Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans in 1,4-dichlorobenzene mothballs.
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Animals↗
Biomedical subjects
D Wang
Publications and source records attributed to D Wang.
Thermal sensation and comfort in transient non-uniform thermal environments.
Most existing thermal comfort models are applicable only to steady-state, uniform thermal environments. This paper presents summary results from 109 human tests that were performed under non-uniform and transient conditions. In these tests, local body areas were independently heated or cooled while the rest of the body was exposed to a warm, neutral or cool environment. Skin temperatures, core temperature, thermal sensation and comfort responses were collected at 1- to 3-min intervals. Based on these tests, we have developed predictive models of local and overall thermal sensation and comfort.
Air Conditioning↗
Persistent HPV infection in postmenopausal age women.
OBJECTIVE: Persistence of human papillomavirus (HPV) is associated with an increased risk of developing cervical SIL and cancer in young women. Because this association in older, postmenopausal age women has received little attention, we evaluated persistence of HPV among women in this age group. METHODS: Women (n=105) ages 45-64 were examined annually for 7 years to evaluate HPV in cervical cytologic specimens. PCR, dot blot hybridization and DNA sequencing were used to detect HPV types. RESULTS: The cumulative prevalence of HPV was 34%, and 24% had HPV high-risk oncogenic types which are associated with genital cancers. The most common oncogenic types were HPV-16 (72%) and HPV-31 (16%). The persistence rate of HPV infection was 16%. No specific risk factors were associated with repeat viral positivity. CONCLUSION: Postmenopausal women are infected with persistent oncogenic HPV at a substantial rate, supporting the need for continued screening in postmenopausal women to detect preneoplastic genital lesions.
Age Factors↗
Determination of a misfit dislocation complex in SiGe/Si heterostructures by image deconvolution technique in HREM.
The core structure of a dislocation complex in SiGe/Si system composed of a perfect 60 degrees dislocation and an extended 60 degrees dislocation has been revealed at atomic level. This is attained by applying the image deconvolution technique in combination with dynamical diffraction effect correction to an image taken with a 200kV field-emission high-resolution electron microscope. The possible configuration of the dislocation complex is analyzed and their Burgers vectors are determined.
Journal Article↗
HPV prevalence and concordance in the cervix and oral cavity of pregnant women.
OBJECTIVES: This investigation examined human papillomavirus (HPV) in pregnant women in order to characterize viral prevalence, types and concordance between infection in the cervix and in the oral cavity. METHODS: A total of 577 pregnant women seeking routine obstetric care were evaluated for HPV infection in their cervix during gestation and immediately before delivery, and in the oral cavity during gestation. Male partners present during the gestational clinic visit also provided a specimen from their oral cavity. HPV assessment was performed by PCR, dot blot hybridization and DNA sequencing. A sexual and health questionnaire was completed by the pregnant women. RESULTS: HPV prevalence in women was 29% in the cervix and 2.4% in the oral cavity. Among those with both gestational and delivery specimens, 35% were infected at least once and 20% had infection at both intervals. At delivery, 68% of infected women had an oncogenic HPV type in the cervix. There was no type-specific HPV concordance between the two cervical specimens, nor cervical and oral results in women, nor with cervical and oral findings between partners. CONCLUSION: The lack of association in HPV positivity and types between the cervix and oral cavity in these women suggests that self-inoculation is uncommon. This source of infection does not appear to be from oral contact with a current male partner, since there also was no concordance between partners. These results suggest either other modes of HPV transmission or differences in susceptibility to HPV infection or its clearance in the oral cavity and genital mucosa.
Adult↗
Regulation of Caenorhabditis elegans RNA interference by the daf-2 insulin stress and longevity signaling pathway.
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Animals↗
The association of coronary calcium score and conventional cardiovascular risk factors in Type 2 diabetic subjects asymptomatic for coronary heart disease (The PREDICT Study).
AIM: To determine the association between coronary calcification score (CACS) obtained by electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) and cardiovascular risk factors in Type 2 diabetic subjects entered into a prospective cohort study. METHODS: Type 2 diabetic subjects attending routine hospital diabetic clinics without known coronary heart disease (CHD) underwent EBCT to measure CACS. Demographic data were obtained and conventional cardiovascular risk factors were measured at baseline. RESULTS: Four hundred and ninety-five subjects were assessed of whom 67.7% were male. They had a mean (SD) age of 62.9 (7.1) years, with median (inter-quartile range) duration of diabetes of 8 (4-13) years. None had a history of coronary artery disease. Forty-five per cent were receiving lipid-lowering agents (including 36% statins). In a univariate analysis, there were significant associations between increased CACS and age, duration of diabetes, male gender, waist-hip ratio (WHR), systolic blood pressure, and the use of statins. In a multivariate model adjusting for the possible interaction of these and other factors, the significant association between CACS and WHR, systolic blood pressure, male gender and statin use remained. CONCLUSIONS: The close association between CACS and WHR and the association with systolic blood pressure suggest that coronary calcification may be particularly linked to the metabolic syndrome in Type 2 diabetes.
Calcinosis↗
Environmental nano-pollutants (ENP) and aquatic micro-interfacial processes.
The concepts of nano-science and technology are penetrating into the aspects of environmental science and technology. Environmental nano-pollutants (ENP) is suggested. as a specific category of pollutants that presents many common critical characters impacting the natural and social ecosystems. The outstanding properties are the various reactions in the macro-interfacial processes. Several examples as the adsorption of rare-earth metals on Chinese loess, the adsorption of PAHs on aquatic sediments with humic substances and the speciation of nano-flocculants in the water and wastewater treatment are discussed in the paper.
Adsorption↗
High-resolution genetic mapping of Xa27(t), a new bacterial blight resistance gene in rice, Oryza sativa L.
Bacterial blight of rice, caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae ( Xoo) (Ishyama) Dye, is one of the serious diseases prevalent throughout Asia. In a previous study, a resistance ( R) locus was transferred from the tetraploid wild rice Oryza minuta to the cultivated rice species, Oryza sativa L. Here, we report the fine genetic mapping of the R locus, tentatively designated as Xa27(t). We performed disease evaluation with an Xa27(t) near-isogenic line, IRBB27, testing 35 Xoo strains collected from 11 countries. The Xa27(t) locus conferred a high level of resistance to 27 strains and moderate resistance to three strains. Resistance of the Xa27(t) gene was developmentally regulated in IRBB27 and showed semi-dominant or a dosage effect in the cv. CO39 genetic background. As a prelude to cloning Xa27(t), a molecular mapping strategy was employed with a large mapping population consisting of 3,875 gametes. Three molecular markers, M336, M1081, and M1059, closely linked to Xa27(t), were identified to facilitate the mapping of Xa27(t) to the long arm of chromosome 6. The Xa27(t) locus was confirmed by chromosome landing of M1081 and M1095 markers on the rice genome. Markers derived from the genomic sequence of O. sativa cv. Nipponbare were used to further saturate the Xa27(t) genomic region. Xa27(t) was finally located within a genetic interval of 0.052 cM, flanked by markers M964 and M1197, and co-segregated with markers M631, M1230, and M449.
Base Sequence↗
Cloning and expression of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase cDNA from rosa (Rosa x hybrida).
The role of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) synthase in rose flower petal senescence was investigated. A cDNA library from senescing petals of rose ( Rosa x hybrid cv. Kardinal) prepared in lambdacDNA ZAP Express Vector was probed with a rose-specific 400-bp probe, and seven putative positive ACC synthase clones were isolated. Except for differences in length, the sequences of these clones were identical. A full-length clone, RKacc7, 1,750 bp long, coded for an open reading frame of 480 amino acids that contained the 11 conserved amino acid residues, the substrate and pyridoxal 5'-phosphate binding sites, all of which are characteristic of all ACC synthases. The transcripts prepared in vitro from the full-length clone when translated in rabbit reticulocyte lysates exhibited a 55-KDa polypeptide that comigrated with a polypeptide synthesized from a mRNA fraction isolated from senescing petals, and both were immunoselected by anti-ACC synthase antibodies. Reverse transcriptase-PCR-based studies showed that in planta RKacc7 is specifically expressed in rose petals, ovary and sepals. The expression of ACC synthase increased dramatically as the flower matured to senescence and also correlated positively with ethylene levels. The results of genomic Southern blots probed with RKacc7 are consistent with a pattern expected from a multigene family.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Identification of putative QTL that underlie yield in interspecific soybean backcross populations.
Glycine soja, the wild progenitor of soybean, is a potential source of useful genetic variation in soybean improvement. The objective of our study was to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) from G. soja that could improve the crop. Five populations of BC(2)F(4)-derived lines were developed using the Glycine max cultivar IA2008 as a recurrent parent and the G. soja plant introduction (PI) 468916 as a donor parent. There were between 57 and 112 BC(2)F(4)-derived lines in each population and a total of 468 lines for the five populations. The lines were evaluated with simple sequence repeat markers and in field tests for yield, maturity, plant height, and lodging. The field testing was done over 2 years and at two locations each year. Marker data were analyzed for linkage and combined with field data to identify QTL. Using an experimentwise significance threshold of P=0.05, four yield QTL were identified across environments on linkage groups C2, E, K, and M. For these yield QTL, the IA2008 marker allele was associated with significantly greater yield than the marker allele from G. soja. In addition, one lodging QTL, four maturity QTL, and five QTL for plant height were identified across environments. Of the 14 QTL identified, eight mapped to regions where QTL with similar effects were previously mapped. Many regions carrying the yield QTL were also significant for other traits, such as plant height and lodging. When the significance threshold was reduced and the data were analyzed with simple linear regression, four QTL with a positive allele for yield from G. soja were mapped. One epistatic interaction between two genetic regions was identified for yield using an experimentwise significance threshold of P=0.05. Additional research is needed to establish whether multiple trait associations are the result of pleiotropy or genetic linkage and to retest QTL with a positive effect from G. soja.
Analysis of Variance↗
A validated 1H NMR method for the determination of the degree of deacetylation of chitosan.
A method for the determination of the degree of deacetylation (DDA) of chitosan by 1H NMR spectroscopy has been formally validated. Chitosans with DDA ranging from 48 to 100% have been used for the validation. The method is found to be simple, rapid and more precise than other known techniques like IR or titration for %DDA measurements. The precision, ruggedness, robustness, specificity, stability and accuracy of the technique are discussed in this paper.
Acetylation↗
Acupuncture for chronic low back pain in older patients: a randomized, controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE: To determine if acupuncture is an effective, safe adjunctive treatment to standard therapy for chronic low back pain (LBP) in older patients. METHODS: The inclusion criteria for subjects were: (i) LBP > or =12 weeks and (ii) age > or =60 yr; the exclusion criteria were (i) spinal tumour, infection or fracture and (ii) associated neurological symptoms. The subjects were randomized to two groups. The control group of subjects continued their usual care as directed by their physicians, i.e. NSAIDs, muscle relaxants, paracetamol and back exercises. Subjects in the acupuncture group in addition received biweekly acupuncture with electrical stimulation for 5 weeks. Outcome was measured by the modified Roland Disability Questionnaire (RDQ) at weeks 0, 2, 6 and 9. The primary outcome measure was change in RDQ score between weeks 0 and 6. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients were enrolled, with eight drop-outs. Twenty-four subjects were randomized to the acupuncture group and 23 were randomized to the control group. Acupuncture subjects had a significant decrease in RDQ score of 4.1 +/- 3.9 at week 6, compared with a mean decrease of 0.7 +/- 2.8 in the control group (P = 0.001). This effect was maintained for up to 4 weeks after treatment at week 9, with a decrease in RDQ of 3.5 +/- 4.4 from baseline, compared with 0.43 +/- 2.7 in the control group (P = 0.007). The mean global transition score was higher in the acupuncture group, 3.7 +/- 1.2, indicating greater improvement, compared with the score in the control group, 2.5 +/- 0.9 (P < 0.001). Fewer acupuncture subjects had medication-related side-effects compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture is an effective, safe adjunctive treatment for chronic LBP in older patients.
Acupuncture Analgesia↗
Analysis of HMW glutenin subunits and their coding sequences in two diploid Aegilops species.
Considerable progress has been made in understanding the structure, function and genetic regulation of high-molecular-weight (HMW) glutenin subunits in hexaploid wheat. In contrast, less is known about these types of proteins in wheat related species. In this paper, we report the analysis of HMW glutenin subunits and their coding sequences in two diploid Aegilops species, Aegilops umbellulata (UU) and Aegilops caudata (CC). SDS-PAGE analysis demonstrated that, for each of the four Ae. umbellulata accessions, there were two HMW glutenin subunits (designated here as 1Ux and 1Uy) with electrophoretic mobilities comparable to those of the x- and y-type subunits encoded by the Glu-D1 locus, respectively. In our previous study involving multiple accessions of Ae. caudata, two HMW glutenin subunits (designated as 1Cx and 1Cy) with electrophoretic mobilities similar to those of the subunits controlled by the Glu-D1 locus were also detected. These results indicate that the U genome of Ae. umbellulata and the C genome of Ae. caudata encode HMW glutenin subunits that may be structurally similar to those specified by the D genome. The complete open reading frames (ORFs) coding for x- and y-type HMW glutenin subunits in the two diploid species were cloned and sequenced. Analysis of deduced amino acid sequences revealed that the primary structures of the x- and y-type HMW glutenin subunits of the two Aegilops species were similar to those of previously published HMW glutenin subunits. Bacterial expression of modified ORFs, in which the coding sequence for the signal peptide was removed, gave rise to proteins with electrophoretic mobilities identical to those of HMW glutenin subunits extracted from seeds, indicating that upon seed maturation the signal peptide is removed from the HMW glutenin subunit in the two species. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 1Ux and 1Cx subunits were most closely related to the 1Dx type subunit encoded by the Glu-D1 locus. The 1Uy subunit possessed a higher level of homology to the 1Dy-type subunit compared with the 1Cy subunit. In conclusion, our study suggests that the Glu-U1 locus of Ae. umbellulata and the Glu-C1 locus of Ae. caudata specify the expression of HMW glutenin subunits in a manner similar to the Glu-D1 locus. Consequently, HMW glutenin subunits from the two diploid species may have potential value in improving the processing properties of hexaploid wheat varieties.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Levels of organochlorine pesticides in Beijing human milk, 1998.
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Adult↗
Pea seed-borne mosaic virus seed transmission exploits novel symplastic pathways to infect the pea embryo and is, in part, dependent upon chance.
Seed transmission of pea seed-borne mosaic virus (PSbMV) depends upon symplastic transport of the virus from infected maternal cells to the embryo. Such transport pathways have not been identified in higher plants. To identify these pathways, we have studied the ultrastructure of the tissues and cells around the micropyle of young developing seeds and compared transmitted and nontransmitted virus isolates. A characteristic of PSbMV infection was the presence of cylindrical inclusions positioned over plasmodesmal openings. The presence of cylindrical inclusions on the testa-endosperm boundary wall, together with immunogold labelling for virus-specific products on the wall and in the endosperm, indicated that symplastic connections existed at this interface. Close examination of the endosperm-suspensor boundary at the base of the suspensor revealed discontinuities in the suspensor sheath wall as porelike structures, which the virus might pass through en route to the embryo. A nontransmitted PSbMV isolate was able to invade the maternal tissues of the developing seed but was excluded from the embryo, although it was detected at a low level in the endosperm. Since the endosperm did not support virus replication, it appeared that passive accumulation determined the amount, timing, and location of the virus relative to the base of the suspensor. Rarely, therefore, could the nontransmitted virus isolate reach the correct location in the endosperm at the correct time for embryo infection via the suspensor to occur.
Embryo, Mammalian↗
The Na+/H+ exchange inhibitor: a new therapeutic approach for hepatic ischemia injury in rats.
BACKGROUND: Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE) is one of the major mechanisms for restoring pH after ischemia-induced intracellular acidosis. However, activation of NHE during ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) is also involved in the paradoxical induction of cell injury. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl)-amiloride (EIPA), an NHE inhibitor, on hepatic I/R injury. METHODS: Partial hepatic ischemia was induced in male Wistar rats by cross-clamping the hepatic arterial and portal venous branches to the left lateral and median lobes of the liver for 120 minutes. The caudate and right lateral lobes were removed immediately after reperfusion. The concentrations of serum enzymes and ATP levels and energy charge in the live tissue were examined after 1-hour reperfusion. RESULT: EIPA afforded considerable protection against I/R injury, as demonstrated by decreased transaminase release and reduced histologic hepatocyte damage and increased energy charge. The 7-day survival rate was significantly improved from 15.4% to 55.6% (P <.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows for the first time that NHE may play an important role in the hepatic I/R injury and that EIPA should be considered as a new therapeutic approach to prevent hepatic I/R injury.
Adenosine Triphosphate↗
Albumin and fibrinogen adsorption on PU-PHEMA surfaces.
Materials that adsorb specific proteins may find a variety of applications in the biomedical field. The aim of this study was the preparation of a hydrophilic surface, with low protein adsorption, to be used in the future as a support for the immobilisation of several species, e.g. Cibacron Blue F3G-A, which has been described to induce specific albumin adsorption. Poly(hydroxyethylmethacrylate) (PHEMA) and poly(hydroxyethylacrylate) (PHEA) were chosen as the hydrophilic surface because they can be easily polymerised and possess hydroxyl groups that can be used for the immobilisation of different compounds. Thin films of PHEMA and PHEA were successfully graft polymerised onto the surface of a commercial poly(etherurethane) (PU) using ceric ion as initiator. Grafting polymerisations were followed by mass gain and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). Since stability tests demonstrated that only PU-PHEMA was stable in alkaline solutions, a necessary condition to future immobilisations, the investigation was focused on the coating of PU with PHEMA. PU-PHEMA films were characterised in detail using several techniques as mass gain, ATR-FTIR, contact angle measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Protein adsorption was evaluated using radiolabelled albumin and fibrinogen from pure solutions and from mixtures of both proteins. PU surfaces modified with PHEMA have demonstrated low protein adsorption, showing their potential use as substrates. This opens the possibly of exploring the advantages of selective adsorption by appropriate immobilisation of specific molecules.
Adsorption↗