GENES, CHROMOSOMES AND CANCER, Issue 5 2007
Lorenza Pecciarini
Renal-cell carcinoma (RCC) constitutes a heterogeneous group of tumors with specific chromosome aberrations. Recently, a new small group of RCC, occurring in children and young adults, has been described as characterized by t(6;11)(p21;q12). It has been shown that this translocation results in the fusion of the 5, portion of the ALPHA gene (11q12) with the transcription factor gene TFEB (6p21). Herewith, we report the first complete cytogenetic and molecular characterization of a t(6;11)-positive RCC of an adult patient, a 54-year-old woman. The tumor was histologically defined as RCC with peculiar features and it was negative for epithelial markers and positive for melanocytic markers. Chromosome QFQ banding analysis of short-term cultured cells from the RCC showed t(6;11)(p21;q12) as the sole cytogenetic abnormality. The translocation was confirmed by FISH analysis. RT-PCR analysis, performed on total RNA isolated from both neoplastic and normal tissue samples, revealed an ALPHA,TFEB chimeric transcript in the tumor sample; sequencing of the RT-PCR product defined a novel TFEB gene breakpoint cluster region, broader than the one reported thus far. Western blot analysis showed a band at the expected size of wild-type TFEB in the neoplastic tissue compared to the normal sample, supporting that the fusion gene does not encode for a chimeric protein but it causes an upregulation of the wild-type TFEB. Our data contribute to define better this rare RCC type, which is typical not only of childhood but can also be found in adulthood. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

NOVEL ERYTHROPOIESIS STIMULATING PROTEIN (DARBEPOIETIN ALPHA) CORRECTS ANAEMIA OF EARLY CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE (CKD) AT A REDUCED DOSE FREQUENCY COMPARED WITH RECOMBINANT HUMAN ERYTHROPOIETIN (rHuEPO)

NEPHROLOGY, Issue 1 2002
Johnson Dw
[source]

ALPHA (Prognostic Value of T-wave Alternans in Patients with Heart Failure due to Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy)

CLINICAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 7 2007
Article first published online: 2 AUG 200
No abstract is available for this article. [source]

Different adaptations of alpha-actinin isoforms to exercise training in rat skeletal muscles

ACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 3 2009
Y. Ogura
Abstract Aim:, Alpha (,)-actinins are located in the skeletal muscle Z-line and form actin,actin cross-links. Mammalian skeletal muscle has two isoforms: ,-actinin-2 and ,-actinin-3. However, the response of ,-actinin to exercise training is little understood. Therefore, the current study examined the effects of exercise training on the expression level of two ,-actinin isoforms in skeletal muscles. Methods:, Twelve male Wistar rats were assigned randomly to a control (C; n = 6) or exercise training (T; n = 6) group. After T animals were trained on an animal treadmill for 9 weeks, ,-actinin-2 and ,-actinin-3 levels in the plantaris, white and red gastrocnemius muscles were analysed. In addition, changes in the myosin heavy chain (MyHC) composition were assessed, and muscle bioenergetic enzyme activities were measured. Results:, Results show that exercise training increased ,-actinin-2 expression levels in all muscles (P < 0.05). However, no significant difference was found in ,-actinin-3 expression levels between C and T animals. Subsequent MyHC analyses of all muscle showed an MyHC shift with direction from IIb to IIa. Furthermore, enzymatic analysis revealed that exercise training improved enzyme activities related to aerobic metabolism. Conclusion:, The results of this study demonstrate that exercise training alters the expression level of ,-actinin at the isoform level. Moreover, the increase in expression levels of ,-actinin-2 is apparently related to alteration of skeletal muscle: its aerobic capacity is improved. [source]

Inaccuracies on Applications for Emergency Medicine Residency Training

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 9 2004
Martha S. Roellig MD
Abstract Objectives: Studies have shown erroneous claims of authorship by medical students applying for residency. Authors have hypothesized that investigation of advanced degrees, Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) status, and peer-reviewed publications all show important rates of inaccuracy. Methods:A retrospective review of all applicants offered an interview for the authors' emergency medicine (EM) residency (entering class of 2002), excluding foreign medical graduates and current residents, was conducted. After verifying peer-reviewed publications by MEDLINE search and journal review, errors were tabulated as follows: reference not found, not referenced as an abstract, incorrect author list, or clerical error. AOA status was verified by the AOA organization. Advanced degrees were verified by the awarding institutions. Results: Of 194 applications screened (58.3% of applications), 21 (10.8%) were excluded (9 foreign medical graduates, 12 current residents). Multiple inaccuracies on a single application were counted separately. Of the 173 remaining applications, 23 (13.3%; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 8.8% to 19.5%) had at least one misrepresentation and seven of 173 (4.0%; 95% CI = 1.8% to 8.5%) had two or more. Authorship of at least one peer-reviewed article was claimed by 47 of 173 (27.2%), with ten of 47 (21.3%; 95% CI = 11.2% to 36.1%) having one inaccuracy and six of 47 (12.8%, 95% CI = 5.3% to 26.4%) having two or more. AOA membership was claimed by 14 applicants (8.1%), but five claims (35.7%, 95% CI = 14.0% to 64.4%) were inaccurate. Advanced degrees were claimed by 15 (8.7%); four (26.7%, 95% CI = 8.9% to 55.2%) were in error. Conclusions: Applications for EM residency contain frequent inaccuracies in publications listed, AOA status, and advanced degrees. Careful review of applications is necessary to ensure appropriate credit is given for claims of these types. [source]

Transcriptional activity of paddy soil bacterial communities

ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2009
Pravin Malla Shrestha
Summary Bulk mRNA was used to explore the transcriptional activity of bacterial communities in oxic versus anoxic paddy soil. Two microbial cDNA libraries were constructed from composite samples using semi-randomly primed RT-PCR. cDNAs averaged 500,600 bp in length and were treated as expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Clustering analysis of 805 random cDNAs resulted in 179 and 155 different ESTs for the oxic and anoxic zones respectively. Using an E -value threshold of e,10, a total of 218 different ESTs could be assigned by blastx, while 116 ESTs were predicted novel. Both the proportion and significance of the EST assignments increased with cDNA length. Taxonomic assignment was more powerful in discriminating between the aerobic and anaerobic bacterial communities than functional inference, as most ESTs in both oxygen zones were putative indicators of similar housekeeping functions, in particular ABC-type transporters. A few ESTs were putative indicators for community function in a biogeochemical context, such as ,-oxidation of long-chain fatty acids specifically in the oxic zone. Expressed sequence tags assigned to Alpha- and Betaproteobacteria were predominantly found in the oxic zone, while those affiliated with Deltaproteobacteria were more frequently detected in the anoxic zone. At the genus level, multiple assignments to Bradyrhizobium and Geobacter were unique to the oxic and anoxic zones respectively. The phylum-level affiliations of 93 16S rRNA sequences corresponded well with two taxonomically distinct EST patterns. Expressed sequence tags affiliated with Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi were frequently detected in both oxygen zones. In summary, the soil metatranscriptome is accessible for global analysis and such studies have great potential in elucidating the taxonomic and functional status of soil bacterial communities, but study significance depends on the number and length of cDNAs being randomly analysed. [source]

High bacterial diversity of a waste gas-degrading community in an industrial biofilter as shown by a 16S rDNA clone library

ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 11 2002
Udo Friedrich
Summary The bacterial diversity of an industrial biofilter used for waste gas abatement in an animal-rendering plant was investigated. A 16S rDNA clone library was generated and 444 clones were screened using computer-aided amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA). Of the screened clones, 60.8% showed unique ARDRA patterns and the remaining 174 clones were clustered into 65 groups. Almost full-length 16S rDNA sequences of 106 clones were determined and 90.5% of the clones were affiliated with the two phyla Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Alpha -, Beta -, and Gammaproteobacteria accounted for 22.1, 17.6 and 18.6% respectively. Minor portions were affiliated with the Actinobacteria (2.0%), Firmicutes and Verrucomicrobia (both 1.0%), and the Deltaproteobacteria and Thermomicrobia (each 0.5%). Only six out of the 106 16S rDNA sequences exhibited similarities of more than 97% to classified bacterial species indicating that a substantial fraction of the clone sequences were derived from unknown taxa. It was also evaluated whether a database containing 281 computer-simulated bacterial rDNA fragment patterns generated from published reference sequences can be used for identification purposes. The data analysis demonstrated that this was possible only for a small number of clones, which were closely related to described bacterial strains. Rarefaction analysis of ARDRA clusters demonstrated that the 444 clones screened are insufficient to describe the entire diversity of the clone library. [source]

Emergency Medicine Resident Documentation: Results of the 1999 American Board of Emergency Medicine In-Training Examination Survey

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 10 2000
John Howell MD
Abstract. Objectives: To assess how emergency medicine (EM) residents perform medical record documentation, and how well they comply with Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) Medicare charting guidelines. In addition, the study investigated their abilities and confidence with billing and coding of patient care visits and procedures performed in the emergency department (ED). Finally, the study assessed their exposure to both online faculty instruction and formal didactic experience with this component of their curriculum. Methods: A survey was conducted consisting of closed-ended questions investigating medical record documentation in the ED. The survey was distributed to all EM residents, EM,internal medicine, and EM,pediatrics residents taking the 1999 American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) In-Training examination. Five EM residents and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) board of directors prevalidated the survey. Summary statistics were calculated and resident levels were compared for each question using either chi-square or Fisher's exact test. Alpha was 0.05 for all comparisons. Results: Completed surveys were returned from 88.5% of the respondents. A small minority of the residents code their own charts (6%). Patient encounters are most frequently documented on free-form handwritten charts (38%), and a total of 76% of the respondents reported using handwritten forms as a portion of the patient's final chart. Twenty-nine percent reported delays of more than 30 minutes to access medical record information for a patient evaluated in their ED within the previous 72 hours. Twenty-five percent "never" record their supervising faculty's involvement in patient care, and another 25% record that information "1-25%" of the time. Seventy-nine percent are "never" or "rarely" requested by their faculty to clarify or add to medical records for billing purposes. Only 4% of the EM residents were "extremely confident" in their ability to perform billing and coding, and more than 80% reported not knowing the physician charges for services or procedures performed in the ED. Conclusions: The handwritten chart is the most widely used method of patient care documentation, either entirely or as a component of a templated chart. Most EM residents do not document their faculty's participation in the care of patients. This could lead to overestimation of faculty noncompliance with HCFA billing guidelines. Emergency medicine residents are not confident in their knowledge of medical record documentation and coding procedures, nor of charges for services rendered in the ED. [source]

Short-term dynamics of bacterial communities in a tidally affected coastal ecosystem

FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2008
Beate Rink
Abstract Tidal effects on the composition of free-living (FL) and particle-associated (PA) bacterial communities were studied in a tidal flat ecosystem in the southern North Sea. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis targeting the 16S rRNA gene and the 16S rRNA of Bacteria, Bacteroidetes, Alphaproteobacteria and the Roseobacter clade was applied. Despite strong tidal variations in the quantity and, depending on the season, also the quality of suspended matter as well as variations in bacterial activity, the bacterial community composition remained rather stable. FISH showed some variations of the community composition, but these were not related to typical tidal situations. Variations were higher during tidal cycles in May and July compared with November. Bacteroidetes, Alpha - and Gammaproteobacteria constituted the majority of the bacterial communities but relative proportions of the different groups varied considerably. On particles, Betaproteobacteria were also detected to substantial proportions. The Roseobacter clade constituted up to 90% of FL but only 30% of PA Alphaproteobacteria. Banding patterns of the Bacteroidetes -specific amplicons, and in particular those targeting the 16S rRNA, revealed tidally induced effects, as several bands appeared or disappeared at distinct events such as slack water or resuspension. Sequencing of prominent bands revealed predominantly phylotypes reported previously from this ecosystem. [source]

Diversity of endophytic bacterial communities in poplar grown under field conditions

FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2008
Kristina Ulrich
Abstract Bacterial endophytes may be important for plant health and other ecologically relevant functions of poplar trees. The composition of endophytic bacteria colonizing the aerial parts of poplar was studied using a multiphasic approach. The terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of 16S rRNA genes demonstrated the impact of different hybrid poplar clones on the endophytic community structure. Detailed analysis of endophytic bacteria using cultivation methods in combination with cloning of 16S rRNA genes amplified from plant tissue revealed a high phylogenetic diversity of endophytic bacteria with a total of 53 taxa at the genus level that included Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. The community structure displayed clear differences in terms of the presence and relative proportions of bacterial taxa between the four poplar clones studied. The results showed that the genetic background of the hybrid poplar clones corresponded well with the endophytic community structure. Out of the 513 isolates and 209 clones identified, Actinobacteria, in particular the family Microbacteriaceae, made up the largest fraction of the isolates, whereas the clone library was dominated by Alpha - and Betaproteobacteria. The most abundant genera among the isolates were Pseudomonas and Curtobacterium, while Sphingomonas prevailed among the clones. [source]

Molecular bacterial community analysis of clean rooms where spacecraft are assembled

FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2007
Christine Moissl
Abstract Molecular bacterial community composition was characterized from three geographically distinct spacecraft-associated clean rooms to determine whether such populations are influenced by the surrounding environment or the maintenance of the clean rooms. Samples were collected from facilities at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Kennedy Space Flight Center (KSC), and Johnson Space Center (JSC). Nine clone libraries representing different surfaces within the spacecraft facilities and three libraries from the surrounding air were created. Despite the highly desiccated, nutrient-bare conditions within these clean rooms, a broad diversity of bacteria was detected, covering all the main bacterial phyla. Furthermore, the bacterial communities were significantly different from each other, revealing only a small subset of microorganisms common to all locations (e.g. Sphingomonas, Staphylococcus). Samples from JSC assembly room surfaces showed the greatest diversity of bacteria, particularly within the Alpha - and Gammaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria. The bacterial community structure of KSC assembly surfaces revealed a high presence of proteobacterial groups, whereas the surface samples collected from the JPL assembly facility showed a predominance of Firmicutes. Our study presents the first extended molecular survey and comparison of NASA spacecraft assembly facilities, and provides new insights into the bacterial diversity of clean room environments . [source]

Bacterial community analysis of shallow groundwater undergoing sequential anaerobic and aerobic chloroethene biotransformation

FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2007
Todd R. Miller
Abstract At Department of Energy Site 300, beneficial hydrocarbon cocontaminants and favorable subsurface conditions facilitate sequential reductive dechlorination of trichloroethene (TCE) and rapid oxidation of the resultant cis- dichloroethene (cis -DCE) upon periodic oxygen influx. We assessed the geochemistry and microbial community of groundwater from across the site. Removal of cis -DCE was shown to coincide with oxygen influx in hydrocarbon-containing groundwater near the source area. Principal component analysis of contaminants and inorganic compounds showed that monitoring wells could be differentiated based upon concentrations of TCE, cis -DCE, and nitrate. Structurally similar communities were detected in groundwater from wells containing cis -DCE, high TCE, and low nitrate levels. Bacteria identified by sequencing 16S rRNA genes belonged to seven phylogenetic groups, including Alpha -, Beta -, Gamma - and Deltaproteobacteria, Nitrospira, Firmicutes and Cytophaga,Flexibacter,Bacteroidetes (CFB). Whereas members of the Burkholderiales and CFB group were abundant in all wells (104,109 16S rRNA gene copies L,1), quantitative PCR showed that Alphaproteobacteria were elevated (>106 L,1) only in wells containing hydrocarbon cocontaminants. The study shows that bacterial community structure is related to groundwater geochemistry and that Alphaproteobacteria are enriched in locales where cis -DCE removal occurs. [source]

The Pregnant Women with HIV Attitude Scale: development and initial psychometric evaluation

JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 8 2010
Lynda A. Tyer-Viola
tyer-viola l.a. & duffy m.e. (2010) The Pregnant Women with HIV Attitude Scale: development and initial psychometric evaluation. Journal of Advanced Nursing,66(8), 1852,1863. Abstract Title.,The Pregnant Women with HIV Attitude Scale: development and initial psychometric evaluation. Aim., This paper is a report of the development and initial psychometric evaluation of the Pregnant Women with HIV Attitude Scale. Background., Previous research has identified that attitudes toward persons with HIV/AIDS have been judgmental and could affect clinical care and outcomes. Stigma towards persons with HIV has persisted as a barrier to nursing care globally. Women are more vulnerable during pregnancy. An instrument to specifically measure obstetric care provider's attitudes toward this population is needed to target identified gaps in providing respectful care. Methods., Existing literature and instruments were analysed and two existing measures, the Attitudes about People with HIV Scale and the Attitudes toward Women with HIV Scale, were combined to create an initial item pool to address attitudes toward HIV-positive pregnant women. The data were collected in 2003 with obstetric nurses attending a national conference in the United States of America (N = 210). Content validity was used for item pool development and principal component analysis and analysis of variance were used to determine construct validity. Reliability was analysed using Cronbach's Alpha. Results., The new measure demonstrated high internal consistency (alpha estimates = 0·89). Principal component analysis yielded a two-component structure that accounted for 45% of the total variance: Mothering-Choice (alpha estimates = 0·89) and Sympathy-Rights (alpha estimates = 0·72). Conclusion., These data provided initial evidence of the psychometric properties of the Pregnant Women with HIV Attitude Scale. Further analysis is required of the validity of the constructs of this scale and its reliability with various obstetric care providers. [source]

Alpha and beta diversity of arthropods and plants in organically and conventionally managed wheat fields

JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2007
YANN CLOUGH
Summary 1Most studies in applied ecology use measures of ,-diversity measures, i.e. the mean diversity on a site, to compare biodiversity effects of different management schemes. The total or ,-diversity within a region, however, need not be correlated with the mean ,-diversity within any site of the region. Thus, analyses of ,-diversity alone may misrepresent the contributions of other diversity components (,) to total diversity (,). 2We apply a biodiversity-partitioning approach to species richness from a comparison between paired organic and conventional wheat fields in 21 sites from three regions in Germany, where we recorded plants, bees, carabids, staphylinids and spiders in the centre and edge of the fields. 3Relative values of ,- and ,-diversity depended on taxon. Both between-site and between-region ,-diversity were very high (in total 60,85%). ,-Diversity and between-site ,-diversity was larger on the edge than in the centre of fields for all taxa. 4,-Diversity, between-site ,-diversity of plants and bees and between-region ,-diversity of bees were higher in organic than in conventional fields, providing local as well as larger-scale species richness benefits. ,-Diversity did not differ between management types for the epigaeic arthropods. Lower between-site ,-diversity was found for spiders in organic fields than in conventional fields, resulting in higher total species richness in conventionally managed wheat. 5Similarity in composition of landscapes surrounding the study fields was correlated with similarity in species composition for epigaeic arthropods in conventional fields. For this group of organisms the variability of landscapes in the sample contributed to increasing ,-diversity. 6Synthesis and applications.,-Diversity accounts for the major part of species richness in agro-ecosystems. Implementing an agri-environment scheme such as organic agriculture may result in either an additional increase of total diversity, as could be shown for plants and bees, or in a decrease in total diversity as was the case for the spiders. Therefore, ,-diversity needs to be included in the evaluation of different management schemes for conservation. For plant and bees it is recommended to implement agri-environment schemes in contrasting landscapes and in different regions to maximize total species richness benefits. [source]

Islet-1 Expression and its Colocalisation with Luteinising Hormone, Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone and Oestrogen Receptor Alpha in the Developing Pituitary Gland of the Sheep Foetus

JOURNAL OF NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 12 2005
J. Liu
Abstract Islet-1 has been reported to be involved in pituitary development in the early stages of mouse embryogenesis. Oestrogen receptor (ER) and its expression may be involved in regulating pituitary development and its hormone-secreting function. Islet-1 expression and its correlations to ER in the developing pituitary gland are unknown. We therefore determined the pituitary cell specific expression of Islet-1 and its colocalisation with ER alpha (ER,) in sheep foetus by immunohistochemistry. The results demonstrated that Islet-1-immunoreacitive (ir) cells were distributed throughout the pituitary gland from day 60 of gestation until birth. The Islet-1-ir cell number was significant higher at day 90 and 120 of gestation compared to that at day 60 and at birth. All of the ER,-ir cells were colocalised with Islet-1 at day 60 of gestation, although a few ER,-ir cells were negative for Islet-1 in the later stage of gestation. The dominant cell type expressing Islet-1 is the gonadotroph, although small proportions of thyrotrophs and lactotrophs also express Islet-1. The proportion of luteinising hormone-ir gonadotrophs possessing Islet-1 kept rising from day 60 to day 120 of gestation and persisted until birth. The proportion of thyroid-stimulating hormone-ir cells expressing Islet-1 was at a high level from day 60,120 of the gestation and significantly declined at birth. The percentage of prolactin (PRL)-ir cells expressing Islet-1 was about 20% at day 60 of gestation. Very few PRL-ir cells contained Islet-1 in later stages of gestation. These data suggest that the development and functional establishment of pituitary gonadotrophs, thyrotrophs and lactotrophs might be regulated by the expressions of Islet-1 and ER, and by their interactions, although any mechanisms need to be elucidated further. [source]

Effect of light source and time on the polymerization of resin cement through ceramic veneers

JOURNAL OF PROSTHODONTICS, Issue 3 2001
Flavio H. Rasetto Odont
Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of 3 different light sources to polymerize a light curing resin cement beneath 3 types of porcelain veneer materials. Materials and Methods A conventional halogen light, a plasma arc light, and a high intensity halogen light were used to polymerize resin cement (Variolink II; Ivoclar North America Inc, Amherst, NY) through disks of veneer materials. Equal diameter and thickness disks of feldspathic porcelain (Ceramco II; Ceramco Inc, Burlington, NJ), pressable ceramic (IPS Empress; Ivoclar North America Inc), and aluminous porcelain (Vitadur Alpha; Vident Inc, Brea, CA) were used as an interface between the curing light tips and the light polymerized resin cement. The resin cement/veneer combinations were exposed to 4 different photopolymerization time protocols of 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 15 seconds, and 20 seconds for high intensity light units (Apollo 95E [Dental Medical Diagnostic Systems Inc, Westlake Village, CA] and Kreativ 2000 [Kreativ Inc, San Diego, CA]), and 20 seconds, 40 seconds, 60 seconds, and 80 seconds for conventional halogen light (Optilux; Demetron Research Inc, Danbury, CT). A surface hardness test (Knoop indenter) was used to determine the level of photopolymerization of the resin through the ceramic materials with each of the light sources. The data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and a post-hoc Scheffe test (p < .05). Results The data indicates that the Variolink II Knoop Hardness Number values vary with the light source, the veneer material, and the polymerization time. For a given light and veneer material, Knoop Hardness Number increases with longer polymerization times. The Kreativ light showed statistically significant differences (p < .05) between all test polymerization times. Use of this light required a polymerization time of greater than 20 seconds to reach maximum resin cement hardness. For samples polymerized with the Apollo light, there were statistically significant (p < .05) differences in surface hardness between samples polymerized at all times, except for the 15-second and 20-second times. Samples polymerized with the halogen light showed no statistically significant (p < .05) differences in hardness between polymerization times of 60 seconds and 80 seconds. Conclusions High intensity curing lights achieve adequate polymerization of resin cements through veneers in a markedly shorter time period than the conventional halogen light. However, the data in this report indicate that a minimum exposure time of 15 seconds with the Kreativ light and 10 seconds with the Apollo 95E light should be used to polymerize the Variolink II resin, regardless of the composition of the veneer. Conventional halogen lights required a correspondingly greater polymerization time of 60 seconds. [source]

Quantification of monomeric and polymeric wheat proteins and the relationship of protein fractions to wheat quality,

JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 10 2003
Jerry Suchy
Abstract Wheat protein composition is important for understanding the biochemical basis of wheat quality. The objective of this study was to design a simple protein fractionation protocol with low cross-contamination and to show that these protein fractions were associated with wheat quality. The protocol consists of three sequential extractions from 100 mg of flour with 7.5% propan-1-ol and 0.3 M sodium iodide (monomeric-rich protein), 50% propan-1-ol (soluble glutenin-rich protein) and 40% propan-1-ol and 0.2% dithiothreitol (insoluble glutenin-rich protein). Nitrogen content of protein solubility groups was determined from dry residues using an automated combustion nitrogen analyser. About 90% of the total protein in the flour was solubilised. Cross-contamination of protein fractions was evaluated by SDS-PAGE, SE-HPLC and RP-HPLC. Variation in nitrogen content of the protein solubility fractions was lowest for monomeric-rich protein (<2%) and insoluble glutenin-rich protein (<4%). Three wheats with similar high-molecular-weight (HMW) glutenin subunit composition, Alpha 16, Glenlea and Roblin, varied significantly (P , 0.05) in the proportion of monomeric-rich and insoluble glutenin-rich protein in the flour. Dough rheological properties were directly related to the proportion of insoluble glutenin-rich protein and inversely related to the proportion of monomeric-rich protein. The protocol was validated using an expanded set of 11 wheats which also showed that inter-cultivar differences in the proportion of monomeric-rich, insoluble glutenin-rich protein and glutenin-to-gliadin ratio in the flour governed dough rheological properties such as mixograph, farinograph and microextension tests. The protocol has merit for quality screening in wheat-breeding programmes when the sample size is too small or when time constraints limit the ability to perform traditional rheological tests. For the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Government of Canada, Copyright © Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada 2003. Published for SCI by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

A response surface methodology approach to optimise pretreatments to prevent enzymatic browning in potato (Solanum tuberosum L) cubes

JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 1 2002
C Reyes-Moreno
Abstract The objective of this work was to find the best combinations of ascorbic acid concentration/soaking time (Pretreatment 1), 4-hexylresorcinol concentration/soaking time (Pretreatment 2) and ascorbic acid concentration,4-hexylresorcinol concentration/soaking time (Pretreatment 3) to prevent the development of enzymatic browning in raw potato cubes (10,mm,×,10,mm,×,10,mm). Potato variety Alpha was used as study model because of its low susceptibility to enzymatic browning. Response surface methodology was applied in all pretreatments on two response variables (Hunter L value and total colour difference) to find the best conditions for carrying out the pretreatments. The various pretreatments had variation levels for ascorbic acid (AA) concentration (1 and 3) and 4-hexylresorcinol (4HR) concentration (2 and 3) of 1,4 and 0.04,0.20,g,l,1 respectively; in all pretreatments the variation level for soaking time was 3,6,h. A central composite experimental design with two factors at five levels was used. Predictive models for Hunter L value and total colour difference were developed as a function of process or independent variables. The optimisation technique was applied to obtain maximum Hunter L values and minimum values of total colour difference. Surface superposition of these variables allowed identification of the best combinations of process variables for each pretreatment as (1) 2.9,g,l,1 AA/4.8,h, (2) 0.04,g,l,1 4HR/2.6,h and (3) 2.42,g,l,1 AA,0.15,g,l,1 4HR/5.41,h. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry [source]

Relationship between various clinical outcome assessments in patients with blepharospasm,

MOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 3 2009
Joseph Jankovic MD
Abstract The objective was to analyze the metric properties of the Jankovic Rating Scale (JRS) and a self-rating patient response outcome scale, the Blepharospasm Disability Index (BSDI©), in blepharospasm patients. Data from a randomized, double-blind, active-control clinical trial in 300 patients with blepharospasm treated with either botulinum toxin type A (Botox®) or NT201 (Xeomin®) were used to evaluate the metric properties of the JRS and the BSDI compared with the Patient Evaluation of Global Response (PEGR) and Global Assessment Scale (GAS). The internal consistency of the BSDI was high, Cronbach's Alpha = 0.88, and the retest reliability of the BSDI single items was adequate, Spearman's rank coefficient = 0.453 < r < 0.595. The correlation between JRS sum score and BSDI weighted mean score was r = 0.487 (baseline) and r = 0.737 (control visit), respectively. Using the GAS and PEGR, the results suggest that a change of 2 points in the JRS and of 0.7 points in the BSDI are clinically meaningful. JRS and BSDI are objective indicators of clinical efficacy as suggested by their good validity when compared with physicians' and patients' rating scales. Both, JRS and BSDI, can be used to reliably assess blepharospasm in treatment trials. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society [source]

Alpha 1 antichymotrypsin is aberrantly expressed during melanoma progression and predicts poor survival for patients with metastatic melanoma

PIGMENT CELL & MELANOMA RESEARCH, Issue 4 2010
Yang Wang
First page of article [source]

Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency alleles are associated with joint dislocation and scoliosis in Williams syndrome,

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS, Issue 2 2010
Colleen A. Morris
Abstract Elastin haploinsufficiency is responsible for a significant portion of the Williams syndrome (WS) phenotype including hoarse voice, supravalvar aortic stenosis (SVAS), hernias, diverticuli of bowel and bladder, soft skin, and joint abnormalities. All of the connective tissue signs and symptoms are variable in the WS population, but few factors other than age and gender are known to influence the phenotype. We examined a cohort of 205 individuals with WS for mutations in SERPINA1, the gene that encodes alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT), the inhibitor of elastase. Individuals with classic WS deletions and SERPINA1 genotypes PiMS or PiMZ were more likely than those with a SERPINA1 PiMM genotype to have joint dislocation or scoliosis. However, carrier status for AAT deficiency was not correlated with presence of inguinal hernia or with presence or severity of SVAS. These findings suggest that genes important in elastin metabolism are candidates for variability in the connective tissue abnormalities in WS. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

EEG correlates of emotions in dream narratives from typical young adults and individuals with autistic spectrum disorders

PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 2 2008
Anne-Marie Daoust
Abstract The relationship between emotional dream content and Alpha and Beta REM sleep EEG activity was investigated in typical individuals and in Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Dream narratives of persons with ASD contained fewer emotional elements. In both groups, emotions correlated positively with slow Alpha (8.0,10.0 Hz) spectral power over parieto-occipital and left central regions, as well as with a right occipital EEG asymmetry. Slow Alpha activity in ASD individuals was lower over midline and parasagittal areas and higher over lateral areas compared to controls. Both groups displayed a right-biased slow Alpha activity for midparietal and occipital (significantly higher in control) sites. Results indicate that Alpha EEG activity may represent a neurophysiological substrate associated with emotional dream content. Distinctive Alpha EEG patterns and asymmetries suggest that dream generation implies different brain connectivity in ASD. [source]

Post-natal Changes in Testicular Concentrations of Interleukin-1 Alpha and Beta and Interleukin-6 during Sexual Maturation in Bulls

REPRODUCTION IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS, Issue 2 2010
ET Bagu
Contents Based on observations in laboratory animals interleukins could be regulators of testicular development. The objects of this study were to see if interleukins (IL-1 and IL-6) are present in the developing bull testis and to establish the temporal patterns of concentrations of IL-1 and IL-6 in the bovine testis during development. Separate groups of six bull calves were castrated every 4 weeks from 5 to 33 weeks of age, and at 56 weeks of age. Mean testicular IL-1 alpha concentrations decreased (p < 0.01) from 5 to 9 weeks of age and 13 to 21 weeks of age. Mean testicular IL-1 beta concentrations decreased (p < 0.01) from 13 to 17 weeks of age and from 29 to 33 weeks of age. Mean IL-1 bioactivity increased from 13 to 17 weeks of age, decreased to 21 weeks, increased to 25 weeks, decreased to 29 weeks and decreased from 33 to 56 weeks of age (p < 0.05). Mean testicular IL-6 concentrations decreased (p < 0.05) from 9 to 13 weeks of age, increased (p < 0.05) to 21 weeks, decreased (p < 0.05) to 25 weeks, increased (p < 0.05) to 29 weeks and decreased (p < 0.01) to 56 weeks of age. In conclusion, testicular IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta and IL-6 were found in the bovine testis and concentrations were age dependent. Testicular IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta concentrations were highest in the early post-natal period; however, IL-1 bioactivity and IL-6 concentrations were greatest in the immediate pre-pubertal period. These findings suggest a functional role for interleukins in testicular development in the bull. [source]

Immunohistochemical Studies on Oestrogen Receptor Alpha (ER,) and the Proliferative Marker Ki-67 in the Sow Uterus at Different Stages of the Oestrous Cycle

REPRODUCTION IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS, Issue 1 2003
S Sukjumlong
Contents In order to better understand physiological changes during the different stages of the oestrous cycle, immunohistochemistry was used in the present study to investigate the distribution of oestrogen receptor alpha (ER,) as well as the proliferative marker Ki-67, in the sow uterus during the oestrous cycle. Uterine samples were collected from multiparous sows with normal reproductive performance at selected stages of the oestrous cycle: at late dioestrus (d 17), prooestrus (d 19), oestrous (d 1), early dioestrus (d 4) and dioestrus (d 11,12), respectively. The tissue samples were fixed in 10% formaldehyde, embedded in paraffin and subjected to immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies against ER, (C-311) and Ki-67 (MM-1). In general, the immunostaining of both ER, and Ki-67 was confined to nuclei of the target cells. Variations were seen, not only at the different stages of the oestrous cycle, but also in the different tissue compartments of the uterus. In the epithelia, the strongest ER, staining and highest amount of positive Ki-67 cells were found at early dioestrus. In the myometrium, the highest levels of staining of both ER, and Ki-67 positive cells were found at pro-oestrus and oestrus. For the proliferative marker, Ki-67, no positive cells were found at dioestrus and late dioestrus in the epithelium and myometrium. In the connective tissue stroma (subepithelial layer), the highest number of ER, positive cells were found at oestrus, which was significantly different compared with other stages (p,0.05), whereas the levels of Ki-67 positive cells were relatively low and did not differ between the stages examined. Significant correlations between the number of ER, positive cells in the stroma and Ki-67 positive cells in the epithelia were observed. This suggests indirect regulatory mechanisms on epithelial proliferation via ER, in the stroma. In conclusion, these findings in the sow uterus show that the presence of ER, as well as Ki-67 protein varies not only between different stages of the oestrous cycle but also between different tissue compartments of the uterus. These findings indicate various regulatory mechanisms and stress the importance of localising ER, and proliferating cells in different uterine tissues. [source]

Distribution and Quantity of Contractile Tissue in Postnatal Development of Rat Alveolar Interstitium

THE ANATOMICAL RECORD : ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2008
Renée Dickie
Abstract Alpha,smooth muscle actin (,-SMA) -expressing cells are important participants in lung remodeling, during both normal postnatal ontogeny and after injury. Developmental dysregulation of these contractile cells contributes to bronchopulmonary dysplasia in newborns, and aberrant recapitulation in adults of the normal ontogeny of these cells has been speculated to underlie disease and repair in mature lungs. The significance of airway smooth muscle has been widely investigated, but contractile elements within the pulmonary parenchyma, although also of structural and functional consequence in developing and mature lungs, are relatively unstudied and little quantitative information exists. Here, we quantify the areal density of ,-SMA expression in lung parenchyma and assess changes in its spatiotemporal distribution through postnatal ontogeny. Using an antibody against ,-SMA, we immunofluorescently labeled contractile elements in lung sections from a postnatal growth series of rats. Images were segmented using thresholded pixel intensity. Alpha-SMA areal density in the alveolar interstitium was calculated by dividing the area of ,-SMA,positive staining by the tissue area. The areal density of ,-SMA in 2-day neonates was 3.7%, almost doubled, to 7.2% by 21 days, and decreased to 3% in adults. Neonates had large, elongate concentrations of ,-SMA, and ,-SMA localized both at septal tips and within the interstitium. In adults, individual areas of ,-SMA expression were smaller and more round, and located predominately in alveolar ducts, at alveolar ends and bends. The results are consistent with increasing ,-SMA expression during the period of peak myofibroblast activity, corresponding to the phase of rapid alveolarization in the developing lung. Anat Rec, 291:83,93, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Age of SERPINA1 Gene PI Z Mutation: Swedish and Latvian Population Analysis

ANNALS OF HUMAN GENETICS, Issue 3 2008
B. Lace
Summary Alpha 1-antitrypsin (A1AT) deficiency, one of the most common inborn errors of metabolism in Caucasians, is characterized by a low serum concentration of A1AT and a high risk of pulmonary emphysema and liver disease. The allelic frequency for the most common protease inhibitor (PI) Z mutation in the SERPINA1 gene is 2,5% in Caucasians of European descent. The objective of our study was to estimate the PI Z mutation age using molecular analysis in Latvian and Swedish populations, which have the highest frequency of PI Z mutation. DNA samples of heterozygous and homozygous PI Z allele carriers from Latvia (n = 21) and Sweden (n = 65) were analysed; 113 unrelated healthy donors from Latvia were used as a control group. MALDI-TOF analysis was performed on all samples. Pairwise Fst was computed to compare the PI Z mutation ages between the two populations and controls. A p value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Analysis of non-recombinant SNPs revealed that the PI Z mutation age was 2902 years in Latvia (SD 1983) and 2362 years in Sweden (SD 1614) which correlates with previous studies based on microsatellite analysis. [source]

TNF Alpha,308 Genotype and Renin,Angiotensin System in Hemodialysis Patients: An Effect on Inflammatory Cytokine Levels?

ARTIFICIAL ORGANS, Issue 2 2005
Gultekin Genctoy
Abstract:, Background: Renin,angiotensin system (RAS) was suggested to modulate inflammatory cytokine production. Angiotensin II was consistently shown to increase production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-,). However, inflammatory cytokines and RAS were modulated by genetic polymorphisms such as TNF-,,308 G > A and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) I/D gene polymorphisms. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ACE and TNF-, genotypes on inflammatory cytokines in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Methods: ACE I/D and TNF-,,308 G > A genotypes, pre- and postdialysis plasma renin activity (PRA), serum ACE, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1,), and TNF-, levels were determined in 22 HD patients. Results: Predialysis serum ACE activity is correlated with TNF-, (r = 0.63; P = 0.01), and PRA was correlated with IL-1, levels (r = 0.49; P = 0.02). Pre/postdialysis IL-1, and TNF-, were similar in DD and II/ID ACE genotypes. Predialysis TNF-, and IL-1, (32.4 ± 5; 35.1 ± 4.2 vs. 28.1 ± 3.7; 26.5 ± 6.2 pg/mL; P < 0.05) and postdialysis TNF-, levels (30.4 ± 1.4 vs. 28.4 ± 0.82 pg/mL; P < 0.05) were significantly higher in TNF1/2 than TNF1/1 patients. Conclusion: ACE and TNF-,,308 G > A (1/2) gene polymorphisms may contribute to modulation of proinflammatory cytokine production and hence chronic inflammation in HD patients. [source]

Development of N-2,4-Pyrimidine-N-phenyl-N,-alkyl Ureas as Orally Active Inhibitors of Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-,) Synthesis.

CHEMINFORM, Issue 39 2006
Part 2.
Abstract ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF. [source]

ChemInform Abstract: Efficient Asymmetric Synthesis of (S)-2-Ethylphenylpropanoic Acid Derivative, a Selective Agonist for Human Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Alpha.

CHEMINFORM, Issue 49 2002
Masahiro Nomura
Abstract ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a "Full Text" option. The original article is trackable via the "References" option. [source]

Child Health Assessment at School Entry (CHASE) project: evaluation in 10 London primary schools

CHILD: CARE, HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2005
S. Edmunds
Abstract Aims To assess the feasibility of implementing the Child Health Assessment at School Entry (CHASE) questionnaire, developed to capture the multiple dimensions of the health of children in their first year at school, and to evaluate data quality, reliability and validity. Methods Parents of 278 year-1 children, from 10 primary schools in two London boroughs, received a parent questionnaire and school nurses completed a separate questionnaire from health and education records for children whose parents consented. Additional data on free school meal eligibility and ethnicity were obtained from the two Local Education Authorities. The parent questionnaire included the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and four dimensions of the Child Health Questionnaire Parent Form-28 (CHQ-PF28). Results Response rate was 61%. The association between school free school meals eligibility and response rate in each school approached significance (r = ,0.62, P = 0.05). Data completeness of the parent questionnaire was high (mean 98%). Data completeness of the school nurse questionnaire was more variable (mean 82%). Cronbach's Alpha was greater than 0.6 for four of the five SDQ scales and greater than 0.7 for the two CHQ-PF28 multi-item scales. Relative to parents with qualifications, parents with no qualifications rated their children as having significantly more conduct problems, peer problems, and overall mental health problems (P < 0.01) as assessed by the SDQ, and significantly lower global health (P < 0.01) as assessed by the CHQ-PF28. Children with special educational needs and children with long-standing illness or disability were rated as having significantly lower global health (P < 0.05) than children without these. Sample tables of inter-school and inter-borough comparison of key findings demonstrate considerable differences in physical and mental health status. Discussion The questionnaire was acceptable to parents and school nurses, and feasible to implement within existing school resources. Initial tests of internal reliability and validity are satisfactory. These data have the potential to inform interventions and service provision at school and borough level, and public health trends over time. [source]