Psychological stress in the workplace and menstrual function

Invasive squamous carcinoma of the uterine cervix (CC) arises from sequential progression of low-grade (L) and high-grade (H) squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs). In clinical observations, these lesions are frequently found as synchronous multiple foci. The nature and evolutionary mechanism of these lesions are largely unknown. We have performed allelotyping of three 3p markers (at 3p14, 3p22-24, and 3p25) on 22 LSILs and 15 HSILs microdissected from patients with multiple (n = 21) or uniform (n = 6) cervical lesions. The results were analyzed together with our previous allelotyping of 57 deeply invasive CCs. Loss of heterozygosity at one of the three markers was observed in 23%, 27%, and 31 % of LSILs, HSILs, and CCs, respectively. Frequent and early allelic loss was noted (in 30% of LSILs and 50% of HSILs) at 3p14, which may harbor tumor suppressor genes involved in early stages of cervical carcinogenesis. A high frequency of microsatellite alteration (MA) was found in LSIL (41%) and HSIL (67%) but not in CC (5.3%). In particular, MA was more frequently found in low-grade lesions in association with invasive cancers (75%, 6/8) than in those associated with SILs (29%, 4/14) (P < 0.05). Together with the finding of a monoclonal origin of premalignant and malignant cervical lesions, the present results allow us to propose a model of local field effect of genomic instability that progressively affects the clonal evolution of SIL of uterine cervix.     

Angle dependent optical properties of polymer films with a biomimetic anti-reflecting surface replicated from cylindrical and tapered nanoporous alumina

Anodic porous alumina nanostructures have been fabricated with tapered and cylindrical pores with a spacing of 100 and 200 nm and depth of 180-500 nm. The porous nanostructures were replicated into polymer films to create a moth-eye anti-reflecting surface by a roll-to-roll UV replication process. The angle dependent optical transmission of the resulting polymer films exhibited up to a 2% increase in transmission at a normal angle and up to a 5% increase in transmission at a 70° angle of incidence to an equivalent film with a surface replicated from polished aluminum. No significant difference was observed between the optical performance of moth-eye surfaces formed from cylindrical and tapered nano-pores.     

Behavioral and Olfactory Responses of Female <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salaria pavo</Emphasis> (Pisces: Blenniidae) to a Putative Multi-component Male Pheromone

The peacock blenny, Salaria pavo (Risso 1810), typically breeds in rocky shores of the Mediterranean and adjacent Atlantic coast. Males defend a territory around a hole or cavity wherein females deposit eggs that the male guards until hatching. A pair of exocrine glands on the anal fin (anal glands) of males produces a putative pheromone involved in attraction of reproductively competent females to the nest. We used behavioral assays to assess species-specific attraction of reproductively competent females to putative male pheromones, including the anal gland pheromone. Additionally, chromatographic fractions of anal glands and male-conditioned water were tested for olfactory potency in females by electro-olfactogram analysis (EOG). In a flow-through tank or fluviarium, reproductive females were attracted to male-conditioned water and to the anal gland macerate from conspecifics but not to those of a closely related heterospecific. In addition, attraction of reproductive females to conspecific anal gland macerate occurred only during their initial upstream movement in the fluviarium; this was an ephemeral response when compared with the response to male-conditioned water that attracted females throughout the entire period of observation (5 min). Reproductive females also were attracted during the entire period of observation to water-conditioned by conspecific males whose anal glands had been removed. However, the attraction was more variable than that to water conditioned by intact males. Moreover, females were not attracted to male (without anal glands) odor during their initial upstream movement in the fluviarium. Finally, non-reproductive females were not attracted to the conspecific anal gland macerate. The EOG responses of females to molecular weight fractions and solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography fractions of anal gland macerates and male-conditioned water (with and without anal glands) suggest that the anal glands release hydrophilic odorants that consist mainly of molecules smaller than 500 Da. Furthermore, males released potent odorants that do not originate from the anal glands. We hypothesize that females respond to a multi-component male pheromone to find mates. The putative anal gland pheromone is possibly comprised of hydrophilic odorants, whereas the other component(s), presumably of gonadal origin, may be less water-soluble. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Distribution of fatty acids in lipids as an aid to the identification of animal tissues. I.—Bovine,porcine, ovine and some avian species

Fat was extracted from various cuts of meat, from domestic and foreign sources. The majority of the samples were of pork, beef and lamb, but specimens from rabbit, various species of poultry, and three African ruminants, were also prepared. The fatty acid compositions of the samples were determined by gas-chromatography of their methyl esters, on polar and non-polar stationary phases. The use of such results both for the identification of the animal source of meat, and of the purity of lard samples, is discussed. It is suggested that the presence of lard in certain branched-chain fatty acids, characteristic of ruminant fat, provides evidence of adulteration with beef or mutton tallow.     

Fibrous Filter Efficiency and Pressure Drop in the Viscous-Inertial Transition Flow Regime

Fibrous filter pressure drop and aerosol collection efficiency were measured at low air pressures (0.2–0.8 atm) and high face velocities (5–19 m/s) to give fiber Reynolds numbers lying in the viscous-inertial transition flow regime (1–15). In this regime, contemporary filtration theory based on Kuwabara's viscous flow through an ensemble of fibers underpredicts single fiber impaction by several orders of magnitude. Streamline curvature increases substantially as air stream inertial forces become significant. Dimensionless pressure drop measurements followed the viscous-inertial theory of Robinson and Franklin (1972 Robinson, M. and Franklin, H. 1972. The Pressure Drop of a Fibrous Filter at Reduced Ambient Pressures. J. Aerosol Sci., 3: 413–427. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar]) rather than Darcy's linear pressure–velocity relationship. Sodium chloride and iron nano-agglomerate aerosols were tested to provide a comparison between particles of dissimilar densities and shape factors. Total filter efficiency collapsed when plotted against the particle Stokes number and fiber Reynolds number. Efficiencies were then modeled with an impactor type equation where the cutpoint Stokes number and a steepness parameter described data well in the sharply increasing portion of the curve (20%–80% efficiency). A minimum in collection efficiency was observed at small Stokes numbers and attributed to interception and diffusive effects. The cutpoint Stokes number was a linearly decreasing function of fiber Reynolds number. Single fiber efficiencies were calculated from total filter efficiencies and compared to contemporary viscous flow impaction theory (Stechkina et al. 1969 Stechkina, I. B., Kirsch, A. A. and Fuchs, N. A. 1969. Studies on Fibrous Aerosol Filters—IV. Calculation of Aerosol Deposition in Model Filters in the Range of Maximum Penetration. Ann. Occup. Hyg., 12: 1–8. [Crossref], [PubMed] , [Google Scholar]), and numerical simulations of single fiber efficiencies from the literature. Existing theories underpredicted measured single fiber efficiencies, although comparison is problematic. The assumption of uniform flow conditions for each successive layer of fibers is questionable; thus, the common exponential relationship between single fiber efficiency and total filter efficiency may not be appropriate in this regime.

Copyright 2012 American Association for Aerosol Research     

Outcome measures of a chronic pain program: a prospective statistical study

Ion beam enhanced deposition (IBED) was adopted to synthesize biocompatible titanium oxide film. Structure characteristics of titanium oxide film were investigated by RBS, AES, and XRD. The blood compatibility of the titanium oxide film was studied by measurements of blood clotting time and platelet adhesion. The results show that the anticoagulation property of titanium oxide film is improved significantly. The mechanism of anticoagulation of the titanium oxide film was discussed.     

Investigation of the Effects and Mechanisms of Anticancer Action of a Ru(II)-Arene Iminophosphorane Compound in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the breast cancers with poorer prognosis and survival rates. TNBC has a disproportionally high incidence and mortality in women of African descent. We report on the evaluation of Ru-IM ( 1 ), a water-soluble organometallic ruthenium compound, in TNBC cell lines derived from patients of European (MDA-MB-231) and African (HCC-1806) ancestry (including IC₅₀ values, cellular and organelle uptake, cell death pathways, cell cycle, effects on migration, invasion, and angiogenesis, a preliminary proteomic analysis, and an NCI 60 cell-line panel screen). 1 was previously found highly efficacious in MDA-MB-231 cells and xenografts, with little systemic toxicity and preferential accumulation in the tumor. We observe a similar profile for this compound in the two cell lines studied, which includes high cytotoxicity, apoptotic behavior and potential antimetastatic and antiangiogenic properties. Cytokine M-CSF, involved in the PI3/AKT pathway, shows protein expression inhibition with exposure to 1 . We also demonstrate a p53 independent mechanism of action.     

Fabrication and characterization of Ti-Ba-Ca-Cu-O superconducting films on LaAlO3 substrates

A multi-step process is used to fabricate Tl₂Ba₂Ca₁Cu₂O₈ films on (100) LaA10₃ substrates. Submicron thick precursor films of Ba-Ca-Cu-O are rf magnetron sputter deposited from a single target. Film stoichiometry is measured by ion beam backscattering spectroscopy. Deficiencies of the alkaline earths that are found in the precursor films are then compensated for by the addition of appropriate CaF₂ and/or BaF₂ films onto the surface of the precursor film. Post deposition annealing of the films is then done in an atmosphere of thallium oxide and oxygen in order to form the superconducting phases. The annealed films are examined using x-ray diffraction (XRD), an ac inductance technique, and critical current in an external magnetic field. XRD shows the c-axis length of the superconducting phase to increase as the overall film stoichiometry approaches 2212. The transition widths measured by inductive coupling weakly correlate with 77 K critical current measurements. Our best critical current results are 1.5*10⁶ amps/ cm² for a film measured at 4 K in an 8 T magnetic field (parallel to the films' c-axis).     

Cellular relocalisation of protein kinase C-theta caused by staurosporine and some of its analogues

The microbial product staurosporine is a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor with some phorbol ester-agonistic properties. It is known to cause the translocation of the PKC isoenzymes epsilon and delta from the cellular cytosol to the membrane and nucleus. We tested the hypothesis that it also affects the cellular localisation of the novel PKC isoenzyme theta, and that staurosporine analogues, some of which are currently under clinical evaluation as potential anticancer drugs, have a similar effect. Their ability to alter PKC-theta distribution was studied in human-derived A549 lung carcinoma cells. Western blot analysis and confocal microscopy after indirect immunofluorescence staining showed that staurosporine (100 nM), like the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorhol-13-acetate (25 nM) caused the translocation of PKC-theta from the cytosol to the membrane and the nucleus. The bisindolylmaleimide GF 109203X mimicked staurosporine, but had a weaker effect. Ro 31-8220 and UCN-01 decreased cytosolic PKC-theta only at 1 microM. CGP 41251 had no effect on PKC-theta in either experimental design. The results show that some, but not all, staurosporine analogues share the partial phorbol ester-agonistic PKC-translocatory activity of the parent molecule.     

MRI of the pediatric shoulder: nontraumatic lesions

Magnetic resonance imaging is an established technique for imaging the shoulder because it demonstrates clearly the articular surfaces, medullary canal and the extra-articular soft tissues which can be affected in shoulder disorders. The value of MR imaging in the evaluation of the traumatized shoulder has been described [1]; however, few cases of MR imaging in nontraumatic disorders in children have been reported. We reviewed the findings in 55 children undergoing MRI of the shoulder for nontraumatic conditions and included selected cases showing a broad range of imaging findings.