Temperature dependent time resolved mid-IR photoacoustic spectroscopy of a nerve gas simulant DMMP.

The paper reports the temperature dependent pulsed photoacoustic spectroscopy of Dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) a nerve gas simulant between 50 and 180 °C temperature range. The time domain PA spectra are recorded using two mid-IR wavelengths i.e. 3374 nm, 3495 nm of pulse duration 1.5 ns at 1 kHz repetition rate obtained from optical parametric oscillator. Two anti-symmetric stretching vibrational modes of (CH3P) and (CH3O) groups of DMMP molecules have very strong vibrational peaks at 2861.2 cm-1 (3495 nm) and 2963.8 cm-1 (3374 nm), respectively. In addition, we have also recorded the PA spectra of acetone at the vibrational frequency 3115.2 cm-1 (3210 nm), which is the strong vibrational mode of CH band. The comparison of two PA spectra of DMMP and acetone recorded using similar PA cavity help us to understand the effect of other functional groups with respect to different excitation wavelengths. The presence of additional acoustic modes in the PA spectra of DMMP (3374 nm) above the boiling point confirms the slow process of thermal decomposition. Finally, the low level detection limit of DMMP in air is of the of the order of 0.91 ppbV.

Laser induced fluorescence of biochemical for UV LIDAR application.

Laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy in the ultraviolet regime has been used for the detection of biochemical through a fiber coupled CCD detector from a distance of 2 m. The effect of concentration and laser excitation energy on the fluorescence spectra of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) has been investigated. The signature fluorescence peak of NADH was centred about 460 nm. At lower concentration Raman peak centred at 405 nm was also observed. The origin of this peak has been discussed. Detection limit with the proposed set up is found to be 1 ppm.

Mie lidar observations of lower tropospheric aerosols and clouds.

Mie lidar system is developed at Laser Science and Technology Centre, Delhi (28.38°N, 77.12°E) by using minimal number of commercially available off-the-shelf components. Neodymium Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:YAG) laser operating at 1064nm with variable pulse energies between 25 and 400 mJ with 10 Hz repetition rate and 7ns pulse duration is used as a transmitter and off-axis CASSEGRAIN telescope with 100mm diameter as a receiver. Silicon avalanche photodiode (Si-APD) module with built-in preamplifier and front-end optics is used as detector. This system has been developed for the studies of lower tropospheric aerosols and clouds. Some experiments have been conducted using this set up and preliminary results are discussed. The characteristics of backscattered signals for various transmitter pulse energies are also studied. Atmospheric aerosol extinction coefficient values are calculated using Klett lidar inversion algorithm. The extinction coefficient, in general, falls with range in the lower troposphere and the values lie typically in the range 7.5×10(-5) m(-1) to 1.12×10(-4) m(-1) in the absence of any cloud whereas this value shoots maximum up to 1.267×10(-3) m(-1) (peak extinction) in the presence of clouds.

A 3D quantitative comparison of trapezium and trapezoid relative articular and nonarticular surface areas in modern humans and great apes.

The structure and functions of the modern human hand are critical components of what distinguishes Homo sapiens from the great apes (Gorilla, Pan, and Pongo). In this study, attention is focused on the trapezium and trapezoid, the two most lateral bones of the distal carpal row, in the four extant hominid genera, representing the first time they have been quantified and analyzed together as a morphological-functional complex. Our objective is to quantify the relative articular and nonarticular surface areas of these two bones and to test whether modern humans exhibit significant shape differences from the great apes, as predicted by previous qualitative analyses and the functional demands of differing manipulative and locomotor strategies. Modern humans were predicted to show larger relative first metacarpal and scaphoid surfaces on the trapezium because of the regular recruitment of the thumb during manipulative behaviors; alternatively, great apes were predicted to show larger relative second metacarpal and scaphoid surfaces on the trapezoid because of the functional demands on the hands during locomotor behaviors. Modern humans were also expected to exhibit larger relative mutual joint surfaces between the trapezoid and adjacent carpals than do the great apes because of assumed transverse loads generated by the functional demands of the modern human power grip. Using 3D bone models acquired through laser digitizing, the relative articular and nonarticular areas on each bone are quantified and compared. Multivariate analyses of these data clearly distinguish modern humans from the great apes. In total, the observed differences between modern humans and the great apes support morphological predictions based on the fact that this region of the human wrist is no longer involved in weight-bearing during locomotor behavior and is instead recruited solely for manipulative behaviors. The results provide the beginnings of a 3D comparative standard against which further extant and fossil primate wrist bones can be compared within the contexts of manipulative and locomotor behaviors.

Functional capabilities of modern and fossil hominid hands: three-dimensional analysis of trapezia.

Three-dimensional (3D) trapezium models from Homo sapiens, Gorilla gorilla, Pan troglodytes, Australopithecus afarensis (A.L.333-80), and Homo habilis (O.H.7-NNQ) were acquired through laser digitizing. Least-square planes were generated for each articular surface, and the angles between the planes were compared. Each extant species displays an overall pattern that distinguishes it from the others. The observed angles in G. gorilla and P. troglodytes are more similar to one other than either is to H. sapiens. Our results, obtained from using new 3D modeling and analytical tools, raise interesting questions about the functional capabilities of the fossil trapezia. Multivariate statistical analyses indicate that A.L.333-80 is morphologically more similar to that of modern humans, whereas the O.H.7 trapezium is more similar to that of the gorilla. Significant differences between A.L.333-80 and the extant species occur, but some similarities to humans suggest the ability to form the distinctively human forceful pad-to-side and three-jaw chuck grips. Some key morphological differences from humans highlighted and quantified by our research suggest limitations in the functional capabilities of the O.H.7 trapezium, particularly in those that facilitate pronation at the base of the second metacarpal. If the O.H.7 trapezium represents part of the hand responsible for manufacturing and using the stone tools found at Olduvai, our results suggest that the hand manipulated the stones in a way for which we have no modern analog. Alternative considerations are that the O.H.7 trapezium is not representative of other trapezia from its species (i.e., N=1), or that it represents another primate or hominid species.

Effects of dietary phenolic compounds on tocopherol, cholesterol, and fatty acids in rats.

The effects of the phenolic compounds butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), sesamin (S), curcumin (CU), and ferulic acid (FA) on plasma, liver, and lung concentrations of alpha- and gamma-tocopherols (T), on plasma and liver cholesterol, and on the fatty acid composition of liver lipids were studied in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Test compounds were given to rats ad libitum for 4 wk at 4 g/kg diet, in a diet low but adequate in vitamin E (36 mg/kg of gamma-T and 25 mg/kg of alpha-T) and containing 2 g/kg of cholesterol. BHT significantly reduced feed intake (P < 0.05) and body weight and increased feed conversion ratio; S and BHT caused a significant enlargement of the liver (P < 0.001), whereas CU and FA did not affect any of these parameters. The amount of liver lipids was significantly lowered by BHT (P < 0.01) while the other substances reduced liver lipid concentrations but not significantly. Regarding effects on tocopherol levels, (i) feeding of BHT resulted in a significant elevation (P< 0.001) of alpha-T in plasma, liver, and lung, while gamma-T values remained unchanged; (ii) rats provided with the S diet had substantially higher gamma-T levels (P < 0.001) in plasma, liver, and lung, whereas alpha-T levels were not affected; (iii) administration of CU raised the concentration of alpha-T in the lung (P < 0.01) but did not affect the plasma or liver values of any of the tocopherols; and (iv) FA had no effect on the levels of either homolog in the plasma, liver, or lung. The level of an unknown substance in the liver was significantly reduced by dietary BHT (P < 0.001). BHT was the only compound that tended to increase total cholesterol (TC) in plasma, due to an elevation of cholesterol in the very low density lipoprotein + low density lipoprotein (VLDL + LDL) fraction. S and FA tended to lower plasma total and VLDL + LDL cholesterol concentrations, but the effect for CU was statistically significant (P < 0.05). FA increased plasma high density lipoprotein cholesterol while the other compounds reduced it numerically, but not significantly. BHT, CU, and S reduced cholesterol levels in the liver TC (P < 0.001) and percentages of TC in liver lipids (P < 0.05). With regard to the fatty acid composition of liver lipids, S increased the n-6/n-3 and the 18:3/20:5 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) ratios, and BHT lowered total monounsaturated fatty acids and increased total PUFA (n-6 + n-3). The effects of CU and FA on fatty acids were not highly significant. These results suggest some in vivo interactions between these phenolic compounds and tocopherols that may increase the bioavailability of vitamin E and decrease cholesterol in rats.

Complete nucleotide sequence of an Indian strain of Japanese encephalitis virus: sequence comparison with other strains and phylogenetic analysis.

The RNA genome of an Indian strain of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), GP78, was reverse transcribed and the cDNA fragments were cloned in bacterial plasmids. Nucleotide sequencing of the cDNA clones covering the entire genome of the virus established that the GP78 genome was 10,976 nucleotides long. An open reading frame of 10,296 bases, capable of coding for a 3,432 amino acid polyprotein, was flanked by 95- and 585-base long 5'- and 3'-non-coding regions, respectively. When compared with the nucleotide sequence of the JaOArS982 strain, the JEV GP78 genome had a number of nucleotide substitutions that were scattered throughout the genome except for the 5'-noncoding region, the sequence of which was fully conserved. Comparison of the complete genome sequences of different JEV isolates showed a 1.3-4.1% nucleotide sequence divergence among them, which resulted in 0.6-1.8% amino acid sequence divergence. Analysis based on the complete genome sequences of different JEV isolates showed that the GP78 isolate from India was phylogenetically closer to the Chinese SA14 isolate.

Broiler chicken body weights, feed intakes, plasma lipid and small-intestinal bile acid concentrations in response to feeding of chitosan and pectin.

One-day-old broiler chickens were fed on a control diet based on maize and maize starch or diets containing 30 g/kg of 89% deacetylated chitin (chitosan) or low-methoxyl (34% degree of esterification) pectin. Feeding of the chitosan diet to chickens significantly reduced body weights and feed intakes compared with animals fed on control or pectin diets on days 5 and 11 of the experiment. On day 12, significant reductions in total plasma cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol concentrations were observed among birds fed on the chitosan but not the pectin diet in relation to control-fed animals. A concomitant increase in the plasma HDL-cholesterol:total cholesterol ratio was observed among chitosan-fed chickens. The generally reduced concentrations of primary and total bile acids in the duodenum of birds fed on the fibre-containing diets on day 13 may have been an indication of a delay in the production and/or secretion of bile. Viscosity of the three broiler-chicken diets was measured after suspension in water, acidification and finally neutralization of the suspensions, in an attempt to simulate the effect of changes in pH and dilution of diets occurring in the gizzard and small intestine of chickens. Viscosity of the chitosan diet was significantly elevated after acidification and significantly reduced at neutralization in comparison with the control and pectin-containing diets suggesting that the hypolipidaemic influence of chitosan observed in the present study may be due to interruption of enterohepatic bile acid circulation rather than increased viscosity in the small intestine of chickens. The low viscosity of the pectin diet in vitro together with the absence of a hypocholesterolaemic effect of this diet when fed in vivo precludes any conclusion regarding the hypocholesterolaemic mechanism of pectin observed in earlier studies.

Hypolipidaemic, gastrointestinal and related responses of broiler chickens to chitosans of different viscosity.

Broiler chickens (1-d-old) were fed ad libitum on a control diet based on maize and maize starch or diets containing low-, medium- or high-viscosity chitosans at an inclusion level of 15 g/kg. Body weights and feed intakes of chickens given chitosan-containing diets were generally depressed in comparison with those of control-fed animals on days 11 and 18 of the experiment. On days 12 and 19, feeding the low-viscosity-chitosan diet reduced plasma triacylglycerol and total plasma cholesterol concentrations in relation to chickens receiving the control diet, while the medium- and high-viscosity-chitosan-containing diets reduced total plasma cholesterol and elevated, although not significantly, plasma HDL-cholesterol concentrations compared with those of control-fed animals. Chitosan feeding generally improved plasma HDL-cholesterol:total cholesterol ratio in comparison with control feeding, which was attributed to the general reductions in plasma cholesterol concentrations rather than increases in plasma HDL-cholesterol concentrations. Feeding the high-viscosity-chitosan-containing diet significantly reduced the ileal digestibility of crude protein (N x 6.25) and crude fat compared with chickens given the control diet. The reduction in ileal crude fat digestibility was greatest among chickens receiving the high-viscosity-chitosan-containing diet and chitosan-containing diets reduced ileal fat digestibility by 8% on average compared with that of control-fed birds. However, increasing the viscosity of the chitosan fraction could not be correlated with increases in terminal ileal digesta viscosity and, therefore, it could not be established that increased ileal lumen viscosity alone contributed to reductions in body weight, feed intake and plasma cholesterol concentrations. However, the fact that ileal digestibility of fat was reduced by feeding chitosan to chickens suggests the action of other hypolipidaemic mechanisms.

Effect of chitin and chitosan on nutrient digestibility and plasma lipid concentrations in broiler chickens.

Broiler chickens were fed on a control diet based on maize and maize starch or diets containing chitin, or 94, 82 or 76% deacetylated chitin (chitosans) with different viscosities (360, 590 and 620 m Pa.s respectively) at an inclusion level of 30 g/kg. Animals had free access to feed and water for the whole experimental period. On days 10 and 18 of the experiment chickens given the control and chitin-containing diets weighed more, had consumed more feed and had lower feed conversion ratios (g feed/g weight gain) than chitosan-fed birds. Feeding of chitosan-containing diets generally reduced total plasma cholesterol and high-density-lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol concentrations and gave an increased HDL:total cholesterol ratio in comparison with chickens given the control and chitin-containing diets. However, no significant reductions in plasma triacylglycerol concentrations resulting from feeding of the chitosan-containing diets were observed. The reduction in total cholesterol concentration and increased HDL:total cholesterol ratio were probably caused by enhanced reverse cholesterol transport in response to intestinal losses of dietary fats. The suggestion that dietary fat absorption was impeded by the chitosans was strengthened by the observation that ileal fat digestibility was reduced by 26% in comparison with control and chitin-fed animals. In a plasma triacylglycerol response study on day 21, feeding of 94 and 76%-chitosan-containing diets generally reduced postprandial triacylglycerol concentrations compared with chickens given the chitin-containing diet. Duodenal digestibilities of nutrients amongst chickens given the chitin-containing diet were generally lower than those of control and chitosan-fed birds indicating decreased intestinal transit time. The reduced caecal short-chain fatty acid concentrations of chickens given chitosan diets compared with the control diet illustrates the antimicrobial nature of chitosan. The fact that the three chitosan-containing diets affected the registered variables similarly indicated that the level of inclusion of chitosans in the diet exceeded the level at which the effect of the different viscosities could be significant.

Effects of feeding restriction and meal pattern of a sugar beet-containing diet and control diet on nutrient digestibility, plasma lipid concentrations and postprandial triacylglycerol response in broiler chickens.

Broiler chickens were fed on a control diet based on maize or a diet containing sugar-beet-pulp fibre (Beetfiber) at an inclusion level of 46 g/kg. Diets were provided ad lib. or at a restricted level either once daily or three times daily. On days 13 and 20, chickens fed on the ad lib. control and sugar-beet-pulp-containing diets generally weighed more and had poorer feed conversion ratios than chickens given the restricted control and sugar-beet-pulp-containing diets respectively. Furthermore, chickens given the restricted diets once daily had greater body weights and generally improved feed conversion efficiencies compared with chickens given the restricted diets three times daily. Generally, elevated plasma lipid concentrations were observed amongst chickens given the restricted diets once daily compared with chickens fed ad lib. as well as the restricted diets three times daily, while chickens fed on restricted diets three times daily had plasma lipid concentrations intermediate between those fed ad lib. and once daily. In a plasma triacyglycerol response study on day 22, feeding of sugar-beet-pulp-containing diets generally reduced postprandial triacylglycerol concentrations and delayed triacylglycerol response relative to chickens given the control diets either ad lib. or restricted, which may indicate gastrointestinal adaptation to feeding of a fibre-rich diet. Postprandial triacylglycerol concentrations observed for chickens receiving restricted diets were increased compared with chickens given the respective ad lib. diets, indicating adaptation of chickens to reduced feed frequency. On day 25, feeding of sugar-beet-pulp-containing diets decreased digesta dry matter content and ileal organic matter digestibility. Chickens given sugar-beet-pulp-containing diets generally had, on day 25, increased caecal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations in comparison with chickens given the ad lib. control diet, indicating increased fermentation of dietary components. It is also noteworthy that the greatest SCFA concentrations were observed amongst chickens given the control diet once daily, suggesting enhanced caecal fermentation capacity. This may have been a consequence of increased bacterial activity and caecal hypertrophy due to infrequent feeding of a low-fibre diet.

Effects of increasing levels of sugar-beet pulp in broiler chicken diets on nutrient digestion and serum lipids.

Broiler chickens were fed on a control diet based on maize or on diets including conventionally-dried (standard pulp) or vacuum-dried (Fipec pulp) sugar-beet pulp at inclusion levels of 23, 46 and 92 g/kg. Diets were fed ad lib. except for half of the chickens fed on the control diet which were fed twice daily at a restricted level. Although not statistically significant, chickens given the 23 g sugar-beet pulp/kg diets generally consumed more feed, had increased body weights and converted feed more efficiently at both day 14 and 21 than those fed on the control diet or diets including 46 or 92 g sugar-beet pulp/kg. Ileal digestibilities of organic matter, crude fat and crude protein generally decreased with increasing levels of sugar-beet pulp in the diet. Birds fed on diets including sugar-beet pulp had reduced total serum cholesterol concentrations. There were only minor differences obtained in production responses, serum cholesterol concentrations, digestibilities and carcass composition between chickens fed on the two types of beet pulp, indicating that the different drying procedures had very little influence on the product. High triacylglycerol and total serum cholesterol concentrations obtained for the restricted level-fed chickens demonstrated a meal frequency factor.

Amenorrhea related to progestin excess in congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Studies of the cause of amenorrhea in a patient with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) whose androgen levels were easily controlled suggested that inhibition of menses in CAH is more closely related to overproduction of progestins than to overproduction of androgens. Supporting this concept was the observation in another patient with CAH that menarche was associated with improved control of the plasma progesterone. Subsequent detailed investigation of the diurnal plasma steroid pattern of other treated CAH patients indicates that major intermittenet spisodic bursts of progestin secretion occur in many patients whose plasma androgen levels are well controlled. Estimation of 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-P) production, by measurement of serum 17-P or urinary y pregnanetriol, provides the best index of biochemical control of the 21-hydroxylase deficiency form of CAH. In patients in whom poorly controlled progestins are possible contributers to abnormal menses, low-dose dexamethasone (about 0.25 mg/m2/day) in 1 or 2 divided doses seems to be the treatment of choice.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone infusion test in the distinction of hypopituitary patients from normal subjects.

We undertook a pilot study to determine whether infusion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) might improve the distinction of hypogonadotropinism from the normal state and might permit gonadotropin deficiency to be diagnosed in the prepubertal child. Normal prepubertal and pubertal boys had a greater luteinizing hormone (LH) reaction (delta LH 54 +/- 15 [SD] ng/ml and 165 +/- 23 ng/ml, respectively) to a 4-hour infusion (100 microgram/hour) than to a 100-microgram bolus of GnRH (19 +/- 9 and 52 +/- 35 ng/ml). These augmented responses were observed in boys with delayed puberty, but not in apparently hypogonadotropic males greater than or equal to 12 years old. LH (delta LH 445 to 1602 ng/ml) and FSH (delta FSH 718 to 2112 ng/ml) surges were induced consistently by GnRH infusion only in normal, postmenarchial females. In all, of 13 hypopituitary cases classified as hypogonadotropic on the basis of a subnormal response to GnRH infusion, 31% had a normal response to the GnRH bolus (P = 0.05). Thus, GnRH infusion testing seems to improve the distinction of hypogonadotropic patients from normal individuals, including boys with delayed puberty.

Partial gonadotrophin-resistance in pseudohypoparathyroidism.

A patient with classical Albright's pseudohypoparathyroidism was investigated because of oligomenorrhoea. Hypo-oestrogenism was associated with elevated basal gonadotrophin values [mean basal serum LH and FSH were 272 +/- 84 (SD) ng/ml and 593 +/- 83 ng/ml, resplectively (normal less than or equal to 220 and less than or equal to 400, respectively)]. The response to gonadotrophin releasing hormone (Gn-RH) was exaggerated, with maximal LH and FSH increments of 1688 and 458 ng/ml, respectively. These results and the findings on ovarian biopsy were compatible with partial ovarian resistance to gonadotrophins. This resistance could be overcome by administration of human menopausal gonadotrophins. This is the first evidence for gonadotrophin resistance in pseudohypoparathyroidism. The plasma cyclic adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate response to glucagon administration by two different protocols was about 70% that of normal control subjects. Other endocrine glands whose responses to hormones are mediated via the adenylate cyclase system evidenced minor abnormalities of questionable significance. This indirect evidence is compatible with a more extensive defect in the adenylate cyclase system in pseudohypoparathyroidism than has hitherto been suspected.

Endocrinologic characteristics of partial ovarian failure.

Three young women with primary ovarian failure, secondary amenorrhea or oligo-ovulation, and normal gonadotropin levels are reported on here. Vaginal cytology and serum estradiol levels indicated the two women to be persistently hypoestrogenic. The third case, who had the Turner phenotype, was hypoestrogenic during anovulatory cycles but occasionally ovulated. Basal serum LH and FSH were normal. All were tested with synthetic LH-releasing hormone and had a brisk response, LH levels rising 51-198 ng/ml above baseline and FSH rising 278-536 ng/ml. Plasma levels of testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and progesterone were normal. Gonadal dysgenesis was suggested in two on the basis of an abnormal karyotype, and isochromosome of the short arm of X in Case 2, and an isochromosome of the long arm of X in Case 3. The diagnosis of primary hypogonadism was established by laparoscopy and ovarian biopsy. The latter studies revealed small ovaries with a scarcity of primordial and primary follicles, yet with evidence of current or previous follicular activity. The observation that hypoestrogenism was so marked in two of our patients that elevated serum FSH would have been expected, suggests that the presence of a limited number of ovarian follicles suffices to prevent hypergonagotropism in hypoestrogenic women by a mechanism which does not involve elaboration of sex steroids.