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Remarkable Reduction (remarkable + reduction)
Selected AbstractsCell adhesion regulates platelet-derived growth factor,induced MAP kinase and PI-3 kinase activation in stellate cellsHEPATOLOGY, Issue 3 2002Vinicio Carloni The biologic effects of growth factors are dependent on cell adhesion, and a cross talk occurs between growth factors and adhesion complexes. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of cell adhesion on the major intracellular signaling pathways elicited by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) in hepatic stellate cells (HSC). PDGF signaling was investigated in an experimental condition characterized by lack of cell adhesion for different intervals of time. Basal and PDGF-induced focal adhesion kinase (FAK) tyrosine phosphorylation was maintained in a condition of cell suspension for 2, 4, and 6 hours, whereas it was completely lost after 12 and 24 hours. We examined MAP kinase activity at 2 and 24 hours, corresponding to the higher and lower levels of FAK phosphorylation. In these experiments, MAP kinase activity correlated with FAK phosphorylation. Stimulation with PDGF was able to cause Ras-GTP loading only in adherent cells. The ability of PDGF to induce phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-K) activity was abrogated in cells maintained in suspension. The Ser473 phosphorylation of Akt was only marginally affected by the lack of cell adhesion. We then evaluated the association of FAK with c-Src. This association was found to be cell adhesion dependent, and it did not appear to be dependent from phosphorylated FAK. These changes in PDGF-induced intracellular signaling were associated with a remarkable reduction of PDGF-proliferative potential in nonadherent cells, although no marked differences in the apoptotic rate were observed. In conclusion, these results suggest that cell adhesion differentially regulates major signaling pathways activated by PDGF in HSC. [source] Large-Scale Fabrication of Boron Nitride Nanosheets and Their Utilization in Polymeric Composites with Improved Thermal and Mechanical PropertiesADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 28 2009Chunyi Zhi Ultrathin boron nitride nanosheets are fabricated and detailed morphological and structural microscopic studies of are carried out. Polymeric composites containing BN nanosheets exhibit a remarkable reduction of the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and possess enhanced elastic modulus and strength. [source] A rapid method to clinically assess the effect of an anti-acne formulationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE, Issue 1 2010N. Muizzuddin J. Cosmet. Sci., 60, 25,29 (January/February 2009) Synopsis Historically, clinical evaluation of acne treatment has been based on direct visual assessment and the counting of lesions over a period of several weeks of treatment. However, with advancing technology there has been ever-increasing speed in the effectiveness of these treatments. To successfully assess these faster treatments, acne pathology needs to be evaluated in a shorter time frame. The object of these studies was to develop techniques to evaluate individual acne lesions in a shorter time frame and to assess speedier treatment technologies. Ten healthy volunteers with acne lesions on their upper backs were recruited for the study. Two inflamed acne lesions were selected for each treatment, along with lesions to be left untreated, on each volunteer. Each lesion was marked, photographed, and visually graded. A skin surface microscope (Scopeman) was used to visualize size and to grade the lesions by two experts every day for five days. The sites were treated once a day for the course of the study. There was a remarkable reduction in the size and erythema of acne lesions after treatment with the acne formulation as compared to the untreated and vehicle-treated lesions. Individual lesions, both treated and untreated, appeared resolved in 14 days. This resolution can be noticeably accelerated by topical treatments. We have developed a simple and faster clinical method to evaluate the effects of topical anti-acne technology. [source] Perceptual denoising of color imagesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF IMAGING SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2010Ilka A. Netravali Abstract Denoising of color images is a trade-off between sharpness of an image and perceived noise. We formulate a novel optimization problem that can maximize sharpness of an image while limiting the perceived noise under a model of visibility of additive random noise. We derive a closed-form expression for an optimal two-dimensional finite impulse response filter, show its uniqueness and existence, and present simulation results for black and white as well as color images. Simulation results show remarkable reduction in perceptibility of noise, while preserving sharpness. The computational burden required for the optimal filter is reduced by a new adhoc filter which is simple but has near optimal performance. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 20, 215,222, 2010. [source] Accurate prediction of thermodynamic properties of alkyl peroxides by combining density functional theory calculation with least-square calibrationJOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY, Issue 7 2009Cun-Xi Liu Abstract Owing to the significance in kinetic modeling of the oxidation and combustion mechanisms of hydrocarbons, a fast and relatively accurate method was developed for the prediction of ,fH of alkyl peroxides. By this method, a raw ,fH value was calculated from the optimized geometry and vibration frequencies at B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level and then an accurate ,fH value was obtained by a least-square procedure. The least-square procedure is a six-parameter linear equation and is validated by a leave-one out technique, giving a cross-validation squared correlation coefficient q2 of 0.97 and a squared correlation coefficient of 0.98 for the final model. Calculated results demonstrated that the least-square calibration leads to a remarkable reduction of error and to the accurate ,fH values within the chemical accuracy of 8 kJ mol,1 except (CH3)2CHCH2CH2CH2OOH which has an error of 8.69 kJ mol,1. Comparison of the results by CBS-Q, CBS-QB3, G2, and G3 revealed that B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) in combination with a least-square calibration is reliable in the accurate prediction of the standard enthalpies of formation for alkyl peroxides. Standard entropies at 298 K and heat capacities in the temperature range of 300,1500 K for alkyl peroxides were also calculated using the rigid rotor-harmonic oscillator approximation. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2009 [source] Neurovascular and neuronal protection by E64d after focal cerebral ischemia in ratsJOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, Issue 4 2006Tamiji Tsubokawa Abstract Calpains and cathepsins are two families of proteases that play an important role in ischemic cell death. In this study, we investigated the effect of E64d, a ,-calpain and cathepsin B inhibitor, in the prevention of neuronal and endothelial apoptotic cell death after focal cerebral ischemia in rats. Rats underwent 2 hr of transient focal ischemia from middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and were sacrificed 24 hr later. E64d (5 mg/ kg intraperitoneally) was administered 30 min before MCAO. Assessment included neurological function, infarction volume, brain water content, blood,brain barrier permeability, histology, and immunohistochemistry. The E64d-treated rats had significant brain protection against ischemic damage. We observed a reduction of infarction volume, brain edema, and improved neurological scores in E64d-treated rats compared with the nontreated control. Furthermore, there was a remarkable reduction in both proteases and caspase-3 activation and apoptotic changes in both neurons and endothelial cells in E64d-treated rats. These results suggest that E64d protects the brain against ischemic/reperfusion injury by attenuating neuronal and endothelial apoptosis. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Alcohol-Induced Electrical Remodeling: Effects of Sustained Short-Term Ethanol Infusion on Ion Currents in Rabbit AtriumALCOHOLISM, Issue 10 2009Roman Laszlo Background:, In some patients, above-average alcohol consumption before occurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in terms of a "holiday heart syndrome" (HHS) can be determined. There is evidence that long before development of apparent alcohol-induced cardiomyopathy, above-average alcohol consumption generates an arrhythmogenic substrate which abets the onset of AF. Changes of atrial current densities in terms of an electrical remodeling after sustained short-term ethanol infusion in rabbits as a potential part of HHS pathophysiology were examined in this study. Methods:, Rabbits of the ethanol group (EG) received sustained short-term intravenous alcohol infusion for 120 hours (during infusion period, blood alcohol level did not fall below 158 mg/dl), whereas NaCl 0.9% was infused in the placebo group (PG). Using patch clamp technique in whole-cell mode, atrial current densities were measured and compared between both groups. Results:, Ethanol infusion did not alter current densities of Ito [58.7 ± 5.0 pA/pF (PG, n = 20 cells) vs. 53.9 ± 5.0 pA/pF (EG, n = 24)], Isus [11.3 ± 1.4 pA/pF (PG, n = 20) vs. 10.2 ± 1.0 pA/pF (EG, n = 24)], and IK1 [,1.6 ± 0.3 pA/pF (PG, n = 17) vs. ,2.0 ± 0.3 pA/pF (EG, n = 22)]. However, alcohol infusion resulted in a remarkable reduction of ICa,L current densities [,28.4 ± 1.8 pA/pF (PG, n = 20) vs. ,15.2 ± 1.4 pA/pF (EG, n = 22)] and INa [,75.4 ± 3.6 pA/pF (PG, n = 17) vs. ,35.4 ± 4.4 pA/pF (EG, n = 21)], respectively. Conclusion:, Sustained short-term ethanol infusion in rabbits alters atrial current densities. HHS might be favored by alcohol-induced atrial electrical remodeling. [source] Recurrence of hepatic artery thrombosis following acute tacrolimus overdose in pediatric liver transplant recipientPEDIATRIC TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 6 2005Soshi Takahashi Abstract:, Acute overdose of tacrolimus appears to cause no or minimal adverse clinical consequences. We encountered a pediatric case who underwent liver transplantation associated with hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT), which recurred following acute tacrolimus overdose. A 10-month-old girl underwent living-related liver transplantation because of biliary atresia. To reconstruct the hepatic artery, the right gastroepiploic artery of the donor was interposed between the right hepatic artery of the recipient (2.5 mm in diameter) and the left hepatic graft artery (1 mm in diameter) under microscopy. On postoperative day 4, Doppler ultrasonography showed a remarkable reduction in hepatic arterial flow, which was consistent with HAT. The patient underwent immediate hepatic arteriography and balloon angioplasty. The stenotic sites were dilated by the procedure. Tacrolimus was infused intravenously after transplantation and the infusion rate was adjusted to achieve a target concentration of 18,22 ng/mL, which remained stable until the morning of day 6. An unexpectedly high blood concentration of tacrolimus (57.4 ng/mL) was detected at 6:00 pm on day 6, and tacrolimus was discontinued at 9:00 pm; however, the tacrolimus level reached 119.5 ng/mL at 0:00 h on day 7. While the concentration decreased to 55.2 ng/mL on the morning of day 7, the hepatic arterial flow could not be observed by Doppler ultrasonography. Emergent hepatic arteriography showed stenosis of the artery at the proximal site of the anastomosis. Balloon angioplasty was again performed and the stenotic site was successfully dilated. High level of tacrolimus exposure to the hepatic artery with injured endothelium by preceding angioplasty may have been related to the recurrence of HAT in the present case. [source] Full-color nanostructured thin-film electroluminescent device utilizing ZnS nanocrystals doped with activator-ionsPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (A) APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE, Issue 1 2008T. Toyama Abstract We have studied nanostructured (NS-) thin-film electroluminescent (TFEL) devices utilizing the ZnS nanocrystals (NCs) with the mean crystal sizes of ca. 2,4 nm doped with activator-ions. As compared to the conventional TFEL device, we have achieved a remarkable reduction in the operation voltages by >100 V0,p. Moreover, toward full-color emissions, EL emissions of three primary colors, i.e., red, green, and blue have been derived from Mn2+, Tb3+, and Tm3+ ions, respectively. In this article, we review the studies on the fundamental properties of ZnS NCs as well as the device performance of the NS-TFEL devices. We also discuss the excitation mechanisms of the activator-ions in the ZnS NCs. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Phenotypic interactions of spinster with the genes encoding proteins for cell death control in Drosophila melanogasterARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY (ELECTRONIC), Issue 3 2010Akira Sakurai Abstract The spin gene was first identified by its mutant phenotype, which is characterized by extremely strong mate refusal by females in response to male courtship in Drosophila. Spin mutants are also known to be accompanied by a remarkable reduction in programmed cell death in the reproductive and nervous systems. To better understand the molecular functions of spin, we searched for its genetic modifiers. Forced expression of spin+ in somatic cells as driven by ptc-Gal4 in the testis resulted in the invasion of mature sperm into the anterior testes tip, which is otherwise occupied only by immature germ cells. To obtain genes that modulate spin's effect, the gain-of-function spin phenotype was observed in the presence of a chromosome harboring an EP or GS P-element insertion, which initiates transcription of the genomic sequence neighboring the insertion site. We isolated th and emc as suppressors of spin and atg8a as a gene that reproduces the spin phenotype on its own. th encodes Inhibitor of apoptosis-1, and mammalian Id genes homologous to emc are known to inhibit apoptosis. atg8a encodes a protein essential for autophagy. These results suggest that spin promotes cell death mechanisms that are regulated negatively by th and emc and positively by atg8a. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] FLG mutation p.Lys4021X in the C-terminal imperfect filaggrin repeat in Japanese patients with atopic eczemaBRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2009I. Nemoto-Hasebe Summary Background, Mutations in the gene encoding filaggrin (FLG) have been shown to predispose to atopic eczema (AE). Objectives, Further to establish population genetics of FLG mutations in the Japanese population and to elucidate effects of FLG mutations to filaggrin biosynthesis in skin of patients with AE. Methods, We searched for FLG mutations in 19 newly recruited Japanese patients with AE. We then screened 137 Japanese patients with AE and 134 Japanese control individuals for a novel mutation identified in the present study. In addition, we evaluated FLG mRNA expression by real-time reverse transcription,polymerase chain reaction and profilaggrin/filaggrin protein expression by immunohistochemical staining in the epidermis of the patients carrying the novel mutation. Results, We identified a novel FLG nonsense mutation c.12069A>T (p.Lys4021X) in one patient with AE. Upon further screening, p.Lys4021X was identified in four patients with AE (2·9% of all the patients with AE). In total, there are at least eight FLG variants in the Japanese population. Here we show that about 27% of patients in our Japanese AE case series carry one or more of these eight FLG mutations and these variants are also carried by 3·7% of Japanese general control individuals. There is a significant statistical association between the eight FLG mutations and AE (,2P = 6·50 × 10,8). Interestingly, the present nonsense mutation is in the C-terminal incomplete filaggrin repeat and is the mutation nearest the C-terminal among previously reported FLG mutations. Immunohistochemical staining for filaggrin revealed that this nonsense mutation leads to remarkable reduction of filaggrin protein expression in the patients' epidermis. Conclusions, We clearly demonstrated that FLG mutations are significantly associated with AE in the Japanese population. The present results further support the hypothesis that the C-terminal region is essential for proper processing of profilaggrin to filaggrin. [source] Prevention and treatment of rethrombosis after liver transplantation with an implantable pump of the portal veinLIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 3 2010Zhengrong Shi Implantable pumps have been used to prevent deep vein thrombosis and other diseases. In this article, we report for the first time the prevention and treatment of rethrombosis of the portal vein in liver transplantation with an implantable pump of the portal vein. Four hundred four orthotopic liver transplantation cases were retrospectively reviewed and divided into 3 groups: portal vein thrombosis (PVT) patients with an implantable pump (n = 28), PVT patients without an implantable pump (n = 20), and patients without preexisting PVT (n = 356). The following parameters for the 3 groups of patients were calculated and compared: (1) preoperative parameters, including baseline data of the donors and recipients and times of graft ischemia; (2) intraoperative and postoperative parameters, including surgery time, red blood cell and plasma transfusion, platelet concentrate transfusion, bleeding and primary graft malfunction, and duration of the hospital and intensive care unit stays; and (3) follow-up information for the patency of the portal vein, rethrombosis rate, stenosis and reoperation (relaparotomy or retransplantation), in-hospital mortality, and actuarial 1-year survival rate. Among the 3 groups of recipients, no significant differences were detected in preoperative and intraoperative parameters. However, compared to PVT patients without an implantable pump, PVT patients with an implantable pump showed remarkable reductions in their postoperative hospital stay, rethrombosis, reoperation rate, and in-hospital mortality. An implantable pump of the portal vein in liver transplantation patients can prevent and facilitate the treatment of portal vein rethrombosis and is associated with a reduction of in-hospital mortality. Liver Transpl 16:324,331, 2010. © 2010 AASLD. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||