Sexual dimorphism of circulating somatotropin, insulin-like growth factor I and II, insulin-like growth factor binding proteins, and insulin: relationships to growth rate and carcass characteristics in growing lambs

The effects of sex and age on patterns of circulating somatotropin (ST) concentration and plasma IGF-I, IGF-II, insulin, and IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) were studied in ram, wether, and ewe lambs (n = 7 or 8) sampled at mean ages of 81 (I1) and 158 d (I2). Between 81 and 158 d of age, rams grew more rapidly than wethers (P < .01), and wethers grew more rapidly than ewes (P < .01). The sex differences in growth were reflected in empty body weight at slaughter: rams > wethers > ewes (P < .05). Mean plasma ST concentrations, ST pulse amplitude, and integrated plasma ST concentrations were greater (P < .05) in rams than in ewes at I1 and I2. Characteristics of the ST plasma profile in wethers were generally intermediate between those of rams and ewes. The interpulse interval was greater in ewes than in wethers at I2. The IGF-I and IGFBP-3 concentrations were greater in rams than in ewes at both sampling times. Plasma IGF-II was greater in ewes than in rams at I2. Mean plasma ST was approximately two thirds less at I2 than at I1 regardless of sex. Mean plasma ST and IGF-I at both ages were positively correlated with growth. Mean plasma ST at I2 was negatively correlated with fatness at slaughter. Sex and age significantly affected patterns of circulating ST and concentrations of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 in prepubertal growing lambs, under conditions for which growth rates and composition were also sexually dimorphic.     

(<Emphasis Type="Italic">Z,Z</Emphasis>)-6,9-Heneicosadien-11-One: Major Sex Pheromone Component Of Painted Apple Moth, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Teia anartoides</Emphasis>

(Z, Z)-6,9-Heneicosadien-11-one (Z6Z9-11-one-21Hy) was identified as the major sex pheromone component of the painted apple moth (PAM), Teia anartoides (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), on the basis of (1) comparative gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) analyses, GC-mass spectrometry (MS), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-MS, and HPLC-UV/visible spectroscopy of pheromone gland extracts and authentic standards; (2) GC-EAD analyses of effluvia of calling females; and (3) wind tunnel and field trapping experiments with a synthetic standard. In field experiments in Australia, synthetic Z6Z9-11-one-21Hy as a single component attracted male moths. Wind tunnel experiments suggested that a 4-component blend consisting of Z6Z9-11-one-21Hy, (6Z,9R,10S)-cis-9,10-epoxy-heneicosene (Z6-9R10S-epo-21Hy), (E, E)-7,9-heneicosadien-6,11-dione (E7E9-6,11-dione-21Hy), and 6-hydroxy-(E, E)-7,9-heneicosadien-11-one (E7E9-6-ol-11-one-21Hy) (all present in pheromone gland extracts) might induce more males to orient toward, approach, and contact the source than did Z6Z9-11-one-21Hy as a single component. Additional experiments are needed to determine conclusively whether or not Z6-9R10S-epo-21Hy, E7E9-6,11-dione-21Hy, and E7E9-6-ol-11-one-21Hy might be minor sex pheromone components of PAM. Moreover, attractiveness of synthetic pheromone and virgin PAM females needs to be compared to determine whether synthetic pheromone could replace PAM females as trap baits in the program to monitor eradication of exotic PAM in New Zealand.     

The active metal brazing of TZM-Mo and SiN ceramics

The active metal brazing of ceramics holds the opportunity to design metal-ceramic brazing processes without conventional metallization and nickel-plating steps. Because of their intermediate thermal coefficient of expansion (TCE) properties, molybdenum and the TZM-Mo alloy (Mo-0.5Ti-0.08Zr) are attractive candidates for joining to silicon- nitride ceramics. The recently developed Fe-Ni-Co-based Thermo-Span? alloy, with reduced TCE from room temperature up to ≈400°C, is also an attractive candidate material for 700°C joint service applications. This article discusses the wetting, solid-state aging, and mechanical behavior of unalloyed molybdenum, TZM-Moalloy, Thermo-Span alloy, and silicon-nitride ceramic brazes made with three different active-metal braze alloys.     

Impulsivity as a mediating mechanism between early-life adversity and addiction: Theoretical comment on Lovic et al. (2011).

Early-life adversity, impulsivity, and dopaminergic function have all been implicated in adult drug addiction. The article by Lovic, Keen, Fletcher, and Fleming in this issue further elucidates this relationship by demonstrating that early-life adversity can increase impulsivity and decrease behavioral flexibility in adulthood. Recent literature suggests that these results are likely due to structural and functional changes in regions such as the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc), as well as altered dopamine activity. Impulsivity and behavioral inflexibility can increase susceptibility to addiction, and in turn, chronic substance abuse can impair the neurocircuitry underlying behavioral inhibition. Thus, early-life adversity may act as an entry point into a feed-forward spiral of impulsivity and addiction via the dysfunction of regions such as the OFC, NAc, and mesolimbic dopamine. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pore, surface and fillet moisture in centrifuged beds of coarse coal

The moisture content of the coarse coking coal product from the centrifuges of preparation plants was investigated to evaluate the contribution of three types of water: that held internally in pores, that in fillets at points of contacts between the particles, and the moisture covering the surface. A standardised laboratory centrifuge test was used to measure the total non-centrifugable moisture (NCM) content and also the quantity held in internal pores, called NCM_i. The fillet moisture NCM_f was estimated by means of a formulation which relies on experimentally measured holdup volumes, supplemented by a physical model. The surface moisture NCM_s could then be derived by difference. The NCM_f, which depends on the body force, the particle size and the surface tension and contact angle of the liquid, ranges from effectively zero for large particles to 10% for fines. The surface moisture NCM_s is of the order of 0.5% for high rank coals and increases to 1.5% for lower rank coals.     

The fibrinolytic effects of intermittent pneumatic compression: mechanism of enhanced fibrinolysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) is an effective form of deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis for general surgery patients. The antithrombotic effect of IPC is thought to be the result of increased venous velocity and stimulation of endogenous fibrinolysis. However, the mechanism of enhanced fibrinolytic activity and the relative effects on normal and postthrombotic veins have not been defined. The purposes of this study are 1) to quantify changes in fibrinolytic activity with IPC; 2) to study the mechanism of fibrinolytic enhancement with IPC; and 3) to evaluate whether postthrombotic patients have the same capacity for fibrinolytic enhancement with IPC as do normal subjects. METHODS: Twelve volunteers (6 normal and 6 postthrombotic) had 5 IPC devices applied for 120 minutes in random fashion, 1 per week x 5 weeks. The devices included single-chamber, sequential, foot, calf, and long-leg compression. Subjects had an indwelling antecubital venous cannula placed for blood drawn at baseline, 60, 120, and 180 minutes after IPC devices were applied. Global fibrinolytic activity (euglobulin fraction, fibrin plate assay), tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) antigen (Ag) and activity (Act), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) Ag and Act, alpha-2-antiplasmin-plasmin complexes, and von Willebrand factor (vWF) antigen were assayed. RESULTS: A striking elevation in fibrinolytic activity was noted at 180 minutes with all devices in normal subjects and postthrombotic patients (p = 0.01-0.0001); however, baseline and stimulated fibrinolytic activity was attenuated in postthrombotic patients (<0.03). The tPA-Act increased only in normal subjects (3.8 +/- 1.9%) (p = 0.057), despite a decrease in plasma tPA-Ag, which was observed in both normal subjects (-12.4 +/- 3.8%) (p = 0.009) and patients (-17.2 +/- 3.1%) (p = 0.001). PAI-1-Ag decreased in both normal subjects (-13.4 +/- 3.8%) (p = 0.007) and patients (-12.0 +/- 3.1%) (p = 0.013) with a marked reduction in PAI-1-Act in both normal subjects (p = 0.003) and patients (p = 0.004). There were no changes in vWF, and alpha-2-antiplasmin-plasmin complexes increased only in postthrombotic patients (p = 0.021). CONCLUSIONS: Stimulation of endogenous fibrinolytic activity occurs after IPC, both in normal subjects and postthrombotic patients; however, baseline and overall fibrinolytic response in postthrombotic patients is reduced. The mechanism of increased fibrinolytic activity is likely because of a reduction in PAI-1, with a resulting increase of tPA activity.     

Anticipation‐based partial redundancy elimination for static single assignment form

Partial redundancy elimination (PRE) is a program transformation that identifies and eliminates expressions that are redundant on at least one (but not necessarily all) execution paths of a program without increasing any path length. Chow, Kennedy and co‐workers devised an algorithm (SSAPRE) for performing partial redundancy elimination on intermediate representations in static single assignment (SSA) form. The practicality of that algorithm is limited by the following concerns: (1) it makes assumptions about the namespace that are stronger than those of SSA form and that may not be valid if other optimizations have already been performed on the program; (2) if redundancies occur in nested expressions, the algorithm may expose but not eliminate them (requiring a second pass of the algorithm); (3) it misses cases covered by the state of the art in PRE; and (4) it is difficult to understand and implement. We present an algorithm (A‐SSAPRE) structurally similar to SSAPRE that uses anticipation rather than availability; this algorithm is simpler than SSAPRE, covers more cases, eliminates nested redundancies on a single pass, and makes no assumptions about the namespace. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Genetic and environmental factors affecting bone mineral density in large families

This study assessed whether relatives with low bone mineral density (BMD) could be identified in five large families using historical, biochemical, and genetic markers for osteoporosis. Fifty of 65 relatives had their bone density and bone turnover markers measured, together with an assessment of their risk factors for osteoporosis. Only 33% (5/15) of siblings, 50% (6/12) of children and 43% (10/23) of nephews and nieces had entirely normal BMD. There was no difference in life-style risk factors for osteoporosis, history of previous fractures or body mass index between normal subjects and those with osteopenia or osteoporosis. Osteopenic individuals had a significantly higher than normal osteocalcin value. Within families, there was no clear association between BMD and any of the genetic markers (vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms, COL 1A1 and COL 1A2 polymorphisms of the collagen gene), either alone or in combination. The addition of genetic markers to the other risk factors for low BMD did not improve the prediction of BMD. In conclusion, we suggest that the presence of osteoporosis in a first degree relative should be one of the clinical indications for bone density measurement as the individuals at risk would not be picked up by other methods.     

Fluoride pharmacokinetics and changes in lumbar spine and hip bone mineral density

Debate about the use of fluoride for the treatment of vertebral osteoporosis has centered not only on whether fluoride treatment decreases vertebral fractures, but also the interindividual vertebral bone mineral density (BMD) response, the potential for nonvertebral fractures, as well as side effects and tolerability. These effects may be dose dependent and, in this study, we examine the pharmacokinetics of sodium monofluorophosphate (MFP) in osteoporotic patients and relate this to changes in BMD. Plasma fluoride absorption curves were measured from 0 to 6 h after ingestion of MFP at baseline and during long-term dosing in 21 patients with vertebral osteoporosis (T scores < or = 2). BMD was measured at baseline and at 12 months at the lumbar spine (LS), femoral neck (FN), trochanter, and Ward's triangle. We found that fluoride elimination was inversely related to creatinine clearance. LS BMD increased from a median of 0.77 g/cm2 (range 0.69 to 0.99) at baseline to 0.88 g/cm2 (0.75 to 1.13) (p < 0.001) after 12 months. This equates to a median increase of 12% (range -1.2 to 37). Median femoral neck BMD decreased from 0.75 g/cm2 (0.62 to 0.94) at baseline to 0.69 g/cm2 (0.62 to 0.92) (p = 0.13) after 12 months. This equates to a decrease of -2% (-19 to 10). BMD at the other hip sites also decreased slightly. Changes in LS and FN BMD were not significantly related (r = 0.28, p = 0.29). The various pharmacokinetic parameters measured were not related to changes in LS BMD; however, there was an inverse relationship between trough fluoride concentration during long-term dosing and change in FN BMD. Further studies are required to see if this relationship can be used to monitor osteoporotic patients treated with fluoride and prevent significant decreases in FN BMD and possibly fractures at this site.     

Modelling the Floating Ladder Track Response to a Moving Load by an Infinite Bernoulli-Euler Beam on Periodic Flexible Supports

An infinite Bernoulli-Euler beam (representing the "combined rail" consisting of the rail and longitudinal sleeper) mounted on periodic flexible point supports (representing the railpads) has already proven to be a suitable mathematical model for the floating ladder track (FLT), to define its natural vibrations and its forced response due to a moving load. Adopting deliberately conservative parameters for the existing FLT design, we present further results for the response to a steadily (uniformly) moving load when the periodic supports are assumed to be elastic, and then introduce the mass and viscous damping of the periodic supports. Typical support damping significantly moderates the resulting steady deflexion at any load speed, and in particular substantially reduces the magnitude of the resonant response at the critical speed. The linear mathematical analysis is then extended to include the inertia of the load that otherwise moves uniformly along the beam, generating overstability at supercritical speeds — i.e. at load speeds notably above the critical speed predicted for the resonant response when the load inertia is neglected. Neither the resonance nor the overstability should prevent the safe implementation of the FLT design in modern high speed rail systems.