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Licata M, Aspinall MD, Bandala M, Cave FD, Conway S, Gerta D, Parker HMO, Roberts NJ, Taylor GC, Joyce MJ. Depicting corrosion-born defects in pipelines with combined neutron/γ ray backscatter: a biomimetic approach. Sci Rep 2020; 10:1486. [PMID: 32001726 PMCID: PMC6992708 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-58122-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of corrosion, cracks and defects in pipelines used for transporting oil and gas can reduce the possibility of leaks, and consequently, it can limit the extent of an environmental disaster, public hazard and the associated financial impact of such events. Typically, corrosion in oil pipelines is measured with non-destructive ultrasonic or electromagnetic techniques, on the basis that corrosion and defects are often manifest as a change of thickness in the steel from which pipelines are made. However, such approaches are not practical for underground pipelines and their deployment can be complicated for the case of pipelines covered by insulation. In this paper, we present an innovative, non-destructive testing technique, which exploits the backscatter of a combination of fast-neutron and γ radiation from steel samples of a variety of thicknesses consistent with changes that might arise due to corrosion of a pipe wall. Our research demonstrates the potential to measure and characterise different steel thicknesses by detecting both the elastic, fast-neutron backscatter and the Compton-scattered γ radiations, simultaneously. Further, we demonstrate that the presence of insulation yields a consistent and separable influence on the experimental, wall-thickness measurements. The data from experimental measurements are supported by a comprehensive Monte Carlo computer simulation study.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Licata
- Lancaster University, Engineering Department, Lancaster, UK
| | - M D Aspinall
- Lancaster University, Engineering Department, Lancaster, UK
| | - M Bandala
- Lancaster University, Engineering Department, Lancaster, UK
| | - F D Cave
- Hybrid Instruments Ltd, Lancaster, UK
| | - S Conway
- Hybrid Instruments Ltd, Lancaster, UK
| | - D Gerta
- Hybrid Instruments Ltd, Lancaster, UK
| | | | - N J Roberts
- The National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex, UK
| | - G C Taylor
- The National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex, UK
| | - M J Joyce
- Lancaster University, Engineering Department, Lancaster, UK.
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Zampieri M, Passananti C, Calabrese R, Perilli M, Corbi N, De Cave F, Guastafierro T, Bacalini MG, Reale A, Amicosante G, Calabrese L, Zlatanova J, Caiafa P. Parp1 localizes within the Dnmt1 promoter and protects its unmethylated state by its enzymatic activity. PLoS One 2009; 4:e4717. [PMID: 19262751 PMCID: PMC2650799 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0004717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2008] [Accepted: 02/02/2009] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Aberrant hypermethylation of CpG islands in housekeeping gene promoters and widespread genome hypomethylation are typical events occurring in cancer cells. The molecular mechanisms behind these cancer-related changes in DNA methylation patterns are not well understood. Two questions are particularly important: (i) how are CpG islands protected from methylation in normal cells, and how is this protection compromised in cancer cells, and (ii) how does the genome-wide demethylation in cancer cells occur. The latter question is especially intriguing since so far no DNA demethylase enzyme has been found. Methodology/Principal Findings Our data show that the absence of ADP-ribose polymers (PARs), caused by ectopic over-expression of poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) in L929 mouse fibroblast cells leads to aberrant methylation of the CpG island in the promoter of the Dnmt1 gene, which in turn shuts down its transcription. The transcriptional silencing of Dnmt1 may be responsible for the widespread passive hypomethylation of genomic DNA which we detect on the example of pericentromeric repeat sequences. Chromatin immunoprecipitation results show that in normal cells the Dnmt1 promoter is occupied by poly(ADP-ribosyl)ated Parp1, suggesting that PARylated Parp1 plays a role in protecting the promoter from methylation. Conclusions/Significance In conclusion, the genome methylation pattern following PARG over-expression mirrors the pattern characteristic of cancer cells, supporting our idea that the right balance between Parp/Parg activities maintains the DNA methylation patterns in normal cells. The finding that in normal cells Parp1 and ADP-ribose polymers localize on the Dnmt1 promoter raises the possibility that PARylated Parp1 marks those sequences in the genome that must remain unmethylated and protects them from methylation, thus playing a role in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Zampieri
- Department of Cellular Biotechnologies and Hematology, Second Faculty of Medicine, University “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
- Pasteur Institute-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Roberta Calabrese
- Department of Cellular Biotechnologies and Hematology, Second Faculty of Medicine, University “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Nicoletta Corbi
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology CNR, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabiana De Cave
- Department of Cellular Biotechnologies and Hematology, Second Faculty of Medicine, University “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
| | - Tiziana Guastafierro
- Department of Cellular Biotechnologies and Hematology, Second Faculty of Medicine, University “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
- Pasteur Institute-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Giulia Bacalini
- Department of Cellular Biotechnologies and Hematology, Second Faculty of Medicine, University “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Reale
- Department of Cellular Biotechnologies and Hematology, Second Faculty of Medicine, University “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
- Pasteur Institute-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Amicosante
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Lilia Calabrese
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, University “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
| | - Jordanka Zlatanova
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, United States of America
| | - Paola Caiafa
- Department of Cellular Biotechnologies and Hematology, Second Faculty of Medicine, University “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
- Pasteur Institute-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Rome, Italy
- * E-mail:
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Cenfra N, De Cave F, Minotti C, Ghia E, Rago A, Pisanelli GC, Diverio D, Cimino G. An acute promyelocytic leukaemia patient with a new atypical promyelocytic leukemia breakpoint. Br J Haematol 2008; 142:854-6. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2008.07253.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Gregorj C, Ricciardi MR, Petrucci MT, Scerpa MC, De Cave F, Fazi P, Vignetti M, Vitale A, Mancini M, Cimino G, Palmieri S, Di Raimondo F, Specchia G, Fabbiano F, Cantore N, Mosna F, Camera A, Luppi M, Annino L, Miraglia E, Fioritoni G, Ronco F, Meloni G, Mandelli F, Andreeff M, Milella M, Foà R, Tafuri A. ERK1/2 phosphorylation is an independent predictor of complete remission in newly diagnosed adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Blood 2007; 109:5473-6. [PMID: 17351113 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2006-05-021071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 (ERK1/2) is frequently found constitutively activated (p-ERK1/2) in hematopoietic diseases, suggesting a role in leukemogenesis. The aim of this study was to assess the expression and clinical role of p-ERK1/2 in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). In 131 primary samples from adult de novo ALL patients enrolled in the Gruppo Italiano per le Malattie Ematologiche dell'Adulto (GIMEMA) Leucemia Acute Linfoide (LAL) 2000 protocol and evaluated by flow cytometry, constitutive ERK1/2 activation was found in 34.5% of cases; these results were significantly associated with higher white blood cell (WBC) values (P=.013). In a multivariate analysis, p-ERK1/2 expression was an independent predictor of complete remission achievement (P=.027). Effective approaches toward MEK inhibition need to be explored in order to evaluate whether this may represent a new therapeutic strategy for adult ALL patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Gregorj
- Division of Hematology, Department of Cellular Biotechnologies and Hematology, University La Sapienza of Rome, Italy
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Cave FD, Charlesworth D. Arterial stenosis: an experiment to determine how best to quantify the hydraulic effects of a stenosis. Phys Med Biol 1981; 26:1087-97. [PMID: 7323147 DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/26/6/008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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Humphreys WV, Walker A, Cave FD, Charlesworth D. The effect of an infusion of low molecular weight dextran on peripheral resistance in patients with arteriosclerosis. Br J Surg 1976; 63:691-3. [PMID: 963413 DOI: 10.1002/bjs.1800630905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Low molecular weight dextran is frequently given to improve the flow of blood to the periphery, but its mode of action is uncertain. We measured the effect of an infusion of 500 ml of Dextran 40 on the peripheral resistance in 12 patients undergoing reconstructive surgery for atherosclerotic occlusion of the superficial femoral artery. After the infusion, values of packed cell volume and blood viscosity indicated haemodilution. There was a consistent increase in mean flow and a fall in peripheral resistance. There was no correlation between change in viscosity and change in peripheral resistance, but there was a good correlation between the percentage change in resistance and the initial resistance. This suggests that the increase in flow of blood was due to reflex vasodilatation rather than to any reduction in viscosity.
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Cave FD, Walker A, Naylor GP, Charlesworth D. The hydraulic impedance of the lower limb: its relevance to the success of bypass operations for occlusion of the superficial femoral artery. Br J Surg 1976; 63:408-12. [PMID: 1268484 DOI: 10.1002/bjs.1800630519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Simultaneous measurements of pressure and flow waves were made in the course of 25 femoropopliteal bypass operations. From these measurements the the hydraulic impedance of the arterial system in the lower limb was calculated. The values obtained were correlated with the results of the operations. Although reconstruction reduced the impedance we were unable to predict accurately the probable result of the operation on the basis of these measurements. The results suggest that success is more closely related to a good collateral circulation than to "run off".
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Charlesworth D, Harris PL, Cave FD, Taylor L. Undetected aorto-iliac insufficiency: a reason for early failure of saphenous vein bypass grafts for obstruction of the superficial femoral artery. Br J Surg 1975; 62:567-70. [PMID: 1174791 DOI: 10.1002/bjs.1800620716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
A series of 29 femoropopliteal bypass operations is described. The patients were selected carefully to exclude those with clinical and aortographic evidence of aorto-iliac disease. A pulsatility index was calculated from the velocity waveforms recorded over the common femoral and popliteal arteries. The pulsatility index is the ratio of the amplitude of the waveform to its mean height over one cardiac cycle. There was a highly significant difference in the result of the operation between patients with a pulsatility index of 4 or more in the common femoral artery and patients with a pulsatility index of less than 4. We concluded that calculation of this pulsatility index provides useful additional evidence when selecting patients suitable for a femoropopliteal bypass.
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Charlesworth D, Cave FD, Walker A, Naylor GP. Proceedings: Femoropopliteal vein bypass: a new approach to assessing "run-off". Br J Surg 1975; 62:159. [PMID: 1115900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Harris PL, Taylor LA, Cave FD, Charlesworth D. The relationship between Doppler ultrasound assessment and angiography in occlusive arterial disease of the lower limbs. Surg Gynecol Obstet 1974; 138:911-4. [PMID: 4827035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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Harris PL, Taylor LA, Cave FD, Williams PC, Naylor GP, Charlesworth D. Proceedings:: the relationship between Doppler ultrasound assessment and angiography in occlusive arterial disease of the lower limbs. Br J Surg 1973; 60:914. [PMID: 4752785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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Roberts VC, Sabri S, Cotton LT, Ashby WJ, Cave FD, Higgins RF, Frewer RA, Brand PJ. Biomedical engineering at King's College Hospital. Biomed Eng 1971; 6:199-204. [PMID: 5096866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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