Immunohistochemical localization of p21(WAF1/CIP1) in normal, hyperplastic, and neoplastic uterine tissues

Assuming that the chemical reactions used to synthesize a combinatorial library member are successful, then knowledge of the specific reaction sequence is equivalent to knowing the member's chemical identity. Because the determination of chemical identity is typically not automatable and requires a substantial amount of material, schemes that encode a member's reaction history onto the reaction platform are of value. The primary benefits of encoding are relational nomenclature (all methods) and automated handling (some methods). Encoding methods evaluated to date are spatial, graphical, chemical, spectrometric, electronic, and physical.     

3D velocity from 3D Doppler radial velocity

We present local least squares and regularization frameworks for computing 3D velocity (3D optical flow) from 3D radial velocity measured by a Doppler radar. We demonstrate the performance of our algorithms quantitatively on synthetic radial velocity data and qualitatively on real radial velocity data, obtained from the Doppler radar at Kurnell Radar station, Botany Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Radial velocity can be used to predict the future positions of storms in sequences of Doppler radar datasets.© 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 15, 189–198, 2005     

Patient preference for self-collected cultures for group B streptococcus in pregnancy

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors which affect the level of fatigue among patients participating in clinical trials in which this symptom had been assessed with the EORTC QLQ-C30. Data were assembled from 2390 patients in ten clinical trials in which the QLQ-C30 had been used to assess baseline and on-study quality of life. The relationship between the level of fatigue reported by the patients on the fatigue scale of this questionnaire and patient and disease characteristics was assessed in univariate and multivariate cross-sectional analyses. In addition, changes in fatigue scores were compared in a longitudinal analysis among patients on two arms of an anti-emetic trial whose emesis control was markedly different. Baseline fatigue levels differed substantially among patients taking part in the different trials. Factors associated with greater fatigue severity on univariate analysis included: female gender, presence of metastatic disease, and poorer performance status. In addition, on multivariate analyses the oldest patients were found to have less fatigue, as were patients with breast cancer, while patients with ovarian and lung cancer experienced greater fatigue. Patients on the arm of the anti-emetic trial in which emesis was better controlled showed significantly less increase in fatigue after receiving chemotherapy. The fatigue scale of the QLQ-C30 appears to provide a useful approach to assessing this important symptom. The relationships found between fatigue and patient and disease characteristics need further exploration as does the degree to which the QLQ-C30 fully captures this dimension of quality of life.     

Mutation of herpesvirus thymidine kinase to generate ganciclovir-specific kinases for use in cancer gene therapies

Understanding the functional and mechanistic properties of themulti-substrate herpes simplex virus type-1 thymidine kinase(HSV-1 TK) remains critical to defining its role as a majorpharmacological target in herpesvirus and gene therapies forcancer. An inherent limitation of the activity of HSV-TK isthe >70-fold difference in the K_ms for phosphorylation ofthymidine over the pro-drug ganciclovir (GCV). To engineer anHSV-1 TK isoform that is specific for GCV as the preferred substrate,16 site-specific mutants were generated. The mutations wereconcentrated at conserved residues involved in nucleoside basebinding, Gln125 and near sites 3 and 4 involved in catalysisand substrate binding. The substrate preferences of each mutantenzyme were compared with wild-type HSV-1 TK. One mutant, termedQ7530 TK, had a lower K_m for GCV than thymidine. Expressionof the Q7530 TK in tumor cells indicated comparable metabolismto and improved sensitivity to GCV over wild-type HSV-1 TK,with minimal thymidine phosphorylation activity. A molecularmodeling simulation of the different HSV-1 TK active-sites wasdone for GCV and thymidine binding. It was concluded that mutationsat Gln125 and near site 4, especially at Ala168, were responsiblefor loss of deoxypyrimidine substrate binding.     

Designing for video: investigating the contextual cues within viewing situations

The viewing of video increasingly occurs in a wide range of public and private environments via a range of static and mobile devices. The proliferation of content on demand and the diversity of the viewing situations means that delivery systems can play a key role in introducing audiences to contextually relevant content of interest whilst maximising the viewing experience for individual viewers. However, for video delivery systems to do this, they need to take into account the diversity of the situations where video is consumed, and the differing viewing experiences that users desire to create within them. This requires an ability to identify different contextual viewing situations as perceived by users. This paper presents the results from a detailed, multi-method, user-centred field study with 11 UK-based users of video-based content. Following a review of the literature (to identify viewing situations of interest on which to focus), data collection was conducted comprising observation, diaries, interviews and self-captured video. Insights were gained into whether and how users choose to engage with content in different public and private spaces. The results identified and validated a set of contextual cues that characterise distinctive viewing situations. Four archetypical viewing situations were identified: ‘quality time’, ‘opportunistic planning’, ‘sharing space but not content’ and ‘opportunistic self-indulgence’. These can be differentiated in terms of key contextual factors: solitary/shared experiences, public/private spaces and temporal characteristics. The presence of clear contextual cues provides the opportunity for video delivery systems to better tailor content and format to the viewing situation or additionally augment video services through social media in order to provide specific experiences sensitive to both temporal and physical contexts.     

Use of electronic probes for classifying lamb carcasses

Three commercially available electronic lamb carcass grading probes (Hennessy Grading Probe, AUS-Meat Sheep Probe, Swedish FTC Lamb Probe) and one developmental probe (Ruakura GR lamb probe) were assessed for accuracy and suitability for use on-line on the lamb dressing chain for objectively classifying lamb carcasses. GR is the total tissue thickness over the 12th rib taken at a distance 11 cm from the mid-line, used to define fatness in lamb carcass grading in New Zealand. Probe measurements were compared with manually measured GR (sometimes used at present) and Toland probe measurements (total tissue depth between the ribs) for accuracy of predicting both GR on the right side of the carcass and also carcass water (indicating muscle) and fat content. Probes were tested on six occasions, each having approximately 50 lambs. All probes combined with carcass weight accounted for over 70% of the variation (R(2)) of GR right, with GR left accounting for 92% of the variation of GR right. Inclusion of a quadratic probe term was not quite as useful as inclusion of carcass weight for predicting GR right. The three commercial electronic probes individually when combined with carcass weight could account for 36-49% of the variation in the percentage of water and fat in the carcass, with the manual GR probe (right) on the chilled carcass accounting for 55% of the variation in water and 58% of the variation in fat percentages. Chilled carcass measurements are expected to give better results than readings on hot carcasses. The use of a quadratic probe coefficient instead of carcass weight with the probe readings gave similar accuracy of prediction of carcass composition. There was little difference between the two sides in the accuracy of prediction. Small differences were found between regressions relating probe readings to GR and composition for the different probing occasions. The electronic probe results from this trial are consistent with overseas results where probes are in use for objectively grading the carcasses of meat animals.     

Production of perovskite-like La1−xCaxMnO3+δ ferromagnetic thin films by electrochemical reduction

Ferromagnetic and perovskite-like thin films (<1m) of La1–xCaxMnO3+ have been routinely prepared by heat treatment of an amorphous La–Ca–Mn precursor. The precursor was electrodeposited cathodically in the absence of oxygen and water onto polished silver substrates from a nonaqueous solution of the components' nitrates. Analysis by X-ray diffraction and SQUID magnetometry shows these materials exhibit the appropriate structural and magnetic phases indicative of colossal magnetoresistance.     

Cover Picture: An Investigation of the Inelastic Deformation of Cortical Bone (Adv. Eng. Mater. 8/2005)

The cover picture shows shear bands that develop during compression of cortical bone. It shows that the bands extend across the bone lamellae and are mirror symmetric with respect to the loading axis. More on the inelastic deformation of cortical bone can be found in the paper By C. Mercer and A. G. Evans on page 719..     

Effect of Fiber Length on Carbon Nanotube-Induced Fibrogenesis

Given their extremely small size and light weight, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be readily inhaled by human lungs resulting in increased rates of pulmonary disorders, particularly fibrosis. Although the fibrogenic potential of CNTs is well established, there is a lack of consensus regarding the contribution of physicochemical attributes of CNTs on the underlying fibrotic outcome. We designed an experimentally validated in vitro fibroblast culture model aimed at investigating the effect of fiber length on single-walled CNT (SWCNT)-induced pulmonary fibrosis. The fibrogenic response to short and long SWCNTs was assessed via oxidative stress generation, collagen expression and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) production as potential fibrosis biomarkers. Long SWCNTs were significantly more potent than short SWCNTs in terms of reactive oxygen species (ROS) response, collagen production and TGF-β release. Furthermore, our finding on the length-dependent in vitro fibrogenic response was validated by the in vivo lung fibrosis outcome, thus supporting the predictive value of the in vitro model. Our results also demonstrated the key role of ROS in SWCNT-induced collagen expression and TGF-β activation, indicating the potential mechanisms of length-dependent SWCNT-induced fibrosis. Together, our study provides new evidence for the role of fiber length in SWCNT-induced lung fibrosis and offers a rapid cell-based assay for fibrogenicity testing of nanomaterials with the ability to predict pulmonary fibrogenic response in vivo.