Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Various Amounts (various + amount)
Selected AbstractsRapid and effective detection of anthrax spores in soil by PCRJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2003H.I. Cheun Abstract Aims: To detect Bacillus anthracis DNA from soil using rapid and simple procedures. Methods and Results: Various amounts of B. anthracis Pasteur II spores were added artificially to 1 g of soil, which was then washed with ethanol and sterile water. Enrichment of the samples in trypticase soy broth was performed twice. A DNA template was prepared from the second enrichment culture using a FastPrep instrument. The template was then used for nested and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with B. anthracis -specific primers, to confirm the presence of B. anthracis chromosomal DNA and the pXO1/pXO2 plasmids. Conclusions: One cell of B. anthracis in 1 g of soil could be detected by nested and real-time PCR. The usefulness of the PCR method using field samples was also confirmed. Significance and Impact of the Study: The results indicate that this could be a useful method for detecting anthrax-spore contaminated soil with high sensitivity. Its application could have great impact on the progress of epidemiological surveillance. [source] DEVELOPMENT OF A SOY-BASED CREAM CHEESEJOURNAL OF TEXTURE STUDIES, Issue 6 2008MUSFIRAH ZULKURNAIN ABSTRACT Various amounts of blended tofu, oil, salt, carrageenan, pectin and maltodextrin were used to develop soy cream cheese products that were trans fat free, with texture properties similar to those of commercial dairy cream cheese. Response surface methodology predicted three formulations with similar spreadability value of that obtained from commercial cheese. Carrageenan and salt were useful to impart the desired firmness, while maltodextrin provided body to the product. Pectin introduced viscous behavior to the final texture but was proven useful in preventing syneresis. Rheological study at 25 and 4C manifested that, although the developed products mimicked the texture of the commercial sample, they had less elasticity. Chemical analysis revealed that the soy cream cheeses had lower fat and higher protein and fiber contents than the commercial sample. They were also stable against syneresis and oil separation over storage of 20 days. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The production of soy-based products as alternatives to dairy products has attracted much attention recently. In addition to their lactose-free and reduced fat content, soy-based products are also a good source of protein. There has yet to be any published data on the development of a soy-derivative cream cheese. This paper emphasizes the rheological development of soy cream cheeses in the presence of food hydrocolloids. Their main and interaction effects on texture properties were assessed to mimic those of dairy cream cheese. A comprehensive and systematic approach of formulating the soy cream cheeses was applied by using response surface methodology. In addition, the chemical and nutritional properties of the products were also evaluated and compared with those of the commercial dairy counterpart. [source] Glass transition and cold crystallization in carbon dioxide treated poly(ethylene terephthalate)JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 5 2009Yeong-Tarng Shieh Abstract An amorphous poly(ethylene terephthalate) (aPET) and a semicrystalline poly(ethylene terephthalate) obtained through the annealing of aPET at 110°C for 40 min (aPET-110-40) were treated in carbon dioxide (CO2) at 1500 psi and 35°C for 1 h followed by treatment in a vacuum for various times to make samples containing various amount of CO2 residues in these two CO2 -treated samples. Glass transition and cold crystallization as a function of the amount of CO2 residues in these two CO2 -treated samples were investigated by temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The CO2 residues were found to not only depress the glass-transition temperature (Tg) but also facilitate cold crystallization in both samples. The depressed Tg in both CO2 -treated poly(ethylene terephthalate) samples was roughly inversely proportional to amount of CO2 residues and was independent of the crystallinity of the poly(ethylene terephthalate) sample. The nonreversing curves of TMDSC data clearly indicated that both samples exhibited a big overshoot peak around the glass transition. This overshoot peak occurred at lower temperatures and was smaller in magnitude for samples containing more CO2 residues. The TMDSC nonreversing curves also indicated that aPET exhibited a clear cold-crystallization exotherm at 120.0°C, but aPET-110-40 exhibited two cold-crystallization exotherms at 109.2 and 127.4°C. The two cold crystallizations in the CO2 -treated aPET-110-40 became one after vacuum treatment. The DMA data exhibited multiple tan , peaks in both CO2 -treated poly(ethylene terephthalate) samples. These multiple tan , peaks, attributed to multiple amorphous phases, tended to shift to higher temperatures for longer vacuum times. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009 [source] Dermoscopic observation of Bowen's diseaseJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 5 2004L Bugatti ABSTRACT Background, In the literature no specific dermoscopic criteria have been described for the diagnosis of Bowen's disease (BD). Objective/aim, To assess the morphological findings of BD seen under dermoscopic observation. Methods, Clinical and dermoscopic images of 14 patients affected by BD with various amount of pigmentation were obtained by means of Heine Dermaphot. Dermoscopic images were analysed by experienced observers applying the modified pattern analysis. Results, The most frequently occurring dermoscopic features were found to be: multicomponent pattern (100%); atypical vascular structures (86.6%); absence of pigmented network (64.3%) or presence of pseudo-network (35.7%); irregular diffuse pigmentation or blotches of pigment (64.2%); irregularly distributed dots and globules (64.2%); focal/multifocal hypopigmentation (78.5%), scaly surface (64.2%) and haemorrages (26.6%). Conclusions, Dermoscopically, BD is mainly characterized by a multicomponent global pattern associated with a prominent vascular pattern (mainly dotted vessels) and a scaly surface. Although no specific dermoscopic criteria can be given for BD, epiluminescence can be a valuable aid in the diagnosis of such a mimicker lesion. [source] Mechanical and tribological behaviors of PA66/PVDF blends filled with calcium sulphate whiskersPOLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 9 2009Hong-Gang Wang The mechanical and tribological performance of the PA66/PVDF blends filled with various amount of calcium sulphate whiskers (CSW) was investigated. The whiskers improve the tensile and flexural performance of the PA66/PVDF blends. Meanwhile, the addition of CSW obviously decreases friction coefficient and improves the wear resistance of the blends. With the further increase of CSW, friction coefficient of the blends relatively keeps stable and the wear resistance of the blends slightly decreases. The PA66/PVDF blends filled with 5 wt% CSW exhibited the best anti-wear ability. FTIR analysis shows that the chemical change has not occurred in the debris. XPS analysis shows that some tribo-chemical reactions have occurred during friction process and produces some compounds such as FeF2, Fe2O3 on the transfer film surfaces. POLYM. COMPOS., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers [source] Mantle-derived and crustal melts dichotomy in northern Greece: spatiotemporal and geodynamic implicationsGEOLOGICAL JOURNAL, Issue 1 2004Diego Perugini Abstract Two distinct groups of subduction-related (orogenic) granitoid rocks, one Jurassic and the other Tertiary, occur in the area between the Vardar (Axios) Zone and the Rhodope Massif in northern Greece. The two groups of granitoids differ in many respects. The first group shows evolved geochemical characters, it is not associated with mafic facies, and evidence of magmatic interaction between mantle- and crustal-derived melts is lacking. The second group has less evolved geochemical characters, it is associated with larger amount of mafic facies, and magmatic interaction processes between mantle-derived and crustal melts are ubiquitous as evidenced by mafic microgranular enclaves and synplutonic dykes showing different enrichment in K2O, Ti, and incompatible elements. This kind of magmatism can be attributed to the complex geodynamic evolution of the area. In particular, we suggest that two successive subduction events related to the closure of the Vardar and the Pindos oceans, respectively, occurred in the investigated area from Late Jurassic to Tertiary. We relate the genesis of Jurassic granitoids to the first subduction event, whereas Tertiary granitoids are associated with the second subduction. Fluids released by the two subducted slabs induced metasomatic processes generating a ,leopard skin' mantle wedge able to produce mafic melts ranging from typical calc-alkaline to ultra-potassic. Such melts interacted in various amounts with crustal calc-alkaline anatectic melts to generate the wide spectrum of Tertiary granitoids occurring in the study area. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Induction and mechanism of action of transforming growth factor-,-secreting Th3 regulatory cellsIMMUNOLOGICAL REVIEWS, Issue 1 2001Howard L. Weiner Summary: Th3 CD4+ regulatory cells were identified during the course of investigating mechanisms associated with oral tolerance. Different mechanisms of tolerance are induced following oral antigen administration, including active suppression, clonal anergy and deletion. Low doses favor active suppression whereas high doses favor anergy/deletion. Th3 regulatory cells form a unique T-cell subset which primarily secretes transforming growth factor (TGF)-,, provides help for IgA and has suppressive properties for both Th1 and Th2 cells. Th3 type cells are distinct from the Th2 cells, as CD4+ TGF-,-secreting cells with suppressive properties have been generated from interleukin (IL)-4-deficient animals. In vitro differentiation of Th3 cells from Th precursors from T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) transgenic mice is enhanced by culture with TGF-,, IL-4, IL-10, and anti-IL-12. Th3 CD4+ myelin basic protein regulatory clones are structurally identical to Th1 encephalitogenic clones in TCR usage, MHC restriction and epitope recognition, but produce TGF-, with various amounts of IL-4 and IL-10. Because Th3 regulatory cells are triggered in an antigen-specific fashion but suppress in an antigen-non-specific fashion, they mediate "bystander suppression" when they encounter the fed autoantigen at the target organ. In vivo induction of Th3 cells and low dose oral tolerance is enhanced by oral administration of IL-4. Anti-CD86 but not anti-CD80 blocks the induction of Th3 cells associated with low dose oral tolerance. Th3 regulatory cells have been described in other systems (e.g. recovery from experimental allergic encephalomyelitis) but may be preferentially generated following oral antigen administration due to the gut immunologic milieu that is rich in TGF-, and has a unique class of dendritic cells. CD4+CD25+ regulatory T-cell function also appears related to TGF-,. [source] Influence of Structural Principles on the Mechanics of a Biological Fiber-Based Composite Material with Hierarchical Organization: The Exoskeleton of the Lobster Homarus americanusADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 4 2009Helge-Otto Fabritius Abstract The cuticle of the lobster Homarus americanus is a nanocomposite, such as most structural biological materials. It consists of a matrix of chitin-protein fibers associated with various amounts of crystalline and amorphous calcium carbonate in the rigid parts of the body, and is organized hierarchically at all length scales. One prominent design principle found in the hierarchical structure of such biological fibrous composite materials is the twisted plywood structure. In the lobster cuticle, it is formed by superimposing and gradually rotating planes of parallel aligned chitin-protein fibers. To adjust the mechanical properties to the requirements on the macroscopic level, the spatial arrangement and the grade of mineralization of the fibers can be modified. A second design principle of lobster cuticle is its honeycomb-like structure, generated by the well-developed pore canal system, whose twisted ribbon-shaped canals penetrate the cuticle perpendicular to its surface. Due to the hierarchical structure, the mechanical properties of the lobster cuticle have to be investigated at different length scales, which is essential for the understanding of the structure,mechanical function relations of mineralized tissues (e.g., potentially also bone and teeth). In order to investigate the influence of the structural principles on the mechanical properties on the macroscopic scale miniaturized tensile, compression, and shear tests were carried out to obtain integral mechanical data. Characterization of the microstructure included scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) measurements. [source] Phase Transformation and Densification Behavior of Microwave-Sintered Si3N4,Y2O3,MgO,ZrO2 SystemINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED CERAMIC TECHNOLOGY, Issue 1 2009Sreekumar Chockalingam A 2.45 GHz microwave-sintered Si3N4,Y2O3,MgO system containing various amounts of ZrO2 secondary additives have been studied with respect to phase transformation and densification behavior. The temperature dependent dielectric properties were measured from 25°C to 1400°C using a conventional cavity perturbation technique. Phase transformation behavior was studied using X-ray diffractometry. Microwave sintered results were compared with those of conventional sintered results. It has been found that , to , phase transformation was completed at a lower temperature in microwave-sintered samples than those of the conventionally sintered samples. Density of the microwave-sintered samples increased up to 2.5 wt% of ZrO2 addition and thereafter it showed a tendency to decrease or remain constant. The decrease in density is attributed to the pore generation caused by decomposition due to the localized over heating. [source] Cytochemical and ultrastructural characterization of growing colonies of human embryonic stem cellsJOURNAL OF ANATOMY, Issue 4 2004Kohei Johkura Abstract The morphology of human embryonic stem (ES) cells changes with their colonial growth. For a better understanding of the growth of ES cell colonies in culture, we determined their cytochemical and ultrastructural characteristics focusing on images of living cells under a phase contrast microscope. During the initial growth stages, the colonies exhibited a mosaic appearance with discernible cell,cell borders. PAS staining coupled with amylase digestion demonstrated that the bright granules and dark deposits in the cytoplasm contained glycogen. Ultrastructurally they were glycogen accumulations, and clustered open spaces associated with various amounts of glycogen. Although intercellularly heterogeneous, these structures were detectable throughout colony growth. As the colonies grew, compaction towards the centre emerged and increased, accompanied by heterogeneous increases in coarse particles with or without a halo. TUNEL showed these particles to consist at least in part of apoptotic cells/bodies. Transmission electron microscopy indicated that most apoptotic cells had been phagocytosed by intact ES cells. Spontaneous differentiation was detected occasionally in the periphery of the colonies. The presence of PAS-positive fibrous structures not susceptible to amylase digestion and laminin-immunoreactivity indicated the accumulation of extracellular matrix in the peripheral differentiated areas. These findings made it possible to determine the growth stage of human ES cell colonies. [source] Synthesis of pH dependent chitosan-EPI hydrogel films and their application for in vitro release of promethazine hydrochlorideJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 1 2008Yolda Abstract Chitosan-epichlorohydrin hydrogel films (ChitEPI) were synthesized by using chitosan in the presence of epichlorohydrin (EPI) as a crosslinking agent at various amounts. SEM, FTIR, TGA, and DSC analysis were conducted for the characterization of the hydrogels. The DSC measurements indicate that ChitEPI hydrogels did not exhibit better thermal stability when compared to chitosan. Swelling behavior of Chitosan-EPI hydrogel film is pH dependent and showed a reversible swelling behavior with a fast response. The hydrogels were used for in vitro release of promethazine hydrochloride (PHCl) in pH = 1.2 and pH = 7.4 phosphate buffer solutions (PBS). The release of PHCl synthesized from hydrogels at pH = 7.4 is quite low while at pH = 1.2, the highest value was observed as 49% for ChitEPI600. It has been also found that PHCl release from ChitEPI thin films is mainly controlled by diffusion control mechanism. ChitEPI hydrogels may be used for the delivery of drug in stomach and gastrointestinal tract. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008 [source] Chylomicron accelerates C3 tick-over by regulating the role of Factor H, leading to overproduction of acylation stimulating proteinJOURNAL OF CLINICAL LABORATORY ANALYSIS, Issue 1 2007Takayuki Fujita Abstract Acylation stimulating protein (ASP) is a fragment of the third component of complement (C3) that is generated in the presence of chylomicron, and plays a role in the synthesis of triacylglycerol by transporting free fatty acids into adipocytes. However, the precise mechanism of ASP generation, especially the role of chylomicron in ASP generation, is unknown. We examined the mechanism through which chylomicron induces ASP generation. Ultracentrifugationally separated chylomicron was incubated with normal human serum (NHS) under various conditions, and the amounts of complement activation products and ASP in the incubation mixture were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Upon incubation of NHS with various amounts of chylomicron for 120,min, ASP was generated in a dose-dependent manner. The time course of the production of ASP was similar to the time course of the C3 tick-over phenomenon that occurred by depletion of factor H from the serum. The complement activation induced by chylomicron was different from the usual complement activation that occurs under the regulation of factor H and factor I with respect to the time course and the amount of ASP produced. Our results indicate that chylomicron accelerates C3 tick-over by regulating the role of factor H, leading to the overproduction of ASP. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 21:14,23, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Ultrasonic Investigation of the Effect of Vegetable Shortening and Mixing Time on the Mechanical Properties of Bread DoughJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 9 2009K.L. Mehta ABSTRACT:, Mixing is a critical stage in breadmaking since it controls gluten development and nucleation of gas bubbles in the dough. Bubbles affect the rheology of the dough and largely govern the quality of the final product. This study used ultrasound (at a frequency where it is sensitive to the presence of bubbles) to nondestructively examine dough properties as a function of mixing time in doughs prepared from strong red spring wheat flour with various amounts of shortening (0%, 2%, 4%, 8% flour weight basis). The doughs were mixed for various times at atmospheric pressure or under vacuum (to minimize bubble nucleation). Ultrasonic velocity and attenuation (nominally at 50 kHz) were measured in the dough, and dough density was measured independently from specific gravity determinations. Ultrasonic velocity decreased substantially as mixing time increased (and more bubbles were entrained) for all doughs mixed in air; for example, in doughs made without shortening, velocity decreased from 165 to 105 ms,1, although superimposed on this overall decrease was a peak in velocity at optimum mixing time. Changes in attenuation coefficient due to the addition of shortening were evident in both air-mixed and vacuum-mixed doughs, suggesting that ultrasound was sensitive to changes in the properties of the dough matrix during dough development and to plasticization of the gluten polymers by the shortening. Due to its ability to probe the effect of mixing times and ingredients on dough properties, ultrasound has the potential to be deployed as an online quality control tool in the baking industry. [source] Degradation of repaired denture base materials in simulated oral fluidJOURNAL OF ORAL REHABILITATION, Issue 3 2000C.-T. Lin This in vitro study evaluates the degradation of repaired denture bases upon immersion in a simulated oral fluid. Denture base materials (Luciton 199®), after being repaired by Repair Material® and Triad®, using three different joint surface designs (butt, round and 45 ° bevel), were immersed onto 99·5 vol.% ethanol/water solution (with similar solubility parameter) for various amounts of time (0,72 h). The flexural loads of the six combination of groups were measured by the three-point bending tests using a universal testing machine. Acoustic emission (AE) during sample fracturing were processed using the MISTRA 2001 system. The fracture pattern and surface details of the interface were examined with a scanning electronic microscope (SEM). Data were analysed using three-way anova and Tukey LSD tests. SEM micrographs of the fracture interface were used to differentiate the fracture mode. The flexural loads (2·72±0·51 Kgf) of the round joint specimens were significantly higher (P<0·05) than those (butt: 1·66±0·38 Kgf, 45 ° bevel: 1·93±0·41 Kgf) of the other two designs. This corresponds to the microscopic examination in which more cohesive failure mode was found for the round joint group after storage. The flexural loads (2·54±0·39 Kgf) of the specimens repaired with Triad® were significantly higher (P<0·05) than those (1·59±0·40 Kgf) of specimens repaired with Repair Material®. Significant progressive reduction of the flexural load and/or AE signals of the specimens was noted in proportion to the length of time of the immersion in the simulated oral fluid. Mechanical strength of a denture base repaired with a round joint design and light-cured material is significantly higher after immersion in simulated oral fluid. [source] Reactivity of isobutane in fluorosulfonic based superacids,JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 12 2002Alain Goeppert Abstract The behavior of isobutane in DSO3F containing various amounts of SbF5 has been studied in relation to the acid strength of the superacid system. In contrast to the DF,SbF5 system, H/D exchange occurs only in the weakest superacid via deprotonation of the t -butyl ion intermediate formed by an oxidative process. Kinetic isotope effect determination shows that the slow step is hydride transfer. At higher acidity, the increasing stability of this intermediate impedes isotopic exchange. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Arsenic accumulation by rice grown in soil treated with roxarsoneJOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION AND SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 4 2009Chen-Wuing Liu Abstract Poultry litter is widely used as a fertilizer for lowland rice in Taiwan and China. However, the organic-arsenic compound roxarsone (additive of poultry feed) in poultry litter can be absorbed by the plants and the resulting arsenic (As) contamination may pose a serious threat to human health. This study used various amounts of poultry litter contaminated with roxarsone in pot experiments to evaluate the effect of roxarsone on rice agronomic parameters and the bioaccumulation of total and inorganic As in rice-plant tissues. Rice-grain yield decreased significantly with increasing As content of the soil, and the critical threshold that killed rice was 200 mg roxarsone (kg soil),1. The As concentrations in root, straw, leaf, husk, and grain increased with increasing soil As (p < 1%). At 100 mg roxarsone per,kg of soil, the As concentration in the rice grain exceeded the statutory permissible limit of 1.0 mg As (kg dry weight),1 and at 25 mg roxarsone (kg soil),1, the inorganic As concentrations in grains exceeded the statutory limit of 0.15 mg of inorganic As,kg,1 in China. For all treatments, the As concentrations in various plant tissues at maturity follow the order: root > stem > leaf > husk > grain. Arsenite was the predominant species in root, straw, and grain, while arsenate was the predominant species in leaf and husk. No significant difference existed between the amounts of arsenite and arsenate when various amounts of poultry litter were applied. This result illustrates that large amounts of added roxarsone are not only toxic to rice but also accumulate in grains in the inorganic As forms, potentially posing a threat to human health via the food chain. [source] Synthesis and characterization of stimuli-sensitive micro- and nanohydrogels based on photocrosslinkable poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate)JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE (IN TWO SECTIONS), Issue 4 2007Smrati Gupta Abstract The aim of this work was the development of a versatile route for the preparation of temperature- and pH-responsive hydrogels with small dimensions. The copolymerization of N,N -dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate with various amounts (5 and 10 mol %) of dimethylmaleimidoethyl methacrylate in solution with 2,2,-azobisisobutyronitrile as an initiator is described. The structural and molecular characterization of the copolymers was performed with proton nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared, and ultraviolet spectroscopy, as well as size exclusion chromatography. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry were used for the thermal characterization of the copolymers. Micro- and nanohydrogels of the copolymers were prepared by photocrosslinking. The gels obtained by photocrosslinking were characterized with a combination of surface plasmon resonance and optical waveguide spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and scanning electron microscopy. The hydrogels showed temperature- and pH-responsive behavior. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 669,679, 2007 [source] Detailed analysis of single-molecule surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering spectra of Rhodamine 6G obtained from isolated nano-aggregates of colloidal silverJOURNAL OF RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY, Issue 6-7 2005Slobodan Abstract Surface-enhanced resonant Raman scattering (SERRS) spectra of Rhodamine 6G (R6G) were acquired from single (aggregated) Ag colloidal particles that had been incubated with various amounts of R6G (0.1,125 nM). The spectra were investigated in detail and the evidence for a single-molecule-like response was found even for R6G:Ag particle ratios greatly exceeding equimolarity. After a thorough comparison with literature data, it is concluded that it is reasonable to expect a single-molecule-like response even for fairly ,high' R6G concentrations. A series of Raman images are shown and commented on with respect to bulk SERRS measurements. The problem of band assignment of single-molecule spectra of biological species is addressed. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Structural Characterization and Protein Adsorption Property of Hydroxyapatite Particles Modified With Zinc IonsJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 2 2007Satoshi Hayakawa Zinc-containing hydroxyapatite particles (Zn/HAp) were prepared by an ion exchange reaction process involving hydroxyapatite (HAp) particles with aqueous solutions containing various amounts of zinc nitrate. The Zn2+ ion was partially substituted for the Ca2+ ion position in the HAp lattice, and hence, the obtained samples had changed little in crystallinity, particle size, and specific surface area. Adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and ,2 -microglobulin (,2 -MG) in solutions containing both BSA and ,2 -MG was examined. As the Zn2+ ion content in the apatites increased, the adsorbed amount of BSA was almost constant, whereas that of ,2 -MG increased. [source] Estimation of the contribution of the bioluminescent reaction rate and quantum yield to the enhancement of firefly bioluminescence in the presence of cationic liposomesLUMINESCENCE: THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL LUMINESCENCE, Issue 1 2007Tamio Kamidate Abstract Cationic liposomes containing phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol and distearyldimethylammonium chloride (DSDAC) enhanced maximum light emission (BL intensity) and total light emission from the firefly bioluminescence (BL) reaction. The increase in BL intensity was interpreted on the basis of the increase in both BL reaction rate and BL quantum yield (,BL) of the BL reaction. The increase in BL reaction rate was due to the increase in the localized concentration of BL reactants on the surface of cationic liposomes by electrostatic interaction. On the other hand, the increase in ,BL was due to the change of light-emitting species in the presence of cationic liposomes. Each contribution of BL reaction rate and ,BL to the enhancement of the BL intensity was estimated by measuring the BL reaction rate and ,BL in the presence of cationic liposomes containing various amounts of DSDAC. The contribution of the BL reaction rate to the increase in the BL intensity was found to be two-fold greater than that of ,BL. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Synthesis and Characterisation of Poly[oligo(, -caprolactone)L -malate- graft -poly(L -lactide)]MACROMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS, Issue 7 2010Christian Hahn Abstract Graft copolyesters with a PCL backbone and PLLA side chains were successfully prepared in three steps avoiding transesterification. First , -caprolactone was polymerised with 1,6-hexane diol as initiator to obtain hydroxytelechelic oligo(, -caprolactone)s. These diols were then subjected,in the second step,to polycondensation with L -malic acid yielding in linear poly[oligo(, -caprolactone)L -malate] having secondary hydroxyl functions in the side chain. For both reactions scandium triflate Sc(OTf)3 was used as a catalyst. In the third step various amounts of L -lactide were grafted from the polymer backbone using Zn(oct)2 as catalyst. The successful reaction was confirmed by NMR and SEC (size exclusion chromatography) analysis. Further the thermal properties of the graft copolymers with different graft lengths were determined via differential scanning calorimetry. [source] Polynucleotide phosphorylase, RNase II and RNase E play different roles in the in vivo modulation of polyadenylation in Escherichia coliMOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2000Bijoy K. Mohanty Poly(A) tails in Escherichia coli are hypothesized to provide unstructured single-stranded substrates that facilitate the degradation of mRNAs by ribonucleases. Here, we have investigated the role that such nucleases play in modulating polyadenylation in vivo by measuring total poly(A) levels, polyadenylation of specific transcripts, growth rates and cell viabilities in strains containing various amounts of poly(A) polymerase I (PAP I), polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase), RNase II and RNase E. The results demonstrate that both PNPase and RNase II are directly involved in regulating total in vivo poly(A) levels. RNase II is primarily responsible for degrading poly(A) tails associated with 23S rRNA, whereas PNPase is more effective in modulating the polyadenylation of the lpp and 16S rRNA transcripts. In contrast, RNase E appears to affect poly(A) levels indirectly through the generation of new 3, termini that serve as substrates for PAP I. In addition, whereas excess PNPase suppresses polyadenylation by more than 70%, the toxicity associated with increased poly(A) levels is not reduced. Conversely, toxicity is significantly reduced in the presence of excess RNase II. Overproduction of RNase E leads to increased polyadenylation and no reduction in toxicity. [source] Optimal machine capacity expansions with nested limitations under stochastic demandNAVAL RESEARCH LOGISTICS: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 2 2004Metin Çakany This paper studies capacity expansions for a production facility that faces uncertain customer demand for a single product family. The capacity of the facility is modeled in three tiers, as follows. The first tier consists of a set of upper bounds on production that correspond to different resource types (e.g., machine types, categories of manpower, etc.). These upper bounds are augmented in increments of fixed size (e.g., by purchasing machines of standard types). There is a second-tier resource that constrains the first-tier bounds (e.g., clean room floor space). The third-tier resource bounds the availability of the second-tier resource (e.g., the total floor space enclosed by the building, land, etc.). The second and third-tier resources are expanded at various times in various amounts. The cost of capacity expansion at each tier has both fixed and proportional elements. The lost sales cost is used as a measure for the level of customer service. The paper presents a polynomial time algorithm (FIFEX) to minimize the total cost by computing optimal expansion times and amounts for all three types of capacity jointly. It accommodates positive lead times for each type. Demand is assumed to be nondecreasing in a "weak" sense. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2004. [source] Peritoneal endometriosis in the broad ligament presenting as a large tumorPATHOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 5-6 2002Tomoko Itoga Peritoneal endometriosis presenting as a tumor is very rare. A case of peritoneal endometriosis in the broad ligament presenting as a large tumor is reported. A 39-year-old woman had a solid and cystic tumor with many microcysts, measuring 17 × 13 × 3.5 cm, mainly located in the right posterior broad ligament. Histologically, the tumor consisted of many endometrial glands associated with various amounts of endometrial stroma. Neither the glands nor the stromal cells had cellular atypia. We diagnosed peritoneal endometriosis presenting as a tumor. Among the six cases (five previously reported cases and our case) of tumor-like endometriosis in the peritoneum, two cases (33%) had received tamoxifen therapy and four cases (67%) had cystic or solid and cystic tumor. Among them, the tumor size ranged from 3 to 17 cm in diameter, and our case was the largest. In conclusion, this case is rare, but it is important for pathologists to be aware of the phenomenon (that extensive peritoneal endometriosis produces a large tumor) in the histological diagnosis of a tumor in the peritoneum. [source] Geographic differences in paralytic shellfish poisoning toxin profiles among Japanese populations of Alexandrium tamarense and A. catenella (Dinophyceae)PHYCOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Issue 1 2001Takashi Yoshida SUMMARY To reconsider whether toxin profile could be used as a marker for populations from different geographical areas, clonal isolates of the toxic dinoflagellates Alexandrium tamarense (Lebour) Balech and Alexandrium catenella (Whedon et Kofoid) Balech from Ofunato Bay (Iwate Prefecture), Atsumi Bay (Aichi Prefecture), Tanabe Bay (Wakayama Prefecture), Harima-Nada (Kagawa Prefecture), Uranouchi Bay (Kochi Prefecture), Hiroshima Bay (Hiroshima Prefecture) and Yamakawa Bay (Kagoshima Prefecture), which were identified on the basis of morphotaxonomy, immunological and molecular biological techniques, were subjected to analysis of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins by high performance liquid chromatography-fluorometric method. All the isolates except A. tamarense OF152 from Ofunato Bay contained mainly N-sulfocarbamoyl toxins (C1 +2) with various amounts of derivatives, and a typical north-to-south trend of decreasing toxicity was observed. In both A. tamarense and A. catenella, toxin profiles were rather constant within a geographical area and divergent among different geographical areas. The toxin profiles of A. tamarense from Harima-Nada were well conserved among different bloom years. Toxin profile showed that isolates of A. tamarense from Ofunato Bay, A. tamarense from Harima-Nada isolated in 1988 and A. catenella from Uranouchi Bay were heterogeneous. However, only two or three groups of isolates with different toxin profiles were observed in a geographical region, suggesting that several representative isolates express the genotype in a given region. These observations confirmed that toxin composition could be used as a marker to discriminate different geographical populations of these species. [source] Tailoring viscoelastic and mechanical properties of the foamed blends of EVA and various ethylene-styrene interpolymersPOLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 3 2003I-Chun Liu Foamed materials (EVA/ESI) have been prepared from blends of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and ethylene-styrene interpolymers (ESI) in the presence of various amounts of dicumyl peroxide (DCP). Four ESIs of different compositions were employed in this study; their styrene contents ranged from 30 to 73 wt% and their Tg ranged from ,2 to 33°C. It has been found that microcellular morphology, degree of crosslinking and expansion ratio were strongly affected by the DCP concentration and the type of ESI employed. A minimum degree of crosslinking was required for making good foams and the same degree of crosslinking could be achieved by employing a smaller amount of DCP for an EVA/ESI blend having a higher styrene content. In contrast to other EVA blends, such as EVA/LDPE, these EVA/ESI blends exhibited no existence of any optimum DCP concentration, and the , glass transition temperatures of the foams varied with the ESI type, covering a wide span from 0°C to 37°C. Therefore, it was possible to tailor the Tg of an EVA/ESI blend by choosing an appropriate type of ESI. Furthermore, by correctly tailoring the Tg, the EVA/ESI foam could be made into a rubbery material with a custom-designed damping factor. Tensile strength and modulus of the EVA/ESI foams increased generally with an increase in the styrene content, with the exception that ESIs with very low styrene content will confer on the blend a high modulus at small strain and a large elongation at break. [source] Refolding of proteins from inclusion bodies is favored by a diminished hydrophobic effect at elevated pressuresBIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOENGINEERING, Issue 2 2009Ryan L. Crisman Abstract The application of high hydrostatic pressure is an effective tool to promote dissolution and refolding of protein from aggregates and inclusion bodies while minimizing reaggregation. In this study we explored the mechanism of high-pressure protein refolding by quantitatively assessing the magnitude of the protein,protein interactions both at atmospheric and elevated pressures for T4 lysozyme, in solutions containing various amounts of guanidinium hydrochloride. At atmospheric pressure, the protein, protein interactions are most attractive at moderate guanidinium hydrochloride concentrations (,1,2 molar), as indicated by a minimum in B22 values. In contrast, at a pressure of 1,000 bar no minimum in B22 values is observed, indicating that high pressures colloidally stabilize protein against aggregation. Finally, experimental values of refractive index increments as a function of pressure indicate that at high pressures, wetting of the hydrophobic surfaces is favored, resulting in a reduction of the hydrophobic effect. This reduction in the hydrophobic effect reduces the driving force for aggregation of (partially) unfolded protein. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009;102: 483,492. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Optimal amount of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 enhances antitumor effects of suicide gene therapy against hepatocellular carcinoma by M1 macrophage activationCANCER SCIENCE, Issue 10 2008Tomoya Tsuchiyama Suicide gene therapy combined with chemokines provides significant antitumor efficacy. Coexpression of suicide gene and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) increases antitumor effects in murine models of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and colon cancer. However, it is unclear whether the doses administered achieved the maximum antitumor effects. We evaluated antitumor effects of various amounts of recombinant adenovirus vector (rAd) expressing MCP-1 in the presence of a suicide gene in a murine model of HCC. HCC cells were transplanted subcutaneously into BALB/c nude mice, and transduced with a fixed amount of Ad-tk harboring the suicide gene, HSV-tk, and various doses of Ad-MCP1 harboring MCP-1 (ratios of 1:1, 0.1:1, and 0.01:1 relative to Ad-tk). Growth of primary tumors was suppressed when treated with Ad-tk plus Ad-MCP1 (1:1 and 1:0.1) as compared with Ad-tk alone. The antitumor effects against tumor rechallenge tended to be high in the Ad-tk plus Ad-MCP1 group (1:0.1). The effects were dependent on production of Th1 type-cytokines. Delivery of an optimal amount of rAd expressing MCP-1 enhanced the antitumor effects of suicide gene therapy against HCC by M1 macrophage activation, suggesting that this is a plausible form of cancer gene therapy to prevent HCC progression and recurrence. (Cancer Sci 2008; 99: 2075,2082) [source] Histologic Analysis of Clinical Biopsies Taken 6 Months and 3 Years after Maxillary Sinus Floor Augmentation with 80% Bovine Hydroxyapatite and 20% Autogenous Bone Mixed with Fibrin GlueCLINICAL IMPLANT DENTISTRY AND RELATED RESEARCH, Issue 2 2001Mats Hallman DDS Abstract: Background: Bovine hydroxyapatite (Bio-Oss®, Geistlich Pharmaceutical, Wollhausen, Switzerland) has been suggested to be used in maxillary sinus floor augmentation procedures prior to or in conjunction with implant placement. However, the long-term histologic fate of this material is not well understood. Purpose: The aim with this study was to histologically evaluate the tissue response in patients to a mixture of bovine hydroxyapatite (BH), autogenous bone, and fibrin glue 6 months and 3 years after a maxillary sinus floor augmentation procedure. Materials and Method: Biopsies were taken from a group of 20 consecutive patients 6 months (n = 16) and 3 years (n = 12) after maxillary sinus floor augmentation with a mixture of BH (80%), autogenous bone (20%), and fibrin glue and prepared for histologic analysis. Results: Light microscopy and morphometry from biopsies taken after 6 months showed various amounts of mineralized bone tissue. The specimen area was occupied by 54.1 ± 12.6% nonmineralized tissue, followed by 21.2 ± 24.5% lamellar bone, 14.5 ± 10.3% BH particles, and 10.2 ± 13.4% woven bone. The nonmineralized tissue seen in bone-forming areas consisted of a loose connective tissue, rich with vessels and cells. There were no signs of resorption of the BH particles. The lamellar bone appeared to have originated from the recipient site and was seldom in contact with the BH particles. After 3 years, the nonmineralized tissue area had decreased to 36.0 ± 19.0% (p > .05) and consisted mainly of bone marrow tissue. The surface area of lamellar bone had increased to 50.7 ± 22.8% (p > .05), and there was almost no immature bone. The mean specimen area occupied by BH particles, was 12.4 ± 8.7% and had not changed from 6 months (not significant). Moreover, the sizes of the particles were similar after 6 months and 3 years. The degree of BH particle,bone contact had increased from 28.8%± 19.9% after 6 months to 54.5 ± 28.8% after 3 years (p > .05). Conclusion: Histology of specimens from maxillary sinuses augmented with 80% BH particles, 20% autogenous bone, and fibrin glue showed a positive bone tissue response after 6 months and 3 years after augmentation of the maxillary sinus floor prior to implant placement in a group fo 20 patients. The bone surrounding and in contact with the BH particles after 6 months was mainly immature woven bone, which with time was replaced by mature lamellar bone filling the interparticle space as observed in the 3-year specimens. Moreover, bone-integrated BH particles seem to be resistant to resorption. The results indicate that the procedure may be considered when only small amounts of intraoral autogenous bone graft are available. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||