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In this article, we consider a complex-valued and a measure-valued measure on $C [0,t]$, the space of all real-valued continuous functions on $[0,t]$. Using these concepts, we establish the measure-valued Feynman-Kac formula and we prove that this formula satisfies a Volterra integral equation. The work here is patterned to some extent on earlier works by Kluvanek in 1983 and by Lapidus in 1987, but the present setting requires a number of new concepts and results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manual wheelchair users are at great risk for the development of upper extremity injury and pain. Any loss of upper limb function due to pain adversely impacts the independence and mobility of manual wheelchair users. There is growing theoretical and empirical evidence that fluctuations in movement (i.e., motor variability) are related to musculoskeletal pain. This perspectives paper discusses a local review on several investigations examining the association between variability in wheelchair propulsion and shoulder pain in manual wheelchair users. The experimental data reviewed highlights that the variability of wheelchair propulsion is impacted by shoulder pain in manual wheelchair users. We maintain that inclusion of these metrics in future research on wheelchair propulsion and upper limb pain may yield novel data. Several promising avenues for future research based on this collective work are discussed.

Background: Manual wheelchair users report a high prevalence of shoulder pain. Growing evidence shows that variability in forces applied to biological tissue is related to musculoskeletal pain. The purpose of this study was to examine the variability of forces acting on the shoulder during wheelchair propulsion as a function of shoulder pain., Methods: Twenty-four manual wheelchair users (13 with pain, 11 without pain) participated in the investigation. Kinetic and kinematic data of wheelchair propulsion were recorded for 3 min maintaining a constant speed at three distinct propulsion speeds (fast speed of 1.1 m/s, a self-selected speed, and a slow speed of 0.7 m/s). Peak resultant shoulder forces in the push phase were calculated using inverse dynamics. Within individual variability was quantified as the coefficient of variation of cycle to cycle peak resultant forces., Findings: There was no difference in mean peak shoulder resultant force between groups. The pain group had significantly smaller variability of peak resultant force than the no pain group (P<0.01, η²=0.18)., Interpretation: The observations raise the possibility that propulsion variability could be a novel marker of upper limb pain in manual wheelchair users., (© 2013.)

The effects of cyanide, used in illegal fishing, on one of the most economically important Nile fishes, the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), were studied. Cyanide impacts were evaluated in terms of biochemical, molecular and histopathological characteristics. After exposure to sublethal concentration (0.05mg/l) of potassium cyanide (KCN) for two and four weeks, GOT (glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase) was significantly increased in both male and female, while GPT (glutamate pyruvate transaminase), total plasma protein, phosphoprotein phosphorus (Vgt) in serum, vitellogenin gene expression (Vtg mRNA) and estrogen receptors (ER mRNA) were significantly decreased in female. On the other hand, male C. gariepinus showed a significant increase in Vtg and Vtg mRNA. Liver, testis and ovaries showed distinct histopathological changes. It was concluded that, cyanide caused damaging effects to fish and can cause serious disturbance in the natural reproduction and a drastic decline in fish population. Therefore, it is recommended that, the use of cyanide compounds must be prohibited to conserve the fisheries resources., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The studies have been performed to analyze the production of beta-glucanase by a recombinant strain of Escherichia coli immobilized in different matrices. Porous sintered glass SIRAN, Ceramic supporting matrices and Broken Pumice stone as well as SIRAN Raschig-rings were examined for the immobilization of whole bacterial cells. The beta-glucanase activity of bacteria immobilized in CeramTec PST 5 (4-5 mm) was very low. CeramTec PST 5 (1.5-2.5 mm) was found to be the best carrier compared to all other matrices regarding glucanase production (630 U/ml) and compared to enzyme activity produced by free cells (500 U/ml). Different doses of matrices were applied (2, 5, 7, 10 g/lask) in the form of "matrix weight". Using 2 g/flask of CeramTec PST 5 (1.5-2.5 mm) yielded enzyme activity of 630 U/ml). CeramTec gives highest operational stability of beta-glucanase by repeated batch fermentation to 5 cycles, and activity reached 660 U/ml. Scanning electron microscopy observations showed a high number of vegetative cells that continued growth inside the matrices, indicating that beta-glucanase activity improvement was due to the immobilization of the cells.

Conversion of glucose to lactic acid is stoichiometrically equivalent to ethanol formation with respect to ATP formation from substrate-level phosphorylation, redox equivalents and product yield. However, anaerobic growth cannot be sustained in homolactate fermenting Saccharomyces cerevisiae. ATP-dependent export of the lactate anion and/or proton, resulting in net zero ATP formation, is suspected as the underlying cause. In an effort to understand the mechanisms behind the decreased lactic acid production rate in anaerobic homolactate cultures of S. cerevisiae, aerobic carbon-limited chemostats were performed and subjected to anaerobic perturbations in the presence of high glucose concentrations. Intracellular measurements of adenosine phosphates confirmed ATP depletion and decreased energy charge immediately upon anaerobicity. Unexpectedly, readily available sources of carbon and energy, trehalose and glycogen, were not activated in homolactate strains as they were in reference strains that produce ethanol. Finally, the anticipated increase in maximal velocity (V(max)) of glycolytic enzymes was not observed in homolactate fermentation suggesting the absence of protein synthesis that may be attributed to decreased energy availability. Essentially, anaerobic homolactate fermentation results in energy depletion, which, in turn, hinders protein synthesis, central carbon metabolism and subsequent energy generation.

A 22-year-old woman went through a period with a labile mood that first turned into psychotic hyperactivity and was then followed by hyperthermia and exhaustion. This was accompanied by diminished consciousness, sinus arrhythmia and respiratory insufficiency. With a working diagnosis of 'lethal catatonia' she was treated by electroshock and later also with the antipsychotic agent quetiapine. After a few electroshock treatments her vital functions improved and ultimately, the patient recovered. Lethal catatonia is characterised by acute excitation, catalepsy, autonomic instability and fever, which can lead to death. The syndrome often starts with mood instability, which turns into hyperactivity accompanied by hyperthermia and exhaustion. The creatine kinase, blood-sedimentation rate and leukocyte count are often raised. Lethal catatonia must be distinguished from the neuroleptic malignant syndrome, serotonin syndrome and encephalitis. The pathophysiology is unclear, but most reports suggest a hypodopaminergic state. The syndrome is associated with affective disorders and schizophrenia. Early recognition is made difficult by the low frequency of appearance, diversity in nomenclature, and strong resemblance to other syndromes.

Pex19p exhibits a broad binding specificity for peroxisomal membrane proteins (PMPs), and is essential for the formation of functional peroxisomal membranes. Pex19p orthologues contain a C-terminal CAAX motif common to prenylated proteins. In addition, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Chinese hamster Pex19p are at least partially farnesylated in vivo. Whether farnesylation of Pex19p plays an essential or merely ancillary role in peroxisome biogenesis is currently not clear. Here, we show that (i) nonfarnesylated and farnesylated human Pex19p display a similar affinity towards a select set of PMPs, (ii) a variant of Pex19p lacking a functional farnesylation motif is able to restore peroxisome biogenesis in Pex19p-deficient cells, and (iii) peroxisome protein import is not affected in yeast and mammalian cells defective in one of the enzymes involved in the farnesylation pathway. Summarized, these observations indicate that the CAAX box-mediated processing steps of Pex19p are dispensable for peroxisome biogenesis in yeast and mammalian cells.

A 720 m2 plant made of 8 ponds in series, set in Yaounde (Cameroon), was successively operated as a macrophyte-based system (type M) from November 1997 to October 98, a microphyte-based system (type m) from October 1999 to September 2000 and a combination of macrophyte and microphyte ponds (type M + m) from May to July 2001. Average applied loads varied over the years; from 420 kg. BOD5 ha(-1)d(-1) on the year 1997/98, the loads reached 510 kg BOD5 ha(-1)d(-1) in 1999/2000 and 500 in 2001. Though the system became more and more overloaded and sludge accumulated rapidly in the first ponds, it provided average removals of SS, BOD5 and COD that were always higher than 90% whatever the type of lagooning. Performances in the removal of SS, organic matter and the abatement of N-NH4+ and PO4(3-) did not significantly differ according to the type of lagooning and the applied load. Macrophyte lagooning did not show any definitive superiority as to nutrient removal when compared to microphyte lagooning. Microphyte lagooning was the most effective process in faecal indicators removal.

Objective: Induction of growth-factor-based repair in full-thickness articular cartilage defects can be impaired by the upgrowth of blood vessels and new bone into the cartilaginous compartment. We postulated that if an antiangiogenic factor (suramin) is included in the chondrogenic matrix applied to the cartilaginous compartment of a full-thickness defect, vascular upgrowth and therefore bone formation will be inhibited (functional barrier principle)., Design: Full-thickness defects were created in miniature pigs and the bony portion filled with a chondrogenic matrix. The cartilaginous compartment was filled with the same matrix which additionally contained suramin, either in a free form or in free and liposome-encapsulated forms. Animals were sacrificed 8 weeks after surgery and the extent to which bone tissue had encroached on the cartilaginous compartment was graded semiquantitatively using light microscopy., Results: In 63% of the control defects, bone represented more than 50% of the repair tissue present. In 10% of the defects treated with free suramin, bone upgrowth was completely inhibited; in 55%, osseous tissue occupied 1-10% of the cartilaginous space and in the other 35%, it represented 11-50% of the repair tissue present in this compartment. In 69% of the defects treated with free and liposome-encapsulated suramin, bone upgrowth into the cartilaginous compartment was completely inhibited; in the remaining 31%, osseous tissue occupied no more than 1-10% of this space., Conclusions: To be effective, an antiangiogenic factor needs to be present at a sustained level throughout the chondrogenic treatment course.

We evaluated the in vitro development of porcine zygotes that were cultured in a novel culture medium, porcine zygote medium (PZM), under different conditions and compared to in vivo development. The viability of these zygotes to full term after culture was also evaluated by embryo transfer to recipients. Porcine single-cell zygotes were collected from gilts on Day 2 after hCG injection. Culture of zygotes in PZM containing 3 mg/ml of BSA (PZM-3) produced better results in terms of proportion of Day 6 blastocysts, Day 8 hatching rate, and numbers of inner cell mass (ICM) cells and total cells in Day 8 embryos than that in North Carolina State University (NCSU)-23 medium. In culture with PZM-3, embryo development was optimized in an atmosphere of 5% CO2:5% O2:90% N2 compared to 5% CO2 in air. The ICM and total cell numbers in Day 6 embryos cultured in PZM-3 or in PZM-3 in which BSA was replaced with 3 mg/ml of polyvinyl alcohol (PZM-4) were also greater than those of NCSU-23 but less than those developed in vivo. However, no difference was found in the ratio of ICM to total cells among embryos developed in PZM-3, PZM-4, or in vivo. When the Day 6 embryos that developed in PZM-4 (99 embryos) or in vivo (100 embryos) were each transferred into six recipients, no difference was found in the farrowing rate (83.3% for both treatments) and in the number of piglets born (33 and 42 piglets, respectively). Our results indicate that porcine zygotes can develop into blastocysts in a chemically defined medium and to full term by transfer to recipients after culture.