Absence of conventional quantum phase transitions in itinerant systems with disorder.

Effects of disorder are examined in itinerant systems close to quantum critical points. We argue that spin fluctuations due to the long-range part of the RKKY interactions generically induce non-Ohmic dissipation due to rare disorder configurations. This dissipative mechanism is found to destabilize quantum Griffiths phase behavior in itinerant systems with arbitrary symmetry of the order parameter, leading to the formation of a "cluster glass" phase preceding uniform ordering.

Mycobacterium bovis BCG induces CXC chemokine ligand 8 secretion via the MEK-dependent signal pathway in human epithelial cells.

Current knowledge of the cellular signaling by Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) in epithelial cells is still limited. In this study, we provide evidence that the signaling events induced by M. bovis BCG in these cells included phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK).

Molecular mousetraps and the serpinopathies.

Members of the serine proteinase inhibitor or serpin superfamily inhibit their target proteinases by a remarkable conformational transition that involves the enzyme being translocated more than 70 A (1 A = 10(-10) m) from the upper to the lower pole of the inhibitor. This elegant mechanism is subverted by point mutations to form ordered polymers that are retained within the endoplasmic reticulum of secretory cells. The accumulation of polymers underlies the retention of mutants of alpha(1)-antitrypsin and neuroserpin within hepatocytes and neurons to cause cirrhosis and dementia respectively.

Intraneuronal Abeta, non-amyloid aggregates and neurodegeneration in a Drosophila model of Alzheimer's disease.

We have developed models of Alzheimer's disease in Drosophila melanogaster by expressing the Abeta peptides that accumulate in human disease. Expression of wild-type and Arctic mutant (Glu22Gly) Abeta(1-42) peptides in Drosophila neural tissue results in intracellular Abeta accumulation followed by non-amyloid aggregates that resemble diffuse plaques. These histological changes are associated with progressive locomotor deficits and vacuolation of the brain and premature death of the flies.

Role of type I interferon in the bacillus Calmette-Guérin-induced expression of CXCL10 from human monocytes.

Background: The proinflammatory chemokine CXCL10, in addition to its chemotactic properties, is also involved in the stimulation of natural killer and T-cell migration in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. In this study, our experiments were designed to determine the role of interferon (IFN)-alphabeta in the production of CXCL10 by human monocytes infected with Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG).

Methods: The concentrations of CXCL10 in culture supernatants of monocytes infected with M.

The implantation of Taenia solium metacestodes in mice induces down-modulation of T-cell proliferation and cytokine production.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the implantation of Taenia solium metacestodes and the treatment with suppressive metacestode factor (F1) on the ability of spleen cells from Balb/c mice to produce cytokines. Cytokine production was estimated 12 days following the implantation or 4 days after the last dose of F1 (five doses) by RT-PCR and flow cytometry analyses. Spleen cells were obtained from metacestode-implanted, F1-treated and control mice.

Evaluation of immobilized metal membrane affinity chromatography for purification of an immunoglobulin G1 monoclonal antibody.

The large scale production of monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) has gaining increased relevance with the development of the hybridoma cell culture in bioreactors creating a need for specific efficient bioseparation techniques. Conventional fixed bead affinity adsorption commonly applied for McAbs purification has the drawback of low flow rates and colmatage. We developed and evaluated a immobilized metal affinity chromatographies (IMAC) affinity membrane for the purification of anti-TNP IgG(1) mouse McAbs.

[The Liver Diseases Program of the Hospital Santa Casa de Misericórdia do Pará--infrastructure and clinical epidemiology in 10 years of attendance].

The Liver Diseases Program of the Hospital Santa Casa de Misericordia do Pará was create because of the need to attend patients with liver diseases of the Amazônia area, taking as priority to attend with quality, diagnosis of aetiologies, clinical following and specific treatment. This study aim to describe dates related to epidemiology, aetiologics agents and histopathologic analysis. One thousand sixty nine patients were evaluated through medical, laboratory, endoscopic, ultrasound or computerized tomography and histopathologic examination.

[Hepatitis B and C virus infection and the hepatocellular carcinoma in the East Amazon, Brazil].

In order to contribute to a better understanding of the possible role of hepatits B and C in the etiopathogenis of HCC in the East Amazon, there were studied 36 patients in Belém/PA. Serological hepatitis markers were evaluated and polymerase chain reaction assays were used to detect HBV-DNA and HCV-RNA. Alcohol abuse was observed in 33.

[Prevalence of hepatitis B virus genotypes and the occurrence of precore mutation A-1896 and to correlate them with the clinical presentation of chronic hepatitis, in a population group of the Eastern Amazon region].

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection presents itself with a variety of clinical manifestations. The present work aims to describe the prevalence of HBV genotypes and the occurrence of precore mutation A-1896 in a population group of the Eastern Amazon region of Brazil and to correlate them with the clinical presentation of chronic HBV infection. 51 HBsAg carriers (HBV-DNA positive) were selected and divided into three groups: A (14 asymptomatic subjects), B (20 HBeAg positive symptomatic patients) and C (17 HBeAg negative symptomatic patients).

Effect of chromium and zinc on insulin signaling in skeletal muscle cells.

Patients on total parenteral nutrition without Cr supplementation develop symptoms similar to those of diabetes. Zn has been implicated in diabetes because of its antioxidant properties and interaction with insulin. To study the effect of these metal ions on insulin signaling proteins, cultured mouse skeletal muscle cells was used as an in vitro model, as the tissue accounts for more than 80% of insulin-stimulated glucose disposal in the body.

Cryptococcosis outbreak in psittacine birds in Brazil.

An outbreak of cryptococcosis occurred in a breeding aviary in São Paulo, Brazil. Seven psittacine birds (of species Charmosyna papou, Lorius lory, Trichoglossus goldiei, Psittacula krameri and Psittacus erithacus) died of disseminated cryptococcosis. Incoordination, progressive paralysis and difficulty in flying were seen in five birds, whereas superficial lesions coincident with respiratory alterations were seen in two birds.

Polymerisation underlies alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency, dementia and other serpinopathies.

We review here the molecular mechanisms that underlie alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency and show how an understanding of this mechanism has allowed us to explain the deficiency of other members of the serine proteinase inhibitor or serpin superfamily. These include the deficiency of antithrombin, C1-inhibitor and alpha1-antichymotrypsin in association with thrombosis, angio-oedema and emphysema respectively. Moreover the accumulation of mutant neuroserpin within neurones causes the novel dementia familial encephalopathy with neuroserpin inclusion bodies (FENIB).

Recovery of cellulase by HPMC-salt precipitation: analysis by statistical experimental design.

Production of industrial enzymes including cellulases requires minimum cost with the downstream processing. The objective of this work was to analyze the precipitation of cellulases by ammonium sulfate in the presence of hydroxypropyl(methylcellulose) as a co-precipitant through the use of statistical experimental design. The model generated with the experimental results showed that high protein recovery can be achieved at high levels of temperature, aging times, and rate of salt-solution addition, and at a low mixing level.

Routine imaging of asymptomatic melanoma patients with metastasis to sentinel lymph nodes rarely identifies systemic disease.

Hypothesis: The diagnostic yield of chest radiography; computed tomography (CT) of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis; and CT or magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in the initial evaluation of melanoma with metastasis to sentinel lymph nodes may not identify systemic disease.

Design: Retrospective analysis.

Setting: Tertiary care referral center.

[Hyperendemicity of human fasciolosis in the Mantaro Valley, Peru: factors for infection with Fasciole hepatica].

A sample of 206 children (between 1 and 16 years-old) in Huertas (n = 110) and Julcán (n = 96) districts of the Mantaro Valley, Peru, were studied with a clinico-epidemiological interview, serology and fecal parasitologic tests to describe the prevalence and analyze risk factors of infection by Fasciola hepatica (Fh). Fh prevalence by fecal examinations in Huertas (H) was 28.3% and Julcán (J), 12.

Open versus closed day-case haemorrhoidectomy: is there any difference? Results of a prospective randomised study.

Background And Aims: Nowadays there is still controversy as to whether open or closed haemorrhoidectomy is the surgical treatment of choice for haemorrhoidal pathology.

Patients And Methods: We carried out a randomised prospective study in the Day Surgery Unit comparing 100 patients undergoing Milligan-Morgan haemorrhoidectomy (group A) versus 100 patients undergoing Ferguson haemorrhoidectomy (group B) for symptomatic haemorrhoids, in whom medical treatment or rubber band ligation had failed.

Results: Characteristics of the population were: mean age 43.

At the crossroads of evolutionary computation and music: self-programming synthesizers, swarm orchestras and the origins of melody.

This paper introduces three approaches to using Evolutionary Computation (EC) in Music (namely, engineering, creative and musicological approaches) and discusses examples of representative systems that have been developed within the last decade, with emphasis on more recent and innovative works. We begin by reviewing engineering applications of EC in Music Technology such as Genetic Algorithms and Cellular Automata sound synthesis, followed by an introduction to applications where EC has been used to generate musical compositions. Next, we introduce ongoing research into EC models to study the origins of music and detail our own research work on modelling the evolution of melody.

Mutants of neuroserpin that cause dementia accumulate as polymers within the endoplasmic reticulum.

The dementia familial encephalopathy with neuroserpin inclusion bodies (FENIB) is caused by the accumulation of mutant neuroserpin within neurons (Davis, R. L., Shrimpton, A.

PI3K inhibitors block skeletogenesis but not patterning in sea urchin embryos.

Skeletogenesis in the sea urchin embryo is a simple model of biomineralization, pattern formation, and cell-cell communication during embryonic development. The calcium carbonate skeletal spicules are secreted by primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs), but the skeletal pattern is dictated by the embryonic ectoderm. Although the process of skeletogenesis is well characterized, there is little molecular understanding of the basis of patterning within this system.

Clinical and outcome characteristics of children with adrenocortical tumors: a report from the International Pediatric Adrenocortical Tumor Registry.

Purpose: We created a registry for pediatric adrenocortical tumors (ACTs), which are rare and are not well characterized. We provide a descriptive analysis of 254 patients registered on the International Pediatric Adrenocortical Tumor Registry.

Patients And Methods: Between January 1990 and December 2001, 254 patients younger than 20 years of age with newly diagnosed or previously treated ACTs were registered.

Practical genetics: alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency and the serpinopathies.

Alpha-1-antitrypsin (alpha(1)-antitrypsin) is the archetypal member of the serine proteinase inhibitor or serpin superfamily. The most common severe deficiency variant is the Z allele, which results in the accumulation of mutant protein within hepatocytes. This 'protein overload' causes neonatal hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Development and validation of a liquid chromatography-ultraviolet absorbance detection assay using derivatisation for the novel marine anticancer agent ES-285 x HCl [(2S,3R)-2-amino-3-octadecanol hydrochloride] and its pharmaceutical dosage form.

ES-285 x HCl [(2S,3R)-2-amino-3-octadecanol hydrochloride] is a novel investigational anticancer agent, which has shown in vitro and in vivo cytotoxic activity against various tumor cell lines with selectivity for certain solid tumors. The pharmaceutical development of ES-285 x HCl warranted the availability of an assay for the quantification and purity determination of ES-285 x HCl active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and its pharmaceutical dosage form. A liquid chromatographic method (LC) comprising of derivatisation of ES-285 x HCl with phenylisothiocyanate and UV-detection was developed.