Correlations of CTLA-4 gene polymorphisms and hepatitis C chronic infection

Background: Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated factor 4 (CTLA-4) functions as a negative regulator of T cell-mediated immune response. Molecular changes associated to CTLA-4 gene polymorphisms could reduce its ability to suppress and control lymphocyte proliferation. Aims: To evaluate the frequency of CTLA-4 gene polymorphisms in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected patients and correlate to clinical and histological findings. Methods: We evaluated 112 HCV-infected subjects prospectively selected and 183 healthy controls. Clinical and liver histological data were analysed. - 318C > T, A49G and CT60 CTLA-4 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were studied by PCR-RFLP and AT(n) polymorphism by DNA fragment analysis by capillary electrophoresis in automatic sequencer. Results: Eight AT repetitions in 3' UTR region were more frequent in HCV-infected subjects. We found a positive association of -318C and + 49G with HCV genotype 3 (P = 0.008, OR 9.13, P = 0.004, OR 2.49 respectively) and an inverse association of both alleles with HCV genotype 1 (P = 0.020, OR 0.19, P = 0.002, OR 0.38 respectively). Allele + 49G was also associated to aminotransferases quotients > 3 (qALT, P = 0.034, qAST, P = 0.041). Allele G of CT60 SNP was also associated with qAST > 3 (P = 0.012). Increased number of AT repetitions was positively associated to severe necroinflammatory activity scores in liver biopsies (P = 0.045, OR 4.62). Conclusion: CTLA-4 gene polymorphisms were associated to HCVinfection. Eight AT repetitions were more prevalent in HCV-infected subjects. - 318C and + 49G alleles were associated to genotypes 1 and 3 infections and increased number of AT repetitions in 3' UTR region favoured severe necroinflammatory activity scores in liver biopsies.

Correlations between Conjugation Length, Macromolecular Dynamics, and Photophysics of Phenylene-Vinylene/Aliphatic Multiblock Copolymers

This work reports a detailed spectroscopy study of a series of multiblock conjugated nonconjugated copolymers built by p-phenylene vinylene type units (PV) and octamethylene spacers, namely, poly(1,8-octanedioxy-2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-phenylene-1,2-ethenylene) (LaPPS18). The relative proportions of the PV and aliphatic segments were estimated on the basis of solid-state NMR and Raman spectroscopy. The overall structure was characterized by wide angle X-ray diffraction; H-1 wide-line dipolar chemical shift correlation (DIPSHIFT), and centerband-only detection of exchange (CODEX) NMR data, that together with glass transition temperatures allowed us to identify the groups involved in the molecular dynamics. These different structural properties were used to explain the photoluminescence properties in terms of peak position and spectral profile

Decoherence of quantum kinematical correlations: Elastic scattering of identical particles

We include the dynamics of the angular straggling process in the angular distributions of Mott scattering of heavy ions. We model the passage of an incoming nucleus through a target as a diffusion process. It is then possible to derive a simple and physically transparent expression for the angular dispersion due to the straggling. The angular dispersion should be folded with the theoretical Mott cross section to see its effect on the amplitude of the Mott oscillations. Our results agree very well with data of Pb-208 + Pb-208 scattering. We define the "classical" limit as the limit when the angular dispersion due to straggling becomes comparable with the Mott oscillation period and get the disappearance of quantum interference occurring at the limit 0.050 root xi Z(4)/E-3/2 >= 1, where xi stands for the target thickness, Z is the system's charge, and E is the center-of-mass energy. The experiments on lead are very close to this limit. We show that the kinematical correlations due to the identity of the particles is maintained, as it should be, and the action of the environment is to reduce the fringe visibility.

Six minute walk test Z score: Correlations with cystic fibrosis severity markers

Background: The six-minute-walk-test (6MWT) has been increasingly used in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. However, few studies in children have correlated 6MWT with current parameters used to evaluate CF severity. Moreover, no study transformed the values of distance walked from meters into Z scores to avoid bias like age and gender, which are sources of 6MWT variability. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed to analyze the correlations (Spearman) among forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), body mass index (BMI), chest radiography (CXR), chest tomography (CT), and 6MWT Z score (Z-6MWT). Clinically stable CF patients, aged 6-21 years, were included. Results: 34 patients, 14F/20M, mean age 12.1 +/- 4.0 years were studied. The mean Z-6MWT was -1.1 +/- 1.106. The following correlations versus Z-6MWT were found: FEV1 (r=0.59, r(2)=0.32, p=0.0002), BMI Z score (r=0.42, r(2)=0.17, p=0.013), CXR (r=0.34, r(2)=0.15, p=0.0472) and CT (r=-0.45, r(2)=0.23, p=0.0073). Conclusions: In conclusion there was a significant, but poor, correlation between the six minute walk test Z score and the cystic fibrosis severity markers currently in use. (C) 2011 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neoproterozoic glacial deposits from the Aracuai orogen, Brazil: Age, provenance and correlations with the Sao Francisco craton and West Congo belt

Glacigenic diamictite successions of the Macaubas Group are widespread in the western domain of the Aracuai orogen, east of the Sao Francisco craton (Brazil). Diamictites also occur on this craton and in the African counterpart of the Aracuai orogen, the West Congo belt. Detrital zircon grains from the matrix of diamictites and sandstones from the Macaubas Group were dated by the U-Pb SHRIMP technique. The geochronological study sets the maximum depositional age of the glacial diamictites at 900 Ma, and indicates multiple sources for the Macaubas basin with ages ranging from 900 to 2800 Ma. Sm-Nd T-DM model ages, determined on whole rock samples, range from 1.8 Ga to 2.5 Ga and get older up-section. Comparison of our data with those from the cratonic area suggest that these glacial deposits can be correlated to the Jequitai and Carrancas diamictites in the Sao Francisco craton, and to the Lower Mixtite Formation of the West Congolian Group, exposed in Africa. The 900-1000 Ma source is most probably represented by the Zadinian-Mayumbian volcanic rocks and related granites from the West Congo belt. However, one of the most voluminous sources, with ages in the 1.1-1.3 Ga interval, has not been detected in the Sao Francisco-Congo craton. Possible sources for these grains could occur elsewhere in Africa, or possibly from within the Brasilia Belt in western central Brazil. (C) 2011 International Association for Gondwana Research. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Temporal evolution of tubular initial conditions and their influence on two-particle correlations in relativistic nuclear collisions

Relativistic nuclear collisions data on two-particle correlations exhibit structures as function of relative azimuthal angle and rapidity. A unified description of these near-side and away-side structures is proposed for low to moderate transverse momentum. It is based on the combined effect of tubular initial conditions and hydrodynamical expansion. Contrary to expectations, the hydrodynamics solution shows that the high-energy density tubes (leftover from the initial particle interactions) give rise to particle emission in two directions and this is what leads to the various structures. This description is sensitive to some of the initial tube parameters and may provide a probe of the strong interaction. This explanation is compared with an alternative one where some triangularity in the initial conditions is assumed. A possible experimental test is suggested. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Correlations between Subjective Well-being, Dyadic Adjustment and Marital Satisfaction in Brazilian Married People

This study aimed to investigate the relationships between the constructs subjective well-being (SWB), dyadic adjustment (DA) and marital satisfaction (MS). Participants were 106 married Brazilians, of both sexes, with a mean age of 42 (+/- 11) years. Instruments used for the sociodemographic characterization and socioeconomic classification were the Subjective Wellbeing Scale (SWBS), the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) and the Marital Satisfaction Scale (MSS). Through the analysis of correlations and of stepwise multiple regression, it was verified that all the factors of the dyadic adjustment showed correlation with the marital satisfaction. The satisfaction with life (factor of the SWBS) and dyadic satisfaction (factor of the DAS), were positively and significantly correlated (r = .20; p = .04), which reveals that people who say they are satisfied with life in different domains also do so in relation to the marital experience.

Study of the vertical transport in p-doped superlattices based on group III-V semiconductors

The electrical conductivity σ has been calculated for p-doped GaAs/Al0.3Ga0.7As and cubic GaN/Al0.3Ga0.7N thin superlattices (SLs). The calculations are done within a self-consistent approach to the k → ⋅ p → theory by means of a full six-band Luttinger-Kohn Hamiltonian, together with the Poisson equation in a plane wave representation, including exchange correlation effects within the local density approximation. It was also assumed that transport in the SL occurs through extended minibands states for each carrier, and the conductivity is calculated at zero temperature and in low-field ohmic limits by the quasi-chemical Boltzmann kinetic equation. It was shown that the particular minibands structure of the p-doped SLs leads to a plateau-like behavior in the conductivity as a function of the donor concentration and/or the Fermi level energy. In addition, it is shown that the Coulomb and exchange-correlation effects play an important role in these systems, since they determine the bending potential.

Human hemorrhagic pulmonary leptospirosis: pathological findings and pathophysiological correlations.

Abstract Background: Leptospirosis is a re-emerging zoonosis with protean clinical manifestations. Recently, the importance of pulmonary hemorrhage as a lethal complication of this disease has been recognized. In the present study, five human necropsies of leptospirosis (Weil‘s syndrome) with extensive pulmonary manifestations were analysed, and the antibodies expressed in blood vessels and cells involved in ion and water transport were used, seeking to better understand the pathophysiology of the lung injury associated with this disease. Principal Findings: Prominent vascular damage was present in the lung microcirculation, with decreased CD34 and preserved aquaporin 1 expression. At the periphery and even inside the extensive areas of edema and intraalveolar hemorrhage, enlarged, apparently hypertrophic type I pneumocytes (PI) were detected and interpreted as a non-specific attempt of clearence of the intraalveolar fluid, in which ionic transport, particularly of sodium, plays a predominant role, as suggested by the apparently increased ENaC and aquaporin 5 expression. Connexin 43 was present in most pneumocytes, and in the cytoplasm of the more preserved endothelial cells. The number of type II pneumocytes (PII) was slightly decreased when compared to normal lungs and those of patients with septicemia from other causes, a fact that may contribute to the progressively low PI count, resulting in deficient restoration after damage to the alveolar epithelial integrity and, consequently, a poor outcome of the pulmonary edema and hemorrhage. Conclusions: Pathogenesis of lung injury in human leptospirosis was discussed, and the possibility of primary noninflammatory vascular damage was considered, so far of undefinite etiopathogenesis, as the initial pathological manifestation of the disease.

Correlations between yield and fruit quality characteristics of fresh market tomatoes

Genotypic, phenotypic and environmental correlations were estimated for all possible pairs among eleven characters of tomatoes. Fifteen treatments including five parents and ten hybrids of Instituto Agronômico (IAC) tomato breeding program were evaluated using a randomized complete block experimental design, with tree replications in Itatiba, São Paulo state, Brazil, during 2005/2006. The following traits were evaluated: fruit yield per plant (FP), fruit number per plant (FN), average fruit weight (FW), cluster number per plant (CN), fruit number per cluster (FC), number of locules per fruit (NL), fruit length (FL), fruit width (WI), fruit wall thickness (FT), total soluble solids (SS), and total titratable acidity (TA). The genotypic (rG), phenotypic (rF) and environmental correlations (rA) for two pairs of plant traits were estimated using the Genes© program. High similarity was found among the estimates of genotypic and phenotypic correlations. Positive and high phenotypic and genotypic correlations were observed between FP and the traits FN, FW and FT, and these associations contributed for yield increasing. FW and FT contributed to yield increase and should be considered together as primary yield components in tomato. Positive values of the genotypic and phenotypic correlations revealed that FP influenced FN with high direct effect and significant positive correlation. These traits may be included as the main selection criteria for tomato yield improvement.

Human thermal comfort: an irreversibility-based approach emulating empirical clothed-body correlations and the conceptual energy balance equation

Exergetic analysis can provide useful information as it enables the identification of irreversible phenomena bringing about entropy generation and, therefore, exergy losses (also referred to as irreversibilities). As far as human thermal comfort is concerned, irreversibilities can be evaluated based on parameters related to both the occupant and his surroundings. As an attempt to suggest more insights for the exergetic analysis of thermal comfort, this paper calculates irreversibility rates for a sitting person wearing fairly light clothes and subjected to combinations of ambient air and mean radiant temperatures. The thermodynamic model framework relies on the so-called conceptual energy balance equation together with empirical correlations for invoked thermoregulatory heat transfer rates adapted for a clothed body. Results suggested that a minimum irreversibility rate may exist for particular combinations of the aforesaid surrounding temperatures. By separately considering the contribution of each thermoregulatory mechanism, the total irreversibility rate rendered itself more responsive to either convective or radiative clothing-influenced heat transfers, with exergy losses becoming lower if the body is able to transfer more heat (to the ambient) via convection.

One-repetition maximum test and isokinetic leg extension and flexion: correlations and predicted values

The most typical maximum tests for measuring leg muscle performance are the one-repetition maximum leg press test (1RMleg) and the isokinetic knee extension/flexion (IKEF) test. Nevertheless, their inter-correlations have not been well documented, mainly the predicted values of these evaluations. This correlational and regression analysis study involved 30 healthy young males aged 18-24y, who have performed both tests. Pearson's product moment correlation between 1RMleg and IKEF varied from 0.20 to 0.69 and the more exact predicted test was to 1RMleg (R2 = 0.71). The study showed correlations between 1RMleg and IKEF although these tests are different (isotonic vs. isokinetic) and provided further support for cross determination of 1RMleg and IKEF by linear and multiple linear regression analysis.