MONITORING SURFACE DEFORMATION IN ACTIVE MARGIN SETTINGS WITH THE SCANSAR TECHNIQUE USING WIDE SWATH ENVISAT DATA

Active continental margins are the Earth's principal regions of active deformation and significant earthquake hazard. We apply the enhanced method called Scan Synthetic Aperture Radar (ScanSAR) interferometry to quantify active surface deformation in the coastal region of the South American active margin in central Chile between 22 ° S and 27 ° S. Here, as in other active margin settings, crustal deformation may reach far inland and affects hundreds of square kilometer wide areas. The “normal ” ENVISAT ASAR Strip-Mode covers a 100km wide stripe and will therefore not be sufficient for such deformation study. We use the ENVISAT ASAR Wide Swath (WS) data that cover in generally an area of 400x400km. Because of this w

Molecular Chaperone Function for Myocilin

Myocilin expression is increased in response to several classic stresses and can function as a molecular chaperone in several assays. One function of the protein may be related to this molecular chaperone activity

Environmental surveying and surveillance

© Springer International Publishing AG 2018. In this section, we discuss the quantitative and qualitative data that could be collected using GNSS satellites, and in so doing, attempt to answer the question “what can GNSS satellites deliver that are of use to environmental monitoring?” The observed parameters necessary for environmental monitoring vary, depending upon the indicators being assessed. Some are physical variables such as changes in soil patterns, vegetation, rainfall, water levels, temperature, deforestation, solar and UV radiation. Others are chemical variables, e.g., pH, salinity, nutrients, metals, pesticides, while others are biological variables, e.g., species types, ecosystem health, and indicator species

FXR Agonist INT-747 Upregulates DDAH Expression and Enhances Insulin Sensitivity in High-Salt Fed Dahl Rats

<div><p>Aims</p><p>Genetic and pharmacological studies have shown that impairment of the nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS) pathway is associated with hypertension and insulin-resistance (IR). In addition, inhibition of NOS by the endogenous inhibitor, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), may also result in hypertension and IR. On the other hand, overexpression of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH), an enzyme that metabolizes ADMA, in mice is associated with lower ADMA, increased NO and enhanced insulin sensitivity. Since DDAH carries a farnesoid X receptor (FXR)-responsive element, we aimed to upregulate its expression by an FXR-agonist, INT-747, and evaluate its effect on blood pressure and insulin sensitivity.</p><p>Methods and Results</p><p>In this study, we evaluated the in vivo effect of INT-747 on tissue DDAH expression and insulin sensitivity in the Dahl rat model of salt-sensitive hypertension and IR (Dahl-SS). Our data indicates that high salt (HS) diet significantly increased systemic blood pressure. In addition, HS diet downregulated tissue DDAH expression while INT-747 protected the loss in DDAH expression and enhanced insulin sensitivity compared to vehicle controls.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Our study may provide the basis for a new therapeutic approach for IR by modulating DDAH expression and/or activity using small molecules.</p></div

Schematic showing the time frame and experimental protocol followed to induce hypertension by high-salt feeding.

<p>Measurements period of BP, glucose challenge, urinary collection and blood draw are also shown. BP = blood pressure.</p

Assessing renal morphology and fibrosis.

<p><b>a:</b> H&E staining to assess the renal morphology of Dahl rats following: LS-diet with nearly normal morphology (A) or HS-diet and administration of vehicle, showing fibrinoid arteriolar necrosis with extravasation of erythrocytes and thrombosis of glomerular capillaries (B); INT-747 at 10 mg/kg/day shows similar findings (C) as does INT-747 at 30 mg/kg/day (D) for 6 weeks. Representative images are shown. (400X mag). <b>b:</b> Masson's Trichrome staining to evaluate renal fibrosis (seen as blue-colored expansion of the interstitium between the tubules) in Dahl rat kidneys following: LS-diet (A) or HS-diet and administration of vehicle (B); INT-747 at 10 mg/kg/day (C) or INT-747 at 30 mg/kg/day (D) for 6 weeks. Representative images are shown. (100X mag).</p