Role of L-lysine-alpha-ketoglutarate aminotransferase in catabolism of lysine as a nitrogen source for Rhodotorula glutinis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinzel, J J; Winston, M K; Bhattacharjee, J K

1983-01-01

Wild-type and saccharopine dehydrogenaseless mutant strains of Rhodotorula glutinis grew in minimal medium containing lysine as the sole nitrogen source and simultaneously accumulated, in the culture supernatant, large amounts of a product identified as alpha-aminoadipic-delta-semialdehyde. The saccharopine dehydrogenase and pipecolic acid oxidase levels remained unchanged in wild-type cells grown in the presence of ammonium or lysine as the nitrogen source. Lysine-alpha-ketoglutarate aminotransferase activity was demonstrated in ammonium-grown cells. This activity was depressed in cells grown in the presence of lysine as the sole source of nitrogen. PMID:6408065

75 FR 31321 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Rock Sole, Flathead Sole, and “Other...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-03

.... 0910131363-0087-02] RIN 0648-XW74 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Rock Sole, Flathead... participating in the Amendment 80 limited access fishery in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area... the trawl rock sole, flathead sole, and ``other flatfish'' fishery category by vessels participating...

EPA Region 1 Sole Source Aquifers

Science.gov (United States)

This coverage contains boundaries of EPA-approved sole source aquifers. Sole source aquifers are defined as an aquifer designated as the sole or principal source of drinking water for a given aquifer service area; that is, an aquifer which is needed to supply 50% or more of the drinking water for the area and for which there are no reasonable alternative sources should the aquifer become contaminated.The aquifers were defined by a EPA hydrogeologist. Aquifer boundaries were then drafted by EPA onto 1:24000 USGS quadrangles. For the coastal sole source aquifers the shoreline as it appeared on the quadrangle was used as a boundary. Delineated boundaries were then digitized into ARC/INFO.

Production and characterization of two major Aspergillus oryzae secreted prolyl endopeptidases able to efficiently digest proline-rich peptides of gliadin.

Science.gov (United States)

Eugster, Philippe J; Salamin, Karine; Grouzmann, Eric; Monod, Michel

2015-12-01

Prolyl endopeptidases are key enzymes in the digestion of proline-rich proteins. Fungal extracts rich in prolyl endopeptidases produced by a species such as Aspergillus oryzae used in food fermentation would be of particular interest for the development of an oral enzyme therapy product in patients affected by intolerance to gluten. Two major A. oryzae secreted prolyl endopeptidases of the MEROPS S28 peptidase family, AoS28A and AoS28B, were identified when this fungus was grown at acidic pH in a medium containing soy meal protein or wheat gliadin as the sole source of nitrogen. AoS28B was produced by 12 reference A. oryzae strains used in food fermentation. AoS28A was secreted by six of these 12 strains. This protease is the orthologue of the previously characterized Aspergillus fumigatus (AfuS28) and Aspergillus niger (AN-PEP) prolyl endopeptidases which are encoded by genes with a similar intron-exon structure. Large amounts of secreted AoS28A and AoS28B were obtained by gene overexpression in A. oryzae. AoS28A and AoS28B are endoproteases able to cleave N-terminally blocked proline substrates. Both enzymes very efficiently digested the proline-rich 33-mer of gliadin, the most representative immunotoxic peptide deriving from gliadin, with some differences in terms of specificity and optimal pH. Digestion of the gliadin peptide in short peptides with both enzymes was found to occur from its N terminus.

Scale-up of an alkaline protease from Bacillus pumilus MTCC 7514 utilizing fish meal as a sole source of nutrients.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Rishikesh Kumar; Prasad, Dinesh; Sathesh, Jaykumar; Naidu, Ramachandra Boopathy; Kamini, Numbi Ramudu; Palanivel, Saravanan; Gowthaman, Marichetti Kuppuswami

2012-09-01

Fish meal grades SL1 and SL2 from Sardine (Sardinella longiceps) and NJ from Pink Perch (Nemipterus japonicas) were evaluated as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen in the medium for alkaline protease production by Bacillus pumilus MTCC 7514. The analysis of the fish meal suggests that the carbon and nitrogen contents in fish meal are sufficient to justify its choice as replacement for other nutrients. Protease production increased significantly (4,914 U/ml) in medium containing only fish meal, compared with the basal medium (2,646 U/ml). However, the elimination of inorganic salts from media reduced the protease productivity. In addition, all the three grades of fish meal yielded almost the same amounts of protease when employed as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. Nevertheless, the best results were observed in fish meal SL1 medium. Furthermore, protease production was enhanced to 6,966 U/ml and 7,047 U/ml on scaling up from flask (4,914 U/ml) to 3.7 and 20 L fermenters, respectively, using fish meal (10 g/l). Similarly, the corresponding improvement in productivities over flask (102.38 U/ml/h) was 193.5 and 195.75 U/ml/h in 3.7 and 20 L fermenters, respectively. The crude protease was found to have dehairing ability in leather processing, which is bound to have great environmental benefits.

Transcriptome analysis documents induced competence of Bacillus subtilis during nitrogen limiting conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jarmer, Hanne Østergaard; Berka, R.; Knudsen, Steen

2002-01-01

DNA microarrays were used to analyze the changes in gene expression in Bacillus subtilis strain 168 when nitrogen limiting (glutamate) and nitrogen excess (ammonium plus glutamate) growth conditions were compared. Among more than 100 genes that were significantly induced during nitrogen starvation...... we detected the comG, comF, comE, nin-nucA and comK transcription units together with recA. DNA was added to B. subtilis grown in minimal medium with glutamate as the sole nitrogen source and it was demonstrated that the cells were competent. Based on these observations we propose a simplification...

Stimulation of corticosterone secretion in vitro by brief ACTH exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keith, L.D.; Tam, B.; Greer, M.A.

1986-01-01

The authors examined the relationship between ACTH concentration and exposure duration on stimulation of corticosterone (B) secretion in vitro using perifused enzymatically dispersed rat adrenocortical cells. A modular perifusion apparatus was used that permitted evaluation of 20-24 cell chambers per experimental session. In expt 1,20-1000 pg/ml concentrations of synthetic ACTH-(1-24) were presented to cells for 1 min. In expt 2, 100 pg ACTH-(1-24) was presented to adrenal cells in five dose-duration regimens ranging from 5 pg/min for 20 min to 100 pg/min for 1 min. Perifusal rate was 1 ml/min in all sessions. B was determined by radioimmunoassay. In expt 1 (constant-duration paradigm), 1-min presentation of ACTH-(1-24) produced log-linear dose-response effects across these concentrations. In expt 2 (constant-mass paradigm), identical masses administered in different dose-duration regimens had different steroidogenic efficacies: low-dose long-duration regimens provoked greater total release than high-dose short-duration regimens. Overall, every dose-duration regimen was associated with stimulation of B secretion. These results indicate that 1) very brief exposure to physiological concentrations of ACTH-(1-24) is a significant stimulus for corticosteroid secretion; 2) variations in the dose-duration regimen over the physiological range modifies both the maximum rate of secretion and the duration of secretion, but not the response latency; and 3) ACTH-(1-24) presentation mass is not the sole determinant of B secretion

Found in translation: the correct interpretation of 'Secret Formula or Process' in India's tax treaties

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sanghavi, Dhruv

2016-01-01

This article discusses the critically reviews of the Delhi High Court in Director of Income Tax v New Skies Satellite BV to interpreting the phrase "secret formula or process" in the India-Netherlands Tax Treaty 1989. It argues that the court's sole reliance on the English version of the text of the

Deletion of Type I glutamine synthetase deregulates nitrogen metabolism and increases ethanol production in Clostridium thermocellum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rydzak, Thomas [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Biosciences Division, BioEnergy Science Center; Garcia, David [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Biosciences Division, BioEnergy Science Center; Stevenson, David M. [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). Dept. of Bacteriology; Sladek, Margaret [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Biosciences Division, BioEnergy Science Center; Klingeman, Dawn M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Biosciences Division, BioEnergy Science Center; Holwerda, Evert K. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Biosciences Division; Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH (United States). Thayer School of Engineering; Amador-Noguez, Daniel [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). Dept. of Bacteriology; Brown, Steven D. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Biosciences Division, BioEnergy Science Center; Guss, Adam M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Biosciences Division, BioEnergy Science Center

2017-05-01

Clostridium thermocellum rapidly deconstructs cellulose and ferments resulting hydrolysis products into ethanol and other products, and is thus a promising platform organism for the development of cellulosic biofuel production via consolidated bioprocessing. And while recent metabolic engineering strategies have targeted eliminating canonical fermentation products (acetate, lactate, formate, and H₂), C. thermocellum also secretes amino acids, which has limited ethanol yields in engineered strains to approximately 70% of the theoretical maximum. To decrease amino acid secretion, we attempted to reduce ammonium assimilation by deleting the Type I glutamine synthetase (glnA) in C. thermocellum. Deletion of glnA reduced levels of secreted valine and total amino acids by 53% and 44% respectively, and increased ethanol yields by 53%. RNA-seq analysis revealed that genes encoding the RNF-complex were more highly expressed in ΔglnA and may have a role in improving NADH-availability for ethanol production. While a significant up-regulation of genes involved in nitrogen assimilation and urea uptake suggested that deletion of glnA induces a nitrogen starvation response, metabolomic analysis showed an increase in intracellular glutamine and α-ketoglutarate levels indicative of nitrogen-rich conditions. Here, we propose that deletion of glnA causes deregulation of nitrogen metabolism, leading to overexpression of nitrogen metabolism genes and, in turn, elevated glutamine/α-ketoglutarate levels. Here we demonstrate that perturbation of nitrogen assimilation is a promising strategy to redirect flux from the production of nitrogenous compounds toward biofuels in C. thermocellum.

Urease Activity Represents an Alternative Pathway for Mycobacterium tuberculosis Nitrogen Metabolism

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Wenwei; Mathys, Vanessa; Ang, Emily Lei Yin; Koh, Vanessa Hui Qi; Martínez Gómez, Julia María; Ang, Michelle Lay Teng; Zainul Rahim, Siti Zarina; Tan, Mai Ping; Pethe, Kevin

2012-01-01

Urease represents a critical virulence factor for some bacterial species through its alkalizing effect, which helps neutralize the acidic microenvironment of the pathogen. In addition, urease serves as a nitrogen source provider for bacterial growth. Pathogenic mycobacteria express a functional urease, but its role during infection has yet to be characterized. In this study, we constructed a urease-deficient Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain and confirmed the alkalizing effect of the urease activity within the mycobacterium-containing vacuole in resting macrophages but not in the more acidic phagolysosomal compartment of activated macrophages. However, the urease-mediated alkalizing effect did not confer any growth advantage on M. tuberculosis in macrophages, as evidenced by comparable growth profiles for the mutant, wild-type (WT), and complemented strains. In contrast, the urease-deficient mutant exhibited impaired in vitro growth compared to the WT and complemented strains when urea was the sole source of nitrogen. Substantial amounts of ammonia were produced by the WT and complemented strains, but not with the urease-deficient mutant, which represents the actual nitrogen source for mycobacterial growth. However, the urease-deficient mutant displayed parental colonization profiles in the lungs, spleen, and liver in mice. Together, our data demonstrate a role for the urease activity in M. tuberculosis nitrogen metabolism that could be crucial for the pathogen's survival in nutrient-limited microenvironments where urea is the sole nitrogen source. Our work supports the notion that M. tuberculosis virulence correlates with its unique metabolic versatility and ability to utilize virtually any carbon and nitrogen sources available in its environment. PMID:22645285

A NEW DESIGN METHOD FOR FLAT FOOTWEAR SOLES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

IONESCU Cozmin

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Carried research regarding footwear soles reveald that by moulding footwear details can be obtained in a wide variety of models. Shoe soles are complex three dimensional objects and for attaching them with the uppers, the interor countour of the soles has to correspond to the featherline contour of the last. That’s why, is necessary that soles design to be done with high accuracy and in strict accordance to the last. Nowadays, there are specialized software applications which can perform various computer aided design processes for footwear. Among the high performance systems used for the design of footwear soles and injection moulds for shoe soles, we may mention: Delcam Shoe Solution, Delcam PowerSHAPE-e, Padsy II and Padsy III, Shoe Master System, Lectra System, Parmel System and ATOS II System. This paper presents a 3D design method, developed by the authors, for footwear flat soles using PowerSHAPE-e software programm from of Delcam Crispin. The computer-aided design technique used in this paper highlights several important advantages that include: increased design quality; three dimensional viewing of soles, which can lead to immediate decisions, regarding the acceptance of newly developed models; it can be appreciated the complexity of mould cavities execution, without the need of making prototypes; the outlines of construction templates are accurately obtained for the mould cavities and for all size numbers; calculations can easily be done for determining the soles volume for the entire size number, with implications on estimating polymer blend consumption and so on.

Conidiation of Penicillium camemberti in submerged liquid cultures is dependent on the nitrogen source.

Science.gov (United States)

Boualem, Khadidja; Labrie, Steve; Gervais, Patrick; Waché, Yves; Cavin, Jean-François

2016-02-01

To study the ability of a commercial Penicillium camemberti strain, used for Camembert type cheese ripening, to produce conidia during growth in liquid culture (LC), in media containing different sources of nitrogen as, industrially, conidia are produced by growth at the surface of a solid state culture because conidiation in stirred submerged aerobic LC is not known. In complex media containing peptic digest of meat, hyphae ends did not differentiate into phialides and conidia. Contrarily, in a synthetic media containing KNO3 as sole nitrogen source, hyphae ends differentiated into phialides producing 0.5 × 10(7) conidia/ml. Conidia produced in LC were 25 % less hydrophobic than conidia produced in solid culture, and this correlates with a seven-times-lower expression of the gene rodA encoding hydrophobin RodA in the mycelium grown in LC. Conidiation of P. camembertii is stimulated in iquid medium containing KNO3 as sole source of nitrogen and therefore opens up opportunities for using liquid medium in commercial productions.

Effects of carbon and nitrogen sources on the induction and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

about the induction and repression mechanism of this hydrolytic enzyme. This report ... chitin as a sole source of carbon followed by the medium containing an extra nitrogen source, yeast extract. .... against fluorescent background by UV illumination. Statistical ..... Virulence Associated with Native and Mutant Isolates of an.

Depth and substrate as determinants of distribution of juvenile flathead sole (Hippoglossoides elassodon) and rock sole (Pleuronectes bilineatus), in Kachemak Bay, Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Abookire, Alisa A.; Norcross, Brenda L.

1998-01-01

Three transects in Kachemak Bay, Alaska, were sampled in September 1994, May and August 1995, and February, May, and August 1996. Juvenile flathead sole, Hippoglossoides elassodon, and rock sole, Pleuronectes bilineatus, were the most abundant flatfishes, comprising 65-85% of all fiatfishes captured at any period. Collections of fish and sediments were made at regular depth contour intervals of l0 m. Habitat distribution was described by depth at 10 m increments and sediment percent weights of gravel, sand, and mud. Year-round habitat of flathead sole age-0 was primarily from 40 to 60 m, and age-1 habitat was primarily from 40 to 80 m. Summer habitat of rock sole age-0 and -1 was from 10 to 30 m, and in winter they moved offshore to depths of up to 150 m. Both age classes of flathead sole were most abundant on mixed mud sediments, while age-1 were also in high abundance on muddy sand sediments. Rock sole age-0 and -1 were most abundant on sand, though age-1 were also found on a variety of sediments both finer and coarser grained than sand. Flathead sole and rock sole had distinctive depth and sediment habitats. When habitat overlap occurred between the species, it was most often due to rock sole moving offshore in the winter. Abundances were not significantly different among seasons for age-1 flatfishes.

SOLE: enhanced FIA data analysis capabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Michael Spinney; Paul Van Deusen

2009-01-01

The Southern On Line Estimator (SOLE), is an Internet-based annual forest inventory and analysis (FIA) data analysis tool developed cooperatively by the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement and the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Inventory and Analysis program at the Southern Research Station. Recent development of SOLE has...

Nitrogen transformation under different dissolved oxygen levels by the anoxygenic phototrophic bacterium Marichromatium gracile.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Xuan; Chen, Zhongwei; Zhao, Chungui; Yang, Suping

2017-06-01

Marichromatium gracile: YL28 (M. gracile YL28) is an anoxygenic phototrophic bacterial strain that utilizes ammonia, nitrate, or nitrite as its sole nitrogen source during growth. In this study, we investigated the removal and transformation of ammonium, nitrate, and nitrite by M. gracile YL28 grown in a combinatorial culture system of sodium acetate-ammonium, sodium acetate-nitrate and sodium acetate-nitrite in response to different initial dissolved oxygen (DO) levels. In the sodium acetate-ammonium system under aerobic conditions (initial DO = 7.20-7.25 mg/L), we detected a continuous accumulation of nitrate and nitrite. However, under semi-anaerobic conditions (initial DO = 4.08-4.26 mg/L), we observed a temporary accumulation of nitrate and nitrite. Interestingly, under anaerobic conditions (initial DO = 0.36-0.67 mg/L), there was little accumulation of nitrate and nitrite, but an increase in nitrous oxide production. In the sodium acetate-nitrite system, nitrite levels declined slightly under aerobic conditions, and nitrite was completely removed under semi-anaerobic and anaerobic conditions. In addition, M. gracile YL28 was able to grow using nitrite as the sole nitrogen source in situations when nitrogen gas produced by denitrification was eliminated. Taken together, the data indicate that M. gracile YL28 performs simultaneous heterotrophic nitrification and denitrification at low-DO levels and uses nitrite as the sole nitrogen source for growth. Our study is the first to demonstrate that anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria perform heterotrophic ammonia-oxidization and denitrification under anaerobic conditions.

25 CFR 140.1 - Sole power to appoint.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Sole power to appoint. 140.1 Section 140.1 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES LICENSED INDIAN TRADERS § 140.1 Sole power to appoint. The Commissioner of Indian Affairs shall have the sole power and authority to...

Deletion of Type I glutamine synthetase deregulates nitrogen metabolism and increases ethanol production in Clostridium thermocellum.

Science.gov (United States)

Rydzak, Thomas; Garcia, David; Stevenson, David M; Sladek, Margaret; Klingeman, Dawn M; Holwerda, Evert K; Amador-Noguez, Daniel; Brown, Steven D; Guss, Adam M

2017-05-01

Clostridium thermocellum rapidly deconstructs cellulose and ferments resulting hydrolysis products into ethanol and other products, and is thus a promising platform organism for the development of cellulosic biofuel production via consolidated bioprocessing. While recent metabolic engineering strategies have targeted eliminating canonical fermentation products (acetate, lactate, formate, and H 2 ), C. thermocellum also secretes amino acids, which has limited ethanol yields in engineered strains to approximately 70% of the theoretical maximum. To investigate approaches to decrease amino acid secretion, we attempted to reduce ammonium assimilation by deleting the Type I glutamine synthetase (glnA) in an essentially wild type strain of C. thermocellum. Deletion of glnA reduced levels of secreted valine and total amino acids by 53% and 44% respectively, and increased ethanol yields by 53%. RNA-seq analysis revealed that genes encoding the RNF-complex were more highly expressed in ΔglnA and may have a role in improving NADH-availability for ethanol production. While a significant up-regulation of genes involved in nitrogen assimilation and urea uptake suggested that deletion of glnA induces a nitrogen starvation response, metabolomic analysis showed an increase in intracellular glutamine levels indicative of nitrogen-rich conditions. We propose that deletion of glnA causes deregulation of nitrogen metabolism, leading to overexpression of nitrogen metabolism genes and, in turn, elevated glutamine levels. Here we demonstrate that perturbation of nitrogen assimilation is a promising strategy to redirect flux from the production of nitrogenous compounds toward biofuels in C. thermocellum. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Protein kinase C mediates platelet secretion and thrombus formation through protein kinase D2.

Science.gov (United States)

Konopatskaya, Olga; Matthews, Sharon A; Harper, Matthew T; Gilio, Karen; Cosemans, Judith M E M; Williams, Christopher M; Navarro, Maria N; Carter, Deborah A; Heemskerk, Johan W M; Leitges, Michael; Cantrell, Doreen; Poole, Alastair W

2011-07-14

Platelets are highly specialized blood cells critically involved in hemostasis and thrombosis. Members of the protein kinase C (PKC) family have established roles in regulating platelet function and thrombosis, but the molecular mechanisms are not clearly understood. In particular, the conventional PKC isoform, PKCα, is a major regulator of platelet granule secretion, but the molecular pathway from PKCα to secretion is not defined. Protein kinase D (PKD) is a family of 3 kinases activated by PKC, which may represent a step in the PKC signaling pathway to secretion. In the present study, we show that PKD2 is the sole PKD member regulated downstream of PKC in platelets, and that the conventional, but not novel, PKC isoforms provide the upstream signal. Platelets from a gene knock-in mouse in which 2 key phosphorylation sites in PKD2 have been mutated (Ser707Ala/Ser711Ala) show a significant reduction in agonist-induced dense granule secretion, but not in α-granule secretion. This deficiency in dense granule release was responsible for a reduced platelet aggregation and a marked reduction in thrombus formation. Our results show that in the molecular pathway to secretion, PKD2 is a key component of the PKC-mediated pathway to platelet activation and thrombus formation through its selective regulation of dense granule secretion.

A two-dimensional electrophoretic profile of the proteins secreted by Herbaspirillum seropedicae strain Z78.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaves, Daniela Fojo Seixas; de Souza, Emanuel Maltempi; Monteiro, Rose Adele; de Oliveira Pedrosa, Fábio

2009-11-02

Herbaspirillum seropedicae is an endophytic bacterium that associates with rice, sugarcane and other economically important crops. Secreted proteins play a key role in the plant-bacterial interaction. Using 2D electrophoresis and peptide mass fingerprint mass spectrometry, 63 protein spots representing 41 different secreted proteins were identified during growth of H. seropedicae under nitrogen-sufficient conditions. In silico analysis showed that 25.4% of the proteins had signal peptides and 15.9% were predicted to be non-classically secreted. Among the most abundant were flagellar components and ABC-type transport system proteins. Nine secreted proteins had also been identified in the cellular proteome, suggesting that they also play a role in the extracellular environment. No type III secreted proteins were detected by comparison of the wild type strain with an hrcN mutant strain.

EPA Sole Source Aquifers

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Information on sole source aquifers (SSAs) is widely used in assessments under the National Environmental Policy Act and at the state and local level. A national...

Tax Policy and Sole Proprietorships: A Closer Look

OpenAIRE

Nelson, Susan C.

2008-01-01

The 21 million sole proprietorship returns filed in 2005 represent a wide variety of economic activity. This paper examines three major tax policy issues related to sole proprietorships—taxpayer compliance, taxpayer burden, and incentives for growth. It uses tax return data to take a closer look at sole proprietorships. It proposes a new taxonomy for describing these returns in an economically meaningful way, based on the principal factors of production that they use: their own labor, hired l...

Role of ureolytic activity in Bacillus cereus nitrogen metabolism and acid survival

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mols, J.M.; Abee, T.

2008-01-01

The presence and activities of urease genes were investigated in 49 clinical, food, and environmental Bacillus cereus isolates. Ten strains were shown to have urease genes, with eight of these strains showing growth on urea as the sole nitrogen source. Two of the urease-positive strains, including

Growth response of four freshwater algal species to dissolved organic nitrogen of different concentration and complexity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fiedler, Dorothea; Graeber, Daniel; Badrian, Maria

2015-01-01

1. Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) compounds dominate the nitrogen pool of many lakes, but their importance as nitrogen sources for freshwater phytoplankton is not fully understood. Previous growth experiments demonstrated the availability of urea and amino acids but often at unnaturally high...... (DCAA), natural organic matter (NOM)) or with nitrate as the sole nitrogen source. Monocultures of Chlamydomonas spp., Cyclotella meneghiniana, Microcystis aeruginosa and Anabaena flos-aquae were incubated with dissolved nitrogen compounds at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 0.5 mg N L−1, which...... and their compound preferences. Therefore, DON composition can influence biomass and structure of phytoplankton communities. 6. These experiments demonstrate the importance of the main DON compounds for phytoplankton growth when no inorganic nitrogen is available. DON should in future be included in nitrogen budget...

Stiffness Effects in Rocker-Soled Shoes: Biomechanical Implications

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Pei-Fang; Chung, Chia-Hua; Hsia, Chi-Chun; Chang, Chih-Han

2017-01-01

Rocker-soled shoes provide a way to reduce the possible concentration of stress, as well as change movement patterns, during gait. This study attempts to examine how plantar force and spatio-temporal variables are affected by two rocker designs, one with softer and one with denser sole materials, by comparing them with the barefoot condition and with flat-soled shoes. Eleven subjects’ gait parameters during walking and jogging were recorded. Our results showed that compared with barefoot walking, plantar forces were higher for flat shoes while lower for both types of rocker shoes, the softer-material rocker being the lowest. The plantar force of flat shoes is greater than the vertical ground reaction force, while that of both rocker shoes is much less, 13.87–30.55% body weight. However, as locomotion speed increased to jogging, for all shoe types, except at the second peak plantar force of the denser sole material rocker shoes, plantar forces were greater than for bare feet. More interestingly, because the transmission of force was faster while jogging, greater plantar force was seen in the rocker-soled shoes with softer material than with denser material; results for higher-speed shock absorption in rocker-soled shoes with softer material were thus not as good. In general, the rolling phenomena along the bottom surface of the rocker shoes, as well as an increase in the duration of simultaneous curve rolling and ankle rotation, could contribute to the reduction of plantar force for both rocker designs. The possible mechanism is the conversion of vertical kinetic energy into rotational kinetic energy. To conclude, since plantar force is related to foot-ground interface and deceleration methods, rocker-design shoes could achieve desired plantar force reduction through certain rolling phenomena, shoe-sole stiffness levels, and locomotion speeds. PMID:28046009

Stiffness Effects in Rocker-Soled Shoes: Biomechanical Implications.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shih-Yun Lin

Full Text Available Rocker-soled shoes provide a way to reduce the possible concentration of stress, as well as change movement patterns, during gait. This study attempts to examine how plantar force and spatio-temporal variables are affected by two rocker designs, one with softer and one with denser sole materials, by comparing them with the barefoot condition and with flat-soled shoes. Eleven subjects' gait parameters during walking and jogging were recorded. Our results showed that compared with barefoot walking, plantar forces were higher for flat shoes while lower for both types of rocker shoes, the softer-material rocker being the lowest. The plantar force of flat shoes is greater than the vertical ground reaction force, while that of both rocker shoes is much less, 13.87-30.55% body weight. However, as locomotion speed increased to jogging, for all shoe types, except at the second peak plantar force of the denser sole material rocker shoes, plantar forces were greater than for bare feet. More interestingly, because the transmission of force was faster while jogging, greater plantar force was seen in the rocker-soled shoes with softer material than with denser material; results for higher-speed shock absorption in rocker-soled shoes with softer material were thus not as good. In general, the rolling phenomena along the bottom surface of the rocker shoes, as well as an increase in the duration of simultaneous curve rolling and ankle rotation, could contribute to the reduction of plantar force for both rocker designs. The possible mechanism is the conversion of vertical kinetic energy into rotational kinetic energy. To conclude, since plantar force is related to foot-ground interface and deceleration methods, rocker-design shoes could achieve desired plantar force reduction through certain rolling phenomena, shoe-sole stiffness levels, and locomotion speeds.

Watermelon juice: a promising feedstock supplement, diluent, and nitrogen supplement for ethanol biofuel production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruton Benny D

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Two economic factors make watermelon worthy of consideration as a feedstock for ethanol biofuel production. First, about 20% of each annual watermelon crop is left in the field because of surface blemishes or because they are misshapen; currently these are lost to growers as a source of revenue. Second, the neutraceutical value of lycopene and L-citrulline obtained from watermelon is at a threshold whereby watermelon could serve as starting material to extract and manufacture these products. Processing of watermelons to produce lycopene and L-citrulline, yields a waste stream of watermelon juice at the rate of over 500 L/t of watermelons. Since watermelon juice contains 7 to 10% (w/v directly fermentable sugars and 15 to 35 μmol/ml of free amino acids, its potential as feedstock, diluent, and nitrogen supplement was investigated in fermentations to produce bioethanol. Results Complete watermelon juice and that which did not contain the chromoplasts (lycopene, but did contain free amino acids, were readily fermentable as the sole feedstock or as diluent, feedstock supplement, and nitrogen supplement to granulated sugar or molasses. A minimum level of ~400 mg N/L (~15 μmol/ml amino nitrogen in watermelon juice was required to achieve maximal fermentation rates when it was employed as the sole nitrogen source for the fermentation. Fermentation at pH 5 produced the highest rate of fermentation for the yeast system that was employed. Utilizing watermelon juice as diluent, supplemental feedstock, and nitrogen source for fermentation of processed sugar or molasses allowed complete fermentation of up to 25% (w/v sugar concentration at pH 3 (0.41 to 0.46 g ethanol per g sugar or up to 35% (w/v sugar concentration at pH 5 with a conversion to 0.36 to 0.41 g ethanol per g sugar. Conclusion Although watermelon juice would have to be concentrated 2.5- to 3-fold to serve as the sole feedstock for ethanol biofuel production, the results

Exchange of nitrogenous substances between the body pool and the digestive tract in ruminants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boda, K.; Varady, J.; Havassy, I.; Kosta, K.; Fejes, J.; Kowalczyk, J.

1976-01-01

For a period of three months the only source of nitrogen in a group of sheep fed on a synthetic protein-free diet was perorally administered urea, and for a further period of three months intravenously administered urea. It was found that there was practically no variation in the weight of the animals and in the nitrogen balance. The total content of nitrogen and amino-nitrogen in the rumen with intravenous nitrogenous feeding showed that the rumen is adequately supplied with endogenous nitrogen. A clear-cut increase - by a factor of 2 - was observed in the endogenous metabolism as a whole. In experiments on sheep with a fistula of the rumen, duodenum or ileum, it was found that nitrogenous matter (total and microbic), synthesized from the 15 N of intravenously administered urea, is transported by the digestive apparatus with the common nitrogenous substances. In the rumen-duodenum part these substances are mainly secreted and in the intestinal part reabsorbed. Of the 15 N that passed through the duodenum, 73-84% was reabsorbed. Of the administered material, 4.8-5.7% was eliminated in the faeces. In experiments on sheep with an isolated intestine, it was observed that the secretion of blood urea, mainly in the forward part of the jejunum, is relatively high (3.4-3.9mg/h, whereas the rate of NH 3 production due to hydrolysis is relatively low (0.28-0.35mg/h). Of the 15 N-urea introduced via the fistula into the forward part of the jejunum, the average amount of 15 N remaining in the organism is 63%. Equal amounts of 15 N were eliminated in the urine, altogether 37%. It is assumed that the exchange of nitrogen between the digestive apparatus and the body pool is an important link in the nitrogen metabolism of ruminants. The blood urea and synthesized nitrogenous substances are important sources of nitrogen for digestive processes and for protein synthesis. The entire digestive apparatus participates in the utilization of ureal nitrogen. (author)

Effects of nitrogen enrichment on phosphatase activity and nitrogen : phosphorus relationships in Cladonia portentosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Hogan, E J; Minnullina, G; Smith, R I; Crittenden, P D

2010-06-01

*Relationships between nitrogen deposition in the UK and phosphomonoesterase (PME) activity and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in Cladonia portentosa were quantified to understand factors limiting lichen growth and to further develop biomarkers for N pollution. *Lichen was collected from sites differing either in rates of wet N (NH(4)(+) + NO(3)(-)) deposition or in annual mean N concentration in rainfall based on both measured and modelled data sets. The PME activity, and total N and P concentrations were measured in specific horizontal strata in lichen mats and PME activity in the thallus was located using an enzyme-labelled fluorescent phosphatase substrate. *With an increase in modelled N deposition from 4.1 to 32.8 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1), PME activity, thallus N and N : P ratio increased by factors of 2.3, 1.4 and 1.8, respectively. Correlations with modelled data were generally stronger than with measured data and those with N deposition were stronger than those with N concentration in rainfall. The PME activity was located solely in the lichen fungus in outer regions of the thallus. *Nitrogen enrichment changes lichen N : P ratios from values typical of N limitation (for example, 10) to those indicative of P limitation (for example, 26) driving upregulation of PME activity.

Discards monitoring in the gillnet fishery for sole

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Uhlmann, S.S.

2014-01-01

Approximately 2-3% of the Dutch fishing quota for sole (Solea solea) is caught by a 60-vessel strong inshore fleet of gillnetters. From their home ports in IJmuiden, Scheveningen and Den Helder, these vessels fish typically with bottom-set gillnets for sole during 1 day trips between March and

Sole Mothers in Australia: Supporting Mothers to Seek Work

OpenAIRE

Marilyn McHugh; Jane Millar

1996-01-01

The rapid increase in the numbers of sole parents in Australia - and their high risk of poverty - has meant that these families have become a focus of increasing concern. This paper explores the issue of sole motherhood and employment, with a particular emphasis on examining the relationship between social security policies and current discourses on the role of women in Australian society, including the perspectives of sole mothers themselves. The paper is part of an edited collection (Duncan...

Arachnids secrete a fluid over their adhesive pads.

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Anne M Peattie

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Many arachnids possess adhesive pads on their feet that help them climb smooth surfaces and capture prey. Spider and gecko adhesives have converged on a branched, hairy structure, which theoretically allows them to adhere solely by dry (solid-solid intermolecular interactions. Indeed, the consensus in the literature is that spiders and their smooth-padded relatives, the solifugids, adhere without the aid of a secretion. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We investigated the adhesive contact zone of living spiders, solifugids and mites using interference reflection microscopy, which allows the detection of thin liquid films. Like insects, all the arachnids we studied left behind hydrophobic fluid footprints on glass (mean refractive index: 1.48-1.50; contact angle: 3.7-11.2°. Fluid was not always secreted continuously, suggesting that pads can function in both wet and dry modes. We measured the attachment forces of single adhesive setae from tarantulas (Grammostola rosea by attaching them to a bending beam with a known spring constant and filming the resulting deflection. Individual spider setae showed a lower static friction at rest (26%±2.8 SE of the peak friction than single gecko setae (Thecadactylus rapicauda; 96%±1.7 SE. This may be explained by the fact that spider setae continued to release fluid after isolation from the animal, lubricating the contact zone. SIGNIFICANCE: This finding implies that tarsal secretions occur within all major groups of terrestrial arthropods with adhesive pads. The presence of liquid in an adhesive contact zone has important consequences for attachment performance, improving adhesion to rough surfaces and introducing rate-dependent effects. Our results leave geckos and anoles as the only known representatives of truly dry adhesive pads in nature. Engineers seeking biological inspiration for synthetic adhesives should consider whether model species with fluid secretions are appropriate to their

Development of nitrogen supply strategy for Scenedesmus rubescens attached cultivation toward growth and lipid accumulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Pengfei; Wang, Yan; Osei-Wusu, David; Wang, Yuanzhu; Liu, Tianzhong

2018-03-01

In this study, the microalgae Scenedesmus rubescens were cultivated under the following nitrogen sources, nitrogen concentrations, and nitrogen feeding times (NFTs). This was to help assess biomass and lipid productivity. Scenedesmus rubescens can grow well by adhering to the cellulose acetate membrane in five kinds of nitrogen medium: KNO 3 , urea, NaNO 3 , (NH 4 ) 2 CO 3 , and NH 4 NO 3 . Under the criteria of bio-productivity and lipid productivity, urea was the optimal nitrogen source. Among different urea concentrates, biomass productivity and lipid content of S. rubescens cultivated in 0.27 g/L urea medium were optimized at 8.8 g/(m 2  day) and 31.1%, respectively. With attached cultivation, the highest biomass of 9.4 g/m 2 was obtained at NFTs of 4 days. These results showed that culturing S. rubescens using urea as sole nitrogen source by improving nitrogen uptake with attached cultivation is more efficient.

Sole risk and non-consent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winsor, Tom

1994-01-01

This article discusses the subjects of sole risk and non-consent in joint operation agreements as used by oil and gas joint ventures in the United Kingdom. The difference between these two concepts is examined in detail. (UK)

Control of utilization of L-arginine, L-ornithine, agmatine, and putrescine as nitrogen sources in Escherichia coli K-12.

OpenAIRE

Shaibe, E; Metzer, E; Halpern, Y S

1985-01-01

The regulation of the synthesis of the enzymes involved in the utilization of L-arginine, L-ornithine, agmatine, and putrescine as a sole nitrogen source in Escherichia coli K-12 was examined. The synthesis of agmatine ureohydrolase, putrescine aminotransferase, and pyrroline dehydrogenase is dually controlled by catabolite repression and nitrogen availability. Catabolite repression of agmatine ureohydrolase, but not that of putrescine aminotransferase or pyrroline dehydrogenase, is relieved ...

Barriers to Maori sole mothers’ primary health care access

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Lee R

2013-12-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: International research consistently shows that sole mothers experience poorer health and suboptimal health care access. New Zealand studies on sole mothers' health report similar findings. The aim of this exploratory research was to better understand the experiences of Maori sole mothers' access to health services, particularly primary health care, for personal health needs. METHODS: This qualitative study employed a general inductive design informed by a Kaupapa Maori approach, providing guidance on appropriate cultural protocols for recruiting and engaging Maori participants. Distributing written information and snowballing techniques were used to purposively recruit seven Maori sole mothers. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews which were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using general inductive thematic analysis to identify commonalities and patterns in participants' experiences. FINDINGS: The dominant themes that emerged captured and described participants' experiences in accessing health care. The major barrier to access reported was cost. Compounding cost, transport difficulties and location or scheduling of services were additional barriers to health service accessibility. Child-related issues also posed a barrier, including prioritising children's needs and childcare over personal health needs. CONCLUSION: The findings illuminate Maori sole mothers' experiences of accessing health care and the complex socioeconomic inequalities affecting access options and uptake of services. Further investigation of barriers to access is needed. The study has implications for addressing barriers to access at policy, funding and practice levels to improve health outcomes and equitable health care access for Maori sole mothers.

Coupled effects of light and nitrogen source on the urea cycle and nitrogen metabolism over a diel cycle in the marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana.

Science.gov (United States)

Bender, Sara J; Parker, Micaela S; Armbrust, E Virginia

2012-03-01

Diatoms are photoautotrophic organisms capable of growing on a variety of inorganic and organic nitrogen sources. Discovery of a complete urea cycle in diatoms was surprising, as this pathway commonly functions in heterotrophic organisms to rid cells of waste nitrogen. To determine how the urea cycle is integrated into cellular nitrogen metabolism and energy management, the centric diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana was maintained in semi-continuous batch cultures on nitrate, ammonium, or urea as the sole nitrogen source, under a 16: 8 light: dark cycle and at light intensities that were low, saturating, or high for growth. Steady-state transcript levels were determined for genes encoding enzymes linked to the urea cycle, urea hydrolysis, glutamine synthesis, pyrimidine synthesis, photorespiration, and energy storage. Transcript abundances were significantly affected by nitrogen source, light intensity and a diel cycle. The impact of N source on differential transcript accumulation was most apparent under the highest light intensity. Models of cellular metabolism under high light were developed based on changes in transcript abundance and predicted enzyme localizations. We hypothesize that the urea cycle is integrated into nitrogen metabolism through its connection to glutamine and in the eventual production of urea. These findings have important implications for nitrogen flow in the cell over diel cycles at surface ocean irradiances. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Asparaginase II-GFP fusion as a tool for studying the secretion of the enzyme under nitrogen starvation Fusão asparaginase II-GFP como ferramenta para estudo da via secretora de enzima sobre depleção por nitrogênio

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Sotero-Martins

2003-12-01

Full Text Available Production of asparaginase II of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is regulated by nitrogen and can be used as a model system for studying other secreted proteins in yeast. Green fluorescent protein (GFP from Aequorea victoria was fused to the carboxy-terminus of the enzyme by genomic integration to the locus ASP3 of S. cerevisiae. We determined asparaginase II activity, mRNA ASP3, mRNA ASP3-GFP and GFP fluorescence. Nitrogen starvation in cells carrying the chimera ASP3-GFP caused an increase in fluorescence and in the expression of ASP3. We have shown that cells producing the chimera Asp3-GFPp displayed the same response to nitrogen starvation as control cells. We demonstrated that Asp3-GFPp can be used for studying asparaginase II secretion under nitrogen starvation in vivo.A produção de asparaginase II de Saccharomyces cerevisiae é regulada por nitrogênio e pode ser utilizada como um sistema modelo para estudar outras proteínas secretadas, em leveduras. A proteína "green fluorescent protein" (GFP de Aequorea victoria foi fusionada à porção carboxi-terminal de Asp3p por integração genômica da sequência de GFP ao locus ASP3. Determinaram-se os níveis de atividade de asparaginase II, mRNA ASP3, mRNA ASP3-GFP e de fluorescência para GFP. A depleção para nitrogênio, em células portadoras do gene quimérico ASP3-GFP, fez aumentar a fluorescência, assim como a expressão de ASP3. Demonstramos que Asp3-GFPp pode ser utilizada para estudar a secreção de asparaginase II em células submetidas à privação de nitrogênio in vivo.

Effects of high CO2 on growth and metabolism of Arabidopsis seedlings during growth with a constantly limited supply of nitrogen.

Science.gov (United States)

Takatani, Nobuyuki; Ito, Takuro; Kiba, Takatoshi; Mori, Marie; Miyamoto, Tetsuro; Maeda, Shin-Ichi; Omata, Tatsuo

2014-02-01

Elevated CO2 has been reported to stimulate plant growth under nitrogen-sufficient conditions, but the effects of CO2 on growth in a constantly nitrogen-limited state, which is relevant to most natural habitats of plants, remain unclear. Here, we maintained Arabidopsis seedlings under such conditions by growing a mutant with reduced nitrate uptake activity on a medium containing nitrate as the sole nitrogen source. Under nitrogen-sufficient conditions (i.e. in the presence of ammonium), growth of shoots and roots of both the wild type (WT) and the mutant was increased approximately 2-fold by elevated CO2. Growth stimulation of shoots and roots by elevated CO2 was observed in the WT growing with nitrate as the sole nitrogen source, but in the mutant grown with nitrate, the high-CO2 conditions stimulated only the growth of roots. In the mutant, elevated CO2 caused well-known symptoms of nitrogen-starved plants, including decreased shoot/root ratio, reduced nitrate content and accumulation of anthocyanin, but also had an increased Chl content in the shoot, which was contradictory to the known effect of nitrogen depletion. A high-CO2-responsive change specific to the mutant was not observed in the levels of the major metabolites, although CO2 responses were observed in the WT and the mutant. These results indicated that elevated CO2 causes nitrogen limitation in the seedlings grown with a constantly limited supply of nitrogen, but the Chl content and the root biomass of the plant increase to enhance the activities of both photosynthesis and nitrogen uptake, while maintaining normal metabolism and response to high CO2.

Nitrogen assimilation in denitrifier Bacillus azotoformans LMG 9581T.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yihua; De Vos, Paul; Willems, Anne

2017-12-01

Until recently, it has not been generally known that some bacteria can contain the gene inventory for both denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate (NO 3 - )/nitrite (NO 2 - ) reduction to ammonium (NH 4 + ) (DNRA). Detailed studies of these microorganisms could shed light on the differentiating environmental drivers of both processes without interference of organism-specific variation. Genome analysis of Bacillus azotoformans LMG 9581 T shows a remarkable redundancy of dissimilatory nitrogen reduction, with multiple copies of each denitrification gene as well as DNRA genes nrfAH, but a reduced capacity for nitrogen assimilation, with no nas operon nor amtB gene. Here, we explored nitrogen assimilation in detail using growth experiments in media with different organic and inorganic nitrogen sources at different concentrations. Monitoring of growth, NO 3 - NO 2 - , NH 4 + concentration and N 2 O production revealed that B. azotoformans LMG 9581 T could not grow with NH 4 + as sole nitrogen source and confirmed the hypothesis of reduced nitrogen assimilation pathways. However, NH 4 + could be assimilated and contributed up to 50% of biomass if yeast extract was also provided. NH 4 + also had a significant but concentration-dependent influence on growth rate. The mechanisms behind these observations remain to be resolved but hypotheses for this deficiency in nitrogen assimilation are discussed. In addition, in all growth conditions tested a denitrification phenotype was observed, with all supplied NO 3 - converted to nitrous oxide (N 2 O).

31 CFR 515.546 - Accounts of Cuban sole proprietorships.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... proprietorships. Specific licenses are issued unblocking sole proprietorships established under the laws of Cuba... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Accounts of Cuban sole proprietorships. 515.546 Section 515.546 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance...

Open Secrets

OpenAIRE

Madison, Michael

2017-01-01

The law of trade secrets is often conceptualized in bilateral terms, as creating and enforcing rights between trade secret owners, on the one hand, and misappropriators on the other hand. This paper, a chapter in a forthcoming collection on the law of trade secrets, argues that trade secrets and the law that guards them can serve structural and insitutional roles as well. Somewhat surprisingly, given the law’s focus on secrecy, among the institutional products of trade secrets law are commons...

Intercropping of wheat and pea as influenced by nitrogen fertilization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ghaley, B.B.; Hauggaard-Nielsen, Henrik; Jensen, Henning Høgh

2005-01-01

The effect of sole and intercropping of field pea (Pisum sativum L.) and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on crop yield, fertilizer and soil nitrogen (N) use was tested on a sandy loam soil at three levels of urea fertilizer N (0, 4 and 8 g N m−2) applied at sowing. The 15N enrichment and natu...... with lower soil N levels, and vice versa for wheat, paving way for future option to reduce N inputs and negative environmental impacts of agricultural crop production......., grain N concentration, the proportion of N derived from symbiotic N2 fixation, and soil N accumulation. With increasing fertilizer N supply, intercropped and sole cropped wheat responded with increased yield, grain N yield and soil N accumulation, whereas the opposite was the case for pea. Fertilizer N...

Regulation of nitrogen uptake and assimilation: Effects of nitrogen source and root-zone and aerial environment on growth and productivity of soybean

Science.gov (United States)

Raper, C. David, Jr.

1994-01-01

The interdependence of root and shoot growth produces a functional equilibrium as described in quantitative terms by numerous authors. It was noted that bean seedlings grown in a constant environment tended to have a constant distribution pattern of dry matter between roots and leaves characteristic of the set of environmental conditions. Disturbing equilibrium resulted in a change in relative growth of roots and leaves until the original ratio was restored. To define a physiological basis for regulation of nitrogen uptake within the balance between root and shoot activities, the authors combined a partioning scheme and a utilization priority assumption in which: (1) all carbon enters the plant through photosynthesis in leaves and all nitrogen enters the plant through active uptake by roots, (2) nitrogen uptake by roots and secretion into the xylem for transport to the shoots are active processes, (3) availability of exogenous nitrogen determines concentration of soluble carbohydrates within the roots, (4) leaves are a source and a sink for carbohydrates, and (5) the requirement for nitrogen by leaf growth is proportionally greater during initiation and early expansion than during later expansion.

Utilization of inorganic and organic nitrogen by bacteria in marine systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wheeler, P.A.; Kirchman, D.L.

1986-01-01

The relative contribution of various inorganic and organic forms of nitrogen to the nitrogen requirements of picoplankton was examined with 15 N tracers. Size fractionation was used to measure uptake by <1-μm size microorganisms, and inhibitors of protein synthesis were used to separate procaryotic from eucaryotic nitrogen uptake. Picoplankton utilized mainly ammonium and amino acids and only negligible amounts of nitrate and urea. Nearly all amino acid uptake was by procaryotes, while both procaryotes and eucaryotes utilized ammonium. About 78% of total ammonium uptake was by procaryotes, and a significant portion of this was due specifically to heterotrophic bacteria. Regeneration of ammonium was correlated with eucaryotic rather than procaryotic activity. Ammonium accounted for at least 20-60% of the summed ammonium plus amino acid utilization by bacteria. The results suggest that significant portion of ammonium uptake in the euphotic zone was by heterotrophic bacteria rather than solely by phytoplankton. This may invalidate the use of the Redfield C:N ratio for estimating rates of nitrogen assimilation in the euphotic zone from carbon assimilation rates

Sole ulcers in dairy-cattle - associations with season, cow characteristics, disease, and production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Enevoldsen, Carsten; Grohn, Y T; Thysen, Iver

1991-01-01

lactation and body weight were positively associated with sole ulcer. Heel erosion was associated with sole ulcer depending on season of trimming and parity. Presence of sole ulcer but not heel erosion in a lactation increased the risk of sole ulcer in the subsequent lactation. The interval between...

Utilization of urea-nitrogen-15 in ruminants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boda, K.; Varady, J.; Havassy, I.

1976-01-01

In Merino sheep a series of experiments were carried out investigating exogenous and endogenous urea utilization. On the experimental sheep with isolated jejunum, rumen and intestine fistula, re-entral intestine cannulae, and after intra-ruminal or intra-intestinal 15 N-urea administration it was found that urea- 15 N takes part in the nitrogen recycling, and is utilized in the nitrogen pool. In experiments with synthetic protein-free diet, low protein diet and high nitrogen diet, after the intravenous administration of 15 N-urea the following findings were made: The results of experiments with synthetic diet, where the only nitrogen source was perorally (for 3-6 months) and then intravenously (for 3 months) administered urea, indicated the ability of ruminants to replace fully the nitrogen in the feed under certain conditions by increased endogenous urea recirculation. The results of the experiments with various nitrogen intakes showed that considerable amounts of urea- 15 N (44-96% from the given dose) were retained. Nitrogen compounds synthetized from blood urea- 15 N were recycled through the alimentary tract. Its secretion predominated in the forestomachs, abomasum and duodenum, and its reabsorption took place in the intestinal tract. From the 15 N incorporated into the nitrogenous substances which passed through the duodenum, 73-84% was reabsorbed. The retained 15 N was incorporated into the microbial and plasma proteins and its amide-N. On the basis of these results it is concluded that in addition to the rumeno-hepatal circulation, the entero-hepatal circulation of nitrogenous substances, including endogenous nitrogen, also plays an important role quantitatively and perhaps qualitatively in the process of re-utilizing the blood urea N for proteosynthesis and synthesis of other N-metabolites in ruminants. The hydrolysis of endogenous urea in the gastro-intestinal tract of ruminants and its utilization is a natural process indispensable for the maintenance of

Growth, Carbon Isotope Discrimination and Nitrogen Uptake in Silicon and/or Potassium Fed barley Grown under Two Watering Regimes

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Kurdali, Fawaz

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The present pot experiment was an attempt to monitor the beneficial effects of silicon (Si and/or potassium (K applications on growth and nitrogen uptake in barley plants grown under water (FC1 and non water (FC2 stress conditions using 15N and 13C isotopes. Three fertilizer rates of Si (Si50, Si100 and Si200 and one fertilizer rate of K were used. Dry matter (DM and N yield (NY in different plant parts of barley plants was affected by Si and/ or K fertilization as well as by the watering regime level under which the plants have been grown. Solely added K or in combination with adequate rate of Si (Si 100 were more effective in alleviating water stress and producing higher yield in barley plants than solely added Si. However, the latter nutrient was found to be more effective than the former in producing higher spike's N yield. Solely added Si or in combination with K significantly reduced leaves ∆13 C reflecting their bifacial effects on water use efficiency (WUE, particularly in plants grown under well watering regime. This result indicated that Si might be involved in saving water loss through reducing transpiration rate and facilitating water uptake; consequently, increasing WUE. Although the rising of soil humidity generally increased fertilizer nitrogen uptake (Ndff and its use efficiency (%NUE in barley plants, applications of K or Si fertilizers to water stressed plants resulted in significant increments of these parameters as compared with the control. Our results highlight that Si or K is not only involved in amelioration of growth of barley plants, but can also improve nitrogen uptake and fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency particularly under water deficit conditions.

Effects of Nitrogen Supplementation on Yeast (Candida utilis Biomass Production by Using Pineapple (Ananas comosus Waste Extracted Medium

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Rosma, A.

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Pineapple waste medium was used to cultivate yeast, Candida utilis. It served as the sole carbon and energy source for the yeast growth. However, pineapple waste media contain very little nitrogen (0.003-0.015% w/v. Various nitrogen sources were incorporate and their effects on biomass, yield and productivity were studied. Significant (p<0.05 increment on biomass production was observed when nitrogen supplement (commercial yeast extract, peptone, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, ammonium sulphate and potassium nitrate was added into fermentation medium. Commercial yeast extract, Maxarome® which increased 55.2% of biomass production at 0.09% (w/v nitrogen content, is the most suitable among the selected organic source. On the other hand, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate at 0.09% (w/v nitrogen content is comparable inorganic source which enhanced 53.7% of production. Total nitrogen content of each treatment at 0.05% (w/v showed that nitrogen supplied was not fully utilized as substrate limitation in the fermentation medium.

Disruption of the nitrogen regulatory gene AcareA in Acremonium chrysogenum leads to reduction of cephalosporin production and repression of nitrogen metabolism.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jinyang; Pan, Yuanyuan; Liu, Gang

2013-12-01

AcareA, encoding a homologue of the fungal nitrogen regulatory GATA zinc-finger proteins, was cloned from Acremonium chrysogenum. Gene disruption and genetic complementation revealed that AcareA was required for nitrogen metabolism and cephalosporin production. Disruption of AcareA resulted in growth defect in the medium using nitrate, uric acid and low concentration of ammonium, glutamine or urea as sole nitrogen source. Transcriptional analysis showed that the transcription of niaD/niiA was increased drastically when induced with nitrate in the wild-type and AcareA complemented strains but not in AcareA disruption mutant. Consistent with the reduction of cephalosporin production, the transcription of pcbAB, cefD2, cefEF and cefG encoding the enzymes for cephalosporin production was reduced in AcareA disruption mutant. Band shift assays showed that AcAREA bound to the promoter regions of niaD, niiA and the bidirectional promoter region of pcbAB-pcbC. Sequence analysis showed that all the AcAREA binding sites contain the consensus GATA elements. These results indicated that AcAREA plays an important role both in the regulation of nitrogen metabolism and cephalosporin production in A. chrysogenum. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Glycosylation in secreted proteins from yeast Kluyveromyces lactis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santos, A.V.; Passos, F.M.L. [Universidade Federal de Vicosa (UFV), MG (Brazil). Dept. de Microbiologia. Lab. de Fisiologia de Microrganismos; Azevedo, B.R.; Pimenta, A.M.C.; Santoro, M.M. [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Dept. de Bioquimica e Imunologia. Lab. de Enzimologia e Fisico-Quimica de Proteina

2008-07-01

Full text: The nutritional status of a cell culture affects either the expression or the traffic of a number of proteins. The identification of the physiological conditions which favor protein secretion has important biotechnological consequences in designing systems for recombinant extracellular protein industrial production. Yeast Kluyvromyces lactis has been cultured in a continuous stirring tank bioreactor (CSTR) under nitrogen limitation at growth rates (0.03 h{sup -1} and 0.09 h{sup -1}) close to either exponential or stationary batch growth phases, respectively the objective was to investigate the extracellular glycoproteins at these two level of nitrogen limitation. Proteins from free cell extracts were separated by gradient SDS-PAGE (5-15%) and two-dimensional chromatography, and were analyzed by mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-TOF-MS). In SDS-PAGE analysis, differences in extracellular proteome were visualized: different proteins profiles at these two growth rates. The 0.09 h-1 growth rate showed larger number of bands using colloidal Coma ssie Blue staining. Different bands were detected at these two growth rates when the PAS assay for glycoprotein detection in polyacrylamide gel was used. The two-dimensional chromatogram profiles were comparatively distinguished between the 0.03 h{sup -1} and 0.09 h{sup -1} growth rate samples. Protein peaks from the second dimension, were subjected to mass spectrometry. The mass spectrums visualized showed glycosylated proteins with N-acetylglucosamine molecules and 8, 9 or 15 hexoses molecules. Comparisons between the proteins averaged mass values with the deduced proteins masses from K. lactis secreted proteins database indicated possible post-translational modifications, such as post-translational proteolysis, acetylation, deamidation and myristoylation.

Glycosylation in secreted proteins from yeast Kluyveromyces lactis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, A.V.; Passos, F.M.L.; Azevedo, B.R.; Pimenta, A.M.C.; Santoro, M.M.

2008-01-01

Full text: The nutritional status of a cell culture affects either the expression or the traffic of a number of proteins. The identification of the physiological conditions which favor protein secretion has important biotechnological consequences in designing systems for recombinant extracellular protein industrial production. Yeast Kluyvromyces lactis has been cultured in a continuous stirring tank bioreactor (CSTR) under nitrogen limitation at growth rates (0.03 h -1 and 0.09 h -1 ) close to either exponential or stationary batch growth phases, respectively the objective was to investigate the extracellular glycoproteins at these two level of nitrogen limitation. Proteins from free cell extracts were separated by gradient SDS-PAGE (5-15%) and two-dimensional chromatography, and were analyzed by mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-TOF-MS). In SDS-PAGE analysis, differences in extracellular proteome were visualized: different proteins profiles at these two growth rates. The 0.09 h-1 growth rate showed larger number of bands using colloidal Coma ssie Blue staining. Different bands were detected at these two growth rates when the PAS assay for glycoprotein detection in polyacrylamide gel was used. The two-dimensional chromatogram profiles were comparatively distinguished between the 0.03 h -1 and 0.09 h -1 growth rate samples. Protein peaks from the second dimension, were subjected to mass spectrometry. The mass spectrums visualized showed glycosylated proteins with N-acetylglucosamine molecules and 8, 9 or 15 hexoses molecules. Comparisons between the proteins averaged mass values with the deduced proteins masses from K. lactis secreted proteins database indicated possible post-translational modifications, such as post-translational proteolysis, acetylation, deamidation and myristoylation

Cloning of a novel gene from Penicillium oxalicum I1 which in Escherichia coli enhances the secretion of acetic acid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xue, L.

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Description of the subject. Organic acids play an important role in the conversion of insoluble ions into soluble ones in soil. Heterologous overexpression of a single gene in a cell is the optimal strategy for increasing the secretion of organic acids solubilizing phosphate. Objectives. In this study, we constructed a primary cDNA library of Penicillium oxalicum I1, and screened clones that can solubilize P in tricalcium phosphate (TCP medium. We aimed to obtain the gene expressed in Escherichia coli, which can enhance organic acid secretion. Method. A primary cDNA library of Penicillium oxalicum I1 was constructed using the switching mechanism at the 5'-end of RNA transcription. The organic acid secretion ability of E. coli DH5α™ with overexpressed P. oxalicum I1gene was tested in TCP medium where glucose is the sole carbon source. Afterwards, pyruvic acid, citric acid, α-ketoglutaric acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, and malic acid were used as sole carbon source substitutes for glucose in the TCP medium to test the organic acid secretion ability of the transformed E. coli DH5α™. Results. A total of 106 clones showed halos in TCP medium, among which clone I-2 displayed clear halo. The full-length cDNA of clone I-2 was 1,151 bp, with a complete open reading frame of 702 bp, which encoded a hypothetical protein of 233 amino acids. The cDNA sequence showed 68% identity and 73% query cover with other fungal gene sequences of which the function remains unknown. Escherichia coli containing the cloned gene secreted up to 567 mg·l-1 acetic acid within 48 h. The use of glucose, pyruvic acid, α-ketoglutaric acid, and malic acid improved the acetic acid secretion of the E. coli DH5α™ clone I-2. By contrast, the use of citric acid, succinic acid, and fumaric acid did not improve the acetic acid secretion of clone I-2 compared to a control E. coli DH5α™ strain bearing only the cloning vector without any insert. Conclusions. We obtained a

On Converting Secret Sharing Scheme to Visual Secret Sharing Scheme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Daoshun

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Traditional Secret Sharing (SS schemes reconstruct secret exactly the same as the original one but involve complex computation. Visual Secret Sharing (VSS schemes decode the secret without computation, but each share is m times as big as the original and the quality of the reconstructed secret image is reduced. Probabilistic visual secret sharing (Prob.VSS schemes for a binary image use only one subpixel to share the secret image; however the probability of white pixels in a white area is higher than that in a black area in the reconstructed secret image. SS schemes, VSS schemes, and Prob. VSS schemes have various construction methods and advantages. This paper first presents an approach to convert (transform a -SS scheme to a -VSS scheme for greyscale images. The generation of the shadow images (shares is based on Boolean XOR operation. The secret image can be reconstructed directly by performing Boolean OR operation, as in most conventional VSS schemes. Its pixel expansion is significantly smaller than that of VSS schemes. The quality of the reconstructed images, measured by average contrast, is the same as VSS schemes. Then a novel matrix-concatenation approach is used to extend the greyscale -SS scheme to a more general case of greyscale -VSS scheme.

Evaluation of competitive and economic indices in canola and pea intercropping at different rates of nitrogen fertilizer

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Seyfollah fallah

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The experiment was conducted in order to evaluate of competitive and economic indices in canola and pea intercropping at different rates of nitrogen fertilizer at Shahrekord University research farm during 1390 - 1391. Intercropping and sole cropping treatments (100% canola; 66% canola + 33% pea, 50% canola + 50% pea; 33% canola + 66% pea; 100% pea were evaluated as the first factor and nitrogen rates (100% need; 75% need and 50% need as the second factor in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The calculated competitive indices were included land equivalent ratio (LER, relative crowding coefficient (K, aggressively (A, the system production index (SPI, actual yield loss (AYL, competitive ratio (CR and economy indices included monetary advantage index (MAI, and the intercropping advantage (IA. Results showed that all the competitive and economic indices had the highest amount in 50 and 75% of nitrogen requirement. The amounts of AYLt and SPI and economic indices (MAI and IA were positive for all intercropping ratios. Also, LERt and Kt for all intercropping ratio were greater than one, that indicating the superiority of intercropping over sole cropping any of the two plants. The positive values aggressively index and the greater than one values competitive ratio for canola, indicated canola was superior competitor in compared to pea. In conclusion, the evaluation of competitive and economic indices appropriately describes intercropping advantage of canola with pea in reduced nitrogen fertilizer conditions.

Authentication Without Secrets

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Pierson, Lyndon G. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Robertson, Perry J. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2015-11-01

This work examines a new approach to authentication, which is the most fundamental security primitive that underpins all cyber security protections. Current Internet authentication techniques require the protection of one or more secret keys along with the integrity protection of the algorithms/computations designed to prove possession of the secret without actually revealing it. Protecting a secret requires physical barriers or encryption with yet another secret key. The reason to strive for "Authentication without Secret Keys" is that protecting secrets (even small ones only kept in a small corner of a component or device) is much harder than protecting the integrity of information that is not secret. Promising methods are examined for authentication of components, data, programs, network transactions, and/or individuals. The successful development of authentication without secret keys will enable far more tractable system security engineering for high exposure, high consequence systems by eliminating the need for brittle protection mechanisms to protect secret keys (such as are now protected in smart cards, etc.). This paper is a re-release of SAND2009-7032 with new figures numerous edits.

Modeling nitrogen fluxes in Germany - where does the nitrogen go?

Science.gov (United States)

Klement, Laura; Bach, Martin; Breuer, Lutz

2016-04-01

patterns of the groundwater bodies which fail the good WFD status, the N-surplus or the measured data. The parameters for denitrification and the percolation rate seemed to have a higher model sensitivity than the nitrogen surplus. MoRE was previously validated only for the total N load from groundwater into surface water but the modeling concept for nitrate concentration was seemingly never fitted to observed data and needs refinements. A literature research showed that no groundwater concentrations modeled with MoRE or MONERIS have been published for Germany until now. Instead, only the concentration in percolating water was shown - sometimes misleadingly labeled so that the reader could presume the map displayed groundwater concentrations. According to the MoRE approach, model parameters such as the percolation rate and denitrification intensity are more sensitive than the N surplus. The surplus can indicate only a potential leaching risk, while the actual threat varies substantially with regional soil and climate conditions. Consequently, the use of the nitrogen surplus as a sole indicator for nitrate leaching should be critically examined. For conception of nitrate reduction programs obviously the regionally varying site conditions cannot be disregarded.

[Rice endogenous nitrogen fixing and growth promoting bacterium Herbaspirillum seropedicae DX35].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiucheng; Cao, Yanhua; Tang, Xue; Ma, Xiaotong; Gao, Jusheng; Zhang, Xiaoxia

2014-03-04

To screen efficient nitrogen fixation endophytes from rice and to analyze their growth-promoting properties. We isolated strains from the roots of rice in the field where it has a rice-rice-green manure rotation system for 30 years. Efficient strains were screened by acetylene reduction assay. Phylogenetic analysis is based on 16S rRNA gene, nifH gene and the composition of fatty acid. In addition, we also detected the ability of indole acetic acid secretion through the Salkowski colorimetric method, measured the production of siderophore through the blue plate assay and detected phosphate solubilization, to analyze the growth-promoting properties. A total of 48 strains were isolated, in which DX35 has the highest nitrogenase activity. It belongs to Herbaspirillum seropedicae after identification. Its nitrogenase activity (181.21 nmol C2H4/(mg protein x h)) was 10 times as much as the reference strain Azotobacter chroococcum ACCC10006. In addition, it also can secrete siderophore and solubilize phosphorus. Strain DX35, belonging to Herbaspirillum seropedicae, is an efficient nitrogen fixation endophytes.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO DIVERSIFY SOLES MOULDS THAT FORMS DIRECTLY ON FACES SHOES

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IONESCU Cozmin

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The classical moulds which are currently used for forming the soles directly on the uppers, allow obtaining one sole model. One mould for each foot is made, and at least one mould for each size number in the size number series. To manufacture one single sole model in the sizes series an average set of 16 moulds are needed. Changing the model implies the entire production of a new set of moulds. Therefore, a large diversification of the soles requires the manufacturing a quantity of moulds sets equal with the quantity of sole models. In this paper are presented solutions to obtain more cavity shapes in the same mould, through the use of modular interchangeable pieces. The moulds with versatile cavities have the same functional characteristics as the moulds with unique cavities, are usable on the same type of machines and can be used independently or together with the classical moulds. A brief analysis on the technological processes for manufacturing moulds with versatile cavities reveals a significant lowering of the manufacturing time for moulds in which will be obtained other sole models. This is due to the fact that some of the mould parts are reused. In conclusion, the producers that chose this type of moulds can launch on the market new models in a shorter time and at lower prices.

Aspergillus niger Secretes Citrate to Increase Iron Bioavailability

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Odoni, Dorett I.; van Gaal, Merlijn P.; Schonewille, Tom; Tamayo-Ramos, Juan A.; Martins dos Santos, Vitor A. P.; Suarez-Diez, Maria; Schaap, Peter J.

2017-01-01

Aspergillus niger has an innate ability to secrete various organic acids, including citrate. The conditions required for A. niger citrate overproduction are well described, but the physiological reasons underlying extracellular citrate accumulation are not yet fully understood. One of the less understood culture conditions is the requirement of growth-limiting iron concentrations. While this has been attributed to iron-dependent citrate metabolizing enzymes, this straightforward relationship does not always hold true. Here, we show that an increase in citrate secretion under iron limited conditions is a physiological response consistent with a role of citrate as A. niger iron siderophore. We found that A. niger citrate secretion increases with decreasing amounts of iron added to the culture medium and, in contrast to previous findings, this response is independent of the nitrogen source. Differential transcriptomics analyses of the two A. niger mutants NW305 (gluconate non-producer) and NW186 (gluconate and oxalate non-producer) revealed up-regulation of the citrate biosynthesis gene citA under iron limited conditions compared to iron replete conditions. In addition, we show that A. niger can utilize Fe(III) citrate as iron source. Finally, we discuss our findings in the general context of the pH-dependency of A. niger organic acid production, offering an explanation, besides competition, for why A. niger organic acid production is a sequential process influenced by the external pH of the culture medium. PMID:28824560

Seasonal incidence of lameness and risk factors associated with thin soles, white line disease, ulcers, and sole punctures in dairy cattle.

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Sanders, A H; Shearer, J K; De Vries, A

2009-07-01

Lameness is a multifactorial condition with many causes. In this study, cow lifetime records were used to quantify the incidence of specific lameness-causing lesions and investigate factors associated with those lesions. Of primary interest were the effects of seasonality and the effects of thin soles (TS). Thin sole-induced toe ulcers (TSTU) occurring adjacent to the white line in the apical portion of the weight-bearing surface were distinguished from white line disease (WLD) occurring in the region of the abaxial heel sole junction. Sole (SU), heel (HU), and toe (TU) ulcers; TS; sole punctures (SP); leg injuries (INJ); and other (OTH) lesions (e.g., infectious diseases, laminitis, unclassified hemorrhage) were also considered. Data were collected from May 2004 through October 2007 and included records for 4,915 cows of which 1,861 had at least one recorded lameness event. Of these, 20% were TSTU, 20% OTH, 16% SU, 13% TS, 10% WLD, 8% HU, 6% INJ, 4% SP, and 2% TU. Annual incidence risk for lameness was 49.1%. Overall incidence rate for lameness was 1.41/1,000 cow-days, and rates for all lesions were highest in the summer. As parity increased, so did incidence rates for TS, SU, WLD, HU, and INJ. For TS, TSTU, and WLD, incidence rates were lowest in early lactation (16 to 60 DIM), whereas for SU, HU, TU, incidence rates were highest in mid lactation (61 to 150 DIM). Cox proportional hazard models for TS, TSTU, WLD, SU, HU, TU, and SP included age and year of first calving and milk production capacity. Prior/concurrent lameness events, season, parity, and stage of lactation were included as time-dependent effects. Prior/concurrent TS increased the hazard for all other lesions, particularly TSTU, and HU. Having any other prior claw lesion also increased the hazard for all lesions. Hazard was highest in summer for all lesions except TU. Stage of lactation was a significant effect in hazard of TSTU, which was lowest in mid lactation (61 to 150 DIM).

Change of Monascus pigment metabolism and secretion in different extractive fermentation process.

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Chen, Gong; Tang, Rui; Tian, Xiaofei; Qin, Peng; Wu, Zhenqiang

2017-06-01

Monascus pigments that were generally produced intracellularly from Monascus spp. are important natural colorants in food industry. In this study, change of pigment metabolism and secretion was investigated through fed-batch extractive fermentation and continuous extractive fermentation. The biomass, secreting rate of pigment and total pigment yield closely correlated with the activated time of extractive fermentation as well as the composition of feeding nutrients. Metal ions played a key role in both the cell growth and pigment metabolism. Nitrogen source was necessary for a high productivity of biomass but not for high pigment yield. Furthermore, fermentation period for the fed-batch extractive fermentation could be reduced by 18.75% with a nitrogen source free feeding medium. Through a 30-day continuous extractive fermentation, the average daily productivity for total pigments reached 74.9 AU day -1 with an increase by 32.6 and 296.3% compared to that in a 6-day conventional batch fermentation and a 16-day fed-batch extractive fermentation, respectively. At the meantime, proportions of extracellular pigments increased gradually from 2.7 to 71.3%, and yellow pigments gradually became dominated in both intracellular and extracellular pigments in the end of continuous extractive fermentation. This findings showed that either fed-batch or continuous extractive fermentation acted as a promising method in the efficient production of Monascus pigments.

Effect of rocker-soled shoes on parameters of knee joint load in knee osteoarthritis.

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Madden, Elizabeth G; Kean, Crystal O; Wrigley, Tim V; Bennell, Kim L; Hinman, Rana S

2015-01-01

This study evaluated the immediate effects of rocker-soled shoes on parameters of the knee adduction moment (KAM) and pain in individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Three-dimensional gait analysis was performed on 30 individuals (mean (SD): age, 61 (7) yr; 15 (50%) male) with radiographic and symptomatic knee OA under three walking conditions in a randomized order: i) wearing rocker-soled shoes (Skechers Shape-ups), ii) wearing non-rocker-soled shoes (ASICS walking shoes), and iii) barefoot. Peak KAM and KAM angular impulse were measured as primary indicators of knee load distribution. Secondary measures included the knee flexion moment (KFM) and knee pain during walking. Peak KAM was significantly lower when wearing the rocker-soled shoes compared with that when wearing the non-rocker-soled shoes (mean difference (95% confidence interval), -0.27 (-0.42 to -0.12) N·m/BW × Ht%; P < 0.001). Post hoc tests revealed no significant difference in KAM impulse between rocker-soled and non-rocker-soled shoe conditions (P = 0.13). Both peak KAM and KAM impulse were significantly higher during both shoe conditions compared with those during the barefoot condition (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in KFM (P = 0.36) or knee pain (P = 0.89) between conditions. Rocker-soled shoes significantly reduced peak KAM when compared with non-rocker-soled shoes, without a concomitant change in KFM, and thus may potentially reduce medial knee joint loading. However, KAM parameters in the rocker-soled shoes remained significantly higher than those during barefoot walking. Wearing rocker-soled shoes did not have a significant immediate effect on walking pain. Further research is required to evaluate whether rocker-soled shoes can influence symptoms and progression of knee OA with prolonged wear.

Nitrogen-fixing and uricolytic bacteria associated with the gut of Dendroctonus rhizophagus and Dendroctonus valens (Curculionidae: Scolytinae).

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Morales-Jiménez, Jesús; Vera-Ponce de León, Arturo; García-Domínguez, Aidé; Martínez-Romero, Esperanza; Zúñiga, Gerardo; Hernández-Rodríguez, César

2013-07-01

The bark beetles of the genus Dendroctonus feed on phloem that is a nitrogen-limited source. Nitrogen fixation and nitrogen recycling may compensate or alleviate such a limitation, and beetle-associated bacteria capable of such processes were identified. Raoultella terrigena, a diazotrophic bacteria present in the gut of Dendroctonus rhizophagus and D. valens, exhibited high acetylene reduction activity in vitro with different carbon sources, and its nifH and nifD genes were sequenced. Bacteria able to recycle uric acid were Pseudomonas fluorescens DVL3A that used it as carbon and nitrogen source, Serratia proteomaculans 2A CDF and Rahnella aquatilis 6-DR that used uric acid as sole nitrogen source. Also, this is the first report about the uric acid content in whole eggs, larvae, and adults (male and female) samples of the red turpentine beetle (Dendroctonus valens). Our results suggest that the gut bacteria of these bark beetles could contribute to insect N balance.

Effects of sole and mixed culture of wheat crop and phosphorus fertilization on the solubility of phosphorus in the soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahmood, H. R.; Ali, M. A.; Ahmad, N.

2016-01-01

Farmers face a challenging task to harvest yield potential of crops as well as improving fertilizer use-efficiency under their limited farm resources. Among the macronutrients, the relative efficiency of phosphorus fertilizer is very low in alkaline-calcareous soils under arid and semi-arid environments. Therefore, a field study was undertaken to quantify the interactive effects of wheat varieties and phosphorous fertilization on grain yield and solubility of phosphorous nutrient in the rhizosphere. The treatments consisted of (a) two wheat varieties (Sehr-2006, Shafaq-2006, mixed culture) and (b) three phosphorus levels (0, 45, 85 kg P/sub 2/O/sub 5/ per hectare) were arranged in randomized complete block design and replicated four times. The Results showed that biological grain yield and 1000-grain weight of wheat increased by 8.7 percent, 14.46 percent and 8.48 percent under mixed culture of varieties sehr-2006 and shafaq-2006, respectively over the solely grown varieties. The application of phosphorus at the rate 85 kg P/sub 2/O/sub 5/ ha/sup -1/ resulted in increased quantity of total biological yield, grain yield and 1000-grain weight compared to unfertilized crop. The uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus contents were substantially enhanced under mixed culture cropping pattern over sole wheat cultivars. The availability of phosphorus was increased by 19.70 percent under mixed cropping over sole culture. It is inferred from the study that mixed cropping produced synergetic effects on the availability of nutrients in the rhizosphere, and thereby resulted in the higher production of wheat crop. (author)

Low cost of gastric acid secretion during digestion in ball pythons.

Science.gov (United States)

Nørgaard, Simon; Andreassen, Kim; Malte, Christian Lind; Enok, Sanne; Wang, Tobias

2016-04-01

Due to their large metabolic responses to digestion (specific dynamic action, SDA), snakes represent an interesting animal group to identify the underlying mechanisms for the postprandial rise in metabolism. The SDA response results from the energetic costs of many different processes ranging over prey handling, secretions by the digestive system, synthesis of enzymes, plasticity of most visceral organs, as well as protein synthesis and nitrogen excretion. The contribution of the individual mechanisms, however, remains elusive. Gastric acid secretion has been proposed to account for more than half of the SDA response, while other studies report much lower contributions of the gastric processes. To investigate the energetic cost of gastric acid secretion, ball pythons (Python regius) were fed meals with added amounts of bone meal (up to 25 g bone meal kg(-1) snake) to achieve a five-fold rise in the buffer capacity of the meals. Direct measurements within the stomach lumen showed similar reduction in gastric pH when buffer capacity was increased, but we found no effects on the rise in oxygen consumption over the first three days of digestion. There was, however, a slower return of oxygen consumption to resting baseline. We conclude that gastric acid secretion only contributes modestly to the SDA response and propose that post-absorptive processes, such as increased protein synthesis, are likely to underlie the SDA response. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ethylene production in relation to nitrogen metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Johansson, Nina; Persson, Karl O; Quehl, Paul; Norbeck, Joakim; Larsson, Christer

2014-11-01

We have previously shown that ethylene production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing the ethylene-forming enzyme (EFE) from Pseudomonas syringae is strongly influenced by variations in the mode of cultivation as well as the choice of nitrogen source. Here, we have studied the influence of nitrogen metabolism on the production of ethylene further. Using ammonium, glutamate, glutamate/arginine, and arginine as nitrogen sources, it was found that glutamate (with or without arginine) correlates with a high ethylene production, most likely linked to an observed increase in 2-oxoglutarate levels. Arginine as a sole nitrogen source caused a reduced ethylene production. A reduction of arginine levels, accomplished using an arginine auxotrophic ARG4-deletion strain in the presence of limiting amounts of arginine or through CAR1 overexpression, did however not correlate with an increased ethylene production. As expected, arginine was necessary for ethylene production as ethylene production in the ARG4-deletion strain ceased at the time when arginine was depleted. In conclusion, our data suggest that high levels of 2-oxoglutarate and a limited amount of arginine are required for successful ethylene production in yeast. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Establishment of an inducing medium for type III effector secretion in Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris

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Guo-Feng Jiang

2013-09-01

Full Text Available It is well known that the type III secretion system (T3SS and type III (T3 effectors are essential for the pathogenicity of most bacterial phytopathogens and that the expression of T3SS and T3 effectors is suppressed in rich media but induced in minimal media and plants. To facilitate in-depth studies on T3SS and T3 effectors, it is crucial to establish a medium for T3 effector expression and secretion. Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc is a model bacterium for studying plant-pathogen interactions. To date no medium for Xcc T3 effector secretion has been defined. Here, we compared four minimal media (MME, MMX, XVM2, and XOM2 which are reported for T3 expression induction in Xanthomonas spp. and found that MME is most efficient for expression and secretion of Xcc T3 effectors. By optimization of carbon and nitrogen sources and pH value based on MME, we established XCM1 medium, which is about 3 times stronger than MME for Xcc T3 effectors secretion. We further optimized the concentration of phosphate, calcium, and magnesium in XCM1 and found that XCM1 with a lower concentration of magnesium (renamed as XCM2 is about 10 times as efficient as XCM1 (meanwhile, about 30 times stronger than MME. Thus, we established an inducing medium XCM2 which is preferred for T3 effector secretion in Xcc.

A Proteomic Study of Pectin Degrading Enzymes Secreted by Botrytis cinerea Grown in Liquid Culture

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Punit; Gutierrez-Sanchez, Gerardo; Orlando, Ron; Bergmann, Carl

2009-01-01

Botrytis cinerea is a pathogenic filamentous fungus which infects more than 200 plant species. The enzymes secreted by B. cinerea play an important role in the successful colonization of a host plant. Some of the secreted enzymes are involved in the degradation of pectin, a major component of the plant cell wall. A total of 126 proteins secreted by B. cinerea were identified by growing the fungus on highly or partially esterified pectin, or on sucrose in liquid culture. Sixty-seven common proteins were identified in each of the growth conditions, of which 50 proteins exhibited a Signal P motif. Thirteen B. cinerea proteins with functions related to pectin degradation were identified in both pectin growth conditions, while only four were identified in sucrose. Our results indicate it is unlikely that the activation of B. cinerea from the dormant state to active infection is solely dependent on changes in the degree of esterification of the pectin component of the plant cell wall. Further, these results suggest that future studies of the B. cinerea secretome in infections of ripe and unripe fruits will provide important information that will describe the mechanisms that the fungus employs to access nutrients and decompose tissues. PMID:19526562

The effect of acyclovir on the tubular secretion of creatinine in vitro

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Aleksa Katarina

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background While generally well tolerated, severe nephrotoxicity has been observed in some children receiving acyclovir. A pronounced elevation in plasma creatinine in the absence of other clinical manifestations of overt nephrotoxicity has been frequently documented. Several drugs have been shown to increase plasma creatinine by inhibiting its renal tubular secretion rather than by decreasing glomerular filtration rate (GFR. Creatinine and acyclovir may be transported by similar tubular transport mechanisms, thus, it is plausible that in some cases, the observed increase in plasma creatinine may be partially due to inhibition of tubular secretion of creatinine, and not solely due to decreased GFR. Our objective was to determine whether acyclovir inhibits the tubular secretion of creatinine. Methods Porcine (LLC-PK1 and human (HK-2 renal proximal tubular cell monolayers cultured on microporous membrane filters were exposed to [2-14C] creatinine (5 μM in the absence or presence of quinidine (1E+03 μM, cimetidine (1E+03 μM or acyclovir (22 - 89 μM in incubation medium. Results Results illustrated that in evident contrast to quinidine, acyclovir did not inhibit creatinine transport in LLC-PK1 and HK-2 cell monolayers. Conclusions The results suggest that acyclovir does not affect the renal tubular handling of creatinine, and hence, the pronounced, transient increase in plasma creatinine is due to decreased GFR, and not to a spurious increase in plasma creatinine.

LcrG secretion is not required for blocking of Yops secretion in Yersinia pestis

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Matson Jyl S

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background LcrG, a negative regulator of the Yersinia type III secretion apparatus has been shown to be primarily a cytoplasmic protein, but is secreted at least in Y. pestis. LcrG secretion has not been functionally analyzed and the relevance of LcrG secretion on LcrG function is unknown. Results An LcrG-GAL4AD chimera, originally constructed for two-hybrid analyses to analyze LcrG protein interactions, appeared to be not secreted but the LcrG-GAL4AD chimera retained the ability to regulate Yops secretion. This result led to further investigation to determine the significance of LcrG secretion on LcrG function. Additional analyses including deletion and substitution mutations of amino acids 2–6 in the N-terminus of LcrG were constructed to analyze LcrG secretion and LcrG's ability to control secretion. Some changes to the N-terminus of LcrG were found to not affect LcrG's secretion or LcrG's secretion-controlling activity. However, substitution of poly-isoleucine in the N-terminus of LcrG did eliminate LcrG secretion but did not affect LcrG's secretion controlling activity. Conclusion These results indicate that secretion of LcrG, while observable and T3SS mediated, is not relevant for LcrG's ability to control secretion.

Tamper-proof secret image-sharing scheme for identifying cheated secret keys and shared images

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chien-Chang; Liu, Chong-An

2013-01-01

A (t,n) secret image-sharing scheme shares a secret image to n participants, and the t users recover the image. During the recovery procedure of a conventional secret image-sharing scheme, cheaters may use counterfeit secret keys or modified shared images to cheat other users' secret keys and shared images. A cheated secret key or shared image leads to an incorrect secret image. Unfortunately, the cheater cannot be identified. We present an exponent and modulus-based scheme to provide a tamper-proof secret image-sharing scheme for identifying cheaters on secret keys or shared images. The proposed scheme allows users to securely select their secret key. This assignment can be performed over networks. Modulus results of each shared image is calculated to recognize cheaters of a shared image. Experimental results indicate that the proposed scheme is excellent at identifying cheated secret keys and shared images.

Wrapped up in Covers: Preschoolers' Secrets and Secret Hiding Places

Science.gov (United States)

Corson, Kimberly; Colwell, Malinda J.; Bell, Nancy J.; Trejos-Castillo, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

In this qualitative study, interviews about children's secret hiding places were conducted with 3-5-year-olds (n?=?17) in a university sponsored preschool programme using art narratives. Since prior studies indicate that children understand the concept of a secret as early as five and that they associate secrets with hiding places, the purpose of…

Quantifying nitrogen leaching response to fertilizer additions in China's cropland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, Shuoshuo; Xu, Peng; Zhou, Feng; Yang, Hui; Zheng, Chunmiao; Cao, Wei; Tao, Shu; Piao, Shilong; Zhao, Yue; Ji, Xiaoyan; Shang, Ziyin

2016-01-01

Agricultural soils account for more than 50% of nitrogen leaching (L_N) to groundwater in China. When excess levels of nitrogen accumulate in groundwater, it poses a risk of adverse health effects. Despite this recognition, estimation of L_N from cropland soils in a broad spatial scale is still quite uncertain in China. The uncertainty of L_N primarily stems from the shape of nitrogen leaching response to fertilizer additions (N_r_a_t_e) and the role of environmental conditions. On the basis of 453 site-years at 51 sites across China, we explored the nonlinearity and variability of the response of L_N to N_r_a_t_e and developed an empirical statistical model to determine how environmental factors regulate the rate of N leaching (LR). The result shows that L_N-N_r_a_t_e relationship is convex for most crop types, and varies by local hydro-climates and soil organic carbon. Variability of air temperature explains a half (∼52%) of the spatial variation of LR. The results of model calibration and validation indicate that incorporating this empirical knowledge into a predictive model could accurately capture the variation in leaching and produce a reasonable upscaling from site to country. The fertilizer-induced L_N in 2008 for China's cropland were 0.88 ± 0.23 TgN (1σ), significantly lower than the linear or uniform model, as assumed by Food and Agriculture Organization and MITERRA-EUROPE models. These results also imply that future policy to reduce N leaching from cropland needs to consider environmental variability rather than solely attempt to reduce N_r_a_t_e. - Highlights: • L_N-N_r_a_t_e relationship is convex and varies by local hydro-climates and SOC. • Variability of temperature explains a half of spatial variation of N leaching rate. • L_N in 2008 were 0.88 ± 0.23 Tg, lower than the linear or uniform models. • Reducing L_N should consider background rather than decreasing N_r_a_t_e solely. - Variability of air temperature explains a half of

Basal Cell Carcinoma on the Sole: An Easily Missed Cancer

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Natalie L. Hone

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Basal cell carcinoma (BCC is the most common skin cancer, and solar ultraviolet ray exposure is the most significant risk factor for its development. The plantar foot is infrequently exposed to the sun, thus the presence of BCC on the sole is rare. We report a case of BCC on the sole of the foot and its treatment in the hope to facilitate its detection.

A NEW 3D DESIGN METHOD FOR FOOTWEAR SOLES USING DELCAM PowerSHAPE-e SYSTEM

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IONESCU Cozmin

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Design methods of soles and soles injection moulds must be accurate, timely and at the same time, accessible to a wide category of soles and injection moulds designers and manufacturers. For designing soles and injection moulds for soles, various dedicated CAD/CAM systems have been developed, such as: Delcam Shoe Solution (3D, Delcam PowerSHAPE-e (2D and 3D, Padsy II (2D and Padsy III (3D, Shoemaster System (2D and 3D, Lectra System (2D and 3D, Parmel System (2D and ATOS II System (3D. These systems are equipped with colour displays, plotters, digitizers, terminals and other equipment dedicated for computer aided design activities. Designing 3D soles models using computer systems enables the prevention of ambiguities inherited from 2D drawings, thus reducing errors and remanufacturing. Depending on the design complexity of soles, the technical means available for copying shoe soles and the technologies at the disposal of the soles manufacturers, soles and injection moulds designers adopt various design methods. Not all CAD/CAM systems are accessible for all users, because often their purchasing costs are high. Design method developed and presented in this paper, uses Delcam PowerSHAPE software program, which has the advantage that it can be accessed free of charge from the manufacturer's website. At the same time, this software program provides the user with all the necessary tools and instruments needed to design the most complex injection moulds and footwear sole.

Salmonella-secreted Virulence Factors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heffron, Fred; Niemann, George; Yoon, Hyunjin; Kidwai, Afshan S.; Brown, Roslyn N.; McDermott, Jason E.; Smith, Richard D.; Adkins, Joshua N.

2011-05-01

In this short review we discuss secreted virulence factors of Salmonella, which directly affect Salmonella interaction with its host. Salmonella secretes protein to subvert host defenses but also, as discussed, to reduce virulence thereby permitting the bacteria to persist longer and more successfully disperse. The type III secretion system (TTSS) is the best known and well studied of the mechanisms that enable secretion from the bacterial cytoplasm to the host cell cytoplasm. Other secretion systems include outer membrane vesicles, which are present in all Gram-negative bacteria examined to date, two-partner secretion, and type VI secretion will also be addressed. Excellent reviews of Salmonella secreted effectors have focused on themes such as actin rearrangements, vesicular trafficking, ubiquitination, and the activities of the virulence factors themselves. This short review is based on S. Typhimurium infection of mice because it is a model of typhoid like disease in humans. We have organized effectors in terms of events that happen during the infection cycle and how secreted effectors may be involved.

In situ proteo-metabolomics reveals metabolite secretion by the acid mine drainage bio-indicator, Euglena mutabilis

Science.gov (United States)

Halter, David; Goulhen-Chollet, Florence; Gallien, Sébastien; Casiot, Corinne; Hamelin, Jérôme; Gilard, Françoise; Heintz, Dimitri; Schaeffer, Christine; Carapito, Christine; Van Dorsselaer, Alain; Tcherkez, Guillaume; Arsène-Ploetze, Florence; Bertin, Philippe N

2012-01-01

Euglena mutabilis is a photosynthetic protist found in acidic aquatic environments such as peat bogs, volcanic lakes and acid mine drainages (AMDs). Through its photosynthetic metabolism, this protist is supposed to have an important role in primary production in such oligotrophic ecosystems. Nevertheless, the exact contribution of E. mutabilis in organic matter synthesis remains unclear and no evidence of metabolite secretion by this protist has been established so far. Here we combined in situ proteo-metabolomic approaches to determine the nature of the metabolites accumulated by this protist or potentially secreted into an AMD. Our results revealed that the secreted metabolites are represented by a large number of amino acids, polyamine compounds, urea and some sugars but no fatty acids, suggesting a selective organic matter contribution in this ecosystem. Such a production may have a crucial impact on the bacterial community present on the study site, as it has been suggested previously that prokaryotes transport and recycle in situ most of the metabolites secreted by E. mutabilis. Consequently, this protist may have an indirect but important role in AMD ecosystems but also in other ecological niches often described as nitrogen-limited. PMID:22237547

The influence of nitrogen sources on the alpha-amylase productivity of Aspergillus oryzae in continuous cultures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Henrik; Nielsen, Jens

2000-01-01

The influence of the nitrogen source on the cc-amylase productivity of Aspergillus oryzae was quantified in continuous cultivations. Both inorganic and complex nitrogen sources were investigated and glucose was used as the carbon and energy sources. For production of alpha-amylase, nitrate...... in the cc-amylase productivity. The higher alpha-amylase productivity during growth on casein hydrolysate was not caused by increased transcription of the alpha-amylase genes but was caused by a faster secretion of alpha-amylase or by a lower binding of alpha-amylase to the biomass....

Secretome analysis of Aspergillus fumigatus reveals Asp-hemolysin as a major secreted protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Wartenberg, Dirk; Lapp, Katrin; Jacobsen, Ilse D; Dahse, Hans-Martin; Kniemeyer, Olaf; Heinekamp, Thorsten; Brakhage, Axel A

2011-11-01

Surface-associated and secreted proteins represent primarily exposed components of Aspergillus fumigatus during host infection. Several secreted proteins are known to be involved in defense mechanisms or immune evasion, thus, probably contributing to pathogenicity. Furthermore, several secreted antigens were identified as possible biomarkers for the verification of diseases caused by Aspergillus species. Nevertheless, there is only limited knowledge about the composition of the secretome and about molecular functions of particular proteins. To identify secreted proteins potentially essential for virulence, the core secretome of A. fumigatus grown in minimal medium was determined. Two-dimensional gel electrophoretic separation and subsequent MALDI-TOF-MS/MS analyses resulted in the identification of 64 different proteins. Additionally, secretome analyses of A. fumigatus utilizing elastin, collagen or keratin as main carbon and nitrogen source were performed. Thereby, the alkaline serine protease Alp1 was identified as the most abundant protein and hence presumably represents an important protease during host infection. Interestingly, the Asp-hemolysin (Asp-HS), which belongs to the protein family of aegerolysins and which was often suggested to be involved in fungal virulence, was present in the secretome under all growth conditions tested. In addition, a second, non-secreted protein with an aegerolysin domain annotated as Asp-hemolysin-like (HS-like) protein can be found to be encoded in the genome of A. fumigatus. Generation and analysis of Asp-HS and HS-like deletion strains revealed no differences in phenotype compared to the corresponding wild-type strain. Furthermore, hemolysis and cytotoxicity was not altered in both single-deletion and double-deletion mutants lacking both aegerolysin genes. All mutant strains showed no attenuation in virulence in a mouse infection model for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive

Meaningful Share Generation for Increased Number of Secrets in Visual Secret-Sharing Scheme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mustafa Ulutas

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a new scheme for hiding two halftone secret images into two meaningful shares created from halftone cover images. Meaningful shares are more desirable than noise-like (meaningless shares in Visual Secret Sharing because they look natural and do not attract eavesdroppers' attention. Previous works in the field focus on either increasing number of secrets or creating meaningful shares for one secret image. The method outlined in this paper both increases the number of secrets and creates meaningful shares at the same time. While the contrast ratio of shares is equal to that of Extended Visual Cryptography, two secrets are encoded into two shares as opposed to one secret in the Extended Visual Cryptography. Any two natural-looking images can be used as cover unlike the Halftone Visual Cryptography method where one cover should be the negative of the other cover image and can only encode one secret. Effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by an experiment.

Antimicrobial activity of the pygidial gland secretion of three ground beetle species (Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae)

Science.gov (United States)

Nenadić, Marija; Soković, Marina; Glamočlija, Jasmina; Ćirić, Ana; Perić-Mataruga, Vesna; Ilijin, Larisa; Tešević, Vele; Vujisić, Ljubodrag; Todosijević, Marina; Vesović, Nikola; Ćurčić, Srećko

2016-04-01

The antimicrobial properties of the pygidial gland secretions released by the adults of the three ground beetle species, Carabus ullrichii, C. coriaceus, and Abax parallelepipedus, have been tested. Microdilution method was applied for detection of minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs), minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs), and minimal fungicidal concentrations (MFCs). Additionally, morpho-histology of the pygidial glands is investigated. We have tested 16 laboratory and clinical strains of human pathogens—eight bacterial both gram-positive and gram-negative species and eight fungal species. The pygidial secretion samples of C. ullrichii have showed the strongest antimicrobial effect against all strains of treated bacteria and fungi. Staphylococcus aureus, Lysteria monocytogenes, and Salmonella typhimurium proved to be the most sensitive bacterial strains. Penicillium funiculosum proved to be the most sensitive micromycete, while P. ochrochloron and P. verrucosum var . cyclopium the most resistant micromycetes. The pygidial secretion of C. coriaceus has showed antibacterial potential solely against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus, A. versicolor, A. ochraceus, and P. ochrochloron. Antibacterial properties of pygidial gland secretion of A. parallelepipedus were achieved against P. aeruginosa, while antifungal activity was detected against five of the eight tested micromycetes (A. fumigatus, A. versicolor, A. ochraceus, Trichoderma viride, and P. verrucosum var . cyclopium). Commercial antibiotics Streptomycin and Ampicillin and mycotics Ketoconazole and Bifonazole, applied as the positive controls, showed higher antibacterial/antifungal properties for all bacterial and fungal strains. The results of this observation might have a significant impact on the environmental aspects and possible medical purpose in the future.

Effects of nitrogen load on the function and diversity of methanotrophs in the littoral wetland of a boreal lake

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Henri MP Siljanen

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Methane is the second most abundant greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. A major part of the total methane emissions from lake ecosystems are emitted from littoral wetlands. Methane emissions are significantly reduced by methanotrophs as they use methane as the sole energy and carbon source. Function of methanotrophs can be either activated or suppressed by nitrogen. However, the effects of nitrogen on methanotrophs in littoral wetlands are unknown. Here we report how nitrogen loading in situ affected the function and diversity of methanotrophs in a littoral wetland. Methanotrophic community composition and functional diversity were analyzed with particulate methane monooxygenase (pmoA gene targeted microarray. Nitrogen load had no effects on methane oxidation potential and methane fluxes. Nitrogen load activated pmoA gene transcription of type I (Methylobacter, Methylomonas and LW21-freshwater phylotypes methanotrophs, but decreased the relative abundance of type II (Methylocystis, Methylosinus trichosporium and Methylosinus phylotypes methanotrophs. Hence, the overall activity of a methanotroph community in littoral wetlands is unlikely to be affected by nitrogen leached from the catchment area.

Intercropping effect on root growth and nitrogen uptake at different nitrogen levels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramirez-Garcia, Javier; Martens, Helle Juel; Quemada, Miguel

2015-01-01

of root growth and N foraging for barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and vetch (Vicia sativa L.), frequently grown in mixtures as cover crops. N was added at 0 (N0), 50 (N1) and 150 (N2) kg N ha−1. The roots discrimination relying on the anatomical and morphological differences observed between dicots......Aims Intercropping legumes and non-legumes may affect the root growth of both components in the mixture, and the non-legume is known to be strongly favored by increasing nitrogen (N) supply. The knowledge of how root systems affect the growth of the individual species is useful for understanding...... the interactions in intercrops as well as for planning cover cropping strategies. The aim of this work was (i) to determine if different levels of N in the topsoil influence root depth (RD) and intensity of barley and vetch as sole crops or as an intercropped mixture and (ii) to test if the choice of a mixture...

Cholecystokinin inhibits gastrin secretion independently of paracrine somatostatin secretion in the pig

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, P T; Hansen, L; Hilsted, L

2004-01-01

BACKGROUND: Cholecystokinin inhibits the secretion of gastrin from antral G cells, an effect that is speculated to be mediated by D cells secreting somatostatin. The aim of the study was to test directly whether cholecystokinin inhibition of antral gastrin secretion is mediated by somatostatin....... METHODS: The effects of CCK on gastrin and somatostatin secretion were studied in isolated vascularly perfused preparations of pig antrum before and after immunoneutralization brought about by infusion of large amounts of a high affinity monoclonal antibody against somatostatin. RESULTS: CCK infusion...... at 10(-9) M and 10(-8) M decreased gastrin output to 70.5% +/- 7.6% (n = 8) and 76.3% +/- 3.6% (n = 7) of basal output, respectively. CCK at 10(-10) M had no effect (n = 6). Somatostatin secretion was dose-dependently increased by CCK infusion and increased to 268 +/- 38.2% (n = 7) of basal secretion...

Dynamic quantum secret sharing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia, Heng-Yue; Wen, Qiao-Yan; Gao, Fei; Qin, Su-Juan; Guo, Fen-Zhuo

2012-01-01

In this Letter we consider quantum secret sharing (QSS) between a sender and a dynamic agent group, called dynamic quantum secret sharing (DQSS). In the DQSS, the change of the agent group is allowable during the procedure of sharing classical and quantum information. Two DQSS schemes are proposed based on a special kind of entangled state, starlike cluster states. Without redistributing all the shares, the changed agent group can reconstruct the sender's secret by their cooperation. Compared with the previous quantum secret sharing scheme, our schemes are more flexible and suitable for practical applications. -- Highlights: ► We consider quantum secret sharing between a sender and a dynamic agent group, called dynamic quantum secret sharing (DQSS). ► In the DQSS, the change of the agent group is allowable during the procedure of sharing classical and quantum information. ► Two DQSS schemes are proposed based on a special kind of entangled state, starlike cluster states. ► Without redistributing all the shares, the changed agent group can reconstruct the sender's secret by their cooperation. ► Compared with the previous quantum secret sharing scheme, our schemes are more flexible and suitable for practical applications.

Variation in behaviour and growth of common sole : genetic and environmental influences

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mas Muñoz, J.

2013-01-01

Common sole (Solea solea) has a high potential for commercial aquaculture because of its consumer popularity and high market values in Europe. However, a major economic constraint for the culture of sole is its slow and variable growth. The aim of this thesis was to investigate: 1) the

Nitrogen use strategies of seedlings from neotropical tree species of distinct successional groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, Halley Caixeta; da Silva, Ligia Maria Inocêncio; de Freitas, Letícia Dias; Debiasi, Tatiane Viegas; Marchiori, Nidia Mara; Aidar, Marcos Pereira Marinho; Bianchini, Edmilson; Pimenta, José Antonio; Stolf-Moreira, Renata

2017-05-01

Few studies have analyzed the strategies of neotropical tree seedlings for absorbing, translocating and assimilating the nitrogen. Here, we compared the nitrogen use strategies of seedlings from six tree species that are native to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and that belong to different successional groups: Trema micrantha, Heliocarpus popayanensis and Cecropia pachystachya (pioneers), Cariniana estrellensis, Eugenia brasiliensis and Guarea kunthiana (non-pioneers). The effects of cultivating seedlings with nitrate or ammonium on the growth, physiology and nitrogen metabolism were analyzed. Nitrate-grown pioneer species had much higher leaf nitrate reductase activity than non-pioneer ones, but non-pioneer seedlings were also able to use nitrate as a nitrogen source. In addition to this remarkable difference between the groups in the capacity for leaf nitrate assimilation, substantial variations in the nitrogen use strategies were observed within the successional classes. Differently from the other non-pioneers, the canopy species C. estrellensis seemed to assimilate nitrate mainly in the leaves. Morphophysiological analyses showed a gradient of ammonium toxicity response, with E. brasiliensis as the most tolerant species, and T. micrantha and H. popayanensis as the most sensitive ones. Guarea kunthiana showed a relatively low tolerance to ammonium and an unusual high translocation of this cation in the xylem sap. In contrast to the other pioneers, C. pachystachya had a high plasticity in the use of nitrogen sources. Overall, these results suggest that nitrogen use strategies of neotropical tree seedlings were not determined solely by their successional position. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Disorders presenting with headache as the sole symptom ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Disorders presenting with headache as the sole symptom. ... Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads. ... probably do not require sophisticated neurological skills or investigations, failure to recognise an underlying disorder or an ...

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Presenting Respiratory Failure as the Sole Initial Manifestation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fuyuki Tateno

2014-08-01

Full Text Available It is rare that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS presents with respiratory failure as the sole initial manifestation. A 72-year-old man with mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease developed exertional dyspnea for 13 months. He then progressed to limb weakness that led to the diagnosis of ALS. Although rare, ALS can present with respiratory failure as the sole initial manifestation more than 1 year prior to limb weakness.

MORPHOMETRIC EVIDENCE FOR NUTRITIONAL STRESS IN ENGLISH SOLE

Science.gov (United States)

We present an application of the powerful thin plate spline method of morphometric analysis to demonstrate its utility for detecting environmental stress in an estuarine flatfish. Juvenile English sole (Pleuronectes vetulus) were captured from Yaquina Bay, Oregon, photographed w...

Improving Quality of Shoe Soles Product using Six Sigma

Science.gov (United States)

Jesslyn Wijaya, Athalia; Trusaji, Wildan; Akbar, Muhammad; Ma’ruf, Anas; Irianto, Dradjad

2018-03-01

A manufacture in Bandung produce kind of rubber-based product i.e. trim, rice rollers, shoe soles, etc. After penetrating the shoe soles market, the manufacture has met customer with tight quality control. Based on the past data, defect level of this product was 18.08% that caused the manufacture’s loss of time and money. Quality improvement effort was done using six sigma method that included phases of define, measure, analyse, improve, and control (DMAIC). In the design phase, the object’s problem and definition were defined. Delphi method was also used in this phase to identify critical factors. In the measure phase, the existing process stability and sigma quality level were measured. Fishbone diagram and failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) were used in the next phase to analyse the root cause and determine the priority issues. Improve phase was done by designing alternative improvement strategy using 5W1H method. Some improvement efforts were identified, i.e. (i) modifying design of the hanging rack, (ii) create pantone colour book and check sheet, (iii) provide pedestrian line at compound department, (iv) buying stop watch, and (v) modifying shoe soles dies. Some control strategies for continuous improvement were proposed such as SOP or reward and punishment system.

Shock velocity in weakly ionized nitrogen, air, and argon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siefert, Nicholas S.

2007-01-01

The goal of this research was to determine the principal mechanism(s) for the shock velocity increase in weakly ionized gases. This paper reports experimental data on the propagation of spark-generated shock waves (1< Mach<3) into weakly ionized nitrogen, air, and argon glow discharges (1 < p<20 Torr). In order to distinguish between effects due solely to the presence of electrons and effects due to heating of the background gas via elastic collisions with electrons, the weakly ionized discharge was pulsed on/off. Laser deflection methods determined the shock velocity, and the electron number density was collected using a microwave hairpin resonator. In the afterglow of nitrogen, air, and argon discharges, the shock velocity first decreased, not at the characteristic time for electrons to diffuse to the walls, but rather at the characteristic time for the centerline gas temperature to equilibrate with the wall temperature. These data support the conclusion that the principal mechanism for the increase in shock velocity in weakly ionized gases is thermal heating of the neutral gas species via elastic collisions with electrons

ALGORITHMS FOR THE PROGRAMMING OF FOOTWEAR SOLES MOULDS ON WORKING POSTS OF INJECTION MACHINES

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LUCA Cornelia

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The moulds stock necessary for realization in rhythmically conditions, a certain volume of footwear soles depends on some criterions such as: the range of soles for footwear volume daily realized, the sizes structure of those soles for footwear and, respectively, the sizes tally, the technological cycle for an used mould depending on the equipment efficiency, the provide necessity of spare moulds, the using and fixing conditions etc. From the efficiency point of view, the equipments may have two working posts, or more working posts (always, an even number, as 6, 12, 24, 40 posts. Footwear soles manufacturing takes into account the percentage distribution of the size numbers of the size series. When o portative assembly is used for the manufacturing of the footwear soles using the injection with “n” working posts, it is very important an optimum distribution of the working posts. The disadvantages of these equipments are the situations of the no equilibrium programming of the moulds, so that, in one time, some working posts spread out of the work. The paper presents some practical and theoretical solutions for moulds stock programming in portative assembly for footwear soles injection, so that an optimum equilibrium degree of the working posts will obtain

Radiation capture and use as affected by morphologicallycontrasting maize/pea in sole and intercropping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanton, R.A.L.; Dennett, M.D.

2008-01-01

Field experiments were conducted at the Field Unit of the School of Plant Sciences in Reading, UK, during the 2000 and 2001 growing seasons to compare the radiation capture and use efficiency of morphologically and physiologically contrasting maize/pea intercrops with sole crops. The maize cultivars comprised Nancis with erect and Sophy with floppy leaves whilst the peas consisted of Maro, a conventional leaved, and Princess, a semi-leafless cultivar. Radiation capture by the sole and intercrops was measured using a Sunflek Ceptometer (Delta T Devices), with a sensor length of 80 cm. Measurements were taken at four equidistant positions in each plot, 1 m away from the edges of the plot. Before the maize grew above the peas, measurements were taken at the top of the canopy and below. When the canopies were distinct, three measurements were taken, above the canopy, above peas and below the canopy from 9.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. at weekly intervals. In both seasons the intercrops and sole pea crops intercepted more radiation compared to the sole maize crops. Towards the end of the season the intercrops and sole maize had similar interception. Intercropping both maize cultivars in 2000 with the conventional pea had the greatest interception in 2001. Radiation use efficiency (RUE) was measured by taking the respective changes in above ground dry weight and dividing by the respective changes in cumulative absorbed photosynthetic active radiation (PAR). The RUE were highest at mid-season for both intercrops and sole crops in both seasons. Comparisons were also made using cumulative radiation use efficiencies (CRUE), representing the RUE from emergence to any time. Sole pea had the lowest RUE in both seasons. The sole maize in 2000 had highest CRUE. However, in 2001 intercrops had similar RUE to sole maize, suggesting an increase in RUE of peas in intercrops. Nancis had consistently higher RUE in both seasons compared to Sophy. The results emphasize that radiation capture and

Quantum strongly secure ramp secret sharing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Paul; Matsumoto, Rytaro Yamashita

2015-01-01

Quantum secret sharing is a scheme for encoding a quantum state (the secret) into multiple shares and distributing them among several participants. If a sufficient number of shares are put together, then the secret can be fully reconstructed. If an insufficient number of shares are put together...... however, no information about the secret can be revealed. In quantum ramp secret sharing, partial information about the secret is allowed to leak to a set of participants, called an unqualified set, that cannot fully reconstruct the secret. By allowing this, the size of a share can be drastically reduced....... This paper introduces a quantum analog of classical strong security in ramp secret sharing schemes. While the ramp secret sharing scheme still leaks partial information about the secret to unqualified sets of participants, the strong security condition ensures that qudits with critical information can...

Construction of cellulose-utilizing Escherichia coli based on a secretable cellulase.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Dongfang; Luan, Yaqi; Wang, Qian; Liang, Quanfeng; Qi, Qingsheng

2015-10-09

The microbial conversion of plant biomass into value added products is an attractive option to address the impacts of petroleum dependency. The Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli is commonly used as host for the industrial production of various chemical products with a variety of sugars as carbon sources. However, this strain neither produces endogenous cellulose degradation enzymes nor secrets heterologous cellulases for its poor secretory capacity. Thus, a cellulolytic E. coli strain capable of growth on plant biomass would be the first step towards producing chemicals and fuels. We previously identified the catalytic domain of a cellulase (Cel-CD) and its N-terminal sequence (N20) that can serve as carriers for the efficient extracellular production of target enzymes. This finding suggested that cellulose-utilizing E. coli can be engineered with minimal heterologous enzymes. In this study, a β-glucosidase (Tfu0937) was fused to Cel-CD and its N-terminal sequence respectively to obtain E. coli strains that were able to hydrolyze the cellulose. Recombinant strains were confirmed to use the amorphous cellulose as well as cellobiose as the sole carbon source for growth. Furthermore, both strains were engineered with poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) synthesis pathway to demonstrate the production of biodegradable polyesters directly from cellulose materials without exogenously added cellulases. The yield of PHB reached 2.57-8.23 wt% content of cell dry weight directly from amorphous cellulose/cellobiose. Moreover, we found the Cel-CD and N20 secretion system can also be used for the extracellular production of other hydrolytic enzymes. This study suggested that a cellulose-utilizing E. coli was created based on a heterologous cellulase secretion system and can be used to produce biofuels and biochemicals directly from cellulose. This system also offers a platform for conversion of other abundant renewable biomass to biofuels and biorefinery products.

INTERACTIONS BETWEEN SOIL TEMPERATURE AND PLANT GROWTH STAGE ON NITROGEN UPTAKE AND AMINO ACID CONTENT OF APPLE NURSERY STOCK DURING EARLY SPRING GROWTH

Science.gov (United States)

In the spring, nitrogen (N) uptake by apple roots is known to be delayed about three weeks after bud break. We used one-year-old 'Fuji' (Malus domestica Borkh) on M26 bare-root apple trees to determine whether timing of N uptake in the spring is dependant solely on the growth st...

Plantar Sole Unweighting Alters the Sensory Transmission to the Cortical Areas

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Laurence Mouchnino

2017-05-01

Full Text Available It is well established that somatosensory inputs to the cortex undergo an early and a later stage of processing. The later has been shown to be enhanced when the earlier transmission decreased. In this framework, mechanical factors such as the mechanical stress to which sensors are subjected when wearing a loaded vest are associated with a decrease in sensory transmission. This decrease is in turn associated with an increase in the late sensory processes originating from cortical areas. We hypothesized that unweighting the plantar sole should lead to a facilitation of the sensory transmission. To test this hypothesis, we recorded cortical somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs of individuals following cutaneous stimulation (by mean of an electrical stimulation of the foot sole in different conditions of unweighting when standing still with eyes closed. To this end, the effective bodyweight (BW was reduced from 100% BW to 40% BW. Contrary to what was expected, we found an attenuation of sensory information when the BW was unweighted to 41% which was not compensated by an increase of the late SEP component. Overall these results suggested that the attenuation of sensory transmission observed in 40 BW condition was not solely due to the absence of forces acting on the sole of the feet but rather to the current relevance of the afferent signals related to the balance constraints of the task.

Nitrogen levels and yeast viability during ethanol fermentation of grain sorghum containing condensed tannins

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mullins, J T; NeSmith, C

1988-01-01

Selected varieties of sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, give high crop yields and they also return to favorable energy balance in terms of energy calories produced per cultural energy invested. The brown, condensed-tannin, bird- and mold-resistant varieties illustrate these advantages, but their nutritional value and ability to support the expected rate of ethanol fermentation is significantly lower than that of non-brown sorghums. It has been previously shown that the addition of nitrogen to brown sorghum mash supports a high rate of fermentative metabolism without removing the tannins, and suggested that the basis for the inhibition of ethanol fermentation was nitrogen starvation of the yeast cells. In this investigation, it is demonstrated that the addition of protease enzyme to mash results in an increase in amino nitrogen sufficient to support accelerated rates of ethanol fermentation by yeast cells. Thus, the hypothesis commonly cited in the literature that the presumed inhibitor, condensed tannins, function to reduce fermentative metabolism solely via the binding and precipitation of proteins is rejected.

Dynamic secrets in communication security

CERN Document Server

Xiao, Sheng; Towsley, Donald

2013-01-01

Dynamic secrets are constantly generated and updated from messages exchanged between two communication users. When dynamic secrets are used as a complement to existing secure communication systems, a stolen key or password can be quickly and automatically reverted to its secret status without disrupting communication. 'Dynamic Secrets in Communication Security' presents unique security properties and application studies for this technology. Password theft and key theft no longer pose serious security threats when parties frequently use dynamic secrets. This book also illustrates that a dynamic

Novel heterotrophic nitrogen removal and assimilation characteristic of the newly isolated bacterium Pseudomonas stutzeri AD-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Qing, Hui; Donde, Oscar Omondi; Tian, Cuicui; Wang, Chunbo; Wu, Xingqiang; Feng, Shanshan; Liu, Yao; Xiao, Bangding

2018-04-18

AD-1, an aerobic denitrifier, was isolated from activated sludge and identified as Pseudomonas stutzeri. AD-1 completely removed NO 3 - or NO 2 - and removed 99.5% of NH 4 + during individual culturing in a broth medium with an initial nitrogen concentration of approximately 50 mg L -1 . Results showed that larger amounts of nitrogen were removed through assimilation by the bacteria. And when NH 4 + was used as the sole nitrogen source in the culture medium, neither NO 2 - nor NO 3 - was detected, thus indicating that AD-1 may not be a heterotrophic nitrifier. Only trace amount of N 2 O was detected during the denitrification process. Single factor experiments indicated that the optimal culture conditions for AD-1 were: a carbon-nitrogen ratio (C/N) of 15, a temperature of 25°C and sodium succinate or glucose as a carbon source. In conclusion, due to the ability of AD-1 to utilize nitrogen of different forms with high efficiencies for its growth while producing only trace emissions of N 2 O, the bacterium had outstanding potential to use in the bioremediation of high-nitrogen-containing wastewaters. Meanwhile, it may also be a proper candidate for biotreatment of high concentration organic wastewater. Copyright © 2018 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

GlnR-mediated regulation of nitrogen metabolism in the actinomycete Saccharopolyspora erythraea.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Li-Li; Liao, Cheng-Heng; Huang, Gang; Zhou, Ying; Rigali, Sebastien; Zhang, Buchang; Ye, Bang-Ce

2014-09-01

Nitrogen source sensing, uptake, and assimilation are central for growth and development of microorganisms which requires the participation of a global control of nitrogen metabolism-associated genes at the transcriptional level. In soil-dwelling antibiotic-producing actinomycetes, this role is played by GlnR, an OmpR family regulator. In this work, we demonstrate that SACE_7101 is the ortholog of actinomycetes' GlnR global regulators in the erythromycin producer Saccharopolyspora erythraea. Indeed, the chromosomal deletion of SACE_7101 severely affects the viability of S. erythraea when inoculated in minimal media supplemented with NaNO3, NaNO2, NH4Cl, glutamine, or glutamate as sole nitrogen source. Combination of in silico prediction of cis-acting elements, subsequent in vitro (through gel shift assays) and in vivo (real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) validations of the predicted target genes revealed a very large GlnR regulon aimed at adapting the nitrogen metabolism of S. erythraea. Indeed, enzymes/proteins involved in (i) uptake and assimilation of ammonium, (ii) transport and utilization of urea, (iii) nitrite/nitrate, (iv) glutamate/glutamine, (v) arginine metabolism, (vi) nitric oxide biosynthesis, and (vii) signal transduction associated with the nitrogen source supplied have at least one paralog gene which expression is controlled by GlnR. Our work highlights a GlnR-binding site consensus sequence (t/gna/cAC-n6-GaAAc) which is similar although not identical to the consensus sequences proposed for other actinomycetes. Finally, we discuss the distinct and common features of the GlnR-mediated transcriptional control of nitrogen metabolism between S. erythraea and the model organism Streptomyces coelicolor.

Probing of brain states in real-time: Introducing the ConSole environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas eHartmann

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Recent years have seen huge advancements in the methods available and used in neuroscience employing EEG or MEG. However, the standard approach is to average a large number of trials for experimentally defined conditions in order to reduce intertrial-variability, i.e. treating it as a source of "noise". Yet it is now more and more accepted that trial-to-trial fluctuations bear functional significance, reflecting fluctuations of "brain states" that predispose perception and action. Such effects are often revealed in a pre-stimulus period, when comparing response variability to an invariant stimulus. However such offline analyses are disadvantageous as they are correlational by drawing conclusions in a posthoc-manner and stimulus presentation is random with respect to the feature of interest. A more direct test is to trigger stimulus presentation when the relevant feature is present. The current paper introduces ConSole (CONstance System for OnLine Eeg, a software package capable of analyzing ongoing EEG / MEG in real-time and presenting auditory and visual stimuli via internal routines. Stimulation via external devices (e.g. TMS or third-party software (e.g. Psyscope X is possible by sending TTL-triggers. With ConSole it is thus possible to target the stimulation at specific brain-states. In contrast to many available applications, ConSole is open-source. Its modular design enhances the power of the software as it can be easily adapted to new challenges and writing new experiments is an easy task. ConSole is already pre-equipped with modules performing standard signal processing steps. The software is also independent from the EEG / MEG system, as long as a driver can be written (currently 2 EEG systems are supported. Besides a general introduction, we present benchmark data regarding performance and validity of the calculations used, as well as three example applications of ConSole in different settings. ConSole can be downloaded at: http://console-kn.sf.net.

Quality and Composition of Red Wine Fermented with Schizosaccharomyces pombe as Sole Fermentative Yeast, and in Mixed and Sequential Fermentations with Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felipe Palomero

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This work examines the physiology of Schizosaccharomyces pombe (represented by strain 938 in the production of red wine, as the sole fermentative yeast, and in mixed and sequential fermentations with Saccharomyces cerevisiae 796. For further comparison, fermentations in which Saccharomyces cerevisiae was the sole fermentative yeast were also performed; in these fermentations a commercial lactic acid bacterium was used to perform malolactic fermentation once alcoholic fermentation was complete (unlike S. cerevisiae, the Sc. pombe performs maloalcoholic fermentation and therefore removes malic acid without such help. Relative density, acetic, malic and pyruvic acid concentrations, primary amino nitrogen and urea concentrations, and pH of the musts were measured over the entire fermentation period. In all fermentations in which Sc. pombe 938 was involved, nearly all the malic acid was consumed from an initial concentration of 5.5 g/L, and moderate acetic acid concentrations below 0.4 g/L were formed. The urea content of these wines was notably lower, showing a tenfold reduction when compared with those that were made with S. cerevisiae 796 alone. The sensorial properties of the different final wines varied widely. The wines fermented with Sc. pombe 938 had maximum aroma intensity and quality, and they were preferred by the tasters.

Pathogenesis and Treatment of Sole Ulcers and White Line Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Shearer, J K; van Amstel, Sarel R

2017-07-01

Sole ulcers and white line disease are 2 of the most common claw horn lesions in confined dairy cattle. Predisposing causes include unbalanced weight bearing, and metabolic, enzymatic, and hormonal changes. The white line serves as the junction between the sole and axial and abaxial wall. It is vulnerable to trauma and separation, permitting organic matter to become entrapped. Colonization contributes to retrograde movement of the infection to the solar and perioplic corium, where an abscess forms resulting in pain and lameness. Successful treatment requires an orthopedic foot block to the healthy claw and corrective trimming of the lesion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mining secreted proteins that function in pepper fruit development and ripening using a yeast secretion trap (YST)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Je Min, E-mail: jemin@knu.ac.kr [Department of Plant Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Department of Horticultural Science, Kyungpook National University, Daegu (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Sang-Jik [Biotechnology Institute, Nongwoo Bio Co, Ltd, Yeoju (Korea, Republic of); Department of Plant Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (United States); Rose, Jocelyn K.C. [Department of Plant Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (United States); Yeam, Inhwa [Department of Horticulture and Breeding, Andong National University, Andong (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Byung-Dong [Department of Plant Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-04-18

Highlights: • Yeast secretion trap (YST) is a valuable tool for mining secretome. • A total of 80 secreted proteins are newly identified via YST in pepper fruits. • The secreted proteins are differentially regulated during pepper development and ripening. • Transient GFP-fusion assay and in planta secretion trap can effectively validate the secretion of proteins. - Abstract: Plant cells secrete diverse sets of constitutively- and conditionally-expressed proteins under various environmental and developmental states. Secreted protein populations, or secretomes have multiple functions, including defense responses, signaling, metabolic processes, and developmental regulation. To identify genes encoding secreted proteins that function in fruit development and ripening, a yeast secretion trap (YST) screen was employed using pepper (Capsicum annuum) fruit cDNAs. The YST screen revealed 80 pepper fruit-related genes (CaPFRs) encoding secreted proteins including cell wall proteins, several of which have not been previously described. Transient GFP-fusion assay and an in planta secretion trap were used to validate the secretion of proteins encoded by selected YST clones. In addition, RNA gel blot analyses provided further insights into their expression and regulation during fruit development and ripening. Integrating our data, we conclude that the YST provides a valuable functional genomics tool for the identification of substantial numbers of novel secreted plant proteins that are associated with biological processes, including fruit development and ripening.

Mining secreted proteins that function in pepper fruit development and ripening using a yeast secretion trap (YST)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Je Min; Lee, Sang-Jik; Rose, Jocelyn K.C.; Yeam, Inhwa; Kim, Byung-Dong

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Yeast secretion trap (YST) is a valuable tool for mining secretome. • A total of 80 secreted proteins are newly identified via YST in pepper fruits. • The secreted proteins are differentially regulated during pepper development and ripening. • Transient GFP-fusion assay and in planta secretion trap can effectively validate the secretion of proteins. - Abstract: Plant cells secrete diverse sets of constitutively- and conditionally-expressed proteins under various environmental and developmental states. Secreted protein populations, or secretomes have multiple functions, including defense responses, signaling, metabolic processes, and developmental regulation. To identify genes encoding secreted proteins that function in fruit development and ripening, a yeast secretion trap (YST) screen was employed using pepper (Capsicum annuum) fruit cDNAs. The YST screen revealed 80 pepper fruit-related genes (CaPFRs) encoding secreted proteins including cell wall proteins, several of which have not been previously described. Transient GFP-fusion assay and an in planta secretion trap were used to validate the secretion of proteins encoded by selected YST clones. In addition, RNA gel blot analyses provided further insights into their expression and regulation during fruit development and ripening. Integrating our data, we conclude that the YST provides a valuable functional genomics tool for the identification of substantial numbers of novel secreted plant proteins that are associated with biological processes, including fruit development and ripening

Immunoglobins in mammary secretions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hurley, W L; Theil, Peter Kappel

2013-01-01

Immunoglobulins secreted in colostrum and milk by the lactating mammal are major factors providing immune protection to the newborn. Immunoglobulins in mammary secretions represent the cumulative immune response of the lactating animal to exposure to antigenic stimulation that occurs through...... the immunoglobulins found in mammary secretions in the context of their diversity of structure, origin, mechanisms of transfer, and function....

Matroids and quantum-secret-sharing schemes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarvepalli, Pradeep; Raussendorf, Robert

2010-01-01

A secret-sharing scheme is a cryptographic protocol to distribute a secret state in an encoded form among a group of players such that only authorized subsets of the players can reconstruct the secret. Classically, efficient secret-sharing schemes have been shown to be induced by matroids. Furthermore, access structures of such schemes can be characterized by an excluded minor relation. No such relations are known for quantum secret-sharing schemes. In this paper we take the first steps toward a matroidal characterization of quantum-secret-sharing schemes. In addition to providing a new perspective on quantum-secret-sharing schemes, this characterization has important benefits. While previous work has shown how to construct quantum-secret-sharing schemes for general access structures, these schemes are not claimed to be efficient. In this context the present results prove to be useful; they enable us to construct efficient quantum-secret-sharing schemes for many general access structures. More precisely, we show that an identically self-dual matroid that is representable over a finite field induces a pure-state quantum-secret-sharing scheme with information rate 1.

Extracellular secretion of recombinant proteins

Science.gov (United States)

Linger, Jeffrey G.; Darzins, Aldis

2014-07-22

Nucleic acids encoding secretion signals, expression vectors containing the nucleic acids, and host cells containing the expression vectors are disclosed. Also disclosed are polypeptides that contain the secretion signals and methods of producing polypeptides, including methods of directing the extracellular secretion of the polypeptides. Exemplary embodiments include cellulase proteins fused to secretion signals, methods to produce and isolate these polypeptides, and methods to degrade lignocellulosic biomass.

Response of biomass and nitrogen yield of white clover to radiation and atmospheric CO2 concentration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manderscheid, R.; Bender, J.; Schenk, U.; Weigel, H.J.

1997-01-01

The objectives of the present study were to test (i) whether the effect of season-long CO 2 enrichment on plant dry matter production of white clover (Trifolium repens cv. Karina) depends on the temperature or can solely be explained by changes in radiation use efficiency, and (ii) whether the atmospheric CO 2 concentration affects the relationship between tissue %N and plant biomass. Plants were grown in pots with adequate nutrient and water supply and were exposed to ambient and above ambient CO 2 concentrations (approximately +80 ppm, +160 ppm, +280 ppm) in open-top chambers for two seasons. Nitrogen fertilizer was given only before the experiment started to promote N 2 fixation. Plants were clipped to a height of 5 cm, when the canopy had reached a height of about 20 cm and when the CO 2 effect had not been diminished due to self-shading of the leaves. Photon exposure (400–700 nm) measured above the canopy was linearly related to the above ground biomass, the leaf area index and the nitrogen yield (r 2 > 0.94). The slopes of the curves depended on the CO 2 concentration. Since most of the radiation (>90%) was absorbed by the foliage, the slopes were used to calculate the CO 2 effect on the radiation use efficiency of biomass production, which is shown to increase curvilinearly between 380 and 660 ppm CO 2 from 2.7 g MJ −1 to 3.9 g MJ −1 . CO 2 enrichment increased above ground biomass by increasing the leaf number, the individual leaf weight and the leaf area; specific leaf weight was not affected. The relative CO 2 response varied between harvests; there was a slight but not significant positive relationship with mean daytime temperature. At the beginning of the season, plant nitrogen concentration in the above ground biomass was decreased by CO 2 enrichment. However, at later growth stages, when the plants depended solely on N 2 fixation, nitrogen concentration was found to be increased when the nitrogen concentration value was adjusted for the decrease

The adsorption of nitrogen oxides on crystalline ice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Bartels

2002-01-01

Full Text Available The partitioning of nitrogen oxides between ice and air is of importance to the ozone budget in the upper troposphere. In the present study, adsorption of nitrogen oxides on ice was investigated at atmospheric pressure using a chromatographic technique with radioactively labelled nitrogen oxides at low concentrations. The measured retentions solely depended on molecular adsorption and were not influenced by dimerisation, formation of encapsulated hydrates on the ice surface, dissociation of the acids, nor by migration into a quasi-liquid layer or grain boundaries. Based on the chromatographic retention and the model of thermo-chromatography, the standard adsorption enthalpy of -20 kJ mol-1 for NO, -22kJ mol-1 for NO2, -30kJ mol-1 for peroxyacetyl nitrate, -32kJ mol-1 for HON} and -44 kJ mol-1 for HNO3 was calculated. To perform those calculations within the model of thermo-chromatography, the standard adsorption entropy was calculated based on statistical thermodynamics. In this work, two different choices of standard states were applied, and consequently different values of the standard adsorption entropy, of either between -39 kJ mol-1 and -45kJ mol-1, or -164 kJ mol-1 and -169 kJ mol-1 for each nitrogen oxide were derived. The standard adsorption enthalpy was identical for both standard adsorption entropies and thus shown to be independent of the choice of standard state. A brief outlook on environmental implications of our findings indicates that adsorption on ice might be an important removal process of HNO3. In addition, it might be of some importance for HONO and peroxyacetyl nitrate and irrelevant for NO and NO2.

Use of Potato Nitrogen Concentrate in the Production of α-Amylase by Aspergillus oryzae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric Thaller

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The influence of various nitrogen sources and media supplements on α-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1 formation by Aspergillus oryzae ATCC 1011 was investigated in shake flask experiments and batch fermentations. Both inorganic and organic nitrogen-containing supplements have been applied, while corn starch and ammonium sulphate were used as the major source of carbon and nitrogen, respectively. Shake flask experiments revealed that potato nitrogen concentrate (PNC is almost equivalent to corn steep liquor (CSL in supporting amylase formation. A pretreatment step consisting of clarification of the turbid material did not show any significant effect. The replacement of the inorganic nitrogen source by sodium nitrate led to lower enzyme yields. Other complex supplements may reduce the enzyme level formed, e.g. casein hydrolysate, or increase the amylase titre slightly, e.g. yeast extract or malt extract. Cultivations in instrumented bench top reactors on media supplemented with PNC led to higher cell growth rates and yields of α-amylase in comparison with the medium without any supplement. Replacement of PNC by CSL revealed a slightly increased enzyme level, which is in the range of 9–17 % after 100 h of cultivation. Only minor differences were revealed in the growth kinetics and enzyme formation when PNC was used as the sole nitrogen source, replacing a mixture of soybean meal, yeast extract, malt extract and casein hydrolysate in bioreactor cultivations with lactose as the carbon source. However, metabolic differences as seen from the course of dissolved oxygen tension (DOT, α-amino nitrogen concentration and the amount of acid needed to maintain a constant pH were observed.

Thermal preference of juvenile Dover sole (Solea solea in relation to thermal acclimation and optimal growth temperature.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edward Schram

Full Text Available Dover sole (Solea solea is an obligate ectotherm with a natural thermal habitat ranging from approximately 5 to 27°C. Thermal optima for growth lie in the range of 20 to 25°C. More precise information on thermal optima for growth is needed for cost-effective Dover sole aquaculture. The main objective of this study was to determine the optimal growth temperature of juvenile Dover sole (Solea solea and in addition to test the hypothesis that the final preferendum equals the optimal growth temperature. Temperature preference was measured in a circular preference chamber for Dover sole acclimated to 18, 22 and 28°C. Optimal growth temperature was measured by rearing Dover sole at 19, 22, 25 and 28°C. The optimal growth temperature resulting from this growth experiment was 22.7°C for Dover sole with a size between 30 to 50 g. The temperature preferred by juvenile Dover sole increases with acclimation temperature and exceeds the optimal temperature for growth. A final preferendum could not be detected. Although a confounding effect of behavioural fever on temperature preference could not be entirely excluded, thermal preference and thermal optima for physiological processes seem to be unrelated in Dover sole.

Pituitary-hormone secretion by thyrotropinomas.

Science.gov (United States)

Roelfsema, Ferdinand; Kok, Simon; Kok, Petra; Pereira, Alberto M; Biermasz, Nienke R; Smit, Jan W; Frolich, Marijke; Keenan, Daniel M; Veldhuis, Johannes D; Romijn, Johannes A

2009-01-01

Hormone secretion by somatotropinomas, corticotropinomas and prolactinomas exhibits increased pulse frequency, basal and pulsatile secretion, accompanied by greater disorderliness. Increased concentrations of growth hormone (GH) or prolactin (PRL) are observed in about 30% of thyrotropinomas leading to acromegaly or disturbed sexual functions beyond thyrotropin (TSH)-induced hyperthyroidism. Regulation of non-TSH pituitary hormones in this context is not well understood. We there therefore evaluated TSH, GH and PRL secretion in 6 patients with up-to-date analytical and mathematical tools by 24-h blood sampling at 10-min intervals in a clinical research laboratory. The profiles were analyzed with a new deconvolution method, approximate entropy, cross-approximate entropy, cross-correlation and cosinor regression. TSH burst frequency and basal and pulsatile secretion were increased in patients compared with controls. TSH secretion patterns in patients were more irregular, but the diurnal rhythm was preserved at a higher mean with a 2.5 h phase delay. Although only one patient had clinical acromegaly, GH secretion and IGF-I levels were increased in two other patients and all three had a significant cross-correlation between the GH and TSH. PRL secretion was increased in one patient, but all patients had a significant cross-correlation with TSH and showed decreased PRL regularity. Cross-ApEn synchrony between TSH and GH did not differ between patients and controls, but TSH and PRL synchrony was reduced in patients. We conclude that TSH secretion by thyrotropinomas shares many characteristics of other pituitary hormone-secreting adenomas. In addition, abnormalities in GH and PRL secretion exist ranging from decreased (joint) regularity to overt hypersecretion, although not always clinically obvious, suggesting tumoral transformation of thyrotrope lineage cells.

Radiation capture and use as affected by morphologically contrasting maize/pea in sole and intercropping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanton, R. A. L.; Dennett, M. D.

2008-01-01

Field experiments were conducted at the Field Unit of the School of Plant Sciences in Reading, UK, during the 2000 and 2001 growing seasons to compare the radiation capture and use efficiency of morphologically and physiologically contrasting maize/pea intercrops with sole crops. The maize cultivars comprised Nancis with erect and Sophy with floppy leaves whilst the peas consisted of Maro, a conventional leaved, and Princess, a semi-leafless cultivar. Radiation capture by the sole and intercrops was measured using a Sunflek Ceptometer (Delta T Devices), with a sensor length of 80 cm. Measurements were taken at four equidistant positions in each plot, 1 m away from the edges of the plot. Before the maize grew above the peas, measurements were taken at the top of the canopy and below. When the canopies were distinct, three measurements were taken, above the canopy, above peas and below the canopy from 9.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. at weekly intervals. In both seasons the intercrops and sole pea crops intercepted more radiation compared to the sole maize crops. Towards the end of the season the intercrops and sole maize had similar interception. Intercropping both maize cultivars in 2000 with the conventional pea had the greatest interception in 2001. Radiation use efficiency (RUE) was measured by taking the respective changes in above ground dry weight and dividing by the respective changes in cumulative absorbed photosynthetic active radiation (PAR). The RUE were highest at mid-season for both intercrops and sole crops in both seasons. Comparisons were also made using cumulative radiation use efficiencies (CRUE), representing the RUE from emergence to any time. Sole pea had the lowest CRUE in both seasons. The sole maize in 2000 had highest CRUE. However, in 2001 intercrops had similar CRUE to sole maize, suggesting an increase in RUE of peas in intercrops. Nancis had consistently higher CRUE in both seasons compared to Sophy. The results emphasize that radiation capture

Nitrogen-fixing and cellulose-producing Gluconacetobacter kombuchae sp. nov., isolated from Kombucha tea.

Science.gov (United States)

Dutta, Debasree; Gachhui, Ratan

2007-02-01

A few members of the family Acetobacteraceae are cellulose-producers, while only six members fix nitrogen. Bacterial strain RG3T, isolated from Kombucha tea, displays both of these characteristics. A high bootstrap value in the 16S rRNA gene sequence-based phylogenetic analysis supported the position of this strain within the genus Gluconacetobacter, with Gluconacetobacter hansenii LMG 1527T as its nearest neighbour (99.1 % sequence similarity). It could utilize ethanol, fructose, arabinose, glycerol, sorbitol and mannitol, but not galactose or xylose, as sole sources of carbon. Single amino acids such as L-alanine, L-cysteine and L-threonine served as carbon and nitrogen sources for growth of strain RG3T. Strain RG3T produced cellulose in both nitrogen-free broth and enriched medium. The ubiquinone present was Q-10 and the DNA base composition was 55.8 mol% G+C. It exhibited low values of 5.2-27.77 % DNA-DNA relatedness to the type strains of related gluconacetobacters, which placed it within a separate taxon, for which the name Gluconacetobacter kombuchae sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain RG3T (=LMG 23726T=MTCC 6913T).

Semiquantum secret sharing using entangled states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Qin; Chan, W. H.; Long Dongyang

2010-01-01

Secret sharing is a procedure for sharing a secret among a number of participants such that only the qualified subsets of participants have the ability to reconstruct the secret. Even in the presence of eavesdropping, secret sharing can be achieved when all the members are quantum. So what happens if not all the members are quantum? In this paper, we propose two semiquantum secret sharing protocols by using maximally entangled Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger-type states in which quantum Alice shares a secret with two classical parties, Bob and Charlie, in a way that both parties are sufficient to obtain the secret, but one of them cannot. The presented protocols are also shown to be secure against eavesdropping.

Comparative genomic analysis of carbon and nitrogen assimilation mechanisms in three indigenous bioleaching bacteria: predictions and validations

Science.gov (United States)

Levicán, Gloria; Ugalde, Juan A; Ehrenfeld, Nicole; Maass, Alejandro; Parada, Pilar

2008-01-01

Background Carbon and nitrogen fixation are essential pathways for autotrophic bacteria living in extreme environments. These bacteria can use carbon dioxide directly from the air as their sole carbon source and can use different sources of nitrogen such as ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, or even nitrogen from the air. To have a better understanding of how these processes occur and to determine how we can make them more efficient, a comparative genomic analysis of three bioleaching bacteria isolated from mine sites in Chile was performed. This study demonstrated that there are important differences in the carbon dioxide and nitrogen fixation mechanisms among bioleaching bacteria that coexist in mining environments. Results In this study, we probed that both Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans incorporate CO2 via the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle; however, the former bacterium has two copies of the Rubisco type I gene whereas the latter has only one copy. In contrast, we demonstrated that Leptospirillum ferriphilum utilizes the reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle for carbon fixation. Although all the species analyzed in our study can incorporate ammonia by an ammonia transporter, we demonstrated that Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans could also assimilate nitrate and nitrite but only Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans could fix nitrogen directly from the air. Conclusion The current study utilized genomic and molecular evidence to verify carbon and nitrogen fixation mechanisms for three bioleaching bacteria and provided an analysis of the potential regulatory pathways and functional networks that control carbon and nitrogen fixation in these microorganisms. PMID:19055775

Probabilistic Infinite Secret Sharing

OpenAIRE

Csirmaz, László

2013-01-01

The study of probabilistic secret sharing schemes using arbitrary probability spaces and possibly infinite number of participants lets us investigate abstract properties of such schemes. It highlights important properties, explains why certain definitions work better than others, connects this topic to other branches of mathematics, and might yield new design paradigms. A probabilistic secret sharing scheme is a joint probability distribution of the shares and the secret together with a colle...

Soil-N tagging - a method for measurement of biological nitrogen fixation in cereal-legume intercropping system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patra, D.D.; Subbiah, B.V.; Sachdev, M.S.

1985-01-01

The quantitative estimates of atmospheric dinitrogen fixed by the legume crop and transferred to the associated cereal in cereal-legume intercropping system of maize-cowpea and wheat-gram using soil and fertilizer nitrogen labelling with 15 N have been reported. The estimates of N-fixation have been compared with the similar data from A-value method. Under field conditions sole cropped cowpea fixed 53.7 per cent of its total N uptake while as intercrop with maize fixed 43.5 per cent. Maize crop got 27.6 per cent of its total N uptake by transference of the nitrogen fixed by the intercropped cowpea. In the wheat-gram intercropping system the corresponding values under greenhouse conditions were 35.0, 44.8 and 20.2 per cent, respectively. (author)

Yield Performance of Some Cowpea Varieties under Sole and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nekky Umera

The mean number of pod/plant, pod weight and seed yield of the cowpea varieties ... pattern of peasant farmers in Nigeria. Some of the advantages ... in maize-pigeon pea intercropping system as compared to sole crops. While intercropping ...

Dual structures for the sole-proprietorship firm

OpenAIRE

Chambers, Robert G.; Quiggin, John

2003-01-01

This paper presents a dual representation of firm-level and market-level equilibrium behavior for a sole proprietorship economy with competitive and frictionless financial markets and stochastic production opportunities in a two-period setting. The dual equilibrium model is used to state conditions for the firms' production choices to be independent of their risk preferences in equilibrium. These conditions entail Pareto optimality, but do not require either that the firm's consumption choice...

RSA-Based Secret Handshakes

OpenAIRE

Vergnaud , Damien

2006-01-01

A secret handshake mechanism allows two entities, members of a same group, to authenticate each other secretly. This primitive was introduced recently by Balfanz, Durfee, Shankar, Smetters, Staddon and Wong and, so far, all the schemes proposed are based on discrete log systems. This paper proposes three new secret handshake protocols secure against active impersonator and detector adversaries. Inspired by two RSA-based key agreement protocols introduced by Okamoto and Tanaka in 1989 and Gira...

Simulating the Behavioural Effects of Welfare Reforms among Sole Parents in Australia

OpenAIRE

Alan Duncan; Mark N. Harris

2001-01-01

This paper derives and estimates an econometric model of labour supply among sole parents in Australia, using modelling techniques which treat the labour supply decision as a utility maximising choice between a given number of discrete states. In estimation, we control for random preference heterogeneity as well as Þxed and search costs. Using our econometric model, we look at the e.ects of actual and hypothetical welfare policy reforms on the employment choices of sole parents in Australia. ...

Growth performances of juvenile sole Solea solea under environmental constraints of embayed nursery areas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Laffargue, P.; Lagardere, F.; Rijnsdorp, A.D.; Fillon, A.; Amara, R.

2007-01-01

Tidal embayments in the Bay of Biscay (France) host nursery grounds where common sole, Solea solea, is the most abundant flatfish species. This study aimed to appraise the way those habitats function as nurseries through juvenile sole's responses in somatic growth and condition (Fulton's K) during

Efficient multiparty quantum-secret-sharing schemes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao Li; Deng Fuguo; Long Guilu; Pan Jianwei

2004-01-01

In this work, we generalize the quantum-secret-sharing scheme of Hillery, Buzek, and Berthiaume [Phys. Rev. A 59, 1829 (1999)] into arbitrary multiparties. Explicit expressions for the shared secret bit is given. It is shown that in the Hillery-Buzek-Berthiaume quantum-secret-sharing scheme the secret information is shared in the parity of binary strings formed by the measured outcomes of the participants. In addition, we have increased the efficiency of the quantum-secret-sharing scheme by generalizing two techniques from quantum key distribution. The favored-measuring-basis quantum-secret-sharing scheme is developed from the Lo-Chau-Ardehali technique [H. K. Lo, H. F. Chau, and M. Ardehali, e-print quant-ph/0011056] where all the participants choose their measuring-basis asymmetrically, and the measuring-basis-encrypted quantum-secret-sharing scheme is developed from the Hwang-Koh-Han technique [W. Y. Hwang, I. G. Koh, and Y. D. Han, Phys. Lett. A 244, 489 (1998)] where all participants choose their measuring basis according to a control key. Both schemes are asymptotically 100% in efficiency, hence nearly all the Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger states in a quantum-secret-sharing process are used to generate shared secret information

Host-derived viral transporter protein for nitrogen uptake in infected marine phytoplankton

Science.gov (United States)

Chambouvet, Aurélie; Milner, David S.; Attah, Victoria; Terrado, Ramón; Lovejoy, Connie; Moreau, Hervé; Derelle, Évelyne; Richards, Thomas A.

2017-01-01

Phytoplankton community structure is shaped by both bottom–up factors, such as nutrient availability, and top–down processes, such as predation. Here we show that marine viruses can blur these distinctions, being able to amend how host cells acquire nutrients from their environment while also predating and lysing their algal hosts. Viral genomes often encode genes derived from their host. These genes may allow the virus to manipulate host metabolism to improve viral fitness. We identify in the genome of a phytoplankton virus, which infects the small green alga Ostreococcus tauri, a host-derived ammonium transporter. This gene is transcribed during infection and when expressed in yeast mutants the viral protein is located to the plasma membrane and rescues growth when cultured with ammonium as the sole nitrogen source. We also show that viral infection alters the nature of nitrogen compound uptake of host cells, by both increasing substrate affinity and allowing the host to access diverse nitrogen sources. This is important because the availability of nitrogen often limits phytoplankton growth. Collectively, these data show that a virus can acquire genes encoding nutrient transporters from a host genome and that expression of the viral gene can alter the nutrient uptake behavior of host cells. These results have implications for understanding how viruses manipulate the physiology and ecology of phytoplankton, influence marine nutrient cycles, and act as vectors for horizontal gene transfer. PMID:28827361

Isolation of Separate Ureaplasma Species From Endotracheal Secretions of Twin Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Beeton, Michael L; Maxwell, Nicola C; Chalker, Victoria J; Brown, Rebecca J; Aboklaish, Ali F; Spiller, O Brad

2016-08-01

Isolation of Ureaplasma spp. from preterm neonates and the association with development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia has been previously investigated. However, few studies have contrasted the nature of infection in twins. In this article, we report that dizygotic twins (1 girl, 1 boy) born at 24 weeks gestation both yielded culturable Ureaplasma from endotracheal secretions. The samples were part of a serial blind collection cohort of ventilated premature neonates, and analysis of repeat cultures showed stable, separate infections over a period of 17 and 21 days, respectively. Immunoblot and probe-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis determined that Twin 1 was solely infected with Ureaplasma parvum (specifically, serovar 6 by gene sequencing), whereas Twin 2 was solely infected with Ureaplasma urealyticum (specifically, genotype A- serovars 2, 5, and 8 by gene sequencing). Immunoblot analysis found that the major surface antigen (multiple-banded antigen) altered relative mass for both strains during the course of infection. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis of extracted endotracheal aspirates confirmed no evidence of mixed infection for either twin. Failure of sentinel ventilated preterm infants on the same ward to acquire Ureaplasma infection after the first week of birth suggests no cot-to-cot transfer of Ureaplasma infection occurred. This study demonstrated not only a contrasting clinical outcome for a set of twins infected with 2 separate species of Ureaplasma, but also the first real-time demonstration of multiple-banded antigen alteration and evolution of Ureaplasma over the course of a clinical infection. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

31 CFR 353.36 - Payment during life of sole owner.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

...) FISCAL SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY BUREAU OF THE PUBLIC DEBT REGULATIONS GOVERNING DEFINITIVE... of sole owner. A savings bond registered in single ownership form (i.e., without a coowner or...

Structural evolution of the Semail Ophiolite metamorphic sole, Wadi Hawasina and Northern Jebel Nakhl Culmination, Oman

Science.gov (United States)

Hurtado, C.; Bailey, C.; Visokay, L.; Scharf, A.

2017-12-01

The Semail ophiolite is the world's largest and best-exposed ophiolite sequence, however the processes associated with both oceanic detachment and later emplacement onto the Arabian continental margin remain enigmatic. This study examines the upper mantle section of the ophiolite, its associated metamorphic sole, and the autochthonous strata beneath the ophiolite at two locations in northern Oman. Our purpose is to understand the structural history of ophiolite emplacement and evaluate the deformation kinematics of faulted and sheared rocks in the metamorphic sole. At Wadi Hawasina, the base of the ophiolite is defined by a 5- to 15-m thick zone of penetratively-serpentinized mylonitic peridotite. Kinematic indicators record top-to-the SW (reverse) sense-of-shear with a triclinic deformation asymmetry. An inverted metamorphic grade is preserved in the 300- to 500-m thick metamorphic sole that is thrust over deep-water sedimentary rocks of the Hawasina Group. The study site near Buwah, in the northern Jebel Nakhl culmination, contains a N-to-S progression of mantle peridotite, metamorphic sole, and underlying Jurassic carbonates. Liswanite crops out in NW-SE trending linear ridges in the peridotite. The metamorphic sole includes well-foliated quartzite, metachert, and amphibolite. Kinematic evidence indicates that the liswanite and a serpentinized mélange experienced top to-the north (normal) sense-of-shear. Two generations of E-W striking, N-dipping normal faults separate the autochthonous sequence from the metamorphic sole, and also cut out significant sections of the metamorphic sole. Fabric analysis reveals that the metamorphic sole experienced flattening strain (K<0.2) that accumulated during pure shear-dominated general shear (Wk<0.4). Normal faulting and extension at the Buwah site indicates that post-ophiolite deformation is significant in the Jebel Akhdar and Jebel Nakhl culminations.

Successful Treatment of Plantar Hyperkeratosis in the Form of Recurrent Corns With Split-Thickness Sole Skin Graft.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chi-Yu; Chang, Chun-Kai; Chou, Chang-Yi; Wu, Chien-Ju; Chu, Tzi-Shiang; Chiao, Hao-Yu; Chen, Chun-Yu; Chen, Tim-Mo; Tzeng, Yuan-Sheng

2018-02-01

Plantar hyperkeratosis, such as corns and calluses, is common in older people and associated with pain, mobility impairment, and functional limitations. It usually develops on the palms, knees, or soles of feet, especially under the heels or balls. There are several treatment methods for plantar hyperkeratosis, such as salicylic acid plaster and scalpel debridement, and conservative modalities, such as using a shoe insert and properly fitting shoes. We present an effective method of reconstructing the wound after corn excision using a split-thickness sole skin graft (STSSG). We harvested the skin graft from the arch of the sole using the dermatome with a skin thickness of 14/1000th inches. Because the split-thickness skin graft, harvested from the sole arch near the distal sole, is much thicker than the split-thickness skin graft from the thigh, it is more resistant to weight and friction. The healed wound with STSSG coverage over the distal sole was intact, and the donor site over the sole arch had healed without complication during the outpatient follow-up, 3 months after surgery. The recovery time of STSSG for corn excision is shorter than that with traditional treatment. Therefore, STSSG can be a reliable alternative treatment for recurrent palmoplantar hyperkeratosis.

Dry matter yield, carbon isotope discrimination and nitrogen uptake in silicon and/ or potassium fed chickpea and barley plants grown under water and non-water stress conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurd Ali, F.; Al-Chammaa, M.; Mouasess, A.

2012-09-01

A pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of silicon (Si) and/or potassium (K) on dry matter yield, nitrogen uptake and carbon isotope discrimination Δ 13 C in water stressed (FC1) and well watered (FC2) chickpea plants using 15 N and 13 C isotopes. Three fertilizer rates of Si (Si 5 0, Si 1 00 and Si 2 00) and one fertilizer rate of K were used. The results showed that: In chickpeas, it was found, for most of the growth parameters, that Si either alone or in combination with K was more effective to alleviate water stress than K alone. Increasing soil water level from FC1 to FC2 often had a positive impact on values of most studied parameters. The Si 1 00K + (FC1) and Si 5 0K + (FC2) treatments gave high enough amounts of N 2 -fixation, higher dry matter production and greater nitrogen yield. The percent increments of total N 2 -fixed in the above mentioned treatments were 51 and 47% over their controls, respectively. On the other hand, increasing leaves dry matter in response to the solely added Si (Si 5 0K - and Si 1 00K - ) is associated with lower Δ 13 C under both watering regimes. This may indicate that Si fertilization had a beneficial effect on water use efficiency (WUE). Hence, Δ 13 C could be an adequate indicator of WUE in response to the exogenous supply of silicon to chickpea plants. Our results highlight that Si is not only involved in amelioration of growth and in maintaining of water status but it can be considered as an important element for the symbiotic performance of chickpea plants. It can be concluded that synergistic effect of silicon and potassium fertilization with adequate irrigation improves growth and nitrogen fixation in chickpea plants.In barley plants, solely added K or in combination with adequate rate of Si (Si 1 00) were more effective in alleviating water stress and producing higher yield in barley plants than solely added Si. However, the latter nutrient was found to be more effective than the former in producing

21 CFR 862.1515 - Nitrogen (amino-nitrogen) test system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Nitrogen (amino-nitrogen) test system. 862.1515... Systems § 862.1515 Nitrogen (amino-nitrogen) test system. (a) Identification. A nitrogen (amino-nitrogen) test system is a device intended to measure amino acid nitrogen levels in serum, plasma, and urine...

Burkholderia vietnamiensis isolated from root tissues of Nipa Palm (Nypa fruticans) in Sarawak, Malaysia, proved to be its major endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacterium.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Sui-Yan; Hara, Shintaro; Melling, Lulie; Goh, Kah-Joo; Hashidoko, Yasuyuki

2010-01-01

Root-associating bacteria of the nipa palm (Nypa fruticans), preferring brackish-water affected mud in Sarawak, Malaysia, were investigated. In a comparison of rhizobacterial microbiota between the nipa and the sago (Metroxylon sagu) palm, it was found that the nipa palm possessed a group of Burkholderia vietnamiensis as its main active nitrogen-fixing endophytic bacterium. Acetylene reduction by the various isolates of B. vietnamiensis was constant (44 to 68 nmol h(-1) in ethylene production rate) in soft gel medium containing 0.2% sucrose as sole carbon source, and the bacterium also showed motility and biofilm-forming capacity. This is the first report of endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria from nipa palm.

Secretion management in the mechanically ventilated patient.

Science.gov (United States)

Branson, Richard D

2007-10-01

Secretion management in the mechanically ventilated patient includes routine methods for maintaining mucociliary function, as well as techniques for secretion removal. Humidification, mobilization of the patient, and airway suctioning are all routine procedures for managing secretions in the ventilated patient. Early ambulation of the post-surgical patient and routine turning of the ventilated patient are common secretion-management techniques that have little supporting evidence of efficacy. Humidification is a standard of care and a requisite for secretion management. Both active and passive humidification can be used. The humidifier selected and the level of humidification required depend on the patient's condition and the expected duration of intubation. In patients with thick, copious secretions, heated humidification is superior to a heat and moisture exchanger. Airway suctioning is the most important secretion removal technique. Open-circuit and closed-circuit suctioning have similar efficacy. Instilling saline prior to suctioning, to thin the secretions or stimulate a cough, is not supported by the literature. Adequate humidification and as-needed suctioning are the foundation of secretion management in the mechanically ventilated patient. Intermittent therapy for secretion removal includes techniques either to simulate a cough, to mechanically loosen secretions, or both. Patient positioning for secretion drainage is also widely used. Percussion and postural drainage have been widely employed for mechanically ventilated patients but have not been shown to reduce ventilator-associated pneumonia or atelectasis. Manual hyperinflation and insufflation-exsufflation, which attempt to improve secretion removal by simulating a cough, have been described in mechanically ventilated patients, but neither has been studied sufficiently to support routine use. Continuous lateral rotation with a specialized bed reduces atelectasis in some patients, but has not been shown

Inherent variation in multiple shoe-sole test impressions.

Science.gov (United States)

Shor, Yaron; Wiesner, Sarena; Tsach, Tsadok; Gurel, Ron; Yekutieli, Yoram

2018-04-01

Shoeprints left at crime scenes are seldom perfect. Many prints are distorted or contaminated by various materials. Noisy background often contributes to vagueness on the shoeprints as well. Test impressions made from the suspect's shoes in the laboratory are considered a genuine replication of the shoe-sole. This naïve attitude is far from being correct. Consecutive test impressions made in the laboratory under strict similar conditions revealed differences among the exemplars of the same sole. Some of them are minor, but some are major, and can mislead the less experienced practitioners during the comparison process. This article focuses on the inherent within source variability between controlled shoeprints made from the same shoe, as it appears on the RACs. To describe and analyze this variability, repeated test impressions were prepared, and datasets were created. Several RACs were marked on each test impression, using an expert assisting software tool (developed in the authors' lab). The variance in repeated test impressions is demonstrated and possible sources are discussed. This variance should be considered when trying to establish the degree of matching between individual characteristics. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Comparative genomic analysis of carbon and nitrogen assimilation mechanisms in three indigenous bioleaching bacteria: predictions and validations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ehrenfeld Nicole

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Carbon and nitrogen fixation are essential pathways for autotrophic bacteria living in extreme environments. These bacteria can use carbon dioxide directly from the air as their sole carbon source and can use different sources of nitrogen such as ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, or even nitrogen from the air. To have a better understanding of how these processes occur and to determine how we can make them more efficient, a comparative genomic analysis of three bioleaching bacteria isolated from mine sites in Chile was performed. This study demonstrated that there are important differences in the carbon dioxide and nitrogen fixation mechanisms among bioleaching bacteria that coexist in mining environments. Results In this study, we probed that both Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans incorporate CO2 via the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle; however, the former bacterium has two copies of the Rubisco type I gene whereas the latter has only one copy. In contrast, we demonstrated that Leptospirillum ferriphilum utilizes the reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle for carbon fixation. Although all the species analyzed in our study can incorporate ammonia by an ammonia transporter, we demonstrated that Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans could also assimilate nitrate and nitrite but only Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans could fix nitrogen directly from the air. Conclusion The current study utilized genomic and molecular evidence to verify carbon and nitrogen fixation mechanisms for three bioleaching bacteria and provided an analysis of the potential regulatory pathways and functional networks that control carbon and nitrogen fixation in these microorganisms.

Uptake of fertilizer nitrogen and soil nitrogen by rice using 15N-labelled nitrogen fertilizer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reddy, K.R.; Patrick, W.H. Jr.

1980-01-01

Data from five field experiments using labelled nitrogen fertilizer were used to determine the relative effects of soil nitrogen and fertilizer nitrogen on rice yield. Yield of grain was closely correlated with total aboveground nitrogen uptake (soil + fertilizer), less closely correlated with soil nitrogen uptake and not significantly correlated with fertilizer nitrogen uptake. When yield increase rather than yield was correlated with fertilizer nitrogen uptake, the correlation coefficient was statistically significant. (orig.)

Incretin secretion: direct mechanisms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Balk-Møller, Emilie; Holst, Jens Juul; Kuhre, Rune Ehrenreich

2014-01-01

The incretin hormones glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) are secreted from gastro-intestinal K- and L-cells, respectively, and play an important role in post-prandial blood glucose regulation. They do this by direct stimulation of the pancreatic β...... enzyme responsible for incretin degradation (dipeptidyl peptidase-4) is inhibited (drugs are already on the market) while the secretion of endogenous GLP-1 secretion is stimulated at the same time may prove particularly rewarding. In this section we review current knowledge on the mechanisms for direct...

31 CFR 315.36 - Payment during life of sole owner.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

...) FISCAL SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY BUREAU OF THE PUBLIC DEBT REGULATIONS GOVERNING U.S. SAVINGS... § 315.36 Payment during life of sole owner. A savings bond registered in single ownership form (i.e...

[Isolation, Identification and Nitrogen Removal Characteristics of a Heterotrophic Nitrification-Aerobic Denitrification Strain y3 Isolated from Marine Environment].

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Qing-hua; Yu, De-shuang; Zhang, Pei-yu; Lin, Xue-zheng; Xu, Guang-yao; Li, Jin

2016-03-15

A heterotrophic nitrification--aerobic denitrification bacterium named y3 was isolated from the sludge of Jiaozhou Bay using the enrichment medium with seawater as the matrix. It was identified as Pseudomonas sp. based on the morphological observation, physiological experiments and sequence analysis of 16S rRNA. The experiment results showed that the optimal carbon resource was sodium citrate, the optimal pH was 7.0, and the optimal C/N was 13. The strain could use NH₄Cl, NaNO₂ and KNO₃ as sole nitrogen source, and the removal efficiencies were 98.69%, 78.38% and 72.95% within 20 hours, respectively. There was no nitrate and nitrite accumulation during the heterotrophic nitrification process. Within 20 hours, the nitrogen removal efficiencies were 99.56%, 99.75% and 99.41%, respectively, in the mixed system with NO₃⁻-N: NO²⁻-N of 2:1, 1:1 and 1:2. When the NH₄⁺-N: NO₃⁻-N ratios were 2: 1 , 1: 1 , 1: 2, the nitrogen removal efficiencies were all 100% . When the NH₄⁺-N:NO₂⁻-N ratios were 2:1,1:1,1:2, the nitrogen removal efficiencies were 90.43%, 92.79% and 99.96%, respectively. They were higher than those with single nitrogen source. As a result, strain y3 had good nitrogen removal performance in high saline wastewater treatment.

A new approach to the preparation of nitrogen-doped titania visible light photocatalyst

KAUST Repository

Kachina, Anna

2012-02-28

A new simple method is described, allowing introduction of nitrogen into the TiO 2 lattice at low temperatures. The technique is based on the introduction of oxophilic molecules, such as CCl 4, into the reaction mixture. The treatment of titanium dioxide powders by NH 3-CCl 4 mixtures leads to highly dispersed N-doped TiO 2. As compared to bare TiO 2 or to the same oxide treated with sole NH 3, the solids treated with NH 3-CCl 4 mixtures showed a stronger red shift in optical absorption and enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light, as demonstrated for two reactions of formic acid oxidation and photocatalytic production of hydrogen from methanol. The nitridation temperature can be significantly decreased by introducing CCl 4, because of a favorable change of the reaction thermodynamics. Not only can higher specific surface area of materials be obtained as a result of avoiding sintering but a higher amount of nitrogen is introduced in a position beneficial for the enhanced catalytic activity. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study demonstrated increased surface concentration of nitrogen having N 1s binding energy near 399 eV. As established by ESR, the nature of paramagnetic species generated by treatments is strongly dependent on the titania polymorph variety and crystallinity as well as on the treatment conditions, but in all cases the major part of introduced nitrogen remains ESR-silent. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Molecular nitrogen fixation and nitrogen cycle in nature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Virtanen, A I

1952-01-01

The origin of nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere is discussed. Evidently only a small proportion of the nitrate-and nitrite-nitrogen found in the precipitation is formed through electric discharges from molecular nitrogen, photochemical nitrogen fixation being probably of greater importance. Formation of nitrate nitrogen through atmospheric oxidation of nitrous oxide (N/sub 2/O) evaporating from the soil is also considered likely. Determination of nitrogen compounds at different altitudes is indispensable for gaining information of the N/sub 2/-fixation in the atmosphere and, in general, of the origin of nitrogen oxides and their decomposition. International cooperation is needed for this as well as for the quantitative determination of the nitrogen compounds removed from the soil by leaching and brought by waters into the seas.

Evaluation of the integrated hydrothermal carbonization-algal cultivation process for enhanced nitrogen utilization in Arthrospira platensis production.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Changhong; Wu, Peichun; Pan, Yanfei; Lu, Hongbin; Chi, Lei; Meng, Yingying; Cao, Xupeng; Xue, Song; Yang, Xiaoyi

2016-09-01

Sustainable microalgal cultivation at commercial scale requires nitrogen recycling. This study applied hydrothermal carbonization to recover N of hot-water extracted Arthrospira platensis biomass residue into aqueous phase (AP) under different operation conditions and evaluated the N utilization, biomass yield and quality of A. platensis cultures using AP as the sole N source. With the increase of temperature at 190-210°C or reaction time of 2-3h, the N recovery rate decreased under nitrogen-repletion (+N) cultivation, while contrarily increased under nitrogen-limitation (-N) cultivation. Under +N biomass accumulation in the cultures with AP under 190°C was enhanced by 41-67% compared with that in NaNO3, and the highest protein content of 51.5%DW achieved under 200°C-2h was also 22% higher. Carbohydrate content of 71.4%DW under -N cultivation achieved under 210°C-3h was 14% higher than that in NaNO3. HTC-algal cultivation strategy under -N mode could save 60% of conventional N. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recognition and Accountability: Sole Parent Postgraduates in University Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Hook, Genine A.

2015-01-01

This paper aims to examine some of ways sole parents sought recognition as postgraduate students in Australian universities. Judith Butler's theory of recognition notes that recognition is always partial and any account we give of ourselves must be given to another. Participants articulated that supervisors were critical in the process of…

75 FR 53269 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Tribal Consultation; Justification and Approval of Sole-Source 8...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-31

... and approval of sole-source contracts over $20 million under the 8(a) small business development... valuable component of its deliberations in preparing to implement this law, which includes contracting with... Regulation; Tribal Consultation; Justification and Approval of Sole-Source 8(a) Contracts AGENCIES...

78 FR 51061 - TRICARE; Reimbursement of Sole Community Hospitals and Adjustment to Reimbursement of Critical...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-20

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 32 CFR Part 199 [DoD-2010-HA-0072] RIN 0720-AB41 TRICARE; Reimbursement of Sole Community Hospitals and Adjustment to Reimbursement of Critical Access Hospitals; Correction... TRICARE; Reimbursement of Sole Community Hospitals and Adjustment to Reimbursement of Critical Access...

Nonlinear secret image sharing scheme.

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Sang-Ho; Lee, Gil-Je; Yoo, Kee-Young

2014-01-01

Over the past decade, most of secret image sharing schemes have been proposed by using Shamir's technique. It is based on a linear combination polynomial arithmetic. Although Shamir's technique based secret image sharing schemes are efficient and scalable for various environments, there exists a security threat such as Tompa-Woll attack. Renvall and Ding proposed a new secret sharing technique based on nonlinear combination polynomial arithmetic in order to solve this threat. It is hard to apply to the secret image sharing. In this paper, we propose a (t, n)-threshold nonlinear secret image sharing scheme with steganography concept. In order to achieve a suitable and secure secret image sharing scheme, we adapt a modified LSB embedding technique with XOR Boolean algebra operation, define a new variable m, and change a range of prime p in sharing procedure. In order to evaluate efficiency and security of proposed scheme, we use the embedding capacity and PSNR. As a result of it, average value of PSNR and embedding capacity are 44.78 (dB) and 1.74t⌈log2 m⌉ bit-per-pixel (bpp), respectively.

Shared Secrets versus Secrets Kept Private Are Linked to Better Adolescent Adjustment

Science.gov (United States)

Frijns, Tom; Finkenauer, Catrin; Keijsers, Loes

2013-01-01

It is a household notion that secrecy is bad while sharing is good. But what about shared secrets? The present research adopts a functional analysis of sharing secrets, arguing that it should negate harmful consequences generally associated with secrecy and serves important interpersonal functions in adolescence. A survey study among 790 Dutch…

Effect of ski mountaineering track on foot sole loading pattern.

Science.gov (United States)

Haselbacher, Matthias; Mader, Katharina; Werner, Maximiliane; Nogler, Michael

2014-09-01

Ski mountaineering is becoming a popular sport. The ascending techniques (tracks) can be divided into 3 different groups: flat field, direct ascent, and traversing. This study examines the relationship between different mechanical loads on the foot and the 4 different mountaineering ascending techniques. All subjects used the same pair of ski boots and the same skis while performing the 4 different ascending techniques. An in-shoe dynamic pressure measuring system was used to measure the mechanical load on the foot soles of each ski mountaineer. The foot sole was divided into 6 anatomic sections to measure the different loads in each section. Thirteen men with an average age of 29 years were enrolled in the study. The results showed small, not significant differences in the mechanical foot load in the flat field or in the direct ascent. The average mechanical foot load was highest on the valley side foot while traversing (179 kPa to 117 kPa). The higher load forces were in the medial ball of the foot and the longitudinal aspect of the foot side closer to the hill. The higher impact placed on the valley side foot and the concentration of force placed on the medial ball of the valley side foot suggested the influence of the track on the load pattern of the foot sole. This higher impact may result in upward forces that affect the force distribution in the ankle and knee joints. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

On alternative approach for verifiable secret sharing

OpenAIRE

Kulesza, Kamil; Kotulski, Zbigniew; Pieprzyk, Joseph

2002-01-01

Secret sharing allows split/distributed control over the secret (e.g. master key). Verifiable secret sharing (VSS) is the secret sharing extended by verification capacity. Usually verification comes at the price. We propose "free lunch", the approach that allows to overcome this inconvenience.

Trade Secrets in Life Science and Pharmaceutical Companies

Science.gov (United States)

Nealey, Tara; Daignault, Ronald M.; Cai, Yu

2015-01-01

Trade secret protection arises under state common law and state statutes. In general, a trade secret is information that is not generally known to the public and is maintained as a secret, and it provides a competitive advantage or economic benefit to the trade secret holder. Trade secrets can be worth tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, and damage awards in trade secret litigation have been high; often, there is a lot at stake. Obtaining a trade secret through “improper means” is misappropriation. If the alleged trade secret, however, was developed independently, known publicly, or not maintained as a secret, then those defenses may successfully overcome a claim for trade secret misappropriation. With today’s interconnectedness in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical fields, more collaborations, joint ventures, and outsourcing arrangements among firms, and increased mobility of employees’ careers, life science companies need to not only understand how to protect their trade secrets, but also know how to defend against a claim for trade secret theft. PMID:25414378

Trade secrets in life science and pharmaceutical companies.

Science.gov (United States)

Nealey, Tara; Daignault, Ronald M; Cai, Yu

2014-11-20

Trade secret protection arises under state common law and state statutes. In general, a trade secret is information that is not generally known to the public and is maintained as a secret, and it provides a competitive advantage or economic benefit to the trade secret holder. Trade secrets can be worth tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, and damage awards in trade secret litigation have been high; often, there is a lot at stake. Obtaining a trade secret through "improper means" is misappropriation. If the alleged trade secret, however, was developed independently, known publicly, or not maintained as a secret, then those defenses may successfully overcome a claim for trade secret misappropriation. With today's interconnectedness in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical fields, more collaborations, joint ventures, and outsourcing arrangements among firms, and increased mobility of employees' careers, life science companies need to not only understand how to protect their trade secrets, but also know how to defend against a claim for trade secret theft. Copyright © 2015 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.

Two-party secret key distribution via a modified quantum secret sharing protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Grice, W P; Evans, P G; Lawrie, B; Legré, M; Lougovski, P; Ray, W; Williams, B P; Qi, B; Smith, A M

2015-03-23

We present and demonstrate a novel protocol for distributing secret keys between two and only two parties based on N-party single-qubit Quantum Secret Sharing (QSS). We demonstrate our new protocol with N = 3 parties using phase-encoded photons. We show that any two out of N parties can build a secret key based on partial information from each other and with collaboration from the remaining N - 2 parties. Our implementation allows for an accessible transition between N-party QSS and arbitrary two party QKD without modification of hardware. In addition, our approach significantly reduces the number of resources such as single photon detectors, lasers and dark fiber connections needed to implement QKD.

Nitrogen

Science.gov (United States)

Apodaca, Lori E.

2013-01-01

The article presents an overview of the nitrogen chemical market as of July 2013, including the production of ammonia compounds. Industrial uses for ammonia include fertilizers, explosives, and plastics. Other topics include industrial capacity of U.S. ammonia producers CF Industries Holdings Inc., Koch Nitrogen Co., PCS Nitrogen, Inc., and Agrium Inc., the impact of natural gas prices on the nitrogen industry, and demand for corn crops for ethanol production.

5 CFR 1312.27 - Top secret control.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Top secret control. 1312.27 Section 1312... Classified Information § 1312.27 Top secret control. The EOP Security Officer serves as the Top Secret... Top Secret material. The ATSCOs will be responsible for the accountability and custodianship of Top...

Effect of adrenal hormones on thyroid secretion and thyroid hormones on adrenal secretion in the sheep.

Science.gov (United States)

Falconer, I R; Jacks, F

1975-01-01

1. Previous work has shown that after stressful stimuli, sheep initially secrete increased amounts of thyroid hormone, at a time when adrenal secretion is also elevated. 2. This study was designed to evaluate (a) any short-term activation or inhibition of thyroid secretion by exogenous cortisol or ACTH administered in quantities comparable to those secreted after stress in sheep and (b) any short-term effect that exogenous thyroxine or triiodothyronine may have on the concentration of plasma cortisol in the sheep. 3. Thyroid activity was measured by determination of plasma protein bound 125I (PB125I) and total 125I in thyroid vein and mixed venous (jugular) blood. Plasma cortisol and thyroxine concentrations were measured by a competitive protein-binding assay at intervals for up to 5 hr after commencement of the experiment. 4. No evidence of an activation of thyroid secretion was found during cortisol or ACTH infusion, as monitored by thyroid vein PB125I. Similarly there was no evidence of any inhibition of thyroid function, as measured by continued secretion of thyroid hormones into thyroid vein blood. 5. No effect on plasma cortisol concentration due to thyroid hormone treatment was observed. 6. It was concluded that (a) elevated circulating corticosteroids in physiological concentrations have no short-term effects on thyroid activity in the sheep and (b) the short-term alterations in thyroid and adrenal cortical secretion observed during stress in the sheep could not be attributed to direct interaction of elevated thyroid hormone concentrations with adrenal cortical secretion. PMID:170400

Novel Thermal Analysis Model of the Foot-Shoe Sole Interface during Gait Motion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yasuhiro Shimazaki

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Excessive heat at the foot-shoe sole interface negatively affects a human’s thermal comfort. An understanding of the thermal behavior at this interface is important for alleviating this discomfort. During gait motion, a human’s body weight cyclically compresses a shoe sole (commonly constructed of viscoelastic materials, generating heat during loading. To evaluate the thermal effects of this internal heat generation on foot comfort, we developed and empirically validated a thermal analysis model during gait motion. A simple, one-dimensional prediction model for heat conduction with heat generation during compressive loading was used. Heat generation was estimated as a function of the shoe sole’s material properties (e.g., elastic modulus and various gait parameters. When compared with experimental results, the proposed model proved effective in predicting thermal behavior at the foot-shoe sole interface under various conditions and shows potential for improving a human’s thermal comfort during gait motion through informed footwear design.

Glucose-free fructose production from Jerusalem artichoke using a recombinant inulinase-secreting Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Jing; Jiang, Jiaxi; Ji, Wangming; Li, Yuyang; Liu, Jianping

2011-01-01

Using inulin (polyfructose) obtained from Jerusalen artichokes, we have produced fructose free of residual glucose using a recombinant inulinase-secreting strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a one-step fermentation of Jerusalem artichoke tubers. For producing fructose from inulin, a recombinant inulinase-producing Saccharomyce cerevisiae strain was constructed with a deficiency in fructose uptake by disruption of two hexokinase genes hxk1 and hxk2. The inulinase gene introduced into S. cerevisiae was cloned from Kluyveromyces cicerisporus. Extracellular inulinase activity of the recombinant hxk-mutated S. cerevisiae strain reached 31 U ml(-1) after 96 h growth. When grown in a medium containing Jerusalem artichoke tubers as the sole component without any additives, the recombinant yeast accumulated fructose up to 9.2% (w/v) in the fermentation broth with only 0.1% (w/v) glucose left after 24 h.

Secretion Trap Tagging of Secreted and Membrane-Spanning Proteins Using Arabidopsis Gene Traps

Science.gov (United States)

Andrew T. Groover; Joseph R. Fontana; Juana M. Arroyo; Cristina Yordan; W. Richard McCombie; Robert A. Martienssen

2003-01-01

Secreted and membrane-spanning proteins play fundamental roles in plant development but pose challenges for genetic identification and characterization. We describe a "secretion trap" screen for gene trap insertions in genes encoding proteins routed through the secretory pathway. The gene trap transposon encodes a ß-glucuronidase reporter enzyme...

Histopathological and morphometric studies on the hooves of dairy and beef cattle in relation to overgrown sole and laminitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, S S; Murray, R D; Ward, W R

1992-10-01

In dairy cattle, histopathology of the outer hind claws with overgrown sole revealed arteriosclerosis of blood vessels at the ulcer site in the sole. The laminae did not show any hyperplasia of the epidermis and thrombi were not seen in the blood vessels. Partial or complete disappearance of onychogenic substance was observed in the sole as well as in the wall epidermis. In beef animals, typical changes suggestive of chronic laminitis were seen: these included hyperplasia of the epidermis of the laminae, thrombus formation, arteriosclerosis in the corium of the sole, the abaxial wall and the coronary corium. Morphometric analysis quantified measurements of hooves of normal, beef and dairy cattle. It may be concluded that the changes associated with overgrowth of the sole in dairy cattle are localized to the sole without involvement of the laminae and that the term laminitis is not appropriate in the condition seen in dairy cattle.

22 CFR 1421.15 - Secret ballot.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Secret ballot. 1421.15 Section 1421.15 Foreign Relations FOREIGN SERVICE LABOR RELATIONS BOARD; FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY; GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE... THIS SUBCHAPTER § 1421.15 Secret ballot. Secret ballot means the expression by ballot, voting machine...

Alternative protein secretion: The Mam1 ABC transporter supports secretion of M-factor linked GFP in fission yeast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kjaerulff, Soren; Mueller, Sven; Jensen, Martin Roland

2005-01-01

To examine whether the fission yeast Mam1 ABC transporter can be used for secretion of heterologous proteins, thereby bypassing the classical secretion pathway, we have analyzed chimeric forms of the M-factor precursor. It was demonstrated that GFP can be exported when fused to both the amino-terminal prosequence from mfm1 and a CaaX motif. This secretion was dependent on the Mam1 transporter and not the classical secretion pathway. The secretion efficiency of GFP, however, was relatively low and most of the reporter protein was trapped in the vacuolar membranes. Our findings suggest that the Mam1 ABC protein is a promiscuous peptide transporter that can accommodate globular proteins of a relatively large size. Furthermore, our results help in defining the sequences required for processing and secretion of natural M-factor

29 CFR 401.11 - Secret ballot.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Secret ballot. 401.11 Section 401.11 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor OFFICE OF LABOR-MANAGEMENT STANDARDS, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR LABOR-MANAGEMENT STANDARDS MEANING OF TERMS USED IN THIS SUBCHAPTER § 401.11 Secret ballot. Secret ballot means the expression by...

Passage and absorption of dietary and endogenous nitrogen in different regions of the digestive tract of rats given a single meal of 15N-labelled barley

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Partridge, I.G.; Simon, O.; Bergner, H.

1985-01-01

Young male Wistar rats (86.9 +- 0.96 g) were fasted for 24 hours and then offered a single meal (intake of 1 to 2.5 g) of 15 N-labelled barley (5.34 atom% 15 N excess). The test meal also contained Cr 2 O 3 (20 mg/g). Groups of five animals were killed 0.5; 1; 1.5; 2; 2.5; 4; 6 and 8 hours after removal of food. The contents of different regions of the digestive tract (stomach, proximal, middle and distal third of small intestine, large intestine) and feces were analyzed for Cr 2 O 3 and for N and 15 N abundance in both a TCA soluble and a TCA precipitable fraction. The distribution patterns of Cr 2 O 3 and 15 N along the digestive tract were very similar. If the disappearance of 15 N from the contents of the small and of the large intestines was expressed as a proportion of the gastric outflow of 15 N, a disappearance rate of 90% was found. On the basis of isotopic dilution the proportion of dietary nitrogen in digesta was calculated. The results illustrated the intensive dilution of dietary nitrogen by endogenous secretions in all regions of the digestive tract. In the distal small intestine endogenous nitrogen accounted for 70% of total nitrogen. 17 mg endogenous N were produced by the stomach within 8 hours after the single meal. The results show the value of the method in determining the true digestibility of nitrogen in 15 N-labelled feedstuffs more accurately than with classical methods and in providing an insight into the dynamics of nitrogen absorption and secretion in the digestive tract. (author)

29 CFR 1202.4 - Secret ballot.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Secret ballot. 1202.4 Section 1202.4 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD RULES OF PROCEDURE § 1202.4 Secret ballot. In conducting such investigation, the Board is authorized to take a secret ballot of the employees involved, or...

The Secret of Future Victories

Science.gov (United States)

1992-02-01

Copy S of 320 copies AD--A25 0 718 IDA PAPER P-265 3 THE SECRET OF FUTURE VICTORIES Paul F. Gormnan General, USA (Retired) DTIC 05M February 1992 NAY...TYPE AND DATES COVERED IFebruary 1992 Final--June 1991-January 1992 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS The Secret of Future Victories C -MDA...8 2N0-102 IDA PAPER P-2653 THE SECRET OF FUTURE VICTORIES Paul F. Gorman General. LUSA (Retired) February 1992 Approved for public release

Shoe sole tread designs and outcomes of slipping and falling on slippery floor surfaces.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li-Wen Liu

Full Text Available A gait experiment was conducted under two shoe sole and three floor conditions. The shoe soles and floors were characterized by the tread and groove designs on the surface. The coefficients of friction (COF on the floor in the target area were measured. The subjects were required to walk on a walkway and stepping on a target area covered with glycerol. The motions of the feet of the subjects were captured. Gait parameters were calculated based on the motion data. Among the 240 trials, there were 37 no-slips, 81 microslips, 45 slides, and 77 slips. It was found that the condition with shoe sole and floor had both tread grooves perpendicular to the walking direction had the highest COF, the shortest slip distance, and the lowest percentages of slide and slip. The condition with shoe sole and floor had both tread grooves parallel to the walking direction had the lowest COF and the longest slip distance among all experimental conditions. The Pearson's correlation coefficients between slip distance and slip velocity, time to foot flat, foot angle, and compensatory step length were 0.82 (p<0.0001, 0.33 (p<0.0001, -0.54 (p<0.0001, and -0.51 (p<0.0001, respectively.

Current Therapies That Modify Glucagon Secretion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grøndahl, Magnus F.; Keating, Damien J.; Vilsbøll, Tina

2017-01-01

and provide insights into how antidiabetic drugs influence glucagon secretion as well as a perspective on the future of glucagon-targeting drugs. Recent Findings: Several older as well as recent investigations have evaluated the effect of antidiabetic agents on glucagon secretion to understand how glucagon...... may be involved in the drugs’ efficacy and safety profiles. Based on these findings, modulation of glucagon secretion seems to play a hitherto underestimated role in the efficacy and safety of several glucose-lowering drugs. Summary: Numerous drugs currently available to diabetologists are capable...... of altering glucagon secretion: metformin, sulfonylurea compounds, insulin, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and amylin mimetics. Their diverse effects on glucagon secretion are of importance for their individual efficacy...

Characterization of a secreted Chlamydia protease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shaw, A.C.; Vandahl, B.B.; Larsen, M.R.

2002-01-01

Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular bacteria that are important human pathogens. The Chlamydia genomes contain orthologues to secretion apparatus proteins from other intracellular bacteria, but only a few secreted proteins have been identified. Most likely, effector proteins are secreted in order...... to promote infection. Effector proteins cannot be identified by motif or similarity searches. As a new strategy for identification of secreted proteins we have compared 2D-PAGE profiles of [35S]-labelled Chlamydia proteins from whole lysates of infected cells to 2D-PAGE profiles of proteins from purified...... Chlamydia. Several secretion candidates from Chlamydia trachomatis D and Chlamydia pneumoniae were detected by this method. Two protein spots were identified among the candidates. These represent fragments of the 'chlamydial protease- or proteasome-like activity factor' (CPAF) and were clearly present in 2D...

EFFECTS OF SECRETABLE PLACENTAL FACTORS UPON SECRETION OF CYTOKINES BY THP-1 MONOCYTE-LIKE CELLS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ya. S. Onokhina

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract. Мonocytes in feto-placental circulation are exposed to factors secreted by placental tissue. These factors influence monocyte functions in pregnancy. In present study, an in vitro model (monocyte-like THP-1 cells was used for assessing effects of soluble placental factors obtained from women with physiological pregnancies, or preeclampsia cases. The following effects of placental factors were revealed: increased secretion of VEGF by THP-1 cells along with decreased secretion of IL-6, IL-8 and MCP-1 under the influence of placental factors from the I. trimester of pregnancy in comparison with III. trimester. Secretion of IL-6 and MCP-1 by THP-1 cells was increased, and secretion of soluble TNFRII was decreased upon co-cultivation with soluble placental factors from the women with preeclampsia, as compared with placental products from physiological pregnancies.The work is supported by grants ГК № 02.740.11.0711 from Ministry of Education and Science, and НШ-3594.2010.7 grant from the President of Russian Federation.

5 CFR 2421.15 - Secret ballot.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Secret ballot. 2421.15 Section 2421.15... FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY MEANING OF TERMS AS USED IN THIS SUBCHAPTER § 2421.15 Secret ballot. Secret ballot means the expression by ballot, voting machine or otherwise, but in no event by proxy, of a...

29 CFR 452.97 - Secret ballot.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Secret ballot. 452.97 Section 452.97 Labor Regulations... OF 1959 Election Procedures; Rights of Members § 452.97 Secret ballot. (a) A prime requisite of elections regulated by title IV is that they be held by secret ballot among the members or in appropriate...

ELECTROCHEMICAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR OBTAINING MOULDS FOR SOLES OF SHOES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cornelia LUCA

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The paper presents contributions in the designing of some electrochemical technologiesfor the manufacturing of the moulds used in the footwear soles obtaining. There are presented a fewmethods for the moulds obtaining, using electro-deposit processes. There are presented thetechnological phases of the obtaining process of the electrolytes and electrodes preparing and thetechnological stages of the moulds manufacturing.

Folic acid supplementation is not the sole factor in determining ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Folic acid supplementation is not the sole factor in determining neural tube defects: The possible role of autoantibodies. Keat Wei Loo, Siew Hua Gan. Abstract. Neural tube defects (NTDs) are severe but common congenital malformations. Neonates who suffer from NTDs may experience long-term complications throughout ...

Degloved foot sole successfully reconstructed with split thickness skin grafts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Janssens, Loes; Holtslag, Herman R.; Schellekens, Pascal P A; Leenen, Luke P H

2015-01-01

Introduction The current opinion is that split thickness skin grafts are not suitable to reconstruct a degloved foot sole. The tissue is too fragile to carry full bodyweight; and therefore, stress lesions frequently occur. The treatment of choice is the reuse of the avulsed skin whenever possible,

Secretive eating among youth with overweight or obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kass, Andrea E; Wilfley, Denise E; Eddy, Kamryn T; Boutelle, Kerri N; Zucker, Nancy; Peterson, Carol B; Le Grange, Daniel; Celio-Doyle, Angela; Goldschmidt, Andrea B

2017-07-01

Secretive eating, characterized by eating privately to conceal being seen, may reflect eating- and/or body-related shame, be associated with depression, and correlate with binge eating, which predicts weight gain and eating disorder onset. Increasing understanding of secretive eating in youth may improve weight status and reduce eating disorder risk. This study evaluated the prevalence and correlates of secretive eating in youth with overweight or obesity. Youth (N = 577) presented to five research/clinical institutions. Using a cross-sectional design, secretive eating was evaluated in relation to eating-related and general psychopathology via linear and logistic regression analyses. Secretive eating was endorsed by 111 youth, who were, on average, older than youth who denied secretive eating (mean age = 12.07 ± 2.83 versus 10.97 ± 2.31). Controlling for study site and age, youth who endorsed secretive eating had higher eating-related psychopathology and were more likely to endorse loss of control eating and purging than their counterparts who did not endorse secretive eating. Groups did not differ in excessive exercise or behavioral problems. Dietary restraint and purging were elevated among adolescents (≥13y) but not children (<13y) who endorsed secretive eating; depression was elevated among children, but not adolescents, who endorsed secretive eating. Secretive eating may portend heightened risk for eating disorders, and correlates of secretive eating may differ across pediatric development. Screening for secretive eating may inform identification of problematic eating behaviors, and understanding factors motivating secretive eating may improve intervention tailoring. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biomechanical Effects of Prefabricated Foot Orthoses and Rocker‐Sole Footwear in Individuals With First Metatarsophalangeal Joint Osteoarthritis

Science.gov (United States)

Auhl, Maria; Tan, Jade M.; Levinger, Pazit; Roddy, Edward; Munteanu, Shannon E.

2016-01-01

Objective To evaluate the effects of prefabricated foot orthoses and rocker‐sole footwear on spatiotemporal parameters, hip and knee kinematics, and plantar pressures in people with first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint osteoarthritis (OA). Methods. A total of 102 people with first MTP joint OA were randomly allocated to receive prefabricated foot orthoses or rocker‐sole footwear. The immediate biomechanical effects of the interventions (compared to usual footwear) were examined using a wearable sensor motion analysis system and an in‐shoe plantar pressure measurement system. Results Spatiotemporal/kinematic and plantar pressure data were available from 88 and 87 participants, respectively. The orthoses had minimal effect on spatiotemporal or kinematic parameters, while the rocker‐sole footwear resulted in reduced cadence, percentage of the gait cycle spent in stance phase, and sagittal plane hip range of motion. The orthoses increased peak pressure under the midfoot and lesser toes. Both interventions significantly reduced peak pressure under the first MTP joint, and the rocker‐sole shoes also reduced peak pressure under the second through fifth MTP joints and heel. When the effects of the orthoses and rocker‐sole shoes were directly compared, there was no difference in peak pressure under the hallux, first MTP joint, or heel; however, the rocker‐sole shoes exhibited lower peak pressure under the lesser toes, second through fifth MTP joints, and midfoot. Conclusion Prefabricated foot orthoses and rocker‐sole footwear are effective at reducing peak pressure under the first MTP joint in people with first MTP joint OA, but achieve this through different mechanisms. Further research is required to determine whether these biomechanical changes result in improvements in symptoms. PMID:26640157

Long-term outcomes of surgery and radiotherapy for secreting and non-secreting pituitary adenoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Mi Young; Kim, Jin Hee; Oh, Young Kee; Kim, El

2016-01-01

To investigate treatment outcome and long term complication after surgery and radiotherapy (RT) for pituitary adenoma. From 1990 to 2009, 73 patients with surgery and RT for pituitary adenoma were analyzed in this study. Median age was 51 years (range, 25 to 71 years). Median tumor size was 3 cm (range, 1 to 5 cm) with suprasellar (n = 21), cavernous sinus extension (n = 14) or both (n = 5). Hormone secreting tumor was diagnosed in 29 patients; 16 patients with prolactin, 12 patients with growth hormone, and 1 patient with adrenocorticotrophic hormone. Impairment of visual acuity or visual field was presented in 33 patients at first diagnosis. Most patients (n = 64) received RT as postoperative adjuvant setting. Median RT dose was 45 Gy (range, 45 to 59.4 Gy). Median follow-up duration was 8 years (range, 3 to 22 years). In secreting tumors, hormone normalization rate was 55% (16 of 29 patients). For 25 patients with evaluable visual field and visual acuity test, 21 patients (84%) showed improvement of visual disturbance after treatment. The 10-year tumor control rate for non-secreting and secreting adenoma was 100% and 58%, respectively (p < 0.001). Progression free survival rate at 10 years was 98%. Only 1 patient experienced endocrinological recurrence. Following surgery, 60% (n = 44) suffered from pituitary function deficit. Late complication associated with RT was only 1 patient, who developed cataract. Surgery and RT are very effective and safe in hormonal and tumor growth control for secreting and non-secreting pituitary adenoma

Long-term outcomes of surgery and radiotherapy for secreting and non-secreting pituitary adenoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Mi Young; Kim, Jin Hee; Oh, Young Kee; Kim, El [Dongsan Medical Center, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

2016-06-15

To investigate treatment outcome and long term complication after surgery and radiotherapy (RT) for pituitary adenoma. From 1990 to 2009, 73 patients with surgery and RT for pituitary adenoma were analyzed in this study. Median age was 51 years (range, 25 to 71 years). Median tumor size was 3 cm (range, 1 to 5 cm) with suprasellar (n = 21), cavernous sinus extension (n = 14) or both (n = 5). Hormone secreting tumor was diagnosed in 29 patients; 16 patients with prolactin, 12 patients with growth hormone, and 1 patient with adrenocorticotrophic hormone. Impairment of visual acuity or visual field was presented in 33 patients at first diagnosis. Most patients (n = 64) received RT as postoperative adjuvant setting. Median RT dose was 45 Gy (range, 45 to 59.4 Gy). Median follow-up duration was 8 years (range, 3 to 22 years). In secreting tumors, hormone normalization rate was 55% (16 of 29 patients). For 25 patients with evaluable visual field and visual acuity test, 21 patients (84%) showed improvement of visual disturbance after treatment. The 10-year tumor control rate for non-secreting and secreting adenoma was 100% and 58%, respectively (p < 0.001). Progression free survival rate at 10 years was 98%. Only 1 patient experienced endocrinological recurrence. Following surgery, 60% (n = 44) suffered from pituitary function deficit. Late complication associated with RT was only 1 patient, who developed cataract. Surgery and RT are very effective and safe in hormonal and tumor growth control for secreting and non-secreting pituitary adenoma.

Extracellular secretion of a recombinant therapeutic peptide by Bacillus halodurans utilizing a modified flagellin type III secretion system

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Berger, E

2011-08-01

Full Text Available further 3.5-fold increase in the secretion of recombinant peptide fusions. Conclusions: The type III flagellar secretion system of B. halodurans has been shown to successfully secrete a therapeutic peptide as a heterologous flagellin fusion. Improvements...

Pituitary-hormone secretion by thyrotropinomas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roelfsema, Ferdinand; Kok, Simon; Kok, Petra; Pereira, Alberto M.; Biermasz, Nienke R.; Smit, Jan W.; Frolich, Marijke; Keenan, Daniel M.; Veldhuis, Johannes D.; Romijn, Johannes A.

2009-01-01

Hormone secretion by somatotropinomas, corticotropinomas and prolactinomas exhibits increased pulse frequency, basal and pulsatile secretion, accompanied by greater disorderliness. Increased concentrations of growth hormone (GH) or prolactin (PRL) are observed in about 30% of thyrotropinomas leading

METABOLIC ENGINEERING TO DEVELOP A PATHWAY FOR THE SELECTIVE CLEAVAGE OF CARBON-NITROGEN BONDS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

John J. Kilbane II

2004-10-01

The objective of the project is to develop biochemical pathways for the selective cleavage of C-N bonds in molecules found in petroleum. The initial phase of the project was focused on the isolation or development of an enzyme capable of cleaving the C-N bond in aromatic amides, specifically 2-aminobiphenyl. The objective of the second phase of the research will be to construct a biochemical pathway for the selective removal of nitrogen from carbazole by combining the carA genes from Sphingomonas sp. GTIN11 with the gene(s) encoding an appropriate deaminase. The objective of the final phase of the project will be to develop derivative C-N bond cleaving enzymes that have broader substrate ranges and to demonstrate the use of such strains to selectively remove nitrogen from petroleum. During the first year of the project (October, 2002-September, 2003) enrichment culture experiments resulted in the isolation of microbial cultures that utilize aromatic amides as sole nitrogen sources, several amidase genes were cloned and were included in directed evolution experiments to obtain derivatives that can cleave C-N bonds in aromatic amides, and the carA genes from Sphingomonas sp. GTIN11, and Pseudomonas resinovorans CA10 were cloned in vectors capable of replicating in Escherichia coli. During the second year of the project (October, 2003-September, 2004) enrichment culture experiments succeeded in isolating a mixed bacterial culture that can utilize 2-aminobiphenyl as a sole nitrogen source, directed evolution experiments were focused on the aniline dioxygenase enzyme that is capable of deaminating aniline, and expression vectors were constructed to enable the expression of genes encoding C-N bond cleaving enzymes in Rhodococcus hosts. The construction of a new metabolic pathway to selectively remove nitrogen from carbazole and other molecules typically found in petroleum should lead to the development of a process to improve oil refinery efficiency by reducing the

Forest fuel reduces the nitrogen load - calculations of nitrogen flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burstroem, F.; Johansson, Jan.

1995-12-01

Nitrogen deposition in Sweden has increased strongly during recent decades, particularly in southern Sweden. Nitrogen appears to be largely accumulated in biomass and in the soil. It is therefore desirable to check the accumulation of nitrogen in the forest. The most suitable way of doing this is to remove more nitrogen-rich biomass from the forest, i.e., increase the removal of felling residues from final fellings and cleanings. An ecological condition for intensive removal of fuel is that the ashes are returned. The critical load for nitrogen, CL(N), indicates the level of nitrogen deposition that the forest can withstand without leading to ecological changes. Today, nitrogen deposition is higher than the CL(N) in almost all of Sweden. CL(N) is calculated in such a manner that nitrogen deposition should largely be balanced by nitrogen losses through harvesting during a forest rotation. The value of CL(N) thus largely depends on how much nitrogen is removed with the harvested biomass. When both stems and felling residues are harvested, the CL(N) is about three times higher than in conventional forestry. The increase is directly related to the amount of nitrogen in the removed biofuel. Use of biofuel also causes a certain amount of nitrogen emissions. From the environmental viewpoint there is no difference between the sources of the nitrogen compounds. An analysis of the entire fuel chain shows that, compared with the amount of nitrogen removed from the forest with the fuel, about 5 % will be emitted as nitrogen oxides or ammonia during combustion, and a further ca 5 % during handling and transports. A net amount of about 90 % of biomass nitrogen is removed from the system and becomes inert nitrogen (N 2 ). 60 refs, 3 figs, 4 tabs, 11 appendices

Normal and abnormal secretion by haemopoietic cells

Science.gov (United States)

STINCHCOMBE, JANE C; GRIFFITHS, GILLIAN M

2001-01-01

The secretory lysosomes found in haemopoietic cells provide a very efficient mechanism for delivering the effector proteins of many immune cells in response to antigen recognition. Although secretion shows some similarities to the secretion of specialized granules in other secretory cell types, some aspects of secretory lysosome release appear to be unique to melanocytes and cells of the haemopoietic lineage. Mast cells and platelets have provided excellent models for studying secretion, but recent advances in characterizing the immunological synapse allow a very fine dissection of the secretory process in T lymphocytes. These studies show that secretory lysosomes are secreted from the centre of the talin ring at the synapse. Proper secretion requires a series of Rab and cytoskeletal elements which play critical roles in the specialized secretion of lysosomes in haemopoietic cells. PMID:11380687

Production of Extra-Cellular Proteases from Marine Bacillus Sp. Cultured in Media Containing Ammonium Sulfate as the Sole Nitrogen Source

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seri Intan, M.

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Useful bacterial strains can be used to increase mineralize activity of an aquatic system. These bacteria can specifically degrade targeted compound by producing extra-cellular enzymes. Three species of Bacillus i.e. B. subtilis, B. pumilus and B. licheniformis acquired from shrimp ponds were tested for their ability to utilize ammonia and produce extracellular enzymes. These bacteria were grown in artificial seawater (30 ppt salinity and pH 7.6 supplemented with decreasing yeast extract concentration but increasing ammonium sulfate concentration. All three bacteria grew in artificial seawater containing only 0.01% yeast extract and 1% ammonium sulfate. However, only B. pumilus and B. licheniformis were able to grow in the medium containing only 1% ammonium sulfate as a sole energy source. Bacterialgrowth reduced when alkaline proteases activities was maximum from culture filtrates of all three bacterial cultures during 24 hour culturing in artificial seawater containing 0.01% yeast extract and 1% ammonium sulfate at 30 C when assayed at pH 9. Bacterial growth increased when acid proteases activities was maximum from culture filtrates of all three bacterial cultures during 48 hour culturing in artificial seawater containing 0.01% yeast extract and 1% ammoniumsulfate at 30 C when assayed at pH 5.

Tiny intracranial aneurysms: Endovascular treatment by coil embolisation or sole stent deployment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Jun; Liu Jiachun; Wang Lijun; Qi Peng; Wang Daming

2012-01-01

Purpose: Tiny intracranial aneurysms pose a significant therapeutic challenge for interventional neuroradiologists. The authors report their preliminary results of endovascular treatment of these aneurysms. Methods: Between January 2002 and December 2009, 52 tiny intracranial aneurysms (defined as ≤3 mm in maximum diameter) in 46 patients (22 men; mean age, 57.9 years) were treated by endosaccular coil embolisation or sole stent deployment in the parent artery. Of 52 aneurysms, 29 had ruptured and 23 remained unruptured. The initial angiographic results, procedural complications, and clinical outcomes were assessed at discharge. Imaging follow-up was performed with cerebral angiography. Results: One aneurysm coiling procedure failed because of unsuccessful micro-catheterization. Forty-three aneurysms were successfully coil embolized, of which complete occlusion was obtained in 14, subtotal occlusion in 18 and incomplete occlusion in 11. The other 8 aneurysms were treated by sole stent deployment in the parent artery. Procedural complications (2 intraprocedural ruptures and 3 thromboembolic events) occurred in 5 (9.6%) of 52 aneurysms, resulting in permanent morbidity in only 1 (2.2%, 1/46) patient. No rebleeding occurred during clinical follow-up (mean duration, 46.7 months). Of the 16 coiled aneurysms that receiving repetitive angiography, 6 initially completely and 3 subtotally occluded aneurysms remained unchanged, 4 initially subtotally and 3 incompletely occluded aneurysms progressed to total occlusion. Five sole stent deployed aneurysms received angiographic follow-up (mean duration, 10.0 months), of which 3 remained unchanged, 1 became smaller and 1 progressed to total occlusion. Conclusion: Endovascular treatment of tiny intracranial aneurysms is technical feasible and relatively safe. Coil embolisation seems to be effective in preventing early recanalisation, whereas sole stenting technique needs further investigation to determine its effectiveness.

Prototype of haptic device for sole of foot using magnetic field sensitive elastomer

Science.gov (United States)

Kikuchi, T.; Masuda, Y.; Sugiyama, M.; Mitsumata, T.; Ohori, S.

2013-02-01

Walking is one of the most popular activities and a healthy aerobic exercise for the elderly. However, if they have physical and / or cognitive disabilities, sometimes it is challenging to go somewhere they don't know well. The final goal of this study is to develop a virtual reality walking system that allows users to walk in virtual worlds fabricated with computer graphics. We focus on a haptic device that can perform various plantar pressures on users' soles of feet as an additional sense in the virtual reality walking. In this study, we discuss a use of a magnetic field sensitive elastomer (MSE) as a working material for the haptic interface on the sole. The first prototype with MSE was developed and evaluated in this work. According to the measurement of planter pressures, it was found that this device can perform different pressures on the sole of a light-weight user by applying magnetic field on the MSE. The result also implied necessities of the improvement of the magnetic circuit and the basic structure of the mechanism of the device.

31 CFR 500.559 - Accounts of North Korean, North Vietnamese, Cambodian or South Vietnamese sole proprietorships.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Accounts of North Korean, North Vietnamese, Cambodian or South Vietnamese sole proprietorships. 500.559 Section 500.559 Money and Finance... Licensing Policy § 500.559 Accounts of North Korean, North Vietnamese, Cambodian or South Vietnamese sole...

Some Economics of Trade Secret Law

OpenAIRE

David D. Friedman; William M. Landes; Richard A. Posner

1991-01-01

Despite the practical importance of trade secrets to the business community, the law of trade secrets is a neglected orphan in economic analysis. This paper sketches an approach to the economics of trade secret law that connects it more closely both to other areas of intellectual property and to broader issues in the positive economic theory of the common law.

75 FR 51185 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Rock Sole in the Bering Sea...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-19

... 600 and 50 CFR part 679. The 2010 rock sole TAC specified for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands ICA... Amendment 80 Allocations of The Aleutian Islands Pacific Ocean Perch, And BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, And.... 0910131363-0087-02] RIN 0648-XY29 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Rock...

A Novel Superfamily of Transporters for Allantoin and Other Oxo Derivatives of Nitrogen Heterocyclic Compounds in Arabidopsis

Science.gov (United States)

Desimone, Marcelo; Catoni, Elisabetta; Ludewig, Uwe; Hilpert, Melanie; Schneider, Anja; Kunze, Reinhard; Tegeder, Mechthild; Frommer, Wolf Bernd; Schumacher, Karin

2002-01-01

A wide spectrum of soil heterocyclic nitrogen compounds are potential nutrients for plants. Here, it is shown that Arabidopsis plants are able to use allantoin as sole nitrogen source. By functional complementation of a yeast mutant defective in allantoin uptake, an Arabidopsis transporter, AtUPS1 (Arabidopsis thaliana ureide permease 1), was identified. AtUPS1 belongs to a novel superfamily of plant membrane proteins with five open reading frames in Arabidopsis (identity, 64 to 82%). UPS proteins have 10 putative transmembrane domains with a large cytosolic central domain containing a “Walker A” motif. Transport of 14C-labeled allantoin by AtUPS1 in yeast exhibited saturation kinetics (Km ∼ 52 μM), was dependent on Glc and a proton gradient, and was stimulated by acidic pH. AtUPS1 transports uric acid and xanthine, besides allantoin, but not adenine. Protons are cosubstrates in allantoin transport by AtUPS1, as demonstrated by expression in Xenopus laevis oocytes. In plants, AtUPS1 gene expression was dependent on the nitrogen source. Therefore, AtUPS1 presumably is involved in the uptake of allantoin and other purine degradation products when primary sources are limiting. PMID:11971139

Effects of porous carrier size on biofilm development, microbial distribution and nitrogen removal in microaerobic bioreactors

KAUST Repository

Ahmad, Muhammad; Liu, Sitong; Mahmood, Nasir; Mahmood, Asif; Ali, Muhammad; Zheng, Maosheng; Ni, Jinren

2017-01-01

In this study, effects of porous carrier’s size (polyurethane-based) on microbial characteristics were systematically investigated in addition to nitrogen removal performance in six microaerobic bioreactors. Among different sized carriers (50, 30, 20, 15,10, 5 mm), 15 mm carrier showed highest nitrogen removal (98%) due to optimal micro-environments created for aerobic nitrifiers in outer layer (0∼7 mm), nitrifiers and denitrifiers in middle layer (7∼10 mm) and anaerobic denitrifiers in inner layer (10∼15 mm). Candidatus brocadia, a dominant anammox bacteria, was solely concentrated close to centroid (0∼70 μm) and strongly co-aggregated with other bacterial communities in the middle layer of the carrier. Contrarily, carriers with a smaller (<15 mm) or larger size (>15 mm) either destroy the effective zone for anaerobic denitrifiers or damage the microaerobic environments due to poor mass transfer. This study is of particular use for optimal design of carriers in enhancing simultaneous nitrification-denitrification in microaerobic wastewater treatment processes.

Effects of porous carrier size on biofilm development, microbial distribution and nitrogen removal in microaerobic bioreactors

KAUST Repository

Ahmad, Muhammad

2017-03-15

In this study, effects of porous carrier’s size (polyurethane-based) on microbial characteristics were systematically investigated in addition to nitrogen removal performance in six microaerobic bioreactors. Among different sized carriers (50, 30, 20, 15,10, 5 mm), 15 mm carrier showed highest nitrogen removal (98%) due to optimal micro-environments created for aerobic nitrifiers in outer layer (0∼7 mm), nitrifiers and denitrifiers in middle layer (7∼10 mm) and anaerobic denitrifiers in inner layer (10∼15 mm). Candidatus brocadia, a dominant anammox bacteria, was solely concentrated close to centroid (0∼70 μm) and strongly co-aggregated with other bacterial communities in the middle layer of the carrier. Contrarily, carriers with a smaller (<15 mm) or larger size (>15 mm) either destroy the effective zone for anaerobic denitrifiers or damage the microaerobic environments due to poor mass transfer. This study is of particular use for optimal design of carriers in enhancing simultaneous nitrification-denitrification in microaerobic wastewater treatment processes.

Physiology of bile secretion.

Science.gov (United States)

Esteller, Alejandro

2008-10-07

The formation of bile depends on the structural and functional integrity of the bile-secretory apparatus and its impairment, in different situations, results in the syndrome of cholestasis. The structural bases that permit bile secretion as well as various aspects related with its composition and flow rate in physiological conditions will first be reviewed. Canalicular bile is produced by polarized hepatocytes that hold transporters in their basolateral (sinusoidal) and apical (canalicular) plasma membrane. This review summarizes recent data on the molecular determinants of this primary bile formation. The major function of the biliary tree is modification of canalicular bile by secretory and reabsorptive processes in bile-duct epithelial cells (cholangiocytes) as bile passes through bile ducts. The mechanisms of fluid and solute transport in cholangiocytes will also be discussed. In contrast to hepatocytes where secretion is constant and poorly controlled, cholangiocyte secretion is regulated by hormones and nerves. A short section dedicated to these regulatory mechanisms of bile secretion has been included. The aim of this revision was to set the bases for other reviews in this series that will be devoted to specific issues related with biliary physiology and pathology.

Craniocervical Junction Meningiomas without Hydrocephalus Presenting Solely with Syncope: Report of 2 Cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Champagne, Pierre-Olivier; Bojanowski, Michel W

2018-06-01

To our knowledge, there have not been any reported cases of a meningioma of the craniocervical region presenting solely with syncope as its initial symptom. Only 1 case of meningioma presenting with syncope has been published, but it was associated with hydrocephalus. We report 2 cases of syncope caused by a craniocervical junction meningioma, with syncope being the sole presenting symptom and without hydrocephalus. We discuss the possible pathophysiology, as well as the clinical relevance of this type of presentation. We reviewed the charts, operative details, and imagery of 2 cases of meningioma in the region of the craniocervical junction, with syncope as their sole presenting feature. We also reviewed the literature. In 1 case the syncope occurred spontaneously. In the other, it occurred during a Valsalva maneuver. Both meningiomas were surgically removed via a retromastoid approach. There was no recurrence of syncope following surgery. Following a literature review, we found 1 case of posterior fossa meningioma presenting with syncope, but hydrocephalus was also present. Syncope can be the sole manifestation of a meningioma of the craniocervical junction. Such syncopes are a consequence of transient dysfunction of the autonomous pathways in the medulla and/or of the medulla's output. In the absence of other causes of syncope, a meningioma in this region, even in the absence of hydrocephalus, should not be considered as fortuitous, but rather as the actual cause of syncope. Recognizing this possibility offers the potential for proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment of the syncope. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Life-cycle evaluation of nitrogen-use in rice-farming systems: implications for economically-optimal nitrogen rates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Xia

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Nitrogen (N fertilizer plays an important role in agricultural systems in terms of food yield. However, N application rates (NARs are often overestimated over the rice (Oryza sativa L. growing season in the Taihu Lake region of China. This is largely because negative externalities are not entirely included when evaluating economically-optimal nitrogen rate (EONR, such as only individual N losses are taken into account, or the inventory flows of reactive N have been limited solely to the farming process when evaluating environmental and economic effects of N fertilizer. This study integrates important material and energy flows resulting from N use into a rice agricultural inventory that constitutes the hub of the life-cycle assessment (LCA method. An economic evaluation is used to determine an environmental and economic NAR for the Taihu Lake region. The analysis reveals that production and exploitation processes consume the largest proportion of resources, accounting for 77.2 % and 22.3 % of total resources, respectively. Regarding environmental impact, global warming creates the highest cost with contributions stemming mostly from fertilizer production and farming processes. Farming process incurs the biggest environmental impact of the three environmental impact categories considered, whereas transportation has a much smaller effect. When taking account of resource consumption and environmental cost, the marginal benefit of 1 kg rice would decrease from 2.4 to only 1.05 yuan. Accordingly, our current EONR has been evaluated at 187 kg N ha⁻¹ for a single rice-growing season. This could enhance profitability, as well as reduce the N losses associated with rice growing.

Unconventional Pathways of Secretion Contribute to Inflammation

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Michael J. D. Daniels

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In the conventional pathway of protein secretion, leader sequence-containing proteins leave the cell following processing through the endoplasmic reticulum (ER and Golgi body. However, leaderless proteins also enter the extracellular space through mechanisms collectively known as unconventional secretion. Unconventionally secreted proteins often have vital roles in cell and organism function such as inflammation. Amongst the best-studied inflammatory unconventionally secreted proteins are interleukin (IL-1β, IL-1α, IL-33 and high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1. In this review we discuss the current understanding of the unconventional secretion of these proteins and highlight future areas of research such as the role of nuclear localisation.

Proton pump inhibitors inhibit pancreatic secretion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Jing; Barbuskaite, Dagne; Tozzi, Marco

2015-01-01

+/K+-ATPases are expressed and functional in human pancreatic ducts and whether proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have effect on those. Here we show that the gastric HKα1 and HKβ subunits (ATP4A; ATP4B) and non-gastric HKα2 subunits (ATP12A) of H+/K+-ATPases are expressed in human pancreatic cells. Pumps have similar...... of major ions in secretion follow similar excretory curves in control and PPI treated animals. In addition to HCO3-, pancreas also secretes K+. In conclusion, this study calls for a revision of the basic model for HCO3- secretion. We propose that proton transport is driving secretion, and that in addition...

Hoopoes color their eggs with antimicrobial uropygial secretions

Science.gov (United States)

Soler, Juan J.; Martín-Vivaldi, M.; Peralta-Sánchez, J. M.; Arco, L.; Juárez-García-Pelayo, N.

2014-09-01

Uropygial gland secretions are used as cosmetics by some species of birds to color and enhance properties of feathers and teguments, which may signal individual quality. Uropygial secretions also reach eggshells during incubation and, therefore, may influence the coloration of birds' eggs, a trait that has attracted the attention of evolutionary biologists for more than one century. The color of hoopoe eggs typically changes along incubation, from bluish-gray to greenish-brown. Here, we test experimentally the hypothesis that dark uropygial secretion of females is responsible for such drastic color change. Moreover, since uropygial secretion of hoopoes has antimicrobial properties, we also explore the association between color and antimicrobial activity of the uropygial secretion of females. We found that eggs stayed bluish-gray in nests where female access to the uropygial secretion was experimentally blocked. Furthermore, experimental eggs that were maintained in incubators and manually smeared with uropygial secretion experienced similar color changes that naturally incubated eggs did, while control eggs that were not in contact with the secretions did not experience such color changes. All these results strongly support the hypothesis that female hoopoes use their uropygial gland secretion to color the eggs. Moreover, saturation of the uropygial secretion was associated with antimicrobial activity against Bacillus licheniformis. Given the known antimicrobial potential of uropygial secretions of birds, this finding opens the possibility that in scenarios of sexual selection, hoopoes in particular and birds in general signal antimicrobial properties of their uropygial secretion by mean of changes in egg coloration along incubation.

32P-postlabeling analysis of DNA adducts in liver of wild English sole (Parophrys vetulus) and winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varanasi, U.; Reichert, W.L.; Stein, J.E.

1989-01-01

The 1-butanol adduct enhancement version of the 32P-postlabeling assay was used to measure the levels of hepatic DNA adducts in the marine flatfish, English sole (Parophrys vetulus), sampled from the Duwamish Waterway and Eagle Harbor, Puget Sound, WA, where they are exposed to high concentrations of sediment-associated chemical contaminants and exhibit an elevated prevalence of hepatic neoplasms. Hepatic DNA was also analyzed from English sole from a reference area (Useless Bay, WA) and from reference English sole treated with organic-solvent extracts of sediments from the two contaminated sites. Autoradiograms of thin-layer chromatograms of 32P-labeled hepatic DNA digests from English sole from the contaminated sites exhibited up to three diagonal radioactive zones, which were not present in autoradiograms of thin-layer chromatogram maps of 32P-labeled DNA digests from English sole from the reference site. These diagonal radioactive zones contained several distinct spots as well as what appeared to be multiple overlapping adduct spots. The levels (nmol of adducts/mol of nucleotides) of total DNA adducts for English sole from Duwamish Waterway and Eagle Harbor were 26 +/- 28 (DS) and 17 +/- 9.6, respectively. All autoradiograms of DNA from fish from the contaminated sites exhibited a diagonal radioactive zone where DNA adducts of chrysene, benzo(a)pyrene, and dibenz(a,h)anthracene, formed in vitro using English sole hepatic microsomes, were shown to chromatograph. English sole treated with extracts of the contaminated sediments had adduct profiles generally similar to those for English sole from the respective contaminated sites

Sole disorders in conventionally managed and organic dairy herds using different housing systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vaarst, Mette; Hindhede, Jens; Enevoldsen, Carsten

1998-01-01

Records of claw trimmings were analyzed in seven organic and six conventional Danish herds (a total of 974 cows). The housing systems represented were tie stall systems, loose housing system with slatted floor (one organic herd), and deep litter systems (deep straw bedding). Occurrence of sole...... stage from 61 to 120 d post partum in cows of other dual purpose breeds was positively associated with the presence of sole ulcer in one leg only in first parity cows. The time of year for claw trimming was a risk factor for acute haemorrhage in first parity cows, with the period from December...

Robust design in generelaised linear models for improving the quality of polyurethane soles

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Castro, Armando Mares

2015-11-01

Full Text Available In a process that manufactures polyurethane soles by casting, a number of problems lead to different types of defects on the sole, causing significant economic losses for the company. In order to improve the product quality and decrease the number of defects, this study conducts an experimental design in the context of robust design. Since the response variable is binary, the statistical analysis was performed using generalised linear models. The operational methodology reduced the percentage of defects, while combining the experimental technique and control systems to achieve superior quality and a consequent reduction in costs.

The role of jasmonates in floral nectar secretion.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Venkatesan Radhika

Full Text Available Plants produce nectar in their flowers as a reward for their pollinators and most of our crops depend on insect pollination, but little is known on the physiological control of nectar secretion. Jasmonates are well-known for their effects on senescence, the development and opening of flowers and on plant defences such as extrafloral nectar. Their role in floral nectar secretion has, however, not been explored so far. We investigated whether jasmonates have an influence on floral nectar secretion in oil-seed rape, Brassica napus. The floral tissues of this plant produced jasmonic acid (JA endogenously, and JA concentrations peaked shortly before nectar secretion was highest. Exogenous application of JA to flowers induced nectar secretion, which was suppressed by treatment with phenidone, an inhibitor of JA synthesis. This effect could be reversed by additional application of JA. Jasmonoyl-isoleucine and its structural mimic coronalon also increased nectar secretion. Herbivory or addition of JA to the leaves did not have an effect on floral nectar secretion, demonstrating a functional separation of systemic defence signalling from reproductive nectar secretion. Jasmonates, which have been intensively studied in the context of herbivore defences and flower development, have a profound effect on floral nectar secretion and, thus, pollination efficiency in B. napus. Our results link floral nectar secretion to jasmonate signalling and thereby integrate the floral nectar secretion into the complex network of oxylipid-mediated developmental processes of plants.

Secret-key expansion from covert communication

Science.gov (United States)

Arrazola, Juan Miguel; Amiri, Ryan

2018-02-01

Covert communication allows the transmission of messages in such a way that it is not possible for adversaries to detect that the communication is occurring. This provides protection in situations where knowledge that two parties are talking to each other may be incriminating to them. In this work, we study how covert communication can be used for a different purpose: secret key expansion. First, we show that any message transmitted in a secure covert protocol is also secret and therefore unknown to an adversary. We then propose a covert communication protocol where the amount of key consumed in the protocol is smaller than the transmitted key, thus leading to secure secret key expansion. We derive precise conditions for secret key expansion to occur, showing that it is possible when there are sufficiently low levels of noise for a given security level. We conclude by examining how secret key expansion from covert communication can be performed in a computational security model.

Pancreatic bicarbonate secretion involves two proton pumps

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Novak, Ivana; Wang, Jing; Henriksen, Katrine L.

2011-01-01

Pancreas secretes fluid rich in digestive enzymes and bicarbonate. The alkaline secretion is important in buffering of acid chyme entering duodenum and for activation of enzymes. This secretion is formed in pancreatic ducts, and studies to date show that plasma membranes of duct epithelium expres...

Gastric secretion elicited by conditioning in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Caboclo, José Liberato Ferreira; Cury, Francico de Assis; Borin, Aldenis Albanese; Caboclo, Luís Otávio Sales Ferreira; Ribeiro, Maria Fernanda Sales Caboclo; de Freitas, Pedro José; Andersson, Sven

2009-01-01

To investigate whether interdigestive gastric acid secretion can be controlled by a possible memory-related cortical mechanism. To evaluate gastric secretion in rats, we used a methodology that allows gastric juice collection in rats in their habitual conditions (without any restraining) by pairing sound as the conditioning stimulus (CS) and food as the unconditioning stimulus (US). The levels of gastric acid secretion under basal conditions and under sound stimulation were recorded and the circulating gastrin levels determined. When the gastric juice was collected in the course of the conditioning procedure, the results showed that under noise stimulation a significant increase in gastric acid secretion occurred after 10 days of conditioning (p<0.01). The significance was definitively demonstrated after 13 days of conditioning (p<0.001). Basal secretions of the conditioned rats reached a significant level after 16 days of conditioning. The levels of noise-stimulated gastric acid secretion were the highest so far described in physiological experiments carried out in rats and there were no significant increases in the circulating gastrin levels. The results point to the important role played by cortical structures in the control of interdigestive gastric acid secretion in rats. If this mechanism is also present in humans, it may be involved in diseases caused by inappropriate gastric acid secretion during the interprandial periods.

Synergistic interaction and controllable active sites of nitrogen and sulfur co-doping into mesoporous carbon sphere for high performance oxygen reduction electrocatalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Taeseob; Kim, Myeongjin; Park, Dabin; Kim, Jooheon

2018-05-01

Nitrogen and sulfur co-doped mesoporous carbon sphere (NSMCS) was prepared as a metal-free catalyst by an economical and facile pyrolysis process. The mesoporous carbon spheres were derived from sodium carboxymethyl cellulose as the carbon source and the nitrogen and sulfur dopants were derived from urea and p-benzenedithiol, respectively. The doping level and chemical states of nitrogen and sulfur in the prepared NSMCS can be easily adjusted by controlling the pyrolysis temperature. The NSMCS pyrolyzed at 900 °C (NSMCS-900) exhibited higher oxygen reduction reaction activity than the mesoporous carbon sphere doped solely with nitrogen or sulfur, due to the synergistic effect of co-doping. Among all the NSMCS samples, NSMCS-900 exhibited excellent ORR catalytic activity owing to the presence of a highly active site, consisting of pyridinic N, graphitic N, and thiophene S. Remarkably, the NSMCS-900 catalyst was comparable with commercial Pt/C, in terms of the onset and the half-wave potentials and showed better durability than Pt/C for ORR in an alkaline electrolyte. The approach demonstrated in this work could be used to prepare promising metal-free electrocatalysts for application in energy conversion and storage.

Air Force UAV’s: The Secret History

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

iA Mitchell Institute Study i Air Force UAVs The Secret History A Mitchell Institute Study July 2010 By Thomas P. Ehrhard Report Documentation Page...DATES COVERED 00-00-2010 to 00-00-2010 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Air Force UAVs The Secret History 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c... The Secret History 2 Air Force UAVs: The Secret History2 air Force uaVs: The secret history Has any airplane in the past decade captured the public

Towards surface analysis on diabetic feet soles to predict ulcerations using photometric stereo

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chanjuan; van der Heijden, Ferdi; van Netten, Jaap J.

2012-03-01

Diabetic foot ulceration is a major complication for patients with diabetes mellitus. Approximately 15% to 25% of patients with Type I and Type II diabetes eventually develop feet ulcers. If not adequately treated, these ulcers may lead to foot infection, and ultimately to total (or partial) lower extremity amputation, which means a great loss in health-related quality of life. The incidence of foot ulcers may be prevented by early identification and subsequent treatment of pre-signs of ulceration, such as callus formation, redness, fissures, and blisters. Therefore, frequent examination of the feet is necessary, preferably on a daily basis. However, self-examination is difficult or impossible due to consequences of the diabetes. Moreover, frequent examination by health care professionals is costly and not feasible. The objective of our project is to develop an intelligent telemedicine monitoring system that can be deployed at the patients' home environment for frequent examination of patients feet, to timely detect pre-signs of ulceration. The current paper reports the preliminary results of an implementation of a photometric stereo imaging system to detect 3D geometric abnormalities of the skin surfaces of foot soles. Using a flexible experimental setup, the system parameters such as number and positions of the illuminators have been selected so as to optimize the performance with respect to reconstructed surface. The system has been applied to a dummy foot sole. Finally, the curvature on the resulting 3D topography of the foot sole is implemented to show the feasibility of detecting the pre-signs of ulceration using photometric stereo imaging. The obtained results indicate clinical potential of this technology for detecting the pre-signs of ulceration on diabetic feet soles.

Nitrogen ligation to manganese in the photosynthetic oxygen-evolving complex: Continuous-wave and pulsed EPR studies of Photosystem II particles containing 14N or 15N

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeRose, V.J.; Yachandra, V.K.; McDermott, A.E.; Britt, R.D.; Sauer, K.; Klein, M.P.

1991-01-01

The possibility of nitrogen ligation to the Mn in the oxygen-evolving complex from photosystem II was investigated with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and electron spin echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) spectroscopies using 14 N- and 15 N-labeled preparations. Oxygen-evolving preparations were isolated from a thermophilic cyanobacterium, Synechococcus sp., grown on a medium containing either 14 NO 3 - or 15 NO - 3 as the sole source of nitrogen. The substructure on the multiline EPR signal, which arises from Mn in the S 2 state of the enzyme, was measured with continuous-wave EPR. No changes were detected in the substructure peak positions upon substitution of 15 N for 14 N, indicating that this substructure is not due to superhyperfine coupling from nitrogen ligands. To detect potential nitrogen ligands with superhyperfine couplings of lesser magnitude than could be observed with conventional EPR methods, electron spin-echo envelope modulation experiments were also performed on the multiline EPR signal. The Fourier transform of the light-minus-dark time domain ESEEM data shows a peak at 4.8 MHz in 14 N samples which is absent upon substitution with 15 N. This gives unambiguous evidence for weak hyperfine coupling of nitrogen to the Mn of the oxygen-evolving complex. Possible origins of this nitrogen interaction are discussed

Computer vision for shoe upper profile measurement via upper and sole conformal matching

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Zhongxu; Bicker, Robert; Taylor, Paul; Marshall, Chris

2007-01-01

This paper describes a structured light computer vision system applied to the measurement of the 3D profile of shoe uppers. The trajectory obtained is used to guide an industrial robot for automatic edge roughing around the contour of the shoe upper so that the bonding strength can be improved. Due to the specific contour and unevenness of the shoe upper, even if the 3D profile is obtained using computer vision, it is still difficult to reliably define the roughing path around the shape. However, the shape of the corresponding shoe sole is better defined, and it is much easier to measure the edge using computer vision. Therefore, a feasible strategy is to measure both the upper and sole profiles, and then align and fit the sole contour to the upper, in order to obtain the best fit. The trajectory of the edge of the desired roughing path is calculated and is then smoothed and interpolated using NURBS curves to guide an industrial robot for shoe upper surface removal; experiments show robust and consistent results. An outline description of the structured light vision system is given here, along with the calibration techniques used.

A quantum secret-sharing protocol with fairness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Feng; Qin, Su-Juan; Wen, Qiao-Yan

2014-01-01

A quantum secret-sharing (QSS) protocol consists of two main phases, called sharing and reconstruction. In the first phase, the dealer selects a secret, divides it into several shares, and sends each participant its share securely with a quantum channel. In the second phase, the participants run an interactive protocol in order to reconstruct the secret. If the participants can communicate via a broadcast channel, they can show their shares and learn the secrets simultaneously. So what happens if the channel is not simultaneous? In this paper, we propose a QSS protocol with cheaters by using partially and maximally entangled states. A secure and fair reconstruction mechanism is designed, in a way that each participant can learn or cannot learn the secret simultaneously. (papers)

pigmentation of the sole of the foot in rhodesian africans

African Journals Online (AJOL)

1971-01-23

Jan 23, 1971 ... basal layer. (Photo by courtesy of Dr C. M. D. Ross.) Fig. 8. From a biopsy of a grade III area on the sole of the foot a section shows, apart from proliferated melanocytes in the basal layer, isolated pigmented cells extending through the stratum malpighii to the stratum granulosum above it, (Photo by courtesy ...

Deaths among West African dwarf goats fed sole Dactyladaenia barteri

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dactyladaema barteri is an important shrub utilized in fallow development and as a much-preferred ruminant browse by local farmers in Nigeria. We report the death of two 12 – 15 months old West African Dwarf (WAD) goats used in a digestibility trail with D. barteri as sole feed and in a mixed browse - grass diet in the ...

Nitrogen availability for nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria upon growth ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The filamentous cyanobacterium Nostoc PCC 7120 is able to convert dinitrogen to ammonia in the absence of combined nitrogen. The expression of 20% of coding sequences from all major metabolic categories was examined in nitrogen fixing and non-nitrogen fixing growth conditions. The expression data were correlated ...

Trade secrets protection mode of nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeng Bin

2015-01-01

The paper analyzes the legal environment in which nuclear power enterprises are stayed, and mainly discusses the business secret protection modes of China's nuclear power enterprises. It is expected to provide a revelation and help for these enterprises to protect their business secrets. Firstly, the paper briefly expounds the legal basis of business secret protection and China's legalization status in this regard. Then it mainly puts forward the business secret management framework and postulations for nuclear power enterprises, and key points in application and protection of nuclear power business secret. (author)

Experimental identification of nitrogen-vacancy complexes in nitrogen implanted silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Adam, Lahir Shaik; Law, Mark E.; Szpala, Stanislaw; Simpson, P. J.; Lawther, Derek; Dokumaci, Omer; Hegde, Suri

2001-07-01

Nitrogen implantation is commonly used in multigate oxide thickness processing for mixed signal complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor and System on a Chip technologies. Current experiments and diffusion models indicate that upon annealing, implanted nitrogen diffuses towards the surface. The mechanism proposed for nitrogen diffusion is the formation of nitrogen-vacancy complexes in silicon, as indicated by ab initio studies by J. S. Nelson, P. A. Schultz, and A. F. Wright [Appl. Phys. Lett. 73, 247 (1998)]. However, to date, there does not exist any experimental evidence of nitrogen-vacancy formation in silicon. This letter provides experimental evidence through positron annihilation spectroscopy that nitrogen-vacancy complexes indeed form in nitrogen implanted silicon, and compares the experimental results to the ab initio studies, providing qualitative support for the same.

Nitrogen nutrition effects on development, growth and nitrogen accumulation of vegetables

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Biemond, H.

1995-01-01

In order to be able to match nitrogen supply and nitrogen requirement of vegetable crops, insight is necessary in the responses to nitrogen of important processes of growth and development. This study focused on effects of amount of nitrogen applied and fractionation of nitrogen supply on

Ionizing radiation in secret services' conspirative actions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vogel, H.; Lotz, P.; Vogel, B.

2007-01-01

Introduction: The death of Litvinenko has been reported by the media. It has raised the question whether this case had been unique. The fall of the wall has allowed a glimpse in the planning and comporting of a secret service. Material and method: Documents of the secret service of the former German democratic republic (GDR), books of defectors, and media reports about secret service actions with radiating substances have been analyzed. Results: Since decades, secret services have been using radioactive nuclides and radiation for their tasks. Several killings with radiation have been reported. A complicated logistic had been developed. Conclusion: Only singular cases of the employment of radiating substances have become known. It is probable that the majority rests unknown. Government support seems necessary in secret services' conspirative actions with radiating substance

The Effect of Percentage of Nitrogen in Plasma Gas on Nitrogen ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Increase in nitrogen percent in the plasma gas results in increased content of dissociated nitrogen and molecular nitrogen possessing excess vibrational energy and therefore the increased solution of nitrogen in the liquid iron. It would appear that above 35% nitrogen in the plasma gas, frequency of collisions of species in ...

Weaning of Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis postlarvae to an inert diet with a co-feeding regime

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2005-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the weaning success of Senegalese sole, Solea senegalensis, postlarvae when cofed a compound diet, by means of the analysis of growth parameters (relative growth rate [RGR] and condition factor [K], survival, protein and lipid content. Total ammonia in the rearing water was also measured. The experiment lasted for 46 days (36 to 82 days posthatching. One group was fed only with enriched Artemia sp. metanauplii (Artemia treatment, whereas in another group, the Artemia sp. metanauplii were gradually replaced by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES diet over a period of 39 days (ICES treatment. Postlarvae were sampled on rearing days 0, 9, 23, 30, 39 and 46 for growth and biochemical analysis. Water was sampled on rearing day 30 during a 24-h cycle in both treatments. Postlarvae from the ICES treatment were weaned, though by the end of the experiment the Artemia treatment exhibited significantly higher values for growth, RGR, K and survival rates (P < 0.05. No significant differences were observed concerning total lipid content. Protein content was significantly higher for the Artemia treatment after 46 days of rearing (P < 0.05. The total ammonia nitrogen concentration in the water increased after each meal and remained below a harmless level for postlarvae.

Nitrogen Source Stabilization of Quorum Sensing in the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bioaugmentation Strain SD-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Mei-Zhen; Lai, Bai-Min; Dandekar, Ajai A; Yang, Yu-Sheng; Li, Na; Yin, Jun; Shen, Dong-Sheng

2017-08-15

Pseudomonas aeruginosa SD-1 is efficient at degrading aromatic compounds and can therefore contribute to the bioremediation of wastewater. P. aeruginosa uses quorum sensing (QS) to regulate the production of numerous secreted "public goods." In wastewater bioaugmentation applications, there are myriad nitrogen sources, and we queried whether various nitrogen sources impact the stabilities of both QS and the bacterial populations. In a laboratory strain of P. aeruginosa , PAO1, the absence of a nitrogen source has been shown to destabilize these populations through the emergence of QS mutant "cheaters." We tested the ability of SD-1 to grow in casein broth, a condition that requires QS for growth, when the nitrogen source with either NH 4 Cl, NaNO 3 , or NaNO 2 or with no added nitrogen source. There was great variability in susceptibility to invasion by QS mutant cheaters and, by extension, the stability of the SD-1 population. When grown with NH 4 Cl as an extra nitrogen source, no population collapse was observed; by contrast, two-thirds of cultures grown in the presence of NaNO 2 collapsed. In the populations that collapsed, the frequency of social cheaters exceeded 40%. NaNO 3 and NaNO 2 directly favor QS mutants of P. aeruginosa SD-1. Although the mechanism by which these nitrogen sources act is not clear, these data indicate that the metabolism of nitrogen can affect the stability of bacterial populations, an important observation for continuing industrial applications with this species. IMPORTANCE Bioaugmentation as a method to help remediate wastewater pollutant streams holds significant potential to enhance traditional methods of treatment. Addition of microbes that can catabolize organic pollutants can be an effective method to remove several toxic compounds. Such bioaugmented strains of bacteria have been shown to be susceptible to competition from the microbiota that are present in wastewater streams, limiting their potential effectiveness. Here, we

Evaluation of Forage Yield and Important Agronomic Indices of Corn Affected by Intercropping Systems with Peanut and Nitrogen Rates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Nabati nasaz

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction Multiple cropping such as intercropping plays an important role in agriculture because of maximizing beneficial interactions. Intercropping of legumes and cereals is an old practice in tropical agriculture that dates back to ancient civilization. Maize-legume intercrops could substantially increase forage quantity and quality and decrease requirement for protein supplements (Ahmad et al., 2008. Intercropping of cereals and legumes is important for development of sustainable food production systems. This may be due to some of the potential benefits in intercropping systems such as high productivity and profitability, improvement of soil fertility through the additional supply of N by fixation and excretion from the component legume, efficient use of resources, reducing damage caused by pests, diseases and weeds and improvement of forage quality (Ahmad et al., 2008; Fernandez-Aparicio et al., 2007; Lithourgidis et al., 2006. The main advantage of intercropping is more efficient utilization of the available resources and the increased productivity compared with each sole crop of the mixture. Therefore, this experiment was conducted to evaluate agronomic characteristics of corn and Land equivalent ratio (LER under intercropping with peanut and different rates of nitrogen. Materials and methods In order to evaluate the forage yield and important agronomic indices of corn (Zea mays L. affected by intercropping systems with peanut and different nitrogen rates, this experiment was performed in the experimental field of agricultural and natural resource research center of Guilan province, Rasht, Iran, during 2013-14 cropping season as a split plot arrangement in randomized complete block design with three replications. Nitrogen rates, including of zero, 100, 200 and 300 kg per hectare as main plot and sole cropping of corn and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L., intercropping systems including of intercropping corn and peanut at ratio of 1:1, 2

Mechanisms of friction and assessment of slip resistance of new and used footwear soles on contaminated floors.

Science.gov (United States)

Grönqvist, Raoul

1995-02-01

The great number of slipping accidents indicates that footwear providing good slip resistance must be rare. Slip resistance seems to be a purely physical phenomenon, however, more knowledge of the mechanisms of friction is needed to develop slip-resistant footwear and to ensure safer walking in slippery conditions. In the present study the influence of the normal wear of shoe heels and soles on their frictional properties was clarified. The slip resistance of three types of new and used safety shoes on four relatively slippery floor-contaminant combinations, was assessed with a prototype apparatus, which simulates the movements of a human foot and the forces applied to the underfoot surface during an actual slip. The used shoes were collected from 27 workers in a shipbuilding company and classified by sight into four wear classes: Good, satisfactory, poor, and worn-out. The assessed shoe heels and soles were in general more slippery when new compared to used heels and soles. However, footwear must be discarded before the tread pattern is worn-out. Used microcellular polyurethane (PU) heels and soles gave a considerably higher coefficient of kinetic friction (μ k ) on contaminated floors than used heels and soles made of compact nitrile (NR) and compact styrene rubber (SR). The heel-slide coefficient of kinetic friction (μ kl ) for used versus new shoes was on average 66% higher for PU (0·216 versus 0·130), 27% higher for SR (0·143 versus 0·113), and 7% lower for NR (0·098 versus 0·105). The fundamental mechanisms of friction between shoe soles and contaminated floors were also discussed, and experiments with seven slabs of sole materials were carried out to assess contact pressure effects from the viewpoint of slipping. Slip resistance particularly seemed to depend on the squeeze film and the contact pressure effects between the soling materials and the floor. An increasing contact pressure dramatically reduced the μ k , thus indicating that the slip

Ultrasound Examination Through The Sole Horn On A Weight‐Bearing Claw: Pilot In‐Vitro Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bach, Kurt; Nielsen, Søren Saxmose; Capion, Nynne

of a 700 kg heavy Holstein cow The correlation between the thickness of the soft tissue measured with the two different methods was 0.91 (Pearson’s correlation coefficient, Figure 1). Discussion The bottom of the tub could carry the weight of a 700 kg cow. It was possible to scan through the sole horn......Introduction A decrease of the soft tissue thickness in the claw increases the pressure on the corium from the pedal bone and may lead to injuries and claw horn lesions (Ossent & Lischer 1998, Tarlton, et al. 2002). Ultrasonography has been described as a useful method to exam the soft tissue...... the sole horn and through the polyethylene plate respectively had an acceptable correlation. Acknowledgements Thanks to Mogens Nielsen Kreaturslagteri A/S for providing slaughter house legs. References Kofler J, Kubber P, and Henninger W 1999 Ultrasonographic imaging and thickness measurement of the sole...

Toward developing recombinant gonadotropin-based hormone therapies for increasing fertility in the flatfish Senegalese sole.

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François Chauvigné

Full Text Available Captive flatfishes, such as the Senegalese sole, typically produce very low volumes of sperm. This situation is particularly prevalent in the first generation (F1 of reared sole males, which limits the development of artificial fertilization methods and the implementation of selective breeding programs. In this study, we investigated whether combined treatments with homologous recombinant follicle-stimulating (rFsh and luteinizing (rLh hormones, produced in a mammalian host system, could stimulate spermatogenesis and enhance sperm production in Senegalese sole F1 males. In an initial autumn/winter experiment, weekly intramuscular injections with increasing doses of rFsh over 9 weeks resulted in the stimulation of gonad weight, androgen release, germ cell proliferation and entry into meiosis, and the expression of different spermatogenesis-related genes, whereas a subsequent single rLh injection potentiated spermatozoa differentiation. In a second late winter/spring trial corresponding to the sole's natural prespawning and spawning periods, we tested the effect of repeated rLh injections on the amount and quality of sperm produced by males previously treated with rFsh for 4, 6, 8 or 10 weeks. These latter results showed that the combination of rFsh and rLh treatments could increase sperm production up to 7 times, and slightly improve the motility of the spermatozoa, although a high variability in the response was found. However, sustained administration of rFsh during spawning markedly diminished Leydig cell survival and the steroidogenic potential of the testis. These data suggest that in vivo application of rFsh and rLh is effective at stimulating spermatogenesis and sperm production in Senegalese sole F1 males, setting the basis for the future establishment of recombinant gonadotropin-based hormone therapies to ameliorate reproductive dysfunctions of this species.

Regulation of glucagon secretion by incretins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holst, Jens Juul; Christensen, M; Lund, A

2011-01-01

Glucagon secretion plays an essential role in the regulation of hepatic glucose production, and elevated fasting and postprandial plasma glucagon concentrations in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) contribute to their hyperglycaemia. The reason for the hyperglucagonaemia is unclear, but recent...... studies have shown lack of suppression after oral but preserved suppression after isoglycaemic intravenous glucose, pointing to factors from the gut. Gastrointestinal hormones that are secreted in response to oral glucose include glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) that strongly inhibits glucagon secretion......, and GLP-2 and GIP, both of which stimulate secretion. When the three hormones are given together on top of isoglycaemic intravenous glucose, glucagon suppression is delayed in a manner similar to that observed after oral glucose. Studies with the GLP-1 receptor antagonist, exendin 9-39, suggest...

Modelling larval dispersal dynamics of common sole (Solea solea) along the western Iberian coast

Science.gov (United States)

Tanner, Susanne E.; Teles-Machado, Ana; Martinho, Filipe; Peliz, Álvaro; Cabral, Henrique N.

2017-08-01

Individual-based coupled physical-biological models have become the standard tool for studying ichthyoplankton dynamics and assessing fish recruitment. Here, common sole (Solea solea L.), a flatfish of high commercial importance in Europe was used to evaluate transport of eggs and larvae and investigate the connectivity between spawning and nursery areas along the western Iberian coast as spatio-temporal variability in dispersal and recruitment patterns can result in very strong or weak year-classes causing large fluctuations in stock size. A three-dimensional particle tracking model coupled to Regional Ocean Modelling System model was used to investigate variability of sole larvae dispersal along the western Iberian coast over a five-year period (2004-2009). A sensitivity analysis evaluating: (1) the importance of diel vertical migrations of larvae and (2) the size of designated recruitment areas was performed. Results suggested that connectivity patterns of sole larvae dispersal and their spatio-temporal variability are influenced by the configuration of the coast with its topographical structures and thus the suitable recruitment area available as well as the wind-driven mesoscale circulation along the Iberian coast.

Role of adipose secreted factors and kisspeptin in the metabolic control of gonadotropin secretion and puberty

Science.gov (United States)

Factors secreted by adipose tissue continue to be discovered. Evidence indicates a strong link between neural influences and adipocyte expression and secretion of a wide array of cytokines, neurotrophic factors, growth factors, binding proteins, and neuropeptides. These “adipokines” are linked to im...

Light-optimized growth of cyanobacterial cultures: Growth phases and productivity of biomass and secreted molecules in light-limited batch growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Ryan L; McGinley, Laura L; Purdy, Hugh M; Korosh, Travis C; Reed, Jennifer L; Root, Thatcher W; Pfleger, Brian F

2018-03-27

Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic microorganisms whose metabolism can be modified through genetic engineering for production of a wide variety of molecules directly from CO 2 , light, and nutrients. Diverse molecules have been produced in small quantities by engineered cyanobacteria to demonstrate the feasibility of photosynthetic biorefineries. Consequently, there is interest in engineering these microorganisms to increase titer and productivity to meet industrial metrics. Unfortunately, differing experimental conditions and cultivation techniques confound comparisons of strains and metabolic engineering strategies. In this work, we discuss the factors governing photoautotrophic growth and demonstrate nutritionally replete conditions in which a model cyanobacterium can be grown to stationary phase with light as the sole limiting substrate. We introduce a mathematical framework for understanding the dynamics of growth and product secretion in light-limited cyanobacterial cultures. Using this framework, we demonstrate how cyanobacterial growth in differing experimental systems can be easily scaled by the volumetric photon delivery rate using the model organisms Synechococcus sp. strain PCC7002 and Synechococcus elongatus strain UTEX2973. We use this framework to predict scaled up growth and product secretion in 1L photobioreactors of two strains of Synechococcus PCC7002 engineered for production of l-lactate or L-lysine. The analytical framework developed in this work serves as a guide for future metabolic engineering studies of cyanobacteria to allow better comparison of experiments performed in different experimental systems and to further investigate the dynamics of growth and product secretion. Copyright © 2018 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Burkholderia cenocepacia type VI secretion system mediates escape of type II secreted proteins into the cytoplasm of infected macrophages.

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Roberto Rosales-Reyes

Full Text Available Burkholderia cenocepacia is an opportunistic pathogen that survives intracellularly in macrophages and causes serious respiratory infections in patients with cystic fibrosis. We have previously shown that bacterial survival occurs in bacteria-containing membrane vacuoles (BcCVs resembling arrested autophagosomes. Intracellular bacteria stimulate IL-1β secretion in a caspase-1-dependent manner and induce dramatic changes to the actin cytoskeleton and the assembly of the NADPH oxidase complex onto the BcCV membrane. A Type 6 secretion system (T6SS is required for these phenotypes but surprisingly it is not required for the maturation arrest of the BcCV. Here, we show that macrophages infected with B. cenocepacia employ the NLRP3 inflammasome to induce IL-1β secretion and pyroptosis. Moreover, IL-1β secretion by B. cenocepacia-infected macrophages is suppressed in deletion mutants unable to produce functional Type VI, Type IV, and Type 2 secretion systems (SS. We provide evidence that the T6SS mediates the disruption of the BcCV membrane, which allows the escape of proteins secreted by the T2SS into the macrophage cytoplasm. This was demonstrated by the activity of fusion derivatives of the T2SS-secreted metalloproteases ZmpA and ZmpB with adenylcyclase. Supporting this notion, ZmpA and ZmpB are required for efficient IL-1β secretion in a T6SS dependent manner. ZmpA and ZmpB are also required for the maturation arrest of the BcCVs and bacterial intra-macrophage survival in a T6SS-independent fashion. Our results uncover a novel mechanism for inflammasome activation that involves cooperation between two bacterial secretory pathways, and an unanticipated role for T2SS-secreted proteins in intracellular bacterial survival.

Visualization of glucagon secretion from pancreatic α cells by bioluminescence video microscopy: Identification of secretion sites in the intercellular contact regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yokawa, Satoru; Suzuki, Takahiro; Inouye, Satoshi; Inoh, Yoshikazu; Suzuki, Ryo; Kanamori, Takao; Furuno, Tadahide; Hirashima, Naohide

2017-01-01

We have firstly visualized glucagon secretion using a method of video-rate bioluminescence imaging. The fusion protein of proglucagon and Gaussia luciferase (PGCG-GLase) was used as a reporter to detect glucagon secretion and was efficiently expressed in mouse pancreatic α cells (αTC1.6) using a preferred human codon-optimized gene. In the culture medium of the cells expressing PGCG-GLase, luminescence activity determined with a luminometer was increased with low glucose stimulation and KCl-induced depolarization, as observed for glucagon secretion. From immunochemical analyses, PGCG-GLase stably expressed in clonal αTC1.6 cells was correctly processed and released by secretory granules. Luminescence signals of the secreted PGCG-GLase from the stable cells were visualized by video-rate bioluminescence microscopy. The video images showed an increase in glucagon secretion from clustered cells in response to stimulation by KCl. The secretory events were observed frequently at the intercellular contact regions. Thus, the localization and frequency of glucagon secretion might be regulated by cell-cell adhesion. - Highlights: • The fused protein of proglucagon to Gaussia luciferase was used as a reporter. • The fusion protein was highly expressed using a preferred human-codon optimized gene. • Glucagon secretion stimulated by depolarization was determined by luminescence. • Glucagon secretion in α cells was visualized by bioluminescence imaging. • Glucagon secretion sites were localized in the intercellular contact regions.

29 CFR 1903.9 - Trade secrets.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... INSPECTIONS, CITATIONS AND PROPOSED PENALTIES § 1903.9 Trade secrets. (a) Section 15 of the Act provides: “All... concerns or relates to the trade secrets, processes, operations, style of work, or apparatus, or to the...

Air Force UAVs: The Secret History

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

iA Mitchell Institute Study i Air Force UAVs The Secret History A Mitchell Institute Study July 2010 By Thomas P. Ehrhard Report Documentation Page...DATES COVERED 00-00-2010 to 00-00-2010 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Air Force UAVs The Secret History 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c...opening phases of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. By Thomas P. Ehrhard a miTchEll insTiTuTE sTudy July 2010 Air Force UAVs The Secret History

THE BUFFER CAPACITY OF AIRWAY EPITHELIAL SECRETIONS

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Dusik eKim

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The pH of airway epithelial secretions influences bacterial killing and mucus properties and is reduced by acidic pollutants, gastric reflux, and respiratory diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF. The effect of acute acid loads depends on buffer capacity, however the buffering of airway secretions has not been well characterized. In this work we develop a method for titrating micro-scale (30 µl volumes and use it to study fluid secreted by the human airway epithelial cell line Calu-3, a widely used model for submucosal gland serous cells. Microtitration curves revealed that HCO3- is the major buffer. Peak buffer capacity (β increased from 17 to 28 mM/pH during forskolin stimulation, and was reduced by >50% in fluid secreted by cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR-deficient Calu-3 monolayers, confirming an important role of CFTR in HCO3- secretion. Back-titration with NaOH revealed non-volatile buffer capacity due to proteins synthesized and released by the epithelial cells. Lysozyme and mucin concentrations were too low to buffer Calu-3 fluid significantly, however model titrations of porcine gastric mucins at concentrations near the sol-gel transition suggest that mucins may contribute to the buffer capacity of ASL in vivo. We conclude that CFTR-dependent HCO3- secretion and epithelially-derived proteins are the predominant buffers in Calu-3 secretions.

Trisomy 19 as the sole chromosomal anomaly in hematologic neoplasms.

Science.gov (United States)

Johansson, B; Billström, R; Mauritzson, N; Mitelman, F

1994-05-01

Trisomy 19 was found as the sole chromosomal aberration in three hematologic malignancies: one chronic myelomonocytic leukemia and two cases of of immunophenotypically immature acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A compilation of previously published hematologic neoplasms with +19 as the only change reveals that this anomaly is strongly associated with myeloid malignancies; 25 of 31 cases have been myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) or AML. Eight of the 11 MDS cases have been either refractory anemia (RA) or RA with excess of blasts, and four of the 14 AML cases have had preleukemic myelodysplastic cases phase, with the +19 accruing during the time of leukemic transformation. The AML cases have, in general, been either or early maturation arrest, i.e. undifferentiated or AML-M1/M2, or of myelomonocytic-monoblastic origin, i.e., AML-M4/M5. None of the MDS or AML cases with +19 had had a previous history of radio- or chemotherapy. We conclude that trisomy 19, as the sole anomaly, is a characteristic abnormality in de novo myeloid malignancies. No clinical features seem to characterize patients with +19 AML and MDS and the prognostic impact of the aberration remains to be elucidated.

Extrafloral nectar secretion from wounds of Solanum dulcamara.

Science.gov (United States)

Lortzing, Tobias; Calf, Onno W; Böhlke, Marlene; Schwachtje, Jens; Kopka, Joachim; Geuß, Daniel; Kosanke, Susanne; van Dam, Nicole M; Steppuhn, Anke

2016-04-25

Plants usually close wounds rapidly to prevent infections and the loss of valuable resources such as assimilates(1). However, herbivore-inflicted wounds on the bittersweet nightshade Solanum dulcamara appear not to close completely and produce sugary wound secretions visible as droplets. Many plants across the plant kingdom secrete sugary nectar from extrafloral nectaries(2) to attract natural enemies of herbivores for indirect defence(3,4). As ants forage on wound edges of S. dulcamara in the field, we hypothesized that wound secretions are a form of extrafloral nectar (EFN). We show that, unlike EFN from known nectaries, wound secretions are neither associated with any specific structure nor restricted to certain locations. However, similar to EFN, they are jasmonate-inducible and the plant controls their chemical composition. Wound secretions are attractive for ants, and application of wound secretion mimics increases ant attraction and reduces herbivory on S. dulcamara plants in a natural population. In greenhouse experiments, we reveal that ants can defend S. dulcamara from two of its native herbivores, slugs and flea beetle larvae. Since nectar is defined by its ecological function as a sugary secretion involved in interactions with animals(5), such 'plant bleeding' could be a primitive mode of nectar secretion exemplifying an evolutionary origin of structured extrafloral nectaries.

Incretin hormone secretion over the day

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahren, B; Carr, RD; Deacon, Carolyn F.

2010-01-01

The two incretin hormones glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) are key factors in the regulation of islet function and glucose metabolism, and incretin-based therapy for type 2 diabetes has gained considerable interest during recent years. Regulat......The two incretin hormones glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) are key factors in the regulation of islet function and glucose metabolism, and incretin-based therapy for type 2 diabetes has gained considerable interest during recent years....... Regulation of incretin hormone secretion is less well characterized. The main stimulus for incretin hormone secretion is presence of nutrients in the intestinal lumen, and carbohydrate, fat as well as protein all have the capacity to stimulate GIP and GLP-1 secretion. More recently, it has been established...... that a diurnal regulation exists with incretin hormone secretion to an identical meal being greater when the meal is served in the morning compared to in the afternoon. Finally, whether incretin hormone secretion is altered in disease states is an area with, so far, controversial results in different studies...

Exosome secretion affects social motility in Trypanosoma brucei.

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Dror Eliaz

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Extracellular vesicles (EV secreted by pathogens function in a variety of biological processes. Here, we demonstrate that in the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei, exosome secretion is induced by stress that affects trans-splicing. Following perturbations in biogenesis of spliced leader RNA, which donates its spliced leader (SL exon to all mRNAs, or after heat-shock, the SL RNA is exported to the cytoplasm and forms distinct granules, which are then secreted by exosomes. The exosomes are formed in multivesicular bodies (MVB utilizing the endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT, through a mechanism similar to microRNA secretion in mammalian cells. Silencing of the ESCRT factor, Vps36, compromised exosome secretion but not the secretion of vesicles derived from nanotubes. The exosomes enter recipient trypanosome cells. Time-lapse microscopy demonstrated that cells secreting exosomes or purified intact exosomes affect social motility (SoMo. This study demonstrates that exosomes are delivered to trypanosome cells and can change their migration. Exosomes are used to transmit stress signals for communication between parasites.

Reappraisal of bicarbonate secretion by the human oesophagus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mertz-Nielsen, A; Hillingsø, J; Bukhave, Klaus

1997-01-01

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Administration of omeprazole to healthy volunteers was recently reported to increase proximal duodenal mucosalbicarbonate secretion. As human oesophagus also secretes bicarbonate, the hypothesis was tested that omeprazole may stimulate oesophagealbicarbonate secretion and thus......: The median rates (95% confidence intervals)of intrinsic oesophageal bicarbonate secretion, corrected for contaminating salivary and gastric bicarbonate, were 89 (33-150) and 121 (63-203)mumol/h/10 cm (p > 0.5) in omeprazole and ranitidine treated subjects respectively. Salivary and gastric bicarbonate...... be overestimated. As omeprazole and ranitidine did not affect bicarbonate secretion differently there was no evidence that omeprazole acts on icarbonate secretory cells in the oesophageal mucosa....

Indomethacin decreases gastroduodenal mucosal bicarbonate secretion in humans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mertz-Nielsen, A; Hillingsø, Jens; Bukhave, K

1995-01-01

BACKGROUND: Cyclooxygenase inhibitors reduce mucosal bicarbonate secretion in the duodenum, but the evidence for their effect on bicarbonate secretion in the stomach remains controversial. We have, therefore, studied how indomethacin influences gastroduodenal bicarbonate secretion and luminal...... healthy volunteers. Bicarbonate and PGE2 were measured in the gastroduodenal effluents by back-titration and radioimmunoassay, respectively. RESULTS: Vagal stimulation and duodenal luminal acidification (0.1 M HCl; 20 ml; 5 min) increased gastroduodenal bicarbonate secretion (p ... markedly inhibited both basal and stimulated gastric and duodenal mucosal bicarbonate secretion, and this reduction was similar to the degree of cyclooxygenase inhibition estimated by the luminal release of PGE2 (p

[Secret drug tribulations and French legislation].

Science.gov (United States)

Charlot, Colette

2002-01-01

From an official Montpellier prefecture paper of 18th century, we are interested in a secret drug from Provence origin: the Irroë powder. This purgative will pass from "secret" drug status to "patent" drug. It's notoriety will come from its arrival to Paris. The law of 21th germinal year XI, the decret of 25 prairial year XIII and this of 18th 1810 imposed to give the drug composition to an official status; that examined and permit it's sale. This secret will be produce for half century.

SECURE VISUAL SECRET SHARING BASED ON DISCRETE WAVELET TRANSFORM

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S. Jyothi Lekshmi

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Visual Cryptography Scheme (VCS is an encryption method to encode secret written materials. This method converts the secret written material into an image. Then encode this secret image into n shadow images called shares. For the recreation of the original secret, all or some selected subsets of shares are needed; individual shares are of no use on their own. The secret image can be recovered simply by selecting some subset of these n shares, makes transparencies of them and stacking on top of each other. Nowadays, the data security has an important role. The shares can be altered by an attacker. So providing security to the shares is important. This paper proposes a method of adding security to cryptographic shares. This method uses two dimensional discrete wavelet transform to hide visual secret shares. Then the hidden secrets are distributed among participants through the internet. All hidden shares are extracted to reconstruct the secret.

On Secret Sharing with Nonlinear Product Reconstruction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cascudo Pueyo, Ignacio; Cramer, Ronald; Mirandola, Diego

2015-01-01

Multiplicative linear secret sharing is a fundamental notion in the area of secure multiparty computation and, since recently, in the area of two-party cryptography as well. In a nutshell, this notion guarantees that the product of two secrets is obtained as a linear function of the vector......-necessarily-linear “product reconstruction function.” Is the resulting notion equivalent to multiplicative linear secret sharing? We show the (perhaps somewhat counterintuitive) result that this relaxed notion is strictly more general. Concretely, fix a finite field ${\\mathbb F}_q$ as the base field over which linear secret...... sharing is considered. Then we show there exists an (exotic) linear secret sharing scheme with an unbounded number of players $n$ such that it has $t$-privacy with $t = \\Omega(n)$ and such that it does admit a product reconstruction function, yet this function is necessarily nonlinear. In addition, we...

Reelin secreted by GABAergic neurons regulates glutamate receptor homeostasis.

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Cecilia Gonzalez Campo

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Reelin is a large secreted protein of the extracellular matrix that has been proposed to participate to the etiology of schizophrenia. During development, reelin is crucial for the correct cytoarchitecture of laminated brain structures and is produced by a subset of neurons named Cajal-Retzius. After birth, most of these cells degenerate and reelin expression persists in postnatal and adult brain. The phenotype of neurons that bind secreted reelin and whether the continuous secretion of reelin is required for physiological functions at postnatal stages remain unknown. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Combining immunocytochemical and pharmacological approaches, we first report that two distinct patterns of reelin expression are present in cultured hippocampal neurons. We show that in hippocampal cultures, reelin is secreted by GABAergic neurons displaying an intense reelin immunoreactivity (IR. We demonstrate that secreted reelin binds to receptors of the lipoprotein family on neurons with a punctate reelin IR. Secondly, using calcium imaging techniques, we examined the physiological consequences of reelin secretion blockade. Blocking protein secretion rapidly and reversibly changes the subunit composition of N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptors (NMDARs to a predominance of NR2B-containing NMDARs. Addition of recombinant or endogenously secreted reelin rescues the effects of protein secretion blockade and reverts the fraction of NR2B-containing NMDARs to control levels. Therefore, the continuous secretion of reelin is necessary to control the subunit composition of NMDARs in hippocampal neurons. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our data show that the heterogeneity of reelin immunoreactivity correlates with distinct functional populations: neurons synthesizing and secreting reelin and/or neurons binding reelin. Furthermore, we show that continuous reelin secretion is a strict requirement to maintain the composition of NMDARs. We propose

Increased forest ecosystem carbon and nitrogen storage from nitrogen rich bedrock.

Science.gov (United States)

Morford, Scott L; Houlton, Benjamin Z; Dahlgren, Randy A

2011-08-31

Nitrogen (N) limits the productivity of many ecosystems worldwide, thereby restricting the ability of terrestrial ecosystems to offset the effects of rising atmospheric CO(2) emissions naturally. Understanding input pathways of bioavailable N is therefore paramount for predicting carbon (C) storage on land, particularly in temperate and boreal forests. Paradigms of nutrient cycling and limitation posit that new N enters terrestrial ecosystems solely from the atmosphere. Here we show that bedrock comprises a hitherto overlooked source of ecologically available N to forests. We report that the N content of soils and forest foliage on N-rich metasedimentary rocks (350-950 mg N kg(-1)) is elevated by more than 50% compared with similar temperate forest sites underlain by N-poor igneous parent material (30-70 mg N kg(-1)). Natural abundance N isotopes attribute this difference to rock-derived N: (15)N/(14)N values for rock, soils and plants are indistinguishable in sites underlain by N-rich lithology, in marked contrast to sites on N-poor substrates. Furthermore, forests associated with N-rich parent material contain on average 42% more carbon in above-ground tree biomass and 60% more carbon in the upper 30 cm of the soil than similar sites underlain by N-poor rocks. Our results raise the possibility that bedrock N input may represent an important and overlooked component of ecosystem N and C cycling elsewhere.

Melatonin Secretion Pattern in Critically Ill Patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boyko, Yuliya; Holst, René; Jennum, Poul

2017-01-01

effect of remifentanil on melatonin secretion. We found that the risk of atypical sleep compared to normal sleep was significantly lower (p REM) sleep was only observed during the nonsedation period. We found preserved diurnal pattern of melatonin...... secretion in these patients. Remifentanil did not affect melatonin secretion but was associated with lower risk of atypical sleep pattern. REM sleep was only registered during the period of nonsedation.......Critically ill patients have abnormal circadian and sleep homeostasis. This may be associated with higher morbidity and mortality. The aims of this pilot study were (1) to describe melatonin secretion in conscious critically ill mechanically ventilated patients and (2) to describe whether melatonin...

Thymidine secretion by hybridoma and myeloma cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spilsberg, Bjorn; Rise, Frode; Petersen, Dirk; Nissen-Meyer, Jon

2006-01-01

Secretion of thymidine appeared to be a common property of hybridoma and myeloma cells, but not of other cell types, which were tested. Of three hybridoma cell lines tested, all secreted thymidine in amounts resulting in the accumulation of thymidine to concentrations of 10-20 μM in the culture medium. Also three of five myeloma cell lines that were analyzed secrete thymidine, but none of the other cell types that were studied. Thymidine was purified to homogeneity (4 mg purified from 3 l of culture medium) and identified as such by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The cells that secreted thymidine showed high resistance to the growth inhibitory effect of thymidine

Intermittent subglottic secretion drainage may cause tracheal damage in patients with few oropharyngeal secretions.

Science.gov (United States)

Suys, E; Nieboer, K; Stiers, W; De Regt, J; Huyghens, L; Spapen, H

2013-12-01

Injurious prolapse of tracheal mucosa into the suction port has been reported in up to 50% of intubated patients receiving continuous aspiration of subglottic secretions. We investigated whether similar injury could be inflicted by automated intermittent aspiration. Six consecutive patients, intubated with the Mallinckrodt TaperGuard Evac™ endotracheal tube, were studied. A flow sensor was placed between the vacuum regulating system and the mucus collector. Intermittent suctioning was performed at a pressure of -125 mmHg with a 25s interval and duration of 15s. After 24h, a CT scan of the tracheal region was performed. Excessive negative suction pressure, a fast drop in aspiration flow to zero, and important "swinging" movements of secretions in the evacuation line were observed in all patients. Oral instillation of antiseptic mouthwash restored normal aspiration flow and secretion mobility. CT imaging showed marked entrapment of tracheal mucosa into the suction port in all patients. In patients with few oropharyngeal secretions, automated intermittent subglottic aspiration may result in significant and potential harmful invagination of tracheal mucosa into the suction lumen. A critical amount of fluid must be present in the oropharynx to assure adequate and safe aspiration. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sagnac secret sharing over telecom fiber networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Bogdanski, Jan; Ahrens, Johan; Bourennane, Mohamed

2009-01-19

We report the first Sagnac quantum secret sharing (in three-and four-party implementations) over 1550 nm single mode fiber (SMF) networks, using a single qubit protocol with phase encoding. Our secret sharing experiment has been based on a single qubit protocol, which has opened the door to practical secret sharing implementation over fiber telecom channels and in free-space. The previous quantum secret sharing proposals were based on multiparticle entangled states, difficult in the practical implementation and not scalable. Our experimental data in the three-party implementation show stable (in regards to birefringence drift) quantum secret sharing transmissions at the total Sagnac transmission loop distances of 55-75 km with the quantum bit error rates (QBER) of 2.3-2.4% for the mean photon number micro?= 0.1 and 1.7-2.1% for micro= 0.3. In the four-party case we have achieved quantum secret sharing transmissions at the total Sagnac transmission loop distances of 45-55 km with the quantum bit error rates (QBER) of 3.0-3.7% for the mean photon number micro= 0.1 and 1.8-3.0% for micro?= 0.3. The stability of quantum transmission has been achieved thanks to our new concept for compensation of SMF birefringence effects in Sagnac, based on a polarization control system and a polarization insensitive phase modulator. The measurement results have showed feasibility of quantum secret sharing over telecom fiber networks in Sagnac configuration, using standard fiber telecom components.

Analysis of secreted proteins from Aspergillus flavus.

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, Martha L; Haynes, Paul A; Breci, Linda; Francisco, Wilson A

2005-08-01

MS/MS techniques in proteomics make possible the identification of proteins from organisms with little or no genome sequence information available. Peptide sequences are obtained from tandem mass spectra by matching peptide mass and fragmentation information to protein sequence information from related organisms, including unannotated genome sequence data. This peptide identification data can then be grouped and reconstructed into protein data. In this study, we have used this approach to study protein secretion by Aspergillus flavus, a filamentous fungus for which very little genome sequence information is available. A. flavus is capable of degrading the flavonoid rutin (quercetin 3-O-glycoside), as the only source of carbon via an extracellular enzyme system. In this continuing study, a proteomic analysis was used to identify secreted proteins from A. flavus when grown on rutin. The growth media glucose and potato dextrose were used to identify differentially expressed secreted proteins. The secreted proteins were analyzed by 1- and 2-DE and MS/MS. A total of 51 unique A. flavus secreted proteins were identified from the three growth conditions. Ten proteins were unique to rutin-, five to glucose- and one to potato dextrose-grown A. flavus. Sixteen secreted proteins were common to all three media. Fourteen identifications were of hypothetical proteins or proteins of unknown functions. To our knowledge, this is the first extensive proteomic study conducted to identify the secreted proteins from a filamentous fungus.

Secret-key rates and privacy leakage in biometric systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ignatenko, T.

2009-01-01

In this thesis both the generation of secret keys from biometric data and the binding of secret keys to biometric data are investigated. These secret keys can be used to regulate access to sensitive data, services, and environments. In a biometric secrecy system a secret key is generated or chosen

Retrospective analysis of the treatment of psoriasis of the palms and soles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spuls, P. I.; Hadi, S.; Rivera, L.; Lebwohl, M.

2003-01-01

In this retrospective analysis, the effect of currently used treatments in 26 patients with psoriasis of the palms and soles were analyzed. In general, patients are treated initially with topical medications including superpotent topical corticosteroids in combination with calcipotriene ointment or

Population dynamics of Aphis gossypii Glover and in sole and intercropping systems of cotton and cowpea.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Francisco S; Godoy, Wesley A C; Ramalho, Francisco S; Garcia, Adriano G; Santos, Bárbara D B; Malaquias, José B

2018-01-01

Population dynamics of aphids have been studied in sole and intercropping systems. These studies have required the use of more precise analytical tools in order to better understand patterns in quantitative data. Mathematical models are among the most important tools to explain the dynamics of insect populations. This study investigated the population dynamics of aphids Aphis gossypii and Aphis craccivora over time, using mathematical models composed of a set of differential equations as a helpful analytical tool to understand the population dynamics of aphids in arrangements of cotton and cowpea. The treatments were sole cotton, sole cowpea, and three arrangements of cotton intercropped with cowpea (t1, t2 and t3). The plants were infested with two aphid species and were evaluated at 7, 14, 28, 35, 42, and 49 days after the infestations. Mathematical models were used to fit the population dynamics of two aphid species. There were good fits for aphid dynamics by mathematical model over time. The highest population peak of both species A. gossypii and A. craccivora was found in the sole crops, and the lowest population peak was found in crop system t2. These results are important for integrated management programs of aphids in cotton and cowpea.

Chitosan-Coated Collagen Membranes Promote Chondrocyte Adhesion, Growth, and Interleukin-6 Secretion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nabila Mighri

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Designing scaffolds made from natural polymers may be highly attractive for tissue engineering strategies. We sought to produce and characterize chitosan-coated collagen membranes and to assess their efficacy in promoting chondrocyte adhesion, growth, and cytokine secretion. Porous collagen membranes were placed in chitosan solutions then crosslinked with glutaraldehyde vapor. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR analyses showed elevated absorption at 1655 cm-1 of the carbon–nitrogen (N=C bonds formed by the reaction between the (NH2 of the chitosan and the (C=O of the glutaraldehyde. A significant peak in the amide II region revealed a significant deacetylation of the chitosan. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM images of the chitosan-coated membranes exhibited surface variations, with pore size ranging from 20 to 50 µm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS revealed a decreased C–C groups and an increased C–N/C–O groups due to the reaction between the carbon from the collagen and the NH2 from the chitosan. Increased rigidity of these membranes was also observed when comparing the chitosan-coated and uncoated membranes at dried conditions. However, under wet conditions, the chitosan coated collagen membranes showed lower rigidity as compared to dried conditions. Of great interest, the glutaraldehyde-crosslinked chitosan-coated collagen membranes promoted chondrocyte adhesion, growth, and interleukin (IL-6 secretion. Overall results confirm the feasibility of using designed chitosan-coated collagen membranes in future applications, such as cartilage repair.

Contribution of single amino acid and codon substitutions to the production and secretion of a lipase by Bacillus subtilis.

Science.gov (United States)

Skoczinski, Pia; Volkenborn, Kristina; Fulton, Alexander; Bhadauriya, Anuseema; Nutschel, Christina; Gohlke, Holger; Knapp, Andreas; Jaeger, Karl-Erich

2017-09-25

Bacillus subtilis produces and secretes proteins in amounts of up to 20 g/l under optimal conditions. However, protein production can be challenging if transcription and cotranslational secretion are negatively affected, or the target protein is degraded by extracellular proteases. This study aims at elucidating the influence of a target protein on its own production by a systematic mutational analysis of the homologous B. subtilis model protein lipase A (LipA). We have covered the full natural diversity of single amino acid substitutions at 155 positions of LipA by site saturation mutagenesis excluding only highly conserved residues and qualitatively and quantitatively screened about 30,000 clones for extracellular LipA production. Identified variants with beneficial effects on production were sequenced and analyzed regarding B. subtilis growth behavior, extracellular lipase activity and amount as well as changes in lipase transcript levels. In total, 26 LipA variants were identified showing an up to twofold increase in either amount or activity of extracellular lipase. These variants harbor single amino acid or codon substitutions that did not substantially affect B. subtilis growth. Subsequent exemplary combination of beneficial single amino acid substitutions revealed an additive effect solely at the level of extracellular lipase amount; however, lipase amount and activity could not be increased simultaneously. Single amino acid and codon substitutions can affect LipA secretion and production by B. subtilis. Several codon-related effects were observed that either enhance lipA transcription or promote a more efficient folding of LipA. Single amino acid substitutions could improve LipA production by increasing its secretion or stability in the culture supernatant. Our findings indicate that optimization of the expression system is not sufficient for efficient protein production in B. subtilis. The sequence of the target protein should also be considered as an

Pituitary-hormone secretion by thyrotropinomas

OpenAIRE

Roelfsema, Ferdinand; Kok, Simon; Kok, Petra; Pereira, Alberto M.; Biermasz, Nienke R.; Smit, Jan W.; Frolich, Marijke; Keenan, Daniel M.; Veldhuis, Johannes D.; Romijn, Johannes A.

2008-01-01

Hormone secretion by somatotropinomas, corticotropinomas and prolactinomas exhibits increased pulse frequency, basal and pulsatile secretion, accompanied by greater disorderliness. Increased concentrations of growth hormone (GH) or prolactin (PRL) are observed in about 30% of thyrotropinomas leading to acromegaly or disturbed sexual functions beyond thyrotropin (TSH)-induced hyperthyroidism. Regulation of non-TSH pituitary hormones in this context is not well understood. We there therefore ev...

Peptides and neurotransmitters that affect renin secretion

Science.gov (United States)

Ganong, W. F.; Porter, J. P.; Bahnson, T. D.; Said, S. I.

1984-01-01

Substance P inhibits renin secretion. This polypeptide is a transmitter in primary afferent neurons and is released from the peripheral as well as the central portions of these neurons. It is present in afferent nerves from the kidneys. Neuropeptide Y, which is a cotransmitter with norepinephrine and epinephrine, is found in sympathetic neurons that are closely associated with and presumably innervate the juxtagolmerular cells. Its effect on renin secretion is unknown, but it produces renal vasoconstriction and natriuresis. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) is a cotransmitter with acetylocholine in cholinergic neurons, and this polypeptide stimulates renin secretion. We cannot find any evidence for its occurence in neurons in the kidneys, but various stimuli increase plasma VIP to levels comparable to those produced by doses of exogenous VIP which stimulated renin secretion. Neostigmine increases plasma VIP and plasma renin activity, and the VIP appears to be responsible for the increase in renin secretion, since the increase is not blocked by renal denervation or propranolol. Stimulation of various areas in the brain produces sympathetically mediated increases in plasma renin activity associated with increases in blood pressure. However, there is pharmacological evidence that the renin response can be separated from the blood pressure response. In anaesthetized dogs, drugs that increase central serotonergic discharge increase renin secretion without increasing blood pressure. In rats, activation of sertonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus increases renin secretion by a pathway that projects from this nucleus to the ventral hypothalamus, and from there to the kidneys via the sympathetic nervous system. The serotonin releasing drug parachloramphetamine also increases plasma VIP, but VIP does not appear to be the primary mediator of the renin response. There is preliminary evidence that the serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus are part of the

Will They or Won't They? Secret Telling in Interpersonal Interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kowalski, Robin Marie; Morgan, Chad Alan; Whittaker, Elizabeth; Zaremba, Brittany; Frazee, Laura; Dean, Jessica

2015-01-01

This study investigated predictors of within-gender secret telling. Eighty-eight participants were exposed to either a "positive" or a "negative" secret about another individual. Just under 20% of participants told the secret. Conscientiousness, secret condition, empathy, and the conscientiousness by secret condition interaction had effects on the rate of secret telling, χ(2) (5,82) = 17.78, p = .003, AIC = 80.60. Conscientiousness had a negative effect on secret telling among participants that told the "negative" secret.

[Effects of reduced nitrogen application and soybean intercropping on nitrogen balance of sugarcane field].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yu; Zhang, Ying; Yang, Wen-ting; Li, Zhi-xian; Guan, Ao-mei

2015-03-01

A four-year (2010-2013) field experiment was carried out to explore the effects of three planting patterns (sugarcane, soybean monoculture and sugarcane-soybean 1:2 intercropping) with two nitrogen input levels (300 and 525 kg . hm-2) on soybean nitrogen fixation, sugarcane and soybean nitrogen accumulation, and ammonia volatilization and nitrogen leaching in sugarcane field. The results showed that the soybean nitrogen fixation efficiency (NFE) of sugarcane-soybean inter-cropping was lower than that of soybean monoculture. There was no significant difference in NFE among the treatments with the two nitrogen application rates. The nitrogen application rate and inter-cropping did not remarkably affect nitrogen accumulation of sugarcane and soybean. The ammonia volatilization of the reduced nitrogen input treatment was significantly lower than that of the conventional nitrogen input treatment. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in nitrogen leaching at different nitrogen input levels and among different planting patterns. The sugarcane field nitrogen balance analysis indicated that the nitrogen application rate dominated the nitrogen budget of sugarcane field. During the four-year experiment, all treatments leaved a nitrogen surplus (from 73.10 to 400.03 kg . hm-2) , except a nitrogen deficit of 66.22 kg . hm-2 in 2011 in the treatment of sugarcane monoculture with the reduced nitrogen application. The excessive nitrogen surplus might increase the risk of nitrogen pollution in the field. In conclusion, sugarcane-soybean intercropping with reduced nitrogen application is feasible to practice in consideration of enriching the soil fertility, reducing nitrogen pollution and saving production cost in sugarcane field.

Combined contributions of over-secreted glucagon-like peptide 1 and suppressed insulin secretion to hyperglycemia induced by gatifloxacin in rats

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Yunli, E-mail: chrisyu1255@yahoo.com.cn [Department of Pharmaceutics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215004 (China); Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009 (China); Wang, Xinting, E-mail: wxinting1986@yahoo.com.cn [Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009 (China); Liu, Can, E-mail: ltsan@163.com [Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009 (China); Yao, Dan, E-mail: erinyao@126.com [Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009 (China); Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai 201203 (China); Hu, Mengyue, E-mail: juliahmy@126.com [Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009 (China); Li, Jia, E-mail: ljbzd@163.com [Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009 (China); Hu, Nan, E-mail: hn_324@163.com [Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009 (China); Liu, Li, E-mail: liulee@cpu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009 (China); Liu, Xiaodong, E-mail: xdliu@cpu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009 (China)

2013-02-01

Accumulating evidences have showed that gatifloxacin causes dysglycemia in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Our preliminary study demonstrated that gatifloxacin stimulated glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) secretion from intestinal cells. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between gatifloxacin-stimulated GLP-1 release and dysglycemia in both normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and explore the possible mechanisms. Oral administration of gatifloxacin (100 mg/kg/day and 200 mg/kg/day) for 3 and 12 days led to marked elevation of GLP-1 levels, accompanied by significant decrease in insulin levels and increase in plasma glucose. Similar results were found in normal rats treated with 3-day gatifloxacin. Gatifloxacin-stimulated GLP-1 release was further confirmed in NCI-H716 cells, which was abolished by diazoxide, a K{sub ATP} channel opener. QT-PCR analysis showed that gatifloxacin also upregulated expression of proglucagon and prohormone convertase 3 mRNA. To clarify the contradiction on elevated GLP-1 without insulinotropic effect, effects of GLP-1 and gatifloxacin on insulin release were investigated using INS-1 cells. We found that short exposure (2 h) to GLP-1 stimulated insulin secretion and biosynthesis, whereas long exposure (24 h and 48 h) to high level of GLP-1 inhibited insulin secretion and biosynthesis. Moreover, we also confirmed gatifloxacin acutely stimulated insulin secretion while chronically inhibited insulin biosynthesis. All the results gave an inference that gatifloxacin stimulated over-secretion of GLP-1, in turn, high levels of GLP-1 and gatifloxacin synergistically impaired insulin release, worsening hyperglycemia. -- Highlights: ► Gatifloxacin induced hyperglycemia both in diabetic rats and normal rats. ► Gatifloxacin enhanced GLP-1 secretion but inhibited insulin secretion in rats. ► Long-term exposure to high GLP-1 inhibited insulin secretion and biosynthesis. ► GLP-1 over-secretion may be

Combined contributions of over-secreted glucagon-like peptide 1 and suppressed insulin secretion to hyperglycemia induced by gatifloxacin in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Yunli; Wang, Xinting; Liu, Can; Yao, Dan; Hu, Mengyue; Li, Jia; Hu, Nan; Liu, Li; Liu, Xiaodong

2013-01-01

Accumulating evidences have showed that gatifloxacin causes dysglycemia in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Our preliminary study demonstrated that gatifloxacin stimulated glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) secretion from intestinal cells. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between gatifloxacin-stimulated GLP-1 release and dysglycemia in both normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and explore the possible mechanisms. Oral administration of gatifloxacin (100 mg/kg/day and 200 mg/kg/day) for 3 and 12 days led to marked elevation of GLP-1 levels, accompanied by significant decrease in insulin levels and increase in plasma glucose. Similar results were found in normal rats treated with 3-day gatifloxacin. Gatifloxacin-stimulated GLP-1 release was further confirmed in NCI-H716 cells, which was abolished by diazoxide, a K ATP channel opener. QT-PCR analysis showed that gatifloxacin also upregulated expression of proglucagon and prohormone convertase 3 mRNA. To clarify the contradiction on elevated GLP-1 without insulinotropic effect, effects of GLP-1 and gatifloxacin on insulin release were investigated using INS-1 cells. We found that short exposure (2 h) to GLP-1 stimulated insulin secretion and biosynthesis, whereas long exposure (24 h and 48 h) to high level of GLP-1 inhibited insulin secretion and biosynthesis. Moreover, we also confirmed gatifloxacin acutely stimulated insulin secretion while chronically inhibited insulin biosynthesis. All the results gave an inference that gatifloxacin stimulated over-secretion of GLP-1, in turn, high levels of GLP-1 and gatifloxacin synergistically impaired insulin release, worsening hyperglycemia. -- Highlights: ► Gatifloxacin induced hyperglycemia both in diabetic rats and normal rats. ► Gatifloxacin enhanced GLP-1 secretion but inhibited insulin secretion in rats. ► Long-term exposure to high GLP-1 inhibited insulin secretion and biosynthesis. ► GLP-1 over-secretion may be involved in

Shigella IpaD has a dual role: signal transduction from the type III secretion system needle tip and intracellular secretion regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Roehrich, A Dorothea; Guillossou, Enora; Blocker, Ariel J; Martinez-Argudo, Isabel

2013-02-01

Type III secretion systems (T3SSs) are protein injection devices essential for the interaction of many Gram-negative bacteria with eukaryotic cells. While Shigella assembles its T3SS when the environmental conditions are appropriate for invasion, secretion is only activated after physical contact with a host cell. First, the translocators are secreted to form a pore in the host cell membrane, followed by effectors which manipulate the host cell. Secretion activation is tightly controlled by conserved T3SS components: the needle tip proteins IpaD and IpaB, the needle itself and the intracellular gatekeeper protein MxiC. To further characterize the role of IpaD during activation, we combined random mutagenesis with a genetic screen to identify ipaD mutant strains unable to respond to host cell contact. Class II mutants have an overall defect in secretion induction. They map to IpaD's C-terminal helix and likely affect activation signal generation or transmission. The Class I mutant secretes translocators prematurely and is specifically defective in IpaD secretion upon activation. A phenotypically equivalent mutant was found in mxiC. We show that IpaD and MxiC act in the same intracellular pathway. In summary, we demonstrate that IpaD has a dual role and acts at two distinct locations during secretion activation. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Histaminergic regulation of prolactin secretion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knigge, U P

1990-01-01

Histamine (HA), which acts as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, participates in the neuroendocrine regulation of prolactin (PRL) secretion. HA has a predominant stimulatory effect which is mediated via H2-receptors following central administration and via H1-receptors following...... systemic infusion of the amine. In addition, HA seems to exert a minor inhibitory effect on PRL secretion, an effect unmasked only during blockade of the receptor mediating the stimulatory effect. Following central administration the inhibitory effect is mediated via H1-receptors, while following systemic...... administration this effect is mediated via H2-receptors. In accordance with these findings, the H2-receptor antagonist cimetidine (CIM) has an inhibitory (following central administration) or stimulatory (following systemic administration) effect on PRL secretion. However, high doses of CIM possess an additional...

A genetic linkage map of sole (Solea solea: a tool for evolutionary and comparative analyses of exploited (flatfishes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eveline Diopere

Full Text Available Linkage maps based on markers derived from genes are essential evolutionary tools for commercial marine fish to help identify genomic regions associated with complex traits and subject to selective forces at play during exploitation or selective breeding. Additionally, they allow the use of genomic information from other related species for which more detailed information is available. Sole (solea solea L. is a commercially important flatfish species in the North Sea, subject to overexploitation and showing evidence of fisheries-induced evolutionary changes in growth- and maturation-related traits. Sole would definitely benefit from a linkage map to better understand how evolution has shaped its genome structure. This study presents a linkage map of sole based on 423 single nucleotide polymorphisms derived from expressed sequence tags and 8 neutral microsatellite markers. The total map length is 1233.8 cM and consists of 38 linkage groups with a size varying between 0 to 92.1 cM. Being derived from expressed sequence tags allowed us to align the map with the genome of four model fish species, namely medaka (Oryzias latipes, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus and green spotted pufferfish (Tetraodon nigroviridis. This comparison revealed multiple conserved syntenic regions with all four species, and suggested that the linkage groups represent 21 putative sole chromosomes. The map was also compared to the linkage map of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus, another commercially important flatfish species and closely related to sole. For all putative sole chromosomes (except one a turbot homolog was detected, confirming the even higher degree of synteny between these two flatfish species.

An unexpected knock on Corrigan's secret door.

Science.gov (United States)

Woywodt, Alexander

2010-10-01

Corrigan's secret door describes a metaphorical escape route for busy physicians. The term was derived from the successful and exceptionally busy professional life of Irish physician Dominic John Corrigan (1802-80). It is claimed that Corrigan's outpatient clinic was so busy that he required a secret door in his consulting rooms to escape from the ever-growing queue of eager patients. The origins of this charming story are unknown, and the door may have never existed. However, at present, Corrigan's secret door is often quoted when busy physicians have their own little ways in surviving a stressful professional life. Generations of British-trained doctors have grown up with Corrigan's secret door, as it was featured in the introduction of the Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine. Accordingly, trainees as well as more senior doctors are often reminded that having a 'secret door' is vital in surviving in the medical profession. My own escape is through classical music and the violoncello, in particular. As the name implies, my own secret door is normally invisible to colleagues and patients. This little article is about a patient who found me out, and a reflection on the role of classical music and the cello in my professional life.

Effect of fiber source on cecal fermentation and nitrogen recycled through cecotrophy in rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

García, J; Carabaño, R; Pérez-Alba, L; de Blas, J C

2000-03-01

The influence of fiber source on fiber digestion in rabbits was investigated. Six fibrous feedstuffs with wide differences in chemical composition and particle size were selected: paprika meal, olive leaves, alfalfa hay, soybean hulls, sodium hydroxide-treated barley straw, and sunflower hulls. Six diets were formulated to contain one of these ingredients as the sole source of fiber. To avoid nutrient imbalances, fiber sources were supplemented with different proportions of a fiber-free concentrate, based on soy protein isolate, wheat flour, lard, and a vitamin and mineral mix, to obtain diets containing at least 3% nitrogen and 5% starch. Daily soft feces excretion, and its NDF, and total and microbial nitrogen content were determined in 60 fattening rabbits (10 per diet). Seven days after the last cecotrophy control, the same animals were used to determine weight of stomach, cecum and their contents, and cecal fermentation traits (pH, VFA and ammonia concentrations, and buffer properties of cecal contents). Stepwise regression analysis showed a positive effect (P 1.25 mm). Degree of lignification of NDF decreased total nitrogen concentration in soft feces and cecal VFA concentration (P lignification of NDF, and base-buffering capacity of dry cecal contents (r = -.52, -.37, and -.49, respectively). From these results, we conclude that pectic constituent concentration, degree of lignification of NDF, and particle size are the variables that best characterize the influence of the source of fiber on soft feces excretion and cecal fermentation traits in rabbits.

A Mole in the Sole: Case Report on Eccrine Poroma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dr. Arnab Ghosh

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Eccrine poroma is a benign tumor which arises from the intraepidermal portion of the eccrine sweat glands. 81 year old diabetic grandma worried about her persistently uncontrolled blood sugar owing to a painless mole in the sole of right foot for 2 years. Excisional biopsy revealed a sweat duct benign eccrine poroma. A relationship with diabetes mellitus could not be clearly established in this case.

Salinity Alters the Polyisoprenoid Alcohol Content and Composition of Both Salt-Secreting and Non–Salt-Secreting Mangrove Seedlings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Basyuni

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The effects of salinity on the polyisoprenoid alcohol content and composition of the salt-secreting mangrove species Avicennia marina and Sonneratia alba and the non–salt-secreting species Bruguiera gymnorrhiza and Kandelia obovata were studied. The seedlings of mangroves were grown for 5 months under 0% and 3% salt concentrations. The occurrence, content, and distribution of four mangrove seedlings were analyzed by two-dimensional thin layer chromatography. The structural groups of the polyprenols and dolichols in the leaves and roots were classified into two types (I and II. In type I, dolichols predominated over polyprenols (more than 90%, whereas in type II, the occurrence of both polyprenols and dolichols was observed. Polyprenols were not detected in the leaves of A. marina and B. gymnorrhiza under 0% salt (control, but were detected in small amounts in K. obovata leaves; however, significant amounts were found in the 3% salinity group. This finding in A. marina, B. gymnorrhiza, and K. obovata leaves implies a change to the structural group: under 0% salt concentrations, the groups are classified as type I, but become type II under 3% salt concentrations. The occurrence of ficaprenol (C50–55 was found only in the leaves of the non–salt-secreting species B. gymnorrhiza and K. obovata under 3% salinity and not in the salt-secreting species A. marina or S. alba. It is noteworthy that the polyisoprenoid type in the roots of the four species showed no change under salinity; the two salt-secreting species A. marina and S. alba contained type I under 0% and 3% salt concentrations. On the other hand, type II polyisoprenoids were identified in the non–salt-secreting species B. gymnorrhiza and K. obovata under 0% and 3% salinity conditions. This finding suggested that polyisoprenoids play a protective role against salinity in the mangrove leaves of both salt-secreting and non–salt-secreting species.

Secrets and Disclosures: How Young Children Handle Secrets

Science.gov (United States)

Anagnostaki, Lida; Wright, Michael J.; Papathanasiou, Athanasia

2013-01-01

The authors examined the influence of content and verbal cues on young children's understanding of secret information and of its disclosure. Participants were 209 5- and 6-year-old children in an experiment where a puppet, named Zinc, was the protagonist. Children were asked to whom Zinc would disclose a list of pieces of information, some of…

Regulation of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) secretion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruskoaho, H.; Toth, M.; Lang, R.E.; Unger, Th.; Garten, D.

1986-01-01

To investigate the role of calcium, protein kinase C and adenylate cyclase in the ANP secretion, the secretory responses from isolated perfused rat hearts to a calcium channel activator, Bay k8644 (methyl-1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-3-nitro-4-(2-trifluomethylphenyl)-2-pyridine-5-carboxylate), the calcium ionophore (A23187), the phorbol ester (12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, TPA), and to forskolin were studied. ANP in perfusate was measured by radioimmunoassay 10 min before and during the infusion (30 min) of various agents at 2 min intervals. A23187 (5.7 x 10 -7 ) induced a sharp increase, whereas TPA (0.15 - 1.6 x 10 -7 ) caused a slowly progressive increase in ANP secretion. 4a-phorbol-12,13-didecanoate, a non-active phorbol ester, had no effect on ANP secretion. Bay k8644 (4 x 10 -7 ) and forskolin (1 x 10 -6 ) alone caused small but sustained increase in ANP secretion. The combination of TPA with Bay k8644, forskolin or A23187 stimulated ANP secretion higher than the calculated additive value for each agent. Dibuturyl-cAMP (1.6 x 10 -4 ) pretreatment also enhanced TPA-induced ANP release. 8-Bromo-cGMP (1.3 x 10 -4 ) and sodium nitroprusside (9 x 10 -5 ) alone had no effect, but both attenuated the TPA-induced ANP secretion. The results suggest that atrial cardiocytes possess at least two different secretory pathways for ANP secretion, which are probably dependent on protein kinase C and cyclic AMP

Transporter-mediated biofuel secretion.

Science.gov (United States)

Doshi, Rupak; Nguyen, Tuan; Chang, Geoffrey

2013-05-07

Engineering microorganisms to produce biofuels is currently among the most promising strategies in renewable energy. However, harvesting these organisms for extracting biofuels is energy- and cost-intensive, limiting the commercial feasibility of large-scale production. Here, we demonstrate the use of a class of transport proteins of pharmacological interest to circumvent the need to harvest biomass during biofuel production. We show that membrane-embedded transporters, better known to efflux lipids and drugs, can be used to mediate the secretion of intracellularly synthesized model isoprenoid biofuel compounds to the extracellular milieu. Transporter-mediated biofuel secretion sustainably maintained an approximate three- to fivefold boost in biofuel production in our Escherichia coli test system. Because the transporters used in this study belong to the ubiquitous ATP-binding cassette protein family, we propose their use as "plug-and-play" biofuel-secreting systems in a variety of bacteria, cyanobacteria, diatoms, yeast, and algae used for biofuel production. This investigation showcases the potential of expressing desired membrane transport proteins in cell factories to achieve the export or import of substances of economic, environmental, or therapeutic importance.

Clinical assessment of dynamic coefficient of friction effects in shoe-sole trituration of patients with drop foot.

Science.gov (United States)

Nima, Jamshidi; Firooz, Salami

2012-06-01

The aim of this study was examining the effect of human factors such as plantar friction, contact period time, and impulse on shoe-sole trituration of drop foot patients. Twenty-five patients with drop foot and twenty normal subjects were recruited in the study. The force plate and its related software's recorded human factor (coefficient of friction, ground reaction force, time of stance phase) as time dependent parameters. Dynamic coefficient of friction patterns were categorized based on their magnitude versus time when the longitudinal axis of the sole was plotted as the Y-axis and the transverse axis of the sole as X-axis during stance phase. The result of this research indicated that the average coefficient of friction among drop foot patients is 77.53 % (p value <0.05) lower than the normal subjects. Also the time of stance phase among drop foot patients is 7.56 % (p value <0.05) greater than normal subjects. There is no difference in the peaks, of vertical ground reaction force between normal and control group. The findings of this research revealed that the time of stance phase has a key role in shoe-sole trituration of patients with drop foot.

Foliage nitrogen turnover: differences among nitrogen absorbed at different times by Quercus serrata saplings

Science.gov (United States)

Ueda, Miki U.; Mizumachi, Eri; Tokuchi, Naoko

2011-01-01

Background and Aims Nitrogen turnover within plants has been intensively studied to better understand nitrogen use strategies. However, differences among the nitrogen absorbed at different times are not completely understood and the fate of nitrogen absorbed during winter is largely uncharacterized. In the present study, nitrogen absorbed at different times of the year (growing season, winter and previous growing season) was traced, and the within-leaf nitrogen turnover of a temperate deciduous oak Quercus serrata was investigated. Methods The contributions of nitrogen absorbed at the three different times to leaf construction, translocation during the growing season, and the leaf-level resorption efficiency during leaf senescence were compared using 15N. Key Results Winter- and previous growing season-absorbed nitrogen significantly contributed to leaf construction, although the contribution was smaller than that of growing season-absorbed nitrogen. On the other hand, the leaf-level resorption efficiency of winter- and previous growing season-absorbed nitrogen was higher than that of growing season-absorbed nitrogen, suggesting that older nitrogen is better retained in leaves than recently absorbed nitrogen. Conclusions The results demonstrate that nitrogen turnover in leaves varies with nitrogen absorption times. These findings are important for understanding plant nitrogen use strategies and nitrogen cycles in forest ecosystems. PMID:21515608

Relational Resilience in Māori, Pacific, and European Sole Parent Families: From Theory and Research to Social Policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Waldegrave, Charles; King, Peter; Maniapoto, Maria; Tamasese, Taimalieutu Kiwi; Parsons, Tafaoimalo Loudeen; Sullivan, Ginny

2016-12-01

This study reports findings and policy recommendations from a research project that applied a relational resilience framework to a study of 60 sole parent families in New Zealand, with approximately equal numbers of Māori, Pacific, and European (White) participants. The sole parent families involved were already known to be resilient and the study focused on identifying the relationships and strategies underlying the achievement and maintenance of their resilience. The study was carried out to provide an evidence base for the development and implementation of policies and interventions to both support sole parent families who have achieved resilience and assist those who struggle to do so. The three populations shared many similarities in their pathways to becoming sole parents and the challenges they faced as sole parents. The coping strategies underlying their demonstrated resilience were also broadly similar, but the ways in which they were carried out did vary in a manner that particularly reflected cultural practices in terms of their reliance upon extended family-based support or support from outside the family. The commonalities support the appropriateness of the common conceptual framework used, whereas the differences underline the importance of developing nuanced policy responses that take into account cultural differences between the various populations to which policy initiatives are directed. © 2016 Family Process Institute.

Marine nitrogen cycle

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Naqvi, S.W.A.

) such as the Marine nitrogen cycle The marine nitrogen cycle. ‘X’ and ‘Y’ are intra-cellular intermediates that do not accumulate in water column. (Source: Codispoti et al., 2001) Page 1 of 3Marine nitrogen cycle - Encyclopedia of Earth 11/20/2006http://www... and nitrous oxide budgets: Moving targets as we enter the anthropocene?, Sci. Mar., 65, 85-105, 2001. Page 2 of 3Marine nitrogen cycle - Encyclopedia of Earth 11/20/2006http://www.eoearth.org/article/Marine_nitrogen_cycle square6 Gruber, N.: The dynamics...

Kinetics of alpha-amylase secretion in Aspergillus oryzae

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henriksen, Anne Laurence Santerre; Carlsen, Morten; Bang de, H.

1999-01-01

-chase experiments were carried out to investigate the alpha-amylase secretion kinetics in A. oryzae. No unglycosylated alpha-amylase was detected neither intracellularly nor extracellularly demonstrating that glycosylation was not the rate controlling step in the secretory pathway. The pulse chase experiments...... indicated that there are two pools of intracellular alpha-amylase: a fast secreted and a slow secreted. The secretion of those two pools were described with a kinetic model, which was fitted to the pulse chase experiments. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 65: 76-82, 1999....

Use of Powder PEG-3350 as a Sole Bowel Preparation

Science.gov (United States)

Arora, Manish

2008-01-01

Objective: To assess the efficacy of low-volume powder polyethylene glycol (PEG)-3350 as a sole bowel preparation for colonoscopy. Methods: This case series examined 245 consecutive patients (a mixture of inpatients and outpatients undergoing screening colonoscopy) at a hospital endoscopy center over a 2-year period. The patients received powder PEG-3350 in the amount of 204 g dissolved in 32 oz of water and taken in 3 divided doses 1 hour apart with 8 oz of water in between each dose. Colon preparation scores (CPS) were used to assess the quality of colon cleansing. The results obtained from the 245 patients were collated and compared to those of patients receiving sodium phosphate, the historical control. Results: The mean CPS was calculated to be 3.43, with a standard deviation of 1.12. Of the 245 patients, 92 were scored with a grade of 4, and 5 patients had incomplete colonoscopies secondary to failure of bowel preparation (CPS=0). Among the remaining patients, 22 and 26 were graded as poor (CPS=1) or fair (CPS=2) bowel preparations, respectively. Conclusion: The low-volume powder PEG-3350 formula used in our case series showed effective colon cleansing and may be considered for use as a sole bowel preparation. PMID:21960925

Bile Formation and Secretion

Science.gov (United States)

Boyer, James L.

2014-01-01

Bile is a unique and vital aqueous secretion of the liver that is formed by the hepatocyte and modified down stream by absorptive and secretory properties of the bile duct epithelium. Approximately 5% of bile consists of organic and inorganic solutes of considerable complexity. The bile-secretory unit consists of a canalicular network which is formed by the apical membrane of adjacent hepatocytes and sealed by tight junctions. The bile canaliculi (~1 μm in diameter) conduct the flow of bile countercurrent to the direction of portal blood flow and connect with the canal of Hering and bile ducts which progressively increase in diameter and complexity prior to the entry of bile into the gallbladder, common bile duct, and intestine. Canalicular bile secretion is determined by both bile salt-dependent and independent transport systems which are localized at the apical membrane of the hepatocyte and largely consist of a series of adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette transport proteins that function as export pumps for bile salts and other organic solutes. These transporters create osmotic gradients within the bile canalicular lumen that provide the driving force for movement of fluid into the lumen via aquaporins. Species vary with respect to the relative amounts of bile salt-dependent and independent canalicular flow and cholangiocyte secretion which is highly regulated by hormones, second messengers, and signal transduction pathways. Most determinants of bile secretion are now characterized at the molecular level in animal models and in man. Genetic mutations serve to illuminate many of their functions. PMID:23897680

Effects of nitrogen applocation on yield and nitrogen accumulation in soybean

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Di Wei; Jin Xijun; Ma Chunmei; Dong Shoukun; Gong Zhenping; Zhang Lei

2010-01-01

Methods of sand cultre and 15 N tracing were used to study the effects of nitrogen application on yield and nitrogen accumulation in soybean variety SN 14 . The results showed as follows: accumulated nitrogen in the whole plant, petiole, pod shell and seed increased at the beginning and then decreased with the increase of nitrogen levels; Nitrogen accumulation in leaf and stem increased in 3 and 5 times for N 150 than that of N 0 , which indicated that high nitrogen levels promoted the nitrogen accumulation in leaf and stem, however compared with N 0 , nitrogen accumulation in root, Nodulation-N accumulated in the whole plant and seed of N 150 decreased by 60.3%, 74. 9% and 85.7% respectively, and Fertilizer-N harvest index of N 150 decreased, which was 19.8% lower than that of N 50 , as well as Nodulation-N harvest index 25.5% lower than that of N 50 . The nitrogen levels of soybean yield also firstly increased and then decreased; Compared with N 0 , plant height, pod height and lowest pod nodes of soybean treated with N 150 increased by 55.2%, 199.7% and 142.9% respectively, while no effects were found on node number. (authors)

Nitrogen and Oxygen Isotopic Studies of the Marine Nitrogen Cycle.

Science.gov (United States)

Casciotti, Karen L

2016-01-01

The marine nitrogen cycle is a complex web of microbially mediated reactions that control the inventory, distribution, and speciation of nitrogen in the marine environment. Because nitrogen is a major nutrient that is required by all life, its availability can control biological productivity and ecosystem structure in both surface and deep-ocean communities. Stable isotopes of nitrogen and oxygen in nitrate and nitrite have provided new insights into the rates and distributions of marine nitrogen cycle processes, especially when analyzed in combination with numerical simulations of ocean circulation and biogeochemistry. This review highlights the insights gained from dual-isotope studies applied at regional to global scales and their incorporation into oceanic biogeochemical models. These studies represent significant new advances in the use of isotopic measurements to understand the modern nitrogen cycle, with implications for the study of past ocean productivity, oxygenation, and nutrient status.

Threshold quantum secret sharing based on single qubit

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Changbin; Miao, Fuyou; Meng, Keju; Yu, Yue

2018-03-01

Based on unitary phase shift operation on single qubit in association with Shamir's ( t, n) secret sharing, a ( t, n) threshold quantum secret sharing scheme (or ( t, n)-QSS) is proposed to share both classical information and quantum states. The scheme uses decoy photons to prevent eavesdropping and employs the secret in Shamir's scheme as the private value to guarantee the correctness of secret reconstruction. Analyses show it is resistant to typical intercept-and-resend attack, entangle-and-measure attack and participant attacks such as entanglement swapping attack. Moreover, it is easier to realize in physic and more practical in applications when compared with related ones. By the method in our scheme, new ( t, n)-QSS schemes can be easily constructed using other classical ( t, n) secret sharing.

Ionizing radiation in secret services' conspirative actions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vogel, H. [Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Roentgenabteilung, Lohmuehlenstrasse 5, 20099 Hamburg (Germany)], E-mail: Hermann.vogel@ak-stgeorg.lbk-hh.de; Lotz, P.; Vogel, B. [Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Roentgenabteilung, Lohmuehlenstrasse 5, 20099 Hamburg (Germany)

2007-08-15

Introduction: The death of Litvinenko has been reported by the media. It has raised the question whether this case had been unique. The fall of the wall has allowed a glimpse in the planning and comporting of a secret service. Material and method: Documents of the secret service of the former German democratic republic (GDR), books of defectors, and media reports about secret service actions with radiating substances have been analyzed. Results: Since decades, secret services have been using radioactive nuclides and radiation for their tasks. Several killings with radiation have been reported. A complicated logistic had been developed. Conclusion: Only singular cases of the employment of radiating substances have become known. It is probable that the majority rests unknown. Government support seems necessary in secret services' conspirative actions with radiating substance.

Growth responses, biomass partitioning, and nitrogen isotopes of prairie legumes in response to elevated temperature and varying nitrogen source in a growth chamber experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Whittington, Heather R; Deede, Laura; Powers, Jennifer S

2012-05-01

Because legumes can add nitrogen (N) to ecosystems through symbiotic fixation, they play important roles in many plant communities, such as prairies and grasslands. However, very little research has examined the effect of projected climate change on legume growth and function. Our goal was to study the effects of temperature on growth, nodulation, and N chemistry of prairie legumes and determine whether these effects are mediated by source of N. We grew seedlings of Amorpha canescens, Dalea purpurea, Lespedeza capitata, and Lupinus perennis at 25/20°C (day/night) or 28/23°C with and without rhizobia and mineral N in controlled-environment growth chambers. Biomass, leaf area, nodule number and mass, and shoot N concentration and δ(15)N values were measured after 12 wk of growth. Both temperature and N-source affected responses in a species-specific manner. Lespedeza showed increased growth and higher shoot N content at 28°C. Lupinus showed decreases in nodulation and lower shoot N concentration at 28°C. The effect of temperature on shoot N concentration occurred only in individuals whose sole N source was N(2)-fixation, but there was no effect of temperature on δ(15)N values in these plants. Elevated temperature enhanced seedling growth of some species, while inhibiting nodulation in another. Temperature-induced shifts in legume composition or nitrogen dynamics may be another potential mechanism through which climate change affects unmanaged ecosystems.

Weegee’s City Secrets

OpenAIRE

TRACHTENBERG, Alan

2011-01-01

En tant que photographe indépendant de meurtres, d’accidents, d’incendies, mais aussi de moments de loisirs dans la ville — de scènes de violence et de plaisir — Weegee travaillait essentiellement la nuit et utilisait un flash puissant associé à son appareil-photo de presse. Ses « secrets pour réaliser des photographies avec un flash » consistent à donner des conseils pratiques et techniques pour débutants. Mais au cœur de la rhétorique de ses « secrets » se trouvent des réflexions subtiles e...

Use of thermography to monitor sole haemorrhages and temperature distribution over the claws of dairy cattle.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilhelm, K; Wilhelm, J; Fürll, M

2015-02-07

Subclinical laminitis, an early pathological event in the development of many claw diseases, is an important factor in the welfare and economics of high-producing dairy cows. However, the aetiology and pathogenesis of this complex claw disease are not well understood. The present study investigated to what extent thermographic examination of claws is able to give information about corium inflammation, and whether the technique may be used as a diagnostic tool for early detection of subclinical laminitis. Moreover, the temperature distribution over the individual main claws was investigated to obtain further knowledge about pressure distribution on the claws. For this purpose the claws of 123 cows were evaluated in the first week after calving as well as after the second month of lactation for presence of sole haemorrhages (a sign of subclinical laminitis). Furthermore, the ground contact area was analysed by thermography. Sole haemorrhages were significantly increased by the second month of lactation. Thermography showed clear differences between the claws of the front limbs and hindlimbs, as well as between lateral and medial claws. Although the distribution of sole haemorrhages was consistent with the pattern of the temperature distribution over the main claws, no clear correlation was found between the claw temperature after calving and the visible laminitis-like changes (sole haemorrhages) eight weeks later. British Veterinary Association.

"The greatest victory which the chemist has won in the fight (…) against Nature": Nitrogenous fertilizers in Great Britain and the British Empire, 1910s-1950s.

Science.gov (United States)

Page, Arnaud

2016-12-01

This paper analyses the rise of synthetic nitrogen in Great Britain and its empire, from the First World War to the aftermath of the Second World War. Rather than focus solely on technological innovations and consumption statistics, it seeks to explain how nitrogen was a central element in the expansion of a form of agricultural governance, which needed simplified, stable, and seemingly universal input/output formulae. In the first half of the twentieth century, nitrogen was thus gradually constructed as a global indicator of development, as it was particularly adapted to scientific and political regimes increasingly relying upon abstraction and quantification. Yet, the history of nitrogenous fertilizers in the interwar years also shows that this cannot be reduced to a simple story of triumphant modernity, as their development and globalization was imperfect, unstable, accompanied by resistance and the resilience or emergence of other models. Rather than assuming an all-powerful "state" project, the paper thus seeks to recover the multiplicity of actors, and attempts to account for the rise of nitrogenous fertilizers; not just as the progressive application of a technological breakthrough, but as a difficult process embedded in technological, financial, and military constraints, corporate strategies, political imperatives, and the changing institutional framework of agricultural research.

Identification and characterization of a type III secretion-associated chaperone in the type III secretion system 1 of Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

Science.gov (United States)

Akeda, Yukihiro; Okayama, Kanna; Kimura, Tomomi; Dryselius, Rikard; Kodama, Toshio; Oishi, Kazunori; Iida, Tetsuya; Honda, Takeshi

2009-07-01

Vibrio parahaemolyticus causes human gastroenteritis. Genomic sequencing of this organism has revealed that it has two sets of type III secretion systems, T3SS1 and T3SS2, both of which are important for its pathogenicity. However, the mechanism of protein secretion via T3SSs is unknown. A characteristic of many effectors is that they require specific chaperones for efficient delivery via T3SSs; however, no chaperone has been experimentally identified in the T3SSs of V. parahaemolyticus. In this study, we identified candidate T3SS1-associated chaperones from genomic sequence data and examined their roles in effector secretion/translocation and binding to their cognate substrates. From these experiments, we concluded that there is a T3S-associated chaperone, VecA, for a cytotoxic T3SS1-dependent effector, VepA. Further analysis using pulldown and secretion assays characterized the chaperone-binding domain encompassing the first 30-100 amino acids and an amino terminal secretion signal encompassing the first 5-20 amino acids on VepA. These findings will provide a strategy to clarify how the T3SS1 of V. parahaemolyticus secretes its specific effectors.

Impaired insulin secretion in the spontaneous diabetes rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimura, K; Toyota, T; Kakizaki, M; Kudo, M; Takebe, K; Goto, Y

1982-08-01

Dynamics of insulin and glucagon secretion were investigated by using a new model of spontaneous diabetes rats produced by the repetition of selective breeding in our laboratories. The perfusion experiments of the pancreas showed that the early phase of insulin secretion to continuous stimulation with glucose was specifically impaired, although the response of the early phase to arginine was preserved. The glucose-induced insulin secretion in the nineth generation (F8) which had a more remarkably impaired glucose tolerance was more reduced than in the sixth generation (F5). No significant difference of glucagon secretion in response to arginine or norepinephrine was noted between the diabetes rats and control ones. The present data indicate that the defective insulin secretion is a primary derangement in a diabetic state of the spontaneous diabetes rat. This defect in the early phase of glucose-induced insulin secretion suggests the specific impairment of the recognition of glucose by the pancreatic beta-cells. The spontaneous diabetes rats are very useful as a model of disease for investigating pathophysiology of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.

Identification of sole parvalbumin as a major allergen: study of cross-reactivity between parvalbumins in a Spanish fish-allergic population.

Science.gov (United States)

Perez-Gordo, M; Cuesta-Herranz, J; Maroto, A S; Cases, B; Ibáñez, M D; Vivanco, F; Pastor-Vargas, C

2011-05-01

Fish allergy is becoming an important health problem in Spain, a country with the third highest level of fish consumption after Japan and Portugal. The most common fish allergens are parvalbumins. In our area, the most widely consumed fish species are lean, such as whiff (Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis) and sole (Solea solea). Adverse reactions to fish are usually related to these species, a fact that is largely unknown to allergists in other countries. The aim of this study was to identify and purify the major allergen implicated in allergic response to sole and evaluate the IgE cross-reactivity of purified parvalbumins from whiff and sole, which are phylogenetically close, and more distant species (i.e. cod and salmon). Eighteen Spanish fish-allergic patients with a positive history of type I allergy to fish were recruited from the clinic. Total protein extracts and purified parvalbumins from whiff and sole were tested for their IgE-binding properties by combining two-dimensional Western blotting and mass spectrometry. The extent of cross-reactivity between these parvalbumins along with cod and salmon parvalbumins was investigated by IgE ELISA inhibition assay. An IgE-binding spot of approximately 14 kDa was identified as parvalbumin and confirmed as a major allergen in sole extract, which is recognized by almost 70% of the patients. Whiff parvalbumin was recognized by 83.4% of the patients. High cross-reactivity was determined for all purified parvalbumins by IgE inhibition assay. Sole and whiff parvalbumin were confirmed as major allergens. The parvalbumins of sole, whiff, cod and salmon were highly cross-reactive, thus suggesting a high amino acid sequence identity between them. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Tightening the nitrogen cycle

OpenAIRE

Christensen, B.T.

2004-01-01

The availability of nitrogen to crop plants is a universally important aspect of soil quality, and often nitrogen represents the immediate limitation to crop productivity in modern agriculture. Nitrogen is decisive for the nutritive value of plant products and plays a key role in the environmental impact of agricultural production. The fundamental doctrine of nitrogen management is to optimise the nitrogen use efficiency of both introduced and native soil nitrogen by increasing the temporal a...

Bucarest, Strictement Secret

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ionela Mihai

2010-07-01

Full Text Available L’émission Bucarest, strictement secret représente un documentaire organisésous la forme d’une série télé, qui dépeint le Bucarest à partir de deux perspectives: de l’histoire, de la conte et du lieu. La valeur d’une cité réside dans l’existence d’une mystique, d’un romantisme abscons, à part et des caractères empruntés de drames de Shakespeare, mystérieux, serrés d’angoisse et des secrets qui assombrissent leur existence. Par conséquence, le rôle du metteur en scène est de dévoiler leur vraie identité et de remettre en place, autant que possible, la vérité.

In defence of Kant's moral prohibition on suicide solely to avoid suffering.

Science.gov (United States)

Vong, G

2008-09-01

In Ian Brassington's article in a previous issue of this journal, he argues that suicide for the purpose of avoiding suffering is not, as Kant has contended, contrary to the moral law. Brassington's objections are not cogent because they rely upon the exegetically incorrect premise that according to Kant the priceless value of personhood is in the noumenal world that we have no perception of. On the basis of Kant's normative, metaphysical and epistemological theory, I argue, contrary to Brassington, that according to Kant personhood's moral value is explicitly in the sensible, phenomenal realm. While I argue that suicide solely to avoid suffering is immoral, I show that Kant's normative system allows some acts of suicide to be morally permissible. In the course of the discussion of the value of humanity's rationality and the immorality of suicide, I will discuss the broader modern medical ethical implications of Kant's arguments, such as the moral impermissibility of using rationality depriving drugs, such as ketamine, solely to avoid pain.

"The Secret Garden": A Literary Journey.

Science.gov (United States)

Jordan, Anne Devereaux

1998-01-01

Outlines the life of Frances Hodgson Burnett, author of "The Secret Garden." Argues that it not only tells an enthralling tale, but takes readers on a journey through the history of English literature. Discusses the gothic tradition and romanticism of "The Secret Garden." Lists classic elements in the book and offers five ideas…

Dig It! The Secrets of Soil

Science.gov (United States)

It! The Secrets of Soil Come and Explore! Discover the amazing world of soils with images and information from the Dig It! The Secrets of Soil exhibit from the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural and new web content will be added over the coming months including a new soil blog. New Interactives

Deformation behavior of human dentin in liquid nitrogen: a diametral compression test.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaytsev, Dmitry; Panfilov, Peter

2014-09-01

Contribution of the collagen fibers into the plasticity of human dentin is considered. Mechanical testing of dentin at low temperature allows excluding the plastic response of its organic matrix. Therefore, deformation and fracture behavior of the dentin samples under diametral compression at room temperature and liquid nitrogen temperature are compared. At 77K dentin behaves like almost brittle material: it is deformed exclusively in the elastic regime and it fails due to growth of the sole crack. On the contrary, dentin demonstrates the ductile response at 300K. There are both elastic and plastic contributions in the deformation of dentin samples. Multiple cracking and crack tip blunting precede the failure of samples. Organic phase plays an important role in fracture of dentin: plasticity of the collagen fibers could inhibit the crack growth. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biome-scale nitrogen fixation strategies selected by climatic constraints on nitrogen cycle.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheffer, Efrat; Batterman, Sarah A; Levin, Simon A; Hedin, Lars O

2015-11-23

Dinitrogen fixation by plants (in symbiosis with root bacteria) is a major source of new nitrogen for land ecosystems(1). A long-standing puzzle(2) is that trees capable of nitrogen fixation are abundant in nitrogen-rich tropical forests, but absent or restricted to early successional stages in nitrogen-poor extra-tropical forests. This biome-scale pattern presents an evolutionary paradox(3), given that the physiological cost(4) of nitrogen fixation predicts the opposite pattern: fixers should be out-competed by non-fixers in nitrogen-rich conditions, but competitively superior in nitrogen-poor soils. Here we evaluate whether this paradox can be explained by the existence of different fixation strategies in tropical versus extra-tropical trees: facultative fixers (capable of downregulating fixation(5,6) by sanctioning mutualistic bacteria(7)) are common in the tropics, whereas obligate fixers (less able to downregulate fixation) dominate at higher latitudes. Using a game-theoretic approach, we assess the ecological and evolutionary conditions under which these fixation strategies emerge, and examine their dependence on climate-driven differences in the nitrogen cycle. We show that in the tropics, transient soil nitrogen deficits following disturbance and rapid tree growth favour a facultative strategy and the coexistence of fixers and non-fixers. In contrast, sustained nitrogen deficits following disturbance in extra-tropical forests favour an obligate fixation strategy, and cause fixers to be excluded in late successional stages. We conclude that biome-scale differences in the abundance of nitrogen fixers can be explained by the interaction between individual plant strategies and climatic constraints on the nitrogen cycle over evolutionary time.

Intracellular mediators of potassium-induced aldosterone secretion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganguly, A.; Chiou, S.; Davis, J.S.

1990-01-01

We have investigated the intracellular messengers of potassium in eliciting aldosterone secretion in calf adrenal glomerulosa cells since there were unresolved issues relating to the role of phosphoinositides, cAMP and protein kinases. We observed no evidence of hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP 2 ) in 3 H-inositol labeled alf adrenal cells or increase of cAMP in response to potassium. Addition of calcium channel blocker, nitrendipine after stimulating adrenal glomerulosa cells with potassium, markedly inhibited aldosterone secretion. A calmodulin inhibitor (W-7) produced greater reduction of aldosterone secretion than an inhibitor of protein kinase C (H-7). These results suggest that a rise in cytosolic free calcium concentration through voltage-dependent calcium channel and calmodulin are the critical determinants of aldosterone secretion stimulated by potassium

Nitrogen supply of crops by biological nitrogen fixation. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jensen, E.S.; Andersen, A.J.; Soerensen, H.; Thomsen, J.D.

1985-02-01

In the present work the contributions from combined N-sources and symbiotic nitrogen fixation to the nitrogen supply of field-grown peas and field beans were evaluated by means of 15 N fertilizer dilution. The effect of N-fertilizer, supplied at sowing and at different stages of plant development, on nitrogen fixation, yield and protein production in peas, was studied in pot experiments. (author)

In situ carbon and nitrogen dynamics in ryegrass-clover mixtures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, J.; Eriksen, J.; Jensen, Erik Steen

2007-01-01

=9). 15N-enriched compounds were not detected in percolating pore water, which may be caused by either dilution from irrigation or low availability of leachable N compounds. 14C was found solely as 14CO2 in the pore water indicating that dissolved organic carbon (DOC) did not originate from fresh......Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics in a third production year ryegrass–clover mixture were investigated in the field. Cylinders (diameter 29.7 cm) were installed to depths of 20, 40 and 60 cm and equipped with suction cups to collect percolating pore water. Ryegrass and clover leaves were cross......-labelled with 14C- and 15N-enriched urea and the fate of the two tracers was studied for 3 months during summer. Transfer of 14C occurred mainly from ryegrass to clover, whereas the largest transfer of 15N was in the opposite direction. The average transfer of N from clover was 40% (SE±3.1, n=9) of N in ryegrass...

Apparent inhibition of β-fructosidase secretion by tunicamycin may be explained by breakdown of the unglycosylated protein during secretion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faye, L.; Chrispeels, M.J.

1989-01-01

Suspension-cultured carrot (Daucus carota) cells synthesize and secrete β-fructosidase, a glycoprotein with asparagine-linked glycans. Treatment of the cells with tunicamycin completely inhibits the apparent secretion of β-fructosidase as measured by the accumulation of the 35 S-labelled protein in the cell wall or the culture medium. In the past, such a result has been interpreted as an inhibition of secretion by tunicamycin, but we suggest another explanation based on the following results. In the presence of tunicamycin, unglycosylated β-fructosidase is synthesized and is associated with an endoplasmic-reticulum-rich microsomal fraction. Pulse-chase experiments show that the unglycosylated β-fructosidase does not remain in the cells and appears to be secreted in the same way as glycosylated β-fructosidase; however, no radioactive, unglycosylated β-fructosidase accumulates extracellularly (cell wall or medium). Protoplasts obtained from carrot cells secrete β-fructosidase protein and activity, and treatment of the protoplasts with tunicamycin results in the synthesis of unglycosylated β-fructosidase. In the presence of tunicamycin, there is no accumulation of β-fructosidase activity or unglycosylated β-fructosidase polypeptide in the protoplast incubation medium. These results are consistent with the interpretation that the glycans of β-fructosidase are necessary for its stability, and that in these suspension-cultured cells, the unglycosylated enzyme is degraded during the last stage(s) of secretion, or immediately after its arrival in the wall

Exogenous trehalose improves growth under limiting nitrogen through upregulation of nitrogen metabolism.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yingchao; Zhang, Jie; Gao, Weichang; Chen, Yi; Li, Hongxun; Lawlor, David W; Paul, Matthew J; Pan, Wenjie

2017-12-19

The trehalose (Tre) pathway has strong effects on growth and development in plants through regulation of carbon metabolism. Altering either Tre or trehalose 6-phosphate (T6P) can improve growth and productivity of plants as observed under different water availability. As yet, there are no reports of the effects of modification of Tre orT6P on plant performance under limiting nutrition. Here we report that nitrogen (N) metabolism is positively affected by exogenous application of Tre in nitrogen-deficient growing conditions. Spraying foliage of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) with trehalose partially alleviated symptoms of nitrogen deficiency through upregulation of nitrate and ammonia assimilation and increasing activities of nitrate reductase (NR), glycolate oxidase (GO), glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamine oxoglutarate aminotransferase (GOGAT) with concomitant changes in ammonium (NH 4 + ) and nitrate (NO 3 - ) concentrations, glutamine and amino acids. Chlorophyll and total nitrogen content of leaves and rates of photosynthesis were increased compared to nitrogen-deficient plants without applied Tre. Total plant biomass accumulation was also higher in Tre -fed nitrogen-deficient plants, with a smaller proportion of dry weight partitioned to roots, compared to nitrogen-deficient plants without applied Tre. Consistent with higher nitrogen assimilation and growth, Tre application reduced foliar starch. Minimal effects of Tre feeding were observed on nitrogen-sufficient plants. The data show, for the first time, significant stimulatory effects of exogenous Tre on nitrogen metabolism and growth in plants growing under deficient nitrogen. Under such adverse conditions metabolism is regulated for survival rather than productivity. Application of Tre can alter this regulation towards maintenance of productive functions under low nitrogen. This has implications for considering approaches to modifying the Tre pathway for to improve crop nitrogen-use efficiency and

Effects of climate change on growth of 0-group sole and plaice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Teal, L.R.; Leeuw, de J.J.; Veer, van der H.W.; Rijnsdorp, A.D.

2008-01-01

The effect of rising seawater temperature on growth of 0-group sole Solea solea and plaice Pleuronectes platessa in the southeastern North Sea was investigated for the period 1970 to 2004 using annual autumn pre-recruit survey data and frequent surveys on a nursery ground. Autumn length showed an

A new potential secretion pathway for recombinant proteins in Bacillus subtilis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Guangqiang; Xia, Yongjun; Gu, Zhennan; Zhang, Hao; Chen, Yong Q; Chen, Haiqin; Ai, Lianzhong; Chen, Wei

2015-11-10

Secretion of cytoplasmic expressed proteins into growth media has significant advantages. Due to the lack of an outer membrane, Bacillus subtilis is considered as a desirable 'cell factory' for the secretion of recombinant proteins. However, bottlenecks in the classical pathway for the secretion of recombinant proteins limit its use on a wide scale. In this study, we attempted to use four typical non-classically secreted proteins as signals to export three recombinant model proteins to the culture medium. All four non-classically secreted proteins can direct the export of the intrinsically disordered nucleoskeletal-like protein (Nsp). Two of them can guide the secretion of alkaline phosphatase (PhoA). One can lead the secretion of the thermostable β-galactosidase BgaB, which cannot be secreted with the aid of typical Sec-dependent signal peptides. Our results show that the non-classically secreted proteins lead the recombinant proteins to the culture medium, and thus non-classical protein secretion pathways can be exploited as a novel secretion pathway for recombinant proteins.

A translocator-specific export signal establishes the translocator-effector secretion hierarchy that is important for type III secretion system function

Science.gov (United States)

Tomalka, Amanda G.; Stopford, Charles M.; Lee, Pei-Chung; Rietsch, Arne

2012-01-01

Summary Type III secretion systems are used by many Gram-negative pathogens to directly deliver effector proteins into the cytoplasm of host cells. To accomplish this, bacteria secrete translocator proteins that form a pore in the host-cell membrane through which the effector proteins are then introduced into the host cell. Evidence from multiple systems indicates that the pore-forming translocator proteins are exported before effectors, but how this secretion hierarchy is established is unclear. Here we used the P. aeruginosa translocator protein PopD as a model to identify its export signals. The amino-terminal secretion signal and chaperone, PcrH, are required for export under all conditions. Two novel signals in PopD, one proximal to the chaperone-binding site and one at the very C-terminus of the protein, are required for export of PopD before effector proteins. These novel export signals establish the translocator-effector secretion hierarchy, which in turn, is critical for the delivery of effectors into host cells. PMID:23121689

Expressed prostatic secretion biomarkers improve stratification of NCCN active surveillance candidates: performance of secretion capacity and TMPRSS2:ERG models.

Science.gov (United States)

Whelan, Christopher; Kawachi, Mark; Smith, David D; Linehan, Jennifer; Babilonia, Gail; Mejia, Rosa; Wilson, Timothy; Smith, Steven S

2014-01-01

Active surveillance is a viable patient option for prostate cancer provided that a clinical determination of low risk and presumably organ confined disease can be made. To standardize risk stratification schemes the NCCN (National Comprehensive Cancer Network®) provides guidelines for the active surveillance option. We determined the effectiveness of expressed prostatic secretion biomarkers for detecting occult risk factors in NCCN active surveillance candidates. Expressed prostatic secretion specimens were obtained before robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. Secretion capacity biomarkers, including total RNA and expressed prostatic secretion specimen volume, were measured by standard techniques. RNA expression biomarkers, including TXNRD1 mRNA, prostate specific antigen mRNA, TMPRSS2:ERG fusion mRNA and PCA3 mRNA, were measured by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Of the 528 patients from whom expressed prostatic secretions were collected 216 were eligible for active surveillance under NCCN guidelines. Variable selection on logistic regression identified 2 models, including one featuring types III and VI TMPRSS2:ERG variants, and one featuring 2 secretion capacity biomarkers. Of the 2 high performing models the secretion capacity model was most effective for detecting cases in this group that were up-staged or up-staged plus upgraded. It decreased the risk of up-staging in patients with a negative test almost eightfold and decreased the risk of up-staging plus upgrading about fivefold while doubling the prevalence of up-staging in the positive test group. Noninvasive expressed prostatic secretion testing may improve patient acceptance of active surveillance by dramatically reducing the presence of occult risk factors among those eligible for active surveillance under NCCN guidelines. Copyright © 2014 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The nitrogen cycle.

Science.gov (United States)

Stein, Lisa Y; Klotz, Martin G

2016-02-08

Nitrogen is the fourth most abundant element in cellular biomass, and it comprises the majority of Earth's atmosphere. The interchange between inert dinitrogen gas (N2) in the extant atmosphere and 'reactive nitrogen' (those nitrogen compounds that support, or are products of, cellular metabolism and growth) is entirely controlled by microbial activities. This was not the case, however, in the primordial atmosphere, when abiotic reactions likely played a significant role in the inter-transformation of nitrogen oxides. Although such abiotic reactions are still important, the extant nitrogen cycle is driven by reductive fixation of dinitrogen and an enzyme inventory that facilitates dinitrogen-producing reactions. Prior to the advent of the Haber-Bosch process (the industrial fixation of N2 into ammonia, NH3) in 1909, nearly all of the reactive nitrogen in the biosphere was generated and recycled by microorganisms. Although the Haber-Bosch process more than quadrupled the productivity of agricultural crops, chemical fertilizers and other anthropogenic sources of fixed nitrogen now far exceed natural contributions, leading to unprecedented environmental degradation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reproductive ethogram and mate selection in captive wild Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carazo, I.; Chereguini, O.; Martín, I.; Huntingford, F.; Duncan, N.

2016-07-01

Senegalese e sole (Solea senegalensis) have a high potential for aquaculture that is hampered by reproductive behavioural problems. These problems result in limited breeder participation in spawning. The present study provided an ethogram and described mate selection and spawning of captive wild Senegalese sole. Two tanks of breeders were studied that had 29 and 25 breeders (mean weight = 1.6 ± 0.1 kg). The behaviour was studied during 20 periods of 24 hours: 10 periods where spawning events were recorded and 10 control periods without spawning events. Periods where spawning occurred had three times more locomotor activity than periods without spawning. Two distinct behaviours, termed the “following” behaviour and the “coupled swim”, were only observed during periods with spawning. The courtship sequence (n=12) began with males predominantly involved in “following” behaviours, whilst females remained mainly stationary on the bottom of the tank. Males rested on the females and encouraged the females to begin swimming. When the female began to swim the male swam under the female and the pair made a “coupled swim” to the surface to release gametes. Gamete release was strictly in pairs of one male with one female. Failed “coupled swims” without gamete release were 5.6 times more frequent than successful “coupled swims”. Mate selection was evident as the sole engaged in: paired spawning, males displayed to females, males encouraged females to spawn and females accepted or rejected the male’s advances. The mate selection process provided the opportunity for fish to dominate the spawning and also demonstrated how fish were excluded from spawning.

Reproductive ethogram and mate selection in captive wild Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carazo, I.; Chereguini, O.; Martín, I.; Huntingford, F.; Duncan, N.

2016-01-01

Senegalese e sole (Solea senegalensis) have a high potential for aquaculture that is hampered by reproductive behavioural problems. These problems result in limited breeder participation in spawning. The present study provided an ethogram and described mate selection and spawning of captive wild Senegalese sole. Two tanks of breeders were studied that had 29 and 25 breeders (mean weight = 1.6 ± 0.1 kg). The behaviour was studied during 20 periods of 24 hours: 10 periods where spawning events were recorded and 10 control periods without spawning events. Periods where spawning occurred had three times more locomotor activity than periods without spawning. Two distinct behaviours, termed the “following” behaviour and the “coupled swim”, were only observed during periods with spawning. The courtship sequence (n=12) began with males predominantly involved in “following” behaviours, whilst females remained mainly stationary on the bottom of the tank. Males rested on the females and encouraged the females to begin swimming. When the female began to swim the male swam under the female and the pair made a “coupled swim” to the surface to release gametes. Gamete release was strictly in pairs of one male with one female. Failed “coupled swims” without gamete release were 5.6 times more frequent than successful “coupled swims”. Mate selection was evident as the sole engaged in: paired spawning, males displayed to females, males encouraged females to spawn and females accepted or rejected the male’s advances. The mate selection process provided the opportunity for fish to dominate the spawning and also demonstrated how fish were excluded from spawning.

Carbon Concentration and Carbon-to-Nitrogen Ratio Influence Submerged-Culture Conidiation by the Potential Bioherbicide Colletotrichum truncatum NRRL 13737

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Mark A.; Bothast, Rodney J.

1990-01-01

We assessed the influence of various carbon concentrations and carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratios on Colletotrichum truncatum NRRL 13737 conidium formation in submerged cultures grown in a basal salts medium containing various amounts of glucose and Casamino Acids. Under the nutritional conditions tested, the highest conidium concentrations were produced in media with carbon concentrations of 4.0 to 15.3 g/liter. High carbon concentrations (20.4 to 40.8 g/liter) inhibited sporulation and enhanced the formation of microsclerotiumlike hyphal masses. At all the carbon concentrations tested, a culture grown in a medium with a C:N ratio of 15:1 produced more conidia than cultures grown in media with C:N ratios of 40:1 or 5:1. While glucose exhaustion was often coincident with conidium formation, cultures containing residual glucose sporulated and those with high carbon concentrations (>25 g/liter) exhausted glucose without sporulation. Nitrogen source studies showed that the levels of C. truncatum NRRL 13737 conidiation were similar for all protein hydrolysates tested. Reduced conidiation occurred when amino acid and inorganic nitrogen sources were used. Of the nine carbon sources evaluated, acetate as the sole carbon source resulted in the lowest level of sporulation. Images PMID:16348348

Standpoints and protection of business secrets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brane Bertoncelj

2001-06-01

Full Text Available The human impact on an information system where data bases, containing business secretes, are stored is one of the most unreliable and unforeseeable factors. For this reason, it must not be underestimated. The results of this study indicate a correlation between behavioural intention and protection of business secretes. There is a statistically significant correlation between behavioural intention and behavioural supervision. This means that an increased level of perceived supervision over one's own behaviour is related to behavioural intention. A great majority of participants would not divulge a business secret due to internal moral factors, i.e., they possess the appropriate capabilities to determine the advantages of social moral values over personal values.

Simultaneous sinus lift and implantation using platelet-rich fibrin as sole grafting material.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Seung-Mi; Lee, Chun-Ui; Son, Jeong-Seog; Oh, Ji-Hyeon; Fang, Yiqin; Choi, Byung-Ho

2014-09-01

Recently, several authors have shown that simultaneous sinus lift and implantation using autologous platelet-rich fibrin as the sole filling material is a reliable procedure promoting bone augmentation in the maxillary sinus. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of simultaneous sinus lift and implantation using platelet-rich fibrin as the sole grafting material on bone formation in a canine sinus model. An implant was placed after sinus membrane elevation in the maxillary sinus of six adult female mongrel dogs. The resulting space between the membrane and sinus floor was filled with autologous platelet-rich fibrin retrieved from each dog. The implants were left in place for six months. Bone tissue was seen at the lower part of the implants introduced into the sinus cavity. The height of the newly formed bone around the implants ranged from 0 mm to 4.9 mm (mean; 2.6 ± 2.0 mm) on the buccal side and from 0 mm to 4.2 mm (mean; 1.3 ± 1.8 mm) on the palatal side. The findings from this study suggest that simultaneous sinus lift and implantation using platelet-rich fibrin as sole grafting material is not a predictable and reproducible procedure, especially with respect to the bone formation around the implants in the sinus cavity. Copyright © 2014 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. All rights reserved.

Quantum secret sharing protocol using modulated doubly entangled photons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chuan, Wang; Yong, Zhang

2009-01-01

In this paper, we propose a quantum secret sharing protocol utilizing polarization modulated doubly entangled photon pairs. The measurement devices are constructed. By modulating the polarizations of entangled photons, the boss could encode secret information on the initial state and share the photons with different members to realize the secret sharing process. This protocol shows the security against intercept-resend attack and dishonest member cheating. The generalized quantum secret sharing protocol is also discussed. (general)

Isolation and characterization of pathogenic Listonella anguillarum of diseased half-smooth tongue sole ( Cynoglossus semilaevis Günther)

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Xiaoqian; Zhou, Li; Zhan, Wenbin

2008-08-01

Studies were conducted to determine the cause of the acute mortality of half-smooth tongue sole Cynoglossus semilaevis Günther juveniles in a fish farm in Jimo, Shandong Province, China, in June 2006. Gross signs of the diseased tongue sole included several petechiae and ecchymoses on the body and fin necrosis and hemorrhagic lesion at the base of the fin. Bacteria were isolated from kidney, liver and hemorrhagic lesions of the diseased tongue sole. Among14 strains, SJ060621 was proved to be highly virulent to juvenile tongue sole with LD50 value of antibiotics tested, SJ060621 was sensitive to gentamicin and nitrofurantoin. It was identified as Listonella anguillarum with conventional plate and tube tests in combination with API 20E analysis. 16S rRNA gene and partial HSP60 gene sequenceing analysis revealed that the strain was highly homologous with L. anguillarum. Examination of the infected musculature by electron microscopy indicated numerous bacteria and lots of macrophages containing phagocytosed bacteria. Histopathological investigations revealed severe necrotic degenerative changes in the infected organs. Indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) was employed to detect the location of occurrence of bacteria, and bacteria were found in aggregations in the inflammatory areas in musculature.

Secret Places.

Science.gov (United States)

Ridolfi, Kerry

1997-01-01

Argues that children are as deep as the ocean, with secret places inside of them waiting to be opened. Notes that it is powerful for students to learn they can make sense of the world through words, and describes inviting them into poetry as they read poetry, create poetry packets, and write and revise poems. (SR)

Lipids in airway secretions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhaskar, K.R.; DeFeudis O'Sullivan, D.; Opaskar-Hincman, H.; Reid, L.M.

1987-01-01

Lipids form a significant portion of airway mucus yet they have not received the same attention that epithelial glycoproteins have. We have analysed, by thin layer chromatography, lipids present in airway mucus under 'normal' and hypersecretory (pathological) conditions.The 'normals' included (1) bronchial lavage obtained from healthy human volunteers and from dogs and (2) secretions produced ''in vitro'' by human (bronchial) and canine (tracheal) explants. Hypersecretory mucus samples included (1) lavage from dogs made bronchitic by exposure to SO 2 , (2) bronchial aspirates from acute and chronic tracheostomy patients, (3) sputum from patients with cystic fibrosis and chronic bronchitis and (4) postmortem secretions from patients who died from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or from status asthmaticus. Cholesterol was found to be the predominant lipid in 'normal' mucus with lesser amounts of phospholipids. No glycolipids were detected. In the hypersecretory mucus, in addition to neutral and phospholipids, glycolipids were present in appreciable amounts, often the predominant species, suggesting that these may be useful as markers of disease. Radioactive precursors 14 C acetate and 14 C palmitate were incorporated into lipids secreted ''in vitro'' by canine tracheal explants indicating that they are synthesised by the airway. (author)

A thyrotropin‑secreting macroadenoma with positive growth ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A thyrotropin‑secreting macroadenoma with positive growth hormone and prolactin immunostaining: A case report and literature review. ... thyroid hormone receptor resistance syndrome. Key words: Inappropriate thyroid stimulating hormone, thyrotropin‑secreting pituitary adenoma, thyroid stimulating hormone adenoma ...

Identification of genes encoding the type IX secretion system and secreted proteins in Flavobacterium columnare IA-S-4

Science.gov (United States)

Flavobacterium columnare, a member of the phylum Bacteroidetes, causes columnaris disease in wild and aquaculture-reared freshwater fish. The mechanisms responsible for columnaris disease are not known. Many members of the phylum Bacteroidetes use type IX secretion systems (T9SSs) to secrete enzymes...

Nitrogen uptake and fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency of wheat under different soil water conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Baiqun; Zhang Wei; Yu Cunzu

1999-01-01

The pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of soil water regime and fertilizer nitrogen rate on the yields, nitrogen uptake and fertilizer nitrogen utilization of wheat by using 15 N tracer method. The results showed that the aboveground biomass, stem yield and grain yield increased with the increase of soil moisture in the fertilizer nitrogen treatments. All the yield increased with the increase of the fertilizer nitrogen rate in the soil water treatments. It was found that both soil water regime and fertilizer nitrogen rate significantly influenced the amount of nitrogen uptake by wheat according to the variance analysis. The amount of nitrogen uptake increased with the rise of the soil moisture in fertilizer nitrogen treatments and the amount also increased with the increase of the urea nitrogen rate in the soil water regime. Soil water regimes not only had an impact on nitrogen uptake but also had a close relationship with soil nitrogen supply and fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency. The soil A values decreased in urea treatment and increased with the rise of the soil moisture in the combination treatment of urea with pig manure. The fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency rose with the rise of the soil moisture in the same fertilizer nitrogen treatment. The fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency of the urea treatment was 13.3%, 27.9% and 32.3% in the soils with 50%, 70% and 90% of the field water capacity, respectively. The fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency in the combination treatment of urea with pig manure was 20.0%, 29.9% and 34.4% in the soils of above three levels, respectively. It was concluded that the low soil moisture restricted urea nitrogen use efficiency (UNUE) and the UNUE could be raised by combination treatment of urea with manure in the soil of enough moisture

VIP secreting tumours in infancy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davies, R.P.; Slavotinek, J.P.; Dorney, S.F.A.

1990-01-01

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) secreting neural crest tumours are an uncommon but important treatable cause of intractable childhood diarrhoea. The radiological appearances of two cases are presented with a review of radiological findings in childhood VIP secreting neural crest tumours. Twenty eight cases of childhood VIP secreting neural crest tumours were reviewed. Nineteen (68%) were ganglioneuroblastomas and nine (32%) were ganglioneuromas. The majority of tumours (66%) were in a paravertebral location in the abdomen indicating that a search for such a tumour should be initiated at this site. Eighteen of the twenty eight cases reviewed discussed relevant radiological investigations. Calcification was detected in 50% of abdominal radiographs. Gut dilatation was often a prominent feature. A mass was detected in 5 of 5 cases where ultrasound findings were reported, and seven of seven cases with CT findings reported. Prior to the availability of CT and ultrasound the most useful investigation was IVU which demonstrated evidence of a mass in 5 of 9 cases. The presence of paravertebral calcification and gut dilatation on the plain radiograph of a child with intractable diarrhoea suggests the presence of a VIP secreting neural crest tumour. If an abdominal tumour is not found in the appropriate clinical setting and VIP levels are elevated, a widespread search of the paravertebral region is indicated. (orig.)

Autophagy-dependent secretion: contribution to tumor progression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tom Keulers

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Autophagy is best known as a lysosomal degradation and recycling pathway to maintain cellular homeostasis. During autophagy, cytoplasmic content is recognized and packed in autophagic vacuoles, or autophagosomes, and targeted for degradation. However, during the last years, it has become evident that the role of autophagy is not restricted to degradation alone but also mediates unconventional forms of secretion. Furthermore, cells with defects in autophagy apparently are able to reroute their cargo, like mitochondria, to the extracellular environment; effects that contribute to an array of pathologies. In this review we discuss the current knowledge of the physiological roles of autophagy-dependent secretion, i.e. the effect on inflammation and insulin/ hormone secretion. Finally, we focus on the effects of autophagy-dependent secretion on the tumour microenvironment and tumour progression. The autophagy mediated secreted factors may stimulate cellular proliferation via auto- and paracrine signaling. The autophagy mediated release of immune modulating proteins change the immunosuppresive tumor microenvironment and may promote an invasive phenotype. These effects may be either direct or indirect through facilitating formation of the mobilized vesicle, aid in anterograde trafficking or alterations in homeostasis and/or autonomous cell signaling.

Enhanced secretion of natto phytase by Bacillus subtilis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuji, Shogo; Tanaka, Kosei; Takenaka, Shinji; Yoshida, Ken-ichi

2015-01-01

Phytases comprise a group of phosphatases that trim inorganic phosphates from phytic acid (IP6). In this study, we aimed to achieve the efficient secretion of phytase by Bacillus subtilis. B. subtilis laboratory standard strain 168 and its derivatives exhibit no phytase activity, whereas a natto starter secretes phytase actively. The natto phytase gene was cloned into strain RIK1285, a protease-defective derivative of 168, to construct a random library of its N-terminal fusions with 173 different signal peptides (SPs) identified in the 168 genome. The library was screened to assess the efficiency of phytase secretion based on clear zones around colonies on plates, which appeared when IP6 was hydrolyzed. The pbp SP enhanced the secretion of the natto phytase most efficiently, i.e. twice that of the original SP. Thus, the secreted natto phytase was purified and found to remove up to 3 phosphates from IP6.

Applying secret sharing for HIS backup exchange.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuroda, Tomohiro; Kimura, Eizen; Matsumura, Yasushi; Yamashita, Yoshinori; Hiramatsu, Haruhiko; Kume, Naoto; Sato, Atsushi

2013-01-01

To secure business continuity is indispensable for hospitals to fulfill its social responsibility under disasters. Although to back up the data of the hospital information system (HIS) at multiple remote sites is a key strategy of business continuity plan (BCP), the requirements to treat privacy sensitive data jack up the cost for the backup. The secret sharing is a method to split an original secret message up so that each individual piece is meaningless, but putting sufficient number of pieces together to reveal the original message. The secret sharing method eases us to exchange HIS backups between multiple hospitals. This paper evaluated the feasibility of the commercial secret sharing solution for HIS backup through several simulations. The result shows that the commercial solution is feasible to realize reasonable HIS backup exchange platform when template of contract between participating hospitals is ready.

The Secret of Guided Missile Re-Entry,

Science.gov (United States)

1986-06-25

I RD-PAI169 598 THE SECRET OF GUIDED MISSILE RE-ENTRY(U) FOREIGN / I TECHNOLOGY DIV NRIGHT-PATTERSON RFB OH J CHEN ET AL. I 25 JUN 96 FTD-ID(RS)T...TECHNOLOGY DIVISION THE SECRET OF GUIDED MISSILE RE-ENTRY by Chen Jingzhong, An Sehua J L 0 7 ’:;85’ ’ 0 *Approved for public release; Distribution...unlimite t d. :. 86 7 034.. FTD- ID(RS)T-0459-86 HUMAN TRANSLATION FTD-ID(RS)T-0459-86 25 June 1986 MICROFICHE NR: F - - 0Q 9? THE SECRET OF GUIDED

Impaired Follistatin Secretion in Cirrhosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rinnov, Anders Rasmussen; Plomgaard, Peter; Pedersen, Bente Klarlund

2016-01-01

compared to healthy control participants. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: To experimentally increase the glucagon-insulin ratio (mimicking the hormonal effect of exercise), we infused glucagon/somatostatin (to inhibit insulin secretion) and compared the acute follistatin increase in eight male cirrhosis...... controls (27.6 ± 3.8 vs 34.5 ± 2.9%, respectively; P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with cirrhosis show impaired capacity to acutely secrete follistatin. The decrease in acute follistatin release may contribute to the loss of muscle mass in liver cirrhosis....

Nitrogen utilization efficiency and nitrogen nutrition of rice crops at MADA using the microplot nitrogen balance method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad Nazrul Abd Wahid; Abdul Razak Ruslan; Latiffah Norddin; Hazlina Abdullah; Khairuddin Abdul Rahim

2004-01-01

Nitrogen (N) is a very important nutrient for rice crops and is a main component of protein. Nitrogen is essential in the production of plant chlorophyll and involves in vegetative and fruit growth and development processes. Nitrogen is a critical input and exert high cost in rice crop production. Nitrogen fertilizer is not fully utilised by the rice crop; some is lost due the processes of vaporization, hydrolysis, erosion, leaching and used by other plants and microorganisms. Several agronomic practices have been studied and adopted in this country with the purpose of increasing the efficiency nitrogen fertilizer utilization and thus, reducing the output cost for rice crops. The microplot nitrogen balance method is one of the methods used to determine uptake efficiency of nitrogen fertilizers by rice crops. In this research, the microplot of 1 m x 1 m squares in paddy plot were used, to ensure that sequential sampling was done at predetermined areas. Scheduled monthly sampling of soil and rice crops was conducted until the mature stage, harvest and post-harvest period. This MINT-MADA cooperative project contains the elements of information sharing on fertilizer efficiency measurement methods by using the N-15 isotopic tracer technique and the N-balance technique in soil, besides the cooperation on use of infrastructure and facilities, expertise and labour. (Author)

10 CFR 1016.34 - Accountability for Secret Restricted Data.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Accountability for Secret Restricted Data. 1016.34 Section... Information § 1016.34 Accountability for Secret Restricted Data. Each permittee possessing documents containing Secret Restricted Data shall establish a document accountability procedure and shall maintain...

Omeprazole promotes proximal duodenal mucosal bicarbonate secretion in humans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mertz-Nielsen, A; Hillingsø, Jens; Bukhave, K

1996-01-01

with control experiments. Also the combination of omeprazole and ranitidine increased (p = 0.05) duodenal bicarbonate secretion, while ranitidine alone caused no change in either basal or stimulated secretion. In the stomach basal as well as vagally stimulated bicarbonate secretion was independent of the means...

A catalogue of human secreted proteins and its implications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shivakumar Keerthikumar

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Under both normal and pathological conditions, cells secrete variety of proteins through classical and non-classical secretory pathways into the extracellular space. Majority of these proteins represent pathophysiology of the cell from which it is secreted. Recently, though more than 92% of the protein coding genes has been mapped by human proteome map project, but number of those proteins that constitutes secretome of the cell still remains elusive. Secreted proteins or the secretome can be accessible in bodily fluids and hence are considered as potential biomarkers to discriminate between healthy and diseased individuals. In order to facilitate the biomarker discovery and to further aid clinicians and scientists working in these arenas, we have compiled and catalogued secreted proteins from the human proteome using integrated bioinformatics approach. In this study, nearly 14% of the human proteome is likely to be secreted through classical and non-classical secretory pathways. Out of which, ~38% of these secreted proteins were found in extracellular vesicles including exosomes and shedding microvesicles. Among these secreted proteins, 94% were detected in human bodily fluids including blood, plasma, serum, saliva, semen, tear and urine. We anticipate that this high confidence list of secreted proteins could serve as a compendium of candidate biomarkers. In addition, the catalogue may provide functional insights in understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in various physiological and pathophysiological conditions of the cell.

Affinity of antibody secreted by a single cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doran, D.M.

1978-01-01

It was the intention of this research to measure the affinity of antibody secreted by a single cell, and to describe the spectrum of affinities displayed in response to antigenic stimulation. The single cell secreting specific antibody was isolated by means of the hemolytic plaque assay. The amount of antibody secreted by the cell was to be measured through the use of a solid phase radioimmunoassay. The affinity of the antibody would be estimated by comparing the diameter of the plaque, and the amount of antibody secreted, with a mathematical theory of the formation of a plaque in agar. As a test system, a solid phase radioimmunoassay was developed for human serum albumin using antibody coupled to Sephadex. A sensitivity of 1 nanogram was attained with this assay. A solid phase radioimmunoassay for mouse immunoglobulin M was developed, using antibody coupled to Sepharose. The sensitivity attained with this assay was only on the order of 10 micrograms. The mouse immunoglobulin M radioimmunoassay was not sensitive enough to measure the amount of antibody secreted by a single cell. From a theoretical equation, the relationship between antibody affinity, plaque diameter and antibody secretion rate was calculated for the experimental conditions used in this research. By assuming a constant antibody secretion rate, an effective binding constant for the antibody was estimated from the average plaque diameters. This effective binding constant was observed to increase during the immune response

Nitrogen concentrations in mosses indicate the spatial distribution of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harmens, H.; Norris, D.A.; Cooper, D.M.; Mills, G.; Steinnes, E.; Kubin, E.; Thoeni, L.; Aboal, J.R.; Alber, R.; Carballeira, A.; Coskun, M.; De Temmerman, L.; Frolova, M.; Gonzalez-Miqueo, L.

2011-01-01

In 2005/6, nearly 3000 moss samples from (semi-)natural location across 16 European countries were collected for nitrogen analysis. The lowest total nitrogen concentrations in mosses ( 2 = 0.91) linear relationship was found between the total nitrogen concentration in mosses and measured site-specific bulk nitrogen deposition rates. The total nitrogen concentrations in mosses complement deposition measurements, helping to identify areas in Europe at risk from high nitrogen deposition at a high spatial resolution. - Highlights: → Nitrogen concentrations in mosses were determined at ca. 3000 sites across Europe. → Moss concentrations were compared with EMEP modelled nitrogen deposition. → The asymptotic relationship for Europe showed saturation at ca. 15 kg N ha -1 y -1 . → Linear relationships were found with measured nitrogen deposition in some countries. → Moss concentrations complement deposition measurements at high spatial resolution. - Mosses as biomonitors of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in Europe.

Diurnal periodicity in the activity of the common sole, solea vulgaris quensel

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kruuk, H.

1963-01-01

1. 1. The diurnal rhythm in the trawl catch of Solea vulgaris Quensel gave rise to this investigation into the diurnal activity rhythm of the fish. 2. 2. Periodicity in the food intake of the Sole in its natural habitat was studied by analyses of the contents of the intestines. Food intake

A Mole in the Sole: Case Report on Eccrine Poroma | Das | Internet ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Eccrine poroma is a benign tumor which arises from the intraepidermal portion of the eccrine sweat glands. 81 year old diabetic grandma worried about her persistently uncontrolled blood sugar owing to a painless mole in the sole of right foot for 2 years. Excisional biopsy revealed a sweat duct benign eccrine poroma.

Dissolved organic nitrogen recalcitrance and bioavailable nitrogen quantification for effluents from advanced nitrogen removal wastewater treatment facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan, Lu; Brett, Michael T.; Jiang, Wenju; Li, Bo

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the composition of nitrogen (N) in the effluents of advanced N removal (ANR) wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This study also tested two different experimental protocols for determining dissolved N recalcitrance. An analysis of 15 effluent samples from five WWTPs, showed effluent concentrations and especially effluent composition varied greatly from one system to the other, with total nitrogen (TN) ranging between 1.05 and 8.10 mg L −1 . Nitrate (NO 3 − ) accounted for between 38 ± 32% of TN, and ammonium accounted for a further 29 ± 28%. All of these samples were dominated by dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN; NO 3 −  + NH 4 + ), and uptake experiments indicated the DIN fraction was as expected highly bioavailable. Dissolved organic N (DON) accounted for 20 ± 11% for the total dissolved N in these effluents, and uptake experiments indicated the bioavailability of this fraction varied between 27 ± 26% depending on the WWTP assessed. These results indicate near complete DIN removal should be the primary goal of ANR treatment systems. The comparison of bioavailable nitrogen (BAN) quantification protocols showed that the dissolved nitrogen uptake bioassay approach was clearly a more reliable way to determine BAN concentrations compared to the conventional cell yield protocol. Moreover, because the nitrogen uptake experiment was much more sensitive, this protocol made it easier to detect extrinsic factors (such as biological contamination or toxicity) that could affect the accuracy of these bioassays. Based on these results, we recommend the nitrogen uptake bioassay using filtered and autoclaved samples to quantify BAN concentrations. However, for effluent samples indicating toxicity, algal bioassays will not accurately quantify BAN. - Highlights: • DIN was the dominated N pool for most of the tested effluent samples. • DON bioavailability considerably varied depending on the WWTP assessed. �

[Effects of nitrogen and irrigation water application on yield, water and nitrogen utilization and soil nitrate nitrogen accumulation in summer cotton].

Science.gov (United States)

Si, Zhuan Yun; Gao, Yang; Shen, Xiao Jun; Liu, Hao; Gong, Xue Wen; Duan, Ai Wang

2017-12-01

A field experiment was carried out to study the effects of nitrogen and irrigation water application on growth, yield, and water and nitrogen use efficiency of summer cotton, and to develop the optimal water and nitrogen management model for suitable yield and less nitrogen loss in summer cotton field in the Huang-Huai region. Two experimental factors were arranged in a split plot design. The main plots were used for arranging nitrogen factor which consisted of five nitrogen fertilizer le-vels(0, 60, 120, 180, 240 kg·hm -2 , referred as N 0 , N 1 , N 2 , N 3 , N 4 ), and the subplots for irrigation factor which consisted of three irrigation quota levels (30, 22.5, 15 mm, referred as I 1 , I 2 , I 3 ). There were 15 treatments with three replications. Water was applied with drip irrigation system. Experimental results showed that both irrigation and nitrogen fertilization promoted cotton growth and yield obviously, but nitrogen fertilizer showed more important effects than irrigation and was the main factor of regulating growth and yield of summer cotton in the experimental region. With the increase of nitrogen fertilization rate and irrigation amount, the dry mater accumulation of reproductive organs, the above-ground biomass at the flowering-bolling stage and seed cotton yield increased gradually, reached peak values at nitrogen fertilization rate of 180 kg·hm -2 and decreased slowly with the nitrogen fertilization rate further increased. The maximum yield of 4016 kg·hm -2 was observed in the treatment of N 3 I 1 . Increasing nitrogen fertilizer amount would improve significantly total N absorption of shoots and N content of stem and leaf, but decrease nitrogen partial factor productivity. The maximum irrigation-water use efficiency of 5.40 kg·m -3 and field water use efficiency of 1.24 kg·m -3 were found in the treatments of N 3 I 3 and N 3 I 1 , respectively. With increasing nitrogen fertilization amount, soil NO 3 - -N content increased and the main soil

Humidification and secretion volume in mechanically ventilated patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Solomita, Mario; Palmer, Lucy B; Daroowalla, Feroza; Liu, Jeffrey; Miller, Dori; LeBlanc, Deniese S; Smaldone, Gerald C

2009-10-01

To determine potential effects of humidification on the volume of airway secretions in mechanically ventilated patients. Water vapor delivery from devices providing non-heated-wire humidification, heated-wire humidification, and heat and moisture exchanger (HME) were quantified on the bench. Then, patients requiring 24-hour mechanical ventilation were exposed sequentially to each of these humidification devices, and secretions were removed and measured by suctioning every hour during the last 4 hours of the 24-hour study period. In vitro water vapor delivery was greater using non-heated-wire humidification, compared to heated-wire humidification and HME. In vivo, a total of 9 patients were studied. Secretion volume following humidification by non-heated-wire humidification was significantly greater than for heated-wire humidification and HME (P=.004). The volume of secretions appeared to be linked to humidification, as greater water vapor delivery measured in vitro was associated with greater secretion volume in vivo.

Secret key distillation from shielded two-qubit states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bae, Joonwoo

2010-01-01

The quantum states corresponding to a secret key are characterized using the so-called private states, where the key part consisting of a secret key is shielded by the additional systems. Based on the construction, it was shown that a secret key can be distilled from bound entangled states. In this work, I consider the shielded two-qubit states in a key-distillation scenario and derive the conditions under which a secret key can be distilled using the recurrence protocol or the two-way classical distillation, advantage distillation together with one-way postprocessing. From the security conditions, it is shown that a secret key can be distilled from bound entangled states in a much wider range. In addition, I consider the case that in which white noise is added to quantum states and show that the classical distillation protocol still works despite a certain amount of noise although the recurrence protocol does not.

[Characteristics of dry matter production and nitrogen accumulation in barley genotypes with high nitrogen utilization efficiency].

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yi; Li, Ting-Xuan; Zhang, Xi-Zhou; Ji, Lin

2014-07-01

A pot experiment was conducted under low (125 mg x kg-1) and normal (250 mg x kg(-1)) nitrogen treatments. The nitrogen uptake and utilization efficiency of 22 barley cultivars were investigated, and the characteristics of dry matter production and nitrogen accumulation in barley were analyzed. The results showed that nitrogen uptake and utilization efficiency were different for barley under two nitrogen levels. The maximal values of grain yield, nitrogen utilization efficiency for grain and nitrogen harvest index were 2.87, 2.91 and 2.47 times as those of the lowest under the low nitrogen treatment. Grain yield and nitrogen utilization efficiency for grain and nitrogen harvest index of barley genotype with high nitrogen utilization efficiency were significantly greater than low nitrogen utilization efficiency, and the parameters of high nitrogen utilization efficiency genotype were 82.1%, 61.5% and 50.5% higher than low nitrogen utilization efficiency genotype under the low nitrogen treatment. Dry matter mass and nitrogen utilization of high nitrogen utilization efficiency was significantly higher than those of low nitrogen utilization efficiency. A peak of dry matter mass of high nitrogen utilization efficiency occurred during jointing to heading stage, while that of nitrogen accumulation appeared before jointing. Under the low nitrogen treatment, dry matter mass of DH61 and DH121+ was 34.4% and 38.3%, and nitrogen accumulation was 54. 8% and 58.0% higher than DH80, respectively. Dry matter mass and nitrogen accumulation seriously affected yield before jointing stage, and the contribution rates were 47.9% and 54.7% respectively under the low nitrogen treatment. The effect of dry matter and nitrogen accumulation on nitrogen utilization efficiency for grain was the largest during heading to mature stages, followed by sowing to jointing stages, with the contribution rate being 29.5% and 48.7%, 29.0% and 15.8%, respectively. In conclusion, barley genotype with high

Type-IVC Secretion System: A Novel Subclass of Type IV Secretion System (T4SS) Common Existing in Gram-Positive Genus Streptococcus

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chen; Gao, George F.

2012-01-01

A growing number of pathogens are being found to possess specialized secretion systems which they use in various ways to subvert host defenses. Type IV secretion system (T4SS) is one of versatile secretion systems essential for the virulence and even survival of some bacteria species, and they enable the secretion of protein and DNA substrates across the cell envelope. T4SS was once believed to be present only in Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, we present evidence of a new subclass of T4SS, Type-IVC secretion system and indicate its common existence in the Gram-positive bacterial genus Streptococcus. We further identified that VirB1, VirB4, VirB6 and VirD4 are the minimal key components of this system. Using genome comparisons and evolutionary relationship analysis, we proposed that Type-IVC secretion system is movable via transposon factors and mediates the conjugative transfer of DNA, enhances bacterial pathogenicity, and could cause large-scale outbreaks of infections in humans. PMID:23056296

Effects of the amplitude and frequency of salinity fluctuations on antioxidant responses in juvenile tongue sole, Cynoglossus semilaevis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khairnar, S.A.; Tian, X.; Dong, S.; Fang, Z.; Solanki, B.V.; Shanthanagouda, H.A.

2016-11-01

To understand the tolerance of tongue sole, Cynoglossus semilaevis, to varying salinities, the effects of the amplitude (2, 4, 6 and 8 g/L) and frequency (2, 4 and 8 days) of salinity fluctuations on the activities of antioxidant responses, including acidic phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) from antioxidant system in liver, muscle, gills and kidney were investigated in this study. The results showed that the antioxidant responses of tongue sole were highly tissue-specific during the varying salinity fluctuations. In all tissues, ACP and AKP activity was found to be highest at moderate salinity fluctuations compared to the control, low and high salinity treatments (p<0.05). SOD and CAT activities had significant effect due to salinity fluctuations in all tissues (p<0.05), except in hepatic and renal tissues. Variations in branchial SOD activity proved that salinity fluctuations had greater impact on tongue sole at moderate and high fluctuating salinities compared to the control and low fluctuating salinities, whereas the branchial CAT activities showed contrasting trend. Further, cortisol levels were significantly affected in lower and higher salinity fluctuations. However, plasma cortisol levels remained low in moderate salinity fluctuations and control (p<0.05). Taken together, the results indicated that salinity fluctuations could effectively stimulate and enhance the antioxidant enzyme activity in the liver, kidney, gills and muscle of the juvenile tongue sole, thus effectively eliminating the excessive reactive oxygen species and minimizing the body damage in tongue sole or could be for any other euryhaline teleosts. (Author)

Cell Secretion: Current Structural and Biochemical Insights

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saurabh Trikha

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Essential physiological functions in eukaryotic cells, such as release of hormones and digestive enzymes, neurotransmission, and intercellular signaling, are all achieved by cell secretion. In regulated (calcium-dependent secretion, membrane-bound secretory vesicles dock and transiently fuse with specialized, permanent, plasma membrane structures, called porosomes or fusion pores. Porosomes are supramolecular, cup-shaped lipoprotein structures at the cell plasma membrane that mediate and control the release of vesicle cargo to the outside of the cell. The sizes of porosomes range from 150nm in diameter in acinar cells of the exocrine pancreas to 12nm in neurons. In recent years, significant progress has been made in our understanding of the porosome and the cellular activities required for cell secretion, such as membrane fusion and swelling of secretory vesicles. The discovery of the porosome complex and the molecular mechanism of cell secretion are summarized in this article.

The semantics of secrecy: young children's classification of secret content.

Science.gov (United States)

Anagnostaki, Lida; Wright, Michael J; Bourchier-Sutton, Alison J

2010-01-01

The authors explored whether young children can distinguish potential secrets from nonsecrets by their content, as can older children, adolescents, and adults. Ninety children, 4, 5, and 6 years old, rated the secrecy of items from an adult-validated list of personal information about an age- and gender-appropriate puppet. Two factors of the children's data corresponded to the adult categories of nonsecrets and secrets, and a third factor corresponded to surprises. All ages rated surprises as significantly more secret than nonsecret items; however, the surprise items contained linguistic cues to secrecy. A tendency to rate nonsecrets as secret decreased with age, but only the 6-year-olds rated secrets other than surprises as significantly more secret than nonsecrets. Thus, children acquire the implicit rules defining secret content from a somewhat later age than that reported for the cognitive or behavioral capacities for secrecy.

Comparison of Nitrogen Bioaccessibility from Salmon and Whey Protein Hydrolysates using a Human Gastrointestinal Model (TIM-1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bomi Framroze

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Background: The TIM-1 system is a computer-controlled multi-compartmental dynamic model that closely simulates in vivo gastrointestinal tract digestion in humans. During digestion, the compounds released from meal matrix by gastric and intestinal secretions (enzymes are progressively absorbed through semipermeable membranes depending on their molecular weight. These absorbed (dialysed compounds are considered as bioaccessible, which means that they can be theoretically absorbed by the small intestine in the body. Methods: Salmon protein hydrolysate (SPH, whey protein hydrolysates extensively (WPHHigh or weakly (WPH-Low hydrolysed, non-hydrolysed whey protein isolate (WPI and mixtures of WPI:SPH (90:10, 80:20 were digested in TIM-1 using the conditions for a fast gastrointestinal transit that simulate the digestion of a liquid meal in human adults. During digestion (2 hours, samples were collected in intestinal compartments (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum and in both jejunal and ileal dialysates to determine their nitrogen content. All the products were compared in terms of kinetics of nitrogen absorption through the semipermeable membranes (bioaccessible nitrogen and nitrogen distribution throughout the intestinal compartments at the end of the 2 hour digestion. Results: After a 2 h-digestion in TIM-1, SPH was the protein substrate from which the highest amount of nitrogen (67.0% becomes available for the small intestine absorption. WPH-High had the second highest amount (56.0% of bioaccessible nitrogen while this amount decreased to 38.5–42.2% for the other protein substrates. The high nitrogen bioaccessibility of SPH is consistent with its richness in low molecular weight peptides (50% < 1000 Da. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that SPH provides a higher proportion of bioaccessible nitrogen to a healthy adult compared to all forms of whey proteins, including extensively hydrolysed whey protein hydrolysate. The substitution of

The Future Internet: A World of Secret Shares

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William J. Buchanan

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The Public Key Infrastructure (PKI is crumbling, partially due to the lack of a strong understanding of how encryption actually works, but also due to weaknesses in its implementation. This paper outlines an Internet storage technique using secret sharing methods which could be used to overcome the problems inherent with PKI, while supporting new types of architectures incorporating such things as automated failover and break-glass data recovery. The paper outlines a novel architecture: SECRET, which supports a robust cloud-based infrastructure with in-built privacy and failover. In order to understand the performance overhead of SECRET, the paper outlines a range of experiments that investigate the overhead of this and other secret share methods.

Engineering signal peptides for enhanced protein secretion from Lactococcus lactis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Daphne T W; Sarkar, Casim A

2013-01-01

Lactococcus lactis is an attractive vehicle for biotechnological production of proteins and clinical delivery of therapeutics. In many such applications using this host, it is desirable to maximize secretion of recombinant proteins into the extracellular space, which is typically achieved by using the native signal peptide from a major secreted lactococcal protein, Usp45. In order to further increase protein secretion from L. lactis, inherent limitations of the Usp45 signal peptide (Usp45sp) must be elucidated. Here, we performed extensive mutagenesis on Usp45sp to probe the effects of both the mRNA sequence (silent mutations) and the peptide sequence (amino acid substitutions) on secretion. We screened signal peptides based on their resulting secretion levels of Staphylococcus aureus nuclease and further evaluated them for secretion of Bacillus subtilis α-amylase. Silent mutations alone gave an increase of up to 16% in the secretion of α-amylase through a mechanism consistent with relaxed mRNA folding around the ribosome binding site and enhanced translation. Targeted amino acid mutagenesis in Usp45sp, combined with additional silent mutations from the best clone in the initial screen, yielded an increase of up to 51% in maximum secretion of α-amylase while maintaining secretion at lower induction levels. The best sequence from our screen preserves the tripartite structure of the native signal peptide but increases the positive charge of the n-region. Our study presents the first example of an engineered L. lactis signal peptide with a higher secretion yield than Usp45sp and, more generally, provides strategies for further enhancing protein secretion in bacterial hosts.

The problem of using trade secrets in economic relations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

А. О. Олефір

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Problem setting. In a market economy and increased competition between enterprises become increasingly important concepts such as business information, trade secrets, know-how, confidential information, the information with restricted access. Given the fact that only one patent protection is unable to meet the needs of researchers, in addition to formal public protection and secured legal means we would like to pay attention at private legal measures, particular, the mode of trade secrets. Recent research and publications analysis. Different aspects of the protection of trade secrets were investigated by specialists such as G. Androschuk, J. Berzhye, I. Davydov, O. Davydyuk, D. Zadyhaylo, P. Kraynov, G. Nikiforov, S. Nikiforov, V. Rubanov, E. Solovyov, L. Hoffman, V. Chaplygin, A. Cherniavsky and others. However, at present there is a lack of comprehensive research of this legal phenomenon, equally useful for innovators and businesses that actively protect corporate security. Paper objective. This article is planned to determine the legal characteristics, structural elements and mechanisms by which the use of trade secrets in business have a positive impact on innovation development and corporate security entities. Paper main body. On the basis of requirements of Art. 505 Civil Code of Ukraine and art. 39 of the TRIPS Agreement we formulated commercial information signs under which it receives legal protection as an object of intellectual property: (1 privacy (real or potential in the sense that it is as a whole or in a precise combination of aggregate and its components are not generally known or available to persons in the circles that normally deal with such information; (2 commercial value (not purely industrial or industrial, due to its secrecy; this information is unknown to others, which is a commercial interest; (3 the lawful holder of the information provides active special measures (technical, organizational, legal to preserve secrecy

A Public Secret

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bregnbæk, Susanne

2011-01-01

This article is based on anthropological fieldwork undertaken at two elite universities in Beijing. It addresses the paradoxical situation of the many instances of suicide among Chinese elite university students in Beijing, which constitute a public secret. The pressure of education weighs heavily...

Nitrite reductase expression is regulated at the post-transcriptional level by the nitrogen source in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and Arabidopsis thaliana.

Science.gov (United States)

Crété, P; Caboche, M; Meyer, C

1997-04-01

Higher plant nitrite reductase (NiR) is a monomeric chloroplastic protein catalysing the reduction of nitrite, the product of nitrate reduction, to ammonium. The expression of this enzyme is controlled at the transcriptional level by light and by the nitrogen source. In order to study the post-transcriptional regulation of NiR, Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and Arabidopsis thaliana were transformed with a chimaeric NiR construct containing the tobacco leaf NiR1 coding sequence driven by the CaMV 35S RNA promoter. Transformed plants did not show any phenotypic difference when compared with the wild-type, although they overexpressed NiR activity in the leaves. When these plants were grown in vitro on media containing either nitrate or ammonium as sole nitrogen source, NiR mRNA derived from transgene expression was constitutively expressed, whereas NiR activity and protein level were strongly reduced on ammonium-containing medium. These results suggest that, together with transcriptional control, post-transcriptional regulation by the nitrogen source is operating on NiR expression. This post-transcriptional regulation of tobacco leaf NiR1 expression was observed not only in the closely related species N. plumbaginifolia but also in the more distant species A. thaliana.

An unexpected knock on Corrigan’s secret door

Science.gov (United States)

Woywodt, Alexander

2010-01-01

Corrigan’s secret door describes a metaphorical escape route for busy physicians. The term was derived from the successful and exceptionally busy professional life of Irish physician Dominic John Corrigan (1802–80). It is claimed that Corrigan’s outpatient clinic was so busy that he required a secret door in his consulting rooms to escape from the ever-growing queue of eager patients. The origins of this charming story are unknown, and the door may have never existed. However, at present, Corrigan’s secret door is often quoted when busy physicians have their own little ways in surviving a stressful professional life. Generations of British-trained doctors have grown up with Corrigan’s secret door, as it was featured in the introduction of the Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine. Accordingly, trainees as well as more senior doctors are often reminded that having a ‘secret door’ is vital in surviving in the medical profession. My own escape is through classical music and the violoncello, in particular. As the name implies, my own secret door is normally invisible to colleagues and patients. This little article is about a patient who found me out, and a reflection on the role of classical music and the cello in my professional life. PMID:25984078

Effects of de-oiled palm kernel cake based fertilizers on sole maize ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A study was conducted to determine the effect of de-oiled palm kernel cake based fertilizer formulations on the yield of sole maize and cassava crops. Two de-oiled palm kernel cake based fertilizer formulations A and B were compounded from different proportions of de-oiled palm kernel cake, urea, muriate of potash and ...

Pathophysiology of glucagon secretion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boettger, J.; Pabst, H.W.

1980-01-01

Pathophysiology of glucagon secretion is reviewed in brief separating hyperglucagonemic from hypoclucagonemic states. Many questions concerning the role of glucagon in diabetes mellitus and in other diseases are still unresolved. The clucagon RIA is of clinical significance in a few diseases like glucagonoma, which may present without symptoms of the 'glucagonoma syndrome', the probably very rare hyperglucagonemia and some of the spontaneous hypoglycemias. Glucagon secretion may be evaluated by the determination of fasting immunoreactive glucagon (IRG) and by appropriate function tests as stimulation with i.v. arginine and suppression with oral glucose. However, the glucagon RIA at present is not a routine method, although commercial kits are available. Many pitfalls of radioimmunological glucagon determination still exist. (orig.) [de

AFSC/RACE/GAP/Nichol: Archival tag depth and temperature data from northern rock sole

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Depth data from archival tags on northern rock sole (Lepidopsetta polyxystra) were examined to assess whether fish used tidal currents to aid horizontal migration....

Biliary and pancreatic secretions in abdominal irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becciolini, A.; Cionini, L.; Cappellini, M.; Atzeni, G.

1979-01-01

The biliary and pancreatic secretions have been determined in patients given pelvic or para-aortic irradiation, with a dose of 50 Gy in the former group and between 36 and 40 Gy in the latter. A test meal containing polyethylene glycol (PEG) as reference substance was used. Each sample of the duodenal content was assayed for volume, PEG content, amylase and trypsin activity, pH and biliary secretion. No significant modifications of biliary and pancreatic secretions were demonstrated after irradiation, suggesting that these functions are not involved in the pathogenesis of the malabsorption radiation syndrome. (Auth.)

Pancreatic bicarbonate secretion involves two proton pumps.

Science.gov (United States)

Novak, Ivana; Wang, Jing; Henriksen, Katrine L; Haanes, Kristian A; Krabbe, Simon; Nitschke, Roland; Hede, Susanne E

2011-01-07

Pancreas secretes fluid rich in digestive enzymes and bicarbonate. The alkaline secretion is important in buffering of acid chyme entering duodenum and for activation of enzymes. This secretion is formed in pancreatic ducts, and studies to date show that plasma membranes of duct epithelium express H(+)/HCO(3)(-) transporters, which depend on gradients created by the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase. However, the model cannot fully account for high-bicarbonate concentrations, and other active transporters, i.e. pumps, have not been explored. Here we show that pancreatic ducts express functional gastric and non-gastric H(+)-K(+)-ATPases. We measured intracellular pH and secretion in small ducts isolated from rat pancreas and showed their sensitivity to H(+)-K(+) pump inhibitors and ion substitutions. Gastric and non-gastric H(+)-K(+) pumps were demonstrated on RNA and protein levels, and pumps were localized to the plasma membranes of pancreatic ducts. Quantitative analysis of H(+)/HCO(3)(-) and fluid transport shows that the H(+)-K(+) pumps can contribute to pancreatic secretion in several species. Our results call for revision of the bicarbonate transport physiology in pancreas, and most likely other epithelia. Furthermore, because pancreatic ducts play a central role in several pancreatic diseases, it is of high relevance to understand the role of H(+)-K(+) pumps in pathophysiology.

Replenishment and mobilization of intracellular nitrogen pools decouples wine yeast nitrogen uptake from growth

OpenAIRE

SANCHO FORNER, MARTA; Alicia Gutiérrez; BELTRAN CASELLAS, GEMMA; José Manuel Guillamon; Jonas Warringer

2016-01-01

Wine yeast capacity to take up nitrogen from the environment and catabolize it to support population growth, fermentation, and aroma production is critical to wine production. Under nitrogen restriction, yeast nitrogen uptake is believed to be intimately coupled to reproduction with nitrogen catabolite repression (NCR) suggested mediating this link. We provide a time- and strain-resolved view of nitrogen uptake, population growth, and NCR activity in wine yeasts. Nitrogen uptake was found to ...

Effectiveness of Ammonium-Nitrogen and Nitrate-Nitrogen in Irrigation Water in Paddy Rice without Topdressed Nitrogen at the Panicle Formation Stage

OpenAIRE

池田, 元輝; 渡辺, 孝賢; Ikeda, Motoki; Watanabe, Takayasu

2002-01-01

A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of ammonium- and nitrate- nitrogen contained in irrigation water during the reproductive growth period of paddy rice （Oryza sativa L. cv. Hinohikari） that did not receive topdressed nitrogen at the panicle formation stage. lrrigation of water containing a low level of nitrogen （7mgNL^-1） did not increase yields so much compared to topdressed nitrogen. lrrigation of water containing a high level of nitrogen （14mgNL^-1） caused substantia...

Novel Threshold Changeable Secret Sharing Schemes Based on Polynomial Interpolation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Lifeng; Li, Mingchu; Guo, Cheng; Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond; Ren, Yizhi

2016-01-01

After any distribution of secret sharing shadows in a threshold changeable secret sharing scheme, the threshold may need to be adjusted to deal with changes in the security policy and adversary structure. For example, when employees leave the organization, it is not realistic to expect departing employees to ensure the security of their secret shadows. Therefore, in 2012, Zhang et al. proposed (t → t', n) and ({t1, t2,⋯, tN}, n) threshold changeable secret sharing schemes. However, their schemes suffer from a number of limitations such as strict limit on the threshold values, large storage space requirement for secret shadows, and significant computation for constructing and recovering polynomials. To address these limitations, we propose two improved dealer-free threshold changeable secret sharing schemes. In our schemes, we construct polynomials to update secret shadows, and use two-variable one-way function to resist collusion attacks and secure the information stored by the combiner. We then demonstrate our schemes can adjust the threshold safely.

Catechin secretion and phytotoxicity

Science.gov (United States)

Kaushik, Shail

2010-01-01

Research indicates that the invasiveness of Centaurea stoebe is attributed to the stronger allelopathic effects on the native North American species than on the related European species, which is one of the unquestionable aspects of the “novel weapons hypothesis (NWH).” Studies originating from controlled to field conditions have shown that C. stoebe utilizes its biochemical potential to exert its invasiveness. The roots of C. stoebe secrete a potent phytotoxin, catechin, which has a detrimental effect on the surrounding plant species. Although, studies on catechin secretion and phytotoxicity represent one of the most well studied systems describing negative plant-plant interactions, it has also sparked controversies lately due to its phytotoxicity dosages and secretion effluxes. Previous reports negate the phytotoxic and pro-oxidant nature of catechin.1–3 In our recent study we have shown that catechin is highly phytotoxic against Arabidopsis thaliana and Festuca idahoensis. We also show that (±) catechin applied to roots of A. thaliana induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) confirming the pro-oxidant nature of catechin. In addition, activation of signature cell death genes such as acd2 and cad1 post catechin treatment in A. thaliana ascertains the phytotoxic nature of catechin. PMID:21057643

Pathogenesis of canine cortisol-secreting adrenocortical tumors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kool, Miriam

2015-01-01

In dogs, hypercortisolism is one of the most frequently observed endocrine disorders, with an estimated incidence of about 1-2 cases per 1000 dogs per year. Approximately 15% of these cases is due to a cortisol-secreting adrenocortical tumor (AT). Cortisol-secreting ATs are characterized by

Quantum secret sharing with classical Bobs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Lvzhou; Qiu Daowen; Mateus, Paulo

2013-01-01

Boyer et al (2007 Phys. Rev. Lett. 99 140501) proposed a novel idea of semi-quantum key distribution, where a key can be securely distributed between Alice, who can perform any quantum operation, and Bob, who is classical. Extending the ‘semi-quantum’ idea to other tasks of quantum information processing is of interest and worth considering. In this paper, we consider the issue of semi-quantum secret sharing, where a quantum participant Alice can share a secret key with two classical participants, Bobs. After analyzing the existing protocol, we propose a new protocol of semi-quantum secret sharing. Our protocol is more realistic, since it utilizes product states instead of entangled states. We prove that any attempt of an adversary to obtain information necessarily induces some errors that the legitimate users could notice. (paper)

Molecular Mechanisms of Insulin Secretion and Insulin Action.

Science.gov (United States)

Flatt, Peter R.; Bailey, Clifford J.

1991-01-01

Information and current ideas on the factors regulating insulin secretion, the mechanisms underlying the secretion and biological actions of insulin, and the main characteristics of diabetes mellitus are presented. (Author)

Investment in secreted enzymes during nutrient-limited growth is utility dependent.

Science.gov (United States)

Cezairliyan, Brent; Ausubel, Frederick M

2017-09-12

Pathogenic bacteria secrete toxins and degradative enzymes that facilitate their growth by liberating nutrients from the environment. To understand bacterial growth under nutrient-limited conditions, we studied resource allocation between cellular and secreted components by the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa during growth on a protein substrate that requires extracellular digestion by secreted proteases. We identified a quantitative relationship between the rate of increase of cellular biomass under nutrient-limiting growth conditions and the rate of increase in investment in secreted proteases. Production of secreted proteases is stimulated by secreted signals that convey information about the utility of secreted proteins during nutrient-limited growth. Growth modeling using this relationship recapitulated the observed kinetics of bacterial growth on a protein substrate. The proposed regulatory strategy suggests a rationale for quorum-sensing-dependent stimulation of the production of secreted enzymes whereby investment in secreted enzymes occurs in proportion to the utility they confer. Our model provides a framework that can be applied toward understanding bacterial growth in many environments where growth rate is limited by the availability of nutrients.

Nitrogen concentrations in mosses indicate the spatial distribution of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harmens, H., E-mail: hh@ceh.ac.uk [Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Environment Centre Wales, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW (United Kingdom); Norris, D.A., E-mail: danor@ceh.ac.uk [Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Environment Centre Wales, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW (United Kingdom); Cooper, D.M., E-mail: cooper@ceh.ac.uk [Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Environment Centre Wales, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW (United Kingdom); Mills, G., E-mail: gmi@ceh.ac.uk [Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Environment Centre Wales, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW (United Kingdom); Steinnes, E., E-mail: Eiliv.Steinnes@chem.ntnu.no [Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim (Norway); Kubin, E., E-mail: Eero.Kubin@metla.fi [Finnish Forest Research Institute, Kirkkosaarentie 7, 91500 Muhos (Finland); Thoeni, L., E-mail: lotti.thoeni@fub-ag.ch [FUB-Research Group for Environmental Monitoring, Alte Jonastrasse 83, 8640 Rapperswil (Switzerland); Aboal, J.R., E-mail: jesusramon.aboal@usc.es [University of Santiago de Compostela, Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology, 15782 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Alber, R., E-mail: Renate.Alber@provinz.bz.it [Environmental Agency of Bolzano, 39055 Laives (Italy); Carballeira, A., E-mail: alejo.carballeira@usc.es [University of Santiago de Compostela, Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology, 15782 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Coskun, M., E-mail: coskunafm@yahoo.com [Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, 17100 Canakkale (Turkey); De Temmerman, L., E-mail: ludet@var.fgov.be [Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre, Tervuren (Belgium); Frolova, M., E-mail: marina.frolova@lvgma.gov.lv [Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Agency, Riga (Latvia); Gonzalez-Miqueo, L., E-mail: lgonzale2@alumni.unav.es [Univ. of Navarra, Irunlarrea No 1, 31008 Pamplona (Spain)

2011-10-15

In 2005/6, nearly 3000 moss samples from (semi-)natural location across 16 European countries were collected for nitrogen analysis. The lowest total nitrogen concentrations in mosses (<0.8%) were observed in northern Finland and northern UK. The highest concentrations ({>=}1.6%) were found in parts of Belgium, France, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia and Bulgaria. The asymptotic relationship between the nitrogen concentrations in mosses and EMEP modelled nitrogen deposition (averaged per 50 km x 50 km grid) across Europe showed less scatter when there were at least five moss sampling sites per grid. Factors potentially contributing to the scatter are discussed. In Switzerland, a strong (r{sup 2} = 0.91) linear relationship was found between the total nitrogen concentration in mosses and measured site-specific bulk nitrogen deposition rates. The total nitrogen concentrations in mosses complement deposition measurements, helping to identify areas in Europe at risk from high nitrogen deposition at a high spatial resolution. - Highlights: > Nitrogen concentrations in mosses were determined at ca. 3000 sites across Europe. > Moss concentrations were compared with EMEP modelled nitrogen deposition. > The asymptotic relationship for Europe showed saturation at ca. 15 kg N ha{sup -1} y{sup -1}. > Linear relationships were found with measured nitrogen deposition in some countries. > Moss concentrations complement deposition measurements at high spatial resolution. - Mosses as biomonitors of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in Europe.

Effects of Running Shoes with Abrasion Resistant Rubber Sole on the Exercise Capacity of the Human Body

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bo Wang

2017-10-01

Full Text Available With the development of industrialization, rubber has been gradually used in the manufacture of sports equipment for its favourable properties. This study involved the addition of C5 petroleum resin into brominated isobutylene-isoprene rubber (BIIR and butadiene rubber (BR while manufacturing the sole of running shoes. The effects of running shoes with abrasion resistant rubber sole on the exercise capacity of the human body were investigated by analysing the skid resistance and abrasion resistance of the running shoes, and conducting biomechanical study on naked feet and feet wearing the shoes. The results demonstrated that the rubber sole had favourable slip resistance property and mechanical properties such as stretching, abrasion resistance, and hardness. Compared to naked feet, the peak pressure intensity of the whole step of feet wearing the newly developed shoes, was significantly lower than that of feet wearing ordinary shoes. In the future, rubber can bring more comfortable experience because of its favourable properties.

A secreted factor represses cell proliferation in Dictyostelium

OpenAIRE

Brock, Debra A.; Gomer, Richard H.

2005-01-01

Many cells appear to secrete factors called chalones that limit their proliferation, but in most cases the factors have not been identified. We found that growing Dictyostelium cells secrete a 60 kDa protein called AprA for autocrine proliferation repressor. AprA has similarity to putative bacterial proteins of unknown function. Compared with wild-type cells, aprA-null cells proliferate faster, while AprA overexpressing cells proliferate slower. Growing wild-type cells secrete a factor that i...

Neurotrophin Signaling Is Required for Glucose-Induced Insulin Secretion.

Science.gov (United States)

Houtz, Jessica; Borden, Philip; Ceasrine, Alexis; Minichiello, Liliana; Kuruvilla, Rejji

2016-11-07

Insulin secretion by pancreatic islet β cells is critical for glucose homeostasis, and a blunted β cell secretory response is an early deficit in type 2 diabetes. Here, we uncover a regulatory mechanism by which glucose recruits vascular-derived neurotrophins to control insulin secretion. Nerve growth factor (NGF), a classical trophic factor for nerve cells, is expressed in pancreatic vasculature while its TrkA receptor is localized to islet β cells. High glucose rapidly enhances NGF secretion and increases TrkA phosphorylation in mouse and human islets. Tissue-specific deletion of NGF or TrkA, or acute disruption of TrkA signaling, impairs glucose tolerance and insulin secretion in mice. We show that internalized TrkA receptors promote insulin granule exocytosis via F-actin reorganization. Furthermore, NGF treatment augments glucose-induced insulin secretion in human islets. These findings reveal a non-neuronal role for neurotrophins and identify a new regulatory pathway in insulin secretion that can be targeted to ameliorate β cell dysfunction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nitrogen solubility in the deep mantle and the origin of Earth's primordial nitrogen budget

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshioka, Takahiro; Wiedenbeck, Michael; Shcheka, Svyatoslav; Keppler, Hans

2018-04-01

The solubility of nitrogen in the major minerals of the Earth's transition zone and lower mantle (wadsleyite, ringwoodite, bridgmanite, and Ca-silicate perovskite) coexisting with a reduced, nitrogen-rich fluid phase was measured. Experiments were carried out in multi-anvil presses at 14 to 24 GPa and 1100 to 1800 °C close to the Fe-FeO buffer. Starting materials were enriched in 15N and the nitrogen concentrations in run products were measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry. Observed nitrogen (15N) solubilities in wadsleyite and ringwoodite typically range from 10 to 250 μg/g and strongly increase with temperature. Nitrogen solubility in bridgmanite is about 20 μg/g, while Ca-silicate perovskite incorporates about 30 μg/g under comparable conditions. Partition coefficients of nitrogen derived from coexisting phases are DNwadsleyite/olivine = 5.1 ± 2.1, DNringwoodite/wadsleyite = 0.49 ± 0.29, and DNbridgmanite/ringwoodite = 0.24 (+ 0.30 / - 0.19). Nitrogen solubility in the solid, iron-rich metal phase coexisting with the silicates was also measured and reached a maximum of nearly 1 wt.% 15N at 23 GPa and 1400 °C. These data yield a partition coefficient of nitrogen between iron metal and bridgmanite of DNmetal/bridgmanite ∼ 98, implying that in a lower mantle containing about 1% of iron metal, about half of the nitrogen still resides in the silicates. The high nitrogen solubility in wadsleyite and ringwoodite may be responsible for the low nitrogen concentrations often observed in ultradeep diamonds from the transition zone. Overall, the solubility data suggest that the transition zone and the lower mantle have the capacity to store at least 33 times the mass of nitrogen presently residing in the atmosphere. By combining the nitrogen solubility data in minerals with data on nitrogen solubility in silicate melts, mineral/melt partition coefficients of nitrogen can be estimated, from which the behavior of nitrogen during magma ocean crystallization can

Cholinergic and VIPergic effects on thyroid hormone secretion in the mouse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahren, B.

1985-01-01

The thyroid gland is known to harbor cholinergic and VIPergic nerves. In the present study, the influences of cholinergic stimulation by carbachol, cholinergic blockade by methylatropine and stimulation with various VIP sequences on basal, TSH-induced and VIP-induced thyroid hormone secretion were investigated in vivo in mice. The mice were pretreated with 125 I and thyroxine; the subsequent release of 125 I is an estimation of thyroid hormone secretion. It was found that basal radioiodine secretion was inhibited by both carbachol and methylatropine. Furthermore, TSH-induced radioiodine secretion was inhibited already by a low dose of carbachol. Moreover, a high dose of carbachol could inhibit VIP-induced radioiodine secretion. Methylatropine did not influence TSH- or VIP-stimulated radioiodine secretion, but counteracted the inhibitory action of carbachol on TSH- and VIP-induced radioiodine release. In addition, contrary to VIP, six various synthesized VIP fragments had no effect on basal or stimulated radioiodine release. It is concluded that basal thyroid hormone secretion is inhibited by both cholinergic activation and blockade. Furthermore, TSH-induced thyroid hormone secretion is more sensitive to inhibition with cholinergic stimulation than is VIP-induced thyroid hormone secretion. In addition, the VIP stimulation of thyroid hormone secretion seems to require the full VIP sequence

Discovery of the type VII ESX-1 secretion needle?

Science.gov (United States)

Ates, Louis S; Brosch, Roland

2017-01-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the etiological agent of human tuberculosis, harbours five ESAT-6/type VII secretion (ESX/T7S) systems. The first esx gene clusters were identified during the genome-sequencing project of M. tuberculosis H37Rv. Follow-up studies revealed additional genes playing important roles in ESX/T7S systems. Among the latter genes, one can find those that encode Pro-Glu (PE) and Pro-Pro-Glu (PPE) proteins as well as a gene cluster that is encoded >260 kb upstream of the esx-1 locus and encodes ESX-1 secretion-associated proteins EspA (Rv3616c), EspC (Rv3615c) and EspD (Rv3614c). The espACD cluster has been suggested to have an important function in ESX-1 secretion since EspA-EspC and EsxA-EsxB are mutually co-dependent on each other for secretion. However, the molecular mechanism of this co-dependence and interaction between the substrates remained unknown. In this issue of Molecular Microbiology, Lou and colleagues show that EspC forms high-molecular weight polymerization complexes that resemble selected components of type II, III and/or IV secretion systems of Gram-negative bacteria. Indeed, EspC-multimeric complexes form filamentous structures that could well represent a secretion needle of ESX-1 type VII secretion systems. This exciting observation opens new avenues for research to discover and characterize ESX/T7S components and elucidates the co-dependence of EsxA/B secretion with EspA/C. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Proteomic Identification of Novel Secreted Antibacterial Toxins of the Serratia marcescens Type VI Secretion System*

Science.gov (United States)

Fritsch, Maximilian J.; Trunk, Katharina; Diniz, Juliana Alcoforado; Guo, Manman; Trost, Matthias; Coulthurst, Sarah J.

2013-01-01

It has recently become apparent that the Type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a complex macromolecular machine used by many bacterial species to inject effector proteins into eukaryotic or bacterial cells, with significant implications for virulence and interbacterial competition. “Antibacterial” T6SSs, such as the one elaborated by the opportunistic human pathogen, Serratia marcescens, confer on the secreting bacterium the ability to rapidly and efficiently kill rival bacteria. Identification of secreted substrates of the T6SS is critical to understanding its role and ability to kill other cells, but only a limited number of effectors have been reported so far. Here we report the successful use of label-free quantitative mass spectrometry to identify at least eleven substrates of the S. marcescens T6SS, including four novel effector proteins which are distinct from other T6SS-secreted proteins reported to date. These new effectors were confirmed as antibacterial toxins and self-protecting immunity proteins able to neutralize their cognate toxins were identified. The global secretomic study also unexpectedly revealed that protein phosphorylation-based post-translational regulation of the S. marcescens T6SS differs from that of the paradigm, H1-T6SS of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Combined phosphoproteomic and genetic analyses demonstrated that conserved PpkA-dependent threonine phosphorylation of the T6SS structural component Fha is required for T6SS activation in S. marcescens and that the phosphatase PppA can reverse this modification. However, the signal and mechanism of PpkA activation is distinct from that observed previously and does not appear to require cell–cell contact. Hence this study has not only demonstrated that new and species-specific portfolios of antibacterial effectors are secreted by the T6SS, but also shown for the first time that PpkA-dependent post-translational regulation of the T6SS is tailored to fit the needs of different bacterial

Secret rate - Privacy leakage in biometric systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ignatenko, T.; Willems, F.M.J.

2009-01-01

Ahlswede and Csiszár [1993] introduced the concept of secret sharing. In their source model two terminals observe two correlated sequences. It is the objective of the terminals to form a common secret by interchanging a public message (helper data) in such a way that the secrecy leakage is

Integrated use of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, biogas slurry and chemical nitrogen for sustainable production of maize under salt-affected conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, M.; Jamil, M.; Akhtar, F.U.Z.

2014-01-01

Salinity is one of the most critical constraints hampering agricultural production throughout the world, including Pakistan. Some plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have the ability to reduce the deleterious effect of salinity on plants due to the presence of ACC-deaminase enzyme along with some other mechanisms. The integrated use of organic, chemical and biofertilizers can reduce dependence on expensive chemical inputs. To sustain high crop yields without deterioration of soil fertility, it is important to work out optimal combination of chemical and biofertilizers, and manures in the cropping system. A pot trial was conducted to study the effect of integrated use of PGPR, chemical nitrogen, and biogas slurry for sustainable production of maize under salt-stressed conditions and for good soil health. Results showed that sole application of PGPR, chemical nitrogen and biogas slurry enhanced maize growth but their combined application was more effective. Maximum improvement in maize growth, yield, ionic concentration in leaves and nutrient concentration in grains was observed in the treatment where PGPR and biogas slurry was used in the presence of 100% recommended nitrogen as chemical fertilizer. It also improved the soil pH, ECe, and available N, P and K contents. It is concluded that integrated use of PGPR, biogas slurry and chemical nitrogen not only enhanced maize growth, yield and quality but also improved soil health. So, it may be evaluated under field conditions to get sustained yield of maize from salt-affected soils. (author)

Rovibrational coupling in molecular nitrogen at high temperature: An atomic-level study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Valentini, Paolo, E-mail: vale0142@umn.edu; Norman, Paul, E-mail: norma198@umn.edu; Zhang, Chonglin, E-mail: zhang993@umn.edu; Schwartzentruber, Thomas E., E-mail: schwart@aem.umn.edu [Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, College of Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455 (United States)

2014-05-15

This article contains an atomic-level numerical investigation of rovibrational relaxation in molecular nitrogen at high temperature (>4000 K), neglecting dissociation. We conduct our study with the use of pure Molecular Dynamics (MD) and Classical Trajectory Calculations (CTC) Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC), verified to produce statistically identical results at the conditions of interest here. MD and CTC DSMC solely rely on the specification of a potential energy surface: in this work, the site-site Ling-Rigby potential. Additionally, dissociation is prevented by modeling the N–N bond either as a harmonic or an anharmonic spring. The selected molecular model was shown to (i) recover the shear viscosity (obtained from equilibrium pure MD Green-Kubo calculations) of molecular nitrogen over a wide range of temperatures, up to dissociation; (ii) predict well the near-equilibrium rotational relaxation behavior of N{sub 2}; (iii) reproduce vibrational relaxation times in excellent accordance with the Millikan-White correlation and previous semi-classical trajectory calculations in the low temperature range, i.e., between 4000 K and 10 000 K. By simulating isothermal relaxations in a periodic box, we found that the traditional two-temperature model assumptions become invalid at high temperatures (>10 000 K), due to a significant coupling between rotational and vibrational modes for bound states. This led us to add a modification to both the Jeans and the Landau-Teller equations to include a coupling term, essentially described by an additional relaxation time for internal energy equilibration. The degree of anharmonicity of the N{sub 2} bond determines the strength of the rovibrational coupling. Although neglecting N{sub 2} dissociation only provides a partial description of a nitrogen system at very high temperatures, high-energy trends for bound-bound transitions are essential to understand nonequilibrium gas flows, with possible implications on rovibration

Rovibrational coupling in molecular nitrogen at high temperature: An atomic-level study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valentini, Paolo; Norman, Paul; Zhang, Chonglin; Schwartzentruber, Thomas E.

2014-01-01

This article contains an atomic-level numerical investigation of rovibrational relaxation in molecular nitrogen at high temperature (>4000 K), neglecting dissociation. We conduct our study with the use of pure Molecular Dynamics (MD) and Classical Trajectory Calculations (CTC) Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC), verified to produce statistically identical results at the conditions of interest here. MD and CTC DSMC solely rely on the specification of a potential energy surface: in this work, the site-site Ling-Rigby potential. Additionally, dissociation is prevented by modeling the N–N bond either as a harmonic or an anharmonic spring. The selected molecular model was shown to (i) recover the shear viscosity (obtained from equilibrium pure MD Green-Kubo calculations) of molecular nitrogen over a wide range of temperatures, up to dissociation; (ii) predict well the near-equilibrium rotational relaxation behavior of N 2 ; (iii) reproduce vibrational relaxation times in excellent accordance with the Millikan-White correlation and previous semi-classical trajectory calculations in the low temperature range, i.e., between 4000 K and 10 000 K. By simulating isothermal relaxations in a periodic box, we found that the traditional two-temperature model assumptions become invalid at high temperatures (>10 000 K), due to a significant coupling between rotational and vibrational modes for bound states. This led us to add a modification to both the Jeans and the Landau-Teller equations to include a coupling term, essentially described by an additional relaxation time for internal energy equilibration. The degree of anharmonicity of the N 2 bond determines the strength of the rovibrational coupling. Although neglecting N 2 dissociation only provides a partial description of a nitrogen system at very high temperatures, high-energy trends for bound-bound transitions are essential to understand nonequilibrium gas flows, with possible implications on rovibration

Security of the AES with a Secret S-Box

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tiessen, Tyge; Knudsen, Lars Ramkilde; Kölbl, Stefan

2015-01-01

How does the security of the AES change when the S-box is replaced by a secret S-box, about which the adversary has no knowledge? Would it be safe to reduce the number of encryption rounds? In this paper, we demonstrate attacks based on integral cryptanalysis which allow to recover both the secret...... key and the secret S-box for respectively four, five, and six rounds of the AES. Despite the significantly larger amount of secret information which an adversary needs to recover, the attacks are very efficient with time/data complexities of 217/216, 238/240 and 290/264, respectively. Another...

Heterologous protein secretion in Lactococcus lactis: a novel antigen delivery system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Langella P.

1999-01-01

Full Text Available Lactic acid bacteria (LAB are Gram-positive bacteria and are generally regarded as safe (GRAS organisms. Therefore, LAB could be used for heterologous protein secretion and they are good potential candidates as antigen delivery vehicles. To develop such live vaccines, a better control of protein secretion is required. We developed an efficient secretion system in the model LAB, Lactococcus lactis. Staphylococcal nuclease (Nuc was used as the reporter protein. We first observed that the quantity of secreted Nuc correlated with the copy number of the cloning vector. The nuc gene was cloned on a high-copy number cloning vector and no perturbation of the metabolism of the secreting strain was observed. Replacement of nuc native promoter by a strong lactococcal one led to a significant increase of nuc expression. Secretion efficiency (SE of Nuc in L. lactis was low, i.e., only 60% of the synthesized Nuc was secreted. Insertion of a synthetic propeptide between the signal peptide and the mature moiety of Nuc increased the SE of Nuc. On the basis of these results, we developed a secretion system and we applied it to the construction of an L. lactis strain which secretes a bovine coronavirus (BCV epitope-protein fusion (BCV-Nuc. BCV-Nuc was recognized by both anti-BCV and anti-Nuc antibodies. Secretion of this antigenic fusion is the first step towards the development of a novel antigen delivery system based on LAB-secreting strains.

Human renin biosynthesis and secretion in normal and ischemic kidneys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pratt, R.E.; Carleton, J.E.; Richie, J.P.; Heusser, C.; Dzau, V.J.

1987-01-01

The pathway of renin biosynthesis and secretion in normal and ischemic human kidneys has been investigated by pulse-labeling experiments. The results indicate that in normal human kidney, preprorenin is rapidly processed to 47-kDa prorenin. Microradiosequencing showed that this molecule was generated by cleavage between Gly-23 and Leu-24, yielding a 43-amino acid proregion. Analysis of prorenin secreted by the kidney tissue yielded an identical sequence, indicating that prorenin is secreted without any further proteolysis. An examination of the kinetics of processing and secretion suggested that a majority of the newly synthesized prorenin is quickly secreted, while only a small fraction is processed intracellularly to the mature renin. The differences in secretion kinetics between prorenin and mature renin and the selective inhibition of prorenin secretion by monensin suggest that they are secreted independently via two pathways: a constitutive pathway probably from the Golgi or protogranules that rapidly release prorenin and a regulated pathway that secretes mature renin from the mature granules. A comparison of the kinetics of processing between normal and ischemic tissues suggests that renal ischemia leads to an overall increase in the rate of processing or prorenin to mature renin. In addition, prolonged biosynthetic labeling of renin in the ischemic kidney yielded two smaller molecular weight immunoreactive forms suggestive of renin fragments that may be degradative products. These fragments were not detected in normal kidney tissue labeled for similar lengths of time

Studies in cross-linking PVC footwear soling compounds using gamma-irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bloom, L.I.

1983-01-01

Irradiation cross-linking of polymeric materials has been known for some time, but it is only in recent years that it has been put to commercial advantage. Well known uses are the modification of PVC for higher temperature applications. Fundamental studies were carried out on amongst other materials, plasticised PVC compounds for use in cable applications. The results of this work, encouraged the author to investigate cross-linkable PVC in areas such as footwear soling

Constitutive protein secretion from the exocrine pancreas of fetal rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arvan, P.; Chang, A.

1987-01-01

Two general kinds of exocytotic secretion of proteins are known: that which is stimulated by secretagogues; and constitutive exocytosis, which is unable to be stimulated. The exocrine pancreas has often been cited as a model system for the first kind of secretion. However, the release of digestive enzymes from the exocrine pancreas of 1-day prenatal rats cannot be stimulated by secretagogues; therefore, its secretion is constitutive. To gain insight into the intracellular pathways which mediate secretion in the fetal gland, we examined the kinetics of release of newly synthesized proteins. We find that fetal pancreas in a steady state of secretion releases pulse-labeled secretory proteins in two kinetically distinct phases. The first phase occurring during 0-6.5 h of chase comprises approximately 12% of total incorporated radioactivity, the second phase beginning at greater than 7 h of chase comprises the remainder. Based on analysis by electron microscope autoradiography, radiolabel is localized during the first phase of secretion in immature granules/condensing vacuoles, Golgi compartments, and few mature granules. The second phase of secretion occurs when radiolabel is predominantly in mature granules. We propose that secretion occurs via (at least) 2 exocytotic routes, both of which are constitutive in fetal pancreatic tissue

Multiparty Quantum Secret Sharing of Quantum States Using Entanglement States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ying, Guo; Da-Zu, Huang; Gui-Hua, Zeng; Ho, Lee Moon

2008-01-01

A multi-partite-controlled quantum secret sharing scheme using several non-orthogonal entanglement states is presented with unconditional security. In this scheme, the participants share the secret quantum state by exchanging the secret polarization angles of the disordered travel particles. The security of the secret quantum state is also guaranteed by the non-orthogonal multi-partite-controlled entanglement states, the participants' secret polarizations, and the disorder of the travelling particles. Moreover, the present scheme is secure against the particle-number splitting attack and the intercept-and-resend attack. It may be still secure even if the distributed quantum state is embedded in a not-so-weak coherent-state pulse

Adaptive Secret Sharing for Color Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jia-Hong Li

2011-10-01

Full Text Available A secret sharing model can secure a secret over multiple noise-like shadows and remain recoverable despite multiple shadow failures. Even if some of the shadows are compromised, the secret will not be revealed as long as the number of the compromised shadows is smaller than a pre-determined threshold. Moreover, there are some necessary details of concerns: the malicious tampering on shadows must be detectable; the shadows must be concealed in a camouflage image with adequate quality to reduce suspicion and possible attack; color image properties must be considered. In addition to these concerns, in this paper, an adaptable mechanism is further designed to balance the hiding quantity and the quality of camouflage images depending on different applications.This is an important and interesting aspect that has never been discussed in previous research.

LcrQ and SycH function together at the Ysc type III secretion system in Yersinia pestis to impose a hierarchy of secretion.

Science.gov (United States)

Wulff-Strobel, Christine R; Williams, Andrew W; Straley, Susan C

2002-01-01

LcrQ is a regulatory protein unique to Yersinia. Previous study in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and Yersinia enterocolitica prompted the model in which LcrQ negatively regulates the expression of a set of virulence proteins called Yops, and its secretion upon activation of the Yop secretion (Ysc) type III secretion system permits full induction of Yops expression. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that LcrQ's effects on Yops expression might be indirect. Excess LcrQ was found to exert an inhibitory effect specifically at the level of Yops secretion, independent of production, and a normal inner Ysc gate protein LcrG was required for this activity. However, overexpression of LcrQ did not prevent YopH secretion, suggesting that LcrQ's effects at the Ysc discriminate among the Yops. We tested this idea by determining the effects of deletion or overexpression of LcrQ, YopH and their common chaperone SycH on early Yop secretion through the Ysc. Together, our findings indicated that LcrQ is not a negative regulator directly, but it acts in partnership with SycH at the Ysc gate to control the entry of a set of Ysc secretion substrates. A hierarchy of YopH secretion before YopE appears to be imposed by SycH in conjunction with both LcrQ and YopH. LcrQ and SycH in addition influenced the deployment of LcrV, a component of the Yops delivery mechanism. Accordingly, LcrQ appears to be a central player in determining the substrate specificity of the Ysc.

Effect of residual nitrogen and fertilizer nitrogen on sugar beet production in Finland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veikko Brummer

1974-09-01

Full Text Available Preliminary determinations for NO3- and NH4-N in topsoil from nitrogen field experiments are discussed. The amounts of residual nitrogen as well as the dates and depth for sampling are considerd in order to investigate the need of fertilizer-N for continuous sugar beet. Tops ploughed down as manure increased the available soil nitrogen by about 50 kg/ha. In practice nitrogen from fertilizer and farmyard manure given to previous beet crops seems to accumulate in the beet soils of Finland. The concentrations of nitrate and ammonium nitrogen in topsoil were low in the spring of 1972 and 1973. NO3-N increased in topsoil during the early summer, and the highest concentrations were found at the beginning of July. Starting from the middle of July the amount of NH4-N began to increase both in topsoil and in subsoil. With increasing amounts of nitrogen in the topsoil the sugar content decreases continuously. Also the α-amio N content of beets correlates with the soil nitrogen. There is experimental evidence that 150 180 kg/ha nitrate nitrogen in topsoil (residual + fertilizer N in early July gives the best economic result. The effects of fertilizer and accumulated soil nitrogen on the sugar beet quality together with som other experimental data have been statistically analysed. Regression coefficients indicated that both forms of nitrogen affected the suger content, the α-amino N concentration and clear juice purity, in a similar way.

MONA Implementation Secrets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klarlund, Nils; Møller, Anders; Schwartzbach, Michael Ignatieff

2002-01-01

a period of six years. Compared to the first naive version, the present tool is faster by several orders of magnitude. This speedup is obtained from many different contributions working on all levels of the compilation and execution of formulas. We present a selection of implementation "secrets" that have...

Autophagy Mediates Interleukin-1β Secretion in Human Neutrophils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leonardo Iula

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Interleukin-1β (IL-1β, a major pro-inflammatory cytokine, is a leaderless cytosolic protein whose secretion does not follow the classical endoplasmic reticulum-to-Golgi pathway, and for which a canonical mechanism of secretion remains to be established. Neutrophils are essential players against bacterial and fungi infections. These cells are rapidly and massively recruited from the circulation into infected tissues and, beyond of displaying an impressive arsenal of toxic weapons effective to kill pathogens, are also an important source of IL-1β in infectious conditions. Here, we analyzed if an unconventional secretory autophagy mechanism is involved in the exportation of IL-1β by these cells. Our findings indicated that inhibition of autophagy with 3-methyladenine and Wortmannin markedly reduced IL-1β secretion induced by LPS + ATP, as did the disruption of the autophagic flux with Bafilomycin A1 and E64d. These compounds did not noticeable affect neutrophil viability ruling out that the effects on IL-1β secretion were due to cell death. Furthermore, VPS34IN-1, a specific autophagy inhibitor, was still able to reduce IL-1β secretion when added after it was synthesized. Moreover, siRNA-mediated knockdown of ATG5 markedly reduced IL-1β secretion in neutrophil-differentiated PLB985 cells. Upon LPS + ATP stimulation, IL-1β was incorporated to an autophagic compartment, as was revealed by its colocalization with LC3B by confocal microscopy. Overlapping of IL-1β-LC3B in a vesicular compartment peaked before IL-1β increased in culture supernatants. On the other hand, stimulation of autophagy by cell starvation augmented the colocalization of IL-1β and LC3B and then promoted neutrophil IL-1β secretion. In addition, specific ELISAs indicated that although both IL-1β and pro-IL-1β are released to culture supernatants upon neutrophil stimulation, autophagy only promotes IL-1β secretion. Furthermore, the serine proteases inhibitor

[Safety and efficacy of percutaneous patent ductus arteriosus closure solely under thoracic echocardiography guidance].

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Xiangbin; Ouyang, Wenbin; Li, Shoujun; Guo, Gaili; Liu, Yao; Zhang, Dawei; Zhang, Fengwen; Pang, Kunjing; Fang, Nengxin; Hu, Shengshou

2015-01-01

To avoid the radiation injuries and use of contrast agent, we assessed the safety and efficacy of percutaneous patent ductus arteriosus closure solely under thoracic echocardiography guidance. From June 2013 to June 2014, thirty patients (mean age: (6.3 ± 2.5) years, mean body weight:(22.5 ± 7.3) kg) with pure patent ductus arteriosus were continuously included in this study. The mean diameter of patent ductus arteriosus was (3.8 ± 0.9) mm. Patients were all treated by percutaneous patent ductus arteriosus closure via right femoral artery solely under thoracic echocardiography guidance. The efficacy of the procedure was evaluated by thoracic echocardiography. Follow-up was performed at one month after procedure. All 30 cases were successfully treated with percutaneous patent ductus arteriosus closure solely under thracic echocardiography guidance. The procedural time was (32.8 ± 5.7) minutes. The mean diameter of Amplatzer ADO II was (4.9 ± 1.0) mm. Postoperative trivial residual shunt occurred in six patients immediately after the procedure. All patients survived without peripheral vascular injury or complications such as cardiac perforation. Hospitalization time was (3.4 ± 0.7) days. At one-month follow-up, no complications such as residual shunt or pericardial effusion were observed. Echocardiography guided percutaneous patent ductus arteriosus closure by femoral artery approach is safe and effective, and can avoid X-ray and the use of contrast agents.

Is nitrogen the next carbon?

Science.gov (United States)

Battye, William; Aneja, Viney P.; Schlesinger, William H.

2017-09-01

Just as carbon fueled the Industrial Revolution, nitrogen has fueled an Agricultural Revolution. The use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers and the cultivation of nitrogen-fixing crops both expanded exponentially during the last century, with most of the increase occurring after 1960. As a result, the current flux of reactive, or fixed, nitrogen compounds to the biosphere due to human activities is roughly equivalent to the total flux of fixed nitrogen from all natural sources, both on land masses and in the world's oceans. Natural fluxes of fixed nitrogen are subject to very large uncertainties, but anthropogenic production of reactive nitrogen has increased almost fivefold in the last 60 years, and this rapid increase in anthropogenic fixed nitrogen has removed any uncertainty on the relative importance of anthropogenic fluxes to the natural budget. The increased use of nitrogen has been critical for increased crop yields and protein production needed to keep pace with the growing world population. However, similar to carbon, the release of fixed nitrogen into the natural environment is linked to adverse consequences at local, regional, and global scales. Anthropogenic contributions of fixed nitrogen continue to grow relative to the natural budget, with uncertain consequences.

31 CFR 401.1 - Secret Service agents authorized to make seizures.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Secret Service agents authorized to... Finance (Continued) SECRET SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY SEIZURE AND FORFEITURE OF VESSELS, VEHICLES... Secret Service agents authorized to make seizures. All officers of the U.S. Secret Service engaged in the...

Nitrogen accumulation and residual effects of nitrogen catch crops

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, E.S.

1991-01-01

The nitrogen accumulation in Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), white mustard (Sinapis alba L.) and tansy phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia L.), under- or aftersown as nitrogen catch crops to spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and field pea (Pisum s...

Uteroglobin, an apically secreted protein of the uterine epithelium, is secreted non-polarized form MDCK cells and mainly basolaterally from Caco-2 cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vogel, L K; Suske, G; Beato, M

1993-01-01

A complete cDNA encoding rabbit uteroglobin was constructed and expressed in MDCK and Caco-2 cells. The MDCK cells secrete uteroglobin in approximately equal amounts to the apical and the basolateral side, whereas the Caco-2 cells secrete uteroglobin mainly to the basolateral side. Both MDCK...... and Caco-2 cells thus secrete uteroglobin in a non-sorted manner. It has, however, previously been shown that uteroglobin is secreted exclusively at the apical membrane in primary cell culture of endometrial epithelial cells [S.K. Mani et al. (1991) Endocrinology 128, 1563-1573]. This suggests that either...... the endometrial epithelium has an apical default pathway or recognises a sorting signal not recognised by MDCK cells and Caco-2 cells. Our data thus show that a soluble molecule can be secreted at the apical, the basolateral or both membranes depending on the cell type....

Relationship of Nitrogen Use Efficiency with the Activities of Enzymes Involved in Nitrogen Uptake and Assimilation of Finger Millet Genotypes Grown under Different Nitrogen Inputs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nidhi Gupta

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Nitrogen responsiveness of three-finger millet genotypes (differing in their seed coat colour PRM-1 (brown, PRM-701 (golden, and PRM-801 (white grown under different nitrogen doses was determined by analyzing the growth, yield parameters and activities of nitrate reductase (NR, glutamine synthetase (GS, glutamate synthase; GOGAT, and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH at different developmental stages. High nitrogen use efficiency and nitrogen utilization efficiency were observed in PRM-1 genotype, whereas high nitrogen uptake efficiency was observed in PRM-801 genotype. At grain filling nitrogen uptake efficiency in PRM-1 negatively correlated with NR, GS, GOGAT activities whereas it was positively correlated in PRM-701 and PRM-801, however, GDH showed a negative correlation. Growth and yield parameters indicated that PRM-1 responds well at high nitrogen conditions while PRM-701 and PRM-801 respond well at normal and low nitrogen conditions respectively. The study indicates that PRM-1 is high nitrogen responsive and has high nitrogen use efficiency, whereas golden PRM-701 and white PRM-801 are low nitrogen responsive genotypes and have low nitrogen use efficiency. However, the crude grain protein content was higher in PRM-801 genotype followed by PRM-701 and PRM-1, indicating negative correlation of nitrogen use efficiency with source to sink relationship in terms of seed protein content.

Feeding Behaviour, Swimming Activity and Boldness Explain Variation in Feed Intake and Growth of Sole (Solea Solea) Reared in Captivity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mas-Munoz, J.; Komen, J.; Schneider, O.; Visch, S.W.; Schrama, J.W.

2011-01-01

The major economic constraint for culturing sole (Solea solea) is its slow and variable growth. The objective was to study the relationship between feed intake/efficiency, growth, and (non-) feeding behaviour of sole. Sixteen juveniles with an average (SD) growth of 2.7 (1.9) g/kg0.8/d were selected

Excreted/Secreted Proteins from Trypanosome Procyclic Strains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Celestine Michelle Atyame Nten

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Trypanosoma secretome was shown to be involved in parasite virulence and is suspected of interfering in parasite life-cycle steps such as establishment in the Glossina midgut, metacyclogenesis. Therefore, we attempted to identify the proteins secreted by procyclic strains of T. brucei gambiense and T. brucei brucei, responsible for human and animal trypanosomiasis, respectively. Using mass spectrometry, 427 and 483 nonredundant proteins were characterized in T. brucei brucei and T. brucei gambiense secretomes, respectively; 35% and 42% of the corresponding secretome proteins were specifically secreted by T. brucei brucei and T. brucei gambiense, respectively, while 279 proteins were common to both subspecies. The proteins were assigned to 12 functional classes. Special attention was paid to the most abundant proteases (14 families because of their potential implication in the infection process and nutrient supply. The presence of proteins usually secreted via an exosome pathway suggests that this type of process is involved in trypanosome ESP secretion. The overall results provide leads for further research to develop novel tools for blocking trypanosome transmission.

Omeprazole promotes proximal duodenal mucosal bicarbonate secretion in humans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mertz-Nielsen, Anette; Hillingsø, J; Bukhave, Klaus

1996-01-01

this incidental finding is explained by more potent gastric acid inhibition by omeprazole or might be caused by the different mode of drug action. Basal and stimulated gastric and duodenal bicarbonate secretion rates were measured in the same subjects in control experiments (n=17) and after pretreatment with high......H 6.9 v 6.8; p>0.05). Omeprazole caused higher rates of basal (mean (SEM)) (597 (48) v 351 (39) mu mol/h; pstimulated (834 (72) v 474 (66) mu mol/h; pstimulated (3351 (678) v 2550 (456) mu mol/h; p>0.05) duodenal bicarbonate secretion compared with control...... experiments. Also the combination of omeprazole and ranitidine increased (p=0.05) duodenal bicarbonate secretion, while ranitidine alone caused no change in either basal or stimulated secretion. In the stomach basal as well as vagally stimulated bicarbonate secretion was independent of the means of acid...

Glutamine nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen supplied as a nitrogen source is not converted into nitrate nitrogen of plant tissues of hydroponically grown pak-choi (Brassica chinensis L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, H-J; Wu, L-H; Tao, Q-N; Miller, D D; Welch, R M

2009-03-01

Many vegetables, especially leafy vegetables, accumulate NO(-) (3)-N in their edible portions. High nitrate levels in vegetables constitute a health hazard, such as cancers and blue baby syndrome. The aim of this study was to determine if (1) ammonium nitrogen (NH(+) (4)-N) and glutamine-nitrogen (Gln-N) absorbed by plant roots is converted into nitrate-nitrogen of pak-choi (Brassica chinensis L.) tissues, and (2) if nitrate-nitrogen (NO(-) (3)-N) accumulation and concentration of pak-choi tissues linearly increase with increasing NO(-) (3)-N supply when grown in nutrient solution. In experiment 1, 4 different nitrogen treatments (no nitrogen, NH(+) (4)-N, Gln-N, and NO(-) (3)-N) with equal total N concentrations in treatments with added N were applied under sterile nutrient medium culture conditions. In experiment 2, 5 concentrations of N (from 0 to 48 mM), supplied as NO(-) (3)-N in the nutrient solution, were tested. The results showed that Gln-N and NH(+) (4)-N added to the nutrient media were not converted into nitrate-nitrogen of plant tissues. Also, NO(-) (3)-N accumulation in the pak-choi tissues was the highest when plants were supplied 24 mM NO(-) (3)-N in the media. The NO(-) (3)-N concentration in plant tissues was quadratically correlated to the NO(-) (3)-N concentration supplied in the nutrient solution.

Salivary Gland Secretion.

Science.gov (United States)

Dorman, H. L.; And Others

1981-01-01

Describes materials and procedures for an experiment utilizing a live dog to demonstrate: (1) physiology of the salivary gland; (2) parasympathetic control of the salivary gland; (3) influence of varying salivary flow rates on sodium and potassium ions, osmolarity and pH; and (4) salivary secretion as an active process. (DS)

Computed tomographic study of hormone-secreting microadenomas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hemminghytt, S.; Kalkhoff, R.K.; Daniels, D.L.; Williams, A.L.; Grogan, J.P.; Haughton, V.M.

1983-01-01

A review was made of the computed tomographic (CT) studies of 33 patients with hormone-secreting microadenomas that had been verified by transsphenoidal surgery and endocrinologic evaluation. In previous studies in small series of patients, the CT appearance of pituitary microadenomas has been reported as hypodense, isodense, and hyperdense. In this study, CT showed a region of diminished enhancement and ususally an enlarged pituitary gland in cases of prolactin-secreting adenomas. HGH- or ACTH-secreting adenomas were less consistently hypodense. It is concluded that hypodensity and enlargement in the pituitary gland are the most useful criteria for identification of microadenomas. Some technical factors that may affect the CT appearance of microadenomas and lead to conflicting reports are discussed

Exploring Quantum Supremacy in Access Structures of Secret Sharing by Coding Theory

OpenAIRE

Matsumoto, Ryutaroh

2018-01-01

We consider secret sharing schemes with a classical secret and quantum shares. One example of such schemes was recently reported whose access structure cannot be realized by any secret sharing schemes with classical shares. In this paper, we report further quantum secret sharing schemes whose access structures cannot be realized by any classical secret sharing schemes.

Weegee’s City Secrets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alan TRACHTENBERG

2010-03-01

Full Text Available En tant que photographe indépendant de meurtres, d’accidents, d’incendies, mais aussi de moments de loisirs dans la ville — de scènes de violence et de plaisir — Weegee travaillait essentiellement la nuit et utilisait un flash puissant associé à son appareil-photo de presse. Ses « secrets pour réaliser des photographies avec un flash » consistent à donner des conseils pratiques et techniques pour débutants. Mais au cœur de la rhétorique de ses « secrets » se trouvent des réflexions subtiles et convaincantes révélant la relation entre la lumière et l’obscurité, et plus particulièrement la manière dont la lumière du flash permet de rendre visible l’obscurité. Dans le récit de Weegee, le flash confère à la photographie le pouvoir d’écrire — d’écrire avec la lumière, un mode de représentation singulièrement approprié pour enregistrer des instants de vie dans les rues nocturnes de la ville.As a freelance photographer of crime, accidents, fires, and also of the recreational life of the city—scenes of violence and of pleasure—Weegee worked mainly at night and employed a powerful photoflash attachment to his press camera. His "secrets of shooting with photoflash" consist of practical technical advice for beginners. But within the rhetoric of his "secrets" there lie cogent and subtle reflections on the relation of light to darkness, especially on the way the flash of light makes darkness visible. In Weegee’s account, the photoflash gives photography the power of writing—writing with light, a mode of picturing uniquely suited to recording instants of life on city streets at night.

Dominance behaviour in a non-aggressive flatfish, Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis and brain mRNA abundance of selected transcripts.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elvira Fatsini

Full Text Available Dominance is defined as the preferential access to limited resources. The present study aimed to characterise dominance in a non-aggressive flatfish species, the Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis by 1 identifying dominance categories and associated behaviours and 2 linking dominance categories (dominant and subordinate with the abundance of selected mRNA transcripts in the brain. Early juveniles (n = 74, 37 pairs were subjected to a dyadic dominance test, related to feeding, and once behavioural phenotypes had been described the abundance of ten selected mRNAs related to dominance and aggressiveness was measured in the brain. Late juveniles were subjected to two dyadic dominance tests (n = 34, 17 pairs, related to feeding and territoriality and one group test (n = 24, 4 groups of 6 fish. Sole feeding first were categorized as dominant and sole feeding second or not feeding as subordinate. Three social behaviours (i. "Resting the head" on another fish, ii. "Approaching" another fish, iii. "Swimming above another" fish were associated with dominance of feeding. Two other variables (i. Total time occupying the preferred area during the last 2 hours of the 24 h test, ii. Organisms occupying the preferred area when the test ended were representative of dominance in the place preference test. In all tests, dominant fish compared to subordinate fish displayed a significantly higher number of the behaviours "Rest the head" and "Approaches". Moreover, dominant sole dominated the sand at the end of the test, and in the group test dominated the area close to the feed delivery point before feed was delivered. The mRNA abundance of the selected mRNAs related to neurogenesis (nrd2 and neuroplasticity (c-fos in dominant sole compared to subordinate were significantly different. This is the first study to characterise dominance categories with associated behaviours and mRNA abundance in Senegalese sole and provides tools to study dominance related problems in

Predictors of response to prefabricated foot orthoses or rocker-sole footwear in individuals with first metatarsophalangeal joint osteoarthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Menz, Hylton B; Auhl, Maria; Tan, Jade M; Levinger, Pazit; Roddy, Edward; Munteanu, Shannon E

2017-05-12

Osteoarthritis of the first metatarsophalangeal joint (1st MTPJ OA) is a common and disabling condition commonly managed with footwear and orthotic interventions. The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with a successful treatment response in people with 1st MTPJ OA provided with prefabricated orthoses or rocker-sole footwear as part of a randomised clinical trial. People with 1st MTPJ OA (n = 88) who participated in a randomised trial were allocated to receive prefabricated foot orthoses (n = 47) or rocker-sole footwear (n = 41) and completed a baseline questionnaire including information on demographics, anthropometrics, general health, pain characteristics (including the Foot Health Status Questionnaire [FHSQ] and Foot Function Index [FFI]) and perceptions of the interventions, and a clinical assessment of foot posture, range of motion, radiographic severity and in-shoe plantar pressures. Adherence was documented using diaries. At 12 weeks, participants documented their perception of improvement on a 15-point scale. Those reporting at least moderate improvement on this scale were classified as 'responders'. There were 29 responders (62%) in the orthoses group and 16 responders (39%) in the rocker-sole group. In the orthoses group, responders had greater baseline pain severity while walking, a higher FFI difficulty score, and wore their orthoses more frequently. In the rocker-sole group, responders had a higher FFI stiffness score and greater radiographic severity. However, the accuracy of these variables in identifying responders in each group was modest (62 and 53%, respectively). The response to prefabricated orthoses or rocker-sole footwear in people with 1st MTPJ OA is related to measures of increased pain and disease severity. However, the overall classification accuracy associated with these factors is not sufficient for identifying individuals who are most likely to benefit from these interventions. Australian New

Biliary cholesterol secretion : More than a simple ABC

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dikkers, Arne; Tietge, Uwe J. F.

2010-01-01

Biliary cholesterol secretion is a process important for 2 major disease complexes, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and cholesterol gallstone disease With respect to cardiovascular disease, biliary cholesterol secretion is regarded as the final step for the elimination of cholesterol

5 CFR 1312.26 - Control of secret and confidential material.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Control of secret and confidential... Accountability of Classified Information § 1312.26 Control of secret and confidential material. Classified... Document Control, will be used to establish accountability controls on all Secret material received or...

The nitrogen cycle: Atmosphere interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Levine, J. S.

1984-01-01

Atmospheric interactions involving the nitrogen species are varied and complex. These interactions include photochemical reactions, initiated by the absorption of solar photons and chemical kinetic reactions, which involve both homogeneous (gas-to-gas reactions) and heterogeneous (gas-to-particle) reactions. Another important atmospheric interaction is the production of nitrogen oxides by atmospheric lightning. The nitrogen cycle strongly couples the biosphere and atmosphere. Many nitrogen species are produced by biogenic processes. Once in the atmosphere nitrogen oxides are photochemically and chemically transformed to nitrates, which are returned to the biosphere via precipitation, dry deposition and aerosols to close the biosphere-atmosphere nitrogen cycle. The sources, sinks and photochemistry/chemistry of the nitrogen species; atmospheric nitrogen species; souces and sinks of nitrous oxide; sources; sinks and photochemistry/chemistry of ammonia; seasonal variation of the vertical distribution of ammonia in the troposphere; surface and atmospheric sources of the nitrogen species, and seasonal variation of ground level ammonia are summarized.

[Effects of water deficit and nitrogen fertilization on winter wheat growth and nitrogen uptake].

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, You-Ling; Zhang, Fu-Cang; Li, Kai-Feng

2009-10-01

Winter wheat plants were cultured in vitro tubes to study their growth and nitrogen uptake under effects of water deficit at different growth stages and nitrogen fertilization. Water deficit at any growth stages could obviously affect the plant height, leaf area, dry matter accumulation, and nitrogen uptake. Jointing stage was the most sensitive stage of winter wheat growth to water deficit, followed by flowering stage, grain-filling stage, and seedling stages. Rewatering after the water deficit at seedling stage had a significant compensation effect on winter wheat growth, and definite compensation effect was observed on the biomass accumulation and nitrogen absorption when rewatering was made after the water deficit at flowering stage. Under the same nitrogen fertilization levels, the nitrogen accumulation in root with water deficit at seedling, jointing, flowering, and grain-filling stages was reduced by 25.82%, 55.68%, 46.14%, and 16.34%, and the nitrogen accumulation in aboveground part was reduced by 33.37%, 51.71%, 27.01%, and 2.60%, respectively, compared with no water deficit. Under the same water deficit stages, the nitrogen content and accumulation of winter wheat decreased with decreasing nitrogen fertilization level, i. e., 0.3 g N x kg(-1) FM > 0.2 g N x kg(-1) FM > 0.1 g N x kg(-1) FM. Nitrogen fertilization had obvious regulation effect on winter wheat plant growth, dry matter accumulation, and nitrogen uptake under water stress.

Secret quality of love.

Science.gov (United States)

Strachan-Hall, Elaine

2016-09-01

Many of us can recite three Donabedian dimensions of the quality of care of structure, process and outcome. Recently, I was introduced to another of Avedis Donabedian's quotes about the 'secret quality of love'.

Vote Markets, Latent Opportunism, and the Secret Ballot

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Justesen, Mogens Kamp; Bøttkjær, Louise Thorn; Gates, Scott

The secret ballot is a cornerstone of modern democracy because it protects voter autonomy and allows voters to express their political preferences freely without fear of repercussions. In theory, the secret ballot is supposed to prevent vote buying – the exchange of votes for money or material...... goods – from operating during elections. Yet, empirical evidence from surveys around the world suggests that vote buying is a common feature of elections in new democracies. Indeed, a fundamental puzzle concerns why political parties use vote buying to mobilize electoral support when the secret ballot...... allows voters to renege on their commitments and vote as they please. In this paper, we address this puzzle by arguing that voter perceptions of ballot secrecy affect their responses to vote buying offers. Theoretically, we develop a game theoretical model, where voter beliefs in the secret ballot guide...

Cryptanalysis of 'less short' RSA secret exponents

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verheul, E.R.; Tilborg, van H.C.A.

1997-01-01

In some applications of RSA, it is desirable to have a short secret exponent d. Wiener [6], describes a technique to use continued fractions (CF) in a cryptanalytic attack on an RSA cryptosystem having a ‘short’ secret exponent. Let n=p¿·¿q be the modulus of the system. In the typical case that

Measurement of secretion in nasal lavage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bisgaard, H; Krogsgaard, O W; Mygind, N

1987-01-01

1. The amount of admixture in nasal lavage fluids was determined by addition of 99mTc labelled albumin, providing a correction factor for measurements of cellular material and humoral substances in nasal lavage return as well as a quantitative measure of nasal secretions. 2. Albumin was chosen...... secretion to be carried out on the whole sample of lavage fluid, thereby avoiding the necessity of complete admixture between marker and lavage fluid which would be pertinent to marker molecules measured chemically. The radiation from a nasal lavage is minimal and the procedure is fully acceptable...... of the nose, yet not the oropharynx. 5. A dose related increase in nasal secretion harvested by the nasal lavage in 10 persons challenged with histamine chloride could be demonstrated by this technique. 6. It is concluded that the use of 99mTc-albumin in a nasal washing provides a safe, simple and quick...

Apical secretion of apolipoproteins from enterocytes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Danielsen, E M; Hansen, Gert Helge; Poulsen, Mona Dam

1993-01-01

Synthesis and secretion of apolipoproteins in pig small intestine was studied by pulse-chase labeling of jejunal segments, kept in organ culture. Apo A-1 and apo B-48 were the two major proteins released, constituting 25 and 10%, respectively, of the total amount of labeled protein in the mucosal...... in the soluble fraction, suggesting a basolateral secretion into the intercellular space, and both this accumulation and the release to the medium was prevented by culture at 20 degrees C. The specific radioactivity of apo A-1 and apo B-48 released to the medium was significantly higher than...... that enterocytes release most of their newly made free apo A-1 and a significant portion of apo B-48 by exocytosis via the brush border membrane into the intestinal lumen. Fat absorption reduced apolipoprotein secretion to the medium and induced the formation of chylomicrons, containing apo A-1 at their surface...

Human placenta secretes apolipoprotein B-100-containing lipoproteins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Munk-Madsen, Eva; Lindegaard, Marie Louise Skakkebæk; Andersen, Claus B

2004-01-01

Supply of lipids from the mother is essential for fetal growth and development. In mice, disruption of yolk sac cell secretion of apolipoprotein (apo) B-containing lipoproteins results in embryonic lethality. In humans, the yolk sac is vestigial. Nutritional functions are instead established very...... lipoproteins secreted from placental tissue showed spherical particles with a diameter of 47 +/- 10 nm. These results demonstrate that human placenta expresses both apoB and MTP and consequently synthesize and secrete apoB-100-containing lipoproteins. Placental lipoprotein formation constitutes a novel pathway...

Ranitidine has no influence on tubular creatinine secretion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Berg, J. G.; Koopman, M. G.; Arisz, L.

1996-01-01

Oral cimetidine competitively inhibits tubular secretion of creatinine. We investigated the potential of oral ranitidine, a comparable H2-receptor antagonist, to block tubular creatinine secretion. In 10 healthy subjects, clearances of inulin and endogenous creatinine were simultaneously measured

The effect of roughness, floor polish, water, oil and ice on underfoot friction: current safety footwear solings are less slip resistant than microcellular polyurethane.

Science.gov (United States)

Manning, D P; Jones, C

2001-04-01

Research over a period of about 18 years has shown that a microcellular polyurethane known as AP66033 is the most slip-resistant safety footwear soling material on oily and wet surfaces. In recent years it has been replaced in commercially available footwear by a dual density polyurethane (DDP) which has a dense outer layer and a soft microcellular backing. This research programme has compared the slip resistance of AP66033 with DDP and some rubber solings. In addition, data were obtained on the effects of soling and floor roughness, and floor polish on slip resistance. Some data were also obtained for walking on ice. The coefficient of friction (CoF) of the solings was measured on 19 water wet surfaces in three conditions: (I) when the solings were new, (II) following abrasion to create maximum roughness and (III) after polishing. The CoF was measured on four oily surfaces after each of 11 abrasion or polishing treatments. The profound effects of the roughening of all soles and of floor roughness on the CoF were demonstrated for both wet and oily surfaces. The superior slip resistance of AP66033 was confirmed for oily and wet conditions; however, some rubbers not suitable for safety footwear achieved higher CoF values on wet floors. All of the floor polishes reduced the CoF of all floors when contaminated with water. The mean CoF of DDP solings was lower than the mean for AP66033 on wet and oily surfaces. No safety footwear soling provided adequate grip on dry ice and the CoF was reduced by water on the ice. A rubber used for rock climbing footwear was one of the most slip-resistant solings on wet surfaces in the laboratory but recorded the lowest CoF on ice. It is concluded that the incidence of occupational injuries caused by slipping could be reduced by the following: (A) returning to safety footwear soled with the microcellular polyurethane AP66033; (B) abrading all new and smooth footwear solings with a belt sanding machine coated with P100 grit; (C) avoiding

42 CFR 405.215 - Confidential commercial and trade secret information.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Confidential commercial and trade secret information. 405.215 Section 405.215 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF... trade secret information. To the extent that CMS relies on confidential commercial or trade secret...

Dissolved organic nitrogen recalcitrance and bioavailable nitrogen quantification for effluents from advanced nitrogen removal wastewater treatment facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Lu; Brett, Michael T; Jiang, Wenju; Li, Bo

2017-10-01

The objective of this study was to determine the composition of nitrogen (N) in the effluents of advanced N removal (ANR) wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This study also tested two different experimental protocols for determining dissolved N recalcitrance. An analysis of 15 effluent samples from five WWTPs, showed effluent concentrations and especially effluent composition varied greatly from one system to the other, with total nitrogen (TN) ranging between 1.05 and 8.10 mg L -1 . Nitrate (NO 3 - ) accounted for between 38 ± 32% of TN, and ammonium accounted for a further 29 ± 28%. All of these samples were dominated by dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN; NO 3 -  + NH 4 + ), and uptake experiments indicated the DIN fraction was as expected highly bioavailable. Dissolved organic N (DON) accounted for 20 ± 11% for the total dissolved N in these effluents, and uptake experiments indicated the bioavailability of this fraction varied between 27 ± 26% depending on the WWTP assessed. These results indicate near complete DIN removal should be the primary goal of ANR treatment systems. The comparison of bioavailable nitrogen (BAN) quantification protocols showed that the dissolved nitrogen uptake bioassay approach was clearly a more reliable way to determine BAN concentrations compared to the conventional cell yield protocol. Moreover, because the nitrogen uptake experiment was much more sensitive, this protocol made it easier to detect extrinsic factors (such as biological contamination or toxicity) that could affect the accuracy of these bioassays. Based on these results, we recommend the nitrogen uptake bioassay using filtered and autoclaved samples to quantify BAN concentrations. However, for effluent samples indicating toxicity, algal bioassays will not accurately quantify BAN. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nitrogen and carbohydrate fractions in exclusive Tifton 85 and in pasture oversown with annual winter forage species - 10.4025/actascianimsci.v34i1.11428

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Claudia Ruggieri

2011-11-01

Full Text Available The experiment was undertaken at the Faculty of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences (FCAV Jaboticabal, São Paulo State, Brazil, during winter-spring-summer of 2001-2002, to determine the fractionation of nitrogen and carbohydrates in Tifton 85 (Cynodon dactylon Vanderyst x Cynodon nlemfuensis (L. Pers, exclusively or oversown with winter annual forage species. Treatments comprised bristle oat (Avena strigosa Schreb, yellow oat (Avena byzantina C. Koch, triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack, bristle oat + yellow oat, bristle oat + triticale, yellow oat + triticale, bristle oat + yellow oat + triticale seeded in Tifton 85 and sole crop (control. Experimental design was composed of completely randomized blocks with three replications. Fodder was cut 20 cm high (presence of winter forage and 10 cm high (Tifton 85 pasture. Crude protein, total carbohydrate and the fractions of nitrogen compounds and carbohydrates were determined. Decrease was reported in the levels of chemical compounds in winter forage species and in Tifton 85 during the evaluation periods. The content of nitrogen compounds and carbohydrates varied widely during the evaluation period according to the morphological characteristics of grass species and botanical composition of pastures.

Overexpressing key component genes of the secretion pathway for enhanced secretion of an Aspergillus niger glucose oxidase in Trichoderma reesei.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yilan; Sun, Xianhua; Xue, Xianli; Luo, Huiying; Yao, Bin; Xie, Xiangming; Su, Xiaoyun

2017-11-01

Vast interest exists in developing T. reesei for production of heterologous proteins. Although rich genomic and transcriptomic information has been uncovered for the T. reesei secretion pathway, little is known about whether engineering its key components could enhance expression of a heterologous gene. In this study, snc1, a v-SNARE gene, was first selected for overexpression in T. reesei. In engineered T. reesei with additional copies of snc1, the Aspergillus niger glucose oxidase (AnGOD) was produced to a significantly higher level (2.2-fold of the parental strain). hac1 and bip1, two more component genes in the secretion pathway, were further tested for overexpression and found to be also beneficial for AnGOD secretion. The overexpression of one component gene more or less affected the expression of the other two genes, suggesting a complex regulating mechanism. Our study demonstrates the potential of engineering the secretion pathway for enhancing heterologous gene production in T. reesei. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Controlled-Release Urea on Grain Yield of Spring Maize, Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Nitrogen Balance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JI Jing-hong

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The effects of mixing controlled-released urea (CRU (release period of resin coated urea is 90 days and urea (U on maize yield, nitrogen use efficiency and nitrogen balance were studied by 4 plot experiments (site:Shuangcheng, Binxian, Harbin and Zhaoyuan in two years (from year 2011 to 2012 to clarify the effect of controlled release urea on spring maize and soil nitrogen balance. Results were as follow:Spring maize yield and nitrogen absorption were increased with the increasing nitrogen fertilizer. Compared with applying urea treatment, applying CRU could increase yield, nitrogen absorption, nitrogen use efficiency, agriculture efficiency of nitrogen and nitrogen contribution rate. Under the same amount of nitrogen (100%, 75%, 50%, compared with 100% U as basic fertilizer treatment, maize yield of 100% CRU treatment increased 391, 427, 291 kg·hm-2, nitrogen use efficiency increased by 5.9%,4.9% and 5.1%, agriculture efficiency of nitrogen increased 2.0, 2.6, 2.6 kg·kg-1, and nitrogen contribution rate increased 2.7%, 3.1% and 2.4%, respectively. The value of maize yield, nitrogen absorption, nitrogen use efficiency and agriculture efficiency of nitrogen between the treatment four (40% urea as basic fertilizer+60% urea as topdressing and treatment five (40% urea plus 60% controlled release urea as basic fertilizer were similar. Apparent profit and loss of nitrogen decreased with the increase of nitrogen nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrogen apparent loss by applying 100% controlled release urea was reduced of 15.0 kg·hm-2 than applying 100% U treatment;Nitrogen apparent loss amount was decreased of 23.9 kg·hm-2 under treatment five. The method of mixing 40% urea and 60% controlled release urea should be applied in maize production in Heilongjiang Province.

Effect of organic manure on nitrogen mineralization, nitrogen accumulation, nitrogen use efficiency and apparent nitrogen recovery of cauliflower (Braccica oleracea L., var. Botrytis)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beah, A.A.; Norman, P.E.; Scholberg, J.M.S.; Lantinga, E.A.; Conteh, A.R.

2015-01-01

Aims: The main aim of the study was to assess the effects of organic manure on nitrogen mineralization, uptake, use and recovery of cauliflower.
Methodology: Nitrogen is one of the major yield limiting nutrients in cauliflower production. However, organic manure is applied to supplement soil

Optimal Black-Box Secret Sharing over Arbitrary Abelian Groups

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cramer, Ronald; Fehr, Serge

2002-01-01

A black-box secret sharing scheme for the threshold access structure T t,n is one which works over any finite Abelian group G. Briefly, such a scheme differs from an ordinary linear secret sharing scheme (over, say, a given finite field) in that distribution matrix and reconstruction vectors...... are defined over ℤ and are designed independently of the group G from which the secret and the shares are sampled. This means that perfect completeness and perfect privacy are guaranteed regardless of which group G is chosen. We define the black-box secret sharing problem as the problem of devising......, for an arbitrary given T t,n , a scheme with minimal expansion factor, i.e., where the length of the full vector of shares divided by the number of players n is minimal. Such schemes are relevant for instance in the context of distributed cryptosystems based on groups with secret or hard to compute group order...

Threshold secret sharing scheme based on phase-shifting interferometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Xiaopeng; Shi, Zhengang; Wen, Wei

2016-11-01

We propose a new method for secret image sharing with the (3,N) threshold scheme based on phase-shifting interferometry. The secret image, which is multiplied with an encryption key in advance, is first encrypted by using Fourier transformation. Then, the encoded image is shared into N shadow images based on the recording principle of phase-shifting interferometry. Based on the reconstruction principle of phase-shifting interferometry, any three or more shadow images can retrieve the secret image, while any two or fewer shadow images cannot obtain any information of the secret image. Thus, a (3,N) threshold secret sharing scheme can be implemented. Compared with our previously reported method, the algorithm of this paper is suited for not only a binary image but also a gray-scale image. Moreover, the proposed algorithm can obtain a larger threshold value t. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method.

Share Conversion, Pseudorandom Secret-Sharing and Applications to Secure Computation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R.J.F. Cramer (Ronald); I.B. Damgård (Ivan); Y. Ishai

2005-01-01

htmlabstractWe present a method for converting shares of a secret into shares of the same secret in a different secret-sharing scheme using only local computation and no communication between players. In particular, shares in a replicated scheme based on a CNF representation of the access structure

Multiparty secret sharing of quantum information based on entanglement swapping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Yongmin; Zhang Kuanshou; Peng Kunchi

2004-01-01

A protocol of multiparty secret sharing of quantum information based on entanglement swapping is analyzed. In this protocol, Bell states are needed in order to realize the quantum information secret sharing and it is convenient to realize the quantum secret sharing among the members of any subset of users

Feed intake as explanation for density related growth differences of common sole Solea solea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Ivar; Steenfeldt, Svend Jørgen; Herrmann, Bent

2013-01-01

correlated to both fish size and individual SGR. Feed conversion ratio was likewise positively correlated to feed intake. The relative feed intake (g feed g fish−1) was not correlated to fish size at any density tested, but was significantly highest for the LD population. This explains a substantial part......Growth of common sole Solea solea is negatively correlated to density, which affects productivity in culture and hence commercial success. Studies of individual feed intake were performed to examine growth and population dynamics at different densities. Three initial stocking densities: 1.0, 2.......1 and 3.9 kg m−2 of individually tagged sole, referred to as low density (LD), medium density and high density HD), were examined during 145 days. Despite that tank productivity (g m−2 day−1), was highest for the HD group, the specific growth rate (SGR) decreased significantly with increase in stocking...

Exhaustive Conversion of Inorganic Nitrogen to Nitrogen Gas Based on a Photoelectro-Chlorine Cycle Reaction and a Highly Selective Nitrogen Gas Generation Cathode.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yan; Li, Jinhua; Bai, Jing; Shen, Zhaoxi; Li, Linsen; Xia, Ligang; Chen, Shuai; Zhou, Baoxue

2018-02-06

A novel method for the exhaustive conversion of inorganic nitrogen to nitrogen gas is proposed in this paper. The key properties of the system design included an exhaustive photoelectrochemical cycle reaction in the presence of Cl - , in which Cl· generated from oxidation of Cl - by photoholes selectively converted NH 4 + to nitrogen gas and some NO 3 - or NO 2 - . The NO 3 - or NO 2 - was finally reduced to nitrogen gas on a highly selective Pd-Cu-modified Ni foam (Pd-Cu/NF) cathode to achieve exhaustive conversion of inorganic nitrogen to nitrogen gas. The results indicated total nitrogen removal efficiencies of 30 mg L -1 inorganic nitrogen (NO 3 - , NH 4 + , NO 3 - /NH 4 + = 1:1 and NO 2 - /NO 3 - /NH 4 + = 1:1:1) in 90 min were 98.2%, 97.4%, 93.1%, and 98.4%, respectively, and the remaining nitrogen was completely removed by prolonging the reaction time. The rapid reduction of nitrate was ascribed to the capacitor characteristics of Pd-Cu/NF that promoted nitrate adsorption in the presence of an electric double layer, eliminating repulsion between the cathode and the anion. Nitrate was effectively removed with a rate constant of 0.050 min -1 , which was 33 times larger than that of Pt cathode. This system shows great potential for inorganic nitrogen treatment due to the high rate, low cost, and clean energy source.

On the diversity-multiplexing tradeoff of secret-key agreement over multiple-antenna channels

KAUST Repository

Zorgui, Marwen

2014-09-01

We consider secret-key agreement with public discussion over Rayleigh fading quasi-static channels. First, the secret-key diversity gain and the secret-key multiplexing gain are defined. Then, the secret-key diversity multiplexing tradeoff (DMT) is established. The eavesdropper is shown to \\'steal\\' only transmit antennas. We show that likewise the DMT without secrecy constraint, the secret-key DMT is the same either with or without full channel state information (CSI) at the transmitter (CSI-T). This insensitivity of secret-key DMT toward CSI-T highlights a fundamental difference between secret-key agreement and the wiretap channel whose secret DMT depends crucially on CSI-T. Several secret-key DMT-achieving schemes are presented in case of full CSI-T.

On the diversity-multiplexing tradeoff of secret-key agreement over multiple-antenna channels

KAUST Repository

Zorgui, Marwen; Rezki, Zouheir; Alomair, Basel; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

2014-01-01

We consider secret-key agreement with public discussion over Rayleigh fading quasi-static channels. First, the secret-key diversity gain and the secret-key multiplexing gain are defined. Then, the secret-key diversity multiplexing tradeoff (DMT) is established. The eavesdropper is shown to 'steal' only transmit antennas. We show that likewise the DMT without secrecy constraint, the secret-key DMT is the same either with or without full channel state information (CSI) at the transmitter (CSI-T). This insensitivity of secret-key DMT toward CSI-T highlights a fundamental difference between secret-key agreement and the wiretap channel whose secret DMT depends crucially on CSI-T. Several secret-key DMT-achieving schemes are presented in case of full CSI-T.

Nitrogen Dynamics in European Forest Ecosystems: Considerations regarding Anthropogenic Nitrogen Depositions

OpenAIRE

Agren, G.I.; Kauppi, P.

1983-01-01

This study deals with the nutrient cycle of forest ecosystems over large geographic regions in Europe as affected by nitrogen deposition. The view is taken that the nitrogen cycle of a forest ecosystem has a maximum capacity for circulating nitrogen. Two different cases are defined: case (1) in which the nutrient cycle functions below its maximum capacity, and case (2) in which the circulation operates at the maximum level.

Secret Sharing Schemes and Advanced Encryption Standard

Science.gov (United States)

2015-09-01

25 4.7 Computational Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 5 Side-Channel Effect on Advanced Encryption Standard ( AES ) 31...improvements, and to build upon them to discuss the side-channel effects on the Advanced Encryption Standard ( AES ). The following questions are asked...secret sharing scheme? • Can the improvements to the current secret sharing scheme prove to be beneficial in strengthening/weakening AES encryption

Lifestyle, mental health status and salivary secretion rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Toda, Masahiro; Morimoto, Kanehisa; Fukuda, Sanae; Hayakawa, Kazuo

2002-01-01

The relations between salivary variables, lifestyle and mental health status were investigated for 61 healthy female university students. The salivary secretion rates were significantly higher in the good lifestyle groups compared with the poor lifestyle groups. Among the 8 lifestyle items tested. "eating breakfast" and "mental stress" were significantly related to the salivary secretion rates. The present findings suggest that the acquisition of a good lifestyle is also very important from the viewpoint of the prevention of oral disease.A highly significant correlation (r=0.97; p<0.01) between the salivary cortisol levels and the cortisol secretion rates when controlled for the salivary secretion rates was also observed. This suggests that there is a high correlation between the intact salivary cortisol levels and the total cortisol quantity per unit time. Therefore, both these values can be used as a good index for the salivary cortisol determination.

Six secrets of champagne

Science.gov (United States)

Liger-Belair, Gérard

2015-12-01

Popping open a bottle of champagne is one of life's great delights, but how much do you really know about the science behind this greatest of wines? Gérard Liger-Belair reveals his six favourite champagne secrets.

Sur les usages publics du secret : les archives du Service Secret Communiste Roumain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andi Mihalache

2009-10-01

Full Text Available L’étude s’occupe des dossiers de l’ancienne police politique du régime communiste de Roumanie, la Securitate. Il a comme point de départ le fait que la mémoire sociale, le contexte politique et les débats publics actuels influencent la recherche historique, modifiant les perceptions sur le document d’archive. Ce dernier n’est plus vu seulement comme source principale de la recherche historique, devenant outil redoutable dans les disputes électorales, car, en base des informations extraites d’un dossier de la Securitate, l’on peut évincer un adversaire incommode. Se montrant utile à dénoncer la collaboration de quelqu’un sous le régime communiste, le document d’archive a acquis des mises symboliques imprévues, étant caché, protégé, volé, racheté, truqué, perdu et redécouvert à commande. Toutes ces pratiques compromettent de plus en plus les chances des historiens de reconstituer de manière crédible l’histoire récente des Roumains. On obtient difficilement l’accès aux dossiers de la Securitate, la patrimonialisation excessive des documents - en vérité leur trésorisation - étant conséquence directe du prestige idéologique et social que le secret détenait au temps communiste.This article focuses on the Securitate files as a political stake, but also as first rank sources for academic research, not from the current perspective of recent history, but from that of cultural history. In post-communist Romania, silence is the secret’s poor relative and confidentiality its respectable form. Ironically or not, we could state that in our country the secrets of communist repression are literally protected by law. The secret is an unbidden, illegitimate competence. In its ethics it does not matter what is good and what is bad, what is true and what is false. The main interest is what is said and what isn’t. The secret being a convention, a pact, the gesture of not saying seems to be more important than

Nitrogen in Chinese coals

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, D.; Lei, J.; Zheng, B.; Tang, X.; Wang, M.; Hu, Jiawen; Li, S.; Wang, B.; Finkelman, R.B.

2011-01-01

Three hundred and six coal samples were taken from main coal mines of twenty-six provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in China, according to the resource distribution and coal-forming periods as well as the coal ranks and coal yields. Nitrogen was determined by using the Kjeldahl method at U. S. Geological Survey (USGS), which exhibit a normal frequency distribution. The nitrogen contents of over 90% Chinese coal vary from 0.52% to 1.41% and the average nitrogen content is recommended to be 0.98%. Nitrogen in coal exists primarily in organic form. There is a slight positive relationship between nitrogen content and coal ranking. ?? 2011 Science Press, Institute of Geochemistry, CAS and Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

How exogenous nitric oxide regulates nitrogen assimilation in wheat seedlings under different nitrogen sources and levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Balotf, Sadegh; Islam, Shahidul; Kavoosi, Gholamreza; Kholdebarin, Bahman; Juhasz, Angela; Ma, Wujun

2018-01-01

Nitrogen (N) is one of the most important nutrients for plants and nitric oxide (NO) as a signaling plant growth regulator involved in nitrogen assimilation. Understanding the influence of exogenous NO on nitrogen metabolism at the gene expression and enzyme activity levels under different sources of nitrogen is vitally important for increasing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). This study investigated the expression of key genes and enzymes in relation to nitrogen assimilation in two Australian wheat cultivars, a popular high NUE cv. Spitfire and a normal NUE cv. Westonia, under different combinations of nitrogen and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) as the NO donor. Application of NO increased the gene expressions and activities of nitrogen assimilation pathway enzymes in both cultivars at low levels of nitrogen. At high nitrogen supplies, the expressions and activities of N assimilation genes increased in response to exogenous NO only in cv. Spitfire but not in cv. Westonia. Exogenous NO caused an increase in leaf NO content at low N supplies in both cultivars, while under high nitrogen treatments, cv. Spitfire showed an increase under ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) treatment but cv. Westonia was not affected. N assimilation gene expression and enzyme activity showed a clear relationship between exogenous NO, N concentration and N forms in primary plant nitrogen assimilation. Results reveal the possible role of NO and different nitrogen sources on nitrogen assimilation in Triticum aestivum plants.