Search

Fish species richness is one of the most common descriptors of aquatic biodiversity and an important indicator of the ecological condition of stream reaches and regional biological diversity. However, inadequate sampling effort underestimates the true number of species and, consequently, might provide erroneous information about the ecological conditions of, and trends in, aquatic environments. We sampled 24 to 39 stream reaches (each 150 m long) in seven megadiverse hydrologic units in the Brazilian states of Pará (Amazonia biome) and Minas Gerais (Cerrado biome) to estimate the sampling effort needed to reach asymptotes at hydrologic unit spatial extents. We also estimated how much of the local richness would have been captured if the sampled reach was 50 or 100-m-long. Our results indicate that up to 53 reaches must be sampled per hydrologic unit for attaining an estimated 90% of the fish species richness, depending on the relative number of rare species. In most units, 100-m-long reaches suffice for collecting about 90% of the local sampled richness. We conclude that the effort frequently used in neotropical streams is adequate to capture most of the local fish fauna. However, complete inventories of hydrographic regions would only be feasible with efforts and resources far greater than those commonly employed. Before sampling programs are implemented for estimating true species richness, adequate levels of sampling effort should be assessed wherever that richness is expected to be high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Local tissue eosinophilia and Th2 cytokines are characteristic features of seasonal allergic rhinitis. Airway remodelling is a feature of asthma whereas evidence for remodelling in allergic rhinitis (AR) is conflicting. Objective: By use of a novel human repetitive nasal allergen challenge (RAC) model, we evaluated the relationship between allergic inflammation and features of remodelling in AR. Methods: Twelve patients with moderate–severe AR underwent 5 alternate day challenges with diluent which after 4 weeks were followed by 5 alternate day challenges with grass pollen extract. Nasal symptoms, Th1/Th2 cytokines in nasal secretion and serum were evaluated. Nasal biopsies were taken 24 hours after the 1st and 5th challenges with diluent and with allergen. Sixteen healthy controls underwent a single challenge with diluent and with allergen. Using immunohistochemistry, epithelial and submucosal inflammatory cells and remodelling markers were evaluated by computed image analysis. Results: There was an increase in early and late‐phase symptoms after every allergen challenge compared to diluent (both P <.05) with evidence of both clinical and immunological priming. Nasal tissue eosinophils and IL‐5 in nasal secretion increased significantly after RAC compared to corresponding diluent challenges (P <.01, P =.01, respectively). There was a correlation between submucosal mast cells and the early‐phase clinical response (r = 0.79, P =.007) and an association between epithelial eosinophils and IL‐5 concentrations in nasal secretion (r = 0.69, P =.06) in allergic rhinitis. No differences were observed after RAC with regard to epithelial integrity, reticular basement membrane thickness, glandular area, expression of markers of activation of airway remodelling including α‐SMA, HSP‐47, extracellular matrix (MMP7, 9 and TIMP‐1), angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis for AR compared with healthy controls. Conclusion: Novel repetitive nasal allergen challenge in participants with severe persistent seasonal allergic rhinitis resulted in tissue eosinophilia and increases in IL‐5 but no structural changes. Our data support no link between robust Th2‐inflammation and development of airway remodelling in AR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoor localization of objects when these bodies are affected by occlusion remains challenging. This paper presents a novel method to estimate the position of a magnetic marker that can be attached to objects such as a robot or a moving vehicle for indoor localization. We derive a formula to compute the azimuth and zenith angles of and the distance to a rotating magnet from the Fourier components of the magnetic flux density at the marker's rotational frequency. The proposed method does not require temporal changes in the direction of the magnetic moment. As a result, the method does not require communication between the sensor and the marker. Also, using a Fourier component enhances the robustness of the method to environmental noise. The method is verified experimentally and shows an average error of 49.9 mm for estimation of the three-dimensional position of the marker in a 4000 mm by 2000 mm domain where z = 350 mm. In addition, we verified that the marker position can be estimated even if the sensor is tilted with respect to the horizontal plane using the sensor's acceleration data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of single droplets impinged into a deep liquid pool at atmospheric pressure. The single-droplet dynamics of three impinging liquid samples with different surface tensions, viscosities, and densities were experimentally investigated. The time evolution from droplet impingement on the pool surface to jet formation was recorded by a high-speed video camera. The impact velocity and droplet diameter were varied as 1.0–3.2 m/s and 1.8–3.0 mm respectively, and the liquid-pool depth was fixed at 30 mm. The cavity volume was affected by the impact parameters, indicating a clear correlation between drop diameter and impact velocity. For the water droplets, the jet volume was decreased and increased under lower and higher impact velocity conditions, respectively. For ethanol droplets, the jet volume increased at higher impact velocity and larger droplet diameter. To gain deeper physical insight into the jet formation, the energy balance of droplet impingement onto the liquid pool surface was estimated. Approximately 28% of the impact energy was invested in cavity formation, regardless of the liquid properties. The remaining energy was most likely dissipated or consumed at the surface. All of the cavity energy in all samples was consumed in jet formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an algebraic reconstruction method for dipole-quadrupole sources using magnetoencephalography data. Compared to the conventional methods with the equivalent current dipoles source model, our method can more accurately reconstruct two close, oppositely directed sources. Numerical simulations show that two sources on both sides of the longitudinal fissure of cerebrum are stably estimated. The method is verified using a quadrupolar source phantom, which is composed of two isosceles-triangle-coils with parallel bases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For non-destructive inspection of ferromagnetic pipes using magnetic flux leakage (MFL), a sensor consisting of two coils to measure the discrete Fourier sine and cosine coefficients of MFL is developed. The position of a crack in a pipe can be estimated from the squared sum and the ratio of the voltages induced in the two coils. Each coil has sixteen elemental coils with 78 permalloy cores which are placed along a circle with a radius of 6.3mm and connected in series. The number of turns comprising an elemental coil at an angle ϕ is proportional to sin ϕ in one coil and proportional to cos ϕ in the other. It was experimentally shown that a circular crack 4mm in diameter in a ferromagnetic pipe with diameter 21.6mm was localized. The proposed structure is suitable for narrow pipe inspection where the sensitivity of our previous sensor composed of two coaxial crescent-shaped coils decreases [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Euler's equation provides us with a system of linear equations for localizing a magnetic dipole from measurements of the magnetic field and its gradients. However, so far, the condition for the coefficient matrix of the linear equations to be singular has not been shown. In this paper, we show that the matrix is singular if and only if the dipole moment is perpendicular to the dipole position vector, where the observation point is set at the origin. Moreover, we show that, even in this case, the true position can be uniquely reconstructed by using the Moore-Penrose generalized inverse of the gradient tensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Increases in airway smooth muscle, extracellular matrix, and vascularity are prominent features of airway remodeling in asthma, whereas the extent of such remodeling in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis (PAR) is unknown.Objectives: To test the hypothesis that upper airway remodeling is a feature of PAR.Methods: Total nasal symptoms scores, nasal biopsies, and Th1 and Th2 cytokines from nasal lavage were assessed in subjects with severe PAR (n = 46) and healthy control subjects (n = 19). Angiolymphangiogenesis was examined using immunohistochemistry staining against CD31 (vascular endothelial cells), vascular endothelial growth factor-A, and D2-40 (lymphatic endothelial cells). Collagen and extracellular matrix proteins, such as heat shock protein-47 (markers of collagen synthesis), matrix metalloproteinase-9, and tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase-1, and α-smooth muscle actin (myofibroblasts) were evaluated as markers of activation of upper airway remodeling using image analysis, together with reticular basement membrane thickness, mucus gland area, collagen area, and submucosal effector inflammatory cells.Measurements and Main Results: Total nasal symptoms scores, visual analog scale, and total quality of life were significantly higher in PAR compared with healthy control subjects (P < 0.0001). Nasal lavage cytokine levels of IL-4 (P < 0.01), IL-5, and IL-13 (P < 0.001, respectively) were significantly higher in PAR compared with healthy control subjects. In addition there was an increase in submucosal eosinophils (P = 0.06). No statistical difference in terms of angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, deposition of extracellular matrix, collagen markers, reticular basement membrane thickness, or glandular percentage area was observed between PAR and healthy control subjects.Conclusions: Our data suggest that tissue remodeling is not a feature of PAR and argues that in contrast to asthma, targeting remodeling in allergic rhinitis may not be appropriate as a therapeutic approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphological characteristics of fish communities were compared in four rivers with different levels of anthropogenic disturbance: Cipó, Curimataí, Pardo Grande, and Velhas. Discriminant function analysis indicated no morphological differences among the communities, suggesting a general morphological pattern for different river communities, regardless of their disturbance level. However, this pattern was shaped by different taxa in each river. Because of the poorer condition of the Velhas River (substrate type, riparian vegetation, and anthropogenic disturbance), it seems that species morphological range is influencing the common morphological pattern. Even with notable differences in biological condition, the Velhas River still accommodates the same range of morphological types, but not the same species pool found in well-preserved rivers within the basin. For this reason, the maintenance of tributaries, with their particular fish species and different physical habitat characteristics, is essential for the conservation of the ichthyofauna on a basin scale. Moreover, the analysis of morphology and composition together allowed a more critical approach of disturbance effects and suggested that these community aspects respond differently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circumanal glands are prominent features of the canine perianal skin, which are often located near to the sebaceous glands and apocrine glands. As the functional relevance of circumanal glands is yet unknown, we studied the localisation of sialic acids and anti-microbial substances (lysozyme, immunoglobulin A, lactoferrin, β-defensin) in these glandular structures by lectin histochemistry and immunohistochemistry. The glands exhibited a number of sialic acids that were linked to α2-6Gal/GalNAc and α2-3Galβl-4GlcNAc. Additionally, lysozyme, lactoferrin and β-defensin could be demonstrated in the three types of skin glands, whereas IgA was only detectable in the apocrine glands. The results of the study suggest the specific significance of the circumanal glands. Independent of a certain endocrine role, their products may mainly function as protective agents to preserve the integrity of the anal region, considering that sialic acids and anti-microbial substances are important in defence mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A parasitological survey of Schistosoma haematobium and S. intercalatum infection among primary schoolchildren in capital area of Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe (DRSTP) was undertaken. Methods: Subjects with positive infection were confirmed by the detection of S. haematobium ova in the urine or S. intercalatum ova in the stool by using centrifugation concentration or merthiolate-iodineformalin concentration method. Totally, 252 urine and stool samples, respectively, were obtained from apparently healthy schoolchildren, of which 121 from boys (9.8 ± 1.4 yr) and 131 from girls (9.7 ± 1.3 yr). Results: None of participating schoolchildren were found having S. haematobium ova in the urinary specimen. While, among 4 primary schools studied, only schoolchildren from Saint Marçal were detected with S. intercalatum ova in the fecal specimen, making the overall prevalence of S. intercalatum infection among schoolchildren was 2.4% (6/252) and girls had insignificantly higher prevalence (3.1%, 4/131) than that (1.7%, 2/121) in boys (χ?2 = 0.5, P = 0.5). Conclusion: Water control and sanitation as well as snails eliminated by molluscicides are urgently needed to reduce S. intercalatum infection in DRSTP inhabitants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is resistant to chemotherapy and thus shows a dismal prognosis. Osteopontin (OPN), a secreted noncollagenous and phosphoprotein, is suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of MPM. However, the precise role of OPN, especially in the multidrug resistance of MPM, remains to be elucidated. We therefore established stable transfectants (ACC-MESO-1/OPN), which constitutively express OPN, to determine its role in the chemoresistance observed in MPM. The introduction of the OPN gene provides MPM cells with upregulated multidrug resistance through the mechanism of enhanced hyaluronate (HA) binding. The expression of CD44 variant isoforms, which inhibit HA binding, significantly decreased in ACC–MESO–1/OPN cells in comparison to control transfectants. Interestingly, the inhibition of the HA-CD44 interaction abrogated multidrug resistance in the ACC–MESO–1/OPN, thus suggesting the involvement of the surviving signal emanating from the HA-CD44 interaction. An enhanced level of the p-Akt in ACC–MESO–1/OPN cells was observed, and was diminished by CD44 siRNA. Inhibition of the Akt phosphorylation increased in number of the cells underwent apoptosis induced by NVB, VP-16 and GEM. Collectively, these results indicate that OPN is strongly involved in multidrug resistance by enhancing the CD44 binding to HA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beam intensity fluctuation was investigated using an electron cyclotron resonance ion source of an all-permanent-magnet type under development for highly stable beam intensity. While the source achieved a stability of better than 3.2% by strict regulation of the coolant temperature change within ±0.1 °C, the intensity varies strongly with intentional changes in the temperature of the plasma chamber coolant. The influence of the temperature on chamber expansion, magnetic field strength, and vacuum was measured or estimated in detail. The result shows that a slight change in vacuum and magnetic field strength has considerable influence on the intensity fluctuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in antibiotic resistance and the emergence of new bacterial infections have intensified the research for natural products from plants with associated therapy. This study aimed to verify the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of crude extracts of the genus Plectranthus species, being the first report on the modulation of aminoglycosides antibiotic activity by Plectranthus amboinicus extracts. The chemical composition was obtained by chemical prospecting and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with diode arrangement detector (HPLC/DAD). The antibacterial activities of the extracts alone or in association with aminoglycosides were analyzed using the microdilution test. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging. The phytochemical prospection allowed the flavonoids, saponins, tannins and triterpenoids to be identified. Quercetin, rutin, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, catechin, kaempferol, glycosylated kaempferol, quercitrin, and isoquercitrin were identified and quantified. The principal component analysis (PCA) observed the influence of flavonoids and phenolic acids from Plectranthus species on studied activities. Phytochemical tests with the extracts indicated, especially, the presence of flavonoids, confirmed by quantitative analysis by HPLC. The results revealed antibacterial activities, and synergistic effects combined with aminoglycosides, as well as antioxidant potential, especially for P. ornatus species, with IC50 of 32.21 µg/mL. Multivariate analyzes show that the inclusion of data from the antioxidant and antibacterial activity suggests that the antioxidant effect of these species presents a significant contribution to the synergistic effect of phytoconstituents, especially based on the flavonoid contents. The results of this study suggest the antibacterial activity of Plectranthus extracts, as well as their potential in modifying the resistance of the analyzed aminoglycosides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dye molecules doped polythiophene (PT) films prepared by electrochemical doping were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) reflection absorption spectroscopy (RAS) and transmission in order to investigate whether the presence of an electric field could control the ordering of the dye molecule assembly in the polymer. The present work focuses on organic dye molecules, which contain three benzene rings in plane with a high symmetry such as crystal violet (CV) and brilliant green (BG) as a dopant. In the case of CV doped PT by applying triangle-shaped negative voltage, the orderings of CV molecules were found by FTIR measurements. Since the ring stretching mode due to the componential benzene ring around 1585 cm-1 was observed only in the FTIR transmission spectra while not observed in the spectrum of FTIR RAS spectra, this result shows that CV molecules are doped in the polymer so that the ring plane of CV is inclined to be parallel to the polymer film plane. In the case of CV doped PT samples by field-free casting method, the ring stretching modes were observed in both spectra of FTIR RAS and transmission, indicating that the dopant molecules were randomly oriented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel, direct method for detecting surface cracks in a magnetic plate. In the leakage magnetic field method, a crack is modeled as being full of magnetic dipoles aligned along the crack, which is to be reconstructed from measurement of the leaked field. First, we introduce a source model of an equivalent magnetic dipole (EMD) whose location and moment coincide with the centroid of a crack and total moment distributed along the crack, respectively. Then, under the multiple EMDs model, using the multipole expansion of the leakage field, we derive algebraic equations relating the EMD parameters to data. They are formulated as a so-called 'moment problem' so that the centroid positions are reconstructed as generalized eigenvalues of Hankel matrices consisting of the multipole moments. The advantage of our method is that it requires neither initial values of the EMD parameters nor computing forward solution iteratively so that the essential parameters of the cracks are obtained by quite simple, algebraic computation. Numerical simulations show validity of our method under noisy condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Japan, mass screening for neuroblastoma has been performed at 6 months of age to improve the prognosis of this condition for more than 20 years. In recent years, most neuroblastomas detected by mass screening were considered to have favorable biological features and sometimes tend to regress spontaneously. Methods: The authors established non-treated observation criteria in 1997 and criteria for observation of residual tumor after first-line chemotherapy in 1999, and have made an effort to reduce the intensity of medical treatment for neuroblastoma. The authors examined outcomes of 79 patients who were found in the Shizuoka neuroblastoma mass screening at 6 months of age and who received medical treatment or underwent observation in Shizuoka Children's Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan, between December 1981 and December 2004. Results: A total of 77 patients survived but the remaining two patients died from complications of medical treatment. None of the patients died due to progression of neuroblastoma. In the cases, non-treated observation was performed in 17. Of those, 12 patients are now under non-treated observation. Of their tumors, two have disappeared, nine have become smaller and another one has not change in size. Observation of residual tumor after first-line chemotherapy was performed in 15 cases, and three disappeared and the other 12 cases became smaller. Medical treatment-related complications were observed in 20 of 67 patients who received medical treatment, and 18 of the 20 patients were seen before establishing non-treated observation criteria. Conclusion: Non-treated observation and observation of residual tumor after first-line chemotherapy were useful to reduce medical treatment-related complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The local cytokine environment and presence of stimulatory signals determine whether monocytes acquire dendritic cell (DC) or macrophage characteristics and functions. Because enhanced platelet activation is reported in patients with many allergic disorders, such as atopic dermatitis, platelet-derived factors may influence monocytic differentiation into DC. In this study we examined the effect of serotonin, a prototypic mediator of allergic inflammation released mainly by activated platelets at the inflammatory site, on the granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin (IL)-4-driven differentiation of monocytes into monocyte-derived DC. Monocytes from healthy adult donors were cultured with GM-CSF and IL-4 in the presence or absence of serotonin, and the phenotypes and function of these cells were analysed. In the presence of serotonin, monocytes differentiated into DC with reduced expression of co-stimulatory molecules and CD1a, whereas expression of CD14 was increased. These serotonin-treated DC exhibited significantly reduced stimulatory activity toward allogeneic T cells. However, these cells showed enhanced cytokine-producing capacity, including IL-10 but not IL-12. There was no significant difference between both types of DC in phagocytic activity. Experiments using agonists and antagonists indicated that serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) induced the alteration of their phenotype and reduction in antigen-presenting capacity were mediated via 5-HTR1/7. It is therefore suggested that serotonin-driven DC may have a regulatory function in the inflammatory process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to emphasize several specific functional aspects of the mammalian prostate gland. In this connection, the subcellular localization and characterization of glycoconjugates in the secretory epithelial cells were examined that line the prostate gland of the miniature pig, using cytochemistry, including lectin-gold methods. The results verified a diversified pattern of glycoconjugates in the structures of the secretory cells. The secretory granules and the free surface coat of the plasma membrane contained several sugar moieties such as α-D-Man, α-D-Glc, α-L-Fuc, β-D-Gal, GalNAc, GlcNAc and NeuAc (sialic acid), whereas the Golgi apparatus exhibited GlcNAc and sialic acid residues. In addition, the cisterns of the endoplasmic reticulum showed α-D-Man and α-D-Glc moieties. It seems likely that the secretory glycoconjugates demonstrated contribute to favourable conditions for fertilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A magnetic field drift, gradual decrease of the order of 10-4 in several tens of hours, was observed with the beam intensity decrease in an operation of an azimuthally varying field (AVF) cyclotron. From our experimental results, we show that the temperature increase of the magnet iron by the heat transfer from the excitation coils can induce such change of the magnetic field as to deteriorate the beam quality. The temperature control of the magnet iron was realized by thermal isolation between the main coil and the yoke and by precise control of the cooling water temperature of the trim coils attached to the pole surfaces in order to prevent temperature change of the magnet iron. The magnetic field stability of ±5×10-6 and the beam intensity stability of ±2% have been achieved by this temperature control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]