bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Human Uncoupling Proteins and Obesity
Authors: Schrauwen Patrick , Walder Ken , Ravussin Eric
Published: September 2012

SCHRAUWEN, PATRICK, KEN WALDER, AND ERIC RAVUSSIN. Human coupling proteins and obesity. Obes. Res. 1999;7:97–105.

Uncoupling protein (UCP) 2 and UCP3 are newly discovered proteins that can uncouple ATP production from mitochondrial respiration, thereby dissipating energy as heat and affecting energy metabolism efficiency. In contrast to UCP1, which is only present in brown adipose tissue, UCP2 has a wide tissue distribution, whereas UCP3 is expressed predominantly in skeletal muscle. Some evidence of a role for UCPs in modulating metabolic rate was provided by linkage and association studies. Furthermore, UCP3 gene expression was found to correlate negatively with body mass index and positively with sleeping metabolic rate in Pima Indians. Treatment with thyroid hormone increases expression of the UCP2 and UCP3 genes. Other regulators of UCP2 and UCP3 gene expression are β3‐adrenergic agonists and glucocorticoids. Surprisingly, fasting has a stimulatory effect on UCP2 and UCP3 mRNA levels, possibly explained by the effects of free fatty acid on UCP2 and UCP3 gene expression.
The Human Obesity Gene Map: The 1998 Update
Authors: Pérusse Louis , Chagnon Yvon C. , Weisnagel John , Bouchard Claude
Published: September 2012

PÉRUSSE, LOUIS, YVON C. CHAGNON, JOHN WEISNAGEL, AND CLAUDE BOUCHARD. The human obesity gene map: the 1998 update. Obes Res. 1999;7:111–129.

An update of the human obesity gene map incorporating published results up to the end of October 1998 is presented. Evidence from the human obesity cases caused by single gene mutations; other Mendelian disorders exhibiting obesity as a clinical feature; quantitative trait loci uncovered in human genome‐wide scans and in crossbreeding experiments with mouse, rat, and pig models; association and case‐control studies with candidate genes; and linkage studies with genes and other markers is reviewed. The most noticeable changes from the 1997 update is the number of obesity cases due to single gene mutations that increased from three cases due to mutations in two genes to 25 cases due to 12 mutations in seven genes. A look at the obesity gene map depicted in Figure 1 reveals that putative loci affecting obesity‐related phenotypes are found on all but chromosome Y of the human chromosomes. Some chromosomes show at least three putative loci related to obesity on both arms (1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 17, 19, 20, and X) and several on one chromosome arm only (4q, 5q, 10q, 12q, 13q, 15q, 16p, and 22q). The number of genes and other markers that have been associated or linked with human obesity phenotypes is increasing very rapidly and now approaches 27.
Collection and Interpretation of Plasma Leptin Concentration Data in Humans
Authors: Jensen Michael D. , Hensrud Donald , O'Brien Peter C. , Nielsen Søren
Published: September 2012

JENSEN, MICHAEL D, DONALD HENSRUD, PETER C. O'BRIEN, AND SØREN NIELSEN. Collection and interpretation of plasma leptin concentration data in humans. Obes Res.

Objective: To reassess the relationship between body fat and plasma leptin concentrations when a) replicate measures of leptin are made; b) energy intake is controlled at isoenergetic levels before the study; and c) body fat and percent body fat are measured with dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA).

Research Methods and Procedures: Two separate studies were conducted. In the first study, four plasma samples were collected for measurement of leptin over 30 minutes on a single day in 43 lean and obese men and women. For the second study, plasma samples were collected on four consecutive days from a group of 50 lean and obese men and women. Percent body fat (and body fat mass) was related to log‐transformed mean plasma leptin concentrations using linear regression analysis; multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine whether there was an effect of gender on this relationship, and the analysis of Choi was used to examine whether percent body fat or body fat mass better predicts plasma leptin concentrations. Results: For the first study, percent body fat was highly correlated (r = 0. 96, p<O. OOOl) with log‐transformed mean leptin concentrations. No difference in the relationship between leptin and percent body fat in men and women was detected. The second study confirmed this observation; the relationship between In leptin and percent body fat was virtually identical (r = 0. 93, p<0. 001). Analysis of the pooled data suggests that percent body fat is a better predictor of plasma leptin concentration than body fat mass. The use of multiple (as opposed to a single) leptin measurements did not significantly improve the leptinhody fat relationship.

Discussion: When robust body composition techniques and diet control measures are taken into consideration, the relationship between In plasma leptin concentrations and percent body fat is not different in men and women.
Visceral Obesity and Insulin Resistance Are Associated with Plasma Aldosterone Levels in Women
Authors: Goodfriend Theodore L. , Kelley David E. , Goodpaster Bret H. , Winters Stephen J.
Published: September 2012

GOODFRIEND, THEODORE L., DAVID E. KELLEY, BRET H. GOODPASTER, AND STEPHEN J. WINTERS. Visceral obesity and insulin resistance are associated with plasma aldosterone levels in women. Obes Res.

Objective: Both obesity and insulin resistance increase the risk of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases, but the mechanisms linking these abnormalities are unknown. The current study was undertaken to examine the effects of obesity, fat distribution, and insulin resistance on plasma levels of aldosterone and other adrenal steroids that might contribute to sequelae of obesity.

Research Methods and Procedures: Twenty‐eight normo‐tensive premenopausal women and 27 normotensive men with a wide range of body fat underwent measurements of visceral adipose tissue by CT scan, total fat mass by dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry, blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and plasma levels of three adrenal steroid hormones.

Results: Plasma aldosterone in women correlated directly with visceral adipose tissue (r = 0. 66, p<0. 001) and inversely with insulin sensitivity (r = −0. 67, p<0. 001), and these associations were independent of plasma renin activity. There were no corresponding correlations in men. Plasma aldosterone was significantly correlated with plasma cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in women. Seventeen women and 15 men completed a weight‐reduction regimen, losing an average of 15. 1±1. 2 kg. After weight loss, plasma aldosterone was significantly lower and insulin sensitivity higher; however, the correlations of aldosterone with visceral adipose tissue and insulin sensitivity in women persisted (p = 0. 09 and 0. 07, respectively). Although none of the women were hypertensive, blood pressure correlated with plasma aldosterone both before and after weight loss.

Discussion: We conclude that visceral adiposity and insulin resistance are associated with increased plasma aldosterone and other adrenal steroids that may contribute to cardiovascular diseases in obese women.
Development and Validation of a Measurement System for Assessment of Energy Expenditure and Physical Activity in Prader‐Willi Syndrome
Authors: Chen Kong Y. , Sun Ming , Butler Merlin G. , Thompson Travis , Carlson Michael G.
Published: September 2012

CHEN, KONG Y., MING SUN, MERLIN G. BUTLER, TRAVIS THOMPSON, AND MICHAEL G. CARLSON. Development and validation of a measurement system for assessment of energy expenditure and physical activity in Prader—Willi syndrome. Obes Res.

Objective: The morbid obesity associated with Prader—Willi syndrome (PWS) may result from either excessive energy intake or reduced energy expenditure (EE). In this report, we describe the development and validation of an Activity—Energy Measurement System (AEMS) to measure EE and physical activity components in an environment approximating free‐living conditions.

Research Methods and Procedures: The AEMS consists of a live‐in, whole‐room indirect calorimeter equipped with a novel force platform floor system to enable simultaneous measurements of EE, physical activity, and work efficiency during spontaneous activities and standardized exercises. Free‐living physical activity and estimated free‐living EE are measured using portable triaxial accelerometers individually calibrated in each subject during their stay in the AEMS.

Results: Representative data from two PWS patients and two matched control (CTR) subjects displayed EE during their inactive lifestyles.

Discussion: This combination of methods will allow the quantification of daily EE and its components, the amount and energy cost of physical activity, and the relationships between body composition and EE, in order to determine their roles in the development and maintenance of the morbid obesity in PWS.
Mode of Infant Feeding and Achieved Growth in Adolescence: Early Feeding Patterns in Relation to Growth and Body Composition in Adolescence
Authors: Tulldahl Jenny , Pettersson Kjell , Andersson Susan W. , Hulthén Lena
Published: September 2012

TULLDAHL, JENNY, KJELL PETTERSSON, SUSAN W. ANDERSSON, AND LENA HULTHÉN. Mode of infant feeding and achieved growth in adolescence: Early feeding patterns in relation to growth and body composition in adolescence. Obes Res.

Objective: Feeding mode in infancy and differences in childhood growth have been studied in several longitudinal studies, but few studies have followed children up to adolescent age. There is evidence that formula‐fed infants weigh more and are taller than their breast‐fed counterparts, and indications that this difference may sustain.

Research Methods and Procedures: We have studied the relations between length of breast‐feeding, growth, and body composition in a group of 781 representatively chosen adolescents. Data on feeding pattern in infancy and on weight and height from birth up to 18 years were collected. We studied the relation between high body mass index (BMI) (defined as ≤85th percentile) in adolescence and length of breast‐feeding.

Results: Girls who were not breast‐fed or breast‐fed for less than 3 months had a significantly higher height curve than girls exclusively breast‐fed for more then 3 months. There were tendencies towards higher values of adipose tissue measured by skinfolds in girls breast‐fed for 3 months or less. Short duration of exclusive breast‐feeding was associated with higher BMI (p<0. 04). In a subgroup of 194 adolescents, body composition was measured with dual energy X‐ray. Both boys and girls who were exclusively breast‐fed for more than 3 months were leaner and showed a trend towards lower skinfold values.

Conclusion: These results are important to include in the debate about optimal feeding in infancy. Regarding breastfeeding as a standard, our results imply that formula fed infants may be at risk for overfeeding, which might lead to overweight, even up to adolescent age.
The Behavioral Characteristics of Individuals Who Lose Weight Unintentionally
Authors: McGuire Maureen T. , Wing Rena R. , Klem Mary L. , Hill James O.
Published: September 2012

MCGUIRE, MAUREEN T., RENA R. WING, MARY L. KLEM, AND JAMES O. HILL. The behavioral characteristics of individuals who lose weight unintentionally. Obes Res.

Objective: To determine whether individuals who unintentionally lost weight differ from individuals who intentionally lost weight in behavioral characteristics related to chronic disease risk factors.

Design: A random‐digit dial telephone survey was conducted among a representative sample of American adults (n = 500).

Subjects: Of the 500 individuals sampled, 139 were currently ≥10% below their lifetime maximum weight. These individuals were asked whether their weight loss was unintentional or intentional. Unintentional (n = 49) and intentional (n = 89) weight losers were compared on measures of dietary intake, physical activity, smoking, drinking, and self‐reported health status.

Results: Unintentional weight losers had higher levels of smoking and drinking, were less physically active, and were less concerned about their diet and fat intake. Unintentional weight losers did not report having higher levels of disease such as high blood pressure or diabetes. However, unintentional weight losers who reported having such diseases were more likely to report that their weight loss had no effect or had worsened their disorder.

Discussion: Compared to intentional weight losers, those who lost their weight unintentionally reported engaging in more negative health behaviors that are related to disease morbidity and mortality. These data suggest that unintentional weight loss may be part of a cluster of behaviors that have a negative health impact.
Is Leptin Concentration Associated with the Insulin Resistance Syndrome in Nondiabetic Men?
Authors: Haffner Steven M. , Mykkänen Leena , Rainwater David L. , Karhapää Pauli , Laakso Markku
Published: September 2012

HAFFNER, STEVEN M., LEENA MYKKÄNEN, DAVID L. RAINWATER, PAULI KARHAPÄÄ, AND MARKU LAAKSO. Is leptin concentration associated with the insulin resistance syndrome in nondiabetic men? Obes Res.

Objective Insulin resistance has been strongly associated with cardiovascular risk. Recently, leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite, has been associated with both obesity and insulin resistance. However, the possible relation of leptin to the insulin resistance syndrome has been controversial.

Research Methods and Procedures To explore this issue, we examined the relation of leptin to blood pressure, lipid levels, low density lipoprotein (LDL) size, and glucose levels in 87 normoglycemic men.

Results Leptin levels were significantly correlated with body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.494), fasting insulin (r = 0.576), whole‐body glucose disposal rate (GDR) (r = −0.566), fasting glucose (r = 0.510), total triglycerides (r= 0.294), apolipoprotein B 0 = 0.223), systolic blood pressure (r= O.223), and LDL size (r = −0.244). After adjustment for BMI and GDR, leptin levels remained significantly correlated with fasting insulin, fasting glucose, triglyceride, apolipoprotein B, and systolic blood pressure. Leptin levels were also correlated with the number of metabolic risk factors (dyslipidemia, systolic blood pressure, and fasting glucose).

Discussion We conclude that leptin concentrations may be associated with several cardiovascular risk factors related to insulin resistance syndrome. These associations are only partly explained by leptin's relationship with BMI and GDR.
Psychological and Behavioral Predictors of Body Fat Distribution: Age and Gender Effects
Authors: Nelson Tracy L. , Palmer Raymond F. , Pedersen Nancy L. , Miles Toni P.
Published: September 2012

NELSON, TRACY L., RAYMOND F. PALMER, NANCY L. PEDERSEN, AND TONI P. MILES. Psychological and behavioral predictors of body fat distribution: age and gender effects. Obes Res.

Objective Abdominal fat has been shown to be associated with several adverse outcomes including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. Risk factors for abdominal fatness include genetic effects, age, and gender. Most recently, it has been hypothesized that psychological factors, as well as behavioral factors, may play a part in where fat is distributed. The purpose of this study was to assess the longitudinal predictive power of psychological variables (cynicism, anger, anxiety, and depression) measured in 1987 on waist‐hip ratio (WHR) measured from 1992 to 1994 among different age and gender groups, as well as to test if alcohol consumption or smoking (measured in 1990) would mediate any of the relationships found.

Research Methods and Procedures Data from the Swedish Adoptiod Twin Study of Aging (n= 1392; average age: 58 years for middle‐aged group and 74 years for older group; 58% female) were analyzed using a maximum‐likelihood regression model where age, gender, and age by gender effects were assessed.

Results Cynicism and anxiety predicted WHR in middle‐aged subjects regardless of gender. Cynicism explained 2.5% of the variance in WHR and anxiety explained 1.7% of the variance in WHR. Anger predicted WHR in males regardless of age, explaining 4.0% of the variance; depression predicted WHR only in middle‐aged females, explaining 2.0% of the variance. All analyses adjusted for body mass index, and neither alcohol consumption or smoking status mediated the relationships.

Discussion These findings are suggestive with regard to the hypotheses that certain psychological states and behaviors may be associated with increased abdominal fatness.
Pharmaceutical Cost Savings of Treating Obesity with Weight Loss Medications
Authors: Greenway Frank L. , Ryan Donna H. , Bray George A. , Rood Jennifer C. , Tucker Elizabeth W. , Smith Steven R.
Published: September 2012

GREENWAY, FRANK L., DONNA H. RYAN, GEORGE A. BRAY, JENNIFER C. ROOD, ELIZABETH W. TUCKER, AND STEVEN R. SMITH. Pharmaceutical cost savings of treating obesity with weight loss medications. Obes Res.

Objective: To evaluate, in compliant patients, the pharmaceutical costs of treating obesity with fenfluraminel/mazindol, fenfluramine/phentermine, caffeine/ephedrine, or mazindol relative to the pharmaceutical costs of treating obesity‐related comorbid conditions and reducing cardiovascular risk.

Methods and Procedures: Subjects were between 18 and 60 years of age with a BMI of >30 kg/m2. Pharmaceutical costs were evaluated in 73 of 220 subjects taking medications for diabetes, hyperlipidemia, or hypertension before and after treatment using fenfluramine with mazindol or phentermine. The pharmaceutical cost of weight loss, cardiac risk reduction, and low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol reduction was calculated for fenfluramine with mazindol or phentermine, caffeine with ephedrine, or mazindol alone, and compared to approved lipid‐lowering medications.

Results: Losses of 6% to 10% of initial body weight reduced pharmacy costs $122. 64/month for insulin treated diabetes, $42. 92/month for sulfonylurea‐treated diabetes, $61. O7/month for hyperlipidemia treated with medication, and $0. 20/month for hypertension treated with medication. Blood pressure and laboratory evidence of insulin resistance improved in all medication groups. Caffeine/ephedrine was most cost‐effective of the three treatments in reducing weight, cardiac risk, and LDL cholesterol.

Discussion: Obesity medications produced a substantial weight loss in compliant patients and resulted in a net pharmaceutical cost savings compared to treating obesity related comorbid conditions.
Biologic Response to Peripheral and Central Administration of Recombinant Human Leptin in Dogs
Authors: LeBel Carl , Bourdeau Amy , Lau David , Hunt Pamela
Published: September 2012

LEBEL, CARL, AMY BOURDEAU, DAVID LAU, AND PAMELA HUNT. Biologic response to peripheral and central administration of recombinant human leptin in dogs. Obes Res.

Objective: Because leptin is believed to act within the central nervous system, the objective of this study was to test that presumption by comparing the biologic responses to recombinant human leptin (rHuLeptin) when delivered either subcutaneously or intrathecally in a large animal species, the beagle dog.

Methods and Procedures: Adult beagle dogs were used for all studies (n = 3 to 14). Treatment with rHuLeptin was either as daily subcutaneous or intermittent intrathecal injections.

Results: Subcutaneously administered rHuLeptin was absorbed with peak concentrations appearing at 2 to 4 hours. After intrathecal administration, cerebral spinal fluid concentrations declined in a bi‐phasic manner with a terminal half‐life of −6 to 8 hours. When lean beagles were given leptin subcutaneously, at 0. 05 to 5 gkglday for up to 6 months, reductions in body weight (up to 30%) and food intake (up to 75%) were observed. Body fat loss was observed in both lean and obese dogs, and confirmed by dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry and histology of adipose tissue. When rHuleptin was delivered intrathecally at 4 to 1000 μg/dose for up to 3 months, the primary effects observed were reductions in body weight and food intake. In general all findings reported in the intrathecal studies were consistent with those noted in the subcutaneous studies; however, the required intrathecal dose was substantially lower than that for subcutaneous delivery.

Discussion: These studies demonstrate that both subcutaneous and intrathecal treatment of rHuLeptin was associated with effects on body weight, food intake, and body fat in dogs. These results support the concept that the central nervous system is the probable primary site of action for leptin and suggest that rHuLeptin has similar physiologic activities that influence body weight, body fat, and metabolism in large animals to those reported previously in rodents.
Differences in Fat, Carbohydrate, and Protein Metabolism between Lean and Obese Subjects Undergoing Total Starvation
Authors: Elia M. , Stubbs R. J. , Henry C. J. K.
Published: September 2012

ELIA, M., R. J. STUBBS, AND C. J. K. HENRY. Differences in fat, carbohydrate, and protein metabolism between lean and obese subjects undergoing total starvation. Obes Res.

Despite extensive experimental studies on total starvation, many of the findings relating to protein, fat (plus ketone body), and carbohydrate metabolism remain confusing, although they become more consistent when considered in relation to the degree of initial obesity. During prolonged starvation, protein loss and percent energy derived from protein oxidation are 2‐ to 3‐fold less in the obese than in the lean; percent urine N excreted as urea is 2‐fold less in the obese; and the contribution of protein to net glucose production is only about half in the obese compared to lean subjects. During short‐term starvation (first few days) the following differences are reported: hyperketonaemia is typically 2‐fold greater in lean subjects, but associated with a 2‐fold lower uptake of ketone bodies by forearm muscle; glucose tolerance becomes impaired more in lean subjects; and both protein turnover and leucine oxidation increase in the lean, but may show no significant change in the obese. It is no longer acceptable to describe the metabolic response to starvation as a single typical response. The differences between lean and obese subjects have important physiological implications, some of which are of obvious relevance to survival.
Clinical and Economic Burden of Opioid Use for Postsurgical Pain: Focus on Ventilatory Impairment and Ileus
Authors: Barletta Jeffrey F.
Published: September 2012

Opioid‐related adverse drug events (ORADEs) can have a significant impact on patient recovery after surgery. This review investigates the impact of two ORADEs, respiratory depression and postoperative ileus (POI), on clinical and economic outcomes. Opioid‐induced ventilatory impairment is a potentially serious ORADE that can result in apnea and even death. The incidence of ventilatory impairment is approximately 1%, even among patients receiving opioids using patient‐controlled analgesia. Costs are increased in patients treated with opioids who are at high risk of ventilatory impairment due to the need for more intensive monitoring from nursing staff and the use of alarmed monitoring equipment. Opioids, together with other factors, contribute to the development of POI through a direct effect on gut motility. Postoperative ileus has been shown to significantly increase hospital length of stay and cost of care. A key determinant of ileus development, as well as length of stay and costs, is postsurgical opioid dose. Data from a retrospective analysis show that a daily hydromorphone dose of 2 mg/day markedly increases the risk of POI. In addition, although the incidence of POI is reduced in patients who undergo laparoscopic surgery or hand‐assisted laparoscopic surgery compared with open surgery, the reduction of POI can potentially be negated by excessive opioid use. Therefore, multimodal, opioid‐sparing strategies should be explored and used to reduce severe ORADEs and improve outcomes in the surgical setting.
Relationships between physiological indicators in blood, and their yield, as well as chemical composition of milk obtained from organic dairy cows
Authors: Sakowski Tomasz , Kuczyńska Beata , Puppel Kamila , Metera Ewa , Słoniewski Krzysztof , Barszczewski Jerzy
Published: September 2012

Background

The occurrence of metabolic overload in cows maintained in organic herds is very likely, because organic production promotes feeding with high roughage diets and discourages supplementation with concentrates supplementation. It has the potential to negatively affect milk quality. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of physiological indicators in blood, reflecting the energy metabolism and liver status of dairy cows kept in organic herds, on the content of bioactive components in milk and the influence of lactation stage and feeding season on changes in milk components.

Results

A significant positive correlation was found between β‐hydroxybutyric acid and the daily milk yield of lactating cows. β‐Hydroxybutyric acid was negatively correlated with lactation phase and polyunsaturated fatty acids as well as saturated fatty acids content in milk. A significant negative correlation was observed between average daily milk yield and alanine aminotransferase concentration in blood. A low level of production in organic farms had a positive impact on the content of conjugated linoleic acid (20% increase), vitamin A (21% increase) and vitamin E (11% increase).

Conclusion

The study has shown significant correlations between metabolic profiles and milk yields, as well as milk composition. In addition, there is evidence that the intensity of the production system significantly influences the metabolic profile and chemical composition of cow's milk. It could even be concluded that the ecological system affects not only the quality of milk, but also the health of cows. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
The growth performance of Jade Tiger cultured abalone fed diets supplemented with fish oil and vegetable oils
Authors: Mateos Hintsa T , Lewandowski Paul A , Su Xiao Q
Published: September 2012

Background

The effects of fish oil (FO) supplementation and the dietary replacement of FO with flaxseed oil (FlaxO) and canola oil (CO) on the growth of cultured abalone was investigated. The study involved three growth experiments: (E1) diets containing 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5% of FO, respectively; (E2) diets in which FO was serially replaced by 25, 50, 75 and 100% FlaxO, respectively; and (E3) diets in which FO was serially replaced by 25, 50, 75 and 100% CO, respectively.

Results

In Experiment 1, abalone fed a diet supplemented with 1.5% FO showed a significantly higher (121.2 ± 1.1 mg day−1) daily growth rate of weight (DGRw) compared to control (70.1 ± 1.71 mg day−1). In Experiment 2, abalone fed 1.5% FO diet and diets containing 25–75% FlaxO showed no significant differences in DGRw. The diet containing 100% FlaxO showed significantly lower (63.3 ± 6.7 mg day−1) DGRw. In Experiment 3, abalone fed diets containing 25% and 50% CO showed similar DGRw as those fed a 1.5% FO diet. The diet containing 75% and 100% CO showed significantly lower (63.7 ± 5.0 to 95.4 ± 5.1 mg day−1) DGRw.

Conclusion

Supplementation with 1.5% of dietary FO can improve growth performance in cultured abalone. It is feasible to replace 75% of dietary FO with FlaxO and 50% of dietary FO with CO, without negative effect on growth performance.
Systematic Review and UK‐Based Study of PARK2 (parkin), PINK1, PARK7 (DJ‐1) and LRRK2 in early‐onset Parkinson's disease
Authors: Kilarski Laura L. , Pearson Justin P. , Newsway Victoria , Majounie Elisa , Knipe M. Duleeka W. , Misbahuddin Anjum , Chinnery Patrick F. , Burn David J. , Clarke Carl E. , Marion Marie‐Helene , Lewthwaite Alistair J. , Nicholl David J. , Wood Nicholas W. , Morrison Karen E. , Williams‐Gray Caroline H. , Evans Jonathan R. , Sawcer Stephen J. , Barker Roger A. , Wickremaratchi Mirdhu M. , Ben‐Shlomo Yoav , Williams Nigel M. , Morris Huw R.
Published: September 2012

Approximately 3.6% of patients with Parkinson's disease develop symptoms before age 45. Early‐onset Parkinson's disease (EOPD) patients have a higher familial recurrence risk than late‐onset patients, and 3 main recessive EOPD genes have been described. We aimed to establish the prevalence of mutations in these genes in a UK cohort and in previous studies. We screened 136 EOPD probands from a high‐ascertainment regional and community‐based prevalence study for pathogenic mutations in PARK2 (parkin), PINK1, PARK7 (DJ‐1), and exon 41 of LRRK2. We also carried out a systematic review, calculating the proportion of cases with pathogenic mutations in previously reported studies. We identified 5 patients with pathogenic PARK2, 1 patient with PINK1, and 1 with LRRK2 mutations. The rate of mutations overall was 5.1%. Mutations were more common in patients with age at onset (AAO) < 40 (9.5%), an affected first‐degree relative (6.9%), an affected sibling (28.6%), or parental consanguinity (50%). In our study EOPD mutation carriers were more likely to present with rigidity and dystonia, and 6 of 7 mutation carriers had lower limb symptoms at onset. Our systematic review included information from >5800 unique cases. Overall, the weighted mean proportion of cases with PARK2 (parkin), PINK1, and PARK7 (DJ‐1) mutations was 8.6%, 3.7%, and 0.4%, respectively. PINK1 mutations were more common in Asian subjects. The overall frequency of mutations in known EOPD genes was lower than previously estimated. Our study shows an increased likelihood of mutations in patients with lower AAO, family history, or parental consanguinity. © 2012 Movement Disorder Society.
The keys to university–community engagement sustainability
Authors: Clifford David , Petrescu Claudia
Published: September 2012

For universities to create beneficial and sustainable engagement with the community requires attention to three dimensions: internal (politics, organizational dynamics, and culture interior to the university); external (relationships and dynamics of the community, management of power and resource imbalances, and development of a community identity); and personal (the psychology, competencies, and career issues of the faculty). Sustainable types of engagement are those that lead to valued capacity building for the community and positively address each dimension. We offer illustrations of the challenges and strategies for building successful university–community relationships.
A Numerical Calibration Approach to Obtain Cutting Fluid Droplet Sizes in a Turning Process via an Imaging System
Authors: Ju Chuanxi , Michalek Donna J. , Sutherland John W.
Published: September 2012

Airborne inhalable particulate in the workplace can represent a significant health hazard, and one of the primary sources of particles is mist produced through the application of cutting fluids in machining operations. The atomization process is one of the principal mechanisms associated with cutting fluid mist formation and generates droplets from fifty to a few thousand micrometers in size. These particles subsequently undergo vaporization and settling effects resulting in an aerosol to which workers may be exposed. While a variety of equipment is available to characterize the fine particulate in the breathing zone, standard equipment to measure the size of the atomized droplets is not available. In this paper, an imaging system is employed to characterize the large droplets produced by atomization in turning. One of the drawbacks of such a system is the time‐consuming experimental calibration procedure that is required to improve the accuracy of the droplet size measurements and extend the depth of field of the imaging system. With this in mind, an approach is introduced to predict droplet diameter based on measurement data without physical system calibration. The relationship between the actual diameter and the measured diameter is established based on an imaging system simulation model that includes a three dimensional point spread function and an image formation relationship grounded in the principles of geometric optics. These two components are combined using convolution integral theory to derive an image intensity profile. The introduction of halo width into the simulation greatly extends the image depth of field, which is a critical factor in capturing more droplets in one image and also minimizing particle size distribution bias towards larger droplets. The model predicts droplet diameter as a function of measured diameter and halo width. Model behavior of predicted diameters from the simulation compares well with those from a physical calibration of the system. The numerical calibration model is then used in the study of cutting fluid atomization in a turning process, and the measured droplet size distribution compares favorably with droplet sizes predicted by a mechanistic atomization model.
A Novel Method for Inhalation Control of Workplace Anthropogenic Pollutant Particles
Authors: Ali Mohammed
Published: September 2012

This in vitro study investigated electrically charging effect on the deposition of inhaled workplace anthropogenic pollutant particles (APP) in a hollow throat cast model. Many occupational lung diseases are associated with exposure to workplace dust particles and other pollutants. Since the human throat is an effective filter, this study devised a novel idea of charging particles, and studying their deposition in the throat. Simulated workplace aerosol particles were generated from a commercially available nebulizer, and charged by a corona charger. Charged and uncharged particles were allowed to pass through a polyester resin cast of cadaver based throat, a replicate of a human oropharyngeal region. The aerosol particles' size and charge distribution were characterized by an Electronic Single Particle Aerodynamic Relaxation Time (ESPART) analyzer before and after passing the throat cast. The ESPART operates on the principle of Laser Doppler Velocimetry to measure simultaneously aerodynamic diameter and electrostatic charge on a single particle basis and in real time. The study results revealed that electrically charging increased agglomeration of smaller particles and increased deposition. Deposition of charged particles increased with increasing particle size which can be explained as the effect of inertial impaction.
Dominated rejection algorithms for generating random variates
Authors: Hall Timothy
Published: September 2012

This focus article presents a practical modified version of the von Neumann dominated rejection method for generating univariate random variates using a distribution density function, a uniform variate over a finite interval, and an independent uniform variate over the unit interval. An example generated variate from the normal distribution family is included for demonstration purposes. WIREs Comput Stat 2012, 4:561–564. doi: 10.1002/wics.1230

This article is categorized under:

Algorithms and Computational Methods > Algorithms

Applications of Computational Statistics > Computational Mathematics

Algorithms and Computational Methods > Random Number Generation
The transfer matrix in four-dimensional CDT
Authors: Ambjørn J. , Gizbert-Studnicki J. , Görlich A.T. , Jurkiewicz J.
Published: September 2012

Abstract

The Causal Dynamical Triangulation model of quantum gravity (CDT) has a transfer matrix, relating spatial geometries at adjacent (discrete lattice) times. The transfer matrix uniquely determines the theory. We show that the measurements of the scale factor of the (CDT) universe are well described by an effective transfer matrix where the matrix elements are labeled only by the scale factor. Using computer simulations we determine the effective transfer matrix elements and show how they relate to an effective minisuperspace action at all scales.
Towards the continuous limit of cluster integrable systems
Authors: Franco Sebastián , Galloni Daniele , He Yang-Hui
Published: September 2012

Abstract

We initiate the study of how to extend the correspondence between dimer models and (0 + 1)-dimensional cluster integrable systems to (1 + 1) and (2 + 1)-dimensional continuous integrable field theories, addressing various points that are necessary for achieving this goal. We first study how to glue and split two integrable systems, from the perspectives of the spectral curve, the resolution of the associated toric Calabi-Yau 3-folds and Higgsing in quiver theories on D3-brane probes. We identify a continuous parameter controlling the decoupling between the components and present two complementary methods for determining the dependence on this parameter of the dynamical variables of the integrable system. Interested in constructing systems with an infinite number of degrees of freedom, we study the combinatorics of integrable systems built up from a large number of elementary components, and introduce a toy model capturing important features expected to be present in a continuous reformulation of cluster integrable systems.
TAPP or TEP? Population‐Based Analysis of Prospective Data on 4,552 Patients Undergoing Endoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair
Authors: Gass Markus , Banz Vanessa M. , Rosella Laura , Adamina Michel , Candinas Daniel , Güller Ulrich
Published: September 2012

Background

Whether total extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair (TEP) is associated with worse outcomes than transabdominal preperitoneal inguinal hernia repair (TAPP) continues to be a matter of debate. The objective of this large cohort study is to compare outcomes between patients undergoing TEP or TAPP.

Methods

Based on prospective data of the Swiss association of laparoscopic and thoracoscopic surgery, all patients undergoing unilateral TEP or TAPP between 1995 and 2006 were included. The following outcomes were compared: conversion rates, intraoperative and postoperative complications, duration of operation.

Results

Data on 4,552 patients undergoing TEP (n = 3,457) and TAPP (n = 1,095) were collected prospectively. Average age and American Society of Anesthesiologists score were similar in the two groups. Patients undergoing TEP had a significantly higher rate of intraoperative complications (TEP 1.9 % vs. TAPP 0.9 %, p = 0.029) and surgical postoperative complications (TEP: 2.3 % vs. TAPP: 0.8 %, p = 0.003). The postoperative length of stay was longer for patients undergoing TAPP (2.9 vs. 2.3 days, p = 0.002), whereas the duration of the operation was longer for TEP (66.6 vs. 59.0 min, p < 0.001) and the conversion rate was higher (TEP 1.0 % vs. TAPP 0.2 %, p = 0.011).

Conclusions

This study is one of the first population‐based analyses comparing TEP and TAPP in a prospective cohort of more than 4,500 patients. Intraoperative and surgical postoperative complications were significantly higher in patients undergoing TEP. TEP is also associated with longer operating times and higher conversion rates. Therefore, on a population‐based level, the TAPP technique appears to be superior to the TEP repair in patients undergoing unilateral inguinal hernia repair.
Dropping the Torch
Authors: Sarantakes Nicholas Evan
Published: September 2012

Dropping the Torch: Jimmy Carter, the Olympic Boycott, and the Cold War offers a diplomatic history of the 1980 Olympic boycott. Broad in its focus, it looks at events in Washington, D.C., as well as the opposition to the boycott and how this attempted embargo affected the athletic contests in Moscow. Jimmy Carter based his foreign policy on assumptions that had fundamental flaws and reflected a superficial familiarity with the Olympic movement. These basic mistakes led to a campaign that failed to meet its basic mission objectives but did manage to insult the Soviets just enough to destroy détente and restart the Cold War. The book also includes a military history of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which provoked the boycott, and an examination of the boycott's impact four years later at the Los Angeles Olympics, where the Soviet Union retaliated with its own boycott.
The Quilting Points of Musical Modernism
Authors: Harper-Scott J. P. E.
Published: September 2012

Modernism is both a contested aesthetic category and a powerful political statement. Modernist music was condemned as degenerate by the Nazis and forcibly replaced by socialist realism under the Soviets. Sympathetic philosophers and critics have interpreted it as a vital intellectual defence against totalitarianism, yet some American critics consider it elitist, undemocratic and even unnatural. Drawing extensively on the philosophy of Heidegger and Badiou, The Quilting Points of Musical Modernism proposes a new dialectical theory of faithful, reactive and obscure subjective responses to musical modernism, which embraces all the music of Western modernity. This systematic definition of musical modernism introduces readers to theory by Badiou, Žižek and Agamben. Basing his analyses on the music of William Walton, Harper-Scott explores connections between the revolutionary politics of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and responses to the event of modernism in order to challenge accepted narratives of music history in the twentieth century.
Popular Movements in Autocracies
Authors: Trejo Guillermo
Published: September 2012

This book presents a new explanation of the rise, development and demise of social movements and cycles of protest in autocracies; the conditions under which protest becomes rebellion; and the impact of protest and rebellion on democratization. Focusing on poor indigenous villages in Mexico's authoritarian regime, the book shows that the spread of US Protestant missionaries and the competition for indigenous souls motivated the Catholic Church to become a major promoter of indigenous movements for land redistribution and indigenous rights. The book explains why the outbreak of local rebellions, the transformation of indigenous claims for land into demands for ethnic autonomy and self-determination, and the threat of a generalized social uprising motivated national elites to democratize. Drawing on an original dataset of indigenous collective action and on extensive fieldwork, the empirical analysis of the book combines quantitative evidence with case studies and life histories.
The Amusements of Old London
Authors: Boulton William Biggs
Published: September 2012

Little is known about the life of William B. Boulton, who was active as an author in the 1900s. This illustrated two-volume set, published first in 1901 is perhaps the most famous of his works, though he also wrote biographies of Sir Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough. The work examines how popular entertainment in London changed dramatically between the restoration of Charles II and the accession of Queen Victoria. From cock-fights and bear-baiting, tastes turned to less bloodthirsty pursuits, and led to the rise of many leisure activities that are still popular today. Among the topics discussed in Volume 1 are gambling and masked balls, as well as opera and theatre during the period when women were first permitted to act on the public stage in England.
The Wars for Asia, 1911–1949
Authors: Paine S. C. M.
Published: September 2012

The Wars for Asia, 1911–1949 shows that the Western treatment of World War II, the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War as separate events misrepresents their overlapping connections and causes. The Chinese Civil War precipitated a long regional war between China and Japan that went global in 1941 when the Chinese found themselves fighting a civil war within a regional war within an overarching global war. The global war that consumed Western attentions resulted from Japan's peripheral strategy to cut foreign aid to China by attacking Pearl Harbour and Western interests throughout the Pacific in 1941. S. C. M. Paine emphasizes the fears and ambitions of Japan, China and Russia, and the pivotal decisions that set them on a collision course in the 1920s and 1930s. The resulting wars together yielded a viscerally anti-Japanese and unified Communist China, the still-angry rising power of the early twenty-first century.
China's Security State
Authors: Guo Xuezhi
Published: September 2012

China's Security State describes the creation, evolution, and development of Chinese security and intelligence agencies as well as their role in influencing Chinese Communist Party politics throughout the party's history. Xuezhi Guo investigates patterns of leadership politics from the vantage point of security and intelligence organization and operation by providing new evidence and offering alternative interpretations of major events throughout Chinese Communist Party history. This analysis promotes a better understanding of the CCP's mechanisms for control over both Party members and the general population. This study specifies some of the broader implications for theory and research that can help clarify the nature of Chinese politics and potential future developments in the country's security and intelligence services.
Do We Really Understand Quantum Mechanics?
Authors: Laloë Franck
Published: September 2012

Quantum mechanics is a very successful theory that has impacted on many areas of physics, from pure theory to applications. However, it is difficult to interpret, and philosophical contradictions and counterintuitive results are apparent at a fundamental level. In this book, Laloë presents our current understanding of the theory. The book explores the basic questions and difficulties that arise with the theory of quantum mechanics. It examines the various interpretations that have been proposed, describing and comparing them and discussing their success and difficulties. The book is ideal for researchers in physics and mathematics who want to know more about the problems faced in quantum mechanics but who do not have specialist knowledge in the subject. It will also interest philosophers of science, as well as all scientists who are curious about quantum physics and its peculiarities.
Superstring Theory
Authors: Green Michael B. , Schwarz John H. , Witten Edward
Published: September 2012

Twenty-five years ago, Michael Green, John Schwarz, and Edward Witten wrote two volumes on string theory. Published during a period of rapid progress in this subject, these volumes were highly influential for a generation of students and researchers. Despite the immense progress that has been made in the field since then, the systematic exposition of the foundations of superstring theory presented in these volumes is just as relevant today as when first published. Volume 2 is concerned with the evaluation of one-loop amplitudes, the study of anomalies and phenomenology. It examines the low energy effective field theory analysis of anomalies, the emergence of the gauge groups E8 x E8 and SO(32) and the four-dimensional physics that arises by compactification of six extra dimensions. Featuring a new Preface setting the work in context in light of recent advances, this book is invaluable for graduate students and researchers in high energy physics and astrophysics, as well as mathematicians.
The Invisible Hand of Pedagogy in Australian Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Education
Authors: Ma Rhea Zane , Russell Lynette
Published: September 2012

The Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC)-funded project ‘Exploring Problem-Based Learning Pedagogy
as Transformative Education in Indigenous Australian Studies’ raised a number of issues that resonated with
concerns we have had as professionals engaged in teaching and researching Australian Indigenous studies and
Indigenous education. In this discursive paper we air some of the concerns we share which emerge from our
collective research and teaching interests. We argue that Australian Indigenous studies and Indigenous
education are too frequently collapsed or used interchangeably, and while there is tension between these areas
rather than see as a problem we chose to interrogate this and argue for the potential for fruitful
intellectual collaboration. This article problematises pedagogy and finds that sustained effort needs to be
made to understand how pedagogical approaches to Australian Indigenous studies and Indigenous education are
guiding and shaping each cognate area.