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Terms modified by C1 Selected AbstractsAn audit of the accuracy of fine needle aspiration using a liquid-based cytology system in the setting of a rapid access breast clinicCYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 6 2002L. Joseph We have assessed the effectiveness and accuracy of reporting fine needle aspirates of the breast (FNAB) using a liquid-based cytology (LBC) system (the Cytospin® method) in the pressure situation of a rapid access clinic (RAC). We have reviewed every case from the RAC from June 1997 to February 2001 inclusive. There were 1322 cases, which accounted for 26% of the total FNAB received in our department over the period. There were 323 cancers and 999 benign cases in the group. The inadequate/nondiagnostic rate (C1) was 18%. The absolute sensitivity, including C1 cases, was 73% with the complete sensitivity being 90%. The groups of ,atypical, probably benign' (C3) and ,suspicious, probably malignant' (C4) accounted for a total of 6.2%. There were 28 false negative cases and 1 false positive case (a borderline phyllodes tumour). Comparing our results with the standards recommended by the NHSBSP has shown that the diagnosis of FNAB using this LBC method is feasible, accurate and reliable even in the pressure situation of a RAC. [source] Subclinical vascular alterations in young adults with type 1 diabetes detected by arterial tonometryDIABETES/METABOLISM: RESEARCH AND REVIEWS, Issue 8 2009I. Barchetta Abstract Background Diabetes mellitus is characterized by a very high prevalence of atherosclerotic disease. Aims of this study were to determine arterial compliance parameters in type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients as an expression of early pre-clinical endothelial dysfunction and to evaluate the impact of glucose exposure parameters such as the duration of diabetes and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) on the risk of developing alterations in vascular compliance. Methods 23 patients with uncomplicated type 1 diabetes (mean age: 32.78 ± 9.06 years, mean disease duration: 10.78 ± 7.51 years, mean HbA1c levels: 7.7 ± 1.9) and 26 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects (mean age: 32.3 ± 8.51 years) were recruited. In these subjects, we evaluated arterial compliance by calibrated tonometry (HDI/PulsewaveÔ CR-2000). Parameters included the following: large artery elasticity (C1), small artery elasticity (C2), systemic vascular resistance (SVR) and total vascular impedance (TVI). Results Patients with longer duration of T1D (>10 years) showed significant alterations in C2 (4.97 ± 2.7 mL/mmHg × 100) and in SVR (1464.67 ± 169.16 dina × s × cm,5) when compared with both healthy individuals (C2: 8.28 ± 2.67 mL/mmHg × 100, p = 0.001; SVR: 1180.58 ± 151.55 dina × s × cm,5, p = 0.01) and patients with recent-onset disease (,10 years) (C2: 10.02 ± 3.6 mL/mmHg × 100, p < 0.001; SVR: 1124.18 ± 178.5 dina × s × cm,5, p < 0.000). Both disease duration and HbA1c independently predicted impaired arterial compliance. Conclusions Young adult T1D patients with no signs of disease complication have detectable vessel wall abnormalities, particularly of small arteries, suggestive of hyperglycaemia-related early endothelial dysfunction. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Insulin-treated diabetes and driving in the UKDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 6 2002G. Gill Abstract Diabetes, and particularly insulin-treated diabetes, has important implications for motor vehicle driving, largely because of its association with potential hypoglycaemia. For this reason, most countries operate some driving restrictions on insulin-treated diabetic patients, as well as systems of intermittent reassessment of hypoglycaemic risk. In the UK, regulations are operated by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), which is an agency of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR). They are supported by an Expert Panel which advises the Secretary of State on diabetes-related issues relating to fitness to drive. The patient organization Diabetes UK is also concerned with diabetes and driving issues, largely from a position of lobbying policy-influencers and supporting individual cases. All parties involved with diabetes and driving issues recognize the need for more research on the subject, as the current literature is flawed in design, though no convincing excess of accidents amongst diabetic drivers has been conclusively demonstrated. Currently in the UK, Class 2 vehicles (large trucks and passenger vehicles) are barred to diabetic drivers on insulin. European law has recently extended this to so-called C1 (large vans and small lorries) and D1 (minibuses) vehicles, though the law has recently been revised to allow individual consideration for potential diabetic C1 drivers on insulin treatment. Diabetes and insulin-treated diabetes is an emotive and difficult issue, for which a stronger evidence base is urgently needed. [source] Direct determination of gentamicin components by capillary electrophoresis with potential gradient detectionELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 1 2005LingLing Yuan Abstract A simple and fast method was developed to determine non-UV active compounds directly without derivatization. The usefulness of the method was demonstrated by detecting the major components in aminoglycoside antibiotic mixtures using capillary zone electrophoresis with potential gradient detection. Under optimized separation conditions (0.2 mM cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), 1 mM ammonium citrate, pH 3.5), gentamicin was separated into three major peaks (C1, C1a, and C2+C2a) within 15 min. This method showed better sensitivity than other capillary electrophoresis (CE) methods for determining underivatized gentamicin. The linear range was from 10 to 500 ppm. Because of its good repeatability and simplicity, this new method could be a good alternative for the current assays given by US Pharmacopoeia and European Pharmacopoeia. [source] Thiol-reactive dyes for fluorescence labeling of proteomic samplesELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 14 2003Kamala Tyagarajan Abstract Covalent derivatization of proteins with fluorescent dyes prior to separation is increasingly used in proteomic research. This paper examines the properties of several commercially available iodoacetamide and maleimide dyes and discusses the conditions and caveats for their use in labeling of proteomic samples. The iodoacetamide dyes BODIPY TMR cadaverine IA and BODIPY Fl C1 -IA were highly specific for cysteine residues and showed little or no nonspecific labeling even at very high dye:thiol ratios. These dyes also showed minimal effects on pI's of standard proteins. Some iodoacetamide dyes, (5-TMRIA and eosin-5-iodoacetamide) and some maleimide dyes (ThioGlo I and Rhodamine Red C2 maleimide) exhibited nonspecific labeling at high dye:thiol ratios. Labeling by both iodoacetamide and maleimide dyes was inhibited by tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP); interactions between TCEP and dye were also observed. Thiourea, an important component of sample solubilization cocktails, inhibited labeling of proteins with iodoacetamide dyes but not with maleimide dyes. Maleimide dyes may serve as an alternative for labeling proteins where it is essential to have thiourea in the solubilization buffer. Covalent derivatization by BODIPY TMR cadaverine IA, BODIPY Fl C1 -IA or Rhodamine Red C2 maleimide was also demonstrated to be compatible with in-gel digestion and peptide mass fingerprinting by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry and allowed successful protein identification. [source] Development and application of polymerase chain reaction primers based on fhcD for environmental detection of methanopterin-linked C1 -metabolism in bacteriaENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 8 2005Marina G. Kalyuzhnaya Summary In this work we describe development and testing of a novel pair of environmental primers targeting fhcD, a conserved gene in the H4MTP-linked C1 -transfer pathway, and demonstrate that these primers enable confident detection of a broad variety of fhcD genes originating from phylogenetically diverse bacteria. The new primer pair was employed to analyse fhcD diversity in Lake Washington sediment, uncovering the presence of 40 fhcD phylotypes. Based on phylogenetic analyses, the phylotypes identified were affiliated with ,-, ,- and ,-proteobacteria, and Planctomycetes, while a number of sequences formed deep branches suggesting the presence of unknown groups of microorganisms. To assess the physiological potential and the possible substrate repertoire of the fhcD- containing species in Lake Washington, we conducted enrichments of natural populations on a variety of C1 substrates, and observed specific shifts in community structure in response to different C1 substrates. A specific shift in community structure was also observed in the presence of humic acids suggesting that C1 transfer metabolism linked to H4MPT may be part of the degradation pathway for this natural polymer, possibly involving formaldehyde production. Overall, our data suggest that C1 oxidation reactions linked to H4MPT are much more widespread in natural environments than previously thought. [source] Isolation and properties of methanesulfonate-degrading Afipia felis from Antarctica and comparison with other strains of A. felisENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2005S. Azra Moosvi Summary Three novel strains of methylotrophic Afipia felis were isolated from several locations on Signy Island, Antarctica, and a fourth from estuary sediment from the River Douro, Portugal. They were identified as strains of the ,-2 proteobacterium A. felis by 16S rRNA gene sequence, analysis., Two, strains, tested, were, shown to contain the fdxA gene, diagnostic for A. felis. All strains grew with methanesulfonate (and two strains with dimethylsulfone) as sole carbon substrate. Growth on methanesulfonate required methanesulfonate monooxygenase (MSAMO), using NADH as the reductant and stimulated by reduced flavin nucleotides and Fe(II). Polymerase chain reaction amplification of DNA from an Antarctic strain showed a typical msmA gene for the ,-hydroxylase of MSAMO, and both Antarctic and Portuguese strains contained mxaF, the methanol dehydrogenase large subunit gene. This is the first report of methanesulfonate-degrading bacteria from the Antarctic and of methylotrophy in Afipia, and the first description of any bacterium able to use both methanesulfonate and dimethylsulfone. In contrast, the type strain of A. felis DSM 7326T was not methylotrophic, but grew in defined mineral medium with a wide range of single simple organic substrates. Free-living Afipia strains occurring widely in the natural environment may be significant as methylotrophs, degrading C1 -sulfur compounds, including the recalcitrant organosulfur compound methanesulfonate. [source] The Prestige oil spill.ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 9 2005Abstract In vitro biodegradation of the Prestige heavy fuel oil has been carried out using two microbial consortia obtained by enrichment in different substrates to simulate its environmental fate and potential utility for bioremediation. Different conditions, such as incubation time (i.e., 20 or 40 d), oil weathering, and addition of an oleophilic fertilizer (S200), were evaluated. Weathering slowed down the degradation of the fuel oil, probably because of the loss of lower and more labile components, but the addition of S200 enhanced significantly the extension of the biodegradation. n -Alkanes, alkylcyclohexanes, alkylbenzenes, and the two- to three-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were degraded in 20 or 40 d of incubation of the original oil, whereas the biodegradation efficiency decreased for higher PAHs and with the increase of alkylation. Molecular markers were degraded according to the following sequence: Acyclic isoprenoids < diasteranes < C27 -steranes < ,,-steranes < homohopanes < monoaromatic steranes < triaromatic steranes. Isomeric selectivity was observed within the C1 - and C2 -phenanthrenes, dibenzothiophenes, pyrenes, and chrysenes, providing source and weathering indices for the characterization of the heavy oil spill. Acyclic isoprenoids, C27 -steranes, C1 - and C2 -naphthalenes, phenanthrenes, and dibenzothiophenes were degraded completely when S200 was used. The ratios of the C2 - and C3 -alkyl homologues of fluoranthene/pyrene and chrysene/benzo[a]anthracene are proposed as source ratios in moderately degraded oils. The 4-methylpyrene and 3-methylchrysene were refractory enough to serve as conserved internal markers in assessing the degradation of the aromatic fraction in a manner similar to that of hopane, as used for the aliphatic fraction. [source] Reproductive hormonal changes and catamenial pattern in adolescent females with epilepsyEPILEPSIA, Issue 9 2008Hamed A. El-Khayat Summary Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the effect of epilepsy on the reproductive hormones levels among female patients, and to investigate the frequency of catamenial pattern of seizures. Methods: A total of 42 female patients with epilepsy and 21 healthy females (control group) were included. Subjects were at least 2 years postmenarche with regular cycles. Symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) were assessed using calendar of premenstrual experience scoring. Patients were evaluated for catamenial pattern of seizures. Levels of FSH, LH, estradiol (E), and progesterone (P) were assessed for all subjects in the three phases of the cycles. Pelvi-abdominal ultrasound was performed near time of ovulation, to follow up size of mature follicle. Results: Symptoms of PMS were not different in patients and controls, or in patients with and those without catamenial tendency. In both perimenstrual (M) and midluteal phases, FSH and P levels were lower and E/P ratio higher in patients group. There was a catamenial pattern of seizures in 31% of patients (53.8% M C1; 46.15% inadequate luteal phase C3pattern). Patients with C3pattern showed lower P levels in the midluteal phase compared to patients with noncatamenial pattern, to those with C1pattern or to controls. Patients with C1pattern had lower P levels than controls in the M phase. Conclusion: There was evident disruption in the reproductive hormones in female patients with epilepsy with lower FSH and P levels and higher E/P ratio. A total of 31% of patients showed catamenial pattern of seizures (C1and C3patterns) that was significantly related to P withdrawal. [source] The effect of rising and sitting trot on back movements and head-neck position of the horseEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 5 2009P. de COCQ Summary Reason for performing study: During trot, the rider can either rise from the saddle during every stride or remain seated. Rising trot is used frequently because it is widely assumed that it decreases the loading of the equine back. This has, however, not been demonstrated in an objective study. Objective: To determine the effects of rising and sitting trot on the movements of the horse. Hypothesis: Sitting trot has more extending effect on the horse's back than rising trot and also results in a higher head and neck position. Methods: Twelve horses and one rider were used. Kinematic data were captured at trot during over ground locomotion under 3 conditions: unloaded, rising trot and sitting trot. Back movements were calculated using a previously described method with a correction for trunk position. Head-neck position was expressed as extension and flexion of C1, C3 and C6, and vertical displacement of C1 and the bit. Results: Sitting trot had an overall extending effect on the back of horses when compared to the unloaded situation. In rising trot: the maximal flexion of the back was similar to the unloaded situation, while the maximal extension was similar to sitting trot; lateral bending of the back was larger than during the unloaded situation and sitting trot; and the horses held their heads lower than in the other conditions. The angle of C6 was more flexed in rising than in sitting trot. Conclusions and clinical relevance: The back movement during rising trot showed characteristics of both sitting trot and the unloaded condition. As the same maximal extension of the back is reached during rising and sitting trot, there is no reason to believe that rising trot was less challenging for the back. [source] Role of the complement-lectin pathway in anaphylactoid reaction induced with lipopolysaccharide in miceEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 10 2003wierzko Abstract We show that Proteus vulgaris,O25 (PO25) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced an anaphylactoid reaction not only in wild-type and in lipid,A non-responding mice but also in recombinase-activating gene-2-deficient (RAG-2,/,) and in mast cell-deficient (W/Wv) animals. Western blot analysis indicated that PO25 LPS bound to Ra-reactive factor (RaRF), the complex of mannan-binding lectins (MBL) and MBL-associated serine proteases. Binding of RaRF to PO25 LPS led to the activation of C4 component without participation of either C1 or Ig, via the lectin pathway. Relative concentration of RaRF and hemolytic activity in mouse serum decreased rapidly during the process of anaphylactoid reaction. A significant drop of MBL-A, but not MBL-C level was observed. Administrationwith antiserum to RaRF prevented animals from death as a consequence of the inhibition of interaction of RaRF with the carbohydrate target and complement activation. These results indicate that complement-lectin pathway activation is responsible for the anaphylactoid reaction induced with LPS in muramyldipeptide-primed mice. RaRF also activated fibrinogen in vitro suggesting the involvement of the coagulation system in the process investigated. [source] Mesomerization of S4 -Symmetric Tetrahedral Chelate Complex [In4(L3)4]: First-Time Monitored by Temperature-Dependent 1H NMR Spectroscopy,,EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 19 2010Rolf W. Saalfrank Abstract VT 1H NMR spectroscopy proved that a non-dissociative and reversible mesomerization process links the tetranuclear indium(III) complexes meso -(,,,,,,,)(P,P,M,M)- 3 and meso -(,,,,,,,)(M,M,P,P)- 3,. During this process four tandem Bailar twists, resulting in the (,)/(,) isomerization at the indium centers, and the (P)/(M) inversion of the four coordinating face-centered, helical ligands (L3)3, are involved. In addition, gas-phase DFT calculations (B3LYP/LANL2DZp) revealed a C1 -symmetric transition state (+21.9 kcal,mol,1) for the mesomerization mechanism which connects 3 and 3,. [source] [Bis(guanidine)]zinc Complexes and Their Application in Lactide PolymerisationEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 36 2007Janna Börner Abstract The bis(guanidine)-stabilised zinc complexes [N1,N2 -bis(1,3-dimethylimidazolidin-2-ylidene)ethane-1,2-diamine]dichloridozinc(II), [Zn(DMEG2e)Cl2] (C1), diacetato[N1,N2 -bis(1,3-dimethylimidazolidin-2-ylidene)ethane-1,2-diamine]zinc(II),[Zn(DMEG2e)(CH3COO)2] (C2), and bis[N1,N2 -bis(1,3-dimethylimidazolidin-2-ylidene)ethane-1,2-diamine]zinc(II) bis(trifluoromethanesulfonate), [Zn(DMEG2e)2](CF3SO3)2 (C3), have been synthesised and completely characterised by means of X-ray structure analysis, NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. These [bis(guanidine)]zinc complexes were investigated regarding their activity in the bulk polymerisation of D,L -lactide. It could be shown that these compounds are able to act as initiators for lactide polymerisation, and polylactides with molecular weights (Mw) of around 18000,59000 g/mol could be obtained. Variation of the reaction temperature revealed that the molecular weights decrease with increasing temperature. Additionally, the correlation of the intrinsic viscosity with the molecular weight demonstrates that the obtained polymers are linear and structurally homogeneous.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007) [source] Micro-reactor for transesterification of plant seed oilsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF LIPID SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 5 2009Phattaraporn Kaewkool Abstract The fatty acid compositions of vegetable or other plant seed oils are generally determined by gas chromatography (GC). Methyl esters (the most volatile derivatives) are the preferred derivatives for GC analysis. Esters of higher alcohols are good for the separation of volatile and positional isomers. All the esters of the C1,C8 alcohols of vegetable oils were silmilarly prepared by passing the reaction mixture containing the desired alcohol, oil and tetrahydrofuran through the micro-reactor (a 3-mL dispossible syringe packed with 0.5,g of NaOH powder). The reaction products were acidified with acetic acid and the mixture was analyzed by high-performance size exclusion chromatography and GC. Transesterification was quantitative for primary alcohols, but an appreciable amount of free fatty acids was formed for secondary alcohols. Coriander seed oil was quantitatively esterified with 2-ethyl 1-hexanol with the micro-reactor in less than 1,min. Oleic and petroselinic acid 2-ethyl 1-hexyl esters are baseline separated on an Rtx-2330 capillary column (30,m×0.25,mm, 0.25,µm film thickness). [source] Somatic and visceral afferents to the ,vasodepressor region' of the caudal midline medulla in the ratEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 6 2003Jason R. Potas Abstract Previous research has found that the integrity of a restricted region of the caudal midline medulla (including caudal portions of nucleus raphé obscurus and nucleus raphé pallidus) was critical for vasodepression (hypotension, bradycardia, decreased cardiac contractility) evoked either by haemorrhage or deep pain. In this anatomical tracing study we found that the vasodepressor part of the caudal midline medulla (CMM) receives inputs arising from spinal cord, spinal trigeminal nucleus (SpV) and nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). Specifically: (i) a spinal,CMM projection arises from neurons of the deep dorsal horn, medial ventral horn and lamina X at all spinal segmental levels, with approximately 60% of the projection originating from the upper cervical spinal cord (C1,C4); (ii) a SpV,CMM projection arises primarily from neurons at the transition between subnucleus caudalis and subnucleus interpolaris; (iii) a NTS,CMM projection arises primarily from neurons in ventrolateral and medial subnuclei. In combination, the specific spinal, SpV and NTS regions which project to the CMM receive the complete range of somatic and visceral afferents known to trigger vasodepression. The role(s) of each specific projection is discussed. [source] Precise matching of olivo-cortical divergence and cortico-nuclear convergence between somatotopically corresponding areas in the medial C1 and medial C3 zones of the paravermal cerebellumEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 1 2000R. Apps Abstract The paravermal cerebellar cortex contains three spatially separate zones (the C1, C3 and Y zones) which form a functionally coupled system involved in the control of voluntary limb movements. A series of ,modules' has been postulated, each defined by a set of olivary neurons with similar receptive fields, the cortical microzones innervated by these neurons and the group of deep cerebellar nuclear neurons upon which the microzones converge. A key feature of this modular organization is a correspondence between cortical input and output, irrespective of the zonal identity of the microzone. This was tested directly using a combined electrophysiological and bi-directional tracer technique in barbiturate-anaesthetized cats. During an initial operation, small injections of a mix of retrograde and anterograde tracer material (red beads combined with Fluoro-Ruby or green beads combined with biotinylated dextran amine or Fluoro-Emerald) were made into areas of the medial C1 and medial C3 zones in cerebellar lobule V characterized by olivo-cerebellar input from the ventral forelimb. The inferior olive and the deep cerebellar nuclei were then scrutinized for retrogradely labelled cells and anterogradely labelled axon terminals, respectively. For individual experiments, the degree of C1,C3 zone terminal field overlap in the nucleus interpositus anterior was plotted as a function of either the regional overlap of single-labelled cells or the proportion of double-labelled cells in the dorsal accessory olive. The results were highly positively correlated, indicating that cortico-nuclear convergence between parts of the two zones is in close proportion to the corresponding olivo-cerebellar divergence, entirely consistent with the modular hypothesis. [source] Studies Directed Towards the Total Synthesis of (,)-DictyostatinEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 11 2010Jhillu S. Yadav Abstract The stereoselective synthesis of the three major fragments (C1,C9, C10,C17, and C19,C26) of an antimitotic marine macrolide, (,)-dictyostatin, has been achieved with a desymmetrization strategy and Oppolzer syn and anti aldol protocols as the key reactions. Takai olefination and Sonogashira coupling reactions were successfully utilized to establish the 2Z,4E -dienoate portion of the C1,C9 fragment and Stille coupling for the Z -diene core of C19,C26. [source] Synthesis of the L-Acid (C1,C18) Fragment of Pamamycin-593 and De- N -methylpamamycin-579EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 29 2008Ayako Miura Abstract The L-acid (C1,C18) fragment of pamamycin-593 and de- N -methylpamamycin-579, strong aerial mycelium-inducers of Streptomyces alboniger, was synthesized using a cis -selective iodoetherification and a nucleophilic addition of a cerium acetylide to an aldehyde as the key steps. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008) [source] Effect of organic matter applications on 13C-NMR spectra of humic acids of soilEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 3 2008S. Dou Summary Much attention has been paid to improving soil fertility with organic matter (OM) application, which not only deals with organic wastes and protects the environment, but also maintains soil fertility and increases crop yields. Much research has also been on the effects of OM applications on the soil's physical, chemical and biological properties, but relatively less attention has been spent on humic substance (HS). In order to clarify the mechanism of improving soil fertility by applying OM, we analysed the changes of structural characteristics of humic acid (HA) from OM applications to soils by 13C-NMR, chemical analysis, thermal analysis, optical properties, IR and fluorescence spectroscopy. Samples of a brown soil (Paleudalf) and a paddy soil (an anthropogenic soil originating from Udifluvents) were collected from the plough layer of the long-term field experiment at Shenyang Agricultural University and Liaoning Provincial Alkali-Saline Soil Institute, respectively. Both field experiments included three treatments each: (i) brown soil, zero-treatment (CKbr) and two pig manure (PM) applications (O1 and O2) at annual rates of 0.9 t ha,1 and 1.8 t ha,1 of organic carbon, respectively; and (ii) paddy soil, zero-treatment (CKpad), pig manure (Op) and rice straw (Or) at annual rates of 2.62 t ha,1 and 1.43 t ha,1 of organic carbon, respectively. An incubation experiment was also carried out to test the field experiment on the brown soil, namely four treatments: zero-treatment (CKc), and three pig manure applications at rates of 30 g kg,1 (C1), 50 g kg,1 (C2) and 70 g kg,1 (C3), respectively. The total incubation was 180 days. The results indicated that number-average molecular weights (Mn), total acidity, aromaticity, excitation maximum wavelength (,Exmax), and the heat ratio of the high to moderate temperature exothermic regions (H3/H2) of the HA all decreased after OM application. The degree of activation (AD), the absorption intensity ratio of 2920 cm,1 to 1720 cm,1 in infrared spectra (IR2920/1720), alkyl C and O-alkyl C of the HA increased. The HA structure tended to become simpler and more aliphatic. [source] Glycan profiling of urine, amniotic fluid and ascitic fluid from galactosialidosis patients reveals novel oligosaccharides with reducing end hexose and aldohexonic acid residuesFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 14 2010Cees Bruggink Urine, amniotic fluid and ascitic fluid samples of galactosialidosis patients were analyzed and structurally characterized for free oligosaccharides using capillary high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection and online mass spectrometry. In addition to the expected endo-,- N- acetylglucosaminidase-cleaved products of complex-type sialylated N -glycans, O -sulfated oligosaccharide moieties were detected. Moreover, novel carbohydrate moieties with reducing-end hexose residues were detected. On the basis of structural features such as a hexose,N -acetylhexosamine,hexose,hexose consensus sequence and di-sialic acid units, these oligosaccharides are thought to represent, at least in part, glycan moieties of glycosphingolipids. In addition, C1 -oxidized, aldohexonic acid-containing versions of most of these oligosaccharides were observed. These observations suggest an alternative catabolism of glycosphingolipids in galactosialidosis patients: oligosaccharide moieties from glycosphingolipids would be released by a hitherto unknown ceramide glycanase activity. The results show the potential and versatility of the analytical approach for structural characterization of oligosaccharides in various body fluids. [source] Novel genes in cell cycle control and lipid metabolism with dynamically regulated binding sites for sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 and RNA polymerase II in HepG2 cells detected by chromatin immunoprecipitation with microarray detectionFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 7 2009Mehdi Motallebipour Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins 1 and 2 (SREBP-1 and SREBP-2) are important regulators of genes involved in cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism, but have also been implicated in the regulation of the cell cycle and have been associated with the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis and obesity, among others. In this study, we aimed to characterize the binding sites of SREBP-1 and RNA polymerase II through chromatin immunoprecipitation and microarray analysis in 1% of the human genome, as defined by the Encyclopaedia of DNA Elements consortium, in a hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (HepG2). Our data identified novel binding sites for SREBP-1 in genes directly or indirectly involved in cholesterol metabolism, e.g. apolipoprotein C-III (APOC3). The most interesting biological findings were the binding sites for SREBP-1 in genes for host cell factor C1 (HCFC1), involved in cell cycle regulation, and for filamin A (FLNA). For RNA polymerase II, we found binding sites at classical promoters, but also in intergenic and intragenic regions. Furthermore, we found evidence of sterol-regulated binding of SREBP-1 and RNA polymerase II to HCFC1 and FLNA. From the results of this work, we infer that SREBP-1 may be involved in processes other than lipid metabolism. [source] Trichoderma biodiversity in China: Evidence for a North to South distribution of species in East AsiaFEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 2 2005Chu-long Zhang Abstract Towards assessing the biodiversity and biogeography of Trichoderma, we have analyzed the occurrence of Trichoderma species in soil and litter from four areas in China: North (Hebei province), South-East (Zhejiang province), West (Himalayan, Tibet) and South-West (Yunnan province). One hundred and thirty five isolates were grouped according to tentative morphological identification. A representative 64 isolates were verified at the species level by the oligonucleotide barcode program TrichO Key v.1.0 and the custom BLAST server Tricho BLAST, using sequences of the ITS1 and 2 region of the rRNA cluster and from the longest intron of the tef1 (translation elongation factor 1-,) gene. Eleven known species (Trichoderma asperellum, T. koningii, T. atroviride, T. viride, T. velutinum, T. cerinum, T. virens, T. harzianum, T. sinensis, T. citrinoviride, T. longibrachiatum) and two putative new species (T. sp. C1, and T. sp. C2), distinguished from known species both by morphological characters and phylogenetic analysis, were identified. A significant difference in the occurrence of these species was found between the North (Hebei) and South-West (Yunnan) areas, which correlates with previously reported species distributions in Siberia and South-East Asia, respectively. As in previous studies, T. harzianum accounted for almost half of the biodiversity; although, in this study, it was exclusively found in the North, and was predominantly represented by an ITS1 and 2 haplotype, which has so far been rarely found elsewhere. This study therefore reveals a North,South gradient in species distribution in East Asia, and identifies Northern China as a potential center of origin of a unique haplotype of T. harzianum. [source] Characterisation of symbionts of entomopathogenic nematodes by universally primed-PCR (UP-PCR) and UP-PCR product cross-hybridisationFEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 1 2002O. Nielsen Abstract This work introduces and demonstrates the applicability of universally primed-PCR (UP-PCR) for differentiating bacterial symbionts of entomopathogenic nematodes. Furthermore, typing by UP-PCR product cross-hybridisation was successfully introduced to cluster the bacterial strains. The work was initiated by isolating 10 isolates of Photorhabdus temperata (S172) from the nematode host Heterorhabditis sp. (DK172) and 12 isolates of Xenorhabdus bovienii (S1) from the nematode Steinernema feltiae (DK1). The isolates were compared by UP-PCR using different primers. The two bacterial species (P. temperata and X. bovienii) could be distinguished on the basis of the banding pattern whereas isolates isolated from the same nematode host had identical banding patterns. Three isolates obtained from DK172 and DK1, respectively, were then selected along with a number of reference strains (Hb, HP88, C1, K122, HSH2, HL81, T228, 61, AN6, Q58) and further characterised by UP-PCR product cross-hybridisation. The Xenorhabdus strains (Q58, AN6, 61, T228, S1) represented three species and these species were separated by the hybridisation technique. The Photorhabdus strains (Hb, HP88, C1, K122, HSH2, HL81, S172) represented two species and were also separated according to this in the cross-hybridisation. Within each species of Photorhabdus, two subgroups were formed as a result of intensity of the hybridisation signals. This grouping was in agreement with previous studies in other laboratories. [source] Seasonal and inter-annual variations in the abundance and biomass of Neocalanus plumchrus in continental slope waters off OregonFISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHY, Issue 5 2010HUI LIU Abstract Seasonal and inter-annual variability in the abundance and biomass of copepodid stages of the sub-arctic oceanic copepod, Neocalanus plumchrus, was studied during the January,May growth season, using an 11-yr time series of zooplankton samples collected over the upper 100 m of the water column. Abundance and biomass peaks occur in March/April. Abundance and biomass of N. plumchrus were significantly negatively correlated with sea surface temperature and significantly positively correlated with sea surface chlorophyll a, salinity, and density above the pycnocline. The seasonal integrated abundance and biomass of N. plumchrus declined during the warm years (2003,05), and increased during the cold years (2006,08). The date when 50% of the population had passed through stage C5 was significantly negatively correlated with temperature , earlier in warm years and later in cold years. In 3 yr (2003, 2007 and 2008), a second cohort appeared in mid-May, as indicated by the presence of stages C1 and C2 in the samples. Unusually high abundances of N. plumchrus in the spring of 2007 and 2008 were associated with cool ocean temperatures and an early spring transition in the NCC ecosystem, suggesting that the NCC ecosystem has returned to a cold phase. We discuss the merits of a hypothesis that the N. plumchrus population observed off Oregon is a local population as opposed to one that is expatriated from the Gulf of Alaska. [source] A QSAR analysis of toxicity of Aconitum alkaloidsFUNDAMENTAL & CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 6 2004Angélica M. Bello-Ramírez Abstract Biological activity of Aconitum alkaloids may be related to their toxicity rather than to a specific pharmacological action. A Quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) analysis was performed on the following two groups of alkaloids: compounds with an aroyl/aroyloxy group at R14 position (yunaconitine, bulleyaconitine, aconitine, beiwutine, nagarine, 3-acetyl aconitine, and penduline), and compounds with the aroyloxy group at R4 position (N -deacetyllappaconitine, lappaconitine, ranaconitine, N -deacetylfinaconitine, N -deacetylranaconitine). The LD50 (,mol/kg) of the 12 alkaloids were obtained from the literature. LD50 was significantly lower in group 1 than in group 2. The steric and core,core repulsion energies were significantly higher in group 1. The total energy and heat of formation and electronic energies were significantly lower in group 1. The reactivity index of N, C1,, C4, and C6, were similar between groups. The reactivity index of C2, was significantly higher and the reactivity index of C3, and C5, were significantly lower in group 1. Log P and pKa were similar between groups. Molecular weight was significantly higher in group 1. A significant linear relationship was observed between log LD50 and either analgesic log ED50 or local anesthetic log ED50. The LD50/analgesic ED50 obtained from average values was 5.9 for group 1 and 5.0 for group 2. However, the LD50/local anesthetic ED50 was 40.4 and 318, respectively. The study supports that the analgesic effects of these alkaloids are secondary to their toxic effects whereas alkaloids from group 2 are susceptible to be further studied as local anesthetic agents. [source] Late-glacial remains of woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) from Shropshire, UK: stratigraphy, sedimentology and geochronology of the Condover siteGEOLOGICAL JOURNAL, Issue 4 2009J. D. Scourse Abstract In 1986 remains of an adult woolly mammoth, Mammuthus primigenius (Blumenbach), were discovered at Norton Farm Pit, Condover, south of Shrewsbury, UK. Preliminary stratigraphical investigations indicated that this individual dated to the Devensian Late-glacial Interstadial, then the first evidence for survival of mammoth in Britain following the Last Glacial Maximum. Initial radiocarbon analysis confirmed this interpretation. Subsequent excavations in 1987/1988 recovered the remains of a further three juvenile mammoth individuals. All of these remains were found in the spoil heaps of overburden (ex situ) and their true stratigraphical context had to be reconstructed from the remnants surviving in the Pit. The 1987/1988 excavations enabled stratigraphical investigation of the site and submission of samples for radiocarbon (14C) dating, including the use of ultrafiltration pretreatment for bone samples, with the aims of reconstructing the geological and palaeoenvironmental evolution of the site and the sedimentary context of the unstratified mammoth remains. These results are presented here. This investigation indicates that the woolly mammoth remains at Condover derive from a dead-ice landscape dominated by eskers, kames and kettle-hole basins, and that the sedimentary sequence in which the mammoth remains were found forms the infilling of a kettle-hole basin. The sedimentary infilling and formation of the kettle-hole basin through ice block melt-induced subsidence were syngenetic. 14C determinations indicate that basin infill was initiated prior to Greenland Interstadial 1, and probably in Greenland Stadial 2 i.e. before 14.7,ka BP and that it continued until the early Holocene, around 8,ka BP. The sedimentological and 14C data indicate that the unstratified mammoth remains can be attributed to a dark grey clayey sandy silt (Unit C1), which accumulated during the earlier part of Greenland Interstadial 1 (14 to 14.5,ka BP) within an actively subsiding slow-flowing, beaded, fluvial network characterized by channels and pools/lakes, and with relatively shallow marginal slopes. The sedimentary architecture indicates survival of the buried ice block into Greenland Interstadial 1 and final melting only towards the end of the Interstadial at ca. 12.65,ka BP. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Magnetic quantification of urban pollution sources in atmospheric particulate matterGEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2004S. Spassov SUMMARY A new method is presented for fast quantification of urban pollution sources in atmospheric particulate matter (PM). The remanent magnetization of PM samples collected in Switzerland at sites with different exposures to pollution sources is analysed. The coercivity distribution of each sample is calculated from detailed demagnetization curves of anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) and is modelled using a linear combination of appropriate functions which represent the contribution of different sources of magnetic minerals to the total magnetization. Two magnetic components, C1 and C2, are identified in all samples. The low-coercivity component C1 predominates in less polluted sites, whereas the concentration of the higher-coercivity component C2 is large in urban areas. The same sites were monitored independently by Hüglin using detailed chemical analysis and a quantitative source attribution of the PM. His results are compared with the magnetic component analysis. The absolute and relative magnetic contributions of component C2 correlate very well with absolute and relative mass contributions of exhaust emissions, respectively. Traffic is the most important PM pollution source in Switzerland: it includes exhaust emissions and abrasion products released by vehicle brakes. Component C2 and traffic-related PM sources correlate well, which is encouraging for the implementation of non-destructive magnetic methods as an economic alternative to chemical analysis when mapping urban dust pollution. [source] Palaeomagnetism, rock magnetism and geochemistry of Jurassic dykes and correlative redbeds, Massachusetts, USAGEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2000Suzanne A. McEnroe Jurassic diabase dykes, sills and sedimentary rocks in central Massachusetts were sampled for palaeomagnetic analysis. The intrusions fall into three of the chemical types for eastern North American diabases: high TiO2 quartz-normative (Holden); low TiO2 quartz-normative (Ware); and high Fe2O3 quartz-normative (Pelham,Loudville). The characteristic magnetizations in the majority of intrusive samples unblock between 550 °C and 580 °C, with Curie temperatures in a discrete interval between 556 °C and 580 °C. The dominant remanence in the diabases is carried by C1 to C3 oxidation-exsolved titanomagnetite occurring as euhedral grains, as fine needles or dust in the matrix, as devitrifed glass, and as fine magnetite-ilmenite-silicate symplectite. In some dykes, titanomagnetite was further modified by deuteric oxidation during post-magmatic cooling, creating titanomaghematite and/or a granulation of the magnetite. Palaeopoles for the three diabase groups are: Holden, 60.1°N, 80.5°E, A95 = 4.1°; Ware, 73.5°N, 85.8°E, A95 = 3.9°; and Pelham,Loudville, 65.3°N, 95.6°E, A95 = 4.1°. These data are combined with samples from two stratigraphic sections through the Early Jurassic part of the Sugarloaf Formation in the Deerfield Basin representing both fine-grained mudstones and coarser arkoses. These haematite-dominated rocks reveal several components of magnetization, a steep recent field direction, an intermediate secondary diagenetic overprint direction in both mudstones and arkoses, and a high-temperature shallow primary direction found only in the mudstones. Palaeopoles for the Sugarloaf Formation are: mudstones, 57.7°N, 81.3°E, A95 = 9.1°; and arkoses, 75.1°N, 131.6°E, A95 = 5.9°. Based on the new palaeomagnetic data reported here, the North American plate in the Middle Jurassic was at higher palaeolatitudes than indicated by the present North American apparent polar wander path. [source] Artificial neural network inversion of magnetotelluric data in terms of three-dimensional earth macroparametersGEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2000Vjacheslav Spichak The possibility of solving the three-dimensional (3-D) inverse problem of geoelectrics using the artificial neural network (ANN) approach is investigated. The properties of a supervised ANN based on the back-propagation scheme with three layers of neurons are studied, and the ANN architecture is adjusted. A model class consisting of a dipping dyke in the basement of a two-layer earth with the dyke in contact with the overburden is used for numerical experiments. Six macroparameters of the 3-D model, namely the thickness of the top layer, which coincides with the depth of the dyke (D), the conductivity ratio between the first and second layers (C1,/C2,), the conductivity contrast of the dyke (C/C2,), and the width (W ), length (L ) and dip angle of the dyke (A), are used. Various groups of magnetotelluric field components and their transformations are studied in order to estimate the effect of the data type used on the ANN recognition ability. It is found that use of only the xy - and yx -components of impedance phases results in reasonable recognition errors for all unknown parameters (D: 0.02 per cent, C1/C2: 8.4 per cent, C/C2: 26.8 per cent, W : 0.02 per cent, L : 0.02 per cent, A: 0.24 per cent). The influence of the size and shape of the training data pool (including the ,gaps in education' and ,no target' effects) on the recognition properties is studied. Results from numerous ANN tests demonstrate that the ANN possesses good enough interpolation and extrapolation abilities if the training data pool contains a sufficient number of representative data sets. The effect of noise is estimated by means of mixing the synthetic data with 30, 50 and 100 per cent Gaussian noise. The unusual behaviour of the recognition errors for some of the model parameters when the data become more noisy (in particular, the fact that an increase in error is followed by a decrease) indicates that the use of standard techniques of noise reduction may give an opposite result, so the development of a special noise treatment methodology is required. Thus, it is shown that ANN-based recognition can be successfully used for inversion if the data correspond to the model class familiar to the ANN. No initial guess regarding the parameters of the 3-D target or 1-D layering is required. The ability of the ANN to teach itself using real geophysical (not only electromagnetic) data measured at a given location over a sufficiently long period means that there is the potential to use this approach for interpreting monitoring data. [source] The occurrence of porosity in reline acrylic resins.GERODONTOLOGY, Issue 1 2009Effect of microwave disinfection Background:, Microwave energy has proved to be an effective method for disinfecting acrylic dentures. However, the effect of microwave heating on the porosity of autopolymerising denture reline resins has not been investigated. Objective:, The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of microwave disinfection on the porosity of autopolymerised denture reline materials (Kooliner-K, New Truliner-NT, Tokuso Rebase Fast-TR and Ufi Gel Hard-UGH) and a conventional heat-polymerised denture base resin (Lucitone 550-L). Material and methods:, Specimens (10 mm × 20 mm × 1 mm) were obtained from the impression surface of the palatal mucosa in a single person and divided into four groups (n = 5). The porosity was evaluated after polymerisation (C1), after two cycles of microwave disinfection (MW2), after seven cycles of microwave disinfection (MW7) and after 7 days storage in water at 37°C (C2). Specimens from group MW7 were exposed to microwave disinfection daily being stored in water at 37°C between exposures. All the replicas were sputter coated with gold and micrographs/digital images were taken of each replica using scanning electron microscopy at magnification × 100. The SEM micrographs were then examined using an image analyser to determine the number of pores. Comparison between materials and groups were made using Kruskal,Wallis tests. Results:, MW7 resulted in a significant increase in the number from the pores of material K, but decreased in number in reline material TR and UGH reline resin. The number of pores in materials NT and L remained unaffected following microwave disinfection. Conclusion:, Differences in the porosity amongst the materials and for different experimental conditions were observed following microwave disinfection. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||