bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ginsenoside‐Rp1 inhibits platelet activation and thrombus formation via impaired glycoprotein VI signalling pathway, tyrosine phosphorylation and MAPK activation
Authors: Endale M , Lee WM , Kamruzzaman SM , Kim SD , Park JY , Park MH , Park TY , Park HJ , Cho JY , Rhee MH
Published: April 2012

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Ginsenosides are the main constituents for the pharmacological effects of Panax ginseng. Such effects of ginsenosides including cardioprotective and anti‐platelet activities have shown stability and bioavailability limitations. However, information on the anti‐platelet activity of ginsenoside‐Rp1 (G‐Rp1), a stable derivative of ginsenoside‐Rg3, is scarce. We examined the ability of G‐Rp1 to modulate agonist‐induced platelet activation.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

G‐Rp1 in vitro and ex vivo effects on agonist‐induced platelet‐aggregation, granule‐secretion, [Ca2+]i mobilization, integrin‐αIIbβ3 activation were examined. Vasodilator‐stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) and MAPK expressions and levels of tyrosine phosphorylation of the glycoprotein VI (GPVI) signalling pathway components were also studied. G‐Rp1 effects on arteriovenous shunt thrombus formation in rats or tail bleeding time and ex vivo coagulation time in mice were determined.

KEY RESULT

G‐Rp1 markedly inhibited platelet aggregation induced by collagen, thrombin or ADP. While G‐Rp1 elevated cAMP levels, it dose‐dependently suppressed collagen‐induced ATP‐release, thromboxane secretion, p‐selectin expression, [Ca2+]i mobilization and αIIbβ3 activation and attenuated p38MAPK and ERK2 activation. Furthermore, G‐Rp1 inhibited tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple components (Fyn, Lyn, Syk, LAT, PI3K and PLCγ2) of the GPVI signalling pathway. G‐Rp1 inhibited in vivo thrombus formation and ex vivo platelet aggregation and ATP secretion without affecting tail bleeding time and coagulation time, respectively.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

G‐Rp1 inhibits collagen‐induced platelet activation and thrombus formation through modulation of early GPVI signalling events, and this effect involves VASP stimulation, and ERK2 and p38‐MAPK inhibition. These data suggest that G‐Rp1 may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases involving aberrant platelet activation.
CHARACTERIZATION OF A MARINE CYANOBACTERIUM THAT BORES INTO CARBONATES AND THE REDESCRIPTION OF THE GENUS MASTIGOCOLEUS1
Authors: Ramírez‐Reinat Edgardo L. , Garcia‐Pichel Ferran
Published: April 2012

A marine, filamentous, endolithic cyanobacterium, strain BC008, was obtained in pure culture and characterized using a polyphasic approach. BC008 could bore into calcium carbonate minerals (calcite, aragonite) and, weakly, into strontium carbonate (strontianite), but not into other carbonates, phosphates, sulfates, silicates, or oxides, including those of calcium. We describe procedures for its continued cultivation in an actively boring state. BC008 was developmentally complex: it displayed lateral, terminal, and intercalary heterocysts; true branching; trichome tapering; and motile hormogonia. It also displayed considerable morphological plasticity between boring and nonboring modes. Boring brought about a halving of trichome diameter, a marked decrease in the ratio of heterocysts to vegetative cells, and a significant preference for lateral versus terminal heterocyst development. The cytoplasm of vegetative cells was filled with 20 nm thick, nanocompartment‐like structures of polyhedral appearance and of unknown function. BC008 was capable of complementary chromatic adaptation but did not produce sheath pigments. When boring, it conformed well morphologically to Lagerheim’s (1886) description of Mastigocoleus testarum, one of the most common and pervasive bioerosive agents of marine carbonates. We propose strain BC008 as type strain for the species. Multigene (16S rRNA, nif  H, rbcL) phylogenies confirm that Mastigocoleus is a distinct, deeply branching genus of cyanobacteria that shares affinities and critical traits with two major taxonomic groups in the heterocystous clade (Nostocales and Stigonematales). We provide a revision of the genus and species descriptions based on our strain and findings.
Parental Problem Drinking and Adolescent Psychosocial Adjustment: The Mediating Role of Adolescent–Parent Communication
Authors: Ohannessian Christine McCauley
Published: April 2012

This study explored the relations between parental problem drinking, adolescent–parent communication, and adolescent psychosocial adjustment. Surveys were administered to a diverse sample of 683 15–17‐years‐old adolescents in the spring of 2007 and again in the spring of 2008. Results indicated that paternal problem drinking directly predicted substance use (alcohol and drug use) for boys, but not for girls. In contrast, maternal problem drinking directly predicted substance use (drug use) for girls, but not for boys. Adolescent–parent communication also mediated the relationship between parental problem drinking and psychosocial adjustment for girls, but not for boys. These gender differences highlight the need to consider both the gender of the adolescent and the parent when examining parental problem drinking and adolescent adjustment.
Benchmark Dose Analysis for Bacillus anthracis Inhalation Exposures in the Nonhuman Primate
Authors: Taft Sarah C. , Hines Stephanie A.
Published: April 2012

There is considerable variability in the published lethality values for inhalation exposures of Bacillus anthracis. The lack of consensus on an acceptable dose‐response relationship poses a significant challenge in the development of risk‐based management approaches for use following a terrorist release of B. anthracis spores. This article reviewed available B. anthracis dose‐response modeling and literature for the nonhuman primate, evaluated the use of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Benchmark Dose Software (BMDS) to fit mathematical dose‐response models to these data, and reported results of the benchmark dose analysis of suitable data sets. The BMDS was found to be a useful tool to evaluate dose‐response relationships in microbial data, including that from B. anthracis exposure. An evaluation of the sources of variability identified in the published lethality data and the corresponding BMDS‐derived lethality values found that varying levels of physical characterization of the spore product, differing receptor‐specific exposure assumptions, choice of dose metrics, and the selected statistical methods all contributed to differences in lethality estimates. Recognition of these contributors to variability could ultimately facilitate agreement on a B. anthracis dose‐response relationship through provision of a common description of necessary study considerations for acceptable dose‐response data sets.
Comparative Effectiveness Analysis of Anticoagulant Strategies in a Large Observational Database of Percutaneous Coronary Interventions
Authors: WISE GREGORY R. , SCHWARTZ BRIAN P. , DITTOE NATHANIEL , SAFAR AMMAR , SHERMAN STEVEN , BOWDY BRUCE , HAHN HARVEY S.
Published: April 2012

Background:
 Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the most commonly used procedure for coronary revascularization. There are multiple adjuvant anticoagulation strategies available. In this era of cost containment, we performed a comparative effectiveness analysis of clinical outcomes and cost of the major anticoagulant strategies across all types of PCI procedures in a large observational database.

Methods:
 A retrospective, comparative effectiveness analysis of the Premier observational database was conducted to determine the impact of anticoagulant treatment on outcomes. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression models were used to assess the association of initial antithrombotic treatment with outcomes while controlling for other factors.

Results:
 A total of 458,448 inpatient PCI procedures with known antithrombotic regimen from 299 hospitals between January 1, 2004 and March 31, 2008 were identified. Compared to patients treated with heparin plus glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (GPI), bivalirudin was associated with a 41% relative risk reduction (RRR) for inpatient mortality, a 44% RRR for clinically apparent bleeding, and a 37% RRR for any transfusion. Furthermore, treatment with bivalirudin alone resulted in a cost savings of $976 per case. Similar results were seen between bivalirudin and heparin in all end‐points. Combined use of both bivalirudin and GPI substantially attenuated the cost benefits demonstrated with bivalirudin alone.

Conclusion:
 Bivalirudin use was associated with both improved clinical outcomes and decreased hospital costs in this large "real‐world" database. To our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate the ideal comparative effectiveness end‐point of both improved clinical outcomes with decreased costs in PCI. (J Interven Cardiol 2012;25:278–288)
The influence of direct payments on farmers’ hail insurance decisions
Authors: Finger Robert , Lehmann Niklaus
Published: April 2012

We analyze determinants of hail insurance use of Swiss farmers, using FADN panel data covering the period 1990–2009. Mixed effect logistic regression models are estimated to identify the most important farm and farmer characteristics that trigger insurance use. In addition, information on local hail risk is taken into account in these models. It shows that larger farms, with specialization in crop production, and with larger local hail risks are more likely to adopt the hail insurance. Moreover, insurance users are usually older and better educated. Since the early 1990s, Swiss agricultural policy has reduced price support and introduced general and ecological direct payments. This has led to a much higher importance of direct payments for farmers’ incomes. Our analysis shows that this development has contributed to decreasing hail insurance adoption rates in Switzerland over the period considered. Our results indicate that the larger the share of direct payments for total farm revenue, the less attractive is insurance as a risk management strategy for farmers. This interdependency should be explicitly considered by agricultural policy in the design of support mechanisms.
Long‐term outcomes of short dental implants supporting single crowns in posterior region: a clinical retrospective study of 5–10 years
Authors: Lai Hong‐Chang , Si Mi‐Si , Zhuang Long‐Fei , Shen Hui , Liu Yue‐lian , Wismeijer Daniel
Published: April 2012

Objective

Aimed to evaluate the long‐term clinical and radiographic outcomes of short implants supporting single crowns in the posterior regions.

Material and methods

A retrospective study design was adopted. The clinical and radiographic data of 231 short implants (intra‐bony length ≤8 mm) supporting single crowns in 168 patients, were collected after 5–10 (mean 7.22) years' follow‐up. Implant and prosthesis failures, peri‐implant marginal bone loss, biological and technical complications were evaluated. The influence factors on implant failure were studied.

Results

In total 4 implants and 11 prostheses failed. The 10‐year (5‐year) cumulative survival rate was 98.3% (98.7%) for implant‐based analysis and 97.6% (98.2%) for patient‐based analysis. The short implants placed in type IV bone yielded more failures than in type I–III and presented a survival rate of 94.0%. The 10‐year survival rate of the prostheses was 95.2%. The mean marginal bone loss between implant installation and the 10 years' follow‐up visit was 0.63 ± 0.68 mm. The marginal bone loss between the first and 5th year was minimal (0.05 ± 0.10mm and not statistically significant). 18 (7.8%) implants were exposed to biological complications, whereas 29 (12.6%) implants were involved in technical complications.

Conclusions

High survival rates for both the implants and the prostheses could be achieved after 5–10 years for short implants supporting single crowns, without severe marginal bone loss and complications. One may conclude that a single crown supported by a short implant is a predictable treatment modality. However, short implants in type IV bone sites should be applied with caution.
Ant–aphid interactions on Asclepias syriaca are mediated by plant genotype and caterpillar damage
Authors: Abdala‐Roberts Luis , Agrawal Anurag A. , Mooney Kailen A.
Published: April 2012

The means by which plant genotypes influence species interactions and arthropod community structure remain poorly understood. One potential, but largely unstudied mechanism is that occurring through plant genetic variation in induced responses to herbivory. Here we test whether induced responses to leaf damage and genotypic variation for induction in Asclepias syriaca influence interactions among Formica podzolica ants, the ant‐tended aphid Aphis asclepiadis, and the untended aphid Myzocallis asclepiadis. In so doing, we assess genetic variation in plant‐mediated interactions among different herbivore guilds. We conducted a three‐way factorial field experiment manipulating plant genotype, leaf damage by specialist monarch caterpillars Danaus plexippus, and ant presence, and documented effects on aphid and ant abundances. Leaf damage increased Aphis abundance in both the presence and absence of ants and Myzocallis abundance under ant exclusion. In the presence of ants, leaf damage decreased Myzocallis abundance, likely due to effects on ant–Myzocallis interactions; ants showed a positive association with Myzocallis, leaf damage increased the strength of this association (425% more ants per aphid), and this in turn fed back to suppress Myzocallis abundance. Yet, these aggregate effects of leaf damage on Myzocallis and ants were underlain by substantial variation among milkweed geno types, with leaf damage inducing lower aphid and ant abundances on some genotypes, but higher abundances on others. As a consequence, a substantial fraction of the variation in leaf damage effects on ants (R2 =0.42) was explained by milkweed genetic variation in the strength and sign of leaf damage effects on Myzocallis. Although plant genetic variation influenced Aphis abundance, this did not translate into genetic variation in ant abundance, and leaf damage did not influence Aphis–ant interactions. Overall, we show that variation in induced responses to herbivory is a relevant condition by which plant genotype influences interactions in plant‐centered arthropod communities and provide novel results of effects on the third trophic level.
Validity and reliability of a visual scoring method for masticatory ability using test gummy jelly
Authors: Nokubi Takashi , Yoshimuta Yoko , Nokubi Fukuko , Yasui Sakae , Kusunoki Chie , Ono Takahiro , Maeda Yoshinobu , Yokota Kazunori
Published: April 2012

Background:  For quantitative evaluation of masticatory ability of the elderly patients, there should be a simple and reliable method without special techniques and instruments.

Objective:  The purpose of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of a visual scoring method for assessing masticatory performance.

Materials and Methods:  A 10‐stage scale for visually scoring was rated based on the range of the glucose concentration dissolved from comminuted jelly. Photographic images of comminuted jellies were produced as a standard material for each score. Fifty subjects were recruited as raters who graded the visual score for 50 photographic images of comminuted jellies on the screen of a lap‐top three times in random order.

Results:  There were strong correlations (rs = 0.911– 0.981, Spearman’s rank coefficient) between the actual scores determined from the glucose concentration and the visual scores graded by subjects in all three measurements. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of the inter‐rater reliability and the ICCs of the intra‐rater reliability of the visual scoring ranged from 0.946 to 0.947 and from 0.860 to 0.987 in three measurements, respectively.

Conclusions:  These results indicated that the visual scoring method was valid and reliable for evaluation of masticatory performance.
Effects of the planting substratum on the growth of horseweed (Conyza sumatrensis (Retz.) Walker) in Zoysia japonica Steud. turf
Authors: Tanaka Satoru , Miura Reiichi , Tominaga Tohru
Published: April 2012

To explore the extent to which turfgrass–weed competition may be modified by the planting substratum, turfs of Zoysia japonica Steud. were established in pots containing four different materials: granitic sand, sandy loam, granular volcanic clay and waste concrete debris. Seedlings of horseweed (Conyza sumatrensis (Retz.) Walker) were later transplanted into the turfs growing in these pots. After 7 months of growth in competition, the biomasses of both turfgrass and weed were greatest on sandy loam. The proportion of weed biomass in the total plant biomass was also largest on sandy loam (28.4%), suggesting that high nutrient levels may enhance weed encroachment in Zoysia turf. Granular volcanic clay suppressed weed biomass to a low proportion of total biomass (5.8%) while supporting turfgrass growth equivalent to that on sandy loam.
Do Forest Products Prices Display Long Memory?
Authors: Niquidet Kurt , Sun Lili
Published: April 2012

The behavior of forest products prices has large implications for forest management and policy. Decisions such as the timing of harvesting and investment in new plantations depend on future price expectations and policy makers often are concerned about the persistence of price shocks for stabilization purposes. Previous research on the topic has been mixed and focused on the question of whether prices are integrated of order one (i.e., have a unit root) and are nonstationary or if they are integrated of order zero and are stationary and mean‐reverting. In an effort to understand the price process for two key forest products (lumber and pulp), time‐series tests were applied to over 40 years of monthly pricing data. Using a modified Dickey–Fuller test, we rejected the null hypothesis of a unit root on most series. However, a separate test also soundly rejected a stationary null hypothesis. Such a finding led us to test whether forest products prices are fractionally integrated, exhibiting long memory. Estimates of the memory parameter (d) for various lumber price series ranged between 0.68 and 0.81 and for pulp it was 0.64. This implies that prices are both mean‐reverting (in the sense that shocks die out) and nonstationary.

Le comportement des prix des produits forestiers a d’importantes répercussions sur la gestion et la politique forestières. Certaines décisions, telles que le choix du moment de la récolte et les investissements dans de nouvelles plantations, dépendent des anticipations quant aux prix futurs et, souvent, les décideurs sont préoccupés par la persistance des chocs de prix pour des raisons de stabilisation. Les travaux de recherche antérieurs ont été variés et visaient à déterminer si les prix étaient intégrés de l’ordre  1 (c.‐à‐d. avec une racine unitaire) et non stationnaires ou s’ils étaient intégrés de l’ordre 0, stationnaires, avec une tendance au retour à la moyenne. Afin de comprendre le processus de prix de deux  produits forestiers clés (bois d’œuvre et pâte), nous avons effectué une analyse de séries chronologiques comprenant des données de prix mensuelles recueillies sur une période de plus de 40  ans. À l’aide d’un test de Dickey‐Fuller modifié, nous avons rejeté l’hypothèse nulle de la présence d’une racine unitaire dans la plupart des séries. Un autre test a également permis de rejeter sans équivoque l’hypothèse nulle de stationnarité. Ces résultats nous ont amenés à vérifier si les prix des produits forestiers étaient fractionnellement intégrés et présentaient une mémoire longue. Les estimations du paramètre de mémoire (d) de diverses séries de prix variaient de 0,68 à 0,81 pour le bois d’œuvre et s’établissaient à 0,64 pour la pâte. Ces résultats autorisent à penser que les prix ont une tendance au retour à la moyenne (dans le sens où les chocs disparaissent) et qu’ils sont non stationnaires.
Validation of the exoplanet Kepler-21b using PAVO/CHARA long-baseline interferometry
Authors: Huber Daniel , Ireland Michael J. , Bedding Timothy R. , Howell Steve B. , Maestro Vicente , Mérand Antoine , Tuthill Peter G. , White Timothy R. , Farrington Christopher D. , Goldfinger P. J. , McAlister Harold A. , Schaefer Gail H. , Sturmann Judit , Sturmann Laszlo , ten Brummelaar Theo A. , Turner Nils H.
Published: April 2012

We present long-baseline interferometry of the Kepler exoplanet host star HD 179070 (Kepler-21) using the Precision Astronomical Visible Observations (PAVO) beam combiner at the Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA) Array. The visibility data are consistent with a single star and exclude stellar companions at separations ∼1–1000 mas (∼0.1–113 au) and contrasts <3.5 mag. This result supports the validation of the 1.6 R ⊕ exoplanet Kepler-21b by Howell et al. and complements the constraints set by adaptive optics imaging, speckle interferometry and radial-velocity observations to rule out false positives due to stellar companions. We conclude that long-baseline interferometry has strong potential to validate transiting extrasolar planets, particularly for future projects aimed at brighter stars and for host stars where radial-velocity follow-up is not available.
JUSTIFYING COUNT‐BASED COMPARISONS
Authors: ENNIS JOHN M. , ENNIS DANIEL M.
Published: April 2012

Count‐based comparisons such as “7 out of 10” or “2 to 1” are often used to quantify superior product performance. Because of experimental variability, statistics are needed to ensure confidence in such comparisons. Even so, count‐based comparisons commonly appear without any statistical treatment of the data. In this article, we discuss statistics to support these comparisons. Specifically, we identify two different types of count‐based comparisons: count‐based proportional comparisons and count‐based ratio comparisons. We then provide statistics to justify these comparisons before providing significance tables for practitioners.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

When an advertiser claims that one product offers a benefit over another, the consumer needs to be reasonably sure of experiencing the purported benefit. Similarly, when a product test result is compared with a benchmark, it is worth considering how confident we are in the comparison. Without statistics, there is no reason to expect that the results of a particular product test will be experienced in the future. Until now, the statistics needed to justify count‐based comparison such as “7 out of 10” and “2 to 1” have not appeared in the sensory literature. In this article, we remedy this lack by providing both statistical discussion and significance tables for practitioners.
Enzymatic and Histological Evaluations of Gut and Liver in Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, Fed with Rice Protein Concentrate‐based Diets
Authors: Gai Francesco , Gasco Laura , Daprà Franco , Palmegiano Giovanni B. , Sicuro Benedetto
Published: April 2012

This study was carried out in order to investigate the histological and biochemical responses in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of rainbow trout fed a rice protein concentrate (RPC). A stock of 360 juvenile rainbow trout (62.4 ± 0.3 g) were randomly distributed into 12 fiberglass tanks and fed with four experimental diets obtained by including graded levels of RPC (RPC: 0, 20, 35, and 53%) replacing fish meal on dry weight basis. The experimental plan was balanced and monofactorial, with four treatments and three replicates. At the end of the experiment, 15 fish per treatment were killed, and different tissues were sampled for biochemical and histological analyses. The results showed that total alkaline proteases were unaffected by RPC inclusion level. Amylase and lipase activities showed slight differences between the groups for all examined tracts. No histopathological changes were observed in GIT for any of the dietary treatments. Liver samples of fish fed with RPC‐based diets were characterized by a slight decrease in lipid vacuolizations and a decreasing trend in the Ceroid Substances Presence Index. In conclusion, RPC did not show detrimental effects on the intestinal morphology and modification of tissue enzyme activity in rainbow trout.
The ‘Political Knight Errant’ at Bath: Charles Lucas's Attack on the Spa Medical Establishment in An Essay on Waters (1756)
Authors: MASON ADAM
Published: April 2012

This article examines Charles Lucas's Essay on Waters (1756) as a polemic that illuminates the Bath waters as a subject enmeshed as much in politics as in medicine. It shows how Lucas styled himself a ‘political knight errant’ in his treatise to portray the local medical fraternity at the spa as a corrupt oligarchy intent on monopolising and stifling research into the famous mineral springs out of commercial self‐interest and greed. It further considers the critical response to the treatise by Tobias Smollett and Samuel Johnson, who were both forced to address the author's libertarian concerns.
Economic evaluation of short-term treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux in Peru
Authors: Bolaños-Díaz Rafael , Regalado-Rafael Roxana
Published: April 2012

Objectives

The aim of this study is to analyse four alternatives for handling gastro-oesophageal reflux (GER) from the pharmacoeconomic standpoint: proton pump inhibitors (PPI), H2-histamine receptor antagonists (H2RA), antacids (AA) and alginates.

Methods

A cost-effectiveness model based on a decision analysis that represents clinical evolution in a 4-week time horizon has been used, by applying any of the four alternatives for handling GER. Each alternative is evaluated according to its effectiveness: absolute benefit increase is then expressed as a percentage (%). The incremental C-E ratio (ICER) among the treatments has been calculated, as this allows finding out the cost necessary to achieve an extra unit of effectiveness. Costs have been calculated from the patient's perspective (‘pocket payments’).

Key findings

Cost effectiveness for interventions with alginate and AA have been estimated at US$ 957 and US$ 2177 respectively. The ICER between both treatments implies that each unit of difference among the interventions would cost US$ 426. Each extra unit of effectiveness between both treatments in a 100-patient cohort would cost US$ 426. Treatments with AA and alginate prevailed over those with H2RA and PPI respectively. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the results.

Conclusions

According to the results of this study, the intervention with alginate proved to be more cost effective than AA. Treatments with AA and alginate prevailed over those with H2RA and PPI respectively. Sensitivity analyses evidenced the need for a moderate modification in the values assigned to the variables for offsetting the C-E difference between alginates and AA.
Remapping the Fiscal State After the Global Financial Crisis
Authors: van Hulten Andrew
Published: April 2012

abstract

The global financial crisis (GFC) refocuses attention on the capacity of states to regulate global finance. In this article, I argue that states are augmenting their regulatory capacity by promoting the interpenetration of national economic surveillance systems. I develop this argument by exploring the recent efforts of powerful states to address a particular form of offshore regulatory escape: tax evasion. Previous analyses of offshore processes have been framed by strong assumptions about the geographic domains of states and markets. I present a new analytic framework that weakens these geographic assumptions and explains why some states are more able than others to address offshore tax evasion through unilateral, bilateral, and multilateral channels. The framework is applied to explain the mechanisms through which powerful states have reclaimed evaded taxes and forced global transparency standards on tax havens after the GFC. I conclude that the regulatory changes brought about by recent attacks on tax havens constitute an important remapping of the fiscal state. These attacks provide an interesting case study of the ways in which states are augmenting their capacity to regulate a range of cross‐border financial flows.
Supraspinal fatigue after normoxic and hypoxic exercise in humans
Authors: Goodall Stuart , González‐Alonso José , Ali Leena , Ross Emma Z. , Romer Lee M.
Published: April 2012

Key points

Processes leading to fatigue occur within the exercising muscle (peripheral fatigue) and the nervous system (central fatigue).

We asked whether central processes of fatigue would be increased after strenuous exercise in environments where oxygen availability is reduced (hypoxia) compared to the same absolute exercise intensity at sea‐level.

Our main finding was that the contribution of central processes to fatigue was increased after exercise in hypoxia (equivalent to ∼3800 m above sea‐level).

The greater amount of central fatigue in hypoxia was due to suboptimal neural output from the brain and was associated with reductions in oxygen availability.

The findings provide a plausible mechanism for why exercise performance is impaired at high altitude, and might help our understanding of exercise limitation in patients with reduced oxygen delivery to the brain.
The Predictive Capacity of Personal Genome Sequencing
Authors: Roberts Nicholas J. , Vogelstein Joshua T. , Parmigiani Giovanni , Kinzler Kenneth W. , Vogelstein Bert , Velculescu Victor E.
Published: April 2012

A statistical method applied to monozygotic twin data assesses the ability of whole-genome sequencing to predict disease risk in the general population.
Coxiella burnetii Alters Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase Signaling during Growth in Macrophages
Authors: MacDonald Laura J. , Kurten Richard C. , Voth Daniel E.
Published: April 2012

Coxiella burnetiiis the bacterial agent of human Q fever, an acute, flu-like illness that can present as chronic endocarditis in immunocompromised individuals. Following aerosol-mediated transmission,C. burnetiireplicates in alveolar macrophages in a unique phagolysosome-like parasitophorous vacuole (PV) required for survival. The mechanisms ofC. burnetiiintracellular survival are poorly defined and a recent Q fever outbreak in the Netherlands emphasizes the need for better understanding this unique host-pathogen interaction. We recently demonstrated that inhibition of host cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) activity negatively impacts PV formation. In the current study, we confirmed PKA involvement in PV biogenesis and probed the role of PKA signaling duringC. burnetiiinfection of macrophages. Using PKA-specific inhibitors, we found the kinase was needed for biogenesis of prototypical PV andC. burnetiireplication. PKA and downstream targets were differentially phosphorylated throughout infection, suggesting prolonged regulation of the pathway. Importantly, the pathogen actively triggered PKA activation, which was also required for PV formation by virulentC. burnetiiisolates during infection of primary human alveolar macrophages. A subset of PKA-specific substrates were differentially phosphorylated duringC. burnetiiinfection, suggesting the pathogen uses PKA signaling to control distinct host cell responses. Collectively, the current results suggest a versatile role for PKA inC. burnetiiinfection and indicate virulent organisms usurp host kinase cascades for efficient intracellular growth.
BeepBeep
Authors: Peng Chunyi , Shen Guobin , Zhang Yongguang
Published: April 2012

We present the design and implementation of BeepBeep, a high-accuracy acoustic-based system for ranging and localization. It is a pure software-based solution and uses the most basic set of commodity hardware -- a speaker, a microphone, and some form of interdevice communication. The ranging scheme works without any infrastructure and is applicable to sensor platforms and commercial-off-the-shelf mobile devices. It achieves high accuracy through three techniques:
two-way sensing
,
self-recording
, and
sample counting
. We further devise a scalable and fast localization scheme. Our experiments show that up to one-centimeter ranging accuracy and three-centimeter localization accuracy can be achieved.
Name-based Shim6
Authors: Ming Zhongxing , Ubillos Javier , Xu Mingwei
Published: April 2012

It has long been ill to manage mobility in IP networks. In this paper we propose namebased sockets and apply a name-based approach to improve Shim6 (a host-based multihoming solution) to support host mobility. We show how the name-based approach intrinsically transforms Shim6 into a mobility solution and how the existing infrastructure is sufficient to provide the necessary signaling to support unilateral and bilateral mobility. An implementation evaluation shows that it achieves promising recovery time in both scenarios.
MobiCom 2011 poster
Authors: Moon Sungwook , Helmy Ahmed
Published: April 2012

We propose contact rule-based decision criteria to embed on autonomous mobile nodes to mimic mobile users' community contact pattern. To evaluate the closeness to real-world contact pattern, we compare the simulation results to the contact trace of WLAN users from the University of Florida. Our results show that the contact rule-based decision with overlapping community information matches real-world data in terms of contact duration and the periodical contact pattern.
The Finite Volume Formulation for 2D Second‐Order EllipticProblems with Discontinuous Diffusion/Dispersion Coefficients
Authors: Ferraris Stefano , Bevilacqua Ivan , Canone Davide , Pognant Davide , Previati Maurizio
Published: April 2012

We propose a finite volume method for the numerical resolution of two‐dimensional steady diffusion problems with possibly discontinuous coefficients on unstructured polygonal meshes. Our numerical method is cellcentered, secondorder
accurate on smooth solutions and based on a special numerical treatment of the diffusion/dispersion coefficients that makes its application possible also when such coefficients are discontinuous. Numerical experiments confirm the convergence of the numerical approximation and show a good behavior on a set of benchmark problems in two space dimensions.
RASSF1A and the Taxol Response in Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Kassler Susannah , Donninger Howard , Birrer Michael J. , Clark Geoffrey J.
Published: April 2012

The RASSF1A tumor suppressor gene is frequently inactivated by promoter methylation in human tumors. The RASSF1A protein forms an endogenous complex with tubulin and promotes the stabilization of microtubules. Loss of RASSF1A expression sensitizes cells to microtubule destabilizing stimuli. We have observed a strong correlation between the loss of RASSF1A expression and the development of Taxol resistance in primary ovarian cancer samples. Thus, we sought to determine if RASSF1A levels could dictate the response to Taxol and whether an epigenetic therapy approach might be able to reverse the Taxol resistant phenotype of RASSF1A negative ovarian tumor cells. We found that knocking down RASSF1A expression in an ovarian cancer cell line inhibited Taxol-mediated apoptosis and promoted cell survival during Taxol treatment. Moreover, using a combination of small molecule inhibitors of DNA Methyl Transferase enzymes, we were able restore RASSF1A expression and Taxol sensitivity. This identifies a role for RASSF1A in modulating the tumor response to Taxol and provides proof of principal for the use of epigenetic therapy to overcome Taxol resistance.
Lateral Interbody Fusion for Treatment of Discogenic Low Back Pain: Minimally Invasive Surgical Techniques
Authors: Marchi Luis , Oliveira Leonardo , Amaral Rodrigo , Castro Carlos , Coutinho Thiago , Coutinho Etevaldo , Pimenta Luiz
Published: April 2012

Low back pain is one of the most common ailments in the general population, which tends to increase in severity along with aging. While few patients have severe enough symptoms or underlying pathology to warrant surgical intervention, in those select cases treatment choices remain controversial and reimbursement is a substancial barrier to surgery. The object of this study was to examine outcomes of discogenic back pain without radiculopathy following minimally-invasive lateral interbody fusion. Twenty-two patients were treated at either one or two levels (28 total) between L2 and 5. Discectomy and interbody fusion were performed using a minimallyinvasive retroperitoneal lateral transpsoas approach. Clinical and radiographic parameters were analyzed at standard pre- and postoperative intervals up to 24 months. Mean surgical duration was 72.1 minutes. Three patients underwent supplemental percutaneous pedicle screw instrumentation. Four (14.3%) stand-alone levels experienced cage subsidence. Pain (VAS) and disability (ODI) improved markedly postoperatively and were maintained through 24 months. Segmental lordosis increased significantly and fusion was achieved in 93% of levels. In this series, isolated axial low back pain arising from degenerative disc disease was treated with minimally-invasive lateral interbody fusion in significant radiographic and clinical improvements, which were maintained through 24 months.
Investigation of Super Learner Methodology on HIV-1 Small Sample: Application on Jaguar Trial Data
Authors: Houssaïni Allal , Assoumou Lambert , Marcelin Anne Geneviève , Molina Jean Michel , Calvez Vincent , Flandre Philippe
Published: April 2012

Background. Many statistical models have been tested to predict phenotypic or virological response from genotypic data. A statistical framework called Super Learner has been introduced either to compare different methods/learners (discrete Super Learner) or to combine them in a Super Learner prediction method.Methods. The Jaguar trial is used to apply the Super Learner framework. The Jaguar study is an “add-on” trial comparing the efficacy of adding didanosine to an on-going failing regimen. Our aim was also to investigate the impact on the use of different cross-validation strategies and different loss functions. Four different repartitions between training set and validations set were tested through two loss functions. Six statistical methods were compared. We assess performance by evaluatingR2values and accuracy by calculating the rates of patients being correctly classified.Results. Our results indicated that the more recent Super Learner methodology of building a new predictor based on a weighted combination of different methods/learners provided good performance. A simple linear model provided similar results to those of this new predictor. Slight discrepancy arises between the two loss functions investigated, and slight difference arises also between results based on cross-validated risks and results from full dataset. The Super Learner methodology and linear model provided around 80% of patients correctly classified. The difference between the lower and higher rates is around 10 percent. The number of mutations retained in different learners also varys from one to 41.Conclusions. The more recent Super Learner methodology combining the prediction of many learners provided good performance on our small dataset.
Remote Colorimetric and Structural Diagnosis by RGB-ITR Color Laser Scanner Prototype
Authors: Guarneri Massimiliano , Ferri de Collibus Mario , Fornetti Giorgio , Francucci Massimo , Nuvoli Marcello , Ricci Roberto
Published: April 2012

Since several years ENEA's Artificial Vision laboratory is involved in electrooptics systems development. In the last period the efforts are concentrated on cultural heritage remote diagnosis, trying to develop instruments suitable for multiple purposes concerning restoration, cataloguing, and education. Since last five years a new 3D (three-dimensional) laser scanner prototype (RGB-ITR) based on three amplitude-modulated monochromatic laser sources mixed together by dichroic filters is under development. Five pieces of information per each sampled point (pixel) are collected by three avalanche photodiodes and dedicated electronics: two distances and three target reflectivity signals for each channel, red, green, and blue. The combination of these pieces of information opens new scenarios for remote colorimetry allowing diagnoses without the use of scaffolds. Results concerning the use of RGB-ITR as colorimeter are presented.
Novel Cubic Magnetite Nanoparticle Synthesis Using Room Temperature Ionic Liquid
Authors: Sundrarajan M. , Ramalakshmi M.
Published: April 2012

Room Temperature Ionic liquids are relatively more useful in the synthesis of inorganic nanostructured materials because of their unique properties. To synthesize the iron oxide nanoparticle in simple precipitation method, a novel ionic liquid was used as the greener medium and stabilizing agent namely “1‐n‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium trifluoromethane sulfonate [BMIM][TfO]”. The crystallinity, chemical structure, morphology and magnetic properties of the synthesized magnetite nanoparticles have been characterized by using X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FT‐IR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Atomic force microscopy(AFM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) studies. The XRD study is divulge that the synthesized magnetite nanoparticles have inverse spinel face centered cubic structure. The FT‐IR vibration peaks show the formation of Fe3O4 nanoparticles, where the vibration peak for Fe‐O is deliberately presence at 584 cm-1. The average particle size of the synthesized nanoparticles is found to be 35 nm. Homogeneously dispersed cubic shape with superstructure is found through SEM, AFM and TEM examination studies. The synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles have a high saturation magnetization value of 25 emu/g, which is very much useful for biomedical applications.
Cultivable Anaerobic Microbiota of Infected Root Canals
Authors: Sato Takuichi , Yamaki Keiko , Ishida Naoko , Hashimoto Kazuhiro , Takeuchi Yasuhisa , Shoji Megumi , Sato Emika , Matsuyama Junko , Shimauchi Hidetoshi , Takahashi Nobuhiro
Published: April 2012

Objective. Periapical periodontitis is an infectious and inflammatory disease of the periapical tissues caused by oral bacteria invading the root canal. In the present study, profiling of the microbiota in infected root canals was performed using anaerobic culture and molecular biological techniques for bacterial identification.Methods. Informed consent was obtained from all subjects (age ranges, 34–71 years). Nine infected root canals with periapical lesions from 7 subjects were included. Samples from infected root canals were collected, followed by anaerobic culture on CDC blood agar plates. After 7 days, colony forming units (CFU) were counted and isolated bacteria were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.Results. The mean bacterial count (CFU) in root canals was(0.5±1.1)×106(range8.0×101–3.1×106), and anaerobic bacteria were predominant (89.8%). The predominant isolates wereOlsenella(25.4%),Mogibacterium(17.7%),Pseudoramibacter(17.7%),Propionibacterium(11.9%) andParvimonas(5.9%).Conclusion. The combination of anaerobic culture and molecular biological techniques makes it possible to analyze rapidly the microbiota in infected root canals. The overwhelming majority of the isolates from infected root canals were found to be anaerobic bacteria, suggesting that the environment in root canals is anaerobic and therefore support the growth of anaerobes.
It Is All in the Blood: The Multifaceted Contribution of Circulating Progenitor Cells in Diabetic Complications
Authors: Fadini Gian Paolo , Avogaro Angelo
Published: April 2012

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a worldwide growing disease and represents a huge social and healthcare problem owing to the burden of its complications. Micro- and macrovascular diabetic complications arise from excess damage through well-known biochemical pathways. Interestingly, microangiopathy hits the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment with features similar to retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy. The BM represents a reservoir of progenitor cells for multiple lineages, not limited to the hematopoietic system and including endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, cardiomyocytes, and osteogenic cells. All these multiple progenitor cell lineages are profoundly altered in the setting of diabetes in humans and animal models. Reduction of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) along with excess smooth muscle progenitor (SMP) and osteoprogenitor cells creates an imbalance that promote the development of micro- and macroangiopathy. Finally, an excess generation of BM-derived fusogenic cells has been found to contribute to diabetic complications in animal models. Taken together, a growing amount of literature attributes to circulating progenitor cells a multi-faceted role in the pathophysiology of DM, setting a novel scenario that puts BM and the blood at the centre of the stage.
Size effect in glass fiber reinforced and pure polyurethane foams in monotonic and creep compression
Authors: Denay Anne-Gaëlle , Castagnet Sylvie , Roy Annette , Alise Gaëlle , Coursault Cédric , Mellier David
Published: April 2012

Size effects on the monotonic and creep compression behavior of closed-cell polyurethane foams is investigated experimentally. The aim is to determine a minimum representative volume of mechanical behavior for both mechanical tests. Cubic specimens of nonreinforced and glass fiber-reinforced foams are tested in compression and creep. In the first series of tests, various sizes of samples are tested, cube with edge between 10 and 50 mm. In this case, edge effects have a variable influence depending on the sample size and the minimal size is about 40 × 40 × 40 mm3 for the nonreinforced foam and 50 × 50 × 50 mm3 for the glass fiber-reinforced one. In the second series, the mechanical behavior of more or less extended domains is analyzed from the surface of a single 50 × 50 × 50 mm3, that is, at given edge effect. The minimal size was smaller in the latter case. Influence of the loading path was investigated comparing monotonic tension and short-term creep kinetics. Unlike in monotonic compression, and in the initial creep strain, no influence of the sample size was evidenced on the creep kinetics. Surface analysis in cubic samples upon monotonic compression and creep lead to a minimum representative surface between 4 and 13 mm edge.
Critical Classrooms
Authors: Silva Janelle M.
Published: April 2012

This article uses data from a 9-month ethnography in California to illustrate how elementary teacher’s decision to reenact Jane Elliott’s “A Class Divided” experiment, in conjunction with an artist-centered multicultural curriculum, shifted classroom conversations to a more critical dialogue of social groups, power, and privilege. Data illustrate how this approach to learning about diversity and difference can facilitate development of students’ critical consciousness at the elementary school level. Student interviews and an interview with the classroom teacher are also used to triangulate findings. The article concludes with suggestions as to how teachers can create critical spaces in their own classrooms.
New Migrant Enterprise: Novelty or Historical Continuity?
Authors: Jones Trevor , Ram Monder , Edwards Paul , Kiselinchev Alexander , Muchenje Lovemore
Published: April 2012

How far does new migrant enterprise represent a departure from traditional ethnic minority entrepreneurship in the UK? This paper draws on a qualitative survey of 165 new migrants in the UK to address this question. New migrants to the UK are emblematic of ‘super-diversity’, which some believe heralds a significant departure from previous forms of migration. The extent to which this process has a substantive impact on the kinds of businesses that new migrants run is rarely considered. It is argued that migrant business, ‘new’ and ‘old’, is structurally disadvantaged and underpinned by mixed embeddedness. This can be applied to demonstrate that new migrants are essentially subject to the same structural handicaps as their forerunners.