Mathematical model study of Pool 4 in the Upper Mississippi and Lower Chippewa Rivers, A

October, 1976.Prepared for United States Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Twin Cities, Minnesota.CER76-77 DBS-YHC-8.Includes bibliographical references (pages 58-59)

Cluster analysis based on density estimates and its application to LANDSAT imagery

Includes bibliographical footnotes.This study was funded partly by the Federation of Rocky Mountain States, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, Contract no. DAC 37-77-C-0133 and the Colorado State University Experiment Station 107

Auricular acupuncture treatment for insomnia: A systematic review

Objectives: To review trials on the efficacy and safety of auricular acupuncture (AA) treatment for insomnia and to identify the most commonly used auricular acupoints for treating insomnia in the studies via a frequency analysis. Data sources: The international electronic databases searched included: (1) AMED; (2) the Cochrane library; (3) CINAHL; (4) EMBASE; and (5) MEDLINE.® Chinese electronic databases searched included: (1) VIP Information; (2) CBMdisc; and (3) CNKI. Study selection: Any randomized controlled trials using AA as an intervention without using any co-interventions for insomnia were included. Studies using AA versus no treatment, placebo, sham AA, or Western medicine were included. Data extraction: Two (2) independent reviewers were responsible for data extraction and assessment. The efficacy of AA was estimated by the relative risk (RR) using a meta-analysis. Results: Eight hundred and seventy eight (878) papers were searched. Six (6) trials (402 treated with AA among 673 participants) that met the inclusion criteria were retrieved. A meta-analysis showed that AA was chosen with a higher priority among the treatment subjects than among the controls (p < 0.05). The recovery and improvement rates produced by AA was significantly higher than those of diazepam (p < 0.05). The rate of success was higher when AA was used for enhancement of sleeping hours up to 6 hours in treatment subjects (p < 0.05). The efficacy of using Semen vaccariae ear seeds was better than that of the controls (p < 0.01); while magnetic pearls did not show statistical significance (p = 0.28). Six (6) commonly used auricular acupoints were Shenmen (100%), Heart (83.33%), Occiput (66.67%), Subcortex (50%), Brain and Kidney (each 33.33%, respectively). Conclusions: AA appears to be effective for treating insomnia. Because the trials were low quality, further clinical trials with higher design quality, longer duration of treatment, and longer follow-up should be conducted. © Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.published_or_final_versio

Development of a Methodology for Estimating Embankment Damage Due to Flood Overtopping

DTFH61-82-C-00104The objectives of this study are to conduct laboratory tests and develop a methodology to quantitatively determine embankment damage and assess protective measures. During the study, available literature and field data were collected. The embankments used 4n this study are 6 ft (1.8 m) high, 10 to 22 ft (3.0 to 6.7 m) in crest width, and 3 ft (0.9 m) in length, with slope varying from 2:1 to 3:1. The embankment surfaces include both with and without protective measures (pavement, grass, mattresses, Geoweb, soil cement, Enkamat, and others). The flood overtopping depths ranging from 0.5 to 4 ft (0.15 to 1.22 m), discharges ranging from 1 to 25 cfs/ft (0.1 to 2.32 cms/m) and tailwater conditions ranging from 10 percent water-surface drop to free fall. A computer model was developed to determine hydraulics of overtopping flow and associated erosion damage. This model was verified using field data and laboratory test results, and was utilized to generate charts for estimating embankment damage

RSC96 Schwann Cell Proliferation and Survival Induced by Dilong through PI3K/Akt Signaling Mediated by IGF-I

Schwann cell proliferation is critical for the regeneration of injured nerves. Dilongs are widely used in Chinese herbal medicine to remove stasis and stimulate wound-healing functions. Exactly how this Chinese herbal medicine promotes tissue survival remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms by which Dilong promote neuron regeneration. Our results show that treatment with extract of Dilong induces the phosphorylation of the insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I)-mediated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/serine-threonine kinase (PI3K/Akt) pathway, and activates protein expression of cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in a time-dependent manner. Cell cycle analysis showed that G1 transits into the S phase in 12–16 h, and S transits into the G2 phase 20 h after exposure to earthworm extract. Strong expression of cyclin D1, cyclin E and cyclin A occurs in a time-dependent manner. Small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of PI3K significantly reduced PI3K protein expression levels, resulting in Bcl2 survival factor reduction and a marked blockage of G1 to S transition in proliferating cells. These results demonstrate that Dilong promotes the proliferation and survival of RSC96 cells via IGF-I signaling. The mechanism is mainly dependent on the PI3K protein

Schwann Cell Migration Induced by Earthworm Extract via Activation of PAs and MMP2/9 Mediated through ERK1/2 and p38

The earthworm, which has stasis removal and wound-healing functions, is a widely used Chinese herbal medicine in China. Schwann cell migration is critical for the regeneration of injured nerves. Schwann cells provide an essentially supportive activity for neuron regeneration. However, the molecular migration mechanisms induced by earthworms in Schwann cells remain unclear. Here, we investigate the roles of MAPK (ERK1/2, JNK and p38) pathways for earthworm-induced matrix-degrading proteolytic enzyme (PAs and MMP2/9) production in Schwann cells. Moreover, earthworm induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38, but not JNK, activate the downstream signaling expression of PAs and MMPs in a time-dependent manner. Earthworm-stimulated ERK1/2 and p38 phosphorylation was attenuated by pretreatment with U0126 and SB203580, resulting in migration and uPA-related signal pathway inhibition. The results were confirmed using small interfering ERK1/2 and p38 RNA. These results demonstrated that earthworms can stimulate Schwann cell migration and up-regulate PAs and MMP2/9 expression mediated through the MAPK pathways, ERK1/2 and p38. Taken together, our data suggests the MAPKs (ERK1/2, p38)-, PAs (uPA, tPA)-, MMP (MMP2, MMP9) signaling pathway of Schwann cells regulated by earthworms might play a major role in Schwann cell migration and nerve regeneration

Leptospira santorosai serovar shermani detergent extract induces an increase in fibronectin production through a toll-like receptor 2-mediated pathway

Leptospirosis can activate inflammatory responses through Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and may cause renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis characterized by the accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM). We have previously demonstrated that Leptospira santorosai serovar Shermani detergent extract stimulates ECM accumulation in vitro. The aim of this study was to examine the mechanistic basis of these previous observations and, in particular, to examine the potential involvement of TLRs. The addition of serovar Shermani detergent extract led to an increase in fibronectin gene expression and production. Inhibition of TLR2 but not TLR4 expression abrogated serovar Shermani detergent extract-mediated increases in fibronectin production. This response was also blocked by the knockdown of the gene expression of the TLR2 downstream transducers myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) and tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6). Serovar Shermani detergent extract also activated nuclear factor-κB, and its inhibition by curcumin-attenuated serovar Shermani detergent extract induced increases in fibronectin production. These effects were also mimicked by the specific TLR2 agonist, Pam(3)CsK(4), a response that was also abrogated by the knockdown of MyD88 and TRAF6. Similarly, the administration of live leptospires to cells also induced fibronectin production that was blocked by inhibition of TLR2 and MyD88 expression. In conclusion, serovar Shermani detergent extract can induce fibronectin production through the TLR2-associated cascade, providing evidence of an association between TLRs and leptospirosis-mediated ECM deposition

A comparison of ARMS and direct sequencing for EGFR mutation analysis and Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors treatment prediction in body fluid samples of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Epidermal growth factor receptor (<it>EGFR</it>) mutation is strongly associated with the therapeutic effect of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nevertheless, tumor tissue that needed for mutation analysis is frequently unavailable. Body fluid was considered to be a feasible substitute for the analysis, but arising problems in clinical practice such as relatively lower mutation rate and poor clinical correlation are not yet fully resolved.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>In this study, 50 patients (32 pleural fluids and 18 plasmas) with TKIs therapy experience and with direct sequencing results were selected from 220 patients for further analysis. The <it>EGFR </it>mutation status was re-evaluated by Amplification Refractory Mutation System (ARMS), and the clinical outcomes of TKIs were analyzed retrospectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>As compared with direct sequencing, 16 positive and 23 negative patients were confirmed by ARMS, and the other 11 former negative patients (6 pleural fluids and 5 plasmas) were redefined as positive, with a fairly well clinical outcome (7 PR, 3 SD, and 1 PD). The objective response rate (ORR) of positive patients was significant, 81.3% (direct sequencing) and 72.7% (ARMS) for pleural fluids, and 80% (ARMS) for plasma. Notably, even reclassified by ARMS, the ORR for negative patients was still relatively high, 60% for pleural fluids and 46.2% for plasma.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>When using body fluids for <it>EGFR </it>mutation analysis, positive result is consistently a good indicator for TKIs therapy, and the predictive effect was no less than that of tumor tissue, no matter what method was employed. However, even reclassified by ARMS, the correlation between negative results and clinical outcome of TKIs was still unsatisfied. The results indicated that false negative mutation still existed, which may be settled by using method with sensitivity to single DNA molecule or by optimizing the extraction procedure with RNA or CTC to ensure adequate amount of tumor-derived nucleic acid for the test.</p

Paraoxonase-1 Is Not a Major Determinant of Stent Thrombosis in a Taiwanese Population

BACKGROUND: Clopidogrel is a prodrug that undergoes in vivo bioactivation to show its antiplatelet effects. Recent studies have shown that cytochrome P450 (CYP), ATP-binding cassette transporters (ABCB1), and paraoxonase-1 (PON1) play crucial roles in clopidogrel bioactivation. Here, we aim to determine the effects of genetic polymorphisms of CYP (CYP 2C19*2, CYP 2C19*3, and CYP 2C19*17), ABCB1 (ABCB1 3435C>T, ABCB1 129T>C, and ABCB1 2677G>T/A), and PON1 (PON1 Q192R, PON1 L55M, and PON1 108C>T) on the development of stent thrombosis (ST) in patients receiving clopidogrel after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS AND RESULTS: We evaluated the incidence of ST (0.64%) in 4964 patients who were recruited in the CAPTAIN registry (Cardiovascular Atherosclerosis and Percutaneous TrAnsluminal INterventions). The presence of genetic polymorphisms was assessed in 20 subjects who developed ST after aspirin and clopidogrel therapy and in 40 age- and sex-matched control subjects who did not develop ST, which was documented after 9 months of angiographic follow-up. ST was acute in 5 subjects, subacute in 7, late in 7, and very late in 1. The presence of CYP 2C19*2 allele was significantly associated with ST (adjusted odds ratio [ORadj]: 4.20, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.263-9.544; P = 0.031). However, genetic variations in PON1 and ABCB1 showed no significant association with ST. CONCLUSION: We conclude that in a Taiwanese population, PON1 Q192R genotype is not associated with ST development after PCI. However, the presence of CYP 2C19*2 allele is a risk factor for ST development after PCI