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Terms modified by Made Selected AbstractsStroke volume decreases during mild dynamic and static exercise in supine humansACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 2 2009M. Elstad Abstract Aim:, The contributions of cardiac output (CO) and total peripheral resistance to changes in arterial blood pressure are debated and differ between dynamic and static exercise. We studied the role stroke volume (SV) has in mild supine exercise. Methods:, We investigated 10 healthy, supine volunteers by continuous measurement of heart rate (HR), mean arterial blood pressure, SV (ultrasound Doppler) and femoral beat volume (ultrasound Doppler) during both dynamic mild leg exercise and static forearm exercise. This made it possible to study CO, femoral flow (FF) and both total and femoral peripheral resistance beat-by-beat. Results:, During a countdown period immediately prior to exercise, HR and mean arterial pressure increased, while SV decreased. During mild supine exercise, SV decreased by 5,8%, and most of this was explained by increased mean arterial pressure. Dynamic leg exercise doubled femoral beat volume, while static hand grip decreased femoral beat volume by 18%. FF is tightly regulated according to metabolic demand during both dynamic leg exercise and static forearm exercise. Conclusion:, Our three major findings are, firstly, that SV decreases during both dynamic and static mild supine exercise due to an increase in mean arterial pressure. Secondly, femoral beat volume decreases during static hand grip, but FF is unchanged due to the increase in HR. Finally, anticipatory responses to exercise are apparent prior to both dynamic and static exercise. SV changes contribute to CO changes and should be included in studies of central haemodynamics during exercise. [source] The subepithelial gland in ants: a novel exocrine gland closely associated with the cuticle surfaceACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 4 2003Bruno Gobin Abstract Two glandular systems were discovered that secrete their products onto the cuticular surface in ants. The first, the subepithelial gland, was previously undescribed in ants, and is found throughout the body just beneath the epithelium. This gland consists of independent secretory units, each made up of a single gland cell and an associated duct cell that penetrates the cuticle. Its ultrastructural appearance is consistent with possible hydrocarbon production. Examining 84 ant species, the subepithelial gland was found in eight subfamilies (out of 13), although not necessarily in all species. In a single ant species, Harpegnathos saltator, it was the epithelium itself that was enlarged and functioned as a gland. The enlarged epithelial cells secrete their products directly onto the cuticle through distinct cuticular crevasses. [source] Value of Transesophageal 3D Echocardiography as an Adjunct to Conventional 2D Imaging in Preoperative Evaluation of Cardiac MassesECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Issue 6 2008Silvana Müller M.D. Background: This study sought to compare three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) to assess intracardiac masses. It was hypothesized that 3D TEE would reveal incremental information for surgical and nonsurgical management. Methods: In 41 patients presenting with intracardiac masses (17 thrombi, 15 myxomas, 2 lymphomas, 2 caseous calcifications of the mitral valve and one each of hypernephroma, hepatocellular carcinoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, lipoma, and fibroelastoma), 2D and 3D TEE were performed, aiming to assess the surface characteristics of the lesions, their relationship to surrounding structures, and attachments. Diagnoses were made by histopathology (n = 28), by computed tomography (n = 8), or by magnetic resonance imaging (n = 5). Benefit was categorized as follows: (A) New information obtained through 3D TEE; (B) helpful unique views but no additional findings compared to 2D TEE; (C) results equivalent to 2D TEE; (D) 3D TEE missed 2D findings. Results: In 15 subjects (37%), 3D TEE revealed one or more items of additional information (category A) regarding type and site of attachment (n = 9, 22%), surface features (n = 6, 15%), and spatial relationship to surrounding structures (n = 8, 20%). In at least 18% of all intracardiac masses, 3D TEE can be expected to deliver supplementary information. In six patients, additional findings led to decisions deviating from those made on the basis of 2D TEE. In 11 subjects (27%), 3D echocardiographic findings were categorized as "B." Conclusions: Information revealed by 3D imaging facilitates therapeutic decision making and especially the choice of an optimal surgical access prior to removal of intracardiac masses. [source] CEC column behaviour of butyl and lauryl methacrylate monoliths prepared in non-aqueous mediaELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 4 2009Amparo Cantó-Mirapeix Abstract Polymeric monolithic stationary phases for capillary electrochromatography were prepared using two bulk monomers, butyl methacrylate (BMA) and lauryl methacrylate (LMA), by in situ polymerization in non-aqueous media. The effect of 1,4-butanediol/1-propanol ratio on porous properties was investigated separately for each monomer, keeping the proportion of monomers to pore-forming solvents fixed at 40:60,wt:wt. Also, mixtures of BMA and LMA at different 1,4-butanediol/1-propanol ratios were studied for tailoring the morphological features of the monolithic columns. The chromatographic performance of the different columns was evaluated by means of van Deemter plots of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Mercury-intrusion porosimetry, SEM, and nitrogen-adsorption measurements were also performed in order to understand their retention behaviour and porous properties. A comparison of these features was also performed for monoliths made with one bulk monomer (BMA or LMA) and with mixtures of both. These mixed monoliths showed satisfactory efficiencies and analysis times compared with those made with one bulk monomer; thus, the BMA,LMA monoliths constitute an attractive alternative to manipulate the electrochromatographic properties of methacrylate beds in CEC. [source] Toxicokinetics of sediment-associated polybrominated diphenylethers (flame retardants) in benthic invertebrates (Lumbriculus variegatus, oligochaeta)ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2004Matti T. Leppänen Abstract Polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants showing rapid temporal increase in some sample types. The compounds are known to biomagnify in aquatic food webs and are assumed to archive into sediments and soils. Currently, no direct evidence indicates whether sediment-associated PBDEs are available for biota. The aim of the present study was to explore the uptake and elimination of two common congeners (47 and 99) in sediment-inhabiting invertebrates to shed light on possible bioavailability of sediment-associated PBDEs. Two clean lake sediments were spiked with environmentally relevant concentrations of 14C-labeled tetra- and pentabromo diphenylether, and oligochaetes (Lumbriculus variegatus) were exposed for three or four weeks to allow kinetic accumulation calculations. Subsequent depuration tests were performed after three weeks of exposure to obtain depuration rates. Both congeners were clearly bioavailable, and only slight differences in steady-state tissue concentrations were found between the four sediment-ingesting oligochaete treatments (biota sediment accumulation factors [BSAFs], 3.0,3.7). The tetrabromo diphenylether-exposed oligochaetes that did not ingest sediment had clearly lower influx rates (0.1 vs 1,3 nmol h -1) than sediment-ingesting worms. Also, the estimated BSAF (1.8) was statistically different from that of the sediment-ingesting oligochaetes. These findings support the significance of feeding behavior in bioaccumulation of very hydrophobic organic contaminants. Depuration of both congeners was biphasic, indicating two kinetically different compartments in L. variegatus. Compartment A made up 73 to 92% of total radioactivity in tissues and had relatively fast depuration rates (half-lives, 10.5,47.5 h); the smaller compartment B had very slow depuration rates. No significant biotransformation of PBDEs was evident. The present study clearly demonstrates that the sediment-associated PBDEs, like other hydrophobic organic contaminants of environmental concern, are not totally sequestered from sediment-inhabiting oligochaetes and are subject to trophic transfer. [source] Preference judgements involve a network of structures within frontal, cingulate and insula corticesEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 5 2009Amir M. Chaudhry Abstract Environmental stimuli constantly compete for human attention and in many cases decisions are made based on the affective meaning they convey. Although the network of structures involved in processing affective value has been well described, the specific contribution of these structures to the process by which affective value guides decision making is less well understood and is the focus of the present study. Thus, subjects read descriptions of individually tailored holidays, varying in incentive value and then made preference judgements, cognitive judgements or no decision. Choices made from an affective perspective, compared with those made from a cognitive perspective, activated a region of the anterior insula/operculum and also the anterior cingulate cortex. Furthermore, activity in perigenual, anterior cingulate cortex was correlated with subjective ratings of incentive value. In contrast, medial orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and a region of posterior ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC), bordering on the insula, were found to be more active when affective stimuli guided response selection than when no selection was made. However, only the activity in the ventrolateral PFC was specific to response selection based on affective compared with cognitive judgements. It is proposed that the necessary introspection required to make subjective preference judgements is provided by the insula and cingulate cortices, while the medial OFC and posterior ventrolateral PFC/insula cortices contribute to stimulus evaluation and motivational aspects of response selection, respectively. [source] Initiating coverage, broker reputation and management earnings forecasts in AustraliaACCOUNTING & FINANCE, Issue 3 2007Rob Brown G14 Abstract We examine more than 5000 recommendations made by Australian brokers in the period 1996,2001. We find evidence that initiating recommendations produce greater share price responses than continuing recommendations, particularly for hold, underperform and sell recommendations. We also find evidence that initiating recommendations made by higher-reputation brokers and those made in the absence of a management earnings forecast attract different share price responses. Finally, we find that share price responses to initiating recommendations, conditional on the market consensus recommendation, are significantly different to continuing recommendations. [source] Improvement of the basic correlating equations and transition criteria of natural convection heat transferHEAT TRANSFER - ASIAN RESEARCH (FORMERLY HEAT TRANSFER-JAPANESE RESEARCH), Issue 4 2001Shi-Ming Yang Abstract In this paper, improvements in the basic physical laws of natural convection heat transfer were implemented in two major respects by incorporating recent research findings in this field. A preferred transition criterion was adopted in this paper to correlate all of the experimental data. Since transition correlations are primarily flow stability problems, the Grashof number, instead of the Rayleigh number, was found to be the preferred criterion. Furthermore, in the case of natural convection heat transfer from a horizontal cylinder, a series of experimental data in the high-Rayleigh-number regions recently became available. These data made it possible to establish new reliable correlations and also to test the validity of previous correlations. It is concluded that the previous correlation for a horizontal cylinder in high-Rayleigh-number regions was based on unreliable experimental results. The transition correlation for a horizontal cylinder occurred at much higher values of Rayleigh number than the previous recommendation. In the case of natural convection heat transfer from a vertical plate, more accurate property values for air under pressurized conditions are now available. This made it possible to replot the reliable data of Saunders. From this result and the experimental result of Warner and Arpaci, a new set of basic correlations in natural convection heat transfer for laminar, transitional, and turbulent regimes are recommended. These recommendations reflect a better understanding of the basic physical laws in the field of heat convection. © 2001 Scripta Technica, Heat Trans Asian Res, 30(4): 293,300, 2001 [source] FELLOW CITIZENS AND IMPERIAL SUBJECTS: CONQUEST AND SOVEREIGNTY IN EUROPE'S OVERSEAS EMPIRESHISTORY AND THEORY, Issue 4 2005ANTHONY PAGDEN ABSTRACT This article traces the association between the European overseas empires and the concept of sovereignty, arguing that, ever since the days of Cicero,if not earlier,Europeans had clung to the idea that there was a close association between a people and the territory it happened to occupy. This made it necessary to think of an "empire" as a unity,an "immense body," to use Tacitus's phrase,that would embrace all its subjects under a single sovereign. By the end of the eighteenth century it had become possible, in this way, to speak of "empires of liberty" that would operate for the ultimate benefit of all their "citizens," freeing them from previous tyrannical rulers and bringing them under the protection of more benign regimes. In such empires sovereignty could only ever be, as it had become in Europe, undivided. The collapse of Europe's "first" empires in the Americas, however, was followed rapidly by Napoleon's attempt to create a new kind of Empire in Europe. The ultimate, and costly, failure of this project led many, Benjamin Constant among them, to believe that the age of empires was now over and had been replaced by the age of commerce. But what in fact succeeded Napoleon was the modern European state system, which attempted not to replace empire by trade, as Constant had hoped, but to create a new kind of empire, one that sought to minimize domination and settlement, and to make a sharp distinction between imperial ruler and imperial subject. In this kind of empire, sovereignty could only be "divided." Various kinds of divided rule were thus devised in the nineteenth century. Far, however, from being an improvement on the past, this ultimately resulted in,or at least contributed greatly to,the emergence of the largely fictional and inevitably unstable societies that after the final collapse of the European empires became the new states of the "developing world." [source] Accuracy of the Justy II Apex locator in determining working length in simulated horizontal and vertical fracturesINTERNATIONAL ENDODONTIC JOURNAL, Issue 3 2004M. Azabal Abstract Aim, To study the effectiveness of an electronic apex locator (EAL; Justy II; Yoshida Dentcraft, Tokyo, Japan) in locating simulated horizontal and vertical fractures in single roots. Methodology, An EAL was used to measure the distance within the canal of horizontal (n = 31) and vertical (n = 31) fractures, created with a disk in single-rooted teeth. Accuracy of the EAL was evaluated by comparing the measurements with those made using a size 10 file. Data were analysed with the non-parametric Passing and Bablok method. Results, For simulated horizontal fractures, the EAL measured exactly the same length as a size 10 file, without constant or proportional errors. In vertical simulated fractures, the EAL measured (on average) with a constant error of 7.5 mm shorter than the size 10 file; the difference had a wide confidence interval (,72.3 to 2.6 mm). Conclusions, In this laboratory study, the Justy II EAL was able to determine accurately the position of simulated horizontal fractures, but was unreliable when measuring simulated vertical fractures. [source] The Will to Modernize: A Genealogy of Biomedical Research Ethics in Singapore,INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL SOCIOLOGY, Issue 2 2010David Reubi This article is a contribution to the sociological and anthropological literature on the recent globalization of Western biomedical research ethics and bioethics. Focusing on Singapore, the article identifies and traces the genealogy of the concepts, expertise, and techniques that made it possible to introduce and develop a bioethical assemblage in the Southeast Asian city-state at the turn of the twenty-first century. It argues that what made such a development possible was a particular style of reasoning, the "will to modernize," which has characterized the thinking and acting of the Singaporean leadership ever since the country's independence. After describing the elements that make up the will to modernize, most notably the concept of modernization-as-economic-development and the notion of infrastructure, the article shows how these elements have allowed for Singapore's efforts to transform the island into a global hub for the life sciences from the mid-1980s onward. The article also shows how the development of a bioethical assemblage in the Republic was made possible by the fact that, for the governing elite, such an assemblage was conceived as a "(soft) infrastructure" that was necessary to transform Singapore into a global hub for biomedical research. [source] The preparation and characterization of fiber reinforced alginate hydrogelJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 5 2008Yimin Qin Abstract To prepare fiber reinforced alginate hydrogels, calcium alginate fibers were mixed with aqueous sodium alginate solutions. Tests were carried out to assess the amount of calcium ions released from two types of alginate fibers, i.e., those made from alginate rich in guluronic acid (high G) and in mannuronic acid (high M), respectively. Experimental results showed that more calcium ions were released from the high M fibers and the hydrogel made from the high M fibers had a higher viscosity than that made from high G fibers. The water absorption and donating properties of these hydrogels were assessed by placing them in contact with gelatine gels. The results showed that alginate hydrogels with a high alginate content are capable of absorbing water from gelatine gels, while those with a high water content are able to donate water. When silver containing particles were mixed into the alginate solution, it was also possible to prepare fiber reinforced alginate hydrogel with antimicrobial properties. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008 [source] NFAT expression in human osteoclastsJOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2005Christopher J. Day Abstract Nuclear factor of activated T-cells cytoplasmic (NFATc) is a family of transcription factors originally identified in T-cells. The gene family is currently known to have four members (NFATc1 through NFATc4) which have roles both within and outside the immune system. We show that NFATc1 is the major induced NFAT in human osteoclasts, with expression greatly exceeding that of NFATc2 through NFATc4. In macrophage-like cells in culture, NFATc1 through NFATc4 are expressed at similar low levels. NFATc1 is comprised of five mRNA transcript variants known to encode three different protein isoforms. The mRNA encoding isoform C (mRNA variant 3) was the most expressed with 38 copies per nanogram followed by isoform B (mRNA variant 5) with 17 copies per nanogram of total RNA. Isoform A (mRNA variant 1) and mRNA variants 2 and 4 made up less than 1% of the total NFATc1 expressed. NFATc1 is activated by calcineurin after calcium-calmodulin signalling. The induction of NFATc1 in osteoclasts was not altered in the presence of cyclosporin A, an inhibitor of calcineurin, suggesting that NFATc1 does not participate in autoregulatory activation of its own promoter. The NFATc1 variants expressed by human osteoclasts are not those normally expressed by effector T-cells but are similar to those seen in naïve T-cells. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Use of a curved-array transducer to reduce interobserver variation in sonographic measurement of thyroid volume in healthy adultsJOURNAL OF CLINICAL ULTRASOUND, Issue 4 2003Els Y. Peeters MD Abstract Purpose Sonographic calculation of thyroid volume is used in the diagnosis and follow-up of thyroid diseases. Since the calculated volume of thyroid lobes is highly influenced by the longest (ie, craniocaudal) diameter, we examined whether using a curved-array transducer as opposed to a linear-array transducer to measure the craniocaudal diameter would reduce interobserver variation. Methods Three sonographers with different levels of expertise each used a 5,12-MHz linear-array transducer and a 2,5-MHz curved-array transducer to measure the craniocaudal diameter of both thyroid lobes of 25 healthy volunteers. On the basis of these measurements, thyroid lobe volumes were calculated. Single-factor analysis of variance was used to evaluate the interobserver variations between the measurements made by all 3 observers as well as between measurements taken by pairs of observers. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results Using the linear-array transducer to measure the craniocaudal diameter resulted in significant interobserver variation in thyroid volume calculation (p = 0.02), whereas using the convex-array transducer did not. Using either transducer resulted in a highly significant interobserver variation in measurements of the craniocaudal diameter, although the variation was far more pronounced for measurements made with the linear-array transducer (p = 0.0005) than for those made with the curved-array transducer (p = 0.04). For both transducers, the interobserver variations were most pronounced between the most and the least experienced sonographers. Conclusions To avoid significant interobserver variation in calculating thyroid lobe volume, we recommend using a curved-array transducer to measure the craniocaudal diameter of the thyroid lobes. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 31:189,193, 2003 [source] CHEMICAL PROPERTIES of PROCESSED RAS CHEESE SPREADS AS AFFECTED BY EMULSIFYING SALT MIXTURES,JOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESSING AND PRESERVATION, Issue 3 2000LAILA B. ABDEL-HAMID Processed cheese spreads were produced using Ras cheese and various emulsifying salt mixtures. Acidified Ras cheese (2 month old) was used as the cheese base with salt mixtures (1) Na-pyrophosphate + Na-polyphosphate, (2) Na-pyrophosphate + Na-polyphosphate + Na-tripolyphosphate, and (3) Na-pyrophosphate + Na-polyphosphate + Na-orthophosphate + Na-tripolyphosphate. For comparison, cheese spreads were also made with commercial emulsifying salts JOHA S10, S9 special, and NO. Total and soluble nitrogen (SN), peptization, ash, mineral, pH value, and potentiometric acid-base titration for the processed cheese were studied. Ash, sodium and potassium contents showed a significant difference among the treatments. the pH values tended to decrease with increasing polyphosphate ratio in the salt mixture and with prolonging the storage period. the SN increased with increasing the pyrophosphate percent in the salt mixture and with higher pH value. the buffering capacity of cheese made of salt mixtures difsered from those made of the commercial mixtures, and it was correlated to the individual salts used in the mixture. The mixtures of (1) 70+30%, (2) 60+30+10% and (3) 50+20+20+10% can be recommended for producing the spreadable processed Ras cheese with acceptable chemical properties. [source] EFFECT OF BREADING PARTICLE SIZE ON COATING ADHESION IN BREADED, FRIED CHICKEN BREASTSJOURNAL OF FOOD QUALITY, Issue 2 2004MOHAMAD YUSOF MASKAT ABSTRACT The effect of particle size on coating adhesion was measured for battered chicken breasts. Bread crumbs were separated into small (, 250 ,m), medium (250 ,m-850 ,m), and large (> 850 ,m) particles. Chicken breasts were battered, breaded, and deep-fat fried for 240 s at 160C. Fried products were analyzed for coating adhesion, moisture content, and yield parameters. Coating adhesion was highest in coatings formed from small particle size breading, and lowest in those made from large particle size breading. Chicken breasts coated using small particle size breading had higher moisture in the surface region of the meat as well as in the coating. SEM of the coatings showed greater merging between the breading and the batter with decreasing breading particle size. No significant differences were observed in coating pickup, cooking loss, or yield between samples coated with different particle size breading. [source] Role of Reduced Ionic Strength and Low pH in Gelation of Chicken Breast Muscle ProteinJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 1 2005S. Ke And ABSTRACT: Elastic gels with a high moisture content of 88% were prepared at an acidic pH and low ionic strength. The relationship among pH, ionic strength, water-holding capacity, and fold score of gels was investigated. A decrease of pH from 4.1 to 3.7 or below increased gel elasticity and significantly decreased water loss under pressure (P < 0.05). In the presence of sodium chloride, gels made at pH 3.5 to 3.7 had decreased elasticity and increased water loss under pressure. Prior freezing increased the water loss of gels under pressure. Gels made with phosphoric acid and hydrochloric acid lost less water under pressure than those made with citric acid. The percentage loss of water from cylindrical gels was inversely related to the height of the cylinders, suggesting that surface effects were involved. These results suggest that net positive charges on the protein molecules at low pH produced electrostatic repulsion, which was a major driving force for water uptake in the low-salt gels. [source] Casein Hydrolysate Fractions Act as Emulsifiers in Process CheeseJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 2 2002H.S. Kwak ABSTRACT: Degrees of hydrolysis and emulsifying activity of casein hydrolysates were the highest at 4 h hydrolysis. The oil-off values of the mixture of hydrolysate (H) or supernatant (S) and traditional emulsifier (T) were not significantly different from the control made with traditional emulsifier, except for S + T = 3:1. Two other samples made with hydrolysate or supernatant only (H or S) showed higher oil-off value than the others (p < 0.05). In flavor property, no difference was found between samples made with traditional emulsifier and those made with the mixture of hydrolysate or supernatant at the ratio of 3 to 1. Therefore, these results indicated that a mixture of the hydrolysate or supernatant and traditional emulsifier might replace a traditional emulsifier in process cheese manufacturing. [source] Detection of Visible and Latent Fingerprints Using Micro-X-ray Fluorescence Elemental Imaging,JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, Issue 1 2006Christopher G. Worley Ph.D. ABSTRACT: Using micro-X-ray fluorescence (MXRF), a novel means of detecting fingerprints was examined in which the prints were imaged based on their elemental composition. MXRF is a nondestructive technique. Although this method requires a priori knowledge about the approximate location of a print, it offers a new and complementary means for detecting fingerprints that are also left pristine for further analysis (including potential DNA extraction) or archiving purposes. Sebaceous fingerprints and those made after perspiring were detected based on elements such as potassium and chlorine present in the print residue. Unique prints were also detected including those containing lotion, saliva, banana, or sunscreen. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates the potential for visualizing fingerprints by MXRF on surfaces that can be problematic using current methods. [source] Improving ultrasound reflectivity and stability of echogenic liposomal dispersions for use as targeted ultrasound contrast agentsJOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, Issue 12 2001Shao-Ling Huang Abstract Targeted echogenic liposome dispersions for ultrasonic enhancement of vasoactive and pathological components of endothelium and atherosclerosis have recently been developed. The component lipids required for acoustic and targeting properties include phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine phosphatidylglycerol (PG), and cholesterol (CH), initially in a 60:8:2:30 mol % ratio. Component lipids, lyophilization, sugars, and freezing conditions were varied to optimize acoustic ultrasound reflectivity and acoustic stability. Echogenic liposome dispersions were made by using the dehydration,rehydration process. The lipid concentrations were varied (CH in the range 1 to 40 mol % and PG from 1 to 16 mol %). Variations in type and concentration of sugars were examined. The effect of freezing conditions and re-lyophilization was examined. Ultrasound reflectivity was assessed by using a 20-MHz intravascular ultrasound catheter and computer-assisted videodensitometry. Ultrasound reflectivity was optimized at a CH concentration of 10 mol %; PG concentration variation had essentially no effect on initial values of echogenicity. Optimal acoustic stability was observed with concentrations of 10,15 mol % CH and with a PG concentration greater than 4 mol %. Preparations made with 0.2 M mannitol were more ultrasound reflective than those made with lactose, trehalose, and sucrose. Re-lyophilization and freezing temperatures below ,20°C increased ultrasound reflectivity. We optimized the ultrasound properties of echogenic liposomal dispersions, the conditions of which provide some insight into the underlying lipid structures responsible. The preparations developed are now more stable and acoustically reflective than our previous preparations. This advances the development of echogenic lipid dispersions as targeted ultrasound contrast agents for use in general ultrasound as well as cardiovascular imaging. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmaceutical Association J Pharm Sci 90:1917,1926, 2001 [source] Patterns of Multiple Virus Infections in the Conifer Pathogenic Fungi, Diplodia pinea and Diplodia scrobiculataJOURNAL OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 11-12 2008Juanita De Wet Abstract Diplodia pinea and Diplodia scrobiculata are opportunistic pathogens associated with various disease symptoms on conifers that most importantly include die-back and stem cankers. Two viruses with dsRNA genomes, Sphaeropsis sapinea RNA virus 1 and 2 (SsRV1 and SsRV2) are found in D. pinea and an undescribed dsRNA element is known to occur in D. scrobiculata. We have partially characterized the putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of the undescribed dsRNA element and designed virus-specific primers from the RdRp regions of all three virus genomes. This made it possible to screen for the presence of the three viruses in a collection of D. pinea and D. scrobiculata isolates using real-time PCR. Triple infections with all three viruses occurred in D. pinea and D. scrobiculata. Co-infections with SsRV1 and SsRV2 were common but found only in D. pinea. Co-infection with SsRV1 and the undescribed dsRNA element was rare and observed only in D. pinea. Single infections with either SsRV1 or SsRV2 were equally common, while the undescribed dsRNA element never occurred alone. SsRV1 occurred alone in both D. pinea and D. scrobiculata while SsRV2 occurred alone only in D. pinea. There were only two instances where the undescribed dsRNA element was observed in D. pinea and it was otherwise found only in D. scrobiculata. This study highlights the complex interactions between the viruses found in the closely related plant pathogenic fungi, D. pinea and D. scrobiculata. It illustrates the importance of not only characterizing viruses infecting fungi but also of determining the interactions between mycoviruses and their fungal hosts. [source] Chronic Ethanol Feeding Alters Hepatocyte Memory Which is not Altered by Acute FeedingALCOHOLISM, Issue 4 2009F. Bardag-Gorce Background:, Gene expression changes in the liver after acute binge drinking may differ from the changes seen in chronic ethanol feeding in the rat. The changes in gene expression after chronic ethanol feeding may sensitize the liver to alcohol-induced liver damage, which is not seen after acute binge drinking. Methods:, To test this hypothesis, gene microarray analysis was performed on the livers of rats (n = 3) fed an acute binge dose of ethanol (6 g/kg body wt) and killed at 3 and 12 hours after ethanol by gavage. The gene microarrays were compared with those made on the liver of rats from a previous study, in which the rats were fed ethanol by intragastric tube for 1 month (36% of calories derived from ethanol). Results:, Microarray analysis data varied between the acute and chronic models in several important respects. Growth factors increased mainly in the chronic alcohol fed rat. Changes in enzymes involved in oxidative stress were noted only with chronic ethanol feeding. Gene expression of fat metabolism was increased only with chronic ethanol feeding. Most importantly, epigenetic related enzymes and acetylation and methylation of histones changed only after chronic ethanol feeding. Conclusions:, The results support the concept that chronic ethanol ingestion induces altered gene expression as a result of changes in epigenetic mechanisms, where acetylation and methylation of histones were altered. [source] DETECTION OF LOCAL INTERACTIONS FROM THE SPATIAL PATTERN OF NAMES IN FRANCE,JOURNAL OF REGIONAL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2008Keith Head ABSTRACT Using data on the geographic distribution of names in France, we investigate the social transmission of parental preferences. Drawing on recent work on nonmarket interactions, we develop a linear discrete choice model that relates choices made in one location to those made in nearby areas. We explain the shares of parents that give their children Saint, Arabic, and American-type names. We also examine the effect of distance between locations on differences in naming patterns. We find that the importance of geographic distance is declining over time while differences in class and national origins have increasing explanatory power. [source] The next economy: from dead carbon to living carbonJOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 12 2006David Morris Abstract In the early part of the 19th century, the global economy was largely based on carbon extracted directly or indirectly (via animals) from plants. The infant science of chemistry distinguished between products made from vegetables and those made from minerals, in effect, distinguishing between living carbon and dead carbon. By the mid 19th century, however, chemists had adopted a different terminology. Both dead carbon and living carbon, from that time, were lumped together as organic. During the next century the hydrocarbon displaced the carbohydrate as the fundamental building block of industrial societies. But at the dawn of the 21st century, a combination of technological, resource and political developments encouraged a renewed distinction between living and dead carbon and the emergence of a new carbohydrate economy. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Cavity preparation using a superpulsed 9.6-,m CO2 laser,a histological investigationLASERS IN SURGERY AND MEDICINE, Issue 5 2002R. Müllejans Abstract Background and Objectives The superpulsed 9.6-,m CO2 laser is an effective laser for ablating dental tissues and decay. This histological study compares laser class V preparations with conventional treatment to evaluate the resulting formation at the cavity walls. Study Design/Materials and Methods Four class V preparations (one made with a diamond drill and three with the CO2 laser (9.6 ,m, 60 microseconds pulse width, 40 mJ pulse energy, 100 Hz, integrated scanner system, water cooling) were performed on ten extracted teeth. The cavities were filled with a composite resin partly including enamel and dentine conditioning. Results After laser preparation, no cracks or signs of carbonisation were detected. The results were comparable to those attained with conventional treatment. Following cavity filling without prior conditioning, gaps were noted at the cavosurface indicating a lack of adhesion. Dentinal bonding decreased gap formation significantly. Conclusion The 9.6-,m CO2 laser is an effective tool for cavity preparation. Lasers Surg. Med. 30:331,336, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] "Not the Normal Mode of Maintenance": Bureaucratic Resistance to the Claims of Lone Women in the Postwar British Welfare StateLAW & SOCIAL INQUIRY, Issue 2 2004Virginia A. Noble Because of the expansion of the postwar welfare state and its rhetoric of inclusion, the British National Assistance Board (NAB), which provided means-tested relief, faced a dramatic increase in the number of lone women with children claiming assistance in the 1950s and 1960s. In trying to restrict the state's role in social provision, the NAB relied on and tried to extend familial obligations for women's support that had been institutionalized in family law and in the poor law. The largely unsuccessful efforts of the NAB to prevent such women from turning to the welfare state included various forms of persuasion, coercion, and intimidation. Scholars of social policy in the postwar period have called attention to later efforts to discourage applications by lone women between the late 1960s and the 1990s. But the defensive posture against such women was adopted much earlier, in a relatively unexamined portion of the NAB's history. In its early, formative years, the NAB devised new strategies based on the rationales of female dependence that had long been entrenched in family law and the poor law. These methods and rationales became fixed in the postwar bureaucratic repertoire and were later available to bolster gendered attacks on the welfare state itself, particularly those made so aggressively under Thatcherism. [source] Preparation of smallest microparticles of poly- D,L -lactide by modified precipitation method: Influence of the process parametersMICROSCOPY RESEARCH AND TECHNIQUE, Issue 2 2008Ivana Jovanovi Abstract Biodegradable microspheres such as those made of poly- D,L -lactide (PDLLA) are widely investigated delivery systems for drugs or antigens. The aim of this study was to examine experimental conditions in order to produce PDLLA microspheres with the best properties for controlled and sustained drug delivery by the modified precipitation method. For this purpose, the following parameters were varied: co-solvent (methanol or ethanol), the concentration of stabilizer polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), chloroform-to-water ratio and the speed and time of homogenization. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and stereological analysis were used to characterize the particles. The average size and morphology of the microspheres varied substantially with preparation conditions from 8.44,1.25 ,m. Results showed that the smallest particles were obtained with methanol, 1% PVA and with 10 min of homogenization at 21,000 rpm. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] High-resolution observations of SN 2001gd in NGC 5033MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 3 2005M. A. Pérez-Torres ABSTRACT We report on 8.4-GHz very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of SN 2001gd in the spiral galaxy NGC 5033 made on 2002 June 26 (2002.48) and 2003 April 8 (2003.27). We used the interferometric visibility data to estimate angular diameter sizes for the supernova by model fitting. Our data nominally suggest a relatively strong deceleration for the expansion of SN 2001gd, but we cannot dismiss the possibility of a free supernova expansion. From our VLBI observations on 2003 April 8, we inferred a minimum total energy in relativistic particles and magnetic fields in the supernova shell of Emin= (0.3,14) × 1047 erg, and a corresponding equipartition average magnetic field of Bmin= 50,350 mG. We also present multiwavelength Very Large Array (VLA) measurements of SN 2001gd made at our second VLBI epoch at frequencies of 1.4, 4.9, 8.4, 15.0, 22.5 and 43.3 GHz. The VLA data are well fitted by an optically thin, synchrotron spectrum (,=,1.0 ± 0.1; S,,,,), partially absorbed by thermal plasma. We obtain a supernova flux density of 1.02 ± 0.05 mJy at the observing frequency of 8.4 GHz for the second epoch, which results in an isotropic radio luminosity of (6.0 ± 0.3) × 1036 erg s,1 between 1.4 and 43.3 GHz, at an adopted distance of 13.1 Mpc. Finally, we report on an XMM,Newton X-ray detection of SN 2001gd on 2002 December 18. The supernova X-ray spectrum is consistent with optically thin emission from a soft component (associated with emission from the reverse shock) at a temperature of around 1 keV. The observed flux corresponds to an isotropic X-ray luminosity of LX= (1.4 ± 0.4) × 1039 erg s,1 in the 0.3,5 keV band. We suggest that both radio and X-ray observations of SN 2001gd indicate that a circumstellar interaction similar to that displayed by SN 1993J in M 81 is taking place. [source] 85-GHz BIMA observations of the double-hotspot radio galaxy 3C 20MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 3 2001M. J. Hardcastle We present 85-GHz observations of the archetypal double-hotspot radio source 3C 20 made with the BIMA millimetre array. The resolution of BIMA allows us to separate the two components of the eastern hotspot. By comparing the BIMA observations with existing VLA data, we show that the spectra of the two hotspot components are very similar, despite the clear differences in their radio structure and their wide separation. We discuss the implications for models of double hotspot formation. Weak emission from the lobes of 3C 20 is detected at 85 GHz, at a level consistent with the predictions of standard spectral ageing models. [source] The radio expansion and brightening of the very young supernova remnant G1.9 + 0.3MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY: LETTERS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 1 2008D. A. Green ABSTRACT Recent radio observations of the small Galactic supernova remnant G1.9 + 0.3 made at 4.86 GHz with the Very Large Array are presented, and compared with earlier observations at 1.49 GHz which have a comparable resolution (10 × 4 arcsec2). These show that the radio emission from this remnant has expanded significantly, by about 15 per cent over 23 yr, with a current outer diameter of ,92 arcsec. This expansion confirms that G1.9 + 0.3 is the youngest Galactic remnant yet identified, only about 150 yr old at most. Recent, lower resolution, 1.43-GHz observations are also discussed, and the integrated flux densities from these and the 4.86-GHz observations are compared with earlier results. This shows that the integrated flux density of G1.9 + 0.3 has been increasing recently. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||