bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A novel post-exposure medical countermeasure L-97-1 improves survival and acute lung injury following intratracheal infection with Yersinia pestis
Authors: Wilson Constance N , Vance Constance O , Doyle Timothy M , Brink David S , Matuschak George M , Lechner Andrew J
Published: August 2011

Yersinia pestis, a Gram-negative bacillus causing plague and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classified Category A pathogen, has high potential as a bioweapon. Lipopolysaccharide, a virulence factor for Y. pestis, binds to and activates A1 adenosine receptor (AR)s and, in animals, A1AR antagonists block induced acute lung injury (ALI) and increase survival following cecal ligation and perforation. In this study, rats were infected intratracheally with viable Y. pestis [CO99 (pCD1+/Δpgm) 1 × 108 CFU/animal] and treated daily for 3 d with ciprofloxacin (cipro), the A1AR antagonist L-97-1, or cipro plus L-97-1 starting at 0, 6, 24, 48, or 72 h post- Y. pestis. At 72 h post- Y. pestis, cipro plus L-97-1 significantly improved 6-d survival to 60–70% vs 28% for cipro plus H2O and 33% for untreated Y. pestis controls ( P = 0.02, logrank test). Lung edema, hemorrhage and leukocyte infiltration index (LII) were evaluated histologically to produce ALI scores. Cipro plus L-97-1 significantly reduced lung edema, as well as aggregate lung injury scores vs controls or cipro plus H2O, and LII vs controls ( P < 0.05, Student’s unpaired t test). These results support efficacy for L-97-1 as a post-exposure medical countermeasure, adjunctive therapy to antibiotics for Y. pestis.
Design and implementation of a user-centric swimming performance monitoring tool
Authors: Mullane S L , Chakravorti N , Conway P P , West A A
Published: August 2011

The current methods for measuring swimmer performance are time consuming and require substantial manual interaction. Inevitably, such techniques are prone to error or require a large amount of post-event processing. The aim of the research outlined in this paper is to design a novel performance analysis tool to monitor and measure swimmer performance using wireless technology previously developed at Loughborough University and determine how to communicate these data effectively to the coach in real time. The overall system effectiveness is reliant upon effective data collection, storage, and analysis. Providing the functionality to design an effective system requires robust technology, appropriate structures in persistent storage, and interface design to communicate the capability set to the user.

This paper is focused on the development of a graphical user interface (GUI); a type of human–machine interface (HMI), to support users within the swimming domain. The computer integrated manufacture open system architecture (CIMOSA), generally applied as a form of business process modelling, has been used to structure the development of a user-centric, real-time monitoring system that supports the needs of the coaches, sports scientists, and swimmers. A methodology that uses the CIMOSA reference architecture as the foundation has been proposed and implemented to create a user-driven GUI that accommodates variation in requirements of user types in the swimming domain to optimize the performance analysis methods.
What Employers and Health Care Providers Can Do to Support Breastfeeding in the Workplace
Authors: Stratton J’aime , Henry Beverly W.
Published: August 2011

The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to support breastfeeding reaches out to businesses to provide support to working moms. The purpose of this study was to explore what employers of low-income, full-time working women perceived to be their role in workplace breastfeeding support and actions they believed they could take to support and promote breastfeeding. From these findings, potential implications for health care providers to advocate with employers to support breastfeeding emerged. Research was conducted within the framework of the Theory of Reasoned Action. Qualitative methodology was used through in-depth interviews with 6 owners/managers of businesses employing low-income workers. Thematic analysis of verbatim transcripts revealed 5 themes: (a) reliance on a case-by-case consideration of support for breastfeeding employees and the opinion that the costs of breastfeeding support outweighed the benefits, (b) expression of positive attitudes about workplace breastfeeding support coupled with an incongruent lack of formal action to support breastfeeding employees, (c) absence of intention to implement breastfeeding support programs despite expression of intention to support employees when requested, (d) perceived limitations related to business size, and (e) speculation about the extent of employer roles. Results imply the decision to provide workplace breastfeeding support is more complex than a basic measurement of attitude or cost–benefit analysis might suggest. Findings indicate advocacy efforts should capitalize on actions employers believe they can take now, expand employers’ perceptions of their role in supporting and communicating with breastfeeding employees, and provide employers with tools to make implementation of breastfeeding support programs achievable.
Subgrouping Patients With Low Back Pain
Authors: Hebert Jeffrey J. , Koppenhaver Shane L. , Walker Bruce F.
Published: August 2011

Context: Low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent condition imposing a large socioeconomic burden. Despite intensive research aimed at the efficacy of various therapies for patients with LBP, most evidence has failed to identify a superior treatment approach. One proposed solution to this dilemma is to identify subgroups of patients with LBP and match them with targeted therapies. Among the subgrouping approaches, the system of treatment-based classification (TBC) is promoted as a means of increasing the effectiveness of conservative interventions for patients with LBP.

Evidence acquisition: MEDLINE and PubMed databases were searched from 1985 through 2010, along with the references of selected articles.

Results: TBC uses a standardized approach to categorize patients into 1 of 4 subgroups: spinal manipulation, stabilization exercise, end-range loading exercise, and traction. Although the TBC subgroups are in various stages of development, recent research lends support to the effectiveness of this approach.

Conclusions: While additional research is required to better elucidate this method, the TBC approach enhances clinical decision making, as evidenced by the improved clinical outcomes experienced by patients with LBP.
Clinical Outcomes and Return-to-Sports Participation of 50 Soccer Players After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Through a Sport-Specific Rehabilitation Protocol
Authors: Della Villa Stefano , Boldrini Lorenzo , Ricci Margherita , Danelon Furio , Snyder-Mackler Lynn , Nanni Gianni , Roi Giulio Sergio
Published: August 2011

Background: Rehabilitation of soccer players after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is usually performed without sport-specific guidelines, and the final phases are often left to the team coaches. The possibility of changing this approach has not yet been investigated.

Study Design: Case series.

Hypothesis: A specific rehabilitation protocol for soccer players, with direct control of the last on-field rehabilitation phases, may lead to complete functional recovery.

Methods: Fifty competitive soccer players who followed a sport-specific rehabilitation protocol for soccer were evaluated during the recovery period until their return to competition. The assessment of the functional outcomes was performed using the Knee Outcome Survey–Sports Activity Scale and isokinetic and aerobic fitness tests.

Results: The average start of on-field rehabilitation was 90 ± 26 days after surgery; the average time to return to the competitions was 185 ± 52 days. The improvement in the Knee Outcome Survey–Sports Activity Scale during on-field rehabilitation was significant ( P < 0.01; from 79 ± 15% to 96 ± 7%). The isokinetic and aerobic fitness tests showed a significant improvement of muscle strength (knee extensors, +55%, P < 0.01; knee flexors, +86%, P < 0.01) and aerobic threshold (+23%, P < 0.01) from the beginning to the end of on-field rehabilitation.

Conclusions: Adding on-field rehabilitation to the traditional protocols after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction may safely lead to complete functional recovery in soccer players.
The ACR11 encodes a novel type of chloroplastic ACT domain repeat protein that is coordinately expressed with GLN2 in Arabidopsis
Authors: Sung Tzu-Ying , Chung Tsui-Yun , Hsu Chih-Ping , Hsieh Ming-Hsiun
Published: August 2011

Background

The ACT domain, named after bacterial aspartate kinase, chorismate mutase and TyrA (prephenate dehydrogenase), is a regulatory domain that serves as an amino acid-binding site in feedback-regulated amino acid metabolic enzymes. We have previously identified a novel type of ACT domain-containing protein family, the ACT domain repeat (ACR) protein family, in Arabidopsis. Members of the ACR family, ACR1 to ACR8, contain four copies of the ACT domain that extend throughout the entire polypeptide. Here, we describe the identification of four novel ACT domain-containing proteins, namely ACR9 to ACR12, in Arabidopsis. The ACR9 and ACR10 proteins contain three copies of the ACT domain, whereas the ACR11 and ACR12 proteins have a putative transit peptide followed by two copies of the ACT domain. The functions of these plant ACR proteins are largely unknown.

Results

The ACR11 and ACR12 proteins are predicted to target to chloroplasts. We used protoplast transient expression assay to demonstrate that the Arabidopsis ACR11- and ACR12-green fluorescent fusion proteins are localized to the chloroplast. Analysis of an ACR11 promoter-β-glucuronidase (GUS) fusion in transgenic Arabidopsis revealed that the GUS activity was mainly detected in mature leaves and sepals. Interestingly, coexpression analysis revealed that the GLN2, which encodes a chloroplastic glutamine synthetase, has the highest mutual rank in the coexpressed gene network connected to ACR11. We used RNA gel blot analysis to confirm that the expression pattern of ACR11 is similar to that of GLN2 in various organs from 6-week-old Arabidopsis. Moreover, the expression of ACR11 and GLN2 is highly co-regulated by sucrose and light/dark treatments in 2-week-old Arabidopsis seedlings.

Conclusions

This study reports the identification of four novel ACT domain repeat proteins, ACR9 to ACR12, in Arabidopsis. The ACR11 and ACR12 proteins are localized to the chloroplast, and the expression of ACR11 and GLN2 is highly coordinated. These results suggest that the ACR11 and GLN2 genes may belong to the same functional module. The Arabidopsis ACR11 protein may function as a regulatory protein that is related to glutamine metabolism or signaling in the chloroplast.
Effects of radiation therapy on tissue and serum concentrations of tumour associated trypsin inhibitor and their prognostic significance in rectal cancer patients
Authors: Gaber Alexander , Stene Christina , Hotakainen Kristina , Nodin Björn , Palmquist Ingrid , Bjartell Anders , Stenman Ulf-Håkan , Jeppsson Bengt , Johnson Louis B , Jirström Karin
Published: August 2011

Background

We have previously demonstrated that elevated concentrations of tumour-associated trypsin inhibitor (TATI) in both tumour tissue (t-TATI) and in serum (s-TATI) are associated with a poor prognosis in colorectal cancer patients. It was also found that s-TATI concentrations were lower in patients with rectal cancer compared to patients with colon cancer. In this study, we investigated the effects of neoadjuvant radiotherapy (RT) on concentrations of t-TATI and s-TATI in patients with rectal cancer.

Methods

TATI was analysed in serum, normal mucosa and tumour tissue collected at various time points in 53 rectal cancer patients enrolled in a case-control study where 12 patients received surgery alone, 20 patients 5 × 5 Gy (short-term) preoperative RT and 21 patients 25 × 2 Gy (long-term) preoperative RT. T-TATI was analysed by immunohistochemistry and s-TATI was determined by an immunofluorometric assay. Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon Z (Z) test were used to assess t-TATI and s-TATI concentrations in relation to RT. Spearman's correlation (R) test was used to explore the associations between t-TATI, s-TATI and clinicopathological parameters. Overall survival (OS) according to high and low t-TATI and s-TATI concentrations was estimated by classification and regression tree analysis, Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log rank test.

Results

RT did not affect concentrations of t-TATI or s-TATI. In patients receiving short-term but not long-term RT, s-TATI concentrations were significantly higher 4 weeks post surgery than in serum drawn prior to surgery (Z = -3.366, P < 0.001). T-TATI expression correlated with male gender (R = 0.406, P = 0.008). High t-TATI expression in surgical specimens was associated with a significantly shorter OS (P = 0.045). S-TATI concentrations in serum drawn at all time points were associated with an impaired OS (P = 0.035 before RT, P = 0.001 prior to surgery, P = 0.043 post surgery). At all time points, s-TATI correlated with higher age (P < 0.001-0.021) and with increased s-creatinine concentrations assessed prior to surgery (P = 0.041).

Conclusions

The results presented here further validate the utility of t-TATI and s-TATI as prognostic biomarkers in patients with rectal cancer, independent of neoadjuvant RT.
Tribbles homolog 3 denotes a poor prognosis in breast cancer and is involved in hypoxia response
Authors: Wennemers Marloes , Bussink Johan , Scheijen Blanca , Nagtegaal Iris D , van Laarhoven Hanneke WM , Raleigh James A , Varia Mahesh A , Heuvel Joop JTM , Rouschop Kasper M , Sweep Fred CGJ , Span Paul N
Published: August 2011

Introduction

Hypoxia in solid tumors is associated with treatment resistance, resulting in poor prognosis. Tribbles homolog 3 (TRIB3) is induced during hypoxia and is involved in multiple cellular pathways involved in cell survival. Here, we investigated the role of TRIB3 in breast cancer.

Methods

TRIB3 mRNA expression was measured in breast tumor tissue from 247 patients and correlated with clinicopathological parameters and clinical outcome. Furthermore, we studied TRIB3 expression regulation in cell lines, xenografts tissues and human breast cancer material using Reverse transcriptase, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemical staining. Finally, the effect of small interfering RNA (siRNA) mediated TRIB3 knockdown on hypoxia tolerance was assessed.

Results

Breast cancer patients with low, intermediate or high TRIB3 expression exhibited a mean disease free survival (DFS) of 80 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 74 to 86), 74 (CI = 67 to 81), and 63 (CI = 55 to 71) months respectively (P = .002, Mantel-Cox log-rank). The prognostic value of TRIB3 was limited to those patients that had received radiotherapy as part of their primary treatment (n = 179, P = .005) and remained statistically significant after correction for other clinicopathological parameters (DFS, Hazard Ratio = 1.90, CI = 1.17 to 3.08, P = .009). In breast cell lines TRIB3 expression was induced by hypoxia, nutrient starvation, and endoplasmic reticulum stress in an hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) independent manner. TRIB3 induction after hypoxia did not increase with decreasing oxygen levels. In breast tumor xenografts and human breast cancer tissues TRIB3 co-localized with the hypoxic cell marker pimonidazole. The induction of TRIB3 by hypoxia was shown to be regulated via the PERK/ATF4/CHOP pathway of the unfolded protein response and knockdown of TRIB3 resulted in a dose-dependent increase in hypoxia sensitivity.

Conclusions

TRIB3 is independently associated with poor prognosis of breast cancer patients, possibly through its association with tumor cell hypoxia.
Maternal Diabetes Compromises the Organization of Hypothalamic Feeding Circuits and Impairs Leptin Sensitivity in Offspring
Authors: Steculorum Sophie M. , Bouret Sebastien G.
Published: August 2011

Maternal diabetes is a common complication of pregnancy, and the offspring of diabetic mothers have a higher risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life. Despite these observations, the precise biological processes mediating this metabolic programming are not well understood. Here, we explored the consequences of maternal diabetes on the organization of hypothalamic neural circuits involved in the regulation of energy balance. To accomplish this aim, we used a mouse model of maternal insulin deficiency induced by streptozotocin injections. Maternal diabetes was found to be associated with changes in offspring growth as revealed by a significantly higher pre- and postweaning body weight in the offspring of insulin-deficient dams relative to those of control mice. Mice born to diabetic dams also showed increased fasting glucose levels, increased insulin levels, and increased food intake during their adult lives. These impairments in metabolic regulation were associated with leptin resistance during adulthood. Importantly, the ability of leptin to activate intracellular signaling in arcuate neurons was also significantly reduced in neonates born to diabetic dams. Furthermore, neural projections from the arcuate nucleus to the paraventricular nucleus were markedly reduced in the offspring of insulin-deficient dams. Together, these data show that insulin deficiency during gestation has long-term consequences for metabolic regulation. They also indicate that animals born to diabetic dams display abnormally organized hypothalamic feeding pathways that could result from the attenuated responsiveness of hypothalamic neurons to the neurotrophic actions of leptin during neonatal development.
Learning the way to blood: first evidence of dual olfactory conditioning in a blood-sucking insect, Rhodnius prolixus. I. Appetitive learning
Authors: Vinauger Clément , Buratti Laura , Lazzari Claudio R.
Published: August 2011

It has been largely assumed that the individual experience of insects that are disease vectors might not only contribute to animal fitness, but also have an important influence on parasite transmission. Nevertheless, despite the invested efforts in testing the capacity to learn and remember information in blood-sucking insects, only little conclusive information has been obtained to date. Adapting a classical conditioning approach to our haematophagous model, we trained larvae of Rhodnius prolixus to associate l-lactic-acid, an odour perceived by these bugs but behaviourally neutral when presented alone, with food (i.e. positive reinforcement). Naive bugs – those exposed either to a conditioned stimulus (CS, l-lactic acid), unconditioned stimulus (US, heat) and reward (blood) alone or CS, US and reward in the absence of contingency – remained indifferent to the presence of an air stream loaded with l-lactic acid when tested in an olfactometer (random orientation), whereas the groups previously exposed to the contingency CS–US–reward (blood) were significantly attracted by l-lactic-acid. In a companion paper, the opposite, i.e. repellence, was induced in bugs exposed to the contingency of the same odour with a negative reinforcement. This constitutes the first evidence of olfactory conditioning in triatomine bugs, vectors of Chagas disease, and one of the few substantiations available to date of olfactory conditioning in haematophagous insects.
Effects of molting on the visual acuity of the blue crab,Callinectes sapidus
Authors: Baldwin Jamie , Johnsen Sönke
Published: August 2011

In crustaceans with compound eyes, the corneal lens of each facet is part of the exoskeleton and thus shed during molting. Here we used an optomotor assay to evaluate the impact of molting on visual acuity (as measured by the minimum resolvable angle, αmin) in the female blue crab, Callinectes sapidus. We found that visual acuity decreases substantially in the days prior to molting and is gradually recovered after molting. Four days prior to molting, αmin was 1.8 deg (N=5), a value approximating the best possible acuity in this species. In the 24 h before ecdysis occurred, αmin increased to 15.0 deg (N=12), corresponding to an eightfold drop in visual acuity. Within 6 days after molting, αmin returned to the pre-molting value. Micrographs of C. sapidus eyes showed that a gap between the corneal lens and the crystalline cone first appeared approximately 5 days prior to shedding and increased in width as the process progressed. This separation was likely responsible for the loss of visual acuity observed in behavioral tests. In blue crabs, mating is limited to the period of the female's pubertal molt, and a reduction in acuity during this time may have an effect on the sensory cues used in female mate choice. The results described here may be broadly applicable to all arthropods that molt and have particular importance for crustaceans that molt multiple times in their lifetime or have mating cycles that are paired with molting.
jShaw1, a low-threshold, fast-activating Kv3 from the hydrozoan jellyfish Polyorchis penicillatus
Authors: Sand Rheanna M. , Atherton Donna M. , Spencer Andrew N. , Gallin Warren J.
Published: August 2011

Voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels work in concert with other ion channels to determine the frequency and duration of action potentials in excitable cells. Little is known about Kv3 channels from invertebrates, but those that have been characterized generally display slow kinetics. Here, we report the cloning and characterization of jShaw1, the first Kv3 isolated from a cnidarian, the jellyfish Polyorchis penicillatus, in comparison with mouse Kv3.1 and Kv3.2. Using a two-electrode voltage clamp on Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing the channels, we compared steady-state and kinetic properties of macroscopic currents. jShaw1 is fast activating, and opens at potentials approximately 40 mV more hyperpolarized than the mouse Kv3 channels. There is an inverse relationship between the number of positive charges on the voltage sensor and the half-activation voltage of the channel, contrary to what would be expected with the simplest model of voltage sensitivity. jShaw1 has kinetic characteristics that are substantially different from the mammalian Kv3 channels, including a much lower sensitivity of early activation rates to incremental voltage changes, and a much faster voltage-dependent transition in the last stages of opening. jShaw1 opening kinetics were affected little by pre-depolarization voltage, in contrast to both mouse channels. Similar to the mouse channels, jShaw1 was half-blocked by 0.7 mmol l–1 tetraethyl ammonium and 5 mmol l–1 4-aminopyridine. Comparison of sequence and functional properties of jShaw1 with the mouse and other reported Kv3 channels helps to illuminate the general relationship between amino acid sequence and electrophysiological activity in this channel family.
Innovation in Health Care: A Call to Action
Authors: Smith Marie A
Published: August 2011

Innovation in health care is difficult yet necessary in this era of health care delivery and payment reform. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center and the CMS Partnership for Patients have announced priority areas to achieve better health, better care, and reduced costs through continuous improvement. Pharmacists possess the therapeutic knowledge and medication process expertise to create collaborative and innovative solutions that address medication use and safety problems. As a profession, we Face a call to action. As pharmacy practitioners, educators, and researchers, we face an unprecedented opportunity to make a difference. So, either individually or collectively in our workplaces and pharmacist professional organizations, we must respond to this call to action. Some practical suggestions are offered to get us started on this journey.
Guidelines for Alarm Limits and Trend Analysis
Authors: Toms Allison , Wooton David
Published: August 2011

In 1999, CS96, In-Service Lubricant Testing and Condition Monitoring Services Industry Support, was formed to address the needs of monitoring in-service oils. The standards developed by this subcommittee provide equipment customers with a known basis for the quality of the data they are receiving [Improving Used Oil Analysis Standards: Recent Efforts of ASTM D02 Subcommittee CS96, Bryan Johnson, Practicing Oil Analysis, July–Aug 2006, pp 38–41]. However, test measurements have little meaning in a condition-monitoring program if they cannot be associated with a failure mechanism of the oil or the machine. Maximum reliability of in-service machine components and fluids requires that the condition-monitoringprogram provide timely indications of machinery and oil performance and remaining usable life. In order to address these critical aspects of condition monitoring, D02.96.4, Guidelines, initiated two task forces to develop Standard Guidelines to address Alarm Limits and Trends. Reliable alarm limits for fluid and equipment characteristics are required in order to properly interpret raw lubricant test data. However, these level alarms only state how much damage has occurred. In order to generate meaningful diagnostic and prognostic information on equipment and fluid condition, the rate of change must be trended. The predictive or forecasting nature of condition monitoring is based on trending, which determines the remaining useful life of the component and fluid. This paper presents an overview of practical alarm limit calculations using statistical analysis of equipment and fluid condition data and trend analysis of condition data in the dynamic equipment-operating environment. Various trending techniques and formulas will be presented with their associated benefits and limitations. These limit and trend calculations may be applied to all techniques that provide numerical test results and for all types of equipment (diesel, pumps, gas turbines, industrial turbines, hydraulics, etc.) whether large fleets or individual industrial machines.
Complementary Sensory and Associative Microcircuitry in Primary Olfactory Cortex
Authors: Wiegand Hauke F. , Beed Prateep , Bendels Michael H. K. , Leibold Christian , Schmitz Dietmar , Johenning Friedrich W.
Published: August 2011

The three-layered primary olfactory (piriform) cortex is the largest component of the olfactory cortex. Sensory and intracortical inputs converge on principal cells in the anterior piriform cortex (aPC). We characterize organization principles of the sensory and intracortical microcircuitry of layer II and III principal cells in acute slices of rat aPC using laser-scanning photostimulation and fast two-photon population Ca2+imaging. Layer II and III principal cells are set up on a superficial-to-deep vertical axis. We found that the position on this axis correlates with input resistance and bursting behavior. These parameters scale with distinct patterns of incorporation into sensory and associative microcircuits, resulting in a converse gradient of sensory and intracortical inputs. In layer II, sensory circuits dominate superficial cells, whereas incorporation in intracortical circuits increases with depth. Layer III pyramidal cells receive more intracortical inputs than layer II pyramidal cells, but with an asymmetric dorsal offset. This microcircuit organization results in a diverse hybrid feedforward/recurrent network of neurons integrating varying ratios of intracortical and sensory input depending on a cell's position on the superficial-to-deep vertical axis. Since burstiness of spiking correlates with both the cell's location on this axis and its incorporation in intracortical microcircuitry, the neuronal output mode may encode a given cell's involvement in sensory versus associative processing.
Acute Cocaine Exposure Weakens GABABReceptor-Dependent G-Protein-Gated Inwardly Rectifying K+Signaling in Dopamine Neurons of the Ventral Tegmental Area
Authors: Arora Devinder , Hearing Matthew , Haluk Desirae M. , Mirkovic Kelsey , Fajardo-Serrano Ana , Wessendorf Martin W. , Watanabe Masahiko , Luján Rafael , Wickman Kevin
Published: August 2011

Enhanced glutamatergic neurotransmission in dopamine (DA) neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA), triggered by a single cocaine injection, represents an early adaptation linked to the more enduring effects of abused drugs that characterize addiction. Here, we examined the impact ofin vivococaine exposure on metabotropic inhibitory signaling involving G-protein-gated inwardly rectifying K+(Girk) channels in VTA DA neurons. Somatodendritic Girk currents evoked by the GABABreceptor (GABABR) agonist baclofen were diminished in a dose-dependent manner in mice given a single cocaine injection. This adaptation persisted for 3–4 d, was specific for DA neurons of the VTA, and occurred in parallel with an increase in spontaneous glutamatergic neurotransmission. No additional suppression of GABABR–Girk signaling was observed following repeated cocaine administration. While total Girk2 and GABABR1 mRNA and protein levels were unaltered by cocaine exposure in VTA DA neurons, the cocaine-induced decrease in GABABR–Girk signaling correlated with a reduction in Girk2-containing channels at the plasma membrane in VTA DA neurons. Systemic pretreatment with sulpiride, but not SCH23390 (7-chloro-3-methyl-1-phenyl-1,2,4,5-tetrahydro-3-benzazepin-8-ol), prevented the cocaine-induced suppression of GABABR–Girk signaling, implicating D2/3DA receptor activation in this adaptation. The acute cocaine-induced weakening of somatodendritic Girk signaling complements the previously demonstrated cocaine-induced strengthening of glutamatergic neurotransmission, likely contributing to enhanced output of VTA DA neurons during the early stages of addiction.
Maintenance of Dendritic Spine Morphology by Partitioning-Defective 1b through Regulation of Microtubule Growth
Authors: Hayashi Kenji , Suzuki Atsushi , Hirai Syu-ichi , Kurihara Yasuyuki , Hoogenraad Casper C. , Ohno Shigeo
Published: August 2011

Dendritic spines are postsynaptic structures that receive excitatory synaptic input from presynaptic terminals. Actin and its regulatory proteins play a central role in morphogenesis of dendritic spines. In addition, recent studies have revealed that microtubules are indispensable for the maintenance of mature dendritic spine morphology by stochastically invading dendritic spines and regulating dendritic localization of p140Cap, which is required for actin reorganization. However, the regulatory mechanisms of microtubule dynamics remain poorly understood. Partitioning-defective 1b (PAR1b), a cell polarity-regulating serine/threonine protein kinase, is thought to regulate microtubule dynamics by inhibiting microtubule binding of microtubule-associated proteins. Results from the present study demonstrated that PAR1b participates in the maintenance of mature dendritic spine morphology in mouse hippocampal neurons. Immunofluorescent analysis revealed PAR1b localization in the dendrites, which was concentrated in dendritic spines of mature neurons. PAR1b knock-down cells exhibited decreased mushroom-like dendritic spines, as well as increased filopodia-like dendritic protrusions, with no effect on the number of protrusions. Live imaging of microtubule plus-end tracking proteins directly revealed decreases in distance and duration of microtubule growth following PAR1b knockdown in a neuroblastoma cell line and in dendrites of hippocampal neurons. In addition, reduced accumulation of GFP-p140Cap in dendritic protrusions was confirmed in PAR1b knock-down neurons. In conclusion, the present results suggested a novel function for PAR1b in the maintenance of mature dendritic spine morphology by regulating microtubule growth and the accumulation of p140Cap in dendritic spines.
Frequency-Dependent Tuning of the Human Motor System Induced by Transcranial Oscillatory Potentials
Authors: Feurra Matteo , Bianco Giovanni , Santarnecchi Emiliano , Del Testa Massimiliano , Rossi Alessandro , Rossi Simone
Published: August 2011

Different corticothalamic brain modules intrinsically oscillate at a “natural frequency” in a topographically organized manner. In “quiescent” human sensorimotor regions, the main detectable oscillatory activity peaks at ∼20 Hz, and partly contributes to determine the state of corticospinal excitability. Here, we showed that the transcranial application of an imperceptible, short-lasting (90 s) electric field oscillating at a physiological range increases corticospinal excitability online, with well defined frequency dependence and regional specificity. Indeed, the size of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) induced by navigated single-pulse TMS over the motor cortex significantly increased only during the local application of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at 20 Hz (β range). Other tACS frequencies (5, 10, and 40 Hz) applied on the motor cortex did not impact MEPs' size. Moreover, tACS applied on a control site (parietal cortex) and on a peripheral site (ulnar nerve) also failed to modulate MEPs. These results help clarifying the functional significance of the 20 Hz idling β rhythm of sensorimotor regions and suggest potential clinical applications of this approach.
Adaptation Changes Stereoscopic Depth Selectivity in Visual Cortex
Authors: Duong Thang , Moore Bartlett D. , Freeman Ralph D.
Published: August 2011

Exposure to specific visual stimuli causes a reduction in sensitivity to similar subsequent stimulation. This adaptation effect is observed behaviorally and for neurons in the primary visual cortex. Here, we explore the effects of adaptation on neurons that encode binocular depth discrimination in the cat's primary visual cortex. Our results show that neuronal preference for binocular depth is altered selectively with appropriate adaptation. At the preferred depth, adaptation causes substantial suppression of subsequent responses. Near the preferred depth, the same procedure causes a shift in depth preference. At the null depth, adaptation has little effect on binocular depth coding. These results demonstrate that prior exposure can change the depth selectivity of binocular neurons. The findings are relevant to the theoretical treatment of binocular depth processing. Specifically, the prevailing notion of binocular depth encoding based on the energy model requires modification.
Urban ecosystem services: tree diversity and stability of tropospheric ozone removal
Authors: Manes Fausto , Incerti Guido , Salvatori Elisabetta , Vitale Marcello , Ricotta Carlo , Costanza Robert
Published: August 2011

Urban forests provide important ecosystem services, such as urban air quality improvement by removing pollutants. While robust evidence exists that plant physiology, abundance, and distribution within cities are basic parameters affecting the magnitude and efficiency of air pollution removal, little is known about effects of plant diversity on the stability of this ecosystem service. Here, by means of a spatial analysis integrating system dynamic modeling and geostatistics, we assessed the effects of tree diversity on the removal of tropospheric ozone (O3) in Rome, Italy, in two years (2003 and 2004) that were very different for climatic conditions and ozone levels. Different tree functional groups showed complementary uptake patterns, related to tree physiology and phenology, maintaining a stable community function across different climatic conditions. Our results, although depending on the city‐specific conditions of the studied area, suggest a higher function stability at increasing diversity levels in urban ecosystems. In Rome, such ecosystem services, based on published unitary costs of externalities and of mortality associated with O3, can be prudently valued to roughly US$2 and $3 million/year, respectively.
Passive samplers for chemical substance monitoring and associated toxicity assessment in water
Authors: Tapie N. , Devier M. H. , Soulier C. , Creusot N. , Le Menach K. , Aït-Aïssa S. , Vrana B. , Budzinski H.
Published: August 2011

The European legislation, and in particular the Water Framework Directive requires the development of cost efficient monitoring tools that can provide the required information for the assessment of water contamination. Passive sampling methods represent one of the novel tools that have a potential to be used in various regulatory monitoring programmes aimed at assessing the levels of chemical pollutants. These methods are particularly interesting for sampling polar organic pollutants in water because they provide representative information of the water quality over extended time periods (days to weeks) in environments with fluctuating contaminant concentrations. This is achieved by integrative sampling of pollutants over the whole sampler deployment period. These tools can be coupled to toxicity testing using bioassays that give information on toxic and ecotoxic hazards associated to substances that are present, these substances being identified or not. In this study the polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) was used in surface water to evaluate the water contamination by polar organic compounds and their potential toxicity.
A flexible modelling environment for integrated urban water harvesting and re-use
Authors: Graddon A. R. , Kuczera G. , Hardy M. J.
Published: August 2011

The steady increase of urban population and the possible effects of climate change that may adversely affect the amount of water available in current water supply systems, makes the study of stormwater and rainwater harvesting and wastewater recycling a high priority. The basic proposition is that any system of water supply that can reduce the amount of water drawn from main reservoirs will be of benefit to the whole supply region especially in terms of drought security. This paper describes a versatile modelling framework which can simulate a wide variety of combinations of centralised and decentralised Integrated Urban Water Management schemes from the allotment to the whole suburb scale. The framework combines two modelling approaches. The first, called urbanCycle, simulates water supply and demand, stormwater and wastewater using allotments as the basic building block. Although urbanCycle can simulate processes in great detail, it assumes that the network forms a directed acyclic graph. This simplifies the connectivity logic but precludes investigation of systems with decentralised storage, feedbacks and multiple supply paths. To overcome this, a second model, called urbanNet, based on network linear programming, is embedded in the urbanCycle framework to enable the modelling of recycling and harvesting options, as well as on-the-fly supply and demand decision making, based on objectives rather than pre-set operating rules.
Cost effectiveness of centralised and decentralised storm water treatment
Authors: Gruening H. , Hoppe H. , Messmann S. , Giga A.
Published: August 2011

As part of a research & development project commissioned by the Land of North Rhine-Westphalia's Ministry for the Environment and Nature Conservation, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (MUNLV) an examination is being carried out of the general possibilities for centralised and decentralised treatment storm water runoff to be discharged into (canalised) receiving waters and the costs ensuing from this. The examination of the different options is being carried out under real conditions, with the Briller Creek (Wuppertal/Germany) and Müggen Creek (Remscheid/Germany) catchment areas being used as models. The range of investigations deals with a comparison between ‘decentralised, semicentralised, centralised’ storm water treatment, centralised storm water treatment involving a separate sewer and parameter-specific pollution based storm water runoff control. In the framework of the research project each of the variants is to be elaborated and the costs are to be calculated so as to permit a comparison between the different system designs. In particular, the investigations are to take into account the actual requirements to be met by storm water drainage systems involving separate sewage systems.
A real-time control strategy for separation of highly polluted storm water based on UV–Vis online measurements – from theory to operation
Authors: Hoppe H. , Messmann S. , Giga A. , Gruening H.
Published: August 2011

‘Classical’ real-time control (RTC) strategies in sewer systems are based on water level and flow measurements with the goal of activation of retention volume. The control system rule of ‘clean (storm water) runoff into the receiving water – polluted runoff into the treatment plant’ has been thwarted by rough operating conditions and lack of measurements. Due to the specific boundary conditions in the city of Wuppertal's separate sewer system (clean stream water is mixed with polluted storm water runoff) a more sophisticated – pollution-based – approach was needed. In addition the requirements to be met by the treatment of storm water runoff have become more stringent in recent years. To separate the highly-polluted storm water runoff during rain events from the cleaner stream flow a pollution-based real-time control (P-RTC) system was developed and installed. This paper describes the measurement and P-RTC equipment, the definition of total suspended solids as the pollution-indicating parameter, the serviceability of the system, and also gives a cost assessment. A sensitivity analysis and pollution load calculations have been carried out in order to improve the P-RTC algorithm. An examination of actual measurements clearly shows the ecological and economic advantages of the P-RTC strategy.
Runoff infiltration, a desktop case study
Authors: Bastien N. R. P. , Arthur S. , Wallis S. G. , Scholz M.
Published: August 2011

The use of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) or best management practice is becoming increasingly common. However, rather than adopting the preferred ‘treatment train’ implementation, many developments opt for end-of-pipe control ponds. This paper discusses the use of SuDS in series to form treatment trains and compares their potential performance and effectiveness with end-of-pipe solutions. Land-use, site and catchment characteristics have been used alongside up-to-date guidance, Infoworks CS and MUSIC to determine whole-life-costs, land-take, water quality and quantity for different SuDS combinations. The results presented show that the use of a treatment train allows approaches differing from the traditional use of single SuDS, either source or ‘end-of-pipe’, to be proposed to treat and attenuate runoff. The outcome is a more flexible solution where the footprint allocated to SuDS, costs and water quality can be managed differently to fully meet stakeholder objectives.
Biofiltration as pre-treatment to water harvesting and recycling
Authors: Mohammed T. , Vigneswaran S. , Kandasamy J.
Published: August 2011

This paper presents the results of the long term biofilter experiments conducted with raw stormwater collected from a canal at Carlton, in Sydney. Anthracite and granular activated carbon (GAC) were used as a single filter media in biofilter columns. Media heights of 75 and 40 cm were used. The filter columns were operated at filtration velocities of 0.12 and 0.25 m/h. The removal efficiency for turbidity and DOC for the GAC filter media were found to be 75% and almost 100% respectively. The removal efficiency for the anthracite filter was much lower. Molecular weight distribution analysis showed an almost similar trend to the DOC removal. Compared with anthracite filter media, the GAC biofilter removed a much larger range of organic compounds present in the stormwater. The GAC biofilter removes organic matter earlier as compared to anthracite. Based on a limited sample of stormwater, the removal efficiency for phosphorus was upto 74% and that of nitrogen was up to 30%. In general GAC filter shows higher heavy metal removal efficiency than anthracite. The removal of zinc, iron, lead and nickel were good. However the concentration of heavy metal in the raw surface water sample was low.
Application of reversed A2/O process on removing nitrogen and phosphorus from municipal wastewater in China
Authors: Kang X. S. , Liu C. Q. , Zhang B. , Bi X. J. , Zhang F. , Cheng L. H.
Published: August 2011

The application of reversed A2/O process in practice in China is mainly discussed in this paper. As a new process on nitrogen and phosphorus removal, principle and technical features of reversed A2/O process are also summarized. The application in rebuilt wastewater treatment plant shows that reversed A2/O process not only has merits on high nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiency, but also has merits on energy saving. The application in newly-build wastewater treatment plant shows that infrastructure and equipment investment of reversed A2/O process economized 15% and 10% respectively, compared to conventional A2/O process. The practical application shows that reversed A2/O process is a new nitrogen and phosphorus removal process, which is suitable for China's national conditions.
Improved environmental multimedia modeling and its sensitivity analysis
Authors: Yuan Jing , Elektorowicz Maria , Chen Zhi
Published: August 2011

Modeling of multimedia environmental issues is extremely complex due to the intricacy of the systems with the consideration of many factors. In this study, an improved environmental multimedia modeling is developed and a number of testing problems related to it are examined and compared with each other with standard numerical and analytical methodologies. The results indicate the flux output of new model is lesser in the unsaturated zone and groundwater zone compared with the traditional environmental multimedia model. Furthermore, about 90% of the total benzene flux was distributed to the air zone from the landfill sources and only 10% of the total flux emitted into the unsaturated, groundwater zones in non-uniform conditions. This paper also includes functions of model sensitivity analysis to optimize model parameters such as Peclet number (Pe). The analyses results show that the Pe can be considered as deterministic input variables for transport output. The oscillatory behavior is eliminated with the Pe decreased. In addition, the numerical methods are more accurate than analytical methods with the Pe increased. In conclusion, the improved environmental multimedia model system and its sensitivity analysis can be used to address the complex fate and transport of the pollutants in multimedia environments and then help to manage the environmental impacts.
Field investigation of arsenic in ceramic pot filter-treated drinking water
Authors: Archer A. R. , Elmore A. C. , Bell E. , Rozycki C.
Published: August 2011

Ceramic pot filters (CPFs) is one of several household water treatment technologies that is used to treat drinking water in developing areas. The filters have the advantage of being able to be manufactured using primarily locally available materials and local labor. However, naturallyoccurring arsenic present in the clay used to make the filters has the potential to contaminate the water in excess of the World Health Organization drinking water standard of 0.01 mg/L. A manufacturing facility in Guatemala routinely rinses filters to reduce arsenic concentrations prior to distribution to consumers. A systemic study was performed to evaluate the change in arsenic concentrations with increasing volumes of rinse water. Arsenic field kit results were compared to standard method laboratory results, and dissolved versus suspended arsenic concentrations in CPF-treated water were evaluated. The results of the study suggest that rinsing is an effective means of mitigating arsenic leached from the filters, and that even in the absence of a formal rinsing program, routine consumer use may result in the rapid decline of arsenic concentrations. More importantly, the results indicate that filter manufacturers should give strong consideration to implementing an arsenic testing program.