Synthesis of human plasminogen by the liver

Genetic types of plasminogen were determined from a donor and a recipient before and after hepatic homotransplantation. Examination of the plasminogen types demonstrated that the liver is the principal site of synthesis of human plasminogen. Copyright © 1980 AAAS

Harmonic Maa{\ss}-Jacobi forms of degree 1 with higher rank indices

We define and investigate real analytic weak Jacobi forms of degree 1 and arbitrary rank. En route we calculate the Casimir operator associated to the maximal central extension of the real Jacobi group, which for rank exceeding 1 is of order 4. In ranks exceeding 1, the notions of H-harmonicity and semi-holomorphicity are the same.Comment: 28 page

Studies of hepatic synthesis in vivo of plasma proteins, including orosomucoid, transferrin, α-antitrypsin, C8, and factor B

Serum protein types were determined in eight recipients and donors in cases of hepatic homotransplantation. A change from recipient type to donor type was observed for factor B, C8, orosomucoid, haptoglobin, transferrin, α1-antitrypsin, C3 and C6, but not for Gm and Inv immunoglobulin markers. The results indicate that all the proteins studied (except immunoglobulins) are produced primarily by the liver in vivo. © 1980

Liver transplantation for type I and type IV glycogen storage disease

Progressive liver failure or hepatic complications of the primary disease led to orthotopic liver transplantation in eight children with glycogen storage disease over a 9-year period. One patient had glycogen storage disease (GSD) type I (von Gierke disease) and seven patients had type IV GSD (Andersen disease). As previously reported [19], a 16.5-year-old-girl with GSD type I was successfully treated in 1982 by orthotopic liver transplantation under cyclosporine and steroid immunosuppression. The metabolic consequences of the disease have been eliminated, the renal function and size have remained normal, and the patient has lived a normal young adult life. A late portal venous thrombosis was treated successfully with a distal splenorenal shunt. Orthotopic liver transplantation was performed in seven children with type N GSD who had progressive hepatic failure. Two patients died early from technical complications. The other five have no evidence of recurrent hepatic amylopectinosis after 1.1–5.8 postoperative years. They have had good physical and intellectual maturation. Amylopectin was found in many extrahepatic tissues prior to surgery, but cardiopathy and skeletal myopathy have not developed after transplantation. Postoperative heart biopsies from patients showed either minimal amylopectin deposits as long as 4.5 years following transplantation or a dramatic reduction in sequential biopsies from one patient who initially had dense myocardial deposits. Serious hepatic derangement is seen most commonly in types T and IV GSD. Liver transplantation cures the hepatic manifestations of both types. The extrahepatic deposition of abnormal glycogen appears not to be problematic in type I disease, and while potentially more threatening in type IV disease, may actually exhibit signs of regression after hepatic allografting

Development and characterization of the readout system for POLARBEAR-2

POLARBEAR-2 is a next-generation receiver for precision measurements of the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB)). Scheduled to deploy in early 2015, it will observe alongside the existing POLARBEAR-1 receiver, on a new telescope in the Simons Array on Cerro Toco in the Atacama desert of Chile. For increased sensitivity, it will feature a larger area focal plane, with a total of 7,588 polarization sensitive antenna-coupled Transition Edge Sensor (TES) bolometers, with a design sensitivity of 4.1 uKrt(s). The focal plane will be cooled to 250 milliKelvin, and the bolometers will be read-out with 40x frequency domain multiplexing, with 36 optical bolometers on a single SQUID amplifier, along with 2 dark bolometers and 2 calibration resistors. To increase the multiplexing factor from 8x for POLARBEAR-1 to 40x for POLARBEAR-2 requires additional bandwidth for SQUID readout and well-defined frequency channel spacing. Extending to these higher frequencies requires new components and design for the LC filters which define channel spacing. The LC filters are cold resonant circuits with an inductor and capacitor in series with each bolometer, and stray inductance in the wiring and equivalent series resistance from the capacitors can affect bolometer operation. We present results from characterizing these new readout components. Integration of the readout system is being done first on a small scale, to ensure that the readout system does not affect bolometer sensitivity or stability, and to validate the overall system before expansion into the full receiver. We present the status of readout integration, and the initial results and status of components for the full array.Comment: Presented at SPIE Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation 2014: Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy VII. Published in Proceedings of SPIE Volume 915

Sympathomimetic increases resting energy expenditure following bariatric surgery: A randomized controlled clinical trial

Objective: The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that ephedrine + caffeine (EC) reduces the fall in resting energy expenditure (REE) following bariatric surgery. Methods: This 32-week, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial included 142 patients who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) or sleeve gastrectomy (SG) surgery. Participants were randomized to either EC or placebo for 27 weeks, beginning 5 weeks post surgery. The primary end points were change in REE (measured), percentage of predicted REE ([measured REE/Harris-Benedict equation-predicted REE] × 100), and body composition. Secondary outcomes included change in percentage of weight. Adverse events (AEs) were recorded. Results: The reduction in REE was smaller in the EC versus the placebo group, but it was not significant. Percentage of predicted REE was increased in the EC versus the placebo group (difference, mean [SE]: 5.82 [2.29], p = 0.013). Percentage of weight (difference: −3.83 [1.39], p = 0.007) was reduced in the EC versus the placebo group. Percentage of predicted REE was increased and body weight decreased in the EC-treated participants who underwent SG compared with those who underwent SG and were treated with placebo (difference in percentage of predicted REE = 8.06 [2.83], p = 0.006; difference in weight percentage = −4.37 [1.92], p = 0.025). Percentage of fat-free mass was increased in the SG participants treated with EC versus placebo (difference: 1.31 [0.63], p = 0.042). The most common AEs were anxiety, dizziness, insomnia, and tremors. Most AEs were not different from placebo by Week 32. Conclusions: EC enhances weight loss and reduces the fall in REE following bariatric surgery. Adrenergic symptoms mostly resolve over time

Achieving impact from ecosystem assessment and valuation of urban greenspace: The case of i-Tree Eco in Great Britain

Numerous tools have been developed to assist environmental decision-making, but there has been little examination of whether these tools achieve this aim, particularly for urban environments. This study aimed to evaluate the use of the i-Tree Eco tool in Great Britain, an assessment tool developed to support urban forest management. The study employed a documentary review, an online survey, and interviews in six case study areas to examine five impacts (instrumental, conceptual, capacity-building, enduring connectivity, and culture/attitudes towards knowledge exchange) and to identify which factors inhibited or supported achievement of impact. It revealed that the i-Tree Eco projects had helped to increase knowledge of urban forests and awareness of the benefits they provide. While there was often broad use of i-Tree Eco findings in various internal reports, external forums, and discussions of wider policies and plans, direct changes relating to improved urban forest management, increased funding or new tree policies were less frequent. The barriers we identified which limited impact included a lack of project champions, policy drivers and resources, problems with knowledge transfer and exchange, organisational and staff change, and negative views of trees. Overall, i-Tree Eco, similar to other environmental decision-making tools, can help to improve the management of urban trees when planned as one step in a longer process of engagement with stakeholders and development of new management plans and policies. In this first published impact evaluation of multiple i-Tree Eco projects, we identified eight lessons to enhance the impact of future i-Tree Eco projects, transferable to other environmental decision-making tools

Clustering of antibiotic resistance of E. coli in couples: suggestion for a major role of conjugal transmission

BACKGROUND: Spread of antibiotic resistance in hospitals is a well-known problem, but studies investigating the importance of factors potentially related to the spread of resistant bacteria in outpatients are sparse. METHODS: Stool samples were obtained from 206 healthy couples in a community setting in Southern Germany in 2002–2003. E. coli was cultured and minimal inhibition concentrations were tested. Prevalences of E. coli resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics according to potential risk factors were ascertained. RESULTS: Prevalences of ampicillin resistance were 15.7% and 19.4% for women and men, respectively. About ten percent and 15% of all isolates were resistant to cotrimoxazole and doxycycline, respectively. A partner carrying resistance was the main risk factor for being colonized with resistant E. coli. Odds ratios (95% CI) for ampicillin and cotrimoxazole resistance given carriage of resistant isolates by the partner were 6.9 (3.1–15.5) and 3.3 (1.5–18.0), respectively. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that conjugal transmission may be more important for the spread of antibiotic resistance in the community setting than commonly suspected risk factors such as previous antibiotic intake or hospital contacts