bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Macrophage Infiltration Is Associated With Hepatic and Visceral Fat Deposition, Hyperinsulinemia, and Stimulation of NF-κB Stress Pathway
Authors: Lê Kim-Anne , Mahurkar Swapna , Alderete Tanya L. , Hasson Rebecca E. , Adam Tanja C. , Kim Joon Sung , Beale Elizabeth , Xie Chen , Greenberg Andrew S. , Allayee Hooman , Goran Michael I.
Published: October 2011

OBJECTIVE

To examine in obese young adults the influence of ethnicity and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) inflammation on hepatic fat fraction (HFF), visceral adipose tissue (VAT) deposition, insulin sensitivity (SI), β-cell function, and SAT gene expression.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

SAT biopsies were obtained from 36 obese young adults (20 Hispanics, 16 African Americans) to measure crown-like structures (CLS), reflecting SAT inflammation. SAT, VAT, and HFF were measured by magnetic resonance imaging, and SI and β-cell function (disposition index [DI]) were measured by intravenous glucose tolerance test. SAT gene expression was assessed using Illumina microarrays.

RESULTS

Participants with CLS in SAT (n = 16) were similar to those without CLS in terms of ethnicity, sex, and total body fat. Individuals with CLS had greater VAT (3.7 ± 1.3 vs. 2.6 ± 1.6 L; P = 0.04), HFF (9.9 ± 7.3 vs. 5.8 ± 4.4%; P = 0.03), tumor necrosis factor-α (20.8 ± 4.8 vs. 16.2 ± 5.8 pg/mL; P = 0.01), fasting insulin (20.9 ± 10.6 vs. 9.7 ± 6.6 mU/mL; P < 0.001) and glucose (94.4 ± 9.3 vs. 86.8 ± 5.3 mg/dL; P = 0.005), and lower DI (1,559 ± 984 vs. 2,024 ± 829 ×10−4 min−1; P = 0.03). Individuals with CLS in SAT exhibited upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and monocyte antigen CD14 genes, as well as several other genes belonging to the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) stress pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Adipose tissue inflammation was equally distributed between sexes and ethnicities. It was associated with partitioning of fat toward VAT and the liver and altered β-cell function, independent of total adiposity. Several genes belonging to the NF-κB stress pathway were upregulated, suggesting stimulation of proinflammatory mediators.
Age- and Islet Autoimmunity–Associated Differences in Amino Acid and Lipid Metabolites in Children at Risk for Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Pflueger Maren , Seppänen-Laakso Tuulikki , Suortti Tapani , Hyötyläinen Tuulia , Achenbach Peter , Bonifacio Ezio , Orešič Matej , Ziegler Anette-G.
Published: October 2011

OBJECTIVE

Islet autoimmunity precedes type 1 diabetes and often initiates in childhood. Phenotypic variation in islet autoimmunity relative to the age of its development suggests heterogeneous mechanisms of autoimmune activation. To support this notion, we examined whether serum metabolite profiles differ between children with respect to islet autoantibody status and the age of islet autoantibody development.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The study analyzed 29 metabolites of amino acid metabolism and 511 lipids assigned to 12 lipid clusters in children, with a type 1 diabetic parent, who first developed autoantibodies at age 2 years or younger (n = 13), at age 8 years or older (n = 22), or remained autoantibody-negative, and were matched for age, date of birth, and HLA genotypes (n = 35). Ultraperformance liquid chromatography and mass spectroscopy were used to measure metabolites and lipids quantitatively in the first autoantibody-positive and matched autoantibody-negative serum samples and in a second sample after 1 year of follow-up.

RESULTS

Differences in the metabolite profiles were observed relative to age and islet autoantibody status. Independent of age-related differences, autoantibody-positive children had higher levels of odd-chain triglycerides and polyunsaturated fatty acid–containing phospholipids than autoantibody-negative children and independent of age at first autoantibody appearance (P < 0.0001). Consistent with our hypothesis, children who developed autoantibodies by age 2 years had twofold lower concentration of methionine compared with those who developed autoantibodies in late childhood or remained autoantibody-negative (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Distinct metabolic profiles are associated with age and islet autoimmunity. Pathways that use methionine are potentially relevant for developing islet autoantibodies in early infancy.
FUT2 Nonsecretor Status Links Type 1 Diabetes Susceptibility and Resistance to Infection
Authors: Smyth Deborah J. , Cooper Jason D. , Howson Joanna M.M. , Clarke Pamela , Downes Kate , Mistry Trupti , Stevens Helen , Walker Neil M. , Todd John A.
Published: October 2011

OBJECTIVE

FUT2 encodes the α(1,2) fucosyltransferase that determines blood group secretor status. Homozygotes (A/A) for the common nonsense mutation rs601338A>G (W143X) are nonsecretors and are unable to express histo-blood group antigens in secretions and on mucosal surfaces. This mutation has been reported to provide resistance to Norovirus and susceptibility to Crohn’s disease, and hence we aimed to determine if it also affects risk of type 1 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

rs601338A>G was genotyped in 8,344 patients with type 1 diabetes, 10,008 control subjects, and 3,360 type 1 diabetic families. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the case-control collection, and conditional logistic regression was used to analyze the family collection.

RESULTS

The nonsecretor A/A genotype of rs601338A>G was found to confer susceptibility to type 1 diabetes in both the case-control and family collections (odds ratio for AA 1.29 [95% CI 1.20–1.37] and relative risk for AA 1.22 [95% CI = 1.12–1.32]; combined P = 4.3 × 10−18), based on a recessive effects model.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings linking FUT2 and type 1 diabetes highlight the intriguing relationship between host resistance to infections and susceptibility to autoimmune disease.
Radiographic appearance of the thorax of clinically normal alpaca crias
Authors: Nelson Nathan C. , Mattoon John S. , Anderson David E.
Published: October 2011

Objective—To quantitatively and qualitatively assess the radiographic appearance of the thorax of clinically normal alpaca crias.

Animals—21 clinically normal alpaca crias.

Procedures—Left-right lateral (LR), right-left lateral (RL), dorsoventral (DV), and ventrodorsal (VD) projections of the thorax were acquired. To account for differences in cria size, measurements of thoracic structures were compared with other anatomic landmarks.

Results—Mean ± SD vertebral heart scale was 9.36 ± 0.65 for LR projections, 9.36 ± 0.59 for RL projections, 8.21 ± 0.51 for DV projections, and 8.65 ± 0.57 for VD projections. Dimensions of the heart were compared with the length of the T3 through T5 vertebral bodies, third to fifth rib distance, and thoracic height and width, which provided additional methods of cardiac evaluation. For RL projections, mean ratio of the right cranial pulmonary artery diameter to the third rib width was 0.41 ± 0.10 and mean ratio of the right cranial pulmonary vein to the third rib width was 0.44 ± 0.10. Caudal lobar pulmonary vessels and the caudal vena cava were difficult to quantitatively assess on DV or VD projections. On lateral projections, the trachea was increased in diameter at the origin of the right cranial lobar bronchus. No qualitative differences were found between LR and RL radiographs. The lungs were generally better inflated on VD projections, with more separation of the heart and diaphragm.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Establishment of radiographic values for alpaca crias should prove useful in assessment of thoracic disease in this species.
Effects of in vivo lidocaine administration at the time of ischemia and reperfusion on in vitro contractility of equine jejunal smooth muscle
Authors: Guschlbauer Maria , Feige Karsten , Geburek Florian , Hoppe Susanne , Hopster Klaus , Pröpsting Marcus J. , Huber Korinna
Published: October 2011

Objective—To determine whether administration of lidocaine during ischemia and reperfusion in horses results in concentrations in smooth muscle sufficient to protect against the negative consequences of ischemia-reperfusion injury on smooth muscle motility.

Animals—12 horses.

Procedures—Artificial ischemia and reperfusion injury of jejunal segments was induced in vivo in conjunction with lidocaine treatment during ischemia (IRL) or without lidocaine treatment (IR). Isometric force performance was measured in vitro in IRL and IR smooth muscle preparations with and without additional in vitro application of lidocaine. Lidocaine concentrations in smooth muscle were determined by means of high-performance liquid chromatography. To assess the influence of lidocaine on membrane permeability, activity of creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase released by in vitro incubated tissues was determined biochemically.

Results—In vivo administration of lidocaine allowed maintenance of contractile performance after an ischemia and reperfusion injury. Basic contractility and frequency of contractions were significantly increased in IRL smooth muscle tissues in vitro. Additionally, in vitro application of lidocaine achieved further improvement of contractility of IR and IRL preparations. Only in vitro application of lidocaine was able to ameliorate membrane permeability in smooth muscle of IR and IRL preparations. Lidocaine accumulation could be measured in in vivo treated samples and serum.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—In vivo lidocaine administration during ischemia and reperfusion had beneficial effects on smooth muscle motility. Initiating lidocaine treatment during surgery to treat colic in horses may improve lidocaine's prokinetic features by protecting smooth muscle from effects of ischemia and reperfusion injury.
Radiographic evaluation of changes in the proximal phalanx of Thoroughbreds in race training
Authors: Beccati Francesca , Pepe Marco , Di Meo Antonio , Davanzo Sveva , Moriconi Franco
Published: October 2011

Objective—To evaluate changes in the cortical bone of the proximal phalanx of the fore-limbs of Thoroughbreds in response to training.

Animals—Twenty-seven 2-year-old Thoroughbreds (20 females, 2 males, and 5 geldings).

Procedures—Horses were principally in training for races in a straight line and in a clockwise direction. Lateromedial and dorsopalmar radiographic views of each metacarpophalangeal joint were obtained before the horses started training and 1 year after starting exercise and racing. Width of the dorsal, palmar, lateral, and medial cortex and the width and thickness of the medulla were measured. Ratios (rather than absolute values) were used to remove the effect of differences in bone size among horses.

Results—10 horses were lost from the study. Radiographs were obtained for 17 horses 1 year after starting training (9 horses raced in a clockwise direction, and 8 raced in clockwise and counterclockwise directions). There was no difference between the cortical bone in the right and left forelimbs at the start of the study. After training for 1 year, the palmar cortex in the right forelimb was significantly thicker than that in the left forelimb.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—The strain patterns, biomechanics of rapid exercise, and type of training most probably determined differences in the adaptive responses of the proximal phalanx. The data reported here can be used in the evaluation of weight-bearing distribution along the proximal phalanx and evaluation of the relationship between exercise and bone remodelling of the proximal phalanx.
Nonlinear increase in bubbles radii caused by sound in a bubbly liquid
Authors: Perelomova Anna , Pelc-Garska Weronika
Published: October 2011

The nonlinear interaction of acoustic and entropy modes in a bubbly liquid is considered. The reasons for interaction are both nonlinearity and dispersion. In the field of intense sound, a decrease in the mixture density is predicted. That corresponds to the well-established growth of bubbles volumes due to rectified diffusion. The nonlinear interaction of modes as a reason for a bubble to grow due to sound, is discovered. The example considers variation in the mixture density and bubbles radii caused by acoustic soliton.
Double-trouble: An unusual case of two simultaneous arterial thromboses in thrombophilia
Authors: Krotin Mirjana , Zdravkovic Marija , Popovic-Lisulov Danica , Saric Jelena , Celeketic Dusica , Zaja Mirna , Zdravkovic Darko
Published: October 2011

Multiple arterial and venous thromboses are usually related to thrombophilia or antiphospholipid syndrome. Recurrent pulmonary embolism strongly indicates the presence of genetic or acquired thrombophilic factors. Simultaneous double arterial in situ thromboses are unusual, even in thrombophilic conditions. Simultaneous occurrence of pulmonary embolism and cerebrovascular ischaemic insult are highly indicative of existence of patent foramen ovale. We present herein a patient with the double simultaneous arterial thromboses as the manifestation of thrombophilia (heterozygous for methylenetetrahydrofolate-reductase (MTHFR) C677T gene mutation). There was no patent foramen ovale suspected upon the patient’s admittance to hospital. To the best of our knowledge there have been no similar cases presented to date.
Influence of chemical composition of nanocrystalline iron’s surface on the rates of two parallel reactions: nitriding and catalytic decomposition of ammonia
Authors: Pelka Rafał , Arabczyk Walerian
Published: October 2011

Influence of chemical composition of nanocrystalline iron’s surface on its activity in the nitriding process of iron and catalytic decomposition of ammonia was studied. The rate of the nitriding reaction was measured by the thermogravimetric method using a tubular differential reactor. Hydrogen concentration in the reactor was also measured. The rate of the catalytic decomposition of ammonia was determined using the reactor’s mass balance. Experiments were conducted at different temperatures within the range from 300°C to 525°C. Iron catalyst for ammonia synthesis was studied. Two sorts of samples with a different content of potassium oxide (0.16 mass % and 0.64 mass % of K2O) were used. The composition of samples from the second group was modified by an addition of different amounts of sulfur. At temperatures above 400°C, when the effect of ammonia decomposition on the gas phase composition was experimentally measured, the presence of potassium and sulfur on the iron surface influenced the rate of the iron nitriding process. The ammonia decomposition rate was higher for samples with a greater amount of potassium. The rate of reactions depended also on the sulfur concentration and dropped when the sulfur content increased. The value of apparent activation energy of ammonia decomposition was in the range of 150 kJ mol−1 to 180 kJ mol−1 while the content of sulfur in the samples increased.
Treatment of acidic palm oil for fatty acid methyl esters production
Authors: Hayyan Adeeb , Mjalli Farouq , Mirghani Mohamed , Hashim Mohd , Hayyan Maan , AlNashef Inas , Al-Zahrani Saeed
Published: October 2011

Acidic crude palm oil (ACPO) produced from palm oil mills with an acid value of 18 mg g−1 was considered to be a possible feedstock for biodiesel production. Due to its high acidity, conventional transesterification cannot be applied directly for biodiesel production. Methane sulphonic acid (MSA, CH3SO3H) is used to reduce the acidity prior to the alkaline transesterification reaction. The laboratory-scale experiments involved an MSA to ACPO dosage of 0.25–3.5 %, a molar ratio (methanol to ACPO) from 4: 1 to 20: 1, reaction temperature of 40–80°C, reaction time of 3–150 min, and stirrer speed of 100–500 min−1. The optimum esterification reaction conditions were 1 % of catalyst to ACPO, with a molar ratio of methanol to ACPO of 8: 1, a stirring speed of 300 min−1, for 30 min and at 60°C. Under these conditions, the FFA content was reduced from 18 mg g−1 to less than 1 mg g−1 and with a yield of 96 %. The biodiesel produced met the EN14214 standard specifications. MSA was recycled for three times without losing its activity. The biodiesel produced in a two-stage process has a low acid value (0.14 mg g−1).
The use of stable isotopes ratios for authentication of fruit juices
Authors: Magdas Dana , Vedeanu Nicoleta , Puscas Romulus
Published: October 2011

The determination of the content of stable isotopes, 18O and 2H, respectively, in juice water facilitates the distinction between authentic juices and juices made from concentrates by redilution with tap water. At the same time, the detection of C4 cane or corn-derived sugar syrups in fruit juices which are produced from C3 fruit types is thus facilitated by the characteristic differences in 13C/12C, expressed as δ 13C (‰) values due to photosynthetic CO2 assimilation via the C3−, C4−, and crassulacean acid metabolism pathways. In this study, the quantitative determination of water added to an authentic juice, on the basis of δ 18O, and δ 2H values, respectively, was successfully performed. Also, the δ 18O, and δ 2H of juice water and δ 13C of the whole juice in 18 samples were also determined. The results obtained provided us with the possibility of distinguishing between authentic fruit juices and those obtained by redilution of concentrated fruit juices and the detection of C4 type added sugar.
The transport and distribution of the river load from the Kacza River into the Gulf of Gdańsk (Southern Baltic Sea, Poland)
Authors: Szymczak Ewa , Rhode Damira , Piekarek-Jankowska Halina
Published: October 2011

The results of measurements of suspended sediment and bed load carried by the Kacza River into the Gulf of Gdańsk are discussed. The investigations were conducted in the years 2009–2010 at the Orłowo transect and at the mouth of the Kacza River in the Gulf of Gdańsk. The research has shown that the Kacza River discharged about 673 tons of sediment annually to the Gulf of Gdańsk, with 77% being transported as bed load. The granulometric composition of the river load is dominated by coarse-grained sand fractions.
Inventory of the taxonomical composition of the plankton ciliates in the Curonian Lagoon (SE Baltic Sea)
Authors: Grinienė Evelina , Mažeikaitė Stasė , Gasiūnaitė Zita
Published: October 2011

Species composition of plankton ciliates was studied in the Curonian Lagoon in 2007–2008 and compared to long term investigations dating back to the 1980th. In total, 152 taxa were identified at the level of species or genera. More species (76 species/higher taxa) was found in the estuarine part of the Lagoon due to temporally unstable salinity and the presence of both freshwater and brackish/marine species. Some of the brackish/marine species: Tintinnopsis baltica, Tintinnopsis kofoidi, Cothurnia maritima, Lohmaniella oviformis, Lohmaniella spiralis and Helicostomella subulatum were recorded for the first time in the lagoon. The ciliate community at the freshwater sites was less diverse, containing 63 species/higher taxa in the central stagnant part of the Lagoon and 47 — in the Nemunas River avandelta. The comparison of present and past studies revealed that the use of a single live-counting method could lead to underestimation of small nanociliate species, whereas examination of Lugol fixed material provides relatively poor taxonomic information.
Diet composition of herring (Clupea harengus L.) and cod (Gadus morhua L.) in the southern Baltic Sea in 2007 and 2008
Authors: Dziaduch Diana
Published: October 2011

Diet composition of two commercial fish species, herring and cod, were studied in some regions (mainly Gda’nsk and Bornholm Basins, and the Polish coast) of the southern Baltic Sea in 2007 and 2008. Herring is the dominant zooplanktivorous species in the ecosystem of the Baltic Sea, but apart from mesoplanktonic organisms it also eats macroplanktonic and benthic species in considerable amount. The diet of cod consists of fish and crustaceans from pelagic, hyperbenthic and benthic habitats. The feeding preferences of fish indirectly reflect changes in the whole food chain in the Baltic Sea. This research focuses specifically on these invertebrate species, which are eliminated from the environment by most of the ichthyofauna of this region. The aim of this research is to examine the role of invertebrate organisms belonging to Crustacea in the diet of herring and adult cod to supply updated results about feeding of these fish as little data have been collected since the 1990s. The present study is a preliminary survey and results can not be considered conclusive. The restricted numbers of analyzed stomachs of fish and selected seasons of the year addressed in this paper are a starting point for further studies with a larger scope. In this study, 20 to 90% of herring had empty stomachs. Mesozooplankton dominated the diets of small and large herring. Mysidacea, which were historically important prey for herring, are now scarce and have been replaced by planktonic Amphipoda. In the case of cod, consumption of Mysidacea has never been as low as in this study. As for other invertebrate prey, the benthic isopod Saduria and Crangon shrimp achieved the highest amount by number and weight. These results show distinct changes in diet when compared to previous investigations and require verification at a larger spatial scale.
Domesticating Socialism and the Senses in Jane Hume Clapperton'sMargaret Dunmore: Or, A Socialist Home
Authors: Parkins Wendy
Published: October 2011

Domesticating Socialism and the Senses in Jane Hume Clapperton's Margaret Dunmore: Or, A Socialist Home

Clapperton's utopian novel, Margaret Dunmore: Or, A Socialist Home (1888), provides a good example of the way in which matters of everyday life – food, childcare, the home – were increasingly implicated in agendas for social transformation in the fin-de-siècle period, and seen as problems that could be solved by modernity. The varying programmes for change offered by socialists and feminists in this period, however, could reflect sharply divergent views of the pleasures and politics of everyday life, and Clapperton's novel assumes a disparity between ‘social happiness’ and the sensory experience of the individual that warrants examination. Beginning with an overview of Clapperton's theory of ‘conscious’ evolution which takes the home as the locus of social transformation, this essay will focus on the place of the senses and emotions in Margaret Dunmore, written to exemplify Clapperton's political philosophy of ‘Scientific Meliorism’ which combined socialism and feminism with evolutionary and eugenic theory. In this novel, the individual's sensory experience poses a threat to the well-being of the ideal community. Unlike emotions, which Clapperton depicts as amenable to conscious adaptation through a combination of social correction and self-scrutiny, sensory experience is inherently anti-social, immune to the claims of service to others which was crucial to Clapperton's understanding of socialism. From childcare to cooking, forms of sensory deprivation are heralded as the key to efficiently resolving the disorder or conflict caused by over-stimulation or self-indulgence. As a result, despite Clapperton's emphasis on the ‘evolution of happiness’, the value placed on rationality, technology, and self-control over convivial pleasures means that the constrictions and inequities of bourgeois domesticity are merely reconfigured rather than abolished.
Experimental Study of Formation Damage during Underbalanced-Drilling in Naturally Fractured Formations
Authors: Salimi Siroos , Ghalambor Ali
Published: October 2011

This paper describes an experimental investigation of formation damage in a fractured carbonate core sample under underbalanced drilling (UBD) conditions. A major portion of this study has concentrated on problems which are often associated with UBD and the development of a detailed protocol for proper design and execution of an UBD program. Formation damage effects, which may occur even if the underbalanced pressure condition is maintained 100% of the time during drilling operation, have been studied. One major concern for formation damage during UBD operations is the loss of the under-balanced pressure condition. Hence, it becomes vital to evaluate the sensitivity of the formation to the effect of an overbalanced pulse situation. The paper investigates the effect of short pulse overbalance pressure during underbalanced conditions in a fractured chalk core sample. Special core tests using a specially designed core holder are conducted on the subject reservoir core. Both overbalance and underbalanced tests were conducted with four UBD drilling fluids. Core testing includes measurements of the initial permeability and return permeability under two different pressure conditions (underbalanced and overbalanced). Then the procedure is followed by applying a differential pressure on the core samples to mimic the drawdown effect to determine the return permeability capacity. In both UBD and short pulse OBP four mud formulations are used which are: lab oil, brine (3% KCL), water-based mud (bentonite with XC polymer) and fresh water. The return permeability measurements show that a lab oil system performed fairly well during UBD and short OB conditions. The results indicate that a short overbalance pressure provides a significant reduction in permeability of the fractured formations. In most tests, even application of a high drawdown pressure during production cannot restore the initial permeability by more than 40%.
Incorporating the Variability of Wind Power with Electric Heat Pumps
Authors: Long Hongyu , Xu Ruilin , He Jianjun
Published: October 2011

With the mass introduction of wind power in Northern China, wind power variability has appeared. In this article, both existing electric heat pumps (EHPs) and coal-fired combined heat and power (CHP) facilities, which are generally equipped with extraction-condensing steam turbines coupled with district heating for space heating purposes, are proposed to incorporate the variability of wind power equivalently. The authors’ proposal arises from the facts that: (1) EHPs can provide space heating in the domestic sector with little thermal comfort change (e.g., energy carriers for space heating purposes can be switched from heating water to electricity); (2) coal-fired CHP units in Northern China can usually generate more electrical power corresponding to a shaved thermal power production. Thus, it is suggested that heating water from CHP units be shaved when the wind generation is low due to the variability of wind power, so as to enable more electrical power production and compensate for the corresponding insufficient wind generation. Following this, in the future and for some space heating loads at appropriate distances, electricity used as energy carrier should be converted by electric heat pumps for space heating. Thus, more electricity consumption will be achieved so as to avoid wasting wind power when the wind generation it is high. A numerical simulation is performed in order to illustrate the authors’ proposal. It is shown that the impact of variability of wind generation can be equivalently reduced to a great extent, which enable more wind power integration instead of curtailment and potential energy conservation. Moreover, in contrast to before, both the thermal and electrical power of coal-fired CHP units are no longer constants. In addition, the ratio of electrical to thermal power of CHP units is no longer constant either, and results in less energy consumption compared with fixed ratio. Finally, electricity consumed by end users’ EHPs, which are devoted to space heating for various spatial distances and time points, is figured out.
Prospective Power Calculations for the Four Lab Study of A Multigenerational Reproductive/Developmental Toxicity Rodent Bioassay Using A Complex Mixture of Disinfection By-Products in the Low-Response Region
Authors: Dingus Cheryl A. , Teuschler Linda K. , Rice Glenn E. , Simmons Jane Ellen , Narotsky Michael G.
Published: October 2011

In complex mixture toxicology, there is growing emphasis on testing environmentally representative doses that improve the relevance of results for health risk assessment, but are typically much lower than those used in traditional toxicology studies. Traditional experimental designs with typical sample sizes may have insufficient statistical power to detect effects caused by environmentally relevant doses. Proper study design, with adequate statistical power, is critical to ensuring that experimental results are useful for environmental health risk assessment. Studies with environmentally realistic complex mixtures have practical constraints on sample concentration factor and sample volume as well as the number of animals that can be accommodated. This article describes methodology for calculation of statistical power for non-independent observations for a multigenerational rodent reproductive/developmental bioassay. The use of the methodology is illustrated using the U.S. EPA’s Four Lab study in which rodents were exposed to chlorinated water concentrates containing complex mixtures of drinking water disinfection by-products. Possible experimental designs included two single-block designs and a two-block design. Considering the possible study designs and constraints, a design of two blocks of 100 females with a 40:60 ratio of control:treated animals and a significance level of 0.05 yielded maximum prospective power (~90%) to detect pup weight decreases, while providing the most power to detect increased prenatal loss.
Improving Public Health Through Access to and Utilization of Medication Assisted Treatment
Authors: Kresina Thomas F. , Lubran Robert
Published: October 2011

Providing access to and utilization of medication assisted treatment (MAT) for the treatment of opioid abuse and dependence provides an important opportunity to improve public health. Access to health services comprising MAT in the community is fundamental to achieve broad service coverage. The type and placement of the health services comprising MAT and integration with primary medical care including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention, care and treatment services are optimal for addressing both substance abuse and co-occurring infectious diseases. As an HIV prevention intervention, integrated (same medical record for HIV services and MAT services) MAT with HIV prevention, care and treatment programs provides the best “one stop shopping” approach for health service utilization. Alternatively, MAT, medical and HIV services can be separately managed but co-located to allow convenient utilization of primary care, MAT and HIV services. A third approach is coordinated care and treatment, where primary care, MAT and HIV services are provided at distinct locations and case managers, peer facilitators, or others promote direct service utilization at the various locations. Developing a continuum of care for patients with opioid dependence throughout the stages MAT enhances the public health and Recovery from opioid dependence. As a stigmatized and medical disenfranchised population with multiple medical, psychological and social needs, people who inject drugs and are opioid dependent have difficulty accessing services and navigating medical systems of coordinated care. MAT programs that offer comprehensive services and medical care options can best contribute to improving the health of these individuals thereby enhancing the health of the community.
Eighteen Years of Molecular Genotyping the Hemophilia Inversion Hotspot: From Southern Blot to Inverse Shifting-PCR
Authors: Rossetti Liliana C. , Radic Claudia P. , Abelleyro Miguel M. , Larripa Irene B. , De Brasi Carlos D.
Published: October 2011

The factor VIII gene (F8) intron 22 inversion (Inv22) is a paradigmatic duplicon-mediated rearrangement, found in about one half of patients with severe hemophilia A worldwide. The identification of this prevalent cause of hemophilia was delayed for nine years after the F8 characterization in 1984. The aim of this review is to present the wide diversity of practical approaches that have been developed for genotyping the Inv22 (and related int22h rearrangements) since discovery in 1993. The sequence—Southern blot, long distance-PCR and inverse shifting-PCR—for Inv22 genotyping is an interesting example of scientific ingenuity and evolution in order to resolve challenging molecular diagnostic problems.
Vasorelaxation, Induced by Dictyota pulchella (Dictyotaceae), a Brown Alga, Is Mediated via Inhibition of Calcium Influx in Rats
Authors: Queiroz Thyago M. , Machado Natália T. , Furtado Fabíola F. , Oliveira-Filho Abrahão A. , Alustau Maria C. , Figueiredo Camila S. , Miranda George E. C. , Barbosa-Filho José M. , Braga Valdir A. , Medeiros Isac A.
Published: October 2011

This study aimed to investigate the cardiovascular effects elicited by Dictyota pulchella, a brown alga, using in vivo and in vitro approaches. In normotensive conscious rats, CH2Cl2/MeOH Extract (CME, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg) from Dictyota pulchella produced dose-dependent hypotension (−4 ± 1; −8 ± 2; −53 ± 8 and −63 ± 3 mmHg) and bradycardia (−8 ± 6; −17 ± 11; −257 ± 36 and −285 ± 27 b.p.m.). In addition, CME and Hexane/EtOAc Phase (HEP) (0.01–300 µg/mL) from Dictyota pulchella induced a concentration-dependent relaxation in phenylephrine (Phe, 1 µM)-pre-contracted mesenteric artery rings. The vasorelaxant effect was not modified by the removal of the vascular endothelium or pre-incubation with KCl (20 mM), tetraethylammonium (TEA, 3 mM) or tromboxane A2 agonist U-46619 (100 nM). Furthermore, CME and HEP reversed CaCl2-induced vascular contractions. These results suggest that both CME and HEP act on the voltage-operated calcium channel in order to produce vasorelaxation. In addition, CME induced vasodilatation after the vessels have been pre-contracted with L-type Ca2+ channel agonist (Bay K 8644, 200 nM). Taken together, our data show that CME induces hypotension and bradycardia in vivo and that both CME and HEP induce endothelium-independent vasodilatation in vitro that seems to involve the inhibition of the Ca2+ influx through blockade of voltage-operated calcium channels.
Antibacterial Activity of Marine and Black Band Disease Cyanobacteria against Coral-Associated Bacteria
Authors: Gantar Miroslav , Kaczmarsky Longin T. , Stanić Dina , Miller Aaron W. , Richardson Laurie L.
Published: October 2011

Black band disease (BBD) of corals is a cyanobacteria-dominated polymicrobial disease that contains diverse populations of heterotrophic bacteria. It is one of the most destructive of coral diseases and is found globally on tropical and sub-tropical reefs. We assessed ten strains of BBD cyanobacteria, and ten strains of cyanobacteria isolated from other marine sources, for their antibacterial effect on growth of heterotrophic bacteria isolated from BBD, from the surface mucopolysaccharide layer (SML) of healthy corals, and three known bacterial coral pathogens. Assays were conducted using two methods: co-cultivation of cyanobacterial and bacterial isolates, and exposure of test bacteria to (hydrophilic and lipophilic) cyanobacterial cell extracts. During co-cultivation, 15 of the 20 cyanobacterial strains tested had antibacterial activity against at least one of the test bacterial strains. Inhibition was significantly higher for BBD cyanobacteria when compared to other marine cyanobacteria. Lipophilic extracts were more active than co-cultivation (extracts of 18 of the 20 strains were active) while hydrophilic extracts had very limited activity. In some cases co-cultivation resulted in stimulation of BBD and SML bacterial growth. Our results suggest that BBD cyanobacteria are involved in structuring the complex polymicrobial BBD microbial community by production of antimicrobial compounds.
Kinase Inhibitors from Marine Sponges
Authors: Skropeta Danielle , Pastro Natalie , Zivanovic Ana
Published: October 2011

Protein kinases play a critical role in cell regulation and their deregulation is a contributing factor in an increasing list of diseases including cancer. Marine sponges have yielded over 70 novel compounds to date that exhibit significant inhibitory activity towards a range of protein kinases. These compounds, which belong to diverse structural classes, are reviewed herein, and ordered based upon the kinase that they inhibit. Relevant synthetic studies on the marine natural product kinase inhibitors have also been included.
Do Actors Really Agree on Strategic Issues? Applying Consensus Analysis of Stakeholder Perceptions in Tourist Destination Communities
Authors: Beritelli Pietro
Published: October 2011

Consensus on strategic issues in tourist destination communities is an integral part of the extensive body of literature on destination planning and destination policy making. But while there are numerous contributions addressing methods and concepts for achieving explicit consensus, research on implicit consensus among decision-makers that increases the likelihood of collective action is lacking. This article focuses on individual perceptions of prominent actors in four European Alpine destinations and the question of whether they implicitly agree upon selected strategic dimensions. With the help of network data and the application of formal consensus analysis, the empirical research identifies whether there is one common truth and if so, which actors know the truth best and which are the ones who are bad informants or even create dissent. Despite the earlier and ongoing planning processes in the research sites, which involves most of these actors, and despite the explicitly agreed-upon destination strategies and plans, the results show only partial consensus. Against expectations, the best informants are not the most influential actors but rather those prominent individuals who reside in relatively marginal positions, at hierarchical middle levels and with limited responsibility. The results indicate that the less concerned some individuals are with a strategic dimension, the more likely they give the culturally correct answer, because they do not have to advocate or defend a differentiated position. Additionally, external individuals may catalyze the formation of consensus over time, but only after they have first destabilized stalemate perceptions and positions among the local actors. The article concludes with implications for destination planning that complement the current approaches.
Total Productivity in the Australian Hotel Industry: Estimating and Bootstrapping Malmquist Indices
Authors: Assaf A. George , Agbola Frank Wogbe
Published: October 2011

This article measures and decomposes the productivity of Australian hotels over the period 2004–2007, using a bootstrapped Malmquist index. The aim of this procedure is to seek out those determinants that explain the sources of productivity variation between Australian hotels. Two inputs and six outputs are used in the analysis, reflecting the operational characteristics of each hotel. The results indicate that most hotels in the sample experienced a significant increase in productivity, driven mainly by an increase in technology over the period analyzed. Factors that are found to be strong determinants of productivity include the location, size, and star rating of each hotel. Related market discussions of these findings as well as the policy implications of the study are provided.
Evaluating Tourist Attractions: The Case of Luang Prabang, Laos
Authors: Pritchard Adrian R. , Lee Timothy Jeonglyeol
Published: October 2011

This article proposes the amalgamation of the categorization of attractions model (COA), the tourism area life cycle model, and the resort development model as a useful approach to audit a tourism destination's portfolio of attractions and to aid in the planning process. The main tourist
area of the Luang Prabang Province, Laos, was used as a case study to test the usefulness of combining the three models for a better analysis. Four categories—natural, cultural, contemporary, and future—were examined. The study revealed the country to be in the development stage
of tourism, although Luang Prabang Province shows some of the characteristics of an international destination. The audit identified planned developments that could lead to the portfolio becoming unaligned with the nation's tourism strategy. The process also revealed the existence and the potential
for subgroups of attractions, termed associated attractions, which, in this case, emerge from natural and cultural attractions, but that are unlikely to exist without them. The study provides valuable information by investigating significant issues in tourism development particularly in an
emerging market country.
Modeling the Influence of Weather Variability on Leisure Traffic
Authors: Shih Charles , Nicholls Sarah
Published: October 2011

Weather conditions often have an important influence on participation in recreation and tourism (R&T) activities, and many activities require specific sets of weather conditions to make them enjoyable or possible. Despite the intuitive nature of the relationship between weather
and R&T participation, this topic has received little attention in the academic literature. This is even more surprising given increasing recognition of the likely implications of climate change for R&T activities. In light of this lack of research, the purpose of this article is to
describe the development of a daily model of leisure traffic activity for a location within the US state of Michigan. Specifically, the model allowed investigation of the impacts of three sets of factors—weather conditions, economic conditions, and the availability of leisure time—on
daily leisure traffic counts across the four seasons. Experimentation with a series of five functional forms revealed that a double-log formulation best fit the data. As expected, temperature had a statistically significant, positive effect on tourism traffic in spring, summer, and fall. Precipitation
did not influence leisure traffic in the spring and summer seasons; in fall, however, a significant negative effect was detected, and this effect was even stronger in winter. The availability of leisure time had a highly significant, positive impact on daily leisure traffic. These findings
have important implications for the providers of recreation and tourism opportunities, enabling them to model projected changes in leisure traffic with short-term and longer term variations in key variables such as temperature and precipitation. For example, destinations might consider the
kinds of additional activities and facilities that could improve their attractiveness and competitiveness under projected conditions of climate change, and begin to incorporate those activities and facilities into their future planning and marketing efforts.
Coupled chemo(enzymatic) reactions in continuous flow
Authors: Yuryev Ruslan , Strompen Simon , Liese Andreas
Published: October 2011

This review highlights the state of the art in the field of coupled chemo(enzymatic) reactions in continuous flow. Three different approaches to such reaction systems are presented herein and discussed in view of their advantages and disadvantages as well as trends for their future development.
Réformer les pratiques policières par la formation ?
Authors: Pichonnaz David
Published: October 2011

Cet article est consacré aux obstacles rencontrés par une école de police tentant de former des policiers qui résistent à certains traits traditionnels de la culture professionnelle. Ces visées réformatrices sont basées sur la promotion de compétences relationnelles. Or, l’étude montre que leur mise en œuvre est fortement remise en cause par les réinterprétations des savoirs et savoir-faire relationnels qu’opèrent les nouvelles recrues et par la doxa policière qui conduit les différents formateurs à tenir des discours contradictoires sur le professionnalisme.
La socialisation professionnelle des policiers municipaux en France
Authors: Malochet Virginie
Published: October 2011

Aux côtés des policiers nationaux et des gendarmes, les policiers municipaux occupent une place croissante dans le paysage français de la sécurité publique. À partir de travaux de recherche de type qualitatif, cet article apporte un éclairage sur leur processus de socialisation professionnelle, leur expérience vécue du métier et leur construction identitaire au travail, dans sa double dimension d’intégration collective et d’engagement personnel.
Science-fiction et croyance
Authors: Renard Jean-Bruno
Published: October 2011

Résumé De manière analogue au genre fantastique, la science-fiction met en scène des créatures et des phénomènes fabuleux qui sont aussi parallèlement des objets de croyance (extraterrestres, clones, engins secrets superpuissants). La différence est que dans le premier cas il est fait appel au surnaturel alors que dans le second on est dans le domaine de la rationalité et de la vraisemblance scientifique. Il s’agit bien toutefois de formes de croyances. Cet article montre la symétrie inverse entre la position des écrivains et celle du public. Les auteurs privilégient l’esthétique (l’art d’émouvoir) sur l’axiologique (croyance ou incroyance) tandis que le public tend à sélectionner des contenus esthétiques en fonction de positions axiologiques préexistantes. On aboutit ainsi à ne plus différencier aussi radicalement ce qui est du domaine de la croyance et ce qui est du domaine de la fiction.
Technique et cinématique. Sur les fondements épistémologiques de la fusion de la réalité et de la fiction au XXe siècle
Authors: Giroux Dalie
Published: October 2011

Résumé Martin Heidegger entrevoit deux maux liés à la contraction de l’espace et du temps induite par la technique moderne. Le premier est que la recherche de représentations exactes du monde découle d’une conception subjectiviste de la perception qui transforme les humains et les choses en purs objets. Le deuxième mal relève du fait que la pro-vocation est un mode de dévoilement qui, en se produisant, occulte le fait qu’elle est un mode de dévoilement et, par extension, occulte le fait qu’elle est dans un processus d’occultation. Comment cette occultation se produit-elle, et quel est le sens d’une entreprise philosophique de dévoilement de ce qui est occulté ? Le concept de mimétisme permettra dans ce texte, sous le mode du dégrisement, de rendre compte des différents aspects du mécanisme d’occultation propre à la technique moderne.
Le sacré et le fan. Étude sur l'univers science-fictionnel de Star Wars
Authors: Vincent Frédéric
Published: October 2011

Résumé Cet article se propose de comprendre la manière dont un univers science-fictionnel comme Star Wars s’articule dans la réalité sociale. L’individu qui s’aventure sur les traces de Luke Skywalker se laisse envahir par un imaginaire initiatique qui vient considérablement bouleverser sa manière d’être dans le monde : la rencontre avec le héros exemplaire est une ouverture au sacré qui participe à la construction sociale de l’individu. Ce qu’il convient de déterminer également, c’est l’intentionnalité du fan à travers certaines pratiques sociales comme le ciné-tourisme ou le cosplay.
Jorge Luis Borges et la dédalographie. Introduction fictionnelle à un archétype spatial
Authors: Bello Marcano Manuel
Published: October 2011

Résumé Le labyrinthe est une référence récurrente dans l’imaginaire spatial de la postmodernité. Il est un système d’organisation spatiale chaotique et codifié qui se nourrit de l’erreur. Nous habitons la ville contemporaine comme un labyrinthe. Or, en tant que pulsion urbaine, cet archétype spatial nous permet d’aller de la fiction littéraire à la « friction » sociale. Dans un court récit, J. L. Borges analyse les conditions psychologiques de celui qui a un labyrinthe pour demeure. La demeure d’Astérion raconte le quotidien d’un monstre dans un espace où il se sent chez lui. Au travers de la fiction borgésienne, comment comprendre ce passage de l’archétype spatial vers la condition cosmique, voire cosmétologique, de l’habitat urbain contemporain ?