bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cigarette smoking augments androgen receptor activity and promotes resistance to antiandrogen therapy
Authors: Shiota Masaki , Ushijima Miho , Imada Kenjiro , Kashiwagi Eiji , Takeuchi Ario , Inokuchi Junichi , Tatsugami Katsunori , Kajioka Shunichi , Eto Masatoshi
Published: May 2019

Background

Cigarette smoking is associated with worse outcomes in prostate cancer, whose growth is dependent on androgen receptor (AR) signaling. We aimed to elucidate the biological effect of cigarette smoking on AR signaling and its clinical influence on oncological outcome.

Methods

Gene expression levels after exposure to tobacco smoke condensate (TSC) were evaluated by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis in prostate cancer cells. Cellular sensitivities to enzalutamide and docetaxel after TSC exposure were evaluated using a prostate cancer cell proliferation assay. Prognosis was compared between current smokers and nonsmokers when treated with AR‐axis‐targeting (ARAT) agent enzalutamide and docetaxel.

Results

Expression of AR variants as well as prostate‐specific antigen was augmented after TSC exposure, which occurred after Akt phosphorylation. These inductions were suppressed by Akt inhibitor LY294002 as well as antioxidant N‐acetylcysteine. Consistently, TSC exposure augmented cellular resistance to enzalutamide. In clinical data, cigarette smoking was associated with worse progression‐free survival and cancer‐specific survival when patients with prostate cancer were treated with ARAT agents but not docetaxel.

Conclusions

It was suggested that cigarette smoking leads to detrimental oncological outcome when prostate cancer patients are treated with ARAT agents through induction of aberrant AR signaling. Accordingly, we recommend that patients with advanced prostate cancer should refrain from cigarette smoking.
Hesperidin ameliorates insulin resistance by regulating the IRS1‐GLUT2 pathway via TLR4 in HepG2 cells
Authors: Xuguang Hu , Aofei Tian , Tao Liu , Longyan Zhou , Weijian Bei , Jiao Guo
Published: May 2019

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect and mechanism of hesperidin (HES) on insulin resistance (IR) in the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (HepG2 cells). HepG2 cells were induced with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as a model of IR and treated with HES at three dosages. Next, the levels of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), the glucose content, and glucose uptake were evaluated by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, glucose oxidase‐peroxidase method (GOD‐POD), or (2‐(N‐(7‐nitrobenz‐2‐oxa‐1, 3‐diazol‐4‐yl)amino)‐2‐deoxyglucose) (2‐NBDG). Moreover, the protein expression of toll‐like receptors 4 (TLR4), insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1), nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐κB), and glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) in HepG2 cells treated with HES were assessed via western blotting analysis. In addition, GLUT2 protein expression exposed to HES was detected following treatment with TLR4 inhibitor (HTA125). Our results demonstrated that HES decreased the levels of TNF‐α and IL‐6, attenuated the glucose content in culture medium and increased glucose uptake in insulin‐resistant HepG2 cells in vitro. Moreover, HES upregulated the expression of IRS1 and GLUT2 protein and downregulated the protein expression of TLR4 and NF‐κB in insulin‐resistant HepG2 cells. The expression of GLUT2 protein had no significant changes when treated with HES after blockade of TLR4. HES attenuated IR in LPS‐inducedinsulin‐resistant HepG2 cells. Therefore, regulating the IRS1‐GLUT2 pathway via TLR4 represents a potential mechanism of HES on IR in HepG2 cells.
Factors affecting chromium isotope measurements using the double‐spike method
Authors: Zhang Qun , Liu Jia , Zhang Yingnan , Yu Huimin , Qin Liping , Shen Ji
Published: May 2019

Rationale

The double‐spike technique is widely used in stable metal isotope measurements to correct for instrumental fractionation, and this method has achieved prominence for chromium (Cr) isotope measurements in the past decade or so. For this method to work, precise calibration of the double spike was thought to be indispensable. However, the effect of carrying out this precise calibration has not been fully evaluated. Moreover, other factors that can affect the accuracy of Cr isotope measurements using the double spike have also not been thoroughly evaluated.

Methods

First using theoretical calculation, we assessed whether precise knowledge of the measured mass fractionation of the double spike is necessary. We then developed a double‐spike method for measuring the Cr stable isotopic composition using multiple‐collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC‐ICP‐MS). We tested the key factors that can affect the accuracy of Cr isotope measurements.

Results

By theoretical calculation we found that the uncorrected instrumental mass fractionation of the double spike will not result in any systematic bias on the measurements of δ53Cr values in the sample, provided that the double spike, standard and sample are measured on the same instrument and with the same cup configuration. Incorporating this result, with our new method, the presence of Fe and Ti (up to 5% wt of the Cr concentration in the sample) can be fully corrected. The long‐term reproducibility of an internal standard was ±0.04‰ (2SD), and the external reproducibility on the δ53Cr difference between our internal standard and the NIST Standard Reference Material 3112a was −0.07 ± 0.05‰. The δ53Cr values for a set of USGS geological reference materials including basalt (BHVO‐1,2; BIR‐1; GSR‐3), mica schist (SDC‐1), diabase (W‐2‐a), peridotite (PCC‐1) and dunite (DTS‐2) were measured, with our results for BHVO‐2 and BIR‐1 being consistent with previously reported values.

Conclusions

We have shown that precise knowledge of the measured mass fractionation of the double spike is not necessary during spike calibration and thus the calibration procedure is simplified. We can apply our new Cr isotope method to a range of geological rock samples with a wide range of variation in the chemical composition.
Clinical utility of chlormadinone acetate (Lutoral™) in frozen‐thawed embryo transfer with hormone replacement
Authors: Asada Yoshimasa , Hashiba Yoshiki , Hattori Yukio , Inoue Daichi , Ito Rie , Fukunaga Noritaka , Sonohara Megumi
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The clinical utility of chlormadinone acetate tablets (Lutoral™), an orally active progestin which has been available since June 2007, was compared to an in‐house vaginal suppository formulation of progesterone used between 2006 and 2007 for assisted reproductive technology (ART).

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated the efficacy and safety of chlormadinone acetate by comparing the pregnancy rates and the incidences of birth defects and hypospadias in frozen‐thawed embryo transfer cycles using the in‐house vaginal progesterone and those using chlormadinone acetate for luteal phase support.

Results

The pregnancy rates in the frozen‐thawed embryo transfer cycles were 31.2% (259/831) with vaginal progesterone for luteal phase support and 31.6% (4228/13 381) with chlormadinone acetate (no significant difference). In the cycles resulting in live birth following administration of chlormadinone acetate between July 2007 and December 2015, the incidence of birth defects was 2.8% (80/2893), and the incidence of hypospadias was 0.03% (1/2893).

Conclusions

These results indicate that the pregnancy rate following frozen‐thawed embryo transfer using chlormadinone acetate for luteal phase support was comparable with that using vaginal progesterone, with no increased risk of birth defects, including hypospadias, which has been a concern following the use of progestins.
RETRACTED: Dual Role of Lanthanum Oxide Nanoparticles Functionalized Co‐Polymeric Micelle for Extended Anti‐Cancer Drug Delivery
Authors: Vinothini Kandasamy , Jeyaraj Murugaraj , Kumar Sadasivuni Kishor , Rajan Mariappan
Published: May 2019

In this study, the paclitaxel (PTX) ‐ loaded A−B type di‐block polymeric micelles poly xylitol sebacate‐poly methylmethacrylic acid/Lanthanum Oxide/paclitaxel (PXS‐PMAA/LO/PTX) were designed and Lanthanum oxide nanoparticles were tagged on the surface of the micelle for the improvement of the antitumor drug efficiency in the cancer cells. LO nanoparticles influence the formation of sphere‐shaped micelles and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to inhibite the cancer.Then, in‐vitro drug release of PTX was carried out by UV‐Vis spectroscopy and it was examined for pH depended drug releases. Cell uptake of the PTX‐loaded micelles was investigated in human norml cell VERO and A549 cell line. The cytotoxicity study reveals that the PTX‐loaded polymeric nano micelle has higher efficacy compared to free PTX. Living cell, cell apoptosis, ROS production and nuclear morphological changes were analyzed through Acridine Orange/Ethidium Bromide dual stain, cationic probe rhodamine 123, 2,7‐dichlorofluorescene and Hoechst 33342 staining respectively. Hence, the PTX‐loaded PXS‐PMAA/LO carrier can act as potential drug carrier for cancer treatment.
One‐Step Route Synthesized Co2P/Ru/N‐Doped Carbon Nanotube Hybrids as Bifunctional Electrocatalysts for High‐Performance Li–O2 Batteries
Authors: Wang Peng , Li Caixia , Dong Shihua , Ge Xiaoli , Zhang Peng , Miao Xianguang , Zhang Zhiwei , Wang Chengxiang , Yin Longwei
Published: May 2019

The large‐scale commercial application of lithium–oxygen batteries (LOBs) is overwhelmed by the sluggish kinetics of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) associated with insoluble and insulated Li2O2. Herein, an elaborate design on a highly catalytic LOBs cathode constructed by N‐doped carbon nanotubes (CNT) with in situ encapsulated Co2P and Ru nanoparticles is reported. The homogeneously dispersed Co2P and Ru catalysts can effectively modulate the formation and decomposition behavior of Li2O2 during discharge/charge processes, ameliorating the electronically insulating property of Li2O2 and constructing a homogenous low‐impedance Li2O2/catalyst interface. Compared with Co/CNT and Ru/CNT electrodes, the Co2P/Ru/CNT electrode delivers much higher oxygen reduction triggering onset potential and higher ORR and OER peak current and integral areas, showing greatly improved ORR/OER kinetics due to the synergistic effects of Co2P and Ru. Li–O2 cells based on the Ru/Co2P/CNT electrode demonstrate improved ORR/OER overpotential of 0.75 V, excellent rate capability of 12 800 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1, and superior cycle stability for more than 185 cycles under a restricted capacity of 1000 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1. This work paves an exciting avenue for the design and construction of bifunctional catalytic cathodes by coupling metal phosphides with other active components in LOBs.
Charge Transfer Salt and Graphene Heterostructure‐Based Micro‐Supercapacitors with Alternating Current Line‐Filtering Performance
Authors: Zhao Doudou , Chang Wei , Lu Chenbao , Yang Chongqing , Jiang Kaiyue , Chang Xing , Lin Hualin , Zhang Fan , Han Sheng , Hou Zhongsheng , Zhuang Xiaodong
Published: May 2019

The rapid development of lightweight and wearable devices requires electronic circuits possessing compact, high‐efficiency, and long lifetime in very limited space. Alternating current (AC) line filters are usually tools for manipulating the surplus AC ripples for the operation of most common electronic devices. So far, only aluminum electrolytic capacitors (AECs) can be utilized for this target. However, the bulky volume in the electronic circuits and limited capacitances have long hindered the development of miniaturized and flexible electronics. In this work, a facile laser‐assisted fabrication approach toward an in‐plane micro‐supercapacitor for AC line filtering based on graphene and conventional charge transfer salt heterostructure is reported. Specifically, the devices reach a phase angle of 73.2° at 120 Hz, a specific capacitance of 151 µF cm−2, and relaxation time constant of 0.32 ms at the characteristic frequency of 3056 Hz. Furthermore, the scan rate can reach up to 1000 V s−1. Moreover, the flexibility and stability of the micro‐supercapacitors are tested in gel electrolyte H2SO4/PVA, and the capacitance of micro‐supercapacitors retain a stability over 98% after 10 000 cycles. Thus, such micro‐supercapacitors with excellent electrochemical performance can be almost compared with the AECs and will be the next‐generation capacitors for AC line filters.
Maltase Decorated by Chiral Carbon Dots with Inhibited Enzyme Activity for Glucose Level Control
Authors: Zhang Mengling , Wang Huibo , Wang Bo , Ma Yurong , Huang Hui , Liu Yang , Shao Mingwang , Yao Bowen , Kang Zhenhui
Published: May 2019

Carbon dots (CDs) have attracted increasing attention in disease therapy owing to their low toxicity and good biocompatibility. Their therapeutic effect strongly depends on the CDs structure (e.g., size or functional groups). However, the impact of CDs chirality on maltase and blood glucose level has not yet been fully emphasized and studied. Moreover, in previous reports, chiral CDs with targeted optical activity have to be synthesized from precursors of corresponding optical rotation, severely limiting chiral CDs design. Here, chiral CDs with optical rotation opposite to that of the precursor are facilely prepared through electrochemical polymerization. Interestingly, their chirality can be regulated by simply adjusting reaction time. At last, the resultant (+)‐DCDs (700 µg mL−1) are employed to modify maltase in an effort to regulate the hydrolytic rate of maltose, showing an excellent inhibition ratio to maltase of 54.7%, significantly higher than that of (−)‐LCDs (15.5%) in the same reaction conditions. The superior performance may be attributed to the preferable combination of DCDs with maltase. This study provides an electrochemical method to facilely regulate CDs chirality, and explore new applications of chiral CDs as antihyperglycemic therapy for controlling blood glucose levels.
Origin of Performance Enhancement in TiO2‐Carbon Nanotube Composite Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Macdonald Thomas J. , Batmunkh Munkhbayar , Lin Chieh‐Ting , Kim Jinhyun , Tune Daniel D. , Ambroz Filip , Li Xiaoe , Xu Shengda , Sol Christian , Papakonstantinou Ioannis , McLachlan Martyn A. , Parkin Ivan P. , Shapter Joseph G. , Durrant James R.
Published: May 2019

Carbon nanotubes are shown to be beneficial additives to perovskite solar cells, and the inclusion of such nanomaterials will continue to play a crucial role in the push toward developing efficient and stable device architectures. Herein, titanium dioxide/carbon nanotube composite perovskite solar cells are fabricated, and device performance parameters are correlated with spectroscopic signatures of the materials to understand the origin of performance enhancement. By probing the charge carrier dynamics with photoluminescence and femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, the results indicate that charge transfer is not improved by the presence of the carbon nanotubes. Instead, carbon nanotubes are shown to passivate the electronic defect states within the titanium dioxide, which can lead to stronger radiative recombination in the titanium dioxide/carbon nanotube films. The defect passivation allows the perovskite solar cells made using an optimized titanium dioxide/carbon nanotube composite to achieve a peak power conversion efficiency of 20.4% (19% stabilized), which is one of the highest values reported for perovskite solar cells not incorporating a mixed cation light absorbing layer. The results discuss new fundamental understandings for the role of carbon nanomaterials in perovskite solar cells and present a significant step forward in advancing the field of high‐performance photovoltaics.
High‐Quality Single‐Mode Lasers Based on Zero‐Dimensional Cesium Lead Halide Perovskites
Authors: Yang Jie , Liu Zhengzheng , Zeng Fanju , Pi Mingyu , Shi Tongchao , Bian Yao , Tang Xiaosheng , Du Juan , Liu Weimin , Leng Yuxin
Published: May 2019

Zero‐dimensional (0D) perovskites are emerging as a class of optoelectronic materials due to their unprecedented strong excitonic properties and high stability. Although the photoluminescence properties of 0D perovskites (Cs4PbX6) are investigated, the origin of green emission is still opaque, and their lasing performances are not reported. Herein, using the femtosecond transient absorption measurements to study the photophysical properties of Cs4PbBr6, the presence of polarons in Cs4PbBr6 is revealed, which provides the evidence that the green emission is contributed from the intrinsic behavior of Cs4PbBr6 rather than CsPbBr3 impurities. The successful lasing achieved from Cs4PbBr6 microdisks (MDs) by a room‐temperature reverse microemulsion method is demonstrated. The as‐prepared MDs with a smooth surface and a regular geometric structure can act as ideal whispering‐gallery‐mode microcavities. Optically pumped single‐mode lasing with a low threshold and high‐quality factor is successfully achieved from MDs under both one‐ and two‐photon excitation at room temperature. The MDs display an excellent stability while stored under ambient conditions for several months. In addition, the phase transformation between CsPbBr3 and Cs4PbBr6 can be easily achieved via tuning the amounts of surfactants. This work suggests that 0D perovskites can be promising materials toward the development of miniaturized lasers and other optoelectronic devices.
Abnormal visual event detection based on multi‐instance learning and autoregressive integrated moving average model in edge‐based Smart City surveillance
Authors: Xu Xianghua , Liu LiQiming , Zhang Lingjun , Li Ping , Chen Jinjun
Published: May 2019

The abnormal visual event detection is an important subject in Smart City surveillance where a lot of data can be processed locally in edge computing environment. Real‐time and detection effectiveness are critical in such an edge environment. In this paper, we propose an abnormal event detection approach based on multi‐instance learning and autoregressive integrated moving average model for video surveillance of crowded scenes in urban public places, focusing on real‐time and detection effectiveness. We propose an unsupervised method for abnormal event detection by combining multi‐instance visual feature selection and the autoregressive integrated moving average model. In the proposed method, each video clip is modeled as a visual feature bag containing several subvideo clips, each of which is regarded as an instance. The time‐transform characteristics of the optical flow characteristics within each subvideo clip are considered as a visual feature instance, and time‐series modeling is carried out for multiple visual feature instances related to all subvideo clips in a surveillance video clip. The abnormal events in each surveillance video clip are detected using the multi‐instance fusion method. This approach is verified on publically available urban surveillance video datasets and compared with state‐of‐the‐art alternatives. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method has better abnormal event detection performance for crowded scene of urban public places with an edge environment.
Caterpillar: A business process execution engine on the Ethereum blockchain
Authors: López‐Pintado Orlenys , García‐Bañuelos Luciano , Dumas Marlon , Weber Ingo , Ponomarev Alexander
Published: May 2019

Blockchain platforms, such as Ethereum, allow a set of actors to maintain a ledger of transactions without relying on a central authority and to deploy programs, called smart contracts, that are executed whenever certain transactions occur. These features can be used as basic building blocks for executing collaborative business processes between mutually untrusting parties. However, implementing business processes using the low‐level primitives provided by blockchain platforms is cumbersome and error‐prone. In contrast, established business process management systems (BPMSs), such as those based on the standard Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN), provide convenient abstractions for rapid development of process‐oriented applications. This article demonstrates how to combine the advantages of a BPMS with those of a blockchain platform. The article introduces a blockchain‐based BPMN execution engine, named Caterpillar. Like any BPMN execution engine, Caterpillar supports the creation of instances of a process model and allows users to monitor the state of process instances and to execute tasks thereof. The specificity of Caterpillar is that the state of each process instance is maintained on the (Ethereum) blockchain and the workflow routing is performed by smart contracts generated by a BPMN‐to‐Solidity compiler. The Caterpillar compiler supports a large array of BPMN constructs, including subprocesses, multiple‐instance activities, and event handlers. The paper describes the architecture of Caterpillar and the interfaces it provides to support the monitoring of process instances, the allocation and execution of work items, and the execution of service tasks.
Recycled estimates for nonlinear regression models
Authors: Zhang Yue , Boukai Ben
Published: May 2019

We consider a resampling scheme for parameter estimation in nonlinear regression models. We provide an estimation procedure that recycles, via random weighting, the relevant parameter estimates to construct consistent estimates of the sampling distribution of the various estimates. We establish the asymptotic normality of the resampled estimates and demonstrate the applicability of the recycling approach in a small simulation study and via an example.
BAM - Backlog Assessment Method
Authors: Svensson Richard Berntsson , Gorschek Tony , Bengtsson Per-Olof , Widerberg Jonas
Published: May 2019

The necessity of software as stand-alone products, and as central parts of non-traditional software products have changed how software products are developed. It started with the introduction of the agile manifesto and has resulted in a change of how software process improvements (SPI) are conducted. Although there are agile SPI methods and several agile practices for evaluating and improving current processes and ways-of-working, no method or practices for evaluating the backlog exists. To address this gap, the Backlog Assessment Method (BAM) was developed and applied in collaboration with Telenor Sweden. BAM enables agile organizations to assess backlogs, and assure that the backlog items are good-enough for their needs and well aligned with the decision process. The results from the validation show that BAM is feasible and relevant in an industrial environment, and it indicates that BAM is useful as a tool to perform analysis of items in a specific backlog.
Artifact-Facilitated Communication in Agile User-Centered Design
Authors: Garcia Andrei , da Silva Tiago Silva , Silveira Milene Selbach
Published: May 2019

One of the main challenges faced while establishing the integration of Agile and User-Centered Design is how to facilitate communication among the invariably distinct involved practitioners. Advocating the use of artifacts as enablers in this scenario, this paper aims to explore and understand the artifacts which can facilitate the communication between developers and designers in an Agile User-Centered Design approach. Drawing upon a netnography of a globally-distributed online community, we carried out community observation, data collection, and data analysis. The data analysis and interpretation pointed out two major themes: artifacts facilitate communication and artifacts support collaboration. Our paper provides an overview of the artifacts used for communication in Agile User-Centered Design and highlights how artifact-facilitated communication ensues in the industry through a perspective from practitioners.
Using Social Network Analysis to Investigate the Collaboration Between Architects and Agile Teams: A Case Study of a Large-Scale Agile Development Program in a German Consumer Electronics Company
Authors: Uludağ Ömer , Kleehaus Martin , Erçelik Soner , Matthes Florian
Published: May 2019

Over the past two decades, agile methods have transformed and brought unique changes to software development practice by strongly emphasizing team collaboration, customer involvement, and change tolerance. The success of agile methods for small, co-located teams has inspired organizations to increasingly use them on a larger scale to build complex software systems. The scaling of agile methods poses new challenges such as inter-team coordination, dependencies to other existing environments or distribution of work without a defined architecture. The latter is also the reason why large-scale agile development has been subject to criticism since it neglects detailed assistance on software architecting. Although there is a growing body of literature on large-scale agile development, literature documenting the collaboration between architects and agile teams in such development efforts is still scarce. As little research has been conducted on this issue, this paper aims to fill this gap by providing a case study of a German consumer electronics retailer’s large-scale agile development program. Based on social network analysis, this study describes the collaboration between architects and agile teams in terms of architecture sharing.
Is retinal vasculature a biomarker in amyloid proven Alzheimer's disease?
Authors: den Haan Jurre , van de Kreeke Jacoba A. , van Berckel Bart N. , Barkhof Frederik , Teunissen Charlotte E. , Scheltens Philip , Verbraak Frank D. , Bouwman Femke H.
Published: May 2019

Introduction

The retina is a potential source of noninvasive vascular biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD). We assessed retinal microvasculature in well‐characterized AD cases, taking ophthalmological confounders into account.

Methods

We included 48 amyloid‐positive AD patients and 38 amyloid‐negative cognitively normal control subjects. All participants underwent ophthalmological screening to exclude interfering ocular disease. Using a multimodal approach, we measured retinal vascular parameters, choroidal thickness, macular vascular density, and foveal avascular zone size.

Results

We found no disease effects on retinal vascular measures (all β′s < |0.15|, all P > .2), adjusted for confounders. Venular tortuosity was inversely associated with Fazekas score in control subjects (β −0.56, P < .01), while vessel density in the outer ring of the macula was inversely associated with Fazekas score in AD cases (β −0.64, P < .01).

Discussion

In conclusion, retinal vasculature did not discriminate patients with AD from control subjects, despite evident changes on clinical, neuroimaging, and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, challenging the use of retinal vasculature measurements as AD biomarker.
Faraday instability on a sphere: numerical simulation
Authors: Ebo-Adou A. , Tuckerman L. S. , Shin S. , Chergui J. , Juric D.
Published: May 2019

We consider a spherical variant of the Faraday problem, in which a spherical drop is subjected to a time-periodic body force, as well as surface tension. We use a full three-dimensional parallel front-tracking code to calculate the interface motion of the parametrically forced oscillating viscous drop, as well as the velocity field inside and outside the drop. Forcing frequencies are chosen so as to excite spherical harmonic wavenumbers ranging from 1 to 6. We excite gravity waves for wavenumbers 1 and 2 and observe translational and oblate–prolate oscillation, respectively. For wavenumbers 3 to 6, we excite capillary waves and observe patterns analogous to the Platonic solids. For low viscosity, both subharmonic and harmonic responses are accessible. The patterns arising in each case are interpreted in the context of the theory of pattern formation with spherical symmetry.
Fermentation of non-starch polysaccharides in mixed diets and single fibre sources: comparative studies in human subjects andin vitro
Authors: Wisker Elisabeth , Daniel Martina , Rave Gerhard , Feldheim Walter
Published: May 2019

The present study investigated whether the extent of fermentation of NSP in human subjects could be predicted by anin vitrobatch system. Fibre sources studied were five mixed diets containing different amounts and types of fibre and three single fibre sources (citrus fibre concentrate, coarse and fine wholemeal rye bread). Fermentation in human subjects was determined in balance experiments in women who were also donors of the faecal inocula.In vitrofermentations were performed with fibre residues prepared from duplicates of the fibre-containing foods consumed during the balance trials. Fermentation of total NSPin vivowas between 65.8 and 88.6% for the mixed diets and 54.4, 58.0 and 96.9 % for the coarse and fine wholemeal rye breads and the citrus fibre concentrate respectively. For the mixed diets and the citrus fibre concentrate, mean differences between the extent of NSP degradation after 24 hin vitroincubation and thatin vivowere between −0.7 and 5.0 %. Differences were significant for one diet (P< 0.05). For the wholemeal rye breads, the fermentationin vitroexceeded thatin vivosignificantly, but the magnitude of the difference in each case was small and without physiological importance. Particle size of breads had no influence on the extent of NSP degradation. These results indicate that thein vitrobatch system used could provide quantitative data on the fermentationin vivoof NSP in mixed diets and some single fibre sources. Anin vitroincubation time of 24 h was sufficient to mimic the NSP degradationin vivo.
Dietary fish oil and digestible protein modify susceptibility to lipid peroxidation in the muscle of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)
Authors: Alvarez M. J. , Lopez-Bote C. J. , Diez A. , Corraze G. , Arzel J. , Dias J. , Kaushik S. J. , Bautista J. M.
Published: May 2019

The effects of dietary fish oil and digestible protein (DP) levels on muscle fatty acid composition and susceptibility to lipid peroxidation were studied in two representative fish species for human nutrition, from fresh and seawater, rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). In rainbow trout, higher concentrations of dietary fat and DP led to higher weight gain (g/d) (P = 0.001 and P = 0.043 respectively). Additionally, an interaction effect was observed in this species, since the effect of DP was only evident when the dietary fat concentration was low (P = 0.043). A similar tendency was also observed in European sea bass, although with less marked differences among nutritional treatments. Trout fed on diets with a higher concentration of dietary fat had higher concentrations of intramuscular total and neutral lipids in the dorsal muscle (P = 0.005). Increased levels of dietary DP led to significantly lower concentrations of polar lipids in the dorsal muscle of both rainbow trout (P = 0.005) and European sea bass (P = 0.006). In the neutral fraction of intramuscular lipids of dorsal muscle the concentration of n-3 fatty acids was positively affected by the dietary fat concentration in both rainbow trout (P = 0.04) and sea bass (P = 0.001). Muscle homogenates from trout and sea bass fed on diets rich in fish oil showed a significantly higher susceptibility to oxidation than muscle homogenates from fish fed on low-fat diets (P = 0.001). The higher DP concentration also increased susceptibility to oxidation. Moreover, in rainbow trout an interaction effect was observed where the pro-oxidant effect was of higher magnitude when the dietary concentration of both nutrients, fat and protein, was high (P = 0.004).
The effect of acute carbohydrate load on the monophasic or biphasic nature of the postprandial lipaemic response to acute fat ingestion in human subjects
Authors: Shishehbor Farideh , Roche Helen M. , Gibney Michael J.
Published: May 2019

Previous studies in this laboratory have elicited a monophasic response in postprandial plasma triacylglycerol (TAG) level with fat intakes of 0.5 g fat/kg body weight accompanied by about 17 g carbohydrate as lactose. Recent studies involving the same level of fat with a higher level of carbohydrate, 136 g of which 60 g was sucrose, appeared to elicit a biphasic response. The present study compared these two test meals and showed a significant meal × time interaction for plasma total TAG (P= 0.0228) reflecting a monophasic response with the lower-carbohydrate test meal. The higher-carbohydrate meal induced significantly higher insulin and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide responses (P= 0.0009 andP= 0.0041 respectively). A significant meal × time interaction was seen for plasma non-esterified fatty acids (P= 0.0437). The biphasic plasma TAG response seen with the high-carbohydrate meal largely reflected the TAG-rich lipoprotein (TRL) or chylomicron fraction, which would tend to suggest a biphasic pattern of absorption. This was borne out by TRL-TAG fatty acid compositions. Both peaks in the biphasic response showed active incorporation of the main dietary fatty acids, 18:1n−9, 18:2n−6 and 18:3n−3 into TRL-TAG. These results indicate that under the specific test-meal conditions used in the present study, a biphasic pattern of fat absorption was seen.
African plant foods rich in non-starch polysaccharides reduce postprandial blood glucose and insulin concentrations in healthy human subjects
Authors: Onyechi Uchenna A. , Judd Patricia A. , Ellis Peter R.
Published: May 2019

The effects of two vegetable flours, prepared from the African plants Detarium senegalense Gmelin, a legume, and Cissus rotundifolia, a shrub, on postprandial blood glucose and insulin concentrations in human subjects, were investigated. Chemical analysis indicated that these flours contained significant amounts of NSP. The detarium in particular was found to be a rich source of water-soluble NSP (SNSP). The flours were incorporated into two types of breakfast meal, a stew meal and a wheat bread meal, containing 50 g and 70 g available carbohydrate respectively. Both meals also contained 10–12g NSP, the major fraction of which was SNSP. Control and fibre-rich meals were consumed on separate days in randomized order by two different groups of subjects (n 5, stew meals; n 10, bread meals). Venous blood samples were taken at fasting (0 min) and postprandially at 30 min intervals for 2·5 h and the plasma analysed for glucose and insulin. Compared with the controls, detarium and cissus meals elicited significant reductions (P < 0·006) in plasma glucose levels at most postprandial time points and for area-under-the-curve (AUC) values (AUC reductions 38–62%). Significant reductions (P < 0·002) in plasma insulin levels at various postprandial time points and for AUC values were also seen after detarium and cissus breads (AUC reductions 43 and 36% respectively), but not after the fibre-rich stew meals. SNSP and starch are possibly the main, but not the only, components responsible for the glucose- and insulin-lowering effects of cissus flour. The main SNSP fraction of detarium, identified as a high-molecular-weight xyloglucan, is likely to be a primary factor in determining the physiological activity of detarium flour.
The effect of short-term calcium supplementation on biochemical markers of bone metabolism in healthy young adults
Authors: Ginty Fiona , Flynn Albert , Cashman Kevin D.
Published: May 2019

The influence of Ca supplementation of the usual diet for 14d on biochemical markers of bone turnover was investigated in healthy young adults aged 21–26 years. In a crossover study, eighteen subjects (five male and thirteen female) were randomly assigned to their self-selected diet (about 22 mmol Ca/d) or their self-selected diet with a 20 mmol/d Ca supplement (about 40 mmol Ca/d) for 14d followed by crossover to the alternative diet for a further 14d. During each dietary period fasting morning first void urine samples (last 3d) and fasting blood serum samples (morning of twelfth day) were collected. Ca supplementation reduced urinary excretion of pyridinoline (14%) and deoxypyridinoline (16%) (biochemical markers of bone resorption) but had no effect on biochemical markers of bone formation (serum osteocalcin and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase;EC3.1.3.1). It is concluded that Ca supplementation of the usual diet in young adults suppresses bone resorption over a 2-week period. If sustained, this could result in suppression of the bone remodelling rate and an increase in bone mass over time. The findings of this short-term study with a relatively small number of young adults highlight the need for a longer-term intervention study of the effect of increased Ca intake on bone mass in this age group.
Comparison of egg-yolk protein hydrolysate and soyabean protein hydrolysate in terms of nitrogen utilization
Authors: Gutierrez Miguel A. , Mitsuya Takayuki , Hatta Hajime , Koketsu Mamoru , Kobayashi Rie , Juneja Lekh R. , Kim Mujo
Published: May 2019

Egg-yolk protein hydrolysate (YPp) is an alternative protein source in formulas for infants with intolerance to cow's milk or soyabean protein, or for patients with intestinal disorders. However, the nutritional value of YPp has never been investigated. YPp was prepared by enzymic hydrolysis of delipidated yolk protein, which led to an average peptide length of 2.6 residues. Three experiments were performed. In Expt 1, we compared the intestinal absorption rate of YPp and soyabean protein hydrolysate (SPp) in rats. YPp and SPp solutions were injected into the duodenum of anaesthetized rats and blood samples were taken from the portal vein at 7, 15, 30, 60, and 120 min. A higher amino acid concentration in the serum of the YPp group demonstrated that YPp was absorbed faster than SPp. In Expt 2, the effects of dietary YPp and SPp on body-weight gain, protein efficiency ratio (PER) and feed efficiency ratio (FER) were determined. At the end of the experiment, body weight had increased in both groups, while PER and FER were significantly higher in rats fed on YPp. In Expt 3, to investigate the effects of dietary YPp and SPp on N metabolism, we determined the biological value and net protein utilization. Yolk protein was the reference protein. Biological value and net protein utilization values were very similar between animals fed on yolk protein and YPp diets, and significantly higher than in rats fed on the SPp diet. The present findings demonstrate that there is no adverse effect of hydrolysis of yolk protein on N utilization, and that the nutritive value of YPp is similar to that of yolk protein and superior to that of SPp.
The effects of maternal intake and gestational age on materno-fetal transport of vitamin C in the guinea-pig
Authors: Das S. , Powers H. J.
Published: May 2019

The effects of maternal intake and gestational age on materno-fetal transport of vitamin C were investigated in female Dunkin-Hartley guinea-pigs. Twenty-four time-mated dams were fed on either a moderate-vitamin C (group A) or a high-vitamin C (group B) diet, throughout pregnancy. At days 49, 63 and 66 of gestation, and at term, three animals from each group were killed and fetuses removed by hysterectomy. Plasma, liver, kidney, lungs, heart, placenta and amniotic fluid were collected from dams and fetuses and subsequently analysed for vitamin C. Fetal plasma and amniotic fluid concentrations showed negative associations with gestational age for both dietary groups, independent of an effect of dam (P < 0.001). A similar, though not significant, effect of gestational age was observed on placental vitamin C and group A fetal tissue concentrations. Fetal plasma, placental and amniotic fluid vitamin C concentrations were significantly higher in group B than group A (P < 0.001), suggesting the influence of maternal diet. Although the level of maternal vitamin C intake can influence the circulating concentration in the fetus, there is a decrease associated with increasing gestational age, independent of the maternal diet. The gestational age-dependent change in the fetal accumulation of vitamin C may reflect changes in the rate of placental transfer.
Translocation of protein kinase C isoforms in rat muscle in response to fasting and refeeding
Authors: Palmer Robert M. , Nieto Rosa M. , Da Silva Patricia , Thom Amanda , Thompson Michael G.
Published: May 2019

Weanling rats were offered foodad libitum, or fasted for 18 h, or fasted and refed for times ranging from 5 to 30 min. Five protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms (α, ε, ζ, and μ) were detected in the hindlimb muscles by Western immunoblotting. PKC forms ε and were abundant in plantaris, but not in soleus muscle, and no difference in localization was detected between fed rats and those fasted for 18 h. PKC forms α and μ were affected by fasting and refeeding. PKC-μ was found only in the cytosolic fraction of the plantaris muscle of the fasted animal, but in the fully-fed animals it was also associated with the membrane fraction. The pattern of localization observed in the fully-fed state was restored in the fasted rats by 20 min refeeding. In contrast, PKC-α was not detected in the cytosolic fraction of the plantaris in fasted animals but rapidly reappeared there on refeeding, being restored to 20 % and 80 % of the fed value within 5 and 30 min of refeeding respectively. The timing of these changes was correlated with the increase in serum insulin concentration, which was significantly elevated above the fasted value by 5 min and at subsequent times. These data suggest a possible role for PKC isoforms α and μ in the metabolic changes that occur in skeletal muscle on transition between the fasted and the fed state.
The Nature of the Firm: Towards an Ecocultural History of Business
Authors: Rosen Christine Meisner , Sellers Christopher C.
Published: May 2019

Business history has never paid much attention to the environment. Brushing aside the firm's reliance and impact on the natural world, early business historians zeroed in on the role of the entrepreneur in big business's rise. They found it easy to truncate, marginalize or altogether ignore the physical processes by which the stuff of nature—“raw” materials—was carved or coaxed out of mountains, forests, and deserts, channeled into factories and squeezed and cajoled into commodities. They scarcely considered the ever-changing varieties of “waste” generated by businesses and customers, which so often infiltrated, polluted, and otherwise altered the world beyond factory and office. They devoted equally little attention to the effects of resource extraction and use on plants, animals, land, air, or water, much less entire ecosystems and climate.
Timēandaretēin Homer
Authors: Finkelberg Margalit
Published: May 2019

Much effort has been invested by scholars in defining the specific character of the Homeric values as against those that obtained at later periods of Greek history. The distinction between the ‘shame-culture’ and the ‘guilt-culture’ introduced by E. R. Dodds, and that between the ‘competitive’ and the ‘cooperative’ values advocated by A. W. H. Adkins, are among the more influential ones. Although Adkins's taxonomy encountered some acute criticism, notably from A. A. Long, it has become generally adopted both in the scholarly literature and in general philosophical discussions of Greek ethics. Objections to Adkins's approach have mainly concentrated on demonstrating that his denial of the cooperative values to Homer is untenable on general grounds and is not supported by Homeric evidence. Characteristically, Adkins's thesis concerning the centrality to Homer's ethics of the so-called ‘competitive values‘ has never received similar attention, probably owing to the fact that this is the point at which his picture of the Homeric society concurs with the influential reconstructions by W Jaeger and M. I. Finley. The present study oftimēandaretē, generally held to be the two competitive values central to the Homeric poems, purports to address this issue.
Staging the Gaze: Early Christian Apocalypses and Narrative Self-Representation
Authors: Maier Harry O.
Published: May 2019

In Minucius Felix'sOctavius, the pagan Caecilius offers an intriguing critique of the Christian God. Having pilloried Christian faith as trust in a “solitary, forlorn God, whom no free nation, no kingdom, no superstition known to Rome has knowledge of,” he goes on to mock him as a voyeur:

[W]hat monstrous absurdities these Christians invent about this God of theirs, whom they can neither show nor see! That he searches diligently into the ways and deeds of all people, yea even their words and hidden thoughts, hurrying to and fro, everywhere present at once; they make him out to be a troublesome, restless being, who has a hand in everything that is done, is shamelessly curious, interlopes at every turn, and can neither attend to particulars because he is distracted with the whole, nor to the whole because he is engaged with particulars.
Bangladesh–India: Treaty on Sharing of the Ganges Waters at Farakka
Authors: Sands Philippe
Published: May 2019

The Bangladesh–India Treaty on sharing the waters of the Ganges River and the India–Nepal Treaty on sharing the waters of the Mahakali River [36 I.L.M. 531 (1997)] are intended to bring to an end long–running differences between India and her neighbors over the entitlement to water flows following the construction by India of barrages on the Ganges and Mahakali Rivers. The treaties establish long–term water discharge regimes of 30 and 75 years respectively, focusing on the utilization of waters rather than their conservation.
World Trade Organization: Agreement on Telecommunications Services (Fourth Protocol to General Agreement on Trade in Services)
Authors: Sherman Laura B.
Published: May 2019

On February 15, 1997, 69 countries agreed to provide market access to some or all of their basic telecommunications sectors. These 69 countries represent over 90% of the world's basic telecommunications revenues. This achievement came after two unsuccessful attempts to negotiate a multi-lateral agreement on basic telecommunications under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (“WTO”). It was an achievement warmly welcomed by consumers and suppliers of basic telecommunications services.
Introduction Community Conflicts and the State in India
Authors: Basu Amrita , Kohli Atul
Published: May 2019

Political conflicts around religious, caste and regional identities have multiplied in India. Whether one views these “million mutinies” as symptomatic of a growing crisis of governability or of a democratic revolution, analytical questions abound. Why is there apparently more violent conflict around identity politics in India today than at any time since Independence? To what extent do the character and intensity of recent conflicts differ from those of the past? What lessons can we learn from cases where community demands have been successfully accommodated? And, relatedly, what measures might alleviate the widespread destruction of life and property and create the sense of predictability on which all social order rests? The following essays analyze both the growing incidence of violent ethnic conflict in India and some of the conditions for their resolution.
Upper Steptoean (Upper Cambrian) Trilobites from the Mckay Group of Southeastern British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Chatterton Brian D. E. , Ludvigsen Rolf
Published: May 2019

An abundant and well preserved trilobite fauna is described from Upper Cambrian calcareous mudstones of the McKay Group, near Cranbrook in southeastern British Columbia. The trilobites are mostly articulated, consisting of similar numbers of molts and carcasses. They are representative of a new deep water biofacies, theWujiajianiaBiofacies, and a newWujiajiania sutherlandiFauna of late Steptoean age. The trilobites were collected from a narrow interval (<20 m thick) of richly fossiliferous strata, in a thick sequence of unfossiliferous to sparsely fossiliferous strata of similar lithology. The fauna includes fourteen species, six of which are new:Aciculolenus palmeri, Burnetiella leechi, Hedinaspis canadensis, Labiostria westropi, Pterocephalia norfordi, andWujiajiania sutherlandi.