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Radial Expansion (radial + expansion)
Selected AbstractsAnisotropic contraction in forisomes: Simple models won't fitCYTOSKELETON, Issue 5 2008Winfried S. Peters Abstract Forisomes are ATP-independent, Ca2+ -driven contractile protein bodies acting as reversible valves in the phloem of plants of the legume family. Forisome contraction is anisotropic, as shrinkage in length is associated with radial expansion and vice versa. To test the hypothesis that changes in length and width are causally related, we monitored Ca2+ - and pH-dependent deformations in the exceptionally large forisomes of Canavalia gladiata by high-speed photography, and computed time-courses of derived geometric parameters (including volume and surface area). Soybean forisomes, which in the resting state resemble those of Canavalia geometrically but have less than 2% of the volume, were also studied to identify size effects. Calcium induced sixfold volume increases in forisomes of both species; in soybean, responses were completed in 0.15 s, compared to about 0.5 s required for a rapid response in Canavalia followed by slow swelling for several minutes. This size-dependent behavior supports the idea that forisome contractility might rest on similar mechanisms as those of polyelectrolyte gels, a class of artificial "smart" materials. In both species, time-courses of forisome length and diameter were variable and lacked correlation, arguing against a simple causal relationship between changes in length and width. Moreover, changes in the geometry of soybean forisomes differed qualitatively between Ca2+ - and pH-responses, suggesting that divalent cations and protons target different sites on the forisome proteins. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Effects of extrusion conditions on quality of cassava bran/cassava starch extrudatesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 5 2003Jorge Minoru Hashimoto Summary Blends of cassava bran and cassava starch were processed in a single-screw extruder. Response surface methodology was used to determine the effect of the concentration of cassava bran (10,50%), barrel temperature (150,210 °C), feed moisture (16,20%) and screw speed (120,180 r.p.m.) on the characteristics of the dried extrudates. All the independent variables were significant (P < 0.05) for radial expansion. The water absorption index (WAI) and water solubility index (WSI) were affected by bran level, screw speed and temperature, while only moisture and temperature influenced specific volume. The maximum radial expansion was found when all the independent variables were at their lowest levels. Lowest-density extrudates (highest specific volume) were obtained at 16,18% moisture and 180,200 °C. An increase in bran level increased the WAI but decreased the WSI when the temperature was higher than 170 °C . Screw speed had a slight effect on those responses, decreasing water absorption and increasing water solubility when changed from 120 to 180 r.p.m. [source] Variability in Postpacing Intervals Predicts Global Ventricular Activation Pattern during TachycardiaPACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 2 2010ILYAS K. COLOMBOWALA M.D. Introduction: Assessment of ventricular activation pattern is critical to the successful ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT). We have previously shown that the global atrial activation pattern during tachycardia can be rapidly and accurately assessed by calculating the postpacing interval variability (PPIV); PPIV was minimal in circuitous tachycardias and highly variable in centrifugal tachycardias. In the present study, we use the PPIV to determine the ventricular global activation pattern during VT. Methods: Patients with mappable VT were included. We defined global ventricular activation as either centrifugal (arising from a focus with radial expansion) or circuitous (gross macro-reentrant circuit), based on the findings of electroanatomic mapping. PPIV was calculated as the difference in postpacing interval with right ventricular apical overdrive pacing during tachycardia at cycle lengths (CL) 10 ms and 30-ms shorter than tachycardia, regardless of the origin of the tachycardia. We studied 20 patients with 23 VTs (11 centrifugal, mean CL 390 ± 36.1 ms; 12 circuitous, mean CL 418 ± 75.7 ms). Results: The mean PPIV was 45 ± 16 ms for patients with centrifugal VT and 6.7 ± 4.1 ms for patients with circuitous VT. Rank sum analysis of PPIV showed a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Our data suggest that the global ventricular activation pattern during VT can be rapidly and accurately defined by assessing the PPIV. This technique allows for a rapid confirmation of the tachycardia activation and significantly facilitates mapping and ablation. (PACE 2010; 33:129,134) [source] Glutamate receptor-mediated ischemic injury of premyelinated central axons,ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 5 2009James J.P. Alix Objective Ischemic injury of axons is a feature of periventricular leukomalacia, a pathological correlate of cerebral palsy. Recent evidence suggests that axons are damaged before they receive the first layer of compact myelin. Here we examine the cellular mechanisms underlying ischemic-type injury of premyelinated central axons. Methods Two-thirds of axons in the postnatal day 10 (P10) rat optic nerve are small premyelinated axons (<0.4,m in diameter), and one-third have undergone radial expansion in preparation for glial contact and the onset of myelination. Compound action potential recording and quantitative electron microscopy were used to examine the effect of modeled ischemia (oxygen-glucose deprivation) upon these two axon populations. Glutamate receptor (GluR) expression was investigated using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunostaining approaches at the confocal light and ultrastructural levels. Results Oxygen-glucose deprivation produced action potential failure and focal breakdown of the axolemma of small premyelinated axons at sites of contact with oligodendrocyte processes, which were also disrupted. The resulting axon loss was Ca2+ -dependent, Na+ - and Cl, -independent, and required activation of N -methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) and non-NMDA GluRs. NMDA receptor expression was localized to oligodendrocyte processes at sites of contact with premyelinated axons, in addition to expression within compact myelin. No periaxonal NMDA receptor expression was observed on oligodendrocyte processes ensheathing large premyelinated axons and no protective effect of GluR block was observed in these axons. Interpretation NMDA receptor-mediated injury to oligodendrocyte processes navigating along small premyelinated axons precedes damage to the underlying axon, a phenomena that is lost following radial expansion and subsequent oligodendrocyte ensheathment. Ann Neurol 2009;66:682,693 [source] Evaluation of the influence of different species and cultivars of lupin kernel meal on the extrusion process, pellet properties and viscosity parameters of salmonid feedsAQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 1 2010B. GLENCROSS Abstract This study examined the influence of different lupin species and cultivars and their inclusion levels on the physical properties of an extruded diet. Lupin kernel meals were included into a fish diet formulation at 0%, 10%, 20% and 30%. Soybean meal was also included in a series of diets on a similar basis as a reference. The diet mashes were extruded using a laboratory-scale APV19:45 twin-screw extruder. The pellets were examined for radial expansion, bulk density, vacuum oil uptakes, sink rate, shear and crush strengths. Inclusion of lupin kernel meal significantly increased bulk density, sink rate, shear and crush strength of the pellets. With the increase in lupin kernel meal inclusion level, a concomitant decline in vacuum oil uptake and radial expansion was also observed. An assessment of the diet mashes using a Rapid Visco Analyser showed that the inclusion of lupin kernel meals increased the rate and degree of gelatinization of the mash starch content compared with that with a similar inclusion level of soybean meal. The inclusion of lupin kernel meals in the diet mash also improved the water-holding capacity of the extrudate, which has important implications for the reduction in extruder wear. 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