described abscisic acid and drought-inducible elements. There were differences in protein binding and function of the five ABREs in the rab17 promoter. The possible reasons for these differences are discussed. The in vivo data obtained suggest that an embryo-specific pathway regulates transcription of the rab genes during development, whereas another pathway is responsible for induction in response to ABA and drought in vegetative tissues.

Surplus Facilities Management Program. Post remedial action survey report for the Sodium Reactor Experiment (SRE) facility, Santa Susana Field Laboratories, Rockwell International, Ventura County, California

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wynveen, R.A.; Smith, W.H.; Sholeen, C.M.; Flynn, K.F.; Justus, A.L.

1984-02-01

Decontamination of the Sodium Reactor Experiment (SRE) began in 1976 and was completed in 1982. In view of the concurrent and post-remedial-action surveys, the following conclusions can be stated. All the buildings and areas included in this decommissioning project have been decontaminated to below the limits specified in the draft ANSI Standard N13.12 and the NRC Guidelines for Decontamination of Facilities and Equipment Prior to Release for Unrestricted Use or Termination of Licenses for By-Product, Source, or Special Nuclear Material, dated July 1982. Radioactive contamination was found in appropriate access points of the sanitary sewer and storm drain systems included within the boundaries of this decommissioning project. One sample indicated a 90 Sr concentration dissolved in the water of approximately half the recommended water concentration for controlled areas and approximately 15 times the recommended water concentration for uncontrolled areas as stated in DOE-5480.1 Chg. 6, Chapter XI. Therefore, the interior inaccessible surfaces of these systems must be considered contaminated in accordance with statements found in the NRC Regulatory Guidelines issued in July 1982. Effluent from the outfall of this drain system must also be considered as being potentially contaminated. 1 reference, 32 figures, 8 tables

A retinoic acid response element that overlaps an estrogen response element mediates multihormonal sensitivity in transcriptional activation of the lactoferrin gene.

OpenAIRE

Lee, M O; Liu, Y; Zhang, X K

1995-01-01

The lactoferrin gene is highly expressed in many different tissues, and its expression is controlled by different regulators. In this report, we have defined a retinoic acid response element (RARE) in the 5'-flanking region of the lactoferrin gene promoter. The lactoferrin-RARE is composed of two AGGTCA-like motifs arranged as a direct repeat with 1-bp spacing (DR-1). A gel retardation assay demonstrated that it bound strongly with retinoid X receptor (RXR) homodimers and RXR-retinoic acid re...

Specificity determinants for the abscisic acid response element.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkar, Aditya Kumar; Lahiri, Ansuman

2013-01-01

Abscisic acid (ABA) response elements (ABREs) are a group of cis-acting DNA elements that have been identified from promoter analysis of many ABA-regulated genes in plants. We are interested in understanding the mechanism of binding specificity between ABREs and a class of bZIP transcription factors known as ABRE binding factors (ABFs). In this work, we have modeled the homodimeric structure of the bZIP domain of ABRE binding factor 1 from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtABF1) and studied its interaction with ACGT core motif-containing ABRE sequences. We have also examined the variation in the stability of the protein-DNA complex upon mutating ABRE sequences using the protein design algorithm FoldX. The high throughput free energy calculations successfully predicted the ability of ABF1 to bind to alternative core motifs like GCGT or AAGT and also rationalized the role of the flanking sequences in determining the specificity of the protein-DNA interaction.

1ST-ORDER NONADIABATIC COUPLING MATRIX-ELEMENTS FROM MULTICONFIGURATIONAL SELF-CONSISTENT-FIELD RESPONSE THEORY

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bak, Keld L.; Jørgensen, Poul; Jensen, H.J.A.

1992-01-01

A new scheme for obtaining first-order nonadiabatic coupling matrix elements (FO-NACME) for multiconfigurational self-consistent-field (MCSCF) wave functions is presented. The FO-NACME are evaluated from residues of linear response functions. The residues involve the geometrical response of a ref......A new scheme for obtaining first-order nonadiabatic coupling matrix elements (FO-NACME) for multiconfigurational self-consistent-field (MCSCF) wave functions is presented. The FO-NACME are evaluated from residues of linear response functions. The residues involve the geometrical response...... to the full configuration interaction limit. Comparisons are made with state-averaged MCSCF results for MgH2 and finite-difference configuration interaction by perturbation with multiconfigurational zeroth-order wave function reflected by interactive process (CIPSI) results for BH....

Seismic response of three-dimensional rockfill dams using the Indirect Boundary Element Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez-Sesma, Francisco J; Arellano-Guzman, Mauricio; Perez-Gavilan, Juan J; Suarez, Martha; Marengo-Mogollon, Humberto; Chaillat, Stephanie; Jaramillo, Juan Diego; Gomez, Juan; Iturraran-Viveros, Ursula; Rodriguez-Castellanos, Alejandro

2010-01-01

The Indirect Boundary Element Method (IBEM) is used to compute the seismic response of a three-dimensional rockfill dam model. The IBEM is based on a single layer integral representation of elastic fields in terms of the full-space Green function, or fundamental solution of the equations of dynamic elasticity, and the associated force densities along the boundaries. The method has been applied to simulate the ground motion in several configurations of surface geology. Moreover, the IBEM has been used as benchmark to test other procedures. We compute the seismic response of a three-dimensional rockfill dam model placed within a canyon that constitutes an irregularity on the surface of an elastic half-space. The rockfill is also assumed elastic with hysteretic damping to account for energy dissipation. Various types of incident waves are considered to analyze the physical characteristics of the response: symmetries, amplifications, impulse response and the like. Computations are performed in the frequency domain and lead to time response using Fourier analysis. In the present implementation a symmetrical model is used to test symmetries. The boundaries of each region are discretized into boundary elements whose size depends on the shortest wavelength, typically, six boundary segments per wavelength. Usually, the seismic response of rockfill dams is simulated using either finite elements (FEM) or finite differences (FDM). In most applications, commercial tools that combine features of these methods are used to assess the seismic response of the system for a given motion at the base of model. However, in order to consider realistic excitation of seismic waves with different incidence angles and azimuth we explore the IBEM.

An approach to unfold the response of a multi-element system using an artificial neural network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cordes, E.; Fehrenbacher, G.; Schuetz, R.; Sprunck, M.; Hahn, K.; Hofmann, R.; Wahl, W.

1998-01-01

An unfolding procedure is proposed which aims at obtaining spectral information of a neutron radiation field by the analysis of the response of a multi-element system consisting of converter type semiconductors. For the unfolding procedure an artificial neural network (feed forward network), trained by the back-propagation method, was used. The response functions of the single elements to neutron radiation were calculated by application of a computational model for an energy range from 10 -2 eV to 10 MeV. The training of the artificial neural network was based on the computation of responses of a six-element system for a set of 300 neutron spectra and the application of the back-propagation method. The validation was performed by the unfolding of 100 computed responses. Two unfolding examples were pointed out for the determination of the neutron spectra. The spectra resulting from the unfolding procedure agree well with the original spectra used for the response computation

Transcriptomic analysis of rice aleurone cells identified a novel abscisic acid response element.

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Kenneth A; Homayouni, Arielle; Gu, Lingkun; Huang, Kuan-Ying; Ho, Tuan-Hua David; Shen, Qingxi J

2017-09-01

Seeds serve as a great model to study plant responses to drought stress, which is largely mediated by abscisic acid (ABA). The ABA responsive element (ABRE) is a key cis-regulatory element in ABA signalling. However, its consensus sequence (ACGTG(G/T)C) is present in the promoters of only about 40% of ABA-induced genes in rice aleurone cells, suggesting other ABREs may exist. To identify novel ABREs, RNA sequencing was performed on aleurone cells of rice seeds treated with 20 μM ABA. Gibbs sampling was used to identify enriched elements, and particle bombardment-mediated transient expression studies were performed to verify the function. Gene ontology analysis was performed to predict the roles of genes containing the novel ABREs. This study revealed 2443 ABA-inducible genes and a novel ABRE, designated as ABREN, which was experimentally verified to mediate ABA signalling in rice aleurone cells. Many of the ABREN-containing genes are predicted to be involved in stress responses and transcription. Analysis of other species suggests that the ABREN may be monocot specific. This study also revealed interesting expression patterns of genes involved in ABA metabolism and signalling. Collectively, this study advanced our understanding of diverse cis-regulatory sequences and the transcriptomes underlying ABA responses in rice aleurone cells. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

IP3-dependent intracellular Ca2+ release is required for cAMP-induced c-fos expression in hippocampal neurons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Wenting; Tingare, Asmita; Ng, David Chi-Heng; Johnson, Hong W.; Schell, Michael J.; Lord, Rebecca L.; Chawla, Sangeeta

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► cAMP-induced c-fos expression in hippocampal neurons requires a submembraneous Ca 2+ pool. ► The submembraneous Ca 2+ pool derives from intracellular ER stores. ► Expression of IP 3 -metabolizing enzymes inhibits cAMP-induced c-fos expression. ► SRE-mediated and CRE-mediated gene expression is sensitive to IP 3 -metabolizing enzymes. ► Intracellular Ca 2+ release is required for cAMP-induced nuclear translocation of TORC1. -- Abstract: Ca 2+ and cAMP are widely used in concert by neurons to relay signals from the synapse to the nucleus, where synaptic activity modulates gene expression required for synaptic plasticity. Neurons utilize different transcriptional regulators to integrate information encoded in the spatiotemporal dynamics and magnitude of Ca 2+ and cAMP signals, including some that are Ca 2+ -responsive, some that are cAMP-responsive and some that detect coincident Ca 2+ and cAMP signals. Because Ca 2+ and cAMP can influence each other’s amplitude and spatiotemporal characteristics, we investigated how cAMP acts to regulate gene expression when increases in intracellular Ca 2+ are buffered. We show here that cAMP-mobilizing stimuli are unable to induce expression of the immediate early gene c-fos in hippocampal neurons in the presence of the intracellular Ca 2+ buffer BAPTA-AM. Expression of enzymes that attenuate intracellular IP 3 levels also inhibited cAMP-dependent c-fos induction. Synaptic activity induces c-fos transcription through two cis regulatory DNA elements – the CRE and the SRE. We show here that in response to cAMP both CRE-mediated and SRE-mediated induction of a luciferase reporter gene is attenuated by IP 3 metabolizing enzymes. Furthermore, cAMP-induced nuclear translocation of the CREB coactivator TORC1 was inhibited by depletion of intracellular Ca 2+ stores. Our data indicate that Ca 2+ release from IP 3 -sensitive pools is required for cAMP-induced transcription in hippocampal neurons.

Regulation of Nampt expression by transcriptional coactivator NCOA6 in pancreatic β-cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Jin; Lee, Kyung Jin; Oh, Gyun-Sik; Kim, Geun Hyang; Kim, Seung-Whan

2017-01-01

Nuclear receptor coactivator 6 (NCOA6) is a transcriptional coactivator and crucial for insulin secretion and glucose metabolism in pancreatic β-cells. However, the regulatory mechanism of β-cell function by NCOA6 is largely unknown. In this study, we found that the transcript levels of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt) were decreased in islets of NCOA6 +/− mice compared with NCOA6 +/+ mice. Moreover, NCOA6 overexpression increased the levels of Nampt transcripts in the mouse pancreatic β-cell line NIT-1. Promoter analyses showed that transcriptional activity of the Nampt promoter was stimulated by cooperation of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and NCOA6. Additional studies using mutant promoters demonstrated that SREBP-1c activates Nampt promoter through the sterol regulatory element (SRE), but not through the E-box. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, NCOA6 was also shown to be directly recruited to the SRE region of the Nampt promoter. Furthermore, treatment with nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a product of the Nampt reaction and a key NAD + intermediate, ameliorates glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from NCOA6 +/− islets. These results suggest that NCOA6 stimulates insulin secretion, at least partially, by modulating Nampt expression in pancreatic β-cells. - Highlights: • Nampt transcription in β-cells is activated by SREBP-1c through the SRE element. • NCOA6 enhances the transcriptional activity of SREBP-1c in the Nampt promoter. • Defective insulin secretion of NCOA6 +/− islets is recovered by NMN treatment. • NCOA6 is reportedly the first coactivator involved in Nampt expression.

Small Lesion Size Is Associated with Sleep-Related Epilepsy in Focal Cortical Dysplasia Type II

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Bo Jin

2018-02-01

Full Text Available ObjectiveTo investigate the neuroimaging and clinical features associated with sleep-related epilepsy (SRE in patients with focal cortical dysplasia (FCD type II.MethodsPatients with histopathologically proven FCD type II were included from three epilepsy centers. SRE was defined according to the video EEG findings and seizure history. Cortical surface reconstruction and volume calculation were performed using FreeSurfer. The lesions were manually delineated on T1 volumetric MRI using the ITK-SNAP software. The lesion volumes were normalized by the intracranial volume of each patient. The lesions were classified as small or large by placing a threshold based on quantitative (whether the lesion was detected on MRI report and qualitative (volume criteria.ResultsA total of 77 consecutive patients were included. Of them, 36 had SRE and 41 had non-SRE. An earlier age of epilepsy onset, high seizure frequency, regional interictal EEG findings, and favorable surgical outcome were characteristic in both groups. Small lesions were defined as those having a volume <3,217 mm3. In total, 60.9% of the patients with SRE (25/41 had small FCD lesion, which was significantly higher than the non-SRE group (9/34, 26.5%, p = 0.005. Small lesion size was the only predictor significantly associated with SRE in the overall type II group by multivariate analyses (p = 0.016. Although the proportion of patients who had frontal FCD and SRE was higher than non-frontal FCD (54.5 vs. 27.3%, p = 0.043, the relationship between SRE and lesion location was not confirmed by multivariate analysis. Thalamic volume and seizure semiology were not statistically different between the SRE and non-SRE group. The significant association between lesion size and SRE was reproducible in type IIb and IIa subgroups.SignificanceSRE is common in patients with FCD type II. Small FCD type II lesions are significantly associated with SRE. Although our findings cannot be applied to

Integrating Environmentally Responsive Elements in Buildings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heiselberg, Per

2006-01-01

Significant improvement have been achieved on efficiency improvements of specific building elements like the building envelope and building equipment and services and whilst most building elements still offer opportunities for efficiency improvements, the greatest future potential lie with techno......Significant improvement have been achieved on efficiency improvements of specific building elements like the building envelope and building equipment and services and whilst most building elements still offer opportunities for efficiency improvements, the greatest future potential lie...

Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins are regulators of the sodium/iodide symporter in mammary epithelial cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, G; Pachner, L I; Gessner, D K; Eder, K; Ringseis, R

2016-11-01

The sodium/iodide symporter (NIS), which is essential for iodide concentration in the thyroid, is reported to be transcriptionally regulated by sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBP) in rat FRTL-5 thyrocytes. The SREBP are strongly activated after parturition and throughout lactation in the mammary gland of cattle and are important for mammary epithelial cell synthesis of milk lipids. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the NIS gene is regulated also by SREBP in mammary epithelial cells, in which NIS is functionally expressed during lactation. Regulation of NIS expression and iodide uptake was investigated by means of inhibition, silencing, and overexpression of SREBP and by reporter gene and DNA-binding assays. As a mammary epithelial cell model, the human MCF-7 cell line, a breast adenocarcinoma cell line, which shows inducible expression of NIS by all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), and unlike bovine mammary epithelial cells, is widely used to investigate the regulation of mammary gland NIS and NIS-specific iodide uptake, was used. Inhibition of SREBP maturation by treatment with 25-hydroxycholesterol (5 µM) for 48h reduced ATRA (1 µM)-induced mRNA concentration of NIS and iodide uptake in MCF-7 cells by approximately 20%. Knockdown of SREBP-1c and SREBP-2 by RNA interference decreased the mRNA and protein concentration of NIS by 30 to 50% 48h after initiating knockdown, whereas overexpression of nuclear SREBP (nSREBP)-1c and nSREBP-2 increased the expression of NIS in MCF-7 cells by 45 to 60%, respectively, 48h after initiating overexpression. Reporter gene experiments with varying length of NIS promoter reporter constructs revealed that the NIS 5'-flanking region is activated by nSREBP-1c and nSREBP-2 approximately 1.5- and 4.5-fold, respectively, and activation involves a SREBP-binding motif (SRE) at -38 relative to the transcription start site of the NIS gene. Gel shift assays using oligonucleotides spanning either the wild-type or the

DNA demethylases target promoter transposable elements to positively regulate stress responsive genes in Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Le, Tuan-Ngoc; Schumann, Ulrike; Smith, Neil A; Tiwari, Sameer; Au, Phil Chi Khang; Zhu, Qian-Hao; Taylor, Jennifer M; Kazan, Kemal; Llewellyn, Danny J; Zhang, Ren; Dennis, Elizabeth S; Wang, Ming-Bo

2014-09-17

DNA demethylases regulate DNA methylation levels in eukaryotes. Arabidopsis encodes four DNA demethylases, DEMETER (DME), REPRESSOR OF SILENCING 1 (ROS1), DEMETER-LIKE 2 (DML2), and DML3. While DME is involved in maternal specific gene expression during seed development, the biological function of the remaining DNA demethylases remains unclear. We show that ROS1, DML2, and DML3 play a role in fungal disease resistance in Arabidopsis. A triple DNA demethylase mutant, rdd (ros1 dml2 dml3), shows increased susceptibility to the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum. We identify 348 genes differentially expressed in rdd relative to wild type, and a significant proportion of these genes are downregulated in rdd and have functions in stress response, suggesting that DNA demethylases maintain or positively regulate the expression of stress response genes required for F. oxysporum resistance. The rdd-downregulated stress response genes are enriched for short transposable element sequences in their promoters. Many of these transposable elements and their surrounding sequences show localized DNA methylation changes in rdd, and a general reduction in CHH methylation, suggesting that RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM), responsible for CHH methylation, may participate in DNA demethylase-mediated regulation of stress response genes. Many of the rdd-downregulated stress response genes are downregulated in the RdDM mutants nrpd1 and nrpe1, and the RdDM mutants nrpe1 and ago4 show enhanced susceptibility to F. oxysporum infection. Our results suggest that a primary function of DNA demethylases in plants is to regulate the expression of stress response genes by targeting promoter transposable element sequences.

The effect of loading time on flexible pavement dynamic response: a finite element analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Hao; Solaimanian, Mansour; Kumar, Tanmay; Stoffels, Shelley

2007-12-01

Dynamic response of asphalt concrete (AC) pavements under moving load is a key component for accurate prediction of flexible pavement performance. The time and temperature dependency of AC materials calls for utilizing advanced material characterization and mechanistic theories, such as viscoelasticity and stress/strain analysis. In layered elastic analysis, as implemented in the new Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG), the time dependency is accounted for by calculating the loading times at different AC layer depths. In this study, the time effect on pavement response was evaluated by means of the concept of “pseudo temperature.” With the pavement temperature measured from instrumented thermocouples, the time and temperature dependency of AC materials was integrated into one single factor, termed “effective temperature.” Via this effective temperature, pavement responses under a transient load were predicted through finite element analysis. In the finite element model, viscoelastic behavior of AC materials was characterized through relaxation moduli, while the layers with unbound granular material were assumed to be in an elastic mode. The analysis was conducted for two different AC mixtures in a simplified flexible pavement structure at two different seasons. Finite element analysis results reveal that the loading time has a more pronounced impact on pavement response in the summer for both asphalt types. The results indicate that for reasonable prediction of dynamic response in flexible pavements, the effect of the depth-dependent loading time on pavement temperature should be considered.

Identification of a peroxisome proliferator responsive element (PPRE)-like cis-element in mouse plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 gene promoter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Jiegen; Li Xi; Huang Haiyan; Liu Honglei; Liu Deguo; Song Tanjing; Ma Chungu; Ma Duan; Song Houyan; Tang Qiqun

2006-01-01

PAI-1 is expressed and secreted by adipose tissue which may mediate the pathogenesis of obesity-associated cardiovascular complications. Evidence is presented in this report that PAI-1 is not expressed by preadipocyte, but significantly induced during 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation and the PAI-1 expression correlates with the induction of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ). A peroxisome proliferator responsive element (PPRE)-like cis-element (-206TCCCCCATGCCCT-194) is identified in the mouse PAI-1 gene promoter by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) combined with transient transfection experiments; the PPRE-like cis-element forms a specific DNA-protein complex only with adipocyte nuclear extracts, not with preadipocyte nuclear extracts; the DNA-protein complex can be totally competed away by non-labeled consensus PPRE, and can be supershifted with PPARγ antibody. Mutation of this PPRE-like cis-element can abolish the transactivation of mouse PAI-1 promoter mediated by PPARγ. Specific PPARγ ligand Pioglitazone can significantly induce the PAI-1 expression, and stimulate the secretion of PAI-1 into medium

Analysis of Resonance Response Performance of C-Band Antenna Using Parasitic Element

Science.gov (United States)

Islam, M. T.; Misran, N.; Mandeep, J. S.

2014-01-01

Analysis of the resonance response improvement of a planar C-band (4–8 GHz) antenna is proposed using parasitic element method. This parasitic element based method is validated for change in the active and parasitic antenna elements. A novel dual-band antenna for C-band application covering 5.7 GHz and 7.6 GHz is designed and fabricated. The antenna is composed of circular parasitic element with unequal microstrip lines at both sides and a rectangular partial ground plane. A fractional bandwidth of 13.5% has been achieved from 5.5 GHz to 6.3 GHz (WLAN band) for the lower band. The upper band covers from 7.1 GHz to 8 GHz with a fractional bandwidth of 12%. A gain of 6.4 dBi is achieved at the lower frequency and 4 dBi is achieved at the upper frequency. The VSWR of the antenna is less than 2 at the resonance frequency. PMID:24895643

Application of ADINA fluid element for transient response analysis of fluid-structure system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakurai, Y.; Kodama, T.; Shiraishi, T.

1985-01-01

Pressure propagation and Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) in 3D space were simulated by general purpose finite element program ADINA using the displacement-based fluid element which presumes inviscid and compressible fluid with no net flow. Numerical transient solution was compared with the measured data of an FSI experiment and was found to fairly agree with the measured. In the next step, post analysis was conducted for a blowdown experiment performed with a 1/7 scaled reactor pressure vessel and a flexible core barrel and the code performance was found to be satisfactory. It is concluded that the transient response of the core internal structure of a PWR during the initial stage of LOCA can be analyzed by the displacement-based finite fluid element and the structural element. (orig.)

Development of a Rapidly Deployed Department of Energy Emergency Response Element

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riland, C.A.; Hopkins, R.C.; Tighe, R.J.

1999-01-01

The Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan (FRERP) directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to maintain a viable, timely, and fully documented response option capable of supporting the responsible Lead Federal Agency in the event of a radiological emergency impacting any state or US territory (e.g., CONUS). In addition, the DOE maintains a response option to support radiological emergencies outside the continental US (OCONUS). While the OCUNUS mission is not governed by the FREP, this response is operationally similar to that assigned to the DOE by the FREP. The DOE is prepared to alert, activate, and deploy radiological response teams to augment the Radiological Assistance Program and/or local responders. The Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center (RMAC) is a phased response that integrates with the Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center (FRMAC) in CONUS environments and represents a stand-alone DOE response for OCONUS environments. The FRMAC/RMAC Phase I was formally ''stood up'' as an operational element in April 1999. The FRMAC/RMAC Phase II proposed ''stand-up'' date is midyear 2000

Frequency response analysis of cylindrical shells conveying fluid using finite element method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seo, Young Soo; Jeong, Weui Bong; Yoo, Wan Suk; Jeong, Ho Kyeong

2005-01-01

A finite element vibration analysis of thin-walled cylindrical shells conveying fluid with uniform velocity is presented. The dynamic behavior of thin-walled shell is based on the Sanders' theory and the fluid in cylindrical shell is considered as inviscid and incompressible so that it satisfies the Laplace's equation. A beam-like shell element is used to reduce the number of degree-of-freedom by restricting to the circumferential modes of cylindrical shell. An estimation of frequency response function of the pipe considering of the coupled effects of the internal fluid is presented. A dynamic coupling condition of the interface between the fluid and the structure is used. The effective thickness of fluid according to circumferential modes is also discussed. The influence of fluid velocity on the frequency response function is illustrated and discussed. The results by this method are compared with published results and those by commercial tools

Prediction of elastic-plastic response of structural elements subjected to cyclic loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El Haddad, M.H.; Samaan, S.

1985-01-01

A simplified elastic-plastic analysis is developed to predict stress strain and force deformation response of structural metallic elements subjected to irregular cyclic loadings. In this analysis a simple elastic-plastic method for predicting the skeleton force deformation curve is developed. In this method, elastic and fully plastic solutions are first obtained for unknown quantities, such as deflection or local strains. Elastic and fully plastic contributions are then combined to obtain an elastic-plastic solution. The skeleton curve is doubled to establish the shape of the hysteresis loop. The complete force deformation response can therefore be simulated through reversal by reversal in accordance with hysteresis looping and material memory. Several examples of structural elements with various cross sections made from various materials and subjected to irregular cyclic loadings, are analysed. A close agreement is obtained between experimental results found in the literature and present predictions. (orig.)

Iron – a key nexus in the virulence of Aspergillus fumigatus

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Hubertus eHaas

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Iron is an essential but in excess toxic nutrient. Therefore, fungi evolved fine-tuned mechanisms for uptake and storage of iron, such as the production of siderophores (low-molecular mass iron-specific chelators. In Aspergillus fumigatus, iron starvation causes extensive transcriptional remodeling involving two central transcription factors, which are interconnected in a negative transcriptional feed-back loop: the GATA-factor SreA and the bZip-factor HapX. During iron sufficiency SreA represses iron uptake, including reductive iron assimilation and siderophore-mediated iron uptake, to avoid toxic effects. During iron starvation HapX represses iron-consuming pathways, including heme biosynthesis and respiration, to spare iron and activates synthesis of ribotoxin AspF1 and siderophores, the latter partly by ensuring supply of the precursor ornithine. In agreement with the expression pattern and mode of action, detrimental effects of inactivation of SreA and HapX are confined to growth during iron sufficiency and iron starvation, respectively. Deficiency in HapX, but not SreA, attenuates virulence of A. fumigatus in a murine model of aspergillosis, which underlines the crucial role of adaptation to iron limitation in virulence. Consistently, production of both extra- and intracellular siderophores is crucial for virulence of A. fumigatus. Recently, the sterol-regulatory element-binding protein SrbA was found to be essential for adaptation to iron starvation, thereby linking regulation of iron metabolism, ergosterol biosynthesis, azole drug resistance and hypoxia adaptation.

Characterization of an estrogen-responsive element implicated in regulation of the rainbow trout estrogen receptor gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Le Dréan, Y; Lazennec, G; Kern, L; Saligaut, D; Pakdel, F; Valotaire, Y

1995-08-01

We previously reported that the expression of the rainbow trout estrogen receptor (rtER) gene is markedly increased by estradiol (E2). In this paper, we have used transient transfection assays with reporter plasmids expressing chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT), linked to 5' flanking regions of the rtER gene promoter, to identify cis-elements responsible for E2 inducibility. Deletion analysis localized an estrogen-responsive element (ERE), at position +242, with one mutation on the first base compared with the consensus sequence. This element confers estrogen responsiveness to CAT reporter linked to both the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase promoter and the homologous rtER promoter. Moreover, using a 0.2 kb fragment of the rtER promoter encompassing the ERE and the rtER DNA binding domain obtained from a bacterial expression system, DNase I footprinting experiments demonstrated a specific protection covering 20 bp (+240/+260) containing the ERE sequence. Based on these studies, we believe that this ERE sequence, identified in the rtER gene promoter, may be a major cis-acting element involved in the regulation of the gene by estrogen.

Detection, identification and differentiation of Pectobacterium and Dickeya species causing potato blackleg and tuber soft rot: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Czajkowski, R; Pérombelon, McM; Jafra, S; Lojkowska, E; Potrykus, M; van der Wolf, Jm; Sledz, W

2015-01-01

The soft rot Enterobacteriaceae (SRE) Pectobacterium and Dickeya species (formerly classified as pectinolytic Erwinia spp.) cause important diseases on potato and other arable and horticultural crops. They may affect the growing potato plant causing blackleg and are responsible for tuber soft rot in storage thereby reducing yield and quality. Efficient and cost-effective detection and identification methods are essential to investigate the ecology and pathogenesis of the SRE as well as in seed certification programmes. The aim of this review was to collect all existing information on methods available for SRE detection. The review reports on the sampling and preparation of plant material for testing and on over thirty methods to detect, identify and differentiate the soft rot and blackleg causing bacteria to species and subspecies level. These include methods based on biochemical characters, serology, molecular techniques which rely on DNA sequence amplification as well as several less-investigated ones.

Note: Electrical detection and quantification of spin rectification effect enabled by shorted microstrip transmission line technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soh, Wee Tee; Ong, C. K.; Peng, Bin; Chai, Guozhi

2014-01-01

We describe a shorted microstrip method for the sensitive quantification of Spin Rectification Effect (SRE). SRE for a Permalloy (Ni 80 Fe 20 ) thin film strip sputtered onto SiO 2 substrate is demonstrated. Our method obviates the need for simultaneous lithographic patterning of the sample and transmission line, therefore greatly simplifying the SRE measurement process. Such a shorted microstrip method can allow different contributions to SRE (anisotropic magnetoresistance, Hall effect, and anomalous Hall effect) to be simultaneously determined. Furthermore, SRE signals from unpatterned 50 nm thick Permalloy films of area dimensions 5 mm × 10 mm can even be detected

Effects of segregation of primary alloying elements on the creep response in magnesium alloys

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huang, Y.D.; Dieringa, H.; Hort, N.

2008-01-01

The segregation of primary alloying elements deteriorates the high temperature creep resistance of magnesium alloys. Annealing at high temperatures alleviating their segregations can improve the creep resistance. Present investigation on the effect of segregation of primary alloying elements...... on the creep response may provide some useful information about how to improve the creep resistance of magnesium alloys in the future. (c) 2008 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved....

Revisiting the Relationship between Transposable Elements and the Eukaryotic Stress Response.

Science.gov (United States)

Horváth, Vivien; Merenciano, Miriam; González, Josefa

2017-11-01

A relationship between transposable elements (TEs) and the eukaryotic stress response was suggested in the first publications describing TEs. Since then, it has often been assumed that TEs are activated by stress, and that this activation is often beneficial for the organism. In recent years, the availability of new high-throughput experimental techniques has allowed further interrogation of the relationship between TEs and stress. By reviewing the recent literature, we conclude that although there is evidence for a beneficial effect of TE activation under stress conditions, the relationship between TEs and the eukaryotic stress response is quite complex. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Irreversible magnetic-field dependence of ferromagnetic resonance and inverse spin Hall effect voltage in CoFeB/Pt bilayer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Sang-Il [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 136-713 (Korea, Republic of); Spin Engineering Physics Team, Division of Scientific Instrumentation, Korea Basic Science Institute, Daejeon, 305-806 (Korea, Republic of); Seo, Min-Su [Spin Engineering Physics Team, Division of Scientific Instrumentation, Korea Basic Science Institute, Daejeon, 305-806 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Yeon Suk, E-mail: ychoi@kbsi.re.kr [Spin Engineering Physics Team, Division of Scientific Instrumentation, Korea Basic Science Institute, Daejeon, 305-806 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Seung-Young, E-mail: parksy@kbsi.re.kr [Spin Engineering Physics Team, Division of Scientific Instrumentation, Korea Basic Science Institute, Daejeon, 305-806 (Korea, Republic of)

2017-01-01

Magnetic field (H) sweeping direction dependences of the mixed voltage V{sub mix} induced by the inverse-spin Hall effect(ISHE) and spin-rectified effect (SRE) in a CoFeB (5 nm)/Pt (10 nm) bilayer structure are investigated using the ferromagnetic resonance in the TE mode cavities and coplanar waveguide methods. Conventionally, the magnitude of ISHE voltage V{sub ISH} (symmetric) excluding the SRE (antisymmetric component) was unavoidably separated from the fitting curve of V{sub mix} (a sum of a symmetric and an antisymmetric part) for one direction of H-source. By studying the ratio of the two voltage parts with the bi-directional H sweeping, the optimized V{sub ISH} (no SRE condition) value which also include a well-defined spin Hall angle can be obtained via the linear response relation of ISHE and SRE components. - Highlights: • Hysteretic behavior of ferromagnetic resonance spectra in the CoFeB/Pt sample. • Hysteretic behavior of inverse-spin Hall effect voltage in the CoFeB/Pt sample. • Proportion of inverse spin-Hall effect voltage can be determined by the cavity mode. • The hysteretic behavior arise from the unsaturated magnetization limit. • The well-defined spin Hall angle which consider a hysteresis can be obtained.

Meta-analysis of the effect of overexpression of C-repeat/dehydration-responsive element binding family genes on temperature stress tolerance and related responses

Science.gov (United States)

C-repeat/dehydration-responsive element binding proteins are transcription factors that play a critical role in plant response to temperature stress. Over-expression of CBF/DREB genes has been demonstrated to enhance temperature stress tolerance. A series of physiological and biochemical modificat...

Implementation of structural response sensitivity calculations in a large-scale finite-element analysis system

Science.gov (United States)

Giles, G. L.; Rogers, J. L., Jr.

1982-01-01

The implementation includes a generalized method for specifying element cross-sectional dimensions as design variables that can be used in analytically calculating derivatives of output quantities from static stress, vibration, and buckling analyses for both membrane and bending elements. Limited sample results for static displacements and stresses are presented to indicate the advantages of analytically calclating response derivatives compared to finite difference methods. Continuing developments to implement these procedures into an enhanced version of the system are also discussed.

Antioxidant response elements: Discovery, classes, regulation and potential applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Raghunath, Azhwar; Sundarraj, Kiruthika; Nagarajan, Raju; Arfuso, Frank; Bian, Jinsong; Kumar, Alan P; Sethi, Gautam; Perumal, Ekambaram

2018-07-01

Exposure to antioxidants and xenobiotics triggers the expression of a myriad of genes encoding antioxidant proteins, detoxifying enzymes, and xenobiotic transporters to offer protection against oxidative stress. This articulated universal mechanism is regulated through the cis-acting elements in an array of Nrf2 target genes called antioxidant response elements (AREs), which play a critical role in redox homeostasis. Though the Keap1/Nrf2/ARE system involves many players, AREs hold the key in transcriptional regulation of cytoprotective genes. ARE-mediated reporter constructs have been widely used, including xenobiotics profiling and Nrf2 activator screening. The complexity of AREs is brought by the presence of other regulatory elements within the AREs. The diversity in the ARE sequences not only bring regulatory selectivity of diverse transcription factors, but also confer functional complexity in the Keap1/Nrf2/ARE pathway. The different transcription factors either homodimerize or heterodimerize to bind the AREs. Depending on the nature of partners, they may activate or suppress the transcription. Attention is required for deeper mechanistic understanding of ARE-mediated gene regulation. The computational methods of identification and analysis of AREs are still in their infancy. Investigations are required to know whether epigenetics mechanism plays a role in the regulation of genes mediated through AREs. The polymorphisms in the AREs leading to oxidative stress related diseases are warranted. A thorough understanding of AREs will pave the way for the development of therapeutic agents against cancer, neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, metabolic and other diseases with oxidative stress. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Paired hormone response elements predict caveolin-1 as a glucocorticoid target gene.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marinus F van Batenburg

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Glucocorticoids act in part via glucocorticoid receptor binding to hormone response elements (HREs, but their direct target genes in vivo are still largely unknown. We developed the criterion that genomic occurrence of paired HREs at an inter-HRE distance less than 200 bp predicts hormone responsiveness, based on synergy of multiple HREs, and HRE information from known target genes. This criterion predicts a substantial number of novel responsive genes, when applied to genomic regions 10 kb upstream of genes. Multiple-tissue in situ hybridization showed that mRNA expression of 6 out of 10 selected genes was induced in a tissue-specific manner in mice treated with a single dose of corticosterone, with the spleen being the most responsive organ. Caveolin-1 was strongly responsive in several organs, and the HRE pair in its upstream region showed increased occupancy by glucocorticoid receptor in response to corticosterone. Our approach allowed for discovery of novel tissue specific glucocorticoid target genes, which may exemplify responses underlying the permissive actions of glucocorticoids.

Hospital visits among women with skeletal-related events secondary to breast cancer and bone metastases: a nationwide population-based cohort study in Denmark

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Svendsen ML

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Marie Louise Svendsen,1 Henrik Gammelager,1 Claus Sværke,1 Mellissa Yong,2 Victoria M Chia,2 Christian F Christiansen,1 Jon P Fryzek1 1Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; 2Center for Observational Research, Amgen, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA Objective: Skeletal-related events (SREs among women with breast cancer may be associated with considerable use of health-care resources. We characterized inpatient and outpatient hospital visits in a national population-based cohort of Danish women with SREs secondary to breast cancer and bone metastases. Methods: We identified first-time breast cancer patients with bone metastases from 2003 through 2009 who had a subsequent SRE (defined as pathologic fracture, spinal cord compression, radiation therapy, or surgery to bone. Hospital visits included the number of inpatient hospitalizations, length of stay, number of hospital outpatient clinic visits, and emergency room visits. The number of hospital visits was assessed for a pre-SRE period (90 days prior to the diagnostic period, a diagnostic period (14 days prior to the SRE, and a post-SRE period (90 days after the SRE. Patients who experienced more than one SRE during the 90-day post-SRE period were defined as having multiple SREs and were followed until 90 days after the last SRE. Results: We identified 569 women with SREs secondary to breast cancer with bone metastases. The majority of women had multiple SREs (73.1%. A total of 20.9% and 33.4% of women with single and multiple SREs died in the post-SRE period, respectively. SREs were associated with a large number of hospital visits in the diagnostic period, irrespective of the number and type of SREs. Women with multiple SREs generally had a higher number of visits compared to those with a single SRE in the post-SRE period, eg, median length of hospitalization was 5 days (interquartile range 0–15 for women with a single SRE and 13 days (interquartile range 4�

What do young people think about their school-based sex and relationship education? A qualitative synthesis of young people's views and experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Pound, Pandora; Langford, Rebecca; Campbell, Rona

2016-09-13

Although sex and relationship education (SRE) represents a key strand in policies to safeguard young people and improve their sexual health, it currently lacks statutory status, government guidance is outdated and a third of UK schools has poor-quality SRE. We aimed to investigate whether current provision meets young people's needs. Synthesis of qualitative studies of young people's views of their school-based SRE. Eligible studies originated from the UK, Ireland, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Iran, Brazil and Sweden. Studies of students aged 4-19 in full-time education, young adults ≤19 (not necessarily in full-time education) or adults ≤25 if recalling their experiences of school-based SRE. -69 publications were identified, with 55 remaining after quality appraisal (representing 48 studies). The synthesis found that although sex is a potent and potentially embarrassing topic, schools appear reluctant to acknowledge this and attempt to teach SRE in the same way as other subjects. Young people report feeling vulnerable in SRE, with young men anxious to conceal sexual ignorance and young women risking sexual harassment if they participate. Schools appear to have difficulty accepting that some young people are sexually active, leading to SRE that is out of touch with many young people's lives. Young people report that SRE can be negative, gendered and heterosexist. They expressed dislike of their own teachers delivering SRE due to blurred boundaries, lack of anonymity, embarrassment and poor training. SRE should be 'sex-positive' and delivered by experts who maintain clear boundaries with students. Schools should acknowledge that sex is a special subject with unique challenges, as well as the fact and range of young people's sexual activity, otherwise young people will continue to disengage from SRE and opportunities for safeguarding and improving their sexual health will be reduced. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission

Source memory that encoding was self-referential: the influence of stimulus characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Durbin, Kelly A; Mitchell, Karen J; Johnson, Marcia K

2017-10-01

Decades of research suggest that encoding information with respect to the self improves memory (self-reference effect, SRE) for items (item SRE). The current study focused on how processing information in reference to the self affects source memory for whether an item was self-referentially processed (a source SRE). Participants self-referentially or non-self-referentially encoded words (Experiment 1) or pictures (Experiment 2) that varied in valence (positive, negative, neutral). Relative to non-self-referential processing, self-referential processing enhanced item recognition for all stimulus types (an item SRE), but it only enhanced source memory for positive words (a source SRE). In fact, source memory for negative and neutral pictures was worse for items processed self-referentially than non-self-referentially. Together, the results suggest that item SRE and source SRE (e.g., remembering an item was encoded self-referentially) are not necessarily the same across stimulus types (e.g., words, pictures; positive, negative). While an item SRE may depend on the overall likelihood the item generates any association, the enhancing effects of self-referential processing on source memory for self-referential encoding may depend on how embedded a stimulus becomes in one's self-schema, and that depends, in part, on the stimulus' valence and format. Self-relevance ratings during encoding provide converging evidence for this interpretation.

Verification of Advective Bar Elements Implemented in the Aria Thermal Response Code.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mills, Brantley [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2016-01-01

A verification effort was undertaken to evaluate the implementation of the new advective bar capability in the Aria thermal response code. Several approaches to the verification process were taken : a mesh refinement study to demonstrate solution convergence in the fluid and the solid, visually examining the mapping of the advective bar element nodes to the surrounding surfaces, and a comparison of solutions produced using the advective bars for simple geometries with solutions from commercial CFD software . The mesh refinement study has shown solution convergence for simple pipe flow in both temperature and velocity . Guidelines were provided to achieve appropriate meshes between the advective bar elements and the surrounding volume. Simulations of pipe flow using advective bars elements in Aria have been compared to simulations using the commercial CFD software ANSYS Fluent (r) and provided comparable solutions in temperature and velocity supporting proper implementation of the new capability. Verification of Advective Bar Elements iv Acknowledgements A special thanks goes to Dean Dobranich for his guidance and expertise through all stages of this effort . His advice and feedback was instrumental to its completion. Thanks also goes to Sam Subia and Tolu Okusanya for helping to plan many of the verification activities performed in this document. Thank you to Sam, Justin Lamb and Victor Brunini for their assistance in resolving issues encountered with running the advective bar element model. Finally, thanks goes to Dean, Sam, and Adam Hetzler for reviewing the document and providing very valuable comments.

Reforming of Ethanol to Produce Hydrogen over PtRuMg/ZrO2 Catalyst

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Josh Y. Z. Chiou

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A modified PtRu/ZrO2 catalyst with Mg is evaluated for the oxidative steam reforming of ethanol (OSRE and the steam reforming of ethanol (SRE. In order to understand the variation in the reaction mechanism on OSRE and SRE, further analysis of both fresh and used catalyst is concentrated on for TEM, TG, Raman, and TPR characterization. The results show that the OSRE reaction requires a higher temperature (∼390°C to achieve 100% ethanol conversion than the SRE reaction (∼2500°C. The distribution of CO is minor for both reactions (< 5% for OSRE, < 1% for SRE. This demonstrates that the water gas shift (WGS reaction is an important side-reaction in the reforming of ethanol to produce H2 and CO2. A comparison of the temperature of WGS (WGS shows it is lower for the SRE reaction (WGS∼250°C for SRE, ~340°C for OSRE.

Identification of an estrogen response element in the 3'-flanking region of the murine c-fos protooncogene.

Science.gov (United States)

Hyder, S M; Stancel, G M; Nawaz, Z; McDonnell, D P; Loose-Mitchell, D S

1992-09-05

We have used transient transfection assays with reporter plasmids expressing chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, linked to regions of mouse c-fos, to identify a specific estrogen response element (ERE) in this protooncogene. This element is located in the untranslated 3'-flanking region of the c-fos gene, 5 kilobases (kb) downstream from the c-fos promoter and 1.5 kb downstream of the poly(A) signal. This element confers estrogen responsiveness to chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporters linked to both the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase promoter and the homologous c-fos promoter. Deletion analysis localized the response element to a 200-base pair fragment which contains the element GGTCACCACAGCC that resembles the consensus ERE sequence GGTCACAGTGACC originally identified in Xenopus vitellogenin A2 gene. A synthetic 36-base pair oligodeoxynucleotide containing this c-fos sequence conferred estrogen inducibility to the thymidine kinase promoter. The corresponding sequence also induced reporter activity when present in the c-fos gene fragment 3 kb from the thymidine kinase promoter. Gel-shift experiments demonstrated that synthetic oligonucleotides containing either the consensus ERE or the c-fos element bind human estrogen receptor obtained from a yeast expression system. However, the mobility of the shifted band is faster for the fos-ERE-complex than the consensus ERE complex suggesting that the three-dimensional structure of the protein-DNA complexes is different or that other factors are differentially involved in the two reactions. When the 5'-GGTCA sequence present in the c-fos ERE is mutated to 5'-TTTCA, transcriptional activation and receptor binding activities are both lost. Mutation of the CAGCC-3' element corresponding to the second half-site of the c-fos sequence also led to the loss of receptor binding activity, suggesting that both half-sites of this element are involved in this function. The estrogen induction mediated by either the c-fos or

Enrichment of conserved synaptic activity-responsive element in neuronal genes predicts a coordinated response of MEF2, CREB and SRF.

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Fernanda M Rodríguez-Tornos

Full Text Available A unique synaptic activity-responsive element (SARE sequence, composed of the consensus binding sites for SRF, MEF2 and CREB, is necessary for control of transcriptional upregulation of the Arc gene in response to synaptic activity. We hypothesize that this sequence is a broad mechanism that regulates gene expression in response to synaptic activation and during plasticity; and that analysis of SARE-containing genes could identify molecular mechanisms involved in brain disorders. To search for conserved SARE sequences in the mammalian genome, we used the SynoR in silico tool, and found the SARE cluster predominantly in the regulatory regions of genes expressed specifically in the nervous system; most were related to neural development and homeostatic maintenance. Two of these SARE sequences were tested in luciferase assays and proved to promote transcription in response to neuronal activation. Supporting the predictive capacity of our candidate list, up-regulation of several SARE containing genes in response to neuronal activity was validated using external data and also experimentally using primary cortical neurons and quantitative real time RT-PCR. The list of SARE-containing genes includes several linked to mental retardation and cognitive disorders, and is significantly enriched in genes that encode mRNA targeted by FMRP (fragile X mental retardation protein. Our study thus supports the idea that SARE sequences are relevant transcriptional regulatory elements that participate in plasticity. In addition, it offers a comprehensive view of how activity-responsive transcription factors coordinate their actions and increase the selectivity of their targets. Our data suggest that analysis of SARE-containing genes will reveal yet-undescribed pathways of synaptic plasticity and additional candidate genes disrupted in mental disease.

The Specificity of Innate Immune Responses Is Enforced by Repression of Interferon Response Elements by NF-κB p50

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Cheng, Christine S.; Feldman, Kristyn E.; Lee, James; Verma, Shilpi; Huang, De-Bin; Huynh, Kim; Chang, Mikyoung; Ponomarenko, Julia V.; Sun, Shao-Cong; Benedict, Chris A.; Ghosh, Gourisankar; Hoffmann, Alexander

2011-01-01

The specific binding of transcription factors to cognate sequence elements is thought to be critical for the generation of specific gene expression programs. Members of the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and interferon (IFN) regulatory factor (IRF) transcription factor families bind to the κB site and the IFN response element (IRE), respectively, of target genes, and they are activated in macrophages after exposure to pathogens. However, how these factors produce pathogen-specific inflammatory and immune responses remains poorly understood. Combining top-down and bottom-up systems biology approaches, we have identified the NF-κB p50 homodimer as a regulator of IRF responses. Unbiased genome-wide expression and biochemical and structural analyses revealed that the p50 homodimer repressed a subset of IFN-inducible genes through a previously uncharacterized subclass of guanine-rich IRE (G-IRE) sequences. Mathematical modeling predicted that the p50 homodimer might enforce the stimulus specificity of composite promoters. Indeed, the production of the antiviral regulator IFN-β was rendered stimulus-specific by the binding of the p50 homodimer to the G-IRE–containing IFNβ enhancer to suppress cytotoxic IFN signaling. Specifically, a deficiency in p50 resulted in the inappropriate production of IFN-β in response to bacterial DNA sensed by Toll-like receptor 9. This role for the NF-κB p50 homodimer in enforcing the specificity of the cellular response to pathogens by binding to a subset of IRE sequences alters our understanding of how the NF-κB and IRF signaling systems cooperate to regulate antimicrobial immunity. PMID:21343618

Finite element modelling to assess the effect of surface mounted piezoelectric patch size on vibration response of a hybrid beam

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, N.; Alam, M. N.

2018-02-01

Vibration response analysis of a hybrid beam with surface mounted patch piezoelectric layer is presented in this work. A one dimensional finite element (1D-FE) model based on efficient layerwise (zigzag) theory is used for the analysis. The beam element has eight mechanical and a variable number of electrical degrees of freedom. The beams are also modelled in 2D-FE (ABAQUS) using a plane stress piezoelectric quadrilateral element for piezo layers and a plane stress quadrilateral element for the elastic layers of hybrid beams. Results are presented to assess the effect of size of piezoelectric patch layer on the free and forced vibration responses of thin and moderately thick beams under clamped-free and clamped-clamped configurations. The beams are subjected to unit step loading and harmonic loading to obtain the forced vibration responses. The vibration control using in phase actuation potential on piezoelectric patches is also studied. The 1D-FE results are compared with the 2D-FE results.

Exercise persistence in the face of varying exercise challenges: a test of self-efficacy theory in working mothers.

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Jung, Mary E; Brawley, Lawrence R

2011-07-01

Self-regulatory efficacy (SRE) should influence persistence towards goals. Mothers attempting to exercise while managing work and young children (N = 49, M(age) = 35.69, M(children) = 1.88) were stratified into high or low concurrent SRE groups, then randomized to read a hypothetical scenario detailing numerous or minimal exercise barrier conditions. Consistent with self-efficacy theory, when exercise barriers were numerous, mothers with higher concurrent SRE demonstrated greater persistence towards exercise goals, and perceived concurrent management of exercise with their other valued goals as more positively challenging, than mothers with lower concurrent SRE.

Development of Finite Element Response Model for Mechanistic - Empirical Design of Flexible Pavement

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Mujtaba A. AHMED

2012-08-01

Full Text Available The focus of this work is to present a finite element method (FEM-based program of the M-E design on MATLAB protocol. The response output generated at critical locations are presented. The results were then compared with those from a locally available program called ‘NEMPADS’ and a reasonable comparison were achieved.

What is best practice in sex and relationship education? A synthesis of evidence, including stakeholders' views.

Science.gov (United States)

Pound, Pandora; Denford, Sarah; Shucksmith, Janet; Tanton, Clare; Johnson, Anne M; Owen, Jenny; Hutten, Rebecca; Mohan, Leanne; Bonell, Chris; Abraham, Charles; Campbell, Rona

2017-07-02

Sex and relationship education (SRE) is regarded as vital to improving young people's sexual health, but a third of schools in England lacks good SRE and government guidance is outdated. We aimed to identify what makes SRE programmes effective, acceptable, sustainable and capable of faithful implementation. This is a synthesis of findings from five research packages that we conducted (practitioner interviews, case study investigation, National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, review of reviews and qualitative synthesis). We also gained feedback on our research from stakeholder consultations. Primary research and stakeholder consultations were conducted in the UK. Secondary research draws on studies worldwide. Our findings indicate that school-based SRE and school-linked sexual health services can be effective at improving sexual health. We found professional consensus that good programmes start in primary school. Professionals and young people agreed that good programmes are age-appropriate, interactive and take place in a safe environment. Some young women reported preferring single-sex classes, but young men appeared to want mixed classes. Young people and professionals agreed that SRE should take a 'life skills' approach and not focus on abstinence. Young people advocated a 'sex-positive' approach but reported this was lacking. Young people and professionals agreed that SRE should discuss risks, but young people indicated that approaches to risk need revising. Professionals felt teachers should be involved in SRE delivery, but many young people reported disliking having their teachers deliver SRE and we found that key messages could become lost when interpreted by teachers. The divergence between young people and professionals was echoed by stakeholders. We developed criteria for best practice based on the evidence. We identified key features of effective and acceptable SRE. Our best practice criteria can be used to evaluate existing programmes

HPV-16 L1 genes with inactivated negative RNA elements induce potent immune responses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rollman, Erik; Arnheim, Lisen; Collier, Brian; Oeberg, Daniel; Hall, Haakan; Klingstroem, Jonas; Dillner, Joakim; Pastrana, Diana V.; Buck, Chris B.; Hinkula, Jorma; Wahren, Britta; Schwartz, Stefan

2004-01-01

Introduction of point mutations in the 5' end of the human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) L1 gene specifically inactivates negative regulatory RNA processing elements. DNA vaccination of C57Bl/6 mice with the mutated L1 gene resulted in improved immunogenicity for both neutralizing antibodies as well as for broad cellular immune responses. Previous reports on the activation of L1 by codon optimization may be explained by inactivation of the regulatory RNA elements. The modified HPV-16 L1 DNA that induced anti-HPV-16 immunity may be seen as a complementary approach to protein subunit immunization against papillomavirus

Sorption-enhanced steam reforming of ethanol: thermodynamic comparison of CO{sub 2} sorbents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Y.J.; Santos, J.C.; Cunha, A.F.; Rodrigues, A.E. [University of Porto, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Associated Laboratory LSRE/LCM, Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering, Porto (Portugal); Diaz Alvarado, F.; Gracia, F. [Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Ingenieria, Departamento de Ingenieria Quimica y Biotecnologia, Laboratorio de Catalisis, Santiago (Chile)

2012-05-15

A thermodynamic analysis is performed with a Gibbs free energy minimization method to compare the conventional steam reforming of ethanol (SRE) process and sorption-enhanced SRE (SE-SRE) with three different sorbents, namely, CaO, Li{sub 2}ZrO{sub 3}, and hydrotalcite-like compounds (HTlc). As a result, the use of a CO{sub 2} adsorbent can enhance the hydrogen yield and provide a lower CO content in the product gas at the same time. The best performance of SE-SRE is found to be at 500 C with an HTlc sorbent. Nearly 6 moles hydrogen per mole ethanol can be produced, when the CO content in the vent stream is less than 10 ppm, so that the hydrogen produced via SE-SRE with HTlc sorbents can be directly used for fuel cells. Higher pressures do not favor the overall SE-SRE process due to lower yielding of hydrogen, although CO{sub 2} adsorption is enhanced. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

HIV-1 p24(gag derived conserved element DNA vaccine increases the breadth of immune response in mice.

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Viraj Kulkarni

Full Text Available Viral diversity is considered a major impediment to the development of an effective HIV-1 vaccine. Despite this diversity, certain protein segments are nearly invariant across the known HIV-1 Group M sequences. We developed immunogens based on the highly conserved elements from the p24(gag region according to two principles: the immunogen must (i include strictly conserved elements of the virus that cannot mutate readily, and (ii exclude both HIV regions capable of mutating without limiting virus viability, and also immunodominant epitopes located in variable regions. We engineered two HIV-1 p24(gag DNA immunogens that express 7 highly Conserved Elements (CE of 12-24 amino acids in length and differ by only 1 amino acid in each CE ('toggle site', together covering >99% of the HIV-1 Group M sequences. Altering intracellular trafficking of the immunogens changed protein localization, stability, and also the nature of elicited immune responses. Immunization of C57BL/6 mice with p55(gag DNA induced poor, CD4(+ mediated cellular responses, to only 2 of the 7 CE; in contrast, vaccination with p24CE DNA induced cross-clade reactive, robust T cell responses to 4 of the 7 CE. The responses were multifunctional and composed of both CD4(+ and CD8(+ T cells with mature cytotoxic phenotype. These findings provide a method to increase immune response to universally conserved Gag epitopes, using the p24CE immunogen. p24CE DNA vaccination induced humoral immune responses similar in magnitude to those induced by p55(gag, which recognize the virus encoded p24(gag protein. The inclusion of DNA immunogens composed of conserved elements is a promising vaccine strategy to induce broader immunity by CD4(+ and CD8(+ T cells to additional regions of Gag compared to vaccination with p55(gag DNA, achieving maximal cross-clade reactive cellular and humoral responses.

Mean annual response of lichen Parmelia sulcata to environmental elemental availability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reis, M.A.; Alves, L.C.; Freitas, M.C.; Os, B. van; Wolterbeek, H.Th.

2000-01-01

Lichens collected in an area previously identified as unpolluted, were transplanted to six different places located in polluted areas near Power Plants (both fuel and coal powered). A total of 26 lichen transplants were made for each place, each transplant weighing about 2g. Two were analysed as zero or reference and the remain 24 were hanged in nylon net bags in order to be able to collect two transplants each month, out of every station during a one year period. Besides the 24 lichen samples, each station was provided with two total deposition collection 10 litter buckets (with 25 cm diameter funnels) and an aerosol sampler. Concentration in both lichens and aerosols were measured by PIXE and INAA at ITN. Total deposition residues were analysed by ICP-MS at the The Netherlands Geological Survey. On this work we present the results obtained by looking for correlation between lichens elemental concentrations and annual averages of elemental availability variables such as concentration in suspension in the atmosphere and concentration in total deposition samples, for a total of 40 elements. In order to access both the limitations and the reliability of the results a discussion on the details of handling this data set is presented. A mathematical function which tentatively represents the lichen up-take response to water availability is also proposed. (author)

Cis-regulatory element based targeted gene finding: genome-wide identification of abscisic acid- and abiotic stress-responsive genes in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Weixiong; Ruan, Jianhua; Ho, Tuan-Hua David; You, Youngsook; Yu, Taotao; Quatrano, Ralph S

2005-07-15

A fundamental problem of computational genomics is identifying the genes that respond to certain endogenous cues and environmental stimuli. This problem can be referred to as targeted gene finding. Since gene regulation is mainly determined by the binding of transcription factors and cis-regulatory DNA sequences, most existing gene annotation methods, which exploit the conservation of open reading frames, are not effective in finding target genes. A viable approach to targeted gene finding is to exploit the cis-regulatory elements that are known to be responsible for the transcription of target genes. Given such cis-elements, putative target genes whose promoters contain the elements can be identified. As a case study, we apply the above approach to predict the genes in model plant Arabidopsis thaliana which are inducible by a phytohormone, abscisic acid (ABA), and abiotic stress, such as drought, cold and salinity. We first construct and analyze two ABA specific cis-elements, ABA-responsive element (ABRE) and its coupling element (CE), in A.thaliana, based on their conservation in rice and other cereal plants. We then use the ABRE-CE module to identify putative ABA-responsive genes in A.thaliana. Based on RT-PCR verification and the results from literature, this method has an accuracy rate of 67.5% for the top 40 predictions. The cis-element based targeted gene finding approach is expected to be widely applicable since a large number of cis-elements in many species are available.

Finite Element Based Response Surface Methodology to Optimize Segmental Tunnel Lining

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A. Rastbood

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this paper is to optimize the geometrical and engineering characteristics of concrete segments of tunnel lining using Finite Element (FE based Response Surface Methodology (RSM. Input data for RSM statistical analysis were obtained using FEM. In RSM analysis, thickness (t and elasticity modulus of concrete segments (E, tunnel height (H, horizontal to vertical stress ratio (K and position of key segment in tunnel lining ring (θ were considered as input independent variables. Maximum values of Mises and Tresca stresses and tunnel ring displacement (UMAX were set as responses. Analysis of variance (ANOVA was carried out to investigate the influence of each input variable on the responses. Second-order polynomial equations in terms of influencing input variables were obtained for each response. It was found that elasticity modulus and key segment position variables were not included in yield stresses and ring displacement equations, and only tunnel height and stress ratio variables were included in ring displacement equation. Finally optimization analysis of tunnel lining ring was performed. Due to absence of elasticity modulus and key segment position variables in equations, their values were kept to average level and other variables were floated in related ranges. Response parameters were set to minimum. It was concluded that to obtain optimum values for responses, ring thickness and tunnel height must be near to their maximum and minimum values, respectively and ground state must be similar to hydrostatic conditions.

Finite element modelling of Plantar Fascia response during running on different surface types

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Razak, A. H. A.; Basaruddin, K. S.; Salleh, A. F.; Rusli, W. M. R.; Hashim, M. S. M.; Daud, R.

2017-10-01

Plantar fascia is a ligament found in human foot structure located beneath the skin of human foot that functioning to stabilize longitudinal arch of human foot during standing and normal gait. To perform direct experiment on plantar fascia seems very difficult since the structure located underneath the soft tissue. The aim of this study is to develop a finite element (FE) model of foot with plantar fascia and investigate the effect of the surface hardness on biomechanical response of plantar fascia during running. The plantar fascia model was developed using Solidworks 2015 according to the bone structure of foot model that was obtained from Turbosquid database. Boundary conditions were set out based on the data obtained from experiment of ground reaction force response during running on different surface hardness. The finite element analysis was performed using Ansys 14. The results found that the peak of stress and strain distribution were occur on the insertion of plantar fascia to bone especially on calcaneal area. Plantar fascia became stiffer with increment of Young’s modulus value and was able to resist more loads. Strain of plantar fascia was decreased when Young’s modulus increased with the same amount of loading.

Biomechanical Analysis of Human Abdominal Impact Responses and Injuries through Finite Element Simulations of a Full Human Body Model.

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Ruan, Jesse S; El-Jawahri, Raed; Barbat, Saeed; Prasad, Priya

2005-11-01

Human abdominal response and injury in blunt impacts was investigated through finite element simulations of cadaver tests using a full human body model of an average-sized adult male. The model was validated at various impact speeds by comparing model responses with available experimental cadaver test data in pendulum side impacts and frontal rigid bar impacts from various sources. Results of various abdominal impact simulations are presented in this paper. Model-predicted abdominal dynamic responses such as force-time and force-deflection characteristics, and injury severities, measured by organ pressures, for the simulated impact conditions are presented. Quantitative results such as impact forces, abdominal deflections, internal organ stresses have shown that the abdomen responded differently to left and right side impacts, especially in low speed impact. Results also indicated that the model exhibited speed sensitive response characteristics and the compressibility of the abdomen significantly influenced the overall impact response in the simulated impact conditions. This study demonstrates that the development of a validated finite element human body model can be useful for abdominal injury assessment. Internal organ injuries, which are difficult to detect in experimental studies with human cadavers due to the difficulty of instrumentation, may be more easily identified with a validated finite element model through stress-strain analysis.

Neurotensin type 1 receptor-mediated activation of krox24, c-fos and Elk-1: preventing effect of the neurotensin antagonists SR 48692 and SR 142948.

Science.gov (United States)

Portier, M; Combes, T; Gully, D; Maffrand, J P; Casellas, P

1998-07-31

Stimulation of neurotensin (NT) type 1 receptors (NT1-R) in transfected CHO cells is followed by the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and the expression of the early response gene krox24. By making point mutations and internal deletions in the krox24 promoter, we show that proximal serum responsive elements (SRE) are involved in transcriptional activation by NT. In addition, we show that the related early response gene c-fos and the Ets protein Elk-1 are also induced by NT. The involvement of NT1-R in NT-mediated activation of krox24, c-fos and Elk-1 was demonstrated by the preventing effect of the specific antagonists SR 48692 and SR 142948. Finally, we show that the activation of krox24 and Elk-1 on the one hand, and that of c-fos on the other hand, result from independent transduction pathways since the former are pertussis toxin-sensitive whereas the latter is insensitive to pertussis toxin.

Early markers of ongoing action-effect learning

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Hannes eRuge

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Acquiring knowledge about the relationship between stimulus conditions, one’s own actions, and the resulting consequences or effects, is one prerequisite for intentional action. Previous studies have shown that such contextualized associations between actions and their effects (S-R-E associations can be picked up very quickly. The present study examined how such weakly practiced associations might affect overt behavior during the process of initial learning and during subsequent retrieval, and how these two measures are inter-related. We examined incidental (S-R-E learning in the context of trial-and-error S-R learning and in the context of instruction-based S-R learning. Furthermore, as a control condition, common outcome (CO learning blocks were included in which all responses produced one common sound effect, hence precluding differential (S-R-E learning. Post-learning retrieval of R-E associations was tested by re-using previously produced sound effects as novel imperative stimuli combined with actions that were either compatible or incompatible with the previously encountered R-E mapping. The central result was that the size of the compatibility effect could be predicted by the size of relative response slowing during ongoing learning in the preceding acquisition phase, both in trial-and-error learning and in instruction-based learning. Importantly, this correlation was absent for the common outcome control condition, precluding accounts based on unspecific factors. Instead, the results suggest that differential outcomes are ‘actively’ integrated into action planning and that this takes additional planning time. We speculate that this might be especially true for weakly practiced (S-R-E associations before an initial goal-directed action mode transitions into a more stimulus-based action mode.

Simultaneous shifts in elemental stoichiometry and fatty acids of Emiliania huxleyi in response to environmental changes

Science.gov (United States)

Bi, Rong; Ismar, Stefanie M. H.; Sommer, Ulrich; Zhao, Meixun

2018-02-01

Climate-driven changes in environmental conditions have significant and complex effects on marine ecosystems. Variability in phytoplankton elements and biochemicals can be important for global ocean biogeochemistry and ecological functions, while there is currently limited understanding on how elements and biochemicals respond to the changing environments in key coccolithophore species such as Emiliania huxleyi. We investigated responses of elemental stoichiometry and fatty acids (FAs) in a strain of E. huxleyi under three temperatures (12, 18 and 24 °C), three N : P supply ratios (molar ratios 10:1, 24:1 and 63:1) and two pCO2 levels (560 and 2400 µatm). Overall, C : N : P stoichiometry showed the most pronounced response to N : P supply ratios, with high ratios of particulate organic carbon vs. particulate organic nitrogen (POC : PON) and low ratios of PON vs. particulate organic phosphorus (PON : POP) in low-N media, and high POC : POP and PON : POP in low-P media. The ratio of particulate inorganic carbon vs. POC (PIC : POC) and polyunsaturated fatty acid proportions strongly responded to temperature and pCO2, both being lower under high pCO2 and higher with warming. We observed synergistic interactions between warming and nutrient deficiency (and high pCO2) on elemental cellular contents and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) proportion in most cases, indicating the enhanced effect of warming under nutrient deficiency (and high pCO2). Our results suggest differential sensitivity of elements and FAs to the changes in temperature, nutrient availability and pCO2 in E. huxleyi, which is to some extent unique compared to non-calcifying algal classes. Thus, simultaneous changes of elements and FAs should be considered when predicting future roles of E. huxleyi in the biotic-mediated connection between biogeochemical cycles, ecological functions and climate change.

Geological occurrence response to trace elemental migration in coal liquefaction based on SPSS: take no. 11 coalbed in Antaibao mine for example

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Xiaohong; Qin, Yong; Yang, Weifeng

2013-03-01

Coal liquefaction is an adoptable method to transfer the solid fossil energy into liquid oil in large scale, but the dirty material in which will migrate to different step of liquefaction. The migration rule of some trace elements is response to the react activity of macerals in coal and the geological occurrence of the element nature of itself. In this paper, from the SPSS data correlation analysis and hierarchical clustering dendrogram about the trace elements with macerals respond to coal liquefaction yield, it shows the trace elements in No.11 Antaibao coal seam originated from some of lithophile and sulphophle elements. Correlation coefficient between liquefaction yield of three organic macerals and migration of the elements in liquefaction residue indicated that the lithophile are easy to transfer to residue, while sulphophle are apt to in the liquid products. The activated macerals are response to sulphophle trace elements. The conclusion is useful to the coal blending and environmental effects on coal direct liquefaction.

Contributions of individual domains to function of the HIV-1 Rev response element.

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O'Carroll, Ina P; Thappeta, Yashna; Fan, Lixin; Ramirez-Valdez, Edric A; Smith, Sean; Wang, Yun-Xing; Rein, Alan

2017-08-16

The HIV-1 Rev response element (RRE) is a 351-base element in unspliced and partially spliced viral RNA; binding of the RRE by the viral Rev protein induces nuclear export of RRE-containing RNAs, as required for virus replication. It contains one long, imperfect double helix (domain I), one branched domain (domain II) containing a high-affinity Rev-binding site, and two or three additional domains. We previously reported that the RRE assumes an "A" shape in solution and suggested that the location of the Rev binding sites in domains I and II, opposite each other on the two legs of the A, is optimal for Rev binding and explains Rev's specificity for RRE-containing RNAs. Using SAXS and a quantitative functional assay, we have now analyzed a panel of RRE mutants. All the results support the essential role of the A shape for RRE function. Moreover, they suggest that the distal portion of domain I and the three crowning domains all contribute to the maintenance of the A shape. Domains I and II are necessary and sufficient for substantial RRE function, provided they are joined by a flexible linker that allows the two domains to face each other. IMPORTANCE Retroviral replication requires that some of the viral RNAs transcribed in the cell nucleus be exported to the cytoplasm without being spliced. To achieve this, HIV-1 encodes a protein, Rev, which binds to a complex, highly structured element within viral RNA, the Rev Response Element (RRE), and escorts RRE-containing RNAs from the nucleus. We previously reported that the RRE is "A"-shaped and suggested that this architecture, with the 2 legs opposite one another, can explain the specificity of Rev for the RRE. We have analyzed the functional contributions of individual RRE domains, and now report that several domains contribute, with some redundancy, to maintenance of the overall RRE shape. The data strongly support the hypothesis that the opposed placement of the 2 legs is essential for RRE function. Copyright © 2017

The Hidden Cost of Regulation: The Administrative Cost of Reporting Serious Reportable Events.

Science.gov (United States)

Blanchfield, Bonnie B; Acharya, Bijay; Mort, Elizabeth

2018-04-01

More than half of the 50 states (27) and the District of Columbia require reporting of Serous Reportable Events (SREs). The goal is to hold providers accountable and improve patient safety, but there is little information about the administrative cost of this reporting requirement. This study was conducted to identify costs associated with investigating and reporting SREs. This qualitative study used case study methods that included interviewing staff and review of data and documents to investigate each SRE occurring at one academic medical center during fiscal year 2013. A framework of tasks and a model to categorize costs was created. Time was summarized and costs were estimated for each SRE. The administrative cost to process 44 SREs was estimated at $353,291, an average cost of $8,029 per SRE, ranging $6,653 for an environmental-related SRE to $21,276 for a device-related SRE. Care management SREs occurred most frequently, costing an average $7,201 per SRE. Surgical SREs, the most expensive on average, cost $9,123 per SRE. Investigation of events accounted for 64.5% of total cost; public reporting, 17.2%; internal reporting, 10.2%; finance and administration, 6.0%; and 2.1%, other. Even with 26 states mandating reporting, the 17.2% incremental cost of public reporting is substantial. Policy makers should consider the opportunity costs of these resources, averaging $8,029 per SRE, when mandating reporting. The benefits of public reporting should be collectively reviewed to ensure that the incremental costs in this resource-constrained environment continue to improve patient safety and that trade-offs are acknowledged. Copyright © 2017 The Joint Commission. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Dynamic Response of an Euler-Bernoulli Beam on an Elastic Foundation by Finite Element Analysis using the Exact Stiffness Matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jeong Soo; Kim, Moon Kyum

2012-01-01

In this study, finite element analysis of beam on elastic foundation, which received great attention of researchers due to its wide applications in engineering, is performed for estimating dynamic responses of shallow foundation using exact stiffness matrix. First, element stiffness matrix based on the closed solution of beam on elastic foundation is derived. Then, we performed static finite element analysis included exact stiffness matrix numerically, comparing results from the analysis with some exact analysis solutions well known for verification. Finally, dynamic finite element analysis is performed for a shallow foundation structure under rectangular pulse loading using trapezoidal method. The dynamic analysis results exist in the reasonable range comparing solution of single degree of freedom problem under a similar condition. The results show that finite element analysis using exact stiffness matrix is evaluated as a good tool of estimating the dynamic response of structures on elastic foundation.

Genome-wide analysis of ABA-responsive elements ABRE and CE3 reveals divergent patterns in Arabidopsis and rice

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Riaño-Pachón Diego

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In plants, complex regulatory mechanisms are at the core of physiological and developmental processes. The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA is involved in the regulation of various such processes, including stomatal closure, seed and bud dormancy, and physiological responses to cold, drought and salinity stress. The underlying tissue or plant-wide control circuits often include combinatorial gene regulatory mechanisms and networks that we are only beginning to unravel with the help of new molecular tools. The increasing availability of genomic sequences and gene expression data enables us to dissect ABA regulatory mechanisms at the individual gene expression level. In this paper we used an in-silico-based approach directed towards genome-wide prediction and identification of specific features of ABA-responsive elements. In particular we analysed the genome-wide occurrence and positional arrangements of two well-described ABA-responsive cis-regulatory elements (CREs, ABRE and CE3, in thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana and rice (Oryza sativa. Results Our results show that Arabidopsis and rice use the ABA-responsive elements ABRE and CE3 distinctively. Earlier reports for various monocots have identified CE3 as a coupling element (CE associated with ABRE. Surprisingly, we found that while ABRE is equally abundant in both species, CE3 is practically absent in Arabidopsis. ABRE-ABRE pairs are common in both genomes, suggesting that these can form functional ABA-responsive complexes (ABRCs in Arabidopsis and rice. Furthermore, we detected distinct combinations, orientation patterns and DNA strand preferences of ABRE and CE3 motifs in rice gene promoters. Conclusion Our computational analyses revealed distinct recruitment patterns of ABA-responsive CREs in upstream sequences of Arabidopsis and rice. The apparent absence of CE3s in Arabidopsis suggests that another CE pairs with ABRE to establish a functional ABRC capable of

Genome-wide analysis of ABA-responsive elements ABRE and CE3 reveals divergent patterns in Arabidopsis and rice.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez-Porras, Judith L; Riaño-Pachón, Diego Mauricio; Dreyer, Ingo; Mayer, Jorge E; Mueller-Roeber, Bernd

2007-08-01

In plants, complex regulatory mechanisms are at the core of physiological and developmental processes. The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) is involved in the regulation of various such processes, including stomatal closure, seed and bud dormancy, and physiological responses to cold, drought and salinity stress. The underlying tissue or plant-wide control circuits often include combinatorial gene regulatory mechanisms and networks that we are only beginning to unravel with the help of new molecular tools. The increasing availability of genomic sequences and gene expression data enables us to dissect ABA regulatory mechanisms at the individual gene expression level. In this paper we used an in-silico-based approach directed towards genome-wide prediction and identification of specific features of ABA-responsive elements. In particular we analysed the genome-wide occurrence and positional arrangements of two well-described ABA-responsive cis-regulatory elements (CREs), ABRE and CE3, in thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) and rice (Oryza sativa). Our results show that Arabidopsis and rice use the ABA-responsive elements ABRE and CE3 distinctively. Earlier reports for various monocots have identified CE3 as a coupling element (CE) associated with ABRE. Surprisingly, we found that while ABRE is equally abundant in both species, CE3 is practically absent in Arabidopsis. ABRE-ABRE pairs are common in both genomes, suggesting that these can form functional ABA-responsive complexes (ABRCs) in Arabidopsis and rice. Furthermore, we detected distinct combinations, orientation patterns and DNA strand preferences of ABRE and CE3 motifs in rice gene promoters. Our computational analyses revealed distinct recruitment patterns of ABA-responsive CREs in upstream sequences of Arabidopsis and rice. The apparent absence of CE3s in Arabidopsis suggests that another CE pairs with ABRE to establish a functional ABRC capable of interacting with transcription factors. Further studies will be

Advances in ethanol reforming for the production of hydrogen

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Laura Guerrero

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Catalytic steam reforming of ethanol (SRE is a promising route for the production of renewable hydrogen (H2. This article reviews the influence of doping supported-catalysts used in SRE on the conversion of ethanol, selectivity for H2, and stability during long reaction periods. In addition, promising new technologies such as membrane reactors and electrochemical reforming for performing SRE are presented.

A novel radiation responsive cis-acting element regulates gene induction and mediates tissue injury

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hallahan, Dennis E.; Virudachalam, Subbulakshmi; Kuchibahtla, Jaya

1997-01-01

containing binding domains for the transcription factors AP-1 and Ets. This DNA sequence (TGCCTCAGTTTCCC) is similar to antioxidant responsive element. X-ray- mediated transcriptional activation of the 5' regulatory region of ICAM-1 required the antioxidant responsive element (ARE). Electrophoretic mobility shift analysis of nuclear proteins from irradiated endothelial cells incubated with the ARE binding domain (5'-GCTGCTGCCTCAGTTTCCC-3') showed increased protein-DNA complexes at 60 and 120 minutes after irradiation. Conclusions: 1) ICAM induction in irradiated tissue occurs in the microvascular endothelium. 2) ICAM expression contributes to the pathogenesis of radiation-mediated tissue injury and the ICAM knockout serves as a model for the study of the pathogenesis of tissue injury. 3) ICAM expression is regulated by a novel radiation-inducible cis-acting element that has homology to previously identified antioxidant responsive elements

Creating diversified response profiles from a single quenchometric sensor element by using phase-resolved luminescence.

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Tehan, Elizabeth C; Bukowski, Rachel M; Chodavarapu, Vamsy P; Titus, Albert H; Cartwright, Alexander N; Bright, Frank V

2015-01-05

We report a new strategy for generating a continuum of response profiles from a single luminescence-based sensor element by using phase-resolved detection. This strategy yields reliable responses that depend in a predictable manner on changes in the luminescent reporter lifetime in the presence of the target analyte, the excitation modulation frequency, and the detector (lock-in amplifier) phase angle. In the traditional steady-state mode, the sensor that we evaluate exhibits a linear, positive going response to changes in the target analyte concentration. Under phase-resolved conditions the analyte-dependent response profiles: (i) can become highly non-linear; (ii) yield negative going responses; (iii) can be biphasic; and (iv) can exhibit super sensitivity (e.g., sensitivities up to 300 fold greater in comparison to steady-state conditions).

Brain activity and functional coupling changes associated with self-reference effect during both encoding and retrieval.

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Nastassja Morel

Full Text Available Information that is processed with reference to oneself, i.e. Self-Referential Processing (SRP, is generally associated with better remembering compared to information processed in a condition not related to oneself. This positive effect of the self on subsequent memory performance is called as Self-Reference Effect (SRE. The neural basis of SRE is still poorly understood. The main goal of the present work was thus to highlight brain changes associated with SRE in terms of activity and functional coupling and during both encoding and retrieval so as to assess the relative contribution of both processes to SRE. For this purpose, we used an fMRI event-related self-referential paradigm in 30 healthy young subjects and measured brain activity during both encoding and retrieval of self-relevant information compared to a semantic control condition. We found that SRE was associated with brain changes during the encoding phase only, including both greater activity in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, and greater functional coupling between these brain regions and the posterior cingulate cortex. These findings highlight the contribution of brain regions involved in both SRP and episodic memory and the relevance of the communication between these regions during the encoding process as the neural substrates of SRE. This is consistent with the idea that SRE reflects a positive effect of the reactivation of self-related memories on the encoding of new information in episodic memory.

Perceiving Cardiac Rehabilitation Staff as Mainly Responsible for Exercise: A Dilemma for Future Self-Management.

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Flora, Parminder K; McMahon, Casey J; Locke, Sean R; Brawley, Lawrence R

2018-03-01

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) exercise therapy facilitates patient recovery and better health following a cardiovascular event. However, post-CR adherence to self-managed (SM)-exercise is suboptimal. Part of this problem may be participants' view of CR staff as mainly responsible for help and program structure. Does post-CR exercise adherence for those perceiving high CR staff responsibility suffer as a consequence? Participants in this prospective, observational study were followed over 12 weeks of CR and one month afterward. High perceived staff responsibility individuals were examined for a decline in the strength of adherence-related social cognitions and exercise. Those high and low in perceived staff responsibility were also compared. High perceived staff responsibility individuals reported significant declines in anticipated exercise persistence (d = .58) and number of different SM-exercise options (d = .44). High versus low responsibility comparisons revealed a significant difference in one-month post-CR SM-exercise volume (d = .67). High perceived staff responsibility individuals exercised half of the amount of low responsibility counterparts at one month post-CR. Perceived staff responsibility and CR SRE significantly predicted SM-exercise volume, R 2 adj = .10, and persistence, R 2 adj = .18, one month post-CR. Viewing helpful well-trained CR staff as mainly responsible for participant behavior may be problematic for post-CR exercise maintenance among those more staff dependent. © 2017 The International Association of Applied Psychology.

Improvement of dynamic response in an impact absorber by frictional elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bedolla, Jorge; Szwedowicz, Dariusz; Cortes, Claudia; Gutierrezwing, Enrique S.; Jimenez, Juan; Majewski, Tadeusz

2014-01-01

A novel device that uses friction between one or more pairs of elastic conical rings to dissipate the energy from an impacting body is presented. The device consists of one moving and one stationary cylinders coupled to each other using two pairs of conical rings and a spring. The spring is used to restore the system to its original configuration after the impact. The dynamic response of the system to the impact forces during impact events is analysed numerically and experimentally. The effects of several governing parameters, such as the mass ratio between the cylinders, the duration of the transient response of the device, the magnitude of the rest zone of the moving element and the peak impact force are investigated. The proposed system is applicable in sequential impact scenarios, in which remarkable improvements were observed over traditional solid-rod impact absorbers. The present study may serve as a guide for the design of improved damping devices for impact applications.

Characterization of a hypoxia-response element in the Epo locus of the pufferfish, Takifugu rubripes.

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Kulkarni, Rashmi P; Tohari, Sumanty; Ho, Adrian; Brenner, Sydney; Venkatesh, Byrappa

2010-06-01

Animals respond to hypoxia by increasing synthesis of the glycoprotein hormone erythropoietin (Epo) which in turn stimulates the production of red blood cells. The gene encoding Epo has been recently cloned in teleost fishes such as the pufferfish Takifugu rubripes (fugu) and zebrafish (Danio rerio). It has been shown that the transcription levels of Epo in teleost fishes increase in response to anemia or hypoxia in a manner similar to its human ortholog. However, the cis-regulatory element(s) mediating the hypoxia response of Epo gene in fishes has not been identified. In the present study, using the human hepatoma cell line (Hep3B), we have identified and characterized a hypoxia response element (HRE) in the fugu Epo locus. The sequence of the fugu HRE (ACGTGCTG) is identical to that of the HRE in the human EPO locus. However, unlike the HRE in the mammalian Epo locus, which is located in the 3' region of the gene, the fugu HRE is located in the 5' flanking region and on the opposite strand of DNA. This HRE is conserved in other teleosts such as Tetraodon and zebrafish in a similar location. A 365-bp fragment containing the fugu HRE was able to drive GFP expression in the liver of transgenic zebrafish. However, we could not ascertain if the expression of transgene is induced by hypoxia in vivo due to the low and variable levels of GFP expression in transgenic zebrafish. Our investigations also revealed that the Epo locus has experienced extensive rearrangements during vertebrate evolution. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dynamic Response of a Planetary Gear System Using a Finite Element/Contact Mechanics Model

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Robert G.; Agashe, Vinayak; Vijayakar, Sandeep M.

2000-01-01

The dynamic response of a helicopter planetary gear system is examined over a wide range of operating speeds and torques. The analysis tool is a unique, semianalytical finite element formulation that admits precise representation of the tooth geometry and contact forces that are crucial in gear dynamics. Importantly, no a priori specification of static transmission error excitation or mesh frequency variation is required; the dynamic contact forces are evaluated internally at each time step. The calculated response shows classical resonances when a harmonic of mesh frequency coincides with a natural frequency. However, peculiar behavior occurs where resonances expected to be excited at a given speed are absent. This absence of particular modes is explained by analytical relationships that depend on the planetary configuration and mesh frequency harmonic. The torque sensitivity of the dynamic response is examined and compared to static analyses. Rotation mode response is shown to be more sensitive to input torque than translational mode response.

Detection, identification and differentiation of Pectobacterium and Dickeya species causing potato blackleg and tuber soft rot: a review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Czajkowski, R.L.; Pérombelon, M.C.M.; Jafra, S.; Lojkowska, E.; Potrykus, M.; Wolf, van der J.M.; Sledz, W.

2015-01-01

The soft rot Enterobacteriaceae (SRE) Pectobacterium and Dickeya species (formerly classified as pectinolytic Erwinia spp.) cause important diseases on potato and other arable and horticultural crops. They may affect the growing potato plant causing blackleg and are responsible for tuber soft rot in

MYC cis-Elements in PsMPT Promoter Is Involved in Chilling Response of Paeonia suffruticosa.

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Yuxi Zhang

Full Text Available The MPT transports Pi to synthesize ATP. PsMPT, a chilling-induced gene, was previously reported to promote energy metabolism during bud dormancy release in tree peony. In this study, the regulatory elements of PsMPT promoter involved in chilling response were further analyzed. The PsMPT transcript was detected in different tree peony tissues and was highly expressed in the flower organs, including petal, stigma and stamen. An 1174 bp of the PsMPT promoter was isolated by TAIL-PCR, and the PsMPT promoter::GUS transgenic Arabidopsis was generated and analyzed. GUS staining and qPCR showed that the promoter was active in mainly the flower stigma and stamen. Moreover, it was found that the promoter activity was enhanced by chilling, NaCl, GA, ACC and NAA, but inhibited by ABA, mannitol and PEG. In transgenic plants harboring 421 bp of the PsMPT promoter, the GUS gene expression and the activity were significantly increased by chilling treatment. When the fragment from -421 to -408 containing a MYC cis-element was deleted, the chilling response could not be observed. Further mutation analysis confirmed that the MYC element was one of the key motifs responding to chilling in the PsMPT promoter. The present study provides useful information for further investigation of the regulatory mechanism of PsMPT during the endo-dormancy release.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Bone Protective Agents in Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Lessons Learned

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Christian Thomas

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Nine out of ten metastatic prostate cancer (PCa patients will develop osseous metastases. Of these, every second will suffer from skeletal-related events (SRE. SRE are associated with an increased risk for death, which is markedly increased in the presence of pathological fracture. Moreover, health insurance costs nearly double in the presence of SRE. Zoledronic acid and denosumab are both approved drugs for the prevention or delay of SRE in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC patients with osseous metastases. However, long-term treatment with one of these two drugs is associated with the development of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ. Routine inspections of the oral cavity before and during treatment are mandatory in these patients. Regarding imaging techniques, bone scintigraphy seems to be a promising tool to detect early stage MRONJ. Zoledronic acid does not reduce the incidence of SRE in hormone-sensitive PCa. First data shows 3-monthly application of zoledronic acid to be equi-effective to monthly application.

The yeast genome may harbor hypoxia response elements (HRE).

Science.gov (United States)

Ferreira, Túlio César; Hertzberg, Libi; Gassmann, Max; Campos, Elida Geralda

2007-01-01

The hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a heterodimeric transcription factor activated when cells are submitted to hypoxia. The heterodimer is composed of two subunits, HIF-1alpha and the constitutively expressed HIF-1beta. During normoxia, HIF-1alpha is degraded by the 26S proteasome, but hypoxia causes HIF-1alpha to be stabilized, enter the nucleus and bind to HIF-1beta, thus forming the active complex. The complex then binds to the regulatory sequences of various genes involved in physiological and pathological processes. The specific regulatory sequence recognized by HIF-1 is the hypoxia response element (HRE) that has the consensus sequence 5'BRCGTGVBBB3'. Although the basic transcriptional regulation machinery is conserved between yeast and mammals, Saccharomyces cerevisiae does not express HIF-1 subunits. However, we hypothesized that baker's yeast has a protein analogous to HIF-1 which participates in the response to changes in oxygen levels by binding to HRE sequences. In this study we screened the yeast genome for HREs using probabilistic motif search tools. We described 24 yeast genes containing motifs with high probability of being HREs (p-value<0.1) and classified them according to biological function. Our results show that S. cerevisiae may harbor HREs and indicate that a transcription factor analogous to HIF-1 may exist in this organism.

Element uptake and physiological responses of Lactuca sativa upon co-exposures to tourmaline and dissolved humic acids.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Weili; Wang, Cuiping; Ma, Chuanxin; Wang, Jicheng; Sun, Hongwen

2018-03-27

Element migration and physiological response in Lactuca sativa upon co-exposure to tourmaline (T) and dissolved humic acids (DHAs) were investigated. Different fractions of DHA 1 and DHA 4 and three different doses of T were introduced into Hoagland's solution. The results indicated that T enhanced the contents of elements such as N and C, Si and Al in the roots and shoots. The correlation between TF values of Si and Al (R 2  = 0.7387) was higher than that of Si and Mn (R 2  = 0.4961) without the presence of DHAs. However, both DHA 1 and DHA 4 increased the correlation between Si and Mn, but decreased the one between Si and Al. CAT activities in T treatments were positively correlated to the contents of N and Al in the shoots, whose R 2 was 0.9994 and 0.9897, respectively. In the co-exposure of DHAs and tourmaline, DHA 4 exhibited more impacts on element uptake, CAT activities, as well as ABA contents in comparison with the presence of DHA 1 , regardless of the T exposure doses. These results suggested that DHAs have effects on mineral element behaviors and physiological response in Lactuca sativa upon exposure to tourmaline for the first time, which had great use in guiding soil remediation.

Simultaneous shifts in elemental stoichiometry and fatty acids of Emiliania huxleyi in response to environmental changes

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R. Bi

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Climate-driven changes in environmental conditions have significant and complex effects on marine ecosystems. Variability in phytoplankton elements and biochemicals can be important for global ocean biogeochemistry and ecological functions, while there is currently limited understanding on how elements and biochemicals respond to the changing environments in key coccolithophore species such as Emiliania huxleyi. We investigated responses of elemental stoichiometry and fatty acids (FAs in a strain of E. huxleyi under three temperatures (12, 18 and 24 °C, three N : P supply ratios (molar ratios 10:1, 24:1 and 63:1 and two pCO2 levels (560 and 2400 µatm. Overall, C : N : P stoichiometry showed the most pronounced response to N : P supply ratios, with high ratios of particulate organic carbon vs. particulate organic nitrogen (POC : PON and low ratios of PON vs. particulate organic phosphorus (PON : POP in low-N media, and high POC : POP and PON : POP in low-P media. The ratio of particulate inorganic carbon vs. POC (PIC : POC and polyunsaturated fatty acid proportions strongly responded to temperature and pCO2, both being lower under high pCO2 and higher with warming. We observed synergistic interactions between warming and nutrient deficiency (and high pCO2 on elemental cellular contents and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA proportion in most cases, indicating the enhanced effect of warming under nutrient deficiency (and high pCO2. Our results suggest differential sensitivity of elements and FAs to the changes in temperature, nutrient availability and pCO2 in E. huxleyi, which is to some extent unique compared to non-calcifying algal classes. Thus, simultaneous changes of elements and FAs should be considered when predicting future roles of E. huxleyi in the biotic-mediated connection between biogeochemical cycles, ecological functions and climate change.

Salt Plug Formation Caused by Decreased River Discharge in a Multi-channel Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Shaha, Dinesh Chandra; Cho, Yang-Ki

2016-01-01

Freshwater input to estuaries may be greatly altered by the river barrages required to meet human needs for drinking water and irrigation and prevent salt water intrusion. Prior studies have examined the salt plugs associated with evaporation and salt outwelling from tidal salt flats in single-channel estuaries. In this work, we discovered a new type of salt plug formation in the multi-channel Pasur River Estuary (PRE) caused by decreasing river discharges resulting from an upstream barrage. The formation of a salt plug in response to changes in river discharge was investigated using a conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) recorder during spring and neap tides in the dry and wet seasons in 2014. An exportation of saline water from the Shibsa River Estuary (SRE) to the PRE through the Chunkhuri Channel occurred during the dry season, and a salt plug was created and persisted from December to June near Chalna in the PRE. A discharge-induced, relatively high water level in the PRE during the wet season exerted hydrostatic pressure towards the SRE from the PRE and thereby prevented the intrusion of salt water from the SRE to the PRE. PMID:27255892

SANTOS - a two-dimensional finite element program for the quasistatic, large deformation, inelastic response of solids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stone, C.M.

1997-07-01

SANTOS is a finite element program designed to compute the quasistatic, large deformation, inelastic response of two-dimensional planar or axisymmetric solids. The code is derived from the transient dynamic code PRONTO 2D. The solution strategy used to compute the equilibrium states is based on a self-adaptive dynamic relaxation solution scheme, which is based on explicit central difference pseudo-time integration and artificial mass proportional damping. The element used in SANTOS is a uniform strain 4-node quadrilateral element with an hourglass control scheme to control the spurious deformation modes. Finite strain constitutive models for many common engineering materials are included. A robust master-slave contact algorithm for modeling sliding contact is implemented. An interface for coupling to an external code is also provided. 43 refs., 22 figs.

Signaling cross-talk between peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor/retinoid X receptor and estrogen receptor through estrogen response elements.

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, H; Givel, F; Perroud, M; Wahli, W

1995-07-01

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) and retinoid X receptors (RXRs) are nuclear hormone receptors that are activated by fatty acids and 9-cis-retinoic acid, respectively. PPARs and RXRs form heterodimers that activate transcription by binding to PPAR response elements (PPREs) in the promoter of target genes. The PPREs described thus far consist of a direct tandem repeat of the AGGTCA core element with one intervening nucleotide. We show here that the vitellogenin A2 estrogen response element (ERE) can also function as a PPRE and is bound by a PPAR/RXR heterodimer. Although this heterodimer can bind to several other ERE-related palindromic response elements containing AGGTCA half-sites, only the ERE is able to confer transactivation of test reporter plasmids, when the ERE is placed either close to or at a distance from the transcription initiation site. Examination of natural ERE-containing promoters, including the pS2, very-low-density apolipoprotein II and vitellogenin A2 genes, revealed considerable differences in the binding of PPAR/RXR heterodimers to these EREs. In their natural promoter context, these EREs did not allow transcriptional activation by PPARs/RXRs. Analysis of this lack of stimulation of the vitellogenin A2 promoter demonstrated that PPARs/RXRs bind to the ERE but cannot transactivate due to a nonpermissive promoter structure. As a consequence, PPARs/RXRs inhibit transactivation by the estrogen receptor through competition for ERE binding. This is the first example of signaling cross-talk between PPAR/RXR and estrogen receptor.

Regulation of Cancer Cell Responsiveness to Ionizing Radiation Treatment by Cyclic AMP Response Element Binding Nuclear Transcription Factor

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Francesca D’Auria

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Cyclic AMP response element binding (CREB protein is a member of the CREB/activating transcription factor (ATF family of transcription factors that play an important role in the cell response to different environmental stimuli leading to proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and survival. A number of studies highlight the involvement of CREB in the resistance to ionizing radiation (IR therapy, demonstrating a relationship between IR-induced CREB family members’ activation and cell survival. Consistent with these observations, we have recently demonstrated that CREB and ATF-1 are expressed in leukemia cell lines and that low-dose radiation treatment can trigger CREB activation, leading to survival of erythro-leukemia cells (K562. On the other hand, a number of evidences highlight a proapoptotic role of CREB following IR treatment of cancer cells. Since the development of multiple mechanisms of resistance is one key problem of most malignancies, including those of hematological origin, it is highly desirable to identify biological markers of responsiveness/unresponsiveness useful to follow-up the individual response and to adjust anticancer treatments. Taking into account all these considerations, this mini-review will be focused on the involvement of CREB/ATF family members in response to IR therapy, to deepen our knowledge of this topic, and to pave the way to translation into a therapeutic context.

Hepatic overexpression of cAMP-responsive element modulator α induces a regulatory T-cell response in a murine model of chronic liver disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuttkat, Nadine; Mohs, Antje; Ohl, Kim; Hooiveld, Guido; Longerich, Thomas; Tenbrock, Klaus; Cubero, Francisco Javier; Trautwein, Christian

2016-01-01

Objective Th17 cells are a subset of CD4+ T-helper cells characterised by interleukin 17 (IL-17) production, a cytokine that plays a crucial role in inflammation-associated diseases. The cyclic AMP-responsive element modulator-α (CREMα) is a central mediator of T-cell pathogenesis, which

Evaluation of Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction with Early Systolic Dysfunction Using Two-Dimensional Speckle Tracking Echocardiography in Canine Heart Failure Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Wei-Chun; Ma, Hong; Xie, Rong-Ai; Gao, Li-Jian; Tang, Yue; Wang, Hao

2016-04-01

This study evaluated the role of two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2DSTE) for predicting left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction in pacing-induced canine heart failure. Pacing systems were implanted in 8 adult mongrel dogs, and continuous rapid right ventricular pacing (RVP, 240 beats/min) was maintained for 2 weeks. The obtained measurements from 2DSTE included global strain rate during early diastole (SRe) and during late diastole (SRa) in the longitudinal (L-SRe, L-SRa), circumferential (C-SRe, C-SRa), and radial directions (R-SRe, R-SRa). Changes in heart morphology were observed by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy at 2 weeks. The onset of LV diastolic dysfunction with early systolic dysfunction occurred 3 days after RVP initiation. Most of the strain rate imaging indices were altered at 1 or 3 days after RVP onset and continued to worsen until heart failure developed. Light and transmission electron microscopy showed myocardial vacuolar degeneration and mitochondrial swelling in the left ventricular at 2 weeks after RVP onset. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed that parameters of conventional echocardiography and 2DSTE showed moderate correlation with LV pressure parameters, including E/Esep' (r = 0.58, P echocardiography and strain rate imaging could effectively predict LV diastolic dysfunction (area under the curve: E/Esep' 0.78; L-SRe 0.84; E/L-SRe 0.80; R-SRe 0.80). 2DSTE was a sensitive and accurate technique that could be used for predicting LV diastolic dysfunction in canine heart failure model. © 2015, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Multi-Element Approach to Location Inference of Twitter: A Case for Emergency Response

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Farhad Laylavi

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Since its inception, Twitter has played a major role in real-world events—especially in the aftermath of disasters and catastrophic incidents, and has been increasingly becoming the first point of contact for users wishing to provide or seek information about such situations. The use of Twitter in emergency response and disaster management opens up avenues of research concerning different aspects of Twitter data quality, usefulness and credibility. A real challenge that has attracted substantial attention in the Twitter research community exists in the location inference of twitter data. Considering that less than 2% of tweets are geotagged, finding location inference methods that can go beyond the geotagging capability is undoubtedly the priority research area. This is especially true in terms of emergency response, where spatial aspects of information play an important role. This paper introduces a multi-elemental location inference method that puts the geotagging aside and tries to predict the location of tweets by exploiting the other inherently attached data elements. In this regard, textual content, users’ profile location and place labelling, as the main location-related elements, are taken into account. Location-name classes in three granularity levels are defined and employed to look up the location references from the location-associated elements. The inferred location of the finest granular level is assigned to a tweet, based on a novel location assignment rule. The location assigned by the location inference process is considered to be the inferred location of a tweet, and is compared with the geotagged coordinates as the ground truth of the study. The results show that this method is able to successfully infer the location of 87% of the tweets at the average distance error of 12.2 km and the median distance error of 4.5 km, which is a significant improvement compared with that of the current methods that can predict the location

Effects of rare earth elements and REE-binding proteins on physiological responses in plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Dongwu; Wang, Xue; Chen, Zhiwei

2012-02-01

Rare earth elements (REEs), which include 17 elements in the periodic table, share chemical properties related to a similar external electronic configuration. REEs enriched fertilizers have been used in China since the 1980s. REEs could enter the cell and cell organelles, influence plant growth, and mainly be bound with the biological macromolecules. REE-binding proteins have been found in some plants. In addition, the chlorophyll activities and photosynthetic rate can be regulated by REEs. REEs could promote the protective function of cell membrane and enhance the plant resistance capability to stress produced by environmental factors, and affect the plant physiological mechanism by regulating the Ca²⁺ level in the plant cells. The focus of present review is to describe how REEs and REE-binding proteins participate in the physiological responses in plants.

A role for neuronal cAMP responsive-element binding (CREB)-1 in brain responses to calorie restriction

Science.gov (United States)

Fusco, Salvatore; Ripoli, Cristian; Podda, Maria Vittoria; Ranieri, Sofia Chiatamone; Leone, Lucia; Toietta, Gabriele; McBurney, Michael W.; Schütz, Günther; Riccio, Antonella; Grassi, Claudio; Galeotti, Tommaso; Pani, Giovambattista

2012-01-01

Calorie restriction delays brain senescence and prevents neurodegeneration, but critical regulators of these beneficial responses other than the NAD+-dependent histone deacetylase Sirtuin-1 (Sirt-1) are unknown. We report that effects of calorie restriction on neuronal plasticity, memory and social behavior are abolished in mice lacking cAMP responsive-element binding (CREB)-1 in the forebrain. Moreover, CREB deficiency drastically reduces the expression of Sirt-1 and the induction of genes relevant to neuronal metabolism and survival in the cortex and hippocampus of dietary-restricted animals. Biochemical studies reveal a complex interplay between CREB and Sirt-1: CREB directly regulates the transcription of the sirtuin in neuronal cells by binding to Sirt-1 chromatin; Sirt-1, in turn, is recruited by CREB to DNA and promotes CREB-dependent expression of target gene peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α and neuronal NO Synthase. Accordingly, expression of these CREB targets is markedly reduced in the brain of Sirt KO mice that are, like CREB-deficient mice, poorly responsive to calorie restriction. Thus, the above circuitry, modulated by nutrient availability, links energy metabolism with neurotrophin signaling, participates in brain adaptation to nutrient restriction, and is potentially relevant to accelerated brain aging by overnutrition and diabetes. PMID:22190495

Probabilistic finite elements

Science.gov (United States)

Belytschko, Ted; Wing, Kam Liu

1987-01-01

In the Probabilistic Finite Element Method (PFEM), finite element methods have been efficiently combined with second-order perturbation techniques to provide an effective method for informing the designer of the range of response which is likely in a given problem. The designer must provide as input the statistical character of the input variables, such as yield strength, load magnitude, and Young's modulus, by specifying their mean values and their variances. The output then consists of the mean response and the variance in the response. Thus the designer is given a much broader picture of the predicted performance than with simply a single response curve. These methods are applicable to a wide class of problems, provided that the scale of randomness is not too large and the probabilistic density functions possess decaying tails. By incorporating the computational techniques we have developed in the past 3 years for efficiency, the probabilistic finite element methods are capable of handling large systems with many sources of uncertainties. Sample results for an elastic-plastic ten-bar structure and an elastic-plastic plane continuum with a circular hole subject to cyclic loadings with the yield stress on the random field are given.

Non-linear finite element analysis for prediction of seismic response of buildings considering soil-structure interaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Çelebi

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The objective of this paper focuses primarily on the numerical approach based on two-dimensional (2-D finite element method for analysis of the seismic response of infinite soil-structure interaction (SSI system. This study is performed by a series of different scenarios that involved comprehensive parametric analyses including the effects of realistic material properties of the underlying soil on the structural response quantities. Viscous artificial boundaries, simulating the process of wave transmission along the truncated interface of the semi-infinite space, are adopted in the non-linear finite element formulation in the time domain along with Newmark's integration. The slenderness ratio of the superstructure and the local soil conditions as well as the characteristics of input excitations are important parameters for the numerical simulation in this research. The mechanical behavior of the underlying soil medium considered in this prediction model is simulated by an undrained elasto-plastic Mohr-Coulomb model under plane-strain conditions. To emphasize the important findings of this type of problems to civil engineers, systematic calculations with different controlling parameters are accomplished to evaluate directly the structural response of the vibrating soil-structure system. When the underlying soil becomes stiffer, the frequency content of the seismic motion has a major role in altering the seismic response. The sudden increase of the dynamic response is more pronounced for resonance case, when the frequency content of the seismic ground motion is close to that of the SSI system. The SSI effects under different seismic inputs are different for all considered soil conditions and structural types.

System risk evolution analysis and risk critical event identification based on event sequence diagram

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo, Pengcheng; Hu, Yang

2013-01-01

During system operation, the environmental, operational and usage conditions are time-varying, which causes the fluctuations of the system state variables (SSVs). These fluctuations change the accidents’ probabilities and then result in the system risk evolution (SRE). This inherent relation makes it feasible to realize risk control by monitoring the SSVs in real time, herein, the quantitative analysis of SRE is essential. Besides, some events in the process of SRE are critical to system risk, because they act like the “demarcative points” of safety and accident, and this characteristic makes each of them a key point of risk control. Therefore, analysis of SRE and identification of risk critical events (RCEs) are remarkably meaningful to ensure the system to operate safely. In this context, an event sequence diagram (ESD) based method of SRE analysis and the related Monte Carlo solution are presented; RCE and risk sensitive variable (RSV) are defined, and the corresponding identification methods are also proposed. Finally, the proposed approaches are exemplified with an accident scenario of an aircraft getting into the icing region

ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR 96 positively regulates Arabidopsis resistance to necrotrophic pathogens by direct binding to GCC elements of jasmonate - and ethylene-responsive defence genes.

Science.gov (United States)

Catinot, Jérémy; Huang, Jing-Bo; Huang, Pin-Yao; Tseng, Min-Yuan; Chen, Ying-Lan; Gu, Shin-Yuan; Lo, Wan-Sheng; Wang, Long-Chi; Chen, Yet-Ran; Zimmerli, Laurent

2015-12-01

The ERF (ethylene responsive factor) family is composed of transcription factors (TFs) that are critical for appropriate Arabidopsis thaliana responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Here we identified and characterized a member of the ERF TF group IX, namely ERF96, that when overexpressed enhances Arabidopsis resistance to necrotrophic pathogens such as the fungus Botrytis cinerea and the bacterium Pectobacterium carotovorum. ERF96 is jasmonate (JA) and ethylene (ET) responsive and ERF96 transcripts accumulation was abolished in JA-insensitive coi1-16 and in ET-insensitive ein2-1 mutants. Protoplast transactivation and electrophoresis mobility shift analyses revealed that ERF96 is an activator of transcription that binds to GCC elements. In addition, ERF96 mainly localized to the nucleus. Microarray analysis coupled to chromatin immunoprecipitation-PCR of Arabidopsis overexpressing ERF96 revealed that ERF96 enhances the expression of the JA/ET defence genes PDF1.2a, PR-3 and PR-4 as well as the TF ORA59 by direct binding to GCC elements present in their promoters. While ERF96-RNAi plants demonstrated wild-type resistance to necrotrophic pathogens, basal PDF1.2 expression levels were reduced in ERF96-silenced plants. This work revealed ERF96 as a key player of the ERF network that positively regulates the Arabidopsis resistance response to necrotrophic pathogens. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Isolation of an X-ray-responsive element in the promoter region of tissue-type plasminogen activator: Potential uses of X-ray-responsive elements for gene therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boothman, D.A.; Lee, I.W.; Sahijdak, W.M.

1994-01-01

Tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) was induced over 50-fold after X irradiation in radioresistant human melanoma cells. Activities of t-PA were induced 14-fold in ataxia telangiectasia, 9-fold in Bloom's syndrome and 6-fold in Fanconi's anemia cells, compared to normal human fibroblasts. X-ray-inducible synthesis of the protease, t-PA, may play a role(s) in damage-inducible repair processes in mammalian cells, similar to the SOS repair systems in lower eukaryotes and prokaryotes. DNA band shift and DNase I footprinting assays were used to determine binding if transcription factors to a previously unknown X-ray-responsive element (XRE) in the t-PA promoter. The major goals of our research with XREs are to understand (a) which transcription factor(s) regulates to-PA induction after X-rays, and (b) the role(s) of t-PA in DNA repair, apoptosis or other responses to X rays. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the potential use of an XRE, such as the one in the t-PA promoter, for gene radiotherapy. Several gene therapy strategies are proposed. 22 refs., 3 figs

Soil solution chemistry and element fluxes in three European heathlands and their responses to warming and drought

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, I.K.; Tietema, A.; Williams, D.

2004-01-01

Soil water chemistry and element budgets were studied at three northwestern European Calluna vulgaris heathland sites in Denmark (DK), The Netherlands (NL), and Wales (UK). Responses to experimental nighttime warming and early summer drought were followed during a two-year period. Soil solution...

Development of electrochemical reporter assay using HeLa cells transfected with vector plasmids encoding various responsive elements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shiku, Hitoshi, E-mail: shiku@bioinfo.che.tohoku.ac.jp [Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-11-604 Aramaki-Aoba, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Takeda, Michiaki; Murata, Tatsuya [Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-11-604 Aramaki-Aoba, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Akiba, Uichi; Hamada, Fumio [Graduate School of Engineering and Resource Science, Akita University, 1-1 Tegata gakuen-machi, Akita 010-8502 (Japan); Matsue, Tomokazu, E-mail: matsue@bioinfo.che.tohoku.ac.jp [Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-11-604 Aramaki-Aoba, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan)

2009-04-27

Electrochemical assay using HeLa cell lines transfected with various plasmid vectors encoding SEAP (secreted alkaline phosphatase) as the reporter has been performed by using SECM (scanning electrochemical microscopy). The plasmid vector contains different responsive elements that include GRE (glucocorticoid response elements), CRE (cAMP responsive elements), or {kappa}B (binding site for NF{kappa}B (nuclear factor kappa B)) upstream of the SEAP sequence. The transfected HeLa cells were patterned on a culture dish in a 4 x 4 array of circles of diameter 300 {mu}m by using the PDMS (poly(dimethylsiloxane)) stencil technique. The cellular array was first exposed to 100 ng mL{sup -1} dexamethasone, 10 ng mL{sup -1} forskolin, or 100 ng mL{sup -1} TNF-{alpha} (tumor necrosis factor {alpha}) after which it was further cultured in an RPMI culture medium for 6 h. After incubation, the cellular array was soaked in a measuring solution containing 4.7 mM PAPP (p-aminophenylphosphate) at pH 9.5, following which electrochemical measurements were performed immediately within 40 min. The SECM method allows parallel evaluation of different cell lines transfected with pGRE-SEAP, pCRE-SEAP, and pNF{kappa}B-SEAP patterned on the same solid support for detection of the oxidation current of PAP (p-aminophenol) flux produced from only 300 HeLa cells in each stencil pattern. The results of the SECM method were highly sensitive as compared to those obtained from the conventional CL (chemiluminescence) protocol with at least 5 x 10{sup 4} cells per well.

Effect of randomness on multi-frequency aeroelastic responses resolved by Unsteady Adaptive Stochastic Finite Elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Witteveen, Jeroen A.S.; Bijl, Hester

2009-01-01

The Unsteady Adaptive Stochastic Finite Elements (UASFE) method resolves the effect of randomness in numerical simulations of single-mode aeroelastic responses with a constant accuracy in time for a constant number of samples. In this paper, the UASFE framework is extended to multi-frequency responses and continuous structures by employing a wavelet decomposition pre-processing step to decompose the sampled multi-frequency signals into single-frequency components. The effect of the randomness on the multi-frequency response is then obtained by summing the results of the UASFE interpolation at constant phase for the different frequency components. Results for multi-frequency responses and continuous structures show a three orders of magnitude reduction of computational costs compared to crude Monte Carlo simulations in a harmonically forced oscillator, a flutter panel problem, and the three-dimensional transonic AGARD 445.6 wing aeroelastic benchmark subject to random fields and random parameters with various probability distributions.

An ethylene-responsive enhancer element is involved in the senescence-related expression of the carnation glutathione-S-transferase (GST1) gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Itzhaki, H; Maxson, J M; Woodson, W R

1994-09-13

The increased production of ethylene during carnation petal senescence regulates the transcription of the GST1 gene encoding a subunit of glutathione-S-transferase. We have investigated the molecular basis for this ethylene-responsive transcription by examining the cis elements and trans-acting factors involved in the expression of the GST1 gene. Transient expression assays following delivery of GST1 5' flanking DNA fused to a beta-glucuronidase receptor gene were used to functionally define sequences responsible for ethylene-responsive expression. Deletion analysis of the 5' flanking sequences of GST1 identified a single positive regulatory element of 197 bp between -667 and -470 necessary for ethylene-responsive expression. The sequences within this ethylene-responsive region were further localized to 126 bp between -596 and -470. The ethylene-responsive element (ERE) within this region conferred ethylene-regulated expression upon a minimal cauliflower mosaic virus-35S TATA-box promoter in an orientation-independent manner. Gel electrophoresis mobility-shift assays and DNase I footprinting were used to identify proteins that bind to sequences within the ERE. Nuclear proteins from carnation petals were shown to specifically interact with the 126-bp ERE and the presence and binding of these proteins were independent of ethylene or petal senescence. DNase I footprinting defined DNA sequences between -510 and -488 within the ERE specifically protected by bound protein. An 8-bp sequence (ATTTCAAA) within the protected region shares significant homology with promoter sequences required for ethylene responsiveness from the tomato fruit-ripening E4 gene.

Third-generation Ah receptor-responsive luciferase reporter plasmids: amplification of dioxin-responsive elements dramatically increases CALUX bioassay sensitivity and responsiveness.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Guochun; Tsutsumi, Tomoaki; Zhao, Bin; Baston, David S; Zhao, Jing; Heath-Pagliuso, Sharon; Denison, Michael S

2011-10-01

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, dioxin) and related dioxin-like chemicals are widespread and persistent environmental contaminants that produce diverse toxic and biological effects through their ability to bind to and activate the Ah receptor (AhR) and AhR-dependent gene expression. The chemically activated luciferase expression (CALUX) system is an AhR-responsive recombinant luciferase reporter gene-based cell bioassay that has been used in combination with chemical extraction and cleanup methods for the relatively rapid and inexpensive detection and relative quantitation of dioxin and dioxin-like chemicals in a wide variety of sample matrices. Although the CALUX bioassay has been validated and used extensively for screening purposes, it has some limitations when screening samples with very low levels of dioxin-like chemicals or when there is only a small amount of sample matrix for analysis. Here, we describe the development of third-generation (G3) CALUX plasmids with increased numbers of dioxin-responsive elements, and stable transfection of these new plasmids into mouse hepatoma (Hepa1c1c7) cells has produced novel amplified G3 CALUX cell bioassays that respond to TCDD with a dramatically increased magnitude of luciferase induction and significantly lower minimal detection limit than existing CALUX-type cell lines. The new G3 CALUX cell lines provide a highly responsive and sensitive bioassay system for the detection and relative quantitation of very low levels of dioxin-like chemicals in sample extracts.

Third-Generation Ah Receptor–Responsive Luciferase Reporter Plasmids: Amplification of Dioxin-Responsive Elements Dramatically Increases CALUX Bioassay Sensitivity and Responsiveness

Science.gov (United States)

He, Guochun; Tsutsumi, Tomoaki; Zhao, Bin; Baston, David S.; Zhao, Jing; Heath-Pagliuso, Sharon; Denison, Michael S.

2011-01-01

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, dioxin) and related dioxin-like chemicals are widespread and persistent environmental contaminants that produce diverse toxic and biological effects through their ability to bind to and activate the Ah receptor (AhR) and AhR-dependent gene expression. The chemically activated luciferase expression (CALUX) system is an AhR-responsive recombinant luciferase reporter gene–based cell bioassay that has been used in combination with chemical extraction and cleanup methods for the relatively rapid and inexpensive detection and relative quantitation of dioxin and dioxin-like chemicals in a wide variety of sample matrices. Although the CALUX bioassay has been validated and used extensively for screening purposes, it has some limitations when screening samples with very low levels of dioxin-like chemicals or when there is only a small amount of sample matrix for analysis. Here, we describe the development of third-generation (G3) CALUX plasmids with increased numbers of dioxin-responsive elements, and stable transfection of these new plasmids into mouse hepatoma (Hepa1c1c7) cells has produced novel amplified G3 CALUX cell bioassays that respond to TCDD with a dramatically increased magnitude of luciferase induction and significantly lower minimal detection limit than existing CALUX-type cell lines. The new G3 CALUX cell lines provide a highly responsive and sensitive bioassay system for the detection and relative quantitation of very low levels of dioxin-like chemicals in sample extracts. PMID:21775728

Functional cooperativity between two TPA responsive elements in undifferentiated F9 embryonic stem cells.

OpenAIRE

Okuda, A; Imagawa, M; Sakai, M; Muramatsu, M

1990-01-01

We have recently identified an enhancer, termed GPEI, in the 5'-flanking region of the rat glutathione transferase P gene, that is composed of two imperfect TPA (phorbol 12-O-tetradecanoate 13-acetate) responsive elements (TREs). Unlike other TRE-containing enhancers, GPEI exhibits a strong transcriptional enhancing activity in F9 embryonic stem cells. Mutational analyses have revealed that the high activity of GPEI is mediated by two imperfect TREs. Each TRE-like sequence has no activity by ...

Reactor calculation in coarse mesh by finite element method applied to matrix response method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakata, H.

1982-01-01

The finite element method is applied to the solution of the modified formulation of the matrix-response method aiming to do reactor calculations in coarse mesh. Good results are obtained with a short running time. The method is applicable to problems where the heterogeneity is predominant and to problems of evolution in coarse meshes where the burnup is variable in one same coarse mesh, making the cross section vary spatially with the evolution. (E.G.) [pt

Cloning the uteroglobin gene promoter from the relic volcano rabbit (Romerolagus diazi) reveals an ancient estrogen-response element.

Science.gov (United States)

Acosta-MontesdeOca, Adriana; Zariñán, Teresa; Macías, Héctor; Pérez-Solís, Marco A; Ulloa-Aguirre, Alfredo; Gutiérrez-Sagal, Rubén

2012-05-01

To gain further insight on the estrogen-dependent transcriptional regulation of the uteroglobin (UG) gene, we cloned the 5'-flanking region of the UG gene from the phylogenetically ancient volcano rabbit (Romerolagus diazi; Rd). The cloned region spans 812 base pairs (bp; -812/-1) and contains a noncanonical TATA box (TACA). The translation start site is 48 bp downstream from the putative transcription initiation site (AGA), and is preceded by a consensus Kozak box. Comparison of the Rd-UG gene with that previously isolated from rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) showed 93% in sequence identity as well as a number of conserved cis-acting elements, including the estrogen-response element (ERE; -265/-251), which differs from the consensus by two nucleotides. In MCF-7 cells, 17β-estradiol (E(2)) induced transcription of a luciferase reporter driven by the Rd-UG promoter in a similar manner as in an equivalent rabbit UG reporter; the Rd-UG promoter was 30% more responsive to E(2) than the rabbit promoter. Mutagenesis studies on the Rd-ERE confirmed this cis-element as a target of E(2) as two luciferase mutant reporters of the Rd-promoter, one with the rabbit and the other with the consensus ERE, were more responsive to the hormone than the wild-type reporter. Gel shift and super-shift assays showed that estrogen receptor-α indeed binds to the imperfect palindromic sequence of the Rd-ERE. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Activation of the carbohydrate response element binding protein (ChREBP) in response to anoxia in the turtle Trachemys scripta elegans.

Science.gov (United States)

Krivoruchko, Anastasia; Storey, Kenneth B

2014-10-01

ChREBP (carbohydrate response element binding protein) is a glucose-responsive transcription factor that is known to be an important regulator of glycolytic and lipogenic genes in response to glucose. We hypothesized that activation of ChREBP could be relevant to anoxia survival by the anoxia-tolerant turtle, Trachemys scripta elegans. Expression of ChREBP in response to 5 and 20h of anoxia was examined using RT-PCR and Western immunoblotting. In addition, subcellular localization and DNA-binding activity of ChREBP protein were assessed and transcript levels of liver pyruvate kinase (LPK), a downstream gene under ChREBP control were quantified using RT-PCR. ChREBP was anoxia-responsive in kidney and liver, with transcript levels increasing by 1.2-1.8 fold in response to anoxia and protein levels increasing by 1.8-1.9 fold. Enhanced nuclear presence under anoxia was also observed in both tissues by 2.2-2.8 fold. A 4.2 fold increase in DNA binding activity of ChREBP was also observed in liver in response to 5h of anoxia. In addition, transcript levels of LPK increased by 2.1 fold in response to 5h of anoxia in the liver. The results suggest that activation of ChREBP in response to anoxia might be a crucial factor for anoxia survival in turtle liver by contributing to elevated glycolytic flux in the initial phases of oxygen limitation. This study provides the first demonstration of activation of ChREBP in response to anoxia in a natural model of anoxia tolerance, further improving our understanding of the molecular nature of anoxia tolerance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Functional consequences of inducible genetic elements from the p53 SOS response in a mammalian organ system.

Science.gov (United States)

Guthrie, O'neil W

2017-10-01

In response to DNA damage from ultraviolet (UV) radiation, bacteria deploy the SOS response in order to limit cell death. This bacterial SOS response is characterized by an increase in the recA gene that transactivates expression of multiple DNA repair genes. The current series of experiments demonstrate that a mammalian organ system (the cochlea) that is not evolutionarily conditioned to UV radiation can elicit SOS responses that are reminiscent of that of bacteria. This mammalian SOS response is characterized by an increase in the p53 gene with activation of multiple DNA repair genes that harbor p53 response elements in their promoters. Furthermore, the experimental results provide support for the notion of a convergent trigger paradox, where independent SOS triggers facilitate disparate physiologic sequelae (loss vs. recovery of function). Therefore, it is proposed that the mammalian SOS response is multifunctional and manipulation of this endogenous response could be exploited in future biomedical interventions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cost of skeletal complications from bone metastases in six European countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, J; Body, J-J; Gunther, O; Sleeboom, H; Hechmati, G; Maniadakis, N; Terpos, E; Acklin, Y P; Finek, J; von Moos, R

2016-06-01

Objective Patients with bone metastases or lesions secondary to solid tumors or multiple myeloma often experience bone complications (skeletal-related events [SREs]-radiation to bone, pathologic fracture, surgery to bone, and spinal cord compression); however, recent data that can be used to assess the value of treatments to prevent SREs across European countries are limited. This study aimed to provide estimates of health resource utilization (HRU) and cost associated with all SRE types in Europe. HRU data were reported previously; cost data are reported herein. Methods Eligible patients from 49 centers across Austria (n = 57), the Czech Republic (n = 59), Finland (n = 60), Greece (n = 59), Portugal (n = 59), and Sweden (n = 62) had bone metastases or lesions secondary to breast, lung, or prostate cancer, or multiple myeloma, and ≥1 index SRE (a SRE preceded by a SRE-free period of ≥ 6.5 months). SRE-related costs were estimated from a payer perspective using health resource utilization data from patient charts (before and after the index SRE diagnosis). Country-specific unit costs were from 2010 and local currencies were converted to 2010 euros. Results The mean costs across countries were €7043, €5242, €11,101, and €11,509 per radiation to bone, pathologic fracture, surgery to bone, and spinal cord compression event, respectively. Purchasing power parity (PPP)-adjusted mean cost ratios were similar in most countries, with the exception of radiation to bone. Limitations The overall burden of SREs may have been under-estimated owing to home visits and evaluations outside the hospital setting not being reported here. Conclusions All SREs were associated with substantial costs. Variation in SRE-associated costs between countries was most likely driven by differences in treatment practices and unit costs.

A chromatin insulator driving three-dimensional Polycomb response element (PRE) contacts and Polycomb association with the chromatin fiber

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Comet, Itys; Schuettengruber, Bernd; Sexton, Tom

2011-01-01

to insulate genes from regulatory elements or to take part in long-distance interactions. Using a high-resolution chromatin conformation capture (H3C) method, we show that the Drosophila gypsy insulator behaves as a conformational chromatin border that is able to prohibit contacts between a Polycomb response...... element (PRE) and a distal promoter. On the other hand, two spaced gypsy elements form a chromatin loop that is able to bring an upstream PRE in contact with a downstream gene to mediate its repression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) profiles of the Polycomb protein and its associated H3K27me3...... histone mark reflect this insulator-dependent chromatin conformation, suggesting that Polycomb action at a distance can be organized by local chromatin topology....

Essential role for cyclic-AMP responsive element binding protein 1 (CREB) in the survival of acute lymphoblastic leukemia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Sligte, Naomi E.; Kampen, Kim R.; ter Elst, Arja; Scherpen, Frank J. G.; Meeuwsen-de Boer, Tiny G. J.; Guryev, Victor; van Leeuwen, Frank N.; Kornblau, Steven M.; de Bont, Eveline S. J. M.

2015-01-01

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) relapse remains a leading cause of cancer related death in children, therefore, new therapeutic options are needed. Recently, we showed that a peptide derived from Cyclic-AMP Responsive Element Binding Protein (CREB) was highly phosphorylated in pediatric

Calculation of foundation response to spatially varying ground motion by finite element method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, F.; Gantenbein, F.

1995-01-01

This paper presents a general method to compute the response of a rigid foundation of arbitrary shape resting on a homogeneous or multilayered elastic soil when subjected to a spatially varying ground motion. The foundation response is calculated from the free-field ground motion and the contact tractions between the foundation and the soil. The spatial variation of ground motion in this study is introduced by a coherence function and the contact tractions are obtained numerically using the Finite Element Method in the process of calculating the dynamic compliance of the foundation. Applications of this method to a massless rigid disc supported on an elastic half space and to that founded on an elastic medium consisting of a layer of constant thickness supported on an elastic half space are described. The numerical results obtained are in very good agreement with analytical solutions published in the literature. (authors). 5 refs., 8 figs

A 20 bp cis-acting element is both necessary and sufficient to mediate elicitor response of a maize PRms gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Raventós, D; Jensen, A B; Rask, M B; Casacuberta, J M; Mundy, J; San Segundo, B

1995-01-01

Transient gene expression assays in barley aleurone protoplasts were used to identify a cis-regulatory element involved in the elicitor-responsive expression of the maize PRms gene. Analysis of transcriptional fusions between PRms 5' upstream sequences and a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene, as well as chimeric promoters containing PRms promoter fragments or repeated oligonucleotides fused to a minimal promoter, delineated a 20 bp sequence which functioned as an elicitor-response element (ERE). This sequence contains a motif (-246 AATTGACC) similar to sequences found in promoters of other pathogen-responsive genes. The analysis also indicated that an enhancing sequence(s) between -397 and -296 is required for full PRms activation by elicitors. The protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine was found to completely block the transcriptional activation induced by elicitors. These data indicate that protein phosphorylation is involved in the signal transduction pathway leading to PRms expression.

Dissection of cis-regulatory element architecture of the rice oleosin gene promoters to assess abscisic acid responsiveness in suspension-cultured rice cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sol; Lee, Soo-Bin; Han, Chae-Seong; Lim, Mi-Na; Lee, Sung-Eun; Yoon, In Sun; Hwang, Yong-Sic

2017-08-01

Oleosins are the most abundant proteins in the monolipid layer surrounding neutral storage lipids that form oil bodies in plants. Several lines of evidence indicate that they are physiologically important for the maintenance of oil body structure and for mobilization of the lipids stored inside. Rice has six oleosin genes in its genome, the expression of all of which was found to be responsive to abscisic acid (ABA) in our examination of mature embryo and aleurone tissues. The 5'-flanking region of OsOle5 was initially characterized for its responsiveness to ABA through a transient expression assay system using the protoplasts from suspension-cultured rice cells. A series of successive deletions and site-directed mutations identified five regions critical for the hormonal induction of its promoter activity. A search for cis-acting elements in these regions deposited in a public database revealed that they contain various promoter elements previously reported to be involved in the ABA response of various genes. A gain-of-function experiment indicated that multiple copies of all five regions were sufficient to provide the minimal promoter with a distinct ABA responsiveness. Comparative sequence analysis of the short, but still ABA-responsive, promoters of OsOle genes revealed no common modular architecture shared by them, indicating that various distinct promoter elements and independent trans-acting factors are involved in the ABA responsiveness of rice oleosin multigenes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Blast response of curved carbon/epoxy composite panels: Experimental study and finite-element analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phadnis, V A; Roy, A; Silberschmidt, V V; Kumar, P; Shukla, A

2013-01-01

Experimental and numerical studies were conducted to understand the effect of plate curvature on blast response of carbon/epoxy composite panels. A shock-tube system was utilized to impart controlled shock loading to quasi-isotropic composite panels with differing range of radii of curvatures. A 3D Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique coupled with high-speed photography was used to obtain out-of-plane deflection and velocity, as well as in-plane strain on the back face of the panels. Macroscopic post-mortem analysis was performed to compare yielding and deformation in these panels. A dynamic computational simulation that integrates fluid-structure interaction was conducted to evaluate the panel response in general purpose finite-element software ABAQUS/Explicit. The obtained numerical results were compared to the experimental data and showed a good correlation

The investigation of HTGR fuel regeneration process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lazarev, L N; Bertina, L E; Popik, V P; Isakov, V P; Alkhimov, N B; Pokhitonov, Yu A

1985-07-01

The aim of this report is the investigation of HTGR fuel regeneration. The operation in the technologic scheme of uranium extraction from fuel depleted elements is separation of fuel from graphite. Available methods of graphite matrix destruction are: mechanical destruction, chemical destruction, and burning. Mechanical destruction is done in combination with leaching or chlorination. Methods of chemical destruction of graphite matrix are not sufficiently studied. Most of the investigations nowadays sre devoted to removal of graphite by burning.

The investigation of HTGR fuel regeneration process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lazarev, L.N.; Bertina, L.E.; Popik, V.P.; Isakov, V.P.; Alkhimov, N.B.; Pokhitonov, Yu.A.

1985-01-01

The aim of this report is the investigation of HTGR fuel regeneration. The operation in the technologic scheme of uranium extraction from fuel depleted elements is separation of fuel from graphite. Available methods of graphite matrix destruction are: mechanical destruction, chemical destruction, and burning. Mechanical destruction is done in combination with leaching or chlorination. Methods of chemical destruction of graphite matrix are not sufficiently studied. Most of the investigations nowadays sre devoted to removal of graphite by burning

An efficient finite element solution for gear dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooley, C G; Parker, R G; Vijayakar, S M

2010-01-01

A finite element formulation for the dynamic response of gear pairs is proposed. Following an established approach in lumped parameter gear dynamic models, the static solution is used as the excitation in a frequency domain solution of the finite element vibration model. The nonlinear finite element/contact mechanics formulation provides accurate calculation of the static solution and average mesh stiffness that are used in the dynamic simulation. The frequency domain finite element calculation of dynamic response compares well with numerically integrated (time domain) finite element dynamic results and previously published experimental results. Simulation time with the proposed formulation is two orders of magnitude lower than numerically integrated dynamic results. This formulation admits system level dynamic gearbox response, which may include multiple gear meshes, flexible shafts, rolling element bearings, housing structures, and other deformable components.

First-principles study on the effect of alloying elements on the elastic deformation response in β-titanium alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gouda, Mohammed K.; Gepreel, Mohamed A. H.; Nakamura, Koichi

2015-01-01

Theoretical deformation response of hypothetical β-titanium alloys was investigated using first-principles calculation technique under periodic boundary conditions. Simulation was carried out on hypothetical 54-atom supercell of Ti–X (X = Cr, Mn, Fe, Zr, Nb, Mo, Al, and Sn) binary alloys. The results showed that the strength of Ti increases by alloying, except for Cr. The most effective alloying elements are Nb, Zr, and Mo in the current simulation. The mechanism of bond breaking was revealed by studying the local structure around the alloying element atom with respect to volume change. Moreover, the effect of alloying elements on bulk modulus and admissible strain was investigated. It was found that Zr, Nb, and Mo have a significant effect to enhance the admissible strain of Ti without change in bulk modulus

The 2016 NIST Speaker Recognition Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

2017-08-20

impact on system performance. Index Terms: NIST evaluation, NIST SRE, speaker detection, speaker recognition, speaker verification 1. Introduction NIST... self -reported. Second, there were two training conditions in SRE16, namely fixed and open. In the fixed training condition, par- ticipants were only

Aeroelastic Response from Indicial Functions with a Finite Element Model of a Suspension Bridge

Science.gov (United States)

Mikkelsen, O.; Jakobsen, J. B.

2017-12-01

The present paper describes a comprehensive analysis of the aeroelastic bridge response in time-domain, with a finite element model of the structure. The main focus is on the analysis of flutter instability, accounting for the wind forces generated by the bridge motion, including twisting as well as vertical and horizontal translation, i.e. all three global degrees of freedom. The solution is obtained by direct integration of the equations of motion for the bridge-wind system, with motion-dependent forces approximated from flutter derivatives in terms of rational functions. For the streamlined bridge box-girder investigated, the motion dependent wind forces related to the along-wind response are found to have a limited influence on the flutter velocity. The flutter mode shapes in the time-domain and the frequency domain are consistent, and composed of the three lowest symmetrical vertical modes coupled with the first torsional symmetric mode. The method applied in this study provides detailed response estimates and contributes to an increased understanding of the complex aeroelastic behaviour of long-span bridges.

Upgrading the electrical system of the IEA-R1 reactor to avoid triggering event of accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mello, Jose Roberto de; Madi Filho, Tufic

2015-01-01

The IEA-R1 research reactor at the Institute of Energy and Nuclear Research (IPEN) is a research reactor open pool type, built and designed by the American firm 'Babcox and Wilcox', having as coolant and moderator demineralized light water and Beryllium and graphite, as reflectors. The power supply system is designed to meet the electricity demand required by the loads of the reactor (Security systems and systems not related to security) in different situations the plant can meet, such as during startup, normal operation at power, shutdown, maintenance, exchange of fuel elements and accident situations. Studies have been done on possible accident initiating events and deterministic techniques were applied to assess the consequences of such incidents. Thus, the methods used to identify and select the accident initiating events, the methods of analysis of accidents, including sequence of events, transient analysis and radiological consequences, have been described. Finally, acceptance criteria of radiological doses are described. Only a brief summary of the item concerning loss of electrical power will be presented. The loss of normal electrical power at the IEA-R1 reactor is very common. In the case of Electric External Power Loss, at the IEA-R1 reactor building, there may be different sequences of events, as described below. When the supply of external energy in the IEA-R1 facility fails, the Electrical Distribution Vital System, consisting of 4 (four) generators type 'UPS', starts operation, immediately and it will continue supplying power to the reactor control table, core cooling system and other security systems. To contribute to security, in the electric power failure, starts to operate the Emergency Cooling System (SRE). SRE has the function of removing residual heat from the core to prevent the melting of fuel elements in the event of loss of refrigerant to the core. Adding to the generators with batteries group system, new auxiliary

Finite Element Modelling for Static and Free Vibration Response of Functionally Graded Beam

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ateeb Ahmad Khan

Full Text Available Abstract A 1D Finite Element model for static response and free vibration analysis of functionally graded material (FGM beam is presented in this work. The FE model is based on efficient zig-zag theory (ZIGT with two noded beam element having four degrees of freedom at each node. Linear interpolation is used for the axial displacement and cubic hermite interpolation is used for the deflection. Out of a large variety of FGM systems available, Al/SiC and Ni/Al2O3 metal/ceramic FGM system has been chosen. Modified rule of mixture (MROM is used to calculate the young's modulus and rule of mixture (ROM is used to calculate density and poisson's ratio of FGM beam at any point. The MATLAB code based on 1D FE zigzag theory for FGM elastic beams is developed. A 2D FE model for the same elastic FGM beam has been developed using ABAQUS software. An 8-node biquadratic plane stress quadrilateral type element is used for modeling in ABAQUS. Three different end conditions namely simply-supported, cantilever and clamped- clamped are considered. The deflection, normal stress and shear stress has been reported for various models used. Eigen Value problem using subspace iteration method is solved to obtain un-damped natural frequencies and the corresponding mode shapes. The results predicted by the 1D FE model have been compared with the 2D FE results and the results present in open literature. This proves the correctness of the model. Finally, mode shapes have also been plotted for various FGM systems.

Therapeutic potency of saponin rich aqueous extract of Scoparia dulcis L. in alloxan induced diabetes in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Perumal, P Saravana; Anaswara, P V; Muthuraman, A; Krishan, S

2014-04-01

Diabetes mellitus is major metabolic disorders of carbohydrate metabolism. This leads to alter the multiple organ system. To investigate the antidiabetic and antioxidant effects of the saponin rich aqueous extract of Scoparia dulcis (SRE-SD) using alloxan-induced hyperglycemic rat model. The single dose of alloxan was injected for the induction of diabetes in rats. The SRE-SD and glibenclamide were administered for 15 consecutive days from the 3(rd) day of alloxan administration. Quantity of food and water intake was measured at day 0, and 18. Further, body weight was recorded and blood samples were collected at different time intervals that is, day 0, 3, 8, 13, and 18. The oxidative biomarkers (i.e. thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), reduced glutathione (GSH) and nitrite (NO(2-)) levels were also estimated in the serum sample. The SRE-SD showed a remarkable dose and time-dependent changes in alloxan-induced rise in the level of food consumption and water intake, serum glucose level, TBARS, NO(2-) and fall in the level of GSH. Further, significant attenuation was observed at 20 and 30 mg/kg of SRE-SD treated group. These findings demonstrate that SRE-SD has both antidiabetic and antioxidant effects on the experimental model of diabetes in rat.

cAMP response element binding protein (CREB activates transcription via two distinct genetic elements of the human glucose-6-phosphatase gene

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefano Luisa

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase catalyzes the dephosphorylation of glucose-6-phosphatase to glucose, the final step in the gluconeogenic and glycogenolytic pathways. Expression of the glucose-6-phosphatase gene is induced by glucocorticoids and elevated levels of intracellular cAMP. The effect of cAMP in regulating glucose-6-phosphatase gene transcription was corroborated by the identification of two genetic motifs CRE1 and CRE2 in the human and murine glucose-6-phosphatase gene promoter that resemble cAMP response elements (CRE. Results The cAMP response element is a point of convergence for many extracellular and intracellular signals, including cAMP, calcium, and neurotrophins. The major CRE binding protein CREB, a member of the basic region leucine zipper (bZIP family of transcription factors, requires phosphorylation to become a biologically active transcriptional activator. Since unphosphorylated CREB is transcriptionally silent simple overexpression studies cannot be performed to test the biological role of CRE-like sequences of the glucose-6-phosphatase gene. The use of a constitutively active CREB2/CREB fusion protein allowed us to uncouple the investigation of target genes of CREB from the variety of signaling pathways that lead to an activation of CREB. Here, we show that this constitutively active CREB2/CREB fusion protein strikingly enhanced reporter gene transcription mediated by either CRE1 or CRE2 derived from the glucose-6-phosphatase gene. Likewise, reporter gene transcription was enhanced following expression of the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA in the nucleus of transfected cells. In contrast, activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2, known to compete with CREB for binding to the canonical CRE sequence 5'-TGACGTCA-3', did not transactivate reporter genes containing CRE1, CRE2, or both CREs derived from the glucose-6-phosphatase gene. Conclusions Using a constitutively active CREB2

Resveratrol upregulates Egr-1 expression and activity involving extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase and ternary complex factors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rössler, Oliver G.; Glatzel, Daniel; Thiel, Gerald, E-mail: gerald.thiel@uks.eu

2015-03-01

Many intracellular functions have been attributed to resveratrol, a polyphenolic phytoalexin found in grapes and in other plants. Here, we show that resveratrol induces the expression of the transcription factor Egr-1 in human embryonic kidney cells. Using a chromosomally embedded Egr-1-responsive reporter gene, we show that the Egr-1 activity was significantly elevated in resveratrol-treated cells, indicating that the newly synthesized Egr-1 protein was biologically active. Stimulus-transcription coupling leading to the resveratrol-induced upregulation of Egr-1 expression and activity requires the protein kinases Raf and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase ERK, while MAP kinase phosphatase-1 functions as a nuclear shut-off device that interrupts the signaling cascade connecting resveratrol stimulation with enhanced Egr-1 expression. On the transcriptional level, Elk-1, a key transcriptional regulator of serum response element-driven gene transcription, connects the intracellular signaling cascade elicited by resveratrol with transcription of the Egr-1 gene. These data were corroborated by the observation that stimulation of the cells with resveratrol increased the transcriptional activation potential of Elk-1. The SRE as well as the GC-rich DNA binding site of Egr-1 function as resveratrol-responsive elements. Thus, resveratrol regulates gene transcription via activation of the stimulus-regulated protein kinases Raf and ERK and the stimulus-responsive transcription factors TCF and Egr-1. - Highlights: • The plant polyphenol resveratrol upregulates Egr-1 expression and activity. • The stimulation of Egr-1 requires the protein kinases ERK and Raf. • Resveratrol treatment upregulates the transcriptional activation potential of Elk-1. • Resveratrol-induced stimulation of Egr-1 requires ternary complex factors. • Two distinct resveratrol-responsive elements were identified.

Resveratrol upregulates Egr-1 expression and activity involving extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase and ternary complex factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rössler, Oliver G.; Glatzel, Daniel; Thiel, Gerald

2015-01-01

Many intracellular functions have been attributed to resveratrol, a polyphenolic phytoalexin found in grapes and in other plants. Here, we show that resveratrol induces the expression of the transcription factor Egr-1 in human embryonic kidney cells. Using a chromosomally embedded Egr-1-responsive reporter gene, we show that the Egr-1 activity was significantly elevated in resveratrol-treated cells, indicating that the newly synthesized Egr-1 protein was biologically active. Stimulus-transcription coupling leading to the resveratrol-induced upregulation of Egr-1 expression and activity requires the protein kinases Raf and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase ERK, while MAP kinase phosphatase-1 functions as a nuclear shut-off device that interrupts the signaling cascade connecting resveratrol stimulation with enhanced Egr-1 expression. On the transcriptional level, Elk-1, a key transcriptional regulator of serum response element-driven gene transcription, connects the intracellular signaling cascade elicited by resveratrol with transcription of the Egr-1 gene. These data were corroborated by the observation that stimulation of the cells with resveratrol increased the transcriptional activation potential of Elk-1. The SRE as well as the GC-rich DNA binding site of Egr-1 function as resveratrol-responsive elements. Thus, resveratrol regulates gene transcription via activation of the stimulus-regulated protein kinases Raf and ERK and the stimulus-responsive transcription factors TCF and Egr-1. - Highlights: • The plant polyphenol resveratrol upregulates Egr-1 expression and activity. • The stimulation of Egr-1 requires the protein kinases ERK and Raf. • Resveratrol treatment upregulates the transcriptional activation potential of Elk-1. • Resveratrol-induced stimulation of Egr-1 requires ternary complex factors. • Two distinct resveratrol-responsive elements were identified

11 A METHOD FOR WAVEFRONT CURVATURE RANGING OF ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

inteiference ratio (S!Re) function. The location which maximizes the S!Re function is .... Eq. 5 (We tor) in the near-field case bas not been treated exhaustively: The Fresnel approximation [14.15] for the near-field case is sometimes used to appoximMe the ...

Self-reference effect on memory in healthy aging, mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: Influence of identity valence.

Science.gov (United States)

Leblond, Mona; Laisney, Mickaël; Lamidey, Virginie; Egret, Stéphanie; de La Sayette, Vincent; Chételat, Gaël; Piolino, Pascale; Rauchs, Géraldine; Desgranges, Béatrice; Eustache, Francis

2016-01-01

The self-reference effect (SRE) has been shown to benefit episodic memory in healthy individuals. In healthy aging, its preservation is acknowledged, but in Alzheimer's disease (AD), the jury is still out. Furthermore, there has yet to be a study of the SRE in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). As self-reference implies subjective self-representations, and positive information enhance memory performance, we set out to examine the effects of 1) material and 2) identity valence on the SRE across the early stages of AD. Twenty healthy older individuals and 40 patients (20 diagnosed with aMCI and 20 diagnosed with mild AD) performed a memory task. Participants had to judge positive and negative personality trait adjectives with reference to themselves or to another person, or else process these adjectives semantically. We then administered a recognition task. Participants also completed a questionnaire on identity valence. Among healthy older individuals, the SRE benefited episodic memory independently of material and identity valence. By contrast, among aMCI patients, we only observed the SRE when the material was positive. When self-referential material was negative, patients' performance depended on the valence of their self-representations: negative self-representations correlated with poor recognition of negative self-referential adjectives. Finally, performance of patients with mild AD by condition and material valence were too low and inappropriate to be subjected to relevant analyses. The persistence of an SRE for positive adjectives in aMCI suggests the existence of a positivity effect for self-related information, which contributes to wellbeing. The absence of an SRE for negative adjectives, which led aMCI patients to dismiss negative self-related information, could be due to low self-esteem. These results corroborate the mnenic neglect model and point out the importance of the psychoaffective dimension in patients with aMCI, which could constitute a

Quality assessment of structure and language elements of written responses given by seven Scandinavian drug information centres

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reppe, Linda Amundstuen; Spigset, Olav; Kampmann, Jens Peter

2017-01-01

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify structure and language elements affecting the quality of responses from Scandinavian drug information centres (DICs). METHODS: Six different fictitious drug-related queries were sent to each of seven Scandinavian DICs. The centres were blinded for wh...... on drug-related queries with respect to language and text structure. Giving specific advice and precise conclusions and avoiding too compressed language and non-standard abbreviations may aid to reach this goal....... of responses was generally judged as satisfactory to good. Presenting specific advice and conclusions were considered to improve the quality of the responses. However, small nuances in language formulations could affect the individual judgments of the experts, e.g. on whether or not advice was given. Some...... and explaining pharmacological terms to ensure that enquirers understand the response as intended. In addition, more use of active voice and less compressed text structure would be desirable. CONCLUSIONS: This evaluation of responses to DIC queries may give some indications on how to improve written responses...

Growth and Tissue Elemental Composition Response of Butterhead Lettuce (Lactuca sativa, cv. Flandria to Hydroponic and Aquaponic Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tyler S. Anderson

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The primary objective of this research was to compare lettuce performance under conventional hydroponics at pH 5.8 (referred to as H5, hydroponics at pH 7.0 (referred to as H7, and recirculated aquaponic water at pH 7.0 (referred to as A7. Aquaponic nutrients were supplied by continuously recirculating water between a fish rearing system (recirculating aquaculture system or RAS and the lettuce growing system (with the sole addition being chelated iron. This paper builds upon our previous research where we found that H7 produced 26% less shoot fresh weight (FW growth than H5 and an 18% reduction in dry weight (DW. In this research, we also evaluated the inorganic hydroponics nutrient solution at pH 7.0 (H7 to provide continuity between experiments and to isolate the pH effect. The A7 plant biomass responses were not different from H5 in all biomass response categories. H7 was different from H5 in shoot FW, DW, and DW/FW, as well as root FW and DW. H7 was different from the A7 in shoot FW, DW/FW, and root DW. There were no tissue elemental differences between H5 and H7 except Cu. The Ca and Na contents differed between H5 and A7, while the microelements Mn, Mo, and Zn differed. Generally, the elemental tissue differences between treatments were proportional to the differences for the same elements in the nutrient solutions. Aquaponic systems are often viewed to be more complicated and more risky because two complex systems are being joined (hydroponics plus RAS. However, the aquaponics system proved to be surprisingly simple to manage in daily operations. Our data suggested that the aquaponics system (A7, which was operated at a higher pH 7.0, was able to offset any negative biomass and elemental effects that occurred in the inorganic hydroponic pH 7.0 treatment (H7 from its increased pH and less optimized nutrient solution elemental concentrations.

Modeling 3D PCMI using the Extended Finite Element Method with higher order elements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, W. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Spencer, Benjamin W. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2017-03-31

This report documents the recent development to enable XFEM to work with higher order elements. It also demonstrates the application of higher order (quadratic) elements to both 2D and 3D models of PCMI problems, where discrete fractures in the fuel are represented using XFEM. The modeling results demonstrate the ability of the higher order XFEM to accurately capture the effects of a crack on the response in the vicinity of the intersecting surfaces of cracked fuel and cladding, as well as represent smooth responses in the regions away from the crack.

Assessment of the Risk of Suicide-Related Events Induced by Concomitant Use of Antidepressants in Cases of Smoking Cessation Treatment with Varenicline and Assessment of Latent Risk by the Use of Varenicline.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hayato Akimoto

Full Text Available Smoking Cessation Treatment (SCT is a policy that has to be promoted for health economics, and expectations for the success of treatments with varenicline (VAR are large. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA have issued a warning on VAR-induced depression and suicide. In the present study, utilizing the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS, we searched for antidepressants (ADs used during SCT that cause fewer suicide-related events (SRE (Study 1. We also investigated whether VAR concomitantly administered with ADs increases the risk of SRE (Study 2. In addition, we investigated whether the use of VAR alone is a latent risk factor of SRE. The backgrounds of cases with and without SRE were matched using the Propensity Score. In Study 1, the highest integrated Reporting Odds Ratio (iROR was noted in concomitantly administered mirtazapine (iROR 6.98; 95% Confidence Interval (CI 1.57-30.99, while the lowest ratio was noted in concomitantly administered amitriptyline (iROR 0.59; iROR95%CI 0.23-1.50. Study 2 clarified that SCT increases the risk of SRE in AD-treated cases (iROR 8.02; iROR95%CI 5.47-11.76; not significance. Of ADs concomitantly used during SCT with VAR, amitriptyline and mirtazapine showed the lowest and highest risks, respectively (Study 1. It was clarified that concomitant use of VAR in the treatment of depression with ADs increased the risk of SRE (Study 2. The results of Studies 1 and 2 suggested that the use of VAR alone is a latent risk factor inducing suicide.

Discursive Silences: Using Critical Linguistic and Qualitative Analysis to Explore the Continued Absence of Pleasure in Sex and Relationships Education in England

Science.gov (United States)

Sundaram, Vanita; Sauntson, Helen

2016-01-01

In this paper, we present an analysis of "pleasure" in sex and relationships education (SRE) in England. Drawing together two distinct sources of data and different but complementary analytical frameworks, we argue that pleasure is largely absent within SRE and that this discursive silence serves to produce highly gendered and…

Sex and Relationships Education and Gender Equality: Recent Experiences from Andalusia (Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Venegas, Mar

2013-01-01

Despite recent advances in sex and relationships education (SRE), the Spanish education system still lacks coherent policies in this field. This paper provides an overview of the current situation, focusing specifically on Andalusia, and discusses the importance of providing SRE for young people. It first describes current Spanish education policy…

Effects of gamma irradiation on the DNA-protein complex between the estrogen response element and the estrogen receptor

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Štísová, Viktorie; Goffinont, S.; Maurizot, M. S.; Davídková, Marie

2010-01-01

Roč. 79, č. 8 (2010), s. 880-889 ISSN 0969-806X R&D Projects: GA MŠk 1P05OC085; GA MŠk OC09012 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10480505 Keywords : DNA-protein complex * estrogen response element * estrogen receptor * ionizing radiation Subject RIV: BO - Biophysics Impact factor: 1.132, year: 2010

ZAP-70 and p72syk are signaling response elements through MHC class II molecules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kanner, S B; Grosmaire, L S; Blake, J

1995-01-01

Ligation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigens expressed on antigen-activated human CD4+ T-lymphocytes induces early signal transduction events including the activation of tyrosine kinases, the tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase-C gamma 1 and the mobilization...... of intracellular calcium. Similar responses have been observed in B-cells following stimulation of MHC class II molecules, including the increased production of intracellular cAMP. In this report, we demonstrate that the ZAP-70 tyrosine kinase is a responsive signaling element following cross-linking of HLA...... by herbimycin A. MHC class II ligation on B-lymphocytes resulted in cell death, which was both qualitatively distinct from Fas-induced apoptosis and partially protected by herbimycin A pretreatment. Thus, ligation of MHC class II molecules expressed on human lymphocytes stimulates the ZAP-70/p72syk family...

Teenage Pregnancy and Sex and Relationship Education: Myths and (Mis)conceptions

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, Kerry

2007-01-01

This paper explores the role of sex and relationship education (SRE) in reducing teenage pregnancy rates. It critically examines some of the assumptions underlying the emphasis placed on SRE within the teenage pregnancy strategy ( SEU, 1999)--in particular, the view that ignorance of sexual matters plays a key part in teenage conception. An…

The Use of Sparse Direct Solver in Vector Finite Element Modeling for Calculating Two Dimensional (2-D) Magnetotelluric Responses in Transverse Electric (TE) Mode

Science.gov (United States)

Yihaa Roodhiyah, Lisa’; Tjong, Tiffany; Nurhasan; Sutarno, D.

2018-04-01

The late research, linear matrices of vector finite element in two dimensional(2-D) magnetotelluric (MT) responses modeling was solved by non-sparse direct solver in TE mode. Nevertheless, there is some weakness which have to be improved especially accuracy in the low frequency (10-3 Hz-10-5 Hz) which is not achieved yet and high cost computation in dense mesh. In this work, the solver which is used is sparse direct solver instead of non-sparse direct solverto overcome the weaknesses of solving linear matrices of vector finite element metod using non-sparse direct solver. Sparse direct solver will be advantageous in solving linear matrices of vector finite element method because of the matrix properties which is symmetrical and sparse. The validation of sparse direct solver in solving linear matrices of vector finite element has been done for a homogen half-space model and vertical contact model by analytical solution. Thevalidation result of sparse direct solver in solving linear matrices of vector finite element shows that sparse direct solver is more stable than non-sparse direct solver in computing linear problem of vector finite element method especially in low frequency. In the end, the accuracy of 2D MT responses modelling in low frequency (10-3 Hz-10-5 Hz) has been reached out under the efficient allocation memory of array and less computational time consuming.

Two estrogen response element sequences near the PCNA gene are not responsible for its estrogen-enhanced expression in MCF7 cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Cheng; Yu, Jie; Kallen, Caleb B

2008-01-01

The proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is an essential component of DNA replication, cell cycle regulation, and epigenetic inheritance. High expression of PCNA is associated with poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer. The 5'-region of the PCNA gene contains two computationally-detected estrogen response element (ERE) sequences, one of which is evolutionarily conserved. Both of these sequences are of undocumented cis-regulatory function. We recently demonstrated that estradiol (E2) enhances PCNA mRNA expression in MCF7 breast cancer cells. MCF7 cells proliferate in response to E2. Here, we demonstrate that E2 rapidly enhanced PCNA mRNA and protein expression in a process that requires ERalpha as well as de novo protein synthesis. One of the two upstream ERE sequences was specifically bound by ERalpha-containing protein complexes, in vitro, in gel shift analysis. Yet, each ERE sequence, when cloned as a single copy, or when engineered as two tandem copies of the ERE-containing sequence, was not capable of activating a luciferase reporter construct in response to E2. In MCF7 cells, neither ERE-containing genomic region demonstrated E2-dependent recruitment of ERalpha by sensitive ChIP-PCR assays. We conclude that E2 enhances PCNA gene expression by an indirect process and that computational detection of EREs, even when evolutionarily conserved and when near E2-responsive genes, requires biochemical validation.

New advances in the forced response computation of periodic structures using the wave finite element (WFE) method

OpenAIRE

Mencik , Jean-Mathieu

2014-01-01

International audience; The wave finite element (WFE) method is investigated to describe the harmonic forced response of onedimensional periodic structures like those composed of complex substructures and encountered in engineering applications. The dynamic behavior of these periodic structures is analyzed over wide frequency bands where complex spatial dynamics, inside the substructures, are likely to occur.Within theWFE framework, the dynamic behavior of periodic structures is described in ...

Degradation by radiation of the response of a thermocouple of a fuel element

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez V, A.

1994-01-01

In the TRIGA Mark III Reactor of the National Institute of Nuclear Research, is necessary to use an instrumented fuel element for measurement the fuel temperature during pulses of power. This fuel element is exposed to daily temperature gradient of order to 390 Centigrade degrees in normal condition of reactor operation at 1 MW. The experience which this instrumented fuel elements is that useful life of the thermocouples is less then the fuel, because they show important changes in their chemistry composition and electrical specifications, until the point they don't give any response. So is necessary to know the factors that influenced in the shortening of the thermocouples life. The change in composition affects the thermocouple calibration depends on where the changes take place relative to the temperature gradient. The change will be dependent on the neutron flux and so the value of the neutron flux may be used as a measure or the composition change. If there is no neutron flux within the temperature gradient, there will be no composition change, and so the thermocouple calibration will no change. If the neutron flux varies within the region in which a temperature gradients exists, the composition of the thermocouple will vary and the calibration will change. But the maximum change in calibration will occur if the neutron flux is high and constant within the region of the temperature gradient. In this case, a composition change takes place which is uniform throughout the gradient and so the emf output can be expected to change. In this reactor, the thermocouples are in the second case. Then, the relative position of the thermal and neutron flux gradients are the most important factor that explain the composition change after or 2,500 times of exposing the thermocouples to the temperature gradients of order to 390 Centigrade degrees. (Author)

Regulation of CYP3A4 by pregnane X receptor: The role of nuclear receptors competing for response element binding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Istrate, Monica A., E-mail: monicai@scripps.edu [Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch-Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany, and University of Tuebingen, Auerbachstr. 112, D-70376 Stuttgart (Germany); Nussler, Andreas K., E-mail: nuessler@uchir.me.tum.de [Department of Traumatology, Technical University Munich, Ismaningerstr. 22, 81675 Munich (Germany); Eichelbaum, Michel, E-mail: michel.eichelbaum@ikp-stuttgart.de [Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch-Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany, and University of Tuebingen, Auerbachstr. 112, D-70376 Stuttgart (Germany); Burk, Oliver, E-mail: oliver.burk@ikp-stuttgart.de [Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch-Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany, and University of Tuebingen, Auerbachstr. 112, D-70376 Stuttgart (Germany)

2010-03-19

Induction of the major drug metabolizing enzyme CYP3A4 by xenobiotics contributes to the pronounced interindividual variability of its expression and often results in clinically relevant drug-drug interactions. It is mainly mediated by PXR, which regulates CYP3A4 expression by binding to several specific elements in the 5' upstream regulatory region of the gene. Induction itself shows a marked interindividual variability, whose underlying determinants are only partly understood. In this study, we investigated the role of nuclear receptor binding to PXR response elements in CYP3A4, as a potential non-genetic mechanism contributing to interindividual variability of induction. By in vitro DNA binding experiments, we showed that several nuclear receptors bind efficiently to the proximal promoter ER6 and distal xenobiotic-responsive enhancer module DR3 motifs. TR{alpha}1, TR{beta}1, COUP-TFI, and COUP-TFII further demonstrated dose-dependent repression of PXR-mediated CYP3A4 enhancer/promoter reporter activity in transient transfection in the presence and absence of the PXR inducer rifampin, while VDR showed this effect only in the absence of treatment. By combining functional in vitro characterization with hepatic expression analysis, we predict that TR{alpha}1, TR{beta}1, COUP-TFI, and COUP-TFII show a strong potential for the repression of PXR-mediated activation of CYP3A4 in vivo. In summary, our results demonstrate that nuclear receptor binding to PXR response elements interferes with PXR-mediated expression and induction of CYP3A4 and thereby contributes to the interindividual variability of induction.

Interaction between two cis-acting elements, ABRE and DRE, in ABA-dependent expression of Arabidopsis rd29A gene in response to dehydration and high-salinity stresses.

Science.gov (United States)

Narusaka, Yoshihiro; Nakashima, Kazuo; Shinwari, Zabta K; Sakuma, Yoh; Furihata, Takashi; Abe, Hiroshi; Narusaka, Mari; Shinozaki, Kazuo; Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, Kazuko

2003-04-01

Many abiotic stress-inducible genes contain two cis-acting elements, namely a dehydration-responsive element (DRE; TACCGACAT) and an ABA-responsive element (ABRE; ACGTGG/TC), in their promoter regions. We precisely analyzed the 120 bp promoter region (-174 to -55) of the Arabidopsis rd29A gene whose expression is induced by dehydration, high-salinity, low-temperature, and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments and whose 120 bp promoter region contains the DRE, DRE/CRT-core motif (A/GCCGAC), and ABRE sequences. Deletion and base substitution analyses of this region showed that the DRE-core motif functions as DRE and that the DRE/DRE-core motif could be a coupling element of ABRE. Gel mobility shift assays revealed that DRE-binding proteins (DREB1s/CBFs and DREB2s) bind to both DRE and the DRE-core motif and that ABRE-binding proteins (AREBs/ABFs) bind to ABRE in the 120 bp promoter region. In addition, transactivation experiments using Arabidopsis leaf protoplasts showed that DREBs and AREBs cumulatively transactivate the expression of a GUS reporter gene fused to the 120 bp promoter region of rd29A. These results indicate that DRE and ABRE are interdependent in the ABA-responsive expression of the rd29A gene in response to ABA in Arabidopsis.

Screening Risk Evaluation methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hopper, K.M.

1994-01-01

The Screening Risk Evaluation (SRE) Guidance document is a set of guidelines provided for the uniform implementation of SREs performed on D ampersand D facilities. These guidelines are designed specifically for the completion of the second (semi-quantitative screening) phase of the D ampersand D Risk-Based Process. The SRE Guidance produces screening risk scores reflecting levels of risk through the use of risk ranking indices. Five types of possible risk are calculated from the SRE: current releases, worker exposures, future releases, physical hazards, and criticality. The Current Release Index (CRI) calculates the risk to human health and the environment from ongoing or probable releases within a one year time period. The Worker Exposure Index (WEI) calculates the risk to workers, occupants, and visitors in D ampersand D facilities of contaminant exposure. The Future Release Index (FRI) calculates the risk of future releases of contaminants, after one year, to human health and the environment. The Physical Hazards Index (PHI) calculates the risk-to human health due to factors other than that of contaminants. The index of Criticality is approached as a modifying factor to the entire SRE, due to the fact that criticality issues are strictly regulated under DOE. Screening risk results will be tabulated in matrix form and Total Risk will be calculated (weighted equation) to produce a score on which to base early action recommendations. Other recommendations from the screening risk scores will be made based either on individual index scores or from reweighted Total Risk calculations. All recommendations based on the SRE will be made based on a combination of screening risk scores, decision drivers, and other considerations, determined on a project by project basis. The SRE is the first and most important step in the overall D ampersand D project level decision making process

Genome-wide expression profiling of the response to short-term exposure to fluconazole in Cryptococcus neoformans serotype A

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanguinetti Maurizio

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Fluconazole (FLC, a triazole antifungal drug, is widely used for the maintenance therapy of cryptococcal meningoencephalitis, the most common opportunistic infection in AIDS patients. In this study, we examined changes in the gene expression profile of the C. neoformans reference strain H99 (serotype A following FLC treatment in order to investigate the adaptive cellular responses to drug stress. Results Simultaneous analysis of over 6823 transcripts revealed that 476 genes were responsive to FLC. As expected up-regulation of genes involved in ergosterol biosynthesis was observed, including the azole target gene ERG11 and ERG13, ERG1, ERG7, ERG25, ERG2, ERG3 and ERG5. In addition, SRE1 which is a gene encoding a well-known regulator of sterol homeostasis in C. neoformans was up-regulated. Several other genes such as those involved in a variety of important cellular processes (i.e. lipid and fatty acid metabolism, cell wall maintenance, stress and virulence were found to be up-regulated in response to FLC treatment. Conversely, expression of AFR1, the major transporter of azoles in C. neoformans, was not regulated by FLC. Conclusions Short-term exposure of C. neoformans to FLC resulted in a complex altered gene expression profile. Some of the observed changes could represent specific adaptive responses to the antifungal agent in this pathogenic yeast.

The effects of ageing and divided attention on the self-reference effect in emotional memory: spontaneous or effortful mnemonic benefits?

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Lixia; Truong, Linda; Fuss, Samantha; Bislimovic, Sanja

2012-01-01

The self-reference effect (SRE) is a powerful memory advantage associated with encoding in reference to the self (e.g., Rogers, Kuiper, & Kirker, 1977). To explore whether this mnemonic benefit occurs spontaneously, the current study assessed how ageing and divided attention affect the magnitude of the SRE in emotional memory (i.e., memory for emotional stimuli). The sample included a young Full Attention group (young-FA), a young Divided Attention group (young-DA), and an older adult group. The division of attention was manipulated at encoding where participants incidentally studied positive, negative, and neutral trait adjectives in either a self-reference (i.e., rating how well each word describes themselves) or an other-reference condition (i.e., rating how well each word describes another person). Memory for these words was assessed with both recall and recognition tasks. The results from both tasks demonstrated equivalent SRE for all three groups across emotional valence categories of stimuli, suggesting that the SRE is a spontaneous, effortless, and robust effect in memory.

Skeletal-related events in urological cancer patients with bone metastasis. A multicenter study in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yokomizo, Akira; Koga, Hirofumi; Shinohara, Nobuo

2010-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the incidence of skeletal-related events (SRE) in urological cancer patients with bone metastases in Japan. Five hundred eleven patients with urological cancer and documented bone metastases treated from January 2003 to April 2008 in ten Japanese institutions were included in a retrospective analysis. Type and incidence of SRE (fracture, radiotherapy, spinal cord compression, surgery, hypercalcemia, and bone pain) were determined from patient medical records. The overall incidence of SRE, including 'pain', was 61%. The most common event was radiotherapy for bone metastases, with an incidence of 31%. The overall incidence of events seemed to be similar among Japanese and Western patients with prostate cancer and renal cell carcinoma when comparing data with previously published reports. Nevertheless, a much lower incidence of fracture (19.1%) was observed in Japanese renal cell carcinoma patients. The overall incidence of SRE in Japanese urological cancer patients with bone metastasis was similar to that in Western patients, but the incidence of fracture was lower in Japanese renal cancer patients. (author)

An IFNG SNP with an estrogen-like response element selectively enhances promoter expression in peripheral but not lamina propria T cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonsky, R; Deem, R L; Bream, J H; Young, H A; Targan, S R

2006-07-01

This study examines mucosa-specific regulatory pathways involved in modulation of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in lamina propria T cells. Previous studies identified mucosa-specific CD2 cis-elements within the -204 to -108 bp IFNG promoter. Within this region, a single-site nucleotide polymorphism, -179G/T, imparts tumor necrosis factor-alpha stimulation of IFNG in peripheral blood lymphocytes, and is linked with accelerated AIDS progression. We discovered a putative estrogen response element (ERE) introduced by the -179T, which displays selective activation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) vs lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMC). Transfection of PBMC with constructs containing the -179G or -179T site revealed CD2-mediated enhancement of the -179T compared to -179G allele, although, in LPMC, a similar level of expression was detected. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) analysis demonstrated CD2-mediated nucleoprotein binding to the -179T but not the -179G in PBMC. In LPMC, binding is constitutive to both -179G and -179T regions. Sequence and EMSA analysis suggests that the -179T allele creates an ERE-like binding site capable of binding recombinant estrogen receptor. Estrogen response element transactivation is enhanced by CD2 signaling, but inhibited by estrogen in PBMC but not in LPMC, although expression of estrogen receptor was similar. This is the first report to describe a potential molecular mechanism responsible for selectively controlling IFN-gamma production in LPMC.

Mga2 transcription factor regulates an oxygen-responsive lipid homeostasis pathway in fission yeast

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Burr, Risa; Stewart, Emerson V; Shao, Wei

2016-01-01

-binding protein (SREBP) transcription factors regulate lipid homeostasis. In mammals, SREBP-2 controls cholesterol biosynthesis, whereas SREBP-1 controls triacylglycerol and glycerophospholipid biosynthesis. In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the SREBP-2 homolog Sre1 regulates sterol homeostasis....... In the absence of mga2, fission yeast exhibited growth defects under both normoxia and low oxygen conditions. Mga2 transcriptional targets were enriched for lipid metabolism genes, and mga2Δ cells showed disrupted triacylglycerol and glycerophospholipid homeostasis, most notably with an increase in fatty acid...

Separating inverse spin Hall voltage and spin rectification voltage by inverting spin injection direction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Wenxu, E-mail: xwzhang@uestc.edu.cn; Peng, Bin; Han, Fangbin; Wang, Qiuru; Zhang, Wanli [State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China); Soh, Wee Tee; Ong, Chong Kim [Center for Superconducting and Magnetic Materials, Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 2 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117551 (Singapore)

2016-03-07

We develop a method for universally resolving the important issue of separating the inverse spin Hall effect (ISHE) from the spin rectification effect (SRE) signal. This method is based on the consideration that the two effects depend on the spin injection direction: The ISHE is an odd function of the spin injection direction while the SRE is independent on it. Thus, the inversion of the spin injection direction changes the ISHE voltage signal, while the SRE voltage remains. It applies generally to analyzing the different voltage contributions without fitting them to special line shapes. This fast and simple method can be used in a wide frequency range and has the flexibility of sample preparation.

Finite element analysis of structural response of superconducting magnet for a fusion reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reich, M.; Powell, J.; Bezler, P.; Chang, T.Y.; Prachuktam, S.

1975-01-01

In the proposal Tokamak fusion reactor, the superconducting unit consists of an assembly of D-shaped magnets standing vertically and arranged in a toroidal configuration. Each magnet is a composite structure comprised of Nb-22%Ti and Nb-48%Ti, and stabilizing metals such as copper and aluminum or stainless steel held together by reinforced epoxies which also serve as insulators and spacers. The magnets are quite large, typically 15-20 meters in diameter with rectangular cross sections around 0.93x2m. Under static loading condition, the magnet is subjected to dead weight and large magnetic field forces, which may induce high stresses in the structure. Furthermore, additional stresses due to earthquake must also be considered for the design of the component. Both static and dynamic analyses of a typical field magnet have been performed by use of the finite element method. The magnet was assumed to be linearly elastic with equivalent homogeneous material properties. Various finite element models have been considered in order to better represent the structure for a particular loading case. For earthquake analysis, the magnet was assumed to be subjected to 50% of the El Centro 1940 earthquake and the dynamic response was obtained by the displacement spectrum analysis procedure. In the paper, numerical results are presented and the structure behavior of the magnet under static and dynamic loading conditions is discussed

Translational repression of the Drosophila nanos mRNA involves the RNA helicase Belle and RNA coating by Me31B and Trailer hitch.

Science.gov (United States)

Götze, Michael; Dufourt, Jérémy; Ihling, Christian; Rammelt, Christiane; Pierson, Stephanie; Sambrani, Nagraj; Temme, Claudia; Sinz, Andrea; Simonelig, Martine; Wahle, Elmar

2017-10-01

Translational repression of maternal mRNAs is an essential regulatory mechanism during early embryonic development. Repression of the Drosophila nanos mRNA, required for the formation of the anterior-posterior body axis, depends on the protein Smaug binding to two Smaug recognition elements (SREs) in the nanos 3' UTR. In a comprehensive mass spectrometric analysis of the SRE-dependent repressor complex, we identified Smaug, Cup, Me31B, Trailer hitch, eIF4E, and PABPC, in agreement with earlier data. As a novel component, the RNA-dependent ATPase Belle (DDX3) was found, and its involvement in deadenylation and repression of nanos was confirmed in vivo. Smaug, Cup, and Belle bound stoichiometrically to the SREs, independently of RNA length. Binding of Me31B and Tral was also SRE-dependent, but their amounts were proportional to the length of the RNA and equimolar to each other. We suggest that "coating" of the RNA by a Me31B•Tral complex may be at the core of repression. © 2017 Götze et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press for the RNA Society.

Adolescents' Preferences regarding Sex Education and Relationship Education

Science.gov (United States)

Turnbull, Triece; van Schaik, Paul; van Wersch, Anna

2010-01-01

Objective: The aim of the current study was to examine adolescents' perceptions of the quality of a Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) intervention, their preferences for sources of SRE and how these vary as a function of gender, school's faith and school type. Design: A non-experimental design was used. Setting: The participants (N = 759…

Young Men, Masculinities and Sex Education

Science.gov (United States)

Limmer, Mark

2010-01-01

This paper draws on focus group and interview data from 45 young men from the north of England to explore the barriers to effective sex and relationships education (SRE). Recent policy debates in relation to establishing statutory SRE in schools provide an opportunity to revisit how it is currently delivered to, and received by, young men. The…

Transcriptional activation of rat creatine kinase B by 17beta-estradiol in MCF-7 cells involves an estrogen responsive element and GC-rich sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, F; Samudio, I; Safe, S

2001-01-01

The rat creatine kinase B (CKB) gene is induced by estrogen in the uterus, and constructs containing rat CKB gene promoter inserts are highly estrogen-responsive in cell culture. Analysis of the upstream -568 to -523 region of the promoter in HeLa cells has identified an imperfect palindromic estrogen response element (ERE) that is required for hormone inducibility. Analysis of the CKB gene promoter in MCF-7 breast cancer cells confirmed that pCKB7 (containing the -568 to -523 promoter insert) was estrogen-responsive in transient transfection studies. However, mutation and deletion analysis of this region of the promoter showed that two GC-rich sites and the concensus ERE were functional cis-elements that bound estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha)/Sp1 and ERalpha proteins, respectively. The role of these elements was confirmed in gel mobility shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays and transfection studies in MDA-MB-231 and Schneider Drosophila SL-2 cells. These results show that transcriptional activation of CKB by estrogen is dependent, in part, on ERalpha/Sp1 action which is cell context-dependent. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The role of the glucose-sensing transcription factor carbohydrate-responsive element-binding protein pathway in termite queen fertility

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Sillam-Dusses, D.; Hanus, Robert; Poulsen, M.; Roy, V.; Favier, M.; Vasseur-Cognet, M.

2016-01-01

Roč. 6, č. 5 (2016), č. článku 160080. ISSN 2046-2441 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-12774S Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : reproduction * phenotypic plasticity * carbohydrate-responsive element-binding protein * transcription factor * social insects * lipogenesis Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 3.481, year: 2016 http://rsob.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/6/5/160080

2010 NASA-AIHEC Summer Research Experience: Students and Teachers from TCUs Engage in GIS/Remote Sensing with Researchers and Scientists--Lessons Learned

Science.gov (United States)

Rock, B. N.; Carlson, M.; Mell, V.; Maynard, N.

2010-12-01

Researchers and scientists from the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde joined with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to develop and present a Summer Research Experience (SRE) that trained 21 students and 10 faculty members from 9 of the 36 Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) which comprise the American Indian Higher Education Council (AIHEC). The 10-week SRE program was an inquiry-based introduction to remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS) and field science research methods. Teams of students and TCU faculty members developed research projects that explored climate change, energy development, contamination of water and air, fire damage in forests, and lost cultural resources on tribal lands. The UNH-Grand Ronde team presented SRE participants with an initial three-week workshop in the use of research tools and development of research projects. During the following seven weeks, the team conferred weekly with SRE participants to monitor and support their progress. Rock provided specific guidance on numerous scientific questions. Carlson coached students on writing and organization and provided laboratory analysis of foliar samples. Mell provided support on GIS technology. Eight of the SRE college teams completed substantial research projects by the end of the SRE while one other team developed a method for future research. Seventeen students completed individual research papers, oral presentations and posters. Nineteen students and all teachers maintained regular and detailed communication with the UNH-Grand Ronde mentors throughout the ten-week program. The SRE produced several significant lessons learned regarding outreach educational programs in inquiry-based science and technology applications. These include: Leadership by an active research scientist (Rock) inspired and supported students and teachers in developing their own scientific inquiries. An intensive schedule of

Two estrogen response element sequences near the PCNA gene are not responsible for its estrogen-enhanced expression in MCF7 cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheng Wang

Full Text Available The proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA is an essential component of DNA replication, cell cycle regulation, and epigenetic inheritance. High expression of PCNA is associated with poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer. The 5'-region of the PCNA gene contains two computationally-detected estrogen response element (ERE sequences, one of which is evolutionarily conserved. Both of these sequences are of undocumented cis-regulatory function. We recently demonstrated that estradiol (E2 enhances PCNA mRNA expression in MCF7 breast cancer cells. MCF7 cells proliferate in response to E2.Here, we demonstrate that E2 rapidly enhanced PCNA mRNA and protein expression in a process that requires ERalpha as well as de novo protein synthesis. One of the two upstream ERE sequences was specifically bound by ERalpha-containing protein complexes, in vitro, in gel shift analysis. Yet, each ERE sequence, when cloned as a single copy, or when engineered as two tandem copies of the ERE-containing sequence, was not capable of activating a luciferase reporter construct in response to E2. In MCF7 cells, neither ERE-containing genomic region demonstrated E2-dependent recruitment of ERalpha by sensitive ChIP-PCR assays.We conclude that E2 enhances PCNA gene expression by an indirect process and that computational detection of EREs, even when evolutionarily conserved and when near E2-responsive genes, requires biochemical validation.

Lichen Parmelia sulcata time response model to environmental elemental availability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reis, M.A.; Alves, L.C.; Freitas, M.C.; Os, B. van; Wolterbeek, H.Th.

2000-01-01

Transplants of lichen Parmelia sulcata collected in an area previously identified as non polluted, were placed at six stations, five of which were near Power Plants and the other in an area expected to be a remote station. Together with the lichen transplants, two total deposition collection buckets and an aerosol sampler were installed. Lichens were recollected two every month from each station. At the same time the water collection buckets were replaced by new ones. The aerosol sampler filter was replaced every week, collection being effective only for 10 minutes out of every two hours; in the remote station aerosol filters were replaced only once a month, the collection rate being kept. Each station was run for a period of one year. Both lichens and aerosol filters were analysed by PIXE and INAA at ITN. Total deposition samples were dried under an infrared lamp, and afterwards acid digested and analysed by ICP-MS at the National Geological Survey of The Netherlands. Data for the three types of samples were then produced for a total of 16 elements. In this work we used the data set thus obtained to test a model for the time response of lichen Parmelia sulcata to a new environment. (author)

A distal ABA responsive element in AtNCED3 promoter is required for positive feedback regulation of ABA biosynthesis in Arabidopsis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yan-Zhuo Yang

Full Text Available The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA plays a crucial role in plant development and responses to abiotic stresses. Recent studies indicate that a positive feedback regulation by ABA exists in ABA biosynthesis in plants under dehydration stress. To understand the molecular basis of this regulation, we analyzed the cis-elements of the AtNCED3 promoter in Arabidopsis. AtNCED3 encodes the first committed and highly regulated dioxygenase in the ABA biosynthetic pathway. Through delineated and mutagenesis analyses in stable-transformed Arabidopsis, we revealed that a distal ABA responsive element (ABRE: GGCACGTG, -2372 to -2364 bp is required for ABA-induced AtNCED3 expression. By analyzing the AtNCED3 expression in ABRE binding protein ABF3 over-expression transgenic plants and knock-out mutants, we provide evidence that the ABA feedback regulation of AtNCED3 expression is not mediated by ABF3.

A distal ABA responsive element in AtNCED3 promoter is required for positive feedback regulation of ABA biosynthesis in Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yan-Zhuo; Tan, Bao-Cai

2014-01-01

The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays a crucial role in plant development and responses to abiotic stresses. Recent studies indicate that a positive feedback regulation by ABA exists in ABA biosynthesis in plants under dehydration stress. To understand the molecular basis of this regulation, we analyzed the cis-elements of the AtNCED3 promoter in Arabidopsis. AtNCED3 encodes the first committed and highly regulated dioxygenase in the ABA biosynthetic pathway. Through delineated and mutagenesis analyses in stable-transformed Arabidopsis, we revealed that a distal ABA responsive element (ABRE: GGCACGTG, -2372 to -2364 bp) is required for ABA-induced AtNCED3 expression. By analyzing the AtNCED3 expression in ABRE binding protein ABF3 over-expression transgenic plants and knock-out mutants, we provide evidence that the ABA feedback regulation of AtNCED3 expression is not mediated by ABF3.

Transposable elements in cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Kathleen H

2017-07-01

Transposable elements give rise to interspersed repeats, sequences that comprise most of our genomes. These mobile DNAs have been historically underappreciated - both because they have been presumed to be unimportant, and because their high copy number and variability pose unique technical challenges. Neither impediment now seems steadfast. Interest in the human mobilome has never been greater, and methods enabling its study are maturing at a fast pace. This Review describes the activity of transposable elements in human cancers, particularly long interspersed element-1 (LINE-1). LINE-1 sequences are self-propagating, protein-coding retrotransposons, and their activity results in somatically acquired insertions in cancer genomes. Altered expression of transposable elements and animation of genomic LINE-1 sequences appear to be hallmarks of cancer, and can be responsible for driving mutations in tumorigenesis.

Spatially dependent burnup implementation into the nodal program based on the finite element response matrix method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoriyaz, H.

1986-01-01

In this work a spatial burnup scheme and feedback effects has been implemented into the FERM ( 'Finite Element Response Matrix' )program. The spatially dependent neutronic parameters have been considered in three levels: zonewise calculation, assembly wise calculation and pointwise calculation. Flux and power distributions and the multiplication factor were calculated and compared with the results obtained by CITATIOn program. These comparisons showed that processing time in the Ferm code has been hundred of times shorter and no significant difference has been observed in the assembly average power distribution. (Author) [pt

Capacity for cooperative binding of thyroid hormone (T3) receptor dimers defines wild type T3 response elements.

Science.gov (United States)

Brent, G A; Williams, G R; Harney, J W; Forman, B M; Samuels, H H; Moore, D D; Larsen, P R

1992-04-01

Thyroid hormone response elements (T3REs) have been identified in a variety of promoters including those directing expression of rat GH (rGH), alpha-myosin heavy chain (rMHC), and malic enzyme (rME). A detailed biochemical and genetic analysis of the rGH element has shown that it consists of three hexamers related to the consensus [(A/G)GGT(C/A)A]. We have extended this analysis to the rMHC and rME elements. Binding of highly purified thyroid hormone receptor (T3R) to T3REs was determined using the gel shift assay, and thyroid hormone (T3) induction was measured in transient tranfections. We show that the wild type version of each of the three elements binds T3R dimers cooperatively. Mutational analysis of the rMHC and rME elements identified domains important for binding T3R dimers and allowed a direct determination of the relationship between T3R binding and function. In each element two hexamers are required for dimer binding, and mutations that interfere with dimer formation significantly reduce T3 induction. Similar to the rGH element, the rMHC T3RE contains three hexameric domains arranged as a direct repeat followed by an inverted copy, although the third domain is weaker than in rGH. All three are required for full function and T3R binding. The rME T3RE is a two-hexamer direct repeat T3RE, which also binds T3R monomer and dimer. Across a series of mutant elements, there was a strong correlation between dimer binding in vitro and function in vivo for rMHC (r = 0.99, P less than 0.01) and rME (r = 0.67, P less than 0.05) T3REs. Our results demonstrate a similar pattern of T3R dimer binding to a diverse array of hexameric sequences and arrangements in three wild type T3REs. Addition of nuclear protein enhanced T3R binding but did not alter the specificity of binding to wild type or mutant elements. Binding of purified T3R to T3REs was highly correlated with function, both with and without the addition of nuclear protein. T3R dimer formation is the common

Identification of the G13 (cAMP-response-element-binding protein-related protein) gene product related to activating transcription factor 6 as a transcriptional activator of the mammalian unfolded protein response.

Science.gov (United States)

Haze, K; Okada, T; Yoshida, H; Yanagi, H; Yura, T; Negishi, M; Mori, K

2001-04-01

Eukaryotic cells control the levels of molecular chaperones and folding enzymes in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by a transcriptional induction process termed the unfolded protein response (UPR). The mammalian UPR is mediated by the cis-acting ER stress response element consisting of 19 nt (CCAATN(9)CCACG), the CCACG part of which is considered to provide specificity. We recently identified the basic leucine zipper (bZIP) protein ATF6 as a mammalian UPR-specific transcription factor; ATF6 is activated by ER stress-induced proteolysis and binds directly to CCACG. Here we report that eukaryotic cells express another bZIP protein closely related to ATF6 in both structure and function. This protein encoded by the G13 (cAMP response element binding protein-related protein) gene is constitutively synthesized as a type II transmembrane glycoprotein anchored in the ER membrane and processed into a soluble form upon ER stress as occurs with ATF6. The proteolytic processing of ATF6 and the G13 gene product is accompanied by their relocation from the ER to the nucleus; their basic regions seem to function as a nuclear localization signal. Overexpression of the soluble form of the G13 product constitutively activates the UPR, whereas overexpression of a mutant lacking the activation domain exhibits a strong dominant-negative effect. Furthermore, the soluble forms of ATF6 and the G13 gene product are unable to bind to several point mutants of the cis-acting ER stress response element in vitro that hardly respond to ER stress in vivo. We thus concluded that the two related bZIP proteins are crucial transcriptional regulators of the mammalian UPR, and propose calling the ATF6 gene product ATF6alpha and the G13 gene product ATF6beta.

Spherical rhenium metal powder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leonhardt, T.; Moore, N.; Hamister, M.

2001-01-01

The development of a high-density, spherical rhenium powder (SReP) possessing excellent flow characteristics has enabled the use of advanced processing techniques for the manufacture of rhenium components. The techniques that were investigated were vacuum plasma spraying (VPS), direct-hot isostatic pressing (D-HIP), and various other traditional powder metallurgy processing methods of forming rhenium powder into near-net shaped components. The principal disadvantages of standard rhenium metal powder (RMP) for advanced consolidation applications include: poor flow characteristics; high oxygen content; and low and varying packing densities. SReP will lower costs, reduce processing times, and improve yields when manufacturing powder metallurgy rhenium components. The results of the powder characterization of spherical rhenium powder and the consolidation of the SReP are further discussed. (author)

Coherence of reactor design and fuel element design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vom Scheidt, S.

1995-01-01

Its background of more than 25 years of experience makes Framatome the world's leading company in the design and sales of fuel elements for pressurized water reactors (PWR). In 1994, the fuel fabrication units were incorporated as subsidiaries, which further strengthens the company's position. The activities in the fuel sector comprise fuel element design, selection and sourcing of materials, fuel element fabrication, and the services associated with nuclear fuel. Design responsibility lies with the Design and sales Management, which closely cooperates with the engineers of the reactor plant for which the fuel elements are being designed, for fuel elements are inseparable parts of the respective reactors. The Design and Sales Management also has developed a complete line of services associated with fuel element inspection and repair. As far as fuel element sales are concerned, Framatome delivers the first core in order to be able to assume full responsibility vis-a-vis the customer for the performance of the nuclear steam supply system. Reloads are sold through the Fragema Association established by Framatome and Cogema. (orig.) [de

The transient response for different types of erodable surface thermocouples using finite element analysis

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Mohammed Hussein

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The transient response of erodable surface thermocouples has been numerically assessed by using a two dimensional finite element analysis. Four types of base metal erodable surface thermocouples have been examined in this study, included type-K (alumel-chromel, type-E (chromel-constantan, type-T (copper-constantan, and type-J (iron-constantan with 50 mm thick- ness for each. The practical importance of these types of thermocouples is to be used in internal combustion engine studies and aerodynamics experiments. The step heat flux was applied at the surface of the thermocouple model. The heat flux from the measurements of the surface temperature can be commonly identified by assuming that the heat transfer within these devices is one-dimensional. The surface temperature histories at different positions along the thermocouple are presented. The normalized surface temperature histories at the center of the thermocouple for different types at different response time are also depicted. The thermocouple response to different heat flux variations were considered by using a square heat flux with 2 ms width, a sinusoidal surface heat flux variation width 10 ms period and repeated heat flux variation with 2 ms width. The present results demonstrate that the two dimensional transient heat conduction effects have a significant influence on the surface temperature history measurements made with these devices. It was observed that the surface temperature history and the transient response for thermocouple type-E are higher than that for other types due to the thermal properties of this thermocouple. It was concluded that the thermal properties of the surrounding material do have an impact, but the properties of the thermocouple and the insulation materials also make an important contribution to the net response.

Preparations for decontamination and disposition of the Sodium Reactor Experiment (SRE) and other ERDA facilities at AI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heine, W.F.; Graves, A.W.

1975-01-01

The program plan for the decontamination and disposition of facilities at the Sodium Reactor Experiment and other ERDA-owned, AI-operated, radioactive facilities is described. The program objective along with a description of each of the subject facilities is presented. A description of the organizational structure within supporting the program is given. The elements of planning required to prepare for the task are detailed, including the requirements for cost and schedule control. Progress to date and the future plans are presented. The available technology utilized in the program is described

Adaptive response of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis to accumulation of elements and translocation in Phragmites australis affected by cadmium stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Xiaochen; Ho, Shih-Hsin; Zhu, Shishu; Ma, Fang; Wu, Jieting; Yang, Jixian; Wang, Li

2017-07-15

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have been reported to play a central role in improving plant tolerance to cadmium (Cd)-contaminated sites. This is achieved by enhancing both the growth of host plants and the nutritive elements in plants. This study assessed potential regulatory effects of AM symbiosis with regard to nutrient uptake and transport, and revealed different response strategies to various Cd concentrations. Phragmites australis was inoculated with Rhizophagus irregularis in the greenhouse cultivation system, where it was treated with 0-20 mg L -1 of Cd for 21days to investigate growth parameters, as well as Cd and nutritive element distribution in response to AM fungus inoculation. Mycorrhizal plants showed a higher tolerance, particularly under high Cd-level stress in the substrate. Moreover, our results determined the roots as dominant Cd reservoirs in plants. The AM fungus improved Cd accumulation and saturated concentration in the roots, thus inhibiting Cd uptake to shoots. The observed distributions of nutritive elements and the interactions among these indicated the highest microelement contribution to roots, Ca contributed maximally in leaves, and K and P contributed similarly under Cd stress. In addition, AM fungus inoculation effectively impacted Mn and P uptake and accumulation while coping with Cd toxicity. This study also demonstrated translocation factor from metal concentration (TF) could be a good parameter to evaluate different transportation strategies induced by various Cd stresses in contrast to the bioconcentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor from metal accumulation (TF'). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distinctly different dynamics and kinetics of two steroid receptors at the same response elements in living cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hatice Z Nenseth

Full Text Available Closely related transcription factors (TFs can bind to the same response elements (REs with similar affinities and activate transcription. However, it is unknown whether transcription is similarly orchestrated by different TFs bound at the same RE. Here we have compared the recovery half time (t1/2, binding site occupancy and the resulting temporal changes in transcription upon binding of two closely related steroid receptors, the androgen and glucocorticoid receptors (AR and GR, to their common hormone REs (HREs. We show that there are significant differences at all of these levels between AR and GR at the MMTV HRE when activated by their ligands. These data show that two TFs bound at the same RE can have significantly different modes of action that can affect their responses to environmental cues.

Hermitian Mindlin Plate Wavelet Finite Element Method for Load Identification

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Xiaofeng Xue

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A new Hermitian Mindlin plate wavelet element is proposed. The two-dimensional Hermitian cubic spline interpolation wavelet is substituted into finite element functions to construct frequency response function (FRF. It uses a system’s FRF and response spectrums to calculate load spectrums and then derives loads in the time domain via the inverse fast Fourier transform. By simulating different excitation cases, Hermitian cubic spline wavelets on the interval (HCSWI finite elements are used to reverse load identification in the Mindlin plate. The singular value decomposition (SVD method is adopted to solve the ill-posed inverse problem. Compared with ANSYS results, HCSWI Mindlin plate element can accurately identify the applied load. Numerical results show that the algorithm of HCSWI Mindlin plate element is effective. The accuracy of HCSWI can be verified by comparing the FRF of HCSWI and ANSYS elements with the experiment data. The experiment proves that the load identification of HCSWI Mindlin plate is effective and precise by using the FRF and response spectrums to calculate the loads.

Nuclear toxicology file: cell response to the steady or radioactive chemical elements exposure; Dossier toxicologie nucleaire: reponse cellulaire a l'exposition aux elements chimiques stables ou radioactifs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez, B.S.; Saintigny, Y. [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Sciences du Vivant, UMR 217, 92 - Fontenay aux Roses (France); CEA Fontenay aux Roses, IRCM, UMR 217, 92 (France); Adam, Ch. [Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire (IRSN:DEI/SECRE), Lab. de Radioecologie et d' Ecotoxicologie, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France)

2008-09-15

The cellular response to an exposure in a toxic element is made at different levels. The first level is the agent detoxication by its elimination or its neutralization. The second level is the repair of the damages caused by this agent (for example the DNA repair). The third level is the control of the cellular death programmed to eliminate the irreparably damaged cells.Finally, the hurt cell can inform the nearby cells by producing molecular effectors inducing an abscopal or bystander effect. (N.C.)

Two zebrafish G2A homologs activate multiple intracellular signaling pathways in acidic environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ichijo, Yuta; Mochimaru, Yuta [Laboratory of Cell Signaling Regulation, Department of Life Sciences, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571 (Japan); Azuma, Morio [Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, 3190-Gofuku, Toyama 930-8555 (Japan); Satou, Kazuhiro; Negishi, Jun [Laboratory of Cell Signaling Regulation, Department of Life Sciences, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571 (Japan); Nakakura, Takashi [Department of Anatomy, Graduate School of Medicine, Teikyo University, 2-11-1 Itabashi-Ku, Tokyo 173-8605 (Japan); Oshima, Natsuki [Laboratory of Cell Signaling Regulation, Department of Life Sciences, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571 (Japan); Mogi, Chihiro; Sato, Koichi [Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi 371-8512 (Japan); Matsuda, Kouhei [Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, 3190-Gofuku, Toyama 930-8555 (Japan); Okajima, Fumikazu [Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi 371-8512 (Japan); Tomura, Hideaki, E-mail: tomurah@meiji.ac.jp [Laboratory of Cell Signaling Regulation, Department of Life Sciences, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571 (Japan)

2016-01-01

Human G2A is activated by various stimuli such as lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), 9-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (9-HODE), and protons. The receptor is coupled to multiple intracellular signaling pathways, including the G{sub s}-protein/cAMP/CRE, G{sub 12/13}-protein/Rho/SRE, and G{sub q}-protein/phospholipase C/NFAT pathways. In the present study, we examined whether zebrafish G2A homologs (zG2A-a and zG2A-b) could respond to these stimuli and activate multiple intracellular signaling pathways. We also examined whether histidine residue and basic amino acid residue in the N-terminus of the homologs also play roles similar to those played by human G2A residues if the homologs sense protons. We found that the zG2A-a showed the high CRE, SRE, and NFAT activities, however, zG2A-b showed only the high SRE activity under a pH of 8.0. Extracellular acidification from pH 7.4 to 6.3 ameliorated these activities in zG2A-a-expressing cells. On the other hand, acidification ameliorated the SRE activity but not the CRE and NFAT activities in zG2A-b-expressing cells. LPC or 9-HODE did not modify any activity of either homolog. The substitution of histidine residue at the 174{sup th} position from the N-terminus of zG2A-a to asparagine residue attenuated proton-induced CRE and NFAT activities but not SRE activity. The substitution of arginine residue at the 32nd position from the N-terminus of zG2A-a to the alanine residue also attenuated its high and the proton-induced CRE and NFAT activities. On the contrary, the substitution did not attenuate SRE activity. The substitution of the arginine residue at the 10th position from the N-terminus of zG2A-b to the alanine residue also did not attenuate its high or the proton-induced SRE activity. These results indicate that zebrafish G2A homologs were activated by protons but not by LPC and 9-HODE, and the activation mechanisms of the homologs were similar to those of human G2A. - Highlights: • Zebrafish two G2A homologs are proton

Limiting exercise options: depending on a proxy may inhibit exercise self-management.

Science.gov (United States)

Shields, Christopher A; Brawley, Lawrence R

2007-07-01

We examined the influence of proxy-assistance on exercisers' social cognitions and behavior. Fifty-six fitness class participants reported preference for proxy-assistance and reacted to exercising in different contexts. A 2 (proxy-led vs self-managed exercise context) by 2 (preferred assistance) MANOVA revealed significant assistance by context interactions for self-regulatory efficacy (SRE) and difficulty. Regarding self-managed exercise, high-assistance individuals expressed lower SRE and higher difficulty. Chi-square analysis revealed that significantly fewer high-assistance participants chose self-managed exercise. A one-way MANOVA on preferred assistance indicated that high-assistance participants were less confident, satisfied and perceived their self-managed exercise as more difficult. Results support Bandura's theorizing that use of a proxy can limit SRE of those preferring the proxy's control of their behavior.

Quantitative analysis of polycomb response elements (PREs at identical genomic locations distinguishes contributions of PRE sequence and genomic environment

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Okulski Helena

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Polycomb/Trithorax response elements (PREs are cis-regulatory elements essential for the regulation of several hundred developmentally important genes. However, the precise sequence requirements for PRE function are not fully understood, and it is also unclear whether these elements all function in a similar manner. Drosophila PRE reporter assays typically rely on random integration by P-element insertion, but PREs are extremely sensitive to genomic position. Results We adapted the ΦC31 site-specific integration tool to enable systematic quantitative comparison of PREs and sequence variants at identical genomic locations. In this adaptation, a miniwhite (mw reporter in combination with eye-pigment analysis gives a quantitative readout of PRE function. We compared the Hox PRE Frontabdominal-7 (Fab-7 with a PRE from the vestigial (vg gene at four landing sites. The analysis revealed that the Fab-7 and vg PREs have fundamentally different properties, both in terms of their interaction with the genomic environment at each site and their inherent silencing abilities. Furthermore, we used the ΦC31 tool to examine the effect of deletions and mutations in the vg PRE, identifying a 106 bp region containing a previously predicted motif (GTGT that is essential for silencing. Conclusions This analysis showed that different PREs have quantifiably different properties, and that changes in as few as four base pairs have profound effects on PRE function, thus illustrating the power and sensitivity of ΦC31 site-specific integration as a tool for the rapid and quantitative dissection of elements of PRE design.

Plant-soil distribution of potentially toxic elements in response to elevated atmospheric CO2.

Science.gov (United States)

Duval, Benjamin D; Dijkstra, Paul; Natali, Susan M; Megonigal, J Patrick; Ketterer, Michael E; Drake, Bert G; Lerdau, Manuel T; Gordon, Gwyneth; Anbar, Ariel D; Hungate, Bruce A

2011-04-01

The distribution of contaminant elements within ecosystems is an environmental concern because of these elements' potential toxicity to animals and plants and their ability to hinder microbial ecosystem services. As with nutrients, contaminants are cycled within and through ecosystems. Elevated atmospheric CO2 generally increases plant productivity and alters nutrient element cycling, but whether CO2 causes similar effects on the cycling of contaminant elements is unknown. Here we show that 11 years of experimental CO2 enrichment in a sandy soil with low organic matter content causes plants to accumulate contaminants in plant biomass, with declines in the extractable contaminant element pools in surface soils. These results indicate that CO2 alters the distribution of contaminant elements in ecosystems, with plant element accumulation and declining soil availability both likely explained by the CO2 stimulation of plant biomass. Our results highlight the interdependence of element cycles and the importance of taking a broad view of the periodic table when the effects of global environmental change on ecosystem biogeochemistry are considered.

Requirement of ERα and basal activities of EGFR and Src kinase in Cd-induced activation of MAPK/ERK pathway in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, Xiulong, E-mail: songxiulong@hotmail.com; Wei, Zhengxi; Shaikh, Zahir A., E-mail: zshaikh@uri.edu

2015-08-15

Cadmium (Cd) is a common environmental toxicant and an established carcinogen. Epidemiological studies implicate Cd with human breast cancer. Low micromolar concentrations of Cd promote proliferation of human breast cancer cells in vitro. The growth promotion of breast cancer cells is associated with the activation of MAPK/ERK pathway. This study explores the mechanism of Cd-induced activation of MAPK/ERK pathway. Specifically, the role of cell surface receptors ERα, EGFR, and Src kinase was evaluated in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells treated with 1–3 μM Cd. The activation of ERK was studied using a serum response element (SRE) luciferase reporter assay. Receptor phosphorylation was detected by Western blot analyses. Cd treatment increased both the SRE reporter activity and ERK1/2 phosphorylation in a concentration-dependent manner. Cd treatment had no effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Also, blocking the entry of Cd into the cells with manganese did not diminish Cd-induced activation of MAPK/ERK. These results suggest that the effect of Cd was likely not caused by intracellular ROS generation, but through interaction with the membrane receptors. While Cd did not appear to activate either EGFR or Src kinase, their inhibition completely blocked the Cd-induced activation of ERK as well as cell proliferation. Similarly, silencing ERα with siRNA or use of ERα antagonist blocked the effects of Cd. Based on these results, it is concluded that not only ERα, but also basal activities of EGFR and Src kinase are essential for Cd-induced signal transduction and activation of MAPK/ERK pathway for breast cancer cell proliferation. - Highlights: • Low micromolar concentrations of Cd rapidly activate ERK1/2 in MCF-7 cells. • Signal transduction and resulting cell proliferation require EGFR, ERα, and Src. • These findings implicate Cd in promotion of breast cancer.

Preclinical and clinical investigations as an approach to rational phytotherapy in prostate diseases

OpenAIRE

Weisskopf, Marianne

2004-01-01

Phytotherapeuticals have gained widespread usage in the treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Among these phytotherapeutics, the most popular and extensively studied are extracts of the dried ripe fruit of Serenoa repens (SRE). The commercially available hydroethanolic (96%) SRE, Me180, is already used as a medical treatment of symptomatic BPH. However, this extract was so far neither investigated in vitro nor in vivo. The other extracts tested herein, de...

Mechanism Profiling of Hepatotoxicity Caused by Oxidative Stress Using Antioxidant Response Element Reporter Gene Assay Models and Big Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Marlene Thai; Huang, Ruili; Sedykh, Alexander; Wang, Wenyi; Xia, Menghang; Zhu, Hao

2016-05-01

Hepatotoxicity accounts for a substantial number of drugs being withdrawn from the market. Using traditional animal models to detect hepatotoxicity is expensive and time-consuming. Alternative in vitro methods, in particular cell-based high-throughput screening (HTS) studies, have provided the research community with a large amount of data from toxicity assays. Among the various assays used to screen potential toxicants is the antioxidant response element beta lactamase reporter gene assay (ARE-bla), which identifies chemicals that have the potential to induce oxidative stress and was used to test > 10,000 compounds from the Tox21 program. The ARE-bla computational model and HTS data from a big data source (PubChem) were used to profile environmental and pharmaceutical compounds with hepatotoxicity data. Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models were developed based on ARE-bla data. The models predicted the potential oxidative stress response for known liver toxicants when no ARE-bla data were available. Liver toxicants were used as probe compounds to search PubChem Bioassay and generate a response profile, which contained thousands of bioassays (> 10 million data points). By ranking the in vitro-in vivo correlations (IVIVCs), the most relevant bioassay(s) related to hepatotoxicity were identified. The liver toxicants profile contained the ARE-bla and relevant PubChem assays. Potential toxicophores for well-known toxicants were created by identifying chemical features that existed only in compounds with high IVIVCs. Profiling chemical IVIVCs created an opportunity to fully explore the source-to-outcome continuum of modern experimental toxicology using cheminformatics approaches and big data sources. Kim MT, Huang R, Sedykh A, Wang W, Xia M, Zhu H. 2016. Mechanism profiling of hepatotoxicity caused by oxidative stress using antioxidant response element reporter gene assay models and big data. Environ Health Perspect 124:634-641;�

The cis-regulatory element CCACGTGG is involved in ABA and water-stress responses of the maize gene rab28.

Science.gov (United States)

Pla, M; Vilardell, J; Guiltinan, M J; Marcotte, W R; Niogret, M F; Quatrano, R S; Pagès, M

1993-01-01

The maize gene rab28 has been identified as ABA-inducible in embryos and vegetative tissues. It is also induced by water stress in young leaves. The proximal promoter region contains the conserved cis-acting element CCACGTGG (ABRE) reported for ABA induction in other plant genes. Transient expression assays in rice protoplasts indicate that a 134 bp fragment (-194 to -60 containing the ABRE) fused to a truncated cauliflower mosaic virus promoter (35S) is sufficient to confer ABA-responsiveness upon the GUS reporter gene. Gel retardation experiments indicate that nuclear proteins from tissues in which the rab28 gene is expressed can interact specifically with this 134 bp DNA fragment. Nuclear protein extracts from embryo and water-stressed leaves generate specific complexes of different electrophoretic mobility which are stable in the presence of detergent and high salt. However, by DMS footprinting the same guanine-specific contacts with the ABRE in both the embryo and leaf binding activities were detected. These results indicate that the rab28 promoter sequence CCACGTGG is a functional ABA-responsive element, and suggest that distinct regulatory factors with apparent similar affinity for the ABRE sequence may be involved in the hormone action during embryo development and in vegetative tissues subjected to osmotic stress.

Dis3- and exosome subunit-responsive 3′ mRNA instability elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiss, Daniel L.; Hou, Dezhi; Gross, Robert H.; Andrulis, Erik D.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Successful use of a novel RNA-specific bioinformatic tool, RNA SCOPE. ► Identified novel 3′ UTR cis-acting element that destabilizes a reporter mRNA. ► Show exosome subunits are required for cis-acting element-mediated mRNA instability. ► Define precise sequence requirements of novel cis-acting element. ► Show that microarray-defined exosome subunit-regulated mRNAs have novel element. -- Abstract: Eukaryotic RNA turnover is regulated in part by the exosome, a nuclear and cytoplasmic complex of ribonucleases (RNases) and RNA-binding proteins. The major RNase of the complex is thought to be Dis3, a multi-functional 3′–5′ exoribonuclease and endoribonuclease. Although it is known that Dis3 and core exosome subunits are recruited to transcriptionally active genes and to messenger RNA (mRNA) substrates, this recruitment is thought to occur indirectly. We sought to discover cis-acting elements that recruit Dis3 or other exosome subunits. Using a bioinformatic tool called RNA SCOPE to screen the 3′ untranslated regions of up-regulated transcripts from our published Dis3 depletion-derived transcriptomic data set, we identified several motifs as candidate instability elements. Secondary screening using a luciferase reporter system revealed that one cassette—harboring four elements—destabilized the reporter transcript. RNAi-based depletion of Dis3, Rrp6, Rrp4, Rrp40, or Rrp46 diminished the efficacy of cassette-mediated destabilization. Truncation analysis of the cassette showed that two exosome subunit-sensitive elements (ESSEs) destabilized the reporter. Point-directed mutagenesis of ESSE abrogated the destabilization effect. An examination of the transcriptomic data from exosome subunit depletion-based microarrays revealed that mRNAs with ESSEs are found in every up-regulated mRNA data set but are underrepresented or missing from the down-regulated data sets. Taken together, our findings imply a potentially novel mechanism of m

Differential regulation of the human progesterone receptor gene through an estrogen response element half site and Sp1 sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Petz, Larry N; Ziegler, Yvonne S; Schultz, Jennifer R; Kim, Hwajin; Kemper, J Kim; Nardulli, Ann M

2004-02-01

The progesterone receptor (PR) gene is regulated by estrogen in normal reproductive tissues and in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Although it is generally thought that estrogen responsiveness is mediated by interaction of the ligand-occupied estrogen receptor (ER) with estrogen response elements (EREs) in target genes, the human progesterone receptor (PR) gene lacks a palindromic ERE. Promoter A of the PR gene does, however, contain an ERE half site upstream of two adjacent Sp1 sites from +571 to +595, the +571 ERE/Sp1 site. We have examined the individual contributions of the ERE half site and the two Sp1 sites in regulating estrogen responsiveness. Transient transfection assays demonstrated that both Sp1 sites were critical for estrogen-mediated activation of the PR gene. Interestingly, rather than decreasing transcription, mutations in the ERE half site increased transcription substantially suggesting that this site plays a role in limiting transcription. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that Sp1 was associated with the +571 ERE/Sp1 site in the endogenous PR gene in the absence and in the presence of estrogen, but that ERalpha was only associated with this region of the PR gene after MCF-7 cells had been treated with estrogen. Our studies provide evidence that effective regulation of transcription through the +571 ERE/Sp1 site requires the binding of ERalpha and Sp1 to their respective cis elements and the appropriate interaction of ERalpha and Sp1 with other coregulatory proteins and transcription factors.

Domain- and nucleotide-specific Rev response element regulation of feline immunodeficiency virus production

Science.gov (United States)

Na, Hong; Huisman, Willem; Ellestad, Kristofor K.; Phillips, Tom R.; Power, Christopher

2010-01-01

Computational analysis of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) RNA sequences indicated that common FIV strains contain a rev response element (RRE) defined by a long unbranched hairpin with 6 stem-loop sub-domains, termed stem-loop A (SLA). To examine the role of the RNA secondary structure of the RRE, mutational analyses were performed in both an infectious FIV molecular clone and a FIV CAT-RRE reporter system. These studies disclosed that the stems within SLA (SA1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) of the RRE were critical but SA6 was not essential for FIV replication and CAT expression. These studies also revealed that the secondary structure rather than an antisense protein (ASP) mediates virus expression and replication in vitro. In addition, a single synonymous mutation within the FIV-RRE, SA3/45, reduced viral reverse transcriptase activity and p24 expression after transfection but in addition also showed a marked reduction in viral expression and production following infection. PMID:20570310

Newly constructed stable reporter cell lines for mechanistic studies on electrophile-responsive element-mediated gene expression reveal a role for flavonoid planarity.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boerboom, A.M.A.; Vermeulen, M.; Woude, H. van der; Bremer, B.I.; Lee-Hilz, Y.Y.; Kampman, E.; Bladeren, P.J. van; Rietjens, I.M.C.M.; Aarts, J.

2006-01-01

The electrophile-responsive element (EpRE) is a transcriptional enhancer involved in cancer-chemoprotective gene expression modulation by certain food components. Two stably transfected luciferase reporter cell lines were developed, EpRE(hNQO1)-LUX and EpRE(mGST-Ya)-LUX, based on EpRE sequences from

Newly constructed stable reporter cell lines for mechanistic studies on electrophile-responsive element-mediated gene expression reveal a role for flavonoid planarity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boerboom, A.M.J.F.; Vermeulen, M.; Woude, H. van der; Bremer, B.I.; Lee-Hilz, Y.Y.; Kampman, E.; Bladeren, P.J. van; Rietjens, I.M.C.M.; Aarts, J.M.M.J.G.

2006-01-01

The electrophile-responsive element (EpRE) is a transcriptional enhancer involved in cancer-chemoprotective gene expression modulation by certain food components. Two stably transfected luciferase reporter cell lines were developed, EpRE(hNQO1)-LUX and EpRE(mGST-Ya)-LUX, based on EpRE sequences from

Off-trial evaluation of bisphosphonates in patients with metastatic breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liauw, Winston; Segelov, Eva; Lih, Anna; Dunleavy, Ms Ruth; Links, Matthew; Ward, Robyn

2005-01-01

Bisphosphonate therapy has been readily accepted as standard of care for individuals with bone metastases from breast cancer. In this study we determined whether the proportion of patients experiencing a skeletal related event (SRE) in a clinical practice population was similar to that observed in phase III randomized controlled studies. A retrospective chart review was conducted of 110 patients receiving intravenous bisphosphonates for advanced breast cancer. The proportion of patients experiencing at least one SRE after 12 months of therapy was determined. SRE included vertebral or non-vertebral fracture, cord compression, surgery and/or radiotherapy to bone. The proportion of patients who had an SRE was 30% (28 individuals) and the median time to first event was greater than 350 days. Non-vertebral events and radiotherapy were the most frequent type of SRE, while cord compression and hypercalcaemia were rare (1%). Most patients in the study had bone-only disease (58.2%) and most had multiple bone lesions. In the first 12 months the mean duration of exposure to intravenous bisphosphonates was 261 days and most patients remained on treatment until just before death (median 27 days). This study suggests that the rate of clinically relevant SREs is substantially lower than the event rate observed in phase III clinical trials. We attribute this lower rate to observational bias. In the clinical trial setting it is possible that over-detection of skeletal events occurs due to the utilisation of regular skeletal survey or radionucleotide bone scan, whereas these procedures are not routine in clinical practice. Phase IV observational studies need to be conducted to determine the true benefits of bisphosphonate therapy in order to implement rationale use of bisphosphonates

v-src induction of the TIS10/PGS2 prostaglandin synthase gene is mediated by an ATF/CRE transcription response element.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, W; Fletcher, B S; Andersen, R D; Herschman, H R

1994-10-01

We recently reported the cloning of a mitogen-inducible prostaglandin synthase gene, TIS10/PGS2. In addition to growth factors and tumor promoters, the v-src oncogene induces TIS10/PGS2 expression in 3T3 cells. Deletion analysis, using luciferase reporters, identifies a region between -80 and -40 nucleotides 5' of the TIS10/PGS2 transcription start site that mediates pp60v-src induction in 3T3 cells. This region contains the sequence CGTCACGTG, which includes overlapping ATF/CRE (CGTCA) and E-box (CACGTG) sequences. Gel shift-oligonucleotide competition experiments with nuclear extracts from cells stably transfected with a temperature-sensitive v-src gene demonstrate that the CGTCACGTG sequence can bind proteins at both the ATF/CRE and E-box sequences. Dominant-negative CREB and Myc proteins that bind DNA, but do not transactivate, block v-src induction of a luciferase reporter driven by the first 80 nucleotides of the TIS10/PGS2 promoter. Mutational analysis distinguishes which TIS10/PGS2 cis-acting element mediates pp60v-src induction. E-box mutation has no effect on the fold induction in response to pp60v-src. In contrast, ATF/CRE mutation attenuates the pp60v-src response. Antibody supershift and methylation interference experiments demonstrate that CREB and at least one other ATF transcription factor in these extracts bind to the TIS10/PGS2 ATF/CRE element. Expression of a dominant-negative ras gene also blocks TIS10/PGS2 induction by v-src. Our data suggest that Ras mediates pp60v-src activation of an ATF transcription factor, leading to induced TIS10/PGS2 expression via the ATF/CRE element of the TIS10/PGS2 promoter. This is the first description of v-src activation of gene expression via an ATF/CRE element.

Health Resource Utilization Associated with Skeletal-Related Events in Patients with Advanced Prostate Cancer: A European Subgroup Analysis from an Observational, Multinational Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amit Bahl

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to increase the understanding of health resource utilization (HRU associated with skeletal-related events (SREs occurring in patients with bone metastases secondary to advanced prostate cancer. A total of 120 patients from Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom were enrolled in this observational study. They had bone metastases secondary to prostate cancer and had experienced at least one SRE in the 97 days before giving informed consent. HRU data were collected retrospectively for 97 days before enrolment and prospectively for up to 18–21 months. HRU, including the number and duration of inpatient hospitalizations, number of outpatient and emergency department visits and procedures, was independently attributed by investigators to an SRE. Of the 222 SREs included in this analysis, 26% were associated with inpatient stays and the mean duration per SRE was 21.4 days (standard deviation (SD 17.8 days. Overall, 174 SREs (78% required an outpatient visit and the mean number of visits per SRE was 4.6 (SD 4.6. All SREs are associated with substantial HRU. Preventing SREs in patients with advanced prostate cancer and bone metastases may help to reduce the burden to both patients and European healthcare systems.

Influence of static and dynamic dipolar fields in bulk YIG/thin film NiFe systems probed via spin rectification effect

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soh, Wee Tee, E-mail: a0046479@u.nus.edu [Center for Superconducting and Magnetic Materials, Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 2 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117551 (Singapore); Tay, Z.J. [Center for Superconducting and Magnetic Materials, Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 2 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117551 (Singapore); Yakovlev, N.L. [Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 3 Research Link, Singapore 117602 (Singapore); Peng, Bin [State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China); Ong, C.K. [Center for Superconducting and Magnetic Materials, Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 2 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117551 (Singapore); Temasek Laboratories, National University of Singapore, 5A Engineering Drive 2, Singapore 117411 (Singapore)

2017-03-15

The characteristics of the static and dynamic components of the dipolar fields originating from a bulk polycrystalline yttrium iron garnet (YIG) substrate are probed by depositing a NiFe (Permalloy) layer on it, which acts as a detector. By measuring dc voltages generated via spin rectification effect (SRE) within the NiFe layer under microwave excitation, we characterize the influence of dipolar fields from bulk YIG on the NiFe layer. It is found that the dynamic YIG dipolar fields modify the self-SRE of NiFe, driving its own rectification voltages within the NiFe layer, an effect we term as non-local SRE. This non-local SRE only occurs near the simultaneous resonance of both YIG and NiFe. On the other hand, the static dipolar field from YIG manifests itself as a negative anisotropy in the NiFe layer which shifts the latter’s ferromagnetic resonance frequency. - Highlights: • We demonstrate the quantification of both the static and dynamic components of the dipolar fields due to a YIG slab. • The detection and characterisation of such dipolar fields are important in many magnetic applications such as magnonics. • The dipolar fields can pose potential pitfalls if not properly considered in certain spin-electronics systems.

Inhibition of cyclic AMP response element-directed transcription by decoy oligonucleotides enhances tumor-specific radiosensitivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Serk In, E-mail: serkin@korea.edu [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); The BK21 Plus Program for Biomedical Sciences, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Department of Medicine and Center for Bone Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN (United States); Park, Sung-Jun [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Laboratory of Obesity and Aging Research, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (United States); Lee, Junghan; Kim, Hye Eun; Park, Su Jin; Sohn, Jeong-Won [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Park, Yun Gyu, E-mail: parkyg@korea.ac.kr [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-01-15

The radiation stress induces cytotoxic responses of cell death as well as cytoprotective responses of cell survival. Understanding exact cellular mechanism and signal transduction pathways is important in improving cancer radiotherapy. Increasing evidence suggests that cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB)/activating transcription factor (ATF) family proteins act as a survival factor and a signaling molecule in response to stress. We postulated that CREB inhibition via CRE decoy oligonucleotide increases tumor cell sensitization to γ-irradiation-induced cytotoxic stress. In the present study, we demonstrate that CREB phosphorylation and CREB DNA-protein complex formation increased in time- and radiation dose-dependent manners, while there was no significant change in total protein level of CREB. In addition, CREB was phosphorylated in response to γ-irradiation through p38 MAPK pathway. Further investigation revealed that CREB blockade by decoy oligonucleotides functionally inhibited transactivation of CREB, and significantly increased radiosensitivity of multiple human cancer cell lines including TP53- and/or RB-mutated cells with minimal effects on normal cells. We also demonstrate that tumor cells ectopically expressing dominant negative mutant CREB (KCREB) and the cells treated with p38 MAPK inhibitors were more sensitive to γ-irradiation than wild type parental cells or control-treated cells. Taken together, we conclude that CREB protects tumor cells from γ-irradiation, and combination of CREB inhibition plus ionizing radiation will be a promising radiotherapeutic approach. - Highlights: • γ-Irradiation induced CREB phosphorylation and CRE-directed transcription in tumor. • γ-Irradiation-induced transcriptional activation of CREB was via p38 MAPK pathway. • CRE blockade increased radiosensitivity of tumor cells but not of normal cells. • CRE decoy oligonucleotides or p38 MAPK inhibitors can be used as radiosensitizers.

Inhibition of cyclic AMP response element-directed transcription by decoy oligonucleotides enhances tumor-specific radiosensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Serk In; Park, Sung-Jun; Lee, Junghan; Kim, Hye Eun; Park, Su Jin; Sohn, Jeong-Won; Park, Yun Gyu

2016-01-01

The radiation stress induces cytotoxic responses of cell death as well as cytoprotective responses of cell survival. Understanding exact cellular mechanism and signal transduction pathways is important in improving cancer radiotherapy. Increasing evidence suggests that cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB)/activating transcription factor (ATF) family proteins act as a survival factor and a signaling molecule in response to stress. We postulated that CREB inhibition via CRE decoy oligonucleotide increases tumor cell sensitization to γ-irradiation-induced cytotoxic stress. In the present study, we demonstrate that CREB phosphorylation and CREB DNA-protein complex formation increased in time- and radiation dose-dependent manners, while there was no significant change in total protein level of CREB. In addition, CREB was phosphorylated in response to γ-irradiation through p38 MAPK pathway. Further investigation revealed that CREB blockade by decoy oligonucleotides functionally inhibited transactivation of CREB, and significantly increased radiosensitivity of multiple human cancer cell lines including TP53- and/or RB-mutated cells with minimal effects on normal cells. We also demonstrate that tumor cells ectopically expressing dominant negative mutant CREB (KCREB) and the cells treated with p38 MAPK inhibitors were more sensitive to γ-irradiation than wild type parental cells or control-treated cells. Taken together, we conclude that CREB protects tumor cells from γ-irradiation, and combination of CREB inhibition plus ionizing radiation will be a promising radiotherapeutic approach. - Highlights: • γ-Irradiation induced CREB phosphorylation and CRE-directed transcription in tumor. • γ-Irradiation-induced transcriptional activation of CREB was via p38 MAPK pathway. • CRE blockade increased radiosensitivity of tumor cells but not of normal cells. • CRE decoy oligonucleotides or p38 MAPK inhibitors can be used as radiosensitizers.

Early Diastolic Strain Rate in Relation to Systolic and Diastolic Function and Prognosis in Aortic Stenosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dahl, Jordi S; Barros-Gomes, Sergio; Videbæk, Lars

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the impact of early mitral inflow velocity-to-early diastolic strain rate (E/SRe) ratio on long-term outcome after aortic valve replacement (AVR) in aortic stenosis (AS). BACKGROUND: In AS, increased filling pressures are associated with a poor prognosis and can...... be estimated using the early diastolic mitral inflow velocity-to-early diastolic velocity of the mitral annulus (E/e') ratio. Recent studies suggest that the E/SRe ratio surpasses the E/e' ratio in estimating outcome. METHODS: Pre-operative evaluation was performed in 121 patients with severe AS (aortic valve...... area 40% who were scheduled for AVR. Patients were divided according to E/SRe median and followed for 5 years. The primary endpoint was overall mortality. RESULTS: LVEF was lower (53 ± 7% vs. 56 ± 7%, respectively; p = 0.03) and a restrictive...

Trace elements in the sea surface microlayer: rapid responses to changes in aerosol deposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alina M. Ebling

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Natural and anthropogenic aerosols are a significant source of trace elements to oligotrophic ocean surface waters, where they provide episodic pulses of limiting micronutrients for the microbial community. However, little is known about the fate of trace elements at the air-sea interface, i.e. the sea surface microlayer. In this study, samples of aerosols, sea surface microlayer, and underlying water column were collected in the Florida Keys during a dusty season (July 2014 and non-dusty season (May 2015 and analyzed for the dissolved and particulate elements Al, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb. Microlayer samples were collected using a cylinder of ultra-pure SiO2 (quartz glass, a novel adaptation of the glass plate technique. A significant dust deposition event occurred during the 2014 sampling period which resulted in elevated concentrations of trace elements in the microlayer. Residence times in the microlayer from this event ranged from 12 to 94 minutes for dissolved trace elements and from 1.3 to 3.4 minutes for particulate trace elements. These residence times are potentially long enough for the atmospherically derived trace elements to undergo chemical and biological alterations within the microlayer. Characterizing the trace element distributions within the three regimes is an important step towards our overall goals of understanding the rates and mechanisms of the solubilization of trace elements following aeolian dust deposition and how this might affect microorganisms in surface waters.

Speaker Recognition Using Real vs. Synthetic Parallel Data for DNN Channel Compensation

Science.gov (United States)

2016-09-08

Audio Technica Hanging Mic) 05 Jabra Cellphone Earwrap Mic 06 Motorola Cellphone Earbud 07 Olympus Pearlcorder 08 Radio Shack Computer Desktop Mic...on conver- sational telephone speech. To assess the performance impact of the denoising DNN on telephony data we evaluated the DNNs on the SRE10...ASpIRE recipe. Importantly, all three denoising DNN systems did not adversely impact telephone SR perfor- mance as measured on the SRE10 telephone task

Participation of Water in the Binding of Estrogen Receptor with Estrogen Responsive Element in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Guo-Zhang; Tang, Guo-Qing; Ruan, Kang-Cheng; Gong, Yue-Ting; Zhang, Yong-Lian

1998-01-01

Many reports have showed that bound water was involved in the interaction between/among the macromolecules. However, it has not been reported whether bound water is also involved in the binding of trans-factors and cis-elements in the regulation of the eukaryotic gene trans-cription or not. Preliminary studies have been made on the effect of bound water on the binding of estrogen receptor with estrogen responsive element in vitro. In the gel retardation assay using the cytosol extract of rat uterus as the supplier of estrogen receptor and 32 bp oligonucleotide containing a concensus vitellogenin A(2) ERE as the probe, various cosolvents, such as glycerol, sucrose, N-dimethylformamide and dimethylsulfoxide, were added respectively to the reaction mixture in varying concentrations to regulate the osmotic pressure. The results indicated that the binding of ER-ERE was enhanced with the increase in the final concentration of these individual cosolvents. On the other hand, when the reaction was carried out under an increasing hydrostatic pressure, the ER-ERE binding was decreased sharply. After decompression the binding of ER-ERE was gradually restored to the normal level with the lapse of time. These results suggested that bound water was directly involved in the binding of ER-ERE and may play an important role in the regulation of the eukaryotic gene transcription.

Transcriptional activation of transforming growth factor alpha by estradiol: requirement for both a GC-rich site and an estrogen response element half-site.

Science.gov (United States)

Vyhlidal, C; Samudio, I; Kladde, M P; Safe, S

2000-06-01

17beta-Estradiol (E2) induces transforming growth factor alpha (TGFalpha) gene expression in MCF-7 cells and previous studies have identified a 53 bp (-252 to -200) sequence containing two imperfect estrogen responsive elements (EREs) that contribute to E2 responsiveness. Deletion analysis of the TGFalpha gene promoter in this study identified a second upstream region of the promoter (-623 to -549) that is also E2 responsive. This sequence contains three GC-rich sites and an imperfect ERE half-site, and the specific cis-elements and trans-acting factors were determined by promoter analysis in transient transfection experiments, gel mobility shift assays and in vitro DNA footprinting. The results are consistent with an estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha)/Sp1 complex interacting with an Sp1(N)(30) ERE half-site ((1/2)) motif in which both ERalpha and Sp1 bind promoter DNA. The ER/Sp1-DNA complex is formed using nuclear extracts from MCF-7 cells but not with recombinant human ERalpha or Sp1 proteins, suggesting that other nuclear factor(s) are required for complex stabilization. The E2-responsive Sp1(N)(x)ERE(1/2) motif identified in the TGFalpha gene promoter has also been characterized in the cathepsin D and heat shock protein 27 gene promoters; however, in the latter two promoters the numbers of intervening nucleotides are 23 and 10 respectively.

In vitro selection of DNA elements highly responsive to the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I transcriptional activator, Tax.

Science.gov (United States)

Paca-Uccaralertkun, S; Zhao, L J; Adya, N; Cross, J V; Cullen, B R; Boros, I M; Giam, C Z

1994-01-01

The human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) transactivator, Tax, the ubiquitous transcriptional factor cyclic AMP (cAMP) response element-binding protein (CREB protein), and the 21-bp repeats in the HTLV-I transcriptional enhancer form a ternary nucleoprotein complex (L. J. Zhao and C. Z. Giam, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:7070-7074, 1992). Using an antibody directed against the COOH-terminal region of Tax along with purified Tax and CREB proteins, we selected DNA elements bound specifically by the Tax-CREB complex in vitro. Two distinct but related groups of sequences containing the cAMP response element (CRE) flanked by long runs of G and C residues in the 5' and 3' regions, respectively, were preferentially recognized by Tax-CREB. In contrast, CREB alone binds only to CRE motifs (GNTGACG[T/C]) without neighboring G- or C-rich sequences. The Tax-CREB-selected sequences bear a striking resemblance to the 5' or 3' two-thirds of the HTLV-I 21-bp repeats and are highly inducible by Tax. Gel electrophoretic mobility shift assays, DNA transfection, and DNase I footprinting analyses indicated that the G- and C-rich sequences flanking the CRE motif are crucial for Tax-CREB-DNA ternary complex assembly and Tax transactivation but are not in direct contact with the Tax-CREB complex. These data show that Tax recruits CREB to form a multiprotein complex that specifically recognizes the viral 21-bp repeats. The expanded DNA binding specificity of Tax-CREB and the obligatory role the ternary Tax-CREB-DNA complex plays in transactivation reveal a novel mechanism for regulating the transcriptional activity of leucine zipper proteins like CREB.

Fluid element in SAP IV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yilmaz, C.; Akkas, N.

1979-01-01

In previous studies a fluid element is incorporated in the widely used general purpose finite element program SAPIV. This type of problem is of interest in the design of nuclear components involving geometric complexities and nonlinearities. The elasticity matrix of a general-purpose finite element program is modified in such a way that it becomes possible to idealize fluid as a structural finite element with zero shear modulus and a given bulk modules. Using the modified version of SAPIV, several solid-fluid interactions problems are solved. The numerical solutions are compared with the available analytical solutions. They are shown to be in reasonable aggrement. It is also shown that by solving an exterior-fluid interaction problem, the pressure wave propagation in the acoustic medium can be solved with the same approach. In this study, two of the problem not studied in the previous work will be presented. These problems are namely the effects of the link elements used at solid-fluid interfaces and of the concentrated loads on the response of the fluid medium. Truss elements are used as the link elements. After these investigations, it is decided that general purpose finite element programs with slight modifications can be used in the safety analysis of nuclear reactor plants. By this procedure it is possible to handle two-dimensional plane strain and tridimensional axisymmetric problems of this type. (orig.)

Functional cooperativity between two TPA responsive elements in undifferentiated F9 embryonic stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Okuda, A; Imagawa, M; Sakai, M; Muramatsu, M

1990-01-01

We have recently identified an enhancer, termed GPEI, in the 5'-flanking region of the rat glutathione transferase P gene, that is composed of two imperfect TPA (phorbol 12-O-tetradecanoate 13-acetate) responsive elements (TREs). Unlike other TRE-containing enhancers, GPEI exhibits a strong transcriptional enhancing activity in F9 embryonic stem cells. Mutational analyses have revealed that the high activity of GPEI is mediated by two imperfect TREs. Each TRE-like sequence has no activity by itself but acts synergistically to form a strong enhancer which is active even in the very low level of AP-1 activity in F9 cells. Furthermore, we show that synthetic DNAs containing two perfect TREs in certain arrangements have strong transcriptional enhancing activities in F9 cells and the activity is greatly influenced by the relative orientation and the distance of two TREs. Images Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. 3. PMID:2323334

Numerical Simulation of the Ground Response to the Tire Load Using Finite Element Method

Science.gov (United States)

Valaskova, Veronika; Vlcek, Jozef

2017-10-01

Response of the pavement to the excitation caused by the moving vehicle is one of the actual problems of the civil engineering practice. The load from the vehicle is transferred to the pavement structure through contact area of the tires. Experimental studies show nonuniform distribution of the pressure in the area. This non-uniformity is caused by the flexible nature and the shape of the tire and is influenced by the tire inflation. Several tire load patterns, including uniform distribution and point load, were involved in the numerical modelling using finite element method. Applied tire loads were based on the tire contact forces of the lorry Tatra 815. There were selected two procedures for the calculations. The first one was based on the simplification of the vehicle to the half-part model. The characteristics of the vehicle model were verified by the experiment and by the numerical model in the software ADINA, when vehicle behaviour during the ride was investigated. Second step involved application of the calculated contact forces for the front axle as the load on the multi-layered half space representing the pavement structure. This procedure was realized in the software Plaxis and considered various stress patterns for the load. The response of the ground to the vehicle load was then analyzed. Axisymmetric model was established for this procedure. The paper presents the results of the investigation of the contact pressure distribution and corresponding reaction of the pavement to various load distribution patterns. The results show differences in some calculated quantities for different load patterns, which need to be verified by the experimental way when also ground response should be observed.

Identification of two novel functional p53 responsive elements in the herpes simplex virus-1 genome.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsieh, Jui-Cheng; Kuta, Ryan; Armour, Courtney R; Boehmer, Paul E

2014-07-01

Analysis of the herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) genome reveals two candidate p53 responsive elements (p53RE), located in proximity to the replication origins oriL and oriS, referred to as p53RE-L and p53RE-S, respectively. The sequences of p53RE-L and p53RE-S conform to the p53 consensus site and are present in HSV-1 strains KOS, 17, and F. p53 binds to both elements in vitro and in virus-infected cells. Both p53RE-L and p53RE-S are capable of conferring p53-dependent transcriptional activation onto a heterologous reporter gene. Importantly, expression of the essential immediate early viral transactivator ICP4 and the essential DNA replication protein ICP8, that are adjacent to p53RE-S and p53RE-L, are repressed in a p53-dependent manner. Taken together, this study identifies two novel functional p53RE in the HSV-1 genome and suggests a complex mechanism of viral gene regulation by p53 which may determine progression of the lytic viral replication cycle or the establishment of latency. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Four-terminal circuit element with photonic core

Science.gov (United States)

Sampayan, Stephen

2017-08-29

A four-terminal circuit element is described that includes a photonic core inside of the circuit element that uses a wide bandgap semiconductor material that exhibits photoconductivity and allows current flow through the material in response to the light that is incident on the wide bandgap material. The four-terminal circuit element can be configured based on various hardware structures using a single piece or multiple pieces or layers of a wide bandgap semiconductor material to achieve various designed electrical properties such as high switching voltages by using the photoconductive feature beyond the breakdown voltages of semiconductor devices or circuits operated based on electrical bias or control designs. The photonic core aspect of the four-terminal circuit element provides unique features that enable versatile circuit applications to either replace the semiconductor transistor-based circuit elements or semiconductor diode-based circuit elements.

Cytotoxic activity of acyl phloroglucinols isolated from the leaves of Eucalyptus cinerea F. Muell. ex Benth. cultivated in Egypt

OpenAIRE

Soliman, Fathy M.; Fathy, Magda M.; Salama, Maha M.; Al-Abd, Ahmed M.; Saber, Fatema R.; El-Halawany, Ali M.

2014-01-01

Two acyl phloroglucinol compounds namely; Sideroxylonal B (1) and Macrocarpal A (2) were isolated from the Sideroxylonal-Rich Extract (SRE) of the juvenile leaves of Eucalyptus cinerea; F. Muell. ex Benth cultivated in Egypt. Identification of the isolated compounds was established on the basis of physico-chemical properties and spectral analysis (1D & 2D NMR). The two compounds were isolated for the first time from this species. The SRE alongside with the isolated compounds were tested again...

Prediction and analysis of human thoracic impact responses and injuries in cadaver impacts using a full human body finite element model.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruan, Jesse; El-Jawahri, Raed; Chai, Li; Barbat, Saeed; Prasad, Priya

2003-10-01

Human thoracic dynamic responses and injuries associated with frontal impact, side impact, and belt loading were investigated and predicted using a complete human body finite element model for an average adult male. The human body model was developed to study the impact biomechanics of a vehicular occupant. Its geometry was based on the Visible Human Project (National Library of Medicine) and the topographies from human body anatomical texts. The data was then scaled to an average adult male according to available biomechanical data from the literature. The model includes details of the head, neck, ribcage, abdomen, thoracic and lumbar spine, internal organs of the chest and abdomen, pelvis, and the upper and lower extremities. The present study is focused on the dynamic response and injuries of the thorax. The model was validated at various impact speeds by comparing predicted responses with available experimental cadaver data in frontal and side pendulum impacts, as well as belt loading. Model responses were compared with similar individual cadaver tests instead of using cadaver corridors because the large differences between the upper and lower bounds of the corridors may confound the model validation. The validated model was then used to study thorax dynamic responses and injuries in various simulated impact conditions. Parameters that could induce injuries such as force, deflection, and stress were computed from model simulations and were compared with previously proposed thoracic injury criteria to assess injury potential for the thorax. It has been shown that the model exhibited speed sensitive impact characteristics, and the compressibility of the internal organs significantly influenced the overall impact response in the simulated impact conditions. This study demonstrates that the development of a validated FE human body model could be useful for injury assessment in various cadaveric impacts reported in the literature. Internal organ injuries, which are

D ampersand D screening risk evaluation guidance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robers, S.K.; Golden, K.M.; Wollert, D.A.

1995-09-01

The Screening Risk Evaluation (SRE) guidance document is a set of guidelines provided for the uniform implementation of SREs performed on decontamination and decommissioning (D ampersand D) facilities. Although this method has been developed for D ampersand D facilities, it can be used for transition (EM-60) facilities as well. The SRE guidance produces screening risk scores reflecting levels of risk through the use of risk ranking indices. Five types of possible risk are calculated from the SRE: current releases, worker exposures, future releases, physical hazards, and criticality. The Current Release Index (CRI) calculates the current risk to human health and the environment, exterior to the building, from ongoing or probable releases within a one-year time period. The Worker Exposure Index (WEI) calculates the current risk to workers, occupants and visitors inside contaminated D ampersand D facilities due to contaminant exposure. The Future Release Index (FRI) calculates the hypothetical risk of future releases of contaminants, after one year, to human health and the environment. The Physical Hazards Index (PHI) calculates the risks to human health due to factors other than that of contaminants. Criticality is approached as a modifying factor to the entire SRE, due to the fact that criticality issues are strictly regulated under DOE. Screening risk results will be tabulated in matrix form, and Total Risk will be calculated (weighted equation) to produce a score on which to base early action recommendations. Other recommendations from the screening risk scores will be made based either on individual index scores or from reweighted Total Risk calculations. All recommendations based on the SRE will be made based on a combination of screening risk scores, decision drivers, and other considerations, as determined on a project-by-project basis

D & D screening risk evaluation guidance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robers, S.K.; Golden, K.M.; Wollert, D.A.

1995-09-01

The Screening Risk Evaluation (SRE) guidance document is a set of guidelines provided for the uniform implementation of SREs performed on decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) facilities. Although this method has been developed for D&D facilities, it can be used for transition (EM-60) facilities as well. The SRE guidance produces screening risk scores reflecting levels of risk through the use of risk ranking indices. Five types of possible risk are calculated from the SRE: current releases, worker exposures, future releases, physical hazards, and criticality. The Current Release Index (CRI) calculates the current risk to human health and the environment, exterior to the building, from ongoing or probable releases within a one-year time period. The Worker Exposure Index (WEI) calculates the current risk to workers, occupants and visitors inside contaminated D&D facilities due to contaminant exposure. The Future Release Index (FRI) calculates the hypothetical risk of future releases of contaminants, after one year, to human health and the environment. The Physical Hazards Index (PHI) calculates the risks to human health due to factors other than that of contaminants. Criticality is approached as a modifying factor to the entire SRE, due to the fact that criticality issues are strictly regulated under DOE. Screening risk results will be tabulated in matrix form, and Total Risk will be calculated (weighted equation) to produce a score on which to base early action recommendations. Other recommendations from the screening risk scores will be made based either on individual index scores or from reweighted Total Risk calculations. All recommendations based on the SRE will be made based on a combination of screening risk scores, decision drivers, and other considerations, as determined on a project-by-project basis.

The French national inventory of radioactive waste. Elements of openness and responsibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faussat, A.; Fernique, J.C.

1995-01-01

Article 13 of the Waste Act of 30 December 1991 calls for the Agence nationale pour la gestion des dechets radioactifs (ANDRA) ''to register the condition and location of all radioactive waste on national territory''. The establishment of a national inventory of radioactive waste and the broad distribution of inventory report to ensure that it becomes a matter of public record constitute a new approach to public information and an effective means of fulfilling the responsibility of the present generation vis-a-vis posterity. The National Waste Register goes beyond the low level radioactive waste disposal facilities to encompass 'all' waste, wherever it may be, including waste in storage at sites where waste is produced. As a result, the Register is multi-faceted, containing information on a variety of elements, from highly radioactive waste to hospital waste collected by ANDRA and to repositories with very low level radioactive material. Information must be provided about all of these widely divergent components. ANDRA has already published two inventories, which demonstrates the durability of its new mission. The Register now contains the inventory of radioactive waste generated by some activities connected with the defence programme. Data collection for the Register involves contacting the generators of waste and working with these entities, whether they are nuclear industry companies, defence organizations, non-nuclear industries, or the 25 Regional Directorates of Industry, Research and Environment, the control institutions or the environmental protection organizations. The yearly exchange of information among all partners involved in radioactive waste management is one of the basic tools of ANDRA, allowing it to be recognized as open and responsible, and to be more credible, fulfilling in this way one of the essential criteria for acceptability. (author). 4 refs

Triiodothyronine enhances accumulation of intracellular lipids in adipocytes through thyroid hormone receptor α via direct and indirect mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Gambo, Yurina; Matsumura, Miki; Fujimori, Ko

2016-08-15

Triiodothyronine (T3) enhanced the expression of adipogenic and lipogenic genes with elevation of the intracellular lipids through thyroid hormone receptor (TR) α in mouse 3T3-L1 cells. However, the transcription of the SREBP-1c and HSL genes was decreased by T3. Such T3-mediated alterations were negated by TRα siRNA. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay showed that the binding of TRα to the TR-responsive element (TRE) of the FAS promoter was elevated by T3. In contrast, the ability of TRα to bind to the TRE of the SREBP-1c promoter was decreased by T3. In addition, the binding of SREBP-1c to the SRE of the HSL promoter was lowered by T3. These results indicate that T3 increased the accumulation of intracellular lipids by enhancing the expression of the FAS gene through direct binding of TRα to the FAS promoter and simultaneously lowered the amount of lipolysis via reduced binding of T3-decreased SREBP-1c to the HSL promoter. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

On using the linear-quadratic model in daily clinical practice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaes, R.J.; Patel, P.; Maruyama, Y.

1991-01-01

To facilitate its use in the clinic, Barendsen's formulation of the Linear-Quadratic (LQ) model is modified by expressing isoeffect doses in terms of the Standard Effective Dose, Ds, the isoeffective dose for the standard fractionation schedule of 2 Gy fractions given once per day, 5 days per week. For any arbitrary fractionation schedule, where total dose D is given in N fractions of size d in a total time T, the corresponding Standard Effective Dose, Ds, will be proportional to the total dose D and the proportionality constant will be called the Standard Relative Effectiveness, SRE, to distinguish it from Barendsen's Relative Effectiveness, RE. Thus, Ds = SRE.D. The constant SRE depends on the parameters of the fractionation schedule, and on the tumor or normal tissue being irradiated. For the simple LQ model with no time dependence, which is applicable to late reacting tissue, SRE = [(d + delta)/(2 + delta)], where d is the fraction size and delta = alpha/beta is the alpha/beta ratio for the tissue of interest, with both d and delta expressed in units of Gy. Application of this method to the Linear Quadratic model with a time dependence, the LQ + time model, and to low dose rate brachytherapy will be discussed. To clarify the method of calculation, and to demonstrate its simplicity, examples from the clinical literature will be used

v-src Induction of the TIS10/PGS2 prostaglandin synthase gene is mediated by an ATF/CRE transcription response element

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xie, W.; Fletcher, B.S.; Andersen, R.D.; Herschman, H.R. [Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

1994-10-01

The authors recently reported the cloning of a mitogen-inducible prostaglandin synthase gene, TIS10/PGS2. In addition to growth factor and tumor promoters, the v-src oncogene induces TIS10/PGS2 expression in 3T3 cells. Deletion analysis, using luciferase reporters, identifies a region between -80 and -40 nucleotides 5{prime} of the TIS10/PGS2 transcription start site that mediates pp60{sup v-src} induction in 3T3 cells. This region contains the sequence CGTCACGTG, which includes overlapping ATF/CRE (CGTCA) and E-box (CACGTG) sequences. Gel shift-oligonucleotide competition experiments with nuclear extracts from cells stably transfected with a temperature-sensitive v-src gene demonstrate that the CGTCACGTG sequence can bind proteins at both the AFT/CRE and E-box sequences. Dominant-negative CREB and Myc proteins that bind DNA, but do not transactivate, block v-src induction of a luciferase reporter driven by the first 80 nucleotides of the TIS10/PGS2 promoter. Mutational analysis distinguishes which TIS10/PGS2 cis-acting element mediates pp60{sup v-src} induction. E-box mutation has no effect on the fold induction in response to pp60{sup v-src}. In contrast, ATF/CRE mutation attenuates the pp{sup v-src} response. Antibody supershift and methylation interference experiments demonstrate that CREB and at least one other ATF transcription factor in these extracts bind to the TIS10/PGS2 ATF/CRE element. Expression of a dominant-negative ras gene also blocks TIS10/PGS2 induction by v-src. The data suggest that Ras mediates pp60{sup v-src} activation of an ATF transcription factor, leading to induced TIS10/PGS2 expression via the ATF/CRE element of the TIS10/PGS2 promoter. This is the first description of v-src activation of gene expression via an ATF/CRE element. 64 refs., 8 figs.

Structural response analysis of very large floating structures in waves using one-dimensional finite element model; Ichijigen yugen yoso model ni yoru choogata futai no harochu kozo oto kaiseki

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujikubo, M.; Yao, T.; Oida, H. [Hiroshima University, Hiroshima (Japan). Faculty of Engineering

1996-12-31

Formulation was made on a one-dimensional beam finite element which is effective in analyzing structural response of very large floating structures by modeling them on beams on an elastic foundation. This element allows strict solution of vibration response in the beams on the elastic foundation to be calculated efficiently for a case where mass and rigidity change in the longitudinal direction. This analysis method was used to analyze structural response of a large pontoon-type floating structure to investigate mass in the end part for the structural response and the effect of decay while passing the structure. With a pontoon-type floating structure, reduction in bends and bending stress in the end part of the floating structure is important in designing the structure. Reducing the mass in the end part is effective as a means to avoid resonance in these responses and reduce the responses. Increase in rigidity of a floating structure shifts the peak in quasi-static response to lower frequency side, and reduces response in resonance, hence it is advantageous for improving the response. Since incident waves decay while passing through the floating structure, response in the lower wave side decreases. The peak frequency in the quasi-static response also decreases at the end part of the structure in the upper wave side due to decay in wave force. 7 refs., 11 figs., 1 tab.

Structural response analysis of very large floating structures in waves using one-dimensional finite element model; Ichijigen yugen yoso model ni yoru choogata futai no harochu kozo oto kaiseki

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujikubo, M; Yao, T; Oida, H [Hiroshima University, Hiroshima (Japan). Faculty of Engineering

1997-12-31

Formulation was made on a one-dimensional beam finite element which is effective in analyzing structural response of very large floating structures by modeling them on beams on an elastic foundation. This element allows strict solution of vibration response in the beams on the elastic foundation to be calculated efficiently for a case where mass and rigidity change in the longitudinal direction. This analysis method was used to analyze structural response of a large pontoon-type floating structure to investigate mass in the end part for the structural response and the effect of decay while passing the structure. With a pontoon-type floating structure, reduction in bends and bending stress in the end part of the floating structure is important in designing the structure. Reducing the mass in the end part is effective as a means to avoid resonance in these responses and reduce the responses. Increase in rigidity of a floating structure shifts the peak in quasi-static response to lower frequency side, and reduces response in resonance, hence it is advantageous for improving the response. Since incident waves decay while passing through the floating structure, response in the lower wave side decreases. The peak frequency in the quasi-static response also decreases at the end part of the structure in the upper wave side due to decay in wave force. 7 refs., 11 figs., 1 tab.

Environmental mineralogy - Understanding element behavior in ecosystems; Mineralogie environnementale: comprendre le comportement des elements dans les ecosystemes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown Jr, G.E. [Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-2115 (United States); Department of Photon Science and Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (United States); Calas, G. [Institut de mineralogie et de physique des milieux condenses (IMPMC), universite Paris-6 - universite Paris-7, IPGP, CNRS, case 115, 75252 Paris (France)

2011-02-15

Environmental Mineralogy has developed over the past decade in response to the recognition that minerals are linked in many important ways with the global ecosystem. Minerals are the main repositories of the chemical elements in Earth's crust and thus are the main sources of elements needed for the development of civilization, contaminant and pollutant elements that impact global and local ecosystems, and elements that are essential plant nutrients. These elements are released from minerals through natural processes, such as chemical weathering, and anthropogenic activities, such as mining and energy production, agriculture and industrial activities, and careless waste disposal. Minerals also play key roles in the biogeochemical cycling of the elements, sequestering elements and releasing them as the primary minerals in crustal rocks undergo various structural and compositional transformations in response to physical, chemical, and biological processes that produce secondary minerals and soils. These processes have resulted in the release of toxic elements such as arsenic in groundwater aquifers, which is having a major impact on the health of millions of people in South and Southeast Asia. The interfaces between mineral surfaces and aqueous solutions are the locations of most chemical reactions that control the composition of the natural environment, including the composition of natural waters. The nuclear fuel cycle, from uranium mining to the disposition of high-level nuclear waste, is also intimately related to minerals. A fundamental understanding of these processes requires molecular-scale information about minerals, their bulk structures and properties such as solubility, their surfaces, and their interactions with aqueous solutions, atmospheric and soil gases, natural organic matter, and biological organisms. Gaining this understanding is further complicated by the presence of natural, incidental, and manufactured nano-particles in the environment

Predicting the response of high damping rubber bearings using simplified models and finite element analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuller, K.N.G.; Gough, J.; Ahmadi, H.R.

1993-01-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency has initiated a co-ordinated research programme on implementation of base-isolation for nuclear structures. This paper discusses two areas relevant to modelling elastomeric base-isolators. These are the use of simplified models to predict the response of isolated structures to earthquake inputs and finite element analysis for calculating the stress distributions within the isolators. In the former, a curvilinear hysteretic model of the high damping natural rubber able to accommodate the stiffening of the rubber at large shear deflections is presented. Its predictions of structural accelerations and bearing displacement produced by design earthquakes and those above the design level are compared with those using a linear spring and dashpot model. A comparison has been made between two finite element analyses using MARC and ABAQUS of the force-deformation behaviour of a single disc of rubber bonded on both sides. The disc was loaded both in compression and shear. Two forms of strain energy functions were used namely Mooney-RivIin and Ogden. The agreement between MARC and ABAQUS for the Mooney-Rivlin model for the material was very good. This was not however the case for the Ogden model and a difference of 25% in the maximum vertical deflection of the disc under 200kN load was observed. The need for a 'benchmark' problem is identified. This could be used to establish the accuracy of the finite element solvers. A problem based on the work of Rivlin on the force-deformation behaviour of cylinder of rubber under torsion is nominated. An appraisal of strain energy functions based on Mooney-RivIin formulations is carried out. It is shown that even for a five term series the strain energy function is incapable of catering for the rapid change of modulus at small strains both for simple and pure shear modes of deformation. This function models tension/compression data much better. The work identifies the need for evaluating other forms

Lichens (Parmelia sulcata) time response model to environmental elemental availability

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reis, M.A.; Alves, L.C.; Freitas, M.C.; Os, B. van; Wolterbeek, H.T.

1999-01-01

Parmelia sulcata transplants, collected in a non-polluted area, were exposed to new atmospheric conditions at six stations, of which five were located near power plants and one at an unpolluted area. Data were collected for a 1-year period, on rainfall, airborne particulates, elemental deposition

Radiographic element

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbott, T.I.; Jones, C.G.

1984-01-01

Radiographic elements are disclosed comprised of first and second silver halide emulsion layers separated by an interposed support capable of transmitting radiation to which the second image portion is responsive. At least the first imaging portion contains a silver halide emulsion in which thin tubular silver halide grains of intermediate aspect ratios (from 5:1 to 8:1) are present. Spectral sensitizing dye is adsorbed to the surface of the tubular grains. Increased photographic speeds can be realized at comparable levels of crossover. (author)

Cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) enhances cAMP-responsive element binding (CREB) protein phosphorylation and phospho-CREB interaction with the mouse steroidogenic acute regulatory protein gene promoter.

Science.gov (United States)

Clem, Brian F; Hudson, Elizabeth A; Clark, Barbara J

2005-03-01

Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) transcription is regulated through cAMP-protein kinase A-dependent mechanisms that involve multiple transcription factors including the cAMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB) family members. Classically, binding of phosphorylated CREB to cis-acting cAMP-responsive elements (5'-TGACGTCA-3') within target gene promoters leads to recruitment of the coactivator CREB binding protein (CBP). Herein we examined the extent of CREB family member phosphorylation on protein-DNA interactions and CBP recruitment with the StAR promoter. Immunoblot analysis revealed that CREB, cAMP-responsive element modulator (CREM), and activating transcription factor (ATF)-1 are expressed in MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cells, yet only CREB and ATF-1 are phosphorylated. (Bu)2cAMP treatment of MA-10 cells increased CREB phosphorylation approximately 2.3-fold within 30 min but did not change total nuclear CREB expression levels. Using DNA-affinity chromatography, we now show that CREB and ATF-1, but not CREM, interact with the StAR promoter, and this interaction is dependent on the activator protein-1 (AP-1) cis-acting element within the cAMP-responsive region. In addition, (Bu)2cAMP-treatment increased phosphorylated CREB (P-CREB) association with the StAR promoter but did not influence total CREB interaction. In vivo chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated CREB binding to the StAR proximal promoter is independent of (Bu)2cAMP-treatment, confirming our in vitro analysis. However, (Bu)2cAMP-treatment increased P-CREB and CBP interaction with the StAR promoter, demonstrating for the first time the physical role of P-CREB:DNA interactions in CBP recruitment to the StAR proximal promoter.

Hypoxia-response element (HRE)-directed transcriptional regulation of the rat lysyl oxidase gene in response to cobalt and cadmium.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Song; Zhou, Jing; Zhao, Yinzhi; Toselli, Paul; Li, Wande

2013-04-01

Lysyl oxidase (LO) catalyzes crosslink of collagen, elastin, and histone H1, stabilizing the extracellular matrix and cell nucleus. This enzyme displays dual functions for tumorigenesis, i.e., as a tumor suppressor inactivating the ras oncogene and as a tumor promoter enhancing malignant cell metastasis. To elucidate LO transcriptional regulation, we have cloned the 804 base pair region upstream of the translation start site (ATG) of the rat LO gene with the maximal promoter activity. Computer analysis indicated that at least four hypoxia-response element (HRE) consensuses (5'-ACGTG-3') exist in the cloned LO promoter. Treatment of rat lung fibroblasts (RFL6) with CoCl2 (Co, 10-100 μM), a chemical hypoxia reagent, enhanced LO mRNA expression and promoter activities. Overexpression of LO was associated with upregulation of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α at mRNA levels in cobalt (Co)-treated cells. Thus, LO is a hypoxia-responsive gene. Dominant negative-HIF-1α inhibited LO promoter activities stimulated by Co. Electrophoretic mobility shift, oligonucleotide competition, and in vitro translated HIF-1α binding assays indicated that only one HRE mapped at -387/-383 relative to ATG was functionally active among four consensuses. Site-directed mutation of this HRE significantly diminished the Co-induced and LO promoter-directed expression of the reporter gene. Cadmium (Cd), an inducer of reactive oxygen species, inhibited HIF-1α mRNA expression and HIF-1α binding to the LO gene in Co-treated cells as revealed by RT-PCR and ChIP assays, respectively. Thus, modulation of the HRE activity by Co and Cd plays a critical role in LO gene transactivation.

Finite element analysis of an inflatable torus considering air mass structural element

Science.gov (United States)

Gajbhiye, S. C.; Upadhyay, S. H.; Harsha, S. P.

2014-01-01

Inflatable structures, also known as gossamer structures, are at high boom in the current space technology due to their low mass and compact size comparing to the traditional spacecraft designing. Internal pressure becomes the major source of strength and rigidity, essentially stiffen the structure. However, inflatable space based membrane structure are at high risk to the vibration disturbance due to their low structural stiffness and material damping. Hence, the vibration modes of the structure should be known to a high degree of accuracy in order to provide better control authority. In the past, most of the studies conducted on the vibration analysis of gossamer structures used inaccurate or approximate theories in modeling the internal pressure. The toroidal shaped structure is one of the important key element in space application, helps to support the reflector in space application. This paper discusses the finite-element analysis of an inflated torus. The eigen-frequencies are obtained via three-dimensional small-strain elasticity theory, based on extremum energy principle. The two finite-element model (model-1 and model-2) have cases have been generated using a commercial finite-element package. The structure model-1 with shell element and model-2 with the combination of the mass of enclosed fluid (air) added to the shell elements have been taken for the study. The model-1 is computed with present analytical approach to understand the convergence rate and the accuracy. The convergence study is made available for the symmetric modes and anti-symmetric modes about the centroidal-axis plane, meeting the eigen-frequencies of an inflatable torus with the circular cross section. The structural model-2 is introduced with air mass element and analyzed its eigen-frequency with different aspect ratio and mode shape response using in-plane and out-plane loading condition are studied.

Tooth Fracture Detection in Spiral Bevel Gears System by Harmonic Response Based on Finite Element Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuan Chen

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Spiral bevel gears occupy several advantages such as high contact ratio, strong carrying capacity, and smooth operation, which become one of the most widely used components in high-speed stage of the aeronautical transmission system. Its dynamic characteristics are addressed by many scholars. However, spiral bevel gears, especially tooth fracture occurrence and monitoring, are not to be investigated, according to the limited published issues. Therefore, this paper establishes a three-dimensional model and finite element model of the Gleason spiral bevel gear pair. The model considers the effect of tooth root fracture on the system due to fatigue. Finite element method is used to compute the mesh generation, set the boundary condition, and carry out the dynamic load. The harmonic response spectra of the base under tooth fracture are calculated and the influence of main parameters on monitoring failure is investigated as well. The results show that the change of torque affects insignificantly the determination of whether or not the system has tooth fracture. The intermediate frequency interval (200 Hz–1000 Hz is the best interval to judge tooth fracture occurrence. The best fault test region is located in the working area where the system is going through meshing. The simulation calculation provides a theoretical reference for spiral bevel gear system test and fault diagnosis.

Thyroid Hormone Receptor β (TRβ) and Liver X Receptor (LXR) Regulate Carbohydrate-response Element-binding Protein (ChREBP) Expression in a Tissue-selective Manner*

Science.gov (United States)

Gauthier, Karine; Billon, Cyrielle; Bissler, Marie; Beylot, Michel; Lobaccaro, Jean-Marc; Vanacker, Jean-Marc; Samarut, Jacques

2010-01-01

Thyroid hormone (TR) and liver X (LXR) receptors are transcription factors involved in lipogenesis. Both receptors recognize the same consensus DNA-response element in vitro. It was previously shown that their signaling pathways interact in the control of cholesterol elimination in the liver. In the present study, carbohydrate-response element-binding protein (ChREBP), a major transcription factor controlling the activation of glucose-induced lipogenesis in liver, is characterized as a direct target of thyroid hormones (TH) in liver and white adipose tissue (WAT), the two main lipogenic tissues in mice. Using genetic and molecular approaches, ChREBP is shown to be specifically regulated by TRβ but not by TRα in vivo, even in WAT where both TR isoforms are expressed. However, this isotype specificity is not found in vitro. This TRβ specific regulation correlates with the loss of TH-induced lipogenesis in TRβ−/− mice. Fasting/refeeding experiments show that TRβ is not required for the activation of ChREBP expression particularly marked in WAT following refeeding. However, TH can stimulate ChREBP expression in WAT even under fasting conditions, suggesting completely independent pathways. Because ChREBP has been described as an LXR target, the interaction of LXR and TRβ in ChREBP regulation was assayed both in vitro and in vivo. Each receptor recognizes a different response element on the ChREBP promoter, located only 8 bp apart. There is a cross-talk between LXR and TRβ signaling on the ChREBP promoter in liver but not in WAT where LXR does not regulate ChREBP expression. The molecular basis for this cross-talk has been determined in in vitro systems. PMID:20615868

Low-temperature-induced expression of rice ureidoglycolate amidohydrolase is mediated by a C-repeat/dehydration-responsive element that specifically interacts with rice C-repeat-binding factor 3

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan eLi

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Nitrogen recycling and redistribution are important for the environmental stress response of plants. In non nitrogen-fixing plants, ureide metabolism is crucial to nitrogen recycling from organic sources. Various studies have suggested that the rate-limiting components of ureide metabolism respond to environmental stresses. However, the underlying regulation mechanism is not well understood. In this report, rice ureidoglycolate amidohydrolase (OsUAH, which is a recently identified enzyme catalyzing the final step of ureide degradation, was identified as low-temperature- (LT but not abscisic acid- (ABA regulated. To elucidate the LT regulatory mechanism at the transcriptional level, we isolated and characterized the promoter region of OsUAH (POsUAH. Series deletions revealed that a minimal region between -522 and -420 relative to the transcriptional start site was sufficient for the cold induction of POsUAH. Detailed analyses of this 103-bp fragment indicated that a C-repeat/dehydration-responsive (CRT/DRE element localized at position -434 was essential for LT-responsive expression. A rice C-repeat-binding factors/DRE-binding proteins 1 (CBFs/DREB1s subfamily member, OsCBF3, was screened to specifically bind to the CRT/DRE element in the minimal region both in yeast one-hybrid assays and in in vitro gel-shift analysis. Moreover, the promoter could be exclusively trans-activated by the interaction between the CRT/DRE element and OsCBF3 in vivo. These findings may help to elucidate the regulation mechanism of stress-responsive ureide metabolism genes and provide an example of the member-specific manipulation of the CBF/DREB1 subfamily.

Elements to diminish radioactive accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cortes I, M.E.; Ramirez G, F.P.

1998-01-01

In this work it is presented an application of the cause-effect diagram method or Ichikawa method identifying the elements that allow to diminish accidents when the radioactive materials are transported. It is considered the transport of hazardous materials which include radioactive materials in the period: December 1996 until March 1997. Among the identified elements by this method it is possible to mention: the road type, the radioactive source protection, the grade driver responsibility and the preparation that the OEP has in the radioactive material management. It is showed the differences found between the country inner roads and the Mexico City area. (Author)

Surveying DNA Elements within Functional Genes of Heterocyst-Forming Cyanobacteria.

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Jason A Hilton

Full Text Available Some cyanobacteria are capable of differentiating a variety of cell types in response to environmental factors. For instance, in low nitrogen conditions, some cyanobacteria form heterocysts, which are specialized for N2 fixation. Many heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria have DNA elements interrupting key N2 fixation genes, elements that are excised during heterocyst differentiation. While the mechanism for the excision of the element has been well-studied, many questions remain regarding the introduction of the elements into the cyanobacterial lineage and whether they have been retained ever since or have been lost and reintroduced. To examine the evolutionary relationships and possible function of DNA sequences that interrupt genes of heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria, we identified and compared 101 interruption element sequences within genes from 38 heterocyst-forming cyanobacterial genomes. The interruption element lengths ranged from about 1 kb (the minimum able to encode the recombinase responsible for element excision, up to nearly 1 Mb. The recombinase gene sequences served as genetic markers that were common across the interruption elements and were used to track element evolution. Elements were found that interrupted 22 different orthologs, only five of which had been previously observed to be interrupted by an element. Most of the newly identified interrupted orthologs encode proteins that have been shown to have heterocyst-specific activity. However, the presence of interruption elements within genes with no known role in N2 fixation, as well as in three non-heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria, indicates that the processes that trigger the excision of elements may not be limited to heterocyst development or that the elements move randomly within genomes. This comprehensive analysis provides the framework to study the history and behavior of these unique sequences, and offers new insight regarding the frequency and persistence of interruption

Surveying DNA Elements within Functional Genes of Heterocyst-Forming Cyanobacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Hilton, Jason A; Meeks, John C; Zehr, Jonathan P

2016-01-01

Some cyanobacteria are capable of differentiating a variety of cell types in response to environmental factors. For instance, in low nitrogen conditions, some cyanobacteria form heterocysts, which are specialized for N2 fixation. Many heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria have DNA elements interrupting key N2 fixation genes, elements that are excised during heterocyst differentiation. While the mechanism for the excision of the element has been well-studied, many questions remain regarding the introduction of the elements into the cyanobacterial lineage and whether they have been retained ever since or have been lost and reintroduced. To examine the evolutionary relationships and possible function of DNA sequences that interrupt genes of heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria, we identified and compared 101 interruption element sequences within genes from 38 heterocyst-forming cyanobacterial genomes. The interruption element lengths ranged from about 1 kb (the minimum able to encode the recombinase responsible for element excision), up to nearly 1 Mb. The recombinase gene sequences served as genetic markers that were common across the interruption elements and were used to track element evolution. Elements were found that interrupted 22 different orthologs, only five of which had been previously observed to be interrupted by an element. Most of the newly identified interrupted orthologs encode proteins that have been shown to have heterocyst-specific activity. However, the presence of interruption elements within genes with no known role in N2 fixation, as well as in three non-heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria, indicates that the processes that trigger the excision of elements may not be limited to heterocyst development or that the elements move randomly within genomes. This comprehensive analysis provides the framework to study the history and behavior of these unique sequences, and offers new insight regarding the frequency and persistence of interruption elements in

Gene expression and stress response mediated by the epigenetic regulation of a transposable element small RNA.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea D McCue

2012-02-01

Full Text Available The epigenetic activity of transposable elements (TEs can influence the regulation of genes; though, this regulation is confined to the genes, promoters, and enhancers that neighbor the TE. This local cis regulation of genes therefore limits the influence of the TE's epigenetic regulation on the genome. TE activity is suppressed by small RNAs, which also inhibit viruses and regulate the expression of genes. The production of TE heterochromatin-associated endogenous small interfering RNAs (siRNAs in the reference plant Arabidopsis thaliana is mechanistically distinct from gene-regulating small RNAs, such as microRNAs or trans-acting siRNAs (tasiRNAs. Previous research identified a TE small RNA that potentially regulates the UBP1b mRNA, which encodes an RNA-binding protein involved in stress granule formation. We demonstrate that this siRNA, siRNA854, is under the same trans-generational epigenetic control as the Athila family LTR retrotransposons from which it is produced. The epigenetic activation of Athila elements results in a shift in small RNA processing pathways, and new 21-22 nucleotide versions of Athila siRNAs are produced by protein components normally not responsible for processing TE siRNAs. This processing results in siRNA854's incorporation into ARGONAUTE1 protein complexes in a similar fashion to gene-regulating tasiRNAs. We have used reporter transgenes to demonstrate that the UPB1b 3' untranslated region directly responds to the epigenetic status of Athila TEs and the accumulation of siRNA854. The regulation of the UPB1b 3' untranslated region occurs both on the post-transcriptional and translational levels when Athila TEs are epigenetically activated, and this regulation results in the phenocopy of the ubp1b mutant stress-sensitive phenotype. This demonstrates that a TE's epigenetic activity can modulate the host organism's stress response. In addition, the ability of this TE siRNA to regulate a gene's expression in trans blurs

Representation of individual elements of a complex call sequence in primary auditory cortex

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Mark Nelson Wallace

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Conspecific communication calls can be rhythmic or contain extended, discontinuous series of either constant or frequency modulated harmonic tones and noise bursts separated by brief periods of silence. In the guinea pig, rhythmic calls can produce isomorphic responses within the primary auditory cortex (AI where single units respond to every call element. Other calls such as the chutter comprise a series of short irregular syllables that vary in their spectral content and are more like human speech. These calls can also evoke isomorphic responses, but may only do so in fields in the auditory belt and not in AI. Here we present evidence that cells in AI treat the individual elements within a syllable as separate auditory objects and respond selectively to one or a subset of them. We used a single chutter exemplar to compare single/multi-unit responses in the low-frequency portion of AI - AI(LF and the low-frequency part of the thalamic medial geniculate body - MGB(LF in urethane anaesthetised guinea pigs. Both thalamic and cortical cells responded with brief increases in firing rate to one, or more, of the 8 main elements present in the chutter call. Almost none of the units responded to all 8 elements. While there were many different combinations of responses to between one and five of the elements, MBG(LF and AI(LF neurons exhibited the same specific types of response combinations. Nearby units in the upper layers of the cortex tended to respond to similar combinations of elements while the deep layers were less responsive. Thus the responses from a number of AI units would need to be combined in order to represent the entire chutter call. Our results don’t rule out the possibility of constructive convergence but there was no evidence that a convergence of inputs within AI led to a complete representation of all eight elements.

Solar pilot plant, phase I. Quarterly report No. 2, January--March 1976

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1976-08-20

During the report period, conceptual designs for the collector and steam generator subsystem research experiments (SREs) were approved, and design detailing began. The thermal storage SRE concept was modified through additional analyses and engineering model experiments and resubmitted for evaluation. Detailed designs for all three subsystems will be submitted during the next quarter. Preparation for SRE testing proceeded through procurement of long-leadtime items and detailed definition of test arrangements. Analysis and design of the electrical generation subsystem and balance of the plant proceeded essentially on schedule.

Emotional response towards food packaging

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liao, Lewis Xinwei; Corsi, Armando M.; Chrysochou, Polymeros

2015-01-01

In this paper we investigate consumers’ emotional responses to food packaging. More specifically, we use self-report and physiological measures to jointly assess emotional responses to three typical food packaging elements: colours (lowwavelength vs. high-wavelength), images (positive vs. negative...... response that can only be measured by self-report measures. We propose that a joint application of selfreport and physiological measures can lead to richer information and wider interpretation of consumer emotional responses to food packaging elements than using either measure alone....

Global and Local Mechanical Responses for Necking of Rectangular Bars Using Updated and Total Lagrangian Finite Element Formulations

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Claudio A. Careglio

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In simulations of forged and stamping processes using the finite element method, load displacement paths and three-dimensional stress and strains states should be well and reliably represented. The simple tension test is a suitable and economical tool to calibrate constitutive equations with finite strains and plasticity for those simulations. A complex three-dimensional stress and strain states are developed when this test is done on rectangular bars and the necking phenomenon appears. In this work, global and local numerical results of the mechanical response of rectangular bars subjected to simple tension test obtained from two different finite element formulations are compared and discussed. To this end, Updated and Total Lagrangian formulations are used in order to get the three-dimensional stress and strain states. Geometric changes together with strain and stress distributions at the cross section where necking occurs are assessed. In particular, a detailed analysis of the effective plastic strain, stress components in axial and transverse directions and pressure, and deviatoric stress components is presented. Specific numerical results are also validated with experimental measurements comparing, in turn, the performance of the two numerical approaches used in this study.

Expression of MUC17 is regulated by HIF1α-mediated hypoxic responses and requires a methylation-free hypoxia responsible element in pancreatic cancer.

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Sho Kitamoto

Full Text Available MUC17 is a type 1 membrane-bound glycoprotein that is mainly expressed in the digestive tract. Recent studies have demonstrated that the aberrant overexpression of MUC17 is correlated with the malignant potential of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs; however, the exact regulatory mechanism of MUC17 expression has yet to be identified. Here, we provide the first report of the MUC17 regulatory mechanism under hypoxia, an essential feature of the tumor microenvironment and a driving force of cancer progression. Our data revealed that MUC17 was significantly induced by hypoxic stimulation through a hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α-dependent pathway in some pancreatic cancer cells (e.g., AsPC1, whereas other pancreatic cancer cells (e.g., BxPC3 exhibited little response to hypoxia. Interestingly, these low-responsive cells have highly methylated CpG motifs within the hypoxia responsive element (HRE, 5'-RCGTG-3', a binding site for HIF1α. Thus, we investigated the demethylation effects of CpG at HRE on the hypoxic induction of MUC17. Treatment of low-responsive cells with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine followed by additional hypoxic incubation resulted in the restoration of hypoxic MUC17 induction. Furthermore, DNA methylation of HRE in pancreatic tissues from patients with PDACs showed higher hypomethylation status as compared to those from non-cancerous tissues, and hypomethylation was also correlated with MUC17 mRNA expression. Taken together, these findings suggested that the HIF1α-mediated hypoxic signal pathway contributes to MUC17 expression, and DNA methylation of HRE could be a determinant of the hypoxic inducibility of MUC17 in pancreatic cancer cells.

The human tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP): involvement of the hemin responsive elements (HRE) in transcriptional regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fleckenstein, E C; Dirks, W G; Drexler, H G

2000-02-01

The biochemical properties and protein structure of the tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), an iron-containing lysosomal glycoprotein in cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system, are well known. In contrast, little is known about the physiology and genic structure of this unique enzyme. In some diseases, like hairy cell leukemia, Gaucher's disease and osteoclastoma, cytochemically detected TRAP expression is used as a disease-associated marker. In order to begin to elucidate the regulation of this gene we generated different deletion constructs of the TRAP 5'-flanking region, placed them upstream of the luciferase reporter gene and assayed them for their ability to direct luciferase expression in human 293 cells. Treatment of these cells with the iron-modulating reagents transferrin and hemin causes opposite effects on the TRAP promoter activity. Two regulatory GAGGC tandem repeat sequences (the hemin responsive elements, HRE) within the 5'-flanking region of the human TRAP gene were identified. Studies with specific HRE-deletion constructs of the human TRAP 5'-flanking region upstream of the luciferase reporter gene document the functionality of these HRE-sequences which are apparently responsible for mediating transcriptional inhibition upon exposure to hemin. In addition to the previously published functional characterization of the murine TRAP HRE motifs, these results provide the first description of a new iron/hemin-responsive transcriptional regulation in the human TRAP gene.

District element modelling of the rock mass response to glaciation at Finnsjoen, central Sweden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosengren, L.; Stephansson, O.

1990-12-01

Six rock mechanics models of a cross section of the Finnsjoen test site have been simulated by means of distinct element analysis and the computer code UDEC. The rock mass response to glaciation, deglaciation, isostatic movements and water pressure from an ice lake have been simulated. Four of the models use a boundary condition with boundary elements at the bottom and sides of the model. This gives a state of stress inside the model which agrees well with the analytical solution where the horizontal and vertical stresses are almost similar. Roller boundaries were applied to two models. This boundary condition cause zero lateral displacement at the model boundaries and the horizontal stress are always less than the vertical stress. Isostatic movements were simulated in one model. Two different geometries of fracture Zone 2 were simulated. Results from modelling the two different geometries show minor changes in stresses, displacements and failure of fracture zones. Under normal pore pressure conditions in the rock mass the weight of the ice load increases the vertical stresses in the models differ depending on the boundary condition. An ice thickness of 3 km and 1 km and an ice wedge of 1 km thickness covering half the top surface of the model have been simulated. For each loading sequence of the six models a complete set of data about normal stress, stress profiles along selected sections, displacements and failure of fracture zones are presented. Based on the results of this study a protection zone of about 100 m width from the outer boundary of stress discontinuity to the repository location is suggested. This value is based on the result that the stress disturbance diminishes at this distance from the outer boundary of the discontinuity. (25 refs.) (authors)

Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Denosumab in the Prevention of Skeletal-related Events in Patients with Prostate Cancer in Kazakhstan

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Carina Bektur

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Bone mass loss (BML is one of the adverse effects of oncological chemotherapy, especially in cases of hormonal types of cancer, such as a prostate cancer (PC. BML is strongly associated with skeletal-related events (SREs, therefore decreasing the quality of patient’s life. Denosumab shows an advantage over zoledronic acid (ZA in delaying the first onset of SREs and subsequent SREs in adults with PC in several phase III clinical trials. Since generic ZA recently became available, the purpose of the present study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of denosumab vs. brand or generic ZA in the prevention of SREs in Kazakhstani patients with PC.Methods. A Markov model was constructed in Tree-Age Pro 2013 software program with 4-week model cycles to analyze the cost-effectiveness of the treatments from the perspective of Ministry of Health (MoH over a 10-year PC cohort. Direct costs (in Kazakhstani monetary units “tenge” in 2014 included costs of drug, SRE (pathologic fracture, surgery to bone, radiation to bone, spinal cord compression, and adverse events treatment. All costs were discounted for 3% per year. Effectiveness was appraised based on the number of SREs. Health states were defined according to SRE occurrence, SRE history, and death. The model assumed that a maximum of 1 SRE could occur in each cycle. Transition probabilities were derived from the relevant phase III trials. Results were present in the incremental total cost per SRE avoided. One-way sensitivity analyses were performed to examine the robustness of the model.Results. Over the 10-year period, denosumab incurred 103,091 tenge higher costs than brand ZA, 677,133 tenge higher costs than generic ZA, and 0.58 fewer SREs per patient with PC. The estimated incremental total direct costs per SRE avoided with the use of denosumab were 177,743 tenge (instead of brand ZA and 1,167,470 tenge (instead of generic ZA. Results were robust to one-way sensitivity analyses

The Self-Reference Effect on Perception: Undiminished in Adults with Autism and No Relation to Autism Traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, David M; Nicholson, Toby; Grainger, Catherine

2018-02-01

Memory for (and perception of) information about the self is superior to memory for (and perception of) other kinds of information. This self-reference effect (SRE) in memory appears diminished in ASD and related to the number of ASD traits manifested by neurotypical individuals (fewer traits = larger SRE). Here, we report the first experiments exploring the relation between ASD and the SRE in perception. Using a "Shapes" Task (Sui et al., Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 38, 1105, 2012), participants learned to associate three different shapes (triangle, circle, square) with three different labels representing self, a familiar other, or an unfamiliar other (e.g., "you", "mother", "stranger"). Participants then completed trials during which they were presented with one shape and one label for 100 ms, and made judgments about whether the shape and label was a match. In Experiment 1, neurotypical participants (n = 124) showed the expected SRE, detecting self-related matches more reliably and quickly than matches involving familiar or unfamiliar other. Most important, number of ASD traits was unrelated to the size of the SRE for either accuracy or RT. Bayesian association analyses strongly supported the null hypothesis. In Experiment 2, there were no differences between 22 adults with ASD and 21 matched comparison adults in performance on the Shapes Task. Despite showing large and significant theory of mind impairments, participants with ASD showed the typical SRE and there were no associations with ASD traits in either group. In every case, Bayesian analyses favored the null hypothesis. These findings challenge theories about self-representation in ASD, as discussed in the article. Autism Res 2018, 11: 331-341. © 2017 The Authors Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Neurotypical people tend to find it easier to perceive and remember information that relates to

Phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein as a molecular marker of memory processing in rat hippocampus: effect of novelty

OpenAIRE

Viola, Haydée Ana María; Furman, Melina; Izquierdo, Luciana Adriana; Alonso, Mariana; Barros, Daniela Martí; Souza, Márcia Maria de; Izquierdo, Ivan Antônio; Medina, Jorge Horacio

2000-01-01

From mollusks to mammals the activation of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) appears to be an important step in the formation of long-term memory (LTM). Here we show that a 5 min exposure to a novel environment (open field) 1 hr after acquisition of a one-trial inhibitory avoidance training hinders both the formation of LTM for the avoidance task and the increase in the phosphorylation state of hippocampal Ser 133 CREB [phosphorylated CREB (pCREB)] associated with the avoidance tra...

An ethylene-responsive enhancer element is involved in the senescence-related expression of the carnation glutathione-S-transferase (GST1) gene.

OpenAIRE

Itzhaki, H; Maxson, J M; Woodson, W R

1994-01-01

The increased production of ethylene during carnation petal senescence regulates the transcription of the GST1 gene encoding a subunit of glutathione-S-transferase. We have investigated the molecular basis for this ethylene-responsive transcription by examining the cis elements and trans-acting factors involved in the expression of the GST1 gene. Transient expression assays following delivery of GST1 5' flanking DNA fused to a beta-glucuronidase receptor gene were used to functionally define ...

Environmental mineralogy - Understanding element behavior in ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown Jr, G.E.; Calas, G.

2011-01-01

Environmental Mineralogy has developed over the past decade in response to the recognition that minerals are linked in many important ways with the global ecosystem. Minerals are the main repositories of the chemical elements in Earth's crust and thus are the main sources of elements needed for the development of civilization, contaminant and pollutant elements that impact global and local ecosystems, and elements that are essential plant nutrients. These elements are released from minerals through natural processes, such as chemical weathering, and anthropogenic activities, such as mining and energy production, agriculture and industrial activities, and careless waste disposal. Minerals also play key roles in the biogeochemical cycling of the elements, sequestering elements and releasing them as the primary minerals in crustal rocks undergo various structural and compositional transformations in response to physical, chemical, and biological processes that produce secondary minerals and soils. These processes have resulted in the release of toxic elements such as arsenic in groundwater aquifers, which is having a major impact on the health of millions of people in South and Southeast Asia. The interfaces between mineral surfaces and aqueous solutions are the locations of most chemical reactions that control the composition of the natural environment, including the composition of natural waters. The nuclear fuel cycle, from uranium mining to the disposition of high-level nuclear waste, is also intimately related to minerals. A fundamental understanding of these processes requires molecular-scale information about minerals, their bulk structures and properties such as solubility, their surfaces, and their interactions with aqueous solutions, atmospheric and soil gases, natural organic matter, and biological organisms. Gaining this understanding is further complicated by the presence of natural, incidental, and manufactured nano-particles in the environment, which

The key elements for genetic response in Finnish dairy cattle breeding

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Jarmo Juga

1998-01-01

Full Text Available This paper reviews some key elements of Finnish animal breeding research contributing to the Finnish dairy cattle breeding programme and discusses the possibilities and problems in collecting data for genetic evaluation, prediction of breeding values both within and across countries, estimation of the economic value of important traits, and selection of bulls and cows. Economic values are calculated for fertility, udder health and production traits when one genetic standard deviation unit (gen. sd. is changed in each trait independently and the financial returns from selection response in the Finnish dairy cattle breeding programme are estimated. The following components were used to calculate the economic value of mastitis treatments: 1 cost of mastitis including discarded milk and treatment costs, 2 reduction in milk price due to higher somatic cell count, 3 replacement costs and 4 lower production level of the herd due to involuntary culling of cows because of udder problems. A high somatic cell count lowers the price of milk and eventually leads to involuntary culling. For treatments for fertility disorders the following costs were included: 1 treatment costs 2 higher replacement costs and 3 decreased milk production in the herd. Days open included the following costs: 1 extra insemination, 2 reduced annual milk yield and 3 fewer calves born. Animal breeding was found to be a very cost effective investment, yielding returns of FIM 876.9 per cow from one round of selection when the gene flow was followed for over 25 years in the Finnish dairy cattle breeding programme.

Uporaba kreativnih medijev pri delu z mladimi v družbi tveganja

OpenAIRE

Zaner, Tamara

2017-01-01

Kot socialni pedagogi in pedagoginje se pri svojem delu nenehno srečujemo z mladimi. Ti se v sodobni družbi, srečujejo z negotovostjo, dvomi in posledično tudi stiskami, ki segajo v vse dimenzije njihovega življenja. Pri svojem delu sem temeljila na Beckovem pojmovanju današnje družbe, pri razumevanju položaja mladih pa izhajala iz koncepta življenjske usmerjenosti, socialnega pedagoga Hansa Thierscha. Namen raziskovalnega dela je preveriti, kako s pomočjo kreativnih medijev prispevati k opol...

S kolesom prek meja

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Jože Kos

1999-01-01

Full Text Available Prispevek opisuje namen in vsebino mednarodne Velo-City konference 1999 Gradec-Maribor ter organizacijsko izvedbo tega kolesarskega razvojno načrtovalskega srečanja. Osredotoča se zlasti na resolucijo konference o kolesarskoprometni politiki, na nastajajoče omrežje evropskih kolesarskih povezav in na prometno načrtovalsko delavnico o problematičnem trgu v Mariboru. Opisuje vsebinske sklope strokovnih prispevkov na srečanju in obkonferenčno dogajanje. V zaključku navaja nekaj koristnih naslovov za pridobitev dodatnih informacij zlasti o trajnostnem prometnem načrtovanju.

Fast finite elements for surgery simulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bro-Nielsen, Morten

1997-01-01

This paper discusses volumetric deformable models for modeling human body parts and organs in surgery simulation systems. These models are built using finite element models for linear elastic materials. To achieve real-time response condensation has been applied to the system stiffness matrix...

Application of a nonlinear spring element to analysis of circumferentially cracked pipe under dynamic loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olson, R.; Scott, P.; Wilkowski, G.M.

1992-01-01

As part of the US NRC's Degraded Piping Program, the concept of using a nonlinear spring element to simulate the response of cracked pipe in dynamic finite element pipe evaluations was initially proposed. The nonlinear spring element is used to represent the moment versus rotation response of the cracked pipe section. The moment-rotation relationship for the crack size and material of interest is determined from either J-estimation scheme analyses or experimental data. In this paper, a number of possible approaches for modeling the nonlinear stiffness of the cracked pipe section are introduced. One approach, modeling the cracked section moment rotation response with a series of spring-slider elements, is discussed in detail. As part of this discussion, results from a series of finite element predictions using the spring-slider nonlinear spring element are compared with the results from a series of dynamic cracked pipe system experiments from the International Piping Integrity Research Group (IPIRG) program

Response of a multi-element dosimeter to calibrated beta sources with E/sub max/ from 0.23 to 3.5 MeV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Endres, G.W.R.; Scherpelz, R.I.; Roberson, P.L.

1982-06-01

The responses of several different dosimeter absorber systems were studied to determine their usefulness in beta radiation fields. Exposures to several different beta emitters were conducted at the PNL Calibrations Laboratory. The sources used are: 147 Pm, 85 Kr, U(nat), 90 Sr- 90 Y, and 106 Ru- 106 Rh. The maximum energy of these beta emitters varies from 0.23 to 3.5 MeV. The beta sources are calibrated for absorbed dose to tissue at a depth of 0.007 cm. Measurements of response for 4, 5, and 7 element versions of the dosimeter were made. All data reported were obtained from sets of three TLDs exposed under each absorber and for each of the radiation sources

A Bifunctional Intronic Element Regulates the Expression of the Arginine/Lysine Transporter Cat-1 via Mechanisms Involving the Purine-rich Element Binding Protein A (Purα)*

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Charlie C.; Chiribau, Calin-Bogdan; Majumder, Mithu; Chiang, Cheng-Ming; Wek, Ronald C.; Kelm, Robert J.; Khalili, Kamel; Snider, Martin D.; Hatzoglou, Maria

2009-01-01

Expression of the arginine/lysine transporter Cat-1 is highly induced in proliferating and stressed cells via mechanisms that include transcriptional activation. A bifunctional INE (intronic element) within the first intron of the Cat-1 gene was identified and characterized in this study. The INE had high sequence homology to an amino acid response element and was shown to act as a transcriptional enhancer in unstressed cells by binding the transcription factor, purine-rich element binding protein A (Purα). During endoplasmic reticulum stress, binding of Purα to the INE decreased; the element acted as a positive regulator in early stress by binding of the transcription factor ATF4 and as a negative regulator in prolonged stress by binding the stress-induced C/EBP family member, CHOP. We conclude that transcriptional control of the Cat-1 gene is tightly controlled by multiple cis-DNA elements, contributing to regulation of cationic amino acid transport for cell growth and proliferation. In addition, we propose that genes may use stress-response elements such as the INE to support basal expression in the absence of stress. PMID:19720825

The cis decoy against the estrogen response element suppresses breast cancer cells via target disrupting c-fos not mitogen-activated protein kinase activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Li Hua; Yang, Xiao Yi; Zhang, Xiaohu; Mihalic, Kelly; Xiao, Weihua; Farrar, William L

2003-05-01

Breast cancer, the most common malignancy in women, has been demonstrated to be associated with the steroid hormone estrogen and its receptor (ER), a ligand-activated transcription factor. Therefore, we developed a phosphorothiolate cis-element decoy against the estrogen response element (ERE decoy) to target disruption of ER DNA binding and transcriptional activity. Here, we showed that the ERE decoy potently ablated the 17beta-estrogen-inducible cell proliferation and induced apoptosis of human breast carcinoma cells by functionally affecting expression of c-fos gene and AP-1 luciferase gene reporter activity. Specificity of the decoy was demonstrated by its ability to directly block ER binding to a cis-element probe and transactivation. Moreover, the decoy failed to inhibit ER-mediated mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways and cell growth of ER-negative breast cancer cells. Taken together, these data suggest that estrogen-mediated cell growth of breast cancer cells can be preferentially restricted via targeted disruption of ER at the level of DNA binding by a novel and specific decoy strategy applied to steroid nuclear receptors.

Identification of cis-acting regulatory elements in the human oxytocin gene promoter.

Science.gov (United States)

Richard, S; Zingg, H H

1991-12-01

The expression of hormone-inducible genes is determined by the interaction of trans-acting factors with hormone-inducible elements and elements mediating basal and cell-specific expression. We have shown earlier that the gene encoding the hypothalamic nonapeptide oxytocin (OT) is under the control of an estrogen response element (ERE). The present study was aimed at identifying cis-acting elements mediating basal expression of the OT gene. A construct containing sequences -381 to +36 of the human OT gene was linked to a reporter gene and transiently transfected into a series of neuronal and nonneuronal cell lines. Expression of this construct was cell specific: it was highest in the neuroblastoma-derived cell line, Neuro-2a, and lowest in NIH 3T3 and JEG-3 cells. By 5' deletion analysis, we determined that a segment from -49 to +36 was capable of mediating cells-pecific promoter activity. Within this segment, we identified three proximal promoter elements (PPE-1, PPE-2, and PPE-3) that are each required for promoter activity. Most notably, mutation of a conserved purine-rich element (GAGAGA) contained within PPE-2 leads to a 10-fold decrease in promoter strength. Gel mobility shift analysis with three different double-stranded oligonucleotides demonstrated that each proximal promoter element binds distinct nuclear factors. In each case, only the homologous oligonucleotide, but neither of the oligonucleotides corresponding to adjacent elements, was able to act as a competitor. Thus, a different set of factors appears to bind independently to each element. By reinserting the homologous ERE or a heterologous glucocorticoid response element upstream of intact or altered proximal promoter segments we determined that removal or mutation of proximal promoter elements decreases basal expression, but does not abrogate the hormone responsiveness of the promoter. In conclusion, these results indicate that an important component of the transcriptional activity of the OT

Dynamic characterization of the CAREM fuel element prototype

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghiselli, Alberto M.; Fiori, Jose M.; Ibanez, Luis A.

2004-01-01

As a previous step to make a complete test plan to evaluate the hydrodynamic behavior of the present configuration of the CAREM type fuel element, a dynamic characterization analysis is required, without the dynamic response induced by the flowing fluid. This paper presents the tests made, the methods and instrumentation used, and the results obtained in order to obtain a complete dynamic characterization of the CAREM type fuel element. (author)

Design Process for Integrated Concepts with Responsive Building Elements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aa, Van der A.; Heiselberg, Per

2008-01-01

An integrated building concept is a prerequisite to come to an energy efficient building with a good and healthy IAQ indoor comfort. A design process that defines the targets and boundary conditions in the very first stage of the design and guarantees them until the building is finished and used...... is needed. The hard question is however: how to make the right choice of the combination of individual measures from building components and building services elements. Within the framework of IEA-ECBCS Annex 44 research has been conducted about the design process for integrated building concepts...

Killing of Brain Tumor Cells by Hypoxia-Responsive Element Mediated Expression of BAX

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hangjun Ruan

1999-11-01

Full Text Available The presence of radioresistant hypoxic cells in human brain tumors limits the overall effectiveness of conventional fractionated radiation therapy. Tumor-specific therapies that target hypoxic cells are clearly needed. We have investigated the expression of suicide genes under hypoxia by a hypoxia-responsive element (HRE, which can be activated through hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1. We transfected plasmids containing multiple copies of HIRE into U-87 MG and U-251 MG-NCI human brain tumor cells and tested their ability to induce LacZ gene expression under anoxia. Gene expression under anoxia versus oxia was increased about 12-fold for U-87 MG cells and about fourfold for U-251 MG-NCI cells. At intermediate hypoxic conditions, increased LacZ gene expression in U-87 MG cells was induced by the plasmid that contained three HREs, but not by the plasmid with two HREs. Lastly, when we placed a suicide gene BAX under the control of HREs, cells transfected with the BAX plasmids were preferentially killed through apoptosis under anoxia. Our studies demonstrate that HRE-regulated gene expression is active in brain tumor cells, and that the amount of increased gene expression obtained is dependent on the cell line, the HIRE copy number, and the degree of hypoxia.

The role of hypoxia response element in TGFβ-induced carbonic anhydrase IX expression in Hep3B human hepatoma cells

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Yildirim Hatice

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX is a hypoxia-regulated gene. It is over expressed in a variety of cancers, including hepatocellular cancer. Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ is considered to have an impact on cancer biology due to its important roles in cell proliferation and differentiation. The effect of the TGFβ on CAIX expression under hypoxia and the mechanism underlying the role of the hypoxia response element (HRE on this expression are unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that TGFβ upregulates CAIX expression under hypoxic conditions in the Hep3B hepatoma cell line, indicating that the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK- and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K-signaling pathways might be responsible for this response. Site-directed mutagenesis of the HRE region in CAIX promoter reduced the TGFβ-induced CAIX promoter activity, pointing to the significance of HRE for this response. Up regulation of TGFβ-stimulated CAIX expression was consistent with the up regulation of promoter activity of five different truncated constructs of the CAIX promoter under hypoxia. Our findings show that the HRE region is critical for TGFβ-induced CAIX expression, which is mainly controlled by MAPK and PI3K pathways.

Abscisic acid-activated SNRK2 protein kinases function in the gene-regulation pathway of ABA signal transduction by phosphorylating ABA response element-binding factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, Yuhko; Murata, Michiharu; Minami, Hideyuki; Yamamoto, Shuhei; Kagaya, Yasuaki; Hobo, Tokunori; Yamamoto, Akiko; Hattori, Tsukaho

2005-12-01

The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) induces gene expression via the ABA-response element (ABRE) present in the promoters of ABA-regulated genes. A group of bZIP proteins have been identified as ABRE-binding factors (ABFs) that activate transcription through this cis element. A rice ABF, TRAB1, has been shown to be activated via ABA-dependent phosphorylation. While a large number of signalling factors have been identified that are involved in stomatal regulation by ABA, relatively less is known about the ABA-signalling pathway that leads to gene expression. We have shown recently that three members of the rice SnRK2 protein kinase family, SAPK8, SAPK9 and SAPK10, are activated by ABA signal as well as by hyperosmotic stress. Here we show that transient overexpression in cultured cell protoplasts of these ABA-activated SnRK2 protein kinases leads to the activation of an ABRE-regulated promoter, suggesting that these kinases are involved in the gene-regulation pathway of ABA signalling. We further show several lines of evidence that these ABA-activated SnRK2 protein kinases directly phosphorylate TRAB1 in response to ABA. Kinetic analysis of SAPK10 activation and TRAB1 phosphorylation indicated that the latter immediately followed the former. TRAB1 was found to be phosphorylated not only in response to ABA, but also in response to hyperosmotic stress, which was interpreted as the consequence of phosphorylation of TRAB1 by hyperosmotically activated SAPKs. Physical interaction between TRAB1 and SAPK10 in vivo was demonstrated by a co-immunoprecipitation experiment. Finally, TRAB1 was phosphorylated in vitro by the ABA-activated SnRK2 protein kinases at Ser102, which is phosphorylated in vivo in response to ABA and is critical for the activation function.

Design and experimental study on desulphurization process of ship exhaust

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Mingyang; Hao, Shan; Zhou, Junbo; Gao, Liping

2018-02-01

This desulfurization process involves removing sulfur oxides with seawater or alkaline aqueous solutions and then treating the effluent by aeration and pH adjustment before discharging it into the ocean. In the desulfurization system, the spray tower is the key equipment and the venturi tubes are the pretreatment device. The two stages of plates are designed to fully absorb sulfur oxides in exhaust gases. The spiral nozzles atomize and evenly spray the desulfurizers into the tower. This study experimentally investigated the effectiveness of this desulfurization process and the factors influencing it under laboratory conditions, with a diesel engine exhaust used to represent ship exhaust. The experimental results show that this process can effectively absorb the SO2 in the exhaust. When the exhaust flow rate was 25 m3/h and the desulfurizer flow rate was 4 L/min, the sulfur removal efficiency (SRE) reached 99.7%. The flow rate, alkalinity, and temperature of seawater were found to have significant effects on the SRE. Adjusting seawater flow rate (SWR) and alkalinity within certain ranges can substantially improve the SRE.

Four New Acylated Iridoid Glycosides from the Aerial Part of Veronicastrum sibiricum and Their Antioxidant Response Element-Inducing Activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Myeong Il; Kim, Chul Young

2018-01-01

Four new (1 - 4) and one known (5) acylated iridoid glycosides were isolated from the aerial parts of Veronicastrum sibiricum (L.) Pennell. The chemical structures of the isolated compounds were determined to be 3″,4″-dicinnamoyl-6-O-rhamnopyranosyl-10-O-bergaptol-5,7-bisdeoxycynanchoside (1), 3″,4″-dicinnamoyl-6-O-rhamnopyranosylpaulownioside (2), 2″,4″-dicinnamoyl-6-O-rhamnopyranosylcatalpol (3), 3″,4″-dicinnamoyl-6-O-rhamnopyranosylaucubin (4), and 3″,4″-dicinnamoyl-6-O-rhamnopyranosylcatalpol (5) using spectroscopic techniques. Among these compounds, compound 5 increased antioxidant response element (ARE) luciferase activity. © 2018 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

A comparative study of finite element methodologies for the prediction of torsional response of bladed rotors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scheepers, R.; Heyns, P. S.

2016-01-01

The prevention of torsional vibration-induced fatigue damage to turbo-generators requires determining natural frequencies by either field testing or mathematical modelling. Torsional excitation methods, measurement techniques and mathematical modelling are active fields of research. However, these aspects are mostly considered in isolation and often without experimental verification. The objective of this work is to compare one dimensional (1D), full three dimensional (3D) and 3D cyclic symmetric (3DCS) Finite element (FE) methodologies for torsional vibration response. Results are compared to experimental results for a small-scale test rotor. It is concluded that 3D approaches are feasible given the current computing technology and require less simplification with potentially increased accuracy. Accuracy of 1D models may be reduced due to simplifications but faster solution times are obtained. For high levels of accuracy model updating using field test results is recommended

Hypoxia-Response Element (HRE)–Directed Transcriptional Regulation of the Rat Lysyl Oxidase Gene in Response to Cobalt and Cadmium

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wande

2013-01-01

Lysyl oxidase (LO) catalyzes crosslink of collagen, elastin, and histone H1, stabilizing the extracellular matrix and cell nucleus. This enzyme displays dual functions for tumorigenesis, i.e., as a tumor suppressor inactivating the ras oncogene and as a tumor promoter enhancing malignant cell metastasis. To elucidate LO transcriptional regulation, we have cloned the 804 base pair region upstream of the translation start site (ATG) of the rat LO gene with the maximal promoter activity. Computer analysis indicated that at least four hypoxia-response element (HRE) consensuses (5′-ACGTG-3′) exist in the cloned LO promoter. Treatment of rat lung fibroblasts (RFL6) with CoCl2 (Co, 10–100 μM), a chemical hypoxia reagent, enhanced LO mRNA expression and promoter activities. Overexpression of LO was associated with upregulation of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α at mRNA levels in cobalt (Co)–treated cells. Thus, LO is a hypoxia-responsive gene. Dominant negative-HIF-1α inhibited LO promoter activities stimulated by Co. Electrophoretic mobility shift, oligonucleotide competition, and in vitro translated HIF-1α binding assays indicated that only one HRE mapped at −387/−383 relative to ATG was functionally active among four consensuses. Site-directed mutation of this HRE significantly diminished the Co-induced and LO promoter-directed expression of the reporter gene. Cadmium (Cd), an inducer of reactive oxygen species, inhibited HIF-1α mRNA expression and HIF-1α binding to the LO gene in Co-treated cells as revealed by RT-PCR and ChIP assays, respectively. Thus, modulation of the HRE activity by Co and Cd plays a critical role in LO gene transactivation. PMID:23161664

Alcohol dysregulates corticotropin-releasing-hormone (CRH promoter activity by interfering with the negative glucocorticoid response element (nGRE.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magdalena M Przybycien-Szymanska

Full Text Available EtOH exposure in male rats increases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH mRNA in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN, a brain region responsible for coordinating stress and anxiety responses. In this study we identified the molecular mechanisms involved in mediating these effects by examining the direct effects of EtOH on CRH promoter activity in a neuronal cell line derived from the PVN (IVB. In addition, we investigated the potential interactions of EtOH and glucocorticoids on the CRH promoter by concomitantly treating cells with EtOH and the glucocorticoid receptor (GR antagonist RU486, and by sequentially deleting GR binding sites within glucocorticoid response element (GRE on the CRH promoter. Cells were transiently transfected with a firefly luciferase reporter construct containing 2.5 kb of the rat wild type (WT or mutated CRH promoter. Our results showed that EtOH treatment induced a biphasic response in CRH promoter activity. EtOH exposure for 0.5 h significantly decreased promoter activity compared to vehicle treated controls, whereas promoter activity was significantly increased after 2.0 h of EtOH exposure. Treatment with RU486, or deletion of the GR binding sites 1 and 2 within the GRE, abolished the EtOH-induced increase in the promoter activity, however did not affect EtOH-induced decrease in CRH promoter activity at an earlier time point. Overall, our data suggest that alcohol exposure directly regulates CRH promoter activity by interfering with the normal feedback mechanisms of glucocorticoids mediated by GR signaling at the GRE site of the CRH promoter.

Limitations of commonly used thick-element personal dosimeters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, V.P.

1983-01-01

In the ANSI Standard N13.11, accepted in June 1982, radiation dose depths of 1.0 cm and 0.007 cm in tissue for protection dosimetry have been adopted for deep and shallow dose equivalent estimations respectively. This standard is presently used for a mandatory personnel dosimetry performance testing program in the United States. Estimation of shallow-dose equivalent using a two-element dosimeter is described under the guidelines of this standard and the dosimetry practices followed by most dosimeter processors. A mathematical formulation, correlating a dosimeter response and shallow-dose equivalent factors at different energies, is presented. Also, the performance of a two-element thermoluminescent dosimeter is examined and the shallow-dose equivalent response results, both for the beta particles and photons, are discussed

Implicit three-dimensional finite-element formulation for the nonlinear structural response of reactor components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kulak, R.F.; Belytschko, T.B.

1975-09-01

The formulation of a finite-element procedure for the implicit transient and static analysis of plate/shell type structures in three-dimensional space is described. The triangular plate/shell element can sustain both membrane and bending stresses. Both geometric and material nonlinearities can be treated, and an elastic-plastic material law has been incorporated. The formulation permits the element to undergo arbitrarily large rotations and translations; but, in its present form it is restricted to small strains. The discretized equations of motion are obtained by a stiffness method. An implicit integration algorithm based on trapezoidal integration formulas is used to integrate the discretized equations of motion in time. To ensure numerical stability, an iterative solution procedure with equilibrium checks is used

Episodic memory and self-reference via semantic autobiographical memory: Insights from an fMRI study in younger and older adults

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Sandrine eKalenzaga

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Self-referential processing relies mainly on the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC and enhances memory encoding (i.e., Self-Reference Effect, SRE as it improves the accuracy and richness of remembering in both young and older adults. However, studies on age-related changes in the neural correlates of the SRE on the subjective (i.e., autonoetic consciousness and the objective (i.e., source memory qualitative features of episodic memory are lacking. In the present fMRI study, we compared the effects of a self-related (semantic autobiographical memory task and a non self-related (general semantic memory task encoding condition on subsequent episodic memory retrieval. We investigated encoding-related activity during each condition in two groups of 19 younger and 16 older adults. Behaviorally, the SRE improved subjective memory performance in both groups but objective memory only in young adults. At the neural level, a direct comparison between self-related and non self-related conditions revealed that SRE mainly activated the cortical midline system, especially the MPFC, in both groups. Additionally, in older adults and regardless of the condition, greater activity was found in a fronto-parietal network. Overall, correlations were noted between source memory performance and activity in the MPFC (irrespective of age and visual areas (mediated by age. Thus, the present findings expand evidence of the role of the MPFC in self-referential processing in the context of source memory benefit in both young and older adults using incidental encoding via semantic autobiographical memory. However, our finding suggests that its role is less effective in aging.

Episodic memory and self-reference via semantic autobiographical memory: insights from an fMRI study in younger and older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalenzaga, Sandrine; Sperduti, Marco; Anssens, Adèle; Martinelli, Penelope; Devauchelle, Anne-Dominique; Gallarda, Thierry; Delhommeau, Marion; Lion, Stéphanie; Amado, Isabelle; Krebs, Marie-Odile; Oppenheim, Catherine; Piolino, Pascale

2014-01-01

Self-referential processing relies mainly on the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and enhances memory encoding (i.e., Self-Reference Effect, SRE) as it improves the accuracy and richness of remembering in both young and older adults. However, studies on age-related changes in the neural correlates of the SRE on the subjective (i.e., autonoetic consciousness) and the objective (i.e., source memory) qualitative features of episodic memory are lacking. In the present fMRI study, we compared the effects of a self-related (semantic autobiographical memory task) and a non self-related (general semantic memory task) encoding condition on subsequent episodic memory retrieval. We investigated encoding-related activity during each condition in two groups of 19 younger and 16 older adults. Behaviorally, the SRE improved subjective memory performance in both groups but objective memory only in young adults. At the neural level, a direct comparison between self-related and non self-related conditions revealed that SRE mainly activated the cortical midline system, especially the MPFC, in both groups. Additionally, in older adults and regardless of the condition, greater activity was found in a fronto-parietal network. Overall, correlations were noted between source memory performance and activity in the MPFC (irrespective of age) and visual areas (mediated by age). Thus, the present findings expand evidence of the role of the MPFC in self-referential processing in the context of source memory benefit in both young and older adults using incidental encoding via semantic autobiographical memory. However, our finding suggests that its role is less effective in aging.

The Seismic Response of High-Speed Railway Bridges Subjected to Near-Fault Forward Directivity Ground Motions Using a Vehicle-Track-Bridge Element

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen Ling-kun

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Based on the Next Generation Attenuation (NGA project ground motion library, the finite element model of the high-speed railway vehicle-bridge system is established. The model was specifically developed for such system that is subjected to near-fault ground motions. In addition, it accounted for the influence of the rail irregularities. The vehicle-track-bridge (VTB element is presented to simulate the interaction between train and bridge, in which a train can be modeled as a series of sprung masses concentrated at the axle positions. For the short period railway bridge, the results from the case study demonstrate that directivity pulse effect tends to increase the seismic responses of the bridge compared with far-fault ground motions or nonpulse-like motions and the directivity pulse effect and high values of the vertical acceleration component can notably influence the hysteretic behaviour of piers.

An ABA-responsive element in the AtSUC1 promoter is involved in the regulation of AtSUC1 expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoth, Stefan; Niedermeier, Matthias; Feuerstein, Andrea; Hornig, Julia; Sauer, Norbert

2010-09-01

Abscisic acid (ABA) and sugars regulate many aspects of plant growth and development, and we are only just beginning to understand the complex interactions between ABA and sugar signaling networks. Here, we show that ABA-dependent transcription factors bind to the promoter of the Arabidopsis thaliana AtSUC1 (At1g71880) sucrose transporter gene in vitro. We present the characterization of a cis-regulatory element by truncation of the AtSUC1 promoter and by electrophoretic mobility shift assays that is identical to a previously characterized ABA-responsive element (ABRE). In yeast 1-hybrid analyses we identified ABI5 (AtbZIP39; At2g36270) and AREB3 (AtbZIP66; At3g56850) as potential interactors. Analyses of plants expressing the beta-glucuronidase reporter gene under the control of ABI5 or AREB3 promoter sequences demonstrated that both transcription factor genes are co-expressed with AtSUC1 in pollen and seedlings, the primary sites of AtSUC1 action. Mutational analyses of the identified cis-regulatory element verified its importance for AtSUC1 expression in young seedlings. In abi5-4 seedlings, we observed an increase of sucrose-dependent anthocyanin accumulation and AtSUC1 mRNA levels. This suggests that ABI5 prevents an overshoot of sucrose-induced AtSUC1 expression and confirmed a novel cross-link between sugar and ABA signaling.

Transactivation of a cellular promoter by the NS1 protein of the parvovirus minute virus of mice through a putative hormone-responsive element.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanacker, J M; Corbau, R; Adelmant, G; Perros, M; Laudet, V; Rommelaere, J

1996-01-01

The promoter of the thyroid hormone receptor alpha gene (c-erbA-1) is activated by the nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) of parvovirus minute virus of mice (prototype strain [MVMp]) in ras-transformed FREJ4 cells that are permissive for lytic MVMp replication. This stimulation may be related to the sensitivity of host cells to MVMp, as it does not take place in parental FR3T3 cells, which are resistant to the parvovirus killing effect. The analysis of a series of deletion and point mutants of the c-erbA-1 promoter led to the identification of an upstream region that is necessary for NS1-driven transactivation. This sequence harbors a putative hormone-responsive element and is sufficient to render a minimal promoter NS1 inducible in FREJ4 but not in FR3T3 cells, and it is involved in distinct interactions with proteins from the respective cell lines. The NS1-responsive element of the c-erbA-1 promoter bears no homology with sequences that were previously reported to be necessary for NS1 DNA binding and transactivation. Altogether, our data point to a novel, cell-specific mechanism of promoter activation by NS1. PMID:8642664

Rev and Rex proteins of human complex retroviruses function with the MMTV Rem-responsive element

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dudley Jaquelin P

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV encodes the Rem protein, an HIV Rev-like protein that enhances nuclear export of unspliced viral RNA in rodent cells. We have shown that Rem is expressed from a doubly spliced RNA, typical of complex retroviruses. Several recent reports indicate that MMTV can infect human cells, suggesting that MMTV might interact with human retroviruses, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV, and human endogenous retrovirus type K (HERV-K. In this report, we test whether the export/regulatory proteins of human complex retroviruses will increase expression from vectors containing the Rem-responsive element (RmRE. Results MMTV Rem, HIV Rev, and HTLV Rex proteins, but not HERV-K Rec, enhanced expression from an MMTV-based reporter plasmid in human T cells, and this activity was dependent on the RmRE. No RmRE-dependent reporter gene expression was detectable using Rev, Rex, or Rec in HC11 mouse mammary cells. Cell fractionation and RNA quantitation experiments suggested that the regulatory proteins did not affect RNA stability or nuclear export in the MMTV reporter system. Rem had no demonstrable activity on export elements from HIV, HTLV, or HERV-K. Similar to the Rem-specific activity in rodent cells, the RmRE-dependent functions of Rem, Rev, or Rex in human cells were inhibited by a dominant-negative truncated nucleoporin that acts in the Crm1 pathway of RNA and protein export. Conclusion These data argue that many retroviral regulatory proteins recognize similar complex RNA structures, which may depend on the presence of cell-type specific proteins. Retroviral protein activity on the RmRE appears to affect a post-export function of the reporter RNA. Our results provide additional evidence that MMTV is a complex retrovirus with the potential for viral interactions in human cells.

Zoledronic acid enhances the effect of radiotherapy for bone metastases from renal cell carcinomas. More than a 24-month median follow-up

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeda, Naoki; Isu, Kazuo; Hiraga, Hiroaki; Shinohara, Nobuo; Minami, Akio; Kamata, Hajime

2012-01-01

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is thought to respond unreliably to radiotherapy (RT). Zoledronic acid significantly reduces the risk of skeletal complications. This study investigated whether RT with zoledronic acid prolonged the time to bone-lesion progression in comparison with RT alone. Twenty-seven patients (34 lesions) with bone metastases secondary to RCC undergoing treatment with RT with or without zoledronic acid were retrospectively evaluated at two institutions between 1999 and 2009. Twelve patients were treated with RT alone from 1999 to 2008 (RT group). Fifteen patients were treated with RT and zoledronic acid from 2006 to 2009 (RT+Z group). The time to skeletal-related events and pain progression were assessed from patients' medical records. The median (range) follow-up was 26 (3-75) and 24 (3-55) months in the RT and RT+Z groups, respectively. Three patients (three lesions) in the RT+Z group had skeletal-related events (SREs). In contrast, six patients (eight lesions) in the RT group had SREs. SREs comprised pathological fractures in five, additional surgeries in three, spinal cord or cauda equine compression in two, and repeat RT in one. There was a significant difference in SRE-free survival time and duration of site-specific pain response between groups. RT combined with zoledronic acid significantly prolonged SRE-free survival and duration of pain response compared with RT alone in the treatment of osseous metastases from RCC. (author)

Transport of rare earth element-tagged soil particles in response to thunderstorm runoff.

Science.gov (United States)

Matisoff, G; Ketterer, M E; Wilson, C G; Layman, R; Whiting, P J

2001-08-15

The downslope transport of rare earth element-tagged soil particles remobilized during a spring thunderstorm was studied on both a natural prairie and an agricultural field in southwestern Iowa (U.S.A.). A technique was developed for tagging natural soils with the rare earth elements Eu, Tb, and Ho to approximately 1,000 ppm via coprecipitation with MnO2. Tagged material was replaced in target locations; surficial soil samples were collected following precipitation and runoff; and rare earth element concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Diffusion and exponential models were applied to the concentration-distance data to determine particle transport distances. The results indicate that the concentration-distance data are well described by the diffusion model, butthe exponential model does not simulate the rapid drop-off in concentrations near the tagged source. Using the diffusion model, calculated particle transport distances at all hillside locations and at both the cultivated and natural prairie sites were short, ranging from 3 to 73 cm during this single runoff event. This study successfully demonstrates a new tool for studying soil erosion.

Hybrid finite element method for describing the electrical response of biological cells to applied fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Ying, Wenjun; Henriquez, Craig S

2007-04-01

A novel hybrid finite element method (FEM) for modeling the response of passive and active biological membranes to external stimuli is presented. The method is based on the differential equations that describe the conservation of electric flux and membrane currents. By introducing the electric flux through the cell membrane as an additional variable, the algorithm decouples the linear partial differential equation part from the nonlinear ordinary differential equation part that defines the membrane dynamics of interest. This conveniently results in two subproblems: a linear interface problem and a nonlinear initial value problem. The linear interface problem is solved with a hybrid FEM. The initial value problem is integrated by a standard ordinary differential equation solver such as the Euler and Runge-Kutta methods. During time integration, these two subproblems are solved alternatively. The algorithm can be used to model the interaction of stimuli with multiple cells of almost arbitrary geometries and complex ion-channel gating at the plasma membrane. Numerical experiments are presented demonstrating the uses of the method for modeling field stimulation and action potential propagation.

An upstream activation element exerting differential transcriptional activation on an archaeal promoter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Peng, Nan; Xia, Qiu; Chen, Zhengjun

2009-01-01

S gene encoding an arabinose binding protein was characterized using an Sulfolobus islandicus reporter gene system. The minimal active araS promoter (P(araS)) was found to be 59 nucleotides long and harboured four promoter elements: an ara-box, an upstream transcription factor B-responsive element (BRE......), a TATA-box and a proximal promoter element, each of which contained important nucleotides that either greatly decreased or completely abolished promoter activity upon mutagenesis. The basal araS promoter was virtually inactive due to intrinsically weak BRE element, and the upstream activating sequence...... (UAS) ara-box activated the basal promoter by recruiting transcription factor B to its BRE. While this UAS ensured a general expression from an inactive or weak basal promoter in the presence of other tested carbon resources, it exhibited a strong arabinose-responsive transcriptional activation. To our...

The Ubx Polycomb response element bypasses an unpaired Fab-8 insulator via cis transvection in Drosophila.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Danfeng; Li, Zhuoran; Li, Lingling; Yang, Liping; Chen, Guijun; Yang, Deying; Zhang, Yue; Singh, Vikrant; Smith, Sheryl; Xiao, Yu; Wang, Erlin; Ye, Yunshuang; Zhang, Wei; Zhou, Lei; Rong, Yikang; Zhou, Jumin

2018-01-01

Chromatin insulators or boundary elements protect genes from regulatory activities from neighboring genes or chromatin domains. In the Drosophila Abdominal-B (Abd-B) locus, the deletion of such elements, such as Frontabdominal-7 (Fab-7) or Fab-8 led to dominant gain of function phenotypes, presumably due to the loss of chromatin barriers. Homologous chromosomes are paired in Drosophila, creating a number of pairing dependent phenomena including transvection, and whether transvection may affect the function of Polycomb response elements (PREs) and thus contribute to the phenotypes are not known. Here, we studied the chromatin barrier activity of Fab-8 and how it is affected by the zygosity of the transgene, and found that Fab-8 is able to block the silencing effect of the Ubx PRE on the DsRed reporter gene in a CTCF binding sites dependent manner. However, the blocking also depends on the zygosity of the transgene in that the barrier activity is present when the transgene is homozygous, but absent when the transgene is heterozygous. To analyze this effect, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation and quantitative PCR (ChIP-qPCR) experiments on homozygous transgenic embryos, and found that H3K27me3 and H3K9me3 marks are restricted by Fab-8, but they spread beyond Fab-8 into the DsRed gene when the two CTCF binding sites within Fab-8 were mutated. Consistent with this, the mutation reduced H3K4me3 and RNA Pol II binding to the DsRed gene, and consequently, DsRed expression. Importantly, in heterozygous embryos, Fab-8 is unable to prevent the spread of H3K27me3 and H3K9me3 marks from crossing Fab-8 into DsRed, suggesting an insulator bypass. These results suggest that in the Abd-B locus, deletion of the insulator in one copy of the chromosome could lead to the loss of insulator activity on the homologous chromosome, and in other loci where chromosomal deletion created hemizygous regions of the genome, the chromatin barrier could be compromised. This study highlights

Analysis of a cis-Acting Element Involved in Regulation by Estrogen of Human Angiotensinogen Gene Expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yan-Yan; Sun, Kai-Lai; Ashok, Kumar

1998-01-01

The work was aimed to identify the estrogen responsive element in the human angiotensinogen gene. The nucleotide sequence between the transcription initiation site and TATA box in angiotensinogen gene promoter was found to be strongly homologous with the consensus estrogen responsive element. This sequence was confirmed as the estrogen responsive element (HAG ERE) by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. The recombinant expression vectors were constructed in which chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene was driven by angiotensinogen core promoter with HAG ERE of by TK core promoter with multiplied HAG ERE, and were used in cotransfection with the human estrogen receptor expression vector into HepG(2) cells; CAT assays showed an increase of the CAT activity on 17beta-estradiol treatment in those transfectants. These results suggest that the human angiotensinogen gene is transcriptionally up-regulated by estrogen through the estrogen responsive element near TATA box of the promoter.

Hydroponics: A Versatile System to Study Nutrient Allocation and Plant Responses to Nutrient Availability and Exposure to Toxic Elements.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Nga T; McInturf, Samuel A; Mendoza-Cózatl, David G

2016-07-13

Hydroponic systems have been utilized as one of the standard methods for plant biology research and are also used in commercial production for several crops, including lettuce and tomato. Within the plant research community, numerous hydroponic systems have been designed to study plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Here we present a hydroponic protocol that can be easily implemented in laboratories interested in pursuing studies on plant mineral nutrition. This protocol describes the hydroponic system set up in detail and the preparation of plant material for successful experiments. Most of the materials described in this protocol can be found outside scientific supply companies, making the set up for hydroponic experiments less expensive and convenient. The use of a hydroponic growth system is most advantageous in situations where the nutrient media need to be well controlled and when intact roots need to be harvested for downstream applications. We also demonstrate how nutrient concentrations can be modified to induce plant responses to both essential nutrients and toxic non-essential elements.

Isoniazid suppresses antioxidant response element activities and impairs adipogenesis in mouse and human preadipocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Yanyan; Xue, Peng; Hou, Yongyong; Zhang, Hao; Zheng, Hongzhi; Zhou, Tong; Qu, Weidong; Teng, Weiping; Zhang, Qiang; Andersen, Melvin E.; Pi, Jingbo

2013-01-01

Transcriptional signaling through the antioxidant response element (ARE), orchestrated by the Nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), is a major cellular defense mechanism against oxidative or electrophilic stress. Here, we reported that isoniazid (INH), a widely used antitubercular drug, displays a substantial inhibitory property against ARE activities in diverse mouse and human cells. In 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, INH concentration-dependently suppressed the ARE-luciferase reporter activity and mRNA expression of various ARE-dependent antioxidant genes under basal and oxidative stressed conditions. In keeping with our previous findings that Nrf2-ARE plays a critical role in adipogenesis by regulating expression of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), suppression of ARE signaling by INH hampered adipogenic differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells and human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). Following adipogenesis induced by hormonal cocktails, INH-treated 3T3-L1 cells and ADSCs displayed significantly reduced levels of lipid accumulation and attenuated expression of C/EBPα and PPARγ. Time-course studies in 3T3-L1 cells revealed that inhibition of adipogenesis by INH occurred in the early stage of terminal adipogenic differentiation, where reduced expression of C/EBPβ and C/EBPδ was observed. To our knowledge, the present study is the first to demonstrate that INH suppresses ARE signaling and interrupts with the transcriptional network of adipogenesis, leading to impaired adipogenic differentiation. The inhibition of ARE signaling may be a potential underlying mechanism by which INH attenuates cellular antioxidant response contributing to various complications. - Highlights: • Isoniazid suppresses ARE-mediated transcriptional activity. • Isoniazid inhibits adipogenesis in preadipocytes. • Isoniazid suppresses adipogenic gene expression during adipogenesis

Semianalytic Design Sensitivity Analysis of Nonlinear Structures With a Commercial Finite Element Package

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Tae Hee; Yoo, Jung Hun; Choi, Hyeong Cheol

2002-01-01

A finite element package is often used as a daily design tool for engineering designers in order to analyze and improve the design. The finite element analysis can provide the responses of a system for given design variables. Although finite element analysis can quite well provide the structural behaviors for given design variables, it cannot provide enough information to improve the design such as design sensitivity coefficients. Design sensitivity analysis is an essential step to predict the change in responses due to a change in design variables and to optimize a system with the aid of the gradient-based optimization techniques. To develop a numerical method of design sensitivity analysis, analytical derivatives that are based on analytical differentiation of the continuous or discrete finite element equations are effective but analytical derivatives are difficult because of the lack of internal information of the commercial finite element package such as shape functions. Therefore, design sensitivity analysis outside of the finite element package is necessary for practical application in an industrial setting. In this paper, the semi-analytic method for design sensitivity analysis is used for the development of the design sensitivity module outside of a commercial finite element package of ANSYS. The direct differentiation method is employed to compute the design derivatives of the response and the pseudo-load for design sensitivity analysis is effectively evaluated by using the design variation of the related internal nodal forces. Especially, we suggest an effective method for stress and nonlinear design sensitivity analyses that is independent of the commercial finite element package is also discussed. Numerical examples are illustrated to show the accuracy and efficiency of the developed method and to provide insights for implementation of the suggested method into other commercial finite element packages

Characterization and localization of metal-responsive-element-binding transcription factors from tilapia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheung, Andrew Pok-Lap; Au, Candy Yee-Man; Chan, William Wai-Lun [Department of Biochemistry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, N.T., Hong Kong (Hong Kong); Chan, King Ming, E-mail: kingchan@cuhk.edu.hk [Department of Biochemistry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, N.T., Hong Kong (Hong Kong)

2010-08-01

Two isoforms of MTF-1, MTF-1L (long form) and MTF-1S (short form), were cloned in tilapia (Ti) and characterized in a tilapia liver cell line, Hepa-T1. The cloned tiMTF-1L has the characteristics of all of the tiMTF-1S identified so far with the zinc finger domain having six fingers, the acidic-rich, proline-rich, and serine/threonine-rich domains; however, the short form encodes for the zinc finger domain with five zinc fingers only and no other domains. The transient transfection of tiMTF-1L into human HepG2 cells showed both constitutive and zinc-induced metal-responsive-element (MRE)-driven reporter gene expression. However, the transfection of tiMTF-1S (which lacks all three transactivation domains) into a human cell line showed reduced transcriptional activities compared with an endogenous control in both basal- and Zn{sup 2+}-induced conditions. The tiMTF-1 isoforms were tagged with GFP and transfected into Hepa-T1 cells (tilapia hepatocytes). The nuclear translocation of tiMTF-1L was observed when the cells were exposed to a sufficient concentration of metals for 6 h. However, tiMTF-1S, was localized in the nucleus with or without metal treatment. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) confirmed that both of the isoforms were able to bind to the MRE specifically in vitro. Tissue distribution studies showed that tiMTF-1L was more abundant than tiMTF-1S in all of the tissues tested.

Characterization and localization of metal-responsive-element-binding transcription factors from tilapia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheung, Andrew Pok-Lap; Au, Candy Yee-Man; Chan, William Wai-Lun; Chan, King Ming

2010-01-01

Two isoforms of MTF-1, MTF-1L (long form) and MTF-1S (short form), were cloned in tilapia (Ti) and characterized in a tilapia liver cell line, Hepa-T1. The cloned tiMTF-1L has the characteristics of all of the tiMTF-1S identified so far with the zinc finger domain having six fingers, the acidic-rich, proline-rich, and serine/threonine-rich domains; however, the short form encodes for the zinc finger domain with five zinc fingers only and no other domains. The transient transfection of tiMTF-1L into human HepG2 cells showed both constitutive and zinc-induced metal-responsive-element (MRE)-driven reporter gene expression. However, the transfection of tiMTF-1S (which lacks all three transactivation domains) into a human cell line showed reduced transcriptional activities compared with an endogenous control in both basal- and Zn 2+ -induced conditions. The tiMTF-1 isoforms were tagged with GFP and transfected into Hepa-T1 cells (tilapia hepatocytes). The nuclear translocation of tiMTF-1L was observed when the cells were exposed to a sufficient concentration of metals for 6 h. However, tiMTF-1S, was localized in the nucleus with or without metal treatment. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) confirmed that both of the isoforms were able to bind to the MRE specifically in vitro. Tissue distribution studies showed that tiMTF-1L was more abundant than tiMTF-1S in all of the tissues tested.

Modeling and assessment of the response of super-light elements to fire

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hertz, Kristian Dahl; Campeanu, B.M.; Giraudo, M.

2013-01-01

Due to the significant weight of the elements, which raise the construction and transportation costs and the CO2 production, concrete buildings may not meet the requirements for sustainable constructions. Furthermore, concrete is quite vulnerable to fire, as it undergoes a permanent degradation...... of its mechanical properties at temperatures commonly reached by structural elements during a fire in a building. As a consequence, several multi-story concrete buildings have collapsed or suffered major structural damages because of fire, and caused injuries and casualties among the occupants. Even...... in those cases, where a safe evacuation of the building is ensured, the high costs associated with the downtime and reparation of the building can be very high and not acceptable in the view of a safe and sustainable design of structures. In this respect, the newly patented building technology...

Heavy metals and related trace elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leland, H.V.; Luoma, S.N.; Wilkes, D.J.

1977-01-01

A review is given of heavy metals and related trace elements in the aquatic environment. Other reviews and bibliographies are cited, dealing with the metabolism and transport of metal ions and with the toxic effects of stable and radioactive trace metals on aquatic organisms. The sources of trace elements in natural waters are discussed. It is suggested that atmospheric inputs of several trace metals comprise sizable fractions of total inputs to the Great Lakes and continental shelf waters. Information on stack emissions of trace elements from a coal-fired steam plant was used to estimate the likely range of air concentrations and inputs to a forested watershed in Tennessee. Some basic concepts of cycling of elements through aquatic communities were examined, such as the Pb, Mn and Zn concentrations in sediment and estuarine plants and animals colonizing dredge-spoil disposal areas. The use of plants as biological indicators of trace element contamination was outlined, as well as bioaccumulation in aquatic fauna. The effects of environmental factors on the kinetics of element exchange were noted, for example the influx rates of Cs 137 in tubificid worms, and Co 60 and Zn 65 in shrimp were shown to be temperature dependent. The toxicity of heavy metals on aquatic fauna was discussed, such as the histopathological lesions in the kidney and liver of fishes caused by heavy metals, and the effects of Hg and Cu on the olfactory response of rainbow trout

Hypotonicity-induced reduction of aquaporin-2 transcription in mpkCCD cells is independent of the tonicity responsive element, vasopressin, and cAMP.

Science.gov (United States)

Kortenoeven, Marleen L A; van den Brand, Michiel; Wetzels, Jack F M; Deen, Peter M T

2011-04-15

The syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion is characterized by excessive water uptake and hyponatremia. The extent of hyponatremia, however, is less than anticipated, which is ascribed to a defense mechanism, the vasopressin-escape, and is suggested to involve a tonicity-determined down-regulation of the water channel aquaporin-2 (AQP2). The underlying mechanism, however, is poorly understood. To study this, we used the mouse cortical collecting duct (mpkCCD) cell line. MpkCCD cells, transfected with an AQP2-promoter luciferase construct showed a reduced and increased AQP2 abundance and transcription following culture in hypotonic and hypertonic medium, respectively. This depended on tonicity rather than osmolality and occurred independently of the vasopressin analog dDAVP, cAMP levels, or protein kinase A activity. Although prostaglandins and nitric oxide reduced AQP2 abundance, inhibition of their synthesis did not influence tonicity-induced AQP2 transcription. Also, cells in which the cAMP or tonicity-responsive element (CRE/TonE) in the AQP2-promoter were mutated showed a similar response to hypotonicity. Instead, the tonicity-responsive elements were pin-pointed to nucleotides -283 to -252 and -157 to -126 bp. In conclusion, our data indicate that hypotonicity reduces AQP2 abundance and transcription, which occurs independently of vasopressin, cAMP, and the known TonE and CRE in the AQP2-promoter. Increased prostaglandin and nitric oxide, as found in vivo, may contribute to reduced AQP2 in vasopressin-escape, but do not mediate the effect of hypotonicity on AQP2 transcription. Our data suggest that two novel segments (-283 to -252 and -157 to -126 bp) in the AQP2-promoter mediate the hypotonicity-induced AQP2 down-regulation during vasopressin-escape.

Densely ionizing radiation affects DNA methylation of selective LINE-1 elements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prior, Sara; Miousse, Isabelle R. [Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 (United States); Nzabarushimana, Etienne [Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 (United States); Department of Bioinformatics, School of Informatics and Computing, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405 (United States); Pathak, Rupak [Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 (United States); Skinner, Charles; Kutanzi, Kristy R. [Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 (United States); Allen, Antiño R. [Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 (United States); Raber, Jacob [Departments of Behavioral Neuroscience, Neurology, and Radiation Medicine, Division of Neuroscience, ONPRC, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239 (United States); Tackett, Alan J. [Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 (United States); Hauer-Jensen, Martin [Division of Radiation Health, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 (United States); Nelson, Gregory A. [Department of Basic Sciences, Division of Radiation Research, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350 (United States); and others

2016-10-15

Long Interspersed Nucleotide Element 1 (LINE-1) retrotransposons are heavily methylated and are the most abundant transposable elements in mammalian genomes. Here, we investigated the differential DNA methylation within the LINE-1 under normal conditions and in response to environmentally relevant doses of sparsely and densely ionizing radiation. We demonstrate that DNA methylation of LINE-1 elements in the lungs of C57BL6 mice is dependent on their evolutionary age, where the elder age of the element is associated with the lower extent of DNA methylation. Exposure to 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine and methionine-deficient diet affected DNA methylation of selective LINE-1 elements in an age- and promoter type-dependent manner. Exposure to densely IR, but not sparsely IR, resulted in DNA hypermethylation of older LINE-1 elements, while the DNA methylation of evolutionary younger elements remained mostly unchanged. We also demonstrate that exposure to densely IR increased mRNA and protein levels of LINE-1 via the loss of the histone H3K9 dimethylation and an increase in the H3K4 trimethylation at the LINE-1 5′-untranslated region, independently of DNA methylation. Our findings suggest that DNA methylation is important for regulation of LINE-1 expression under normal conditions, but histone modifications may dictate the transcriptional activity of LINE-1 in response to exposure to densely IR. - Highlights: • DNA methylation of LINE-1 elements is dependent on their evolutionary age. • Densely ionizing radiation affects DNA methylation of selective LINE-1 elements. • Radiation-induced reactivation of LINE-1 is DNA methylation-independent. • Histone modifications dictate the transcriptional activity of LINE-1.

Densely ionizing radiation affects DNA methylation of selective LINE-1 elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prior, Sara; Miousse, Isabelle R.; Nzabarushimana, Etienne; Pathak, Rupak; Skinner, Charles; Kutanzi, Kristy R.; Allen, Antiño R.; Raber, Jacob; Tackett, Alan J.; Hauer-Jensen, Martin; Nelson, Gregory A.

2016-01-01

Long Interspersed Nucleotide Element 1 (LINE-1) retrotransposons are heavily methylated and are the most abundant transposable elements in mammalian genomes. Here, we investigated the differential DNA methylation within the LINE-1 under normal conditions and in response to environmentally relevant doses of sparsely and densely ionizing radiation. We demonstrate that DNA methylation of LINE-1 elements in the lungs of C57BL6 mice is dependent on their evolutionary age, where the elder age of the element is associated with the lower extent of DNA methylation. Exposure to 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine and methionine-deficient diet affected DNA methylation of selective LINE-1 elements in an age- and promoter type-dependent manner. Exposure to densely IR, but not sparsely IR, resulted in DNA hypermethylation of older LINE-1 elements, while the DNA methylation of evolutionary younger elements remained mostly unchanged. We also demonstrate that exposure to densely IR increased mRNA and protein levels of LINE-1 via the loss of the histone H3K9 dimethylation and an increase in the H3K4 trimethylation at the LINE-1 5′-untranslated region, independently of DNA methylation. Our findings suggest that DNA methylation is important for regulation of LINE-1 expression under normal conditions, but histone modifications may dictate the transcriptional activity of LINE-1 in response to exposure to densely IR. - Highlights: • DNA methylation of LINE-1 elements is dependent on their evolutionary age. • Densely ionizing radiation affects DNA methylation of selective LINE-1 elements. • Radiation-induced reactivation of LINE-1 is DNA methylation-independent. • Histone modifications dictate the transcriptional activity of LINE-1.

Elemental cycling response of an Adirondack subalpine spruce-fir forest to atmospheric and environmental change

Science.gov (United States)

Andrew J. Friedland; Eric K. Miller

1996-01-01

Patterns and trends in forest elemental cycling can become more apparent in the presence of atmospheric perturbations. High-elevation forests of the northeastern United States have received large amounts of atmospheric deposition of pollutants, which have altered natural elemental cycling and retention rates in a variety of ways. This study examined atmospheric...

Legal questions concerning the termination of spent fuel element reprocessing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

John, Michele

2005-01-01

The thesis on legal aspects of the terminated spent fuel reprocessing in Germany is based on the legislation, jurisdiction and literature until January 2004. The five chapters cover the following topics: description of the problem; reprocessing of spent fuel elements in foreign countries - practical and legal aspects; operators' responsibilities according to the atomic law with respect to the reprocessing of Geman spent fuel elements in foreign countries; compatibility of the prohibition of Geman spent fuel element reprocessing in foreign countries with international law, European law and German constitutional law; results of the evaluation

Unconscious emotional effects of packaging design elements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liao, Lewis; Corsi, Armando; Lockshin, Larry

on a convenience sample of 120 participants. The results suggest that image is the only element able to generate a significant effect on consumers’ unconscious emotional response. In addition, the results also suggest the interaction between image and colour has a significant effect on consumers’ unconscious...

The Role of Carbohydrate Response Element Binding Protein in Intestinal and Hepatic Fructose Metabolism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katsumi Iizuka

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Many articles have discussed the relationship between fructose consumption and the incidence of obesity and related diseases. Fructose is absorbed in the intestine and metabolized in the liver to glucose, lactate, glycogen, and, to a lesser extent, lipids. Unabsorbed fructose causes bacterial fermentation, resulting in irritable bowl syndrome. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms underlying intestinal and hepatic fructose metabolism is important for the treatment of metabolic syndrome and fructose malabsorption. Carbohydrate response element binding protein (ChREBP is a glucose-activated transcription factor that controls approximately 50% of de novo lipogenesis in the liver. ChREBP target genes are involved in glycolysis (Glut2, liver pyruvate kinase, fructolysis (Glut5, ketohexokinase, and lipogenesis (acetyl CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase. ChREBP gene deletion protects against high sucrose diet-induced and leptin-deficient obesity, because Chrebp−/− mice cannot consume fructose or sucrose. Moreover, ChREBP contributes to some of the physiological effects of fructose on sweet taste preference and glucose production through regulation of ChREBP target genes, such as fibroblast growth factor-21 and glucose-6-phosphatase catalytic subunits. Thus, ChREBP might play roles in fructose metabolism. Restriction of excess fructose intake will be beneficial for preventing not only metabolic syndrome but also irritable bowl syndrome.

Load responsive hydrodynamic bearing

Science.gov (United States)

Kalsi, Manmohan S.; Somogyi, Dezso; Dietle, Lannie L.

2002-01-01

A load responsive hydrodynamic bearing is provided in the form of a thrust bearing or journal bearing for supporting, guiding and lubricating a relatively rotatable member to minimize wear thereof responsive to relative rotation under severe load. In the space between spaced relatively rotatable members and in the presence of a liquid or grease lubricant, one or more continuous ring shaped integral generally circular bearing bodies each define at least one dynamic surface and a plurality of support regions. Each of the support regions defines a static surface which is oriented in generally opposed relation with the dynamic surface for contact with one of the relatively rotatable members. A plurality of flexing regions are defined by the generally circular body of the bearing and are integral with and located between adjacent support regions. Each of the flexing regions has a first beam-like element being connected by an integral flexible hinge with one of the support regions and a second beam-like element having an integral flexible hinge connection with an adjacent support region. A least one local weakening geometry of the flexing region is located intermediate the first and second beam-like elements. In response to application of load from one of the relatively rotatable elements to the bearing, the beam-like elements and the local weakening geometry become flexed, causing the dynamic surface to deform and establish a hydrodynamic geometry for wedging lubricant into the dynamic interface.

Design of responsive materials using topologically interlocked elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molotnikov, A; Gerbrand, R; Qi, Y; Simon, G P; Estrin, Y

2015-01-01

In this work we present a novel approach to designing responsive structures by segmentation of monolithic plates into an assembly of topologically interlocked building blocks. The particular example considered is an assembly of interlocking osteomorphic blocks. The results of this study demonstrate that the constraining force, which is required to hold the blocks together, can be viewed as a design parameter that governs the bending stiffness and the load bearing capacity of the segmented structure. In the case where the constraining forces are provided laterally using an external frame, the maximum load the assembly can sustain and its stiffness increase linearly with the magnitude of the lateral load applied. Furthermore, we show that the segmented plate with integrated shape memory wires employed as tensioning cables can act as a smart structure that changes its flexural stiffness and load bearing capacity in response to external stimuli, such as heat generated by the switching on and off an electric current. (paper)

Finite-element analysis of flawed and unflawed pipe tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

James, R.J.; Nickell, R.E.; Sullaway, M.F.

1989-12-01

Contemporary versions of the general purpose, nonlinear finite element program ABAQUS have been used in structural response verification exercises on flawed and unflawed austenitic stainless steel and ferritic steel piping. Among the topics examined, through comparison between ABAQUS calculations and test results, were: (1) the effect of using variations in the stress-strain relationship from the test article material on the calculated response; (2) the convergence properties of various finite element representations of the pipe geometry, using shell, beam and continuum models; (3) the effect of test system compliance; and (4) the validity of ABAQUS J-integral routines for flawed pipe evaluations. The study was culminated by the development and demonstration of a ''macroelement'' representation for the flawed pipe section. The macroelement can be inserted into an existing piping system model, in order to accurately treat the crack-opening and crack-closing static and dynamic response. 11 refs., 20 figs., 1 tab

Plasmids encoding PKI(1-31), a specific inhibitor of cAMP-stimulated gene expression, inhibit the basal transcriptional activity of some but not all cAMP-regulated DNA response elements in JEG-3 cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Grove, J R; Deutsch, P J; Price, D J; Habener, J F; Avruch, J

1989-11-25

Plasmids that encode a bioactive amino-terminal fragment of the heat-stable inhibitor of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase, PKI(1-31), were employed to characterize the role of this protein kinase in the control of transcriptional activity mediated by three DNA regulatory elements in the JEG-3 human placental cell line. The 5'-flanking sequence of the human collagenase gene contains the heptameric sequence, 5'-TGAGTCA-3', previously identified as a "phorbol ester" response element. Reporter genes containing either the intact 1.2-kilobase 5'-flanking sequence from the human collagenase gene or just the 7-base pair (bp) response element, when coupled to an enhancerless promoter, each exhibit both cAMP and phorbol ester-stimulated expression in JEG-3 cells. Cotransfection of either construct with plasmids encoding PKI(1-31) inhibits cAMP-stimulated but not basal- or phorbol ester-stimulated expression. Pretreatment of cells with phorbol ester for 1 or 2 days abrogates completely the response to rechallenge with phorbol ester but does not alter the basal expression of either construct; cAMP-stimulated expression, while modestly inhibited, remains vigorous. The 5'-flanking sequence of the human chorionic gonadotropin-alpha subunit (HCG alpha) gene has two copies of the sequence, 5'-TGACGTCA-3', contained in directly adjacent identical 18-bp segments, previously identified as a cAMP-response element. Reporter genes containing either the intact 1.5 kilobase of 5'-flanking sequence from the HCG alpha gene, or just the 36-bp tandem repeat cAMP response element, when coupled to an enhancerless promoter, both exhibit a vigorous cAMP stimulation of expression but no response to phorbol ester in JEG-3 cells. Cotransfection with plasmids encoding PKI(1-31) inhibits both basal and cAMP-stimulated expression in a parallel fashion. The 5'-flanking sequence of the human enkephalin gene mediates cAMP-stimulated expression of reporter genes in both JEG-3 and CV-1 cells. Plasmids

Summary compilation of shell element performance versus formulation.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heinstein, Martin Wilhelm; Hales, Jason Dean (Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID); Breivik, Nicole L.; Key, Samuel W. (FMA Development, LLC, Great Falls, MT)

2011-07-01

This document compares the finite element shell formulations in the Sierra Solid Mechanics code. These are finite elements either currently in the Sierra simulation codes Presto and Adagio, or expected to be added to them in time. The list of elements are divided into traditional two-dimensional, plane stress shell finite elements, and three-dimensional solid finite elements that contain either modifications or additional terms designed to represent the bending stiffness expected to be found in shell formulations. These particular finite elements are formulated for finite deformation and inelastic material response, and, as such, are not based on some of the elegant formulations that can be found in an elastic, infinitesimal finite element setting. Each shell element is subjected to a series of 12 verification and validation test problems. The underlying purpose of the tests here is to identify the quality of both the spatially discrete finite element gradient operator and the spatially discrete finite element divergence operator. If the derivation of the finite element is proper, the discrete divergence operator is the transpose of the discrete gradient operator. An overall summary is provided from which one can rank, at least in an average sense, how well the individual formulations can be expected to perform in applications encountered year in and year out. A letter grade has been assigned albeit sometimes subjectively for each shell element and each test problem result. The number of A's, B's, C's, et cetera assigned have been totaled, and a grade point average (GPA) has been computed, based on a 4.0-system. These grades, combined with a comparison between the test problems and the application problem, can be used to guide an analyst to select the element with the best shell formulation.

Metabolite Regulation of Nuclear Localization of Carbohydrate-response Element-binding Protein (ChREBP): ROLE OF AMP AS AN ALLOSTERIC INHIBITOR.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Shogo; Jung, Hunmin; Nakagawa, Tsutomu; Pawlosky, Robert; Takeshima, Tomomi; Lee, Wan-Ru; Sakiyama, Haruhiko; Laxman, Sunil; Wynn, R Max; Tu, Benjamin P; MacMillan, John B; De Brabander, Jef K; Veech, Richard L; Uyeda, Kosaku

2016-05-13

The carbohydrate-response element-binding protein (ChREBP) is a glucose-responsive transcription factor that plays an essential role in converting excess carbohydrate to fat storage in the liver. In response to glucose levels, ChREBP is regulated by nuclear/cytosol trafficking via interaction with 14-3-3 proteins, CRM-1 (exportin-1 or XPO-1), or importins. Nuclear localization of ChREBP was rapidly inhibited when incubated in branched-chain α-ketoacids, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, or 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide. Here, we discovered that protein-free extracts of high fat-fed livers contained, in addition to ketone bodies, a new metabolite, identified as AMP, which specifically activates the interaction between ChREBP and 14-3-3. The crystal structure showed that AMP binds directly to the N terminus of ChREBP-α2 helix. Our results suggest that AMP inhibits the nuclear localization of ChREBP through an allosteric activation of ChREBP/14-3-3 interactions and not by activation of AMPK. AMP and ketone bodies together can therefore inhibit lipogenesis by restricting localization of ChREBP to the cytoplasm during periods of ketosis. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Regulation of insulin-like growth factor I transcription by cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) in fetal rat bone cells through an element within exon 1: protein kinase A-dependent control without a consensus AMP response element

Science.gov (United States)

McCarthy, T. L.; Thomas, M. J.; Centrella, M.; Rotwein, P.

1995-01-01

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) is a locally synthesized anabolic growth factor for bone. IGF-I synthesis by primary fetal rat osteoblasts (Ob) is stimulated by agents that increase the intracellular cAMP concentration, including prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Previous studies with Ob cultures demonstrated that PGE2 enhanced IGF-I transcription through selective use of IGF-I promoter 1, with little effect on IGF-I messenger RNA half-life. Transient transfection of Ob cultures with an array of promoter 1-luciferase reporter fusion constructs has now allowed localization of a potential cis-acting promoter element(s) responsible for cAMP-stimulated gene expression to the 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) of IGF-I exon 1, within a segment lacking a consensus cAMP response element. Our evidence derives from three principal observations: 1) a transfection construct containing only 122 nucleotides (nt) of promoter 1 and 328 nt of the 5'-UTR retained full PGE2-stimulated reporter expression; 2) maximal PGE2-driven reporter expression required the presence of nt 196 to 328 of exon 1 when tested within the context of IGF-I promoter 1; 3) cotransfection of IGF-I promoter-luciferase-reporter constructs with a plasmid encoding the alpha-isoform of the catalytic subunit of murine cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) produced results comparable to those seen with PGE2 treatment, whereas cotransfection with a plasmid encoding a mutant regulatory subunit of PKA that cannot bind cAMP blocked PGE2-induced reporter expression. Deoxyribonuclease I footprinting of the 5'-UTR of exon 1 demonstrated protected sequences at HS3A, HS3B, and HS3D, three of six DNA-protein binding sites previously characterized with rat liver nuclear extracts. Of these three regions, only the HS3D binding site is located within the functionally identified hormonally responsive segment of IGF-I exon 1. These results directly implicate PKA in the control of IGF-I gene transcription by PGE2 and identify a segment of

Finite element elastic-plastic analysis of LMFBR components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levy, A.; Pifko, A.; Armen, H. Jr.

1978-01-01

The present effort involves the development of computationally efficient finite element methods for accurately predicting the isothermal elastic-plastic three-dimensional response of thick and thin shell structures subjected to mechanical and thermal loads. This work will be used as the basis for further development of analytical tools to be used to verify the structural integrity of liquid metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR) components. The methods presented here have been implemented into the three-dimensional solid element module (HEX) of the Grumman PLANS finite element program. These methods include the use of optimal stress points as well as a variable number of stress points within an element. This allows monitoring the stress history at many points within an element and hence provides an accurate representation of the elastic-plastic boundary using a minimum number of degrees of freedom. Also included is an improved thermal stress analysis capability in which the temperature variation and corresponding thermal strain variation are represented by the same functional form as the displacement variation. Various problems are used to demonstrate these improved capabilities. (Auth.)

New functionalities in abundant element oxides: ubiquitous element strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hosono, Hideo; Hayashi, Katsuro; Kamiya, Toshio; Atou, Toshiyuki; Susaki, Tomofumi

2011-01-01

While most ceramics are composed of ubiquitous elements (the ten most abundant elements within the Earth's crust), many advanced materials are based on rare elements. A 'rare-element crisis' is approaching owing to the imbalance between the limited supply of rare elements and the increasing demand. Therefore, we propose a 'ubiquitous element strategy' for materials research, which aims to apply abundant elements in a variety of innovative applications. Creation of innovative oxide materials and devices based on conventional ceramics is one specific challenge. This review describes the concept of ubiquitous element strategy and gives some highlights of our recent research on the synthesis of electronic, thermionic and structural materials using ubiquitous elements. (topical review)

Finite Element Modeling and Analysis of Nonlinear Impact and Frictional Motion Responses Including Fluid—Structure Coupling Effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yong Zhao

1997-01-01

Full Text Available A nonlinear three dimensional (3D single rack model and a nonlinear 3D whole pool multi-rack model are developed for the spent fuel storage racks of a nuclear power plant (NPP to determine impacts and frictional motion responses when subjected to 3D excitations from the supporting building floor. The submerged free standing rack system and surrounding water are coupled due to hydrodynamic fluid-structure interaction (FSI using potential theory. The models developed have features that allow consideration of geometric and material nonlinearities including (1 the impacts of fuel assemblies to rack cells, a rack to adjacent racks or pool walls, and rack support legs to the pool floor; (2 the hydrodynamic coupling of fuel assemblies with their storing racks, and of a rack with adjacent racks, pool walls, and the pool floor; and (3 the dynamic motion behavior of rocking, twisting, and frictional sliding of rack modules. Using these models 3D nonlinear time history dynamic analyses are performed per the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC criteria. Since few such modeling, analyses, and results using both the 3D single and whole pool multiple rack models are available in the literature, this paper emphasizes description of modeling and analysis techniques using the SOLVIA general purpose nonlinear finite element code. Typical response results with different Coulomb friction coefficients are presented and discussed.

Growth responses of selected freshwater algae to trace elements and scrubber ash slurry generated by coal-fired power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vocke, R.W.

1979-01-01

The development and implementation of standard toxicity tests is a necessity if consistent and reliable data are to be obtained for water quality criteria. The adapted EPA AAPBT is an ideal static algal toxicity test system. The algal test medium has a chemical composition similar to natural unpolluted waters of low ionic strength. It is appropriate to use MATC water quality criteria when assessing the potential impact of pollutants generated by coal-fired power stations because these energy-generated pollutants typically enter aquatic systems in small quantities over long periods. The MATC water quality criteria are estimates of trace element and SASE levels, based on the most sensitive alga investigated, that will not cause significant changes in naturally-functioning algal populations. These levels are 0.016f mg L/sup -1/ As(V), 0.001 mg L/sup -1/ Cd(II), 0.004 mg L/sup -1/ Hg(II), 0.006 mg L/sup -1/ Se(VI), and 0.344% SASE. To provide viable working water quality criteria, an extrapolation from the laboratory to the natural environment must be made. Therefore, those oxidation states of the trace elements were selected which are the dominant states occurring in natural, unpolluted, slightly alkaline freshwaters. It must be pointed out that these MATC values are based on algal responses to single toxicants and no allowance is made for synergistic, additive, or antagonistic relationships which could occur in natural aquatic systems. Additionally, natural chelation may influence toxicity. The highly toxic nature of potential pollutants from coal-fired generating plants emphasizes the need for minimizing stack effluent pollutants and retaining scrubber ash slurry for proper disposal in an effort to maintain trace elements in concentration ranges compatible with naturally-functioning ecosystems.

Stimulation of interleukin-13 expression by human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 oncoprotein Tax via a dually active promoter element responsive to NF-kappaB and NFAT.

Science.gov (United States)

Silbermann, Katrin; Schneider, Grit; Grassmann, Ralph

2008-11-01

The human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) Tax oncoprotein transforms human lymphocytes and is critical for the pathogenesis of HTLV-1-induced adult T-cell leukaemia. In HTLV-transformed cells, Tax upregulates interleukin (IL)-13, a cytokine with proliferative and anti-apoptotic functions that is linked to leukaemogenesis. Tax-stimulated IL-13 is thought to result in autocrine stimulation of HTLV-infected cells and thus may be relevant to their growth. The causal transactivation of the IL-13 promoter by Tax is predominantly dependent on a nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT)-binding P element. Here, it was shown that the isolated IL-13 Tax-responsive element (IL13TaxRE) was sufficient to mediate IL-13 transactivation by Tax and NFAT1. However, cyclosporin A, a specific NFAT inhibitor, revealed that Tax transactivation of IL13TaxRE or wild-type IL-13 promoter was independent of NFAT and that NFAT did not contribute to IL-13 upregulation in HTLV-transformed cells. By contrast, Tax stimulation was repressible by an efficient nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB inhibitor (IkBaDN), indicating the requirement for NF-kappaB. The capacity of NF-kappaB to stimulate IL13TaxRE was demonstrated by a strong response to NF-kappaB in reporter assays and by direct binding of NF-kappaB to IL13TaxRE. Thus, IL13TaxRE in the IL-13 promoter represents a dually active promoter element responsive to NF-kappaB and NFAT. Together, these results indicate that Tax causes IL-13 upregulation in HTLV-1-infected cells via NF-kappaB.

Bog i besmrtnost – drugo i treće najvažnije pitanje

OpenAIRE

Djurić, Marko P.

2013-01-01

Autor u ovom članku sagledava pitanje o Bogu i pitanje o čovjekovoj besmrtnosti kao čovjekovo drugo i treće najvažnije pitanje. Pitanje o čovjekovoj sreći smatra prvim i najvažnijim. Prema njegovu shvaćanju sva tri pitanja međusobno se prožimlju, ne isključujući se. Bez vjere u objavljenog Boga i vjerovanja u vlastitu besmrtnost čovjek neće moći doživjeti najdublju i najpotpuniju sreću. Stoga se ovo izlaganje isključivo tiče eshatološkog vremena i budućnosti. Posljedica č...

Ene Käpp ali optimizem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dušana Findeisen

1998-12-01

Full Text Available Na »Konferenci o vlogi in organizaciji izobraževanja odraslih v času prehoda«, ki je bila novembra lani v Tallinnu, glavnem mestu Estonije, smo srečevali nekaj razsvetljenih obrazov organizatorjev. Med njimi je bila Ene Kapp, kratko pristriženih las, živahnega videza in prodornega glasu. Ene Kapp je neprestano bedela nad nami. Tisti, ki so povezani z estonskim izobraževanjem odraslih, jo poznajo že dolgo. Srečujejo se z njo na ANDRAS-u, estonskem združenju za izobraževanje odraslih.

Platinum-group element mineralization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gruenewaldt, G.

1985-01-01

The purpose of this investigation is to determine the geological processes responsible for the abnormal enrichment of the platinum-group elements (PGE) in the mineralized layers of the Bushveld Complex. Questions asked are: what processes caused enrichment of the Bushveld magma in the PGE ; by what processes were these PGE concentrated in the mineralized layers ; was contamination of the Bushveld magma from external sources important in the formation of the PGE enriched layers ; what are the effects of fractional crystallization on the PGE ratios

Molecular cloning and preliminary function study of iron responsive element binding protein 1 gene from cypermethrin-resistant Culex pipiens pallens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tan Wenbin

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Insecticide resistance jeopardizes the control of mosquito populations and mosquito-borne disease control, which creates a major public health concern. Two-dimensional electrophoresis identified one protein segment with high sequence homology to part of Aedes aegypti iron-responsive element binding protein (IRE-BP. Method RT-PCR and RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA end were used to clone a cDNA encoding full length IRE-BP 1. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR was used to evaluate the transcriptional level changes in the Cr-IRE strain Aedes aegypti compared to the susceptible strain of Cx. pipiens pallens. The expression profile of the gene was established in the mosquito life cycle. Methyl tritiated thymidine (3H-TdR was used to observe the cypermethrin resistance changes in C6/36 cells containing the stably transfected IRE-BP 1 gene of Cx. pipiens pallens. Results The complete sequence of iron responsive element binding protein 1 (IRE-BP 1 has been cloned from the cypermethrin-resistant strain of Culex pipiens pallens (Cr-IRE strain. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis indicated that the IRE-BP 1 transcription level was 6.7 times higher in the Cr-IRE strain than in the susceptible strain of 4th instar larvae. The IRE-BP 1 expression was also found to be consistently higher throughout the life cycle of the Cr-IRE strain. A protein of predicted size 109.4 kDa has been detected by Western blotting in IRE-BP 1-transfected mosquito C6/36 cells. These IRE-BP 1-transfected cells also showed enhanced cypermethrin resistance compared to null-transfected or plasmid vector-transfected cells as determined by 3H-TdR incorporation. Conclusion IRE-BP 1 is expressed at higher levels in the Cr-IRE strain, and may confer some insecticide resistance in Cx. pipiens pallens.

Microstructure Optimization of Dual-Phase Steels Using a Representative Volume Element and a Response Surface Method: Parametric Study

Science.gov (United States)

Belgasam, Tarek M.; Zbib, Hussein M.

2017-12-01

Dual-phase (DP) steels have received widespread attention for their low density and high strength. This low density is of value to the automotive industry for the weight reduction it offers and the attendant fuel savings and emission reductions. Recent studies on developing DP steels showed that the combination of strength/ductility could be significantly improved when changing the volume fraction and grain size of phases in the microstructure depending on microstructure properties. Consequently, DP steel manufacturers are interested in predicting microstructure properties and in optimizing microstructure design. In this work, a microstructure-based approach using representative volume elements (RVEs) was developed. The approach examined the flow behavior of DP steels using virtual tension tests with an RVE to identify specific mechanical properties. Microstructures with varied martensite and ferrite grain sizes, martensite volume fractions, carbon content, and morphologies were studied in 3D RVE approaches. The effect of these microstructure parameters on a combination of strength/ductility of DP steels was examined numerically using the finite element method by implementing a dislocation density-based elastic-plastic constitutive model, and a Response surface methodology to determine the optimum conditions for a required combination of strength/ductility. The results from the numerical simulations are compared with experimental results found in the literature. The developed methodology proves to be a powerful tool for studying the effect and interaction of key microstructural parameters on strength and ductility and thus can be used to identify optimum microstructural conditions.

Predicting Job Stress Based on Elements of Coping Styles in Nurses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mansoureh Nezari Sedeh

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Using coping methods can help to dominate on physical, mental, and social relationships, individual contradiction problems, and can be considered as one of effective factors in general and mental health of nurses. The objective of the present research is predicting job stress based on elements of coping styles in nurses. By correlative methodology for this research, 120 female20-45 years old nurses in Tehran city were selected by simple random sampling method based on Cochran formula. The research instrument includes job stress questionnaire and coping style questionnaire of Lazzarus & Folkman; the Pearson correlation coefficient test, and linear regression were used to test hypotheses and generalize the obtained information from tests. Findings showed that participants’ scores were near normal range and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.58 which indicated scores internal consistency. The obtained results showed that coping elements in 0.05 significant level with f-value of 12.403 significantly predicted job stress. In addition, regression coefficient among support, responsibility, and managerial solution elements was negative and positive with two other relationships including job stress and escape-avoidance. Therefore, it can be concluded that elements of support, responsibility, escape-avoidance, and managerial solution significantly predict nurses’ job stress among coping elements.

Activation of estrogen response elements is mediated both via estrogen and muscle contractions in rat skeletal muscle myotubes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wiik, A.; Hellsten, Ylva; Berthelson, P.

2009-01-01

is ER independent. The muscle contraction-induced transactivation of ERE and increase in ERbeta mRNA were instead found to be MAP kinase (MAPK) dependent. This study demonstrates for the first time that muscle contractions have a similar functional effect as estrogen in skeletal muscle myotubes, causing......The aim of the present study was to investigate the activation of estrogen response elements (EREs) by estrogen and muscle contractions in rat myotubes in culture and to assess whether the activation is dependent on the estrogen receptors (ERs). In addition, the effect of estrogen and contraction...... on the mRNA levels of ERalpha and ERbeta was studied to determine the functional consequence of the transactivation. Myoblasts were isolated from rat skeletal muscle and transfected with a vector consisting of sequences of EREs coupled to the gene for luciferase. The transfected myoblasts were...

Metals and trace elements in feathers: A geochemical approach to avoid misinterpretation of analytical responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Borghesi, Fabrizio; Migani, Francesca; Andreotti, Alessandro; Baccetti, Nicola; Bianchi, Nicola; Birke, Manfred; Dinelli, Enrico

2016-02-15

Assessing trace metal pollution using feathers has long attracted the attention of ecotoxicologists as a cost-effective and non-invasive biomonitoring method. In order to interpret the concentrations in feathers considering the external contamination due to lithic residue particles, we adopted a novel geochemical approach. We analysed 58 element concentrations in feathers of wild Eurasian Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus fledglings, from 4 colonies in Western Europe (Spain, France, Sardinia, and North-eastern Italy) and one group of adults from zoo. In addition, 53 elements were assessed in soil collected close to the nesting islets. This enabled to compare a wide selection of metals among the colonies, highlighting environmental anomalies and tackling possible causes of misinterpretation of feather results. Most trace elements in feathers (Al, Ce, Co, Cs, Fe, Ga, Li, Mn, Nb, Pb, Rb, Ti, V, Zr, and REEs) were of external origin. Some elements could be constitutive (Cu, Zn) or significantly bioaccumulated (Hg, Se) in flamingos. For As, Cr, and to a lesser extent Pb, it seems that bioaccumulation potentially could be revealed by highly exposed birds, provided feathers are well cleaned. This comprehensive study provides a new dataset and confirms that Hg has been accumulated in feathers in all sites to some extent, with particular concern for the Sardinian colony, which should be studied further including Cr. The Spanish colony appears critical for As pollution and should be urgently investigated in depth. Feathers collected from North-eastern Italy were the hardest to clean, but our methods allowed biological interpretation of Cr and Pb. Our study highlights the importance of external contamination when analysing trace elements in feathers and advances methodological recommendations in order to reduce the presence of residual particles carrying elements of external origin. Geochemical data, when available, can represent a valuable tool for a correct

Identification of unique cis-element pattern on simulated microgravity treated Arabidopsis by in silico and gene expression

Science.gov (United States)

Soh, Hyuncheol; Choi, Yongsang; Lee, Taek-Kyun; Yeo, Up-Dong; Han, Kyeongsik; Auh, Chungkyun; Lee, Sukchan

2012-08-01

Arabidopsis gene expression microarray (44 K) was used to detect genes highly induced under simulated microgravity stress (SMS). Ten SMS-inducible genes were selected from the microarray data and these 10 genes were found to be abundantly expressed in 3-week-old plants. Nine out of the 10 SMS-inducible genes were also expressed in response to the three abiotic stresses of drought, touch, and wounding in 3-week-old Arabidopsis plants respectively. However, WRKY46 was elevated only in response to SMS. Six other WRKY genes did not respond to SMS. To clarify the characteristics of the genes expressed at high levels in response to SMS, 20 cis-elements in the promoters of the 40 selected genes including the 10 SMS-inducible genes, the 6 WRKY genes, and abiotic stress-inducible genes were analyzed and their spatial positions on each promoter were determined. Four cis-elements (M/T-G-T-P from MYB1AT or TATABOX5, GT1CONSENSUS, TATABOX5, and POLASIG1) showed a unique spatial arrangement in most SMS-inducible genes including WRKY46. Therefore the M/T-G-T-P cis-element patterns identified in the promoter of WRKY46 may play important roles in regulating gene expression in response to SMS. The presences of the cis-element patterns suggest that the order or spatial positioning of certain groups of cis-elements is more important than the existence or numbers of specific cis-elements. Taken together, our data indicate that WRKY46 is a novel SMS inducible transcription factor and the unique spatial arrangement of cis-elements shown in WRKY46 promoter may play an important role for its response to SMS.

On the residual stress modeling of shot-peened AISI 4340 steel: finite element and response surface methods

Science.gov (United States)

Asgari, Ali; Dehestani, Pouya; Poruraminaie, Iman

2018-02-01

Shot peening is a well-known process in applying the residual stress on the surface of industrial parts. The induced residual stress improves fatigue life. In this study, the effects of shot peening parameters such as shot diameter, shot speed, friction coefficient, and the number of impacts on the applied residual stress will be evaluated. To assess these parameters effect, firstly the shot peening process has been simulated by finite element method. Then, effects of the process parameters on the residual stress have been evaluated by response surface method as a statistical approach. Finally, a strong model is presented to predict the maximum residual stress induced by shot peening process in AISI 4340 steel. Also, the optimum parameters for the maximum residual stress are achieved. The results indicate that effect of shot diameter on the induced residual stress is increased by increasing the shot speed. Also, enhancing the friction coefficient magnitude always cannot lead to increase in the residual stress.

Finite element modelling of aluminum alloy 2024-T3 under transverse impact loading

Science.gov (United States)

Abdullah, Ahmad Sufian; Kuntjoro, Wahyu; Yamin, A. F. M.

2017-12-01

Fiber metal laminate named GLARE is a new aerospace material which has great potential to be widely used in future lightweight aircraft. It consists of aluminum alloy 2024-T3 and glass-fiber reinforced laminate. In order to produce reliable finite element model of impact response or crashworthiness of structure made of GLARE, one can initially model and validate the finite element model of the impact response of its constituents separately. The objective of this study was to develop a reliable finite element model of aluminum alloy 2024-T3 under low velocity transverse impact loading using commercial software ABAQUS. Johnson-Cook plasticity and damage models were used to predict the alloy's material properties and impact behavior. The results of the finite element analysis were compared to the experiment that has similar material and impact conditions. Results showed good correlations in terms of impact forces, deformation and failure progressions which concluded that the finite element model of 2024-T3 aluminum alloy under low velocity transverse impact condition using Johnson-Cook plastic and damage models was reliable.

Production of porous filter elements from PEUAPM nanocomposites and silver nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bizzo, M.A.; Hui, W.S.

2014-01-01

The production of filter elements for water based in polymers is widespread in the market, but has an undesirable characteristic: they are not efficient and able to retain or eliminate microorganisms at all times. This paper proposes to produce nanocomposite filters with biocidal properties composed of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene(UHMWPE) and silver nanoparticles, the UHMWPE is responsible for the uniform porous structure of the filters and the silver nanoparticles incorporated on the polymer are responsible for the biocide action. Particulate polymer that presents a different particle size curve was used for sintering the filters. Samples of filter elements obtained in this work were characterized by the techniques of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and EDS microanalysis. The results indicated a porosity of approximately 49% in the filter, and the formation of the nanocomposite. key-words: nanocomposites, silver, UHMWPE, filter elements. (author)

Memristors: Memory elements in potato tubers.

Science.gov (United States)

Volkov, Alexander G; Nyasani, Eunice K; Blockmon, Avery L; Volkova, Maya I

2015-01-01

A memristor is a nonlinear element because its current-voltage characteristic is similar to that of a Lissajous pattern for nonlinear systems. This element was postulated recently and researchers are looking for it in different biosystems. We investigated electrical circuitry of red Irish potato tubers (Solanum tuberosum L.). The goal was to discover if potato tubers might have a new electrical component - a resistor with memory. The analysis was based on a cyclic current-voltage characteristic where the resistor with memory should manifest itself. We found that the electrostimulation by bipolar sinusoidal or triangle periodic waves induces electrical responses in the potato tubers with fingerprints of memristors. Tetraethylammonium chloride, an inhibitor of voltage gated K(+) channels, transforms a memristor to a resistor in potato tubers. Our results demonstrate that a voltage gated K(+) channel in the excitable tissue of potato tubers has properties of a memristor. Uncoupler carbonylcyanide-4-trifluoromethoxy-phenyl hydrazone decreases the amplitude of electrical responses at low and high frequencies of bipolar periodic sinusoidal or triangle electrostimulating waves. The discovery of memristors in plants creates a new direction in the understanding of electrical phenomena in plants.

Modeling grain boundaries in polycrystals using cohesive elements: Qualitative and quantitative analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

El Shawish, Samir, E-mail: Samir.ElShawish@ijs.si [Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Cizelj, Leon [Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Simonovski, Igor [European Commission, DG-JRC, Institute for Energy and Transport, P.O. Box 2, NL-1755 ZG Petten (Netherlands)

2013-08-15

Highlights: ► We estimate the performance of cohesive elements for modeling grain boundaries. ► We compare the computed stresses in ABAQUS finite element solver. ► Tests are performed in analytical and realistic models of polycrystals. ► Most severe issue is found within the plastic grain response. ► Other identified issues are related to topological constraints in modeling space. -- Abstract: We propose and demonstrate several tests to estimate the performance of the cohesive elements in ABAQUS for modeling grain boundaries in complex spatial structures such as polycrystalline aggregates. The performance of the cohesive elements is checked by comparing the computed stresses with the theoretically predicted values for a homogeneous material under uniaxial tensile loading. Statistical analyses are performed under different loading conditions for two elasto-plastic models of the grains: isotropic elasticity with isotropic hardening plasticity and anisotropic elasticity with crystal plasticity. Tests are conducted on an analytical finite element model generated from Voronoi tessellation as well as on a realistic finite element model of a stainless steel wire. The results of the analyses highlight several issues related to the computation of normal and shear stresses. The most severe issue is found within the plastic grain response where the computed normal stresses on a particularly oriented cohesive elements are significantly underestimated. Other issues are found to be related to topological constraints in the modeling space and result in the increased scatter of the computed stresses.

Dielectric response of arbitrary-shaped clusters studied by the finite element method

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Rychetský, Ivan; Klíč, Antonín

2012-01-01

Roč. 427, č. 1 (2012), s. 143-147 ISSN 0015-0193 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA202/09/0430 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : effective permittivity * two-component composite * integral representation * finite element analysis Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 0.415, year: 2012

An Evolutionary Conserved Epigenetic Mark of Polycomb Response Elements Implemented by Trx/MLL/COMPASS.

Science.gov (United States)

Rickels, Ryan; Hu, Deqing; Collings, Clayton K; Woodfin, Ashley R; Piunti, Andrea; Mohan, Man; Herz, Hans-Martin; Kvon, Evgeny; Shilatifard, Ali

2016-07-21

Polycomb response elements (PREs) are specific DNA sequences that stably maintain the developmental pattern of gene expression. Drosophila PREs are well characterized, whereas the existence of PREs in mammals remains debated. Accumulating evidence supports a model in which CpG islands recruit Polycomb group (PcG) complexes; however, which subset of CGIs is selected to serve as PREs is unclear. Trithorax (Trx) positively regulates gene expression in Drosophila and co-occupies PREs to antagonize Polycomb-dependent silencing. Here we demonstrate that Trx-dependent H3K4 dimethylation (H3K4me2) marks Drosophila PREs and maintains the developmental expression pattern of nearby genes. Similarly, the mammalian Trx homolog, MLL1, deposits H3K4me2 at CpG-dense regions that could serve as PREs. In the absence of MLL1 and H3K4me2, H3K27me3 levels, a mark of Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), increase at these loci. By inhibiting PRC2-dependent H3K27me3 in the absence of MLL1, we can rescue expression of these loci, demonstrating a functional balance between MLL1 and PRC2 activities at these sites. Thus, our study provides rules for identifying cell-type-specific functional mammalian PREs within the human genome. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implementation of the utilization program for the fuel elements of the Atucha I nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, H.R.; Serra, O.H.; Parker, Alejandro

1981-01-01

The programming operation for the use of the fuel elements in the Atucha-1 nuclear power plant was initially under the responsibility of the KWU Company, as part of the services rendered due for the manufacturing of said elements. This job was done with the help of the TRISIC program, developed in the early seventies by CNEA and SIEMENS staff. From april 21, 1979 on, CNEA took over the responsibility and strategy of the interchange of fuel elements. The several stages carried out for the implementation of this service are detailed. (M.E.L.) [es

Variational approach to probabilistic finite elements

Science.gov (United States)

Belytschko, T.; Liu, W. K.; Mani, A.; Besterfield, G.

1991-08-01

Probabilistic finite element methods (PFEM), synthesizing the power of finite element methods with second-moment techniques, are formulated for various classes of problems in structural and solid mechanics. Time-invariant random materials, geometric properties and loads are incorporated in terms of their fundamental statistics viz. second-moments. Analogous to the discretization of the displacement field in finite element methods, the random fields are also discretized. Preserving the conceptual simplicity, the response moments are calculated with minimal computations. By incorporating certain computational techniques, these methods are shown to be capable of handling large systems with many sources of uncertainties. By construction, these methods are applicable when the scale of randomness is not very large and when the probabilistic density functions have decaying tails. The accuracy and efficiency of these methods, along with their limitations, are demonstrated by various applications. Results obtained are compared with those of Monte Carlo simulation and it is shown that good accuracy can be obtained for both linear and nonlinear problems. The methods are amenable to implementation in deterministic FEM based computer codes.

Responsive web design workflow

OpenAIRE

LAAK, TIMO

2013-01-01

Responsive Web Design Workflow is a literature review about Responsive Web Design, a web standards based modern web design paradigm. The goals of this research were to define what responsive web design is, determine its importance in building modern websites and describe a workflow for responsive web design projects. Responsive web design is a paradigm to create adaptive websites, which respond to the properties of the media that is used to render them. The three key elements of responsi...

Enhanced phosphorylation of cyclic AMP response element binding protein in Brain of mice following repetitive hypoxic exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Yanan; Gao Ge; Long Caixia; Han Song; Zu Pengyu; Fang Li; Li Junfa

2006-01-01

Cerebral ischemic/hypoxic preconditioning (I/HPC) is a phenomenon of endogenous protection that renders Brain tolerant to sustained ischemia/hypoxia. This profound protection induced by I/HPC makes it an attractive target for developing potential clinical therapeutic approaches. However, the molecular mechanism of I/HPC is unclear. Cyclic AMP (cAMP) response element binding protein (CREB), a selective nuclear transcriptional factor, plays a key role in the neuronal functions. Phosphorylation of CREB on Ser-133 may facilitate its transcriptional activity in response to various stresses. In the current study, we observed the changes in CREB phosphorylation (Ser-133) and protein expression in Brain of auto-hypoxia-induced HPC mice by using Western blot analysis. We found that the levels of phosphorylated CREB (Ser-133), but not protein expression of CREB, increased significantly (p < 0.05) in the hippocampus and the frontal cortex of mice after repetitive hypoxic exposure (H2-H4, n = 6 for each group), when compared to that of the normoxic (H0, n = 6) or hypoxic exposure once group (H1, n = 6). In addition, a significant enhancement (p < 0.05) of CREB phosphorylation (Ser-133) could also be found in the nuclear extracts from the whole hippocampus of hypoxic preconditioned mice (H2-H4, n = 6 for each group). These results suggest that the phosphorylation of CREB might be involved in the development of cerebral hypoxic preconditioning

Numerical modeling of the dynamic behavior of structures under impact with a discrete elements / finite elements coupling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rousseau, J.

2009-07-01

That study focuses on concrete structures submitted to impact loading and is aimed at predicting local damage in the vicinity of an impact zone as well as the global response of the structure. The Discrete Element Method (DEM) seems particularly well suited in this context for modeling fractures. An identification process of DEM material parameters from macroscopic data (Young's modulus, compressive and tensile strength, fracture energy, etc.) will first be presented for the purpose of enhancing reproducibility and reliability of the simulation results with DE samples of various sizes. Then, a particular interaction, between concrete and steel elements, was developed for the simulation of reinforced concrete. The discrete elements method was validated on quasi-static and dynamic tests carried out on small samples of concrete and reinforced concrete. Finally, discrete elements were used to simulate impacts on reinforced concrete slabs in order to confront the results with experimental tests. The modeling of a large structure by means of DEM may lead to prohibitive computation times. A refined discretization becomes required in the vicinity of the impact, while the structure may be modeled using a coarse FE mesh further from the impact area, where the material behaves elastically. A coupled discrete-finite element approach is thus proposed: the impact zone is modeled by means of DE and elastic FE are used on the rest of the structure. An existing method for 3D finite elements was extended to shells. This new method was then validated on many quasi-static and dynamic tests. The proposed approach is then applied to an impact on a concrete structure in order to validate the coupled method and compare computation times. (author)

Element by element review of their atomic weights

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peiser, H.S.; Holden, N.E.; Bievre, P. de

1984-01-01

The IUPAC 'standard' atomic weights of the terrestrially occurring chemical elements are individually reviewed tracing changes during the past 25 years. Emphasized is the relevant published scientific evidence which in each case constitutes the basis for the expert judgment by the responsible IUPAC Commission. It biennially reports on, recommends, and tabulates the best values of these atomic weights with an implied judgment of their individual reliability. In the introductory part of this Review the history of atomic-weight determinations is sketched. The IUPAC leadership in this data-evaluation project is described as it benefits science, technology, and trade. The remaining experimental uncertainties and natural variabilities are discussed. The treatment of abnormal materials is explained. The principal techniques for determining atomic weights are outlined. The effects of naturally occurring radioactive nuclides are characterized in their essentials. (author)

Extracellular acidification activates ovarian cancer G-protein-coupled receptor 1 and GPR4 homologs of zebra fish

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mochimaru, Yuta [Laboratory of Cell Signaling Regulation, Department of Life Sciences, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571 (Japan); Azuma, Morio [Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, 3190 Gofuku, Toyama 930-8555 (Japan); Oshima, Natsuki; Ichijo, Yuta; Satou, Kazuhiro [Laboratory of Cell Signaling Regulation, Department of Life Sciences, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571 (Japan); Matsuda, Kouhei [Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, 3190 Gofuku, Toyama 930-8555 (Japan); Asaoka, Yoichi; Nishina, Hiroshi [Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510 (Japan); Nakakura, Takashi [Department of Anatomy, Graduate School of Medicine, Teikyo University, 2-11-1 Kaga Itabashi-Ku, Tokyo 173-8605 (Japan); Mogi, Chihiro; Sato, Koichi; Okajima, Fumikazu [Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi 371-8512 (Japan); Tomura, Hideaki, E-mail: tomurah@meiji.ac.jp [Laboratory of Cell Signaling Regulation, Department of Life Sciences, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kawasaki 214-8571 (Japan)

2015-02-20

Mammalian ovarian G-protein-coupled receptor 1 (OGR1) and GPR4 are identified as a proton-sensing G-protein-coupled receptor coupling to multiple intracellular signaling pathways. In the present study, we examined whether zebra fish OGR1 and GPR4 homologs (zOGR1 and zGPR4) could sense protons and activate the multiple intracellular signaling pathways and, if so, whether the similar positions of histidine residue, which is critical for sensing protons in mammalian OGR and GPR4, also play a role to sense protons and activate the multiple signaling pathways in the zebra fish receptors. We found that extracellular acidic pH stimulated CRE-, SRE-, and NFAT-promoter activities in zOGR1 overexpressed cells and stimulated CRE- and SRE- but not NFAT-promoter activities in zGPR4 overexpressed cells. The substitution of histidine residues at the 12th, 15th, 162th, and 264th positions from the N-terminal of zOGR1 with phenylalanine attenuated the proton-induced SRE-promoter activities. The mutation of the histidine residue at the 78th but not the 84th position from the N-terminal of zGPR4 to phenylalanine attenuated the proton-induced SRE-promoter activities. These results suggest that zOGR1 and zGPR4 are also proton-sensing G-protein-coupled receptors, and the receptor activation mechanisms may be similar to those of the mammalian receptors. - Highlights: • Zebra fish OGR1 and GPR4 homologs (zOGR1, zGPR4) are proton-sensing receptors. • The signaling pathways activated by zOGR1 and zGPR4 are different. • Histidine residues critical for sensing protons are conserved.

Modelling optimization involving different types of elements in finite element analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wai, C M; Rivai, Ahmad; Bapokutty, Omar

2013-01-01

Finite elements are used to express the mechanical behaviour of a structure in finite element analysis. Therefore, the selection of the elements determines the quality of the analysis. The aim of this paper is to compare and contrast 1D element, 2D element, and 3D element used in finite element analysis. A simple case study was carried out on a standard W460x74 I-beam. The I-beam was modelled and analyzed statically with 1D elements, 2D elements and 3D elements. The results for the three separate finite element models were compared in terms of stresses, deformation and displacement of the I-beam. All three finite element models yield satisfactory results with acceptable errors. The advantages and limitations of these elements are discussed. 1D elements offer simplicity although lacking in their ability to model complicated geometry. 2D elements and 3D elements provide more detail yet sophisticated results which require more time and computer memory in the modelling process. It is also found that the choice of element in finite element analysis is influence by a few factors such as the geometry of the structure, desired analysis results, and the capability of the computer

Transposable elements in cancer as a by-product of stress-induced evolvability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mourier, Tobias; Nielsen, Lars P.; Hansen, Anders Johannes

2014-01-01

Transposable elements (TEs) are ubiquitous in eukaryotic genomes. Barbara McClintock's famous notion of TEs acting as controlling elements modifying the genetic response of an organism upon exposure to stressful environments has since been solidly supported in a series of model organisms. This re...... as an evolutionary by-product of organisms' abilities to genetically adapt to environmental stress....

Element-topology-independent preconditioners for parallel finite element computations

Science.gov (United States)

Park, K. C.; Alexander, Scott

1992-01-01

A family of preconditioners for the solution of finite element equations are presented, which are element-topology independent and thus can be applicable to element order-free parallel computations. A key feature of the present preconditioners is the repeated use of element connectivity matrices and their left and right inverses. The properties and performance of the present preconditioners are demonstrated via beam and two-dimensional finite element matrices for implicit time integration computations.

Trace element deficiency and its diagnosis by radioisotope injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirchgessner, M.; Schwarz, F.J.

1976-01-01

The metabolism of trace elements is subject to certain mechanisms of homeostatic regulation. The supply status of the trace elements, iron, copper, zinc and manganese has definite effects on their respective extent of intestinal absorption, retention and intestinal excretion. Experimental studies show that there is an increase in intestinal absorption and retention, and a decrease in turnover rate and endogenous excretion of these trace elements in response to deficient dietary intake. On the basis of these results, three models are discussed for the use of radioisotopes in the diagnosis of situations of trace element deficiency: (1) Determination of the intestinal absorption of an orally administered radioisotope dose by measuring the activity of blood; (2) Determination of the retention of a parenterally administered dose in blood or plasma; and (3) Determination of the endogenous faecal excretion of a parenterally administered dose. The advantages and disadvantages of these models are discussed. Determination of the endogenous secretion of the trace element after intravenous injection of its radioisotope may be considered as the simplest and most informative method. (author)

A HLA class I cis-regulatory element whose activity can be modulated by hormones.

Science.gov (United States)

Sim, B C; Hui, K M

1994-12-01

To elucidate the basis of the down-regulation in major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I gene expression and to identify possible DNA-binding regulatory elements that have the potential to interact with class I MHC genes, we have studied the transcriptional regulation of class I HLA genes in human breast carcinoma cells. A 9 base pair (bp) negative cis-regulatory element (NRE) has been identified using band-shift assays employing DNA sequences derived from the 5'-flanking region of HLA class I genes. This 9-bp element, GTCATGGCG, located within exon I of the HLA class I gene, can potently inhibit the expression of a heterologous thymidine kinase (TK) gene promoter and the HLA enhancer element. Furthermore, this regulatory element can exert its suppressive function in either the sense or anti-sense orientation. More interestingly, NRE can suppress dexamethasone-mediated gene activation in the context of the reported glucocorticoid-responsive element (GRE) in MCF-7 cells but has no influence on the estrogen-mediated transcriptional activation of MCF-7 cells in the context of the reported estrogen-responsive element (ERE). Furthermore, the presence of such a regulatory element within the HLA class I gene whose activity can be modulated by hormones correlates well with our observation that the level of HLA class I gene expression can be down-regulated by hormones in human breast carcinoma cells. Such interactions between negative regulatory elements and specific hormone trans-activators are novel and suggest a versatile form of transcriptional control.

Complex finite element sensitivity method for creep analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomez-Farias, Armando; Montoya, Arturo; Millwater, Harry

2015-01-01

The complex finite element method (ZFEM) has been extended to perform sensitivity analysis for mechanical and structural systems undergoing creep deformation. ZFEM uses a complex finite element formulation to provide shape, material, and loading derivatives of the system response, providing an insight into the essential factors which control the behavior of the system as a function of time. A complex variable-based quadrilateral user element (UEL) subroutine implementing the power law creep constitutive formulation was incorporated within the Abaqus commercial finite element software. The results of the complex finite element computations were verified by comparing them to the reference solution for the steady-state creep problem of a thick-walled cylinder in the power law creep range. A practical application of the ZFEM implementation to creep deformation analysis is the calculation of the skeletal point of a notched bar test from a single ZFEM run. In contrast, the standard finite element procedure requires multiple runs. The value of the skeletal point is that it identifies the location where the stress state is accurate, regardless of the certainty of the creep material properties. - Highlights: • A novel finite element sensitivity method (ZFEM) for creep was introduced. • ZFEM has the capability to calculate accurate partial derivatives. • ZFEM can be used for identification of the skeletal point of creep structures. • ZFEM can be easily implemented in a commercial software, e.g. Abaqus. • ZFEM results were shown to be in excellent agreement with analytical solutions

Seismic response of uplifting concrete gravity dams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leger, P.; Sauve, G.; Bhattacharjee, S.

1992-01-01

The foundation interaction effects on the seismic response of dam-foundation systems have generally been studied using the linear elastic finite element models. In reality, the foundation can not develop effective tensile stresses to a significant degree along the interface. A two-dimensional finite element model, in which nonlinear gap elements are used at the dam-foundation interface to determine the uplift response of concrete gravity dams subjected to seismic loads, is presented. Time domain analyses were performed for a wide range of modelling assumptions such as dam height, interface uplift pressure, interface mesh density, and earthquake input motions, that were systematically varied to find their influence on the seismic response. The nonlinear interface behavior generally reduces the seismic response of dam-foundation systems acting as a seismic isolation mechanism, and may increase the safety against sliding by reducing the base shear transmitted to the foundation. 4 refs., 5 figs., 6 tabs

Maize DRE-binding proteins DBF1 and DBF2 are involved in rab17 regulation through the drought-responsive element in an ABA-dependent pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Kizis, Dimosthenis; Pagès, Montserrat

2002-06-01

The abscisic acid-responsive gene rab17 of maize is expressed during late embryogenesis, and is induced by ABA and desiccation in embryo and vegetative tissues. ABRE and DRE cis-elements are involved in regulation of the gene by ABA and drought. Using yeast one-hybrid screening, we isolated two cDNAs encoding two new DRE-binding proteins, designated DBF1 and DBF2, that are members of the AP2/EREBP transcription factor family. Analysis of mRNA accumulation profiles showed that DBF1 is induced during maize embryogenesis and after desiccation, NaCl and ABA treatments in plant seedlings, whereas the DBF2 mRNA is not induced. DNA-binding preferences of DBFs were analysed by electrophoretic mobility shift assays, and showed that both DBF1 and DBF2 bound to the wild-type DRE2 element, but not to the DRE2 mutant or to the DRE1 element which differs only in a single nucleotide. Transactivation activity using particle bombardment showed that DBF1 functioned as activator of DRE2-dependent transcription of rab17 promoter by ABA, whereas DBF2 overexpression had a repression action downregulating not only the basal promoter activity, but also the ABA effect. These results show that ABA plays a role in the regulation of DBF activity, and suggests the existence of an ABA-dependent pathway for the regulation of genes through the C-repeat/DRE element.

Regulation of Cox-2 by Cyclic AMP Response Element Binding Protein in Prostate Cancer: Potential Role for Nexrutine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rita Ghosh

2007-11-01

Full Text Available We recently showed that NexrutineR, a Phellodendron amurense bark extract, suppresses proliferation of prostate cancer cell lines and tumor development in the transgenic adenocarcinoma of mouse prostate (TRAMP model. Our data also indicate that the antiproliferative effects of NexrutineR are mediated in part by Akt and Cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB. Cyclooxygenase (Cox-2, a pro-inflammatory mediator, is a CREB target that induces prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 and suppresses apoptosis. Treatment of LNCaP cells with NexrutineR reduced tumor necrosis factor α-induced enzymatic as well as promoter activities of Cox-2. NexrutineR also reduced the expression and promoter activity of Cox-2 in PC-3 cells that express high constitutive levels of Cox-2. Deletion analysis coupled with mutational analysis of the Cox-2 promoter identified CRE as being sufficient for mediating NexrutineR response. Immunohistochemical analysis of human prostate tumors show increased expression of CREB and DNA binding activity in high-grade tumors (three-fold higher in human prostate tumors compared to normal prostate; P = .01. We have identified CREB-mediated activation of Cox-2 as a potential signaling pathway in prostate cancer which can be blocked with a nontoxic, cost-effective dietary supplement like NexrutineR, demonstrating a prospective for development of NexrutineR for prostate cancer management.

PIXE analysis of trace elements in relation to chlorophyll concentration in Plantago ovata Forsk

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saha, Priyanka; Sen Raychaudhuri, Sarmistha; Chakraborty, Anindita; Sudarshan, Mathummal

2010-01-01

Plantago ovata Forsk - an economically important medicinal plant - was analyzed for trace elements and chlorophyll in a study of the effects of gamma radiation on physiological responses of the seedlings. Proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) technique was used to quantify trace elements in unirradiated and gamma-irradiated plants at the seedling stage. The experiments revealed radiation-induced changes in the trace element and chlorophyll concentrations.

Straightened cervical lordosis causes stress concentration: a finite element model study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wei, Wei; Shi, Shiyuan; Fei, Jun; Wang, Yifan; Chen, Chunyue [Hangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, (China); Liao, Shenhui [School of Information Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan (China)

2013-03-15

In this study, we propose a finite element analysis of the complete cervical spine with straightened and normal physiological curvature by using a specially designed modelling system. An accurate finite element model is established to recommend plausible approaches to treatment of cervical spondylosis through the finite element analysis results. There are few reports of biomechanics influence of the straightened cervical curve. It is difficult to measure internal responses of cervical spine directly. However, the finite element method has been reported to have the capability to quantify both external and internal responses to mechanical loading, such as the strain and stress distribution of spinal components. We choose a subject with a straightened cervical spine from whom to collect the CT scan data, which formed the basis of the finite element analysis. By using a specially designed modelling system, a high quality finite element model of the complete cervical spine with straightened curvature was generated, which was then mapped to reconstruct a normal physiological curvature model by a volumetric mesh deformation method based on discrete differential properties. Then, the same boundary conditions were applied to do a comparison. The result demonstrated that the active movement range of straightened cervical spine decreased by 24–33 %, but the stress increased by 5–95 %. The stress was concentrated at the facet joint cartilage, uncovertebral joint and the disk. The results suggest that cervical lordosis may have a direct impact on cervical spondylosis treatment. These results may be useful for clinical treatment of cervical spondylosis with straightened curvature.

Straightened cervical lordosis causes stress concentration: a finite element model study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, Wei; Shi, Shiyuan; Fei, Jun; Wang, Yifan; Chen, Chunyue; Liao, Shenhui

2013-01-01

In this study, we propose a finite element analysis of the complete cervical spine with straightened and normal physiological curvature by using a specially designed modelling system. An accurate finite element model is established to recommend plausible approaches to treatment of cervical spondylosis through the finite element analysis results. There are few reports of biomechanics influence of the straightened cervical curve. It is difficult to measure internal responses of cervical spine directly. However, the finite element method has been reported to have the capability to quantify both external and internal responses to mechanical loading, such as the strain and stress distribution of spinal components. We choose a subject with a straightened cervical spine from whom to collect the CT scan data, which formed the basis of the finite element analysis. By using a specially designed modelling system, a high quality finite element model of the complete cervical spine with straightened curvature was generated, which was then mapped to reconstruct a normal physiological curvature model by a volumetric mesh deformation method based on discrete differential properties. Then, the same boundary conditions were applied to do a comparison. The result demonstrated that the active movement range of straightened cervical spine decreased by 24–33 %, but the stress increased by 5–95 %. The stress was concentrated at the facet joint cartilage, uncovertebral joint and the disk. The results suggest that cervical lordosis may have a direct impact on cervical spondylosis treatment. These results may be useful for clinical treatment of cervical spondylosis with straightened curvature.

Seismic analysis of the APR1400 nuclear reactor system using a verified beam element model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Jong-beom [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722 (Korea, Republic of); Park, No-Cheol, E-mail: pnch@yonsei.ac.kr [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Sang-Jeong; Park, Young-Pil [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Youngin [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, 62 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34142 (Korea, Republic of)

2017-03-15

Highlights: • A simplified beam element model is constructed based on the real dynamic characteristics of the APR1400. • Time history analysis is performed to calculate the seismic responses of the structures. • Large deformations can be observed at the in-phase mode of reactor vessel and core support barrel. - Abstract: Structural integrity is the first priority in the design of nuclear reactor internal structures. In particular, nuclear reactor internals should be designed to endure external forces, such as those due to earthquakes. Many researchers have performed finite element analyses to meet these design requirements. Generally, a seismic analysis model should reflect the dynamic characteristics of the target system. However, seismic analysis based on the finite element method requires long computation times as well as huge storage space. In this research, a beam element model was developed and confirmed based on the real dynamic characteristics of an advanced pressurized water nuclear reactor 1400 (APR1400) system. That verification process enhances the accuracy of the finite element analysis using the beam elements, remarkably. Also, the beam element model reduces seismic analysis costs. Therefore, the beam element model was used to perform the seismic analysis. Then, the safety of the APR1400 was assessed based on a seismic analysis of the time history responses of its structures. Thus, efficient, accurate seismic analysis was demonstrated using the proposed beam element model.

Seismic analysis of the APR1400 nuclear reactor system using a verified beam element model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jong-beom; Park, No-Cheol; Lee, Sang-Jeong; Park, Young-Pil; Choi, Youngin

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A simplified beam element model is constructed based on the real dynamic characteristics of the APR1400. • Time history analysis is performed to calculate the seismic responses of the structures. • Large deformations can be observed at the in-phase mode of reactor vessel and core support barrel. - Abstract: Structural integrity is the first priority in the design of nuclear reactor internal structures. In particular, nuclear reactor internals should be designed to endure external forces, such as those due to earthquakes. Many researchers have performed finite element analyses to meet these design requirements. Generally, a seismic analysis model should reflect the dynamic characteristics of the target system. However, seismic analysis based on the finite element method requires long computation times as well as huge storage space. In this research, a beam element model was developed and confirmed based on the real dynamic characteristics of an advanced pressurized water nuclear reactor 1400 (APR1400) system. That verification process enhances the accuracy of the finite element analysis using the beam elements, remarkably. Also, the beam element model reduces seismic analysis costs. Therefore, the beam element model was used to perform the seismic analysis. Then, the safety of the APR1400 was assessed based on a seismic analysis of the time history responses of its structures. Thus, efficient, accurate seismic analysis was demonstrated using the proposed beam element model.

Autoshaping with common and distinctive stimulus elements, compact and dispersed arrays.

Science.gov (United States)

Sperling, S E; Perkins, M E

1979-05-01

Four groups of pigeons were trained with a standard autoshaping procedure in which a brief fixed-duration interval always followed by a grain delivery alternated with a longer variable-duration interval never associated with grain delivery. One of two stimuli was always presented during each interval. One of them contained three black dots and a black star on a green background; the other contained four black dots on a green background. The four elements of each stimulus were arranged in a more compact array for two groups and in a more dispersed array for the other two groups. Which of the two stimuli preceded grain delivery was counterbalanced within each pair of groups. The speed of occurrence of the first autoshaped peck was not affected by whether the stimulus containing the distinctive star element preceded grain delivery, but autoshaping was faster when the stimulus arrays were compact than when they were dispersed. During 560 response-independent training trials that followed the first autoshaped peck, this pattern reversed; both discriminative control over responding and the relative frequency of pecking the stimulus that preceded grain delivery were greater for the two groups where this stimulus contained the discriminative element than for the two groups where it contained only common elements. During subsequent testing with stimuli containing only a single element each, the distinctive feature was responded to proportionately more often by the two groups for which it had been an element of the stimulus preceding grain delivery than by the two groups for which it had been an element of the stimulus complex that never was associated with grain delivery. These data add further support to the hypothesis that the initial occurrence of autoshaped responding and its subsequent maintenance are not affected by the same variables. They also suggest that automaintenance is as sensitive as response-dependent training to the presence or absence of a distinctive

Dynamics of unsymmetric piecewise-linear/non-linear systems using finite elements in time

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yu

1995-08-01

The dynamic response and stability of a single-degree-of-freedom system with unsymmetric piecewise-linear/non-linear stiffness are analyzed using the finite element method in the time domain. Based on a Hamilton's weak principle, this method provides a simple and efficient approach for predicting all possible fundamental and sub-periodic responses. The stability of the steady state response is determined by using Floquet's theory without any special effort for calculating transition matrices. This method is applied to a number of examples, demonstrating its effectiveness even for a strongly non-linear problem involving both clearance and continuous stiffness non-linearities. Close agreement is found between available published findings and the predictions of the finite element in time approach, which appears to be an efficient and reliable alternative technique for non-linear dynamic response and stability analysis of periodic systems.

A Polymorphic Antioxidant Response Element Links NRF2/sMAF Binding to Enhanced MAPT Expression and Reduced Risk of Parkinsonian Disorders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuting Wang

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The NRF2/sMAF protein complex regulates the oxidative stress response by occupying cis-acting enhancers containing an antioxidant response element (ARE. Integrating genome-wide maps of NRF2/sMAF occupancy with disease-susceptibility loci, we discovered eight polymorphic AREs linked to 14 highly ranked disease-risk SNPs in individuals of European ancestry. Among these SNPs was rs242561, located within a regulatory region of the MAPT gene (encoding microtubule-associated protein Tau. It was consistently occupied by NRF2/sMAF in multiple experiments and its strong-binding allele associated with higher mRNA levels in cell lines and human brain tissue. Induction of MAPT transcription by NRF2 was confirmed using a human neuroblastoma cell line and a Nrf2-deficient mouse model. Most importantly, rs242561 displayed complete linkage disequilibrium with a highly protective allele identified in multiple GWASs of progressive supranuclear palsy, Parkinson’s disease, and corticobasal degeneration. These observations suggest a potential role for NRF2/sMAF in tauopathies and a possible role for NRF2 pathway activators in disease prevention.

Brain response to primary blast wave using validated finite element models of human head and advanced combat helmet

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liying eZhang

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Blast-induced traumatic brain injury has emerged as a signature injury in combat casualty care. Present combat helmets are designed primarily to protect against ballistic and blunt impacts, but the current issue with helmets is protection concerning blasts. In order to delineate the blast wave attenuating capability of the Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH, a finite element (FE study was undertaken to evaluate the head response against blast loadings with and without helmet using a partially validated FE model of the human head and ACH. Four levels of overpressures (0.27-0.66 MPa from the Bowen’s lung iso-damage threshold curves were used to simulate blast insults. Effectiveness of the helmet with respect to head orientation was also investigated. The resulting biomechanical responses of the brain to blast threats were compared for human head with and without the helmet. For all Bowen’s cases, the peak intracranial pressures (ICP in the head ranged from 0.68-1.8 MPa in the coup cortical region. ACH was found to mitigate ICP in the head by 10-35%. Helmeted head resulted in 30% lower average peak brain strains and product of strain and strain rate. Among three blast loading directions with ACH, highest reduction in peak ICP (44% was due to backward blasts whereas the lowest reduction in peak ICP and brain strains was due to forward blast (27%. The biomechanical responses of a human head to primary blast insult exhibited directional sensitivity owing to the different geometry contours and coverage of the helmet construction and asymmetric anatomy of the head. Thus, direction-specific tolerances are needed in helmet design in order to offer omni-directional protection for the human head. The blasts of varying peak overpressures and durations that are believed to produce the same level of lung injury produce different levels of mechanical responses in the brain, and hence "iso-damage" curves for brain injury are likely different than the Bowen curves

Mixed Element Formulation for the Finite Element-Boundary Integral Method

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Meese, J; Kempel, L. C; Schneider, S. W

2006-01-01

A mixed element approach using right hexahedral elements and right prism elements for the finite element-boundary integral method is presented and discussed for the study of planar cavity-backed antennas...

Discrete Element Modeling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morris, J; Johnson, S

2007-12-03

The Distinct Element Method (also frequently referred to as the Discrete Element Method) (DEM) is a Lagrangian numerical technique where the computational domain consists of discrete solid elements which interact via compliant contacts. This can be contrasted with Finite Element Methods where the computational domain is assumed to represent a continuum (although many modern implementations of the FEM can accommodate some Distinct Element capabilities). Often the terms Discrete Element Method and Distinct Element Method are used interchangeably in the literature, although Cundall and Hart (1992) suggested that Discrete Element Methods should be a more inclusive term covering Distinct Element Methods, Displacement Discontinuity Analysis and Modal Methods. In this work, DEM specifically refers to the Distinct Element Method, where the discrete elements interact via compliant contacts, in contrast with Displacement Discontinuity Analysis where the contacts are rigid and all compliance is taken up by the adjacent intact material.

The Indirect Boundary Element Method (IBEM) for Seismic Response of Topographical Irregularities in Layered Media

Science.gov (United States)

Contreras Zazueta, M. A.; Perton, M.; Sanchez-Sesma, F. J.; Sánchez-Alvaro, E.

2013-12-01

The seismic hazard assessment of extended developments, such as a dam, a bridge or a pipeline, needs the strong ground motion simulation taking into account the effects of surface geology. In many cases the incoming wave field can be obtained from attenuation relations or simulations for layered media using Discrete Wave Number (DWN). Sometimes there is a need to include in simulations the seismic source as well. A number of methods to solve these problems have been developed. Among them the Finite Element and Finite Difference Methods (FEM and FDM) are generally preferred because of the facility of use. Nevertheless, the analysis of realistic dynamic loading induced by earthquakes requires a thinner mesh of the entire domain to consider high frequencies. Consequently this may imply a high computational cost. The Indirect Boundary Element Method (IBEM) can also be employed. Here it is used to study the response of a site to historical seismic activity. This method is particularly suited to model wave propagation through wide areas as it requires only the meshing of boundaries. Moreover, it is well suited to represent finely the diffraction that can occur on a fault. However, the IBEM has been applied mainly to simple geometrical configurations. In this communication significant refinements of the formulation are presented. Using IBEM we can simulate wave propagation in complex geometrical configurations such as a stratified medium crossed by thin faults or having a complex topography. Two main developments are here described; one integrates the DWN method inside the IBEM in order to represent the Green's functions of stratified media with relatively low computational cost but assuming unbounded parallel flat layers, and the other is the extension of IBEM to deal with multi-regions in contact which allows more versatility with a higher computational cost compared to the first one but still minor to an equivalent FEM formulation. The two approaches are fully

A 'Swinging Cradle' model for in vitro classification of different types of response elements of a nuclear receptor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malo, Madhu S.; Pushpakaran, Premraj; Hodin, Richard A.

2005-01-01

Nuclear receptors are hormone-activated transcription factors that bind to specific target sequences termed hormone-response element (HRE). A HRE usually consists of two half-sites (5'-AGGTCA-3' consensus sequence) arranged as a direct, everted or inverted repeat with variable spacer region. Assignment of a HRE as a direct, everted or inverted repeat is based on its homology to the consensus half-site, but minor variations can make such an assignment confusing. We hypothesize a 'Swinging Cradle' model for HRE classification, whereby the core HRE functions as the 'sitting platform' for the NR, and the extra nucleotides at either end act as the 'sling' of the Cradle. We show that in vitro binding of the thyroid hormone receptor and 9-cis retinoic acid receptor heterodimer to an everted repeat TRE follows the 'Swinging Cradle' model, whereas the other TREs do not. We also show that among these TREs, the everted repeat mediates the highest biological activity

Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 regulates IGFBP-1 gene transcription through the Thymine-rich Insulin Response Element

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marquez Rodolfo

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Hepatic expression of several gene products involved in glucose metabolism, including phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK, glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1, is rapidly and completely inhibited by insulin. This inhibition is mediated through the regulation of a DNA element present in each of these gene promoters, that we call the Thymine-rich Insulin Response Element (TIRE. The insulin signalling pathway that results in the inhibition of these gene promoters requires the activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase. However, the molecules that connect PI 3-kinase to these gene promoters are not yet fully defined. Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 (GSK-3 is inhibited following activation of PI 3-kinase. We have shown previously that inhibitors of GSK-3 reduce the activity of two TIRE-containing gene promoters (PEPCK and G6Pase, whose products are required for gluconeogenesis. Results In this report we demonstrate that in H4IIE-C3 cells, four distinct classes of GSK-3 inhibitor mimic the effect of insulin on a third TIRE-containing gene, IGFBP-1. We identify the TIRE as the minimum requirement for inhibition by these agents, and demonstrate that the target of GSK-3 is unlikely to be the postulated TIRE-binding protein FOXO-1. Importantly, overexpression of GSK-3 in cells reduces the insulin regulation of TIRE activity as well as endogenous IGFBP-1 expression. Conclusions These results implicate GSK-3 as an intermediate in the pathway from the insulin receptor to the TIRE. Indeed, this is the first demonstration of an absolute requirement for GSK-3 inhibition in insulin regulation of gene transcription. These data support the potential use of GSK-3 inhibitors in the treatment of insulin resistant states such as Type 2 diabetes mellitus, but suggest that it will be important to identify all TIRE-containing genes to assess potential side effects of these agents.

Elemental markers in elasmobranchs: effects of environmental history and growth on vertebral chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Wade D; Miller, Jessica A; Heppell, Selina S

2013-01-01

Differences in the chemical composition of calcified skeletal structures (e.g. shells, otoliths) have proven useful for reconstructing the environmental history of many marine species. However, the extent to which ambient environmental conditions can be inferred from the elemental signatures within the vertebrae of elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, rays) has not been evaluated. To assess the relationship between water and vertebral elemental composition, we conducted two laboratory studies using round stingrays, Urobatis halleri, as a model species. First, we examined the effects of temperature (16°, 18°, 24°C) on vertebral elemental incorporation (Li/Ca, Mg/Ca, Mn/Ca, Zn/Ca, Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca). Second, we tested the relationship between water and subsequent vertebral elemental composition by manipulating dissolved barium concentrations (1x, 3x, 6x). We also evaluated the influence of natural variation in growth rate on elemental incorporation for both experiments. Finally, we examined the accuracy of classifying individuals to known environmental histories (temperature and barium treatments) using vertebral elemental composition. Temperature had strong, negative effects on the uptake of magnesium (DMg) and barium (DBa) and positively influenced manganese (DMn) incorporation. Temperature-dependent responses were not observed for lithium and strontium. Vertebral Ba/Ca was positively correlated with ambient Ba/Ca. Partition coefficients (DBa) revealed increased discrimination of barium in response to increased dissolved barium concentrations. There were no significant relationships between elemental incorporation and somatic growth or vertebral precipitation rates for any elements except Zn. Relationships between somatic growth rate and DZn were, however, inconsistent and inconclusive. Variation in the vertebral elemental signatures of U. halleri reliably distinguished individual rays from each treatment based on temperature (85%) and Ba exposure (96%) history. These

Transportation of irradiated fuel elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Preece, A.H.

1980-01-01

The report falls under the headings: introduction (explaining the special interest of the London Borough of Brent, as forming part of the route for transportation of irradiated fuel elements); nuclear power (with special reference to transport of spent fuel and radioactive wastes); the flask aspect (design, safety regulations, criticisms, tests, etc.); the accident aspect (working manual for rail staff, train formation, responsibility, postulated accident situations); the emergency arrangements aspect; the monitoring aspect (health and safety reports); legislation; contingency plans; radiation - relevant background information. (U.K.)

Four regulatory elements in the human c-fos promoter mediate transactivation by HTLV-1 Tax protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Alexandre, C; Verrier, B

1991-04-01

Expression of the human c-fos proto-oncogene is activated in trans by the Tax protein encoded by human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1). Indeed, we show here that a HeLa clone stably transfected by Tax expresses Fos at a high level. We also show that multiple elements of the human c-fos promoter, i.e. the v-sis conditioned medium inducible element (SIE), the dyad symmetry element (DSE) necessary for growth factor induction, the octanucleotide direct repeat element (DR), and the cyclic AMP response element (CRE) centred at -60, can all mediate Tax transactivation. In the DSE, the 10bp central core that binds the serum response factor (SRF) is, by itself, sufficient to mediate Tax transactivation. Moreover, a CRE-binding protein is involved in Tax activation through the CRE-60 element. Since Fos is a transregulator of cellular genes, our results suggest that the oncoprotein plays a crucial role in T-cell transformation by HTLV-1 in conjunction with other Tax-inducible genes.

Influence of easily ionised elements on the delayed responses of the emission intensities of an analyte in a power modulated U-shaped argon stabilised DC arc plasma with an aerosol supply

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MIROSLAV KUZMANOVIC

2005-09-01

Full Text Available The current of a U-shaped argon stabilised DC arc was square modulated with a 40 Hz repetition frequency between 6 and 3 A. The delayed line intensity responses to the modulation of the arc current were investigated using calcium as a representative analyte. The intensities of both the atomic and ionic lines were monitored at different distances from the arc axis in the presence of various concentrations of the easily ionised element. Temporal evolutions were monitored on a millisecond time scale. It was found that the responses of the line intesity to the arc current change strongly depended on the observed radial position, especially in the vicinity of the arc axis. The obtained results showed a significant influence of even small amounts of the easily ionised element on the excitation and transport of the analyte and indicated a way of possibly improving the analytical capabilities of the excitation source.

Probalistic Finite Elements (PFEM) structural dynamics and fracture mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wing-Kam; Belytschko, Ted; Mani, A.; Besterfield, G.

1989-01-01

The purpose of this work is to develop computationally efficient methodologies for assessing the effects of randomness in loads, material properties, and other aspects of a problem by a finite element analysis. The resulting group of methods is called probabilistic finite elements (PFEM). The overall objective of this work is to develop methodologies whereby the lifetime of a component can be predicted, accounting for the variability in the material and geometry of the component, the loads, and other aspects of the environment; and the range of response expected in a particular scenario can be presented to the analyst in addition to the response itself. Emphasis has been placed on methods which are not statistical in character; that is, they do not involve Monte Carlo simulations. The reason for this choice of direction is that Monte Carlo simulations of complex nonlinear response require a tremendous amount of computation. The focus of efforts so far has been on nonlinear structural dynamics. However, in the continuation of this project, emphasis will be shifted to probabilistic fracture mechanics so that the effect of randomness in crack geometry and material properties can be studied interactively with the effect of random load and environment.

Application of Dynamic Analysis in Semi-Analytical Finite Element Method.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Pengfei; Xing, Qinyan; Wang, Dawei; Oeser, Markus

2017-08-30

Analyses of dynamic responses are significantly important for the design, maintenance and rehabilitation of asphalt pavement. In order to evaluate the dynamic responses of asphalt pavement under moving loads, a specific computational program, SAFEM, was developed based on a semi-analytical finite element method. This method is three-dimensional and only requires a two-dimensional FE discretization by incorporating Fourier series in the third dimension. In this paper, the algorithm to apply the dynamic analysis to SAFEM was introduced in detail. Asphalt pavement models under moving loads were built in the SAFEM and commercial finite element software ABAQUS to verify the accuracy and efficiency of the SAFEM. The verification shows that the computational accuracy of SAFEM is high enough and its computational time is much shorter than ABAQUS. Moreover, experimental verification was carried out and the prediction derived from SAFEM is consistent with the measurement. Therefore, the SAFEM is feasible to reliably predict the dynamic response of asphalt pavement under moving loads, thus proving beneficial to road administration in assessing the pavement's state.

The transuranium elements: From neptunium and plutonium to element 112

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, D.C.

1996-01-01

Beginning in the 1930's, both chemists and physicists became interested in synthesizing new artificial elements. The first transuranium element, Np, was synthesized in 1940. Over the past six decades, 20 transuranium elements have been produced. A review of the synthesis is given. The procedure of naming the heavy elements is also discussed. It appears feasible to produce elements 113 and 114. With the Berkeley Gas-filled Separator, it should be possible to reach the superheavy elements in the region of the spherical Z=114 shell, but with fewer neutrons than the N=184 spherical shell. 57 refs, 6 figs

General Stress Responses in the Honey Bee

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naïla Even

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The biological concept of stress originated in mammals, where a “General Adaptation Syndrome” describes a set of common integrated physiological responses to diverse noxious agents. Physiological mechanisms of stress in mammals have been extensively investigated through diverse behavioral and physiological studies. One of the main elements of the stress response pathway is the endocrine hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA axis, which underlies the “fight-or-flight” response via a hormonal cascade of catecholamines and corticoid hormones. Physiological responses to stress have been studied more recently in insects: they involve biogenic amines (octopamine, dopamine, neuropeptides (allatostatin, corazonin and metabolic hormones (adipokinetic hormone, diuretic hormone. Here, we review elements of the physiological stress response that are or may be specific to honey bees, given the economical and ecological impact of this species. This review proposes a hypothetical integrated honey bee stress pathway somewhat analogous to the mammalian HPA, involving the brain and, particularly, the neurohemal organ corpora cardiaca and peripheral targets, including energy storage organs (fat body and crop. We discuss how this system can organize rapid coordinated changes in metabolic activity and arousal, in response to adverse environmental stimuli. We highlight physiological elements of the general stress responses that are specific to honey bees, and the areas in which we lack information to stimulate more research into how this fascinating and vital insect responds to stress.

A role for circadian evening elements in cold-regulated gene expression in Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mikkelsen, Michael D; Thomashow, Michael F

2009-10-01

The plant transcriptome is dramatically altered in response to low temperature. The cis-acting DNA regulatory elements and trans-acting factors that regulate the majority of cold-regulated genes are unknown. Previous bioinformatic analysis has indicated that the promoters of cold-induced genes are enriched in the Evening Element (EE), AAAATATCT, a DNA regulatory element that has a role in circadian-regulated gene expression. Here we tested the role of EE and EE-like (EEL) elements in cold-induced expression of two Arabidopsis genes, CONSTANS-like 1 (COL1; At5g54470) and a gene encoding a 27-kDa protein of unknown function that we designated COLD-REGULATED GENE 27 (COR27; At5g42900). Mutational analysis indicated that the EE/EEL elements were required for cold induction of COL1 and COR27, and that their action was amplified through coupling with ABA response element (ABRE)-like (ABREL) motifs. An artificial promoter consisting solely of four EE motifs interspersed with three ABREL motifs was sufficient to impart cold-induced gene expression. Both COL1 and COR27 were found to be regulated by the circadian clock at warm growth temperatures and cold-induction of COR27 was gated by the clock. These results suggest that cold- and clock-regulated gene expression are integrated through regulatory proteins that bind to EE and EEL elements supported by transcription factors acting at ABREL sequences. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that the coupling of EE and EEL motifs with ABREL motifs is highly enriched in cold-induced genes and thus may constitute a DNA regulatory element pair with a significant role in configuring the low-temperature transcriptome.

Atrium and HTP fuel elements for the U.S. market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morgan, J.N.; Krebs, W.D.

1994-01-01

The international acitivities of Siemens in the nuclear fuel sector are the responsibility of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Unit of the Power Generation Division (KWU) in Germany, the Nuclear Dividion of Siemens Power Corporation (SPC) in the Unites States, and the German Siemens subsidiaries, ANF GmbH (fuel element fabrication) in Lingen and NRG - Nuklearrohr Gesellschaft mbH (cladding tube production) in Duisburg. The requirements of the U.S. market for light water reactor fuel elements are met by products from the European market. (orig.) [de

Stabilization of numerical interchange in spectral-element magnetohydrodynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Sovinec, C. R.

2016-08-01

Auxiliary numerical projections of the divergence of flow velocity and vorticity parallel to magnetic field are developed and tested for the purpose of suppressing unphysical interchange instability in magnetohydrodynamic simulations. The numerical instability arises with equal-order C0 finite- and spectral-element expansions of the flow velocity, magnetic field, and pressure and is sensitive to behavior at the limit of resolution. The auxiliary projections are motivated by physical field-line bending, and coercive responses to the projections are added to the flow-velocity equation. Their incomplete expansions are limited to the highest-order orthogonal polynomial in at least one coordinate of the spectral elements. Cylindrical eigenmode computations show that the projections induce convergence from the stable side with first-order ideal-MHD equations during h-refinement and p-refinement. Hyperbolic and parabolic projections and responses are compared, together with different methods for avoiding magnetic divergence error. The projections are also shown to be effective in linear and nonlinear time-dependent computations with the NIMROD code Sovinec et al. [17], provided that the projections introduce numerical dissipation.

Limitless Analytic Elements

Science.gov (United States)

Strack, O. D. L.

2018-02-01

We present equations for new limitless analytic line elements. These elements possess a virtually unlimited number of degrees of freedom. We apply these new limitless analytic elements to head-specified boundaries and to problems with inhomogeneities in hydraulic conductivity. Applications of these new analytic elements to practical problems involving head-specified boundaries require the solution of a very large number of equations. To make the new elements useful in practice, an efficient iterative scheme is required. We present an improved version of the scheme presented by Bandilla et al. (2007), based on the application of Cauchy integrals. The limitless analytic elements are useful when modeling strings of elements, rivers for example, where local conditions are difficult to model, e.g., when a well is close to a river. The solution of such problems is facilitated by increasing the order of the elements to obtain a good solution. This makes it unnecessary to resort to dividing the element in question into many smaller elements to obtain a satisfactory solution.

Discrete element modeling of microstructure of nacre

Science.gov (United States)

Chandler, Mei Qiang; Cheng, Jing-Ru C.

2018-04-01

The microstructure of nacre consists of polygon-shaped aragonite mineral tablets bonded by very thin layers of organic materials and is organized in a brick-mortar morphology. In this research, the discrete element method was utilized to model this structure. The aragonite mineral tablets were modeled with three-dimensional polygon particles generated by the Voronoi tessellation method to represent the Voronoi-like patterns of mineral tablets assembly observed in experiments. The organic matrix was modeled with a group of spring elements. The constitutive relations of the spring elements were inspired from the experimental results of organic molecules from the literature. The mineral bridges were modeled with simple elastic bonds with the parameters based on experimental data from the literature. The bulk stress-strain responses from the models agreed well with experimental results. The model results show that the mineral bridges play important roles in providing the stiffness and yield strength for the nacre, while the organic matrix in providing the ductility for the nacre. This work demonstrated the suitability of particle methods for modeling microstructures of nacre.

Seismic response of LMFBR tanks with imperfections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gvildys, J.; Ma, D.C.; Chang, Y.W.

1985-01-01

This paper deals with seismic responses of imperfect circular tanks. Physical imperfection due to manufacturing tolerances and numerical imperfection due to finite element spatial discretization are described. Numerical imperfections produced by 4-node and 9-node Lagrangian shell elements are examined. A convergence study is performed in which the number of the shell elements required to capture the dominant ''out-of-roundness'' modes under seismic excitations is determined. The response of a shell with a cos4theta imperfection due to manufacturing tolerances is compared with that of a perfect circular shell to demonstrate the effects of imperfection on the axial stresses of the shell under seismic conditions. 3 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs

Autoshaping with common and distinctive stimulus elements, compact and dispersed arrays1

Science.gov (United States)

Sperling, Sally E.; Perkins, Mark E.

1979-01-01

Four groups of pigeons were trained with a standard autoshaping procedure in which a brief fixed-duration interval always followed by a grain delivery alternated with a longer variable-duration interval never associated with grain delivery. One of two stimuli was always presented during each interval. One of them contained three black dots and a black star on a green background; the other contained four black dots on a green background. The four elements of each stimulus were arranged in a more compact array for two groups and in a more dispersed array for the other two groups. Which of the two stimuli preceded grain delivery was counterbalanced within each pair of groups. The speed of occurrence of the first autoshaped peck was not affected by whether the stimulus containing the distinctive star element preceded grain delivery, but autoshaping was faster when the stimulus arrays were compact than when they were dispersed. During 560 response-independent training trials that followed the first autoshaped peck, this pattern reversed; both discriminative control over responding and the relative frequency of pecking the stimulus that preceded grain delivery were greater for the two groups where this stimulus contained the discriminative element than for the two groups where it contained only common elements. During subsequent testing with stimuli containing only a single element each, the distinctive feature was responded to proportionately more often by the two groups for which it had been an element of the stimulus preceding grain delivery than by the two groups for which it had been an element of the stimulus complex that never was associated with grain delivery. These data add further support to the hypothesis that the initial occurrence of autoshaped responding and its subsequent maintenance are not affected by the same variables. They also suggest that automaintenance is as sensitive as response-dependent training to the presence or absence of a distinctive

Gender and international crisis response

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eklund, Lisa; Tellier, Siri

2012-01-01

For more than a decade the humanitarian community has been mandated to mainstream gender in its response to crises. One element of this mandate is a repeated call for sex-disaggregated data to help guide the response. This study examines available analyses, assessments and academic literature to ...

Regulatory elements in the promoter region of the rat gene encoding the acyl-CoA-binding protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elholm, M; Bjerking, G; Knudsen, J

1996-01-01

for the ACBP DR-1 element. Addition of peroxisome proliferators (PP) to H4IIEC3 rat hepatoma cells led to an increase in the ACBP mRNA level, indicating that the DR-1 element could be a functional peroxisome proliferator responsive element (PPRE). Analysis of the ACBP promoter by transient transfection showed...

Efficient Analysis of Structures with Rotatable Elements Using Model Order Reduction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Fotyga

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a novel full-wave technique which allows for a fast 3D finite element analysis of waveguide structures containing rotatable tuning elements of arbitrary shapes. Rotation of these elements changes the resonant frequencies of the structure, which can be used in the tuning process to obtain the S-characteristics desired for the device. For fast commutations of the response as the tuning elements are rotated, the 3D finite element method is supported by multilevel model-order reduction, orthogonal projection at the boundaries of macromodels and the operation called macromodels cloning. All the time-consuming steps are performed only once in the preparatory stage. In the tuning stage, only small parts of the domain are updated, by means of a special meshing technique. In effect, the tuning process is performed extremely rapidly. The results of the numerical experiments confirm the efficiency and validity of the proposed method.

Finite element model updating of concrete structures based on imprecise probability

Science.gov (United States)

Biswal, S.; Ramaswamy, A.

2017-09-01

Imprecise probability based methods are developed in this study for the parameter estimation, in finite element model updating for concrete structures, when the measurements are imprecisely defined. Bayesian analysis using Metropolis Hastings algorithm for parameter estimation is generalized to incorporate the imprecision present in the prior distribution, in the likelihood function, and in the measured responses. Three different cases are considered (i) imprecision is present in the prior distribution and in the measurements only, (ii) imprecision is present in the parameters of the finite element model and in the measurement only, and (iii) imprecision is present in the prior distribution, in the parameters of the finite element model, and in the measurements. Procedures are also developed for integrating the imprecision in the parameters of the finite element model, in the finite element software Abaqus. The proposed methods are then verified against reinforced concrete beams and prestressed concrete beams tested in our laboratory as part of this study.

ATTRIBUTION OF CONDUCT TO A STATE-THE SUBJECTIVE ELEMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY OT THE STATE FOR INTERNATIONALLY WRONGFUL ACTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

FELICIA MAXIM

2012-05-01

Full Text Available In order to establish responsibility of states for internationally wrongful act, two elements are identified. First, the conduct in question must be attributable to the State under international law. Secondly, for responsibility to attach to the act of the State, the conduct must constitute a breach of an international legal obligation in force for that State at that time. For particular conduct to be characterized as an internationally wrongful act, it must first be attributable to the State. The State is a real organized entity, a legal person with full authority to act under international law. But to recognize this is not to deny the elementary fact that the State cannot act of itself. States can act only by and through their agents and representatives. In determining what constitutes an organ of a State for the purposes of responsibility, the internal law and practice of each State are of prime importance. The structure of the State and the functions of its organs are not, in general, governed by international law. It is a matter for each State to decide how its administration is to be structured and which functions are to be assumed by government. But while the State remains free to determine its internal structure and functions through its own law and practice, international law has a distinct role. Conduct is thereby attributed to the State as a subject of international law and not as a subject of internal law. The State as a subject of international law is held responsible for the conduct of all the organs, instrumentalities and officials which form part of its organization and act in that capacity, whether or not they have separate legal personality under its internal law.

A fluid-solid finite element method for the analysis of reactor safety problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitra, Santanu; Kumar, Ashutosh; Sinhamahapatra, K.P.

2006-01-01

The work presented herein can broadly be categorized as a fluid-structure interaction problem. The response of a circular cylindrical structure subjected to cross flow is examined using the finite element method for both the liquid and the structure domains. The cylindrical tube is mounted elastically at the ends and is free to move under the action of the unsteady flow-induced forces. The fluid is considered to be acoustic compressible and viscous. A Galerkin finite element method implemented on a triangular mesh is used to solve the time-dependent Navier-Stokes equations. The cylinder motion is modeled using a five-degrees of freedom generalized shell element structural dynamics model. The numerical simulations of the response of the calandria tubes/pressure tubes, adjustor rod and shut-off rod of a nuclear reactor are presented. A few typical results are presented to assess the accuracy and applicability of the developed modules

Effects of trace elements and mono- and dithiols on mitochondrial monoamine oxidase of rats

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Revis, N.; Horton, C.

1978-01-01

The effects of several trace elements on mitochondrial monoamine oxidase (MAO) were studied. Elements were studied at a concentration of 1 mM; only mercury, cadmium, and copper were significantly effective in reducing the activity of this enzyme. Of several thiols tested, only dithiothreitol could reverse the inhibition of MAO by these elements. Evidence is also presented in this report to show that cysteine, homocysteine, and reduced glutathione inhibit this MAO, whereas dithiothreitol or dithioerythritol evoke stimulatory responses.

Macro-Elements and Trace Elements in Cereal Grains Cultivated in Latvia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jākobsone Ida

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Cereal-based foods have great importance in the compensation of micro- and trace element deficiency, because 50% of the foods produced worldwide are made up of cereal grains. The aim of the research was to determine the concentration of macro-elements and trace elements in different cereals cultivated in Latvia. Various cereals were used in the research: rye (n = 45, barley (n = 54, spring wheat (n = 27, winter wheat (n = 53, triticale (n = 45 and oats (n = 42. Thirteen macro- and trace elements (Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Al, Cu, K, Na, Mn, Fe, Zn, Mg, Ca were determined in cereal grain samples (n = 266. Macro-elements and trace elements varied significantly (p < 0.01 or p < 0.001. The highest concentrations of macro- and trace elements were found in oats and the lowest in rye. The obtained data will expand the opportunity for food and nutrition scientists to evaluate content of the examined elements in grain products, and dietary consumption (bioavailability of the examined macro-elements and trace elements.

H-2RIIBP, a member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily that binds to both the regulatory element of major histocompatibility class I genes and the estrogen response element.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamada, K; Gleason, S L; Levi, B Z; Hirschfeld, S; Appella, E; Ozato, K

1989-11-01

Transcription of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I genes is regulated by the conserved MHC class I regulatory element (CRE). The CRE has two factor-binding sites, region I and region II, both of which elicit enhancer function. By screening a mouse lambda gt 11 library with the CRE as a probe, we isolated a cDNA clone that encodes a protein capable of binding to region II of the CRE. This protein, H-2RIIBP (H-2 region II binding protein), bound to the native region II sequence, but not to other MHC cis-acting sequences or to mutant region II sequences, similar to the naturally occurring region II factor in mouse cells. The deduced amino acid sequence of H-2RIIBP revealed two putative zinc fingers homologous to the DNA-binding domain of steroid/thyroid hormone receptors. Although sequence similarity in other regions was minimal, H-2RIIBP has apparent modular domains characteristic of the nuclear hormone receptors. Further analyses showed that both H-2RIIBP and the natural region II factor bind to the estrogen response element (ERE) of the vitellogenin A2 gene. The ERE is composed of a palindrome, and half of this palindrome resembles the region II binding site of the MHC CRE. These results indicate that H-2RIIBP (i) is a member of the superfamily of nuclear hormone receptors and (ii) may regulate not only MHC class I genes but also genes containing the ERE and related sequences. Sequences homologous to the H-2RIIBP gene are widely conserved in the animal kingdom. H-2RIIBP mRNA is expressed in many mouse tissues, in agreement with the distribution of the natural region II factor.

Supervised and Unsupervised Speaker Adaptation in the NIST 2005 Speaker Recognition Evaluation

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Hansen, Eric G; Slyh, Raymond E; Anderson, Timothy R

2006-01-01

Starting in 2004, the annual NIST Speaker Recognition Evaluation (SRE) has added an optional unsupervised speaker adaptation track where test files are processed sequentially and one may update the target model...

Finite element model updating in structural dynamics using design sensitivity and optimisation

OpenAIRE

Calvi, Adriano

1998-01-01

Model updating is an important issue in engineering. In fact a well-correlated model provides for accurate evaluation of the structure loads and responses. The main objectives of the study were to exploit available optimisation programs to create an error localisation and updating procedure of nite element models that minimises the "error" between experimental and analytical modal data, addressing in particular the updating of large scale nite element models with se...

Amino Acid Change in the Carbohydrate Response Element Binding Protein is associated with lower triglycerides and myocardial infarction incidence depending on level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet in the PREDIMED trial

Science.gov (United States)

A variant (rs3812316, C771G, and Gln241His) in the MLXIPL (Max-like protein X interacting protein-like) gene encoding the carbohydrate response element binding protein has been associated with lower triglycerides. However, its association with cardiovascular diseases and gene-diet interactions modul...

Phase reduction and synchronization of a network of coupled dynamical elements exhibiting collective oscillations

Science.gov (United States)

Nakao, Hiroya; Yasui, Sho; Ota, Masashi; Arai, Kensuke; Kawamura, Yoji

2018-04-01

A general phase reduction method for a network of coupled dynamical elements exhibiting collective oscillations, which is applicable to arbitrary networks of heterogeneous dynamical elements, is developed. A set of coupled adjoint equations for phase sensitivity functions, which characterize the phase response of the collective oscillation to small perturbations applied to individual elements, is derived. Using the phase sensitivity functions, collective oscillation of the network under weak perturbation can be described approximately by a one-dimensional phase equation. As an example, mutual synchronization between a pair of collectively oscillating networks of excitable and oscillatory FitzHugh-Nagumo elements with random coupling is studied.

Towards improved modeling of steel-concrete composite wall elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vecchio, Frank J.; McQuade, Ian

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Improved analysis of double skinned steel concrete composite containment walls. → Smeared rotating crack concept applied in formulation of new analytical model. → Model implemented into finite element program; numerically stable and robust. → Models behavior of shear-critical elements with greater ease and improved accuracy. → Accurate assessments of strength, deformation and failure mode of test specimens. - Abstract: The Disturbed Stress Field Model, a smeared rotating crack model for reinforced concrete based on the Modified Compression Field Theory, is adapted to the analysis of double-skin steel-concrete wall elements. The computational model is then incorporated into a two-dimensional nonlinear finite element analysis algorithm. Verification studies are undertaken by modeling various test specimens, including panel elements subject to uniaxial compression, panel elements subjected to in-plane shear, and wall specimens subjected to reversed cyclic lateral displacements. In all cases, the analysis model is found to provide accurate calculations of structural load capacities, pre- and post-peak displacement responses, post-peak ductility, chronology of damage, and ultimate failure mode. Minor deficiencies are found in regards to the accurate portrayal of faceplate buckling and the effects of interfacial slip between the faceplates and the concrete. Other aspects of the modeling procedure that are in need of further research and development are also identified and discussed.

Theoretical models to predict the transient heat transfer performance of HIFAR fuel elements under non-forced convective conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Green, W.J.

1987-04-01

Simple theoretical models have been developed which are suitable for predicting the thermal responses of irradiated research fuel elements of markedly different geometries when they are subjected to loss-of-coolant accident conditions. These models have been used to calculate temperature responses corresponding to various non-forced convective conditions. Comparisons between experimentally observed temperatures and calculated values have shown that a suitable value for surface thermal emissivity is 0.35; modelling of the fuel element beyond the region of the fuel plate needs to be included since these areas account for approximately 25 per cent of the thermal power dissipated; general agreement between calculated and experimental temperatures for both transient and steady-state conditions is good - the maximum discrepancy between calculated and experimental temperatures for a HIFAR Mark IV/V fuel element is ∼ 70 deg C, and for an Oak Ridge Reactor (ORR) box-type fuel element ∼ 30 deg C; and axial power distribution does not significantly affect thermal responses for the conditions investigated. Overall, the comparisons have shown that the models evolved can reproduce experimental data to a level of accuracy that provides confidence in the modelling technique and the postulated heat dissipation mechanisms, and that these models can be used to predict thermal responses of fuel elements in accident conditions that are not easily investigated experimentally

cis- and trans-acting elements of the estrogen-regulated vitellogenin gene B1 of Xenopus laevis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wahli, W; Martinez, E; Corthésy, B; Cardinaux, J R

1989-01-01

Vitellogenin genes are expressed under strict estrogen control in the liver of female oviparous vertebrates. Gene transfer experiments using estrogen-responsive cells have shown that the 13 bp perfect palindromic element GGTCACTGTGACC found upstream of the Xenopus laevis vitellogenin gene A2 promoter mediates hormonal stimulation and thus, was called the estrogen-responsive element (ERE). In the Xenopus vitellogenin genes B1 and B2 there are two closely adjacent EREs with one or more base substitutions when compared to the consensus ERE GGTCANNNTGACC. On their own, these degenerated elements have only a low or no regulatory capacity at all but act together synergistically to form an estrogen-responsive unit (ERU) with the same strength as the perfect palindromic 13 bp element. Analysis of estrogen receptor binding to the gene B1 ERU revealed a cooperative interaction of receptor dimers to the two adjacent imperfect EREs which most likely explains the synergistic stimulation observed in vivo. Furthermore, a promoter activator element located between positions --113 and --42 of the gene B1 and functional in the human MCF-7 and the Xenopus B3.2 cells has been identified and shown to be involved in the high level of induced transcription activity when the ERE is placed at a distance from the promoter. Finally, a hormone-controlled in vitro transcription system derived from Xenopus liver nuclear extracts was exploited to characterize two additional novel cis-acting elements within the vitellogenin gene B1 promoter. One of them, a negative regulatory element (NRE), is responsible for repression of promoter activity in the absence of hormone. The second is related to the NF-I binding site and is required, together with the ERE, to mediate hormonal induction. Moreover, we detected three trans-acting activities in Xenopus liver nuclear extracts that interact with these regions and demonstrated that they participate in the regulation of the expression of the vitellogenin

Development of polygon elements based on the scaled boundary finite element method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiong, Irene; Song Chongmin

2010-01-01

We aim to extend the scaled boundary finite element method to construct conforming polygon elements. The development of the polygonal finite element is highly anticipated in computational mechanics as greater flexibility and accuracy can be achieved using these elements. The scaled boundary polygonal finite element will enable new developments in mesh generation, better accuracy from a higher order approximation and better transition elements in finite element meshes. Polygon elements of arbitrary number of edges and order have been developed successfully. The edges of an element are discretised with line elements. The displacement solution of the scaled boundary finite element method is used in the development of shape functions. They are shown to be smooth and continuous within the element, and satisfy compatibility and completeness requirements. Furthermore, eigenvalue decomposition has been used to depict element modes and outcomes indicate the ability of the scaled boundary polygonal element to express rigid body and constant strain modes. Numerical tests are presented; the patch test is passed and constant strain modes verified. Accuracy and convergence of the method are also presented and the performance of the scaled boundary polygonal finite element is verified on Cook's swept panel problem. Results show that the scaled boundary polygonal finite element method outperforms a traditional mesh and accuracy and convergence are achieved from fewer nodes. The proposed method is also shown to be truly flexible, and applies to arbitrary n-gons formed of irregular and non-convex polygons.

P53 family members modulate the expression of PRODH, but not PRODH2, via intronic p53 response elements.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan Raimondi

Full Text Available The tumor suppressor p53 was previously shown to markedly up-regulate the expression of the PRODH gene, encoding the proline dehydrogenase (PRODH enzyme, which catalyzes the first step in proline degradation. Also PRODH2, which degrades 4-hydroxy-L-proline, a product of protein (e.g. collagen catabolism, was recently described as a p53 target. Here, we confirmed p53-dependent induction of endogenous PRODH in response to genotoxic damage in cell lines of different histological origin. We established that over-expression of TAp73β or TAp63β is sufficient to induce PRODH expression in p53-null cells and that PRODH expression parallels the modulation of endogenous p73 by genotoxic drugs in several cell lines. The p53, p63, and p73-dependent transcriptional activation was linked to specific intronic response elements (REs, among those predicted by bioinformatics tools and experimentally validated by a yeast-based transactivation assay. p53 occupancy measurements were validated in HCT116 and MCF7 human cell lines. Conversely, PRODH2 was not responsive to p63 nor p73 and, at best, could be considered a weak p53 target. In fact, minimal levels of PRODH2 transcript induction by genotoxic stress was observed exclusively in one of four p53 wild-type cell lines tested. Consistently, all predicted p53 REs in PRODH2 were poor matches to the p53 RE consensus and showed very weak responsiveness, only to p53, in the functional assay. Taken together, our results highlight that PRODH, but not PRODH2, expression is under the control of p53 family members, specifically p53 and p73. This supports a deeper link between proteins of the p53-family and metabolic pathways, as PRODH modulates the balance of proline and glutamate levels and those of their derivative alpha-keto-glutarate (α-KG under normal and pathological (tumor conditions.

Dynamic response of a multielement HTGR core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reich, M.; Bezler, P.; Koplik, B.; Curreri, J.; Goradia, H.; Lasker, L.

1977-01-01

One of the primary factors in determining the structural integrity and consequently the safety of a High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR) is the dynamic response of the core when subjected to a seismic excitation. The HTGR core under consideration consists of several thousands of hexagonal elements arranged in vertical stacks containing about eight elements per stack. There are clearance gaps between adjacent elements, which can change substantially due to radiation effects produced during their active lifetime. Surrounding the outer periphery of the core are reflector blocks and restraining spring-pack arrangements which bear against the reactor vessel structure (PCRV). Earthquake input motions to this type of core arrangement will result in multiple impacts between adjacent elements as well as between the reflector blocks and the restraining spring packs. The highly complex nonlinear response associated with the multiple collisions across the clearance gaps and with the spring packs is the subject matter of this paper. Of particular importance is the ability to analyze a complex nonlinear system with gaps by employing a model with a reduced number of masses. This is necessary in order to obtain solutions in a time-frame and at a cost which is not too expensive. In addition the effect of variations in total clearance as well as the initial distribution of clearances between adjacent elements is of primary concern. Both of these aspects of the problem are treated in the present analysis. Finally, by constraining the motion of the reflector blocks, a more realistic description of the dynamic response of the multi-element HTGR core is obtained

Responsibility and Reliability | Williams | Philosophical Papers

African Journals Online (AJOL)

'Responsibilist\\' approaches to epistemology link knowledge and justification with epistemically responsible belief management, where responsible management is understood to involve an essential element of guidance by recognized epistemic norms. By contrast, reliabilist approaches stress the de facto reliability of ...

Gene targeting by the vitamin D response element binding protein reveals a role for vitamin D in osteoblast mTOR signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Lisse, Thomas S; Liu, Ting; Irmler, Martin; Beckers, Johannes; Chen, Hong; Adams, John S; Hewison, Martin

2011-03-01

Transcriptional regulation by hormonal 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) [1,25(OH)(2)D(3)] involves occupancy of vitamin D response elements (VDREs) by the VDRE binding protein (VDRE-BP) or 1,25(OH)(2)D(3)-bound vitamin D receptor (VDR). This relationship is disrupted by elevated VDRE-BP, causing a form of hereditary vitamin D-resistant rickets (HVDRR). DNA array analysis showed that of 114 genes regulated by 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) in control cells, almost all (113) were rendered insensitive to the hormone in VDRE-BP-overexpressing HVDRR cells. Among these was the gene for DNA-damage-inducible transcript 4 (DDIT4), an inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling. Chromatin immunoprecipitation PCR using 1,25(OH)(2)D(3)-treated osteoblasts confirmed that VDR and VDRE-BP compete for binding to the DDIT4 gene promoter. Expression of DDIT4 mRNA in these cells was induced (1.6-6 fold) by 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) (10-100 nM), and Western blot and flow cytometry analysis showed that this response involved suppression of phosphorylated S6K1(T389) (a downstream target of mTOR) similar to rapamycin treatment. siRNA knockdown of DDIT4 completely abrogated antiproliferative responses to 1,25(OH)(2)D(3), whereas overexpression of VDRE-BP exerted a dominant-negative effect on transcription of 1,25(OH)(2)D(3)-target genes. DDIT4, an inhibitor of mTOR signaling, is a direct target for 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) and VDRE-BP, and functions to suppress cell proliferation in response to vitamin D.

Experimental Study of Elements Promoting Mixing in Fuel Elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silin, Nicolas; Juanico, Luis; Delmastro, Dario

2003-01-01

In the present work a thermal tracing technique is used to measure the increase of the mixing between subchannels in the presence of different mixing elements.As representative elements a spacer, a spacer with mixing vanes and turbulence promoter buttons were considered.The performance of these elements was evaluated by studying the behavior of a thermal trace in each case.Also the pressure drop for each case is presented.The results present a qualitative and quantitative guide for the application of each one of these appendages in future nuclear elements

Implementation of a Unified Constitutive Model into the ABAQUS Finite Element Package

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Wescott, R

1999-01-01

Unified constitutive models have previously been developed at AMRL and implemented into the PAFEC and ABAQUS Finite Element packages to predict the stress-strain response of structures that undergo...

A novel microbial fuel cell sensor with biocathode sensing element.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yong; Liang, Peng; Liu, Panpan; Wang, Donglin; Miao, Bo; Huang, Xia

2017-08-15

The traditional microbial fuel cell (MFC) sensor with bioanode as sensing element delivers limited sensitivity to toxicity monitoring, restricted application to only anaerobic and organic rich water body, and increased potential fault warning to the combined shock of organic matter/toxicity. In this study, the biocathode for oxygen reduction reaction was employed for the first time as the sensing element in MFC sensor for toxicity monitoring. The results shown that the sensitivity of MFC sensor with biocathode sensing element (7.4±2.0 to 67.5±4.0mA% -1 cm -2 ) was much greater than that showed by bioanode sensing element (3.4±1.5 to 5.5±0.7mA% -1 cm -2 ). The biocathode sensing element achieved the lowest detection limit reported to date using MFC sensor for formaldehyde detection (0.0005%), while the bioanode was more applicable for higher concentration (>0.0025%). There was a quicker response of biocathode sensing element with the increase of conductivity and dissolved oxygen (DO). The biocathode sensing element made the MFC sensor directly applied to clean water body monitoring, e.g., drinking water and reclaimed water, without the amending of background organic matter, and it also decreased the warning failure when challenged by a combined shock of organic matter/toxicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Elemental misinterpretation in automated analysis of LIBS spectra.

Science.gov (United States)

Hübert, Waldemar; Ankerhold, Georg

2011-07-01

In this work, the Stark effect is shown to be mainly responsible for wrong elemental allocation by automated laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) software solutions. Due to broadening and shift of an elemental emission line affected by the Stark effect, its measured spectral position might interfere with the line position of several other elements. The micro-plasma is generated by focusing a frequency-doubled 200 mJ pulsed Nd/YAG laser on an aluminum target and furthermore on a brass sample in air at atmospheric pressure. After laser pulse excitation, we have measured the temporal evolution of the Al(II) ion line at 281.6 nm (4s(1)S-3p(1)P) during the decay of the laser-induced plasma. Depending on laser pulse power, the center of the measured line is red-shifted by 130 pm (490 GHz) with respect to the exact line position. In this case, the well-known spectral line positions of two moderate and strong lines of other elements coincide with the actual shifted position of the Al(II) line. Consequently, a time-resolving software analysis can lead to an elemental misinterpretation. To avoid a wrong interpretation of LIBS spectra in automated analysis software for a given LIBS system, we recommend using larger gate delays incorporating Stark broadening parameters and using a range of tolerance, which is non-symmetric around the measured line center. These suggestions may help to improve time-resolving LIBS software promising a smaller probability of wrong elemental identification and making LIBS more attractive for industrial applications.

Elements beyond uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seaborg, G.T.; Loveland, W.D.

1990-01-01

This book is the 12th volume in a series on transuranium elements. Varied techniques for production of these elements, the methods used in the identification, and the exquisitely refined microchemical techniques required to deal wth samples sometimes involving only a few atoms are described in detail. The chapter on synthesis of the new elements is liberally laced with reminiscences of the proud progenitors as well as the criteria for the discovery of a new chemical element. The authors lament that the superheavy elements (elements in the region of atomic number 114) still elude detection even though their creation should be possible, and some, at least, should survive long enough to be detected. One chapter in the book is devoted to practical applictions of uranium, and the transuranic elements

Response and binding elements for ligand-dependent positive transcription factors integrate positive and negative regulation of gene expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenfeld, M.G.; Glass, C.K.; Adler, S.; Crenshaw, E.B. III; He, X.; Lira, S.A.; Elsholtz, H.P.; Mangalam, H.J.; Holloway, J.M.; Nelson, C.; Albert, V.R.; Ingraham, H.A.

1988-01-01

Accurate, regulated initiation of mRNA transcription by RNA polymerase II is dependent on the actions of a variety of positive and negative trans-acting factors that bind cis-acting promoter and enhancer elements. These transcription factors may exert their actions in a tissue-specific manner or function under control of plasma membrane or intracellular ligand-dependent receptors. A major goal in the authors' laboratory has been to identify the molecular mechanisms responsible for the serial activation of hormone-encoding genes in the pituitary during development and the positive and negative regulation of their transcription. The anterior pituitary gland contains phenotypically distinct cell types, each of which expresses unique trophic hormones: adrenocorticotropic hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, prolactin, growth hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone/luteinizing hormone. The structurally related prolactin and growth hormone genes are expressed in lactotrophs and somatotrophs, respectively, with their expression virtually limited to the pituitary gland. The reported transient coexpression of these two structurally related neuroendocrine genes raises the possibility that the prolactin and growth hormone genes are developmentally controlled by a common factor(s)

Finite Element Analysis of Circular Plate using SolidWorks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Yeo Jin; Jhung, Myung Jo

2011-01-01

Circular plates are used extensively in mechanical engineering for nuclear reactor internal components. The examples in the reactor vessel internals are upper guide structure support plate, fuel alignment plate, lower support plate etc. To verify the structural integrity of these plates, the finite element analyses are performed, which require the development of the finite element model. Sometimes it is very costly and time consuming to make the model especially for the beginners who start their engineering job for the structural analysis, necessitating a simple method to develop the finite element model for the pursuing structural analysis. Therefore in this study, the input decks are generated for the finite element analysis of a circular plate as shown in Fig. 1, which can be used for the structural analysis such as modal analysis, response spectrum analysis, stress analysis, etc using the commercial program Solid Works. The example problems are solved and the results are included for analysts to perform easily the finite element analysis of the mechanical plate components due to various loadings. The various results presented in this study would be helpful not only for the benchmark calculations and results comparisons but also as a part of the knowledge management for the future generation of young designers, scientists and computer analysts

The transcriptional regulatory network in the drought response and its crosstalk in abiotic stress responses including drought, cold and heat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazuo eNakashima

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Drought negatively impacts plant growth and the productivity of crops around the world. Understanding the molecular mechanisms in the drought response is important for improvement of drought tolerance using molecular techniques. In plants, abscisic acid (ABA is accumulated under osmotic stress conditions caused by drought, and has a key role in stress responses and tolerance. Comprehensive molecular analyses have shown that ABA regulates the expression of many genes under osmotic stress conditions, and the ABA-responsive element (ABRE is the major cis-element for ABA-responsive gene expression. Transcription factors (TFs are master regulators of gene expression. ABRE-binding protein (AREB and ABRE-binding factor (ABF TFs control gene expression in an ABA-dependent manner. SNF1-related protein kinases 2, group A 2C-type protein phosphatases, and ABA receptors were shown to control the ABA signaling pathway. ABA-independent signaling pathways such as dehydration-responsive element-binding protein (DREB TFs and NAC TFs are also involved in stress responses including drought, heat and cold. Recent studies have suggested that there are interactions between the major ABA signaling pathway and other signaling factors in stress responses. The important roles of these transcription factors in crosstalk among abiotic stress responses will be discussed. Control of ABA or stress signaling factor expression can improve tolerance to environmental stresses. Recent studies using crops have shown that stress-specific overexpression of TFs improves drought tolerance and grain yield compared with controls in the field.

The transcriptional regulatory network in the drought response and its crosstalk in abiotic stress responses including drought, cold, and heat.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakashima, Kazuo; Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, Kazuko; Shinozaki, Kazuo

2014-01-01

Drought negatively impacts plant growth and the productivity of crops around the world. Understanding the molecular mechanisms in the drought response is important for improvement of drought tolerance using molecular techniques. In plants, abscisic acid (ABA) is accumulated under osmotic stress conditions caused by drought, and has a key role in stress responses and tolerance. Comprehensive molecular analyses have shown that ABA regulates the expression of many genes under osmotic stress conditions, and the ABA-responsive element (ABRE) is the major cis-element for ABA-responsive gene expression. Transcription factors (TFs) are master regulators of gene expression. ABRE-binding protein and ABRE-binding factor TFs control gene expression in an ABA-dependent manner. SNF1-related protein kinases 2, group A 2C-type protein phosphatases, and ABA receptors were shown to control the ABA signaling pathway. ABA-independent signaling pathways such as dehydration-responsive element-binding protein TFs and NAC TFs are also involved in stress responses including drought, heat, and cold. Recent studies have suggested that there are interactions between the major ABA signaling pathway and other signaling factors in stress responses. The important roles of these TFs in crosstalk among abiotic stress responses will be discussed. Control of ABA or stress signaling factor expression can improve tolerance to environmental stresses. Recent studies using crops have shown that stress-specific overexpression of TFs improves drought tolerance and grain yield compared with controls in the field.

Hydrogen Production by Steam Reforming of Ethanol on Rh-Pt Catalysts: Influence of CeO2, ZrO2, and La2O3 as Supports

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bernay Cifuentes

2015-11-01

Full Text Available CeO2-, ZrO2-, and La2O3-supported Rh-Pt catalysts were tested to assess their ability to catalyze the steam reforming of ethanol (SRE for H2 production. SRE activity tests were performed using EtOH:H2O:N2 (molar ratio 1:3:51 at a gaseous space velocity of 70,600 h−1 between 400 and 700 °C at atmospheric pressure. The SRE stability of the catalysts was tested at 700 °C for 27 h time on stream under the same conditions. RhPt/CeO2, which showed the best performance in the stability test, also produced the highest H2 yield above 600 °C, followed by RhPt/La2O3 and RhPt/ZrO2. The fresh and aged catalysts were characterized by TEM, XPS, and TGA. The higher H2 selectivity of RhPt/CeO2 was ascribed to the formation of small (~5 nm and stable particles probably consistent of Rh-Pt alloys with a Pt surface enrichment. Both metals were oxidized and acted as an almost constant active phase during the stability test owing to strong metal-support interactions, as well as the superior oxygen mobility of the support. The TGA results confirmed the absence of carbonaceous residues in all the aged catalysts.

Two-Dimensional Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis of CMC Microstructures

Science.gov (United States)

Mital, Subodh K.; Goldberg, Robert K.; Bonacuse, Peter J.

2012-01-01

A research program has been developed to quantify the effects of the microstructure of a woven ceramic matrix composite and its variability on the effective properties and response of the material. In order to characterize and quantify the variations in the microstructure of a five harness satin weave, chemical vapor infiltrated (CVI) SiC/SiC composite material, specimens were serially sectioned and polished to capture images that detailed the fiber tows, matrix, and porosity. Open source quantitative image analysis tools were then used to isolate the constituents, from which two dimensional finite element models were generated which approximated the actual specimen section geometry. A simplified elastic-plastic model, wherein all stress above yield is redistributed to lower stress regions, is used to approximate the progressive damage behavior for each of the composite constituents. Finite element analyses under in-plane tensile loading were performed to examine how the variability in the local microstructure affected the macroscopic stress-strain response of the material as well as the local initiation and progression of damage. The macroscopic stress-strain response appeared to be minimally affected by the variation in local microstructure, but the locations where damage initiated and propagated appeared to be linked to specific aspects of the local microstructure.

Hydraulic and hydrodynamic tests for design evaluation of research reactors fuel elements