Enhanced automatic detection of human settlements using Sentinel-1 interferometric coherence

This article presents an experiment in which multi-temporal interferometric coherence calculated from 6-days Sentinel-1A and Sentinel-1B image pairs and backscatter intensity σ° are jointly used for the extraction of built-up areas in the framework of the symbolic machine learning classification. The results obtained with the proposed approach confirm the enhanced capabilities of discriminating built-up areas when using coherence information in comparison to two available global human settlement layers derived: (1) from Landsat optical data and (2) from Sentinel-1 ground range detected data and based on backscatter intensity σ° only. The experiment carried out in The Netherlands Randstad area is expected to be indicative of the results obtainable for urban areas having similar structures and types of built-up.     

Role of the liver and gut in systemic diphenhydramine clearance in adult nonpregnant sheep

We investigated the contribution of the liver and gut to systemic diphenhydramine (DPHM) clearance in adult nonpregnant sheep in two separate studies. In the first study, a simultaneous 50-mg bolus each of DPHM and its deuterium-labeled analog ([2H10]DPHM) was administered to five sheep via the femoral (i.v.) and the portal venous (p.v.) routes in a randomized manner. Arterial plasma concentrations of DPHM, [2H10]DPHM, and their deaminated metabolites, DPMA (diphenylmethoxyacetic acid) and [2H10]DPMA, were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The hepatic first-pass extraction of DPHM after p.v. administration was 94.2 +/- 3.7%. However, the area under the plasma concentration versus time profile of the metabolite after i.v. dosing was only 32.5 +/- 14.0% relative to that after p.v. administration. Thus, only approximately 32.5% of the i.v. dose is metabolized in the liver and a significant extrahepatic systemic clearance component is evident. Using the calculated total hepatic blood flow values, it was found that 98.6 +/- 9.2% of the i.v. dose eventually was delivered to the "hepatoportal" system. Because the drug delivered to the hepatoportal system is almost completely eliminated in a single pass (hepatic extraction approximately 94%), this indicates a lack of any significant pulmonary drug uptake. Also, because only approximately 32.5% of the i.v. dose is metabolized in liver, the gut is most likely responsible for the clearance of the remainder. This gut contribution to systemic DPHM clearance was confirmed in a separate direct study in four sheep where the steady-state DPHM gut extraction ratio was 49.0 +/- 3.0%. Thus, gut accounts for a significant proportion (>/=50%) of DPHM systemic clearance in sheep in spite of a very high hepatic drug extraction efficiency.     

Thioether adducts of a new imine reactive intermediate of the pneumotoxin 3-methylindole

Cytochrome P450 enzymes can potentially oxygenate 3-methylindole to form 2,3-epoxy-3-methylindoline which could rearrange to the stable metabolite 3-methyloxindole or open to form 3-hydroxy-3-methylindolenine, a putative electrophilic imine. The purpose of the current work was to determine if the imine was formed, and to characterize it via its adducts with thiol nucleophiles. Thiols were added to incubations of goat lung microsomes with 3-methylindole and deuterated analogues of 3-methylindole to trap the imine intermediate as its thioether conjugates. The N-acetylcysteine conjugate of 3-hydroxy-3-methylindolenine was detectable by LC/MS, but a molecular ion was not observed because the adduct rapidly dehydrated to form the 2-substituted indole. However, the imine was S-alkylated, and the intermediate carbinol was intramolecularly trapped using thioglycolic acid as a trapping agent that induced cyclocondensation to a lactone. The retention of one atom of deuterium from [2-2H]-3-methylindole and three from 3-[2H3-methyl]indole substantiated the mechanism in which the lactone adduct was produced by sulfur addition to either 3-hydroxy-3-methylindolenine or the epoxide. Tandem mass spectrometry of the lactone adduct produced a daughter ion spectrum consistent with this adduct. These studies demonstrated the existence of a new reactive intermediate of 3-methylindole, 3-hydroxy-3-methylindolenine, which may play a role in the pneumotoxicity of this chemical.     

Results of transplantation for acute and chronic hepatic allograft rejection

B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterized by an accumulation of long-lived, resting B cells expressing the Bcl-2 protein. However, less than 10% of the CLL patients shows bcl-2 gene rearrangement in blood cells, using traditional Southern blotting analysis. In the present study, rearrangement of the bcl-2 gene in CLL cells was studied by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). With this method, large DNA fragments (> 50-10,000 kb) could be analyzed. Blood CLL cells from 9 of 9 patients and 2 of 2 CLL cell lines showed rearranged bcl-2 gene. In comparison, healthy blood B cells and lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) established from normal peripheral blood lymphocytes of the patients showed only germ line configuration. Thus, the possibility of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) in this gene could be excluded. The primary cell involved in CLL might be a progenitor B cell that has accidentally rearranged the bcl-2 gene. As a consequence, such cells express stable amount of Bcl-2 protein and do not enter apoptosis. During prolonged survival, such cells may acquire secondary changes including chromosomal translocations and mutations.     

Electron-beam CT-angiography in abdominal aortic aneurysms. Initial results

PURPOSE: To evaluate the suitability of ultrafast electron-beam tomography (EBT) for the investigation of abdominal aortic aneurysms using CTA. METHODS: Thirty-one patients with suspected abdominal aortic aneurysm were investigated with EBT using an Evolution XP scanner (Siemens, Erlangen) with the newest software version 12.34 with continuous volume scanning of 140 images in 17 s. Collimation was 3 mm, table increment 4 mm with overlapping image reconstruction every 2 mm, exposure time 200 ms (124 mAs), resulting in a scan-range of 28 cm. A quantity of 80 ml contrast material was administered (flow 4 ml/s). Visualization of the abdominal aorta and its branches was performed with MIPs and shaded surface display. Evaluation of image quality was based on a four-step classification scale (1 = good, 4 = insufficient) for the demonstration of the abdominal aorta and the visceral, renal and iliac arteries. RESULTS: All EBT examinations demonstrated high and homogeneous density values along the whole vessel course with a mean density value of 258.7 +/- 47.3 HU for the abdominal aorta and the iliac arteries. Quality evaluation for the vessel demonstration showed mean values between 1.22 and 1.57 for the abdominal aorta and the visceral, renal and iliac arteries. CONCLUSIONS: EBT with 140 slices and slice reconstruction every 2 mm offers a high z-axis resolution resulting in high-quality CT angiographies of the whole abdominal aorta and its branches.     

Hemostatic and fibrinolytic indices in neonatal foals with presumed septicemia

Gerbils learned to approach a spatial-olfactory stimulus that signaled access to their pairmate. Experiments 1 and 3 used a discrimination procedure in which 1 conditioned stimulus (the CS+) was presented immediately before access to the pairmate and another (the CS-) was presented alone. Both male and female gerbils came to approach the CS+ sooner than the CS- and spent more time near the CS+ than the CS-. Discrimination learning was facilitated by making the CS+ and CS- spatially distinct (Experiment 3). Learning also was demonstrated in male gerbils, using a between-subjects design with a single CS. Pairing the CS with the opportunity for social interaction resulted in greater approach to the CS within 10 trials than presenting the CS and social opportunity in an unpaired fashion (Experiment 2). These findings demonstrate social-affiliative learning in the Mongolian gerbil. Similarities and differences between these findings and sexual conditioning effects in other species are discussed.