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SS
Kinds of SS Terms modified by SS Selected AbstractsChronic social stress in adolescence influenced both amphetamine conditioned place preference and locomotor sensitizationDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2008I. Z. Mathews Abstract We previously reported that chronic social stress (SS) in adolescence, but not in adulthood, increased the locomotor-activating effects of nicotine in females, and not males, when tested in adulthood. However, SS rats had decreased locomotor response to nicotine when tested in adolescence. Here, we investigated age-related changes in the effects of SS on both conditioned place preference (CPP) and locomotor sensitization to amphetamine. In the CPP experiment, SS females tested in adolescence had increased preference for the 1.0 mg/kg dose of amphetamine, whereas SS rats of both sexes showed a decrease in CPP for the 0.5 mg/kg dose when tested as adults. Irrespective of time of testing, SS males and females had enhanced locomotor sensitization compared to controls. Thus, adolescent SS produced both immediate and enduring effects on behavioral responses to amphetamine, likely by altering the development of the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system, which holds implications for vulnerability to addiction. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 50: 451,459, 2008. [source] Reproducibility, validity, and responsiveness of a disease-specific symptom questionnaire for gastroesophageal reflux diseaseDISEASES OF THE ESOPHAGUS, Issue 4 2000C. J. Allen The purpose of this study was to establish the reproducibility, validity, and responsiveness of a symptom questionnaire to assess patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). A total of 300 patients with GERD completed questionnaires before and 6 months after laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. Forty-six GERD patients who continued on omeprazole served as controls. Lower esophageal sphincter pressure, 24-h pH, and quality of life (SF36) were measured at baseline and follow-up. Reproducibility was calculated as an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) from a repeated-measures analysis of variance on symptom scores (SS) on two consecutive days. Validity was established by correlating SS with 24-h pH and SF36 scores. Responsiveness was calculated as the the ratio of the mean paired difference in score in the surgical group to the within-subject variability in control subjects. Reproducibility was very high, as revealed by an ICC of 0.92. Strong correlations between SS and SF36 scores at baseline and after surgery demonstrated high cross-sectional validity. Correlation between change in SS and change in pH, SF36 pain, general health, and physical health scores demonstrated longitudinal validity. The mean (95% confidence interval) paired differences in SS were 25.6 (23.7, 27.5) in the study and 2.0 (,3.2, 7.3) in the control groups, and the responsive index was 1.0. The estimated minimally important clinical difference was 7. We conclude that the symptom score is a reproducible, valid, and responsive instrument for assessing symptoms caused by GERD. [source] Linked electronic medication systems in community pharmacies for preventing pseudoephedrine diversion: A review of international practice and analysis of results in AustraliaDRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 6 2009CONSTANTINE G. BERBATIS Abstract Introduction and Aims. Pseudoephedrine is a precursor often diverted into the illegal manufacture of amphetamine type substances (ATS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a linked electronic medication recording system (LEMS) established in Australian pharmacies in 2005 for preventing the diversion of pseudoephedrine. Design and Methods. The number of illegal ATS laboratories detected in each jurisdiction of Australia from 1996,1997 to 2004,2005 were analysed by linear regression nationally and by each jurisdiction. The statistical significance of seizures in 2005,2006 was based on the comparison of the observed value to the 95% prediction confidence intervals calculated from the historical data for each jurisdiction and nationally. Results. Pharmacies in Queensland commenced an LEMS in late 2005 to minimise retail pseudoephedrine diversion. The number of ATS laboratories seized in 2005,2006 in Queensland was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than predicted by historical data. For all other jurisdictions and nationally the totals of laboratories seized in 2005,2006 were not significantly different from predicted values. Discussion and Conclusions. The significant decline in ATS illegal laboratories seized in Queensland in 2005,2006 suggests the effective use of LEMS in pharmacies to minimise pseudoephedrine diversion. In order to evaluate a national LEMS, more frequent data on numbers of linked pharmacies, ATS laboratories seized and indicators of pseudoephedrine sales and misuse are required. Testing the use of LEMS by pharmacies for preventing the diversion of other medicines seems appropriate.[Berbatis CG, Sunderland VB, Dhaliwal SS. Linked electronic medication systems in community pharmacies for preventing pseudoephedrine diversion: A review of international practice and analysis of results in Australia. Drug Alcohol Rev 2009] [source] Simplified seismic analysis of asymmetric building systemsEARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING AND STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS, Issue 4 2007Jui-Liang Lin Abstract The paper reviews the uncoupled modal response history analysis (UMRHA) and modal pushover analysis (MPA) procedure in the analysis of asymmetric structures. From the pushover curves in ADRS format, showing the relationships of base shear versus roof translation and base torque versus roof rotation, a bifurcating characteristic of the pushover curves of an asymmetric structure is observed. A two-degree-of-freedom (2DOF) modal stick is constructed using lump mass eccentrically placed at the end of beam which is connected with the column by a rotational spring. By converting the equation of motion of a whole structure into 2DOF modal equations, all of the elastic properties in the 2DOF modal sticks can be determined accurately. A mathematical proof is carried out to demonstrate that the 2DOF modal stick is consistent with the single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) modal stick at elastic state. The bifurcating characteristic of modal pushover curves and the interaction of modal translation and rotation can be considered rationally by this 2DOF modal stick. In order to verify the effectiveness of this proposed 2DOF modal stick, a two-storey asymmetric building structure was analysed by the UMRHA procedure incorporating this novel 2DOF modal sticks (2DMPA) and conventional SDOF modal sticks (SDMPA), respectively. The analytical results are compared with those obtained by nonlinear response history analysis (RHA). It is illustrated that the accuracy of the rotational response histories obtained by 2DMPA is much better than those obtained by SDMPA. Consequently, the estimations of translational response histories on flexible side (FS) and stiff side (SS) of the building structure are also improved. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Numerical simulation of sediment-associated water quality processes for a Mississippi delta lakeECOHYDROLOGY, Issue 3 2009Xiaobo Chao Abstract Three major sediment-associated processes were presented to describe the effects of sediment on the water quality processes, including the effect of sediment on the light intensity for the growth of phytoplankton (PHYTO), the adsorption,desorption of nutrients by sediment and the release of nutrients from the bed sediment layer. A formula was generated from field measurements to calculate the light attenuation coefficient by considering the effects of concentrations of chlorophyll and suspended sediment (SS). The concentrations of adsorbed and dissolved nutrients because of adsorption,desorption were calculated using two formulas that were derived based on the Langmuir Equation. The release rates of nutrients from the bed sediment were calculated by considering the effects of the concentration gradient across the water-sediment interface, pH, temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration. Model algorithms describing the adsorption and desorption of nutrients from sediment particles as well as the release of nutrients from bed sediment were tested using experimental data. These sediment-associated water quality processes were included in a three-dimensional (3D) water quality model, CCHE3D_WQ, developed by the National Center for Computational Hydroscience and Engineering (NCCHE), to simulate the concentrations of PHYTO and nutrients in a shallow Mississippi Delta lake with special emphasis on sediment-related processes. The simulated concentration of PHYTO (as chlorophyll) and nutrients were generally in good agreement with field observations. This study shows that there are strong interactions between sediment-associated processes and water quality constituents. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Estrogenic effect of leachates and soil extracts from lysimeters spiked with sewage sludge and reference endocrine disruptersENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY, Issue 2 2002Halim Dizer Abstract Several experiments were conducted to evaluate the behavior and performance of some potential endocrine disrupters (ECDs). Two in vitro screening assays, one based on MCF7-cell proliferation (E-screen test) and the other on estrogenic receptor activity [enzyme-linked receptor assay (ELRA)], were used for the tests, which were done in lysimeters 80 cm in diameter with depths of 30 cm (shallow) or 90 cm (deep). A sandy soil was used to fill in all lysimeters, which were spiked on the surface with either: (a) a sewage sludge (SS) at a dose equivalent to 20 tons ha,1; (b) a mixture of reference ECDs, comprising 17,- and 17,-estradiol (E2), nonylphenol, octylphenol, and bisphenol A at doses 100 times higher than the maximum concentrations respectively found in the applied SS; or (c) a mixture of ECDs and SS. After percolation of the lysimeters with rain and/or artificial water, five leachates were sampled from each lysimeter during a period of 210 days. Immediately after the lysimeter percolation experiments, four and six soil fractions were dissected from, respectively, the 30-cm and 90-cm lysimeters and extracted by water. Both the leachate and soil extract samples were analyzed for their estrogenicity using the assays indicated above. The E-screen assay was highly sensitive only for some leachate and extract samples but gave no response for most leachates and soil extracts. The results of the ELRA assay suggests a significantly higher estrogenicity of leachate samples from shallow lysimeters compared with that of leachates from deep lysimeters. In contrast, the estrogenic effect measured for soil extracts of shallow lysimeters was lower than that measured for soil extracts of deep lysimeters. The results of the E-screen assay suggests the occurrence of a fast mobilization of applied ECDs and a moderate retardation effect of native ECDs contained in applied SS in the sandy soil used in the lysimeters. In lysimeters spiked with a mixture of SS and ECDs, the washing-out effect of ECDs in the first leachate fraction decreased, but the distribution of ECDs in the lysimeters increased. The relatively high estrogenic impact measured for soil water extracts suggests that the ECDs were mostly associated with water-soluble fractions of organic matter and/or water-suspended fractions of the mineral soil matrix. The application of SS to agricultural and forest fields may determine the immobilization of ECDs in soil or their movement to surface and/or groundwater. Therefore, an endocrine risk of exposure exists for the water and soil organisms. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 17: 105,112, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/tox.10038 [source] Inhibition of aquatic toxicity of pyrethroid insecticides by suspended sedimentENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 7 2006Weichun Yang Abstract The use of pyrethroid insecticides is increasing in both agricultural and urban environments. Although pyrethroids display very high acute toxicities to water column organisms in laboratory tests, environmental water samples typically contain suspended sediment (SS) that can reduce the freely dissolved concentration of pyrethroids, hence their bioavailability. Consequently, phase distribution could play an important role in pyrethroid aquatic toxicology. In this study, we evaluated the effect of SS on the acute toxicity of four widely used pyrethroid insecticides to Ceriodaphnia dubia. In all assays, median lethal concentrations (LC50s) consistently increased with increasing SS, demonstrating the pronounced inhibitory effects of SS on pyrethroid toxicity. The LC50s in the 200 mg/L SS solutions were 2.5 to 13 times greater than those measured in sediment-free controls. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was used to determine the apparent distribution coefficient Kd for the pyrethroids in the water samples. Under the assumption that only the freely dissolved fraction is bioavailable, the measured Kd was used to predict C. dubia LC50s in the water samples. The predicted LC50s were within a factor of two of the measured values for 95% of the treatments. Results from this study suggest that the inhibitory effect of SS can be highly significant and must be considered in estimating exposures to pyrethroids in aquatic systems. The SPME methodology could be used effectively to measure bioavailable concentration and to predict the actual ecotoxicologic effects of pyrethroids. [source] Development of nephritis but not sialadenitis in autoimmune-prone BAFF transgenic mice lacking marginal zone B cellsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 9 2006Carrie Abstract B cell-activating factor belonging to the TNF family (BAFF) is a B cell survival factor required for B cell maturation. BAFF transgenic (Tg) mice develop autoimmune disorders characterized by autoantibody production, which leads to nephritis and salivary gland destruction (sialadenitis), features reminiscent of systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren's syndrome (SS), respectively. Disease in BAFF Tg mice correlates with the expansion of the marginal zone (MZ) B cell compartment and the abnormal presence of MZ-like B cells in the blood, LN and inflamed salivary glands, suggesting a role for these cells in BAFF-induced autoimmunity. Lymphotoxin-, (LT,)-deficient mice show disrupted splenic architecture, lack MZ B cells and some peripheral LN, and are unable to mount T cell-dependent immune responses. BAFF Tg mice lacking LT, (LT,,-BTg) retained these defects, yet still developed nephritis associated with the presence of B-1 B cells in the kidneys. However, in contrast to old BAFF Tg mice, aging LT,,-BTg mice no longer developed sialadenitis. Thus, autoimmune disorders in BAFF Tg mice are possibly events coordinated by MZ and B-1 B cells at separate anatomical sites. [source] GABAergic projections from the hippocampus to the retrosplenial cortex in the ratEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 5 2007Toshio Miyashita Abstract The retrosplenial cortex (RS) in rats has been implicated in a wide range of behaviors, including spatial navigation and memory. Relevant to this, the RS is closely interconnected with the hippocampus by multiple direct and indirect routes. Here, by injecting the retrograde tracer cholera toxin subunit B conjugated with Alexa488 (CTB-Alexa488) in the granular retrosplenial cortex (GRS), we demonstrate a moderately dense non-pyramidal projection from CA1. Neurons are in several layers, but mainly (about 65%) at the border of the stratum radiatum (SR) and stratum lacunosum moleculare (SLM). In particular, by double-labeling with GAD67 or ,-aminobutyric acid (GABA), we establish that these neurons are GABAergic. Further immunocytochemical screening for calcium-binding proteins, somatostatin (SS) or cholecystokinin (CCK) failed to identify additional neurochemical subgroups; but a small subset (about 14%) is positive for the m2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M2R). Terminations target layer 1 of the GRS, as shown by biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) injections into CA1 and confirmed by a very superficial injection of CTB-Alexa488 in GRS. The superficial injection shows that there is a sparse GABAergic projection from the subiculum to layer 1 of the GRS, in addition to the dense excitatory connections to layer 3. The role of these dual inhibitory,excitatory pathways , within the subiculum, and in parallel from CA1 and the subiculum , remains to be determined, but may be related to synchronized oscillatory activity in the hippocampal complex and GRS, or to the generation of rhythmic activity within the GRS. [source] Inflammation alters somatostatin mRNA expression in sensory neurons in the ratEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 1 2005Seham A. Abd El-Aleem Abstract Proinflammatory neuropeptides, such as substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide, are up-regulated in primary afferent neurons in acute and chronic inflammation. While these neuropeptides have been intensively studied, potentially anti-inflammatory and/or anti-nociceptive neuropeptides such as somatostatin (SS) have been less widely investigated. Endogenous somatostatin is thought to exert a tonic antinociceptive effect. Exogenous SS is anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive and is thought to exert these actions through inhibition of proinflammatory neuropeptide release. In this study we have compared the expression of somatostatin in two inflammatory models: arthritis, a condition associated with increased nociception, and periodontitis, in which there is little evidence of altered nociceptive thresholds. In acute arthritis (< 24 h) SS mRNA was down-regulated in ipsilateral dorsal root ganglia (DRG; 52 ± 7% of control, P < 0.05), and up-regulated in contralateral DRG (134 ± 10% of control; P < 0.05). In chronic arthritis (14 days) this pattern of mRNA regulation was reversed, with SS being up-regulated ipsilaterally and down-regulated contralaterally. In chronic mandibular periodontitis (7,10 days), SS mRNA was up-regulated in only the mandibular division of the ipsilateral trigeminal ganglion (TG) (day 7, 219 ± 9% and day 10, 217 ± 12% of control; P < 0.02) but showed no change in other divisions of the trigeminal ganglion or in the mesencephalic nucleus. These data show that antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory neuropeptides are also regulated in inflammation. It is possible that the degree of inflammation and nociception seen may depend on the balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory and nociceptive peptide expression in a particular condition. [source] Functional estrogen receptors alpha and beta are expressed in normal human salivary gland epithelium and apparently mediate immunomodulatory effectsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORAL SCIENCES, Issue 5 2009Maria Tsinti Salivary gland epithelial cells (SGECs) have been shown to participate in immunological responses and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Experimental evidence from animal models indicates that estrogen deficiency may also participate in SS pathogenesis. However, the expression and functionality of the estrogen receptors alpha (ER,) and beta (ER,) in normal human salivary epithelium is unknown. To investigate these points, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens and cultured non-neoplastic SGEC lines derived from nine minor salivary gland (MSG) biopsies with normal histology were studied. Immunohistochemical analyses detected the epithelial expression of ER,, ER,1, and ER,2 protein isoforms both in MSG tissues and in cultured SGECs. Such epithelial expression was verified by immunoblotting of various ER proteins in cellular extracts of cultured SGECs (full-length-ER,, ER,-,3, ER,1-long, ER,1-short, and ER,2-long isoforms). Estrogens did not induce growth or apoptosis in cultured SGECs. However, similarly to other cellular systems, treatment of cultured SGECs with estrogens (17,-estradiol and the ER,- and ER,-selective agonists propylpyrazole-triol and diarylpropiolnitrile, respectively) inhibited the interferon-,-inducible expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1. This finding corroborated the functionality of ER expressed by SGEC. Our results suggest that salivary epithelium expresses constitutively functional ER, and ER, proteins that apparently mediate immunomodulatory effects. [source] Salivary gland parameters and clinical data related to the underlying disorder in patients with persisting xerostomiaEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORAL SCIENCES, Issue 2 2007Ianthe Van Den Berg This study assessed salivary gland parameters and clinical data in patients referred to our clinic because of persisting xerostomia of unknown origin, in order to facilitate early diagnosis and recognition of the underlying disorder. Most patients were referred for diagnostic analysis of a possible Sjögren's syndrome (SS). A complete diagnostic work-up was available in all patients (n = 176), including data on salivary gland function, saliva composition, sialography, salivary gland swelling, pattern of complaints, general health, and medication. Patients were diagnosed with SS (n = 62), sialosis (n = 45), sodium retention syndrome (n = 30), or medication-induced xerostomia (n = 9). In 30 patients no disease related to salivary gland pathology was found. Unstimulated whole salivary flow was decreased in all patients, except in patients with sodium retention syndrome and in patients without salivary gland pathology. Submandibular/sublingual salivary flow was lowest in SS patients. SS and sialosis patients had increased salivary potassium concentrations, whereas only SS patients had increased sodium concentrations. About half of the sialosis patients mainly complained of persistent parotid gland swelling. Xerostomia-inducing medication was used by most patients. It was concluded that gland-specific sialometry and sialochemistry is useful in discriminating between the various disorders causing persisting xerostomia. [source] New joint frame synchronisation and carrier frequency offset estimation method for OFDM systems,EUROPEAN TRANSACTIONS ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS, Issue 4 2009Zhongshan Zhang We propose a new joint frame synchronisation and carrier frequency offset estimation scheme for burst transmission mode OFDM systems. This scheme uses a central-symmetric and comb-like (CSCL) training sequence, which eases the power detection at the receiver without increasing the total training sequence power. Fine frame synchronisation as well as carrier frequency offset acquisition with a maximum acquisition range of times the sub-carrier spacing can also be performed based on the proposed CSCL training sequence, where N is the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) length and SF is an integer-valued spreading factor used to generate CSCL. The post-acquisition residual carrier frequency offset can be further estimated and corrected via a fine adjustment algorithm. In order to reduce performance loss due to the high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) of the CSCL training sequence, a time-domain constant-envelope (CE) training sequence is also proposed. The superior estimation accuracy of the proposed algorithm over that of the Moose algorithm and the SS (Shi and Serpedin) algorithm is proved by computer simulation. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Non-Corrosive, Non-Absorbing Organic Redox Couple for Dye-Sensitized Solar CellsADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 19 2010Dongmei Li Abstract A new colorless electrolyte containing an organic redox couple, tetramethylthiourea (TMTU) and its oxidized dimer tetramethylformaminium disulfide dication ([TMFDS]2+), is applied to dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Advantages of this redox couple include its non-corrosive nature, low cost, and easy handling. More impressively, it operates well with carbon electrodes. The DSCs fabricated with a lab-made HCS-CB carbon counter-electrode can present up to 3.1% power conversion efficiency under AM 1.5 illumination of 100 mW·cm,2 and 4.5% under weaker light intensities. This result distinctly outperforms the identical DSCs with a Pt electrode. Corrosive experiments reveal that Al and stainless steel (SS) sheets are stable in the [TMFDS]2+/TMTU-based electrolyte. Its electrochemical impedance spectrum (EIS) is used to evaluate the influence of different counter-electrodes on the cell performance, and preliminary investigations reveal that carbon electrodes with large surface areas and ideal corrosion-inertness toward the sulfur-containing [TMFDS]2+/TMTU redox couple exhibit promise for application in iodine-free DSCs. [source] Neural correlates of noncanonical syntactic processing revealed by a picture-sentence matching taskHUMAN BRAIN MAPPING, Issue 9 2008Ryuta Kinno Abstract It remains controversial whether the left inferior frontal gyrus subserves syntactic processing or short-term memory demands. Here we devised a novel picture-sentence matching task involving Japanese sentences with different structures to clearly contrast syntactic reanalysis processes. Using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), activations under three main conditions were directly compared: a canonical/subject-initial active sentence (AS), a noncanonical/subject-initial passive sentence (PS), and a noncanonical/object-initial scrambled sentence (SS). We found that activation in the dorsal region of the left inferior frontal gyrus (dF3t) was enhanced more by the noncanonical processing under the PS and SS conditions than by the canonical processing under the AS condition, and this enhancement was independent of domain-general factors, such as general memory demands and task difficulty. Moreover, the left posterior superior/middle temporal gyrus (pSTG/MTG) showed more enhanced responses to object-initial sentences under the SS condition than to subject-initial sentences under the AS and PS conditions, which were not significantly affected by task difficulty. Furthermore, activation in the left lateral premotor cortex (LPMC) increased under the AS, PS, and SS conditions, in that order. It is possible that task difficulty affects the left LPMC, but the three distinct activations patterns suggest that these frontal and temporal regions work in concert to process syntactic structures, with their respective contributions dynamically regulated by linguistic requirements. Hum Brain Mapp 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Daily pan evaporation modelling using multi-layer perceptrons and radial basis neural networksHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 2 2009Özgür Ki Abstract This paper reports on investigations of the abilities of three different artificial neural network (ANN) techniques, multi-layer perceptrons (MLP), radial basis neural networks (RBNN) and generalized regression neural networks (GRNN) to estimate daily pan evaporation. Different MLP models comprising various combinations of daily climatic variables, that is, air temperature, solar radiation, wind speed, pressure and humidity were developed to evaluate the effect of each of these variables on pan evaporation. The MLP estimates are compared with those of the RBNN and GRNN techniques. The Stephens-Stewart (SS) method is also considered for the comparison. The performances of the models are evaluated using root mean square errors (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and determination coefficient (R2) statistics. Based on the comparisons, it was found that the MLP and RBNN computing techniques could be employed successfully to model the evaporation process using the available climatic data. The GRNN was found to perform better than the SS method. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Analysis of suspended sediment yields after low impact forest harvestingHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 26 2007Norifumi Hotta Abstract Disturbances to forest catchments have profound effects on the environment of headwater streams and have an impact on suspended sediment (SS) management. Forest harvesting is a dominant factor in increasing SS yields. Road construction, skidder activity and ploughing associated with harvesting cause serious soil disturbance that results in SS increases. However, few studies have shown whether harvesting itself increases SS yields. This study examined how harvesting influenced SS yields in a steep forested area. During harvesting, soil surface disturbance was prevented as much as possible by using skyline logging treatments and piling branches and leaves at selected locations in the watershed. Using these methods, the representative SS rating curve did not change significantly after harvesting. The results also show that the characteristics of SS transport were related to the SS source area, and reveal that the riparian zone/stream bank was a dominant SS source area at the study site. Annual SS yields did not increase despite increasing annual water yields after harvesting. The limited water capacity of the soil at the study site likely led to only slight differences in pre- and post-harvest water discharge from heavy rainfall events. Most SS was transported during heavy rainfall events, and increases in SS yields were not detected after harvesting. We concluded that it is possible to prevent post-harvest SS increases by performing careful, low-impact harvesting procedures. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] PEGylated Calcium Phosphate Nanocomposites as Smart Environment-Sensitive Carriers for siRNA DeliveryADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 34 2009Mingzhen Zhang A novel inorganic,organic hybrid nanocomposite is formed in situ using a simple and straightforward method. Conjugate of short interfering RNA (siRNA) duplex with poly(ethylene glycol) via a disulfide linkage (PEG,SS,siRNA) is demonstrated to regulate the crystal growth of calcium phosphate (CaP), yielding a monodispersed nanocomposite. The resultant nanocomposite can be utilized as nanocarriers for siRNA delivery. [source] QUANTIFYING THE LAFFER CURVE ON THE CONTINUED ACTIVITY TAX IN A DYNASTIC FRAMEWORK,INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC REVIEW, Issue 3 2008Jean-Olivier Hairault It is argued that the tax on continued activity should be removed by implementing actuarially fair schemes. However, these schemes cannot fund the expected Social Security (SS) deficit. This article proposes to give individuals a fraction of the actuarially fair incentives in the case of postponed retirement. SS faces a trade-off between giving enough incentives to make individuals delay retirement and giving little increase in pensions in order to help finance its expected deficit. This trade-off is captured by a Laffer curve. Finally, when the SS system aims to maximize welfare, the optimal tax on postponed retirement is still strictly positive. [source] On integration of a cyclic soil plasticity modelINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 6 2001Majid T. Manzari Abstract Performance of three classes of explicit and implicit time-stepping integrators is assessed for a cyclic plasticity constitutive model for sands. The model is representative of an important class of cyclic plasticity models for soils and includes both isotropic and nonlinear kinematic hardening. The implicit algorithm is based on the closest point projection method and the explicit algorithm follows a cutting-plane integration procedure. A sub-stepping technique was also implemented. The performance of these algorithms is assessed through a series of numerical simulations ranging from simulations of laboratory tests (such as triaxial and bi-axial compression, direct shear, and cyclic triaxial tests) to the analysis of a typical boundary value problem of geotechnical earthquake engineering. These simulations show that the closest point projection algorithm remains stable and accurate for relatively large strain increments and for cases where the mean effective stress in a soil element reaches very small values leading to a liquefaction state. It is also shown that while the cutting plane (CP) and sub-stepping (SS) algorithms provide high efficiency and good accuracy for small to medium size strain increments, their accuracy and efficiency deteriorate faster than the closest point projection method for large strain increments. The CP and SS algorithms also face convergence difficulties in the liquefaction analysis when the soil approaches very small mean effective stresses. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Hydroelastic vibrations of flexible rectangular tanks partially filled with liquidINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING, Issue 2 2007Ding Zhou Abstract In this paper, the three-dimensional vibratory characteristics of flexible rectangular tanks partially filled with liquid are studied. The surface waves of the liquid are taken into account in the analysis. Both the bulging modes of the tank-wall vibration and the sloshing modes of the liquid oscillation are investigated. The vibrating modes of the liquid,tank system are divided into four distinct categories: double symmetric modes (SS); antisymmetric,symmetric modes (AS); symmetric,antisymmetric modes (SA) and double antisymmetric modes (AA). Each of these categories is separately investigated. The velocity potential of the liquid is analytically deduced by using a combination of the superposition method and the method of separation of variables. According to the liquid,tank interface conditions and the orthogonality of trigonometric functions, the coefficients in the solution of liquid velocity potential are expressed in the integral forms including the tank,wall dynamic deflection. A set of reasonable static beam functions is constructed as the admissible functions of the tank-wall vibration. The eigenfrequency equation of the liquid,tank system is derived by using a combination of the Rayleigh,Ritz method and the Galerkin method. Convergence study demonstrates the high accuracy and small computational cost of the proposed approach. Finally, some numerical results are presented for the first time. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] MNS16A minisatellite genotypes in relation to risk of glioma and meningioma and to glioblastoma outcomeINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 4 2009Ulrika Andersson Abstract The human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene is upregulated in a majority of malignant tumours. A variable tandem repeat, MNS16A, has been reported to be of functional significance for hTERT expression. Published data on the clinical relevance of MNS16A variants in brain tumours have been contradictory. The present population-based study in the Nordic countries and the United Kingdom evaluated brain-tumour risk and survival in relation to MNS16A minisatellite variants in 648 glioma cases, 473 meningioma cases and 1,359 age, sex and geographically matched controls. By PCR-based genotyping all study subjects with fragments of 240 or 271 bp were judged as having short (S) alleles and subjects with 299 or 331 bp fragments as having long (L) alleles. Relative risk of glioma or meningioma was estimated with logistic regression adjusting for age, sex and country. Overall survival was analysed using Kaplan,Meier estimates and equality of survival distributions using the log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard ratios. The MNS16A genotype was not associated with risk of occurrence of glioma, glioblastoma (GBM) or meningioma. For GBM there were median survivals of 15.3, 11.0 and 10.7 months for the LL, LS and SS genotypes, respectively; the hazard ratio for having the LS genotype compared with the LL was significantly increased HR 2.44 (1.56,3.82) and having the SS genotype versus the LL was nonsignificantly increased HR 1.46 (0.81,2.61). When comparing the LL versus having one of the potentially functional variants LS and SS, the HR was 2.10 (1.41,3.1). However, functionality was not supported as there was no trend towards increasing HR with number of S alleles. Collected data from our and previous studies regarding both risk and survival for the MNS16A genotypes are contradictory and warrant further investigations. © 2009 UICC [source] The screening of the second-site suppressor mutations of the common p53 mutantsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 3 2007Kazunori Otsuka Abstract Second-site suppressor (SSS) mutations in p53 found by random mutagenesis have shown to restore the inactivated function of some tumor-derived p53. To screen novel SSS mutations against common mutant p53s, intragenic second-site (SS) mutations were introduced into mutant p53 cDNA in a comprehensive manner by using a p53 missense mutation library. The resulting mutant p53s with background and SS mutations were assayed for their ability to restore the p53 transactivation function in both yeast and human cell systems. We identified 12 novel SSS mutations including H178Y against a common mutation G245S. Surprisingly, the G245S phenotype is rescued when coexpressed with p53 bearing the H178Y mutation. This result indicated that there is a possibility that intragenic suppressor mutations might restore the protein function in an intermolecular manner. The intermolecular mechanism may lead to novel strategies for restoring inactivated p53 function and tumor suppression in cancer treatment. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Expression and activity of IL-17 in cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (mycosis fungoides and sezary syndrome)INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 1 2004Arnaud Cirée Abstract Interleukin-17 (IL-17) is a proinflammatory cytokine mainly produced by activated CD4+ CD45RO T cells. In mice, we have demonstrated that, depending on the model, IL-17 may act as a tumor growth-promoting or -inhibiting factor. In order to address the relevance of these models in human tumors, we look for the natural expression and activity of IL-17 in mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sezary syndrome (SS). These cutaneous T-cell lymphomas were selected because they are usually CD3+ CD4+ CD45RO+, a phenotype similar to nontransformed T cells producing IL-17. We show that in vitro activated malignant T cells derived from MF or SS patients express IL-17 mRNA and secrete this cytokine. However, IL-17 does not act in vitro as a growth factor for MF or SS cell lines. In addition, 5 out of 10 MF/SS biopsies expressed IL-17 mRNA, while this cytokine was not detected in normal skin. IL-17 was not observed in the biopsies derived from 2 patients initially identified as MF, whereas an upregulation of this cytokine was clearly demonstrated during progression of the disease in these patients. An association between IL-17 expression and polymorphonuclear neutrophil infiltration was also recorded in this group of MF/SS patients. A more detailed analysis of 2 patients with a pustular form of MF and SS revealed that IL-17 may participate in the recruitment of polymorphonuclear neutrophils via a paracrine mechanism involving keratinocyte-released IL-8. This study is the first report demonstrating that some human tumor cells could express IL-17, a cytokine that represents an early event in the development of the inflammatory reaction within the tumor microenvironment, a process that may influence tumor phenotype and growth. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Pulmonary involvement in Sweet's syndrome: a case report and review of the literatureINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2006Leonardo Astudillo MD Pulmonary involvement in Sweet's syndrome (SS) is rare. We report a case of SS with severe respiratory involvement responding to corticosteroid therapy. A 82-year-old man presented fever of 39 °C associated with cough and dyspnea, and crackles in the left lung. The infection work-up was negative. Chest X-ray showed cardiomegaly and left lower lobe pulmonary infiltrates. Pulmonary signs did not improve on treatment with antibiotics, and after 1 week maculopapular lesions appeared, localized on the knees, the periombilical area and the back. The antibiotics were changed without improvement. A skin biopsy revealed infiltration by neutrophilic granulocytes and marked edema in the dermis, consistent with SS. The patient's condition progressively worsened, requiring high oxygenotherapy, and he was transferred to an intensive care unit. Chest X-ray revealed an important alveolar and interstitial syndrome. Bronchoalveolar lavage found 170 leukocytes with 30% neutrophils (N < 5%), 7% lymphocytes and 63% macrophages. A search for bacteria, viruses or parasites in bronchoalveolar lavage was negative. The patient was treated with antibiotics, a high dose of furosemide and steroids for 4 days. Because the patient improved dramatically within 5 days, with a negative infection work-up and a dramatic decrease of C-reactive protein, the antibiotics were stopped. Steroids were secondarily tapered very slowly. A chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed a substantial improvement of pulmonary lesions. We also review the 22 cases of pulmonary involvement of SS reported in the literature. [source] Extracutaneous transformation into a high-grade lymphoma: a potential pitfall in the management of patients with Sézary syndromeINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2006Sonja Michaelis MD Background, Transformation into a high-grade lymphoma in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) occurs in approximately 25% of cases and is associated with an aggressive clinical course. Methods, We identified four cases of transformation of Sézary syndrome (SS) into pleomorphic T-cell lymphoma. Results, In all patients, transformation occurred first in the lymph nodes, an average of 43 months after the diagnosis of SS. These high-grade lymphomas were composed of CD30-positive (two patients) and CD30-negative (two patients) pleomorphic large cells. All patients died of lymphoma an average of 29 months after nodal transformation. Conclusion, Because of an apparently poorer prognosis, the early recognition of transformation, especially by lymph node biopsy, is important for adequate therapy. [source] Association between serotonin transporter gene polymorphism and eating disorders: A meta-analytic studyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EATING DISORDERS, Issue 6 2010Yu Lee MD Abstract Objective Compelling evidence has suggested a role for serotonin system dysfunction in the pathogenesis of eating disorders (EDs), including anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN). Studies have examined the association between EDs and a functional polymorphism of the serotonin transporter gene promoter (5-HTTLPR). These studies have yielded inconsistent results. The present study aimed to determine conclusively whether there is an association by using a meta-analytic method. Method Data of over 2,000 participants from eight independent case,controlassociation studies were pooled by using a random effects model. Results AN was found to be significantly associated with the S allele (p < .001) and S carrier (SS + LS) genotype (p = .007). However, BN was associated neither with the S allele (p = .49) nor with the S carrier genotype (p = .33). Discussion These results suggested that the genetic variance of the serotonin transporter gene promoter contributed to the susceptibility of AN. © 2009 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2010; 43:498,504 [source] Adhesion of Listeria monocytogenes to materials commonly found in domestic kitchensINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 7 2008Pilar Teixeira Summary The aim of this work was to investigate the adhesion of Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 15313 to glass, granite, marble, polypropylene from a bowl (PPb), polypropylene from a cutting board (PPcb) and stainless steel (SS), which are materials commonly used in kitchens. Marble and granite were chosen because they are applied as kitchen bench covers and pavements in many countries and there are no literature reports on their behaviour in terms of microbial adhesion. The effect of surface hydrophobicity and roughness on the adhesion process was also analysed. The results showed that the highest extent of adhesion of L. monocytogenes occurred to stainless steel, followed by glass and in less extent to the other materials studied. However, it was not possible to establish a correlation between surface hydrophobicity or roughness and the extent of adhesion of L. monocytogenes. The adherence of L. monocytogenes should be dependent on other factors, like the presence of exopolymers and surface charge. [source] High score on the Relative Stress Scale, a marker of possible psychiatric disorder in family carers of patients with dementiaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 3 2007Ingun Ulstein Abstract Objective To compare the scores on the Relative Stress Scale (RSS) with those on the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and to establish a cut-off score for RSS in order to distinguish carers with symptoms of psychiatric disorders from those without. Methods One hundred and ninety-four carers of 194 patients suffering from dementia according to ICD-10 were included in the study. Burden of care was assessed by the 15-items RSS, and psychiatric symptoms by means of the GHQ-30 and the 30-items GDS. A case score above 5 on GHQ and above 13 on GDS were used to define carers with probable psychiatric morbidity. Sensitivity (SS), specificity (SP), accuracy and likelihood ratio for a positive test (LR+) were calculated for different cut-points of the RSS. Results Fifty-six percent of the carers had a GHQ score above 5, and 22% had a GDS score above 13. A two-step cluster analysis using 192 of the 194 carers, identified three groups of carers; a low risk group for psychiatric morbidity (LRG), 82 carers with GHQ,,,5 and GDS,,,13; a medium risk group (MRG), 69 carers with GHQ,>,5 and GDS,,,13; and a high-risk group (HRG), 40 carers with GHQ,>,5 and GDS,>,13. The optimal RSS cut-off to distinguish between the LRG and the others was,>,23 (SS 0.72, SP 0.82, accuracy 0.76, LR,+,4.0), whereas the optimal cut-off to separate the HRG from the others was,>30 (SS 0.74, SP 0.87, accuracy 0.84, LR,+,5.7). Conclusion The RSS is a useful instrument to stratify carers according to their risk of psychiatric morbidity. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Foetal haemoglobin in homozygous sickle cell disease: a study of patients with low HBF levels*INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LABORATORY HEMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2001A. Donaldson High foetal haemoglobin (HbF) levels are believed to ameliorate the manifestations of homozygous sickle cell (SS) disease. The corollary implies that patients with low HbF levels should have more severe clinical courses. We investigated this in a retrospective study of 50 Jamaican patients with steady-state HbF levels below 1% compared with a control group (A) of 54 subjects with steady-state HbF levels between 2.5 and 3.4% (around the 25th centile for our population), and a second control group (B) of 60 patients with steady-state HbF levels between 4.6 and 5.2% (around the 50th centile). Comparisons across the groups indicated significantly fewer females in the study group (16, 50 and 57%, respectively). Examination for haematological trends across the groups showed positive linear trends for haemoglobin (Hb) (P=0.004), packed cell volume (PCV) (P=0.01), mean cell volume (MCV) (P=< 0.001), mean cell haemoglobin (MCH) (P=< 0.001) and a negative trend for haemoglobin A2 (P=0.03). Clinically, there were no differences in the incidence of painful crises, abdominal crises and the acute chest syndrome, but leg ulcers were significantly less frequent in the study group (P=0.04). Therefore low HbF levels do not appear to increase the clinical severity of SS disease and may be protective against leg ulceration. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||