A comparative study on experimental and simulation responses of CR-39 to neutron spectra from a 252Cf source

A simulation of the interaction of neutrons emitted from a 252Cf source with a CR-39 detector is presented in this paper. Elastic and inelastic neutron interactions occur with the constituent materials of the CR-39 detector. Inelastic scatterings only consider (n, a) and (n, p) reactions. Fast neutrons tracks are, mainly, produced by recoil particle tracks in the plastic nuclear track detector as a result of the elastic scattering reaction of neutrons with the constituent materials of the solid-state nuclear track detectors, especially hydrogen nuclei. The energy of the neutron, incident position, direction, and type of interaction were sampled by the Monte Carlo method. The energy threshold, critical angle and scattering angle to the detector surface normal were the most important factors considered in our calculations. The energy deposited per neutron mass unit was calculated. The angular response was determined by both Monte Carlo simulation and experimental results. The number of visible proton tracks and energy deposited per neutron per visible track were calculated and simulated. The threshold energy of the recoil proton as a function of the thickness and incident proton angles was measured by the etchable range of protons at scattering angles, along with the shape and diameter of the track. Experimental and simulations result were in good agreement

Association Between Sensitization to Outdoor Spider Mites and Clinical Manifestations of Asthma and Rhinitis in the General Population of Adults

It has been demonstrated that spider mites such as the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) are important allergens for fruit farmers. A total of 2,467 adults (795 metropolitan urban, 788 non-metropolitan urban, and 884 rural subjects) were enrolled. They responded to the questionnaire, and underwent methacholine bronchial provocation tests as well as skin prick tests to locally common aeroallergens including the two-spotted spider mite. The prevalences of asthma and rhinitis as reported on the questionnaire were 7.8% and 16.4% of adults aged 20-35, 9.4% and 24.7% of those 36-50, and 17.7% and 21.7% of those older than 50, respectively. Among the older group, the two-spotted spider mite was the most common sensitizing allergen, although it was second of that of house dust mites among the other two age groups. Sensitization to the two-spotted spider mite was significantly associated with the prevalence of asthma and rhinitis among the younger age group, and associated with the prevalence of rhinitis among the older age group. The two-spotted spider mite might be a common sensitizing allergen in the general population of adults, and sensitization to this mite may play a role in the manifestation of asthma and rhinitis symptoms during adulthood

CD4+T-CELL-DEPENDENT GOBLET CELL PROLIFERATION AND EXPULSION OF GYMNOPHALLOIDES SEOI FROM THE INTESTINE OF C57BL/6 MICE

Mechanisms for the spontaneous worm expulsion from the host intestine are not well understood in gastrointestinal trematode models. We studied the role of CD4+ T-helper cells in mediating goblet cell hyperplasia and expulsion of Gymnophalloides seoi from the intestines of C57BL/6 (resistant) and ICR (susceptible) mice. C57BL/6 mice expelled all G. seoi. worms within 4 days post-infection (PI), while ICR mice did not completely expel worms until day 7 PI. This difference in worm expulsion was associated with high numbers of mucosal goblet cells in C57BL/6 mice along with alteration of the mucin quality, with changes in the terminal sugar chain and high levels of IL-4 and IL-5 mRNA expression in mesenteric lymph nodes. Adoptive transfer Of mucosal CD4+ T-helper cells to syngeneic mice elicited strong goblet cell hyperplasia and a notably accelerated worm expulsion. However, this T-helper cell transfer had no relationship with the alteration of mucin quality. The results showed that CD4+ T-helper cells play an important role as a mediator of goblet cell hyperplasia, but not for functional activation of goblet cells. It is Suggested that both T-cell dependent and independent mechanisms operate for expulsion of G. seoi front the mouse intestine.

Recurrent Hepatic Alveolar Echinococcosis: Report of The First Case in Korea with Unproven Infection Route

Human alveolar echinococcosis (AE), a hepatic disorder that resembles liver cancer, is a highly aggressive and lethal zoonotic infection caused by the larval stage of the fox tapeworm, Echinococcus multilocularis. E. multilocularis is widely distributed in the northern hemisphere; the disease-endemic area stretches from north America through Europe to central and east Asia, including northern parts of Japan, but it has not been reported in Korea. Herein, we represent a first case of AE in Korea. A 41-year-old woman was found to have a large liver mass on routine medical examination. The excised mass showed multinodular, necrotic, and spongiform appearance with small irregular pseudocystic spaces. Microscopically, the mass was composed of chronic granulomatous inflammation with extensive coagulation necrosis and parasite-like structure, which was revealed as parasitic vesicles and laminated layer delineated by periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain. Clinical and histologic features were consistent with AE. After 8 years, a new liver mass and multiple metastatic pulmonary nodules were found and the recurred mass showed similar histologic features to the initial mass. She had never visited endemic areas of AE, and thus the exact infection route is unclear

Catalytic ozone oxidation of benzene at low temperature over MnOx/Al-SBA-16 catalyst

The low-temperature catalytic ozone oxidation of benzene was investigated. In this study, Al-SBA-16 (Si/Al = 20) that has a three-dimensional cubic Im3m structure and a high specific surface area was used for catalytic ozone oxidation for the first time. Two different Mn precursors, i.e., Mn acetate and Mn nitrate, were used to synthesize Mn-impregnated Al-SBA-16 catalysts. The characteristics of these two catalysts were investigated by instrumental analyses using the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and temperature-programmed reduction. A higher catalytic activity was exhibited when Mn acetate was used as the Mn precursor, which is attributed to high Mn dispersion and a high degree of reduction of Mn oxides formed by Mn acetate than those formed by Mn nitrate

Sammelrezension

1.) Hanft, Anke / Simmel, Annika (Hrsg.): Vermarktung von Hochschulweiterbildung. Waxmann Verlag: Münster, 2007. 192 S. ISBN 978-3-8309-1785-4. 2.) Bremer, Helmut: Soziale Milieus, Habitus und Lernen: Zur sozialen Selektivität des Bildungswesens am Beispiel der Weiterbildung. Juventa Verlag: Weinheim, 2007. 308 S. ISBN 978-37799-1585-0. 3.) Dust, Martin: 'Unser Ja zum neuen Deutschland': Katholische Erwachsenenbildung von der Weimarer Republik zur Nazi-Diktatur. Studien zur Bildungsreform, Bd. 49. Peter Lang: Frankfurt, 2007. 631 S. ISBN 978-3-631-55693-1. 4.) Gieseke, Wiltrud: Lebenslanges Lernen und Emotionen: Wirkungen von Emotionen auf Bildungsprozesse aus beziehungstheoretischer Perspektive. W. Bertelsmann Verlag: Bielefeld, 2007. 280 S. ISBN 978-3-7639-3331-0. 5.) Heuer, Ulrike / Siebers, Ruth: Weiterbildung am Beginn des 21. Jahrhunderts: Festschrift für Wiltrud Gieseke. Erwachsenenpädagogisches Institut Berlin e.V. Waxmann Verlag: Münster, 2007. 496 S. ISBN 978-3-8309-1811-0. 6.) Janetzko, Dietmar: Eigenlogik: Zur Rolle subjektiver Theorien bei der Bildungsmotivation. Waxmann Verlag: Münster, 2007. 188 S. ISBN 978-3-8309-1693-2. 7.) Kaiser, Arnim / Kaiser, Ruth / Hohmann, Reinhard (Hrsg.): Lernertypen - Lernumgebung - Lernerfolg: Erwachsene im Lernfeld. W. Bertelsmann Verlag: Bielefeld, 2007. 284 S. ISBN 978-3-7639-3560-4. 8.) Koerrenz, Ralf / Meilhammer, Elisabeth / Schneider, Käthe (Hrsg.): Wegweisende Werke zur Erwachsenenbildung. Verlag IKS Garamond: Jena, 2007. 613 S. ISBN 978-3-938203-51-4. 9.) Schiersmann, Christiane: Berufliche Weiterbildung: Lehrbuch. VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften: Wiesbaden, 2007. 272 S. ISBN 3-8100-3891-1. 10.) West, Linden / Alheit, Peter / Andersen, Anders Siig / Merill, Barbara (Hrsg.): Using Biographical and Life History Approaches in the Study of Adult and Lifelong Learning. European Perspectives European Studies in Lifelong Learning and Adult Learning Research, Vol. 2. Peter Lang Verlag: Frankfurt a. M., 2007. 310 S. ISBN 978-3-631-56286-4

Chaos-infused wind power integration in the grey wolf optimal paradigm for combine thermal-wind power plant systems

This research presents a novel methodology for tackling the combined thermal-wind economic load dispatch (ELD) issue in contemporary power system. The proposed approach involves hybridizing active-set algorithm (ASA), interior point algorithm (IPA) and sequential quadratic programming (SQP) into grey wolf optimization (GWO) algorithm, while effectively incorporating the intricacies associated with renewable energy sources (RES). A more accurate model is made possible by hybridization for complex systems with memory and hereditary characteristics. The GWO is used as a tool for global search while ASA, IPA and SQP methods are used for rapid local optimization mechanism. The performance evaluation of the design heuristics is carried out on 37 thermal and 3 wind power generating units and outcomes endorse the effectiveness of the proposed scheme over state-of-the-art counterparts. The worthy performance is further validated on statistical assessments in case of thermal-wind integrated ELD problem in terms of measure of central tendency and variation on cost and complexity indices

Comparative analysis of heart functions in micropigs and conventional pigs using echocardiography and radiography

The production of miniature animals has been suggested for use in organ transplantation. At present, many of the studies about application of animal organs to human have been focused on pigs because of the number of advantages involved and due to their similarities with human. However, a physiological analysis of the organs to be transplanted has not yet been carried out. Therefore, this study analyzed whether or not there were physiological and morphological differences in the hearts of conventionally-reared pigs and micropigs. In this study, the morphological and physiological functions of the heart were examined using radiographic and echocardiographic equipment. In the lateral radiographic view, the heart of the micropig has a larger cardiac long axis : short axis ratio than does the conventional pig, but the difference in the vertebral heart score was not significant. In addition, there were no morphological differences on the X-ray fluoroscopic view. There were no differences in echocardiographic values, except for several values in the left ventricle traces. Overall, it is expected that the values measured in this study will contribute to understanding of the physiological characteristics of micropigs

Monoclonal Antibodies to Human Transglutaminase 4

Transglutaminase 4 (TG4) is a member of the enzyme family that catalyzes the calcium-dependent post-translational modification of proteins via cross-linking, polyamination, or deamidation. TG4 exhibits prostate-specific expression pattern and plays a crucial role in the formation of the copulatory plug in rodents. However, the physiological function(s) of human TG4 remains speculative. Human TG4 has been postulated to participate in the maturation process of sperm by modifying its cell surface, which results in suppression of sperm antigenicity in the female genital tract. To better understand the pathophysiological role of TG4 in prostate tissue, we generated monoclonal antibodies (MAb) against human TG4 in mice by repeated injections with the recombinant human TG4. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the selected MAbs react specifically with TG4, but not with other isoenzymes of the TG family. Immunocytochemical and immunohistochemical analyses showed that specific staining is observed with the cells overexpressing TG4 and with the paraffin-embedded prostate tissue specimens obtained from the benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer patients, respectively. Our results indicate that these MAbs are suitable for detecting TG4 in the cultured cells or prostate tissues for investigating the biological functions of human TG4.Shin DM, 2004, J BIOL CHEM, V279, P15032, DOI 10.1074/jbc.M308734200Jeon JH, 2003, EMBO J, V22, P5273Lorand L, 2003, NAT REV MOL CELL BIO, V4, P140, DOI 10.1038/nrm1014Jeon JH, 2002, BIOCHEM BIOPH RES CO, V294, P818An G, 1999, UROLOGY, V54, P1105Dubbink HJ, 1999, GENE, V240, P261Dubbink HJ, 1999, LAB INVEST, V79, P141Choi K, 1998, EXP MOL MED, V30, P41Esposito C, 1996, J BIOL CHEM, V271, P27416Dubbink HJ, 1996, BIOCHEM J, V315, P901SEITZ J, 1991, BIOCHIM BIOPHYS ACTA, V1078, P139PAONESSA G, 1984, SCIENCE, V226, P852MUKHERJEE DC, 1983, SCIENCE, V219, P989WILLIAMSASHMAN HG, 1977, BIOCHEM BIOPH RES CO, V79, P1192WILLIAMS.HG, 1972, P NATL ACAD SCI USA, V69, P2322