Abnormal left ventricular filling with increasing age reflects abnormal myocardial characteristics independent of ischemia or hypertrophy

Abnormal left ventricular (IV) filling may occur with increasing age despite apparently normal IV size and function, and is usually attributed to IV hypertrophy and coronary artery disease. The purpose of this study was to determine whether myocardial abnormalities could be identified in 67 such patients (36 men, mean age 57 +/- 9 years) whose IV hypertrophy and coronary artery disease were excluded by dobutamine echocardiography. All patients underwent gray scale and color tissue Doppler imaging from 3 apical views, which were stored and analyzed off line. Disturbances in structure and function were assessed by averaging the cyclic variation of integrated backscatter, strain rate, and peak systolic strain from each myocardial segment. Calibrated integrated backscatter (corrected for pericardial backscatter intensity) was measured in the septum and posterior wall from the parasternal long-axis view. Abnormal IV filling was present in 36 subjects (54%). Subjects with and without abnormal IV filling had similar IV mass, but differed in age (p <0.01), cyclic variation (p = 0.001), strain rate (p <0.01), and peak systolic strain (p <0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that age (p = 0.016) and cyclic variation (p = 0.042) were the most important determinants of abnormal IV filling in these apparently normal subjects. (C) 2003 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.

Chapter 16: Prophylactic Human Papillomavirus Vaccines

Candidate prophylactic vaccines based on papillomavirus L1 virus-like particles (VLPs) are currently in human clinical trials. The main long-term goal of the vaccine is to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer and its precursors. In animal papillomavirus models, systemic immunization with L1 VLPs can induce high titers of neutralizing antibodies that confer protection against high-dose experimental papillomavirus challenge. In humans, systemic vaccination with L1 VLPs has been well tolerated and induced high serum antibody titers (at least 40 times higher than titers seen following natural infection). A recent proof of principle HPV16 L1 VLP efficacy trial has shown excellent protection against persistent HPV16 infection and associated cytological abnormalities. Large scale efficacy trials of L1 VLPs from HPV16 and 18 (the HPV types found most frequently in cervical cancer), with or without HPV6 and 11 (the HPV types responsible for most genital warts), are planned. If the results of these large trials support the encouraging results of the early trials, they should lead to a commercial prophylactic HPV vaccine. Implementation issues may include how to make the vaccine available in the developing world, where the majority of cervical cancer cases occur, the appropriate age of vaccination, and the role of male vaccination. Because a VLP vaccine is likely to provide type-specific protection, increasing the number of cancer-associated HPV types in the vaccine is a likely approach to broadening the protection to additional types. There will probably also be efforts to develop alternative vaccine formulations better suited to implementation in developing countries as well as attempts to develop vaccines with a therapeutic activity against established HPV infection because a combined prophylactic/therapeutic vaccine may be expected to have an even greater impact than a purely prophylactic vaccine on HPV induced disease.

Are Ichthyosporea animals or fungi? Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of elongation factor 1α of Ichthyophonus irregularis

Ichthyosporea is a recently recognized group of morphologically simple eukaryotes, many of which cause disease in aquatic organisms. Ribosomal RNA sequence analyses place Ichthyosporea near the divergence of the animal and fungal lineages, but do not allow resolution of its exact phylogenetic position. Some of the best evidence for a specific grouping of animals and fungi (Opisthokonta) has come from elongation factor 1alpha, not only phylogenetic analysis of sequences but also the presence or absence of short insertions and deletions. We sequenced the EF-1alpha gene from the ichthyosporean parasite Ichthyophonus irregularis and determined its phylogenetic position using neighbor-joining, parsimony and Bayesian methods. We also sequenced EF-1alpha genes from four chytrids to provide broader representation within fungi. Sequence analyses and the presence of a characteristic 12 amino acid insertion strongly indicate that I. irregularis is a member of Opisthokonta, but do not resolve whether I. irregularis is a specific relative of animals or of fungi. However, the EF-1alpha of I. irregularis exhibits a two amino acid deletion heretofore reported only among fungi. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

Cerebral impedance and neurological outcome following a mild or severe hypoxic/ischemic episode in neonatal piglets

Multi-frequency bio-impedance has the potential to identify infants at risk of poor neurodevelopmental outcome following hypoxia by detecting cerebral edema. This study investigated the relationship between the severity of an hypoxic/ischemic episode, neurological outcome following the hypoxia and non-invasively measured cerebral bioelectrical impedance in piglets. One-day-old piglets were anaesthetised and ventilated. Hypoxia was induced by reducing the inspired oxygen concentration to 3-5%. Severe hypoxia was defined as hypoxia resulting in at least 30 min of low amplitude EEG (

Nitrate ammonification and its relationship to the accumulation of ammonium in a Vertisol subsoil

High concentrations of ammonium ( up to 270 kg N/ha) have been observed in a Vertisol soil below 1 m depth near Warra in south-east Queensland. This study examined the possibility that increased water movement into the subsoil after the removal of native vegetation, and a subsequent increase in periods of waterlogging, could have triggered nitrate ammonification and be responsible for the production of ammonium. Two incubation experiments were conducted to test this hypothesis. The first involved the incubation of repacked cores that had been amended with 30 mg N/kg of 5 atom% N-15 nitrate under low oxygen conditions for a period of 360 days. Over this time period the N-15 enrichment of the exchangeable ammonium fraction was monitored in order to detect any reduction of nitrate to ammonium. The second experiment involved the incubation of soil amended with 30 mg N/ kg of 5 atom% N-15 nitrate under waterlogged and low oxygen conditions for 75 days. During this period the redox potential of the soil was monitored using a field test to determine if reducing conditions would develop in this soil over a period of waterlogging, combined with the monitoring of any nitrate reduction to ammonium. The results of these experiments indicated that a small amount of nitrate ammonification (< 0.1 mg N/ kg) could be observed in the Warra subsoil, but that unless the rate of reduction were to significantly increase with time, this could not account for the accumulation of ammonium observed in the field. The environmental conditions that would make either dissimilatory or abiotic nitrate ammonification favourable were not observed to develop. Consequently, it has been concluded that the observed nitrate ammonification occurred via an assimilatory pathway. Due to the low rate of microbial activity in this subsoil it is considered unlikely that this process was responsible for the subsoil ammonium accumulation at Warra.

Magnetic polarization currents in double quantum dot devices

We investigate coherent electron transport through a parallel circuit of two quantum dots (QDs), each of which has a single tunable. energy level. Electrons tunnelling via each dot from the left lead interfere with each other at the right lead. It is shown that due to the quantum interference of tunnelling electrons the double QD device is magnetically polarized by coherent circulation of electrons on the closed path through the dots and the leads. By varying the energy level of each dot one can make the magnetic states of the device be up-, non- or down-polarized. It is shown that for experimentally accessible temperatures and applied biases the magnetic polarization currents Should be sufficiently large to observe with current nanotechnology.

Sistema Integrado de Planejamento, Or??amento e Finan??as do Minist??rio da Educa????o (Simec)

O desenvolvimento do Simec (Sistema Integrado de Planejamento, Or??amento e Finan??as do Minist??rio da Educa????o) permitiu melhoria significativa da efici??ncia, efic??cia e efetividade das iniciativas do MEC por meio de sua metodologia, marco institucional e plataforma tecnol??gica, com a integra????o dos processos de planejamento e gest??o das pol??ticas e programas educacionais do governo federal. Desenvolvido em software livre, mediante parceria com diversos ??rg??os de governo, utilizando modernas t??cnicas de mapeamento de processos e ampla participa????o das equipes de trabalho de diferentes secretarias e ??rg??os do MEC, o Simec implicou profundas mudan??as culturais e organizacionais das pr??ticas de governan??a do Minist??rio, bem como de sua forma de relacionamento com parceiros governamentais (estados, munic??pios e outros ??rg??os do governo federal) e da sociedade brasileira. Hoje, 12 ??rg??os, entre minist??rios e governos estaduais, celebraram ou negociam esta formaliza????o de termos de cess??o do sistema com o MEC