bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Esophageal contractions, bolus transit and perception of transit after swallows of liquid and solid boluses in normal subjects
Authors: Dalmazo Juciléia , Aprile Lilian Rose Otoboni , Dantas Roberto Oliveira
Published: January 2013

CONTEXT: Esophageal dysphagia is the sensation that the ingested material has a slow transit or blockage in its normal passage to the stomach. It is not always associated with motility or transit alterations. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate in normal volunteers the possibility of perception of bolus transit through the esophagus after swallows of liquid and solid boluses, the differences in esophageal contraction and transit with these boluses, and the association of transit perception with alteration of esophageal contraction and/or transit. METHODS: The investigation included 11 asymptomatic volunteers, 4 men and 7 women aged 19-58 years. The subjects were evaluated in the sitting position. They performed swallows of the same volume of liquid (isotonic drink) and solid (macaroni) boluses in a random order and in duplicate. After each swallow they were asked about the sensation of bolus passage through the esophagus. Contractions and transit were evaluated simultaneously by solid state manometry and impedance. RESULTS: Perception of bolus transit occurred only with the solid bolus. The amplitude and area under the curve of contractions were higher with swallows of the solid bolus than with swallows of the liquid bolus. The difference was more evident in swallows with no perception of transit (n = 12) than in swallows with perception (n = 10). The total bolus transit time was longer for the solid bolus than for the liquid bolus only with swallows followed by no perception of transit. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the perception of esophageal transit may be the consequence of inadequate adaptation of esophageal transit and contraction to the characteristics of the swallowed bolus.
CHEK2 1100DELC germline mutation: a frequency study in hereditary breast and colon cancer Brazilian families
Authors: Abud Jamile , Prolla João Carlos , Koehler-Santos Patrícia , Ashton-Prolla Patricia
Published: January 2013

CONTEXT: CHEK2 encodes a cell cycle checkpoint kinase that plays an important role in the DNA damage repair pathway, activated mainly by ATM (Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated) in response to double-stranded DNA breaks. A germline mutation in CHEK2, 1100delC, has been described as a low penetrance allele in a significant number of families with breast and colorectal cancer in certain countries and is also associated with increased risk of contralateral breast cancer in women previously affected by the disease. About 5%-10% of all breast and colorectal cancers are associated with hereditary predisposition and its recognition is of great importance for genetic counseling and cancer risk management. OBJECTIVES: Here, we have assessed the frequency of the CHEK2 1100delC mutation in the germline of 59 unrelated Brazilian individuals with clinical criteria for the hereditary breast and colorectal cancer syndrome. METHODS: A long-range PCR strategy followed by gene sequencing was used. RESULTS: The 1100delC mutation was encountered in the germline of one (1.7%) individual in this high risk cohort. This indicates that the CHEK2 1100delC is not commonly encountered in Brazilian families with multiple diagnoses of breast and colorectal cancer. CONCLUSION: These results should be confirmed in a larger series of families and further testing should be undertaken to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the hereditary breast and colorectal cancer phenotype.
A low cost apparatus for measuring the xylem hydraulic conductance in plants
Authors: Pereira Luciano , Mazzafera Paulo
Published: January 2013

Plant yield and resistance to drought are directly related to the efficiency of the xylem hydraulic conductance and the ability of this system to avoid interrupting the flow of water. In this paper we described in detail the assembling of an apparatus proposed by TYREE et al. (2002), and its calibration, as well as low cost adaptations that make the equipment accessible for everyone working in this research area. The apparatus allows measuring the conductance in parts of roots or shoots (root ramifications or branches), or in the whole system, in the case of small plants or seedlings. The apparatus can also be used to measure the reduction of conductance by embolism of the xylem vessels. Data on the hydraulic conductance of eucalyptus seedlings obtained here and other reports in the literature confirm the applicability of the apparatus in physiological studies on the relationship between productivity and water stress.
Mapping the Obama administration's response to the Arab Spring
Authors: Pinto Maria do Céu de Pinho Ferreira
Published: January 2013

When the Arab Spring broke out, the United States was in a quandary over how to handle the crisis in its attempt to balance its moral obligations and ideals without undercutting its strategic interests and those of its close allies. Flaws in US diplomatic approach have contributed to one of the most serious foreign policy crisis for a US administration to date with consequential upheaval and erosion of the US-built balance of power. The reactions and policy responses of the Obama administration highlight the difficulties in grasping with the new reality in the Middle East and in enunciating a policy platform that could combine American interests and values.
Análise físico-química do óleo-resina e variabilidade genética de copaíba na Floresta Nacional do Tapajós
Authors: Silva Ederly Santos , Mathias Caroline de Souza , Lima Milena Campelo Freitas de , Veiga Junior Valdir Florêncio da , Rodrigues Doriane Picanço , Clement Charles Roland
Published: January 2013

O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar o óleo-resina da copaíba (Copaifera reticulata) e estimar, por meio de marcadores microssatélites, a variabilidade genética da espécie na Floresta Nacional do Tapajós, PA. A amostragem foi realizada em duas áreas, distanciadas de 5 km, em 136 árvores. A diversidade genética foi avaliada com seis marcadores microssatélites derivados de C. langsdorffii, e o óleo obtido de 30 árvores (15 de cada área) foi caracterizado em termos físicos e químicos. O óleo C. reticulata apresenta aspecto líquido, fino, odor fraco e de coloração amarelo-dourada (73,3% das plantas), com viscosidade muito variável (18 a 187 Pa-s) e densidade média de 0,975±0,049 g cm-3. O índice de acidez variou de 9,62 a 10,17 mg g-1 de KOH e o de saponificação de 100,63 a 109,84 mg g-1. A análise molecular identificou 78 alelos, com média de 13 por loco. A heterozigosidade esperada variou 0,59 a 0,85 (média de 0,75), com nível de endogamia de 0,375 a 0,419. Houve pouca diferenciação genética entre as populações das diferentes áreas de coleta (F ST = 0,030), mas a variabilidade foi maior entre os grupos genéticos detectados pelo programa Structure (F ST = 0,070). Essa maior variabilidade indica que não há ameaças à conservação genética da copaíba, em médio prazo.
Marinade with alkaline solutions for the improvement of pork quality
Authors: Santos Viviane Maria Oliveira dos , Caldara Fabiana Ribeiro , Seno Leonardo de Oliveira , Feijó Gelson Luis Dias , Paz Ibiara Correia de Lima Almeida , Garcia Rodrigo Garófallo , Nääs Irenilza de Alencar , Altemio Ângela Dulce Cavenaghi
Published: January 2013

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of alkaline solution marinades on the characteristics of pork subjected to post-mortem pH decrease in pig muscle. The pH of carcasses was measured in a commercial slaughterhouse (n = 526), 45 min after slaughtering (pH45) and, then, the carcasses were divided into the groups with pH45<5.7 or pH45>5.7. Ten samples of the longissimus dorsi muscles of each group were collected and distributed in an entirely randomized design, in a 2x4 factorial arrangement, with two conditions (pH45<5.7 or pH45>5.7), and four marinade solutions: TC, no marinade; TM1, sodium bicarbonate and sodium chloride; TM2, sodium tripolyphosphate and sodium chloride; TM3, sodium bicarbonate, sodium tripolyphosphate and sodium chloride. There was no interaction between pH45 of the meat and the marinade treatments. Meat with pH45<5.7 showed higher values for lightness, and for purge loss (PL), exudate loss (EL), cooking loss (CL) and shear force (SF). Marinating increased the pH, reduced the lightness, EL, CL and SF, and improved tenderness, juiciness and flavor of meat. Marinades with solutions containing chloride, bicarbonate, and sodium tripolyphosphate are effective in the improvement of pork quality, making physical characteristics of marinated meat similar to those of fresh pork, as a consequence of accelerated postmortem glycolysis.
Religião, cultura e política
Authors: Machado Maria das Dores Campos
Published: January 2013

Este artigo analisa os embates em curso na esfera pública brasileira envolvendo atores políticos com programas culturais bem distintos: católicos, evangélicos e os movimentos feministas e LGBTT. Dividido em quatro seções, inicia com uma apresentação da linha interpretativa adotada e uma breve análise das relações entre Estado e Igreja no século XX. Na seção seguinte, procura-se mostrar como o avanço das políticas de direitos humanos em atendimento às demandas dos movimentos feministas e gays se dá concomitantemente ao crescimento dos evangélicos na política partidária e no poder legislativo e como essas tendências contraditórias tencionam a arena pública. Na terceira seção, examina-se mais detalhadamente a agenda política, a participação dos evangélicos fluminenses nos poderes executivo e legislativo na primeira década do século XXI e o ativismo religioso conservador nas eleições de 2010. Nas considerações finais, procura-se mostrar que, a despeito dos conflitos de interesse entre os atores católicos e evangélicos, parcerias vêm sendo desenvolvidas entre coletivos religiosos de ambos os lados com o objetivo de impedir a criação de uma moralidade sexual de caráter laico.
Práticas ecumênicas de mulheres metodistas na Revista Voz Missionária
Authors: Almeida Vasni de
Published: January 2013

Este artigo, resultado de pesquisa documental, apresenta uma narrativa sobre as práticas ecumênicas de mulheres do metodismo brasileiro e discorre sobre as formas discursivas por elas adotadas para o alcance de um público mais amplo. Tais práticas ganharam ímpeto quando as missionárias norte-americanas passaram a organizar seus colégios no Brasil. Para organizar as escolas, professoras, diretoras e monitoras tiveram que estabelecer diálogos e acordos políticos com presbiterianos, batistas, luteranos, e inclusive com católicos apostólicos romanos, conversando e convencendo políticos de várias igrejas. Cantaram, oraram e pregaram juntas. As mulheres metodistas fizeram isso nas escolas e também nas instituições filantrópicas. Nas décadas de 1960 e 1970, as práticas ecumênicas dessas mulheres ganharam as páginas da revista Voz Missionária, documento-base dos recortes utilizados para a presente análise.
Síntese e caracterização de copolímeros reticulados à base de estireno, divinilbenzeno e metacrilato de metila com propriedades magnéticas
Authors: Souza Flavio S. , Costa Marcos A. S. , Maria Luiz Claudio de Santa , Mello Ivana L. , Silva Manoel R. , Wang Shu H.
Published: January 2013

Neste trabalho, foram sintetizados copolímeros à base de estireno (STY), divinilbenzeno (DVB) e metacrilato de metila (MMA) com propriedades magnéticas pela técnica de polimerização em suspensão. Os copolímeros foram caracterizados quanto a sua morfologia, ao teor de ferro incorporado, a densidade aparente, a distribuição de tamanho de partículas e as suas propriedades magnéticas. Foi avaliado o efeito da concentração de MMA sobre as características das partículas poliméricas obtidas. Copolímeros que não utilizaram MMA foram, em geral, os que apresentaram maior incorporação de ferro e melhor controle morfológico. Quando a temperatura foi alterada de 80 ºC para 70 ºC e a velocidade de agitação de 480 rpm para 360 rpm, houve aumento no teor de ferro incorporado nas partículas poliméricas.
Resultado da neurotização do nervo ulnar para o músculo bíceps braquial na lesão do plexo braquial
Authors: Rezende Marcelo Rosa de , Rabelo Neylor Teofilo Araújo , Silveira Júnior Clóvis Castanho , Petersen Pedro Araújo , Paula Emygdio José Leomil de , Mattar Júnior Rames
Published: January 2013

OBJETIVO: Avaliar de forma crítica os fatores que influenciam os resultados da neurotização do nervo ulnar no ramo motor do músculo bíceps braquial, visando a restauração da flexão do cotovelo em pacientes com lesão do plexo braquial. MÉTODOS: 19 pacientes, 18 homens e uma mulher, com idade média de 28,7 anos foram avaliados entre fevereiro de 2003 e maio de 2007. Oito pacientes apresentavam lesão das raízes C5-C6 e 11, das raízes C5-C6-C7. O intervalo de tempo médio entre a injúria e o tratamento cirúrgico foi 7,5 meses. Quatro pacientes apresentavam fraturas cervicais associadas à lesão do plexo braquial. O seguimento pós-operatório foi de 15,7 meses. RESULTADO: Oito pacientes recuperaram força de flexão do cotovelo MRC grau 4; dois, MRC grau 3 e nove, MRC < 3. Não houve prejuízo da função prévia do nervo ulnar. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados da cirurgia de neurotização do nervo ulnar no ramo motor no músculo bíceps braquial são dependentes: do intervalo decorrido entre a lesão do plexo e o tratamento cirúrgico, da presença de fraturas associadas da coluna cervical e côndilo occipital, da função residual das raízes de C8-T1 após o trauma e do acometimento da raiz de C7. Sinais de reinervação manifestados até 3 meses no pós cirúrgico mostram melhores resultados ao longo prazo. Nível de Evidência: IV, Série de Casos.
Estudo anatômico e funcional do complexo ligamentar colateral medial do cotovelo
Authors: Tribst Marcelo Fernandes , Zoppi Filho Américo , Camargo Filho José Carlos Silva , Sassi Darlene , Carvalho Junior Antonio Egydio de
Published: January 2013

OBJETIVO: Realizar um estudo anatômico do ligamento colateral medial, um importante estabilizador do cotovelo, em diferentes graus de flexo-extensão do cotovelo. MÉTODOS: Foram dissecados 40 cotovelos para analisar o comportamento funcional das bandas anterior, posterior e transversa do ligamento nas manobras de estresse em valgo do cotovelo durante seu movimento de flexão e extensão em diferentes graus. Determinou-se dois grupos: no GPA foi seccionado, a banda posterior do ligamento, depois a cápsula articular e, por fim, a banda anterior; no GAP, a ordem de dissecação foi inversa. RESULTADOS: No GPA observou-se instabilidade somente na terceira etapa e a média de abertura foi maior entre 50&º e 70&º de flexão de cotovelo; no GAP, a instabilidade apareceu desde a primeira etapa e os graus de flexão com maior instabilidade foram nos mesmos do grupo A. CONCLUSÃO: A banda anterior do ligamento colateral medial do cotovelo é o mais importante estabilizador na instabilidade em valgo do cotovelo e sua atuação principal acontece entre 50º e 70º de flexão do cotovelo. Nível de evidência III, Estudo Diagnóstico - Investigação de um exame para diagnóstico.
Tradução e adaptação cultural do Rowe score para a língua portuguesa
Authors: Marcondes Freddy Beretta , Vasconcelos Rodrigo Antunes de , Marchetto Adriano , Andrade André Luis Lugnani de , Zoppi Filho Américo , Etchebehere Maurício
Published: January 2013

OBJETIVO: Traduzir e adaptar culturalmente o questionário Rowe para ser utilizado no Brasil. MÉTODOS: O processo de tradução e adaptação cultural envolveu inicialmente as etapas de tradução, síntese, retro-tradução e revisão pelo Grupo de Tradução. Foi então criada uma versão pré-final do questionário, sendo os domínios Estabilidade e Função aplicados a 20 pacientes que sofreram luxação anterior do ombro e o domínio Mobilidade aplicado a 20 profissionais da saúde. RESULTADOS: Foi observada dificuldade de entendimento de algumas expressões do questionário por parte dos pacientes, as quais foram substituídas por termos mais fáceis de serem compreendidos. Todos os profissionais da saúde compreenderam a tradução do domínio Mobilidade. Dessa forma, o questionário foi reaplicado a outros 20 pacientes, sendo compreendido por todos os sujeitos avaliados. CONCLUSÃO: Após um processo criterioso de tradução e adaptação cultural, foi possível obter a versão brasileira do questionário Rowe. Nível de Evidência II, Estudos diagnósticos; investigação de um exame para diagnóstico.
Perceived motor ability and selection, optimization, and compensation: effects of age and institutionalization
Authors: Pimentel Francisca , Diniz António M.
Published: January 2013

The authors examined the mediation effect of the perceived motor ability (PMA) on the direct "effects" of age (third vs. fourth age) and residential status (institutionalized vs. communitarians) on selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) strategies. With a non-probabilistic sample of 107 elders (Mdn = 80 years) from urban areas, and controlled for cognitive impairment and depression, the authors analysed the structural component of the path model with latent constructs that represents those relationships. This was made only after the structural validity of the constructs had been assured. Constructs were operationalized through the PMA questionnaire and a 16-item version of the SOC questionnaire. Only age had direct effects on the constructs: lower PMA and lower SOC of the elders in the fourth age. Authors also verified that the PMA mediation effect was partial.
O Congresso Universal de Raças, Londres, 1911: contextos, temas e debates
Authors: Souza Vanderlei Sebastião de , Santos Ricardo Ventura
Published: January 2013

O texto aborda o contexto histórico e sociopolítico no qual se inseriu o Primeiro Congresso Universal de Raças, realizado em Londres em 1911, e discute os principais temas abordados no evento por antropólogos, sociólogos e ativistas sociais de diferentes lugares do mundo. Destacamos a presença dos médicos e antropólogos João Baptista de Lacerda (1846-1915) e Edgard Roquette-Pinto (1884-1954), os dois representantes do Brasil no congresso, e analisamos os trabalhos apresentados por algumas das principais autoridades do campo da antropologia e dos estudos raciais da época. Esses trabalhos foram publicados em um volume organizado pelo sociólogo inglês Gustav Spiller.
The use of CDM 2007 in the London 2012 construction programme
Authors: Webster Mike
Published: January 2013

The UK Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM 2007) were implemented on the construction programme for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. But were they a help or a hindrance? Based on the views of a range of duty holders, this paper reports on the results of research into how the regulations actually worked in practice. Many of the implementation lessons learnt on London 2012 are generally applicable in the wider construction industry, while others are only suited to larger programmes. Certainly, implementation appears to have been a success: comparisons with the wider UK construction industry showed that the London 2012 construction programme scored significantly higher in 27 of 39 factors that influence construction health and safety.
Catalyzed ring-opening polymerization of epoxidized soybean oil by hydrated and anhydrous fluoroantimonic acids
Authors: Liu Zengshe , Knetzer Daniel A.
Published: January 2013

Ring-opening polymerization of epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) catalyzed by a superacid, fluoroantimonic acid hexahydrate (HSbF6·6H2O) and the anhydrous form (HSbF6) in ethyl acetate was conducted in an effort to develop useful biodegradable polymers. The resulting polymerized ESO (SA-RPESO and SAA-RPESO) was characterized using infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, solid-state 13C-NMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The results indicated that ESO was effectively polymerized by fluoroantimonic acid and formed polymers with relatively high cross-link density. Glass transition temperatures of these polymers ranged from –13°C to –21°C. TGA results showed the SA-RPESO and SAA-RPESO polymers were thermally stable at temperatures up to 200°C. Decomposition of the polymers was found to occur at temperatures greater than 350°C. GPC results indicated the extracted soluble substances from SA-RPESO polymers were oligomers of ESO. These soybean oil–based polymers will be explored for application in the personal and health care areas.
Health and safety – the language of UK law
Authors: Anderson John
Published: January 2013

The language of the laws is the result of the efforts of parliamentary draftsmen and the parliamentary process itself. In matters of health and safety, the law is often concerned with influencing the behaviour of those who are given legal duties and responsibilities, and usually this is to do with making people and parties do things or not do things. The way this is expressed in legal language is of the utmost importance if the readers of this criminal statute are to fully understand what they have to do in order to comply with the legislation. The author in this paper calls attention to the need for clarity and structure in the UK health and safety legislation, and offers some criticism of one detailed aspect of the present UK health and safety legislation. This recent research work to provide illustrations of the use of alternative language in other countries.
Water quantity and quality challenges from Elephant Butte to Amistad
Authors: Hogan James F.
Published: January 2013

Management of the Rio Grande between Elephant Butte and Amistad Reservoirs involves a number of distinct water quantity and quality challenges. These challenges arise from both “natural” stressors, such as climate variability and geologic sources of salinization, and “human” stressors, such as bacterial and nutrient contamination from urban storm water, agricultural return flows, and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), altered hydrology, and increasing/changing water demands. The discussion does not argue for a single approach to surface water “sustainability” as these decisions are properly made by elected officials and decisions makers. Rather it provides an overview of the surface water system contrasting the pre‐development system with the present day to help inform how the stressors mentioned above impact this resource. Current efforts to address these issues are also discussed.
Effects of Indigo Carmine on Human Chondrocytes In Vitro
Authors: Zippelius Timo , Hoburg Arnd , Preininger Bernd , Vörös Pauline , Perka Carsten , Matziolis Georg , Röhner Eric
Published: January 2013

Joint infections following or accompanying superficious soft tissue infections are severe complication in orthopedic surgery. The use of intra-articular blue staining is a helpful method to visualize a fistula and to differentiate between superficial and intra-articular infections. Regarding this clinical implication data about the effects of indigo carmine, a frequently used blue staining substance, on cartilage is missing. The hypothesis of this study was that indigo carmine damages human chondrocytes in a time and concentration dependent manner. Human chondrocytes were isolated from donors with osteoarthritis who were treated with TKA. Cells were cultivated and treated with different concentrations of indigo carmine for 5 and 10 minutes. Morphologic damage was examined by light microscopy. Toxicity was quantified by counting vital cell number and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) expression. Analysis by light microscopy showed defected cell structure and loss of cell number after treatment with 100% indigo carmine for 10 minutes. Treatment with 10% and 1% indigo carmine showed no significant cell defects and loss of cells. Counting vital cell number showed loss of vital cells after treatment with 100% and 10% indigo carmine for 10 minutes. LDH expression was significantly increased after treatment with 100% indigo carmine.

Toxic effects were shown after treatment with indigo carmine. Therefore, it should be used in 1:100 dilution. This is both, sufficient for visualizing a fistula in a possible clinical application and could be protective for chondrocytes.
Spatio‐Temporal Variations in Water Quality of Muttukadu Backwaters, Tamilnadu, India
Authors: Srinivasan Kalpana , Natesan Usha
Published: January 2013

Muttukadu Backwater, located on the east coast of Tamilnadu, is one of healthiest estuarine environments in the region. A study pertaining to seasonal variations in physico‐chemical properties in water was conducted at nine sites of Muttukadu Backwater for a period of one year (January to December 2009). Multivariate statistical techniques, such as cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA), were applied to evaluate the variation in water quality of Muttukadu Backwater and to identify pollution sources. In order to analyze water quality, a geographic information systems (GIS) software package, Arc GIS version 9.3, was used (Esri, Redlands, California). An interpolation technique, inverse distance weighting, was used to produce the spatial distribution of water quality parameters over the backwater. The purpose of the technique was to aid in protection of the environment and ecology of the estuary and aid in effective management. In the present study, observed values of salinity, nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, total nitrogen, phosphate, and silicate were significantly high in the estuarine zone. PCA resulted in three factors explaining 75.9% of the total variance. Principal component 1 exhibited a high correlation with significant physico‐chemical variables representing the influence of tidal action and sandbar formation. Principal component 2 represented natural pollution as a result of surface runoff. Principal component 3 represented natural pollution as a result of nutrient pollution.
VEGF Levels in Plasma in Relation to Platelet Activation, Glycemic Control, and Microvascular Complications in Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Schlingemann Reinier O. , Van Noorden Cornelis J.F. , Diekman Mattheus J.M. , Tiller Anna , Meijers Joost C.M. , Koolwijk Pieter , Wiersinga Wilmar M.
Published: January 2013

OBJECTIVE

Increased levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in human plasma samples have suggested that circulating VEGF is a cause of endothelial dysfunction in diabetes mellitus. However, artificial release of VEGF from platelets as a source of VEGF in plasma samples, as also occurs in serum samples, has not been ruled out in these studies.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We determined VEGF levels in plasma collected in both citrate and PECT, a medium that inactivates platelets, in a cross-sectional cohort of 21 healthy subjects and 64 patients with type 1 diabetes. In addition, we evaluated whether VEGF levels in both types of plasma correlated with the presence of diabetes, glycemic control, markers of in vivo or ex vivo platelet activation, and degree of diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy.

RESULTS

VEGF levels were invariably low in PECT plasma of both nondiabetic and diabetic subjects and were unrelated to any other diabetes-related variable studied. In contrast, VEGF levels in citrate plasma were 150% higher in diabetic patients than in control subjects and correlated with diabetes-related variables. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that levels of platelet factor 4, a marker for ex vivo platelet activation, and HbA1c were the independent predictors of VEGF levels in citrate plasma. Platelet activation, in vivo and ex vivo, was similar in diabetic persons and control subjects.

CONCLUSIONS

Like serum, citrate plasma is not suitable for reliable measurements of circulating VEGF. The low levels of VEGF in vivo, as represented by measurements in PECT plasma in our study, do not support a role of circulating VEGF in endothelial dysfunction in type 1 diabetes. Higher levels of VEGF in citrate plasma samples of diabetic persons do not represent the in vivo situation, but mainly originate from higher artificial ex vivo release from platelets correlating with the degree of glycemic control.
Joint Vehicle Holdings, by Type and Vintage, and Primary Driver Assignment Model with Application for California
Authors: Vyas Gaurav , Paleti Rajesh , Bhat Chandra R. , Goulias Konstadinos G. , Pendyala Ram M. , Hu Hsi-Hwa , Adler Thomas J. , Bahreinian Aniss
Published: January 2013

In this paper an estimation is made of a joint household-level model of the number of vehicles owned by a household, the vehicle type choice of each vehicle, the annual mileage on each vehicle, and the individual assigned as the primary driver for each vehicle. A version of the proposed model system currently serves as the engine for a household vehicle composition and evolution simulator, which itself has been embedded in the larger Simulator of Activities, Greenhouse Emissions, Energy, Networks, and Travel (SimAGENT), an activity-based travel and emissions forecasting system for the Southern California Association of Governments planning region.
Synthetic Environment to Evaluate Alternative Trip Distribution Models
Authors: Ye Xin , Cheng Wen , Jia Xudong
Published: January 2013

In this paper an environment is synthesized to incorporate spatial distributions of population and employees and to simulate travelers’ destination choice behaviors following utility-maximization decision rules. In this synthetic environment, two alternative trip distribution models—the destination choice model and the gravity model—are evaluated by comparing estimated model coefficients and trip matrices against their true counterparts. The destination choice model provides reasonable model coefficients and trip matrix when the average trip length is much greater than the zone size. However, when the average trip length comes closer to the zone size as a result of significant spatial aggregation errors the model coefficients appear more biased, and more errors occur in trip matrix estimation. In the gravity model, linear regression does not provide consistent coefficients for trip attraction variables and therefore cannot accurately estimate trip attractions. It is not optional but necessary to apply the destination choice model for consistently estimating the trip attraction and trip matrix in trip distribution.
Traffic Mobility Impact of Mileage-Based User Fees on Traveler Route Choice Behavior and Network Performance: Planning-Level Traffic Equilibrium-Based Approach
Authors: Jia Anxi , Zhou Xuesong , Rouphail Nagui M.
Published: January 2013

User fees based on vehicle miles traveled (VMT) are receiving much attention in policy debates as a means of financing the road infrastructure by eventually replacing the current funding model that uses fuel user fees. By focusing on partially modeling driver response to VMT user fees, this paper aims to investigate the potential traffic mobility effects of such fees from a traffic operational point of view under user equilibrium conditions. On the basis of a nonlinear optimization-based conceptual framework, the proposed traffic assignment model is evaluated by assuming heterogeneous values of time. A simple corridor with a single origin–destination pair is first used to demonstrate the sensitivity of network performance to the VMT user fees in a deterministic capacity environment. The effects of VMT user fees depend significantly on the characteristics of the underlying transportation network, such as the relative length of the alternative paths, the overall traffic demand level, and of course the mileage-based fee itself. An open-source mesoscopic simulator is used to assess the systemwide travel time effects of VMT user fees on a real-world network.
Wind-blown flux rates derived from drifts at arctic snow fences
Authors: Sturm Matthew , Stuefer Svetlana
Published: January 2013

Historically, there has been considerable interest in establishing the relationship between wind-blown snow flux (Q) and wind speed. By monitoring the drift growth at snow fences in Arctic Alaska during three winters, we computedQfor 36 distinct transport events. Each fence was instrumented with depth sounders to measure deposition rates. The majority of events (31) occurred between November and February, despite winter extending from October to June. On average, five substantial snow deposition events (SDEs) occurred at each fence per winter. The mean flux during SDEs was 0.16, 0.19 and 0.29 kg s−1m−1at Barrow, Imnavait Creek and Franklin Bluffs, respectively, the differences inQexplained by the different wind regimes at the three sites. To place these flux measurements in perspective, we reviewed all previous experimental values ofQ, with special attention to height and time over which the fluxes were measured. The new data help fill a range of wind speeds (12–18 m s−1) where prior results have been sparse. Combined, the full data define a diffuse cloud best represented by upper and lower bounding equationsQU= 1.3 × 10−3w2.5andQL= 3.3 × 10−9w6.5, wherewis wind speed (>5 m s−1). We suggest that these bounds, rather than a single equation, provide the best way to estimate snow fluxes.
The 'English Lowlands' and the North Sea Basin System: A History of Shared Risk
Authors: Bankoff Greg
Published: January 2013

The history of much of England is written in water. Water has not only shaped England's prosperity and external relations but it has also been a significant factor in fashioning its internal fabric. In particular, large areas of the eastern coastline and its hinterland are close to or even below sea-level and represent an 'English Lowlands' comparable in many respects to the more aptly named region on the opposite mainland. Indeed, the Netherlands, the northwest coast of Germany and the western coast of Denmark form together with eastern England one vast North Sea Basin system continually shaped and reshaped by the processes of storm, flood and erosion. Over time, the people living along its shores have had to find ways of accommodating to this dynamic world and, in the process, have become equal partners in the construction of a very particular type of landscape of sea dykes, river embankments, drained marshes and reclaimed fields. In turn, the ceaseless activities required to maintain, repair and extend such works have given rise to their own variations of social cohesion, economic cooperation and political governance. A better appreciation of what this evolution in the past entails has important practical implications for understanding and improving flood management and land drainage in England and Wales today.
Pesticides and the British Environment: An Agricultural Perspective
Authors: Sheail John
Published: January 2013

Pesticides formed an essential part of the post-war 'chemical revolution' in British farming. Advantage is taken of surviving files of the Ministry of Agriculture to extend what might otherwise be learned from the archives of the nature-conservation bodies in reconstructing historically the course and significance of moves to protect the environment from the side-effects of such pesticides. The files reveal how, from the very first reports of the unintended impacts upon horticultural crops, the manufacturers and users of such products were required to heed the consequences for other user-interests in the countryside. However circumstantial the environmental evidence might be, such impacts on game and wild-animal life warned of a potential risk of the more-persistent pesticide residues to human health itself.
Book Reviews
Authors: Mackenzie John M. , Hünniger Dominik , Rashkow Ezra , Hearn Robert Alexander , Morgan Ruth
Published: January 2013

James Beattie, Empire and Environmental Anxiety: Health, Science, Art and Conservation in South Asia and Australasia, 1800-1920 (John M. MacKenzie)
Karen Brown, Mad Dogs and Meerkats: A History of Resurgent Rabies in Southern Africa (Dominik Hünniger)
Deborah Sutton, Other Landscapes: Colonialism and the Predicament of Authority in Nineteenth Century South India (Ezra Rashkow)
Ian. D. Rotherham and Robert A. Lambert (eds.), Invasive and Introduced Plants and Animals: Human Perceptions, Attitudes and Approaches to Management (Robert Alexander Hearn)
SueEllen Campbell, with Alex Hunt, Richard Kerridge, Tom Lynch and Ellen Wohl, The Face of the Earth: Natural Landscapes, Science and Culture (Ruth Morgan)
Manure and Paper Mill Sludge Application Effects on Potato Yield, Nitrogen Efficiency and Disease Incidence
Authors: N'Dayegamiye Adrien , Nyiraneza Judith , Giroux Marcel , Grenier Michèle , Drapeau Anne
Published: January 2013

Appropriate organic amendment management is essential in potato production to increase soil productivity and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) quality. The objectives of this two-year field study (2004–2005) were to evaluate the effects of organic amendment applications with or without mineral N fertilizer addition on potato yield, N uptake, N use efficiency (NUE), and on disease incidence. The experimental design was a split-plot, which included nine treatments with four different organic amendments applied in fall 2003 or in spring 2004 at a rate of 40 Mg ha−1 (wet basis) and an unamended control in main plots, and N fertilizer rates (0 and 90 kg N ha−1) in sub-plots. Organic amendments consisted of fresh cattle manure (FCM), composted cattle manure (CCM), paper mill sludge with C/N ratio <15 (PMS1) and paper mill sludge with C/N >15 (PMS2) applied alone (0 kg N ha−1) or supplemented with mineral fertilizer at a rate 90 kg N ha−1. The N fertilizer rate in the unamended control consisted of 0 and 150 kg N ha−1. No organic amendments were applied in 2005 to evaluate residual effects. Fall and spring applications of FCM, CCM and PMS alone significantly increased N uptake and potato marketable yields by 2.5 to 16.4 Mg ha−1, compared to the unfertilized control. Combining organic amendments with N fertilizer at 90 kg N ha−1 increased potato yields, N uptake, and specific gravity, which were comparable to those obtained in mineral N fertilizer treatments (150 kg N ha−1). Residual effects of organic amendments alone had no significant effects on potato yields or on N uptake compared to the unfertilized control. Potato NUE for FCM, CCM and PMS ranged from 6% to 25% in the first year and from 2% to 8% in the residual year. The NUE values were higher for PMS with lower C/N ratio compared to FCM and CCM. This study did not show any difference between organic amendment applied in spring or fall on potato yield and quality. It was also demonstrated that mineral N fertilizer needed to be combined with organic amendments to sustain potato yield and N nutrition. This study showed that appropriate organic amendment management could increase potato yield and quality and reduce N fertilizer requirement.
Role of the Checkpoint Clamp in DNA Damage Response
Authors: Kai Mihoko
Published: January 2013

DNA damage occurs during DNA replication, spontaneous chemical reactions, and assaults by external or metabolism-derived agents. Therefore, all living cells must constantly contend with DNA damage. Cells protect themselves from these genotoxic stresses by activating the DNA damage checkpoint and DNA repair pathways. Coordination of these pathways requires tight regulation in order to prevent genomic instability. The checkpoint clamp complex consists of Rad9, Rad1 and Hus1 proteins, and is often called the 9-1-1 complex. This PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen)-like donut-shaped protein complex is a checkpoint sensor protein that is recruited to DNA damage sites during the early stage of the response, and is required for checkpoint activation. As PCNA is required for multiple pathways of DNA metabolism, the checkpoint clamp has also been implicated in direct roles in DNA repair, as well as in coordination of the pathways. Here we discuss roles of the checkpoint clamp in DNA damage response (DDR).
A Review of Heating and Temperature Control in Microfluidic Systems: Techniques and Applications
Authors: Miralles Vincent , Huerre Axel , Malloggi Florent , Jullien Marie-Caroline
Published: January 2013

This review presents an overview of the different techniques developed over the last decade to regulate the temperature within microfluidic systems. A variety of different approaches has been adopted, from external heating sources to Joule heating, microwaves or the use of lasers to cite just a few examples. The scope of the technical solutions developed to date is impressive and encompasses for instance temperature ramp rates ranging from 0.1 to 2,000 °C/s leading to homogeneous temperatures from −3 °C to 120 °C, and constant gradients from 6 to 40 °C/mm with a fair degree of accuracy. We also examine some recent strategies developed for applications such as digital microfluidics, where integration of a heating source to generate a temperature gradient offers control of a key parameter, without necessarily requiring great accuracy. Conversely, Temperature Gradient Focusing requires high accuracy in order to control both the concentration and separation of charged species. In addition, the Polymerase Chain Reaction requires both accuracy (homogeneous temperature) and integration to carry out demanding heating cycles. The spectrum of applications requiring temperature regulation is growing rapidly with increasingly important implications for the physical, chemical and biotechnological sectors, depending on the relevant heating technique.
Simulation Research on an Electric Vehicle Chassis System Based on a Collaborative Control System
Authors: Peng Jiankun , He Hongwen , Feng Nenglian
Published: January 2013

This paper presents a collaborative control system for an electric vehicle chassis based on a centralized and hierarchical control architecture. The centralized controller was designed for the suspension and steering system, which is used for improving ride comfort and handling stability; the hierarchical controller was designed for the braking system, which is used for distributing the proportion of hydraulic braking and regenerative braking to improve braking performance. These two sub-controllers function at the same level of the vehicle chassis control system. In order to reduce the potential conflict between the two sub-controllers and realize a coordination optimization of electric vehicle performance, a collaborative controller was built, which serves as the upper controller to carry out an overall coordination analysis according to vehicle signals and revises the decisions of sub-controllers. A simulation experiment was carried out with the MATLAB/Simulink software. The simulation results show that the proposed collaborative control system can achieve an optimized vehicle handling stability and braking safety.
The Contribution of Managed and Unmanaged Forests to Climate Change Mitigation—A Model Approach at Stand Level for the Main Tree Species in Bavaria
Authors: Klein Daniel , Höllerl Sebastian , Blaschke Markus , Schulz Christoph
Published: January 2013

Forestry-based carbon sequestration projects demand a comprehensive quantification of the different climate change mitigation effects. In our study, we modeled a life cycle of managed pure stands consisting of the four main tree species in Bavaria (spruce, pine, beech and oak). For spruce and beech, an unmanaged stand was additionally integrated in order to analyze the differences in climate change mitigation effects compared to the managed stands. We developed a climate change mitigation model, where stand development and silvicultural treatments including harvested timber volumes were conducted using the tree growth model Silva 2.3. The harvested wood products (HWP), including their substitution effects were calculated with a subsequent model. For unmanaged beech forests, we compiled measured data from the literature, and Bavarian strict forest reserves for validating our model results. The results for the managed stands reveal that spruce provides the highest total climate change mitigation effects. After a simulation period of 180 years, one hectare leads to a mean mitigation benefit of 13.5 Mg CO2 ha−1 year−1. In comparison, results for pine, beech and oak reveal lesser benefits with 10.1 Mg CO2 ha−1 year−1, 9.1 Mg CO2 ha−1 year−1 and 7.2 Mg CO2 ha−1 year−1, respectively. However, these results assume current growing conditions. Considering climate change, it is very likely that spruce will not be suitable in several regions of Bavaria in the future. Furthermore, excessive disturbances could affect spruce more drastically than the other tree species. In that case, the order could change and beech could exceed spruce. Thus the results cannot be seen as a general recommendation to establish spruce stands in order to achieve optimal climate change mitigation benefits. Nevertheless, results for spruce illustrate that high increment and especially wood use in long-lived products is crucial for high climate change mitigation effects. Mitigation effects in unmanaged spruce and beech stands do not differ in the first decades from their managed counterparts, but are below them in the long term with a total climate change mitigation benefit of 8.0 Mg CO2 ha−1 year−1 and 7.2 Mg CO2 ha−1 year−1, respectively. These differences are mainly caused by the missing substitution effects in the unmanaged stands. However, the precise dimensions of substitution effects still remain uncertain and the lack of data should be reduced via additional life cycle assessments for more products and product classes. However, neglecting substitution effects in climate change mitigation models leads to severe underestimations of the mitigation effects in managed forests.
Evaluation of Full-Facepiece Respirator Fit on Fire Fighters in the Municipality of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Balkhyour Mansour
Published: January 2013

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of personal variables on the fit of the respirators used by firefighters and workers in highly polluted environments. However, resistance from many plants managers was met to conduct the study on their workers. Therefore, we were forced to limit the study on firefighters who were found very cooperative. Forty volunteer firefighters from different departments participated in the study. They were subjected to a daily leak rate measurement using a Control Negative Pressure (CNP) fit tester for five consecutive days. Two types of respirators were used for each volunteer: the Drager type and the MSA. At the end of the study, the association between face shape and presence of beard with the respirator leak rates was investigated. A significant difference in the leak rate was detected between the two types of respirators used, with the Drager respirator having higher leak rates. The presence of a beard increased dramatically the leak rate whatever the face shape was. The oval shape was the best fitting to the respirators, followed by the rounded and finally the rectangular face. The study recommends that personal variables like face shape must be taken into consideration and fit testing must be carried out periodically, to specify the respirator that best fits each firefighter. Having beard must be absolutely prohibited, since it can be life threatening in environmental dangerous conditions such those encountered during extinguishing fires and overhaul situations.