bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Doing good deeds in times of need: a strategic perspective on corporate disaster donations
Authors: Muller Alan , Kräussl Roman
Published: January 2011

Major corporations often respond charitably in times of disaster. However, disasters can also impose nontrivial costs on firms themselves, and under adverse conditions, firms typically donate less, not more. This paper takes a strategic perspective on corporate magnanimity in times of crisis by looking at the relationship between firm value, reputation, and donations by U.S. Fortune 500 firms in the case of Hurricane Katrina. In general, we find that Katrina's landfall was associated with significant negative abnormal stock returns. In particular, we find that a reputation for social irresponsibility was associated with both the greatest drop in stock prices and the greatest likelihood of making a subsequent charitable donation in response to the disaster. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
MNC strategies, exogenous shocks, and performance outcomes
Authors: Li Sali , Tallman Stephen
Published: January 2011

This paper examines the effect of international diversification on multinational corporation (MNC) performance in the face of exogenous shocks in the global business environment, and the extent to which MNCs' internationalization aids or impedes post‐shock performance. We use the September 11, 2001 attacks as a research setting to investigate the relationship between international diversification and MNC performance after a sudden change in the environment. The empirical tests on a sample of 191 U.S. MNCs and a matched sample of non‐U.S. MNCs indicate that the level of pre‐September 11 international diversification is negatively correlated with immediate cumulative abnormal returns to shares, but positively correlated with longer‐term performance. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility of resistant starch from mung bean (Phaseolus radiatus) starch
Authors: Li Suling , Gao Qunyu , Ward Rachelle
Published: January 2011

RS from mung bean starch was prepared by autoclaving, pullulanase debranching, and retrogradation. Physicochemical properties, crystalline structure, and in vitro digestibility of selected RS samples with different RS content were investigated. Compared to native starch, AAM content of RS increased but MW decreased greatly. SEM clearly showed RS samples exhibited irregular shaped fragments with compact structure. XRD pattern indicated that RS samples had typical B‐type pattern with sharp peaks at 17.0°, 22.2°, and 23.9° 2θ. The relative crystallinity, gelatinization temperatures, and enthalpy increased with increasing RS content. The α‐amylase digestibility of RS was lower than that of native starch. The results suggested that the decrease in enzymatic digestion of RS might due to compact and ordered crystalline structures after debranching and recrystallization.
Use of carbohydrates, including dextrins, for oral delivery
Authors: Alvani Kamran , Qi Xin , Tester Richard F.
Published: January 2011

Carbohydrates are used extensively in the pharmaceutical sector as excipients to facilitate packaging and delivery of drugs. These formats include tablets, capsules, liquids, suspensions, gels, inhalation products and strips. Apart from being very diverse in structure and properties, carbohydrates benefit from a safe history of usage with a positive health profile. These incorporate a number of starch derivatives. Dextrins represent hydrolysis products of starches and are thus α‐glucans with both α‐(1,4) and α‐(1,6) bonds. They are used in different formats in pharmaceutical systems, and provide a number of technical advantages over other materials. This short review focuses on the use of carbohydrates and especially dextrins as oral delivery vehicles and their associated functionality and properties in these systems.
Synthesis of high fatty acid starch esters with 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride as a reaction medium
Authors: Xie Wenlei , Wang Yingbin
Published: January 2011

In this work, high fatty acid esters of corn starch were synthesized by reacting the starch with fatty acid methyl ester using 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride (BMIMCl) ionic liquid (IL) as reaction media. The effect of reaction variables such as the catalyst amount, molar ratio of fatty acid methyl ester/anhydroglucose unit (AGU) in starch, pyridine/AGU molar ratio, reaction temperature, as well as reaction time on the degree of substitution (DS) of starch esters was investigated. The experimental results showed that the DS value of the obtained starch esters could be varied depending on the process conditions. In the optimum reaction condition, the achieved maximum DS of starch laurate and starch stearate was 0.37 and 0.28, respectively, at a reaction temperature of 110°C for starch laurate and 120°C for starch stearate for a reaction duration of 2 h. Furthermore, the starch esters were characterized by FTIR, SEM, and X‐ray diffractometry (XRD) techniques, respectively. Results from FT‐IR spectroscopy suggested that the hydroxyl groups in the starch molecules were converted into ester groups. SEM and XRD studies showed that the morphology and crystallinity of starch esters were disrupted largely in the IL medium under the reaction conditions.
Plagues, Priests, and Demons
Authors: Reff Daniel T.
Published: January 2011

Drawing on anthropology, religious studies, history, and literary theory, Plagues, Priests, and Demons, first published in 2005, explores significant parallels in the rise of Christianity in the late Roman empire and colonial Mexico. Evidence shows that new forms of infectious disease devastated the late Roman empire and Indian America, respectively, contributing to pagan and Indian interest in Christianity. Christian clerics and monks in early medieval Europe, and later Jesuit missionaries in colonial Mexico, introduced new beliefs and practices as well as accommodated indigenous religions, especially through the cult of the saints. The book is simultaneously a comparative study of early Christian and later Spanish missionary texts. Similarities in the two literatures are attributed to similar cultural-historical forces that governed the 'rise of Christianity' in Europe and the Americas.
Becoming Roman
Authors: Woolf Greg
Published: January 2011

This book is a study of the process conventionally termed 'Romanization' through an investigation of the experience of Rome's Gallic provinces in the late Republic and early empire. Beginning with a rejection of the concept of 'Romanization' it describes the nature of Roman power in Gaul and the Romans' own understanding of these changes. Successive chapters then map the chronology and geography of change and offer new interpretations of urbanism, rural civilization, consumption and cult, before concluding with a synoptic view of Gallo-Roman civilization and of the origins of provincial cultures in general. The work draws on literary and archaeological material to make a contribution to the cultural history of the empire which will be of interest to ancient historians, classical archaeologists and all interested in cultural change.
The Syntax of Negation
Authors: Haegeman Liliane
Published: January 2011

In this book Liliane Haegeman presents an account of sentential negation within a Government and Binding framework. Building on the work of Klima and Lasnik, Haegeman demonstrates the parallelism between negative sentences and interrogative sentences, and gives a unified analysis in terms of a well-formedness condition on syntactic representations: the AFFECT criterion, instantiated as the WH-criterion in interrogative sentences and as the NEG-criterion in negative sentences. It is shown that in the same way that in many languages the WH-criterion gives rise to WH-movement, the NEG-criterion may also give rise to NEG-movement. This is particularly clear in the Germanic languages. In the analysis of sentential negation in Romance languages the author makes extensive use of the notion of representational chain, showing that in these languages too the NEG-criterion applies at the level of S-structure. In addition to providing a syntactic analysis of sentential negation the book also raises a number of theoretical issues such as that of the distinction between A-positions and A'-positions and the level of application of well-formedness conditions. This book will be of interest to all those working on theoretical syntax, particularly of the Germanic and Romance languages.
Bootstrap Techniques for Signal Processing
Authors: Zoubir Abdelhak M. , Iskander D. Robert
Published: January 2011

The statistical bootstrap is one of the methods that can be used to calculate estimates of a certain number of unknown parameters of a random process or a signal observed in noise, based on a random sample. Such situations are common in signal processing and the bootstrap is especially useful when only a small sample is available or an analytical analysis is too cumbersome or even impossible. This book covers the foundations of the bootstrap, its properties, its strengths and its limitations. The authors focus on bootstrap signal detection in Gaussian and non-Gaussian interference as well as bootstrap model selection. The theory developed in the book is supported by a number of useful practical examples written in MATLAB. The book is aimed at graduate students and engineers, and includes applications to real-world problems in areas such as radar and sonar, biomedical engineering and automotive engineering.
Pontius Pilate in History and Interpretation
Authors: Bond Helen K.
Published: January 2011

This study reconstructs the historical Pontius Pilate and looks at the way in which he is used as a literary character in the works of six first century authors: Philo, Josephus and the four evangelists. The first chapter provides an introduction to the history and formation of the imperial Roman province of Judaea. The following two chapters examine the references to Pilate in Philo and Josephus, looking at each author's biases before going on to assess the historicity of their accounts. The next four chapters look at the portrayal of Pilate in each gospel, asking how a first century reader would have interpreted his actions. Each chapter asks what this portrayal shows about the author's attitude towards the Roman state, and what kind of community found this useful. The conclusion distinguishes between the 'historical Pilate' and the different 'Pilate of interpretation' preserved in our first century literary sources.
Closing the Books
Authors: Elster Jon
Published: January 2011

An analysis of transitional justice - retribution and reparation after a change of political regime - from Athens in the fifth century BC to the present. Part I, 'The Universe of Transitional Justice', describes more than thirty transitions, some of them in considerable detail, others more succinctly. Part II, 'The Analytics of Transitional Justice', proposes a framework for explaining the variations among the cases - why after some transitions wrongdoers from the previous regime are punished severely and in other cases mildly or not at all, and victims sometimes compensated generously and sometimes poorly or not at all. After surveying a broad range of justifications and excuses for wrongdoings and criteria for selecting and indemnifying victims, the 2004 book concludes with a discussion of three general explanatory factors: economic and political constraints, the retributive emotions, and the play of party politics.
A Sociological History of Christian Worship
Authors: Stringer Martin D.
Published: January 2011

In this book the 2000 year history of Christian worship is viewed from a sociological perspective. Martin Stringer develops the idea of discourse as a way of understanding the place of Christian worship within its many and diverse social contexts. Beginning with the Biblical material the author provides a broad survey of changes over 2000 years of the Christian church, together with a series of case studies that highlight particular elements of the worship, or specific theoretical applications. Stringer does not simply examine the mainstream traditions of Christian worship in Europe and Byzantium, but also gives space to lesser-known traditions in Armenia, India, Ethiopia and elsewhere. Offering a contribution to the ongoing debate that breaks away from a purely textual or theological study of Christian worship, this book provides a greater understanding of the place of worship in its social and cultural context.
The Urals and Western Siberia in the Bronze and Iron Ages
Authors: Koryakova Ludmila , Epimakhov Andrej Vladimirovich
Published: January 2011

This book is the first synthesis of the archaeology of the Urals and Western Siberia. It presents a comprehensive overview of the late prehistoric cultures of these regions, which are of key importance for the understanding of long-term changes in Eurasia. At the crossroads of Europe and Asia, the Urals and Western Siberia are characterized by great environmental and cultural diversity which is reflected in the variety and richness of their archaeological sites. Based on the latest achievements of Russian archaeologists, this study demonstrates the temporal and geographical range of its subjects starting with a survey of the chronological sequence from the late fourth millennium BC to the early first millennium AD. Recent discoveries contribute to an understanding of issues such as the development of Eurasian metallurgy, technological and ritual innovations, pastoral nomadism and its role in Eurasian interactions, and major sociocultural fluctuations of the Bronze and Iron Ages.
Pragmatics and Non-Verbal Communication
Authors: Wharton Tim
Published: January 2011

The way we say the words we say helps us convey our intended meanings. Indeed, the tone of voice we use, the facial expressions and bodily gestures we adopt while we are talking, often add entirely new layers of meaning to those words. How the natural non-verbal properties of utterances interact with linguistic ones is a question that is often largely ignored. This book redresses the balance, providing a unique examination of non-verbal behaviours from a pragmatic perspective. It charts a point of contact between pragmatics, linguistics, philosophy, cognitive science, ethology and psychology, and provides the analytical basis to answer some important questions: How are non-verbal behaviours interpreted? What do they convey? How can they be best accommodated within a theory of utterance interpretation?
Multiple incursions and putative species revealed using a mitochondrial and nuclear phylogenetic approach to theTrogoderma variabile(Coleoptera: Dermestidae) trapping program in Australia
Authors: Castalanelli M.A. , Mikac K.M. , Baker A.M. , Munyard K. , Grimm M. , Groth D.M.
Published: January 2011

The Warehouse beetle,Trogoderma variabile(Coleoptera: Dermestidae), is an internationally significant invasive pest of packed goods and stored grain. When it was first documented in Australia at Griffith, New South Wales, in 1977, an eradication campaign was initiated. After several years and considerable effort, the eradication campaign was abandoned. To monitor the presence and spread ofT. variabile, surveys were carried out by government agencies in 1992 and 2002. When survey data was compared, it was concluded that the distribution of morphologically identifiedT. variabilehad doubled in most Australian states. Here, we used samples from the 2002 survey to conduct a phylogenetic study using partial sequences of mitochondrial genes Cytochrome oxidase I and Cytochrome B, and the nuclear gene 18S, to examine the distribution and dispersal ofT. variabileand detect the presence of misidentified species. Based on our molecular results, we show that only 47% of the samples analysed wereT. variabile, and the remaining were a mixture of six putative species. In addition,T. variabilewas found in only 78% of the trapping sites. We discuss the importance of correct diagnosis in relation to the eradication campaign.
Direct numerical simulation of complete transition to turbulence via oblique breakdown at Mach 3
Authors: MAYER CHRISTIAN S. J. , VON TERZI DOMINIC A. , FASEL HERMANN F.
Published: January 2011

A pair of oblique waves at low amplitudes is introduced in a supersonic flat-plate boundary layer at Mach 3. Its downstream development and the concomitant process of laminar to turbulent transition is then investigated numerically using linear-stability theory, parabolized stability equations and direct numerical simulations (DNS). In the present paper, the linear regime is studied first in great detail. The focus of the second part is the early and late nonlinear regimes. It is shown how the disturbance wave spectrum is filled up by nonlinear interactions and which flow structures arise and how these structures locally break down to small scales. Finally, the study answers the question whether a fully developed turbulent boundary layer can be reached by oblique breakdown. It is shown that the skin friction develops such as is typical of transitional and turbulent boundary layers. Initially, the skin friction coefficient increases in the streamwise direction in the transitional region and finally decays when the early turbulent state is reached. Downstream of the maximum in the skin friction, the flow loses its periodicity in time and possesses characteristic mean-flow and spectral properties of a turbulent boundary layer. The DNS data clearly demonstrate that oblique breakdown can lead to a fully developed turbulent boundary layer and therefore it is a relevant mechanism for transition in two-dimensional supersonic boundary layers.
Dynamic rheology of a dilute suspension of elastic capsules: effect of capsule tank-treading, swinging and tumbling
Authors: BAGCHI PROSENJIT , KALLURI R. MURTHY
Published: January 2011

Three-dimensional numerical simulations are used to study the effect of unsteady swinging and tumbling motion on the rheology of a dilute suspension of oblate-shaped elastic capsules. Unlike a suspension of initially spherical capsules undergoing the steady tank-treading motion for which the rheology is constant in time, the suspension of non-spherical capsules is time-dependent due to the unsteady capsule motion. In a simple shear flow, the non-spherical capsules undergo a transition from the tank-treading/swinging to the tumbling motion with a reduction in the shear rate or an increase in the ratio of the internal to external fluid viscosities. We find that the time-averaged rheology obtained for the non-spherical capsules undergoing the unsteady motion is qualitatively similar to that obtained for the spherical capsules undergoing the steady tank-treading motion, and that the tank-treading-to-tumbling transition has only a marginal effect. The time-averaged rheology exhibits a shear viscosity minimum when the capsules are in a swinging motion at high shear rates but not at low shear rates. This is a remarkable departure from the behaviour of a vesicle suspension which exhibits a shear viscosity minimum at the point of transition. We find that the shear viscosity in a capsule suspension can decrease as well as increase with increasing viscosity ratio during both tank-treading and tumbling motions, while that of a vesicle suspension always decreases in tank-treading motion and increases in tumbling motion. We then seek to connect the time-dependent rheology with the time-dependent membrane tension, capsule orientation, deformation and tank-treading velocity. At low shear rates, the numerical results exhibit a similar trend to that predicted by analytical theory for rigid ellipsoids undergoing tumbling motion. The trend differs during swinging motion due to the periodic deformation and time-dependent variation of the membrane stress. The elastic component of the shear stress is minimum when the capsules are maximally compressed, and is maximum when the capsules are maximally elongated. In contrast, the viscous component is related to the periodic variation of the tank-treading velocity synchronized with the swinging motion, and the rate of capsule elongation or compression. The swinging or tumbling velocity makes no contribution to the time-dependent rheology.
Correlations between clinical illness, respiratory virus infections and climate factors in a tropical paediatric population
Authors: LOH T. P. , LAI F. Y. L. , TAN E. S. , THOON K. C. , TEE N. W. S. , CUTTER J. , TANG J. W.
Published: January 2011

Weekly (August 2003–December 2008) numbers of five common paediatric diseases and the incidence of respiratory viruses were obtained from a children's hospital in Singapore and correlated with climate data using multivariate time-series techniques. Upper respiratory tract infections were positively correlated with the incidences of influenza A, B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and parainfluenza viruses (types 1–3 combined). Lower respiratory tract infections were positively correlated with only the incidence of RSV. Both upper and lower respiratory tract infections were negatively correlated with relative humidity. Asthma admissions were negatively correlated with maximum temperature and positively correlated with the incidence of influenza B and increasing hours of sunshine. Although sporadic cases of adenovirus infection were identified, not enough cases were available for a more detailed analysis. Gastroenteritis and urinary tract infections, included as control diseases, were not correlated significantly with any climate parameters. These correlations are compatible with current understanding of respiratory virus survival under certain climate conditions and may assist the prediction of disease burdens and hospital resource planning in such tropical environments.
The role of dietary nucleotides in single-stomached animals
Authors: Sauer Nadja , Mosenthin Rainer , Bauer Eva
Published: January 2011

The transition from liquid to solid feed during weaning results in morphological, histological and microbial changes in the young animal's intestinal tract and often is associated with diarrhoea. The ban of in-feed antibiotics in pig production in the European Union has led to increasing interest in alternatives to overcome weaning-associated problems. Among others, nucleotides may have the potential to alleviate health impairments due to weaning. Nucleotides are natural components of the non-protein fraction of milk and have important effects on the maintenance of health in young animals. Nucleotides and their related metabolic products play key roles in many biological processes and become essential dietary components when endogenous supply is insufficient for normal function. The present review summarises nucleotide composition of milk from different species, the biology of nucleotides and possible effects of dietary nucleotides on intestinal morphology and function, intestinal microbiota, immune function, nutrient metabolism, hepatic morphology and function as well as growth performance. Special attention is given to data available for pigs, and suggestions are made for inclusion of nucleotides in the diet to benefit piglets' health and reduce the consequences accompanying early weaning.
Design and Demonstration of a Microbiaxial Optomechanical Device for Multiscale Characterization of Soft Biological Tissues with Two-Photon Microscopy
Authors: Keyes Joseph T. , Borowicz Stacy M. , Rader Jacob H. , Utzinger Urs , Azhar Mohamad , Vande Geest Jonathan P.
Published: January 2011

The biomechanical response of tissues serves as a valuable marker in the prediction of disease and in understanding the related behavior of the body under various disease and age states. Alterations in the macroscopic biomechanical response of diseased tissues are well documented; however, a thorough understanding of the microstructural events that lead to these changes is poorly understood. In this article we introduce a novel microbiaxial optomechanical device that allows two-photon imaging techniques to be coupled with macromechanical stimulation in hydrated planar tissue specimens. This allows that the mechanical response of the microstructure can be quantified and related to the macroscopic response of the same tissue sample. This occurs without the need to fix tissue in strain states that could introduce a change in the microstructural configuration. We demonstrate the passive realignment of fibrous proteins under various types of loading, which demonstrates the ability of tissue microstructure to reinforce itself in periods of high stress. In addition, the collagen and elastin response of tissue during viscoelastic behavior is reported showing interstitial fluid movement and fiber realignment potentially responsible for the temporal behavior. We also demonstrate that nonhomogeneities in fiber strain exist over biaxial regions of assumed homogeneity.
The Impact of Vitamin A Supplementation on the Immune System of Vitamin A-deficient Children
Authors: de Azevedo Paiva Adriana , Rondó Patricia Helen , Rehder Vaz-de-Lima Lourdes , de Freitas Oliveira Carmem , Ueda Mirthes , Gonçalves-Carvalho Cecilia , Reinaldo Luis Gustavo
Published: January 2011

Background & Aims: To investigate the effect of vitamin A supplementation on parameters of the immune system of vitamin A-deficient children. Methods: The study was carried out in four phases: 1) determination of serum retinol in 631 children from 36 to 83 months of age; 2) assessment of immunological markers [immunoglobulins and complement fractions, immunophenotyping of T and B lymphocytes, and natural killer (NK) cells], blood count, and serum ferritin of 52 vitamin A-deficient children (serum retinol < 0.70 µmol/L); 3) supplementation of the 52 deficient children with 200,000 IU of vitamin A; 4) determination of serum retinol and the immunological parameters 2 months after vitamin A supplementation. Results: Before vitamin A supplementation, 24.0 % of the children were anemic and 4.3 %had reduced ferritin concentrations. There was no significant difference between mean values of retinol according to the presence/absence of anemia. The mean values of the humoral and cellular immunological parameters did not show a statistically significant difference before and after supplementation with vitamin A. Children with concomitant hypovitaminosis A and anemia presented a significant increase in absolute CD4 and CD8 T-cell counts after vitamin A supplementation (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Vitamin A had an effect on the recruitment of T and B lymphocytes to the circulation of children with hypovitaminosis A and anemia.
Serum Retinol and β-carotene Levels and Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease in Morbid Obesity
Authors: Villaça Chaves Gabriela , Gonçalves de Souza Gisele , Cardoso de Matos Andréa , Abrantes Peres Dra. Wilza , Pereira Silvia Elaine , Saboya Carlos José , DAlmeida Cristiane Aline , Ramalho Dra. Andréa
Published: January 2011

Objective: To evaluate retinol and β-carotene serum levels and their relationship with risk factors for cardiovascular disease in individuals with morbid obesity, resident in Rio de Janeiro. Methodology: Blood serum concentrations of retinol and β-carotene of 189 morbidly obese individuals were assessed. The metabolic syndrome was identified according to the criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) and World Health Organization (WHO). Lipid profile, insulin resistance, basal insulin, glycemia, blood pressure, and anthropometry and their correlation with retinol and β-carotene serum levels were evaluated. Results: Metabolic syndrome diagnosis was observed in 49.0% of the sample. Within this percentage the levels of β-carotene were significantly lower when body mass index increased. Serum retinol didn't show this behavior. Serum retinol inadequacy in patients with metabolic syndrome (61.3%), according to WHO criterion, was higher (15.8%) than when the whole sample was considered (12.7%). When metabolic syndrome was diagnosed by NCEP criterion, β-carotene inadequacy was higher (42.8%) when compared to the total sample (37.5%). There was a significant difference between average β-carotene values of patients with and without metabolic syndrome (p=0.048) according to the classification of the NCEP. Lower values were found in patients with metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: Considering the vitamin A contribution in antioxidant protection, especially when risk factors for cardiovascular disease are present, it is suggested that great attention be given to morbidly obese. This could aid in prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, which affects a significant part of the population.
Pyridoxine Improves Platelet Nitric Oxide Synthase Dysfunction Induced by Advanced Glycation End Products in vitro
Authors: Han Yi , Liu Yuan , Mi Qiongyu , Xie Liping , Huang Yan , Jiang Qin , Chen Qi , Ferro Albert , Liu Naifeng , Ji Yong
Published: January 2011

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) increase platelet aggregation and suppress vascular nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS) activity, and these effects may contribute to the atherothrombotic disease seen in diabetes. The aims of this study were to determine in vitro whether pyridoxine can abrogate the impairment in platelet NOS activity caused by AGEs, and to determine the mechanism by which it does this. Platelet aggregation was measured by Born aggregometry. Intraplatelet cyclic guanosine-3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP, an index of bioactive NO) was measured by radioimmunoassay. Serine-1177-specific phosphorylation of NOS type 3 (NOS-3) and phosphorylation of protein kinase Akt were determined in platelets by Western blotting. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) activity in platelets was ascertained by homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence (HTRF) assay. We found that AGE-modified albumin (AGEs) 200 mg/L increased platelet aggregability and decreased intraplatelet cGMP; these effects were largely attenuated by pyridoxine. Western blotting studies revealed that AGEs decreased NOS-3 phosphorylation on serine-1177, increased NOS-3 O-glycosylation, and decreased serine phosphorylation of protein kinase Akt; all of these changes were abrogated by pyridoxine. Direct measurement of PI3K activity in platelets demonstrated that all of the above effects could be attributed to a suppression by AGEs of PI3K activity, which was prevented by co-incubation with pyridoxine. We conclude that pyridoxine is effective in ameliorating the dysfunction of platelet NO signaling in response to AGEs, through improving PI3K activity, and hence downstream Akt phosphorylation and in turn serine-1177 phosphorylation of NOS-3.
The -11377C > G Adiponectin Gene Polymorphism Alters the Adiponectin Concentration and the Susceptibility to Type 2 Diabetes in Thais
Authors: Suriyaprom Kanjana , Phonrat Benjaluck , Namjuntra Pisit , Harnroongroj Talabporn , Tungtrongchitr Rungsunn
Published: January 2011

The aims of this study were first to detect the levels of adiponectin, insulin, albumin, glucose, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lipids, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and anthropometric variables in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) as well as healthy control groups, and to determine whether two adiponectin gene polymorphisms, at the position -11377C > G as well as +45T > G, are associated with serum levels of adiponectin and other variables; then to search for the association between these two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the adiponectin gene and T2DM. We investigated 93 T2DM patients and 90 healthy volunteers. Compared with the healthy control group, the T2DM group had significantly lower adiponectin levels. Waist circumference, total cholesterol, ALT, glucose, insulin, and HOMA-IR scores were significantly higher in the T2DM group than in the control group. The polymorphism of the adiponectin gene at position -11377C > G among type 2 diabetes subjects showed that the adiponectin concentration was significantly lower in CG/GG genotypes (6.2 μg/mL) than the CC genotype (7.8 μg/mL), whereas SNP +45T > G was not associated with adiponectin levels. Adiponectin gene polymorphisms at position -11377C > G and +45T > G were significantly more frequent in type 2 diabetes patients than in the control group (p = 0.022; p = 0.045, respectively). However, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the strong impact on T2DM was found for -11377C > G gene polymorphism (p = 0.023) and waist circumference (p < 0.001). Therefore, the single nucleotide polymorphism of -11377C > G in adiponectin promoter region has impact on the lower adiponectin concentrations, and may influence susceptibility to T2DM in Thais.
Relationship between Dietary Intake and Dental Caries in Preschool Children
Authors: Yen Chin-En , Huang Yi-Chia , Hu Suh-Woan
Published: January 2011

This study assessed the relationship between intake of nutrients and dental caries in preschool children. One hundred and eighty-two children aged three to six years were recruited from nine day care centers in central Taiwan. These children had an oral health examination, and their parents or guardians answered a questionnaire. Each child's intake of nutrients was estimated using the 24-hour dietary recall and food frequency questionnaire data. Logistic regression analysis was applied to assess the associations between dental caries and intake of each nutrient or food group, with adjustment for potential confounders. The prevalence of dental caries was 73 % and increased with age. Not being a first-born and having more between-meal snacks were associated with increased caries risk. After controlling for other important factors, vitamin A intake was significantly associated with fewer dental caries (deft, decayed, indicated for extraction, and filled primary teeth: ≥ 4 vs. < 4), with an odds ratio of 0.97 (95 % confidence interval: 0.94 - 0.99) for an 100-μg increase in vitamin A intake. There was no significant association between dental caries and energy, macronutrient intake, and Ca/P ratio, respectively. Vegetable intake was also significantly associated with lower dental caries score.
Strategies for School-Based Response to Loss: Proactive Training and Postvention Consultation
Authors: Grossman Janet , Hirsch Jay , Goldenberg Dorothea , Libby Sharon , Fendrich Michael , Mackesy-Amiti Mary Ellen , Mazur Cathy , Chance Gerri-Hill
Published: January 2011

The suicide of a student or staff member is one of the most difficult crises confronting a high school. This article describes the first year of a school-based postvention program to train and consult with crisis personnel in a structured response to this crisis. Responding to Loss (RTL) is one program offered by Community Action for Youth Survival, a project of the Ronald McDonald Children's Charities. Serving a contiguous three county urban area, this program integrates public health, epidemiological, psychiatric, and prevention paradigms to provide a comprehensive approach to the aftermath of adolescent suicide. RTL provides an interdisciplinary model for comprehensive, school-based postvention programs based on the guidelines developed by the Centers for Disease Control and national and local psychological autopsy data. It highlights the significance of responding to increased rates of suicide in minority youth, suicide witnessed by peers, and suicide victims who have dropped out of school. Organizational issues, such as systematic school entry, development of a computerized school database, proactive training, and collaboration with the offices of medical examiners and coroners, are described. Initial evaluation data from year 1 indicate significant gains in participants' knowledge and skills, as well as a high rate of consumer satisfaction.
Background and Introduction to the WHO/EURO Multicentre Study on Parasuicide
Authors: Bille-Brahe U , Schmidtke A , Kerkhof AJFM , De Leo D , Lönnqvist J , Platt S , Sampaio Faria J
Published: January 2011

In most European countries, suicidal behavior is a major public health problem and a considerable drain on resources at both the primary and secondary health care levels. Unfortunately, due to cross-cultural differences both in medical treatment of nonfatal suicidal behavior and in research methodologies, it has proved almost impossible to make valid comparisons between countries. It is therefore imperative that international studies based on the same definitions and methodologies be facilitated if we want to extend our knowledge of suicidal behavior and be able to make suggestions for intervention and prevention. The WHO Regional Office for Europe decided to support a collaborative multicenter study, designed to provide a reliable epidemiological picture of parasuicide in Europe. This article provides an introduction to the study.
Single Road Traffic Deaths—Accident or Suicide?
Authors: Connolly John F , Cullen Anne , McTigue Orfhlaith
Published: January 2011

Many authors have suggested that some deaths resulting from road traffic accidents are in fact suicide. The purpose of this study was to examine the circumstances of single road traffic deaths in County Mayo, Ireland, over the 15-year period from 1978 to 1992 inclusive. Using the information available from the coroners' files, evidence was sought to support the hypothesis that some accidental deaths may have been disguised suicides. The authors could find no conclusive evidence to suggest that this hypothesis was true. However, there was suspicion of suicide in six (4.5%) of the 134 fatalities examined. Interesting data regarding gender differences, seasonality, time of accident, and the consumption of alcohol were found.
Hotline for Mental Health in Shanghai, China
Authors: Jianlin Ji
Published: January 2011

In this article the author introduces the Hotline for Mental Health in Shanghai. According to the experience gained over the past 2 years, most of the 8214 callers were having difficulties in interpersonal relationships, often in relation to lovers and partners. Love affairs were the main reason for telephone consultation among the unmarried callers (51%), while marital disputes and family problems were the most common reason for married callers (57%). Some people who suffered from mental disorders made calls asking for help in management or social support. These calls included rehabilitation of psychoses (3.5%), sleep disturbance (3.2%), and suicidal ideation (2.2%). The author suggests that such a hotline service can be a simple and practicable crisis intervention approach for suicide prevention in Shanghai.
Verbally Expressed Intentions of Parasuicide: II. Prediction of Fatal and Nonfatal Repetition
Authors: Hjelmeland Heidi
Published: January 2011

The predictive value of verbally expressed intentions of parasuicide was studied in 925 patients admitted after deliberate self-harm to one of the health care facilities in the county of Sør-Trøndelag, Norway. Repetition of the suicidal act was studied prospectively, and the results showed that verbally expressed intention to die at the index parasuicide did predict fatal repetition (suicide) but not nonfatal repetition (parasuicide) of the suicidal act.
Suicidality and Personality Disorders in Adolescence
Authors: Braun-Scharm H.
Published: January 2011

The prevalence of personality disorders is higher among suicidal adolescent inpatients (15.3% out of 163) than among nonsuicidal adolescent inpatients (8.6% out of 374). Among the personality disorders, the borderline syndromes or emotionally unstable personality disorders were more frequent in the suicidal adolescents. Limited emotional control, intolerance of frustration, and impulsiveness are important characteristics of suicidal adolescents.
Negative Effects of a School Suicide Postvention Program — A Case Example
Authors: Callahan Jay
Published: January 2011

In recent years, a general consensus has emerged regarding postvention activities in schools following completed suicides of teenagers. In this case study, standard postvention activities were carried out in a middle school after two youths from the same neighborhood committed suicide 3 months apart. Soon thereafter, a substantial increase in suicidal talk, threats, and attempts took place. Inadvertently, some of the postvention activities appeared to contribute to the romanticization and glorification of the deaths. Changes in postvention practices were made in order to defuse the atmosphere of “romantic tragedy,” which in turn led to a decrease in suicidal behavior.
Upscaling geochemical reaction rates accompanying acidic CO2‐saturated brine flow in sandstone aquifers
Authors: Kim D. , Peters C. A. , Lindquist W. B.
Published: January 2011

Network flow models were used to simulate the flow of CO2‐saturated brine in the pore networks corresponding to three different sandstones. The simulations were used to study upscaling of anorthite and kaolinite reaction rates from pore to core scales. Unique to our simulations is the use of computed tomography to capture the mineral distribution in the samples as well as the sample pore network. The upscaled reaction rates determined from these simulations incorporate mass balance principles and microscale reaction rate laws and capture the physical, mineral, and flow heterogeneities in the network. These upscaled rates were compared with upscaled rates predicted by a continuum model and by a volume‐averaged‐concentration method. For the anorthite reaction, which remains far from equilibrium, the volume‐averaged reaction rate exceeded the reaction rate of the network model by 18% to 46%. While the continuum model rate also exceeded the network model rate by −1% to 53%, its predicted values were generally better than the volume‐averaged method. The kaolinite reaction is near equilibrium and is heavily influenced by the form of the microscale rate law in the precipitation regime. Three alternate rate laws were tested, which produced significantly different predictions for the bulk reaction rates. For all three rate laws, continuum and volume‐averaged reaction rates incorrectly predicted the magnitude of the kaolinite reaction rate (disagreements of −700% to 55%), and the predicted reaction type, dissolution versus precipitation, was also often opposite to that of the network model. Finally, for both anorthite and kaolinite, all upscaled reaction rates showed significant flow rate dependence.
Ammonia concentration determines differential growth of ammonia-oxidising archaea and bacteria in soil microcosms
Authors: Verhamme Daniel T , Prosser James I , Nicol Graeme W
Published: January 2011

The first step of nitrification, oxidation of ammonia to nitrite, is performed by both ammonia-oxidising archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidising bacteria (AOB) in soil, but their relative contributions to ammonia oxidation and existence in distinct ecological niches remain to be determined. To determine whether available ammonia concentration has a differential effect on AOA and AOB growth, soil microcosms were incubated for 28 days with ammonium at three concentrations: native (control), intermediate (20 μg NH4+-N per gram of soil) and high (200 μg NH4+-N per gram of soil). Quantitative PCR demonstrated growth of AOA at all concentrations, whereas AOB growth was prominent only at the highest concentration. Similarly, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis revealed changes in AOA communities at all ammonium concentrations, whereas AOB communities changed significantly only at the highest ammonium concentration. These results provide evidence that ammonia concentration contributes to the definition of distinct ecological niches of AOA and AOB in soil.
Spatial distribution of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea across a 44-hectare farm related to ecosystem functioning
Authors: Wessén Ella , Söderström Mats , Stenberg Maria , Bru David , Hellman Maria , Welsh Allana , Thomsen Frida , Klemedtson Leif , Philippot Laurent , Hallin Sara
Published: January 2011

Characterization of spatial patterns of functional microbial communities could facilitate the understanding of the relationships between the ecology of microbial communities, the biogeochemical processes they perform and the corresponding ecosystem functions. Because of the important role the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) have in nitrogen cycling and nitrate leaching, we explored the spatial distribution of their activity, abundance and community composition across a 44-ha large farm divided into an organic and an integrated farming system. The spatial patterns were mapped by geostatistical modeling and correlations to soil properties and ecosystem functioning in terms of nitrate leaching were determined. All measured community components for both AOB and AOA exhibited spatial patterns at the hectare scale. The patchy patterns of community structures did not reflect the farming systems, but the AOB community was weakly related to differences in soil pH and moisture, whereas the AOA community to differences in soil pH and clay content. Soil properties related differently to the size of the communities, with soil organic carbon and total nitrogen correlating positively to AOB abundance, while clay content and pH showed a negative correlation to AOA abundance. Contrasting spatial patterns were observed for the abundance distributions of the two groups indicating that the AOB and AOA may occupy different niches in agro-ecosystems. In addition, the two communities correlated differently to community and ecosystem functions. Our results suggest that the AOA, not the AOB, were contributing to nitrate leaching at the site by providing substrate for the nitrite oxidizers.
The 100‐Calorie Semi‐Solution: Sub‐Packaging Most Reduces Intake Among The Heaviest
Authors: Wansink Brian , Payne Collin R. , Shimizu Mitsuru
Published: January 2011

This study addresses two questions about sub‐packaging: (i) Do 100‐calorie packages reduce the calorie intake of overweight individuals differently than normal‐weight individuals? (ii) Do they enable individuals to accurately track intake? Thirty‐seven undergraduates were randomly given either four 100‐calorie packages of crackers or one 400‐calorie package of crackers to eat while watching television. The average participant ate 25.2% (75.1 calories) less when given four 100‐calorie packages of crackers than when given one 400‐calorie package (P = 0.006). In addition, much of this influence was driven by overweight participants whose intake decreased by 54.1%. However, all of the participants underestimated their consumption by 60% or more, indicating that sub‐packaging does not appear to increase one's accuracy in estimating how much is consumed. Smaller sized sub‐packaging most greatly benefits those who are overweight, yet it does so without making people more aware of how much they have eaten.