bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of preventing hyperphagia on glycolipid metabolic abnormalities in Spontaneously Diabetic Torii fatty rats
Authors: MATSUI Kenichi , OHTA Takeshi , MORINAGA Hisayo , SASASE Tomohiko , FUKUDA Sumiaki , ITO Makoto , UEDA Masatoshi , OGAWA Naoto , MIYAJIMA Katsuhiro , MATSUSHITA Mutsuyoshi
Published: August 2008

Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) fatty rats, made by introducing the fa allele of the Zucker fatty rat into the SDT rat genome, represent a new model of obese type 2 diabetes. SDT fatty fa/fa (SDT fatty) rats exhibit overt obesity, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia from about six weeks of age, and this is associated with hyperphagia by an induced disorder of leptin action. The present study was conducted to elucidate whether suppression of hyperphagia can improve reduce abnormalities in SDT fatty rats. SDT fatty rats were subjected to pair‐feeding with SDT fatty +/+ (SDT) rats from 6 to 26 weeks of age, and the effects on metabolic parameters and diabetic complications were assessed. Body weights of the pair‐fed rats were similar with those of SDT rats during the experimental period. Improvement of hyperglycemia or hypertriglyceridemia was observed from 8 to 16 or 12 weeks of age in the pair‐fed rats, but hypercholesterolemia was not entirely improved during the experimental period. We also examined mRNAs expression in liver, and found that the expression associated with glyconeogenesis, such as glucose‐6‐phosphatase (G‐6‐Pase) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), tended to decrease in the pair‐fed rats, and the mRNA expression of hydroxymethylglutaryl‐CoA (HMG‐CoA) was elevated. Renal parameters, such as blood urea nitrogen and urinary albumin excretion, were improved in the pair‐fed rats. The incidence or progression of diabetic complications, such as renal lesions and cataract, was reduced. In conclusion, suppression of hyperphagia in SDT fatty rats was effective in temporally improving hyperglycemia or hypertriglyceridemia, and reducing the incidence or progression of diabetic complications, but was ineffective in reducing hypercholesterolemia.
A study of in vivo antihypertensive properties of enzymatic hydrolysate from chicken leg bone protein
Authors: CHENG Fu‐Yuan , WAN Tien‐Chun , LIU Yu‐Tse , LAI Kung‐Ming , LIN Liang‐Chuan , SAKATA Ryoichi
Published: August 2008

Numerous attempts have been made to develop angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors from various sources of food protein. Generally chicken leg bones are discarded after industrial chicken meat processing without any substantial benefit. In previous studies, chicken leg bone proteins were hydrolyzed by various enzymes and the results demonstrated that Alcalase hydrolysates have considerable ACE inhibiting activities. In this study, the best ACE inhibitory hydrolysate (A4) (which was derived from chicken leg bone protein by Alcalase after 4 h incubation) was orally administrated (50 mg/kg bw) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) to investigate its antihypertensive effects. After oral administration of A4, a maximal reduction activity of about 26 mmHg was found at 4 h and maintained to 8 h. Moreover, SHRs treated with A4 (50 mg/kg bw/day) for eight weeks exhibited a reduction in systolic blood pressure, which is as significant as the effects of Captopril (P < 0.05). These results suggested that chicken leg bones have a high potential for utilization to develop ACE inhibitors as potential food ingredients intended to alleviate hypertension.
Physical conditions in a cattle vehicle during spring and autumn conditions in Japan, and reactions of steers to long distance transport
Authors: ISHIWATA Toshie , UETAKE Katsuji , EGUCHI Yusuke , TANAKA Toshio
Published: August 2008

The objective of this study was to investigate transportation conditions and behavioral and physiological responses of beef steers to long distance commercial transport in Japan. In spring (May) and autumn (September), eight (16 in total) Japanese Black × Holstein steers (7.8 ± 0.6 month of age; 310.3 ± 13.9 kg) were transported by truck. The transport distance was 1013.1 km (25 h including lairage periods) comprising 627.6 km (6.4 h) on expressways, 143.5 km (3.5 h) on arterial roads and 242.0 km (10.5 h) by ferry. The loading space of the truck gave a space allowance of about 1.62 m2/head. Internal temperature (±SD) and humidity (±SD) of the truck were 14.7 ± 4.7°C and 72.7 ± 22.4% in spring, 24.4 ± 2.8°C and 70.8 ± 14.4% in autumn. Vibration acceleration (±SD) of the truck in the longitudinal direction was greater in spring (−0.19 ± 0.43 m/s2) than in autumn (−0.15 ± 0.20 m/s2) (P < 0.05). There were no effects of season and driving conditions on the internal noise. Internal airflow velocity (±SD) of the truck was greater in spring (0.75 ± 0.70 m/s) than in autumn (0.45 ± 0.40 m/s) (P < 0.05), and it was greater while moving on expressways (0.77 ± 0.40 m/s) and arterial roads (0.63 ± 0.61 m/s) than when parked (0.16 ± 0.26 m/s) (both P < 0.05). Steers lay down more frequently while moving on expressways than the expected frequency (χ2 = 121.9, P < 0.01). Steers were oriented parallel to the direction of travel (to the front cabin: 27.9%; to the tailgate: 23.4%) more frequently than the expected probability (12.5%). Blood glucose concentration, serum ALT activity and plasma cortisol concentration were greater in spring than in autumn (all P < 0.05). Serum pH was higher in autumn than in spring (P < 0.01). Blood glucose concentration was significantly higher at the market before transport, and serum total protein, triiodothyronine and total cholesterol concentrations were also significantly higher at the market and just after transport than 1 week after transport (all P < 0.05). However, the other physiological measurements such as plasma cortisol and blood lactate concentrations, serum pH and heart rate did not change after transport. The results indicate that in Japanese spring and autumn conditions, long distance transport with appropriate conditions including low stocking density and enough lairage time with provision of food and water might not cause severe stress for steers.
Evaluation of direct and indirect measures of quarter milk from crossbred buffaloes
Authors: DHAKAL Ishwari Prasad , NEUPANE Manish , NAGAHATA Hajime
Published: August 2008

Somatic cell count (SCC), bacteriological findings and electrical conductivity (EC) were measured in milk from 216 quarters of 54 Murrah crossbred buffaloes for characterization of buffalo milk. Mean SCC in normal, subclinical and clinical mastitic milk was 171, 799 and 6039 × 103/mL, respectively. Coagulase negative Staphylococci (CNS) were the major organisms associated with subclinical mastitis, whereas CNS and coliforms were the predominant organisms in clinical mastitis. EC values were found to be significantly higher in buffalo milk with mammary infection. The best trade‐off between sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing mastitis in buffaloes by EC score was found at the cut‐off value of 3.7 mS/cm. The direct measures such as SCC, EC, bacteriological findings, and appearance of milk were found to be useful for the evaluation of udder health of buffaloes and categorization of milk.
A comparative biochemical and structural analysis of the intracellular chorismate mutase (Rv0948c) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and the secreted chorismate mutase (y2828) from Yersinia pestis
Authors: Kim Sook‐Kyung , Reddy Sathyavelu K. , Nelson Bryant C. , Robinson Howard , Reddy Prasad T. , Ladner Jane E.
Published: August 2008

The Rv0948c gene from Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv encodes a 90 amino acid protein as the natural gene product with chorismate mutase (CM) activity. The protein, 90‐MtCM, exhibits Michaelis–Menten kinetics with a kcat of 5.5 ± 0.2 s−1 and a Km of 1500 ± 100 μm at 37 °C and pH 7.5. The 2.0 Å X‐ray structure shows that 90‐MtCM is an all α‐helical homodimer (Protein Data Bank ID: 2QBV) with the topology of Escherichia coli CM (EcCM), and that both protomers contribute to each catalytic site. Superimposition onto the structure of EcCM and the sequence alignment shows that the C‐terminus helix 3 is shortened. The absence of two residues in the active site of 90‐MtCM corresponding to Ser84 and Gln88 of EcCM appears to be one reason for the low kcat. Hence, 90‐MtCM belongs to a subfamily of α‐helical AroQ CMs termed AroQδ. The CM gene (y2828) from Yersinia pestis encodes a 186 amino acid protein with an N‐terminal signal peptide that directs the protein to the periplasm. The mature protein, *YpCM, exhibits Michaelis–Menten kinetics with a kcat of 70 ± 5 s−1 and Km of 500 ± 50 μm at 37 °C and pH 7.5. The 2.1 Å X‐ray structure shows that *YpCM is an all α‐helical protein, and functions as a homodimer, and that each protomer has an independent catalytic unit (Protein Data Bank ID: 2GBB). *YpCM belongs to the AroQγ class of CMs, and is similar to the secreted CM (Rv1885c, *MtCM) from M. tuberculosis.
The Influence of Soil Type on Rain Forest Insect Herbivore Communities
Authors: Eichhorn Markus P. , Compton Stephen G. , Hartley Sue E.
Published: August 2008

Insect herbivores were collected from five species of dipterocarp tree seedling within a large‐scale reciprocal transplant experiment in Sabah, Malaysia, on alluvial and sandstone soils in both gap and understory plots. The aim was to determine whether the location and ecological specialization of seedlings influenced the herbivore communities found on and around them. Three major groups of folivores were collected: Coleoptera, Orthoptera, and larval Lepidoptera. Herbivory of all species was confirmed through laboratory trials. Herbivore abundance in the understory plots was extremely low relative to the gaps. Rank‐abundance curves were similar on both soil types, differing only within the Lepidoptera. Coleoptera and Orthoptera communities were numerically dominated by a small suite of species capable of feeding on all dipterocarp species tested, whereas lepidopteran communities had both greater species richness and diversity. When corrected for leaf area surveyed, the abundance of Coleoptera was similar on both soil types, while larval Lepidoptera were more abundant in sandstone plots and Orthoptera were more abundant in alluvial plots. Estimated species richness of all three taxa was greater in alluvial forest, but there were contrasting patterns in Simpson diversity and evenness between groups. Species richness of Lepidoptera was greatest on seedlings when grown in their native soil type, providing partial evidence for possible escape effects, although this was not matched by differences in folivore abundance. The link between herbivore communities and herbivory rates on rain forest tree seedlings is complex and is unlikely to be detected through simplistic measures of abundance, species richness, or diversity.
Small‐Scale Fragmentation Effects on Local Genetic Diversity in Two Phyllostomid Bats with Different Dispersal Abilities in Panama
Authors: Meyer Christoph F. J. , Kalko Elisabeth K. V. , Kerth Gerald
Published: August 2008

Habitat fragmentation is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. Despite their importance for conservation, the genetic consequences of small‐scale habitat fragmentation for bat populations are largely unknown. In this study, we linked genetic with ecological and demographic data to assess the effects of habitat fragmentation on two species of phyllostomid bats (Uroderma bilobatum and Carollia perspicillata) that differ in their dispersal abilities and demographic response to fragmentation. We hypothesized that population differentiation and the effect of habitat fragmentation on levels of genetic diversity will be a function of the species' mobility. We sequenced mtDNA from 232 bats caught on 11 islands in Gatún Lake, Panamá, isolated from the mainland for ca 90 yr, and in adjacent, continuous forest on the mainland. Populations of both species showed significant genetic differentiation (FST). Consistent with our prediction, population subdivision was lower in the highly mobile U. bilobatum (FST= 0.01) compared to the less vagile C. perspicillata (FST= 0.06), and only the latter species showed a pattern indicative of isolation by distance and, in addition, an effect of fragmentation. Genetic erosion as a result of fragmentation was also only detectable in the less mobile species, C. perspicillata, where haplotype diversity was lower in island compared to mainland populations. Our results suggest that some Neotropical bat species are prone to loss of genetic variation in response to anthropogenic small‐scale habitat fragmentation. In this context, our findings point toward mobility as a good predictor of a species' vulnerability to fragmentation and altered population genetic structure.
Species Composition of Neotropical Understory Bird Communities: Local Versus Regional Perspectives Based on Capture Data
Authors: Blake John G. , Loiselle Bette A.
Published: August 2008

Species richness and composition of bird assemblages found in the understory of undisturbed Neotropical forests vary at local and regional scales but the extent of that variation has not been well documented. Yet, such variation can be important for understanding patterns of diversity and for conservation. Here, we use capture data from two ca 100‐ha study plots (sampled from March 2001 through March 2005) to compare understory assemblages at a local scale; nets on the plots were separated by approximately 1.7 km at the closest point. A total of 157 species (133 per plot) was represented in 6023 captures of 4001 individuals. After eliminating species not likely to be well‐sampled with nets, there were 122 species total with 110 and 113 on the two plots, respectively. Species‐accumulation curves and abundance‐rank relationships were almost identical on both plots. Capture rates were high (53 and 56 birds captured per 100 mist‐net‐hours, mnh) on both plots. Distributions of species and individuals among families and genera were similar on the two plots but numbers of captures of some common species differed between plots in response to small‐scale variation in environmental features. Indicator‐species analyses selected seven species as more characteristic of one plot and nine as more characteristic of the other. At the regional level, understory assemblages were most similar to a site in Peru but differed from sites in Brazil, Venezuela, and, especially, Costa Rica. Dissimilarity in species richness per family was related to geographic distance only when Costa Rica was included in the analysis.
Born unto Brothels—Toward a Legal Ethnography of Sex Work in an Indian Red-Light Area
Authors: Kotiswaran Prabha
Published: August 2008

The global sex panic around sex work and trafficking has fostered prostitution law reform worldwide. While the normative status of sex work remains deeply contested, abolitionists and sex work advocates alike display an unwavering faith in the power of criminal law; for abolitionists, strictly enforced criminal laws can eliminate sex markets, whereas for sex work advocates, decriminalization can empower sex workers. I problematize both narratives by delineating the political economy and legal ethnography of Sonagachi, one of India's largest red-light areas. I show how within Sonagachi there exist highly internally differentiated groups of stakeholders, including sex workers, who, variously endowed by a plural rule network—consisting of formal legal rules, informal social norms, and market structures—routinely enter into bargains in the shadow of the criminal law whose outcomes cannot be determined a priori. I highlight the complex relationship between criminal law and sex markets by analyzing the distributional effects of criminalizing customers on Sonagachi's sex industry.
Localizing Global Rules: Public Participation in Lawmaking in Vietnam
Authors: Gillespie John
Published: August 2008

As the pace of legal harmonization in developing East Asian states increases to comply with international trading treaties, a disjunction is forming between legislative expectations and everyday business practices. Evidence considered in this article suggests that Vietnam is no exception. State control over public discourse favors the interests of business elites, while small-scale entrepreneurs struggle to make their views known. Lawmakers exposed to this asymmetric discourse rarely adjust global legal rules to suit the transactional requirements of small-scale entrepreneurs. As a consequence, the largely imported commercial legislative framework is increasingly reflecting the interests of business elites. The article concludes that for the state to develop a more inclusive regulatory regime, it needs to relax its control over public deliberation and give small-scale entrepreneurs more opportunities to convey local precepts and practices to lawmakers.
Studying Law by Association: Bruno Latour Goes to the Conseil d’État
Authors: Levi Ron , Valverde Mariana
Published: August 2008

This essay provides an overview of actor-network theory (ANT) and its potential interest for sociolegal scholars. It focuses on Bruno Latour's 2002 ethnography of La fabrique du droit: une ethnographie du Conseil d’État [The factory of law: an ethnography of the Conseil d’État] (2002b), which provides an analysis of the workings of the French Conseil d’État. The essay seeks to introduce non-French-reading sociolegal researchers to this work and draws out methodological and theoretical implications for research on legal institutions, legal knowledge, and bureaucracies.
The “Middle Ground” Perspective on the Expropriation of Indian Lands
Authors: Kades Eric
Published: August 2008

In How the Indians Lost Their Land, Law and Power on the Frontier (2005), Stuart Banner weaves together a perceptive interpretation of the historical record, with a novel economic analysis of conflicts, to create a sophisticated narrative of the process by which European colonists took control of the lands that now comprise the United States. Banner's view of expropriation falls somewhere between the parsimony of an economic model and the richness of a traditional historical account. It forms part of a growing trend to focus on finding positive facts about the taking of Indian lands, as opposed to making normative judgments.
Building Public Health Law Capacity at the Local Level
Authors: Hoffmann Diane E. , Rowthorn Virginia
Published: August 2008

In the early days of HIV awareness, prior to universal precautions, as a local health officer, I was supervising an openly gay employee. The county executive (in his formal capacity) asked me the HIV status of the employee and threatened my employment if I did not reveal it. I was reluctant to do so, believing it would be an invasion of the employee’s privacy. I contacted the county attorney who advised me that I could reveal the employee’s HIV status to the county executive but he was not willing to put his guidance in writing. Ultimately, I spoke with the employee’s attorney and was given permission to reveal the employee’s HIV status. The experience, however, left a bad taste in my mouth. I felt the county attorney was acting politically in support of the county executive rather than doing what was legally appropriate. He certainly did not act as an advocate for the local health department!
Enhancing Public Health Law Communication Linkages
Authors: Silverman Ross D.
Published: August 2008

The Public Health Law Association’s (PHLA) grant proposal described the problem of accessing public health law information, and the charge for this paper, as follows:

The last decade has witnessed a renaissance in public health law. An array of forces have given rise to new model acts, important litigation developments and a growing body of academic research in the field. While there have been some initial attempts to collate important materials, practitioners in the field lack access to “real world” documents and practice guides. If public health law is to remain an organic and growing field and, more importantly, if the fruits of this renaissance are to have lasting practical effect, practitioners in multiple fields must have access to this body of knowledge.
Genotyping the Future: Scientists' Expectations about Race/Ethnicity after BiDil
Authors: Tutton Richard , Smart Andrew , Martin Paul A. , Ashcroft Richard , Ellison George T. H.
Published: August 2008

In a recent discussion about how scientific knowledge might potentially change our understanding of the nature and extent of human genetic, cultural, or biological variation, the sociologist David Skinner identified two competing visions of the future: one that was decidedly dystopian, which conjured up a “re-racialized” future, and an opposing utopian future in which the potential for racialized thinking might be finally overcome. We can situate the ongoing debates about the congestive heart failure drug BiDil, approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use only by African Americans, in relation to these differing future prospects.

When the FDA announced its approval of BiDil in June 2005, it located the drug, and perhaps the future of pharmaceutical development, within a particular vision of the future, heralding BiDil as “representing a step toward the promise of personalized medicine.” The discourse of “personalized medicine” can be characterized as part of a utopian future, one in which clinicians will be able to make increasingly individualized decisions based on each patient’s genetic makeup so that the drugs they take will be those that work best for them.
Pharmaceutical Meaning-Making beyond Marketing: Racialized Subjects of Generic Thiazide
Authors: Pollock Anne
Published: August 2008

If we want to understand the allure of pharmaceuticals, we need to look beyond both medical efficacy and profit motives. The success (or failure) of a drug depends not only on these, but also on how it mobilizes prior conceptions of identity. The extent to which a drug is taken — or talked about — is related to commodity properties that exceed the physiological and the economic. In implicit contrast to the discussions of BiDil elsewhere in this collection, I explore how the links between race and pharmaceuticals can be both unstable and generative even when the drug in question is old and generic. By attending closely to an encounter around generic thiazide outside of a medical or marketing context, I show that although pharmaceuticals can seem to rely on scientific data and marketing for their power, they are, in fact, also subject to claims on many more registers that cannot quite subsume or refute each other.
Effects of Germination and Osmopriming Treatment on Enhancement of Isoflavone Contents in Various Soybean Cultivars and Cheonggukjang (Fermented Unsalted Soybean Paste)
Authors: Jeong P.‐H. , Shin D.‐H. , Kim Y.‐S.
Published: August 2008

ABSTRACT:  To develop soybean products containing high isoflavone contents, the effects of germination and osmopriming on the isoflavone contents of 3 soybean cultivars (Ilmi, Daehwang, and Taekwang) were investigated. Total isoflavone contents of Ilmi and Daehwang cultivars were not significantly different with soaking time at 20 and 25 °C. Ilmi and Taekwang cultivars had higher total isoflavone contents at 0.243 to 0.256 and 0.072 to 0.079 g/100 g, respectively, after 12 h of germination at 20 °C than those at 0.232 and 0.064 g/100 g at the initial stage. After 48 h of germination at 20 °C, contents of total isoflavone, daidzein, and genistein were 0.246, 0.094, and 0.147 g/100 g, respectively. In contrast, after 48 h of germination and 0.2 M NaCl treatment at 20 °C, those contents increased up to 0.346, 0.140, and 0.203 g/100 g, respectively. Total isoflavone and genistein contents of cheonggukjang prepared with germinated soybean or soybeans treated with osmopriming were 0.322 and 0.198 g/100 g, 0.332 and 0.201 g/100 g, respectively, at 48 h of fermentation, and were higher than those of the control group (0.277 and 0.169 g/100 g). We concluded that cheonggukjang would contain higher isoflavone contents after the treatment of germination and osmopriming.
A Note on the Inactivation of Influenza A Viruses By Solar Radiation, Relative Humidity and Temperature
Authors: Weber Thomas P. , Stilianakis Nikolaos I.
Published: August 2008

We critically investigate the claim put forward by Sagripanti and Lytle ([2007] Photochem. Photobiol. 83, 1278–1282) that inactivation of influenza A virus by solar radiation can explain the seasonality of influenza epidemics. We correct an error in the Sagripanti and Lytle paper and show that changes in relative humidity and temperature affect influenza virus inactivation as strongly as variation in solar radiation. Furthermore, it appears unlikely that transmission in outdoor settings plays an important role during influenza outbreaks, because influenza A virus is sensitive to a wide range of environmental factors.
Microneedle Arrays Permit Enhanced Intradermal Delivery of a Preformed Photosensitizer
Authors: Donnelly Ryan F. , Morrow Desmond I. J. , McCarron Paul A. , David Woolfson A. , Morrissey Anthony , Juzenas Petras , Juzeniene Asta , Iani Vladimir , McCarthy Helen O. , Moan Johan
Published: August 2008

Silicon microneedle (MN) arrays were used to puncture excised murine and porcine skin in vitro and transdermal and intradermal delivery of meso‐tetra (N‐methyl‐4‐pyridyl) porphine tetra tosylate (TMP) investigated using topical application of a bioadhesive patch containing 19 mg TMP cm−2. Animal studies, using nude mice, were then conducted to investigate the in vivo performance of the bioadhesive patch following MN puncture of skin. MN puncture significantly enhanced both intradermal and transdermal delivery of TMP in vitro, though the total amounts of drug delivered (25.22% into porcine skin and 0.07% across murine skin) were still quite small in each case. Notwithstanding this, in vivo experiments showed that MN puncture was capable of permitting a prolonged increase in TMP fluorescence at the site of application. Importantly, fluorescence was negligible at distant sites, meaning systemic delivery of the drug was not sufficient to induce TMP accumulation other than at the application site. In this study we have conclusively demonstrated proof of principle; MN puncture allows true intradermal delivery of a preformed photosensitizer in animal skin models in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, transdermal delivery was much reduced in each case. Increasing MN density would allow increased amounts of photosensitizer to be delivered. However, as MNs create aqueous pores in the stratum corneum, a preformed photosensitizer must possess at least some degree of water solubility in order to permit enhanced intradermal delivery in this way. We believe that use of MN array technology in this way has the potential to significantly improve topical photodynamic therapy of skin tumors.
Variability in UVB Tolerances of Melanized and Nonmelanized Cells of Cryptococcus neoformans and C. laurentii
Authors: Schiave Letícia A. , Pedroso Reginaldo S. , Candido Regina C. , Roberts Donald W. , Braga Gilberto U. L.
Published: August 2008

Solar radiation is one of the major factors responsible for the control of fungus populations in the environment. Inactivation by UVA and UVB radiation is especially important for the control of fungi that disperse infective units through the air, including fungi such as Cryptococcus spp. that infect their vertebrate hosts by inhalation. Cryptococcus neoformans produces melanin in the presence of certain exogenous substrates such as l‐3,4 dihydroxyphenylalanine and melanization may protect the fungus against biotic and abiotic environmental factors. In the present study, we investigated the effect of exposure to an UVB irradiance of 1000 mW m−2 (biologically effective weighted irradiance) on the survival of melanized and nonmelanized cells of four strains of C. neoformans and four strains of C. laurentii. The relative survival (survival of cells exposed to radiation in relation to cells not exposed) of cells grown 2, 4, 6 or 8 days on medium with or without L‐dopa was determined after exposure to UVB doses of 1.8 and 3.6 kJ m−2. Both the irradiance spectrum and the intensities of those doses are environmentally realistic, and, in fact, occur routinely during summer months in temperate regions. Differences in tolerance to UVB radiation were observed between the C. neoformans and C. laurentii strains. The C. neoformans strains were more susceptible to UVB radiation than the C. laurentii strains. In C. neoformans, differences in tolerance to radiation were observed during development of both melanized and nonmelanized cells. For most treatments (strain, time of growth and UVB dose), there were virtually no differences in tolerances between melanized and nonmelanized cells, but when differences occurred they were smaller than those previously observed with UVC. In tests with two strains of C. laurentii, there was no difference in tolerance to UVB radiation between melanized and nonmelanized cells during 8 days of culture; and in tests with four strains for less culture time (4 days) there were no significant differences in tolerance between melanized and nonmelanized cells of any strain of this species.
Secondary Hypertension: Interfering Substances
Authors: Grossman Ehud , Messerli Franz H.
Published: August 2008

A variety of therapeutic agents or chemical substances can induce either a transient or persistent increase in blood pressure or interfere with the blood pressure‐lowering effects of antihypertensive drugs. Some agents either cause sodium retention and extracellular volume expansion or directly or indirectly activate the sympathetic nervous system. Other substances act directly on arteriolar smooth muscle or do not have a defined mechanism of action. Some medications that usually lower blood pressure may paradoxically increase blood pressure, and an increase in pressure may be encountered after their discontinuation. In general, these pressure increases are small and transient; however, severe hypertension involving encephalopathy, stroke, and irreversible renal failure have been reported. Careful evaluation of a patient's drug regimen may identify chemically induced hypertension and obviate unnecessary evaluation and direct to the optimal antihypertensive therapy. The present review summarizes the therapeutic agents or chemical substances that elevate blood pressure and their mechanisms of action.
Paroxysmal Hypertension: The Role of Stress and Psychological Factors
Authors: Pickering Thomas G. , Clemow Lynn
Published: August 2008

This paper reviews the limited literature on paroxysmal hypertension. A case report describes the clinical picture frequently seen in specialty hypertension practice, a patient with paroxysmal or intermittent hypertension who proves not to have a pheochromocytoma. The variety of diagnostic labels given to these patients is reviewed, including pseudopheochromocytoma, panic attacks, and hyperventilation syndrome. The clinical features, pathology, diagnosis, and treatment of these syndromes are outlined. It is proposed that successful management of these patients may be best achieved by collaborative care between a hypertension specialist and a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist with expertise in cognitive‐behavioral panic management, stress‐reduction techniques including controlled breathing, and treating health anxiety. The use of drugs effective for treatment of panic disorder can also be helpful in managing these patients.
The Kidney and Hypertension: Causes and Treatment
Authors: Sica Domenic A.
Published: August 2008

Chronic kidney disease is both a cause and a consequence of hypertension. Extracellular volume expansion is an important, if not the most important, contributing factor to hypertension seen in chronic kidney disease. Beyond volume expansion, chronic kidney disease‐related hypertension is without truly defining characteristics. Consequently, the sequencing of antihypertensive medications for the patient with chronic kidney disease and hypertension becomes arbitrary. Prescription practice in such patients should be mindful of the need for multiple drug classes with at least one of them being a diuretic. Blood pressure goals in the patient with chronic kidney disease and hypertension are set at lower levels than those for patients with essential hypertension alone. It remains to be determined to what level blood pressure should be lowered in the patient with chronic kidney disease, however.
Efficacy and safety levels of preserved and preservative‐free tafluprost are equivalent in patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension: results from a pharmacodynamics analysis
Authors: Hamacher Thomas , Airaksinen Juhani , Saarela Ville , Liinamaa M. Johanna , Richter Ulrich , Ropo Auli
Published: August 2008

Purpose:  Tafluprost is a new prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) derivative in development for the treatment of glaucoma. Tafluprost is the first PGF2α analogue with a preservative‐free formulation.

Methods:  This randomized, investigator‐masked, multicentre, crossover phase III study evaluated the pharmacodynamics and safety of preserved and preservative‐free tafluprost 0.0015% eyedrops administered for 4 weeks in 43 patients with open‐angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. The primary variable was change from baseline in overall diurnal intraocular pressure (IOP) at 4 weeks. Adverse events and other safety parameters were also analysed.

Results:  Decreased IOP was clearly observed with both formulations at week 1 and was sustained until week 4. The overall treatment difference (preservative‐free versus preserved formulations) at week 4 was 0.01 mmHg (95% confidence interval − 0.46 to 0.49; p = 0.96). There were no unexpected safety‐related findings. Both formulations were well tolerated and most adverse events were ocular and mild in severity.

Conclusions:  The reduction in IOP achieved by preservative‐free tafluprost is equivalent to that obtained with the preserved formulation. The preservative‐free formulation was generally well tolerated.
ERG voltage‐gated K+ channels regulate excitability and discharge dynamics of the medial vestibular nucleus neurones
Authors: Pessia Mauro , Servettini Ilenio , Panichi Roberto , Guasti Leonardo , Grassi Silvarosa , Arcangeli Annarosa , Wanke Enzo , Pettorossi Vito Enrico
Published: August 2008

The discharge properties of the medial vestibular nucleus neurones (MVNn) critically depend on the activity of several ion channel types. In this study we show, immunohistochemically, that the voltage‐gated K+ channels ERG1A, ERG1B, ERG2 and ERG3 are highly expressed within the vestibular nuclei of P10 and P60 mice. The role played by these channels in the spike‐generating mechanisms of the MVNn and in temporal information processing was investigated electrophysiologically from mouse brain slices, in vitro, by analysing the spontaneous discharge and the response to square‐, ramp‐ and sinusoid‐like intracellular DC current injections in extracellular and whole‐cell patch‐clamp studies. We show that more than half of the recorded MVNn were responsive to ERG channel block (WAY‐123,398, E4031), displaying an increase in spontaneous activity and discharge irregularity. The response to step and ramp current injection was also modified by ERG block showing a reduction of first spike latency, enhancement of discharge rate and reduction of the slow spike‐frequency adaptation process. ERG channels influence the interspike slope without affecting the spike shape. Moreover, in response to sinusoid‐like current, ERG channel block caused frequency‐dependent gain enhancement and phase‐lead shift. Taken together, the data demonstrate that ERG channels control the excitability of MVNn, their discharge regularity and probably their resonance properties.
Mobility of NMDA autoreceptors but not postsynaptic receptors at glutamate synapses in the rat entorhinal cortex
Authors: Yang Jian , Chamberlain Sophie E. L. , Woodhall Gavin L. , Jones Roland S. G.
Published: August 2008

NMDA receptors (NMDAr) are known to undergo recycling and lateral diffusion in postsynaptic spines and dendrites. However, NMDAr are also present as autoreceptors on glutamate terminals, where they act to facilitate glutamate release, but it is not known whether these receptors are also mobile. We have used functional pharmacological approaches to examine whether NMDA receptors at excitatory synapses in the rat entorhinal cortex are mobile at either postsynaptic sites or in presynaptic terminals. When NMDAr‐mediated evoked EPSCs (eEPSCs) were blocked by MK‐801, they showed no evidence of recovery when the irreversible blocker was removed, suggesting that postsynaptic NMDAr were relatively stably anchored at these synapses. However, using frequency‐dependent facilitation of AMPA receptor (AMPAr)‐mediated eEPSCs as a reporter of presynaptic NMDAr activity, we found that when facilitation was blocked with MK‐801 there was a rapid (∼30–40 min) anomalous recovery upon removal of the antagonist. This was not observed when global NMDAr blockade was induced by combined perfusion with MK‐801 and NMDA. Anomalous recovery was accompanied by an increase in frequency of spontaneous EPSCs, and a variable increase in frequency‐facilitation. Following recovery from blockade of presynaptic NMDAr with a competitive antagonist, frequency‐dependent facilitation of AMPAr‐mediated eEPSCs was also transiently enhanced. Finally, an increase in frequency of miniature EPSCs induced by NMDA was succeeded by a persistent decrease. Our data provide the first evidence for mobility of NMDAr in the presynaptic terminals, and may point to a role of this process in activity‐dependent control of glutamate release.
Rayleigh Quotient and Dissipative Systems
Authors: Srikantha Phani A. , Adhikari S.
Published: August 2008

Rayleigh quotients in the context of linear, nonconservative vibrating systems with viscous and nonviscous dissipative forces are studied in this paper. Of particular interest is the stationarity property of Rayleigh-like quotients for dissipative systems. Stationarity properties are examined based on the perturbation theory. It is shown that Rayleigh quotients with stationary properties exist for systems with proportional viscous and nonviscous damping forces. It is also shown that the stationarity property of Rayleigh quotients in the case of nonproportional damping (viscous and nonviscous) is conditional upon the diagonal dominance of the modal damping matrix.
Gradient Elasticity
Theory for Mode III Fracture in Functionally Graded Materials—Part II: Crack Parallel to the
Material Gradation
Authors: Chan Youn-Sha , Paulino Glaucio
H. , Fannjiang Albert C.
Published: August 2008

A Mode-III crack problem in a functionally graded material modeled by anisotropic strain-gradient elasticity theory is solved by the integral equation method. The gradient elasticity theory has two material characteristic lengths ℓ and ℓ′, which are responsible for volumetric and surface strain-gradient terms, respectively. The governing differential equation of the problem is derived assuming that the shear modulus G is a function of x, i.e., G=G(x)=G0eβx, where G0 and β are material constants. A hypersingular integrodifferential equation is derived and discretized by means of the collocation method and a Chebyshev polynomial expansion. Numerical results are given in terms of the crack opening displacements, strains, and stresses with various combinations of the parameters ℓ, ℓ′, and β. Formulas for the stress intensity factors, KIII, are derived and numerical results are provided.
Nonlinear Response of a Shallow Sandwich Shell With Compressible Core to Blast Loading
Authors: Li Renfu , Kardomateas George A. , Simitses George J.
Published: August 2008

This paper investigates the nonlinear dynamic response of a shallow sandwich shell subject to blast loading with consideration of core compressibility. The shallow shell consists of two laminated composite or metallic face sheets and an orthotropic compressible core. Experimental results and finite element simulations in literature have shown that the core exhibits considerable compressibility when a sandwich panel is subjected to impulse loading. To address this issue properly in the analysis, a new nonlinear compressible core model is proposed in the current work. The system of governing equations is derived by means of Hamilton’s principle in combination with the Reissner–Hellinger’s variational principle. The analytical solution for the simply supported shallow shell is formulated using an extended Galerkin procedure combined with the Laplace transform. Numerical results are presented. These results demonstrate that this advanced sandwich model can capture the transient responses such as the stress shock wave effect and the differences in the transient behaviors of the face sheets and the core when a sandwich shadow shell is subjected to a blast loading. However, in the steady state dynamic stage, all the displacements of the face sheets and the core tend to be identical. This model can be further used to study the energy absorption ability of the core and the effects of different material and geometrical parameters on the behaviors of sandwich structures subject to blast loading.
Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Separator Pressure Fluctuation Effect on Terrain Slugging in a Hilly Terrain Two-Phase Flow Pipeline
Authors: Al-Safran Eissa , Kappos Leonidas , Sarica Cem
Published: August 2008

Two-phase slug flow in horizontal and near horizontal pipes is a common occurrence in many engineering applications and industrial operations. The objective of this study is to experimentally investigate the effects of separator pressure fluctuations on terrain slugging and slug flow characteristics along and downstream of a hilly terrain pipeline. A further objective is to numerically simulate the flow behavior using a transient multiphase flow simulator to match the simulation predictions with the experimental data. Experimental results revealed that during the separator pressure decline, slug initiation is promoted due to the increase in slip velocity, which enhances the slug initiation mechanisms at the lower elbow. On the other hand, during the separator pressure increase, the analyses show slug suppression. In terms of slug flow characteristics, the mean slug velocity, mean slug length, and maximum slug length increased during the separator pressure decline condition and decreased during the separator pressure increase condition. Furthermore, separator pressure has a significant decreasing effect on slug frequency, maximum slug length, and slug length variance downstream of the hilly terrain section. The statistical analysis shows mixed results of decreasing and increasing trends on mean slug lengths under the fluctuated separator pressure when compared with constant separator pressure conditions. The numerical simulation results showed a close match of liquid holdup downstream of the lower elbow and a fair match at the lower elbow. Furthermore, the model was successful in matching the pressure fluctuation at the lower elbow of the experimental data.
Riser Interference Tests on Flexible Tubulars at Prototype Reynolds Numbers
Authors: Allen Don W. , Henning Dean L. , Lee Li
Published: August 2008

Current tank tests have been performed on two equal-diameter, flexible cylinders in tandem with various end spacings or separation distances. While the cylinders experienced transverse vortex-induced vibration in only the first mode, the test Reynolds numbers were well into the transition range, and the drag crisis was clearly observed on the upstream cylinder. Both acceleration and drag were measured to provide some interesting correlations between vibration, drag, and end spacing for each of the two cylinders.
A Study to Prevent Bottom Water From Coning in Heavy-Oil Reservoirs: Design and Simulation Approaches
Authors: Ju Binshan , Qiu Xiaofeng , Dai Shugao , Fan Tailiang , Wu Haiqing , Wang Xiaodong
Published: August 2008

The coning problems for vertical wells and the ridging problems for horizontal wells are very difficult to solve by conventional methods during oil production from reservoirs with bottom water drives. If oil in a reservoir is too heavy to follow Darcy’s law, the problems may become more complicated for the non-Newtonian properties of heavy oil and its rheology. To solve these problems, an innovative completion design with downhole water sink was presented by dual-completion in oil and water columns with a packer separating the two completions for vertical wells or dual-horizontal wells. The design made it feasible that oil is produced from the formation above the oil water contact (OWC) and water is produced from the formation below the OWC, respectively. To predict quantitatively the production performances of production well using the completion design, a new improved mathematical model considering non-Newtonian properties of oil was presented and a numerical simulator was developed. A series of runs of an oil well was employed to find out the best perforation segment and the fittest production rates from the formations above and below OWC. The study shows that the design is effective for heavy oil reservoir with bottom water though it cannot completely eliminate the water cone formed before using the design. It is a discovery that the design is more favorable for new wells and the best perforation site for water sink (Sink 2) is located at the upper 1/3 of the formation below OWC.
Numerical Studies of Gas Hydrate Formation and Decomposition in a Geological Reservoir
Authors: Uddin M. , Coombe D. , Law D. , Gunter B.
Published: August 2008

Numerical modeling of gas hydrates can provide an integrated understanding of the various process mechanisms controlling methane (CH4) production from hydrates and carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration as a gas hydrate in geologic reservoirs. This work describes a new unified kinetic model which, when coupled with a compositional thermal reservoir simulator, can simulate the dynamics of CH4 and CO2 hydrate formation and decomposition in a geological formation. The kinetic model contains two mass transfer equations: one equation converts gas and water into hydrate and the other equation decomposes hydrate into gas and water. The model structure and parameters were investigated in comparison with a previously published model. The proposed kinetic model was evaluated in two case studies. Case 1 considers a single well within a natural hydrate reservoir for studying the kinetics of CH4 and CO2 hydrate decomposition and formation. A close agreement was achieved between the present numerical simulations and results reported by Hong and Pooladi-Darvish (2003, “A Numerical Study on Gas Production From Formations Containing Gas Hydrates,” Petroleum Society’s Canadian International Petroleum Conference, Calgary, AB, Jun. 10–12, Paper No. 2003-060). Case 2 considers multiple wells within a natural hydrate reservoir for studying the unified kinetic model to demonstrate the feasibility of CO2 sequestration in a natural hydrate reservoir with potential enhancement of CH4 recovery. The model will be applied in future field-scale simulations to predict the dynamics of gas hydrate formation and decomposition processes in actual geological reservoirs.