Long-term caffeine consumption exacerbates renal failure in obese, diabetic, ZSF1 (fa-facp) rats

Long-term caffeine consumption exacerbates renal failure in obese, diabetic, ZSF1 (fa-facp) rats.BackgroundOur preliminary studies indicate that chronic caffeine consumption has adverse renal effects in nephropathy associated with high blood pressure and insulin resistance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of early (beginning at 8 weeks of age) and long-term (30 weeks) caffeine treatment (0.1% solution) on renal function and structure in obese, diabetic ZSF1 rats.MethodsMetabolic and renal function measurements were performed at six-week intervals and in a subset of animals (N = 6 per group) heart rate (HR) and mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) were monitored by a radiotelemetric technique. At the end of the study acute, measurements of renal hemodynamics and excretory function were conducted in anesthetized animals.ResultsCaffeine produced a very mild increase (4 to 5%) of MABP and HR, but greatly augmented proteinuria (P < 0.001), reduced creatinine clearance (P < 0.05) and had a mixed effect on metabolic status in obese ZSF1 rats. Caffeine significantly reduced body weight, glycosuria, fasting glucose and insulin levels and improved glucose tolerance, had no effect on elevated plasma triglycerides levels and significantly increased plasma cholesterol level (P < 0.001). Acute measurements of renal function revealed increased renal vascular resistance (95.1 ± 11 vs. 50.7 ± 2.4 mm Hg/mL/min/g kidney, P < 0.01) and decreased inulin clearance (0.37 ± 0.11 vs. 0.97 ± 0.13 mL/min/g kidney, P < 0.002) in caffeine-treated versus control animals, respectively. Caffeine potentiated the development of more severe tubulointerstitial changes (P < 0.05) and increased focal glomerulosclerosis (14.7 ± 1.7 vs. 6.5 ± 0.9%, caffeine vs. control, P < 0.002).ConclusionThe present study provides the first evidence that caffeine (despite improving insulin sensitivity) exacerbates renal failure in obese, diabetic ZSF1 rats. Further mechanistic studies of adverse renal effects of caffeine in chronic renal failure associated with metabolic syndrome are warranted

Modelling of Multi-Agent Systems: Experiences with Membrane Computing and Future Challenges

Formal modelling of Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) is a challenging task due to high complexity, interaction, parallelism and continuous change of roles and organisation between agents. In this paper we record our research experience on formal modelling of MAS. We review our research throughout the last decade, by describing the problems we have encountered and the decisions we have made towards resolving them and providing solutions. Much of this work involved membrane computing and classes of P Systems, such as Tissue and Population P Systems, targeted to the modelling of MAS whose dynamic structure is a prominent characteristic. More particularly, social insects (such as colonies of ants, bees, etc.), biology inspired swarms and systems with emergent behaviour are indicative examples for which we developed formal MAS models. Here, we aim to review our work and disseminate our findings to fellow researchers who might face similar challenges and, furthermore, to discuss important issues for advancing research on the application of membrane computing in MAS modelling.Comment: In Proceedings AMCA-POP 2010, arXiv:1008.314

Measurement of the separation dependence of resonant energy transfer between CdSe/ZnS core/shell nanocrystallite quantum dots

The separation dependence of the interaction between two resonant groups of CdSe/ZnS nanocrystallite quantum dots is studied at room temperature. A near-field scanning optical microscope is used to bring a group of mono-disperse ~6.5 nm diameter nanocrystallite quantum dots which are attached to the microscope probe, into close proximity of `~8.5 nm diameter group of nanocrystallite quantum dots which are deposited on a solid immersion lens. Information extracted from photoluminescence, photoluminescence excitation and absorption curves as well as numerical calculations of the energy levels, show that the third excited excitonic energy level of the large quantum dots nearly matches the ground excitonic energy level for the small quantum dots. Quenching of the small quantum dots photoluminescence signal has been observed as they approach the large quantum dots. On average, the separation between microscope probe and solid immersion lens changed in the 15-50 nm range. The transition probability between these two groups of quantum dots is calculated to be (2.60 x 10-47 m6)/R6, within the (0.70 x 10-47 m6)/R6 - (11.0 x 10-47 m6)/R6 experimentally obtained range of transition probabilities. The F\"orster radius, as a signature of energy transfer efficiency, is experimentally found to be in the 14-22 nm range.Comment: 8 pages-8 figures Accepted Physical Review B 201

Further Development of Verification Check-Cases for Six- Degree-of-Freedom Flight Vehicle Simulations

This follow-on paper describes the principal methods of implementing, and documents the results of exercising, a set of six-degree-of-freedom rigid-body equations of motion and planetary geodetic, gravitation and atmospheric models for simple vehicles in a variety of endo- and exo-atmospheric conditions with various NASA, and one popular open-source, engineering simulation tools. This effort is intended to provide an additional means of verification of flight simulations. The models used in this comparison, as well as the resulting time-history trajectory data, are available electronically for persons and organizations wishing to compare their flight simulation implementations of the same models

HST NIR Snapshot Survey of 3CR Radio Source Counterparts II: An Atlas and Inventory of the Host Galaxies, Mergers and Companions

We present the second part of an H-band (1.6 microns) atlas of z<0.3 3CR radio galaxies, using the Hubble Space Telescope Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (HST NICMOS2). We present new imaging for 21 recently acquired sources, and host galaxy modeling for the full sample of 101 (including 11 archival) -- an 87% completion rate. Two different modeling techniques are applied, following those adopted by the galaxy morphology and the quasar host galaxy communities. Results are compared, and found to be in excellent agreement, although the former breaks down in the case of strongly nucleated sources. Companion sources are tabulated, and the presence of mergers, tidal features, dust disks and jets are catalogued. The tables form a catalogue for those interested in the structural and morphological dust-free host galaxy properties of the 3CR sample, and for comparison with morphological studies of quiescent galaxies and quasar host galaxies. Host galaxy masses are estimated, and found to typically lie at around 2*10^11 solar masses. In general, the population is found to be consistent with the local population of quiescent elliptical galaxies, but with a longer tail to low Sersic index, mainly consisting of low-redshift (z<0.1) and low-radio-power (FR I) sources. A few unusually disky FR II host galaxies are picked out for further discussion. Nearby external sources are identified in the majority of our images, many of which we argue are likely to be companion galaxies or merger remnants. The reduced NICMOS data are now publicly available from our website (http://archive.stsci.edu/prepds/3cr/)Comment: ApJS, 177, 148: Final version; includes revised figures 1, 15b, and section 7.5 (and other minor changes from editing process. 65 pages, inc. 17 figure

Identification of Class I HLA T Cell Control Epitopes for West Nile Virus

The recent West Nile virus (WNV) outbreak in the United States underscores the importance of understanding human immune responses to this pathogen. Via the presentation of viral peptide ligands at the cell surface, class I HLA mediate the T cell recognition and killing of WNV infected cells. At this time, there are two key unknowns in regards to understanding protective T cell immunity: 1) the number of viral ligands presented by the HLA of infected cells, and 2) the distribution of T cell responses to these available HLA/viral complexes. Here, comparative mass spectroscopy was applied to determine the number of WNV peptides presented by the HLA-A*11:01 of infected cells after which T cell responses to these HLA/WNV complexes were assessed. Six viral peptides derived from capsid, NS3, NS4b, and NS5 were presented. When T cells from infected individuals were tested for reactivity to these six viral ligands, polyfunctional T cells were focused on the GTL9 WNV capsid peptide, ligands from NS3, NS4b, and NS5 were less immunogenic, and two ligands were largely inert, demonstrating that class I HLA reduce the WNV polyprotein to a handful of immune targets and that polyfunctional T cells recognize infections by zeroing in on particular HLA/WNV epitopes. Such dominant HLA/peptide epitopes are poised to drive the development of WNV vaccines that elicit protective T cells as well as providing key antigens for immunoassays that establish correlates of viral immunity. © 2013 Kaabinejadian et al

Effect of fluorination of 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole

The 4,7-dithieno-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (DTBT) moiety and its fluorinated counterpart are important π-conjugated building blocks in the field of organic electronics. Here we present a combined experimental and theoretical investigation into fundamental properties relating to these two molecular entities and discuss the potential impact on extended π-conjugated materials and their electronic properties. While the fluorinated derivative, in the solid state, packs with a cofacial overlap smaller than that of DTBT, we report experimental evidence of stronger optical absorption as well as stronger intra- and intermolecular contacts upon fluorination

New Physics at the LHC. A Les Houches Report: Physics at TeV Colliders 2009 - New Physics Working Group

We present a collection of signatures for physics beyond the standard model that need to be explored at the LHC. First, are presented various tools developed to measure new particle masses in scenarios where all decays include an unobservable particle. Second, various aspects of supersymmetric models are discussed. Third, some signatures of models of strong electroweak symmetry are discussed. In the fourth part, a special attention is devoted to high mass resonances, as the ones appearing in models with warped extra dimensions. Finally, prospects for models with a hidden sector/valley are presented. Our report, which includes brief experimental and theoretical reviews as well as original results, summarizes the activities of the "New Physics" working group for the "Physics at TeV Colliders" workshop (Les Houches, France, 8-26 June, 2009).Comment: 189 page

7/7: A reflexive re-evaluation of journalistic practice

The suicide bombings of 7 July 2005 remain the most serious terror attacks in the United Kingdom to date in the so-called ‘war on terror’. Much has been published on the war on terror but few journalists have reflected on their practice post 9/11 and none on their domestic coverage of the 7/7 attacks. This article is written by a journalist who covered the London bombings for a UK national newspaper and more recently is a practitioner-academic. Using academic texts focusing on the domestic reporting of the war on terror as stimuli for scholarly reflection, this article reviews the author’s own coverage using reflexive practice and content analysis. This article places 7/7 in the continuum of reporting subsequent to 11 September 2001 (9/11) and issues discussed. Some 63 authored articles were considered from the period. Scholarly texts have proposed a range of concepts to analyse coverage from including political ritual, trauma, national wound and hegemony. This article concludes by noting that while many academic texts see coverage of terrorism as an elite discourse, dominated by political economy drivers and responding to events in a homogeneous reactivity, in practice, news organisations can have complex responses and journalists, agency in their coverage of major terrorism events

The road not taken: international aid’s choice of Copenhagen over Beijing

A decade after the United Nations conferences on gender equality and social development, this paper explores their policy origins and discusses their differential impact on international aid since 1995. The author draws on her direct experience to consider why Copenhagen led to Poverty Reduction Strategies and the first Millennium Development Goal whereas Beijing has become largely invisible in the mainstream world of aid. She argues that the powerful influence of economic rational choice theory associated with bureaucratic modes of thought has meant that the central debate in development policy has remained that of growth versus equity. Beijing's agenda of societal transformation offered another paradigm of development that has remained marginal. The paper concludes with a proposal. If international aid policy could handle more than one paradigm and thus be more open to different ways of thinking about economy, society and politics, aid agencies would be better able to support transformative processes for social justice