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Highlights: [•] Debris filtering efficiencies for two debris filter designs used in PWRs are provided. [•] Various debris used in the tests are selected to simulate actual debris found in PWRs. [•] Debris filter efficiency is explained by flow-hole size and grid strap height. [•] The effect of debris filters on flow blockage during LTC after a LOCA is described. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

J. Neurochem. (2012) 122, 1081-1091. Abstract Dual-specificity tyrosine(Y)-phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A (Dyrk1A) is a protein kinase that might be responsible for mental retardation and early onset of Alzheimer's disease in Down's syndrome patients. Dyrk1A plays a role in many cellular pathways through phosphorylation of diverse substrate proteins; however, its role in synaptic vesicle exocytosis is poorly understood. Munc18-1, a central regulator of neurotransmitter release, interacts with Syntaxin 1 and X11α. Syntaxin 1 is a key soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor protein involved in synaptic vesicle docking/fusion events, and X11α modulates amyloid precursor protein processing and β amyloid generation. In this study, we demonstrate that Dyrk1A interacts with and phosphorylates Munc18-1 at the Thr479 residue. The phosphorylation of Munc18-1 at Thr479 by Dyrk1A stimulated binding of Munc18-1 to Syntaxin 1 and X11α. Furthermore, the levels of phospho-Thr479-Munc18-1 were enhanced in the brains of transgenic mice over-expressing Dyrk1A protein, providing in vivo evidence of Munc18-1 phosphorylation by Dyrk1A. These results reveal a link between Munc18-1 and Dyrk1A in synaptic vesicle trafficking and amyloid precursor protein processing, suggesting that up-regulated Dyrk1A in Down's syndrome and Alzheimer's disease brains may contribute to some pathological features, including synaptic dysfunction and cognitive defect through abnormal phosphorylation of Munc18-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imaging modalities for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), such as intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) or optical coherence tomography (OCT), have increased in the current PCI era. However, their clinical benefits in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have not been fully elucidated. This study investigated the long-term outcomes of image-guided PCI in patients with AMI using data from the Korean Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry. A total of 9,271 patients with AMI, who underwent PCI with second-generation drug-eluting stents between November 2011 and December 2015, were retrospectively examined, and target lesion failure (TLF) at 3 years (defined as the composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, and ischemia-driven target lesion revascularization) was evaluated. From the registry, 2,134 patients (23.0%) underwent image-guided PCI (IVUS-guided: n = 1,919 [20.6%]; OCT-guided: n = 215 patients [2.3%]). Based on propensity score matching, image-guided PCI was associated with a significant reduction in TLF (hazard ratio: 0.76; 95% confidence interval: 0.59–0.98, p = 0.035). In addition, the TLF incidence in the OCT-guided PCI group was comparable to that in the IVUS-guided PCI group (5.3% vs 4.7%, p = 0.903). Image-guided PCI, including IVUS and OCT, is associated with favorable clinical outcomes in patients with AMI at 3 years post-intervention. Additionally, OCT-guided PCI is not inferior to IVUS-guided PCI in patients with AMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The nanoporous alumina membranes (NAMs) were fabricated by a two-step aluminium anodic oxidation process. The fabricated NAMs have controllable pore diameters (40–80nm) and unidirectionally ordered pore direction. The surface of the NAM was modified with the organo-silane agent (APTES: (aminopropyl)triethoxysilane) to induce ionic bonding between the NAM and the photosensitizer (TSPP: tetrakis(p-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin). The morphology and chemical nature of the surface modified NAM were studied by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), FT-IR spectra, and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). Furthermore, this singlet oxygen generating nanoporous membranes (SGNMs) were investigated, in detail, to understand their photophysical properties and the singlet oxygen generation efficiency which were the essential factors for their applications. Steady-state spectroscopies and nanosecond laser induced time-resolved spectroscopy were applied to get information on all photophysical properties including the lifetime of singlet oxygen which depended on the pore diameter of the SGNM. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) suffer from mental retardation. Overexpression and the resulting increased specific activity of Dyrk1A kinase located on chromosome 21 cause a learning and memory deficit in Dyrk1A transgenic mice. To search for therapeutic agents with Dyrk1A inhibition activity, previously we obtained HCD160 as a new hit compound for Dyrk1A inhibition. In the present study, we synthesized 34 HCD160 derivatives to investigate the quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR). This analysis could provide important information for novel drug discovery for treatment of DS related learning and memory deficits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]