Browsing by Subject "Hot Temperature"
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Item Open Access A genetically engineered thermally responsive sustained release curcumin depot to treat neuroinflammation.(J Control Release, 2013-10-10) Sinclair, S Michael; Bhattacharyya, Jayanta; McDaniel, Jonathan R; Gooden, David M; Gopalaswamy, Ramesh; Chilkoti, Ashutosh; Setton, Lori ARadiculopathy, a painful neuroinflammation that can accompany intervertebral disc herniation, is associated with locally increased levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα). Systemic administration of TNF antagonists for radiculopathy in the clinic has shown mixed results, and there is growing interest in the local delivery of anti-inflammatory drugs to treat this pathology as well as similar inflammatory events of peripheral nerve injury. Curcumin, a known antagonist of TNFα in multiple cell types and tissues, was chemically modified and conjugated to a thermally responsive elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) to create an injectable depot for sustained, local delivery of curcumin to treat neuroinflammation. ELPs are biopolymers capable of thermally-triggered in situ depot formation that have been successfully employed as drug carriers and biomaterials in several applications. ELP-curcumin conjugates were shown to display high drug loading, rapidly release curcumin in vitro via degradable carbamate bonds, and retain in vitro bioactivity against TNFα-induced cytotoxicity and monocyte activation with IC50 only two-fold higher than curcumin. When injected proximal to the sciatic nerve in mice via intramuscular (i.m.) injection, ELP-curcumin conjugates underwent a thermally triggered soluble-insoluble phase transition, leading to in situ formation of a depot that released curcumin over 4days post-injection and decreased plasma AUC 7-fold.Item Open Access Classification and treatment of endothermal heat-induced thrombosis: Recommendations from the American Venous Forum and the Society for Vascular Surgery This Practice Guidelines document has been co-published in Phlebology [DOI: 10.1177/0268355520953759] and Journal of Vascular Surgery: Venous and Lymphatic Disorders [DOI: 10.1016/j.jvsv.2020.06.008]. The publications are identical except for minor stylistic and spelling differences in keeping with each journal's style. The contribution has been published under a Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).(Phlebology, 2021-02) Kabnick, Lowell S; Sadek, Mikel; Bjarnason, Haraldur; Coleman, Dawn M; Dillavou, Ellen D; Hingorani, Anil P; Lal, Brajesh K; Lawrence, Peter F; Malgor, Rafael; Puggioni, AlessandraThe American Venous Forum (AVF) and the Society for Vascular Surgery set forth these guidelines for the management of endothermal heat-induced thrombosis (EHIT). The guidelines serve to compile the body of literature on EHIT and to put forth evidence-based recommendations. The guidelines are divided into the following categories: classification of EHIT, risk factors and prevention, and treatment of EHIT.One major feature is to standardize the reporting under one classification system. The Kabnick and Lawrence classification systems are now combined into the AVF EHIT classification system. The novel classification system affords standardization in reporting but also allows continued combined evaluation with the current body of literature. Recommendations codify the use of duplex ultrasound for the diagnosis of EHIT. Risk factor assessments and methods of prevention including mechanical prophylaxis, chemical prophylaxis, and ablation distance are discussed.Treatment guidelines are tailored to the AVF EHIT class (ie, I, II, III, IV). Reference is made to the use of surveillance, antiplatelet therapy, and anticoagulants as deemed indicated, and the recommendations incorporate the use of the novel direct oral anticoagulants. Last, EHIT management as it relates to the great and small saphenous veins is discussed.Item Open Access Curcumin Ameliorates Heat-Induced Injury through NADPH Oxidase-Dependent Redox Signaling and Mitochondrial Preservation in C2C12 Myoblasts and Mouse Skeletal Muscle.(The Journal of nutrition, 2020-09) Yu, Tianzheng; Dohl, Jacob; Wang, Li; Chen, Yifan; Gasier, Heath G; Deuster, Patricia ABackground
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase and the mitochondrial electron transport chain are the primary sources of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Previous studies have shown that severe heat exposure damages mitochondria and causes excessive mitochondrial ROS production that contributes to the pathogenesis of heat-related illnesses.Objectives
We tested whether the antioxidant curcumin could protect against heat-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and skeletal muscle injury, and characterized the possible mechanism.Methods
Mouse C2C12 myoblasts and rat flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) myofibers were treated with 5 μM curcumin; adult male C57BL/6J mice received daily curcumin (15, 50, or 100 mg/kg body weight) by gavage for 10 consecutive days. We compared ROS levels and mitochondrial morphology and function between treatment and nontreatment groups under unheated or heat conditions, and investigated the upstream mechanism and the downstream effect of curcumin-regulated ROS production.Results
In C2C12 myoblasts, curcumin prevented heat-induced mitochondrial fragmentation, ROS overproduction, and apoptosis (all P < 0.05). Curcumin treatment for 2 and 4 h at 37°C induced increases in ROS levels by 42% and 59% (dihydroethidium-derived fluorescence), accompanied by increases in NADPH oxidase protein expression by 24% and 32%, respectively (all P < 0.01). In curcumin-treated cells, chemical inhibition and genetic knockdown of NADPH oxidase restored ROS to levels similar to those of controls, indicating NADPH oxidase mediates curcumin-stimulated ROS production. Moreover, curcumin induced ROS-dependent shifting of the mitochondrial fission-fusion balance toward fusion, and increases in mitochondrial mass by 143% and membrane potential by 30% (both P < 0.01). In rat FDB myofibers and mouse gastrocnemius muscles, curcumin preserved mitochondrial morphology and function during heat stress, and prevented heat-induced mitochondrial ROS overproduction and tissue injury (all P < 0.05).Conclusions
Curcumin regulates ROS hormesis favoring mitochondrial fusion/elongation, biogenesis, and improved function in rodent skeletal muscle. Curcumin may be an effective therapeutic target for heat-related illness and other mitochondrial diseases.Item Open Access Differential mechanisms of morphine antinociceptive tolerance revealed in (beta)arrestin-2 knock-out mice.(J Neurosci, 2002-12-01) Bohn, Laura M; Lefkowitz, Robert J; Caron, Marc GMorphine induces antinociception by activating mu opioid receptors (muORs) in spinal and supraspinal regions of the CNS. (Beta)arrestin-2 (beta)arr2), a G-protein-coupled receptor-regulating protein, regulates the muOR in vivo. We have shown previously that mice lacking (beta)arr2 experience enhanced morphine-induced analgesia and do not become tolerant to morphine as determined in the hot-plate test, a paradigm that primarily assesses supraspinal pain responsiveness. To determine the general applicability of the (beta)arr2-muOR interaction in other neuronal systems, we have, in the present study, tested (beta)arr2 knock-out ((beta)arr2-KO) mice using the warm water tail-immersion paradigm, which primarily assesses spinal reflexes to painful thermal stimuli. In this test, the (beta)arr2-KO mice have greater basal nociceptive thresholds and markedly enhanced sensitivity to morphine. Interestingly, however, after a delayed onset, they do ultimately develop morphine tolerance, although to a lesser degree than the wild-type (WT) controls. In the (beta)arr2-KO but not WT mice, morphine tolerance can be completely reversed with a low dose of the classical protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor chelerythrine. These findings provide in vivo evidence that the muOR is differentially regulated in diverse regions of the CNS. Furthermore, although (beta)arr2 appears to be the most prominent and proximal determinant of muOR desensitization and morphine tolerance, in the absence of this mechanism, the contributions of a PKC-dependent regulatory system become readily apparent.Item Open Access Dual impact of elevated temperature on plant defence and bacterial virulence in Arabidopsis.(Nature communications, 2017-11-27) Huot, Bethany; Castroverde, Christian Danve M; Velásquez, André C; Hubbard, Emily; Pulman, Jane A; Yao, Jian; Childs, Kevin L; Tsuda, Kenichi; Montgomery, Beronda L; He, Sheng YangEnvironmental conditions profoundly affect plant disease development; however, the underlying molecular bases are not well understood. Here we show that elevated temperature significantly increases the susceptibility of Arabidopsis to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) DC3000 independently of the phyB/PIF thermosensing pathway. Instead, elevated temperature promotes translocation of bacterial effector proteins into plant cells and causes a loss of ICS1-mediated salicylic acid (SA) biosynthesis. Global transcriptome analysis reveals a major temperature-sensitive node of SA signalling, impacting ~60% of benzothiadiazole (BTH)-regulated genes, including ICS1 and the canonical SA marker gene, PR1. Remarkably, BTH can effectively protect Arabidopsis against Pst DC3000 infection at elevated temperature despite the lack of ICS1 and PR1 expression. Our results highlight the broad impact of a major climate condition on the enigmatic molecular interplay between temperature, SA defence and function of a central bacterial virulence system in the context of a widely studied susceptible plant-pathogen interaction.Item Open Access Effects of nociceptin (13-17) in pain modulation at supraspinal level in mice.(Neurosci Lett, 2002-10-11) Chen, Li-Xiang; Wang, Zhuan-Zi; Wu, Hua; Fang, Quan; Chen, Yong; Wang, RuiThis work was designed to observe the effects of nociceptin(13-17), one of the main metabolites of nociceptin (also termed orphanin FQ), in pain modulation at supraspinal level in mice. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of nociceptin/orphanin FQ(13-17) (N/OFQ(13-17)) (5, 0.5, 0.05, 0.005 nmol/mouse) dose-dependently induced potent hyperalgesic effects in the 48 degrees C warm-water tail-flick test in mice. I.c.v. pretreatment with N/OFQ(13-17) (5, 0.5, 0.05 nmol/mouse) potentiated the analgesic effects induced by morphine (i.p., 2 mg/kg) and reversed the hyperalgesic effects induced by N/OFQ (i.c.v., 5 nmol/mouse). The hyperalgesic effects induced by N/OFQ(13-17) could not be antagonized by [Nphe((1))]N/OFQ(1-13)NH((2)) or naloxone. These findings suggest that N/OFQ(13-17) may play important roles in pain modulation at supraspinal level in mice and elicits these effects through a novel mechanism independent of the N/OFQ receptor and the mu, delta and kappa opioid receptors.Item Open Access Estimating the effects of vegetation and increased albedo on the urban heat island effect with spatial causal inference.(Scientific reports, 2024-01) Calhoun, Zachary D; Willard, Frank; Ge, Chenhao; Rodriguez, Claudia; Bergin, Mike; Carlson, DavidThe urban heat island effect causes increased heat stress in urban areas. Cool roofs and urban greening have been promoted as mitigation strategies to reduce this effect. However, evaluating their efficacy remains a challenge, as potential temperature reductions depend on local characteristics. Existing methods to characterize their efficacy, such as computational fluid dynamics and urban canopy models, are computationally burdensome and require a high degree of expertise to employ. We propose a data-driven approach to overcome these hurdles, inspired by recent innovations in spatial causal inference. This approach allows for estimates of hypothetical interventions to reduce the urban heat island effect. We demonstrate this approach by modeling evening temperature in Durham, North Carolina, using readily retrieved air temperature, land cover, and satellite data. Hypothetical interventions such as lining streets with trees, cool roofs, and changing parking lots to green space are estimated to decrease evening temperatures by a maximum of 0.7-0.9 [Formula: see text], with reduced effects on temperature as a function of distance from the intervention. Because of the ease of data access, this approach may be applied to other cities in the U.S. to help them come up with city-specific solutions for reducing urban heat stress.Item Open Access Increased labor losses and decreased adaptation potential in a warmer world.(Nature communications, 2021-12) Parsons, Luke A; Shindell, Drew; Tigchelaar, Michelle; Zhang, Yuqiang; Spector, June TWorking in hot and potentially humid conditions creates health and well-being risks that will increase as the planet warms. It has been proposed that workers could adapt to increasing temperatures by moving labor from midday to cooler hours. Here, we use reanalysis data to show that in the current climate approximately 30% of global heavy labor losses in the workday could be recovered by moving labor from the hottest hours of the day. However, we show that this particular workshift adaptation potential is lost at a rate of about 2% per degree of global warming as early morning heat exposure rises to unsafe levels for continuous work, with worker productivity losses accelerating under higher warming levels. These findings emphasize the importance of finding alternative adaptation mechanisms to keep workers safe, as well as the importance of limiting global warming.Item Open Access Long-term thermal sensitivity of Earth's tropical forests.(Science (New York, N.Y.), 2020-05-21) Sullivan, Martin JP; Lewis, Simon L; Affum-Baffoe, Kofi; Castilho, Carolina; Costa, Flávia; Sanchez, Aida Cuni; Ewango, Corneille EN; Hubau, Wannes; Marimon, Beatriz; Monteagudo-Mendoza, Abel; Qie, Lan; Sonké, Bonaventure; Martinez, Rodolfo Vasquez; Baker, Timothy R; Brienen, Roel JW; Feldpausch, Ted R; Galbraith, David; Gloor, Manuel; Malhi, Yadvinder; Aiba, Shin-Ichiro; Alexiades, Miguel N; Almeida, Everton C; de Oliveira, Edmar Almeida; Dávila, Esteban Álvarez; Loayza, Patricia Alvarez; Andrade, Ana; Vieira, Simone Aparecida; Aragão, Luiz EOC; Araujo-Murakami, Alejandro; Arets, Eric JMM; Arroyo, Luzmila; Ashton, Peter; Aymard C, Gerardo; Baccaro, Fabrício B; Banin, Lindsay F; Baraloto, Christopher; Camargo, Plínio Barbosa; Barlow, Jos; Barroso, Jorcely; Bastin, Jean-François; Batterman, Sarah A; Beeckman, Hans; Begne, Serge K; Bennett, Amy C; Berenguer, Erika; Berry, Nicholas; Blanc, Lilian; Boeckx, Pascal; Bogaert, Jan; Bonal, Damien; Bongers, Frans; Bradford, Matt; Brearley, Francis Q; Brncic, Terry; Brown, Foster; Burban, Benoit; Camargo, José Luís; Castro, Wendeson; Céron, Carlos; Ribeiro, Sabina Cerruto; Moscoso, Victor Chama; Chave, Jerôme; Chezeaux, Eric; Clark, Connie J; de Souza, Fernanda Coelho; Collins, Murray; Comiskey, James A; Valverde, Fernando Cornejo; Medina, Massiel Corrales; da Costa, Lola; Dančák, Martin; Dargie, Greta C; Davies, Stuart; Cardozo, Nallaret Davila; de Haulleville, Thales; de Medeiros, Marcelo Brilhante; Del Aguila Pasquel, Jhon; Derroire, Géraldine; Di Fiore, Anthony; Doucet, Jean-Louis; Dourdain, Aurélie; Droissart, Vincent; Duque, Luisa Fernanda; Ekoungoulou, Romeo; Elias, Fernando; Erwin, Terry; Esquivel-Muelbert, Adriane; Fauset, Sophie; Ferreira, Joice; Llampazo, Gerardo Flores; Foli, Ernest; Ford, Andrew; Gilpin, Martin; Hall, Jefferson S; Hamer, Keith C; Hamilton, Alan C; Harris, David J; Hart, Terese B; Hédl, Radim; Herault, Bruno; Herrera, Rafael; Higuchi, Niro; Hladik, Annette; Coronado, Eurídice Honorio; Huamantupa-Chuquimaco, Isau; Huasco, Walter Huaraca; Jeffery, Kathryn J; Jimenez-Rojas, Eliana; Kalamandeen, Michelle; Djuikouo, Marie Noël Kamdem; Kearsley, Elizabeth; Umetsu, Ricardo Keichi; Kho, Lip Khoon; Killeen, Timothy; Kitayama, Kanehiro; Klitgaard, Bente; Koch, Alexander; Labrière, Nicolas; Laurance, William; Laurance, Susan; Leal, Miguel E; Levesley, Aurora; Lima, Adriano JN; Lisingo, Janvier; Lopes, Aline P; Lopez-Gonzalez, Gabriela; Lovejoy, Tom; Lovett, Jon C; Lowe, Richard; Magnusson, William E; Malumbres-Olarte, Jagoba; Manzatto, Ângelo Gilberto; Marimon, Ben Hur; Marshall, Andrew R; Marthews, Toby; de Almeida Reis, Simone Matias; Maycock, Colin; Melgaço, Karina; Mendoza, Casimiro; Metali, Faizah; Mihindou, Vianet; Milliken, William; Mitchard, Edward TA; Morandi, Paulo S; Mossman, Hannah L; Nagy, Laszlo; Nascimento, Henrique; Neill, David; Nilus, Reuben; Vargas, Percy Núñez; Palacios, Walter; Camacho, Nadir Pallqui; Peacock, Julie; Pendry, Colin; Peñuela Mora, Maria Cristina; Pickavance, Georgia C; Pipoly, John; Pitman, Nigel; Playfair, Maureen; Poorter, Lourens; Poulsen, John R; Poulsen, Axel Dalberg; Preziosi, Richard; Prieto, Adriana; Primack, Richard B; Ramírez-Angulo, Hirma; Reitsma, Jan; Réjou-Méchain, Maxime; Correa, Zorayda Restrepo; de Sousa, Thaiane Rodrigues; Bayona, Lily Rodriguez; Roopsind, Anand; Rudas, Agustín; Rutishauser, Ervan; Abu Salim, Kamariah; Salomão, Rafael P; Schietti, Juliana; Sheil, Douglas; Silva, Richarlly C; Espejo, Javier Silva; Valeria, Camila Silva; Silveira, Marcos; Simo-Droissart, Murielle; Simon, Marcelo Fragomeni; Singh, James; Soto Shareva, Yahn Carlos; Stahl, Clement; Stropp, Juliana; Sukri, Rahayu; Sunderland, Terry; Svátek, Martin; Swaine, Michael D; Swamy, Varun; Taedoumg, Hermann; Talbot, Joey; Taplin, James; Taylor, David; Ter Steege, Hans; Terborgh, John; Thomas, Raquel; Thomas, Sean C; Torres-Lezama, Armando; Umunay, Peter; Gamarra, Luis Valenzuela; van der Heijden, Geertje; van der Hout, Peter; van der Meer, Peter; van Nieuwstadt, Mark; Verbeeck, Hans; Vernimmen, Ronald; Vicentini, Alberto; Vieira, Ima Célia Guimarães; Torre, Emilio Vilanova; Vleminckx, Jason; Vos, Vincent; Wang, Ophelia; White, Lee JT; Willcock, Simon; Woods, John T; Wortel, Verginia; Young, Kenneth; Zagt, Roderick; Zemagho, Lise; Zuidema, Pieter A; Zwerts, Joeri A; Phillips, Oliver LThe sensitivity of tropical forest carbon to climate is a key uncertainty in predicting global climate change. Although short-term drying and warming are known to affect forests, it is unknown if such effects translate into long-term responses. Here, we analyze 590 permanent plots measured across the tropics to derive the equilibrium climate controls on forest carbon. Maximum temperature is the most important predictor of aboveground biomass (-9.1 megagrams of carbon per hectare per degree Celsius), primarily by reducing woody productivity, and has a greater impact per °C in the hottest forests (>32.2°C). Our results nevertheless reveal greater thermal resilience than observations of short-term variation imply. To realize the long-term climate adaptation potential of tropical forests requires both protecting them and stabilizing Earth's climate.Item Open Access Relationship of intersession variation in negative pain-related affect and responses to thermally-evoked pain.(J Pain, 2010-02) Bishop, Mark D; Craggs, Jason G; Horn, Maggie E; George, Steven Z; Robinson, Michael EUNLABELLED: The purpose of this study was to determine whether session-specific measures of negative pain-related affect would account for longitudinal variability in the ratings of the evoked thermal pain. Pain-free subjects rated pain evoked on the posterior leg using thermal stimuli of 45 degrees , 47 degrees , 49 degrees , and 51 degrees C on 3 occasions, each separated by 2 weeks. Session-specific negative pain-related affect measures were also collected. Ratings of pain decreased significantly with repeated testing, demonstrating a systematic change in rating from the first to second sessions that ranged from a mean of 5.3 at 47 degrees C to 9.1 at 49 degrees C. In addition, large random variation occurred across all sessions, resulting in minimal detectable change ranging from 14 to 27. The least variability occurred when a mean rating of the 4 temperatures was used. Session-specific measures of pain-related affect decreased with repeated testing; however, the significant between-subject variability in both rating of pain and pain-related affect were not related to each other. No associations were identified between psychological measures and variability in rating of evoked pain. Future studies of the variability in ratings should consider other factors such as attentional focus. PERSPECTIVE: The individual variability in thermal rating was not explained by individual variation in session-specific measures of negative pain-related affect. The results of this study support the use of repeated baseline measures of thermal stimuli when feasible. When this is not possible, the variability in ratings of thermal stimuli over multiple sessions is reduced when the mean of multiple temperatures is used.Item Open Access Research report: Charcoal type used for hookah smoking influences CO production.(Undersea & hyperbaric medicine : journal of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, Inc, 2015-07) Medford, Marlon A; Gasier, Heath G; Hexdall, Eric; Moffat, Andrew D; Freiberger, John J; Moon, Richard EA hookah smoker who was treated for severe carbon monoxide poisoning with hyperbaric oxygen reported using a different type of charcoal prior to hospital admission, i.e., quick-light charcoal. This finding led to a study aimed at determining whether CO production differs between charcoals commonly used for hookah smoking, natural and quick-light. Our hypothesis was that quick-light charcoal produces significantly more CO than natural charcoal. A medium-sized hookah, activated charcoal filter, calibrated syringe, CO gas analyzer and infrared thermometer were assembled in series. A single 9-10 g briquette of either natural or quick-light charcoal was placed atop the hookah bowl and ignited. CO output (ppm) and temperature (degrees C) were measured in three-minute intervals over 90 minutes. The mean CO levels produced by quick-light charcoal over 90 minutes was significantly higher (3728 ± 2028) compared to natural charcoal (1730 ± 501 ppm, p = 0.016). However, the temperature was significantly greater when burning natural charcoal (292 ± 87) compared to quick-light charcoal (247 ± 92 degrees C, p = 0.013). The high levels of CO produced when using quick-light charcoals may be contributing to the increase in reported hospital admissions for severe CO poisoning.Item Open Access Resistance of African tropical forests to an extreme climate anomaly.(Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2021-05) Bennett, Amy C; Dargie, Greta C; Cuni-Sanchez, Aida; Tshibamba Mukendi, John; Hubau, Wannes; Mukinzi, Jacques M; Phillips, Oliver L; Malhi, Yadvinder; Sullivan, Martin JP; Cooper, Declan LM; Adu-Bredu, Stephen; Affum-Baffoe, Kofi; Amani, Christian A; Banin, Lindsay F; Beeckman, Hans; Begne, Serge K; Bocko, Yannick E; Boeckx, Pascal; Bogaert, Jan; Brncic, Terry; Chezeaux, Eric; Clark, Connie J; Daniels, Armandu K; de Haulleville, Thales; Djuikouo Kamdem, Marie-Noël; Doucet, Jean-Louis; Evouna Ondo, Fidèle; Ewango, Corneille EN; Feldpausch, Ted R; Foli, Ernest G; Gonmadje, Christelle; Hall, Jefferson S; Hardy, Olivier J; Harris, David J; Ifo, Suspense A; Jeffery, Kathryn J; Kearsley, Elizabeth; Leal, Miguel; Levesley, Aurora; Makana, Jean-Remy; Mbayu Lukasu, Faustin; Medjibe, Vincent P; Mihindu, Vianet; Moore, Sam; Nssi Begone, Natacha; Pickavance, Georgia C; Poulsen, John R; Reitsma, Jan; Sonké, Bonaventure; Sunderland, Terry CH; Taedoumg, Hermann; Talbot, Joey; Tuagben, Darlington S; Umunay, Peter M; Verbeeck, Hans; Vleminckx, Jason; White, Lee JT; Woell, Hannsjoerg; Woods, John T; Zemagho, Lise; Lewis, Simon LThe responses of tropical forests to environmental change are critical uncertainties in predicting the future impacts of climate change. The positive phase of the 2015-2016 El Niño Southern Oscillation resulted in unprecedented heat and low precipitation in the tropics with substantial impacts on the global carbon cycle. The role of African tropical forests is uncertain as their responses to short-term drought and temperature anomalies have yet to be determined using on-the-ground measurements. African tropical forests may be particularly sensitive because they exist in relatively dry conditions compared with Amazonian or Asian forests, or they may be more resistant because of an abundance of drought-adapted species. Here, we report responses of structurally intact old-growth lowland tropical forests inventoried within the African Tropical Rainforest Observatory Network (AfriTRON). We use 100 long-term inventory plots from six countries each measured at least twice prior to and once following the 2015-2016 El Niño event. These plots experienced the highest temperatures and driest conditions on record. The record temperature did not significantly reduce carbon gains from tree growth or significantly increase carbon losses from tree mortality, but the record drought did significantly decrease net carbon uptake. Overall, the long-term biomass increase of these forests was reduced due to the El Niño event, but these plots remained a live biomass carbon sink (0.51 ± 0.40 Mg C ha-1 y-1) despite extreme environmental conditions. Our analyses, while limited to African tropical forests, suggest they may be more resistant to climatic extremes than Amazonian and Asian forests.Item Open Access Spinal manipulative therapy-specific changes in pain sensitivity in individuals with low back pain (NCT01168999).(J Pain, 2014-02) Bialosky, Joel E; George, Steven Z; Horn, Maggie E; Price, Donald D; Staud, Roland; Robinson, Michael EUNLABELLED: Spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) is effective for some individuals experiencing low back pain; however, the mechanisms are not established regarding the role of placebo. SMT is associated with changes in pain sensitivity, suggesting related altered central nervous system response or processing of afferent nociceptive input. Placebo is also associated with changes in pain sensitivity, and the efficacy of SMT for changes in pain sensitivity beyond placebo has not been adequately considered. We randomly assigned 110 participants with low back pain to receive SMT, placebo SMT, placebo SMT with the instructional set "The manual therapy technique you will receive has been shown to significantly reduce low back pain in some people," or no intervention. Participants receiving the SMT and placebo SMT received their assigned intervention 6 times over 2 weeks. Pain sensitivity was assessed prior to and immediately following the assigned intervention during the first session. Clinical outcomes were assessed at baseline and following 2 weeks of participation in the study. Immediate attenuation of suprathreshold heat response was greatest following SMT (P = .05, partial η(2) = .07). Group-dependent differences were not observed for changes in pain intensity and disability at 2 weeks. Participant satisfaction was greatest following the enhanced placebo SMT. This study was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov under the identifier NCT01168999. PERSPECTIVE: The results of this study indicate attenuation of pain sensitivity is greater in response to SMT than the expectation of receiving an SMT. These findings suggest a potential mechanism of SMT related to lessening of central sensitization and may indicate a preclinical effect beyond the expectations of receiving SMT.Item Open Access Supercritical water oxidation of a model fecal sludge without the use of a co-fuel.(Chemosphere, 2015-12) Miller, A; Espanani, R; Junker, A; Hendry, D; Wilkinson, N; Bollinger, D; Abelleira-Pereira, JM; Deshusses, MA; Inniss, E; Jacoby, WA continuous supercritical water oxidation reactor was designed and constructed to investigate the conversion of a feces simulant without the use of a co-fuel. The maximum reactor temperature and waste conversion was determined as a function of stoichiometric excess of oxygen in order to determine factor levels for subsequent investigation. 48% oxygen excess showed the highest temperature with full conversion. Factorial analysis was then used to determine the effects of feed concentration, oxygen excess, inlet temperature, and operating pressure on the increase in the temperature of the reacting fluid as well as a newly defined non-dimensional number, NJa representing heat transfer efficiency. Operating pressure and stoichiometric excess oxygen were found to have the most significant impacts on NJa. Feed concentration had a significant impact on fluid temperature increase showing an average difference of 46.4°C between the factorial levels.Item Open Access Transfer of human chromosomes via human minisegregant cells into mouse cells and the quantitation of the expression of hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase in the hybrids.(J Cell Sci, 1978-04) Tourian, A; Johnson, RT; Burg, K; Nicolson, SW; Sperling, KThe behaviour of human cells arrested in mitosis can be severely perturbed so as to generate numerous small minisegregants containing very few chromosomes. These cells can be separated according to size and DNA content and fused with intact cells. In this paper we describe the production and some properties of proliferating cell hybrids generated by fusion of human minisegregant cells derived from a HeLa strain with mouse A9 cells deficient in hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT, EC 2.4.2.8). The hybrids were shown to contain up to 10 human chromosomes including a single X. Independently derived hybrid clones were quantitatively characterized and compared with the parental phenotypes with respect to HPRT. Human isozymes of each of the 3 enzymes HPRT, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49) and phosphoglycerate kinase (EC 2,7.2.3) were found. Tests to evaluate both structure and function of HPRT were utilized. The specific activity of HPRT of more than 10 hybrids tested was approximately 10% that of the HeLa parent. Structural characterization of HPRT from hybrid cells as evidenced by heat inactivation and electrophoretic mobility results in a 'human-like' phenotype. Functional characterization of parental HPRT results in kinetic constants for cofactor and substrate which do not permit distinction of human and of human and mouse enzymes; HPRT from the minisegregant hybrids had normal kinetic constants. The reduced specific activity of HPRT in the hybrids is discussed in terms of the inability of the mouse environment to regulate the full expression of the human structural gene.