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Early modern paper, formed from the fibers of recycled linen rags, captured the imagination of early modern writers, translators, and readers. Drawing on paper's material properties and history, seventeenth‐century chymists — including Thomas Tymme, Michael Maier, and Otto Tachenius — repeatedly imagine papermaking as a chymical purification in order to claim paper as a chymical invention. In doing so, these chymists seek to demonstrate their art's centrality to early modern knowledge production, circulation, and preservation. At the same time, by imagining papermaking as chymistry, these writers probe the boundaries of art and nature, the mechanical and liberal arts, and the ordinary and alchemical. Further, because of readers' familiarity and proximity to linen and paper, the material book offered proof of chymistry's usefulness, grounded in the tacit knowledge of daily experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste for the Soviet Economy: Recycling of Rags in Ukraine in the 1920s [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the effectiveness of the modified Frailty Index–5 (mFI-5) in predicting postoperative functional outcome after microsurgical resection of ruptured brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs). A retrospective review was performed of patients undergoing microsurgical resection of acutely ruptured bAVMs. Demographics, bAVM characteristics, mFI-5, Ruptured Arteriovenous Malformation Grading Scale (RAGS) score, and Spetzler-Martin (S-M) grade were recorded. Predictive ability of mFI-5 for postoperative functional outcome measured by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was assessed with univariate and multivariate logistic and linear regression. RAGS score and S-M grade alone were compared with adding mFI-5 to either RAGS score or S-M grade using area under the curve (AUC) analysis. In total, 109 patients were included. For every 1-point increase in mFI-5, there was a lower likelihood of good functional outcome (mRS score ≤2; odds ratio [OR], 0.33; confidence interval [CI], 0.15–0.60; P = 0.011). Healthy patients (mFI-5 = 0) were more likely to have good postoperative outcomes versus frail patients (mFI-5 ≥1) (OR, 3.32; CI, 1.24–8.97; P = 0.017). In multivariate analysis controlling for RAGS score, for every 1-point mFI-5 increase, there was a decreased likelihood of postoperative good functional outcome (OR, 0.32; CI, 0.14–0.63; P = 0.0026) and mFI-5 did not significantly predict secondary outcomes. S-M grade with mFI-5 showed better discrimination for postoperative good functional outcome (AUC 0.616), compared with S-M grade alone (AUC 0.544). RAGS score with mFI-5 showed the best discrimination for postoperative good functional outcome (AUC 0.798), compared with RAGS score alone (AUC 0.721). Measuring frailty with mFI-5 additive to established bAVM grading systems may improve assessment of individual patient likelihood of postoperative good functional outcome after hemorrhagic bAVM resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examines host pathogen response in developmental stage of Pterophyllum scalare (angelfish) infected with Aeromonas hydrophila. The study conducted had two different experiments in which the fish were subjected to formalin‐killed Aeromonas hydrophila (FKA) and immunostimulant (β‐glucan) by immersion method. The first experiment had three treatment groups viz., immunized, non‐immunized and control groups and the exposure time ranged between 12 and 32 dph (days posthatch) of larval rearing. The immunized group exhibited a higher fold expression of RAG‐1, RAG‐2 and IgM genes compared with non‐immunized group. The results demonstrated that the vaccination of 12 dph developmental stage prior to bacterial challenge of angelfish makes it more immunocompetent against the pathogens. Moreover, another experiment using β‐glucan was conducted to further examine the development of immune responses in angelfish larvae. The study consisted four treatments containing graded levels of β‐glucan dosages such as 100, 200 and 300 mg/L including a control (0 mg/L) for 20 days from 12 to 32 dph. The higher fold change in mRNA expression of RAG‐1, RAG‐2 and IgM genes was observed in β‐glucan (200 mg/L) treated group as compared to non‐treated and control group. The highest survivability was observed in the immunized group and immunostimulant treated group in the survival analysis. Hence, the present study suggested that either immunization with FKA or β‐glucan (200 mg/L) could be used as a strategy to mitigate the mortality rate and combat infection during the early larval rearing of P. scalare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides an overview of sacred trees in Ireland. It mentions about Rag Tree at Clonfert Cathedral, Co. Galway, which was probably a native species such as ash or oak initially, a horse chestnut is used as a rag tree today for curing sick children. It also informs on Money Tree at Clonenagh, Mountrath, Co. Laois.

The Rags represent a unique family of evolutionarily conserved, heterodimeric, lysosome-localized small GTPases that play an indispensible role in regulating cellular metabolism in response to various amino acid signaling mechanisms. Rapid progress in the field has begun to unveil a picture in which Rags act as central players in translating information regarding cellular amino acid levels by modulating their nucleotide binding status through an ensemble of support proteins localized in and around the lysosomes. By cooperating with other signaling pathways that converge on the lysosomes, Rags promote anabolic processes through positively affecting mTORC1 signaling in the presence of abundant amino acids. Conversely, Rag inactivation plays an indispensible role in switching cellular metabolism into a catabolic paradigm by promoting the activity of the master lysosomal/autophagic transcription factors TFEB and TFE3. Precise control of Rag signaling is necessary for cells to adapt to constantly changing cellular demands and emerging evidence has highlighted their importance in a wide variety of developmental and pathological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrity in entirety is the preferred state of any organism. The temporal and spatial integrity of the genome ensures continued survival of a cell. DNA breakage is the first step towards creation of chromosomal translocations. In this review, we highlight the factors contributing towards the breakage of chromosomal DNA. It has been well-established that the structure and sequence of DNA play a critical role in selective fragility of the genome. Several non-B- DNA structures such as Z- DNA, cruciform DNA, G-quadruplexes, R loops and triplexes have been implicated in generation of genomic fragility leading to translocations. Similarly, specific sequences targeted by proteins such as Recombination Activating Genes and Activation Induced Cytidine Deaminase are involved in translocations. Processes that ensure the integrity of the genome through repair may lead to persistence of breakage and eventually translocations if their actions are anomalous. An insufficient supply of nucleotides and chromatin architecture may also play a critical role. This review focuses on a range of events with the potential to threaten the genomic integrity of a cell, leading to cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Victorian Britain rags were not only associated with the inadequate clothing of the poor, they were also viewed as a valuable commodity, widely collected for recycling into paper. This essay examines rags as simultaneously despised and precious objects, tracing the connections between Victorian accounts of poverty, the industrial recycling of rags into paper, and the redemption narratives created by Charles Dickens about rescued children. A supporter of Ragged Schools and champion of rags recycling, Dickens drew on the idea of the transformation of dirty rags into clean paper in his representations of ragged children. To him, the recycling of rags indicated the civilizing forces of modernity, and reading Dickens's representations of ragged children in this context reveals how cloth recycling became a paradigm for society's duties towards destitute children. This essay explains Dickens's juxtaposition of ragged children with references to rag-dealing in his novels; by this means he suggested that street children, like their ragged clothing, were capable of being purified and transformed into social usefulness. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is a master regulator of cell growth and metabolism. It controls many cell functions by integrating nutrient availability and growth factor signals. Amino acids, and in particular leucine, are among the main positive regulators of mTORC1 signaling. The current model for the regulation of mTORC1 by amino acids involves the movement of mTOR to the lysosome mediated by the Rag-GTPases. Here, we have examined the control of mTORC1 signaling and mTOR localization by amino acids and leucine in serum-fed cells, because both serum growth factors (or, e.g., insulin) and amino acids are required for full activation of mTORC1 signaling. We demonstrate that mTORC1 activity does not closely correlate with the lysosomal localization of mTOR. In particular, leucine controls mTORC1 activity without any detectable modification of the lysosomal localization of mTOR, indicating that the signal(s) exerted by leucine is likely distinct from those exerted by other amino acids. In addition, knock-down of the Rag-GTPases attenuated the inhibitory effect of amino acid- or leucine-starvation on the phosphorylation of mTORC1 targets. Furthermore, data from cells where Rag expression has been knocked down revealed that leucine can promote mTORC1 signaling independently of the lysosomal localization of mTOR. Our data complement existing models for the regulation of mTORC1 by amino acids and provide new insights into this important topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pump blockages and rags are a significant barrier to realizing energy and operational efficiencies in wastewater pumping throughout the world. In this case study, Graeme Moore of Scottish Water details the blockage problems at the company''s Levenhall Sewage Pumping Station and discusses the approach taken to their solution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

During the settling stages in some oil sands froth treatments, a rag layer (an undesirable mixture of dispersed oil, water, and solids) can form at the water−oil interface. To investigate rag layer formation, oil sand froths were diluted with mixtures of toluene and heptane and the diluted froths were centrifuged in steps of increasing rpm. The volumes of oil phase, rag layer, free water, and sediment were measured after each step. The data obtained from the experiments were used for material balances to determine the composition of the rag layers. The size and properties of the rag layer solids were also measured. Two mechanisms were found to influence rag layer formation: slow coalescence of emulsified water between 1500 and 3000 rpm (200−1000 times gravity); trapping of fine intermediate to oil wet solids at higher rpm and residence times. The main process factors affecting rag formation appear to be the type of diluent and asphaltene precipitation. As well, higher quality oil sand produced much smaller rag layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interweaving of flesh and fabric are the focus of this article, which will explore the relationships between body, film and fashion in Jean-Paul Gaultier's costume design for Luc Besson's action/fantasy film Le Cinquime lment (1997). Gaultier's designs structure the text as a catwalk show, following fashion's hierarchy of the showpiece, haute couture and prt--porter. This article will consider Gaultier's showpieces, modelled by the characters Zorg (Gary Oldman) and Ruby Rhod (Chris Tucker), who function as techno-erotic and queer bodies respectively. Applying theoretical debates on abjection and drag initiated by Kristeva and Butler, an analysis of the interplay between body and clothing (particularly fabric and sexuality) will materialize. The impact of costume as an independent producer of meaning and its ensuing effects on how we sense the star bodies of Oldman and Tucker are then be [ad]dressed to illustrate how Gaultier unpicks the fabric of hegemony. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines how changes in the manufacture of paper affected its ageing behavior. By the 15th century paper consisted primarily of beaten, soaked and macerated linen fibers. Cotton fibers were also becoming an important component. Other materials have been used but in general the best paper was made from linen and cotton rag fibers. Paper was often produced near mountain streams that provided the clean water needed for the process. By the 19th century the demand for paper was such that other sources of cellulose fibers, such as straw and grasses, were being explored.

Regeneration by chronically injured supraspinal neurons is enhanced by treatment of a spinal cord lesion site with a variety of neurotrophic and growth factors. The removal of scar tissue, with subsequent reinjury of the spinal cord, is necessary for injured axons to access tissue transplants placed into the lesion to support axon regrowth. The present study examined chronically injured and reinjured rubrospinal tract (RST) neurons to determine if changes in gene expression could explain the failure of these neurons to regenerate without exogenous trophic factor support. Adult female rats were subjected to a right full hemisection lesion via aspiration of the cervical level 3 spinal cord. Using radioactive cDNA probes and in situ hybridization, RST neurons in the contralateral red nucleus were examined for changes in mRNA levels of βII-tubulin and GAP 43 in an acute injury period (6 h–3 days), a chronic injury period (28 days after spinal cord injury (SCI)) and following a second lesion of the chronic injury site (6 h–7 days). Based upon the analysis of gene expression in single cells, GAP-43 mRNA levels were increased as early as 1 day following the initial SCI, but were no different than uninjured control levels at 28 days postoperative (dpo). The response to relesion was more rapid and higher than that detected after the initial injury with a significant increase in GAP 43 mRNA at 6 h that was maintained for at least 7 days. βII-tubulin mRNA levels remained unchanged until 3 days after an acute injury followed by a decrease in expression to 30% below uninjured control values at 28 dpo. The expression of βII-tubulin mRNA was significantly higher within 6 h after a second injury, where it remained stable for 5 days before a second increase occurred at 7 days after reinjury of the spinal cord. Thus, neurons in a chronic injury state retain the ability to respond to a traumatic injury and, in fact, neurons subjected to a second injury exhibit a significantly heightened expression of regeneration-associated genes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A key component in the regulation of V(D)J recombination is control of the accessibility of RAG proteins to recombination signal sequences (RSS). Nucleosomes are known to inhibit this accessibility. We show here that the signal sequence itself represses accessibility by causing nucleosome positioning over the RSS. This positioning is mediated, in vitro and in vivo, by the conserved nonamer of the RSS. Consistent with this strong positioning, nucleosomes at RSSs are resistant to remodelling by nucleosome sliding. In vivo we find that consensus RSSs are preferentially protected, whereas those that lack a consensus nonamer, including some cryptic RSSs, fail to position nucleosomes. Decreased protection of these non-consensus RSSs correlates with their increased use in recombination assays. We therefore suggest that nucleosome positioning by RSSs provides a previously unanticipated level of protection and regulation of V(D)J recombination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A de novo missense variant in Rag GTPase protein C (RagCS75Y) was recently identified in a syndromic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patient. However, its pathogenicity and the related therapeutic strategy remain unclear. We generated a zebrafish RragcS56Y (corresponding to human RagCS75Y) knock-in (KI) line via TALEN technology. The KI fish manifested cardiomyopathy-like phenotypes and poor survival. Overexpression of RagCS75Y via adenovirus infection also led to increased cell size and fetal gene reprogramming in neonatal rat ventricle cardiomyocytes (NRVCMs), indicating a conserved mechanism. Further characterization identified aberrant mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) and transcription factor EB (TFEB) signaling, as well as metabolic abnormalities including dysregulated autophagy. However, mTOR inhibition failed to ameliorate cardiac phenotypes in the RagCS75Y cardiomyopathy models, concomitant with a failure to promote TFEB nuclear translocation. This observation was at least partially explained by increased and mTOR-independent physical interaction between RagCS75Y and TFEB in the cytosol. Importantly, TFEB overexpression resulted in more nuclear TFEB and rescued cardiomyopathy phenotypes. These findings suggest that S75Y is a pathogenic gain-of-function mutation in RagC that leads to cardiomyopathy. A primary pathological step of RagCS75Y cardiomyopathy is defective mTOR–TFEB signaling, which can be corrected by TFEB overexpression, but not mTOR inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The search for novel anticancer small molecules and strategies remains a challenge. Our previous studies have identified TXA1 (1-{[2-(diethylamino)ethyl]amino}-4-propoxy-9H- thioxanthen-9-one) as a hit compound, with in vitro antitumor potential by modulating autophagy and apoptosis in human tumor cell lines. In the present study, the mechanism of action and antitumor potential of the soluble salt of this molecule (TXA1.HCl) was further investigated using in vitro and mouse xenograft tumor models of NSCLC. Our results showed that TXA1.HCl affected steroid biosynthesis, increased RagD expression, and caused abnormal cellular cholesterol localization. In addition, TXA1.HCl treatment presented no toxicity to nude mice and significantly reduced the growth of human NSCLC cells xenografts in mice. Overall, this work provides new insights into the mechanism of action of TXA1, which may be relevant for the development of anticancer therapeutic strategies, which target cholesterol transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thames Water needed to improve efficiency and reduce the downtime at one of its sewage treatment works which was experiencing blocked pumps caused by the high rag content in the primary sludge tanks. The specification of a ‘Muncher’ from Mono Pumps helped achieve these goals and ensured a safe and easy installation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Blockages at a European sewage treatment works were causing downtime and flooding. Replacement pumps were sought on a ‘try before you buy’ basis to prevent a repeat of previous problems. During the trial period, no blockages occurred, and the pump proved capable of coping with the flow without apparent damage or wear. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Discusses the production of a self cleaning cloth or cleaning rag. Discussion of the unsanitary condition of many cleaning rags; Details of possible techniques for making the self-cleaning rag which would be dipped in a bacterial culture containing suitable monomers; Process by which the rag will turn the dirt it has picked up into gases and water-soluble molecules.