1,093 research outputs found
Mapping of single-stranded regions in duplex DNA at the sequence level: single-strand-specific cytosine methylation in RNA polymerase-promoter complexes.
Positron lifetime measurements on neutronâirradiated InP crystals
Neutronâirradiated InP single crystals have been investigated by positronâlifetime measurements. The samples were irradiated with thermal neutrons at different fluences yielding concentrations for Snâtransmuted atoms between 2Ă1015 and 2Ă1018 cmâ3. The lifetime spectra have been analyzed into one exponential decay component. The mean lifetimes show a monotonous increase with the irradiation dose from 246 to 282 ps. The increase in the lifetime has been associated to a defect containing an Indium vacancy. Thermal annealing at 550â°C reduces the lifetime until values closed to those obtained for the asâgrown and conventionally doped InP [email protected] ; [email protected]
Depressive symptoms in women's midlife in relation to their body weight before, during and after childbearing years
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine how weight and weight changes related to pregnancy were associated with depressive symptoms 11â16âyears after childbirth. METHOD: We followed 16,998 firstâtime mothers from the Danish National Birth Cohort up till 16âyears after birth and estimated associations between depressive symptoms and preâpregnancy body mass index (BMI) (kgâm(â2)), weight changes in different time periods, and BMIâadjusted waist circumference 7âyears after birth (WC(BMI), cm). Depressive symptoms were estimated by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression 10âitem scale. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Compared with normalâweight, we found that underweight, overweight and obesity were associated with greater odds of depressive symptoms (1.29, 1.24 and 1.73, respectively). Compared with weight change ±1 BMI unit during the total followâup period, greater odds for depressive symptoms were observed with weight loss (OR 1.14, 0.96â1.36) or gain of 2â2.99âkgâm(â2) (OR 1.11, 0.92â1.33) or gain of â„3âkgâm(â2) (OR 1.68, 1.46â1.94). WC(BMI)â>â2.2âcm was associated with greater odds of depressive symptoms (OR 1.16, 0.99â1.36) than waist circumference as predicted by BMI. CONCLUSION: Low and high preâpregnancy BMI, weight changes and WC(BMI) larger than predicted were associated with more depressive symptoms in midlife
Expression of tumor necrosis factor [alpha] converting enzyme in endocrine cancers
Tumor necrosis factor [alpha] converting enzyme (TACE) mediates shedding of human epidermal growth factor receptor-4 (HER4). Recent data suggest that released HER4 intracellular domain (4ICD) induces apoptosis in breast cancer.
TACE expression, as measured by immunohistochemical analysis, was observed in 183 of 383 breast carcinomas, 39 of 217 ovarian carcinomas, and 16 of 24 and 17 of 24 hormone-sensitive and hormone-insensitive prostate carcinomas, respectively. HER4 expression was detected in breast carcinomas by using 2 antibodies recognizing an extracellular or intracellular epitope. TACE expression was predominantly seen in tumors with high levels of 4ICD and membranous HER4. Apoptotic activity was measured by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay and cleaved caspase-3 staining in breast carcinomas. There was no significant association between cleaved caspase-3 or TUNEL positivity and 4ICD, whereas TUNEL positivity was seen predominantly in tumors with high levels of internalized HER4. The data presented herein show TACE expression in endocrine cancers and further support a role for TACE in breast cancer apoptosis
Analysis of electron-positron momentum spectra of metallic alloys as supported by first-principles calculations
Electron-positron momentum distributions measured by the coincidence Doppler
broadening method can be used in the chemical analysis of the annihilation
environment, typically a vacancy-impurity complex in a solid. In the present
work, we study possibilities for a quantitative analysis, i.e., for
distinguishing the average numbers of different atomic species around the
defect. First-principles electronic structure calculations self-consistently
determining electron and positron densities and ion positions are performed for
vacancy-solute complexes in Al-Cu, Al-Mg-Cu, and Al-Mg-Cu-Ag alloys. The
ensuing simulated coincidence Doppler broadening spectra are compared with
measured ones for defect identification. A linear fitting procedure, which uses
the spectra for positrons trapped at vacancies in pure constituent metals as
components, has previously been employed to find the relative percentages of
different atomic species around the vacancy [A. Somoza et al. Phys. Rev. B 65,
094107 (2002)]. We test the reliability of the procedure by the help of
first-principles results for vacancy-solute complexes and vacancies in
constituent metals.Comment: Submitted to Physical Review B on September 19 2006. Revised version
submitted on November 8 2006. Published on February 14 200
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Fluctuations in the Kinetics of Linear Protein Self-Assembly.
Biological systems are characterized by compartmentalization from the subcellular to the tissue level, and thus reactions in small volumes are ubiquitous in living systems. Under such conditions, statistical number fluctuations, which are commonly negligible in bulk reactions, can become dominant and lead to stochastic behavior. We present here a stochastic model of protein filament formation in small volumes. We show that two principal regimes emerge for the system behavior, a small fluctuation regime close to bulk behavior and a large fluctuation regime characterized by single rare events. Our analysis shows that in both regimes the reaction lag-time scales inversely with the system volume, unlike in bulk. Finally, we use our stochastic model to connect data from small-volume microdroplet experiments of amyloid formation to bulk aggregation rates, and show that digital analysis of an ensemble of protein aggregation reactions taking place under microconfinement provides an accurate measure of the rate of primary nucleation of protein aggregates, a process that has been challenging to quantify from conventional bulk experiments.We are grateful to St. Johnâs College, Cambridge
(T. C. T. M., J. B. K.), the Schiff Foundation (A. J. D.),
the EPSRC (K. L. S.), NSF Grant No. DMR-1310266 (D. A. W.), the Harvard MRSEC Grant No. DMR1420570 (D. A. W.), BBSRC (T. P. J. K.), ERC (T. C. T. M., T. P. J. K.), and Frances and Augustus Newman Foundation (T. P. J. K.) for financial support
Is the biology of breast cancer changing? A study of hormone receptor status 1984-1986 and 1996-1997
Using archived tumours, those from 1984-1986 and 1996-1997 underwent immunohistochemistry for hormone receptors and grade analysis. A significant shift towards more ER-positive and low-grade disease was found; this appears to reflect screening practices, but could still influence survival
An assessment of ADAMs in bone cells: absence of TACE activity prevents osteoclast recruitment and the formation of the marrow cavity in developing long bones
AbstractADAMs (A Disintegrin And Metalloprotease domain) are metalloproteaseâdisintegrin proteins that have been implicated in cell adhesion, protein ectodomain shedding, matrix protein degradation and cell fusion. Since such events are critical for bone resorption and osteoclast recruitment, we investigated whether they require ADAMs. We report here which ADAMs we have identified in bone cells, as well as our analysis of the generation, migration and resorptive activity of osteoclasts in developing metatarsals of mouse embryos lacking catalytically active ADAM 17 [TNFα converting enzyme (TACE)]. The absence of TACE activity still allowed the generation of cells showing an osteoclastic phenotype, but prevented their migration into the core of the diaphysis and the subsequent formation of marrow cavity. This suggests a role of TACE in the recruitment of osteoclasts to future resorption sites
Gestational age at delivery and special educational need: retrospective cohort study of 407,503 schoolchildren
<STRONG>Background</STRONG> Previous studies have demonstrated an association between preterm delivery and increased risk of special educational need (SEN). The aim of our study was to examine the risk of SEN across the full range of gestation. <STRONG>Methods and Findings</STRONG>
We conducted a population-based, retrospective study by linking school census data on the 407,503 eligible school-aged children resident in 19 Scottish Local Authority areas (total population 3.8 million) to their routine birth data. SEN was recorded in 17,784 (4.9%) children; 1,565 (8.4%) of those born preterm and 16,219 (4.7%) of those born at term. The risk of SEN increased across the whole range of gestation from 40 to 24 wk: 37â39 wk adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12â1.20; 33â36 wk adjusted OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.43â1.63; 28â32 wk adjusted OR 2.66, 95% CI 2.38â2.97; 24â27 wk adjusted OR 6.92, 95% CI 5.58â8.58. There was no interaction between elective versus spontaneous delivery. Overall, gestation at delivery accounted for 10% of the adjusted population attributable fraction of SEN. Because of their high frequency, early term deliveries (37â39 wk) accounted for 5.5% of cases of SEN compared with preterm deliveries (<37 wk), which accounted for only 3.6% of cases. <STRONG>Conclusions</STRONG> Gestation at delivery had a strong, dose-dependent relationship with SEN that was apparent across the whole range of gestation. Because early term delivery is more common than preterm delivery, the former accounts for a higher percentage of SEN cases. Our findings have important implications for clinical practice in relation to the timing of elective delivery
A holistic multi-methodology for sustainable renovation
A review of the barriers for building renovation has revealed a lack of methodologies, which can promote sustainability objectives and assist various stakeholders during the design stage of building renovation/retrofitting projects. The purpose of this paper is to develop a Holistic Multi-methodology for Sustainable Renovation, which aims to deal with complexity of renovation projects. It provides a framework through which to involve the different stakeholders in the design process to improve group learning and group decision-making, and hence make the building renovation design process more robust and efficient. Therefore, the paper discusses the essence of multifaceted barriers in building renovation regarding cultural changes and technological/physical changes. The outcome is a proposal for a multi-methodology framework, which is developed by introducing, evaluating and mixing methods from Soft Systems Methodologies (SSM) with Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM). The potential of applying the proposed methodology in renovation projects is demonstrated through a case study
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