bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rethinking a Glass Ceiling in the Hospitality Industry
Authors: Boone Juliette , Veller Tatiana , Nikolaeva Kristina , Keith Mark , Kefgen Keith , Houran James
Published: July 2013

Despite well-publicized exceptions, women are the minority in the highest levels of executive leadership—a phenomenon traditionally attributed to workplace barriers collectively termed the glass ceiling. Newer research, however, increasingly implicates self-imposed barriers to women’s advancement. This suggests that barriers to women might be undergoing a “shift” whereby personal priorities hold greater influence over advancement opportunities than do traditional workplace barriers. We tested this notion via an online survey of fifty-four male and forty-five female global industry leaders. Two main findings emerged. First, contrary to traditional stereotypes, men and women held essentially the same views on career and home life. Second, data revealed that men and women emphasized self-imposed barriers over workplace barriers as the major obstacles to women’s advancement. The most common self-imposed barriers involved family and household responsibilities holding a higher priority, as well as work–life balance, whereas the most prominent workplace barriers were lack of mentoring, lack of careful career planning, stereotyping, and perception of feminine traits. We argue that the “glass ceiling” is now predominantly a misnomer and that the current challenges to advancement are best characterized as an “invisible obstacle course” whereby organizations inadvertently fail in helping women to successfully manage their self-imposed barriers via a lack of active leadership development.
SLiMScape: a protein short linear motif analysis plugin for Cytoscape
Authors: O’Brien Kevin T , Haslam Niall J , Shields Denis C
Published: July 2013

Background

Computational protein short linear motif discovery can use protein interaction information to search for motifs among proteins which share a common interactor. Cytoscape provides a visual interface for protein networks but there is no streamlined way to rapidly visualize motifs in a network of proteins, or to integrate computational discovery with such visualizations.

Results

We present SLiMScape, a Cytoscape plugin, which enables both de novo motif discovery and searches for instances of known motifs. Data is presented using Cytoscape’s visualization features thus providing an intuitive interface for interpreting results. The distribution of discovered or user-defined motifs may be selectively displayed and the distribution of protein domains may be viewed simultaneously. To facilitate this SLiMScape automatically retrieves domains for each protein.

Conclusion

SLiMScape provides a platform for performing short linear motif analyses of protein interaction networks by integrating motif discovery and search tools in a network visualization environment. This significantly aids in the discovery of novel short linear motifs and in visualizing the distribution of known motifs.
Aerobic transformation of cadmium through metal sulfide biosynthesis in photosynthetic microorganisms
Authors: Edwards Chad D , Beatty Joseph C , Loiselle Jacqueline BR , Vlassov Katya A , Lefebvre Daniel D
Published: July 2013

Background

Cadmium is a non-essential metal that is toxic because of its interference with essential metals such as iron, calcium and zinc causing numerous detrimental metabolic and cellular effects. The amount of this metal in the environment has increased dramatically since the advent of the industrial age as a result of mining activities, the use of fertilizers and sewage sludge in farming, and discharges from manufacturing activities. The metal bioremediation utility of phototrophic microbes has been demonstrated through their ability to detoxify Hg(II) into HgS under aerobic conditions. Metal sulfides are generally very insoluble and therefore, biologically unavailable.

Results

When Cd(II) was exposed to cells it was bioconverted into CdS by the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae, and the cyanobacterium, Synechoccocus leopoliensis. Supplementation of the two eukaryotic algae with extra sulfate, but not sulfite or cysteine, increased their cadmium tolerances as well as their abilities to produce CdS, indicating an involvement of sulfate assimilation in the detoxification process. However, the combined activities of extracted serine acetyl-transferase (SAT) and O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase (OASTL) used to monitor sulfate assimilation, was not significantly elevated during cell treatments that favored sulfide biosynthesis. It is possible that the prolonged incubation of the experiments occurring over two days could have compensated for the low rates of sulfate assimilation. This was also the case for S. leopoliensis where sulfite and cysteine as well as sulfate supplementation enhanced CdS synthesis. In general, conditions that increased cadmium sulfide production also resulted in elevated cysteine desulfhydrase activities, strongly suggesting that cysteine is the direct source of sulfur for CdS synthesis.

Conclusions

Cadmium(II) tolerance and CdS formation were significantly enhanced by sulfate supplementation, thus indicating that algae and cyanobacteria can produce CdS in a manner similar to that of HgS. Significant increases in sulfate assimilation as measured by SAT-OASTL activity were not detected. However, the enhanced activity of cysteine desulfhydrase indicates that it is instrumental in the provision of H2S for aerobic CdS biosynthesis.
Evidence-based paramedic models of care to reduce unnecessary emergency department attendance – feasibility and safety
Authors: Finn Judith C , Fatovich Daniel M , Arendts Glenn , Mountain David , Tohira Hideo , Williams Teresa A , Sprivulis Peter , Celenza Antonio , Ahern Tony , Bremner Alexandra P , Cameron Peter , Borland Meredith L , Rogers Ian R , Jacobs Ian G
Published: July 2013

Background

As demand for Emergency Department (ED) services continues to exceed increases explained by population growth, strategies to reduce ED presentations are being explored. The concept of ambulance paramedics providing an alternative model of care to the current default ‘see and transport to ED’ has intuitive appeal and has been implemented in several locations around the world. The premise is that for certain non-critically ill patients, the Extended Care Paramedic (ECP) can either ‘see and treat’ or ‘see and refer’ to another primary or community care practitioner, rather than transport to hospital. However, there has been little rigorous investigation of which types of patients can be safely identified and managed in the community, or the impact of ECPs on ED attendance.

Methods/Design

St John Ambulance Western Australia paramedics will indicate on the electronic patient care record (e-PCR) of patients attended in the Perth metropolitan area if they consider them to be suitable to be managed in the community. ‘Follow-up’ will examine these patients using ED data to determine the patient’s disposition from the ED. A clinical panel will then develop a protocol to identify those patients who can be safely managed in the community. Paramedics will then assess patients against the derived ECP protocols and identify those deemed suitable to ‘see and treat’ or ‘see and refer’. The ED disposition (and other clinical outcomes) of these ‘ECP protocol identified’ patients will enable us to assess whether it would have been appropriate to manage these patients in the community. We will also ‘track’ re-presentations to EDs within seven days of the initial presentation. This is a ‘virtual experiment’ with no direct involvement of patients or changes in clinical practice. A systems modelling approach will be used to assess the likely impact on ED crowding.

Discussion

To date the efficacy, cost-effectiveness and safety of alternative community-based models of emergency care have not been rigorously investigated. This study will inform the development of ECP protocols through the identification of types of patient presentation that can be considered both safe and appropriate for paramedics to manage in the community.
Changing profile of rotavirus genotypes in Bangladesh, 2006–2012
Authors: Afrad Mokibul Hassan , Hassan Zahid , Farjana Saiada , Moni Sayra , Barua Subarna , Das Sumon Kumar , Faruque Abu Syed Golam , Azim Tasnim , Rahman Mustafizur
Published: July 2013

Background

Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe diarrhea in infants and young children worldwide including Bangladesh. Unlike what was seen in high-income countries, the licensed rotavirus vaccines did not show high efficacy in Bangladeshi trials. We assessed rotavirus prevalence and genotypes in Bangladesh over six-year period to provide baseline information on the rotavirus burden and changing profile in the country.

Methods

This study was conducted from June 2006 to May 2012 in Matlab, Bangladesh. Group A rotaviruses were detected in stools collected from diarrhea patients by ELISA and genotyped using multiplex reverse transcription PCR followed by nucleotide sequencing.

Results

Of the 9678 stool samples, 20.3% were positive for rotavirus. The most predominant genotype was G1P[8] (22.4%), followed by G9P[8] (20.8%), G2P[4] (16.9%) and G12P[8] (10.4%). Mixed infections were detected in 14.2% of the samples. Emergence of an unusual strain, G9P[4] was documented during 2011–12. Several amino acid mismatches in the antigenic epitopes of VP7 and VP4 between Bangladeshi and the vaccine strains were identified.

Conclusions

Our study provides important information on rotavirus genotypes that should be considered for the selection and introduction of rotavirus vaccines in Bangladesh.
Changes in the histological spectrum of glomerular diseases in the past 16 years in the North-Eastern region of Romania
Authors: Volovăt Carmen , Cãruntu Irina , Costin Camelia , Stefan Alina , Popa Raluca , Volovăt Simona , Siriopol Dimitrie , Voroneanu Luminita , Nistor Ionut , Segall Liviu , Covic Adrian
Published: July 2013

Background

The aim of this study was to describe the findings of renal biopsies from a large nephrology center in Iasi, Romania, performed between 2005 and 2010. We compared these findings with our previous ones, from 1995 to 2004, as well as with similar reports.

Methods

We studied retrospectively 239 renal biopsies. The indications for renal biopsy were categorized into: nephrotic syndrome, acute nephritic syndrome, asymptomatic urinary abnormalities, acute kidney injury, and chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology.

Results

During the past 16 years, a gradual increase in the annual number of renal biopsies/per million population (p.m.p.)/year was observed, although this incidence remained lower than in other European countries. Nephrotic syndrome was the indication for renal biopsy in over 50% of cases. Glomerulonephritis (GN) was the main histological diagnosis in 91% of cases, of which 56% were primary GN and 35% were secondary GN. The frequency of various types of primary GN was: membranoproliferative GN (MPGN) - 29.3%, membranous nephropathy (MN) -27.5%, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) - 17.2%, mesangial GN (including IgAN) -13.7%, crescentic GN - 9.4%, and minimal change disease (MCD) - 2.5%. Compared to the previously reported period (1994–2004), we observed a significant decrease in the frequency of MPGN and significant increases in the frequency of FSGS and, particularly MN - which more than doubled.

Conclusion

We report significant changes in the histological spectrum of GN in North-Eastern Romania in 2005–2010, compared to the previously reported 10-yrs. These changes seem to be following a trend that has also been observed in Western countries a few decades ago, and which may have a socioeconomic explanation.
Hip fracture risk assessment: artificial neural network outperforms conditional logistic regression in an age- and sex-matched case control study
Authors: Tseng Wo-Jan , Hung Li-Wei , Shieh Jiann-Shing , Abbod Maysam F , Lin Jinn
Published: July 2013

Background

Osteoporotic hip fractures with a significant morbidity and excess mortality among the elderly have imposed huge health and economic burdens on societies worldwide. In this age- and sex-matched case control study, we examined the risk factors of hip fractures and assessed the fracture risk by conditional logistic regression (CLR) and ensemble artificial neural network (ANN). The performances of these two classifiers were compared.

Methods

The study population consisted of 217 pairs (149 women and 68 men) of fractures and controls with an age older than 60 years. All the participants were interviewed with the same standardized questionnaire including questions on 66 risk factors in 12 categories. Univariate CLR analysis was initially conducted to examine the unadjusted odds ratio of all potential risk factors. The significant risk factors were then tested by multivariate analyses. For fracture risk assessment, the participants were randomly divided into modeling and testing datasets for 10-fold cross validation analyses. The predicting models built by CLR and ANN in modeling datasets were applied to testing datasets for generalization study. The performances, including discrimination and calibration, were compared with non-parametric Wilcoxon tests.

Results

In univariate CLR analyses, 16 variables achieved significant level, and six of them remained significant in multivariate analyses, including low T score, low BMI, low MMSE score, milk intake, walking difficulty, and significant fall at home. For discrimination, ANN outperformed CLR in both 16- and 6-variable analyses in modeling and testing datasets (p?<?0.005). For calibration, ANN outperformed CLR only in 16-variable analyses in modeling and testing datasets (p?=?0.013 and 0.047, respectively).

Conclusions

The risk factors of hip fracture are more personal than environmental. With adequate model construction, ANN may outperform CLR in both discrimination and calibration. ANN seems to have not been developed to its full potential and efforts should be made to improve its performance.
Eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid supplementation and inflammatory gene expression in the duodenum of obese patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Labonté Marie-Ève , Couture Patrick , Tremblay André J , Hogue Jean-Charles , Lemelin Valéry , Lamarche Benoît
Published: July 2013

Background

The extent to which long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCn-3PUFA) from fish oil such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) exert their anti-inflammatory effects by down-regulating intestinal inflammation in humans is unknown. We investigated the impact of LCn-3PUFA supplementation on inflammatory gene expression in the duodenum of obese patients with type 2 diabetes.

Findings

This placebo-controlled randomized crossover study included 12 men with type 2 diabetes. After a 4-week run-in period, patients received in a random sequence 5 g/d of fish oil (providing 3 g of EPA + DHA) and a placebo (corn and soybean oil) for 8 weeks each. The two treatment phases were separated by a 12-week washout period. Gene expression was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction in duodenal biopsy samples obtained in the fasted state at the end of each treatment phase. Intestinal mRNA expression levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor-necrosis factor (TNF)-α were hardly detectable after either treatment (<100 copies/105 copies of the reference gene ATP5o). Intestinal mRNA expression of IL-18 and of the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) was higher (>5000 copies/105 copies ATP5o) but still relatively low. EPA + DHA supplementation had no impact on any of these levels (all P ≥ 0.73).

Conclusions

These data suggest that duodenal cells gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines is low in patients with type 2 diabetes and not affected by EPA + DHA supplementation. Further studies are warranted to determine if inflammatory gene expression in other tissues surrounding the intestine is modulated by EPA + DHA supplementation.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT01449773
Immunization against recombinant GnRH-I alters ultrastructure of gonadotropin cell in an experimental boar model
Authors: Fang Fugui , Su Shiping , Liu Ya , Zhang Yunhai , Pu Yong , Zhao Xijie , Li Yunsheng , Cao Hongguo , Wang Juhua , Zhou Jie , Zhang Xiaorong
Published: July 2013

Background

Gonadotropin cell is the main responsible for the secretion of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), and immunocastration reduces the concentrations of serum FSH and LH. A few studies have reported the histological structure of gonadotropin cells obtained from immunocastration animals at the light microscopy level. However, the ultrastructure of gonadotropin cells remains largely unexplored. The aim of this study was to evaluate and to compare ultrastructure of gonadotropin cell in gonadally intact boars and immunologically castrated male animals.

Findings

In this study, serum and adenohypophysis tissue were collected from nine gonadally intact boars and nine male pigs treated with recombinant gonadotropin releasing hormone I (GnRH-I). Anti-GnRH-I antibodies in serum and the ultrastructure of gonadotropin cell in adenohypophysis were determined by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay and electron microscopy, respectively. The results demonstrated that active immunization against recombinant GnRH-I increased serum GnRH-I antibody levels (P<0.05). Ultramicroscopic analysis of gonadotropin cell revealed a decrease (P<0.05) in the number and size of the large granules and small granules in the recombinant GnRH-I immunized animals.

Conclusions

We conclude that immunization against recombinant GnRH-I induces severe atrophy of granules in gonadotropin cell of boars, possibly reflecting GnRH-I regulation of gonadotropin cell.
CAPN 7 promotes the migration and invasion of human endometrial stromal cell by regulating matrix metalloproteinase 2 activity
Authors: Liu Hongyu , Jiang Yue , Jin Xiaoyan , Zhu Lihua , Shen Xiaoyue , Zhang Qun , Wang Bin , Wang Junxia , Hu Yali , Yan Guijun , Sun Haixiang
Published: July 2013

Background

Matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) has been reported to be an important regulator of cell migration and invasion through degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in many diseases, such as cancer and endometriosis. Here, we found calcium-activated neutral protease 7 (CAPN 7) expression was markedly upregulated in the eutopic endometrium and endometrial stromal cells of women diagnosed with endometriosis. Our studies were carried out to detect the effects of CAPN 7 on human endometrial stromal cell (hESC) migration and invasion.

Methods

Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR were used to detect the expression of CAPN 7 in endometriosis patients and normal fertile women. Scratch-wound-healing and invasion chamber assay were used to investigate the role of CAPN 7 in hESC migration and invasion. Western blotting, quantitative real-time PCR and zymography were carried out to detect the effect of CAPN 7 on the expressions and activity of MMP-2.

Results

CAPN 7 was markedly up-regulated in endometriosis, thereby promoting the migration and invasion of hESC. CAPN 7 overexpression led to increased expression of MMP-2 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2 (TIMP-2); CAPN 7 knockdown reversed these changes. CAPN 7 increased MMP-2 activity by increasing the ratio of MMP-2 to TIMP-2. We also found that OA-Hy (an MMP-2 inhibitor) decreased the effects of CAPN 7 overexpression on hESC migration and invasion by approximately 50% and 55%, respectively. Additionally, a coimmunoprecipitation assay demonstrated that CAPN 7 interacted with activator protein 2α (AP-2α): an important transcription factor of MMP-2.

Conclusions

CAPN 7 promotes hESC migration and invasion by increasing the activity of MMP-2 via an increased ratio of MMP-2 to TIMP-2.
A prospective, non-randomized, no placebo-controlled, phase Ib clinical trial to study the safety of the adipose derived stromal cells-stromal vascular fraction in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Tzouvelekis Argyris , Paspaliaris Vassilis , Koliakos George , Ntolios Paschalis , Bouros Evangelos , Oikonomou Anastasia , Zissimopoulos Athanassios , Boussios Nikolaos , Dardzinski Brian , Gritzalis Dimitrios , Antoniadis Antonis , Froudarakis Marios , Kolios George , Bouros Demosthenes
Published: July 2013

Introduction

Regenerative medicine and particular adult stem cells represent an alternative option with several fruitful therapeutic applications in patients suffering from chronic lung diseases including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Nevertheless, lack of knowledge regarding the origin and the potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to differentiate into fibroblasts has limited their use for the treatment of this dismal disease.

Patients and methods

To this end, we conducted a phase Ib, non-randomized, clinical trial to study the safety of three endobronchial infusions of autologous adipose derived stromal cells (ADSCs)-stromal vascular fraction (SVF) (0.5 million cells per kgr of body weight per infusion) in patients with IPF (n=14) of mild to moderate disease severity (forced vital capacity –FVC>50% predicted value and diffusion lung capacity for carbon monoxide-DLCO>35% of predicted value). Our primary end-point was incidence of treatment emergent adverse events within 12 months. Alterations of functional, exercise capacity and quality of life parameters at serial time points (baseline, 6 and 12 months after first infusion) were exploratory secondary end-points.

Results

No cases of serious or clinically meaningful adverse events including short-term infusional toxicities as well as long-term ectopic tissue formation were recorded in all patients. Detailed safety monitoring through several time-points indicated that cell-treated patients did not deteriorate in both functional parameters and indicators of quality of life.

Conclusions

The clinical trial met its primary objective demonstrating an acceptable safety profile of endobronchially administered autologous ADSCs-SVF. Our findings accelerate the rapidly expanded scientific knowledge and indicate a way towards future efficacy trials.
Quantification of bone changes in a collagen-induced arthritis mouse model by reconstructed three dimensional micro-CT
Authors: Yang Shu , Hollister Anne M , Orchard Elysse A , Chaudhery Shubnum I , Ostanin Dmitry V , Lokitz Stephen J , Mathis J Michael
Published: July 2013

Background

Inflammatory arthritis is a chronic disease, resulting in synovitis and subchondral and bone area destruction, which can severely affect a patient’s quality of life. The most common form of inflammatory arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in which many of the disease mechanisms are not well understood. The collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model is similar to RA as it exhibits joint space narrowing and bone erosion as well as involves inflammatory factors and cellular players that have been implicated in RA pathogenesis. Quantitative data for disease progression in RA models is difficult to obtain as serum blood markers may not always reflect disease state and physical disease indexes are subjective. Thus, it is important to develop tools to objectively assess disease progression in CIA.

Results

Micro-CT (Computed Tomography) is a relatively mature technology that has been used to track a variety of anatomical changes in small animals. In this study, micro-CT scans of several joints of control and CIA mice were acquired at 0, 4, 7, and 9 weeks after the immunization with collagen type II. Each micro-CT scan was analyzed by applying a segmentation algorithm to individual slices in each image set to provide 3-dimensional representations of specific bones including the humerus, femur, and tibia. From these representations, the volume and mean density of these bones were measured and compared. This analysis showed that both the volume and the density of each measured bone of the CIA mice were significantly smaller than those of the controls at week 7.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that micro-CT can be used to quantify bone changes in the CIA mouse model as an alternative to disease index assessments. In conclusion, micro-CT could be useful as a non-invasive method to monitor the efficacy of new treatments for RA tested in small animals.
Thyroid nodule as a first manifestation of Hodgkin lymphoma–report of two cases and literature review
Authors: Szczepanek-Parulska Ewelina , Szkudlarek Malgorzata , Majewski Przemyslaw , Breborowicz Jan , Ruchala Marek
Published: July 2013

Lymphomas account for less than 5% of thyroid malignant lesions. Vast majority of them are B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL), while Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is extremely rare. Here we present two cases of HL, at baseline manifesting as a thyroid lesion. First patient, 29-year-old pregnant female, initially suspected for metastatic medullary thyroid cancer, was eventually diagnosed with mixed cellularity type of thyroid HL. Second patient, 22-year-old woman with suspicion of advanced thyroid cancer, was in the end diagnosed with an extra-lymphatic classical HL of the thyroid. In both cases, despite repeated fine-needle aspiration biopsy, cytological examination gave inconclusive or misleading results. On histopathological examination, thyroid tumor cells were positive for CD15 and CD30 antigen, which is typical for Reed-Sternberg cells. In the report authors also discuss difficulties in management as well as potential importance of novel methods such as FISH, PCR and other molecular techniques in diagnostics of thyroid lymphomas.

Virtual slides

The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/2896947559559648
Influence of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis infection on the composition of chicken cecal microbiota
Authors: Videnska Petra , Sisak Frantisek , Havlickova Hana , Faldynova Marcela , Rychlik Ivan
Published: July 2013

Background

Infection of newly hatched chicks with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) results in an inflammatory response in the intestinal tract which may influence the composition of gut microbiota. In this study we were therefore interested whether S. Enteritidis induced inflammation results in changes in the cecal microbiota. To reach this aim, we compared the cecal microbiota of non-infected chickens and those infected by S. Enteritidis by pyrosequencing the V3/V4 variable regions of genes coding for 16S rRNA.

Results

Cecal microbiota of chickens up to 19 days of life was dominated by representatives of Enterobacteriaceae, Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae, followed by Lactobacillaceae. The presence of Lachnospiraceae did not change after S. Enteritidis infection. Enterobacteriaceae increased and Ruminococcaceae decreased after S. Enteritidis infection in two independent experiments although these results were not significant. A significant increase in both experiments was observed only for the representatives of Lactobacillaceae which may correlate with their microaerophilic growth characteristic compared to the obligate anaerobes from the families Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae.

Conclusions

We conclude that S. Enteritidis infection influences the composition of the cecal microbiota in chickens but these changes are minor in nature and should be understood more as an indirect consequence of infection and inflammation rather than a positively selected evolutionary trait.
Assessing the effects of different pectins addition on color quality and antioxidant properties of blackberry jam
Authors: Poiana Mariana-Atena , Munteanu Melania-Florina , Bordean Despina-Maria , Gligor Ramona , Alexa Ersilia
Published: July 2013

Background

In the last years pectin and other hydrocolloids were tested for improving the color stability and the retention of bioactive compounds in gelled fruit-based products. In line with these concerns, our study has been directed to quantify the changes in antioxidant status and color indices of blackberry jam obtained with different types of pectin (degree of esterification: DE, degree of amidation: DA) and doses in response to processing and storage for 1, 3 and 6 months at 20°C.

Results

Blackberry jam was obtained by a traditional procedure used in households or small-scale systems with different commercial pectins (HMP: high-methoxyl pectin, LMP: low-methoxyl pectin and LMAP: low-methoxyl amidated pectin) added to three concentrations (0.3, 0.7 and 1.0%) and investigated in terms of total monomeric anthocyanins (TMA), antioxidant capacity expressed as ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), total phenolics (TP), color density (CD) and percent of polymeric color, PC (%). Thermal processing resulted in significant depreciation of analyzed parameters reported to the corresponding values of fresh fruit as follows: TMA (69-82%), TP (33-55%) and FRAP (18-52%). Biologically active compounds and color were best retained one day post-processing in jams with LMAP followed by samples with LMP and HMP. Storage for 6 months brings along additional dramatic losses reported to the values recorded one day post-processing as follows: TMA (31-56%), TP (29-51%) and FRAP (20-41%). Also, both processing and storage resulted in significant increases in PC (%). The pectin type and dosage are very influential factors for limiting the alterations occurring in response to processing and storage. The best color retention and the highest TMA, TP and FRAP were achieved by LMAP, followed by LMP and HMP. Additionally, a high level of bioactive compounds in jam could be related to a high dose of pectin. LMAP to a level of 1% is the most indicated to provide the highest antioxidant properties in jam.

Conclusions

The retention of bioactive compounds and jam color stability were strongly dependent on the pectin type and dosage. By a proper selection of pectin type and dose could be limited the losses recorded in response to processing and storage.
Identification of the likely translational start of Mycobacterium tuberculosis GyrB
Authors: Karkare Shantanu , Brown Amanda C , Parish Tanya , Maxwell Anthony
Published: July 2013

Background

Bacterial DNA gyrase is a validated target for antibacterial chemotherapy. It consists of two subunits, GyrA and GyrB, which form an A2B2complex in the active enzyme. Sequence alignment ofMycobacterium tuberculosisGyrB with other bacterial GyrBs predicts the presence of 40 potential additional amino acids at the GyrB N-terminus. There are discrepancies between theM. tuberculosisGyrB sequences retrieved from different databases, including sequences annotated with or without the additional 40 amino acids. This has resulted in differences in the GyrB sequence numbering that has led to the reporting of previously known fluoroquinolone-resistance mutations as novel mutations.

Findings

We have expressedM. tuberculosisGyrB with and without the extra 40 amino acids inEscherichia coliand shown that both can be produced as soluble, active proteins. Supercoiling and other assays of the two proteins show no differences, suggesting that the additional 40 amino acids have no effect on the enzymein vitro. RT-PCR analysis ofM. tuberculosismRNA shows that transcripts that could yield both the longer and shorter protein are present. However, promoter analysis showed that only the promoter elements leading to the shorter GyrB (lacking the additional 40 amino acids) had significant activity.

Conclusion

We conclude that the most probable translational start codon forM. tuberculosisGyrB is GTG (Val) which results in translation of a protein of 674 amino acids (74 kDa).
Clinical features and outcomes of foot keloids treated using complete surgical excision and full thickness skin grafting followed by corticosteroid injections
Authors: Park Tae Hwan , Park Ji Hae , Chang Choong Hyun
Published: July 2013

Background

Keloids are often resistant to treatment and have high recurrence rates. To the best of the authors' knowledge, however, there have been very few case reports related to foot keloids. The purpose of this retrospective case‐series was to summarize the baseline characteristics of a cohort of patients, introduce our treatment regimen for the successful treatment of foot keloids.

Methods

Patients were treated with surgical excision followed by full thickness skin grafting combined with postoperative steroid injections combined with silicone gel sheeting over a period of eight years from December 2004 to November 2012 at our institution. Subjective outcome was evaluated using Patient Scar Assessment Scales. The final objective outcome was judged by two independent physicians at the time of 12 months after treatment as recurrence or non‐recurrence.

Results

Of 79 patients, 75 (94.9%) were women and 4 (5.1%) were men. The average age was 18 (range 7‐43) years. The average pretreatment total size of the lesions was 50 (range 18‐150) cm. The number of patients treated for a primary foot keloid was 29 (36.7%), and 70 patients (63.3%) were treated for a recurrent keloid that failed to respond to prior treatments. Prior treatments included single therapies such as surgical excision alone (4 patients, 5.1%), prior steroid injection alone (33 patients, 41.8%), and laser therapy (2 patients, 2.5%). Other therapies included combination treatments (11 patients, 13.9%). Most patients reported improved Patient Scar Assessment Scale by lapse of time. All patients completed the treatment regimen and follow‐up of 12 months. Of these patients, 62 patients (78.5%) achieved successful treatment, while the remaining 17 (21.5%) experienced recurrence.

Conclusions

We successfully treated foot keloids using complete surgical excision and full thickness skin grafting followed by four corticosteroid injections (at one month intervals).
The bioluminescent Listeria monocytogenes strain Xen32 is defective in flagella expression and highly attenuated in orally infected BALB/cJ mice
Authors: Bergmann Silke , Rohde Manfred , Schughart Klaus , Lengeling Andreas
Published: July 2013

Background

In vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is a powerful method for the analysis of host-pathogen interactions in small animal models. The commercially available bioluminescent Listeria monocytogenes strain Xen32 is commonly used to analyse immune functions in knockout mice and pathomechanisms of listeriosis.

Findings

To analyse and image listerial dissemination after oral infection we have generated a murinised Xen32 strain (Xen32-mur) which expresses a previously described mouse-adapted internalin A. This strain was used alongside the Xen32 wild type strain and the bioluminescent L. monocytogenes strains EGDe-lux and murinised EGDe-mur-lux to characterise bacterial dissemination in orally inoculated BALB/cJ mice. After four days of infection, Xen32 and Xen32-mur infected mice displayed consistently higher rates of bioluminescence compared to EGDe-lux and EGDe-mur-lux infected animals. However, surprisingly both Xen32 strains showed attenuated virulence in orally infected BALB/c mice that correlated with lower bacterial burden in internal organs at day 5 post infection, smaller losses in body weights and increased survival compared to EGDe-lux or EGDe-mur-lux inoculated animals. The Xen32 strain was made bioluminescent by integration of a lux-kan transposon cassette into the listerial flaA locus. We show here that this integration results in Xen32 in a flaA frameshift mutation which makes this strain flagella deficient.

Conclusions

The bioluminescent L. monocytogenes strain Xen32 is deficient in flagella expression and highly attenuated in orally infected BALB/c mice. As this listerial strain has been used in many BLI studies of murine listeriosis, it is important that the scientific community is aware of its reduced virulence in vivo.
Decoration of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with different ferrite nanoparticles and its use as an adsorbent
Authors: Farghali Ahmed A , Bahgat Mohamed , ElRouby Waleed M A , Khedr Mohamed H
Published: July 2013

A simple and inexpensive synthesis route to produce multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) decorated with CoFe2O4 and Co0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles using a simplified hydrothermal precipitation is reported. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction confirm the formation of 14.9 nm CoFe2O4 and 26 nm Co0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles on MWCNTs surface. The prepared composite was used for methyl green adsorption. The effects of various parameters, such as temperature, initial dye concentration, and composite dosage, were investigated. Experimental results have shown that the amount of adsorbed dye increased with increasing initial dye concentration, composite dosage, and temperature. The adsorption kinetic data were analyzed using pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intraparticle diffusion models. It was found that the pseudo-second-order kinetic model was the most appropriate model in describing the adsorption kinetics. The adsorption isotherms of methyl green onto MWCNTs decorated with CoFe2O4 and Co0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles were determined at 298, 313, and 323 K. Equilibrium data were fitted to the Langmuir and the Freundlich isotherm models, then the isotherm constants were determined. The equilibrium data were best represented by the Langmuir isotherm model. Thermodynamic parameters such as changes in the free energy of adsorption, enthalpy, entropy, and activation energy were calculated.
Sagittal abdominal diameter shows better correlation with cardiovascular risk factors than waist circumference and BMI
Authors: de Souza Natalia Cavalheri , de Oliveira Erick Prado
Published: July 2013

Background

Obesity (abdominal adiposity) is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and the most used methods to measure the adiposity are body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD).

Objective

To correlate BMI, WC, and SAD with biochemical parameters and blood pressure in adults.

Methods

A non-experimental exploratory/descriptive and cross sectional study was developed and it was assessed 133 subjects (59 men and 74 women) aging between 18 and 87 years. It was registered the patients’ weight (kg), height (m), BMI (kg/m2), WC (cm) and SAD (cm), and these parameters were correlated with glycemia, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-c, LDL-c and blood pressure.

Results

After adjustment for gender and age, it was observed a positive correlation between SAD and systolic arterial blood pressure (r = 0.20), glycemia (r = 0.20), triglycerides (r = 0.32), LDL (r = 0.26), total cholesterol (TC) (r = 0.33), and a negative correlation with HDL-c (r = −0.21) (p < 0.05). It was observed a positive correlation between WC and systolic arterial blood pressure (r = 0.14), triglycerides (r = 0.31), total cholesterol (r = 0.21), and a negative correlation with HDL-c (r = −0.24) (p < 0.05). BMI showed a positive correlation with systolic arterial blood pressure (r = 0.22), total cholesterol (r = 0.20), and triglycerides (r = 0.23) (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

SAD correlated with almost all the cardiovascular risk factors analyzed and it might be considered the best predictor of abdominal fat and cardiovascular risk.
Sympathetic chords: Reverberating connection through the lived leisure experiences of music listening
Authors: Pate Joseph A. , Johnson Corey W.
Published: July 2013

Informed by a larger post-intentional phenomenology on those who self-disclose deep and significant experiences of connection with and through music listening, this work highlights glimpses and manifestations of the listening act. Interviews with one participant from a larger study afford insights into experiences of a music listener. Philip described moments of resonating and reverberating connection expressed through the manifestations of embodied resonation, sympathetic chords and the found mirror. For Philip, listening to music created spaces and opportunities for leisure that yielded feelings of deeply meaningful and personal affirmation, validation and connection. Through music’s ability to speak to, and thus speak for Philip, he experienced leisured moments of receptivity, vital engagement and a re-sensitivity to his sense of self and place within a larger community.
Classification of symmetric pairs with discretely decomposable restrictions of (𝔤,K)-modules
Authors: Kobayashi Toshiyuki , Oshima Yoshiki
Published: July 2013

We give a complete classification
of reductive symmetric pairs

(
𝔤
,
𝔥
)

$(\mathfrak {g}, \mathfrak {h})$

with the following property:
there exists at least one infinite-dimensional irreducible (𝔤,K)-module X
that is discretely decomposable
as an

(
𝔥
,
H
∩
K
)

$(\mathfrak {h},H\cap K)$

-module.
We investigate further if such X can be taken to be a minimal representation,
a Zuckerman derived functor module

A
𝔮

(
λ
)

$A_{\mathfrak {q}}(\lambda )$

,
or some other unitarizable (𝔤,K)-module.
The tensor product

π
1

⊗

π
2

$\pi _1 \otimes \pi _2$

of two infinite-dimensional irreducible (𝔤,K)-modules
arises as a very special case
of our setting.
In this case, we prove that

π
1

⊗

π
2

$\pi _1 \otimes \pi _2$

is discretely decomposable if and only if π1 and π2 are simultaneously highest weight modules.
Modelling and Simulation of Double Chamber Microbial Fuel Cell: Cell Voltage, Power Density and Temperature Variation with Process Parameters
Authors: Shankar Ravi , Mondal Prasenjit , Chand Shri
Published: July 2013

In the present paper steady state models of a double chamber glucose glutamic acid microbial fuel cell (GGA-MFC) under continuous operation have been developed and solved using Matlab 2007 software. The experimental data reported in a recent literature has been used for the validation of the models. The present models give prediction on the cell voltage and cell power density with 19–44% errors, which is less (up to 20%) than the errors on the prediction of cell voltage made in some recent literature for the same MFC where the effects of the difference in pH and ionic conductivity between anodic and cathodic solutions on cell voltage were not incorporated in model equations. It also describes the changes in anodic and cathodic chamber temperature due to the increase in substrate concentration and cell current density. Temperature profile across the membrane thickness has also been studied.
The German Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Community – Successes and Failures
Authors: Canzler Weert , Galich Ante , Marz Lutz
Published: July 2013

Recently, the German Federal Government made the consequential decision to change its energy program. This not only as a result of the decision to shut down the existing nuclear power plants within the next few years, but also due to vital challenges like climate change and security of energy supply. The shift in the energy-technology paradigm from fossil fuel technologies to regenerative energies constitutes a major technical process but also new economic and social constellations.

This paper focuses on hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in Germany. The institutional set up in this field is analysed and the new organizational actors are identified who have actively lobbied towards a political consensus. However, the experts in this field could not attain the required leadership in the public discourse on these technologies. It seems that an attractive guiding vision of a post-fossil energy future and a broad acceptance in daily use would have been major prerequisites for such leadership.
Synthesis and biological activity of novel series of heterocyclic compounds containing succinimide moiety
Authors: Kuran Bożena , Kossakowski Jerzy , Cieślak Marcin , Kazmierczak-Barańska Julia , Królewska Karolina , Cyrański Michał K. , Stępień Dorota K. , Krawiecka Mariola
Published: July 2013

In the search for biological agents, a series of new N-substituted ethyl 11-ethyl-7-methyl-3,5,10-trioxo-4-azatricyclo[5.2.2.02,6]undecane-8-carboxylates 3, 9-methyl-3,5,8-trioxo-4-azatricyclo[5.2.1.02,6]dec-1-yl acetates 6 and 1,3-dioxo-4,5,6,7-tetraphenyl-2,3,3a,4,5,7a-hexahydro-1H-isoindole-4-carboxylic acids 9 were prepared. All compounds were characterized by 1H NMR, ESI-MS, and elemental analyses. Moreover, for intermediate products 2, 5, and 8, X-ray structural analyses were conducted. Compounds 3a–e, 6a, 6b, 9a–e were tested for their cytotoxic properties in K562 and HeLa cells.
Synthesis and preliminary pharmacological evaluation of a new putative radioiodinated AMPA receptor ligand for molecular imaging
Authors: Ross T. L. , Sihver W. , Ermert J. , Coenen H. H.
Published: July 2013

A new (radio)iodinated AMPA receptor ligand has been developed and pharmacologically evaluated in vitro and ex vivo using rodents. The new radioligand was directly labeled by electrophilic radioiodo-destannylation with iodine- 131 in high radiochemical yields of 97% within 2 min. The new radioligand showed an excellent initial brain uptake of 2.1%ID/g at 10 min post injection, but a fast wash-out reduced the uptake by about 10-fold at 60 min post injection. Due to high nonspecific binding accompanied with a uniform distribution in brain tissue, however, the new radiotracer appears not suitable for AMPA receptor imaging in vivo.
Measurement of bremsstrahlung-induced reaction cross-section for 93Nb using electron Linac
Authors: Crasta R. , Naik H. , Suryanarayana S. V. , Ganesh S. , Prajapati P. M. , Kumar M. , Nathaniel T. N. , Nimje V. T. , Mittal K. C. , Goswami A.
Published: July 2013

Cross sections for (γ, n) reaction at bremsstrahlung end point energies of 10 and 12.5MeV on niobium have been measured by the activation technique. Induced activities were measured by a high-resolution γ-ray spectrometer with a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector. Theoretically the (γ, n) cross-section of 93Nb as a function of photon energies were also calculated using TALYS 1.4 computer code. We compared the measured data with the flux weighted average values from the available literature data based on experiments with mono-energetic photons and the theoretical calculation by the model code TALYS 1.4. The experimental values are found to be in good agreement with the theoretical value from TALYS 1.4 but are slightly higher than the flux-weighted values from mono-energetic photons
Radioanalytical techniques for the determination of 238U, 226Ra and 210Pb in the environment
Authors: Smodiš B. , Štrok M. , Černe M. , Planinšek P. , Benedik L.
Published: July 2013

Different radiometric techniques for the determination of 238U, 226Ra and 210Pb are presented and compared in terms of detection limits with mass spectrometric techniques. It can be concluded that when samples with low activity concentrations have to be measured, the method of choice in the case of 238U should be either RNAA/INAA or alpha particle spectrometry. In the case of 226Ra and 210Pb the best performance can be expected by the alpha spectrometry, whereas drawback of waiting for establishing secular radioactive equilibrium of 210Pb with 210Po makes techniques like beta counting and LSC more attractive for the determination of 210Pb. In addition, a case study on monitoring the former uranium mine Žirovski vrh is presented along with the used methodology and the summarised measurement results.