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Kinds of Close Terms modified by Close Selected AbstractsMultiple sites of L-histidine decarboxylase expression in mouse suggest novel developmental functions for histamineDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 1 2001Kaj Karlstedt Abstract Histamine mediates many types of physiologic signals in multicellular organisms. To clarify the developmental role of histamine, we have examined the developmental expression of L-histidine decarboxylase (HDC) mRNA and the production of histamine during mouse development. The predominant expression of HDC in mouse development was seen in mast cells. The HDC expression was evident from embryonal day 13 (Ed13) until birth, and the mast cells were seen in most peripheral tissues. Several novel sites with a prominent HDC mRNA expression were revealed. In the brain, the choroid plexus showed HDC expression at Ed14 and the raphe neurons at Ed15. Close to the parturition, at Ed19, the neurons in the tuberomammillary (TM) area and the ventricular neuroepithelia also displayed a clear HDC mRNA expression and histamine immunoreactivity (HA-ir). From Ed14 until birth, the olfactory and nasopharyngeal epithelia showed an intense HDC mRNA expression and HA-ir. In the olfactory epithelia, the olfactory receptor neurons (ORN) were shown to have very prominent histamine immunoreactivity. The bipolar nerve cells in the epithelium extended both to the epithelial surface and into the subepithelial layers to be collected into thick nerve bundles extending caudally toward the olfactory bulbs. Also, in the nasopharynx, an extensive subepithelial network of histamine-immunoreactive nerve fibers were seen. Furthermore, in the peripheral tissues, the degenerating mesonephros (Ed14) and the convoluted tubules in the developing kidneys (Ed15) showed HDC expression, as did the prostate gland (Ed15). In adult mouse brain, the HDC expression resembled the neuronal pattern observed in rat brain. The expression was restricted to the TM area in the ventral hypothalamus, with the main expression in the five TM subgroups called E1,E5. A distinct mouse HDC mRNA expression was also seen in the ependymal wall of the third ventricle, which has not been reported in the rat. The tissue- and cell-specific expression patterns of HDC and histamine presented in this work indicate that histamine could have cell guidance or regulatory roles in development. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Close range digital photogrammetric analysis of experimental drainage basin evolutionEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 3 2003J. Brasington Abstract Despite the difficulties of establishing formal hydraulic and geometric similarity, small-scale models of drainage basins have often been used to investigate the evolution and dynamics of larger-scale landforms. Historically, this analysis has been restricted to planform basin characteristics and only in the last decade has the topographic similarity of experimental landscapes been explored through explicitly three-dimensional parameters such as the distributions of cumulative drainage area, area,slope and catchment elevation. The current emphasis on three-dimensional morphometry reflects a growing awareness of the descriptive paucity of planform data and the need for more robust analysis of spatial scaling relationships. This paradigm shift has been significantly facilitated by technological developments in topographic survey and digital elevation modelling (DEM) which now present the opportunity to acquire and analyse high-resolution, distributed elevation data. Few studies have, however, attempted to use topographic modelling to provide information on the changing pattern and rate of sediment transport though an evolving landscape directly by using multitemporal DEM differencing techniques. This paper reports a laboratory study in which digital photogrammetry was employed to derive high-resolution DEMs of a simulated landscape in declining equilibrium at 15 minute frequency through a 240 minute simulation. Detailed evaluation of the DEMs revealed a vertical precision of 1·2 mm and threshold level of change detection between surfaces of ±3 mm at the 95 per cent confidence level. This quality assurance set the limits for determining the volumetric change between surfaces, which was used to recover the sediment budget through the experiment and to examine local - and basin-scale rates of sediment transport. A comparison of directly observed and morphometric estimates of sediment yield at the basin outlet was used to quantify the closure of the sediment budget over the simulation, and revealed an encouragingly small 6·2 per cent error. The application of this dynamic morphological approach has the potential to offer new insights into the controls on landform development, as demonstrated here by an analysis of the changing pattern of the basin sediment delivery ratio during network growth. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] How Foreign Language Teachers in Georgia Evaluate their Professional Preparation: A Call for ActionFOREIGN LANGUAGE ANNALS, Issue 1 2004Article first published online: 31 DEC 200, Thomas C. Cooper PhD The project involved conducting an online survey of 341 current foreign language teachers in Georgia in order to determine how these K-12 teachers perceived and evaluated the effectiveness of their professional preparation. Close to 60% of the teachers in the sample were graduates of colleges and universities in Georgia. Most of the others had received their training from various other colleges and universities in the United States, and 51 individuals reported that they had graduated from foreign institutions. The survey consisted of 42 questions asking teachers to evaluate their preparation in language skills, knowledge of foreign language standards, planningfor instruction, methodology, using technology in instruction, meeting the needs of socially and economically diverse students, classroom management skills, and professional growth. The survey results strongly suggest that foreign language teacher development programs should include (1) more time spent in carefully supervised and monitored prestudent-teaching field experiences; (2) more careful mentoring of student teachers during the student-teaching internship; (3) more time spent in language learning experiences in countries where the target language is spoken; (4) more emphasis on developing foreign language proficiency in the requisite university classes; and (5) more effort spent on teaching effective classroom management. [source] Surface deformation induced by present-day ice melting in SvalbardGEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2009H. P. Kierulf SUMMARY The vertical movement of the Earth's surface is the result of a number of internal processes in the solid Earth, tidal forces and mass redistribution in the atmosphere, oceans, terrestrial hydrosphere and cryosphere. Close to ice sheets and glaciers, the changes in the ice loads can induce large vertical motions at intraseasonal to secular timescales. The Global Positioning System (GPS) and Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) antennas in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard that started observations in 1991 and 1995, respectively, observe vertical uplift rates on the order of 8 ± 2 mm yr,1, which are considerably larger than those predicted by postglacial rebound (PGR) models (order 2 mm yr,1). The observations also indicate increased uplift rates starting some time in 2000. A local GPS campaign network that has been reoccupied annually since 1998, reveals a tilting away from the neighbouring glaciers. The Svalbard glaciers have been undergoing melting and retreat during the last century, with increased melting since about 2000. We compared the observed vertical motion to the motion predicted by loading models using a detailed ice model with annual time resolution as forcing. The model predictions correlate well with the observations both with respect to the interannual variations and the spatial pattern of long-term trends. The regression coefficients for predicted and observed interannual variations in height is 1.08 ± 0.38, whereas the regression coefficient for the predicted and observed spatial pattern turns out to be 1.26 ± 0.42. Estimates of the predicted secular trend in height due to PGR and present-day melting are on the order of 4.8 ± 0.3 mm yr,1 and thus smaller than the observed secular trend in height. This discrepancy between predictions and observations is likely caused by the sum of errors in the secular rates determined from observations (due to technique-dependent large-scale offsets) and incomplete or erroneous models (unaccounted tectonic vertical motion, errors in the ice load history, scale errors in the viscoelastic PGR models and the elastic models for present-day melting). [source] The sedimentary structure of the Lomonosov Ridge between 88°N and 80°NGEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2005Wilfried Jokat SUMMARY While the origin of the 1800-km-long Lomonosov Ridge (LR) in the Central Arctic Ocean is believed to be well understood, details on the bathymetry and especially on the sediment and crustal structure of this unique feature are sparse. During two expeditions in 1991 and 1998 into the Central Arctic Ocean several high quality seismic lines were collected along the margin of the ridge and in the adjacent Makarov Basin (MB). The lines collected between 87°36,N and 80°N perpendicular to and along the LR show a sediment starved continental margin with a variety of geological structures. The different features may reflect the different geological histories of certain ridge segments and/or their different subsidence histories. The sediments in the deep MB have thicknesses up to 2.2 km (3 s TWT) close to the foot of the ridge. At least in part basement reflections characteristics suggest oceanic crust. The acoustically stratified layers are flat lying, except in areas close to the ridge. Seismic units on the LR can be divided into two units based on refraction velocity data and the internal geometry of the reflections. Velocities <3.0 km s,1 are considered to represent Cenozoic sediments deposited after the ridge subsided below sea level. Velocities >4.0 km s,1 are associated with faulted sediments at deeper levels and may represent acoustic basement, which was affected by the Late Cretaceous/Early Cenozoic rift events. Along large parts of the ridge the transition of the two units is associated with an erosional unconformity. Close to the Laptev Sea such an erosional surface may not be present, because of the initial great depths of the rocks. Here, the deeper strata are affected by tectonism, which suggests some relative motion between the LR and the Laptev Shelf. Stratigraphic correlation with the Laptev Sea Shelf suggests that the ridge has not moved as a separate plate over the past 10 Myr. The seismic and regional gravity data indicate that the ridge broadens towards the Laptev Shelf. Although the deeper structure may be heavily intruded and altered, the LR appears to extend eastwards as far as 155°E, a consequence of a long-lived Late Cretaceous rift event. The seismic data across LR support the existence of iceberg scours in the central region of the ridge as far south as 81°N. However, no evidence for a large erosional events due to a more than 1000-m-thick sea ice cover is visible from the data. South of 85°N the seismic data indicate the presence of a bottom simulating reflector along all lines. [source] What Happens When Hospital-Based Skilled Nursing Facilities Close?HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, Issue 6p1 2005A Propensity Score Analysis Objective. To assess the effects of hospital-based skilled nursing facility (HBSNF) closures on health care utilization, spending, and outcomes among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries. Data Sources. One hundred percent Medicare fee-for-service claims files for 1997,2002 were merged with Medicare Provider of Services files and beneficiary-level enrollment records. Study Design. Medicare spending, the use of postacute care, and health outcomes, were compared among hospitals that did and did not close their HBSNFs between 1997 and 2001. Hospitals were stratified according to propensity scores (i.e., predicted probability of closure from a logistic regression) and analyses were conducted within these strata. Principal Findings. HBSNF closures were associated with increased utilization of alternative postacute care settings, and longer acute care hospital stays. Because of increased use of alternative settings, HBSNF closures were associated with a slight increase in total Medicare spending. There are no statistically robust associations between HBSNF closures and changes in either mortality or rehospitalization. Conclusions. HBSNF closures altered utilization patterns, but there is no indication that closures adversely affect beneficiaries' health outcomes. [source] Linear and whorled nevoid hypermelanosis associated with developmental delay and generalized convulsionsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2004Ahmad A. Alrobaee MD A 2-year-old Saudi boy was seen in our dermatology clinic with symmetrical, brown, linear macules over the legs, trunk, and arms (Figs 1,3). He was a product of a full-term vaginal delivery following an uneventful first pregnancy in a 22-year-old mother. The birth weight was 2.3 kg. The hyperpigmented macules followed the lines of Blaschko and were noticed a few months after birth; they had enlarged with body growth until the age of 18 months. There was no family history of a similar condition and the boy's parents were unrelated. No blistering or inflammatory changes preceded the hyperpigmentation. The palms, soles, nails, scalp, mucous membranes, and teeth were normal. In addition to the hyperpigmented macules, the patient started to have generalized convulsions at the age of 2 months. Figure 1. Linear hyperpigmented macules following the lines of Blaschko Figure 2. Close up view of the hyperpigmented macules Figure 3. Trunk: Hyperpigmented macules in whorled distribution Physical examination revealed delayed developmental milestones, microphthalmia, depressed nose, and high arched palate with no other abnormalities. Blood tests were normal. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed changes suggestive of a demyelinating process at the parieto-occipital white matter. Echocardiography revealed an atrial septal defect. Electroretinography (ERG), visual evoked potentials (VEP), and auditory evoked potentials (AEP) were normal. Electroencephalogram (EEG) showed multifocal epileptic discharge in the posterior region. A punch skin biopsy taken from the hyperpigmented lesions showed an increase in the melanin content of the basal layer with no incontinence of pigment or melanophages in the dermis. [source] A Remarkable Titanium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Strecker Reaction using Hydrogen Cyanide at Room TemperatureADVANCED SYNTHESIS & CATALYSIS (PREVIOUSLY: JOURNAL FUER PRAKTISCHE CHEMIE), Issue 13 2010Balamurugan Ramalingam Abstract Close to perfect enantioselectivity (up to 98% ee) is obtained for the formation of amino nitriles using hydrogen cyanide (HCN) as the cyanide source at room temperature for the first time. In an operationally simple process, the catalyst generated from a partially hydrolyzed titanium alkoxide (PHTA) and (S)- N -salicyl-,-amino alcohol ligand, catalyzes the cyanation of imines in a short reaction time. [source] Integration of magnetism and heavy metal chemistry of soils to quantify the environmental pollution in Kathmandu, NepalISLAND ARC, Issue 4 2005Pitambar Gautam Abstract Soil profiles of the Kathmandu urban area exhibit significant variations in magnetic susceptibility (,) and saturation isothermal remanence (SIRM), which can be used to discriminate environmental pollution. Magnetic susceptibility can be used to delineate soil intervals by depth into normal (< 10,7 m3/kg), moderately enhanced (10,7,< 10,6 m3/kg) and highly enhanced (, 10,6 m3/kg). Soils far from roads and industrial sites commonly fall into the ,normal' category. Close to a road corridor, soils at depths of several centimeters have the highest ,, which remains high within the upper 20 cm interval, and decreases with depth through ,moderately magnetic' to ,normal' at approximately 30,40 cm. Soils in the upper parts of profiles in urban recreational parks have moderate ,. Soil SIRM has three components of distinct median acquisition fields (B1/2): soft (30,50 mT, magnetite-like phase), intermediate (120,180 mT, probably maghemite or soft coercivity hematite) and hard (550,600 mT, hematite). Close to the daylight surface, SIRM is dominated by a soft component, implying that urban pollution results in enrichment by a magnetite-like phase. Atomic absorption spectrometry of soils from several profiles for heavy metals reveals remarkable variability (ratio of maximum to minimum contents) of Cu (16.3), Zn (14.8) and Pb (9.3). At Rani Pokhari, several metals are well correlated with ,, as shown by a linear relationship between the logarithmic values. At Ratna Park, however, both , and SIRM show significant positive correlation with Zn, Pb and Cu, but poor and even negative correlation with Fe (Mn), Cr, Ni and Co. Such differences result from a variety of geogenic, pedogenic, biogenic and man-made factors, which vary in time and space. Nevertheless, for soil profiles affected by pollution (basically traffic-related), , exhibits a significant linear relationship with a pollution index based on the contents of some urban elements (Cu, Pb, Zn), and therefore it serves as an effective parameter for quantifying the urban pollution. [source] Dearly Departed: How Often Do Congregations Close?JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF RELIGION, Issue 2 2008SHAWNA L. ANDERSON We establish for the first time a national mortality rate for religious congregations by determining the 2005 status of congregations in the 1998 National Congregations Study sample. The annual mortality rate for religious congregations is 1 percent, which is among the lowest mortality rates ever observed for any type of organization. This unusually low mortality rate probably indicates an organizational population whose weakest members live on in a weakened state rather than an organizational population that is unusually robust all the way down to its most vulnerable members. [source] Bacterial diversity of the digestive gland of Sydney rock oysters, Saccostrea glomerata infected with the paramyxean parasite, Marteilia sydneyiJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2010T.J. Green Abstract Aims:, To determine whether the infestation by the protozoan paramyxean parasite, Marteilia sydneyi, changes the bacterial community of the digestive gland of Sydney rock oysters, Saccostrea glomerata. Methods and Results:, Six 16S rDNA clone libraries were established from three M. sydneyi -infected and three un-infected oysters. Restriction enzyme analysis followed by sequencing representative clones revealed a total of 23 different operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in un-infected oysters, comprising the major phyla: Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria and Spirocheates, where the clone distribution was 44, 36, 7 and 5%, respectively. Close to half of the OTUs are not closely related to any other hitherto determined sequence. In contrast, S. glomerata infected by M. sydneyi had only one OTU present in the digestive gland. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rDNA sequence reveals that this dominant OTU, belonging to the ,-Proteobacteria, is closely related to a Rickettsiales -like prokaryote (RLP). Conclusions:, The microbiota of the digestive gland of Sydney rock oysters is changed by infection by M. sydneyi, becoming dominated by a RLP, and generally less diverse. The bacterial community of un-infected S. glomerata differs from previous studies in that we identified the dominant taxa as Firmicutes and ,-Proteobacteria, rather than heterotrophic ,-Proteobacteria. Significance and Impact of the Study:, This is the first culture-independent study of the microbiota of the digestive glands of edible oysters to the species level. The commercial viability of the Sydney rock oyster industry in Australia is currently threatened by Queensland Unknown disease and the changes in the bacterial community of S. glomerata corresponding with infection by M. sydneyi sheds further light on the link between parasite infection and mortality in this economically damaging disease. [source] Optimizing the Use of Garlic Oil as Antimicrobial Agent on Fresh-Cut Tomato through a Controlled Release SystemJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 7 2010J. Fernando Ayala-Zavala Abstract:, Encapsulation of garlic oil (GO) in ,-cyclodextrin (,-CD) was undertaken to generate a release system of antimicrobial volatiles and tested on microbial growth and sensory quality of fresh-cut tomato. GO volatile profile was characterized by gas chromatography mass spectrometry and to demonstrate the disadvantages of applying free GO to fresh-cut tomato, the effect of different free oil treatments (0, 50, 100, and 200 ,g/100 g) on microbial growth and sensorial quality was tested. The effect of GO capsules (0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 g/100 g) on microbial growth and sensory quality of tomato was also investigated. Allyl disulfide was the most abundant GO compound identified. The release of volatiles from GO: ,-CD capsules (12: 88 [w/w] ratio) was evaluated at 100% relative humidity (RH). Close to 70% of GO volatiles were released from capsules when exposed to 100% RH during 5 wk. The most effective antimicrobial concentrations of free oil (100 and 200 ,g/100 g) applied to tomatoes did not present acceptable sensory quality for panelists. Tomato was affected by the highest concentration of GO capsules applied, showing the lowest microbial growth and the highest sensory quality. In this context, successful encapsulation in ,-CD could stimulate further interest in the use of GO for the control of microbial growth in fresh-cut tomato. Practical Application:, The present study demonstrated that relative humidity in-package of fresh-cut tomatoes can be used as a trigger to release antimicrobial garlic oil volatiles from ,-cyclodextrin capsules, reducing microbial growth and the sensory effect of the treatment caused by the free garlic oil. In this context, successful encapsulation in ,-cyclodextrin could stimulate further interest in the use of garlic oil for the control of microbial growth in fresh-cut tomatoes. [source] Crosslinking polymerization leading to interpenetrating polymer network formation.JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE (IN TWO SECTIONS), Issue 21 2003Abstract As part of our continuing studies concerned with the elucidation of the crosslinking polymerization mechanism leading to interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) formation, in which IPNs consist of both polymethacrylates and polyurethane (PU) networks, this article explores the polyaddition crosslinking reactions of multifunctional poly(methyl methacrylate- co -2-methacryloyloxyethyl isocyanate) [poly(MMA- co -MOI)] [MMA/MOI = 90/10] with various diols leading to PU network formation. Thus, the equimolar polyaddition crosslinking reactions of poly(MMA- co -MOI) with ethylene glycol (EG), 1,6-hexane diol, and 1,10-decane diol (DD) were carried out in N -methyl pyrrolidone at a 0.25 mol/L isocyanate group concentration at 80 °C. The second-order rate constants decreased from EG to DD. The deviation of the actual gel point from the theoretical one was smaller from EG to DD. The intrinsic viscosity of resulting prepolymer demonstrated almost no variation with progressing polymerization for the EG system, whereas it gradually increased with conversion for the DD system. Close to the gel point conversion it increased rather drastically for both systems. The swelling ratio of resulting gel was higher from EG to DD. These are discussed mechanistically in terms of the significant occurrence of intramolecular cyclization and intramolecular crosslinking reactions leading to shrinkage of the molecular size. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 3243,3248, 2003 [source] Late Quaternary terrestrial tephrochronology of Iceland,frequency of explosive eruptions, type and volume of tephra deposits,JOURNAL OF QUATERNARY SCIENCE, Issue 2 2008Gudrún Larsen Abstract Close to 100 silicic tephra layers have been identified in Icelandic terrestrial soils of Holocene age. The majority of these tephras were erupted at the Hekla, Torfajökull, Öræfajökull, Askja, Snæfellsjökull, Eyjafjallajökull and Katla central volcanoes. By far the most active is Hekla with close to 50 identified silicic tephra layers in ,8000 years, showing an inverse relationship between eruption frequency and volume of erupted tephra. Volumes of uncompacted silicic tephra layers range from <0.01,km3 to >10,km3, with nearly 50% of known tephra volumes lying between 0.1 and 0.5,km3. Seven closely spaced Hekla eruptions in the period 950,550 BC with identical major element composition illustrate the need of stratigraphic control in short and long distance correlations. A 2600 year old tephra geochemically indistinguishable from the Borrobol tephra is a reminder that no tephra is geochemically unique. The major producers of basaltic tephra are the volcanic systems that are partly covered by ice, or partly lying within areas of high groundwater or extending offshore, i.e. the Grímsvötn, Katla, Veidivötn-Bárdarbunga, Reykjanes, Kverkfjöll and Vestmannaeyjar volcanic systems. The best known eruption record is that of the Katla system with over 170 identified basaltic tephra layers and more than 300 estimated in 8400 years. The Grímsvötn system is currently the most active volcanic system with over 70 eruptions during the last 1100 years. Volumes of uncompacted basaltic tephra layers range from <0.01,km3 to >20,km3, the majority of known tephra volumes lying between 0.1 and 1,km3. The most voluminous basaltic tephra deposit, the ,10,200,yr old Saksunarvatn tephra, may however represent more than one eruption on the Grímsvötn system. Deposition of approximately 800 basaltic tephra layers during the last 9000 14C years is estimated but many of those erupted from volcanoes within ice caps have not been preserved. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Earth Impact Effects Program: A Web-based computer program for calculating the regional environmental consequences of a meteoroid impact on EarthMETEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE, Issue 6 2005Gareth S. COLLINS This paper details the observations, assumptions and equations upon which the program is based. It describes our approach to quantifying the principal impact processes that might affect the people, buildings, and landscape in the vicinity of an impact event and discusses the uncertainty in our predictions. The program requires six inputs: impactor diameter, impactor density, impact velocity before atmospheric entry, impact angle, the distance from the impact at which the environmental effects are to be calculated, and the target type (sedimentary rock, crystalline rock, or a water layer above rock). The program includes novel algorithms for estimating the fate of the impactor during atmospheric traverse, the thermal radiation emitted by the impact-generated vapor plume (fireball), and the intensity of seismic shaking. The program also approximates various dimensions of the impact crater and ejecta deposit, as well as estimating the severity of the air blast in both crater-forming and airburst impacts. We illustrate the utility of our program by examining the predicted environmental consequences across the United States of hypothetical impact scenarios occurring in Los Angeles. We find that the most wide-reaching environmental consequence is seismic shaking: both ejecta deposit thickness and air-blast pressure decay much more rapidly with distance than with seismic ground motion. Close to the impact site the most devastating effect is from thermal radiation; however, the curvature of the Earth implies that distant localities are shielded from direct thermal radiation because the fireball is below the horizon. [source] Fate of 14C-acrylamide in roasted and ground coffee during storageMOLECULAR NUTRITION & FOOD RESEARCH (FORMERLY NAHRUNG/FOOD), Issue 5 2008Matthias Baum Abstract Acrylamide (AA) is formed during heating of carbohydrate rich foods in the course of the Maillard reaction. AA has been classified as probably carcinogenic to humans. Storage experiments with roasted coffee have shown that AA levels decrease depending on storage time and temperature. In the present study the fate of AA lost during storage of roasted and ground (R&G) coffee was studied, using 14C-labeled AA as radiotracer. Radiolabel was measured in coffee brew, filter residue, and volatiles. In the brew, total 14C-label decreased during storage of R&G coffee, while activity in the filter residue built up concomitantly. [2,3- 14C]-AA (14C-AA) was the only 14C-related water extractable low molecular compound in the brew detected by radio-HPLC. No formation of volatile 14C-AA-related compounds was detected during storage and coffee brewing. Close to 90% of the radiolabel in the filter residue (spent R&G coffee, spent grounds) remained firmly bound to the matrix, largely resisting extraction by aqueous ammonia, ethyl acetate, chloroform, hexane, and sequential polyenzymatic digest. Furanthiols, which are abundant as aroma components in roasted coffee, have not been found to be involved in the formation of covalent AA adducts and thus do not contribute substantially to the decrease of AA during storage. [source] An additional soft X-ray component in the dim low/hard state of black hole binariesMONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 3 2010C. Y. Chiang ABSTRACT We test the truncated disc models using multiwavelength (optical/ultraviolet/X-ray) data from the 2005 hard state outburst of the black hole Swift J1753.5,0127. This system is both fairly bright and has fairly low interstellar absorption, so gives one of the best data sets to study the weak, cool disc emission in this state. We fit these data using models of an X-ray illuminated disc to constrain the inner disc radius throughout the outburst. Close to the peak, the observed soft X-ray component is consistent with being produced by the inner disc, with its intrinsic emission enhanced in temperature and luminosity by reprocessing of hard X-ray illumination in an overlap region between the disc and corona. This disc emission provides the seed photons for Compton scattering to produce the hard X-ray spectrum, and these hard X-rays also illuminate the outer disc, producing the optical emission by reprocessing. However, the situation is very different as the outburst declines. The optical is probably cyclo-synchrotron radiation, self-generated by the flow, rather than tracing the outer disc. Similarly, limits from reprocessing make it unlikely that the soft X-rays are directly tracing the inner disc radius. Instead they appear to be from a new component. This is seen more clearly in a similarly dim low/hard state spectrum from XTE J1118+480, where the 10 times lower interstellar absorption allows a correspondingly better view of the ultraviolet/extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emission. The very small emitting area implied by the relatively high temperature soft X-ray component is completely inconsistent with the much larger, cooler, ultraviolet component which is well fit by a truncated disc. We speculate on the origin of this component, but its existence as a clearly separate spectral component from the truncated disc in XTE J1118+480 shows that it does not simply trace the inner disc radius, so cannot constrain the truncated disc models. [source] IgA nephropathy and mesangial cell proliferation: shared global gene expression profilesNEPHROLOGY, Issue 2002Hideto SAKAI SUMMARY: It is well established that mesangial cell proliferation plays a major role in glomerular injury and progressive renal injury. the expression of a number of different genes has been reported in proliferative mesangial cells in culture. However, the relevance of these genes to renal injury in general and IgA nephropathy (IgAN) remains to be established. Assessment of gene activity on a global genome-wide scale is a fundamental and newly developed molecular strategy to expand the scope of clinical investigation from a single gene to studying all genes at once in a systematic pattern. Capitalizing on the recently developed methodology of high cDNA array hybridization, the simultaneous expression of thousands of genes in primary human proliferating mesangial cells was monitored and compared with renal tissue of IgAN. Complex [,- 33P]-labelled cDNA targets were prepared from cultured mesangial cells, remnant tissue from five IgAN renal biopsies and four nephrectomies (controls). Each target was hybridized to a high-density array of 18 326 paired target genes. the radioactive hybridization signals were analysed by phosphorimager. Approximately 8212±530 different gene transcripts were detected per target. Close to 5% (386±90 genes) were full-length mRNA human transcripts (HT) and the remainder were expressed sequence tags (EST). Using a relational database, electronic subtraction was performed and matching was carried out to allow identification of 203 HT with shared expression in proliferative mesangial cells and IgAN renal biopsies. In addition hierarchical clustering analysis was performed on the HT of IgAN and controls to establish differential expression profiles of mesangial HT in IgAN and controls. Collectively the presented data constitutes a preliminary renal bioinformatics database of the transcriptional profiles in IgAN. More importantly, the information may help to speed up the discovery of genes underlying human IgAN. [source] Genomic repertoire of human mesangial cells: comprehensive analysis of gene expression by cDNA array hybridizationNEPHROLOGY, Issue 4 2000Naohiro Yano SUMMARY: Knowing when and where a gene is expressed in a cell often provides a strong clue as to its physiological role. It is estimated the human genome contains 80 000,100 000 genes. Assessment of gene activity on a global genome-wide scale is a fundamental and newly developed experimental strategy to expand the scope of biological investigation from a single gene to studying all genes at once in a systematic way. Capitalizing on the recently developed methodology of cDNA array hybridization, we monitored the simultaneous expression of thousands of genes in primary human mesangial cells. Complex ,- 33P-labelled cDNA probes were prepared from cultured mesangial cells. The probe was hybridized to a high-density array of 18 326 paired target genes. The radioactive hybridization signals were analysed by phosphorimager. Bioinformatics from public genomic databases was utilized to assign a chromosomal location of each expressed transcript. Approximately 7460 different gene transcripts were detected in mesangial cells. Close to 13% (957 genes) were full-length mRNA human transcripts (HTs), the remainder 6503 being expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Using special imaging computer software, the transcriptional level of the 957 HTs was compared with the expression of the ribosomal protein S28 (housekeeping gene). The HTs were also classified by function of the gene product and listed with information on their chromosomal loci. To allow comparison between clinical and experimental studies of gene expression, the detected human gene transcripts were cross-referenced to orthologous mouse genes. Thus, the presented data constitute a quantitative preliminary blueprint of the transcriptional map of the human mesangial cell. The information may serve as a resource for speeding up the discovery of genes underlying human glomerular diseases. The complete listing of the full-length expressed genes is available upon request via E-mail: (Abdalla_Rifai@Brown.edu). [source] A Heart Close to Cracking: Preachers Resurrecting the Body in a Roman Catholic Crisis of PlausibilityNEW BLACKFRIARS, Issue 984 2003Gregory Heille OP First page of article [source] Latin America: Looking North or South?: Mexico's Future,So Close to God, So Close to the United StatesNEW PERSPECTIVES QUARTERLY, Issue 1 2001Article first published online: 28 JUN 200 Vincente Fox, the new president of Mexico, was inaugurated on Dec. 1. He spoke with NPQ Editor Nathan Gardels in Mexico City [source] Melancholy and Mourning in Jonathan Safran Foer's Extremely Loud and Incredibly CloseORBIS LITERARUM, Issue 3 2008Sien Uytterschout Whereas melancholy (or ,acting out') entails a complete repression of all trauma-related memory, mourning (or ,working through') is an endeavour to remember the traumatic event and fit it into a coherent whole. In Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, these two ways of reacting to and dealing with trauma are embodied respectively by the protagonist's paternal grandfather and by his paternal grandmother, both survivors of the Allied firebombing of Dresden in 1945. Foer ties up this ,old' trauma with a fresh one , 11 September 2001 , by having the Schells lose their only son, the protagonist's father, in the attacks on the World Trade Center. Aspects of both acting out and working through are in turn synthesised in the protagonist himself , Oskar Schell. In his behaviour, the boy displays characteristics of both a melancholic and a mourner. [source] Histologically low-grade dedifferentiated liposarcoma of the retroperitoneumPATHOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 5 2001Masaharu Fukunaga A low-grade dedifferentiated liposarcoma in the retroperitoneum of a 52-year-old woman is described. The excised specimens contained six nodules of lipoma-like well-differentiated liposarcoma and a nodule of dedifferentiated liposarcoma. The latter was composed predominantly of loosely arranged, benign-appearing spindle cells and fat cells. A small number of cells with irregularly shaped nuclei were scattered. There were no mitotic figures. The fat cells showed slight variation of size and shape, and a few multivacuolated lipoblasts were found. The spindle cell areas occupied approximately 60% of the tumor. The stroma was somewhat fibrous and myxoid and no dense collagenous matrix was found. The stroma vascularity was not prominent. Immunohistochemically, the spindle cells were positive for vimentin but negative for S-100 protein, desmin, muscle actin, and , -smooth muscle actin. Follow up for 5 months showed no evidence of recurrence or metastasis. The tumor, in which the benign-appearing spindle cell component was predominant, was considered to be a low-grade dedifferentiated liposarcoma. Close and long-term follow up is required. In retroperitoneal lipoma-like well-differentiated liposarcomas, spindle cell components like the present tumor, which represent dedifferentiation, should not be overlooked. [source] Prediction for developmental delay on Neonatal Oral Motor Assessment Scale in preterm infants without brain lesionPEDIATRICS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2010Sen-Wei Tsai Abstract Background:, Preterm infants often have difficulty in achieving a coordinated sucking pattern. To analyze the correlation between preterm infants with disorganized sucking and future development, weekly studies were performed of 27 preterm infants from initiation of bottle feeding until a normal sucking pattern was recognized. Methods:, A total of 27 preterm infants without brain lesion participated in the present study. Neonatal Oral Motor Assessment Scale (NOMAS) was utilized to evaluate the sucking pattern. Infants who were initially assessed as having disorganized sucking on NOMAS and regained a normal sucking pattern by 37 weeks old were assigned to group I; infants with a persistent disorganized sucking pattern after 37 weeks were assigned to group II. The mental (MDI) and psychomotor (PDI) developmental indices of Bayley Scales of Infant Development, second edition were used for follow-up tests to demonstrate neurodevelopment at 6 months and 12 months of corrected age. Results:, At 6 months follow up, subjects in group I had a significantly higher PDI score than group II infants (P= 0.04). At 12 months follow up, group I subjects had a significantly higher score on MDI (P= 0.03) and PDI (P= 0.04). There was also a higher rate for development delay in group II at 6 months (P= 0.05). Conclusion:, NOMAS-based assessment for neonatal feeding performance could be a helpful tool to predict neurodevelopmental outcome at 6 and 12 months. Close follow up and early intervention may be necessary for infants who present with a disorganized sucking pattern after 37 weeks post-conceptional age. [source] A photoemission study of the metallic ground state of potassium-doped C60 peapodsPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (B) BASIC SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 13 2006H. Rauf Abstract We report on the doping dependence of the electronic structure of the valence band of mats of C60 -filled single wall carbon nanotubes (C60 peapods) studied by high resolution photoemission spectroscopy. In the pristine state, the bundles consist of approximately one third metallic tubes which are Tomonaga,Luttinger liquids (TLL) and thus show a power law scaling of the density of states near the Fermi level. The power law scaling factor of the pristine peapods is hardly increased compared to that of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT). Upon doping we find a complex doping behavior and charge distribution between the electronic states of the SWCNT and the encaged C60 chains. Close to the Fermi level this has consequences on the doping induced crossover from a TLL to a conventional Fermi liquid which is found at a higher charge transfer as compared to intercalated SWCNT bundles. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Structure and Development of the Axillary Complex and Extrafloral Nectaries in Capparis retusa Griseb.PLANT BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2001O. A. Di Sapio Abstract: The structure, organization and development of the axillary complex and extrafloral nectary in Capparis retusa Griseb. was analysed for the first time. The axillary complex presents three uniserial descending buds. Subordinated shoots originate from the distal and middle bud, while the proximal bud is usually quiescent. Close to the top of the axillary complex there is a subglobulous and umbilicated extrafloral nectary, normally visited by nectivore ants; a chronological coincidence between secretion, production and ant patrolling activities has been observed. The nectary structure differentiates at the second caulinar node, from an axillar meristem separated from the surrounding cells by a shell zone. On the fourth node a remarkably developed nectary primordium can be observed, inside which procambial strands develop acropetally. In the central region of the nectary primordium homogenous parenchyma differentiates progressively, later acquiring characteristics of nectariferous tissue. The mature nectary is vascularized by xylem and phloem, and the procambial differentiation is completed in a basipetal way. The first serial bud differentiates at the third node, from meristem cells near the base of its supporting leaf. The complex nodal structure with three buds completes its development at the eighth caulinar node. Ramular traces are observed as vascular semicylinders penetrating into the base of the buds to constitute a vascular system similar to that of the shoot. The scheme is repeated in the extrafloral nectary, giving rise to prolific branching in the periphery of the nectariferous tissue. [source] Too Close for Comfort: Inadequate Boundaries With Parents and Individuation in Late Adolescent GirlsAMERICAN JOURNAL OF ORTHOPSYCHIATRY, Issue 2 2009Ofra Mayseless PhD This longitudinal study examined the ramifications of psychological control-guilt induction, parentification, triangulation, and blurring in parent-adolescent relationships for girls' individuation and adjustment. The study followed 120 girls in their transition from high school to military service. Results from the variable-centered and person-centered analyses merged in underscoring the somewhat different developmental path of two groups of inadequate boundary constellations. The group with high guilt induction and psychological control, which involves rejection and invalidation of the child's autonomous self, evinced the worst coping and adjustment to the transition and the lowest level of individuation with a combination of angry entanglement and strivings for overindependence. The blurred-parentified group resembled the adequate boundaries group regarding some indicators (e.g., low levels of engulfment anxiety and high conflictual independence), but further revealed overdependence and immaturity (e.g., high nurturance seeking, low emotional independence, and the lowest functional independence). Implications for preventive work with adolescents and their families are suggested. [source] Close to the Edge: The Representational Tactics of EminemTHE JOURNAL OF POPULAR CULTURE, Issue 3 2010MARCIA ALESAN DAWKINS First page of article [source] Close Range Morphological Measurement for The Earth SciencesTHE PHOTOGRAMMETRIC RECORD, Issue 131 2010Jim H. Chandler No abstract is available for this article. [source] The influence of large convective eddies on the surface-layer turbulenceTHE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY, Issue 618 2006S. S. Zilitinkevich Abstract Close to the surface large coherent eddies consisting of plumes and downdraughts cause convergent winds blowing towards the plume axes, which in turn cause wind shears and generation of turbulence. This mechanism strongly enhances the convective heat/mass transfer at the surface and, in contrast to the classical formulation, implies an important role of the surface roughness. In this context we introduce the stability-dependence of the roughness length. The latter is important over very rough surfaces, when the height of the roughness elements becomes comparable with the large-eddy Monin,Obukhov length. A consistent theoretical model covering convective regimes over all types of natural surfaces, from the smooth still sea to the very rough city of Athens, is developed; it is also comprehensively validated against data from measurements at different sites and also through the convective boundary layer. Good correspondence between model results, field observations and large-eddy simulation is achieved over a wide range of surface roughness lengths and convective boundary-layer heights. Copyright © 2007 Royal Meteorological Society [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||