bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of periconceptional undernutrition on maternal taurine concentrations in sheep
Authors: Thorstensen Eric B. , Derraik José G. B. , Oliver Mark H. , Jaquiery Anne L. , Bloomfield Frank H. , Harding Jane E.
Published: July 2011

Taurine has an important role in numerous physiological processes, including many aspects of fetal development such as development of the pancreas and brain, and requirements increase during pregnancy. Periconceptional undernutrition has long-term effects on pancreas and brain function of the offspring, but the effects on maternal taurine economy are unknown. We, therefore, studied the effects of different periods of periconceptional undernutrition on maternal plasma and urine taurine concentrations before and during pregnancy. Four groups of singleton-bearing ewes were studied (n10–11): controls fedad libitum, and groups undernourished from 60 d before until mating (PreC), from 2 d before mating until 30 d after mating (PostC) or from 60 d before until 30 d after mating (Pre+PostC). In PreC ewes, plasma taurine concentrations remained at control levels for the first 30 d, and then decreased through the remainder of undernutrition, but recovered by 30 d after mating; urinary taurine excretion was low at mating, but recovered similarly. In PostC ewes, plasma taurine concentrations recovered after 2 weeks despite ongoing undernutrition; urinary taurine excretion had recovered by 30 d after mating. Pre+PostC ewes followed the same pattern as PreC for the first 60 d, but plasma taurine concentrations and urinary excretion recovered slowly, and did not reach the control levels until 97 d. These data suggest that different periods of mild periconceptional undernutrition in sheep have different but substantial effects on maternal taurine homoeostasis. These effects may be one mechanism by which maternal periconceptional undernutrition alters development of the offspring with implications for adult health.
ORPHANS, CITIES, AND THE STATE: VOCATIONAL ORPHANAGES (ISLAHHANES) AND REFORM IN THE LATE OTTOMAN URBAN SPACE
Authors: Maksudyan Nazan
Published: July 2011

This paper analyzes the large network of Ottoman vocational orphanages (ıslahhanes) opened from the 1860s onward in the provincial centers of the Ottoman Empire as a new educational and disciplinary institution for orphan, destitute, and poor children. I argue thatıslahhanes embodied new conceptualizations of order/disorder, obedience/disobedience, security/danger, and progress/decline in the urban space. In opening these institutions, Ottoman reformers aimed at the beautification and sterilization of urban centers by removing unattended children and youth from the streets and at the rejuvenation of economic activity by turning idle and wandering children into skilled and productive laborers. The establishment of orphanages was not only considered a means to solve a public-order problem but was also represented as a means of reintegration, of reshaping civic responsibility in children who had either lost or never embraced it.Islahhanes were also significant in the more abstract context of “Ottoman reform” and centralization and in the dissemination of Ottomanist ideals. On an imperial level, they were instrumental in linking the center with the provinces and local communities with Ottoman identity.
The influence of water and humidity on the hatching of Nematodirus battus eggs
Authors: van Dijk J. , Morgan E.R.
Published: July 2011

This paper examines the influence of water on the ecology of the eggs of Nematodirus battus, with a view to estimating the importance of including rainfall in mathematical models of parasite abundance. The literature suggests that, under pasture conditions, the availability of moisture is unlikely to be limiting for egg development, while eggs and infective larvae are highly resistant to desiccation. In the presented experiment, eggs that had been kept in salt sludges at 95% and 70% RH and were subsequently put at 15°C produced only a mildly accelerated, but not a mass, hatch, in the first few days after return to water. Eggs kept at higher osmotic pressures died. Mass hatching of infective larvae, described at pasture when spells of rain follow periods of drought, is unlikely to occur as the result of a sudden water influx into eggs. Since water is not necessary for migration of infective larvae from the soil on to grass, such peaks in larval abundance are more likely to arise from the effects of temperature on hatching of eggs.
Isolated right subclavian artery arising from the right pulmonary artery via a right-sided ductus arteriosus with associated pulmonary steal phenomenon
Authors: Miller Stephen G. , Campbell Michael J. , Barker Piers C.A. , Hill Kevin D.
Published: July 2011

We present a patient with DiGeorge syndrome and an isolated right subclavian artery arising from the right pulmonary artery via a right-sided ductus arteriosus. The patient showed a subclavian and pulmonary steal with perfusion of the right arm and right lung via retrograde circulation in the right vertebral artery. The patient underwent successful surgical repair.
New words for old skies: recent forms of cosmological discourse among the aboriginal people of the Argentinian Chaco
Authors: López Alejandro Martín
Published: July 2011

In this paper we discuss the contemporary production of cosmological discourse, especially that concerning celestial space, among the aboriginal Toba and Mocoví communities of the Argentinian Chaco. Cosmology remains essential for Tobas and Mocovís at the present time. However, we shall demonstrate the importance of the emergence of new producers of cosmological discourse related to new actors in the struggle over leadership. We will also take into account the present contexts of discourse—the new interlocutors and communications technologies. Our goal is to understand cosmological terms in the context of the complex relations resulting from the structural subordination of these groups to national society.
The social and ritual context of horizon astronomical observations at Chankillo
Authors: Ghezzi Iván , Ruggles Clive L. N.
Published: July 2011

The authors have shown previously that, as viewed from an evident observing point to the west, and a plausible observing point to the east, the Thirteen Towers of Chankillo formed an artificial ‘toothed’ horizon that spanned the annual rising and setting arcs of the sun and provided a means to identify each day in the seasonal year by observing the position of sunrise or sunset against them. The Thirteen Towers thus constitute a unique solar observation device that is still functioning, and a remarkable example of a native form of landscape timekeeping that preceded similar facilities in imperial Cusco by almost two millennia. Yet the social, political, and ritual contexts in which Chankillo's astronomical alignments operated deserve further exploration. In this paper, we present new archaeoastronomical evidence that not only clarifies some aspects of the solar observation device but suggests a wider range of alignments visible from more publicly accessible parts of the ceremonial complex, and also suggests a possible interest in marking lunar alignments as well as solar ones. We also bring together archaeological evidence to suggest that the society that built Chankillo was differentiated. The Thirteen Towers may have served to regulate the calendar, solar and ritual, while the solar cult centred on them may have lent legitimacy and authority to a rising warrior elite through ceremony in an impressive sacred setting that brought society together while reproducing its growing inequality.
Choquequirao, Topa Inca's Machu Picchu: a royal estate and ceremonial center
Authors: Ziegler Gary R. , Malville J. McKim
Published: July 2011

We provide a history and description of the Inca archaeological complex of Choquequirao, located high on a narrow ridge above the Apurimac River in a remote region of the Vilcabamba of Peru. We suggest that Choquequirao was built as a royal estate during the late 15th century by the Inca ruler, Topa Inca Yupanki, modeled after Machu Picchu. It was built in part by workers imported from Cachapoyas in Northern Peru. The site has alignments with the June and December solstices suggesting a strong solar focus and year-round ceremonial activities. A large truncated hill served as a ceremonial platform or ushnu. The platform was accessed through a double-jamb entranceway, indicating that passage was probably limited to those of high status. We suspect Choquequirao functioned as a ceremonial center. It shares with Machu Picchu the remoteness, ‘other worldliness’, and liminality that are found in many pilgrimage centers of the world. Though Choquequirao, high above the Apurimac River, has a location that is equally as dramatic as Machu Picchu, it lacks the formable geological material required to create imperial-style monumental structures and shaped stone huacas. Choquequirao was occupied during the early colonial years by the Neo-Inca, and was abandoned sometime after the death of the last Inca in 1572. It is a fascinating puzzle that Spanish travelers of the time apparently never reached or described this major Inca complex, which was the most impressive in the Vilcabamba. Somehow, the Inca managed to keep it secret although relatives and others journeyed back and forth to colonial Cusco.
Legacy documentation: using historical resources in a cultural astronomy project
Authors: Munson Gregory E.
Published: July 2011

Legacy documentation, the accumulated historical knowledge about an archaeological site, must be reviewed in order to locate data on the condition of archaeological features and architecture proposed to be related to astronomical observances. This type of documentation can be located in museums, research libraries, colleges or universities, national public institutions and increasingly in digitized collections available on the internet. Locating and using legacy documentation is more than a simple review of literature. It is an integral part of the process of architectural documentation. The method of architectural documentation involves detailed site proveniencing, obtaining summary data for study units, and detailed descriptions of feature conditions (Nordby et al. 2002). Case studies present the impact of legacy documentation when evaluating the original condition of astronomically associated architecture or features.
‘Bridging the gap’ through Australian cultural astronomy
Authors: Hamacher Duane W. , Norris Ray P.
Published: July 2011

For more than 50,000 years, Indigenous Australians have incorporated celestial events into their oral traditions and used the motions of celestial bodies for navigation, time-keeping, food economics, and social structure. In this paper, we explore the ways in which Aboriginal people made careful observations of the sky, measurements of celestial bodies, and incorporated astronomical events into complex oral traditions by searching for written records of time-keeping using celestial bodies, the use of rising and setting stars as indicators of special events, recorded observations of variable stars, the solar cycle, and lunar phases (including ocean tides and eclipses) in oral tradition, as well as astronomical measurements of the equinox, solstice, and cardinal points.
Celebration of seasonally based holidays and festivals in Japan: a study in cultural adaptation
Authors: Renshaw Steven L.
Published: July 2011

The way in which Japan adopted methods and practices related to celebrations of seasonally based holidays and festivals provides an interesting study in how one culture may incorporate and modify the astronomically related practices of another. This article explores this process by looking at: (1) astronomical bases of seasonal celebration in Japan, (2) Japanese values and adaptations of imported icons and practices, (3) changes in celebratory practice due to adoption of ‘Western’ methods, and (4) observation in modern Japan.
Ritual and the cosmos: astronomy and myth in the Athenian Acropolis
Authors: Boutsikas Efrosyni , Hannah Robert
Published: July 2011

The paper deals with the cult of the daughters of the mythical king of Athens, Erechtheus, who lived on the Acropolis. This myth establishes the deceased daughters as goddesses who are owed cult by the Athenians. It further equates them with the Hyades, a prominent star cluster in the constellation of Taurus, which they form after their deaths. We examine here the possibility that this myth not only narrates the placement of the girls after their death in the sky in the form of the Hyades, but also may have bound the constellation to certain festivals held on the Acropolis, which through their aetiological myths were connected to the daughters of Erechtheus and in which the participation of young girls (Arrhephoroi) was important. To explicate this cult, we explore its context on the Acropolis as fully as possible, through the visual arts, the literary myth, the festival calendar, and the natural landscape and night-sky, so as to determine whether the movement of the constellation of the Hyades was indeed visible from the Acropolis during the time when the young maiden cult rites were performed on the hill.
Hippocampal synaptic activity, pattern separation and episodic-like memory: implications for mouse models of Alzheimer's disease pathology
Authors: Palmer Alice , Good Mark
Published: July 2011

The present review summarizes converging evidence from animal and human studies that an early target of amyloid pathology is synaptic activity in the DG (dentate gyrus)/CA3 network. We briefly review the computational significance of the DG/CA3 network in the encoding of episodic memory and present new evidence that the CA3/DG pattern of activation is compromised in a mouse model of amyloid pathology. In addition, we present a new behavioural method to test the prediction that amyloid-related synaptic pathology will disrupt the formation of an integrated episodic-like (what, where and when) memory in mice.
The opposing roles of IL-21 and TGFβ1 in chronic inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: MacDonald Thomas T. , Bell Iona , Monteleone Giovanni
Published: July 2011

There are large numbers of T-cells in the mucosa of the intestine in healthy individuals. The stimulus for their presence is the normal gut microbiota. For unknown reasons, in patients with IBD (inflammatory bowel disease), there is inappropriate and chronic activation of mucosal T-cells which leads to gut damage and severe morbidity. In one form of IBD, namely Crohn's disease, the T-cells are probably responding to the microbiota. T-cell survival in the gut wall is dependent on pro-inflammatory cytokines and antibody-mediated inhibition of one of these cytokines, TNFα (tumour necrosis factor α), has shown efficacy in patients, thus encouraging investigations of other ways to control mucosal T-cell responses. In the present paper, we give a brief review of T-cell immunology in IBD and then discuss how two particular cytokines, namely IL-21 (interleukin 21), which is generally pro-inflammatory and important in gut T-cell survival and in maintaining Th17 cells, and TGFβ1 (transforming growth factor β1), which is generally immunosuppressive, play opposing roles in gut inflammation.
Role of faecal gas analysis for the diagnosis of IBD
Authors: Probert Chris S.J.
Published: July 2011

The diagnosis of IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) is based on the clinical evaluation of symptoms and signs leading to a series of investigations. The investigations used are often unpleasant for patients; they are invasive, costly and potentially dangerous. Patients often report that the odour of flatus, or the gas emitted from faeces, is abnormal during a flare of their IBD. Our group has characterized the VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in the headspace gas emitted from faecal samples from healthy subjects, from patients with infectious diarrhoea and from those with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, both in relapse and remission. Painstaking analysis of gas chromatography–MS data (VOC profiling) has revealed patterns of compounds that are strongly associated with specific infectious diseases and with IBD. These compounds represent a change in the microflora and/or the metabolism of bacteria and/or the epithelium in disease states. These profiles offer a potential for rapid non-invasive assessment of a range of infectious and non-infectious gastrointestinal diseases. The study of VOCs may lead to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of IBD.
Intestinal inflammation and the enterocyte transportome
Authors: Romero-Calvo Isabel , Mascaraque Cristina , Zarzuelo Antonio , Suárez María Dolores , Martínez-Augustin Olga , de Medina Fermín Sánchez
Published: July 2011

Diarrhoea is a hallmark of intestinal inflammation. The mechanisms operating in acute inflammation of the intestine are well characterized and are related to regulatory changes induced by inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandins, cytokines or reactive oxygen species, along with leakage due to epithelial injury and changes in permeability. In chronic colitis, however, the mechanisms are less well known, but it is generally accepted that both secretory and absorptive processes are inhibited. These disturbances in ionic transport may be viewed as an adaptation to protracted inflammation of the intestine, since prolonged intense secretion may be physiologically unacceptable in the long term. Mechanistically, the changes in transport may be due to adjustments in the regulation of the different processes involved, to broader epithelial alterations or frank damage, or to modulation of the transportome in terms of expression. In the present review, we offer a summary of the existing evidence on the status of the transportome in chronic intestinal inflammation.
Peripheral Facial Paralysis and Bilateral Carotid Pseudoaneurysms of Petrous Localization: A Case Report
Authors: Mounayer Charbel , Riva Roberto , Roudaut Pierre-Yves , Patron Vincent , Bessede Jean-Pierre , Aubry Karine , Lerat Justine , Orsel Stéphane
Published: July 2011

Carotid pseudoaneurysms of petrous localization are rare. They are mostly due to trauma, tumoral or infectious diseases, or a result of iatrogenic complications after skull base surgery. Symptoms such as facial paralysis are exceptional and have rarely been described in the literature until now. We report the case of a 64-year-old woman, who developed left peripheral facial paralysis induced by two carotid pseudoaneurysms in their intrapetrous section. The treatment is endovascular, despite the high morbidity rate. She was first put on antiplatelet medications, before the left carotid aneurysm was bypassed thanks to a self-expanding pipeline-type stent with flow diversion. The left peripheral facial paralysis was due to the compression exerted by the left carotid aneurysm, probably a congenital malformation. The progressive palsy recovery was fist due to the aneurysmal thrombosis, then to the secondary fibrosis.
Enlargement of band gap in graphene superlattices by using heterostructures
Authors: Cheng Min
Published: July 2011

We show theoretically that the electronic bandgap in graphene superlattices (SLs) can be substantially enlarged as desired by using multiple heterostructures. These multiple heterostructures consist of different graphene SLs with different one-dimensional (1D) periodic potentials. The constituent SLs have to be properly chosen such that the electronic band gaps of the adjacent SL overlap each other.
Temperature dependent coercivity crossover in pseudo-spin-valve magnetic tunnel junctions with perpendicular anisotropy
Authors: Feng G. , Wu H. C. , Feng J. F. , Coey J. M. D.
Published: July 2011

We report the temperature dependent collapse of tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) in perpendicular anisotropy magnetic tunnel junctions (pMTJs) with AlOx barriers and (Co/Pt)3 multilayer electrodes, due to the coercivity crossover of the top and bottom (Co/Pt)3 stacks. The different temperature dependence of two (Co/Pt)3 stacks in pMTJs is mainly caused by the additional perpendicular anisotropy created at interface between the ferromagnetic electrode and the AlOx barrier.
Optogenetic disruption of sleep continuity impairs memory consolidation
Authors: Rolls Asya , Colas Damien , Adamantidis Antoine , Carter Matt , Lanre-Amos Tope , Heller H. Craig , de Lecea Luis
Published: July 2011

Memory consolidation has been proposed as a function of sleep. However, sleep is a complex phenomenon characterized by several features including duration, intensity, and continuity. Sleep continuity is disrupted in different neurological and psychiatric conditions, many of which are accompanied by memory deficits. This finding has raised the question of whether the continuity of sleep is important for memory consolidation. However, current techniques used in sleep research cannot manipulate a single sleep feature while maintaining the others constant. Here, we introduce the use of optogenetics to investigate the role of sleep continuity in memory consolidation. We optogenetically targeted hypocretin/orexin neurons, which play a key role in arousal processes. We used optogenetics to activate these neurons at different intervals in behaving mice and were able to fragment sleep without affecting its overall amount or intensity. Fragmenting sleep after the learning phase of the novel object recognition (NOR) task significantly decreased the performance of mice on the subsequent day, but memory was unaffected if the average duration of sleep episodes was maintained at 62–73% of normal. These findings demonstrate the use of optogenetic activation of arousal-related nuclei as a way to systematically manipulate a specific feature of sleep. We conclude that regardless of the total amount of sleep or sleep intensity, a minimal unit of uninterrupted sleep is crucial for memory consolidation.
Access to DNA establishes a secondary target site bias for the yeast retrotransposon Ty5
Authors: Baller Joshua A. , Gao Jiquan , Voytas Daniel F.
Published: July 2011

Integration sites for many retrotransposons and retroviruses are determined by interactions between retroelement-encoded integrases and specific DNA-bound proteins. The Saccharomyces retrotransposon Ty5 preferentially integrates into heterochromatin because of interactions between Ty5 integrase and the heterochromatin protein silent information regulator 4. We mapped over 14,000 Ty5 insertions onto the
S. cerevisiae
genome, 76% of which occurred in heterochromatin, which is consistent with the known target site bias of Ty5. Using logistic regression, associations were assessed between Ty5 insertions and various chromosomal features such as genome-wide distributions of nucleosomes and histone modifications. Sites of Ty5 insertion, regardless of whether they occurred in heterochromatin or euchromatin, were strongly associated with DNase hypersensitive, nucleosome-free regions flanking genes. Our data support a model wherein silent information regulator 4 tethers the Ty5 integration machinery to domains of heterochromatin, and then, specific target sites are selected based on DNA access, resulting in a secondary target site bias. For insertions in euchromatin, DNA access is the primary determinant of target site choice. One consequence of the secondary target site bias of Ty5 is that insertions in coding sequences occur infrequently, which may preserve genome integrity.
Erionite exposure in North Dakota and Turkish villages with mesothelioma
Authors: Carbone Michele , Baris Y. Izzettin , Bertino Pietro , Brass Brian , Comertpay Sabahattin , Dogan A. Umran , Gaudino Giovanni , Jube Sandro , Kanodia Shreya , Partridge Charles R. , Pass Harvey I. , Rivera Zeyana S. , Steele Ian , Tuncer Murat , Way Steven , Yang Haining , Miller Aubrey
Published: July 2011

Exposure to erionite, an asbestos-like mineral, causes unprecedented rates of malignant mesothelioma (MM) mortality in some Turkish villages. Erionite deposits are present in at least 12 US states. We investigated whether increased urban development has led to erionite exposure in the United States and after preliminary exploration, focused our studies on Dunn County, North Dakota (ND). In Dunn County, ND, we discovered that over the past three decades, more than 300 miles of roads were surfaced with erionite-containing gravel. To determine potential health implications, we compared erionite from the Turkish villages to that from ND. Our study evaluated airborne point exposure concentrations, examined the physical and chemical properties of erionite, and examined the hallmarks of mesothelial cell transformation in vitro and in vivo. Airborne erionite concentrations measured in ND along roadsides, indoors, and inside vehicles, including school buses, equaled or exceeded concentrations in Boyali, where 6.25% of all deaths are caused by MM. With the exception of outdoor samples along roadsides, ND concentrations were lower than those measured in Turkish villages with MM mortality ranging from 20 to 50%. The physical and chemical properties of erionite from Turkey and ND are very similar and they showed identical biological activities. Considering the known 30- to 60-y latency for MM development, there is reason for concern for increased risk in ND in the future. Our findings indicate that implementation of novel preventive and early detection programs in ND and other erionite-rich areas of the United States, similar to efforts currently being undertaken in Turkey, is warranted.
Facile transfer of [2Fe-2S] clusters from the diabetes drug target mitoNEET to an apo-acceptor protein
Authors: Zuris John A. , Harir Yael , Conlan Andrea R. , Shvartsman Maya , Michaeli Dorit , Tamir Sagi , Paddock Mark L. , Onuchic José N. , Mittler Ron , Cabantchik Zvi Ioav , Jennings Patricia A. , Nechushtai Rachel
Published: July 2011

MitoNEET (mNT) is an outer mitochondrial membrane target of the thiazolidinedione diabetes drugs with a unique fold and a labile [2Fe-2S] cluster. The rare 1-His and 3-Cys coordination of mNT’s [2Fe-2S] leads to cluster lability that is strongly dependent on the presence of the single histidine ligand (His87). These properties of mNT are similar to known [2Fe-2S] shuttle proteins. Here we investigated whether mNT is capable of cluster transfer to acceptor protein(s). Facile [2Fe-2S] cluster transfer is observed between oxidized mNT and apo-ferredoxin (a-Fd) using UV-VIS spectroscopy and native-PAGE, as well as with a mitochondrial iron detection assay in cells. The transfer is unidirectional, proceeds to completion, and occurs with a second-order-reaction rate that is comparable to known iron-sulfur transfer proteins. Mutagenesis of His87 with Cys (H87C) inhibits transfer of the [2Fe-2S] clusters to a-Fd. This inhibition is beyond that expected from increased cluster kinetic stability, as the equivalently stable Lys55 to Glu (K55E) mutation did not inhibit transfer. The H87C mutant also failed to transfer its iron to mitochondria in HEK293 cells. The diabetes drug pioglitazone inhibits iron transfer from WT mNT to mitochondria, indicating that pioglitazone affects a specific property, [2Fe-2S] cluster transfer, in the cellular environment. This finding is interesting in light of the role of iron overload in diabetes. Our findings suggest a likely role for mNT in [2Fe-2S] and/or iron transfer to acceptor proteins and support the idea that pioglitazone’s antidiabetic mode of action may, in part, be to inhibit transfer of mNT’s [2Fe-2S] cluster.
Regulation of cyclic and linear electron flow in higher plants
Authors: Joliot Pierre , Johnson Giles N.
Published: July 2011

Cyclic electron flow is increasingly recognized as being essential in plant growth, generating a pH gradient across thylakoid membrane (ΔpH) that contributes to ATP synthesis and triggers the protective process of nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) under stress conditions. Here, we report experiments demonstrating the importance of that ΔpH in protecting plants from stress and relating to the regulation of cyclic relative to linear flow. In leaves infiltrated with low concentrations of nigericin, which dissipates the ΔpH without significantly affecting the potential gradient, thereby maintaining ATP synthesis, the extent of NPQ was markedly lower, reflecting the lower ΔpH. At the same time, the photosystem (PS) I primary donor P700 was largely reduced in the light, in contrast to control conditions where increasing light progressively oxidized P700, due to down-regulation of the cytochrome bf complex. Illumination of nigericin-infiltrated leaves resulted in photoinhibition of PSII but also, more markedly, of PSI. Plants lacking ferredoxin (Fd) NADP oxidoreductase (FNR) or the polypeptide proton gradient regulation 5 (PGR5) also show reduction of P700 in the light and increased sensitivity to PSI photoinhibition, demonstrating that the regulation of the cytochrome bf complex (cyt bf) is essential for protection of PSI from light stress. The formation of a ΔpH is concluded to be essential to that regulation, with cyclic electron flow playing a vital, previously poorly appreciated role in this protective process. Examination of cyclic electron flow in plants with a reduced content of FNR shows that these antisense plants are less able to maintain a steady rate of this pathway. This reduction is suggested to reflect a change in the distribution of FNR from cyclic to linear flow, likely reflecting the formation or disassembly of FNR–cytochrome bf complex.
Binding ofPlasmodiummerozoite proteins RON2 and AMA1 triggers commitment to invasion
Authors: Srinivasan Prakash , Beatty Wandy L. , Diouf Ababacar , Herrera Raul , Ambroggio Xavier , Moch J. Kathleen , Tyler Jessica S. , Narum David L. , Pierce Susan K. , Boothroyd John C. , Haynes J. David , Miller Louis H.
Published: July 2011

The commitment ofPlasmodiummerozoites to invade red blood cells (RBCs) is marked by the formation of a junction between the merozoite and the RBC and the coordinated induction of the parasitophorous vacuole. Despite its importance, the molecular events underlying the parasite’s commitment to invasion are not well understood. Here we show that the interaction of two parasite proteins, RON2 and AMA1, known to be critical for invasion, is essential to trigger junction formation. Using antibodies (Abs) that bind near the hydrophobic pocket of AMA1 and AMA1 mutated in the pocket, we identified RON2’s binding site on AMA1. Abs specific for the AMA1 pocket blocked junction formation and the induction of the parasitophorous vacuole. We also identified the critical residues in the RON2 peptide (previously shown to bind AMA1) that are required for binding to the AMA1 pocket, namely, two conserved, disulfide-linked cysteines. The RON2 peptide blocked junction formation but, unlike the AMA1-specific Ab, did not block formation of the parasitophorous vacuole, indicating that formation of the junction and parasitophorous vacuole are molecularly distinct steps in the invasion process. Collectively, these results identify the binding of RON2 to the hydrophobic pocket of AMA1 as the step that commitsPlasmodiummerozoites to RBC invasion and point to RON2 as a potential vaccine candidate.
Cultural differences in athlete attributions for success and failure: The sports pages revisited†
Authors: Aldridge Lynley J. , Islam Mir Rabiul
Published: July 2011

Self‐serving biases in attribution, while found with relative consistency in research with Western samples, have rarely been found in Japanese samples typically recruited for research. However, research conducted with Japanese participants to date has tended to use forced‐choice and/or reactive paradigms, with school or university students, focusing mainly on academic performance or arbitrary and/or researcher‐selected tasks. This archival study explored whether self‐serving attributional biases would be shown in the real‐life attributions for sporting performance made by elite Olympic athletes from Japan and Australia. Attributions (N = 216) were extracted from the sports pages of Japanese and Australian newspapers and rated by Australian judges for locus and controllability. It was hypothesized that Australian, but not Japanese, athletes would show self‐serving biases such that they attributed wins to causes more internal and controllable than the causes to which they attributed losses. Contrary to predictions, self‐serving biases were shown to at least some extent by athletes of both nationalities. Both Australian and Japanese men attributed wins to causes more internal than those to which they attributed losses. Women, however, attributed wins and losses to causes that did not differ significantly in terms of locus. All athletes tended to attribute wins to causes that were more controllable than the causes to which losses were attributed. Results are inconsistent with a large body of research suggesting that Japanese do not show self‐serving biases in attribution, and are discussed in the light of differences in methodology, context, and participants that may have contributed to these effects.
Motivation and social contexts: A crossnational pilot study of achievement, power, and affiliation motives
Authors: Xu Xiaoyan , Xu Yangang , Mellor David , Duan Liqiong
Published: July 2011

Previous research suggests that there is a relationship between social contexts (e.g., economic growth, engagement in wars) and motives within populations. In particular, high achievement motive is associated with subsequent economic growth, which in turn increases power motive. Increased national achievement and power motives have been argued to precede social changes that lead to decreased affiliation motives, and engagement in wars. The present study aimed to examine differences in achievement, power, and affiliation motives between 266 college students in China (a nation with sustained high economic growth) and 255 college students in the USA (a nation with previously strong but now slowing economic growth, and engaged in war). Analysis of personal strivings suggested that Chinese college students showed significantly higher levels of achievement motive than the American college students, but American college students showed significantly higher levels of affiliation motive than Chinese college students. Overall, males exhibited higher achievement motivation than females. No significant interaction effects were found for gender by location for any of the three motives. The findings are discussed in relation to previous research.
The effects of functional group counseling on inspiring low‐achieving students’ self‐worth and self‐efficacy in Taiwan
Authors: Hong Zuway‐R. , Lin Huann‐shyang , Wang Hsin‐Hui , Chen Hsiang‐Ting , Yu Tien‐chi
Published: July 2011

In this study, we investigated the effects of functional group counseling on inspiring low achievers’ self‐worth and self‐efficacy in Taiwan. Forty‐three 10th grade low‐achieving students volunteered as the Experimental Group to join a 24‐week intervention, which integrated and utilized functional group counseling; another 51 10th grade low‐achieving students volunteered to be Comparison Group I. In addition, 43 10th grade moderate or high academic achieving students volunteered to be Comparison Group II. All participants completed the Vocational School Student Questionnaire at the beginning and end of this study to measure their self‐worth and self‐efficacy. In addition, six target students (two boys and four girls) with the lowest total scores on self‐worth or self‐efficacy in the pretest were selected from the Experimental Group to be interviewed at the end of the intervention and observed weekly. Analyses of variance, analyses of covariance, and paired t‐tests assessed the similarity and differences among groups. The initial findings were as follows: Experimental group students had significantly higher scores on self‐efficacy and self‐worth than both Comparison Group I and Group II students and functional group counseling was shown to significantly affect the low‐achieving students. Qualitative results from interviews and observations were used for triangulation and consolidation of quantitative results. Implications of the study included the recommended use of functional group counseling with low‐achieving students.
Measuring shortness of breath in heart failure (SOB‐HF): development and validation of a new dyspnoea assessment tool
Authors: Ekman Inger , Granger Bradi , Swedberg Karl , Stenlund Hans , Boman Kurt
Published: July 2011

Aim

To validate a previously developed instrument for measurement of breathlessness in patients with acute heart failure (HF).

Methods and results

We tested descriptors of breathlessness among 190 patients seeking care at the emergency department (ED) for acute shortness of breath. Out of 115 patients with confirmed HF, 107 (94%) had dyspnoea as their main symptom. There were no significant differences between those patients with HF and those who were not diagnosed as heart failure (NHF) (n = 75) in the descriptors of breathlessness, although patients with HF scored significantly (P = 0.03) higher on a visual analogue scale (VAS). In addition, they had significantly (P = 0.03) higher breathing frequency than NHF patients and they were significantly (P < 0.001) more likely to be treated with >40 mg furosemide.

Conclusion

Assessment of acute dyspnoea using a VAS is useful in distinguishing HF from NHF, and may be a more valid approach as compared with using descriptors of intensity of breathlessness in the acute setting.
Sevoflurane Reduces Leukocyte and Platelet Adhesion after Ischemia-Reperfusion by Protecting the Endothelial Glycocalyx
Authors: Chappell Daniel , Heindl Bernhard , Jacob Matthias , Annecke Thorsten , Chen Congcong , Rehm Markus , Conzen Peter , Becker Bernhard F.
Published: July 2011

Background

Adhesion of polymorphonuclear neutrophils and platelets to the vessel wall contributes to generating ischemia-reperfusion injury. Endothelial adhesion molecules are harbored within the glycocalyx, which covers every healthy vascular endothelium but is deteriorated by ischemia-reperfusion. Pretreating the heart with volatile anesthetics reduces myocardial infarct size and protects against ischemia-reperfusion injury. The authors analyzed a possible protective effect of sevoflurane on the glycocalyx and implications for postischemic cell adhesion.

Methods

Isolated guinea pig hearts were perfused with crystalloid buffer and subjected to 20 min of global warm ischemia and 10 min of reperfusion. An intracoronary bolus of 3 x 10(6) polymorphonuclear neutrophilic leukocytes or 1 x 10(9) platelets of human origin was applied after reperfusion, either with or without pretreating with 0.5 or 1 minimal alveolar concentration sevoflurane. The number of sequestered cells was calculated from the difference between coronary input and output. Coronary effluent was collected throughout reperfusion to measure shedding of the glycocalyx.

Results

Ischemia-reperfusion induced a significant increase in median (interquartile range) adhesion versus control nonischemic hearts of both leukocytes (38.9 (36.3-42.9) vs. 14.5 (13.1-16.0)%) and platelets (25.0 (22.5-27.1) vs. 9.4 (8.4-10.7)%). Shedding was evidenced by eightfold increases in washout of syndecan-1 and heparan sulfate versus basal. Sevoflurane reduced cell adhesion to near basal at 1 minimal alveolar concentration (leukocytes: 21.2% (19.2-23.9%), platelets: 11.5% (10.4-12.0%). Shedding measurements and electron microscopy demonstrated that sevoflurane-treated hearts retained much of their 200 nm-thick glycocalyx.

Conclusions

Sevoflurane reduces glycocalyx shedding in the postischemic coronary bed, maintaining the natural cover for endothelial adhesion molecules and, thus, reducing cell adhesion. This may explain beneficial outcomes linked to clinical use of volatile anesthetics after ischemia-reperfusion.
French Mothers’ Milk Deficient in DHA Contains Phospholipid Species of Potential Interest for Infant Development
Authors: Garcia Cyrielle , Millet Véronique , Coste Thierry Charles , Mimoun Myriam , Ridet Audrey , Antona Claudine , Simeoni Umberto , Armand Martine
Published: July 2011

Objectives:

An insufficient human milk docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) level was reported worldwide, which leads to the question of the sufficiency of the DHA supply for infant development in the French Mediterranean area. Also, among milk lipids, phospholipids may be of high potential interest for infant brain development, being a specific vector of DHA and providing plasmalogens. We aimed to estimate the consumption of such milk compounds by preterm and term infants.

Materials and Methods:

Milk samples from 22 lactating French women living in a port city, Marseille, were collected in a neonatology department from a single full‐breast expression using an electric pump. Amounts of triglycerides, total phospholipids and plasmalogens, and fatty acid profile were determined by gas chromatography, and cholesterol by enzymatic assay.

Results:

Depending on the infant dietary guidelines we referred to, 46% or 82% of milk samples were below the recommended DHA level (0.4% or 0.7%), and a majority exhibited high linoleic acid/α‐linolenic acid and n‐6/n‐3 ratios, probably resulting from high linoleic acid together with low fish and seafood products consumption. DHA carried by phospholipids in a majority of specimens met the requirements for brain development for term but not for premature infants. Milk plasmalogen levels ranged from 3.4 to 39.2 mg/L.

Conclusions:

Our results support the recommendation of DHA supplementation to French mothers living in a Mediterranean port city, and of decreased linoleic acid intake, to reach optimal milk composition for infant health. DHA‐containing phospholipids including plasmalogen species may represent important bioactive human milk compounds.
Epidemiology of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Braegger Christian P. , Ballabeni Pierluigi , Rogler Daniela , Vavricka Stephan R. , Friedt Michael , Pittet Valérie ,   Swiss IBD Cohort Study Group
Published: July 2011

Objectives:

Increasing numbers of paediatric and adolescent patients with Crohn disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are reported. To determine whether this observation is a consequence of a shift towards onset at a younger age, we analysed retrospective data from patients enrolled in the Swiss IBD Cohort Study (SIBDCS).

Patients and Methods:

The SIBDCS is a disease‐based cohort in Switzerland, which collects retrospective and prospective data on a large sample of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Patients, diagnosed from 1980, were stratified according to diagnosis of CD and UC. Age at disease onset (age at first symptoms and age at diagnosis) was analysed in relation to calendar year of disease onset. Data were extracted from physician and patient questionnaires. Linear regressions of age at disease onset by calendar year of disease onset adjusted by sex, country of birth, and education were performed.

Results:

Adjusted regression coefficients for CD and UC were significantly positive, that is, age at disease onset has increased with time. Male sex was associated with an increase in age at disease onset, and birth in Switzerland with a decrease. These associations were statistically significant.

Conclusions:

The results from the SIBDCS do not support the hypothesis that disease onset of both CD and UC occur today at a younger age. On the contrary, our results show that there is a significant trend for age at disease onset occurring at an older age today as compared with recent decades. We conclude that the observation of increasing numbers of paediatric and adolescent patients with IBD is not caused by a trend towards disease onset at a younger age, but that this may rather be a consequence of the overall increasing incidence of these conditions.
Ultrasonographic Quantitative Estimation of Hepatic Steatosis in Children With NAFLD
Authors: Shannon Angela , Alkhouri Naim , Carter‐Kent Christine , Monti Lidia , Devito Rita , Lopez Rocio , Feldstein Ariel E. , Nobili Valerio
Published: July 2011

Background and Aims:

The diagnostic accuracy of hepatic ultrasonography (US) for detection and grading of hepatic steatosis in children with suspected nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains poorly characterized. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the clinical utility of ultrasonographic quantification of hepatic steatosis.

Patients and Methods:

Our cohort consisted of 208 consecutive pediatric patients with biopsy‐proven NAFLD. Hepatic US was performed within 1 month of the liver biopsy procedure. Steatosis identified by US was scored using a 0 to 3 scale based on echogenicity and visualization of vasculature, parenchyma, and diaphragm, and compared to histological features based on Brunt's classification.

Results:

The median age at time of first visit was 10.8 years and 64% were boys. Sixty‐nine percent had moderate to severe steatosis on histology. Ultrasonographic steatosis score (USS) had an excellent correlation with histological grade of steatosis (with a Spearman's coefficient of 0.80). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for ultrasonographic detection of moderate‐to‐severe steatosis was 0.87. The USS did not correlate significantly with inflammatory activity or fibrosis stage; however, there was significant correlation with the NAFLD activity score (NAS), albeit this was in large part the result of the strong correlation with the steatosis component of NAS. Serum alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase were not associated with histological grade of steatosis and showed no correlation with USS.

Conclusions:

Our results, which represent the largest prospective pediatric study evaluating the role of hepatic US in children with biopsy‐proven NAFLD, demonstrate the utility of this technique for noninvasive diagnosis and estimation of hepatic steatosis in children.
Cronobacter
condimenti sp. nov., isolated from spiced meat, and Cronobacter
universalis sp. nov., a species designation for

Cronobacter

sp. genomospecies 1, recovered from a leg infection, water and food ingredients
Authors: Joseph Susan , Cetinkaya Esin , Drahovska Hana , Levican Arturo , Figueras Maria J. , Forsythe Stephen J.
Published: July 2011

A re-evaluation of the taxonomic position of five strains, one assigned to

Cronobacter sakazakii

(strain 1330T, isolated from spiced meat purchased in Slovakia), two previously assigned to

Cronobacter

genomospecies 1 (strains NCTC 9529T and 731, isolated from water and a leg infection, respectively) and two previously assigned to

Cronobacter turicensis

(strains 96 and 1435, isolated from onion powder and rye flour, respectively) was carried out. The analysis included phenotypic characterization, 16S rRNA gene sequencing and multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) of seven housekeeping genes (atpD, fusA, glnS, gltB, gyrB, infB, ppsA; 3036 bp). 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and MLSA showed that strain 1330T formed an independent phylogenetic lineage in the MLSA, with

Cronobacter dublinensis

LMG 23823T as the closest neighbour. DNA–DNA reassociation and phenotypic analysis revealed that strain 1330T represented a novel species, for which the name Cronobacter condimenti sp. nov. is proposed (type strain 1330T = CECT 7863T = LMG 26250T). Strains NCTC 9529T, 731, 96 and 1435 clustered together within an independent phylogenetic lineage, with

C. turicensis

LMG 23827T as the closest neighbour in the MLSA. DNA–DNA reassociation and phenotypic analysis confirmed that these strains represent a novel species, for which the name Cronobacter universalis sp. nov. is proposed (type strain NCTC 9529T = CECT 7864T = LMG 26249T).