bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enzymatic characterization of starch synthase III from kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)
Authors: Senoura Takeshi , Asao Ayako , Takashima Yoshinori , Isono Naoto , Hamada Shigeki , Ito Hiroyuki , Matsui Hirokazu
Published: August 2007

In plants and green algae, several starch synthase isozymes are responsible for the elongation of glucan chains in the biosynthesis of amylose and amylopectin. Multiple starch synthase isozymes, which are classified into five major classes (granule‐bound starch synthases, SSI, SSII, SSIII, and SSIV) according to their primary sequences, have distinct enzymatic properties. All the starch synthase isozymes consist of a transit peptide, an N‐terminal noncatalytic region (N‐domain), and a C‐terminal catalytic region (C‐domain). To elucidate the enzymatic properties of kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) SSIII and the function of the N‐domain of kidney bean SSIII, three recombinant proteins were constructed: putative mature recombinant SSIII, recombinant kidney bean SSIII N‐domain, and recombinant kidney bean SSIII C‐domain. Purified recombinant kidney bean SSIII displayed high specific activities for primers as compared to the other starch synthase isozymes from kidney bean. Kinetic analysis showed that the high specific activities of recombinant kidney bean SSIII are attributable to the high kcat values, and that the Km values of recombinant kidney bean SSIII C‐domain for primers were much higher than those of recombinant kidney bean recombinant SSIII. Recombinant kidney bean SSIII and recombinant kidney bean SSIII C‐domain had similar chain‐length specificities for the extension of glucan chains, indicating that the N‐domain of kidney bean SSIII does not affect the chain‐length specificity. Affinity gel electrophoresis indicated that recombinant kidney bean SSIII and recombinant kidney bean SSIII N‐domain have high affinities for amylose and amylopectin. The data presented in this study provide direct evidence for the function of the N‐domain of kidney bean SSIII as a carbohydrate‐binding module.
Anti‐arthritis effects of vitamin K2 (menaquinone‐4) − a new potential therapeutic strategy for rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Okamoto Hiroshi , Shidara Kumi , Hoshi Daisuke , Kamatani Naoyuki
Published: August 2007

Vitamin K2 (menaquinone‐4, MK‐4) has been reported to induce apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma, leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome cell lines. The effects of MK‐4 on the development of arthritis have never been addressed thus far. In the present study, we investigated the effect of MK‐4 upon the proliferation of rheumatoid synovial cells and the development of arthritis in collagen‐induced arthritis. We analyzed the effect of MK‐4 on the proliferation of fibroblast‐like synoviocytes using the 3‐(4,5‐demethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The pro‐apoptotic effect of MK‐4 upon fibroblast‐like synoviocytes was investigated with annexin V staining and DNA fragmentation and caspase 3/7 assays. Moreover, we analyzed the effect of MK‐4 on the development of collagen‐induced arthritis in female dark agouti rats. Our results indicated that MK‐4 inhibited the proliferation of fibroblast‐like synoviocytes and the development of collagen‐induced arthritis in a dose‐dependent manner. We conclude that MK‐4 may represent a new agent for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in the setting of combination therapy with other disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs.
LENIN'S RETURN
Authors: Blanc Paul Le
Published: August 2007

Even many radicals agree with liberals who quote conservatives who assure us that Lenin and his revolutionary communist perspectives were inhumane and authoritarian—but important new scholarship compellingly argues that such allegations are false. In the post‐9/11 world, dominant ideologies are being undermined by political and social crises generating insurgent forces that may be ready to see a new relevance in Lenin. Varieties of conservatism, reformism, anarchism, and fundamentalism (secular as well as religious) have been tried, continue to be tried, and yet the times in which we live seem to grow more terrible. What masses of people are experiencing, feeling, and thinking today gives recent Lenin‐influenced works a growing resonance, and so they may find a greater “market” than previously has been the case. With the appearance of such scholarship, each offering challenging interpretations, we may be on the eve of a Lenin revival.
RACE, GOD, AND GUNS: UNION VOTING IN THE 2004 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Authors: Beachler Donald W.
Published: August 2007

The conservative political preferences of many working class Americans have been the subject of much academic and popular analysis in recent years. This article investigates the voting behavior of union household residents in the 2004 presidential election. The source for this information is national and state exit polls from the 2004 election. There has been much debate about whether white working class support of Republicans is rooted in conservative cultural values. Despite ardent opposition by the Bush administration to the goals of organized labor, 46 percent of white voters who resided in union households voted Republican in the 2004 presidential election. The impact of race, religion, and gun ownership on the voting choice of labor households is investigated in an effort to provide an understanding of conservative voting by so many households affiliated with an interest group that is at odds with the Republicans.
COMMENTARY: SOLIDARITY UNIONISM AT STARBUCKS: THE IWW USES SECTION 7
Authors: Lynd Staughton , Gross Daniel
Published: August 2007

Many proposals to solve the labor movement's problems are on the table. There is the idea of operating completely outside the framework of any labor law, state or federal, as the Farmworkers did initially. A second proposal would require employers to bargain with unions that represent less than a majority of workers in an appropriate bargaining unit. Another suggestion is to make the Thirteenth Amendment rather than the Commerce Clause the jurisdictional basis of an amended Labor Management Relations Act. Perhaps workers' centers utilizing state minimum wage laws could put movement back in the Movement, others say. And of course, the mainstream trade union movement advocates card‐check designation of an exclusive bargaining representative as their solution of choice. Each of these thoughts comes to us as the change that might turn things around.
FROM CONNECTION TO SEPARATION (AND BACK): SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AND MAY DAY
Authors: Shepard Benjamin
Published: August 2007

The following considers the interplay between connection and separation in social movements. Exploring the example of the May 1, 2007 police raid on the Immigrant Rights rally in MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, the following considers the ways the Global Justice Movement has benefited and suffered from such an interplay. In addition, the work reviews recent contributions to the social movement literature. Particular attention is given to concepts of failure, collective joy, suppression, interconnection, separation, and connection.
A quinolizidine alkaloid O‐tigloyltransferase gene in wild and domesticated white lupin (Lupinus albus)
Authors: Chen Y. , Lee L.S. , Luckett D.J. , Henry R. , Hill H. , Edwards M.
Published: August 2007

Wild white lupins have high levels of alkaloids, which cause a bitter taste, whereas domesticated white lupin varieties have a very low content of alkaloids in seeds. Genes for bitterness from wild white lupins are a contamination threat to domesticated white lupin via cross‐pollination. The gene(s) for alkaloid synthesis have not been clearly identified, and the associated molecular background among wild white lupin, domesticated and contaminated domesticated plant materials is unknown. So far, only tigloyl‐CoA:(−)‐13alpha‐hydroxymultiflorine/(+)‐13alpha‐hydroxylupanine O‐tigloyltransferase (HMT/HLTase) cDNA has been cloned based on protein analysis, which was suggested as encoding a quinolizidine alkaloid transferase regulating quinolizidine alkaloid biosynthesis. This gene has not yet been well characterised in important white lupin genotypes. In this study, we found that the majority of the intron sequence of the HMT/HLTase gene differed between wild white lupin accessions P25758 and P27593, and between the commercial varieties. The expression pattern as well as the expression level of the HMT/HLTase gene showed no difference between the P25758 and the low‐alkaloid variety Kiev mutant, suggesting the expression of the HMT/HLTase gene has no correlation with bitterness. However, the intron sequence is useful as a DNA marker in the identification of the contamination source of bitter seeds in commercial lupin seed lots.
Contribution of Dead Wood to Biomass and Carbon Stocks in the Caribbean: St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
Authors: Oswalt Sonja N. , Brandeis Thomas J. , Woodall Christopher W.
Published: August 2007

Dead wood is a substantial carbon stock in terrestrial forest ecosystems and hence a critical component of global carbon cycles. Given the limited amounts of dead wood biomass and carbon stock information for Caribbean forests, our objectives were to: (1) describe the relative contribution of down woody materials (DWM) to carbon stocks on the island of St. John; (2) compare these contributions among differing stand characteristics in subtropical moist and dry forests; and (3) compare down woody material carbon stocks on St. John to those observed in other tropical and temperate forests. Our results indicate that dead wood and litter comprise an average of 20 percent of total carbon stocks on St. John in both moist and dry forest life zones. Island‐wide, dead wood biomass on the ground ranged from 4.55 to 28.11 Mg/ha. Coarse woody material biomass and carbon content were higher in moist forests than in dry forests. No other down woody material components differed between life zones or among vegetation categories (P > 0.05). Live tree density was positively correlated with fine woody material and litter in the moist forest life zone (R= 0.57 and 0.84, respectively) and snag basal area was positively correlated with total down woody material amounts (R= 0.50) in dry forest. Our study indicates that DWM are important contributors to the total biomass and, therefore, carbon budgets in subtropical systems, and that contributions of DWM on St. John appear to be comparable to values given for similar dry forest systems.
Germination and Establishment of Tillandsia eizii (Bromeliaceae) in the Canopy of an Oak Forest in Chiapas, Mexico
Authors: Toledo‐Aceves Tarin , Wolf Jan H. D.
Published: August 2007

We assessed the effectiveness of repopulating the inner canopy and middle canopy of oak trees with seeds and seedlings of the epiphytic bromeliad Tillandsia eizii. Canopy germination was 4.7 percent, considerably lower than in vitro (92%). Of the tree‐germinated seedlings, only 1.5 percent survived 6 mo. In contrast, 9.3 percent of transplanted laboratory seedlings survived 15 mo. To repopulate trees, we recommend transplanting laboratory‐grown seedlings, as large as practically possible, to branches in the middle canopy.
Method Review: Estimation of Colony Densities of the Army Ant Eciton burchellii in Costa Rica
Authors: Vidal‐Riggs John M. , Chaves‐Campos Johel
Published: August 2007

We evaluated the performance of a method developed to estimate colony densities of the army ant Eciton burchellii, a keystone species, based on raid crossings on trails, in Costa Rica. The method was compared with a census obtained by tracking ant‐following birds, and the effect of walking distance and rainfall was evaluated. We found that the method performs well when at least 60 km of trail have been walked (replicated walks are permissible), and when rainfall is avoided.
The WTO: What Next? L'OMC: et après? Die WTO: Was nun?
Authors: Josling Tim
Published: August 2007

summary

The WTO: What Next?

The impasse in the WTO trade negotiations gives the opportunity to take a broader look at the range of trade talks that are underway and their relationship to domestic farm policy reform in the US and the EU. The articles in this Special Issue attempt to expand on such linkages. The willingness of the US to follow the path toward less trade distorting domestic programs is one of the keys to reductions in agricultural protection in other countries. The continuation of the process of CAP reform gives the EU the scope to accept tighter controls on domestic subsidies and relax the often high levels of border protection. But success in the WTO talks also makes regional and bilateral trade pacts easier by resolving conflicts over subsidy levels and by lowering tariff levels. And the success of litigants, particularly Brazil, in WTO challenges to US and EU domestic policies has emphasized the extent to which trade agreements have become drivers of domestic reform. However, the pace of such reform is still controlled by national (and EU) legislatures and governments, and this therefore limits the speed of trade negotiations and the acceptability of dispute settlement outcomes.
The Next Steps in CAP Reform Les prochaines étapes de la réforme de la PAC Die nächsten Schritte in der Reform der GAP
Authors: Buckwell Allan
Published: August 2007

summary

The Next Steps in CAP Reform

Both Pillars of Europe's Common Agricultural Policy have been thoroughly overhauled in the period 2003 to 2007. By far the most important aspect of these reforms is the decoupling of the main support instrument of the CAP ‐ the Single Payment. This removes the bulk of EU farm support into the non‐production and trade distorting Green Box of the WTO. Despite these far‐reaching changes, discussions are already underway for further CAP reforms both before 2013 in what is being called the CAP Health Check, and certainly thereafter as all EU policies and resources are to be reviewed in 2009. This article discusses the possible contents of such reforms and focuses on three main areas. Firstly, the downscaling of commodity supports, particularly the use of intervention purchases to raise domestic prices and their replacement with the Single Payment System. Secondly, replacement of the existing variety of Single Payment Schemes with a more harmonised scheme. Thirdly, the prospects for changing the balance between Pillars I and II of the CAP Finally, there is consideration of the prospects for reform of the CAP beyond 2013 towards what nowadays might be called Europe's Food and Environmental Security Policy, to deal with all the missing, imperfect and failing market issues affecting land use.
Evaluating Different Descriptors for Model Design of Antimicrobial Peptides with Enhanced Activity Toward P. aeruginosa
Authors: Jenssen Håvard , Lejon Tore , Hilpert Kai , Fjell Christopher D. , Cherkasov Artem , Hancock Robert E. W.
Published: August 2007

The number of isolated drug‐resistant pathogenic microbes has increased drastically over the past decades, demonstrating an urgent need for new therapeutic interventions. Antimicrobial peptides have for a long time been looked upon as an interesting template for drug optimization. However, the process of optimizing peptide antimicrobial activity and specificity, using large peptide libraries is both tedious and expensive. Here, we describe the construction of a mathematical model for prediction, prior to synthesis, of peptide antibacterial activity toward Pseudomonas aeruginosa. By use of novel descriptors quantifying the contact energy between neighboring amino acids in addition to a set of inductive and conventional quantitative structure–activity relationship descriptors, we are able to model the peptides antibacterial activity. Cross‐correlation and optimization of the implemented descriptor values have enabled us to build a model (Bac2a‐ #2) that was able to correctly predict the activity of 84% of the tested peptides, within a twofold deviation window of the corresponding IC50 values, measured earlier. The predictive power, is an average of 10 submodels, each predicting the activity of 20 randomly excluded peptides, with a predictive success of 16.7 ± 1.6 peptides. The model has also been proven significantly more accurate than a simpler model (Bac2a‐ #1), where the inductive and conventional quantitative structure–activity relationship descriptors were excluded.
The Great Illusion: Chimeras of Isolationism and Realism in Post‐Iraq U.S. Foreign Policy1
Authors: Quinn Adam
Published: August 2007

In light of the Bush Administration's failures in Iraq, some have foreseen a turn toward a new isolationism or realism in U.S. foreign policy. This article argues that such an ideological reorientation is unlikely. America's level of economic entwinement with others, and its role in maintaining strategic stability in certain regions, present formidable practical barriers to isolationism. Though realism might be a more plausible prospect, the nature of America's historical and ideological journey toward internationalism makes it difficult for a realist approach to gain lasting supremacy. Increased pragmatism, and reduced militarism and adventurism, are likely responses to harsh operational realities. Nevertheless, the core axiom of American strategic thought—the liberal universalist credo that all nations must eventually adopt a baseline of American values and practices for lasting international peace to be achieved—is embedded too widely across the political spectrum to be ousted without a major revolution in American political culture.
The Bureaucracy as a Battleground: Contentious Politics Surrounding OSHA 1980‐2004
Authors: Vike James
Published: August 2007

This study examines the extent to which often contentious political efforts to influence agency operations over a 25‐year period actually generated a lasting regulatory enforcement regime change at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA enforcement data indicates that the agency displayed a high level of short‐term responsiveness to the prevailing political influences. The study concludes that the multiplying effect of Reagan‐era deregulatory efforts and reform initiatives of the 1990s led to significant alterations in OSHA's regulatory enforcement patterns from a purely adversarial approach to a hybrid approach involving a mixture of aggressive enforcement in high‐hazard areas and a cooperative inclination elsewhere. At the onset of the twenty‐first century it appears that the agency has settled into a relatively stable period of equilibrium regarding monitoring and enforcement activities, with ongoing political struggles largely centering on standard setting and the agency's general regulatory scope.
Multinationals and institutional competitiveness
Authors: Kristensen Peer Hull , Morgan Glenn
Published: August 2007

This article discusses how institutional competitiveness and multinationals are mutually enriching concepts. Multinationals transfer capital, technology, and knowledge into new settings. They allow subsidiaries access to new markets, new resources, and new processes. Potentially, therefore, institutional competitiveness can be increased by the presence of multinational corporations (MNCs) and their subsidiaries. However, this depends on the type of multinational and the type of institutional context. By differentiating two types of MNC in terms of short‐term and long‐term orientations to investment, and two types of host institutional setting in terms of strength of institutional complementarities and interconnectedness, we develop a typology of four types of interaction between MNCs and institutional settings. We then analyze how each type influences institutional competitiveness. We conclude that these outcomes, while structurally shaped, are still dependent on how actors (individuals, firms, collective organizations, and governments) strategize to develop institutional frameworks in the context of highly competitive global markets.
Exploring the Case for Monetary Integration between the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong
Authors: Cavoli Tony , Rajan Ramkishen S.
Published: August 2007

This paper presents an empirical investigation on an important policy issue, namely, whether there is any evidence supporting monetary integration between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong. We follow two lines of inquiry. First, we present a series of simple tests to find the extent to which trade and/or financial linkages exist between the two regions. Second, we use simple inflation and output differentials and structural VAR techniques to test for the degree of business cycle synchronization between the two regions. The results indicate that there is evidence supporting the existence of trade linkages and that there is also support for the possible synchronization of business cycles. We discuss the implications of this for monetary integration between Hong Kong and the mainland.
Contagion or Real Linkages? Some Evidence from China's Emerging Parallel Markets
Authors: Kutan Ali M.
Published: August 2007

This paper empirically tests the existence of contagion using data on China's five parallel markets with different entry barriers for foreign capital. Taking the 1997 stock market crash as our experiment and using data on A, B and H shares, red chips and American depository receipts, the present paper tests whether these China‐backed market returns respond differently to foreign shocks during the pre‐1997 and post‐1997 crash period. Evidence suggests that the contagion effects are stronger in markets with fewer entry barriers. An important implication of our findings is that countries vulnerable to contagion could be justified to impose some limits on capital flows.
Distortions of Sino‐US and Sino‐EU Safeguard Agreements: Effects on World Textile Markets
Authors: Pan Suwen , Welch Mark , Mohanty Samarendu , He Xiurong
Published: August 2007

The effects of Sino‐US and Sino‐EU safeguard agreements on US, Chinese and world cotton and textile sectors are investigated using a partial equilibrium model. The effects are compared to a free trade scenario under the provisions of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing. The two safeguard agreements capping Chinese textile exports would decrease China's textile and apparel exports, production, and domestic consumption by an average 1.57, 0.63 and 0.32 percent, respectively. The safeguard agreements cause an increase in the US cotton textile price index and a slight decrease in US net textile imports and textile consumption. The agreements cause a decrease in the world cotton price and the quantity of cotton traded, but these trends reverse at safeguard expiration. The results generally support the view that the safeguard agreements forestall the effects of free trade in textiles and apparel rather than creating long lasting shifts in the textile trade.
Creationism
Authors: McCalla Arthur
Published: August 2007

Creationist opposition to modern evolutionary and geological sciences derives from the attempt of American Protestant fundamentalists to protect the inerrancy of the Bible from the challenges of any and all historical sciences. Creation science is not an independent investigation of the natural world, but rather biblical testimony. Intelligent design, the latest variant of creationism, is better understood as a legal strategy rather than as genuine science. The creation–evolution controversy is at bottom a conflict over the status and authority of the Bible in the modern world. The Creationism with which this article is concerned is the antihistorical ideology associated with American Protestant fundamentalism. This article is divided into four sections: creationism in early fundamentalism, young‐earth creationism, creation science, and intelligent design.
Effects of Fructooligosaccharide and Whey Protein Concentrate on the Viability of Starter Culture in Reduced‐Fat Probiotic Yogurt during Storage
Authors: Akalin A.S. , Gönç S. , ÜNal G. , Fenderya S.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT:  Viability of yogurt starter cultures and Bifidobacterium animalis was assessed during 28 d storage in reduced‐fat yogurts containing 1.5% milk fat supplemented with 1.5% fructooligosaccharide or whey protein concentrate. These properties were examined in comparison with control yogurts containing 1.5% and 3% milk fat and no supplement. Although fructooligosaccharide improved the viability of Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subs. bulgaricus, and Bifidobacterium animalis, the highest growth was obtained when milk was supplemented with whey protein concentrate in reduced‐fat yogurt (P < 0.05). Supplementation with 1.5% whey protein concentrate in reduced‐fat yogurt increased the viable counts of S. thermophilus, L. delbrueckii subs. bulgaricus, and B. animalis by 1 log cycle in the 1st week of storage when compared to control sample. Similar improvement in the growth of both yogurt bacteria and B. animalis was also obtained in the full‐fat yogurt containing 3% milk fat and no supplement. Addition of whey protein concentrate also resulted in the highest content of lactic and acetic acids (P < 0.05). A gradual increase was obtained in organic acid contents during the storage.
Effects of Extraction Conditions on Improving the Yield and Quality of an Anthocyanin‐Rich Purple Corn (Zea mays L.) Color Extract
Authors: Jing P. , Giusti M.M.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT:  Purple corn (Zea mays L.) is a rich and economic source of anthocyanin colorants and functional ingredients. However, high levels of anthocyanin‐rich waste are generated during processing, reducing the yields and increasing the costs of the final product. This waste has been associated with anthocyanin complexation with tannins and proteins. Our objective was to evaluate anthocyanin extraction methods to reduce purple corn waste. Different solvents (water, 0.01%‐HCl‐acidified water, and 0.01%‐HCl‐acidified ethanol), temperatures (room temperature, 50, 75, and 100 °C), and times of exposure to the solvents were investigated. Acetone (70% acetone in water) extraction was used as control. Anthocyanins, total phenolics, tannins, and proteins in extracts were measured by the pH differential, Folin‐Ciocalteu, protein precipitation, and BCA assay methods. Qualitative analyses were done by HPLC coupled to a PDA detector and SDS‐PAGE analysis. Water at 50 °C achieved the highest yield of anthocyanins (0.94 ± 0.03 g per 100 g dry corncob) with relatively low tannins and proteins, comparable to the anthocyanin yield obtained by 70% acetone (0.98 ± 0.08 g per 100 g dry corncob). Extending the extraction time from 20 to 60 min and using consecutive reextraction procedures reduced anthocyanin purity, increasing the yields of other phenolics. A neutral protease was applied to the extracts and effectively decomposed the major protein that was believed to contribute to the development of anthocyanin complexation and waste generation. Extraction time, consecutive reextraction procedures, and enzyme hydrolysis should be considered for high yield of anthocyanins and waste reduction.
The Effect of Transglutaminase Crosslinking on the Rheological Characteristics of Heated Peanut Flour Dispersions
Authors: Gharst G. , Clare D.A. , Davis J.P. , Sanders T.H.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT:  Peanut flour (PF) is a high‐protein ingredient prepared after the partial extraction of oil from roasted peanut seed. Microbial transglutaminase (TGase) catalyzes protein crosslinking via acyl‐transfer reactions, resulting in the modification of functional properties such as viscosity, gelation, solubility, and water holding capacity. This work was conducted to observe changes in rheological properties of PF dispersions in the presence and the absence of TGase and amidated pectin (AP). Dispersions were characterized across a range of conditions, including controlled heating and cooling rates under both large‐ and small‐strain deformations. Gelation occurred at temperatures above 78 °C using PF dispersions treated with TGase compared to untreated dispersions devoid of the enzyme (about 68 °C). The addition of AP (0.5%) resulted in a general increase in viscoelasticity for all dispersions. AP addition also minimized the shift in gel point temperature caused by TGase polymerization reactions. High‐molecular‐weight polymers were formed in TGase‐treated PF dispersions in both the presence and the absence of AP; however, polymer formation was more rapid in PF dispersions without AP. Ortho‐phthaldialdehyde assays indicated about 40% protein coupling in PF dispersions treated with TGase compared to about 20% in those containing both AP and TGase. Collectively, these data suggest potential applications of TGase‐treated PF dispersions, both in the presence and the absence of AP, for use in peanut‐base food products, including protein bars, shakes, and value‐added baked goods.
Dynamic Predictive Model for Growth of Salmonella Enteritidis in Egg Yolk
Authors: Gumudavelli V. , Subbiah J. , Thippareddi H. , Velugoti P.R. , Froning G.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT:  Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) contamination of poultry eggs is a major human health concern worldwide. The risk of SE from shell eggs can be significantly reduced through rapid cooling of eggs after they are laid and their storage under safe temperature conditions. Predictive models for the growth of SE in egg yolk under varying ambient temperature conditions (dynamic) were developed. The growth of SE in egg yolk under several isothermal conditions (10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 37, 39, 41, and 43 °C) was determined. The Baranyi model, a primary model, was fitted with growth data for each temperature and corresponding maximum specific growth rates were estimated. Root mean squared error (RMSE) values were less than 0.44 log10 CFU/g and pseudo‐R2 values were greater than 0.98 for the primary model fitting. For developing the secondary model, the estimated maximum specific growth rates were then modeled as a function of temperature using the modified Ratkowsky's equation. The RMSE and pseudo‐R2 were 0.05/h and 0.99, respectively. A dynamic model was developed by integrating the primary and secondary models and solving it numerically using the 4th‐order Runge–Kutta method to predict the growth of SE in egg yolk under varying temperature conditions. The integrated dynamic model was then validated with 4 temperature profiles (varying) such as linear heating, exponential heating, exponential cooling, and sinusoidal temperatures. The predicted values agreed well with the observed growth data with RMSE values less than 0.29 log10 CFU/g. The developed dynamic model can predict the growth SE in egg yolk under varying temperature profiles.
Protective and Alleviative Effects from 4 Cysteine‐Containing Compounds on Ethanol‐Induced Acute Liver Injury through Suppression of Oxidation and Inflammation
Authors: Yan Sheng‐lei , Yin Mei‐chin
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT:  In vivo protective and alleviative effects of s‐allyl cysteine (SAC), s‐ethyl cysteine (SEC), s‐methyl cysteine (SMC), and s‐propyl cysteine (SPC) against alcohol‐induced hepatotoxicity in Balb/cA mice were studied. In the preventive study, SAC, SEC, SMC, or SPC, each agent at 1 g/L, was added into the drinking water for 3 wk, and the mice were then treated with ethanol to induce acute liver injury. In the alleviative study, mice were first treated by ethanol followed by the 4 agent treatments for 3 wk. The preintake of these agents significantly attenuated subsequent alcohol‐induced lipid oxidation, glutathione (GSH) depletion, and activity reduction of catalase and glutathione peroxidase (P < 0.05); also attenuated were the alcohol‐induced elevation of c‐reactive protein (CRP), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), IL‐10 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐alpha (P < 0.05). The preintake of these agents also significantly retarded alcohol‐induced cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) activity increase (P < 0.05). In the alleviative study, posttreatments from the 4 agents restored liver GSH content (P < 0.05); however, only SEC and SPC posttreatments significantly reduced lipid oxidation and alleviated the alcohol‐induced elevation of CRP, IL‐6, IL‐10, and TNF‐alpha (P < 0.05). SEC and SPC posttreatments also significantly diminished alcohol induced CYP2E1 activity (P < 0.05). These results support that SEC and SPC could provide both preventive and alleviative effects against alcohol‐induced hepatotoxicity through suppression of oxidation and inflammation.
Impact of Nitrite on Detection of Listeria monocytogenes in Selected Ready‐to‐Eat (RTE) Meat and Seafood Products
Authors: Nyachuba D.G , Donnelly C.W. , Howard A.B.
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT:  The impact of sodium nitrite (NaNO2) on detection and recovery of Listeria monocytogenes from select ready‐to‐eat (RTE) foods including smoked salmon, smoked ham, beef frankfurters, and beef bologna was assessed. Nitrite‐containing (NC; 100 to 200 ppm NaNO2) or nitrite‐free (NF) foods were inoculated with a 5‐strain cocktail of L. monocytogenes by immersion into Butterfield's buffer solution containing 5.4 to 7.4 × 103L. monocytogenes per milliliter. Inoculated products were vacuum‐packaged and stored at 5 °C. A weekly comparative analysis was performed for presence of L. monocytogenes using 5 detection methods on products held at 5 °C for up to 8 wk. L. monocytogenes initially present at <100 CFU/g during the first 2 wk of storage increased throughout the study, attaining final populations of approximately 1 × 104 to 1 × 105 CFU/g. Lactic acid bacteria predominated throughout the study in all products. Exposure to NaNO2 (100 to 200 ppm) resulted in 83% to 99% injury to the L. monocytogenes strains tested. The genetic‐based BAX® System (DuPont™ Qualicon, Wilmington, Del., U.S.A.) and modified USDA/FSIS methods detected 98% to 100% of Listeria‐positive food samples and were consistently superior to and significantly different (P < 0.05) from conventional cultural methods in recovering Listeria from NC samples. Data show that nitrite‐induced injury adversely affects detection and recovery of L. monocytogenes from NC food, confirming earlier findings that nitrite‐induced injury masks L. monocytogenes detection in NC RTE food products. Nitrite‐injured Listeria can subsequently repair upon nitrite depletion and grow to high levels over extended refrigerated storage.
Characterization of Fluorescence of ANS–Tear Lipocalin Complex: Evidence for Multiple‐Binding Modes
Authors: Gasymov Oktay K. , Abduragimov Adil R. , Glasgow Ben J.
Published: August 2007

ANS is widely used as a probe for locating binding sites of proteins and studying structural changes under various external conditions. However, the nature of ANS‐binding sites in proteins and the accompanying changes in fluorescence properties are controversial. We examined the steady‐state and time‐resolved fluorescence of the ANS–protein complexes for tear lipocalin (TL) and its mutants in order to discern the origin of lifetime components via analysis that included the multiexponential decay and the model‐free maximum entropy methods. Fluorescence lifetimes of ANS–TL complexes can be grouped into two species, 14.01–17.42 ns and 2.72–4.37 ns. The log‐normal analyses of fluorescence spectral shapes reveal the heterogeneous nature of both long‐ and short‐lifetime species. The constructed time‐resolved emission, amplitude (TRES) and area normalized (TRANES), and decay‐associated spectra are consistent with a model that includes heterogeneous modes of ANS binding with two separate lifetime components. The two lifetime components are not derived from solvent relaxation, but rather may represent different binding modes.
Suppression of an Established Immune Response by UVA— A Critical Role for Mast Cells
Authors: Ullrich Stephen E. , Nghiem Dat X. , Khaskina Polina
Published: August 2007

Exposing experimental animals or human volunteers to UVA II (320–340 nm) radiation after immunization suppresses immunologic memory and the elicitation of delayed‐in‐time hypersensitivity reactions. Previous studies indicated that the mechanisms underlying UVA‐induced immune suppression are similar to those described for UVB‐induced immune suppression, i.e. transferred by T regulatory cells, overcome by repairing DNA damage, neutralizing interleukin (IL)‐10 activity, or injecting recombinant IL‐12. Here we continued our examination of the mechanisms involved in UVA II‐induced suppression. Antibodies to cis‐urocanic acid blocked UVA‐induced immune suppression. Treating UVA‐irradiated mice with histamine receptor antagonists, calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonists or platelet activating factor receptor antagonists blocked immune suppression in UVA‐irradiated mice. In light of the fact that cis‐urocanic acid and CGRP target mast cells, which can then release platelet activating factor and histamine, we measured UVA‐induced immune suppression in mast cell‐deficient mice. No immune suppression was noted in UVA‐irradiated mast cell‐deficient mice. These findings indicate that exposure to UVA II activates many of the same immune regulatory factors activated by UVB to induce immune suppression. Moreover, they indicate that mast cells play a critical role in UVA‐induced suppression of secondary immune reactions.
Assessment of the UVR Protection Provided by Different Tree Species
Authors: Gies Peter , Elix Robin , Lawry David , Gardner Jennifer , Hancock Trevor , Cockerell Sarah , Roy Colin , Javorniczky John , Henderson Stuart
Published: August 2007

In recent years, SunSmart campaigns have emphasized the importance of the use of shade as a strategy in the reduction of human exposure to solar UV radiation (UVR), particularly in early life with the provision of shade in schools. Trees can play an important role in shade provision, either as the main shade provider or to augment shade structures and increase UVR protection provided to the general population. A study to measure the protection provided by a range of trees common in Australian urban environments was undertaken during the summers of 2004/2005 and 2005/2006. Solar UVR beneath the trees was measured using UVR sensitive polysulphone badges positioned horizontally within the shaded area and were compared with those in full sunshine to give an indication of the protection provided. Measurements made on sunny days during the months of October to April indicated that the shade cover provided by the trees depended upon the tree species and changed with season as a result of changing foliage and sun angles. Measured protection factors ranged from 5 to 10 and were generally a maximum in the height of summer when the sun was highest in the sky and the foliage was densest.
Comparison of an immuno‐turbidometric method (STalia®d‐DI) with an established enzyme linked fluorescent assay (VIDAS®) d‐dimer for the exclusion of venous thromboembolism
Authors: SUKHU K. , BEAVIS J. , BAKER P. M. , KEELING D. M.
Published: August 2007

The use of d‐dimer tests for the exclusion of venous thromboembolism is an important advance in clinical practice and also has economic benefits. The Stalia®d‐Di (Diagnostica Stago, Asnieres, France) is a semi automated system for the quantification of d‐dimer using an immuno‐turbidometric method incorporating a suspension of latex microparticles coated with two different monoclonal antibodies specifically targeted against human d‐dimer fragments. Results are available rapidly in <10 min compared with 35 min for the established VIDAS®d‐dimer automated enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA, BioMerieux, Basingstoke, UK). During November and December 2005, 100 consecutive patients attending the outpatient deep venous thrombosis (DVT) clinic were tested using the VIDAS®d‐dimer as part of the routine DVT investigation. Using the same samples, d‐dimer estimation was also performed on the STalia®d‐Di for comparison. Across a wide range of data (Vidas 83–5656) and (STalia® <200–>4000), there was good agreement between the two methods. Using cutoff's of 500 μg/l fibrinogen equivalent units (Keeling et al., 1999), 42% (42/100) patients were negative (<500) and 46% (46/100) were positive (>500) on both systems. Six per cent (6/100) were positive on the Vidas but negative on the STalia® and another 6% (6/100) were positive on the STalia® but negative on the Vidas. In conclusion, 88% (88/100) of patients showed agreement and in the other 12% (12/100), one had a DVT as identified by Compression ultrasonography (CUS). In this study, there were seven patients with a DVT as identified by CUS and they all scored as ‘likely’ on a pretest clinical probability score and so negative d‐dimer would not be used clinically to rule out the disease. The Vidas is a well established instrument for d‐dimer measurement in outpatient DVT clinics, and in this small study the STalia® compares very well and therefore would fit into an outpatient setting for d‐dimer measurement. But ideally a larger study would be required before implementing new methodology in a clinical setting.
Platelet size has diagnostic predictive value for bone marrow metastasis in patients with solid tumors
Authors: AKSOY S. , KILICKAP S. , HAYRAN M. , HARPUTLUOGLU H. , KOCA E. , DEDE D. S. , ERMAN M. , TURKER A.
Published: August 2007

Though not very common, solid tumor involvement of the bone marrow (BM) may have serious consequences. Recent studies have shown that mean platelet volume (MPV) is a good indicator for BM disease in the differential diagnosis of thrombocytopenia. We investigated the significance of MPV in the diagnosis of BM metastasis in patients with solid tumors. Patients with histologically‐verified solid tumors for whom BM biopsy specimens were available (n = 121) and healthy controls (n = 62) were included in this retrospective study. A total of 183 individuals were analyzed. Of the patients, 61 had a diagnosis of BM metastasis (Group A), 60 did not have BM metastasis (Group B). Group B and C (healthy controls) constituted the control group without BM metastasis (n = 122). The mean MPV was 7.0 ± 0.8 fl in patients with BM metastasis and 8.4 fl in the control group (P < 0.001). A cut‐off point of <7.4 fl was found to have significant predictive value according to receiver‐operating characteristics curve analysis. This cut‐off point had 85% positive predictive value and 90% negative predictive value in the diagnosis of BM metastasis (odds ratio: 53; 95% confidence interval: 20–135), and a sensitivity of 82.7% and specificity of 89.6%. MPV can be used as a reliable marker to guide the clinician as to the likely presence or absence of BM metastasis in patients with solid tumors.
Sickle cell disease: the Lebanese experience
Authors: INATI A. , JRADI O. , TARABAY H. , MOALLEM H. , RACHKIDI Y. , EL ACCAOUI R. , ISMA’EEL H. , WEHBE R. , MFARREJ B. G. , DABBOUS I. , TAHER A.
Published: August 2007

Sickle cell disease (SCD), the commonest single gene disorder worldwide, is an inherited disease that has different clinical and hematological manifestations in different populations. The objective of this study is to describe the characteristics of the Lebanese SCD population. This was a retrospective study that included information on 387 patients with either sickle cell anemia (SS) or sickle beta‐thalassemia (ST). The mean (±SD) age was 17.9 years (±12.5), and the mean (±SD) follow‐up was 9.3 ± 6.9 years. Fifty percent of the patients were males and SS/ST distribution was 3 : 1. The disease was clustered in two geographic areas in North and South Lebanon. Nearly, all patients were Muslims and 56% were the offspring of consanguineous parents. The prevalence of splenomegaly beyond 6 years of age among SS patients was 28.9%. The prevalence rates of stroke, leg ulcers and priapism were 4.1%, 1.4%, and 0.8%, respectively. Comparing the SS and the ST patients, there were no statistically significant differences in the prevalence of all clinical manifestations except for splenomegaly (SS: 28.9%, ST: 54.9%, P‐value < 0.001) and splenectomy (SS: 16.1%, ST: 35.7%, P‐value < 0.001). In contrast to Northern American populations and similar to some Mediterranean populations, Lebanese SCD patients have a higher prevalence of persistent splenomegaly. The relatively low incidence of thrombotic complications deserves further investigation. The study’s limitations include those of any other retrospective study and the fact that not all Lebanese centers caring for inherited hemoglobin disorders were included. However, the results of this first large scale national survey indicate that preventive efforts should target the Northern and Southern regions of Lebanon to decrease the number of new off springs afflicted with this disease similar to what has been successfully achieved with Thalassemia, another hemoglobinopathy that is highly prevalent in the country.
A prospective evaluation of normal mean platelet volume in discriminating hyperdestructive thrombocytopenia from hypoproductive thrombocytopenia
Authors: NUMBENJAPON T. , MAHAPO N. , PORNVIPAVEE R. , SRISWASDI C. , MONGKONSRITRAGOON W. , LEELASIRI A. , PRAYOONWIWAT W.
Published: August 2007

Bone marrow (BM) examination is the gold standard test in discriminating between hyperdestructive thrombocytopenia and hypoproductive thrombocytopenia. However, this procedure is invasive. Mean platelet volume (MPV) is simple and may be used as an alternative diagnostic test in distinguishing these two types of thrombocytopenia. All thrombocytopenic patients (platelet count: <150.0 × 109/l), except those with congestive splenomegaly, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, were enrolled into the study prospectively. The mean MPV of normal Thais (7.9 fl) was tested as a cutoff value. Any thrombocytopenic patient with MPV of >7.9 fl would be presumptively diagnosed as hyperdestructive thrombocytopenia, whereas one with MPV of ≤7.9 fl would be presumptively diagnosed as hypoproductive thrombocytopenia. One hundred two patients were completely evaluated. When compared with the BM examination, the MPV of >7.9 fl could predict hyperdestructive thrombocytopenia with a sensitivity of 82.3% (95% CI: 70.5–90.8), a specificity of 92.5% (95% CI: 79.6–98.4), a positive predictive value of 94.4% (95% CI: 84.6–98.8), a negative predictive value of 77.1% (95% CI: 62.7–88.0), and a likelihood ratio of 11.0. In conclusion, the mean MPV of normal Thais may be used as a cutoff value in distinguishing these two types of thrombocytopenia.
The JAK2V617F tyrosine kinase mutation identifies clinically latent myeloproliferative disorders in patients presenting with hepatic or portal vein thrombosis
Authors: GOULDING C. , UTTENTHAL B. , FORONI L. , DUKE V. , TRAORE A. , KOTTARIDIS P. , HOFFBRAND A. V. , PATCH D. , MCNAMARA C.
Published: August 2007

Clinically latent myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs) are important causes of what would otherwise be considered idiopathic hepatic (HVT) or portal vein thrombosis (PVT). They may be difficult to diagnose initially because the peripheral blood count may be normal at the time of thrombosis. A strong association between an activating mutation of the gene encoding one of the Janus kinase family of tyrosine kinases (JAK2V617F) and the Philadelphia chromosome‐negative MPDs has been identified. We have studied 19 patients with unexplained HVT or PVT and tested for JAK2V617F. Fourteen (74%) of the 19 patients were heterozygous for JAK2V617F but did not meet diagnostic criteria for a MPD at the time of presentation with thrombosis. Prolonged follow‐up established the presence of an overt MPD in 13 of the 14 patients after a median duration of 38 months. We recommend testing for JAK2V617F in all patients with unexplained HVT or PVT, to identify latent MPDs and prevent potential complications.