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Selected AbstractsRole of natriuretic hormones in the diagnosis of patent ductus arteriosus in newborn infantsACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 4 2001E Pesonen Haemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus worsens respiratory distress by initiating pulmonary congestion and inactivating of surfactant. Excepting size of the ductus, several factors influence ductal flow. Conclusion: Atrial natriuretic hormones provide clinically useful data, especially in serial follow-up of the patient. [source] Semantic knowledge facilities for a web-based recipe database system supporting personalizationCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 7 2008Liping Wang Abstract The recent explosive proliferation of interesting and useful data over the Web such as various recipes, while providing people with readily available information, brings out a challenging issue on how to manage such non-conventional data effectively. To respond to the challenge, we have been developing a Web-based recipe database system called Dish_Master to manage recipes in a novel way, which not only covers the static recipe attributes but also elucidates the dynamic cooking behaviors. In this paper, we present several semantic knowledge facilities devised in Dish_Master, including a set of semantic modeling and knowledge constructs to effectively represent recipe data, rules and constraints, and user profile aspects. With such a rich set of semantic knowledge facilities, Dish_Master lays down a solid foundation of providing users with personalized services such as adaptation and recommendation. Users can benefit from the system's real-time consultation and automatic summarization of cuisine knowledge. The usefulness and elegance of Dish_Master are demonstrated through an experimental prototype system. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] State transitions of Vibrio parahaemolyticus VBNC cells evaluated by flow cytometry,CYTOMETRY, Issue 5 2008Tania Falcioni Abstract Background Vibrio parahaemolyticus, in response to environmental conditions, may be present in a viable but nonculturable state (VBNC), which can still be responsible for cases of infectious diseases in humans. Methods The characterization of the cellular states of V. parahaemolyticus during entry into, persistence in, and resuscitation from the VBNC state, was assessed through plate culture method and epifluorescence microscope evaluation of actively respiring cells. Flow cytometry (FCM) in combination with SYBR Green I (SG) and propidium iodide allowed us to distinguish between viable, dead, and damaged-cells. Immunofluorescence labeling detected by FCM was used to study changes in antibody affinity. Results Two groups of bacteria, one with High Nucleic Acid (HNA) and one having Low Nucleic Acid (LNA) content, were differentiated using SG and FCM and each was correlated with cell viability. With the aging of the microcosm, the LNA bacteria population increased while the HNA population gradually disappeared. Cytofluorimetric immunofluorescence analyses showed that the bacterial cell levels dropped from 95% at day 0 to 40% at day 26 and by day 29, antibody affinity was virtually lost. FCM analyses of light scatter signals expressed by cell population highlighted morphological changes indicating a reduction in cell size, as also shown by scanning electron microscopy images and variations in cell structure. Conclusions The methodology used has provided useful data in relation to the state transitions of V. parahaemolyticus regarding cell viability, antigenic surface components, and the quantification of morphological variations during its entry into the VBNC state. © 2008 Clinical Cytometry Society [source] Evaluation of a bedside blood ketone sensor: the effects of acidosis, hyperglycaemia and acetoacetate on sensor performanceDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 7 2004A. S. A. Khan Abstract Aims To assess the performance of a handheld bedside ketone sensor in the face of likely metabolic disturbances in diabetic ketoacidosis, namely: pH, glucose and acetoacetate. Methods The effects of pH (7.44,6.83), glucose (5,50 mmol/l) and acetoacetate (0,5 mmol/l) were examined in venous blood to investigate the accuracy of betahydroxybutyrate measurement (0,5 mmol/l) by a handheld ketone sensor. Sensor results were compared with a reference method. Linear regression models were fitted to the difference between the methods with the concentration of metabolite as the explanatory factor. Results Decreasing pH and increasing glucose had no effect on the accuracy of the handheld ketone sensor; the gradients of the fitted lines were ,0.14 and ,0.003, respectively. The 95% confidence intervals were ,0.7,0.4 and ,0.01,0.004, respectively (P = 0.59 and 0.4, respectively). In the acetoacetate study, a positive relationship between the sensor and reference method results was found, the gradient was 0.09. The 95% confidence interval was 0.05,0.14 (P , 0.001), indicating that high concentrations of acetoacetate interfere with the sensor performance. Conclusions Acidosis and hyperglycaemia have minimal effects on the sensor performance. However, high concentrations of acetoacetate result in some overestimation of betahydroxybutyrate. This bedside ketone sensor provides useful data over a broad range of conditions likely to be encountered during moderate to severe diabetic ketoacidosis. [source] A dating intercomparison study on Late Stone Age coastal midden deposits, South AfricaGEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 6 2008Mark D. Bateman The southern and western coastlines of South Africa have an extensive archaeological record with many sites associated with widespread eolian deposits. While much of this rich archaeological record is based on cave sites, evidence of Late Stone Age occupation is additionally preserved in the form of open-site shell middens. We present here a comparative study of the application of amino acid racemization (AAR), optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), and radiocarbon analyses to three Late Stone Age (LSA) midden sites found within dunes on the southern coastline of South Africa. Preliminary geochronological analyses suggest that middens offer opportunity to fill in gaps in what is still a fragmentary archaeological record. Results show OSL and radiocarbon ages in good agreement, illustrating the potential to date not only the middens but also the surrounding dunes that constituted the dwelling sites. AAR results show increasing ratios with age and also that the application of paired shell and "whole rock" AAR can provide insights into the degree of biogenic sediment recycling at buried midden sites. However, the work also highlights that caution is required when OSL sampling sediment associated with middens which may have undergone human disturbance and that further work is required to improve the regional marine reservoir correction for radiocarbon dating in this part of South Africa. The study also illustrates that AAR will only provide useful data provided that middens have been sufficiently deeply buried to overcome fluctuations in environmental variables that affect the racemization rate and that inter-genus comparisons should be avoided. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Seismotectonics of the Sinai subplate , the eastern Mediterranean regionGEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2003Amos Salamon SUMMARY We define the Sinai subplate, from a seismotectonic perspective, as a distinct component in the plate tectonics of the eastern Mediterranean region. This is based on the tectonic characteristics of a comprehensive listing of all ML, 4 recorded seismicity in the region during the 20th century, on newly calculated and recalculated fault plane mechanisms of first P -wave arrivals and on published solutions based on waveform inversion of broad-band data. The low seismicity level and scarcity of strong events in the region required a thorough search for useful data and a careful examination of the reliability of the focal solutions. We gathered all available records of first P -wave onsets from the ISS and ISC Bulletins and the local seismic networks. Altogether, we were able to calculate 48 new focal mechanisms and 33 recalculated ones of events that occurred during the years 1940,1992. With the increasing number of teleseismic and regional broad-band stations in the later years, we added 37 solutions based on teleseismic and regional waveform inversions of events that occurred during 1977,2001. These mechanisms enabled us to examine the seismotectonic character of the Sinai subplate. The strike and rake directions of the calculated mechanisms usually reflect the geometry and the large-scale type of deformation observed along the boundaries of the Sinai subplate,the Dead Sea Transform, the Cypriot Arc convergent zone and the Suez Rift. Nevertheless, along each of these boundaries we found anomalous solutions that attest to the complexity of the deformation processes along plate margins. Earthquakes along the Dead Sea Transform exhibit mainly sinistral transtension and transpression, reflecting its leaky manner and local change in the transform geometry. The presence of other unexpected mechanisms near the transform, however, reflects the heterogeneous deformation it induces around. As expected, thrust mechanisms along the Cypriot Arc mirror its convergent nature and typical curved geometry. Transtension and transpressional solutions in the eastern segment of the arc reflect the sinistral shear motion between Anatolia and Sinai there. However, shear mechanisms found between Cyprus and the Eratosthenes Seamount pose a problem regarding its collision process. Most intriguing of all are ML, 4 thrust and shear solutions found in the Gulf of Suez. They are associated with predominantly normal mechanisms within a rift zone and therefore constitute a unique phenomenon, yet to be deciphered. [source] Performance assessment of a GCM land surface scheme using a fine-scale calibrated hydrological model: an evaluation of MOSES for the Nile BasinHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 11 2009Mohamed Ezzat Elshamy Abstract Land surface schemes (LSSs) represent the interface between land surface and the atmosphere in general circulation models (GCMs). Errors in LSS-simulated heat and moisture fluxes can result from inadequate representation of hydrological features and the derivation of effective surface parameters for large heterogeneous GCM gridboxes from small-scale observations. Previous assessments of LSS performance have generally compared simulated heat and moisture fluxes to observations over a defined experimental domain for a limited period. A different approach has been evaluated in this study, which uses a fine-resolution calibrated hydrological model of the study basin to provide a quasi-observed runoff series for direct comparison with simulated runoff from a selected LSS at GCM scale. The approach is tested on two GCM gridboxes covering two contrasting regions within the Nile Basin. Performance is mixed; output from the LSS is generally compatible with that of the fine-resolution model for one gridbox while it cannot reproduce the runoff dynamics for the other. The results also demonstrate the high sensitivity of runoff and evapotranspiration to radiation and precipitation inputs and show the importance of subtle issues such as temporal disaggregation of climatic inputs. We conclude that the use of a fine-resolution calibrated model to evaluate a LSS has several advantages, can be generalized to other areas to improve the performance of global models and provides useful data that can be used to constrain LSS parameterizations. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] 1,6- and 1,7-naphthyridines III.JOURNAL OF HETEROCYCLIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 2 200213C-NMR analysis of some hydroxy derivatives The 13C-NMR spectra of some 1,6-naphthyridines 2 and 1,7-naphthyridines 3, as well as those of N -methyl derivatives 4 and 5, were recorded and analyzed. Results in dimethyl- d6 sulfoxide and deuteriochlo-roform provide useful data on intra and intermolecular hydrogen bonds. [source] Comparative Policy Brief: Status of Intellectual Disabilities in the Republic of ZambiaJOURNAL OF POLICY AND PRACTICE IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 2 2008James Mung'omba Abstract, In the Republic of Zambia, an estimated 256,000 persons have some form of disability, and of these, 5.4% have intellectual disabilities. Even now, traditional beliefs about the etiology of intellectual disabilities persist and considerable stigma is attached to the presence of persons with intellectual disabilities who are often excluded from community life. Recently, antidiscrimination legislation has been enacted and there is a policy related to pupils with special educational needs. Although a range of Zambian and international nongovernmental organizations and church groups have developed services for children and their families, their impact is impeded by widespread poverty. Adults remain vulnerable, with no entitlement to social welfare benefits and very limited access either to government-led trust funds for persons with disabilities or to employment. The most striking issue is poverty (Zambia is one of the world's poorest nations) and an absence of even basic support for people with intellectual disabilities outside of families. Other key issues include a lack of useful data, no specific policy related to persons with intellectual disabilities, and limited progress in achieving education for all. [source] Natural Abundance 43Ca NMR Spectroscopy of Tobermorite and Jennite: Model Compounds for C,S,HJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 2 2009Geoffrey M. Bowers There are few effective methods for characterizing the molecular scale structural environments of Ca2+ in hydrated cements, which has limited our ability to understand the structure of, for example, Ca,silicate hydrate (C,S,H). 43Ca nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has long been considered too insensitive to provide useful data in this regard, but 43Ca magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectra reported here for synthetic tobermorite and jennite with naturally abundant levels of 43Ca demonstrate that this is a viable approach. We show that spectra with useful signal/noise ratios can be obtained in a reasonable acquisition period (,2 days) using an H0 field strength of 21.1 T, 5 mm rotors spinning at a frequency of 5 kHz, and a double frequency sweep preparatory pulse sequence. Tobermorite and jennite produce relatively broad resonances due to their complex structures and structural disorder, however, the chemical shift differences between six-coordinate 43Ca in jennite and seven-coordinate 43Ca in 11 Å tobermorite are large enough that the signals are entirely resolved at this field. These data suggest that signal from ideal tobermorite-like and jennite-like sites in cement C,S,H can most likely be distinguished by 43Ca NMR and that this method will be a powerful approach for studying cement-based ceramic materials in the coming decade. [source] Review article: 5-aminosalicylate formulations for the treatment of ulcerative colitis , methods of comparing release rates and delivery of 5-aminosalicylate to the colonic mucosaALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 6 2008G. R. LICHTENSTEIN Summary Background, Many oral 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) formulations are designed to maximize 5-ASA release in the colon where it acts topically on the colonic mucosa. Delayed-release formulations and azo-prodrugs minimize 5-ASA absorption in the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Aims, To review methods for assessing 5-ASA release and colonic distribution from oral formulations, and the potential use of this information for guiding clinical decisions. Methods, PubMed and recent conference abstracts were searched for articles describing techniques used to assess 5-ASA release from ulcerative colitis (UC) therapies. Results, In-vitro GI models, although unable to simulate more complex aspects of GI physiology, can provide useful data on 5-ASA release kinetics and bioaccessibility. Gamma-scintigraphy is useful for investigating GI disintegration of different formulations, but may not accurately reflect 5-ASA distribution. Plasma pharmacokinetic studies provide data on systemic exposure, but not on colonic distribution or mucosal uptake. Mucosal biopsies provide direct evidence of colonic distribution and may predict clinical efficacy, but must be interpreted cautiously because of considerable inter-subject variability and other confounding factors. Conclusion, While assessment of 5-ASA release is important, limitations of individual measurement techniques mean that randomized clinical studies in UC patients remain the best guide for dosing and treatment regimen decisions. [source] Isolation and characterization of microsatellites in Pacific white shrimp Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannameiMOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES, Issue 3 2002P. Cruz Abstract Five polymorphic microsatellite loci were characterized for Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannamei. Loci were isolated using a partial Sau3A1 genomic library by the sequencing of randomly selected clones and by a biotinylated (CT)10 and (GT)10 probes screening procedure. The last strategy resulted in the most useful data. About 40% of the clones showed a previously reported satellite/microsatellite (PVS1), reducing the chance of finding new microsatellite regions. Whereas two of the microsatellite loci with more than 10 alleles will be useful for mating analysis in a breeding program, the others might prove useful for population genetic studies. [source] Community lifestyle of Candida in mixed biofilms: a mini reviewMYCOSES, Issue 6 2009Z. M. Thein Summary Candida is the most common human fungal pathogen that causes a variety of afflictions from superficial mucosal infections to deep mycoses. Biofilm formation is a major virulence factor of Candida, and more than 300 articles have been published on Candida biofilms over the past two decades. However, most of these data are on monospecies biofilms of Candida, and information on mixed-species Candida biofilms or bacteria,Candida combinations is still scarce. Yet, in nature, the yeast exist in a mixed milieu either in the oral cavity or in other habitats with a multitude of bacteria colonising mucosal surfaces within a shared community. This mini review describes the current knowledge on candidal,candidal or bacterial,candidal interactions in mixed-species biofilms. The underlying mechanisms of these interactions appear to depend on several factors relating to biofilm development, such as species and strains of organisms, nutritional factors, aerobiosis and related environmental factors. Although the fundamental nature of these interactions appears to be commensalism and antagonism, the emerging evidence based on novel molecular, proteomic and imaging tools indicates these biological mechanisms to be far more complex than hitherto recognised. Demystifying the mechanisms underlying the growth and development of mixed-species communities involving Candida will undoubtedly yield useful data for the effective management of microbial infections in general. [source] Using personnel and financial data for reporting purposes: What are the challenges to using such data accurately?NEW DIRECTIONS FOR INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH, Issue 140 2008Nicolas A. Valcik This chapter illustrates how institutional researchers can extract useful data from the human resource and financial information systems for basic and advanced reports. [source] Higher-tier laboratory methods for assessing the aquatic toxicity of pesticidesPEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE (FORMERLY: PESTICIDE SCIENCE), Issue 7 2002A Boxall, Alistair B Abstract Registration schemes for plant-protection products require applicants to assess the potential ecological risk of their products using a tiered approach. Standard aquatic ecotoxicity tests are used at lower tiers and clearly defined methodologies are available for assessing the potential environmental risks. Safety factors are incorporated into the assessment process to account for the uncertainties associated with the use of lower-tier single-species ecotoxicity studies. If lower-tier assessments indicate that a substance may pose a risk to the environment, impacts can be assessed using more environmentally realistic conditions through the use of either pond mesocosms, artificial streams or field monitoring studies. Whilst these approaches provide more realistic assessments, the results are difficult to interpret and extrapolation to other systems is problematic. Recently it has been recognised that laboratory approaches that are intermediate between standard aquatic toxicity tests and field/mesocosm studies may provide useful data and help reduce the uncertainties associated with standard single-species tests. However, limited guidance is available on what tests are available and how they can be incorporated into the risk-assessment process. This paper reviews a number of these higher-tier laboratory techniques, including modified exposure studies, species sensitivity studies, population studies and tests with sensitive life stages. Recommendations are provided on how the approaches can be incorporated into the risk-assessment process. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Validity and normative data for thirty-second chair stand test in elderly community-dwelling Hong Kong ChineseAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2006D.J. Macfarlane It is important to establish valid field measures of lower body strength in the elderly, and to provide representative normative values that are culturally specific in order to help health professionals in the risk assessment of this group. A sample of 1,038 elderly Hong Kong Chinese undertook a 30-sec chair stand test (30CST), with a subsample of 143 completing isometric measures of maximal hip flexion and knee extension, plus a habitual physical activity questionnaire. The 30CST was significantly, yet only weakly, correlated with the isometric strength measures (r , 0.3,0.4), but accurately discriminated between levels of habitual physical activity and across ages in decades. The normative values generated provide useful data for health screening in this elderly Hong Kong population, but do not compare well with their healthier US counterparts. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 18:418,421, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Trends in elective terminations of pregnancy between 1989 and 2000 in a French county (the Isère)PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS, Issue 11 2003P. Guillem Abstract Objectives This study was performed in order to provide a description of indications for induced elective terminations of pregnancy (ETOP), their characteristics (e.g. gestational age), and their evolution over time. Design of the Study This is an epidemiological study. The geographic area covered is the French county of ,Isère', which represents a mean of 14 000 births per year over the study period. Materials and Methods Data on ETOPs were collected actively from medical records by a register of childhood deficiencies and adverse perinatal events in this county. Between 1989 and 2000, 996 ETOPs were notified. Results Four main grounds for ETOPs were identified: (1) morphological anomalies with normal karyotype (39%), (2) chromosomal anomalies (35%), (3) other fetal grounds (16%), and (4) maternal indications (10%). Prevalence rates for the first two grounds increased significantly over the study period respectively from 2.0 to 2.9 and from 1.4 to 2.7 per 1000. Among the ETOPs carried out because of fetal indications, the percentage of late ETOPs (from 24 weeks of gestation) was 34.6%, and remained stable over the studied period. In some cases, a medical consensus was not reached with respect to indications for termination (sex chromosome anomalies, limb defects). We estimated the percentage of these cases as being 2.7% of the figure for fetal indications, without any variation in prevalence over the whole period (p = 0.59). The increasing number of ETOPs that occurred in the chromosomal aberrations group during the study period is thought to be due to an increase in diagnostic sensitivity. The increase that occurred in the morphological anomalies group is thought to be due both to an increase in sensitivity and to a widening of the field with respect to indications, some of which have an uncertain prognosis (e.g. agenesis of the corpus callosum). Conclusion This study provides useful data for monitoring medical practice consistency within the field of prenatal diagnosis, and for the drive to keep medical practice within ethically acceptable limits. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Thermal Blending Time Associated With a Charge of Hot Particles Added to a Fluidized Bed of Uniform TemperatureTHE CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 3 2006W. A. Brown Abstract The process of heat transfer between particles in a fluidized bed is important for many industrial fluidized bed processes. The problem associated with studying this phenomenon is the confounding effect of particle mixing on heat transfer. The work described here was undertaken to describe the process in which heat is added to a fluid bed process by adding a hot charge of particles to a colder fluidized bed. The rate of heat transfer in this instance can have a significant impact on performance of the fluid bed process, depending upon its application. Both the method of analysis and the results of the work are applicable to other fluidized bed processes, particularly those associated with the thermal upgrading of heavy oil. The method of data analysis, based on binomial statistics, allowed useful data to be extracted from a complex system without the need for a large number of experiments. The analysis also allowed for some assessment of the relative importance of mixing and heat transfer, which has not been possible with other approaches. The results of the experiments were further explored using a bubbling bed model that incorporated both heat transfer and solids mixing. This allowed for the formation of a conceptual model, validated by the experimentation, that explains the relative functions of the two transfer processes in the dispersion of heat from a hot charge of particles to the bulk of a fluidized bed. Le procédé de transfert de chaleur entre les particules dans un lit fluidisé joue un rôle important dans de nombreux procédés industriels en lit fluidisé. Le problème associé à l'étude de ce phénomène est l'effet de confusion du mélange des particules sur le transfert de chaleur. Le travail décrit ici a été entrepris pour décrire le procédé dans lequel un lit fluidisé est chauffé en ajoutant une charge chaude de particules à lit fluidisé plus froid. Le taux de transfert de chaleur dans cet exemple peut avoir un impact significatif sur la performance du procédé en lit fluidisé, selon son application. Autant la méthode d'analyse que les résultats du travail sont applicables à d'autres procédés de lits fluidisés, en particulier ceux associés à la valorisation thermique de l'huile lourde. La méthode d'analyse des données, basée sur des statistiques binomiales, permet d'extraire des résultats utiles d'un système complexe sans avoir besoin de beaucoup d'expériences. L'analyse permet également de jauger l'importance relative du mélange et du transfert de chaleur, ce qui n'a pas été possible avec d'autres approches. Les résultats des expériences ont été analysés de manière plus approfondie au moyen d'un modèle à lit bouillonnant qui incorpore à la fois le transfert de chaleur et le mélange de solides. Ceci permet l'établissement d'un modèle conceptuel validé, qui explique les fonctions relatives des deux procédés de transfert dans la dispersion de la chaleur à partir d'une charge chaude de particules dans le coeur d'un lit fluidisé. [source] Retinal organization in the retinal degeneration 10 (rd10) mutant mouse: A morphological and ERG studyTHE JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY, Issue 2 2007Claudia Gargini Abstract Retinal degeneration 10 (rd10) mice are a model of autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (RP), identified by Chang et al. in 2002 (Vision Res. 42:517,525). These mice carry a spontaneous mutation of the rod-phosphodiesterase (PDE) gene, leading to a rod degeneration that starts around P18. Later, cones are also lost. Because photoreceptor degeneration does not overlap with retinal development, and light responses can be recorded for about a month after birth, rd10 mice mimic typical human RP more closely than the well-known rd1 mutants. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the morphology and function of the rd10 mouse retina during the period of maximum photoreceptor degeneration, thus contributing useful data for exploiting this novel model to study RP. We analyzed the morphology and survival of retinal cells in rd10 mice of various ages with quantitative immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy; we also studied retinal function with the electroretinogram (ERG), recorded between P18 and P30. We found that photoreceptor death (peaking around P25) is accompanied and followed by dendritic retraction in bipolar and horizontal cells, which eventually undergo secondary degeneration. ERG reveals alterations in the physiology of the inner retina as early as P18 (before any obvious morphological change of inner neurons) and yet consistently with a reduced band amplification by bipolar cells. Thus, changes in the rd10 retina are very similar to what was previously found in rd1 mutants. However, an overall slower decay of retinal structure and function predicts that rd10 mice might become excellent models for rescue approaches. J. Comp. Neurol. 500:222,238, 2007. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Cell-Surface CD200 May Predict Efficacy of Paternal Mononuclear Leukocyte Immunotherapy in Treatment of Human Recurrent Pregnancy LossAMERICAN JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 1 2009David A. Clark Problem, The allogeneic leukocytes in transfused blood can modulate the recipient's immune system so as to induce TGF-,-producing suppressor cells, and the cell-surface CD200 tolerance-signaling molecule on mononuclear dendritic cells is required for this effect. A subset of couples with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss appears to benefit from transfusion of allogeneic paternal blood leukocytes (LIT), and considerable effort has been devoted to characterizing those who may benefit. Some data has been accumulated for LIT as sole therapy in patients with classical spontaneous abortions with respect to dose,response, duration of protection, need for boosting, excluding patients with autoimmunity, and inefficacy of paternal mononuclear cells stored at 4°C overnight before use which causes loss of cell-surface CD200. Recent data emphasize an important role of expression of the CD200 tolerance-signaling molecule on cells used to prevent abortions both in mice and humans. Method of study, An observational study of outcome as a function of the number of CD200+ paternal mononuclear cells was performed. Fourteen patients constituted the pilot group. Patients with autoimmunity who had failed inspite of treatment with IVIG + Heparin + Aspirin ± Prednisone were allowed to have paternal mononuclear cells added to their therapy. CD200 on purified paternal blood mononuclear cells was measured by flow cytometry. Results, The number of CD200+ cells administered was significantly greater in women achieving pregnancy (39.2 × 106 versus 20.8 × 106, P < 0.025) and in those who achieved a live birth (50.2 × 106 versus 20.8 × 106, P < 0.005) compared to those who did not achieve pregnancy, and % of paternal cells that were CD200+ was greater (11,12.5% versus 5.6%, P < 0.01). Amongst those achieving pregnancy which failed, the CD200+ cell dose was not significantly different from the non-pregnant group (30.5 × 106 versus 20.8 × 106). Conclusion, The number of CD200+ paternal mononuclear leukocytes may be an important determinant of subsequent reproductive outcome in a subset of patients. A lower % CD200+ cell number may also reflect hitherto unappreciated paternal factors bearing on reproductive success. It is feasible to recruit women to enter observational studies and to obtain useful data as a foundation for further studies. More complete patient characterization in a larger study is needed. [source] Analysis of the morphological attributes of a sweetpotato collectionANNALS OF APPLIED BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2010M.M. Manifesto The knowledge about the distribution of descriptors of a collection constitutes a useful tool for the management of genetic resources. The object of this work was to evaluate the composition and morphological characterisation of the ,in vitro' collection kept at the Gene Bank of the Biological Resources Institute (IRB), INTA Castelar, Argentina, to establish conservation criteria and make available useful data for breeding programmes. This collection, comprising 310 sweetpotato clones, includes landraces, worldwide clones, commercial varieties and breeding material. The descriptors, which presented the highest correlation values, were leaf lobe types, the shape of central leaf lobes and general leaf outline. Cluster analyses showed eight major groups with an average similarity of 0.42 (SE ± 0.005). About 76% of the clones presented unique morphology, whereas 34% of them were distributed in 22 groups that could not be distinguished with this technique. Worldwide germplasm formed a separate group with values of diversity higher than those of the Argentinean clones and no duplicates. A projection of the phenotypic variation among cultivars was obtained through Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoorA), which confirmed the results obtained by UPGMA analysis, predominant skin colour, secondary skin colour, number of leaf lobes, general leaf outline, petiole pigmentation and predominant colour of vine were the variables that made the highest contribution. Collection composition in reference to flesh and skin colour was also analysed. [source] Detection of possible archaeological pathways in central Mexico through digital processing of remote sensing imagesARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION, Issue 2 2005Denisse Argote-Espino Abstract Many spaceborne multispectral images have been developed recently and applied in archaeology as they provide useful data, which can be digitized, manipulated and integrated. Principal component decomposition (PCD), texture segmentation and linear pattern detection through spatial filtering are useful techniques that provide a new way of processing satellite images in addition to traditional techniques. Such methods may supply more accurate information of an area, in particular a region of archaeological interest. In this paper we applied a new alternative method based on the techniques mentioned above to an important area of central Mexico. The region of study is located to the southwest of Las Cruces Range between the Mexico Basin and the Toluca Valley. Processing a multispectral image from that area, it was possible to detect possible communication corridors, which provided cultural and commercial linking to the ancient settlers of both adjacent basins. This information is very important for understanding the way these people interacted in the past and the commercial importance that could exist between them. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] School pupils observe and publish CV dataASTRONOMY & GEOPHYSICS, Issue 6 2009Article first published online: 23 NOV 200 Time on a remote-control telescope has led to German secondary school students not only collecting useful data, but also being part of the team publishing the results in a professional journal. [source] Introduction of early medical abortion in New Zealand: An audit of the first 67 casesAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY, Issue 4 2005Carol SHAND Abstract Background:, In New Zealand, mifepristone became available in 2001, but because of uncertainty about the law, the first 67 cases were carried out under a very strict protocol. Once the prostaglandin had been administered it was necessary that the woman remain in the unit until the products of conception (POC) had been passed and, if this had not occurred within 8 h, she underwent suction curettage. Aims:, To demonstrate that an early medical termination of pregnancy (EMTOP) service could be offered as a safe option for women, despite the constraints of the law. Methods:, An audit of patient notes was carried out on the first 67 patients undergoing an EMTOP at the Level J Unit (LJU), Wellington Hospital. Data collected included age, ethnicity, parity, previous abortions, gestational age, length of time between the administration of mifepristone and misoprostol, length of time after administration of misoprostol to the completion of abortion, whether a fetal sac was seen, analgesia required, extent of heavy bleeding and any adverse effects. Patient characteristics were compared with those of the 3052 women who underwent surgical termination during the same time period. Data were analysed using EpiInfo 2000 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA) and Chi square tests for significance. Results:, Successful completion of EMTOP occurred in 63 of 67 cases (94%). Only four cases (6%) required completion by suction curettage and this was performed for legal and financial reasons, rather than for medical reasons. Clinical events requiring management, mainly bleeding problems, occurred in 11 patients (16%). Conclusions:, EMTOP with mifepristone and misoprostol was successfully introduced and the experience provides useful data for others contemplating a similar service. [source] Validity and clinical feasibility of the ADHD rating scale (ADHD-RS) A Danish Nationwide Multicenter StudyACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 2 2009N Szomlaiski Abstract Aim: To establish the validity of a Danish version of the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale (ADHD-RS), secondly to present national norm scores compared to that of United States and other European data and thirdly to evaluate ADHD-RS when used for monitoring treatment effectiveness. Methods: A Danish translation of the ADHD-RS was used on a normative sample of 837 children. Two clinical samples, 138 hyperkinetic disorder (HKD) cases and 110 clinical controls were recruited from eleven Danish Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) centres and assessed according to usual clinical standards. The HKD children were rated by parents and teachers at baseline and at follow-up 3 months later. Results: Internal validity of ADHD-RS was high and the factor structure supported the diagnostic classification system ICD-10. The questionnaire discriminated HKD patients in a mixed clinical sample, and was sensitive to change in symptom load as measured before and after commencing of the treatment. Conclusion: The Danish version of ADHD-RS is valid and clinically feasible when measuring HKD symptom load in a CAMH-setting. The questionnaire provides useful data in patient management, quality improvement and service planning as well as in effectiveness studies of different interventions for patients with HKD and related disorders in routine clinical settings. [source] Could the coefficient of variation (COV) of the corneal endothelium be overestimated when a centre-dot method is used?CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL OPTOMETRY, Issue 1 2008Michael J Doughty PhD Background:, Little has been published on the reliability of estimates of the coefficient of variation (COV) in cell area for human corneal endothelia. The present study compares two methods. Methods:, A non-contact specular micrograph (Topcon SP-2000P) was obtained from the central region of the corneal endothelium of 20 healthy myopic white European subjects, aged from 32 to 53 years, half of whom were successful long-term soft contact lens wearers. The captured image file was either assessed using a machine-based algorithm, in which 25 cells in the middle of the image were marked and their areas reported (designated as ,centre-dot' method) or by a manual method, by which all the cells in the image were outlined on very high magnification prints of the endothelia and the cell areas measured by a manual digitiser in stream mode. The average cell area was used to calculate the endothelial cell density (ECD), while the COV was calculated from the standard deviation (SD) of the cell area measures. Results:, Identical mean cell area values were found (392 µm2) with the two methods, a marginally higher ECD estimate (2,594 versus 2,569) with the centre-dot method (p = NS) but a much higher COV with the centre-dot method (43.8 versus 29.0 per cent). This highly statistically significant difference in COV (p < 0.001) was seen in both contact lens wearers and non-contact lens wearers. A Bland-Altman analysis reveals a bias in the centre-dot method, especially for the COV estimates, that appears to be linked to erroneous definition of a single large cell domain on any individual image. Conclusions:, A centre-dot method can be reliably used to generate useful data on cell area and ECD but it should be used cautiously for estimates of polymegethism (COV). [source] Serial monitoring of immunological parameters following human hand transplantCLINICAL TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 2 2004Xiao-Fei Zheng Abstract:, Background:, Although early successes have been achieved in human hand transplant, the changes of immunological parameters in the recipients and their relations to clinical events were not yet known. Methods:, In two patients undergoing hand transplantation, we prospectively determined lymphocyte subsets using flow cytometry as well as the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- ,, and interferon (IFN)- , using enzyme linked immunosorbent assays during the first 6 months after transplantation. Results:, The decreases in CD, CD, CD T cell, the activated T cell (CD/CD, CD/HLA-DR+) as well as IL-2, IFN- , and corresponding significant peak in IL-10 in human hand transplant during the first post-transplant week were observed. Then these parameters recovered to the pre-transplant level except for an even higher level of CD T cell. The low CD/CD ratio was been maintained constantly. After 7 wk, IL-2, IFN- ,, and IL-10 decreased to be maintained at a low or undetectable level except for slight increase in IL-10 at post-transplant month 5. There are no significant variation in TNF- , early after transplant. After 3 months, IL-10 was not detected again. Conclusion:, The immunosuppressive agents had significantly effects on the immunological status in human hand transplant recipients. These profiles of immunological parameters would be useful data for the future immunomonitoring in human hand transplant recipients. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||