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Kinds of Flashes Terms modified by Flashes Selected AbstractsMagnetic resonance voiding cystography in the diagnosis of vesicoureteral reflux: Comparative study with voiding cystourethrography,JOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, Issue 4 2005Sang Kwon Lee MD Abstract Purpose To evaluate the feasibility of magnetic resonance voiding cystography (MRVC) compared with voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) for detecting and grading vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). Materials and Methods MRVC was performed upon 20 children referred for investigation of reflux. Either coronal T1-weighted spin-echo (SE) or gradient-echo (GE) (fast multiplanar spoiled gradient-echo (FMPSPGR) or turbo fast low-angle-shot (FLASH)) images were obtained before and after transurethral administration of gadolinium solution, and immediately after voiding. The findings of MRVC were compared with those of VCUG and technetium-99m (99mTc) dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) performed within 6 months of MRVC. Results VUR was detected in 23 ureterorenal units (16 VURs by both methods, 5 VURs by VCUG, and 2 VURs by MRVC). With VCUG as the standard of reference, the sensitivity of MRVC was 76.2%; the specificity, 90.0%; the positive predictive value, 88.9%; and the negative predictive value, 78.3%. There was concordance between two methods regarding the grade of reflux in all 16 ureterorenal units with VUR detected by both methods. Of 40 kidneys, MRVC detected findings of renal damage or reflux nephropathy in 13 kidneys, and 99mTc DMSA renal SPECT detected findings of reflux nephropathy in 17 kidneys. Conclusion Although MRVC is shown to have less sensitivity for VUR than VCUG, MRVC may represent a method of choice offering a safer nonradiation test that can additionally evaluate the kidneys for changes related to reflux nephropathy. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2005;21:406,414. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Implications of bulk motion for diffusion-weighted imaging experiments: Effects, mechanisms, and solutionsJOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, Issue 4 2001David G. Norris PhD Abstract This review article describes the effect of bulk motion on diffusion-weighted imaging experiments, and examines methods for correcting the resulting artifacts. The emphasis throughout the article is on two-dimensional imaging of the brain. The effects of translational and rotational motion on the MR signal are described, and the literature concerning pulsatile brain motion is examined. Methods for ameliorating motion effects are divided into three generic categories. The first is methods that should be intrinsically insensitive to macroscopic motion. These include motion-compensated diffusion-weighting schemes, single-shot EPI, projection reconstruction, and line scanning. Of these, only single-shot EPI and projection reconstruction methods can obtain high-quality images without compromising on sensitivity. The second category of methods is those that can be made insensitive to bulk motion. The methods examined here are FLASH and RARE. It is shown that for both sequences motion insensitivity is in general attained only at the cost of a 50% reduction in sensitivity. The final set of methods examined are those that correct for motion, primarily navigator echoes. The properties and limitations of the navigator echo approach are presented, as are those of methods which attempt to correct the acquired data by minimizing image artifacts. The review concludes with a short summary in which the current status of diffusion imaging in the presence of bulk motion is examined. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2001;13:486,495. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Manganese-enhanced MRI of the mouse auditory pathwayMAGNETIC RESONANCE IN MEDICINE, Issue 1 2008Takashi Watanabe Abstract Functional mapping of the lateral lemniscus and the superior olivary complex as part of the auditory pathway was accomplished for the first time in mice in vivo using manganese-enhanced MRI (2.35T, 3D FLASH, 117 ,m isotropic resolution). These and other auditory centers in the brainstem presented with pronounced signal enhancements after systemic administration of manganese chloride when animals were exposed to acoustic stimuli for 48 hr, but not when kept in a quiet environment. The results indicate an activation-dependent accumulation of manganese in the neural circuit composed of the cochlear nucleus, the superior olivary complex, the lateral lemniscus, and the inferior colliculus. The marked enhancement of the lateral lemniscus suggests that the stimulus-related accumulation of manganese reflects not only a regional uptake from extracellular fluid but also a concurrent delivery by axonal transport within the auditory system. Magn Reson Med 60:210,212, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] 3D magnetization-prepared true-FISP: A new technique for imaging coronary arteriesMAGNETIC RESONANCE IN MEDICINE, Issue 3 2001Vibhas S. Deshpande Abstract The purpose of this work was to develop an ECG-triggered, segmented 3D true-FISP (fast imaging with steady-state precession) technique to improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of breath-hold coronary artery imaging. The major task was to optimize an appropriate magnetization preparation scheme to permit saturation of the epicardial fat signal. An ,/2 preparation pulse was used to speed up the approach to steady-state following a frequency-selective fat-saturation pulse in each heartbeat. The application of dummy cycles was found to reduce the oscillation of the magnetization during data acquisition. The fat saturation and magnetization preparation scheme was validated with simulations and phantom studies. Volunteer studies demonstrated substantially increased SNR (55%) and CNR (178%) for coronary arteries compared to FLASH (fast low-angle shot) with the same imaging time. In conclusion, true-FISP is a promising technique for coronary artery imaging. Magn Reson Med 46:494,502, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Gadobenate dimeglumine as a contrast agent for MRI of the mouse liverNMR IN BIOMEDICINE, Issue 8 2007Yusuke Inoue Abstract We investigated the characteristics and utility of gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA) for MRI of the mouse liver. Mice were imaged under isoflurane anesthesia using a T1 -weighted, three-dimensional fast low-angle shot (3D FLASH) sequence before and after intravenous or subcutaneous injection of Gd-BOPTA, and the time course of the contrast effect was examined. The appropriate dose for subcutaneous injection was determined visually, and the inter- and intra-observer reproducibilities in liver volumetry were evaluated with and without contrast injection. When mice were imaged sequentially before and after Gd-BOPTA injection and isoflurane anesthesia was maintained throughout the experiment, a long-lasting contrast effect was noted in the liver. Subcutaneous injection caused delayed, but favorable, enhancement. Washout from the liver was definitely accelerated in conscious mice in comparison with anesthetized mice. Visual evaluation indicated that a dose of 0.1,mmol/kg was appropriate for clear delineation of the entire liver margin, and the application of Gd-BOPTA significantly improved the inter- and intra-observer reproducibilities of liver volumetry. In conclusion, the intravenous or subcutaneous injection of Gd-BOPTA has a favorable contrast effect for the mouse liver, resulting in clear visualization of the liver border and improved reproducibility of liver volumetry. The possible influence of anesthesia on the pharmacokinetics of a contrast agent should be considered in determining the optimal scan timing. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Single-scan quantitative T2* methods with susceptibility artifact reductionNMR IN BIOMEDICINE, Issue 5 2006Florence Franconi Abstract Two imaging methods, MSSAVE (Multiple echo SubSlice AVEraging imaging), based on sub-slice averaging and MGESEPI (Multiple echo Gradient-Echo Slice-Excitation Profile Imaging), based on over-sampling in the slice direction, are proposed for single-scan quantitative T2* evaluation with susceptibility artifact compensation. Their potentials in terms of sensitivity, minimum performance time, susceptibility artifact reduction and T2* quantitation quality, were compared with existing single-scan methods such as classical FLASH two- or three-dimensional or z -shimmed methods both in vitro and in vivo in normal rat brain. MGESEPI offered good quality T2* maps nearly free of artifacts but required a long acquisition time. MSSAVE was faster, but at the expense of reduced artifact compensation and the achievable T2* quantitation quality. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Immunohistochemical and mutational analysis of FLASH in gastric carcinomas,APMIS, Issue 8 2007EUN GOO JEONG FLASH was initially identified as a pro-apoptotic protein that transmits an apoptosis signal during death receptor-induced apoptosis. Additionally, diverse biologic roles of FLASH, including TNF-induced NF-,B activation, cell-cycle progression and cell division, have been identified. Although such functions are important in cancer pathogenesis, little is known about the alterations of FLASH gene and FLASH protein expression in human cancers. In this study, we analyzed the expression of FLASH protein in 60 gastric adenocarcinomas by immunohistochemistry. We furthermore analyzed mutation of FLASH in exon 8, where two polyadenine tracts ((A)8 and (A)9) are present, by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) assay in 184 gastric adenocarcinomas. By immunohistochemistry, FLASH protein expression in cancer cells was detected positively in 42 gastric carcinoma tissues (70%), whereas its expression in epithelial cells of normal gastric mucosa was shown as no or very weak intensity. Mutational analysis detected one FLASH mutation in the gastric carcinomas (0.5%). The increased expression of FLASH in the malignant gastric epithelial cells compared to the normal mucosal epithelial cells suggests that FLASH expression may play a role in gastric tumorigenesis. Also, the data suggest that somatic mutation of FLASH is a rare event in gastric carcinomas. [source] Frameshift Mutations at Mononucleotide Repeats in RAD50 Recombinational DNA Repair Gene in Colorectal Cancers with Microsatellite InstabilityCANCER SCIENCE, Issue 6 2001Tsuneo Ikenoue To identify additional genes targeted for microsatellite instability (MSI), we search for human genes which contain mononucleotide repeats in their coding region, selected 7 genes (RAD50, DNA-PKcs, FLASH, Apaf-1, XPG, CtIP, and MLSN1), and analyzed frameshift mutations in them. Here we report that 60% (3 out of 5) of human colorectal cancer cell lines exhibiting a high frequency of MSI (MSI-H) and 46% (6 out of 13) of MSI-H primary colorectal tumors had mutations in the (A)9 repeat of RAD50 recombinational repair gene. In contrast, no frameshift mutations were found in any of the 5 MSI-negative colorectal cancer cell lines, 8 colorectal tumors exhibiting a low frequency of MSI (MSI-L), or 28 MSI-negative colorectal tumors. No mutations were found in the mononucleotide repeats of 6 other genes, even in MSI-H cancers. These results suggest that RAD50 frameshift mutations may play a role in the tumorigenesis of MSI-H colorectal cancers. [source] Imaging FRET standards by steady-state fluorescence and lifetime methodsMICROSCOPY RESEARCH AND TECHNIQUE, Issue 12 2007Beatriz Domingo Abstract Imaging fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between molecules labeled with fluorescent proteins is emerging as a powerful tool to study changes in ions, ligands, and molecular interactions in their physiological cellular environment. Different methods use either steady-state fluorescence properties or lifetime to quantify the FRET rate. In addition, some provide the absolute FRET efficiency whereas others are simply a relative index very much influenced by the actual settings and instrumentation used, which makes the interpretation of a given FRET rate very difficult. The use and exchange of FRET standards in laboratories using these techniques would help to overcome this drawback. We report here the construction and systematic evaluation of FRET standard probes of varying FRET efficiencies. The standards for intramolecular FRET were protein fusions of the cyan and yellow variants of A. victoria green fluorescent protein (ECFP and citrine) joined by short linkers or larger protein spacers, or ECFP tagged with a tetracysteine motif and labeled with the biarsenical fluorochrome, FlAsH. Negative and positive controls of intermolecular FRET were also used. We compared these FRET standards with up to four FRET quantification methods: ratioing of acceptor to donor emission, donor intensity recovery upon acceptor photobleach, sensitized emission after spectral unmixing of raw images, and fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM). The latter was obtained with a frequency-domain setup able to provide high quality lifetime images in less than a second, and is thus very well suited for live cell studies. The FRET rates or indexes of the standards were in good agreement regardless of the method used. For the CFP-tetraCys/FlAsH pair, the rate calculated from CFP quenching was faster than that obtained by FLIM. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] A novel method of affinity-purifying proteins using a bis-arsenical fluoresceinPROTEIN SCIENCE, Issue 2 2000Kurt S. Thorn Abstract Genetically-encoded affinity tags constitute an important strategy for purifying proteins. Here, we have designed a novel affinity matrix based on the bis-arsenical fluorescein dye FlAsH, which specifically recognizes short ,-helical peptides containing the sequence CCXXCC (Griffin BA, Adams SR, Tsien RY, 1998, Science 281:269,212). We find that kinesin tagged with this cysteine-containing helix binds specifically to FlAsH resin and can be eluted in a fully active form. This affinity tag has several advantages over polyhistidine, the only small affinity tag in common use. The protein obtained with this single chromatographic step from crude Escherichia coli lysates is purer than that obtained with nickel affinity chromatography of 6xHis tagged kinesin. Moreover, unlike nickel affinity chromatography, which requires high concentrations of imidazole or pH changes for elution, protein bound to the FlAsH column can be completely eluted by dithiothreitol. Because of these mild elution conditions, FlAsH affinity chromatography is ideal for recovering fully active protein and for the purification of intact protein complexes. [source] Prospecting the Proteome: Identification of Naturally Occurring Binding Motifs for Biarsenical ProbesCHEMBIOCHEM, Issue 16 2007Ting Wang Dr. Don't be too rigid. Fluorescent biarsenical probes function by binding to peptide tags genetically engineered into a protein under study. We have found an improved, less rigid peptide tag to bind FlAsH and other xanthene-based biarsenicals. [source] New Materials in Memory Development Sub 50,nm: Trends in Flash and DRAMADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 6 2009Karl Heinz Kuesters No abstract is available for this article. [source] New Materials in Memory Development Sub 50,nm: Trends in Flash and DRAM,ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 4 2009Karl Heinz Kuesters New materials are of key importance for scaling memories in the sub 50,nm generations. Currently high- k materials and metal gates are investigated for usage in Flash and DRAM memory. However, the requirements in the applications are different, leading to different material combinations. This paper gives an overview on new materials with focus on memory applications. [source] Four Weeks' Inhalation Exposure of Long Evans Rats to 4- tert -Butyltoluene: Effect on Evoked Potentials, Behaviour, and Brain NeurochemistryBASIC AND CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY, Issue 1 2000Henrik Rye Lam Long-lasting central nervous system (CNS) neurotoxicity of 4- tert -butyltoluene (TBT) has been investigated using electrophysiology, behaviour, and neurochemistry in Long Evans rats exposed by inhalation to 0, 20, or 40 p.p.m. TBT 6 hr/day, 7 days/week for 4 weeks. Flash evoked potentials and somatosensory evoked potentials were not affected by TBT. In Auditory Brain Stem Response there was no shift in hearing threshold, but the amplitude of the first wave was increased in both exposed groups at high stimulus levels. Three to four months after the end of exposure, behavioural studies in Morris water maze and eight-arm maze failed to demonstrate any TBT induced effects. Exposure was followed by a 5 months exposure-free period prior to gross regional and subcellular (synaptosomal) neurochemical investigations of the brain. TBT reduced the NA concentration in whole brain minus cerebellum. Synaptosomal choline acetyltransferase activity increased and acetylcholinesterase activity was unchanged suggesting increased synaptosomal ability for acetylcholine synthesis. The relative and total yield of synaptosomal protein was reduced suggesting reduced density and total number of synapses in situ, respectively. We hypothesise that a reduced yield of synaptosomal protein reflects a more general effect of organic solvent exposure on the software of the brain. The synaptosomal concentration per mg synaptosomal protein and the total amount of 5-hydroxytryptamine were not affected whereas the total amount of synaptosomal noradrenaline decreased. The concentration and the total amount of synaptosomal dopamine decreased. The noradrenergic and dopaminergic parts of CNS may be more vulnerable to TBT than the serotonergic, and these long-lasting effects may cause or reflect TBT-compromised CNS function. [source] Modulation of Spectrokinetic Properties of o -Quinonoid Reactive Intermediates by Electronic Factors: Time-Resolved Laser Flash and Steady-State Photolysis Investigations of Photochromic 6- and 7-ArylchromenesCHEMISTRY - A EUROPEAN JOURNAL, Issue 17 2009Jarugu, Narasimha Moorthy Prof. Abstract A variety of differently substituted 6- and 7-arylchromenes such as that depicted undergo photoinduced CO bond cleavage to yield colored o -quinonoid intermediates. A combined analysis of ,s,ms (laser flash) and real-time kinetic data show that the o -quinonoid intermediates decay faster when the C2-aryl and C6-/C7-aryl rings contain electron-donating and electron-accepting groups, respectively. Similarly, the decay occurs slowly for the reversed scenario, while intermediate decay rates are observed when both substituents are electron donating. A ready synthetic accessibility of a series of 6- and 7-arylchromenes via Pd0 -catalyzed Suzuki coupling protocol has permitted a comprehensive investigation of the thermal decay behavior of a broad set of photogenerated o -quinonoid reactive intermediates. It is shown that substantial mesomeric effect between the benzopyran nucleus and the aryl ring at C6 or C7 position of the former renders significant absorption beyond 350,nm such that they are readily photoactivated to yield colored o -quinonoid intermediates. The absorption spectra of the latter are found to be strongly influenced by the substituents on C2-, C6- and C7-aryl rings; indeed the colored absorptions can be conveniently tuned by appropriate choice of substituents. The thermal decay (bleaching phenomenon), which is important from the point of view of their application in ophthalmic lenses, was investigated in each case by ,s,ms as well as real-time absorption spectroscopy. By careful experimentation, we have extracted the decay rate constants for Z,E and E,E o -quinonoid isomers of all 6- and 7-arylchromenes in an attempt to establish a correlation between the electronic attributes with their thermokinetic behavior. From a combined analysis of ,s,ms (laser flash) and real-time kinetic data, it is shown that the colored o -quinonoid intermediates decay faster when the C2-aryl and C6-/C7-aryl rings contain electron-donating and electron-accepting groups, respectively. In the same vein, the decay was found to occur slowly for the reversed scenario, while intermediate decay rates are observed when both substituents are electron-donating. Thus, any substituent on the C2-aryl ring that contributes mesomerically to the development of charge on the quinonoid oxygen, and any substituent on the C6-/C7-aryl ring that exerts ,I effect appear to expedite thermal decay. Furthermore, evidence is obtained for the first time from ,s time-resolved laser-flash spectroscopy for the formation and characterization of the trans,cis (E,Z) o -quinonoid isomer, which has heretofore eluded spectral characterization in the photochromic phenomena of pyrans. [source] Hot Flashes in Breast Cancer SurvivorsTHE BREAST JOURNAL, Issue 5 2003Daanish Hoda MD Abstract: Hot flashes can be a major problem for patients with a history of breast cancer. The precipitation of menopause in premenopausal women who undergo chemotherapy for breast cancer can lead to the rapid onset of hot flash symptoms that are more frequent and more severe than those associated with natural menopause. In addition, tamoxifen, historically the most commonly prescribed pharmacologic agent for the treatment of breast cancer, is associated with hot flashes in more than 50% of its users. Although estrogen relieves hot flashes in 80,90% of women who initiate treatment, its use in women with a history of breast cancer is controversial, and most physicians in the community will not use this treatment modality. In addition, the results of the long-awaited Women's Health Initiative study and other recent studies suggest that long-term estrogen therapy should not be recommended for most women for a variety of reasons. However, hot flashes in breast cancer survivors should no longer be considered untreatable, as there are many pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments that can help alleviate this problem. This article reviews the current strategies for the management of hot flashes in breast cancer survivors and the evidence supporting their use. [source] Growth and electrical properties of flash evaporated AgGaTe2 thin filmsCRYSTAL RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2006B. H. Patel Abstract Thin films have been prepared by flash evaporation technique of a stoichiometric bulk of AgGaTe2 compound in vacuum and analysed using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, selected area diffraction and energy dispersive analysis of X-rays. The effect of substrate temperature on the structural properties , grain size, film orientation, composition, and stoichiometry of the films have been studied. It was found that the polycrystalline, stoichiometric films of AgGaTe2 can be grown in the substrate temperature range of 473K < Ts < 573K. The influence of substrate temperature (Ts) on the electrical characteristics- Resistivity, Hall Mobility, Carrier concentration of AgGaTe2 thin films were studied. The electrical resistivity was found to decrease with increase in substrate temperature up to 573K and then increases. The variation of activation energy of AgGaTe2 thin films were also investigated. The implications are discussed. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Laminar xanthine oxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in the prodromal stage of black-walnut induced equine laminitisEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 1 2007J. P. LOFTUS Summary Reasons for study: Xanthine oxidase (XO)-dependent production of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide, a characteristic of ischaemia-reperfusion injury, may contribute to the development of equine laminitis. Objective: To determine the levels of XO and antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase [SOD]) in the digital laminae of normal horses (CON) and horses in the developmental stage of laminitis using the black walnut extract (BWE) model. Methods: Healthy horses (n = 12) were administered BWE (BWE group, n = 6), or water (CON group, n = 6) through a nasogastric tube. At the onset of leucopenia in the BWE-treated animals, all horses were anaesthetised, digital laminae and other samples collected rapidly and flash frozen, and the animals subjected to euthanasia. Extracts of the frozen tissues were assayed for the 2 conformational forms of xanthine: oxygen oxidoreductase (XOR), namely, xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) and xanthine oxidase (XO), as well as the antioxidant enzymes, SOD and catalase. Results: Extracts of liver, lungs and skin, but not digital laminae, from either CON or BWE-treated horses had endogenous SOD, whereas all had endogenous XO and catalase. The levels of XDH, XO and catalase were similar in extracts of laminae from CON and BWE-treated horses as was the ratio of XDH to XO in extracts. Conclusions and potential relevance: The absence of increased XO activity suggest against the involvement of this reactive oxygen intermediate-generating system in the development of laminar pathology in BWE-treated horses. Conversely, the absence of SOD from extracts of equine digital laminae, but not other tissues, suggests that the equine digital laminae are highly susceptible to damage by superoxide anion, produced, for example, by emigrant inflammatory leucocytes. [source] Age-related changes in the dynamics of human albino visual pathwaysEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 7 2003Magella M. Neveu Abstract A deficiency of melanin in the retinal pigment epithelium, which regulates the development of neural retina, leads to chiasmal misrouting such that the uncrossed pathway (to the ipsilateral hemisphere) is reduced relative to the crossed pathway (to the contralateral hemisphere). This study examines age-related changes in the flash and pattern appearance visual evoked potentials (VEP) of human albinos. Scalp recorded cortical VEPs to flash (FVEP) and pattern appearance stimulation were recorded in 58 albino (8 months to 60 years) and 34 normal subjects (4,55 years). VEPs were analysed by amplitude and latency. The contralateral hemisphere FVEP amplitude decreased with age in albino subjects, as in both hemispheres in normals. However, the ipsilateral hemisphere FVEP amplitude was significantly lower in young albino subjects, initially giving a marked interhemispheric asymmetry, but this normalized with age. Significant interhemispheric FVEP latency asymmetries were not observed. The contralateral pattern appearance VEP latency in albino subjects decreased with age, as in both hemispheres in normals; the ipsilateral latency increased significantly with age. Significant interhemispheric pattern appearance VEP amplitude asymmetries were not observed. These novel and unexpected observations indicate significant age-related changes in the retinocortical pathways of the human albino. These changes have implications for our understanding of development and plasticity of the central visual pathways. [source] Multi-Scale Analysis of IN-718 Microstructure Evolution During Linear Friction WeldingADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 6 2008C. Mary The present investigation focuses on Linear Friction Welding of a widely used Ni-based superalloy: IN-718. Blocks of commercial IN-718 alloy were linear friction welded under optimized processing conditions and the evolution of the weld joint microstructure was investigated using optical and scanning electron microscopy. In particular, visual examinations and macroscopic observations of microstructure evolution in the transverse cuts through the weld revealed a specific shape and a dual nature for the flash. [source] Higher spins and stringy AdS5 × S5,FORTSCHRITTE DER PHYSIK/PROGRESS OF PHYSICS, Issue 7-8 2005M. Bianchi Abstract In this lecture I review recent work done in collaboration with Beisert et al. [1-3] (For a concise summary see [4].). After a notational flash on the AdS/CFT correspondence, I will discuss higher spin (HS) symmetry enhancement at small radius and how this is holographically captured by free N = 4 SYM theory. I will then derive the spectrum of perturbative superstring excitations on AdS in this particular limit and successfully compare it with the spectrum of single-trace operators in free ,, = 4 SYM at large N, obtained by means of Polya(kov)'s counting. Decomposing the spectrum into HS multiplets allows one to precisely identify the 'massless' HS doubleton and the lower spin Goldstone multiplets which participate in the pantagruelic Higgs mechanism, termed "La Grande Bouffe". After recalling some basic features of Vasiliev's formulation of HS gauge theories, I will eventually sketch how to describe mass generation in the AdS bulk à la Sückelberg and its holographic implications such as the emergence of anomalous dimensions in the boundary ,, = 4 SYM theory. [source] Effectiveness of raloxifene on bone mineral density and serum lipid levels in post-menopausal women with low BMD after discontinuation of hormone replacement therapyJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 5 2006E. K. Song MS Summary Objective:, To evaluate the effect of raloxifene on bone mineral density (BMD) and serum lipid levels in post-menopausal women who had discontinued hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Methods:, Thirty-four post-menopausal women with low BMD who had taken 60 mg of raloxifene daily for 12 months after discontinuing HRT were evaluated retrospectively. Information about their demographics, fracture history, BMD, lipid profiles and adverse events were collected from medical records and intranet database. The outcome measures were changes in the spine (L2,L4) and femur BMD, serum lipid concentrations, fracture rate and tolerability. Results:, The post-menopausal women had a significant increase in their spine (L2,L4) and femur BMD from their baseline BMD [spine, 2·9 ± 4·6% (P < 0·001); femur, 3·0 ± 6·6% (P = 0·01)]. Serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was significantly reduced by 22·6% below baseline after 12 months (P = 0·007). No fractures were observed during therapy. Raloxifene was well tolerated. The most common adverse event was hot flash, which was generally mild. Conclusions:, Raloxifene increases BMD at important skeletal sites, and lowers LDL cholesterol with tolerable adverse events. [source] THE ROLE OF CALCIUM IN FLOW-STIMULATED BIOLUMINESCENCE OF THE RED TIDE DINOFLAGELLATE LINGULODINIUM POLYEDRUMJOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Issue 2000P. Von Dassow Many marine planktonic dinoflagellates emit flashes of light in response to either laminar or turbulent flows as well as direct mechanical stimulation. The production of a flash of light is known to be mediated by a proton-mediated action potential across the vacuolar membrane; the mechanotransduction process initiating this action potential is unknown. Here we report on an investigation into the role of Ca+2 in the mechanotransduction process regulating bioluminescence in the red tide dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedrum. Calcium ionophores and low concentrations of the membrane-disrupting agent digitonin stimulated bioluminescence only when calcium was present in the media or added with the agent, indicating that the flash-triggering vacuolar action potential is specifically stimulated by a calcium influx. A variety of known calcium channel blockers or antagonists inhibited mechanically stimulated bioluminescence but did not affect cellular bioluminescent capacity. In many cases the inhibitory affect occurred after only a brief exposure. In addition, gadolinium (Gd+3), a blocker of many stretch-activated ion channels, caused potent inhibition of mechanically stimulated bioluminescence. The order of potency of the transition metals tested was La+3 > Gd+3 > Co+2 > Mn+2 > Ni+2, similar to their potency as blockers of known calcium channels. Experiments with a quantified shear flow demonstrated that flow-stimulated bioluminescence depended on the level of extracellular calcium. Future work will elucidate the signaling pathway involving calcium-mediated flow-stimulated mechanotransduction. Our goal is to use bioluminescence as a proxy for the initial cellular mechanotransduction events triggered by fluid flow. [source] The GRB early optical flashes from internal shocks: application to GRB 990123, GRB 041219a and GRB 060111bMONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 2 2007D. M. Wei ABSTRACT With the successful launch of the Swift Gamma-ray Burst Explorer, it is widely expected that the prompt optical flashes like GRB 990123 would be easily detected. However, the observations show that for a number of Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) no early optical flash has been detected, which indicates that the reverse shock emission must be suppressed. Here we explore the possibility that the optical flash may arise from the internal shock emission. For GRB 990123 and GRB 060111b, although their optical emission are not correlated with the gamma-ray emission, we propose here that their optical and gamma-ray emission may arise from different internal shocks (which can be formed by collision of different shells), and find that, under certain circumstances, the optical flashes of GRB 990123 and GRB 060111b can well be explained by the internal shock model. For GRB 041219a, the prompt optical emission was correlated with the gamma-ray emission, which can also be explained by the internal shock model if we assume the optical emission was the low-energy extension of the gamma-ray emission, and we find its redshift is about z, 0.2. As for GRB 050904, we have shown in previous paper that the optical flash was produced by synchrotron radiation and the X-ray flare was produced by the synchrotron,self-Compton (SSC) mechanism. Therefore we conclude that the early optical flashes of GRBs can usually arise from the internal shock emission. Meanwhile in our model since the shells producing the optical flashes would be easily disrupted by other shells, so we suggest that the bright optical flash should not be common in GRBs. In addition, we also discussed the SSC emission in the internal shock model, and find that for different values of parameters, there would be several kinds of high-energy emission (at ,100 keV, ,10 MeV or GeV) accompanying the optical flash. For a burst like GRB 990123, a GeV flare with fluence about 10,8 erg cm,2 s,1 is expected, which might be detected by the GLAST satellite. [source] Evolution of 1612-MHz maser emission in expanding circumstellar shellsMONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 3 2005M. D. Gray ABSTRACT Observations show that 1612-MHz masers of OH/IR stars can fade on a time-scale of a decade. This fading is probably associated with the switch from rapid mass loss, which is ultimately linked with an internal He-shell flash, to the much slower mass loss supported by more quiescent conditions. We study the observed maser decay with a composite computational model, comprising a time-dependent chemical model of the envelope, and a radiation transfer model which provides the maser pumping. Our combined model is able to reproduce the rapid decay of maser intensity, following a sudden drop in the stellar mass-loss rate. The explanation for the rapid fall in maser emission is not a fall in the OH number density, or the kinetic temperature in the inverted layers, but the loss of a radiative pump route which carries population from levels 1 to 4 via levels 16, 15 and 11. The loss of these pump routes is a result, in turn, of a greatly reduced energy density of 53-,m radiation. [source] Quenching cluster cooling flows with recurrent hot plasma bubblesMONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 3 2004Claudio Dalla Vecchia ABSTRACT The observed cooling rate of hot gas in clusters is much lower than that inferred from the gas density profiles. This suggests that the gas is being heated by some source. We use an adaptive-mesh refinement code (flash) to simulate the effect of multiple, randomly positioned, injections of thermal energy within 50 kpc of the centre of an initially isothermal cluster with mass M200= 3 × 1014 M, and kT= 3.1 keV. We have performed eight simulations with spherical bubbles of energy generated every 108 yr, over a total of 1.5 Gyr. Each bubble is created by injecting thermal energy steadily for 107 yr; the total energy of each bubble lies in the range (0.1,3) ×1060 erg, depending on the simulation. We find that 2 × 1060 erg per bubble (corresponding to an average power of 6.3 × 1044 erg s,1) effectively balances energy loss in the cluster and prevents the accumulation of gas below kT= 1 keV from exceeding the observational limits. This injection rate is comparable to the radiated luminosity of the cluster, and the required energy and periodic time-scale of events are consistent with observations of bubbles produced by central active galactic nuclei in clusters. The effectiveness of this process depends primarily on the total amount of injected energy and the initial location of the bubbles, but is relatively insensitive to the exact duty cycle of events. [source] Pulfrich's phenonenon in a case of optic nerve hypoplasiaOPHTHALMIC AND PHYSIOLOGICAL OPTICS, Issue 1 2008Gordon Heron Introduction:, Optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH) is a congenital deficiency of retinal ganglion cells and their axons that form the optic nerve. This condition is associated with visual deficits ranging from no light perception in severe cases to vision within normal ranges in mild cases of ONH. In mild cases, deficits can be limited to sectoral anomalies in the visual field and normal vision with colour vision anomalies have been reported. We report here a case of mild ONH with visual symptoms relating to Pulfrich phenomenon (PP) occurring spontaneously. Methods:, A 12 year girl presented with typical visual symptoms (bumping into objects when walking, poor object location at tennis) associated with the spontaneous PP. A simple pendulum revealed a perceived anticlockwise ellipse indicative of a left eye defect. This was neutralised by an 85% transmission filter placed before the right eye. The inter-ocular latency difference was calculated to be 0.88 (S.D., 0.55) ms. Results:, Fundus biometry showed an asymmetry in optic nerve size, the left being smaller than the right. Visual fields, anomaloscope and other colour vision tests, and both flash and pattern-reversal stimuli Visually Evoked Potentials showed no difference in visual function between the right and left eyes. Conclusions:, A case of very mild ONH gives inter-ocular normal vision and visual function and yet a subtle inter-ocular delay occurs resulting in visual symptoms associated with PP. These were completely removed with tinted spectacles. [source] Photoactive Protochlorophyllide Regeneration in Cotyledons and Leaves from Higher Plants,,PHOTOCHEMISTRY & PHOTOBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2000Benoît Schoefs ABSTRACT Chlorophyll accumulation during greening implies the continuous transformation of photoactive protochlorophyllide (Pchlide) to chlorophyllide. Since this reaction is a light-dependent step, the study of regeneration of photoactive Pchlide under a continuous illumination is difficult. Therefore this process is best studied on etiolated plants during a period of darkness following the initial photoreduction of photoactive Pchlide. In this study, the regeneration process has been studied using spinach cotyledons, as well as barley and bean leaves, illuminated by a single saturating flash. The regeneration was characterized using 77 K fluorescence emission and excitation spectra and high-performance liquid chromatography. The fluorescence data indicated that the same spectral forms of photoactive Pchlide are regenerated by different pathways: (1) photoactive Pchlide regeneration starts immediately after the photoreduction through the formation of a nonphotoactive Pchlide form, emitting fluorescence at approximately 651 nm. This form is similar to the large aggregate of photoactive Pchlide present before the illumination, but it contains oxidized form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, instead of the reduced form (NADPH), in the ternary complexes; and (2) after the dislocation of the large aggregates of chlorophyllide,light-dependent NADPH:Pchlide a photooxidoreductase,NADPH ternary complexes, the regeneration occurs at the expense of the several nonphotoactive Pchlide spectral forms present before the illumination. [source] A Photophysical and Photochemical Study of 6-Methoxy-2-naphthylacetic Acid, the Major Metabolite of the Phototoxic Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drug NabumetonePHOTOCHEMISTRY & PHOTOBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2000F. Boscá ABSTRACT Nabumetone is a phototoxic nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug used for the treatment of osteoarthritis. However, nabumetone is considered a prodrug with its metabolite 6-methoxy-2-naphthylacetic acid the active form. Photophysical and photochemical studies on this metabolite have been undertaken. It undergoes photodecarboxylation in aerated aqueous and organic solvents. In addition to the accepted photodegradation pathway for related molecules, a new mechanism that implies generation of the naphthalene radical cation from the excited singlet and addition of O2 prior to the decarboxylation process has been demonstrated. Evidence for the involvement of the excited singlet state in this mechanism have been obtained by steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence experiments. The fluorescence quenching by O2 and the shorter singlet lifetime in aerated solvents support this assignment. Laser flash photolysis also supports this mechanism by showing the noninvolvement of the triplet in the formation of the naphthalene radical cation. Finally, the well-known electron acceptor CCl4 acts as an efficient singlet quencher, enhancing the route leading to the radical cation, preventing intersystem crossing to the triplet and thus resulting in a dramatic increase in the yield of 6-methoxy-2-naphthaldehyde, the major oxidative decarboxylation product; this constitutes unambiguous proof in favor of the new mechanistic proposals. [source] Zero flash ultrasonic micro embossing on foamed polymer substrates: A proof of conceptPOLYMER ENGINEERING & SCIENCE, Issue 11 2009Srikanth G. Vengasandra This article reviews a novel method to produce microembossed features with an aspect ratio of three and negligible flash on polymer surfaces. An embossing technique that utilizes localized heating (ultrasonic energy) was used with polystyrene and polypropylene substrates. It was demonstrated that when foamed substrates were used, the amount of flash produced was negligible compared to nonfoamed substrates, which has been a significant unresolved problem with embossing using localized heating. The depth of microembossed features as a function of heating times and amplitudes of ultrasonic embossing is detailed in this article, along with a characterization of complex embossed geometries. It was seen that embossing depth was generally proportional to heating time and amplitude until the maximum feature depth was achieved. Although this article deals with embossing of microfeatures for lab-on-a-CD applications, it is envisioned that it is also suitable for lab-on-a-chip applications. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||