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Kinds of DW Terms modified by DW Selected AbstractsAn optimized whole blood method for flow cytometric measurement of ZAP-70 protein expression in chronic lymphocytic leukemiaCYTOMETRY, Issue 4 2006T. Vincent Shankey Abstract Background: ZAP-70 protein expression has been proposed as a marker for immunoglobulin heavy chain mutational status, which some studies have correlated with disease course in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Studies published to date measuring levels of expression of ZAP-70 intracellular protein using flow cytometry have demonstrated poor performance, as defined by the difference in signal in known positive and negative lymphocyte populations. Methods: A recently published method (Chow S, Hedley DW, Grom P, Magari R, Jacobberger JW, Shankey TV, Cytometry A 2005;67:4,17) to measure intracellular phospho-epitopes was optimized using a design of experiments (DOE) approach to provide the best separation of ZAP-70 expression in positive T- or NK-cells as compared to negative B-cells in peripheral blood samples. A number of commercially available anti-ZAP-70 antibody-conjugates were screened using this methodology, and the antibody-conjugate showing the best performance was chosen to develop a four-color, five antibody assays to measure ZAP-70 levels in whole blood specimens. Results: Using the optimized fixation and permeabilization method, improvement in assay performance (signal-to-noise, S/N) was seen in most of the antibodies tested. The custom SBZAP conjugate gave the best S/N when used in conjunction with this optimized fixation /permeabilization method. In conjunction with carefully standardized instrument set-up protocols, we obtained both intra- and interlaboratory reproducibility in the analysis of ZAP-70 expression in whole blood samples from normal and CLL patients. Conclusions: The development of a sensitive, specific and highly reproducible ZAP-70 assay represents only the first essential step for any clinical assay. The universal implementation of a validated data analysis method and the establishment of methodology-based cutoff points for clinical outcomes must next be established before ZAP-70 protein analysis can be routinely implemented in the clinical laboratory. © 2006 International Society for Analytical Cytology [source] Indicators of pretreatment suicidal ideation in adults with major depressive disorderACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 6 2010D. W. Morris Morris DW, Trivedi MH, Husain MM, Fava M, Budhwar N, Wisniewski SR, Miyahara S, Gollan JK, Davis LL, Daly EJ, Rush AJ. Indicators of pretreatment suicidal ideation in adults with major depressive disorder. Objective:, In order to evaluate the presence of treatment emergent suicidal ideation (SI), it becomes necessary to identify those patients with SI at the onset of treatment. The purpose of this report is to identify sociodemographic and clinical features that are associated with SI in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients prior to treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Method:, This multisite study enrolled 265 out-patients with non-psychotic MDD. Sociodemographic and clinical features of participants with and without SI were compared post hoc. Results:, Social phobia, bulimia nervosa, number of past depressive episodes, and race were independently associated with SI by one or more SI measure. Conclusion:, Concurrent social phobia and bulimia nervosa may be potential risk factors for SI in patients with non-psychotic MDD. Additionally, patients with more than one past depressive episode may also be at increased risk of SI. [source] Nutrients, diversity, and community structure of two phytotelm systems in a lower montane forest, Puerto RicoECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 3 2000Barbara A. Richardson Summary 1. Bromeliad and heliconia phytotelmata in the same forest area were compared in terms of their animal assemblages, nutrient inputs, and plant architecture. 2. For all major elements, nutrient inputs from canopy-derived debris and rainfall in bromeliads were significantly lower than those derived from decaying flower parts and plant secretions in heliconia bracts. Bromeliads contained significantly fewer organisms per unit volume of water and unit dry weight of organic matter than did heliconia inflorescences. They also contained a significantly lower animal biomass (199 mg DW from 15 bromeliads, 527 mg DW from 15 heliconia inflorescences). 3. Species richness was independent of abundance, demonstrating that, at least for small container habitats, higher abundance does not necessarily lead to a greater species richness. Communities were remarkably similar in patterns of relative abundance and species richness (23 spp. in bromeliads, 21 spp. in heliconia), probably due to functional similarities in plant architecture, with the two most abundant species comprising 60,62% of the total community. Coefficients of similarity were low because of marked differences in species assemblages. 4. Some taxa were phytotelm generalists but most showed a preference for one particular habitat, indicating differential selection in the choice of oviposition sites and larval development within the forest ecosystem. In common with many island communities, species richness was lower than that reported for these phytotelm habitats in mainland central and south America. [source] Physiological responses of Matricaria chamomilla to cadmium and copper excessENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY, Issue 1 2008Jozef Ková Abstract Physiological responses of Matricaria chamomilla plants exposed to cadmium (Cd) and copper (Cu) excess (3, 60, and 120 ,M for 7 days) with special emphasis on phenolic metabolism were studied. Cu at 120 ,M reduced chamomile growth, especially in the roots where it was more abundant than Cd. Notwithstanding the low leaf Cu amount (37.5 ,g g,1 DW) in comparison with Cd (237.8 ,g g,1 DW) at 120 ,M, it caused reduction of biomass accumulation, Fv/Fm ratio and soluble proteins. In combination with high accumulation of phenolics, strong reduction of proteins and high GPX activity in the roots, this supports severe redox Cu properties. In terms of leaf phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity, it seems that Cd had a stimulatory effect during the course of the experiment, whereas Cu was found to stimulate it after 7-day exposure. The opposite trend was visible in the roots, where Cd had a stimulatory effect at high doses but Cu mainly at the highest dose. This supports the assumption of different PAL time dynamics under Cd and Cu excess. A dose of 60 and 120 ,M Cu led to 2- and 3-times higher root lignin accumulation while the same Cd doses increased it by 33 and 68%, respectively. A Cu dose of 120 ,M can be considered as limiting for chamomile growth under conditions of present research, while resistance to high Cd doses was confirmed. However, PAL and phenolics seemed to play an important role in detoxification of Cd- and Cu-induced oxidative stress. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2008. [source] Seasonal dynamics of the hepatotoxic microcystins in various organs of four freshwater bivalves from the large eutrophic lake Taihu of subtropical China and the risk to human consumptionENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY, Issue 6 2005Jun Chen Abstract So far, little is known on the distribution of hepatotoxic microcystin (MC) in various organs of bivalves, and there is no study on MC accumulation in bivalves from Chinese waters. Distribution pattern and seasonal dynamics of MC-LR, -YR and -RR in various organs (hepatopancreas, intestine, visceral mass, gill, foot, and rest) of four edible freshwater mussels (Anodonta woodiana, Hyriopsis cumingii, Cristaria plicata, and Lamprotula leai) were studied monthly during Oct. 2003,Sep. 2004 in Lake Taihu with toxic cyanobacterial blooms in the summer. Qualitative and quantitative determinations of MCs in the organs were done by LC,MS and HPLC. The major toxins were present in the hepatopancreas (45.5,55.4%), followed by visceral mass with substantial amount of gonad (27.6,35.5%), whereas gill and foot were the least (1.8,5.1%). The maximum MC contents in the hepatopancreas, intestine, visceral mass, gill, foot, and rest were 38.48, 20.65, 1.70, 0.64, 0.58, and 0.61 ,g/g DW, respectively. There were rather good positive correlation in MC contents between intestines and hepatopancreas of the four bivalves (r = 0.75,0.97, p < 0.05). There appeared to be positive correlations between the maximum MC content in the hepatopancreas and the ,13C (r = 0.919) or ,15N (r = 0.878) of the foot, indicating that the different MC content in the hepatopancreas might be due to different food ingestion. A glutathione (GSH) conjugate of MC-LR was also detected in the foot sample of C. plicata. Among the foot samples analyzed, 54% were above the provisional WHO tolerable daily intake (TDI) level, and the mean daily intakes from the four bivalves were 8,23.5 times the TDI value when the bivalves are eaten as a whole, suggesting the high risk of consuming bivalves in Lake Taihu. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 20: 572,584, 2005. [source] Transformation of the offshore benthic community in Lake Michigan: recent shift from the native amphipod Diporeia spp. to the invasive mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensisFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2009THOMAS F. NALEPA Summary 1. The native amphipod Diporeia spp. was once the dominant benthic organism in Lake Michigan and served as an important pathway of energy flow from lower to upper trophic levels. Lake-wide surveys were conducted in 1994/1995, 2000 and 2005, and abundances of Diporeia and the invasive bivalves Dreissena polymorpha (zebra mussel) and Dreissena rostriformis bugensis (quagga mussel) were assessed. In addition, more frequent surveys were conducted in the southern region of the lake between 1980 and 2007 to augment trend interpretation. 2. Between 1994/1995 and 2005, lake-wide density of Diporeia declined from 5365 to 329 m,2, and biomass (dry weight, DW) declined from 3.9 to 0.4 g DW m,2. The percentage of all sites with no Diporeia increased over time: 1.1% in 1994/1995, 21.7% in 2000 and 66.9% in 2005. On the other hand, total dreissenid density increased from 173 to 8816 m,2, and total biomass increased from 0.4 to 28.6 g DW m,2. Over this 10-year time period, D. r. bugensis displaced D. polymorpha as the dominant dreissenid, comprising 97.7% of the total population in 2005. In 2007, Diporeia was rarely found at depths shallower than 90 m and continued to decline at greater depths, whereas densities of D. r. bugensis continued to increase at depths greater than 50 m. 3. The decline in Diporeia occurred progressively from shallow to deep regions, and was temporally coincident with the expansion of D. polymorpha in nearshore waters followed by the expansion of D. r. bugensis in offshore waters. In addition, Diporeia density was negatively related to dreissenid density within and across depth intervals; the latter result indicated that dreissenids in shallow waters remotely influenced Diporeia in deep waters. 4. With the loss of Diporeia and increase in D. r. bugensis, the benthic community has become a major energy sink rather that a pathway to upper trophic levels. With this replacement of dominant taxa, we estimate that the relative benthic energy pool increased from 17 to 109 kcal m,2 between 1994/1995 and 2005, and to 342 kcal m,2 by 2007. We project that previously observed impacts on fish populations will continue and become more pronounced as the D. r. bugensis population continues to expand in deeper waters. [source] Crayfish effects on seeds and seedlings: identification and quantification of damageFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2005PEDRO M. ANASTÁCIO Summary 1. The red-swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) is an invasive species and an important pest of wet-seeded rice fields (Oryza sativa) in California (U.S.A.) and in Portugal. Our work quantifies rice consumption and non-consumptive destruction and identifies the types of direct damage inflicted by crayfish. 2. The following fractions were quantified in the presence and absence of crayfish and at 3 and 6 days of rice development: (1) non-germinated seeds, (2) damaged seeds, (3) seeds not recovered, (4) intact rooted seedlings, (5) rooted damaged seedlings, (6) uprooted intact seedlings, (7) uprooted damaged seedlings. 3. Coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) fragments produced during the feeding process were <2% of the material removed by crayfish. 4. Damage occurred with or without uprooting of the plants, but the incidence of uprooting without consumption was low (1.4%). 5. Consumption of recently developed parts of the rice plant was the main cause of damage and the observed effect was stronger on 6-day-old than on 3-day-old seedlings. Seedlings were more affected by crayfish than were seeds. 6. Crayfish affected the majority of seeds and seedlings available although consumption was low: 0.015 g dry weight (DW) rice g,1 wet weight (WW) crayfish per 12 h at 3 days and 0.063 g DW rice g,1 WW crayfish per 12 h at 6 days. 7. Our results are important for the mitigation of crayfish related problems in rice fields and for understanding the mechanisms of crayfish-macrophyte interactions. [source] A fresh look at dry weightHEMODIALYSIS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2008Jochen RAIMANN Abstract The concept of dry weight (DW) is central to dialysis therapy. The most commonly used definition of DW is the weight below which patients become hypotensive on dialysis. However, this definition is dependent on patient symptoms. A more rigorous definition of DW is the body weight at a physiological extracellular volume (ECV) state. Overhydration is an excess in ECV above that found in healthy subjects. In healthy subjects, within extremes of salt intake, ECV may vary between 280 and 340 mL/kg lean body mass. Sodium accumulation is one of the many consequences of renal failure; it results in increased water intake and an increase in ECV, and an accompanying rise in blood pressure with its clinical sequelae, most prominently cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Recently characterized endogenous digitalis-like factors which are released in response to ECV expansion have extended this traditional picture. Efforts to reduce a positive sodium balance include dietary counseling and avoidance of iatrogenic intradialytic sodium loading, such as dialysate sodium exceeding serum levels, sodium profiling, and intravenous saline. Excess ECV is predominantly located in the interstitial compartment and must be removed during dialysis therapy by ultrafiltration. During this process, interstitial fluid redistributes to the intravascular space via uptake in the capillary bed. In addition to that mechanism, we propose that increased lymphatic flow into the venous system contributes to plasma refilling. Both clinical and technical means are used to assess the presence of DW. Continuous segmental calf bioimpedance is a promising new technology for intradialytic DW diagnosis. [source] Antioxidants in aerial parts of Hypericum sampsonii, Hypericum japonicum and Hypericum perforatumINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 11 2009Chung Li Chen Summary Antioxidants contents and antioxidative enzymes and their activities in fresh aerial tissues of Hypericum sampsonii (Sampson's St John's Wort), Hypericum japonicum (Japanese St John's Wort) and Hypericum perforatum were investigated. Hypericum sampsonii contained more total ascorbate [34.33 ,mol g,1 fresh weight (FW)] than H. perforatum (57% less) and H. japonicum (82% less). It also contained more thiol and phenolics than two other species. Hypericum japonicum had highest superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (8.74 mmol min,1 g,1 FW), followed by H. sampsonii (2% less) and H. perforatum (37% less). Hot-air dried H. perforatum materials contained more thiol [208.7 ,mol g,1 dry weight (DW)] and phenolics (352.82 mg g,1 DW) than freeze-dried and fresh materials. Both drying treatments decreased the activities of antioxidative enzymes in aerial tissues of H. perforatum. However, freeze-dried H. perforatum contained the highest SOD activity (5.42 mmol min,1 g,1 DW) among the antioxidative enzymes measured from both freeze-dried and hot-air dried tissues (ranged from 0.02 to 2.65 ,mol min,1 g,1 DW). [source] Local atomic structure in tetragonal pure ZrO2 nanopowdersJOURNAL OF APPLIED CRYSTALLOGRAPHY, Issue 2 2010Leandro M. Acuña The local atomic structures around the Zr atom of pure (undoped) ZrO2 nanopowders with different average crystallite sizes, ranging from 7 to 40,nm, have been investigated. The nanopowders were synthesized by different wet-chemical routes, but all exhibit the high-temperature tetragonal phase stabilized at room temperature, as established by synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction. The extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) technique was applied to analyze the local structure around the Zr atoms. Several authors have studied this system using the EXAFS technique without obtaining a good agreement between crystallographic and EXAFS data. In this work, it is shown that the local structure of ZrO2 nanopowders can be described by a model consisting of two oxygen subshells (4 + 4 atoms) with different Zr,O distances, in agreement with those independently determined by X-ray diffraction. However, the EXAFS study shows that the second oxygen subshell exhibits a Debye,Waller (DW) parameter much higher than that of the first oxygen subshell, a result that cannot be explained by the crystallographic model accepted for the tetragonal phase of zirconia-based materials. However, as proposed by other authors, the difference in the DW parameters between the two oxygen subshells around the Zr atoms can be explained by the existence of oxygen displacements perpendicular to the z direction; these mainly affect the second oxygen subshell because of the directional character of the EXAFS DW parameter, in contradiction to the crystallographic value. It is also established that this model is similar to another model having three oxygen subshells, with a 4 + 2 + 2 distribution of atoms, with only one DW parameter for all oxygen subshells. Both models are in good agreement with the crystal structure determined by X-ray diffraction experiments. [source] Reproductive biology of the skate, Rioraja agassizii (Müller and Henle, 1841), off Puerto Quequén, ArgentinaJOURNAL OF APPLIED ICHTHYOLOGY, Issue 2009M. Estalles Summary A total of 230 specimens of the skate, Rioraja agassizii, was collected from the commercial bottom trawl fishery of Puerto Quequén, Argentina. During the warmer seasons greater proportions of females were sampled. The largest male and female sampled were 629 and 698 mm total length (TL), respectively. Sexual dimorphism was detected in the relationship between weight (W),TL and disc width (DW),TL, in that females were heavier and wider than males. The smallest mature male and female were 485 and 530 mm TL, respectively. TL at 50% maturity (TL50%) was estimated at 504 and 570 mm for males and females, respectively. Females exhibited heavier livers than males throughout their lifetimes. Seasonal variations in the gonadosomatic (GSI) and hepatosomatic (HSI) indices, and in the width of the left oviducal gland (OG), along with the greater number of pregnant females sampled during spring, suggested that the peak of the egg laying season could be during this season. The egg cases presented a mean length of 69.01 ± 5.53 mm, mean width of 43.40 ± 1.86 mm and mean weight of 17.00 ± 4.59 g. According to these results specimens from Puerto Quequén and southern Brazil appeared to differ in size, the peak of the egg-laying season and in egg dimensions. [source] Characterization of Pantoea dispersa UQ68J: producer of a highly efficient sucrose isomerase for isomaltulose biosynthesisJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2004L. Wu Abstract Aims:, Isolation, identification and characterization of a highly efficient isomaltulose producer. Methods and Results:, After an enrichment procedure for bacteria likely to metabolize isomaltulose in sucrose-rich environments, 578 isolates were screened for efficient isomaltulose biosynthesis using an aniline/diphenylamine assay and capillary electrophoresis. An isolate designated UQ68J was exceptionally efficient in sucrose isomerase activity. Conversion of sucrose into isomaltulose by UQ68J (enzyme activity of 90,100 U mg,1 DW) was much faster than the current industrial strain Protaminobacter rubrum CBS574.77 (41,66 U mg,1 DW) or a reference strain of Erwinia rhapontici (0·3,0·9 U mg,1 DW). Maximum yield of isomaltulose at 78,80% of supplied sucrose was achieved in less than half the reaction time needed by CBS574.77, and the amount of contaminating trehalulose (4%) was the lowest recorded from an isomaltulose-producing microbe. UQ68J is a Gram negative, facultatively anaerobic, motile, noncapsulate, straight rod-shaped bacterium producing acid but no gas from glucose. Based on 16S rDNA analysis UQ68J is closest to Klebsiella oxytoca, but it differs from Klebsiella in defining characteristics and most closely resembles Pantoea dispersa in phenotype. Significance and Impact of Study:, This organism is likely to have substantial advantage over previously characterized sucrose isomerase producers for the industrial production of isomaltulose. [source] Apparent diffusion coefficient in pancreatic cancer: Characterization and histopathological correlationsJOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, Issue 6 2008Noriaki Muraoka MD Abstract Purpose To clarify the components primarily responsible for diffusion abnormalities in pancreatic cancerous tissue. Materials and Methods Subjects comprised 10 patients with surgically confirmed pancreatic cancer. Diffusion-weighted (DW) echo-planar imaging (b value = 0, 500 s/mm2) was employed to calculate the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). ADC values of cancer and noncancerous tissue were calculated. Furthermore, ADC values of the cancer were compared with histopathological results. Results The mean (±standard deviation) ADC value was significantly lower for tumor (1.27 ± 0.52 × 10,3 mm2/s) than for noncancerous tissue (1.90 ± 0.41 × 10,3 mm2/s, P < 0.05). Histopathological examination showed similar proportions of fibrotic area, cellular component, necrosis, and mucin in each case. Regarding the density of fibrosis in cancer, three cases were classified in the loose fibrosis group and the remaining seven cases were classified in the dense fibrosis group. The mean ADC value was significantly higher in the loose fibrosis group (1.88 ± 0.39 × 10,3 mm2/s) than in the dense fibrosis group (1.01 ± 0.29 × 10,3 mm2/s, P < 0.05). In quantitative analysis, ADC correlated well with the proportion of collagenous fibers (r = ,0.87, P < 0.05). Conclusion Collagenous fibers may be responsible for diffusion abnormalities in pancreatic cancer. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2008;27:1302,1308. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Differentiation between completely hyalinized uterine leiomyomas and ordinary leiomyomas: Three-phase dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) vs. diffusion-weighted MRI with very small b-factorsJOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, Issue 1 2004Ken Shimada MD Abstract Purpose To assess the possibility of differentiating between completely hyalinized leiomyomas and ordinary leiomyomas by using diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (DWI) employing very small b-factors (b = 1.51 and 55.3 seconds/mm2) in comparison with three-phase dynamic MRI. Materials and Methods The subjects were 25 patients with 52 histopathologically confirmed uterine leiomyomas. All leiomyomas were divided into two histopathologic subtypes (5 completely hyalinized leiomyomas and 47 ordinary leiomyomas). For each leiomyoma, the enhancement index (EI) at three-phase dynamic MRI and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were obtained and then compared. Results The EIs at second and third dynamic phases clearly differentiated the two types of leiomyomas without overlap of values. ADCs also clearly differentiated the two types of leiomyomas without overlap of values. Moreover, there were significant positive correlations between ADCs and EIs at all dynamic phases (r = 0.41,0.50, P < 0.01). Conclusion Not only three-phase dynamic MRI but also DWI with very small b-factors could be useful for differentiating completely hyalinized leiomyomas from ordinary leiomyomas. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2004;20:97,104. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Time evolution of cerebral perfusion and apparent diffusion coefficient measured by magnetic resonance imaging in a porcine stroke modelJOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, Issue 2 2002Lisbeth Røhl MD Abstract Purpose To demonstrate the feasibility of sequential diffusion-weighted (DW) and perfusion-weighted (PW) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of a recently developed porcine stroke model and to evaluate the evolution of cerebral perfusion and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) over time. Materials and Methods In five pigs, DW imaging (DWI) and PW imaging (PWI) was carried out for 7 hours after stroke onset, starting 1 hour after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Results The DWI lesion volume increased significantly with time, and final DWI lesion volume correlated well with lesion area on histological sections (r = 0.910). T2 changes could be recognized 3 hours after stroke onset. At 1 hour the ADC ratio (ischemic lesion/contralateral side) was reduced to 0.81 in the caudate-putamen and to 0.87 in the cortex, and the cerebral blood flow ratio was reduced to 0.40 in the caudate-putamen and 0.51 in the cortex. Conclusion The level of flow reduction in the caudate-putamen and the cortex after 1 hour is in good correlation with human thresholds of irreversible and reversible ischemic damage, and accordingly, this model might be a model for mechanisms of infarct evolution and therapeutic intervention. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2002;15:123,129. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Predicting the Histopathological Grade of Cerebral Gliomas Using High b value MR DW Imaging at 3-TeslaJOURNAL OF NEUROIMAGING, Issue 3 2008Juan Alvarez-Linera MD ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Our aim was to prospectively assess whether magnetic resonance (MR) diffusion-weighted (DW) imaging using high b values can predict better than b value of 1,000 s/mm2 the histopathological grade of cerebral gliomas. METHODS Fifty-four patients with histologically verified brain gliomas (35 high-grade and 19 low-grade gliomas) underwent MR DW imaging. Isotropic DW images and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were obtained with b values of 1,000 and 3,000 s/mm2. Each tumor was evaluated as being hyperintense, iso-intense or hypointense to normal, contralateral-hemisphere white matter. RESULTS Most of the patients with high- and low-grade gliomas showed areas of increased signal intensity on their isotropic images, obtained with a b value of 1,000 s/mm2. However, with a b value of 3,000 s/mm2 the areas of increased signal intensity were seen in 97.1% of the high-grade gliomas, while 94.7% of the low-grade gliomas showed no area of increased signal intensity. The mean area under the ROC curve for ADC ratio, obtained with a b value of 3,000 s/mm2, was significantly higher than that obtained with 1,000 s/mm2 (.932 vs. .856, P= .04). CONCLUSION High b value DW MR might be useful as a complementary tool in preoperative assessment of the histopathological grading of cerebral gliomas. [source] Effect of disinfectants containing glutaraldehyde on bonding of a tri- n -butylborane initiated resin to dentineJOURNAL OF ORAL REHABILITATION, Issue 5 2002N. Baba The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of disinfectants on the bond strength of resin to dentine. The surface of bovine dentine was exposed to formaldehyde (FA) aqueous solutions, glutaraldehyde (GA) aqueous solutions, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate aqueous solutions (HEMA), a commercially available dentine primer (Gluma CPS desensitizer, GLUMA), isotonic sodium chloride solution (IS), and distilled water (DW), and placed in a humidor (HU) at 37 °C, or non-stored (baseline). All dentine surfaces were conditioned with a 10% citric acid and 3% ferric chloride solution (10-3 liquid), and then bonded to an acrylic rod with a self-curing adhesive resin (Super-Bond C&B). The mean tensile bond strengths determined 24 h after bonding were compared by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Fisher's protected LSD test (n=5, P , 0·05). The exposure of dentine to IS, DW and HU for both 48 and 168 h resulted in a decrease in bond strength when compared with the baseline. The highest bond strengths after 168 h of exposure were obtained with 5% GA, 10% HEMA, and GLUMA, the values of which were equivalent to baseline and were significantly higher than that of FA. It is concluded that disinfectant pre-treatment with 5% GA or GLUMA stabilizes the bonding of tri- n -butylborane (TBB) initiated luting agent to bovine dentine conditioned with 10-3 liquid. [source] EXPLORING PORPHYRA SPECIES FOR USE AS NITROGEN SCRUBBERS IN INTEGRATED AQUACULTUREJOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Issue 2001Article first published online: 24 SEP 200 Carmona, R.1, Kraemer G. P.2, Zertuche, J. A.3, Chanes, L.4, Chopin, T.5, Neefus C.4,6 & Yarish, C.1 1Dept. of Ecol. and Evol. Biol., University of Connecticut, One University Place, Stamford, CT 06901, USA; 2Department of Environmental Sciences, State University of New York, Purchase, NY 10577 USA; 3IIO, Universidad Autonoma de Baja California. Ensenada,B.C., Mexico; 4DGETI-CBTis41, Mexico; 5CCSA, Dept. of Biol., University of New Brunswick, Saint John, N.B., E2L 4L5, Canada; 6Department of Plant Biology, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA Finfish mariculture along the Northeast US coast continues to develop into a strong industry. At a regional level, mariculture can be a significant contributor to nutrient loading in coastal waters. Since macroalgae are able to concentrate nutrients and grow at high rates, they can be an useful tool for alleviating this problem. In addition, seaweed mariculture is by itself a multi-billion dollar industry, with the red alga Porphyra (nori) valued at over $US 1.8 billion. Local species and strains of Porphyra from the Northeast U.S.A. are being studied to determine their capacity as nutrient scrubbers under different nutrient and temperature conditions. P. purpurea was grown under two N sources (NO3- vs. NH4+). The fastest growth (up to 13% d-1) and greatest N content (ca. 7% DW) were measured in plants grown at 300 µM NH4+. Short-term NH4+ uptake by P. purpurea (strains from Maine and Long Island Sound) and by P. amplissima was not saturated at 150 µM, the highest concentration tested. The P. purpurea isolate from Maine took up NH4+ faster than did the Long Island Sound isolate. NH4+ uptake by P. amplissima was faster than uptake by either P. purpurea strain. The high growth rates obtained and the ability for N uptake and tissue accumulation make these species suitable for using as a biological nutrient removal system. [source] Indole-related Compounds Induce the Resistance to Rice Blast Fungus, Magnaporthe grisea in BarleyJOURNAL OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 11-12 2004M. Ueno Abstract When barley leaves pretreated with indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), tryptamine and tryptophan solutions at 50 ,g/ml, which did not show antifungal activity, were inoculated with Magnaporthe grisea spores 24 h after chemical pretreatments, both blast lesion and infection-hypha formations were significantly inhibited. Such resistance to M. grisea in barley was induced from 12 h after the pretreatment. In barley leaves pretreated with IAA, tryptamine and tryptophan at 50 ,g/ml, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), peroxidase and chitinase activities were already significantly enhanced before M. grisea inoculation, when compared with that in distilled water (DW)-treated leaves as a control. In chemical-pretreated leaves, furthermore, H2O2 generation was observed by M. grisea inoculation before lesion formation, but not in DW-pretreated leaves as a control even by M. grisea inoculation. These results suggested that indole-related compounds IAA, tryptamine and tryptophan can protect barley from M. grisea as functioning as the plant activator. Studies on indole-related compounds may contribute to develop new plant activators for disease control. [source] Does the source of nitrogen affect the response of subterranean clover to prolonged root hypoxia?JOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION AND SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2010Faouzi Horchani Abstract Nitrogen (N) is taken up by most plant species in the form of nitrate (NO) or ammonium (NH). The plant response to continuous ammonium nutrition is species-dependent. In this study, the effects of the source of N nutrition (NO, NH, or the mixture of NO and NH) on the response of clover (Trifolium subterraneum L. cv. 45C) plants to prolonged root hypoxia was studied. Under aerobic conditions, plant growth was strongly depressed by NH, compared to NO or mixed N nutrition, as indicated by the significant decrease in root and shoot-dry-matter production (DW), root and shoot water contents (WC), leaf chlorophyll concentration, and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (F0, Fv/Fm). However, the N source had no effect on chlorophyll a,to,chlorophyll b ratio. Under hypoxic conditions, the negative effects of root hypoxia on plant-growth parameters (DW and WC), leaf chlorophyll concentration, and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were alleviated by NH rather than NO supply. Concomitantly, shoot DW,to,root DW ratio, and root and leaf NH concentrations were significantly decreased, whereas root and leaf carbohydrate concentrations, glutamine synthetase activities, and protein concentrations were remarkably increased. The present data reveal that the N source (NO or NH) is a major factor affecting clover responses to hypoxic stress, with plants being more tolerant when NH is the N form used. The different sensitivity is discussed in terms of a competition for energy between nitrogen assimilation and plant growth. [source] Carotenoids in yellow- and red-fleshed papaya (Carica papaya L)JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 12 2003U Gamage Chandrika Abstract Vitamin A deficiency is a disorder of public health importance in Sri Lanka. A recent national survey revealed that 36% of preschool children in Sri Lanka have vitamin A deficiency (serum retinol <0.2 µg ml,1). In view of its well-established association with child morbidity and mortality, this is a reason for concern. One of the main fruits which has been recommended for prevention of vitamin A deficiency in Sri Lanka is papaya (Carica papaya L). In this study the carotenoid profiles of yellow- and red-fleshed papaya were analysed by medium-pressure liquid chromatography (MPLC) and UV-vis spectrophotometry. A section of yellow-fleshed papaya showed small carotenoid globules dispersed all over the cell, whereas in red-fleshed papaya the carotenoids were accumulated in one large globule. The major carotenoids of yellow-fleshed papaya were the provitamin A carotenoids ,-carotene (1.4 ± 0.4 µg g,1 dry weight (DW)) and ,-cryptoxanthin (15.4 ± 3.3 µg g,1 DW) and the non-provitamin A carotenoid ,-carotene (15.1 ± 3.4 µg g,1 DW), corresponding theoretically to 1516 ± 342 µg kg,1 DW mean retinol equivalent (RE). Red-fleshed papaya contained the provitamin A carotenoids ,-carotene (7.0 ± 0.7 µg g,1 DW), ,-cryptoxanthin (16.9 ± 2.9 µg g,1 DW) and ,-carotene-5,6-epoxide (2.9 ± 0.6 µg g,1 DW), and the non-provitamin A carotenoids lycopene (11.5 ± 1.8 µg g,1 DW) and ,-carotene (9.9 ± 1.1 µg g,1 DW), corresponding theoretically to 2815 ± 305 µg kg,1 DW mean RE. Thus the carotenoid profile and organisation of carotenoids in the cell differ in the two varieties of papaya. This study demonstrates that carotenoids can be successfully separated, identified and quantified using the novel technique of MPLC. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Sediment phosphorus characteristics in the clearwater state of Lake Mogan, TurkeyLAKES & RESERVOIRS: RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2008Serap Pulatsü Abstract This study examined the vertical distributions of total phosphorus (TP) and phosphorus fractions, and the iron and organic matter, in the littoral sediment in a macrophyte-dominated, clearwater state in Lake Mogan between September 2005 and August 2006. Benthic macroinvertebrates and total bacteria in the sediment also were determined. No clear seasonal or depth-related (0,20 cm) patterns were found in sediment concentrations for the measured parameters. The phosphorus release was quantitatively very low, and a negative phosphorus release (,0.132 µg m,2 day,1) was measured during the summer months. The TP concentrations of the sediment samples ranged between 675.00 and 1463.80 µg g,1 dry weight (DW), and the trophic level of the lake was eutrophic. On average, inorganic phosphorus fractions comprised the largest fraction (63%), while organic-bound phosphorus (Org , P) constituted 37% of the TP in Lake Mogan. The most important phosphorus-immobilizing factors are high iron content (14 200,47 750 µg g,1 DW), the sediment's clay content (47.80,51.80%), and an abundance of macrophytes at the sampling station. The low abundance of benthic macroinvertebrates (510,850 individuals m,2), which depend on sediments with high iron and low organic matter (5.42,13.30%), played a role in the sediment phosphorus retention. Although bacterial abundance in the surficial sediment appeared to be positively correlated to temperature, the overlying water did not experience anoxic conditions, supporting a state in which bacteria were able to retain phosphorus in their cell structures. Long-term changes in the sediments of Lake Mogan must be monitored lake. In order to optimize the management of the lake, and to determine the longevity of a clearwater state following management measures and continued external phosphorus loading, long-term changes in the sediments of Lake Morgan must be monitored. [source] Fate of foodborne pathogens on green onions and tomatoes by electrolysed waterLETTERS IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2008E.-J. Park Abstract Aims:, To investigate the efficacy of electrolysed water (EW) in killing Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes on the surfaces of spot-inoculated green onions and tomatoes. Methods and Results:, Green onions and tomatoes were inoculated with a cocktail of three strains each of E. coli O157:H7, Salm. typhimurium and L. monocytogenes and treated with acidic electrolysed water (AC-EW), alkaline electrolysed water (AK-EW), alkaline electrolysed water followed by acidic electrolysed water (AK-EW + AC-EW), deionized water followed by acidic electrolysed water (DW + AC-EW) and deionized water (control, DW) for 15 s, 30 s, 1 min, 3 min and 5 min at room temperature (22 ± 2°C). The relative efficacy of reduction was AC-EW > DW + AC-EW , AK-EW + AC-EW > AK-EW > DW. Conclusions:, Acidic EW treatment was able to significantly reduce populations of the three tested pathogens from the surfaces of green onions and tomatoes with increasing exposure time. Significance and Impact of the Study:, Rinsing in acidic EW reveals an effective method to control the presence of E. coli O157:H7, Salm. typhimurium and L. monocytogenes on the surfaces of fresh green onions and tomatoes, without affecting their organoleptic characteristics. This indicates its potential application for the decontamination of fresh produce surfaces. [source] Multishot diffusion-weighted SPLICE PROPELLER MRI of the abdomenMAGNETIC RESONANCE IN MEDICINE, Issue 5 2008Jie Deng Abstract Multishot FSE (fast spin echo)-based diffusion-weighted (DW)-PROPELLER (periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction) MRI offers the potential to reduce susceptibility artifacts associated with single-shot DW-EPI (echo-planar imaging) approaches. However, DW-PROPELLER in the abdomen is challenging due to the large field-of-view and respiratory motion during DW preparation. Incoherent signal phase due to motion will violate the Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) conditions, leading to destructive interference between spin echo and stimulated echo signals and consequent signal cancellation. The SPLICE (split-echo acquisition of FSE signals) technique can mitigate non-CPMG artifacts in FSE-based sequences. For SPLICE, spin echo and stimulated echo are separated by using imbalanced readout gradients and extended acquisition window. Two signal families each with coherent phase properties are acquired at different intervals within the readout window. Separate reconstruction of these two signal families can avoid destructive phase interference. Phantom studies were performed to validate signal phase properties with different initial magnetization phases. This study evaluated the feasibility of combining SPLICE and PROPELLER for DW imaging of the abdomen. It is demonstrated that DW-SPLICE-PROPELLER can effectively mitigate non-CPMG artifacts and improve DW image quality and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map homogeneity. Magn Reson Med 59:947,953, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Diffusion measurements free of motion artifacts using intermolecular dipole-dipole interactionsMAGNETIC RESONANCE IN MEDICINE, Issue 1 2004Scott D. Kennedy Abstract Diffusion encoding, or diffusion weighting, is commonly achieved by applying a pair of balanced pulsed-field gradients during spin evolution. An alternative way to obtain diffusion measurements is to select dipolar correlation distances using the distant dipolar field (DDF) in systems with abundant spin density, such as water in tissues. Diffusion weighting using this effect is unique in that the refocusing "gradient" is carried within the sample, and thus the macroscopic motion of the sample is not expected to interfere with signal formation. The experiments presented here demonstrate that in moving phantoms, the phase shift of the signal due to linear motion is minimal in diffusion-weighted (DW) DDF measurements, and that motion artifacts in images of moving phantoms and the abdomen of live mice are small compared to standard pulsed-field-gradient methods. The technique may facilitate the use of DWI in typically motion-prone regions such as the abdomen, lungs, and heart. Magn Reson Med 52:1,6, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Phenolic acids in black raspberry and in the gastrointestinal tract of pigs following ingestion of black raspberryMOLECULAR NUTRITION & FOOD RESEARCH (FORMERLY NAHRUNG/FOOD), Issue S1 2009Xianli Wu Abstract Black raspberries (BRB) contain high levels of polyphenols and have been demonstrated to be chemopreventive. In order to investigate the underlying mechanism and study the metabolism of anthocyanins, pigs were fed freeze-dried BRB powder or purified diet (control) and three segments of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract (small intestine, cecum, and colon; 4 h after feeding) were collected for analysis of phenolic acids. Protocatechuic acid was the major phenolic acid (8.35 mg/100 g, dry weight (DW)) in BRB, followed by p -coumaric acid (1.63 mg/100 g, DW), caffeic acid (1.34 mg/100 g, DW), ferulic acid (0.24 mg/100 g, DW), and 3-hydroxybenzoic acid (0.20 mg/100 g, DW). Recoveries of these five phenolic acids in the whole GI tract were 199.9 ± 54.0%, 7.0 ± 3.0%, 37.0 ± 9.7%, 56.6 ± 31.3%, and 916.8 ± 642.3% (mean ± SEM, n = 5), respectively, and quantities in contents of the GI tract ranged from 0.13 ± 0.05 ,mol (p -coumaric acid) to 23.47 ± 6.09 ,mol (protocatechuic acid) (mean ± SEM, n = 5). Six other phenolic acids were detected primarily in the cecum and/or colon which were not in BRB, with total contents in the GI tract ranging from 0.18 ± 0.18 ,mol (homovanillic acid) to 8.49 ± 4.31 ,mol (homoprotocatechuic acid). Total phenolic acids in the GI tract were 49.32 ± 16.37 ,mol (mean ± SEM, n = 5). Phenolic acids measured in the GI tract accounted for only 6.31% of the degraded anthocyanins. [source] Constraints on decaying dark matter from XMM,Newton observations of M31MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 4 2008Alexey Boyarsky ABSTRACT We derive constraints on the parameters of the radiatively decaying dark matter (DM) particle, using the XMM,Newton EPIC spectra of the Andromeda galaxy (M31). Using the observations of the outer (5,13 arcmin) parts of M31, we improve the existing constraints. For the case of sterile neutrino DM, combining our constraints with the latest computation of abundances of sterile neutrinos in the Dodelson,Widrow (DW) scenario, we obtain the lower mass limit ms < 4 keV, which is stronger than the previous one ms < 6 keV, obtained recently by Asaka, Laine & Shaposhnikov. Comparing this limit with the most recent results on Lyman , forest analysis of Viel et al. (ms > 5.6 keV), we argue that the scenario in which all the DM is produced via the DW mechanism is ruled out. We discuss, however, other production mechanisms and note that the sterile neutrino remains a viable candidate for DM, either warm or cold. [source] New method of predicting dry weight using bioelectrical impedance analysis in haemodialysis patientsNEPHROLOGY, Issue 8 2009SEOUNG WOO LEE SUMMARY: Aim: There were significant differences in the slopes of the ultrafiltration (UF) amount removed during haemodialysis (HD) sessions versus the percentage change in the extracellular fluid/total body water ratio for the right lower extremity (ECF/TBWright leg) plot in normohydrated (NH) and overhydrated states. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a method for predicting dry weight (DW) using these results. Methods: It was hypothesized that for patients to become NH, the slope of the UF amount versus the percentage changes in ECF/TBWright leg plot should be same as that of NH patients and a method for predicting DW was developed. To validate the accuracy of this method, the ECF/TBWright leg was measured by eight-point tactile-electrode bioelectrical impedance analysis before and after HD in 17 newly enrolled NH patients. Using the current DW (cDW) of subjects as a reference, we compared the accuracies of pDW1 (our devised method) and pDW2 (the normovolaemia/hypervolaemia slope method). Results: The mean cDW, pDW1 and pDW2 values were 56.8 ± 7.9, 56.4 ± 7.7 and 56.3 ± 8.0 kg, respectively. No significant differences existed between cDW, pDW1 and pDW2. pDW1 had a lower root mean square error than pDW2 (1.12 vs 1.69). On the Bland,Altman plot, differences between pDW1 and cDW were closer to zero than between pDW2 and cDW. Conclusion: A new method was developed of predicting the DW using the relationship between the UF amount and the percentage change in the ECF/TBW ratio of the lower extremities after HD. The devised method appears to be as accurate as the normovolaemia/hypervolaemia slope method. [source] The Management of Pain From Collapse of Osteoporotic Vertebrae With Continuous Intrathecal Morphine InfusionNEUROMODULATION, Issue 2 2007Maria Rita Saltari MD ABSTRACT Objectives., Vertebral fractures are the most common consequences of severe osteoporosis. The chronic pain from collapse of osteoporotic vertebrae affects quality of life (QoL) and autonomy of patients. The management of pain with oral or transdermal opiates can cause severe side-effects. Continuous intrathecal administration of morphine through an implantable pump might represent an alternative therapy to conventional oral or transdermal administration of opioids and has some advantages and disadvantages for pain relief and improvement in QoL when compared to conventional opioid delivery. It is our objective to report our experience using intrathecal delivery of analgesics in a population of patients with refractory pain due to vertebral fractures. Materials and Methods., In 24 patients, refractory to conventional delivery of opioids, we used intrathecal analgesic therapy. To test for efficacy and improvement in QoL, we administered the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and the Quality of Life Questionnaire of the European Foundation for Osteoporosis (QUALEFFO). Before patients were selected for pump implantation, an intraspinal drug delivery trial was performed to monitor side-effects and responses to intrathecal therapy. Results., Significant pain relief was obtained in all implanted patients. Using the QUALEFFO, we observed significant improvement of all variables such as QDL (quality of daily life), DW (domestic work), ambulation, and PHS (perception of health status), before and after one year after pump implantation. With intrathecal morphine infusion, none of the 24 patients required additional systemic analgesic medication. The mean morphine dose during the spinal trial was 11.28 mg/day, 7.92 mg/day at pump implantation, and 16.32 mg/day at one-year follow-up. Conclusions., Our results show that intrathecal administration of morphine efficiently relieves the symptoms of pain and improves QoL. Continuous intrathecal administration of morphine appears to be an alternative therapy to conventional analgesic drug delivery and has advantages in those patients who have severe side-effects with systemic administration of analgesics. [source] Neuropathological analysis of an asymptomatic adult case with Dandy,Walker variantNEUROPATHOLOGY & APPLIED NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2006G. Notaridis The Dandy-Walker (DW) complex is a rare posterior fossa malformation, usually observed during the prenatal period or the early infancy. Clinically, it is characterized by mental retardation, seizures, cerebellar ataxia as well as symptoms of hydrocephalus. Structural imaging reveal a hypoplasia or agenesis of the cerebellar vermis, enlargement of the fourth ventricle with a posterior fossa cyst. Additional neurodevelopmental changes such as agenesis of the corpus callosum, lissencephaly and cortical dysplasia are also present. We report the first neuropathological analysis of an adult asymptomatic DW case. Brain computerized tomography showed a massive posterior fossa cyst and hypoplasia of the cerebellum. An Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV characterized by repetitive intestinal perforations and a saccular aneurysm on the left posterior communicating artery was also present. Macroscopic brain examination revealed hypoplasia of both cerebellar hemispheres and posterior part of the vermis, as well as dilatation of the fourth ventricle without hydrocephalus. The posterior fossa cyst wall was formed by an external arachnoid layer, middle layer with loose connective tissue and an internal layer of ependymal cells. There were two foci of cerebellar cortical dysplasia but no ectopic neurons, neuronal loss or gliosis in both cerebellum and cerebral cortex. No vascular or significant neurodegenerative lesions were observed. In comparison with previous reports in DW infants, this adult case displayed milder brain abnormalities compatible with a diagnosis of DW variant. The preservation of the cortical cytoarchitecture as well as the paucity of additional neurodevelopmental changes may explain the absence of clinical expression. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||