bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High Work Output Combined With High Ambient Temperatures Caused Heat Exhaustion in a Wildland Firefighter Despite High Fluid Intake
Authors: Cuddy John S. , Ruby Brent C.
Published: June 2011

The purpose of this case study is to examine the physiological/behavioral factors leading up to heat exhaustion in a male wildland firefighter during wildland fire suppression. The participant (24 years old, 173 cm, 70 kg, and 3 years firefighting experience) experienced heat exhaustion following 7 hours of high ambient temperatures and arduous work on the fire line during the month of August. At the time of the heat-related incident (HRI), core temperature was 40.1°C (104.2°F) and skin temperature was 34.4°C (93.9°F). His work output averaged 1067 counts·min−1 (arbitrary units for measuring activity) for the 7 hours prior to the HRI, a very high rate of work over an extended time period during wildfire suppression. In the 2.5 hours leading up to the heat incident, he was exposed to a mean ambient temperature of 44.6°C (112.3°F), with a maximum temperature of 59.7°C (139.5°F). He consumed an average of 840 mL · h−1 in the 7 hours leading up to the incident and took an average of 24 ± 11 drinks · h−1 (total of 170 drinks). The combined effects of a high work rate and high ambient temperatures resulted in an elevated core temperature and a higher volume and frequency of drinking than typically seen in this population, ultimately ending in heat exhaustion and removal from the fire line. The data demonstrate that heat-related incidents can occur even with aggressive fluid intake during wildland fire suppression.
Mitogen-activated protein kinase mediates the apoptosis of highly metastatic human non-small cell lung cancer cells induced by isothiocyanates
Authors: Yan Huiqin , Zhu Yu , Liu Boning , Wu Heng , Li Yongwen , Wu Xiang , Zhou Qinghua , Xu Ke
Published: June 2011

Dietary isothiocyanates have been shown to possess anti-tumour activity, inhibiting several types of cultured human cancer cell growth. However, there are limited studies on their effects on cancer cell metastasis. Our previous study showed that benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) and phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) suppressed human lung cancer cell metastasis potential. In the present study, we found BITC (7·5 and 10 μm) and PEITC (12·5 and 20 μm) induced highly metastatic human non-small cell lung cancer L9981 cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Caspase-3 was activated. They also caused cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase, via modulation of cyclin B1 expression. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway was involved. c-Jun N-terminal kinase, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 and p38 were activated in a dose-dependent manner; activator protein 1 (AP-1) transcriptional activation and cyclin D1 expression were repressed. Apoptosis and MAPK activation were abrogated by anti-oxidant N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), suggesting that cell death signalling was triggered by oxidative stress. Further microarray analysis evaluated the potential targeted genes related to apoptosis and the cell cycle. Our studies suggested that BITC and PEITC suppressed the metastasis potential of highly metastatic lung cancer cells by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, via targeting the MAPK/AP-1 pathway. This may provide a novel approach for metastasis therapy of lung cancer by dietary isothiocyanates and possibly other types of cancer.
The Low Road to Basic Income? Tax-Benefit Integration in the UK
Authors: JORDAN BILL
Published: June 2011

Reform of the tax-benefit system is on the political agenda in the UK, following the election of a coalition government in May 2010. The proposals for a partial integration of the two systems, set out by the Centre for Social Justice in 2009, and endorsed by the new Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, have some features of a basic income scheme. This article explores some of the common origins of the basic income principle and the ideas informing the ‘Big Society’, and examines how both traditions opposed the social insurance approach to income maintenance. It asks whether this new reform initiative will discredit basic income, or usher in the principle by the back door.
Atrial septal defect repair by inversion of a juxtaposed left atrial appendage
Authors: Andersen Nicholas D. , Pal Jay D. , Lodge Andrew J.
Published: June 2011

A 7-year-old child was noted to have dextrojuxtaposition of the left atrial appendage at the time of surgical atrial septal defect repair. Given the favourable anatomic location and size of the atrial appendage, it was inverted and used to close the atrial defect. This is the first report of atrial septal defect repair using a juxtaposed atrial appendage. The cardiac anatomy and theoretical benefits of this repair are discussed.
Dietary patterns and breast-feeding in Australian children
Authors: Grieger Jessica A , Scott Jane , Cobiac Lynne
Published: June 2011

Objective

To determine the dietary patterns of a national sample of 2–8-year-old Australian children and to establish whether breast-feeding is associated with dietary patterns in this age group.

Design

Cross-sectional study using 24 h recall data from the 2007 Australian National Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey.

Setting

Australia.

Subjects

A total of 2287 children aged 2–8 years.

Results

Principal component factor analysis identified three distinct patterns. The ‘Non-core food groups’ pattern included food groups such as whole-fat dairy products, cheese, medium–high sugar-sweetened breakfast cereals and sweet biscuits, no fruit, reduced/low-fat dairy products and wholegrain bread/rolls. The ‘Healthy, meat and vegetable’ pattern included vegetables, red meat, fruit and wholegrain bread/rolls and was inversely associated with take-away foods and carbonated sugar-sweetened beverages. The ‘Combination’ pattern contained many food groups including candy (not chocolate based), pasta/rice products, nuts/seeds, cakes and chocolate, but no fruit or vegetables. Of the 2287 children, 2064 (89·3 %) had been breast-fed. A positive association was found between breast-feeding and the healthy, meat and vegetable pattern (r= 0·267) but not with the other two patterns. Higher scores on this pattern were also associated with younger age, lower BMI, higher birth weight, high likelihood of being in the less-disadvantaged Socio-economic Indexes for Areas category and less likelihood of the child's parents having a lower educational level.

Conclusions

These results provide suggestive evidence that breast-feeding during infancy is associated with a healthy dietary pattern in childhood and offers a likely pathway to explain the previously reported association between breast-feeding and chronic disease.
The impact of prenatal vitamin A and zinc supplementation on growth of children up to 2 years of age in rural Java, Indonesia
Authors: Prawirohartono Endy P , Nyström Lennarth , Ivarsson Anneli , Stenlund Hans , Lind Torbjörn
Published: June 2011

Objective

To determine whether prenatal vitamin A and/or Zn supplementation affects postnatal growth.

Design

Follow-up of a randomized controlled trial monitoring growth in children from birth up to 24 months of age.

Setting

Central Java, Indonesia.

Subjects

Children (n343) of mothers participating in a double-blinded, randomized controlled study of vitamin A and/or Zn supplementation during pregnancy. We report the effects of prenatal supplementation on infant growth, measured as weight-for-ageZ-scores (WAZ), height-for-ageZ-scores (HAZ) and weight-for-heightZ-scores (WHZ ), from 0 to 24 months, as well as differences in growth faltering among the supplementation groups.

Results

For HAZ, the absolute differences between the vitamin A-only and vitamin A + Zn groups at 3 and 9 months were 0·34sdand 0·37sd, respectively, and the absolute difference between the vitamin A-only and Zn-only groups at 18 months was 0·31sd. Compared with placebo, none of the supplements affected growth. Defining growth faltering as a downward crossing of two or more major percentile lines, 50–75 % of the children were found to be growth faltering within 9 months of age, whereas 17 % and 8 % scored <−2sdfor WAZ and HAZ, respectively. Prenatal supplementation did not reduce the prevalence of growth faltering.

Conclusions

Prenatal vitamin A supplementation had a small but significant effect on postnatal growth of children's length until 18 months of age compared with supplementation with either vitamin A + Zn or Zn alone, but not compared with placebo. It had no effects on other anthropometric measures and did not reduce the prevalence of growth faltering. Future studies should duplicate these findings before recommendations can be made.
Beverage intake patterns of Canadian children and adolescents
Authors: Danyliw Adrienne D , Vatanparast Hassanali , Nikpartow Nooshin , Whiting Susan J
Published: June 2011

Objective

Little is known of the beverage intake patterns of Canadian children or of characteristics within these patterns. The objective was to determine beverage intake patterns among Canadian children and compare intakes of fourteen types of beverages, along with intakes of vitamin C and Ca, and sociodemographic factors across clusters.

Design

Dietary information was collected using one 24 h recall. Sociodemographic data were collected by interview. Cluster analysis was used to determine beverage intake patterns. Pearson's χ2 and 95 % CI were used to test differences across clusters.

Setting

Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey Cycle 2·2.

Subjects

Children aged 2–18 years with plausible energy intake and complete sociodemographic data (n 10 038) were grouped into the following categories: 2–5-year-old boys and girls, 6–11-year-old girls, 6–11-year-old boys, 12–18-year-old girls and 12–18-year-old boys.

Results

Five beverage clusters emerged for children aged 2–5 years, six clusters for children aged 6–11 years (both sexes) and four clusters for those aged 12–18 years (both sexes). Sweetened beverage clusters appeared in all age–sex groups. Intakes of sweetened beverages ranged from 553 to 1059 g/d and contributed between 2 % and 18 % of total energy intake. Girls 6–11 years of age in the ‘soft drink’ cluster had lower Ca intake compared with other clusters in that age–sex group. Age and ethnicity differed across clusters for most age–sex groups. Differences for household food security status and income were found; however, no pattern emerged.

Conclusions

Patterns in beverage intake among Canadian children include beverages that are predominantly sugar sweetened. Public health nutrition professionals can use knowledge about beverage patterns among children, as well as the characteristics of these groups, in the development of nutritional programmes and policies.
A pilot study of a telephone-based parental intervention to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in 3–5-year-old children
Authors: Wyse Rebecca , Wolfenden Luke , Campbell Elizabeth , Campbell Karen , Brennan Leah , Fletcher Amanda , Bowman Jenny , Heard Todd , Wiggers John
Published: June 2011

Objective

To examine the potential efficacy of a brief telephone-based parental intervention in increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in children aged 3–5 years and to examine the feasibility of intervention delivery and acceptability to parents.

Design

A pre–post study design with no comparison group. Telephone surveys were conducted approximately 1 week before and following intervention delivery.

Setting

Participants were recruited through pre-schools in the Hunter region, New South Wales, Australia.

Subjects

Thirty-four parents of 3–5-year-olds received four 30-min interventional telephone calls over 4 weeks administered by trained telephone interviewers. The scripted support calls focused on fruit and vegetable availability and accessibility within the home, parental role modelling of fruit and vegetable consumption and on implementing supportive family eating routines.

Results

Following the intervention, the frequency and variety of fruit and vegetable consumption increased (P= 0·027), as measured by a subscale of the children's dietary questionnaire. The intervention was feasible to be delivered to parents, as all participants who started the intervention completed all four calls, and all aspects of the interventional calls, including the number, length, content, format and relevance, were considered acceptable by more than 90 % of parents.

Conclusions

A brief telephone-based parental intervention to encourage fruit and vegetable consumption in pre-school-aged children may be effective, feasible and acceptable. Further investigation is warranted in a randomised controlled trial.
Food sources of nutrients among 13-year-old Portuguese adolescents
Authors: Araújo Joana , Severo Milton , Lopes Carla , Ramos Elisabete
Published: June 2011

Objective

To identify food sources of nutrients in adolescents’ diets and to identify differences in food sources according to individual characteristics.

Design

A cross-sectional evaluation was carried out in the 2003/2004 school year. Self-administered questionnaires were used and a physical examination was performed. Diet was evaluated using an FFQ.

Setting

Public and private schools in Porto, Portugal.

Subjects

Adolescents aged 13 years (n1522) enrolled at school.

Results

The main sources of energy were starchy foods (26·5 %), dairy (12·5 %) and meat (12·0 %). The major contributors to carbohydrate intake were starchy foods (38·2 %) and fruit (13·8 %) and to protein intake were meat (28·0 %), dairy products (20·3 %), starchy foods (15·3 %) and seafood (13·6 %). The main sources of total fat were meat (22·0 %), starchy foods (13·4 %) and dairy products (12·7 %). Sweets and pastries presented important contributions to energy (11·1 %), carbohydrate (12·4 %), total fat (13·3 %) and saturated fat (16·6 %) intakes. Parental education was inversely associated with the contribution of sweets and pastries to energy, carbohydrate and fat intakes and it was positively associated with the seafood contribution to protein intake.

Conclusions

The major sources of carbohydrates were starchy foods, which also accounted for a quarter of energy intake. Dairy products plus meat accounted for another quarter of energy. Meat was a major source of protein and fats. Sweets and pastries contributed more than 10 % to energy, carbohydrates, total and saturated fat. Parental education was the strongest determinant of food sources and was positively associated with a healthier contribution of food groups.
Perceptions of portion size and energy content: implications for strategies to affect behaviour change
Authors: Brindal Emily , Wilson Carlene , Mohr Philip , Wittert Gary
Published: June 2011

Objective

To assess Australian consumers’ perception of portion size of fast-food items and their ability to estimate energy content.

Design

Cross-sectional computer-based survey.

Setting

Australia.

Subjects

Fast-food consumers (168 male, 324 female) were asked to recall the items eaten at the most recent visit to a fast-food restaurant, rate the prospective satiety and estimate the energy content of seven fast-food or ‘standard’ meals relative to a 9000 kJ Guideline Daily Amount. Nine dietitians also completed the energy estimation task.

Results

Ratings of prospective satiety generally aligned with the actual size of the meals and indicated that consumers perceived all meals to provide an adequate amount of food, although this differed by gender. The magnitude of the error in energy estimation by consumers was three to ten times that of the dietitians. In both males and females, the average error in energy estimation for the fast-food meals (females: mean 3911 (sd1998) kJ; males: mean 3382 (sd1957) kJ) was significantly (P< 0·001) larger than for the standard meals (females: mean 2607 (sd1623) kJ; males: mean 2754 (sd1652) kJ). In women, error in energy estimation for fast-food items predicted actual energy intake from fast-food items (β= 0·16,P< 0·01).

Conclusions

Knowledge of the energy content of standard and fast-food meals in fast-food consumers in Australia is poor. Awareness of dietary energy should be a focus of health promotion if nutrition information, in its current format, is going to alter behaviour.
Re-imagining the ‘social’ in the nutrition sciences
Authors: Schubert Lisa , Gallegos Danielle , Foley Wendy , Harrison Claire
Published: June 2011

Objective

In response to The New Nutrition Science Project's Giessen Declaration, we provide here a case for a more fully described and integrated ‘social’ dimension within the nutrition sciences.

Design

This paper explores what we mean when we argue for socially engaged nutrition sciences (SENS), and describes the disciplinary fields, epistemologies and methodologies that contribute to SENS’ potential rich diversity and value. Additionally, the current positioning of ‘social nutrition’ research within the nutrition sciences is critiqued.

Results

There is fairly broad acceptance of the ‘social’ as an important contributor to successful public health nutrition situation analyses, intervention planning and implementation. However, we assert that the ‘social’ is not merely a contributor, the usual position, but is central. Implications for policy and practice that could follow from this shift in approach are outlined.

Conclusions

We call for researchers, educators, policy makers and practitioners alike to re-imagine the role and purpose of social science enquiry that could enable the delivery of more socially engaged nutrition sciences.
The Ethnic and Racial Side of Robert M. La Follette Sr.
Authors: Brøndal Jørn
Published: June 2011

The conundrum of Progressive Era reform flowering simultaneously with the institutionalization of Jim Crow, the establishment of the Asiatic Barred Zone, and the introduction of European immigration restriction fascinates historians, even as it agitates them. From a contemporary, post-civil-rights-era perspective there is something deeply disturbing—and disappointing—about progressivism and racial and ethnic bigotry apparently going hand in hand. Was progressivism inherently racist and ethnically chauvinistic, or are we dealing simply with a case of practically minded politicians bowing to bigotry to achieve political results? An investigation of the ethnic and racial side of Robert M. La Follette Sr. hardly promises to answer this question fully. The progressive movement remains well-nigh impossible to pin down in exact analytical terms. Still, it may be argued that La Follette was an unusually uncompromising politician who proved willing, at least during the latter part of his career, to sacrifice practical results for idealistic principles. If La Follette's progressivism was of a purer strain than that of many a result-oriented pragmatic politician, was it less bigoted?
Fighting Bob La Follette: Visionary American Leftist
Authors: Rothschild Matthew
Published: June 2011

Robert M. La Follette Sr. is a fabled character in the state of Wisconsin, and his name adorns streets and schools across the Dairy State. In the U.S. Senate, a bust of La Follette rests in the Rotunda, and La Follette is credited, by historians and senators alike, as being one of the greatest and most effective members who ever served in that body.
Landslides in southern Kyrgyzstan: Understanding tectonic controls
Authors: Haberland Christian , Abdybachaev Ulan , Schurr Bernd , Wetzel Hans‐Ulrich , Roessner Sigrid , Sarnagoev Aman , Orunbaev Sagynbek , Janssen Christoph
Published: June 2011

Frequent landsliding is one of the greatest natural hazards facing the inhabitants of Central Asia's Fergana Basin and the surrounding mountain ranges. Active tectonics in the region is rapidly building the Tien Shan, one of the highest mountain ranges on Earth, and the extreme topographic relief promotes frequent landslide activity, which causes major losses of life and property. In southwestern Kyrgyzstan alone, on average 10 people die and seven houses are destroyed each year in these sudden and rapidly moving landslides.
Identifying Challenges and Opportunities for Earth System reanalyses
Authors: Legler David , Dole Randall
Published: June 2011

Evaluation of Reanalyses—Developing an Integrated Earth System Analysis (IESA) Capability; Baltimore, Maryland, 1–3 November 2010; Understanding how Earth system components and their interactions are changing over time is crucial to developing national strategies for managing climate risk. Despite vast improvements in observational capabilities, observations alone are, and will continue to be, insufficient to fully determine the present state of the atmosphere, much less quantify the states of other components of the Earth system such as the ocean, land surface, cryosphere, and biosphere. Thus, a fundamental scientific challenge remains: obtaining optimal estimates of past and present climate and, more generally, of the full Earth system. This will help researchers to determine how and why changes are occurring and to assess the associated impacts.
Outstanding student paper awards
Authors: Anonymous
Published: June 2011

The following AGU members received Outstanding Student Paper Awards at the 2010 AGU Fall Meeting in San Francisco, Calif. See also “Outstanding Student Paper Awards” published previously (Eos, 92(18), 155;92(19), 165) and in future issues of Eos
Research Spotlight: Using rainfall estimates to predict malaria transmission
Authors: Tretkoff Ernie
Published: June 2011

Malaria kills nearly a million people each year, mostly in rural Africa. The disease is spread by mosquitoes, which thrive in wet areas, so malaria transmission is closely linked to rainfall. Rainfall estimates could therefore be used to help predict potential malaria transmission. However, rain gauge networks are sparse in many of the rural areas that are hit hardest by malaria.
Research Spotlight: Trees may enhance landslide hazards
Authors: Kumar Mohi
Published: June 2011

The amount of water saturated in soil layers depends on many factors, such as weather, climate, local geology, slope steepness, vegetation cover, and vegetation type. In forests, vegetation plays a key role in regulating soil saturation; tree canopies intercept rainfall that is then partitioned into water that drips off leaves (throughfall) and water that runs down tree trunks (stemflow). As a result, the water that reaches the soil layer is not evenly distributed along the forest floor. Patterns in this water distribution may influence how and where landslides occur.
Research Spotlight: Amazon region became less green due to 2010 drought
Authors: Tretkoff Ernie
Published: June 2011

New research shows that the Amazon region became significantly less green due to a severe 2010 drought. Xu et al. analyzed satellite‐based measurements to compare the greenness of Amazon vegetation due to the 2010 drought to that caused by a severe drought in 2005. They found that the decline in greenness due to the 2010 drought affected an area 4 times greater than the area affected in 2005. More than half of all drought‐stricken forest showed greenness declines in 2010, compared to only 14% in 2005. Furthermore, the declines in greenness in 2010 persisted past the time when rainfall returned to normal levels. Vegetation that is not as green absorbs less carbon dioxide (CO2), leaving more CO2 in the atmosphere, possibly accelerating global warming. (Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2011GL046824, 2011)
Moving forward on glacial retreat
Authors: Joswiak Meri , Yao Tandong , Joswiak Daniel
Published: June 2011

Second Third Pole Environment (TPE) Workshop; Kathmandu, Nepal, 26–28 October 2010; The Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding mountain ranges, called the “Third Pole” because it contains the largest ice fields outside of Antarctica and Greenland, is a critical geographical area for understanding the effects of climate change and unraveling the mysteries of global climate patterns and interactions. The uniqueness of this region lies not only in its high elevation but also in its location at the confluence of interacting environmental systems. The state of the region's biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and cryosphere affects a considerable portion of the world's population, principally the inhabitants of South Asia and East Asia, whose future economic and social development depends upon Third Pole resources, especially water.
Catalli, Sundberg receive Mineral and Rock Physics Graduate Research Awards
Authors: Anonymous
Published: June 2011

Krystle Catalli and Marshall Sundberg have been awarded the 2010 Mineral and Rock Physics Graduate Research Award, given annually to one or more promising young scientists for outstanding contributions achieved during their Ph.D. research. Recipients of this award are engaged in experimental and/or theoretical studies of Earth and planetary materials with the purpose of unraveling the physics and chemistry that govern their origin and physical properties. Catalli's thesis is entitled “The effect of trivalent cation substitution on the major lower mantle silicates.” Sundberg's thesis is entitled “Chemical interactions amongst phases during diffusion creep: Applications to the Earth's upper mantle.”
Research Spotlight: Interpreting 231Pa/230Th observations and changes in ocean circulation
Authors: Tretkoff Ernie
Published: June 2011

Understanding past changes in ocean circulation is important, because the ocean transports heat and changes in ocean circulation can affect climate. To better understand past ocean circulation changes, some researchers have used the ratio of two isotopes, protactinium‐231 (231Pa) and thorium‐230 (230Th), in sediments as a proxy to infer changes in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). Some studies have suggested that AMOC during the climate fluctuations of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; ∼21,000–18,000 years ago) and Heinrich Event 1 (H1; ∼17,000–15,000 years ago) was different from modern AMOC.
Research Spotlight: Observing nonlinear internal waves over New Jersey's continental shelf
Authors: Tretkoff Ernie
Published: June 2011

Nonlinear internal waves, which occur below the ocean's surface, can influence coastal environments, for instance, through increased turbulent mixing that affects fluxes of nutrients and heat.The details of how these waves are generated are not well understood. Shroyer et al. used ship and mooring data collected off the coast of New Jersey during August 2006 to describe the nonlinear internal wavefield and background oceanographic conditions. They found that during most of that month, nonlinear internal wave packets occurred irregularly and had displacements of about 8 meters, but during 17–21 August the nonlinear internal waves were more closely phased with the surface tide and were almost twice as large, with displacements around 15 meters, despite being coincident with the neap tide. The study provides significant new details on the evolution and variability of nonlinear internal waves. (Journal of Geophysical Research‐Oceans, doi:10.1029/2010JC006332, 2011)
Metatranscriptomic analyses of chlorophototrophs of a hot-spring microbial mat
Authors: Liu Zhenfeng , Klatt Christian G , Wood Jason M , Rusch Douglas B , Ludwig Marcus , Wittekindt Nicola , Tomsho Lynn P , Schuster Stephan C , Ward David M , Bryant Donald A
Published: June 2011

The phototrophic microbial mat community of Mushroom Spring, an alkaline siliceous hot spring in Yellowstone National Park, was studied by metatranscriptomic methods. RNA was extracted from mat specimens collected at four timepoints during light-to-dark and dark-to-light transitions in one diel cycle, and these RNA samples were analyzed by both pyrosequencing and SOLiD technologies. Pyrosequencing was used to assess the community composition, which showed that ∼84% of the rRNA was derived from members of four kingdoms Cyanobacteria, Chloroflexi, Chlorobi and Acidobacteria. Transcription of photosynthesis-related genes conclusively demonstrated the phototrophic nature of two newly discovered populations; these organisms, which were discovered through metagenomics, are currently uncultured and previously undescribed members of Chloroflexi and Chlorobi. Data sets produced by SOLiD sequencing of complementary DNA provided >100-fold greater sequence coverage. The much greater sequencing depth allowed transcripts to be detected from ∼15 000 genes and could be used to demonstrate statistically significant differential transcription of thousands of genes. Temporal differences for in situ transcription patterns of photosynthesis-related genes suggested that the six types of chlorophototrophs in the mats may use different strategies for maximizing their solar-energy capture, usage and growth. On the basis of both temporal pattern and transcript abundance, intra-guild gene expression differences were also detected for two populations of the oxygenic photosynthesis guild. This study showed that, when community-relevant genomes and metagenomes are available, SOLiD sequencing technology can be used for metatranscriptomic analyses, and the results suggested that this method can potentially reveal new insights into the ecophysiology of this model microbial community.
Postpartum Changes in Body Composition
Authors: Cho Geum Joon , Yoon Hyo Jin , Kim Eung‐Ju , Oh Min‐Jeong , Seo Hong‐Seog , Kim Hai‐Joong
Published: June 2011

Parity is associated with weight retention and has long‐lasting and detrimental effects on the health of women. Previous studies have shown that increasing parity was independently associated with an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Postpartum weight is made up of several components including uterine and mammary tissues, body water (intracellular (ICW) and extracellular water (ECW)), and fat. These components change in variable amounts postpartum, thereby distinctly affecting the interpretation of individual weight retention; however, it is unclear which components contribute to weight retention. The aims of this longitudinal study were to evaluate changes in body composition during the postpartum period and to investigate their effects on weight retention. This prospective study examined 41 healthy, pregnant women who gave birth at Korea University Guro Hospital. We measured body composition at 2 days, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks postpartum using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Weight decreased during this postpartum period (P < 0.001); the postpartum weight retention from prepregnancy to 6 weeks postpartum was 4.43 ± 4.0 kg. Among various body composition components, ECW, ICW, total body water, and fat‐free mass (FFM) decreased postpartum. However, fat mass (FM) and visceral fat area, the components that experienced the greatest changes, increased postpartum. Our results demonstrate that the postpartum period is associated with a preferential accumulation of adipose tissue in the visceral compartment, even though overall body weight is decreased. Further studies are needed to evaluate the changes in body composition over longer time periods and their long‐term effects on health.
Serum Amyloid A Induces Lipolysis by Downregulating Perilipin Through ERK1/2 and PKA Signaling Pathways
Authors: Liu Lih R. , Lin Shau P. , Chen Chih C. , Chen Yu J. , Tai Chen C. , Chang Shih C. , Juang Rong H. , Tseng Yi W. , Liu Bing H. , Mersmann Harry J. , Shen Tang L. , Ding Shih T.
Published: June 2011

Serum amyloid A (SAA) is not only an apolipoprotein, but also a member of the adipokine family with potential to enhance lipolysis. The purpose of this study was to explore how SAA facilitates lipolysis in porcine adipocytes. We found that SAA increased the phosphorylation of perilipin and hormone‐sensitive lipase (HSL) after 12‐h treatment and decreased perilipin expression after 24‐h treatment, and these effects were prevented by extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) or protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitors in primary adipocyte cell culture. SAA treatment decreased HSL and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) expression. SAA treatment also activated ERK and PKA by increasing the phosphorylation of these kinases. Moreover, SAA significantly increased porcine adipocyte glycerol release and lipase activity, which was inhibited by either ERK (PD98059) or PKA (H89) inhibitors, suggesting that ERK and PKA were involved in mediating SAA enhanced lipolysis. SAA downregulated the expression of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ (PPARγ) mRNA, which was reversed by the ERK inhibitor. We performed a porcine perilipin promoter assay in differentiated 3T3–L1 adipocytes and found that SAA reduced the porcine perilipin promoter specifically through the function of its PPAR response element (PPRE), and this effect was reversed by the ERK inhibitor. These findings demonstrate that SAA‐induced lipolysis is a result of downregulation of perilipin and activation of HSL via ERK/PPARγ and PKA signaling pathways. The finding could lead to developing new strategies for reducing human obesity.
Cyclin-dependent kinase subunit (Cks) 1 or Cks2 overexpression overrides the DNA damage response barrier triggered by activated oncoproteins
Authors: Liberal Vasco , Martinsson-Ahlzén Hanna-Stina , Liberal Jennifer , Spruck Charles H. , Widschwendter Martin , McGowan Clare H. , Reed Steven I.
Published: June 2011

Cyclin-dependent kinase subunit (Cks) proteins are small cyclin-dependent kinase-interacting proteins that are frequently overexpressed in breast cancer, as well as in a broad spectrum of other human malignancies. However, the mechanistic link between Cks protein overexpression and oncogenesis is still unknown. In this work, we show that overexpression of Cks1 or Cks2 in human mammary epithelial and breast cancer-derived cells, as well as in other cell types, leads to override of the intra–S-phase checkpoint that blocks DNA replication in response to replication stress. Specifically, binding of Cks1 or Cks2 to cyclin-dependent kinase 2 confers partial resistance to the effects of inhibitory tyrosine phosphorylation mediated by the intra–S-phase checkpoint, allowing cells to continue replicating DNA even under conditions of replicative stress. Because many activated oncoproteins trigger a DNA damage checkpoint response, which serves as a barrier to proliferation and clonal expansion, Cks protein overexpression likely constitutes one mechanism whereby premalignant cells can circumvent this DNA damage response barrier, conferring a proliferative advantage under stress conditions, and therefore contributing to tumor development.
Macroscopic stability of high β MAST plasmas
Authors: Chapman I.T. , Cooper W.A. , Graves J.P. , Gryaznevich M.P. , Hastie R.J. , Hender T.C. , Howell D.F. , Hua M.-D. , Huysmans G.T.A. , Keeling D.L. , Liu Y.Q. , Meyer H.F. , Michael C.A. , Pinches S.D. , Saarelma S. , Sabbagh S.A.
Published: June 2011

The high-beta capability of the spherical tokamak, coupled with a suite of world-leading diagnostics on MAST, has facilitated significant improvements in the understanding of performance-limiting core instabilities in high performance plasmas. For instance, the newly installed motional Stark effect diagnostic, with radial resolution <25 mm, has enabled detailed study of saturated long-lived modes in hybrid scenarios. Similarly, the upgraded Thomson scattering system, with radial resolution <10 mm and the possibility of temporal resolution of 1 µs, has allowed detailed analysis of the density and temperature profiles during transient activity in the plasma, such as at a sawtooth crash. High resolution charge exchange recombination spectroscopy provided measurement of rotation braking induced by both applied magnetic fields and by magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities, allowing tests of neoclassical toroidal viscosity theory predictions. Finally, MAST is also equipped with internal and external coils that allow non-axisymmetric fields to be applied for active MHD spectroscopy of instabilities near the no-wall beta limit. MAST has been able to operate above the pressure at which the resonant field amplification is observed to strongly increase. In order to access such high pressures, the resistive wall mode must be damped, and so numerical modelling has focused on assessing the kinetic damping of the mode and its nonlinear interaction with other instabilities. The enhanced understanding of the physical mechanisms driving deleterious MHD activity given by these leading-edge capabilities has provided guidance to optimize operating scenarios for improved plasma performance.
Tritium well depth, tritium well time and sponge mechanism for reducing tritium retention
Authors: Deng B.Q. , Li Z.X. , Li C.Y. , Feng K.M.
Published: June 2011

New simulation results are predicted in a fusion reactor operation process. They are somewhat similar to, but quite different from, the xenon poisoning effects resulting from fission-produced iodine during the restart-up process of a fission reactor. We obtained completely new results of tritium well depth and tritium well time in magnetic confinement fusion energy research area. This study is carried out to investigate the following: what will be the least amount of tritium storage required to start up a fusion reactor and how long the fusion reactor needs to be operated for achieving the tritium break-even during the initial start-up phase due to the finite tritium-breeding time, which is dependent on the tritium breeder, specific structure of the breeding zone, layout of the coolant flow pipes, tritium recovery scheme and applied extraction process, the tritium retention of plasma facing component (PFC) and other reactor components, unrecoverable tritium fraction in the breeder, leakage to the inertial gas container and the natural radioactive decay time constant. We describe these new issues and answer these problems by setting up and solving a set of equations, which are described by a dynamic subsystem model of tritium inventory evolution in a fusion experimental breeder (FEB). Reasonable results are obtained using our simulation model. It is found that the tritium well depth is about 0.319 kg and the tritium well time is approximately 235 full power operation days for the reference case of the designed FEB configuration, and it is also found that after one-year operation the tritium storage reaches 0.767 kg, which is more than the least amount of tritium storage required to start up another FEB-like fusion reactor. The results show that the tritium retention in the PFC is equivalent to 11.9% of tritium well depth that is fairly consistent with the result of 10–20% deduced from the integrated particle balance of European tokamaks. Based on our experimental and theoretical studies, some new mechanisms are proposed for reducing the tritium retention in PFC and structure materials of tritium-breeding blanket. In this paper, a qualitative analysis of the ‘sponge effect’ is carried out. The ‘sponge effect’ may help us to reduce tritium retention by ∼20% in the PFC.
Plasma start-up results with electron cyclotron assisted breakdown on Frascati Tokamak Upgrade
Authors: Granucci G. , Ramponi G. , Calabrò G. , Crisanti F. , Nowak S. , Ramogida G. , Tudisco O. , Bin W. , Botrugno A. , Buratti P. , D'Arcangelo O. , Frigione D. , Pucella G. , Romano A.
Published: June 2011

Several experiments aimed at optimizing plasma pre-ionization using electron cyclotron (EC) waves have been carried out on many tokamaks in recent years as the basis of a multi-machine comparison study made to define the best operation scenarios for ITER, where the plasma breakdown will have to be achieved with a toroidal electric field of only 0.3 V m−1. The FTU (Frascati Tokamak Upgrade, R = 0.935 m, a = 0.3 m) contribution to this study is the main subject of this work. A reduction in electric field, as can be obtained with pre-ionization by ECH, can lower the transformer flux consumption in the start-up phase leading to a longer plasma current flat top. This point is of particular interest in the conceptual design of the steady-state scenario of the proposed FAST tokamak and has also been addressed. In the FTU experiment the scan in pre-filling pressure has evidenced the capability of EC power to increase, by a factor 4, the range of working pressure useful for plasma start-up. Varying the breakdown a minimum electric field of 0.41 V m−1 has been found with 0.8 MW of EC in perpendicular injection. A scan in magnetic field has evidenced that plasma start-up is likely insensitive to alignment between EC resonance and null position. A total transformer flux saving of 22% has been found acting on plasma resistivity (by increasing electron temperature) and on the plasma starting point (for an internal inductance reduction).
Arp2/3 promotes junction formation and maintenance in theCaenorhabditis elegansintestine by regulating membrane association of apical proteins
Authors: Bernadskaya Yelena Y. , Patel Falshruti B. , Hsu Hsiao-Ting , Soto Martha C.
Published: June 2011

It has been proposed that Arp2/3, which promotes nucleation of branched actin, is needed for epithelial junction initiation but is less important as junctions mature. We focus here on how Arp2/3 contributes to the Caenorhabditis elegans intestinal epithelium and find important roles for Arp2/3 in the maturation and maintenance of junctions in embryos and adults. Electron microscope studies show that embryos depleted of Arp2/3 form apical actin-rich microvilli and electron-dense apical junctions. However, whereas apical/basal polarity initiates, apical maturation is defective, including decreased apical F-actin enrichment, aberrant lumen morphology, and reduced accumulation of some apical junctional proteins, including DLG-1. Depletion of Arp2/3 in adult animals leads to similar intestinal defects. The DLG-1/AJM-1 apical junction proteins, and the ezrin–radixin–moesin homologue ERM-1, a protein that connects F-actin to membranes, are required along with Arp2/3 for apical F-actin enrichment in embryos, whereas cadherin junction proteins are not. Arp2/3 affects the subcellular distribution of DLG-1 and ERM-1. Loss of Arp2/3 shifts both ERM-1 and DLG-1 from pellet fractions to supernatant fractions, suggesting a role for Arp2/3 in the distribution of membrane-associated proteins. Thus, Arp2/3 is required as junctions mature to maintain apical proteins associated with the correct membranes.
Role of Hsc70 binding cycle in CFTR folding and endoplasmic reticulum–associated degradation
Authors: Matsumura Yoshihiro , David Larry L. , Skach William R.
Published: June 2011

The Hsp/c70 cytosolic chaperone system facilitates competing pathways of protein folding and degradation. Here we use a reconstituted cell-free system to investigate the mechanism and extent to which Hsc70 contributes to these co- and posttranslational decisions for the membrane protein cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). Hsc70 binding to CFTR was destabilized by the C-terminal domain of Bag-1 (CBag), which stimulates client release by accelerating ADP-ATP exchange. Addition of CBag during CFTR translation slightly increased susceptibility of the newly synthesized protein to degradation, consistent with a profolding function for Hsc70. In contrast, posttranslational destabilization of Hsc70 binding nearly completely blocked CFTR ubiquitination, dislocation from the endoplasmic reticulum, and proteasome-mediated cleavage. This effect required molar excess of CBag relative to Hsc70 and was completely reversed by the CBag-binding subdomain of Hsc70. These results demonstrate that the profolding role of Hsc70 during cotranslational CFTR folding is counterbalanced by a dominant and essential role in posttranslational targeting to the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Moreover, the degradative outcome of Hsc70 binding appears highly sensitive to the duration of its binding cycle, which is in turn governed by the integrated expression of regulatory cochaperones.
bop5mutations reveal new roles for the IC138 phosphoprotein in the regulation of flagellar motility and asymmetric waveforms
Authors: VanderWaal Kristyn E. , Yamamoto Ryosuke , Wakabayashi Ken-ichi , Fox Laura , Kamiya Ritsu , Dutcher Susan K. , Bayly Phillip V. , Sale Winfield S. , Porter Mary E.
Published: June 2011

I1 dynein, or dynein f, is a highly conserved inner arm isoform that plays a key role in the regulation of flagellar motility. To understand how the IC138 IC/LC subcomplex modulates I1 activity, we characterized the molecular lesions and motility phenotypes of several bop5 alleles. bop5-3, bop5-4, and bop5-5 are null alleles, whereas bop5-6 is an intron mutation that reduces IC138 expression. I1 dynein assembles into the axoneme, but the IC138 IC/LC subcomplex is missing. bop5 strains, like other I1 mutants, swim forward with reduced swimming velocities and display an impaired reversal response during photoshock. Unlike mutants lacking the entire I1 dynein, however, bop5 strains exhibit normal phototaxis. bop5 defects are rescued by transformation with the wild-type IC138 gene. Analysis of flagellar waveforms reveals that loss of the IC138 subcomplex reduces shear amplitude, sliding velocities, and the speed of bend propagation in vivo, consistent with the reduction in microtubule sliding velocities observed in vitro. The results indicate that the IC138 IC/LC subcomplex is necessary to generate an efficient waveform for optimal motility, but it is not essential for phototaxis. These findings have significant implications for the mechanisms by which IC/LC complexes regulate dynein motor activity independent of effects on cargo binding or complex stability.
Response to “Comments on ‘Bayesian variable selection for disease classification using gene expression data’”
Authors: Song Xin-Yuan , Lu Zhao-Hua
Published: June 2011

Contact:  xysong@sta.cuhk.edu.hk
The frequency and quantity of Alaskan groundfish catcher-vessel landings made with and without an observer
Authors: Faunce Craig H. , Barbeaux Steven J.
Published: June 2011

Faunce, C. H., and Barbeaux, S. J. 2011. The frequency and quantity of Alaskan groundfish catcher-vessel landings made with and without an observer. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 1757–1763. The North Pacific Groundfish Observer Programme (NPGOP) is one of the largest on-board fishery-monitoring programmes in the world, and the data are used extensively for both in- and post-season management of fisheries. Within certain limits, Alaskan fishers determine when and where to carry observers. There may be an incentive to fish differently during observed trips because (i) observed trips carry higher costs than unobserved trips, and (ii) bycatch quanta for quota deduction are estimated by applying bycatch rates from observed trips to retained catches on unobserved trips. Such differences may be manifest through the skewed deployment of observers among fisheries, i.e. a deployment effect, and through unrepresentative activities by fishers when an observer is on board, i.e. an observer effect. Despite long-standing concerns expressed over the NPGOP's 40-year history, evidence of deployment and observer effects have been based largely on anecdotal information. In 2008, database changes allowed a comparison of industry landing reports for trips with and without an observer. A deployment effect was evidenced by significant deviations from the expected landing ratios between observed and unobserved trips, and linear mixed-effect models revealed differences in the landed weight and evidence for an observer effect within two of five fisheries examined.
Carers: Facts and Figures
Authors: Simon Chantal
Published: June 2011

Carers provide a valuable service supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our society. However, they experience health, social and financial problems as a result of their role. This first article in our special issue on carers presents some facts and figures about carers that set the scene for the following articles in this issue on supporting carers in the community.