Hyperglycemia alters enzyme activity and cell number in spinal sensory ganglia

Peripheral sensory diabetic neuropathy is characterized by morphological, electrophysiological and neurochemical changes to a subpopulation of primary afferent neurons. Here, we utilized a transgenic mouse model of diabetes (OVE26) and age-matched controls to histologically examine the effect of chronic hyperglycemia on the activity or abundance of the enzymes acid phosphatase, cytochrome oxidase and NADPH-diaphorase in primary sensory neuron perikarya and the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Quantitative densitometric characterization of enzyme reaction product revealed significant differences between diabetic, compared to control, animals for all three enzymes. Levels of acid phosphatase reaction product were found to be significantly reduced in both small diameter primary sensory somata and the dorsal horn. Cytochrome oxidase activity was found to be significantly lower in small primary sensory somata while NADPH-diaphorase labeling was found to be significantly higher in small primary sensory somata and significantly lower in the dorsal horn. In addition to these observed biochemical changes, ratiometric analysis of the number of small versus large diameter primary sensory perikarya in diabetic and control animals demonstrated a quantifiable decrease in the number of small diameter cells in the spinal ganglia of diabetic mice. These results suggest that the OVE26 model of diabetes mellitus produces an identifiable disturbance in specific metabolic pathways of select cells in the sensory nervous system and that this dysfunction may reflect the progression of a demonstrated cell loss

Marginal adaptation of ceramic and composite inlays in minimally invasive mod cavities

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the effect of a minimally invasive mesial-occlusal-distal (mod) preparation on the marginal adaptation of ceramic and composite inlays with the aim of saving sound dental substance. Materials and methods: Class II mod cavities were prepared in 50 extracted human molars and randomly allocated to five groups (n = 10). In all groups, the mesial-proximal box margins were located in the dentin, 1mm below the cementoenamel junction (CEJ), while the distal box margins were 1mm above the CEJ. In groups A and B, conventional standard preparations with a divergent angle of α = 6° were prepared. In groups C, D, and E, minimally invasive standard preparations with a convergent angle of α = 10° were prepared. In groups A and D, composite inlays and, in groups B and C, ceramic inlays were fabricated (chairside economical restoration of esthetic ceramics (CEREC)) and adhesively inserted. In group E, a direct composite filling using the incremental technique was placed. Replicas were taken before and after thermomechanical loading (1,200,000cycles, 50/5°C, max. load 49N). Marginal integrity (tooth-luting composite, luting composite-inlay) was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (×200). The percentage of continuous margins in the different locations was compared between and within groups before and after cycling, using ANOVA and Scheffé post hoc test. Results: After the thermomechanical loading, no significant differences were observed between the different groups with respect to the interface of luting composite-inlay. At the interface of tooth-luting composite for preparations involving the dentin, groups A and B behaved significantly better compared to the control group E, which in turn were not different to groups C and D. Conclusion: Composite and ceramic inlays inserted in minimally invasive prepared mod cavities result in margins not different from those of inlays placed in conventional mod preparations. Direct composite filling margins, however, were inferior to those attained by conventional indirect restorations. Clinical relevance: Minimally invasive preparations for mod inlays with undercuts show marginal adaptation equal to that of conventional inlay preparation design

Absence of cardiomyocyte differentiation following transplantation of adult cardiac-resident Sca-1+ cells into infarcted mouse hearts

Although several lines of evidence suggest that the glycosyl phosphatidylinositol-anchored cell surface protein Sca-1 marks cardiac-resident stem cells, a critical analysis of the literature raises some concerns regarding their cardiomyogenic potential.1 Here, isolated adult cardiac-resident Sca-1+ cells were engrafted into infarcted hearts and monitored for cardiomyogenic differentiation. Donor cells were prepared from ACT-EGFP; MHC-nLAC double-transgenic mice ([C57/Bl6J x DBA/2J]F1 genetic background; all procedures followed were in accordance with Institutional Guidelines). The ACT-EGFP transgene targets ubiquitous expression of an enhanced green fluorescent protein reporter, and the MHC-nLAC transgene targets cardiomyocyte-restricted expression of a nuclear-localized β-galactosidase reporter. Donor cell survival was monitored via EGFP fluorescence, while cardiomyogenic differentiation was monitored by reacting with the chromogenic β-galactosidase substrate 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-β-D-galactoside (X-GAL), which gives rise to a blue product.2 Double-transgenic hearts were dispersed with Blendzyme and the resulting cells reacted with an APC-conjugated anti-Sca-1 antibody and a PE-conjugated cocktail of antibodies recognizing hematopoietic lineage markers.3 Sca-1+, EGFP+, lineage- cells were then isolated via fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS; characterization of the donor cells is provided in Figure 1A), and 100,000 cells were injected into the infarct border zone of non-transgenic [C57/Bl6J x DBA/2J]F1 mice immediately following permanent coronary artery occlusion

Deuteron Elastic-Scattering at 110 and 120 Mev

Journals published by the American Physical Society can be found at http://publish.aps.org/Deuteron elastic scattering cross sections have been measured at 110 and 120 MeV on C, Ni-58, and Pb-208. Optical model potentials have been extracted and compared to deuteron global optical model potentials

Construction and execution of experiments at the multi-purpose thermal hydraulic test facility TOPFLOW for generic investigations of two-phase flows and the development and validation of CFD codes - Final report

The works aimed at the further development and validation of models for CFD codes. For this reason, the new thermal-hydraulic test facility TOPFLOW was erected and equipped with wire-mesh sensors with high spatial and time resolution. Vertical test sections with nominal diameters of DN50 and DN200 operating with air-water as well as steam-water two-phase flows provided results on the evaluation of flow patterns, on the be¬haviour of the interfacial area as well as on interfacial momentum and heat transfer. The validation of the CFD-code for complex geometries was carried out using 3D void fraction and velocity distributions obtained in an experiment with an asymmetric obstacle in the large DN200 test section. With respect to free surface flows, stratified co- and counter-current flows as well as slug flows were studied in two horizontal test channels made from acrylic glass. Post-test calculations of these experiments succeeded in predicting the slug formation process. Corresponding to the main goal of the project, the experimental data was used for the model development. For vertical flows, the emphasis was put on lateral bubble forces (e.g. lift force). Different constitutive laws were tested using a Multi Bubble Size Class Test Solver that has been developed for this purpose. Basing on the results a generalized inhomogeneous Multiple Size Group (MUSIG) Model has been proposed and implemented into the CFD code CFX (ANSYS). Validation calculations with the new code resulted in the conclusion that particularly the models for bubble coalescence and fragmentation need further optimisation. Studies of single effects, like the assessment of turbulent dissipation in a bubbly flow and the analysis of trajectories of single bubbles near the wall, supplied other important results of the project

Сорбция радионуклидов 137Cs, 85Sr и 60Co из модельных растворов жидких радиоактивных отходов низкой активности модифицированными горючими сланцами

The results of the study of cesium, strontium, cobalt radionuclides sorption from model solutions simulating liquid radioactive waste on promising sorbents based on thermally modified oil shale are presented. The dependency of texture parameters obtained from the results of nitrogen adsorption-desorption on the treatment method of oil shale and their relationship to sorption parameters such as distribution coefficient and removal efficiency was discussed. Understanding how pore characteristics affect the sorption activity of such complex systems as sorbents is important for the creation of radionuclide sorption materials with improved characteristics. The efficiency of sorption of cesium, strontium and cobalt radionuclides was rather high for sorbent samples: the distribution coefficient was about 103–104 ml/g with a removal efficiency of more than 66 %. The most effective sorbent was obtained from oil shale with a heating rate of 5 deg/min without subsequent steam treatment, which is recommended to be used for low-active radioactive waste treatment.Представлены результаты исследования сорбции радионуклидов цезия, стронция и кобальта перспективными сорбентами на основе термически модифицированных горючих сланцев из растворов, моделирующих жидкие радиоактивные отходы. На основании результатов низкотемпературной адсорбции–десорбции азота установлена зависимость текстурных параметров исследуемых сорбентов от метода обработки горючего сланца, а также описана зависимость эффективности сорбции (по величинам сорбции и коэффициента распределения) радионуклидов от текстурных параметров сорбентов. Понимание того, каким образом характеристики пор оказывают влияние на сорбционную активность таких сложных систем, как сорбенты, важно для создания высокоэффективных сорбционных материалов с усовершенствованными характеристиками. Установлено, что материалы на основе модифицированного горючего сланца сорбируют радионуклиды цезия, стронция, кобальта с высокой эффективностью: коэффициенты распределения каждого радионуклида составляют 103–104 мл/г при степени извлечения более 66 %. Наибольшую эффективность проявляет сорбент, полученный из горючего сланца при нагреве со скоростью 5 град/ мин без последующей обработки паром. Данный сорбент рекомендован к применению для очистки жидких радиоактивных отходов низкой активности от радионуклидов цезия, стронция, кобальта

Роль библиотеки как социального института в условиях трансформации российского общества

The authors analyze the identified research and real-case publications on the critical problem: the libraries’ role as a social institution non-corresponding to the mission being conferred on them and its implementation. The purpose of the article is to actualize the problem related to the libraries’ role as a social institution and to attract attention of researchers in various domains, evoking interest to building professional competences in the specialists of social and cultural areas, including libraries. The authors suggest to develop management standards for the social institution of libraries to improve the quality of library services. The uniqueness of the study lies in the general analytical and comparative methods applied to existing standards, laws and conceptual documents for the institutions of culture. The researchers use competitive and systems methodological approaches. The empirical data of revealed sources are obtained through the methods of comparative analysis and systems analysis. The originality of the article is that the role of libraries is specified as a social institution going through transformation and intensive digitalization. The key functions of many social institutions (educational, cultural, families, etc.) are deflecting; their missions and roles are changing and being lost. On one hand, this is due to the chaos and inconsistency of transformation processes, and on the other hand, due to weakening control system and strengthening management system in business and economical processes. Today, despite the national programs, the problems of social systems affect economics, finances, ecology, etc.The current socioeconomic situation of transformation and intensive digitalization in every sphere of the Russian society, calls for regulated functions of social systems and their components. The analysis findings demonstrate that the libraries as a social institution have been losing their mission, while random and chaotic transformation processes result in imbalance and do harm. The social institutions depreciate the libraries’ implementing social functions which is evidenced by the analysis of legal and regulatory and conceptual acts in the cultural and social sphere. One of the solutions is to strengthen management of the libraries as a social institution and improving expertise of librarians.В статье представлен анализ научно-практических публикаций по актуальной для современного российского общества проблеме – несоответствия между назначением библиотеки как социального института и возлагаемой на неё миссией и характером её реализации. Цель статьи – актуализация проблемы, связанной с ролью библиотеки как социального института, привлечение внимания к ней исследователей из различных областей знания, развитие научного интереса к формированию профессиональных компетенций специалистов социально-культурной сферы, включая библиотеки. Авторы предлагают развивать уровень управления таким социальным институтом, как библиотека, повышать качество его деятельности. Специфика исследования предопределила использование общенаучных методов анализа и сравнения применительно к существующим нормативно-правовым и концептуальным документам учреждений культуры. В основе исследования – компетентностный и системный научно-методологические подходы. Отбор и изучение эмпирических данных выявленных источников осуществлялись при помощи методов сравнительного анализа, а также элементов системного анализа. Научно-практическая новизна статьи заключается в выявлении роли библиотеки как социального института, переживающего трансформацию и активную цифровизацию. Ключевые функции многих социальных институтов (образования, культуры, семьи и т. д.) деформируются, их миссии и роль изменяются и утрачиваются. С одной стороны, это вызвано хаотичностью и бессистемностью трансформационных процессов, а с другой – ослаблением системы управления социальными институтами и усилением системы управления бизнесом и экономическими процессами. Сегодня, несмотря на реализацию ряда национальных программ, проблемы социальных систем отражаются на экономике, финансах, экологии и т. д.В современных социально-экономических реалиях российского общества, характеризующегося трансформацией и активной цифровизацией всех сфер жизнедеятельности, необходимо регулировать функции социальных систем и их компонентов. Анализ показал, что библиотеки как социальный институт утрачивают свою миссию, бессистемные и хаотичные трансформационные процессы вызывают перекосы и наносят вред. Социальные системы «принижают» уровень реализации социальных функций библиотек, что подтверждается анализом нормативно-правовых и концептуальных актов организаций социально-культурной сферы. Один из путей решения выявленной проблемы – укрепление системы управления библиотекой как социальным институтом и повышение профессионализма кадров

Rapidly progressive dementia with thalamic degeneration and peculiar cortical prion protein immunoreactivity, but absence of proteinase K resistant PrP: a new disease entity?

BACKGROUND: Human prion diseases are a group of rare fatal neurodegenerative conditions with well-developed clinical and neuropathological diagnostic criteria. Recent observations have expanded the spectrum of prion diseases beyond the classically recognized forms. RESULTS: In the present study we report six patients with a novel, apparently sporadic disease characterised by thalamic degeneration and rapidly progressive dementia (duration of illness 2-12 months; age at death: 55-81 years). Light and electron microscopic immunostaining for the prion protein (PrP) revealed a peculiar intraneuritic distribution in neocortical regions. Proteinase K resistant PrP (PrPres) was undetectable by Western blotting in frontal cortex from the three cases with frozen tissue, even after enrichment for PrPres by centrifugation or by phosphotungstic acid precipitation. Conformation-dependent immunoassay analysis using a range of PK digestion conditions (and no PK digestion) produced only very limited evidence of meaningful D-N (denatured/native) values, indicative of the presence of disease-associated PrP (PrPSc) in these cases, when the results were compared with appropriate negative control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our observation expands the spectrum of conditions associated with rapidly progressive dementia and may have implications for the understanding of the pathogenesis of prion diseases

Experiments performed with bubbly flow in vertical pipes at different flow conditions covering the transition region: Simulation by coupling Eulerian, Lagrangian and 3D random walks models

[EN] Two phase flow experiments with different superficial velocities of gas and water were performed in a vertical upward isothermal cocurrent air-water flow column with conditions ranging from bubbly flow, with very low void fraction, to transition flow with some cap and slug bubbles and void fractions around 25%. The superficial velocities of the liquid and the gas phases were varied from 0.5 to 3 m/s and from 0 to 0.6 m/s, respectively. Also to check the effect of changing the surface tension on the previous experiments small amounts of 1-butanol were added to the water. These amounts range from 9 to 75 ppm and change the surface tension. This study is interesting because in real cases the surface tension of the water diminishes with temperature, and with this kind of experiments we can study indirectly the effect of changing the temperature on the void fraction distribution. The following axial and radial distributions were measured in all these experiments: void fraction, interfacial area concentration, interfacial velocity, Sauter mean diameter and turbulence intensity. The range of values of the gas superficial velocities in these experiments covered the range from bubbly flow to the transition to cap/slug flow. Also with transition flow conditions we distinguish two groups of bubbles in the experiments, the small spherical bubbles and the cap/slug bubbles. Special interest was devoted to the transition region from bubbly to cap/slug flow; the goal was to understand the physical phenomena that take place during this transition A set of numerical simulations of some of these experiments for bubbly flow conditions has been performed by coupling a Lagrangian code, that tracks the three dimensional motion of the individual bubbles in cylindrical coordinates inside the field of the carrier liquid, to an Eulerian model that computes the magnitudes of continuous phase and to a 3D random walk model that takes on account the fluctuation in the velocity field of the carrier fluid that are seen by the bubbles due to turbulence fluctuations. Also we have included in the model the deformation that suffers the bubble when it touches the wall and it is compressed by the forces that pushes it toward the wall, provoking that the bubble rebound like a ball.The authors of this paper are indebted to the National Plan of I+D by the support of the coordinated projects REMOD-ERN ENE2010-21368-C02-01/CON and ENE2010-21368-C02-02/CON to perform the experiments.Muñoz-Cobo, JL.; Chiva, S.; Ali Abdelaziz Essa, M.; Mendez, S. (2012). Experiments performed with bubbly flow in vertical pipes at different flow conditions covering the transition region: Simulation by coupling Eulerian, Lagrangian and 3D random walks models. Archives of Thermodynamics. 33(1):3-39. https://doi.org/10.2478/v10173-012-0001-4S33933

Water soluble, multifunctional antibody-porphyrin gold nanoparticles for targeted photodynamic therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment of cancer by which tumour cells are destroyed using reactive oxygen species produced by photosensitizers following activation with visible or near infrared light. Successful PDT depends on the solubility and the targeting ability of the photosensitizers. In this work, the synthesis of a porphyrin-based water soluble nanoparticle conjugate containing a targeting agent that recognizes the erbB2 receptor overexpressed on the surface of particular cancer cells is reported. The nanoparticle conjugates were synthesized following two different protocols, viz. a biphasic and a monophasic method, with the aim to determine which method yielded the optimal nanosystem for potential PDT applications. The nanoparticles were characterized using UV–Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies together with transmission electron microscopy and zeta potential measurements; and their ability to produce singlet oxygen following irradiation was investigated following the decay in absorption of a singlet oxygen probe. The nanoparticles synthesized using the monophasic method were shown to produce the highest amount of singlet oxygen and were further functionalized with anti-erbB2 antibody to target the erbB2 receptors expressed on the surface of SK-BR-3 human breast cancer cells. The water soluble, antibody-porphyrin nanoparticle conjugates were shown to elicit targeted PDT of the breast cancer cells