1,294 research outputs found
Origins of hydrocarbons in the Sagara oil field, central Japan
No full textWe collected free-gas and in situ fluid samples up to a depth of 200.6 m from the Sagara oil field, central Japan (34°44′N, 138°15′E), during the Sagara Drilling Program (SDP) and measured the concentrations and stable carbon isotopic compositions of CH4 and C2H6 in the samples. A combination of the CH4/C2H6 ratios with the carbon isotope ratios of methane indicates that the hydrocarbon gases are predominantly of thermogenic origin at all depths. The isotope signature of hydrocarbon gases of δ13CCH4 < δ13CC2H6 suggests that these gases in the Sagara oil field are not generated by polymerization, but by the decomposition of organic materials
Allergen activates peripheral blood eosinophil nuclear factor-kappaB to generate granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-8
No full textBackground Allergic inflammation is characterized by the influx and activation of eosinophils. Cytokines generated by both resident and infiltrating cells are responsible for the initiation and maintenance of this pathogenesis. This study focuses on allergen‐induced activation of eosinophil NF‐κB and generation of granulocyte macrophage‐colony stimulating factor (GM‐CSF), TNF‐α, and IL‐8.Methods Peripheral blood eosinophils were enriched to >99.9% by Percoll gradient sedimentation and negative magnetic affinity chromatography. NF‐κB activation by 10 μg/mL house dust mite (HDM) extract was demonstrated immunocytochemically using a monoclonal antibody against the active form of NF‐κB (NF‐κBa). The authenticity of NF‐κB was confirmed by Western blot. Cytokine production was assessed both by immuno‐staining of eosinophils and by assay of cytokines in the cell supernatant.Results Activation of peripheral blood eosinophils from atopic, but not non‐atopic, donors induced activation of NF‐κB, which peaked at 4 h and was accompanied by a decline in IκB‐α. The activation of authentic NF‐κB was confirmed in gel shift assays. Supershift assays showed p65 to be the major subunit of eosinophil NF‐κB. Immunofluorescent confocal microscopy demonstrated localization of NF‐κBa to the nucleus. Following activation, cytokine immunoreactivity was seen in a fraction of the eosinophils and cytokines were released into the supernatant. The NF‐κB inhibitors, calpain inhibitor 1 (10 μm), pentoxifylline (0.5 mm), pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC, 10 μm) or gliotoxin (1 pg/mL) reduced the generation of GM‐CSF, TNF‐α and IL‐8 in parallel with their inhibition of NF‐κB.Conclusions HDM allergen activates human eosinophil NF‐κB leading to the production of the cytokines GM‐CSF, TNF‐α and IL‐8. We speculate that a role for eosinophil NF‐κB‐dependent cytokines is to act as an autocrine loop augmenting the survival of eosinophils in vivo.</p
The Limnogeology of the Lakes Sagara and Nyamagoma
No full textThe present study focuses on the limnogeological aspects of the lakes Sagara and Nyamagoma within the Malagarasi Wetland Ecosystem. Abiotic parameters from water and sediment samples were determined during the dry and wet seasons using appropriate gears and methods. The data show variation of the abiotic parameters in both lakes from thewater surface to the bottom. Lake Nyamagoma is less turbid (0.7-24 NTU) than Lake Sagara (25 to 65 NTU). The water transparency was also high at Lake Nyamagoma (0.75-1.5 m) thus supporting the observed turbidity trend. The physical chemical changes may be attributed to processes such as cooling, dissociation, dissolution, decomposition, adsorption, precipitation, cation exchange and photosynthesis. However, higher nutrient concentration was observed in the wet season than dry season with the exception of SiO 2 consequent to dilution effect by surface runoff. The mineralogical content (Kaolinite, Smectite, Illite and Quartz) of the lake sediments indicate existence of good drainage conditions at the lakes as supported by the geology of the area. It is recommended that a long-term limnogeological monitoring andevaluation be conducted so as to understand future nutrient hydrodynamics and hydrological functioning of the wetland ecosystem
Image Analysis on Temperature Distribution within Lettuce Undergoing Vacuum Cooling
No full textRosana G. Moreira, Editor-in-Chief; Texas A&M UniversityThis is a paper from International Commission of Agricultural Engineering (CIGR, Commission Internationale du Genie Rural) E-Journal Volume 7 (2005): Image Analysis on Temperature Distribution within Lettuce Undergoing Vacuum Cooling by Armansyah H. Tambunan, Yasuyuki Sagara, Yasuhisa Seo, Yoshinori Kawago
Lanthionine ketimine and S-(2-aminoethyl)-L-cysteine ketimine induce the tyrosyl phosphorylation of 45 kDa protein in parallel with its stimulation of superoxide generation in human neutrophils
No full textHuman peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes were preincubated with lanthionine, S-(2-aminoethyl)-L-cysteine, and some of their derivatives found in normal human urine and bovine brain, Among these compounds, lanthionine ketimine and to a lesser extent S-(2-aminoethyl)-L-cysteine ketimine enhanced the N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine-induced superoxide generation. These ketimines induced tyrosyl phosphorylation of 45 kDa protein of cells. The tyrosyl phosphorylation was markedly increased with time, and the phosphorylation process was dependent on the concentration of both ketimines. However, lanthionine, 1,4-thiomorpholine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid, S-(2- aminoethyl)-L-cysteine and 1,4-thiomorpholine-3-carboxylic acid were without effect both on superoxide generation and on tyrosyl phosphorylation of 45 kDa protein, Lanthionine ketimine and S-(2-aminoethyl)-L-cysteine ketimine also enhanced superoxide generation induced by opsonized zymosan but not the one induced by arachidonic acid and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. Ketimine-primed superoxide generation and tyrosyl phoshorylation of 45 kDa protein were inhibited by genistein, an inhibitor of protein tyrosine kinase, but not by 1-(5-isoquinoline sulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine, an inhibitor of protein kinase C
සිදත් සඟරාවේ ලිංග භේදය පිළිබඳ විමර්ශනාත්මක අධ්යයනයක්
No full textThe only book currently available to learn Sinhala grammar is Sidath Sagara. This was written in the thirteenth century. Sidath Sagara talks about gender, only two genders as masculine and feminine nouns. Although Sidath Sagara says that there are two genders, according to the Sinhala practice, three genders are implemented. The third gender is the neuter gender. Sinhala gender has been introduced after paying attention to the gender difference in Pali and Sanskrit languages. Understand gender discrimination in Sidath Sagara without knowledge of Pali and Sanskrit languages. This is a problematic situation. Because of this, scholars refuse to explain the gender of the Sidath Sagara. Some people justify sidath Sagara's gender bias. This research was carried out in order to properly investigate Sidath Sagarava's gender examination and arrive at conclusions. why neuter gender is not valid in Sinhala in Sidath Sagarava's gender examination? is kept as the research problem. The main objective of the research was to study gender discrimination in Sidath Sagara. Studying the various ideologies that have been presented regarding gender discrimination, Sidath Sagara's research on gender and reaching balanced conclusions began. Sidath Sagara was kept as the primary source. Various editions of Sidath Sagara, Sinhala grammar books and Journals written in this regard, newspaper articles etc. were the secondary sources by studying the gender difference in Sidath Sagara and grammar tradition of Sinhala, it was kept as the basis of the research that the existing problems regarding gender discrimination in Sidath Sagara will be resolved. the research sample was only for the work of Sidath Sagara and Sinhala grammar tradition. From the data analysis of the research 1. Gender distiction as discrimination in Sidath Sagara is a gender discrimination used for poetry 2. the author of Sidath Sagara explains focusing on the gender distinction in Pali and Sanskrit languages and not focusing on the Sinhala language. 3. it is uncinded the three conclusions that Sidath Sagara's gender distinction is a traditional Sinhala grammatical tradition
Scapinin, the Protein Phosphatase 1 Binding Protein, Enhances Cell Spreading and Motility by Interacting with the Actin Cytoskeleton
No full textCopyright (c) 2009 Sagara et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.Scapinin, also named phactr3, is an actin and protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) binding protein, which is expressed in the adult brain and some tumor cells. At present, the role(s) of scapinin in the brain and tumors are poorly understood. We show that the RPEL-repeat domain of scapinin, which is responsible for its direct interaction with actin, inhibits actin polymerization in vitro. Next, we established a Hela cell line, where scapinin expression was induced by tetracycline. In these cells, expression of scapinin stimulated cell spreading and motility. Scapinin was colocalized with actin at the edge of spreading cells. To explore the roles of the RPEL-repeat and PP1-binding domains, we expressed wild-type and mutant scapinins as fusion proteins with green fluorescence protein (GFP) in Cos7 cells. Expression of GFP-scapinin (wild type) also stimulated cell spreading, but mutation in the RPEL-repeat domain abolished both the actin binding and the cell spreading activity. PP1-binding deficient mutants strongly induced cell retraction. Long and branched cytoplasmic processes were developed during the cell retraction. These results suggest that scapinin enhances cell spreading and motility through direct interaction with actin and that PP1 plays a regulatory role in scapinin-induced morphological changes.Articleapplication/pdfPLOS ONE. 4(1):e4247 (2009)journal articl
Dispersible formulation of artemether/lumefantrine: specifically developed for infants and young children.
No full textInfants and children under five years of age are the most vulnerable to malaria with over 1,700 deaths per day from malaria in this group. However, until recently, there were no WHO-endorsed paediatric anti-malarial formulations available. Artemisinin-based combination therapy is the current standard of care for patients with uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Africa. Artemether/lumefantrine (AL) meets WHO pre-qualification criteria for efficacy, safety and quality. Coartem, a fixed dose combination of artemether and lumefantrine, has consistently achieved cure rates of >95% in clinical trials. However, AL tablets are inconvenient for caregivers to administer as they need to be crushed and mixed with water or food for infants and young children. Further, in common with other anti-malarials, they have a bitter taste, which may result in children spitting the medicine out and not receiving the full therapeutic dose. There was a clear unmet medical need for a formulation of AL specifically designed for children. Ahead of a call from WHO for child-friendly medicines, Novartis, working in partnership with Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), started the development of a new formulation of AL for infants and young children: Coartem Dispersible. The excellent efficacy, safety and tolerability already demonstrated by AL tablets were confirmed with dispersible AL in a large trial comparing the crushed tablets with dispersible tablets in 899 African children with falciparum malaria. In the evaluable population, 28-day PCR-corrected cure rates of >96% were achieved. Further, its sweet taste means that it is palatable for children, and the dispersible formulation makes it easier for caregivers to administer than bitter crushed tablets. Easing administration may foster compliance, hence improving therapeutic outcomes in infants and young children and helping to preserve the efficacy of ACT
Transcribing the "Ocean of Story": Rewriting C. H. Tawney's translation of the "Katha Sarit Sagara", a medieval Sanskrit text by Somadeva Bhatta
No full textThe thesis project began with an exploration of two fundamental issues in translation: can a literary work from one culture and language be transmitted into another; and if so, how? An 11th century Sanskrit composition, the Katha Sarit Sagara, was selected as the subject because the text originated in a culture and time very different from 20th century America, and because the work is available in an English translation which, although scholarly and faithful, is nonetheless nearly unknown to modern American readers. An analysis of the text, drawing heavily on Michel Foucault's theory of discursive formations, revealed "what" occurred there through statements (including concepts, strategies, and expressions of speech), articulations, and patterns of relationship present in the text. An attempt was made to rewrite or "transcribe" these statements, articulations, and patterns in such a way that "what" occurred in the text was recreated for a new, 20th century American audience.</p
Transcribing the "Ocean of Story": Rewriting C. H. Tawney's translation of the "Katha Sarit Sagara", a medieval Sanskrit text by Somadeva Bhatta
No full textThe thesis project began with an exploration of two fundamental issues in translation: can a literary work from one culture and language be transmitted into another; and if so, how? An 11th century Sanskrit composition, the Katha Sarit Sagara, was selected as the subject because the text originated in a culture and time very different from 20th century America, and because the work is available in an English translation which, although scholarly and faithful, is nonetheless nearly unknown to modern American readers. An analysis of the text, drawing heavily on Michel Foucault's theory of discursive formations, revealed "what" occurred there through statements (including concepts, strategies, and expressions of speech), articulations, and patterns of relationship present in the text. An attempt was made to rewrite or "transcribe" these statements, articulations, and patterns in such a way that "what" occurred in the text was recreated for a new, 20th century American audience.Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 30-01, page: 2700.Thesis (M.A.)--American University, 1991
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