Synthesis of human walking: A planar model for single support

A mathematical model for the single support phase of normal, level, human walking is formulated. The motion of the lower extremity is synthesized using a preprogrammed set of inputs, recognized by the model as a simple collection of applied joint moments.

Two mechanisms are forwarded as candidates for producing the observed peaks in the vertical ground reaction. The first, stance knee flexion-extension, generates the necessary level of whole-body vertical acceleration during the initial region of single support (opposite toe-off to heel-off). A model accounting for the determinants of foot and knee interaction then predicts the second peak to be the result of an increasing ankle moment in the region from heel-off to opposite heel-strike.     

An experimental and analytical study of impact forces during human jumping

Impact forces during landing in dismounts from the horizontal bar onto regulation gymnastic mats and in jumping from a height of 0.45 m onto a hard surface were measured. A two degree-of-freedom dynamic model was developed to predict the forces in landing on the hard surface. The periods of the two peaks that can be identified from experimental data were used in the determination of the system parameters. The peak forces recorded in gymnasts' landing ranged from 8.2 to 11.6 times the body weight. Maximum forces in jumping from 0.45 m, which ranged from 5.0 to 7.0 times the body weight, were accurately predicted by the model.     

DNA barcoding commercially important fish species of Turkey

DNA barcoding was used in the identification of 89 commercially important freshwater and marine fish species found in Turkish ichthyofauna. A total of 1765 DNA barcodes using a 654‐bp‐long fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene were generated for 89 commercially important freshwater and marine fish species found in Turkish ichthyofauna. These species belong to 70 genera, 40 families and 19 orders from class Actinopterygii, and all were associated with a distinct DNA barcode. Nine and 12 of the COI barcode clusters represent the first species records submitted to the BOLD and GenBank databases, respectively. All COI barcodes (except sequences of first species records) were matched with reference sequences of expected species, according to morphological identification. Average nucleotide frequencies of the data set were calculated as T = 29.7%, C = 28.2%, A = 23.6% and G = 18.6%. Average pairwise genetic distance among individuals were estimated as 0.32%, 9.62%, 17,90% and 22.40% for conspecific, congeneric, confamilial and within order, respectively. Kimura 2‐parameter genetic distance values were found to increase with taxonomic level. For most of the species analysed in our data set, there is a barcoding gap, and an overlap in the barcoding gap exists for only two genera. Neighbour‐joining trees were drawn based on DNA barcodes and all the specimens clustered in agreement with their taxonomic classification at species level. Results of this study supported DNA barcoding as an efficient molecular tool for a better monitoring, conservation and management of fisheries.     

Production of the biocontrol agent Pantoea agglomerans strain CPA-2 using commercial products and by-products

The aim of this paper was to find the nitrogen and carbon sources that provide maximum biomass production of strain CPA-2 of the biocontrol agent Pantoea agglomerans and minimum cost of media, whilst maintaining biocontrol efficacy. To reduce the cost of media, commercial products and by-products were tested. P. agglomerans can be produced using a combination of nitrogen sources such as yeast extract (5 g l(-1)) and dry beer yeast (10 g l(-1)) with inexpensive carbohydrates such as sucrose (10 g l(-1)) and molasses (20 g l(-1)), respectively, maintaining the efficacy of the biocontrol agent against Penicillium digitatum and P. italicum on oranges. The results obtained in this study could be used to provide a reliable basis for a scale-up of this fermentation process to an industrial level.     

A preliminary study of human paraoxonase and PON 1 L/M55–PON 1 Q/R 192 polymorphisms in Turkish patients with coronary artery disease

Paraoxonase 1 (PON 1) is a high‐density lipoprotein (HDL)‐associated enzyme with antioxidant function protecting low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) from oxidation. PON 1 has two amino acid polymorphisms in coding region; L/M 55 and Q/R 192. These polymorphisms modulate paraoxonase activity of the enzyme. PON 1 activity decreases in coronary artery disease (CAD). In the present study, distribution of PON 1 L/M 55 and Q/R 192 polymorphisms and the effect of these polymorphisms on the activities of PON 1, and on the severity of CAD in 277 CAD (+) patient and 92 CAD (?) subjects were examined. PON 1 L/M 55 and Q/R 192 genotypes were determined by PCR, RFLP and agarose gel electrophoresis techniques. Genotype distributions and allele frequencies for PON 1 Q/R 192 polymorphism were not significantly different between controls and CAD (+) patient group (p > 0.05), but in genotype and allele distribution of PON 1 L/M55 polymorphism, there was significantly difference among groups (p < 0.05). Genotype distributions for both polymorphisms were not significantly different between subgroups of single‐vessel disease (SVD), double‐vessel disease (DVD) and triple‐vessel disease (TVD). Serum PON 1 activity was lower in CAD (+) group than in controls and this was also statistically significant (p < 0.001). In both groups, the highest PON activities were detected in LL and RR genotypes. In summary, our results suggest that there is an association between the PON 1 L/M 55 polymorphism of paraoxonase and CAD in Turkish patients but not with PON 1 Q/R 192 polymorphism. However, it is hard to correlate these polymorphisms and severity of CAD. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Atorvastatin-induced cardioprotection is mediated by increasing inducible nitric oxide synthase and consequent S-nitrosylation of cyclooxygenase-2

We determined the effects of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1; SC-560), COX-2 (SC-58125), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS; 1400W) inhibitors on atorvastatin (ATV)-induced myocardial protection and whether iNOS mediates the ATV-induced increases in COX-2. Sprague-Dawley rats received 10 mg ATV.kg(-1).day(-1) added to drinking water or water alone for 3 days and received intravenous SC-58125, SC-560, 1400W, or vehicle alone. Anesthesia was induced with ketamine and xylazine and maintained with isoflurane. Fifteen minutes after intravenous injection rats underwent 30-min myocardial ischemia followed by 4-h reperfusion [infarct size (IS) protocol], or the hearts were explanted for biochemical analysis and immunoblotting. Left ventricular weight and area at risk (AR) were comparable among groups. ATV reduced IS to 12.7% (SD 3.1) of AR, a reduction of 64% vs. 35.1% (SD 7.6) in the sham-treated group (P < 0.001). SC-58125 and 1400W attenuated the protective effect without affecting IS in the non-ATV-treated rats. ATV increased calcium-independent NOS (iNOS) [11.9 (SD 0.8) vs. 3.9 (SD 0.1) x 1,000 counts/min; P < 0.001] and COX-2 [46.7 (SD 1.1) vs. 6.5 (SD 1.4) pg/ml of 6-keto-PGF(1alpha); P < 0.001] activity. Both SC-58125 and 1400W attenuated this increase. SC-58125 did not affect iNOS activity, whereas 1400W blocked iNOS activity. COX-2 was S-nitrosylated in ATV-treated but not sham-treated rats or rats pretreated with 1400W. COX-2 immunoprecipitated with iNOS but not with endothelial nitric oxide synthase. We conclude that ATV reduced IS by increasing the activity of iNOS and COX-2, iNOS is upstream to COX-2, and iNOS activates COX-2 by S-nitrosylation. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that preconditioning effects are mediated via PG.     

Beneficial role of aminoguanidine on acute cardiomyopathy related to doxorubicin-treatment

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a broad-spectrum anthracycline antibiotic that has cardiotoxicity as a major side effect. One mechanism of this toxicity is believed to involve the reactive oxygen radical species (ROS); these agents likely account for the pathophysiology of DOX-induced cardiomyopathy. Aminoguanidine (AG) is an effective antioxidant and free radical scavenger which has long been known to protect against ROS formation. We investigated the effects of AG on DOX-induced changes in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and reduced glutathione (GSH) content. The rats were divided into four groups:1) Control; 2) DOX group; injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with DOX 20 mg/kg in a single dose 3) AG-treated group; injected i.p. in single dose of 20 mg/kg DOX plus 100 mg/kg AG 1 h before the DOX for 3 days, 4) AG group; injected i.p. with AG 100 mg/kg for 3 days. DOX administration to control rats increased TBARS and decreased GSH levels. AG administration before DOX injection caused significant decrease in TBARS and increase in GSH levels in the heart tissue when compared with DOX only. Morphological changes, including severe myocardial fibrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration were clearly observed in the DOX-treated heart. AG reversed the DOX-induced heart damage. Therefore AG could protect the heart tissue against free radical injury. The application of AG during cancer chemotherapy may attenuate tissue damage and improve the therapeutic index of DOX.     

The kinetics of early T and B cell immune recovery after bone marrow transplantation in RAG-2-deficient SCID patients

The kinetics of T and B cell immune recovery after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is affected by many pre- and post-transplant factors. Because of the profoundly depleted baseline T and B cell immunity in recombination activating gene 2 (RAG-2)-deficient severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) patients, some of these factors are eliminated, and the immune recovery after BMT can then be clearly assessed. This process was followed in ten SCID patients in parallel to their associated transplant-related complications. Early peripheral presence of T and B cells was observed in 8 and 4 patients, respectively. The latter correlated with pre-transplant conditioning therapy. Cells from these patients carried mainly signal joint DNA episomes, indicative of newly derived B and T cells. They were present before the normalization of the T cell receptor (TCR) and the B cell receptor (BCR) repertoire. Early presentation of the ordered TCR gene rearrangements after BMT occurred simultaneously, but this pattern was heterogeneous over time, suggesting different and individual thymic recovery processes. Our findings early after transplant could suggest the long-term patients' clinical outcome. Early peripheral presence of newly produced B and T lymphocytes from their production and maturation sites after BMT suggests donor stem cell origin rather than peripheral expansion, and is indicative of successful outcome. Peripheral detection of TCR excision circles and kappa-deleting recombination excision circles in RAG-2-deficient SCID post-BMT are early markers of T and B cell reconstitution, and can be used to monitor outcome and tailor specific therapy for patients undergoing BMT.     

Production of engineered long-life and male sterile Pelargonium plants

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Pelargonium is one of the most popular garden plants in the world. Moreover, it has a considerable economic importance in the ornamental plant market. Conventional cross-breeding strategies have generated a range of cultivars with excellent traits. However, gene transfer via Agrobacterium tumefaciens could be a helpful tool to further improve Pelargonium by enabling the introduction of new genes/traits. We report a simple and reliable protocol for the genetic transformation of Pelargonium spp. and the production of engineered long-life and male sterile Pelargonium zonale plants, using the pSAG12::ipt and PsEND1::barnase chimaeric genes respectively. RESULTS: The pSAG12::ipt transgenic plants showed delayed leaf senescence, increased branching and reduced internodal length, as compared to control plants. Leaves and flowers of the pSAG12::ipt plants were reduced in size and displayed a more intense coloration. In the transgenic lines carrying the PsEND1::barnase construct no pollen grains were observed in the modified anther structures, which developed instead of normal anthers. The locules of sterile anthers collapsed 3--4 days prior to floral anthesis and, in most cases, the undeveloped anther tissues underwent necrosis. CONCLUSION: The chimaeric construct pSAG12::ipt can be useful in Pelargonium spp. to delay the senescence process and to modify plant architecture. In addition, the use of engineered male sterile plants would be especially useful to produce environmentally friendly transgenic plants carrying new traits by preventing gene flow between the genetically modified ornamentals and related plant species. These characteristics could be of interest, from a commercial point of view, both for pelargonium producers and consumers.