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Comprising
Kinds of Comprising Selected AbstractsMultifunctional Deep-Blue Emitter Comprising an Anthracene Core and Terminal Triphenylphosphine Oxide GroupsADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 4 2009Chen-Han Chien Abstract A highly efficient blue-light emitter, 2- tert -butyl-9,10-bis[4,-(diphenyl-phosphoryl)phenyl]anthracene (POAn) is synthesized, and comprises electron-deficient triphenylphosphine oxide side groups appended to the 9- and 10-positions of a 2- tert -butylanthracene core. This sophisticated anthracene compound possesses a non-coplanar configuration that results in a decreased tendency to crystallize and weaker intermolecular interactions in the solid state, leading to its pronounced morphological stability and high quantum efficiency. In addition to serving as an electron-transporting blue-light-emitting material, POAn also facilitates electron injection from the Al cathode to itself. Consequently, simple double-layer devices incorporating POAn as the emitting, electron-transporting, and -injecting material produce bright deep-blue lights having Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage coordinates of (0.15,0.07). The peak electroluminescence performance was 4.3% (2.9 cd A,1). For a device lacking an electron-transport layer or alkali fluoride, this device displays the best performance of any such the deep-blue organic light-emitting diodes reported to date. [source] Systematic review: Helicobacter pylori and the risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding risk in patients taking aspirinALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 7 2010E. H. Fletcher Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2010; 32: 831,839 Summary Background, Aspirin is widely used to modify the risk of recurrent vascular events. It is, however, associated with increased upper gastrointestinal bleeding risk. The influence of Helicobacter pylori on this risk is uncertain. Aim, To determine the influence of H. pylori on upper gastrointestinal bleeding risk in patients taking aspirin. Methods, MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched. All studies providing data regarding H. pylori infection in adults taking aspirin and presenting with upper gastrointestinal bleeding were included. Results, A total of 13 studies that included 1 case,control, 10 cohort studies and 2 randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) were analysed. The case,control study (n = 245) determined H. pylori to be a significant independent risk factor for upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The cohort studies were heterogeneous, varying in inclusion criteria, doses and duration of aspirin used, mode of H. pylori testing and causative GI pathology considered. Comprising 5465 patients, H. pylori infection was tested for in 163 (0.03%) aspirin users with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The RCTs yielded no significant results. Conclusions, The current data are not sufficient to allow meta-analyses. The widely held belief that H. pylori is a risk factor for upper gastrointestinal bleeding in regular aspirin users is not supported by the very limited evidence available. [source] Supramolecular Nanocycles Comprising , -Cyclodextrin-click-Ferrocene Units: Rings of Rings of RingsMACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS, Issue 7 2010Maricica Munteanu Abstract We applied 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition to bind ethynylferrocene onto 6I-azido-6I-deoxycyclomaltoheptaose under microwave assisted conditions. The process was investigated by 1H NMR, FT-IR spectroscopy, and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The ability of the synthesized compound to self-organize to cyclic supramolecular structures was investigated by dynamic light scattering measurements and cryo-transmission electron microscopy. [source] Homicide, psychopathology, prosecutorial and jury discretion and the death penaltyCRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 4 2000Chief, Division of Forensic Psychiatry, Richard M. Yarvis MD MPH Professor of Clinical Psychiatry Introduction The American preoccupation with the death penalty persists and, in fact, shows no sign of abatement. This is demonstrated not only by attitudinal measures but also by the quickening pace of executions. In California, homicide convictions can result in either 25-year-to-life, life-with-no-possibility-of-parole, or death sentences. The ultimate outcome in any given case is determined by a complex interaction of prosecutorial and jury decisions. Three vignettes illustrate how heinous crimes have been handled quite variably. Method A data set comprising 115 homicide cases was examined. To determine how murderers who qualify for the death penalty differed, if at all, from those who did not so qualify, 52 defendants who met the criteria for a death sentence were compared with 63 who did not. Criteria utilized and ignored by prosecutors in seeking the death penalty were analysed by comparing 39 cases in which death sentences could have been and were sought with 13 cases in which prosecutors chose to seek a lesser penalty instead. Finally, criteria utilized and ignored by juries to reach sentencing decisions were analysed by comparing 25 cases in which juries chose not to hand down death sentences with 14 cases in which they did render death verdicts. Results Special circumstance murderers did not differ significantly on personal variables from ordinary murderers. (1) Special circumstances were invariably charged when more than one criterion for this was present. Robbery and sexual assault usually provoked a special circumstances charge. Mitigating factors did not deter prosecutors from charging a special circumstance. (2) There was no excess of aggravating factors in individuals sentenced to death by juries, indeed there was a trend for the opposite to be the case, but there was a trend for mitigating factors to be commoner in those excused the death penalty. Conclusion It is not clear that the death penalty process in California carries out the legislature's intent but the US Supreme Court's 1976 mandate that mitigating and aggravating factors should provide discretion may be having a modest impact. Copyright © 2000 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] Use of mouthguards by basketball players in Victoria, AustraliaDENTAL TRAUMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2003Helen Cornwell Abstract ,,,Basketball is a popular sport in Australia. Although orofacial injuries are common, mouthguard (MG) wear in basketball appears to be low. The purposes of this study were: to measure mouthguard wear by basketball players before and after a promotional intervention; to assess players' knowledge of the value of mouthguards for prevention of injury; and to describe their experience of orofacial injury. Two questionnaires (baseline and follow-up) were administered to a convenience sample of 496 basketball players in Victoria, Australia. Players recruited were youths (12,15-year olds, n = 208) and adults (18 years and over, n = 288), from all basketball levels (social to elite). Completion of the baseline questionnaire was followed immediately by an intervention comprising written and verbal information, a mouthguard blank and instructions on mouthguard construction. The follow-up questionnaire was mailed to all respondents 10,12 weeks later; 135 youths (65%) and 157 adults (54%) completed this. Mouthguard wear at baseline was low but was more frequent at games (62%) than at training (25%). Despite 90% of players acknowledging the protective value of a mouthguard, wear by youths did not increase following the intervention, and wear by adults increased by only 14% for training and 10% at games. Previous orofacial injury was recorded at baseline by 23% of players, but few had requested compensation from Basketball Australia (youths, 17%; adults, 30%). Two predictor variables were statistically identified as related to mouthguard wear: previous orofacial injury and age group. Mouthguard wear was significantly more frequent amongst players with previous injury; such players were 2.76 times more likely to be wearers than those without previous injury. Youths were 2.31 times more likely to wear mouthguards than adults. Only 34 players (12% of respondents at follow-up) had a mouthguard constructed from the blank provided. Although youth and adult groups differed, the overall extent of mouthguard use was disappointingly low. Despite wide recognition of mouthguard value, the intervention had little effect on promoting their use. [source] Out-patient behaviour therapy in alcoholism: treatment outcome after 2 yearsACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 3 2002W. Burtscheidt Burtscheidt W, Wölwer W, Schwarz R, Strauss W, Gaebel W. Out-patient behaviour therapy in alcoholism: treatment outcome after 2 years. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2002: 106: 227,232. © Blackwell Munksgaard 2002. Objective:,The main aim of the study was the evaluation of out-patient behavioural approaches in alcohol dependence. Additionally, the persistence of treatment effects and the impact of psychiatric comorbidity in long-term follow-up was examined. Method:,A total of 120 patients were randomly assigned to non-specific supportive therapy or to two different behavioural therapy programmes (coping skills training and cognitive therapy) each comprising 26 weekly sessions; the follow-up period lasted 2 years. Results:,Patients undergoing behavioural therapy showed a consistent trend towards higher abstinence rates; significant differences between the two behavioural strategies could not be established. Moreover, the results indicate a reduced ability of cognitive impaired patients to cope with short-time abstinence violations and at a reduced benefit from behavioural techniques for patients with severe personality disorders. Conclusion:,Behavioural treatment yielded long-lasting effects and met high acceptance; yet, still in need of improvement is the development of specific programmes for high-risk patients. [source] Studies of relationships between the GLUT10 Ala206Thr polymorphism and impaired insulin secretionDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 7 2005C. S. Rose Abstract Aims This study aimed to investigate if the previously observed association between the GLUT10 Ala206Thr polymorphism and variation in fasting and oral glucose-induced serum insulin concentrations could be replicated in a large-scale population-based cohort of Danish whites. Methods The GLUT10 Ala206Thr polymorphism was genotyped in a case-control study of 880 Type 2 diabetic patients and 4372 glucose-tolerant control subjects. The latter group was also enrolled in an assessment of fasting and post-OGTT circulating levels of plasma glucose and serum insulin in relation to genotype. The variant was genotyped by analysis of PCR-generated primer extension by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight analysis. Results The Ala206Thr variant was equally frequent among Type 2 diabetic patients and glucose-tolerant subjects (P = 0.9) and there was no difference in the distribution of genotype groups (P = 1.0). In the 4372 glucose-tolerant subjects there was no statistically significant association between the polymorphism and levels of fasting and post-oral glucose tolerance test plasma glucose and serum insulin along with the insulinogenic index and the homeostasis model of assessment for insulin resistance and insulin secretion. Likewise, in an age-stratified subgroup comprising 1264 subjects, we observed no relationships between the GLUT10 polymorphism and the selected metabolic features. Conclusions The GLUT10 Ala206Thr polymorphism is not associated with Type 2 diabetes in the Danish population. Furthermore, in the present large-scale cohort, the polymorphism does not associate with phenotypes such as fasting and oral glucose-induced levels of plasma glucose and serum insulin. [source] Myxoid liposarcoma of the breast in a 25-year-old female as a diagnostic pitfall in fine needle aspiration cytology: Report of a rare caseDIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 9 2008Ishita Pant M.D. Abstract Primary sarcomas of the breast are extremely rare comprising less than 1.0% of all malignant tumors of the breast. It is even rarer to be reported in a 25-year-old female. This can cause a diagnostic dilemma not only for the clinician but also for the cytopathologist. A 25-year-old woman presented with a well defined firm, mobile lump in her right breast. With fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and ultrasonography a diagnosis of fibroadenoma was made. The patient underwent lumpectomy. Histopathologically it was diagnosed as myxoid liposarcoma. This case is reported to highlight the fact that, even though rare in young females but the possibility of a breast lump being a myxoid liposarcoma does exist. This report discusses a primary myxoid liposarcoma of female breast, considers cytologic differential diagnoses with review of the relevant literature. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2008;36:674,677. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Testing automated liquid-based cytology samples with a manual liquid-based cytology method using residual cell suspensions from 500 ThinPrep casesDIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 6 2006John A. Maksem M.D. Abstract We report a technical improvement upon a previously disclosed manual liquid-based cytology (MLBC) method; and, we use the improved method to prepare slides from residual ThinPrep specimens in order to see how often ThinPrep diagnoses correspond to diagnoses derived from exhaustive examination of their parent sample suspensions. Residual cell suspensions from 500 ThinPrep cases comprising (1) 20 low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSILs); (2) 200 high risk (HR) negatives and 20 ASC-US; and (3) 260 screening cytology specimens were studied. Institutional review committee guidelines allowed us to know diagnoses by groups of specimens, but did not allow us to know individual patient diagnoses, so we could not perform case-by-case matched outcome-comparisons. Cells were concentrated by conventional centrifugation and sedimented into a polymer gel that was then vortex-mixed and converted into a viscous cell-rich suspension. The cell suspension was smeared between two clean glass slides, which were air-dried and stained with the Papanicolaou stain. Two study-sets were created, comprising one slide from each case. Each of the two study sets was examined by two cytopathologists, and discordant diagnoses were adjudicated. Because of the ambiguity involved in the "atypical" (ASC-US, ASC-H, AGC) diagnosis categories, only outcomes at the level of LSIL or greater were recorded. All MLBC SILs were digitally imaged and abnormal slides plus digital images were sent to the laboratory that provided the residual automated liquid-based cytology (ALBC) suspensions. The final diagnoses were confirmed by the laboratory that provided the residual ALBC specimens. MLBC slides of the 20 LSIL cases afforded 2 high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) and 18 LSILs. Those of the 200 HR-Negatives showed 3 HSILs and 30 LSILs; and those of the 20 HR-ASC-US showed 3 HSILs and 9 LSILs. MLBC slides of the 260 screening cytology specimens showed 1 Carcinoma, 3 HSILs and 20 LSILs; affording 3 HSILs and 14 LSILs more than originally diagnosed. The MLBC method of this report is useful for preparing cell suspensions for cytological examination. Our analytical method was exhaustive and used nearly all of the cell material that was provided to us for analysis; therefore, we conclude that this approach is useful for determining how well ALBC instruments represent their parent sample suspensions. It appears that "rare events" may be overlooked when limited sample aliquots are analyzed by ALBC instruments, and this probably accounts for our increased discovery of SILs by the MLBC method. Also, SILs often present as aggregates of cohesive cells which, if overlooked or ineffectively transferred to ALBC slides, would not be diagnosed. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2006;34:391,396. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Landscape composition influences patterns of native and exotic lady beetle abundanceDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 4 2009M. M. Gardiner Abstract Aim, Coccinellid beetles are important predators that contribute to pest suppression in agricultural landscapes. Since the introduction of the exotic coccinellids Coccinella septempunctata L. and Harmonia axyridis Pallas into the USA, several studies have reported a decline of native Coccinellidae in agroecosystems. We aimed to investigate the influence of landscape composition on native and exotic coccinellid abundance within soybean fields. Location, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Methods, As part of a 2-year study (2005,06) on the biological control of the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura, we examined coccinellid communities in 33 soybean fields using yellow sticky card traps. Landscape heterogeneity and composition were measured at multiple spatial scales ranging 1,3.5 km from focal soybean fields where coccinellid sampling took place. Results, Exotic species made up 90% of the total coccinellid community in Michigan soybean fields followed by Wisconsin (84%), Minnesota (66%) and Iowa (57%). Harmonia axyridis was the dominant exotic coccinellid in all states comprising 45,62% of the total coccinellid community, followed by C. septempunctata (13,30%). Two additional exotic species, Hippodamia variegata (Goeze) and Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (L.) were also found in the region. Overall, the most abundant native coccinellid was Hippodamia convergens Guerin-Meneville; however, its abundance varied across the region, comprising 0% (Michigan) to 28% (Iowa) of the total coccinellid community. Landscape structure significantly influenced the composition of coccinellid communities in soybean agroecosystems. We found that native coccinellids were most abundant in low-diversity landscapes with an abundance of grassland habitat while exotic coccinellids were associated with the abundance of forested habitats. Main conclusion, We propose that grassland dominated landscapes with low structural diversity and low amounts of forested habitat may be resistant to exotic coccinellid build-up, particularly H. axyridis and therefore represent landscape-scale refuges for native coccinellid biodiversity. [source] Differentiation of structural isomers in a target drug database by LC/Q-TOFMS using fragmentation predictionDRUG TESTING AND ANALYSIS, Issue 6 2010Elli Tyrkkö Abstract Isomers cannot be differentiated from each other solely based on accurate mass measurement of the compound. A liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/Q-TOFMS) method was used to systematically fragment a large group of different isomers. Two software programs were used to characterize in silico mass fragmentation of compounds in order to identify characteristic fragments. The software programs employed were ACD/MS Fragmenter (ACD Labs Toronto, Canada), which uses general fragmentation rules to generate fragments based on the structure of a compound, and SmartFormula3D (Bruker Daltonics), which assigns fragments from a mass spectra and calculates the molecular formulae for the ions using accurate mass data. From an in-house toxicology database of 874 drug substances, 48 isomer groups comprising 111 compounds, for which a reference standard was available, were found. The product ion spectra were processed with the two software programs and 1,3 fragments were identified for each compound. In 82% of the cases, the fragment could be identified with both software programs. Only 10 isomer pairs could not be differentiated from each other based on their fragments. These compounds were either diastereomers or position isomers undergoing identical fragmentation. Accurate mass data could be utilized with both software programs for structural elucidation of the fragments. Mean mass accuracy and isotopic pattern match values (SigmaFit; Bruker Daltonics Bremen, Germany) were 0.9 mDa and 24.6 mSigma, respectively. The study introduces a practical approach for preliminary compound identification in a large target database by LC/Q-TOFMS without necessarily possessing reference standards. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Nutrients, diversity, and community structure of two phytotelm systems in a lower montane forest, Puerto RicoECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 3 2000Barbara A. Richardson Summary 1. Bromeliad and heliconia phytotelmata in the same forest area were compared in terms of their animal assemblages, nutrient inputs, and plant architecture. 2. For all major elements, nutrient inputs from canopy-derived debris and rainfall in bromeliads were significantly lower than those derived from decaying flower parts and plant secretions in heliconia bracts. Bromeliads contained significantly fewer organisms per unit volume of water and unit dry weight of organic matter than did heliconia inflorescences. They also contained a significantly lower animal biomass (199 mg DW from 15 bromeliads, 527 mg DW from 15 heliconia inflorescences). 3. Species richness was independent of abundance, demonstrating that, at least for small container habitats, higher abundance does not necessarily lead to a greater species richness. Communities were remarkably similar in patterns of relative abundance and species richness (23 spp. in bromeliads, 21 spp. in heliconia), probably due to functional similarities in plant architecture, with the two most abundant species comprising 60,62% of the total community. Coefficients of similarity were low because of marked differences in species assemblages. 4. Some taxa were phytotelm generalists but most showed a preference for one particular habitat, indicating differential selection in the choice of oviposition sites and larval development within the forest ecosystem. In common with many island communities, species richness was lower than that reported for these phytotelm habitats in mainland central and south America. [source] THE LOGIC OF AUTHORITARIAN BARGAINSECONOMICS & POLITICS, Issue 1 2009RAJ M. DESAI Dictatorships do not survive by repression alone. Rather, dictatorial rule is often explained as an "authoritarian bargain" by which citizens relinquish political rights for economic security. The applicability of the authoritarian bargain to decision-making in non-democratic states, however, has not been thoroughly examined. We conceptualize this bargain as a simple game between a representative citizen and an autocrat who faces the threat of insurrection, and where economic transfers and political influence are simultaneously determined. Our model yields implications for empirical patterns that are expected to exist. Tests of a system of equations with panel data comprising 80 non-democratic states between 1975 and 1999 generally confirm the predictions of the authoritarian-bargain thesis, with some variation across different categories of dictatorship. [source] Cover Picture: Electrophoresis 18'2010ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 18 2010Article first published online: 20 SEP 2010 Issue no. 18 is a special issue on "Miniaturization in Asia-Pacific" comprising 21 manuscripts distributed over 5 separate parts. Part I has 1 review article on microfluidics gradient platform for controlling cellular behavior. Part II has 6 research articles dealing with various basic technologies in microfluidics. Part III reports a variety of detection approaches described in 6 research articles. DNA and protein analysis using microfluidics are treated in 3 research articles making up part IV. The last 5 articles in this issue (Part V) are on cell analysis. [source] Cover Picture: Electrophoresis 16'2010ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 17 2010Article first published online: 7 SEP 2010 Issue no. 17 is a regular issue comprising 18 manuscripts distributed over 5 separate parts. Part I has 7 research articles on some aspects of proteins and cell separations. Part II has 3 research articles on nucleic acid research including cloning/amplification, gene regulation and STR analysis. Part III offers ways of measuring diffusion and binding constants in two separate articles. Concentration and detection approaches are treated in 4 research articles making up Part IV. The last two articles in this issue (Part V) are on CEC and EKC describing a mixed mode monolithic stationary phase and a cyclodextrin-modified MEEKC. Featured articles include: Lamp-based wavelength-resolved fluorescence detection for protein capillary electrophoresis: Set-up and detector performance ((doi: 10.1002/elps.201000246)) Electromigration diffusivity spectrometry: A way for simultaneous determination of diffusion coefficients from mixed samples ((doi: 10.1002/elps.201000252)) Sample stacking capillary electrophoretic microdevice for highly sensitive mini Y short tandem repeat genotyping ((doi: 10.1002/elps.201000270)) [source] Cover Picture: Electrophoresis 16'2010ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 16 2010Article first published online: 19 AUG 2010 Issue no. 16 is a regular issue with an Emphasis on "Proteins and Proteomics" comprising 20 manuscripts distributed over 4 separate parts. Part I has 7 research articles on various aspects of proteins and proteomics including combinatorial peptide ligand library for accessing low abundance proteins, analysis of membrane proteins, proteomic profiling of human colon cancer cells, quantitative determinations of biomarkers in clinical diagnostics, recombinant factor VIII, analysis of E. coli soluble proteins, and a weakly basic amino-reactive fluorescent label for IEF of proteins and chip electrophoresis. Part II has 2 research articles dealing with the CE analysis of magnetic nanoparticles and a microfluidic magnetic bead impact for cell stimulation. Part III consists of 2 research articles dealing with on-line preconcentration in CE. Instrumentation, devices and various methodologies are described in 9 research articles, which make the content of Part IV. Featured articles include: Combinatorial peptide ligand library plasma treatment: Advantages for accessing low-abundance proteins ((doi: 10.1002/elps.201000188)) Precautions to improve the accuracy of quantitative determinations of biomarkers in clinical diagnostics ((doi: 10.1002/elps.201000243)) Rapid identification of Candida albicans in blood by combined capillary electrophoresis and fluorescence in situ hybridization ((doi: 10.1002/elps.201000138)) [source] Cover Picture: Electrophoresis 14'2010ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 14 2010Article first published online: 21 JUL 2010 Issue no. 14 is a "mini special issue" on "Microscale Separation Methods for Metabolomics" comprising 9 manuscripts on metabolomics and 12 manuscripts on various topics in nucleic acids, biomarkers, proteomics, miniaturization, etc. Part I has 9 manuscripts on metabolomics featuring new technological developments and the potential of CE-MS, targeted analysis of one class of metabolites and non-targeted analysis, and data interpretation that is essential to acquire useful biological information. In short, the importance of CE and, generally, of microscale separation methods for metabolomics is rapidly increasing and the papers published in this issue give an overview of this field. Part II has 2 research papers on biomarkers while Part III is on various aspects of nucleic acids including but not limited to genotyping, PCR, SSCP, PCR and detection of DNA. Part IV describes various aspects of fundamentals and methodology in microfluidics, cell lysates by 2-DE, CE-LIF of plasmid DNA, whole blood assay of trypsin activity, etc. [source] Cover Picture: Electrophoresis 13'2010ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 13 2010Article first published online: 30 JUN 2010 Issue no. 13 is a special issue on "Food and Beverage Analysis" comprising 23 contributions distributed over four distinct parts. Part I "presents six review papers, five of them are focused on the use of capillary electromigration techniques for detecting enantiomers, nucleosides, nucleotides, pesticides and contaminants in foods as well as foodborne pathogens". The sixth review deals with the application of two-dimensional electrophoresis to investigate food allergens. A series of original contributions on the use of CE, CEC and MEKC in the analysis of food constituents are grouped in Part II. Part III presents "Works on the detection of genetically modified foods by CGE and the analysis of antibiotics and antioxidants by microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography". Finally, Part IV is on the use of CE-MS to analyze endocrine disruptors and polyphenols in different food matrices, and on the speciation analysis of arsenic and selenium compounds in different foodstuffs by capillary electrophoresis-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. [source] Cover Picture: Electrophoresis 12'2010ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 12 2010Article first published online: 18 JUN 2010 Issue no. 12 is a regular issue comprising 19 contributions distributed over five distinct parts. Part I has 7 articles describing novel methodologies pertaining to proteins and proteomics. Part II has 3 research papers on CEC stationary phases and CEC-MS. Part III is on detection approaches including a review article on the advances and applications of chemiluminescence coupled to CE. Part IV has two papers on enantioseparations, and Part V has four contributions on aptamers, human genetic, preparative FFE and microchannels. Featured articles include: Simplified method for concentration of mitochondrial membrane protein complexes ((10.1002/elps.201000019)) Analysis of low-molecular mass aldehydes in drinking waters through capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection ((10.1002/elps.200900734)) Selection of aptamers for signal transduction proteins by capillary electrophoresis ((10.1002/elps.200900543)) [source] Cover Picture: Electrophoresis 11'2010ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 11 2010Article first published online: 26 MAY 2010 Issue no. 11 is a special issue on "Bioanalysis" comprising 18 manuscripts distributed over six distinct parts. Part I has 3 review articles describing a novel approach for biopolymer focusing, free flow electrophoresis and mass spectrometry analysis of deamidation of proteins. Part II has 2 research papers on some fundamentals and methodology. Part III is on microRNA while Part IV is on protein and protein complex analysis using CE and microfluidics. Part V, which is on gel based protein analysis and proteomic profiling, has 7 contributions making the bulk of the special issue. Finally, Part VI is on metabolic and toxicological profiling and has 3 contributions. [source] Cover Picture: Electrophoresis 10'2010ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 10 2010Article first published online: 18 MAY 2010 Issue no. 10 is a regular issue comprising 19 manuscripts distributed over four distinct parts. Part I is on microfluidics and miniaturized systems and has 5 articles; Part II is on nucleic acids with 4 articles on restriction endonuclease fingerprinting, mutation detection and DNA separation and detection; Part III has 7 articles on monolithic stationary phases for CEC, single walled carbon nanohorns as pseudo-stationary phases for CEC and EKC, MEEKC, cyclodextrin-modified gold nanoparticles for enantioseparations by CEC, use of divalent dipeptides as counter ions in CE and capillary coating for CE of proteins; and Part IV has 3 articles on proteomics methodologies. Featured articles include: Microfluidic preparative free-flow isoelectric focusing in a triangular channel: System development and characterization ((10.1002/elps.200900577)) Separation and recovery of nucleic acids with improved biological activity by acid-degradable polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis ((10.1002/elps.200900783)) Evaluation of the performance of single-walled carbon nanohorns in capillary electrophoresis ((10.1002/elps.200900628)) The inter- and intra-operator variability in manual spot segmentation and its effect on spot quantitation in two dimensional electrophoresis analysis. ((10.1002/elps.200900674)) [source] Seasonal prevalence of mosquitoes collected from light traps in the Republic of Korea in 2003ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2006Heung Chul KIM Abstract Surveillance of adult mosquitoes was conducted at 29 US military installations and training sites in six provinces in the Republic of Korea during 2003. Adult mosquitoes were collected in New Jersey light traps and dry ice-baited New Jersey light traps from 1 May to 15 October. Mosquito surveillance was conducted to determine threshold levels to initiate pesticide applications and identify malaria infection rates at selected army installations and training sites. A total of 42 024 adult mosquitoes (32 594 females [77.6%] and 9430 males [22. 4%]) comprising 14 species and Anopheles sinensis s.l. (a complex of five species), representing seven genera, were collected. The most common species were members of the Anopheles sinensis Wiedemann complex (54.9%), followed by Aedes vexans nipponii (Theobald) (19.0%), Culex pipiens Coquillett (14.3%) and Culex tritaeniorhynchus Giles (10.6%). Trap indices varied widely for species over their range, due in part to geographical distribution and degree of association with urban communities. [source] Technical basis for narcotic chemicals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon criteria.ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 8 2000Abstract A method is presented for developing water quality criteria (WQC) for type I narcotic chemicals in general and PAHs in particular. The criteria can be applied to any individual or mixture of narcotic chemicals using only the chemical's octanol-water partition coefficient KOW. It is derived from a database of LC50s comprising 156 chemicals and 33 species, including fish, amphibians, arthropods, mollusks, polychaetes, coelenterates, and protozoans. A target lipid model is proposed that accounts for variations in toxicity due to differing species sensitivities and chemical differences. The model is based on the idea that a target lipid is the site of action in the organism. Further, it is assumed that target lipid has the same lipid-octanol linear free energy relationship for all species. This implies that the slope of the log(LC50),log(KOW) relationship is the same for all species. However, individual species may have varying target lipid body burdens that cause toxicity. The target lipid LC50 body burdens derived from concentration data in the water only are compared to measured total lipid LC50 body burdens for five species. They are essentially equal, indicating that the target lipid concentration is equal to the total extracted lipid concentration. The precise relationship between partitioning in target lipid and octanol is established. The species-specific body burdens are used to determine the WQC final acute value, i.e., the 95-percentile level of protection. An acute-to-chronic ratio is used to compute the body burden corresponding to the WQC final chronic value, which is the procedure used to derive the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency water quality criteria. The criteria are expressed either as dissolved concentrations in the water column or as tissue concentrations. [source] Iron status in Danish men 1984,94: a cohort comparison of changes in iron stores and the prevalence of iron deficiency and iron overloadEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2002Nils Milman Abstract:,Background and objectives : From 1954 to 1987, flour in Denmark was fortified with 30 mg carbonyl iron per kg. This mandatory fortification was abolished in 1987. The aim of this study was to compare iron status in Danish men before and after abolition of iron fortification. Methods : Iron status (serum ferritin, haemoglobin), was assessed in population surveys in Copenhagen County during 1983,84 comprising 1324 Caucasian men (1024 non-blood-donors, 300 blood donors) and in 1993,94 comprising 1288 Caucasian men (1103 non-blood-donors, 185 donors), equally distributed in age cohorts of 40, 50, 60 and 70 yr. Results : In the 1984 survey median serum ferritin values in the four age cohorts in non-blood-donors were 136, 141, 133 and 111 µg/L, and in the 1994 survey 177, 173, 186 and 148 µg L ,1 , respectively. The difference was significant in all age groups ( P <0.001). There was no significant difference between the two surveys concerning the prevalence of small iron stores (ferritin 16,32 µg L ,1 ), depleted iron stores (ferritin <16 µg L ,1 ) or iron-deficiency anaemia (ferritin <13 µg L ,1 and Hb <5th percentile for iron-replete men). However, from 1984 to 1994, the prevalence of iron overload (ferritin >300 µg L ,1 ) increased from 11.3% to 18.9% ( P <0.0001). During the study period there was an increase in body mass index ( P <0.0001), alcohol consumption ( P <0.03) and use of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) ( P <0.0001), and a decrease in the use of vitamin,mineral supplements ( P <0.04) and in the prevalence of tobacco smoking ( P <0.0001). In contrast, median ferritin in blood donors showed a significant fall from 1984 to 1994 (103 vs. 74 µg L ,1 , P <0.02). Conclusion : Abolition of iron fortification reduced the iron content of the Danish diet by an average of 0.24 mg MJ ,1 , and the median dietary iron intake in men from 17 to 12 mg d ,1 . From 1984 to 1994, body iron stores and the prevalence of iron overload in Danish men increased significantly, despite the abolition of food iron fortification. The reason appears to be changes in dietary habits, with a lower consumption of dairy products and eggs, which inhibit iron absorption, and a higher consumption of alcohol, meat, and poultry, containing haem iron and enhancing iron absorption. The high prevalence of iron overload in men may constitute a health risk. [source] Complement receptors type 1 (CR1, CD35) and 2 (CR2, CD21) cooperate in the binding of hydrolyzed complement factor 3 (C3i) to human B lymphocytesEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 12 2003Graham, Quinton Leslie, Robert Abstract The C3b-binding receptor, CR1/CD35, supports CR2/CD21-mediated activation of complement by human B lymphocytes, possibly by associating with CR2 to promote or stabilize the binding of hydrolyzed C3 (C3i), the primary component of the AP convertase, C3i-Bb. To evaluate this hypothesis, we examined the uptake kinetics and binding equilibria for C3i dimer interaction with human blood cells in the absence and presence of CR1- and CR2-blocking mAb. C3i displayed dual uptake kinetics to B lymphocytes, comprising of rapid binding to CR1 and slower binding to CR2. The forward rate constants (k1) for CR1 and CR2, operating independently, differed ca. 9-fold (k1=193±9.4 and 22.2±6.0×103,M,1s,1, respectively). Equilibrium binding of C3i to B lymphocytes was also complex, varying in strength by ca. 13-fold over the C3i concentration range examined. The maximum association constant (Ka,,max=109±27.2×107,l/mole) was ca. 9- and 6-fold greater, respectively, than those for CR1 or CR2 acting alone (Ka=13.2±5.3 and 18.5±3.5×107,l/mole). The high avidity of the CR1-CR2 complex for C3i is consistent with its rates of C3i uptake and release being determined by CR1 and CR2, respectively. [source] GENETIC STUDY: Association between dopamine transporter genotypes and smoking cessation: a meta-analysisADDICTION BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2007John A. Stapleton ABSTRACT This review assessed the evidence of an association between genotypes of the dopamine transporter (DAT1, SLC6A3) 3, untranslated region (3,UTR) variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) and smoking cessation. Five studies (seven cohorts) comprising 2155 subjects were included in the meta-analysis. All gave data on the number of smokers who had stopped smoking and the number still smoking for those with one or more variant 9-repeat alleles and other genotypes. Three studies (comprising five cohorts) were cross-sectional population surveys and two were smoking cessation treatment programs with follow-up. Four of the five studies (six of the seven cohorts) showed a trend in favor of cessation when the variant 9-repeat allele was present, although only one study showed a statistically significant effect. The pooled odds ratio in favor of a greater likelihood of cessation for the variant 9-repeat allele was 1.15 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.97,1.37]. In a more refined analysis where cohorts within studies were treated as separate samples and adjusted odds ratios were used, the overall pooled odds ratio in favor of cessation with the 9-repeat alleles was 1.20 (95% CI = 1.01,1.43). These results support the hypothesis that the DAT1 3,UTR VNTR polymorphism is associated with smoking cessation. One or more variant 9-repeat alleles relative to the more common 10-repeat allele confers a greater likelihood of cessation, indicative of lower dependence on tobacco. The effect was a 20% increase in the odds of cessation for those with a variant allele. [source] Enamel microhardness and bond strengths of self-etching primer adhesivesEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORAL SCIENCES, Issue 2 2010Olabisi A. Adebayo Adebayo OA, Burrow MF, Tyas MJ, Adams GG, Collins ML. Enamel microhardness and bond strengths of self-etching primer adhesives. Eur J Oral Sci 2010; 118: 191,196. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 Eur J Oral Sci The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between enamel surface microhardness and microshear bond strength (,SBS). Buccal and lingual mid-coronal enamel sections were prepared from 22 permanent human molars and divided into two groups, each comprising the buccal and lingual enamel from 11 teeth, to analyze two self-etching primer adhesives (Clearfil SE Bond and Tokuyama Bond Force). One-half of each enamel surface was tested using the Vickers hardness test with 10 indentations at 1 N and a 15-s dwell time. A hybrid resin composite was bonded to the other half of the enamel surface with the adhesive system assigned to the group. After 24 h of water storage of specimens at 37º°C, the ,SBS test was carried out on a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 1 mm min,1 until bond failure occurred. The mean ,SBS was regressed on the mean Vickers hardness number (VHN) using a weighted regression analysis in order to explore the relationship between enamel hardness and ,SBS. The weights used were the inverse of the variance of the ,SBS means. Neither separate correlation analyses for each adhesive nor combined regression analyses showed a significant correlation between the VHN and the ,SBS. These results suggest that the ,SBS of the self-etch adhesive systems are not influenced by enamel surface microhardness. [source] Otx1 gene-controlled morphogenesis of the horizontal semicircular canal and the origin of the gnathostome characteristicsEVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 4 2000Sylvie Mazan SUMMARY The horizontal semicircular canal of the inner ear is a unique feature of gnathostomes and is predated by the two vertical semicircular canals, which are already present in lampreys and some fossil, armored jawless vertebrates regarded as close relatives of gnathostomes. Inactivation in mice of the orthodenticle -related gene Otx1 results in the absence of this structure. In bony fishes and tetrapods (osteichthyans), this gene belongs to a small multigene family comprising at least two orthology classes, Otx1 and Otx2. We report that, as in the mouse, xenopus and zebrafish, Otx1- and Otx2 -related genes are present in a chondrichthyan, the dogfish Scyliorhinus canicula, with an Otx1 expression domain in the otocyst very similar to those observed in osteichthyans. A strong correlation is thus observed in extant vertebrates between the distribution of the horizontal semicircular canal and the presence of an Otx1 ortholog expressed in the inner ear, which supports the hypothesis that the absence of this characteristic in Otx1 -/- mice may correspond to an atavism. The same conclusion applies to two other gnathostome-specific characteristics also deleted in Otx1 -/- mice, the utriculosaccular duct and the ciliary process. Together with functional analyses of Otx1 and Otx2 genes in mice and comparative analyses of the Otx gene families characterized in chordates, these discoveries lead to the hypothesis that some of the anatomic characteristics of gnathostomes have appeared quite suddenly and almost simultaneously in vertebrate evolution, possibly as a consequence of gene functional diversifications following duplications of an ancestral chordate gene. [source] The capsid protein of human immunodeficiency virus: intersubunit interactions during virus assemblyFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 21 2009Mauricio G. Mateu The capsid protein (CA) of HIV-1 is composed of two domains, the N-terminal domain (NTD) and the C-terminal domain (CTD). During the assembly of the immature HIV-1 particle, both CA domains constitute a part of the Gag polyprotein, which forms a spherical capsid comprising up to 5000 radially arranged, extended subunits. Gag,Gag interactions in the immature capsid are mediated in large part by interactions between CA domains, which are involved in the formation of a lattice of connected Gag hexamers. After Gag proteolysis during virus maturation, the CA protein is released, and approximately 1000,1500 free CA subunits self-assemble into a truncated cone-shaped capsid. In the mature capsid, NTD,NTD and NTD,CTD interfaces are involved in the formation of CA hexamers, and CTD,CTD interfaces connect neighboring hexamers through homodimerization. The CA,CA interfaces involved in the assembly of the immature capsid and those forming the mature capsid are different, at least in part. CA appears to have evolved an extraordinary conformational plasticity, which allows the creation of multiple CA,CA interfaces and the occurrence of CA conformational switches. This minireview focuses on recent structure,function studies of the diverse CA,CA interactions and interfaces involved in HIV-1 assembly. Those studies are leading to a better understanding of molecular recognition events during virus morphogenesis, and are also relevant for the development of anti-HIV drugs that are able to interfere with capsid assembly or disassembly. [source] What determines the degree of compactness of a calcium-binding protein?FEBS JOURNAL, Issue 4 2009Liliane Mouawad The EF-hand calcium-binding proteins may exist either in an extended or a compact conformation. This conformation is sometimes correlated with the function of the calcium-binding protein. For those proteins whose structure and function are known, calcium sensors are usually extended and calcium buffers compact; hence, there is interest in predicting the form of the protein starting from its sequence. In the present study, we used two different procedures: one that already exists in the literature, the sosuidumbbell algorithm, mainly based on the charges of the two EF-hand domains, and the other comprising a novel procedure that is based on linker average hydrophilicity. The linker consists of the residues that connect the domains. The two procedures were tested on 17 known-structure calcium-binding proteins and then applied to 59 unknown-structure centrins. The sosuidumbbell algorithm yielded the correct conformations for only 15 of the known-structure proteins and predicted that all centrins should be in a closed form. The linker average hydrophilicity procedure discriminated well between all the extended and non-extended forms of the known-structure calcium-binding proteins, and its prediction concerning centrins reflected well their phylogenetic classification. The linker average hydrophilicity criterion is a simple and powerful means to discriminate between extended and non-extended forms of calcium-binding proteins. What is remarkable is that only a few residues that constitute the linker (between 2 and 20 in our tested sample of proteins) are responsible for the form of the calcium-binding protein, showing that this form is mainly governed by short-range interactions. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||