bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION AND GESTATIONAL HYPERTENSION IN URBAN HALIFAX
Authors: Poirier A , Dodds L , Johnson M , Dummer T , Rainham D
Published: December 2014

Introduction

Exposure to air pollution has been linked with an increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Few studies have examined possible associations between air pollution and gestational hypertension (GH). The prevalence of GH in Canada is approximately 6%, translating into roughly 300 women developing GH in Halifax annually. GH disorders account for 2–8% of pregnancy complications worldwide.

Objective

The current study examined the relationship between exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and GH.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study including women residing in urban Halifax, Nova Scotia who delivered a singleton infant between 2008 and 2012. The Nova Scotia Atlee Perinatal Database was used to determine socio-demographic characteristics and pregnancy conditions. Spatial estimates of air pollution were determined from land-use regression (LUR) models and were linked to women in the Perinatal Database based on their six-digit postal code. Residential concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5,PM10), toluene, and benzene were averaged over three seasons and categorized into quartiles. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

Of the 11,724 singleton births analyzed, 7.7% of the cohort developed GH. When adjusted for smoking, pre-pregnancy weight, maternal age and parity a significant inverse relationship was observed for exposure to all pollutants (top quartile of exposure relative to lowest quartile); SO2(OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.62, 0.92), NO2(0.66; 0.54, 0.81), PM1(0.71; 0.57, 0.87), PM2.5(0.68, 0.56, 0.83), PM10(0.71; 0.58, 0.87) toluene (0.68; 0.56, 0.83) and benzene (0.62; 0.51, 0.75).

Conclusion

The inverse relationships observed were contrary to what has been observed in past research. These results stress the importance of conducting more research in this field to better understand the characteristics that influence the relationship between air pollution and GH.
ADIPOSITY SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFIES GENETIC RISK FOR DYSLIPIDEMIA
Authors: Cole CC , Nikpay M , Lau P , Stewart AFR , Davies RW , Wells GA , Dent R , McPherson R
Published: December 2014

Background

The Global Lipids Genetics Consortium identified 95 common loci that explained 12.2% (LDL-C), 12.1% (HDL-C) and 9.6% (triglycerides [TG]) of total variance in plasma lipid traits in the Framingham Heart Study. Since adiposity is associated with plasma levels of TG and HDL-C, we hypothesized that the predictive value of common risk variants for these lipid traits would differ for obese versus lean subjects.

Methods

The study population consisted of two independent cohorts of subjects of European de-scent, genotyped on the Affymetrix 6.0 array with 1000G imputation. 1) OBLE: 959 obese/869 lean. 2) CC (healthy elderly subjects recruited as con-trols for a CAD study) 830 obese/1,044 lean. A genetic predisposition score was calculated for each individual as a sum across SNPs of the number of risk alleles at that SNP multiplied by the effect size of the SNP.

Results

In the OBLE cohort, a genetic risk score explained a greater percentage of the total TG variance in obese vs lean (beta GRS=0.154 mmol/L (p<2e-16) vs 0.094 mmol/L (p=5.8e-10); adjusted R2=0.090 vs 0.042), a finding that was replicated in the CC cohort for obese vs lean (beta GRS=0.153 mmol/L (p=1.5e-7) vs 0.102 mmol/L (p=4.2e-6); adjusted R2=0.044 vs 0.024). A similar but less significant trend was noted for LDL-C. In addition, the genetic risk score predicted variability in TG better than sex/age for obese subjects. In contrast a genetic risk score for HDL-C was a better predictor of this trait in lean versus obese subjects in both the OBLE and CC cohorts. Genetic risk scores for each lipid trait showed no association with BMI (P>0.2) indicating that the above findings are not due to possible overlap between genetic loci for BMI and lipid traits.

Conclusions

Genetic predisposition to elevated plasma triglycerides and LDL-C and low HDL-C is highly sensitive to extremes of BMI.
VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF A FOOD FREQUENCY QUESTIONNAIRE AMONG LEBANESE CHILDREN FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF ENERGY AND NUTRIENT INTAKE
Authors: Hammami N , Moghames P , Shoaib H , Nasreddine L , Hwalla N , Naja F
Published: December 2014

Introduction

In order to evaluate the diet-disease association, valid dietary assessment tools that accurately assess nutritional intake are critical. Childhood is a critical window for intervention to delineate the risk of many nutrition-related diseases later in life. Limited validated tools exist to assess dietary intake in children aged less than 10 years in the Middle East and North Africa Region and in Lebanon.

Objectives

The main objectives of this study were to develop and validate a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) to assess dietary intake among Lebanese children aged 5–10 years.

Methods

Children were recruited from public and private schools in the Lebanese capital Beirut. Mothers (used as proxy) completed the FFQ (FFQ-1) in the first visit. During the following 4 weeks, 4 Multiple Pass 24 hour recalls (MPRs) were collected. At Week 4, the FFQ (FFQ-2) was completed a second time. Validity tested the developed FFQ against the mean of the MPRs. It was assessed by spearman correlation coefficients and Bland Altman plots. The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and kappa statistic were used to test reliability between FFQ-1 and FFQ-2.

Results

120 children completed the study. Spearman correlation coefficients for energy, protein and total fat intakes were 0.60, 0.40 and 0.60, respectively. Other nutrients' coefficients ranged between 0.20–0.65. Bland-Altman's Limits of Agreement showed acceptable agreement.

ICCs for energy, protein and total fat intakes were 0.87, 0.85 and 0.85, respectively. Other nutrients' ICC ranged between 0.18–0.90. The kappa coefficients between FFQ-1 and FFQ-2 ranged between substantial and moderate agreement.

Conclusions

This study's findings indicated that the developed FFQ is valid and reliable among Lebanese children aged 5–10 years. This validated questionnaire will be a useful tool for assessing Lebanese children's dietary intakes. It will also be an asset that other researchers in the region can use or adapt to suit their study populations.
Understanding dynamic changes in live cell adhesion with neutron reflectometry
Authors: Junghans Ann , Waltman Mary Jo , Smith Hillary L. , Pocivavsek Luka , Zebda Noureddine , Birukov Konstantin , Viapiano Mariano , Majewski Jaroslaw
Published: December 2014

Neutron reflectometry (NR) was used to examine various live cells' adhesion to quartz substrates under different environmental conditions, including flow stress. To the best of our knowledge, these measurements represent the first successful visualization and quantization of the interface between live cells and a substrate with sub-nanometer resolution.

In our first experiments, we examined live mouse fibroblast cells as opposed to past experiments using supported lipids, proteins, or peptide layers with no associated cells. We continued the NR studies of cell adhesion by investigating endothelial monolayers and glioblastoma cells under dynamic flow conditions. We demonstrated that neutron reflectometry is a powerful tool to study the strength of cellular layer adhesion in living tissues, which is a key factor in understanding the physiology of cell interactions and conditions leading to abnormal or disease circumstances. Continuative measurements, such as investigating changes in tumor cell — surface contact of various glioblastomas, could impact advancements in tumor treatments. In principle, this can help us to identify changes that correlate with tumor invasiveness. Pursuit of these studies can have significant medical impact on the understanding of complex biological problems and their effective treatment, e.g. for the development of targeted anti-invasive therapies.
Superconducting properties of Mo3Os, Mo3Pt, Mo3Ir from first principle calculations
Authors: Subhashree G. , Sankar S. , Krithiga R.
Published: December 2014

Self-consistent first principle calculations were carried out to investigate the structural, electronic, thermal and superconducting properties of Mo 3 X ( X = Os , Ir , Pt ) compounds of A15 phase that are studied by using the tight-binding linear muffin-tin orbital method. The E and k convergence have been checked to analyze the ground state properties. The band structure and DOS histograms are plotted from the calculated equilibrium lattice parameter. The bulk modulus (B B ), Debye temperature (θ D ), density of states (N(E F )), electron–phonon coupling constant (λ), superconducting transition temperature (Tc) and electronic specific heat coefficient (γ) have been calculated from the electronic band structure results. The calculated values have been compared with the available experimental results of literature.
FPGA-Based Design Δ–Σ Audio D/A Converter with a Resolution Clock Generator Enhancement Circuit
Authors: Ameur Noura Ben , Masmoudi Nouri , Loulou Mourad
Published: December 2014

This paper, focus on synthesis design of a Δ–Σ digital-to-analog converter (DAC) algorithm intended for professional digital audio. A rapid register-transfer-level (RTL) using a top-down design method with VHSIC hardware description language (VHDL) is practiced. All the RTL design simulation, VHDL implementation and field programmable gate array (FPGA) verification are rapidly and systematically performed through the methodology. A distributed pipelining, streaming and resource sharing design are considered for area and speed optimization while maintaining the original precision of the audio DAC. The features of the design are high-precision, fast processing and low-cost. The related work is done with the MATLAB & QUARTUS II simulators.
Convergence theorems for graph sequences
Authors: Pogorzelski Felix
Published: December 2014

In this paper, we deal with a notion of Banach space-valued mappings defined on a set consisting of finite graphs with uniformly bounded vertex degree. These functions will be endowed with certain boundedness and additivity criteria. We examine their normalized long-term behavior along a particular class of graph sequences. Using techniques developed by Elek, we show convergence in the topology of the Banach space if the corresponding graph sequence possesses a hyperfinite structure. These considerations extend and complement the corresponding results for amenable groups. As an application, we verify the uniform approximation of the integrated density of states for bounded, finite range operators on discrete structures. Further, we extend results concerning an abstract version of Fekete's lemma for cancellative, amenable groups and semigroups to the geometric situation of convergent graph sequences.
A Characterization of Stationary Nash Equilibria of Single Controller Constrained Stochastic Games
Authors: Singh Vikas Vikram , Hemachandra N.
Published: December 2014

We consider a two player finite state-action general sum single controller constrained stochastic game with both discounted and average cost criteria. We consider the situation where player 1 has subscription-based constraints and player 2, who controls the transition probabilities, has realization-based constraints which can also depend on the strategies of player 1. It is known that a stationary Nash equilibrium for discounted case exists under strong Slater condition, while, for the average case, stationary Nash equilibrium exists if additionally the Markov chain is unichain. For each case we show that the set of stationary Nash equilibria of this game has one to one correspondence with the set of global minimizers of a certain nonconvex mathematical program. If the constraints of player 2 do not depend on the strategies of player 1, then the mathematical program reduces to a quadratic program. The known linear programs for zero sum games of this class can be obtained as a special case of above quadratic programs.
Multi Stage Promotional Resource Allocation for Segment Specific and Spectrum Effect of Promotion for a Product Incorporating Repeat Purchase Behavior
Authors: Manik Prerna , Gupta Anshu , Jha P. C.
Published: December 2014

Promotion plays an important role in determining fate of a product. It voices product qualities and persuades potential customers to make purchases. In todays diversified markets every customer has individual needs and preferences. This calls for market segmentation which facilitates companies to adopt customer driven marketing. Product is also promoted using mass promotion to influence larger markets and segments with a spectrum effect. Existing literature in promotion resource allocation optimization evades distinction in two types of promotion strategies while allocating resources and primarily focuses on either of them statically. In this paper, we formulate an optimization model which dynamically allocates differentiated and mass promotional resources in segments to maximize sales under budgetary and minimum market share aspiration constraint on each segment as well as on total market share including repeat purchase behavior. Planning horizon is divided into multi-periods, adoption pattern is studied in each period and then resources are allocated attuned to current market behavior. Dynamic allocation provides a way to track the market potential expansion due to promotion and plan the allocation for the uncaptured potential. The proposed optimization model is NP hard and very challenging to solve. Solution methodology is presented with practical application based on real-time data using differential evolution algorithm.
Pseudo-annular decomposition and approximate rate of Calderón–Zygmund operators on Heisenberg group
Authors: Li Pengtao , Liu Heping , Peng Lizhong , Yang Qixiang
Published: December 2014

Let T be a Calderón–Zygmund operator on Heisenberg group ℍd. In this paper, by wavelets, we introduce a class of pseudo-annular operators {TR}R≥1 to decompose T. By controlling the bandwidth of TR, we could obtain the approximate rate of T from L2(ℍd) to L2(ℍd) at an ideal rate.
Zinc(II) complexes of tetrakis-(6,7-quinoxalino)porphyrazine bearing externally appended 2-pyridyl rings: Synthesis, UV-visible spectral behavior and photoactivity for singlet oxygen generation
Authors: Donzello Maria Pia , De Mori Giorgia , Viola Elisa , Ercolani Claudio , Ricciardi Giampaolo
Published: December 2014

The synthesis and physicochemical properties of the Zn II complexes, [ Py 8 QxPzZn ]( Py 8 QxPz = tetra -2,3-[6,7-di(2-pyridyl)quinoxalino]porphyrazinato dianion), the corresponding octacation [(2- Mepy )8 QxPzZn ]8+ (neutralized by I - ions), and the heteropentanuclear complex [( PdCl 2)4 Py 8 QxPzZn ] are presented and discussed. According to their UV-visible spectral data in non aqueous solvents ( CHCl 3, pyridine, dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethylformamide), the species exhibit intense absorptions in the Q-band region at 750–770 nm, in line with parallel spectral data observed for the free base [ Py 8 QxPzH 2], also reported, and the previously investigated Mg II complex [ Py 8 QxPzMg ( H 2 O )]. The observed Q-band position for this series of "quinoxalinoporphyrazine" macrocycles is about 100 nm to the red with respect to the position of the same absorption for the series of the already reported "pyrazinoporphyrazine" analogs. The spectral effects induced by the peripherally appended methyl-pyridinium groups in the octacation [(2- Mepy )8 QxPzZn ]8+ or by exocyclic coordination in the complex [( PdCl 2)4 Py 8 QxPzZn ] are also considered. Of the investigated Zn II complexes, [ Py 8 QxPzZn ] and the related octacation [(2- Mepy )8 QxPzZn ]8+ are active in dimethylformamide solution as singlet oxygen photosensitizers, which is of interest for applications in the photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer.
Some observations regarding the behavior of boron subphthalocyanines in polar aprotic solvents
Authors: Paton Andrew S. , Bender Timothy P.
Published: December 2014

In this paper, we describe some observations from the attempted reaction of Br - BsubPc with phenol in DMF and DMAc. During these efforts, we found that Br - BsubPc reacts with the respective solvents to produce axially substituted formate- BsubPc and acetate- BsubPc . When no phenol is present the reaction proceeds to completion in a relatively short period of time. However, when phenol was present in DMF the reaction produced a mixture of formate- BsubPc , phenoxy- BsubPc , and HO - BsubPc . Similar results were found for the less-reactive Cl - BsubPc and MsO - BsubPc . Aside from these observations, it was found that simple heating in wet acetone of Br - BsubPc quantitatively produced HO - BsubPc after a facile workup. This method of producing HO - BsubPc removes the high temperatures, long reaction times, and harmful chemicals required in other synthetic methods. These results are relevant to anyone considering the reaction of BsubPcs in polar aprotic solvents.
IMMUNE CHARACTERIZATION OF PERIPHERAL BLOOD MONONUCLEAR CELLS OF THE DOGS RESTORED FROM INOCULATION OF CANINE TRANSMISSIBLE VENEREAL TUMOR CELLS
Authors: Lin Shiow-Chen , Chuang Tien-Fu , Lin Chen-Shi , Lin Dah-Sheng , Liao Albert Taiching
Published: December 2014

Canine transmissible venereal tumor (CTVT) is a tumor which can be transmitted naturally through mucosa contact between dogs. When CTVT cells are experimentally inoculated on dogs, they will grow rapidly (Progressive/P phase) and then regress (Regressive/R phase) spontaneously. Therefore, it is a good model to investigate the interactions between tumor cells and host immune system. Previous studies have shown that CTVT cells cannot grow in the dogs restored from CTVT inoculation. To investigate the possible mechanism, this study characterized the CTVT-specific immune response of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) which isolated from the blood of "naïve" or "CTVT-restored" dogs. The phenotypes (CD3, CD4, CD8, or CD21) of PBMCs were examined by flowcytometry. In response to CTVT stimulation, proliferation, IFN-γ secretion, and cytotoxicity of PBMCs were analyzed. Expression level of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, TGF-β), Th1 (IL-2, IFN-γ), and Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-10) and cytotoxic proteins (Granzyme B, Perforin) in PBMCs was also evaluated by real-time RT-PCR. The results indicated that there is no significant difference between two groups on lymphocyte phenotypes. Proliferation, IFN-γ secretion, and cytotoxicity of PBMCs between two groups showed no significant difference, except naïve PBMCs present higher proliferation after Con-A stimulation. Production of IL-1β and IL-6 in naïve PBMCs was higher than that in CTVT-restored PBMCs (p < 0.05). The production difference of IL-1β and IL-6 between two groups might be the reason why CTVT cannot be reinoculated on CTVT-restored dog. However, further investigations are necessary to explore the exact role of these cytokines in CTVT growth.
Horatio Scott Carslaw and the origins of the well function and line source heat function
Authors: Banks Dave
Published: December 2014

Horatio Scott Carslaw was a key figure in the development of the mathematical tools that are now used by thermogeologists and hydrogeologists. Carslaw was a student of Lord Kelvin at the University of Glasgow, and can be regarded as a link between Kelvin’s application of Fourier’s mathematics to geological problems and our present practitioners. Charles Vernon Theis and Clarence Lubin cited Carslaw’s mathematics as a key influence in the development of the Theis well function. Carslaw’s protégé, John Conrad Jaeger, took Carslaw’s mathematics firmly into the geological realm. This paper examines Carslaw’s wide-reaching influence and the development of the line source ‘exponential integral’ function, noting the contributions made by other scientists, including Kelvin, Whitehead and Lord Rayleigh.
Focused Deterrence and the Prevention of Violent Gun Injuries: Practice, Theoretical Principles, and Scientific Evidence
Authors: Braga Anthony A. , Weisburd David L.
Published: December 2014

Focused deterrence strategies are a relatively new addition to a growing portfolio of evidence-based violent gun injury prevention practices available to policy makers and practitioners. These strategies seek to change offender behavior by understanding the underlying violence-producing dynamics and conditions that sustain recurring violent gun injury problems and by implementing a blended strategy of law enforcement, community mobilization, and social service actions. Consistent with documented public health practice, the focused deterrence approach identifies underlying risk factors and causes of recurring violent gun injury problems, develops tailored responses to these underlying conditions, and measures the impact of implemented interventions. This article reviews the practice, theoretical principles, and evaluation evidence on focused deterrence strategies. Although more rigorous randomized studies are needed, the available empirical evidence suggests that these strategies generate noteworthy gun violence reduction impacts and should be part of a broader portfolio of violence prevention strategies available to policy makers and practitioners.
Endogenous flow-induced nitric oxide reduces superoxide-stimulated Na/H exchange activity via PKG in thick ascending limbs
Authors: Hong Nancy J. , Garvin Jeffrey L.
Published: December 2014

Luminal flow stimulates endogenous nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide (O2−) production by renal thick ascending limbs (TALs). The delicate balance between these two factors regulates Na transport in TALs; NO enhances natriuresis, whereas O2−augments Na absorption. Endogenous, flow-stimulated O2−enhances Na/H exchange (NHE). Flow-stimulated NO reduces flow-induced O2−, a process mediated by cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG). However, whether flow-stimulated, endogenously-produced NO diminishes O2−-stimulated NHE activity and the signaling pathway involved are unknown. We hypothesized that flow-induced NO reduces the stimulation of NHE activity caused by flow-induced O2−via PKG in TALs. Intracellular pH recovery after an acid load was measured as an indicator of NHE activity in isolated, perfused rat TALs. l-Arginine, the NO synthase substrate, decreased NHE activity by 34 ± 5% ( n = 5; P < 0.04). The O2−scavenger tempol decreased NHE activity by 46 ± 8% ( n = 6; P < 0.004) in the absence of NO. In the presence of l-arginine, the inhibitory effect of tempol on NHE activity was reduced to −19 ± 6% ( n = 6; P < 0.03). The soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor LY-83583 blocked the effect of l-arginine thus restoring tempol's effect on NHE activity to −42 ± 4% ( n = 6; P < 0.0005). The PKG inhibitor KT-5823 also inhibited l-arginine's effect on tempol-reduced NHE activity (−43 ± 5%; n = 5; P < 0.03). We conclude that flow-induced NO reduces the stimulatory effect of endogenous, flow-induced O2−on NHE activity in TALs via an increase in cGMP and PKG activation.
Lasting modulation of in vitro oscillatory activity with weak direct current stimulation
Authors: Reato Davide , Bikson Marom , Parra Lucas C.
Published: December 2014

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is emerging as a versatile tool to affect brain function. While the acute neurophysiological effects of stimulation are well understood, little is know about the long-term effects. One hypothesis is that stimulation modulates ongoing neural activity, which then translates into lasting effects via physiological plasticity. Here we used carbachol-induced gamma oscillations in hippocampal rat slices to establish whether prolonged constant current stimulation has a lasting effect on endogenous neural activity. During 10 min of stimulation, the power and frequency of gamma oscillations, as well as multiunit activity, were modulated in a polarity specific manner. Remarkably, the effects on power and multiunit activity persisted for more than 10 min after stimulation terminated. Using a computational model we propose that altered synaptic efficacy in excitatory and inhibitory pathways could be the source of these lasting effects. Future experimental studies using this novel in vitro preparation may be able to confirm or refute the proposed hypothesis.
Synaptic enhancement induced by gintonin via lysophosphatidic acid receptor activation in central synapses
Authors: Park Hoyong , Kim Sungmin , Rhee Jeehae , Kim Hyeon-Joong , Han Jung-Soo , Nah Seung-Yeol , Chung ChiHye
Published: December 2014

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is one of the well-characterized, ubiquitous phospholipid molecules. LPA exerts its effect by activating G protein-coupled receptors known as LPA receptors (LPARs). So far, LPAR signaling has been critically implicated during early development stages, including the regulation of synapse formation and the morphology of cortical and hippocampal neurons. In adult brains, LPARs seem to participate in cognitive as well as emotional learning and memory. Recent studies using LPAR1-deficient mice reported impaired performances in a number of behavioral tasks, including the hippocampus-dependent spatial memory and fear conditioning tests. Nevertheless, the effect of LPAR activation in the synaptic transmission of central synapses after the completion of embryonic development has not been investigated. In this study, we took advantage of a novel extracellular agonist for LPARs called gintonin to activate LPARs in adult brain systems. Gintonin, a recently identified active ingredient in ginseng, has been shown to activate LPARs and mobilize Ca2+ in an artificial cell system. We found that the activation of LPARs by application of gintonin acutely enhanced both excitatory and inhibitory transmission in central synapses, albeit through tentatively distinct mechanisms. Gintonin-mediated LPAR activation primarily resulted in synaptic enhancement and an increase in neuronal excitability in a phospholipase C-dependent manner. Our findings suggest that LPARs are able to directly potentiate synaptic transmission in central synapses when stimulated exogenously. Therefore, LPARs could serve as a useful target to modulate synaptic activity under pathological conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases.
A Framework for Prediction of Response to HCV Therapy Using Different Data Mining Techniques
Authors: El Houby Enas M. F.
Published: December 2014

Hepatitis C which is a widely spread disease all over the world is a fatal liver disease caused by Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). The only approved therapy is interferon plus ribavirin. The number of responders to this treatment is low, while its cost is high and side effects are undesirable. Treatment response prediction will help in reducing the patients who suffer from the side effects and high costs without achieving recovery. The aim of this research is to develop a framework which can select the best model to predict HCV patients’ response to the treatment of HCV from clinical information. The framework contains three phases which are preprocessing phase to prepare the data for applying Data Mining (DM) techniques, DM phase to apply different DM techniques, and evaluation phase to evaluate and compare the performance of the built models and select the best model as the recommended one. Different DM techniques had been applied which are associative classification, artificial neural network, and decision tree to evaluate the framework. The experimental results showed the effectiveness of the framework in selecting the best model which is the model built by associative classification using histology activity index, fibrosis stage, and alanine amino transferase.
Daily Intake of Probiotics with High IFN-γ/IL-10 Ratio Increases the Cytotoxicity of Human Natural Killer Cells: A Personalized Probiotic Approach
Authors: Ho Yu-Hsuan , Lu Yu-Chiu , Chang Hung-Cheng , Lee Shin-Yi , Tsai Min-Fen , Huang Yu-Ting , Hsu Ting-Yuan
Published: December 2014

A personalized probiotic microfluidic chip system has been established and used to screen the probiotics which had the highest value of IFN-γ/IL-10 or IL-10/IFN-γamong six probiotics, includingL. paracaseiBRAP01,L. acidophilusAD300,B. longumBA100,E. faeciumBR0085,L. rhamnosusAD500, andL. reuteriBR101. One hundred volunteers were included and their PBMCs were collected and stimulated by the six probiotics. People who belonged to the IFN-γgroup took the probiotics that exerted the highest ratio of IFN-γ/IL-10 and vice versa in IL-10 group. A significant increase in NK cytotoxicity of 69 volunteers in the IFN-γgroup was observed compared to the IL-10 group (n=21) and control group (n=10). The result also showed thatL. paracaseiBRAP01 andL. acidophilusAD300 were the two dominant inducers in IFN-γgroup which yielded higher value of IFN-γ/IL-10 than the other 4 probiotics, whileL. reuteriBR101 was the most effective agent on the ratio of IL-10/IFN-γin the IL-10 group. Our finding highlighted the concept of personalized probiotics and also provided a good foundation to investigate the probiotics with NK activity.
Osteoma of the Pharynx That Developed from the Hyoid Bone
Authors: Hagiwara Akira , Nagai Noriko , Ogawa Yasuo , Suzuki Mamoru
Published: December 2014

This paper reports on apparently the first case of a pharyngeal osteoma that developed from the hyoid bone. An 84-year-old man’s, presenting symptom was a slight throat pain. Endoscopic examination revealed a huge mass occluding the pharyngeal space. CT scan of the neck showed a large osseous mass adjacent to the hyoid bone. Transoral resection with tracheostomy was performed. Histopathologically, the tumor consisted of mature lamellar bone without a fibrous component. For two years postoperatively, the patient has been free from throat symptoms and signs of recurrence. Osteomas are benign, slow-growing tumors. They rarely develop symptoms or cause functional disturbance. We performed total resection to avoid further functional disturbance as the osteoma was huge. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on an osteoma that occupied the pharyngeal space and developed from the hyoid bone.
Mechanism and consequences of the shift in cardiac arginine metabolism following ischaemia and reperfusion in rats
Authors: Cabrera-Fuentes Hector , Steinert Isabel , Preissner Klaus , Bencsik Péter , Sárközy Márta , Csonka Csaba , Ferdinandy Péter , Schulz Rainer , Schlüter Klaus-Dieter , Schreckenberg Rolf , Weber Pia
Published: December 2014

Cardiac ischaemia and reperfusion leads to irreversible injury and subsequent tissue remodelling. Initial reperfusion seems to shift arginine metabolism from nitric oxide (NO) to polyamine formation. This may limit functional recovery at reperfusion. The hypothesis was tested whether ischaemia/reperfusion translates such a shift in arginine metabolism in a tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α-dependent way and renin-angiotensin system (RAS)-dependent way into a sustained effect. Both, the early post-ischaemic recovery and molecular adaptation to ischaemia/reperfusion were analysed in saline perfused rat hearts undergoing global no-flow ischaemia and reperfusion. Local TNF-α activation was blocked by inhibition of TNF-α sheddase ADAM17. To interfere with RAS captopril was administered. Arginase was inhibited by administration of Nor-NOHA. Long-term effects of ischemia/reperfusion on arginine metabolism were analysed in vivo in rats receiving an established ischaemia/reperfusion protocol in the closed chest mode. mRNA expression analysis indicated a shift in the arginine metabolism from NO formation to polyamine metabolism starting within 2 hours (h) of reperfusion and translated into protein expression within 24 h. Inhibition of the TNF-α pathway and captopril attenuated these delayed effects on post-ischaemic recovery. This shift in arginine metabolism was associated with functional impairment of hearts within 24 h. Inhibition of arginase but not that of TNF-α and RAS pathways improved functional recovery immediately. However, no benefit was observed after four months. In conclusion, this study identified TNF-α and RAS to be responsible for depressed cardiac function that occurred a few hours after reperfusion.
VWF excess and ADAMTS13 deficiency: a unifying pathomechanism linking inflammation to thrombosis in DIC, malaria, and TTP
Authors: Schwameis Michael , Schörgenhofer Christian , Assinger Alice , Steiner Margarete M. , Jilma Bernd
Published: December 2014

Absent or severely diminished activity of ADAMTS13 (A Disintegrin And Metalloprotease with a ThromboSpondin type 1 motif, member 13) resulting in the intravascular persistence and accumulation of highly thrombogenic ultra large von Willebrand factor (UL-VWF) multimers is the pathophysiological mechanism underlying thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Reduced VWF-cleaving protease levels, however, are not uniquely restricted to primary thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), e. g. thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, but also occur in other life-threatening thrombocytopenic conditions: severely decreased ADAMTS13 activity is seen in severe sepsis, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and complicated malarial infection. The clinical relevance of these secondary thrombotic microangiopathies is increasingly recognised, but its therapeutic implications have not yet been determined. The presence of a secondary TMA in certain diseases may define patient groups which possibly could benefit from ADAMTS13 replacement or a VWF-targeting therapy. This short-review focuses on the role of UL-VWF multimers in secondary TMA and discusses the potential of investigational therapies as candidates for the treatment of TTP. In conclusion, prospective clinical trials on the effectiveness of protease replacement in vivo seem reasonable. Carefully selected patients with secondary TMA may benefit from therapies primarily intended for the use in patients with TTP.
Dutch Guiana
Authors: Kouwenberg Silvia
Published: December 2014

The first one hundred years of the Dutch presence on the “Wild Coast” of Guiana, beginning with exploratory voyages and establishment of trading networks, and culminating in the establishment of plantation societies in Berbice and Essequibo, forms the historical context for the emergence of the Dutch creole languages of Berbice and Essequibo. This article explores that historical backdrop, focusing on the early plantation colonies, their management, and the presence and roles of different linguistic groups: Amerindian, Dutch, African. Amerindians—both free and enslaved—formed a numerically dominant presence in the initial plantation phase; although they were soon to be outnumbered by enslaved Africans, they were present on and around the plantations throughout the history of these Dutch colonies. It is surprising, then, to note that Arawak-origin material in rather peripheral domains of the Berbice Dutch lexicon forms the sole evidence of an Amerindian presence during its formation. This contrasts sharply with the very central Eastern-Ijo derived contribution to basic lexicon and bound morphology. On the Dutch side, given the dominance of the southwestern provinces in the colonization of both Berbice and Essequibo, it is not surprising that Zeelandic Dutch characteristics can be recognized in many of the Dutch-derived forms. The marginal linguistic role played by Amerindians suggests that the dynamics of slavery determined the linguistic influence of the different groups historically present in the plantation society.
Two new species of Euscorpius (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) from Bulgaria, Serbia, and Greece
Authors: FET VICTOR , GRAHAM MATTHEW R. , WEBBER MICHAEL M. , BLAGOEV GERGIN
Published: December 2014

Two new species of Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 (subgenus Euscorpius s.str.) (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) are described based on morphology and the COI DNA barcoding marker: E. deltshevi sp. n. from northern Bulgaria and neighbouring Serbia (formerly reported as E. carpathicus) and E. solegladi sp. n. from southwestern Bulgaria and neighbouring Greece (formerly reported as E. hadzii).
Monitoring and Modeling the Terrestrial System from Pores to Catchments: The Transregional Collaborative Research Center on Patterns in the Soil–Vegetation–Atmosphere System
Authors: Simmer Clemens , Thiele-Eich Insa , Masbou Matthieu , Amelung Wulf , Bogena Heye , Crewell Susanne , Diekkrüger Bernd , Ewert Frank , Hendricks Franssen Harrie-Jan , Huisman Johan Alexander , Kemna Andreas , Klitzsch Norbert , Kollet Stefan , Langensiepen Matthias , Löhnert Ulrich , Rahman A. S. M. Mostaquimur , Rascher Uwe , Schneider Karl , Schween Jan , Shao Yaping , Shrestha Prabhakar , Stiebler Maik , Sulis Mauro , Vanderborght Jan , Vereecken Harry , van der Kruk Jan , Waldhoff Guido , Zerenner Tanja
Published: December 2014

Most activities of humankind take place in the transition zone between four compartments of the terrestrial system: the unconfined aquifer, including the unsaturated zone; surface water; vegetation; and atmosphere. The mass, momentum, and heat energy fluxes between these compartments drive their mutual state evolution. Improved understanding of the processes that drive these fluxes is important for climate projections, weather prediction, flood forecasting, water and soil resources management, agriculture, and water quality control. The different transport mechanisms and flow rates within the compartments result in complex patterns on different temporal and spatial scales that make predictions of the terrestrial system challenging for scientists and policy makers. The Transregional Collaborative Research Centre 32 (TR32) was formed in 2007 to integrate monitoring with modeling and data assimilation in order to develop a holistic view of the terrestrial system. TR32 is a long-term research program funded by the German national science foundation Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), in order to focus and integrate research activities of several universities on an emerging scientific topic of high societal relevance. Aiming to bridge the gap between microscale soil pores and catchment-scale atmospheric variables, TR32 unites research groups from the German universities of Aachen, Bonn, and Cologne, and from the environmental and geoscience departments of Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH. Here, we report about recent achievements in monitoring and modeling of the terrestrial system, including the development of new observation techniques for the subsurface, the establishment of cross-scale, multicompartment modeling platforms from the pore to the catchment scale, and their use to investigate the propagation of patterns in the state and structure of the subsurface to the atmospheric boundary layer.
Who Is Listening? When Scholars Think They Are Talking to Congress
Authors: Prewitt Kenneth
Published: December 2014

The editors asked for my view on whether, in the current political climate, the recommendations in this volume of The ANNALS are likely to be heeded. The question that precedes this one is whether the volume’s contributors understand why policy-makers make use of science at all. “No” is the obvious answer, though I see this not as a failure particular to their effort but rather as a broader failure of social science. Getting the science right is a necessary but not sufficient step in getting it used. Social scientists have not investigated the use of science in policy in a serious way. They must if science is to have influence in the public sphere. I also comment on the political climate, unhelpfully described by many worried observers as antiscience. It is more informative to say that there is a Congress-led effort to push science policy and federal expenditures toward short-term and narrow national goals. This is harmful to science and consequently to the nation, and scientists should explain why. But they must also respect that science policy and setting priorities for spending public funds are congressional responsibilities.
An A in Their Social Lives, but an F in School
Authors: Tulane Sarah , Vaterlaus J. Mitchell , Beckert Troy E.
Published: December 2014

Text messaging, used by people of all ages, has become the preferred method of communication for teenagers. Teens spend a significant amount of their daytime hours in school. Schools have not readily accepted the use of cell phone technology for fear of academic dishonesty, distraction, and cyberbullying. The current study examined adolescent ( n = 218) attitudes concerning text messaging in school. The majority of adolescents (71%) supported text messaging in school. A phenomenological qualitative approach revealed that adolescents’ experience with texting and school centers on student attention, connection (with family, friends, and emergency responders), and levels of regulation (personal, circumstantial, and school).
Effects of Changes in Ownership of the Polish Hospital on the Patients’ Opinion About Its Functioning
Authors: Stelmach Wlodzimierz , Kuzdak Mateusz , Rzeznicki Adam , Stelmach Iwona , Kowalska Alina , Krakowiak Jan
Published: December 2014

System changes in health care centers have been directed at introducing such marketing elements into the Polish health care system as managerial approach to managing the centers and contracting medical services and quality management. High quality of the medical services and patients’ satisfaction became the key factors deciding about “the brand” of a health care center. The aim of the work was to assess the effect of changes in ownership of the hospital on the patients’ opinion about its functioning. Patients’ satisfaction survey was carried out through an anonymous questionnaire among 2702 respondents before and 2795 respondents after the transformation of the hospital. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to analyze the collected empirical material. The assessment of the functioning of the admission center and hospital wards was significantly higher among the respondents asked after the transformation of the hospital as opposed to the assessment before it. Transforming the public hospital in Poland into a commercial company helped improve its functioning in the opinion of patients. There is a need to carry out further systematic research into the patients’ satisfaction better adjust the hospital’s offer to the needs of the hospitalized people.
Regional development platforms and related variety: Exploring the changing practices of food tourism in North Jutland, Denmark
Authors: James Laura , Halkier Henrik
Published: December 2014

There has been growing interest in regional policies that stimulate interactions between different sectors, often based on the concept of ‘related variety’. The identification and development of new cross-sectoral growth trajectories has been described elsewhere as building ‘regional development platforms’. This article contributes to conceptual debates about cross-sectoral regional development platforms and provides an empirical analysis of attempts to create and develop such a platform. From a conceptual perspective we argue that the notion of related variety can help policymakers to identify potential combinatorial platform opportunities, but may overestimate the ability of ‘related’ actors to collaborate together in innovative ways, because knowledge is embedded in practice and the process of ‘combining’ knowledge in new activities is therefore challenging. The paper illuminates the development of cross-sectoral platforms by examining the creation of new activities from a practice perspective that directs attention to the everyday activities, routines and understandings that constitute the ‘doing’ of economic development. We explore the development of a cross sectoral platform in the North Jutland region of Denmark, which integrates actors from the food and tourism sectors into a new food-tourism platform. We identify the dominant forms of the practices of producing food, retailing, catering, and promoting tourism, and then consider the ways in which these have changed in response to new cross-sectoral initiatives. The analysis shows that some aspects of practice are easier to change than others, and we conclude that an analytical approach inspired by practice theory can identify the requirements in terms of micro-level change in the practices of actors that is required for an initiative to succeed.
The Complexities of Globalized Content Management
Authors: Batova Tatiana , Clark Dave
Published: December 2014

This article provides a critical overview of the challenges that content management poses for technical communicators who work on multilingual projects. These issues include determining whether to translate or to localize, resolving the problems presented by the decontextualizing and repurposing of text, managing the complexities of the localization industry’s work practices and tools, and handling the linguistic idiosyncrasies of particular languages. The authors draw on their experience with content management and the translation–localization industry in seeking to problematize increasingly standardized practices that deserve further investigation.
Food and Beverage Marketing to Latinos
Authors: Adeigbe Rebecca T. , Baldwin Shannon , Gallion Kip , Grier Sonya , Ramirez Amelie G.
Published: December 2014

Obesity rates among U.S. adults and children have increased over the past two decades and, although signs of stabilization and decline among certain age groups and geographies are being reported, the prevalence of obesity among Latino adults and children remain high. The Latino population is growing in parallel to these obesity rates and marketers realize they cannot ignore this growing, high-spending, media-consuming segment. Studies examining food and beverage marketing strategies tend to discuss minority groups in general but do not account for racial and ethnic differences, reducing our ability to explain existing inequities. This article aimed to identify the food and beverage marketing strategies used to influence food environments for Latinos versus non-Latinos. A systematic literature review and analysis, guided by an established marketing conceptual framework, determined that the food and beverage marketing environment for Latinos is less likely to promote healthy eating and more likely to encourage consumption of low-nutrient, calorie-dense foods and beverages. This analysis also determined that Latinos’ food environment and the placement of food retail stores appears to influence their body mass index; however, placement of these stores cannot be generalized, as geographical differences exist. While food and beverage marketing is only one of many sources of influence on food and beverage consumption, these findings reinforce the notion that Latinos are at a disadvantage when it comes to exposure of healthy lifestyle messaging and health-promoting food environments.