bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Disinfection of Salmonella spp. on Tomato Surface by Pulsed Ultraviolet Light and Selected Sanitizers
Authors: Williams Leonard L. , Yang Weihua Wade , English Tyrico , English N'jere , Johnson Jacqueline U. , Rababah Taha , Khatiwada Janak
Published: May 2012

The efficacy of three sanitizers (10 mL/L peracetic acid, 10 mL/L hydrogen peroxide and 20 mL/L commercial GRAS disinfectant) for inactivating Salmonella spp. inoculated onto the surface of whole tomatoes stored up to 8 days was investigated when they were used alone or in combination with pulsed ultraviolet light (PUV). Ten mL/L peracetic acid alone resulted in an average 3 log10 reductions throughout the 8-day storage. Ten mL/L hydrogen peroxide and 20 mL/L commercial biodegradable GRAS sanitizer alone yielded 1.41 and 1.29 log10 reductions, respectively, on day 0, but from day 2 to day 8 of storage, their disinfecting effect dwindled, with no significant difference detected from control (water rinse) on day 8 (p ≤ 0.05). The 60s PUV treatments alone achieved less than 2 log10 reductions, but when it was combined with 10 mL/L hydrogen peroxide, the bacterial reduction significantly increased to over 4 log10 during the 8-day storage (p ≤ 0.05). Similarly, PUV also enabled 20 mL/L commercial GRAS sanitizer to have unchanged bactericidal effect throughout the 8-day storage period. Results from this study showed that sanitizers combined with PUV radiation could generate a significant and lasting inactivation of Salmonella spp. on the surface of tomatoes.
Experimental and Mathematical Description of Sorption Isotherms and Thermodynamic Properties of Salted and Dried African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus)
Authors: Sobukola Olajide , Popoola Ibironke , Munoz Loreto
Published: May 2012

Sorption isotherms and thermodynamic properties of brine salted and dried (BSD) and dry salted and dried (DSD) African catfish in the water activity (aw) range (0.33-0.85) was determined and compared at 25, 30 and 40C using the static gravimetric method of saturated solutions. Five sorption models: GAB (Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer), BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller), Kuhn, Adam and Shove and Henderson were fitted with the experimental sorption data obtained. Curves for both samples followed the type III BET classification scheme. Equilibrium moisture content (EMC) decreased with increase in temperature at low and intermediate aw (0.33-0.65) while there was an inversion of this trend at higher aw (0.75-0.85) with DSD samples having higher values at the same experimental conditions. GAB model predicted best with the monolayer values varying between 0.047 to 0.054 kg/kg db for BSD samples and 0.047 to 0.052 kg/kg db for DSD samples. Salting technique affected significantly the properties investigated
A Patent System with a Contingent Delegation Fee under Asymmetric Information
Authors: Kim Weonseek , Koo Bonwoo
Published: May 2012

Under the framework of a two-stage innovation process in which the first-stage innovation is commercialized by multiple firms at the second stage, this study proposes an optimal patent system for efficient commercialization by a lower cost firm when the R&D costs are private information. Under the existing patent system of granting patents sequentially to successful innovators, the commercialization can be achieved by an inefficient firm (called control loss) and duplicative R&D efforts may occur through competitive innovation race. This study shows that the problems of control loss and duplicative R&D efforts can be prevented if the patent office grants a patent with a mandatory contingent delegation fee only to the first innovator. A carefully designed contingent fee function can induce the first innovator to internalize the patent office’s objective function, leading to efficient commercialization by a lower cost firm.
Technology for Transparency: The Case of the Web‐Based Dutch National Health Portal
Authors: Ossebaard Hans C. , van Gemert‐Pijnen Lisette , Seydel Erwin R.
Published: May 2012

Against a backdrop of New Public Management and healthcare system reform the Dutch Ministry of Health commissioned the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) to develop, host and manage an online public national health and care portal. The portal aims to facilitate consumer decision‐making behavior in health and healthcare and to contribute to transparency in order to improve the quality of care and the general functioning of the health markets. This article describes the policy context and uses a multi‐methods approach to evaluate the extent to which the portal, as an instrument of health policy, is meeting its original objectives. Four qualitative and quantitative methods of user data collection ‐ online survey, market monitoring, web analytics, and direct user feedback ‐ are used to estimate the impact of the portal with regard to user behavior and online health information needs over time. We find that the portal reaches a fair share of the Dutch health information market in quantitative and qualitative terms. However, while its exact contribution to the functioning of the health markets in terms of transparency remains undecided, it seems plausible that the portal's impact on choice behavior, choice awareness and empowerment is rather small.
Patient Trust in Internet‐based Health Records: An Analysis Across Operator Types and Levels of Patient Involvement in Germany
Authors: Rauer Ulrike
Published: May 2012

Patient trust is often considered a major hurdle to the adoption of Internet‐based health records. Moreover, trust in physicians may suffer if patients do not trust the way their medical data is stored. This research examines the structural and institutional factors influencing patient trust in Internet‐based health records in Germany. Specifically, it focuses on the question of whether patient trust varies with the Internet‐based health record's operator type (medical vs. non‐medical, private vs. public) and the level of patient involvement in terms of access and control. To answer this question, a sequential mixed methods study was conducted. Eight semi‐structured patient interviews helped to gain understanding of trust and develop the survey instrument. Afterwards, the offline survey of 340 patients in four German surgeries enabled the findings to be generalised to the German population. The findings indicate that patients consider medical operators more trustworthy than non‐medical ones. However, the dichotomy between public and private is false: patients perceive physicians and health insurance providers as trustworthy, as opposed to the government and corporations. Likewise, patient involvement in terms of access and control is trust‐enhancing. But to accept a generally less trustworthy operator, control is necessary, as opposed to only access. These results provide valuable insights for policy measures regarding Internet‐based health records in Germany: to gain patient trust, the operator should ideally be of a medical nature and allow patients to get involved in how their health records are maintained.
“Spectral implies Tiling” for three intervals revisited
Authors: Bose Debashish , Madan Shobha
Published: May 2012

Bose, Anil Kumar, Krishnan and Madan (2010)
showed that “Tiling implies Spectral” holds
for a union of three intervals and the reverse implication was
studied under certain restrictive hypotheses on the associated
spectrum. In this paper, we reinvestigate the “Spectral implies
Tiling” part of Fuglede's conjecture for the three interval case.
We first show that the “Spectral implies Tiling” for two intervals
follows from the simple fact that two distinct circles have at most
two points of intersections. We then attempt this for the case of
three intervals and except for one situation are able to prove
“Spectral implies Tiling”. Finally, for the exceptional case, we
show a connection to a problem of generalized Vandermonde
varieties.
An embodied semantic processing effect on eye gaze during sentence reading
Authors: Phillips Catherine I. , Sears Christopher R. , Pexman Penny M.
Published: May 2012

The present research examines the effects of body-object interaction (BOI) on eye gaze behaviour in a reading task. BOI measures perceptions of the ease with which a human body can physically interact with a word's referent. A set of high BOI words (e.g. cat) and a set of low BOI words (e.g. sun) were selected, matched on imageability and concreteness (as well as other lexical and semantic variables). Facilitatory BOI effects were observed: gaze durations and total fixation durations were shorter for high BOI words, and participants made fewer regressions to high BOI words. The results provide evidence of a BOI effect on non-manual responses and in a situation that taps normal reading processes. We discuss how the results (a) suggest that stored motor information (as measured by BOI ratings) is relevant to lexical semantics, and (b) are consistent with an embodied view of cognition (Wilson 2002).
Internationale Wirtschafts- und Unternehmensbeziehungen nach 1945
Authors: Kleinschmidt Christian
Published: May 2012

The traditional Theory of International Economic Relations concentrates on issues like balance of payments, exchange rates, comparative price advantages, international competition and production sites, thereby neglecting political and cultural aspects like the role of the state, information and communication, path dependencies or behavioural pattern. The following contributions try to incorporate these aspects in different ways, regarding three focal points in historical perspective: case studies of bilateral and multilateral economic and business relations after 1945, the influence of interest groups and cartels within the EEC, and the impact of crisis and globalisation on entrepreneurial attitudes and activities.
A Dutch Multinational’s Miracle in Post-war Germany
Authors: Wubs Ben
Published: May 2012

At the end of the 1960s a statistical survey run by the Bundesbank, revealed that the Netherlands was the second largest foreign direct investor in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). Only the American multinationals, which had become the world’s most important foreign direct investors after the war, had invested more in the FRG at that time. However, Dutch multinational investments in Germany had a long history and developed largely before the Second World War, often against the odds. At the end of the 1930s Dutch investments had been even larger than the investments of all American multinationals in Germany combined. Directly after the war all Dutch assets were put under Allied control, however despite this the big Dutch multinationals - Unilever, Royal Dutch Shell, Philips, and AKU – were able to regain control over their investments at the end of the 1940s. From this point onwards they continued to further expand their interests in the neighbouring country. This paper addresses the question of how and why the major Dutch multinationals were able to regain their property, and then grow so luxuriantly in the FRG. It shows that historical continuities and path dependence played a key role in this, alongside favourable market conditions after the war. The outcome, however, was uncertain and depended partly on extensive lobby activities.
The Rhine: backbone of Dutch-German economic interdependence 1919–1933
Authors: Euwe Jeroen
Published: May 2012

For a long time, it has been said that Rhine transport plays an important role in Dutch-German economic bonds. Nevertheless, these transport flows have never been the subject of statistical research. This essay aims to fill this gap for the period 1919–1933. To do so, it charts Dutch, German, Belgian and French freight traffic, both by Rhine barge and by train. This essay finds that Germany’s economic structure and international economic ties find a strong expression in the transport sector, with Germany’s economic heartland clearly being the Ruhr area. In fact, the Ruhr area can be identified as the production centre of a transnational economic region formed by the areas that encompass the Rhine river system. Although transport to and from Belgium and France was also concentrated on the (extended) Ruhr area, for both Germany as a whole and the Ruhr area in particular it was transport to and from the Netherlands – where the port of Rotterdam acted as the main distribution centre for this transnational Rhine economy – that was by a large margin the most important. Of all this transport, the vast majority was via Rhine shipping, truly making the Rhine the backbone of Dutch-German economic relations.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oral Tongue in Two Patients Previously Exposed to Long-Term Pegylated Liposomal Doxorubicin
Authors: Bonomi Marcelo R. , Misiukiewicz Krzysztof , Posner Marshall , Maki Robert G.
Published: May 2012

Two cases of squamous cell carcinoma possibly related to exposure to pegylated liposomal doxorubicin are presented.
Is Renal Thrombotic Angiopathy an Emerging Problem in the Treatment of Ovarian Cancer Recurrences?
Authors: Kwa Maryann , Baumgartner Robert , Shavit Linda , Barash Irina , Michael Jeffrey , Puzanov Igor , Kopolovic Juri , Rosengarten Ora , Blank Stephanie , Curtin John P. , Gabizon Alberto , Muggia Franco
Published: May 2012

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, the reader will be able to: Describe the need for additional vigilance regarding renal dysfunction when platinums, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, bevacizumab, and gemcitabine are used for prolonged treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer in combination or sequentially following pre-existing renal damage.Describe and quantify the risk of chronic kidney disease in patients treated for ovarian cancer.

CME This article is available for continuing medical education credit at CME.TheOncologist.com

Background and Objective.

Ovarian cancer is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, with most patients undergoing surgery followed by platinum- and taxane-based chemotherapy. After initial clinical remission, the majority recur, leading to additional treatments, including not only platinums and taxanes but also pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD), gemcitabine, topotecan, and, more recently, bevacizumab, which may extend survival times. PLD, in particular, has been extensively studied by our group, with encouraging therapeutic results. We, however, observed instances of chronic kidney disease (CKD) developing among patients who received long-term treatment for recurrent ovarian cancer. To document the frequency and contributing factors to the emergence of CKD, we initiated a retrospective review at two institutions.

Patients and Methods.

Fifty-six consecutive patients with recurrent ovarian cancer receiving treatment at New York University Cancer Institute were reviewed for the presence of renal disease in 1997–2010. At Shaare Zedek Medical Center, 73 consecutive patients with ovarian cancer were reviewed in 2002–2010. Patients were diagnosed with CKD if they had an estimated GFR <60 mL/minute per 1.73 m2 for >3 months and were staged according to the National Kidney Foundation guidelines.

Results.

Thirteen patients (23%) developed stage ≥3 CKD. Three patients had renal biopsies performed that showed thrombotic microangiopathy.

Conclusions.

CKD is emerging as a potential long-term consequence of current chemotherapy for recurrent ovarian cancer.
Implications of the definition of the Φ function in elastic-viscoplastic models
Authors: BODAS FREITAS T.M. , POTTS D.M. , ZDRAVKOVIC L.
Published: May 2012

A discrepancy has been identified in existing overstress theory based elastic-viscoplastic models regarding the definition of the Φ function, which determines the magnitude of the viscoplastic strain increment. Based on existing experimental data, some authors define the function Φ assuming that any given loading surface is a locus of constant volumetric viscoplastic strain rate. Others, instead, assume that a loading surface is a locus of constant Φ. This paper examines the implications of using either of the above approaches. It is shown that the two approaches yield very similar predictions for stress states far from failure (for stress levels up to approximately 0·6), however, critical-state conditions are reproduced only when the current loading surface is assumed to be a locus of constant Φ.
The effect of uplift in liquid-saturated porous solids – Karl Terzaghi's contributions and recent findings
Authors: de Boer R. , Didwania A. K.
Published: May 2012

A recently discovered unpublished manuscript by Terzaghi is discussed extensively. It is revealed that this manuscript eliminates an insufficiency in the extant publications of Terzaghi. Moreover, Terzaghi's valuable contributions are compared with recent findings in the theory of porous media on the macroscale as well as on the microscale.
Briefing: Future trends in UK housebuilding
Authors: Goodier Chris , Pan Wei
Published: May 2012

Homes have more influence on the way that people live and behave in society than anything else they spend their money on. A house usually represents an individual's largest ever single investment, and is expected to last for decades, if not indefinitely. In order to make the most appropriate investment today, however, people need to know how they will be living and working in the future, both individually and as a society. A Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) report The Future of UK Housebuilding, published in December 2010, investigates and debates this issue. This briefing discusses the implications of the report for municipal engineers and others. In particular, the issues of sustainability, zero carbon dioxide, offsite technologies, technology changes and community impact are discussed.
Infusing life: restoration of Nadirshaw Edulji Dinshaw city campus in Karachi
Authors: Ahmed Noman , Rafeeqi Sahibzada Farooq Ahmad
Published: May 2012

This paper examines the restoration of the city campus of Nadirshaw Edulji Dinshaw (NED) University of Engineering and Technology. It outlines a case for using this example as a framework for similar projects in the city and relevant locations elsewhere. The NED was founded in 1922 as Prince of Wales Engineering College to facilitate the education and training of local engineering graduates and is one of the oldest institutions in the Indo Pak subcontinent. It was built in Karachi city centre but, following a relocation to a new campus, its usage declined. Late in the 1990s, a re-utilisation of the old campus began. A restoration plan was prepared and implemented under the guidance and supervision of architects from the faculty. NED alumni (who have nostalgic association with the campus) showed keen interest in the restoration. Impediments experienced are described, along with the way in which they were overcome.
Cautioning the use of degree‐day models for climate change projections in the presence of parametric uncertainty
Authors: Moore Julia L. , Liang Song , Akullian Adam , Remais Justin V.
Published: May 2012

Developmental models, such as degree‐day models, are commonly used to predict the impact of future climate change on the intensity, distribution, and timing of the transmission of infectious diseases, particularly those caused by pathogens carried by vectors or intermediate hosts. Resulting projections can be useful in policy discussions concerning regional or national responses to future distributions of important infectious diseases. Although the simplicity of degree‐day models is appealing, little work has been done to analyze their ability to make reliable projections of the distribution of important pathogens, vectors, or intermediate hosts in the presence of the often considerable parametric uncertainty common to such models. Here, a population model of Oncomelania hupensis, the intermediate host of Schistosoma japonicum, was used to investigate the sensitivity of host range predictions in Sichuan Province, China, to uncertainty in two key degree‐day model parameters: δmin (minimum temperature threshold for development) and K (total degree‐days required for completion of snail development). The intent was to examine the consequences of parametric uncertainty in a plausible biological model, rather than to generate the definitive model. Results indicate that model output, the seasonality of population dynamics, and range predictions, particularly along the edge of the range, are highly sensitive to changes in model parameters, even at levels of parametric uncertainty common to such applications. Caution should be used when interpreting the results of degree‐day models used to generate predictions of disease distribution and risk under scenarios of future climate change, and predictions should be considered most reliable when the temperature ranges used in projections resemble those used to estimate model parameters. Given the potential for substantial changes in degree‐day model output with modest changes in parameter values, caution is warranted when results will be used to inform policy and management decisions.
Implications of increased deciduous cover on stand structure and aboveground carbon pools of Alaskan boreal forests
Authors: Alexander Heather D. , Mack Michelle C. , Goetz Scott , Beck Pieter S. A. , Belshe E. Fay
Published: May 2012

Fire activity in boreal forests has increased recently with climate warming, altering stand structure and composition in many areas. Changes in stand dynamics have the potential to alter C cycling and biophysical processes, with feedbacks to global and regional climate. Here, we assess the interactions between fire, stand structure, and aboveground C accumulation and storage within boreal forests of interior Alaska, where increased fire severity is predicted to shift forest composition from predominantly black spruce (Picea mariana) to greater deciduous cover. We measured aboveground biomass and net primary productivity (ANPP) of trees and large shrubs, snags, and downed woody debris across 44 mid‐successional (20–59 years since fire) stands of varying deciduous importance value (IV), determined by relative density, basal area, and frequency of deciduous trees and large shrubs within each stand. Aboveground biomass, ANPP, and deciduous snag biomass increased significantly with increased deciduous IV and years since fire. Deciduous IV had little influence on evergreen snag biomass and downed woody debris, but both C pools decreased with years since fire. Forest type also affected stand structure and C pools. Black spruce stands had shorter trees with less basal area and aboveground biomass and slower rates of biomass accumulation and ANPP compared to those dominated by trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) or Alaska birch (Betula neoalaskana). These parameters in black spruce stands were similar to mixed stands of black spruce and aspen but were often lower than mixed stands of black spruce and Alaska birch. Much of the biomass accumulation in deciduous stands was attributed to higher tree‐level ANPP, allowing individual stems of deciduous species to accumulate more stemwood/bark faster than black spruce trees. If increased fire activity shifts stand composition from black spruce to increased deciduous cover, ANPP, aboveground tree/large shrub biomass, and deciduous snag biomass will increase, leading to increased aboveground C pools in mid‐successional forest stands of interior Alaska. While species dominance shifts like these will impact aboveground patterns of landscape‐level C cycling in boreal forests, variations in soil C pools and forest properties like albedo must also be assessed to accurately determine implications for global and regional climate.
MCP methodology for intelligent water metering (IWM): assessment of low flow consumption
Authors: Solanas J. L. , Cussó M. R.
Published: May 2012

Uses at different flows, non-intended consumption or other reasons can cause significant low flow consumption with regard to nominal metering magnitudes. It is important to assess this situation because it could cause measuring and billing inaccuracies due to both non-revenue water and metering errors. MCP (multivariate case profiling) methodology summarizes IWM (intelligent water metering) information by means of categories and levels suited to distinguish different causes concurring on each individual case. We characterised a significant group of ‘Lowflow’ cases showing at the same reading period: ‘significant consumption at normal flows’ but ‘significant continuous consumption at flows lower than normal for intended uses’. We propose variables associated to the new MCP Lowflow category by analysing: (1) lowest intervals of the flow-volume histogram to assess ‘consumption at flows lower than normal’; (2) minimal mean flow in the volume-time histogram to assess ‘intended uses’. MCP yields Lowflow case classification tables, indexes and analytical tools applying those variables, the aim being to detect and assess such abnormal low flow consumptions for any case or group of cases.
Purification of a coagulant protein from seeds of Moringa concanensis
Authors: Sathiyabama M.
Published: May 2012

A coagulant protein from seeds of Moringa concanensis was isolated and purified using CM-Sepharose column chromatography. The column matrix was equilibrated with ammonium acetate buffer and maximum protein was eluted at 0.8 M NaCl. The molecular mass of the purified protein was identified as 14 kDa and its pI value was around 9.5. The purified coagulant protein retained 90% coagulation activity even after incubation at 90 °C for 3 h. The purified protein does not release organic content to the water. This paper suggests that coagulant protein from M. concanenesis can be used in drinking water treatment.
Synthesis of octyl-modified ordered mesoporous silica as a new nano sorbent for the removal of 2-chlorophenol from aqueous media
Authors: Zhang Dongmei , Chen Zhonglin , Shen Jimin , Yang Lei
Published: May 2012

Adsorption of 2-chlorophenol onto octyl-modified ordered mesoporous silica material from an aqueous solution was investigated systematically using batch experiments in this study. Hexagonal mesoporous silica (HMS) owning double pore paths and OD-HMS were synthesized by using cheap sodium silicate and a non-ion surfactant C16PyCl under room temperature here and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption–desorption measurement, and Fourier Transform-Infrared (FT-IR). Results indicate that 2-chlorophenol adsorption is initially rapid and the adsorption process reaches a steady state after 5 min. The adsorption isotherms are well described by the Langmuir and the Freundlich models, the former being found to provide a better fit with the experimental data. The effects of temperature, pH, ionic strength, and humic acid on the adsorption are also examined. According to the experimental results, the amount of 2-chlorophenol adsorbed decreases with increases of temperature from 288 to 308 K, and pH from 2.0 to 11.0, the amount of 2-chlorophenol adsorbed increases with an increase of ionic strength from 0.001 to 0.1 mol/L. However, the amount of 2-chlorophenol adsorbed onto octyl-modified ordered mesoporous silica material shows notable difference in the presence of humic acid. The desorption process shows a reversibility of 2-chlorophenol adsorption onto octyl-modified ordered mesoporous silica material. Thermodynamic parameters such as Gibbs free energy are calculated from the experimental data at different temperatures. Based on the results, It was found that octyl-modified ordered mesoporous silica shows significant adsorption for 2-chlorophenol. This might be due to hydrophobic interaction among the octyl functional groups and 2-chlorophenol.
Removal of arsenic from dilute solutions using steric reticular poly(N1,N1,N3,N3-tetraallylpropane-1,3-diaminium chloride)
Authors: Liu Lihua , Cao Jing , Ling Yulin , Liu Wenhua
Published: May 2012

The high health hazard of arsenic-contaminated drinking water caused authorities worldwide to change the maximum permissible limit for arsenic (As) from 50 to 10 μg/L. Therefore, novel techniques and materials for their removal from aqueous streams must be developed. In the current study, a novel polymer, poly(N1,N1,N3,N3-tetraallylpropane-1,3-diaminium chloride) (PTAPDAC), was synthesized and its performance characteristics in the removal of As from dilute solutions were examined. PTAPDAC is a brittle solid with a steric reticular structure. It is insoluble in water and common organic solvents and has a positive charge at every other three or six –CH2– (or –CH–) unit. The polymer could optimally absorb As at pH 6.0–7.5, with the peak uptake at ∼6.9. When used in a continuous treatment process for the treatment of shallow groundwater containing 0.73 mg/L As, PTAPDAC could treat groundwater 93,333.3 times its weight. The adsorption capacity for As was ∼67.2 mg/g, and the As removal rate reached 98.63%.
Effects of chlorine and pipe material on biofilm development and structure in a reclaimed water distribution system
Authors: Wang Haibo , Hu Xuexiang , Hu Chun
Published: May 2012

The effects of chlorine and pipe material on biofilm development and structure were studied in a model reclaimed water distribution system using annular reactors (ARs). The initial chlorine dose of influents in ARs with polycarbonate pipes and cast iron pipes was 3.59 and 10.15 mg/L, respectively, which could maintain the reclaimed water quality (HPC 102–103 CFU/mL). The chlorine and pipe material influenced the bacterial community. Biofilms formed faster and to a greater extent in ARs with cast iron coupons (HPC 107 CFU/cm2) compared to those with polycarbonate coupons (HPC 105 CFU/cm2). Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis, it was found that Gammaproteobacteria were prevalent in all cases with polycarbonate pipes, whereas with cast iron pipes microbial populations were affiliated with the phylum Proteobacteria, including the classes Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria and Deltaproteobacteria, followed by the phyla Bacteroidetes and uncultured bacterium.
System Development from Organic Solvents to Ionic Liquids for Synthesiz-ing Ascorbyl Esters with Conjugated Linoleic Acids
Authors: Yang Zhiyong , Schultz Lise , Guo Zheng , Jacobsen Charlotte , Xu Xuebing
Published: May 2012

The aim of this paper is to screen suitable reaction systems for the modification of antioxidants through enzy-matic synthesis. Enzymatic esterification of ascorbic acid with conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) was investigated as a mod-el. Four organic solvents and five different enzymes were evaluated. Results show that only Novozym® 435 turned out to be a useful enzymatic preparation for the production of ascorbyl-CLA ester. The optimum reaction conditions in the or-ganic solvent system were 4 h at 55°C and at a molar ratio of 5 (CLA/ascorbic acid). The esterification reaction was trans-ferred to an ionic liquid system for the purpose of improving solubility of the polar substrate and avoiding the application of organic solvents. From screening experiments, it was evident that only methyltrioctylammonium triflouroacetate (tO-MA·TFA) could provide a proper reaction environment for production of ascorbyl-CLA ester when using Novozym® 435 as biocatalyst. It was possible to significantly increase the productivity (150 g/l) through the increase of ascorbic acid sol-ubility in ionic liquids by super saturation together with the increase of reaction temperature to 70°C, far beyond than that in organic solvents (35 g/l) after preliminary optimizations for both systems.
Intelligent Systems and the Systematization of Pharmacological Knowledge: Application of the In Vitro Retina Model
Authors: Maura Fernandes de Lima Vera , Airamir Padilha de Castro Jose , Hanke Wolfgang
Published: May 2012

In this century, the IT technology will spread intelligent systems based on cameras, sensors and computers
across all fields of the human endeavor. The systematization of knowledge will reach new levels of organization and
applications. Scientific knowledge will not be an exception. In this paper we present the results of validation tests made
with the in vitro retina model in order to propose the systematization of pharmacological knowledge in experimental
platforms supplied with data banks. Data banks can be made either for the speeding up of pre-clinical research or for the
control of quality of pure substances or pharmaceutical preparations. These applications and other implementations of
using the retinal spreading model in pharmacological research will be useful for the users, manufacturers and authorities
of regulation of public health.
Thrombospondin-1 in Early Flow-Related Remodeling of Mesenteric Arteries from Young Normotensive and Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Lemkens P , Boari GEM , Fazzi GE , Janssen GMJ , Murphy-Ullrich JE , Schiffers PMH , De Mey JGR
Published: May 2012

We tested the hypotheses that TSP-1 participates in the initiation of remodeling of small muscular arteries in response to altered blood flow and that the N-terminal domain of TSP-1 (hepI) can reverse the pathological inward remodeling of resistance arteries from SHR.

We measured (1) changes in gene/protein expression in MA of 6 week old WKY and SHR exposed to either increased (+ 100 %) or reduced blood flow (- 90 %) for 24-40 hours and (2) structural changes in MA of 12 week old SHR exposed for 3 days to hepI in organ culture.

In both HF and LF of WKY, mRNA expression of eNOS, sGCα1 and PKG1β were significantly reduced (p < 0.05), whereas mRNA of TSP1 was markedly increased (p < 0.05). In MA of young SHR, similar results were obtained except that eNOS mRNA was not reduced in LF. Expression of TSP1 protein was significantly increased in LF of young WKY and SHR (p < 0.05). Exposure of MA of 12 week old SHR to hepI (1 µmol/L) resulted in a rapid lumen diameter increase (+ 12 ± 2% after 3 days) without alteration in vascular reactivity, distensibility, media surface area or cell number.

These are the first observations of reduced gene expression of eNOS/sGC/PKG and increased expression of TSP1 at the initiation of arterial remodeling in young WKY and SHR, irrespective of its outward or inward outcome. Furthermore, a fragment of TSP-1 rapidly and directly reversed pathological inward arterial remodeling of SHRin vitro.
Digital Management of a Hysteroscopy Surgery Using Parts of the SNOMED Medical Model
Authors: Kollias Anastasios , Paschopoulos Minas , Evangelou Angelos , Poulos Marios
Published: May 2012

This work describes a hysteroscopy surgery management application that was designed based on the medical information standard SNOMED. We describe how the application fulfils the needs of this procedure and the way in which existing handwritten medical information is effectively transmitted to the application’s database.
Enterprise Risk Management as a Strategic Governance Mechanism in B2B-Enabled Transnational Supply Chains
Authors: Arnold Vicky , Benford Tanya S. , Hampton Clark , Sutton Steve G.
Published: May 2012

As organizations increasingly face the need to compete for market share by building highly integrated global supply chains, governance of these complex relationships becomes a major strategic challenge. Research reporting high failure rates for collaborative alliances with supply chain partners makes formation of global supply chains a high-risk venture. This study examines the influence of strategic enterprise risk management (ERM) processes on improving supply chain capability while mitigating risks. ERM has become a major strategic management focus, and researchers suggest this momentum arises from the need for governance mechanisms that counter the ineffectiveness of government intervention and cooperation in cross-border relationships. We survey 207 organizations on their perceptions of their own ERM processes and a specific supply chain partner's absorptive capacity, B2B e-commerce business risk, and the global business risk associated with that partner relationship. The results support theorized relationships positing that stronger ERM promotes higher levels of partner absorptive capacity, lower B2B risk, and lower associated global business risk. Results further show that associated global business risk is reduced through managing and controlling partner absorptive capacity and B2B risk. Additional analyses show that stronger ERM is associated with partners being from countries with cultural traits conducive to strong supply chain performance.
Effect of Elevated Basal Insulin on Cancer Incidence and Mortality in Cancer Incident Patients
Authors: Dankner Rachel , Shanik Michael H. , Keinan-Boker Lital , Cohen Cindy , Chetrit Angela
Published: May 2012

OBJECTIVE

Diabetes is associated with many forms of cancer. Recent evidence has suggested that some treatments for diabetes are associated with an increased cancer risk. Less is known about the association between endogenous insulin in the prediabetes state and cancer risk.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We investigated cumulative cancer incidence and cancer incidence density over 29 years, according to basal insulin, in a cohort of 1,695 nondiabetic men and women of four ethnic origins, aged 51.8 ± 8.0 years at baseline. Total mortality among the 317 subjects (18.7%) who developed cancer at least 2 years after baseline was assessed.

RESULTS

In a Cox proportional hazards model, the all-site hazard ratio of cancer incidence comparing the highest insulin quartile with the other three quartiles was 1.09 (95% CI 0.85–1.40), adjusted for age, sex, and ethnicity. BMI, smoking, and fasting blood glucose were not statistically significant in this model. Basal insulin level was not significantly associated with cancer of specific sites (breast, prostate, colon/rectum, or bladder). Fasting insulin in the upper quartile conferred a 37% increased risk for total mortality among cancer patients, adjusting for age, sex, and ethnic origin (95% CI 0.94–2.00, P = 0.097) compared with that of the lower quartiles. Male sex, older age, and North African origins were associated with a greater risk of mortality during follow-up time.

CONCLUSIONS

This long-term cohort study may suggest a role for basal elevated insulin levels, mainly as a negative predictor in cancer prognosis.
Diabetes and Lung Cancer Among Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Luo Juhua , Chlebowski Rowan , Wactawski-Wende Jean , Schlecht Nicolas F. , Tinker Lesley , Margolis Karen L.
Published: May 2012

OBJECTIVE

Epidemiological evidence of diabetes as a lung cancer risk factor is limited and conflicting. Therefore, we assessed associations among diabetes, diabetes therapy, and lung cancer risk in postmenopausal women participating in the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Postmenopausal women (n = 145,765), ages 50–79 years, including 8,154 women with diabetes at study entry were followed for a mean of 11 years with 2,257 lung cancers diagnosed. Information on diabetes therapy was collected via two methods (self-reported information on treatment history collected on a questionnaire at baseline and a face-to-face review of current medication containers that participants brought to the baseline visit). Lung cancers were confirmed by central medical record and pathology report review. Cox proportional hazards regression models adjusted for lung cancer risk factors were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) (95% CI) for diagnosis of diabetes and treatment of disease as risk factors for lung cancer.

RESULTS

Compared with women without diabetes, women with self-reported treated diabetes had a significantly higher risk of lung cancer (HR 1.27 [95% CI 1.02–1.59]), with risks increasing for women with diabetes requiring insulin treatment (1.71 [1.15–2.53]). However, we did not observe a significant association between lung cancer risk and diabetes not treated with medication or with duration of diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

Postmenopausal women with treated diabetes, especially those using insulin, have a significantly higher risk of lung cancer. The influence of diabetes severity and specific classes of therapy for diabetes on lung cancer risk require future study.
Toenail Selenium and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in U.S. Men and Women
Authors: Park Kyong , Rimm Eric B. , Siscovick David S. , Spiegelman Donna , Manson JoAnn E. , Morris J. Steven , Hu Frank B. , Mozaffarian Dariush
Published: May 2012

OBJECTIVE

Compelling biological pathways suggest that selenium (Se) may lower onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but very few studies have evaluated this relationship, with mixed results. We examined the association between toenail Se and incidence of T2DM.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We performed prospective analyses in two separate U.S. cohorts, including 3,630 women and 3,535 men, who were free of prevalent T2DM and heart disease at baseline in 1982–1983 and 1986–1987, respectively. Toenail Se concentration was quantified using neutron activation analysis, and diabetes cases were identified by biennial questionnaires and confirmed by a detailed supplementary questionnaire. Hazard ratios of incident T2DM according to Se levels were calculated using Cox proportional hazards.

RESULTS

During 142,550 person-years of follow-up through 2008, 780 cases of incident T2DM occurred. After multivariable adjustment, the risk of T2DM was lower across increasing quintiles of Se, with pooled relative risks across the two cohorts of 1.0 (reference), 0.91 (95% CI 0.73–1.14), 0.78 (0.62–0.99), 0.72 (0.57–0.91), and 0.76 (0.60–0.97), respectively (P for trend = 0.01). Results were similar excluding the few individuals (4%) who used Se supplements. In semiparametric analyses, the inverse relationship between Se levels and T2DM risk appeared to be linear.

CONCLUSIONS

At dietary levels of intake, individuals with higher toenail Se levels are at lower risk for T2DM. Further research is required to determine whether varying results in this study versus prior trials relate to differences in dose, source, statistical power, residual confounding factors, or underlying population risk.
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers from Tiarella polyphylla (Saxifragaceae)
Authors: Jeong Keum Seon , Maki Masayuki , Pak Jae‐Hong
Published: May 2012

• Premise of the study: Microsatellite markers were developed for Tiarella polyphylla in Korea and Japan to study the genetic diversity and genetic structure of the species.

• Methods and Results: We successfully isolated a total of nine polymorphic simple sequence repeat loci. These nine loci contained from two to eight alleles per locus. The observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.000 to 0.250 and 0.000 to 0.974, respectively.

• Conclusions: The markers developed in this study may be used to estimate genetic diversity, genetic structure, and historical and recent gene flow in T. polyphylla, which requires conservation and management.
L'évolution démographique récente en France. Quelques différences entre les départements d'outre-mer et la France métropolitaine
Authors: Mazuy Magali , Prioux France , Barbieri Magali
Published: May 2012

Résumé Au 1 er janvier 2011, la population de la France est estimée à 65 millions d’habitants, dont 1,9 million résident dans les départements d’outre-mer (DOM). L’accroissement de la population de ces départements est deux fois plus rapide (+ 11,2 ‰ en 2010) que celui de la métropole (+5,4 ‰), et la structure par âge de leur population est plus jeune. La fécondité y est un peu plus élevée (2,4 enfants par femme en 2010 contre 2,0) et l’âge moyen à la maternité plus jeune (respectivement 28,5 ans et 30 ans). La fréquence des avortements y est nettement plus forte, ainsi que celle des avortements répétés. Le nombre de mariages est resté stable en 2010, et l’augmentation des pacs s’est poursuivie, mais à un rythme ralenti. On se pacse et on se marie presque au même âge, toutefois l’écart d’âge entre les conjoints pacsés est légèrement plus réduit que pour les mariés. La fréquence des divorces aux durées de mariage élevées a beaucoup augmenté depuis 30 ans. L’espérance de vie à la naissance en 2010 est estimée à 78,0 ans pour les hommes et 84,7 ans pour les femmes. Les progrès depuis 20 ans sont plus importants pour les hommes que pour les femmes, et concernent de plus en plus la mortalité après 65 ans. L’espérance de vie à la naissance est presque aussi élevée dans les DOM qu’en métropole, mais la mortalité infantile y est au moins deux fois plus forte.
Estimation indirecte du nombre d'immigrés en Espagne à partir des taux de fécondité et des naissances
Authors: Rosero-Bixby Luis , Castro-Martín Teresa , Reher David Sven , Sánchez-Domínguez María , Festy Patrick
Published: May 2012

Résumé Cet article propose une méthode indirecte pour valider les décomptes du nombre d’immigrés en Espagne établis à partir des registres municipaux de population, qui pourraient surestimer le nombre d’immigrés du fait de doubles enregistrements et de défauts de radiation en cas de départ du pays. La méthode proposée utilise deux types d’informations?: le nombre de naissances issues d’immigrés et leurs taux de fécondité. Les statistiques de naissances par origine des parents proviennent de l’état civil espagnol?; les taux de fécondité sont estimés à partir de l’Enquête nationale sur les immigrés de 2007. Pour les femmes, l’estimation indirecte ne diffère pas significativement du décompte dans le registre, ce qu’on peut considérer comme une validation des deux sources. Pour les hommes, le registre de population dénombre 15?% d’immigrés de plus que l’estimation indirecte, avec un écart statistiquement significatif. Comparés aux estimations proposées dans cet article, les dénombrements des hommes et femmes provenant d’Europe occidentale et des hommes de Roumanie présentent un excédent important. À l’inverse, le rapport est faiblement inférieur à 1 pour les hommes et femmes d’Équateur et les hommes d’Afrique, ce qui suggère un sous-enregistrement de ces groupes par le registre de population.
La pellagre en Italie à la fin du XIXe siècle : les effets d'une maladie de carence
Authors: Ginnaio Monica
Published: May 2012

Résumé Dans de nombreux pays du monde, à différentes époques, la consommation de maïs comme unique denrée alimentaire a mené à la pellagre. Maladie causée par une extrême pauvreté nutritionnelle, l’avitaminose B3 est une maladie de carence due à la déficience en niacine et en tryptophane. Depuis la fin du XVIII e ?siècle, en Italie du Nord et particulièrement en Vénétie, la pellagre demeure endémique jusqu’aux années autour de la première guerre mondiale. Le bouleversement causé par le «?mal de la misère?» n’affecte qu’une seule classe sociale, celle dont l’alimentation est totalement fondée sur la consommation de polenta de maïs?: les paysans, notamment les journaliers, catégorie professionnelle particulièrement défavorisée. Fondée sur des sources documentaires d’origines diverses et entreprise dans une perspective pluridisciplinaire, cette analyse retrace les mécanismes épidémiologiques, sociaux, politiques et démographiques qui ont mené à la diffusion de la pellagre principalement parmi les agricultrices vénètes et lombardes en âge reproductif. L’observation de l’impact démographique de la maladie sur la population paysanne féminine engage une discussion à propos des éventuelles conséquences sur la natalité et la fécondité des populations de ces deux régions à la fin du XIX e ?siècle.