Detection and characterization of the electron paramagnetic resonance-silent glutathionyl-5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide adduct derived from redox cycling of phenoxyl radicals in model systems and HL-60 cells

Rapidly growing knowledge about the nature and behaviour of breast cancer has led to many treatment modalities. Consequently, the possibilities of individualizing the treatment of breast cancer increase. The major tool for the determination of an optimal treatment plan is the estimation of the extent of the disease: in other words, staging. As a consequence, together with the expected result of the treatment, the stage of the disease gives information on the prognosis of the patient. Current staging systems insufficiently describe the clinically important features of breast cancer with respect to management and outcome: local and regional extent, invasiveness, aggressiveness, the state of dissemination, and the effectiveness of different treatment modalities. For staging of the local and regional extent, histology plays a prominent role and should be incorporated in future staging systems. Histological workup therefore needs standardisation. Histological parameters as tumour size, grade, nodal status, and vascular invasion are also the most important prognostic factors. Many so-called biological prognostic factors are related to the invasiveness and aggressiveness (metastatic potential) of the tumour, and therefore to the prognosis of the patient. However, these factors do not necessarily predict the effectiveness of certain systemic treatments. Only if the biological foundation of a prognostic factor is completely clarified can treatment be based on this knowledge, and the factor will become a predictor for the treatment effect. Many "biological" prognostic factors do not fulfil this main criterion and are therefore not useful for clinical decision making. A clinically useful staging system covers three primary aims: (1) to guide locoregional treatment, (2) to prognosticate the chance of survival, and (3) to indicate who needs what kind of adjuvant treatment. For the conception of a new staging system the following steps should be taken: standardization of all aspects of histology, identification of regional nodal involvement, and validation of prognostic factors with respect to their predictive value to treatment outcome.     

Electronic Raman scattering in CuO2 superconductors

Experimental results for the electronic Raman effect in differently doped cuprate superconductors will be presented. We show that the B_2g-symmetry data are generally closely related to ordinary transport and are therefore most likely originating from the carriers, while the response at B_1g symmetry cannot be assigned to a specific type of excitations. In the superconducting state the B_2g pair breaking peaks scale with the transition temperature over a wide doping range. All results consistently suggest a strong anisotropy of the gap and can be modeled by assuming symmetry for the order parameter.     

Proteomic studies in animal models of diabetes

The aim of this review is to provide an overview of proteomic studies in animal models of diabetes and to give some insight into the different methods available today in the rapidly developing field of proteomics. A summary of 31 papers published between 1997 and 2007 is presented. For instance, proteomics has been used to study the development of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, diabetic complications in tissues like heart, kidney and retina and changes after treatment with anti-diabetic drugs like peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors agonists. Together, these studies give a good overview of a number of experimental approaches. Proteomics holds the promise of providing major contributions to the field of diabetes research. However, to achieve this, a number of issues need to be resolved. Appropriate data representation to facilitate data comparison, exchange, and verification is required, as well as improved statistical assessment of proteomic experiments. In addition, it is important to follow up the results with functional studies to be able to make biologically relevant conclusions. The potential of proteomics to dissect complex human disorders is now beginning to be realized. In the future, this will result in new important information concerning diabetes.     

Machine vision applied to vehicle guidance

Research on the semiautonomous operation of mobile robots in typical pathways is described. The image of the pathway will consist of two nearly vertical lines bounding a region with little texture (the pathway) after correction for perspective. In order to identify pathway boundaries, regions in the image space are examined using an edge detection algorithm, edges between regions are determined by the algorithm, and those corresponding to straight or nearly straight lines with large slope (path boundaries) are identified by means of the Hough transform. Once the path boundaries are identified, the horizontal distance from camera to road edge is determined. Next, a method to detect cubics in the roadway (i.e., obstacles) is presented. The region of interest in the roadway (from the camera to some predetermined distance in front of it) is known from the path boundary algorithm. The interior of this region is examined for edges. If edges are detected, it means that obstacles or shadows are present. A method to separate obstacles from shadows using stere vision is then presented.     

Office task effects on comfort and body dynamics in five dynamic office chairs

In the present study, we investigated the effect of office tasks on posture and movements in field settings, and the comfort rating for chair characteristics and correlation with type of task. The tasks studied were: computer work, telephoning, desk work and conversation. Postures, movements, chair part inclinations and comfort rating data were collected from 12 subjects. Computer work showed the lowest physical activity, together with upright trunk and head position and low backrest inclination. Conversation shows the highest activity of head legs and low back together with the highest cervical spine extension. In contrast, desk work provoked the most cervical spine flexion and showed the second lowest activity. The telephoning tasks showed medium activity and the highest kyphosis. Conversation showed the highest backrest inclination. Positive comfort relations were found for computer work and a "swing system" chair, for telephoning and an active longitudinal seat rotation, and for desk work and a chair with a three-dimensionally moveable seat.     

The synthesis of elastin, collagen, and glycosaminoglycans by high density primary cultures of neonatal rat aortic smooth muscle. An ultrastructural and biochemical study

Primary cultures of neonatal rat aortic smooth muscle cells inoculated at high densities (1 X 10(6) cells/25 cm2 Falcon flask) with adequate nutrient media and pH control grow rapidly and form multilayers of cells with typical "hill and valley" organization. After 10 days growth insoluble elastin formation could be visualized by phase contrast microscopy as small particles which grew rapidly to become larger irregular refractile aggregates and later coalesced to form larger aggregates and small fibres. With light and electronmicroscopy, elastin was the predominant matrix protein formed, with the "hill regions" of cultures containing abundant elastin aggregates and some collagen. In 2-week-old cultures differentiation could be observed within the cell multilayer. The older deeper cells contained more protein synthesis organelles and myofilaments and were in close association with large often coalescing elastin aggregates; compared to younger more superficial cells which contained more free polyribosomes less myofilaments, and were associated with fewer and small elastin aggregates. In older cultures this differentiation was not apparent; the cells contained many myofilaments, dense bodies, and lysosomes. Elastin aggregates and newly formed elastic fibres were abundant in the matrix. Quantitative analysis of insoluble elastin formation in the cell layer during the 4-week culture period indicated continuous biosynthesis and deposition which paralleled that of desmosine formation. Amino-acid analysis of a hot alkali insoluble residue (regarded as elastin) from 30-day-old cultures gave a profile identical with neonatal rat aortic elastin in vivo. Insoluble collagen formation in the cell layer tended to plateau after the log phase of growth was completed (10 days). Proteoglycans were found predominantly in the supernatant media. Glycosaminoglycan analysis revealed a profile of dermatan sulphate (32%), chondroitin 4-sulphate (43%), keratan and heparan sulphate (30%), with only a trace of hyaluronic acid. This study indicates that primary cultures of neonatal rat aortic smooth muscle cells remain differentiated in culture and have the unique capacity to continue to synthesize and deposit large amounts (mg) of insoluble elastin which aggregate and from elastic fibres in vitro.     

Personality-structure in different kinds of bronchial asthma (author's transl)

The "Giessen-Test" is a psychological test in form of a questionnaire, basing on self-assessment. It was applied in 63 patients with bronchial asthma in order to get their "self-images" and their "ideal-self-images". Except of higher values for depression the "self-images" of the asthmatics resembled very closely those of normals. The ideals ("ideal-self-image") of the patients were uncharacteristic and reflected general trends. In contrast to these findings eleven physicians had a negative conception of asthmatic patients ("foreign image"). Physicians assessed the asthmatics to be disliked ("negative social resonant"), obstinate ("dominant") and depressive. Patients with exogen-allergic asthma, intrinsic asthma and asthma of unknown origin differ from each other only within a few marks. These differences, however, are not sufficient, to allow to coordinate a specific personality-structure with one of the different kinds of asthma.     

Si/SiGe resonant interband tunnel diode with f/sub r0/ 20.2 GHz and peak current density 218 kA/cm/sup 2/ for K-band mixed-signal applications

This letter presents the room-temperature high-frequency operation of Si/SiGe-based resonant interband tunnel diodes that were fabricated by low-temperature molecular beam epitaxy. The resulting devices show a resistive cutoff frequency f/sub r0/ of 20.2 GHz with a peak current density of 218 kA/cm/sup 2/, a speed index of 35.9 mV/ps, and a peak-to-valley current ratio of 1.47. A specific contact resistivity of 5.3/spl times/10/sup -7/ /spl Omega//spl middot/cm/sup 2/ extracted from RF measurements was achieved by Ni silicidation through a P /spl delta/-doped quantum well by rapid thermal sintering at 430/spl deg/C for 30 s. The resulting devices are very good candidates for RF high-power mixed-signal applications. The device structures presented here are compatible with a standard complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor or heterojunction bipolar transistor process.     

Task Switching After Cerebellar Damage.

The authors of this study investigated task switching following cerebellar damage. The study group consisted of 7 children and adolescents (M age = 13.8 years) who underwent surgical removal of a benign posterior fossa tumor. They were tested at a sufficient interval after surgery (M lag = 6.13 years) for restoration of normal cognitive skills and intelligence. Although all showed normal learning of the task compared with control participants, when rapid behavioral changes were required (short preparation time), they exhibited behavioral rigidity manifested by enhanced switching cost. These results are in line with another study on serial reaction time with the same patients (A. Berger et al., in press). They have important implications for our understanding of the cognitive sequelae of early cerebellar damage as well as the involvement of the cerebellum in task switching. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)