bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantum theory from quantum information: the purification route
Authors: Chiribella Giulio , Yuan Xiao
Published: January 2013

Quantum information provided a new angle on the foundations of quantum mechanics, where the emphasis is placed on operational tasks pertaining to information-processing and computation. In this spirit, several authors have proposed that the mathematical structure of quantum theory could (and should) be rebuilt from purely information-theoretic principles. Here we review the particular route proposed by D'Ariano, Perinotti, and one of the authors (Chiribella et al. Phys. Rev. A, 84, 012311 (2011)), with the purpose of giving a synopsis of the informational principles therein, along with a translation of those principles into the mathematical language of standard quantum theory.
Impact ionization threshold energy of trigonal selenium: An ab initio study
Authors: Darbandi A. , Rubel O.
Published: January 2013

Impact ionization coefficient is a critical parameter that determines the multiplication gain in avalanche photodiodes. The impact ionization coefficient is closely related to the ionization threshold, Eth, which is determined by the band dispersion of the semiconducting material used in detectors. The ionization threshold energy is commonly calculated based on a parabolic band assumption, which provides only a crude approximation. Here we present a first principle study of the ionization threshold energy through an analysis of the electronic structure of trigonal selenium. It is shown that the excess energy of primary charge carriers required to initiate the impact ionization in trigonal selenium can be as low as the band gap, Eg, which is a sharp contrast to the parabolic band approximation that implies Eth = 3/2Eg. Such a low Eth value is a favourable factor for impact ionization.
MODELING AND SIMULATION OF AUTOMOBILE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM BASED ON SIMULINK
Authors: WANG XIAOKAN , WANG QIONG
Published: January 2013

This article establishes the mathematical model of automobile anti-lock braking system (ABS) in the Simulink environment and tracks the research and simulation of the ABS established mathematical model, which is based on the control module with the PID controller. From the simulation curve, we can verify automobile ABS with good braking performance and direction maneuverability.
NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION OF PUMP-TURBINES WITH DIFFERENT BLADES AT PUMP CONDITIONS
Authors: LI WEI , PAN ZHONGYONG , SHI WEIDONG
Published: January 2013

The undesirable performance of a positive slope curve usually appears for pump-turbines running as pumps at a low flow rate. The inner flow feature of pump-turbines with 6- and 7-blades runner is studied by both steady and unsteady simulations at pump conditions. According to the steady simulation investigation, obviously back flow vortex is found in the runner passage at the low flow rate zone where the positive slope curve forms. The flow rate at which the instable flow pattern happens of 6-blades runner is smaller than that of 7-blades one. By the unsteady simulation, at the low flow rate zone similar to the steady calculations and the tested data, a rotating stall with four rotating cells can be viewed by significant dynamic post-processing, whose rotation speed is much slower than that of the runner. Therefore, the back flow vortex of steady simulation and rotating stall of unsteady simulation can be used to investigate the runner quality at design stage.
A SYSTEMATIC GAIT-PLANNING FRAMEWORK NEGOTIATING BIOMECHANICALLY MOTIVATED CHARACTERISTICS OF A PLANAR BIPEDAL ROBOT
Authors: ALGHOONEH MANSOOR , WU QIONG
Published: January 2013

Natural human walking possesses three characteristics: (i) gait repeatability, (ii) postural balance, and (iii) highly regulated centroidal angular momentum (CAM). In this paper, a systematic gait-planning framework is presented for the gait planning of a five-link bipedal robot, negotiating those three characteristics. The framework employs a set of task-space variables and a set of gait parameters. Five kinematic and dynamic objective functions are selected, corresponding to the biped's five degrees of freedom (DOFs), incorporating three characteristics. Fusing the equations of five objective functions together, two ordinary differential equations called the framework equations are derived. Assigning desired values to the gait parameters, the framework equations are integrated across the gait cycle, rendering the motion profiles of the task-space variables. A set of simulation results shows that the framework presents gait that successfully negotiates three characteristics. A parametric analysis is then carried out to study the effect of changing the gait parameters on the joint angular displacements and velocities, the postural balance, and the regulation of CAM of the bipedal robot.
Increased biological response to 1,25(OH)2D3in genetic hypercalciuric stone-forming rats
Authors: Frick Kevin K. , Asplin John R. , Favus Murray J. , Culbertson Christopher , Krieger Nancy S. , Bushinsky David A.
Published: January 2013

Genetic hypercalciuric stone-forming (GHS) rats, bred to maximize urine (U) calcium (Ca) excretion, have increased intestinal Ca absorption and bone Ca resorption and reduced renal Ca reabsorption, leading to increased UCa compared with the Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. GHS rats have increased vitamin D receptors (VDR) at each of these sites, with normal levels of 1,25(OH)2D3(1,25D), indicating that their VDR is undersaturated with 1,25D. We tested the hypothesis that 1,25D would induce a greater increase in UCa in GHS rats by feeding both strains ample Ca and injecting 1,25D (25 ng · 100 g body wt−1· day−1) or vehicle for 16 days. With 1,25D, UCa in SD increased from 1.7 ± 0.3 mg/day to 24.4 ± 1.2 (Δ = 22.4 ± 1.5) and increased more in GHS from 10.5 ± 0.7 to 41.9 ± 0.7 (Δ = 29.8 ± 1.8; P = 0.003). To determine the mechanism of the greater increase in UCa in GHS rats, we measured kidney RNA expression of components of renal Ca transport. Expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV)5 and calbindin D28Kwere increased similarly in SD + 1,25D and GHS + 1,25D. The Na+/Ca2+exchanger (NCX1) was increased in GHS + 1,25D. Klotho was decreased in SD + 1,25D and GHS + 1,25D. TRPV6 was increased in SD + 1,25D and increased further in GHS + 1,25D. Claudin 14, 16, and 19, Na/K/2Cl transporter (NKCC2), and secretory K channel (ROMK) did not differ between SD + 1,25D and GHS + 1,25D. Increased UCa with 1,25D in GHS exceeded that of SD, indicating that the increased VDR in GHS induces a greater biological response. This increase in UCa, which must come from the intestine and/or bone, must exceed any effect of 1,25D on TRPV6 or NCX1-mediated renal Ca reabsorption.
Responses to pulsatile subretinal electric stimulation: effects of amplitude and duration
Authors: Lee Seung Woo , Eddington Donald K. , Fried Shelley I.
Published: January 2013

In working to improve the quality of visual percepts elicited by retinal prosthetics, considerable effort has been made to understand how retinal neurons respond to electric stimulation. Whereas responses arising from direct activation of retinal ganglion cells have been well studied, responses arising through indirect activation (e.g., secondary to activation of bipolar cells) are not as well understood. Here, we used cell-attached, patch-clamp recordings to measure the responses of rabbit ganglion cells in vitro to a wide range of stimulus-pulse parameters (amplitudes: 0–100 μA; durations: 0.1–50 ms), applied to a 400-μm-diameter, subretinal-stimulating electrode. The indirect responses generally consisted of multiple action potentials that were clustered into bursts, although the latency and number of spikes within a burst were highly variable. When different parameter pairs representing identical charge levels were compared, the shortest pulse durations generally elicited the most spikes. In addition, latencies were shortest, and jitter was lowest for short pulses. These findings suggest that short pulses are optimum for activation of presynaptic neurons, and therefore, short pulses are more effective for both direct as well as indirect activation.
Multimodal Elucidation of Choline Metabolism in a Murine Glioma Model Using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and 11C-Choline Positron Emission Tomography
Authors: Wehrl Hans F. , Schwab Julian , Hasenbach Kathy , Reischl Gerald , Tabatabai Ghazaleh , Quintanilla-Martinez Leticia , Jiru Filip , Chughtai Kamila , Kiss Andras , Cay Funda , Bukala Daniel , Heeren Ron M.A. , Pichler Bernd J. , Sauter Alexander W.
Published: January 2013

The metabolites, transporters, and enzymes involved in choline metabolism are regarded as biomarkers for disease progression in a variety of cancers, but their in vivo detection is not ideal. Both magnetic resonance spectroscopy [MRS using chemical shift imaging (CSI) total choline (tCho)] and 11C-choline positron emission tomography (PET) can probe this pathway, but they have not been compared side by side. In this study, we used the spontaneous murine astrocytoma model SMA560 injected intracranially into syngeneic VM/Dk mice, analyzing animals at various postimplantation time points using dynamic microPET imaging and CSI MRS. We observed an increase in tumor volume and 11C-choline uptake between days 5 and 18. Similarly, tCho levels decreased at days 5 to 18. We found a negative correlation between the tCho and PET results in the tumor and a positive correlation between the tCho tumor-to-brain ratio and choline uptake in the tumor. PCR results confirmed expected increases in expression levels for most of the transporters and enzymes. Using MRS quantification, a good agreement was found between CSI and 11C-choline PET data, whereas a negative correlation occurred when CSI was not referenced. Thus, 11C-choline PET and MRS methods seemed to be complementary in strengths. While advancing tumor proliferation caused an increasing 11C-choline uptake, gliosis and inflammation potentially accounted for a high peritumoral tCho signal in CSI, as supported by histology and secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging. Our findings provide definitive evidence of the use of MRS, CSI, and PET for imaging tumors in vivo. Cancer Res; 73(5); 1470–80. ©2012 AACR.
Heterogeneity of Neoplastic Stem Cells: Theoretical, Functional, and Clinical Implications
Authors: Valent Peter , Bonnet Dominique , Wöhrer Stefan , Andreeff Michael , Copland Mhairi , Chomienne Christine , Eaves Connie
Published: January 2013

Accumulating evidence suggests that human cancers develop through a step-wise, but nonlinear process of cellular diversification and evolution. Recent mutational analyses indicate that this process is more complex and diverse than anticipated before whole-genome sequencing methods were readily available. Examples are also emerging now of genetically abnormal clones of cells that have acquired mutations with known oncogenic potential but, nevertheless, may show no manifestations of malignant change for many years. To accommodate these diverse realities, we suggest the term neoplastic refer to clones of cells that have any type of somatic aberrancy associated with an increased propensity to become malignant, and the derivative term neoplastic stem cell be adopted to identify the cells responsible for the long-term maintenance of such clones. Neoplastic clones would thus include those that never evolve further, as well as those that eventually give rise to fully malignant populations, and all stages in between. The term cancer stem cells would then be more appropriately restricted to cells generating subclones that have established malignant properties. More precise molecular understanding of the different stem cell states thus distinguished should contribute to the development of more effective prognostic and therapeutic tools for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Cancer Res; 73(3); 1037–45. ©2012 AACR.
Neurotransmitter Substance P Mediates Pancreatic Cancer Perineural Invasion via NK-1R in Cancer Cells
Authors: Li Xuqi , Ma Guodong , Ma Qingyong , Li Wei , Liu Jiangbo , Han Liang , Duan Wanxing , Xu Qinhong , Liu Han , Wang Zheng , Sun Qing , Wang Fengfei , Wu Erxi
Published: January 2013

Pancreatic cancer significantly affects the quality of life due to the severe abdominal pain. However, the underlying mechanism is not clear. This study aimed to determine the relationship between Substance P (SP) and pancreatic cancer perineural invasion (PNI) as well as the mechanism of SP mediating pancreatic cancer PNI, which causes pain in patients with pancreatic cancer. Human pancreatic cancer cells and newborn dorsal root ganglions (DRG) were used to determine the expression of SP or NK-1R in pancreatic cancer cells and DRGs cells by QT-PCR and Western blotting. The effects of SP on pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and invasion were analyzed using MTT assay and Transwell Matrigel invasion assay, respectively. Alterations in the neurotropism of pancreatic cancer cells were assessed by coculture system, which mimics the interaction of tumor/neuron in vivo. SP is not only widely distributed in the neurite outgrowth from newborn DRGs but also expressed in MIA PaCa-2 and BxPC-3 cells. NK-1R is found to be overexpressed in the pancreatic cancer cell lines examined. SP induces cancer cell proliferation and invasion as well as the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 in pancreatic cancer cells, and NK-1R antagonists inhibit these effects. Furthermore, SP promotes neurite outgrowth and the migration of pancreatic cancer cell cluster to the DRGs, which is blocked by NK-1R antagonists in the coculture model. Our results suggest that SP plays an important role in the development of pancreatic cancer metastasis and PNI, and blocking the SP/NK-1R signaling system is a novel strategy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Mol Cancer Res; 11(3); 294–302. ©2012 AACR.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus-induced thrombo-inflammatory response is reduced with timely antibiotic administration
Authors: de Abreu Adriana Vieira , Holloway Jeffrey T. , Marvin James E. , Kraemer Bjoern F. , Zimmerman Guy A. , Weyrich Andrew S. , Franks Zechariah , Campbell Robert A. , Rondina Matthew T.
Published: January 2013

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) induces a prothrombotic and pro-inflammatory milieu. Although timely antibiotic administration in MRSA sepsis may improve outcomes by arresting bacterial growth, the effects of antibiotics on mitigating injurious thrombo-inflammatory cellular responses remains unexplored. Using a newly developed human whole blood model and an in vivo mouse model of MRSA infection, we examined how antibiotics inhibit MRSA induced thrombo-inflammatory pathways. Human whole blood was inoculated with MRSA. Thrombin generation and inflammatory cytokine synthesis was measured in the presence or absence of linezolid and vancomycin. C57BL/6 mice were injected with MRSA and the effect of vancomycin administration was examined. MRSA accelerated thrombin generation in a time- and concentration-dependent manner and induced the release of cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1. The increase in thrombin generation and inflammatory responses was mediated through the synthesis of tissue factor and cytokines, respectively, and the release of microparticles. The early administration of antibiotics restored normal thrombin generation patterns and significantly reduced the synthesis of cytokines. In contrast, when antibiotic administration was delayed, thrombin generation and cytokine synthesis were not significantly reduced. In mice infected with MRSA, early antibiotic administration reduced thrombin anti-thrombin complexes and cytokine synthesis, whereas delayed antibiotic administration did not. These data provide novel mechanistic evidence of the importance of prompt antibiotic administration in infectious syndromes.
Selective In Vivo Visualization of Immune-Cell Infiltration in a Mouse Model of Autoimmune Myocarditis by Fluorine-19 Cardiac Magnetic Resonance
Authors: van Heeswijk Ruud B. , De Blois Jonathan , Kania Gabriela , Gonzales Christine , Blyszczuk Przemyslaw , Stuber Matthias , Eriksson Urs , Schwitter Juerg
Published: January 2013

Background—

The goal of this study was to characterize the performance of fluorine-19 (
19
F) cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) for the specific detection of inflammatory cells in a mouse model of myocarditis. Intravenously administered perfluorocarbons are taken up by infiltrating inflammatory cells and can be detected by
19
F-CMR.
19
F-labeled cells should, therefore, generate an exclusive signal at the inflamed regions within the myocardium.

Methods and Results—

Experimental autoimmune myocarditis was induced in BALB/c mice. After intravenous injection of 2×200 µL of a perfluorocarbon on day 19 and 20 (n=9) after immunization, in vivo
19
F-CMR was performed at the peak of myocardial inflammation (day 21). In 5 additional animals, perfluorocarbon combined with FITC (fluorescein isothiocyanate) was administered for postmortem immunofluorescence and flow-cytometry analyses. Control experiments were performed in 9 animals. In vivo
19
F-CMR detected myocardial inflammation in all experimental autoimmune myocarditis-positive animals. Its resolution was sufficient to identify even small inflammatory foci, that is, at the surface of the right ventricle. Postmortem immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry confirmed the presence of perfluorocarbon in macrophages, dendritic cells, and granulocytes, but not in lymphocytes. The myocardial volume of elevated
19
F signal (
r
s
=0.96;
P
<0.001), the
19
F signal-to-noise ratio (
r
s
=0.92;
P
<0.001), and the
19
F signal integral (
r
s
=0.96;
P
<0.001) at day 21 correlated with the histological myocarditis severity score.

Conclusions—

In vivo
19
F-CMR was successfully used to visualize the inflammation specifically and robustly in experimental autoimmune myocarditis, and thus allowed for an unprecedented insight into the involvement of inflammatory cells in the disease process.
Interpretation of Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction in Children With Cardiomyopathy by Echocardiography
Authors: Dragulescu Andreea , Mertens Luc , Friedberg Mark K.
Published: January 2013

Background—

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (DD) is a key determinant of outcomes in pediatric cardiomyopathy (CM), but remains very challenging to diagnose and classify. Adult paradigms and guidelines relating to DD are currently applied in children. However, it is unknown whether these are applicable to children with CM. We investigated the assessment of DD in children with CM using adult and pediatric echocardiographic criteria and tested whether recent adult guidelines are applicable to this population.

Methods and Results—

Three investigators independently classified diastolic function in 4 study groups: controls, dilated, hypertrophic, and restrictive CM. Agreement among investigators, failure to classify DD, and the reasons for diagnostic failure were determined. The usefulness of individual echo parameters to diagnose and classify DD was assessed. One hundred seventy-five children (aged 0–18 years) were studied. DD diagnostic criteria were discrepant in the majority of patients. Delayed relaxation was diagnosed in only 14% of hypertrophic CM patients and never in dilated CM and restrictive CM, with 50% of those patients having coexisting findings of elevated filling pressures. Many key parameters, such as mitral and pulmonary venous Doppler, were not informative. Agreement among investigators for grading of DD was poor (36% of CM patients).

Conclusions—

Assessment of DD in childhood CM seems inadequate using current guidelines. The large range of normal pediatric reference values allows diagnosis of DD in only a small proportion of patients. Key echo parameters to assess DF are not sufficiently discriminatory in this population, and discrepancies between criteria within individuals prevent further classification and result in poor interobserver agreement.
Stepwise Screening of Atrial Fibrillation in a 75-Year-Old Population
Authors: Engdahl Johan , Andersson Lisbeth , Mirskaya Maria , Rosenqvist Mårten
Published: January 2013

Background—

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a frequent source of cardiac emboli in patients with ischemic stroke. AF may be asymptomatic and therefore undiagnosed. Screening for silent AF seems suitable in risk populations, however little is known on the yield and cost-effectiveness of such screening.

Methods and Results—

All inhabitants in the municipality of Halmstad, Sweden aged 75 to 76 years were invited to a stepwise screening program for AF. As a first step, participants recorded a 12-lead ECG and reported their relevant medical history. Those with sinus rhythm on 12-lead ECG, no history of AF, and ≥2 risk factors according to CHADS
2
were invited to a 2-week recording period using a hand-held ECG and asked to record 20 or 30 seconds twice daily and if palpitations occurred. One thousand, three hundred thirty inhabitants were invited, of whom 848 (64%) participated. Previously undiagnosed silent AF was found in 10 (1%) among 848 individuals who recorded 12-lead ECG. Among 81 patients with known AF, 35 (43%) were not on oral anticoagulation treatment. Among 403 persons with ≥2 risk factors for stroke, who completed the hand-held ECG event recording, 30 (7.4%) were diagnosed with paroxysmal AF. Thus 75/848 (9%) of the screened population were candidates for new oral anticoagulation treatment, of those 57 actually started oral anticoagulation treatment.

Conclusions—

Stepwise risk factor–stratified AF screening in a 75-year-old population yields a large share of candidates for oral anticoagulation treatment on AF indication.
Composition and structure of a snake assemblage in an altered tropical forest-plantation mosaic in Bangladesh
Authors: Rahman Shahriar Caesar , Rashid S.M.A. , Das Kanai , Luiselli Luca
Published: January 2013

Despite the growing trends in quantitative field studies on tropical snake assemblages around the world, Asian tropical snake assemblages have remained less profoundly studied. A snake assemblage in an altered tropical forest-plantation mosaic in Bangladesh was studied for six months. Data were collected on the species composition and their relative frequency of occurrence. On the basis of these data, some major patterns highlighted by earlier studies on tropical snake ecology were tested. More specifically, we tested, the existence of: (1) non-random habitat niche partitioning, (2) the energetic equivalence rule, and (3) different mean body sizes among snake guilds, with distinctly smaller body sizes being expected among the subterranean species. A total of 374 specimens belonging to 34 different species were collected. High mean habitat niche overlap among species was observed, and there was no apparent non-random niche partitioning by snakes either considering all species together or dividing them by guild. The ‘energetic equivalence rule’ was verified, with larger species being less abundant than smaller species. Body sizes differed significantly across species’ habits, with subterranean species being not only significantly smaller but also revealing the least interspecific variation, and terrestrial/arboreal species showing the greatest interspecific variation. Overall, tropical Asian snake assemblages seem to be similar to tropical African snake assemblages in terms of their general organization.
An Online Means of Testing Asymmetries in Seating Preference Reveals a Bias for Airplanes and Theaters
Authors: Nicholls Michael E. R. , Thomas Nicole A. , Loetscher Tobias
Published: January 2013

Objective:

The aim of this study was to investigate asymmetrical interactions between humans and their environment using online seat booking sites.

Background:

Functional differences between the cerebral hemispheres affect the choices people make. For example, when asked to imagine going to a cinema, people preferentially select seats to the right. We investigated whether this experimental research generalizes to online booking sites for aircraft and theaters.

Method:

Occupancy rates for seats taken on the left and right sides were assessed for 100 airline flights with 12,762 available seats and 37 theater performances with 34,456 seats. On the basis of previous research, a rightward bias was predicted for aircraft and theaters.

Results:

For aircraft, contrary to expectation, occupancy rate was higher for left-compared with right-side seats. For theaters, a rightward bias was observed when the theater was less than half full. The bias was not affected by the orientation of the map.

Conclusion:

For aircraft, the leftward preference could be attributable to a rightward turning bias or a “feeling” that the port seats are closer to the exit, even though they are not. For theaters, the data demonstrate that the rightward preference observed in earlier studies exists only when the theater is relatively empty.

Application:

Asymmetrical seating may play an important role in the efficient assimilation of information from the environment, and this role should take this into account when designing effective human–environment interfaces. The online method of assessing seating used in the current study provides an informative and potentially powerful means of assessing asymmetries in human perception and action.
A Psychology of Economic Migration
Authors: Boski Pawel
Published: January 2013

This article introduces a psychology of economic immigration as a field complementary to but separate from research on acculturation. A theoretical model of psychological disharmony is outlined, where hard work and thrift become the crucial elements of immigrant condition. Three studies are reported. Studies 1 and 2 were conducted among Polish immigrants in Ireland. These studies addressed personality comparisons between immigrants and nonimmigrant samples (Study 1: peer observations) and immigrant self-perceived changes (Study 2). Adaptive personality changes did occur as hypothesized, particularly in the domain of conscientiousness, which regulates work-related activities. This finding was restricted in Study 2 to a prospective time frame (change measured with time flow). Study 2 introduced four lifestyles: eudaimonia, hedonism, self-sacrifice, and alienation. Prospective change in conscientiousness favored eudaimonic lifestyle, but retrospective change predicted self-sacrifice. Participants in Study 3 were Eastern Slav and Vietnamese immigrants in Poland. Based on previous work on Confucian work dynamism, it was expected that Vietnamese would demonstrate greater work involvement, eudaimonic lifestyle, and thrift, compared to Slav immigrants. These hypotheses were confirmed, showing that within the general model of immigrant adaptation, there is room for cultural differences.
New Street Geographies: The Impact of Urban Governance on the Mobilities of Cape Town’s Street Youth
Authors: van Blerk Lorraine
Published: January 2013

Street youth have been part of South Africa’s cities since the 1980s, maintaining a visible and mobile presence. Contemporary adaptations to urban governance strategies in Cape Town have resulted in management practices that are creating challenges for street youth’s lives. This paper explores these challenges which have emerged through strategies to clean up the city and are aimed at reducing youth’s visible presence on the streets. Through an examination of street youth’s lives, this paper conceptualises four ways in which their mobilities have changed, dramatically affecting their everyday practices. The paper develops theoretical understandings of street youth’s lives by identifying ‘new’ street geographies. This moves away from current conceptualisations of street children/youth as having a visible presence on the streets and rather expresses street life as hidden and marginalised, pushed into less wealthy parts of the urban landscape. This has significant implications for addressing street children/youth’s needs in policy contexts.
‘Sticky Subjects’ or ‘Cosmopolitan Creatives’? Social Class, Place and Urban Young People’s Aspirations for Work in the Knowledge Economy
Authors: Allen Kim , Hollingworth Sumi
Published: January 2013

Aspirations have been a key target of education policy, situated as central to meeting the needs of the ‘knowledge economy’. In the UK, there have been calls to raise young people’s aspirations for careers in the creative industries—identified as emblematic of the new economic order and a key growth sector. Yet, the sector is socially and spatially restricted, characterised by unclear entry routes, exclusionary working practices and uneven geographical concentration. This paper draws on research with young people (aged 14–16 years) living in three urban areas of deindustrialisation in England to examine the geography of young people’s aspirations for careers in the creative industries. The concept of place-specific habitus is used to problematise asocial and aspatial discourses of aspiration and to illuminate how social class and place powerfully and complexly interrelate to shape young people’s opportunities for social and geographical mobility through and for work in the knowledge economy.
Effects of acute systemic administration of cannabidiol on sleep-wake cycle in rats
Authors: Chagas Marcos Hortes N , Crippa José Alexandre S , Zuardi Antonio Waldo , Hallak Jaime E C , Machado-de-Sousa João Paulo , Hirotsu Camila , Maia Lucas , Tufik Sergio , Andersen Monica Levy
Published: January 2013

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the main components of Cannabis sativa and has a wide spectrum of action, including effects in the sleep-wake cycle.

Objective:

The objective of this paper is to assess the effects on sleep of acute systemic administration of CBD.

Method:

Adult male Wistar rats were randomly distributed into four groups that received intraperitoneal injections of CBD 2.5 mg/kg, CBD 10 mg/kg, CBD 40 mg/kg or vehicle ( n=seven animals/group). Sleep recordings were made during light and dark periods for four days: two days of baseline recording, one day of drug administration (test), and one day after drug (post-test).

Results:

During the light period of the test day, the total percentage of sleep significantly increased in the groups treated with 10 and 40 mg/kg of CBD compared to placebo. REM sleep latency increased in the group injected with CBD 40 mg/kg and was significantly decreased with the dose of 10 mg/kg on the post-test day. There was an increase in the time of SWS in the group treated with CBD 40 mg/kg, although this result did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusion:

The systemic acute administration of CBD appears to increase total sleep time, in addition to increasing sleep latency in the light period of the day of administration.
Predictors of Knowledge-Sharing Behaviors Among Community-Based Natural Resources Organizations in the Okavango Delta, Botswana
Authors: Thakadu Olekae T. , Irani Tracy A. , Telg Ricky
Published: January 2013

The study investigated the relative contribution of selected predictors of knowledge-sharing behaviors among local community leaders involved in natural resources management programs within the Okavango Delta, Botswana. The theory of reasoned action and the responsible environmental behavior framework guided the study. Thirteen community-based natural resources management projects’ boards of trust, comprising a total of 120 subjects, participated in a quasi-experimental study. Results indicate that a combination of knowledge, attitude, and locus of control significantly predicts knowledge-sharing intentions, with knowledge and attitudes as the most important predictors. Implications and recommendations for practice are discussed, and directions for future research are suggested.
Targeting Therapy to the Fibrin-Mediated Pathophysiology of Acute Coronary Syndrome
Authors: White Harvey
Published: January 2013

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) encompasses a spectrum of diseases, ranging from ST-elevation myocardial infarction to non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction and unstable angina. A key initiating event in the pathology of ACS is atheromatous plaque disruption, in which the exposure of thrombogenic material triggers simultaneous activation of primary and secondary hemostatic pathways. Targeting platelet-mediated thrombus formation with dual antiplatelet therapy comprising acetylsalicylic acid and a P2Y12 antagonist is the current mainstay for management of ACS. However, a significant proportion of patients remain at risk of cardiovascular events. Fibrin is an important contributor to thrombogenesis and may account for the residual event rates. This review examines evidence for the role of the coagulation cascade in thrombus formation in ACS, which provides a rationale for the use of anticoagulation therapy. The current status of research with novel oral anticoagulants in combination with dual antiplatelet therapy for the secondary prevention of ACS is also discussed.
Soft tissue reconstruction of the thumb with the dorsoradial forearm flap
Authors: Demiri E. C. , Dionyssiou D. D. , Pavlidis L. C. , Papas A. V. , Kostogloudis N. H. , Lykoudis E. G.
Published: January 2013

The dorsoradial flap is a recently described cutaneous flap, which is harvested from the distal forearm and indicated for covering dorsal soft tissue defects of the hand and thumb. Vascularization of the flap is assured by a cutaneous branch of the radial artery, which arises at the level of the first intermetacarpal space and supplies the skin of the distal quarter of the forearm dorsum. This area corresponds to the skin island of the dorsoradial flap. We report our clinical experience on seven patients where this flap was used for covering post-traumatic defects of the thumb. Dimensions of the defect varied from 18 to 28 cm2. The donor site was skin grafted. All flaps survived and provided satisfactory coverage of the defect. Based on a secondary vascular axis, the flap has a large skin paddle and a wide rotation arc that allows soft tissue reconstruction of the dorsal and radiopalmar areas of the thumb.
Persistent digestive disorders in the tropics: causative infectious pathogens and reference diagnostic tests
Authors: Becker Sören L , Vogt Jürg , Knopp Stefanie , Panning Marcus , Warhurst David C , Polman Katja , Marti Hanspeter , von Müller Lutz , Yansouni Cedric P , Jacobs Jan , Bottieau Emmanuel , Sacko Moussa , Rijal Suman , Meyanti Fransiska , Miles Michael A , Boelaert Marleen , Lutumba Pascal , van Lieshout Lisette , N’Goran Eliézer K , Chappuis François , Utzinger Jürg
Published: January 2013

Background

Persistent digestive disorders account for considerable disease burden in the tropics. Despite advances in understanding acute gastrointestinal infections, important issues concerning epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment and control of most persistent digestive symptomatologies remain to be elucidated. Helminths and intestinal protozoa are considered to play major roles, but the full extent of the aetiologic spectrum is still unclear. We provide an overview of pathogens causing digestive disorders in the tropics and evaluate available reference tests.

Methods

We searched the literature to identify pathogens that might give rise to persistent diarrhoea, chronic abdominal pain and/or blood in the stool. We reviewed existing laboratory diagnostic methods for each pathogen and stratified them by (i) microscopy; (ii) culture techniques; (iii) immunological tests; and (iv) molecular methods. Pathogen-specific reference tests providing highest diagnostic accuracy are described in greater detail.

Results

Over 30 pathogens may cause persistent digestive disorders. Bacteria, viruses and parasites are important aetiologic agents of acute and long-lasting symptomatologies. An integrated approach, consisting of stool culture, microscopy and/or specific immunological techniques for toxin, antigen and antibody detection, is required for accurate diagnosis of bacteria and parasites. Molecular techniques are essential for sensitive diagnosis of many viruses, bacteria and intestinal protozoa, and are increasingly utilised as adjuncts for helminth identification.

Conclusions

Diagnosis of the broad spectrum of intestinal pathogens is often cumbersome. There is a need for rapid diagnostic tests that are simple and affordable for resource-constrained settings, so that the management of patients suffering from persistent digestive disorders can be improved.
The antioxidant response of the liver of male Swiss mice raised on a AIN 93 or commercial diet
Authors: Caetano Aline C , da Veiga Lucimara F , Capaldi Flávia R , de Alencar Severino M , Azevedo Ricardo A , Bezerra Rosangela MN
Published: January 2013

Background

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are formed under natural physiological conditions and are thought to play an important role in many human diseases. A wide range of antioxidants are involved in cellular defense mechanisms against ROS, which can be generated in excess during stressful conditions, these include enzymes and non-enzymatic antioxidants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant responses of mice to two diets control, commercial and the purified AIN 93 diet, commonly used in experiments with rodents.

Results

Malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentrations and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities determined in the liver were lower in the group of mice fed with the AIN 93 diet, while catalase (CAT) activity was higher in the same group, when compared to the group fed on the commercial diet. Liver glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity was similar in the groups fed on either AIN 93 or the commercial diets. Two SOD isoforms, Mn-SODII and a Cu/Zn-SODV, were specifically reduced in the liver of the AIN 93 diet fed animals.

Conclusions

The clear differences in antioxidant responses observed in the livers of mice fed on the two diets suggest that the macro- and micro-nutrient components with antioxidant properties, including vitamin E, can promote changes in the activity of enzymes involved in the removal of the ROS generated by cell metabolism.
High frequency of the erythroid silent Duffy antigen genotype and lack of Plasmodium vivax infections in Haiti
Authors: Weppelmann Thomas A , Carter Tamar E , Chen Zhongsheng , von Fricken Michael E , Victor Yves S , Existe Alexander , Okech Bernard A
Published: January 2013

Background

Malaria is a significant public health concern in Haiti where approximately 30,000 cases are reported annually with CDC estimates as high as 200,000. Malaria infections in Haiti are caused almost exclusively by Plasmodium falciparum, while a small number of Plasmodium malariae and an even smaller number of putative Plasmodium vivax infections have been reported. The lack of confirmed P. vivax infections in Haiti could be due to the genetic background of native Haitians. Having descended from West African populations, many Haitians could be Duffy negative due to a single nucleotide polymorphism from thymine to cytosine in the GATA box of the promoter region of the Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC) gene. This mutation, encoded by the FY

ES
allele, eliminates the expression of the Duffy antigen on erythrocytes, which reduces invasion by P. vivax. This study investigated the frequency of the FY

ES
allele and P. vivax infections in malaria patients with the goal of uncovering factors for the lack of P. vivax infections reported in Haiti.

Methods

DNA was extracted from dried blood spots collected from malaria patients at four clinic locations in Haiti. The samples were analysed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of the P. vivax small subunit ribosomal RNA gene. PCR, sequencing, and restriction enzyme digestion were used to detect the presence of the FY

ES
allele. Matched samples were examined for both presence of P. vivax and the FY

ES
allele.

Results

No cases of P. vivax were detected in any of the samples (0/136). Of all samples tested for the FY

ES
allele, 99.4% had the FY

ES
allele (163/164). Of the matched samples, 99% had the FY

ES
allele (98/99).

Conclusions

In this preliminary study, no cases of P. vivax were confirmed by PCR and 99% of the malaria patients tested carried the FY

ES
allele. The high frequency of the FY

ES
allele that silences erythroid expression of the Duffy antigen offers a biologically plausible explanation for the lack of P. vivax infections observed. These results provide insights on the host susceptibility for P. vivax infections that has never before been investigated in Haiti.
An adolescent presenting with malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the testis: a case report
Authors: Wang Lian-Li , Xie Hui , Fu Hai-Long , Jiang Sen , Wang Xiu-Fang , Jia Mei-Zai , Liu Ze-Hong , Zhao Ya-Ping
Published: January 2013

Introduction

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma is a very common subtype of soft-tissue sarcoma in middle and late adulthood. However, malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the testis is very rare in adolescents.

Case presentation

We report here the case of a 14-year-old Han Chinese boy, who presented with left scrotal mass lasting for 20 days along with distending pain for 5 days. A physical examination revealed a chicken egg-sized, firm, well-defined mass and unclear epididymis. A B-scan ultrasonography of the left scrotum displayed a 9.0×5.2×4.5cm medium- or low-echoic lobulated mass, which suggested a left testicular neoplasm. A fine needle aspiration cytology examination revealed that the cells obtained from the patient’s testicular neoplasm were composed of myxoid spindle, and ovoid cells with nuclear atypia and mitotic activity, and arranged in a whirlpool or storiform pattern. Under histological examination, the tumor cells were arranged in a storiform pattern, which displayed mucoid matrix degeneration, and grew invasively. Consequently, a histopathological diagnosis suggested myxofibrosarcoma (or myxoid malignant fibrous histiocytoma).

Conclusions

An ultrasonic examination combined with fine needle aspiration cytology should be helpful for the initial differential diagnosis of testicular malignant fibrous histiocytoma. However, the final confirmation relies on histopathological examination. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the testis in an adolescent.
Inflammation-associated enterotypes, host genotype, cage and inter-individual effects drive gut microbiota variation in common laboratory mice
Authors: Hildebrand Falk , Nguyen Thi Loan Anh , Brinkman Brigitta , Yunta Roberto Garcia , Cauwe Benedicte , Vandenabeele Peter , Liston Adrian , Raes Jeroen
Published: January 2013

Background

Murine models are a crucial component of gut microbiome research. Unfortunately, a multitude of genetic backgrounds and experimental setups, together with inter-individual variation, complicates cross-study comparisons and a global understanding of the mouse microbiota landscape. Here, we investigate the variability of the healthy mouse microbiota of five common lab mouse strains using 16S rDNA pyrosequencing.

Results

We find initial evidence for richness-driven, strain-independent murine enterotypes that show a striking resemblance to those in human, and which associate with calprotectin levels, a marker for intestinal inflammation. After enterotype stratification, we find that genetic, caging and inter-individual variation contribute on average 19%, 31.7% and 45.5%, respectively, to the variance in the murine gut microbiota composition. Genetic distance correlates positively to microbiota distance, so that genetically similar strains have more similar microbiota than genetically distant ones. Specific mouse strains are enriched for specific operational taxonomic units and taxonomic groups, while the 'cage effect' can occur across mouse strain boundaries and is mainly driven by Helicobacter infections.

Conclusions

The detection of enterotypes suggests a common ecological cause, possibly low-grade inflammation that might drive differences among gut microbiota composition in mammals. Furthermore, the observed environmental and genetic effects have important consequences for experimental design in mouse microbiome research.
FGF signaling induces mesoderm in the hemichordate Saccoglossus kowalevskii
Authors: Green Stephen A. , Norris Rachael P. , Terasaki Mark , Lowe Christopher J.
Published: January 2013

FGFs act in vertebrate mesoderm induction and also play key roles in early mesoderm formation in ascidians and amphioxus. However, in sea urchins initial characterizations of FGF function do not support a role in early mesoderm induction, making the ancestral roles of FGF signaling and mechanisms of mesoderm specification in deuterostomes unclear. In order to better characterize the evolution of mesoderm formation, we have examined the role of FGF signaling during mesoderm development in Saccoglossus kowalevskii, an experimentally tractable representative of hemichordates. We report the expression of an FGF ligand, fgf8/17/18, in ectoderm overlying sites of mesoderm specification within the archenteron endomesoderm. Embryological experiments demonstrate that mesoderm induction in the archenteron requires contact with ectoderm, and loss-of-function experiments indicate that both FGF ligand and receptor are necessary for mesoderm specification. fgf8/17/18 gain-of-function experiments establish that FGF8/17/18 is sufficient to induce mesoderm in adjacent endomesoderm. These experiments suggest that FGF signaling is necessary from the earliest stages of mesoderm specification and is required for all mesoderm development. Furthermore, they suggest that the archenteron is competent to form mesoderm or endoderm, and that FGF signaling from the ectoderm defines the location and amount of mesoderm. When considered in a comparative context, these data support a phylogenetically broad requirement for FGF8/17/18 signaling in mesoderm specification and suggest that FGF signaling played an ancestral role in deuterostome mesoderm formation.
Occludin is required for TRPV1-modulated paracellular permeability in the submandibular gland
Authors: Cong Xin , Zhang Yan , Yang Ning-Yan , Li Jing , Ding Chong , Ding Qian-Wen , Su Yun-Chao , Mei Mei , Guo Xiao-Hong , Wu Li-Ling , Yu Guang-Yan
Published: January 2013

Occludin plays an important role in maintaining tight junction barrier function in many types of epithelia. We previously reported that activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1) in rabbit submandibular gland promoted salivary secretion, partly by an increase in paracellular permeability. We have now explored the role of occludin in TRPV1-modulated paracellular permeability in a rat submandibular gland cell line SMG-C6. Both TRPV1 and occludin were expressed in SMG-C6 cells, and capsaicin induced redistribution of occludin, but not claudin-3, claudin-4 or E-cadherin, from the cell membrane into the cytoplasm. Capsaicin also decreased transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) and increased the Trypan Blue and FITC–dextran flux. Capsazepine (CPZ), a TRPV1 antagonist, inhibited the capsaicin-induced occludin redistribution and TER decrease. Moreover, occludin knockdown by shRNA suppressed, whereas occludin re-expression restored, the TER response to capsaicin. Mechanistically, TRPV1 activation increased ERK1/2 and MLC2 phosphorylation. PD98059, an ERK1/2 kinase inhibitor, abolished the capsaicin-induced MLC2 phosphorylation, whereas ML-7, an MLC2 kinase inhibitor, did not affect ERK1/2 phosphorylation, suggesting that ERK1/2 is the upstream signaling molecule of MLC2. Capsaicin also induced F-actin reorganization, which was abolished by CPZ, PD98059 and ML-7, indicating that TRPV1 activation altered F-actin organization in an ERK1/2- and MLC2-dependent manner. Furthermore, either PD98059 or ML-7 could abolish the capsaicin-induced TER response and occludin redistribution, whereas knockdown of ERK1/2 further confirmed that the TRPV1-modulated paracellular permeability was ERK1/2 dependent. Taken together, these results identified a crucial role of occludin in submandibular epithelial cells, and more importantly, demonstrated that occludin was required to mediate TRPV1-modulated paracellular permeability.