N-ftaloil-glicin-hidroksamska kiselina kao kelator željeza u serumu štakora

The aim of this study was to investigate the activity of N-phthaloyl-glycine-hydroxamic acid (Phth-Gly-HA) as a new iron chelator in vivo to be used in iron overload diseases. After intraperitoneal application of Phth-Gly-HA to male rats (1 mg kg1 body mass) once a day for seven days, iron serum level decreased by 21%, whereas the iron value dropped by 32% in female rats (1.5 mg kg1 body mass). The results indicate that the tested substance has the ability to bind serum iron by complexation. Besides transferrin iron release, mobilization of ferritin iron is also possibleU cilju pronalaženja novog efikasnog kelatora koji bi mogao poslužiti u liječenju bolesti izazvanih viškom željeza, u ovom je radu ispitano djelovanje N-ftaloil-glicin-hidroksamske kiseline (Phth-Gly-HA) in vivo. Istraživan je utjecaj kelatora na razinu željeza u serumu štakora nakon intraperitonealne primjene vodene otopine Phth-Gly-HA (0,1 mg mL1) jednom dnevno tijekom 7 dana. Kontrolne su životinje primale fiziološku otopinu. Kod mužjaka injektiranje test supstancije (1 mg kg1) uzrokovalo je pad serumskog željeza za 21%. Kod ženki je nakon tretmana (1,5 mg kg1) izmjereno sniženje razine željeza za 35%. Rezultati pokazuju da ispitivana supstanca ima sposobnost kompleksiranja serumskog željeza, pretežno transferinskog, ali da postoji mogućnost mobilizacije željeza i iz feritinskih zaliha

A coupled method for initializing El Niño Southern Oscillation forecasts using sea surface temperature

A simple method for initializing coupled general circulation models (CGCMs) using only sea surface temperature (SST) data is comprehensively tested in an extended set of ensemble hindcasts with the Max-Planck-Institute (MPI) climate model, MPI-OM/ECHAM5. In the scheme, initial conditions for both atmosphere and ocean are generated by running the coupled model with SST nudged strongly to observations. Air–sea interaction provides the mechanism through which SST influences the subsurface. Comparison with observations indicates that the scheme is performing well in the tropical Pacific. Results from a 500-yr control run show that the model's El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variability is quite realistic, in terms of strength, structure and period. The hindcasts performed were six months long, initiated four times per year, consisted of nine ensemble members, and covered the period 1969–2001. The ensemble was generated by only varying atmospheric initial conditions, which were sampled from the initialization run to capture intraseasonal variability. At six-month lead, the model is able to capture all the major ENSO extremes of the period. However, because of poor sampling of ocean initial conditions and model deficiencies, the ensemble-mean anomaly correlation skill for Niño3 SST is only 0.6 at six-month lead. None the less, the results presented here demonstrate the potential of such a simple scheme, and provide a simple method by which SST information may be better used in more complex initialization schemes

Early Neutrophilia Marked by Aerobic Glycolysis Sustains Host Metabolism and Delays Cancer Cachexia

An elevated neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio negatively predicts the outcome of patients with cancer and is associated with cachexia, the terminal wasting syndrome. Here, using murine model systems of colorectal and pancreatic cancer we show that neutrophilia in the circulation and multiple organs, accompanied by extramedullary hematopoiesis, is an early event during cancer progression. Transcriptomic and metabolic assessment reveals that neutrophils in tumor-bearing animals utilize aerobic glycolysis, similar to cancer cells. Although pharmacological inhibition of aerobic glycolysis slows down tumor growth in C26 tumor-bearing mice, it precipitates cachexia, thereby shortening the overall survival. This negative effect may be explained by our observation that acute depletion of neutrophils in pre-cachectic mice impairs systemic glucose homeostasis secondary to altered hepatic lipid processing. Thus, changes in neutrophil number, distribution, and metabolism play an adaptive role in host metabolic homeostasis during cancer progression. Our findings provide insight into early events during cancer progression to cachexia, with implications for therapy

Expansion of Nature Conservation Areas: Problems with Natura 2000 Implementation in Poland?

In spite of widespread support from most member countries’ societies for European Union policy, including support for the sustainable development idea, in many EU countries the levels of acceptance of new environmental protection programmes have been and, in particular in new member states, still are considerably low. The experience of the countries which were the first to implement union directives show that they cannot be effectively applied without widespread public participation. The goal of this study was, using the example of Poland, to assess public acceptance of the expansion of nature conservation in the context of sustainable development principles and to discover whether existing nature governance should be modified when establishing new protected areas. The increase in protected areas in Poland has become a hotbed of numerous conflicts. In spite of the generally favourable attitudes to nature which Polish people generally have, Natura 2000 is perceived as an unnecessary additional conservation tool. Both local authorities and communities residing in the Natura areas think that the programme is a hindrance, rather than a help in the economic development of municipalities or regions, as was initially supposed. This lack of acceptance results from many factors, mainly social, historic and economic. The implications of these findings for current approach to the nature governance in Poland are discussed

The Virtual Teacher (VT) Paradigm: Learning New Patterns of Interpersonal Coordination Using the Human Dynamic Clamp

The Virtual Teacher paradigm, a version of the Human Dynamic Clamp (HDC), is introduced into studies of learning patterns of inter-personal coordination. Combining mathematical modeling and experimentation, we investigate how the HDC may be used as a Virtual Teacher (VT) to help humans co-produce and internalize new inter-personal coordination pattern(s). Human learners produced rhythmic finger movements whilst observing a computer-driven avatar, animated by dynamic equations stemming from the well-established Haken-Kelso-Bunz (1985) and Schöner-Kelso (1988) models of coordination. We demonstrate that the VT is successful in shifting the pattern co-produced by the VT-human system toward any value (Experiment 1) and that the VT can help humans learn unstable relative phasing patterns (Experiment 2). Using transfer entropy, we find that information flow from one partner to the other increases when VT-human coordination loses stability. This suggests that variable joint performance may actually facilitate interaction, and in the long run learning. VT appears to be a promising tool for exploring basic learning processes involved in social interaction, unraveling the dynamics of information flow between interacting partners, and providing possible rehabilitation opportunities

BMQ

BMQ: Boston Medical Quarterly was published from 1950-1966 by the Boston University School of Medicine and the Massachusetts Memorial Hospitals