bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Penetration and Potent Bactericidal Activity in CSF of NZ2114, a Novel Plectasin Variant, during Experimental Pneumococcal Meningitis
Authors: Østergaard Christian , Sandvang Dorthe , Frimodt-Møller Niels , Kristensen Hans-Henrik
Published: February 2009

Plectasin is the first defensin-type antimicrobial peptide isolated from a fungus and has potent activity against gram-positive bacteria. By using an experimental meningitis model, the penetration of plectasin into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of infected and uninfected rabbits and the bactericidal activities in CSF of the plectasin variant NZ2114 and ceftriaxone against a penicillin-resistant
Streptococcus pneumoniae
strain (NZ2114 and ceftriaxone MICs, 0.25 and 0.5 μg/ml, respectively) were studied. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed that there was a significantly higher level of CSF penetration of NZ2114 through inflamed than through noninflamed meninges (area under the concentration-time curve for CSF/area under the concentration-time curve for serum, 33% and 1.1%, respectively;
P
= 0.03). The peak concentrations of NZ2114 in purulent CSF were observed ∼3 h after the infusion of an intravenous bolus of either 20 or 40 mg/kg of body weight and exceeded the MIC >10-fold for a 6-h study period. Treatment with NZ2114 (40 and 20 mg/kg at 0 and 5 h, respectively;
n
= 11) caused a significantly higher reduction in CSF bacterial concentrations than therapy with ceftriaxone (125 mg/kg at 0 h;
n
= 7) at 3 h (median changes, 3.7 log
10
CFU/ml [interquartile range, 2.5 to 4.6 log
10
CFU/ml] and 2.1 log
10
CFU/ml [interquartile range, 1.7 to 2.6 log
10
CFU/ml], respectively;
P
= 0.001), 5 h (median changes, 5.2 log
10
CFU/ml [interquartile range, 3.6 to 6.1 log
10
CFU/ml] and 3.1 log
10
CFU/ml [interquartile range, 2.6 to 3.7 log
10
CFU/ml], respectively;
P
= 0.01), and 10 h (median changes, 5.6 log
10
CFU/ml [interquartile range, 5.2 to 5.9 log
10
CFU/ml] and 4.2 log
10
CFU/ml [interquartile range, 3.6 to 5.0 log
10
CFU/ml], respectively;
P
= 0.03) after the start of therapy as well compared to the CSF bacterial concentrations in untreated rabbits with meningitis (
n
= 7,
P
< 0.05). Also, significantly more rabbits had sterile CSF at 5 and 10 h when they were treated with NZ2114 than when they were treated with ceftriaxone (67% [six of nine rabbits] and 0% [zero of seven rabbits], respectively, at 5 h and 75% [six of eight rabbits] and 14% [one of seven rabbits], respectively, at 10 h;
P
< 0.05). Due to its excellent CSF penetration and potent bactericidal activity in CSF, the plectasin variant NZ2114 could be a promising new option for the treatment of CNS infections caused by gram-positive bacteria, including penicillin-resistant pneumococcal meningitis.
P-Glycoprotein-Mediated Transport of Moxifloxacin in a Calu-3 Lung Epithelial Cell Model
Authors: Brillault Julien , De Castro Whocely Victor , Harnois Thomas , Kitzis Alain , Olivier Jean-Christophe , Couet William
Published: February 2009

Moxifloxacin (MXF) is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic that is effective against respiratory infections. However, the mechanisms of MXF lung diffusion are unknown. Active transport in other tissues has been suggested for several members of the fluoroquinolone family. In this study, transport of MXF was systematically investigated across a Calu-3 lung epithelial cell model. MXF showed polarized transport, with the secretory permeability being twice as high as the absorptive permeability. The secretory permeability was concentration dependent (apparentPmax= 13.6 × 10−6cm·s−1; apparentKm= 147 μM), suggesting saturated transport at concentrations higher than 350 μg/ml. The P-glycoprotein inhibitor PSC-833 inhibited MXF transport in both directions, whereas probenecid, a multidrug resistance-related protein inhibitor, appeared to have no effect in the Calu-3 model. Moreover, rifampin, a known inducer of efflux transport proteins, upregulated the expression of P-glycoprotein in Calu-3 cells and enhanced MXF active transport. In conclusion, this study clearly indicates that MXF is subject to P-glycoprotein-mediated active transport in the Calu-3 model. This P-glycoprotein-dependent secretion may lead to higher MXF epithelial lining fluid concentrations than those in plasma. Furthermore, drug-drug interactions may be expected when MXF is combined with other P-glycoprotein substrates or modulators.
Gallium Maltolate Treatment EradicatesPseudomonas aeruginosaInfection in Thermally Injured Mice
Authors: DeLeon Katrina , Balldin Fredrik , Watters Chase , Hamood Abdul , Griswold John , Sreedharan Sunil , Rumbaugh Kendra P.
Published: February 2009

Gallium (Ga) is a semimetallic element that has demonstrated therapeutic and diagnostic-imaging potential in a number of disease settings, including cancer and infectious diseases. Gallium's biological actions stem from its ionic radius being almost the same as that of ferric iron (Fe3+), whereby it can replace iron (Fe) in Fe3+-dependent biological systems, such as bacterial and mammalian Fe transporters and Fe3+-containing enzymes. Unlike Fe3+, ionic gallium (Ga3+) cannot be reduced, and when incorporated, it inactivates Fe3+-dependent reduction and oxidation processes that are necessary for bacterial and mammalian cell proliferation. Most pathogenic bacteria require Fe for growth and function, and the availability of Fe in the host or environment can greatly enhance virulence. We examined whether gallium maltolate (GaM), a novel formulation of Ga, had antibacterial activity in a thermally injured acute infection mouse model. Dose-response studies indicated that a GaM dose as low as 25 mg/kg of body weight delivered subcutaneously was sufficient to provide 100% survival in a lethalP. aeruginosa-infected thermally injured mouse model. Mice treated with 100 mg/kg GaM had undetectable levels ofPseudomonas aeruginosain their wounds, livers, and spleens, while the wounds of untreated mice were colonized with over 108P. aeruginosaCFU/g of tissue and their livers and spleens were colonized with over 105P. aeruginosaCFU/g of tissue. GaM also significantly reduced the colonization ofStaphylococcus aureusandAcinetobacter baumanniiin the wounds of thermally injured mice. Furthermore, GaM was also therapeutically effective in preventing preestablishedP. aeruginosainfections at the site of the injury from spreading systemically. Taken together, our data suggest that GaM is potentially a novel antibacterial agent for the prevention and treatment of wound infections following thermal injury.
Interactions between Triazoles and Amphotericin B in Treatment of Disseminated Murine Infection by
Fusarium oxysporum
Authors: Ruíz-Cendoya Mery , Mariné Marçal , Rodríguez M. M. , Guarro Josep
Published: February 2009

We have evaluated and compared the efficacies of high doses of amphotericin B (AMB; 3 mg/kg of body weight/day), voriconazole (60 mg/kg), and posaconazole (PSC; 100 mg/kg) alone and combined in a murine model of disseminated infection by
Fusarium oxysporum
. The combination of AMB with PSC showed the best results, prolonging the survival of mice and reducing their organ fungal loads. This combination might constitute a therapeutic option for those infections where monotherapies fail.
Role of Known Molecular Markers of Resistance in the Antimalarial Potency of Piperaquine and Dihydroartemisinin In Vitro
Authors: Muangnoicharoen Sant , Johnson David J. , Looareesuwan Sornchai , Krudsood Srivicha , Ward Stephen A.
Published: February 2009

Using a range of laboratory-adapted and genetically modified
Plasmodium falciparum
parasite isolates, we investigated the interaction between dihydroartemisinin and piperaquine (PIP), the individual components of an artemisinin combination therapy currently under development, in addition to the role of known drug resistance genes in parasite susceptibility in vitro. All but one parasite line investigated displayed an interaction of dihydroartemisinin and PIP that was antagonistic, although the degree of antagonism was isolate dependent. In terms of resistance markers, the
pfcrt
haplotypes CVIET and SVMNT were positively associated with reduced sensitivity to PIP, with parasites carrying the South American CQR (SVMNT) allele being generally less sensitive than CVIET parasites. Parasites carrying the CQS (CVMNK) allele displayed a further increase in PIP sensitivity compared with CVIET and SVMNT parasites. Our data indicate that PIP sensitivity was not affected by
pfmdr1
sequence status, despite positive correlations between the structurally related compound amodiaquine and
pfmdr1
mutations in other studies. In contrast, neither the
pfcrt
nor
pfmdr1
sequence status had any significant impact on susceptibility to dihydroartemisinin.
Induction of Persistent Colitis by a Human Commensal, EnterotoxigenicBacteroides fragilis, in Wild-Type C57BL/6 Mice
Authors: Rhee Ki-Jong , Wu Shaoguang , Wu XinQun , Huso David L. , Karim Baktiar , Franco Augusto A. , Rabizadeh Shervin , Golub Jonathan E. , Mathews Lauren E. , Shin Jai , Sartor R. Balfour , Golenbock Douglas , Hamad Abdel R. , Gan Christine M. , Housseau Franck , Sears Cynthia L.
Published: February 2009

EnterotoxigenicBacteroides fragilis(ETBF) causes diarrhea and is implicated in inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancer. The only known ETBF virulence factor is theBacteroides fragilistoxin (BFT), which induces E-cadherin cleavage, interleukin-8 secretion, and epithelial cell proliferation. A murine model for ETBF has not been characterized. Specific pathogen-free (SPF) C57BL/6J or germfree 129S6/SvEv mice were orally inoculated with wild-type ETBF (WT-ETBF) strains, a nontoxigenic WT strain ofB. fragilis(WT-NTBF), WT-NTBF overexpressingbft(rETBF), or WT-NTBF overexpressing a biologically inactive mutatedbft(rNTBF). In SPF and germfree mice, ETBF caused colitis but was lethal only in germfree mice. Colonic histopathology demonstrated mucosal thickening with inflammatory cell infiltration, crypt abscesses, and epithelial cell exfoliation, erosion, and ulceration. SPF mice colonized with rETBF mimicked WT-ETBF, whereas rNTBF caused no histopathology. Intestinal epithelial E-cadherin was rapidly cleaved in vivo in WT-ETBF-colonized mice and in vitro in intestinal tissues cultured with purified BFT. ETBF mice colonized for 16 months exhibited persistent colitis. BFT did not directly induce lymphocyte proliferation, dendritic cell stimulation, or Toll-like receptor activation. In conclusion, WT-ETBF induced acute then persistent colitis in SPF mice and rapidly lethal colitis in WT germfree mice. Our data support the hypothesis that chronic colonization with the human commensal ETBF can induce persistent, subclinical colitis in humans.
Arginine-Induced Germ Tube Formation in
Candida albicans
Is Essential for Escape from Murine Macrophage Line RAW 264.7
Authors: Ghosh Suman , Navarathna Dhammika H. M. L. P. , Roberts David D. , Cooper Jake T. , Atkin Audrey L. , Petro Thomas M. , Nickerson Kenneth W.
Published: February 2009

The opportunistic fungal pathogen
Candida albicans
is a part of the normal flora but it also causes systemic candidiasis if it reaches the bloodstream. Upon being phagocytized by macrophages, an important component of innate immunity,
C. albicans
rapidly upregulates a set of arginine biosynthetic genes. Arginine, urea, and CO
2
induced hyphae in a density-dependent manner in wild-type,
cph1/cph1
, and
rim101/rim101
strains but not in
efg1/efg1
or
cph1/cph1 efg1/efg1
strains. Arginase (Car1p) converts arginine to urea, which in turn is degraded by urea amidolyase (Dur1,2p) to produce CO
2
, a signal for hyphal switching. We used a
dur1,2/dur1,2
mutant (KWN6) and the complemented strain, KWN8 (
dur1,2/dur1,2
::
DUR1,2/DUR1,2
) to study germ tube formation. KWN6 could not make germ tubes in the presence of arginine or urea but did in the presence of 5% CO
2
, which bypasses Dur1,2p. We also tested the effect of arginine on the interaction between the macrophage line RAW 264.7 and several strains of
C. albicans
. Arginine activated an Efg1p-dependent yeast-to-hypha switch, enabling wild-type
C. albicans
and KWN8 to escape from macrophages within 6 h, whereas KWN6 was defective in this regard. Additionally, two mutants that cannot synthesize arginine, BWP17 and SN152, were defective in making hyphae inside the macrophages, whereas the corresponding arginine prototrophs, DAY286 and SN87, formed germ tubes and escaped from macrophages. Therefore, metabolism of arginine by
C. albicans
controls hyphal switching and provides an important mechanism for escaping host defense.
Different Pathologies but Equal Levels of Responsiveness to the Recombinant F1 and V Antigen Vaccine and Ciprofloxacin in a Murine Model of Plague Caused by Small- and Large-Particle Aerosols
Authors: Thomas Richard J. , Webber Daniel , Collinge Aaron , Stagg Anthony J. , Bailey Stephen C. , Nunez Alejandro , Gates Amanda , Jayasekera Pramukh N. , Taylor Rosa R. , Eley Steve , Titball Richard W.
Published: February 2009

Presently there is a significant effort to develop and evaluate vaccines and antibiotics against the potential bioterrorism agent
Yersinia pestis
. The animal models used to test these countermeasures involve the deposition of small particles within the lung. However, deliberate aerosol release of
Y. pestis
will generate both small and large inhalable particles. We report in this study that the pathogenesis patterns of plague infections caused by the deposition of 1- and 12-μm-particle aerosols of
Y. pestis
in the lower and upper respiratory tracts (URTs) of mice are different. The median lethal dose for 12-μm particles was 4.9-fold greater than that for 1-μm particles. The 12-μm-particle infection resulted in the degradation of the nasal mucosa and nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) plus cervical lymphadenopathy prior to bacteremic dissemination. Lung involvement was limited to secondary pneumonia. In contrast, the 1-μm-particle infection resulted in primary pneumonia; in 40% of mice, the involvement of NALT and cervical lymphadenopathy were observed, indicating entry via both URT lymphoid tissues and lungs. Despite bacterial deposition in the gastrointestinal tract, the involvement of Peyer's patches was not observed in either infection. Although there were major differences in pathogenesis, the recombinant F1 and V antigen vaccine and ciprofloxacin protected against plague infections caused by small- and large-particle aerosols.
An evaluation of police reporting of road casualties
Authors: Jeffrey S , Stone D H , Blamey A , Clark D , Cooper C , Dickson K , Mackenzie M , Major K
Published: February 2009

Background:

Under-reporting of road traffic casualties in police records has been well documented.

Objectives:

To investigate the extent and nature of possible under-reporting of road traffic casualties in the West of Scotland.

Design:

A linked database comprising both police data (STATS19) and hospital in-patient records (SMR01) was created. The study period was 1997–2005 inclusive. Contrasting the number of SMR01-identified road casualties that were also recorded (“linked”) in STATS19 records with those that were not (“unlinked”) gives an indication of the extent and types of under-reporting of hospitalized road casualties by the police.

Results:

45% of hospital admissions due to road casualties were not reported to (or recorded by) the police. The STATS19 “slight casualties” that were linked to the SMR01 data was the only category that showed an increase in numbers (+4%) over the study period, whereas the numbers of STATS19 KSI (killed or seriously injured—combining fatal and serious casualties) decreased substantially (−38%). Pedal cyclists and motorcyclists were most likely to be missed by police recording. No third-party involvement, older casualties, females, length of stay in hospital (day cases), and earlier year of crash were also significantly associated with under-reporting.

Conclusions:

A general decline in the completeness of STATS19 is unlikely to have occurred, but there may have been an increasing tendency over time for police officers to report injuries as slight rather than serious. To improve the quality of this information, routine linkage of road casualty data derived from police and hospitalization databases should be considered.
Distribution of road traffic deaths by road user group: a global comparison
Authors: Naci H , Chisholm D , Baker T D
Published: February 2009

Background:

Road traffic deaths are a major global health and development problem. An understanding of the existing burden of road traffic deaths in the population is necessary for developing effective interventions.

Objective:

To outline systematically the global distribution of road traffic deaths by road user groups (pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, motorised four-wheeler occupants).

Methods:

Comprehensive searches of PubMed, Google, Google Scholar, TransportLink, grey literature and reference lists and communication with experts from international organisations and country-level institutions were conducted to identify eligible studies and data sources. All data sources that provided a breakdown of road traffic deaths by road user group at the national or sub-national level were eligible for inclusion. A breakdown of road traffic deaths by road user group was constructed for 14 epidemiologically defined World Health Organization (WHO) sub-regions in addition to World Bank income categories. In addition, the total number of road traffic fatalities by road user group in low-income, middle-income and high-income countries was estimated.

Results:

The breakdown of road traffic deaths by road user group varies dramatically across epidemiological WHO sub-regions. The magnitude of pedestrian fatalities ranges from more than half in African sub-region AfrE (55%) to 15% or less in AmrA or EurA. The distribution also varies across low-income, middle-income and high-income countries. 45% of road traffic fatalities in low-income countries are among pedestrians, whereas an estimated 29% in middle-income and 18% in high-income countries are among pedestrians. The burden of road traffic injuries on vulnerable road users differs substantially across income levels. An estimated total of 227 835 pedestrians die in low-income countries, as opposed to 161 501 in middle-income countries and 22 500 in high-income countries each year.

Conclusions:

Ameliorating road safety requires the implementation of context-specific solutions. This review of the road traffic injury literature provides strong evidence that the distribution of road traffic fatalities varies dramatically across different parts of the world. Therefore, context-appropriate and effective prevention strategies that protect the particular at-risk road user groups should be carefully investigated.
Non-fatal and fatal crash injury risk for children in minivans compared with children in sport utility vehicles
Authors: Kallan M J , Arbogast K B , Elliott M R , Durbin D R
Published: February 2009

Objective:

To compare the fatal and non-fatal crash injury risk for children in minivans compared with midsize and large sport utility vehicles (SUVs).

Design:

Three large population-based sources of US crash data were used—a nationwide cohort of sampled police-reported crashes (NASS-CDS) along with a census of fatal crashes (FARS), plus a large child crash surveillance system, Partners for Child Passenger Safety (PCPS)—collected in 16 states via insurance claim records and validated telephone survey. Each included: 2000–2006 data, occupants aged 0–15 years, traveling in minivan or (midsize/large) SUV, model year 1998–2007. Outcome of interest was parent/driver report of non-fatal injury (Abbreviated Injury Scale scores of 2 or higher) in PCPS and fatal injury in NASS-CDS/FARS.

Results:

Compared with children riding in SUVs, those in minivans experienced a similar crude reduction in the relative risk of non-fatal injury (PCPS: unadjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.55) and fatality (NASS-CDS/FARS cohort: unadjusted OR = 0.58). In PCPS, this reduction in injury risk changed little after adjustment for child, driver, and vehicle factors (adjusted OR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.82). Lower fatality risk in the NASS-CDS/FARS cohort was partially explained by the same factors (adjusted OR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.51 to 1.13).

Conclusions:

There may be important safety differences in vehicles during a crash that lead to fewer non-fatal injuries to child occupants of minivans compared with SUVs.
Understanding reasons for non-compliance in motorcycle helmet use among adolescents in Greece
Authors: Germeni E , Lionis C , Davou B , Th Petridou E
Published: February 2009

Objective:

To explore attitudes towards two-wheel motorized vehicle (TWMV) helmet use among adolescents in a country with poor legal compliance.

Design:

Self-administered questionnaires were completed by 523 high school students to define the sample of a qualitative study; thereafter, the Health Belief Model (HBM) was applied in 12 focus groups comprising 70 students.

Setting:

Three randomly selected public secondary schools in middle-income areas of Athens, Greece.

Results:

Students reporting frequent helmet use were characterized by a high perceived threat of a TWMV-related injury, which seemed to be associated with both prior experience of an injury and receiving information on helmet wearing from “significant others.” Students reporting helmet non-use were characterized by a low threat perception, possibly attributable to adolescent egocentrism and accompanying feelings of invulnerability or to lack of knowledge and experience in risk identification. A sharp contrast was noted regarding the most important perceived benefit of helmet use, expressed among users as “protection in the case of a road crash” and among non-users as “avoiding tickets from traffic police”. Main barriers to helmet use, as identified by non-users, included: low perceived efficacy of helmets; peer pressure; lack of appropriate information on helmet use; high helmet cost; lack of convenience; vision and hearing disturbance; and style reasons.

Conclusions:

When social norms of low compliance to safety laws prevail, qualitative research can assist in developing tailored educational interventions targeting behavior modification among adolescents.
Once bitten, twice shy? Medically-attended injuries can sensitise parents to children’s risk of injuries on playgrounds
Authors: Morrongiello B A , Howard A W , Rothman L , Sandomierski M
Published: February 2009

Objective:

To compare risk perceptions of parents whose child sustained a medically attended playground injury (cases) with those of parents whose child had not (controls) to address two questions. Does having a child experience a medically attended injury: (1) sensitise parents to children’s injury vulnerability and severity; (2) influence parents’ appraisal of the injury mechanism (child’s behaviour), attributions for injuries or beliefs about strategies for prevention?

Method:

Each case–control parent dyad was assigned to one of two conditions: (1) being presented with 10 common injury-risk playground behaviours specific to the equipment on which their child had been hurt, and asked to appraise injury vulnerability and severity; or (2) being presented with scenarios about playground injuries that varied in severity but were all based on the same child behaviour, and asked questions about this behaviour, attributions for injury and strategies for prevention.

Results:

The results support the occurrence of a sensitisation process. Compared with control parents, case parents showed higher ratings of injury severity and children’s vulnerability to injury, made fewer attributions for injuries to bad luck, and endorsed a greater diversity of prevention strategies, including parent (closer supervision), child (teaching rules about safe play on playgrounds) and environmental (modifications to playgrounds).

Conclusions:

A child’s medically attended injury can create a “teachable moment” for the parent. Linking injury-prevention programming to this teachable moment may increase the likelihood of evoking changes in parental supervisory behaviour and their setting of rules limiting their child’s risk behaviours to reduce the occurrence of childhood injury.
Respiratory and skin effects of exposure to wood dust from the rubber treeHevea brasiliensis
Authors: Sripaiboonkij P , Phanprasit W , Jaakkola M S
Published: February 2009

Objectives:

Potential health effects related to wood dust from the rubber tree, which produces natural rubber latex, have not been previously investigated. The main aim of this study was to investigate the relations of rubber tree dust exposure to respiratory and skin symptoms, asthma and lung function.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 103 workers (response rate 89%) in a rubber tree furniture factory and 76 office workers (73%) in four factories in Thailand. All participants answered a questionnaire and performed spirometry. Inhalable dust levels were measured in different work areas.

Results:

Factory workers showed increased risk of wheezing, nasal symptoms and asthma compared to office workers. There was a dose-dependent increase in wheeze and skin symptoms in relation to dust level. Significantly increased risks of nasal symptoms (adj OR 3.67, 95% CI 1.45 to 9.28) and asthma (8.41, 1.06 to 66.60) were detected in the low exposure category. Workers exposed to ethyl cyanoacrylate glue had significantly increased risk of cough, breathlessness and nasal symptoms. There was dose-dependent reduction in spirometric lung function with wood dust level.

Conclusions:

This study provides new evidence that workers exposed to wood dust from the rubber tree experience increased risk of nasal symptoms, wheeze, asthma and skin symptoms and have reduced spirometric lung function. Exposure to cyanoacrylate is related to significantly increased respiratory symptoms. Results suggest that the furniture industry using rubber tree wood should implement appropriate exposure control measures to reduce wood dust exposure and cyanoacrylate glue exposure to protect their employees.
Geographical information systems as a tool for monitoring tobacco industry advertising
Authors: Vardavas C I , Connolly G N , Kafatos A G
Published: February 2009

Background:

Although the use of a geographical information systems (GIS) approach is usually applied to epidemiological disease outbreaks and environmental exposure mapping, it has significant potential as a tobacco control research tool in monitoring point-of-purchase (POP) tobacco advertising.

Design:

An ecological study design approach was applied so as to primarily evaluate and interpret the spatial density and intensity of POP and tobacco industry advertisements within <300 m to high schools in Greece with the application of GIS methodology combining mapping, photographing and global positioning data.

Results:

The GIS approach identified 133 POP and 44 billboards within 300 m of the school gates of Heraklion schools. On average 13 POP (range 4–21) and 4.4 billboards (range 1–9) were located per school, and all had at least 1 POP within 20 m of the school gate. On average (SD) 9 (6) tobacco advertisements per POP (range 0–25) were noted, and 80% of them were below child height. The GIS protocol identified that kiosks, that were excepted from the Greek ban on tobacco advertising, in comparison to other POP, were found not only to be closer and visible from the school gates (44.1% vs 10.8%, p<0.001) but were also found to have more external advertisements (8 (5) vs 5 (3), p<0.001).

Conclusions:

This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a GIS system in monitoring tobacco industry advertising on a large population-based scale and implies its use as a standardised method for monitoring tobacco industry strategies and tobacco control efforts.
Culturable microbes in shallow groundwater underlying ornithogenic soil of Cape Hallett, AntarcticaThis article is one of a selection of papers in the Special Issue on Polar and Alpine Microbiology.
Authors: Aislabie J. , Ryburn J. , Sarmah A.
Published: February 2009

The objective of this study was to investigate the culturable psychrotolerant microbial community in groundwater from Seabee Hook, Antarctica. Shallow groundwater can be present in coastal regions at higher latitudes during the Antarctic summer. Perched groundwater atop ice-cemented permafrost occurs on Seabee Hook, Cape Hallett, at depths from 5 to 80 cm below the soil surface. Compared with terrestrial water from other sites in Antarctica, the groundwater was high in salt and nutrients, reflecting proximity to the sea and ornithogenic soil. Microbial communities in groundwater samples from Seabee Hook exhibited aerobic metabolism of14C-acetate at 5 °C. Numbers of culturable aerobic heterotrophs in the samples ranged from <10 to ca. 1 × 106 colony-forming units·mL–1, and similar numbers of microaerophiles and nitrate reducers were detected. In contrast, numbers of nitrifiers, sulfate reducers, and iron reducers were up to 1000-fold lower. All cultures were incubated at 5 °C. Aerobic heterotrophic bacteria isolated from the groundwater were assigned to Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, or Bacteroidetes. The isolates were most similar to cultured bacteria from Antarctic soil or sediment and were cold, salt, and alkaline pH tolerant, indicating they are adapted to in situ conditions.
Bacterial community structure and carbon turnover in permafrost-affected soils of the Lena Delta, northeastern SiberiaThis article is one of a selection of papers in the Special Issue on Polar and Alpine Microbiology.
Authors: Wagner Dirk , Kobabe Svenja , Liebner Susanne
Published: February 2009

Arctic permafrost environments store large amounts of organic carbon. As a result of global warming, intensified permafrost degradation and release of significant quantities of the currently conserved organic matter is predicted for high latitudes. To improve our understanding of the present and future carbon dynamics in climate sensitive permafrost ecosystems, the present study investigates structure and carbon turnover of the bacterial community in a permafrost-affected soil of the Lena Delta (72°22′N, 126°28′E) in northeastern Siberia. 16S rRNA gene clone libraries revealed the presence of all major soil bacterial groups and of the canditate divisions OD1 and OP11. A shift within the bacterial community was observed along the soil profile indicated by the absence of Alphaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria and a simultaneous increase in abundance and diversity of fermenting bacteria like Firmicutes and Actinobacteria near the permafrost table. BIOLOG EcoPlates were used to describe the spectrum of utilized carbon sources of the bacterial community in different horizons under in situ temperature conditions in the presence and absence of oxygen. The results revealed distinct qualitative differences in the substrates used and the turnover rates under oxic and anoxic conditions. It can be concluded that constantly negative redox potentials as characteristic for the near permafrost table horizons of the investigated soil did effectively shape the structure of the indigenous bacterial community limiting its phylum-level diversity and carbon turnover capacity.
Bacterial diversity associated with ornithogenic soil of the Ross Sea region, AntarcticaThis article is one of a selection of papers in the Special Issue on Polar and Alpine Microbiology.
Authors: Aislabie J. , Jordan S. , Ayton J. , Klassen J. L. , Barker G. M. , Turner S.
Published: February 2009

In the Ross Sea region of Antarctica, ornithogenic soils form on land under Adélie Penguin rookeries. Compared with mineral soils of the Ross Sea region, ornithogenic soils are generally high in microbial biomass, organic carbon, and total nitrogen and phosphorus, with high electrical conductivity and large variations in pH. The objective of this study was to assess the bacterial composition of ornithogenic soils from Cape Hallett and Cape Bird in the Ross Sea region using culture-independent methods. Soil clone libraries were constructed and those clones that occurred ≥3 times were sequenced. The bacterial diversity of the soils was dependent on the presence of penguins. Firmicutes most closely related to the endospore-formers (e.g., Oceanobacillus profundus and Clostridium acidurici ) and (or) Gammaproteobacteria belonging to the genus Psychrobacter dominated soils currently occupied with penguins. In contrast, Gammaproteobacteria, closely related to cultured members of the genera Rhodanobacter , Psychrobacter , Dokdonella , and Lysobacter , dominated the soils previously colonized by penguins. Results of this study indicate that despite relatively high nutrient levels and microbial biomass, bacterial communities of ornithogenic soils were not more diverse than those of mineral soils of the Ross Sea region of Antarctica.
Mycorrhizal fungi supply nitrogen to host plants in Arctic tundra and boreal forests: 15N is the key signalThis article is one of a selection of papers in the Special Issue on Polar and Arctic Microbiology.
Authors: Hobbie John E. , Hobbie Erik A. , Drossman Howard , Conte Maureen , Weber J. C. , Shamhart Julee , Weinrobe Melissa
Published: February 2009

Symbiotic fungi’s role in providing nitrogen to host plants is well-studied in tundra at Toolik Lake, Alaska, but little-studied in the adjoining boreal forest ecosystem. Along a 570 km north–south transect from the Yukon River to the North Slope of Alaska, the 15N content was strongly reduced in ectomycorrhizal and ericoid mycorrhizal plants including Betula , Salix , Picea mariana (P. Mill.) B.S.P., Picea glauca Moench (Voss), and ericaceous plants. Compared with the 15N content of soil, the foliage of nonmycorrhizal plants ( Carex and Eriophorum ) was unchanged, whereas content of the ectomycorrhizal fungi was very much higher (e.g., Boletaceae, Leccinum and Cortinarius ). It is hypothesized that similar processes operate in tundra and boreal forest, both nitrogen-limited ecosystems: (i) mycorrhizal fungi break down soil polymers and take up amino acids or other nitrogen compounds; (ii) mycorrhizal fungi fractionate against 15N during production of transfer compounds; (iii) host plants are accordingly depleted in 15N; and (iv) mycorrhizal fungi are enriched in 15N. Increased N availability for plant roots or decreased light availability to understory plants may have decreased N allocation to mycorrhizal partners and increased δ15N by 3‰–4‰ for southern populations of Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. and Salix. Fungal biomass, measured as ergosterol, correlated strongly with soil organic matter and attained amounts similar to those in temperate forest soils.
Production of cryoprotectant extracellular polysaccharide substances (EPS) by the marine psychrophilic bacteriumColwellia psychrerythraeastrain 34H under extreme conditionsThis article is one of a selection of papers in the Special Issue on Polar and Alpine Microbiology.
Authors: Marx Joseph G. , Carpenter Shelly D. , Deming Jody W.
Published: February 2009

Extracellular polysaccharide substances (EPS) play critical roles in microbial ecology, including the colonization of extreme environments in the ocean, from sea ice to the deep sea. After first developing a sugar-free growth medium, we examined the relative effects of temperature, pressure, and salinity on EPS production (on a per cell basis) by the obligately marine and psychrophilic γ-proteobacterium, Colwellia psychrerythraea strain 34H. Over growth-permissive temperatures of ~10 to –4 °C, EPS production did not change, but from –8 to –14 °C when samples froze, EPS production rose dramatically. Similarly, at growth-permissive hydrostatic pressures of 1–200 atm (1 atm = 101.325 kPa) (at –1 and 8 °C), EPS production was unchanged, but at higher pressures of 400 and 600 atm EPS production rose markedly. In salinity tests at 10‰–100‰ (and –1 and 5 °C), EPS production increased at the freshest salinity tested. Extreme environmental conditions thus appear to stimulate EPS production by this strain. Furthermore, strain 34H recovered best from deep-freezing to –80 °C (not found for Earthly environments) if first supplemented with a preparation of its own EPS, rather than other cryoprotectants like glycerol, suggesting EPS production as both a survival strategy and source of compounds with potentially novel properties for biotechnological and other applications.
COMPETITION IN A SOCIAL STRUCTURE
Authors: LEGARA ERIKA FILLE , LONGJAS ANTHONY , BATAC RENE
Published: February 2009

Complex adaptive agents develop strategies in the presence of competition. In modern human societies, there is an inherent sense of locality when describing inter-agent dynamics because of its network structure. One then wonders whether the traditional advertising schemes that are globally publicized and target random individuals are as effective in attracting a larger portion of the population as those that take advantage of local neighborhoods, such as "word-of-mouth" marketing schemes. Here, we demonstrate using a differential equation model that schemes targeting local cliques within the network are more successful at gaining a larger share of the population than those that target users randomly at a global scale (e.g., television commercials, print ads, etc.). This suggests that success in the competition is dependent not only on the number of individuals in the population but also on how they are connected in the network. We further show that the model is general in nature by considering examples of competition dynamics, particularly those of business competition and language death.
OHTSUKI INVARIANTS FOR INTEGRAL HOMOLOGY SPHERES AND HABIRO'S CYCLOTOMIC EXPANSION
Authors: TAKATA TOSHIE
Published: February 2009

We give surgery formulas for the Ohtsuki invariants λ1, λ2and λ3of an integral homology sphere obtained by surgery from S3along a knot, related to Habiro's cyclotomic expansion of the colored Jones polynomial of the knot. As an application, we prove that the Ohtsuki invariants λ1, λ2and λ3separate integral homology 3-spheres obtained from S3by surgery along the Borromean rings.
A NOTE ON QUANTUM 3-MANIFOLD INVARIANTS AND HYPERBOLIC VOLUME
Authors: KALFAGIANNI EFSTRATIA
Published: February 2009

For a closed oriented 3-manifold M and an integer r > 0, let τr(M) denote the SU(2) Reshetikhin–Turaev–Witten invariant of M at level r. We show that for every n > 0, and for r1,…, rn > 0 sufficiently large integers, there exist infinitely many non-homeomorphic hyperbolic 3-manifolds M, all of which have different hyperbolic volume, such that τri(M) = 1, for i = 1,…, n.
SURFACE LINKS AND THEIR GENERIC PLANAR PROJECTIONS
Authors: SAEKI OSAMU , TAKEDA YASUSHI
Published: February 2009

We often study surface links in 4-space by using their projections into 3-space, or their broken surface diagrams. It is well-known that a broken surface diagram recovers the given surface link. In this paper, we study surface links in 4-space by using their generic projections into the plane. These projections have fold points and cusps as their singularities in general. We consider the question whether such a generic planar projection can recover the given surface link. We introduce the notion of banded braids, and show that a generic planar projection together with banded braids associated to the segments of the fold curve image can recover the given surface link. As an application, we give a new proof to the Whitney congruence concerning the normal Euler number of surface links.
GEOMETRIC PRESENTATIONS FOR THE PURE BRAID GROUP
Authors: MARGALIT DAN , McCAMMOND JON
Published: February 2009

We give several new positive finite presentations for the pure braid group that are easy to remember and simple in form. All of our presentations involve a metric on the punctured disc so that the punctures are arranged "convexly", which is why we describe them as geometric presentations. Motivated by a presentation for the full braid group that we call the "rotation presentation", we introduce presentations for the pure braid group that we call the "twist presentation" and the "swing presentation". From the point of view of mapping class groups, the swing presentation can be interpreted as stating that the pure braid group is generated by a finite number of Dehn twists and that the only relations needed are the disjointness relation and the lantern relation.
$\mathcal{L}^p$-PROJECTIONS OF RANDOM VARIABLES AND ITS APPLICATION TO FINANCE
Authors: ARAI TAKUJI
Published: February 2009

The aim of this paper is to give an extension of the mean-variance hedging problem to the [Formula: see text]-setting, where 1 < p < ∞. Remark that the mean-variance hedging is corresponding to the case where p = 2. Firstly, we prove that the unique existence of the optimal hedging strategy in the [Formula: see text]-sense, which is the [Formula: see text]-projection of the underlying contingent claim onto a suitable space of stochastic integrations. Next, we obtain its feedback representation under some additional assumptions. Moreover, the valuation problem induced by the [Formula: see text]-projections naturally is discussed.
ON THE VALUATION OF DERIVATIVES WITH SNAPSHOT RESET FEATURES
Authors: YU ERIC C. K. , SHAW WILLIAM T.
Published: February 2009

We propose a general approach that requires only a simple change of variable that keeps the valuation of call and put options (convertible bonds) with strike (conversion) price resets two-dimensional in the classical Black–Scholes setting. A link between reset derivatives, compound options and "discrete barrier" type options, when there is one reset is then discussed, from which we analyze the risk characteristics of reset derivatives, which can be significantly different from their vanilla counterparts. We also generalize the prototype reset structure and show that the delta and gamma of a convertible bond with reset can both be negative. Finally, we show that the "waviness" property found in the delta and gamma of some reset derivatives is due to the discontinuous nature of the reset structure, which is closely linked to digital options.
OPTION PRICING WITH VG–LIKE MODELS
Authors: FINLAY RICHARD , SENETA EUGENE
Published: February 2009

We relax separately two assumptions regarding the Variance Gamma (VG) process and price options accordingly. In the case of the Difference of Gammas model we achieve a better fit to market data than achieved by other comparable models. In the case of the long range dependent VG model, we find that the current "skew-correcting" approach to pricing options has shortcomings, and identify a number of model characteristics (flexible skewness, dependence of squared returns, accommodation of the leverage effect) which appear to be important in achieving a good fit to market data.
A PHOTON TRANSPORT PROBLEM WITH A TIME-DEPENDENT POINT SOURCE
Authors: BELLENI-MORANTE A. , LAMB W. , MCBRIDE A. C.
Published: February 2009

We consider a time-dependent problem of photon transport in an interstellar cloud with a point photon source modeled by a Dirac δ functional. The existence of a unique distributional solution to this problem is established by using the theory of continuous semigroups of operators on locally convex spaces coupled with a constructive approach for producing spaces of generalized functions.
ONLINE LEARNING WITH MARKOV SAMPLING
Authors: SMALE STEVE , ZHOU DING-XUAN
Published: February 2009

This paper attempts to give an extension of learning theory to a setting where the assumption of i.i.d. data is weakened by keeping the independence but abandoning the identical restriction. We hypothesize that a sequence of examples (xt, yt) in X × Y for t = 1, 2, 3,… is drawn from a probability distribution ρt on X × Y.

The marginal probabilities on X are supposed to converge to a limit probability on X.

Two main examples for this time process are discussed. The first is a stochastic one which in the special case of a finite space X is defined by a stochastic matrix and more generally by a stochastic kernel.

The second is determined by an underlying discrete dynamical system on the space X. Our theoretical treatment requires that this dynamics be hyperbolic (or "Axiom A") which still permits a class of chaotic systems (with Sinai–Ruelle–Bowen attractors). Even in the case of a limit Dirac point probability, one needs the measure theory to be defined using Hölder spaces.

Many implications of our work remain unexplored. These include, for example, the relation to Hidden Markov Models, as well as Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods. It seems reasonable that further work should consider the push forward of the process from X × Y by some kind of observable function to a data space.
DECOMPOSITION OF DEFORMATIONS OF THIN RODS: APPLICATION TO NONLINEAR ELASTICITY
Authors: BLANCHARD DOMINIQUE , GRISO GEORGES
Published: February 2009

This paper deals with the introduction of a decomposition of the deformations of curved thin beams, with section of order δ, which takes into account the specific geometry of such beams. A deformation v is split into an elementary deformation and a warping. The elementary deformation is the analog of a Bernoulli–Navier's displacement for linearized deformations replacing the infinitesimal rotation by a rotation in SO(3) in each cross section of the rod. Each part of the decomposition is estimated with respect to the L2norm of the distance from gradient v to SO(3). This result relies on revisiting the rigidity theorem of Friesecke–James–Müller in which we estimate the constant for a bounded open set star-shaped with respect to a ball. Then we use the decomposition of the deformations to derive a few types of asymptotic geometrical behavior: large deformations of extensional type, inextensional deformations and linearized deformations. To illustrate the use of our decomposition in nonlinear elasticity, we consider a St Venant–Kirchhoff material and upon various scalings on the applied forces we obtain the Γ-limit of the rescaled elastic energy. We first analyze the case of bending forces of order δ2which leads to a nonlinear extensible model. Smaller pure bending forces give the classical linearized model. A coupled extentional-bending model is obtained for a class of forces of order δ2in traction and of order δ3in bending.
Global C cycle perturbations recorded in marbles: a record of Neoproterozoic Earth history within the Dalradian succession of the Shetland Islands, Scotland
Authors: Prave A.R. , Strachan R.A. , Fallick A.E.
Published: February 2009

The Shetland Islands in Scotland contain a
c
. 12 km thick, mostly siliciclastic Neoproterozoic succession that experienced deformation and greenschist- to amphibolite-facies metamorphism during the Ordovician–Silurian Caledonian Orogeny. Correlating these rocks with Neoproterozoic successions elsewhere has remained problematic. However, four marble units punctuate the succession; these are, in stratigraphic order, the Weisdale, Whiteness, Girlsta and Laxfirth Limestones, two of which record hallmark C-isotopic excursions diagnostic of Neoproterozoic time. The Whiteness Limestone is lithologically similar to the 635 Ma Marinoan post-glacial cap carbonate sequence and displays a δ
13
C
carbonate
profile in which values decline from a range of 0 to +2‰ to a nadir of −5‰ and then rise towards and oscillate around 0‰. The Girlsta Limestone is a 700–900 m thick marble unit with values of −9‰ to −11‰ and is interpreted as recording the late Neoproterozoic Shuram–Wonoka event. These correlations permit linking the Shetland succession to Neoproterozoic sections elsewhere and also show that rift-related rocks in Shetland post-date the Shuram–Wonoka event (post
c
. 600 Ma–pre
c
. 550 Ma) thereby supporting the concept of a diachronous phase of extensional tectonism, from
c
. 700 Ma in east–central Laurentia to near the close of the Proterozoic in northeastern Laurentia, prior to the opening of the Iapetus Ocean.