bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Some Rorschach Variables from a Normative Study with 10-Year-Old Portuguese Children
Authors: Silva Danilo R. , Campos Rui
Published: September 2011

A partir da análise dos dados normativos de uma amostra de 60 crianças portuguesas, 30 de cada sexo, de 10 anos de idade, vivendo na cidade de Lisboa, os autores procedem ao exame de um certo número de variáveis cujos valores médios ou frequência de ocorrência se afastam, de modo acentuado, de idênticos dados obtidos por Exner e Weiner , nos EUA. O objectivo não consiste tão só em salientar a ocorrência de diferenças, mas sobretudo em assinalar o que porventura pode constituir um conjunto de indicadores da dimensão cultural portuguesa, responsável por tais diferenças. Após uma breve caracterização da amostra, apresentam-se os resultados de uma busca de diferenças entre sexos, as quais se limitam a 5 variáveis: soma das respostas de sombreado, combinação cor-sombredo, conteúdo humano irreal, total de respostas de conteúdo humano e conteúdo Arte. Estas diferenças são todas favoráveis ao sexo feminino.

Apresenta-se, depois, uma tabela com os dados normativos portugueses e norte-americanos de 47 variáveis do Rorschach, em termos de média e desvio-padrão. O seu exame começa por destacar dois aspectos principais. Em primeiro lugar, regista-se o facto de, quase sistematicamente, os valores dos desvios-padrão serem mais elevados na amostra portuguesa do que na americana, indicando uma maior dispersão ou variabilidade de respostas na primeira do que na segunda. A que se deve esta característica? A uma população mais heterogénea? A um modo ou atitude mais personalizada ou individualizada de resposta? É uma questão que se levanta e cuja resposta pode ser reveladora.

Em segundo lugar, chama-se a atenção para o valor elevado de Lambda, mostrando designadamente que o valor máximo desta variável, nos dados normativos americanos, 1.11, fica bastante aquém do valor mediano dos dados da amostra portuguesa, 1.67. Como a variável Lambda constitui, neste caso, um importante condicionador da ocorrência de outros determinantes, ela torna-se a característica principal, responsável pelas acentuadas diferenças que se verificam na maioria das variáveis constantes da tabela. O exame e discussão dessas diferenças resultam, pois, injustificados e inadequados. Isto equivale a postular a ideia de que a comparação entre os totais das duas amostras, com base na multiplicidade de variáveis do Rorschach, é, em grande medida, inviável, ou, dito de outro modo, que as duas amostras são realmente distintas e independentes num importante número de aspectos.
Temporal inequality in catchment discharge and solute export
Authors: Jawitz James W. , Mitchell Jennifer
Published: September 2011

A framework is developed for characterizing the temporal inequality of stream discharge and solute loads to receiving waters using Lorenz diagrams and the associated Gini coefficient, G. These descriptors are used to illustrate a broad range of observed flow variability with a synthesis of multidecadal flow data from 22 rivers in Florida. Multidecadal phosphorus load data from four of the primary tributaries to Lake Okeechobee, Florida, and sodium and nitrate load data from nine of the Hubbard Brook, New Hampshire, long‐term study site catchments are used to examine the relation between the inequality of flow and load. The intra‐annual loads to Lake Okeechobee are shown to be highly unequal, such that 90% of the annual load is delivered in as little as 15% of the time. Analytic expressions are developed for measures of inequality in terms of parameters of the lognormal distribution under general conditions that include periods of zero flow. In cases where variability of concentrations is low compared to that of flows (chemostatic conditions), such as for phosphorus in the Lake Okeechobee basin and sodium in Hubbard Brook, the temporal inequality of flow is a strong surrogate for load inequality. However, in cases where variability of concentrations is high compared to that of flows (chemodynamic conditions), such as for nitrate in the Hubbard Brook catchments, load inequality is greater than flow inequality. The measured degree of correspondence between flow and load inequality for these data sets is shown to be well described using the general inequality framework introduced here.
Comparison of Fickian and temporally nonlocal transport theories over many scales in an exhaustively sampled sandstone slab
Authors: Major Elizabeth , Benson David A. , Revielle Jordan , Ibrahim Hamed , Dean Arianne , Maxwell Reed M. , Poeter Eileen , Dogan Mine
Published: September 2011

It is not a compelling argument, solely on the basis of a better fit to solute breakthrough curve (BTC) data, that a temporally nonlocal model is necessary to simulate transport in an advection‐dominated system. One may counter that the classical advection‐dispersion equation (ADE) is a valid model at some small scale and that the detailed hydraulic conductivity (K) data must be well‐represented: then the nonlocality is only a result of upscaling and loss of information. But is the nonlocal model demonstrably necessary at all scales? We examine the experiment conducted by Klise et al. (2008) in which a 30.5 × 30.5 cm slab of relatively homogeneous, cross‐bedded sandstone was exhaustively sampled for K. The slab was sealed, saturated with potassium iodide, and X‐rayed 10 times while being flushed with fresh water. The 8,649 air‐permeameter measurements were down‐ and upscaled to make finer and coarser grids on which the velocity field was solved and the ADE applied. The optimized parameters in the ADE were found to scale predictably, most notably the longitudinal dispersivity (), which grew linearly with upscaling. But at all levels of up‐ and downscaling, including the original K measurement scale of 0.33 cm, the ADE did not adequately represent the late‐time tails. The temporally nonlocal, time‐fractional ADE (t‐FADE) was applied and the optimized parameters ( and the immobile capacity ) did not depend on scale. The better fit provided by the t‐FADE in the late BTC tails did not bring about a sacrificed fit elsewhere in the BTC. Furthermore, the optimized ADE and t‐FADE solutions do not converge at the smallest scale, directly implying that the temporal nonlocality is a necessary model component. We conclude that the logical inference “if the ADE is valid in heterogeneous material, then there is tailing in the BTC” is not a proof that the reverse is true. We provide a clear counterexample. A corollary is that a mismatch between data and a discretized solution to the ADE does not imply that more data will improve fits or predictive ability.
Infiltration models for soil profiles bounded by a water table
Authors: Basha H. A.
Published: September 2011

Approximate solutions of Richards' equation are developed for rational forms of the soil hydraulic conductivity and moisture retention functions using a perturbation expansion method. A novel approach is devised in the perturbation technique whereby a priori introduced parameters are estimated in an optimal context to ensure the accuracy of the perturbation solution at all times and for all flow conditions. The perturbation model describes the one‐dimensional nonlinear nonsteady infiltration for arbitrary initial conditions under either a time‐dependent surface flux or a constant head boundary condition into either a semi‐infinite or a finite medium bounded from below by a shallow water table. The optimal perturbation approach proved to be an effective method by which closed‐form linear solutions can be adapted to nonlinear soils through proper scaling factors. The results show that the first‐order linear term of the optimal perturbation solution is sufficiently accurate for practical applications, especially for shallow water table conditions. They offer the means to analyze the effect of nonuniform initial conditions and the influence of the water table on the infiltration process. Practical results in terms of well‐defined soil water parameters and the antecedent moisture content include algebraic expressions for the surface moisture content variation under variable rainfall conditions, time‐to‐ponding expressions and infiltration equations for deep and shallow water table conditions, and a prediction formula for the water table recharge rate.
An all-taxon microbial inventory of the Moorea coral reef ecosystem
Authors: McCliment Elizabeth A , Nelson Craig E , Carlson Craig A , Alldredge Alice L , Witting Jan , Amaral-Zettler Linda A
Published: September 2011

The Moorea Coral Reef Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Site (17.50°S, 149.83°W) comprises the fringe of coral reefs and lagoons surrounding the volcanic island of Moorea in the Society Islands of French Polynesia. As part of our Microbial Inventory Research Across Diverse Aquatic LTERS biodiversity inventory project, we characterized microbial community composition across all three domains of life using amplicon pyrosequencing of the V6 (bacterial and archaeal) and V9 (eukaryotic) hypervariable regions of small-subunit ribosomal RNA genes. Our survey spanned eight locations along a 130-km transect from the reef lagoon to the open ocean to examine changes in communities along inshore to offshore gradients. Our results illustrate consistent community differentiation between inshore and offshore ecosystems across all three domains, with greater richness in all domains in the reef-associated habitats. Bacterial communities were more homogenous among open ocean sites spanning >100 km than among inshore sites separated by <1 km, whereas eukaryotic communities varied more offshore than inshore, and archaea showed more equal levels of dissimilarity among subhabitats. We identified signature communities representative of specific geographic and geochemical milieu, and characterized co-occurrence patterns of specific microbial taxa within the inshore ecosystem including several bacterial groups that persist in geographical niches across time. Bacterial and archaeal communities were dominated by few abundant taxa but spatial patterning was consistent through time and space in both rare and abundant communities. This is the first in-depth inventory analysis of biogeographic variation of all three microbial domains within a coral reef ecosystem.
Inflammation Associated With Obesity: Relationship With Blood and Bone Marrow Endothelial Cells
Authors: McGuire Timothy R. , Brusnahan Susan K. , Bilek Laura D. , Jackson John D. , Kessinger M. Anne , Berger Anne M. , Garvin Kevin L. , O'Kane Barbara J. , Tuljapurkar Sonal R. , Sharp John G.
Published: September 2011

The purpose of this study was to assess the inflammatory nature of obesity and its effect on blood and bone marrow endothelial cell populations. Obese patients (BMI ≥30) had significantly higher concentrations of the inflammatory marker C‐reactive protein (CRP) (P = 0.03) and lower concentrations of the anti‐inflammatory cytokine interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) (P = 0.05). This cytokine profile is consistent with obesity being an inflammatory condition and is further supported by the significant correlation between total white blood cell count and BMI (r = 0.15; P = 0.035). High BMI was associated with significantly lower numbers of early endothelial cells (CD45−/CD34+) in the bone marrow (r = −0.20; P = 0.0068). There was also a significant inverse correlation between BMI and a more mature endothelial cell phenotype (CD45−/31+) in the blood (r = −0.17; P = 0.02). In addition, there was a significant correlation between BMI‐ and endothelial‐related cells of hematopoietic origin (CD133+/VEGFR‐2+) in the bone marrow (r = −0.26; P = 0.0007). Patients with higher plasma IL‐10 and insulin‐like growth factor (IGF) concentrations had higher numbers of endothelial phenotypes in the bone marrow suggesting a protective effect of these anti‐inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, this work confirms the inflammatory nature of obesity and is the first to report that obesity is associated with reduced endothelial cell numbers in the bone marrow of humans. These effects of obesity may be a potential mechanism for impaired tissue repair in obese patients.
Conformer specific dissociation dynamics of iodocyclohexane studied by velocity map imaging
Authors: Zaouris D. K. , Wenge A. M. , Murdock D. , Oliver T. A. A. , Richmond G. , Ritchie G. A. D. , Dixon R. N. , Ashfold M. N. R.
Published: September 2011

The photodissociation dynamics of iodocyclohexane has been studied using velocity map imaging following excitation at many wavelengths within its A-band (230 ≤ λ ≤ 305 nm). This molecule exists in two conformations (axial and equatorial), and one aim of the present experiment was to explore the extent to which conformer-specific fragmentation dynamics could be distinguished. Ground (I) and spin-orbit excited (I*) state iodine atom products were monitored by 2 + 1 resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization, and total kinetic energy release (TKER) spectra and angular distributions derived from analysis of images recorded at all wavelengths studied. TKER spectra obtained at the longer excitation wavelengths show two distinct components, which can be attributed to the two conformers and the different ways in which these partition the excess energy upon C–I bond fission. Companion calculations based on a simple impulsive model suggest that dissociation of the equatorial (axial) conformer preferentially yields vibrationally (rotationally) excited cyclohexyl co-fragments. Both I and I* products are detected at the longest parent absorption wavelength (λ ∼ 305 nm), and both sets of products show recoil anisotropy parameters, β > 1, implying prompt dissociation following excitation via a transition whose dipole moment is aligned parallel to the C–I bond. The quantum yield for forming I* products, ΦI*, has been determined by time resolved infrared diode laser absorption methods to be 0.14 ± 0.02 (at λ = 248 nm) and 0.22 ± 0.05 (at λ = 266 nm). Electronic structure calculations indicate that the bulk of the A-band absorption is associated with transition to the 4A′ state, and that the (majority) I atom products arise via non-adiabatic transfer from the 4A′ potential energy surface (PES) via conical intersection(s) with one or more PESs correlating with ground state products.
Creating Place, Creating Community: The Intangible Boundaries of the Jewish ‘Eruv’
Authors: Rapoport Michele
Published: September 2011

Jewish rulings on the ‘Eruv’ were established within the religious framework prohibiting labor on the Sabbath. On the seventh day of rest, according to Judaism, objects cannot be carried from one place to another except in zones deemed private. In order to overcome these prohibitions, religious texts permitted the demarcation of Eruv boundaries, which expand the boundaries of the private zone into the public on the Sabbath, allowing many daily activities to become possible. Eruv boundaries—its walls and thresholds—are primarily conceptual, agreed upon by consent, experienced through knowledge rather than the senses, and of actual consequence to one community living among others. By allowing for the performance of daily activities on the day of rest, the Eruv binds the working of the body and the concept of privacy to the notion of sacred time. These abstract boundaries allow one to speak of a phenomenological spatial experience that is primarily conceptual. Rather than being tangible physical components in the landscape, Eruv place-making boundaries are time contingent and shaped by human performance. While debates centering on the Eruv have focused primarily on its demographic and urban implications, much of the intensity and fervor of opponents takes place within symbolic and conceptual discourses not often found in public debates over urban boundaries. Primarily addressing arguments by contenders of the Eruv, this study will examine the potency of these ‘belief’ boundaries and the discourses in which they partake, relying on the later writings of Martin Heidegger on place as that which is based on human activity and serves as ‘gathering’ and as a revelation of truth.
Fixing the Border: On the Affective Life of the State in Southern Kyrgyzstan
Authors: Reeves Madeleine
Published: September 2011

This paper proceeds from a moment of impromptu ‘border-fixing’ in the wake of an intercommunal conflict, to explore the everyday spatialisation of the state in a rural region of Central Asia. Drawing on ethnography from the Kyrgyzstan - Uzbekistan border, it contributes to a growing concern to understand how the state is rendered ‘integral’ in everyday life. Rather than focusing on the enactments and justificatory statements of state officials, the paper explores instead the diffuse but passionate work of borderland dwellers in policing the state edge in a context of political upheaval. ‘Territory’ in this reading is not just an a priori attribute of the state, nor only the product of official imaginings and interventions, but the site, too, of everyday practical and symbolic work, a vehicle for claims making and the means of performative enactments of belonging and difference. The paper calls for greater attention to the ‘ordinary affects’ that are elicited by borders and boundedness and the need to bring discussions of territoriality into conversation with a literature on the affective life of the state. Doing so, it argues, will both enrich our understanding of everyday state formation and give us greater purchase on the role of events in rupturing and reconfiguring state space.
Metabolic state of glioma stem cells and nontumorigenic cells
Authors: Vlashi Erina , Lagadec Chann , Vergnes Laurent , Matsutani Tomoo , Masui Kenta , Poulou Maria , Popescu Ruxandra , Della Donna Lorenza , Evers Patrick , Dekmezian Carmen , Reue Karen , Christofk Heather , Mischel Paul S. , Pajonk Frank
Published: September 2011

Gliomas contain a small number of treatment-resistant glioma stem cells (GSCs), and it is thought that tumor regrowth originates from GSCs, thus rendering GSCs an attractive target for novel treatment approaches. Cancer cells rely more on glycolysis than on oxidative phosphorylation for glucose metabolism, a phenomenon used in 2-[
18
F]fluoro-2-deoxy-
d
-glucose positron emission tomography imaging of solid cancers, and targeting metabolic pathways in cancer cells has become a topic of considerable interest. However, if GSCs are indeed important for tumor control, knowledge of the metabolic state of GSCs is needed. We hypothesized that the metabolism of GSCs differs from that of their progeny. Using a unique imaging system for GSCs, we assessed the oxygen consumption rate, extracellular acidification rate, intracellular ATP levels, glucose uptake, lactate production, PKM1 and PKM2 expression, radiation sensitivity, and cell cycle duration of GSCs and their progeny in a panel of glioma cell lines. We found GSCs and progenitor cells to be less glycolytic than differentiated glioma cells. GSCs consumed less glucose and produced less lactate while maintaining higher ATP levels than their differentiated progeny. Compared with differentiated cells, GSCs were radioresistant, and this correlated with a higher mitochondrial reserve capacity. Glioma cells expressed both isoforms of pyruvate kinase, and inhibition of either glycolysis or oxidative phosphorylation had minimal effect on energy production in GSCs and progenitor cells. We conclude that GSCs rely mainly on oxidative phosphorylation. However, if challenged, they can use additional metabolic pathways. Therefore, targeting glycolysis in glioma may spare GSCs.
Natural killer cells direct hemochorial placentation by regulating hypoxia-inducible factor dependent trophoblast lineage decisions
Authors: Chakraborty Damayanti , Rumi M. A. Karim , Konno Toshihiro , Soares Michael J.
Published: September 2011

Natural killer (NK) cells are recruited into the uterine stroma during establishment of the hemochorial placenta and are proposed regulators of uterine spiral artery remodeling. Failures in uterine spiral artery remodeling are linked to diseases of pregnancy. This prompted an investigation of the involvement of NK cells in placentation. NK cell depletion decreased the delivery of proangiogenic factors and delayed uterine spiral artery development, leading to decreased oxygen tension at the placentation site, stabilized hypoxia-inducible factor 1A protein, and redirected trophoblast differentiation to an invasive phenotype. Trophoblast cells replaced the endothelium of uterine spiral arteries extending the depth of the placental vascular bed and accelerating vessel remodeling. Hypoxia-regulated trophoblast lineage decisions, including expansion of invasive trophoblast, could be reproduced in vitro by using rat trophoblast stem cells and were dependent on hypoxia-inducible factor signaling. We conclude that NK cells guide hemochorial placentation through controlling a hypoxia-sensitive adaptive reflex regulating trophoblast lineage decisions.
Impacts of changing food webs in Lake Ontario: Implications of dietary fatty acids on growth of Alewives
Authors: Snyder Randal J. , DeMarche Chad J. , Honeyfield Dale C.
Published: September 2011

Declines in the abundance and condition of Great Lakes Alewives have been reported periodically during the last two decades, and the reasons for these declines remain unclear. To better understand how food web changes may influence Alewife growth and Wisconsin growth model predictions, we fed Alewives isocaloric diets high in omega-6 fatty acids (corn oil) or high in omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil). Alewives were fed the experimental diets at either 1% (“low ration”) or 3% (“high ration”) of their wet body weight per day. After six weeks, Alewives maintained on the high ration diets were significantly larger than those fed the low ration diets. Moreover, Alewives given the high ration fish oil diet were significantly larger than those maintained on the high ration corn oil diet after six weeks of growth. Body lipid, energy density and total body energy of Alewives on the high ration diets were significantly higher than those fed the low ration diets, and total body energy was significantly higher in Alewives given the high ration fish oil diet compared to those on the high ration corn oil diet. The current Wisconsin bioenergetics model underestimated growth and overestimated food consumption by Alewives in our study. Alewife thiaminase activity was similar among treatment groups. Overall, our results suggest that future food web changes in Lake Ontario, particularly if they involve decreases in the abundance of lipid rich prey items such as Mysis, may reduce Alewife growth rates and total body energy due to reductions in the availability of dietary omega-3 fatty acids.
The ecological risk assessment of the Chinese White Dolphins in Xiamen coastal waters
Authors: Guo Xianhua , Cui Shenghui , Lin Tao , Song Yu
Published: September 2011

To protect the endangered Chinese White Dolphins in Xiamen coastal waters, an ecological risk assessment was made. This assessment was based on an evaluation framework using the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response method, integrated with the guidelines given by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Aside from chemical stressors, other factors (including environmental investment, sewage treatment and others) were also taken into account. An integrated ecological risk assessment was applied using quantitative methodology, including eleven indicator parameters. The results demonstrated that the ecological risk for dolphins had increased with the urbanization process and economic development during 1996–2007. The highest risk occurred in 2003, and the lowest in 1996. Interestingly, the risk decreased significantly from 0.5629 in 2006 to 0.4745 in 2007. It was discovered that there were several crucial risk sources, including fishery outputs, port throughput, industrial effluent, and domestic sewage. These results could serve as a guide for protecting Chinese White Dolphins and other marine species that are being harmed by the booming urbanization process.
Structural shift of planktonic communities in seawater enclosures: from autotrophic to heterotrophic communities
Authors: Kim Young-Ok , Kang Jung-Hoon , Kwon Oh Youn , Jung Seung Won , Kim Si-Wouk
Published: September 2011

An outdoor enclosure experiment was carried out near the southern coast of Korea in order to investigate the effect of enclosed environments on planktonic community structure. The experiment was conducted in 6 floating, 220-liter cylindrical enclosures maintained for short periods (17 days). Rapid decreases of inorganic nutrients (N. P, Si), and in the abundance of large diatoms, Coscinodiscus spp., were observed after only one day from the start of the experiment. Decreases in chlorophyll a progressed through the experimental period, although the small diatoms, Chaetoceros spp. and Thalassiosira sp., increased considerably during the initial days. The continuous supply of dissolved organic carbon from crashing stocks of planktonic organisms sustained rapid growth of heterotrophic bacteria. The bacterial increase was followed by increase of heterotrophic nanoflagellates and ciliated protozoa. Noctiluca scintillans flourished as a dominant zooplankter until the end of the experiment, feeding on phytoplankton during the first half of the observations and on the abundant heterotrophic microorganisms during the second half. The results suggested that the enclosed environment provoked a structural shift of the plankton community from autotrophy to heterotrophy and indicated additionally that the trophic status in plankton communities was reflected by an enclosed environment formed by artificial structures in the coastal zone.
Photosynthetic responses of a salt secretor mangrove, Avicennia germinans, exposed to salinity stress
Authors: Gonzalez-Mendoza Daniel , Gil Francisco Espadas y , Rodriguez Jose Francisco , Marin Silvia Monica Aviles , Santamaría Jorge M. , Zapata-Perez Omar
Published: September 2011

In the present study, the effect of variable salinity (0, 15 and 60‰ NaCl) on photosynthetic apparatus was studied in plants (Avicennia germinans seedlings) of a salt secretor mangrove, by measuring chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and gas exchange. Plants treated with NaCl showed a decrease in the maximum net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and stomatal conductance (gs) as salinity increased from 0 to 60‰. The yield for primary photochemistry (TRo/ABS) and the efficiency with which a trapped exciton can move an electron into the electron transport chain (ETo/TRo), the performance index of Photosystem II (PIABS), and the total number of active reaction centers per absorption (RC/ABS) also decreased when exposed to the highest salinity stress (60‰). These results indicated that the main targets in PSII affected by elevated salinity were inactivation of reaction centers and inhibition of the electron transport at the acceptor side of Photosystem II.
Mayfly (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) community structure as an indicator of the ecological status of the Nišava river (Central Balkan Peninsula)
Authors: Savić Ana , Ranđelović Vladimir , Branković Saša , Krpo-Ćetković Jasmina
Published: September 2011

Mayfly taxa are widely accepted as bioindicators of water quality, due to the wide variety of substrates they live on and high chances of detecting the pollution impact by assessing their community structure. Ephemeroptera samples and physicochemical data were analysed for 12 sites along the 151 km long stretch of the Nišava River in southeastern Serbia during a one-year period. Twenty eight morphologically distinct taxa belonging to eight genera were identified. The dominant genera were Baetis (35.27%) and Ephemerella (29.44%). The Ephemeroptera community structure analysis of samples from the Nišava River has shown a clear dependence of the mayfly community on the habitat type, physical and chemical parameters, and the season. The lowest Shannon's diversity index was estimated for the localities with the lowest percentage of the solid substrate and the highest average content of phosphorus and nitrogen.
Sport, substance use and satisfaction with life: What relationship?
Authors: Paupério Tiago , Corte‐Real Nuno , Dias Claudia , Fonseca António
Published: September 2011

Regular sports practice offers many benefits to health at any stage of human development and, particularly in adolescence, determines the gain from enduring habits of practice until adulthood (Lopes, Maia, Oliveira, Seabra, & Garganta, 2003; Perkins, Jacobs, Barber, & Eccles, 2004; Scheerder et al., 2006). Among these benefits, we can find prevention and control of risk behaviour such as consumption of tobacco and alcohol; and its contribution to healthy growth not only physical but also psychological (Cavill, Kahlmeier, & Racioppi, 2006).

The main objectives of this study were: i) review, by gender and age, the level of sport, the consumption of tobacco and alcohol and the satisfaction with life of students of the third cycle of basic education who attend schools of Continental Portugal; ii) check the relationship between sport and other variables described in this population.

The instruments used were the “Inventory of Health‐related Behaviors of Adolescents” (Corte‐Real, Balaguer, & Fonseca, 2004) and “Scale of Satisfaction with Life”, translated and adapted version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale‐SWLS (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985). The sample consisted of 5,624 adolescents (53% female and 47% male) aged between 12 and 17 years ( =14.33; σ= 1.359).

The main results drawn were as follows: i) low levels of regular sports practice, especially in women, with a tendency to decrease with age; ii) consumption of tobacco significantly similar between genders, increasing with age; iii) significant alcohol consumption, especially in males, increasing with age; iv) consumption of tobacco very similar in the three levels of sports practice; v) high consumption of alcohol in young people with higher sports practice; vi) young people with higher sports practice had a higher degree of satisfaction with life.

These results point clearly to the urgent need for measures at home and school, to support young people in the choice of a healthier lifestyle, including the acquisition of a more active lifestyle. The results also suggest that the full potential of sport, to promote behaviour which protects health and healthy lifestyles, might not always be used, so it is crucial for all physical education professionals and coaches to use, continuously and correctly, this “tool”, the sports practice, to promote healthy habits and lifestyles.
Countermovement jump in performance diagnostics: Use of the correct jumping technique
Authors: Richter Anne , Räpple Stefan , Kurz Gunther , Schwameder Hermann
Published: September 2011

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of arm‐swing and sporting activity on jump height and jump height variability of countermovement jumps in adolescent students to inform correct jumping technique in different settings. Altogether, 324 students (grades 5–11) performed three countermovement jumps with bilateral arm‐swings and three countermovement jumps without arm‐swings on a force platform. The participants were divided into three groups based on sporting activity. The groups with the most (“active group”; more than 6 h formal athletics in a sport club per week) and least active (“sedentary group”; less than 3 h formal athletics in a sport club per week) participants were compared. Jump height was calculated for all jumps, and the best trial of three was used for further analysis. Jump height variability was indicated by the coefficient of variation over three jumps. The reliability of jump height was determined using the intra‐class correlation coefficient (ICC) over three trials of each jumping technique. The reliability of jump height was very high for all conditions (ICC: 0.90–0.96). Jump height was significantly higher for countermovement jumps with than without arm‐swings for both groups. Jump height in the active group was significantly greater than in the sedentary group for both jumping techniques. A significant interaction between jumping technique and sporting activity indicates a greater benefit of arm‐swing in the active than in the sedentary participants. No significant differences between groups were observed for jump height variability. Jump height can be measured reliably in active and sedentary adolescent individuals for both jumping techniques. The relevant jumping technique should be chosen with respect to the context of its application and based on its suitability for the individual and task of interest.
The SHP-1 protein tyrosine phosphatase negatively modulates Akt signaling in the ghrelin/GHSR1a system
Authors: Lodeiro Maria , Alén Begoña O. , Mosteiro Carlos S. , Beiroa Daniel , Nogueiras Rubén , Theodoropoulou Marily , Pardo María , Gallego Rosalía , Pazos Yolanda , Casanueva Felipe F. , Camiña Jesus P.
Published: September 2011

The aim of the present study was to identify the signaling mechanism(s) responsible for the modulation of growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1a (GHSR1a)-associated Akt activity. Ghrelin leads to the activation of Akt through the interplay of distinct signaling mechanisms: an early Gi/oprotein-dependent pathway and a late pathway mediated by β-arrestins. We found that the Src homology 2–containing protein tyrosine phosphatase (SHP-1) was an essential molecule in both Gi/oprotein–dependent and β-arrestin–mediated pathways. More specifically, the role of SHP-1 in the Gi/oprotein–dependent pathway was demonstrated by the fact that the overexpression of a catalytically defective SHP-1 augments tyrosine phosphorylation of the PI3K regulatory subunit p85, leading to an increase in the phosphorylation of cSrc and phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1, and finally activating Akt. The presence of SHP-1 in the β-arrestin–scaffolded complex and its attenuating effect on the cSrc and Akt activities verified that SHP-1 regulates not only the Gi/oprotein–dependent pathway but also the β-arrestin–mediated pathway. Assays performed in preadipocyte and adipocyte 3T3-L1 cells showed SHP-1 expression. According to our results in HEK-GHSR1a cells, ghrelin stimulated SHP-1 phosphorylation in 3T3-L1 cells. The increase in ghrelin-induced Akt activity was enhanced by small interfering RNA of SHP-1 in preadipocyte 3T3-L1 cells. These results were reproduced in white adipose tissue obtained from mice, in which SHP-1 exhibited higher expression in omental than in subcutaneous tissue. Furthermore, this pattern of expression was inverted in mice fed a high-fat diet, suggesting a role for SHP-1 in controlling ghrelin sensitivity in adipose tissue. Indeed, SHP-1 deficiency was associated with augmented ghrelin-evoked Akt phosphorylation in omental tissue, as well as decreased phosphorylation under overexpression of SHP-1 in subcutaneous tissue. These findings showed a novel role for SHP-1 in the regulation of Akt activity through the modulation of the ghrelin/GHSR1a system signaling.
The Pot1a-associated proteins Tpt1 and Pat1 coordinate telomere protection and length regulation inTetrahymena
Authors: Linger Benjamin R. , Morin Gregg B. , Price Carolyn M.
Published: September 2011

We have identified two new telomere proteins, Tpt1 and Pat1, from the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. Although Tetrahymena telomerase is well characterized, only one telomere protein had previously been identified. This was the G-overhang binding-protein Pot1a. Tpt1 and Pat1 were isolated as Pot1a binding partners and shown to localize to telomeres. As Tpt1 and Pat1 were both found to be essential, conditional cell lines were generated to explore their function. Tpt1 depletion caused a rapid growth arrest and telomere elongation in the absence of cell division. The phenotype was similar to that seen after Pot1a depletion suggesting that Tpt1 and Pot1a function together to regulate telomere length and prevent telomere deprotection. In contrast, Pat1 depletion had a modest effect on cell growth but caused progressive telomere shortening similar to that observed upon TERT depletion. Thus Pat1 appears to be needed for telomerase to maintain the chromosome terminus. Analysis of Pot1a-Tpt1-Pat1 complex formation using purified proteins indicated that Tpt1 interacts directly with Pot1a while Pat1 interacts with Tpt1. Our results indicate that Tpt1 is the Tetrahymena equivalent of mammalian TPP1, Schizosaccharomyces pombe Tpz1, and Oxytricha nova TEBPβ.
Does household enrolment reduce adverse selection in a voluntary health insurance system? Evidence from the Ghanaian National Health Insurance System
Authors: Rajkotia Yogesh , Frick Kevin
Published: September 2011

In August 2003, the Ghanaian Government made history by implementing the first National Health Insurance System (NHIS) in sub-Saharan Africa. Within 2 years, over one-third of the country had voluntarily enrolled in the NHIS. To discourage households from selectively enrolling their sickest (high-risk) members, the NHIS in the Nkoranza district offered premium waivers for all children under 18 in exchange for full household enrolment. This study aimed to test whether, despite this incentive, there is evidence suggestive of adverse selection. To accomplish this, we examined how the observed pay-off from insurance (odds and intensity of medical consumption) responds to changes in the family enrolment cost. If adverse selection were present, we would expect the odds and intensity of medical consumption to increase with family enrolment cost. A number of econometric tests were conducted using the claims database of the NHIS in Nkoranza. Households with full enrolment were analysed, for a total of 58 516 individuals from 12 515 households. Our results show that household enrolment cost is not correlated with (1) odds or intensity of inpatient use or (2) odds of adult outpatient use, and is weakly correlated with the intensity of outpatient use. We also find that household enrolment costs are positively correlated with the number of children in the household and the odds and intensity of outpatient use by children. Thus, we conclude that the child-premium waiver is an important incentive for household enrolment. This evidence suggests that adverse selection has effectively been contained, but not eliminated. We argue that since one of the main objectives of the NHIS was to increase use of necessary care, especially by children, our findings indicate a largely favourable policy outcome, but one that may carry negative financial consequences. Policy makers must balance the fiscal need to contain costs with the societal objective to cover vulnerable populations.
Human papillomavirus type-specific risk of cervical cancer in a population with high human immunodeficiency virus prevalence: case–control study
Authors: Naucler Pontus , Mabota da Costa Flora , da Costa Joao Leopoldo , Ljungberg Otto , Bugalho Antonio , Dillner Joakim
Published: September 2011

There are limited data on human papillomavirus (HPV) type-specific cervical cancer risk among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive women. Previous studies have suggested that HPV 16 would be relatively less important as a causative agent among HIV-positive compared with HIV-negative women. This study investigates HPV type-specific cervical cancer risk in a population in which HIV is endemic. At the Central Hospital, Maputo, Mozambique, 221 cervical cancer cases and 203 hospital-based controls were consecutively enrolled. HPV typing from cervical samples, HIV testing and recording of socio-demographic factors were performed. Logistic regression modelling was used to assess HPV type-specific risk and effect modification between HIV and HPV infection. Infection with HPV 16, 18 and ‘high-risk non-HPV 16/18 types’ (HPV 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58 and 59) was associated with cervical cancer in both crude and adjusted analyses. HPV 16 and 18 were the most common types detected in cancer biopsies among both HIV-negative and HIV-positive women. There was no significant evidence of effect modification between any HPV type and HIV infection, and there were no significant differences in the HPV type-specific prevalence when cervical cancers among HIV-positive and HIV-negative women were compared. Within the limitations of the study, the relative importance of different HPV types in cervical carcinogenesis appears not to be modified greatly by HIV infection, suggesting that HPV vaccines might not need to be type-specifically modified to be suitable for populations where HIV is endemic.
A metabolomic and systems biology perspective on the brain of the Fragile X syndrome mouse model
Authors: Davidovic Laetitia , Navratil Vincent , Bonaccorso Carmela M. , Catania Maria Vincenza , Bardoni Barbara , Dumas Marc-Emmanuel
Published: September 2011

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the first cause of inherited intellectual disability, due to the silencing of the X-linked Fragile X Mental Retardation 1 gene encoding the RNA-binding protein FMRP. While extensive studies have focused on the cellular and molecular basis of FXS, neither human Fragile X patients nor the mouse model of FXS—the Fmr1-null mouse—have been profiled systematically at the metabolic and neurochemical level to provide a complementary perspective on the current, yet scattered, knowledge of FXS. Using proton high-resolution magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (1H HR-MAS NMR)-based metabolic profiling, we have identified a metabolic signature and biomarkers associated with FXS in various brain regions of Fmr1-deficient mice. Our study highlights for the first time that Fmr1 gene inactivation has profound, albeit coordinated consequences in brain metabolism leading to alterations in: (1) neurotransmitter levels, (2) osmoregulation, (3) energy metabolism, and (4) oxidative stress response. To functionally connect Fmr1-deficiency to its metabolic biomarkers, we derived a functional interaction network based on the existing knowledge (literature and databases) and show that the FXS metabolic response is initiated by distinct mRNA targets and proteins interacting with FMRP, and then relayed by numerous regulatory proteins. This novel “integrated metabolome and interactome mapping” (iMIM) approach advantageously unifies novel metabolic findings with previously unrelated knowledge and highlights the contribution of novel cellular pathways to the pathophysiology of FXS. These metabolomic and integrative systems biology strategies will contribute to the development of potential drug targets and novel therapeutic interventions, which will eventually benefit FXS patients.
Regulation of microRNA expression by hepatocyte growth factor in human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Susuki Dai , Kimura Sotai , Naganuma Seiji , Tsuchiyama Katsuki , Tanaka Toshiaki , Kitamura Naomi , Fujieda Shigeharu , Itoh Hiroshi
Published: September 2011

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a multifunctional molecule that acts as mitogen, motogen, and/or morphogen in a variety of cells. MET, a specific receptor tyrosine kinase for HGF, is upregulated in various tumors including squamous cell carcinoma of the human head and neck (HNSCC), but how HGF affects the expression of downstream functional genes has not yet been elucidated in detail. In the present study, we examined the expression of microRNA (miRNA), non‐coding small RNA that regulate cell proliferation and functions by interfering with the translation of target mRNA, with or without HGF stimulation in HNSCC cell line HSC3. Among several miRNAs, in which the expression was altered after HGF stimulation, we focused on miR‐200c and miR‐27b, both of which were drastically downregulated after HGF stimulation. Expression of ZEB1, a target mRNA for miR‐200c, was upregulated 3 and 6 h after HGF stimulation, and that of E‐cadherin, a downstream molecule of ZEB1, was downregulated 12 h after HGF stimulation. Expression of ST14/matriptase, an enzyme for extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and HGF activation and a target mRNA for miR‐27b, was drastically upregulated in the protein level after HGF stimulation, although it was not statistically altered in the mRNA level. These results suggest that miR‐200c and miR‐27b downregulated by HGF might play an important role in epithelial–mesenchymal transition mediated by ZEB1/E‐cadherin and ECM degradation and HGF autoactivation mediated by ST14/matriptase, respectively. Altered expression of miRNA directly regulated by HGF might contribute enhanced progressive and invasive characteristics of HNSCC by regulating the translation of HGF‐induced functional molecules. (Cancer Sci 2011; 102: 2164–2171)
A multiparametric assay to compare the cytotoxicity of endodontic sealers with primary human osteoblasts
Authors: Scelza M. Z. , Linhares A. B. , da Silva L. E. , Granjeiro J. M. , Alves G. G.
Published: September 2011

Scelza MZ, Linhares AB, da Silva LE, Granjeiro JM, Alves GG. A multiparametric assay to compare the cytotoxicity of endodontic sealers with primary human osteoblasts. International Endodontic Journal, 45, 12–18, 2012.

Aim  To compare the cytotoxicity of four endodontic sealers (Sealapex, Pulp Canal Sealer EWT, Real Seal and MTA Fillapex) either 1 or 7 days after mixing, when assessed through a multiparametric analysis employing human primary cells closely related to periapical tissues.

Methodology  Extracts of each sealer were prepared following 24‐h exposure to culture media, at either 24 h or 7 days after mixing. Primary human osteoblasts were exposed to extracts for 24 h, at 37 °C with 5% CO2, and cell viability was evaluated by a multiparametric assay assessing sequentially, on the same cells, mitochondrial activity (XTT), membrane integrity (neutral red test) and total cell density (crystal violet dye exclusion test). Results from each test and experimental time were compared by 2‐way analysis of variance (anova).

Results  All endodontic sealers had strong cytotoxicity 24 h after mixing, according to all parameters evaluated. At a longer setting period (7 days), viability for Sealapex was significantly increased (P < 0.05) and Pulp Canal Sealer achieved levels of cytocompatibility similar to the control group. The anova indicated a general correlation between the cytotoxicity of the materials and the time after mixing, with some level of dependence on the cell viability assay employed.

Conclusions  All materials had high cytotoxic levels for human primary cells, mostly on a time‐dependent basis, as shown by three different cell viability tests.
Effect of white mineral trioxide aggregate compared with biomimetic carbonated apatite on dentine bridge formation and inflammatory response in a dental pulp model
Authors: Danesh F. , Vahid A. , Jahanbani J. , Mashhadiabbas F. , Arman E.
Published: September 2011

Danesh F, Vahid A, Jahanbani J, Mashhadiabbas F, Arman E. Effect of white mineral trioxide aggregate compared with biomimetic carbonated apatite on dentine bridge formation and inflammatory response in a dental pulp model. International Endodontic Journal, 45, 26–34, 2012.

Aim  To evaluate the effects of apatite precipitation on the biocompatibility and hard tissue induction properties of white mineral trioxide aggregate (WMTA) in a dental pulp model.

Methodology  Pulp exposures were created on the axial walls of 32 sound canine teeth of eight dogs. Four additional sound teeth served as controls. The pulps were capped either with WMTA or apatite derivatives [biomimetic carbonated apatite (BCAp)] in the interaction of WMTA with a synthetic tissue fluid and restored with zinc oxide–eugenol cement. After 7 and 70 days, the animals were killed, and the histological specimens taken from the teeth were stained with haematoxylin and eosin for histomorphological evaluation. The Brown and Brenn technique was employed to stain bacteria. The data were subjected to nonparametric Kruskall–Wallis analysis and Mann–Whitney U_tests.

Results  Biomimetic carbonated apatite did not induce hard tissue bridge formation. WMTA performed significantly better than BCAp in this respect at both periods (P < 0.05). BCAp was associated with a significantly greater inflammatory response as compared with WMTA after 7 days (P < 0.05). Both materials were associated with similar reactions after 70 days (P > 0.05).

Conclusions  White mineral trioxide aggregate induced hard tissue formation via a mechanism other than that postulated via apatite formation.