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Selected AbstractsUse of neural networks for the prediction of frictional drag and transmission of axial load in horizontal wellboresINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 2 2003Tanvir Sadiq Abstract The use of mud motors and other tools to accomplish forward motion of the bit in extended reach and horizontal wells allows avoiding large amounts of torque caused by rotation of the whole drill string. The forward motion of the drill string, however, is resisted by excessive amount of friction. In the presence of large compressive axial loads, the drill pipe or coiled tubing tends to buckle into a helix in horizontal boreholes. This causes additional frictional drag resisting the transmission of axial load (resulting from surface slack-off force) to the bit. As the magnitude of the frictional drag increases, a buckled pipe may become ,locked-up' making it almost impossible to drill further. In case of packers, the frictional drag may inhibit the transmission of set-up load to the packer. A prior knowledge of the magnitude of frictional drag for a given axial load and radial clearance can help avoid lock-up conditions and costly failure of the tubular. In this study a neural network model, for the prediction of frictional drag and axial load transmission in horizontal wellbores, is presented. Several neural network architectures were designed and tested to obtain the most accurate prediction. After cross-validation of the Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN) algorithm, a two-hidden layer model was chosen for simultaneous prediction of frictional drag and axial load transmission. A comparison of results obtained from BPNN and General Regression Neural Network (GRNN) algorithms is also presented. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The demography of nurses and patients on acute psychiatric wards in EnglandJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 6 2009Len Bowers Aims and objectives., To describe the ethnic and demographic composition of staff and patients on acute psychiatric wards in England. Background., A significant proportion of the UK population (7·6%) belong to an ethnic minority and there are concerns that ethnic minority patients are not well served by psychiatry, in particular that they are subject to excessive force and coercion. Design., Survey of a random sample of psychiatric wards in three regions. Methods., A survey was conducted of staff (n = 1536) and patients (n = 11 128) on 136 acute admission psychiatric wards. Results., Ethnic minority patients were more likely to be admitted with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, younger, more likely to be admitted for a risk of harm to others and more likely to be legally detained. The association between ethnic minority status and detention remains, even when risk, age, gender and diagnosis are taken into account. Ethnic minority patients come from areas of greater social deprivation and fragmentation. Ethnic concordance between staff and patients varies, but the greatest difference is found in London where the proportion of minority staff is greater than the proportion of minority patients. Conclusions., There continues to be evidence that ethnic minority patients are subject to an excessive amount of legal coercion in English mental health services. However, the proportion of staff belonging to an ethnic minority is greater than the proportion of patients. Relevance to clinical practice., Solutions to the problem of excessive use of legal coercion with ethnic minority patients need to be found. Changes of recruitment strategies are required if concordance is to be achieved. [source] Interleukin-12 P40 induces the expression of TNF-, in microglia and macrophagesJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 2002M. Jana Recently, it has been found that overproduction of IL-12 can be dangerous to the host as it is involved in the pathogenesis of a number of autoimmune inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis. It is composed of two different subunits , p40 and p35. Expression of p40 mRNA but not that of p35 mRNA in excessive amount in the CNS of patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) suggests that IL-12 p40 may have a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. The present study was undertaken to explore the role of p40 in the expression of TNF-, in microglia. Interestingly, we have found that IL-12 p70, p402 (the p40 homodimer) and p40 (the p40 monomer) dose-dependently induced the production of TNF-, in BV-2 microglial cells. This induction of TNF-, production was accompanied by an induction of TNF-, mRNA. In addition to BV-2 glial cells, p70, p402 and p40 also induced the production of TNF-, in mouse primary microglia and peritoneal macrophages. Since the activation of both NF-,B and C/EBPb is important for the expression of TNF-, in microglial cells, we investigated the effect of p40 on the activation of NF-,B as well as C/EBPb. Activation of NF-,B as well as C/EBPb by p40 and inhibition of p40-induced expression of TNF-, by Dp65, a dominant-negative mutant of p65, and DC/EBPb, a dominant-negative mutant of C/EBPb, suggests that p40 induces the expression of TNF-, through the activation of NF-,B and C/EBPb. This study delineates a novel role of IL-12 p40 in inducing the expression of TNF-, in microglial cells which may participate in the pathogenesis of neuroinflammatory diseases. Acknowledgements:, This study was supported by NIH grants (NS39940 and AG19487). [source] Faecal incontinence after lateral internal sphincterotomy is often associated with coexisting occult sphincter defects: A study using endoanal ultrasonographyANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 10 2001Joe J. Tjandra Background: Troublesome faecal incontinence following a lateral internal sphincterotomy (LIS) is often attributed to faulty surgical techniques: division of excessive amount of internal sphincter or inadvertent injury to the external sphincter. The aim of the present paper was to assess the anatomic and physiological factors that may contribute to faecal incontinence following a technically satisfactory lateral internal sphincterotomy by a group of colorectal specialists. Methods: Fourteen patients (nine women, five men; median age: 38 years; range: 23,52 years) who developed troublesome postoperative faecal incontinence were evaluated by clinical assessment, endoanal ultrasonography and anorectal physiological studies (manometry, pudendal nerve terminal motor latency) by two independent observers. The Cleveland Clinic continence score (0,20; 0, perfect continence; 20, complete incontinence) was used to quantify the severity of faecal incontinence. Fourteen continent subjects after a LIS (nine female patients, five male patients; median age: 36 years; range: 20,44 years) were also evaluated as ,continent' controls (continence score , 4). Results: In the incontinent group, the median postoperative Cleveland Clinic continence score was 9 (range: 6,13) compared with a preoperative score of 1 (range: 0,3). On assessment by endoanal ultrasonography the site of the internal sphincterotomy was clearly identified. There were additional coexisting defects, on endoanal ultrasonography, of the external anal sphincter in seven female patients, of the internal sphincter in two female and two male patients; and a defect of both the external and internal sphincters in a male patient who had had a prior fistulotomy. The pudendal nerve terminal motor latency (PNTML) was prolonged in two female patients on the side contralateral to the lateral internal sphincterotomy. In two of five male patients there was no evidence of any occult sphincter injuries. In the continent controls a defect of the distal portion of the external sphincter was noted in one female patient. None of the patients had a prolonged PNTML. The maximum voluntary contraction was significantly lower in the female subjects than in the female continent controls (92 mmHg vs 140 mmHg; P < 0.05), while the resting anal canal pressures and length of the high pressure zone were similar between the study subjects and the continent controls. Conclusion: Troublesome faecal incontinence after a satisfactorily performed lateral internal sphincterotomy is often associated with coexisting occult sphincter defects. [source] Evaluation of fisheries by-catch and by-product meals in diets for red drum Sciaenops ocellatus L.AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 16 2005Kasey W Whiteman Abstract This study evaluated various by-catch and by-product meals of marine origin with red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus L.). Four different kinds of by-catch or by-product meals [shrimp by-catch meal from shrimp trawling, Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone)) processing waste meal, red salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka (Walbaum)) head meal, and Pacific whiting (Merluccius productus (Ayres)) meal] were substituted for Special SelectÔ menhaden fish meal at 33% or 67% of crude protein in diets formulated to contain 40% crude protein, 12% lipid, and 14.6 kJ digestible energy g,1. Each of these diets and three additional diets consisting of shrimp processing waste meal formulated on a digestible-protein basis and two Pacific whiting diets containing reduced levels of ash were also evaluated in two 6-week feeding trials with juvenile red drum (initial weight of 4,5 and 1,2 g fish,1 in trials 1 and 2). Red drum fed by-catch meal at either level of substitution performed as well as fish fed the control diet; whereas, fish fed shrimp processing waste meal diets had significantly (P,0.05) reduced weight gain and feed efficiency ratio values compared with the controls, even when fed on a digestible-protein basis. The diets containing Pacific whiting at either levels of substitution and regardless of ash level supported similar performance of red drum as those fed the control diet. Fish fed the red salmon head meal diet fared poorly, probably owing to an excessive amount of lipid in the diet that became rancid. Overall, by-catch meal associated with shrimp trawling and Pacific whiting appear to be suitable protein feedstuffs for red drum. [source] Effects of defrosting period on mold adhesion force of epoxy molding compoundASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 2 2009Hwe-Zhong Chen Abstract In integrated circuit (IC) packaging, when epoxy-molding compound (EMC) is filled in the mold cavity and cured in the mold, adhesion occurs in the interface between EMC and the mold surface. Too large an adhesion force can cause many problems. For example, too large an adhesion force may damage an IC during ejection and cause the package to fail and thus lower the yield rate. To resolve mold adhesion problems, improving the mold design and applying suitable surface treatments, such as mold surface coating, are the common approaches. Applying suitable surface coating is a more popular and practical approach. Defrosting is a process to increase the frozen EMC temperature to room temperature, and to retain it at room temperature for some period before molding. It is a common practice to put EMC under required atmospheric environment during defrosting. It has been found by molding engineers that increased defrosting period will increase the frequency of mold cleaning. But there is no quantitative description on how much the adhesion force increases during the defrosting process. This paper describes the use of a semiautomatic EMC adhesion force test instrument to measure the normal adhesion force between the mold surface and EMC. By measuring the adhesion force, one can quantify how much adhesion force exists between EMC and the mold surface under different defrosting periods. The results show that it is best to use the EMC with 24,32 h of defrosting, to prevent excessive amount of mold adhesion force and it has been found that the adhesion force of the 24 h defrosting period will be 24% less than that of the 48 h defrosting period. Decreasing moisture absorption will decrease the increase in adhesion force for prolonged defrosting period cases. Copyright © 2008 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Regulation of the human taurine transporter by TNF-, and an anti-inflammatory function of taurine in human intestinal Caco-2, cellsBIOFACTORS, Issue 1-4 2004Tetsunosuke Mochizuki Abstract We investigated whether or not the inflammatory cytokines affect the activity of taurine transporter (TAUT) in human intestinal Caco-2, cells. Among the cytokines, tumor necrosis factor ,(TNF-,) markedly augmented the TAUT activity. A kinetic analysis of the TAUT activity in TNF-,-treated Caco-2 cells suggests that this up-regulation was associated with both an increase in the amount of TAUT and an increase in its affinity. Considering these results, it seems that intracellular taurine plays a role in the intestinal epithelial cells under such an inflammatory condition as that caused by an excessive amount of TNF-, secreted by macrophages. To verify this hypothesis, we examined the effect of taurine on inflamed intestinal cells by using a co-culture system of Caco-2 cells with human macrophage-like THP-1 cells. The result shows that taurine significantly repressed the damage to Caco-2 cells caused by TNF-, secreted by THP-1 cells. Thus, taurine may be a useful substance against intestinal inflammation. [source] Mechanism of antibody reduction in cell culture production processesBIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOENGINEERING, Issue 4 2010Yung-Hsiang Kao Abstract We recently observed a significant disulfide reduction problem during the scale-up of a manufacturing process for a therapeutic antibody using a CHO expression system. Under certain conditions, extensive reduction of inter-chain disulfide bonds of an antibody produced by CHO cell culture may occur during the harvest operations and/or the protein A chromatography step, resulting in the observation of antibody fragments (light chain, heavy chain, and various combination of both) in the protein A pools. Although all conditions leading to disulfide reduction have not been completely identified, an excessive amount of mechanical cell lysis generated at the harvest step appears to be an important requirement for antibody reduction (Trexler-Schmidt et al., 2010). We have been able to determine the mechanism by which the antibody is reduced despite the fact that not all requirements for antibody reduction were identified. Here we present data strongly suggesting that the antibody reduction was caused by a thioredoxin system or other reducing enzymes with thioredoxin-like activity. The intracellular reducing enzymes and their substrates/cofactors apparently were released into the harvest cell culture fluid (HCCF) when cells were exposed to mechanical cell shear during harvest operations. Surprisingly, the reducing activity in the HCCF can last for a long period of time, causing the reduction of inter-chain disulfide bonds in an antibody. Our findings provide a basis for designing methods to prevent the antibody reduction during the manufacturing process. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2010;107:622,632. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Cloning, crystallization and preliminary X-ray studies of XC2981 from Xanthomonas campestris, a putative CutA1 protein involved in copper-ion homeostasisACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION F (ELECTRONIC), Issue 11 2006Chien-Hung Lin Divalent metal ions play key roles in all living organisms, serving as cofactors for many proteins involved in a variety of electron-transfer activities. However, copper ions are highly toxic when an excessive amount is accumulated in a cell. CutA1 is a protein found in all kingdoms of life that is believed to participate in copper-ion tolerance in Escherichia coli, although its specific function remains unknown. Several crystal structures of multimeric CutA1 with different rotation angles and degrees of interaction between trimer interfaces have been reported. Here, the cloning, expression, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of XC2981, a possible CutA1 protein present in the plant pathogen Xanthomonas campestris, are reported. The XC2981 crystals diffracted to a resolution of 2.6,Å. They are cubic and belong to space group I23, with unit-cell parameters a = b = c = 130.73,Å. [source] Effect of Ionic Liquids on Catalytic Characteristics of Horse Liver Alcohol DehydrogenaseCHINESE JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY, Issue 11 2006Xian-Ai Shi Abstract The catalytic characteristics of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (HLADH) in the systems involving ionic liquids (ILs) (BMIm·Cl, BMIm·Br, BMIm·PF6, BMIm·BF4 BMIm·OTf and EMIm·Cl) were examined. HLADH displayed higher oxidation activity towards ethanol in the systems containing BMIm·Cl, BMIm·Br, EMIm·Cl or BMIm·PF6 with proper content than that in the IL-free buffer. An excessive amount of these ILs in the reaction systems resulted in an obvious decline in enzymatic activity. BMIm·BF4 and BMIm·OTf of any content investigated could considerably inhibit the enzyme. The anions of ILs showed significant effect on the activity, kinetic parameters and activation energy of HLADH-mediated ethanol oxidation. Additionally, BMIm·Cl, BMIm·Br, EMIm·Cl and BMIm·PF6 boosted markedly the thermostability of HLADH, while the enzyme was less thermostable in BMIm·BF4 or BMIm·OTf-containing systems. The associated conformational changes in HLADH caused by ILs were examined by UV technique. [source] Dorothy Hodgkin Lecture 2008 Gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) revisited: a new therapeutic target for obesity,diabetes?DIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 7 2008P. R. Flatt Abstract There is increasing realization that gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) has actions outside of the pancreas and gastrointestinal tract. Most significant is the presence of functional GIP receptors on adipocytes and the appreciation that GIP, secreted strongly in response to fat ingestion, plays a role in the translation of excessive amounts of dietary fat into adipocyte tissue stores. Such effects open up the possibility of exploiting GIP receptor antagonism for the treatment of obesity and insulin resistance. This is borne out by studies in high-fat-fed mice or ob/ob mice with either genetic knockout of GIP receptor or chemical ablation of GIP action using the GIP receptor antagonist, (Pro3)GIP. By causing preferential oxidation of fat, blockade of GIP signalling clears triglyceride deposits from liver and muscle, thereby respectively restoring mechanisms for suppression of hepatic glucose output and cellular glucose uptake. Further studies are needed to determine the applicability of this research to human obesity,diabetes. However, proof of concept is provided by emerging evidence that rapid cure of diabetes in grossly obese subjects undergoing Roux-en-Y bypass surgery is mediated in part by surgical bypass of GIP-secreting K-cells in the upper small intestine. [source] Ultrastructural study of spermiogenesis in the Jamaican Gray Anole, Anolis lineatopus (Reptilia: Polychrotidae)ACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 4 2010Justin L. Rheubert Rheubert, J.L., Wilson, B.S., Wolf, K.W. and Gribbins, K.M. 2010. Ultrastructural study of spermiogenesis in the Jamaican Gray Anole, Anolis lineatopus (Reptilia: Polychrotidae). ,Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 91: 484,494. Abstract As the number of spermatozoal characters being described in reptiles increases, it is important to detail the ontogeny of the features leading to the mature morphology of the spermatozoa which may give rise to more comprehensive data matrices for future phylogenetic analyses within the Reptilia. Therefore, spermiogenically active testes from Anolis lineatopus were investigated ultrastructurally to describe the intracellular changes that occur throughout spermiogenesis. The primary events of spermiogenesis (acrosome formation, nuclear condensation, and elongation) seen in A. lineatopus are similar to those previously described for other amniotes. Characters including a round perforatorium tip, stopper-like perforatorial base plate, open pits of nucleoplasm during condensation, and protein layers within the acrosome complex corroborate trends from previous studies in squamates. However, uniquely defined in A. lineatopus are the excessive amounts of endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complexes that contribute to cellular secretions during mid elongation of the spermatids and the lack of a manchette. During acrosome formation, the acrosome granule is found in a basal rather than an apical position, which has been observed in previous studies. These similarities and differences observed during spermiogenesis may be helpful in elucidating the development of mature spermatozoal characters as well as aid in future phylogenetic analyses. [source] Excessive belching and aerophagia: two different disordersDISEASES OF THE ESOPHAGUS, Issue 4 2010Albert J. Bredenoord SUMMARY Belching is physiological venting of excessive gastric air. Excessive and bothersome belching is a common symptom, which is often seen in patients with functional dyspepsia and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Other symptoms are usually predominant. However, a small group of patients complain of isolated excessive belching, with a frequency of several belches per minute. In these patients, the eructated air does not originate from the stomach but is sucked or injected in the esophagus from the pharynx and expelled immediately afterward in oral direction. This behavior is called supragastric belching because the air does not originate from the stomach and does not reach the stomach either. Excessive belching can be treated by speech therapy or behavior therapy. The term aerophagia should be reserved for those patients where there is evidence that they swallow air too frequently and in too large quantities. These patients have excessive amounts of intestinal gas visualized on a plain abdominal radiogram and their primary symptoms are bloating and abdominal distension and they belch only to a lesser degree. Aerophagia and excessive supragastric belching are thus two distinct disorders. [source] Causal Links between Brain Cytokines and Experimental Febrile Convulsions in the RatEPILEPSIA, Issue 12 2005James G. Heida Summary:,Purpose: Despite the prevalence of febrile convulsions (FCs), their pathophysiology has remained elusive. We tested the hypothesis that components of the immune response, particularly the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1, (IL-1,) and its naturally occurring antagonist interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) may play a role in the genesis of FC. Methods: Postnatal day 14 rats were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 200 ,g/kg, i.p.) followed by a subconvulsant dose of kainic acid (1.75 mg/kg, i.p.). Brains were harvested at and 2 h after onset of FCs to measure brain levels of IL-1, and IL-1ra. Separate groups of animals were given intracerebroventricular (ICV) injections of IL-1,, or IL-1ra in an attempt to establish a causal relation between the IL-1,/IL-1ra system and FCs. Results: Animals with FCs showed increased IL-1, in the hypothalamus and hippocampus but not in the cortex compared with noFC animals that also received LPS and kainic acid. This increase was first detected in the hippocampus at onset of FCs. No detectable difference in IL-1ra was found in brain regions examined in either group. When animals were treated with IL-1, ICV, a dose-dependant increase was noted in the proportion of animals that experienced FCs, whereas increasing doses of IL-1ra, given to separate groups of animals, were anticonvulsant. Conclusions: Our results suggest that excessive amounts of IL-1, may influence the genesis of FCs. This may occur by overproduction of IL-1,, or by alteration in the IL-1,/IL-1ra ratio in the brain after an immune challenge. [source] Interorgan ammonia and amino acid metabolism in metabolically stable patients with cirrhosis and a TIPSSHEPATOLOGY, Issue 5 2002Steven W. M. Olde Damink Ammonia is central to the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy. This study was designed to determine the quantitative dynamics of ammonia metabolism in patients with cirrhosis and previous treatment with a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunt (TIPSS). We studied 24 patients with cirrhosis who underwent TIPSS portography. Blood was sampled and blood flows were measured across portal drained viscera, leg, kidney, and liver, and arteriovenous differences across the spleen and the inferior and superior mesenteric veins. The highest amount of ammonia was produced by the portal drained viscera. The kidneys also produced ammonia in amounts that equaled total hepatosplanchnic area production. Skeletal muscle removed more ammonia than the cirrhotic liver. The amount of nitrogen that was taken up by muscle in the form of ammonia was less than the glutamine that was released. The portal drained viscera consumed glutamine and produced ammonia, alanine, and citrulline. Urea was released in the splenic and superior mesenteric vein, contributing to whole-body ureagenesis in these cirrhotic patients. In conclusion, hyperammonemia in metabolically stable, overnight-fasted patients with cirrhosis of the liver and a TIPSS results from portosystemic shunting and renal ammonia production. Skeletal muscle removes more ammonia from the circulation than the cirrhotic liver. Muscle releases excessive amounts of the nontoxic nitrogen carrier glutamine, which can lead to ammonia production in the portal drained viscera (PDV) and kidneys. Urinary ammonia excretion and urea synthesis appear to be the only way to remove ammonia from the body. [source] Stress Overload: A New DiagnosisINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NURSING TERMINOLOGIES AND CLASSIFICATION, Issue 4 2006Margaret Lunney PhD PURPOSE.,To describe the phenomenon of stress overload as a nursing diagnosis. METHODS.,A qualitative study using case study method was conducted with nine adults experiencing stress overload to fully describe the experience and identify possible defining characteristics. Current literature sources on stress and its related factors were examined to support stress overload as a nursing diagnosis for inclusion in the NANDA International classification. FINDINGS.,Stress overload, defined as excessive amounts and types of demands that require action, is a human response that is experienced as a problem and contributes to the development of other problems. The proposed defining characteristics are perceives situational stress as excessive, expresses a feeling of tension or pressure, expresses difficulty in functioning as usual, expresses problems with decision-making, demonstrates increased feelings of anger and impatience, and reports negative effects from stress such as physical symptoms or psychological distress. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS.,Nursing interventions such as active listening and decision-making support are needed to help people reduce stress levels. Studies are needed to further validate the defining characteristics and related factors of this new diagnosis. [source] Interleukin-4 antagonizes oncostatin M and transforming growth factor beta-induced responses in articular chondrocytesJOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2008Mohammed El Mabrouk Abstract Oncostatin M (OSM) stimulates cartilage degradation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by inducing matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and aggrecanases (ADAMTS; a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motif). Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-,1) induces cartilage repair in joints but in excessive amounts, promotes inflammation. OSM and TGF-,1 also induce tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 (TIMP-3), an important natural inhibitor of MMPs, aggrecanases, and tumor necrosis factor alpha converting enzyme (TACE), the principal proteases involved in arthritic inflammation and cartilage degradation. We studied cartilage protective mechanisms of the antiinflammatory cytokine, interleukin-4 (IL-4). IL-4 strongly (MMP-13 and TIMP-3) or minimally (ADAMTS-4) suppressed OSM-induced gene expression in chondrocytes. IL-4 did not affect OSM-stimulated phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), protein 38 (p38), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and Stat1. Lack of additional suppression with their inhibitors suggested that MMP-13, ADAMTS-4, and TIMP-3 inhibition was independent of these mediators. IL-4 also downregulated TGF-,1-induced TIMP-3 gene expression, Smad2, and JNK phosphorylation. Additional suppression of TIMP-3 RNA by JNK inhibitor suggests JNK implication. The cartilage protective effects of IL-4 in animal models of arthritis may be due to its inhibition of MMPs and ADAMTS-4 expression. However, suppression of TIMP-3 suggests caution for using IL-4 as a cartilage protective therapy. J. Cell. Biochem. 103: 588,597, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Effect of Components Extracted from Okara on the Physicochemical Properties of Soymilk and Tofu TextureJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 2 2007Kyoko Toda ABSTRACT:, The physicochemical properties of soymilk and the texture of tofu were compared with regard to 2 kinds of soymilk, one of which was prepared by squeezing homogenates before heating and the other was prepared by squeezing after heating raw soymilk with okara, residue of soymilk production. Relative particulate protein content and viscosity were higher and pH was lower in the soymilk prepared by the latter method, in which liberated lipid bodies were decreased and more lipids were precipitated with protein after centrifugation, suggesting a change in the interaction between proteins and lipids. A difference in the distribution of proteins and lipids was also implied by analysis with a laser particle size analyzer. The breaking stress of tofu made with 0.30% glucono-delta-lactone increased in accordance with an increase in particulate protein. The calcium and magnesium contents increased in soymilk prepared by squeezing after heating with okara. Viscosity was slightly increased and pH decreased by adding calcium to the soymilk, but the particulate protein content and breaking stress of tofu did not increase significantly. To examine the effect of macromolecules, okara was extracted by boiling and dialyzed. Viscosity and particulate protein content in soymilk increased as the dialyzed extracts of the okara were added. The breaking stress of tofu was increased by adding the dialyzed extracts but excessive amounts of the extracts resulted in softer tofu. Spectra of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and electrophoresis-separated patterns of proteins indicated that the dialyzed extracts contained mainly polysaccharides and the Basic 7S globulin protein. [source] A systematic review of the effect of diet in prostate cancer prevention and treatmentJOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 3 2009R. W.-L. Abstract Dietary therapy has been proposed as a cost effective and noninvasive means of reducing the risk of prostate cancer (PC) and its progression. There is a large volume of published studies describing the role of diet in the prevention and treatment of PC. This article systematically reviews the data for dietary-based therapy in the prevention of PC, as well as in the management of patients with PC, aiming to provide clarity surrounding the role of diet in preventing and treating PC. Although conclusive evidence is limited, the current data are indicative that a diet low in fat, high in vegetables and fruits, and avoiding high energy intake, excessive meat, excessive dairy products and calcium intake, is possibly effective in preventing PC. However, caution must be taken to ensure that members of the public do not take excessive amounts of dietary supplements because there may be adverse affects associated with their over consumption. The dietary recommendations for patients diagnosed with PC are similar to those aiming to reduce their risk of PC. [source] Biomass accumulation and clogging in trickle-bed bioreactorsAICHE JOURNAL, Issue 10 2004Ion Iliuta Abstract Excessive biomass formation in two-phase flow trickle-bed bioreactors induces clogging and leads to the progressive obstruction of the bed that is accompanied with a buildup in pressure drop and flow channeling. Currently, physical models linking the two-phase flow to the space-time evolution of biological clogging are virtually nonexistent. An attempt has been made with this contribution to fill in this gap by developing a unidirectional dynamic multiphase flow model based on the volume-average mass, momentum, and species balance equations. Phenol biodegradation by Pseudomonas putida as the predominant species immobilized on activated carbon was chosen as a case study to illustrate the consequences of formation of excessive amounts of biomass. Furthermore, in developing the transient model, the following basic processes were assumed to occur and have been accounted for in the mathematical model: oxygen transport from gas into liquid bulks, phenol, and oxygen transport from the liquid phase to the biofilm surface, simultaneous diffusion and reaction of phenol and oxygen within biofilm, as well as their simultaneous diffusion and adsorption within the porous supporting particles. © 2004 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 50: 2541,2551, 2004 [source] Effect of Lead Content on the Structure and Electrical Properties of Pb((Zn1/3Nb2/3)0.5(Zr0.47Ti0.53)0.5)O3 CeramicsJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 3 2001Huiqing Fan The effects of lead content on the structure and electrical properties of Pb((Zn1/3Nb2/3)0.5(Zr0.47Ti0.53)0.5)O3 ceramics were investigated. Specimens with various lead concentrations were prepared by the conventional oxide-mixing method. When the lead concentration was slightly less than the stoichiometric amount, a large amount of pyrochlore phase was formed along with the perovskite phase. On the other hand, excessive amounts of lead led to the formation of PbO on the surface of the specimen. These second phases were seriously detrimental to electromechanical properties. The highest piezoelectric properties were observed when an excess of 1 mol% lead was added. By optimizing the specimen composition, excellent piezoelectric and dielectric properties (kp= 0.7, d33= 490 pC/N, and ,m= 15000) were obtained. [source] Superoxide anions and hydrogen peroxide inhibit proliferation of activated rat stellate cells and induce different modes of cell deathLIVER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 6 2009Sandra Dunning Abstract Background: In chronic liver injury, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) proliferate and produce excessive amounts of connective tissue causing liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Oxidative stress has been implicated as a driving force of HSC activation and proliferation, although contradictory results have been described. Aim: To determine the effects of oxidative stress on activated HSC proliferation, survival and signalling pathways. Methods: Serum-starved culture-activated rat HSCs were exposed to the superoxide anion donor menadione (5,25 ,mol/L) or hydrogen peroxide (0.2,5 mmol/L). Haem oxygenase-1 mRNA expression, glutathione status, cell death, phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases and proliferation were investigated. Results: Menadione induced apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent, but caspase-independent manner. Hydrogen peroxide induced necrosis only at extremely high concentrations. Both menadione and hydrogen peroxide activated Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38. Hydrogen peroxide also activated extracellular signal-regulated protein. Menadione, but not hydrogen peroxide, reduced cellular glutathione levels. Inhibition of JNK or supplementation of glutathione reduced menadione-induced apoptosis. Non-toxic concentrations of menadione or hydrogen peroxide inhibited platelet-derived growth factor- or/and serum-induced proliferation. Conclusion: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) inhibit HSC proliferation and promote HSC cell death in vitro. Different ROS induce different modes of cell death. Superoxide anion-induced HSC apoptosis is dependent on JNK activation and glutathione status. [source] Comparative physiology of salt and water stressPLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 2 2002R. Munns Abstract Plant responses to salt and water stress have much in common. Salinity reduces the ability of plants to take up water, and this quickly causes reductions in growth rate, along with a suite of metabolic changes identical to those caused by water stress. The initial reduction in shoot growth is probably due to hormonal signals generated by the roots. There may be salt-specific effects that later have an impact on growth; if excessive amounts of salt enter the plant, salt will eventually rise to toxic levels in the older transpiring leaves, causing premature senescence, and reduce the photosynthetic leaf area of the plant to a level that cannot sustain growth. These effects take time to develop. Salt-tolerant plants differ from salt-sensitive ones in having a low rate of Na+ and Cl, transport to leaves, and the ability to compartmentalize these ions in vacuoles to prevent their build-up in cytoplasm or cell walls and thus avoid salt toxicity. In order to understand the processes that give rise to tolerance of salt, as distinct from tolerance of osmotic stress, and to identify genes that control the transport of salt across membranes, it is important to avoid treatments that induce cell plasmolysis, and to design experiments that distinguish between tolerance of salt and tolerance of water stress. [source] Development, repair and fibrosis: What is common and why it mattersRESPIROLOGY, Issue 5 2009Wei SHI ABSTRACT The complex structure of the lung is developed sequentially, initially by epithelial tube branching and later by septation of terminal air sacs with accompanying coordinated growth of a variety of lung epithelial and mesenchymal cells. Groups of transcriptional factors, peptide growth factors and their intracellular signaling regulators, as well as extracellular matrix proteins are programmed to be expressed at appropriate levels in the right place at the right time to control normal lung formation. Studies of lung development and lung repair/fibrosis to date have discovered that many of the same factors that control normal development are also key players in lung injury repair and fibrosis. Transforming growth factor-, (TGF-,) family peptide signaling is a prime example. Lack of TGF-, signaling results in abnormal lung branching morphogenesis and alveolarization during development, whereas excessive amounts of TGF-, signaling cause severe hypoplasia in the immature lung and fibrosis in mature lung. This leads us to propose the ,Goldilocks' hypothesis of regulatory signaling in lung development and injury repair that everything must be done just right! [source] Scale-dependent verification of ensemble forecastsTHE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY, Issue 633 2008Thomas Jung Abstract A scale-dependent verification of the ECMWF ensemble prediction system (EPS) in the Northern Hemisphere is presented. The relationship between spread and skill is investigated alongside probabilistic forecast skill for planetary, synoptic and subsynoptic spectral bands. Since the ECMWF model is a spectral model, the three spectral bands have been isolated using total and zonal wavenumber filters. Diagnosed overdispersiveness of ECMWF EPS in the short range is primarily due to excessive amounts of spread on synoptic scales. Diagnosed underdispersiveness of the ensemble beyond day 5 of the forecast can be explained by too little spread on both synoptic and planetary scales. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Distinct physiological responses of two rice cultivars subjected to iron toxicity under field conditionsANNALS OF APPLIED BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2009R.J. Stein Abstract Iron toxicity is recognised as the most widely distributed nutritional disorder in lowland and irrigated rice, derived from the excessive amounts of ferrous ions generated by the reduction of iron oxides in flooded soils. Rice cultivars with variable degrees of tolerance to iron toxicity have been developed, and cultural practices such as water management and fertilisation can be used to reduce its negative impact. However, because of the complex nature of iron toxicity, few physiological data concerning tolerance mechanisms to excess iron in field conditions are available. To analyse the physiological responses of rice to iron excess in field conditions, two rice cultivars with distinct tolerance to iron toxicity [BR-IRGA 409 (susceptible) and IRGA 420 (tolerant)] were grown in two areas, with a well-established history of iron toxicity (in Camaquã, RS, Brazil) and without iron toxicity (in Cachoeirinha, RS, Brazil). Plants from the susceptible cultivar grown in the iron-toxic site showed lower levels of chlorophylls and soluble proteins (together with higher carbonyl levels) indicating photooxidative and oxidative damage. The toxic effects observed were because of the accumulation of high levels of iron and not because of any indirectly induced shoot deficiency of other nutrients. Higher activities of antioxidative enzymes were also observed in leaves of plants from the susceptible cultivar only in the iron-toxic site, probably as a result of oxidative stress rather than because of specific involvement in a tolerance mechanism. There was no difference between cultivars in iron accumulation in the symplastic and apoplastic space of leaves, with both cultivars accumulating 85,90% of total leaf iron in the symplast. However, susceptible plants accumulated higher levels of iron in low-molecular-mass fractions than tolerant plants. The accumulation of iron in the low-molecular-mass fraction probably has a direct influence on iron toxicity, and the adaptive strategy of tolerant plants may rely on their capacity to buffer the iron amounts present in the low mass fraction, a new parameter to be considered when evaluating tolerance to iron excess in field-cultivated rice plants. [source] Effect of yeast extract on speciation and bioavailability of nickel and cobalt in anaerobic bioreactorsBIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOENGINEERING, Issue 2 2003G. Gonzalez-Gil Abstract The speciation of metals plays an important role in their bioavailability. In the case of anaerobic reactors for the treatment of wastewaters, the ubiquitous presence of sulfide leads to extensive precipitation of metals like nickel and cobalt, which are essential for the metabolism of the anaerobic microorganisms that carry out the mineralization of the pollutants present in the wastewater. In practice, nickel, cobalt, and iron are added in excessive amounts to full-scale installations. This study is concerned with the complexation of nickel and cobalt with yeast extract and its effect on the biogas production by methanogenic biomass. Adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) was used to get information about the stability and complexing capacity of the metal,yeast extract complexes formed. Nickel and cobalt form relatively strong organic complexes with yeast extract. The bioavailability of these essential metals in anaerobic batch reactors was dramatically increased by the addition of yeast extract. This is due to the formation of dissolved bioavailable complexes, which favors the dissolution of metals from their sulfides. Trace doses of yeast extract may be effective in keeping additions of essential metals to anaerobic reactors at a minimum. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 82: 134,142, 2003. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||