Risk factors and prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis A virus (HAV) in children from day-care centers, in Goiania, Brazil

A comparative interim analysis was performed of clinical parameters, computed tomographic (CT) scan results and technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime single-photon emission tomography (SPET) findings obtained within 12 h of acute supratentorial ischaemic infarction. First, the applicability for SPET semiquantification in this study of the "method of Mountz", simultaneously accounting for extent and degrees of hypoperfusion by expressing deficits as millilitre of zero perfusion, was considered. Next, the relative contributions of perfusion SPET and CT scan in the acute stage of ischaemic infarction were compared in 27 patients (mean age 68.8 years). Finally, the correlation of SPET lesions with clinical parameters at onset was evaluated. The method of Mountz represents a workable, accurate virtual parameter, with the assumption that the contralateral brain region remains uninvolved. Interobserver reproducibility in 12 SPET studies, with lesions varying between 6 and 369 cc, showed a correlation coefficient r of 0.99. In practice, because of inconstant distribution of activities in the brain, the method can only be applied slice by slice and not on the total global volume. While the mean delay since the onset of symptomatology was approximately 7 h for both SPET and CT scan, SPET showed lesions concordant with the clinical neurological findings in 100% and CT scan in only 48%. One could hypothesize that SPET examinations performed later would show larger functional defects, because of the development of additional functional changes secondary to biochemical alterations. However, in this regard no statistically significant differences were found between two subproups, taking the median of delay before SPET examination as cut-off.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Fluorine-18 deoxyglucose uptake in sarcoidosis measured with positron emission tomography

Regional pulmonary glucose metabolism (MRglu; mumol h-1 g-1), extravascular lung density (D(EV); g cm-3) and vascular volume (VB; ml cm-3) were measured in a single midthoracic transaxial slice (approximately 2 cm thick) using position emission tomography (PET) in seven patients with histologically proven sarcoidosis. The measurements were repeated 1-7 months later after steroid therapy (in two cases, no treatment) in order to assess MRglu as an index of inflammation and relate it to routine pulmonary function tests, chest radiography and serum angiotensin converting enzyme (SACE) levels. MRglu was computed from serial lung scans and peripheral venous blood samples for 60 min following an i.v. injection of 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18FDG). Both MRglu (which was increased in six of seven patients) and elevated SACE levels returned to normal in those patients treated with high-dose steroids. Regional vascular volume was normal in six of seven cases and did not change significantly with therapy. The high tissue density measured in all patients decreased significantly in two of three patients treated with 40 mg prednisolone daily. The abnormal MRglu observed in active sarcoidosis becomes normal pari passu with SACE levels during high-dose steroid therapy. We conclude that MRglu measured with 18FDG and PET may reflect "disease activity" in sarcoidosis in quantitative terms (per gram lung tissue) and in respect of disease distribution.     

波形分集阵雷达抗欺骗式干扰技术

本文从单基地雷达抗干扰的应用需求出发,分析了现有单基地雷达体制抗干扰的现状以及面临的困难.针对欺骗式干扰对抗的难题,提出了基于新体制波形分集阵雷达的抗主瓣方向欺骗式干扰思路,利用频率分集阵（Frequency Diverse Array,FDA）多输入多输出（Multiple-Input Multiple-Output,MIMO）雷达发射维自由度,实现真实目标和转发假目标在发射维度的区分,在部分先验知识的条件下,初步论证了FDA-MIMO雷达抗欺骗式干扰特别是主瓣欺骗式干扰的可行性.同时考虑转发式欺骗干扰在时间维的伪随机特性,提出了基于多假设检验的干扰样本挑选方法,大大提高了干扰协方差矩阵的估计性能.最后给出了FDA-MIMO雷达抗主瓣欺骗式干扰的分析与仿真结果.     

Detection and Influence of Shrinkage Pores and Nonmetallic Inclusions on Fatigue Life of Cast Aluminum Alloys

In the current study, test bars of cast aluminum alloys EN AC-AlSi8Cu3 and EN AC-AlSi7Mg0.3 were produced with a defined amounts of shrinkage pores and oxides. For this purpose, a permanent mold with heating and cooling devices for the generation of pores was constructed. The oxides were produced by contaminating the melt. The specimens and their corresponding defect distributions were examined and quantified by X-ray computer tomography (CT) and quantitative metallography, respectively. A special test algorithm for the simultaneous image analyses of pores and oxides was developed. Fatigue tests were conducted on the defective samples. It was found that the presence of shrinkage pores lowers the fatigue strength, and only few oxide inclusions were found to initiate fatigue cracks when shrinkage pores are present. The results show that the pore volume is not sufficient to characterize the influence of shrinkage pores on fatigue life. A parametric model for the calculation of fatigue life based on the pore parameters obtained from CT scans was implemented. The model accounts for the combined impact of pore location, size, and shape on fatigue life reduction.     

Alpha1-adrenergic receptors in human spinal cord: specific localized expression of mRNA encoding alpha1-adrenergic receptor subtypes at four distinct levels

alpha1-Adrenergic receptors (alpha1ARs) are important in lower urinary tract syndromes such as benign prostatic hypertrophy and bladder irritability. Spinal cord alpha1ARs have been postulated to play a role in modulating these diseases, yet alpha1AR subtype (alpha1a, alpha1b, alpha1d) neuronal localization in human spinal cord has not been described. We therefore tested the hypothesis that alpha1AR subtype distribution varies according to specific spinal cord tract and level. In situ hybridization was performed to identify cell bodies containing alpha1AR subtype mRNA at four levels of human spinal cord (cervical enlargement, thoracic, lumbar, sacral). alpha1AR mRNA is present in ventral gray matter only (ventral>dorsal; sacral>lumbar=thoracic>cervical). Signaling cell bodies were detected in anterior horn motor neurons at all levels; dorsal nucleus of Clarke and intermediolateral columns in cervical enlargement, thoracic and lumbar spinal cord regions; and parasympathetic nucleus in sacral spinal cord. Although all three alpha1AR subtypes are present throughout human spinal cord, alpha1d mRNA predominates overall. If confirmed at a protein level, these findings may contribute to the development of new therapeutic strategies in the treatment of several human diseases.     

Stabilization of a proteolytically sensitive cytoplasmic recombinant protein during transition to downstream processing

The influence of aeration and glucose feeding on the stability of recombinant protein A in Escherichia coli during the transition period from a fed-batch cultivation to downstream processing was studied. Neither interruption of the feeding under aerobic conditions nor anaerobic conditions in presence of glucose could stabilize protein A completely and the intracellular ATP pool did not decrease to less than 0.75-1 mM by this treatment. On the other hand, the absence of both oxygen and glucose resulted in a decrease of the ATP pool to less than 0.5 mM and almost complete stabilization of protein A. The decrease of ATP was more severe when sulfite was used instead of nitrogen gas to create anaerobic conditions in presence of glucose. This also resulted in nearly complete stabilization of protein A, which might be explained by an inhibiting effect of sodium sulfite on fermentation. Therefore, protein stabilization and decrease of the ATP pool were correlated in experiments in vivo. The concentrations of ADP and AMP increased during starvation and may also play a role in stabilization of the protein in vivo. ATP may be a limiting factor of proteolysis also during further steps of downstream processing. Its concentration decreases by 80-90% during harvesting and centrifugation of biomass and even further during disruption of cells. However, neither addition nor regeneration of ATP in cell disintegrate was enough to restore degradation of protein A, indicating that an additional factor limits proteolysis in vitro.     

High density lipoprotein (HDL), and not albumin, is the major palmitate binding protein in New Zealand long-finned (Anguilla dieffenbachii) and short-finned eel (Anguilla australis schmidtii) plasma

Plasma from two members of the teleost Anguillidae family, the New Zealand long-finned (Anguilla dieffenbachii) and short-finned eels (Anguilla australis schmidtii), were examined. Agarose gel electrophoresis showed both species had a major anionic diffuse protein band migrating at approximately the same position as human albumin, and autoradiography showed this protein bound [14C]palmitic acid, but not 63Ni2+. Cellulose acetate electrophoresis followed by Oil Red O staining suggested that this band was a lipoprotein. Two-dimensional electrophoresis of plasma showed the absence of a significant albumin band at approx. 65 kDa, and that the palmitate binding band appeared to be composed of at least three proteins, with the major protein running at 30 kDa. N-Terminal sequencing of the palmitate binding band indicated major sequences of DAPAPP(S)QLED- for long-finned eel and DAPAPPSQLEHV- for short-finned eel, confirming their identities as apo-AI, the major apolipoprotein of high density lipoprotein (HDL). When ultracentrifugation was used to separate the lipoproteins of each species, the anionic palmitate binding protein was found solely in the lipoprotein fractions. There was no evidence of albumin in plasma from either eel, and it appears that in its absence HDL takes on the role of fatty acid transport.     

A partial estrogen receptor agonist with strong antiatherogenic properties without noticeable effect on reproductive tissue in cholesterol-fed female and male rabbits

Estrogen replacement therapy retards the development of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. However, long-term unopposed use increases the risk of cancer in endometrium and possibly in breast. The racemic compound ormeloxifene, widely used in India as an antifertility agent, is a partial estrogen receptor agonist with antiosteoporotic properties. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of the L-enantiomer (levormeloxifene) and the d-enantiomer (d-ormeloxifene) on the development of atherosclerosis. In a short-term experiment (6 weeks), 4 x 10 ovariectomized female rabbits were fed a 0.25% cholesterol-enriched diet and the effect on plasma cholesterol levels was studied. In a long-term experiment (13 weeks), 4 x 15 ovariectomized female and 4 x 15 shamoperated male rabbits were maintained at a similar plasma cholesterol level of 25 mmol/L and the effect on undamaged and balloon-injured arterial wall was studied. In both experiments, the rabbits were treated with levormeloxifene, d-ormeloxifene, 17 beta-estradiol, or placebo, respectively. In the short-term experiment, levormeloxifene, in contrast to d-ormeloxifene, significantly reduced plasma cholesterol by 30% compared with the placebo group. In the long-term experiment, levormeloxifene, in contrast to d-ormeloxifene, significantly reduced atherosclerosis by 50% in the undamaged arterial wall of both female and male rabbits. Because these rabbits were cholesterol-clamped, the antiatherogenic effect was not mediated via plasma cholesterol lowering. Like estrogen, levormeloxifene did not inhibit atherosclerosis in the endothelium-denuded site of aorta. The antiatherogenic effects of levormeloxifene were thus similar to those of estrogen, but produced in the absence of any noticeable estrogenic effect on uterine or testicular tissue.