bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Medical Care Costs Associated With Progression of Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Nichols Gregory A. , Vupputuri Suma , Lau Helen
Published: October 2011

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the direct medical costs of hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes by the level of proteinuria and to evaluate the differences between patients whose nephropathy did and did not progress.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We identified 7,758 patients with diabetes and hypertension who had a urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) during 2001–2003 and at least one follow-up UACR 3–5 years later. Patients were followed for up to 8 years for progression of nephropathy, which was defined by increasing levels of proteinuria: normoalbuminuria (UACR <30 mg/g), microalbuminuria (30–299 mg/g), macroalbuminuria (≥300 mg/g), and end-stage renal disease (dialysis or transplant). We calculated annualized inpatient, outpatient, pharmaceutical, and total medical costs incurred by patients after the baseline measure through 2008, comparing patients who did and did not progress to a higher nephropathy stage. We also compared pre- and postprogression costs among those whose nephropathy progressed.

RESULTS

Patients with normoalbuminuria who progressed to microalbuminuria experienced an annualized change in baseline costs that was $396 higher (P < 0.001) than those who maintained normal albuminuria ($902 vs. $506). Among those with microalbuminuria, progression was significantly associated with a $747 difference (P < 0.001) in annualized change in outpatient costs compared with no progression ($1,056 vs. $309). Among patients who progressed, costs were 37% higher following progression from normoalbuminuria to microalbuminuria ($10,188 vs. $7,424; P < 0.001), and 41% higher following progression from microalbuminuria to macroalbuminuria ($12,371 vs. $8,753; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Progression of nephropathy was strongly associated with higher subsequent medical care costs in hypertensive patients with diabetes. Greater prevention efforts may reduce the substantial economic burden of diabetic nephropathy.
Effect of flunixin meglumine on the amelioration of lameness in dairy steers with amphotericin B-induced transient synovitis-arthritis
Authors: Schulz Kara L. , Anderson David E. , Coetzee Johann F. , White Brad J. , Miesner Matt D.
Published: October 2011

Objective—To characterize amphotericin B–induced lameness in cattle and to ascertain the analgesic effects of flunixin meglumine by use of multimodal assessment.

Animals—10 healthy Holstein steers free from musculoskeletal disease.

Procedures—Steers were randomly allocated to a treatment or negative control group. Amphotericin B was injected into the distal interphalangeal joint of the lateral claw of the left hind limb of all steers. Treatment steers received flunixin meglumine at the time of synovitis-arthritis induction and at 12 hours after induction. Control steers received no medication. Multimodal analysis included vital parameters, visual lameness score, behavioral monitoring with accelerometers, pressure mat analysis, and plasma cortisol determination before and after induction. Data were analyzed by use of linear mixed models with treatment and time designated as fixed effects, accounting for repeated measures on individual calves.

Results—Amphotericin B injection induced moderate, transient lameness. Control steers were more than twice as likely to be lame as treatment steers (mean ± SD lameness score, 92.2 ± 8.1 % vs 40.7 ± 2.5%). Treatment steers placed significantly greater force and contact area on the affected foot and greater force, impulse, and contact area on the paired claw, compared with control steers. Furthermore, treatment steers spent considerably less time in recumbency than controls.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Amphotericin B successfully induced synovitis-arthritis in dairy steers that was transient in nature. Flunixin meglumine was efficacious in providing analgesia for these steers.
Evaluation of the risk of paratuberculosis in adult cows fed Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis DNA-positive or -negative colostrum as calves
Authors: Pithua Patrick , Godden Sandra M. , Wells Scott J. , Stabel Judith R.
Published: October 2011

Objective—To estimate the risk of subclinical Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis (MAP) infection in cows that ingested MAP DNA–positive raw colostrum as calves, compared with risk in cows that ingested MAP DNA–negative raw colostrum as calves.

Animals—205 calves born in 12 commercial dairy herds.

Procedures—Each calf was separated from its dam within 30 to 60 minutes after birth and fed raw colostrum. For each calf, samples of the colostrum fed were collected and tested for the presence of MAP DNA by use of a nested PCR assay for the target gene ISMAP02. Calves fed colostrum positive or negative for MAP DNA were classified into exposed (n = 69) and unexposed (136) groups, respectively. Each calf was tested for MAP infection at 30, 42, and 54 months of age by use of a serum ELISA and bacterial culture of feces. Weibull hazard regression models were used to evaluate the association between exposure to MAP DNA–positive colostrum and time to testing positive for MAP infection.

Results—Hazard of MAP infection was not different between groups (exposed vs unexposed) when serum ELISA, bacterial culture of feces, or both diagnostic tests (parallel interpretation) were positive.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Heifer calves fed MAP DNA–positive colostrum were at no greater risk of MAP infection, compared with heifer calves fed MAP DNA–negative colostrum. This result contradicts findings from other studies and should be interpreted with caution.
Effects of opsonization of Rhodococcus equi on bacterial viability and phagocyte activation
Authors: Dawson Dominic R. , Nydam Daryl V. , Price Christopher T. , Graham James E. , Cynamon Michael H. , Divers Thomas J. , Felippe Maria Julia B.
Published: October 2011

Objective—To investigate the effect of opsonization of Rhodococcus equi with R equi-specific antibodies in plasma on bacterial viability and phagocyte activation in a cell culture model of infection.

Sample—Neutrophils and monocyte-derived macrophages from 6 healthy 1-week-old foals and 1 adult horse.

Procedures—Foal and adult horse phagocytes were incubated with either opsonized or nonopsonized bacteria. Opsonization was achieved by use of plasma containing high or low concentrations of R equi-specific antibodies. Phagocyte oxidative burst activity was measured by use of flow cytometry, and macrophage tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α production was measured via an ELISA. Extracellular and intracellular bacterial viability was measured with a novel R equi-luciferase construct that used a luminometer.

Results—Opsonized bacteria increased oxidative burst activity in adult horse phagocytes, and neutrophil activity was dependent on the concentration of specific antibody. Secretion of TNF-α was higher in macrophages infected with opsonized bacteria. Opsonization had no significant effect on bacterial viability in macrophages; however, extracellular bacterial viability was decreased in broth containing plasma with R equi-specific antibodies, compared with viability in broth alone.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—The use of plasma enriched with specific antibodies for the opsonization of R equi increased the activation of phagocytes and decreased bacterial viability in the extracellular space. Although opsonized R equi increased TNF-α secretion and oxidative burst in macrophages, additional factors may be necessary for effective intracellular bacterial killing. These data have suggested a possible role of plasma antibody in protection of foals from R equi pneumonia.
Evaluation of biomechanical effects of four stimulation devices placed on the hind feet of trotting horses
Authors: Clayton Hilary M. , Lavagnino Michael , Kaiser LeeAnn J. , Stubbs Narelle C.
Published: October 2011

Objective—To compare effects of 4 types of stimulation devices attached to the hind feet on hoof flight, joint angles, and net joint powers of trotting horses.

Animals—8 clinically normal horses.

Procedures—Horses were evaluated under 5 conditions in random order: no stimulators, loose straps (10 g), lightweight tactile stimulators (55 g), limb weights (700 g), and limb weights with tactile stimulators (700 g). Reflective markers on the hind limbs were tracked during the swing phase of 6 trotting trials performed at consistent speed to determine peak hoof heights and flexion angles of the hip, stifle, tarsal, and metatarsophalangeal joints. Inverse dynamic analysis was used to calculate net joint energies. Comparisons among stimulators were made.

Results—Peak hoof height was lowest for no stimulators (mean ± SD, 5.42 ± 1.38 cm) and loose straps (6.72 ± 2.19 cm), intermediate for tactile stimulators (14.13 ± 7.33 cm) and limb weights (16.86 ± 15.93 cm), and highest for limb weights plus tactile stimulators (24.35 ± 13.06 cm). Compared with no stimulators, net tarsal energy generation increased for tactile stimulators, limb weights, and limb weights plus tactile stimulators, but only the weighted conditions increased net energy generation across the hip joint.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—The type and weight of foot stimulators affected the magnitude of the kinematic and kinetic responses and the joints affected. These findings suggest that different types of foot stimulators are appropriate for rehabilitation of specific hind limb gait deficits, such as toe dragging and a short stride.
Magnetic resonance imaging vertebral canal and body ratios in Doberman Pinschers with and without disk-associated cervical spondylomyelopathy and clinically normal English Foxhounds
Authors: De Decker Steven , Gielen Ingrid M.V. L. , Duchateau Luc , Saunders Jimmy H. H. , van Bree Henri J. J. , Polis Ingeborgh , Van Ham Luc M. L.
Published: October 2011

Objective—To determine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) vertebral ratio values representing vertebral canal height, vertebral canal shape, and vertebral body shape in Doberman Pinschers with and without disk-associated cervical spondylomyelopathy (DACSM) and clinically normal English Foxhounds.

Animals—Doberman Pinschers with (n = 18) and without (20) DACSM and clinically normal English Foxhounds (18).

Procedures—All dogs underwent low-field MRI of the cervical vertebral column. From 5 specific measurements made at C3 through C7, 4 linear vertebral ratios were calculated and assessed for correlation: vertebral canal height-to-body height ratio (CBHR), vertebral canal height-to-body length ratio (CBLR), caudal canal height-to-cranial canal height ratio (CCHR), and vertebral body length-to-height ratio (BLHR). The CBHR and CBLR described vertebral canal height, CCHR described vertebral canal shape, and BLHR described vertebral body shape. A midvertebral canal-occupying ratio (mVCOR) for the spinal cord was calculated at C5.

Results—Compared with both groups of unaffected dogs, CBHR, CBLR, and BLHR for Doberman Pinschers with DACSM were significantly smaller. The C7 CCHR was significantly larger in DACSM-affected Doberman Pinschers, compared with clinically normal English Foxhounds. Ratios did not differ significantly between unaffected Doberman Pinschers and clinically normal English Foxhounds. Correlation coefficients between CBHR, CBLR, and mVCOR were low and not significant.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Doberman Pinschers with DACSM had significantly smaller vertebral canal heights and more square-shaped vertebral bodies, compared with unaffected Doberman Pinschers, combined with a funnel-shaped vertebral canal at C7. Breed-specific differences were not evident. Linear MRI vertebral canal-to-body ratios do not appear to predict relative vertebral canal stenosis.
Comparison of plasma and peritoneal indices of fibrinolysis between foals and adult horses with and without colic
Authors: Watts Ashlee E. , Fubini Susan L. , Todhunter Rory J. , Brooks Marjory B.
Published: October 2011

Objective—To identify hemostatic imbalances indicative of an increased risk of intra-abdominal adhesion formation in foals versus adult horses.

Animals—Horses with colic undergoing exploratory laparotomy or abdominocentesis as part of a clinical examination (n = 16 foals ≤ 6 months of age and 19 adults ≥ 5 years of age) and horses without colic undergoing herniorrhaphy (15 foals) or euthanasia for noninflammatory and nongastrointestinal disease (10 foals and 20 adults).

Procedures—Paired abdominal fluid and blood samples were collected from each horse into buffered sodium citrate and centrifuged immediately after collection. Supernatants were stored at −80°C, then thawed for measurement of fibrinogen concentration, plasminogen activity, antiplasmin activity, and D-dimer concentration. Supernatant analyte concentrations or activities were compared within age group (foals with and without colic vs adults with and without colic) and within disease status (foals and adults without colic vs foals and adults with colic).

Results—All analyte concentrations or activities in abdominal fluid samples were significantly lower in the noncolic groups than in the colic groups, and none differed between foal and adult groups. Several plasma analyte values differed by disease status and age.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—The risk of intra-abdominal adhesion formation in the foals in this study did not appear to be attributable to differences in intra-abdominal hemostasis between adult horses and foals. Strategies for initial medical and surgical management of colic in adult horses may be applicable to foals with similar disorders.
Simultaneous triangularization of commuting matrices for the solution of polynomial equations
Authors: Cortés Vanesa , Peña Juan , Sauer Tomas
Published: October 2011

We present an extension of the QR method to simultaneously compute the joint eigenvalues of a finite family of commuting matrices. The problem is motivated by the task of finding solutions of a polynomial system. Several examples are included.
Structural and electrical investigation of (Ag3AsS3)x(As2S3)1−x
superionic glasses
Authors: Studenyak Ihor , Neimet Yuriy , Cserháti Csaba , Kökényesi Sándor , Kazakevičius Edvardas , Šalkus Tomas , Kežionis Algimantas , Orliukas Antanas
Published: October 2011

Structural studies of (Ag3AsS3)x (As2S3)1−x
chalcogenide superionic glasses in the compositional range x = 0.3–0.9 were performed by scanning electron microscopy. Temperature and compositional dependences of transmission coefficient, electrical conductivity, and activation energy were investigated
Interaction between magnetic agglomerates and an extended free radicals network studied by magnetic resonance
Authors: Guskos Niko , Zolnierkiewicz Grzegorz , Typek Janusz , Guskos Aleksander , Berczynski Pawel , Petridis Dimitri
Published: October 2011

Solids containing an extended network of free radicals have been prepared and studied by magnetic resonance techniques in the 4–290 K temperature range. One solid contained additionally a small amount of magnetic γ-Fe2O3 in the form of nanoparticle agglomerates. The solid without agglomerates displayed only a narrow, single resonance line centered at g
eff = 2.0043. The magnetic resonance measurements of the solid with γ-Fe2O3 agglomerates gave a spectrum composed of two lines attributed to two different magnetic centers: a narrow line due to free radicals and a broad line arising from magnetic iron oxide agglomerates. In the high temperature range the integrated intensities of both lines decreased with decreasing temperature. The resonance field of the broad line shifted to lower magnetic fields upon lowering the temperature with the gradient ΔH
r/ΔT = 2.3 G/K, while the narrow line shifted towards higher magnetic fields. The linewidth of the broader line increased with decreasing temperature while for the narrow lines in both samples this change was small. The magnetic iron oxide clusters produce a magnetic field which acts on the free radicals network and its strength depends essentially on the concentration of clusters. The reorientation process in the free radicals network is more intense in the sample without magnetic clusters.
Photosensitised oxidation of a water pollutant using sulphonated porphyrin
Authors: Gmurek Marta , Miller Jacek
Published: October 2011

Photodegradation of endocrine disrupting butylparaben (BP) in aerated aqueous solutions was studied using 4,4′,4″,4‴-(porphine-5,10,15,20-tetrayl)tetrakis(benzenesulphonic acid) (TPPS4), as a sensitiser. Influence of various parameters, such as initial sensitiser and BP concentration, pH of the reaction solution and oxygen content in the reaction solution, on the photosensitised oxidation was examined. It was found that the dominant pathway of BP degradation occurred in the reaction with molecular singlet oxygen 1O2, i.e. via photosensitised oxidation mechanism of type II. Kinetic parameters of the BP reaction with 1O2 were estimated.
Blooms of toxin-producing Cyanobacteria — a real threat in small dam reservoirs at the beginning of their operation
Authors: Pawlik-Skowrońska Barbara , Toporowska Magdalena
Published: October 2011

Large and harmful cyanobacterial blooms appeared in two newly-built artificial reservoirs shortly after being filled with water. Taxonomic composition of cyanobacterial communities was highly variable in both water bodies and fast species replacement was observed. In the first year of the operation of the smaller Konstantynów Reservoir, the mass development of Anabaena flos-aquae and Planktolyngbya limnetica (48.7 and 53.6% of the cyanobacterial abundance) occurred in summer, while in autumn the dominance of Planktothrix agardhii (99.9%, 14.95 × 106 ind. Dm−3) was noted. The surface scum developed in summer consisted of An. flos-aquae that contained high amounts of anatoxin-a (1412.4 μg AN-a dm−3 of scum) and smaller amounts of microcystins (10 μg eq. MC-LR dm−3 of scum). In the larger Kraśnik Reservoir, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae occurred in high abundance in spring and summer, however, it was replaced by different species of Microcystis (1.3 × 107 ind. dm−3) which created thick surface scum. Simultaneously, a hazardous increase in the total concentration of microcystins (from 13.6 to 788.5 μg eq. MC-LR dm−3 of water with scum) and anatoxin-a (from 0.03 to 43.6 μg dm−3) was observed.
Composition and density of plant-associated invertebrates in relation to environmental gradients and hydrological connectivity of wetlands
Authors: Obolewski Krystian
Published: October 2011

Frequency of occurrence and intensity of the raised water stage determine the structure of invertebrates in the wetland ecosystems of wetland river floodplains. In order to assess the relationships in a regulated, lowland river of moderate climate, samples of water and invertebrates inhabiting submerged shoots of reed Phragmites australis Trin Ex. Stued. were taken from the middle section of the Słupia River and five of its oxbow lakes.

The wetlands differed in hydrological activity (type of connection with the river). Redundancy Analysis (RDA) revealed that hydrological connectivity accounted for 37% of the total invertebrate variance, physico-chemical conditions — 21%, while the trophic state only — 7%. Linear regression showed that the highest species richness was observed in oxbow lakes connected to the river with one arm. Diversity and species evenness increased with the increasing hydrological connectivity. The study revealed that plant-associated invertebrates inhabiting wetlands can be the main source for the reconstruction of biodiversity after floods.
Periphyton dry mass, ash content, and chlorophyll content on natural substrata in three water bodies of different trophy
Authors: Romanów Małgorzata , Witek Zbigniew
Published: October 2011

Periphyton communities were studied on several dominating macrophytes, Phragmites australis, Potamogeton lucens, and Nuphar lutea, in three different types of lakes. In soft-water mesotrophic Lake Mały Borek and in shallow, eutrophic Lake Gardno samples were collected about once every two months from April to November 2009. In eutrophic Szczecin Lagoon (the estuary of the Oder River), samples were only collected once in July. The aim of this paper was to determine the dry mass, the ash content, and the chlorophyll-a content of periphyton on a natural substratum, in order to determine the mass, the inorganicorganic status of periphyton, and the auto-heterotrophic character of this complex. The analyzed periphytic communities exhibited low dry mass at the beginning of the growth season, which increased with colonization period on the aquatic vegetation. The highest (but still low) values were achieved in autumn, which persisted, with small loss, until spring of the subsequent year. The differences in dry mass between each type of lake were small, but in the strongly eutrophic Szczecin Lagoon this index was slightly higher than in the other two water bodies. The highest dry mass was noted for periphyton dominated by Cordylophora caspia colonies overgrowing common reeds and for periphyton on Potamogeton lucens in Szczecin Lagoon. In shallow water bodies, such as Lake Gardno and Szczecin Lagoon, wind causes strong resuspension of sediments. This can explain the relatively high level of inorganic matter in dry mass of the periphyton in both water bodies. However, the small ash content in periphyton in Mały Borek may result from the soft-water character of this lake. The hetero-autotrophic status of the periphytic community prevailed throughout the study period in Gardno and Mały Borek lakes. The auto-heterotrophic status of periphyton was noted only in short periods of time in each lake.
Phyto- and zooplankton in fishponds contaminated with heavy metal runoff from a lead-zinc mine
Authors: Wilk-Woźniak Elżbieta , Pociecha Agnieszka , Ciszewski Dariusz , Aleksander-Kwaterczak Urszula , Walusiak Edward
Published: October 2011

This investigation focused on plankton inhabiting fishponds, which previously received mine waters from the lead-zinc mine ‘Matylda’, located in southern Poland (Upper Silesia). The purpose of the investigation was to study the effects of chronic and persistent contamination of fishpond bottom sediments with heavy metals originated from the lead and zinc mine. The phyto-and zooplankton in the four fishponds were dominated by diatoms, green algae and rotifers. Plankton composition of the reference non-contaminated pond was different, since Chrysophytes dominated, and Copepoda were the most numerous among zooplankton. In the contaminated fishponds, we observed teratological forms, both for phyto-and zooplankton species, but only as individuals. Our results showed that planktonic communities had adapted to chronic and persistent heavy metal contamination.
Leaves as “crackers”, biofilm as “peanut butter”: Exploratory use of stable isotopes as evidence for microbial pathways in detrital food webs
Authors: France Robert
Published: October 2011

Laboratory experiments have shown benthic macroinvertebrates to be capable of consuming heterotrophic organisms which develop on decomposing terrestrial leaves. Questions remain, however, as to whether these microbial biofilms represent a significant energy source to macroinvertebrates within the natural environment compared to that supplied by leaf substrates themselves. A compilation of literature data on field measurements of stable nitrogen isotope ratios for herbivorous macroinvertebrates suggests that assimilation of microbial biofilms may be the principle means by which allochthonous organic matter enters freshwater detrital food webs.
Adult Psychiatric Outcomes of Very Low Birth Weight Survivors
Authors: Westrupp Elizabeth M. , Northam Elisabeth , Doyle Lex W. , Callanan Catherine , Anderson Peter J.
Published: October 2011

Background: Childhood studies have identified relationships between low birth weight and a variety of psychological disorders. However, very few studies have prospectively followed VLBW survivors into adulthood and none have examined adult psychiatric disorders in this population.

Objective: This exploratory study sought to determine the rates and nature of psychiatric disorders in very low birth weight (VLBW, birth weight < 1500 g) adults.

Method: 117 VLBW participants and 32 normal birth weight (NBW, birth weight > 2499 g) controls, born 1977–1982, were assessed in early adulthood (24–29 years). Participants were first screened for psychopathology using the Symptoms Checklist (SCL-90-R). Participants who were elevated on this measure were eligible for a Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR (SCID-I/NP) to determine a formal psychiatric diagnosis.

Results: VLBW adults were more likely than controls to be elevated on the Global Severity Index (odds ratio (OR) = 4.29, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.96, 19.14) and the depression (OR = 5.17, 95%CI = 1.17, 23.00), paranoid ideation (OR = 4.08, 95%CI = 0.91, 18.23), hostility (relative risk (RR) = 1.34, 95%CI = 1.21, 1.49), and interpersonal sensitivity (OR = 3.80, 95%CI = 1.08, 13.32) subscales of the SCL-90-R. VLBW adults were also more likely to be diagnosed with a current mood disorder than NBW adults (RR = 1.36, 95%CI = 1.22, 1.51).

Conclusions: VLBW adults are at greater risk of psychopathology than NBW peers.
Stigmatizing Attitudes towards People with Mental Disorders: Findings from an Australian National Survey of Mental Health Literacy and Stigma
Authors: Reavley Nicola J. , Jorm Anthony F.
Published: October 2011

Objective: This paper reports findings from a national survey on stigmatizing attitudes towards people with depression, anxiety disorders and schizophrenia/psychosis.

Method: In 2011 telephone interviews were carried out with 6019 Australians aged 15 or over. Participants were presented with a case vignette describing either depression, depression with suicidal thoughts, early schizophrenia, chronic schizophrenia, social phobia or post-traumatic stress disorder. Questions were asked about stigmatizing attitudes, including perceptions of discrimination, personal and perceived stigma and desire for social distance.

Results: Chronic schizophrenia was most likely to be associated with dangerousness, unpredictability and a preference for not employing someone with the problem, while social phobia was most likely to be seen as due to personal weakness. Attitudes concerning dangerousness and social distance were greater in relation to men with mental disorders compared to women. Other people were perceived as more likely to hold stigmatizing attitudes than the respondents reported for themselves.

Conclusions: Anti-stigma interventions are more likely to be successful if they focus on individual disorders rather than on ‘mental illness’ in general. Such interventions may need to address perceptions of social phobia as being due to weakness and those of dangerousness in people with more severe disorders. Such interventions should also focus on bringing beliefs about public perceptions in line with personal beliefs.
‘Mad music rising’: Chopin, Sex, and Secret Language in Arthur Symons’ ‘Christian Trevalga’
Authors: Freeman Nick
Published: October 2011

This essay examines Arthur Symons’ short story, ‘Christian Trevalga’ from his Spiritual Adventures (1905). It aims to a) situate it in the context of wider late-Victorian considerations of pianistic performance and Symons’ adulation of Vladimir de Pachmann, b) examine its application of Symons’ theories about music, as advanced in his contemporaneous critical essays, and c) investigate the ways in which the story makes a suggestive link between music and sexual orientation with especial reference to the fictional encounter between Trevalga and Tchaikovsky in the Vienna of the 1890s.
Oscar Wilde and Friedrich Nietzsche: ‘Rebels in the name of beauty’
Authors: Hext Kate
Published: October 2011

‘Oscar Wilde and Friedrich Nietzsche: “Rebels in the Name of Beauty” ’ reconsiders the intellectual confluence of Oscar Wilde and Friedrich Nietzsche. It is unlikely that Wilde and Nietzsche knew of each other. Yet, similarities between their conceptions of truth, aesthetic experience, individualism, and ethics, as well as their highly evocative, aphoristic styles, have drawn a large number of critics – from Thomas Mann to Patrick Bridgwater and Julia Prewitt Brown – to compare them. Such comparisons have, though, been brief and often focused on biographical parallels. This article provides, therefore, the first substantial discussion of the dynamics between the ideas of Wilde and Nietzsche. It argues that the parallels between Wilde and Nietzsche centre on their Romantic Individualism, and the shared belief that the individual ‘become[s] himself’ through aesthetic experience. The textual foci are four works written within three years of each other: Nietzsche's The Antichrist (1888) and Twilight of the Idols (1889), and Wilde's ‘The Soul of Man Under Socialism’ (1891) and ‘The Critic as Artist’ (1891). These works, I argue, define Romantic Individualism through the strikingly similar, secular, appropriation of Jesus, whilst stylistically exemplifying the way in which the Romantic Individual may be brought into being through the experience of literary art.
Trollope and the Hunt for West Country Identity
Authors: Miner Heather
Published: October 2011

This essay explores the intersection between the politics of regionalism and recreation in Anthony Trollope's Barsetshire novels. The relationship between narrative structure and local environment articulated in Trollope's series links the form of the Victorian regional novel to an interrogation of England's relationship to its internal geography by questioning, in effect, how a region can remain autonomous and yet be a resource for national identity. Trollope's response is to use the regional practice of fox-hunting to preserve the West Country's unique place in the national imagination through sport. Situating the Barsetshire novels within hunting's vexed place in nineteenth-century rural communities and focusing on Doctor Thorne, I suggest that Trollope advances a conservative ideology that the region's identity can only be sustained through preserving country house culture. Trollope represents hunting as an ingrained rural custom, thus paradoxically using a national sport to promote regional insularity and justify the landowning class' social control of the region.
Emerging Evidence for MicroRNAs as Regulators of Cancer Stem Cells
Authors: Sethi Aisha , Sholl Lynette M.
Published: October 2011

Cancer stem cells are defined as a subpopulation of cells within a tumor that are capable of self-renewal and differentiation into the heterogeneous cell lineages that comprise the tumor. Many studies indicate that cancer stem cells may be responsible for treatment failure and relapse in cancer patients. The factors that regulate cancer stem cells are not well defined. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate translational repression and transcript degradation. miRNAs play a critical role in embryonic and inducible pluripotent stem cell regulation and emerging evidence supports their role in cancer stem cell evolution. To date, miRNAs have been shown to act either as tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes in driving critical gene expression pathways in cancer stem cells in a wide range of human malignancies, including hematopoietic and epithelial tumors and sarcomas. miRNAs involved in cancer stem cell regulation provide attractive, novel therapeutic targets for cancer treatment. This review attempts to summarize progress to date in defining the role of miRNAs in cancer stem cells.
Kaolinite and Silica Dispersions in Low-Salinity Environments: Impact on a Water-in-Crude Oil Emulsion Stability
Authors: Wang Xiuyu , Alvarado Vladimir
Published: October 2011

This research aims at providing evidence of particle suspension contributions to emulsion stability, which has been cited as a contributing factor in crude oil recovery by low-salinity waterflooding. Kaolinite and silica particle dispersions were characterized as functions of brine salinity. A reference aqueous phase, representing reservoir brine, was used and then diluted with distilled water to obtain brines at 10 and 100 times lower Total Dissolved Solid (TDS). Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) were used to examine at the morphology and composition of clays. The zeta potential and particle size distribution were also measured. Emulsions were prepared by mixing a crude oil with brine, with and without dispersed particles to investigate emulsion stability. The clay zeta potential as a function of pH was used to investigate the effect of particle charge on emulsion stability. The stability was determined through bottle tests and optical microscopy. Results show that both kaolinite and silica promote emulsion stability. Also, kaolinite, roughly 1 mm in size, stabilizes emulsions better than larger clay particles. Silica particles of larger size (5 µm) yielded more stable emulsions than smaller silica particles do. Test results show that clay particles with zero point of charge (ZPC) at low pH become less effective at stabilizing emulsions, while silica stabilizes emulsions better at ZPC. These result shed light on emulsion stabilization in low-salinity waterflooding.
Polymer Combustion as a Basis for Hybrid Propulsion: A Comprehensive Review and New Numerical Approaches
Authors: Novozhilov Vasily , Joseph Paul , Ishiko Keiichi , Shimada Toru , Wang Hui , Liu Jun
Published: October 2011

Hybrid Propulsion is an attractive alternative to conventional liquid and solid rocket motors. This is an active area of research and technological developments. Potential wide application of Hybrid Engines opens the possibility for safer and more flexible space vehicle launching and manoeuvring. The present paper discusses fundamental combustion issues related to further development of Hybrid Rockets. The emphasis is made on the two aspects: (1) properties of potential polymeric fuels, and their modification, and (2) implementation of comprehensive CFD models for combustion in Hybrid Engines. Fundamentals of polymeric fuel combustion are discussed. Further, steps necessary to accurately describe their burning behaviour by means of CFD models are investigated. Final part of the paper presents results of preliminary CFD simulations of fuel burning process in Hybrid Engine using a simplified set-up.
Optimal Production and Biochemical Properties of a Lipase from Candida albicans
Authors: Lan Dongming , Hou Shulin , Yang Ning , Whiteley Chris , Yang Bo , Wang Yonghua
Published: October 2011

Lipases from microorganisms have multi-faceted properties and play an important role in ever-growing modern biotechnology and, consequently, it is of great significance to develop new ones. In the present work, a lipase gene from Candida albicans (CaLIP10) was cloned and two non-unusual CUG serine codons were mutated into universal codons, and its expression in Pichia pastoris performed optimally, as shown by response surface methodology. Optimal conditions were: initial pH of culture 6.86, temperature 25.53 °C, 3.48% of glucose and 1.32% of yeast extract. The corresponding maximal lipolytic activity of CaLIP10 was 8.06 U/mL. The purified CaLIP10 showed maximal activity at pH 8.0 and 25 °C, and a good resistance to non-ionic surfactants and polar organic solvent was noticed. CaLIP10 could effectively hydrolyze coconut oil, but exhibited no obvious preference to the fatty acids with different carbon length, and diacylglycerol was accumulated in the reaction products, suggesting that CaLIP10 is a potential lipase for the oil industry.
Sol-Gel Behavior of Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC) in Ionic Media Including Drug Release
Authors: Joshi Sunil C.
Published: October 2011

Sol-gel transformations in HPMC (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose) are being increasingly studied because of their role in bio-related applications. The thermo-reversible behavior of HPMC is particularly affected by its properties and concentration in solvent media, nature of additives, and the thermal environment it is exposed to. This article contains investigations on the effects of salt additives in Hofmeister series on the HPMC gelation. Various findings regarding gelation with salt ions as well as with the ionic and non-ionic surfactants are presented. The gel formation in physiological salt fluids such as simulated gastric and intestine fluids is also examined with the interest in oral drug delivery systems. The processes of swelling, dissolution and dispersion of HPMC tablets in simulated bio-fluids are explored and the release of a drug from the tablet affected by such processes is studied. Explanations are provided based on the chemical structure and the molecular binding/association of HPMC in a media. The test results at the body or near-body temperature conditions helped in understanding the progress of the gelation process within the human body environment. The detailed interpretation of various molecule level interactions unfolded the sol-gel mechanisms and the influence of a few other factors. The obtained test data and the established mathematical models are expected to serve as a guide in customizing applications of HPMC hydrogels.
Oleic Acid Produced by a Marine Vibrio spp. Acts as an Anti-Vibrio parahaemolyticus Agent
Authors: Leyton Yanett , Borquez Jorge , Darias José , Cueto Mercedes , Díaz-Marrero Ana R. , Riquelme Carlos
Published: October 2011

It is known that some strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus are responsible for gastroenteric diseases caused by the ingestion of marine organisms contaminated with these bacterial strains. Organic products that show inhibitory activity on the growth of the pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus were extracted from a Vibrio native in the north of Chile. The inhibitory organic products were isolated by reverse phase chromatography and permeation by Sephadex LH20, and were characterized by spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques. The results showed that the prevailing active product is oleic acid, which was compared with standards by gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). These active products might be useful for controlling the proliferation of pathogenic clones of V. parahaemolyticus.
Determination of Capsaicin and Dihydrocapsaicin in Capsicum Fruit Samples using High Performance Liquid Chromatography
Authors: Othman Zeid Abdullah Al , Ahmed Yacine Badjah Hadj , Habila Mohamed Abdelaty , Ghafar Ayman Abdel
Published: October 2011

The aim of the present study was to determine the content of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin in Capsicum samples collected from city markets in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), calculate their pungency in Scoville heat units (SHU) and evaluate the average daily intake of capsaicin for the population of Riyadh. The investigated samples consisted of hot chillies, red chillies, green chillies, green peppers, red peppers and yellow peppers. Extraction of capsaicinoids was done using ethanol as solvent, while high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for separation, identification and quantitation of the components. The limit of detection (LOD) of the method was 0.09 and 0.10 µg/g for capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, respectively, while the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.30 and 0.36 µg/g for capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, respectively. Hot chillies showed the highest concentration of capsaicin (4249.0 ± 190.3 µg/g) and the highest pungency level (67984.60 SHU), whereas green peppers had the lowest detected concentration (1.0 ± 0.9 µg/g); green peppers, red peppers and yellow peppers were non pungent. The mean consumption of peppers for Riyadh city population was determined to be 15.5 g/person/day while the daily capsaicin intake was 7.584 mg/person/day.
Lipothioureas as Lipids for Gene Transfection: A Review
Authors: Breton Marie , Leblond Jeanne , Tranchant Isabelle , Scherman Daniel , Bessodes Michel , Herscovici Jean , Mignet Nathalie
Published: October 2011

Non-viral gene therapy requires innovative strategies to achieve higher transfection efficacy. A few years ago, our group proposed bioinspired lipids whoseinteraction with DNA was not based on ionic interactions, but on hydrogen bonds. We thusdeveloped lipids bearing a thiourea head which allowed an interaction with DNAphosphates through hydrogen bonds. After a proof of concept with a lipid bearing threethiourea functions, a molecular and cellular screening was performed by varying all partsof the lipids: the hydrophobic anchor, the spacer, the linker, and the thiourea head. Twolipothiourea-based structures were identified as highly efficient in vitro transfecting agents.The lipothioureas were shown to reduce non specific interactions with cell membranes anddeliver their DNA content intracellularly more efficiently, as compared to cationiclipoplexes. These lipids could deliver siRNA efficiently and allowed specific cell targetingin vitro. In vivo, thiourea lipoplexes presented a longer retention time in the blood and lessaccumulation in the lungs after an intravenous injection in mice. They also inducedluciferase gene expression in muscle and tumor after local administration in mice.Therefore, these novel lipoplexes represent an excellent alternative to cationic lipoplexes astransfecting agents. In this review we will focus on the structure activity studies thatpermitted the identification of the two most efficient thiourea lipids.
Peak Phosphorus: Clarifying the Key Issues of a Vigorous Debate about Long-Term Phosphorus Security
Authors: Cordell Dana , White Stuart
Published: October 2011

This paper reviews the latest information and perspectives on global phosphorus scarcity. Phosphorus is essential for food production and modern agriculture currently sources phosphorus fertilizers from finite phosphate rock. The 2008 food and phosphate fertilizer price spikes triggered increased concerns regarding the depletion timeline of phosphate rock reserves. While estimates range from 30 to 300 years and are shrouded by lack of publicly available data and substantial uncertainty, there is a general consensus that the quality and accessibility of remaining reserves are decreasing and costs will increase. This paper clarifies common sources of misunderstandings about phosphorus scarcity and identifies areas of consensus. It then asks, despite some persistent uncertainty, what would it take to achieve global phosphorus security? What would a ‘hard-landing’ response look like and how could preferred ‘soft-landing’ responses be achieved?
A Method for Estimating the State-Wide Economic Significance of National Park Tourism: The Case of Queensland
Authors: Driml Sally , Brown Richard P. C. , Ballantyne Roy , Pegg Shane , Scott Noel
Published: October 2011

This study devises a methodology to measure the economic significance of national park tourism, which is applied to the State of Queensland, Australia. Development of a methodology to provide this information is important to demonstrate the attraction of national parks to tourism and
to provide a basis for government decisions on allocating funds for national park management. A strategic national park sampling logic was developed to allow surveys to be conducted in a stratified, representative sample of the over 500 Queensland parks. Data on expenditure by tourists were
analyzed (employing sensitivity and risk analysis) to find the "national park-generated" component of tourist expenditure directly attributable to the attractions of the national parks. A deliberately conservative approach was taken to address the economic information needs of State Treasury
Departments, which are responsible for allocating funding to park management authorities. The contribution to the gross state product (GSP) was estimated at $345 million annually, representing 4.9% of tourism's contribution to GSP, or five times the current annual government expenditure
on national park visitor management in the State of Queensland. Recommendations for some improvements to the methodology were developed based on the study conducted.
When and Where to Buy Airline Seats on Third-Party Websites
Authors: Raven Peter , Toh Rex S. , Dekay Frederick
Published: October 2011

This is a 3-month time series study of airlines fares on three third-party websites (Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity), showing the level and changes of fares and their implications for traveler decisions as to when and where to buy airline seats. We discovered that it is best for travelers
seeking the lowest fares to purchase tickets early, because fares tend to be volatile on the upside over time, culminating in the highest fares on the days of departure, and to fly on weekends. It is also best to check fares on as many websites as possible to get the lowest fare, because the
evidence seems to suggest that fare parity does not exist, and not all airlines are represented on all third-party websites.
A Computable General Equilibrium Analysis of Potential Policy Responses to a Negative Tourism Demand Shock in Singapore
Authors: Meng Xianming , Siriwardana Mahinda , Dollery Brian
Published: October 2011

The 2008 global financial crisis had strong negative economic effects, particularly on tourism. Determining appropriate policy responses to mitigate these negative effects is thus important. Accordingly, this study employs recent Singaporean tourism survey data, updated Singaporean
input–output tables, and a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model to gauge the short-run negative impact of the 2008 global financial crisis on the Singaporean tourist sector and to simulate the effects of selected three policy responses. Our simulation results suggest that the GST
deduction policy is more effective than an industrial subsidy policy. However, if the latter is used by government, then a tourism-focused subsidy policy is recommended since it is much more effective than the economy-wide industrial subsidy in terms of both tourism and the aggregate economy.
Impacts of Natural Disasters on Regional Economies: An Overview
Authors: Chen Rachel J.C.
Published: October 2011

The main purpose of this study addresses the vulnerability of the subgrouped regions to natural disasters and investigates trends in natural disasters and their impacts for the years 2000–2009 in various regions globally. Over the past two decades, the majority of economic loss,
human suffering, and loss of life due to natural disasters has been reported in the Asia–Pacific region, with more than 89% of the total affected population and economic loss (42%) located in that region. Outside the Asia–Pacific region, Europe was subjected to more extreme temperatures,
floods, and storms, while Africa experienced more epidemics, floods, and droughts. Tourism is sensitive to safety considerations, a phenomenon that varies in its effects across countries. It seems that the poorer and poorest countries suffer the greatest damage expressed as a fraction of gross
domestic product (GDP). The overall magnitude of the economic damage is relatively large with respect to the GDP of each country in the affected region cumulatively.
Une ethnographie de l'intégration professionnelle du gardien de la paix et du police constable
Authors: Cassan Damien
Published: October 2011

Il s’agit de comparer la formation des policiers au grade de gardien de la paix et de « constable » en Angleterre et en France en isolant un moment rarement étudié : le stage réalisé sur la voie publique pendant la scolarité. À partir d’une enquête ethnographique menée dans les deux pays, on montrera que l’accueil des stagiaires, leur intégration au commissariat, leur suivi par des tuteurs, la motivation des tuteurs est tout à fait opposée en France et en Angleterre. Ces différences tiennent à la fois au type de recrutement des nouvelles recrues, à l’organisation du travail policier, mais aussi au rapport à l’usage de la force, distincts de part et d’autre de la Manche.