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Rapid Loss (rapid + loss)
Selected AbstractsLimited Reintroduction Does Not Always Lead to Rapid Loss of Genetic Diversity: An Example from the American Chestnut (Castanea dentata; Fagaceae)RESTORATION ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2007Sarah A. M. Pierson Abstract In restoring species, reasons for introducing limited numbers of individuals at different locations include costs of introduction and maintenance, limited founder supply, and risk "bet hedging." However, populations initiated from few founders may experience increased genetic drift, inbreeding, and diversity loss. We examined the genetic diversity of an isolated stand of more than 5,000 American chestnut trees relative to that of the 9 surviving stand founders (out of 10 total) planted in the 1880s. We used minisatellite DNA probes to reveal 84 genetic markers (circa 24 loci) among the nine founders, and their genetic diversity was compared with three separate plots of descendant trees, as well as with two natural stands. The descendants were circa 7.3% more heterozygous than the founders (mean estimated H= 0.556 vs. 0.518, respectively; p < 0.0001). Genetic differentiation was not pronounced (FST < 0.031), and no markers, including those at low frequency among the founders, were lost in the descendants. The founders and natural transects were not significantly different in H or similarity (mean proportion of bands shared). Special planting or mating protocols for establishment of a vigorous American chestnut population from a low number of founders may not be required to avoid strong effects of genetic drift and inbreeding. These results demonstrate that loss of genetic diversity following reintroduction of a limited number of founders is not always inevitable, such as this case where the species is highly outcrossing, expression of heterozygous advantage may occur, the original founders remain as gene contributors over generations, and the establishing population expands constantly and rapidly. [source] Rapid loss of hepatitis C virus genotype 1b from serum in patients receiving a triple treatment with telaprevir (MP-424), pegylated interferon and ribavirin for 12 weeksHEPATOLOGY RESEARCH, Issue 11 2009Fumitaka Suzuki Aim:, To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the triple treatment with telaprevir (MP-424), pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin during 12 weeks on-treatment. Methods:, The triple treatment was given to 20 patients with chronic hepatitis C who had been infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-1b in high viral load (median: 6.8 log IU/mL [range: 5.5,7.2]), with a median age of 54 years (range: 36,65 years). They were followed for early dynamics of HCV RNA in serum during 12 weeks and side-effects. Results:, HCV RNA levels decreased by 4.8 logs by 7 days and 5.5 logs by 14 days. HCV RNA disappeared in 50% (10/20) at 2 weeks, 79% (15/19) at 4 weeks, 88% (14/16) at 6 weeks, 94% (15/16) at 8 weeks and 100% (13/13) at 12 weeks. HCV RNA disappeared equally frequently in 10 treatment-naive patients, six non-responders to IFN monotherapy and four non-responders to PEG-IFN and ribavirin. It was no different in the patients with and without amino acid substitutions reducing the response to IFN. The treatment was withdrawn in seven (35%) patients, mostly due to reduced hemoglobin of less than 8.5 g/dL, of whom six (86%) remained clear of HCV RNA at 12 weeks. Conclusion:, HCV RNA was lost from serum rapidly and universally in patients infected with HCV-1b in high viral loads by the triple treatment. Because an early loss of HCV RNA correlates with high rates of sustained virological response (SVR), it would increase SVR substantially, and merit the patients who have not responded to previous therapies. [source] Rapid loss of motor nerve terminals following hypoxia,reperfusion injury occurs via mechanisms distinct from classic Wallerian degenerationJOURNAL OF ANATOMY, Issue 6 2008Becki Baxter Abstract Motor nerve terminals are known to be vulnerable to a wide range of pathological stimuli. To further characterize this vulnerability, we have developed a novel model system to examine the response of mouse motor nerve terminals in ex vivo nerve/muscle preparations to 2 h hypoxia followed by 2 h reperfusion. This insult induced a rapid loss of neurofilament and synaptic vesicle protein immunoreactivity at pre-synaptic motor nerve terminals but did not appear to affect post-synaptic endplates or muscle fibres. The severity of nerve terminal loss was dependent on the age of the mouse and muscle type: in 8,12-week-old mice the predominantly fast-twitch lumbrical muscles showed an 82.5% loss, whereas the predominantly slow-twitch muscles transversus abdominis and triangularis sterni showed a 57.8% and 27.2% loss, respectively. This was contrasted with a > 97% loss in the predominantly slow-twitch muscles from 5,6-week-old mice. We have also demonstrated that nerve terminal loss occurs by a mechanism distinct from Wallerian degeneration, as the slow Wallerian degeneration (Wlds) gene did not modify the extent of nerve terminal pathology. Together, these data show that our new model of hypoxia,reperfusion injury is robust and repeatable, that it induces rapid, quantitative changes in motor nerve terminals and that it can be used to further examine the mechanisms regulating nerve terminal vulnerability in response to hypoxia,reperfusion injury. [source] Intergenerational acclimation in aphid overwinteringECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 1 2008S. J. POWELL Abstract 1.,When first instar nymphs and adults of the grain aphid Sitobion avenae (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Aphidiae) were maintained in long-term cultures (>6 months) at 20 °C and 10 °C, the LT50 decreased from ,8 and ,8.8 °C to ,16.0 and ,13.5 °C, respectively. 2.,When aphids from the 20 °C culture were transferred to 10 °C, there was a progressive increase in cold tolerance through three successive generations. Transfer of newly moulted pre-reproductive adults reared at 10 °C for three generations back to 20 °C resulted in a rapid loss of cold hardiness in their nymphal offspring. 3.,In all generations reared at 10 °C, first born nymphs were more cold hardy than those born later in the birth sequence. The LT50 of nymphs produced on the first day of reproduction in the first, second and third generations maintained at 10 °C were ,14.8, ,17.0 and ,16.6 °C, respectively. Thereafter, nymphal cold hardiness decreased over the subsequent 14 days of reproduction in each generation at 10 °C with mean LT50 values of ,10.3, ,12.6 and ,14.8 °C, respectively. By contrast, the cold tolerance of first born nymphs of aphids reared continuously at 20 °C did not differ in comparison with later born siblings. The LT50 of adult aphids was also unaffected by ageing. 4.,The ecological relevance of these findings is discussed in relation to the overwintering survival of aphids such as S. avenae. [source] Loss of photic entrainment at low illuminances in rats with acute photoreceptor degenerationEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 8 2009Domitille L. Boudard Abstract In several species, an acute injection of N -methyl- N -nitrosourea (MNU) induces a retinal degeneration characterized principally by a rapid loss of the outer nuclear layer, the other layers remaining structurally intact. It has, however, also been reported that down-regulation of melanopsin gene expression is associated with the degeneration and is detectable soon after injection. Melanopsin is expressed by a small subset of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells and plays an important role in circadian behaviour photoentrainment. We injected MNU into Long Evans rats and investigated the ability of animals to entrain to three light/dark cycles of different light intensities (300, 15 and 1 lux). Control animals entrained their locomotor activity rhythms to the three cycles. In contrast, MNU-treated animals could only entrain properly to the 300 lux cycle. For the 15 lux cycle, their phase angle was much altered compared with control animals, and for the 1 lux cycle, MNU-injected animals were unable to photoentrain and exhibited an apparent free-run activity pattern with a period of 24.3 h. Subsequent to behavioural studies the animals were killed and rod, cone, melanopsin expression and melanopsin-expressing cells were quantified. Rod and cone loss was almost complete, melanopsin protein was reduced by 83% and melanopsin-expressing cells were reduced by 37%. Our study provides a comprehensive model of photoreceptor degeneration at the adult stage and a simple and versatile method to investigate the relation between retinal photoreceptors and the circadian system. [source] Disruption of structural and functional integrity of ,2 -macroglobulin by cathepsin EFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 6 2003Mitsue Shibata ,2 -Macroglobulin (,2M) is an abundant glycoprotein with the intrinsic capacity for capturing diverse proteins for rapid delivery into cells. After internalization by the receptor- mediated endocytosis, ,2M-protein complexes were rapidly degraded in the endolysosome system. Although this is an important pathway for clearance of both ,2M and biological targets, little is known about the nature of ,2M degradation in the endolysosome system. To investigate the possible involvement of intracellular aspartic proteinases in the disruption of structural and functional integrity of ,2M in the endolysosome system, we examined the capacity of ,2M for interacting with cathepsin E and cathepsin D under acidic conditions and the nature of its degradation. ,2M was efficiently associated with cathepsin E under acidic conditions to form noncovalent complexes and rapidly degraded through the generation of three major proteins with apparent molecular masses of 90, 85 and 30 kDa. Parallel with this reaction, ,2M resulted in the rapid loss of its antiproteolytic activity. Analysis of the N-terminal amino-acid sequences of these proteins revealed that ,2M was selectively cleaved at the Phe811-Leu812 bond in about 100mer downstream of the bait region. In contrast, little change was observed for ,2M treated by cathepsin D under the same conditions. Together, the synthetic SPAFLA peptide corresponding to the Ser808,Ala813 sequence of human ,2M, which contains the cathepsin E-cleavage site, was selectively cleaved by cathepsin E, but not cathepsin D. These results suggest the possible involvement of cathepsin E in disruption of the structural and functional integrity of ,2M in the endolysosome system. [source] The Bcl-2 family pro-apoptotic molecule, BNIP3 regulates activation-induced cell death of effector cytotoxic T lymphocytesIMMUNOLOGY, Issue 1 2003J. Wan Summary BNIP3 is a recently described pro-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family and in BNIP3 cDNA-transfected cell lines, cell death occurs via a caspase-independent pathway with opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition (PT) pore and rapid loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (,,m). However, its expression or function in physiologic cell types is not known. Our results using the T-cell receptor transgenic mice P14, specific for lymphocyte choreomeningitis virus (LCMV) glycoprotein, show that in contrast to the other Bcl-2 family pro-apoptotic molecules, BNIP3 is transcriptionally highly up-regulated in effector cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). Because CTL have a propensity to undergo activation-induced cell death (AICD) upon restimulation, we tested for other features associated with BNIP3-induced cell death. AICD of CTL was caspase-independent as determined by measuring caspase activation during target cell killing as well as by lack of inhibition with caspase inhibitors. Moreover, similar to BNIP3-induced cell death, CTL apoptosis was associated with increased production of reactive oxygen species and decreased ,,m. Finally, retroviral transduction of BNIP3 antisense RNA diminished AICD in effector CTL. These results suggest that BNIP3 may play an important role in T-cell homeostasis by regulating effector CTL numbers. [source] Campylobacter and IFN, interact to cause a rapid loss of epithelial barrier integrityINFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES, Issue 3 2008Louisa E.N. Rees PhD Abstract Background: The intestinal epithelium is a single layer of polarized cells and is the primary barrier separating foreign antigen and underlying lymphoid tissue. IFN, alters epithelial barrier function during inflammation by disrupting tight cell junctions and facilitating the paracellular transport of luminal antigens. The aim of this work was to determine whether Campylobacter infection of cells exposed to IFN, would lead to greater disruption of cell monolayers and hence increased bacterial translocation. Methods: Monolayers were polarized on Transwell polycarbonate membranes for 14 days and then cultured in the presence or absence of 100 U/mL IFN,. Campylobacter was added to the apical side of the monolayer at an MOI of 30. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) was recorded and bacteria in the basal well counted every 2 hours. Cells were stained for occludin, actin, and nuclear DNA, and cell viability determined by measurement of apoptosis. Results: In the presence of IFN,, TEER dropped significantly after 18 hours, indicating a reduction in barrier function. A further significant decrease was seen in the presence of both IFN, and Campylobacter, indicating a synergistic effect, and cellular morphology and viability were affected. Bacterial translocation across the monolayer was also significantly greater in the presence of IFN,. Conclusions: These combined effects indicate that Campylobacter infection concomitant with intestinal inflammation would result in a rapid and dramatic loss of epithelial barrier integrity, which may be a key event in the pathogenesis of Campylobacter -mediated colitis and the development of bloody diarrhea. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2007) [source] Persistent apathy in Alzheimer's disease as an independent factor of rapid functional decline: the REAL longitudinal cohort studyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 4 2009L. Lechowski Abstract Objective To determine the role of persistent apathy in rapid loss of autonomy in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) in women with Alzheimer´s disease (AD), taking into account the grade of cognitive decline. Methods The study was conducted on 272 women from the French REAL cohort. At inclusion patients had a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score between 10,26. A rapid functional decline was defined as a yearly drop of 4 points or more on the 14-point IADL Lawton scale. Persistent apathy was defined as a frequency score equal to 3 or 4 on the Neuro-Psychiatric Inventory at the three consecutive 6-monthly assessments. Results 27.6% of women had rapid functional decline in 1 year and 22.1% of them had persistent apathy. A logistic regression analysis showed that, in addition to cognitive decline, persistent apathy plays a role in rapid functional decline in 1 year. For example, for a 3-point decline in MMSE in 1 year, the probability of a rapid loss in IADL is 0.45 for women with persistent apathy compared with 0.28 for those without persistent apathy. Conlusions In this study, a rapid loss in IADL score was partly explained by persistent apathy. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Rapid loss of motor nerve terminals following hypoxia,reperfusion injury occurs via mechanisms distinct from classic Wallerian degenerationJOURNAL OF ANATOMY, Issue 6 2008Becki Baxter Abstract Motor nerve terminals are known to be vulnerable to a wide range of pathological stimuli. To further characterize this vulnerability, we have developed a novel model system to examine the response of mouse motor nerve terminals in ex vivo nerve/muscle preparations to 2 h hypoxia followed by 2 h reperfusion. This insult induced a rapid loss of neurofilament and synaptic vesicle protein immunoreactivity at pre-synaptic motor nerve terminals but did not appear to affect post-synaptic endplates or muscle fibres. The severity of nerve terminal loss was dependent on the age of the mouse and muscle type: in 8,12-week-old mice the predominantly fast-twitch lumbrical muscles showed an 82.5% loss, whereas the predominantly slow-twitch muscles transversus abdominis and triangularis sterni showed a 57.8% and 27.2% loss, respectively. This was contrasted with a > 97% loss in the predominantly slow-twitch muscles from 5,6-week-old mice. We have also demonstrated that nerve terminal loss occurs by a mechanism distinct from Wallerian degeneration, as the slow Wallerian degeneration (Wlds) gene did not modify the extent of nerve terminal pathology. Together, these data show that our new model of hypoxia,reperfusion injury is robust and repeatable, that it induces rapid, quantitative changes in motor nerve terminals and that it can be used to further examine the mechanisms regulating nerve terminal vulnerability in response to hypoxia,reperfusion injury. [source] Development of the powder reaction moulding processJOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2009Lei Zhao Abstract BACKGROUND: The powder reaction moulding process uses a reactive monomer as carrier and binder for the moulding of metal or ceramic powders. De-binding is achieved using thermal depolymerisation which is followed by sintering to give the finished component. Binder can be recovered for re-use. RESULTS: Moulding compounds, with various powder volume fractions, have been prepared using stainless steel, silicon nitride and alumina with n-butyl cyanoacrylate as binder, and the stability of the compounds established. Rheological properties of the compounds have been measured using both pressure flow and drag flow methods. Compounds are strongly pseudoplastic. Comparison of experimental results with theoretical models, describing suspension flow behaviour shows that experimental maximum volume fractions are close to the theoretical volume fraction of 0.42 for silicon nitride, 0.68 for alumina and 0.7 for stainless steel. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry have been used to simulate de-binding and show a rapid loss of binder through depolymerisation. Post-sintering porosity of the ceramic materials is high but this is thought to arise from the low pressure moulding techniques used. Porosity of the stainless steel mouldings is much lower. CONCLUSIONS: The results validate the powder reaction moulding idea and demonstrate applicability to three widely different powder materials. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Adult cerebrospinal fluid inhibits neurogenesis but facilitates gliogenesis from fetal rat neural stem cellsJOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, Issue 14 2009Judith Buddensiek Abstract Neural stem cells (NSCs) are a promising source for cell replacement therapies for neurological diseases. Administration of NSCs into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) offers a nontraumatic transplantation method into the brain. However, cell survival and intraparenchymal migration of the transplants are limited. Furthermore, CSF was recently reported to be an important milieu for controlling stem cell processes in the brain. We studied the effects of adult human leptomeningeal CSF on the behavior of fetal rat NSCs. CSF increased survival of NSCs compared with standard culture media during stem cell maintenance and differentiation. The presence of CSF enhanced NSC differentiation, leading to a faster loss of self-renewal capacity and faster and stronger neurite outgrowth. Some of these effects (mainly cell survival, neurite brancing) were blocked by addition of the bone morphogenic protein (BMP) inhibitor noggin. After differentiation in CSF, significantly fewer MAP2ab+ neurons were found, but there were more GFAP+ astroglia compared with standard media. By RT-PCR analysis, we determined a decrease of mRNA of the NSC marker gene Nestin but an increase of Gfap mRNA during differentiation up to 72 hr in CSF compared with standard media. Our data demonstrate that adult human leptomeningeal CSF enhances cell survival of fetal rat NSCs during proliferation and differentiation. Furthermore, CSF provides a stimulus for gliogenesis but inhibits neurogenesis from fetal NSCs. Our data suggest that CSF contains factors such as BMPs regulating NSC behavior, and we hypothesize that fast differentiation of NSCs in CSF leads to a rapid loss of migration capacity of intrathecally transplanted NSCs. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] SeagrassNet monitoring across the Americas: case studies of seagrass declineMARINE ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2006Frederick T. Short Abstract Seagrasses are an important coastal habitat worldwide and are indicative of environmental health at the critical land,sea interface. In many parts of the world, seagrasses are not well known, although they provide crucial functions and values to the world's oceans and to human populations dwelling along the coast. Established in 2001, SeagrassNet, a monitoring program for seagrasses worldwide, uses a standardized protocol for detecting change in seagrass habitat to capture both seagrass parameters and environmental variables. SeagrassNet is designed to statistically detect change over a relatively short time frame (1,2 years) through quarterly monitoring of permanent plots. Currently, SeagrassNet operates in 18 countries at 48 sites; at each site, a permanent transect is established and a team of people from the area collects data which is sent to the SeagrassNet database for analysis. We present five case studies based on SeagrassNet data from across the Americas (two sites in the USA, one in Belize, and two in Brazil) which have a common theme of seagrass decline; the study represents a first latitudinal comparison across a hemisphere using a common methodology. In two cases, rapid loss of seagrass was related to eutrophication, in two cases losses related to climate change, and in one case, the loss is attributed to a complex trophic interaction resulting from the presence of a marine protected area. SeagrassNet results provide documentation of seagrass change over time and allow us to make scientifically supported statements about the status of seagrass habitat and the extent of need for management action. [source] Involvement of a novel transcriptional activator and small RNA in post-transcriptional regulation of the glucose phosphoenolpyruvate phosphotransferase systemMOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2004Carin K. Vanderpool Summary RyaA is a small non-coding RNA in Escherichia coli that was identified by its ability to bind tightly to the RNA chaperone Hfq. This study reports the role of RyaA in mediating the cellular response to glucose-specific phosphoenolypyruvate phosphotransferase system (PTS)-dependent phosphosugar stress. Aiba and co-workers have shown that a block in the metabolism of glucose 6-phosphate causes transient growth inhibition and post-transcriptional regulation of ptsG, encoding the glucose-specific PTS transporter. We found that RyaA synthesis was induced by a non-metabolizable glucose phosphate analogue and was necessary for relief of the toxicity of glucose phosphate stress. Expression of RyaA was sufficient to cause a rapid loss of ptsG mRNA, probably reflecting degradation of the message mediated by RyaA:ptsG pairing. The ryaA gene was renamed sgrS, for sugar transport-related sRNA. Expression of sgrS is regulated by a novel transcriptional activator, SgrR (formerly YabN), which has a putative DNA-binding domain and a solute-binding domain similar to those found in certain transport proteins. Our results suggest that under conditions of glucose phosphate accumulation, SgrR activates SgrS synthesis, causing degradation of ptsG mRNA. Decreased ptsG mRNA results in decreased production of glucose transport machinery, thus limiting further accumulation of glucose phosphate. [source] The Myxococcus xanthus socE and csgA genes are regulated by the stringent responseMOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2000Eugene W. Crawford Jr Disruption of the Myxococcus xanthus socE gene bypasses the requirement for the cell contact-dependent C-signalling system mediated by CsgA and restores fruiting body morphogenesis and spore differentiation. The socE gene has been identified by genetic complementation, cloned and sequenced. SocE is highly basic, unique and is predicted to be a soluble protein with a molecular size of 53.6 kDa. The socE and csgA genes have opposite transcription patterns during the M. xanthus life cycle. socE expression is high in growing cells and declines during the early stages of development. Expression of csgA is low in vegetative cells and increases during development. socE transcription is negatively regulated by the stringent response, the major amino acid-sensing pathway in M. xanthus. A relA null mutation, which eliminates the stringent response, prevents the decline in socE expression normally observed at the onset of development. CsgA is positively regulated by the stringent response and is negatively regulated by socE. A relA mutation virtually eliminates developmental csgA expression. Expression of socE in Escherichia coli leads to a rapid loss of viability in relA, cells during stationary phase, suggesting a relationship with the stringent response. [source] Evidence that bcl-2 is the Target of Three Photosensitizers that Induce a Rapid Apoptotic Response,PHOTOCHEMISTRY & PHOTOBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2001David Kessel ABSTRACT We originally proposed that the subcellular target for one class of photosensitizing agents was the mitochondrion. This classification was based on effects that occur within minutes of irradiation of photosensitized cells: rapid loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential (,,m), release of cytochrome c into the cytosol and activation of caspase-3. These effects were followed by the appearance of an apoptotic morphology within 30,90 min. Fluorescence localization studies on three sensitizers initially classified as ,mitochondrial' revealed that these agents bind to a variety of intracellular membranes. The earliest detectable effect of photodamage is the selective loss of the antiapoptotic protein bcl-2 leaving the proapoptotic protein bax undamaged. Bcl-2 photodamage can be detected directly after irradiation of cells at 10°C. Subsequent warming of cultures to 37°C results in loss of ,,m, release of cytochrome c and activation of caspase-3. The latter appears to amplify the other two effects. Based on results reported here we propose that the apoptotic response to these photosensitizers is derived from selective photodamage to the antiapoptotic protein bcl-2 while leaving the proapoptotic protein bax unaffected. [source] Photoinhibition and loss of photosystem II reaction centre proteins during senescence of soybean leaves.PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM, Issue 3 2002Enhancement of photoinhibition by the, stay-green' mutation cytG The ,stay-green' mutation cytG in soybean (Glycine max) partially inhibits the degradation of the light-harvesting complex II (LHCII) and the associated chlorophyll during monocarpic senescence. cytG did not alter the breakdown of the cytochrome b6/f complex, thylakoid ATP synthase or components of Photosystem I. In contrast, cytG accelerated the loss of oxygen evolution activity and PSII reaction-centre proteins. These data suggest that LHCII and other thylakoid components are degraded by separate pathways. In leaves induced to senesce by darkness, cytG inhibited the breakdown of LHCII and chlorophyll, but it did not enhance the loss of PSII-core components, indicating that the accelerated degradation of PSII reaction centre proteins in cytG was light dependent. Illumination of mature and senescent leaves of wild-type soybean in the presence of an inhibitor (lincomycin) of chloroplast protein synthesis revealed that senescence per se did not affect the rate of photoinhibition in leaves. Likewise, mature leaves of the cytG mutant did not show more photoinhibition than wild-type leaves. However, in senescent cytG leaves, photoinhibition proceeded more rapidly than in the wild-type. We conclude that the cytG mutation enhances photoinhibition in senescing leaves, and photoinhibition causes the rapid loss of PSII reaction-centre proteins during senescence in cytG. [source] Co-worker fatalities from hydrogen sulfideAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 4 2004Robert G. Hendrickson MD Abstract Background Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless, odorless gas that may cause rapid loss of consciousness and respiratory depression without warning. It has produced toxicity in workers in numerous industries and occupations. Methods A review of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (USBLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) for occupational deaths related to hydrogen sulfide from 1993 to 1999 was performed. Results Fifty-two workers died of hydrogen sulfide toxicity in this 7-year period. Deaths were most commonly reported in workers who were white (85%), male (98%), and in their first year of employment with the company (48%). Common industries included waste management, petroleum, and natural gas. In 21% of cases, a co-worker died simultaneously or in the attempt to save the workers. Conclusions Hydrogen sulfide toxicity is uncommon, but potentially deadly. Toxicity is predominantly in new workers and co-worker fatalities occur in a significant minority of cases. Proper training and education on the warning signs of hydrogen sulfide toxicity may help reduce worker fatalities. Am. J. Ind. Med. 45:346,350, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The quantification of carbon dioxide in humid air and exhaled breath by selected ion flow tube mass spectrometryRAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY, Issue 10 2009David Smith The reactions of carbon dioxide, CO2, with the precursor ions used for selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, SIFT-MS, analyses, viz. H3O+, NO+ and O, are so slow that the presence of CO2 in exhaled breath has, until recently, not had to be accounted for in SIFT-MS analyses of breath. This has, however, to be accounted for in the analysis of acetaldehyde in breath, because an overlap occurs of the monohydrate of protonated acetaldehyde and the weakly bound adduct ion, H3O+CO2, formed by the slow association reaction of the precursor ion H3O+ with CO2 molecules. The understanding of the kinetics of formation and the loss rates of the relevant ions gained from experimentation using the new generation of more sensitive SIFT-MS instruments now allows accurate quantification of CO2 in breath using the level of the H3O+CO2 adduct ion. However, this is complicated by the rapid reaction of H3O+CO2 with water vapour molecules, H2O, that are in abundance in exhaled breath. Thus, a study has been carried out of the formation of this adduct ion by the slow three-body association reaction of H3O+ with CO2 and its rapid loss in the two-body reaction with H2O molecules. It is seen that the signal level of the H3O+CO2 adduct ion is sensitively dependent on the humidity (H2O concentration) of the sample to be analysed and a functional form of this dependence has been obtained. This has resulted in an appropriate extension of the SIFT-MS software and kinetics library that allows accurate measurement of CO2 levels in air samples, ranging from very low percentage levels (0.03% typical of tropospheric air) to the 6% level that is about the upper limit in exhaled breath. Thus, the level of CO2 can be traced through single time exhalation cycles along with that of water vapour, also close to the 6% level, and of trace gas metabolites that are present at only a few parts-per-billion. This has added a further dimension to the analysis of major and trace compounds in breath using SIFT-MS. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Neutrophil gelatinase,associated lipocalin is expressed in osteoarthritis and forms a complex with matrix metalloproteinase 9ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 10 2007Kalpana Gupta Objective Expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) is up-regulated in osteoarthritis (OA) and usually presents as multiple bands when synovial fluid (SF) from OA patients is analyzed by zymography. Among these bands is an ,125,130,kd band for high molecular weight (HMW) gelatinase, which has not been characterized. This study was undertaken to characterize the HMW MMP activity in OA SF. Methods MMP activity in OA SF was determined by gelatin zymography. Recombinant MMPs were used to identify MMP activity on the zymogram. Western immunoblotting, immunoprecipitation, and immunodepletion analyses were performed using antibodies specific for human MMP-9 and human neutrophil gelatinase,associated lipocalin (NGAL). Human cartilage matrix degradation was determined by dimethylmethylene blue assay. Results Zymographic analysis showed that the HMW gelatinase in OA SF comigrated with a purified NGAL,MMP-9 complex. Results of Western immunoblotting showed that the HMW gelatinase was also recognized by antibodies specific for human NGAL or human MMP-9. These same antibodies also immunoprecipitated the HMW gelatinase activity from OA SF. The NGAL,MMP-9 complex was reconstituted in vitro in gelatinase buffer. In the presence of NGAL, MMP-9 activity was stabilized; in the absence of NGAL, rapid loss of MMP-9 activity occurred. MMP-9,mediated release of cartilage matrix proteoglycans was significantly higher in the presence of NGAL (P < 0.05). Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that the HMW gelatinase activity in OA SF represents a complex of NGAL and MMP-9. The ability of NGAL to protect MMP-9 activity is relevant to cartilage matrix degradation in OA and may represent an important mechanism by which NGAL may contribute to the loss of cartilage matrix proteins in OA. [source] Stabilization of glucose oxidase in alginate microspheres with photoreactive diazoresin nanofilm coatingsBIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOENGINEERING, Issue 1 2005Rohit Srivastava Abstract The nanoassembly and photo-crosslinking of diazo-resin (DAR) coatings on small alginate microspheres for stable enzyme entrapment is described. Multilayer nanofilms of DAR with poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) were used in an effort to stabilize the encapsulation of glucose oxidase enzyme for biosensor applications. The activity and physical encapsulation of the trapped enzyme were measured over 24 weeks to compare the effectiveness of nanofilm coatings and crosslinking for stabilization. Uncoated spheres exhibited rapid loss of activity, retaining only 20% of initial activity after one week, and a dramatic reduction in effective activity over 24 weeks, whereas the uncrosslinked and crosslinked {DAR/PSS}-coated spheres retained more than 50% of their initial activity after 4 weeks, which remained stable even after 24 weeks for the two and three bilayer films. Nanofilms comprising more polyelectrolyte layers maintained higher overall activity compared to films of the same composition but fewer layers, and crosslinking the films increased retention of activity over uncrosslinked films after 24 weeks. These findings demonstrate that enzyme immobilization and stabilization can be achieved by using simple modifications to the layer-by-layer self-assembly technique. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Enzyme-Triggered and Self-Cleaving Fragrant Alcohol PrecursorsCHEMISTRY & BIODIVERSITY, Issue 6 2008Felix Flachsmann Abstract The high volatility and water solubility of many natural perfumery alcohols leads to their rapid loss in fabric-care and personal-care applications. A dramatically enhanced substantivity is achieved by the use of fragrance precursors as controlled-release systems. In the first part of this article, we present multi-odorant precursors, in which the enzymatic cleavage of esters or carbonates of fragrant alcohols triggers subsequent steps leading to the release of fragrant ketones, lactones, and additional fragrant alcohols. In the second part, a study on oligocarbonates of fragrant alcohols is presented. Therein, the outstanding enzyme-independent performance of gluconolactone oligocarbonate 27 for the long-lasting release of (Z)-hex-3-en-1-ol is highlighted. We show that these polyfunctional compounds undergo complex rearrangements and intramolecular substitution reactions which lead to the observed release kinetics. [source] Directional dispersal between mid-ocean ridges: deep-ocean circulation and gene flow in Ridgeia piscesaeMOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 7 2008C. R. YOUNG Abstract This study examined relationships between bathymetrically induced deep-ocean currents and the dispersal of the hydrothermal vent tubeworm Ridgeia piscesae along the northeast Pacific ridge system. A robust diagnostic model of deep-ocean circulation in this region predicted strong southeasterly currents following contours of the Blanco Transform Fault, a 450-km lateral offset that separates the Gorda and Juan de Fuca ridge systems. Such currents should facilitate the southward dispersal of R. piscesae larvae. Immigration rates for populations north and south of the Blanco Transform Fault were estimated from molecular population genetic data. Mitochondrial DNA evidence revealed population subdivision across the Blanco Transform Fault, and a strong directional bias in gene flow that was consistent with predictions of the circulation model. The distribution of mitochondrial diversity between the northern and southern populations of R. piscesae suggests that the Gorda Ridge tubeworms have maintained larger effective population sizes than the northern populations, a pattern that also exists in co-occurring limpets. Together, these data suggest that the northern vent fields may experience a higher frequency of habitat turnover and consequently more rapid losses of genetic diversity. [source] Chemistry and Reaction of Singlet Oxygen in FoodsCOMPREHENSIVE REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND FOOD SAFETY, Issue 2 2002D. B. Min ABSTRACT Singlet oxygen is a highly reactive, electrophilic, and nonradical molecule. It is different from diradical triplet oxygen in its electron arrangement. Photosensitizers can form singlet oxygen from triplet oxygen in the presence of light. The reaction rate of singlet oxygen with foods is much greater than that of triplet oxygen due to the low activation energy. Singlet oxygen oxidation produces undesirable compounds in foods during processing and storage. However, carotenoids and tocopherols in foods can minimize singlet oxygen oxidation. The in-depth scientific knowledge on the formation, reactions, quenching mechanisms, and kinetics of singlet oxygen can greatly improve the quality of foods by minimizing the oxidation during processing and storage. The single oxygen oxidation of foods has contributed to the explanation of several important chemical reactions in the reversion flavor in soybean oil, sunlight flavor in milk products, and the rapid losses of vitamin D, riboflavin, and ascorbic acid in milk under light storage. [source] | ||||||||||||||||