Estimating and correcting mie scattering in synchrotron-based microscopic fourier transform infrared spectra by extended multiplicative signal correction.

We present an approach for estimating and correcting Mie scattering occurring in infrared spectra of single cells, at diffraction limited probe size, as in synchrotron based microscopy. The Mie scattering is modeled by extended multiplicative signal correction (EMSC) and subtracted from the vibrational absorption. Because the Mie scattering depends non-linearly on alpha, the product of the radius and the refractive index of the medium/sphere causing it, a new method was developed for estimating the Mie scattering by EMSC for unknown radius and refractive index of the Mie scatterer.

Impact of Bacillus thuringiensis toxin Cry1Ab on rumen epithelial cells (REC) - a new in vitro model for safety assessment of recombinant food compounds.

The growing use of genetically modified crops necessitates viable screening methods for safety evaluation of recombinant feed, particularly for ruminants. A new sheep rumen epithelial cell culture is introduced as an in vitro cell system for safety evaluation especially focussing on feed and food compounds. We used lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, WST-1 conversion, ATP content and caspase 3/7 activity to evaluate cytotoxicity of Cry1Ab, one of the newly expressed Bt-proteins in transgene maize.

[Evaluation of thymopoiesis: clinical applications].

In the precedent article, we have described how T-cell generation in the thymus (thymopoiesis) may be currently evaluated through quantification by PCR of T-cell receptor excision circles (TREC) generated by intrathymic random recombination of the gene segments coding for variable parts of T-cell receptor for antigen (TCR). In hematology, TREC methodology helps in a better understanding of immune reconstitution after graft of hematopoietic stem cells: first there is a proliferation of mature T cells present in the graft, then a differentiation of naive T cells. In geriatrics, the homeostasis of the peripheral T-cell repertoire is maintained through proliferation of peripheral memory T cells rather than through thymic generation of naive T cells.

[Clinical evaluation of thymic function].

The essential role of the thymus is to install an extremely diverse repertoire of T lymphocytes that are self-tolerant and competent against non-self, as well as to generate self-antigen specific regulatory T cells (Treg) able to inactivate in periphery self-reactive T cells having escaped the thymic censorship. Although indirect, techniques of medical imaging and phenotyping of peripheral T cells may help in the investigation of thymic function. Nowadays however, thymopoiesis is better evaluated through quantification by PCR of T-cell receptor excision circles (TREC) generated by intrathymic random recombination of the gene segments coding for the variable parts of the T-cell receptor for antigen (TCR).

Vascular integrin immunoreactivity is selectively lost on capillaries during rat focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion.

The alpha1-integrin cell adhesion molecules, the principal endothelial receptors for basal lamina (BL) components disappear during transient ischemia. The current study investigated the localization of integrins, the time dependency and vessel size selectivity in the normal rat brain before and after 3 h of cerebral ischemia (I3) and reperfusion (R). Additionally we looked for a correlation to the amount of extravasation and hemorrhage.

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) induction and inhibition at different doses of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator following experimental stroke.

Although recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) is successfully used for thrombolysis in human stroke, it may increase the risk of haemorrhagic complications. It was shown that the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) system is critically involved in basal lamina degradation after middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion following rt-PA administration. We describe the effects of different doses of rt-PA (saline, 0.

Pixel-based analysis of multiple images for the identification of changes: a novel approach applied to unravel proteome patterns [corrected] of 2-D electrophoresis gel images.

A novel approach for revealing patterns of proteome variation among series of 2-DE gel images is presented. The approach utilises image alignment to ensure that each pixel represents the same information across all gels. Gel images are normalised, and background corrected, followed by unfolding of the images to 1-D pixel vectors and analysing pixel vectors by multivariate data modelling.

Effects of the Bacillus thuringiensis toxin Cry1Ab on membrane currents of isolated cells of the ruminal epithelium.

A previous study has shown that Cry1Ab, a lepidopteran-specific toxin derived from Bacillus thuringiensis, does not affect the vitality of cultured cells of the ruminal epithelium of the sheep. While this may be due to lack of specific receptors for toxin action, other mechanisms of resistance should also be considered. In order to directly assess the pore-forming potential of Cry1Ab, we studied the interaction of this toxin with isolated, perfused cells of the ruminal epithelium using the whole-cell and single-channel configurations of the patch-clamp technique.

rt-PA causes a dose-dependent increase in the extravasation of cellular and non-cellular blood elements after focal cerebral ischemia.

While recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) is successfully used for thrombolysis in human stroke, it may increase the risk of hemorrhagic complications. We describe the effects of different doses of rt-PA (saline, 0.9, 9, or 18 mg rt-PA/kg body weight) on the extravasation of blood components following experimental cerebral ischemia (3 h, 24 h reperfusion, suture model) in rats.

Multivariate image analysis of a set of FTIR microspectroscopy images of aged bovine muscle tissue combining image and design information.

In this paper we present an algorithm for analysing sets of FTIR microscopic images of tissue sections. The proposed approach allows one to investigate sets of many FTIR tissue images both with respect to sample information (variation from image to image) and spatial variations of tissues (variation within the image). The algorithm is applied to FTIR microscopy images of beef loin muscles containing myofibre and connective tissue regions.

Prognostic value of renal hemodynamic characteristics in patients with proliferative lupus nephritis.

Background/aim: Previous studies showed that renal hemodynamic parameters, especially the filtration fraction (FF), are decreased in patients with active lupus nephritis (LN). In this study, we evaluate the prognostic value of renal hemodynamic function tests on the renal outcome in patients with proliferative LN.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of our patients with proliferative LN from 1986 to 2005.

Ammonia and urea transport across the rumen epithelium: a review.

The transport of nitrogen across the rumen epithelium is characterized by absorption of ammonia from the rumen and by an influx of urea into the rumen. The transport rates of both compounds are large and exhibit wide variation. The transport of ammonia occurs in two forms: in the lipophilic form as NH3, the magnitude of which is linearly related to the pH in the ruminal fluid at pH values above 7, while at a physiological pH of 6.

Differential expression of active zone proteins in neuromuscular junctions suggests functional diversification.

Nerve terminals of the central nervous system (CNS) contain specialized release sites for synaptic vesicles, referred to as active zones. They are characterized by electron-dense structures that are tightly associated with the presynaptic plasma membrane and organize vesicle docking and priming sites. Recently, major protein constituents of active zones have been identified, including the proteins Piccolo, Bassoon, RIM, Munc13, ERCs/ELKs/CASTs and liprins.

Challenges related to analysis of protein spot volumes from two-dimensional gel electrophoresis as revealed by replicate gels.

Assumptions that need to be considered prior to statistical analysis of protein spot volumes from two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) data are studied using replicate gels of the same sample. The most important observation is that the data tables of protein spot volumes from 2-DE images contain a large number of missing values, which are not consistent with the presence or absence of the proteins. This implies both loss of information and problems for the subsequent statistical analysis.

Correcting attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectra for water vapor and carbon dioxide.

Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is a valuable technique for characterization of biological samples, providing a detailed fingerprint of the major chemical constituents. However, water vapor and CO(2) in the beam path often cause interferences in the spectra, which can hamper the data analysis and interpretation of results. In this paper we present a new method for removal of the spectral contributions due to atmospheric water and CO(2) from attenuated total reflection (ATR)-FT-IR spectra.

A newly identified deletion of 970 bp at the alpha-globin locus that removes the promoter region of the alpha1 gene.

The most common causes of alpha-thalassemia (thal) are deletions that remove a part, or one or both of the functional alpha-globin genes. These deletions cause diminished expression of the alpha-globin protein, which may result in relatively low hemoglobin (Hb) and/or mean corpuscular volume (MCV) values. We here report the identification of a 970 bp deletion in the alpha1-globin gene that encompasses the entire promoter region of the alpha1-globin gene and 26 bp encoding the 5' end of the mRNA.

Quantification of plasmodesmatal endoplasmic reticulum coupling between sieve elements and companion cells using fluorescence redistribution after photobleaching.

Transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) was studied to localize the activity of phloem loading during development and to establish whether the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of the companion cell (CC) and the sieve element (SE) reticulum is continuous by using a SUC2 promoter-green fluorescent protein (GFP) construct targeted to the CC-ER. Expression of GFP marked the collection phloem in source leaves and cotyledons as expected, but also the transport phloem in stems, petioles, midveins of sink leaves, nonphotosynthetic flower parts, roots, and newly germinated seedlings, suggesting that sucrose retrieval along the pathway is an integral component of phloem function. GFP fluorescence was limited to CCs where it was visualized as a well-developed ER network in close proximity to the plasma membrane.

Parameter estimation in biochemical systems models with alternating regression.

Background: The estimation of parameter values continues to be the bottleneck of the computational analysis of biological systems. It is therefore necessary to develop improved methods that are effective, fast, and scalable.

Results: We show here that alternating regression (AR), applied to S-system models and combined with methods for decoupling systems of differential equations, provides a fast new tool for identifying parameter values from time series data.

Physics-based multiplicative scatter correction approaches for improving the performance of calibration models.

Light scattering effects pose a major problem in the estimation of chemical properties of particulate systems such as blood, tissue, and pharmaceutical solids. Recently, Martens et al. proposed an extended multiplicative signal correction (EMSC) approach where light-scattering effects were taken into account in an empirical manner.

Delocalization in weakly coupled disordered wires: application to conjugated polymers.

It is well known that even for minimal disorder one-dimensional wires are insulators: all 1D electron states are localized. Here, the influence of interwire coupling on delocalization of 1D states is examined. Based on perturbation theoretic arguments for the formation of 3D states in coupled wires and subsequent scaling analysis, practical expressions for the microscopic conditions of electronic delocalization and coherent conductivity of coupled 1D wires are obtained.

Effects of Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415 as probiotic supplement on intestinal transport and barrier function of piglets.

Many studies report positive effects of probiotic supplementation on the performance and health of piglets. The intention of this study was to describe the effects of Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415 on the transport and barrier functions of pig small intestine to improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of this probiotic. Ussing chamber studies were conducted with isolated jejunal epithelia of piglets at the age of 14, 28, 35 and 56 days.