Activated protein C resistance, thrombophilia, and inflammatory bowel disease

Thromboembolic events frequently complicate the clinical course of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Hereditary thrombophilia may contribute to this tendency. Resistance to activated protein C is the most recently described thrombophilic state and may account for up to 40% of patients with thrombophilia. Thirty-seven patients with IBD were studied (mean age 44 years, range 18-82 years). Three patients had a history of thrombotic episodes. The 37 controls included 23 men and 17 women (mean age 48 years, range 16-89 years). Disease activity was assessed using the Harvey Bradshaw index for patients with Crohn's disease and the Truelove and Witts grading system for patients with ulcerative colitis. Levels of fibrinogen, antithrombin III (ATIII), protein C, protein S, activated protein C resistance (APCR), and the presence of a lupus anticoagulant (LA) were determined. Median ATIII levels in patients with IBD were significantly lower than controls (98% vs 106%, P = 0.007), while fibrinogen was elevated (4.2 vs 3.3 g/liter, P = 0.026) despite quiescent disease activity. LA was detected in 7/37 patients in the IBD group compared to 0/37 controls. (chi2 = 5.68, P = 0.017). No significant difference was observed in levels of inherited thrombophilic factors and in particular APCR between IBD patients and controls. In conclusion, the presence of inherited thrombophilic defects, in particular APCR, is uncommon in patients with IBD and does not merit routine screening.     

Distalless expression in crustaceans and the patterning of branched limbs

The ability of two-dimensional echocardiography to detect and to evaluate the extent of wall motion abnormalities is limited by the use of few selected, nonparallel, views of the whole left ventricle. This leads to an incomplete appreciation of the spatial relationships between various cardiac structures and inaccuracy in quantitative data as a result of using of geometric assumptions. Dynamic volume-rendered three-dimensional echocardiography has the ability to overcome the above limitations. In this article we review the use of volume-rendered three-dimensional echocardiography in the diagnosis and assessment of ischemic heart disease, including complications related to myocardial infarction.     

Histomorphometric, physical, and mechanical effects of spaceflight and insulin-like growth factor-I on rat long bones

Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide and vasoactive intestinal peptide belong to the same neuropeptide family. Both peptides are present in nerve fibers in the gastric wall and are thought to be involved in the regulation of inflammatory processes. Experimental ulcers were induced in the rat gastric mucosa by local application of acetic acid. During the healing process we examined the PACAP and VIP innervation by means of immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. The ulcer area was examined from day 1 to day 15 after ulcer induction. There was a marked depletion of PACAP in nerve fibers at the ulcer margin from day 1 and onwards. On day 10 and day 15, PACAP-immunoreactive nerve fibers could again be visualized at the ulcer margin. In contrast, VIP immunoreactive nerve fibers were present at the ulcer margin at all time points studied. From day 10 following ulcer induction PACAP- and VIP- immunoreactive nerve fibers were increased in frequency in the smooth muscle beneath the ulcer. An upregulation of VIP and PACAP mRNA was also demonstrated in the myenteric ganglia adjacent to ulcer. The present results indicate that neuronal PACAP and VIP react differently to the inflammation at the ulcer margin but similarly in the smooth muscle during the ulcer healing.     

The moderating influence of attitude strength on the susceptibility to context effects in attitude surveys.

In 3 experiments, the authors assessed whether attitude strength moderates the susceptibility of attitudes to item context effects in surveys. In Experiment 1, respondents completed multiple measures of attitude strength. Three weeks later, respondents participated in a context experiment. Results revealed that respondents with weak attitudes exhibited significantly larger context effect for 1 of 2 issues. In Experiment 2, the results of Experiment 1 were conceptually replicated by use of measures of interattitudinal embeddedness to assess attitude strength. In Experiment 3, significant strength-moderated context effects were found when attitude strength was assessed in a multi-item, multidimensional manner but not when it was assessed with a single item. Discussion focuses on measurement and theoretical issues related to the moderation and mediation of context effects in attitude surveys. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mutational analysis of the Mu transposase. Contributions of two distinct regions of domain II to recombination

Mu transposase is a member of a protein family that includes many transposases and the retroviral integrases. These recombinases catalyze the DNA cleavage and joining reactions essential for transpositional recombination. Here we demonstrate that, consistent with structural predictions, aspartate 336 of Mu transposase is required for catalysis of both DNA cleavage and DNA joining. This residue, although located 55 rather than 35 residues NH2-terminal of the essential glutamate, is undoubtedly the analog of the second aspartate of the Asp-Asp-35-Glu motif found in other family members. The core domain of Mu transposase consists of two subdomains: the NH2-terminal subdomain (IIA) contains the conserved Asp-Asp-Glu motif residues, whereas the smaller COOH-terminal subdomain (IIB) contains a large positively charged region exposed on its surface. To probe the function of domain IIB, we constructed mutant proteins carrying deletion or substitution mutations within this region. The activity of the deletion proteins revealed that domains IIA and IIB can be provided by different subunits in the transposase tetramer. Substitution mutations at two pairs of exposed lysine residues within the positively charged surface of domain IIB render transposase defective in transposition at a reaction step after DNA cleavage but prior to DNA joining. The severity of this defect depends on the structure of the DNA flanking the cleavage site. Thus, these data suggest that domain IIB is involved in manipulating the DNA near the cleavage site and that this function is important during the transition between the DNA cleavage and the DNA joining steps of recombination.     

The stress intensity for an edge crack in a semi-infinite orthotropic body

The problem of an edge crack in a semi-infinite plane of linear elastic orthotropic material is studied. The correction factor which relates the stress intensity factor for this problem to that for an isolated crack in an infinite body is evaluated for a range of orthotropic material properties. Calculations are restricted to mode I problems. The method requires the numerical solution of an integral equation, the integrands in which are derived from related complex variable solutions.

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Resumé On étudie le problème d'une fissure de bord dans un plan semi-infini en un matériau linéaire eastique et orthotrope. On évalue pour une gamme de propriétés orthotropes du matériau le facteur de correction qui permet de relier le facteur d'intensité de contraintes relatif à ce problème à celui relatif à une fissure isolée dans un corps infini. Ces calculs sont limités aux problèmes de rupture selon le mode. I. La méthode exige de trouver la solution numérique d'une intégrale dont les intégrants sont tirés de solutions associées à variables complexes.

     

Forces required to jettison a simulated S92 passenger exit: Optimal helicopter underwater egress training techniques

This paper outlines the first known examination of the forces required to jettison a simulated exit used during helicopter underwater egress training (HUET). To capture the forces placed on the simulated cabin exit, a purpose build force plate was designed to replace an existing simulator exit used during HUET. A 25-point map was created to identify specific jettison forces required across the entire exit surface. Ten participants completed a total of 120 underwater egress sequences in–air and in-water from a normal flight and fully compressed crash attenuating seat position. The results indicate that the force required to jettison the simulated exit is significantly different in relationship to location on the exit surface. From the results, it can be concluded that helicopter underwater egress training protocols should ensure that offshore candidates are informed of the different force requirements as well as have the opportunity to practice jettisoning a high physical fidelity exit from a fully compressed crash attenuating seat.     

Modeling the large‐strain constitutive behavior of polycarbonate under isothermal and anisothermal conditions

The tensile behavior of polycarbonate was studied at large strains below the glass‐transition temperature. Experiments were carried out at a series of constant temperatures and also under conditions of falling temperatures. The specimens necked with a natural draw ratio of approximately 2, and the study was mainly focused on the necked material. Isothermal experiments revealed an elastic mechanism that initiated beyond the natural draw ratio. A model consisting of an Eyring process and two Gaussian elastic mechanisms was found to be applicable to both the isothermal and anisothermal stress‐relaxation and stress–strain results. The same model also produced reasonable estimates of the stresses generated during the necking process. In addition, a simple relationship between the isothermal and anisothermal stress relaxation was demonstrated. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 2105–2116, 2005     

Alpha olefin sulfonates from a commercial SO3-Air reactor

Alpha olefin sulfonate (AOS) can be made by SO₃-air sulfonation of straight chain alpha olefins followed by saponification of the neutralized product. The sulfonation step forms unsaturated sulfonic acids, sultones and sultone sulfonic acids. Hydrolysis of the various sultones yields a mixture of unsaturated and hydroxy sulfonates. Sulfonation of commercial mixtures of straight chain alpha olefins in a large-scale SO₃ falling film unit has given AOS of 1.5–3.0% oil based on active content and tristimulus color of about 40% saturation (2% solution) which is readily bleachable with 1–3% NaOCl to about 10–15% saturation. Performance of AOS made from C₁₅−C₁₈ alpha olefin is comparable to that of the high-foaming C₁₁−C₁₄ LAS in both detergency and dishwashing foam. It is superior to similar products made from internal straight chain olefins. The product shows a low order of toxicity and biodegrad-ability slightly better than that of LAS. A C₁₅−C₁₆ AOS blend is especially attractive in liquid detergent formulations. Presented at the AOCS Meeting, Los Angeles, April 1966.     

黄河内蒙古段干流沉积物中砷含量及形态研究

为探明黄河内蒙古段沉积物中砷含量及形态分布特征,采集黄河内蒙古段干流柱状沉积物,采用HNO4-H2SO4-HCl O4法消解沉积物样品,提取沉积物中吸附型砷(A-As)、铝型砷(Al-As)、铁型砷(Fe-As)、钙型砷(CaAs)、包蔽型砷(O-As)5种形态砷,并采用氢化物发生原子荧光分光光度法测定砷含量。结果表明:黄河内蒙古段干流柱状沉积物中砷含量为7.123~16.661 mg/kg,平均为9.292 mg/kg;从整体上看,左岸沉积物砷含量高于右岸,随深度增加砷含量呈下降趋势,从上游至下游砷含量在黑柳子段出现高值;黄河内蒙古段沉积物中砷以Ca-As为主,O-As次之;随着深度的增加,总体上,Ca-As含量略有升高,A-As和O-As含量有所下降,Al-As和Fe-As含量基本不变。