bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synergistic interaction of cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking with serum carotenoid concentrations: findings from a middle-aged Japanese population
Authors: Sugiura Minoru , Nakamura Mieko , Ogawa Kazunori , Ikoma Yoshinori , Matsumoto Hikaru , Ando Fujiko , Shimokata Hiroshi , Yano Masamichi
Published: May 2009

Previous studies have indicated low serum carotenoid concentrations among cigarette smokers and/or alcohol drinkers, but little is known about the interaction of smoking and drinking with serum carotenoids. We tested the hypothesis that smoking and drinking reduce serum carotenoid concentrations synergistically. A total of 1073 subjects (357 male and 716 female) who had received health examinations in the town of Mikkabi, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, participated in the study. The subjects were divided into six groups according to alcohol intake (non-drinkers, < 1 g/d; light drinkers, ≥ 1, < 25 g/d; moderate-to-heavy drinkers, ≥ 25 g/d) and smoking status (non-smokers and current smokers). The dietary intakes and serum concentrations of six carotenoids (lycopene, α-carotene, β-carotene, lutein, β-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin) within each group were evaluated cross-sectionally. The dietary intakes of all carotenoids did not differ in the six groups after adjusting for age and sex. The multivariate-adjusted means of the serum carotenoid concentrations in non-drinkers did not differ between non-smokers and current smokers. In contrast, the adjusted means of serum α-carotene, β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin were significantly lower than those with increased alcohol intake, and these lower serum carotenoids among alcohol drinkers were more evident in current smokers than in non-smokers. Serum lycopene of moderate-to-heavy drinkers was significantly lower than that of non-drinkers, but it was not influenced by smoking. Neither smoking nor drinking was associated with the serum concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin. These results suggest that smoking and drinking may reduce the serum α-carotene, β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin concentrations in a synergistic manner.
Plasman-3 fatty acid response to ann-3 fatty acid supplement is modulated by apoE ɛ4 but not by the common PPAR-α L162V polymorphism in men
Authors: Plourde Mélanie , Vohl Marie-Claude , Vandal Milène , Couture Patrick , Lemieux Simone , Cunnane Stephen C.
Published: May 2009

The risk of Alzheimer's disease is increased for carriers of apoE4 (E4) or the PPAR-α L162V polymorphism (L162V), but it is decreased in fish and seafood consumers. The link between high fish intake and reduced risk of cognitive decline in the elderly appears not to hold in carriers of E4, possibly because better cognition is linked to EPA+DHA in the blood, but only in non-carriers of E4. As yet, no such studies exist in carriers of L162V. Our objective was to determine whether the plasma fatty acid response to a dietary supplement of EPA+DHA was altered in carriers of L162V and/or E4. This was an add-on project; in the original study, men were selected based on whether or not they were carriers of L162V (n14 per group). E4 status was determined afterwards. All subjects received an EPA+DHA supplement for 6 weeks. L162V polymorphism did not interact with the supplement in a way to alter EPA and DHA incorporation into plasma lipids. However, when the groups were separated based on the presence of E4, baseline EPA and DHA in plasma TAG were 67 and 60 % higher, respectively, in E4 carriers. After the supplementation, there were significant gene × diet interactions in which only non-carriers had increased EPA and DHA in plasma NEFA and TAG, respectively.
Associations between dietary macronutrient intake and plasma lipids demonstrate criterion performance of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) food-frequency questionnaire
Authors: Nettleton Jennifer A. , Rock Cheryl L. , Wang Youfa , Jenny Nancy S. , Jacobs David R.
Published: May 2009

The validity of self-reported dietary intake is critical to the design and interpretation of diet–disease investigations. For many nutrients, there are no ideal methods to establish validity, given correlated error between reference and assessment tools, and constraints on time and resources available to perform such studies. Therefore, we quantified associations between macronutrient intakes and plasma HDL-cholesterol and TAG, relying on known associations between these factors to test the criterion validity of the FFQ used in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Baseline dietary macronutrient intakes (derived from 120-item FFQ), and fasting plasma HDL and TAG were measured in 4510 MESA participants, aged 45–84 years. After adjusting for non-dietary factors known to affect plasma lipid concentrations, greater carbohydrate intake was associated with lower HDL and higher TAG (β per 5-unit change in percentage energy intake from carbohydrate = − 5 (se1) mg/l (P < 0·001) for HDL and 15 (se6) mg/l (P = 0·008) for TAG), whereas higher energy intake from fat was associated with higher HDL and lower TAG (β per 5-unit change in percentage energy from fat = 3·7 (se2) mg/l (P = 0·01) for HDL and β = 19 (se7) mg/l (P = 0·004) for TAG). Associations of dietary carbohydrate and fat intakes with HDL and TAG concentrations were consistent with previous studies, demonstrating criterion validity of these dietary measures in the MESA.
Plasman-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are negatively associated with obesity
Authors: Micallef Michelle , Munro Irene , Phang Melinda , Garg Manohar
Published: May 2009

The objective of the present study was to investigate the relationship between plasman-3 PUFA composition and weight status. A total of 124 adults, stratified by weight status: healthy weight (n21), overweight (n40) and obese (n63) were recruited. Fasting blood samples, anthropometric measures and body composition were collected. Plasma fatty acid composition was determined by GC. BMI, waist circumference and hip circumference were inversely correlated withn-3 PUFA, EPA and DHA (P < 0·05 for all) in the obese group. Obese individuals had significantly lower plasma concentrations of totaln-3 PUFA, compared with healthy-weight individuals (4·53 (sd1·11)v.5·25 (sd1·43) %). When subjects were pooled and stratified into quartiles of totaln-3 PUFA, a significant inverse trend was found for BMI (P = 0·002), waist circumference and hip circumference (P = 0·01 andP < 0·001 respectively). Higher plasma levels of totaln-3 PUFA are associated with a healthier BMI, waist circumference and hip circumference. Our findings suggest thatn-3 PUFA may play an important role in weight status and abdominal adiposity.
Immune cell membrane fatty acids and inflammatory marker, C-reactive protein, in patients with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Hon Gloudina , Hassan Mogamat , van Rensburg Susan Janse , Abel Stefan , Marais De Wet , van Jaarsveld Paul , Smuts Cornelius , Henning Franclo , Erasmus Rajiv , Matsha Tandi
Published: May 2009

Measurement of fatty acids in biological fluids and cell membranes including leucocytes from multiple sclerosis patients is inconsistent. The objective of the present study was to investigate the fatty acid composition within the different membrane phospholipid fractions in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in multiple sclerosis patients, and correlate with severity of neurological outcome as measured by the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale and Functional System Scores. The fatty acid composition of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, sphingomyelin and phosphatidylinositol phospholipids in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of twenty-six multiple sclerosis and twenty-five control subjects were measured by GC, and C-reactive protein was measured in all subjects. The elongation product of 20 : 4n-6, 22 : 4n-6, was significantly decreased in membrane phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine in multiple sclerosis patients (P = 0·01 andP = 0·03 respectively), and correlated inversely with severity of disease and C-reactive protein. Also an inverse correlation was observed between the C-reactive protein and membrane phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine 20 : 4n-6. Cultural and ethnic differences, as well as dietary variability, especially in a diseased state have been implicated in the differences observed in the fatty acid composition in peripheral blood mononuclear cell membranes of patients with multiple sclerosis. The present results suggest that the disease state may in part explain the reported inconsistencies in fatty acid levels in multiple sclerosis patients.
Predisposition to ascariasis: patterns, mechanisms and implications
Authors: HOLLAND C. V.
Published: May 2009

Ascaris lumbricoides, the human roundworm, is a remarkably infectious and persistent parasite. It is a member of the soil-transmitted helminths or geohelminths and infects in the order of 1472 million people worldwide. Despite, its high prevalence and wide distribution it remains along with its geohelminth counterparts, a neglected disease. Ascariasis is associated with both chronic and acute morbidity, particularly in growing children, and the level of morbidity assessed as disability-adjusted life years is about 10·5 million. Like other macroparasite infections, the frequency distribution ofA. lumbricoidesis aggregated or overdispersed with most hosts harbouring few or no worms and a small proportion harbouring very heavy infections. Furthermore, after chemotherapeutic treatment, individuals demonstrate consistency in the pattern of re-infection with ascariasis, described as predisposition. These epidemiological phenomena have been identified, in a consistent manner, from a range of geographical locations in both children and adults. However, what has proved to be much more refractory to investigation has been the mechanisms that contribute to the observed epidemiological patterns. Parallel observations utilizing human subjects and appropriate animal model systems are essential to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying susceptibility/resistance to ascariasis. Furthermore, these patterns ofAscarisintensity and re-infection have broader implications with respect to helminth control and interactions with other important bystander infections.
Gender Differences Among New Claimants of Incapacity Benefit
Authors: KEMP PETER A , DAVIDSON JACQUELINE
Published: May 2009

The academic literature on incapacity benefits in Britain is dominated by debates about ‘hidden unemployment’, particularly in relation to working-age men in the industrial and former coalmining areas. Although women account for two-fifths of all claimants, they have been given relatively little attention in the literature on incapacity benefits. This article draws on a representative survey of recent claimants of Incapacity Benefit (IB) in Britain to compare the situation of men and women aged under 60. It shows that there are significant differences in their characteristics and circumstances and in their routes onto this benefit. It is concluded that academic debates in Britain need to take into account the differences between women and men in order to reach a more complete understanding of the role of IB in the post-industrial economy.
Simon Gray: a True Original in Life and Art
Authors: Callow Simon
Published: May 2009

The playwright Simon Gray died of lung cancer on 7 August 2008 at the age of seventy-one. He also found success later in life as a diarist, at first in wryly comic records of the disaster-prone productions of his plays – but with tragic irony most recently in The Smoking Diaries, reflecting on his lifelong addiction to cigarettes (and much else besides). Here, his friend the actor and writer Simon Callow pays a personal tribute.
Lev Dodin Directs Grossman, O'Neill, and Shakespeare
Authors: Shevtsova Maria
Published: May 2009

When Lev Dodin and the Maly Drama Theatre travelled to Britain in 1988, performing Stars in the Morning Sky at the London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT), it was their first tour abroad. Since then, this repertory ensemble has had an enormous impact on audiences across the world because of its powerful artistry, sustained by the unique training methods, emotional and philosophical as much as technical, developed by Dodin and his collaborators. This article is an account of the three productions directed by Dodin since King Lear (St Petersburg, March 2006, and performed at the Barbican in London in October that year). They are Life and Fate (2007) after the novel by Vasily Grossman, Long Day's Journey into Night (2008) by Eugene O'Neill, and Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost (2008, its premiere in April preceding that of Long Day's Journey in December). Maria Shevtsova is Professor of Drama and Theatre Arts at Goldsmiths, University of London, and Co-Editor of New Theatre Quarterly.
Discussion, Intervention, Processing: Theatre and Citizenship in Nigeria
Authors: Kafewo Samuel Ayedime
Published: May 2009

A defining characteristic of ‘Theatre for Development’ is its ‘unfinished’ quality, whereby plays or scenarios remain more or less ongoing dialogues. In the following article, Samuel Ayedime Kafewo discusses the relationship between the fiction of the performance and the reality of the performed issues in one drama based on this technique, concerned with the divisive issue of citizenship rights in Nigeria. What is the role of processing and intervention in encouraging new attitudes towards the citizenship issues tackled in the project? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the methodologies adopted? And what was the overall impact of the project, ‘Citizenship, Participation, and Accountability’, as undertaken by the Theatre for Development Centre and the Nigerian Popular Theatre Alliance in 2001–2002 in Kaduna State, north-western Nigeria? Samuel Ayedime Kafewo is an active member of the Zaria Popular Theatre/Theatre for Development movement. He is Reader in the Department of Theatre and Performing Arts, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, and has published extensively in both local and international journals.
Canada's Stratford Festival: Adventures Onstage and Off
Authors: Keeney Patricia , Rubin Don
Published: May 2009

The festival season in Stratford, Ontario, was fraught with an offstage drama which seemed to reprise that of thirty years ago, when an experiment with a triumviral directorate ended in dissension and near disaster. However, once the dust had settled, an interestingly balanced season emerged, mixing Shakespeare and Shaw, ancient Greek and modern tragedy, Beckett and balletic Moby Dick. Here Patricia Keeney and Don Rubin offer their assessment of a wide-ranging repertoire. Patricia Keeney is a poet, novelist and long-time theatre critic for the monthly journal Canadian Forum. She is a Professor of English and Creative Writing at Toronto's York University. Don Rubin is the founding editor of the quarterly Canadian Theatre Review, General Editor of Routledge's six-volume World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre, and Director of the Graduate Program in Theatre Studies at Toronto's York University.
EVIDENCE FOR THE FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE HYPOTHESIS OR NOT?
Authors: Belikova Alyona , White Lydia
Published: May 2009

This article examines how changes in linguistic theory affect the debate between the fundamental difference hypothesis and the access-to-Universal Grammar (UG) approach to SLA. With a focus on subjacency (Chomsky, 1973), a principle of UG that places constraints on wh-movement and that has frequently been taken as a test case for verifying second language (L2) access to UG, we reanalyze earlier L2 findings in terms of a revised constraint, which effectively prohibits extraction out of subjects and adjuncts. We show that L2 learners indeed observe such a constraint on wh-movement, and, at the same time, we suggest that recent claims for a universal computational system (e.g., Chomsky, 1995; Uriagereka, 1999) make the respective roles of the first language and UG difficult to tease apart.
REEXAMINING THE FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE HYPOTHESIS
Authors: Montrul Silvina
Published: May 2009

The fundamental difference hypothesis (FDH), as formulated by Bley-Vroman (1990), claims that SLA tends to be nonconvergent because domain-specific linguistic mechanisms available in early childhood cannot be used for language learning in adulthood: Instead, second language (L2) learners deploy domain-general problem solving skills. I claim that nonconvergence is also true of some cases of unbalanced early bilingualism, when the target language was acquired in childhood, suggesting that nontarget attainment in these cases may have different roots—namely, inefficient learning mechanisms in L2 learners but insufficient input in early bilinguals. The FDH then predicts that early bilinguals should still be more successful at attaining nativelike knowledge than the L2 learners due to their early age of acquisition. This review article examines this prediction in light of recent studies of postpuberty L2 learners and unbalanced early bilinguals with nonconvergent knowledge of their first language. I show that the incidence of nativelike achievement is higher in the early bilingual groups than in the L2 groups and that differential performance by the two populations on different tasks lends some support to the processing claims of the FDH.
Data mining of tuberculosis patient data using multiple correspondence analysis
Authors: RENNIE T. W. , ROBERTS W.
Published: May 2009

The aim of this study was to demonstrate the epidemiological use of multiple correspondence analysis (MCA), as applied to tuberculosis (TB) data from North East London. Data for TB notifications in North East London primary care trusts (PCTs) between the years 2002 and 2007 were used. TB notification data were entered for MCA allowing display of graphical data output (n=4947); MCA analyses were performed on the whole dataset, by PCT, and by year of notification. Graphical MCA output displayed variance of data categories; clustering of variable categories in MCA output signified association. Clustering patterns in MCA output demonstrated different associations by year of notification, within PCTs and between PCTs. MCA is a useful technique for displaying association of variable categories used in TB epidemiology. Results suggest that MCA could be a useful tool in informing commissioning of TB services.
Lifestyle factors related to iodine intakes in French adults
Authors: Valeix Pierre , Faure Patrice , Péneau Sandrine , Estaquio Carla , Hercberg Serge , Bertrais Sandrine
Published: May 2009

Objective

To assess dietary iodine intakes among adults and to investigate the relationships of dietary, lifestyle, demographic and geographical characteristics with dietary iodine status. Adequacy of iodine intakes was also assessed.

Design

Cross-sectional study. Linear regression analyses and logistic regression modelling were used to determine correlates of iodine intakes. Usual iodine mean intake was calculated by averaging six 24 h dietary records completed over a 2-year period.

Subjects

Females aged 35–60 years (n2962) and males aged 45–60 years (n2117) living in France and who participated in the SU.VI.MAX study.

Results

Iodine intakes ranged from 30·0 to 446·3 μg/d. The median iodine intake was 150·7 μg/d for males and 131·4 μg/d for females. High-level (97·5th percentile) intakes were 273·4 μg/d for males and 245·0 μg/d for females. Overall, 8·5 % of males and 20·3 % of females had intakes <100 μg/d (P< 0·001). Alcohol drinkers and smokers tended to have lower iodine intakes than abstainers or non-smokers. Regular physical activity and both intermediate and high education levels were associated with a lower risk of iodine intake of <150 μg/d. For both males and females there were significant overall regional differences (P< 0·001) in multivariate-adjusted iodine intakes, with higher adjusted iodine intakes in Brittany and Normandy than in the north-eastern region.

Conclusions

Our data show a borderline low iodine intake in this middle-aged French population. However, differences in iodine intakes may contribute to explaining only a small part of the effects of sex and age on thyroid disease incidence.
Fruit and vegetable consumption and its recommended intake associated with sociodemographic factors: Thailand National Health Examination Survey III
Authors: Satheannoppakao Warapone , Aekplakorn Wichai , Pradipasen Mandhana
Published: May 2009

Objective

To examine the fruit and vegetable consumption in Thailand, the percentage of Thais meeting recommended intakes and the association with sociodemographic factors.

Design

Cross-sectional survey with a stratified, three-stage, cluster probability sampling design.

Setting

Community-dwelling men and women participating in the Thailand National Health Examination Survey III.

Subjects

A total of 39 290 individuals aged ≥15 years were interviewed using a questionnaire to obtain information on sociodemographic characteristics and fruit and vegetable consumption. Daily fruit and vegetable consumption was estimated through the use of a short semi-qualitative FFQ.

Results

Overall, participants had average frequencies of fruit and vegetable consumption equal to 4·56 and 5·97 d/week, respectively. Average daily number of servings of fruit, vegetables and fruit plus vegetables were 1·46, 1·78 and 3·24, respectively. Intake amounts of fruit, vegetables and fruit plus vegetables varied by marital status and region, and were lower among males (except for vegetable intake), those of older age, those with low educational attainment, those with low monthly household income and those living in a rural area. Only 1/3, 1/4 and 1/4 of the population consumed the recommended ≥2, ≥3 and ≥5 servings/d for fruit, vegetables and fruit plus vegetables. Sociodemographic factors related to meeting the recommended intake of ≥5 servings/d for fruit plus vegetables included being female (OR = 1·13) and household income ≥50 000 Baht/month (OR = 1·66).

Conclusions

The amounts of fruit and vegetables consumed by Thai participants were far below the level of current recommendations. Public education and campaigns on adequate consumption of fruits and vegetables should be targeted more towards low socio-economic groups.
Determinants of compliance to antenatal micronutrient supplementation and women’s perceptions of supplement use in rural Nepal
Authors: Kulkarni Bharati , Christian Parul , LeClerq Steven C , Khatry Subarna K
Published: May 2009

Objective

We examined factors affecting compliance to antenatal micronutrient supplementation and women’s perceptions of supplement use.

Design

Randomized controlled supplementation trial of four alternative combinations of micronutrients given during pregnancy through to 3 months postpartum. Women were visited twice weekly to monitor compliance and to replenish tablets by female study workers. At 6 weeks postpartum women with live births (n 4096) were interviewed regarding their perceptions of the supplement. Median compliance calculated as percentage of total eligible doses received by women was high (84 %).

Setting

Rural southern Nepal.

Subjects

Pregnant women.

Results

Women with high compliance (above the median of 84 %) were likely to be older, less educated, poorer, undernourished, belong to lower caste and of Pahadi (hill) ethnicity compared with women with low compliance (at or below the median of 84 %). Smoking and drinking alcohol in the past week during pregnancy were strongly associated with low compliance. The major reason for irregular intake was forgetting to take supplements. A higher proportion of the high compliers liked taking the supplements but only half of them were willing to purchase them in the future. A large proportion of women (91 %) perceived a benefit from taking the supplement such as improved strength and health, whereas only about 10 % perceived any side-effects which were not a major barrier to compliance.

Conclusions

The present analysis highlights that poor, undernourished, uneducated women can have high compliance to antenatal supplementation if they are supplied with the tablets and reminded to take them regularly, and counselled about side-effects.
Geospace magnetic field responses to interplanetary shocks
Authors: Wang C. , Liu J. B. , Li H. , Huang Z. H. , Richardson J. D. , Kan J. R.
Published: May 2009

We perform a statistical survey of geospace magnetic field responses, including the geosynchronous magnetic field and the sudden impulses on the ground, to interplanetary shocks (IP shocks) between 1998 and 2005. The magnitude of the geosynchronous magnetic field (dBz) responses to IP shocks depends strongly on local time, which peaks near the noon meridian; however, the relative magnitude of the responses depends only weakly on local time. These results are similar to those obtained from the statical study of the responses to solar wind dynamic pressure pulses. However, negative responses (where dBz is negative) were sometimes observed in the nightside of the magnetosphere even though the IP shocks always caused increases in the solar wind dynamic pressure, a new phenomenon not widely reported in the literature. Our analysis shows that ∼75% of negative responses in the midnight sector are associated with southward interplanetary magnetic field. For a moderately compressed magnetosphere, the amplitude of the geosynchronous response dBz could be determined by the average value of the background local magnetic field. As the magnitude of the upstream solar wind dynamic pressure increases, the rate of response increases correspondingly. The dBz at the geosynchronous orbit near local noon and the amplitude of sudden impulses (dSYM‐H) on the ground are highly correlated.
Meteorological processes forcing Saharan dust emission inferred from MSG‐SEVIRI observations of subdaily dust source activation and numerical models
Authors: Schepanski K. , Tegen I. , Todd M. C. , Heinold B. , Bönisch G. , Laurent B. , Macke A.
Published: May 2009

Fifteen‐minute Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) infrared dust index images are used to identify dust source areas. The observations of dust source activation (DSA) are compiled in a 1° × 1° map for the Sahara and Sahel, including temporal information at 3‐hourly resolution. Here we use this data set to identify the most active dust source areas and the time of day when dust source activation occurs most frequently. In the Sahara desert 65% of DSA (March 2006 to February 2008) occurs during 0600–0900 UTC, pointing toward an important role of the breakdown of the nocturnal low‐level jet (LLJ) for dust mobilization. Other meteorological mechanisms may lead to dust mobilization including density currents initiated by deep convective systems which mobilize dust fronts (haboobs) occurring preferentially in the afternoon hours and cyclonic activities. The role of the nocturnal LLJ for dust mobilization in the Sahara is corroborated by regional model studies and analysis of meteorological station data.
On the homogeneity and interpretation of precipitable water time series derived from global GPS observations
Authors: Vey S. , Dietrich R. , Fritsche M. , Rülke A. , Steigenberger Peter , Rothacher Markus
Published: May 2009

Observations of the Global Positioning System (GPS) were reanalyzed over the period from 1994 to 2004 in a joint project of the technical universities in Dresden and Munich. The estimated tropospheric parameters were converted into precipitable water (PW) using surface pressure observations from the World Meteorological Organization and atmospheric mean temperature fields from the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts. For the first time a systematic study of the homogeneity of global GPS‐derived precipitable water time series was carried out regarding the influence of changes in the GPS antennas and radomes as well as changes in the number of recorded observations. The focus of this study is on interannual changes in precipitable water. Over Europe, large parts of North America, and Iceland and in the region south of 30°S, these changes are very small. The range of the PW variations on interannual time scales is less than 2 mm in these areas. However, in the southeastern part of North America and north Australia, these anomalies in precipitable water show a range of up to 6 mm. In the tropics, PW anomalies with a range of up to 10 mm were found. GPS PW was compared with a modeled PW assuming water vapor saturation. This shows that GPS PW of stations located in the middle and high northern and southern latitudes is consistent with the temperature‐related saturation values of water vapor. In the tropics and subtropics the annual temperature variations are low. In these regions the variations in the PW can be dominated by other factors, including water vapor transport. At seasonal time scales the water vapor transport can be associated with atmospheric circulation such as monsoonal flow.
Indian water rights settlements and water management innovations: The role of the Arizona Water Settlements Act
Authors: Bark Rosalind H. , Jacobs Katharine L.
Published: May 2009

In the American southwest, over‐allocated water supplies, groundwater depletion, and potential climate change impacts are major water management concerns. It may therefore seem counterintuitive that the resolution of outstanding senior tribal water claims, essentially reallocating finite water supplies to tribes, could support improved water supply reliability for many water users as is the case with the 2004 Arizona Water Settlements Act. The large size of the settlement and its multiple components translate to significant impacts on water policy in Arizona. Key water management solutions incorporated into the settlement and associated legislation have expanded the water manager's “toolbox” and are expected to enhance water supply reliability both within and outside Arizona's active management areas. Many of these new tools are transferable to water management applications in other states.
Stability of perchlorate hydrates and their liquid solutions at the Phoenix landing site, Mars
Authors: Chevrier Vincent F. , Hanley Jennifer , Altheide Travis S.
Published: May 2009

We studied the low‐temperature properties of sodium and magnesium perchlorate solutions as potential liquid brines at the Phoenix landing site. We determined their theoretical eutectic values to be 236 ± 1 K for 52 wt% sodium perchlorate and 206 ± 1 K for 44.0 wt% magnesium perchlorate. Evaporation rates of solutions at various concentrations were measured under martian conditions, and range from 0.07 to 0.49 mm h−1 for NaClO4 and from 0.06 to 0.29 mm h−1 for Mg(ClO4)2. The extrapolation to Phoenix landing site conditions using our theoretical treatment shows that perchlorates are liquid during the summer for at least part of the day, and exhibit very low evaporation rates. Moreover, magnesium perchlorate eutectic solutions are thermodynamically stable over vapour and ice during a few hours a day. We conclude that liquid brines may be present and even stable for short periods of time at the Phoenix landing site.
Collisional/resonance absorption in cold/warm magnetized plasmas of the F‐region high‐latitude ionosphere
Authors: Gondarenko N. A. , Ossakow S. L. , Bernhardt P. A.
Published: May 2009

The collisional/resonance absorption due to linear mode conversion of electromagnetic waves into electrostatic/plasma waves is studied in cold/warm magnetized plasmas relevant to the F‐region of the high‐latitude ionosphere. The absorption coefficient is calculated numerically using a full‐wave model for high‐frequency waves incident normally/obliquely to the direction of inhomogeneity. The absorption coefficient of collisional cold plasmas is found to be independent of the collision frequency in the small range of incidence angles near the critical angle; whereas, outside this range absorption increases with increasing collisions. In warm collisionless plasmas, the resonance absorption coefficient is shown to be independent of the electron temperature values pertinent to the F‐region plasma. We have demonstrated for the first time a strong effect of the external magnetic field arbitrarily oriented in the plane of incidence on the absorption coefficient, which is not pronounced in the limit of weakly magnetized plasmas.
On higher dimensional black holes with Abelian isometry group
Authors: Chruściel Piotr T.
Published: May 2009

We consider (n+1)-dimensional, stationary, asymptotically flat, or Kaluza–Klein asymptotically flat black holes with an Abelian s-dimensional subgroup of the isometry group satisfying an orthogonal integrability condition. Under suitable regularity conditions, we prove that the area of the group orbits is positive on the domain of outer communications ⟨⟨Mext⟩⟩, vanishing only on the boundary ∂⟨⟨Mext⟩⟩ and on the “symmetry axis” A. We further show that the orbits of the connected component of the isometry group are timelike throughout the domain of outer communications. Those results provide a starting point for the classification of such black holes. Finally, we show nonexistence of zeros of static Killing vectors on degenerate Killing horizons, as needed for the generalization of the static no-hair theorem to higher dimensions.
Effective conductivities of two-phase composites with a singular phase
Authors: Liu Liping
Published: May 2009

We calculate the effective conductivity of a two-phase composite with a periodic array of inhomogeneities. The shape of the inhomogeneities is assumed to be a periodic E-inclusion. The effective conductivity is expressed in terms of the volume fraction of the inhomogeneities and a matrix, which characterizes the shape of the periodic E-inclusion. This solution is rigorous, closed-form, and applicable to situations that the conductivity of the inhomogeneities is singular, i.e., zero or infinite. Further, when the periodic E-inclusion degenerates to a periodic array of slits with vanishing volume fraction, we give explicit solutions to local fields and effective conductivity of the composite with singular inhomogeneities.
X-ray phase contrast imaging: Transmission functions separable in cylindrical coordinates
Authors: Cao Guohua , Hamilton Theron , Laperle Christopher M. , Rose-Petruck Christoph , Diebold Gerald J.
Published: May 2009

A Fresnel–Kirchhoff integral can be used to calculate x-ray phase contrast images when the transmission function is known. Here expressions for image intensity are derived for objects with axial symmetry for an x-ray source with non-vanishing dimensions. An expression for the image intensity is given for an x-ray source whose intensity distribution is described by a Gaussian function, from which an expression for the limiting case of a point source of radiation is found. The expressions for image intensity are evaluated for cases where the magnification is substantially greater than one, as would be employed in biological imaging. Experiments using a microfocus x-ray tube and charge coupled device camera are reported to determine the capability of the method for imaging small spherical objects, such as gold particles, which might find application as contrast agents in biomedical imaging.
Hyperpolarized noble gas magnetic resonance imaging of the animal lung: Approaches and applications
Authors: Santyr Giles E. , Lam Wilfred W. , Parra-Robles Juan M. , Taves Timothy M. , Ouriadov Alexei V.
Published: May 2009

Hyperpolarized noble gas (HNG) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is a very promising noninvasive tool for the investigation of animal models of lung disease, particularly to follow longitudinal changes in lung function and anatomy without the accumulated radiation dose associated with x rays. The two most common noble gases for this purpose are H3e (helium 3) and X129e (xenon 129), the latter providing a cost-effective approach for clinical applications. Hyperpolarization is typically achieved using spin-exchange optical pumping techniques resulting in ∼10 000-fold improvement in available magnetization compared to conventional Boltzmann polarizations. This substantial increase in polarization allows high spatial resolution (<1 mm) single-slice images of the lung to be obtained with excellent temporal resolution (<1 s). Complete three-dimensional images of the lungs with 1 mm slice thickness can be obtained within reasonable breath-hold intervals (<20 s). This article provides an overview of the current methods used in HNG MR imaging with an emphasis on ventilation studies in animals. Special MR hardware and software considerations are described in order to use the strong but nonrecoverable magnetization as efficiently as possible and avoid depolarization primarily by molecular oxygen. Several applications of HNG MR imaging are presented, including measurement of gross lung anatomy (e.g., airway diameters), microscopic anatomy (e.g., apparent diffusion coefficient), and a variety of functional parameters including dynamic ventilation, alveolar oxygen partial pressure, and xenon diffusing capacity.
Preparation of many-body states for quantum simulation
Authors: Ward Nicholas J. , Kassal Ivan , Aspuru-Guzik Alán
Published: May 2009

While quantum computers are capable of simulating many quantum systems efficiently, the simulation algorithms must begin with the preparation of an appropriate initial state. We present a method for generating physically relevant quantum states on a lattice in real space. In particular, the present algorithm is able to prepare general pure and mixed many-particle states of any number of particles. It relies on a procedure for converting from a second-quantized state to its first-quantized counterpart. The algorithm is efficient in that it operates in time that is polynomial in all the essential descriptors of the system, the number of particles, the resolution of the lattice, and the inverse of the maximum final error. This scaling holds under the assumption that the wave function to be prepared is bounded or its indefinite integral is known and that the Fock operator of the system is efficiently simulatable.
Quantification of Ag(I) and kinetic analysis using ion-pair extraction across a liquid/liquid interface in a laminar flow by fluorescence microscopy
Authors: Nagai Hidenori , Miwa Natsuko , Segawa Miho , Wakida Shin-ichi , Chayama Kenji
Published: May 2009

To analyze the kinetics of complicate ion-pair extraction, we have utilized a microfluidic approach and fluorescence detection. We have already developed a Ag(I)-specific thia-crown ether as an ion-association reagent. Furthermore, a fluorescent anion was added to detect the generated complex of Ag(I), ion-association reagent, and the counteranion in the ion-pair extraction system. A two-phase laminar flow consisting of an aqueous liquid and an organic liquid in a microchannel was formed, and the relationship between the initial conditions and reaction rate was examined. The microfluidic device could realize a spatiotemporal approach to solvent extraction, because the traveling length along the interface corresponded to the reaction time. The rate-determining step was estimated according to ion-pair formation behavior. Furthermore, due to the miniaturized reaction volume in the microchannel, rapid extraction of Ag(I) was achieved. The microchannel width was optimized to carry out the rapid extraction of Ag(I). In the application of the microfluidic device, the quantification of Ag(I) was examined and exhibited good linearity in the range of 6.1×10−7–4×10−6M. The lower limit of detection was almost the same as for an atomic absorption spectrometer.
Single-biomolecule observation with micro one-way valves for rapid buffer exchange
Authors: Hirono-Hara Yoko , Noji Hiroyuki , Takeuchi Shoji
Published: May 2009

This paper describes a method for the rapid exchange of buffer solution during single-molecule observation. We use a simple, transparent, all-plastic one-way valve integrated on a coverslip on a flow cell. The valve is formed using a membrane made of parylene covering a microhole. It opens when a buffer solution is introduced from the microhole (the flow pushes the cover membrane) and closes when suctioning the buffer solution (the membrane is pulled back and seals the microhole to prevent the diffusion of the solution). To check valve performance, we observed the response of a rotary biomotor, F1-ATPase, for several buffer solutions in the fabricated chamber.
Signal-to-noise ratio improvement of peptide microarrays by using hyperbranched-polymer materials
Authors: Mori Takeshi , Yamanouchi Go , Han Xiaoming , Inoue Yusuke , Shigaki Syuhei , Yamaji Takayuki , Sonoda Tatsuhiko , Yasui Kei , Hayashi Hisato , Niidome Takuro , Katayama Yoshiki
Published: May 2009

The fabrication of peptide microarrays using hyperbranched polymers (HBPs) to improve the signal-to-noise ratio was demonstrated. Due to a high density of reactive groups at the chain ends of the HBPs, as well as to their spherical shape, HBPs can be used as linkers to increase the amount of immobilized peptides through raising the specific surface area of the glass substrate. A zwitterionic HBP was used as a blocking agent to reduce the noise level of the peptide microarrays. The zwitterionic HBP shows comparably excellent blocking ability to a commercially available BSA-based blocking agent. Thus, it was concluded that HBPs have high potential for the fabrication of highly sensitive peptide microarrays.
On scaling laws of biosensors: A stochastic approach
Authors: Das Shreepriya , Vikalo Haris , Hassibi Arjang
Published: May 2009

We study the scaling laws of affinity-based biosensors. In particular, we examine the implications of scaling on the response time, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and dynamic range (DR) of biosensor systems. Initially, using stochastic differential methods and particularly Fokker–Planck (FP) equation, we formulate the analyte capturing process and derive its uncertainty by computing the probability distribution function of the captured analytes as a function of time. Subsequently, we examine the effects of scaling on the solution to the FP equation and the signal fluctuation, which demonstrates that scaling down significantly reduces the achievable SNR and DR of biosensors. We argue that these results question the advantages of excessive miniaturization of biosensors, especially the fundamental SNR limitation, which transpire in the micro- and nanoregimes.
Noncontact imaging of absorption and scattering in layered tissue using spatially modulated structured light
Authors: Weber Jessie R. , Cuccia David J. , Durkin Anthony J. , Tromberg Bruce J.
Published: May 2009

Sinusoidal patterns of spatially modulated near-infrared (650 nm) structured light are used to interrogate multilayer phantoms and tissue. Diffuse reflectance is imaged at multiple spatial frequencies from 0–0.3 mm−1. ac and dc components of the image are fit to a two layer model formulated from the diffusion approximation to the Boltzman transport equation. The two-layer model depends on optical properties (absorption, μa, and reduced scattering, μs′) in each layer and on top layer thickness (d). Layered tissue phantoms with variable optical properties in each layer (μa=0.006–0.034 mm−1 and μs′=0.89–1.45 mm−1) were constructed to test the accuracy of the model. Constraining top layer thickness to within 25% of the correct value in a four-parameter fit results in recovery of upper layer optical properties with average accuracies of ±2% for top layer μs′ and ±17% for top layer μa. Bottom layer μa can then be recovered to an average accuracy of ±25% with two parameter fits. Average accuracies of top and bottom layer absorption can further be improved to 12% and 18%, respectively, by fitting for each alone. Bottom layer scattering and top layer thickness do not vary significantly from initial guesses because of poor sensitivity to these parameters in frequency dependent reflectance data. Measurements of in vivo volar forearm optical properties at 650 nm produced spatially varying skin (d=2 mm) optical property maps that range from 0.025–0.045 and 1.7–2 mm−1 for upper layer μa and μs′ and 0.005–0.015 and 0.5–3 mm−1 for lower layer μa and μs′, respectively. These preliminary results suggest that spatial modulation of the source provides sufficient depth sensitivity to allow noncontact mapping and quantification of layered tissue optical properties using a wide-field, noncontact approach.
Frequency-domain photothermoacoustics: Alternative imaging modality of biological tissues
Authors: Telenkov Sergey , Mandelis Andreas , Lashkari Bahman , Forcht Michael
Published: May 2009

Frequency-domain photothermoacoustic (FD-PTA) imaging of biological tissues is presented and compared with the conventional time-domain methodology. We demonstrate that tissue imaging can be performed with high axial resolution without the necessity to employ short-pulse and high peak-power laser systems to generate acoustic transients. The presented analysis shows that depth information in the FD-PTA method can be recovered by using linear frequency-modulated (chirped) optical excitation and frequency-domain signal processing algorithms. The signal-to-noise ratio can be increased significantly using correlation processing, which can compensate for the small amplitude of acoustic waves typical to the periodic excitation mode. Additionally, narrow-band signal demodulation enables depth-specific and confocal tissue imaging using the optically induced photothermoacoustic effect. Application of the FD-PTA is demonstrated in experiments with turbid phantoms and ex vivo tissue specimens.
Lateral spatial resolution of thermal lens microscopy during continuous scanning for nonstaining biofilm imaging
Authors: Rossteuscher T. T. J. , Hibara A. , Mawatari K. , Kitamori T.
Published: May 2009

The possible application of continuous scanning thermal lens microscopy (TLM) as alternative online biofilm observation method is studied. As biofilm is a heterogeneous sample, the influence of spatially limited thermal flow at the sample heterogeneities and the biofilm-environment border has to be considered. The influence of the edges on the lateral resolution with respect to scanning velocity during continuous scanning TLM was therefore evaluated. Lateral scanning experiments on 100 nm thin gold stripes showed that the maximum scan speed can be predicted from a time constant of a lock-in amplifier and the beamwidth. Since three-dimensional mapping is needed to fully characterize the biofilm structure, depth scanning experiments with stained 4 μm thick polystyrene samples with the coaxial TLM setup were evaluated for signal width at full width at half maximum. Thus, a minimum step width for depth scanning of 10 μm for observation has been acquired. A three-dimensional image of unstained biofilm grown in a flow chamber was acquired using continuous scanning TLM.
Discrete dipole approximation simulations of gold nanorod optical properties: Choice of input parameters and comparison with experiment
Authors: Ungureanu Constantin , Rayavarapu Raja Gopal , Manohar Srirang , van Leeuwen Ton G.
Published: May 2009

Gold nanorods have interesting optical properties due to surface plasmon resonance effects. A variety of biomedical applications of these particles have been envisaged and feasibilities demonstrated in imaging, sensing, and therapy based on the interactions of light with these particles. In order to correctly interpret experimental data and tailor the nanorods and their environments for optimal use in these applications, simulations of the optical properties of the particles under various conditions are essential. Of various numerical methods available, the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) approach implemented in the publicly available DDSCAT code is a powerful method that had proved popular for studying gold nanorods. However, there is as yet no universal agreement on the shape used to represent the nanorods and on the dielectric function of gold required for the simulations. We systematically study the influence of these parameters on simulated results. We find large variations in the position of plasmon resonance peaks, their amplitudes, and shapes of the spectra depending on the choice of the parameters. We discuss these in the light of experimental optical extinction spectra of gold nanorods synthesized in our laboratory. We show that much care should be taken and prudence applied before DDA results be used to interpret experimental data and to help characterize nanoparticles synthesized.