Biochemical alterations of the tunica albuginea in impotence

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study were to quantify the immunohistochemical stainings of collagen types I, III and IV, and investigate the value of glycohistochemical staining with 3 lectin types specific to a particular glycan structure, Arachis hypogaea, Triticum vulgare and concanavalin A, as a method of defining possible changes in the collagen structure of the tunica albuginea in potent and impotent patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study involved 4 normal men, 4 with pure venous leakage and 4 with pure arterial disease. Collagen types I, III and IV, and lectins Arachis hypogaea, Triticum vulgare and concanavalin A were studied using a cell image processor. The labeling index relates to the percentage of staining and mean optical density relates to the staining intensity. RESULTS: Mean labeling index values for the 3 types of collagen and lectins were similar (p > 0.05). Mean optical density value relating to collagen type I was significantly higher in the arteriogenic group than in the other groups (p < 0.05), while mean optical density value of collagen type IV was significantly higher in the venogenic group than in the 2 other groups (p < 0.05). Mean optical density values relating to the 3 lectin types were similar in the 3 clinical groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: An alteration in the distribution and structure of the various collagen types and lectins in the tunica albuginea of impotent patients has been shown that may interfere with normal function and lead to impotence.     

Equi-affine Invariant Geometry for Shape Analysis

Traditional models of bendable surfaces are based on the exact or approximate invariance to deformations that do not tear or stretch the shape, leaving intact an intrinsic geometry associated with it. These geometries are typically defined using either the shortest path length (geodesic distance), or properties of heat diffusion (diffusion distance) on the surface. Both measures are implicitly derived from the metric induced by the ambient Euclidean space. In this paper, we depart from this restrictive assumption by observing that a different choice of the metric results in a richer set of geometric invariants. We apply equi-affine geometry for analyzing arbitrary shapes with positive Gaussian curvature. The potential of the proposed framework is explored in a range of applications such as shape matching and retrieval, symmetry detection, and computation of Voroni tessellation. We show that in some shape analysis tasks, equi-affine-invariant intrinsic geometries often outperform their Euclidean-based counterparts. We further explore the potential of this metric in facial anthropometry of newborns. We show that intrinsic properties of this homogeneous group are better captured using the equi-affine metric.     

LRA: Local Rigid Averaging of Stretchable Non-rigid Shapes

We present a novel algorithm for generating the mean structure of non-rigid stretchable shapes. Following an alignment process, which supports local affine deformations, we translate the search of the mean shape into a diagonalization problem where the structure is hidden within the kernel of a matrix. This is the first step required in many practical applications, where one needs to model bendable and stretchable shapes from multiple observations.     

Spider Silk-CBD-Cellulose Nanocrystal Composites: Mechanism of Assembly

The fabrication of cellulose-spider silk bio-nanocomposites comprised of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and recombinant spider silk protein fused to a cellulose binding domain (CBD) is described. Silk-CBD successfully binds cellulose, and unlike recombinant silk alone, silk-CBD self-assembles into microfibrils even in the absence of CNCs. Silk-CBD-CNC composite sponges and films show changes in internal structure and CNC alignment related to the addition of silk-CBD. The silk-CBD sponges exhibit improved thermal and structural characteristics in comparison to control recombinant spider silk sponges. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the silk-CBD sponge was higher than the control silk sponge and similar to native dragline spider silk fibers. Gel filtration analysis, dynamic light scattering (DLS), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and cryo-transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicated that silk-CBD, but not the recombinant silk control, formed a nematic liquid crystalline phase similar to that observed in native spider silk during the silk spinning process. Silk-CBD microfibrils spontaneously formed in solution upon ultrasonication. We suggest a model for silk-CBD assembly that implicates CBD in the central role of driving the dimerization of spider silk monomers, a process essential to the molecular assembly of spider-silk nanofibers and silk-CNC composites.     

An efficient algorithm for maximizing the expected profit from a serial production line with inspection stations and rework

In this paper, an unreliable serial production line in which nonconforming items are sent back for rework is studied. The line consists of existing machines and optional quality control stations (QCSs). The designer of such a production line needs to decide where to install the QCSs along the line and to determine the production rate, so as to maximize the expected operational profit rate obtained at a steady state. An efficient algorithm for solving this problem is presented; several extensions of the problem are discussed. An extensive simulation study proves the applicability of the model in realistic settings and is used to derive some insights about the nature of optimal solutions.     

Nanoscale assembly in biological systems: from neuronal cytoskeletal proteins to curvature stabilizing lipids

The review will describe experiments inspired by the rich variety of bundles and networks of interacting microtubules (MT), neurofilaments, and filamentous-actin in neurons where the nature of the interactions, structures, and structure-function correlations remain poorly understood. We describe how three-dimensional (3D) MT bundles and 2D MT bundles may assemble, in cell free systems in the presence of counter-ions, revealing structures not predicted by polyelectrolyte theories. Interestingly, experiments reveal that the neuronal protein tau, an abundant MT-associated-protein in axons, modulates the MT diameter providing insight for the control of geometric parameters in bio- nanotechnology. In another set of experiments we describe lipid-protein-nanotubes, and lipid nano-tubes and rods, resulting from membrane shape evolution processes involving protein templates and curvature stabilizing lipids. Similar membrane shape changes, occurring in cells for the purpose of specific functions, are induced by interactions between membranes and proteins. The biological materials systems described have applications in bio-nanotechnology.     

Radio psychology and psychotherapy: Comparison of client attitudes and expectations.

We compared the expectations and attitudes of two groups of subjects who sought psychological help. One group (n?=?47) comprised callers to a radio counseling program broadcast in Israel that offers psychological help to parents and children; the second group (n?=?34) consisted of individuals who had received counseling in a child guidance clinic located in an urban center in Israel. We primarily compared the subjects' attitudes toward receiving psychological help. The results indicate that the attitudes of those who received help in the clinic were more positive than those who called the radio program. In addition, we investigated the satisfaction levels of callers to the radio counseling program and of those who received help in clinics. Last, we examined the callers' expectations of the radio counseling program and found them to be in keeping with the goals of primary prevention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ureteropelvic junction obstruction: relation of etiology and age at surgical repair to clinical outcome

Ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction is a congenital anomaly either caused by intrinsic narrowing of the upper ureter or by extrinsic pressure on the ureter caused by aberrant vessels or fibrous bands. We reviewed 121 cases of pyeloplasties performed in our department for UPJ obstruction. The cases were grouped by age and by the underlying pathology. Postoperative urographic evaluation showed that dismembered pyeloplasty was successful in 98.4% of the patients, with no significant difference between age groups. Persistence or recurrence of preoperative symptoms occurred in some patients (16.6%). Extrinsic obstruction of the ureter was associated with better postoperative clinical results and less recurrence of symptoms.     

Rotational molecular motion in solid H2 and D2 under pressure

The rotational state of a H₂ or D₂ molecule in solid hydrogen or deuterium is calculated over the range of densities for which the molecular phases are expected to be stable. For para-H₂ and ortho-D₂ we predict sudden transitions as the pressure is increased from states where the molecules are rotating freely to states where they are librating about equilibrium orientations. These transitions are predicted to occur in the region of several hundred megabars of pressure. Although in principle observable, these first-order transitions are expected to lead to only small changes in the equation-of-state curves. These transitions from rotating to librating molecular motion are expected to be accompanied by changes in the crystal structures from hcp to fcc.Supported by NSF Grant No. 22553.