Formation of polar stratospheric clouds simulated in a two dimensional model of the atmosphere

A microphysics code has been implemented in a two dimensional model of the atmosphere to study formation of polar stratospheric clouds containing HCl or HNO3. The model range is from pole to pole in latitude and from the ground to about 20 km in altitude. Resolution in latitude is 10 deg and about 0.8 km in altitude. This is an Eulerian model with prescribed eddy diffusion coefficients and the circulation obtained from observations. The chemistry of the model follows the family approach for NO(x), Cl(x) and HO(x) while the ozone is fixed and changed seasonally. The aerosol code is based on an assigned population of condensation, coagulation and sedimentation. Aerosol growth is simulated in nine different size bins ranging between 0.01u and 2.56u. The model has been built to study aerosol layers formation in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere and has been validated for sulfate aerosol resulting from a rather complex sulfur chemistry

Pharmacology and clinical potential of guanylyl cyclase C agonists in the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Agonists of the transmembrane intestinal receptor guanylyl cyclase C (GCC) have recently attracted interest as promising human therapeutics. Peptide ligands that can specifically induce GCC signaling in the intestine include endogenous hormones guanylin and uroguanylin, diarrheagenic bacterial enterotoxins (ST), and synthetic drugs linaclotide, plecanatide, and SP-333. These agonists bind to GCC at intestinal epithelial surfaces and activate the receptor\u27s intracellular catalytic domain, an event initiating discrete biological responses upon conversion of guanosine-5\u27-triphosphate to cyclic guanosine monophosphate. A principal action of GCC agonists in the colon is the promotion of mucosal homeostasis and its dependent barrier function. Herein, GCC agonists are being developed as new medications to treat inflammatory bowel diseases, pathological conditions characterized by mucosal barrier hyperpermeability, abnormal immune reactions, and chronic local inflammation. This review will present important concepts underlying the pharmacology and therapeutic utility of GCC agonists for patients with ulcerative colitis, one of the most prevalent inflammatory bowel disease disorders

Aircraft pollution: a futuristic view

International audienceImpacts of NOx, H2O and aerosol emissions from a projected 2050 aircraft fleet, provided in the EU project SCENIC, are investigated using the Oslo CTM2, a 3-D chemical transport model including comprehensive chemistry for the stratosphere and the troposphere. The aircraft emission scenarios comprise emissions from subsonic and supersonic aircraft. The increases in NOy due to emissions from the mixed fleet are comparable for subsonic (at 11–12 km) and supersonic (at 18–20 km) aircraft, with annual zonal means of 1.35 ppbv and 0.83 ppbv, respectively. H2O increases are also comparable at these altitudes: 630 and 599 ppbv, respectively. The aircraft emissions increase tropospheric ozone by about 10 ppbv in the Northern Hemisphere due to increased ozone production, mainly because of subsonic aircraft. Supersonic aircraft contribute to a reduction of stratospheric ozone due to increased ozone loss at higher altitudes. In the Northern Hemisphere the reduction is about 39 ppbv, but also in the Southern Hemisphere a 22 ppbv stratospheric decrease is modeled due to transport of supersonic aircraft emissions and ozone depleted air. The total ozone column is increased in lower and Northern mid-latitudes, otherwise the increase of ozone loss contributes to a decrease of the total ozone column. Two exceptions are the Northern Hemispheric spring, where the ozone loss increase is small due to transport processes, and tropical latitudes during summer where the effect of subsonic aircraft is low due to a high tropopause. Aerosol particles emitted by aircraft reduce both aircraft and background NOx, more than counterweighting the effect of NOx and H2O aircraft emissions in the stratosphere. Above about 20 km altitude, the NOx (and thus ozone loss) reduction is large enough to give an increase in ozone due to aircraft emissions. This effect is comparable in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. At 11–20 km altitude, however, ozone production is reduced due to less NOx. Also ClONO2 is increased at this altitude due to enhanced heterogeneous reactions (lowered HCl), and ClO is increased due to less NOx, further enhancing ozone loss in this region. This results in a 14 ppbv further reduction of ozone. Mainly, this results in an increase of the total ozone column due to a decrease in ozone loss caused by the NOx cycle (at the highest altitudes). At the lowermost latitudes, the reduced loss due to the NOx cycle is small. However, ozone production at lower altitudes is reduced and the loss due to ClO is increased, giving a decrease in the total ozone column. Also, at high latitudes during spring the heterogeneous chemistry is more efficient on PSCs, increasing the ozone loss

Pengaruh Pemberian Metode Myofascial Release Otot Gastrocnemius Terhadap Penurunan Spastisitas Dan Fungsional Berdiri Pada Cerebral Palsy Spastik

Background: Spatisity is a major problem in the neuromuscular system in CP children. Spasticity is part of the upper motor neurone syndrome characterized by hyperexexia, clonus, extensor plantar response and primitive reflexes. Increased muscle tone is responsible for muscle growth failure and may cause functional problems. Spasticity in the lower leg affects ambulance, sleeping position, sitting, functional activity, transfer, and standing. Purpose: To find out the benefits of myofascial release method on decreasing spasticity and functional enhancement standing in the lower limbs of children with cerebral palsy. Methods: The type of research to be used in this study is Quasi Experimental or quasi experiment. How to take populsi in this study using Purposive Sample method, that is sampling based on certain criteria, with total sample of 20 respondents. Normally distributed data of the test used is parametric statistical test, that is using Paired sample T-Test and if the data is not normally distributed then statistical test that can be used is non parametik, that is using Wilcoxon Test. Result: Wilcoxon test results on spasticity of treatment group and control group values showed p> 0.05. In the standing function, the 2-tailed sig result in the treatment group was, sig. (2-tailed) = 0,000 <0.05. And in the control group, sig (2-tailed) = 0.037 <0.05 so that it can be concluded in the control group there was also a functional increase, but not as significant as the group on treatment. Conclusion: the giving of Myofascial Release method has no effect on the decrease of spasticity. However, Myofascial Release method can improve the functional ability of standing in Cerebral Palsy children

Tumor Epithelial Cell Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) is a Prognostic Marker in Colorectal Cancer

Presented at American Association Cancer Research in 2008 Zuzga D.S., Gibbons A.V., Li P., Lubbe W.J., Chervoneva I., Pitari G.M. “Tumor epithelial cell MMP-9 is a prognostic marker in colorectal cancer”. In: American Association for Cancer Research Special Conference, Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development: Proceedings; 2008 Sept 22-25; Philadelphia, PA. Abstract A40. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality indeveloped nations. Mortality from colon cancer largely reflects metastasis, thespread of the disease to distant sites. Early diagnosis of pre-metastatic diseaseand accurate stratification of patients with metastasis is pivotal to decreasemortality rates from colon cancer by effectively administering surgery alone orwith chemotherapy. However, specific pathological markers of colorectal cancermetastasis have not emerged. Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) is a keyregulator of metastasis and a therapeutic target in colon cancer. Here, MMP-9overexpression in pure tumor epithelial, but nor stromal, cell populations frompatients was associated with metastatic colorectal cancer progression as definedby RT-PCR and confirmed by immunostaining. Thus, tumors with increasedMMP-9 expression compared to matched normal adjacent tissues alwaysexhibited metastatic dissemination. In particular, MMP-9 overexpression in tumorepithelial cells, compared to normal epithelial cells, specifically predicted lymphnode involvement. Importantly, patients with relative increase of MMP-9 levels intumor epithelial cells were characterized by more advanced disease stages, withsignificantly higher proportion of regional lymph nodes harboring metastasis,compared to patients with a relative decrease in MMP-9 expression. Together,these observations suggest tumor epithelial cell MMP-9 is a novel prognosticmarker that may be exploited for more efficient disease stage stratification andtherapeutic regimen selection in patients with colorectal cancer

Manfaat Metode Neuro Development Treatment Untuk Menurukan Spastisitas Dan Kemampuan Fungsional Jalan Pada Cerebral Palsy Di Griya Fisioterapi Bunda Novy

Background of the Study : Cerebral palsy is a condition in infants / children where the message of the muscles and the brain does not run smoothly so that this situation makes simple tasks that we give to children as a mild pick up objects become very difficult. Purposes : To investigate the implementation of physiotherapy to the reduction of spasticity and improvement of functional ability to walk. Method : Neuro Development Treatment exercise therapy to reduce spasticity and improve functional ability Results: Examination of spasticity done Asworth scale for spasticity showed no change and no potential occurrence of muscle contractures. On examination of the functional activity of the parameters GMFM results: (T1) Dimensions A lie down and roll over with a score of 29.41%, Dimension B sits with a score of 30%, Dimension C crawling and kneeling with a score of 26.19%, Dimension D stands with a score of 0 %, and Dimension E walking, running, and jumping with a score of 0%. Conclusion : Using Neuro Development Treatment modalities results found no reduction in spasticity and improvement of functional ability roads

Radiative forcing in the 21st century due to ozone changes in the troposphere and the lower stratosphere

Radiative forcing due to changes in ozone is expected for the 21st century. An assessment on changes in the tropospheric oxidative state through a model intercomparison ("OxComp'') was conducted for the IPCC Third Assessment Report (IPCC-TAR). OxComp estimated tropospheric changes in ozone and other oxidants during the 21st century based on the "SRES'' A2p emission scenario. In this study we analyze the results of 11 chemical transport models (CTMs) that participated in OxComp and use them as input for detailed radiative forcing calculations. We also address future ozone recovery in the lower stratosphere and its impact on radiative forcing by applying two models that calculate both tropospheric and stratospheric changes. The results of OxComp suggest an increase in global-mean tropospheric ozone between 11.4 and 20.5 DU for the 21st century, representing the model uncertainty range for the A2p scenario. As the A2p scenario constitutes the worst case proposed in IPCC-TAR we consider these results as an upper estimate. The radiative transfer model yields a positive radiative forcing ranging from 0.40 to 0.78 W m(-2) on a global and annual average. The lower stratosphere contributes an additional 7.5-9.3 DU to the calculated increase in the ozone column, increasing radiative forcing by 0.15-0.17 W m(-2). The modeled radiative forcing depends on the height distribution and geographical pattern of predicted ozone changes and shows a distinct seasonal variation. Despite the large variations between the 11 participating models, the calculated range for normalized radiative forcing is within 25%, indicating the ability to scale radiative forcing to global-mean ozone column change

Overexpression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 in tumor epithelial cells correlates with colorectal cancer metastasis.

Colorectal cancer mortality largely reflects metastasis, the spread of the disease to distant organs. Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) is a key regulator of metastasis and a target for anticancer strategies in colon cancer. Here, the overexpression of MMP-9 in pure tumor epithelial, but nor stromal, cell populations was associated with metastatic progression of colorectal cancer, as defined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and confirmed by immunostaining. Thus, cancer cell MMP-9 represents a novel, selective prognostic and predictive factor that may be exploited for more effective disease stage stratification and therapeutic regimen selection in patients with colorectal cancer

Molecular staging estimates occult tumor burden in colorectal cancer

Tumor cells in regional lymph nodes are a key prognostic marker of survival and predictive marker of response to adjuvant chemotherapy in colorectal cancer. However, clinicopathologic techniques to detect lymph node metastases remain imperfect, and ~30% of patients with lymph nodes negative by histology (pN0) develop recurrent disease, reflecting occult metastases that escape detection. These observations underscore an unmet clinical need for accurate approaches to identify occult nodal metastases in colorectal cancer patients. GUCY2C is a receptor whose expression normally is restricted to intestinal epithelial cells, but is universally over-expressed by colorectal cancer cells. A prospective, multicenter, blinded clinical trial established the prognostic utility of GUCY2C qRT-PCR to detect occult nodal metastases in pN0 colorectal cancer patients. Molecular staging revealed that ~13% of pN0 patients were free of cancer cells, while ~87% had GUCY2C results that suggested occult metastases. The presence of occult nodal metastases was the most powerful independent predictor of time to recurrence and disease-free survival. These observations establish the utility of molecular detection of occult nodal metastases for assessing prognostic risk in pN0 colorectal cancer patients. Advancing GUCY2C into staging paradigms in clinical laboratories will require validation in independent patient populations, definition of the relationship between the quantity of occult tumor metastases and risk, and determination of the utility of GUCY2C qRT-PCR to identify pN0 patients who might benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy