bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of ascorbic acid in the inhibition of polyphenol oxidase and the prevention of browning in different browning‐sensitive Lactuca sativa var. capitata (L.) and Eruca sativa (Mill.) stored as fresh‐cut produce
Authors: Landi Marco , Degl'Innocenti Elena , Guglielminetti Lorenzo , Guidi Lucia
Published: October 2012

BACKGROUND

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and, to a minor extent, peroxidase (POD) represent the key enzymes involved in enzymatic browning, a negative process induced by cutting fresh‐cut produce such as lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and rocket salad (Eruca sativa). Although ascorbic acid is frequently utilised as an anti‐browning agent, its mechanism in the prevention of the browning phenomenon is not clearly understood.

RESULTS

The activity of PPO and POD and their isoforms in lettuce (a high‐browning and low‐ascorbic acid species) and rocket salad (a low‐browning and high‐ascorbic species) was characterised. The kinetic parameters of PPO and in vitro ascorbic acid–PPO inhibition were also investigated. In rocket salad, PPO activity was much lower than that in lettuce and cutting induced an increase in PPO activity only in lettuce. Exogenous ascorbic acid (5 mmol L−1) reduced PPO activity by about 90% in lettuce. POD did not appear to be closely related to browning in lettuce.

CONCLUSION

PPO is the main enzyme involved in the browning phenomenon; POD appears to play a minor role. The concentration of endogenous ascorbic acid in rocket salad was related to its low‐browning sensitivity after cutting. In lettuce, the addition of ascorbic acid directly inhibited PPO activity. The results suggest that the high ascorbic acid content found in rocket salad plays an effective role in reducing PPO activity. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Sargassum polycystum reduces hyperglycaemia, dyslipidaemia and oxidative stress via increasing insulin sensitivity in a rat model of type 2 diabetes
Authors: Motshakeri Mahsa , Ebrahimi Mahdi , Goh Yong Meng , Matanjun Patricia , Mohamed Suhaila
Published: October 2012

BACKGROUND

Sargassum polycystum, a brown seaweed, contains various nutrients and bioactive compounds that have antioxidant and healing properties. The research hypothesises that antioxidants and pigments in dietary S. polycystum extracts can improve insulin sensitivity, blood sugar levels and blood lipid levels in a rat model of type 2 diabetes. The diabetes was induced by a high‐sugar, high‐fat diet for 16 weeks to enhance insulin resistance, followed by a low‐dose intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (35 mg kg−1 body weight). The doses of S. polycystum tested on diabetic rats were 150 and 300 mg kg−1 body weight for the ethanolic extract or 150 and 300 mg kg−1 for the water extract. Normal rats, untreated diabetic and metformin‐treated diabetic rats (n = 6) were used as control.

RESULTS

Both doses of the alcohol extract of S. polycystum and the 300 mg kg−1 water extract, significantly reduced blood glucose and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1C) levels. Serum total cholesterol, triglyceride levels and plasma atherogenic index were significantly decreased after 22 days treatment in all seaweed groups. Unlike metformin, S. polycystum did not significantly change plasma insulin in the rats, but increased the response to insulin.

CONCLUSION

The consumption of either ethanolic or water extracts of S. polycystum dose dependently reduced dyslipidaemia in type 2 diabetic rats. S. polycystum is a potential insulin sensitiser, for a comestible complementary therapy in the management of type 2 diabetes which can help reduce atherogenic risk.© 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic activities of sesamin from sesame meal and its ability to ameliorate insulin resistance in KK‐Ay mice
Authors: Hong Lei , Yi Wang , Liangliang Cai , Juncheng Han , Qin Wang , Xiaoxiang Zhang
Published: October 2012

Background

The ability of sesamin from sesame meal to ameliorate insulin resistance in KK‐Ay mice (an animal model of type 2 diabetes) was evaluated.

Results

Treatment with sesamin (100 or 50 mg kg−1) significantly decreased the level of fasting plasma glucose, glycosylated serum protein, serum insulin, triglycerides, cholesterol, free fatty acid and malondialdehyde content of livers. Treatment with sesamin significantly increased the content of hepatic glycogen, reduced glutathione and the activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. Moreover, the insulin‐binding capacity to liver crude plasma membranes increased and histopathological changes of the pancreas were ameliorated in the treatment group.

Conclusion

Sesamin has hypoglycaemic, hypolipidaemic and the ability to ameliorate insulin resistance in KK‐Ay mice, which might be related to its effect on insulin receptors, and thus increases insulin sensitivity.© 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Combating Aeolian Desertification in Northern China
Authors: Wang T. , Xue X. , Zhou L. , Guo J.
Published: October 2012

Progress in combating aeolian desertification (land degradation resulting from wind erosion) has been achieved in an agro‐pastoral ecotone of northern China since the mid‐1980s. This paper reviews three common measures used to combat and control aeolian desertification in such regions. In addition, it introduces a case study on the recovery of a degraded semi‐arid ecosystem to provide regional lessons and support theoretical and practical approaches to desertification prevention and reversal on a global scale. On the basis of the analysis and evaluation of three kinds of typical measures and one regional scale case, this study shows that human‐caused aeolian desertified land can be rehabilitated. Although the technologies and management of combating aeolian desertification in an agro‐pastoral ecotone of northern China still need further improvement through more experimentation and practical application in the future, the experience gained to date contains important lessons for the recovery of degraded land on a global scale. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hemoglobin Levels Triggering Erythropoiesis‐Stimulating Agent Therapy in Patients with Cancer: the Shift After United States Food and Drug Administration Policy Changes
Authors: Stroupe Kevin T. , Tarlov Elizabeth , Lee Todd A. , Weichle Thomas W. , Zhang Qiuying L. , Michaelis Laura C. , Ozer Howard , Durazo‐Arvizu Ramon , Browning Margaret M. , Hynes Denise M.
Published: October 2012

Study Objective

To determine whether the hemoglobin level at which health care providers prescribed erythropoiesis‐stimulating agent (ESA) therapy (trigger hemoglobin level) for their patients receiving chemotherapy was lower after the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandated a black‐box warning in March 2007.

Design

Retrospective analysis.

Data Source

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System (VA) national databases.

Patients

A total of 7450 patients who were diagnosed with cancer between 2002 and 2009, were undergoing chemotherapy, and who received an ESA within 12 months after their cancer diagnosis.

Measurements and Main Results

Data were collected on patients' demographic, clinical, environmental, and treatment‐related factors. After controlling for these factors, multivariable regression analyses were used to compare the trigger hemoglobin level before and after the FDA‐mandated labeling change. The average trigger hemoglobin level was 0.73 g/dl lower after the labeling change (95% confidence interval [CI] −0.84 to −0.63). Moreover, the decline in trigger hemoglobin levels began in mid‐2006, when the average trigger hemoglobin level fell from 10.50 g/dl in early 2006 (95% CI 10.36–10.63) to 9.30 g/dl by late 2009 (95% CI 9.10–9.49).

Conclusion

Even before the 2007 FDA‐mandated changes in ESA product labeling, hemoglobin levels that triggered ESA treatment began declining for patients receiving cancer care within the VA. This highlights the critical importance of dissemination of postmarketing safety data to impact shifts in ESA use for anemia management.
Diffusion and Interaction Dynamics of Individual Membrane Protein Complexes Confined in Micropatterned Polymer‐Supported Membranes
Authors: Waichman Sharon , Roder Friedrich , Richter Christian P. , Birkholz Oliver , Piehler Jacob
Published: October 2012

Micropatterned polymer‐supported membranes (PSM) are established as a tool for confining the diffusion of transmembrane proteins for single molecule studies. To this end, a photochemical surface modification with hydrophobic tethers on a PEG polymer brush is implemented for capturing of lipid vesicles and subsequent fusion. Formation of contiguous membranes within micropatterns is confirmed by scanning force microscopy, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), and super‐resolved single‐molecule tracking and localization microscopy. Free diffusion of transmembrane proteins reconstituted into micropatterned PSM is demonstrated by FRAP and by single‐molecule tracking. By exploiting the confinement of diffusion within micropatterned PSM, the diffusion and interaction dynamics of individual transmembrane receptors are quantitatively resolved.
Microfluidic Investigation of BDNF‐Enhanced Neural Stem Cell Chemotaxis in CXCL12 Gradients
Authors: Xu Hui , Heilshorn Sarah C.
Published: October 2012

In vivo studies have suggested that gradients of CXCL12 (aka stromal cell‐derived factor 1α) may be critical for neural stem cell (NSC) migration during brain development and neural tissue regeneration. However, traditional in vitro chemotaxis tools are limited by unstable concentration gradients and the inability to decouple cell migration directionality and speed. These limitations have restricted the reproducible and quantitative analysis of neuronal migration, which is required for mechanism‐based studies. Using a microfluidic gradient generator, nestin and Sox‐2 positive human embryonic NSC chemotaxis is quantified within a linear and stable CXCL12 gradient. While untreated NSCs are not able to chemotax within CXCL12 gradients, pre‐treatment of the cells with brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) results in significant chemotactic, directional migration. BDNF pre‐treatment has no effect on cell migration speed, which averages about 1 μm min−1. Quantitative analysis determines that CXCL12 concentrations above 9.0 nM are above the minimum activation threshold, while concentrations below 14.7 nM are below the saturation threshold. Interestingly, although inhibitor studies with AMD 3100 revealed that CXCL12 chemotaxis requires receptor CXCR4 activation, BDNF pre‐treatment is found to have no profound effects on the mRNA levels or surface presentation of CXCR4 or the putative CXCR7 scavenger receptor. The microfluidic study of NSC migration within stable chemokine concentration profiles provides quantitative analysis as well as new insight into the migratory mechanism underlying BDNF‐induced chemotaxis towards CXCL12.
Scaling patterns for QCD jets
Authors: Gerwick Erik , Plehn Tilman , Schumann Steffen , Schichtel Peter
Published: October 2012

Abstract

Jet emission at hadron colliders follows simple scaling patterns. Based on perturbative QCD we derive Poisson and staircase scaling for final state as well as initial state radiation. Parton density effects enhance staircase scaling at low multiplicities. We propose experimental tests of our theoretical findings in Z+jets and QCD gap jets production, based on minor additions to current LHC analyses.
Mineralogical Study of Gabbro-Anorthosite from Dumka, Chhotanagpur Gneissic Complex, Eastern Indian Shield
Authors: Bhattacharjee Niladri , Ray Jyotisankar , Ganguly Sohini , Saha Abhishek
Published: October 2012

The Chhotanagpur Gneissic Complex (CGC), bearing imprints of widespread high grade metamorphic and magmatic history since Palaeoproterozoic, represents an integral crustal segment of Eastern Indian Shield. The gabbro-anorthosite intrusives constitute a part of mafic-ultramafic magmatism in the CGC. The study area around Dumka (24°16' to 24°20'N: 87°13' to 87°22'E) predominantly comprises of granite gneiss and charnockitic country rocks within which gabbro-anorthosite intrusions occur as lenses. Field relations and structural studies reveal that the country rocks of Dumka have suffered three phases of deformation represented by F1, F2 and F3 folds. The gabbro-anorthosite intrusives maintain a sharp contact with the host rocks, deformed and metamorphosed. Relict igneous layering or primary igneous foliation (Sig) is recorded where metamorphic overprint is minimal. Mineral phases of gabbro-anorthosite rocks suggest that clinopyroxene compositions from gabrro correspond to diopside and clinoferrosilite, while those from anorthosite are clinoferrosilite. Amphiboles from the gabbro-anorthosite rocks are calcic, and range from ferroan pargasite in gabbro to ferroan pargasitic hornblende in anorthosite. Plagioclase from gabbro and anorthosite belong to bytownite and andesine respectively. Chemical composition of garnet in gabbro is almandine. Thermobarometric estimates for Dumka gabbro-anorthosites correspond to 511°C to 915°C and 5.0-7.5 kb pressure, comparable to that estimated for Bengal Anorthosite (593-795°C, 4.1-7.3 kb). Fractionation trend of plagioclase substantiates a single parental magma in the evolution of Dumka gabbro-anorthosite intrusives.
Investigating the Frictional Response of Granitic Rock Surface: An Experimental Approach
Authors: Vishal Vikram , Das Raktim , Singh T. N.
Published: October 2012

Rock friction varies as a function of mainly four parameters that are waiting time and velocity of motion between two frictional surfaces, surface roughness and normal stress. In this paper, a study on former two aspects of rock frictional behaviour has been attempted for granitic rock surface. In one experiment, waiting time for which the two surfaces remain in contact is increased from 20 seconds to 18 hours. In the second experiment, waiting time is kept constant for a series of rock slip experiments where the velocity is increased from 10μm/sec to 350μm/sec. The value of critical velocity is obtained from transformation of the stick slip motion to steady motion occurs. The relation of coefficients of dynamic and static friction with increasing velocity of motion is studied and these are used to calculate the frictional constants, namely ‘a’ and ‘b’ specific to the chosen simulation type.
Determination of Shear Wave Velocity and Depth to Basement Using Multichannel Analysis of Surface Wave Technique
Authors: Seshunarayana T. , Sundararajan N.
Published: October 2012

The dispersive characteristics of Rayleigh type surface waves were utilized to estimate shear wave velocity (Vs) profile followed by imaging the shallow subsurface granitic layers in the heart of Hyderabad. The reliability of Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) depends on the accurate determination of phase velocities for horizontally traveling fundamental mode Rayleigh waves. Multichannel recording leads to effective identification and isolation of various factors of noise. Calculating the 1-D shear wave velocity (Vs) field from surface waves ensures high degree of accuracy irrespective of cultural noise. The main advantage of mapping the bed rock surface with shear wave velocity (Vs) is the insensitivity of MASW to velocity inversion besides being free from many constraints such as contrast in physical properties etc. Modeling of surface waves data results a shear wave velocity (Vs) of 250-750 m/s covering the top soil to weathering and up to bedrock corresponding to a depth range of 10-30 m. Further, the computed N values (which is an indicator of site characteristic) based on the harmonic shear wave velocity up to a depth of 5 m is found to be quite high (> 25-30) well above 5 indicating the site to be safe and strong enough and not prone to liquefaction. A pair of selected set of results over granites are presented here as a case study highlighting the salient features of MASW.
Evaluation and Validation of Landslide Spatial Susceptibility in the Western Ghats of Kerala, through GIS-based Weights of Evidence Model and Area under Curve Technique
Authors: Prasannakumar V. , Vijith H.
Published: October 2012

Landslide susceptibility mapping and spatial prediction have been carried out for the headwater region of Manimala river basin in the Western Ghats of Kerala, India, through geographic information technology and bayesian statistics, Weights of Evidence (WofE) model. The variables such as geomorphology, slope, relative relief, terrain curvature, slope length and steepness, soil type and land use/land cover are considered as factors that translate the terrain susceptible to landsliding. The quantitative relationship between landslides and the causative factors were statistically weighted using the ArcSDM extension of ArcGIS software. The posterior probability map, produced on the basis of predictive weights for each variable by combining the weighted layers in GIS, shows a high posterior probability value of 0.1 (highly possible) with a standard deviation of 0.0025. The discrete susceptibility classes in the reclassified posterior probability map reveals that the high and moderate landslide susceptibility classes cover 0.78 and 14.93% respectively of the total study area. The result was validated using the Area Under Curve (AUC) method with a separate set of landslide locations and the validation demonstrates high prediction accuracy with a prediction rate of 81.32%.
Influence of Flow Velocity on Conservative Solute Transport in Sets of Parallel Fractures with Fracture Skin
Authors: Nair Vinish V. , Thampi Sanosh G.
Published: October 2012

Analysis of contaminant transport through fractured crystalline rocks has received considerable attention, particularly with regard to subsurface nuclear waste repositories. Most of the studies have employed the dual continuum approach, with the fractures and the rock matrix as the two continuums, assuming that fractures control the overall conductivity of the rock and the porous matrix just provides storage. However, field observations of rock fractures have shown that the real situation can be very complex. Based on some recent investigations, it has been reported that the portion of the rock matrix adjacent to many open fractures is physically and chemically altered. These alterations, referred to as the fracture skin, can have different sorption and diffusion properties compared to those of the undisturbed rock matrix and this may influence the transport of solutes through such formations. In the present study, a numerical model is developed to simulate conservative solute transport in a fractured crystalline rock formation using the triple continuum approach - with the fracture, fracture skin and the rock matrix as the three continuums. The model is solved using a fully implicit finite difference scheme. Contaminant migration in the fractured formation with and without skin has been simulated. It is observed that contaminant penetration along the fracture is enhanced at large flow velocities. The effect of flow velocity on conservative solute transport is investigated for different fracture apertures and fracture skin thicknesses. The influence of flow velocity on contaminant transport is demonstrated to be more with change in fracture aperture than with change in skin thickness.
Vertical Distribution and Mobilization of Arsenic in Shallow Alluvial Aquifers of Chapai-Nawabganj District, Northwestern Bangladesh
Authors: Reza A. H. M. Selim , Jean Jiin-Shuh
Published: October 2012

Core sediments from two boreholes and groundwater from fifty four As-contaminated well waters were collected in the Chapai-Nawabganj area of northwestern Bangladesh for geochemical analysis. Groundwater arsenic concentrations in the uppermost aquifer (10 to 40 m of depth) range from 2.76-315.15 mg/l (average 48.81 mg/l). Arsenic concentration in sediments ranges from 3.26-10 mg/kg. Vertical distribution of arsenic in both groundwater and sediments shows that maximum As concentration (462 mg/l in groundwater and 10 mg/kg in sediments) occurs at a depth of 24 m. In January 2008, 2009 and 2010, maximum As concentration occurs at the same depth. Environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) with EDAX was used to investigate the presence of major and trace elements in the sediments. The dominant groundwater type is Ca-HCO3 with high concentrations of As and Fe, but with low levels of NO3- and SO4-2. Statistical analysis clearly shows that As is closely associated with Fe (R2 = 0.64) and Mn (R2 = 0.91) in sediments while As is not correlated with Fe and Mn in groundwater samples. Comparatively low Fe and Mn concentrations in some groundwater, suggest that probably siderite and/or rhodochrosite precipitated as secondary mineral on the surface of the sediment particles. The correlations along with results of sequential leaching experiments suggest that reductive dissolution of FeOOH and MnOOH mediated by anaerobic bacteria represents mechanism for releasing arsenic into the groundwater.
Geochemistry and Tectonic Significance of Mafic Volcanic Rocks of the Hindoli Belt, Southeastern Rajasthan: Implications for Continent Assembly
Authors: Raza Mahshar , Siddiqui Mohd. Zuhaib
Published: October 2012

Mafic volcanic rocks that occur within the sedimentary pile of the Hindoli Group were analyzed for major and trace elements (including REE) to establish tectonic setting of volcanism during the early Proterozoic history of the North Indian Craton. The mafic volcanics are sub-alkaline showing compositional variation from picrobasalt to basalt. They are LREE enriched with (La/Yb)N ratio ranging from 4.67-6.19 (avg.5.27) and exhibit slightly concave REE patterns relative to chondrite. The multi-element patterns of these mafic volcanic rocks display relative enrichment in Th and LREE and negative anomalies of Nb and P. These geochemical characteristics are consistent with a subduction related origin. Various variation diagrams, involving immobile trace elements, distinguish the Hindoli lavas as arc basalt. However, their Ti and Nb contents are higher than those of subduction related magmas. Probably the wedge melting, along with mixing of rising asthenosphere might have produced these characteristics. It is suggested that the Hindoli basin originated by rifting of island-arc lithosphere, caused by rising plume in an extensional back arc region. Based on the results of the present geochemical study, it is proposed that in the early Proterozoic the Mewar block had an active-type continental margin on its present eastern side. The continental magmatic arcs and intra-arc basins developed on this margin were subsequently incorporated into the Mewar protocontinent. Possibly, the plate carrying the Bundelkhand block subducted beneath the eastern margin of the Mewar block, resulting in the final amalgamation of the two blocks along Great Boundary Fault zone or Banas Dislocation Zone. The arc related volcanism of north Indian shield at about 1850-1832 Ma, appears to represent the global subduction event, which resulted in the amalgamation and formation of Columbia supercontinent.
Occurrence of Scheelite-Powellite in the Rocks of Mahakoshal Group, Wyndhamganj Area, Sonbhadra District, Uttar Pradesh
Authors: Khan M. A. , Hakim Asfar , Ameer Rasool S. Syed , Sinha V. P.
Published: October 2012

Scheelite and Powellite occur as dissemination and fractures filling in the hornfels and tourmaline-garnet granite in the Palaeoproterozoic rocks of Mahakoshal Group, at about 2.5 km north of Wyndhamganj, Sonbhadra district, Uttar Pradesh. This new find opens new vistas for the search of tungsten mineralization along the contact zones of Mahakoshal Group and the younger granite.
Reducing the Frequency of Immediate‐Use Sterilization: A Systematic Multidisciplinary Approach
Authors: Shelby Debra , Kras Bill , Bryant Sandra , Myers Kimberly , Bolyard Nancy
Published: October 2012

Efforts to comply with AORN's recommended practices for sterilization led a multidisciplinary team at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, to undertake a quality improvement project to reduce the frequency of immediate‐use (previously called flash) sterilization. Team members determined that time pressures on sterile processing department personnel, staff members' inability to find items on the peel pack cart, and shortages of some instruments led to an increased reliance on immediate‐use sterilization. By tracking which instruments were most likely to be sterilized for immediate use, reorganizing the peel pack cart and instrument trays, and purchasing some additional instruments, team members were able to reduce the frequency of immediate‐use sterilization by as much as 70%. It is important for perioperative nurses to participate as members of multidisciplinary quality improvement teams to implement practice changes. Shared governance is critical to any improvement project to help provide positive outcomes for the organization and for patient care.
Optimizing Hemostatic Practices: Matching the Appropriate Hemostat to the Clinical Situation
Authors: Neveleff Deborah J.
Published: October 2012

Achieving hemostasis is a critical focus of clinicians working in the surgical setting, given that uncontrolled surgical bleeding is associated with increased mortality rates and higher costs of care. As principal members of the surgical team, perioperative nurses are in an optimal position to plan and direct care during a bleeding event and throughout a patient's surgical stay. This supplement includes an assessment of the clinical and economic effects of surgical bleeding, a thorough review of available therapies, and a detailed comparison of these products to demonstrate which agents are best suited for a given clinical situation. By understanding the basic science of coagulation and hemostasis and current advances in topical hemostatic agents, including their safety, efficacy, and judicious use, perioperative nurses will be empowered to better assist the surgeon in optimizing patient outcomes.
Between a rock and a hard place: The failure of the attraction effect among unattractive alternatives
Authors: Malkoc Selin A. , Hedgcock William , Hoeffler Steve
Published: October 2012

Many important decisions that consumers face involve choosing between options that are unattractive or undesirable—the proverbial “lesser of two evils.” Consumers, who face budget or geographical constraints, for example, end up with mostly undesirable consideration sets; yet a choice is necessary. We examine the role of option set desirability in the context of the well‐established attraction effect. In five studies, we show that the attraction effect occurs in desirable domains but is eliminated when all the options are undesirable (Experiments 1–4). We further find that this asymmetric effect is consistent with a shift in decision makers' processing styles. Decision makers show more vigilant processing when making choices among undesirable (vs. desirable) domains (Experiments 3A and 3B), which results in an attenuated attraction effect (Experiment 4). Our results indicate that the attraction effect might not be as robust as generally thought and establishes (un)desirability as an important boundary condition.
Epigenetic alterations involved in cancer stem cell reprogramming
Authors: Muñoz Purificación , Iliou Maria S. , Esteller Manel
Published: October 2012

Current hypotheses suggest that tumors originate from cells that carry out a process of “malignant reprogramming” driven by genetic and epigenetic alterations. Multiples studies reported the existence of stem‐cell‐like cells that acquire the ability to self‐renew and are able to generate the bulk of more differentiated cells that form the tumor. This population of cancer cells, called cancer stem cells (CSC), is responsible for sustaining the tumor growth and, under determined conditions, can disseminate and migrate to give rise to secondary tumors or metastases to distant organs. Furthermore, CSCs have shown to be more resistant to anti‐tumor treatments than the non‐stem cancer cells, suggesting that surviving CSCs could be responsible for tumor relapse after therapy. These important properties have raised the interest in understanding the mechanisms that govern the generation and maintenance of this special population of cells, considered to lie behind the on/off switches of gene expression patterns. In this review, we summarize the most relevant epigenetic alterations, from DNA methylation and histone modifications to the recently discovered miRNAs that contribute to the regulation of cancer stem cell features in tumor progression, metastasis and response to chemotherapy.
Governing the transition to a biofuels economy in the US and EU: Accommodating value conflicts, implementing uncertainty
Authors: Kay Adrian , Ackrill Robert
Published: October 2012

The scale of the ambition to decouple emissions growth from energy consumption runs counter to decades of debates and literatures on the limits of government. Transport biofuels are an early and influential case of the policy capacity challenge in the transition to low-carbon economies. The case stands analytically for the policy-maker’s dilemma of maintaining long-term policy goals as credible commitments, despite the flexibility and adaptability in policy-making required to achieve them under high political, technological and market uncertainty. This paper compares US and EU biofuels policy processes in these terms. It reveals an intertemporal choice embedded in biofuels policies which tests the capacity to account for future benefits from a low carbon future in current policy processes; if the pathway to their achievement is uncertain and politically contested in the implementation phase, then future benefits may be heavily discounted, shortening policy-maker horizons and rendering the transition process politically vulnerable.
Vortex dynamics of clapping plates
Authors: Kim Daegyoum , Hussain Fazle , Gharib Morteza
Published: October 2012

Vortex formation and force generation of clapping plates with various aspect ratios ($AR$) and stroke angles were investigated. Experiments were performed with a pair of hinged rectangular plates that were rotated symmetrically in a static fluid, and defocusing digital particle image velocimetry was employed to measure the three-dimensional flow field. Single-plate cases were also studied to compare with clapping plate cases. As$AR$decreases, both circulation of the tip vortex and area enclosed by the vortex loop increase inversely. An empirical power-law relationship with a negative exponent is found between total impulse and$AR$for a given stroke angle. The sensitivity of the force generated by the plates to the change of$AR$is larger at the smaller stroke angle because of faster acceleration and deceleration. The increase in impulse per plate from the single-plate case to the clapping double-plate case is larger for lower$AR$. These results reveal that low$AR$wings are more efficient in propulsive force generation in some specific modes of unsteady flapping flight. The evolution of the wake structures is found to depend on$AR$and stroke angle.
Lattice-Boltzmann equations for describing segregation in non-ideal mixtures
Authors: Philippi Paulo C. , Mattila Keijo K. , Siebert Diogo N. , dos Santos Luís O. E. , Hegele Júnior Luiz A. , Surmas Rodrigo
Published: October 2012

In fluid mechanics, multicomponent fluid systems are generally treated either as homogeneous solutions or as completely immiscible parts of a multiphasic system. In immiscible systems, the main task in numerical simulations is to find the location of the interface evolving over time, driven by normal and tangential surface forces. The lattice-Boltzmann method (LBM), on the other hand, is based on a mesoscopic description of the multicomponent fluid systems, and appears to be a promising framework that can lead to realistic predictions of segregation in non-ideal mixtures of partially miscible fluids. In fact, the driving forces in segregation are of a molecular nature: there is competition between the intermolecular forces and the random thermal motion of the molecules. Since these microscopic mechanisms are not accessible from a macroscopic standpoint, the LBM can provide a bridge linking the microscopic and macroscopic domains. To this end, the first purpose of this article is to present the kinetic equations in their continuum forms for the description of the mixing and segregation processes in mixtures. This paper is limited to isothermal segregation; non-isothermal segregation was discussed by Philippi et al. (Phil. Trans. R. Soc., vol. 369, 2011, pp. 2292–2300). Discretization of the kinetic equations leads to evolution equations, written in LBM variables, directly amenable for numerical simulations. Here the dynamics of the kinetic model equations is demonstrated with numerical simulations of a spinodal decomposition problem with dissolution. Finally, some simplified versions of the kinetic equations suitable for immiscible flows are discussed.
Competition law
Authors: Lane Robert
Published: October 2012

The period under review (January 2010 – June 2012) has been a time of consolidation (or exhaustion) for the Union generally, as the Lisbon changes are allowed to bed in. The competition sphere is no exception. There has been limited initiative, certainly nothing ambitious to come out of the Commission over the period. At the same time a new Commission took up office—three months late, and by a little-remarked constitutional sleight of hand1—in 2010, and with it came a new Commissioner for Competition (Mr Almunia) and with him a new Director-General of DG Competition (Mr Italianer—Dutch notwithstanding the name), which event sometimes, but not always, marks a reorientation of Union competition policy. Both are economists which, again, may or may not influence the direction of policy. At the same time the Union has been buffeted by a financial crisis not wholly of its own making in which the competition rules must have a significant role to play.
PARTY AUTONOMY IN THE LEGAL REGULATION OF ADULT RELATIONSHIPS: WHAT PLACE FOR PARTY CHOICE IN PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW?
Authors: Carruthers Janeen
Published: October 2012

This article is an examination of the merits of permitting the exercise of party autonomy in choice of court and choice of law in respect of the personal and patrimonial aspects of adult relationships. It provides a commentary on the party autonomy provisions of EU harmonization instruments, actual and proposed, in family law. The treatment considers the particular issues of drafting which arise from the specialties of family law, and ponders whether or not the refinements required render the exercise of permitting party autonomy self-defeating.
A case of a ‘lost’ nasogastric tube
Authors: Sankar V , Shakeel M , Keh S , Ah-See K W
Published: October 2012

Objectives:

To present the case of a ‘lost’ nasogastric tube and to highlight the importance of imaging and/or chest X-ray after nasogastric tube insertion, especially in unreliable patients.

Case report:

A 50-year-old man, undergoing radiotherapy treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue base, was admitted for pain control and nasogastric tube feeding. This patient required multiple nasogastric tubes over a two-week period. The patient repeatedly denied pulling the nasogastric tube out and we were unable to establish the exact mode of nasogastric tube removal. On one such occasion another tube was inserted and a check X-ray showed two feeding tubes; the latest one was lying in the left main bronchus and the old nasogastric tube was observed in the oesophagus, with its upper end jutting above the hypopharynx. It was apparent that the patient had somehow cut the tube and swallowed it.

Conclusion:

This case not only illustrates the importance of flexible nasendoscopy and/or chest X-ray for checking the position of the nasogastric tube, but also highlights that some patients are not tolerant of nasogastric tubes. The use of nasogastric tubes should be avoided in these patients to prevent any self-inflicted injury.
Use of the internet in the treatment of obesity and prevention of type 2 diabetes in primary care
Authors: McTigue Kathleen M. , Conroy Molly B.
Published: October 2012

Cardiovascular prevention, including emphasising healthy diet and physical activity patterns for weight loss and diabetes prevention, is an important focus of primary care medicine, yet provision of intensive lifestyle counselling in the primary care setting remains uncommon. Online approaches for providing lifestyle counselling are emerging as a new avenue for bringing support to outpatient patient populations. Features of successful programmes include the use of a structured behavioural programme, electronic counselling support and feedback, and uncomplicated user interfaces. Online tools may be used independently or to complement in-person approaches. Limited data also suggest that the internet can be used to support the maintenance of weight loss. In addition, the internet may help overcome various clinical barriers to lifestyle support, including significant time limitations, a need to prioritise acute care and maintain clinical workflow, and the high cost of counselling. Furthermore, the continuity of the primary care patient–provider(s) relationship provides an established source of long-term support which has been difficult to create in other community settings. As the field of online lifestyle counselling matures, nutrition and physical activity experts will face new challenges in providing asynchronous counselling without the assistance of traditional non-verbal communication cues. However, the potential for reaching a wider population in a convenient and accessible manner also creates unique opportunities for providing lifestyle support.
The Roman Fort at Bainbridge, Wensleydale: Excavations by B.R. Hartley on thePrincipiaand a Summary Account of Other Excavations and Surveys
Authors: Bidwell Paul
Published: October 2012

Occupation at Bainbridge began in the governorship of Agricola. Little is known of the first fort; the visible remains represent a successor fort, established inc.a.d. 85 at the earliest, abandoned under Hadrian and Antoninus Pius, and reoccupied inc.a.d. 160. In the early Severan period, the size of the unit at the fort seems to have been greatly reduced in numbers, and a suite of rooms for an officer was inserted in theprincipia. Extensive work bycohors VI Nerviorumwhich took place inc.a.d. 205–7 included the building of newprincipia, the relocation of the east gate, and probably the addition of an annexe, its wall described in an inscription from the site as abracchium. The fort was held until the end of the Roman period, by which time theprincipiahad been partly demolished to provide space for a timber building probably accommodating the commanding officer. Theaedesand part of the rear range seem to have stood until the ninth or tenth century, when the former was possibly converted into a church. Knowledge of this sequence of occupation depends largely on the results of Brian Hartley's excavations which are published here. The main focus of the report is on the remarkable series ofprincipia, but a review of what is known of the overall archaeology of the fort is also included in the main text. The Supplementary Material (http://journals.cambridge.org/bri) contains a more detailed analysis of some of the other excavations together with various specialist reports.
First evidence that populations of the critically endangered Long-billed Vulture Gyps indicus in Pakistan have increased following the ban of the toxic veterinary drug diclofenac in south Asia
Authors: CHAUDHRY M. JAMSHED I. , OGADA DARCY L. , MALIK RIFFAT N. , VIRANI MUNIR Z. , GIOVANNI MATTHEW D.
Published: October 2012

The cliff-nesting Long-billed Vulture Gyps indicus is one of four critically endangered Asian Vultures. In India, this species has declined catastrophically, but in Pakistan only small population declines have been recorded. Mortality of this species has been linked to poisoning by veterinary diclofenac, which was banned throughout south Asia in 2006. Between 2003 and 2012 we measured abundance of adult, sub-adult, juvenile, and dead vultures, and nest occupancy and productivity at the largest known Long-billed Vulture colony in Pakistan. We compared population parameters from before (2003−2006) and after (2007−2012) the ban on veterinary diclofenac. Our data and models indicate that vulture abundance, nest occupancy, and nest productivity declined 61%, 73%, and 95%, respectively, in the three years before the diclofenac ban, and then increased 1–2 years after the ban by 55%, 52%, and 95%. Furthermore, we observed 87% of total vulture mortalities prior to the diclofenac ban. Our results demonstrate for the first time since the onset of the Asian vulture crisis that the ban on veterinary diclofenac is an effective management tool for reversing Long-billed Vulture population declines.
Validation of a Modified Medical Resource Model for Mass Gatherings
Authors: Smith Wayne P. , Tuffin Heather , Stratton Samuel J. , Wallis Lee A.
Published: October 2012

Introduction

A modified Medical Resource Model to predict the medical resources required at mass gatherings based on the risk profile of events has been developed. This study was undertaken to validate this tool using data from events held in both a developed and a developing country.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted utilizing prospectively gathered data from individual events at Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester, United Kingdom, and Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa. Both stadia are similar in design and spectator capacity. Data for Professional Football as well as Rugby League and Rugby Union (respectively) matches were used for the study. The medical resources predicted for the events were determined by entering the risk profile of each of the events into the Medical Resource Model. A recently developed South African tool was used to predetermine medical staffing for mass gatherings. For the study, the medical resources actually required to deal with the patient load for events within the control sample from the two stadia were compared with the number of needed resources predicted by the Medical Resource Model when that tool was applied retrospectively to the study events. The comparison was used to determine if the newly developed tool was either over- or under-predicting the resource requirements.

Results

In the case of Ellis Park, the model under-predicted the basic life support (BLS) requirement for 1.5% of the events in the data set. Mean over-prediction was 209.1 minutes for BLS availability. Old Trafford displayed no events for which the Medical Resource Model would have under-predicted. The mean over-prediction of BLS availability for Old Trafford was 671.6 minutes. The intermediate life support (ILS) requirement for Ellis Park was under-predicted for seven of the total 66 events (10.6% of the events), all of which had one factor in common, that being relatively low spectator attendance numbers. Modelling for ILS at Old Trafford did not under-predict for any events. The ILS requirements showed a mean over-prediction of 161.4 minutes ILS availability for Ellis Park compared with 425.2 minutes for Old Trafford. Of the events held at Ellis Park, the Medical Resource Model under-predicted the ambulance requirement in 4.5% of the events. For Old Trafford events, the under-prediction was higher: 7.5% of cases.

Conclusion

The medical resources that are deployed at a mass gathering should best match the requirement for patient care at a particular event. An important consideration for any model is that it does not continually under-predict the resources required in relation to the actual requirement. With the exception of a specific subset of events at Ellis Park, the rate of under-prediction for this model was acceptable.

SmithWP, TuffinH, StrattonSJ, WallisLA. Validation of a modified medical resource model for mass gatherings. Prehosp Disaster Med.2013;28(1):1-7.
Forming coalitions to negotiate North–South climate agreements
Authors: Caparrós Alejandro , Péreau Jean-Christophe
Published: October 2012

This paper analyzes North-South negotiations over climate change abatement. We consider that northern countries have an incentive to negotiate over a transfer to the southern countries in exchange for their abatement efforts rather than reducing their emissions at home. We study the incentives for northern and southern countries to form negotiation-coalitions at each side of the bargaining table and the impact of these negotiation-coalitions on the final outcome. We show that the incentives can be separated into direct efficiency gains, as fixed costs savings, and indirect bargaining power gains. Depending on the relative values of these gains, we determine the equilibrium of the game. We also show that bargaining power gains encourage southern countries to negotiate separately while they encourage northern countries to unite, and that this hinders the formation of the grand coalition.
Attribution of direct ozone radiative forcing to spatially resolved emissions
Authors: Bowman K. , Henze D. K.
Published: October 2012

Quantifying the dependence of ozone direct radiative forcing (DRF) on the mixture and spatial distribution of precursor emissions is a key step towards understanding the impact of air quality standards on climate. We use here a combination of satellite observations of ozone and its radiative effect in conjunction with an adjoint chemical transport model to determine the ozone DRF due to global, anthropogenic NOx, CO, and non‐methane hydrocarbons (NMHC) emissions regionally at 2° × 2.5° regions resolution. We show that 8% of the ozone DRF from the sum of all these emissions can be attributed to 15 regions, which are predominantly located in China and the United States (US). To achieve an equivalent reduction in ozone DRF, necessary emission reductions for each precursor vary intra‐continentally by a factor of 3–10 and globally by over an order of magnitude. The contribution of NOx emissions to ozone DRF relative to CO and NMHC emissions within individual regions varies globally by nearly a factor of two.
Minimum charge moment change in positive and negative cloud to ground lightning discharges producing sprites
Authors: Qin Jianqi , Celestin Sebastien , Pasko Victor P.
Published: October 2012

Measurements indicate that surprisingly small charge moment changes of ∼200 C km in positive cloud‐to‐ground lightning discharges (+CGs) can initiate middle atmospheric gas discharges termed sprites. In the present work a plasma fluid model is used to demonstrate that for spherically symmetric initial electron density inhomogeneities, the initiation of sprites by such small charge moment changes is only possible when the ionospheric D‐region electron density profile is characterized by a reference altitudeh′ greater than 90 km. Vertically elongated inhomogeneities are found to be more favorable for sprite initiation, which is consistent with recently published studies. It is calculated that for the same ionospheric conditions (i.e., inhomogeneities and h′ values) that lead to initiation of sprites by +CGs associated with ∼200 C km charge moment changes, the minimum charge moment change required for initiation of sprites by −CGs is 300 C km.