bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Citation Classics in Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior: A Research Note
Authors: Stack Steven
Published: September 2012

The number of citations a scholarly work receives is a common measure of its impact on the scientific literature; “citation classics” are the most highly cited works. The content of Suicide and Life‐Threatening Behavior (SLTB) citation classics is described here. The impact of SLTB citation classics is compared to their counterparts in journals having published the most suicide papers. All data are from the ISI electronic venue on the Web of Science and refer to the number of citations the top 1% of works received in each of ten journals from 1975 through August 10, 2011. Among all ten journals, SLTB ranked first in the number of works on suicide. The principle theme of half of SLTB suicide classics was literature review. The median number of citations for SLTB citation classics (top 1%) was 121.5, with a range between 96 and 279 citations, but classics from generalized psychiatric journals received more citations as anticipated. Journal impact factors explained 73% of the variance in classic’s citation counts across journals. On average, suicide classics received 30% more citations than all classics. Among a second group of five specialized suicide journals, however, SLTB ranked first in average 5‐year impact. Although SLTB produced the highest number of suicide articles of any journal, SLTB’s citation classics received fewer citations than suicide classics in high‐impact/prestige, general journals. Future work is needed to assess what predicts which SLTB articles ultimately become citation classics.
Differences in body composition and metabolic status between white UK and Asian Indian children (EarlyBird 24 and the Pune Maternal Nutrition Study)
Authors: Lakshmi S. , Metcalf B. , Joglekar C. , Yajnik C. S. , Fall C. H. , Wilkin T. J.
Published: September 2012

What is already known about this subject

South Asian children at birth are thinner, but more adipose and more resistant to insulin than White Caucasian children.

South Asian adults are more adipose and more insulin resistant, but their greater adiposity does not fully explain the difference in insulin resistance.

South Asian children at 8 y are more insulin resistant than White Caucasian children.

What this study adds

The BMI of South Asian children at 6 y is distributed normally, while that of White Caucasian children is heavily skewed.

South Asian children at 6 y are slimmer, and the boys, but not the girls, are more adipose.

South Asian boys, but not girls are more insulin resistant. Both genders metabolically less healthy, but their adiposity explains only part of the difference.

Background/Aims

The concept of the ‘thin–fat’ Indian baby is well established, but there is little comparative data in older children, and none that examines the metabolic correlates. Accordingly, we investigated the impact of body composition on the metabolic profiles of Asian Indian and white UK children.

Methods

Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, sum of four skin‐folds, % body fat (by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry), glucose, insulin, insulin resistance (Homeostasis Model Assessment), trigylcerides, cholesterol [total, low‐density lipoprotein, high‐density lipoprotein {HDL}, total/HDL ratio] and blood pressure (systolic, diastolic and mean arterial) were measured in 262 white Caucasian children from Plymouth, UK (aged 6.9 ± 0.2 years, 57% male), and 626 Indian children from rural villages around Pune, India (aged 6.2 ± 0.1 years, 53% male).

Results

Indian children had a significantly lower BMI (boys: −2.1 kg m−2, girls: −3.2 kg m−2, both P < 0.001), waist circumference (P < 0.001) and skin‐fold thickness (P < 0.001) than white UK children, yet their % body fat was higher (boys +4.5%, P < 0.001, girls: +0.5%, P = 0.61). Independently of the differences in age and % body fat, the Indian children had higher fasting glucose (boys +0.52 mmol L−1, girls +0.39 mmol L−1, both P < 0.001), higher insulin (boys +1.69, girls +1.87 mU L−1, both P < 0.01) and were more insulin resistant (boys +0.25, girls +0.28 HOMA‐IR units, both P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The ‘thin–fat’ phenotype observed in Indian babies is also apparent in pre‐pubertal Indian children who have greater adiposity than white UK children despite significantly lower BMIs. Indian children are more insulin resistant than white UK children, even after adjustment for adiposity.
Metabolic hormones in saliva: origins and functions
Authors: Zolotukhin S
Published: September 2012

The salivary proteome consists of thousands of proteins, which include, among others, hormonal modulators of energy intake and output. Although the functions of this prominent category of hormones in whole body energy metabolism are well characterized, their functions in the oral cavity, whether as a salivary component, or when expressed in taste cells, are less studied and poorly understood. The respective receptors for the majority of salivary metabolic hormones have been also shown to be expressed in salivary glands (SGs), taste cells, or other cells in the oral mucosa. This review provides a comprehensive account of the gastrointestinal hormones, adipokines, and neuropeptides identified in saliva, SGs, or lingual epithelium, as well as their respective cognate receptors expressed in the oral cavity. Surprisingly, few functions are assigned to salivary metabolic hormones, and these functions are mostly associated with the modulation of taste perception. Because of the well‐characterized correlation between impaired oral nutrient sensing and increased energy intake and body mass index, a conceptually provocative point of view is introduced, whereupon it is argued that targeted changes in the composition of saliva could affect whole body metabolism in response to the activation of cognate receptors expressed locally in the oral mucosa.
Ataxia telangiectasia mutated impacts insulin‐like growth factor 1 signalling in skeletal muscle
Authors: Ching James Kain , Luebbert Stephen H. , Collins IV Roy L. , Zhang Zhihong , Marupudi Nandhini , Banerjee Sankha , Hurd Robin D. , Ralston Lyle , Fisher Jonathan S.
Published: September 2012

New findings

What is the central question of this study?

In some cultured cells, ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) is required for activation of Akt by insulin. However, this is not the case in other cell or tissue types, including skeletal muscle. Furthermore, it is not known whether ATM plays a role in skeletal muscle insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1) signalling.

What is the main finding and its importance?

We found that IGF‐1 caused autophosphorylation of ATM in skeletal muscle. However, IGF‐1‐stimulated phosphorylation of Akt, p70 S6 kinase and mammalian target of rapamycin (but not insulin receptor substrate 1) was impaired in C2C12 myotubes with reduced ATM expression and/or muscle from ATM‐haploinsufficient mice. These findings demonstrate activation of ATM by IGF‐1 and a role for ATM in IGF‐1 signalling downstream of insulin receptor substrate 1.

Reports that ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) is required for full activation of Akt raise the hypothesis that ATM plays a role in insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1) signalling through the Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. Differentiated C2C12 cells harbouring either ATM‐targeting short hairpin RNA (shRNA) or non‐targeting shRNA and myotubes from a C2C12 lineage previously exposed to empty vector lentivirus were incubated in the presence or absence of 10 nm IGF‐1 followed by Western blot analysis. Parallel experiments were performed in isolated soleus muscles from mice expressing only one functional ATM allele (ATM+/−) compared with muscles from wild‐type (ATM+/+) mice. Insulin‐like growth factor 1 increased phosphorylation of Akt S473, Akt T308 and p70 S6 kinase (S6K) in myotubes expressing non‐targeting shRNA and in empty vector controls, but the IGF‐1 effects were significantly reduced in myotubes with shRNA‐mediated ATM knockdown. Likewise, IGF‐1‐stimulated phosphorylation of Akt S473, Akt T308, mTOR and S6K was lower in isolated soleus muscles from ATM+/− mice compared with muscles from ATM+/+ mice. The ATM inhibitor KU55933 prevented stimulation of S6K phosphorylation in C2C12 myotubes exposed to IGF‐1, suggesting that decreased IGF‐1 action is not limited to chronic conditions of decreased ATM function. Stimulation of insulin receptor substrate 1 tyrosine 612 phosphorylation by IGF‐1 was unaffected by ATM deficiency, though IGF‐1 phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase activity tended to be lower in muscle from ATM haploinsufficient mice compared with wild‐type muscle. The data suggest that ATM is a modulator of IGF‐1 signalling downstream of insulin receptor substrate 1 in skeletal muscle.
Design and Implementation of Hybrid Automatic Solar-Tracking System
Authors: Mohammad Nur , Karim Tarequl
Published: September 2012

A solar tracker is a system for orienting solar photovoltaic modules and solar thermal collectors toward the sun. This paper presents a microcontroller based energy efficient hybrid automatic solar-tracking system with a view to assess the improvement in solar conversion efficiency. The two-axis solar-tracking system is constructed with both hardware and software implementations. The proposed tracking system uses a new solar position sensor with adaptive features. A comparative analysis was performed using four systems, i.e., hybrid tracking, dual-axis, single-axis, and stationary module. The results showed that the use of the dual-axis tracking system produced 18% gain of power output, compared with a single-axis tracking system. The gain of output power with the hybrid tracking system was much higher (54%) when compared with a stationary system inclined at 23.5 deg to the horizontal. Considering the state of the art of the technology, successful strategy, robust control philosophy, and the potential added benefit of this research work can be employed on a large scale in sustainable manner.
Optimal Collector Type and Temperature in a Solar Organic Rankine Cycle System for Building-Scale Power Generation in Hot and Humid Climate
Authors: Rayegan Rambod , Tao Yong X.
Published: September 2012

The objective of this paper is to determine the optimal solar collector type and temperature of a building-scale power generation system employing solar organic Rankine cycle (ORC) engine for a geothermal air-conditioned net zero-energy building (NZEB) in a hot and humid climate. In the authors' previous work, 11 fluids have been suggested to be employed in solar ORCs that use low-temperature or medium-temperature solar collectors. In this paper, the system requirements needed to maintain the electricity demand of a commercial building have been compared for the 11 suggested fluids. The solar collector loop, building, and geothermal air conditioning system are modeled using TRNSYS with the required input for the ORC system derived from the previous study. The commercial building is located in Pensacola of Florida and is served by grid power. The building has been equipped with two geothermal heat pump units and a vertical closed loop system. The performance of the geothermal system has been monitored for 3 weeks. Monitoring data and available electricity bills of the building have been employed to calibrate the building and geothermal air conditioning system simulation. Simulation has been repeated for Miami and Houston in order to evaluate the effect of the different solar radiations on the system requirements.
LplR, a Repressor Belonging to the TetR Family, Regulates Expression of the
l
-Pantoyl Lactone Dehydrogenase Gene in Rhodococcus erythropolis
Authors: Si Dayong , Urano Nobuyuki , Shimizu Sakayu , Kataoka Michihiko
Published: September 2012

The
l
-pantoyl lactone (
l
-PL) dehydrogenase (LPLDH) gene (
lpldh
) has been cloned from
Rhodococcus erythropolis
AKU2103, and addition of 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PD) was shown to be required for
lpldh
expression in this strain. In this study, based on an exploration of the nucleotide sequence around
lpldh
, a TetR-like regulator gene, which we designated
lplR
, was found upstream of
lpldh
, and three putative open reading frames existed between the two genes. Disruption of
lplR
led to 22.8 times higher
lpldh
expression, even without 1,2-PD induction, than that in wild-type
R. erythropolis
AKU2103 without 1,2-PD addition. Introduction of a multicopy vector carrying
lplR
(multi-
lplR
) into the wild-type and Δ
lplR
strains led to no detectable LPLDH activity even in the presence of 1,2-PD. The results of an electrophoretic mobility shift assay revealed that purified LplR bound to a 6-bp inverted-repeat sequence located in the promoter/operator region of the operon containing
lpldh
. These results indicated that LplR is a negative regulator in
lpldh
expression. Based on the clarification of the expression mechanism of
lpldh
, recombinant cells showing high LPLDH activity were constructed and used as a catalyst for the conversion of
l
-PL to ketopantoyl lactone. Finally, a promising production process of
d
-PL from
dl
-PL was constructed.
Global Transcriptional Analysis of Dehydrated Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium
Authors: Gruzdev Nadia , McClelland Michael , Porwollik Steffen , Ofaim Shany , Pinto Riky , Saldinger-Sela Shlomo
Published: September 2012

Despite the scientific and industrial importance of desiccation tolerance in
Salmonella
, knowledge regarding its genetic basis is still scarce. In the present study, we performed a transcriptomic analysis of dehydrated and water-suspended
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium using microarrays. Dehydration induced expression of 90 genes and downregulated that of 7 genes. Ribosomal structural genes represented the most abundant functional group with a relatively higher transcription during dehydration. Other main induced functional groups included genes involved in amino acid metabolism, energy production, ion transport, transcription, and stress response. The highest induction was observed in the
kdpFABC
operon, encoding a potassium transport channel. Knockout mutations were generated in nine upregulated genes. Five mutants displayed lower tolerance to desiccation, implying the involvement of the corresponding genes in the adaptation of
Salmonella
to desiccation. These included genes encoding the isocitrate-lyase AceA, the lipid A biosynthesis palmitoleoyl-acyltransferase Ddg, the modular iron-sulfur cluster scaffolding protein NifU, the global regulator Fnr, and the alternative sigma factor RpoE. Notably, these proteins were previously implicated in the response of
Salmonella
to oxidative stress, heat shock, and cold shock. A strain with a mutation in the structural gene
kdpA
had a tolerance to dehydration comparable to that of the parent strain, implying that potassium transport through this system is dispensable for early adaptation to the dry environment. Nevertheless, this mutant was significantly impaired in long-term persistence during cold storage. Our findings indicate the involvement of a relatively small fraction of the
Salmonella
genome in transcriptional adjustment from water to dehydration, with a high prevalence of genes belonging to the protein biosynthesis machinery.
OmpA-Mediated Biofilm Formation Is Essential for the Commensal Bacterium Sodalis glossinidius To Colonize the Tsetse Fly Gut
Authors: Maltz Michele A. , Weiss Brian L. , O'Neill Michelle , Wu Yineng , Aksoy Serap
Published: September 2012

Many bacteria successfully colonize animals by forming protective biofilms. Molecular processes that underlie the formation and function of biofilms in pathogenic bacteria are well characterized. In contrast, the relationship between biofilms and host colonization by symbiotic bacteria is less well understood. Tsetse flies (
Glossina
spp.) house 3 maternally transmitted symbionts, one of which is a commensal (
Sodalis glossinidius
) found in several host tissues, including the gut. We determined that
Sodalis
forms biofilms in the tsetse gut and that this process is influenced by the
Sodalis
outer membrane protein A (OmpA). Mutant
Sodalis
strains that do not produce OmpA (
Sodalis
ΔOmpA mutants) fail to form biofilms
in vitro
and are unable to colonize the tsetse gut unless endogenous symbiotic bacteria are present. Our data indicate that in the absence of biofilms,
Sodalis
ΔOmpA mutant cells are exposed to and eliminated by tsetse's innate immune system, suggesting that biofilms help
Sodalis
evade the host immune system. Tsetse is the sole vector of pathogenic African trypanosomes, which also reside in the fly gut. Acquiring a better understanding of the dynamics that promote
Sodalis
colonization of the tsetse gut may enhance the development of novel disease control strategies.
EDTA Inhibits Biofilm Formation, Extracellular Vesicular Secretion, and Shedding of the Capsular Polysaccharide Glucuronoxylomannan by Cryptococcus neoformans
Authors: Robertson Emma J. , Wolf Julie M. , Casadevall Arturo
Published: September 2012

The fungal pathogen
Cryptococcus neoformans
can grow as a biofilm on a range of synthetic and prosthetic materials. Cryptococcal biofilm formation can complicate the placement of shunts used to relieve increased intracranial pressure in cryptococcal meningitis and can serve as a nidus for chronic infection. Biofilms are generally advantageous to pathogens
in vivo
, as they can confer resistance to antimicrobial compounds, including fluconazole and voriconazole in the case of
C. neoformans
. EDTA can inhibit biofilm formation by several microbes and enhances the susceptibility of biofilms to antifungal drugs. In this study, we evaluated the effect of sublethal concentrations of EDTA on the growth of cryptococcal biofilms. EDTA inhibited biofilm growth by
C. neoformans
, and the inhibition could be reversed by the addition of magnesium or calcium, implying that the inhibitory effect was by divalent cation starvation. EDTA also reduced the amount of the capsular polysaccharide glucuronoxylomannan shed into the biofilm matrix and decreased vesicular secretion from the cell, thus providing a potential mechanism for the inhibitory effect of this cation-chelating compound. Our data imply that the growth of
C. neoformans
biofilms requires the presence of divalent metals in the growth medium and suggest that cations are required for the export of materials needed for biofilm formation, possibly including extracellular vesicles.
Characterization and Two-Dimensional Crystallization of Membrane Component AlkB of the Medium-Chain Alkane Hydroxylase System from Pseudomonas putida GPo1
Authors: Alonso Hernan , Roujeinikova Anna
Published: September 2012

The alkane hydroxylase system of
Pseudomonas putida
GPo1 allows it to use alkanes as the sole source of carbon and energy. Bacterial alkane hydroxylases have tremendous potential as biocatalysts for the stereo- and regioselective transformation of a wide range of chemically inert unreactive alkanes into valuable reactive chemical precursors. We have produced and characterized the first 2-dimensional crystals of the integral membrane component of the
P. putida
alkane hydroxylase system, the nonheme di-iron alkane monooxygenase AlkB. Our analysis reveals for the first time that AlkB reconstituted into a lipid bilayer forms trimers. Addition of detergents that do not disrupt the AlkB oligomeric state (decyl maltose neopentyl glycol [DMNG], lauryl maltose neopentyl glycol [LMNG], and octaethylene glycol monododecyl ether [C
12
E
8
]) preserved its activity at a level close to that of the detergent-free control sample. In contrast, the monomeric form of AlkB produced by purification in
n
-decyl-β-
d
-maltopyranoside (DM),
n
-dodecyl-β-
d
-maltopyranoside (DDM), octyl glucose neopentyl glycol (OGNG), and
n
-dodecyl-
N
,
N
-dimethylamine-
N
-oxide (LDAO) was largely inactive. This is the first indication that the physiologically active form of membrane-embedded AlkB may be a multimer. We present for the first time experimental evidence that 1-octyne acts as a mechanism-based inhibitor of AlkB. Therefore, despite the lack of any significant full-length sequence similarity with members of other monooxygenase classes that catalyze the terminal oxidation of alkanes, AlkB is likely to share a similar catalytic mechanism.
Prevalence and Relative Risk of Cronobacter spp., Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes Associated with the Body Surfaces and Guts of Individual Filth Flies
Authors: Pava-Ripoll Monica , Pearson Rachel E. Goeriz , Miller Amy K. , Ziobro George C.
Published: September 2012

Although flies are important vectors of food-borne pathogens, there is little information to accurately assess the food-related health risk of the presence of individual flies, especially in urban areas. This study quantifies the prevalence and the relative risk of food-borne pathogens associated with the body surfaces and guts of individual wild flies. One hundred flies were collected from the dumpsters of 10 randomly selected urban restaurants. Flies were identified using taxonomic keys before being individually dissected.
Cronobacter
spp.,
Salmonella
spp., and
Listeria monocytogenes
were detected using the PCR-based BAX system Q7. Positive samples were confirmed by culture on specific media and through PCR amplification and sequencing or ribotyping. Among collected flies were the housefly,
Musca domestica
(47%), the blowflies,
Lucilia cuprina
(33%) and
Lucilia sericata
(14%), and others (6%).
Cronobacter
species were detected in 14% of flies, including
C. sakazakii
,
C. turicensis
, and
C. universalis
, leading to the proposal of flies as a natural reservoir of this food-borne pathogen. Six percent of flies carried
Salmonella enterica
, including the serovars Poona, Hadar, Schwarzengrund, Senftenberg, and Brackenridge.
L. monocytogenes
was detected in 3% of flies. Overall, the prevalence of food-borne pathogens was three times greater in the guts than on the body surfaces of the flies. The relative risk of flies carrying any of the three pathogens was associated with the type of pathogen, the body part of the fly, and the ambient temperature. These data enhance the ability to predict the microbiological risk associated with the presence of individual flies in food and food facilities.
Functional Divergence of FimX in PilZ Binding and Type IV Pilus Regulation
Authors: Qi Yaning , Xu Linghui , Dong Xueming , Yau Yin Hoe , Ho Chun Loong , Koh Siew Lee , Shochat Susana Geifman , Chou Shan-Ho , Tang Kai , Liang Zhao-Xun
Published: September 2012

Type IV pili (T4P) are polar surface structures that play important roles in bacterial motility, biofilm formation, and pathogenicity. The protein FimX and its orthologs are known to mediate T4P formation in the human pathogenPseudomonas aeruginosaand some other bacterial species. It was reported recently that FimXXAC2398fromXanthomonas axonopodispv. citri interacts with PilZXAC1133directly through the nonenzymatic EAL domain of FimXXAC2398. Here we present experimental data to reveal that the strong interaction between FimXXAC2398and PilZXAC1133is not conserved inP. aeruginosaand likely otherPseudomonasspecies.In vitroandin vivobinding experiments showed that the interaction between FimX and PilZ inP. aeruginosais below the measurable limit. Surface plasmon resonance assays further confirmed that the interaction between theP. aeruginosaproteins is at least more than 3 orders of magnitude weaker than that between theX. axonopodispv. citri pair. The N-terminal lobe region of FimXXAC2398was identified as the binding surface for PilZXAC1133by amide hydrogen-deuterium exchange and site-directed mutagenesis studies. Lack of several key residues in the N-terminal lobe region of the EAL domain of FimX is likely to account for the greatly reduced binding affinity between FimX and PilZ inP. aeruginosa. All together, the results suggest that the interaction between PilZ and FimX inXanthomonasspecies is not conserved inP. aeruginosadue to the evolutionary divergence among the FimX orthologs. The precise roles of FimX and PilZ in bacterial motility and T4P biogenesis are likely to vary among bacterial species.
Developing a new formulation of sodium phenylbutyrate
Authors: Guffon Nathalie , Kibleur Yves , Copalu William , Tissen C , Breitkreutz Joerg
Published: September 2012

Background

Sodium phenylbutyrate (NaPB) is used as a treatment for urea cycle disorders (UCD). However, the available, licensed granule form has an extremely bad taste, which can compromise compliance and metabolic control.

Objectives

A new, taste-masked, coated-granule formulation (Luc 01) under development was characterised for its in vitro taste characteristics, dissolution profiles and bioequivalence compared with the commercial product. Taste, safety and tolerability were also compared in healthy adult volunteers.

Results

The in vitro taste profile of NaPB indicated a highly salty and bitter tasting molecule, but Luc 01 released NaPB only after a lag time of ∼10 s followed by a slow release over a few minutes. In contrast, the licensed granules released NaPB immediately. The pharmacokinetic study demonstrated the bioequivalence of a single 5 g dose of the two products in 13 healthy adult volunteers. No statistical difference was seen either for maximal plasma concentration (Cmax) or for area under the plasma concentration–time curve (AUC). CI for Cmax and AUC0–inf of NaPB were included in the bioequivalence range of 0.80–1.25. One withdrawal for vomiting and five reports of loss of taste perception (ageusia) were related to the licensed product. Acceptability, bitterness and saltiness assessed immediately after administration indicated a significant preference for Luc 01 (p<0.01), confirming the results of the taste prediction derived from in vitro measurements.

Conclusions

In vitro dissolution, in vitro and in vivo taste profiles support the view that the newly developed granules can be swallowed before release of the bitter active substance, thus avoiding stimulation of taste receptors. Moreover, Luc 01 was shown to be bioequivalent to the licensed product. The availability of a taste-masked form should improve compliance which is critical to the efficacy of NaPB treatment in patients with UCD.
Personal accountability in healthcare: searching for the right balance
Authors: Wachter Robert M
Published: September 2012

While the patient safety field has emphasised ‘systems thinking’ as its central theme, experts have pointed to the need to balance this ‘no blame’ approach with the need for accountability in certain circumstances, such as failure to heed reasonable safety standards. Our growing appreciation of the importance of accountability raises several new questions, including the relative roles of personal versus institutional accountability, and the degree to which personal accountability should be enforced by outside parties (such as peers, patients, healthcare systems or regulators) versus professionals themselves (‘professionalism’). Identifying the appropriate locus for accountability is likely to be highly influenced by the structure and culture of the healthcare system; thus, answers in the UK will undoubtedly be different from those in the USA. Ultimately, a robust approach to patient safety will balance ‘no blame’ with accountability, and will also parse the correct target for accountability in a way that maximises fairness and effectiveness.
Epidemiological study of acute poisoning in children: a 5-year retrospective study in the Paediatric University Hospital in Białystok, Poland
Authors: Pawłowicz Urszula , Wasilewska Anna , Olański Witold , Stefanowicz Marta
Published: September 2012

Background

Poisoning among children and youths in the northeastern part of Poland accounted for 25% of the total number of patients admitted to the Hospital Emergency Department of the Paediatric University Hospital of Bialystok.

We hypothesise that the epidemiology of poisoned paediatric patients admitted is related to increase in ‘designer drugs’ (mainly amphetamine- and ecstasy-like psychostimulants, hallucinogens and synthetic cannabinoids (‘spice’) intake, which became popular 5 years ago in our country.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of medical records of 489 patients admitted due to poisoning in the 5-year period (2006–2010). The data included: age, sex, place of residence, nature of the substance, causes of poisoning, former use of psychoactive stimulants, accompanying self-mutilation and injuries and length of hospitalisation. Categorical variables were expressed as percentages, and continuous variables as mean and SD. The data were collected in a Microsoft Excel database. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Programme for Social Sciences.

Results

Out of 2176 hospitalised children, 489 were admitted because of poisoning. Out of these, 244 (49.9%) were hospitalised due to intoxication by alcohol. Only eight children used designer drugs. The mean age of all patients in our group was 12.86±5.04 years, of which 52.4% were male. Poisoning was intentional in 75.5%, and accidental in 24.5% of cases. Appearance of ‘designer drugs’ had no significant impact on the number and epidemiology of poisonings in our group.
EMBEDDING OF FAULT-TOLERANT TREES IN THE JOSEPHUS CUBE
Authors: LOH PETER K. K. , HSU W. J.
Published: September 2012

The tree interconnection network lends itself to several suitably structured applications. However, the low connectivity at each node, traffic congestion and single point of failure at the root node reduce reliability and availability. Both the hypertree and X-tree are fault-tolerant variants of the basic tree network and have been the focus of more recent implementation and research interest. In this paper, we consider a recently proposed family of interconnection networks known as the Josephus Cubes and show how hypertrees, X-trees and ringed X-trees of arbitrary height can be near-optimally embedded in this novel interconnection network.
PARALLEL ALGORITHMS FOR HAMILTONIAN 2-SEPARATOR CHORDAL GRAPHS
Authors: PANDA B. S. , NATARAJAN VIJAY , DAS SAJAL K.
Published: September 2012

In this paper we propose a parallel algorithm to construct a one-sided monotone polygon from a Hamiltonian 2-separator chordal graph. The algorithm requires O( log n) time and O(n) processors on the CREW PRAM model, where n is the number of vertices and m is the number of edges in the graph. We also propose parallel algorithms to recognize Hamiltonian 2-separator chordal graphs and to construct a Hamiltonian cycle in such a graph. They run in O( log 2 n) time using O(mn) processors on the CRCW PRAM model and O( log 2 n) time using O(m) processors on the CREW PRAM model, respectively.
AN EFFICIENT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BSP PROGRAMMING LIBRARY FOR VIA
Authors: KEE YANGSUK , HA SOONHOI
Published: September 2012

Virtual Interface Architecture(VIA) is a light-weight protocol for protected user-level zero-copy communication. In spite of the promised high performance of VIA, previous MPI implementations for GigaNet's cLAN revealed low communication performance. Two main sources of such low performance are the discrepancy in the communication model between MPI and VIA and the multi-threading overhead. In this paper, we propose a new implementation of the Bulk Synchronous Parallel(BSP) programming library for VIA called xBSP to overcome such problems. To the best of our knowledge, xBSP is the first implementation of the BSP library for VIA. xBSP demonstrates that the selection of a proper library is important to exploit the features of light-weight protocols. Intensive use of Remote Direct Memory Access(RDMA) operations leads to high performance close to the native VIA performance with respect to round trip delay and bandwidth. Considering the effects of multi-threading, memory registration, and completion policy on performance, we could obtain an efficient BSP implementation for cLAN, which was confirmed by experimental results.
AUTOMATED COST ANALYSIS OF A PARALLEL MAXIMUM SEGMENT SUM PROGRAM DERIVATION
Authors: HAYASHI YASUSHI , COLE MURRAY
Published: September 2012

Static performance prediction of implicitly parallel functional programs can be facilitated by restricting the source language to be shapely [7]. The resulting analyses should provide valuable support for the calculational style of program derivation. We build upon previous work in the area by extending the range of admissible programs, allowing us to demonstrate the first automated analysis of a complete program derivation, that of the well known maximum segment sum algorithm of Skillicorn and Cai [11]. We examine the accuracy of our predictions against the run time of real parallel programs.
A GRAPH THEORETICAL MODEL FOR SCHEDULING SIMULTANEOUS I/O OPERATIONS ON PARALLEL AND DISTRIBUTED ENVIRONMENTS
Authors: AGUILAR JOSE
Published: September 2012

The motivation for the research presented here is to develop an approach for scheduling I/O operations in distributed/parallel computer systems. First, a general model for specifying the parallel I/O scheduling problem is developed. The model defines the I/O bandwidth for different parallel/distributed architectures. Then the model is used to establish an algorithm for scheduling I/O operations on these architectures.
THE PARALLEL APPROXIMABILITY OF THE FALSE AND TRUE GATES PROBLEMS FOR NOR-CIRCUITS
Authors: SERNA MARIA , XHAFA FATOS
Published: September 2012

We study the parallel approximability of computing the number of true gates and false gates for circuits with only NOR gates, we refer to these problems as Nor-False Gates and Nor-True Gates Problems, respectively. We show that the parallel approximability of these problems depends on restrictions on the topology of the circuit. More precisely, for circuits with fan-in and fan-out bounded by a constant and having a constant number of output gates both problems exhibit a threshold behavior in their parllel approximability. Bounding only the number of outputs gives threshold results for the Nor-False Gates Problem but non-approximability (for any constant) for the Nor-True Gates Problem. For the case of unbounded number of outputs we show that none of the two problems can be approximated in parallel within any constant. We use the threshold result of False Gates Problem to identify a subclass of linear programming that also presents a threshold behavior in its parallel approximability.
IMPACT OF INCOME INEQUALITY AND DEFENCE BURDEN ON ECONOMIC GROWTH
Authors: IFTIKHAR ZAINAB , ALI AMANAT
Published: September 2012

This study explores how income inequality and defence burden affects economic growth in different parts of the world. We follow an endogenous growth model that proposes a negative relationship of growth with income inequality and defence burden. The implications of the model are tested using panel data. The results suggest a negative relationship of growth with income inequality and defence burden. A by-product of this analysis is the conclusion regarding convergence. Our study finds no support for convergence across the world.
FACTORS AFFECTING FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN MALAYSIA'S MANUFACTURING SECTOR: AN ANALYSIS ACROSS STATES
Authors: ABDUL KARIM NOOR AL-HUDA , FLEMING EUAN
Published: September 2012

This paper examines the effects of market demand, labor productivity, socio-economic development and provision of industrial estates on foreign direct investment (FDI) across 13 states and 1 federal territory in Malaysia. The analysis uses FDI data of the manufacturing sector and data on independent variables for the years 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2005. Results indicate positive relationships between these factors and FDI inflows in the manufacturing sector. FDI inflows are found to be most sensitive to labor productivity and GDP. The significance of socio-economic development for FDI is viewed in a long-term perspective.
ON A FINITE GROUP IN WHICH EVERY NON-ABELIAN SUBGROUP IS A TI-SUBGROUP
Authors: SHI JIANGTAO , ZHANG CUI , MENG WEI
Published: September 2012

A subgroup H of a finite group G is said to be a TI-subgroup if Hg ∩ H = 1 or H for every g ∈ G. In this paper, we obtain two different equivalent characterizations of a finite group in which every non-abelian subgroup is a TI-subgroup.
MORE EXAMPLES OF PSEUDOSYMMETRIC BRAIDED CATEGORIES
Authors: PANAITE FLORIN , STAIC MIHAI D.
Published: September 2012

We study some examples of braided categories and quasitriangular Hopf algebras and decide which of them is pseudosymmetric, respectively pseudotriangular. We show also that there exists a universal pseudosymmetric braided category.
SUFFICIENT CONDITIONS FOR 2-NILPOTENCE OF A FINITE GROUP
Authors: BERKOVICH YAKOV
Published: September 2012

We prove that if any cyclic 2′-subgroup of a finite group G centralizes all real 2-elements of order ≤ 4, then G is 2-nilpotent (Theorem 1). Some related results are proved. Minimal nonnilpotent groups and minimal nonabelian 2-groups play important role in our proof of those results.
INJECTIVE CLASSES OF MODULES
Authors: CHACHÓLSKI WOJCIECH , PITSCH WOLFGANG , SCHERER JÉRÔME
Published: September 2012

We study classes of modules over a commutative ring which allow to do homological algebra relative to such a class. We classify those classes consisting of injective modules by certain subsets of ideals. When the ring is Noetherian the subsets are precisely the generization closed subsets of the spectrum of the ring.
Politburo Group Study Sessions: Is the Chinese Communist Party Becoming More Technocratic?
Authors: CHEN Gang
Published: September 2012

Since Hu Jintao became the General Secretary of the Party in 2002, the Party's Politburo has been convening monthly group study sessions conducted by professors and researchers. This indicates a change in China's policy-making process from strongman domination to consensus-seeking, through sharing information and discussions. Speakers lecture on domestic affairs and share developed countries' experience. Priority is given to economic issues, followed by political/ideological and social issues, and lastly, military issues and international relations.
China's State-owned Enterprises: The Dilemma of Reform
Authors: TONG Sarah Y. , HUANG Yanjie
Published: September 2012

After three decades of reform, China's state-owned enterprises have become powerful entities economically and politically, while remaining relatively inefficient and often monopolistic vis-à-vis the private sector. Their expansion in the aftermath of the global financial crisis has further squeezed the space of development for non-state sectors. The prospect of reform is now coloured with uncertainty as regulatory, legislative and political means have failed to rein in the politically well-connected large centrally managed SOEs.
Taiwan's Quest for Participation in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
Authors: HSIAO I-Chun , HSIAO Jerry I-H
Published: September 2012

This article argues that it will be challenging for Taiwan to participate meaningfully in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) through the World Health Assembly model due to obstructions from Mainland China, the convention by which the UNFCCC categorises its participants, and the lack of clarity concerning the rights and responsibilities of observers. Two policy recommendations are provided to Taiwan to deepen its engagement with the international climate regime.
CYTOTOXICITY AND CELLULAR UPTAKE OF CELLULOSE NANOCRYSTALS
Authors: DONG SHUPING , HIRANI ANJALI A. , COLACINO KATELYN R. , LEE YONG WOO , ROMAN MAREN
Published: September 2012

There is growing evidence that filamentous nanoparticles offer advantages over spherical ones in drug delivery applications. The purpose of this study was to assess the potential of rod-like, plant-derived cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) for nanomedical uses. Besides a nonspherical morphology, their facile bioconjugation, surface hydrophilicity and small size render CNCs promising drug carriers. The cytotoxicity of CNCs against nine different cell lines (HBMEC, bEnd.3, RAW 264.7, MCF-10A, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, KB, PC-3 and C6) was determined by MTT and LDH assay. CNCs showed no cytotoxic effects against any of these cell lines in the concentration range and exposure time studied (0–50 μg/mL and 48 h, respectively). Cellular uptake of fluorescein-5′-isothiocyanate-labeled CNCs by these cell lines, quantified with a fluorescence microplate reader, was minimal. The lack of cytotoxicity and the low nonspecific cellular uptake support our hypothesis that CNCs are good candidates for nanomedical applications.
INTRACELLULAR LOCALIZATION AND KINETICS OF UPTAKE AND CLEARANCE OF GOLD NANOPARTICLES IN PRIMARY HEPATIC CELLS
Authors: DETZEL CHRISTOPHER J. , LENG WEINAN , VIKESLAND PETER J. , RAJAGOPALAN PADMAVATHY
Published: September 2012

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) used for therapeutic applications preferentially accumulate in the liver following exposure. However, uptake and clearance by hepatic cells are not well understood. Time-dependent intracellular localization, uptake and clearance of 30 nm AuNPs were monitored in primary rat hepatocytes and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs). Confocal Raman microscopy studies demonstrated the differences in the localization of AuNPs in hepatic cells over a 24 h period. The uptake of unmodified AuNPs over 24 h was 17% and 55% for hepatocytes and LSECs. The uptake of poly(ethylene glycol)-coated AuNPs was 3% and 1% over 24 h in hepatocytes and LSECs, respectively. Both cell types expelled approximately 60–70% of intracellular AuNPs within seven days. AuNP accumulation resulted in the disruption of the pericanalicular actin between adjoining hepatocytes. These trends suggest that AuNPs may affect actin organization, which could impair hepatic function long term.
TOPOGRAPHY MEDIATED REGULATION OF HER-2 EXPRESSION IN BREAST CANCER CELLS
Authors: DAVEREY AMITA , MYTTY AUSTIN C. , KIDAMBI SRIVATSAN
Published: September 2012

This article demonstrates that the surface micro-topography regulates the biology of breast cancer cells, including the expression of HER-2 gene and protein. The breast tumor microenvironment is made up of heterogenous mixture of pores, ridges and collagen fibers with well defined topographical features. Although, significant progress has been achieved towards elucidating the biochemical and molecular mechanisms that underlie breast cancer progression, quantitative characterization of the associated mechanical/topographical properties and their role in breast tumor progression remains largely unexplored. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effect of topography on the adhesion and biology of breast cancer cells in in vitro cultures. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surfaces containing different topographies were coated with polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) to improve cell adhesion and maintain cell culture. HER-2 expressing breast cancer cells, BT-474 and SKBr3, were cultured on these PDMS surfaces. We demonstrate that micro-topography affects the cell adhesion and distribution depending on the topography on the PDMS surfaces. We also report for the first time that surface topography down-regulates the HER-2 gene transcription and protein expression in breast cancer cells when cultured on PDMS surfaces with micro-topographies compared to the tissue culture polystyrene surface (TCPS) control. Results from this study indicate that micro-topography modulates morphology of cells, their distribution and expression of HER-2 gene and protein in breast cancer cells. This study provides a novel platform for studying the role of native topography in the progression of breast cancer and has immense potential for understanding the breast cancer biology.
EFFECT OF TOPOGRAPHICALLY PATTERNED POLY(DIMETHYLSILOXANE) SURFACES ON Pseudomonas aeruginosa ADHESION AND BIOFILM FORMATION
Authors: LING JOHN F. , GRAHAM MARY V. , CADY NATHANIEL C.
Published: September 2012

Bacterial pathogens, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, readily form biofilms on surfaces, limiting the efficacy of antimicrobial and antibiotic treatments. To mitigate biofilm formation, surfaces are often treated with antimicrobial agents, which have limited lifetime and efficacy. Recent studies have shown that well-ordered topographic patterns can limit bacterial attachment to surfaces and limit biofilm formation. In this study, nano and microscale patterned poly(dimethylsiloxane) surfaces were evaluated for their ability to affect adhesion and biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Feature size and spacing were varied from 500 nm to 2 μm and included repeating arrays of square pillars, holes, lines and biomimetc Sharklet™ patterns. Bacterial surface adhesion and biofilm formation was assessed in microfluidic flow devices and under static conditions. Attachment profiles under static and fluid flow varied within topography types, sizes and spacing. Pillar structures of all sizes yielded lower surface attachment than line-based patterns and arrays of holes. This trend was also observed for biomimetic Sharklet™ patterns, with reduced bacterial attachment to "raised" features as compared to "recessed" features. Notably, none of the topographically patterned surfaces outperformed smooth surfaces (without topography) for resisting cell adhesion. Initial surface attachment patterns were indicative of subsequent biofilm formation and coverage, suggesting a direct role of surface topography in biofilm-based biofouling.
MAGNETIC NANOPARTICLE MEDIATED GENE DELIVERY IN OLIGODENDROGLIAL CELLS: A COMPARISON OF DIFFERENTIATED CELLS VERSUS PRECURSOR FORMS
Authors: JENKINS STUART I. , PICKARD MARK R. , CHARI DIVYA M
Published: September 2012

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have emerged as a major platform for the formulation of magnetic vectors for nonviral gene delivery. Notably the application of "magnetofection" strategies (use of magnetic fields to increase MNP–cell interactions) can significantly enhance MNP mediated gene transfer. Despite the potential of this approach, the use of MNPs and magnetofection for gene delivery to oligodendrocytes (the cells that make and maintain myelin, the insulating sheath around nerve fibers in the central nervous system) has never been tested. Here, we prove the feasibility of using MNPs in conjunction with applied static or oscillating gradient magnetic fields (the "magnetofection" method) to deliver genes to oligodendrocytes; all applied magnetic field conditions resulted in greater transfection than the no field condition but overall transfection levels obtained were typically low (ca. < 6%). Oligodendrocyte transfection levels under all magnetic field conditions were less than a third compared with their parent cell population, the oligodendrocyte precursor cells. Our results demonstrate for the first time that, within cells of a specific neural lineage, the amenability to transfection is dependent on the differentiation status of the cell.