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Senescence of functional immunity in invertebrates has been a topic of recent interest. Results from previous studies have been inconsistent with older adults exhibiting wide variation in response to infection. In the present study, we assayed the senescence of functional immune response using a large outbred population of Drososphila melanogaster as the model host and Serratia marcescens as the model pathogen. We assessed the effect of an individual’s age, parental age, sex, and mating status on overall antibacterial immunity. We found an improvement of immunity with the progression of age with 13-day-old flies exhibiting lower bacterial load compared with 3-day-old flies. Parental age did not show consistent effects on the antibacterial immunity of the offspring. Neither mating status nor the sex of an individual had any significant effect on immune response. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although West Nile virus (WNV) and other arthropod-borne viruses are a major public health problem, the mechanisms of antiviral immunity in mosquitoes are poorly understood. Dicer-2, responsible for the RNAI-mediated response through the C-terminal RNase-III domain, also contains an N-terminal DExD/H-box helicase domain similar to mammalian RIG-I/MDA5 which, in Drosophila, was found to be required for activation of an antiviral gene, Va go. Here we show that the Culex orthologue of Vago (CxVago) is up-regulated in response to WNV infection in a Dicer-2-dependent manner. Fur- ther, our data show that CxVago is a secreted peptide that restricts WNV infection by activation of the Jak-STAT pathway. Thus, Vago appears to function as an IFN-like antiviral cytokine in mosquitoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lanthanum and vanadium modified polycrystalline material of La0.75Bi3.25Ti2.9625V0.03O12(BLVT) of Aurivillius family, was prepared by conventional solid-state reaction method. X-ray diffraction showed single phase with orthorhombic structure. Electron microcopy was done on as-sintered and oxygen-annealed samples. Impedance studies of BLVT showed multiple impedance relaxations. Based on the impedance factor (related to full width at half maximum) and master plots, the relaxations are found to be collectively competitive. A broad dielectric peak and Curie-Weiss diffused parameter indicates diffused phase transition. Complex impedance analysis along with the log-log spectroscopic plots was studied on BLVT at 500°C. But complex impedance plot of BLVT showed single broad semicircle, unlike La0.75Bi3.25Ti3O12(BLT), which showed three semicircles on separately coated silver- and platinum- ceramic disks. However, complex modulus plot (complimentary to impedance) of BLVT showed three semicircles, which clearly indicates the tendency of formation of space charges, which might result in the accumulation of defects at electrode-ferroelectric interfaces, and considered to be a characteristic feature of the sample. In view of this, some of the BLVT samples were annealed in oxygen- and vacuum. Detailed ac-conductivity analysis suggests that double oxygen vacancies play vital role in conduction phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to assess the protective effect of apigenin, a dietary flavone, against cytogenetic alterations in human peripheral blood lymphocytes (HPBL) induced by Cobalt-60 radiation (3Gy). Results of MTT [3-(4, 5-dimethyl-2-thiaozolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H tetrazolium bromide] assay revealed that 37.2μM of apigenin was found to be non-toxic in HPBL. At this dose (37.2μM) of apigenin, the LD50 radiation dose of HPBL increased from 2.9Gy to 3.4Gy, which resulted in a DMF of 1.17. Apigenin (37.2μM) treatment 1h before irradiation significantly (p <0.05) reduced DNA damage in irradiated HPBL as measured by comet assay (% tail DNA, tail length, tail moment, and olive tail moment). Moreover, apigenin treatment significantly decreased the frequencies of dicentric (DC), acentric fragments (AF), and acentric rings (AR) in irradiated HPBL. Apigenin pretreatment also reduced the radiation-induced CBMN (cytokinesis blocked micronuclei) anomalies such as micronuclei (MNi), nucleoplasmic bridges (NPB) and nuclear buds (NBUD) in HPBL. These results also showed that there was a significant correlation between NPB and DC frequencies and MNi and AF+AR. Treatment with apigenin alone had no significant effect on DNA damage and chromosomal aberrations in HPBL. Thus, the current studies indicate that apigenin protects HPBL from radiation-induced cytogenetic alterations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Unlike the ground-based manipulator, the space manipulator has no fixed base. Dynamic reaction forces and moments induced by manipulator motion will disrupt the space robot base. The docking of a floating object adds a control problem because it affects the pose of the free-floating base of the space manipulator. As a result, the tracking trajectory by the robot tip cannot comply with the reference trajectory. Owing to the non-holonomic features of space manipulator, the control methodology requires the advanced controller to neutralize trajectory deviation. This work presents the trajectory control strategy of two redundant planar robot (RPR) that dealt with a rectangular floating body. The control strategy composed of Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) controller and Amnesia controller. The eight-links two RPSR are modeled and simulated for docking the rectangular floating body. The result of computer simulation shows that with PID and Amnesia controller, the deviation between the reference and actual trajectory is decreased, the error between the reference and the actual trajectory is reduced, and the rotation of a floating rectangular body is reduced to the minimum extent because of PID and Amnesia controller. Additionally, optimum tuning of gain parameters is implemented using a Genetic Algorithm which results in further reduction of error by 40%. Furthermore, this proposed control strategy will be extended to achieve the desired trajectory by controlling and switching over various joints with greater accuracy. The Bond Graph Technique (BGT) is utilized in this work to model the robot dynamic behavior and to implement the control scheme using the SYMBOLS Shakti software. The BGT is convenient for the modeling and simulation of systems with a different domains like hydraulic, mechanical, electrical, etc. The technique generates dynamic equations based on graphical modeling with kinematic entities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mon1a was originally identified as a modifier gene of vesicular traffic, as a mutant Mon1a allele resulted in increased localization of cell surface proteins, whereas reduced levels of Mon1a showed decreased secretory activity. Here we show that Mon1a affects different steps in the secretory pathway including endoplasmic reticulum-to-Golgi traffic. siRNA-dependent reduction of Mon1a levels resulted in a delay in the reformation of the Golgi apparatus after Brefeldin A treatment. Endoglycosidase H treatment of ts045VSVG-GFP confirmed that knockdown of Mon1a delayed endoplasmic reticulum-to-Golgi trafficking. Reductions in Mon1a also resulted in delayed trafficking from Golgi to the plasma membrane. Immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry analysis showed that Mon1a associates with dynein intermediate chain. Reductions in Mon1a or dynein altered steady state Golgi morphology. Reductions in Mon1a delayed formation of ERGIC-53-positive vesicles, whereas reductions in dynein did not affect vesicle formation. These data provide strong evidence for a role for Mon1a in anterograde trafficking through the secretory apparatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This pretest-posttest study examined the feasibility of using a curriculum-level stuttering education and bullying awareness and prevention program to improve peer attitudes toward children who stutter and attitudes toward bullying. Knowledge about potential responses to bullying and students' liking of the program also were examined. Method: Data were obtained from 608 children who participated in the stuttering education and bullying prevention initiative that used the Teasing and Bullying: Unacceptable Behaviour (TAB; Langevin, 2000) Program. Participants completed the Peer Attitudes Toward Children Who Stutter (PATCS; Langevin, 2009; Langevin & Hagler, 2004; Langevin, Kleitman, Packman, & Onslow, 2009) scale, the Provictim scale (Rigby & Slee, 1991, 1993), and bullying involvement and knowledge questionnaires. Results: Statistically and practically significant improvements were found for both questionnaires. Children who did not know someone who stutters had higher change scores on the PATCS than children who knew someone who stutters. In general, children who were uninvolved in bullying had the most positive changes in attitudes and liked the TAB program the most. Victims liked the program significantly more often than children who were perpetrators of bullying or were dually involved in bullying. Conclusion: Findings suggest that the TAB program may have the potential to effect positive changes in peer attitudes toward children who stutter and toward bullying. Further research using a randomized experimental design is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This pretest-posttest study examined the feasibility of using a curriculum-level stuttering education and bullying awareness and prevention program to improve peer attitudes toward children who stutter and attitudes toward bullying. Knowledge about potential responses to bullying and students' liking of the program also were examined. Method: Data were obtained from 608 children who participated in the stuttering education and bullying prevention initiative that used the Teasing and Bullying: Unacceptable Behaviour (TAB; Langevin, 2000) Program. Participants completed the Peer Attitudes Toward Children Who Stutter (PATCS; Langevin, 2009; Langevin & Hagler, 2004; Langevin, Kleitman, Packman, & Onslow, 2009) scale, the Provictim scale (Rigby & Slee, 1991, 1993), and bullying involvement and knowledge questionnaires. Results: Statistically and practically significant improvements were found for both questionnaires. Children who did not know someone who stutters had higher change scores on the PATCS than children who knew someone who stutters. In general, children who were uninvolved in bullying had the most positive changes in attitudes and liked the TAB program the most. Victims liked the program significantly more often than children who were perpetrators of bullying or were dually involved in bullying. Conclusion: Findings suggest that the TAB program may have the potential to effect positive changes in peer attitudes toward children who stutter and toward bullying. Further research using a randomized experimental design is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thrombotic microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (TMHA) is not uncommon in clinical nephrology practice while antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is uncommon. Although less than 1% of patients with APS develop catastrophic APS (CAPS), its potential lethal outcome because of thrombosis in multiple organs and subsequent multiorgan failure emphasizes its importance in nephrology practice. Here is a case of catastrophic APS in a 7-year-old girl, who presented to us with TMHA associated with antiphospholipidantibodies and subsequently died because of CAPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We report the first systematic work on the effect of hydrostatic pressure on the splay and bend elastic constants of a nematic (N) liquid crystal. At a relative temperature, the magnitudes of both the elastic constants increase significantly with increasing pressure, with the variation for the bend parameter being slightly higher. Pressure also influences the rate at which the elastic constants grow as the smectic A (SmA) phase is approached from the N phase. The studies further show that the temperature range of the N phase may not play an important role in the increase of the splay constant near the transition to the SmA phase. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Flat-Joggle-Flat (FJF) bonded joints in composite laminates are designed to eliminate eccentricity by the presence of joggle so that loads remain in-plane and any bending effect is avoided thereby the strength of the joint is increased. An experimental study carried out on FJF bonded joints showed a 90% increase in failure load over flat joints. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Dengue virus infection is an emerging global threat caused by Arbovirus, a virus from Flaviridiae family, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Renal transplant recipients who live in the endemic zones of dengue infection or who travel to an endemic zone could be at risk of this infection. Despite multiple epidemics and a high case fatality rate in the Southeast Asian region, only a few cases of dengue infection in renal transplant recipients have been reported. Here, we report a case series of 8 dengue viral infection in renal transplant recipients. Of the 8 patients, 3 developed dengue hemorrhagic shock syndrome and died. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) prediction equations are widely used in clinical practice for quick assessment of kidney function. Gates method using radionuclide technique is an alternative to prediction equations for quick assessment of GFR. Aim of the study was to compare Gates method and modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) equation in a sizeable patient population with wide range of renal function to evaluate their clinical utility. GFR was estimated in 897 subjects with wide range of renal function by gates method, and MDRD equation and results were compared against measured GFR. Subjects were divided in to 4 groups (0.30 ml, 31.60 ml, 61.90 ml, >90 ml) on the basis of measured GFR and comparison between two methods done through linear regression analysis. Analysis of R2 indicated that 56% of the interindividual variability for Gates GFR was in accordance to variation in measured GFR, in the GFR range of (0.30 ml), this value dropped to 39% in the GFR range of 31.60 ml, 40% in the GFR range of 61.90 ml, 26.4% in the GFR range of >90 ml, the corresponding figure for MDRD GFR were 47.9%, 31.1%, 17.6% and 16.1%, respectively. Gates method is more precise for GFR estimation at all levels of renal function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The dynamic response of piping system with gasketed flanged joints at various temperatures is studied using finite element analysis. FE simulation with thermo-mechanical analysis is performed, followed by modal and harmonic analysis. Important parameters affecting the vibration are discussed. Temperature of internal fluid induces thermal stresses which influence the natural frequencies significantly. A comparison has been made between metal gasket and spiral wound gasket. Results show that the natural frequencies corresponding to particular modes are influenced by the type of gasket used. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The behavior of a gasketed flange joint under bending loads has been studied by three dimensional finite element analysis (FEA) and experiments. The in-plane and bending stiffness of spiral wound gaskets are considered using anisotropic Hill plasticity material model. The variation in bolt axial force of joints under bending load predicted by the finite element analysis compares well with the experimental results. The contact stress distribution obtained have significant variation in the pattern from the previous material models and consistent with the results of Bouzid regarding flange rotation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article focuses on a research conducted in order to evaluate the effect of the number of male co-inhabitants experienced early in adult life on male mating behavior in Drosophila melanogaster and to identify the effects of changes in mating behavior on male competitive fitness. It discusses the existence of non-linear relationship between early life experience and fitness components and a significant effect of co-inhabitant number on copulation duration and sperm defense.

Abstract: Dengue virus (DENV) infections continue to spread aggressively around the world. Here we demonstrate that celgosivir (6-O-butanoyl castanospermine), strongly inhibits all four DENV serotypes. We show by fluorescence microscopy that the antiviral mechanism of celgosivir, is in part, due to misfolding and accumulation of DENV non-structural protein 1 (NS1) in the endoplasmic reticulum. Moreover, celgosivir modulates the host’s unfolded protein response (UPR) for its antiviral action. Significantly, celgosivir is effective in lethal challenge mouse models that recapitulate primary or secondary antibody-dependent enhanced DENV infection. Celgosivir treated mice showed enhanced survival, reduced viremia and robust immune response, as reflected by serum cytokine analysis. Importantly, survival increased even after treatment was delayed till 2days post-infection. Together the present study suggests that celgosivir, which has been clinically determined to be safe in humans, may be a valuable candidate for clinical testing in dengue patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mating has been widely reported to be a costly event for females. Studies indicate that female cost of mating in terms of fecundity and survivorship can be affected by their mates, leading to antagonistic coevolution between the sexes. However, as of now, there is no evidence that the female cost of mating in terms of immune defence is affected by their mates. We assess the effect of different sized males on antibacterial immune defence and reproductive fitness of their mates. We used a large outbred population of Drososphila melanogaster as the host and Serratia marcescens as the pathogen. We generated three different male phenotypes: small, medium and large, by manipulating larval densities. Compared to females mating with small males, those mating with large males had higher bacterial loads and lower fecundity. There was no significant effect of male phenotype on the fraction of females mated or copulation duration (an indicator of ejaculate investment). Thus, our study is the first clear demonstration that male phenotype can affect the cost of mating to females in terms of their antibacterial immune defence. Mating with large males imposes an additional cost of mating to females in terms of reduced immune defence. The observed results are very likely due to qualitative/quantitative differences in the ejaculates of the three different types of males. If the phenotypic variation that we observed in males in our study is mirrored by genetic variation, then, it can potentially lead to antagonistic coevolution of the sexes over immune defence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nocardia is a rare pathogen of peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis despite its universal presence in soil, organic matter, and water. Human infections are seen mostly in immunocompromized hosts. The usual primary site of lesions is lung. Nocardia can enter the peritoneal cavity through the Tenckhoff catheter. We describe the first case of nocardia peritonitis that had associated nocardia pneumonia. The Tenckhoff catheter was removed due to nonresolution of peritonitis. The organism was resistant to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim. The patient developed hypotension, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and respiratory failure and died. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors consider chase-combining hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) schemes over multiple antenna multi-user systems. The focus is on a multiple-access channel, where the users as well as the base-station are equipped with multiple antennas. In such chase-combining HARQ systems, the transmitters (users) re-transmit their codewords when requested by the receiver (base-station). The receiver may choose to enforce blanking, that is, it may choose to request only a subset of the transmitters to re-transmit and the remaining ones to be silent. Moreover, subject to the complexity and latency constraints, the receiver may be able to perform codeword cancellation wherein it can re-encode, re-modulate a subset of decoded codewords and subtract them from the received observations. A candidate combining technique is the conventional chase-combining, which in contrast to the optimal combining requires significantly less memory and processing capability at the receiver but can result in substantial performance degradation. The authors propose efficient combining techniques that cater to all the various scenarios that arise in such multi-codeword systems. The proposed techniques impose similar memory and complexity demands as the conventional combining but yield a significant performance improvement. The issue of limited feedback in multi-codeword multi-antenna chase-combining HARQ systems is also addressed and it can be used to further improve the system throughput. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DENV (dengue virus) induces UPR (unfolded protein response) in the host cell, which strikes a balance between prosurvival and pro-apoptotic signals. We previously showed that Salubrinal, a drug that targets the UPR, inhibits DENV replication. Here, we examine the impact on UPR after direct or ADE (antibody-dependent enhanced) infection of cells with DENV clinical isolates. THP-1 cells in the presence of subneutralizing concentration of humanized antibody 4G2 (cross-reactive with flavivirus envelope protein) or HEK-293 cells (human embryonic kidney 293 cells) were infected with DENV-1-4 serotypes. UPR gene expression was monitored under these infection conditions using real-time RT-PCR (reverse transcription-PCR) and Western blots to analyse serotype-dependent variations. Subsequently, in a blinded study, strain-specific differences were compared between DENV-2 clinical isolates obtained from a single epidemic. Results showed that THP-1 cells were infected efficiently and equally by DENV-1-4 in the ADE mode. At 48 hpi (h post infection), DENV-1 and -3 showed a higher replication rate and induced higher expression of several UPR genes such as BiP (immunoglobulin heavy-chain-binding protein), GADD34 (growth arrest DNA damage-inducible protein 34) and CHOP [C/EBP (CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein)-homologous protein]. The ADE infection of THP-1 cells with epidemic DENV-2 high-UPR-gene-expressing strains appears to correlate with severe disease; however, no such correlation could be made when the same viruses were used to infect HEK-293 cells. Our finding that UPR gene expression in THP-1 cells during ADE infection correlates with dengue disease severity is consistent with a previous study [Morens, Marchette, Chu and Halstead (1991) Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 45, 644-651] that showed that the growth of DENV 2 isolates in human peripheral blood leucocytes correlated with severe and mild dengue diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infection is a leading cause of death in renal allograft recipients. Apart from the immunosuppressive drugs, immunomodulatory viral infections also predispose the recipient to many opportunistic infections. Kala-azar in renal allograft recipients is infrequently reported even in endemic areas. In majority of cases, there was delay in diagnosis and treatment. We report a case of renal allograft recipient, where we faced a diagnostic dilemma because of coinfection of cytomegalovirus and visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar). Kala-azar was successfully treated with amphotericin B. Kala-azar should always be kept as differential diagnosis in patients with pyrexia and cytopenia, even in the absence of splenomegaly in patients residing in an endemic zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel polycrystalline materials of bismuth substituted barium titanate, namely, BaBixTi1-xO3-δ, (x = 0.025, 0.075, 0.125 and 0.175) was prepared by sol-gel chemical route and characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Bismuth ion was added in place of titanium of B-site of ABO3 perovskite structure and both the site-balance as well as charge-balance was considered. The substitution of bismuth for Ti-site is clearly seen in both the XRD as well as IR spectroscopic data. Dielectric and impedance analysis were also made on the present novel ceramics. The above mentioned substitution involves ionic compensation, through creation of cation vacancies and is explained by proposing the defect dynamics. The results were corroborated with dielectric and complex impedance analysis for further understanding of ionic motion in this kind of disordered diffused materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to study the distribution of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism, and its association with steroid responsiveness in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS). One hundred twenty-five children with INS were classified into two groups: steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS: n = 90) and steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS: n=35). The control group consisted of 150 unrelated healthy children. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral leucocytes by the standard salting-out method. ACE genotyping was performed and ACE genotypes DD, ID, and II were compared between different groups. The frequency distribution of the DD genotype was significantly increased in children with INS compared to control subjects (P = 0.0012) while the difference was not significant (P = 0.071) between SSNS and control subjects. The frequency distribution of the DD genotype was significantly high in the SRNS group compared to control subjects (P < 0.0001). The distribution of the DD genotype was high in SRNS compared to SSNS group patients (P = 0.016). In conclusion, the presence of the DD genotype may predict risk for steroid resistance in childhood INS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The objective of this study was to investigate EMG signals of cervical muscles in five directional efforts from chronic neck pain patients and compare them with those of the healthy controls to discern differences between patients and controls with respect to strength and EMG characteristics. Method. Seventeen male and 17 female idiopathic and non-specific chronic neck pain patients without any diagnosed pathologies or prior surgery in the age group 18-65 years were recruited into the study. The controls consisted of 30 male and 33 female subjects with no history of neck pain in the past 12 months. Both patients and controls performed the experimental activities of flexion, left anterolateral flexion, left lateral flexion, left posterolateral extension and extension. The patients exerted to their 20% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC), pain threshold and pain tolerance levels in three separate contractions. Similarly, the control subjects exerted to their 20% MVC, 60% MVC and MVC in random order. The descriptive statistics for strength, normalised peak EMG, median frequency (MF), 10% frequency bands and their power were calculated. Eight levels of wavelet decomposition and their coefficients were calculated and subjected to principal component analysis. These variables were subjected to analysis of variance and regression analysis to distinguish between patients and controls. The full wave rectified linear envelope detected EMG of patients and controls were plotted against time to reveal pattern differences. Results. There was a lack of significant difference in the MF of the two samples indicating that the muscle conduction velocity was not disturbed by the pain. Significant differences were also found in 10 percentile frequency bands between patients and controls ( p < 0.05). The wavelet decomposition with principal component analysis revealed that patients and controls could be identified as such 100% of the time at 20% MVC; and, patients and controls could be identified correctly 100% and 90% of the time respectively at pain threshold/60% MVC. Conclusion. Thus, a combination of EMG spectral frequency banding and wavelet decomposition with regression can be used to distinguish chronic pain patients from controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, a homogenization methodology is proposed to determine the material properties of spiral wound gaskets (SWGs) using finite element analysis through representative volume elements (RVE) of the gaskets. The constituents of this RVE are described by elasto-plastic material properties. The RVE are subjected to six load cases and the volume averaged responses are analyzed simultaneously to predict the anisotropic properties. The mechanical behaviour is simplified to an orthotropic material model with Hill’s plasticity model and the properties are verified with micro-mechanical simulation and experimental results available in the literature. Reasonable agreement is obtained between the results. Formulae for elastic properties are also derived by a simplified analytical method based on lamination theory and compared with those obtained from homogenization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exposure of cells to ultraviolet B radiation (UVB) can induce the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which damage cellular components. Free radical scavengers and antioxidants can interfere with the production of ROS. We studied cytotoxicity, intracellular ROS levels, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant status and oxidative DNA damage in cultured human skin dermal fibroblast adult cells (HDFa) exposed to UVB in the presence of sesamol, a natural phenolic compound. The levels of cytotoxicity, intracellular ROS, lipid peroxidation, oxidative DNA damage and apoptotic morphological changes were significantly increased in UVB irradiated HDFa cells. We also observed that the activities of enzymatic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase) and the levels of non-enzymatic antioxidant status (GSH) were significantly decreased in UVB irradiated cells. On the other hand, sesamol pretreatment significantly decreased cytotoxicity, intracellular ROS, lipid peroxidation, oxidative DNA damage and apoptotic morphological changes in sesamol-pretreated and UVB-irradiated HDFa cells. We have also observed increased enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants status in sesamol plus UVB-irradiated cells. Among the different doses tested, 80 μM of sesamol shows maximum protection for UVB-induced oxidative damage. In conclusion, UVB-induced ROS formation, cell fatality, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant depletion and oxidative DNA damage in HDFa cells is inhibited by sesamol, which, probably through its ROS scavenging activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high temperature low cycle fatigue resistance and the creep-fatigue interaction (CFI) behaviour in terms of the effects of prior fatigue exposure on the subsequent creep behaviour are evaluated and reported for a short alumina fibre (Saffil) reinforced aluminium alloy (Al-12Si-CuMgNi) matrix composite at 623 K. The prior fatigue to study the CFI behaviour was imparted in the form of low cycle fatigue loading in a fully reversed, total strain controlled loading up to a quarter of fatigue life at a total strain amplitude of 0·006 (the plastic strain amplitude at half-life is 0·004), corresponding to a plastic strain energy per cycle value of 0·46 MJ m-3. Subsequently, isothermal tensile creep tests were conducted at 623 K to evaluate the minimum creep rate, rupture time and strain to failure as a function of applied creep stress. Also examined were the fracture features as well as the nature and extent of damage that occurs during low cycle fatigue and creep-fatigue loading. The results obtained on the composite material are compared with those of the matrix aluminium alloy to bring out the effects of reinforcement. The results showed that the reinforcement causes significant loss in high temperature low cycle fatigue resistance in terms of fatigue ductility and cyclic energy parameters. Prior fatigue loading was seen to cause a small but consistent decrease in the creep resistance, which is attributed to the combined effects of mechanical loading and microstructural damage from prior fatigue loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Arsenic sulfide and arsenic selenide glasses, batched from elemental precursors in stoichiometric proportions, are synthesised in ≤35min via microwave heating in a domestic microwave oven (DMO). The DMO products are compared with the stoichiometric glasses made by conventional resistive furnace melting using: X-ray diffraction (XRD); transmission electron microscopy with selected area electron diffraction (TEM-SAED); analytical scanning electron microscopy; optical microscopy; differential thermal analysis (DTA); and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. From XRD and TEM-SAED, only part of the DMO As–S product is amorphous and exhibits up to three DTA glass transitions (T gs) showing that homogenisation has not taken place. In contrast, As40Se60 glass is readily prepared in the DMO and has similar properties to conventionally melted As40Se60 glass. Furthermore, the DMO As40Se60 glass can be patterned using hot embossing and drawn to fibre. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Tri-Valent (Sm3+/ Dy3+) and pentavalent (Nb5+) modified polycrystalline material of Aurivillius family, namely R0.75Bi3.25Ti2.9625.Nb0.03O12 (R = Sm, Dy), were prepared by conventional solid-state reaction method. Impedance and pyroelectric measurements were carried out to understand the electrical properties of the samples. Master plots were drawn to understand the defect role, especially vacancies, and the results were corroborated with the dc-conductivity data. Finally, both the complex impedance spectroscopic as well as pyroelectric results were compared with the impedance data of technological important materials, namely La0.75Bi3.25Ti3O12 (BLT) and lead zirconium titanate (PZT) for the further understanding of defects and its effects at the grain interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Electrophysiological criteria that identify and characterize low back pain can lead to better understanding of the affliction and possibly aid in its treatment. METHOD: Nineteen male and 22 female subjects with chronic back pain, without lumbar radiculopathy; and 30 male and 33 female control subjects with no history of low back pain in the last 12 months, were recruited into the study. All subjects flexed, extended, laterally flexed, flexed anterolaterally and extended posterolaterally isometrically to 20% and 100% of their maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). Additionally, patients were asked to do these activities to their pain threshold levels and control subjects to 60% maximum voluntary contraction. Surface electromyograms (EMG) were recorded from lumbar erectores spinae, external obliques and rectus abdominis bilaterally. The electromyogram was subjected to magnitude, Fast Fourier Transform, and wavelet analyses. The median frequency and frequency bands were calculated with their power. The wavelet decomposition was done and a logistic discriminate analysis was carried out to classify patients and normal controls. FINDINGS: The normalized peak electromyograms of patients were significantly greater than controls (P<0.01). The muscle conduction velocity was not disturbed by pain. Significant differences were found in total power between patients and controls (P<0.01). The analysis correctly classified patients and controls 65% and 98% of the time, respectively at 20% MVC, 95.1% (patients) and 86.8% (controls) at pain threshold/60% MVC, and 74.3% (patients) and 86.4% (controls) at pain tolerance/MVC (P<0.05). INTERPRETATION: The surface electromyography can be used in discriminating chronic low back pain patients and controls. This would be an objective test over and above other subjective tests, such as pain provocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We report the first high pressure investigations of the nematic–isotropic transition in the composites of a liquid crystal compound with hydrophilic aerosil particles. The low concentrations of the aerosil particles used create soft gels of the composites. As expected T N–Iso, the nematic–isotropic transition at room pressure exhibits a non-monotonic variation with increasing aerosil concentration. This non-monotonic behaviour is seen in the isobaric scans over the wide range of pressures studied, and its “magnitude” is dependent on the pressure applied. The surprising result of the present investigations on these nanocolloidal systems is that the slope of the pressure–temperature boundary also exhibits a non-monotonic dependence with the aerosil concentration, which qualitatively is similar to that of the transition temperature variation. Employing the transition enthalpy values determined at room pressure using differential scanning calorimetric scans collected at low heating rates, we calculate the transition volume dependence on the aerosil concentration. The study adds a new dimension, namely, the influence of pressure on liquid crystalline transitions in restricted geometries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A prospective randomised controlled trial was performed to establish the effect of oral iron supplementation on haemoglobin level at 4 weeks post-operative in elderly patients with fractured neck of femur undergoing surgical treatment. We single blindly randomised 68 patients into two groups. Thirty-four patients in the treatment group were compared with 32 in the control group. The treatment group received 200mg of oral iron tablets 3 times a day for 4 weeks in the post-operative period compared to nothing for the control group. The groups were comparable in all other aspects. The iron treatment resulted in significantly increased haemoglobin value at 4 weeks; 0.76g% higher than the control group (95% CI of +0.01 to +1.51) which is statistically significant (P <0.05). There was no major complication. We recommend oral iron supplementation in elderly anaemic patients with hip fracture in the post-operative period. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mitoferrin-1 (Mfrnl; S1c25a37), a member of the solute carrier family localized in the mitochondrial inner membrane, functions as an essential iron importer for the synthesis of mitochondrial heme and iron-sulfur clusters in erythroblasts. The biochemistry of Mfrnlmediated iron transport into the mitochondria, however, is poorly understood. Here, we used the strategy of in vivo epitope-tagging affinity purification and mass spectrometry to investigate Mfrnlmediated mitochondrial iron homeostasis. AbcblO, a mitochondrial inner membrane ATP-binding cassette transporter highly induced during erythroid maturation in hematopoietic tissues, was found as one key protein that physically interacts with Mfrnl during mouse erythroleukemia (MEL) cell differentiation. Mfrnl was shown previously to have a longer protein half-life in differentiated MEL cells compared with undifferentiated cells. In this study. AbcblO was found to enhance the stabilization of Mfrnl protein in MEL cells and transfected heterologous COS7 cells. In undifferentiated MEL cells. cotransfected AbcblO specifically interacts with Mfrnl to enhance its protein stability and promote Mfrnl-dependent mitochondrial iron importation. The structural stabilization of the Mfrnl-AbcblO complex demonstrates a previously uncharacterized function for AbcblO in mitochondria. Furthermore, the binding domain of Mfrnl-AbcblO interaction maps to the N terminus of Mfrnl. These results suggest the tight regulation of mitochondrial iron acquisition and heme synthesis in erythroblasts is mediated by both transcriptional and posttranslational mechanisms, whereby the high level of Mfrnl is stabilized by oligomeric protein complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impedance measurements were made on technological important ferroelectric ceramics, namely PZT and La0.75 Bi3.25Ti3O12 (BLT), in the frequency range of 100 Hz to 1 MHz, from room temperature to 500°C. Combined impedance and modulus spectroscopic analysis along with the detailed conductivity (ac and dc) data was used to understand the heterogeneity of the ceramics and the results were corroborated with temperature coefficient of dc-conductivity (figure of merit) data for the further understanding. AC-conductivity plots against frequency at different temperatures for PZT and BLT suggest the response of obeying Jonscher's and modified Jonscher's law, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a multicell orthogonal frequency- division multiple-access (OFDMA) wireless network with universal frequency reuse and treat the problem of cochannel interference mitigation via base station coordination in the down-link. Assuming that coordinated access points only share channel quality measurements but not user data symbols, we propose to select the set of cochannel users and the power allocation across tones to maximize the weighted system sum rate subject to per-base-station power constraints. Since this is a nonconvex combinatorial problem, efficient suboptimal algorithms are presented and discussed, each requiring a different level of coordination among base stations and a different feedback signaling overhead. Simulation results are provided to assess the performances of the proposed strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tri (Dy3 +) and pentavalent (Nb+5) modified new polycrystalline material of Aurivillius family (Dy0.75Bi3.25Ti2.9625Nb0.03O12) was prepared by solid-state reaction method and the lattice parameters were calculated by using X-ray diffractogram. Impedance measurements were carried out from room temperature to 500°C in the frequency range of 100 Hz to 1 M Hz. Impedance spectroscopic plots show non-Debye type and detailed ac-conductivity analysis was also employed to understand the heterogeneity of the present electro-ceramics. The results were corroborated with the proposed defect formula and in addition, thermal stimulated current measurements show that the present sample has an excellent pyroelectric response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuel cell stacks produce a dc output with a 2:1 variation in output voltage from no-load to full-load. The output voltage of each fuel cell is about 0.4 V at full-load, and several of them are connected in series to construct a stack. An example 100 V fuel cell stack consists of 250 cells in series and to produce 300 V at full-load requires 750 cells stacked in series. Since fuel cells actively convert the supplied fuel to electricity, each cell requires proper distribution of fuel, humidification, coupled with water/thermal management needs. With this added complexity, stacking more cells in series decreases the reliability of the system. For example, in the presence of bad or malperforming cell/cells in a stack, uneven heating coupled with variations in cell voltages may occur. Continuous operation under these conditions may not be possible or the overall stack output power is severely limited. In this paper, a modular fuel cell powered by a modular dc-dc converter is proposed. The proposed concept electrically divides the fuel cell stack into various sections, each powered by a dc-dc converter. The proposed modular fuel cell powered by modular dc-dc converter eliminates many of these disadvantages, resulting in a fault tolerant system. A design example is presented for a 150-W, three-section fuel cell stack and dc-dc converter topology. Experimental results obtained on a 150-W, three-section proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack powered by a modular dc-dc converter are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complete automation of trajectory planning tools for material deposition/removal applications has become increasingly necessary to reduce the "concept-to-consumer" timeline for rapid product introduction in industries such as the automotive industry. The work in this paper is specifically motivated by automotive spray painting. Prior developments in automated trajectory planning tools promise to reduce the time required to program the robots; however, these approaches are limited to surfaces that are either approximately planar or topologically simple (i.e., with no holes). To extend the applicability of these planning tools to nonplanar and topologically complex surfaces, currently the user has to manually segment a complex surface into simpler subsets, i.e., subsets that are approximately extruded surfaces and contain no holes. However, the complex nature of the relationships between surface segmentation and resulting output characteristics such as material deposition uniformity, process cycle time, and material waste makes the task of manually segmenting the surface difficult. In this paper, we develop a hierarchical procedure that automatically segments a surface based on surface geometry, surface topology, and path geometry to obtain topologically simple subsets that are approximately extruded surfaces. Finally, we compare the effectiveness of our segmentation with the state of the art on a few automotive surfaces in simulation. Note to Practitioners--The surface segmentation strategies described in this work can be applied to surfaces that are composed of approximately extruded surface patches joined together by regions of high curvature; such surfaces include typical automotive surfaces. The segmentation procedure allows the user to automatically generate a collection of preliminary coverage trajectories. With careful selection and minor clean up, these trajectories can improve the coverage uniformity for a given surface. The procedure operates on a surface CAD model, preferably in the triangulated manifold format and requires information about the material distribution (or removal) pattern produced from the atomizer (or machining) tool. With an understanding of the relative costs associated with different output characteristics such as uniformity of deposition, cycle time, and material waste, the procedures can be incorporated in existing industrial planning and simulation toots (with appropriate support from the software vendor) for applications such as robotic spray painting and CNC machining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB, 280–320) radiation induces the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the biological system. In this study, we examined the protective effect of ursolic acid on UVB-induced lipid peroxidation and oxidative DNA damage with reference to alterations in cellular antioxidant status in human lymphocytes. Series of in vitro tests (hydroxyl radical, superoxide, nitric oxide, DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays) demonstrates antioxidant property of ursolic acid in our study. Treatment of lymphocytes with ursolic acid alone (at 10μg/mL) gave no significant change in cell viability, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARSs), lipid hydroperoxides (LHPs), % tail DNA and tail moment when compared with normal lymphocytes. UVB-exposure significantly increased TBARS, LHP and % tail DNA, tail moment; decreased % cell viability and antioxidant status in irradiated lymphocytes. Treatment with ursolic acid 30min prior to UVB-exposure resulted in a significant decline of TBARS, LHP, % tail DNA and tail moment and increased % cell viability as ursolic acid concentration increased. Based on our results we conclude that ursolic acid, a dietary antioxidant, mediates its protective effect through modulation of UVB-induced reactive oxygen species. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

For the first time, we propose a dual-hop multiple input multiple output (MIMO)-based convergent underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC)–free-space optical (FSO) system. The UWOC and FSO links are Gamma–Gamma (GG) distributed. Closed-form expression for the average bit error rate (ABER) is derived for the proposed MIMO-based dual-hop UWOC-FSO convergent system using the GG cumulative distribution function. The end-to-end system performance analysis is carried out by considering the turbulence, attenuation, and pointing error effects for UWOC and FSO links. For the UWOC link, different oceanic conditions, such as the clear ocean, coastal ocean, and turbid harbor, are considered. Various atmospheric effects, such as clear air, fog, rain, drizzle, and haze, are considered for the FSO link. The analytical results of the proposed MIMO-based convergent system are compared with single-input single-output (SISO) system. As a result, it is observed that the proposed MIMO 2 × 3 scheme offers an improvement of 35 dB in the average signal-to-noise ratio compared with the SISO system at ABER of 10 − 5 in the case of weak pointing error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Despite considerable theoretical work, the evolution of population stability has rarely been investigated empirically. Moreover, it is not clear whether different stability properties of a population evolve together, or independently. 2. We investigate the evolution of two aspects of population stability using laboratory populations of Drosophila melanogaster selected for faster preadult development and early reproduction, and their matched controls. 3. We show that the constancy stability of the selected populations is significantly higher than their controls, confirming a previous observation that population stability can evolve as a by-product of life-history evolution. This enhanced constancy stability is due to a reduced maximal per capita growth rate, brought about by a reduction in fecundity of the selected populations as a result of the trade-off between developmental rate and fecundity. 4. Persistence stability, as reflected by the probability of extinction, does not differ significantly between selected and control populations. 5. We also show how seemingly trivial experimental details, such as the protocol for restarting extinct populations, can interact with life-history traits to alter the manifestation of the stability properties of a population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impedance spectroscopic measurements were carried out on lead based ferroelectric ceramics, namely PZT, PLZT and PMN-PT, in the frequency range of 0.1 Hz-1 MHz. Spectroscopic plots showed broad peaks, and are found to shift towards higher frequency side. Apart from this, both Z'' and M'' spectroscopic peaks are found to coincide almost in the same frequency region. This indicates approximated-Debye behavior. Frequency dependent conductivity plots show two slopes at lower and higher frequency regions. Low frequency relaxations are found to be non-exponential. Bulk relaxation vs. temperature plots are found to obey Arhenius linear fit. The relaxation at lower frequency and higher are attributed to Kohlrausch-Williams-Watt (KWW) type and migration of slow oxygen and lead vacancies. The results are corroborated to the conduction barrier hopping mechanism and new Eyraud's conductivity model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over half of the people affected by leprosy worldwide are in India, many of whom are severely disabled when they present for care. Changes in policy and the integration of the leprosy programme with general health services has given rise to new challenges for the control of blinding eye disease in leprosy patients. This paper looks at the challenges posed: management, materials, manpower, money, and mobility – all of which are common barriers to the availability, access, and utilization of services – and to monitoring existing programmes. We consider strategies to overcome these challenges and fulfill the goal of VISION 2020 – eliminating avoidable blindness – through the provision of comprehensive eye care and strengthening the existing infrastructure. Formal cooperation between national governments, non-governmental organisations, and International Development Agencies will need to continue, although possibly, in different roles and with plans modified to be relevant to the local needs of leprosy patients.Journal of Public Health Policy (2007) 28, 456–464. doi:10.1057/palgrave.jphp.3200149 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: UV-B induces lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress in mammalian cells by producing reactive oxygen species. In this present study, we report the protective effect of ferulic acid (FA; 3-methoxy-4-hydroxycinnamic acid), a dietary antioxidant, on UV-B–induced oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation using normal human lymphocytes. Treatment of the human peripheral lymphocytes with UV-B irradiation caused a significant (P < .05) depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and GSH peroxidase activities, and increased the levels of thiobarbituric acid–reactive substances. Treatment of human lymphocytes with FA before 30 minutes of irradiation inhibited UV-B–induced lipid peroxidation. Ferulic acid also inhibited UV-B–induced depletion of antioxidant defense components, such as GSH peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and GSH. The maximum dose of FA (10 μg/mL) normalized the UV-B–induced oxidative stress, indicating the protective effect of FA in human peripheral lymphocytes under in vitro conditions against UV-B exposure. Our observations suggest that FA reduces UV-B–induced lipid peroxidation and enhances antioxidant status in human lymphocytes exposed to UV-B radiation, and therefore, FA could serve as a protector against the UV-B–induced pathologic changes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We undertook a quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis in mice to identify modifier genes that might influence the severity of human iron disorders. We identified a strong QTL on mouse chromosome 9 that differentially affected macrophage iron burden in C57BL/10J and SWR/J mice. A C57BL/10J missense allele of an evolutionarily conserved gene, Mon1a, cosegregated with the QTL in congenic mouse lines. We present evidence that Mon1a is involved in trafficking of ferroportin, the major mammalian iron exporter, to the surface of iron-recycling macrophages. Differences in amounts of surface ferroportin correlate with differences in cellular iron content. Mon1a is also important for trafficking of cell-surface and secreted molecules unrelated to iron metabolism, suggesting that it has a fundamental role in the mammalian secretory apparatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A and B site modified new bismuth layered structure ferroelectric ceramics of the Aurivillius family were prepared by the solid-state route. Impedance measurements were performed on these samples to understand the relaxation effects in the frequency range of 100 Hz to 1 MHz. From the detailed impedance and modulus spectroscopic analysis, it is found that the aliovalent modified B-site enhances the relaxor-like nature, compared to A-site substitution. These results were corroborated with ac-conductivity transport analysis. In this connection, a defect formula is also proposed. The results are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 1B isoforms of the divalent metal transporter (DMT1) have recently been shown to be regulated transcriptionally via NF-κB but whether other regulatory elements are present on this promoter, however, have not been determined. Accordingly, studies were performed to delineate a minimal promoter region responsible for basal expression of these isoforms of DMT1. Promoter analysis has established that the 1B promoter is a TATA-less promoter containing a common CCAAT-box element conserved in mouse, rat, and human. Using luciferase reporter assays, it was found that mutation of this sequence leads to more than 95% reduction in the basal activity in mouse P19 cells. Using EMSA and ChIP assay, it was confirmed that NF-YA protein subunit can bind specifically to this site. Transfecting these cells with a dominant negative (DN) form of NF-YA leads to ∼60% decrease in luciferase activity and ∼65% decrease in 1B form of mRNA. To determine the location of the CCAAT-box in relation to the transcription start site, 5′ RACE was performed. Results of these studies reveal that the CCAAT-box resides at position -6 to -2 upstream from the transcriptional start site. These data demonstrate that binding of NF-Y to this CCAAT-box domain is responsible for the basal regulation of 1B isoforms of DMT1 mRNA. J. Cell. Physiol. 211: 183–188, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The kinetics of ruthenium(III)-catalyzed oxidation of 2-phenylethylamine (PEA) with sodium N-chlorobenzenesulphonamide or chloramine-B (CAB) in hydrochloric acid solution has been studied at 313K. The reaction rate shows first-order dependence each on [CAB], [H+] and [Ru(III)Cl3] and fractional order on [PEA] and [Cl−]. Variation of ionic strength and addition of the reduction product of CAB has no significant effect on the rate. There is a negative effect of dielectric constant of the solvent. The stoichiometry of the reaction was found to be 1:1 and the oxidation product of 2-phenylethylamine was identified as phenyl acetaldehyde. The reaction was studied at different temperatures and the activation parameters have been evaluated from the Arrhenius plot. The reaction constants involved in the mechanisms were computed. RN+H2Cl has been postulated as the reactive oxidizing species. Mechanisms consistent with the observed kinetic data have been proposed and discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Potable waters from various locations of the Bangalore environment were investigated for their 222Rn concentrations by the emanometry method. About 94 groundwater (borewell) samples were analysed for 222Rn concentrations and found to vary in the range 5.3–283.4 Bq L-1 with a mean value of 87 Bq L-1. Frequency distribution showed the 222Rn concentration in a large number of samples in the range of 0–50 Bq L-1. From the measured concentrations, the effective doses (lung and stomach) for the population of the region were estimated. The effective dose was found to vary from 42.6 to 2280.2 µSv y-1 with a mean value 702.5 µSv y-1. The effect of boiling of water showed a drastic reduction in the 222Rn concentration. The results of the present investigation are systematically analysed, compared with the literature values and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]