Comparison of factor VIII-related antigen and erythrocyte sedimentation rate in outpatient management of vasculitis

Electroimmunodiffusion (Laurell rocket) determinations of factor VIII-related antigen in plasma were ordered to determine the cost/benefit ratio for factor VIII-related antigen as a putative test for endothelial damage in suspected vasculitis. Twenty-seven consecutive patients referred for vasculitis or suspected vasculitis were identified and followed up for an average of 9.1 +/- months (range: one to thirty-three months) in a prospective, unblinded study performed in a clinic, associated with a 1054-bed inner-city university hospital. There was no difference in Westergren erythrocyte sedimentation rate (WESR) in patients with final diagnosis of systemic vasculitis (SV) (38 +/- 12 mm/hour) compared to those without vasculitis (NV) (27 +/- 7) as the final diagnosis. The mean plasma concentration of factor VIII-related antigen was significantly elevated in SV (344 +/- 100%) when compared with NV (147 +/- 39%) (P < 0.016). The factor VIII-related antigen test in this study was 2.56 times more likely (crude odds ratio) than the WESR to contribute to a change in diagnosis or therapy (P = 0.016). Positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) for factor VIII-related antigen (abnormal at greater than 220% of the normal value) were both 70%. PPV and NPV for WESR were 56% and 86%, respectively. The factor VIII-related test was less cost-effective than the WESR in the follow-up period unless it was important to define complete remission or differentiate vasculitis flare from infection. The authors conclude that factor VIII-related antigen is a useful test in the initial diagnosis of vasculitis.     

Domains of DnaA protein involved in interaction with DnaB protein, and in unwinding the Escherichia coli chromosomal origin

DnaA protein of Escherichia coli is a sequence-specific DNA-binding protein required for the initiation of DNA replication from the chromosomal origin, oriC. It is also required for replication of several plasmids including pSC101, F, P-1, and R6K. A collection of monoclonal antibodies to DnaA protein has been produced and the primary epitopes recognized by them have been determined. These antibodies have also been examined for the ability to inhibit activities of DNA binding, ATP binding, unwinding of oriC, and replication of both an oriC plasmid, and an M13 single-stranded DNA with a proposed hairpin structure containing a DnaA protein-binding site. Replication of the latter DNA is dependent on DnaA protein by a mechanism termed ABC priming. These studies suggest regions of DnaA protein involved in interaction with DnaB protein, and in unwinding of oriC, or low-affinity binding of ATP.     

Juxtaposition of N-myc and Ig kappa through a reciprocal t(6;12) translocation in a mouse plasmacytoma

In this study we examined the in vitro effects of alcohol on the proliferative responses of lymphocytes from healthy donors and AIDS patients to a recombinant fusion peptide, env-gag, corresponding to portions of the gp41 envelope (env) and internal core (gag) proteins of HIV. The effects of alcohol (ETOH) on the natural killer (NK) cell activities of lymphocytes from healthy donors and patients with AIDS were also investigated. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from both normal donors and AIDS patients produced significant levels of lymphocyte proliferative responses to the HIV env-gag peptide; however, these responses were significantly higher in patients with AIDS, showing the specificity of the response. The env-gag-induced proliferative responses of lymphocytes from normal subjects were significantly suppressed when cultures contained only higher levels of ETOH (0.2% and 0.3%), whereas ETOH even at a lower level (0.1%) produced significant suppression of the env-gag-induced proliferation of lymphocytes only from AIDS patients. Direct addition of ETOH at concentrations of 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3% to cultures of lymphocytes from normal donors and NK target cells did not produce significant suppression of NK cell activities. However, ETOH at concentrations of 0.2% and 0.3% significantly suppressed the NK activities of lymphocytes from AIDS patients, and the suppressive effect was observed at all E:T cell ratios examined. Control peptide from the Escherichia coli expression vector did not produce any significant effect on lymphocyte proliferative responses or NK activity of both normal donors and AIDS patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

γ-Butyrolactone-ethylene carbonate based electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries

-Butyrolactone-ethylene carbonate (BL-EC) mixtures have been investigated as electrolytes for Li-ion batteries using LiPF₆ and LiBF₄ as lithium salt. The thermal stability of the electrolytes in a large range of temperatures (–90 °C to 40 °C) have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). From the results of these experiments, the phase diagram of the BL-EC system has been determined. It is characterised by a eutectic point at –56.3 °C and a molar fraction in EC: x _EC = 0.1. A metastable compound has been demonstrated below –90 °C at x _EC = 0.4. Conductivity measurements of BL-EC solutions, in the presence of LiPF₆ and LiBF₄, indicate that LiPF₆ in the eutectic mixture is the most conducting electrolyte in the range of temperatures investigated (–30 °C to room temperature). Nevertheless, at low temperature, LiBF₄ based electrolytes compete well with LiPF₆, especially when the amount of EC in the mixture is as high as x _EC = 0.5. Moreover, recrystallisation of the salt below –20 °C is avoided when LiBF₄ is used as salt. A large increase in viscosity of the solvent mixture is observed when a salt is added, but the increase is lower for LiBF₄ than LiPF₆. When EC is added to BL at constant salt concentration (1 M), the conductivity of LiPF₆ solutions decreases more rapidly than LiBF₄ solutions. This has been attributed, at least partially, to the dissociating power of EC. The electrochemical windows of BL-EC (equimolar) mixtures in the presence of LiPF₆ and LiBF₄ are comparable but it is shown that the solvents oxidation rate at high potentials is lower when LiBF₄ is used.     

Fourier transform Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies of silk fibroin

The chemical and conformational structures of Bombyx mori silk were studied with the complementary techniques of Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The Fourier transform Raman spectrum of silk showed strong bands for the photosensitive aromatic amino acids tyrosine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine. Intensive UV/ozone irradiation reduced the Raman intensities of the amide III band and the tyrosine signals due to peptide chain scission of the silk polymer and the photochemical changes in the tyrosine residues on the silk molecules. However, the Raman spectroscopy changes for tryptophan were less clearly defined because of peak overlapping with other amino acid signals and the low concentration of tryptophan. The Fourier transform infrared (attenuated total reflectance) technique, coupled with second‐derivative spectroscopy analysis, demonstrated a decrease in the crystallinity degree and tyrosine content of UV/ozone‐irradiated silk, as indicated by changes in the Fourier transform infrared bands of amide III doublet and tyrosine signals. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 1999–2004, 2005     

Chemical Composition and Physical Properties of High Oleic Safflower Oils (Carthamus tinctorius,Var. CW88-OL and CW99-OL)

Chemical composition and physical properties of CW88‐OL and CW99‐OL cultivars of high oleic safflower seeds and their hexane‐extracted oils were determined. Dry‐based seed composition of CW88‐OL and CW99‐OL was: moisture = 4.29 and 4.23 %, oil = 42.29 and 46.44 %, Crude protein = 20.94 and 16.41 %, neutral detergent fiber = 28.11 and 28.49 %, ash = 1.55 and 2.01 %, phosphorus content = 2033 and 3995 mg/kg, respectively. Major fatty acids in oils were ~78 % oleic (O), ~13 % linoleic (L), ~5 % palmitic (P) and ~2 % stearic (St) acids, for both cultivars. The main triacylglycerols were OOO (~50 %), OOL (~20 %), SOL + OPO (~10 %), and LLP (~5 %). The oil composition of CW88‐OL and CW99‐OL in main minor components was: α‐tocopherol = 582 and 551 mg/kg, total sterols = 3996 and 3362 mg/kg, phospholipids = 22 and 21 mg/kg and wax content = 70 and 74 mg/kg. For both cultivars, density and viscosity of the oils between 25 and 55 °C varied from 903.4 to 912.6 kg/m³ and 63 to 23 mPa.s showing linear and exponential behaviors, respectively. The refractive index was 1.4694. The CIELab color parameters were: 89.69 and 89.53 (L*), ?3.72 and ?3.07 (a*), and 47.28 and 47.78 (b*) (CW88‐OL and CW99‐OL, respectively). Thus, the high oil content of the seeds and nutritional quality of the oil accompanied by low levels of waxes and phospholipids makes the cultivars studied promising for producers and consumers.     

The in situ physiology of "Nostocoida limicola" II, a filamentous bacterial morphotype in bulking activated sludge, using fluorescence in situ hybridization and microautoradiography.

The in situ physiology of the actinobacterial bulking and foaming filamentous bacterium "Nostocoida limicola" II was studied by fluorescence in situ hybridization/microautoradiography. Substrate assimilation patterns of pure cultures of this bacterium were different to those seen in activated sludge biomass samples. There was no evidence to suggest that "N. limicola" II preferred hydrophobic substrates, but evidence was produced to support the view that it is metabolically active under anaerobic conditions in activated sludge.     

The curriculum in and for a democratic society 1

The purpose of this article is to offer an analysis of the political and social role of the curriculum in a modern democratic society. It seeks to show how the assumptions embedded in inherited curriculum ideologies are impeding the potential of the curriculum in modern democratic societies from becoming a curriculum 'for democracy', that is a curriculum which would be constitutive of a more democratic form of social life.     

Intelligent Sensing for Citizen Science

Interest in Citizen Science has grown significantly over the last decade. Much of this interest can be traced to the provision of sophisticated platforms that enable seamless collaboration, cooperation and coordination between professional and amateur scientists. In terms of field research, smart-phones have been widely adopted, automating data collection and enriching observations with photographs, sound recordings and GPS coordinates using embedded sensors hosted on the device itself. Interaction with external sensor platforms such as those normally used in the environmental monitoring domain is practically null-existent. Remedying this deficiency would have positive ramifications for both the professional and citizen science communities. To illustrate the relevant issues, this paper considers a common problem, that of data collection in sparse sensor networks, and proposes a practical solution that would enable citizen scientists act as Human Relays thus facilitating the collection of data from such networks. Broader issues necessary for enabling intelligent sensing using common smart-phones and embedded sensing technologies are then discussed.