Fumigant toxicity of five essential oils rich in ketones against Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.M Herrera

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Essential oils (EOs and individual compounds act as fumigants against insects found in stored products. In fumigant assays, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky adults were treated with essential oils derived from Aphyllocladus decussatus Hieron, Aloysia polystachya Griseb, Minthostachys verticillata Griseb Epling and Tagetes minuta L , which are rich in ketones and their major components: a- thujone, R-carvone, S-carvone, (- menthone, R (+ pulegone and E-Z- ocimenone. M. verticillata oil was the most toxic ( LC50: 116.6 µl /L air characterized by a high percentage of menthone (40.1% and pulegone (43.7%. All ketones showed insecticidal activity against S. zeamais. However, pulegone (LC50: 11.8 µl/L air, R- carvone (LC50: 17.5 µl/L air, S-carvone (LC50: 28.1 µl/L air and E-Z-ocimenone (LC50: 42.3 µl/L air were the most toxic. These ketones are a,b-unsaturated carbonyl. This feature could play a fundamental role in the increase of insecticidal activity against S. zeamais.

Heparin-immobilized hydroxyapatite nanoparticles as a lactoferrin delivery system for improving osteogenic differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Sung Eun; Yun, Young-Pil; Kim, Hak-Jun; Lee, Deok-Won; Shim, Kyu-Sik; Jeon, Daniel I; Rhee, Jin-Kyu; Park, Kyeongsoon

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to fabricate lactoferrin (LF)-carrying hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HAp NPs) to enhance osteogenic differentiation of rabbit adipose-derived stem cells (rADSCs). HAp NPs were modified with heparin-dopamine (Hep-DOPA) (Hep-HAp) and further immobilized with LF (LF/Hep-HAp). Heparin immobilization on HAp NPs prevented aggregation of HAp NPs in aqueous solution and prolonged the release of LF from LF/Hep-HAp NPs. In vitro studies of rADSCs have demonstrated that LF-Hep/HAp NPs significantly increase alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, calcium deposition, and both mRNA expression of osteocalcin (OCN) and osteopontin (OPN) in comparison with HAp and Hep-HAp NPs. These results suggest that LF/Hep-HAp NPs can effectively induce osteogenic differentiation of rADSCs. (paper)

Mapping the epitopes of a neutralizing antibody fragment directed against the lethal factor of Bacillus anthracis and cross-reacting with the homologous edema factor.

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Philippe Thullier

Full Text Available The lethal toxin (LT of Bacillus anthracis, composed of the protective antigen (PA and the lethal factor (LF, plays an essential role in anthrax pathogenesis. PA also interacts with the edema factor (EF, 20% identity with LF to form the edema toxin (ET, which has a lesser role in anthrax pathogenesis. The first recombinant antibody fragment directed against LF was scFv 2LF; it neutralizes LT by blocking the interaction between PA and LF. Here, we report that scFv 2LF cross-reacts with EF and cross-neutralizes ET, and we present an in silico method taking advantage of this cross-reactivity to map the epitope of scFv 2LF on both LF and EF. This method identified five epitope candidates on LF, constituted of a total of 32 residues, which were tested experimentally by mutating the residues to alanine. This combined approach precisely identified the epitope of scFv 2LF on LF as five residues (H229, R230, Q234, L235 and Y236, of which three were missed by the consensus epitope candidate identified by pre-existing in silico methods. The homolog of this epitope on EF (H253, R254, E258, L259 and Y260 was experimentally confirmed to constitute the epitope of scFv 2LF on EF. Other inhibitors, including synthetic molecules, could be used to target these epitopes for therapeutic purposes. The in silico method presented here may be of more general interest.

Anticancer activities of bovine and human lactoferricin-derived peptides

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Arias, M.; Hilchie, A.L.; Haney, E.F.; Bolscher, J.G.M.; Hyndman, M.E.; Hancock, R.E.W.; Vogel, H.J.

2017-01-01

Lactoferrin (LF) is a mammalian host defense glycoprotein with diverse biological activities. Peptides derived from the cationic region of LF possess cytotoxic activity against cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Bovine lactoferricin (LFcinB), a peptide derived from bovine LF (bLF), exhibits

A Taxonomy for Radio Location Fingerprinting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjærgaard, Mikkel Baun

2007-01-01

Location Fingerprinting (LF) is a promising location technique for many awareness applications in pervasive computing. However, as research on LF systems goes beyond basic methods there is an increasing need for better comparison of proposed LF systems. Developers of LF systems are also lacking...

VARIAÇÃO BIOMÉTRICA DE DIÁSPOROS DE BURITI (Mauritia flexuosa L.f. – ARECACEAE EM VEREDAS EM DIFERENTES ESTÁGIOS DE CONSERVAÇÃO

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Fabiano dos Santos Matos

2014-01-01

Full Text Available ‘Veredas’ (palm swamps are phytophysiognomies of the ‘Cerrado’ biome, where the palm tree Mauritia flexuosa Lf. - buriti predominates on the tree layer; this species is considered the key resource for many animals, that use it as shelter and source of food, and also by the man who uses their leaves and fruits as raw material and food. Although, they occur in environments protected by the environmental legislation, human actions have affected the populations of ‘buritis’, by means of the decrease of individuals caused by deforestation, siltation and drainage of these areas. The objective of this study was to evaluate the morphometric parameters of fruits and seeds of Mauritia flexuosa from six different ‘veredas’ at different conservation stages, located in the Environmental Protection Area of ‘Pandeiros’ River (north of Minas Gerais state. In total, 1,800 fruits and seeds were sampled, they were measured in length, width and thickness and, after that, they were weighed. To detect differences in morphometric measurements of fruits and seeds among the sampling areas, the analysis of variance was done. There were differences in morphometric measurements between the studied areas, in which 87.5% of the highest averages occurred in areas with the slightest anthropic interventions. This fact is possibly related to the impacts occurred, besides the genetic variations that may fall upon the individuals.

Matrix metalloproteinase 13 in the ligamentum flavum from lumbar spinal canal stenosis patients with and without diabetes mellitus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui, Guanyu; Watanabe, Kota; Miyauchi, Yoshiteru

2011-01-01

Lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSCS) is one of the most common spinal disorders in the elderly, and ligamentum flavum (LF) hypertrophy is an important cause of LSCS. Matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) can degrade fibrillar collagens and elastic microfibrils, and is involved in inflammation and fibrosis. The purpose of this study was to compare the expression of MMP13 in the LF from LSCS patients with diabetes mellitus [DM (+)] with that in the LF from patients without DM [DM (-)] and to analyze the relationship among DM, MMP13 expression, and LF hypertrophy. LFs from 11 DM (+) and 24 DM (-) LSCS patients were analyzed in this study. Histology analysis using hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome stain was performed for each LF. The expression of MMP13 was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The thickness of LF was measured by CT. In the LF from DM (+) LSCS patients, the elastic fibers were more disorganized and had lower volumes than in the LF from DM (-) LSCS patients, while more fibrotic tissue was observed in the LF from DM (+) than from DM (-) LSCS patients. MMP13 expression was significantly higher in the LF from DM (+) LSCS patients (0.46±0.61 vs. 0.05±0.09, P=0.002). The LF from the DM (+) LSCS patients was significantly thicker than that from the DM (-) LSCS patients (5.0±0.9 vs. 3.1±0.8 mm, P<0.01), and the thickness was correlated with the expression of MMP13 (correlation coefficient=0.43, P=0.01, Pearson's correlation test). DM-related MMP13 expression can be one of the factors contributing to fibrosis and hypertrophy of the LF. Further research on the mechanism of this process may lead to new therapies for LF hypertrophy. (author)

Utilizing the ultrasensitive Schistosoma up-converting phosphor lateral flow circulating anodic antigen (UCP-LF CAA) assay for sample pooling-strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Corstjens, Paul L A M; Hoekstra, Pytsje T; de Dood, Claudia J; van Dam, Govert J

2017-11-01

Methodological applications of the high sensitivity genus-specific Schistosoma CAA strip test, allowing detection of single worm active infections (ultimate sensitivity), are discussed for efficient utilization in sample pooling strategies. Besides relevant cost reduction, pooling of samples rather than individual testing can provide valuable data for large scale mapping, surveillance, and monitoring. The laboratory-based CAA strip test utilizes luminescent quantitative up-converting phosphor (UCP) reporter particles and a rapid user-friendly lateral flow (LF) assay format. The test includes a sample preparation step that permits virtually unlimited sample concentration with urine, reaching ultimate sensitivity (single worm detection) at 100% specificity. This facilitates testing large urine pools from many individuals with minimal loss of sensitivity and specificity. The test determines the average CAA level of the individuals in the pool thus indicating overall worm burden and prevalence. When requiring test results at the individual level, smaller pools need to be analysed with the pool-size based on expected prevalence or when unknown, on the average CAA level of a larger group; CAA negative pools do not require individual test results and thus reduce the number of tests. Straightforward pooling strategies indicate that at sub-population level the CAA strip test is an efficient assay for general mapping, identification of hotspots, determination of stratified infection levels, and accurate monitoring of mass drug administrations (MDA). At the individual level, the number of tests can be reduced i.e. in low endemic settings as the pool size can be increased as opposed to prevalence decrease. At the sub-population level, average CAA concentrations determined in urine pools can be an appropriate measure indicating worm burden. Pooling strategies allowing this type of large scale testing are feasible with the various CAA strip test formats and do not affect

Bovine lactoferrin regulates cell survival, apoptosis and inflammation in intestinal epithelial cells and preterm pig intestine.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Duc Ninh; Jiang, Pingping; Stensballe, Allan; Bendixen, Emøke; Sangild, Per T; Chatterton, Dereck E W

2016-04-29

Bovine lactoferrin (bLF) may modulate neonatal intestinal inflammation. Previous studies in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) indicated that moderate bLF doses enhance proliferation whereas high doses trigger inflammation. To further elucidate cellular mechanisms, we profiled the porcine IEC proteome after stimulation with bLF at 0, 0.1, 1 and 10g/L by LC-MS-based proteomics. Key pathways were analyzed in the intestine of formula-fed preterm pigs with and without supplementation of 10g/L bLF. Levels of 123 IEC proteins were altered by bLF. Low bLF doses (0.1-1g/L) up-regulated 11 proteins associated with glycolysis, energy metabolism and protein synthesis, indicating support of cell survival. In contrast, a high bLF dose (10g/L) up-regulated three apoptosis-inducing proteins, down-regulated five anti-apoptotic and proliferation-inducing proteins and 15 proteins related to energy and amino acid metabolism, and altered three proteins enhancing the hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) pathway. In the preterm pig intestine, bLF at 10g/L decreased villus height/crypt depth ratio and up-regulated the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and HIF-1α, indicating elevated intestinal apoptosis and inflammation. In conclusion, bLF dose-dependently affects IECs via metabolic, apoptotic and inflammatory pathways. It is important to select an appropriate dose when feeding neonates with bLF to avoid detrimental effects exerted by excessive doses. The present work elucidates dose-dependent effects of bLF on the proteomic changes of IECs in vitro supplemented with data from a preterm pig study confirming detrimental effects of enteral feeding with the highest dose of bLF (10g/L). The study contributes to further understanding on mechanisms that bLF, as an important milk protein, can regulate the homeostasis of the immature intestine. Results from this study urge neonatologists to carefully consider the dose of bLF to supplement into infant formula used for preterm neonates. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B

Use of phosphorus to alleviate stress induced by cadmium and zinc ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The potential mechanism by which P antagonizes the toxicity of Zn and Cd was investigated in Elodea nuttallii and Hydrilla verticillata to understand the interactions between P, Cd and Zn pollutants. The two submerged macrophytes were treated with a combination of Cd (0.25 mg L-1) and Zn (1.0 mg L-1) and various ...

Antibacterial effects of lactoferricin B.

Science.gov (United States)

Vorland, L H; Ulvatne, H; Andersen, J; Haukland, H H; Rekdal, O; Svendsen, J S; Gutteberg, T J

1999-01-01

The antimicrobial peptide, lactoferricin, can be generated upon gastric pepsin cleavage of lactoferrin. We have examined the inhibitory efficacy of lactoferricin of bovine origin (Lf-cin B) on Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis and Staphylococcus aureus with or without a cell wall. We found that spheroplasts and protoplasts had a lower MIC than their counterparts with a cell wall. We also compared the efficacies of Lf-cin B (17-31) made of all L-amino acids and all D-amino acids. The peptide made of all D-amino acids was more active than the corresponding L-enantiomer. Furthermore, we examined the influence of Lf-cin B on the motility of E. coli and the influence of temperature on the susceptibility of bacteria exposed to Lf-cin B. Bacteria exposed to sub-MIC of Lf-cin B lost their motility. Bacteria exposed to Lf-cin B at 20 degrees C were more sensitive to Lf-cin B than when exposed at 37 degrees C. These findings indicate that the cell envelope is a limiting step for Lf-cin B to exert its antibiotic effect. We cannot rule out a receptor-mediated first step for Lf-cin B (17-31).

Serum disposition of bovine lactoferrin after oral and anal administration and its proteolytic cleavage by gastric transit in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss W.).

Science.gov (United States)

Cecchini, Stefano; Caputo, Anna R

2009-01-01

Several studies have shown an immunomodulatory effect of orally administered bovine lactoferrin (LF) in fish, but the process of digestion was not characterized. In the present study, we investigated the fate of bovine LF after oral and anal administration, and studied the appearance of intact LF in the bloodstream and its proteolytic attack during the gastric transit in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) held at 9 degrees C and 18 degrees C. Data obtained showed the presence of intact bovine LF in the bloodstream only after anal administration in fish held at 18 degrees C and the presence of several peptides derived from bovine LF in the gastric content. Immunoblotting analysis showed that only a part of bovine LF-derived peptides reacted with the applied anti-bovine LF antibody. The concentration of intact bovine LF, after 30 min of administration, in the gastric content of fish reared at 18 degrees C, being extremely low, if any, led us to suspect that the immunoregulatory effect of dietary bovine LF shown in fish by several authors is not due to the intact form but to bioactive fragments, originated by the proteolytic attack during the gastric transit, as demonstrated in higher vertebrates.

(Roxb. Ex Wild.) Royle et de Crataeva adanso

African Journals Online (AJOL)

. 2.10-2 mol.l-1. (ammoniaque) provenant de. «CARLO ERBA Reagents». Des dilutions successives sont effectuées pour donner des échantillons avec des titres compris entre 8.10-. 5 et 2.10-2 mol.l-1.Vingt-cinq microlitres de l'acide ou de la ...

[Development and comparative evaluation of up-converting phosphor technology based lateral flow assay for rapid detection of Yersinia pestis, Bacillus anthracis spore and Brucella spp].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chunfeng; Zhang, Pingping; Wang, Xiaoying; Liu, Xiao; Zhao, Yong; Sun, Chongyun; Wang, Chengbin; Yang, Ruifu; Zhou, Lei

2015-01-01

To develop an up-converting phosphor technology based lateral flow (UPT-LF) assay for rapid and quantitative detection of Yersinia pestis, Bacillus anthracis spore and Brucella spp.and make the comparison with BioThreat Alert (BTA) test strips (Tetracore Inc., USA). Using up-converting phosphor nano-particles (UCP-NPs) as the bio-marker, three double-antibody-sandwich model based UPT-LF strips including Plague-UPT-LF, Anthrax-UPT-LF, Brucella-UPT-LF were prepared and its sensitivity, accuracy, linearity and specificity were determined by detecting 10(10), 10(9), 10(8), 10(7), 10(6), 10(5) and 0 CFU/ml series of concentrations of Y.pestis, B.anthracis, Brucella standards and other 27 kinds of 10(9) CFU/ml series of contrations of bacteria strains.Furthermore, the speed, sensitivity and accuracy of bacteria standards and simulated sample detection were compared between UPT-LF and BTA system. The detection limit of Plague-UPT-LF, Anthrax-UPT-LF and Brucella-LF was 10(5) CFU/ml. The CV of series of bacteria concentrations was ≤ 15%, and the r between lg (T/C-cut-off) and lg (concentration) was 0.996,0.998 and 0.999 (F values were 1 647.57, 743.51 and 1 822.17. All the P values were Brucella-LF were excellent, while that of Anthrax-UPT-LF was a little bit regretful because of non-specific reaction with two isolates of B. subtilis and one B.cereus. On-site evaluation showed the detection time of UPT-LF for all Y.pestis, B.anthracis spore and Brucella spp.was 33, 36 and 37 min, while BTA was 115, 115 and 111 min, which revealed the higher detection speed and sensitivity of UPT-LF comparing with BTA. The negative rate of two methods for blank standard was both 5/5, the sensitivity of UPT-LF for Y.pestis,B.anthracis spore and Brucella spp. was all 10(5) CFU/ml, then BTA was 10(6), 10(6) and 10(5) CFU/ml, respectively. The detection rate of UPT-LF for all three bacteria analog positive samples was 16/16, while BTA for B.anthracis was 7/16 only. The good performance

Bovine lactoferrin decreases cholera-toxin-induced intestinal fluid accumulation in mice by ganglioside interaction.

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Fulton P Rivera

Full Text Available Secretory diarrhea caused by cholera toxin (CT is initiated by binding of CT's B subunit (CTB to GM1-ganglioside on the surface of intestinal cells. Lactoferrin, a breast milk glycoprotein, has shown protective effect against several enteropathogens. The aims of this study were to determine the effect of bovine-lactoferrin (bLF on CT-induced intestinal fluid accumulation in mice, and the interaction between bLF and CT/CTB with the GM1-ganglioside receptor. Fluid accumulation induced by CT was evaluated in the mouse ileal loop model using 56 BALB/c mice, with and without bLF added before, after or at the same time of CT administration. The effect of bLF in the interaction of CT and CTB with GM1-ganglioside was evaluated by a GM1-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. bLF decreased CT-induced fluid accumulation in the ileal loop of mice. The greatest effect was when bLF was added before CT (median, 0.066 vs. 0.166 g/cm, with and without bLF respectively, p<0.01. We conclude that bLF decreases binding of CT and CTB to GM1-ganglioside, suggesting that bLF suppresses CT-induced fluid accumulation by blocking the binding of CTB to GM1-ganglioside. bLF may be effective as adjunctive therapy for treatment of cholera diarrhea.

Human lactoferrin stimulates skin keratinocyte function and wound re-epithelialization.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, L; Wu, J J; Ma, Q; Cui, T; Andreopoulos, F M; Gil, J; Valdes, J; Davis, S C; Li, J

2010-07-01

Human lactoferrin (hLF), a member of the transferrin family, is known for its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. Recent studies on various nonskin cell lines indicate that hLF may have a stimulatory effect on cell proliferation. To study the potential role of hLF in wound re-epithelialization. The effects of hLF on cell growth, migration, attachment and survival were assessed, with a rice-derived recombinant hLF (holo-rhLF), using proliferation analysis, scratch migration assay, calcein-AM/propidium iodide staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) method, respectively. The mechanisms of hLF on cell proliferation and migration were explored using specific pathway inhibitors. The involvement of lactoferrin receptor low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) was examined with RNA interference technique. An in vivo swine second-degree burn wound model was also used to assess wound re-epithelialization. Studies revealed that holo-rhLF significantly stimulated keratinocyte proliferation which could be blocked by mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase 1 inhibitor. Holo-rhLF also showed strong promoting effects on keratinocyte migration, which could be blocked by either inhibition of the MAPK, Src and Rho/ROCK pathways, or downregulation of the LRP1 receptor. With cells under starving or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate exposure, the addition of holo-rhLF was found greatly to increase cell viability and inhibit cell apoptosis. Additionally, holo-rhLF significantly increased the rate of wound re-epithelialization in swine second-degree burn wounds. Our studies demonstrate the direct effects of holo-rhLF on wound re-epithelialization including the enhancement of keratinocyte proliferation and migration as well as the protection of cells from apoptosis. The data strongly indicate its potential therapeutic applications in wound healing.

A novel protein tyrosine phosphatase like phytase from Lactobacillus fermentum NKN51: Cloning, characterization and application in mineral release for food technology applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Rekha; Kumar, Piyush; Kaushal, Vandana; Das, Rahul; Kumar Navani, Naveen

2018-02-01

A novel protein tyrosine phosphatase like phytase (PTPLP), designated as PhyLf from probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus fermentum NKN51 was identified, cloned, expressed and characterized. The recombinant PhyLf showed specific activity of 174.5 U/mg. PhyLf exhibited strict specificity towards phytate and optimum temperature at 60 °C, pH 5.0 and ionic strength of 100 mM. K m and K cat of PhyLf for phytate were 0.773 mM and 84.31 s -1 , respectively. PhyLf exhibited high resistance against oxidative inactivation. PhyLf shares no homology, sans the active site with reported PTLPs, warranting classification as a new subclass. Dephytinization of durum wheat and finger millet under in vitro gastrointestinal conditions using PhyLf enhanced the bioaccessibility of mineral ions. Probiotic origin, phytate specificity, resistance to oxidative environment and gastric milieu coupled with ability to release micronutrients are unique properties of PhyLf which present a strong case for its use in ameliorating nutritional value of cereals and animal feed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interference of the antimicrobial peptide lactoferricin B with the action of various antibiotics against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Vorland, L H; Osbakk, S A; Perstølen, T; Ulvatne, H; Rekdal, O; Svendsen, J S; Gutteberg, T J

1999-01-01

The antimicrobial peptide, lactoferricin, can be generated upon gastric pepsin cleavage of lactoferrin. We have examined the interaction of lactoferricin of bovine origin, Lf-cin B, with the antibiotics penicillin G, vancomycin, gentamicin, colistin, D-cycloserine and erythromycin against E. coli ATCC 25922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923. We demonstrated synergism between Lf-cin B and erythromycin against E. coli, and partial synergism between Lf-cin B and penicillin G, vancomycin and gentamicin against E. coli. Only penicillin G acted in partial synergism with Lf-cin B against S. aureus. Lf-cin B antagonized vancomycin and gentamicin against S. aureus in low concentration. We conclude that Lf-cin B may facilitate the uptake of antibiotics across the cell envelope.

Lactoferrin inhibits dexamethasone-induced chondrocyte impairment from osteoarthritic cartilage through up-regulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and suppression of FASL, FAS, and Caspase 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tu, Yihui; Xue, Huaming; Francis, Wendy; Davies, Andrew P.; Pallister, Ian; Kanamarlapudi, Venkateswarlu; Xia, Zhidao

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Dex exerts dose-dependant inhibition of HACs viability and induction of apoptosis. •Dex-induced impairment of chondrocytes was attenuated by rhLF. •ERK and FASL/FAS signaling are involved in the effects of rhLF. •OA patients with glucocorticoid-induced cartilage damage may benefit from treatment with rhLF. -- Abstract: Dexamethasone (Dex) is commonly used for osteoarthritis (OA) with excellent anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. However, Dex also has many side effects following repeated use over prolonged periods mainly through increasing apoptosis and inhibiting proliferation. Lactoferrin (LF) exerts significantly anabolic effect on many cells and little is known about its effect on OA chondrocytes. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate whether LF can inhibit Dex-induced OA chondrocytes apoptosis and explore its possible molecular mechanism involved in. MTT assay was used to determine the optimal concentration of Dex and recombinant human LF (rhLF) on chondrocytes at different time and dose points. Chondrocytes were then stimulated with Dex in the absence or presence of optimal concentration of rhLF. Cell proliferation and viability were evaluated using MTT and LIVE/DEAD assay, respectively. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by multi-parameter apoptosis assay kit using both confocal microscopy and flow cytometry, respectively. The expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), FAS, FASL, and Caspase-3 (CASP3) at the mRNA and protein levels were examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunocytochemistry, respectively. The optimal concentration of Dex (25 μg/ml) and rhLF (200 μg/ml) were chosen for the following experiments. rhLF significantly reversed the detrimental effect of Dex on chondrocytes proliferation, viability, and apoptosis. In addition, rhLF significantly prevented Dex-induced down-regulation of ERK and up-regulation of FAS, FASL, and CASP3. These findings demonstrated that rhLF acts as

Lactoferrin inhibits dexamethasone-induced chondrocyte impairment from osteoarthritic cartilage through up-regulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and suppression of FASL, FAS, and Caspase 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tu, Yihui [Department of Orthopaedics, Yangpu District Central Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, 450 Tengyue Road, Shanghai (China); Xue, Huaming [Department of Orthopaedics, Yangpu District Central Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, 450 Tengyue Road, Shanghai (China); Institute of Life Science, College of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park (United Kingdom); Francis, Wendy [Institute of Life Science, College of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park (United Kingdom); Davies, Andrew P. [Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma, Moriston Hospital, Swansea (United Kingdom); Pallister, Ian; Kanamarlapudi, Venkateswarlu [Institute of Life Science, College of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park (United Kingdom); Xia, Zhidao, E-mail: zhidao.xia@gmail.com [Institute of Life Science, College of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park (United Kingdom)

2013-11-08

Highlights: •Dex exerts dose-dependant inhibition of HACs viability and induction of apoptosis. •Dex-induced impairment of chondrocytes was attenuated by rhLF. •ERK and FASL/FAS signaling are involved in the effects of rhLF. •OA patients with glucocorticoid-induced cartilage damage may benefit from treatment with rhLF. -- Abstract: Dexamethasone (Dex) is commonly used for osteoarthritis (OA) with excellent anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. However, Dex also has many side effects following repeated use over prolonged periods mainly through increasing apoptosis and inhibiting proliferation. Lactoferrin (LF) exerts significantly anabolic effect on many cells and little is known about its effect on OA chondrocytes. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate whether LF can inhibit Dex-induced OA chondrocytes apoptosis and explore its possible molecular mechanism involved in. MTT assay was used to determine the optimal concentration of Dex and recombinant human LF (rhLF) on chondrocytes at different time and dose points. Chondrocytes were then stimulated with Dex in the absence or presence of optimal concentration of rhLF. Cell proliferation and viability were evaluated using MTT and LIVE/DEAD assay, respectively. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by multi-parameter apoptosis assay kit using both confocal microscopy and flow cytometry, respectively. The expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), FAS, FASL, and Caspase-3 (CASP3) at the mRNA and protein levels were examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunocytochemistry, respectively. The optimal concentration of Dex (25 μg/ml) and rhLF (200 μg/ml) were chosen for the following experiments. rhLF significantly reversed the detrimental effect of Dex on chondrocytes proliferation, viability, and apoptosis. In addition, rhLF significantly prevented Dex-induced down-regulation of ERK and up-regulation of FAS, FASL, and CASP3. These findings demonstrated that rhLF acts as

Significant decline in lymphatic filariasis associated with nationwide scale-up of insecticide-treated nets in Zambia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Nsakashalo-Senkwe

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Lymphatic filariasis (LF is a mosquito-borne disease, broadly endemic in Zambia, and is targeted for elimination by mass drug administration (MDA of albendazole and diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC to at-risk populations. Anopheline mosquitoes are primary vectors of LF in Africa, and it is possible that the significant scale-up of malaria vector control over the past decade may have also impacted LF transmission, and contributed to a decrease in prevalence in Zambia. We therefore aimed to examine the putative association between decreasing LF prevalence and increasing coverage of insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs for malaria vector control, by comparing LF mapping data collected between 2003–2005 and 2009–2011 to LF sentinel site prevalence data collected between 2012 and 2014, before any anti-LF MDA was started. The coverage of ITNs for malaria was quantified and compared for each site in relation to the dynamics of LF. We found a significant decrease in LF prevalence from the years 2003–2005 (11.5% CI95 6.6; 16.4 to 2012–2014 (0.6% CI95 0.03; 1.1; at the same time, there was a significant scale-up of ITNs across the country from 0.2% (CI95 0.0; 0.3 to 76.1% (CI95 71.4; 80.7 respectively. The creation and comparison of two linear models demonstrated that the geographical and temporal variation in ITN coverage was a better predictor of LF prevalence than year alone. Whilst a causal relationship between LF prevalence and ITN coverage cannot be proved, we propose that the scale-up of ITNs has helped to control Anopheles mosquito populations, which have in turn impacted on LF transmission significantly before the scale-up of MDA. This putative synergy with vector control has helped to put Zambia on track to meet national and global goals of LF elimination by 2020.

Attenuation of massive cytokine response to the staphylococcal enterotoxin B superantigen by the innate immunomodulatory protein lactoferrin

Science.gov (United States)

Hayworth, J L; Kasper, K J; Leon-Ponte, M; Herfst, C A; Yue, D; Brintnell, W C; Mazzuca, D M; Heinrichs, D E; Cairns, E; Madrenas, J; Hoskin, D W; McCormick, J K; Haeryfar, S M M

2009-01-01

Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) is a pyrogenic exotoxin and a potent superantigen which causes massive T cell activation and cytokine secretion, leading to profound immunosuppression and morbidity. The inhibition of SEB-induced responses is thus considered a goal in the management of certain types of staphylococcal infections. Lactoferrin (LF) is a multi-functional glycoprotein with both bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities. In addition, LF is known to have potent immunomodulatory properties. Given the anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties of this protein, we hypothesized that LF can modulate T cell responses to SEB. Here, we report that bovine LF (bLF) was indeed able to attenuate SEB-induced proliferation, interleukin-2 production and CD25 expression by human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DR4 transgenic mouse T cells. This inhibition was not due to bLF's iron-binding capacity, and could be mimicked by the bLF-derived peptide lactoferricin. Cytokine secretion by an engineered SEB-responsive human Jurkat T cell line and by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors was also inhibited by bLF. These findings reveal a previously unrecognized property of LF in modulation of SEB-triggered immune activation and suggest a therapeutic potential for this naturally occurring protein during toxic shock syndrome. PMID:19659771

Influence of limit-feeding and time of day of feed availability to growing calves on growth performance and feeding behavior in cold weather.

Science.gov (United States)

Prezotto, L D; Gilbery, T C; Bauer, M L; Islas, A; Swanson, K C

2017-11-01

Objective swere to determine the effects of limit-feeding and time of feed access in cold weather on growth performance and feeding behavior of growing calves fed a corn silage-based diet. Sixty-six steers (BW = 317 ± 5.3 kg) and 30 heifers (BW = 239 ± 7.6 kg) were assigned randomly to dietary treatment: 1) ad libitum feed intake (AL), 2) limit-fed to 80% of the average DMI of the AL group on a BW basis in the daytime (0601-1759 h; LF-D), 3) limit-fed to 80% of the average DMI of the AL group on a BW basis in the nighttime (1800-0559 h; LF-N), and 4) limit-fed to 80% of the average DMI of the AL group on a BW basis, split 1/2 in the daytime and 1/2 in the nighttime (LF-S). Feed intake and feeding behavior were monitored over 84 d using the Insentec feeding system. Average daily gain, DMI, and G:F were greater ( ≤ 0.002) in the AL group compared with others. Dry matter intake was not different ( = 0.17) when comparing the LF-D with the LF-N groups. Average daily gain and G:F were greater ( ≤ 0.05) when comparing the LF-N group to the LF-D group, and were not different ( ≥ 0.51) when comparing the LF-S group with the mean of the LF-D and LF-N groups. Number of visits and meals per d was greater ( ≤ 0.001) in the LF-N than the LF-D group. Feed intake per visit was not different ( = 0.55) when comparing the AL group and others, and tended to be greater ( = 0.06) in the LF-D than the LF-N group. Feed intake per meal was greater ( Feed intake per minute (eating rate) was not influenced by treatment. In conclusion, limit-feeding at 80% of ad libitum intake decreased ADG and G:F. Limit-feeding in the nighttime as compared to limit-feeding in the daytime improves growth performance and increases feeding activity (number of visits and meals per d) which could be because of increased heat production to help maintain body temperature and thus reduce maintenance energy requirements.

Bovine lactoferrin and lactoferricin exert antitumor activities on human colorectal cancer cells (HT-29) by activating various signaling pathways.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Rulan; Lönnerdal, Bo

2017-02-01

Lactoferrin (Lf) is an iron-binding glycoprotein that is present at high concentrations in milk. Bovine lactoferricin (LfcinB) is a peptide fragment generated by pepsin proteolysis of bovine lactoferrin (bLf). LfcinB consists of amino acid residues 17-41 proximal to the N-terminus of bLf and a disulfide bond between residues 19 and 36, forming a loop. Both bLf and LfcinB have been demonstrated to have antitumor activities. Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in developed countries. We hypothesized that bLf and LfcinB exert antitumor activities on colon cancer cells (HT-29) by triggering various signaling pathways. bLf and LfcinB significantly induced apoptosis in HT-29 cells but not in normal human intestinal epithelial cells, as revealed by the ApoTox-Glo Triplex Assay. The LIVE/DEAD cell viability assay showed that both bLf and LfcinB reduced the viability of HT-29 cells. Transcriptome analysis indicated that bLf, cyclic LfcinB, and linear LfcinB exerted antitumor activities by differentially activating diverse signaling pathways, including p53, apoptosis, and angiopoietin signaling. Immunoblotting results confirmed that both bLf and LfcinBs increased expression of caspase-8, p53, and p21, critical proteins in tumor suppression. These results provide valuable information regarding bLf and LfcinB for potential clinical applications in colon cancer therapy.

Role of UV-inducible proteins in repair of various wild-type Escherichia coli cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sedliakova, M.; Slezarikova, V.; Brozmanova, J.; Masek, F.; Bayerova, V.

1980-01-01

3 wild-type strains of E. coli, namely K12 AB2497, B/r WP2 and 15 555-7, proficient in excision and post-replication repair, differ markedly in their UV resistance. To elucidate this difference, the influence was investigated of induction by application of inducing fluence (IF) before lethal fluence (LF) on repair processes after LF. In cells distinguished by low UV resistance (E. coli 15 555-7; E. coli B/r WP2), dimer excision was less complete in cultures irradiated with IF + LF than in cultures irradiated with LF only. The highly resistant E. coli K12 AB2497 performed complete excision both after IF + LF or after LF alone. All 3 types of cell survived better after IF + LF than after LF only. Because, in most strains so far investigated, the application of IF reduced dimer excision and increased survival, dimer excision per se does not appear important for survival. We conclude that the rate and completeness of dimer excision can serve as a measure of efficiency of the excision system whose action is necessary for repair of another lesion. Cells of all investigated strains could not resume DNA replication and died progressively when irradiated with LF and post-incubated with chloramphenicol (LF CAP + ). Thus, it appears that inducible proteins are necessary for repair in all wild-type E. coli cells given with potentially lethal doses of UV irradiation. (orig.)

Final Environmental Assessment Implementation of the Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan for Avon Park Air Force Range Florida

Science.gov (United States)

2004-01-01

divine nightshade (Solanum nigrescens) Coast sandspur (Cenchrus incertus) Three plants — tropical soda apple (Solanum viarum), cogon grass ( Imperata ...consequence on the APAFR ecosystem. However in the last 5 years, there has been an increase in the number of sites where cogon grass ( Imperata ...verticillata Hydrilla Hymenachne amplexicaulis West In mdian arsh grass Imperata cylindrica Cogon grass Lantana camara Lantana Ligustrum sinense Chinese

Altered luminosity functions for relativistically beamed objects. II - Distribution of Lorentz factors and parent populations with complex luminosity functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urry, C.M.; Padovani, P.

1991-01-01

In a previous paper, Urry and Shafer (1984) showed that the observed luminosity function (LF) of objects that have part or all of their emission relativistically beamed was a double power law, flat at the faint end and steep at the bright end, so that the ratio of beamed sources to parents was a strong function of luminosity. These calculations are extended here for more realistic LFs required for actual tests of a unified theory of AGN. The observed LF of the beam-dominated objects is generally flatter than the parent LF, so that the number density ratio is a strong function of luminosity and can easily be greater than unity at high luminosities, even for gradual low-luminosity cutoffs in the parent LF. Several characteristic break points can be identified depending on the details of the parent LF. The calculations can be used to test unified theories by predicting the observed LF for aligned objects from the LF of the proposed parent population. 6 refs

Effect of lactoferrin on osteogenic differentiation of human adipose stem cells.

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Ying, Xiaozhou; Cheng, Shaowen; Wang, Wei; Lin, Zhongqin; Chen, Qingyu; Zhang, Wei; Kou, Dongquan; Shen, Yue; Cheng, Xiaojie; Peng, Lei; Zi Xu, Hua; Zhu Lu, Chuan

2012-03-01

Many in vitro studies of the analysis of the lactoferrin (LF) effect on cells have been reported. However, no study has yet investigated the effect of LF on osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of LF on osteogenic differentiation of human adipose stem cells. The hADSCs were cultured in an osteogenic medium with 0, 10, 50 and 100 μg/ml LF, respectively. hADSC proliferation was analysed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, and cell osteogenic differentiation was evaluated by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay, von Kossa staining and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Cell proliferation was significantly increased by LF in a dose-dependent manner from days 4 to 14. Cells cultured with 100 μg/ml LF presented a higher activity compared with the control. The deposition of calcium was increased after the addition of LF. The mRNA expression of type I collagen (COL-I), ALP, osteocalcin (OCN) and RUNX2 increased markedly as a result of LF treatment. We have shown for the first time that LF could promote the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs, which could be a promising approach for enhancing osteogenic capacity of cell-based construction in bone tissue engineering.

The comparative carpological analyze of ornamental shrubby introducents from Rosaceae Juss. family in conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine

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Andriy I. Babytskiy

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The results of comparative carpological analyze of shrubby plants from 11 species, 6 genera and 5 subfamilies of Rosaceae family are shown in the article. It was singled out four types of fruits of these plants. Based on phylogeny of fruits worked out by A.V. Bobrov the evolutional range of selected plants was arranged. Also biometric indexes of fruits of plants from genera Exochorda Lindl., Kerria DC., Photinia Lindl., Prinsepia Royle, Rhodotypus Sieb. et Zucc. Stephanandra Sieb. et Zucc. are giving.

Lassa fever in post-conflict sierra leone.

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Jeffrey G Shaffer

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Lassa fever (LF, an often-fatal hemorrhagic disease caused by Lassa virus (LASV, is a major public health threat in West Africa. When the violent civil conflict in Sierra Leone (1991 to 2002 ended, an international consortium assisted in restoration of the LF program at Kenema Government Hospital (KGH in an area with the world's highest incidence of the disease.Clinical and laboratory records of patients presenting to the KGH Lassa Ward in the post-conflict period were organized electronically. Recombinant antigen-based LF immunoassays were used to assess LASV antigenemia and LASV-specific antibodies in patients who met criteria for suspected LF. KGH has been reestablished as a center for LF treatment and research, with over 500 suspected cases now presenting yearly. Higher case fatality rates (CFRs in LF patients were observed compared to studies conducted prior to the civil conflict. Different criteria for defining LF stages and differences in sensitivity of assays likely account for these differences. The highest incidence of LF in Sierra Leone was observed during the dry season. LF cases were observed in ten of Sierra Leone's thirteen districts, with numerous cases from outside the traditional endemic zone. Deaths in patients presenting with LASV antigenemia were skewed towards individuals less than 29 years of age. Women self-reporting as pregnant were significantly overrepresented among LASV antigenemic patients. The CFR of ribavirin-treated patients presenting early in acute infection was lower than in untreated subjects.Lassa fever remains a major public health threat in Sierra Leone. Outreach activities should expand because LF may be more widespread in Sierra Leone than previously recognized. Enhanced case finding to ensure rapid diagnosis and treatment is imperative to reduce mortality. Even with ribavirin treatment, there was a high rate of fatalities underscoring the need to develop more effective and/or supplemental treatments for

Bovine lactoferrin counteracts Toll-like receptor mediated activation signals in antigen presenting cells.

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Patrizia Puddu

Full Text Available Lactoferrin (LF, a key element in mammalian immune system, plays pivotal roles in host defence against infection and excessive inflammation. Its protective effects range from direct antimicrobial activities against a large panel of microbes, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, to antinflammatory and anticancer activities. In this study, we show that monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MD-DCs generated in the presence of bovine LF (bLF fail to undergo activation by up-modulating CD83, co-stimulatory and major histocompatibility complex molecules, and cytokine/chemokine secretion. Moreover, these cells are weak activators of T cell proliferation and retain antigen uptake activity. Consistent with an impaired maturation, bLF-MD-DC primed T lymphocytes exhibit a functional unresponsiveness characterized by reduced expression of CD154 and impaired expression of IFN-γ and IL-2. The observed imunosuppressive effects correlate with an increased expression of molecules with negative regulatory functions (i.e. immunoglobulin-like transcript 3 and programmed death ligand 1, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, and suppressor of cytokine signaling-3. Interestingly, bLF-MD-DCs produce IL-6 and exhibit constitutive signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 activation. Conversely, bLF exposure of already differentiated MD-DCs completely fails to induce IL-6, and partially inhibits Toll-like receptor (TLR agonist-induced activation. Cell-specific differences in bLF internalization likely account for the distinct response elicited by bLF in monocytes versus immature DCs, providing a mechanistic base for its multiple effects. These results indicate that bLF exerts a potent anti-inflammatory activity by skewing monocyte differentiation into DCs with impaired capacity to undergo activation and to promote Th1 responses. Overall, these bLF-mediated effects may represent a strategy to block excessive DC activation upon TLR-induced inflammation, adding

Enhancement of endotoxin neutralization by coupling of a C12-alkyl chain to a lactoferricin-derived peptide

Science.gov (United States)

2004-01-01

Antibacterial peptide acylation, which mimics the structure of the natural lipopeptide polymyxin B, increases antimicrobial and endotoxin-neutralizing activities. The interaction of the lactoferricin-derived peptide LF11 and its N-terminally acylated analogue, lauryl-LF11, with different chemotypes of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS Re, Ra and smooth S form) was investigated by biophysical means and was related to the peptides' biological activities. Both peptides exhibit high antibacterial activity against the three strains of Salmonella enterica differing in the LPS chemotype. Lauryl-LF11 has one order of magnitude higher activity against Re-type, but activity against Ra- and S-type bacteria is comparable with that of LF11. The alkyl derivative peptide lauryl-LF11 shows a much stronger inhibition of the LPS-induced cytokine induction in human mononuclear cells than LF11. Although peptide–LPS interaction is essentially of electrostatic nature, the lauryl-modified peptide displays a strong hydrophobic component. Such a feature might then explain the fact that saturation of the peptide binding takes place at a much lower peptide/LPS ratio for LF11 than for lauryl-LF11, and that an overcompensation of the negative LPS backbone charges is observed for lauryl-LF11. The influence of LF11 on the gel-to-liquid-crystalline phase-transition of LPS is negligible for LPS Re, but clearly fluidizing for LPS Ra. In contrast, lauryl-LF11 causes a cholesterol-like effect in the two chemotypes, fluidizing in the gel and rigidifying of the hydrocarbon chains in the liquid-crystalline phase. Both peptides convert the mixed unilamellar/non-lamellar aggregate structure of lipid A, the ‘endotoxic principle’ of LPS, into a multilamellar one. These data contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms of the peptide-mediated neutralization of endotoxin and effect of lipid modification of peptides. PMID:15344905

Effect of low frequency magnetic fields on melanoma: tumor inhibition and immune modulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nie, Yunzhong; Du, Leilei; Mou, Yongbin; Xu, Zhenjun; Weng, Leihua; Du, Youwei; Zhu, Yanan; Hou, Yayi; Wang, Tingting

2013-01-01

We previously found that the low frequency magnetic fields (LF-MF) inhibited gastric and lung cancer cell growth. We suppose that exposure to LF-MF may modulate immune function so as to inhibit tumor. We here investigated whether LF-MF can inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of melanoma and influence immune function. The effect of MF on the proliferation, cell cycle and ultrastracture of B16-F10 in vitro was detected by cell counting Kit-8 assay, flow cytometry, and transmission electron microscopy. Lung metastasis mice were prepared by injection of 2 × 10 5 B16-F10 melanoma cells into the tail vein in C57BL/6 mice. The mice were then exposed to an LF-MF (0.4 T, 7.5 Hz) for 43 days. Survival rate, tumor markers and the innate and adaptive immune parameters were measured. The growth of B16-F10 cells was inhibited after exposure to the LF-MF. The inhibition was related to induction of cell cycle arrest and decomposition of chromatins. Moreover, the LF-MF prolonged the mouse survival rate and inhibited the proliferation of B16-F10 in melanoma metastasis mice model. Furthermore, the LF-MF modulated the immune response via regulation of immune cells and cytokine production. In addition, the number of Treg cells was decreased in mice with the LF-MF exposure, while the numbers of T cells as well as dendritic cells were significantly increased. LF-MF inhibited the growth and metastasis of melanoma cancer cells and improved immune function of tumor-bearing mice. This suggests that the inhibition may be attributed to modulation of LF-MF on immune function and LF-MF may be a potential therapy for treatment of melanoma

Soluble Fermentable Dietary Fibre (Pectin) Decreases Caloric Intake, Adiposity and Lipidaemia in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Rats

Science.gov (United States)

Adam, Clare L.; Thomson, Lynn M.; Williams, Patricia A.; Ross, Alexander W.

2015-01-01

Consumption of a high fat diet promotes obesity and poor metabolic health, both of which may be improved by decreasing caloric intake. Satiety-inducing ingredients such as dietary fibre may be beneficial and this study investigates in diet-induced obese (DIO) rats the effects of high or low fat diet with or without soluble fermentable fibre (pectin). In two independently replicated experiments, young adult male DIO rats that had been reared on high fat diet (HF; 45% energy from fat) were given HF, low fat diet (LF; 10% energy from fat), HF with 10% w/w pectin (HF+P), or LF with 10% w/w pectin (LF+P) ad libitum for 4 weeks (n = 8/group/experiment). Food intake, body weight, body composition (by magnetic resonance imaging), plasma hormones, and plasma and liver lipid concentrations were measured. Caloric intake and body weight gain were greatest in HF, lower in LF and HF+P, and lowest in the LF+P group. Body fat mass increased in HF, was maintained in LF, but decreased significantly in LF+P and HF+P groups. Final plasma leptin, insulin, total cholesterol and triglycerides were lower, and plasma satiety hormone PYY concentrations were higher, in LF+P and HF+P than in LF and HF groups, respectively. Total fat and triglyceride concentrations in liver were greatest in HF, lower in LF and HF+P, and lowest in the LF+P group. Therefore, the inclusion of soluble fibre in a high fat (or low fat) diet promoted increased satiety and decreased caloric intake, weight gain, adiposity, lipidaemia, leptinaemia and insulinaemia. These data support the potential of fermentable dietary fibre for weight loss and improving metabolic health in obesity. PMID:26447990

Lactobacillus fermentum Suo Attenuates HCl/Ethanol Induced Gastric Injury in Mice through Its Antioxidant Effects

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Huayi Suo

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to determine the inhibitory effects of Lactobacillus fermentum Suo (LF-Suo on HCl/ethanol induced gastric injury in ICR (Institute for Cancer Research mice and explain the mechanism of these effects through the molecular biology activities of LF-Suo. The studied mice were divided into four groups: healthy, injured, LF-Suo-L and LF-Suo-H group. After the LF-Suo intragastric administration, the gastric injury area was reduced compared to the injured group. The serum MOT (motilin, SP (substance P, ET (endothelin levels of LF-Suo treated mice were lower, and SS (somatostatin, VIP (vasoactive intestinal peptide levels were higher than the injured group mice. The cytokine IL-6 (interleukin 6, IL-12 (interleukin 12, TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α and IFN-γ (interferon-γ serum levels were decreased after the LF-Suo treatment. The gastric tissues SOD (superoxide dismutase, GSH-Px (glutathione peroxidase, NO (nitric oxide and activities of LF-Suo treated mice were increased and MDA (malondialdehyde activity was decreased compared to the injured group mice. By the RT-PCR assay, LF-Suo raised the occludin, EGF (epidermal growth factor, EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor, VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor, Fit-1 (fms-like tyrosine kinase-1, IκB-α (inhibitor kappaB-α, nNOS (neuronal nitric oxide synthase, eNOS (endothelial nitric oxide synthase, Mn-SOD, Cu/Zn-SOD, CAT (catalase mRNA or protein expressions and reduced the COX-2, NF-κB (nuclear factor kappaB, and iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase expressions in gastric tissues compared to the gastric injured group mice. A high concentration (1.0 × 109 CFU/kg b.w. of LF-Suo treatment showed stronger anti-gastric injury effects compared to a low concentration of (0.5 × 109 CFU/kg b.w. of LF-Suo treatment. LF-Suo also showed strong survival in pH 3.0 man-made gastric juice and hydrophobic properties. These results indicate that LF-Suo has potential use as

[The role of lactoferrin in the proper development of newborns].

Science.gov (United States)

Artym, Jolanta; Zimecki, Michał

2005-01-01

Colostrum and milk contain, in addition to nutritional constituents, also proteins crucial for the normal development of the offspring. Lactoferrin (LF) belongs to the family of iron-binding proteins and exhibits a wide spectrum of antimicrobial and immunotropic properties. LF is particularly resistant to proteolytic degradation in alimentary tract, in contrast to other milk proteins, e.g. casein. In any case, LF-derived peptides also possess potent antibacterial activities. LF is absorbed from the intestine by means of specific receptors located on brush border cells. Administered orally, LF stimulates both local and systemic immune response. LF plays a role in the absorption of nutrients. The protein can deliver such metal ions as iron, manganese, and zinc and facilitate the absorption of sugars. LF stimulates the proliferation of gut endothelial cells and the growth of gut-associated lymphatic follicles. This property suggests the possibility of applying LF in premature infants and patients with damaged intestinal mucus. LF controls the proper composition of the gut microflora. It suppresses the growth of pathogenic bacteria while promoting the multiplication of nonpathogenic Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Newborns fed an artificial diet develop harmful microflora (Enterococcus, Enterobacter, Bacteroides, Escherichia). The non-pathogenic microflora ensures low pH, produces some vitamins, increases the activity of NK cells, T lymphocytes, and macrophages, promotes the production of protective immunoglobulins, and lowers the risk of allergies. In studies on mice, LF was found to be protective in bacteremia and endotoxemia. The protein stimulates the activity of reticulo-endothelial system cells and elicits myelopoiesis, thus increasing the killing and clearance of bacteria. In the model of experimental endotoxemia, LF inhibits the activity of pro-inflammatory cytokines, nitric oxide, and reactive forms of oxygen. LF can also promote the differentiation of T

Evaluation of the Environmental DNA Method for Estimating Distribution and Biomass of Submerged Aquatic Plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuhashi, Saeko; Doi, Hideyuki; Fujiwara, Ayaka; Watanabe, Sonoko; Minamoto, Toshifumi

2016-01-01

The environmental DNA (eDNA) method has increasingly been recognized as a powerful tool for monitoring aquatic animal species; however, its application for monitoring aquatic plants is limited. To evaluate eDNA analysis for estimating the distribution of aquatic plants, we compared its estimated distributions with eDNA analysis, visual observation, and past distribution records for the submerged species Hydrilla verticillata. Moreover, we conducted aquarium experiments using H. verticillata and Egeria densa and analyzed the relationships between eDNA concentrations and plant biomass to investigate the potential for biomass estimation. The occurrences estimated by eDNA analysis closely corresponded to past distribution records, and eDNA detections were more frequent than visual observations, indicating that the method is potentially more sensitive. The results of the aquarium experiments showed a positive relationship between plant biomass and eDNA concentration; however, the relationship was not always significant. The eDNA concentration peaked within three days of the start of the experiment in most cases, suggesting that plants do not release constant amounts of DNA. These results showed that eDNA analysis can be used for distribution surveys, and has the potential to estimate the biomass of aquatic plants.

Vegetative Propagule Pressure and Water Depth Affect Biomass and Evenness of Submerged Macrophyte Communities.

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Hong-Li Li

Full Text Available Vegetative propagule pressure may affect the establishment and structure of aquatic plant communities that are commonly dominated by plants capable of clonal growth. We experimentally constructed aquatic communities consisting of four submerged macrophytes (Hydrilla verticillata, Ceratophyllum demersum, Elodea nuttallii and Myriophyllum spicatum with three levels of vegetative propagule pressure (4, 8 and 16 shoot fragments for communities in each pot and two levels of water depth (30 cm and 70 cm. Increasing vegetative propagule pressure and decreasing water level significantly increased the growth of the submerged macrophyte communities, suggesting that propagule pressure and water depth should be considered when utilizing vegetative propagules to re-establish submerged macrophyte communities in degraded aquatic ecosystems. However, increasing vegetative propagule pressure and decreasing water level significantly decreased evenness of the submerged macrophyte communities because they markedly increased the dominance of H. verticillata and E. nuttallii, but had little impact on that of C. demersum and M. spicatum. Thus, effects of vegetative propagule pressure and water depth are species-specific and increasing vegetative propagule pressure under lower water level can facilitate the establishment success of submerged macrophyte communities.

77 FR 14312 - Airworthiness Directives; Honeywell International, Inc. Turbofan Engines

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-09

... International, Inc. Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of... Honeywell International, Inc. ALF502L-2C; ALF502R-3; ALF502R-3A; ALF502R-5; LF507-1F; and LF507-1H turbofan...; ALF502R-3A; ALF502R-5; LF507-1F; and LF507-1H turbofan engines, installed on airplanes of U.S. registry...

77 FR 32009 - Airworthiness Directives; Honeywell International, Inc. Turbofan Engines

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-31

... Airworthiness Directives; Honeywell International, Inc. Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration... Honeywell International, Inc. ALF502L-2C; ALF502R-3; ALF502R-3A; ALF502R-5; LF507-1F; and LF507-1H turbofan...; ALF502R-3A; ALF502R-5; LF507-1F; and LF507- 1H turbofan engines, installed on airplanes of U.S. registry...

Light-front quantization of field theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Srivastava, Prem P. [Universidade do Estado, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica]|[Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Fisicas (CBPF), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

1996-07-01

Some basic topics in Light-Front (LF) quantized field theory are reviewed. Poincare algebra and the LF spin operator are discussed. The local scalar field theory of the conventional framework is shown to correspond to a non-local Hamiltonian theory on the LF in view of the constraint equations on the phase space, which relate the bosonic condensates to the non-zero modes. This new ingredient is useful to describe the spontaneous symmetry breaking on the LF. The instability of the symmetric phase in two dimensional scalar theory when the coupling constant grows is shown in the LF theory renormalized to one loop order. Chern-Simons gauge theory, regarded to describe excitations with fractional statistics, is quantized in the light-cone gauge and a simple LF Hamiltonian obtained which may allow us to construct renormalized theory of anyons. (author). 20 refs.

Light-front quantization of field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srivastava, Prem P.

1996-07-01

Some basic topics in Light-Front (LF) quantized field theory are reviewed. Poincare algebra and the LF spin operator are discussed. The local scalar field theory of the conventional framework is shown to correspond to a non-local Hamiltonian theory on the LF in view of the constraint equations on the phase space, which relate the bosonic condensates to the non-zero modes. This new ingredient is useful to describe the spontaneous symmetry breaking on the LF. The instability of the symmetric phase in two dimensional scalar theory when the coupling constant grows is shown in the LF theory renormalized to one loop order. Chern-Simons gauge theory, regarded to describe excitations with fractional statistics, is quantized in the light-cone gauge and a simple LF Hamiltonian obtained which may allow us to construct renormalized theory of anyons. (author). 20 refs

Lactoferrin and prematurity: a promising milk protein?

Science.gov (United States)

Ochoa, Theresa J; Sizonenko, Stéphane V

2017-02-01

Lactoferrin (Lf) is the major whey protein in milk, with multiple beneficial health effects including direct antimicrobial activities, anti-inflammatory effects, and iron homeostasis. Oral Lf supplementation in human preterm infants has been shown to reduce the incidence of sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis. In preclinical models of antenatal stress and perinatal brain injury, bovine Lf protected the developing brain from neuronal loss, improved connectivity, increased neurotrophic factors, and decreased inflammation. It also supported brain development and cognition. Further, Lf can prevent preterm delivery by reducing proinflammatory factors and inhibiting premature cervix maturation. We review here the latest research on Lf in the field of neonatology.

Uptake of Different Forms of Nitrogen and Phosphorus by Three Aquatic Plants%3种水生植物对不同形态氮·磷吸收的研究

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

杨小霞; 黄晓典; 赵超; 彭少华; 韩磊

2012-01-01

[目的]探讨水蓼、浮萍和黑藻在水体氮、磷去除中的应用价值.[方法]在室内培养条件下,比较这3种水生植物对不同形态和浓度氮、磷的吸收效果.[结果]3种植物发挥最大N、P吸收效果的水体N、P浓度分别为1和5 mg/L.经10 d的培养,3种水生植物对铵态氮和硝态氮的去除率均达50％以上,其中浮萍对铵态氮的去除率高达63.6％；3种水生植物对磷的去除以正磷酸盐最佳,焦磷酸盐次之,偏磷酸盐最差.浮萍对这3种形态磷的去除效果均最好,去除率分别为94.7％、85.6％和70.9％.[结论]浮萍可以作为一种净化植物,可以有效地降低水中铵态氮和不同形态磷浓度.%[Objective]The nitrogen and phosphorus absorption in water by Polygonum hydropiper L. , Hydrilla verticillata (L. f. ) Royle and Lemna minor L. were studied. [Method]The uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus with different forms and concentrations by three aquatic plants was evalulated under laboratary conditions. [Result]The concentrations of N and P in water which made the plants achieve the hightest uptake of the two elements were 1 and 5 mg/L, respectively. The removal rates of NH4-N and N03-N by three plants were over 50% after 10 days treatment, and the highest removal rate (63.6% ) for NH4-N was found in Lemna minor L. Among the different forms of phosphorus, the removal efficiency by plants was followed as orthophosphate > pyrophosphate > metaphosphate. Lemna minor L. had the best removal rate for three forms of phosphorus, with a removal rate of 94.7% , 85.6% and 70.9% , respectively. [Conclusion]Lemna minor L. was an idea plant for efficient removal of NH4-N and different forms of phosphorus in water.

Comparative analysis of seed rain of Gaiadendron punctatum (Ruiz and Pavon) G. Don (loranthaceae) and Ternstroemia meridionalis mutis ex l.f. (theaceae) at natural municipal park Rancheria (Boyaca), Colombia

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Parada Quintero, Martha

2012-01-01

Gaiadendron punctatum (Ruiz and Pavon) G. Don and Ternstroemia meridionalis mutis ex l.f. are ornithochorous species of the high Andean forest; the first is abundant at natural municipal park Rancheria and the second rare at local level. The seed rain and fruiting phenology of G. punctatum and T. meridionalis were evaluated. Records were kept between March and December of 2010. This period included dry and wet seasons. Eight traps with a recollection surface of 1 m 2 were installed. Fruiting of G. punctatum and T. meridionalis was continued with a high percentage of unripe fruits. The higher fruiting was shown in the wet season. Both species presented seed rain during all the study. G. punctatum had higher seed rain with an average of 169/m 2 ; while t. meridionalis only 50 seeds/m 2 . Most abundance of G. punctatums seeds was recorded in the dry season, while for T. meridionalis in wet season. In spite of low seed rain for T. meridionalis it showed a high percentage of viable seeds. G. punctatum presented more propagules that could explain the high number of individuals by area. Although the number of seeds of T. meridionalis is not very high, it represents a potential for prevalence of this specie and the need of looking for factors that to block the persistence of this propagules.

Emerging trends in Lassa fever: redefining the role of immunoglobulin M and inflammation in diagnosing acute infection

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Branco Luis M

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Lassa fever (LF is a devastating hemorrhagic viral disease that is endemic to West Africa and responsible for thousands of human deaths each year. Analysis of humoral immune responses (IgM and IgG by antibody-capture ELISA (Ab-capture ELISA and Lassa virus (LASV viremia by antigen-capture ELISA (Ag-capture ELISA in suspected patients admitted to the Kenema Government Hospital (KGH Lassa Fever Ward (LFW in Sierra Leone over the past five years is reshaping our understanding of acute LF. Results Analyses in LF survivors indicated that LASV-specific IgM persists for months to years after initial infection. Furthermore, exposure to LASV appeared to be more prevalent in historically non-endemic areas of West Africa with significant percentages of reportedly healthy donors IgM and IgG positive in LASV-specific Ab-capture ELISA. We found that LF patients who were Ag positive were more likely to die than suspected cases who were only IgM positive. Analysis of metabolic and immunological parameters in Ag positive LF patients revealed a strong correlation between survival and low levels of IL-6, -8, -10, CD40L, BUN, ALP, ALT, and AST. Despite presenting to the hospital with fever and in some instances other symptoms consistent with LF, the profiles of Ag negative IgM positive individuals were similar to those of normal donors and nonfatal (NF LF cases, suggesting that IgM status cannot necessarily be considered a diagnostic marker of acute LF in suspected cases living in endemic areas of West Africa. Conclusion Only LASV viremia assessed by Ag-capture immunoassay, nucleic acid detection or virus isolation should be used to diagnose acute LASV infection in West Africans. LASV-specific IgM serostatus cannot be considered a diagnostic marker of acute LF in suspected cases living in endemic areas of West Africa. By applying these criteria, we identified a dysregulated metabolic and pro-inflammatory response profile conferring a poor

Emerging trends in Lassa fever: redefining the role of immunoglobulin M and inflammation in diagnosing acute infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Branco, Luis M; Grove, Jessica N; Boisen, Matt L; Shaffer, Jeffrey G; Goba, Augustine; Fullah, Mohammed; Momoh, Mambu; Grant, Donald S; Garry, Robert F

2011-10-24

Lassa fever (LF) is a devastating hemorrhagic viral disease that is endemic to West Africa and responsible for thousands of human deaths each year. Analysis of humoral immune responses (IgM and IgG) by antibody-capture ELISA (Ab-capture ELISA) and Lassa virus (LASV) viremia by antigen-capture ELISA (Ag-capture ELISA) in suspected patients admitted to the Kenema Government Hospital (KGH) Lassa Fever Ward (LFW) in Sierra Leone over the past five years is reshaping our understanding of acute LF. Analyses in LF survivors indicated that LASV-specific IgM persists for months to years after initial infection. Furthermore, exposure to LASV appeared to be more prevalent in historically non-endemic areas of West Africa with significant percentages of reportedly healthy donors IgM and IgG positive in LASV-specific Ab-capture ELISA. We found that LF patients who were Ag positive were more likely to die than suspected cases who were only IgM positive. Analysis of metabolic and immunological parameters in Ag positive LF patients revealed a strong correlation between survival and low levels of IL-6, -8, -10, CD40L, BUN, ALP, ALT, and AST. Despite presenting to the hospital with fever and in some instances other symptoms consistent with LF, the profiles of Ag negative IgM positive individuals were similar to those of normal donors and nonfatal (NF) LF cases, suggesting that IgM status cannot necessarily be considered a diagnostic marker of acute LF in suspected cases living in endemic areas of West Africa. Only LASV viremia assessed by Ag-capture immunoassay, nucleic acid detection or virus isolation should be used to diagnose acute LASV infection in West Africans. LASV-specific IgM serostatus cannot be considered a diagnostic marker of acute LF in suspected cases living in endemic areas of West Africa. By applying these criteria, we identified a dysregulated metabolic and pro-inflammatory response profile conferring a poor prognosis in acute LF. In addition to suggesting that the

Effects of lactoferrin derived peptides on simulants of biological warfare agents

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sijbrandij, T.; Ligtenberg, Antoon J.; Nazmi, K.; Veerman, Enno C. I.; Bolscher, Jan G. M.; Bikker, Floris J.

2017-01-01

Lactoferrin (LF) is an important immune protein in neutrophils and secretory fluids of mammals. Bovine LF (bLF) harbours two antimicrobial stretches, lactoferricin and lactoferampin, situated in close proximity in the N1 domain. To mimic these antimicrobial domain parts a chimeric peptide

A Novel Risk Stratification to Predict Local-Regional Failures in Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder After Radical Cystectomy

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Baumann, Brian C. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Guzzo, Thomas J. [Department of Urology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); He Jiwei [Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Keefe, Stephen M. [Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Tucker, Kai; Bekelman, Justin E. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Hwang, Wei-Ting [Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Vaughn, David J. [Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Malkowicz, S. Bruce [Department of Urology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Christodouleas, John P., E-mail: christojo@uphs.upenn.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States)

2013-01-01

Purpose: Local-regional failures (LF) following radical cystectomy (RC) plus pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) with or without chemotherapy for invasive urothelial bladder carcinoma are more common than previously reported. Adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) could reduce LF but currently has no defined role because of previously reported morbidity. Modern techniques with improved normal tissue sparing have rekindled interest in RT. We assessed the risk of LF and determined those factors that predict recurrence to facilitate patient selection for future adjuvant RT trials. Methods and Materials: From 1990-2008, 442 patients with urothelial bladder carcinoma at University of Pennsylvania were prospectively followed after RC plus PLND with or without chemotherapy with routine pelvic computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). One hundred thirty (29%) patients received chemotherapy. LF was any pelvic failure detected before or within 3 months of distant failure. Competing risk analyses identified factors predicting increased LF risk. Results: On univariate analysis, pathologic stage {>=}pT3, <10 nodes removed, positive margins, positive nodes, hydronephrosis, lymphovascular invasion, and mixed histology significantly predicted LF; node density was marginally predictive, but use of chemotherapy, number of positive nodes, type of surgical diversion, age, gender, race, smoking history, and body mass index were not. On multivariate analysis, only stage {>=}pT3 and <10 nodes removed were significant independent LF predictors with hazard ratios of 3.17 and 2.37, respectively (P<.01). Analysis identified 3 patient subgroups with significantly different LF risks: low-risk ({<=}pT2), intermediate-risk ({>=}pT3 and {>=}10 nodes removed), and high-risk ({>=}pT3 and <10 nodes) with 5-year LF rates of 8%, 23%, and 42%, respectively (P<.01). Conclusions: This series using routine CT and MRI surveillance to detect LF confirms that such failures are relatively common

A Novel Risk Stratification to Predict Local-Regional Failures in Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder After Radical Cystectomy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baumann, Brian C.; Guzzo, Thomas J.; He Jiwei; Keefe, Stephen M.; Tucker, Kai; Bekelman, Justin E.; Hwang, Wei-Ting; Vaughn, David J.; Malkowicz, S. Bruce; Christodouleas, John P.

2013-01-01

Purpose: Local-regional failures (LF) following radical cystectomy (RC) plus pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) with or without chemotherapy for invasive urothelial bladder carcinoma are more common than previously reported. Adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) could reduce LF but currently has no defined role because of previously reported morbidity. Modern techniques with improved normal tissue sparing have rekindled interest in RT. We assessed the risk of LF and determined those factors that predict recurrence to facilitate patient selection for future adjuvant RT trials. Methods and Materials: From 1990-2008, 442 patients with urothelial bladder carcinoma at University of Pennsylvania were prospectively followed after RC plus PLND with or without chemotherapy with routine pelvic computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). One hundred thirty (29%) patients received chemotherapy. LF was any pelvic failure detected before or within 3 months of distant failure. Competing risk analyses identified factors predicting increased LF risk. Results: On univariate analysis, pathologic stage ≥pT3, <10 nodes removed, positive margins, positive nodes, hydronephrosis, lymphovascular invasion, and mixed histology significantly predicted LF; node density was marginally predictive, but use of chemotherapy, number of positive nodes, type of surgical diversion, age, gender, race, smoking history, and body mass index were not. On multivariate analysis, only stage ≥pT3 and <10 nodes removed were significant independent LF predictors with hazard ratios of 3.17 and 2.37, respectively (P<.01). Analysis identified 3 patient subgroups with significantly different LF risks: low-risk (≤pT2), intermediate-risk (≥pT3 and ≥10 nodes removed), and high-risk (≥pT3 and <10 nodes) with 5-year LF rates of 8%, 23%, and 42%, respectively (P<.01). Conclusions: This series using routine CT and MRI surveillance to detect LF confirms that such failures are relatively common in

High-Level Expression of Recombinant Bovine Lactoferrin in Pichia pastoris with Antimicrobial Activity

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Blanca Iglesias-Figueroa

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In this study, bovine lactoferrin (bLf, an iron-binding glycoprotein considered an important nutraceutical protein because of its several properties, was expressed in Pichia pastoris KM71-H under AOX1 promoter control, using pJ902 as the recombinant plasmid. Dot blotting analysis revealed the expression of recombinant bovine lactoferrin (rbLf in Pichia pastoris. After Bach fermentation and purification by molecular exclusion, we obtained an expression yield of 3.5 g/L of rbLf. rbLf and predominantly pepsin-digested rbLf (rbLfcin demonstrated antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli BL21DE3, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus FRI137, and, in a smaller percentage, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Ps. Aeruginosa ATCC 27833. The successful expression and characterization of functional rbLf expressed in Pichia pastoris opens a prospect for the development of natural antimicrobial agents produced recombinantly.

Oral lactoferrin protects against experimental candidiasis in mice.

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Velliyagounder, K; Alsaedi, W; Alabdulmohsen, W; Markowitz, K; Fine, D H

2015-01-01

To determine the role of human lactoferrin (hLF) in protecting the oral cavities of mice against Candida albicans infection in lactoferrin knockout (LFKO(-/-)) mice was compared to wild-type (WT) mice. We also aim to determine the protective role of hLF in LFKO(-/-) mice. Antibiotic-treated immunosuppressed mice were inoculated with C. albicans (or sham infection) by oral swab and evaluated for the severity of infection after 7 days of infection. To determine the protective role of hLF, we added 0·3% solution of hLF to the drinking water given to some of the mice. CFU count, scoring of lesions and microscopic observations were carried out to determine the severity of infection. LFKO(-/-) I mice showed a 2 log (P = 0·001) higher CFUs of C. albicans in the oral cavity compared to the WT mice infected with C. albicans (WTI). LFKO(-/-) I mice given hLF had a 3 log (P = 0·001) reduction in CFUs in the oral cavity compared to untreated LFKO(-/-) I mice. The severity of infection, observed by light microscopy, revealed that the tongue of the LFKO(-/-) I mice showed more white patches compared to WTI and LFKO(-/-) I + hLF mice. Scanning electron microscopic observations revealed that more filiform papillae were destroyed in LFKO(-/-) I mice when compared to WTI or LFKO(-/-) I + hLF mice. Human LF is important in protecting mice from oral C. albicans infection. Administered hLF may be used to prevent C. albicans infection. Human LF, a multifunctional iron-binding glycoprotein can be used as a therapeutic active ingredient in oral healthcare products against C. albicans. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Evaluation of Lymphatic Filariasis and Onchocerciasis in Three Senegalese Districts Treated for Onchocerciasis with Ivermectin.

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Nana O Wilson

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In Africa, onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis (LF are co-endemic in many areas. Current efforts to eliminate both diseases are through ivermectin-based mass drug administration (MDA. Years of ivermectin distribution for onchocerciasis may have interrupted LF transmission in certain areas. The Kédougou region, Senegal, is co-endemic for LF and onchocerciasis. Though MDA for onchocerciasis started in 1988, in 2014 albendazole had not yet been added for LF. The objective of this study was to assess in an integrated manner the LF and onchocerciasis status in the three districts of the Kédougou region after ≥10 years of ivermectin-based MDA. The study employed an African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC onchocerciasis-related methodology. In the three districts, 14 villages close to three rivers that have Simulium damnosum breeding sites were surveyed. Convenience sampling of residents ≥5 years old was performed. Assessment for LF antigenemia by immunochromatographic testing (ICT was added to skin snip microscopy for onchocerciasis. Participants were also tested for antibodies against Wb123 (LF and Ov16 (onchocerciasis antigens. In two districts, no participants were ICT or skin snip positive. In the third district, 3.5% were ICT positive and 0.7% were skin snip positive. In all the three districts, Wb123 prevalence was 0.6%. Overall, Ov16 prevalence was 6.9%. Ov16 prevalence among children 5-9 years old in the study was 2.5%. LF antigenemia prevalence was still above treatment threshold in one district despite ≥10 years of ivermectin-based MDA. The presence of Ov16 positive children suggested recent transmission of Onchocerca volvulus. This study showed the feasibility of integrated evaluation of onchocerciasis and LF but development of integrated robust methods for assessing transmission of both LF and onchocerciasis are needed to determine where MDA can be stopped safely in co-endemic areas.

Validating a Local Failure Risk Stratification for Use in Prospective Studies of Adjuvant Radiation Therapy for Bladder Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baumann, Brian C.; He, Jiwei; Hwang, Wei-Ting; Tucker, Kai N.; Bekelman, Justin E.; Herr, Harry W.; Lerner, Seth P.; Guzzo, Thomas J.; Malkowicz, S. Bruce; Christodouleas, John P.

2016-01-01

Purpose: To inform prospective trials of adjuvant radiation therapy (adj-RT) for bladder cancer after radical cystectomy, a locoregional failure (LF) risk stratification was proposed. This stratification was developed and validated using surgical databases that may not reflect the outcomes expected in prospective trials. Our purpose was to assess sources of bias that may affect the stratification model's validity or alter the LF risk estimates for each subgroup: time bias due to evolving surgical techniques; trial accrual bias due to inclusion of patients who would be ineligible for adj-RT trials because of early disease progression, death, or loss to follow-up shortly after cystectomy; bias due to different statistical methods to estimate LF; and subgrouping bias due to different definitions of the LF subgroups. Methods and Materials: The LF risk stratification was developed using a single-institution cohort (n=442, 1990-2008) and the multi-institutional SWOG 8710 cohort (n=264, 1987-1998) treated with radical cystectomy with or without chemotherapy. We evaluated the sensitivity of the stratification to sources of bias using Fine-Gray regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses. Results: Year of radical cystectomy was not associated with LF risk on univariate or multivariate analysis after controlling for risk group. By use of more stringent inclusion criteria, 26 SWOG patients (10%) and 60 patients from the single-institution cohort (14%) were excluded. Analysis of the remaining patients confirmed 3 subgroups with significantly different LF risks with 3-year rates of 7%, 17%, and 36%, respectively (P<.01), nearly identical to the rates without correcting for trial accrual bias. Kaplan-Meier techniques estimated higher subgroup LF rates than competing risk analysis. The subgroup definitions used in the NRG-GU001 adj-RT trial were validated. Conclusions: These sources of bias did not invalidate the LF risk stratification or substantially change the model's LF estimates.

Prebiotic effects of bovine lactoferrin on specific probiotic bacteria.

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Chen, Po-Wen; Liu, Zhen-Shu; Kuo, Tai-Chen; Hsieh, Min-Chi; Li, Zhe-Wei

2017-04-01

Bovine lactoferrin (bLf) is a natural iron-binding protein and it has been suggested to be a prebiotic agent, but this finding remains inconclusive. This study explores the prebiotic potential of bLf in 14 probiotics. Initially, bLf (1-32 mg/mL) treatment showed occasional and slight prebiotic activity in several probiotics only during the late experimental period (48, 78 h) at 37 °C. We subsequently supposed that bLf exerts stronger prebiotic effects when probiotic growth has been temperately retarded. Therefore, we incubated the probiotics at different temperatures, namely 37 °C, 28 °C, room temperature (approximately 22-24 °C), and 22 °C, to retard or inhibit their growth. As expected, bLf showed more favorable prebiotic activity in several probiotics when their growth was partially retarded at room temperature. Furthermore, at 22 °C, the growth of Bifidobacterium breve, Lactobacillus coryniformis, L. delbrueckii, L. acidophilus, B. angulatum, B. catenulatum, and L. paraplantarum were completely blocked. Notably, these probiotics started regrowing in the presence of bLf (1-32 mg/mL) in a significant and dose-dependent manner. Accordingly, bLf significantly increased the growth of Pediococcus pentosaceus, L. rhamnosus, and L. paracasei (BCRC 17483; a locally isolated strain) when their growth was retarded by incubation at 22 °C. In conclusion, bLf showed inconsistent prebiotic activity in the 14 probiotics at 37 °C, but revealed strong prebiotic activity in 10 probiotic strains at 22 °C. Therefore, this study enables determining additional roles of Lf in probiotic strains, which can facilitate developing novel combinational approaches by simultaneously using Lf and specific probiotics.

Uptake of ingested bovine lactoferrin and its accumulation in adult mouse tissues.

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Fischer, Romy; Debbabi, Hajer; Blais, Anne; Dubarry, Michel; Rautureau, Michèle; Boyaka, Prosper N; Tome, Daniel

2007-10-01

Lactoferrin is a glycoprotein with antimicrobial and immunoregulatory properties, which is found in milk, other external secretions, and in the secondary granules of neutrophils. The present study examined the time course of uptake and the pattern of tissue accumulation of bovine lactoferrin (bLf) following intragastric intubation of a single dose to adult naïve mice or to mice daily fed bLf for 4 weeks. Following ingestion, bLf was transferred from the intestine into peripheral blood in a form with intact molecular weight (80 kDa) and localized within 10 to 20 min after oral administration in the liver, kidneys, gall bladder, spleen, and brain of both groups of mice. Immunoreactive bLf could also be detected in the luminal contents of the stomach, small intestine and colon 1 h after intragastric intubation. Interestingly, serum and tissue accumulation of bLf was approximately 50% lower in mice chronically fed this protein than in those given only the single oral dose. Furthermore, significant levels of bLf-specific IgA and IgG antibodies as well as bLf-containing IgA- and IgG immune complexes were detected in mice chronically fed bLf but not in those fed only once. Taken together, these results indicate that bLf resists major proteolytic degradation in the intestinal lumen and is readily absorbed in an antigenic form in blood and various mouse tissues. Chronic ingestion of lactoferrin reduces its uptake, probably through mechanisms such as immune exclusion, which minimize potential harmful reactions to food products.

Inhibition of Hyphal Growth of Azole-Resistant Strains of Candida albicans by Triazole Antifungal Agents in the Presence of Lactoferrin-Related Compounds

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Wakabayashi, Hiroyuki; Abe, Shigeru; Teraguchi, Susumu; Hayasawa, Hirotoshi; Yamaguchi, Hideyo

1998-01-01

The effects of bovine lactoferrin (LF) or the LF-derived antimicrobial peptide lactoferricin B (LFcin B) on the growth of Candida albicans hyphae, including those of three azole-resistant strains, were investigated by a crystal violet staining method. The hyphae of two highly azole-resistant strains were more susceptible to inhibition by LF or LFcin B than the azole-susceptible strains tested. One moderately azole-resistant strain was defective in the formation of hyphae and showed a susceptibility to LF greater than that of the susceptible strains but a susceptibility to LFcin B similar to that of the susceptible strains. The highly azole-resistant strain TIMM3317 showed trailing growth in the presence of fluconazole or itraconazole, while the extent of growth was reduced by the addition of LF or LFcin B at a sub-MIC. Thus, the addition of LF or LFcin B at a sub-MIC resulted in a substantial decrease in the MICs of fluconazole and itraconazole for two highly azole-resistant strains; e.g., the MIC of fluconazole for TIMM3317 was shifted from >256 to 0.25 μg/ml by LF, but the MICs were not decreased for the susceptible strains. The combination effects observed with triazoles and LF-related compounds in the case of the two highly azole-resistant strains were confirmed to be synergistic by the fractional inhibitory concentration index. These results demonstrate that for some azole-resistant C. albicans strains, LF-related compounds combined with triazoles can inhibit the growth of hyphae, an important form of this organism in pathogenesis. PMID:9660988

Procrastination as a Fast Life History Strategy

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Bin-Bin Chen

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Research has revealed that procrastination—the purposive delay of an intended course of action—is a maladaptive behavior. However, by drawing on an evolutionary life history (LF approach, the present study proposes that procrastination may be an adaptive fast LF strategy characterized by prioritizing immediate benefits with little regard to long-term consequences. A total of 199 undergraduate students completed measures of procrastination and future orientation and the Mini-K scale, which measures the slow LF strategy. Structural equation modeling revealed that, as predicted, procrastination was negatively associated with a slow LF strategy both directly and indirectly through the mediation of future orientation. These results define the fast LF origin of procrastination.

Self-assembled polymersomes conjugated with lactoferrin as novel drug carrier for brain delivery.

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Yu, Yuan; Pang, Zhiqing; Lu, Wei; Yin, Qi; Gao, Huile; Jiang, Xinguo

2012-01-01

To develop a novel brain drug delivery system based on self-assembled poly(ethyleneglycol)-poly (D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PEG-PLGA) polymersomes conjugated with lactoferrin (Lf-POS). The brain delivery properties of Lf-POS were investigated and optimized. Three formulations of Lf-POS, with different densities of lactoferrin on the surface of polymersomes, were prepared and characterized. The brain delivery properties in mice were investigated using 6-coumarin as a fluorescent probe loaded in Lf-POS (6-coumarin-Lf-POS). A neuroprotective peptide, S14G-humanin, was incorporated into Lf-POS (SHN-Lf-POS); a protective effect on the hippocampuses of rats treated by Amyloid-β(25-35) was investigated by immunohistochemical analysis. The results of brain delivery in mice demonstrated that the optimized number of lactoferrin conjugated per polymersome was 101. This obtains the greatest blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability surface area(PS) product and percentage of injected dose per gram brain (%ID/g brain). Immunohistochemistry revealed the SHN-Lf-POS had a protective effect on neurons of rats by attenuating the expression of Bax and caspase-3 positive cells. Meanwhile, the activity of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) had been increased compared with negative controls. These results suggest that lactoferrin functionalized self-assembled PEG-PLGA polymersomes could be a promising brain-targeting peptide drug delivery system via intravenous administration.

Research of Ant Colony Migration Strategy in LF Algorithm%LF算法中蚁群移动策略的研究

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

牛永洁

2013-01-01

采用FM、误分类错误率和运行时间作为衡量改进的LF算法的评价指标,对算法中蚁群的不同移动策略进行研究.这些移动策略包括完全随机移动、局部记忆指导下的直接跳转、局部记忆指导下的定向随机靠近、全局记忆指导下的直接跳转、全局记忆指导下定向随机靠近和局部记忆与全局记忆共同指导下的定向随机靠近6种移动策略.针对每种策略,固定算法的其他运行参数,在UCI数据集的Iris数据和Wine数据上运行的结果表明,全局记忆指导下的定向随机靠近策略运行效果最好,而且收敛速度快,并能有效避免局部最优化的问题.%Using the FM,the misclassification error rate and running time as a measure of improved LF algorithm,the colony different mobile strategy algorithm research.These mobile strategy including completely random mobile,jump directly under the guidance of local memory,orientation under the guidance of local memory close to random,jump directly under the guidance of the global memory,global memory,under the guidance of directional random near and local memory and global memory common guiding under the directional random near the six kinds of mobile strategy.For each strategy,the operating parameters of the fixed algorithm,run on the UCI datasets Iris data and Wine data results show that the global memory under the guidance of directional random near the best strategy run effect,and the speed of convergence can effectively avoid local optimization problem.

Two splice variants of the bovine lactoferrin gene identified in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from mastitis in dairy cattle.

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Huang, J M; Wang, Z Y; Ju, Z H; Wang, C F; Li, Q L; Sun, T; Hou, Q L; Hang, S Q; Hou, M H; Zhong, J F

2011-12-21

Bovine lactoferrin (bLF) is a member of the transferrin family; it plays an important role in the innate immune response. We identified novel splice variants of the bLF gene in mastitis-infected and healthy cows. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and clone sequencing analysis were used to screen the splice variants of the bLF gene in the mammary gland, spleen and liver tissues. One main transcript corresponding to the bLF reference sequence was found in three tissues in both healthy and mastitis-infected cows. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that the expression levels of the LF gene's main transcript were not significantly different in tissues from healthy versus mastitis-infected cows. However, the new splice variant, LF-AS2, which has the exon-skipping alternative splicing pattern, was only identified in mammary glands infected with Staphylococcus aureus. Sequencing analysis showed that the new splice variant was 251 bp in length, including exon 1, part of exon 2, part of exon 16, and exon 17. We conclude that bLF may play a role in resistance to mastitis through alternative splicing mechanisms.

Selected papers, with commentary, of Tony Hilton Royle Skyrme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-01-01

This book contains 13 selected papers of T.H.R. Skyrme covering work on the alpha-particle and shell models of the nucleus and, primarily, on the Skyrme model of the nucleus. The present collection of articles also includes a re-publication of articles, by others and of a later date, as evidence of the significant impact, eventually, of the concept of Skyrmions on nuclear theory. However, these articles had previously already been submitted to the INIS Data Base. Refs, figs, tabs

Antioxidant Activity and Cytotoxicity of the Leaf and Bark Extracts of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To investigate the antioxidant potential and cytotoxicity of the leaf and bark extracts of Tarchonanathus campharatus.. Methods: The antioxidant activity of the aqueous leaf extract (Aq LF), methanol leaf extract (MET LF), dichloromethane leaf extract (DCM LF), methanol bark extract (MET BK), dichloromethane bark ...

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African Journals Online (AJOL)

paper is biassed towards man and the other large mammals, and towards research ... formation about the change is generated. ... some control elements to generate control actions. The .... do so, although the energy costs of flying as a form of.

Pembuatan Arang 4 Jenis Bambu dengan Cara Timbun

OpenAIRE

Nurhayati, Tjutju

1990-01-01

A study on charcoal manufacture using pit method was carried out 4 bamboo species from West Java, namely andong (Gigantochloa verticillata Munro), ater (Gigantochloa ater Kurz), bitung (Dendrocalamus asper Back) and tali (Giganiochloa apus Kurz). The charcoal produced which was completed after 2 days, were then subjected to chemical analysis. The analysis consist of specific gravity, moisture content, ash, volatile matter and fixed carbon. In addition to the abou...

Culture Methodology for Experimental Investigations Involving Rooted Submersed Aquatic Plants.

Science.gov (United States)

1984-11-01

stolons or runners are best planted as intact plants (Sculthorpe 1967). Many species can be propagated from seed in addition to the above methods...J. 1984. Growth response of Myriophyllwm spicatu and Hydrilla verticillata when exposed to continuous, low concentrations of fluridone . Tech. Rept. A...aquatic plants, water, and bottom sediments. Weed Sci. 20:482-486. Sastroutomo, S. S. 1980. Dormancy and germination in axillary turions of iijiilZla

Purification of lactoferrin and its RIA application in diagnosis of lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Chongdao; Qiang Yizhong; Jin Jian

1999-01-01

The purification of lactoferrin (LF) is reported and its radioimmunoassay applied in the diagnosis of lung cancer (LF-RIA) is established by means of a modified method of extraction. LF (relative molecular weight 75000 Dalton) is obtained. The LF present a single band on both PAGE and double immunodiffusion. The yield of LF is 0.542 mg in 1 mL human milk for this method. The coefficients of variation (CV) within a batch and among batches are 4.77% and 13.59% respectively, and the recovery rate amount to 97.99%. The LF in bronchial washing fluid (BLF) is measured in 36 lung cancer cases, 21 pulmonary infection cases and 4 normal controls. The results suggest that the BLF content in the lung cancer group is higher than that in the pulmonary infection group and the normal control group, and the detection rate is the highest in the lung adenocarcinoma. Pathological analysis indicates that BLF is negatively correlated to the early or later lung tumor

Understanding the cryptic nature of Lassa fever in West Africa.

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Gibb, Rory; Moses, Lina M; Redding, David W; Jones, Kate E

2017-09-01

Lassa fever (LF) is increasingly recognized by global health institutions as an important rodent-borne disease with severe impacts on some of West Africa's poorest communities. However, our knowledge of LF ecology, epidemiology and distribution is limited, which presents barriers to both short-term disease forecasting and prediction of long-term impacts of environmental change on Lassa virus (LASV) zoonotic transmission dynamics. Here, we synthesize current knowledge to show that extrapolations from past research have produced an incomplete picture of the incidence and distribution of LF, with negative consequences for policy planning, medical treatment and management interventions. Although the recent increase in LF case reports is likely due to improved surveillance, recent studies suggest that future socio-ecological changes in West Africa may drive increases in LF burden. Future research should focus on the geographical distribution and disease burden of LF, in order to improve its integration into public policy and disease control strategies.

Diet-driven microbiota dysbiosis is associated with vagal remodeling and obesity.

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Sen, Tanusree; Cawthon, Carolina R; Ihde, Benjamin Thomas; Hajnal, Andras; DiLorenzo, Patricia M; de La Serre, Claire B; Czaja, Krzysztof

2017-05-01

Obesity is one of the major health issues in the United States. Consumption of diets rich in energy, notably from fats and sugars (high-fat/high-sugar diet: HF/HSD) is linked to the development of obesity and a popular dietary approach for weight loss is to reduce fat intake. Obesity research traditionally uses low and high fat diets and there has been limited investigation of the potential detrimental effects of a low-fat/high-sugar diet (LF/HSD) on body fat accumulation and health. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the effects of HF/HSD and LF/HSD on microbiota composition, gut inflammation, gut-brain vagal communication and body fat accumulation. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that LF/HSD changes the gut microbiota, induces gut inflammation and alters vagal gut-brain communication, associated with increased body fat accumulation. Sprague-Dawley rats were fed an HF/HSD, LF/HSD or control low-fat/low-sugar diet (LF/LSD) for 4weeks. Body weight, caloric intake, and body composition were monitored daily and fecal samples were collected at baseline, 1, 6 and 27days after the dietary switch. After four weeks, blood and tissues (gut, brain, liver and nodose ganglia) were sampled. Both HF/HSD and LF/HSD-fed rats displayed significant increases in body weight and body fat compared to LF/LSD-fed rats. 16S rRNA sequencing showed that both HF/HSD and LF/HSD-fed animals exhibited gut microbiota dysbiosis characterized by an overall decrease in bacterial diversity and an increase in Firmicutes/Bacteriodetes ratio. Dysbiosis was typified by a bloom in Clostridia and Bacilli and a marked decrease in Lactobacillus spp. LF/HSD-fed animals showed a specific increase in Sutterella and Bilophila, both Proteobacteria, abundances of which have been associated with liver damage. Expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-1β and TNFα, was upregulated in the cecum while levels of tight junction protein occludin were downregulated in both HF

Novel recombinant human lactoferrin: differential activation of oxidative stress related gene expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Kruzel, Marian L; Actor, Jeffrey K; Zimecki, Michał; Wise, Jasen; Płoszaj, Paulina; Mirza, Shaper; Kruzel, Mark; Hwang, Shen-An; Ba, Xueqing; Boldogh, Istvan

2013-12-01

Lactoferrin, an iron-binding protein found in high concentrations in mammalian exocrine secretions, is an important component of the host defense system. It is also a major protein of the secondary granules of neutrophils from which is released upon activation. Due to its potential clinical utility, recombinant human lactoferrin (rhLF) has been produced in various eukaryotic expression systems; however, none of these are fully compatible with humans. Most of the biopharmaceuticals approved by the FDA for use in humans are produced in mammalian expression systems. The Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) have become the system of choice for proteins that require post-translational modifications, such as glycoproteins. The aim of this study was to scale-up expression and purification of rhLF in a CHO expression system, verify its glycan primary structure, and assess its biological properties in cell culture models. A stable CHO cell line producing >200mg/L of rhLF was developed and established. rhLF was purified by a single-step cation-exchange chromatography procedure. The highly homogenous rhLF has a molecular weight of approximately 80 kDa. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric analysis revealed N-linked, partially sialylated glycans at two glycosylation sites, typical for human milk LF. This novel rhLF showed a protective effect against oxidative stress in a similar manner to its natural counterpart. In addition, rhLF revealed a modulatory effect on cellular redox via upregulation of key antioxidant enzymes. These data imply that the CHO-derived rhLF is fully compatible with the native molecule, thus it has promise for human therapeutic applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Passive vaccination with a human monoclonal antibody: generation of antibodies and studies for efficacy in Bacillus anthracis infections.

Science.gov (United States)

vor dem Esche, Ulrich; Huber, Maria; Zgaga-Griesz, Andrea; Grunow, Roland; Beyer, Wolfgang; Hahn, Ulrike; Bessler, Wolfgang G

2011-07-01

A major difficulty in creating human monoclonal antibodies is the lack of a suitable myeloma cell line to be used for fusion experiments. In order to create fully human monoclonal antibodies for passive immunization, the human mouse heteromyeloma cell line CB-F7 was evaluated. Using this cell line, we generated human monoclonal antibodies against Bacillus anthracis toxin components. Antibodies against protective antigen (PA) and against lethal factor (LF) were obtained using peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) from persons vaccinated with the UK anthrax vaccine. PBL were fused with the cell line CB-F7. We obtained several clones producing PA specific Ig and one clone (hLF1-SAN) producing a monoclonal antibody (hLF1) directed against LF. The LF binding antibody was able to neutralize Anthrax toxin activity in an in vitro neutralization assay, and preliminary in vivo studies in mice also indicated a trend towards protection. We mapped the epitope of the antibody binding to LF by dot blot analysis and ELIFA using 80 synthetic LF peptides of 20 amino acid lengths with an overlapping range of 10 amino acids. Our results suggest the binding of the monoclonal antibody to the peptide regions 121-150 or 451-470 of LF. The Fab-fragment of the antibody hLF1 was cloned in Escherichia coli and could be useful as part of a fully human monoclonal antibody for the treatment of Anthrax infections. In general, our studies show the applicability of the CB-F7 line to create fully human monoclonal antibodies for vaccination. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Effects of the major sudden stratospheric warming event of 2009 on the subionospheric very low frequency/low frequency radio signals

Science.gov (United States)

Pal, S.; Hobara, Y.; Chakrabarti, S. K.; Schnoor, P. W.

2017-07-01

This paper presents effects of the major sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event of 2009 on the subionospheric very low frequency/low frequency (VLF/LF) radio signals propagating in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide. Signal amplitudes from four transmitters received by VLF/LF radio networks of Germany and Japan corresponding to the major SSW event are investigated for possible anomalies and atmospheric influence on the high- to middle-latitude ionosphere. Significant anomalous increase or decrease of nighttime and daytime amplitudes of VLF/LF signals by ˜3-5 dB during the SSW event have been found for all propagation paths associated with stratospheric temperature rise at 10 hPa level. Increase or decrease in VLF/LF amplitudes during daytime and nighttime is actually due to the modification of the lower ionospheric boundary conditions in terms of electron density and electron-neutral collision frequency profiles and associated modal interference effects between the different propagating waveguide modes during the SSW period. TIMED/SABER mission data are also used to investigate the upper mesospheric conditions over the VLF/LF propagation path during the same time period. We observe a decrease in neutral temperature and an increase in pressure at the height of 75-80 km around the peak time of the event. VLF/LF anomalies are correlated and in phase with the stratospheric temperature and mesospheric pressure variation, while minimum of mesospheric cooling shows a 2-3 day delay with maximum VLF/LF anomalies. Simulations of VLF/LF diurnal variation are performed using the well-known Long Wave Propagating Capability (LWPC) code within the Earth-ionosphere waveguide to explain the VLF/LF anomalies qualitatively.

76 FR 67730 - Ocean Transportation Intermediary License Applicants

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-02

..., President, Application Type: Name Change/Trade Name Change Lion Transport, Inc. dba Amex Logistics (NVO... Individual), Caetano R. Lopes, Vice President, Application Type: Add NVO Service Eztrans Logistics Ltd. (NVO... Type: New OFF License LF Freight USA LLC dba LF Logistics dba LF Freight dba IDS Logistics USA, dba IDS...

Lactoferrin binding protein B - a bi-functional bacterial receptor protein.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicholas K H Ostan

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Lactoferrin binding protein B (LbpB is a bi-lobed outer membrane-bound lipoprotein that comprises part of the lactoferrin (Lf receptor complex in Neisseria meningitidis and other Gram-negative pathogens. Recent studies have demonstrated that LbpB plays a role in protecting the bacteria from cationic antimicrobial peptides due to large regions rich in anionic residues in the C-terminal lobe. Relative to its homolog, transferrin-binding protein B (TbpB, there currently is little evidence for its role in iron acquisition and relatively little structural and biophysical information on its interaction with Lf. In this study, a combination of crosslinking and deuterium exchange coupled to mass spectrometry, information-driven computational docking, bio-layer interferometry, and site-directed mutagenesis was used to probe LbpB:hLf complexes. The formation of a 1:1 complex of iron-loaded Lf and LbpB involves an interaction between the Lf C-lobe and LbpB N-lobe, comparable to TbpB, consistent with a potential role in iron acquisition. The Lf N-lobe is also capable of binding to negatively charged regions of the LbpB C-lobe and possibly other sites such that a variety of higher order complexes are formed. Our results are consistent with LbpB serving dual roles focused primarily on iron acquisition when exposed to limited levels of iron-loaded Lf on the mucosal surface and effectively binding apo Lf when exposed to high levels at sites of inflammation.

Patterns of Failure After Radical Cystectomy for pT3-4 Bladder Cancer: Implications for Adjuvant Radiation Therapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reddy, Abhinav V. [Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois (United States); Pariser, Joseph J.; Pearce, Shane M. [Section of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois (United States); Weichselbaum, Ralph R. [Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois (United States); Smith, Norm D.; Steinberg, Gary D. [Section of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois (United States); Liauw, Stanley L., E-mail: sliauw@radonc.uchicago.edu [Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois (United States)

2016-04-01

Purpose: In patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, local-regional failure (LF) has been reported to occur in up to 20% of patients following radical cystectomy. The goals of this study were to describe patterns of LF, as well as assess factors associated with LF in a cohort of patients with pT3-4 bladder cancer. This information may have implications towards the use of adjuvant radiation therapy. Methods and Materials: Patients with pathologic T3-4 N0-1 bladder cancer were examined from an institutional radical cystectomy database. Preoperative demographics and pathologic characteristics were examined. Outcomes included overall survival and LF. Local-regional failures were defined using follow-up imaging reports and scans, and the locations of LF were characterized. Variables were tested by univariate and multivariate analysis for association with LF and overall survival. Results: A total of 334 patients had pT3-4 and N0-1 disease after radical cystectomy and bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection. Of these, 46% received perioperative chemotherapy. The median age was 71 years old, and median follow-up was 11 months. On univariate analysis, margin status, pT stage, and pN stage, were all associated with LF (P<.05), however, on multivariate analysis, only pT and pN stages were significantly associated with LF (P<.05). Three strata of risk were defined, including low-risk patients with pT3N0 disease, intermediate-risk patients with pT3N1 or pT4N0 disease, and high-risk patients with pT4N1 disease, who had a 2-year incidence of LF of 12%, 33%, and 72%, respectively. The most common sites of pelvic relapse included the external and internal iliac lymph nodes (LNs) and obturator LN regions. Notably, 34% of patients with LF had local-regional only disease at the time of recurrence. Conclusions: Patients with pT4 or N1 disease have a 2-year risk of LF that exceeds 30%. These patients may be the most likely to benefit from local adjuvant therapies.

Lymphatic filariasis in Peninsular Malaysia: a cross-sectional survey of the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Abd, Nazeh M; Nor, Zurainee Mohamed; Ahmed, Abdulhamid; Al-Adhroey, Abdulelah H; Mansor, Marzida; Kassim, Mustafa

2014-11-27

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a major cause of permanent disability in many tropical and sub-tropical countries of the world. Malaysia is one of the countries in which LF is an endemic disease. Five rounds of the mass drug administration (MDA) program have been conducted in Malaysia as part of the Global Program to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) by year 2020. This study investigated the level of awareness of LF and the MDA program in a population living in an endemic area of the country. A descriptive cross-sectional survey that involved 230 respondents (≥15 years old) living in the LF endemic communities of Terengganu state in Peninsular Malaysia was performed. Demographic, socioeconomic, and knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) data of the respondents were obtained using pre-tested questionnaires and were analyzed using SPSS software version 13.0. More than 80% of the respondents were aware of LF and the common symptoms of the disease. Moreover, about 70% of the respondents that were aware of LF indicated that it is a problematic disease. Approximately 77% of the respondents indicated that filariasis is transmitted by mosquitoes. Two-thirds of respondents preferred hospital treatment for illness; however, only 12% had participated and/or received treatment for LF during an MDA program. Only 35% of the respondents that participated in this research were aware of the MDA program that had taken place in the area. None of the respondents had knowledge of the drug used in the treatment of LF. The findings from this research indicated that there was no significant association between LF awareness and with gender, age group, educational status, occupation, or socio-economic status of the respondents (P >0.05). A good proportion of the respondents are aware of LF, its mode of transmission and symptoms, however they demonstrated a poor knowledge of MDA which took place in the study area. For greater understanding of LF in the Malaysian population, there is a

Observación de Propágulos en los géneros Ernodesmis y Struvea Observación de Propágulos en los géneros Ernodesmis y Struvea

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Schnetter Reinhard

1986-12-01

Full Text Available In Ernodesmis verticillata (Kützing B¢rgesen and Struvea anastomosans (Harvey Piccone & Grunow in Piccone cultures carried out under laboratory conditions, mainly at temperatures lower than those occurring normally at the collection site (coast near Cartagena, Colombia the formation of propagula (exogenous aplanospores was observed. The propagulum formation is considered as an answer to extreme conditions. The propagulum production permits a vegetative reproduction of the algae without the loss of cells of the mother thallus as it happens by the formation of zoospores or endogenous aplanospores. En cultivos de laboratorio de Ernodesmis verticillata (Kützing B¢rgesen y Struvea anastomosans (Harvey Piccone & Grunow in Piccone se observó el desarrollo de propágulos (aplanósporas exógenas predominantemente a temperaturas por debajo de las que ocurren normalmente en la región del origen del material (costa cerca de Cartagena, Colombia. La formación de propágulos se considera como una respuesta a condiciones extremas. La producción de propágulos permite una reproducción vegetativa de las algas sin pérdida de células del talo madre como es el caso si se forman zoosporas o aplanósporas endógenas.

Inhibition of HSV cell-to-cell spread by lactoferrin and lactoferricin.

Science.gov (United States)

Jenssen, Håvard; Sandvik, Kjersti; Andersen, Jeanette H; Hancock, Robert E W; Gutteberg, Tore J

2008-09-01

The milk protein lactoferrin (Lf) has multiple functions, including immune stimulation and antiviral activity towards herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2); antiviral activity has also been reported for the N-terminal pepsin-derived fragment lactoferricin (Lfcin). The anti-HSV mode of action of Lf and Lfcin is assumed to involve, in part, their interaction with the cell surface glycosaminoglycan heparan sulfate, thereby blocking of viral entry. In this study we investigated the ability of human and bovine Lf and Lfcin to inhibit viral cell-to-cell spread as well as the involvement of cell surface glycosaminoglycans during viral cell-to-cell spread. Lf and Lfcin from both human and bovine origin, inhibited cell-to-cell spread of both HSV-1 and HSV-2. Inhibition of cell-to-cell spread by bovine Lfcin involved cell surface chondroitin sulfate. Based on transmission electron microscopy studies, human Lfcin, like bovine Lfcin, was randomly distributed intracellularly, thus differences in their antiviral activity could not be explained by differences in their distribution. In contrast, the cellular localization of iron-saturated (holo)-Lf appeared to differ from that of apo-Lf, indicating that holo- and apo-Lf may exhibit different antiviral mechanisms.

Human lactoferrin increases Helicobacter pylori internalisation into AGS cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Coray, Dorien S; Heinemann, Jack A; Tyrer, Peter C; Keenan, Jacqueline I

2012-05-01

Helicobacter pylori has high global infection rates and can cause other undesirable clinical manifestations such as duodenal ulcer (DU) and gastric cancer (GC). Frequencies of re-infection after therapeutic clearance and rates of DU versus GC vary geographically and differ markedly between developed and developing countries, which suggests additional factors may be involved. The possibility that, in vivo, lactoferrin (Lf) may play a subtle role in modulating micronutrient availability or bacterial internalisation with implications for disease etiology is considered. Lf is an iron binding protein produced in mammals that has antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties. Some bacteria that regularly colonise mammalian hosts have adapted to living in high Lf environments and we investigated if this included the gastric pathogen H. pylori. We found that H. pylori was able to use iron from fully iron-saturated human Lf (hLf) whereas partially iron-saturated hLf (apo) did not increase H. pylori growth. Instead, apo-hLf increased adherence to and internalisation of bacteria into cultured epithelial cells. By increasing internalisation, we speculate that apo-human lactoferrin may contribute to H. pylori's ability to persistence in the human stomach, an observation that potentially has implications for the risk of H. pylori-associated disease.

Apoptotic effects of bovine apo-lactoferrin on HeLa tumor cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Luzi, Carla; Brisdelli, Fabrizia; Iorio, Roberto; Bozzi, Argante; Carnicelli, Veronica; Di Giulio, Antonio; Lizzi, Anna Rita

2017-01-01

Lactoferrin (Lf), a cationic iron-binding glycoprotein of 80 kDa present in body secretions, is known as a compound with marked antimicrobial activity. In the present study, the apoptotic effect of iron-free bovine lactoferrin (apo-bLf) on human epithelial cancer (HeLa) cells was examined in association with reactive oxygen species and glutathione (GSH) levels. Apoptotic effect of iron-free bovine lactoferrin inhibited the growth of HeLa cells after 48 hours of treatment while the diferric-bLf was ineffective in the concentration range tested (from 1 to 12.5 μM). Western blot analysis showed that key apoptotic regulators including Bax, Bcl-2, Sirt1, Mcl-1, and PARP-1 were modulated by 1.25 μM of apo-bLf. In the same cell line, apo-bLf induced apoptosis together with poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, caspase activation, and a significant drop of NAD + . In addition, apo-bLf-treated HeLa cells showed a marked increase of reactive oxygen species level and a significant GSH depletion. On the whole, apo-bLf triggered apoptosis of HeLa cells upon oxygen radicals burst and GSH decrease. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Response of human limbal epithelial cells to wounding on 3D RAFT tissue equivalents: effect of airlifting and human limbal fibroblasts.

Science.gov (United States)

Massie, Isobel; Levis, Hannah J; Daniels, Julie T

2014-10-01

Limbal epithelial stem cell deficiency can cause blindness but may be treated by human limbal epithelial cell (hLE) transplantation, normally on human amniotic membrane. Clinical outcomes using amnion can be unreliable and so we have developed an alternative tissue equivalent (TE), RAFT (Real Architecture for 3D Tissue), which supports hLE expansion, and stratification when airlifted. Human limbal fibroblasts (hLF) may be incorporated into RAFT TEs, where they support overlying hLE and improve phenotype. However, the impact of neither airlifting nor hLF on hLE function has been investigated. hLE on RAFT TEs (±hLF and airlifting) were wounded using heptanol and re-epithelialisation (fluorescein diacetate staining), and percentage putative stem cell marker p63α and proliferative marker Ki67 expression (wholemount immunohistochemistry), measured. Airlifted, hLF- RAFT TEs were unable to close the wound and p63α expression was 7 ± 0.2% after wounding. Conversely, non-airlifted, hLF- RAFT TEs closed the wound within 9 days and p63α expression was higher at 22 ± 5% (p < 0.01). hLE on both hLF- and hLF+ RAFT TEs (non-airlifted) closed the wound and p63α expression was 26 ± 8% and 36 ± 3% respectively (ns). Ki67 expression by hLE increased from 1.3 ± 0.5% before wounding to 7.89 ± 2.53% post-wounding for hLF- RAFT TEs (p < 0.01), and 0.8 ± 0.08% to 17.68 ± 10.88% for hLF+ RAFT TEs (p < 0.05), suggesting that re-epithelialisation was a result of proliferation. These data suggest that neither airlifting nor hLF are necessarily required to maintain a functional epithelium on RAFT TEs, thus simplifying and shortening the production process. This is important when working towards clinical application of regenerative medicine products. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Therapeutic Effect of Activated Carbon-Induced Constipation Mice with Lactobacillus fermentum Suo on Treatment

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Huayi Suo

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Lactobacillus fermentum Suo (LF-Suo on activated carbon-induced constipation in ICR (Institute of Cancer Research mice. ICR mice were orally administered with lactic acid bacteria for 9 days. Body weight, diet intake, drinking amount, defecation status, gastrointestinal transit and defecation time, and the serum levels of MTL (motilin, Gas (gastrin, ET (endothelin, SS (somatostatin, AChE (acetylcholinesterase, SP (substance P, VIP (vasoactive intestinal peptide were used to evaluate the preventive effects of LF-Suo on constipation. Bisacodyl, a laxative drug, was used as a positive control. The normal, control, 100 mg/kg bisacodyl treatment, LB (Lactobacillus bulgaricus-, LF-Suo (L- and LF-Suo (H-treated mice showed the time to the first black stool defecation at 90, 218, 117, 180, 155 and 137 min, respectively. By the oral administration of LB-, LF-Suo (L, LF-Suo (H or bisacodyl (100 mg/kg, the gastrointestinal transit was reduced to 55.2%, 72.3%, 85.5% and 94.6%, respectively, of the transit in normal mice, respectively. In contrast to the control mice, the serum levels of MTL, Gas, ET, AChE, SP and VIP were significantly increased and the serum levels of SS were reduced in the mice treated with LF-Suo (p < 0.05. By the RT-PCR (reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and western blot assays, LF-Suo increased the c-Kit, SCF (stem cell factor, GDNF (glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor and decreased TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid 1, NOS (nitric oxide synthase expressions of small intestine tissue in mice. These results demonstrate that lactic acid bacteria has preventive effects on mouse constipation and LF-Suo demonstrated the best functional activity.

Bovine lactoferrin binds oleic acid to form an anti-tumor complex similar to HAMLET.

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Fang, Bing; Zhang, Ming; Tian, Mai; Jiang, Lu; Guo, Hui Yuan; Ren, Fa Zheng

2014-04-04

α-Lactalbumin (α-LA) can bind oleic acid (OA) to form HAMLET-like complexes, which exhibited highly selective anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo. Considering the structural similarity to α-LA, we conjectured that lactoferrin (LF) could also bind OA to obtain a complex with anti-tumor activity. In this study, LF-OA was prepared and its activity and structural changes were compared with α-LA-OA. The anti-tumor activity was evaluated by methylene blue assay, while the apoptosis mechanism was analyzed using flow cytometry and Western blot. Structural changes of LF-OA were measured by fluorescence spectroscopy and circular dichroism. The interactions of OA with LF and α-LA were evaluated by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). LF-OA was obtained by heat-treatment at pH8.0 with LD50 of 4.88, 4.95 and 4.62μM for HepG2, HT29, and MCF-7 cells, respectively, all of which were 10 times higher than those of α-LA-OA. Similar to HAMLET, LF-OA induced apoptosis in tumor cells through both death receptor- and mitochondrial-mediated pathways. Exposure of tryptophan residues and the hydrophobic regions as well as the loss of tertiary structure were observed in LF-OA. Besides these similarities, LF showed different secondary structure changes when compared with α-LA, with a decrease of α-helix and β-turn and an increase of β-sheet and random coil. ITC results showed that there was a higher binding number of OA to LF than to α-LA, while both of the proteins interacted with OA through van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds. This study provides a theoretical basis for further exploration of protein-OA complexes. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Production of human lactoferrin in animal milk.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldman, I L; Georgieva, S G; Gurskiy, Ya G; Krasnov, A N; Deykin, A V; Popov, A N; Ermolkevich, T G; Budzevich, A I; Chernousov, A D; Sadchikova, E R

2012-06-01

Genetic constructs containing the human lactoferrin (hLf) gene were created within a joint program of Russian and Belorussian scientists. Using these constructs, transgenic mice were bred (the maximum hLf concentration in their milk was 160 g/L), and transgenic goats were also generated (up to 10 g/L hLf in their milk). Experimental goatherds that produced hLf in their milk were also bred, and the recombinant hLf was found to be identical to the natural protein in its physical and chemical properties. These properties included electrophoretic mobility, isoelectric point, recognition by polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, circular dichroic spectra, interaction with natural ligands (DNA, lipopolysaccharides, and heparin), the binding of iron ions, the sequence of the 7 terminal amino acids, and its biological activity. The latter was assessed by the agglutination of Micrococcus luteus protoplasts, bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes , and fungicidal activity against Candida albicans . We also demonstrated a significant increase in the activity of antibiotics when used in combination with Lf.

Quantification of specific E. coli in gut mucosa from Crohn's disease patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Stina Rikke; Fink, Lisbeth Nielsen; Struve, Carsten

2011-01-01

We here present a method based on qRT-PCR to quantify E. coli LF82 in intestinal human samples. Two different primer-probe sets were designed to detect LF82, and a third to target total E. coli. The assay showed high robustness and specificity for detection of LF82 in the presence of intestinal...

Quantum I/f noise in infrared detectors and scanning tunneling microscopes

Science.gov (United States)

Truong, Amanda Marie

Noise is, by definition, any random and persistent disturbance, which interferes with the clarity of a signal. Modern electronic devices are designed to limit noise, and in most cases the classical forms of noise have been eliminated or greatly reduced through careful design. However, there is a fundamental, quite unavoidable type of noise, called quantum l/f noise, which occurs at low frequencies and is a fundamental consequence of the discrete nature of the charge carriers themselves. This quantum l/f noise is present in any physical cross section or process rate, such as carrier mobility, diffusion rates and scattering processes. Although quantum l/f noise has been observed for nearly a century, there has been much debate over its origin and formulation. But as modern electronic devices require greater levels of performance and detection, the l/f noise phenomenon has moved to the forefront, becoming the subject of intense research. Here, for the first time, the quantum l/f fluctuations present in both the dark current of the Quantum Well Intersubband Photodetector and the tunneling current of the Scanning Tunneling Microscope are investigated. Using the quantum l/f theory, the quantum l/f noise occurring in each of these devices is formulated. The theoretical noise results are then compared with the experimental findings of various authors with very good agreement. This important work provides a foundation for understanding quantum l/f noise and its causes in the QWIP and STM devices, and could ultimately lead to improved technology and noise reduction in these devices and others.

Lactoferrin promote primary rat osteoblast proliferation and differentiation via up-regulation of insulin-like growth factor-1 expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Jian-ming; Wu, Man; Lin, Qing-ming; Lin, Fan; Xue, Ying; Lan, Xu-hua; Chen, En-yu; Wang, Mei-li; Yang, Hai-yan; Wang, Feng-xiong

2014-08-01

The aim of this study was to explore the effect of lactoferrin (LF) in primary fetal rat osteoblasts proliferation and differentiation and investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Primary rat osteoblasts were obtained from the calvarias of neonatal rats. Osteoblasts were treated with LF (0.1-1000 μg/mL), or OSI-906 [a selective inhibitor of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) receptor and insulin receptor]. The IGF-1 was then knocked down by small hairpin RNA (shRNA) technology and then was treated with recombinant human IGF-1 or LF. Cell proliferation and differentiation were measured by MTT assay and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assay, respectively. The expression of IGF-1 and IGF binding protein 2 (IGFBP2) mRNA were analyzed using real-time PCR. LF promotes the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts in a certain range (1-100 μg/mL) in time- and dose-dependent manner. The mRNA level of IGF-1 was significantly increased, while the expression of IGFBP2 was suppressed by LF treatment. Knockdown of IGF-1 by shRNA in primary rat osteoblast dramatically decreased the abilities of proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts and blocked the proliferation and differentiation effect of LF in osteoblasts. OSI906 (5 μM) blocked the mitogenic and differentiation of LF in osteoblasts. Proliferation and differentiation of primary rat osteoblasts in response to LF are mediated in part by stimulating of IGF-1 gene expression and alterations in the gene expression of IGFBP2.

Lymphatic filariasis: a method to identify subclinical lower limb change in PNG adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Susan; Melrose, Wayne; Warner, Jeffrey; Buttner, Petra; Ward, Leigh

2011-07-01

Lymphedema related to lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a disabling condition that commonly manifests in adolescence. Fifty-three adolescents, 25 LF infected and 28 LF non-infected, in age and sex-matched groups, using the Binax ICT rapid card test for filarial antigen were recruited to the study. None of the participants had overt signs of lymphedema. Lymphedema assessment measures were used to assess lower limb tissue compressibility (tonometry), limb circumference (tape measure), intra- and extra-cellular fluid distribution (bioimpedance) and joint range of motion (goniometry). The mean tonometric measurements from the left, right, and dominant posterior thighs were significantly larger in participants with LF compared to participants who had tested negative for LF (p = 0.005, p = 0.004, and p = 0.003, respectively) indicating increased tissue compressibility in those adolescents with LF. ROC curve analysis to define optimal cut-off of the tonometry measurements indicated that at 3.5, sensitivity of this potential screening test is 100% (95%-CI = 86.3%, 100%) and specificity is 21.4% (95%-CI = 8.3%, 41.0%). It is proposed that this cut-off can be used to indicate tissue change characteristic of LF in an at-risk population of PNG adolescents. Further longitudinal research is required to establish if all those with tissue change subsequently develop lymphedema. However, thigh tonometry to identify early tissue change in LF positive adolescents may enable early intervention to minimize progression of lymphedema and prioritization of limited resources to those at greatest risk of developing lifetime morbidity.

Lymphatic Filariasis: A Method to Identify Subclinical Lower Limb Change in PNG Adolescents

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Susan; Melrose, Wayne; Warner, Jeffrey; Buttner, Petra; Ward, Leigh

2011-01-01

Lymphedema related to lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a disabling condition that commonly manifests in adolescence. Fifty-three adolescents, 25 LF infected and 28 LF non-infected, in age and sex-matched groups, using the Binax ICT rapid card test for filarial antigen were recruited to the study. None of the participants had overt signs of lymphedema. Lymphedema assessment measures were used to assess lower limb tissue compressibility (tonometry), limb circumference (tape measure), intra- and extra-cellular fluid distribution (bioimpedance) and joint range of motion (goniometry). The mean tonometric measurements from the left, right, and dominant posterior thighs were significantly larger in participants with LF compared to participants who had tested negative for LF (p = 0.005, p = 0.004, and p = 0.003, respectively) indicating increased tissue compressibility in those adolescents with LF. ROC curve analysis to define optimal cut-off of the tonometry measurements indicated that at 3.5, sensitivity of this potential screening test is 100% (95%-CI = 86.3%, 100%) and specificity is 21.4% (95%-CI = 8.3%, 41.0%). It is proposed that this cut-off can be used to indicate tissue change characteristic of LF in an at-risk population of PNG adolescents. Further longitudinal research is required to establish if all those with tissue change subsequently develop lymphedema. However, thigh tonometry to identify early tissue change in LF positive adolescents may enable early intervention to minimize progression of lymphedema and prioritization of limited resources to those at greatest risk of developing lifetime morbidity. PMID:21811644

Neuroprotection against apoptosis of SK-N-MC cells using RMP-7- and lactoferrin-grafted liposomes carrying quercetin

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Kuo Y

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Yung-Chih Kuo, Chien-Wei Tsao Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, Taiwan, Republic of China Abstract: A drug delivery system of quercetin (QU-encapsulated liposomes (LS grafted with RMP-7, a bradykinin analog, and lactoferrin (Lf was developed to permeate the blood–brain barrier (BBB and rescue degenerated neurons, acting as an Alzheimer’s disease (AD pharmacotherapy. This colloidal formulation of QU-encapsulated LS grafted with RMP-7 and Lf (RMP-7-Lf-QU-LS was used to traverse human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs regulated by human astrocytes (HAs and to treat SK-N-MC cells after an insult with cytotoxic β-amyloid (Aβ fibrils. We found that surface RMP-7 and Lf enhanced the ability of QU to cross the BBB without inducing strong toxicity and damaging the tight junction. In addition, RMP-7-Lf-QU-LS significantly reduced Aβ-induced neurotoxicity and improved the viability of SK-N-MC cells. Compared with free QU, RMP-7-Lf-QU-LS could also significantly inhibit the expression of phosphorylated c-Jun N terminal kinase, phosphorylated p38, and phosphorylated tau protein at serine 202 by SK-N-MC cells, indicating an important role of RMP-7, Lf, and LS in protecting neurons against apoptosis. RMP-7-Lf-QU-LS is a promising carrier targeting the BBB to prevent Aβ-insulted neurodegeneration and may have potential in managing AD in future clinical applications. Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, blood–brain barrier, β-amyloid, drug targeting, neurodegeneration, pharmacotherapy

A role for the RNA chaperone Hfq in controlling adherent-invasive Escherichia coli colonization and virulence.

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Karina T Simonsen

Full Text Available Adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC has been linked with the onset and perpetuation of inflammatory bowel diseases. The AIEC strain LF82 was originally isolated from an ileal biopsy from a patient with Crohn's disease. The pathogenesis of LF82 results from its abnormal adherence to and subsequent invasion of the intestinal epithelium coupled with its ability to survive phagocytosis by macrophages once it has crossed the intestinal barrier. To gain further insight into AIEC pathogenesis we employed the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as an in vivo infection model. We demonstrate that AIEC strain LF82 forms a persistent infection in C. elegans, thereby reducing the host lifespan significantly. This host killing phenotype was associated with massive bacterial colonization of the nematode intestine and damage to the intestinal epithelial surface. C. elegans killing was independent of known LF82 virulence determinants but was abolished by deletion of the LF82 hfq gene, which encodes an RNA chaperone involved in mediating posttranscriptional gene regulation by small non-coding RNAs. This finding reveals that important aspects of LF82 pathogenesis are controlled at the posttranscriptional level by riboregulation. The role of Hfq in LF82 virulence was independent of its function in regulating RpoS and RpoE activity. Further, LF82Δhfq mutants were non-motile, impaired in cell invasion and highly sensitive to various chemical stress conditions, reinforcing the multifaceted function of Hfq in mediating bacterial adaptation. This study highlights the usefulness of simple non-mammalian infection systems for the identification and analysis of bacterial virulence factors.

Lightning characteristics observed by a VLF/LF lightning detection network (LINET in Brazil, Australia, Africa and Germany

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H. Höller

2009-10-01

Full Text Available This paper describes lightning characteristics as obtained in four sets of lightning measurements during recent field campaigns in different parts of the world from mid-latitudes to the tropics by the novel VLF/LF (very low frequency/low frequency lightning detection network (LINET. The paper gives a general overview on the approach, and a synopsis of the statistical results for the observation periods as a whole and for one special day in each region. The focus is on the characteristics of lightning which can specifically be observed by this system like intra-cloud and cloud-to-ground stroke statistics, vertical distributions of intra-cloud strokes or peak current distributions. Some conclusions regarding lightning produced NO_x are also presented as this was one of the aims of the tropical field campaigns TROCCINOX (Tropical Convection, Cirrus and Nitrogen Oxides Experiment and TroCCiBras (Tropical Convection and Cirrus Experiment Brazil in Brazil during January/February 2005, SCOUT-O3 (Stratospheric-Climate Links with Emphasis on the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere and TWP-ICE (Tropical Warm Pool-International Cloud Experiment during November/December 2005 and January/February 2006, respectively, in the Darwin area in N-Australia, and of AMMA (African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses in W-Africa during June–November 2006.

Regional and temporal characteristics of lightning are found to be dependent on orographic effects (e.g. S-Germany, Brazil, Benin, land-sea breeze circulations (N-Australia and especially the evolution of the monsoons (Benin, N-Australia. Large intra-seasonal variability in lightning occurrence was found for the Australian monsoon between the strong convection during build-up and break phases and the weak active monsoon phase with only minor lightning activity. Total daily lightning stroke rates can be of comparable intensity in all regions with the heaviest events found in Germany and N

The multifaceted skyrmion

CERN Document Server

Rho, Mannque

2010-01-01

This is a sequel to the World Scientific volume edited by Gerald E Brown in 1994 entitled ""Selected Papers"", with Commentary, of 'Tony Hilton Royle Skyrme'. There has been a series of impressive developments in the application of the skyrmion structure to wide-ranging physical phenomena. The first volume was mainly focused on the rediscovery of the skyrmion in 1983 in the context of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) and on its striking role in nuclear physics. Since 1994, skyrmions have been found to play an even greater role not only in various aspects of particle physics and astrophysics but al

Urban lymphatic filariasis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Simonsen, Paul Erik; Mwakitalu, Mbutolwe E.

2013-01-01

parasite species causing LF in humans, only Wuchereria bancrofti has been documented to have a significant potential for urban transmission. This is primarily because one of its vectors, Culex quinquefasciatus, thrives and proliferates excessively in crowded city areas with poor sanitary, sewerage...... impact. However, with rapid and unplanned growth of cities in the developing world, there is a need also to consider LF transmission and control in urban settings. Here, we review currently available knowledge on urban LF and the environmental and socio-economic basis for its occurrence. Among the three...... and drainage facilities. For this reason, urban LF also often shows a marked focality in distribution, with most cases clustered in areas inhabited by the less privileged city populations. More knowledge on urban LF is needed, in particular on its socio-economic and human behavioural context, on the potential...

Heart Rate Variability Analysis in Patients with Allergic Rhinitis

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Ming-Ying Lan

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Very few studies investigate the role of the autonomic nervous system in allergic rhinitis. In this study, we evaluated the autonomic nervous system in allergic rhinitis patients using heart rate variability (HRV analysis. Methods. Eleven patients with allergic rhinitis and 13 healthy controls, aged between 19 and 40 years old, were enrolled in the study. Diagnosis of allergic rhinitis was based on clinical history, symptoms, and positive Phadiatop test. Electrocardiographic recordings on the sitting and supine positions were obtained for HRV analysis. Results. In the supine position, there were no significant statistical differences in very-low-frequency power (VLF, ≤0.04 Hz, low-frequency power (LF, 0.04–0.15 Hz, high-frequency power (HF, 0.15–0.40 Hz, and the ratio of LF to HF (LF/HF between the patient and control groups. The mean RR intervals significantly increased, while LF% and LF/HF significantly decreased in the patient group in the sitting position. Moreover, mean RR intervals, LF, and LF/HF, which were significantly different between the two positions in the control group, did not show a significant change with the posture change in the patient group. Conclusion. These suggest that patients with allergic rhinitis may have poor sympathetic modulation in the sitting position. Autonomic dysfunction may therefore play a role in the pathophysiology of allergic rhinitis.

Removal of Escherichia coli via low frequency electromagnetic field in riverbank filtration system.

Science.gov (United States)

Selamat, Rossitah; Abustan, Ismail; Rizal Arshad, Mohd; Mokhtar Kamal, Nurul Hana

2018-04-01

The removal of Escherichia coli (E. coli) via low frequency of electromagnetic field (LF-EMF) with different magnetic field was studied. LF-EMF is known as a high magnetic susceptibility method, which could affect E. coli growth without the usage of chemicals. The aim of this study was to investigate the removal of E. coli by using LF-EMF in water abstraction for the riverbank filtration (RBF) application. The effect of LF-EMF with the intensity of 2 to 10mT and 50Hz on coiled column of 1mm copper wire at 1 to 6 hours was assessed. The removal of E. coli after exposing to LF-EMF on the column model was measured using most probable number (MPN/100mL) and colonies forming unit (CFU/100mL) methods. Water flows into the column were varied up to 6 hours and with flowrate of 100 mL/min. Experimental results demonstrate that 100% of E. coli was removed at 8mT after 6 hours exposure. The magnetic field at 10mT removed 100% of E. coli after 4 hours exposure. The results obtained in this study proved that the LF-EMF was efficient in E. coli removal from RBF system. These finding indicated that the LF-EMF intensities and time of exposure can affect the removal of E. coli.

Characterization of Ladle Furnace Slag from Carbon Steel Production as a Potential Adsorbent

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Ankica Rađenović

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A promising type of steel slag for applications is the ladle furnace (LF slag, which is also known as the basic slag, the reducing slag, the white slag, and the secondary refining slag. The LF slag is a byproduct from further refining molten steel after coming out of a basic oxygen furnace (BOF or an electric arc furnace (EAF. The use of the LF slag in further applications requires knowledge of its characteristics. The LF slag characterization in this paper has been performed using the following analytical methods: chemical analysis by energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS, mineralogical composition by X-ray diffraction (XRD, surface area properties by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET and the Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH methods, surface chemistry by infrared absorption (FTIR spectroscopy, and morphological analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM. The results showed that the main compounds are calcium, silicon, magnesium, and aluminium oxides, and calcium silicates under their various allotropic forms are the major compounds in the LF slag. Surface area properties have shown that the LF slag is a mesoporous material with relatively great BET surface area. The ladle furnace slag is a nonhazardous industrial waste because the ecotoxicity evaluation by its eluate has shown that the LF slag does not contain constituents which might in any way affect the environment harmfully.

The Effect of Massage Therapy on Autonomic Activity in Critically Ill Children

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Ling Guan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. Our main objective was to describe the effect of foot and hand (F&H massage on the autonomic nervous system (ANS activity in children hospitalized in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU; the secondary objectives were to assess the relationship between ANS function and the clinical severity and to explore the effects of repeated massage sessions on the ANS. Methods. Design was a descriptive experimental study. Intervention was single or six session(s of F&H massage. ANS function was assessed through the frequency-domain analysis of heart rate variability. Main metrics included high and low frequency power (HF and LF, HF + LF, and LF/HF ratio. Results. Eighteen children participated in the study. A strong Spearman’s correlation (ρ=-0.77 was observed between HF + LF and clinical severity. During massage, the parasympathetic activity (measured by HF increased significantly from baseline (P=0.04 with a mean percentage increase of 75% (95% CI: 20%∼130%. LF increased by 56% (95% CI: 20%∼92% (P=0.026. Repeated sessions were associated with a persistent effect on HF and LF which peaked at the second session and remained stable thereafter. Conclusions. HF + LF is positively correlated with clinical severity. F&H massage can improve the ANS activity and the effect persists when repeated sessions are offered.

Effects of lactoferrin feeding on growth, feed intake and health of calves.

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Prenner, Maria L; Prgomet, Christian; Sauerwein, Helga; Pfaffl, Michael W; Broz, Jiri; Schwarz, Frieder J

2007-02-01

Lactoferrin (LF) exhibits a broad spectrum of anti-microbial properties and may have regulatory functions in the immune system. In the present study, 40 calves (20 males, 20 females) were used to examine the effects of supplemental bovine LF added to colostrum and milk replacer (at 0.16%) on health, weight development and feed intake during a 70-day experimental period. The calves were allocated to a treatment group (n = 20) and a control group (n = 20); the groups were balanced in terms of sex, live weight and date of birth. Body weight and feed intake were measured at regular intervals. Blood and colostrum samples were collected to determine the content of IgG. In addition, colostrum and milk replacer samples were analysed for their LF concentrations. Significantly higher IgG values were observed in the LF treated than in the control group during the entire feeding experiment from week 2 to week 6. Calves receiving LF had less days of disease with less serious cases of diarrhoea than the control group. Body weight and feed intake were not significantly different between the treatments; in male calves LF-treated animals tended towards higher weight gains. This study indicates that LF is advantageous for health and may therefore be a beneficial supplement in the diets for neonatal calves.

VARIAÇÃO BIOMÉTRICA DE DIÁSPOROS DE BURITI (Mauritia flexuosa L.f. – ARECACEAE EM VEREDAS EM DIFERENTES ESTÁGIOS DE CONSERVAÇÃO

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Fabiano dos Santos Matos

2014-12-01

Full Text Available As veredas são fitofisionomias do bioma Cerrado, onde, no estrato arbóreo, predomina a palmeira arbórea Mauritia flexuosa L.f. - buriti, espécie considerada recurso-chave para muitos animais, que a utilizam como moradia e fonte alimentar, e também pelo próprio homem, que usa suas folhas e frutos como matéria-prima e alimento. Apesar de ocorrerem em ambientes protegidos pela legislação ambiental, ações antrópicas nas veredas têm afetado as populações do buriti, por meio da diminuição do número de indivíduos ocasionada por desmatamento, assoreamento e drenagem dessas áreas. O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a morfometria de frutos e sementes de buriti oriundos de seis veredas em diferentes estágios de conservação, situadas na Área de Proteção Ambiental do Rio Pandeiros (norte de Minas Gerais. Foram amostrados, no total, 1800 frutos e sementes, que foram mensurados em comprimento, largura, espessura e peso. Para detectar diferenças das medidas morfométricas dos frutos e das sementes entre as áreas de coleta foi feita a análise de variância. Foram observadas variações nas medidas morfométricas de frutos e sementes entre as áreas de estudo, sendo que 87,5% das maiores médias ocorreram em áreas com menores intervenções antrópicas. Esse fato, possivelmente, está relacionado aos impactos ocorridos nas veredas, além das variações genéticas que podem incidir sobre os indivíduos.

Immunization of pregnant cows with Shiga toxin-2 induces high levels of specific colostral antibodies and lactoferrin able to neutralize E. coli O157:H7 pathogenicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Albanese, Adriana; Sacerdoti, Flavia; Seyahian, E Abril; Amaral, Maria Marta; Fiorentino, Gabriela; Fernandez Brando, Romina; Vilte, Daniel A; Mercado, Elsa C; Palermo, Marina S; Cataldi, Angel; Zotta, Elsa; Ibarra, Cristina

2018-03-20

E. coli O157:H7 is a foodborne pathogen responsible for bloody diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The objective of the present work was to evaluate the ability of colostral IgG obtained from Stx2-immunized cows to prevent against E. coli O157:H7 infection and Stx2 cytotoxicity. Hyperimmune colostrum (HC) was obtained from cows intramuscularly immunized with inactivated Stx2 or vehicle for controls. Colostral IgG was purified by affinity chromatography. Specific IgG antibodies against Stx2 and bovine lactoferrin (bLF) levels in HC and the corresponding IgG (HC-IgG/bLF) were determined by ELISA. The protective effects of HC-IgG/bLF against Stx2 cytotoxicity and adhesion of E. coli O157:H7 and its Stx2-negative mutant were analyzed in HCT-8 cells. HC-IgG/bLF prevention against E. coli O157:H7 was studied in human colon and rat colon loops. Protection against a lethal dose of E. coli O157:H7 was evaluated in a weaned mice model. HC-IgG/bLF showed high anti-Stx2 titers and high bLF levels that were able to neutralize the cytotoxic effects of Stx2 in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, HC-IgG/bLF avoided the inhibition of water absorption induced by E. coli O157:H7 in human colon and also the pathogenicity of E. coli O157:H7 and E. coli O157:H7Δstx2 in rat colon loops. Finally, HC-IgG/bLF prevented in a 100% the lethality caused by E. coli O157:H7 in a weaned mice model. Our study suggests that HC-IgG/bLF have protective effects against E. coli O157:H7 infection. These beneficial effects may be due to specific anti-Stx2 neutralizing antibodies in combination with high bLF levels. These results allow us to consider HC-IgG/bLF as a nutraceutical tool which could be used in combination with balanced supportive diets to prevent HUS. However further studies are required before recommendations can be made for therapeutic and clinical applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 73489 - Airworthiness Directives; Honeywell International Inc. Turbofan Engines

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-29

... Airworthiness Directives; Honeywell International Inc. Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration...-1F, and LF507-IH turbofan engines. This AD requires removing from service certain second stage high... International Inc. ALF502L-2C, ALF502R-3, ALF502R-3A, ALF502R-5, LF507-1F, and LF507-IH turbofan engines, with...

Long-term effects of psychosocial factors of home and work on biomarkers of stress

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eller, Nanna Hurwitz; Kristiansen, Jesper; Hansen, Åse Marie

2011-01-01

LF/HF. In work, lack of control was associated with low LnTP, and lack of support was associated with an increased LnLF/HF ratio. For men, high social status was associated with low LnTP, low LnHF and high LnCortisol. Greater number of hours spent doing housework was associated with both low LnLF/HF and low Ln...

Branched-chain amino acid restriction in Zucker-fatty rats improves muscle insulin sensitivity by enhancing efficiency of fatty acid oxidation and acyl-glycine export.

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White, Phillip J; Lapworth, Amanda L; An, Jie; Wang, Liping; McGarrah, Robert W; Stevens, Robert D; Ilkayeva, Olga; George, Tabitha; Muehlbauer, Michael J; Bain, James R; Trimmer, Jeff K; Brosnan, M Julia; Rolph, Timothy P; Newgard, Christopher B

2016-07-01

A branched-chain amino acid (BCAA)-related metabolic signature is strongly associated with insulin resistance and predictive of incident diabetes and intervention outcomes. To better understand the role that this metabolite cluster plays in obesity-related metabolic dysfunction, we studied the impact of BCAA restriction in a rodent model of obesity in which BCAA metabolism is perturbed in ways that mirror the human condition. Zucker-lean rats (ZLR) and Zucker-fatty rats (ZFR) were fed either a custom control, low fat (LF) diet, or an isonitrogenous, isocaloric LF diet in which all three BCAA (Leu, Ile, Val) were reduced by 45% (LF-RES). We performed comprehensive metabolic and physiologic profiling to characterize the effects of BCAA restriction on energy balance, insulin sensitivity, and glucose, lipid and amino acid metabolism. LF-fed ZFR had higher levels of circulating BCAA and lower levels of glycine compared to LF-fed ZLR. Feeding ZFR with the LF-RES diet lowered circulating BCAA to levels found in LF-fed ZLR. Activity of the rate limiting enzyme in the BCAA catabolic pathway, branched chain keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKDH), was lower in liver but higher in skeletal muscle of ZFR compared to ZLR and was not responsive to diet in either tissue. BCAA restriction had very little impact on metabolites studied in liver of ZFR where BCAA content was low, and BCKDH activity was suppressed. However, in skeletal muscle of LF-fed ZFR compared to LF-fed ZLR, where BCAA content and BCKDH activity were increased, accumulation of fatty acyl CoAs was completely normalized by dietary BCAA restriction. BCAA restriction also normalized skeletal muscle glycine content and increased urinary acetyl glycine excretion in ZFR. These effects were accompanied by lower RER and improved skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity in LF-RES fed ZFR as measured by hyperinsulinemic-isoglycemic clamp. Our data are consistent with a model wherein elevated circulating BCAA contribute to development of

Branched-chain amino acid restriction in Zucker-fatty rats improves muscle insulin sensitivity by enhancing efficiency of fatty acid oxidation and acyl-glycine export

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Phillip J. White

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Objective: A branched-chain amino acid (BCAA-related metabolic signature is strongly associated with insulin resistance and predictive of incident diabetes and intervention outcomes. To better understand the role that this metabolite cluster plays in obesity-related metabolic dysfunction, we studied the impact of BCAA restriction in a rodent model of obesity in which BCAA metabolism is perturbed in ways that mirror the human condition. Methods: Zucker-lean rats (ZLR and Zucker-fatty rats (ZFR were fed either a custom control, low fat (LF diet, or an isonitrogenous, isocaloric LF diet in which all three BCAA (Leu, Ile, Val were reduced by 45% (LF-RES. We performed comprehensive metabolic and physiologic profiling to characterize the effects of BCAA restriction on energy balance, insulin sensitivity, and glucose, lipid and amino acid metabolism. Results: LF-fed ZFR had higher levels of circulating BCAA and lower levels of glycine compared to LF-fed ZLR. Feeding ZFR with the LF-RES diet lowered circulating BCAA to levels found in LF-fed ZLR. Activity of the rate limiting enzyme in the BCAA catabolic pathway, branched chain keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKDH, was lower in liver but higher in skeletal muscle of ZFR compared to ZLR and was not responsive to diet in either tissue. BCAA restriction had very little impact on metabolites studied in liver of ZFR where BCAA content was low, and BCKDH activity was suppressed. However, in skeletal muscle of LF-fed ZFR compared to LF-fed ZLR, where BCAA content and BCKDH activity were increased, accumulation of fatty acyl CoAs was completely normalized by dietary BCAA restriction. BCAA restriction also normalized skeletal muscle glycine content and increased urinary acetyl glycine excretion in ZFR. These effects were accompanied by lower RER and improved skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity in LF-RES fed ZFR as measured by hyperinsulinemic-isoglycemic clamp. Conclusions: Our data are consistent with a model wherein

Eyeball Pressure Stimulation Unveils Subtle Autonomic Cardiovascular Dysfunction in Persons with a History of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Hilz, Max J; Aurnhammer, Felix; Flanagan, Steven R; Intravooth, Tassanai; Wang, Ruihao; Hösl, Katharina M; Pauli, Elisabeth; Koehn, Julia

2015-11-15

After mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), patients have increased long-term mortality rates, persisting even beyond 13 years. Pathophysiology is unclear. Yet, central autonomic network dysfunction may contribute to cardiovascular dysregulation and increased mortality. Purely parasympathetic cardiovascular challenge by eyeball pressure stimulation (EP), might unveil subtle autonomic dysfunction in post-mTBI patients. We investigated whether mild EP shows autonomic cardiovascular dysregulation in post-mTBI patients. In 24 patients (34 ± 12 years; 5-86 months post-injury) and 27 controls (30 ± 11 years), we monitored respiration, electrocardiographic RR intervals (RRI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BPsys, BPdia) before and during 2 min of 30 mm Hg EP, applied by an ophthalmologic ocular pressure device (Okulopressor(®)). We calculated spectral powers of RRI in the mainly sympathetic low frequency (LF; 0.04-0.15 Hz) and parasympathetic high frequency (HF; 0.15-0.5 Hz) ranges, and of BP in the sympathetic LF range, the RRI-LF/HF ratio as index of the sympathetic-parasympathetic balance, normalized (nu) RRI-LF- and HF-powers, and LF- and HF-powers after natural logarithmic transformation (ln). Parameters before and during EP in post-mTBI patients and controls were compared by repeated measurement analysis of variance with post hoc analysis (p < 0.05). During EP, BPsys and BPdia increased in post-mTBI patients. Only in controls but not in post-mTBI patients, EP increased RRI-HFnu-powers and decreased RRI-LF-powers, RRI-LFnu-powers, BPsys-LF-powers, BPsys-lnLF-powers and BPdia-lnLF-powers. RRI-LF/HF ratios slightly increased in post-mTBI patients but slightly decreased in controls upon EP. Even with only mild EP, our controls showed normal EP responses and shifted sympathetic-parasympathetic balance towards parasympathetic predominance. In contrast, our post-mTBI patients could not increase parasympathetic heart rate modulation but

Human Lumbar Ligamentum Flavum Anatomy for Epidural Anesthesia: Reviewing a 3D MR-Based Interactive Model and Postmortem Samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Reina, Miguel A; Lirk, Philipp; Puigdellívol-Sánchez, Anna; Mavar, Marija; Prats-Galino, Alberto

2016-03-01

The ligamentum flavum (LF) forms the anatomic basis for the loss-of-resistance technique essential to the performance of epidural anesthesia. However, the LF presents considerable interindividual variability, including the possibility of midline gaps, which may influence the performance of epidural anesthesia. We devise a method to reconstruct the anatomy of the digitally LF based on magnetic resonance images to clarify the exact limits and edges of LF and its different thickness, depending on the area examined, while avoiding destructive methods, as well as the dissection processes. Anatomic cadaveric cross sections enabled us to visually check the definition of the edges along the entire LF and compare them using 3D image reconstruction methods. Reconstruction was performed in images obtained from 7 patients. Images from 1 patient were used as a basis for the 3D spinal anatomy tool. In parallel, axial cuts, 2 to 3 cm thick, were performed in lumbar spines of 4 frozen cadavers. This technique allowed us to identify the entire ligament and its exact limits, while avoiding alterations resulting from cutting processes or from preparation methods. The LF extended between the laminas of adjacent vertebrae at all vertebral levels of the patients examined, but midline gaps are regularly encountered. These anatomical variants were reproduced in a 3D portable document format. The major anatomical features of the LF were reproduced in the 3D model. Details of its structure and variations of thickness in successive sagittal and axial slides could be visualized. Gaps within LF previously studied in cadavers have been identified in our interactive 3D model, which may help to understand their nature, as well as possible implications for epidural techniques.

Bovine Lactoferrin and Lactoferrin-Derived Peptides Inhibit the Growth of Vibrio cholerae and Other Vibrio species

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Erika Acosta-Smith

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Vibrio is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria, some of which can cause serious infectious diseases. Vibrio infections are associated with the consumption of contaminated food and classified in Vibrio cholera infections and non-cholera Vibrio infections. In the present study, we investigate whether bovine lactoferrin (bLF and several synthetic peptides corresponding to bLF sequences, are able to inhibit the growth or have bactericidal effect against V. cholerae and other Vibrio species. The antibacterial activity of LF and LF-peptides was assessed by kinetics of growth or determination of colony forming unit in bacteria treated with the peptides and antibiotics. To get insight in the mode of action, the interaction between bLF and bLF-peptides (coupled to FITC and V. cholera was evaluated. The damage of effector-induced bacterial membrane permeability was measured by inclusion of the fluorescent dye propidium iodide using flow cytometry, whereas the bacterial ultrastructural damage in bacteria treated was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that bLF and LFchimera inhibited the growth of the V. cholerae strains; LFchimera permeabilized the bacteria which membranes were seriously damaged. Assays with a multidrug-resistant strain of Vibrio species indicated that combination of sub-lethal doses of LFchimera with ampicillin or tetracycline strongly reduced the concentration of the antibiotics to reach 95% growth inhibition. Furthermore, LFchimera were effective to inhibit the V. cholerae counts and damage due to this bacterium in a model mice. These data suggest that LFchimera and bLF are potential candidates to combat the V. cholerae and other multidrug resistant Vibrio species.

Bovine Lactoferrin and Lactoferrin-Derived Peptides Inhibit the Growth of Vibrio cholerae and Other Vibrio species

Science.gov (United States)

Acosta-Smith, Erika; Viveros-Jiménez, Karina; Canizalez-Román, Adrian; Reyes-Lopez, Magda; Bolscher, Jan G. M.; Nazmi, Kamran; Flores-Villaseñor, Hector; Alapizco-Castro, Gerardo; de la Garza, Mireya; Martínez-Garcia, Jesús J.; Velazquez-Roman, Jorge; Leon-Sicairos, Nidia

2018-01-01

Vibrio is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria, some of which can cause serious infectious diseases. Vibrio infections are associated with the consumption of contaminated food and classified in Vibrio cholera infections and non-cholera Vibrio infections. In the present study, we investigate whether bovine lactoferrin (bLF) and several synthetic peptides corresponding to bLF sequences, are able to inhibit the growth or have bactericidal effect against V. cholerae and other Vibrio species. The antibacterial activity of LF and LF-peptides was assessed by kinetics of growth or determination of colony forming unit in bacteria treated with the peptides and antibiotics. To get insight in the mode of action, the interaction between bLF and bLF-peptides (coupled to FITC) and V. cholera was evaluated. The damage of effector-induced bacterial membrane permeability was measured by inclusion of the fluorescent dye propidium iodide using flow cytometry, whereas the bacterial ultrastructural damage in bacteria treated was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that bLF and LFchimera inhibited the growth of the V. cholerae strains; LFchimera permeabilized the bacteria which membranes were seriously damaged. Assays with a multidrug-resistant strain of Vibrio species indicated that combination of sub-lethal doses of LFchimera with ampicillin or tetracycline strongly reduced the concentration of the antibiotics to reach 95% growth inhibition. Furthermore, LFchimera were effective to inhibit the V. cholerae counts and damage due to this bacterium in a model mice. These data suggest that LFchimera and bLF are potential candidates to combat the V. cholerae and other multidrug resistant Vibrio species. PMID:29375503

Light front field theory: an advanced primer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinovic, L.

2007-01-01

We present an elementary introduction to quantum field theory formulated in terms of Dirac's light front variables. In addition to general principles and methods, a few more specific topics and approaches based on the author's work will be discussed. Most of the discussion deals with massive two-dimensional models formulated in a finite spatial volume starting with a detailed comparison between quantization of massive free fields in the usual field theory and the light front (LF) quantization. We discuss basic properties such as relativistic invariance and causality. After the LF treatment of the soluble Federbush model, a LF approach to spontaneous symmetry breaking is explained and a simple gauge theory - the massive Schwinger model in various gauges is studied. A LF version of bosonization and the massive Thirring model are also discussed. A special chapter is devoted to the method of discretized light cone quantization and its application to calculations of the properties of quantum solitons. The problem of LF zero modes is illustrated with the example of the two/dimensional Yukawa model. Hamiltonian perturbation theory in the LF formulation is derived and applied to a few simple processes to demonstrate its advantages. As a byproduct, it is shown that the LF theory cannot be obtained as a 'light-like' limit of the usual field theory quantized on a initial space-like surface. A simple LF formulation of the Higgs mechanism is then given Since our intention was to provide a treatment of the light front quantization accessible to postgradual students, an effort was made to discuss most of the topics pedagogically and number of technical details and derivations are contained in the appendices (Author)

Antioxidants in vegan diet and rheumatic disorders.

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Hänninen; Kaartinen, K; Rauma, A L; Nenonen, M; Törrönen, R; Häkkinen, A S; Adlercreutz, H; Laakso, J

2000-11-30

Plants are rich natural sources of antioxidants in addition to other nutrients. Interventions and cross sectional studies on subjects consuming uncooked vegan diet called living food (LF) have been carried out. We have clarified the efficacy of LF in rheumatoid diseases as an example of a health problem where inflammation is one of the main concerns. LF is an uncooked vegan diet and consists of berries, fruits, vegetables and roots, nuts, germinated seeds and sprouts, i.e. rich sources of carotenoids, vitamins C and E. The subjects eating LF showed highly increased levels of beta and alfa carotenes, lycopen and lutein in their sera. Also the increases of vitamin C and vitamin E (adjusted to cholesterol) were statistically significant. As the berry intake was 3-fold compared to controls the intake of polyphenolic compounds like quercetin, myricetin and kaempherol was much higher than in the omnivorous controls. The LF diet is rich in fibre, substrate of lignan production, and the urinary excretion of polyphenols like enterodiol and enterolactone as well as secoisolaricirecinol were much increased in subjects eating LF. The shift of fibromyalgic subjects to LF resulted in a decrease of their joint stiffness and pain as well as an improvement of their self-experienced health. The rheumatoid arthritis patients eating the LF diet also reported similar positive responses and the objective measures supported this finding. The improvement of rheumatoid arthritis was significantly correlated with the day-to-day fluctuation of subjective symptoms. In conclusion the rheumatoid patients subjectively benefited from the vegan diet rich in antioxidants, lactobacilli and fibre, and this was also seen in objective measures.

Antibacterial activity in bovine lactoferrin-derived peptides.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoek, K S; Milne, J M; Grieve, P A; Dionysius, D A; Smith, R

1997-01-01

Several peptides sharing high sequence homology with lactoferricin B (Lf-cin B) were generated from bovine lactoferrin (Lf) with recombinant chymosin. Two peptides were copurified, one identical to Lf-cin B and another differing from Lf-cin B by the inclusion of a C-terminal alanine (lactoferricin). Two other peptides were copurified from chymosin-hydrolyzed Lf, one differing from Lf-cin B by the inclusion of C-terminal alanyl-leucine and the other being a heterodimer linked by a disulfide bond. These peptides were isolated in a single step from chymosin-hydrolyzed Lf by membrane ion-exchange chromatography and were purified by reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). They were characterized by N-terminal Edman sequencing, mass spectrometry, and antibacterial activity determination. Pure lactoferricin, prepared from pepsin-hydrolyzed Lf, was purified by standard chromatography techniques. This peptide was analyzed against a number of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria before and after reduction of its disulfide bond or cleavage after its single methionine residue and was found to inhibit the growth of all the test bacteria at a concentration of 8 microM or less. Subfragments of lactoferricin were isolated from reduced and cleaved peptide by reverse-phase HPLC. Subfragment 1 (residues 1 to 10) was active against most of the test microorganisms at concentrations of 10 to 50 microM. Subfragment 2 (residues 11 to 26) was active against only a few microorganisms at concentrations up to 100 microM. These antibacterial studies indicate that the activity of lactoferricin is mainly, but not wholly, due to its N-terminal region. PMID:8980754

Nitrogen losses and chemical parameters during co-composting of solid wastes and liquid pig manure.

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Vázquez, M A; de la Varga, D; Plana, R; Soto, M

2017-07-04

The aim of this research was to study nitrogen losses during the treatment of the liquid fraction (LF) of pig manure by co-composting and to establish the best conditions for compost production with higher nitrogen and low heavy metal contents. Windrows were constituted with the solid fraction (SF) of pig manure, different organic waste (SF of pig manure, sawdust and grape bagasse) as co-substrate and Populus spp. wood chips as bulking material and watered intensely with the LF. Results show that nitrogen losses ranged from 30% to 66% of initial nitrogen and were mainly governed by substrate to bulking mass ratio and liquid fraction to substrate (LF/S) ratio, and only secondarily by operational parameters. Nitrogen losses decreased from 55-65% at low LF/S ratios (1.7-1.9 m 3 /t total solids (TS)) to 30-39% at high LF/S ratios (4.4-4.7 m 3 /t TS). Therefore, integrating the LF in the composting process at high LF/S ratios favoured nitrogen recovery and conservation. Nitrogen in the fine fraction (ranging from 27% to 48% of initial nitrogen) was governed by operational parameters, namely pH and temperature. Final compost showed low content in most heavy metals, but Zn was higher than the limits for compost use in agriculture. Zn content in the obtained compost varied from 1863 to 3269 mg/kg dm, depending on several factors. The options for obtaining better quality composts from the LF of pig manure are selecting co-substrates with low heavy metal content and using them instead of the SF of pig manure.

Lactoferrin- Endothelin-1 Axis Contributes to the Development and Invasiveness of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Phenotypes

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Ha, Ngoc-Han; Nair, Vasudha; Reddy, Divijendra Natha Sirigiri; Mudvari, Prakriti; Ohshiro, Kazufumi; Ghanta, Krishna Sumanth; Pakala, Suresh B.; Li, Da-Qiang; Costa, Luis; Lipton, Allan; Badwe, Rajendra A.; Fuqua, Suzanne; Wallon, Margaretha; Prendergast, George C.; Kumar, Rakesh

2013-01-01

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by the lack of expression of ERα, PR and HER-2 receptors and the pathway(s) responsible for this downregulation and thus aggressiveness, remains unknown. Here we discovered that lactoferrin (Lf) efficiently downregulates the levels of ERα, PR and HER-2 receptors in a proteasome-dependent manner in breast cancer cells, and accounts for the loss of responsiveness to ER- or HER-2- targeted therapies. Further we found that Lf increases migration and invasiveness of both non-TNBC and TNBC cell lines. We discovered that Lf directly stimulates the transcription of endothelin-1 (ET-1), a secreted pro-invasive polypeptide that acts through a specific receptor ET(A)R, leading to secretion of bioactive ET-1 peptide. Interestingly, a therapeutic ET-1 receptor antagonist drug completely blocked Lf-dependent motility and invasiveness of breast cancer cells. Physiologic significance of this newly discovered Lf-ET-1 axis in the manifestation of TNBC phenotypes is revealed by elevated plasma and tissue Lf and ET-1 levels in TNBC patients as compared to those in ER+ cases. These findings describe the first physiologically relevant polypeptide as a functional determinant of downregulating all three therapeutic receptors in breast cancer which utilizes another secreted ET-1 system to confer invasiveness. Results presented here provide proof-of-principle evidence in support of therapeutic effectiveness of ET-1 receptor antagonist to completely block the Lf-induced motility and invasiveness of the TNBC as well as non-TBNC cells, and thus, opening a remarkable opportunity to treat TNBC by targeting the Lf-ET-1 axis using an approved developmental drug. PMID:22006997

Assessing Progress in Reducing the At-Risk Population after 13 Years of the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis

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Hooper, Pamela J.; Chu, Brian K.; Mikhailov, Alexei; Ottesen, Eric A.; Bradley, Mark

2014-01-01

Background In 1997, the World Health Assembly adopted Resolution 50.29, committing to the elimination of lymphatic filariasis (LF) as a public health problem, subsequently targeted for 2020. The initial estimates were that 1.2 billion people were at-risk for LF infection globally. Now, 13 years after the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) began implementing mass drug administration (MDA) against LF in 2000—during which over 4.4 billion treatments have been distributed in 56 endemic countries—it is most appropriate to estimate the impact that the MDA has had on reducing the population at risk of LF. Methodology/Principal Findings To assess GPELF progress in reducing the population at-risk for LF, we developed a model based on defining reductions in risk of infection among cohorts of treated populations following each round of MDA. The model estimates that the number of people currently at risk of infection decreased by 46% to 789 million through 2012. Conclusions/Significance Important progress has been made in the global efforts to eliminate LF, but significant scale-up is required over the next 8 years to reach the 2020 elimination goal. PMID:25411843

Propuesta metodológica para el desarrollo de la lectura fácil según el diseño centrado en el usuario

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Rocío Bernabé Caro

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Con la llegada de la lectura fácil (LF al medio digital, los productos en LF entran en el ámbito de la interacción persona-ordenador. La comprensibilidad y la accesibilidad de los textos se amplían pues a la accesibilidad del medio. En este trabajo se estudia la afinidad entre la metodología del diseño centrado en el usuario (DCU según ISO 9241-210:2010 y la LF, a partir de su enfoque de participación del usuario. A través de los resultados de dos vertientes de trabajo, revisión documental y benchmarking empírico de una muestra significativa de proyectos de LF en distintos países, se analizó la proximidad de la LF al DCU desde el plano teórico y desde su práctica en proyectos. Del análisis se deduce que un apoyo consciente de la LF en la metodología DCU podría proporcionarle una base sólida para el desarrollo exitoso de productos digitales.

Coacervates of lactotransferrin and β- or κ-casein: structure determined using SAXS.

Science.gov (United States)

de Kruif, C G Kees; Pedersen, JanSkov; Huppertz, Thom; Anema, Skelte G

2013-08-20

Lactotransferrin (LF) is a large globular protein in milk with immune-regulatory and bactericidal properties. At pH 6.5, LF (M = 78 kDa) carries a net (calculated) charge of +21. β-Casein (BCN) and κ-casein (KCN) are part of the casein micelle complex in milk. Both BCN and KCN are amphiphillic proteins with a molar mass of 24 and 19 kDa and carry net charges of -14 and -4, respectively. Both BCN and KCN form soap-like micelles, with 40 and 65 monomers, respectively. The net negative charges are located in the corona of the micelles. On mixing LF with the caseins, coacervates are formed. We analyzed the structure of these coarcervates using SAXS. It was found that LF binds to the corona of the micellar structures, at the charge neutrality point. BCN/LF and KCN/LF ratios at the charge neutrality point were found to be ~1.2 and ~5, respectively. We think that the findings are relevant for the protection mechanism of globular proteins in bodily fluids where unstructured proteins are abundant (saliva). The complexes will prevent docking of enzymes on specific charged groups on the globular protein.

Modal structure of variations in the tropical climate system. Pt. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnett, T.P.; Graham, N.

1992-01-01

Simulations with ocean and atmospheric general circulation models and a hybrid coupled model reproduce well the observed features of variability in the low frequency (LF) mode described in Part I. The model results show the origins of the LF to be in the ocean and suggest this phenomenon is a natural mode of the tropical Pacific Basin. Air-sea interactions amplify the ocean mode by a factor of 5-6 so it obtains climatological importance. These same interactions introduce the LF to the atmosphere. The physical processes responsible for these results are presented. The LF mode of interannual variability is not directly driven by the annual cycle. But it does depend importantly on the fact that the ocean-atmosphere coupling strength vary with respect to the annual cycle. The LF mode appears to be rather sharply peaked in wave number space but broadbanded in frequency space. (orig.)

Wuchereria bancrofti infection in Haitian immigrants and the risk of re-emergence of lymphatic filariasis in the Brazilian Amazon

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Edson Fidelis da Silva Junior

Full Text Available Abstract INTRODUCTION: Lymphatic filariasis (LF is a public health problem in Haiti. Thus, the emigration of Haitians to Brazil is worrisome because of the risk for LF re-emergence. METHODS: Blood samples of Haitian immigrants, aged ≥18 years, who emigrated to Manaus (Brazilian Amazon, were examined using thick blood smears, membrane blood filtration, and immunochromatography. RESULTS: Of the 244 immigrants evaluated, 1 (0.4% tested positive for W. bancrofti; 11.5% reported as having received LF treatment in Haiti. CONCLUSIONS: The re-emergence of LF in Manaus is unlikely, due to its low prevalence and low density of microfilaremia among the assessed Haitian immigrants.

UMTRA ground water sampling techniques: Comparison of the traditional and low flow methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-07-01

This report describes the potential changes in water quality data that may occur with the conversion from MBV (multiple bore volume) to LF (low flow) sampling and provides two examples of how such a change might impact Project decisions. The existing scientific literature on LF sampling is reviewed and the new LF data from three UMTRA Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project sites are evaluated seeking answers to the questions posed above. Several possible approaches, that the UMTRA Project may take to address issues unanswered by the literature are presented and compared, and a recommendation is offered for the future direction of the LF conversion effort

Akkumulation von L-Malat und D-Lactat in Arabidopsis thaliana und Laccase/HBT-vermittelte Delignifizierung von Spartina alterniflora und Phragmites australis

OpenAIRE

Heil, Alexander

2016-01-01

The current work contains two projects "Accumulation of L-malate and D-lactate in Arabidopsis thaliana" (A) "Laccase/HBT mediated delignification of Spartina alterniflora and Phragmites australis" (B). In project A, L-malate and D-lactate accumulated in A. thaliana plants. The accumulation of L-malate is carried out by modification of the plant metabolism with the enzymes PEPC, MDH and the tonoplast dicarboxylate transporter (TDT). Gene pepci2 (Hydrilla verticillata), mdh5 (Zea mays) and tdt ...

The analysis of soil characteristics near the animal feed and fertiliser mill using the Bartington

Science.gov (United States)

Azhari, Adinda Syifa; Agustine, Eleonora; Fitriani, Dini

2017-07-01

Industrial activities have the potential to make pollution in agricultural land, the waste contains poisonous material and it is dangerous for the environment. In general, waste from factory is dumped directly into the river, but in the current study an object that is going to be conscientious is soil on around mill. There are three sampling sites are around fertilizer plants, feed mills and original uncontaminated soil. This research has been conducted to assess the impact of pollution resulting from the two mills for the environment. Physical parameter that used is magnetic susceptibility. Sampling was conducted using the method of magnetic susceptibility of rock to see the value of low frequency (lf) and shows Frequency Dependent (fd%) using the MS2B Bartington. The results from this study is at a location close to the fertilizer plant at a depth of 0-5 cm has a value susceptibility low frequency ( lf)=187.1 - 494.8, fd (%)=1.37 - 2:46, at a depth of 6-10 cm susceptibility value of low frequency (lf)=211 - 832.7,fd (%)=1.04 - 5.37. Results in the area of animal feed mill at a depth of 0-5 cm value susceptibility low frequency (lf)=111.9 - 325.7, fd (%)=0.8 - 3.57, at a depth of 6-10 cm value susceptibility low frequency (lf)=189.2 to 386.8,fd (%)=0.33 - 3.7. Results in the original soil at a depth of 0-5 cm susceptibility value of low frequency (lf)=1188.7 - 2237.8,fd (%)=2.75 - 4.65, at a depth of 6-10 cm value susceptibility low frequency (lf)=977.7 - 2134.7,fd (%)=3.06 - 6.21. The highest value was in the arealf original, shows the area has a high mineral content andlf lows were in the area near the factory fodder it is caused by high pollution, resulting in lower mineral content in the soil.

Efecto de lactoferrina bovina en la formación de biofilms en cepas clínicas de E. coli enteroagregativa

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Cecilia Coveñas

Full Text Available Objetivos. Determinar el efecto de lactoferrina bovina (bLf en la formación de biofilms en cepas clínicas de Escherichia coli enteroagregativa (EAEC, y si este efecto es independiente del hierro. Materiales y métodos. Se utilizaron dos métodos: (a cualitativo, mediante observación directa por microscopia óptica, y (b cuantitativo, lecturas de los valores de absorbancia mediante lector de ELISA en presencia de bLf en concentraciones de 0,01mg/mL y 1mg/mL, con y sin hierro, y no bLf (control, en 122 cepas de EAEC para el método cuantitativo (60 cepas de niños con diarrea y 62 de niños sanos y 31 cepas para el método cualitativo. Resultados. (a Método cualitativo: se evaluaron 31 cepas, con y sin hierro. Sin hierro la formación de biofilms fue de 77% (24/31 en el grupo control versus 58% (14/31 con bLf de 0,01 mg/mL y 4% (1/31 con 1 mg/mL. Con hierro la formación de biofilms fue 90% (28/31 en el grupo control versus 55% (17/31 con bLf de 0,01 mg/mL y 4% (1/31 a 1 mg/mL. (b Método cuantitativo: sin hierro la absorbancia medida a OD 560 nm del grupo control fue 0,7 ± 0,5 versus 0,4 ± 0,3 con bLf 0,01mg/mL y 0,3 ± 0,2 con bLf de 1 mg/mL (p<0,0001. Esta disminución en presencia de bLf incluso se dio con hierro. Conclusiones. La bLf tiende a disminuir la formación de biofilms, mostrando un efecto inhibitorio en las cepas clínicas de EAEC, este efecto no es hierro-dependiente

[Nutritional components and sub-chronic toxicity of genetically modified rice expressing human lactoferrin].

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yichun; Piao, Jianhua; Yang, Xiaoguang

2012-01-01

To compare the nutritional components of genetically modified rice expressing human lactoferrin (hLf) with its parental rice, and to observe the sub-chronic toxicity of hLf rice. The nutritional components of hLf rice and its parental rice were determined by the National Standard Methods. Eighty weanling Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups based on their gender and body weight: group A (hLf rice high-dose group with 71.45% rice), group B (hLf rice medium-dose group with 35. 725% rice), group C (parental rice group with 71.01% rice) and group D (AIN-93G diet group), and the latter two groups were used as the control. Body weight, dietary intake, blood routine test, blood biochemical examination, organ coefficient, bone density and the pathology of organs were investigated at the end of a 90-day feeding experiment. Except for human lactoferrin and Fe, there was no difference of main nutritional components, minerals and vitamins between groups. The differences of some indicators of blood routine (WBC, HGB, RBC and MCH), blood biochemistry (AST and GLU), organ coefficient and bone density between group A and B (hLf rice) with group C (parental rice) or group D (AIN-93G) were significant, while no difference of other indicators. Although some differences were observed, all indicators were still in the normal reference range. Therefore, there was no sign of toxic and adverse effects for hLf rice on rats.

Estudo sobre reciclagem de lâmpadas fluorescentes

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Danniele Miranda Bacila

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Lâmpadas fluorescentes (LF contêm mercúrio em sua composição, um metal pesado que pode causar danos à saúde e ao meio ambiente. As LF são amplamente consumidas no Brasil, porém o descarte correto de LF usadas não é amplamente divulgado e os índices de reciclagem são baixos. O objetivo deste estudo foi demonstrar a relevância do descarte adequado, avaliar as tecnologias de reciclagem e a destinação dos materiais, por meio de estudo comparativo entre Brasil e Alemanha. Através de visitas a recicladoras e análise das tecnologias adotadas nos dois países, foi verificado que no Brasil o vidro é destinado à indústria de cerâmica, enquanto que na Alemanha é destinado à fabricação de tubos para LF. Além disso, foi observado que o mercúrio apresenta diversas possibilidades de uso. Um ponto a ser explorado nos dois países, e de grande potencial para reciclagem, é a recuperação de terras raras do pó fosfórico presente nas LF. Tanto Brasil como Alemanha possuem oportunidades de melhoria na logística reversa de LF, por meio da qual se torna possível elevar os índices de reciclagem e reduzir os impactos ambientais causados pelo descarte inadequado de LF usadas.

Preparation and antimicrobial action of three tryptic digested functional molecules of bovine lactoferrin.

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Nilisha Rastogi

Full Text Available Lactoferrin is an 80 kDa bilobal, iron binding glycoprotein which is primarily antimicrobial in nature. The hydrolysis of lactoferrin by various proteases in the gut produces several functional fragments of lactoferrin which have varying molecular sizes and properties. Here, bovine lactoferrin has been hydrolyzed by trypsin, the major enzyme present in the gut, to produce three functional molecules of sizes approximately 21 kDa, 38 kDa and 45 kDa. The molecules have been purified using ion exchange and gel filtration chromatography and identified using N-terminal sequencing, which reveals that while the 21 kDa molecule corresponds to the N2 domain (21LF, the 38 kDa represents the whole C-lobe (38LF and the 45 kDa is a portion of N1 domain of N-lobe attached to the C-lobe (45LF. The iron binding and release properties of 21LF, 38LF and 45LF have been studied and compared. The sequence and structure analysis of the portions of the excision sites of LF from various species have been done. The antibacterial properties of these three molecules against bacterial strains, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica and Listeria monocytogenes were investigated. The antifungal action of the molecules was also evaluated against Candida albicans. This is the first report on the antimicrobial actions of the trypsin cleaved functional molecules of lactoferrin from any species.

Human middle longitudinal fascicle: segregation and behavioral-clinical implications of two distinct fiber connections linking temporal pole and superior temporal gyrus with the angular gyrus or superior parietal lobule using multi-tensor tractography.

Science.gov (United States)

Makris, N; Preti, M G; Wassermann, D; Rathi, Y; Papadimitriou, G M; Yergatian, C; Dickerson, B C; Shenton, M E; Kubicki, M

2013-09-01

The middle longitudinal fascicle (MdLF) is a major fiber connection running principally between the superior temporal gyrus and the parietal lobe, neocortical regions of great biological and clinical interest. Although one of the most prominent cerebral association fiber tracts, it has only recently been discovered in humans. In this high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) MRI study, we delineated the two major fiber connections of the human MdLF, by examining morphology, topography, cortical connections, biophysical measures, volume and length in seventy-four brains. These two fiber connections course together through the dorsal temporal pole and the superior temporal gyrus maintaining a characteristic topographic relationship in the mediolateral and ventrodorsal dimensions. As these pathways course towards the parietal lobe, they split to form separate fiber pathways, one following a ventrolateral trajectory and connecting with the angular gyrus and the other following a dorsomedial route and connecting with the superior parietal lobule. Based on the functions of their cortical affiliations, we suggest that the superior temporal-angular connection of the MdLF, i.e., STG(MdLF)AG plays a role in language and attention, whereas the superior temporal-superior parietal connection of the MdLF, i.e., STG(MdLF)SPL is involved in visuospatial and integrative audiovisual functions. Furthermore, the MdLF may have clinical implications in neurodegenerative disorders such as primary progressive aphasia, frontotemporal dementia, posterior cortical atrophy, corticobulbar degeneration and Alzheimer's disease as well as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and schizophrenia.

Surface area and volume determination of subgingival calculus using laser fluorescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Shakibaie, Fardad; Walsh, Laurence J

2014-03-01

Visible red (655 nm) laser fluorescence (LF) devices are currently used for identifying deposits of subgingival calculus on the root surfaces of teeth during dental examination and treatment; however, it is not known how the fluorescence readings produced by commercially available LF systems correlate to the nature of the deposits. This laboratory study explored the correlation between LF digital readings and the surface area and volume of subgingival calculus deposits on teeth. A collection of 30 extracted human posterior teeth with various levels of subgingival deposits of calculus across 240 sites were used in a clinical simulation, with silicone impression material used to replicate periodontal soft tissues. The teeth were scored by two examiners by using three commercial LF systems (DIAGNOdent, DIAGNOdent Pen and KEY3). The silicone was removed, and the teeth were removed for photography at × 20 magnification under white or ultraviolet light. The surface area, thickness, and volume were calculated, and both linear least squares regression and nonlinear (Spearman's rank method) correlation coefficients were determined. Visible red LF digital readings showed better correlation to calculus volume than to surface area. Overall, the best performance was found for the KEY3 system (Spearman coefficient 0.59), compared to the Classic DIAGNOdent (0.56) and the DIAGNOdent Pen (0.49). These results indicate that while visible red LF systems vary somewhat in performance, their LF readings provide a useful estimation of the volume of subgingival calculus deposits present on teeth.

Low trans structured fat from flaxseed oil improves plasma and hepatic lipid metabolism in apo E(-/-) mice.

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Cho, Yun-Young; Kwon, Eun-Young; Kim, Hye-Jin; Park, Yong-Bok; Lee, Ki-Teak; Park, Taesun; Choi, Myung-Sook

2009-07-01

The objective of this study was to explicate the effects of feeding low trans structured fat from flaxseed oil (LF) on plasma and hepatic lipid metabolism involved in apo E(-/-) mice. The animals were fed a commercial shortening (CS), commercial low trans fat (CL) and LF diet based on AIN-76 diet (10% fat) for 12 weeks. LF supplementation exerted a significant suppression in hepatic lipid accumulation with the concomitant decrease in liver weight. The LF significantly lowered plasma total cholesterol and free fatty acid whereas it significantly increased HDL-C concentration and the HDL-C/total-C ratio compared to the CS group. Reduction of hepatic lipid levels in the LF group was related with the suppression of hepatic enzyme activities for fatty acid and triglyceride synthesis, and cholesterol regulating enzyme activity compared to the CS and CL groups. Accordingly, low trans structured fat from flaxseed oil is highly effective for improving hyperlipidemia and hepatic lipid accumulation in apo E(-/-) mice.

Measured Early Lateral Energy Fractions in Concert Halls and Opera Houses

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BARRON, M.

2000-04-01

In the 30 years since early lateral reflections were first suggested as important for concert halls, spatial impression and source broadening have become almost universally accepted as essential characteristics of halls with good acoustics. Two objective measures of source broadening have been proposed. Measured values of the best defined of these measures, the early lateral energy fraction (LF), are considered here. Results from two independent measurement surveys are discussed. Comparisons of LF values by hall show a significant link between hall mean LF and hall width. There is however considerable overlap between measured LF values in different halls so the relevance of describing halls by their mean early lateral energy fraction values is questionable. The behaviour of LF values within auditoria is discussed for different concert hall plan forms and within opera houses. A measure of source broadening including sound level is proposed and results considered in the context of auditorium design.

A systematic review of factors that shape implementation of mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis in sub-Saharan Africa.

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Silumbwe, Adam; Zulu, Joseph Mumba; Halwindi, Hikabasa; Jacobs, Choolwe; Zgambo, Jessy; Dambe, Rosalia; Chola, Mumbi; Chongwe, Gershom; Michelo, Charles

2017-05-22

Understanding factors surrounding the implementation process of mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis (MDA for LF) elimination programmes is critical for successful implementation of similar interventions. The sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region records the second highest prevalence of the disease and subsequently several countries have initiated and implemented MDA for LF. Systematic reviews have largely focused on factors that affect coverage and compliance, with less attention on the implementation of MDA for LF activities. This review therefore seeks to document facilitators and barriers to implementation of MDA for LF in sub-Saharan Africa. A systematic search of databases PubMed, Science Direct and Google Scholar was conducted. English peer-reviewed publications focusing on implementation of MDA for LF from 2000 to 2016 were considered for analysis. Using thematic analysis, we synthesized the final 18 articles to identify key facilitators and barriers to MDA for LF programme implementation. The main factors facilitating implementation of MDA for LF programmes were awareness creation through innovative community health education programmes, creation of partnerships and collaborations, integration with existing programmes, creation of morbidity management programmes, motivation of community drug distributors (CDDs) through incentives and training, and management of adverse effects. Barriers to implementation included the lack of geographical demarcations and unregistered migrations into rapidly urbanizing areas, major disease outbreaks like the Ebola virus disease in West Africa, delayed drug deliveries at both country and community levels, inappropriate drug delivery strategies, limited number of drug distributors and the large number of households allocated for drug distribution. Mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis elimination programmes should design their implementation strategies differently based on specific contextual factors to

A systematic review of factors that shape implementation of mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis in sub-Saharan Africa

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Adam Silumbwe

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Understanding factors surrounding the implementation process of mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis (MDA for LF elimination programmes is critical for successful implementation of similar interventions. The sub-Saharan Africa (SSA region records the second highest prevalence of the disease and subsequently several countries have initiated and implemented MDA for LF. Systematic reviews have largely focused on factors that affect coverage and compliance, with less attention on the implementation of MDA for LF activities. This review therefore seeks to document facilitators and barriers to implementation of MDA for LF in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods A systematic search of databases PubMed, Science Direct and Google Scholar was conducted. English peer-reviewed publications focusing on implementation of MDA for LF from 2000 to 2016 were considered for analysis. Using thematic analysis, we synthesized the final 18 articles to identify key facilitators and barriers to MDA for LF programme implementation. Results The main factors facilitating implementation of MDA for LF programmes were awareness creation through innovative community health education programmes, creation of partnerships and collaborations, integration with existing programmes, creation of morbidity management programmes, motivation of community drug distributors (CDDs through incentives and training, and management of adverse effects. Barriers to implementation included the lack of geographical demarcations and unregistered migrations into rapidly urbanizing areas, major disease outbreaks like the Ebola virus disease in West Africa, delayed drug deliveries at both country and community levels, inappropriate drug delivery strategies, limited number of drug distributors and the large number of households allocated for drug distribution. Conclusion Mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis elimination programmes should design their implementation

Animal Model of Sensorineural Hearing Loss Associated with Lassa Virus Infection.

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Yun, Nadezhda E; Ronca, Shannon; Tamura, Atsushi; Koma, Takaaki; Seregin, Alexey V; Dineley, Kelly T; Miller, Milagros; Cook, Rebecca; Shimizu, Naoki; Walker, Aida G; Smith, Jeanon N; Fair, Joseph N; Wauquier, Nadia; Bockarie, Bayon; Khan, Sheik Humarr; Makishima, Tomoko; Paessler, Slobodan

2015-12-30

Approximately one-third of Lassa virus (LASV)-infected patients develop sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in the late stages of acute disease or in early convalescence. With 500,000 annual cases of Lassa fever (LF), LASV is a major cause of hearing loss in regions of West Africa where LF is endemic. To date, no animal models exist that depict the human pathology of LF with associated hearing loss. Here, we aimed to develop an animal model to study LASV-induced hearing loss using human isolates from a 2012 Sierra Leone outbreak. We have recently established a murine model for LF that closely mimics many features of human disease. In this model, LASV isolated from a lethal human case was highly virulent, while the virus isolated from a nonlethal case elicited mostly mild disease with moderate mortality. More importantly, both viruses were able to induce SNHL in surviving animals. However, utilization of the nonlethal, human LASV isolate allowed us to consistently produce large numbers of survivors with hearing loss. Surviving mice developed permanent hearing loss associated with mild damage to the cochlear hair cells and, strikingly, significant degeneration of the spiral ganglion cells of the auditory nerve. Therefore, the pathological changes in the inner ear of the mice with SNHL supported the phenotypic loss of hearing and provided further insights into the mechanistic cause of LF-associated hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss is a major complication for LF survivors. The development of a small-animal model of LASV infection that replicates hearing loss and the clinical and pathological features of LF will significantly increase knowledge of pathogenesis and vaccine studies. In addition, such a model will permit detailed characterization of the hearing loss mechanism and allow for the development of appropriate diagnostic approaches and medical care for LF patients with hearing impairment. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights

Limbal Fibroblasts Maintain Normal Phenotype in 3D RAFT Tissue Equivalents Suggesting Potential for Safe Clinical Use in Treatment of Ocular Surface Failure.

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Massie, Isobel; Dale, Sarah B; Daniels, Julie T

2015-06-01

Limbal epithelial stem cell deficiency can cause blindness, but transplantation of these cells on a carrier such as human amniotic membrane can restore vision. Unfortunately, clinical graft manufacture using amnion can be inconsistent. Therefore, we have developed an alternative substrate, Real Architecture for 3D Tissue (RAFT), which supports human limbal epithelial cells (hLE) expansion. Epithelial organization is improved when human limbal fibroblasts (hLF) are incorporated into RAFT tissue equivalent (TE). However, hLF have the potential to transdifferentiate into a pro-scarring cell type, which would be incompatible with therapeutic transplantation. The aim of this work was to assess the scarring phenotype of hLF in RAFT TEs in hLE+ and hLE- RAFT TEs and in nonairlifted and airlifted RAFT TEs. Diseased fibroblasts (dFib) isolated from the fibrotic conjunctivae of ocular mucous membrane pemphigoid (Oc-MMP) patients were used as a pro-scarring positive control against which hLF were compared using surrogate scarring parameters: matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity, de novo collagen synthesis, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression, and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) secretion. Normal hLF and dFib maintained different phenotypes in RAFT TE. MMP-2 and -9 activity, de novo collagen synthesis, and α-SMA expression were all increased in dFib cf. normal hLF RAFT TEs, although TGF-β1 secretion did not differ between normal hLF and dFib RAFT TEs. Normal hLF do not progress toward a scarring-like phenotype during culture in RAFT TEs and, therefore, may be safe to include in therapeutic RAFT TE, where they can support hLE, although in vivo work is required to confirm this. dFib RAFT TEs (used in this study as a positive control) may be useful toward the development of an ex vivo disease model of Oc-MMP.

Increased sorbitol levels in the hypertrophic ligamentum flavum of diabetic patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis.

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Luo, Jiaquan; Huang, Lu; Chen, Zhuo; Zeng, Zhaoxun; Miyamoto, Takeshi; Wu, Hao; Zhang, Zhongzu; Pan, Zhimin; Fujita, Nobuyuki; Hikata, Tomohiro; Iwanami, Akio; Tsuji, Takashi; Ishii, Ken; Nakamura, Masaya; Matsumoto, Morio; Watanabe, Kota; Cao, Kai

2017-05-01

The pathomechanism of the ligamentum flavum (LF) hypertrophy in diabetic patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSCS) remains unclear. A cross-sectional study was undertaken to investigate the mechanism of LF hypertrophy in these patients. Twenty-four diabetic and 20 normoglycemic patients with LSCS were enrolled in the study. The structure of the LF in the study subjects was evaluated using histological and immunohistochemical methods, and the levels of sorbitol, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and the fibrogenic factor, TGF-β1, in the LF were analyzed. In vitro experiments were performed using NIH3T3 fibroblasts to evaluate the effect of high-glucose conditions and an aldose reductase inhibitor on the cellular production of sorbitol, pro-inflammatory factors, and TGF-β1. We found that the LF of diabetic patients exhibited significantly higher levels of sorbitol and pro-inflammatory cytokines, TGF-β1 and of CD68-positive staining than that of the normoglycemic subjects. The diabetic LF was significantly thicker than that of the controls, and showed evidence of degeneration. The high glucose-cultured fibroblasts exhibited significantly higher levels of sorbitol, pro-inflammatory factors, and TGF-β1 compared to the low glucose-cultured cells, and these levels were dose-dependently reduced by treatment with the aldose reductase inhibitor. Taken together, our data suggests that increased sorbitol levels in the LF of diabetic patients results in increased production of pro-inflammatory and fibrogenic factor, which contribute to LF hypertrophy, and could increase the susceptibility of diabetic patients to LSCS. Furthermore, aldose reductase inhibition effectively reduced the levels of sorbitol and sorbitol-induced pro-inflammatory factor expression in high glucose-cultured fibroblasts. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:1058-1066, 2017. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Enhancing physicochemical properties of emulsions by heteroaggregation of oppositely charged lactoferrin coated lutein droplets and whey protein isolate coated DHA droplets.

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Li, Xin; Wang, Xu; Xu, Duoxia; Cao, Yanping; Wang, Shaojia; Wang, Bei; Sun, Baoguo; Yuan, Fang; Gao, Yanxiang

2018-01-15

The formation and physicochemical stability of mixed functional components (lutein & DHA) emulsions through heteroaggregation were studied. It was formed by controlled heteroaggregation of oppositely charged lutein and DHA droplets coated by cationic lactoferrin (LF) and anionic whey protein isolate (WPI), respectively. Heteroaggregation was induced by mixing the oppositely charged LF-lutein and WPI-DHA emulsions together at pH 6.0. Droplet size, zeta-potential, transmission-physical stability, microrheological behavior and microstructure of the heteroaggregates formed were measured as a function of LF-lutein to WPI-DHA droplet ratio. Lutein degradation and DHA oxidation by measurement of lipid hydroperoxides and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were determined. Upon mixing the two types of bioactive compounds droplets together, it was found that the largest aggregates and highest physical stability occurred at a droplet ratio of 40% LF-lutein droplets to 60% WPI-DHA droplets. Heteroaggregates formation altered the microrheological properties of the mixed emulsions mainly by the special network structure of the droplets. When LF-coated lutein droplets ratios were more than 30% and less than 60%, the mixed emulsions exhibited distinct decreases in the Mean Square Displacement, which indicated that their limited scope of Brownian motion and stable structure. Mixed emulsions with LF-lutein/WPI-DHA droplets ratio of 4:6 exhibited Macroscopic Viscosity Index with 13 times and Elasticity Index with 3 times of magnitudes higher than the individual emulsions from which they were prepared. Compared with the WPI-DHA emulsion or LF-lutein emulsion, the oxidative stability of the heteroaggregate of LF-lutein/WPI-DHA emulsions was improved. Heteroaggregates formed by oppositely charged bioactive compounds droplets may be useful for creating specific food structures that lead to desirable physicochemical properties, such as microrheological property, physical and chemical

Low-gradient aortic stenosis.

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Clavel, Marie-Annick; Magne, Julien; Pibarot, Philippe

2016-09-07

An important proportion of patients with aortic stenosis (AS) have a 'low-gradient' AS, i.e. a small aortic valve area (AVA gradient (gradient discrepancy raises uncertainty about the actual stenosis severity and thus about the indication for aortic valve replacement (AVR) if the patient has symptoms and/or left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction. The most frequent cause of low-gradient (LG) AS is the presence of a low LV outflow state, which may occur with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), i.e. classical low-flow, low-gradient (LF-LG), or preserved LVEF, i.e. paradoxical LF-LG. Furthermore, a substantial proportion of patients with AS may have a normal-flow, low-gradient (NF-LG) AS: i.e. a small AVA-low-gradient combination but with a normal flow. One of the most important clinical challenges in these three categories of patients with LG AS (classical LF-LG, paradoxical LF-LG, and NF-LG) is to differentiate a true-severe AS that generally benefits from AVR vs. a pseudo-severe AS that should be managed conservatively. A low-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography may be used for this purpose in patients with classical LF-LG AS, whereas aortic valve calcium scoring by multi-detector computed tomography is the preferred modality in those with paradoxical LF-LG or NF-LG AS. Although patients with LF-LG severe AS have worse outcomes than those with high-gradient AS following AVR, they nonetheless display an important survival benefit with this intervention. Some studies suggest that transcatheter AVR may be superior to surgical AVR in patients with LF-LG AS. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Loss to follow-up in anti-HCV-positive patients in a Brazilian regional outpatient clinic

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L.C. Mendes

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Loss to follow-up (LF, which refers to patients who started care but voluntary stopped it, is a problem for patients with chronic disease. We aimed to estimate the rate of LF among patients seropositive for hepatitis C virus (HCV and identify possible demographic and lifestyle risk factors associated with LF. From January 2009 through December 2012, 1010 anti-HCV-positive patients were included in the study. Among participants, 223 (22.1% met the case definition for LF (more than 1-year elapsed since the last clinical appointment. Among 787 patients who remained in follow-up, 372 (47.2% were discharged after undetectable HCV RNA, 88 (11.1% were transferred (and remained on regular follow-up at the destination, and 25 (3.1% died. According to univariate analysis, male gender, absence of a life partner, black race, psychiatric illness, previous alcohol abuse, previous or current recreational drug use, and previous or current smoking were significantly associated with LF. In multivariate analysis, absence of a life partner (adjusted odds ratio (AOR=1.44; 95% confidence interval (95%CI=1.03–2.02, black race (AOR=1.81, 95%CI=1.12–2.89, psychiatric illness (AOR=1.77, 95%CI=1.14–2.73, and the presence of at least one lifestyle risk factor (pertaining to substance abuse (AOR=1.95, 95%CI=1.29–2.94 were independently associated with LF. Our study provides an estimate of the incidence of LF among anti-HCV-positive patients and identifies risk factors associated with this outcome. In addition, these results can help clinicians recognize patients at risk for LF, who require additional support for the continuity of care.

Enrichment of gluten-free cakes with lupin (Lupinus albus L.) or buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum M.) flours.

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Levent, Hacer; Bilgiçli, Nermin

2011-11-01

In the present study, the effect of debittered lupin flour (LF) and whole buckwheat flour (BF) on the nutritional and sensory quality of gluten-free cake was studied. LF (10, 20, 30 and 40%) and BF (5, 10, 15 and 20%) were partially replaced with corn starch and rice flour mixture (1:1 w/w) in the gluten-free cake recipe. LF increased the protein, calcium, iron, manganese, phosphorus and zinc contents of the cakes, while BF caused a significant increase (P cakes. According to the overall acceptability rating, it was concluded that gluten-free cake could be produced with satisfactory results by the addition of LF and BF up to 30% and 10%, respectively.

Identification and validation of quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR reference genes for gene expression analysis in teak (Tectona grandis L.f.).

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Galeano, Esteban; Vasconcelos, Tarcísio Sales; Ramiro, Daniel Alves; De Martin, Valentina de Fátima; Carrer, Helaine

2014-07-22

Teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) is currently the preferred choice of the timber trade for fabrication of woody products due to its extraordinary qualities and is widely grown around the world. Gene expression studies are essential to explore wood formation of vascular plants, and quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) is a sensitive technique employed for quantifying gene expression levels. One or more appropriate reference genes are crucial to accurately compare mRNA transcripts through different tissues/organs and experimental conditions. Despite being the focus of some genetic studies, a lack of molecular information has hindered genetic exploration of teak. To date, qRT-PCR reference genes have not been identified and validated for teak. Identification and cloning of nine commonly used qRT-PCR reference genes from teak, including ribosomal protein 60s (rp60s), clathrin adaptor complexes medium subunit family (Cac), actin (Act), histone 3 (His3), sand family (Sand), β-Tubulin (Β-Tub), ubiquitin (Ubq), elongation factor 1-α (Ef-1α), and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Expression profiles of these genes were evaluated by qRT-PCR in six tissue and organ samples (leaf, flower, seedling, root, stem and branch secondary xylem) of teak. Appropriate gene cloning and sequencing, primer specificity and amplification efficiency was verified for each gene. Their stability as reference genes was validated by NormFinder, BestKeeper, geNorm and Delta Ct programs. Results obtained from all programs showed that TgUbq and TgEf-1α are the most stable genes to use as qRT-PCR reference genes and TgAct is the most unstable gene in teak. The relative expression of the teak cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (TgCAD) gene in lignified tissues at different ages was assessed by qRT-PCR, using TgUbq and TgEf-1α as internal controls. These analyses exposed a consistent expression pattern with both reference genes. This study proposes a first broad

Dicty_cDB: VSJ688 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available ASNMYYCYHLKKHEIATTQPSTTGLLFFNNYFKTNQFLLYNINQ*nlflki Translated Amino Acid sequence (All Frames) Frame A: fsfeyvlllsfket*ncnns...tfnnwsfil**lf*nksifii*y*sikfifknlfl*kk-- - ---fsfeyvlllsfket*ncnnstfnnwsfil**lf*nksifii*y*s

T cell-dependence of Lassa fever pathogenesis.

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Lukas Flatz

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Lassa virus (LASV, the causative agent of Lassa fever (LF, is endemic in West Africa, accounting for substantial morbidity and mortality. In spite of ongoing research efforts, LF pathogenesis and mechanisms of LASV immune control remain poorly understood. While normal laboratory mice are resistant to LASV, we report that mice expressing humanized instead of murine MHC class I (MHC-I failed to control LASV infection and develop severe LF. Infection of MHC-I knockout mice confirmed a key role for MHC-I-restricted T cell responses in controlling LASV. Intriguingly we found that T cell depletion in LASV-infected HHD mice prevented disease, irrespective of high-level viremia. Widespread activation of monocyte/macrophage lineage cells, manifest through inducible NO synthase expression, and elevated IL-12p40 serum levels indicated a systemic inflammatory condition. The absence of extensive monocyte/macrophage activation in T cell-depleted mice suggested that T cell responses contribute to deleterious innate inflammatory reactions and LF pathogenesis. Our observations in mice indicate a dual role for T cells, not only protecting from LASV, but also enhancing LF pathogenesis. The possibility of T cell-driven enhancement and immunopathogenesis should be given consideration in future LF vaccine development.

Effect of technological treatments on bovine lactoferrin: An overview.

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Franco, Indira; Pérez, María Dolores; Conesa, Celia; Calvo, Miguel; Sánchez, Lourdes

2018-04-01

Lactoferrin (LF) is a multifunctional protein that exerts important activities in the neonate through its presence in milk, and also in other external mucosas, acting as a defense protein of innate immunity. The addition of bovine LF to infant formula and also to other functional products and cosmetics has increased during the last decades. Consequently, it is essential to know the effect that the technological processes, necessary to elaborate those products, have on LF activity. In this study, we have revised the effect of classical treatments on lactoferrin structure and activity, such as heat treatment or drying, and also of emerging technologies, like high pressure or pulsed electric field. The results of the studies included in this review indicate that LF stability is dependent on its level of iron-saturation and on the characteristics of the treatment media. Furthermore, the studies revised here reveal that the non-thermal treatments are interesting alternatives to the traditional ones, as they protect better the structure and activity of lactoferrin. It is also clear the need for research on LF encapsulation by different ways, to protect its properties before it reaches the intestine. All this knowledge would allow designing processes less harmful for LF, thus maintaining all its functionality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nondestructive prediction and visualization of plumpness in live Eriocheir sinensis using low-field 1 H magnetic resonance imaging.

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Zhang, Hongcai; Mei, Jun; Chen, Shunsheng; Wu, Xugan

2018-02-06

The plumpness of hepatopancreas and gonad tissues in live Chinese mitten crabs (Eriocheir sinensis) depends on the grading scale and its commercial value. In this work, a low-field T 1 -weighted 1 H magnetic resonance imaging (LF- 1 H MRI) technique was developed to nondestructively analyze the plumpness of hepatopancreas and gonad tissues in live E. sinensis. Both male and female E. sinensis were characterized by two-dimensional (2D) LF- 1 H MRI. Moreover, a three-dimensional (3D) LF- 1 H MRI model that quantitatively integrated the total volume of lipid tissues in live E. sinensis was used. The results showed 2D LF- 1 H MRI could accurately discriminate the plumpness of hepatopancreas and gonad tissues in live E. sinensis. The results of the 3D LF- 1 H MRI model displayed that the lipid volume of E. sinensis could be used to quantify lipid accumulation in lipid tissues. LF- 1 H MRI technology was successfully developed to accurately discriminate the development of E. sinensis hepatopancreas and gonad tissues in a nondestructive manner, indicating its application potential in grading commercial live crabs or advising crab farmers on breeding and fattening processes. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Process development and economic evaluation of recombinant human lactoferrin expressed in rice grain.

Science.gov (United States)

Nandi, Somen; Yalda, Dorice; Lu, Stephen; Nikolov, Zivko; Misaki, Ryo; Fujiyama, Kazuhito; Huang, Ning

2005-06-01

In this paper, we show that recombinant human lactoferrin (rhLF) has been stably expressed at 0.5% brown rice flour weight for nine generations. Process development indicates that rhLF can be efficiently extracted from rice flour in 20 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) containing up to 0.5 M NaCl and at a ratio of 1 kg flour to 10 L buffer. After solid/liquid separation, the extract can then be loaded directly onto an ion-exchange column and rhLF can be eluted using 0.8 M NaCl. The resulting rhLF is about 95% pure. A range of biochemical and biophysical analyses were carried out and results indicated that the purified rhLF was identical to its native human counterpart other than its glycosylation. Economic analysis shows that at 600 kg/year scale, the cash cost to produce 1 g of rhLF of pharmaceutical grade is US$ 5.90. Analysis also indicates that the expression level has profound impact on costs related to planting, milling, extraction and purification, thus high level expression of recombinant protein in plants is one of the key parameters for the success of plant made pharmaceuticals.

The Representation of Ireland in Bertalan Szemere’s Utazás külföldön or A Journey Abroad A Study of Szemere’s Image-Forming Sources

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Pintér Márta

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The present study adds to my ongoing research into Irish-Hungarian relations in the nineteenth century. As such it is concerned with Bertalan Szemere’s representation of Ireland in his travelogue Utazás külföldön [A Journey Abroad]. It approaches Szemere’s work from the perspective of the following three questions. How does Szemere’s trip to Ireland fit into the tradition of Irish-Hungarian contacts? What urged Szemere to sail over to Ireland and extend his already long and tiring tour of Europe? And finally, what factors shaped Szemere’s image of Ireland in his travel account? A preliminary study of the conditions of Szemere’s trip and his actual account of the country has led me to the hypothesis that in the process of creating his own representation of Ireland Szemere heavily relied on external sources. I seek to answer these questions by identifying the place of Szemere’s travel account in the tradition of Hungarian-Irish contacts; by relating it to other texts on Ireland by Szemere’s Hungarian contemporaries; and by comparing it to particular reports on Ireland by European travellers. My aim is to prove that Szemere’s representation of Ireland was primarily informed and moulded by German and English sources as they were transferred to Szemere by some Hungarian periodicals. My study also emphasizes the importance of further research into the interaction of Hungarian and European discourse on Ireland in the nineteenth century.

Phytochemical evaluation and GC-MS analysis of Hyptis verticillata ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

has small flowers (aromatic) that are arranged in raceme and .... The fragmentation pattern spectra of ... appreciable concentration (7.17±1.04% and .... plants due to their roles in plant's defense ... environmental changes for instance saponins, ..... sugar and increases haematological and reproductive indices male rats. Afri.

Comparison of the effect of daily consumption of probiotic compared with low-fat conventional yogurt on weight loss in healthy obese women following an energy-restricted diet: a randomized controlled trial.

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Madjd, Ameneh; Taylor, Moira A; Mousavi, Neda; Delavari, Alireza; Malekzadeh, Reza; Macdonald, Ian A; Farshchi, Hamid R

2016-02-01

Despite evidence for the beneficial effects of probiotics and low-fat dairy products, to our knowledge, no study has compared the beneficial effect on weight loss of consuming a probiotic yogurt (PY) compared with a standard low-fat yogurt (LF) during a hypoenergetic program. We compared the effect of the PY with LF yogurt consumption on body weight and cardiometabolic risk factors in women during a weight-loss program. Overweight and obese women [body mass index (in kg/m(2)): 27-40; age: 18-50 y) who usually consumed standard LFs were asked to consume either PY or LF every day with their main meals for 12 wk while following a weight-loss program. A total of 89 participants were randomly assigned to one of the 2 intervention groups. Baseline variables were not significantly different between groups. A statistically significant reduction in anthropometric measurements and significant improvements in cardiometabolic risk characteristics were observed over the 12 wk in both groups. However, no significant differences in weight loss and anthropometric measurements were seen between groups after the intervention. Compared with the LF group, the PY group had a greater (mean ± SD) decrease in total cholesterol (PY = -0.36 ± 0.10 mmol/L, LF = -0.31 ± 0.10 mmol/L; P = 0.024), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (PY = -0.35 ± 0.10 mmol/L, LF = -0.31 ± 0.11 mmol/L; P = 0.018), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (PY = -0.55 ± 0.32, LF = -0.42 ± 0.20; P = 0.002), 2-h postprandial glucose (PY = -0.61 ± 0.24 mmol/L, LF = -0.44 ± 0.19 mmol/L; P < 0.001), and fasting insulin concentration (PY = -1.76 ± 1.01 mU/mL, LF = -1.32 ± 0.62 mU/mL; P = 0.002), as secondary endpoints after the study. No significant differences were found for fasting plasma glucose, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or triglycerides within both groups after the 12 wk. Consumption of PY compared with LF with main meals showed no significant effects on weight loss. However, it may

Intranasal delivery of Huperzine A to the brain using lactoferrin-conjugated N-trimethylated chitosan surface-modified PLGA nanoparticles for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

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Hua, Hongchen; Jiang, Ying; Wang, Yiyun; Mu, Hongjie; Wu, Zimei

2018-01-01

Background Safe and effective delivery of therapeutic drugs to the brain is important for successful therapy of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Purpose To develop Huperzine A (HupA)-loaded, mucoadhesive and targeted polylactide-co-glycoside (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) with surface modification by lactoferrin (Lf)-conjugated N-trimethylated chitosan (TMC) (HupA Lf-TMC NPs) for efficient intranasal delivery of HupA to the brain for AD treatment. Methods HupA Lf-TMC NPs were prepared using the emulsion–solvent evaporation method and optimized using the Box–Behnken design. The particle size, zeta potential, drug entrapment efficiency, adhesion and in vitro release behavior were investigated. The cellular uptake was investigated by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. MTT assay was used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the NPs. In vivo imaging system was used to investigate brain targeting effect of NPs after intranasal administration. The biodistribution of Hup-A NPs after intranasal administration was determined by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Results Optimized HupA Lf-TMC NPs had a particle size of 153.2±13.7 nm, polydispersity index of 0.229±0.078, zeta potential of +35.6±5.2 mV, drug entrapment efficiency of 73.8%±5.7%, and sustained release in vitro over a 48 h period. Adsorption of mucin onto Lf-TMC NPs was 86.9%±1.8%, which was significantly higher than that onto PLGA NPs (32.1%±2.5%). HupA Lf-TMC NPs showed lower toxicity in the 16HBE cell line compared with HupA solution. Qualitative and quantitative cellular uptake experiments indicated that accumulation of Lf-TMC NPs was higher than nontargeted analogs in 16HBE and SH-SY5Y cells. In vivo imaging results showed that Lf-TMC NPs exhibited a higher fluorescence intensity in the brain and a longer residence time than nontargeted NPs. After intranasal administration, Lf-TMC NPs facilitated the distribution of HupA in the brain, and the values of the drug targeting index in the mouse

Intranasal delivery of Huperzine A to the brain using lactoferrin-conjugated N-trimethylated chitosan surface-modified PLGA nanoparticles for treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

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Meng, Qingqing; Wang, Aiping; Hua, Hongchen; Jiang, Ying; Wang, Yiyun; Mu, Hongjie; Wu, Zimei; Sun, Kaoxiang

2018-01-01

Safe and effective delivery of therapeutic drugs to the brain is important for successful therapy of Alzheimer's disease (AD). To develop Huperzine A (HupA)-loaded, mucoadhesive and targeted polylactide-co-glycoside (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) with surface modification by lactoferrin (Lf)-conjugated N-trimethylated chitosan (TMC) (HupA Lf-TMC NPs) for efficient intranasal delivery of HupA to the brain for AD treatment. HupA Lf-TMC NPs were prepared using the emulsion-solvent evaporation method and optimized using the Box-Behnken design. The particle size, zeta potential, drug entrapment efficiency, adhesion and in vitro release behavior were investigated. The cellular uptake was investigated by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. MTT assay was used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the NPs. In vivo imaging system was used to investigate brain targeting effect of NPs after intranasal administration. The biodistribution of Hup-A NPs after intranasal administration was determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Optimized HupA Lf-TMC NPs had a particle size of 153.2±13.7 nm, polydispersity index of 0.229±0.078, zeta potential of +35.6±5.2 mV, drug entrapment efficiency of 73.8%±5.7%, and sustained release in vitro over a 48 h period. Adsorption of mucin onto Lf-TMC NPs was 86.9%±1.8%, which was significantly higher than that onto PLGA NPs (32.1%±2.5%). HupA Lf-TMC NPs showed lower toxicity in the 16HBE cell line compared with HupA solution. Qualitative and quantitative cellular uptake experiments indicated that accumulation of Lf-TMC NPs was higher than nontargeted analogs in 16HBE and SH-SY5Y cells. In vivo imaging results showed that Lf-TMC NPs exhibited a higher fluorescence intensity in the brain and a longer residence time than nontargeted NPs. After intranasal administration, Lf-TMC NPs facilitated the distribution of HupA in the brain, and the values of the drug targeting index in the mouse olfactory bulb, cerebrum (with hippocampus

Terpenes of Salvia species leaf oils: chemosystematic implications

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Coassini Lokar, Laura; Moneghini, Mariarosa

2017-01-01

Wild specimens of Salvia L. were collected in three different moments of anthesis and their volatile leaf oils were analyzed by GC/GCMS. The quantitative terpene composition is very variable with the anthesis. S. bertolonii is the richest species in a-thujone. S. officinalis is characterized by high percentages of 1,8 cineole, 4-terpineol, isorboneol and a -bisabolol. In S. verticillata high percentages of borneol and {3-cariophyllene are present. In the three species a-thujone was always mor...

Impact of humic acid on the degradation of levofloxacin by aqueous permanganate: Kinetics and mechanism.

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Xu, Ke; Ben, Weiwei; Ling, Wencui; Zhang, Yu; Qu, Jiuhui; Qiang, Zhimin

2017-10-15

Levofloxacin (LF) is a frequently detected fluoroquinolone in surface water, and permanganate (MnO 4 - ) is a commonly used oxidant in drinking water treatment. This study investigated the impact of humic acid (HA) on LF degradation by aqueous MnO 4 - from both kinetic and mechanistic aspects. In the absence of HA, the second-order rate constant (k) of LF degradation by MnO 4 - was determined to be 3.9 M -1  s -1 at pH 7.5, which increased with decreasing pH. In the presence of HA, the pseudo-first-order rate constant (k obs ) of LF degradation at pH 7.5 was significantly increased by 3.8- and 2.8-fold at [HA] o :[KMnO 4 ] o (mass ratio) = 0.5 and 1, respectively. Secondary oxidant scavenging and electron paramagnetic resonance tests indicated that HA could form a complex with Mn(III), a strongly oxidative intermediate produced in the reaction of MnO 4 - with HA, to induce the successive formation of superoxide radicals (O 2 - ) and hydroxyl radicals (OH). The resulting OH primarily contributed to the accelerated LF degradation, and the complex [HA-Mn(III)] could account for the rest of acceleration. The degradation of LF and its byproducts during MnO 4 - oxidation was mainly through hydroxylation, dehydrogenation and carboxylation, and the presence of HA led to a stronger destruction of LF. This study helps better understand the degradation of organic micropollutants by MnO 4 - in drinking water treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cattle mammary bioreactor generated by a novel procedure of transgenic cloning for large-scale production of functional human lactoferrin.

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Penghua Yang

Full Text Available Large-scale production of biopharmaceuticals by current bioreactor techniques is limited by low transgenic efficiency and low expression of foreign proteins. In general, a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC harboring most regulatory elements is capable of overcoming the limitations, but transferring BAC into donor cells is difficult. We describe here the use of cattle mammary bioreactor to produce functional recombinant human lactoferrin (rhLF by a novel procedure of transgenic cloning, which employs microinjection to generate transgenic somatic cells as donor cells. Bovine fibroblast cells were co-microinjected for the first time with a 150-kb BAC carrying the human lactoferrin gene and a marker gene. The resulting transfection efficiency of up to 15.79 x 10(-2 percent was notably higher than that of electroporation and lipofection. Following somatic cell nuclear transfer, we obtained two transgenic cows that secreted rhLF at high levels, 2.5 g/l and 3.4 g/l, respectively. The rhLF had a similar pattern of glycosylation and proteolytic susceptibility as the natural human counterpart. Biochemical analysis revealed that the iron-binding and releasing properties of rhLF were identical to that of native hLF. Importantly, an antibacterial experiment further demonstrated that rhLF was functional. Our results indicate that co-microinjection with a BAC and a marker gene into donor cells for somatic cell cloning indeed improves transgenic efficiency. Moreover, the cattle mammary bioreactors generated with this novel procedure produce functional rhLF on an industrial scale.

Influence of bovine lactoferrin on the growth of selected probiotic bacteria under aerobic conditions.

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Chen, Po-Wen; Ku, Yu-We; Chu, Fang-Yi

2014-10-01

Bovine lactoferrin (bLf) is a natural glycoprotein, and it shows broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. However, reports on the influences of bLf on probiotic bacteria have been mixed. We examined the effects of apo-bLf (between 0.25 and 128 mg/mL) on both aerobic and anaerobic cultures of probiotics. We found that bLf had similar effects on the growth of probiotics under aerobic or anaerobic conditions, and that it actively and significantly (at concentrations of >0.25 mg/mL) retarded the growth rate of Bifidobacterium bifidum (ATCC 29521), B. longum (ATCC 15707), B. lactis (BCRC 17394), B. infantis (ATCC 15697), Lactobacillus reuteri (ATCC 23272), L. rhamnosus (ATCC 53103), and L. coryniformis (ATCC 25602) in a dose-dependent manner. Otherwise, minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were 128 or >128 mg/mL against B. bifidum, B. longum, B. lactis, L. reuteri, and L. rhamnosus (ATCC 53103). With regard to MICs, bLf showed at least four-fold lower inhibitory effect on probiotics than on pathogens. Intriguingly, bLf (>0.25 mg/mL) significantly enhanced the growth of Rhamnosus (ATCC 7469) and L. acidophilus (BCRC 14065) by approximately 40-200 %, during their late periods of growth. Supernatants produced from aerobic but not anaerobic cultures of L. acidophilus reduced the growth of Escherichia coli by about 20 %. Thus, bLf displayed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the growth of most probiotic strains under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions. An antibacterial supernatant prepared from the aerobic cultures may have significant practical use.

Properties of bilateral spinocerebellar activation of cerebellar cortical neurons

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Pontus eGeborek

2014-10-01

Full Text Available We aimed to explore the cerebellar cortical inputs from two spinocerebellar pathways, the spinal border cell-component of the ventral spinocerebellar tract (SBC-VSCT and the dorsal spinocerebellar tract (DSCT, respectively, in the sublobule C1 of the cerebellar posterior lobe. The two pathways were activated by electrical stimulation of the contralateral lateral funiculus (coLF and the ipsilateral LF (iLF at lower thoracic levels. Most granule cells in sublobule C1 did not respond at all but part of the granule cell population displayed high-intensity responses to either coLF or iLF stimulation. As a rule, Golgi cells and Purkinje cell simple spikes responded to input from both LFs, although Golgi cells could be more selective. In addition, a small population of granule cells responded to input from both the coLF and the iLF. However, in these cases, similarities in the temporal topography and magnitude of the responses suggested that the same axons were stimulated from the two LFs, i.e. that the axons of individual spinocerebellar neurons could be present in both funiculi. This was also confirmed for a population of spinal neurons located within known locations of SBC-VSCT neurons and dorsal horn DSCT neurons. We conclude that bilateral spinocerebellar responses can occur in cerebellar granule cells, but the VSCT and DSCT systems that provide the input can also be organized bilaterally. The implications for the traditional functional separation of VSCT and DSCT systems and the issue whether granule cells primarily integrate functionally similar information or not are discussed.

Synergistic activity of synthetic N-terminal peptide of human lactoferrin in combination with various antibiotics against carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains.

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Morici, P; Florio, W; Rizzato, C; Ghelardi, E; Tavanti, A; Rossolini, G M; Lupetti, A

2017-10-01

The spread of multi-drug resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae strains producing carbapenemases points to a pressing need for new antibacterial agents. To this end, the in-vitro antibacterial activity of a synthetic N-terminal peptide of human lactoferrin, further referred to as hLF1-11, was evaluated against K. pneumoniae strains harboring different carbapenemase genes (i.e. OXA-48, KPC-2, KPC-3, VIM-1), with different susceptibility to colistin and other antibiotics, alone or in combination with conventional antibiotics (gentamicin, tigecycline, rifampicin, clindamycin, and clarithromycin). An antimicrobial peptide susceptibility assay was used to assess the bactericidal activity of hLF1-11 against the different K. pneumoniae strains tested. The synergistic activity was evaluated by a checkerboard titration method, and the fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index was calculated for the various combinations. hLF1-11 was more efficient in killing a K. pneumoniae strain susceptible to most antimicrobials (including colistin) than a colistin-susceptible strain and a colistin-resistant MDR K. pneumoniae strain. In addition, hLF1-11 exhibited a synergistic effect with the tested antibiotics against MDR K. pneumoniae strains. The results of this study indicate that resistance to hLF1-11 and colistin are not strictly associated, and suggest an hLF1-11-induced sensitizing effect of K. pneumoniae to antibiotics, especially to hydrophobic antibiotics, which are normally not effective on Gram-negative bacteria. Altogether, these data indicate that hLF1-11 in combination with antibiotics is a promising candidate to treat infections caused by MDR-K. pneumoniae strains.

Identification of milk proteins enhancing the antimicrobial activity of lactoferrin and lactoferricin.

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Murata, M; Wakabayashi, H; Yamauchi, K; Abe, F

2013-08-01

Lactoferrin (LF) is known as an iron-binding antimicrobial protein present in exocrine secretions such as milk and releases the potent antimicrobial peptide lactoferricin (LFcin) by hydrolysis with pepsin. The antimicrobial activity of LF and LFcin has been studied well; however, their cooperative action with other milk proteins remains to be elucidated. In this study, we identified milk proteins enhancing the antimicrobial activity of bovine LF and LFcin against gram-negative bacteria, gram-positive bacteria, and fungi. As the target fraction, we isolated a minor milk protein fraction around 15 kDa, which was identified as bovine RNase 5 (angiogenin-1), RNase 4, and angiogenin-2 by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry. As these proteins are collectively known as the RNase A family, we referred to the target protein fraction as milk RNase of 15 kDa (MR15). The number of colony-forming units of Escherichia coli and other pathogenic microorganisms with the addition of MR15 to LF (MR15:LF ratio=16:1,000) was dramatically lowered than that with LF alone. On the other hand, MR15 itself did not show any reductions in the number of colony-forming units at the concentrations tested. Similarly, the antimicrobial activities of LFcin against various microorganisms were significantly enhanced by the addition of MR15. These results suggest that LF and MR15 may be concomitantly acting antimicrobial agents in milk. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Severe aortic stenosis patients with preserved ejection fraction according to flow and gradient classification: Prevalence and outcomes.

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González Gómez, Ariana; Fernández-Golfín, Covadonga; Monteagudo, Juan Manuel; Izurieta, Carlos; Hinojar, Rocío; García, Ana; Casas, Eduardo; Jiménez-Nacher, José Julio; Moya, José Luis; Ruiz, Soledad; Zamorano, José Luis

2017-12-01

Clinicians often encounter patients with apparently discordant echocardiographic findings, severe aortic stenosis (SAS) defined by aortic valve area (AVA) despite a low mean gradient. A new classification according to flow state and pressure gradient has been proposed. We sought to assess the prevalence, characteristics and outcomes of patients with asymptomatic SAS with preserved left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) according to flow and gradient. In total 442 patients with SAS (AVAigradient (≥ or Gradient (LF/LG): 21.3%(n=94); Normal Flow/Low Gradient (NF/LG): 32.1%(n=142); Low Flow/High Gradient (LF/HG): 6.8%(n=30); Normal Flow/High Gradient (NF/HG): 39,8%(n=176). Mean follow-up time was 20.5months (SD=10.3). Primary combined endpoint was cardiovascular mortality and hospital admission for SAS related symptom, secondary endpoint was aortic valve replacement (AVR), comparing HG group to LF/LG group. During follow-up 17 (18%) of LF/LG patients and 21 (10.2%) of HG patients met the primary endpoint. A lower free of event survival (cardiovascular mortality and hospital admission) was observed in patients with LF/LG AS (Breslow, p=0.002). Significant differences were noted between groups with a lower AVR free survival in the LF/LG group compared to HG groups (Breslow, p=0.002). Our study confirms the high prevalence and worse prognosis of LF/LG SAS. Clinicians must be aware of this entity to ensure appropriate patient management. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Micropropagation of Clerodendrum phlomidis L.F.

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Kher Mafatlal M.

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Clerodendrum phlomidis L. f. is an important medicinal plant of the Lamiaceae family, particularly its roots, which are used for various therapeutic purposes in a pulverized form. The objective of this study was to develop a standard protocol for axillary shoot proliferation and rooting of C. phlomidis for its propagation and conservation. Nodal explants were inoculated on Murashige and Skoog (MS medium that was supplemented with one of six cytokinins: 6-benzyladenine, kinetin, thidiazuron, N6-(2-isopentenyl adenine (2iP, trans-zeatin (Zea and meta-topolin. Callus induction, which was prolific at all concentrations, formed at the base of nodal explants and hindered shoot multiplication and elongation. To avoid or reduce callus formation with the objective of increasing shoot formation, the same six cytokinins were combined with 4 μM 2,3,5-tri-iodobenzoic acid (TIBA alone or in combination with 270 μM adenine sulphate (AdS. Nodal explants that were cultured on the medium supplemented with 9.12 μM Zea, 4 μM TIBA and 270 μM AdS produced significantly more and longer shoots than on medium without TIBA and AdS. Half-strength MS medium supplemented with 8.05 μM α-naphthaleneacetic acid was the best medium for root formation. Most (75% in vitro rooted plantlets were successfully acclimatized under natural conditions.

Development of a time-trend model for analyzing and predicting case-pattern of Lassa fever epidemics in Liberia, 2013-2017.

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Olugasa, Babasola O; Odigie, Eugene A; Lawani, Mike; Ojo, Johnson F

2015-01-01

The objective was to develop a case-pattern model for Lassa fever (LF) among humans and derive predictors of time-trend point distribution of LF cases in Liberia in view of the prevailing under-reporting and public health challenge posed by the disease in the country. A retrospective 5 years data of LF distribution countrywide among humans were used to train a time-trend model of the disease in Liberia. A time-trend quadratic model was selected due to its goodness-of-fit (R2 = 0.89, and P Liberia, on which a predictive model was developed. We proposed a computationally feasible two-stage space-time permutation approach to estimate the time-trend parameters and conduct predictive inference on LF in Liberia.

The immune response of horses to tetanus toxoid.

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Jansen, B C; Knoetze, P C

1979-12-01

An intramuscular injection of 8-16 Lf tetanus toxoid in water-in-oil emulsion protected adult horses against tetanus for at least 128 weeks. A booster dose of 8 Lf toxoid in aqueous solution protected them for a further period of at least 3 1/2 years. Colostral immunity protected foals for at least 10 weeks. An intramuscular injection of 8 Lf toxoid in water-in-oil emulsion given to foals from immune dams when they were 10-18 weeks old did not elicit any antibody response. They did respond, however, to a booster injection of 8 Lf toxoid in aqueous solution given 12 weeks after the first dose. New-born foals were shown to be inherently unable to respond to an injection of tetanus toxoid.

Theranostic multimodular potential of zinc-doped ferrite-saturated metal-binding protein-loaded novel nanocapsules in cancers

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Kamalapuram SK

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Sishir K Kamalapuram,1 Rupinder K Kanwar,1 Kislay Roy,1 Rajneesh Chaudhary,1 Rakesh Sehgal,2 Jagat R Kanwar1 1Nanomedicine Laboratory of Immunology and Molecular Biomedical Research, School of Medicine, Centre for Molecular and Medical Research, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia; 2Department of Medical Parasitology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India Abstract: The present study successfully developed orally deliverable multimodular zinc (Zn iron oxide (Fe3O4-saturated bovine lactoferrin (bLf-loaded polymeric nanocapsules (NCs, and evaluated their theranostic potential (antitumor efficacy, magnetophotothermal efficacy and imaging capability in an in vivo human xenograft CpG-island methylator phenotype (CIMP-1+/CIMP2−/chromosome instability-positive colonic adenocarcinoma (Caco2 and claudin-low, triple-negative (ER−/PR−/HER2−; MDA-MB-231 breast cancer model. Mice fed orally on the Zn-Fe-bLf NC diet showed downregulation in tumor volume and complete regression in tumor volume after 45 days of feeding. In human xenograft colon cancer, vehicle-control NC diet-group (n=5 mice showed a tumor volume of 52.28±11.55 mm3, and Zn-Fe-bLf NC diet (n=5-treated mice had a tumor-volume of 0.10±0.073 mm3. In the human xenograft breast cancer model, Zn-Fe-bLf NC diet (n=5-treated mice showed a tumor volume of 0.051±0.062 mm3 within 40 days of feeding. Live mouse imaging conducted by near-infrared fluorescence imaging of Zn-Fe-bLf NCs showed tumor site-specific localization and regression of colon and breast tumor volume. Ex vivo fluorescence-imaging analysis of the vital organs of mice exhibited sparse localization patterns of Zn-Fe-bLf NCs and also confirmed tumor-specific selective localization patterns of Zn-Fe-bLf NCs. Dual imaging using magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography scans revealed an unprecedented theranostic ability of the Zn-Fe-bLf NCs. These

Novel Feruloyl Esterase from Lactobacillus fermentum NRRL B-1932 and Analysis of the Recombinant Enzyme Produced in Escherichia coli.

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Liu, Siqing; Bischoff, Kenneth M; Anderson, Amber M; Rich, Joseph O

2016-09-01

A total of 33 Lactobacillus strains were screened for feruloyl esterase (FE) activity using agar plates containing ethyl ferulate as the sole carbon source, and Lactobacillus fermentum NRRL B-1932 demonstrated the strongest FE activity among a dozen species showing a clearing zone on the opaque plate containing ethyl ferulate. FE activities were monitored using high-performance liquid chromatography with an acetonitrile-trifluoroacetic acid gradient. To produce sufficient purified FE from L. fermentum strain NRRL B-1932 (LfFE), the cDNA encoding LfFE (Lffae) was amplified and cloned by using available closely related genome sequences and overexpressed in Escherichia coli A 29.6-kDa LfFE protein was detected from the protein extract of E. coli BL21(pLysS) carrying pET28bLffae upon IPTG (isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside) induction. The recombinant LfFE containing a polyhistidine tag was purified by nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid affinity resin. The purified LfFE showed strong activities against several artificial substrates, including p-nitrophenyl acetate and 4-methylumbelliferyl p-trimethylammoniocinnamate chloride. The optimum pH and temperature of the recombinant LfFE were around 6.5 and 37°C, respectively, as determined using either crude or purified recombinant LfFE. This study will be essential for the production of the LfFE in E. coli on a larger scale that could not be readily achieved by L. fermentum fermentation. The production of feruloyl esterase (FE) from Lactobacillus fermentum NRRL B-1932 reported in this study will have immense potential commercial applications not only in biofuel production but also in pharmaceutical, polymer, oleo chemical, cosmetic additive, and detergent industries, as well as human health-related applications, including food flavoring, functional foods, probiotic agents, preventive medicine, and animal feed. Given the essential role FE plays in the production of hydroxycinnamic acids and ferulic acid, plus the generally

Maintaining effective mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis through in-process monitoring in Sierra Leone

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Hodges Mary H

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Since 2007 Sierra Leone has conducted mass drug administration (MDA for the elimination of lymphatic filariasis (LF implemented by unpaid community health volunteers (CHVs. Other health campaigns such as Mother and Child Health Weeks (MCHW pay for services to be implemented at community level and these persons are then known as community health workers (CHWs. In 2010, the LF MDA in the 12 districts of the Southern, Northern and Eastern Provinces un-expectantly coincided with universal distribution of Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLITNs during the MCHW. In-process monitoring of LF MDA was performed to ensure effective coverage was attained in hard to reach sites (HTR in both urban and rural locations where vulnerable populations reside. Methods Independent monitors interviewed individuals eligible for LF MDA and tallied those who recalled having taken ivermectin and albendazole, calculated program coverage and reported results daily by phone. Monitoring of coverage in HTR sites in the 4 most rapidly urbanizing towns was performed after 4 weeks of LF MDA and again after 8 weeks throughout all 12 districts. End process monitoring was performed in randomly selected HTR sites not previously sampled throughout all 12 districts and compared to coverage calculated from the pre-MDA census and reported treatments. Results Only one town had reached effective program coverage (≥80% after 4 weeks following which CHWs were recruited for LF MDA in all district headquarter towns. After 8 weeks only 4 of 12 districts had reached effective coverage so LF MDA was extended for a further month in all districts. By 12 weeks effective program coverage had been reached in all districts except Port Loko and there was no significant difference between those interviewed in communities versus households or by sex. Effective epidemiological coverage (≥65% was reported in all districts and overall was significantly higher in males versus

Outcomes associated with conventional versus lipid-based formulations of amphotericin B in propensity-matched groups

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Campbell RS

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Rebecca S Campbell,1 Paresh Chaudhari,2 Harlen D Hays,1 Robert J Taylor,1 Brian H Nathanson,3 Samuel A Bozzette,1 David Horn4 1Cerner Research, Culver City, CA, USA; 2Astellas Scientific and Medical Affairs, Inc., Northbrook, IL, USA; 3OptiStatim, LLC, Longmeadow, MA, USA; 4David Horn LLC, Doylestown, PA, USA Background: Lipid-based formulations of amphotericin B (LF-AMB are indicated for treatment of invasive fungal infections in patients intolerant to conventional amphotericin B (CAB or with refractory infections. Physicians still may choose to administer CAB to such patients. We described the use of CAB and LF-AMB in this population and quantified differences in post-amphotericin B length of stay (LOS among survivors and hospital mortality in matched patients. Methods: Data were extracted from Health Facts (Cerner Corporation, Kansas City, MO, USA for a retrospective cohort analysis. Inpatients aged ≥18 years with evidence of fungal infection and with orders for LF-AMB or CAB on  ≥2 days from January 2001 to June 2010 were identified. Patients were required to have renal insufficiency or other relative contraindications to use of CAB, exposure to nephrotoxic agents, or evidence of a CAB-refractory infection. Multilevel (hierarchical mixed-effects logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with initial exposure to LF-AMB versus CAB. Multivariate adjustment of outcomes was done using propensity score matching. Results: 655 patients were identified: 322 patients initiated therapy with CAB and 333 initiated treatment with LF-AMB. Compared to those initiating CAB, patients initiating LF-AMB had greater acuity and underlying disease severity. In unadjusted analyses, hospital mortality was significantly higher in the LF-AMB group (32.2% versus 23.7%; P = 0.02. After propensity score matching and covariate adjustment, mortality equalized and observed differences in LOS after amphotericin B initiation decreased. Conclusion

Binding and Endocytosis of Bovine Hololactoferrin by the Parasite Entamoeba histolytica

OpenAIRE

Ort?z-Estrada, Guillermo; Calder?n-Salinas, V?ctor; Shibayama-Salas, Mineko; Le?n-Sicairos, Nidia; de la Garza, Mireya

2015-01-01

Entamoeba histolytica is a human parasite that requires iron (Fe) for its metabolic function and virulence. Bovine lactoferrin (B-Lf) and its peptides can be found in the digestive tract after dairy products are ingested. The aim of this study was to compare virulent trophozoites recently isolated from hamster liver abscesses with nonvirulent trophozoites maintained for more than 30 years in cultures in vitro regarding their interaction with iron-charged B-Lf (B-holo-Lf). We performed growth ...

Adherence to a low-fat vs. low-carbohydrate diet differs by insulin resistance status.

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McClain, A D; Otten, J J; Hekler, E B; Gardner, C D

2013-01-01

Previous research shows diminished weight loss success in insulin-resistant (IR) women assigned to a low-fat (LF) diet compared to those assigned to a low-carbohydrate (LC) diet. These secondary analyses examined the relationship between insulin-resistance status and dietary adherence to either a LF-diet or LC-diet among 81 free-living, overweight/obese women [age = 41.9 ± 5.7 years; body mass index (BMI) = 32.6 ± 3.6 kg/m(2)]. This study found differential adherence by insulin-resistance status only to a LF-diet, not a LC-diet. IR participants were less likely to adhere and lose weight on a LF-diet compared to insulin-sensitive (IS) participants assigned to the same diet. There were no significant differences between IR and IS participants assigned to LC-diet in relative adherence or weight loss. These results suggest that insulin resistance status may affect dietary adherence to weight loss diets, resulting in higher recidivism and diminished weight loss success of IR participants advised to follow LF-diets for weight loss. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Cardiac autonomic control in adolescents with primary hypertension

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Havlíceková Z

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Impairment in cardiovascular autonomic regulation participates in the onset and maintenance of primary hypertension. Objective The aim of the present study was to evaluate cardiac autonomic control using long-term heart rate variability (HRV analysis in adolescents with primary hypertension. Subjects and methods Twenty two adolescent patients with primary hypertension (5 girls/17 boys aged 14-19 years and 22 healthy subjects matched for age and gender were enrolled. Two periods from 24-hour ECG recording were evaluated by HRV analysis: awake state and sleep. HRV analysis included spectral power in low frequency band (LF, in high frequency band (HF, and LF/HF ratio. Results In awake state, adolescents with primary hypertension had lower HF and higher LF and LF/HF ratio. During sleep, HF was lower and LF/HF ratio was higher in patients with primary hypertension. Conclusions A combination of sympathetic predominance and reduced vagal activity might represent a potential link between psychosocial factors and primary hypertension, associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity.

Seaweed Polysaccharides (Laminarin and Fucoidan) as Functional Ingredients in Pork Meat: An Evaluation of Anti-Oxidative Potential, Thermal Stability and Bioaccessibility

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Moroney, Natasha C.; O’Grady, Michael N.; Lordan, Sinéad; Stanton, Catherine; Kerry, Joseph P.

2015-01-01

The anti-oxidative potential of laminarin (L), fucoidan (F) and an L/F seaweed extract was measured using the DPPH free radical scavenging assay, in 25% pork (longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL)) homogenates (TBARS) (3 and 6 mg/mL) and in horse heart oxymyoglobin (OxyMb) (0.1 and 1 mg/mL). The DPPH activity of fresh and cooked minced LTL containing L (100 mg/g; L100), F100 and L/F100,300, and bioaccessibility post in vitro digestion (L/F300), was assessed. Theoretical cellular uptake of antioxidant compounds was measured in a transwell Caco-2 cell model. Laminarin displayed no activity and fucoidan reduced lipid oxidation but catalysed OxyMb oxidation. Fucoidan activity was lowered by cooking while the L/F extract displayed moderate thermal stability. A decrease in DPPH antioxidant activity of 44.15% and 36.63%, after 4 and 20 h respectively, indicated theoretical uptake of L/F antioxidant compounds. Results highlight the potential use of seaweed extracts as functional ingredients in pork. PMID:25903283

Seaweed Polysaccharides (Laminarin and Fucoidan as Functional Ingredients in Pork Meat: An Evaluation of Anti-Oxidative Potential, Thermal Stability and Bioaccessibility

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Natasha C. Moroney

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The anti-oxidative potential of laminarin (L, fucoidan (F and an L/F seaweed extract was measured using the DPPH free radical scavenging assay, in 25% pork (longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL homogenates (TBARS (3 and 6 mg/mL and in horse heart oxymyoglobin (OxyMb (0.1 and 1 mg/mL. The DPPH activity of fresh and cooked minced LTL containing L (100 mg/g; L100, F100 and L/F100,300, and bioaccessibility post in vitro digestion (L/F300, was assessed. Theoretical cellular uptake of antioxidant compounds was measured in a transwell Caco-2 cell model. Laminarin displayed no activity and fucoidan reduced lipid oxidation but catalysed OxyMb oxidation. Fucoidan activity was lowered by cooking while the L/F extract displayed moderate thermal stability. A decrease in DPPH antioxidant activity of 44.15% and 36.63%, after 4 and 20 h respectively, indicated theoretical uptake of L/F antioxidant compounds. Results highlight the potential use of seaweed extracts as functional ingredients in pork.

Evaluation of a biomarker of Cd(II) exposure on Limnoperna fortunei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mariano, Belaich; Cristian, Oliver; Marcela, Pilloff; Porta, Andres

2006-01-01

The use of organisms to monitor contamination allows the access to information that cannot be acquired by chemical methods. Limnoperna fortunei, mussel frequently found in Rio de la Plata estuary, fulfils the requirements to be used as a biomonitoring organism. In this work we report that a polypeptide of 22 kDa of molecular weight (LF22) is induced when L. fortunei is exposed to Cd (II), Cu(II) and Hg(II) sublethal levels. To characterize LF22, mussels were sampled from a non-polluted region and whole soft tissue was homogenized, with and without previous exposure to 100 μg/L of Cd(II). The cytosolic proteins were evaluated by mono and bidimensional SDS-PAGE, and size exclusion chromatography. All the methods showed that LF22 triples its concentration in presence of Cd(II). Purification of LF22 was achieved by fractioned precipitation, salting-out, ionic exchange and size exclusion chromatography. We conclude that LF22 is a useful biomarker of heavy metal exposure. - Limnoperna fortunei induces a 22 kDa polypeptide in sublethal exposure to Cd(II)

Rapid and automatic chemical identification of the medicinal flower buds of Lonicera plants by the benchtop and hand-held Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jianbo; Guo, Baolin; Yan, Rui; Sun, Suqin; Zhou, Qun

2017-07-01

With the utilization of the hand-held equipment, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is a promising analytical technique to minimize the time cost for the chemical identification of herbal materials. This research examines the feasibility of the hand-held FT-IR spectrometer for the on-site testing of herbal materials, using Lonicerae Japonicae Flos (LJF) and Lonicerae Flos (LF) as examples. Correlation-based linear discriminant models for LJF and LF are established based on the benchtop and hand-held FT-IR instruments. The benchtop FT-IR models can exactly recognize all articles of LJF and LF. Although a few LF articles are misjudged at the sub-class level, the hand-held FT-IR models are able to exactly discriminate LJF and LF. As a direct and label-free analytical technique, FT-IR spectroscopy has great potential in the rapid and automatic chemical identification of herbal materials either in laboratories or in fields. This is helpful to prevent the spread and use of adulterated herbal materials in time.

An efficient mechanism for dynamic survivable multicast traffic grooming

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Xiaojun; Xiao, Gaoxi; Cheng, Tee Hiang

2015-06-01

Recent advances in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) networks have helped enhance the popularity of multicasting services. However, as a single network failure may disrupt the information transmission to multiple end-users, protecting multicast requests against network failures becomes an important issue in network operation. This paper investigates the sub-wavelength level protection for dynamic multicast traffic grooming. A new method named lightpath-fragmentation based segment shared protection (LF-SSP) scheme is proposed. By carefully splitting primary/backup lightpaths into segments to improve resource sharing for both traffic grooming and protection, LF-SSP aims to minimize the network resources allocated for request protection. Extensive simulations are carried out to compare the performance of LF-SSP to some existing approaches, on sub-wavelength-level as well as wavelength-level multicast protections in different cases. Results show that LF-SSP steadily outperforms these existing methods as long as the network resources are not too limited. Influences of the add/drop port resources and the average number of destinations per connection request on the LF-SSP performance are also evaluated.

Seleção de modelos polinomiais para representar o perfil e volume do fuste de Tectona grandis L.f. Selection of polynomial models to represent the profile and volume of the bole of Tectona grandisL.f.

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Evandro Orfanó Figueiredo

2006-12-01

Full Text Available A precisão do volume de um povoamento florestal torna-se importante à medida que as empresas florestais integram verticalmente suas atividades e o resíduo da elaboração de um produto torna-se matéria-prima para outros. Os estudos realizados objetivaram avaliar a acurácia dos modelos polinomiais propostos por Schöepfer (1966, Hradetzky (1976 e Goulding & Murray (1976, na estimativa dos diâmetros e volumes ao longo do fuste de Tectona grandis L.f. de quatro povoamentos localizados na microrregião do Baixo Rio Acre e, ainda, testar a identidade do melhor modelo polinomial, avaliando-se a adequação de manter as áreas agrupadas ou segregá-las em grupos menores ou individualmente. A base de dados foi constituída de 159 árvores cubadas rigorosamente. Na avaliação da acurácia dos modelos foram empregadas estatísticas de desvio médio, desvio padrão das diferenças, soma dos quadrados dos resíduos relativos e resíduos percentuais. O modelo Goulding & Murray (1976 gerou as melhores estimativas de diâmetros e volumes ao longo do fuste, seguido pelos modelos Hradetzky (1976 e Schöepfer (1966. O teste de identidade de modelo mostrou ser mais adequado realizar ajustes independentes para as áreas 1 e 4 e para o subgrupo 2 e 3.The precise estimate of the volume of a forest stand become important as forest enterprises integrate vertically their activities and the residue of the manufacture of a product becomes the raw material for the manufacture of other. The accomplished studies aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the polynomial models proposed by Schöepfer (1966, Hradetzky (1976 and Goulding & Murray (1976 in the estimate of the diameters and volumes along the bole of Tectona grandis L.f from four stands situated in the Baixo Rio Acre micro region and further, to test the identity of the best polynomial model by evaluating the adequacy of maintaining the grouped areas or segregate them into smaller groups or singly. The data base was

Poincaré plot indexes of heart rate variability detect dynamic autonomic modulation during general anesthesia induction.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Che-Hao; Tsai, Ming-Ya; Huang, Go-Shine; Lin, Tso-Chou; Chen, Kuen-Pao; Ho, Shung-Tai; Shyu, Liang-Yu; Li, Chi-Yuan

2012-03-01

Beat-to-beat heart rate variability (HRV) is caused by the fluctuating balance of sympathetic and parasympathetic tone. The Poincaré plot has been used to evaluate HRV. In this study, we validate that this new method may qualitatively and quantitatively assess the sympathovagal fluctuation in patients during induction of anesthesia with sevoflurane. Twenty-eight young patients were allocated for the study. The patients received a tilt test and on the next day they sustained anesthesia induced with inhaled anesthetics. Electrocardiography signals from the patients were relayed to an analogue-digital converter. The Poincaré plot is quantified by measuring SD1, SD2, and SD1/SD2. Power spectral analyses were performed and LF, HF and HF/LF were calculated. The LF power and the SD2 of the Poincaré plot increased while subjects were tilt-up from the supine position. Additionally, a significant correlation were found between LF and SD2, HF and SD1 (p plot respectively. However, the LF, SD2 and LF/HF increased; the HF, SD1 and SD1/SD2 ratio decreased after intubation stimulation. Poincaré plot and power spectral analysis of HRV during tilt test and sevoflurane induction significantly correlate. Poincaré plot analysis is easier and more sensitive at evaluating the sympathovagal balance and observing the beat-to-beat HRV. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Bovine Mammary Nutrigenomics and Changes in the Milk Composition due to Rapeseed or Sunflower Oil Supplementation of High-Forage or High-Concentrate Diets.

Science.gov (United States)

Leroux, Christine; Bernard, Laurence; Faulconnier, Yannick; Rouel, Jacques; de la Foye, Anne; Domagalski, Jordann; Chilliard, Yves

2016-01-01

Fatty acid (FA) composition plays a crucial role in milk nutritional quality. Despite the known nutritional regulation of ruminant milk composition, the overall mammary mechanisms underlying this regulation are far from being understood. The aim of our study was to determine nutritional regulation of mammary transcriptomes in relation to the cow milk composition. Twelve cows received diets differing in the forage-to-concentrate ratio [high forage (HF) and low forage (LF)] supplemented or not with lipids [HF with whole intact rapeseeds (RS) and LF sunflower oil (SO)] in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Milk production and FA composition were determined. The gene expression profile was studied using RT-qPCR and a bovine microarray. Our results showed a higher amplitude of milk composition and mammary transcriptome responses to lipid supplementation with the LF-SO compared with the LF diet than with the HF-RS compared with the HF diet. Forty-nine differentially expressed genes, including genes involved in lipid metabolism, were identified with LF-SO versus LF, whereas RS supplementation to the HF diet did not affect the mammary transcriptome. This study highlights different responses to lipid supplementation of milk production and composition and mammary transcriptomes depending on the nature of lipid supplementation and the percentage of dietary concentrate. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The effect of low-frequency TENS in the treatment of neuropathic pain in patients with spinal cord injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Celik, E C; Erhan, B; Gunduz, B; Lakse, E

2013-04-01

Prospective, randomized and controlled study. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of low-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (LF-TENS) in the treatment of neuropathic pain in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). A total of 33 SCI patients with neuropathic pain were included in the study. History, duration, localization and characteristics of pain were recorded. Visual analog scale (VAS) was used to investigate the effect of LF-TENS four times during the day. Patients were randomly assigned to study and control groups. The study group was treated with 30 min of LF-TENS daily for 10 days while the placebo group with 30 min of sham TENS. The mean age of the patients was 36.55±10.36 years. Out of 33 patients, 7 were tetraplegic and 26 were paraplegic. Twenty-three patients had complete SCI while 10 patients had incomplete injuries. Two groups were similar with respect to age, gender, duration, level and severity of injury. In the LF-TENS treatment group, a statistically significant reduction of the VAS values was observed, however, such an effect was not evident in the control group. This study revealed that in treatment of neuropathic pain of SCI patients, LF-TENS may be effective. This article presents LF-TENS may effectively complement pharmacological treatment in patients with SCI and neuropathic pain.

Critical evaluation of analytical models for stochastic heating in dual-frequency capacitive discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, S; Turner, M M

2013-01-01

Dual-frequency capacitive discharges are widespread in the semiconductor industry and are used, for example, in etching of semiconductor materials to manufacture microchips. In low-pressure dual radio-frequency capacitive discharges, stochastic heating is an important phenomenon. Recent theoretical work on this problem using several different approaches has produced results that are broadly in agreement insofar as scaling with the discharge parameters is concerned, but there remains some disagreement in detail concerning the absolute size of the effect for the case of dual-frequency capacitive discharges. In this work, we investigate the dependence of stochastic heating on various discharge parameters with the help of particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation. The dual-frequency analytical models are in fair agreement with PIC results for values of the low-frequency current density amplitude J lf (or dimensionless control parameter H lf ∼ 5) typical of many modern experiments. However, for higher values of J lf (or higher H lf ), new physical phenomena (like field reversal, reflection of ions, etc) appear and the simulation results deviate from existing dual-frequency analytical models. On the other hand, for lower J lf (or lower H lf ) again the simulation results deviate from analytical models. So this research work produces a relatively extensive set of simulation data that may be used to validate theories over a wide range of parameters. (paper)

Impact of a High-Fat or High-Fiber Diet on Intestinal Microbiota and Metabolic Markers in a Pig Model

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Sonja N. Heinritz

2016-05-01

Full Text Available To further elaborate interactions between nutrition, gut microbiota and host health, an animal model to simulate changes in microbial composition and activity due to dietary changes similar to those in humans is needed. Therefore, the impact of two different diets on cecal and colonic microbial gene copies and metabolic activity, organ development and biochemical parameters in blood serum was investigated using a pig model. Four pigs were either fed a low-fat/high-fiber (LF, or a high-fat/low-fiber (HF diet for seven weeks, with both diets being isocaloric. A hypotrophic effect of the HF diet on digestive organs could be observed compared to the LF diet (p < 0.05. Higher gene copy numbers of Bacteroides (p < 0.05 and Enterobacteriaceae (p < 0.001 were present in intestinal contents of HF pigs, bifidobacteria were more abundant in LF pigs (p < 0.05. Concentrations of acetate and butyrate were higher in LF pigs (p < 0.05. Glucose was higher in HF pigs, while glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT showed higher concentrations upon feeding the LF diet (p < 0.001. However, C-reactive protein (CRP decreased with time in LF pigs (p < 0.05. In part, these findings correspond to those in humans, and are in support of the concept of using the pig as human model.

Influence of the low-frequency source parameters on the plasma characteristics in a dual frequency capacitively coupled plasma reactor: Two dimensional simulations

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Xiang Xu; Hao Ge; Shuai Wang; Zhongling Dai; Younian Wang; Aimin Zhu

2009-01-01

A two-dimensional (2D) fluid model is presented to study the discharge of argon in a dual frequency capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) reactor. We are interested in the influence of low-frequency (LF) source parameters such as applied voltage amplitudes and low frequencies on the plasma characteristics. In this paper, the high frequency is set to 60 MHz with voltage 50 V. The simulations were carried out for low frequencies of 1, 2 and 6 MHz with LF voltage 100 V, and for LF voltages of 60, 90 and 120 V with low frequency 2 MHz. The results of 2D distributions of electric field and ion density, the ion flux impinging on the substrate and the ion energy on the powered electrode are shown. As the low frequency increases, two sources become from uncoupling to coupling, When two sources are uncoupling, the increase in LF has little impact on the plasma characteristics, but when two sources are coupling, the increase in LF decreases the uniformities of ion density and ion flux noticeably. It is also found that with the increase in LF voltage, the uniformities in the radial direction of ion density distribution and ion flux at the powered electrode decreases significantly, and the energy of ions bombarding on the powered electrode increases significantly.

MHC Class II and Non-MHC Class II Genes Differentially Influence Humoral Immunity to Bacillus anthracis Lethal Factor and Protective Antigen

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Judith A. James

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Anthrax Lethal Toxin consists of Protective Antigen (PA and Lethal Factor (LF, and current vaccination strategies focus on eliciting antibodies to PA. In human vaccination, the response to PA can vary greatly, and the response is often directed toward non-neutralizing epitopes. Variable vaccine responses have been shown to be due in part to genetic differences in individuals, with both MHC class II and other genes playing roles. Here, we investigated the relative contribution of MHC class II versus non-MHC class II genes in the humoral response to PA and LF immunization using three immunized strains of inbred mice: A/J (H-2k at the MHC class II locus, B6 (H-2b, and B6.H2k (H-2k. IgG antibody titers to LF were controlled primarily by the MHC class II locus, whereas IgG titers to PA were strongly influenced by the non-MHC class II genetic background. Conversely, the humoral fine specificity of reactivity to LF appeared to be controlled primarily through non-MHC class II genes, while the specificity of reactivity to PA was more dependent on MHC class II. Common epitopes, reactive in all strains, occurred in both LF and PA responses. These results demonstrate that MHC class II differentially influences humoral immune responses to LF and PA.

Evaluation of autonomic functions of patients with multiple system atrophy and Parkinson's disease by head-up tilt test.

Science.gov (United States)

Watano, Chikako; Shiota, Yuri; Onoda, Keiichi; Sheikh, Abdullah Md; Mishima, Seiji; Nitta, Eri; Yano, Shozo; Yamaguchi, Shuhei; Nagai, Atsushi

2018-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the autonomic neural function in Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) with head-up tilt test and spectral analysis of cardiovascular parameters. This study included 15 patients with MSA, 15 patients with PD, and 29 healthy control (HC) subjects. High frequency power of the RR interval (RR-HF), the ratio of low frequency power of RR interval to RR-HF (RR-LF/HF) and LF power of systolic BP were used to evaluate parasympathetic, cardiac sympathetic and vasomotor sympathetic functions, respectively. Both patients with PD and MSA showed orthostatic hypotension and lower parasympathetic function (RR-HF) at tilt position as compared to HC subjects. Cardiac sympathetic function (RR-LF/HF) was significantly high in patients with PD than MSA at supine position. RR-LF/HF tended to increase in MSA and HC, but decreased in PD by tilting. Consequently, the change of the ratio due to tilting (ΔRR-LF/HF) was significantly lower in patients with PD than in HC subjects. Further analysis showed that compared to mild stage of PD, RR-LF/HF at the supine position was significantly higher in advanced stage. By tilting, it was increased in mild stage and decreased in the advanced stage of PD, causing ΔRR-LF/HF to decrease significantly in the advanced stage. Thus, we demonstrated that spectral analysis of cardiovascular parameters is useful to identify sympathetic and parasympathetic disorders in MSA and PD. High cardiac sympathetic function at the supine position, and its reduction by tilting might be a characteristic feature of PD, especially in the advanced stage.

Local Failure in Parameningeal Rhabdomyosarcoma Correlates With Poor Response to Induction Chemotherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ladra, Matthew M. [Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Mandeville, Henry C. [The Royal Marsden Hospital, London (United Kingdom); Niemierko, Andrzej; Padera, Timothy P.; Friedmann, Alison M.; MacDonald, Shannon M.; Ebb, David; Chen, Yen-Lin; Tarbell, Nancy J. [Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Yock, Torunn I., E-mail: tyock@partners.org [Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States)

2015-06-01

Background: Local control remains a challenge in pediatric parameningeal rhabdomyosarcoma (PM-RMS), and survival after local failure (LF) is poor. Identifying patients with a high risk of LF is of great interest to clinicians. In this study, we examined whether tumor response to induction chemotherapy (CT) could predict LF in embryonal PM-RMS. Methods: We identified 24 patients with embryonal PM-RMS, age 2 to 18 years, with complete magnetic resonance imaging and gross residual disease after surgical resection. All patients received proton radiation therapy (RT), median dose 50.4 Gy{sub RBE} (50.4-55.8 Gy{sub RBE}). Tumor size was measured before initial CT and before RT. Results: With a median follow-up time of 4.1 years for survivors, LF was seen in 9 patients (37.5%). The median time from the initiation of CT to the start of RT was 4.8 weeks. Patients with LF had a similar initial (pre-CT) tumor volume compared with patients with local controlled (LC) (54 cm{sup 3} vs 43 cm{sup 3}, P=.9) but a greater median volume before RT (pre-RT) (40 cm{sup 3} vs 7 cm{sup 3}, P=.009) and a smaller median relative percent volume reduction (RPVR) in tumor size (0.4% vs 78%, P<.001). Older age (P=.05), larger pre-RT tumor volume (P=.03), and smaller RPVR (P=.003) were significantly associated with actuarial LF on univariate Cox analysis. Conclusions: Poor response to induction CT appears to be associated with an increased risk of LF in pediatric embryonal PM-RMS.

Effects of lactoferrin derived peptides on simulants of biological warfare agents

OpenAIRE

Sijbrandij, Tjitske; Ligtenberg, Antoon J.; Nazmi, Kamran; Veerman, Enno C. I.; Bolscher, Jan G. M.; Bikker, Floris J.

2016-01-01

Lactoferrin (LF) is an important immune protein in neutrophils and secretory fluids of mammals. Bovine LF (bLF) harbours two antimicrobial stretches, lactoferricin and lactoferampin, situated in close proximity in the N1 domain. To mimic these antimicrobial domain parts a chimeric peptide (LFchimera) has been constructed comprising parts of both stretches (LFcin17–30 and LFampin265–284). To investigate the potency of this construct to combat a set of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria w...

Dielectric properties of gadolinium molybdate in low- and infralow frequency electric fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galiyarova, N.M.; Gorin, S.V.; Dontsova, L.I.; Shil'nikov, A.V.; Shuvalov, L.A.; AN SSSR, Moscow

1992-01-01

Temperature dependences of complex dielectric permittivity of gadolinium molybdate (GMO) in low- (LF) and infralow-frequency (ILF) electric fields with 0.1 V·cm -1 amplitude within 0.25-10 4 Hz frequency range are studied. Substantial effect of the crystal prehistory on LF and ILF dielectric properties and domain structure state is revealed. An anomalous reduction of complex dielectric permittivity accompanied by the occurrence of the Debye LF-dispersion of permittivity is detected under the sample cooling from a nonpolar phase

A hot white dwarf luminosity function from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Krzesinski, J.; Kleinman, S. J.; Nitta, A.; Hügelmeyer, S.; Dreizler, S.; Liebert, J.; Harris, H.

2009-12-01

Aims. We present a hot white dwarf (WD) luminosity function (LF) using data taken from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 4. We present and discuss a combined LF, along with separate DA and non-DA as LFs. We explore the completeness of our LFs and interpret a sudden drop in the non-DA LF near 2 M_bol as a transition of the non-DA WD atmosphere into the DA one during WD evolution. Our LF extends roughly between -0.5 T_eff > ˜25 000 K. Our LF should now be useful for estimates of recent star formation and for studies of neutrino and other potential particle emission losses in hot WDs. Methods: To create a sample whose completeness can be characterized fully, we used stars whose spectra were obtained via the SDSS's “hot standard” target selection criteria. The hot standard stars were purposefully targeted to a high level of completeness by the SDSS for calibration purposes. We are fortunate that many of them are hot white dwarfs stars. We further limited the sample to stars with fitted temperatures exceeding 23 500 K and log{g} > 7.0. We determined stellar distances for our sample based on their absolute SDSS g filter magnitudes, derived from WD stellar atmosphere model fits to the SDSS stellar spectra. Results: We compared our LF with those of other researchers where overlap occurs; however, our LFs are unique in their extension to the most luminous/hottest WDs. The cool end of our LF connects with the hot end of previously determined SDSS WD LFs and agreement here is quite good. It is also good with previous non-SDSS WD LFs. We note distinct differences between the DA and non-DA LFs and discuss the reliability of the DA LF at its hot end. We have extended the range of luminosities covered in the most recent WD LFs. The SDSS sample is understood quite well and its exploration should contribute to a number of new insights into early white dwarf evolution.

Antimicrobial Activity of Lactoferrin-Related Peptides and Applications in Human and Veterinary Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natascia Bruni

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs represent a vast array of molecules produced by virtually all living organisms as natural barriers against infection. Among AMP sources, an interesting class regards the food-derived bioactive agents. The whey protein lactoferrin (Lf is an iron-binding glycoprotein that plays a significant role in the innate immune system, and is considered as an important host defense molecule. In search for novel antimicrobial agents, Lf offers a new source with potential pharmaceutical applications. The Lf-derived peptides Lf(1–11, lactoferricin (Lfcin and lactoferrampin exhibit interesting and more potent antimicrobial actions than intact protein. Particularly, Lfcin has demonstrated strong antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiparasitic activity with promising applications both in human and veterinary diseases (from ocular infections to osteo-articular, gastrointestinal and dermatological diseases.

The effects of feeding rations that differ in neutral detergent fiber and starch concentration within a day on rumen digesta nutrient concentration, pH, and fermentation products in dairy cows.

Science.gov (United States)

Ying, Y; Rottman, L W; Crawford, C; Bartell, P A; Harvatine, K J

2015-07-01

There is a daily pattern of feed intake in the dairy cow, and feeding a single total mixed ration results in variation in the amount of fermentable substrate entering the rumen over the day. The object of this study was to determine if feeding multiple rations over the day that complement the pattern of feed intake would stabilize rumen pool sizes and fermentation. Nine ruminally cannulated cows were used in a 3×3 Latin square design with 23-d periods. Diets were a control diet [33.3% neutral detergent fiber (NDF)], a low-fiber diet (LF; 29.6% NDF), and a high-fiber diet (HF; 34.8% NDF). The LF and HF diets were balanced to provide the same nutrient composition as the control diet when cows were fed 3 parts of LF and 7 parts of HF. Cows on the control treatment (CON) were fed at 0900h, cows on the high/low treatment (H/L) were fed HF at 70% of daily offering at 0900h and LF at 30% of daily offering at 2200h, and cows on the low/high (L/H) treatment were fed LF at 30% of daily offering at 0900h and HF at 70% of daily offering at 1300h. All treatments were fed at 110% of daily intake. Preplanned contrasts compared CON with H/L and H/L with L/H. Feeding the LF diet in the evening resulted in a large increase in the amount of feed consumed immediately after feed delivery at that feeding. Rumen digesta starch concentration increased and NDF concentration decreased following feeding of the LF diet in both the L/H and H/L treatments. Starch pool size also increased following feeding of the LF diet in the evening and tended to increase after feeding the LF diet in the morning. Rumen ammonia concentration was increased following feeding of the HF diet in the morning and the LF diet in the evening in the H/L treatment. Additionally, cis-9 C18:1 and cis-9,cis-12 18:2 are higher in concentrate feeds and were increased after feeding the LF diet in both treatments. Trans fatty acid isomers of the normal and alternate biohydrogenation pathways followed a daily pattern, and the H

Dielectric properties of gadolinium molybdate in low- and infralow frequency electric fields. Diehlektricheskie svojstva molibdata gadoliniya v nizko- i infranizkochastotnykh ehlektricheskikh polyakh

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Galiyarova, N M; Gorin, S V; Dontsova, L I; Shil' nikov, A V; Shuvalov, L A [Volgogradskij Inzhenerno-Stroitel' nyj Inst., Volgograd (Russian Federation) AN SSSR, Moscow (Russian Federation). Inst. Kristallografii

1992-10-01

Temperature dependences of complex dielectric permittivity of gadolinium molybdate (GMO) in low- (LF) and infralow-frequency (ILF) electric fields with 0.1 V[center dot]cm[sup -1] amplitude within 0.25-10[sup 4] Hz frequency range are studied. Substantial effect of the crystal prehistory on LF and ILF dielectric properties and domain structure state is revealed. An anomalous reduction of complex dielectric permittivity accompanied by the occurrence of the Debye LF-dispersion of permittivity is detected under the sample cooling from a nonpolar phase.

Storage and stability of organic carbon in soils as related to depth, occlusion within aggregates, and attachment to minerals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Schrumpf

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Conceptual models suggest that stability of organic carbon (OC in soil depends on the source of plant litter, occlusion within aggregates, incorporation in organo-mineral complexes, and location within the soil profile. Density fractionation is a useful tool to study the relevance of OC stabilization in aggregates and in association with minerals, but it has rarely been applied to full soil profiles. We aim to determine factors shaping the depth profiles of physically unprotected and mineral associated OC and test their relevance for OC stability across a range of European soils that vary in vegetation, soil types, parent material, and land use. At each of the 12 study sites, 10 soil cores were sampled to 60 cm depth and subjected to density separation. Bulk soil samples and density fractions (free light fractions – fLF, occluded light fractions – oLF, heavy fractions – HF were analysed for OC, total nitrogen (TN, δ14C, and Δ14C. Bulk samples were also incubated to determine CO2 evolution per g OC in the samples (specific mineralization rates as an indicator for OC stability. Depth profiles of OC in the light fraction (LF-OC matched those of roots for undisturbed grassland and forest sites, suggesting that roots are shaping the depth distribution of LF-OC. Organic C in the HF declined less with soil depth than LF-OC and roots, especially at grassland sites. The decrease in Δ14C (increase in age of HF-OC with soil depth was related to soil pH as well as to dissolved OC fluxes. This indicates that dissolved OC translocation contributes to the formation of subsoil HF-OC and shapes the Δ14C profiles. The LF at three sites were rather depleted in 14C, indicating the presence of fossil material such as coal and lignite, probably inherited from the parent material. At the other sites, modern Δ14C signatures and positive correlations between specific mineralization rates and fLF-OC indicate the fLF is a potentially available energy and

Inference for occupancy and occupancy dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connell, Allan F.; Bailey, Larissa L.; O'Connell, Allan F.; Nichols, James D.; Karanth, K. Ullas

2011-01-01

This chapter deals with the estimation of occupancy as a state variable to assess the status of, and track changes in, species distributions when sampling with camera traps. Much of the recent interest in occupancy estimation and modeling originated from the models developed by MacKenzie et al. (2002, 2003), although similar methods were developed independently (Azuma et al. 1990; Bayley and Petersen 2001; Nichols and Karanth, 2002; Tyre et al. 2003), all of which deal with species occurrence information and imperfect detection. Less than a decade after these publications, the modeling and estimation of species occurrence and occupancy dynamics have increased significantly. Special features of scientific journals have explored innovative uses of detection–nondetection data with occupancy models (Vojta 2005), and an entire volume has synthesized the use and application of occupancy estimation methods (MacKenzie et al. 2006). Reviews of the topical concepts, philosophical considerations, and various sampling designs that can be used for occupancy estimation are now readily available for a range of audiences (MacKenzie and Royle 2005; MacKenzie et al. 2006; Bailey et al. 2007; Royle and Dorazio 2008; Conroy and Carroll 2009; Kendall and White 2009; Hines et al. 2010; Link and Barker 2010). As a result, it would be pointless here to recast all that these publications have so eloquently articulated, but that said, a review of any scientific topic requires sufficient context and relevant background information, especially when relatively new methodologies and techniques such as occupancy estimation and camera traps are involved. This is especially critical in a digital age where new information is published at warp speed, making it increasingly difficult to stay abreast of theoretical advances and research developments.

Factors associated with the acceptance of mass drug administration for the elimination of lymphatic filariasis in Agusan del Sur, Philippines

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Sison Stephanie

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mass drug administration (MDA has been one of the strategies endorsed by the World Health Assembly for lymphatic filariasis (LF elimination. Many factors, however, affect the acceptability of the MDA in the Philippines with acceptability defined as the ingestion of drugs -diethylcarbamazine and albendazole during MDA. These drugs were mainly distributed in fixed sites and mopping up activities were conducted through house-to-house visits to increase treatment coverage. The aim of conducting the study was to determine the MDA acceptance rate among a population endemic for LF, and the factors associated with MDA acceptance. Methods In April 2005, a stratified cluster survey involving 437 respondents aged 18 years old and above in Agusan del Sur, Philippines was conducted. Key informant interviews and focused group discussions were performed among community leaders and health service providers. Descriptive statistics and coverage estimates were calculated with appropriate sampling weights applied to all analyses. Factors assessed for association with receipt of antifilarial drugs and MDA acceptance were respondents' socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and perceptions on LF. Pearson chi-squared test was used to determine factors associated with MDA acceptance. Results Results showed that 63.3% of the sampled population received the antifilarial drugs; of these, 94.5% ingested the drugs, yielding an acceptance rate of 60%. Half of the sampled population received the drugs from a fixed site, while only 13% was mopped up. A majority of the sampled population were aware of LF and MDA. Knowledge on LF prevention, cause, treatment and diagnosis and adverse events was low to moderate. Knowledge on LF and perceived benefits of antifilarial drugs were found to be associated with MDA acceptance (p = 0.08. Health workers remain the front liners in the MDA implementation. Local government units were aware of LF

Altered gut microbiota in female mice with persistent low body weights following removal of post-weaning chronic dietary restriction.

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Chen, Jun; Toyomasu, Yoshitaka; Hayashi, Yujiro; Linden, David R; Szurszewski, Joseph H; Nelson, Heidi; Farrugia, Gianrico; Kashyap, Purna C; Chia, Nicholas; Ordog, Tamas

2016-10-03

Nutritional interventions often fail to prevent growth failure in childhood and adolescent malnutrition and the mechanisms remain unclear. Recent studies revealed altered microbiota in malnourished children and anorexia nervosa. To facilitate mechanistic studies under physiologically relevant conditions, we established a mouse model of growth failure following chronic dietary restriction and examined microbiota in relation to age, diet, body weight, and anabolic treatment. Four-week-old female BALB/c mice (n = 12/group) were fed ad libitum (AL) or offered limited food to abolish weight gain (LF). A subset of restricted mice was treated with an insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) analog. Food access was restored in a subset of untreated LF (LF-RF) and IGF1-treated LF mice (TLF-RF) on day 97. Gut microbiota were determined on days 69, 96-99 and 120 by next generation sequencing of the V3-5 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Microbiota-host factor associations were analyzed by distance-based PERMANOVA and quantified by the coefficient of determination R 2 for age, diet, and normalized body weight change (Δbwt). Microbial taxa on day 120 were compared following fitting with an overdispersed Poisson regression model. The machine learning algorithm Random Forests was used to predict age based on the microbiota. On day 120, Δbwt in AL, LF, LF-RF, and TLF-RF mice was 52 ± 3, -6 ± 1*, 40 ± 3*, and 46 ± 2 % (*, P < 0.05 versus AL). Age and diet, but not Δbwt, were associated with gut microbiota composition. Age explained a larger proportion of the microbiota variability than diet or Δbwt. Random Forests predicted chronological age based on the microbiota and indicated microbiota immaturity in the LF mice before, but not after, refeeding. However, on day 120, the microbiota community structure of LF-RF mice was significantly different from that of both AL and LF mice. IGF1 mitigated the difference from the AL group. Refed groups had a higher

Increasing stringiness of low-fat mozzarella string cheese using polysaccharides.

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Oberg, E N; Oberg, C J; Motawee, M M; Martini, S; McMahon, D J

2015-07-01

When fat content of pasta filata cheese is lowered, a loss of fibrous texture occurs and low-fat (LF) mozzarella cheese loses stringiness, making it unsuitable for the manufacture of string cheese. We investigated the use of various polysaccharides that could act as fat mimetics during the stretching and extruding process to aid in protein strand formation and increase stringiness. Low-fat mozzarella cheese curd was made, salted, and then 3.6-kg batches were heated in hot (80°) 5% brine, stretched, and formed into a homogeneous mass. Hot (80°C) slurries of various polysaccharides were then mixed with the hot cheese and formed into LF string cheese using a small piston-driven extruder. Polysaccharides used included waxy corn starch, waxy rice starch, instant tapioca starch, polydextrose, xanthan gum, and guar gum. Adding starch slurries increased cheese moisture content by up to 1.6% but was not effective at increasing stringiness. Xanthan gum functioned best as a fat mimetic and produced LF string cheese that most closely visually resembled commercial string cheese made using low-moisture part skim (LMPS) mozzarella cheese without any increase in moisture content. Extent of stringiness was determined by pulling apart the cheese longitudinally and observing size, length, and appearance of individual cheese strings. Hardness was determined using a modified Warner-Bratzler shear test. When LF string cheese was made using a 10% xanthan gum slurry added at ~1%, increased consumer flavor liking was observed, with scores after 2wk of storage of 6.44 and 6.24 compared with 5.89 for the LF control cheese; although this was lower than an LMPS string cheese that scored 7.27. The 2-wk-old LF string cheeses containing xanthan gum were considered still slightly too firm using a just-about-right (JAR) test, whereas the LMPS string cheese was considered as JAR for texture. With further storage up to 8wk, all of the LF string cheeses softened (JAR score was closer to 3

Pollination success following loss of a frequent pollinator: the role of compensatory visitation by other effective pollinators

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Hallett, Allysa C.; Mitchell, Randall J.; Chamberlain, Evan R.

2017-01-01

Abstract Pollinator abundance is declining worldwide and may lower the quantity and quality of pollination services to flowering plant populations. Loss of an important pollinator is often assumed to reduce the amount of pollen received by stigmas of a focal species (pollination success), yet this assumption has rarely been tested experimentally. The magnitude of the effect, if any, may depend on the relative efficiency of the remaining pollinators, and on whether the loss of one pollinator leads to changes in visitation patterns by other pollinators. To explore how a change in pollinator composition influences pollination of Asclepias verticillata, we excluded bumble bees from plots in large and small populations of this milkweed species. We then quantified pollinator visitation rates, pollen export and pollen receipt for control plots and for plots where bumble bees were experimentally excluded. We found that exclusion of bumble bees did not reduce pollen receipt by A. verticillata flowers. Visitation by Polistes wasps increased markedly following bumble bee exclusion, both in small populations (186 % increase) and in large populations (400 % increase). Because Polistes wasps were as efficient as bumble bees at pollen transfer, increased wasp visitation offset lost bumble bee pollination services. Thus, loss of a frequent pollinator will not necessarily lead to a decline in pollination success. When pollinator loss is followed by a shift in the composition and abundance of remaining pollinators, pollination success will depend on the net change in the quantity and quality of pollination services. PMID:28798863

Profiling polyphenol composition by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn and the antibacterial activity of infusion preparations obtained from four medicinal plants.

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Ziani, Borhane E C; Barros, Lillian; Boumehira, Ali Z; Bachari, Khaldoun; Heleno, Sandrina A; Alves, Maria Jose; Ferreira, Isabel C F R

2018-01-24

The infusions of Thymus pallescens Noë, Saccocalyx satureioides Coss. et Dur., Ptychotis verticillata Briq. and Limoniastrum guyonianum Boiss. have been used as medicinal remedies for many diseases in Algerian folk medicine. These species have also been well documented as rich sources of phytochemicals, such as phenolic compounds with wide diversified chemical structures, which exhibit far-ranging biological activities. Thus, the phenolic compound profile of the aqueous extracts, obtained by infusing, of the mentioned species was obtained by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS, and their antibacterial activity was evaluated against clinical isolates. Several phenolic acids were identified and quantified, particularly caffeic acid derivatives along with glycosylated flavonoids. T. pallescens and S. satureioides contain 13 phenolic compounds, where rosmarinic acid was the most abundant phenolic acid present, while L. guyonianum presented myricetin-3-O-glucoside and myricetin-O-rhamnoside as the main compounds among the eight detected molecules. P. verticillata presented a profile of ten phenolic compounds, where 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid was the most abundant phenolic acid, followed by the flavone luteolin-3-O-glucoside. The antibacterial activity of the infusions ranged between 2.5 and 20 mg mL -1 (MIC values), and L. guyonianum showed the highest activity against all of the tested bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa being the most sensitive and resistant strains, respectively. Thus, the studied plant species are sources of natural antibacterial substances that can be used to fight against pathogenic microorganisms.

A remedy against obesity? The role of lactoferrin in the metabolism of glucose and lipids

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Jolanta Artym

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Obesity, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia/type II diabetes and hypertension together constitute the so-called metabolic syndrome. Frequency of occurrence of these serious metabolic disturbances is associated with life style and is on the rise in prosperous industrialized countries. These diseases represent not only a serious health problem but also social and economic ones, and involve in prophylaxis and treatment various specialists (physicians, dieticians and psychologists. For about two decades research has been conducted on the possibility to apply milk-derived proteins in prevention and treatment of the above mentioned metabolic diseases. Lactoferrin (LF, a protein present in milk and excretory fluids of mammals, is one of the most intensively studied milk proteins for therapeutic application. Initial trials revealing an advantageous effect of LF on lipid metabolism and obesity enrolled only a few volunteers and were performed in Japan in 2003. Subsequent trials were conducted on animals as well as in clinics, and the positive results were supported by in vitro tests. After oral administration of LF, decreases of body weight, waist measurement, visceral fat tissue, plasma and liver fatty acid concentrations, triglycerides and cholesterol were registered. The mechanism of LF action may involve several processes, such as inhibition of adipogenesis, decrease of dietary triglyceride absorption, elevation of HDL cholesterol possessing anti-atherogenic properties, inhibition of accumulation of oxidized LDL cholesterol forms in macrophages and protection against formation of foam cells. LF also increases the susceptibility of cells to insulin action, including in conditions when the response to insulin is lowered (during inflammation. In addition, LF regulates activity of insulin-like growth factor (IGF. The data collected to date indicate that LF is a promising, completely nontoxic, natural remedy which (as for example a food supplement may be applied

What Is Needed to Eradicate Lymphatic Filariasis? A Model-Based Assessment on the Impact of Scaling Up Mass Drug Administration Programs.

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Randee J Kastner

Full Text Available Lymphatic filariasis (LF is a neglected tropical disease for which more than a billion people in 73 countries are thought to be at-risk. At a global level, the efforts against LF are designed as an elimination program. However, current efforts appear to aim for elimination in some but not all endemic areas. With the 2020 goal of elimination looming, we set out to develop plausible scale-up scenarios to reach global elimination and eradication. We predict the duration of mass drug administration (MDA necessary to reach local elimination for a variety of transmission archetypes using an existing model of LF transmission, estimate the number of treatments required for each scenario, and consider implications of rapid scale-up.We have defined four scenarios that differ in their geographic coverage and rate of scale-up. For each scenario, country-specific simulations and calculations were performed that took into account the pre-intervention transmission intensity, the different vector genera, drug regimen, achieved level of population coverage, previous progress toward elimination, and potential programmatic delays due to mapping, operations, and administration.Our results indicate that eliminating LF by 2020 is unlikely. If MDA programs are drastically scaled up and expanded, the final round of MDA for LF eradication could be delivered in 2028 after 4,159 million treatments. However, if the current rate of scale-up is maintained, the final round of MDA to eradicate LF may not occur until 2050.Rapid scale-up of MDA will decrease the amount of time and treatments required to reach LF eradication. It may also propel the program towards success, as the risk of failure is likely to increase with extended program duration.

Predicting the current and future potential distributions of lymphatic filariasis in Africa using maximum entropy ecological niche modelling.

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Hannah Slater

Full Text Available Modelling the spatial distributions of human parasite species is crucial to understanding the environmental determinants of infection as well as for guiding the planning of control programmes. Here, we use ecological niche modelling to map the current potential distribution of the macroparasitic disease, lymphatic filariasis (LF, in Africa, and to estimate how future changes in climate and population could affect its spread and burden across the continent. We used 508 community-specific infection presence data collated from the published literature in conjunction with five predictive environmental/climatic and demographic variables, and a maximum entropy niche modelling method to construct the first ecological niche maps describing potential distribution and burden of LF in Africa. We also ran the best-fit model against climate projections made by the HADCM3 and CCCMA models for 2050 under A2a and B2a scenarios to simulate the likely distribution of LF under future climate and population changes. We predict a broad geographic distribution of LF in Africa extending from the west to the east across the middle region of the continent, with high probabilities of occurrence in the Western Africa compared to large areas of medium probability interspersed with smaller areas of high probability in Central and Eastern Africa and in Madagascar. We uncovered complex relationships between predictor ecological niche variables and the probability of LF occurrence. We show for the first time that predicted climate change and population growth will expand both the range and risk of LF infection (and ultimately disease in an endemic region. We estimate that populations at risk to LF may range from 543 and 804 million currently, and that this could rise to between 1.65 to 1.86 billion in the future depending on the climate scenario used and thresholds applied to signify infection presence.

Differential effects of low-fat and high-fat diets on fed-state hepatic triacylglycerol secretion, hepatic fatty acid profiles, and DGAT-1 protein expression in obese-prone Sprague–Dawley rats

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Heden, Timothy D.; Morris, E. Matthew; Kearney, Monica L.; Liu, Tzu-Wen; Park, Young-min; Kanaley, Jill A.; Thyfault, John P.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of short-term low-fat (LF) and high-fat (HF) diets on fed-state hepatic triacylglycerol (TAG) secretion, the content of proteins involved in TAG assembly and secretion, fatty acid oxidation (FAO), and the fatty acid profile of stored TAG. Using selectively bred obese-prone Sprague–Dawley rats, we directly measured fed-state hepatic TAG secretion, using Tyloxapol (a lipoprotein lipase inhibitor) and a standardized oral mixed meal (45% carbohydrate, 40% fat, 15% protein) bolus in animals fed a HF or LF diet for 2 weeks, after which the rats were maintained on their respective diet for 1 week (washout) prior to the liver being excised to measure protein content, FAO, and TAG fatty acid profiles. Hepatic DGAT-1 protein expression was ~27% lower in HF- than in LF-fed animals (p < 0.05); the protein expression of all other molecules was similar in the 2 diets. The fed-state hepatic TAG secretion rate was ~39% lower (p < 0.05) in HF- (4.62 ± 0.18 mmol·h−1) than in LF- (7.60 ± 0.57 mmol·h−1) fed animals. Hepatic TAG content was ~2-fold higher (p < 0.05) in HF- (1.07 ± 0.15 nmol·g−1 tissue) than in LF- (0.50 ± 0.16 nmol·g−1 tissue) fed animals. In addition, the fatty acid profile of liver TAG in HF-fed animals closely resembled the diet, whereas in LF-fed animals, the fatty acid profile consisted of mostly de novo synthesized fatty acids. FAO was not altered by diet. LF and HF diets differentially alter fed-state hepatic TAG secretion, hepatic fatty acid profiles, and DGAT-1 protein expression. PMID:24669989

Differential effects of low-fat and high-fat diets on fed-state hepatic triacylglycerol secretion, hepatic fatty acid profiles, and DGAT-1 protein expression in obese-prone Sprague-Dawley rats.

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Heden, Timothy D; Morris, E Matthew; Kearney, Monica L; Liu, Tzu-Wen; Park, Young-Min; Kanaley, Jill A; Thyfault, John P

2014-04-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of short-term low-fat (LF) and high-fat (HF) diets on fed-state hepatic triacylglycerol (TAG) secretion, the content of proteins involved in TAG assembly and secretion, fatty acid oxidation (FAO), and the fatty acid profile of stored TAG. Using selectively bred obese-prone Sprague-Dawley rats, we directly measured fed-state hepatic TAG secretion, using Tyloxapol (a lipoprotein lipase inhibitor) and a standardized oral mixed meal (45% carbohydrate, 40% fat, 15% protein) bolus in animals fed a HF or LF diet for 2 weeks, after which the rats were maintained on their respective diet for 1 week (washout) prior to the liver being excised to measure protein content, FAO, and TAG fatty acid profiles. Hepatic DGAT-1 protein expression was ∼27% lower in HF- than in LF-fed animals (p < 0.05); the protein expression of all other molecules was similar in the 2 diets. The fed-state hepatic TAG secretion rate was ∼39% lower (p < 0.05) in HF- (4.62 ± 0.18 mmol·h(-1)) than in LF- (7.60 ± 0.57 mmol·h(-1)) fed animals. Hepatic TAG content was ∼2-fold higher (p < 0.05) in HF- (1.07 ± 0.15 nmol·g(-1) tissue) than in LF- (0.50 ± 0.16 nmol·g(-1) tissue) fed animals. In addition, the fatty acid profile of liver TAG in HF-fed animals closely resembled the diet, whereas in LF-fed animals, the fatty acid profile consisted of mostly de novo synthesized fatty acids. FAO was not altered by diet. LF and HF diets differentially alter fed-state hepatic TAG secretion, hepatic fatty acid profiles, and DGAT-1 protein expression.

Autonomic Recovery Is Delayed in Chinese Compared with Caucasian following Treadmill Exercise.

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Peng Sun

Full Text Available Caucasian populations have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD when compared with their Chinese counterparts and CVD is associated with autonomic function. It is unknown whether autonomic function during exercise recovery differs between Caucasians and Chinese. The present study investigated autonomic recovery following an acute bout of treadmill exercise in healthy Caucasians and Chinese. Sixty-two participants (30 Caucasian and 32 Chinese, 50% male performed an acute bout of treadmill exercise at 70% of heart rate reserve. Heart rate variability (HRV and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS were obtained during 5-min epochs at pre-exercise, 30-min, and 60-min post-exercise. HRV was assessed using frequency [natural logarithm of high (LnHF and low frequency (LnLF powers, normalized high (nHF and low frequency (nLF powers, and LF/HF ratio] and time domains [Root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD, natural logarithm of RMSSD (LnRMSSD and R-R interval (RRI]. Spontaneous BRS included both up-up and down-down sequences. At pre-exercise, no group differences were observed for any HR, HRV and BRS parameters. During exercise recovery, significant race-by-time interactions were observed for LnHF, nHF, nLF, LF/HF, LnRMSSD, RRI, HR, and BRS (up-up. The declines in LnHF, nHF, RMSSD, RRI and BRS (up-up and the increases in LF/HF, nLF and HR were blunted in Chinese when compared to Caucasians from pre-exercise to 30-min to 60-min post-exercise. Chinese exhibited delayed autonomic recovery following an acute bout of treadmill exercise. This delayed autonomic recovery may result from greater sympathetic dominance and extended vagal withdrawal in Chinese.Chinese Clinical Trial Register ChiCTR-IPR-15006684.

Autonomic Recovery Is Delayed in Chinese Compared with Caucasian following Treadmill Exercise.

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Sun, Peng; Yan, Huimin; Ranadive, Sushant M; Lane, Abbi D; Kappus, Rebecca M; Bunsawat, Kanokwan; Baynard, Tracy; Hu, Min; Li, Shichang; Fernhall, Bo

2016-01-01

Caucasian populations have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) when compared with their Chinese counterparts and CVD is associated with autonomic function. It is unknown whether autonomic function during exercise recovery differs between Caucasians and Chinese. The present study investigated autonomic recovery following an acute bout of treadmill exercise in healthy Caucasians and Chinese. Sixty-two participants (30 Caucasian and 32 Chinese, 50% male) performed an acute bout of treadmill exercise at 70% of heart rate reserve. Heart rate variability (HRV) and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) were obtained during 5-min epochs at pre-exercise, 30-min, and 60-min post-exercise. HRV was assessed using frequency [natural logarithm of high (LnHF) and low frequency (LnLF) powers, normalized high (nHF) and low frequency (nLF) powers, and LF/HF ratio] and time domains [Root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), natural logarithm of RMSSD (LnRMSSD) and R-R interval (RRI)]. Spontaneous BRS included both up-up and down-down sequences. At pre-exercise, no group differences were observed for any HR, HRV and BRS parameters. During exercise recovery, significant race-by-time interactions were observed for LnHF, nHF, nLF, LF/HF, LnRMSSD, RRI, HR, and BRS (up-up). The declines in LnHF, nHF, RMSSD, RRI and BRS (up-up) and the increases in LF/HF, nLF and HR were blunted in Chinese when compared to Caucasians from pre-exercise to 30-min to 60-min post-exercise. Chinese exhibited delayed autonomic recovery following an acute bout of treadmill exercise. This delayed autonomic recovery may result from greater sympathetic dominance and extended vagal withdrawal in Chinese. Chinese Clinical Trial Register ChiCTR-IPR-15006684.

Normal ranges and test-retest reproducibility of flow and velocity parameters in intracranial arteries measured with phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Correia de Verdier, Maria; Wikstroem, Johan

2016-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate normal ranges and test-retest reproducibility of phase-contrast MRI (PC-MRI)-measured flow and velocity parameters in intracranial arteries. Highest flow (HF), lowest flow (LF), peak systolic velocity (PSV), and end diastolic velocity (EDV) were measured at two dates in the anterior (ACA), middle (MCA), and posterior (PCA) cerebral arteries of 30 healthy volunteers using two-dimensional PC-MRI at 3 T. Least detectable difference (LDD) was calculated. In the left ACA, HF was (mean (range, LDD)) 126 ml/min (36-312, 59 %), LF 61 ml/min (0-156, 101 %), PSV 64 cm/s (32-141, 67 %), and EDV 35 cm/s (18-55, 42 %); in the right ACA, HF was 154 ml/min (42-246, 49 %), LF 77 ml/min (0-156, 131 %), PSV 75 cm/s (26-161, 82 %), and EDV 39 cm/s (7-59, 67 %). In the left MCA, HF was 235 ml/min (126-372, 35 %), LF 116 ml/min (42-186, 48 %), PSV 90 cm/s (55-183, 39 %), and EDV 46 cm/s (20-66, 28 %); in the right MCA, HF was 238 ml/min (162-342, 44 %), LF 120 ml/min (72-216, 48 %), PSV 88 cm/s (55-141, 35 %), and EDV 45 cm/s (26-67, 23 %). In the left PCA, HF was 108 ml/min (42-168, 54 %), LF 53 ml/min (18-108, 64 %), PSV 50 cm/s (24-77, 63 %), and EDV 28 cm/s (14-40, 45 %); in the right PCA, HF was 98 ml/min (30-162, 49 %), LF 49 ml/min (12-84, 55 %), PSV 47 cm/s (27-88, 59 %), and EDV 27 cm/s (16-41, 45 %). PC-MRI-measured flow and velocity parameters in the main intracranial arteries have large normal ranges. Reproducibility is highest in MCA. (orig.)

Normal ranges and test-retest reproducibility of flow and velocity parameters in intracranial arteries measured with phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging

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Correia de Verdier, Maria; Wikstroem, Johan [Uppsala University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala (Sweden)

2016-05-15

The purpose of the present study was to investigate normal ranges and test-retest reproducibility of phase-contrast MRI (PC-MRI)-measured flow and velocity parameters in intracranial arteries. Highest flow (HF), lowest flow (LF), peak systolic velocity (PSV), and end diastolic velocity (EDV) were measured at two dates in the anterior (ACA), middle (MCA), and posterior (PCA) cerebral arteries of 30 healthy volunteers using two-dimensional PC-MRI at 3 T. Least detectable difference (LDD) was calculated. In the left ACA, HF was (mean (range, LDD)) 126 ml/min (36-312, 59 %), LF 61 ml/min (0-156, 101 %), PSV 64 cm/s (32-141, 67 %), and EDV 35 cm/s (18-55, 42 %); in the right ACA, HF was 154 ml/min (42-246, 49 %), LF 77 ml/min (0-156, 131 %), PSV 75 cm/s (26-161, 82 %), and EDV 39 cm/s (7-59, 67 %). In the left MCA, HF was 235 ml/min (126-372, 35 %), LF 116 ml/min (42-186, 48 %), PSV 90 cm/s (55-183, 39 %), and EDV 46 cm/s (20-66, 28 %); in the right MCA, HF was 238 ml/min (162-342, 44 %), LF 120 ml/min (72-216, 48 %), PSV 88 cm/s (55-141, 35 %), and EDV 45 cm/s (26-67, 23 %). In the left PCA, HF was 108 ml/min (42-168, 54 %), LF 53 ml/min (18-108, 64 %), PSV 50 cm/s (24-77, 63 %), and EDV 28 cm/s (14-40, 45 %); in the right PCA, HF was 98 ml/min (30-162, 49 %), LF 49 ml/min (12-84, 55 %), PSV 47 cm/s (27-88, 59 %), and EDV 27 cm/s (16-41, 45 %). PC-MRI-measured flow and velocity parameters in the main intracranial arteries have large normal ranges. Reproducibility is highest in MCA. (orig.)

Magnetic resonance imaging of lumbar spine. Comparison of multiple spin echo and low flip angle gradient echo imaging

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Murakami, Takamichi; Fujita, Norihiko; Harada, Koushi; Kozuka, Takahiro (Osaka Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Medicine)

1989-07-01

Sixteen patients including 13 cases with disk herniation and 3 cases with spondylosis of lumbar spine were examined on a resistive MRI system operating at 0.1 T. All lesions were studied with both multiple spin echo (MSE) and low flip angle gradient echo (LF) techniques to evaluate which technique is more effective in detecting the disk degeneration and the indentation on subarachnoid space. MSE images were obtained with repetition time (TR) of 1100-1500 ms or cardiac gating, an echo time (TE) of 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 ms symmetrical 6 echoes, and total acquisition time of more than 281 sec. LF images were obtained with TR of 500, 250, and 100 ms, TE of 18 ms, a flip angle of 30 degree, and total acquisition time of 128 sec. Eleven lesions of spinal disk degeneration and 12 of indentation on subarachnoid space were detected with LF. On the other hand, 26 lesions of spinal disk degeneration and 38 of indentation on subarachnoid space were detected with MSE. Although the parameters of LF employed in this study were relatively effective to emphasize T2{sup *}-based contrast, the ability of LF in detection of spinal disk degeneration and indentation on subarachnoid space is less than that of MSE. Signal contrast to noise ratios for normal disk and degenerative disk, epidural-fat and disk herniated material, CSF and disk herniated material, and epidural-fat and CSF were less than 4 with LF, but more than 4 with MSE. This difference of contrast to noise ratio between MSE and LF was one of the main causes of the difference of the detection rate of spinal disk degeneration and indentation on subarachnoid space. (author).

Magnetic resonance imaging of lumbar spine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murakami, Takamichi; Fujita, Norihiko; Harada, Koushi; Kozuka, Takahiro

1989-01-01

Sixteen patients including 13 cases with disk herniation and 3 cases with spondylosis of lumbar spine were examined on a resistive MRI system operating at 0.1 T. All lesions were studied with both multiple spin echo (MSE) and low flip angle gradient echo (LF) techniques to evaluate which technique is more effective in detecting the disk degeneration and the indentation on subarachnoid space. MSE images were obtained with repetition time (TR) of 1100-1500 ms or cardiac gating, an echo time (TE) of 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 ms symmetrical 6 echoes, and total acquisition time of more than 281 sec. LF images were obtained with TR of 500, 250, and 100 ms, TE of 18 ms, a flip angle of 30 degree, and total acquisition time of 128 sec. Eleven lesions of spinal disk degeneration and 12 of indentation on subarachnoid space were detected with LF. On the other hand, 26 lesions of spinal disk degeneration and 38 of indentation on subarachnoid space were detected with MSE. Although the parameters of LF employed in this study were relatively effective to emphasize T2 * -based contrast, the ability of LF in detection of spinal disk degeneration and indentation on subarachnoid space is less than that of MSE. Signal contrast to noise ratios for normal disk and degenerative disk, epidural-fat and disk herniated material, CSF and disk herniated material, and epidural-fat and CSF were less than 4 with LF, but more than 4 with MSE. This difference of contrast to noise ratio between MSE and LF was one of the main causes of the difference of the detection rate of spinal disk degeneration and indentation on subarachnoid space. (author)

The very low-frequency band of heart rate variability represents the slow recovery component after a mental stress task.

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Usui, Harunobu; Nishida, Yusuke

2017-01-01

The very low-frequency (VLF) band of heart rate variability (HRV) has different characteristics compared with other HRV components. Here we investigated differences in HRV changes after a mental stress task. After the task, the high-frequency (HF) band and ratio of high- to low-frequency bands (LF/HF) immediately returned to baseline. We evaluated the characteristics of VLF band changes after a mental stress task. We hypothesized that the VLF band decreases during the Stroop color word task and there would be a delayed recovery for 2 h after the task (i.e., the VLF change would exhibit a "slow recovery"). Nineteen healthy, young subjects were instructed to rest for 10 min, followed by a Stroop color word task for 20 min. After the task, the subjects were instructed to rest for 120 min. For all subjects, R-R interval data were collected; analysis was performed for VLF, HF, and LF/HF ratio. HRV during the rest time and each 15-min interval of the recovery time were compared. An analysis of the covariance was performed to adjust for the HF band and LF/HF ratio as confounding variables of the VLF component. HF and VLF bands significantly decreased and the LF/HF ratio significantly increased during the task compared with those during rest time. During recovery, the VLF band was significantly decreased compared with the rest time. After the task, the HF band and LF/HF ratio immediately returned to baseline and were not significantly different from the resting values. After adjusting for HF and LF/HF ratio, the VLF band had significantly decreased compared with that during rest. The VLF band is the "slow recovery" component and the HF band and LF/HF ratio are the "quick recovery" components of HRV. This VLF characteristic may clarify the unexplained association of the VLF band in cardiovascular disease prevention.

Instant centre frequency at anaesthetic induction--a new way to analyse sympathovagal balance.

Science.gov (United States)

de Souza Neto, Edmundo Pereira; Cerutti, Catherine; Loufoua, Joseph; Saroul, Christine; Chiari, Pascal; Custaud, Marc-Antoine; Lehot, Jean-Jacques

2003-02-01

The instant centre frequency (ICF) of RR interval has been proposed as a global index to analyse the sympathovagal interaction in the heart. The aim of this study was to assess the ICF during anaesthesia to test if it can reliably capture the neural control of the cardiovascular system. Twenty-four ASA II or III patients scheduled for cardiac surgery were included in the study. They were allocated in two groups: control, no treatment (group 1, n = 12), and beta-adrenergic blockade by atenolol (group 2, n = 12). Spectra of pulse interval series were computed with a time-frequency method and they were divided into: very low frequency (VLF, 0.000-0.040 Hz), low frequency (LF, 0.050-0.150 Hz) and high frequency (HF, 0.160-0.500 Hz). Normalized power was obtained by dividing the cumulative power within each frequency band (LF or HF) by the sum of LF and HF; the ratio of LF/HF was also calculated. Instant centre frequency is a time-varying parameter that the evolution along time of the gravity centrum of a local spectrum. All spectral indexes were recorded at the following time points: before induction, after induction and before intubation, during intubation, and after intubation. The atenolol group had lower normalized LF and the LF/HF ratio (P ICF was higher in atenolol group at all times. The ICF shifted towards HF frequency after induction and before intubation and shifted towards LF during intubation in both groups. The autonomic nervous system control on the heart through the interaction of sympathetic and parasympathetic reflex mechanisms could be studied by the ICF. The ICF may assess the autonomic cardiac modulation and may provide useful information for anaesthetic management.

Effect of variable soil texture, metal saturation of soil organic matter (SOM) and tree species composition on spatial distribution of SOM in forest soils in Poland.

Science.gov (United States)

Gruba, Piotr; Socha, Jarosław; Błońska, Ewa; Lasota, Jarosław

2015-07-15

In this study we investigated the effect of fine (ϕclay (FF) content in soils, site moisture, metal (Al and Fe) of soil organic matter (SOM) and forest species composition on the spatial distribution of carbon (C) pools in forest soils at the landscape scale. We established 275 plots in regular 200×200m grid in a forested area of 14.4km(2). Fieldwork included soil sampling of the organic horizon, mineral topsoil and subsoil down to 40cm deep. We analysed the vertical and horizontal distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, as well as the quantity of physically separated fractions including the free light (fLF), occluded light (oLF) and mineral associated fractions (MAF) in the mineral topsoil (A, AE) horizons. Distribution of C in soils was predominantly affected by the variation in the FF content. In soils richer in the FF more SOC was accumulated in mineral horizons and less in the organic horizons. Accumulation of SOC in mineral soil was also positively affected by the degree of saturation of SOM with Al and Fe. The increasing share of beech influenced the distribution of C stock in soil profiles by reducing the depth of O horizon and increasing C stored in mineral soil. The content of FF was positively correlated with the content of C in MAF and fLF fractions. The content of oLF and MAF fractions was also positively influenced by a higher degree of metal saturation, particularly Al. Our results confirmed that Al plays an important role in the stabilization of SOM inside aggregates (CoLF) and as in CMAF fractions. We also found a significant, positive effect of beech on the CfLF and fir on the CoLF content. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changes in autonomic nervous system activity after treatment with alpha-blocker in men with lower urinary tract symptoms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kang Hee Shim

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To determine changes in autonomic nervous system activity after treatment in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS, we evaluated changes in patients' symptoms, uroflowmetry, and heart rate variability (HRV after treatment with alpha-blockers for 12 weeks. Materials and Methods: Ninety-five men who had LUTS (International Prostate Symptom Score [IPSS] ≥8 were included in this study. We divided them into two groups on the basis of a low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF ratio of 1.6. After treatment with Xatral XL (Handok Inc., Korea 10 mg for 3 months, we rechecked their IPSS, uroflowmetry, HRV and compared these with the baseline measurements. Results: Fifty-four men were assigned to the low LF/HF group (group A: LF/HF ≤1.6 and 41 men to the high LF/HF group (group B: LF/HF >1.6. At baseline and 12 weeks, none of the parameters differed significantly between the groups except for HF, which is one of the parameters of HRV. IPSS, the IPSS-voiding subscore, and the IPSS-storage subscore decreased and maximal uroflow increased significantly after 12 weeks of treatment. Whereas the baseline LF/HF ratio increased from 0.89±0.407 to 1.80±1.804 after treatment in group A, it decreased from 3.93±5.471 to 1.79±1.153 in group B. Conclusions: The efficacies of Xatral XL were clear in both groups. We found that the LF/HF ratio in the two groups merged to a value of approximately 1.79 after treatment. We suggest that this could be a clue to the importance of balance in autonomic nervous system activity in men with LUTS.

Enzyme That Makes You Cry-Crystal Structure of Lachrymatory Factor Synthase from Allium cepa.

Science.gov (United States)

Silvaroli, Josie A; Pleshinger, Matthew J; Banerjee, Surajit; Kiser, Philip D; Golczak, Marcin

2017-09-15

The biochemical pathway that gives onions their savor is part of the chemical warfare against microbes and animals. This defense mechanism involves formation of a volatile lachrymatory factor (LF) ((Z)-propanethial S-oxide) that causes familiar eye irritation associated with onion chopping. LF is produced in a reaction catalyzed by lachrymatory factor synthase (LFS). The principles by which LFS facilitates conversion of a sulfenic acid substrate into LF have been difficult to experimentally examine owing to the inherent substrate reactivity and lability of LF. To shed light on the mechanism of LF production in the onion, we solved crystal structures of LFS in an apo-form and in complex with a substrate analogue, crotyl alcohol. The enzyme closely resembles the helix-grip fold characteristic for plant representatives of the START (star-related lipid transfer) domain-containing protein superfamily. By comparing the structures of LFS to that of the abscisic acid receptor, PYL10, a representative of the START protein superfamily, we elucidated structural adaptations underlying the catalytic activity of LFS. We also delineated the architecture of the active site, and based on the orientation of the ligand, we propose a mechanism of catalysis that involves sequential proton transfer accompanied by formation of a carbanion intermediate. These findings reconcile chemical and biochemical information regarding thioaldehyde S-oxide formation and close a long-lasting gap in understanding of the mechanism responsible for LF production in the onion.

Nitric oxide and nitrous oxide emissions from cattle-slurry and mineral fertiliser treated with nitrification inhibitor to an agricultural soil: A laboratory approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pereira, J.; Coutinho, J.; Fangueiro, D.; Trindade, H.

2015-07-01

The application of organic and mineral fertilisers to soil can result in increased gaseous emissions to the atmosphere such as nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous oxide (N2O) gases. The aim of this study was to evaluate under laboratory conditions the effects on mineral N dynamics and NO and N2O emissions of application to soil of cattle slurry derived liquid fraction (LF) obtained by screw press and mineral fertiliser (MF), both treated with or without the nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP). An aerobic laboratory incubation was performed over 93 days with a Dystric Cambisol amended with mechanically separated LF or mineral fertiliser ammonium sulphate only or combined with DMPP. Two additional treatments were included: soil only and soil amended with DMPP. Nitrogen immobilisation was the dominant process with MF amendment, whereas N mineralisation has been observed with LF. The application of LF reduced significantly NO emissions by 80% relative to mineral but no differences were observed with N2O emissions. The addition of DMPP to MF induced a decrease of 18 and 29% in NO and N2O emissions whereas DMPP combined with LF reduced (numerically but not statistically) these emissions in 20 and 10%, respectively. Results obtained in our study suggest that N (NO + N2O) losses can be mitigated by adding DMPP to mineral fertilisers or replacing mineral fertiliser by LF. (Author)

Enzyme That Makes You Cry–Crystal Structure of Lachrymatory Factor Synthase from Allium cepa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silvaroli, Josie A. [Department; Pleshinger, Matthew J. [Department; College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio, United States; Banerjee, Surajit [Department; Northeastern; Kiser, Philip D. [Department; Research; Cleveland; Golczak, Marcin [Department; Cleveland

2017-07-26

The biochemical pathway that gives onions their savor is part of the chemical warfare against microbes and animals. This defense mechanism involves formation of a volatile lachrymatory factor (LF) ((Z)-propanethial S-oxide) that causes familiar eye irritation associated with onion chopping. LF is produced in a reaction catalyzed by lachrymatory factor synthase (LFS). The principles by which LFS facilitates conversion of a sulfenic acid substrate into LF have been difficult to experimentally examine owing to the inherent substrate reactivity and lability of LF. To shed light on the mechanism of LF production in the onion, we solved crystal structures of LFS in an apo-form and in complex with a substrate analogue, crotyl alcohol. The enzyme closely resembles the helix-grip fold characteristic for plant representatives of the START (star-related lipid transfer) domain-containing protein superfamily. By comparing the structures of LFS to that of the abscisic acid receptor, PYL10, a representative of the START protein superfamily, we elucidated structural adaptations underlying the catalytic activity of LFS. We also delineated the architecture of the active site, and based on the orientation of the ligand, we propose a mechanism of catalysis that involves sequential proton transfer accompanied by formation of a carbanion intermediate. These findings reconcile chemical and biochemical information regarding thioaldehyde S-oxide formation and close a long-lasting gap in understanding of the mechanism responsible for LF production in the onion.

Detekce, identifikace a typizace dermatofytů molekulárně genetickými metodami

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Čmoková, A.; Hamal, P.; Svobodová, L.; Hubka, Vít

2014-01-01

Roč. 89, č. 4 (2014), s. 175-186 ISSN 1803-6597 Grant - others:Universita Karlova(CZ) 1344214; 1. LF UK(CZ) LF_2014/021 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : detection * mycosis * dermatophytes Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology

The brain adjusts grip forces differently according to gravity and inertia: a parabolic flight experiment

Science.gov (United States)

White, Olivier

2015-01-01

In everyday life, one of the most frequent activities involves accelerating and decelerating an object held in precision grip. In many contexts, humans scale and synchronize their grip force (GF), normal to the finger/object contact, in anticipation of the expected tangential load force (LF), resulting from the combination of the gravitational and the inertial forces. In many contexts, GF and LF are linearly coupled. A few studies have examined how we adjust the parameters–gain and offset–of this linear relationship. However, the question remains open as to how the brain adjusts GF regardless of whether LF is generated by different combinations of weight and inertia. Here, we designed conditions to generate equivalent magnitudes of LF by independently varying mass and movement frequency. In a control experiment, we directly manipulated gravity in parabolic flights, while other factors remained constant. We show with a simple computational approach that, to adjust GF, the brain is sensitive to how LFs are produced at the fingertips. This provides clear evidence that the analysis of the origin of LF is performed centrally, and not only at the periphery. PMID:25717293

Low-frequency sound affects active micromechanics in the human inner ear

Science.gov (United States)

Kugler, Kathrin; Wiegrebe, Lutz; Grothe, Benedikt; Kössl, Manfred; Gürkov, Robert; Krause, Eike; Drexl, Markus

2014-01-01

Noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most common auditory pathologies, resulting from overstimulation of the human cochlea, an exquisitely sensitive micromechanical device. At very low frequencies (less than 250 Hz), however, the sensitivity of human hearing, and therefore the perceived loudness is poor. The perceived loudness is mediated by the inner hair cells of the cochlea which are driven very inadequately at low frequencies. To assess the impact of low-frequency (LF) sound, we exploited a by-product of the active amplification of sound outer hair cells (OHCs) perform, so-called spontaneous otoacoustic emissions. These are faint sounds produced by the inner ear that can be used to detect changes of cochlear physiology. We show that a short exposure to perceptually unobtrusive, LF sounds significantly affects OHCs: a 90 s, 80 dB(A) LF sound induced slow, concordant and positively correlated frequency and level oscillations of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions that lasted for about 2 min after LF sound offset. LF sounds, contrary to their unobtrusive perception, strongly stimulate the human cochlea and affect amplification processes in the most sensitive and important frequency range of human hearing. PMID:26064536

WRN conditioned media is sufficient for in vitro propagation of intestinal organoids from large farm and small companion animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Robin H; Behnke, Michael S

2017-05-15

Recent years have seen significant developments in the ability to continuously propagate organoids derived from intestinal crypts. These advancements have been applied to mouse and human samples providing models for gastrointestinal tissue development and disease. We adapt these methods for the propagation of intestinal organoids (enteroids) from various large farm and small companion (LF/SC) animals, including cat, dog, cow, horse, pig, sheep and chicken. We show that LF/SC enteroids propagate and expand in L-WRN conditioned media containing signaling factors Wnt3a, R-spondin-3, and Noggin (WRN). Multiple successful isolations were achieved for each species, and the growth of LF/SC enteroids was maintained to high passage number. LF/SC enteroids expressed crypt stem cell marker LGR5 and low levels of mesenchymal marker VIM. Labeling with EdU also showed distinct regions of cell proliferation within the enteroids marking crypt-like regions. The ability to grow and maintain LF/SC enteroid cell lines provides additional models for the study of gastrointestinal developmental biology as well as platforms for the study of host-pathogen interactions between intestinal cells and zoonotic enteric pathogens of medical importance. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Generation of bi-transgenic pigs overexpressing human lactoferrin and lysozyme in milk.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Dan; Li, Jia; Zhang, Linlin; Liu, Shen; Wen, Xiao; Li, Qiuyan; Zhao, Yaofeng; Hu, Xiaoxiang; Zhang, Ran; Li, Ning

2015-04-01

Intensive swine production industry uses antibiotics to treat diseases and improve pig growth. This can not only cause antibiotic resistance, but can also pollute the environment or eventually affect human public health. To date, human lactoferrin (hLF) and human lysozyme (hLZ) have been known as non-adaptive but interactive antimicrobial members and could act in concert against bacteria, which contribute to host defense. Therefore, their expression in pigs might be an alternative strategy for replacing antibiotics in the pig production industry. In our study, we produced hLF and hLZ bi-transgenic pigs and assessed the milk's antibacterial ability. Integration of both transgenes was confirmed by PCR and southern blot. Both the hLF and hLZ were expressed in the mammary gland of bi-transgenic pigs, as detected by western blotting. The expression amounts were 6.5 g/L for hLF and 1.1 mg/L for hLZ using ELISA. Interestingly, pig milk containing hLF and hLZ had synergistic antimicrobial activity. Our results suggest an alternative approach for avoiding the use of antibiotics in the pig industry, which would be of great benefit to the commercial swine production.

WRN conditioned media is sufficient for in vitro propagation of intestinal organoids from large farm and small companion animals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robin H. Powell

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Recent years have seen significant developments in the ability to continuously propagate organoids derived from intestinal crypts. These advancements have been applied to mouse and human samples providing models for gastrointestinal tissue development and disease. We adapt these methods for the propagation of intestinal organoids (enteroids from various large farm and small companion (LF/SC animals, including cat, dog, cow, horse, pig, sheep and chicken. We show that LF/SC enteroids propagate and expand in L-WRN conditioned media containing signaling factors Wnt3a, R-spondin-3, and Noggin (WRN. Multiple successful isolations were achieved for each species, and the growth of LF/SC enteroids was maintained to high passage number. LF/SC enteroids expressed crypt stem cell marker LGR5 and low levels of mesenchymal marker VIM. Labeling with EdU also showed distinct regions of cell proliferation within the enteroids marking crypt-like regions. The ability to grow and maintain LF/SC enteroid cell lines provides additional models for the study of gastrointestinal developmental biology as well as platforms for the study of host-pathogen interactions between intestinal cells and zoonotic enteric pathogens of medical importance.

Etching characteristics and application of physical-vapor-deposited amorphous carbon for multilevel resist

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, H. T.; Kwon, B. S.; Lee, N.-E.; Park, Y. S.; Cho, H. J.; Hong, B.

2008-01-01

For the fabrication of a multilevel resist (MLR) based on a very thin, physical-vapor-deposited (PVD) amorphous carbon (a-C) layer, the etching characteristics of the PVD a-C layer with a SiO x hard mask were investigated in a dual-frequency superimposed capacitively coupled plasma etcher by varying the following process parameters in O 2 /N 2 /Ar plasmas: high-frequency/low-frequency combination (f HF /f LF ), HF/LF power ratio (P HF /P LF ), and O 2 and N 2 flow rates. The very thin nature of the a-C layer helps to keep the aspect ratio of the etched features low. The etch rate of the PVD a-C layer increased with decreasing f HF /f LF combination and increasing P LF and was initially increased but then decreased with increasing N 2 flow rate in O 2 /N 2 /Ar plasmas. The application of a 30 nm PVD a-C layer in the MLR structure of ArF PR/BARC/SiO x /PVD a-C/TEOS oxide supported the possibility of using a very thin PVD a-C layer as an etch-mask layer for the TEOS-oxide layer

Stigma reduction and improved knowledge and attitudes towards filariasis using a comic book for children.

Science.gov (United States)

el-Setouhy, Maged A; Rio, Francisco

2003-04-01

WHO has initiated a global program for lymphatic filariasis (LF) elimination by year 2020. A comic book was designed to improve knowledge and attitudes of Egyptian school children, which included messages on the acceptability of Mass Drug Administration (MDA) and stigma reduction. Comic book administration significantly reduced the fear of the studied children from LF as a killer disease. It helped in positively changing the attitudes of the children towards Elephantiasis patients (p-value comic book also reduced the number of children who had earlier stated that they would avoid someone with LF. Knowledge about the ability of treating and preventing LF was also significantly increased among the children after reading the comic book. Moreover, comic book reading helped in raising the awareness towards MDA as the method of choice in preventing LF. Most of the children liked the comic book and its contents. Importantly, 96.2% found this book easy to understand. Many of relatives and friends read the comic book within 2 weeks after distribution. A well-accepted comic book for children is a proven way to reduce stigma and increase knowledge about disease prevention and treatment.

Subjective relevance of objective measures for spatial impression (A)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Lily M.; Gade, Anders Christian

2000-01-01

Several objective measures have been proposed to describe the feeling of spatial impression in concert halls, including Lateral Energy Fraction (LF) and Interaural Cross-Correlation Coefficient (IACC). However, previous studies have shown that LF and IACC values did not highly correlate with each...... other at individual seat positions in real halls [J. S. Bradley, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 96, 3525–3535 (1994)]. To investigate the listener envelopment aspect of spatial impression further, subjective paired-comparison tests have been run using signals which have various values for LF, early IACC (from 5...

ANALYSIS OF LOW-FREQUENCY OSCILLATIONS FOR THE SOUTH CHINA SEA SUMMER MONSOON IN 1998

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

徐国强; 朱乾根

2003-01-01

With NCEP/NCAR reanalysis daily data and SST for 1998, the paper investigates the features of summer monsoon low-frequency oscillation (LFO) over the South China Sea (SCS). Results show that SCS summer monsoon onset is enhanced because of its LFO. Low-frequency (LF) low-level convergence (divergence) region of SCS is in the LF positive (negative) rainfall area. LFO of the SCS region migrates from south to north in the meridian and from west to east in zonal direction. LF divergence of SCS is vertically compensating to each other between high and low level.

Optical design and development of a snapshot light-field laryngoscope

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Shuaishuai; Jin, Peng; Liang, Rongguang; Gao, Liang

2018-02-01

The convergence of recent advances in optical fabrication and digital processing yields a generation of imaging technology-light-field (LF) cameras which bridge the realms of applied mathematics, optics, and high-performance computing. Herein for the first time, we introduce the paradigm of LF imaging into laryngoscopy. The resultant probe can image the three-dimensional shape of vocal folds within a single camera exposure. Furthermore, to improve the spatial resolution, we developed an image fusion algorithm, providing a simple solution to a long-standing problem in LF imaging.

Energy from biomass: nutrients exportation effects; Energia da biomassa: as implicacoes com a exportacao de nutrientes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Timoni, J L; Pontinha, A A.S.; Coelho, L C.C.; Buzato, O [Instituto Florestal do Estado de Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

1988-12-31

The biomass distribution, nutrients and energy of wood, branches, bark and needles in a pure forest of Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon with 16 years old is studied. This forest was established in Itirapina, Sao Paulo region. The nutrients exportation with the energy production at different levels of biomass harvesting during thinning operations are also considered. The largest macronutrients concentration (N, P, K, Ca, Mg,and S) and micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Zn, B, Na, and Al) was found in the needles following the bark, branches and wood. Based on those data it is concluded that for diminished the problem only the wood must be removed from the forest. 5 refs., 2 tabs.

Techos verdes y el confort térmico en Angostillo, Veracruz, México.

OpenAIRE

Beltrán Melgarejo, Abraham

2013-01-01

Se diseñó un prototipo de techo verde con enredaderas tropicales y se evaluó el confort térmico brindado por éste en viviendas de una zona rural tropical. Con base en entrevistas a viveristas de la región centro de Veracruz y un recorrido de campo, se preseleccionaron cinco especies Mandevilla sanderi, Solandra maxima, Passiflora edulis, Thunbergia alata y Cissus verticillata. Se evaluó la adaptabilidad de éstas al ambiente sobre techos modelo en condiciones de campo, midiendo sus tasas de cr...

Human Lumbar Ligamentum Flavum Anatomy for Epidural Anesthesia: Reviewing a 3D MR-Based Interactive Model and Postmortem Samples

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reina, Miguel A.; Lirk, Philipp; Puigdellívol-Sánchez, Anna; Mavar, Marija; Prats-Galino, Alberto

2016-01-01

The ligamentum flavum (LF) forms the anatomic basis for the loss-of-resistance technique essential to the performance of epidural anesthesia. However, the LF presents considerable interindividual variability, including the possibility of midline gaps, which may influence the performance of epidural

Lactobacillus plantarum- Bifidobacterium longum and Strept

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2010-03-08

Mar 8, 2010 ... α-NH2 released in μM/mg) and total proteins (in µg/mg) gave significant values (p < 0.05) for LF2 when compared to LF1. ... INTRODUCTION. Throughout .... samples was performed under denaturing conditions as described.

Lymphatic filariasis in Papua New Guinea: distribution at district level and impact of mass drug administration, 1980 to 2011

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Lymphatic filariasis (LF) caused by Wuchereria bancrofti is present at high prevalence in some parts of Papua New Guinea. However, there has been no rigorous data-based representative assessment of nationwide prevalence of LF. The LF programme has been daunted by the scope of the problem, and progress on mass drug administration (MDA) has been slow and lacking in resources. Methods A systematic literature review identified LF surveys in Papua New Guinea between 1980 and 2011. Results were extracted by location, time period and test used (blood slide, immunochromatographic test (ICT) or Og4C3 ELISA) and combined by district. Three criteria schemes based on the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis guidelines, with modifications, were developed to classify and prioritize districts by prevalence level. Results of repeated surveys in the same sites were used to investigate the impact of MDA on LF prevalence over the time period. Results There were 312 distinct survey sites identified in 80 of the 89 districts over the 31-year period. The overall LF prevalence in the sites tested was estimated at 18.5 to 27.5% by blood slide for microfilariae (Mf), 10.1% to 12.9% by ICT and 45.4% to 48.8% by Og4C3. Biases in site selection towards areas with LF, and change in type of assay used, affected the prevalence estimates, but overall decline in prevalence over the time period was observed. Depending on the criteria used, 34 to 36 districts (population 2.7 to 2.9 million) were classed as high endemic (≥5% prevalence), 15 to 25 districts (1.7 to 1.9 million) as low endemic (Papua New Guinea enables better estimation of the national burden, identifies gaps in knowledge, quantifies and locates the population at risk, and can be used to predict the likely impact of MDA and/or vector control. Better targeting of districts by level of prevalence will strengthen the control programme, facilitate monitoring of the disease trend and increase the likelihood of

Lactoferrin-modified rotigotine nanoparticles for enhanced nose-to-brain delivery: LESA-MS/MS-based drug biodistribution, pharmacodynamics, and neuroprotective effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yan X

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Xiuju Yan,1,* Lixiao Xu,1,* Chenchen Bi,1 Dongyu Duan,1 Liuxiang Chu,1 Xin Yu,1 Zimei Wu,1 Aiping Wang,1,2 Kaoxiang Sun1,2 1School of Pharmacy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University, Ministry of Education, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong Province, 2State Key Laboratory of Long-Acting and Targeting Drug Delivery System, Shandong Luye Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Yantai, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Introduction: Efficient delivery of rotigotine into the brain is crucial for obtaining maximum therapeutic efficacy for Parkinson’s disease (PD. Therefore, in the present study, we prepared lactoferrin-modified rotigotine nanoparticles (Lf-R-NPs and studied their biodistribution, pharmacodynamics, and neuroprotective effects following nose-to-brain delivery in the rat 6-hydroxydopamine model of PD.Materials and methods: The biodistribution of rotigotine nanoparticles (R-NPs and Lf-R-NPs after intranasal administration was assessed by liquid extraction surface analysis coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Contralateral rotations were quantified to evaluate pharmacodynamics. Tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporter immunohistochemistry were performed to compare the neuroprotective effects of levodopa, R-NPs, and Lf-R-NPs.Results: Liquid extraction surface analysis coupled with tandem mass spectrometry analysis, used to examine rotigotine biodistribution, showed that Lf-R-NPs more efficiently supplied rotigotine to the brain (with a greater sustained amount of the drug delivered to this organ, and with more effective targeting to the striatum than R-NPs. The pharmacodynamic study revealed a significant difference (P<0.05 in contralateral rotations between rats treated with Lf-R-NPs and those treated with R-NPs. Furthermore, Lf

“Iron-saturated” bovine lactoferrin improves the chemotherapeutic effects of tamoxifen in the treatment of basal-like breast cancer in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Xueying; Jiang, Ruohan; Przepiorski, Aneta; Reddy, Shiva; Palmano, Kate P; Krissansen, Geoffrey W

2012-01-01

Tamoxifen is used in hormone therapy for estrogen-receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer, but also has chemopreventative effects against ER-negative breast cancers. This study sought to investigate whether oral iron-saturated bovine lactoferrin (Fe-Lf), a natural product which enhances chemotherapy, could improve the chemotherapeutic effects of tamoxifen in the treatment of ER-negative breast cancers. In a model of breast cancer prevention, female Balb/c mice treated with tamoxifen (5 mg/Kg) were fed an Fe-Lf supplemented diet (5 g/Kg diet) or the base diet. At week 2, 4T1 mammary carcinoma cells were injected into an inguinal mammary fat pad. In a model of breast cancer treatment, tamoxifen treatment was not started until two weeks following tumor cell injection. Tumor growth, metastasis, body weight, and levels of interleukin 18 (IL-18) and interferon γ (IFN-γ) were analyzed. Tamoxifen weakly (IC 50 ~ 8 μM) inhibited the proliferation of 4T1 cells at pharmacological concentrations in vitro. In the tumor prevention study, a Fe-Lf diet in combination with tamoxifen caused a 4 day delay in tumor formation, and significantly inhibited tumor growth and metastasis to the liver and lung by 48, 58, and 66% (all P < 0.001), respectively, compared to untreated controls. The combination therapy was significantly (all P < 0.05) more effective than the respective monotherapies. Oral Fe-Lf attenuated the loss of body weight caused by tamoxifen and cancer cachexia. It prevented tamoxifen-induced reductions in serum levels of IL-18 and IFN-γ, and intestinal cells expressing IL-18 and IFN-γ. It increased the levels of Lf in leukocytes residing in gut-associated lymphoid tissues. B, T and Natural killer (NK) cells containing high levels of Lf were identified in 4T1 tumors, suggesting they had migrated from the intestine. Similar effects of Fe-Lf and tamoxifen on tumor cell viability were seen in the treatment of established tumors. The results indicate that Fe-Lf is a potent

“Iron-saturated” bovine lactoferrin improves the chemotherapeutic effects of tamoxifen in the treatment of basal-like breast cancer in mice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Xueying [Department of Molecular Medicine & Pathology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1005 (New Zealand); Department of General Surgery, The Hepatosplenic Surgery Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001 (China); Jiang, Ruohan; Przepiorski, Aneta; Reddy, Shiva [Department of Molecular Medicine & Pathology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1005 (New Zealand); Palmano, Kate P [Fonterra Research Centre, Palmerston North, 4442 (New Zealand); Krissansen, Geoffrey W [Department of Molecular Medicine & Pathology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1005 (New Zealand)

2012-12-11

Tamoxifen is used in hormone therapy for estrogen-receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer, but also has chemopreventative effects against ER-negative breast cancers. This study sought to investigate whether oral iron-saturated bovine lactoferrin (Fe-Lf), a natural product which enhances chemotherapy, could improve the chemotherapeutic effects of tamoxifen in the treatment of ER-negative breast cancers. In a model of breast cancer prevention, female Balb/c mice treated with tamoxifen (5 mg/Kg) were fed an Fe-Lf supplemented diet (5 g/Kg diet) or the base diet. At week 2, 4T1 mammary carcinoma cells were injected into an inguinal mammary fat pad. In a model of breast cancer treatment, tamoxifen treatment was not started until two weeks following tumor cell injection. Tumor growth, metastasis, body weight, and levels of interleukin 18 (IL-18) and interferon γ (IFN-γ) were analyzed. Tamoxifen weakly (IC{sub 50} ~ 8 μM) inhibited the proliferation of 4T1 cells at pharmacological concentrations in vitro. In the tumor prevention study, a Fe-Lf diet in combination with tamoxifen caused a 4 day delay in tumor formation, and significantly inhibited tumor growth and metastasis to the liver and lung by 48, 58, and 66% (all P < 0.001), respectively, compared to untreated controls. The combination therapy was significantly (all P < 0.05) more effective than the respective monotherapies. Oral Fe-Lf attenuated the loss of body weight caused by tamoxifen and cancer cachexia. It prevented tamoxifen-induced reductions in serum levels of IL-18 and IFN-γ, and intestinal cells expressing IL-18 and IFN-γ. It increased the levels of Lf in leukocytes residing in gut-associated lymphoid tissues. B, T and Natural killer (NK) cells containing high levels of Lf were identified in 4T1 tumors, suggesting they had migrated from the intestine. Similar effects of Fe-Lf and tamoxifen on tumor cell viability were seen in the treatment of established tumors. The results indicate that Fe-Lf is a

Community-based field implementation scenarios of a short message service reporting tool for lymphatic filariasis case estimates in Africa and Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mableson, Hayley E; Martindale, Sarah; Stanton, Michelle C; Mackenzie, Charles; Kelly-Hope, Louise A

2017-01-01

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) targeted for global elimination by 2020. Currently there is considerable international effort to scale-up morbidity management activities in endemic countries, however there remains a need for rapid, cost-effective methods and adaptable tools for obtaining estimates of people presenting with clinical manifestations of LF, namely lymphoedema and hydrocele. The mHealth tool ' MeasureSMS-Morbidity ' allows health workers in endemic areas to use their own mobile phones to send clinical information in a simple format using short message service (SMS). The experience gained through programmatic use of the tool in five endemic countries across a diversity of settings in Africa and Asia is used here to present implementation scenarios that are suitable for adapting the tool for use in a range of different programmatic, endemic, demographic and health system settings. A checklist of five key factors and sub-questions was used to determine and define specific community-based field implementation scenarios for using the MeasureSMS-Morbidity tool in a range of settings. These factors included: (I) tool feasibility (acceptability; community access and ownership); (II) LF endemicity (high; low prevalence); (III) population demography (urban; rural); (IV) health system structure (human resources; community access); and (V) integration with other diseases (co-endemicity). Based on experiences in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Malawi, Nepal and Tanzania, four implementation scenarios were identified as suitable for using the MeasureSMS-Morbidity tool for searching and reporting LF clinical case data across a range of programmatic, endemic, demographic and health system settings. These include: (I) urban, high endemic setting with two-tier reporting; (II) rural, high endemic setting with one-tier reporting; (III) rural, high endemic setting with two-tier reporting; and (IV) low-endemic, urban and rural setting with one

Urban lymphatic filariasis in the metropolis of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

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Mwakitalu, Mbutolwe E; Malecela, Mwelecele N; Pedersen, Erling M; Mosha, Franklin W; Simonsen, Paul E

2013-09-30

The last decades have seen a considerable increase in urbanization in Sub-Saharan Africa, and it is estimated that over 50% of the population will live in urban areas by 2040. Rapid growth of cities combined with limited economic resources often result in informal settlements and slums with favorable conditions for proliferation of vectors of lymphatic filariasis (LF). In Dar es Salaam, which has grown more than 30 times in population during the past 55 years (4.4 million inhabitants in 2012), previous surveys have indicated high prevalences of LF. This study investigated epidemiological aspects of LF in Dar es Salaam, as a background for planning and implementation of control. Six sites with varying distance from the city center (3-30 km) and covering different population densities, socioeconomic characteristics, and water, sewerage and sanitary facilities were selected for the study. Pupils from one public primary school at each site were screened for circulating filarial antigen (CFA; marker of adult worm infection) and antibodies to Bm14 (marker of exposure to transmission). Community members were examined for CFA, microfilariae and chronic manifestations. Structured questionnaires were administered to pupils and heads of community households, and vector surveys were carried out in selected households. The study indicated that a tremendous decrease in the burden of LF infection had occurred, despite haphazard urbanisation. Contributing factors may be urban malaria control targeting Anopheles vectors, short survival time of the numerous Culex quinquefasciatus vectors in the urban environment, widespread use of bed nets and other mosquito proofing measures, and mass drug administration (MDA) in 2006 and 2007. Although the level of ongoing transmission was low, the burden of chronic LF disease was still high. The development has so far been promising, but continued efforts are necessary to ensure elimination of LF as a public health problem. These will include

Oral administration of iron-saturated bovine lactoferrin–loaded ceramic nanocapsules for breast cancer therapy and influence on iron and calcium metabolism

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Mahidhara G

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Ganesh Mahidhara, Rupinder K Kanwar, Kislay Roy, Jagat R Kanwar Nanomedicine-Laboratory of Immunology and Molecular Biomedical Research, School of Medicine, Molecular and Medical Research Strategic Research Centre, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, Australia Abstract: We determined the anticancer efficacy and internalization mechanism of our polymeric–ceramic nanoparticle system (calcium phosphate nanocores, enclosed in biodegradable polymers chitosan and alginate nanocapsules/nanocarriers [ACSC NCs] loaded with iron-saturated bovine lactoferrin (Fe-bLf in a breast cancer xenograft model. ACSC-Fe-bLf NCs with an overall size of 322±27.2 nm were synthesized. In vitro internalization and anticancer efficacy were evaluated in the MDA-MB-231 cells using multicellular tumor spheroids, CyQUANT and MTT assays. These NCs were orally delivered in a breast cancer xenograft mice model, and their internalization, cytotoxicity, biodistribution, and anticancer efficacy were evaluated. Chitosan-coated calcium phosphate Fe-bLf NCs effectively (59%, P≤0.005 internalized in a 1-hour period using clathrin-mediated endocytosis (P≤0.05 and energy-mediated pathways (P≤0.05 for internalization; 3.3 mg/mL of ACSC-Fe-bLf NCs completely disintegrated (~130-fold reduction, P≤0.0005 the tumor spheroids in 72 hours and 96 hours. The IC50 values determined for ACSC-Fe-bLf NCs were 1.69 mg/mL at 10 hours and 1.62 mg/mL after 20 hours. We found that Fe-bLf-NCs effectively (P≤0.05 decreased the tumor size (4.8-fold compared to the void NCs diet and prevented tumor recurrence when compared to intraperitoneal injection of Taxol and Doxorubicin. Receptor gene expression and micro-RNA analysis confirmed upregulation of low-density lipoprotein receptor and transferrin receptor (liver, intestine, and brain. Several micro-RNAs responsible for iron metabolism upregulated with NCs were identified. Taken together, orally delivered Fe-bLf NCs

Community-based trial of annual versus biannual single-dose ivermectin plus albendazole against Wuchereria bancrofti infection in human and mosquito populations: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial.

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de Souza, Dziedzom K; Ahorlu, Collins S; Adu-Amankwah, Susan; Otchere, Joseph; Mensah, Sedzro K; Larbi, Irene A; Mensah, George E; Biritwum, Nana-Kwadwo; Boakye, Daniel A

2017-10-02

The Global Programme for the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) has been in operation since the year 2000, with the aim of eliminating the disease by the year 2020, following five to six rounds of effective annual mass drug administration (MDA). The treatment regimen is ivermectin (IVM) in combination with diethylcarbamazine (DEC) or albendazole (ALB). In Ghana, MDA has been undertaken since 2001. While the disease has been eliminated in many areas, transmission has persisted in some implementation units that had experienced 15 or more rounds of MDA. Thus, new intervention strategies could eliminate residual infection in areas of persistent transmission and speed up the lymphatic filariasis (LF)-elimination process. This study, therefore, seeks to test the hypothesis that biannual treatment of LF-endemic communities will accelerate the interruption of LF in areas of persistent transmission. A cluster randomised trial will be implemented in LF-endemic communities in Ghana. The interventions will be yearly or twice-yearly MDA delivered to entire endemic communities. Allocation to study group will be by clusters identified using the prevalence of LF. Clusters will be randomised to one of two groups: receiving either (1) annual treatment with IVM + ALB or (2) annual MDA with IVM + ALB, followed by an additional MDA 6 months later. The primary outcome measure is the prevalence of LF infection, assessed by four cross-sectional surveys. Entomological assessments will also be undertaken to evaluate the transmission intensity of the disease in the study clusters. Costs and cost-effectiveness will be evaluated. Among a random subsample of participants, microfilaria prevalence will be assessed longitudinally. A nested process evaluation, using semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and a stakeholder analysis, will investigate the community acceptability, feasibility and scale-up of each delivery system. It is expected that this study will add to

Bovine and human lactoferricin peptides: chimeras and new cyclic analogs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Arias, M.; McDonald, L.J.; Haney, E.F.; Nazmi, K.; Bolscher, J.G.M.; Vogel, H.J.

2014-01-01

Lactoferrin (LF) is an important antimicrobial and immune regulatory protein present in neutrophils and most exocrine secretions of mammals. The antimicrobial activity of LF has been related to the presence of an antimicrobial peptide sequence, called lactoferricin (LFcin), located in the N-terminal

MISTURAS DE HERBICIDAS: EFEITOS DE ADJUVANTES NO CONTROLE DE PLANTAS INFESTANTES NA CULTURA DA SOJA

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VALDEMIR ANTONIO PERESSIN

1997-01-01

Full Text Available Estudaram-se efeitos de misturas de graminicidas com latifolicidas, aplicados em pós-emergência, acrescidos ou não de seus respectivos adjuvantes, no controle de plantas infestantes na cultura da soja (Glycine max (L. Merrill cv. IAC-8, em condições de campo. Os tratamentos consistiram em quatro graminicidas (haloxifop-metil, HM; sethoxydim, S; quizalofop-etil, QE e fluazifop-p-butil, FpB e quatro latifolicidas (chlorimuron-etil, CE; fomesafen, Fom; fluoroglycofen, Flu e lactofen, Lac, aplicados isoladamente e em misturas, além das testemunhas com e sem convivência da cultura com a comunidade infestante. Os resultados mostraram que os adjuvantes, de maneira geral, intensificaram a injúria dos herbicidas. Os graminicidas mais eficazes, aplicados isoladamente ou em misturas, no controle de Eleusine indica e de monocotiledôneas, foram HM, QE e FpB. Não houve diferenças significativas no controle de Digitaria horizontalis entre os quatro graminicidas isolados; porém, as melhores misturas foram as que utilizaram os graminicidas QE ou HM. Para controle de Mollugo verticillata, os melhores tratamentos foram obtidos com Lac aplicado isoladamente e com as misturas de QE, S ou HM com Fom e seus respectivos adjuvantes. As misturas de tanque apresentaram efeitos predominantemente antagonísticos no controle de E. indica, D. horizontalis e monocotiledôneas. Efeitos estatis-ticamente antagonísticos e sinergísticos no controle de M. verticillata foram obtidos, respec-tivamente, nas misturas de tanque com Lac e com Fom. Uma possível interação entre os adjuvantes e as misturas de herbicidas ocorreu nas avaliações de controle para E. indica, quando as misturas de S ou de HM foram usadas com ou sem adjuvantes. Os tratamentos com herbicidas não influíram na produção do cultivar de soja IAC-8.Mixtures of narrowleaf and broadleaf herbicides, with or without their respective surfactants, were evaluated as to postemergence selectivity for weed

Quality of low-fat meatballs containing Legume flours as extenders.

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Serdaroğlu, Meltem; Yıldız-Turp, Gülen; Abrodímov, Kiyalbek

2005-05-01

Meatballs were extended with blackeye bean flour (BBF), chickpea flour (CF), lentil flour (LF) and rusk (R) at level of 10%. Raw and cooked meatballs were analyzed for moisture, fat, protein and ash content. Cooking properties and colour parameters were evaluated. BBF and LF resulted in greater cooking yield, fat retention and moisture retention values. Meatballs extended with LF were lighter than other samples. Meatballs formulated with BBF had the lowest reduction in diameter. Meatballs with BBF and CF had higher water holding capacity (WHC) than other treatment groups. All meatballs incorporating legume flours were tougher (lower penetration values) than the R treatment. According to sensory evaluation results all meatball treatments had high acceptability and received high scores (6.8 and above). Meatballs with BBF and CF had lower TBA values than meatballs with LF and R at 3rd month of frozen storage at -18°C.

Autonomic nervous system activity in purebred Arabian horses evaluated according to the low frequency and high frequency spectrum versus racing performance

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Iwona Janczarek

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Emotional excitability influences horses’ performance in sports and races. The aim of the study was to analyse whether the balance of the autonomic system which can occur when sympathetic system activity is at various levels might impact the horses’ racing performance. The study was carried out on 67 purebred Arabian horses trained for racing. The following indices were analysed: low frequency (LF, high frequency (HF, and the ratio of spectrum power at low frequencies to high frequencies (LF/HF. The autonomic nervous system activity was measured × 3 during the training season, at three-month intervals. Each examination included a 30-min measurement at rest and after a training session. The racing performance indices in these horses were also analysed. Better racing results were found in horses with enhanced LF/HF. The worst racing results were determined in horses with low LF.

Bovine lactoferrin and lactoferricin interfere with intracellular trafficking of Herpes simplex virus-1.

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Marr, A K; Jenssen, H; Moniri, M Roshan; Hancock, R E W; Panté, N

2009-01-01

Although both lactoferrin (Lf), a component of the innate immune system of living organisms, and its N-terminal pepsin cleavage product lactoferricin (Lfcin) have anti-herpes activity, the precise mechanisms by which Lf and Lfcin bring about inhibition of herpes infections are not fully understood. In the present study, experiments were carried out to characterize the activity of bovine Lf and Lfcin (BLf and BLfcin) against the Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1). HSV-1 cellular uptake and intracellular trafficking were studied by immunofluorescence microscopy. In comparison to the untreated infected control cells, both the BLf- and BLfcin-treated cells showed a significant reduction in HSV-1 cellular uptake. The few virus particles that were internalized appeared to have a delayed intracellular trafficking. Thus, in addition to their interference with the uptake of the virus into host cells, Lf and Lfcin also exert their antiviral effect intracellularly.

Membrane dynamics in the intrinsic light-front coordinates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aragone, C.; Restuccia, A.; Torrealba, R.

1991-01-01

The authors study the dynamics of the membrane, using internal light-front (LF) coordinates. The set of constraints, although equivalent to the standard one, is different. The intrinsic LF gauge is defined. Four additional, alternative gauge-fixing conditions are analyzed. Two of them polynomialize the system, while the other two are convenient for studying the initial-value problem. In particular, one of them is also extrinsically (i.e., in the ambient space) light-front. In this gauge, the system is shown to be consistently reduced to attain a canonical form in terms of pure transverse variables. Two constraints on these variables still hold, clearly showing the presence, as they must, of D - 3 degrees of freedom. Finally, the initial-value problem in this intrinsic-extrinsic. LF gauge is solved. Although the paper is based on the first-order action, the LF-Hamiltonian approach is discussed too

EGCG Inhibited Lipofuscin Formation Based on Intercepting Amyloidogenic β-Sheet-Rich Structure Conversion.

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Shuxian Cai

Full Text Available Lipofuscin (LF is formed during lipid peroxidation and sugar glycosylation by carbonyl-amino crosslinks with biomacrolecules, and accumulates slowly within postmitotic cells. The environmental pollution, modern dietary culture and lifestyle changes have been found to be the major sources of reactive carbonyl compounds in vivo. Irreversible carbonyl-amino crosslinks induced by carbonyl stress are essentially toxiferous for aging-related functional losses in modern society. Results show that (--epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG, the main polyphenol in green tea, can neutralize the carbonyl-amino cross-linking reaction and inhibit LF formation, but the underlying mechanism is unknown.We explored the mechanism of the neutralization process from protein, cell, and animal levels using spectrofluorometry, infrared spectroscopy, conformation antibodies, and electron microscopy. LF demonstrated an amyloidogenic β-sheet-rich with antiparallel structure, which accelerated the carbonyl-amino crosslinks formation and disrupted proteolysis in both PC12 cells and D-galactose (D-gal-induced brain aging mice models. Additionally, EGCG effectively inhibited the formation of the amyloidogenic β-sheet-rich structure of LF, and prevented its conversion into toxic and on-pathway aggregation intermediates, thereby cutting off the carbonyl-amino crosslinks.Our study indicated that the amyloidogenic β-sheet structure of LF may be the core driving force for carbonyl-amino crosslinks further formation, which mediates the formation of amyloid fibrils from native state of biomacrolecules. That EGCG exhibits anti-amyloidogenic β-sheet-rich structure properties to prevent the LF formation represents a novel strategy to impede the development of degenerative processes caused by ageing or stress-induced premature senescence in modern environments.

GALAXIES IN FILAMENTS HAVE MORE SATELLITES: THE INFLUENCE OF THE COSMIC WEB ON THE SATELLITE LUMINOSITY FUNCTION IN THE SDSS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Quan; Libeskind, N. I.; Tempel, E.

2015-01-01

We investigate whether the satellite luminosity function (LF) of primary galaxies identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) depends on whether the host galaxy is in a filament or not. Isolated primary galaxies are identified in the SDSS spectroscopic sample, and potential satellites (that are up to four magnitudes fainter than their hosts) are searched for in the much deeper photometric sample. Filaments are constructed from the galaxy distribution by the Bisous process. Isolated primary galaxies are divided into two subsamples: those in filaments and those not in filaments. We examine the stacked mean satellite LF of both the filament and nonfilament samples and find that, on average, the satellite LF of galaxies in filaments is significantly higher than those of galaxies not in filaments. The filamentary environment can increase the abundance of the brightest satellites (M sat. < M prim. + 2.0) by a factor of ∼2 compared with nonfilament isolated galaxies. This result is independent of the primary galaxy magnitude, although the satellite LF of galaxies in the faintest magnitude bin is too noisy to determine if such a dependence exists. Because our filaments are extracted from a spectroscopic flux-limited sample, we consider the possibility that the difference in satellite LF is due to a redshift, color, or environmental bias, finding these to be insufficient to explain our result. The dependence of the satellite LF on the cosmic web suggests that the filamentary environment may have a strong effect on the efficiency of galaxy formation

GALAXIES IN FILAMENTS HAVE MORE SATELLITES: THE INFLUENCE OF THE COSMIC WEB ON THE SATELLITE LUMINOSITY FUNCTION IN THE SDSS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Quan; Libeskind, N. I. [Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam, An der Sternwarte 16, D-14482 Potsdam (Germany); Tempel, E., E-mail: qguo@aip.de [Tartu Observatory, Observatooriumi 1, 61602 Tõravere (Estonia)

2015-02-20

We investigate whether the satellite luminosity function (LF) of primary galaxies identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) depends on whether the host galaxy is in a filament or not. Isolated primary galaxies are identified in the SDSS spectroscopic sample, and potential satellites (that are up to four magnitudes fainter than their hosts) are searched for in the much deeper photometric sample. Filaments are constructed from the galaxy distribution by the Bisous process. Isolated primary galaxies are divided into two subsamples: those in filaments and those not in filaments. We examine the stacked mean satellite LF of both the filament and nonfilament samples and find that, on average, the satellite LF of galaxies in filaments is significantly higher than those of galaxies not in filaments. The filamentary environment can increase the abundance of the brightest satellites (M {sub sat.} < M {sub prim.} + 2.0) by a factor of ∼2 compared with nonfilament isolated galaxies. This result is independent of the primary galaxy magnitude, although the satellite LF of galaxies in the faintest magnitude bin is too noisy to determine if such a dependence exists. Because our filaments are extracted from a spectroscopic flux-limited sample, we consider the possibility that the difference in satellite LF is due to a redshift, color, or environmental bias, finding these to be insufficient to explain our result. The dependence of the satellite LF on the cosmic web suggests that the filamentary environment may have a strong effect on the efficiency of galaxy formation.

Effect of low-frequency electromagnetic fields on the Escherichia coli growth for application in riverbank filtration

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Selamat, Rossitah; Abustan, Ismail; Arshad, Mohd Rizal; Kamal, Nurul Hana Mokhtar

2017-10-01

A 50 Hz low-frequency electromagnetic field (LF-EMF) could give removal effect on the growth of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in the riverbank filtration (RBF) was studied. The LF-EMF strengths were varied from 2 to 10 mT using coil column induce magnetic fields. For this study, two different columns with a diameter of 50 mm and 80 mm were applied; 1.5mm copper wires with the number of turns between 300 to 600 turns. Water samples were flowed into the column at flowrate of 50mL/min with temperature in range of 28-30°C. This study, it was found that the LF-EMF has significant removal effects on E. coli growth, where the removal of 100% of E. coli at 6 mT and 8 mT after 6 hrs exposed. Moreover, for shorter exposure period of 3 hrs exposed, 82% of E. coli removal were detected in 80 mm column for 8 mT and 10 mT magnetic field. These findings indicate that the application of LF-EMF is able to decrease the E. coli, can be and efficient in E. coli growth from river water intake. Thus, the results from this study proved that the utilization of LF-EMF is able to decrease the concentrations of E. coli, and contributes in slowing down their growth. Also, it can be indicated that the LF-EMF kill a part of E. coli exposed in the river water with the large magnetic field and long-time exposure.

Diet Modulation is an Effective Complementary Agent in Preventing and Treating Breast Cancer Lung Metastasis

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Zhao, Xiangmin; Rezonzew, Gabriel; Wang, Dezhi; Siegal, Gene P.; Hardy, Robert W.

2014-01-01

A significant percentage of breast cancer victims will suffer from metastases indicating that new approaches to preventing breast cancer metastasis are thus needed. Dietary stearate and chemotherapy have been shown to reduce breast cancer metastasis. We tested the complementary use of dietary stearate with a taxol-based chemotherapy which work through separate mechanisms to reduce breast cancer metastasis. We therefore carried out a prevention study in which diets were initiated prior to human MDA-MB-435 cancer cells being injected into the host and a treatment study in which diets were combined with paclitaxel (PTX). Using an orthotopic athymic nude mouse model and three diets (corn oil control diet/CO, low fat /LF or stearate/ST) the prevention study demonstrated that the ST diet decreased the incidence of lung metastasis by 50% compared to both the LF and CO diets. The ST diet also reduced the number and size of metastatic lung nodules compared to the LF diet. Results of the treatment study indicated that both the CO and ST diets decreased the number of mice with lung metastasis compared to the LF diet. Both CO and ST also decreased the number of lung metastases per mouse compared to the LF diet however only the ST diet cohort was significant. Histomorphometric analysis of the lung tumor tissue indicated that the ST diet plus PTX decreased angiogenesis compared to the LF diet plus PTX. In conclusion these results support combining diet with chemotherapy in both treatment and prevention settings. PMID:24832758

Perspectives of Light-Front Quantized Field Theory: Some New Results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Srivastava, Prem P.

1999-08-13

A review of some basic topics in the light-front (LF) quantization of relativistic field theory is made. It is argued that the LF quantization is equally appropriate as the conventional one and that they lead, assuming the microcausality principle, to the same physical content. This is confirmed in the studies on the LF of the spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB), of the degenerate vacua in Schwinger model (SM) and Chiral SM (CSM), of the chiral boson theory, and of the QCD in covariant gauges among others. The discussion on the LF is more economical and more transparent than that found in the conventional equal-time quantized theory. The removal of the constraints on the LF phase space by following the Dirac method, in fact, results in a substantially reduced number of independent dynamical variables. Consequently, the descriptions of the physical Hilbert space and the vacuum structure, for example, become more tractable. In the context of the Dyson-Wick perturbation theory the relevant propagators in the front form theory are causal. The Wick rotation can then be performed to employ the Euclidean space integrals in momentum space. The lack of manifest covariance becomes tractable, and still more so if we employ, as discussed in the text, the Fourier transform of the fermionic field based on a special construction of the LF spinor. The fact that the hyperplanes x{sup {+-}} = 0 constitute characteristic surfaces of the hyperbolic partial differential equation is found irrelevant in the quantized theory; it seems sufficient to quantize the theory on one of the characteristic hyperplanes.

Single Session Low Frequency Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Changes Neurometabolite Relationships in Healthy Humans

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Nathaniel R. Bridges

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC low frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (LF-rTMS has shown promise as a treatment and investigative tool in the medical and research communities. Researchers have made significant progress elucidating DLPFC LF-rTMS effects—primarily in individuals with psychiatric disorders. However, more efforts investigating underlying molecular changes and establishing links to functional and behavioral outcomes in healthy humans are needed.Objective: We aimed to quantify neuromolecular changes and relate these to functional changes following a single session of DLPFC LF-rTMS in healthy participants.Methods: Eleven participants received sham-controlled neuronavigated 1 Hz rTMS to the region most activated by a 7-letter Sternberg working memory task (SWMT within the left DLPFC. We quantified SWMT performance, functional magnetic resonance activation and proton Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS neurometabolite measure changes before and after stimulation.Results: A single LF-rTMS session was not sufficient to change DLPFC neurometabolite levels and these changes did not correlate with DLPFC activation changes. Real rTMS, however, significantly altered neurometabolite correlations (compared to sham rTMS, both with baseline levels and between the metabolites themselves. Additionally, real rTMS was associated with diminished reaction time (RT performance improvements and increased activation within the motor, somatosensory and lateral occipital cortices.Conclusion: These results show that a single session of LF-rTMS is sufficient to influence metabolite relationships and causes widespread activation in healthy humans. Investigating correlational relationships may provide insight into mechanisms underlying LF-rTMS.

Consumption of a High-Fat Diet Induces Central Insulin Resistance Independent of Adiposity

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Clegg, Deborah J.; Gotoh, Koro; Kemp, Christopher; Wortman, Matthew D.; Benoit, Stephen C.; Brown, Lynda M.; D’Alessio, David; Tso, Patrick; Seeley, Randy J.; Woods, Stephen C.

2011-01-01

Plasma insulin enters the CNS where it interacts with insulin receptors in areas that are related to energy homeostasis and elicits a decrease of food intake and body weight. Here, we demonstrate that consumption of a high-fat (HF) diet impairs the central actions of insulin. Male Long-Evans rats were given chronic (70-day) or acute (3-day) ad libitum access to HF, low-fat (LF), or chow diets. Insulin administered into the 3rd-cerebral ventricle (i3vt) decreased food intake and body weight of LF and chow rats but had no effect on HF rats in either the chronic or the acute experiment. Rats chronically pair-fed the HF diet to match the caloric intake of LF rats, and with body weights and adiposity levels comparable to those of LF rats, were also unresponsive to i3vt insulin when returned to ad lib food whereas rats pair-fed the LF diet had reduced food intake and body weight when administered i3vt insulin. Insulin’s inability to reduce food intake in the presence of the high-fat diet was associated with a reduced ability of insulin to activate its signaling cascade, as measured by pAKT. Finally, i3vt administration of insulin increased hypothalamic expression of POMC mRNA in the LF-but not the HF-fed rats. We conclude that consumption of a HF diet leads to central insulin resistance following short exposure to the diet, and as demonstrated by reductions in insulin signaling and insulin-induced hypothalamic expression of POMC mRNA. PMID:21241723

High-Frequency Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Increases Anabolic Signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Mettler, Joni A; Magee, Dillon M; Doucet, Barbara M

2018-03-16

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is commonly used in rehabilitation settings to increase muscle mass and strength. However, the effects of NMES on muscle growth are not clear and no human studies have compared anabolic signaling between low-frequency (LF-) and high-frequency (HF-) NMES. The purpose of this study was to determine the skeletal muscle anabolic signaling response to an acute bout of LF- and HF-NMES. Eleven young healthy volunteers (6 men; 5 women) received an acute bout of LF- (20 Hz) and HF- (60 Hz) NMES. Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis muscle prior to the first NMES treatment and 30-mins following each NMES treatment. Phosphorylation of the following key anabolic signaling proteins was measured by Western blot and proteins are expressed as a ratio of phosphorylated to total: mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), p70-S6 kinase 1 (S6K1), and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 (4E-BP1). Compared to Pre-NMES, phosphorylation of mTOR was upregulated 40.2% for LF-NMES (P = 0.018) and 68.4% for HF-NMES (P 0.05). There were no differences between treatment conditions for 4E-BP1 phosphorylation (P > 0.05). An acute bout of LF- and HF-NMES upregulated anabolic signaling with HF-NMES producing a greater anabolic response compared to LF-NMES, suggesting that HF-stimulation may provide a stronger stimulus for processes that initiate muscle hypertrophy. Additionally, the stimulation frequency parameter should be considered by clinicians in the design of optimal NMES treatment protocols.

Measurement of the Low Frequency Noise of MOSFETs under Large Signal RF Excitation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Wel, A.P.; Klumperink, Eric A.M.; Nauta, Bram

2002-01-01

A measurement technique [1] is presented that allows measurement of MOSFET low frequency (LF) noise under large signal RF (Radio Frequency) excitation. Measurements indicate that MOSFETS exhibit a reduction in LF noise when they are cycled from inversion to accummulation and that this reduction does

Studies on anticancer activities of lactoferrin and lactoferricin.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Cui Ming; Wong, Jack Ho; Xia, Jiang; Ng, Tzi Bun

2013-09-01

This review mainly summarizes results of recent studies on the anticancer activity of the multifunctional protein lactoferrin (Lf) and its derived peptide lactoferricin (Lfcin). The basic information on Lf and Lfcin, such as their sources, structures, and biological properties which favor their antitumor activity is introduced. The major anticancer mechanisms of Lf and Lfcin including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, anti-angiogenesis, antimetastasis, immune modulation and necrosis are discussed. Other information from in vivo studies employing a mouse model is also provided. In addition, the roles of talatoferrin and delta lactoferrin, as well as improvement in drug delivery will be covered.

Long-lasting insecticidal nets are synergistic with mass drug administration for interruption of lymphatic filariasis transmission in Nigeria.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abel Eigege

Full Text Available In central Nigeria Anopheles mosquitoes transmit malaria and lymphatic filariasis (LF. The strategy used for interrupting LF transmission in this area is annual mass drug administration (MDA with albendazole and ivermectin, but after 8 years of MDA, entomological evaluations in sentinel villages showed continued low-grade mosquito infection rates of 0.32%. After long-lasting insecticidal net (LLIN distribution by the national malaria program in late 2010, however, we were no longer able to detect infected vectors over a 24-month period. This is evidence that LLINs are synergistic with MDA in interrupting LF transmission.

Plasma rotation effect on interaction of low frequency fields with plasmas at the rational surfaces in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rondan, E.R.; Elfimov, A.G.; Galvao, R.M.O.; Pires, C.J.A.

2006-01-01

The effect of plasma rotation on low frequency (LF) field penetration, absorption and ponderomotive forces in TEXTOR and in Tokamak Chauffage Alfven Bresilien (TCABR) is investigated in the frequency band of 1-10 kHz. The LF fields are driven by the dynamic ergodic divertor in TEXTOR and the ergodic magnetic limiter in TCABR. Alfven wave mode conversion is responsible for the LF field absorption at the rational magnetic surface where q = -M/N is the integer. Analytical and numerical calculations show the maxima of the LF field absorption at the local Alfven wave resonance ω - k · U = k parallel c A , where ω and k are the frequency and the wave vector, respectively, and c A is the Alfven velocity at the rational magnetic surface q = 2, 3 in TEXTOR and TCABR. The rotation velocity U along the magnetic surfaces, taken into account in the dielectric tensor, can strongly modify the LF field and dissipated power profiles. The absorption in the local AW resonances begins to be non-symmetric in relation to the resonance surface. Calculations show that coil impedance has a maximum related to excitation of some stable (possibly Suydam) modes for waves travelling in the direction of plasma rotation

Alleviative effects of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn. flower on lipid peroxidation and protein degradation in emulsified pork meatballs