Hybrid time-frequency domain dual-probe coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering for simultaneous temperature and pressure measurements in compressible flows via spectral fitting.

We demonstrate a hybrid time-frequency spectroscopic method for simultaneous temperature/pressure measurements in nonreacting compressible flows with known gas composition. Hybrid femtosecond-picosecond, pure-rotational coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS), with two independent, time-delayed probe pulses, is deployed for single-laser-shot measurements of temperature and pressure profiles along an ∼5-mm line. The theory of dual-probe CARS is presented, along with a discussion of the iterative fitting of experimental spectra.

Time-domain self-broadened and air-broadened nitrogen S-branch Raman linewidths at 80-200 K recorded in an underexpanded jet.

We report pure-rotational N-N, N-air, and O-air S-branch linewidths for temperatures of 80-200 K by measuring the time-dependent decay of rotational Raman coherences in an isentropic free-jet expansion from a sonic nozzle. We recorded pure-rotational hybrid femtosecond/picosecond coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (fs/ps CARS) spectra along the axial centerline of the underexpanded jet, within the barrel shock region upstream of the Mach disk. The dephasing of the pure-rotational Raman coherence was monitored using probe-time-delay scans at different axial positions in the jet, corresponding to varying local temperatures and pressures.

Crystal structures of the viral protease Npro imply distinct roles for the catalytic water in catalysis.

Npro is a key effector protein of pestiviruses such as bovine viral diarrhea virus and abolishes host cell antiviral defense mechanisms. Synthesized as the N-terminal part of the viral polyprotein, Npro releases itself via an autoproteolytic cleavage, triggering its immunological functions. However, the mechanisms of its proteolytic action and its immune escape were unclear.

[Celiac disease: diagnosis prevalence in a community hospital].

Introduction: Celiac disease (CD) is a gluten-sensitive enteropathy characterized by a chronic injury of the small bowel, caused by gluten intolerance in genetically predisposed individuals. The different forms of presentation of CD resemble more a multisystem disorder than a primary gastrointestinal disease and it is frequently underdiagnosed.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of CD diagnosis in the population of affiliates to the HMO of the Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires.

Alcohol alters skeletal muscle heat shock protein gene expression in rats: these effects are moderated by sex, raised endogenous acetaldehyde, and starvation.

Alcoholic myopathy is a common pathology characterized by wasting due to reduced protein synthesis, although the mechanisms involved remain unclear. Women are particularly sensitive and malnutrition exacerbates the myopathy. This study aimed to address (i) whether long-term alcohol feeding alters expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) in male and female rats; (ii) the effect of immediate alcohol dosing with or without raised levels of endogenous acetaldehyde; and (iii) the effect of starvation.

A validated method for analysis of chromium picolinate in nutraceuticals by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography.

A validated high performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the determination of chromium picolinate in pharmaceutical dosage forms. The analysis was performed at room temperature using a reversed-phase Supelcosil LC-18 (250 x 4.6 mm, 5 microm) column.

Ca2+-regulatory muscle proteins in the alcohol-fed rat.

Alcoholic myopathy is characterized by muscle weakness and difficulties in gait and locomotion. It is one of the most prevalent skeletal muscle disorders in the Western hemisphere, affecting between 40% and 60% of all chronic alcohol misusers. However, the pathogenic mechanisms are unknown, although recent studies have suggested that membrane defects occur as a consequence of chronic alcohol exposure.

The importance of alcohol-induced muscle disease.

Alcohol-induced muscle disease (AIMD) is a composite term to describe any muscle pathology (molecular, biochemical, structural or physiological) resulting from either acute or chronic alcohol ingestion or a combination thereof. The chronic form of AIMD is arguably the most prevalent skeletal muscle disorder in the Western Hemisphere affecting more than 2000 subjects per 100,000 population and is thus much more common than hereditary disorders such as Becker or Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Paradoxically, most texts on skeletal myopathies or scientific meetings covering muscle disease have generally ignored chronic alcoholic myopathy.

Acute and chronic effects of alcohol exposure on skeletal muscle c-myc, p53, and Bcl-2 mRNA expression.

Skeletal muscle atrophy is a common feature in alcoholism that affects up to two-thirds of alcohol misusers, and women appear to be particularly susceptible. There is also some evidence to suggest that malnutrition exacerbates the effects of alcohol on muscle. However, the mechanisms responsible for the myopathy remain elusive, and some studies suggest that acetaldehyde, rather than alcohol, is the principal pathogenic perturbant.

Liver albumin synthesis in sepsis in the rat: influence of parenteral nutrition, glutamine and growth hormone.

The effect of sepsis on liver synthesis of albumin remains controversial, with studies in man suggesting that synthesis increases, whereas in animals increased, decreased and unaltered synthesis have been reported. To reconcile these conflicting data, total and relative albumin synthesis was measured in rats 24 h after caecal ligation and puncture (CLP) by immunoprecipitation of albumin following a flooding dose of L-[4-3H]phenylalanine. Following CLP, animals were starved for 18 h and then received intravenous infusions of saline or parenteral nutrition (PN) with or without glutamine for 6 h.

Fatty acid profile in skeletal muscle of the rat in response to acute (2.5 hours) and prolonged (6 weeks) ethanol-dosage.

We tested the hypothesis that phospholipids are altered in skeletal muscles of rats exposed to ethanol for either acute (2.5 hours) or prolonged (6 weeks) periods. In acute studies, rats were dosed with saline (0.

Chronic alpha-tocopherol supplementation in rats does not ameliorate either chronic or acute alcohol-induced changes in muscle protein metabolism.

Chronic alcohol muscle disease is characterized by reduced skeletal muscle mass precipitated by acute reduction in protein synthesis. The pathogenic mechanisms remain obscure, but several lines of evidence suggest that increased oxidative stress occurs in muscle in response to alcohol and this may be associated with impaired alpha-tocopherol status. Potentially, this implies a therapeutic role for alpha-tocopherol, especially as we have shown that supplemental alpha-tocopherol may increase the rate of protein synthesis in normal rats [Reilly, Patel, Peters and Preedy (2000) J.

Inhibition of alcohol-associated colonic hyperregeneration by alpha-tocopherol in the rat.

Background: Chronic alcohol consumption results in colorectal mucosal hyperregeneration, a condition associated with an increased risk for colorectal cancer. Possible mechanisms may involve the effects of acetaldehyde and/or free radicals generated during alcohol metabolism. Vitamin E is part of the antioxidative defense system, and its concentration is decreased or its metabolic utilization increased in various tissues after chronic alcohol consumption.

Acute alcohol administration inhibits the refeeding response after starvation in rat skeletal muscle.

This study determined whether an acute alcohol dose could inhibit the refeeding response in starved muscle. Rats starved for 24 h were pretreated with alcohol or saline before refeeding by intragastric or intravenous infusion of enteral diet (ENT), total parenteral nutrition (TPN), or saline. Refeeding by TPN or ENT stimulated increases in the fractional rate of protein synthesis (k(s)) in skeletal muscle.

Generation of protein adducts with malondialdehyde and acetaldehyde in muscles with predominantly type I or type II fibers in rats exposed to ethanol and the acetaldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitor cyanamide.

Background: Alcoholic myopathy is known to primarily affect type II muscle fibers (glycolytic, fast-twitch, anaerobic), whereas type I fibers (oxidative, slow-twitch, aerobic) are relatively protected.

Objective: We investigated whether aldehyde-derived adducts of proteins with malondialdehyde and acetaldehyde are formed in muscle of rats as a result of acute exposure to ethanol and acetaldehyde. The differences between type I muscle, type II muscle, and liver tissue were also assessed.

Free radicals in alcoholic myopathy: indices of damage and preventive studies.

Chronic alcoholic myopathy affects up to two-thirds of all alcohol misusers and is characterized by selective atrophy of Type II (glycolytic, fast-twitch, anaerobic) fibers. In contrast, the Type I fibers (oxidative, slow-twitch, aerobic) are relatively protected. Alcohol increases the concentration of cholesterol hydroperoxides and malondialdehyde-protein adducts, though protein-carbonyl concentration levels do not appear to be overtly increased and may actually decrease in some studies.

Effect of acute and chronic alcohol treatment and their superimposition on lysosomal, cytoplasmic, and proteosomal protease activities in rat skeletal muscle in vivo.

Alcohol can be considered as a nutritional toxin when ingested in excess amounts and leads to skeletal muscle myopathy. We hypothesized that altered protease activities contribute to this phenomenon, and that differential effects on protease activities may occur when: (1) rats at different stages in their development are administered alcohol in vivo; (2) acute ethanol treatment is superimposed on chronic alcohol-feeding in vivo; and (3) muscles are exposed to alcohol and acetaldehyde in vivo and in vitro. In acute studies, rats weighing approximately 0.

Acute doxorubicin (adriamycin) dosage does not reduce cardiac protein synthesis in vivo, but decreases diaminopeptidase I and proline endopeptidase activities.

Anthracycline antibiotics are effective anticancer agents but their use is limited due to unwanted adverse side effects. The toxic effects of doxorubicin (adriamycin) include the development of defined cardiac lesions leading to cardiomyopathy in some patients. This has been reported to be due to reductions in cardiac protein synthesis.

Mosquito productivity and surveillance for St. Louis encephalitis virus in Chicago during 1993.

The City of Chicago's Department of Health monitors weekly deposition of egg rafts of Culex species, prevalence of St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) virus-specific antibodies in feral birds, and prevalence of the virus in mosquito pools. The total number of Culex egg rafts collected in 1993 (4,623) was 2-fold greater than for the 1992 mosquito season.

The effect of dietary sterol on the activity of fatty acid desaturases isolated from Tetrahymena setosa.

Tetrahymena setosa has a nutritional requirement for micro amounts of sterol, a requirement which is also satisfied by relatively large amounts of either intact phospholipids or a mixture of unsaturated fatty acids normally found in these ciliates. Three microsomal fatty acyl-CoA desaturases have been isolated from T. setosa and partially characterized.

Effects of different data base formats on information retrieval.

This research examined the effects of three different data base formats on the information retrieval performance of users. Spatial, tabular, and verbal forms of two data base domains (airline and thesaurus) were constructed, along with questions that required users to search through the data base to determine the correct response. Three types of questions, compatible with the forms of the data bases, were designed--spatial, tabular, and verbal.