Oxidative stress may contribute to the pathogenesis of congenital heart defects, but the role of dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis has not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to assess whether there are changes in thiol/disulphide homeostasis and nitric oxide levels in children with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) and ventricular septal defect (VSD). A total of 47 children with congenital heart defects (24 TOF and 23 VSD) and 47 healthy age- and sex-matched controls were included in this study. Serum total thiol and native thiol levels were measured using a novel automatic spectrophotometric method. The amount of dynamic disulphide bonds and related ratios were calculated from these values. Serum nitric oxide levels were detected using a chemiluminescence assay. We found that the average native thiol, total thiol, and disulphide levels were decreased in patients with VSD when compared with healthy individuals (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p < 0.01, respectively). While native thiol levels were decreased (p < 0.01), disulphide levels were elevated in the TOF group (p < 0.05). We observed marked augmentation of disulphide/native thiol (p < 0.001) and disulphide/total thiol ratios (p < 0.01) in the TOF group. However, there was a significant decrease in native thiol/total thiol ratio in patients with TOF. No significant changes in these ratios were noted in the VSD group. We detected significant elevations in serum nitric oxide levels in children with TOF and VSD (p < 0.001 for all). These results are the first to demonstrate that thiol/disulphide homeostasis and nitric oxide are associated with TOF and VSD in children.

New excavations at the Jebel Moya cemetery in Sudan reveal extensive evidence for Meroitic-era occupation, providing valuable data on contemporaneous diet, migration, exchange and population composition in sub-Saharan Africa.

In Iran, the availability of high quality forages is restricted. The use of wheat straw, which is accessible in a huge amount, is limited due to its low nutritional value. Recently, biological method using white-rot fungi to improve the nutritional value of straw have been reported (Zadrazil 1997). However, the data available have been obtained from in vitro works. Additionally, little information is available on the utilization of fungal treated straw fed to dairy cow. Therefore, this experiment was carried out to assess the effect of fungal treated wheat straw on the performance of lactating cows.

Initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition (iCVD) is a well-known method for depositing polymers that are used in chemical, biological, and electrical applications. It is a variation of hot filament deposition and can used to produce conformal coatings of polymer films at relatively low reaction temperatures. It is also a solventless technique in which thin polymeric films are deposited by introducing controlled ratios of monomer and initiator gasses into the reaction chamber. Low temperatures in the reaction chamber allow the deposition of polymer films on a wide variety of substrates that include biological substrates.

We have simulated the growth of a monolayer of polymer films on two-dimensional surfaces using Monte Carlo simulation. We saw the formation of polymer chains over a time scale on the order of microseconds. We have assumed the substrate to be at room temperature while the reactor pressure close of 800 mTorr.

The grid on which we have simulated this polymer growth is represented by a 100x100 matrix, on which a series of specialized functions are executed in each time-step, or iteration. These functions can be divided into three categories: population, translation, and polymerization.

The goal of this simulation is to observe the initial growth of the iCVD surface reaction. We have obtained favorable results with the simulation and we are now looking to compare these results with experimental results for initiation growth.

To evaluate the action mode of Berberis vulgaris root extract in the alleviation of oxidative stress, female Japanese quails (n 180, aged 5 weeks) were reared, either at 22°C for 24 h/d (thermoneutral, TN) or 34°C for 8 h/d (heat stress, HS), and fed one of three diets: diets containing 0, 100 or 200 mg of B. vulgaris root extract per kg for 12 weeks. Exposure to HS depressed feed intake by 8·5 % and egg production by 12·1 %, increased hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) level by 98·0 % and decreased hepatic superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities by 23·5, 35·4 and 55·7 %, respectively (P< 0·001 for all). There were also aggravations in expressions of hepatic NF-κB and heat-shock protein 70 (HSP70) by 42 and 43 %, respectively and suppressions in expressions of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) and haeme-oxygenase 1 (HO-1) by 57 and 61 %, respectively, in heat-stressed quails (P< 0·001 for all). As supplemental B. vulgaris extract increased, there were linear increases in performance parameters, activities of antioxidant enzymes and hepatic Nrf2 and HO-1 expressions (P< 0·001 for all) and linear decreases in hepatic MDA level and NF-κB and HSP70 expressions at a greater extent in quails reared under TN condition and those reared under HS condition. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of B. vulgaris root extract to quails reduces the detrimental effects of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation resulting from HS via activating the host defence system at the cellular level.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate anti-diabetic effects of chromium picolinate (CrPic) and biotin supplementations in type 2 diabetic rats. The type 2 diabetic rat model was induced by high-fat diet (HFD) and low-dose streptozotocin. The rats were divided into five groups as follows: (1) non-diabetic rats fed a regular diet; (2) diabetic rats fed a HFD; (3) diabetic rats fed a HFD and supplemented with CrPic (80 μg/kg body weight (BW) per d); (4) diabetic rats fed a HFD and supplemented with biotin (300 μg/kg BW per d); (5) diabetic rats fed a HFD and supplemented with both CrPic and biotin. Circulating glucose, cortisol, total cholesterol, TAG, NEFA and malondialdehyde concentrations decreased (P< 0·05), but serum insulin concentrations increased (P< 0·05) in diabetic rats treated with biotin and CrPic, particularly with a combination of the supplements. Feeding a HFD to diabetic rats decreased PPAR-γ expression in adipose tissue and phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate 1 (p-IRS-1) expression of liver, kidney and muscle tissues, while the supplements increased (P< 0·001) PPAR-γ and p-IRS-1 expressions in relevant tissues. Expression of NF-κB in the liver and kidney was greater in diabetic rats fed a HFD, as compared with rats fed a regular diet (P< 0·01). The supplements decreased the expression of NF-κB in diabetic rats (P< 0·05). Results of the present study revealed that supplementing CrPic and biotin alone or in a combination exerts anti-diabetic activities, probably through modulation of PPAR-γ, IRS-1 and NF-κB proteins.

The scent-producing area of closely packed holocrine and apocrine skin-glands in Aotes has an atypical, caudal position. Whilst most of the holocrine glands open into hair follicles by ordinary short ducts, some of the ducts are elongated, opening either into follicles or on the skin surface. The holocrine and apocrine secretions, in conjunction with the peculiar splitting of individual hairs, cause felting of the pelage on the gland field. A peculiar structure of the hairs facilitates their splitting. Evolution and function of the gland field are discussed.

In spring 2009 a new strain of influenza A(H1N1) emerged and caused a worldwide pandemic. This study utilized a large collection of respiratory specimens from suspected cases of influenza A(H1N1) in the UK West Midlands during the pandemic in order to investigate which other respiratory viruses were circulating and whether they played any role in the increased hospitalization rates seen during that period. Study specimens were selected from community and hospitalized patients positive and negative for influenza A(H1N1) and tested by PCR for other respiratory viruses. A number of infections diagnosed as influenza during the summer influenza outbreak were found to be due to other virus infections (most commonly rhinovirus). No statistically significant difference was found between the rates of respiratory virus co-infection with H1N1 in patients from community or hospital locations suggesting underlying factors were likely to be more significant than viral co-infections in determining severity of influenza A(H1N1) disease.

Certain influenza outbreaks, including the 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic, can predominantly affect school-age children. Therefore the use of school absenteeism data has been considered as a potential tool for providing early warning of increasing influenza activity in the community. This study retrospectively evaluates the usefulness of these data by comparing them with existing syndromic surveillance systems and laboratory data. Weekly mean percentages of absenteeism in 373 state schools (children aged 4–18 years) in Birmingham, UK, from September 2006 to September 2009, were compared with established syndromic surveillance systems including a telephone health helpline, a general practitioner sentinel network and laboratory data for influenza. Correlation coefficients were used to examine the relationship between each syndromic system. In June 2009, school absenteeism generally peaked concomitantly with the existing influenza surveillance systems in England. Weekly school absenteeism surveillance would not have detected pandemic influenza A(H1N1) earlier but daily absenteeism data and the development of baselines could improve the timeliness of the system.

We describe a procedure for dispersion bulk Si into ultrasmall nanoparticles, much smaller than what is available today, with high throughput and excellent size definition and control. The quantum dots are ∼ 1 nm in diameter and contain 29 Si atoms[1-2]. We show most unexpected and totally surprising phenomenon. Unlike bulk Si, an optically inert indirect gap material, the particles are extremely active optically in the blue, exceeding the activity of fluorescein, such that single particles are readily detected and imaged, using two-photon near- infrared femto second excitation. This comes nearly a decade after Canham first surprised the scientific community by reporting red luminescence from anodized Si[3]. In addition to being ultrabright, the particles have other useful properties that are unlike those of bulk including being a source of stimulated emission and collimated beam emission[4-5], and harmonic generation[6]. Single electron charging and the confinment energy spacing, both are much larger than the thermal energy[7]. They can be formed into colloids, crystals, films, and collimated beams for applications in the electronics, optoelectronics and biomedical industries. The synthesis utilizes straightforward, low-cost, environmentally benign present-day commercial technologies and material: abundant Si, common chemicals and electricity. The procedure is readily amenable to large-volume production, easy recovery, and controlled delivery.

Using density functional with exchange correlation, configuration interaction and Monte Carlo theory, we constructed a structural propotype for 29 atoms (magic number for the Td symmetry and spherical shape), giving a size, an energy gap and an absorption spectrum that agree with experiment[8]. In the prototype, twenty four atoms form a network of reconstructed Si-Si species on the surface, with five atoms constituting a tetrahedral core.

The results suggest that the surface reconstructed network is the source of the new properties. In these particles, the elasticity drops, atoms become amenable to large displacement, and are subjected to unballanced atomic forces, conditions under which novel molecular structure or configuration, distinct from bulk, and which otherwise does not exist may form. This structure may constitute a transition between the bulk and atomistic phases.

The Electrical Dispersion Reactor (EDR) allows the continuous production of composite oxide ceramic precursor materials. Silica particles in the form of highly porous shells are produced by the hydrolysis of tetraethylorthosilicate as the continuous phase and water-ammonia as the disperse phase, reflecting the diffusion of the silicon moiety into the dispersed phase. Alternately, denser silica particles result when aqueous solutions of sodium metasilicate are dispersed in a continuous phase containing acetic acid in 2-ethyl-1-hexanol. Additionally, spherical particles in the size range 0.1 to 2 microns are produced from the dispersion of aqueous solutions containing cupric chloride or a mixture of cupric chloride, yttrium nitrate, and barium nitrate (3:1:2 molar ratio) into a continuous organic phase containing ammonia.

Silica and titania particles are readily synthesized by the hydrolysis of alkoxides in various alcohols. The present research studies experimentally and models the chemistry and growth kinetics of silica and titania particles in low molecular weight alcohols (methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol). The theoretical model is based on solving the hydrolysis and condensation kinetic expressions and applying the method of moments to expedite the solution of the governing population balance equation.

The multiphase electrodispersion precipitation of zirconia powders has been done in the electric dispersion reactor (EDR). This paper presents the first results obtained where the bench-scale EDR unit was operated in the continuous mode to synthesize 130 ± 2 g of ZrO2 powder in approximately 12 h. An aqueous solution of zirconyl nitrate was dispersed and precipitated in a 2-ethyl-l-hexanol continuous phase containing 0.012 M to 0.12 M ammonia. A gravity settler was used to remove soft agglomerates of the ZrO2 particles from the organic solvent. Electric bed filtration was employed to remove the fines from the solvent, which was then recycled.

The particle-size distribution was varied by changing the electric field strength. At high field strengths (approximately 20 kV/cm), the particle sizes ranged from approximately 0.1 to 5 μm. The dried powder had a consistency of talcum powder. Microwave and conventional heating experiments showed that the powders were sinterable. The BET surface area of the powders ranged from approximately 20 to 90 m2/g.

The reproductive biology of the commercial seabait polychaete species Perinereis nuntia brevicirris, Lumbrineris funchalensis and Halla parthenopeia was investigated from samples obtained from the Suez Canal, Egypt, to determine sex-ratio, reproductive maturity stages, spawning season, and fecundity. Samples were collected monthly from January 2002 to February 2003. The results of sex-ratio indicated that males of the three studied worms outnumbered females through the whole study period. Based upon histological features of the coelomic contents, four maturity stages were described in females of P. nuntia brevicirris, three stages were described for females of L. funchalensis and three stages for females of H. parthenopeia. The spawning season of P. nuntia brevicirris was found to take place during spring and L. funchalensis does not have a defined breeding season, while H. parthenopeia has two reproductive periods, one in May and the second in November and lasted to January. Fecundity was estimated by counting the number of oocytes per each female—it showed that P. nuntia brevicirris is more fecund (mean = 208.358 ±2080 oocyte/female) than L. fanchalensis and H. parthenopeia (mean = 2660 ±654 and 142,068 ±2005 oocyte/female respectively). This study is the first to document aspects of the reproductive biology of the highly commercial polychaetes in the Suez Canal and adds to our knowledge for understanding their reproductive patterns and strategies.